songerein | { test drive #01

Entry tags:

-tdm

{ test drive #01 - august 2021 }

✵ 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

1a- Magic journals;

[Reportwriting and general admin work was most certainly Not his thing. Far from, actually- so as he initially discovers the magic journal on his person, it receives no attention. But, Joshua surmises, something's going on with it. To a being in his position, it's kind of obvious, actually. There's no way something this archaic should be giving off quite the kind of energy signature it is emitting.

So- eventually- it's opened. And yes, the messages from quite a few others are there. They're glanced over, of course. Yet to him, the implication of the words isn't pondered. More like the facts- quite a few people, it seems, from quite a few planes are in the exact same position as he. Yet they differ from him in the respect that they don't know why. Some don't even know that they're dreaming- but connected.

Humans, then. Or variations of such- of about that level, so human in all the ways that matter. Dull... But he guesses that he can work with it.

Finally, he decides to add his own message.
It's not just getting to know the locals and the dreamers couldn't be so much of an appalling idea. Perhaps even, it could be interesting. Either way, pushing some boundaries would be sure to make his ride home hurry the hell up because dream or not... waking up is kind of a no right now.

So, in a cursive, flowing hand:]

Howdy.

I'm guessing this little adventure is new for a lot of you- and I'm sure it'll be quite exciting.

You know- what we're all experiencing was recorded once before in 1997 by an archeologist depicting a mutual lucid dream with an associate while on a dig in Mexico. Either something just like this genuinely happened between two associates turned friends, or spending years and years together in the middle of the Mexican desert co-operatively dusting off their bones meant they were kind of repressed. Especially since there were some role-playing elements involved. Like one guy dreaming himself just like Indiana Jones. The paper's also kind of short in the dream description which only adds to the intrigue.

Regardless!
Fun times ahead.

[The more observant readers might notice certain letters have an extra flourish. When assembled and arranged, they read:

H, find me west.
J.]

2b- A Little Pruning

[As west as west could be in the residential area, a lanky teenager appears to be Displeased.

With a lot of things, actually. Initially, the fact that he's had a little time to take in how he appears in this dreamscape- and honestly, for him, his RG form brought with it some concerns.

Secondarily, what he's looking at. There's a viable house somewhere in the sprawling tree that towers above him- but time and decay have certainly left a mark. Shining beetles of all description are hard at their own work upon the thing- stripping, and grinding the wood in their mandibles, forcing what they can peel through their mouthparts in order to pulp and process the wood into a vaguely acidic foam in order to digest the sweet sap that results from such.

It's infested, all right.
And honestly, the idea of setting up house here and undoing what must have been years upon years upon years of achingly slow work on the insect's part is hardly the point. It's more the fact that this endeavor might involve actual work which has him frowning so.

So he's watching- for now. Arms crossed, purple eyes almost black as he watches one creature, losing its footing, tumble to the grass below. It wriggles and wriggles before flipping itself over, and slowly ascending the tree once more.]

1d- Dreambucks cafe;

[The only thing better than tea was free tea. And while, indeed, the idea of being served by varying fairies was something pretty new, and of course the hygeine standards of a teashop that appears to be part of a tree certainly can't be verified in advance- Joshua wasn't exactly one to look a gift horse in the mouth. So, he's partaken.

And as he's curled up underneath a bay window in the manner of a cat lounging in the sun- rays of light on his face, expression neutral and eyes distant, his crystal is flickering just a little bit.

Those getting closer should see a multitude of brief flashes.

High walls, stained with exhaust fumes and filth. The only light coming from a perfectly straight white strip of water, yet not water, on the ground.

Sounds, even. Sounds that can be seen in discordant shape and colour. So many sounds, so much, all at once, all playing at different tempos, different pitches, different styles - that it's less music, and more a cacophony. It's discordant, it's messy, it's noise.

A man- or what once was one. The man had tanned skin, but it was darker. A perfect black, absorbing light itself. Yellow, harrowed eyes staring with an expression that is more instinct than anything; something which could only be described as murder.

Hands turned claws, grasping incoherently. The vaguest suggestion of strangulation.

Then cracking. The sound of bones- the pelvis, back, legs, ribs, hips, shattering.

His eyes sharpen, suddenly, and he glances to whoever has happened upon him.]

A voyeur? [A small, faint, gentle laugh accompanies the statement.] ...It takes all types, I suppose.

[He straightens himself and takes some more tea.]

I suppose now I've showed you mine, it's only fair you show me yours.

WILDCARD;

[PM me some thoughts!]

[Alastor's handwriting is rather elegant as well. Not surprising given he grew up long, long before computers were common and he never bothered to learn how to properly use a typewriter.]

So you think this is just one large shared dream? Or just sharing some interesting facts?

If it is a dream, how delightful! I haven't had so pleasant a dream like this in decades!

Sure do. It's not like this place obeys the same laws as everywhere else- and even without looking into the way things sit further, the red tapir's kind of a massive spoiler.

[And mutual excitement! Oh, he likes Alastor already. So much so that... yeah, he's going to share a little food for thought.]

I suppose the most fun question of all is what exactly influenced the locale the way it is. It's not like I'd choose this kind of setting.

[Ah, yes! This is refreshing: mutual excitement at the unknown! Perhaps this person, too, is bored with the mundane!]

This is the sort of setting you see in a lot of fairy tales and other fantasies. A shared dream would make sense if we all had at least some baseline common setting to pick from.

Though if this is reality, I certainly wouldn't be opposed to it! I've been needing a change in scenery for decades!

[You have no idea, mister demon.
Not that he knows you're a demon.]

Yes, exactly- like our archeologist having a Thing for the rugged type influenced his dream quite a bit. Fairy tales should indicate a variation of Earth, but quite a sanitized take at that. I've not exactly ran into any cross-dressing wolves or witches cooking children yet.

I'm expecting my ride home pretty soon. It's a shame- Something like this would be a nice distraction.

Have you tried waking up yet? I thought about trying, but I'd hate to miss out on such a lovely diversion!

You don't have to worry about missing out on anything. I've already pinched myself, and I'm still here. What I was talking about was a little more specific.

[Sigh- it's typical. Years and years and years and years of boredom, and two interesting things happen at once, both back home and here. And it's not like he can take his eye off the former.]

You'll have to enjoy yourself enough for both of us, I'm afraid.

Ah, but where's the fun in a new venture without someone to enjoy it with?! Watching others flounder to adapt alone gets so boring after the first thousand times you've seen it!

This place is guaranteed to be a grand show!

[Alastor is certainly a man of taste, it seems. Even if his own inclinations are more toward the 'watching them work together and it inevitably fall apart' side of things nowadays, he has to agree- observing humans operate is best done with company.

...this really is a shame.]

Sounds tantalising!
How's this. Until I'm picked up, we'll spend some time together.

Yoshiya (Joshua) Kiryu | The World Ends With You (Neo canonpoint)

Magic Journals

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this is going to be the start of something fantastic and terrible, i know it ♥

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1a

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dreambucks

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Made it. (Journals)

you!! ♥

No, you.

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