TEST DRIVE MEME (JAN 23')

[myddvaimods]

TEST DRIVE MEME
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Arc Introduction, Month 0


The Pull

Falling asleep, closing one's eyes to die, or simply walking through a doorway... it only takes the slightest lapse of consciousness for the magic to take hold. That sudden feeling of falling within a dream overtakes the senses, lasting far longer than it should. If lucky or nimble, feet will hit the floor rather than spine or face.

Characters find themselves pulled into a new world without warning, and they are now in the spotlight. Literally. From their new vantage point from center stage in a cabaret, they can just barely make out the strange, sprawling figures that form their audience. Hulking animal shapes sit at tables and lean against walls, defining the edges of the dark space. The floorboards glow with untold power, etched with countless runes and scripts, radiating power and… a strangely pleasant smell of vanilla and cinnamon fills the air.

"Charming," says a seemingly disembodied voice, tone bored despite the compliment, "Let this one stay, I'm intrigued by them."

"Suboptimal," responds another voice, this time clearly to the right and behind. Looking over a shoulder, the two speaking stand on opposite sides from one another.


The last to speak, a seven-foot tall goat man, is holding a broken shepherd's staff. The whole of the item is glowing with power and strands of magic wind outward like thread or like marionette strings, as they trail to the new arrivals body at all their joints. The goat man sighs and lowers the staff, dispelling the magic and the strands like extinguishing a flame. Colorful sparks and embers erupt and rise all around the stage, before cooling and disappearing into thin air.

"Welcome, you're one of the Pulled. Now, get off the stage," says that first voice again, from the other figure. They are a slim person of ambiguous gender and seemingly timeless age. They crack a smirk, "we have more of your kind to summon, the good Secretary Theodore will explain further,"

With that, it's time to explore what this strange place and experience holds, because there's seemingly no going back now.



Theodore is not his name...

Whether going willingly or getting kicked off, the most recent Pulled is moved into the off-stage area. A man waits, looking uneasy and stressed but doing his best to project some air of competency. He'll shake hands with anybody who'd like to but doesn't seem surprised or offended if they don't take his hand.

"Good to meet you. I'm Ted, Ydris' secretary," he has an overall exhausted air to him, as he pushes up his glasses.

Every Pulled gets the same, rehearsed explanation of what's going on.

First, a welcome to Myddvai, the name of the world they now find themselves pulled into. Myddvai is the vast World Tree, floating pleasantly through space. It is a highly magical place and thus not always the easiest to explain. He heeds that Pulled might want to curve any... expectations of perfect consistency. This world is highly unpredictable.

In the most basic terms, Myddvai is controlled by forces of Chaos and Order. All magic falls between these two extremes and is, curiously, denoted by flavor. The curious scent of cinnamon and vanilla is caused by the magic at work, summoning in the various Pulled. Ted introduces the two on the stage as Ydris and Ives, who are currently the two most powerful beings active on Myddvai. He urges that getting on either of their bad sides would be unwise.

The two on stage have devised this ritual summoning because the whole of Myddvai is in trouble. Ydris is one of five Dragon Deities, the living gods that oversee the natural order and chaotic forces throughout Myddvai.

Due to "a mishap," the other four Dragons are all unconscious. Many groups are scrambling to find their own solutions or, more concerningly, using this opportunity to seize various forms of control.

Ydris is aligned to Order and cannot allow such grabs at power on their, suddenly very solo, watch. Ives, who is a being with wisdom more ancient than even the gods of this world, has enlisted himself to help with this. The two agree they need outsiders with no biases on the politics of this world, and no motivation outside of what Ydris and Ives can offer them all. The prize for cooperation is a simple choice:

"Pulled are welcome to remain in the world and live out their mortal lives in luxury, heroes that will be favored by all the gods... or, be returned to your homes with new life and power. Even if you aren't interested in going home, there are others who are." Ted glances away for a moment, before his gaze returns to the Pulled, "The choice will be each of yours to make... provided you cooperate. If you're not interested in helping, you can be a normal citizen of the world. That's always an option."

Beyond that overwhelming lore dump, Ted can only answer so many further questions, but feel free to inquire with Ted. He's mostly around to field each Pulled as they're directed off stage to meet him. Other Pulled who have already heard the script can hang around in his space longer, but they'll probably get tired of the same speech over and over. Ted looks like he would love to stop...

Join the Audience

"You can join the rest of the audience. Mingle as much as you'd like," Ted urges to those done with their orientation.

There is only a curtain blocking the backstage from the seating area. Joining the audience reveals that the figures watching this ritual are animal, insect, and arachnid people. Dog, rat, bat, snake... all manner of heads sit expressively upon more human bodies, all dressed in sharp suits, gowns, or mixtures thereof. This appears to be quite the fancy affair!

These are Springtide Vampires, the aristocratic leaders of this particular culture. They eagerly invite Pulled in pairs to sit and socialize with them.

While a few lick their chops at the new arrivals, they insist they are not out for off-world blood. No, what they want is connections to the Pulled. Springtide Families are all headed by a Vampire, and those who grant resources to this endeavor are being promised great favors or riches by Ydris. So, they are hungry for clout more than anything. A few Vampires are interested in making conversation about themselves, but most prefer to simply eavesdrop on any Pulled sitting at their tables and speaking with one another.

Pulled who are especially interesting or social will be slipped a calling card with a family crest: Rat, Dog, Raven, Moth, Cat, or Spider. The Vampire granting the card will instruct Pulled that this will be valuable soon. So, hold onto it for later and guard it against thieves. Pulled can only acquire one of these cards each, so choose carefully. If Pulled decide to trade among themselves, that may come with future consequences.

((Note: Vampires will be NPCs available for interaction below, but players are free to handwave basic interactions, as described above. Receiving one of the calling cards can also be done at player discretion.))

The bar is open to a new you


At the far end of the cabaret is a long bar leading to a kitchen. Mysteriously, the cabaret has no discernable exit. There is a row of seats facing the bartenders and another facing the stage. Both rows are exclusive for Pulled, set aside from the Vampires. Everybody who was pulled in arrived wearing whatever they last had on. If an outfit was too revealing, damaged, or just not comfortable, then Pulled are offered a silken robe and slippers to wear instead.

Whether a waitress or bartender addresses a Pulled, they refer to them as their Myddvai Breed. "What would you like to drink, Elf?" "You look like a hungry Rahuth! How about something from the kitchen?" and so on. All Pulled take on recognizable characteristics native to Myddvai, features determined by the Pull of the universe. Any who ask are told that features are likely to continue to manifest the longer they're on Myddvai. Some Pulled might also experience their form shifting wildly between different breeds and are assured that will settle down eventually. This kind of transformation isn't painful, only strange to experience. Pulled can get told all the basic information available on Myddvai breeds at this time.

Pulled have plenty of time to chat just among themselves at the bar. If endless, freely provided alcohol isn't enough to loosen the tongue, then perhaps sharing a meal will? Pulled are required to order food as pairs or parties, individual requests won't be served. The menu is distinctly lacking in grains, dairy, and red meat, exclusively having vegetable dishes and various seafood on offer. It's all very flavorful and filling, seasoned well, and delivered warm.

If you're facing the stage, there's plenty more being pulled in... and come to find out, not everybody is allowed to stay.

The Ice Storm

Watch and it becomes clear that the ritual doesn't always result in worthwhile Pulled.

The room swells as the pair of powerful beings do each half of the summons. Ives steadies his staff and draws in the smoke generated by Ydris, who looks entirely different. Their human illusion is dropped during a summoning, showing their true form as a fantastical, wax-bodied being of fire and metal. Flames all swirl intensely, creating a smoke that is wound into concentrated magical strings of energy. These lines are what pull people out from their worlds, causing a void in reality from which they arrive through. The tear is quickly stitched back together by those same thread, weaving the space back together again behind the new arrival.

If a Pulled is deemed unworthy, Ives points the staff at them. A flash of light overtakes the entire room. The Vampires appear to all know just the time to duck or hide their eyes when this happens. Except a certain Sir Goodpoint the flash is his favorite part.

After this light dissipates, the person is gone. Seemingly returned home. One would... hope. The next ritual begins again, people stay or go. There seems to be a completely unknown ranking system at play. The Vampires casually mention how many Stars someone is worth in passing. Not everybody chosen has a high rank by this measure, so that doesn't seem to be the deciding factor.

A semi-regular occurrence is the Ice Storm. This is when an unwanted character is Pulled multiple times and everybody in attendance has gotten just so fed up with seeing them. One of the front-row Vampires seems to have started a trend, that of plucking an ice cube from their drink and throwing it at the offending Pulled. Basically, everybody in the audience takes this as a great opportunity to pelt the unwanted Pulled until Ives makes them go away, jeering and booing are optional.

All Pulled in the audience are given cups of ice, wordlessly encouraged to participate. Nobody subjected to the Ice Storm is allowed to remain. Any who stand to object to this will get the Ice Storm directed at themselves, instead. It won't get a Pulled who was already chosen sent back home, but they will get a good pelting for their trouble.

It also makes for a progressively funnier show as new Pulled appear and slip on the remains of the previous Ice Storm. Glad that wasn't you, right? Or maybe it was and now you understand why...


OOC Notes

Welcome to the Test Drive Meme for Myddvai's First Season!

This post is Open To All for play, both those with and without invites to our game are welcome to play in this space.

Players are allowed to play around with their character as any of the available breeds while on the TDM. TDM breed choice does not need to match an application. All threads from the TDM can remain canon even if breed is changed later when applying to game. The lore reason for this would be instability of a character's form when first pulled in. Breed choice cannot currently be changed once within the game, so choose wisely when applying!

As a reminder, TDM participation is a required part of our Application to join. Both top leveling your characters and tagging around is encouraged!

For those without Invites who are interested in applying, feel free to join our discord and inquire about potentially receiving an invite.

All Mod Invited Players are allowed to extend unlimited invites to those they wish.

For those with invitations, Reservations are open along with this TDM! Please put in a Reservation if you are intending to join the game.

Applications open on the 1st of February and priority will be given to Reserved players. The first round of acceptances to the game will go out Feb. 4th along with an IC Introduction Event.

Not sure what Breed you want to pick for your character? Head over to our Design Workshop! Moderation and other potential players would be happy to help brainstorm.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

smokey | alchemy stars | rahuth

[disowning]

i. freshly pulled

[ smokey almost looks dazed at all of this, an expression at odds with her typically standoffish demeanor. after a moment, having stepped off the stage, she seems to come to her senses; she peers upward from her hands to lock eyes with the nearest fellow pulled. while she has to keep a slight quiver from affecting her voice, her gaze has turned sharp again. one of her rounded ears twitch, her tufted tail twitching at the tip. ]

[ she extends her own hand, clawed but bare. ]

Hey. Give me your hand. No gloves.

[ paw, tentacle, whatever. ]

ii. vampyric sponsorship

[ smokey can be seen peering down at her given card. she may not be particularly social, but she had been interesting enough, she guesses. once she’s parted ways from that vampire, she’s speaking up again with a tone of distaste (she may or may not hope that she’s overheard by everyone else, too -) ]

A dumb dog? Ew.

[ she stops in front of someone that’s also been given a card. ]

Trade with me.

iii. the choice is yours

[ she doesn’t have a drink, nor has she touched much of the food on her plate, but she is looking at the pulled that’s unfortunately found themselves seated near to her with intent. ]

[ she’s daintily folded her hands beneath her chin. ]

I’m thinking of helping... This could be entertaining. [ she flicks a silver twintail over her shoulder, her smile fangy with a lioness’ canines. ] What do you think?

iv. wildcard
( ooc: hit me with whatever, and feel free to dm me for plotting! )

fresh meat

[stopfen]

[Mikasa didn't have much in the way of changes. Not yet anyway. But it was happening, rahuth, the word was so foreign to her that she had no idea what to expect. It was hard to miss the dark fur growing at her wrist though, even if it was covered by her cardigan's pink sleeve.


The demand got a frown. Even if Mikasa raised a hand to offer it. Still normal, just calloused and covered in small scars. ]

Aren't you supposed to say please?

[Not that she particularly cared. She wouldn't have gone along with it if she did.]

[disowning]

Nah. See? I'm already being too nice.

[ see, indeed: if she'd just smacked someone to begin with, she wouldn't have to deal with the - admittedly benign - question!!

smokey eyes the requested hand. like she's not sure she wants to go through with this... but after a beat, her frown deepens with determination. and then she's snatching mikasa's hand with her own and just... holding it there. yeah. ]

[ looking up at mikasa. looking for a reaction. ]

[stopfen]

[There's none, only a raised eyebrow as Mikasa looked at their linked hands. Then Smokey. Okkkaaaay.]

Is something supposed to happen?

[For what purpose? She'd not heard of anything involving hands, other than being told to wear gloves as soon as she could get some.]

[disowning]

[ smokey tightens her grip - nothing that should be uncomfortable, but to fully ensure skin-to-skin contact. she stares, looking bewildered. ]

Nothing?

i

[reirintogo]

[Reirin's rather dazed where she's landed on the floor below the stage, too, mermaid tail and robes spread around her, not able to shapeshift and walk somewhere less out of the way for the moment.

Smokey's tone is authoritative enough that she half-reaches up before she catches herself, blinking slow and bemused behind the translucent blindfold over her eyes. her hand's paused in midair, not quite making contact.]

Yes? ...oh, wait, why?

[disowning]

[ apparently regardless of any consequences, smokey snatches that hand that's neared hers. her grip is firm, but not uncomfortably so, and her expression intensifies with a focused glare. ]

Tell me if you feel anything.

[ --nebulous, that. ]

[reirintogo]

Ah--well, your grip is very firm and determined. It's the hold of someone who isn't afraid to reach out and grasp what she wants!

[she's not lying, but--okay, that's probably not all this person is asking about, right?]

Am I meant to be feeling something else?

[disowning]

[ smokey's eyes widen, and then she lets go abruptly, her hand falling limp at her side. ]

Ah... [ yes, but. ] I thought it might feel really hot to the touch.

freshly pulled

[unshurety]

[the Rahuth beside her draws back a bit at the extended hand. it's more of an instinctive reaction than a conscious one: with the wings on her back, the crest of feathers down her spine, and her clawed fingers, it's pretty clear that this is a cat and bird situation.]

Did your mother not teach you manners?

[disowning]

Nope.

[ answered quickly, that. the other rahuth draws back, and smokey draws forward, disregarding the blatant signs of a prey's reaction to a predator. she spreads her claw-tipped fingers. ]

[ more firmly and demanding now, ]

Give me your hand.

[unshurety]

What the--

[Keigetsu scrambles back in earnest, thoroughly taken aback at the blunt response and the other woman's urge to push the issue. it's not a reaction she was expecting -- which threw her careful calculation of how to walk the line of not too honest, but honest enough, in this new set of circumstances.

her voice goes a bit pitchier, not quite a squeak yet only because she had been trying to cultivate an air of disdain. she's not doing a great job of being above it all this time.]

I-I don't see why I should!

[disowning]

[ oho, she sees those little cracks... ]

[ smokey lifts an eyebrow, high, as she scrutinizes keigetsu. she slowly puts that offered hand instead to her hip; while she may have been pushy, she's not about to actually snatch at the other woman. ]

[ her mouth pressing into a line, ]

It'd help me figure something out, that's all.

iii.

[kabedont]

... helping?

[Azhar is pulled out of his thoughts by the question, dismissing the equally simple question of why helping with... whatever she means would be entertaining. His little bear ears twitch slightly when he turns to her, hands rested easily in his lap.]

What do you mean?

[disowning]

[ smokey stares, her eyes widening slightly. ]

Are you stupid? Were you not listening to that long-winded spiel earlier?

[kabedont]

No. I didn't think that was a question; we're here already. It's most efficient to help in that, isn't it?

[He doesn't even sound offended, just brutally honest once the context slots into place.]

What else would you do, if not that?

[disowning]

I don't really care about efficiency... when it doesn't involve any of my own goals, anyway.

[ she hums. ]

We—or just I—go for what seems like the most fun.

iii

[fivebooktrilogy]

Well, I mean, what are the other options? [ Nod laughs, a little nervously. The mannerism's slightly at odds with his newly-sharp teeth. ] We could quest to save this strange world and become its heroes! ...Oooor, we could wander around in a strange world with no resources, network, or goal. That... that one just seems like a lot.

[ Nod doesn't like to think of himself as spoiled or a homebody... but he's never had to manage any real sort of travel before. He's never gone far enough afield that he wasn't home before sunset. He's still uneasy confronting the very real possibility he might not be going home at all this time. ]

If it's going to be a wild adventure either way, might as well go the route that has some point to it, right?

[disowning]

Or! We actively work to sabotage the entire operation.

[ while nod laughs nervously, smokey barks a short, raucous laugh. ]

[ one of her eyebrows hike upward, though, and she looks briefly intrigued. whether she means so in a philosophical sort of way (hint: it's probably not that), or whether she really wouldn't mind nod further making a case for cooperation...: ]

What is that point, anyway?

[fivebooktrilogy]

Hm...

[ Nod hums to himself as Smokey makes her counterpoint; so she's someone like that, then. Nod doesn't particularly like the suggestion they deliberately sabotage what seems like a save-the-world sort of quest... he's never really favored villains over heroes in his stories, not if they're both portrayed as equally personable at least - aaaand saying something like that would be unpolitic, so he won't. Besides, the situation is undoubtedly more complicated it might first appear, like in the better novels. It'd be best to consider things from multiple angles, whatever his own first impulses are. ]

They did say that with those other dragons out of the picture, their world is in trouble. I think the plan is we salvage their status quo, before something upsets the current balance of their world too much...

...Though, before deciding whether to help or sabotage that plan, we should find out more about what their current status quo is. Either way, participating at all is going to strongly affect this world, it sounds like; so if we're going to involve ourselves - especially given the idea we can go home later is, ah, not... reliable - we ought to try ensuring this world ends up a place we'd like to be.

[disowning]

Hm...


[ to smokey's credit, she does listen and appears to contemplate that. before abruptly laughing. ]

Okay, I can get behind changing this world into a place I'd like to be, whether that involves deliberate sabotage or not.

2

[saltsplash]

[Reigen jolts a little in surprise at this girl's sudden approach, but part of him considers trading the spider card immediately.

...Another part of him is very, very afraid to find out what repercussions a giant spider woman and her whole family might dole out for offending them, though. He really, really did not want to get webbed up and bled like a stuck pig.]

I didn't get one.

[disowning]

[ oh.

smokey looks the man up and down, leisurely and unabashedly, her gaze reproachful. there's almost a bit of pitying softness to her eyes, actually. ]

Are you serious? [ sounding disappointed, but not surprised. ] Not a single one?

[saltsplash]

Better consider yourself lucky, right? That fellow must have noticed something important about you.

[He vaguely gestures with his hands as he talks, but mostly is rather relaxed-looking.]

Dogs are very intelligent, curious and industrious - you should admire their strengths as a compliment to yours.

[disowning]

[ smokey's eyebrow twitches at the explanation. ]

No way. They're noisy and slobbery.

[ since he doesn't immediately seem amenable to trading, smokey moves forward to lightly, nimbly slide the dog calling card into one of the folds of reigen's suit. she doesn't really enjoy touching people too much, just as a principle, so she's making quick work of this and pulling away. ]

Here you go, since you like 'em so much! Gyahaha!!