songerein | { test drive #01

✵ TEST DRIVE MEME ✵
Reminder that our Test Drive Memes double as an Intro Log and threads can be carried over in-game. 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 open on August 25th and Applications open on September 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle won't be until November.

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 the initial group is 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 is empty of any other people and it's relatively safe aside from most of the buildings looking like they're about to collapse in on itself, but 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 anyone who gets too close to the Wildlands will encounter a tapir who will tell them to go back for now. Be warned if anyone tries to ignore and push past them.

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:

Rainy Morning. After drinking this tea, one might feel a little melancholic or nostalgic for something from their past. They might even have a short little daydream of a distant memory.

Summer Afternoon. This tea will make anyone feel more vigorous and joyful. So much so they might start shining like the summer sun itself! Any dreams influenced by the tea will be one of a happy occasion or a hopeful dream.

Autumn Evening. Brewed with special strong, herbal spices, this tea has a bit more of a kick to it, but it's also warm and is great for calming nerves while giving just enough of a confidence boost to get through whatever difficulties lie ahead. The dreams influenced by this tea will reflect when the drinker has been their bravest.

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. HOME IMPROVEMENTS

The entire town is in need of a massive fixer upper, but one of the first areas everyone will likely want to start is the residential area to figure out their new homes. Instead of houses, most of the homes are in the trees. Be it a treehouse or carved into the tree itself, various dwellings can be found. Unfortunately, there are some unwanted guests making a mess of things, so they will need to be cleared out.

A. Pest Control. One of the worst offenders are giant bugs of varying size of type with the biggest about the size of a large dog. Some are actually quite friendly and can be shooed or coaxed away to the forests just outside of town. Or who knows, someone might befriend them and make them into a new pet or house helper. The giant beetles could make for some interesting guard...bugs. Some, however, are more hostile as they find the fruits, leaves, flowers, and wood of the trees delicious. The biggest threats are the giant termites so they must definitely be eradicated or removed.

B. A Little Pruning. The trees themselves are a little...testy in large part of the bugs that have been chowing down on them. After the bugs are cleared they will calm down and become more passive, but until then everyone will also have to beware of wild swinging branches, rotten fruit falling, and roots suddenly springing up from the ground. Another way to appease the trees is cutting out some of the old, rotten wood and giving the trees some pruning, especially any vines that are choking some to death. Positive dreamotion energy will also help revitalize the area.

C. Tidying Up. Once the area is clear, the new residents can start cleaning up and repairing the different houses there. From repairing walkways connecting the trees, to the stairs and ladders that lead up to the treehouses, to decluttering and repairing the buildings, there's a plethora of work that needs to be done.

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 Spooky Forest and it first starts in a pumpkin patch before moving to a dark, fog filled forest.

A. Suddenly Pumpkins. The moment anyone enters the dream they will find themselves in a fenced in pumpkin patch and turned into a pumpkin. Since anything can happen while dreamwalking, the first exercise is to try and change back to their original form or have fun and just roll around as pumpkins. They can even try to change the pumpkin form, such as changing the size, the shape, color. Just watch out for the mice. They are feeling very artistic and will try to scribble whatever on any pumpkin around, but otherwise are harmless and easily scared off. The marker will remain even when turned to the normal, but should be easy enough to remove, right? The only way to leave the patch is to turn back to normal.

B. Festive Candy Hunt. At some point the tapirs come in and ask the dreamwalkers to try and change the spooky forest into something a little more festive. They are given free rein to change the environment in how they see fit. Of course, this means the dreamwalkers need to figure out how to focus their energy and imagination to make those changes. Perhaps starting small by adding decorations or changing the colors of the leaves is a good starting place. But there may be some difficulty as some rogue candy is messing things up and getting in the way. Capable of movement, they will dash, roll, and even fly to evade capture. They will also try and defend themselves using special "attacks" based on what they are. Chocolate will make melted chocolate puddles, taffy will make sticky traps, bubble gum will try and encase people in a sticky bubble—might want to avoid the giant jawbreaker as it's more of a bodybreaker. Fortunately once caught, the candy will change to its more normal form. Maybe altering the environment could work to their advantage. If successful in either decorating or catching the candy, there will be some kind of reward later.

C. A Little Frightening. While traversing through the forests, any small, minor kind of fear will manifest and chase them around. For example if one is afraid of spiders, a small group or one large spider will suddenly appear. If one hates cleaning, a bunch of brooms and brushes will start harassing them. It's not enough to induce full blown nightmares, and no one can actually be harmed, but it's enough to give anyone a fright and need help getting rid of them. Thinking of more pleasant ideas that counter the fears, like fluffy clouds or cute plushies, can help disperse them. If the fears worsen instead, a small noctaere will form. The tapirs warn that they are creaturn born from nightmare energy, and if too many appear and grow bigger the dreamscape could turn into a nightmare. So what a great opportunity for the dreamwalkers to test out their new dreamotion abilities! Especially since their original abilities aren't even useful while dreaming. The noctaere are quite weak, so a few hits can easily disperse them, but there might be a few that will take a bit more teamwork. This is especially so since everyone's abilities will be weak as well.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Is there something wrong? I’m also trying to get my head around my old memories from just drinking this tea as well.

(Anya is trying to wrap her head around the whole memory reminiscing from Rainy Morning tea as her crystal lantern necklace begins to glow to reveal to her the memory of when she and her sisters meet their little brother for the first time after his birth.

Even though it’s been years since she last saw Alexei, she can recall what her brother looked like: a near identical image of their mother down to the eyes, wide eyed as he gazed at the sisters for the first time.)

[ Luca glances up to find that scene playing out in the woman's... Lantern?

Huh. So other people can see them. Fascinating. ] At least you're able to accurately recall faces and such. Is this a scene from your childhood?

[ He scoots over and pats the seat next to him. Come, sit. ]

Oh yes, it’s the day after my little brother was born: Mama had given birth to him the day prior, but they needed to rest up that we couldn’t see them right away, so we had to wait for the next day to see him.

(She then transfers seats so she could tell Luca more of what she had seen from her lantern necklace, Pooka soon follows suit shortly after.)

Me and my sisters were so excited to meet him on that day: Alexei was a cute little baby in those days and his eyes were huge when they opened up to see us greeting him.

Granted, he was supposed to be the heir of the throne of my country back in my world before something bad happened to my family, but it didn’t matter to us if he was born to rule: he was our brother and we have loved him so much just like how our parents loved us all dearly.

[ He hasn't noticed the dog yet, her stories are too interesting... ]

I must say, your memory is much better than mine. It must be nice to be able to recall such happy moments from your childhood.

[ It makes him nostalgic for something he lost sight of long ago. What were things like, before his father supposedly bankrupted the family? All he has are old notes and technical knowledge, the desire to make something of himself through the art of invention.

It's rude to think so selfishly, isn't it? But he can't help his emotions... ]

I wonder how your siblings must be doing now...

(Anya is a little too nervous to admit to Luca that they’re all dead because of the curse, maybe it will come in due time. Honestly, she isn’t sure on what to say next for minutes.)

Oh, why thank you, Luca. That’s really nice of you to say that.

Um, I do hope that they’re doing well back at home, even if they’re no longer with me these days.

[ ... Oh. He hit a sore spot, didn't he? Let's drop the subject. ]

I'm sure they're doing fine...

[ He smiles... But then he isn't sure what to say next. ]

Yes, I do believe that they are.

(She nods quietly in return. That was awkward to say the least. Either way, it is probably for the best that they might change subjects while they are at it.)

Anyway, I did got something from the Story Teller after we fought off the Story Eater.

(Anya then brings up a wooden nesting doll and places it onto the table for Luca to look at: a memento from her time in the Index and a reminder of her Essence.)

It looks like I get to keep this nesting doll for all the efforts I’ve made in restoring the Sugar Plum Beast story. Did you got something from your time at the Index as well?

Ah! Yes, I think so...

[ Right, how was he able to summon things again? He had his lantern on the table, his toolbelt is on his person, everything that should be in it is there as far as he can tell... ]

But I might have misplaced it... Maybe if I...?

[ He reaches out and tries to focus on bringing up what he had with him...

A journal poofs on the table. It's got a couple of tabs sticking out the top, but it looks new... ]

Wait, that came from here. [ Unsummoning that journal now. ] Hang on...

Oh, I haven’t seen a journal like this before.

(She must be wondering what does this journal contain as it poofs into sight.

Pooka perks his ears in curiosity as soon as Luca summons the journal onto the table, though he doesn’t push through with thinking twice about it.)

Really? The anteater man said we all get journals, didn't he?

[ He plans on writing the first private entry when he gets settled into wherever they expect him to live. Now where was he...? ]

Yes. I do believe that he did say that. It is quite similar to the ones we had previously used in the Index where we communicate to each other through them.

(Shes knows that she has her new journal with her upon arrival, but she doesn’t know if she had brought it along to the cafe right now.)

Exactly! And apperently you can summon these at will, along with the lamp. [ Quick gesture at his own lantern there. ] Rather convenient, I must say.

[ He feels he's getting sidetracked, but what was he doing again? ]

Mine happens to be a pendant on my necklace: I must say that they are very useful to use on the go as well whenever it gets super dark.

(Don’t worry, Anya has a lot of patience to take it.)

Um, you were trying to show me something the Story Teller has let you to keep from the Index?

Ah! Yes, of course! Something from the Storyteller...

[ The first thing that came to mind was a blade. So that's exactly what appeared on the table: a very familiar cutlass. ]

Gah! [ Excuse him for being startled by the sudden clattering against the table. Sometimes you forget you could summon your weapon out of thin air. ]

Ah... I thought that got left in the Index... [ He'll just... Gently pick this up before the other woman hurts herself. ]

Oh, be careful: it looks like it has a sharp blade.

(Anya got a little scared from the cutlass falling onto the table that she didn’t try to touch it. Even Pooka got spooked by the clattering on the table that he even turns his head around out of fear.)

It's fine, I know how to handle this blade. Especially since... Uh... I think it's mine?

[ It came with the Count's essence, so why does he still have it here? Did the ability to sword-fight remain in his technical memory? He can't quite test it here, but he... Hm. ]

I ought to get a sheath for this thing... You know if I could commission one from someone here?

That does sound like a good idea. To ensure that it wouldn’t get dull out over time or get beaten up all the time. Maybe we can find a good blacksmith around this town and see if they can make one for the cutlass.

(Pooka still has no idea of what just happened so he is still slightly on edge over the cutlass meets table situation.)

{ test drive #01 - august 2021 }

Time for Tea

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