returnjourneymemes | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Wow!" Jinx dances around the other girl, quick on her feet. She's better at dodging than attacking, all told-- she doesn't have any of her tools. She enjoys the dance of the fight, whatever it is they're doing, however. Her bottom lip remains bitten, blue eyes wide in excitement.

"What a shitty secret! We're gonna hate each other."

Annie's tools are her hands and legs. Less amplified, in a manner of speaking, than they would be with her own abilities, which is

good. A good thing for everyone.

But it means she's not disarmed even with very little. She follows up the attempted throw with a concise, controlled kick sliced in Jinx's direction. If it connects, good. If not, it should put more distance between them. And then, if there's more distance between them, she might talk!

Jinx dodges, eyes wide in surprise. Well, at least this girl isn't boring. She waits for a moment (if there is one) for the girl to be off balance, before her foot finds purchase once more on the ground. Jinx prefers not to fight head on if she can help it, but she doesn't have any projectiles-- she'll have to strike, then, bouncing forward with outstretched arms.

She aims for the face, soft tissue to rip at with long nails.

A fingernail catches Annie's cheek, tears the skin; the victim barely reacts, though her blue eyes flash. She's used to worse pain than this. Her arms criss-cross her chest, hands loosely fisted, then with a sort of shucking motion she raises both arms to bracket (guard) her face.

Bright human blood dribbles down her cheek. It tickles. Annie wrinkles her nose, briefly irritated.

"Why?"

[When the other girl doesn't attack, Jinx temporarily relents, though she's still on her guard. She's not going to waste her energy until it's necessary, but she's not going to let herself look weak, either.]

You hit first.

No.

[A blunt, almost bored stare, in spite of tussle and the fact she's still dribbling.]

Why would we hate each other?

Oh.

[Jinx stands still, deceptively distracted, arms swinging by her side.]

I'm not heroic. [Her voice takes on the tenor of a repressed laugh at the very thought.]

[Annie widens her eyes slightly.]

And you think that makes me hate you?

[She shrugs, like she doesn't really care. At the moment, she doesn't; that may change later.]

Eventually. Probably.

[Offhand:] That just makes you common.

[A roll of the eyes.] Is that suposed to be an insult? 'Cause you should try thinkin'a way more creative ones.

[Annie shrugs. She's not really letting her guard down - she doesn't ever, if she can help it - but she does drop her fists. If Jinx is not attacking her, she will just start walking again.]

That sounds like lots of work.

[Jinx leans in close, as if offering up a secret.] It's easy for smart people.

[Annie looks down, allows her shoulders to droop. Just so beaten down and defeated.]

Maybe I'm not smart. Maybe I'm just a regular, helpless little girl... so scared to be trapped with all these awful criminals...

[If it weren't for the squall, she wouldn't be appending these maybes. Since there is a squall, she sort of has to.]

[She laughs.] Bullshit. You know how to fight. You're not scared, or you'd'a run by now.

You don't know that. I'm so small. [She is pretty tiny. It is not difficult, to outweigh or overshadow Annie. But her stare is dead and flat and her tone is borderline sarcastic. She pivots, almost squaring up with Jinx.]

I'm so tiny. Maybe you're a wild monster. Maybe you're some kind of wild animal and it was a mistake to let you off the chain. Maybe I want to run away and cry.

TEST DRIVE 001

sorry for the slow! moving cross country 😵‍💫

my turn to be slow due to finals then post-finals brain sludge

gooo us.

hope the move went/is going ok btw my last cross-country move suuuUUUuuuUUUCKED

it's... it's sure going...

😩😬🙏

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