Test Drive Meme #1 (cw vehicular crash, moderate injury)

[spoofer]

Test Drive Meme #1

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

You don't need an invite to test
but please remember we're currently invite-only

CRASH LANDING

Exit one dimension, enter the next. It was chaos: pressure against your ears, light bending in an impossible, unimaginable way. The very molecules of your body vibrating against one another. If you have windows, the view outside makes no sense. Even if not, your hands, your face, your feet seem like an uncertain thing. It's the feel of reality itself tearing apart, reshaping, reconnecting, thread by thread.

And suddenly, there's a beach— or ocean, whichever you land in. Smoke. Fire. Salt water churning up, fizzing around.

Maybe you crash, in a ship wrecking into sand. Maybe you merely stumble out of a portal, a ragged wormhole in space. Or maybe you fall off the back of an incredible steed, some creature that carried you into this place. Either way, there's pandemonium around you. Incredibly, severe injuries are far and few between— nobody's screaming about the dead. But you might have to help pull someone free of wreckage, or move quickly to salvage burning belongings from the landing craft. Maybe it's the crafts themselves, that you're trying to salvage.

Likely, you don't know them, these other strangers who arrived here^[1]. Maybe you don't trust them— you just came out of a dying world, after all. But you all have one thing in common: you're here now.

When you get a second to breathe, maybe you'll see it. The brilliant green forest across the sand. Beyond that, the glint of a faraway city.

INTO THE WOODS

Your first night at Xistentia does not feature five-star accommodations, but as the sun begins to set, the forest offers everything you need to survive. By now, you may even have met your daemon, who'll help guide you through this. There is fallen wood to make fires for warmth and cooking, any number of rabbits, deer, and fish if that's what you're into eating. Those very same animals also provide guidance as to what vegetation is edible, including a variety of vine mushrooms, fruits, and flowers. If you're the kind of creature that mostly eats other sentient creatures, well. Technically, there are a lot of those hanging out too^[2]! Now and then, you'll see tiny, winged humanoid creatures the height of a finger dart in and out of view.

A resourceful group, the multiversal refugees have determined ways to create shelters, using wreckage, supplies, and basic survival knowhow. There aren't enough blankets to go around, but the weather is mild and the fires seem to keep out any aggressive creatures.


Things get quiet. This could be a good time to meet the others under less fraught circumstances. Maybe you'll see some familiar faces and reunite with others who fled from your dying world; maybe you'll meet someone new.

Try not to seek out and fight any Rock Trolls. It's still early.

ENTER THE CITY

The city is beautiful, even with the vines covering everything, the streams running down half the streets, the massive white deer leaping off under the highway overpasses. The architecture of the skyscrapers is incredible to look at, modern and sweeping. It's clear that terraced gardens were part of the building design, and some of the greenery that lines the street had been part of the original city plan. This is a city of great potential.

And it knows you're here. As you walk by, beacons like streetlamps begin to emit a gentle glow, registering your presence. No doors are locked, though you might find yourself chasing out nests of silver-winged birds and bug-eyed rabbits.

Here, you can claim empty shops or the clothing and other sales items inside of them. Apartment complexes aren't difficult to find in a range of sizes; nor are standalone homes, brownstones, loft studios. Penthouses may not feel like penthouses when there's a thin layer of dust growing on everything and a flower growing out of the sink, but you know what? Maybe that little bud is gonna be your first roommate.

It's the strangest thing. After a few days, the lights begin to work and the water begins to run, fully operational within the unseen sewer system. At some point, the keys to your house or residence are going to turn up. Your daemon will help you find what you need. F.A.TE.S. welcomes you.

NETWORK

By now you've settled in. You have some time to explore the city, the woods, and your new kit.

Chances are pretty good that your daemon is not a phone or a computer or a wax-sealed piece of parchment or a Howler, nothing with a convenient camera or a keyboard; it probably isn't even a pocket sized. Likelier, it stares at you with eyes that contain the lenses-- or powers-- of a camera, and some part of its body projects a holographic keyboard into the air. For those of us who are not accustomed to manipulating intangible light prisms, it's about as intuitive to type on as shaping a cloud with your fingers.

But here's your network access. Accessible to all your fellow travelers in XISTENTIA.

Misfires, typos, and blurry video footage are likely. Time to feel like a Luddite!

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

hells yeah

Footnotes

1. Some of these can be nameless, plot-device NPCs to facilitate interactions! But even in this case, please avoid gore in describing their current state of being. Anyone dead or catastrophically injured will have disappeared by the time your characters make it to Xistentia. There are no corpses or dying here.
   
   
2. But like OOCly ask permission ofc.

Comments

forest!!

[rekt]

[ seated by the fire is a scrawny teenage boy, and it seems fire wasn't the only thing he was capable of putting together. there's a hut somewhere nearby constructed by branches strapped together and larger plant leaves laid over it and closing it in, some meat nearby that was probably once a rabbit or other small forest critter, and a longer stick that looks a lot like a spear. but for now, murphy's huddled up by the fire, with one of those big ass white elk things just chilling behind him being a nice back rest (thanks, daemon), head popping up to peer at this other kid that comes wandering up. this'll be fun, considering he isn't nearly anyone sociable or nice either. ]

You can do it the old fashion, rubbing sticks together way. But assuming you don't want to spend an hour being freaking miserable-- [ Digging in the ratty backpack that sat next to him, Murphy pulls out a small lighter, one he'd had packed in his 'in case of apocalypse emergency' bag, because he's a person who's legitimately paranoid of that. coming out of a world like that, into a place as unnaturally peaceful as eudio, it'd been a thing he carried everywhere with him. fortunately enough, he was actually prepared for this end of the world.

however, even if he had two lighters, john murphy isn't the kind of person to give away supplies vital for his survival out of charity. he doesn't know any of these people, outside of kavinsky and aric (the former of which is probably in a hut like thing somewhere crying about having to touch dirt) so he hardly trusts a borrowed item to be returned either. ]

Grab some dry sticks and leaves and I'll light it for you. [ he isn't completely an unsharing douche, but mostly, yeah. ] Or, I can teach you the cave man method.

[ rubbing sticks together and being angry. ]

[fiachdubh]

[Anger was one of Ronan's favorite things, and he could easily get enough of it to start a fire just by rubbing sticks or throwing rocks against each other, but a lighter was a faster solution - less exhausting, since Ronan was very wary of falling asleep here. Especially with people like that kid in front of him - looking ready to help enough, but also looking shady as fuck. Not that Ronan looked much better, half covered in sand, the rest of him covered in bruises and scratches, walking around with a raven like it was a normal thing to do.

He tugs on his leather bands, then nods curtly, straightening his shoulders.]

Cool. I'll be right back.

[He turns and walks into the undergrowth, asking Chainsawd to give him some light as he goes to pick up some dry wood and moss and leaves, feeling out of his depth. It's never been an issue, surviving; he could dream whatever shit he needed and he was set, but trying to work it without his dreams was going to be difficult. Right now, even more acutely than before, he misses Adam. The two of them would work this out.

When he gets back to the campfire, he crouches opposite from the guy, worrying the leather band with his teeth for a moment.]

You seen anyone else around? [Maybe Adam made the jump into this world, too. Surely he's not the only one.]

[rekt]

[ friction fires, as much as their earth skills teacher seemed to love them, are an exercise in self hatred, really. but it would give someone something to do for a few hours, if you're looking for boredom relief. murphy is not yet that desperate, so he's glad when the kid comes back with just a bunch of stuff to light up.

mournfully, murphy pushes up to stand, moving from his own campfire to go inspect what ronan brought him, as he answers the question. ]

People were all over the beach, but only ones I knew were others from Eudio. You know it?

[ clearly, people came here from all over, like that had been brought into Eudio before, so the ones he knows are twice displaced, but it doesn't seem to be the case with everyone. a couple pieces of ronan's find are tossed aside, but for the most part, it's good, and murphy arranges it all with a little nest of things to catch faster tucked into the middle. ]

Where do you want this thing?

[ assuming ronan isn't planning on hanging out with him all night, but then again, he wouldn't bar him from it either. ]

[fiachdubh]

No. [It's as quick and abrupt as Ronan knows how to make it sound. He's not going to ask if this guy knows about Henrietta - he's pretty fucking sure he'd have known him if he did. He looks like the type of guys that would hang out with Kavinsky.

The fact that Ronan himself did that, for a while, doesn't sit so well in his stomach. He clenches his jaw, schools his face to be as blank as possible. The edge of a knife. Dangerous enough to be worrying, at least.

He motions towards the other side of the clearing. There was a tree there that had a large enough hollow that Ronan could sort of settle in it. From there, they could still see each other.]

That tree over there. I can go somewhere else if you want this place for yourself.

[He wouldn't really care.]

[rekt]

[ Murphy watches the kid's face after the quick snapped denial, sees the tension in it, and maybe it's made worse by the guy's severe face, but Murphy's made a survival skill out of reading people. ]

You're a bad liar.

[ maybe he isn't from Eudio but the word clearly means something to him. But that isn't anything Murphy's going to concern himself with, as the guy didn't seem to know his origin before he showed up. He leaves it at that, and glances towards the tree in question. ]

That's fine. It's a free forest, so long as I don't wake up to you trying to knife me.

[ the words make it seem like it should be a joke but the blankness of the tone doesn't match it as much. Probably because he isn't joking. That reaction to Eudio looked like either 'pissed' or 'afraid' and neither of those bode well for him.

Murphy doesn't make a scene of it, though, just gathers up the bundle and moves over to the tree, crouching down to clear out a circle of dirt, digging it slightly inward. ]

[fiachdubh]

Actually, I don't lie. [And that's the truth; even if his thoughts are going around in circles and he's thinking too hard and it's showing in his face, he's not actually lying.] Always found it a pointless exercise.

[He should try and look less like he's certain this guy is going to be the one with a knife, maybe - after all, he is helping, and that's something Ronan can't turn his back on. Maybe he is being too suspicious, but that's in his nature. That's growing up with Declan fucking Lynch as a brother.]

Knifing you's not on my list of priorities. It's not even on my radar.

[And again, it's the truth. Hurting anyone, right now, would be ill-advised, when he doesn't know this world and its rules. It's too much of a risk, and really, h would gain nothing from it. The guy's clothes are in the same state as his own, and he doesn't need a lighter that badly.

He crouches by his newly formed campfire, watching the other guy intently.]

Name's Ronan.

[rekt]

[ you should've lied, Murphy wants to tell him, because he knows that name. Still, maybe not the same person, there's a lot of people in the multiverse named Ronan, and yet, this is how Eudio always worked. Of all the people in one world, it brings the ones you don't want to see most.

He'll keep it to himself for now, and Murphy's not nearly an open book, seeming more to be contemplating the lying sentiment, which, he doesn't believe for a second. Everyone lies, it's even more suspicious when someone tells you they don't, but he'll keep that to himself as well. ]

You haven't lived in a place like this before, have you?

[ where survival is a daily question, and the motto is 'get through the day first, then worry about what kind of person that makes you later'. Clarke Griffin probably didn't think of herself as a liar before either. at least, that's the kind of world murphy's expecting to find in this place. ]

Murphy. [ he offers, lighting up the edge of a leaf, and carefully moving it to the little nest at the center of the fire, leaning down to blow gently at it, to get it going steady. ]

[fiachdubh]

What, the middle of the fucking apocalypse? Yeah, no, haven't.

[ Murphy, though, looks like this is exactly where he lives. He looks like he belongs, and it's unsettling.

Ronan's been through a lot, but none of it had been some kind of multiverse breaking apocalyptic virus. This is new territory, and he's not sure what to do with it. He vows to try and find civilization as soon as possible - he liked to think he was the master of Cabeswater, but this forest only answers to itself.

This whole thing makes Ronan all too aware that he's been rich his whole life, and has never needed for anything, due to money, or his dreams. It's sort of humbling. ]

Have you?

[rekt]

A place full of desperate people.

[ Murphy looks up from the blossoming fire, the light drawing creepy shadows and orange high lights across his features, offset by the flat drawl he speaks in. ] And yeah, Fluffy, I have.

[ also, the fucking apocalypse. Like two of them. Two and a half maybe. It's dumb. Picking up another stray stick, Murphy pokes at the fire a little more, getting things set close, to spread easier. ]

Some advice - if telling a lie here will save you from execution or worse? Do it. [ as far as he's concerned, there's nothing noble or romantic in dying for a virtue, it just leaves a corpse. ] There's a point to it, it's called surviving.

[ a bit contrary coming from Murphy, considering he's planning on telling K about this, for the sake of the one he cares about having the jump, but, welp, that's Ronan's bad. ]

[fiachdubh]

[ Fluffy? Fluffy?? Ronan's hands clenches at his sides, and his teeth grind against each other once more. ]

The fuck you called me?

[ It's stupid - it's absolutely, 100% stupid to get angry about this and look to start a fight, but Ronan's exhausted, worried, and he has no patience for this guy's superiority complex because he's gone through some shit. Ronan's not gone through the apocalypse, sure, but he's seen his world dying. He's seen his best friend die. He's seen himself die, over and over and over again.

He bristles, standing up straight once more, crossing his arms over his chest as his whole body buzzes with unspoken anger. ]

Thanks for the help and the fucking tip. I can take it from here. [ It's the best he can do without lunging at the guy. He hopes it's effective, as a conversation ender. ]

[rekt]

[ as if the kid next to him isn't having a hissy fit, Murphy answers naturally, lifting his eyes from where he's crouched and pointing a finger at Ronan's hair. ]

I called you Fluffy. [ a beat, and then he rubs at his own head, as if feeling a buzzcut. ] Though I guess Fuzzy fits better. Was that really all it took?

[ the question follows conversationally, with an sideways tip to his head and a small smirk on his lips.

This kid is worse than Bellamy. He's at least laugh off name calling so long as it wasn't directed at Octavia and didn't undermine necessary authority. Mostly all he'd gotten was 'shut up, Murphy' when it wasn't a fight over something more serious, like mutual lynching.

But hey, good to know about this one. He can't imagine how he'd ever suffered Kavinsky for long, given the guys terms of endearment are all basically insults, it's essentially his love language, if you really want to call it that.

And, if what's his ass here is really this volatile? Best he let K know he's around and angry before Ronan happens on his friend first. ]

You're welcome. Lemme know if you need another light. [ he pushes up with that, pacing back over to the elk by the fire, who had startled into standing when Ronan went all fury teen at him. ]

[fiachdubh]

[ Well, it would be unsurprising to Murphy to learn that Ronan never suffered Kavinsky for long. But it wasn't so much the insult more than the fact Murphy let it out without knowing a single thing of Ronan. At least, Kavinsky had some weight behind his words.

Also, Ronan is feeling kind of the end of his line, right now, and thankfully, he doesn't actually know that Kavinsky is 1) alive, and 2) right here with him, while nobody else he knew or cared for was. It was bound to make Ronan's blood boil straight out of his pores, the unfairness of it sending him spiraling.

But he doesn't know, and it's for the best. Forcing himself to relax, as much as he can, he sits in the hollow of his chosen tree, effectively ignoring Murphy as he starts asking Chainsawd more questions about where they are and why they're here. Might as well get as much information as possible while he can and there's no knife to his throat. ]

[rekt]

[ returning to his spot by the fire, there a vague murmur of 'calm your fat ass down, nothing's happening' to the elk, a hand pushing at if to lay back down. For several hours, Murphy will sit, knife out carving the straighter branches he'd found into points, or making notches to fit sharper edged rocks into.

But, eventually, he isn't as committed to insomnia as Ronan is, and Murphy passes out, curled up to the elk's side, knees tugged in and jacket hooded over his head, so his face is difficult to see. Sleep is important to places like this, and he's going to need more than a pissed off body builder to keep him from foregoing it.

That, and, see how the elk daemon startled at Ronan's movement before, he's hoping any kind of shenanigans tried will have him waking up when his creature-bed starts moving. ]