TEST DRIVE MEME ( 018 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #18

Hello, and welcome to LifeAftr! We’re pleased that you’re expressing an interest in the game. Here, you can test the waters, gauge how your character may fare in the world of LifeAftr, and even gain some in-game incentives, if you so choose.

Remember that Reserves will open on December 17th! Due to the holiday season, Applications will be opening on December 26th, with an app period shifted to end on January 2nd instead of the usual timeframe!

Two important notes:

1. LifeAftr's test drives take place on the island of Mu, which exists apart from the real world and possesses a dream-like quality that characters are innately aware of from the moment they appear on its shores. No need to panic or fret. Dreams are odd things, after all - and anything can happen in them. Why would anyone question where their mind chooses to wander in its sleep?

2. Due to the nature of Mu, threads in our test drive can not only be accepted as thread samples in your application, but can be accepted as game canon as well. In fact, certain choices your character makes in Mu have the potential to bear in-game consequences, largely in the form of test drive reward items.

Upsy Wars: Revenge of the Lift
Over the past sixteen months, adventurers have adjusted to the sight of a wide variety of odd and fantastical creatures, some friendlier than others. Of the more ferocious, it's wise to consider giving them a wide berth - from the indomitable fustercluck to living black holes to the deadly contagious quartzalcoatls. However, only one predator has gained the dubious title of "that weird flying mouth thing."

Invasive to LifeAftr, Upsy the elevator is not satisfied with haunting the memories of those who encountered it during its arrival in July. Now it's here to haunt your dreams, too! While capable of speech and some style of sentience on its home world, it seems LifeAftr has yet to agree with a machine that is equal parts flesh and metal. Driven to silence by whatever forces this world has exposed it to, Upsy is driven by one, basic instinct, and one alone.

To give you a lift, whether you want it or not. Upsy’s attacks are abrupt and immediate. Swooping down from the sky, it will collect as many living things in its mouth as can fit, before closing its doors and soaring away. Want to leave? Don't worry; Upsy has no intentions of keeping you, or digesting you. Release from that fleshy mouth prison is as immediate as the initial attack. We hope you enjoy flying, because Upsy can spit even the heaviest of creatures a good hundred feet away from itself, at any altitude. Do look out below.

The Emoji Movie
Communication on the islands currently consists of Stones of Far Speech, a relatively adaptable system that is open to requests and suggestions for improvement. One such request has been met with a small bout of confusion, however; as adaptable as the Storyteller attempts to be, you kids with your mobile phones and your texting and emojis get a little beyond them, sometimes.

Beyond Mu as well, it seems. When you asked for emojis, this is what you wanted, right? Exclusive to Mu, Emojees come in a variety of shapes and sizes; from knee-high yellow orbs with rows of sharp teeth that simply cannot stop laughing, to horse-sized poop emojees that - well. One can guess. Numbering in the hundreds and intending to convey their meaning by any means possible, it's a good idea to avoid prolonged contact with these happy little abominations.

The taller, more objective emojees will simply try to absorb those attached to them in an effort to become even larger, but the smaller infect their prey with the emotions they portray, influencing them into the perfect emotional state for consumption.

In hindsight, this is probably not what the children actually wanted...

Close enough.

Let It Go Snow
LifeAftr may be primarily tropical, but that doesn't mean some of its creatures don't appreciate a good white Christmas - and a white rest of the year, at that.

Gelfs are one such species. While they may be visually reminiscent of Santa's Little Helpers, these small creatures aren't about to start handing out presents. Having snuck onto Mu's metaphysical shores at the beginning of the month, these little critters have immediately set about doing what they do best - spreading ice and snow across the island, in increasingly hazardous quantities. As the influence of the gelfs settles across Mu, it's quite possible that the abrupt cold snap will lead to severe consequences for any adventurous guests, unless you enjoy the prospect of an avalanche waiting to happen Now may be the best time to hunt these gelfs down, before such disaster can occur.

For those uninterested in massacring a local creature population (again), you may as well enjoy this winter wonderland while it lasts. Ice skating, snowball fights - and for those in the know, the time-honored competition to create the best dabbing ice sculpture. If you're lucky, you might even find a container of piping hot wassail - spiced apple cider - laying around.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[alchemisted]

[Well, she certainly has a point. Alfor nods his agreement with the assessment.] That's true, isn't it? The cold can be unforgiving, and the ice along with it.

[And he realizes that even this weather may turn more hostile soon.

The next observation catches his attention -- at least how surprised she sounds -- and he turns to face her fully. There's a smile starting on his face at that.]

Yes, last time I checked, at least. [His expression turns almost playful as he adds,] And a Galra. [At least in part, he thinks.] I don't believe we've met before. I'm Alfor.

[sideswitch]

[ she starts lining the pieces up. he talks about being an altean so casually and doesn't seem perturbed by her being a galra at all. and then... alfor. ]

You were the King of Altea, and the original Red Paladin of Voltron.

[ she knows the story of voltron's downfall at the hands of zarkon. she knows it all too well. and when she thinks of what lotor did to the alteans...

her blood runs cold. she can't look at alfor in the eyes anymore. she's ashamed. ]

You are also from over ten thousand decaphoebs ago. Much...has changed since then.

[alchemisted]

Both correct, yes. Though from my perspective, that's all still present tense.

[He is the King of Altea, and is the original and only Red Paladin. But he's run into others here from their reality who are from all those millennia in what is for him the future.

But her reaction, he's not entirely certain what to make of it.]

Yes, that seems to be a theme. I've met a few in this strange place who claim to be from thousands of decaphoebs in the future. [Though as of yet he has not had his entire world shattered by the truth, even if he's suspecting there's something certainly not being said. And he thinks it even more so by the way this Galra woman reacts. Hmm.]

After that much time, change is inevitable. [He takes a step or two closer to her, and adds, a gentle verbal prodding.] Has time changed so much that Galra no longer have names to offer?

[sideswitch]

Yes. This place appears to pull in people from entirely different universes as well.

[ she's so close. so close to telling him about what became of voltron and altea all those years ago. the galra empire. lotor. how she had a hand in all the destruction that was brought about to the alteans, even if she hadn't realized it was happening at the time.

but he wants her name. she...at least owes him that. acxa summons the courage to look at him again, but her expression is still that of guilt and remorse. ]

My name is Acxa. [ and i aided the man who exploited and killed your people. it goes unsaid. she can't bring herself to tell him the truth. ] I only wish we could have met under better circumstances.

[alchemisted]

Across realities, yes. I've heard as much, and that's concerning.

[Rifts in time and space come with perils, don't they? He watches her, curious now. There's no missing the remorse in her expression, and he wonders after it. Still, whoever this young Galra is, she hasn't given him any reason to treat her as anything other than the ally he'd expect her to be.]

Acxa. [He repeats with a brief tilt of his head. He glances up and around before nodding.] Yes, I can imagine slightly more hospitable settings to meet, but at least the elevator creature seems to have been put off by the cold. I'll take that bright side.