test drive meme: december 2019

[modblob]

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

▶ Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

▶ All TDM threads can be considered game canon, and current players are welcome to either top-level on the TDM so prospective players can tag them, or use the prompts for logs or network posts on the communities. All threads on the TDM can be used for Activity Check.

a. santapocalypse.

As the suns set over the unforgiving landscape around Anchor, a bright light flares in the sky, streaking low and fast across the horizon, throwing off flares of green, white, and red.

The impact...is not explosive. Just another flare of light, and then smoke to mark where the object went down. Whatever it was, it didn't come from the redshift. It came from within the planet's atmosphere, such as it is, and landed barely a few steps outside the city.

Characters who choose to investigate will find something strange at the bottom of the pillar of smoke. They'll find a small ship, one that seems to have been cobbled together with pieces of a dozen different ships from a dozen different universes. The cockpit is busted wide open, a red jacket caught on a piece of glass, with no other sign of the pilot. Except for, y'know, the red ringing the broken glass, but we'll just ignore that, shall we?

Scattered all around the vehicle, some of them scorched on the outside but otherwise unharmed, are boxes, boxes, boxes. None are bigger than a shoebox, and all wrapped beautifully with bows on top. Characters who start opening them will find box after box containing nonsense items that might be valuable to someone, but maybe not anyone here. But if they open enough, eventually they'll find something inside that could only be intended for them, it’s so specific, odd, or precious. Any other box they open after that will be empty.

Those that dare enter will find the ship appears larger on the inside. And it also seems to be mostly made of hallways. Hallways that lead nowhere, hallways that, from time to time, are filled with an ominous...jingling.

The source of that jingling is the reindire.

Twisted, monstrous creatures with talons in place of hooves, they will hunt whoever enters the ship through its halls and even back across the wasteland should characters attempt to run. Most of them can be calmed, even tamed. Eaten, if hunting for venison is your character's jam (have at, SSSSs).

Only one cannot be reasoned with, or easily defeated.

The largest of all the reindire, one with fangs and wings and a lust for blood. And a big red nose that shoots lasers. You wouldn't want it following you back to Anchor, would you? Best to defeat it out in the sands, where it can't do any real harm.

b. keep calm & carry on.

As characters have worked on improving the city, they've knocked a few loose screws back into place and rewired a few polarities that needed reversing and now, a new area has opened up. It announces itself with a loud screech as the bulkheads that kept it blocked off open up. The new space is huge, at first seemingly empty.

This space does what the VR rooms can't. It reads minds.

It won't show scenes from home, no, but it will create a facsimile of a place that your character would find most relaxing. And this isn't the simple visual experience of the VR rooms. This is full-sensory immersion. Characters will see, yes, but also be able to touch, smell, even taste what's on the air in their surroundings. If there is fruit, they can pick and eat it - it won't satisfy them, but they'll be able to taste what's there. If there's water, they'll be able to swim it in, and will even feel wet until they climb back onto the shore or out of the pool.

Some lucky souls will even get Anchor's therapy AI chiming in to their scenes, with suggestions like, "Talk to your anxiety the way you would to a friend. Ask it where it comes from, see what it’s doing for you, and redirect it into healthy self-expression." Or, "Have you tried yoga?" or, occasionally, "I think you really really need a nap."

The focus of the room is to help characters relax. Those rolling blackouts that have been happening around Anchor ever since the room opened up? They’re probably nothing to worry about. Right?

c. the network.

Need to get hold of someone, call for help, ask the city at large a question? Need to ask a friend to back you up on the reindire hunt? Maybe you need to hold your sat phone up to whatever crazy thing you're seeing and send out a recording to double-check if your eyes are deceiving you and what you're looking at is real?

Whatever the reason, the network is going strong, so feel free to include a post to it in your top-levels.

Navigation.

Comments

ANGEL THE SIREN | BORDERLANDS | ( crau, ryslig )

[circumspector]

I. Rudolf with your nose so bright.

Amongst a pile of lazily grazing Reindire, there is only who is not quite like the others. Not smaller, certainly not, she stands 6'5 at the the head. That's not to say anything for the two huge sets of horns that sit heavy on her head that are an extra four feet of height. Horns that in their way, seem almost like the jaws of a greater beast, as the bigger ones curve away from her head like scimitar blades. Saw like teeth, that protrude from the long elegant horns and extra bones that grow along her spine, jutting over like an extra ribcage. White fur and black mane and tail that offsets that long blue markings that adorn her left side, horn and foreleg. She is a match for their monstrous self.

No what is particularly strange, is that hung between her horns and at the edge of her hooves that go fluttering like dust clouds when she steps, are the illusions of galaxies. Hovering around her like a glittering ornaments. Far off planets that spin in that empty space. Shimmering of purple and white and gold.

Not that she minds, or particularly cares. In this form, her mind is keener but quieter. No, she seems very content, standing about on watch with the other Reindire. At times she lays with them, letting herself be groomed and when she calls to someone, a soft bark of a sound, she happily grooms those closest too her in soft little licks to settle the other Reindire back into the cuddle pile of warm bodies, then lifts that powerful head of horns with a clear expectation.

You have fingers, and she wants scritches. Get with the petting. Big, all black eyes that reflect stars back at her new company. If you get close enough, she will nuzzle against chest and hands for the attention.

Pets, please.

II. Keep calm and carry on.

The place where Angel is most relaxed, beyond all anxiety, is a childhood bedroom. A sparse white room, a child's bed tucked in one side. Toys litter the floor, but the one that makes her linger is a blue stuffed bear, claws and all, that she picks up as she goes to sit on the chair that once upon a time, Jack and her Mother had sat and told her stories, like any other little girl. She had been happy, then. Photos of a girl that can only be Angel, with her parents either side of her, her first day of preschool, the first time she won a prize, endless drawings.

"Hello Captain Bear," she says it quietly to the toy, giving it a squeeze. "Been fighting crime still?"

And with nothing else to do, but sit in this empty childhood room, she buries her face into the toy, curling her knees into her chest and starts to cry.

The room tries its best, realising it has made a mistake, rapidly changing from the white pristine room to something very different. Into a ship's cabin of a old wooden tall ship, scattered with maps, books, swords and old fashioned flint lock weapons.

But her head doesn't lift to see it, even as the AI tried to make it better.

III. Network.

> Hi. :)
> I'm 4N631.
> Has anyone learned the full specs of these systems and what's running in Anchor?
> I might be able to help, once I learn it.

> Oh, and where can I get a steak? Rare steak, especially.

@Sparrow

[arcadedragon]

Do you mean the security systems? I think that Qubit may know.

As for the robots I'm unsure what protocols they're operating off of.

[circumspector]

Any, really. What OS, is there a user manual, how do the rest of the systems function. I might be a little bit slower than I used to be but...

Oh. Do the robots have full sentience?

[arcadedragon]

That sounds like something he can help with, I'm unsure the specifics.

No. Not really. Not in the way I am used to, it's rather unsettling because they do sometimes act as though they're sentient but other times they do not. I think it is part of their programming, which is somewhat faulty.

[circumspector]

Oh! That's alright, maybe they're developing towards it at the moment, that in the middle period before true sentience can be really tricky. We call it the terrible pre-metasentience time, the poor little things can get so cranky too. Need to have power naps all the time.

[ She might like robots more than people most of the time, shhh. ]

III

[numerouno]

[voice to text | @SCARAMOUCHE]

Help how?

[circumspector]

That will depend on what's needed, but any way I can. I use to run a full security system for a space station and as part of a intergalactic corporation, over saw parts of its construction, organised employee research and hiring, plus weapons and technology development, and ran planet wide surveillance.

Oh, and these days I can life ten times a grown adults body weight and kick through concrete.

I'm not sure yet what might be useful, but I want to do anything I can.

[numerouno]

Good for you, babe! What planet would that be?

[He's got a lot to report to Aku already, but this sounds like it could be a relevant finding.]

Could you reactivate the portal?

[A long shot. It's worth asking.]

[circumspector]

Pandora. Planet of cannibals and convicts.

I can always take a look at it and try.

UN: Major

[fully_synthetic]

The interfaces are very heavily damaged. I have tried. The networks seem to be the most intact systems.

Re: UN: Major

[circumspector]

Then time to work backwards from what we have, then. Wouldn't be the first time.

Is it just the network that works so far? And this VR room?

[fully_synthetic]

No. But this is nit a technology my systems are fully compatible with.

There are robots, which seem to have a primitive AI but I have not ascertained if it is a true AI or learning programs.

As for whether these are the only working systems, I very much doubt it.

[circumspector]

Hm.

Well. That seems like the first step is research. Lots and lots of research.

The second... well, I do have one of the ports left in my head. I might, if I am lucky, still be able to use it. Maybe the ones in my spine in a pinch, I'll have to have a proper look.

A

[nockturnal]

He had been hunting the beasts, expecting a fight given the trail they left behind. What he finds is most unexpected, indeed.

The arrow he has nocked lowers, as he surveys the sleepy animals where they rest, no danger to anyone. To strike any one of them would doubtless rouse the others. Not only that, they seem...peaceful like this. No danger to anyone in the present. Perhaps not so much a threat as initially thought.

Then, the large white one looks towards him. He remembers tales his father once told him of celestial beasts, and how very much like one this creature seems. Something under his skin vibrates softly in sympathy, and he lowers the weapon entirely, placing the arrow back in its quiver.

What are you? There's confusion, but he takes a step closer, glancing towards the other beasts in case any of them get any funny ideas.

[circumspector]

Her black eyes regard him still. Watching his careful steps closer, though he's right in his pause, the other reindire do stir when he comes closer. Ears flicking backwards and forwards, a shiver of powerful flanks as they try to decide whether they should pay attention to this threat.

But dutifully Angel cranes her long neck backwards, licking another against their muzzle to say that it's safe, and butting her head against another one to settle them all back into the pile. Their eyes finally deciding he's no threat, and dropping back to where they napped with heads folding over each other and legs tucked in little.

With them calmed once more, Angel tilts back. Back to her company and extends in turn towards him. Sniffing at the ear to take his scent distantly, and calls once more, a soft bark. It's safe, now.

[nockturnal]

Quietly he approaches, footsteps near silent. The beasts had seemed so fearsome elsewhere in the ship, but here they all appear placid, content to rest alongside this other. Was she their leader? Or was she perhaps some sort of guiding spirit?

She. He's certain of it, though he's not sure how.

"What are you?" he murmurs, before taking to a knee before her. It seems like a scene out of a fairy tale, the sort he'd always held a special sort of disdain for, but here it is. Peace in the middle of chaos, a soft respite in the wake of such a violent arrival.

And he cannot deny what his own eyes see.

[circumspector]

Just a girl. Just a girl with some extra parts. Which she'd say if she was still human, but currently, she is not.

No, it doesn't really matter anyway. No what is important is that he is finally close enough to reach, and she looks into his eyes, with her own star-filled ones. Those strange black space that glimmer, reflecting him back, glass-like. That heavy deep breathes of a large animal, that little bit quicker, huffing.

Then leans her muzzle into his chest. Pressing her long head to him with a soft headbutt of greeting. Then tilts up, taking in his scent in the little puffs of breath that are warm against his neck, until she reaches up - whatever dignity he might have in the moment is ruined when she licks his cheek.

Mlehm. Hello, new friend.

III; text @totheark

[0thingsonmymind]

helpwith
what
?

[circumspector]

Getting things working. Or at least working some what more predictably.

[0thingsonmymind]

youcan
com put er
?

[circumspector]

I can. Do you need some help?

b.

[circumitus]

When new changes emerge, Rey gets curious. The drop in temperature not even bothering her a little bit and the bots' recent antics putting her more on edge, she also makes a point not to venture into unfamiliar territory unprepared. With a knife tucked in her pocket, the area opens up to her, and she readies for the worst. First time it was turrets, then there were zombies, sickness, and then some...

This time, it's a... room? A fairly normal room, one fitting for a normal child. Not that Rey would know what that was like, having never actually experienced a childhood for herself -- only memories of lives not belonging to her, and none were as quaint to summon even the tiniest hint of nostalgia. If anything, it only calls a lingering sense of dread, as she recalls a version of herself that had been trapped in a pristine room such as this, though it was no place for a child to live. Her fingers flex, jitters of anxiety creeping in her muscles.

Either way, someone doesn't seem to be having a good time. It's not someone she knows, so when she finds them apparently weeping into a stuffed bear, Rey's first instinct is to retreat.

"Apologies, didn't mean to intrude--" She stops, when the area changes around her to a scene much different from before. "Oh."

Well, shit?

[circumspector]

Angel's head pulls up, sudden as it is. Hastily wiping at her eyes as she tries to get herself together. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do this." She rubs the heel of her palm against her eyes, trying to blot away the wetness that leaks.

The stuffed bear was so much smaller in her arms, now, once she thought it would protect her from everything, not realising the world had to be protected from her.

"I think it's just trying to find something to make me feel better now."

Because as Angel looks around, she tries to take stock of the room as it is. Tilting her face up to talk to the AI that runs this room: "It's okay, you didn't know it'd upset me, it's okay."

[circumitus]

Such childlike hopefulness would almost be enviable to Rey, if she had ever experienced it. Her false memories never really had that, either. She knows it's different for most others, and that makes it both difficult and easier in some ways -- there are just some troubles that she will always have difficulty relating to.

Something about what this stranger says gives her pause, though.

"'It'?" Rey arches a brow. "You recognize this place?"

Obviously it's not a physical part of Anchor. She's seen the VR rooms, but this feels different somehow. More tangible.

[circumspector]

"The room," she lifts her hand to gesture at the walls, that reconstruct a captains cabin of a 18th century pirate ship. Beautiful carved wood, not fancy, but durable, and in its way, loved. "It's run by an AI, from the sensation of it, reacting to us. How it's talking to us. The poor thing met its match though, I think."

She leans over, running a hand on the wood walls that feel just as they did that first day, that one, perfect night. "It's looking into my memories, the day that made me happy. I think it wants to cheer us up."