❪ test drive: #1 - the overflow ❫

[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 as you slept. 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 can help. You knew that you'll 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 was all a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE MESS HALL     It's fascinating to the Orbiters how such a dull room can be turned around so completely with people in it. All meals are served by Roman, and while all the food is delicious, some of it is a bit odd. Is that neon green soup? That’s hideous. If you happen to be in the mess hall at a particularly unlucky time, you and the food will suddenly begin to drift. Someone’s got jokes, and they’ve turned off the gravity control. Now it’s just you, your fellow refugees, and the floating sea of food. Wait, did that person just chuck a pie in your direction? 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. Be advised, however, that participating in one of the training modules will start you off favorably with the Natha Orbiters’ in terms of REPUTATION. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life and the dense foliage and forestry of a section of El Nysa will open up. According to one’s map registry, it clear to see that it’s miles from the outer gates of Olympia, but not as far enough to venture into any other territories. So, in that sense, you’re safe. 1. Or you could have been, but unfortunately the wilderness is home to various types of beasts and monsters hailing from different universes and galaxies. On the bright side, perhaps one of them will be oddly familiar to you. Or maybe someone else who is currently synced is willing to give you that extra helping hand. Fortunately, if you’re powerless, there are options. From telekinesis to flight, there are strange abilities one can adopt and “test” out in the virtual reality. Granted, you’re only limited to one at a time. They say in the near future, some of you may be granted these abilities under certain conditions. But, please practice some caution. You aren’t alone in the system, after all. 2.. Who do you fight for, the VR system will ask you individually before you enter the module. The righteous Olympians, or the free-spirited Wyvers? Whatever your choice, when you enter El Nysa, you will wholly and truly believe your allegiance. A. Working together: You now have to suffer the consequences of your choice, as you and your partner have been captured by guards of the opposite faction. Now jailed and soon-to-be tortured, you must find some way to negotiate your release. Perhaps you’ll find some means to escape without detection. Maybe you’re the “fight your way out” sort of people. B. Facing your enemy: That person you stepped into the VR with? They’re out to capture you. Or maybe you seek to capture them. 3. When you enter the virtual reality, things aren’t exactly how they’re supposed to be. Maybe that’s natural, especially if this is your first time, but the problems here seem a bit more fundamental. Maybe you find yourself under a parental safety lock, and you’re suddenly censored. Exposed back? Censored. Body suit? Censored. Or replaced with a mascot costume. Worst of all? You can’t sign out. Not right now, at least. Regardless, whatever it is— ridiculous filters, body alterations, or even body swaps with other users... you are assured it’ll all be fixed with due time. Zasere sends his humblest apologies and promises no more wire chewing, or so the announcement states. 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: HANGAR STATION     You find your way to the hangar station. Here rests are a factory worth of docked mobile suits. You recall how the Orbiters had previously spoken of a "space frontier," but only after seeing this you realize how real their words are. Most machinery have marks of wear and tear, assurance that they have indeed been used before, and an assembly of others are going through repairs and maintenance. No one seems to care that you've just strolled in. In fact, there seems to be a couple of the aircraft that beckon you to take a closer look. Maybe you’ll only look on the outside, maybe you'll be greeted by the hand of a mobile suit extending toward you and welcoming you to its cockpit. You go out and explore SPACE!!! Unfortunately, that mobile suit should have warned you it only had 20 minutes of flight time left in its system. Or, perhaps, you’re a particularly ambitious pilot and you’ve strayed past the designated perimeter. Either way, the HUD display is now blinking with errors, cropping up with a single message: DISTRESS SIGNAL. 1. You’re the poor sap who happened to chill around the Observation Deck. Unfortunately, everyone seems busy with the influx of mobile suits out and about, and the only one who can answer this distress signal is on the Navigation System, well, you. Hope you can figure out the controls fast enough. Guide the pilot back to the safety of the hangar using the most efficient route possible. Keen Navigators will find an instruction manual that provides a shortcut to automatically return a suit back to base. 2. You’re actually sitting in a two-seater mobile suit. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Maybe you were unwittingly dropped down a hatch, or dragged along for a joyride by your ambitious co-pilot. Either way, it looks like help is going to take some time... 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! A Training Module thread of AC length on the TDM may be submitted for 1 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINT after acceptance. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[heraldsdawn]

[ His attention is grabbed when he hears a voice responding to a question he expected to go unanswered. He lifts his head up from the glass to turn towards the source of the voice to see another man sitting just a little ways a way.

He frowns, silently agreeing with the man's first question since it basically mirrored his own. Everything they did to save their world and it ended anything.

But, a moment later he lets out a chuckle at the other comment. Perhaps, because it was almost too sad not to laugh just a bit at it all. ]

I suppose not, but, I don't think these weak little fists of mine could do any real damage.

[coolerjunpei]

[For a moment Junpei just looks at him, wondering if this is going to launch into a full-scale bitching session - he totally wouldn't mind, but he's just as down for light-hearted not-jokes in an attempt to make this all sting less.]

Maybe not, but what if they can hear us? Picture it: dozens- no, hundreds of people popping out of these things, complaining about how noisy we are out here.

[Best case scenario, really. He's putting all his hopes in it, effective immediately.]

[heraldsdawn]

Honestly, I think some of them might tell us off for not pounding loud enough. I mean, who would want to sleep through any of this? [ As he gestures to all of what's around them. He smiles a little bit more and then finally makes a decision to approach the other. Extending a hand out; ]

I suppose this is a time for introductions before we wake them all. I'm Lavellan.

[coolerjunpei]

[That gets Junpei to laugh, at least, albeit wryly. He doesn't get up, how silly, but he does lean forward off the pod he's been leaning against to reach up for a half-hearted handshake. Give it time.]

Junpei, and I could use a hundred-year nap after the single year I've had. What's your story?

[heraldsdawn]

[ Wow, have some energy, man.

He grabs the other's hand firmly and shakes before letting go finally. The question makes him take a moment to think inwardly on it. Does he really want to get into that with a stranger?

His look is more contemplative before he decides to shrug. Time to play the role of the confident Inquisitor.]

Oh, you know, dealing with an evil psychopath pretending to be a god trying to ruin the world. Same thing every day I suppose.

[coolerjunpei]

[He's got a good thing going here with this sulk, dude, let him have this. If he started punching the glass he'd just hurt himself.

But, ah - that explanation, if it can be called that, makes his eyebrows go up with low-energy curiosity. Huh.]

Seriously...? Same here, but mine had a wire crossed and thought he was saving us. Some people, am I right?

[heraldsdawn]

I wish that were the case for mine, but sadly it was just pure arrogance, but I agree. Some people just take it too far and ruin the nice world for the rest of us.

[ Despite it's many, many social and demon problems. ]

[coolerjunpei]

Yeah. The nice world. [The world he knows kinda blows, but it had a handful of people worth going up against psychopaths for. Pros, cons.] You nearly get somewhere, and then... poof.

[This with a helpful finger-wiggling gesture, to really emphasize worlds being eaten by evil space clouds.] It's a B-movie plot if I ever saw one. Now we're stuck living in it.

[heraldsdawn]

[ He's really not sure how to take that. He's not exactly happy with the hand gesture reminder that everything they knew was gone. However, he's then left utterly confused at what they say next. ]

B- Movie plot? Is that a conspiracy of some form? Or a book? Either way, I suppose you're right. Whatever it is.

[coolerjunpei]

It's a—well, it's a type of movie. [The font of esoteric knowledge in him wants to explain in detail what the B is for, but uh-] You, uh, don't know what a movie is at all, I guess.

[Hmm...] It's moving pictures.

[heraldsdawn]

[ There's just a long confused stare as Junpei tries to explain what movies are. And when finally the simple description of moving pictures is said he lets out a small "ooh". ]

I think I understand....but probably not. I'll have to see it for myself.

[coolerjunpei]

["Moving pictures" just can't quite capture the majesty of awful B movies... Alas.]

If I find any, I'll let you know. There's one where a god shows up in the big city and has to fit in—kind of like us, but we're way less impressive and nobody has to dub our lines.

[What is he talking about, why is he like this.]

[heraldsdawn]

[ He has to quirk a brow to that plot line. He finds it rather hard to picture a god trying to fit into something that seemed so mundane. ]

I look forward to you showing me such a thing. As of right now though, perhaps, we should leave. [ And he just looks down the corridor of pods and just sighs a tiny bit. ]

Let them have their rest.

[coolerjunpei]

Oh—yeah. Good idea. [Letting them rest - dragging himself up off the floor and getting out of here for his own sake, more like. Letting them rest is a good enough excuse.]

We've still got plenty of time to tap on the glass some other day, I guess.

[heraldsdawn]

It's probably for the best. [ Because honestly, who would want to wake up like they were in a fish bowl? ]

[coolerjunpei]

Yeah... you've got a point.

[And now: the terminally awkward situation of walking in the same direction as someone you don't really know and ran out of things to say to. Uhhhh.]

So, uh... where you headed?

[heraldsdawn]

Um. [ Now that he thinks about it, he wasn't quite sure where. ]

The mess hall. I'm sure there's something edible in there today.

Hopefully.

[coolerjunpei]

Optimism. Love it.

[His delivery might be so flat it's starting to go concave, but food's always something. And before he invites himself along without actually asking, let him do just that:] Uh, mind if I tag along? There's not really anything else to do.

[heraldsdawn]

Well, it's either that or crushing despair so I like to think it's the better of the two.

[ There's a smile that tugs at his mouth as if the question seemed like a joke ]

I thought that was clear the invite was open. [ He gestures with a hand to follow and proceeds to walk. ]

[coolerjunpei]

Hey, give crushing despair a chance. Everyone's got to make a living somehow.

[Is he talking about crushing despair like it's... a person? A living thing? He sure is. This is now your lunch buddy, Lavellan.]