❪ 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

[eaudevamp]

[ Strangers things had happen. Just waking up on Thesa would turn a non-believer into one after seeing all those things and experiencing life on the planet Nysa.

Chuuya's offer was well appreciated, noted by the grin on Reign's face. ]

Of course! I'll definitely keep you in mind, and if you ever need help, I'll be there for you.

[ Chuuya was right. What had happened had already happen, and it was best to focus on the here and now, to do what they could for the future. He waved towards the exit of the simulation room. ]

Have you eaten? All those running, even if it's simulated, has left me hungry.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Huh. Someone offering to watch his back. Reminds him of his Mafia days...

Anyway. He heads towards the exit, none too keen on staying in the simulation room, and shakes his head.]

Nah. Not really hungry. I could go for a drink, though.

[He doesn’t have the stomach for eating after what he’d seen.]

I’ll follow you there.

[eaudevamp]

[ With the refugees mostly being of the human race, Reign knew that if he wanted to receive help in return, he would have to cooperate with humans. Besides, he hadn't come across many of his kind, whether as vampires or those of similar species.

Reign heaved a sign of relief once they left the simulation room, leading them towards the mess hall. ]

I'm sure there are all kinds of drinks for you to pick. I know humans have a preference for tea or coffee. Or maybe something alcoholic. What's your poison?

[ He asked as he threw a grin at Chuuya. ]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Wine. Red wine, specifically.

[And lo and behold, there’s some available in the mess hall, and he grabs himself a glass before having a seat at one of the tables. He gestures to the seat next to him with a grin, inviting Reign to sit down.]

You got a job or anything? Hobbies?

[eaudevamp]

[ Ooooh~ Good choice. Hopefully Chuuya wouldn't notice when Reign started drinking blood from his own glass, since both liquid were similar in colour.

He smiled as he took the empty seat next to Chuuya, propping one arm on the table, chin in hand. ]

In fact, I do. I work as a researcher of sort at the Simwe Institute, and if you're ever at the red light district, I can be found at Shades Darker.

[ Wink wink, grin grin. Though Reign kept his flirting to a minimum. ]

I'm sure you'll be able to find a job here just fine. Truth be told, I'm hoping to earn enough to open a business.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Red light district...not really what he was expecting to hear, but Chuuya isn’t too easily flustered, and he flashes Reign a playful little grin as he rests his chin on his hand.]

Yeah? That’s quite the job history you have there.

[He takes another sip of his wine, humming happily at the deep, rich flavor. He has a sneaking suspicion that Reign is drinking blood, but hey, he’s not gonna judge.]

What kinda business do you want to open?

[eaudevamp]

[ Chuuya would learn a whole lot more unexpected stuffs about Reign if he was interested. ]

I'm good at what I do, so there's that.

[ Perhaps fortunately, what Reign was drinking was synthetic blood, so the metallic scent wasn't as strong compared to real human blood. After all, Chuuya already knew he was a vampire, so there was nothing to hide.

He took a nice long pull of his drink before replying. ]

A business selling perfume. It's what I used to sell, back in my world. I'm quite the well known perfumer.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Oh yeah?

[Color Chuuya intrigued. He’s always had a taste for the finer things in life, and fragrances are no exception. He traces a finger around the rim of his glass as he leans in a bit closer to Reign to listen as intently as possible.]

You do anything with roses? Or patchouli? Those are best scents. I’d totally buy from you.

[He’ll punch anyone who says perfume is too girly. He likes cologne and perfume, thank you very much.]

[eaudevamp]

Unfortunately, I've dealt with neither of those ingredients before. Plant life is scarce where I came from. My main ingredients have often been pheromones. Vampires ones, actually. There used to be white roses down in the South, but I rarely head there.

[ Reign was quite surprised to note Chuuya's interest in what he did. Not many people were curious, and more often than not gave him funny looks upon knowing that he dealt with perfumes and fragrances. ]

But fret not! I've been doing research on the floras in Nysa, and you'll be one of the first patrons I'll look for! In fact, I do have a sample with me... A prototype of sorts...

[ He dug into his jacket pocket and fished out a small glass bottle, handing it to Chuuya with a shy grin. ]

I've managed to infuse it with a tad of vanilla and citrus scent, but I'm trying to find other materials for it.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Oh. Too bad.

[Chuuya is about to take another sip of his wine when Reign produces a small glass bottle and hands it to him, and Chuuya is actually kind of impressed with how easy that was.]

Lemme try it...

[He pops open the cork on the bottle and holds it under his nose, and immediately the scent of oranges with a hint of sweet vanilla fills his nose. It’s nice. Almost nostalgic...]

Smells like quality stuff. I’d buy some from you, if I wasn’t flat broke on this world.

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign waited with a kind of bated breath for Chuuya's verdict, smiling wider to know that the sample came out well. ]

Really? Well, I'm planning to maybe give out a few samples when the time comes. An advertising technique, if there ever is one. Should be enough for a couple usage.

[ When Chuuya handed the bottle back to him, Reign tucked it in his jacket pocket again, before holding his glass up in a kind of toast. ]

Don't worry! I'm sure there are jobs here you would be well suited for, and you can easily earn money. If you like, you can be one of the few selected to try out my experimental scents whenever I come up with a new one.

[thetaintedsorrow]

I think I’d like that.

[He hasn’t really thought much about jobs yet. He doesn’t even know where he’s going to be staying once he leaves the station...]

Where do you live, exactly?

[Chuuya yawns, his body beginning to feel the effects of being woken up from stasis.]

And where can I sleep?

[eaudevamp]

Excellent! I'll let you know whenever I have some sample prototypes ready.

[ Reign finished his glass of synthetic blood, then headed for the sink to rinse it as he answered. ]

Currently, I live in one of the starter housings in Olympia, though I'm planning to earn enough to move into a better place. Not that it's inhospitable, but I do like a bit of luxury.

[ Noting Chuuya's tiredness, he threw him a small smile. ]

There are sleeping quarters for those who've just woken. Let me show you there so you can take some rest. You'll need it before travelling down.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[As he follows Reign to the sleeping quarters he ponders over what exactly life might be like on the planet below. From what he’s gathered tensions are high between Olympia and Wyver, which doesn’t bode well but also has nothing to do with him. He’ll stay out of it for as long as he can.]

Luxury is definitely nice.

[Chuuya is used to it, in fact, but he’s not going to sleep on the street, so whatever housing he gets at first will do.]

You live alone?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign had only been here about two or so months, but he'd heard tales from those who came before him. Or sickness and attacks, or how both factions were at odds with each other. With the building tension, he didn't know what to think about living this new life. ]

Luxury is always nice. In moderation, at least.

[ He threw a grin at Chuuya. ]

Previously, yes. But I've recently got a new addition to my little household. Oh, let me show you his picture.

[ With an excited glee, Reign fished out his phone from his jacket pocket, tapping the screen a few times to bring up a photo of his pet. ]

Cute, isn't he? I've yet to come up with a name for him yet, though I've a few options in mind already.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Oh no...that’s way too cute...Chuuya thought that Daifuku was just an oddity, but apparently tiny animals are a thing here, and Chuuya loves it. Imagine tiny horses, or tiny lions, or tiny hippos, or -

Oh. Right. Reign is still talking to him.]

How about Apollo? I dunno why, it just sounds cool.

[The cutest giraffe ever deserves a good name!]

You gotta let me pet him sometime.

[eaudevamp]

[ Then Chuuya should see Linneus's pet as well! A tiny llama. How cute was that?

Reign hummed at the name, nodding. ]

It does sound cool. The name of a god. I'll add that to the name list.

[ That had Reign smiling widely, utterly elated. ]

I will! You should come and visit me some time once you're down on the planet with the other new refugees. I'm sure he'll love to meet new people as well.

[thetaintedsorrow]

I’ll definitely stop by. Can’t pass up the chance to meet a tiny giraffe.

[But now is the time for Chuuya to get some much needed rest, and he finds an empty room in the sleeping quarters to crash in for the night.

He turns to Reign then, giving him a small smile.]

Thanks for filling me in on stuff. It was good to meet you.

[Parting is such sweet sorrow.]

See you around.