❪ 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

[larsenist]

[ Seems like he doesn't need to explain; Ann answers the question herself, and he gives her a short nod. ]

Looking good.

[ That's not meant to be anything suggestive, his eyes are trained on the approaching beast as he talks. (Of course, he doesn't have to use Third Eye to know what 'color' it is.) ]

...Careful not to tire out.

[ He's assuming she hasn't been awake very long, abilities weakened from cold sleep as his had been when he'd (re)emerged from his pod. They'll have to be smart about how they use their powers—though it's looking like their options are severely limited either way. (Even with Personas, they can only get so close without getting trampled and/or incinerated.) ]

When you're ready.

[ Time to distract a giant reptile. He sends Arsene rushing forward, the Persona swooping high above the dragon's head and momentarily luring its attention from the ground, giving the Thieves a chance to direct more panicking civilians towards safety. ]

[pussywhips]

[ Careful not to tire out. She presses a hand to her chest, as if to reach out to Carmen—now that he mentions it, her Persona feels a little weaker than she last remembers. To be fair, all of her feels a little weaker, and she wonders if it has anything to do with the fact that she just woke up from some sort of cryosleep.

Well, it would only make sense. She's just going to have to be careful with her spells. Though, she has to wonder how effective fire is going to be against a dragon that... breathes fire.

This is going to go great. But they don't really have a choice, do they? If they want to get these people to safety. ]

Okay! [ She flashes Akira a quick peace sign to let him know that she's ready to roll.

She sends Carmen out next to join Arsene in distracting the dragon, giving the villagers more time to run for the forest. By chance, she glances back towards the village to check for stragglers—when she notices a small child, probably only a few years old, sitting on the ground and wailing. Did nobody notice it in the panic? She cries out— ]

Oh, no! [ —and then breaks out into a run. ]

[larsenist]

[ A Persona that uses fire spells... and a Persona that doesn't do much of anything at all... (Regardless of their bad hand, they'll have to make at least one good play out of this.)

A Sukunda spell from Arsene manages to slow the dragon nominally, granting them only a handful of extra seconds before it resumes rampaging at full speed. As Ann sprints toward the villager child, Akira presses further ahead, ignoring the stares he receives from the simulated civilians now that he's no longer in their native clothing.

...A from his pistol bullet barely grazes the tough dragonhide, but it seems to annoy the beast enough that it lumbers away from the trajectory of the shot, tail lashing out in a low sweep along the ground in an angry attempt to bat Akira out of the way. The thief barely manages to leap clear (even the tapered end is a tall hurdle), but when it snaps in reverse, it catches him across his back and sends him sailing some several meters away.

He barely has time to drag himself behind a half-standing pile of rubble before he feels a violent blast of heat against his back, singeing his jacket even through the layer of heavy stone... ]

[pussywhips]

[ She sprints for the screaming child, skidding a little in the dirt as she stops to scoop it up. Then she looks up—just in time to see the dragon's tail whip across Akira's back, launching him into the air. ]

Akira!

[ Her breath catches in her throat—it's only when he picks himself up that she can breathe again. God, what should she do? The child keeps screaming (who can blame it, really) as she clutches it to her chest, her eyes darting between Akira, the dragon, and the remainder of the villagers dashing into the woods. In hindsight, this was a really bad plan.

Okay. Fire might not be super effective, but maybe—Dormina? ]

Dance, Carmen!

[ Please work. ]

[larsenist]

[ He recognizes the skill that Carmen uses, and commands Arsene to fire off one of his own—Dream Needle. The combined spells might not lull the dragon to a full slumber, but they succeed in sedating it enough that the flames rumble to a brief stop.

Joker takes the opportunity to regroup with the other thief, hastily patting out a smoldering patch on the shoulder of his trenchcoat as he runs. (The two Personas continue to clash with the beast all the while, attacks aimed for the dragon's eyes and other softer stretches unprotected by its armor-like scales.) ]

Thanks. Is there anyone left?

[ They should start heading for the woods too—or better yet, the river beyond it. He's certain the trees will only serve as additional kindling rather than any kind of shelter... ]

[pussywhips]

[ Thanks to the combined effect of their spells, the dragon toddles around almost drunkenly, wobbling on its feet and blowing out weak puffs of smoke in seemingly random directions. Their Personas do a good job of distracting it too, giving Ann enough time to cast her gaze towards the village, searching for any more stragglers.

The child's cries have slowed down a little—it (he? it's hard to tell) latches onto Ann's catsuit with little iron fists. It's surprising that there's any extra fabric for him to hang onto. ]

I don't think so. Come on.

[ She reaches for Akira, tugging a little on his sleeve before she turns and jets for the forest. ]

[larsenist]

[ No need to tell him twice. He casts one last, searching stare through the settlement, listening carefully for any muted cries for help, before finally evacuating himself. (He's ready to put as much distance between them and the dragon as they can. ...Even if he knows it's only a simulation, it doesn't feel like one. The air is thick with ash and smoke, practically sour with fear, and the quiet sobs of the little one in their care sound all too real.)

They travel mostly in hurried silence, other than the few placating noises they attempt to offer the child, before he finally asks, ]

How long have you been here...?

[ (Awake, he means.) ]