TEST DRIVE MEME: SEPTEMBER

[ryslighelpers]

TDM: SEPTEMBER

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

:upside down smiley:

[chengluan]

[ Liu Qingge feels vaguely sick; his stomach is all in knots, uncomfortable and churning, and maybe he drank seawater? how could it be that he ended up... in such a place?

The idea occurs to him that maybe, this might not be some kind of hallucination.

How else would he account for Shen Qingqiu being here?

Liu Qingge is not given to working out complicated issues of potential reincarnation or whatever this could be. All he knows is that -

Shen Qingqiu bends over the unconscious NPC, apparently looking him over. Dimly, Liu Qingge registers that he is still wearing the pale green robes of a Peak Lord, that it is similarly drenched and covered in sand as him, and the way his hair slips over the curve of his nape and shoulders.

Liu Qingge looks away. ]

... No.

[ He does not make a move to draw closer. ]

I have never seen it.

[cuscumber]

[Why is Liu Qingge standing so far away...does he still think Shen Qingqiu is some kind of spirit? Or is he in shock over suddenly being transported into an unfamiliar world? Not that he can blame the guy - not everyone can be an expert transmigrator, after all. Don't worry Liu-shidi, this experienced shixiong of yours is here to help ease the way!]

Neither have I. It certainly doesn't appear to be of demonic origins, as far as I can tell. [Hint hint! He straightens back up, then picks up the shotgun as an afterthought. Not that he thinks he'll need a weapon with the war god of Bai Zhan at his side, but he doesn't want the NPC waking up and chasing them down with it either.]

I see lights over there. Perhaps there lies a village where we can find some answers.

[chengluan]

[ He clears his throat, as Shen Qingqiu straightens back up. It sounds much more steady than before, when he speaks again. ]

He isn't waking up anytime soon.

[ After all, he wanted plenty of time to figure out this place and the reason behind his presence here. Now aren't you glad that you recognised him before he did, Shen Qingqiu? ]

What kind of weapon is that?

[ Liu Qingge draws a little closer, out of curiosity. He has never seen anything like that before... But stop him! There are more important things at hand!! There are so many more important things they should be talking about, Liu Qingge!

He glances at the other, and a brief expression of 'you are really hopeless' crosses his face. It was just like Shen Qingqiu to say something like that without thinking. The thought itself is ... sobering. ]

You are not suggesting that we just march in there? I-

[ The rest of his remark does not come, Liu Qingge abruptly snapping his mouth shut and frowning deeply. Bedraggled or not, he still has his pride as a cultivator! Even though at the current moment, it does not seem as if he has access to those powers he once had. ]

... I don't have Cheng Luan.

[ Is it a trick of the sea wind, or does he sound incredibly disappointed? ]

[cuscumber]

[Okay cool, he sees how it is. Great Master Liu won't come near his recently dead shixiong, but he'll approach for a shiny new weapon! That's totally fine, he absolutely doesn't have any sort of hurt feelings over this at all!

Out of what is definitely not pettiness, he keeps the shotgun at his side instead of holding it out for Liu Qingge to examine. He doesn't want his weapon-crazy shidi to accidentally shoot himself, after all!]

I can't say. I've never seen anything of the like in our realm or the demonic one. [Which is technically not a lie....

Yeah, he sees that expression and returns it with a huff of annoyance.] This master suggested no such thing - merely that we peacefully approach the locals and make polite inquiries about where we are. [Try for a little diplomacy, Liu-shidi...you can do it! He believes in you!

Any exasperation he feels though quickly disappears after that last remark. Shen Qingqiu's expression immediately grows concerned as he looks his shidi over. He's never seen Liu Qingge without Cheng Luan - hell, he's pretty sure the guy sleeps with his sword - so for it to suddenly vanish must be a devastating blow.

He can't think of a non-awkward way to ask 'so did it go missing when you woke up here or did you fucking die', so in the end he just pats the other man sympathetically on the arm.] It's possible we'll find clues to its whereabouts the more we learn about this place. At any rate, surely the war god of Bai Zhan doesn't need a sword to keep us safe?