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redmarsshit2019-12-24 10:36 pm
modblob) wrote in redmarsshit2019-12-24 10:36 pm
test drive meme: december 2019
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.
▶ 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.
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?
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.
Whatever the reason, the network is going strong, so feel free to include a post to it in your top-levels.
no subject
"Keep them. I'm not interested in the presents." It's not... entirely the truth, because he knows (senses) that one of those gifts is Ben Solo's, but the entire situation makes him too uneasy to want to claim it. Instead, he nods towards the ship. "That ship. Have you been inside?"
no subject
She looks at the ship, uneasy. "I went in and heard weird noises and left. I've seen too many horror movies to--"
Wait. That's it.
"Holy shit, you're Kylo Ren. Er, what's his name, Adam something."
no subject
In any case, there's a moment where he looks somewhat bemused. Few outside the First Order have even seen his face in quite some time, but that's ultimately a minor issue. It's not totally unreasonable for her to pin him as Kylo Ren.
No, what makes her reaction so strange to him is the tone of voice. There's no fear, or trepidation, no awe or respect. Just... surprised recognition??
"Who are you?"
SURELY YOU MUST BE RELATED TO SOMEBODY IMPORTANT HAHA HAhashadahiuno subject
She sees the lightsaber at his side and trots over, clearly intent on it.
"Goddamn, they let you keep that? I mean, keeping the clothes isn't too weird I guess, they look pretty good on you, but don't they usually give the other props to like, producers and stuff?"
no subject
Curious choice of words. He's taking a guarded step back, hand moving to his lightsaber, not because he considers her a threat, so much as he doesn't need some grubby urchin trying to grab it.
And it's strange, because she's speaking so much nonsense, but he doesn't read any deception or mockery in her intent. It's as if 'Kylo Ren' means something entirely different to her.
"Who do you think I really am?"
no subject
"You're... The guy who plays Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens. I'm really sorry, I don't remember your name, but I'm shit with names."
Once Kylo and his lightsaber are in arm's reach, she starts humming under her breath, a little tune she worked up that violates about ten laws and got her in trouble before she came here. It's designed to coerce, to relax, and to let someone else handle your stuff without raising a fuss.
no subject
He can feel it, something that isn't quite the Force trying to slip through his defenses and render him docile. Gentle, sweet temptation-- and an unwelcome intrusion. And though he doesn't know what this particular sorcery is, Ren is quick to react, cut it off by cutting off her voice.
He lifts a hand, and the Force locks her in place, frozen and helpless as he curls his fingers in towards his palm. It's like a vise tightening into Athena's throat, enough to silence her, enough to make every breath a desperate struggle. He could kill her right now. He ought to, considering what she just attempted to do.
Ren looks at the girl as if she's a particularly fascinating specimen, turning the intrusion back on her. Prying, forcefully, some truths from her mind. It's only when he's satisfied that he leans in, so that they're looking each other in the eyes as he snarls out, "My name is Kylo Ren."
And that's when he allows the Force to release her.
"A bard," he observes, looking down at Athena. Not that he knows much about what that means, beyond the basics he scraped from the girl's own memories. Musingly, he adds, "Liars and cheats."
Hey, it's your world's sentiments, not his!
no subject
When he lets go she gasps, dragging air into starved lungs and having a coughing fit. She answers him between choked noises. "Gotta... live up... to the rep."
Once she's breathing steadily again, she looks up at him, her eyes practically shining. "That was the coolest fucking thing anyone has ever tried to kill me with."
no subject
But she isn't afraid of him. She doesn't look at him as a monster, or an enemy, or even some lost, broken boy who must be fixed. She takes him as he is, and she's declared him... 'cool.' And from what he's gleaned of her-- the parents who rejected her nature, and the world that sees her and her kind as something to fear and mistrust-- perhaps there's something of a shared thread between their experiences.
It's a surprise to even Kylo that he begins to warm to the girl. Sort of. Kind of. Just by a few degrees!
"Yeah." There might be just the smallest twinge of amusement in his voice, even though she totally tried to bewitch him and he totally just Force choked her. "I know what that's like."
Having a reputation, living up to it.
"And I wasn't trying to kill you."
no subject
She shifts from foot to foot, wrestling with what she wants to ask him. Will he get mad? Will he Force-choke her again? Sure, it was cool, but once is totally enough.
Whatever, she's going to ask him.
"Can you ignite your lightsaber? Please? I never thought in a million years I'd get to see one in person."
no subject
He clearly looks a little uncertain, though at least her request doesn't come as much of a surprise now, given everything else. So Ren looks at her, his gaze soft with the confusion of somebody who doesn't quite feel at home in friendly social interactions, before hardening with a brief warning look that's pretty clear in its intent:
You can look, but don't even think about trying to take.
And then, wordlessly, he ignites the saber, red and crackling and unstable.
Is it.... 'cool'???
no subject
She exhales quietly, clear wonder on her face.
"Wow. Y'know, my friend Michael says that lightsabers wouldn't work because something something science, but man, clearly science just hasn't pulled its head out of its ass yet."