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The Mods of LifeAftr ([personal profile] lifeaftr_mods) wrote in [community profile] aftr_ooc2019-01-13 08:43 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME ( 019 )

Test Drive Meme #19
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 January 17th, and Applications on January 24th!

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.

Let's Be Heroes
Back in December on the recent island of Maati, the Trial of the Brave was intended to challenge those who approached life with hesitation; the timid, the uncertain, and those who trend too easily toward inaction. Mu, of course, has a habit of neglecting the finer details. And thus...here you are, whether you need the intended lesson or not.

Armed with nothing more than a torch, a short sword, and the clothes on your back, you're sure to enjoy the scenic view of labyrinthine stone walls, low-hanging ceilings, sharp corners hiding all sorts of secrets, and a thick, foreboding darkness. Your light, and the torches of others making their way through the dark, are the only breaks in the seemingly uniform dark.

Those and the lights of the eyes of the other things down here with you, of course.
Hidden throughout the maze are scattered innumerable creatures, all of them happy to take advantage of those wandering about on their own. Nighthooks are fiendish, shadowy monsters that appear in the shape of a long-fingered hand. While they cannot physically hurt anything, they specialize in slinking out of the darkness to snuff out any light source they can find...like your torch, for example. Also abundand are the grimlings, hulking, dog-like creatures composed of a seaweed-like blackness and glowing coals for eyes. Should you come across one, several more are bound to be nearby, as they travel in packs. And they are always hungry.

For those lucky enough not to stumble across these creatures? Enjoy your stumble through the dark. There's an exit around here somewhere, if you look hard enough. Probably.

The Waiting Game
The second trial Mu has appropriated is the Trial of the Patient. This test was named for those who exhibit the very antithesis of patience, initially intended to draw in the brash, the reckless, those easily incited into action, and so on. Instead of a dark and lengthy maze, Mu has instead concocted a brightly lit room to test your patience, and lack thereof.

So you should have no trouble at all seeing the entirety of the expansive, gaping void that stretches between you and the only way out.

Stranded on a singular ledge, the space in which you wake is white and seemingly infinite. No ceilings or walls are visible, and peering over the edge of the small platform reveals no flooring below to catch you. The only distinct characteristics to this room are the door opposite you, positioned some couple hundred feet away. There's nothing for you to grab or cling to in order to make your way over there faster. In fact, nothing else seems to help, either. Flight, teleportation, gadgets, you name it - each attempt will inevitably fail, and give you just enough time to contemplate all the ways you went wrong as you go plummeting down (or is it up?) into that endless void. What a shame.
Luckily for you, this dream is happy to give you a second chance! And a third, and a fourth...and however many it takes, really. Those who fall will, just as the initial adrenaline shock starts to run out, abruptly find themselves standing right back on the platform where they started. Once again, they'll find themselves staring at that infuriating, impossible-to-reach door. Seems like you may be stuck where you are, for the time being.

We say "for the time being," because the other distinct attribute of this loosely defined room is a second platform, drifting steadily from the doorway to your position. Once it reaches you, you'll be able to climb aboard, and be safely ferried across the room to the exit you so greatly desire. Once it reaches you. Once it...well, it seems to be taking some time. A few minutes. An hour. Something in that ballpark, maybe. Got a good book on you? No? Guess you'll have to find some other way to wile away the time.

You, and whoever else you happen to be stuck with.

Water Rising
The island of Ensō is a relatively flat island, aside from a lone, steep mountain to the north. Mu is less so. It tends to mold itself to whatever shape best suits it, and in this case? It has chosen Ensō. And so that is where you find yourself - positioned at the base of its mountain, no less, only several feet up the beginnings of its slope. Unfortunately, there's not much time to take in the new scenery. Stretched out along the island's coast is a beach of glittering white sand. Further inland, the green sprawl of a jungle blots the horizon. But there's also plenty of ocean. And therein lies the problem.

Creeping through the treelines and rapidly pooling about the mountain's base, said ocean levels are rising quickly. Very quickly. Those who wish to stay and enjoy the view of an island underwater are welcome to it. For everyone else, the only other option is the obvious one: to climb.

To climb very, very quickly.
As luck would have it, the rising waters aren't the only danger present. Those too slow to escape its wrath will surely drown, but the higher up you go, the thinner the air becomes, and the more searing the heat. To the west, a crop of dangerous creatures known as lungblossoms claim the wooded thickets that offer reprieve from the intense and unrelenting rays of dream-sun. A confrontation with these living plants may expose you to hallucinogenic spores fit to fill your senses with horrific, nightmarish visions, so tread lightly...but not slowly.

At the mountain's very peak, an empty temple awaits those who can make it to the end of this terrible and impromptu gauntlet. It will provide shade and a space for the exhausted survivors to congregate. Tend to yourself and others, if you like- or head back out to locate those who haven't had such luck in reaching this haven.

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( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )
bookthefts: (seventy-one |)

[personal profile] bookthefts 2019-01-18 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
( Safety. Or something like it. Irene is inclined to believe it's merely something like it and that they're more than likely to run into more trouble somehow. It would be nice to imagine that this is the end of the quest, but practical experience tells her it's an impossibility.

Well, there's nothing saying she can't have a moment of freedom before the Language's effects wear off on the wall and they're in danger of monsters chasing them both. A chance to catch their breath and formulate a plan on where to go from here. He creates new light in a way Irene doesn't recognise, the scent tinging each breath she takes. Nothing quite like she's seen from either Fae or Dragons back on any alternate of Earth, but isn't surprising considering everything else in this strange, dreamlike place.
)

I could ask you the same thing.

( So that means he doesn't recognise the powers of The Library, but — once again — that makes a certain amount of sense, given their situation.

But if he doesn't, she's not about to tell him. This may not be a world connected to The Library's network, but she's still a Librarian and maintaining a concealed identity is still important.
)
ninjatortle: (and even though I'm not sure how)

A WEIRD POTATO

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
Of course. No point rushing. Must be kinda hard to forage snacks if they're several meters underwater.

[They fold their hands, rest them in their crossed legs. A good time to focus, draw more ki into themselves. The time for haste is over.

They lapse into amicable silence after that, trying to gauge their companion. Are they just waiting it out until they can have some alone time again? Maybe they prefer cozy silences. Maybe they'll bring something up, if they're curious. It never hurts to stop and assess where you stand. Look cheerfully oblivious, certainly, but never stop paying attention. See what pace their guest wants to set.]
ninjatortle: (everything is going perfectly)

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
I have taken a vow of poverty, so maybe that could be it after all!

[But more importantly!]

You're an artist?!
achievementhunter: (it's not like i like you or anything b-b)

AYYY CAUSE I COULDN'T STAY AWAYYY

[personal profile] achievementhunter 2019-01-19 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
[At first, there's no response to the tortle's offer of help- or friendship, for that matter. They're seemingly along, adrift on the increasingly small island that was once a mountain with only the sparkling sun, and the churning waters below, as company.

Then, a voice! Not precisely out of nowhere- it's definitely coming from below them, in some manner- potentially over the edge of the cliff to Eska's left.]


A rope would be preferable, actually.

[Guess which gremlin started climbing a mountain, got turned around, and upon reaching a dead end, started climbing a mountain? A peek over the edge will reveal a very red, very displeased face staring upwards from several feet down-- it's possibly a little expectant.

Sup Eska lovely day we're having.]
ninjatortle: (but I am so confused)

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
Good idea, friend. All I need is a point to brace myself against; don't hurt yourself trying, but I think if I get at the wall, I can definitely get upright again.

[They lift their head, squinting in the darkness, and flash a thumbs-up over Molly's way. At least he's taking this in stride. Most people wouldn't dare get close to a giant clawed thing that was flailing around in a dark spooky dungeon corridor. Come to think of it... huh. Wandering a mysterious labyrinth, covered in scars, willing to try to budge a massive turtle on his own... this ain't the average tiefling, is he?]

Are you... the adventuring type, maybe? Can't imagine what else would bring someone to a place like this, let alone a damp cave full of exploding rats. I haven't been in many sewers, but it kind of seems like they're magnets for things that want to eat people, aren't they?
ninjatortle: (and even though I'm not sure how)

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
I don't mind company one bit, as long as you're sure you're up to it. I don't wanna see anyone get hurt, but that includes doctors too!

[They offer their arm for Faust to lean on, if he should need it, though they might be a little bit too short to really make a useful crutch.]

Don't be afraid to ask for a break if you need one. You have to help yourself in order to help others sometimes, you know?
ninjatortle: (and even though I'm not sure how)

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
Meditation isn't for everyone. Some people sort their thoughts out through action, not stillness, after all.

[They nod amiably, though they don't get up from their serene, unmoving position. This is nice, after all. Comfortable, calm. It's not so bad to be next to someone who isn't alarmed by them.]

I'm guessing you're the sort who prefers getting things done? This must be a pretty frustrating situation to be in, if that's the case.
ninjatortle: (you've taught me to love the world)

A BLESSED MIRACLE: THE CHANCE TO THREAD WITH BIRD AGAIN

[personal profile] ninjatortle 2019-01-19 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Try not to be surprised, Chara, because what peeks over the cliff edge is probably not what you expected: an elongated snout patterned all over with green stripes, a pair of gold eyes bisected by a thick slash of black, a startlingly long wrinkly neck. Your saviour, apparently, is some kind of swamp muppet.

It starts waving.]


Oh! Hello!! I'm sorry, but I can't find any of my stuff - I have no idea where my rope went! But don't worry, I won't leave you behind! I can go look for some vines, or... gosh, I could just climb down there to you, if you'd like! If you're scared, don't worry, I can get you to safety!

[The waving stops, and Eska lowers an outstretched hand. It's a bit too stubby to actually reach down there, and it might not actually be that reassuring to be holding out a big ol' webby mitt that's roughly the size of Chara's head, if you include the monstrous claws.

But they know that a kid would probably be super exhausted by a climb of this size, and the water must be pretty scary to boot! It's worth it to go the extra mile to try and project an aura of safety. Is there anything worse than knowing you need help deep down, but being scared that asking for it could be dangerous?]
blindfoster: (human08)

[personal profile] blindfoster 2019-01-19 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
I guess so, yeah. There's usually something to do.

[Either a crisis -- often -- or his lessons, of various sorts. Or wrestling Raj for the remote and control of what to watch on TV. Many things.

Quentin hesitates before moving to drop to a seat near where they're sitting, settling in.]


It's frustrating mostly because I need to get out of here. I don't know where I am or what's going on. My knight is going to be looking for me.

[And that's a problem. People will be worried. And if it goes too long, it's going to cause a lot of trouble, especially if his parents find out. But since right now they're both stuck here, it is nice to have someone to talk to.]

I'm Quentin.
blindfoster: (fae48)

[personal profile] blindfoster 2019-01-19 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
You could.

[Quentin agrees. She could. But he's looking at her in the light now, and she looks human. That's... unexpected. Humans can't use magic. Maybe it's a disguise? Could be, right? But his own is definitely not in place at the moment, and that thought has him shifting back from the light hovering between them.]

But it might be a better idea if we try to find out way out of here before those dog things find a way around.

[He looks around, frowning.] If there is a way out.

[And on that cheery, cheery thought.] I'm Quentin, by the way.

[He'd thank her for the help, if saying thanks weren't a social taboo in Faerie.]
hyperlit: (◈ ᴅɪsᴛᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʟɪғᴇ ᴅᴇᴠᴏᴜʀɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴅʏ)

FRIEND

[personal profile] hyperlit 2019-01-19 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
[The Drifter looks at them, watching them sit there in silence. They've been forced to grow better at that, at silence and patience and waiting for things to pass instead of taking action, because there is no action to take. It does not mean they're amenable to doing it, if it can be helped.]

[They walk to the temple archway. They stare at its patterning, then look out across the sea. They walk away from it. They start to move slowly around the perimeter of the temple instead, taking in their surroundings with slow persistence.]

[It doesn't really hold their interest.]

[Eventually they sit because they've exhausted all other possibilities, but it's clear that they're not terribly happy about it.]
forwearemany: (From Above)

[personal profile] forwearemany 2019-01-19 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
Acknowledged.

(They take a moment, calculating the most efficient application of force before moving to actually give the requested push.

Fortunately, Legion has a considerable amount of strength at their disposal. Also they don't feel pain or exhaustion.)
exdeus: (and we poisoned their asses)

[personal profile] exdeus 2019-01-19 05:54 am (UTC)(link)
Quiet.

[It's not meant rudely. Horatio follows it up by looking down the opposite end of the corridor, judging the distance while they still have light--maybe it could work. For the time being.]

If it's attracted to the light, what if I threw the torch? Then you put out yours, and we can go the opposite direction while it's distracted.
exdeus: (it had to be done)

[personal profile] exdeus 2019-01-19 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Knight... what?]

You don't have a fabrinymic? Who created you?

[Someone who was a b'sodding idiot who couldn't even give him a voice, apparently. Horatio could have done better. He--

Well, maybe not. At least Knight has arms.

His actual question can wait for the moment.]
lightlessfuture: (embedded in a song, both kind and cruel) (både vänlig och grym)

[personal profile] lightlessfuture 2019-01-19 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ They give Horatio an even blanker look, if that's at all possible considering their face has no way of moving or expressing any emotion. They manage it somehow. ]

created by pale king
father
[ By the way they scratch those names into the ground, they don't seem particularly happy about it, but it is what it is. ]

do not know what that other word you said was
unfamiliar
exdeus: (the year 2000)

[personal profile] exdeus 2019-01-19 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
[It's amazing what one can do with context clues!

Horatio hasn't heard of a robot by either name, though that doesn't mean much. He hadn't heard of a lot of things before Metropol, and this is far beyond that.

Fatherbuilt? Kingbuilt? He supposes it doesn't matter. It means nothing to him either way, and it seems like Knight doesn't know much himself. Maybe he simply doesn't remember. Horatio can relate, after all.]


You asked if I was lost. Do you know your way around here?
lightlessfuture: (it stirred deep within my heart) (♪ den rörde djupt i mitt hjärta)

[personal profile] lightlessfuture 2019-01-19 06:19 am (UTC)(link)
[ They turn the odd lack of response over in their head. Clearly having a creator means something in a way they don't understand. Maybe they can ask later. ]

every maze has an end
better if we stay together and travel


[ So: no. But they'd rather travel in a group, than leave a stranger to fend for himself in the darkness all alone. ]
exdeus: (the humans are dead)

[personal profile] exdeus 2019-01-19 06:46 am (UTC)(link)
Fine.

[Hey, it's sensible enough.]

You lead the way. I don't want to step on you.
counterblows: (} wishes bounce me weightless)

[personal profile] counterblows 2019-01-19 07:27 am (UTC)(link)
You have any particular plan on how we're going to navigate in the dark?

[He can see the thing's teeth glinting in the half-light. It's probably sizing them up. Probably working out which of them looks more edible - and Wash, notably fleshy that he is, is probably first on the menu. This kind of pathological calm would be far more consoling if he wasn't saddled with someone who, what? Is self-sacrificial to a fucking fault?]

[That's familiar, and he's not keen on going back down that road.]

[But it's not like they've got a lot of other options.]
exdeus: (the distant future)

[personal profile] exdeus 2019-01-19 07:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Dryly:] It's linear. We can manage that much for now.

[Key phrase: for now. But the torch doesn't have to go out forever. There's always... well, when they're far enough away from whatever this is.

Until then, they'll have to deal with it.]
counterblows: (} when i wake up next to a stranger)

[personal profile] counterblows 2019-01-19 08:01 am (UTC)(link)
[A moment.]

[The grimling snarls, plainly about ready to make its move. Wash sighs, loudly.]


For the record: I hate this plan.

[Without so much as an on my mark, he winds back and douses the light, slamming the torch into the nearest wall with a low clunk of wood meeting stone, showering sparks onto the walls of the labyrinth. It flares briefly in protest, a bright skittering of ember-bright motes.]

[He chokes it out quickly.]
devilstongue: (🔮 43)

[personal profile] devilstongue 2019-01-19 02:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Alright, let's give it a try.

[ It's as an good idea as any, and Molly pushes his shoulder against the shell and starts pushing with all his not-so impressive might.

As a tiefling, he's quite aware of people not quite understanding (read: fearing) the different-looking, and considering he spent the first years of his life with a demon toad in his weird circus family, a sapient turtle is small potatoes.

Eska's question makes him chuckle slightly between the grunts of pushing. ]


You could say that. Not that I had much choice in coming down here, but at least it isn't full of shit.
jagarico: (you can grow them yourself)

[personal profile] jagarico 2019-01-19 06:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, I am. I am an honor student for the arts at my school.

[The last thing Yusuke wants to talk about is poverty. He definitely didn't take a vow of poverty but that's the life he's living.]
stormblooded: (determinator)

[personal profile] stormblooded 2019-01-19 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Right!

[She takes the torch. This creature looks a little more substantial, at least. As it lunges at Yusuke, she ducks past it and moves to flank, launching a forceful kick at its side that sends it skidding back a few yards. But in that direction, the flickering light outlines the hint of further beastly shapes in the shadows.]

More of them! Watch your back!
errantdetective: (When you're careless)

[personal profile] errantdetective 2019-01-19 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
If I had a dollar for every time I jammed part of my body into a mouth filled with way too many teet....

[She shakes her head. It’s not fun, but her skin’s already healing. Her shirt never will, but what else is new?]

Yeah, I’m confused too. [But she feels a lot better knowing Quentin’s okay. It’s one less thing to worry about.] Have you seen anyone else? Besides our friends here.

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