graveyardsmash | TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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test drive

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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 in a dark ditch, the sky cloudy overhead. Dirt cakes into your cuts and scrapes. The air is clammy and damp, and it smells like rain.

You’re in a grave. And when you sit up to inspect the tombstone marking your spot, it has your name on it. Maybe the graves next to you have the names of familiar friends, family, acquaintances. Not all of them are open like yours are. RIP.

There’s a light dancing in the distance, and you hear the jingle-jangle of heavy keys, or worse still, the gravekeeper’s massive pitchfork or shovel. If you're lucky, you can sneak out beyond his notice, and get out alone. If not - you might find yourself on the wrong end of a shovel’s swing, or worse yet, tripping headfirst in front of a pair of monstrous eyes.

SCENARIO TWO

You've stumbled your way out of the graveyard, and you're promptly besieged by the overwhelming sights and sounds of the city. Cars honk at you to get out of the street, and strangers try not to look in your direction for too long. They see your dirty clothes and scraped faces, and pretend to busy themselves with something else. Rarely, a look of pity is cast your way.

But some people try to reach out. Enterprising citizens and those that hope to curry favor with the newcomers pass out new clothes and bundles of food, asking if you have a place to stay the night, wondering about the details of the world you came from. Some are even handing out pamphlets which vary in how helpful they are--"What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)", "Wolpertinger: Fact or Fiction?", "100% ACCURATE MONSTER QUIZ ASSESSMENT: GUARANTEED TO PREDICT YOUR MONSTER!", and "Ryslig Law In A Nutshell".

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? Does it fit you, or does it feel incongruous with your nature? Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[That makes his eyes widen even more.]

You were a person!?

[Now he's unsure if he should drink the water here. But, heavens, was he thirsty. Taking an undignified sip-turned-gulp, he sets the half-full glass back on the counter and considers it.]

You have the right of it. I'm afraid I'm quite out of my element in this place. It's not like anything I've ever seen. My home is the city of Amaurot - have you by chance heard the name?

Yup, everyone who comes here was at one point. We get a month, then the Fog Bitch changes us into monsters, because she hates humans.

[The waitress comes over and Beat puts in his order, and also something maybe light for Hy...uh... Hylio here. His treat for the poor newcomer whose going to find out just how shit this place gets in about a month...

Tilting his head, he tries to think if he's heard of a city like that before shaking his head.]

Sorry, I'm real bad at (everything) geography. I only really know the cities in Japan an' even then... Is that someplace in the America's or uh... Russia? [That's the big Europe one right, yeah, it sounds maybe Russian!]

[A month before the Fog God unleashes her wrath upon him. Provided that she even knows he exists here. If one were to assume she was responsible for his arrival, then he'd say there's a pretty good chance she was aware.]

Oh, you needn't-

[Hythlodaeus was not intent on ordering any food, but the hospitality was welcome. How much he could eat in his current mental state, however, was still to be seen. He abandons his protest, folding his hands in his lap and trying to scrape the dirt from his nails.]

Hm, I'm afraid that, if any of those places did exist on my star, I have been unfortunate enough to not have heard them spoken of previously.

[Hythlodaeus wasn't an expert on geography, either, but he would have liked to think that he would at least have heard of one out of the three regions that were just named to him. It leads him to conclude that perhaps they were not from the same world at all. Stranger things have been posited. He drifts in thought for a bit, holding his chin out of habit.]

It would lend credence to your assertion that we are all of different realms...

Yeah, not surprisin'. We get tons of peeps from different places. Some peeps do show up from the same place, my friends showed up, an' some others have friends come in. Not thatchu really want yer friends here.

[He plays a little with the cup, thoughtfully, then sighs. He doesn't particularly like dumping this information on people, but if Hydrodude is gonna be here, he has to know what he's getting into.]

Look, you mentioned earlier 'bout me keepin' myself fed, right? An' I said water don't do much? Cuz Monsters get their food from another source.

[He gives Hythlodaeus a grim look, then gently points a finger right at him.]

[His friends... if Zodiark was not all they'd prayed for, Hythlodaeus would sacrifice himself all over again to bring them here. At least they'd be safe for the time being. Perhaps it was selfish to wish that, however. He didn't have time to ponder it too much, though, because his fight or flight was kicking in. Did this young man just say he was going to eat him?]

That's... that sounds like my cue to leave, doesn't it?

[He places his hands on the diner and the back of his chair, bracing himself to bolt if need be.]

Why order a meal if you intended to eat me?

Huh?

[Well, if he was going to eat him, he's very idiotic about it, isn't he. Beat blinks in surprise, then pulls back himself, hands coming up. Fingers spread, the classic sign of making oneself look innocent.]

No no! I ain't gonna eatchu, yo!! Okay, hol' up, I did that very stupid.

[He drags one slimy hand down his slimy face, exhaling hard.]

We eat peeps, yeah. [The waitress GIVES HIM A LOOK like yes they know but don't be so open about it in a cafe ffs.] When I said the Fog hates humans, yo, I mean it. She brings us in an' changes us into monsters and gives us a hunger fer human. We can stave the hunger off pretty long if we really try, but if we don't eat, we go insane an' attack a lot of people to try an' get the hunger to stop. I promise I ain't hungry. Well I am, but... I jus' want my burger, not you.

[He tries to give Hydroponics an innocent look, not sure if it translates well through the goo, his ears dangling low and despondent. He even compacts himself a little, making himself look smaller and more innocent.]

Edited 2022-01-17 07:05 (UTC)

Well you didn't have to point at me!

[His voice isn't angry, just softly startled. Maybe a little apprehensive.]

Besides, with the apparent rate of your digestion, I'm certain I could free myself from your body before I disintegrated. Probably.

[Sighing, he settled back down.]

And no one has managed to come up with even the slightest inkling as to how to combat the whims of this spiteful fog goddess?

Sorry!

[And he does sound very sorry. He pointed to try and be like you, people! and not just... you. He scrubs his face again with a sigh. Stupid.]

We ain't gonna find out, no worries. Promise I ain't gonna eatchu.

[Before he can answer, said food arrives. A sloppy looking burger for Beat and a big but light looking salad for Hythlodaeus, dressing on the side. Beat will pick at his burger lightly after thanking the waitress, frowning.]

No, sadly. An' some peeps been here for six or seven years. Ain't no one's figured out how to stop the hunger or the changes. No one's figured out how to go home, either. Some do seem to disappear tho, but ain't sure if they get sent back home or what...

[Hythlodaeus is delighted that Beat seemed to have picked something that suited his tastes. He was not one to turn down meat or heavy foods from time to time, but he didn't currently have the stomach for anything more than this. Perhaps he would become a vegetarian to protest the forthcoming hunger he's heard all about.]

I trust all attempts to appeal to the goddess for mercy have gone unrewarded. Perhaps she would entertain some sort of barter?

[He mostly muses to himself. Surely those who have been here longer had exhausted every resource. But do gods not deal with man in this realm? Surely fervent prayer or offerings would do something to sway the deities. Well, as far as he knew, that line of thinking is what brought him here. Hythlodaeus chances a bite of salad. It's surprisingly not poisonous.]

The third god of which you spoke - the one who accepts bribes. Might they be persuaded to join man's pursuit of freedom?

Yeah, she jus' don' fuckin' care. She's a grade A bitch, yo. Careful if you try an' talk to her.

[Looking pleased that Hyth seems to be okay with the salad, Beat will try and eat his burger normally, but it's a little difficult when you're a slime. He CAN hold things firmly, but honestly, it just sort of wants to ooze into him. With a soft 'fuck it' he stuffs the hamburger into him and folds his arms to hide it. He can still taste it like that, oddly enough, so it's not like he isn't eating it. Just. In a very odd way.]

Mana? [That gets a grin out of him.] I'm actually gonna try an' find that out. Been savin' up the lil' coins that randomly get gifted to us near the end of the month, that show our monster on 'em. That's what she takes. Ima save up as much as I can an' shove 'em at her an' ask if she can open a way home. If she can, Ima let everyone know an' how much it costs.

[The amount of profanity this young slime is dropping is enough to distract Hythlodaeus from the rest of what Beat says sometimes. It's not that he's unaccustomed to cursing here and there, especially with Emet-Selch as a friend, but such words were usually reserved for moments of anger.]

Coins? The god provides you with an allowance to then use as bargaining pieces? Ha! What a patronizing little game.

[Laughing a little, he picks at more of his food.]

Have you a reason for going by yourself? Surely a band of like-minded souls with a pool of coins would curry more of this Mana's favor, no?

[Well at least he knows what patronizing means, and it gets a snort of agreement out of him.]

It def feel like a game sometimes. Ain't met a God yet who don' like gamin' it up. Wish they'd leave us alone though an' jus' play wid each other, yo.

[The suggestion makes him pause and his eyes go a little unfocused as he stares off into the void. When he responds his voice is soft.]

Oh... yo, di'nt even thinka that. Gonna have to ask 'bout it on the network. I got somethin' like fifty of them so far, if I can find others wid similar amounts, maybe we can pile it all together for a big door out...

[Absolutely knowing he won't remember any of this, Beat shifts around to reach into his goo again and take out a small post it notepad and a pencil. He will scribble the idea aggressively down, then tuck them back in against his hip. Or where his hip should be.]

Thanks! Bet no one else thoughta it either!

[Amused, Hythlodaeus watches as Beat retrieves his notepad and pencil, smiling as the translucent boy takes minutes of their conversation. Far be it from Hythlodaeus to judge Beat's note-taking. Having spent many hours in meetings himself, taking accurate notes was almost a necessity to keep your thoughts in order.]

Well, I'm glad I could have been of some use, then. As small as it may have been.

[He's oddly good-natured for being in such a dire situation. There is a time and place for panic, but when one is afforded at least some time to think, it should not be squandered.]

Forgive me for yet another, perhaps arbitrary question, but the "network" you mentioned... context leads one to assume it is some sort of mass communication device?

Oh, yeah. If we ain't given one off the bat, we can pick up a laptop at a lab. It lets us talk to everyone whose got one of their own. It ain't the most reliable thing in the world, but it works.

[He glances down at himself, as if looking for it, but no. No laptop floating in his goo. He left it at home.]

We can't contact anyone outside this world though, or anyone off the Peninsula.

[He hesitates but the poor guy needs to be able to know everything he's getting in to being here. Leaning back in his chair a little, he tilts his head.]

I hate to dump more shit on you, butchu need to know everythin'. Every month something weird happens too. I dunno if the Gods make it so, or jus' some weird effect of this place.

["Weird". Beat's word of choice. Well, he certainly wasn't inaccurate in his assessment. Everything here was pretty weird. Though, to the natives, probably less so. Now that he thought about it, was anyone here native? Were they all brought in from different worlds, even the angry masses outside? The person who handed him the...]

Pamphlet...

[Sorry, he's muttering to himself. Hythlodaeus pulls the somewhat crumpled tri-fold out of his robes, smoothing it flat against the diner. Could everything really be true? Was this quiz, however inaccurate the results, an accurate list of what he was to become?]

If I could make an observation, it seems aught is already amiss. I trust we won't be fortunate enough to have this satisfy our monthly quota of oddities?

[Ah man, he doesn't mean to laugh, but the poor guy assuming this is the weird thing about to happen makes him. He shakes his head too, the slime that makes up his body wobbling a little from his laugh.]

Aw man, no, sorry yo. This? This is normal. When I mean weird I mean... Lesse, December, yo, we all god kidnapped by bugs. Like actual bugs. And then brought to their weird amusement park, where we had to stay fer a week. Not so bad, you think, 'cept they don't know the concept of food or drink. If you like deep fried socks it right up yer alley, but not for me. An' it was all built outta trash an' there was eggs. It was gross.

[He'll turn his attention to the pamphlet Hydrodaeliosis pulls out, scooting closer to the table to lean on it a little and look at it.]

You know, I gotta admit, sometimes peeps do seem to get stuff that... I 'unno, fit their personality. But mosta the time it just seems the Gods turn a wheel an' throw a dart.

[Pausing, Hythlodaeus puts a hand to his chin in thought once more. What Beat is describing sounds much more like a fever dream than anything rooted in reality. The possibilities of magick are quite endless, to be sure, but he is not sure who would use the wonder of it to create something as foolish as fried socks.]

Well, aren't you just full of stories?

[He'd hold his tongue on whether or not he believed all of them. His only lead on the heart of this place were these gods Beat had mentioned earlier. If Hythlodaeus had hoped anything was true, it was at least that. If it wasn't, he'd be back at square one.]

If these wondrous tales are to be believed, I would be loathe to forget all we have discussed, not to mention the cause I have pledged myself to. Might I bother you for a scrap of the parchment you had brought out earlier?

[Man if only it was stories. Beat simply smiles a little. It doesn't bother him any if the man does or doesn't believe him. He'll know in a few weeks when he's slammed just like the rest of them will be.]

Huh? Scrap of whatment?

[Brought out earlier though, that'll click and he'll oh and reach into his hip to pull out his notepad and pencil.]

My notepad? Sure, yo. Have at.

[He'll slide the entire thing over to Hyth, pencil stuffed into the rings to stay secure with it. If Hyth wants to be nosy, he'll spot Beats earlier note about the network and coins and Mana, doodles of various graffiti designs, more mental thoughts so he doesn't forget including one about staying away from road grates so he doesn't end in the sewer...

It's all surprisingly dry too.]

Edited 2022-01-21 20:51 (UTC)

[Hythlodaeus opens his mouth to elaborate, but closes it once Beat seems to understand his request. He smiles, gently taking the notepad and removing the pencil. A bit different than the writing utensils he was used to, but the operation seemed easy enough to grasp. With nimble fingers, he flipped through the used pages until he found a fresh one, not lingering too long on what was written before, but making a mental note of the contents all the same. He didn't want to seem nosy, but he was. Just a little.]

Ah, you have my thanks once again! Easily the most generous person I have met here thus far.

[In a script that had no business being as pretty as it was, he simply wrote two words: Help Beat.]

That should suffice.

[Quickly ripping and folding the paper into a square, he tucked it into the pocket of his robes. He slid the pencil back into the spiral of the pad and closed it, pausing when he went to hand it back to Beat.]

If I could just...

[Awkwardly, he pressed the corner of it into Beat's side. Once his body took hold of it a little, Hythlodaeus removed his hand and pushed it in the rest of the way with a solitary finger on the outer corner. It popped into place with a satisfying noise, floating there for when it was needed next.]

How convenient!

[Beat starts to hold out his hand when Hythlodaeus offers the notepad, and blinks when he instead pauses and says if he could. Curious, he drops his hand and then ... is amused as fuck when the notepad and pencil are tucked back into him.

He can't help but laugh. It's amusing, and it actually tickles a little when he's not expecting it. He rubs the spot as if he can make the tickling sensation go away, grinning ear to droopy ear, the notepad being moved around back to his hip so he remembers where it's at.]

Aight, that's a first. Ain't had no one jus' go ahead. It's handy as hell, yeah, but dunno if the goods ace the bads.

[Pondering Hyth's robes, wondering how many pockets the thing has, Beat marks the dirt on them finally, and the scraggly appearance of the poor guys hair and grimaces.]

Man, I'm sorry fer draggin' you here when you prolly feel like shit. You wanna get cleaned up any? Pretty sure we can find some clothes that fit ya.

[He can't help it - his curiosity gets the better of him most of the time, especially when it comes to concept-adjacent things, and Beat's pretty close to being a specimen for him to inspect. Sorry if the prodding was too invasive.]

[Hythlodaeus' violet eyes go a little blank as Beat speaks, trying to untangle the words that fall from his mouth as they reach his ears. His confusion shows on his face, though he tries to make it seem as polite as he can.]

I've been able to keep up with your dialect so far, but I'm afraid this time I'm a bit lost. Foreign lexicons have never quite been my strong suit, you see...

[He chuckles a bit, embarrassed.]

Though, I believe I can capture the gist of what you're saying! If you've a suitable place for me to bathe and wash my robes, I would be a fool to spurn such hospitality.

[It's Beat's turn to go a little blank eyed as Hyth apologizes and says words he doesn't understand. Lexicon? Eventually it dawns on him though as he puts dialect and lost together. Surprise, Slimes can blush in embarrassment, the rosy pink hue of his cheeks turning darker. A very polite way of saying Beat's talking like an idiot and the man doesn't understand.]

Ah... sorry, yo.

[He'll make a concentrated effort to speak properly and not slip into the lazy speech patterns he's adopted over the years. Hyth has been nothing but nice and polite, it's the least he can do to help the other settle in right. He offers a smile and nods.]

We ain't... ah... We aren't far from the 38-8 Apartments where I live. You can use the shower, though I don't think I have any clothes that will fit you...

[He eyes the man a little. He's taller than Beat is, so even Beat's old clothes won't fit him. They'll have to figure out something else for him to wear while the robes are washed. He waves to the waitress for the bill, reaching into his other hip to pull out some coins to lay them on the table in payment.]

You wanna.. uh, want to take your salad?

[So many strange questions. Why would he have to wear Beat's clothes? Where is he taking this salad? Surely it can be disposed of somehow, or are they the ones responsible for that? He should focus on one thing at a time.]

That will not be necessary, I trust.

[Offering a slightly confused smile, Hythlodaeus stands, observing his new friend in all his jiggly glory. At least he had the great fortune of meeting someone so generous.]

I will be happy to sort my own affairs to the best of my abilities. I needs only be provided with the bare necessities, honestly. I have surely stolen much of your time with my hapless antics.

[He sounds exasperated with himself. He'll make it up to you, Beat, he promises. Somehow.]

Aight!

[Standing, Beat thanks the waitress and leads Hyth out of the diner but not before yelling at the cook to see him later. And he shakes his head to Hythlodaeus, looking amused as he stands outside and readjusts to being a cold slime.]

'Ey, er... Hey, don't worry about it! I took the time off of work to help people out that come in, it happens every month with the fog coming in, so it's easy to schedule it to help out. It's a bit of a walk to the 38-8, but thankfully not too far. We shouldn't have to take a cab, unless you get tired of walking.

[Being a monster had that at least, the extra stamina needed to walk all over the city, when you might not fit into cars. Getting his bearings he begins to move off in a direction to start 'walking', chatting as he does.]

The Lighthouse offers changes of clothes and stuff to newcomers, as well as vouchers for free places to stay and some money, but it's a bit out of the city. We can get you cleaned up and warm before then, at least.

[So Beat does this often, helping others. That at least explained why he was so knowledgeable and quick to offer assistance without even knowing Hythlodaeus' name. A kind soul, if a little unorthodox-looking. He seems to be on good terms with everyone, even if they might not show Beat the same energy in return. It reminded him of himself, a little. Musing to himself, he seems lost in thought for a moment as the pair of them start down the sidewalk, Hythlodaeus a calm and steady presence even if his mind is elsewhere.]

Oh, don't worry about me. The cold will deter me before my feet have anything to say about the journey.

[He laughs a little, giving Beat a smile.]

But, as a fortune, the mud on my robes and hair has dried, and therefore no longer amplifies the bite of the wind. The brief respite of the shelter we paid visit to ensured that I have the stamina to continue, so worry not.

[Taking time to observe the city as they walked, Hythlodaeus finds it quaint - to put it nicely. If he was going to be spending any amount of time here trying to find his way back to where he was supposed to be, whether it be Amaurot or the aetherial sea, he would have to learn to adjust to it's primitiveness.]

Tell me, Beat. Was your home much like this place, or did you also find yourself out of your element when you first arrived? I must admit, if it wasn't already painfully obvious, I have scarcely any idea of what to make of all of it.

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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