Test Drive - 002

[ateratmods]

TEST DRIVE 002

Welcome to Aterat!

Here is our second Test Drive Meme! There are a lot of areas of the city to explore, so please have a look around! In case you need a little help getting started, I've included a few prompts below, or feel free to start your own! Exploration and player initiative are the names of the game here!

NOTE: While you do need an invite to apply to the game, you do NOT need one to tag or top level on the Test Drive!

Helpful Links to Get Started

Arrival & General Information | Locations & Bestiary | Residences & Housing Info | Rules & FAQ (ask questions here!)

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A. Free-Fallin'

Not exactly, but close enough. You have just arrived and received a strange satchel from a tiny, strange little man and are left more or less to your own devices (more information on what to expect upon arrival can be found here)! Follow directions to the north and check out the housing, or maybe have a look around the Historium and try to get some information from that giant glowing ball, see what you can waste your meager starter coin on in the Market District, or maybe just meet the neighbors.


B. For the Benefit of Mr. Kite there will be a show tonight on trampolines

Just to the north of the market district, a small carnival has been set up in a square. As the sun sets, the stalls around it come alive with callers, carnival games, roasted meats are available as well as sweet treats. The games have prizes, stuffed animals and the like, and there are musicians. It's almost as though it's all in celebration of something, but what is anyone's guess. You're welcome to attend and see what's what, and any performers among the gathered are welcome to take part. The whole affair is very mirthful and fluid.


C. Delve Down into the Dark and Deep

If you're a more adventurous type, why not see what all the fuss is about in the sewers, or, if heroics are more your style, maybe look into why people seem to think it's fine to have monsters living just under their feet. Or just use the opportunity to keep your skills sharp. The sewers are pretty vast, after all.


D. Tell Phone™

Why not give that phone a shot and see who answers?

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If you have any questions at all about setting or what is or isn't acceptable, please submit it on the FAQ!

If you would like to explore any aspect of the setting more indepth, please PM the mod account OR comment here! All comments are screened!

» N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

[stickyflippers]

“My thoughts exactly. If they did a proper job of it then these things should be far less finicky.” He shrugged slightly, not that he really put a whole lot of faith in the Aspects knowing what was what when it came to technology any more than he did. The selkie had a feeling they just got ideas and pulled random bits and things out of a hat.

On the subject of how it could be done without technology, he shrugged again. “Afraid that anything is possible. Maybe they are doing as you say, and hiding the good gadgets and gizmos from the rest of us. Or perhaps they used magic, which is what I put my money on at the moment. At least given the over all appearance of this wold and some of the things there are here.”

[kree_soldieress]

"I have known magic users. The Emperor's Husband is the Court Magician and he manipulates reality upon a whim. Yet I do not see that sort of thing prepared here."

Or perhaps there are wizards cloistered away in their quiet corners, planning their mischief.

"What is the purpose of this place then? If I am to be here, what purpose do I serve?"

[stickyflippers]

Hmm... Futuristic technology, magic, space travel? What a place this woman came from! Caelan was quite curious, but her question was a good one. “The general story fed to us is this place experienced some sort of world ending event. They’re looking for our help to ‘rebuild,’ but many of us aren’t suited for such things. They’ve even brought children here, so I don’t know that it’s as clear cut as they make it sound.”

His expression softened a little, “So I’m afraid to say that your ‘purpose’ is up for debate. I had a very different purpose in my own world, I’ve had to find other things to do here.” Waving at the groups of people wandering by, he continued. “Some people open businesses, some people join the guard, some help with repairs, I found a place among a group called the gullwings for exploring this place when I’m not busking at the market. They keep me distracted for now.” Hopefully Lauri-Ell would be able to find something that suited her.

[kree_soldieress]

Yes, Hala was indeed a very interesting world while it was... Well, while it was.

"Isn't distraction a negative thing to have? It impairs one's function."

[stickyflippers]

Caelan raised a brow at that, head rolling to the side thoughtfully. “Indeed it can be, but it also can be used to keep your mind off that which you can’t control or help. Which, in my case, aids to the opposite. Gives me something productive to do, probably keeps me out of trouble too.”

Debatable, Caelan... So debatable...

Still, it was better to be nosy around this world and keeping himself busy than obsessing over how things might’ve been going at home without him. Months gone by and he was sure everything had probably a mess, or maybe they’d carried on without him entirely. Both something he hoped and a small part of him feared...

[kree_soldieress]

Well, she doesn't know about that. Distraction can reduce one's battle sharpness. And make one miss important details if they were an accuser like Lauri-Ell.

"So this is a good distraction? A positive one? Like television?"

[stickyflippers]

“Television?” He parroted back for a moment, thinking on it. Yes... He’s not really entirely familiar with that himself. Luckily for him, Holly had mentioned it on more than one occasion. “Perhaps it is. Carnivals are a fun sort of entertainment like television is supposed to be from what I’ve heard, anyway...?”

He’s... Going with yes, if only because television sounded like something people would relax while watching, and watching the entertainers at a carnival could be relaxing as well.

... Depending on the entertainer, of course. “So, I’ll say that it is; but you’ll have to forgive my lack of certainty on the matter. Never watched television so my knowledge is second hand.”

[kree_soldieress]

“I have not seen much of it. My sister allowed me the use of hers in her apartment while she was away on Imperial business.”

Still, her eyes look longingly toward the place the entertainers had been.

“Do you think they would come back if I gave them some of my soft fake animals?”

[stickyflippers]

Caelan offered a small, slightly amused smile at that. “They might, but rather than give up your well-earned prizes, I could always take their place while they’re on break? I probably would have joined them anyway when they got back.” He pushed himself up to his feet, snagging his own violin from its resting place as he went. He liked to entertain after all, and entertaining someone new to music would be an honour in a way.

The question was, what sort of music would she like to hear? It wasn’t as though he could ask considering her experience. “You liked what they played before, you want more like that?”

[kree_soldieress]

“I do not know what else there is for me to want other than it. I have heard only one piece.”

Is it right to call it a piece? She doesn’t know. Lauri-ELL was so far out of her depth here.

“I hope the Emperor brings music back to the Kree.”

[stickyflippers]

“Fair point...” He hummed a little, settling his chin on the rest and considered how to proceed. Give her more of what he knew she liked or... “Alright, in that case I’ll give you a little variety. A medley of sorts.” He picked a few songs off the top of his head to transition into, before setting a bow to string and starting something lower and wandering.

His attention divided itself easily between playing and listening. How curious... “Your Emperor? I hope he does, music is a great gift to give.” He couldn’t imagine his own world without it, but the Fae did love music, parties, and everything that went along with it. “The kings of my land throw brilliant parties, I’ve even played at a few of them. Lots of dancing and food too.” Some were admittedly not his cup of tea, but he had never been cool with kidnapping humans like some other fae were. Selkies knew what that was like after all, so it always seemed wrong to them.

[kree_soldieress]

How could one talk and make such beautiful 'music' at the same time? Lauri-Ell is truly intrigued.

"I do not know what the Emperor will give us. But he's from Earth, which means he knows other things than we so. Everyone hopes the Uniter will help us be better."

[stickyflippers]

A lot of practice and honestly, Caelan had the gift of gab to begin with. It’d be surprising if he ever shut up for long, too social and used to balancing one thing with another. The piece wove around, and a few other carnival goers were attracted to the sound as he played. Slowly the song rose, and the tempo changed as he transitioned into another piece from a point that seemed almost seamless from the last. 

The Emperor, the Uniter, it’s all very strange sounding. “So your Emperor is of earth, while you and your people are not...? Where you come from sounds very complicated.”

As if his land wasn’t full of complicated things. Strange rules and traditions that most humans had a hard time keeping straight, though that was often by design, anyway.

[kree_soldieress]

How was it one piece of music could do so many things? Lauri-Ell of course had no idea that it was multiple pieces blended together, but sometimes that was just the way the world worked.

"Our Emperor was raised on Earth, but he is of the Kree and the Skrull, a unity of blood and the people, as was apparently foretold."

[stickyflippers]

“Ah, prophecies...” He responded, “That’s a concept I can understand.” Even if he couldn’t really imagine or understand much of her world by the sounds of it. It definitely sounded like it could benefit from some new ideas from earth. Hopefully this emperor appreciated things like music. 

He didn’t like prophecies or dealing with things like fate though, tended to avoid seers in his world like the plague. Which was an interesting challenge these days, and a questionable choice. But he was happier like this. Oblivious on what was coming, and just doing what he did best. “I hope he brings your people music. In the meantime, I can promise you’ll here lots of it while you’re here.”

[kree_soldieress]

"I hope it does as well. And that other thing. Uh... 'Daytime Television dramas'."

For she had to know that Ashley 5 found herself with a better romantic partner who was good for her than Chad could ever be.

One afternoon on Earth and she was hooked.

[stickyflippers]

“Television dramas?” He raised a brow a little at that. The amount of times someone has told him about something on tv now certainly had him curious. Almost comically, the piece he transitioned into next had almost a playful, curious sort of tone to it. One of these days, he’d have to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe if he lived long enough in his own world, he’d get to. “They like dramatic plays? Seen a couple of those in my time.”

Frankly, if Caelan ever saw them, he probably wouldn’t blame her. He’d be hooked too, absurd dramatic storylines were very much his sort of thing.

[kree_soldieress]

"Yes, that might be a comparison," Laurie says, but she's really not certain. She's never seen a play either.

"I cannot fathom why people watch it, but I still could not have stopped. It was very interesting."

[stickyflippers]

‘Might be’ wasn’t a for sure thing, but it was the best idea he could come up with for now. What he could comprehend was the likely reason that one couldn’t stop watching. Same reason listening to gossip among nobles and socialites was tedious but hard to ignore. It was fascinating. “If it’s as I’m imagining, watching drama unfold among people is very interesting.”

A pity he couldn’t say she would find such entertainment here, but there were other things. “Afraid I don’t know if you’ll find anything like that here, but they do seem to throw celebrations once in a while here... There’s also usually entertainers busking in the marketplace as well.”

[kree_soldieress]

Entertainers were not a bad thing to have. But Lauri-Ell was ill used to the option of it.

“I was engineered to be a soldier. Being left to truly enjoy myself, beyond stolen moments with flowers or books when I was off-duty was... rare at best. I fear I do not know what to do, and the television my sister showed me was the best I had experienced.”

[stickyflippers]

Lauri-Ell, the selkie’s heart is possibly breaking slightly. That’s terribly sad to him, and he’s a little sad that he can’t say there’s such a thing as television here for her to enjoy.

 What he does instead is turn the tune to something a little lighter, bouncier, and fun as he drew the bow across the strings. “Well... None of us are given particularly much direction here, aside from requests to offer our expertise if it’s a possibility. If you want my advice? Find the things you enjoy here to pass the time until we can figure out what the people in charge are after and we can go home. If you’re going to be stuck here with the rest of us, why not?” 

Caelan supposed he could suggest the city guard, but what proper miscreant would do that? “There’s a whole building called the historium, full to the brim with books. Got a directory that even talks back to ya, cheeky bugger too.” He gave Lauri-Ell a smile as he continued, “And a place like this? It definitely could use some sprucing up. Bet they could use some help in the flower department.”

[kree_soldieress]

Full to the brim with books does he say? That has her interested. And the idea of flowers as well. But the directory makes her look... uncomfortable.

“Does the directory have a name?”

She hopes it is not the Kree Supreme Intelligence.

[stickyflippers]

So many books, more than he’s ever seen. If he were the sort to sit down and read for any length of time, but aside from research, his attention span is more easily held by music.

Her concerned expression is a bit out of place to him, “A name? Not as far as I know. We’ve just been calling it the Directory.” He finally drew the song to a close, lowering the violin from its resting place and shrugging a little. “It’s got a bit of a playful streak in it though, so who knows. Maybe it has one and we just don’t know it yet.”

[kree_soldieress]

“Does it look like a big, talking, distorted face in a tube?” She asks.

The whole playful streak doesn’t sound like the intelligence, so she has to hope not. The Supreme Intelligence would not be good for a world like this.

[stickyflippers]

“What? No, that sounds horrifying.” He responded quickly, making a face at the mental image. “It’s a green orb thing in the middle of the historium, and when you ask for something it provides it in a drawer.” Well... Only if you ask it the exact right way, and oftentimes it took a while.