aftr_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME ( 018 )

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.

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

At the very least, Makoto doesn't appear to be intimidated by the enormous man. Height and paper bag aside, he seems pleasant enough that when he offers his hand out, it takes her only a moment to reach out and grasp it for a handshake.

"Makoto Niijima. It's nice to meet you." She responds to his introduction with a polite smile, but to the rest of what he's said to her, she sounds a little more hesitant. "There's no offense taken. However, I'm afraid there's been some misunderstanding. I've never been here before. I couldn't begin to explain it."

"You've never been here before? Do you mean this particular realm, or are you unfamiliar with the dreamscape as a whole?"

Now this is rather curious. To manifest fully in the dreamscape whilst being unaware of its existence is rather rare. But then again, he has seen firsthand the kind of Ki potential those from the colonies have - and Niijima definitely sounds like a name from the colonies...perhaps the young lady is experiencing a more literal spiritual awakening than he had initially suspected?

Makoto has to honestly think about that. Would the Metaverse count as a dreamscape? It's a world created by the subconsciousness of others, but she wouldn't say that she's dreaming while she's there. Whereas this place certainly has a dreamlike quality to it in a way that the Metaverse never did.

"This realm--I've never been here before. But... how would you define a dreamscape?"

He doesn't miss that subtle look of recognition as the young lady considers her answer. Unfamiliar with the dreamscape and yet familiar with the idea? Or another layer of it? Who exactly is this strange person?

"In this particular context? It's rather complicated...imagine a machine with a user interface-"

Wait, why does he feel like she'll even begin to understand what he's talking about? Black Technology has been forbidden for over a century.

"-the machine, as it has been designed, represents the very bedrock of the dreamscape. It is the rules, laws and regulations of what can and cannot be done. The user interface represents the collective unconsciousness of humanity: With the rules of this world in place, one can now build and shape the dreamscape to your hearts desire. Finally, to access the user interface, one must reach a certain state of unconsciousness normally unattainable to the average homo sapiens. Think of it like a mixture of deep sleep and honed meditation."

Which does beg the question - how on earth is this young lady manifested so consistently if they hardly knew any of this? Did an old hag banish them here or something equally as bizarre?

Makoto nods along as he describes the dreamscape like a computer. She's not as technologically inclined as Futaba, but she can at least follow along with that much. It sounds very similar to what she knows, but when he talks about accessing this realm, that causes her brow to furrow.

"Is sleep or meditation absolutely necessary? Hypothetically, could someone instead just... walk into a dreamscape? Entirely?"

"Now that, Makoto Niijima, is the right question.", the doctor thinks to himself, starting to feel his suspicions become confirmations. For now he'll just keep answering her questions before he asks her to answer his.

"In the practice of civilised arcane and occult studies? No. But in theory, on the other hand...there have been some rather compelling studies. Studies that have mysteriously never been cleared for public viewing. It certainly makes one wonder."

He knows why they never reached the public eye, and more importantly, knows the actual answer to her question. But instead he will settle for trailing off, putting his hand to his chin and looking contemplative. How much of his knowledge can he safely share with this young lady...?

TEST DRIVE MEME ( 018 )

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