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Test Drive - 001

TEST DRIVE 001

Welcome to Aterat!

Here is our first ever 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!)

A. Welcome to the Jungle

The URBAN jungle, that is. 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, see what you can waste your meager starter coin on in the Market District, or maybe just meet the neighbors.

B. We've Got Fun and Games

At least there's entertainment. In various parts of the city, there are street performers, slight of hand tricksters, and probably a game or two of poker in one tavern or another (there are several to be found, after all). Start up a game of darts, or just sit broodily in a corner and watch the others coming and going.

C. You can have anything you want but you better not take it for free

The Harbor District is a rough joint. There are pickpockets, swindlers, but also hardworking folk and more than a few buildings that seem to be locked. It sure would be a shame if someone were to go about performing some casual Breaking & Entering...you know, as long as you don't get caught. There are guards around, though not nearly as many here as in the other districts. It's almost as though they like to avoid the place. People talk about wererats in the shadows at night and it's not unheard of for the unaware to go missing when they're traveling around here after dark...

D. What's that smell?

As if being carted off to what looks like a city out of a video game weren't bad enough, there's an entire district to the northeast that seems to be walled off, warded, and in all ways inaccessible. According to the sign, it's the cemetery...and boy does it smell.

E. Speaking Crystal

You could always take a look at the instructions that came with your crystal and see who else is listening. Remember, though, these devices are Voice Only and cannot be filtered. If you speak, anyone with a crystal can and will hear you. Now, whether or not they choose to respond is another thing entirely.

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

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A. Welcome to the Jungle Marketplace & Historium

- Marketplace -

Llewellyn Watts was out of his depth to say the least.

He’d been five minutes from Jack’s building, five minutes from a nice home cooked meal (Duck! Roasted vegetable!! Fresh dinner rolls!!), company and that soft warm smile that made him feel so wanted. And then he felt like he was being pulled into pieces, a weird rushing feeling like leaves caught in a windstorm, and then he was here.

Oof was he ever going to be late for dinner.

Welcome bag in hand, he had eventually found his way to the Market District, his slouching gate leading him to something that was at least a familiar comfort. He liked an open air market, there was always something interesting to see or food to try. Food was, of course, the goal here. If the universe had just up and decided to put a wrench in his dinner date plans, he was going to have to find something good to make up for it.

“O-oh! Uh— Excuse me, didn’t see you there.” The detective stuttered out a moment later as he walked right into someone who had crossed his path, unnoticed until it was too late for him to redirect his trajectory to a course not currently occupied with another person.

- Historium -

Well... Massive hit to his stress levels, missed dinner date, and general state of confusion aside...? This was really something.

“Crackerjack, this is... This is swell...!” He muttered, eyes wide as his usual shuffle turned into excited strides around the shelves of books. Crouching here, standing at full height (a rarity) there, all the while poking and prying at books.

The organization was lacking, sure, but when had Llewellyn ever been an organized individual himself? The occasional paper fell out of his pockets as he grasped at the notebook tucked away in his suit jacket while he walked, wanting to take notes if he came across anything useful. He doubted he’d find anything that would help him get home in this place, that would be too easy, but if he could learn a little more about the history of this place? It might just be a starting point.

Otherwise, it was a fascinating distraction from his initial alarm.

E. Speaking Crystal

[You don’t give a curious sort like Watts a magic crystal thing and not expect him to play with it. The man couldn’t even go a day without fussing with Murdoch’s inventions even after the man insisted that he not do so without permission.

He liked to know how something worked, and so after a quick read of the instructions he decided to give it a go.]

Uh... Hello there...?

[He cleared his throat, awkwardly trying to figure out how to proceed. In some ways this should be easier than walking up to a person on the street and striking up a conversation face to face, in other ways it was harder.]

Not sure if anyone is listening at the moment, if this even works at all... Mm... If anyone is listening, this is Detective Llewellyn Watts, I’m from Toronto, Ontario...? Don’t know if that means anything here though, but uh— I thought it might be worth a shot. Just in case anyone I know might have ended up here too...?

[Because that would be nice, but it would be just his luck if it had just been him.]

Otherwise... Can anyone recommend a good place to go for dinner?

[He doubts anyone is going to be able to tell him anything about how to get home, so why not move on to other priorities?]

A strong steady hand grabbed at the detectives forearm, steadying them both. "Whao." Jacob exhaled a huff and flashed an awkward grin before gently letting the stranger go. "No worries. Are you okay?"

He stepped back enough to put them at a comfortable distance. His face was a little red but he was quickly getting himself under control again. It had been an awkward collision. That's what Jacob was telling himself. There wasn't any other reason to get flustered. His sister ran into people all the time. This guy might just be like her... and not paying attention to where he's walking. He might have a lot on his mind.

"You look distracted. Maybe I can lend a hand." It was always easy for Jacob to focus on someone else's problems before his own.

“Uh— yup, yes I’m fine.” He responded quickly, relief apparent when no curses or anger was directed at him for the blunder. That was the last thing he wanted to bring down on him today, trying to process all of this was a lot to begin with. Jacob was right, he did have a lot on his mind.

So many questions about this world that he knew wouldn’t have easy answers, so many concerns about the place he’d left behind and the people that expected him to be there... Would they miss him? Would they even notice he was gone?

He offered an awkward but grateful smile in return a moment later, settling his hat properly on his head as it had loosened in the shuffle. “I am, but I’m not sure that anyone can really help with that... Distraction tends to be an occupational hazard where I’m concerned, I’m afraid.” And really, unless Jacob knew everything about this place or how to get home? There was no helping the detective. “I was just mm... looking for something to eat while I try to sort all this out.” He gestured around them, indicating the world itself.

Jake relaxed and nearly smiled as the man in front of him righted himself. "Let me help. At least I can prevent you from walking into anyone while you are distracted." As if on cue, Jacob gently pulled the detective to the left. A man who was rushing by lightly clipped both of their shoulders before dashing off down the street.

"Maybe we shouldn't stand here. Come on. There is a place that has this meat that tastes pretty good."

It wasn't far and Llewellyn can follow him or now.

Well... Having company probably wouldn’t hurt right now, especially given how crowded everywhere was. So many people, all in such a rush to get somewhere else. Living their lives as usual he supposed, or adjusting to the new life they’d been thrust into as he expected he would have to.

...Nope, he still doesn’t want to board that train of thought right now. Hard enough to come to terms with being here and all the strangeness that went with that without entertaining the thought that he’d be staying.

So as long as this helpful stranger didn’t mind his company, he would welcome the assistance. That was only confirmed when Jacob gently tugged him out of the way of a man who was clearly on some kind of mission. “Mm... Yeah, I uh... thanks. I think that would be helpful, if you don’t mind?”

It doesn’t take Llewellyn long to fall into step next to Jacob, he’s a tall and quick fellow when he wants to be. “That sounds good to me? I’m not fussy really...” The detective paused a moment, brow raising slightly as something hit him a bit belated. “What’s your name, I’m Llewellyn Watts.”

"I'm Jacob Miller but you can just call me Jake." He shook his head. "and really, don't worry about it. I wouldn't have offered if it wasn't something I didn't want to do. Come on. It isn't far and some food might do you good." He turned towards the flow of traffic and slowly began to guide Llewellyn towards the place he'd remembered smelling of amazing grilled meats. He would have stopped earlier but he'd been on a job search and hadn't wanted to get too distracted.

The building itself was much like the others around it, set in a Victorian fashion but decorated with red's and stained wooden beams. "I think this was the place. It's a tavern... I think." It was all styles outside of Jake's 21st century experiences.

Luckily, the door opened, spilling loud echoes of happy conversation as well as the heady scent of meat onto the street. "Yup. This was the place. Let's go."

First names were... a little familiar for someone who came from the time he did. So Jake would have to forgive him if he slipped up now and again. “Nice to meet you mr. um... I mean, Jake.” He stumbled a little verbally, an awkward smile slipping onto his face as he followed the man through the streets.

He was right, of course, food was usually the right way to go where Llewellyn was concerned. The man had an appetite that was generally bottomless if his colleagues were to be believed. But between a high metabolism and an incredibly active lifestyle, he couldn’t quite help that. Plus food was, without a doubt, comfort of the best kind for him.

Where Jake was out of his time, Llewellyn was at least a little at home in the setting. He’d grown up in the Victorian era, it was a nice familiarity all the strangeness of the day aside. “Mm... I believe your right, looks like the ones back home. Decor is a little different, but I presume that’s to be expected?” He replied, gesturing at the finer details as they went inside. If he hadn’t had an idea before, the smell of food definitely reminded him just how hungry he was. He’d been saving his appetite after all, trying to be polite and mindful of the meal that was being prepared for him before all of this mess had interrupted. “Oh— That does smell delicious.”

Jacob didn't mind if Llewellyn slipped up from time to time but being called Mr.Miller made him think of his father and thinking of that... that wasn't something he was ready to do. There was a lot that his therapist had been helping him with but he'd yet to reface the night where he'd watched his parents be brutally slaughtered and torn apart.

"Looks like a good place." Jake walked inside but let Llewellyn lead since he seemed more comfortable in the relaxed atmosphere for the tavern. It wasn't really a tavern but Jake had no idea what else he'd call it. It looked like there was a bar but he wondered if he had to have his ID from home. It wasn't like this world had drivers licencees.

...

He will just stick to the meat. "I don't see a menu."

Jacob’s best bet there was to just correct him if he did that then, Llewellyn did listen. If he thought his words were bothering to someone he didn’t actually want to upset, he corrected himself and worked make sure it didn’t happen again more seriously.

“It does, the uh— the place is crowded which is usually a good sign of its quality.” At least he hoped so, sometimes people just liked cheap alcohol after all. Then again, less savoury establishments were usually a little more subdued in tone in his experience. The energy here was pleasant opposed to suspicious.

He raised a brow at the mention of a menu, “No? Well those are usually reserved for fancy restaurants and tea houses in my experience.” He gestured between the main counter and a table, “I presume whoever is working here will offer the special or whatever else they happen to be preparing today.”

"Oh." It seemed obvious but now that they were sitting at a table, Jacob was uncomfortable. He didn't go out that often, unless takeout counted, and UberEats made it so he never had to leave the apartment. He went shopping at the store from time to time but only when he knew if the family was going to come over. They'd give him shit if he didn't have real food in the house.

"Let's just order that. I'm not picky." He'd order a beer if it was crappy. Jacob didn't like drinking anything that tasted good or was super alcoholic.

"Um..." Jacob was floundering a little bit when someone walked over to the table. The special was some grilled meat as expected and they had fresh bread that was baked at the next door bakery too. "Yeah, that sounds good." He looked over at Lewellyn, "Sounds good to you?"

Llewellyn grinned a little at that, “Neither am I, and uh— you never know. Trying something new can lead to great discoveries.” The detective, most would find, could eat just about anything without complaint. Might have had something to do with his upbringing, an orphan living on the charity of the landlady that didn’t have the heart to put him out, you took whatever you were given and were thankful for it.

... Or it might have had to do with the fact that he just really liked food.

He gave a polite nod to the person who came over to give them the specials and take their order as he pulled off his hat to politely set it next to him on the table. Llewellyn was particularly pleased to hear they had fresh bread, that was always a treat. “Yup, sounds good to me.” Not duck, or roasted vegetables, but it was still something.

"Yeah? I was never really someone who tried a lot of new things." He wasn't opposed to it but he knew what he liked and saw no reason to deviate from that. Unless something he liked wasn't offered. "My sister was the try-new-things person in the family." Jake glanced around the room and then shrugged, turning to give Llewellyn his full attention. "Maybe I should get used to it."

Jacob, despite his modern upbringing, was very polite. He spoke to Llewellyn directly and made a point to make eye contact when they were speaking. He showed respect in the small movements, even a slight bow of his head as he said thank you to their waiter.

Manners were important.

"So what were you thinking about? Or would you rather not talk about it?"

“Mm... You should, though more because it isn’t as though we have a choice in that matter. I uh— imagine that everything here is quite new in a lot of different ways depending on who you speak to.” He responded thoughtfully, “The architecture and the uh— feel of some things is very like my own world. But! There are many things that are also different, strange... not really possible where I’m from?”

He shrugged a little, he doesn’t really want to say magic yet. It just feels weird... He liked the idea of it, but it just was hard to reconcile in his head that it might actually be real. “I’m sure it’s different for others who have arrived.”

Llewellyn appreciated the politeness, the undivided attention while they spoke, but sometimes he had a hard time granting others the same attention. He tried very hard, but his eyes would wander or his attention would get distracted, a lot of people thought him rude for it but he really never meant it that way.

He does nod, head bobbing a little awkwardly at the question. “It’s uh— fine. I was just distracted with taking all this in, I suppose... And I had er— dinner plans with someone important before I was... brought here.” Abducted is the more tempting term. “Suppose I was thinking about how late I’m going to be now.”

Jacob rubbed his palm over the back of his head. "I hate to admit it but I'm getting used to the impossible happening. This is just... another impossible that isn't impossible since it's happening." It was slightly circular logic but it was the best that Jacob could offer. This was a really weird situation.

"My world... home? Isn't like this at all." He gestured a bit and then rested his hands on the table in front of him. Jacob had trouble sitting still but he was trying not to be too fidgety as they waited for their food. The food would help.

He hummed thoughtfully before speaking again. "Yeah? That sucks. I'm sorry. I'm sure whenever we get home you can make it up to him. I don't think a friend would be mad at you for getting abducted." If they did get mad then they probably weren't a really good friend... or they were very worried and had weird ways of showing it.

Llewellyn smiled a little, it was still logic he could wrap his head around. “Even if it’s unexplainable, it’s hard to deny what we see before us...” He shrugged slightly before propping his head up with his hand. He could definitely relate to not sitting still well, fidgeting when stationary either from anxiety or a need to get moving was natural. Especially when chairs in general could be rather uncomfortable...

At least for now, there was soon to arrive food and a conversation to distract him.

Well... Until he was opening his mouth to ask more about Jacobs world but the guy beat him to it with a sympathetic apology about the missed dinner. Now he was a little anxious, for what might’ve been a stupid reason. He’d never mentioned the person he was meeting for dinner was a man. So he latched onto the ‘friend’ bit of the apology clumsily, “Um... Hopefully? They’re a good friend. I’d hate to... have my friend cross with me.”

Because they were friends, very good friends, yes... How many times had he said friend? Who knows, he certainly isn’t sure. It was like that time he’d made a point of saying ‘Mr. Walker’ as many times as possible instead of ‘Jack’ when Constable Crabtree was around. Yes, he had over done it and it had been just as obvious as it sounded.

Jacob's mouth quirks into a slight grin. "Can't argue with that." He wasn't trying to wrap his head around this world. All he had to do was live in it until someone found them a way home. He didn't think he could really help in that effort and he figured that staying out of the way was the next best thing.

Jake wasn't great at responding to social cue's but he picked them up pretty well. He wondered what he'd said. Was this guy upset with him? Had he somehow tread somewhere he shouldn't have. "I'm sorry man. I'm sure it's fine. I didn't mean to-" He shifted awkwardly and was going to speak again when the waiter came over with their food. Jacob grinned and thanked the man politely before looking back at his dinner partner.

"It'll be okay." He didn't know that for sure but it was a nice thought.

With that, Jacob decided that it was best to focus on his food for a bit. Even if that meant an awkward silence draped over the table.

“Oh um... No, no need to apologize. It’s not—” He shook his head quickly, feeling silly. He’s gotten a bit bad at masking his reactions, too much stress and too few healthy coping mechanisms in all honesty. There was something just a touch more stressful about all of this different world business on top of everything else. “It’s nothing, I appreciate the concern, all the same.”

Llewellyn was very glad for the arrival of their food, it gave them both something to focus on rather than the awkwardness that had fallen on the conversation. He’s happy to focus on it for a while. It was quite good, and he had been very hungry. After a time, he at least attempts to start conversation back up. “This is quite good?”

Jacob was focusing on his food when he suddenly heard Llewellyn's question. "Huh?" A second passed where he looked like a deer in headlights. "What? Yeah. Absolutely. I haven't had a homemade meal in awhile. My sister's try and get me to eat better. Dad too but I live alone so they don't really have a say." He shrugged. "And I'm not much of a cook myself."

He smiled and forced his own awkwardness away. "What about you? This is probably similar to what you're used too. That is because you said that this place is like somewhere you'd see at home?" Jacob was careful. He didn't want to assume and make an ass out of himself.

Llewellyn didn’t really have anyone to pester him into eating better, thus the man tended to live off of street foods and whatever was offered if he happened to be eating with someone. At least until recently... Well, now that he was here he supposed he would default to his usual habits again.

The question is met with a little nod, and a gesture at the dish in front of him. “Oh— yes! This is very like where I’m from? Some of it is... a little more outdated, but still very close in some ways to what the city I live in is like.” Even the areas that needed work if he was being honest, the great Toronto fire was still gradually being recovered from at this point in his history. So even the need for rebuilding in various areas was familiar enough.

“Of course, Toronto doesn’t um... have anything like magical libraries or people being summoned to help with construction projects.” He added with an awkward little shrug.

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Aragibal had started to wander in the Historium upon finding it, idly curious if he could find anything that his sister might be interested in. He could take notes for her and take them back when he did manage to get back home. He found that it was awfully slow going, as nothing was particularly organized, and he'd already made his way down a ways away from the orb. Might as well look at the books on the way back. He eventually crossed paths with the man, a smile spreading easily across his features.

"Hail, friend! Getting lost among the books as well? It's nice and quiet in here. Well, until I started talking anyway." And no, Aragibal was not the type to bend down to talk to someone. He wouldn't insult someone like that.

Llewellyn stopped short, and actually... looked up. This was strange largely because it was rare for the man to meet someone who was actually taller than him, at least among his peers. And yet, Aragibal was definitely taller, even as he pulled himself out of the current slouch he was sporting.

On the one hand, he’d never seen anyone quite like this gentleman before (an understatement, detective). On the other hand, he had a feeling that was going to be the norm in a world like this. So, with an awkward little gesture in greeting, he made an awkward little attempt at a response despite his surprise. “Uh— yes um... I am?” He had a couple books tucked under one arm by this point, and he had been about to pull another free of the shelf. Yes, he’d probably camp out here for a while given the chance. “It is very quiet, mm.... us aside, of course. But there’s quite an impressive selection here.”

Aragibal, in contrast, had no books. He had been moving through slowly and just reading the titles. He had yet to find something that he thought would be worth the read to take back to his sister, or even something that might interest him personally. It was apparent that Aragibal had at least caught the man off guard and he took it with patience.

"There are more books in here than I have ever seen in my life." He wasn't much of a reader. He looked up and around. "I imagine this is a library much akin to what the Scharlayan scholars have." He looked back to Llewellyn. "Are you a scholar? Or is reading what you do for... fun?" His hesitation suggested the idea was strange to him.

“I would agree, I’ve been to some large libraries in my time but this one definitely puts them to shame.” He responded, shifting his attention to the book shelf next to him. Llewellyn didn’t tend to limit himself to one subject, no one book was related to the other (though that might have had to do with the lack of organization in this place).

The question of if he were a scholar or not was met by a slightly wistful little shrug, “Uh— no. Not in the sense that most consider a one to be a scholar, I simply do what I can to learn about subjects where I find myself lacking in my spare time.” His world, his time, the pursuit of higher education was often reserved for those of influence and money. Those of families of note, or the very lucky person who was sponsored. Llewellyn’s life had not fit into any of the criteria, so he worked very hard to ‘make up for it’ in the eyes of society.

“I do suppose you could say I also do it for ‘fun,’ I enjoy learning so I expect that counts...?” He noticed the hesitation, how odd... Then again, he knew many people who had very different ideas of fun. “And I admit that the odd work of fiction is something of a guilty pleasure.”

“I presume you have... different ideas of fun though?” He doesn’t judge so much as seek to understand.

It was very similar in Eorzea: Aragibal's sister had been lucky to join a guild that held many forbidden tomes for her to pore through, and Aragibal had to learn to read while he was living among the Domans. Even then, he still couldn't spell very well in Eorzean. His head tilted slightly as the man explained that he studied without being a scholar - to Aragibal that was scholar enough. The fact that he read for pleasure - whether it was learning or a book of fiction - was more than enough.

"Reading and books were more of my sister's thing. She studied magic and that eventually turned into research. Before she and I left our home we lived in a nomadic tribe. We would spar, climb cliffs..." His voice faded out, then he continued. "We still spar, but I've taken up fishing, cooking... I especially like to keep flowers. The harder to grow, the better." His face brightened with a genuine delight as he said the next bit. "Chasing the kids around is always fun too." He grew a little more serious. "Most of the reading I do is letters that have been sent to me. I don't really read books for myself, but I will read books aloud to my kids."

His brows furrowed and he frowned a little bit in thought. "For the number of books you have I genuinely thought you might have been a researcher of some kind. If you are not and you study for fun, what is your trade?"

Llewellyn listens with interest, his head tilting slightly as he shifted his hold on the books he had to keep them a little more stable in his arms lest he drop them all. “That’s interesting, so you come from a world of magic? No magic in my world uh— at least none that has been proven.” He refuses to say something is impossible though without proper evidence. He’s the sort of person who’d like to believe in more, while being highly skeptical.

So, yes, Llewellyn is still trying to wrap his head around a lot of even being here. Books were at least something of a familiarity for him.

At first, he gets the sense that Aragibal was more of an athletic sort, which beyond jogging daily Llewellyn was not. He almost asks about it further when the man continues to explain his other interest and his expression shifts to one of curiosity. “I see... You’re a man of many interests and talents then. Useful if you have a family.” His expression softens a little as he says that, it’s nice to hear about children who seemed to have parents that cared so much about them. It was how it should be. He moved on a moment later though, “Flowers are fascinating though, I mm... keep them pressed in my notebook as I find them. They’re nice to fuss with...”

Glancing at his collection of books, a distracted little motion as he answered the question. “O-oh, I’m a detective. At least I am in my world, not... really sure what I am here.”

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Test Drive - 001

Llewellyn Watts | Murdoch Mysteries

A - Marketplace -

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A - Historium

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heck I didn't realize it'd been 5 days I'm sorry

Hey no worries!! I don’t mind waiting :D

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