TEST DRIVE 006

[phantasmods]

Hello and welcome to Phantasmal Rift's Test Drive Meme!

Test drive threads are assumed to be game canon for accepted characters unless otherwise noted, so don't feel like you'll have to introduce yourself a second time to everyone you meet! As an added bonus, participation in the test drive comes with the chance to earn up to two items of loot for your trouble! Characters who are accepted can earn one item for having a top level, and one for tagging out to someone else's top level! Your SWEET LOOT will be included with your acceptance notice.

Additionally, characters currently in game can earn themselves a piece of bonus loot for the dungeon by tagging people's top-levels on the test drive! Existing characters get their bonus loot along with the rest of their loot at the conclusion of the dungeon.

This test drive takes place in the Telovia Mines, an extremely abandoned magical crystal mine and the town and infrastructure that one supported it. The tunnels are in reasonably good condition and would be reasonably navigable... Except for one thing.

ONE MINOR THING

The magical effects of the Fissure cause those within it to lose something when they arrive - for most people, it's a sense such as touch or hearing, but it's also possible to lose a more esoteric sense (such as your sense of balance or temperature, but NOT things like "sense of morals" or "sense of style"), the ability to speak, or the ability to recognize faces. As a general guideline, whatever characters lose should be non-supernatural in nature, and something they would have taken for granted as a part of their ability to function.

ODDS AND ENDS

Just because the mines are empty of people doesn't mean that they've gone still. While for the most part, the carts full of crystals remain in one place, the huge amount of magic has left more than a few of the miners' abandoned tools still going through their motions. Rusted pickaxes swing at the walls, and dead lanterns swing from the ceiling. Crystals occasionally free themselves from shards of rock to pile into bins, which then empty into already-overflowing mine carts.

As long as you leave them to their jobs, everything will be fine. If you try to stop the tools (and it is the tools themselves, for anyone who might be looking for ghosts) from doing their jobs, they'll chase you down until you leave their general vicinity.

Of course, the eternally working tools don't care much about the structural integrity of the mine tunnels...

THEY ALL PILE UP

...And so, inevitably, there are cave-ins.

Most of them are fairly minor, and you can see them (well, if you can see) enough to just work around them. Some of them are big enough that you're going to have to dig through them first, if you can.

And then there's the handful that block passages entirely. But don't panic! The tunnels are designed around the possibility of this happening - rather than coming to an end, the majority of them loop back around to the main arteries of the mine.

E... ventually...

But you and whoever is stuck with you on this side of the cave-in might be wandering for quite a while before you get there. Hopefully one of you still has a sense of direction, assuming either of you ever had one in the first place.

Comments

Mogget | The Old Kingdom series

[charterbound]

[Anyone with magic sense who comes across Mogget will realise both he and the binding spell on his collar are extremely powerful. He is also very bright if you happen to be able to see magic. Blindingly so.

The more detail-orientated people may also notice that his shadow doesn't always match his shape. Sometimes it won't look like a cat at all]

A - An unexpected arrival

[This...this is not where he should be. Nor where he wants to be, but when is he ever where he wants to be these days? Younglings have no respect for a cat that just wants a nap...

...a nap he is realising he is being less forced into. Hm]

How curious. Not an unwelcome change, but still...

[The voice comes from a small white cat, who saunters out from behind some rocks, looking around with bright green eyes. The bell on his collar chimes, a sound that is Too Loud for a bell that small. It almost sounds wary. A sentiment he agrees with]

Well. Time to find out what is going on here, I suppose.

[And off he trots, to find whoever it is he finds]

B - Magical crystals

[The magic in the crystals is unlike anything Mogget has ever felt before. So anyone passing by may notice the white cat sitting on them and studying them with some curiosity. And occasionally...pressing his tongue to them.

None of them seem to impress him though, if the way he makes an unimpressed face each time is any indicator. The bell on his collar also chimes from time to time, uneasier with each ring]

There is no Charter here...

[Magic, not Free Magic, but magic, and no Charter...Mogget isn't sure he likes it]

C - Cave in

[Wherever you were, there certainly just was a cave in right in front of you. Maybe it was small, maybe it was big, but whatever it was there was certainly a displeased yowl.

And a white cat wriggling his way from the rocks towards you. Luckily nothing really hit him hard enough to knock him out]

Whoever decided that magical tools were best left unsupervised was a fool indeed.

[And he sits down and starts to groom himself, entirely unimpressed]

D - Wildcard

[Got another idea? Feel free to go for it! Message me at FortunaDraken or on Discord at FortunaDraken#0962 or just toss the tag c: Mogget will be around literally everywhere]

B

[nocawsforconcern]

[There's a weird girl covered in a cloak, rustling under it as she looks at the crystals, and the cat on them.... Licking them?]

No, bad kitty cat! Bad cat. Those aren't food! They're treasure, so let me have them!

[charterbound]

[He snorts in the way only a sentient cat can as he looks up at the girl, tail flicking in irritation]

I'm well aware they are not food. I am no creature to eat either rocks or magic.

[nocawsforconcern]

You talk! Talking kitty.

[She's going to squat down in front of him and start... poking at his cheeks...]

How do you talk? Are you a spirit? You're smaller than Lynx, and definitely not Leo.

[charterbound]

[He certainly feels like a normal kitty, and he scrunches his face up at the pokes like one, pulling away from the poking. The bell on his collar chimes, the sound scolding]

I talk like any other talks, with tongue and mouth. [Take it literally why don't you Mogget] As for what I am...I was once many a thing, but now I am simply what you see. A spirit is something I never was, however.

[nocawsforconcern]

[She's going to scoot after him, continuing to poke.]

No, but, cat mouths can't make those noises, can they? I think not. Can they? I guess they must.

[She's at least withdrawing her hands at that.]

Hm... Come to think of it, you seem like treasure, though.

[charterbound]

Normal cats cannot, no. But I am no normal cat.

[An understatement, if there ever was one. He flicks an ear as she talks, glad that the poking at least stops]

Treasure? [He seems amused by the thought] I doubt my master would agree. She seems to like thinking the worst of me.

caved in

[beguiledcard]

[ He's just giving a frustrated sigh... until he looks down to see the feline coming out of the debris... ]

...

[ There's definitely irritation in his expression, though it softens as he holds up his phone for the feline to read: ]

You're really okay...?

[charterbound]

[Mogget has never seen a phone before, so it gets a very curious look before he replies]

I am fine. A little dusty, but it will take more than a few rocks to harm me.

[beguiledcard]

Impressive.

[ He's smiling with relief. ]

My name's Akira Kurusu, though some call me Kira, these days.

What's your name?

[charterbound]

Akira Kurusu. A curious name.

[He considers the question for a moment] I've had many names before. But now, I am merely Mogget.

[beguiledcard]

[ He nods. ]

It's Japanese.

[ There's a small smile now. ]

It's nice to meet you.

[ How the hell do you spell that name... ]

A

[moarlazersplz]

[Arrival at this Fissue had been something of a shock as her vision darkened and faded away. Ruto has a hand on her chocobo's shoulder to help guide her, and her head tilts at the sound of that strangely loud bell chime. At least Simi can still see, even if Ruto can't, and she turns her head in the general direction of the chime and the voice.]

Hello? Are you a newcomer?

[charterbound]

It would appear so, yes.

[Mogget looks up at the strange cat-like girl and the bird, sitting not far away. The bird gets a curious look before being ignored, as any cat is wont to do, and Mogget focuses on the girl]

You are an odd one. I have never seen a human who looks also part cat.

[moarlazersplz]

[Ruto rolls her currently-useless eyes, even if she can't see the person that she's talking to.]

Another world where Miqo'te don't exist, I suppose. I swear, I don't know why Hyur are such a common race...

[charterbound]

[He lies down, unimpressed with her words]

Each world is as different as the next, perhaps. Surely each must have something that makes it unique.

[moarlazersplz]

So it seems, at least so far. Though some worlds seem to have have certain things in common - gods, or deities or what-have-you, or cultural references - while others are incredibly different from each other with almost nothing familiar.

[It’s hard to really get into too much detailed thought with the pounding headache that she’s got going, but she’s been getting painfully used to getting headaches over the past short while.]

b

[motherfucking_ghost]

[Normally being picked up by person hands like Church's would also come some kind of verbal warning, like kitty! or no no no don't lick the magic rocks or are you another one of Zazu's then, but no. Church can't say those things. All he sees is a collared cat being curious about glowing rocks that may or may not be toxic in some manner loose in the caves. Therefore, he's going to pick it up. Just a big fully armored blue guy. This is fine.]

[charterbound]

[He is being picked up and Mogget at first is not sure what to do about this. He glances up at Church, and is still unsure about it. He's never quite seen armour like this before]

An offer to carry me around this dreary place? You're too kind.

[That won't stop him being a cheeky brat though]

[motherfucking_ghost]

[Oh god it talks! He doesn't drop Mogget, but it's a near thing that turns into a lopsided juggle, but Mogget remains in the arms of the soldier.

And just. liiiift the kittycat to his visor and peer.]

[charterbound]

[Mogget flicks an ear and does what any self-respecting cat would do when lifted up like this.

He lifts a paw up and places it on Church's visor. Enjoy your view of toebeans]

Yes, I talk.

[motherfucking_ghost]

[He has been blessed by toebeans. Joyous day.

Slowly, he'll move to cradle Mogget in one arm, to leave the other free for needed gesturing. Or, for the moment, poking the bell. Collar makes it talk, like dogs and sci-fi collars from dumb movies and shows??]

C

[bastilashan]

[She hears the cave-in and the voice.]

Hello? Who is there? Are you all right?

[charterbound]

[The cat glances around to see who had spoken]

I am fine. It takes more than some rocks and dust to defeat me.

[bastilashan]

That is good to hear. My name is Bastila. I am a Jedi Knight.

Who are you? Do you know where we are? What tools are you talking about? [She has a lot of questions.]