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

"Fio" | oc | emperyean

[moonfeather]

❇ The Bar - So Many Poisons to Choose From

Emperyean! What'll it be?

[Fiorella wrinkles her nose at the label she has been given but it at least serves to explain the feathery wings growing on her hips. And yet she tries to protest.]

I'm Avian, not a—... [But to no avail; the bartender brushes it aside and asks again. Her stomach rumbles before she can give a proper answer. When she's told she needs to pair up instead of having an individual order, Fio will look for help, exasperated.]

Well, they're making this more difficult than need be. Shall we order together?

[She's trying to push down the wings on her hips, frowning down at them as if it'll make them disappear.]

❇ The Audience - Whose YOUR Spirit Animal?

[She's not as put off by the animals, insect, and arachnids. If anything, Fio seems relieved to see familiar beast faces in a sea of other humanoids and humans (she can only assume). Though her questions about whether they have seen another dragon (also two cats, a specific dog, rabbit, and two humans) result in negatives, at least she feels welcome.

The Vampires make her feel nervous but they seem to mean well enough. The calling cards interest her but now she seems to be agonizing over which one she should choose. One can find her sitting at a table muttering over the choices she's been given, narrowing it down to three. She can only choose one and she will return the others.]

Raven...? No, perhaps... Well, Dog or Cat then?

The Audience

[familynames]

[Voice thoughts aloud is a bold move in a room this full of towering animal people. Raven, Dog, or Cat? Wright's ears perk up, the red spider lilies inside of them fluttering. He strides over, eight feet tall and wide shouldered, not caring who he might bump into.

Reaching Fio's table; he grabs a chair, pivots it around on one of its legs, flips his tailcoat out, then sits backwards, legs spread around the backrest. A real football coach looking move.

He smiles at her with all the lovable charm of a scottie dog. His voice is warm and tone jovial, but his teeth flash. Sharp.]

Anything I could help you with, my fine lady? I'm Sir Wright, I heard you're considering my House.

[moonfeather]

Oh!

[Fio straightens herself up and smooths out the skirt of her outfit.]

Greetings. Sir Wright is it? A pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[He certainly isn't like the lupine/canine Beastment she's met during her journey; the spider lilies that decorate inside his ears are enough of an indication. The girl glances at the cards and back at Sir Wright.]

I confess I am trying to understand the gravity of the choices I am presented with. Furthermore, as much as I loathe admitting it, I'm choosing mostly on prior experience and feeling.

[She shrugs.]

That isn't the wisest way to make decisions.

[familynames]

A pleasure, indeed! And choosing from your instincts isn't the worst way of making decisions. It is about as good as a guess.

[He moves a hand towards the cards and flips each of them over. The backs are all identical stock, so there's no telling which from which once turned.]

What I prefer is chance. Why don't you leave it to fate? I can shuffle them for you and let you pick, then there is no pressure to your choice! A decision guided by chaos.

[moonfeather]

[Fio blinks, mildly surprised and somewhat appreciative that he's going through the trouble to do so.]

Hm. That might be better than being implicitly persuaded one way or the other. I accept your offer, Sir Wright.

[familynames]

Very good, very good. [He reaches his gloved paws to the cards and drags them into a collective pile. For paws they are shockingly deft and shuffling the batch before setting them back down and fanning them out before her.

Curiously, no matter what he choice may be, the Dog Emblem with HOUSE WRIGHT emblazoned will be what is turned over. He smiles a sharp toothed grin,]

Look at that! Fortune favors me today.

[Sus.]

[moonfeather]

[Perhaps it's just her, or perhaps it's her experience and constant interaction with Zephyrv (an innocent-looking rabbit raised into assassin-hood and all that entails), but there's a trickiness about the result she's chosen. Fio may be temperamental but she's grown a little wiser than to even suggest there's a trick afoot.

Studying the Dog Emblem, the princess nods in apparent approval.]

Well, that's settled then. I've yet to distrust canines in my personal experience.

[She hugs the emblem to her chest.]

I'll keep this safe.

[familynames]

[With a smooth gesture, he takes back both of the other cards from the table, keeping them distinctly faced down to do so. They get tucked into the breast pocket of his jacket, where he pats them as if for safekeeping]

And I will return these to my fellows on your behalf. [his tail wags back and forth behind him, making some sense of why he chose to swirl the chair around backwards before sitting]

Guard that well and you'll be rewarded soon enough. I don't believe I captured your name?

[moonfeather]

Pardon my delay in my introduction.

[If she were standing up, she would have bowed with her arms spread to her side; she had no wings so her gesture was a substitute. Instead, she bows her head demurely.]

I am Fiorella.

[It wouldn't matter here at all but she isn't going to use her full name anytime soon, if at all.]

I am of the Avian people in my world but I kept mixed company during my journey before being Pulled as it were.

[familynames]

I'll keep that name in mind, Lady Fiorella, you seem quite the noble creature. Few arrive here as Empyrean, so you must be something special.

[She has just enough features to give away that is what she's becoming. Of all the Myddvai breeds, that is the most drastic, but then again, it is the furthest from the human root. Most presume they must be related in some way to base humanity, as they're able to have offspring with those of Myddvai, even if they're from the moon.

Still a mystery, all of that. Drives a few people, mostly immortals like Wright, mad with intrigue.]

[moonfeather]

[There's enough uncertainty as a half-human, half-Avian; being a Pulled with an uncommon transformation doesn't totally sit well with her.]

Sir Wright? Would you be able to answer my inquiries regarding what an Empyrean is? I'm afraid there is no such thing where I'm from despite the diversity of Beastmen.

For instance... How much of myself will be left?

[familynames]

Oho, practically nothing left! [he laughs out! Not horrifying at all! His tail continues to wag, he slaps one of his knees]

Isn't that wonderful? To be something so new, to shed a previous life, that is the best feeling. You'll become an immortal being of metal and stardust, immune to most suffering and yet capable of every pleasure. [He leans in a bit to say in more of a whisper]

How many would kill for your good fortune, Lady Fio.

The bar

[kabedont]

[Oh, this is absolutely the first empyrean he's seen in person. Metal isn't a common material on the plains, so if he's honest she's quite interesting to see...]

... mm. It seems they want us to meet each other. [He's learned something!!! It's only taken like a billion conversations.] I think they call us by the race we're becoming, for some reason?

[He doesn't seem all that apologetic, just explains it simply in turn. By now he's also seen enough of the menu that he's a little more confident in it, and the short bear rahuth nods in turn.]

If there's something you want, just order. I'll try it too.

[Well, he means they'll give it to him too, but it's all the same as saying he has no requests or restrictions, i suppose.]

[moonfeather]

[Fio gives the young man a glance her brows furrowing together. She stops pushing down at the feathered wings around her hips to address him properly. He appears human but she of all people won't be making absolute assumptions.]

It's better to get to know one another seeing as we are sharing the same circumstances.

[It's like starting from the ground up again, damn.

She looks at the menu pursing her lips.]

Well, battered and fried fish seems to be the most filling. The menu seems quite limited all things considered.

[kabedont]

[human enough, though the bear ears suggest at least slightly different circumstances here.]

Mm. It would be best if we can all work together to help, yes.

[That's just efficient. But he inclines his head when she makes a suggestion, wondering what they use to better said fish without the usual grains and their ilk. Well, it doesn't matter as long as it's good.]

Is it limited? There's a lot of never heard of, but it seemed like there were many options...

[moonfeather]

There seems to be a distinct lack of meat and grains.

[The latter she particularly seems irate about; the princess had cultivated a fondness for fresh baked goods that the land creatures and humans were able to make during her journey. If there isn't any here, what's the point!?

Seeing that he had bear ears, Fio isn't sure if it's part of his transformation or if he is similar to the ursus back home... But all in due time.]

Fried fish it is.

[She puts in the order for the both of them before introducing herself properly.]

My name is Fio. What should I call you?

[kabedont]

[Azhar gives an affirmative noise at both the comment and the order, then blinks. Ah, right.]

I'm called Azhar. You may call me what you like - they called me rahuth.

[He gestures to the staff here at that. Pleasantries are still a bit lost on him, so he doesn't really understand the different ways people ask for his name. It's fine.]

The Audience

[noodleboi]

[MK walks by as he hears Fio looking over the cards and what to choose. He looks over her shoulder at the card choices. He spots the spider and shivers again.]

I mean, as long as you don't pick spider, right? A friend of mine has a lot of therapy cats. So cats are cool. You could choose that one. Dogs are good too. The moth too. You could choose moth. They're fluffy like cats and dogs.

[moonfeather]

[Fio blinks when MK speaks behind her, scooting over so that there's space.]

... I can see that you're trying to be helpful but you're giving more suggestions than not. I think I'm simply back to where I've started.

[noodleboi]

[MK sits next to Fio and looks at the options again. Oh. She was right.}

Oops. My bad. Um...okay. Out of them all, which is your favorite animal? Like off the top of your head?

[moonfeather]

[Though it doesn't show on her face, Fio isn't entirely comfortable with a stranger sitting next to her. Call it a leftover reflex from being a princess where her role was defined from the rest, discriminatory as it was.]

It's less about favorites and more about which one may be best to join. Though I cannot say based on my prior knowledge that what I know would entirely apply.

Beastmen in my world are somewhat different compared to here in Myddvai.

[noodleboi]

[Mk looks back at the cards. He is oblivious to her discomfort. He doesn't make any physical contact but he doesn't move away either.]

I mean, is it that important of the choice? My world is different too. I was raised by a pig and a nerd. But pig isn't an option here.

If it really is a big deal, go with your instincts. That's what my mentor tells me. Trust in your gut and go with what it tells you.

[moonfeather]

[A nerd? She wants to ask but it would probably derail the conversation.]

It seems important. The Vampires and the Families they represent would not vie for our attention so intently if it were not.