TEST DRIVE MEME #14

[expiationmods]

Test Drive Meme #14

Welcome to Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and some subtle horror.

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand!)

-Characters have arrived in Expiation, a seemingly idyllic fantasy world where they have been told they will be judged and sentenced for crimes they were charged with upon arrival.

-Every two months, several characters are chosen for sentencing, where they’re brought to the Courthouse (formerly City Hall) and told to perform a task related to their assigned crime. Their only contact at the Courthouse is a mysterious and long-suffering man called Jerry.

-Over time, characters have begun to realize that not all is as it seems in Expiation: as it turns out, the entire world is a simulation that seems to be run by an artificial intelligence. This AI claims that its purpose, and thus the purpose of Expiation, is rehabilitating the Chosen after their crimes.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-In November 2024, a strange event overtook Aldrip and turned it into a week-long eternal night where technology ceased to work. During this time, the simulation that generates Expiation seemed to malfunction, causing a strange crack to appear in the surroundings. Through this crack, characters were able to see some sort of metal enclosure. They could reach a hand in, but little more than that. This crack has disappeared, for now, but what it means for Aldrip's future remains to be seen.

TDM top-levels are open to all, whether you are already in-game or not. New characters, please put TDM in your subject header so we’ll know you’re trying things out! You can also put your top-level in the TDM DIRECTORY at the bottom of the post. Current players may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs. Applications are open to all this cycle!

You can view our CALENDAR to keep important dates in mind. RESERVES open on April 20th and APPLICATIONS will open on April 23rd. After this, applications will next open in June.

Full Navigation

A TRANQUIL BEACH VACATION... ?

Hmmm… the sun is shining, there’s the sound of waves–

Wait, the sound of waves?

This new batch of Chosen find themselves waking up in what looks like a fishing village. Some of them wake up outside, some of them wake up with their faces in the sand. Others wake up in what seems like an inn? They might not be the only ones in the bed with them, though. There’s not that many spaces! They may find themselves waking up next to another Chosen – or one of the locals, the Naga. They seem like there’s nothing wrong with this though, and even welcome them into their home. Do they want anything to eat? Drink? They can leave the bed even, if they’d like to continue to rest. Whatever the Chosen ask, they’ll give it to them without hesitation. See? Isn’t it so great here? You don’t even want to go to Aldrip right now! Those guys are awful. See what they did to those poor little welcome bots? Some of those Chosen had tried to dismantle or beat them! They’d run to Rumpitur and the Naga – who aren’t amazing with technology, but had been able to patch them up. But they’re very much still just second-rate patched. They can still see where they’ve been taken apart, and some wheels might even be lopsided as they roll around and give out the parchments and tablets.

Those poor, poor, bots.

But! Spring means rebirth, and that means that the Naga are celebrating. They've even been inviting Chosen from Aldrip to come visit! Those merchants they sent over there were inviting them while trying to sell their wares. Watch out though - they may get dragged into helping set up for the party, or help cook and run errands for the festivities to come.

XOXO GOSSIP GIRL

While the appearance of the Chosen in Rumpitur was not expected, the locals seem to take it in stride - and welcome the new arrivals warmly. The small town may not have much to spare, but they will happily share what they have: a bed at the inn, a meal at the restaurant, a couple of fish from the recent haul. The snake people are more than willing to engage in conversation, too, though don't count on them to answer all your questions - they can't tell you what they don't know, after all. Instead, they're likely to steer the conversation in the direction of the other Chosen. They shudder as they speak of them, sighing dramatically as they recount all the reasons why they're not so keen on the newcomers' Aldrip counterparts.

"Have you heard? They've blown up their own city hall three times! How barbaric!"

"I don't understand how the people there put up with them… they have no respect for anything! They even erected statues of themselves without asking for permission!"

"Now I'm not saying they're all like this, but when my neighbor's friend went over to visit, she swore up and down they were sleeping in coffins!"

"I know this might sound crazy, but my mother has seen them wear socks with sandals!"

"Apparently some of them go missing on a regular basis. I'm not saying they're responsible, but one has to wonder what happens to them…"

… And so on and so forth. The Rumpitur residents are eager to share all the gossip, no matter how ridiculous or improbable, and will continue to do so even after the aforementioned Chosen from Aldrip arrive at their town. They advise the newcomers should stay on guard around them, and don't believe what they say easily. The question is, do you believe them?

Oh, and there is one more topic that seems prevalent among the rumors - the villagers whisper about the visitors from faraway lands finally deciding to end their isolation and reestablish friendly relations with the mainland. What could that be about…?



OOC:
Is there any specific gossip you'd like the people of Rumpitur to spread, real or fake? Feel free to comment here, so the players can use it in their threads if they want! If you'd like to submit a gossip about another character, please make sure the player is okay with it first!

AREN'T YOU EGG-STATIC?

It’s Spring time! It’s time to celebrate the new budding leaves in the trees, many with their blossoms on full display. There are birds singing in the trees, an energy in the little animals that inhabited around and in this fair city.

The merchants of Rumpitur are also here to not only sell their resources for a steep price, but as a show of good faith and to attempt to build bonds, they have offered to celebrate the annual tradition of egg hunting within and around the village! There are eggs that are very particular with chromic shells scattered around town, and they are meant to start off the Spring hope of a good year for commerce, friendship, and prosperity.

Never mind that pesky stereotype that snakes eat eggs. These are traditional and celebratory events only!

Everyone is encouraged to celebrate this fun and light-hearted tradition of find and seek! When the event kicks off, the Rumpitur merchants explain that the eggs are meant to be cracked open to reveal a prize inside! Their chromic shells can be cracked and then peeled or they can be smashed (you heathens) to reveal their contents. The chromic egg shell colours do not correspond to a particular prize either, so it’s all fun and games until someone turns into a snake. What? No, nevermind.

Run free and have fun, Chosen! Share your eggs or horde them for yourself!

Edible Effects:(click to expand!)

Milk Chocolate Egg - Nothing! It’s just delicious! Or is it…?


White Chocolate Egg - Characters will manifest angelic qualities such as wings or a halo or white clothing. They are compelled to help others in need and to avoid causing crime! They will even go so far as to stop a crime from happening at all costs… even self sacrifice! These effects will last 24 hours; this effect can be prolonged with repeatedly consuming this type of egg.


Dark Chocolate Egg - Characters will manifest demonic qualities such as horns, barbed tail, red skin, sharp teeth and even leathery wings. They are compelled to encourage and entice other characters to commit crime (do the Chosen really need help with this? No.). These effects will last 24 hours; this effect can have a prolonged duration with repeatedly consuming this type of egg.


Chocolate Peanut Butter-filled Egg - Characters will suddenly be attached to the first person that they see. They are tethered to within 3 feet from this other person. Your new partner for the next 8 hours? Yeah, they can walk away from you, and you have to follow or be dragged along. And yes, if multiple Chosen eat one of these, there can be multiple teethers. What a great bonding experience!


Chocolate and Caramel Egg - Characters can only tell the truth; alternatively, characters can only tell lies. This is not a compulsion so much as their words will change and warp as they leave their mouths depending on the effect they are under. They can resist, but to no avail. Give in and speak your truth/untruths! This effect will last 6 hours.


White Chocolate with Strawberry-filling Egg - Characters under this effect face an escalating compulsion to share a secret, a crime, or a regret about their lives. The longer they hold out, the more painful the experience becomes. They must tell another Chosen; talking to the trees or the Rumpitur natives doesn’t count. This compulsion lasts for 4 hours or dissipates after the compulsion has been fulfilled.


Chocolate with Lemon-filling Egg - Characters experience aphrodisiac effects. They are overcome with the urge to cuddle anyone around them or… you know. On this effect, characters can either be charming or sassy, so they are ready and able to lay down some smooth moves or encourage a little rough play. This effect lasts 12 hours and can be prolonged with repeated consumption.


Chocolate Nougat Egg - Characters are suddenly very drunk or high or hyper-active. They will probably make a nuisance of themselves or at least need help to find somewhere safe. Let all your drunk/high/hyper dreams come true and try not to puke in someone’s flower pots, okay? This effect will last for 8 hours; it can have its effects prolonged or stacked with repeated consumption.


Rotten egg - Seems like you got pranked. Not only does it taste bad but it seems like it will plague a character who eats it with the worst luck possible.

Non-Edible Effects:(click to expand!)

Small useful item - Use is all in the eye of the beholder of course, but these items are something that can find a place. Examples: mini-binoculars, compass, swiss-army knife, engagement ring (looking at you Vi/Cait & Scott/Kotone), etc. Player discretion encouraged.


Small useless item - This is a small item like a toy, a part, or something that may be fun but have little to no use. Examples are glitter, a mini-puzzle, toy car, magic 8-ball, chinese finger-trap, etc. Player discretion encouraged.


Pet - It can be any kind of animal and not just ones born out of eggs. It can only grow to the size of a medium-sized dog, so no horses or elephants unless they are very miniature. Mystical or animals from a Chosen’s home are fine.


Fuzzy hand-cuffs - Do you need more explanation? The fur can be any colour or pattern that a player wishes. These make great gifts for people you like or don’t.


Magical Bullshit McGuffin - Effects unknown. Only one egg has this ominously glowing orb. Leave a comment if your character wants this and it will be RNG, with the results in the next SOTG. No world-ending skybeams will be included.

IS THAT A SIDEQUEST?

The Naga will also offer quests in exchange for food, and favors. Veteran Chosen may find that if they complete them, the attitudes towards them will soften. New Chosen will find the same thing, that the attitudes seem to cool down towards the old ones the more they’re completed.

There’s a snake in a tree!

A baby Naga is stuck in a tree… somehow? It isn’t sure how to get down though, and is screaming and crying. The parents are at the base of it, pleading for the child to come down, and unable to go up there themselves. Help?

Time to fish!

There’s a fish caught in a net off the docks that the Naga just can’t seem to pull up and onto it. This will require a small group of two or more characters to pull it up and onto the dock. But watch out! The more they tug, the more the fish thrashes. While it won’t hurt Chosen that fall into the water, it might be very likely that they get pulled in.

Fetch!

Could you help some of the cooks around the town? They’re kind of busy cooking for all of these newcomers, so they’re going to ask some groups of Chosen to go gather food from the forest. Be careful though, because there’s monsters out there.

Hey, you!

A Naga might try to get the attention of the Chosen and wave them over, saying that they need help building their new home. They’ll teach Chosen how to use the tools, and hopefully you get someone else with the building. Some of this stuff’s heavy.

OOC:
For old and new players (pending acceptance into the game), there will be a reward for helping out these guys in the SOTG. Quests are not limited to these four, and some may be made up by you if you wish! Just remember that they’re supposed to be positive in spirit, and contribute to Rumpitur in some way. Also, feel free to assume that the player submissions on the bestiary portion do show up in the game as we start to overhaul that page again!

ALL GOOD (?) THINGS COME TO AN END

After about a week, it seems like all the festivities are winding down. The older Chosen are starting to get shooed out of the village, and while they won’t completely kick out the newer ones… they’re going to heavily imply that they don’t have enough space for them all to live with them. Some can stay if they really want to, but they may be told they’re going to end up in Aldrip eventually. They all do, at one time or another, end up in the “home city” of the cycle.

Whatever that means!

But that’s just fine though, it’s not like they haven’t been subject to hearing gossip for a week straight. Just fine.

Wildcard

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

QUESTIONS / COMMENTS / CONCERNS

[expiationmods]

[chimericalclaw]

Would the Rumpiturans have any interest in, say... some deliveries... or some mail boxes? Perhaps a little post office extension so we can stay in touch and provide some extra income to your lovely fishing town? :)? (He'll be trying to help out around town a bit if that makes any difference.)

He'd also be asking around about those faraway visitors. How long has it been since they've been in touch? Are they known for anything other than their isolation?

[warnotlove]

Orion has an almost empathetic ability to calm animals, as detailed in his powers section:

this is not an ability Orion is aware of, but an innate aspect of who he is. He doesn't actively target and calm animals/characters, they just feel a sense of calm and ease around him.

The closer a character is to being an animal, the more likely they'll feel this (For example a wolf that can become human will be more prone to response than a human that can become a wolf). In games, the ability to do this is done on a case by case basis with player permission, at their discretion.

Essentially players can determine for whatever reason it does or doesn't work on characters from their particular universe or the character's personality overrides any calming or desire to trust him. Characters may also feel mixed emotions about this, should the player see fit. Such characters may be uncomfortable around Orion because they don't understand what's going on to make them feel this way or resent him for "manipulating" them etc.

Will this have any impact on the Naga people of Rumpitur in either direction?

TDM DIRECTORY

[expiationmods]

New characters and / or players link your TLs here!

March 7th | Star Rail

[capturingmemories]

Tada!

GOSSIP GIRL

[expiationmods]

Want something specific to be said about your character? It could be true or untrue, but you can post it here for people to use in their TLs!

JINX

[opheliac]

● the most wanted criminal in her world and in ketsora

● caused (2) wars, both in her world and the war between rumpitur & ketsora

● loves to cause destruction and kills people for fun

● she likes to torture her victims before killing them, jinx drains their blood and uses it for [UNKNOWN PURPOSES]

● she has a collection of body parts and keeps them as mementos

● jinx is a queen of....[?????], it's unclear if it's zaun, if it's aldrip, or both.

● jinx is silco's daughter, who is the most powerful man in aldrip right now.

● jinx will grant your wishes, but you have to give up something. whether it's your tongue, a finger, jewlery, your soul, a memory, whatever you like! be creative.

● jinx's biggest weaknesses are boys and these bugs, which can be found in the forest. if she attacks you, just throw a boy at her or these insects. she will be defeated.

● jinx thinks pizza is a sandwich

● jinx is a mother. but what happened to her child is unknown.

● jinx turns into a monster at night.

● jinx is a lunatic, a sadist,a masochist, gets horny when chaos happens, and hears voices.

● jinx gets insanely jealous over pretty girls.

- i might edit if i come up with more. (8

MAGICAL BULLSHIT MCGUFFIN SIGN-UPS

[expiationmods]

richard

[traumaticus]

gimme!!!

siete | granblue fantasy

[soviireign]

i. time for a beach episode!

[Ah, summer. The sounds of crashing waves, the aroma of sea salt in the air. Today seems like another great day in this beachlike paradise.

…Wait, what?

Blink, blink. Slowly but surely does this man with strange hair come to his senses. Last time he checked he was back at their headquarters on top of Terra — not in the middle of a summer vacation! He doesn’t exactly make a habit of sleeping on other people’s beds, but it looks like he’s ended up in quite the precarious situation!

He was gonna slowly crawl out of this bed, but now he’s caught red-handed by whoever’s unfortunate enough to be his bed partner.]

….Nice weather we’re having, huh?

ii. how egg-citing!

[Once all the chaos settles down and everything has been explained, Siete’s first priority is to dive straight head-on into the festivities. He has always been a huge fan of parties, and this time is of no different. If only the other Eternals were around such that they could all take a break and have some fun!

Anyone would do, though. In fact, he’s heading towards the first person he sees, a smug grin drawn all over his face.]

Here, you can have this!

[He hands over one of the eggs he has found. What would the contents be…?]

iii. time for a side quest!!

[Even in a strange new world, an Eternal is still an Eternal, and that meant they would still do their best to help out anyone in need — even if it’s something as simple as monster-slaying. But more importantly, Siete is very much excited to see what they would cook with the ingredients he’s fetching!

If you somehow end up in the forest, you’ll find him merrily cutting down monsters on his own as his basket piles up with various ingredients.

…Wait, on his own? I thought this was supposed to be a quest tackled by a group?]

ii. wildcard!

[Hi this is Novas, coming in with this wonderful dweeb! If you have any other ideas in mind, feel free to wild card or poke me at soukokus]

I) wassup bestie

[babilun]

[ The King of Heroes was excited to enter the summer era. He welcomes it. He loves this season more than others. It was where his desires thrived. Beach. Water Attractions. The sun!

While Gilgamesh was getting ready, he took a quick nap, and the next thing he knew.

He woke up in bed with a stranger, a man no less. He was sure he was at home before heading to the beach, but the world seemed to transport him. How convenient. ]

...

[ The two blondes stared at each other. ]

How bold of you to sleep in the same bed as a King.

March 7th | Honkai Star Rail | new character/current player

[capturingmemories]

i. When the sand hits your face -_-;;

[Okay, it’s one thing being grounded in the Trailblazer thanks to motion sickness, and wished she was on the expedition. She didn’t expect her wish to be granted with sand in her face. That’s what happened. One minute, she stuffed her face on her pillow. Next whomp- no it’s sand! March is spitting and shooting out any access sand on her lips, lifting her chest up. She’s still on the ground, semi-face down, with the most displeased expression on her face. Ugh, if this is an idea of someone’s joke, they’re about to get hit with frostbite the next time she sees them.]

Bleh-! Normally I condemn violence, but maybe—-

[Ah! A shadow suddenly casted over her, prompting for her to look up.]

Ah, hi. I don’t suppose you have a bottle of fresh water with you to drown the sand in my mouth.

ii. Soaking the Gossips owo;;

[Any gossip going around, March probably heard about it.]


A. Woah! There’s a shapeshifter walking around, and they can be me? Oh no! I don’t need another me again.

B. Huh? There’s a girl who collects body parts?!! What would she do with them?

C.Wait. A clock-headed guy? Um, is he cartoonish and short by chance?

[Or, pick a rumor related to your character.]

Sidequest: Time to Fish! =^w^=!!

Excuse me, are you busy?

[March chimes happily. She clamps her hands together.]

See, one of the Naga people requires assistance and I’m not exactly built for this.

[She points to the deck where some of the local Naga’s are playing a game of tug of war with the sea.]

Come on! They promise us something in return. Let’s lend a hand!


[[ooc: wildcard optional!]]

2-C......

[followyourstar]

< Um... Depends on what you consider short? I wouldn't call myself "cartoonish" though. >

Dante | Limbus Company | Current Character

[followyourstar]

1. Not-so Egg-static

[They've never been to Rumpitur in the 8 months they've been stuck here. Haven't traveled too far from Aldrip at all, really.

Normally, a trip somewhere new brings with it a sense of quiet wonder and curiosity, and... it's still there. Somewhere. But for some reason they aren't quite as up to it as they might normally be.

Still, they're supposed to be trying to find some sort of new goal for themself, and giving new experiences a shot seems to be the best way to try and narrow one down.

It's this train of thought that leads them to their spot somewhere during the festival, covered in glitter and holding one of the colorful eggs in hand.]

< Hmm... Something tells me this is going to be another one of the candy eggs I can't eat. >

2. Egg-stra Credit

[They may not need to eat, but with the food situation for everyone else looking as bad as it is after everything that happened with the Black Beast and the Wish Monsters, it only makes sense to try and take on a few extra jobs for the people of Rumpitur while they're here (if only to bring down the prices on their goods).

But time is limited! And that means looking over the map they have of the area and trying to plan out how they want to tackle this.]

< My aim might be good enough for self defense if I were to head out in the woods... >

< But maybe it'd be better to stick around here and do some deliveries. ...If I follow this route... >

[They continue to mutter to themself in a steady stream of thoughtful ticking]

3. Mel-egg-choly

[It's been a long day, made even longer by the fact that they seem to be getting even more stares than they normally do. Usually it's easy to wave that sort of thing off--the sort of thing that's so mundane that it might as well be background noise at this point. The incident with Altius made it even easier, a stray thought easy to shove down into the gaping pit within that the man had ripped wide open inside them.

Today, though... Today's different for some reason, and it's been different all day.

As they wait for the next carriage back to Aldrip, they stare up at the stars in the sky.]

< I wonder if I'm just homesick... >

4. Wildcard

((Got your own ideas on what to play out? Feel free to go right ahead and post! Or hmu at shadetoshade to plot!))

2

[chimericalclaw]

[Surprise, surprise—Dante is using the trip as an opportunity to do more errands. Not that Altius is... not also doing that. But still.

He peers partly over their shoulder at their map from a few feet away and announces his presence by replying to their muttering.]

Clockwise starting from the docks, perhaps? No doubt a fishing village will have more to be done around the water.

[He's not dressed in his typical suit; he definitely looks more prepared for hiking and physical work, though his steady demeanor and neat appearance is otherwise back in place.]

JINX / ARCANE / CURRENT PLAYER.

[opheliac]

i. ❝If you wanna come play❞ | OPEN.
▷ WILDCARD. → THE PURRFECT CUP

ABOUT THE COFFEE SHOP

In a quaint corner of the city, the Purrfect Cup Café is a delightful haven for cat lovers and coffee enthusiasts alike. As you step inside, you're greeted by an inviting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the soft purring of playful felines lounging in sunny spots. Guests can enjoy a variety of pastries and specialty drinks while interacting with the adorable cats, many of whom are available for adoption.

But just because this appears to be a cozy atmosphere, doesn't mean there is no chaos. The owner, Jinx, while she remembers very vividly how to make the most excellent beverages from her alternate universe counterpart, cakes and pastries are a different story. They often, if not almost always, turn out horribly and disastrous looking, and it's a real wildcard whether these monstrosity treats are delicious or even edible. And whether you want it or not, Jinx will always give you a free sample of those treats with your drink!

And if you find a bullet shell or a grenade pin when you scoop a spoon full of that cake, consider it as a personal gift from her to you for giving this amazing place a chance. But don't worry, as they say, practice makes perfect, and she'll get the hang of things and nothing will explode..............maybe.

[upon arriving to this establishment, there will be a cute little drawing taped onto the front door entrance that reads: ]

ii. ❝you gotta start with me❞ | OPEN.
▷ WILDCARD. → THE PURRFECT CUP @ NIGHT

[whether you're nearby the café, a few blocks away or a few miles away, the one thing you can't escape is the extremely loud music coming from its outside speakers. just what is with that racket? it's nighttime for pete's sake, and people are trying to sleep and lock up for the night! but it seems like the owner of this coffee shop cares very little for that as she can be seen sitting on the roof. on each corner of the rooftop, sparklers are shooting non-stop with colorful smoke filling the atmosphere. are these fumes even safe to breathe in? or maybe that long row of monkeys with jinx are far more concerning. but finally, she raises from her "throne" and stands sharp as she bellows out:]

Ladies and scum buckets! — Are you getting tired of drinking the same old mud every morning? Sick of living the snoresville lifestyle, and need some excitement in your life? Well, quit your bellyaching, because Jinx will add a little blast to your party...!

[she takes one step forward, and doing so somehow unleashes a set of fireworks. one rocket flies off course and zips right into a window of a different establishment, but jinx doesn't seem to show any consideration for that mishap. in fact, her full focus is on [YOUR CHARACTER] as she grins from ear to ear with hands planting proudly on her hips.]

So how about it, Champ? Ready to be skyrocketed like you've never been before? I get it, I get it, it's all overwhelming and intimating. But that chill feels good, doesn't it? Telling you to just... follow it. And oooooone false move means you're done for, for good. And we don't that, now do we?

[is she still talking about coffee or...?]

( i )

[nilhilistic]

[ he's definitely here for free desserts. since rafal is a bonafide dessert lover. he does not understand why there are so many cats and has taken to lightly swatting them away. he's never been a big fan of animals and they can sense something is off about him. ]

Must they be everywhere?

rafal | fire emblem engage | current character

[nilhilistic]

( i. at the beach — dragon )

[ it's nice that the weather has cleared up and the sun is out. where rafal used to live, he never saw the sun much. just murky clouds and scorched battlefields. things improved briefly after the war and then later when nel and rafal moved to the new elyos, but his memories of peaceful, sunny days were dim.

so he's taking the opportunity. rafal swaps his human form for his dragon one and is happily frolicking in the waves. splashing about. probably causing a tsunami your war (whoops).

you're welcome to stop him. or run in fear. ]

( ii. egg-static — 🍓 🍋 🍮 ) specify which one you want!

[ this is the kind of holiday rafal loves. in fact, he's pleased by this swathe of human traditions that are marked by sweets. to him, that is ideal. perhaps the best thing they've ever done.

so rafal has a bunch of eggs, delighted to indulge in his sweet tooth. the ones he's picked are chocolate and caramel egg, chocolate with lemon-filling egg and white chocolate with strawberry-filling egg.

he may have grabbed all of them so if you attempt to grab one, he'll snarl. ]

These are mine.

( iii. egg-static — pets )

[ rafal . . . was not expecting this. here was sommie. far from the somnius through some trick of magic. rafal stares at him. sommie stares back.

he glances around for help. ]

Is this real? Can you see it?

[ he points to sommie who simply blinks its beady eyes at you. ]

( iv. wildcard )

[ got a prompt in mind? reach out @ timmtams / pm this journal. ]

III. Pets!

[capturingmemories]

Awe! Look at him!

[It’s a he, right? Minor details for later. Well, she can see it, and right now her focus is on how adorable it is!

No hesitation! She reaches her hand slowly attempting to pet lil sommie.]

Hey there little guy. Who’s a good boy?

emet-selch / ffxiv / tdm (new player)

[unsunder]

I. 🌙 I HATE SAND

[ Since when does the Lifestream have a beach? Oh, it doesn’t. Emet-Selch, face down in the sand, is struck with the sensation that for some gods-forsaken reason, he’s been denied his very well-deserved rest again. He lets loose a groan, muffled by the sand, and rolls over, one arm slung over his eyes to shield them from the harsh light of the sun.

He spends a good while just lying there, squinting at the clear blue of the sky like if he thinks about it hard enough, he’ll wake up peacefully adrift and discover this is all a bad dream. No such thing happens, and he’s just flopped there on the beach long enough to be concerning. Maybe he fell asleep? Or passed out?

No. Wander too close and his head snaps in your direction, luminous gold eyes narrowed. ]

What?

[ Ah, charming. ]

II. 🌙 PUNS ARE EGGS-HAUSTING

[ Looking for eggs is so juvenile, and Emet-Selch cannot be bothered to participate. Instead, he’s found a quiet little corner somewhere in the village to lay down for a nap, arms propped behind his head.

The problem with this hiding spot it that it’s also the hiding spot of several brightly-colored eggs that he definitely saw and has chosen to ignore. Surely no one will come looking here, and if they do, they’ll surely see him napping and leave him be.

Right? Wrong.

Several people have stepped over him already or poked around enough that he’s realized the flaw in this plan. Stubbornness goes a long way, however, and though the next person to invade his napping spot gets a sour look, he also rolls his eyes and motions them forward. ]

Far be it from my need for a bit of peace and quiet to get in your way. Just… do not open them here.

[ Or please do. Perhaps there’s a peanut butter egg in there somewhere that will help him make friends, whether he wants to or not. ]

III. 🌙 SIDEQUESTS ARE FOR HEROES

[ There’s a baby snake person stuck in a tree. With the way his last few days are going, he just sort of figures that this might as well happen.

The parents have more or less boxed him in, pleading for someone to please help their baby. Emet-Selch levels an unimpressed look at them both. ]

And just how did it get up there in the first place?

[ Ugh. Despite his prickly demeanor, he’ll help if pressed enough. He still makes a show of it with a mighty roll of his eyes an exasperated, “Fine, fine.” The first unfortunate passerby gets a slender finger jabbed their way. That's you! ]

You there. Get over here. I’m going to give you a boost, and I’ll not hear any arguments.

[ He’s very tall. Six and a half feet of robe-wearing noodle. Good for boost-giving. ]

IV. 🌙 WILDCARD

[ Happy to roll with anything! Shoot me a PM if you want to plot something in particular! ]

Decided III would be more fun.

[exexarch]

[G'raha's ears twitch, he knows that voice.
Of all the people... G'raha can't help but sigh, that said...]

Far be it from me to argue.

[Not least of which is because, well, he's short, he could use the boost.

He'll contend with Emet-selch being alive later.]

Scott Summers | XMCU | Current Character

[laserguy]

egg opening: useless item (but not to scott)
[Yeah sure, why wouldn't he try his hand at egg hunting? Not like he has to pay anything and the idea of getting free chocolate or stuff is an appealing one, especially with how things are back in Aldrip. Still on the recovery, most of the city, so he's taking full advantage of this opportunity. He's not quite bowling others down to get an egg, but he's actively searching and it's not long before he finds a pink egg (although hard for him to see) and takes it into his hands.

One crack later and....

Scott blinks as he looks at the miniature figure inside, the mutant pulling it out and holding it up.]

Kotone...?

[He starts before his mouth twitches into a laugh, because he's keeping this. Although... does that mean other figurines of Chosen are in these eggs?? Gotta collect them all???] Okay, I have to find mine now.

egg: stuck with me
[He knows that he should get to his Sentencing soon, really. The thought of experiencing unpleasant effects from ignoring it is not something he wants to deal with, especially if it causes him to lose control. He already has enough trouble with that, thanks. He doesn't need a boost from Jerry or whomever to make all that worse for him.

Especially since he's been getting nightmares about the Professor. Killing him in different ways. And he didn't do that, he'd never do something like that, right? Professor Xavier gave him and the other mutants a home, so why would he want to hurt someone like that? Well, besides the fact that he knows in one universe, he did kill him. Scott shuts his eyes, not wanting to think about that more, choosing instead to shove the peanut butter filled egg into his mouth and swallowing.

Before reopening his eyes at the first person he sees.

Oh, are they suddenly attached? In fact, so attached that they're now barely 3 feet apart from each other? How odd. But Scott barely notices that, his eyes wide behind his glasses, because whoever is in front of him, all he can see is one particular person:]

P-Professor?

[Yes, even if you have long beautiful hair. rip to James McAvoy's hair]

sidequest: fishing
[Sometimes, you just have to stop hunting for eggs and just go fishing for a while. Does Scott know how to fish? ...Kind of, maybe, he got a quick rundown from a Naga that has been recruiting Chosen to help catch fish for them and sitting around and staring at the water? Sounds good to him.

So, that's what he's doing, sitting with his fishing rod idly resting in his hands. Of course, anyone that's looking for a place to sit, Scott will actually raise a hand over to them, like he's trying to grab their attention.]

Hey, you can join me. It's cool.

[He may or may not end up talking about the 'greater good' and doing bad things for it. It's part of his punishment, don't worry about it.]

wildcard;
[Want to do something else? Hit me up at currykirby.]

closed to Kotone;

[laserguy]

[It's nice, sitting here with Kotone. They may not have collected any fish at this time, their bucket void of catches, but he doesn't mind all that much. How could he? When she's leaning against his shoulder with their fishing rods in front of them, a certain sort of peacefulness entering him that he hasn't felt since she transformed just a month ago. Some part of him hurts still about it, but not nearly enough to push him away from this spot with her and staring out at the ocean.

Even if what they're looking is the ruins from what it feels like ages ago. Although, even if it happened over a year ago, the dragging anxiety and uncertainty and fear of something bad happening to Kotone is easy to feel again. Maybe because he has lost her since then, even if it was a couple of days. It hurt seeing her so lifeless and.

Scott shakily lets out a small breath, before finally deciding to break the comfortable silence between them.]

...It's been a while since we were here, huh? [He doesn't bring up the whole kidnapping thing. Scott would rather make new memories with her in this town... even though there's something a little more serious that he wants to bring up. Her Evoker, still strapped to his hip, serves as that reminder.]

Caesar King | Zenless Zone Zero | TDM

[ridesofmarch]

a. do you know who you are? [tranquil beach]

[a woman is squatting in the sand inspecting one of these patchworked welcome robots. it doesn't look like tech she's ever seen, but she's not the big gearhead in the crew, so that's not a surprise. she can respect the craftsmanship, though; sometimes people just have to work with what they've got. and if it's one of these, what, "Chosen" who smashed it up to begin with, well, that means she has two things to ask them. in fact, does she see the shadow of someone now?]

[she stands up, turns around, and registers quickly enough that this isn't one of the people she'd been taken in by. good enough for her. she slips her prosthetic hand into the left pocket of her shorts and pulls out a folded-up piece of paper. she sounds kind enough with her words, even if she is a little forceful with them.]

Hey, do you know anything about what's written here? It says that I'm guilty of "reckless driving", but I don't get it. [there's some genuine confusion on her face as she unfolds the paper to back up what she's saying.] Isn't being a safe driver a good thing? All my driving has been wreckless for at least a year now.

b. this was all part of my plan [egg]

[well, this is an interesting little event—but let it never be said that caesar king backs down from a challenge. she fully understands that she was supposed to crack these one by one, but with a small armful of eggs in tow, she sits down underneath a shaded bower and starts cracking open her spoils. surely nothing bad will happen to the woman who gorged herself on enough meat and fried potatoes at cheesetopia's opening to knock her out for close to 36 hours straight.]

[a handful of minutes later, she's sporting a pair of devil horns coming out of her head with a halo resting on one of them like the world's saddest ring toss, she's got the horrible taste of sulfur in the back of her throat, and she looks altogether like a kicked puppy from her seat in the shade. only feeling a little ill, she calls out.]

I don't need any help! [and her eyes go wide and she puts up both her hands as if she's denying her own words.] That's what I said! [she grits her teeth and frowns, trying to speak more deliberately now.] Nothing's wrong. I'm feeling great, and I haven't made any mistakes. [she sighs and tilts her head back in her chair. the devil tail that she'd forgotten she had flicks the halo to the other horn.] This rules.

c. floating straight out to the sunset [wildcard]

((any other ideas? PM this journal or find me on discord at samielherbei. more info about caesar here.))

b

[nightwild]

[The foxgirl who hears Caesar looks at her, then looks around in confusion.

... Caesar looks pretty sad, but.]

Okay? Uh, I'm glad?

[sorry, you said a thing and the world's most gullible idiot is here.]

rodion | limbus company | tdm (new player!)

[axethrows]

i. no such thing as a tranquil vacation

[Someone got lucky and landed right into a comfortable bed inside of the inn instead of outside on the beach. She's not used to a proper bed at all, but she's not complaining over how comfortable this bed is and how the weather is oddly warm around her unlike her personal room on the bus. The scenery change isn't exactly the cause of waking her up, but the feeling of scales rubbing on her skin is-

No offense to the Naga themselves, but this woman isn't exactly a fan of snakes. Waking up in a bed with snake-person is going to make her shout, jump and crash out of bed, scrambling for the nearest object to use as a weapon to throw it at the Naga. The poor citizen quickly moves out of the room and some objects might be flying out the door towards them.]

Get outta here! Find your own bed, I call dibs on this one!

[One look out the window is all it takes for her to pause and register that this is different. Anyone who heard the commotion and decided to check the room themselves will find her in awe at the sights. This is not where she is suppose to be, but she is far from complaining.]

Did I win a free vacation or something? Finally, a nice break! I deserve it~

ii. gossip girls

Heeey, what are we talking about here~?

[If the locals are in a gossiping mood, why not join them? Rodion is still on guard being around the Naga, but after calming down and exploring a little bit, the locals don't seem too bad at first. She has yet to look at the parchment and tablet some robot gave out to her, they are stuffed in her coat pocket for now. She mingles into one chatty group of ladies as they start to gossip on the Aldrip visitors. Several situations could happen here:]

a.) [Rodion is adding her own twist to the rumors. Even if she's a newer person, she throws out her own suggestions to the questions the rumors leave on why would someone collect body parts to begin with or why (x) does (y) to keep the conversation engaging and interesting. Anyone that join in on the little group, she will wave them down:]

What do you think? Makes you wonder what's true and what's not, right?

b.) [One Naga mentioned a clock-person without giving a name and spills out the rumor she heard about them. Rodion waves her hand towards the words in a motion to dismiss them. She knows a clock person, but the lack of name doesn't really give her much info so she assumes that this is clearly someone else.]

Nah, don't think they are a blood-sucking type. Can't drink without a mouth after all. If you want to hear the story on how the clock-head I know won the jackpot in a rigged casino, let me tell ya about that- Oh yeah, and we found them in the woods too-

[Story time! Spoiler alert: Her clock-head person is actually the same one that is wandering around here.]

iii. eggs in these trying times

[It's a celebration and the eggs are either free food or free stuff so of course this woman is going to take advantage of free goodies and go hunt for eggs. There is probably a catch since she knows that nothing is truly free, but she isn't going to think too deep on it otherwise it will depress her. Let's not go into the cold thoughts during a moment where it's suppose to be cheerful.

She can be found sitting against a tree, cracking her eggs open. It's mostly useless items and regular chocolate eggs, but like she would complain over free snacks (unless they are obviously super bad). She still got some eggs left, so surely there's something good in one of them! If anyone looks her way, she will give them a wave.]

Hey, if you ain't gonna eat your eggs, I'll take them off your hands~ Or how about a trade? [Listen, it's better if they don't go to waste.]

iv. wildcard

[Anything goes here! Feel free to throw your own prompt at me if nothing works out, she will be wandering around Rumpitur, enjoying the sights, and eating whatever food she could get her hands on. She could be convinced to help with side quests, but she's the type to slack off unless it's absolutely necessary work so she will be taking it easy. For those that know Limbus, she's taken after the events of Nocturnal Sweeping.

You are also free to PM me if you have questions or would like to plot!]

III

[followyourstar]

[Dante's managed to find a fair few eggs on their own so far, but luck hasn't exactly been on their side when it comes to the contents. A couple of knicknacks more akin to party favors here, several candy eggs they can't eat, and, most recently, three glitterbombs in a row.

It's as good a sign as any to cut their losses, but that just leaves their little bag of goodies to decide what to do with. Seems like it'd be a pain to carry all the way back...

A voice from nearby drags up a possibility from memory.]

< Ah, yeah, usually I'd give my portion over to Rodya... >

[...!]

< Rodya?! H-How long have you been here?! >

[For as shocked as they are, it's telling that their exclamation comes alongside a chime rather than a whistle.]

Hiei | Yu Yu Hakusho | current player/character

[jaganshi]

☇ SPREAD ME LIKE A RUMOR

What an unfortunate time to have inhuman hearing.

The little fire demon can hear everything.. A little bit too much, if he’s honest. Maybe it’s the lack of sleep from the month before but the fire demon looks irritated with the entire ordeal very quickly. Or maybe that is simply the dominant effect of the circles under the eyes that are.. slowly.. beginning to go away. Sometimes it’s rather fun to sit in the high branches of a tree and listen to all of the paltry things that people with very little to do had to speak about, particularly the teenagers near Kurama’s high school. Of course there was hardly anything of use, but every so often he might hear one that has unrealized spiritual sensitivity asking another classmate if they had seen something strange, and he can then make a game of trying to figure out what kind of demon they may have seen.

Little things to keep himself entertained. Things that don’t occur to him now, visiting and yet wishing he was still sleeping in bed.

Today… the fire demon grumbles lowly to himself and whoever is closest :

“I can see why one would choose not to speak to this group in particular.”

☇ THESE FRAGILE EGGS

A. EDIBLE EGGS -
Hiei is a little gluttonous thing, using the sugar and calories from the eggs to help keep himself awake more often than not. All of the effects possible, paired with this big appetite, give plenty of space for stacking of effects for… interesting run ins with a usually fairly taciturn fire demon who likes to speak in circles instead of directly.

For this option, please let me know what effect(s) you’d like to play off of and I’ll send a starter to fit! Or throw me a starter with your character effected and let’s play it!

B. SMALL USELESS ITEM
Of all the useless little gifts to be given… Hiei finds himself staring at a little plush black dragon in his hands. He hadn’t been expecting really anything of use in these eggs, and there are a few items he’s given away because of just how stupid he found them but this…

This seems a little personal. And yet he can’t bear to just tear it apart or something, sneering down at his own hand as if it was mocking him with a voice no one else can hear. In a way, he almost wishes this was how he had gotten the fox charm for Kurama instead -

“This is getting ridiculous, now. Mocking.”

☇ HAND FISHING

It’s been a while since Hiei’s fished like this. Probably since he had last been with the bandits, and even then he had been too short to leave the shallows or hunt anything of decent size. Now things are a little different, of course - Hiei is at least slightly taller now, for one, and for two -

He’s had the good sense to at least strip off his outer cape and boots before wading in, situating himself where he could best see the fish swimming below him. It takes a little while of standing still for the fish to find that area trustworthy again of course, but in things like hunting the little fire demon has at least learned some value of patience. Patient enough to wait for a fish large enough to approach his legs in curiosity before he moves.

Maybe too fast for those fishing from the shore to even actually see the movement before he’s holding a fish by a gill, still strongly thrashing with a little, victorious smirk.

“Who needs worms, anyway?”

☇ FOOD FETCHING

Maybe he shouldn’t have shown how fast he is…

Now the requests are rolling in when he doesn’t want them to, though… the fire demon is at least smart enough to leverage a meal or a snack for himself as some sort of payment. This time it’s mushrooms that he’s been asked for, an easy enough item to seek out if he knew where they grew. By the smell they are a wood-bourne fungus, at least so far as he can tell, which has found Hiei in the woods, partially going off of the lingering smell of the mushroom and partially …

Using it as a quick excuse to get a cat nap. Oblivious to the lingering threat below him, of course.

☇ CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Want to play something I haven’t put up here? Let’s do a different starter and play what you’re looking for. :)

Rumors

[thecodexabides]

((ooc: because what could be better for Gadriel than talking to a literal daemon.))

It took Gadriel a moment to realize the smaller man was talking to him. Combat awareness: 100%. Social awareness: hovering around zero.

It was just a lot to take in. Like. A lot. He's half-floating the theory that he has been captured by Chaos and this is the Immaterium, some weird place designed to trick him.

They will not trick him, because Gadriel has one thing that he can always hold fast to: xenophobia! The Imperium hates xenos. With a passion and entire legions of transhuman paladin types like him. And the nagas creep him out.

"It is the nature of Chaos creatures to lie and sow division," he replies, confidently. Gossip? More like attempts to poison one's mind. He would not be fooled. Nope. Nosirree.

ELPHELT VALENTINE | GUILTY GEAR | TDM (New Player)

[travailler]

💀 I - GIRLS ON THE BEACH

[ Elphelt's arrival is undignified: on her knees, face down mumbling unintelligibly into the sand. She could be mistaken for a drunk passed out on the beach. Though it takes a while, the distinct taste of sand wakes her up. She rolls around on her back sputtering in an attempt to de-sand her mouth. Yuck.

The poor little robot attempting to catch her attention instead receives a shower of sand spit for its efforts. Eventually, Elphelt does register her surroundings and, more importantly, realizes a mouthful of sand is the least of her worries. With no reason not to, Elphelt takes the device offered by the robot, which wobbles away--someone should fix that little guy.

The paper stands out more than the device. She carefully unrolls it only to haphazardly roll it back up and stuff it back in immediately after reading its contents. This raises many, many more questions, several of which she does not want to ask. Best to ignore it entirely! Instead, she should... ]

Um. What should I do...?

[She puts a pair of fingers to her ear and--no signal. Well, who needs to be able to call people for help when you have perfectly good lungs, honed through hours of death metal? Elphelt takes a deep breath and--]

HEY! WHERE THE HECK AM I?!

💀 II - I LOVE EGG

[Well! Nothing helps with overwhelming existential panic than chocolate! In a blur of pink and leaving a trail of dust in her wake, Elphelt scours the area for eggs. Those sharpshooting eyes are put to work as she spots one colorful egg after another. With an armful, she plops herself down near someone to enjoy her spoils.]

Egg♪ Egg♪ Egg♪ I love egg♪

[Hungry, she cracks open the first and...out come a pair of socks. Bad enough her first is not edible, but doubly bad her prize is so underwhelming. ]

W-Why did the egg betray me?

[ There is no way they're all duds! She cracks open the next and...

Well, the result will depend on luck. She has acquired enough eggs that she surely has one of each flavor at this point. Random chance will determine just what she scarfs down and what those around her will be subject to. ]

💀 III - PLAY THE HERO

[ Wanting to repay the kindness of the locals, Elphelt does not think twice about jumping in to help whomever she sees in need of it. So, when she sees some fishermen struggling with their net, she decides to take a moment out of her non-existent schedule to help.

Pull in a fish? Easy. How tough can a fish be? This will be a piece of cake. The worst case? She gets her dress wet, which is actually a major problem, but that thought only occurs to her as she grabs the net. The second thoughts come too late as the net attempts to pull free from her hand. ]

Wh-Whoa! Okay, this'll take just a sec. Don't you worry.

[ Five minutes of tug-of-war pass. ]

DIE. DIE. DIE. RAAAAAAAAAAH!

[How is she not able to overpower a fish?! She can picture all her friends and family teasing her! This is no longer a matter of helping others, this is now a battle of honor. There is give and take; just as she makes some progress, the fish somehow does the same. Elphelt breaks a hole in the dock. The fishermen have given her a wide berth. If this goes on, the docks as a whole will be in danger.]

💀 MISC

[ Some miscellaneous things:

🍀 No specific prompt for it, but in her efforts to gather intel, she will be consuming all the gossip.
🍀 More info ; appearance
🍀 PM this journal or megardevoir if you have a question or want to do something!
🍀 Feel free to assume she is helping with other side quests (building, food collecting, something not on the list). This already got long so I didn't want to make a prompt for every one! ]

i.

[memori3s]

[ Well, turns out the Naga don't distrust Aldrip residents that much. For what it's worth they'd let Minato through without much fuss. In their opinions he looked like a very polite boy.

For example: he's not the one standing on the beach screaming at the top of his lungs, rupturing the eardrums of anyone who happened to be standing nearby. The girl's voice carries loud and clear, piercing right through his headphones. He claps his hands over his ears with a grimace, only lowering them upon seeing the stranger isn't gearing up to start shouting again. ]

...oh. You must be new.

[ Minato's been here long enough to recognize those who've been around, and this girl -- surely, he'd remember her if he'd seen her around? ]

haruhi suzumiya | disappearance of nagato yuki-chan | current character

[uncommonsense]

i. fishing island syndrome

[ she might have gotten a little carried away. once she was able to go out and about again and the invitation came through, there were a couple things she had to take care of! first: getting a picture with some of the naga. how cool were they?!

second was getting in good with the local color. asking questions about the land and any local legends, on top of asking about other monsters nearby. she might not be able to go near them, but she's definitely able to hear about them!

and finally, it's her carrying a bunch of streamers and flyers around, putting stuff up for the party. hanging up decorations over some of the shops and putting in the effort to make it look nice! she can be found putting up a sign, trying to get it to hang properly. ]

Phew. Alright! Let's make the most of it!

ii. hophop

[ and if there's a contest, haruhi suzumiya's on the scene, and probably conscripting someone into egg hunting with her. her search takes her all over, looking into every nook and cranny that she possibly can get to. if she spots one high up, she might call out to get some help!

otherwise, there's a couple eggs she's found! one that's not edible and a couple that are. so! as thanks-- ]

Okay! They're probably mystery flavors, right? They look chocolatey, but there could be something inside. Wanna see what we got?

[ without waiting for an answer, she pops one in her mouth! what could it be*? ]

iii. catch and release

Heave... ho!

[ haruhi's been trying her best already to help the locals free this fish, but it's been troublesome so far. with her and the others, they still can't seem to wrangle it in! how long's she been at this?

long enough that she's drenched. she's already taken a couple spills into the water, but she's not giving up that easy! ]

C'mon you-- heave, ho!

[ maybe the rhythm'll help? or, someone coming by might be what she's looking for. ]

Hey! Give us-- give us a hand here!

[ she slips a little, but she's staying upright for now! ]

iv. wildcard

[ see something you're interested in, or want to get haruhi mixed up in your character's shenanigans? hit me up via dms or in the discord!

*thinking mainly, dark chocolate, peanut butter, caramel or lemon. whichever floats ya boat, let me know! ]

iii.

[nightwild]

[Fauna is still recovering, so she can't use all her strength. Fighting against the fish like that would probably make her wounds worse. But you know what she can do?

Just transform into her samurai form, dip the tip of her sword in the water, and release some lightning. Surely, this should be enough to fry the fish so they stop flailing, right?]

Arlecchino | Genshin Impact | TDM (new player)

[decussate]

A. Fishing

[ Arlecchino's unique appearance is not so extraordinary next to the current inhabitants of this quaint little village. After all, what are black hands and crossed pupils next to glamorous half-snake people, not to mention the eclectic assortment of people who comprise her fellow "Chosen"?

How novel. How bewildering — or perhaps it would be, if Arlecchino was one to allow herself to be bewildered. Rather than spend her time on such unproductive emotions, she sets to adapting instead. Find her sitting at the docks, her regal posture and ornate clothing a nearly comical mismatch to the old squat stool she sits upon. A borrowed fishing pole sits elegantly in one clawed hand as she gazes out over the water. It seems she's waiting patiently for a catch — and continues to do so, regardless of how long one watches her.

A couple other stools sit beside her, as well as an abandoned fishing pole. Join her, perhaps?

Or perhaps, if you aren't so inclined to speak up, Arlecchino will do it for you — if you're near enough, if you've been watching long enough. Without turning, she speaks up with a pleasant, overly pleasant, lilt to her voice. ]

Care to join me? Don't worry. I won't bite.

B. Rumors

[ As one who deals in information, the eagerness of the locals to gossip is something of a professional interest to Arlecchino. Through her bearing is ever polished, the polite yet pointed curiosity she's shown around the more outgoing Naga has been enough to overcome any natural unapproachability she possesses. Their easy secrets flow, with Arlecchino only needing to supply calculated "oh?"s and "surely not"s to keep them chatting.

It's inevitable that one of the subjects of these rumors should come along. The gossiping Naga of the moment has even been so bold as to point the subject out with a scandalized, "That one, I hear..." The Naga finishes voicing the rumor too loudly, as it reaches the ears of the subject: you.

As you look over, the Naga gasps and quickly slithers away, clearly embarrassed. Arlecchino, on the other hand, has not a speck of shame to be seen, instead staring back at you. She's maybe even amused, if the faintest angle of her mouth could be interpreted as such. ]

Greetings. It seems you've made quite the name for yourself.

[ Her tone is smooth yet weighted, casual only on its face. ]

C. Wildcard

(( Feel free to suggest anything else that interests you! If you have any questions or want to get into contact, feel free to DM this account. ))

A. Fishing!

[gravity_flares]

The fish don't look to be bitin', either.

[He gets caught up in watching her by mistake m, honestly. It's not like he's trying to be sneaky about it, nor does he care about being found out. There's just something about her noticing while being so focused on the whole fishing thing that stands out. So, he quips back with her right away and walks the remaining length of the dock to be at its edge alongside her.]

You even caught anything, yet?

[As if he hasn't been watching her that long. Looks like he's fishing for something else. How long it took her to notice.]

G'raha Tia | Final Fantasy XIV | TDM (new player)

[exexarch]

1 Arrival
[One moment G'raha Tia had been taking a moment's respite from all the paperwork he and Krile needed to sort through, and he doesn't recall even feeling tired, or nodding off.

So imagine his surprise when he finds himself waking up in, a bed? A bed that's already occupied?

G'raha startles, and attempts to get out of the bed, only to be met with resistance.]

Pray forgive me, you...ah... you seem to be laying on my tail...

[How embarrassing...]

2 Hatching-tide

[An egg-hunting festival is at least a small bit of familiarity in an unfamiliar world.
Though the prize he gets when he cracks open an egg, a small, familiar looking mammet, is, surprising, to say the least.]

How did they come to find one of those...?

3 Sidequests!

[The MMO/JRPG character in his natural element. G'raha would be willing to help with most any of the quests.

You're most likely to find him helping with fishing, fetching food in the forest, or doing general good deeds

And if he catches sight of someone struggling to do what they were tasked to, he'll approach.]

Are you in need of assistance?

Wildcard

[Got another idea, have at it!]

(ooc: I have played the MSQ to the end of 6.0, and am slowly making my way through 6.x content, so careful with spoilers past that.)

3

[nightwild]

[Red hair and animal ears? A comrade? ... Except this guy's a cat, apparently. Fauna's fox tail swishes as he approaches her, unsure of what to do with this information.

All that said... Yeah, she probably could use the help. She's trying to carry some heavy stuff for the construction efforts, but from the way she's carrying herself, it's pretty obvious that she's still recovering from some heavy injuries.]

Nah, I got it. I'm strong.

[... She doesn't got it. Her voice is definitely a bit strained.]

mitsuru kirijo ❄️ persona 3 ❄️ current

[icequeenly]

i | EGG-STATIC

[ Encounter Mitsuru during the egg hunt after she's gotten herself one of the following: ]

a | edible options
[ Given their history of relations (and there has been friction to say the least), Mitsuru doesn't entirely trust anything edible the locals have given the Chosen. Still, it seems like it might cause offense and potentially more issues if she doesn't at least nibble on the chocolate within the chromatic egg shell.

...For this option, just let me know what effect(s) you’d like Mitsuru to have and I’ll build on this and give you a more custom starter. ]

b | non-edible - fuzzy hand-cuffs...
[ They're pink, they're extremely fluffy... what is their purpose exactly? That seems to be what the redhead is wondering as she holds up the mysterious object and ponders aloud: ]

I don't understand... Do they expect me to arrest someone with these?

ii | SIDE QUESTS

a | Fetch!
[ Taking on any kind of monster alone is never advisable, Mitsuru of all people knows this. However, the cooks are requesting food and it's not as though she hasn't already had her fair share of dealings with this creatures in this place. It's almost nostalgic, after all when she and Aragaki had first arrived here accepting missions to defeat monsters had been how they'd made a living in Aldrip. It's bitter sweet to do this alone but also a welcome distraction.

Having accepted the errand, you might encounter a certain redhead on a mission, walking towards that very monster-ridden forest, rapier and evoker (that gun looking object) at her sides. Try and stop her, or join her? ]

b | Hey, you!
[ Is that Mitsuru holding a hammer...? Is it possible for anyone to look less at home holding an object like that? Probably not. She's not even sure how she was persuaded to help with this when she hasn't got the slightest idea about manual labour and the object looks so out of place in her callous-free, perfectly manicured hand. Perhaps curiosity for peasant things got the better of her?

Either way, this is not a good idea and she seems to be voicing as much to the very persistent naga. ]

I'm afraid I'm not entirely the ideal choice of helper with this task. Are you quite sure you wouldn't prefer to ask someone else?

[ please don't actually let her try and hammer in a nail. ]

sidequest: fetch

[thecodexabides]

[There is probably a bucket of heresy happening here, and he's not sure he should be taking quests from unholy creatures. The Codex Astartes has literally no section on how to handle any of this.

But small people heading off into danger alone does not sit right with him. If there's xenos killing to be done, he is on it. But that's a reasonably sized 'if'.

He falls in beside the woman (the Imperium is known for many terrible things, but sexism is not one of them) just as the forest closed around them. ]

I am curious what these creatures think of as 'monsters'. [Because come on, those nagas were...unsettling-looking.]

Gadriel | Warhammer 40K | TDM

[thecodexabides]

i. beach vacation

[Well, beach and vacation are two words that Gadriel does not have a lot of familiarity with. Like. At all. He woke up in the sand, half buried, jerking awake with a spray of sand and movement that scared anyone nearby. That thing that looked like a washed up log or something? Was a washed up Space Marine.

And he does not wake up easy, but with the panicked sense that something is very, very off.

You might get hit with a spray of salt, or surprised but the sudden movement of what you thought was a log, or maybe his voice scares you, as he yells.]

What sorcery is this? [Listen, sometimes you gotta go with the classics.]

ii.a. Eggs

[Was he looking for eggs? No. Did he find some anyway? Of course. They're everywhere. It doesn't exactly take Astartes skill to spot the bright objects. He's a little (more than a little?) suspicious of the eggs, because, uh, bad things can happen from eggs. (Don't get him started on mushrooms.)

You, are conveniently nearby, so if you give him an opening (like, look at him, because who is probably NOT going to stare at the large blue armored weirdo, right?) he will approach. ]

...should we be stealing the eggs of the serpent creatures? In front of them? [That's right: he figures the eggs must be from the nagas, and the nagas creep him out because they look an awful lot like the accounts he's read about Fulgrim, who is very very not good. Which means, yes, he's pretty sure the nagas are Chaos critters.]

ii.b. Rogue Trading?
[Or maybe you want to trade eggs. Why? Because...reasons, that's why. For some reason the eggs Gadriel found are non-edible. Trade him an edible egg and he will give you one of his non edible eggs. (ooc: eggs to trade: Chocolate peanut butter egg, chocolate caramel, white chocolate with strawberry, chocolate with lemon (if you dare??), chocolate with nougat--decide which one to give him or we can let the RNG decide his fate!) ]


iii. why's it gotta be SNAKES

[Stay calm, Gadriel. Sure. Sure it's fine. You have no idea how you ended up in what looks like some pocket dimension of the Immaterium, isolated, all by yourself, none of your brothers answering you on vox, and surrounded by creatures that look like a Chaos-fallen primarch, but it's fiiiiiine. You can handle this.

You can definitely deal with recalcitrant young people. It's almost your job.

Gadriel approaches the tree with the naga in it. Are we expecting sympathy? TOO BAD! there's no room for sympathy in the Imperium. ]

You got up there. You can get down. The injury will not be fatal. [See how good he is with kids? Uh, you might want to help him by providing people skills.]

iv miscellaneous
((other quests/ideas that require a large heavily armored and slightly grumpy idiot? hit me! you can even pick a fight with him.))

iii.

[abandonware]

[Children stuck up trees is hardly A2's expertise either, though as the android watches, she comes to realize that she and Pod would be better at it than this guy.]

They're scared. [Like this armored man, she is similarly out of place, wearing a tattered black cloak and a massive greatsword floating behind her back. She and her little floating drone approach the tree and look up at the crying snake child.] Kids just cry more when you say things like that.

[As if on cue, the snake child's cries increase in volume and shrillness. Wincing, A2 calls up:]

Hey! Pipe down. [And then, voice softening:] We'll get you out of the tree, alright? Just... stop crying.

[Her people skills aren't great either, but the gruff certainty in her voice seems to calm the little naga down.]

Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler | X-Men Evolution | In-Game Character/OTA

[digthefuzz]

A. Fuzzy Rumors

[Kurt is wandering the streets of Rumpitur, somewhat uneasily. He's stopped using his image inducer to disguise his true blue self because he felt safe in Aldrip and realized he didn't need to rely on it anymore. But now he's in a place where rumors keep flying around, some of them about a blue and/or devil-looking guy.

It's uncomfortable being the subject of rumor again, but some of them are just downright baffling. After some kids shrink away from him, he manages to overhear enough of their conversation to get what rumor they had been hearing.]

...Do they really think I'm Krampus?

[He lets out a sigh.]

B. Eggs-Men Eggvolution

[Kurt's all over the egg hunt! With his teleportation power, it's super easy for him to rack up eggs. And he doesn't think much of eating some chocolate eggs either, especially as his first few were milk chocolate ones, which lured him into a false sense of security. And so, any number of effects could come into play.]

B-1. I can be your Angle...

[After eating some white chocolate, Kurt is left looking a bit contradictory. He has his blue devil-like appearance, but with big angel wings and white clothes. He swoops in whenever anyone seems to need help with anything, even a minor problem.]

Yo! Need some help?

[Or if he sees anyone about to do a crime, he'll fly and teleport right over to them, desperately, as if trying to prevent a murder.]

No!!

B-2. ...Or, talk about Deviled Eggs

[And then after eating some dark chocolate, he doubles down on the devil look. His fur is now red, and he's sporting horns and pointier teeth. He's feeling a lot less lawfully obedient than usual, but he doesn't know where to begin. He teleports next to a random person.]

Do you ever feel like just messing with the man? Or the snake-man in this case?

B-3. Hatching Other Shenanigans

[If Kurt and someone else have both found an egg, he holds up the treat inside like it's a drink.]

Cheers!

[And then he'll down it! What effect will it be? You decide, or I'll RNG it! Pretty much any of them are fair game, though in the case of chocolate with lemon, the aphrodisiac effect will only manifest as a desire for cuddling! At least he's soft and furry?]

C. Net Gains

[Once Kurt finds out about the sidequests, he figures it will be a good way to make a peaceful exchange with the people of Rumpitur - and perhaps it will make up for whatever he did as a devil.

So now he's at the pier, trying to pull up the fishing net. It's a lot harder than he looks! He grunts as he pulls on the net, digging his heels in while trying to keep himself from being pulled into the water.]

Whoa! This is a big one! I bet this guy could give Jaws indigestion...! [He grunts as he continues to pull!]

D. Wildcard

[Feel free to come up with an alternate prompt or hit me up for plotting!]

[exexarch]

[G'raha isn't at all phased by Kurt's appearance.]

Who is Krampus, and why would someone mistake you for him?

asa mitaka | chainsaw man | new player

[warhawks]

a. arrival

[ Today, the peaceful morning air is broken by the sound of... shrieking?

Yeah, guess who got a face full of concerned Naga after she jolted awake from her nightmare? Asa, of course. She doesn't stick around for the explanation; instead, she runs up to the first human(oid) figure she sees, pointing back the way she came and hissing out: ]

Snake. [ Then, more urgently: ] Weird snake person.

[ Rude. ]

b. restaurant

[ Here to grab a meal? Just taking a break? Enjoy the plate of fish being slid in front of you, courtesy of a vaguely disgruntled looking teenage girl. ]

You can have this. [ How generou— ] I can't eat fish. It looks too much like a dead animal... I get creeped out. [ who tf asked ]

c. sidequests

[ Baby stuck in the tree? Fish in the net? Some other quest? Either way, Asa's looking at you with mild disdain, as if this is your fault. ]

Um... shouldn't you do something?

[ ooc: info/permissions/cws here, especially relevant for characters who could pick up that she has a second, highly malevolent presence in her head. feel free to PM with any questions, or wildcard me with your own prompt! ]

A

[entreats]

[ Helpfully - or maybe entirely unhelpfully, depending on how Asa feels about this reaction, really - Ange seems to remain totally calm. Both in the face of the snake people the other is talking about and in the face of Asa's own alarm. In fact, it seems like there's hardly even any sign of emotion on Ange's face at all, her facial expression practically a perfect poker face. ]

Yeah. [ She just says, incredibly calmly and casual. Like Asa was pointing out what the weather is right now. A 'yeah, I know' sort of deal. ] That's what they're like in this place.