❪ test drive: #2 ❫ THE OVERFLOW

[natha]

ORIGINAL POST

THE PROLOGUE     Many people in stasis seem to be medically sound enough to wake up, brother. Are the preparations ready to go? Yes, I've long prepared myself for this. Watching them everyday has been truly rewarding. ... Right. Yeah. Okay, let's get them ready to wake up. We should keep their minds active to ease the transition into consciousness. A simple VR program should do the trick, I think. I will boot one immediately. There! All systems are green. Their consciousnesses are linked. However, their minds appear to be too active... They may be over-stimulated, brother. Huh? How can that be...? Can we pull them out safely? Not from my end, no. This may be too large for us to fix alone. Do you think...? Yes, I think so... It will have to be done organically. Can you send out a message to our refugees? Of course, brother. I will send one swiftly. We must be sure to fix this before Darma returns. There is urgency in the Orbiters' request. Refugees currently in El Nysa are asked via mass message to please return to Thesa Station virtual reality area immediately. Zasere tells them that the next set of Refugees are scheduled to wake, but there's been an issue. On Thesa, refugees will find that the people in stasis are still apparently trapped in slumber. Most of them are complete strangers, but there's a chance you may recognize a familiar face or two. Normally, these people would wake up from their pods without issue, but due to a malfunction caused by the unforeseen force during The Descent, they have to go through extra measures to make this possible. Those in slumber require extra stimulation, something to keep their minds active. What better than a simulation of an area of El Nysa? Keeping their minds active requires an extremely involved simulation. Those subjected to the VR (prospective characters) will find themselves completely immersed in their new environment, believing themselves to be native Olympians. To wake up from the simulation, characters must work together to accomplish a certain objective(s) in the icy tundra. Characters in-game will be aware that this is a simulation, but this is good practice for properly interacting with El Nysa natives, isn't it? An AC-length log thread on this TDM may be submitted for Two (2) Natha REP points HERE. Please read the OOC note at the bottom of this post for the terms. PROMPT: WINTER CAME     The wind in the icy wasteland is bitter and frigid. You are wrapped up in a winter coat, but even still, the cold bites at your skin and leaves you yearning for a warm fire. Perhaps you're a merchant from the city, here to make a delivery, or you're a royal guard, sent to patrol the area. Who are you? The sky is the limit. One thing is certain — you won't snap out of your new identity until you finish a task. 1. Due to the vast diversity of the creatures on El Nysa and the fact that new ones are constantly being discovered, an important objective is to carefully chronicle different species. Unfortunately, to research these new species, they happen to need more than just a visual. More than just fleeting glances in over a snowy hill. Researchers are constantly looking for ways to secure... You guessed it! Blood and stool samples. The supplies for the former will be given. Supplies are offered in a small box; one per person. In this box is a small dart that will automatically procure a small touch of blood, and easily shaken off so the creature will be able to securely escape. As for the latter— well, they'll give you a plastic bag if that counts. Look, sometimes to get a job done, you have to get your hands dirty. Specifically, they seek samples from a newly recorded rare beast known as a Klep. Kleps spend much of their time hidden in caves, so hitting them with the darts will be tricky. They are also nocturnal, but you may be able to lure them out of the cave with fish as bait. When struck with a dart, you must grab the dart and escape immediately, as they will charge you, and killing such an endangered species is illegal. As for stool samples, well... Once you find a pile, you will have plenty of sample to work with. 2. It's cold, to say the least. Too cold to continue forward. Whatever you were doing, you must stop and seek shelter. Looks like your goal is clear, at least. Get warm. Not finding a way to sustain heat, whether it be seeking shelter, building a fire, cuddling up, or all of the above, will likely end in serious consequences. 3. You are stuck in a dilemma. On one hand, you are set to work for Olympia. One the other, you're not completely sure what is really expected of you, or who the man who gave you this mission truly is. You and your partner are meant to protect precious trade cargo for them. You were told that these were essential supplies for one of the outer colonies. They assured you it was mostly food. In loading the cargo onto the supplied wagon with your partner, however, you noticed something inherently off about it. The weight and even the sounds of some of the contents inside definitely don't sound like food. Moreover, some boxes are more obviously more concealed— draped in black sheets and reinforced on all sides. You've also caught wind of rumors that you are potentially being utilized to supply advanced weapons and other contraband to Wyver terrorists in the colonies. But what do you do? Refuse to make the delivery, and people in the colony will surely starve. Try to remove the weapons and only deliver the food, and you will be killed on sight for being too suspicious. Make the delivery as-is, and not only will Olympians die at the hands of terrorists in the future, but you will betray your country. Decide quickly... 4. There are many dangers associated with traveling in such an isolated, harsh environment. You must help each other to survive. Perhaps someone has fallen on thin ice, and requires a rescue. Maybe someone is on the brink of starvation, and you must share what provisions you have. When you come to, you will awaken in Thesa Station. All will be explained to you by Zasere or Sael via telepathic link. Your world is no more. The Storm has consumed it. We offer proof in the Observation Deck if you desire it, but it won't be an easy thing to stomach. We offer you a new life, in our planet of El Nysa. We just ask for your help in maintaining the vitality of El Nysa. What can we offer you in exchange for your help? PROMPT: STASIS UNIT     You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to access this part of Thesa Station, but refugees are warned that it may not be for the faint of heart. Here, in large pods that nearly cover every square inch of the space, are all of the people the Orbiters have managed to rescue. Your loved ones, your greatest enemy, your next door neighbor— you might find them here. These people are in a state of deep cryosleep. Due to the damaging effects of The Storm, their bodies are not yet ready to be awoken. PROMPT: GET REKT     The Orbiters have noticed that some of the refugees really miss their video games. The technology in El Nysa could be much worse, but it definitely leaves much to be desired. Which is why, after expressing relief that everyone awoke safely, the Orbiters have decided to provide a little fun in the form of video game competitions. Anything from old-timey arcade machines to state-of-the-art computers, consoles, and VR headsets (though you may be a little tired of VR right now...) is available, and yes, they have your favorite games! Enjoy PAC-MAN, Starcraft 2, or perhaps Dance Dance Revolution! Teach a friend how to play. Get unnecessarily angry and competitive. Most importantly, have fun. Keep fourthwalling to a minimum, please. Recommended playing: QWOP PROMPT: OMAGE     Upon receiving your mobile phone, you will be asked to set a username. Voila, you can now access the network! You can choose to send a message to the entire network, specific usernames, or you can try out the Orbiters’ service, Omage, which connects you to a random user. They thought this might be a good way for their new guests to make friends with each other... Connecting to server... Looking for someone you can chat with... You’re now chatting with [username]... Say hi! PROMPT: WILDCARD     You are welcome to write any scenarios in Thesa Station! Characters have been granted temporary access to the Observation Room, and are encouraged to study it carefully. FINAL OOC NOTE     Please give toplevel priority to prospective characters! Current characters wishing to thread these scenarios with other current characters are encouraged to create separate logs. However, threads between 2 current characters are not eligible for Natha Orbiter REP. These threads may be carried over as game canon if players choose! Players are encouraged to submit TDM threads as application samples, but they are not required. Please direct any OOC questions to the questions thread below! A TDM thread of AC length may be submitted HERE for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS. Current players may submit their thread at any time, and prospective players may submit a thread after acceptance. Please note that threads must contain at least five (5) log comments from your character. A toplevel counts as a comment. Network threads are not eligible. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

Linneus

[moneytwin]

you might say he was a stolen trinket

the name stuck

;)

do you have any pets?

with all these machines here it doesnt seem likely. but the day has already been full of surprises. what's one more?

[inaurare]

I see. i hadn't realised there was a history behind. Perhaps those are the best names.

Pets... I've none at the moment, though I should like to have one. Or even more than one, i had lovebirds briefly some years ago.

[a hesitation over his next question]

What is semi colon-bracket?

No worries, EU buddy! I too am sacrificing spelling and grammar to avoid sleep

[moneytwin]

if they ever wake up i shall point you at a friend of mine. they know all about names and associated histories.

lovebirds? they sound adorable. what do they look like?

oh! that's a winky face!

;) ;) ;)

see? you have one eye closed, one eye open and a smile! :)

Thank you <3

[inaurare]

You have found friends here, then? In the "pods"? Im almost afraid to look, myself.

Lovebirds? They're quite small birds. Brightly coloured with patches of another colour on their cheeks and beaks. very affectionate and they thrive better in pairs. hence the name, I suppose.

A winking face.

[let him just try that out himself...]

;) ;) like this? I never knew this could be done!

Re: Thank you <3

[moneytwin]

so i am told. they are here, and safe - for a given value of safe, given our circumstances. i havent found them yet though, this place is huge

oh thats so fucking adorable i cant imagine how cute they are. we dont have birds like that in emon but i should ask keyleth. if anyone knows about animals its her.

yeah!!! you got it! :D :D :D

you can make all kinds of faces, i havent figured all of them out yet but you can be happy :) or sad :( and probably angry too

its pretty ingenious

Autocorrect thinks Emon should be Emoji...

[inaurare]

That is good. At least you can reassure yourself of their safety?

Yes they are [skipping over Vex's qualifier there] Adorable creatures, yes. about palm size, and their song is very endearing. I hope you might be able to see one one day.

perhaps best to keep them away from your bear however. I hope you can find him as you found your... compatriots.

I'm not sure how i would make an angry face. I shall have to explore this key board further.

[a question tacked on-]

Emon is your home country, Miss? Sir?

[moneytwin]

i suppose. i would prefer to know exactly where each of them are but beggers cant be choosers in this sort of scenario.

oh my god. i will definitely ask keyleth. do you think they'd have saved any animals like those birds as well? unless this world below us has something similar in the 'adorable bird' category.

[ Not quite as good as bears, but Vex is perfectly content in her personal bias. ]

i havent had to make one yet either. if you can figure out a good one, let me know, yeah?

yes. or, well. it was. is. things were a bit complicated even before all of. this.

what about you, where are you from?

[inaurare]

it would be nice if they were. but i wouldnt know exactly what or who gets saved. i think these pods might be too big for small birds.

[but imagine, if you will, bird-sized stasis pods.]

my country is named ivore. or it was, rather, yes. though I cant claim there to have been anything complicated about my life.

[...or at least not overly so.]

may i ask how was your life complicated?

[moneytwin]

[ Given that Vex can imagine bear-sized pods, bird ones aren't too great a stretch. ]

Well, perhaps the world here will surprise us.

ivore. hmm. i dont think thats anywhere near where i'm from. unless tal'dorei rings any bells.

[ hah! that's a good questions. now, how to answer...even as an adventurer,
Vex's life is nothing less than weird right now. Or was.. ]

hmmm. have you ever heard of vox machina?

[inaurare]

i don't know emon or tal'dorei. even the names are unfamiliar. but I have never travelled outside of my country so I cannot consider myself particularly knowledgeable about geography.

what is a vox machina?

[moneytwin]

it sounds more likely that we may well be of entirely different worlds. at least now you can say with certainty that you've travelled far and away, no?

that would be my friend and i. i would call us a merry band of adventurers but we've had precious little to be cheerful about lately. specifically due to the complications i mentioned. [never mind the ones that vox machina make for themselves]

does your world have dragons?

[inaurare]

dragons? only in stories.

But then merry bands of adventurers and different worlds sound like something from a fairytale, too. so perhaps I can suspend a little disbelief

[moneytwin]

would that they were just in stories. it would have made life so much easier.

i suspect you'll be doing a lot of that here, so i'm happy to help ;)

anyway, there were four of them and they raised the city and my friends and i were gathering power in order to stop there.

all a bit moot now, i suppose.

[inaurare]

that sounds terrifying.

[and like a story, still, but he's trying to believe]

im not sure how you can stand against dragons, however much power you gather.

[moneytwin]

you have no idea

[ The memory of Allura's tower cracking under the weight of the white dragon, before collapsing across the Cloudtop District. Of the green ancient dragon and the poison breath that wiped out so many innocent lives. The deaths, the destruction..It gives her nightmares even now. ]

with a lot of courage. possibly the liquid variety if the inner sort fail you.

But they can be killed. We'd already slain one of their number, and i've helped kill white dragons before. [just. not. so large. not that the other needs to know that]

what about you? you said you've never left your city, right? what is it you do there?

[inaurare]

Liquid courage?

[excuse him pausing to laugh at that. Well, it worked well enough for some.]

was it the liquid courage that helped you slay the others?

Oh, I serve there, in a house.

[in what capacity, Vex doesn't need to know yet. ]

[moneytwin]

yes, dear. alcohol. spirits. ale, if you prefer.

no, though we certainly drank enough to celebrate that later.

oh? noble house is it, or something else? Any particular role?

[inaurare]

I see.

[he doesn't expect the liquid courage would be of any help for him]

not a noble house, no. Or not exactly. The Master's name is known, and there is history to it, but he isn't titled.

I have worked there in some capacity or other since I was sold there as a child.

[moneytwin]

[there's a short delay before a response is sent; a sharp intake of breath, then a scowl, and concern. ]

you were a slave [statement, not question]

well if you're here, then you're free now. i would imagine thats quite intimidating. are you doing all right?

[inaurare]

a servant.

[semantics]

it is an adjustment, to be sure. I am still adjusting.

[moneytwin]

servants aren't sold, dear.

did you at least get paid for your services?

well, if you need any help, do not hesitate to ask, darling. it can be quite tricky learning a new city, let alone an entirely new world. [which she..admittedly is pretty unsure about but she'll cross that bridge once she reaches it]

[inaurare]

[...she's right. No real retort for that one.]

not exactly.

[hesitantly typed. No, he wasn't paid. He got a lot of gifts of jewellery, but even those were never truly his - he could find those taken off him at any time.]

thank you, i will likely have need to take you up on that.

is your name on this device your true name, or what is your real one? mine is still linneus.

[moneytwin]

[ HEAVY FROWNING. ...At your situation, not you. ]

please do, darling.

my name is vex'ahlia, but you can call me vex. my twin brother is vax'ildan. [hence the network name]

[inaurare]

[it's a good thing that frowns don't carry over the network, really.

A pause while he tries out the strange new names.]

Miss Vex, then. And that means your brother would be Vax?

[Oh he gets it.]

So if I should come across a NotVex then I can assume it to be him?

[moneytwin]

[ ...yeah, let's not tell this one that it's technically Lady Vex'ahlia. Particularly given their history with nobles. (Even if this rise in rank was only recently.) ]

that's right.

if he's awake, anyway. still searching around here for any sign of him.