Phantasmal Rift Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
phantasmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
phantasmemes2018-10-18 11:48 pm
phantasmods) wrote in phantasmemes2018-10-18 11:48 pm
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME - OCTOBER 2018
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 Silvereagle Manor. Once upon a time, this castlelike home was the refuge of a family of magical nobility straddling the line between church and liege. Then, some centuries after the family itself died out or dispersed to the winds, the building was restored and preserved as a historical heritage site, complete with lots of little museum plaques and a ticket counter in the huge entrance hall. Then after that, an apocalypse of sorts happened, and now the building's stood empty for a century, surrounded by magical distortions with quite interesting effects.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
One of these effects will be immediately apparent to those who find themselves in the manor or upon the grounds, as it affects near all who enter within, whether they arrive through the shifting of dimensions or more mundane means. It is, after all, quite a sudden change to not be in the body you instinctively recognize as your own.
Though the changes will be significantly greater for some than others, and nearly everyone will be basically recognizable as themselves, they will find that the type of being they are as has shifted. They might be an alien, or a robot, or a fantasy creature - or, if they're not normally human, they might suddenly find themselves to be such. With luck, the experience isn't too disorienting, but...
Well, any new arrivals are likely to be glad of the veterans hanging around to explain that this is surely only temporary, aren't they?
GARDEN OF TRUTH
The forward grounds of the manor, once a well-cared for path up to the building complete with a fountain and carriage loop, are now almost entirely coated in creeping ivy. It climbs the remains of ornamental trees and the scattered lamp posts around the grounds - some of which still attempt to flicker weakly in response to the passage of travellers, magical lights lighting no more than a few feet in a circle around them against the rain.
Did I mention that it's raining? Whether it's a steady drizzle or something more intense, the gardens are constantly under cloud and experiencing the wet weather of autumn more often than not. You may end up wanting to run for the cover of the front stairs of the manor house itself, which provides more than enough cover for those not willing to venture into the ruined building itself.
But whether you're on the stairs or out in the wet, you'll feel a tickle in the back of your throat... All characters in the entry garden will find themselves compelled to tell the truth to whoever they're talking to. Lying is nearly impossible, and even if you manage it, it won't reach the ears of the listener as anything more than mumbling - and attempts to simply omit the truth will cause the itch in your throat to increase to the point that it becomes unbearable. Better get ready to spill your guts.
PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES
Inside those doors, beyond the entrance hall and its abandoned ticket counters, you'll be able to follow a thread of music to another set of grand doors, and opening those reveals a beautiful, pristine ballroom. This room is obviously affected by the magic of the building in some kind of way - even if it were not for the music, the unnatural cleanliness of the room compared to the disrepair of the rest of the building, there's the translucent shadows of dancers spinning around the floor. Engaged in waltzes and pavanes to the music, they are largely indistinct to those who are flesh and blood.
If you choose to enter in among the sweeping ballgowns and robes - possibly with your clothes having suddenly manifested into appropriately matching attire themselves by the magic of this place - you're likely to find that one of the specters takes your hands to lead or by led in the dance. No good comes from dancing without a partner, after all! The images, for all their wispiness, are surprisingly forceful in this matter, with unnaturally strong grips and a penchant for steering through the middle of the group, and it might be a while until you can lead your new partner back to the edge of the dance floor in order to beg off. However, those who enter the dancefloor with a partner already in hand will find themselves ignored by the dancers, as are those who enter with the intention of sweeping someone already inside off their feet.
SPOOKY SCARY...
The dancers aren't the only haunted things having fun around the first floor. While there's any number of magically animated brooms and dusters fighting a doomed battle against cobwebs and mildew, they're not the only thing moving about. With the music from the ballroom filtering across the whole floor, you might occasionally hear the clack-clack of something hard hitting the floor.
Where the skeletons come from is a question for another day. Because they're certainly... here... and they've come to dance themselves right into the dust, since they have, apparently, already danced their hearts out.
Unlike the ballroom dancers, the skeletons are performers - many of them have questionable hats, capes made of drapes, or other accessories to dance with, and once they realize they have an audience, they'll do their best to insert themselves into the line of a character's vision as much as possible. They're actually rather friendly and nonviolent, as much as skeletons can be, and rather than fighting over the spotlight, most of them will coordinate their dancing if they wind up sharing someone's attention. If you ever wanted to see how many synchronized cha-cha-ing skeletons you can collect into a single room... Well, now you have a chance to live out that extremely specific fantasy, I guess.
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 Silvereagle Manor. Once upon a time, this castlelike home was the refuge of a family of magical nobility straddling the line between church and liege. Then, some centuries after the family itself died out or dispersed to the winds, the building was restored and preserved as a historical heritage site, complete with lots of little museum plaques and a ticket counter in the huge entrance hall. Then after that, an apocalypse of sorts happened, and now the building's stood empty for a century, surrounded by magical distortions with quite interesting effects.
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
One of these effects will be immediately apparent to those who find themselves in the manor or upon the grounds, as it affects near all who enter within, whether they arrive through the shifting of dimensions or more mundane means. It is, after all, quite a sudden change to not be in the body you instinctively recognize as your own.
Though the changes will be significantly greater for some than others, and nearly everyone will be basically recognizable as themselves, they will find that the type of being they are as has shifted. They might be an alien, or a robot, or a fantasy creature - or, if they're not normally human, they might suddenly find themselves to be such. With luck, the experience isn't too disorienting, but...
Well, any new arrivals are likely to be glad of the veterans hanging around to explain that this is surely only temporary, aren't they?
GARDEN OF TRUTH
The forward grounds of the manor, once a well-cared for path up to the building complete with a fountain and carriage loop, are now almost entirely coated in creeping ivy. It climbs the remains of ornamental trees and the scattered lamp posts around the grounds - some of which still attempt to flicker weakly in response to the passage of travellers, magical lights lighting no more than a few feet in a circle around them against the rain.
Did I mention that it's raining? Whether it's a steady drizzle or something more intense, the gardens are constantly under cloud and experiencing the wet weather of autumn more often than not. You may end up wanting to run for the cover of the front stairs of the manor house itself, which provides more than enough cover for those not willing to venture into the ruined building itself.
But whether you're on the stairs or out in the wet, you'll feel a tickle in the back of your throat... All characters in the entry garden will find themselves compelled to tell the truth to whoever they're talking to. Lying is nearly impossible, and even if you manage it, it won't reach the ears of the listener as anything more than mumbling - and attempts to simply omit the truth will cause the itch in your throat to increase to the point that it becomes unbearable. Better get ready to spill your guts.
PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES
Inside those doors, beyond the entrance hall and its abandoned ticket counters, you'll be able to follow a thread of music to another set of grand doors, and opening those reveals a beautiful, pristine ballroom. This room is obviously affected by the magic of the building in some kind of way - even if it were not for the music, the unnatural cleanliness of the room compared to the disrepair of the rest of the building, there's the translucent shadows of dancers spinning around the floor. Engaged in waltzes and pavanes to the music, they are largely indistinct to those who are flesh and blood.
If you choose to enter in among the sweeping ballgowns and robes - possibly with your clothes having suddenly manifested into appropriately matching attire themselves by the magic of this place - you're likely to find that one of the specters takes your hands to lead or by led in the dance. No good comes from dancing without a partner, after all! The images, for all their wispiness, are surprisingly forceful in this matter, with unnaturally strong grips and a penchant for steering through the middle of the group, and it might be a while until you can lead your new partner back to the edge of the dance floor in order to beg off. However, those who enter the dancefloor with a partner already in hand will find themselves ignored by the dancers, as are those who enter with the intention of sweeping someone already inside off their feet.
SPOOKY SCARY...
The dancers aren't the only haunted things having fun around the first floor. While there's any number of magically animated brooms and dusters fighting a doomed battle against cobwebs and mildew, they're not the only thing moving about. With the music from the ballroom filtering across the whole floor, you might occasionally hear the clack-clack of something hard hitting the floor.
Where the skeletons come from is a question for another day. Because they're certainly... here... and they've come to dance themselves right into the dust, since they have, apparently, already danced their hearts out.
Unlike the ballroom dancers, the skeletons are performers - many of them have questionable hats, capes made of drapes, or other accessories to dance with, and once they realize they have an audience, they'll do their best to insert themselves into the line of a character's vision as much as possible. They're actually rather friendly and nonviolent, as much as skeletons can be, and rather than fighting over the spotlight, most of them will coordinate their dancing if they wind up sharing someone's attention. If you ever wanted to see how many synchronized cha-cha-ing skeletons you can collect into a single room... Well, now you have a chance to live out that extremely specific fantasy, I guess.
Yoosung Kim | Mystic Messenger | Lockdown CRAU | he's a zombie ghost
[There's another new arrival who may have just appeared to be a short blonde nerd in a green and gold school uniform, if it weren't for several very striking traits of his new appearance. He's some kind of corporeal phantom - his body of flesh glows faintly all over and more vividly in a line all the way around his neck, slices of light in his hands and countless other seemingly random glowing marks across his body from the brilliant green ectoplasm replacing his blood. But the features that are more likely to catch your eye first are on his face - pale green soul fire dances around his eyes, obscuring his glasses from sight like a feathered mask. It flickers slowly, more of a calming campfire as opposed to a furious firestorm, though it may not be any less concerning when it's burning right on a person's face. More fiery wisps sometimes pass through the clothes on his back, and the tips of his hair are ignited the same way, trailing sparks behind him as he wanders around in abject confusion. Even so, he looks a bit excited.]
Oh my god, who put in for all this stuff? It's like some kind of Halloween event!!
[Yes that's literally what it is. But he was the Apprentice Gamer, and he has pretty good reasons to believe their situation may literally be a seasonal minigame in a game server-like environment. At least the fire doesn't seem to be affecting his vision any.]
DANCING SHOES
[Aaand he sets one foot onto the manor steps and the flames wrap around him before they dissipate into a suit with a bow tie. He's alarmed, patting himself all over his new jacket. Which you would think would be because of a natural reflex to clothes being on fire, until he mutters in annoyance.]
Put it back! I wanted my guild uniform...
[But his clothes do not change back, so he is forced to look dashing. This really isn't how it's supposed to work!!]
SPOOKY SCARY
[I just have two words for you: K-Pop dances.]
i'm preemptively sorry also you get to pick the music because I don't know shit about kpop
Because there is suddenly very fitting, appropriate music going on here. Without an apparent source.
Though, if Yoosung looks around, there is a mostly-human looking teen, with red hair to his waist, just kind of looking at the air with the most 'really' expression ever seen.]
that's fine, I had to do Research
But wow, this is great!! He didn't even know there was anyone around who would recognize the dance moves to Zombie Party, let alone start playing it for him. He's just going to shout out during the middle of one of these jumps.]
Thank you DJ!!
[WHOEVER YOU ARE!! He does not SUSPECT the exasperated teen, so boy that'll be fun.]
bonks back into this late my life sure Happened
[The music, meanwhile, has switched to an absolute clash.
A closer look will reveal that Asch's skin is practically translucent, far too many veins visible in his face and neck.]
no subject
This would be a lot more shocking if his code vision didn't let him technically visualize people's bodies this way before. Although it hasn't worked on anyone else at the party, so he at least recognizes it as his transformation similar to Yoosung's.]
It's someone who decides the music at a party or on the radio... and what are you right now? Partially-invisible man??
[Only the skin is invisible.....]
no subject
[Slightly sour. His powers are kind of a pain in the ass but it sure does keep happening to him.]
And I have no idea. Something from some world I've never heard of, probably.
no subject
[He kind of wonders if Asch is messing with him, since a lot of people do.]
no subject
Garden of Truth
[You're not the only changed person here. Poe is now sporting black cat ears, a fluffy tail, claw like nails, slit pupils, and fangs. Well, that and a raccoon patterned raven perched on his shoulder.]
I can't believe so many of us are here...
no subject
P-Poe... What's going on? You're not supposed to be dead!
[Yeah, he still thinks this is a simulation, and that is the major reason why he's not freaking out about being a literal phantom.]
no subject
[He sighs and crosses his arms.]
This isn't the simulation.
no subject
Uh, are you sure? I mean, you've got something...
[He's holding up his hands to imitate the cat ears.]
That and I'm some kind of zombie! This stuff can't happen in real life.
no subject
I'm well aware of that. But... I've met other people here and this most certainly isn't the simulation or the world we were in prior to this.
no subject
[this is admittedly dumb if false but he's not even shy about saying that, thanks to the truth garden. He's still pretty confused.]
I-I don't get it! If this isn't the simulation, then how am I even outside?
[He pauses, and raises his hands to look at their ectoplasm-glowing cuts in vague horror. He certainly remembers that this is where he held glass.]
Agh! Don't tell me I'm really a zombie!?
no subject
[Wow, thanks for forcing him to say the former part truth garden.]
I... don't know. I can only tentatively offer magic as the reason. It'd certainly explain our current appearances.
[Poe glances at Karl in concern at that idea. He doesn't want him to have to adapt to being a bird...]
I... doubt it will be permanent. One of them would have mentioned it if it was. That... just feels like something you would warn a newcomer about.
no subject
Wow, thanks for the benefit of the doubt. You really think I'd get knowledge cheats for my head if I was smart on my own?
[and thanks for THAT, truth garden!!!]
Anyway, I have nothing to judge this kind of thing against, my world doesn't have any magic powers to begin with. I can't even tell if I'm really alive or dead right now.... god this is super weird. But, I can just assume it's the same as what happened to you, can't I...?
[Also he's finally squinting at that pigeon a bit.]
You and Karl?
no subject
[Truth garden why are you like this.]
It is.
[Karl caws at his name being said.]
Karl has been turned into a raven... albeit a raccoon patterned one.
[The aesthetic is nice, but he doesn't want Karl stuck like that.]
no subject
[He sighs.]
How can you tell fantasy from reality in a world that's got magic? Was your world like that?
no subject
[He's a goth Yoosung.]
I wouldn't say so. My world is mostly mundane... aside from those of us who had Abilities.
no subject
[He might find someone else to ask about the place they're in... especially when a living and dead reunion could come with so many other things to discuss.]
no subject
[He had his priorities straight.]
no subject
no subject
[He gestures to his cat features.]
Some of them have side effects like this. From what I heard, I think this is far preferable to an perpetually burning city or loosing vital senses.
[He does not need to be reminded of that motive...]
The people already here are from different worlds too. They apparently live in a research station an short ways away from here. The androids who run it originally lived there.. before it fell to ruin at least.
[Poe pauses to give Yoosung time to absorb it all.]
That's all the information I've been able to gather so far.
no subject
[That's a bit ... Well, he's still shocked to be talking to Poe in the flesh. He didn't have a body... where did this one come from? That's probably something he'll have no idea how to answer though, so he just frowns and keeps that to himself.]
Well... thank you for all of that, anyway. We should probably get our bearings and meet up at that station later, don't you think?
no subject
[He's annoyed about that too, but it is what it is.]
That sounds acceptable.