TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

[ryslighelpers]

TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

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

(CW: Human remains)

When you awaken, you are hit with an immediate feeling of motion. A bobbing, if you will, or perhaps more of a rocking. You take a deep breath through your nose and take note of salt, along with the pungent scent of rotting wood. Creaking sounds echo all around you. Sitting up, you find yourself locking eyes with a skull.

An entire human skeleton is positioned across from you, resting limply against a pillar. Surveying the rest of your surroundings, you soon realize that you're below deck on an old, dilapidated ship. A ship that's on the move. The crew must have suffered a terrible fate, strewn as they all are across the floor. With their ripped poofy shirts, sheathed cutlasses and jaunty feathered hats, they seem to scream one word at you. "Pirates". ...Ooh, is that an abandoned bottle of rum? And a treasure chest? Surely they won't mind if you help yourself. They're dead, after all!

Once you've ascended the creaky steps, you find yourself on the deck of this vast, once proud vessel. A tattered Jolly Roger flaps overhead. Thick fog obscures most of the ocean surrounding you, but what's that straight ahead? Land ho! The ship's about to make port, and a crowd of curious onlookers has already gathered on the docks to stare up at this spooky new arrival. They appear apprehensive, perhaps even fearful, as if they haven't seen a ship come in for a long time. Will they hold you accountable for what happened to the skeleton crew? Will they praise you for 'ridding' them of pirates and allow you to keep the booty? There's no way to know just yet. Perhaps you'd best hide and find a way to disembark without being seen. Or perhaps there's someone else to be found here on this ship who suffered the same fate; someone who has a better idea of what to do.

SCENARIO TWO

You've stumbled your way into a city, and you're promptly besieged by the overwhelming sights and sounds. 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 lost expression and your clothes- so different from their own- 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. A hefty laptop may be handed to you, with words of a ‘network’ used for communication. Wonder what that’s about? Then there’s the very confusing pamphlet stuffed within: "What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)”. They may direct you to an organisation known as the Lighthouse, their members most prominently found at the 38-8 apartments and the Lighthouse Church. Or perhaps, if you're injured, they'll refer you to the Crowe Clinic instead. Unfortunately, the directions you're given are so very complicated that you lose your way in the streets after two left turns, a right and a left at the soup kitchen.

Take care when asking for more help. 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

Now that you've found a moment of peace, you open up the mysterious device that's been handed to you. Perhaps you'll recognize it as some sort of laptop, albeit an old and clunky one. Or perhaps you'll be astounded by this curious feat of technology, which is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Regardless, the moment the lid is propped open to reveal the screen and the keyboard within, you gain your first glimpse of the network.

Perhaps you'll want to choose a username and write your very first message, posing the pressing question that's on your mind at this very moment. The lettered buttons click and clack awkwardly beneath your fingertips as you type.

However, you may instead want to respond to today's most popular message.

WELCOME TO RSDOS. PRESS F1 TO COMPOSE POST. *** TODAY’S TOP POST *** 018.07.154.55 <JUSTSOMEGUY> Let's play Two Truths, One Lie! It's real easy! You just post three statements about yourself, and the rest of us have to guess the lie. It'll be fun! And you get to be a liar liar without your pants catching fire for a bit.

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.

Comments

[royalmint]

[Having his face grabbed- or touched like that at all, really- is...very surprising. It's so surprising, in fact, that Pepper just freezes and goes very still, his eyes widening as Ianthe holds him in place. He can't imagine being knocked into like that was very pleasant of course, but surely it wasn't...that bad, right...?]

Um...ch...check...?

[He manages, baffled, but ends up trailing off the moment she pulls her hands away, as if nothing happened.

...what was that about?]

My...my name is Pepper. Er, Peter Minthia. ...but Pepper is fine.

[gildedsaint]

[He goes still like a rabbit. Good. As he ought to. Her eyebrows flick upwards slightly, smile growing more amused, as he gives his name.]

Pepper Minthia?

[Hilarious. But it's very unlikely that he's mocking her by giving her a fake name, that's a plan that would cause him more problems than it's worth. Despite the fact that his second name is obviously strange, no trace of his lineage in it. So instead she extends one hand to him, palm down, in a lazy offer.]

Ianthe Tridentarius, Princess of Ida. Forgive me, I cannot determine your House from your name.

[royalmint]

Princess?

[Immediately Pepper straightens, realizing he's likely made a fool of himself in the type of company he tries desperately hard to fit in with. And, damn it all, he didn't even...he didn't mention his own title at all, did he?

Regardless of the slip up on his own part, he manages at least to recover quickly, reaching out to take her hand gently in turn. It's precise and almost mechnically formal, the exact way a gesture like this is to be performed...even if they are currently sitting in the belly of a pirate ship.]

Oh, I...I'm deeply sorry, I am...Prince Pepper, of the Kingdom of Perovskia. Though I must say I don't believe I am familiar with yours either...

[gildedsaint]

[Her eyebrows flit up ever so slightly as she stares down at their hands, then back to his face. The motion is exactly as she'd expect, and few make the effort to learn such manners if they aren't actually part of a court. It's quite a lot of tedious bullshit to put up with if you aren't expecting to really use it. But there is no such kingdom, and there is absolutely no way he's unaware of hers. Even those backwater terrorists and their meek little sheep know very well of the Houses and they certainly don't produce royals of their own. There's no tactical benefit to lying to her, either; it's incredibly rude to entirely not know of a major ruling power like hers, there's nothing to be gained by putting himself on the back foot like that.

So, he must be being truthful. Considering her lack of powers, something is very, very odd. She'd assume she's dreaming, but this strange little man is nothing she would conjure. So. She pastes on another easy smile, over the exhaustion, and makes a quick decision.]

Apology accepted, Prince Pepper.
We appear to be in an unprecedented situation and I'd rather not quibble over manners.
More importantly: do you carry a weapon? Can you fight?

[royalmint]

[He can't help but feel relieved that his inattentiveness here isn't being held against him. Of course there is...a lot that is capturing his attention elsewhere, not limited to the fact they are still surrounded by skeletons. He's having a difficult time keeping his gaze elsewhere actually, so instead he'll try to focus on Ianthe as best he's able as he brings his hands back to himself.]

I am experienced with bow and arrow, but...

[He pats himself down, first his chest, then his shoulder as if expecting a strap to be there.]

Even if I had it with me, my usage of it is typically more for sport, not necessarily fighting.

[He's been learning of course, thanks to Amelia, to defend himself. But he's by no means a seasoned warrior.]

[gildedsaint]

[Honestly, the skeletons are the least strange thing to her. She's been surrounded by corpses for months. These are just new faces.

A lack of weaponry or ability to use them is disappointing but not surprising. Many nobles and necromancers alike would be fucking useless without their cavaliers at hand to defend them. Thankfully, Ianthe is far from average and quite used to carrying the burdens of others, so with a soft sigh, she reaches for her blades. Her rapier and her knife from the sheathes at her hips, dependable and ever-ready. She's a bit concerned about her ability to fight without the other soul coiled inside her, frankly, but she's not about to show any hesitancy on her face - she maintains a calm, almost bored expression as she presses the latch and lets the secondary blades extend from the trident knife with a soft snckt.]

Very well, I suppose I'll handle it, if trouble comes looking.
Keep behind me, dear sir, I can't guarantee I won't cut you if you're out of position.

[She keeps her tone sickly-sweet, polite, but the undertone of "you are worthless" is incredibly clear, especially to one raised in the passive-aggression of court life.]

[royalmint]

[Oh yes, that is...something that Pepper has come to recognize even if he has always done his best to let it roll off of him. "Like water off a duck's back", his mother used to say, given the fact that he's always been sensitive since childhood. You'd think a person like him wouldn't be able to make it in the kind of world he was raised in, but it's also the only reason he's managing to keep it together now without absolutely falling apart outside of the reach of his kingdom and its people.

He knows he can't do much here, and that's fine. Maybe not quite so fine for his company, but...what choice does she have but to stick with him, at this point? Unless she'd rather go alone, of course. Not like they have much room to work with, trapped in this ship's hold as they are.]

Right...

[He sighs, shifting a bit where he's still sitting on the wooden floor. Though he does have to wonder...]

Should we try to see if we can't escape this room? Surely there must be some way out of it.