TEST DRIVE MEME: MAY/JUNE

[ryslighelpers]

TDM: MAY/JUNE

Welcome to the Ryslig Test Drive Meme! Below are a few prompts to get you started, but you may make up any prompt you desire! Please take a look at the navigation page for rules, setting information, and links to reserves and apps. Have fun!

SCENARIO ONE

You wake up on the beach thoroughly drenched, with your mouth full of sand. The salt water is making all the cuts and scrapes on your skin sting and the sand isn't helping. The air is slightly humid, ruining any feeling of refreshment you might have gotten from your dip in the ocean.

There are lights in the distance, but the unfriendly scent of gunpowder fills the air. If you're lucky, you're alone. If not - you might find yourself staring up into a pair of monstrous eyes or down the barrel of a local's shotgun.

SCENARIO TWO

So you've just arrived, and already some of the natives are trying to get on your good side with offers of food, shelter and other luxuries in return for hoping you don't eat them. They even have some helpful pamphlets to share with you. "How To Deal With Changes", "Alternatives to Human Flesh", "What to Expect When You're Expecting (to turn into a monster)" are all on the more informative end of the scale. There's even some detailing certain monsters, and the changes they go through. Some of these seem to have been passed down from one monster to the next.

Among these however, are some... not so helpful ones. "Bunnyipyips And You", "Axe Thief Axehounds," and "So you're becoming a Fur Bearing Trout" among others. Sometimes they have marks on them from previous readers saying they're lies, or pointing out good "jokes."

Then there are the people who aren't happy to see you at all. Glares and silent, judging stares if you're lucky, torches and pitchforks attempting to drive you out of the town if you're not. You may need a friend to help you.

SCENARIO THREE

"Seek us out," the voice whispers in your head, and before you have time to question it you've found yourself in someplace entirely alien.

Maybe it's the Fog God's ghostly town of Dyster, where exultant followers dance around bonfires and sing their praises to the skies above. Maybe it's the Fourth God's arcade, with small robots wheeling about amidst the lights and colors of old pinball machines.

Only one thing is certain: you are not alone, in this sacred place.

SCENARIO FOUR

The time has come and you've found yourself becoming a monster. Is the change instant, or gradual? Are you familiar enough with monsters to know what's happening, or is it a complete shock? Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Comments

[gooop]

So it was the magic of this land rather than a specific entity. Elkestra had never heard of an area with such powerful enchantments. Then again she hadn't had a lot of exposure to places outside her native land, aside from...

"Well its better than the last plane I came from. Wasn't much there other than bones and undead."

Having an explanation for what happened definitely helped calm her nerves. At least she'd be regaining magical abilities if what the humans said is anything to go by.

"I'm guessing by your appearance that that guy's pamphlet was right about the next stage being another transformation?"

[thesilentmusician]

[Thea's ears fell against her head.]

I'm afraid so. You'll start changing in a month. I'm sorry.

[She never liked giving newcomers the bad news, and it was worse this time. Elkestra was having a hard enough time getting used to being human. It felt cruel to tell her she was going to go through another transformation so soon.]

[gooop]

"Great. I might end up with even more limbs." Elkestra groaned. "Least I'll have magic again."

Still, a whole month without magic? As a human? Humanoids had always fascinated her, but she didn't know the first thing about being one. What if she accidentally hurt herself, not knowing human limitations? What do they even eat? Grains or something?

"Gods, I have so many questions. I tried asking that guy you chased off, but it seems all he knew was what's in the pamphlet. I already know what a mer is, I already know monsters eat humanoids. Everyone knows that."

She paused. Did everyone know that? Maybe things were different in this place. The fact that the locals weren't killing anyone they knew would turn into a monster was certainly unusual. She'd written it off as some weird humanoid religion, she knew they sometimes worshiped more powerful creatures. But maybe it went beyond that. When she woke up and found herself no longer trapped on the bone island, she thought she'd finally come home. But with everything else strange going on...

"Sorry, weird question, but...what plane is this?"

[thesilentmusician]

[Thea blinked in surprise at Elkestra's response. Most people were more shocked about having to eat people. She was actually relieved that she didn't have to explain that part. She hated seeing how horrified people got when they were told they would have to eat people.

Thea was happy to answer any questions Elkestra had, but she was a bit confused by her question.]

I'm not sure what plane it is, but this world is called Ryslig. Its a completely different world then where you're from.

[gooop]

Thea wasn't the only one surprised by the response they got. Elkestra furrowed her brow and stared in confusion.

"You don't know what plane this is?"

How could she not know? Was there a miscommunication or was she really so ignorant that she didn't even know where this Ryslig was?

"I didn't ask what world it is, I asked what plane it is." She said as clearly as she could. "Y'know, like, the material plane, the astral plane, the elemental planes? The places worlds exist in?"

it's fine! Writing is hard sometimes. Also, sorry my reply is late.

[thesilentmusician]

[Thea started to get anxious and her ears flicked backwards. She didn't know what Elkestra was talking about. She pondered how best to answer. She didn't want to make things even more confusing then they already were.]

Sorry. We didn't learn about planes in my world but if I have to guess, I'd say this plane is the material one?

[It made the most sense. Astral sounded kinda like heaven? and the elemental plane could refer to the elements of life so material sounded the most normal. She hoped she was right.]

you're fine too! 😊

[gooop]

'We didn't learn about planes'? Who's 'we'? Was she raised in some bizarre isolation cult??

"Er...well okay. It certainly resembles other material plane worlds, so I suppose that's a good enough guess."

It certainly wasn't an elemental plane, that much was obvious. It probably wasn't astral, everything felt way too solid for that. if Elkestra had to guess herself, she'd say either a particularly magical area in the material, or somewhere in the feywild.

"You really don't know anything about planes? Do you know someone who does?"

[thesilentmusician]

[Not really. Her world was just ordinary and didn't have magic or planes, except in stories and games.

Thea started to relax. It looked like she guessed right. Maybe she should learn more about magic and planes so she didn't run into this problem again. She didn't know where she was going to find information on planes though and she tensed again when Elkestra asked her about it.]

I don't, sorry. I've never heard of planes really until now. I know a bit about different dimensions from books but I'm not sure that's the same. Can you tell me a bit more about them? Maybe there's was something similar in my world.

my planar system is heavily inspired by d&d but has my own stuff in it too

[gooop]

"Well I think I've heard 'dimension' once or twice from one of my wives- she's pretty bookish- so maybe we've just got a language barrier." Elkestra remarked with a shrug.

"I'm not sure how good a teacher I'll be, but I can tell you the basics on planes. Stop me if I get confusing."

Elkestra paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. How could she explain this in a way someone with no planar knowledge could understand?

"Hmm...okay uh, let's go with the tree analogy. Imagine an enormous tree; each limb is a planar system. Each branch is a plane, and each leaf is a world in that plane. Except for the trunk, which holds the elemental planes. Water, earth, air, fire, and everything inbetween. The trunk connects the whole tree, supplying planes with the raw elements they're made of. The three largest limbs hold the material, feywild, and shadowfell planes, where humanoids like humans, elves, orcs, and so on come from. The tallest branches are the astral planes, where celestial beings reside. The roots hold the strangest planes like the eldritch, dreamland, and void. In the lowest roots are the abysmal planes where infernal beings reside."

During her little monologue, Elkestra would pause and wait in case the deer had any questions.

Neat! I love how you describe it!

[thesilentmusician]

[Thea listened patiently while Elkestra explained how her universe worked. Thea was fascinated with other worlds and her smile grew as she listened. Elkestra's explanation was very interesting. In a lot of the stories she read, trees were often symbols of ancient magic and life. Using a giant tree to describe how the parts of her universe were interwoven together was very fitting and beautiful.

Thea was intrigued by some of the similarities between their worlds. There was so much she wanted to know, but she didn't want to overwhelm Elkestra with questions so she held back her enthusiasm.]

Thank you, I think you did a great job explaining the planes and your universe. It sounds like a fascinating place.

😊 thank you!

[gooop]

Elkestra smiled a little awkwardly at Thea's compliment of her explanation and universe.

"I supposed it would sound pretty wild to someone who didn't know. Back home its just everyday common knowledge. Even 'primative' monsters like me know this stuff."

She trailed off, glancing down at her current body.

"But I guess I'm not a monster anymore." she grumbled.

[thesilentmusician]

[Thea's ears drooped slightly and she gave Elkestra a small reassuring smile.]

If you don't mind me asking, what were you before? There are a lot of different monster types you can turn into here. Maybe there's one that similar to what you were before?

[gooop]

"I was a gorgon." Elkestra explained. "You ever hear of those? We're like nagas, but with a head full of living snakes and a gaze that can turn most creatures to stone."

A wide, proud smile spread across Elkestra's face, her chest puffing out.

"I was a very strong gorgon with full control over my petrifying gaze. My wives are too! We had a damn big territory."

At least until they lost it all to a vampire lord and his undead minions who trapped Elkestra in another plane. A gorgon's gaze has no effect on the undead.

sorry i'm so late.

[thesilentmusician]

[A gorgon? Thea's stared at Elkestra with wide eyes. She had read about gorgons but she never thought she would actually meet one. Her tail wagged with excitement and she nodded.]

There were quite a few stories with gorgons in my world. There aren't gorgons here in Ryslig as far as I know but nagas are one of the monster types here.