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cracktheearth2015-08-10 01:05 pm
raisednpcs) wrote in cracktheearth2015-08-10 01:05 pm
Entry tags:
Fall 2015 Test Drive
Hello, and welcome to the test drive for August, 2015! We're doing things a little bit differently this time, as three of our test drive prompts are the same as events presently going on in the game! And that's not all; both players in the game and out of it can treat everything that happens with these prompts as canon to the game, and that they happened concurrently with what's going on on the main community. So, if you're looking to apply to Raise the Earth, here's a chance to get in on the ground floor of what's happening in-game!
In addition to these, we've got a few sample prompts for you to choose from; don’t worry about actually sticking to these, though! Go wild and enjoy what you’re doing with test drives. We should note, though, that you can’t use test drive threads toward AC. One note: characters can get Echoes from test drive threads that will be game canon! They count toward the starting allotment for their application, so don’t go too crazy there. You don’t need to request these, so long as they’re in keeping with the general Echo rules - just put them on your application. If you’re at all unsure, ask us and we’ll be happy to give you advice there.
Since nobody’s going to know who your reincarnation is yet, comment to this post with your character’s preincarnation and canon in the comment title! You might also talk just a bit about personality, appearance, and/or reputation for your character’s reincarnation, so we know what we’re in for.
Event Prompts
[A - Echo Incursion, Gateway City]
It's a particularly hot day in the Gateway City zoo. What else could you expect? It's not like it's not to be expected, it is the middle of August, after all. But there's plenty of things to see here at the zoo, and the visitors' center is air conditioned well enough.
Just a normal summer day in a typical summer vacation spot. Right?
Well, that's when things change. Those in the visitor's center would find the building changing around them. There's suddenly a dinosaur skeleton in the middle of the place, with the banner "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" hanging from the ceiling.
That's not all. The animal enclosures are now different. What used to be a pen for the african elephants now has very large, very long necked reptiles in it. A gigantic, meat-eating dinosaur just tromped its way out of the lion habitat it's too much too large for, and unfortunately for the people around it, its vision is based on movement. The monkey house? Well, those are velociraptors breaking out of it. The aviary? Now filled with particular aggressive flying pterosaurs.
These are just some of the creatures making their sudden emergence, and it's not long until they spill out of the zoo and into the city proper. Dinosaurs are now walking the streets of Gateway City.
Yes, indeed. Just a normal summer day.
[OOC: For a guide on what to expect for this prompt, see here.]
[B - Shepherd's Haven]
Shepherd's Haven is one of the safest places for Numbered, but at night, after the sun has set, it seems that things are very different. People are appearing in the streets of the small community, as well as Christchurch and Woodend. People who are clearly "not all there", in that they are transparent and thoroughly nonsolid. Their behavior is strange, in that they either ignore people entirely, or start following them wherever they go.
This is oddly similar to an event that occurred in Locke many many months ago, but why is it happening here, halfway across the world? The ghosts seem that they can literally be anyone, possessing a diverse number of traits and qualities, not specific to this part of the world. Some of them might even look like people your past life used to know...
What are they doing here? Where did they come from? And how will you react to them?
[C - Locke City]
Everyone remembers the monstrous serpent that ravaged Locke City. That fateful day is somewhat foreshadowed by the horrors of the invasion, but it's not as if you can forget the fact that a giant serpent appeared and wreaked destruction across the entire city. But it was destroyed, and now, a new creature lays beneath the city, waiting to protect it should the need arise. Wise Snake is just a memory now.
Or... is it?
Snakes are appearing all over the city. Normal-sized ones. Why is this newsworthy? Because the little snakes appearing all over Locke are made of stone. They behave otherwise normally at first, and are nothing but a disturbing reminder of an event that changed Locke City forever.
But time goes on, and the snakes suddenly aren't so little anymore. They get as large as dogs, and turn aggressive. Attacking people, much like their larger progeny did. Thunder Corp is on the scene, rounding up as many of these snakes as possible, but they can't get all of them. And any Numbered they see? Well, they're gonna be pulled along for questioning.
It appears Wise Snake isn't ready to be forgotten or replaced.
Normal Prompts
[D - Sudden Storm]
Rain wasn’t planned today. The forecast had called for sun and minimal clouds, and a warm breeze. Instead, the falling drops seem to sparkle in the sunlight peeking through the clouds. Out a window, strolling down the street, sitting at a bus stop, it’s hard not to feel the drops coming down. And should you stop to stare at the rain for a bit, something seems to shift. A hollow feeling, a certain vertigo, that passes in a moment. As it clears, something changes. A new memory, from a life that isn’t familiar and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense; a tingling at your fingertips of some new energy; a certain knowledge of the world that shocks you with the new information it provides; something in your hands you weren’t holding before. Maybe you’ve already had an Echo somehow, and you recognize the feeling; maybe you haven’t, and it brings back memories of the people talking about “pulses” on TV, what seems like forever ago. If the latter’s true, the fading sense leaves behind a number, that seems to worm its way into your mind and not leave. Does this mean… you’re Numbered, now?
[E - The Network]
The number stuck in your head refuses to go away, so to work it out of your system, you decide writing it down on something is a good idea. Maybe you punched it into your phone; perhaps it’s on a piece of paper, or a mirror, or almost anything else.
The thing it’s on comes alive, filling with text and images. None of it was there before, and you can interact with it. Hundreds, maybe thousands of posts, all tagged with a number that looks similar to your own. Tales of fighting, of betrayal, of loss and sacrifice; stories of heroism, of gain, of victory and the elation attached. Questions about life, about the network, about the future of the Numbered. Idle conversation, videos of stupid things. Three years of history, from the beginning to the original incident on April 1, 2013, through to today.
You could add something. Clearly, it need not be profound, and if you don’t put a name, a face, or a voice to your number, nobody would ever know it’s you. It’s there, at your fingertips. What would you say…?
[F - New Los Angeles]
Far away from the gleaming jewel of Gateway City, in New Los Angeles, there are far less things to celebrate. The city is one of the last few bastions of civilization left in the western half of the United States - now called the “western territories” after the collapse of most state governments - and its here that a great many people have fled. Though the city is in the process of being rebuilt, the majority of it lies in ruins after the aliens’ attack, and most of the people have to live in camps. The luckier ones have spaces in shelters, but that just guarantees a roof over your head instead of a tent.
People have formed communities here, however. Some come together to share what they have, while others consolidate power and lord it over the other refugees. Most of the time, the governor and General Miller allow them to function independently, save for when a new city ordinance is in effect. And just your luck, one of those just happens to BE in effect today.
See, a shipment of relief supplies was discovered savaged and destroyed; what wasn’t ruined was taken, and the damage to the facilities led Miller to decide that Numbered could have been the only ones responsible. So, a curfew is in effect, and anyone suspected of being a Numbered is being brought in for questioning. You’re out past curfew? Well, now you’re suspected of being a Numbered. Little does Miller know that the real beings responsible are pack of Vermedi roaming the city. And while this is going on, groups of thieves are prowling the city waiting to take advantage of anyone stupid enough to be out and about after dark.
Are you one of the refugees living in New Los Angeles, or did you come to help with the relief effort? Either way, tensions are high, and the nights are dangerous, and monsters both human and inhuman are lurking the streets at night.
[G - Wild Card]
Don’t feel pressured to stick to our prompts - you’re welcome to do whatever strikes you. Lighthearted, serious, dangerous, mundane, spectacular… Raise the Earth is a game designed around everyday life getting a lot more interesting in a hurry. Play around with things!
In addition to these, we've got a few sample prompts for you to choose from; don’t worry about actually sticking to these, though! Go wild and enjoy what you’re doing with test drives. We should note, though, that you can’t use test drive threads toward AC. One note: characters can get Echoes from test drive threads that will be game canon! They count toward the starting allotment for their application, so don’t go too crazy there. You don’t need to request these, so long as they’re in keeping with the general Echo rules - just put them on your application. If you’re at all unsure, ask us and we’ll be happy to give you advice there.
Since nobody’s going to know who your reincarnation is yet, comment to this post with your character’s preincarnation and canon in the comment title! You might also talk just a bit about personality, appearance, and/or reputation for your character’s reincarnation, so we know what we’re in for.
Event Prompts
[A - Echo Incursion, Gateway City]
It's a particularly hot day in the Gateway City zoo. What else could you expect? It's not like it's not to be expected, it is the middle of August, after all. But there's plenty of things to see here at the zoo, and the visitors' center is air conditioned well enough.
Just a normal summer day in a typical summer vacation spot. Right?
Well, that's when things change. Those in the visitor's center would find the building changing around them. There's suddenly a dinosaur skeleton in the middle of the place, with the banner "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" hanging from the ceiling.
That's not all. The animal enclosures are now different. What used to be a pen for the african elephants now has very large, very long necked reptiles in it. A gigantic, meat-eating dinosaur just tromped its way out of the lion habitat it's too much too large for, and unfortunately for the people around it, its vision is based on movement. The monkey house? Well, those are velociraptors breaking out of it. The aviary? Now filled with particular aggressive flying pterosaurs.
These are just some of the creatures making their sudden emergence, and it's not long until they spill out of the zoo and into the city proper. Dinosaurs are now walking the streets of Gateway City.
Yes, indeed. Just a normal summer day.
[OOC: For a guide on what to expect for this prompt, see here.]
[B - Shepherd's Haven]
Shepherd's Haven is one of the safest places for Numbered, but at night, after the sun has set, it seems that things are very different. People are appearing in the streets of the small community, as well as Christchurch and Woodend. People who are clearly "not all there", in that they are transparent and thoroughly nonsolid. Their behavior is strange, in that they either ignore people entirely, or start following them wherever they go.
This is oddly similar to an event that occurred in Locke many many months ago, but why is it happening here, halfway across the world? The ghosts seem that they can literally be anyone, possessing a diverse number of traits and qualities, not specific to this part of the world. Some of them might even look like people your past life used to know...
What are they doing here? Where did they come from? And how will you react to them?
[C - Locke City]
Everyone remembers the monstrous serpent that ravaged Locke City. That fateful day is somewhat foreshadowed by the horrors of the invasion, but it's not as if you can forget the fact that a giant serpent appeared and wreaked destruction across the entire city. But it was destroyed, and now, a new creature lays beneath the city, waiting to protect it should the need arise. Wise Snake is just a memory now.
Or... is it?
Snakes are appearing all over the city. Normal-sized ones. Why is this newsworthy? Because the little snakes appearing all over Locke are made of stone. They behave otherwise normally at first, and are nothing but a disturbing reminder of an event that changed Locke City forever.
But time goes on, and the snakes suddenly aren't so little anymore. They get as large as dogs, and turn aggressive. Attacking people, much like their larger progeny did. Thunder Corp is on the scene, rounding up as many of these snakes as possible, but they can't get all of them. And any Numbered they see? Well, they're gonna be pulled along for questioning.
It appears Wise Snake isn't ready to be forgotten or replaced.
Normal Prompts
[D - Sudden Storm]
Rain wasn’t planned today. The forecast had called for sun and minimal clouds, and a warm breeze. Instead, the falling drops seem to sparkle in the sunlight peeking through the clouds. Out a window, strolling down the street, sitting at a bus stop, it’s hard not to feel the drops coming down. And should you stop to stare at the rain for a bit, something seems to shift. A hollow feeling, a certain vertigo, that passes in a moment. As it clears, something changes. A new memory, from a life that isn’t familiar and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense; a tingling at your fingertips of some new energy; a certain knowledge of the world that shocks you with the new information it provides; something in your hands you weren’t holding before. Maybe you’ve already had an Echo somehow, and you recognize the feeling; maybe you haven’t, and it brings back memories of the people talking about “pulses” on TV, what seems like forever ago. If the latter’s true, the fading sense leaves behind a number, that seems to worm its way into your mind and not leave. Does this mean… you’re Numbered, now?
[E - The Network]
The number stuck in your head refuses to go away, so to work it out of your system, you decide writing it down on something is a good idea. Maybe you punched it into your phone; perhaps it’s on a piece of paper, or a mirror, or almost anything else.
The thing it’s on comes alive, filling with text and images. None of it was there before, and you can interact with it. Hundreds, maybe thousands of posts, all tagged with a number that looks similar to your own. Tales of fighting, of betrayal, of loss and sacrifice; stories of heroism, of gain, of victory and the elation attached. Questions about life, about the network, about the future of the Numbered. Idle conversation, videos of stupid things. Three years of history, from the beginning to the original incident on April 1, 2013, through to today.
You could add something. Clearly, it need not be profound, and if you don’t put a name, a face, or a voice to your number, nobody would ever know it’s you. It’s there, at your fingertips. What would you say…?
[F - New Los Angeles]
Far away from the gleaming jewel of Gateway City, in New Los Angeles, there are far less things to celebrate. The city is one of the last few bastions of civilization left in the western half of the United States - now called the “western territories” after the collapse of most state governments - and its here that a great many people have fled. Though the city is in the process of being rebuilt, the majority of it lies in ruins after the aliens’ attack, and most of the people have to live in camps. The luckier ones have spaces in shelters, but that just guarantees a roof over your head instead of a tent.
People have formed communities here, however. Some come together to share what they have, while others consolidate power and lord it over the other refugees. Most of the time, the governor and General Miller allow them to function independently, save for when a new city ordinance is in effect. And just your luck, one of those just happens to BE in effect today.
See, a shipment of relief supplies was discovered savaged and destroyed; what wasn’t ruined was taken, and the damage to the facilities led Miller to decide that Numbered could have been the only ones responsible. So, a curfew is in effect, and anyone suspected of being a Numbered is being brought in for questioning. You’re out past curfew? Well, now you’re suspected of being a Numbered. Little does Miller know that the real beings responsible are pack of Vermedi roaming the city. And while this is going on, groups of thieves are prowling the city waiting to take advantage of anyone stupid enough to be out and about after dark.
Are you one of the refugees living in New Los Angeles, or did you come to help with the relief effort? Either way, tensions are high, and the nights are dangerous, and monsters both human and inhuman are lurking the streets at night.
[G - Wild Card]
Don’t feel pressured to stick to our prompts - you’re welcome to do whatever strikes you. Lighthearted, serious, dangerous, mundane, spectacular… Raise the Earth is a game designed around everyday life getting a lot more interesting in a hurry. Play around with things!
A
After contacting everyone she had to, and mobilizing, she ended up on the city streets, flying over them looking for people in trouble. And that's when she spied someone about to get eaten...
... and then speed right out of their way, causing the dinosaur no end of confusion. Amused, she watched as he led it up and down the street, and after a point, decided to swoop in and join him.
"Man, you have NO IDEA," she said, hovering down nearby. "My dad complains about this all the damn time. Also, holy shit, you're fast!"
no subject
Okay, this is getting ridiculous.
At the very least, the giant predator seemed pretty determined to get its teeth on this speedy little jerk hassling it so the rest of the people on the street were getting out of its way safely. On the dim side, it's starting to look really pissed off.
The rex lunges again and he dashes forward, ducking under the teeth and between its legs, stopping a good distance away to catch his breath and figure out his next move. ... When a girl in a black dress with a single, huge bat wing drifted down beside him.
... It's just that kind of day, apparently.
"... Yeah, thanks." He manages after a second of staring, shaking his head. Fortunately, any awkward moment is diffused as the dinosaur lets out an enraged roar and turns their direction. "Does your dad know that dinosaurs don't get tired?"
no subject
This time it was Jasmine's turn to act, and she rushed forward, grabbing the dinosaur's snout... and managed to hold its jaws closed. "We've got to get this thing off the street! Try to herd it away from everyone!"
no subject
"Okay. Gimme a second." Before Jasmine can respond, he's just... gone, leaving behind a crackling trail of light that streaks off down the street and takes a sharp turn several blocks away. It's not enough to just get it off the street, they need somewhere to put it.
... To add to the mess in Gateway is a trail of slightly smoldering street clothes simply dropping to the street. Hey, he needs to move fast for this and he's carrying just the change of clothes to handle that. Nothing wrong with changing on the run.
A circuit around the city in less than a minute and he's back, yelling up at Jasmine and now dressed in what could only be called a freaking super suit.
"I've got a plan!"
no subject
By the time Jason is back, she's lost her grip and being thrown to the ground by the beast. "Then maybe you'd better start that plan!" she cried as she avoided being stepped on by the beast's massive feet.
no subject
Oh, God, this plan better work.
"Hey! Hey, stupid!" He yells at the dinosaur, waving his arms to catch the animal's attention. "You still want a piece of me, right? Let's go!"
Oh, does it ever want a piece of him. The Rex ignores Jasmine for the moment and stomps after its source of irritation, who takes off at a... relatively leisurely pace. Because he wants it following him and how fast could that thing move? What? Maybe fifteen? Twenty miles per hour?
no subject
True enough, though, Jason's dashing about does get the tyrannosaur's attention, and it lets out a low rumble as it stalks towards Jason. Jasmine's eyes widen, and she floats up off the ground and towards him, managing to keep pace with him at this speed.
"Uh, sorry about that," she said. "Where the hell are we leading this thing?"
no subject
"Don't worry about it, I get it!" He looks over at Jasmine when she catches up to cruise beside him, casting a glance over his shoulder at the angry creature behind them. "There's a construction site about ten blocks away, and I guess they're still doing foundation work because it just looks like a big hole in the ground."
A shrug.
"So, I figured if we got this thing there we could... trick it into falling in."
Yes. That is the whole plan.
no subject
Just then, the beast let out a tremendous roar that quite frankly made Jasmine almost leap out of her skin. She flinched, and nodded.
"You know what, forget it! You lead it over and I'll give it the extra push!"
no subject
He puts on a little more speed to add to that safety buffer between him and the teeth. Really, getting to the site is the easy part. He's not even breathing hard.
"Nice to see we're on the same page!" He gives another look over his shoulder before, looking back at Jasmine. "By the way, what do I call you? You guys have, like, codenames or something, right?"
This is the best time to be having this conversation.
no subject
Jasmine was cut off, letting out a shout as the T-Rex surged forward, smacking her to the side with the side of his head. It seemed that Jack Horner's theories about a T-Rex's speed (or lack thereof) were now being soundly proven wrong, because it's keeping decent pace with Barry right now.
no subject
If he knew who Jack Horner was, he'd be considering having a serious talking with him right now.
The T-Rex bellows and swings its head around to deliver a hit to him as well and he gives a... slightly panicked yell and instinctively drops under it, rolling to a stop. A move that puts him directly under a big stomping foot.
"Oh, shi--!" Instinctively, he pours on the speed and darts out from under it in a bolt of lightning. Unfortunately, he hadn't stopped to consider where he was going and his sudden run carries him full force into the side of an abandoned car.
The glass of the windows shatter from the impact and a sizable dent appears in the two side doors, and he mutters a slightly muffled "ow" as he tries to get his bearings again. Slightly dazed for the moment.
no subject
"Well, that plan is a bust," Jasmine said, trying to fly out of the beast's reach. "What the heck do we do now?"
no subject
Unfortunately, that's moments too slow for the T-rex as it's right on him! ... And then he's up in the air, blinking in confusion before he realizes he's just been quite literally snatched from the jaws of death by this girl he just met.
Seems a little backwards but okay.
"I dunno!" He yelled in response to her question, looking back down at the dinosaur. "Maybe... if I run in a circle around it really fast I could dig out a hole in the ground or something?"
Yeah. Like that'd ever work.
no subject
But that did give Jasmine an idea.
"We'll do your first plan, but a hell of a lot closer. I'll shoot up the ground a ways ahead, and that'll trip her up! You just distract her and then lead her in once I've pulled it off!"
no subject
He looks down, taking note of where the rex is in relation to them, then down at the street and the surrounding area and then up the street. Yeah... he can work with this.
"I'm ready. Drop me!"
no subject
"CLEAR THE STREET!" she screamed at any pedestrians, before shooting herself at the ground. "DARK POWER FORTISSIMO!"
Jasmine hit the ground with incredible force, creating a sizable crater in the pavement. That wasn't enough, though, and even before the dust settled, her eyes snapped open and glowed, releasing a well of force that made her hole even wider and deeper.
Her work done, she rose up out of her still smoking handwork, and waited. "Okay, Red Pajamas Man," she said. "Hope you did your job right..."
no subject
She got a few seconds before the red-clad speedster comes dashing around a corner with the tyrannosaurs hot on his heels. A tyrannosaurus that was no covered in a whole bunch of frosting and bits of cakes and pies.
... Apparently that "distraction" had involved a quick detour into a bakery.
But it was well and truly pissed off now and fully intending to tear the little jerk limb from limb even as he raised toward the pit in the ground. The distance closed rapidly but he didn't slow down a step, if anything he just accelerated even further!
His trajectory carried him right to the edge of the hole, with t-rex jaws closing in behind him and then... just before dropping in, he turned sharply on a dime, running faster than ever straight into a wall of a skyscraper. It was a sight that, by all rights, should have ended with a splatter of blood and gore pancaked to the wall but something very different happened. Instead of that, the red blur and trail of yellow lightning shot straight up the wall and kept going up, climbing right up at a ninety degree angle. By the time the rex likely figured out what had happened, he was already halfway to the roof.
Now to see how quickly it could change its momentum.
no subject
... Which is when Jasmine takes the initiative, swooping down and plowing into the monster with all her strength. The speed, force, and Jasmine's strength provide the tipping point, causing it to... well, fall in the hole.
At which Jasmine throws up her arms and lets out a very excited cry of victory.
no subject
Mission accomplished!
"Whoo! Yeah!" She might not be able to hear him all the way up here, but it she looks, she'll see him at the edge of the rooftop, hands up in the air as well.
no subject
"Nice work," she said. "Aside from when they knocked us off course, the plan went off awesomely!"