songerein | { test drive #04

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{ test drive #04 - march 2022 }

✵ TEST DRIVE MEME: MARCH ✵
A reminder that our Test Drive Memes double as an Intro Log and threads can be carried over in-game, which means all content is forward dated to the first week of the app month. They are also required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any TDM related questions here. Reserves are open and Applications open on March 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle won't be until May.

I. WELCOME TO SONGEREIN

Upon "arriving" into Songerein, everyone is understandably confused. The first thought would be they must be in a dream, which makes sense since the last thing they might remember doing is falling asleep or losing some form of consciousness or awareness before opening their eyes and finding themselves in the Plaza of some strange town they've never seen before. But there are a lot of other people around, some that may look familiar but others so strange that it would be impossible for their own imagination to dream up. And they're all just as confused. Fortunately, a red tapir-like creature appears and introduces itself as Solei, one of the "keepers" of this place. It offers some explanation before letting everyone explore their new "home." [Reminder: Other people aside from the characters will also appear to act as filler NPCs so keep in mind that new groups are at least double the size. Players are also free to be creative and come up with any kind of creature or animal their characters might encounter. The only limitations are they must be small to medium in size and not be overly aggressive as the creatures within the town are mostly passive, just wary of the new arrivals.]

A. Magic Journals. Everyone will find a journal stylized just for them on their person somewhere and it's the primary means of communication with everyone. The only limitation is that it's text only, but images can be magically imprinted on the page from the writer's mind. Might as well give it a whirl and see who all is out there.

B. Dreamotion Abilities. Although everyone maintains most of their original abilities while in Songerein, they are also capable of using special abilities based on dreamotion energy. From having their emotions affecting the environment to utilizing new abilities entirely, it's probably something that they should start familiarizing fairly quickly. Especially since all the emotional surprise and confusion may already be affecting things, such as random glass shattering or cracks forming at one's feet.

C. Exploring Town. The town of Reverein is small but still sizable, so walking around and to see what all there is might be a good idea. The town has become more populated over time, but it's still relatively empty with many buildings still unoccupied and some still in disrepair and about to collapse in on itself. There are a few small fae and small wild critters who have made a few nests so just watch your step—or head. Some could venture out to the farmlands and beyond, but having someone more experienced may be wise.

D. Dreambucks Cafe. As a way to welcome their new inhabitants as well as give them a nice, cool refreshment after all the work they will be doing, the tapirs will call everyone's attention to a certain cafe back at the Plaza. Called Dreambucks, it's a quaint little cafe staffed by friendly tea fairies and primarily serves tea and small cakes. Their teas and foods are quite special as the flavor will influence one's emotions and dreams—but in a good way! There are no harmful side effects and they are usually positive. Bolstering one's spirit; calming or relaxing nerves. The tea fairies want everyone to enjoy their time. Anyone can pick whichever table they want to take a break and meet some people. Or take a peek at what someone might be dreaming thanks to the teas.

There are three different types of teas available:

Strawberries and Cream Tea. A sweet and flavorful tea that can provide soft, friendly feelings or have one acting especially sweet towards a friend. Or perhaps even towards a stranger who seems to need a little sweetness in their life.

Black Pomegranate Tea. A few sips of this will invoke melancholy over past loves. However, it doesn't need to be people—it could be anything at all: people, places, things, interests.

Coffee with White Chocolate Raspberry Cream. These bold and strong flavors will cause one to perform grand acts of affection (romantic or platonic) for anyone they see.

Although it doesn't always happen, sometimes the tea will be a strong enough influence that it will make the drinker daydream for a bit. Anyone nearby may notice their dream crystal lantern flicker and catch a brief glimpse of the daydream on it. Or perhaps those who want to try out their dream crystal lanterns are deliberately trying to see if their dreams are captured. Only daydreams influenced by the tea can be caught and even then it's just a brief glimpse, but it's still an interesting way to see how the dream crystal lanterns work.

Note: There is no currency in the world and everything served is free at this time. However it might not be immediately obvious and the fairies won't mind if customers repay in some way, be it helping out via cleaning and serving, giving gifts such as flowers or fruits, or something else.

II. LOCAL PROMPTS

Although Valentine's may be over, there is still plenty of that "romance" in the air, especially with all the leftovers from the month. But it's not all hearts and rainbows.

A. Candy Roses. Candy roses are all the rage right now and once again confectioners are competing against each other in creating the best ones. This has led to many being handed out as samples. What makes them so special? The flavors will influence one's emotions on the positive, "loving" spectrum. However, some will have a softer, subtle effect while others may be more exaggerated.

Red. Red candy roses will induce ardent love towards the person within their vicinity. It causes them to immediately grab their hand and declare their love for all to hear.
Pink. Pink candy roses will cause the eater to be filled with so much joy they start frolicking with flowers everywhere around them, to the point that flowers will appear in their food, drink, whatever they touch.
White. White candy roses will cause the eater to be very honest about their feelings…about anything that comes to mind or they see. Positive or negative, they can only tell the truth. Some may be able to control it, but the impulse will be very strong.
Purple. Purple candy roses are a mystery flavor that will have a random emotional effect on the eater. They could be joyous, they could be so overwhelmed with passion they become depressed, they could become angry and possessive…it's a toss up wildcard.

All effects will last from ten minutes to half an hour.

B. Orc Chocolate Sculptor. As if not to be outdone by the candy roses, an area around the Central Plaza has been cleared away for a large orc who performs and creates magnificent sculptures made from pure chocolate. From buildings to animals to people, to making replicas of real food, to making large and miniature models of Reverein's streets, this orc can do it all. And he is inviting others to join in. All the tools and chocolate are provided, and should anyone be successful in their creation, it has the chance of becoming animated through dreamotion energy. It could behave as a result of the sculptor's emotions, or someone could try to channel dreamotion energy to make it move. Of course, things can get messy…watch out for chocolate being flung from some kids who snuck in!

C. Eris Arrows. No one knows where they came from, but winged, cherub-like creatures have appeared and are firing arrows at everyone. However, these have orange feathers and anyone struck by them will transform into a lindworm filled with anger and hate for the first thing they see. Clearly this isn't a good thing, and fortunately there are some love arrows still around that will help negate the effect. Otherwise, one will have to try and subdue them and push a lot of positive "love" dreamotion energy on them (can be platonic or romantic). It is also possible to take out the anti-cupids, but as they seem to be a form of noctaere, only dreamotion abilities will make significant damage to them. Similar to those turned into a lindworm, the love arows can also be used against them, as well as any other concentration of "love."

III. DREAMSCAPE TUTORIAL

To help everyone understand their dreamwalking abilities, the tapirs will ask anyone who is willing to gather around the Dream Swings in the Central Plaza. There anyone is invited to sit in the chairs or hammocks and focus on their dream crystal lanterns to enter a special dreamscape made just for them. Those watching might find the sight of everyone suddenly turning into a colorful ball of light and disappearing alarming, but that's just the normal process of entering a dream. When someone leaves the dream, they will briefly reappear as that light before returning to their original form. The theme for this dreamscape is Three Little Pigs in Candyland. For this dreamscape exercise, the tapirs have created a fascinating environment that is basically Candyland. It's a good thing this is all a dream so that anyone who has a sweet tooth can eat to their heart's content and not get a cavity. However, even if this is a dream made of candy, there are still some threats to the dreamwalkers…especially since they will be turned into either pigs or wolves. Free exploration is allowed, but there are a couple of "objectives" or "exercises" they should try to work on their dreamotion abilities.

A. Three Little Pigs. As a fun twist to the dreamscape, dreamwalkers may be turned into anthropomorphic pigs. They can walk on their hind legs, use their forelegs as arms, speak, wear clothes if they feel comfortable about…but they are otherwise very much a pig and will not be able to transform out. They can add to their appearance, such as adding wings, horns, hair—anything that might help bring back some of their individual characteristic. They don't have to work together, but the main "plotline" of this story is to build houses to withstand the big bad wolves.

B. Big Bad Wolves. The other option for dreamwalkers is they may be turned into anthropomorphic wolves. Like the pigs, they can walk on their hind legs, use their forelegs as arms, speak, wear clothes, etc, but they will look more wolf than "person." Their goal is to destroy the houses…by eating them, although they will find they have a powerful set of lungs that will allow them to try and blow them down. Of course, those who want to help the pigs instead are allowed. Might even be a good idea considering what else is out there.

C. Candy Houses. The pigs are to build the strongest house as possible, but they can only use one type of the following material: pixy stix (straw), licorice (sticks), and jolly ranchers (bricks). Other materials such as icing, gum, and other things can be used, and dreamotion energy will be key in helping to strengthen and decorate them, but it must be made with one type of building material. Or cheat, who is actually paying attention—

D. Evil Hansel and Gretel. Although the "Big Bad Wolves" are supposed to the main antagonists, noctaere in the form of Hansel and Gretel appear and try to not only eat the houses, but also will try to turn the dreamwalkers into candy…to later consume. That would be bad, so perhaps teamwork between the pigs and the wolves will be necessary to beat them back. Fortunately they aren't too difficult to eliminate, and upon defeat they will burst into sprinkles.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ O h. How cute.

He certainly was determined, down to trying to position his fingers properly to mimic hers. Only when he moved to gesture between himself and her did it become clear and she chuckled softly, nodding her head to show she understood what he wanted.

Yae moved carefully to straighten out his hand, then began working at positioning his fingers the right way. Taking the time to do so, in order for him to understand how it would be done, and sure enough his hand would soon perfectly resemble hers when she did the gesture again. ]

[ The touch of her warm hands on his much cooler ones is enough of a shock that his fingers twitch at the contact. He looks at her in alarm--why were her hands so warm? Was she okay? Was this good?--but then she begins to manipulate his fingers into the correct positions and his attention snaps back down.

It takes a bit of finagling. His fingers just don't want to hold position the way she guides them, but when he sees the fruits of their labour mere moments later, his hand the (near) perfect picture of a fox's head, he sucks in a breath shoots his hand up proudly into the air.

He did it???? ]

Auuu....!! Oouoh!

[ Despite what people thought, she could be very patient when needed.

So she'd taken her time with him until it was good enough in terms of it's resemblance compared to what it'd been before. There was something so simple in the way he seemed so happy to have achieved it, the joy evident on his face enough that Yae moved to pat the top of his head. ]

There you go. Good job.

[ He really was precious, honestly. ]

[ And cue Yae Miko jumping right to the top of his list of people he adores--he couldn't look happier as he shrugs his shoulders and leans into the touch, a high-pitched creaking noise leaving him as he gives a happy laugh. ]

Uiiih, ihh! Ih Ih~

[ pls be his mom forever ]

[ The strangest part about it was that she'd not much considered herself much of a maternal figure or anything like that. Maybe it was due to that she'd not quite seen another like him, or his otherwise earnest nature when it came to the smallest matters.

She couldn't even bring herself to tease him, either. ]

You're truly quite endearing, little one. Shame you can't hear that from me, though.

[ Her smile and the soft sakura petals that soon materialized from her dreamotion energies and fell softly around them said more than what words ever could. So when Yae seemed to pull her hand back and started to turn away from him, she gestured for him to follow and come with her.

Perhaps she could inform him of things as they went, and continue learning of what he could and couldn't do. ]

[ His face brightens as he sees the invitation for what it is. He nods, every bit of him radiating with exuberance as he moves to fall into place beside her.

With no sound to rely on, he relies on sight--and boy is there a lot to see! His attention keeps flitting between their immediate surroundings, from their fellow dreamers to the very functioning, lively city. It's hard not to get too distracted; he has to keep looking back at Yae to make sure he's keeping up.

He has to stop once he sees the moving chocolate statues though, catching Yae by the end of her sleeve and tugging. ]

Ah, ah!

[ he points at them, gesturing in his excitement ]

[ As they walked, she mostly kept her gaze ahead but occasionally would glance over to see his reactions to the world around them. He took everything in much like an excitable child would, so her steps were slow and calm as to allow him to enjoy everything properly.

When he tugged on her sleeve, Yae blinked before looking to what he was gesturing at. She'd seen that earlier, but until now hadn't thought much about it or that they were offering up the chance to make 'statues' of their own. ]

Hmm.. I don't suppose you'd want to make one, would you?

[ She gestured to a spot that held some chocolate and tools nearby, and nobody was using it. Hopefully he would understand what she'd meant. ]

[ He gets the message more or less and nods straightaway, moving over to the sculpting tools and table with a fascinated expression. The first object of his attention is obviously the chocolate, which he leans over to sniff several times. It doesn't smell like anything he's caught a whiff of before, so he gives it a few experimental pokes and prods before turning to Yae and grinning. ]

Ouuh!

[ Being someone who tended to not want to get herself dirty? She was content to watch him until he'd flashed that grin at her. ]

Incredible, isn't it?

[ Yae moved over to grab one of the tools, then came over to him. Using her free hand, she grasped his and brought it up in order to place the tool into it gently. Then gestured at the chocolate. ]

Go on, then. Give it a try.

Hhh...

[ He takes it and holds it as if it's the most precious thing he's ever been handed. In fact, it's one of the only things he's ever been handed! Though his grip isn't as strong or steady as someone uninfected, he curls his fingers around the chisel and turns to the mound of chocolate.

He really has no idea what he wants to do--but he starts with holding the tool in his fist and scraping it over the surface of the chocolate a few times, delighting in ~~baby's first asmr~~ the way it chips and shaves off depending on how much pressure he uses. ]

....~!

[ He laughs without sound, pointing at the chocolate and sending Yae a bright look before he starts back at it again. ]

[ There was something almost proud in the way she watched him start to experimentally test out the tool on the chocolate. For someone who's never done it before, he already looked like he was having fun.

She placed a hand on her hip, a soft chuckle escaping her lips when he'd given her such a bright, exuberant look. Even taking the time to pace around as he worked, her dreamotion energy creating soft, electric purplish pink sakura blossom petals that fell down to the ground and maybe even onto his hair unintentionally. ]

[ His hair, his shoulders, and one even happens to land right on his nose, startling him as he recoils and stares at the glowing bloom with crossed eyes. He pauses in his work to reach up and pluck it from his face, inspecting it with the same curious fascination he's approached everything so far.

...Except for the part where he plops it in his mouth and tries to eat it, only to make a face and stick his tongue out immediately ]

Guuuh, uh....

[ Thankfully they don't have the same shocking qualities that typically came with electro, but this time just bore the soft glow. She typically had a good control over her emotions so it was telling that this much was even happening, honestly.

Not that it could have prepared her for when he tried to eat the petal, and out of habit? Yae brought a hand to her mouth to cover it somewhat as she laughed softly at his reaction. ]

Dear me. That was never meant to be eaten, so of course it isn't going to taste good.

[ By now Yae's aware he lacks some kind of hearing, so to get her point across to him, she'd moved to pick a petal off of his shoulder and held it up at eye level where he'd see it. Once he'd seen it? She made to hold it up to her lips as if she were going to eat it, pause and then shake her head as she let the petal fall.

Hopefully he got the point. ]

[ The association is an easy one to make: do not eat the pretty glowing pink-things! Which he's sort of figured out from the unappetizing flavour, but this just cements it in his mind as he makes a sound of understanding and nods his head.

But now he wonders just where the petals are coming from since he doesn't see too many trees with the pink blossoms on them. As the next one drifts down in front of him he makes move to try and catch it, but his hands are clumsy at best and he misses. Thankfully, enough land on his clothing that he's able to pick one up and hold it up, looking around and then looking at Miko--where are these coming from mom!! ]

[ Good. He was a fairly quick learner.

When it came to being undead, Yae really had a good feeling about what it was that he was going to lean towards eating but surely there was an alternative. For the present time, she could focus on how he tried to catch one of the petals and failed before realizing there were some on his clothes.

The whole concept of dreamotion energy was foreign but intriguing, and it didn't at all take very long for her to figure out that the petals were coming from no tree, but herself. She pointed at herself, then at the petal in his hand. The change in things had caused them to stop now, but the fact remained that she'd been the one to make them so she wasn't about to deny that fact. ]

[ There's two ways for him to interpret that gesture, the first being that the petals are hers. They're the same colour as her hair and the strange glow the emit does remind him a little of her eyes--and he so very badly wants to ask about those. He's never met anyone with hair and eyes like hers.

The second interpretation is the one she's going for, which is that she made them. He's not sure how that's supposed to work but...well, in either case, it's tied to her and he blinks before nodding his understanding. Yae is a mystery indeed!! ]

Ouh...

[ He mulls this over for a moment, and ultimately? Grins at her. That's so cool. He doesn't know the word 'cool' but listen. It's super-cool.. He gestures, pointing up at the sky and holding the blossom up. Can she make it do that again? ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ test drive #04 - march 2022 }

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why is he so cute??? <3

he was just 'raised' that way 8')

<3

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