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

[wearmyface]

[This is not what was expected and Carnivac will get the pleasure of seeing a very confused look on the sniper's face as she peers around at the tools. While she never actually worked in the mining section, she had enough friends who did, back before the war, that she knows the shapes of mining tools.

But, if the tools are moving on their own without people, then. Maybe-] Outlier?

[Funnily enough that word's clear as day, even as she makes a gesture for 'around'.]

[anarchia]

[That's a word that makes him pause.

Perhaps Vos meant it in some other way, but, knowing who she was...

It's obvious it means something to him, as he freezes in spot.]

[wearmyface]

[And now Carnivac has her undivided attention, eyes narrowed as things click into place.

But none of it makes sense. It can't make sense. The more she thinks on it, the darker her expression gets until she pinches her nose with a growl.

Before pinning the 'wolf' with another Look, blue eyes harder than ice and twice as cold.] Tell me what's going on before I decide to skin you myself.

[anarchia]

[Would if he could, Vos.

Well- probably not.

He stares her down, hackles raised, positioning himself ready to move. He's a smaller target as a wolf, and far swifter. That would be more to his advantage than his larger, bulkier robot form.

If she wants to skin him- he wishes her the best of luck.]

[wearmyface]

[-And, like that, the helmet appears, as does her gun. It's up and aiming at Carnivac before she's thinking, the action so ingrained.

Thankfully, she doesn't fire. But Primus does she want to. It's an organic, but it understands her. It has to be of her species.] Fac-tion. Write?

[It's very much a demand- with some consideration given to the fact the wolf can't speak even though he understands.

If this is an Autobot... ]

[anarchia]

[Just as expected.

Carnivac maintains his stare at Vos as he paws the dirt. There's no way he'll look away for a moment.

Soon enough, he's written something, steady and clear:]

MAYHEM

[wearmyface]

[Mayhem?

If her mask could emote, that would be the flattest stare ever. There's at least twelve different Decepticon squads going by that name alone, and a good three hundred with it in their handle on The Big Conversation.

But, on the other hand-

She cocks her head just a fraction.] Decepticon?

[anarchia]

[On the one hand, lying here would be the quickest route to survival. If he were to still claim allyship to the Decepticons, he'd make it out of here in one piece- surely.

But he wasn't about to go back on his ideals, and, should they make it back, the truth wouldn't stay buried.

He writes in the dirt again.]

X

[wearmyface]

[Normally that would be grounds for termination. And, indeed, her finger curls around the trigger a fraction.

It's only the fact that he seems to know his way around that spares him. Just.

The question is more spat and with extreme distaste at that.] Autobot.

[anarchia]

[He sees her finger curl, acutely aware of how tight a rope he's walking on now.

He draws again, tense, but trying to maintain as calm an exterior as he can.]

X

[wearmyface]

[Not a Decepticon, but not an Autobot, but obviously some kind of Cyberganic.

A really weird one, but-

It's good enough, for now. Though, it's almost a full minute before she relaxes her trigger finger slowly lowers the gun until the muzzle's pointed at the ground.] Lost.

[anarchia]

[He's thankful things didn't end there.

In fact, he feels emboldened to write something else in the dirt.]

Disarm.

[wearmyface]

[If by disarm, Carnivac means 'sling over shoulder via strap'? That she does. Otherwise, it is all he's getting, if the lift-tilt of her head is anything to go by.

A point at the tools comes with the next usage of Neo-Cybex]. Outlier?

[Technically, she could make things easier by writing, but. This is not a report to-

Danielle

-Tarn.]

[anarchia]

[Well, at least she's not asking about him.

He shakes his head, and then writes in the dirt:]

Magic

[...yeah, he doesn't get it either.]

[wearmyface]

[Look, it's not as if she's forgotten about the reaction, but now's not the time or place. Not when she's gone rather stiff at the fact there's magic around.

Primus, she hopes this isn't the type that'll oxidize out her non-organic parts.] Is it dangerous?

[anarchia]

[That reaction doesn't go unnoticed.

He tilts his head in a noncommittal gesture. There's not much room to elaborate in the dirt, so he just writes:]

Careful.

[wearmyface]

[She's thankful for the helmet, because her eyes are rolling right now.]

No frag, genius. Last thing we need is to rust out, so let's get moving again.

[-And colourful, if unneeded commentary while tapping her foot and looking expectantly at the wolf, hands on hips. Then a slight headtilt- and a more dangerous tone now.

If there's unknown magic around that could potentially kill her, getting the frag out and back to her squad just took on a whole new meaning. She's done farting around.]

Let's get going.

[anarchia]

[His outward expression is calm, but internally he grins. If this is a weakness for the DJD member, then it's a damn advantageous one. He regrets not seeking out any of the local magic-users for some kind of tuition earlier, but now it's on the top of his list.

He turns and starts down one of the other tunnels. She wanted to get going? Well, Carnivac is going very fast.]

[wearmyface]

[More like a highly inconvenient part of biology. But yes, it is very much a weakness, and if Vos knew what you were thinking, she'd be regretting letting it slip.

It's a good thing she's used to moving fast; she might not be right on his tail, but she might as well be close, unwilling to let him out of sight. Or go right now really, given he's the one that seems to know his way around the place.]

[anarchia]

[He leads her through the tunnels, checking behind himself every so often to make sure she was still following, and begins to near the base camp. He can feel the effects of the stabilizers, like a clamp has been released from around his throat, and immediately comes to a stop, and turns to her.

There was no need to hold his tongue anymore.]

Before we go onwards, we need to talk.

[wearmyface]

[Far from disgust her, the stench of eneron - of Nuke- reminds her of where she should be. With Nickel, making sure her sucidal Amica won't try anything else stupid.

But she's here and the Beastial Cyberganic wants to talk. There's no doubt about what -they know who she is, if only by sight- and for a second or two, she seems rather pleased.]

Noo kiill you. Get- [Reasons Vos likes her helmet: it hides the face scrunch as she tries to think of the words she wants.] out. Call Tarn. Leeave.

[anarchia]

[Oh, good. She had a Tarn too. That's great. Two Tarns. Just what the world needed.]

You can't. [As much as he wishes she could just go.] None of us are able to go back to where we came from right now.

I really don't want to kill him, jsyk. but if it happens it happens ._.

[wearmyface]

[There's some laughter as if he's told the best joke then a helmet tilt to match the glare, even as she squares her shoulders. She's all business now.] Of course. You're on the List, aren't you? Trying to save your traitorous hide.

[Vos, please. Though, why else would someone tell her she can't call the rest of the DJD? Anyone not on the List wouldn't have reason to say that- yet...

There's a half aborted step forward. She's giving him a single chance here.] Ma-gi-ck?

[There is only one correct answer here: Magic did it.]

its ok death is only a minor inconvenience

[anarchia]

[Now he's capable of using his voice- using his howl - the playing field feels a little more even when it comes to combat. It's not the best of odds, but he's prepared for it. He holds his ground. He won't be intimidated.]

More or less. Reality here is unstable. You fell through, and there's no way back.

IT'S STILL A DEATH!!!

[wearmyface]

[Pitty. Vos would happily take a mile given an opening.

That this is the result of magic is - unwelcome. The slightest change in tilt to the helmet and she looks downright murderous. Which is a pretty good reflection of how she's feeling right about now.] Name.

[It's a demand she is perfectly willing to back up with violence.]