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returnjourneymemes2021-12-10 12:00 pm
returnjourney) wrote in returnjourneymemes2021-12-10 12:00 pm
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TEST DRIVE 001
RETURN JOURNEY: TEST DRIVE 001
Welcome to the Return Journey's test drive meme! We appreciate your interest. Our TDM features a small sample of events your character might encounter in game, which you're free to embellish or improvise with your own ideas as desired. Don't worry if you haven't read everything yet; while we recommend skimming our FAQ for relevant questions, critical information should be contained or linked within the prompts themselves!
TDM threads can be used as samples for applications. Players can mutually keep threads as game canon after being accepted into the game, though threads featuring non-canon squalls or events may need to be adjusted.
We suggest putting your character's name, canon, and potential role (warden or inmate) as the subject. If you're not sure which role you want to choose, feel free to try your hand at both!
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask here.
1. Welcome Aboard!
Welcome aboard the SFS Peregrine, a ship in the Admiralty's Transformative and Penal Reparation Fleet. It is presently circling the outer perimeter of the Oos Ring Galaxy.
Wardens have been approached personally by the Navarch with a job offer: Come aboard the SFS Peregrine to assist in the redemption of an inmate, and receive a miracle known as a windfall as payment. Even if you don't ask as many questions as you should, every warden will be treated to a short Warden Orientation video explaining their expected duties and conduct.
Inmates have died and been placed aboard the SFS Peregrine as candidates for reformation. You may have come willingly, offered a choice between death or redemption, or you may have been collected against your will. Inmates are also treated to an Inmate Orientation; you'll find you have less privileges than a warden, but more motivation for...latitude. Violence? Chaos? Bribery? Blackmail? Well, no one said the path to redemption was without a few bumps along the way.
Given staff shortages, some wardens may be asked for a favor. Rather than leaving directly for the Peregrine, you've been asked to pick up an inmate from the limbo between death and redemption. During this mission, wardens will have clearance to enter a snapshot of sorts, where the inmate died (so devoid of other living beings). You either have to talk them into willingly coming along...or bring their unconscious, fresh-from-death not-corpse with you in the Avro provided. Better hope they don't wake up on the way!
Inmates, in this case, you'll be presented with the choice of death or redemption from a warden rather than the Navarch. Or possibly not provided with a choice at all, if death has rendered you unconscious. Good luck when you awaken to find yourself in a small ship, with someone you've never met. Try not to cause any trouble.
2. Pairings
Pairings are a critical aspect of the dynamic between warden and inmate. While interactions between wardens and inmates are not restricted to those in pairings, this relationship is a bit more...inescapable. Inmates test the limits of a warden, whether they take a more typical or unusual approach to matters; likewise, wardens learn what makes an inmate tick (and hopefully cooperate). Chances are, your values will clash.
A pairing of any sort is as varied as the individuals involved in them. And today, courtesy of the Navarch's monthly announcement, you and your sorry partner have been paired. Temporary or permanent, with a warden for an inmate or an inmate for a warden, it's your first day together — out of at least a month, so good luck setting some ground rules and figuring out each other's breaking points.
3. Accidents and Sabotage
A. Lights Out
As everyone knows, when it's lights out in a prison...interesting things can happen.
Whether a natural fluctuation from traveling through heavy space debris or something more unnatural (maybe it was you), the power has gone out. While life support continues to function, it's pitch black and any areas usually locked to wardens are left with doors open. It's the perfect setting for a riot, breaking and entering, thievery...your general crimes, petty and otherwise. Wardens, of course, are expected to stymie these efforts, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll succeed. What's a little chaos between friends?
Our apologies if you happen to be in an elevator when the power dies.
B. Invasive Species
Being in space, sometimes space things happen.
Somehow (and hopefully you or someone you know isn't responsible for that "somehow"), a greater lunar tetacocien has gotten on board. Quite a feat, since they're the size of a rhino, but they have an impressive ability to squeeze through anything large enough to fit their beak. Unfortunately venomous, carnivorous, and native to the starstuff of Oos, the creature needs to be rounded up before it destroys anything (or anyone) aboard the ship. Please do not attempt to eat; the flesh is toxic.
The multi-legged predator can be immobilized with shots from an energy weapon... Too bad inmates can't carry them. Time to improvise! Or steal one, if you're canny enough.
4. Squalls
Occasionally, the ship passes through squalls, the equivalent of cosmic turbulence that can mess with little things like, say...the fabric of reality. These are shipwide effects, though who they hit is variable. Sometimes you might fall victim; other times you might be the one standing by, exasperated, as you deal with those affected.
(In other words, it's up to player discretion. And feel free to make up your own squalls!)
A. Truth Bomb
One week, those affected cannot tell a lie. Wardens and inmates alike can only speak the truth, though it varies whether they blurt out a response to any question asked or can keep mum.
B. Stuck Together
Another week, you're stuck together. Travel any farther than two meters from your buddy and you'll experience intense physical pain. There isn't anything visible to this connection; it isn't something you can sever (not that this means you can't try). So have fun with your group activities and try not to kill each other.
5. The Peregrine
The Peregrine's layout and protocols have been designed with its intended passengers in mind, who are primarily Earth humanoids and inclined towards certain social and cultural practices. If you're wondering why you are on a ship of Earth humanoids despite not being one yourself, please understand that all ships in the Admiralty have a population capacity. At times it may be necessary to assign other species to a ship of this type, based on availability.
As a warden, you have full run of the ship map. Inmates...less so, but that's nothing a little creativity can't fix, right? Just remember, if a warden catches an inmate somewhere that inmate shouldn't be, it falls on the warden to handle the matter. And if the warden turns a blind eye...well, let's hope neither of you get caught. While it won't result in anything as extreme as a demotion, wardens can expect to get a stern dressing down; inmates, meanwhile, will be reprimanded by the warden who found them.
6. Networking
Now that you've powered on your CommLink for the first time and sat through the short tutorial and appropriate orientation, you're ready to explore the wonders of messaging. Video, audio, or text, the world is your oyster and you surely have opinions on it.
There is no anonymous option and IDs must be some variation of your name. (IC, characters will have to try their luck and see what the communicator will or won't accept when they register; OOC, it's up to players to decide what name to use if the character has multiple names or aliases.)
Wardens have access to a group network filter, something that inmates lack, and can track inmates throughout the ship with their CommLink. Inmates, best avoid getting your device confiscated or monitored.
7. Wildcard
If it's in our game pages, you can use it as a prompt! The sky's the limit.
no subject
If whoever-they-were wanted him for some great thing it was not to rescue his daughter; if they were as human as the man before him they would want what mortals had always wanted from elves: rescue from war, from sickness, from starvation, and damn the cost to their rescuers.
He hisses through his fangs, bares them--tries again to flatten his talons and fails again.] Your masters won't fix them.
[Step into lunging step and he grabs for the mage, slamming both hands palm-first against the shield.]
Let me go.
[Somewhere in his head it's turned into a negotiation.]
no subject
[Waver's not sure how much longer this shield can last. If only he had more time to prepare, more time to give it some more power... Way too late now. The flickering intensifies against Illarion's hands, and it pushes Waver back a few inches.
He's scared, but it coming out as anger.]
I cannot, and will not. And I refuse to die for this before we even make it to the goddamned ship.
[Somewhere in the console was a distress call button, something to let the Peregrine know there was going to be a problem once this Arvo reached its destination. But in order to reach that, he'd have to let go of the shield. Not yet. Instead, he attempts to push back, using whatever strength he can muster in his slight body.]
Disagree all you want with the decision, but it's been made and now you're here. If you go and get yourself killed, they'll just bring you back again anyway.
[Or he assumes. He's not totally sure if that holds up if they get sucked out into the vacuum of space due to a hull breech.]
no subject
He doesn't bother striking at the shield this time; he simply puts a shoulder to it and shoves with all his strength.]
no subject
Don't--!
[The shield just barely holding, Waver, with gritted teeth, slides back against Illarion's force. He seemed practically dead a minute ago, and now...
His eyes dart to the console as he's slid back closer to it, noting where that distress call button is. It would be pretty embarrassing if he ended up being killed before he even arrived at the Peregrine. But at the very least, the others would be warned and Illarion can be wrangled by people who are trained to deal with this sort of situation.
That's the hope, anyway. Risking it, Waver reaches an arm behind him and slams the button with an open palm, and a quiet alarm sounds. In a few moments, a recorded AI-style voice will come over the comm asking for details on the emergency, but Waver's a little too occupied to answer that right now. The shield is pretty much done for if Illarion gives it one last hit.]
no subject
Under ordinary circumstances that would be a sign Illarion's failed a mission, or at least fucked up the parameters badly-- Now, he just gives an awful echoing laugh and strikes the shield again. It shatters and he goes immediately for Waver's throat, to grab and hold and try to pin the slighter man to the wall by main force.]
You didn't have to die, [he says, a thread of some terrible emotion in the tone. Something like hunger.] You could have let me go.
no subject
No. I couldn't. Not my decision. And I wouldn't let you just die. No matter what.
[The second he's completely on his own, it seemed like Waver couldn't handle any danger. Someone always had to come along and save him. Usually Gray. And as much as he hates himself for it, his resolve doesn't falter in the face of it. No one was going to save him here but himself.
Not having many other options at the moment, Waver attempts to kick Illarion away, aiming for the ribs. If only he could cast faster, cast better, he could try a hypnosis spell, but there was no time.]