❪ test drive #4 ❫

[natha]

YOUR STORY BEGINS     The Storm came. You only remember darkness, but you don't remember much after that. All you know, perhaps, is that it was cold. You don't know for how long you slept, but the dreams were short, at least. You remember the expanse of stars and the universe that came in view. Every world and solar system ever known was displayed in your dreams in careful, pristine detail. You have also witnessed The Storm, which has devoured a fair portion of these galaxies. It was a dark, thick smog — ominous in appearance and ever foreboding. Your Earth and similar planets were immersed in The Storm. Somehow, you knew it would be the last you'd see of it. That was when she told you what happened, and how you could help. You knew that you'd be living somewhere new, even though you never asked for it. The details here weren't clear, but you knew you'd made a deal with Darma. Not long after, you'll wake at Thesa Station — your body is still cold. It all felt like a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE STORM     CW: death You were awake on Thesa Station. But at some point you, like many other new arrivals before you, wandered into the Observation Deck. Ordinarily, this is where images of The Storm are replayed to remind Refugees of the fate they have escaped. The Natha Orbiters' technology has evolved. They are aware of your gaps in memory. You may have doubts of The Storm even existing, or of your world's destruction. Though they do not wish reliving those last moments on anyone, they have created an experience that will do just that. Before entering the Observation Deck, you are warned that what follows will not be for the weak of heart. As soon as you step in, you will find that the walls around you begin to transform and expand. Welcome to the Planet Cespi, in the Circinus Galaxy. Unfortunately, we were not able to save this world from The Storm's Consumption. These are its last memories. You are surrounded by blue, grassy hills as far as the eye can see and a pleasant breeze. The atmosphere is thick with a sickly sweet smell. Before you lays the scene of a quiet village, with its residents going about their everyday lives. You aren't alone, either, with an equally confused stranger (or perhaps you know each other?) surveying the scene. Then the world grows completely silent for a full minute. You and your partner are unable to make a sound, verbal or otherwise. Without warning, a deafening roar fills your ears and forces you to double over in pain. The villagers run out of their homes in a panic, finding themselves in just as much pain and confusion as you do. Where there was no sound before, now there is too much for a normal human body to process. Look up. An expanding mass of energy is swallowing everything you can see. It consumes the earth, the atmosphere, the depths of space — and it is getting closer. Your only hope is to outrun it, if you can. The people in the village certainly try to, racing past you. Their fear is very real. Their bodies are very real. You may be able to run from it for a time, only able to catch glimpses of this dark and sinister force swallowing everything and everyone. The earth rumbles and separates beneath you. Electricity surges through the sky, and then through your very body. You fought hard, but it is impossible to outrun the Storm forever. You too will be consumed. Your death is quick, but not painless. What were you thinking, before you took your last breath? You awaken back in the Observation Deck, next to your new friend. PROMPT: TRAINING MODULES     While it’s all nice and well to familiarize oneself with Thesa Station, it is most advised that new arrivals venture out a bit. Not physically. No one is quite prepared for that yet. However, there will be several virtual reality training programs set for those who dare to be adventurous. For those who aren’t and don’t dare, well — good luck, all the same. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life. 1. When you enter the Natha's newest program, at first nothing loads. You might think this is an error as you look around in apparent total darkness, only able to see your own virtual body if you look down, but soon enough a voice comes to life as if speakers have turned on somewhere. Long ago, the lands of El Nysa were dominated by the ancestors of the dragons who now live among the people, tamed. It was pretty dangerous! How about a little history lesson? And then the simulation comes to life— a. The lush lands that blossom to life around you all at once are real enough to make you forget you're in a simulation — at least for a moment. Those refugees who have been to the planet in reality before will find themselves in territory as unfamiliar as those who are brand new, as this simulation takes place far back in history. Instead of sprawling cities and civilizations, the most you'll find is scattered villages, many of them no more than nomadic campsites at best. You've been outfitted to blend in with the natives and these simulated people won't react to you as a newcomer, but as a member of their village. Are you a doctor, or perhaps a warrior? Maybe you're even in charge! But they want your help, and they want it quickly: a dragon is coming. The dragon is larger than the mount-sized breeds that exist on El Nysa today — much larger. It's a good six stories in height, bestial, and angry. Maybe it's then that you notice the lands that surround you are littered with scars of scorched earth, some of them several yards across, and there's a reason these people don't live in one place for very long. But don't linger too long on the makeshift grave markers sticking out of the burnt countryside — the dragon is coming. b. If you're looking for something a little less violent, perhaps another area of the historic simulation will be up your alley. This one finds you on a cliffside, waiting among other villagers for an event the people are talking about in hushed whispers, some of which you can identify as prayer. When the white dragon raises its head up from the depths of the ravine, towering impossibly high over you and the others on the cliffside, it's no wonder most of the natives fall to their knees in awe and wonder. This dragon doesn't attack, only looks at the people on land with an ancient and strange wisdom. Then it speaks. Not in words, but the low rumbling sound that starts in its throat and becomes a full trumpeting bellow to the sky seems to have meaning, and somehow, you can understand its cry as it entreats the people to praise and worship. The natives around you are already starting to give offerings with their prayers, food and carvings and — blood? Is that someone's arm being offered up? That's different. 2. Let us now travel forward in time, shall we? a. The Olympian settlement around you is quiet — until the screaming starts. Guerilla fighters from Wyver flood the streets, knocking civilians aside and breaking down doors and windows when they find their way barred. They move methodically, advancing toward the nicer parts of town where the politicians reside and leaving terror in their wake. They're here for the politicians, people say. They're here to punish the people who made the decision to advance into Wyver in the first place. Blood for blood, as the saying goes. Where they'll be taking them once they have them is anyone's guess. A soldier emerges from a building, dragging someone in elegant clothing out by the hair. Looks like they've found one. Will you rescue them? Make a run for it yourself, lest you be mistaken for one of their targets? Or maybe they've already caught you and some other unfortunate Refugee who's been dropped into this simulation, and the two of you need to figure out a way to escape. b. CW: branding You find yourself in the midst of a bustling crowd gathered at the Temple of Thesa. Robed acolytes stoke fires on either side of the altar at the front of the temple, where miserable-looking people who seem to be from a village in Wyver await, bound in ropes. The priest, at the front of the crowd, picks up a metal brand from the altar and gestures for another acolyte to bring a prisoner forward. The crowd watches with interest as the prisoner is forced to kneel in front of the altar, their arm laid out flat on the marble surface. Another cry — "For the glory of Olympia!" — and the crest of the city is burned into the prisoner's arm. The crowd cheers, deafening the cries of pain. The priest ushers forward another prisoner, and then another. Is that a familiar face you see in the lineup, thrust into this bit of history by the simulation's whims? You have to do something. Or are you unlucky enough to find yourself bound? ...Well, hopefully someone else in the crowd has more scruples than this priest. 3. And now, the present. After all those enlightening scenes, the simulation finally brings you to a more quiet area of Olympia. You are deposited out somewhere in The Outlook, a place the very first group of refugees had to trudge through before they found their homes. You've arrived in the early evening — but sunlight is waning, and soon you'll be under a sky full of stars. Luckily, their old campsites aren't too overgrown. The intention here is to get you familiar with some of the local flora and fauna. What sorts of plants will you encounter? Do you find yourself under a Verillum Tree, suddenly compelled to be painfully honest and truthful in conversation with a complete stranger? Find yourself behaving erratically in the presence of Whistleweed? Or perhaps you'll have to break the spell of being trapped in a Vena Amoris' vines... with a kiss. PROMPT: STASIS UNIT     You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to enter 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: 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     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! An AC-length thread may be submitted for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS after acceptance here. Please submit by February 18th. We will no longer be providing overflow posts. In an event where the post hits CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals or create their own catch-all post. These threads remain eligible for REP. There will be an application cap of 60, and no reserves. Please read here for more information. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

un: bg

[quipper]

1. a 100 hour work week
2. no casual fridays
3. bring your son to work day is EVERY day

[ looking at you: tall, dark and spooky. ]

[aequoreal]

I have had one casual weekday.

[ in, you know, the last six years. ]

[quipper]

oh man how could I forget
Supes and Bats sure do love Arbor Day, huh?

[aequoreal]

I understand the appeal.

[quipper]

don't we all!!
so
you talk to any fish lately?

[ in some ways, all bats are the same. ]

[aequoreal]

[ s i g h s ]

I have not. Have you spoken to any bats or birds?

[quipper]

[ sweet. she figures this isn't aquaman, since the leaguers don't normally have time for her. 'course it could be garth. ]

spoken is a strong word

[ recently she: slapped batman, yelled at tim, and actually had an okay time with damian, so it's been a mixed bag. ]

but you're in the right aviary/cave
wanna grab a bite?
i know a great space diner

[aequoreal]

[ he isn't aquaman, no. same prefix, different ending. ]

I would be glad to.
Now?

[quipper]

sure
you'll know me when you see me

[ not because she's kitted out in eggplant spandex, mind you, but rather 'cause she's sporting a Gotham University hoodie and nursing a coffee at a table by the main cafeteria entrance. ]

[aequoreal]

[ there is no one else who would fit the description of a bat or one of the robins, not clearly enough to warrant that sort of statement, so kaldur sits down next to her. his feet are bare and his gills visible, but he is wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, so it isn't as though he's in uniform, either. ]

Hello.

[quipper]

[ oh.

she doesn't recognise him, but she supposes she wouldn't recognise most Atlanteans. maybe he's new to going beyond the sea. ]

'Sup. [ an easy smile. god, that was dorky, wasn't it? ] I'm Stephanie. Hi.

[ — ah, why did she add hi at the end? was that weird? it definitely wasn't not weird. killer first impression, brown. ]

[aequoreal]

[ he doesn't recognise her, either. the only female member of the bat-family he knows is not blonde. and yet, they have more in common, it seems, than divides them, despite the lack of recognition on either of their parts.

and perhaps the hi is weird, or not not weird. kaldur does not mind it, expression calm and remaining so. he feels more steady now that he has found something familiar, even if she isn't, precisely. ]

My name is Kaldur'ahm.

[ he tips his head to one side, for a moment. adds: ] Aqualad.

[quipper]

[ she almost says isn't that Garth's gig? but that seems hypocritical when she's batgirl number four. ]

Cool. [ she takes a sip of her coffee, buying a little more time to decide if she'll be straightforward or not. ] Batgirl. You been working topside these days?

[ being aqualad and all. he seems a little seasoned, what with how chill he appears now. ]

[aequoreal]

For over five years, with some interruptions.

[ for a while, in the beginning, he had thought to return to atlantis — but tula had made her choice and he'd respected that and he does not regret committing himself to the surface. ]

I knew a different Batgirl.

[quipper]

[ that's a long time for her to be out of the loop, huh. it's not enough to make her assume time travel or the multiverse is involved, but it's a clue.

ah, a different batgirl. to her credit, stephanie doesn't feel self-conscious being in the shadow of batgirls past. not anymore. ]

Most people do. [ said neutrally. she knows she deserves Most Improved in the super yearbook, even if she'll never win Most Likely to Succeed. ] Ginger and Scary Spice [ Babs and Cass. ] are both still kicking under different cowls, for the record.

[aequoreal]

[ kaldur does not put much stock in pop culture, but he is not so removed from it that he cannot understand those references. his lips quirk for a moment. ]

Ginger Spice. [ it's confirmation, for her benefit: that is the batgirl he knows. it's also a signpost of what they share and what they do not. ]

I am glad to hear it.

[quipper]

[ she loves a code name as much as the next bat, only hers have extra style. ]

Wow. [ it's a shocking signpost, really, when stephanie recalls the length of barbara's retirement and the nature of her evolution to oracle. ] She hasn't done the bat thing for — it's been years now.

[ since the joker, but that's not her secret to tell. ]

[aequoreal]

We might not come from the same world.

[ kaldur has no experience with inter-dimensional travel himself, but he has heard of the possibility, at least. here, it seems something worth considering.

even if they aren't: a bat is a bat is a bat. ]

[quipper]

[ steph's done some world-hopping in her day. it's aight. ]

[ she hums in acknowledgment of the theory and adds casually, ] Or it could be a timeline thing. You never know. [ shrugging. she once punched dracula, so discrepancies in history? it's whatever. ] At least they still do waffles here at the end of the world bar and grill.

[ priorities, my dude. ]

[aequoreal]

That is true.

[ he gives a nod. it could be a timeline thing. that is no more and no less strange than considering alternative universes featuring bats and birds and fish. ]

Are the waffles good?