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sexyspace2018-06-25 07:10 am
zhautasmods) wrote in sexyspace2018-06-25 07:10 am
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME #2
Awakening
The multiverse is sick. It’s dying. And it’s up to you to save it. Or, at least, that’s what the Zenith Corporation had told you when they announced their search for a cure across the multiverse. They hand-picked individuals to be "volunteers" for the next stage of experimentation. Maybe they made it sound dire, maybe you already had your mind set to help, or maybe the specifics of how you could help was vague. Considering the alternative was wasting away on your home planet with no promise of when this cure might actually come to fruition, it ultimately wasn’t much of a choice either way.
Everything comes to life the more awake that you start to feel. "Good morning, volunteer," sounds a synthetic, feminine voice in your ear. That must be one of the fancy features they advertised about the chip that was injected just beneath your skin. A projected HUD above your torso displays and scrolls through several readings about the state of your being. "A scan of your vital signs show that everything is functioning as normal." There’s a small pause. "Wait-" The spike of alarm that should follow that single, distressed-sounding word is accompanied by a light chime. "Emotional responses are still accurate, too. Thank you for your cooperation!" Without any further explanation or allowing for protest, she continues on. "I hope you enjoyed your nap! We’ll be descending to planet #05031941 - common name designated as Zhautas - in approximately three hours. There will be a brief orientation for all volunteers exactly one hour before landing. Due to potential unnatural stress levels upon awakening from stasis, I suggest a relaxing trip to the garden beforehand."
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
My name is R.O.S.I.E. and, on behalf of all of us at the Zenith Corporation, we’re happy to have you aboard.
Code CreditMy name is R.O.S.I.E. and, on behalf of all of us at the Zenith Corporation, we’re happy to have you aboard.
Say Aloe (Prospective Players Only)
Red lights lead the way to the gym, green will be your path to the gardens, ostignuh is- Wait, what do you mean the color ostignuh is burning your eyes? Huh. They must have over-corrected for your species. Oh, well. They’ll fix that for the next trip. For now, don’t worry about it. It probably didn’t lead to anything important anyway!
- The staff is much more attentive this time than they were with the first wave of volunteers. Poor feedback and the threat of losing their jobs if they don't improve their standing will do that! Unfortunately, it isn't just the colors that have been over-corrected. Despite how many times you tell the very helpful staff member that you're fine, they won't leave you alone. Are you sure? They can walk with you if you'd like. They can even hold your hand if you're overwhelmed! If there's anything you need, they're here for you.
Maybe if you find a buddy to walk you to your destination they might divert their attention to a different volunteer. The buddy system is pretty fool-proof, after all. - As you draw closer to the gardens, the lights in the hallway begin to dim. In fact, the only available source of illumination for a small distance is the thin green line across the floor guiding your way. Careful not to trip! There's handy railing to hold onto or maybe you accidentally grab the arm of that (hopefully) cute person nearby. It's kind of hard to tell and green isn't really a flattering color anyway.
Suddenly, you're stepping into a wide open space of twilight. Iridescent flowers dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and glow softly in this simulated night-scape. Trees of shining magenta leaves and blue bark wind up to the stars. Or, at least, the viewing panels that allow the stars to be seen from inside the ship. Not to worry, it's entirely safe and beautiful!
The featured flower of this month is the Nykt Blossom. Be warned, however, that inhaling its pollen causes increased levels of oxytocin. This will cause you to feel compelled to bond socially with others. That is, you might find yourself a lot more friendly than usual! Maybe a little too friendly, even, if you're especially susceptible to its effects. - It's very easy to miss the warning signs in this dark as you step into the section of the garden that houses the more alien plant-life.
They'll fix that for the future, of course, but for now many volunteers are likely finding themselves subject to the same unfortunate circumstances. Coitendrils are in abundance here; they're a pretty touchy feely species.
It's a plant that thrives in warm conditions and grows at an incredibly fast rate to seek out these cozy spots. As it turns out, your body warmth is the highest temperature around and exactly what it's looking for.
Before you know it, long green tendrils are suddenly growing around your arms or legs in speedy spirals. They get everywhere in a matter of mere seconds. Their growth is aggressive, finding ways beneath the fabric of whatever clothes you happen to be wearing and to the skin below. The only way to reverse their growing hold is to cool yourself off and fast. Maybe someone can grab you some ice?
Orientation (Prospective Players Only)
Around an hour before landing, an announcement is made to everyone aboard the ship. It’s time to find your way to the amphitheater for orientation. If anyone gripes, they are reminded that it has mandatory safety information that the Zenith Corporation is legally required to cover. In fact, there's even a quiz at the end to make sure you understand all the technical ins and outs! The Zenith Corporation only has your best interests at heart. They also can’t afford another lawsuit or PR nightmare but who can, really? It’s only a half an hour long and R.O.S.I.E. reassures everyone that it will go by faster than they think.
- Are you way too cool for school? If you try to play hookey, the crew members of the spaceship are already on guard. You're not the first one to try this and they doubt you'll be the last. Try as you might to super sleuth your way around, there’ll be someone at apparently every single turn and twist you try.
It’s also very likely that in scrambling to find a place to hide you’ll run into someone else breaking the rules! Perhaps great minds think alike and you decide to try to defy the system together. Or maybe they’re totally just getting in your way and you decide instead to throw them to the wolves to give yourself a better chance at escaping certain boredom that is an informational seminar. The choice is yours, volunteer! - Whether you come to the orientation willingly or are dragged in by one of the staff, you’ll quickly realize just how bad R.O.S.I.E. lied. A half an hour feels almost like ten hours instead. The last time you checked your watch, it was somehow later than when you check it now. Is time going backward? It sure seems like it the longer you listen to the monotone voice read over colored flavor text clearly meant to engage but missing its mark stupendously. Even the motivation of a quiz at the end that needs to be passed in order to disembark seems to do little to nothing for your dwindling attention span.
Finally, there’s a break in the bureaucratic monotony. The faceless, droning voice introduces one of the staff currently on Zhautas, Jeneviere. He's assistant to the head scientist, Professor Quintalian, and freshly assigned overseer of new volunteers. He also looks like he absolutely doesn't want to be the one doing this seminar.
"Come now, Jenny," says a masculine voice off screen. "You promised."
"I know what I said," he snaps, glaring off camera and not seeming to care much for the fact this is a live feed nor that these new volunteers are expecting something a bit more professional.
"Then what's the problem?" the voice asks again. As it does, a tentacle wiggles into view and gives a reassuring pat on the deerman's shoulder. "I know for a fact that you like being filmed, Jenny, so really this shouldn't be so daunting-"
As he speaks, Jeneviere's cheeks suddenly burn red hot. He stands forcefully out of his chair and uses one of those hoofs to kick harshly at the source of the tentacles. There's a very undignified squawk at the attack before the video feed cuts out and a technical difficulties sign is displayed.
"... Right," the narrator from before says to break the undeniably awkward silence. "Just give us a moment, volunteers, and we'll get a pre-recorded seminar ready for you instead. In the meantime, let's open up communications with the facility and allow you to discuss with those already on the planet about what they've enjoyed most about their time on Zhautas so far?*
- Hopefully, you didn't forget about the quiz! The staff certainly didn't. After the pre-recorded seminar is run, papers are handed out. A quiet shuffle carries through the room as people pass them to and fro down the aisles. It all seems rather arbitrary and tedious but remember! You have to pass in order to disembark.
It isn't too hard. Or maybe it is. Perhaps it's just the pressure that you only have fifteen minutes to complete it. What was the professor's first name again? How many research facilities are there on the planet? Staff are scrutinizing your every move now, it feels like. Do you take the risk and try to whisper for help to the person next to you? Pass notes? Do what you must to succeed! ...Or you can just shamefully take the quiz again and again and again until they're legally obligated to let you off board. - Hopefully, you didn't forget about the quiz! The staff certainly didn't. After the pre-recorded seminar is run, papers are handed out. A quiet shuffle carries through the room as people pass them to and fro down the aisles. It all seems rather arbitrary and tedious but remember! You have to pass in order to disembark.
Welcome to Zhautas! (All Players)
Finally, it's time to disembark at the research facility. This time they have the right coordinates so it's as easy as stepping off the ship and to your new home away from home. Or, at least, it should have been that easy...
There's an awful lot of construction going on around here. Several beings with hard hats, power tools, and ridiculous amounts of glue are rushing about. They're shouting orders and saying "excuse me" where they remember to. Still, it can be hard to get a word in edgewise about the fact that you're new volunteers here to check-in. In addition to the construction, there's also an awful lot of important-seeming people walking throughout the facility as well that staff are far more attentive to than you.
In short, it's borderline chaos as you try to get your bearings.
- "Bad news, new volunteers," says R.O.S.I.E. in the midst of all the commotion. "We have your housing assignments but there have been some... technical difficulties in preparing the new rooms." There's actually been a lot of technical difficulties, period. Maybe you've already noticed with the lights randomly changing color or dimness, the vending machine that launched your drink at you, or R.O.S.I.E. herself glitching out periodically when responding. The problem with the rooms is that the doors won't open. Or they won't stay closed. Or that they open and close constantly and forcefully so it's a safety hazard. As if everything else going on with all the construction isn't.
"We're working on it as fast as we can, but for now, we've set up a temporary sleeping situation until its resolved." Everyone will be directed to one of the larger common rooms in the east wing of the facility while the rest of the volunteers are still awaiting their new housing as promised.
Mattresses are laid out in rows on the floor. There's plenty of blankets, pillows, and even some LED lights strung around the room to provide some nice ambience.
Additionally, there's a screen covering one of the walls for a movie to be projected on before bed. R.O.S.I.E. has chosen a thematically appropriate film that was approved by Professor Quintalian himself. Snacks are provided too! It's an old-fashioned sleepover, volunteers. Make a blanket fort, enjoy what's on for your viewing pleasure, and have - most of all - have fun. - What's a sleepover without scary stories? Flashlights have been provided and it's time to get spooky. Here's your chance to share that real thriller that you know from back home. Maybe another world has a similar tale! Either way, there's nothing like bonding over a little healthy fear. Right?
Or maybe terrifying strangers isn't your idea of a good time and you'd rather make shadow puppets instead. That's also an option! In fact, some people are trying to start a contest out of it to see who can cast the most creative shadows around. - The night staff comes around for one last security sweep. Get some sleep, they say. It's been a long day. Tomorrow might be even longer if they still can't figure out the rooms or where to put all these new volunteers for the time being.
As nice as that sounds, it's a little easier said than done. Whether it's the construction noise, the person next to you snoring, or late night existential thoughts it's difficult for sleep to find you. Maybe talking to someone might help? Or maybe you just need to go to the bathroom. Good luck crossing the swath of bodies, in the case of the latter, and who knows! You might find someone else having as much trouble sleeping as you that you can commiserate with.
Or maybe you're the one snoring. Do you happen to kick in your sleep? How unfortunate for the person assigned to the mat next to you. They might be courteous or they might tell you just how obnoxious it is. Whatever the case might actually be, you're likely in for a long first night here at the research facility.
Network/Bangr (All Players)
During all the goings-on, R.O.S.I.E. will prompt you to set up your presence on the network. Pick a username, a profile picture, and commence to shitposting immediately if you so desire! Additionally, if you want to get a headstart on your contribution to the volunteer program, why not set up your Bangr? R.O.S.I.E. even has an icebreaker question ready for you! They change every month. This month's question is:
(*Despite what you might actually put, know that R.O.S.I.E. is a little glitchy. What you wrote might not actually be what's displayed! I.E., you can totally use this as a misfire type deal in case your character wouldn't answer this question.)
bangr
Professor Quintalian | 35
Wake-up sex is the best, in my opinion. Hormones are more haywire first thing in the morning; it's just scientific sense to get your bang in during wake-up time.
| ✓ | ✕ |
| YES |
NO |
Extra Notes
- The BANGR code only works in comments, there is a separate code for entries!
If you're testing this code before posting it here please do so in a comment to an entry for accuracy! - TDM top levels are allowed for current characters and/or new characters!
However, current characters can ONLY interact with the following prompts:
WELCOME TO ZHAUTAS where new characters are on the planet AND/OR the network options available if they want the thread to be considered game canon.
no subject
Need I repeat myself, pervert?
no subject
[Okay, he actually was thinking perverted thoughts there, but he is now offended because he is a PERFECT GENTLEMAN and wouldn't dare suggest lewd things out loud. There's a difference to him, alright?]
Where in the world did THAT come from?!
no subject
[Just to torment the mortal, he drifted closer, and caressed his cheek with a beatific smile.]
How quaint of you to believe in good conduct, but are you not just hiding your true nature behind it?
no subject
Luca is going to try thinking in Italian to see if Apollo can understand that. He's thinking 'My true nature is for me and me alone.']
I don't know what you're talking about.
no subject
[He tips the other's chin up with the slide of a finger. He had no difficulties understanding prayers sent to god from all over, so why would this be different?]
You tried. Even as you do not intend to reveal yourself to others, there's little you can hide from god.
no subject
[Defiant to the end, this one is. He lets Apollo tip his head, but Apollo might be able to pick up on Luca trying to sense him out and feel how strong his willpower is. Because magic in his world is run on willpower, so the stronger your will is, the stronger your magic is.]
no subject
Gods exist regardless of what you believe. We're not so limited as to be reliant on human attention in order to exist.
[What, indeed, will Luca sense? Apollo is the sun. A god who recalls not his birth, but is assured of his existence regardless of purpose. He is one who cannot lie even to shield himself from disagreeable realities, nor does he want to.
Apollo's confidence is not easily shaken.
On the other hand, active intervention is rarely his role. The gods, after all, prefer to watch humans struggle, and it is not their role to instill meaning.
What, then, is the meaning of willpower?]
no subject
And if Apollo doesn't push back, then Luca will push forward. His willpower is limited, but not weak. This kind of closeness is close enough, and he waises his hand to gently nudge Apollo's hand away from his chin. The force of that action is mostly given by his willpower, with his hand there only to serve as a physical focus to direct said willpower.]
Gods exist to be worshiped, to give meaning to lower lifeforms than themselves. They are flashy, showy, and vain creatures. But they can only exist so long as the people exist to tell tales of them, and fall into obscurity and eventual nonexistence when the last of their followers die.
You certainly are powerful, I will give you that. Something more than a human? It is likely. But if you exist regardless of if humans or other life forms give you attention, then you are no god.
[He's not lying there either. He can sense a power within Apollo, but thinks he's some kind of powerful wizard, or maybe an 'alien' of some sort parading around as a god. But he's also saying all of this because Apollo ticked him off with the mind-reading and he likes being a little shit.]
no subject
For millennia, Apollo had to contend with the ridiculous ideas humans humans had - the gods they thought of were not as the gods knew themselves. Others, like Ganymede, might agree that Apollo, for one, wasflashy, showy, and vain, but that wasn't the case for all.
Luca's other ideas on the nature of divinity was particularly distasteful, and Apollo gave a mocking laugh before circling.]
Is that what you think? Would you rather I have dazzled you with my brilliance when I descended from the sky earlier, just to match that sort of expectation?
Plenty of things are said about god, about as much as what's said to god - "come to my aid," "please let them notice me," "strike down my enemies," as if all the prayer and supplications and sacrifices they offer matter in an imaginary and one-sided exchange.
What god does is not for any insect to decide.
Even if a being is forgotten, that does not necessarily mean they have ceased to exist.
no subject
[He may be a mouthy little shit, but he has a sense of pride. He wouldn't insult someone in one moment and then beg them for help in the next. No, Luca makes a point of taking care of himself and not asking for help, something he will take extra care to do in Apollo's presence since he can apparently read minds.]
If I am an insect to you, then I suppose there is no point to continuing this conversation. After all, what business does an insect have speaking with a man with a god complex? So, by your leave?
[He's asking for permission to walk away not because he feels like he has to, but because he gets the feeling that the sheer dismissiveness of it, combined with his insistence to not refer to Apollo as a god, will be annoying. Which is Luca's M/O once he has decided he doesn't like someone, even if they have a pretty face.]
no subject
[Luca would be right. It irritated Apollo, and he hovered above the man, tipping his chin up to force him to look.]
God does not lie.
You believe yourself a man of science, yet you fail to recognize how, on this planet that gathers beings from a multitude of universes, your knowledge of what is will constantly be challenged, for the rules you once knew are no longer the only ones at work.
Don't you think it's stupid to cling to your limited view and not accepting what truths you find distasteful, when all that amounts to is denying reality? It is believed that those who practice the sciences are impartial, yet your actions say otherwise.
How foolish.
no subject
Ah, I suppose you have a point. I am a man of science, so I should be able to accept new information.
Should you sufficiently prove that one: gods exist, and two: you are one, then I will accept that.
[But good luck with that.]
no subject
No, back to the matter at hand. Apollo rested his hand on his hip, thinking of how to go about this. Really, the insolence of this mortal. ]
Right now, your idea of what suffices depends on your view of what a god should be like, and there is at least one other god on this ship who operates differently than I. Not to mention, you'll think of what I'm capable of in terms of your magic.
How do you plan on weeding out that bias of yours?
no subject
His thoughts first drifted to the Catholic depiction of God, as that is what he had grown up with (and ultimately had rejected, if not socially then at least personally, as he had come to realize that the sciences had more answers than a bible did). Kind, benevolent, loving all of his children and ultimately wanting them to join him in the kingdom of Heaven. Yeah, that wasn't this guy at all. So the thought is rejected almost as quickly as it comes.
Then he thinks to the Old Gods, the ones worshipped in the land he had called 'home' before agreeing to this trip. Odin, Thor, Loki, and so on. He did not know much about them beyond their base personalities, but they were all very tough, built around strengh and survival in the harsh northern climate. This guy looked too waif-like to be a strong god like that. A stiff breeze would probably knock him over. So that thought is also rejected.
Perhaps Greek, then? Would this one claim to sit among Zeus, Hera, and the others? They were from a warmer, more forgiving climate, and they tended to be petty and vain. Which is ironic, because they're the most human-like of the gods that Luca knows of. For someone who claims to be so above humanity, it would be ironic for him to belong to a pantheon known for being as flawed as humans are. But Luca still rejects that idea as ridiculous, if for no other reason than an actual Greek god would have already fried him where he stood for mouthing off.
So if it were to be true, it would probably be a belief system he is not familiar with. Which complicates things.]
Magic and ability doesn't make someone a god, not when those abilities can be easily mimicked by mortals. Their actions and choices are what would make the difference, I suppose.
I. Uh. Promise not to kill Luca.
As the end of it, the human's conclusion was laughable.]
That's not it. Every world has their own idea of god. Hadn't you just listed a variety of pantheons from your world alone and related their supposed dispositions to their worshipers' climate, no less? What's more, there are those in other worlds who share my name.
We are unique from one another, yet we are all Apollo, god of the sun.
Now. [he held his hand above his head, and a brilliant light shone, illuminating the garden: the sun at night.] Shall I go with your assumption and kill you?
[This was something he hadn't done in a while. Not because he couldn't, but because he didn't feel like it. Whether or not he'd go through with this would depend on the human's next move, but really - this one was particularly willful and interesting. It would be a shame to not observe him more.
While Apollo found the comparison between gods and humans objectionable, this was one truth he could say: Apollo was a fickle god.]
thank you, he's an idiot
If Apollo is expecting Luca to grovel or beg forgiveness, then he'll be waiting. This time, though, it's not because Luca is trying to antagonize him. Luca is very, very fascinated by magic, and just seeing that light is enough to draw him in. His naturally-analytical mind is already running, going through the chemical reactions and energy outputs necessary to accomplish the feat Apollo is pulling off. If Apollo was ever curious to know the chemical reactions necessary to create light, he'll get a rundown of it right now inside Luca's head.
But beyond trying to frame Apollo's power in a way that he can understand, he's quickly realizing that his previous comparison was wrong. Apollo isn't like a petulant child, he's definitely more like Balzac: powerful, stubborn, and prone to being a little shit when the mood strikes him.
(It's a good comparison I promise, Luca has some level of respect for Balzac that most people don't get.)
He's a little afraid of such a power, in the way that any human would be afraid of something like that. But it's also very striking, and beautiful in a way. It makes a million questions come to mind: how does he do it? Is this the magic of his world- sfeer theory- put to a different use? Is it something else entirely? And if it's something else entirely, how would it interact with sfeer theory? Once again Luca is left cursing the fact that he was born as an Introvert-class, since it limits the kinds of magic he can do.
But that's right, he should say something and not let his mind run with all the scientific possibilities here.]
That...is quite a power, yes.
[Sun powers for the sun god. Of course. He should have realized that.
Not that Luca believed Apollo was The Apollo as is spoken of in his world, but he's not discounting the possibility of weird multi-world shenanigans anymore. So there's some progress?]
no subject
Apollo was about to hurl the sphere of light to disintegrate the idiot when he heard it: a litany of processes, calculations on energy produced by the combination of reactants, chemiluminescence, the application of native magic, and other trails of theory, all layered over a childlike fascination with discovery, and just a hint of fear.
This pleased him, enough to release the light, streams of energy dissipating into the sky and air until only the dark evening remained.]
I can't believe how stupid you are. [Though his words were harsh, Apollo's smile was content, devoid of mockery, and he shifted to sit mid-air, the cloud-like train of his tunic shifting with his movement.] Keep that up, and one of these days you might end up before a being unfamiliar with mercy.
[The comparison with his human associate, Apollo would ignore for now. See, he could be generous if he felt like it.]
What's your name?
no subject
Luca.
['Luca Valentino', he supplies mentally. But that comes with the memory of obligations being tied to what in his world is a prestigious family name, along with his reluctance to rely on the 'generosity' of others to make his place in the world. He much prefers to get by on his own merit, not on family name.]
no subject
Now, the idea of family obligations was one Apollo didn't care for, removed as he was from being affected by whatever social complexities humans had. Those were ideas about how the world worked, though they did not exist in reality.]
Luca Valentino. What kind of music is that?
[Look who's curious.]