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pluviooc2024-03-18 02:45 pm
pluviosamods) wrote in pluviooc2024-03-18 02:45 pm
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TEST DRIVE 02
TEST DRIVE
Hello, and welcome to the second Pluviosa Test Drive!
This Test Drive corresponds to Days 4-12 in the ship calendar, and will run until around the game's next major event. You can get a better idea what's going on in the most recent Game Update which covers Days 5-8. Currently, character IC housing is not in operation yet; it is expected to open on Day 9 (part of the way through the Test Drive period). Otherwise, the ship is largely in the state described on the Setting page and in other game information.
Test Drive threads involving characters who are accepted are considered canon to the events of the game unless otherwise agreed by players/mods. Pluviosa does not do welcome mingle logs nor does it have any kind of in-character welcome information, making your test drive threads your character's arrival to the game setting. That said, mod-run interactions such as formal exploration and/or interactions with the Ship as an NPC are not available on the Test Drive.
It is advised that potential players familiarize themselves with the Premise page, the Rules/Session Zero page, and at least the first few paragraphs of the Setting page. As Pluviosa is a horror game, we especially encourage players to be aware of the content warnings that will be major themes of the game. If you have any further questions, you can ask them on the QUESTIONS header in the comments!
If you're test driving a character, you're welcome to join the game Discord and hang out and meet your fellow players!
You wake up. You remember waking up, right? In another place, another time...
There's blood running down your fingers. Outside, the rain isn't pounding, yet, just a gentle patter...
Or is it?
As characters gain fuller awareness of their surroundings, they will realize that there is, in fact, no blood on their hands (save any that might have already been there). It feels as though they lost focus for a moment and hallucinated, but the hallucination ended with them somewhere else entirely.
There is not actually the sound of rain. If characters are near enough to a window, balcony, or even a hole in the ceiling, they will find that it is cloudless, beaming sunlight outside. The emptiness in the distance rolls on and on, completely absent any signs of life.
That being, of course, because the signs of life are all in here. Characters might wake up on any of the decks on the upper side of the ship - anywhere that isn't the cafeteria or lounge where previous arrivals spend most of their time is free game. This also means, of course, that they have the jungle of plants to contend with...
Most areas in the ship are dark when characters arrive. That doesn't mean that they stay dark. Occasionally, lights overhead flicker on and off for a few minutes at a time.
The problem with this isn't the lights themselves (cool white and kind of industrial). It's the reaction that the addition of the extra light causes the plants in the dark areas of the ship that's cause for alarm. To describe the growth as explosive isn't an understatement - vines, saplings, and even thicker branches surge with growth, pushing outwards towards the distant sunlight and upwards towards the flickering bulbs.
The growth is sudden enough to take all but the most aware characters by surprise, and if they're in the wrong corner of the room, it's very easy to get tangled up, wedged in by a tree trunk, or otherwise trapped against some corner or wall. If you're lucky and skilled, you might be able to cut yourself out from there (or break down the wall you're shoved up against), but otherwise, there's only one solution left.
Yell like your life depends on it, and hope somebody out there can hear you. And that whoever hears is someone who is inclined to help, rather than leaving you there. Or worse.
Oh, and the lights flicker back off after a few minutes, of course. Hopefully you're not waiting for rescue in the dark (with the smell of mold and the general faint dampness of the forest) for too long.
Occasionally, the whole ship tilts.
This is not simply the side to side motion of a ship on the water (or the equivalent motion brought on by the way this particular ship moves); it's an extremely forward or backward tilt that sends things sliding across the floor if they aren't secured by roots or something else. Unlike storm-tossed ships, the tilt is somewhat prolonged - rather than everything sliding back and forth a couple times a minute, the tilt lasts for five, ten, maybe as much as twenty minutes.
Although it's not enough to knock a well-balanced character off their feet, it's quite likely that new arrivals will not be particularly on-balance. And attempting to traverse the ship with the tilt is a tall order... especially when the ship's angle does unexpectedly change... to the exact opposite direction. All that goes up the mountain must go back down, and a glance out the windows reveals that that's exactly what's going on, as the ship progresses across a mountainous landscape without real regard for the concept of mountain passes.
And for characters who have managed to make their way to the "civilized" parts of the ship, namely the cafeteria and the lounge above it... None of the furniture in these areas is secured. The cafeteria carts under the direct control of the Ship don't seem as inclined to go anywhere, but the tables and chairs in the cafeteria and the couches and armchairs upstairs... Well, it's a good thing both spaces are surrounded by railings. Large chunks of tree trunk also still littler the lounge, sliding back and forth and occasionally rolling with great force across the floor.
Better hold on tight.
While wandering around the ship's interior, characters might occasionally hear a person whistling.
The sound always seems to be coming from just around the corner, but it sounds alive in a way that other sounds don't. Maybe more alive, even, than the rustle of leaves, the occasional drip of water, and the sounds of things sliding back and forth across the grimy, leaf-covered floors. The whistler, whoever they are, doesn't actively respond if called out to - but the whistling does pause, as though indicating that the call was heard, before starting up again.
If characters choose to follow the whistling, they're inevitably led to the same place - somewhere overlooking the great gap down the middle of the ship, whether an internal suite's balcony, one of the bridges crossing between the two halves, or one of the hallways that runs alongside it. Once they're there, there's no whistler in sight; however, characters will be filled with the overwhelming urge to look over the edge of the railing and down into the lower parts of the ship.
Exactly what they experience after looking down varies. Some will hallucinate that they've fallen over the side, feeling their balance go haywire and seeing the floor rushing up to them right up until the moment of "impact," at which everything returns to normal. Some will feel a stranger's hands on their shoulders, threatening to push them over with a great shove that goes through them with incorporeal fingers. Some will just hear unidentifiable laughter right up close to their ears, and experience the distinct sensation that there's someone laughing at them, in a haha-made-you-look kind of way.
But whatever happens, when they look up, there's no one there - or at least not anyone that physically close to them. The one good thing about being drawn to the middle section of the ship by whatever prankster this is is that it makes it a lot easier to run into people if you're all drawn to the same, highly visible place.
And at least the other person is flesh and blood, right? Probably.
This Test Drive corresponds to Days 4-12 in the ship calendar, and will run until around the game's next major event. You can get a better idea what's going on in the most recent Game Update which covers Days 5-8. Currently, character IC housing is not in operation yet; it is expected to open on Day 9 (part of the way through the Test Drive period). Otherwise, the ship is largely in the state described on the Setting page and in other game information.
Test Drive threads involving characters who are accepted are considered canon to the events of the game unless otherwise agreed by players/mods. Pluviosa does not do welcome mingle logs nor does it have any kind of in-character welcome information, making your test drive threads your character's arrival to the game setting. That said, mod-run interactions such as formal exploration and/or interactions with the Ship as an NPC are not available on the Test Drive.
It is advised that potential players familiarize themselves with the Premise page, the Rules/Session Zero page, and at least the first few paragraphs of the Setting page. As Pluviosa is a horror game, we especially encourage players to be aware of the content warnings that will be major themes of the game. If you have any further questions, you can ask them on the QUESTIONS header in the comments!
If you're test driving a character, you're welcome to join the game Discord and hang out and meet your fellow players!
ARRIVAL - LIKE THE RAIN
You wake up. You remember waking up, right? In another place, another time...
There's blood running down your fingers. Outside, the rain isn't pounding, yet, just a gentle patter...
Or is it?
As characters gain fuller awareness of their surroundings, they will realize that there is, in fact, no blood on their hands (save any that might have already been there). It feels as though they lost focus for a moment and hallucinated, but the hallucination ended with them somewhere else entirely.
There is not actually the sound of rain. If characters are near enough to a window, balcony, or even a hole in the ceiling, they will find that it is cloudless, beaming sunlight outside. The emptiness in the distance rolls on and on, completely absent any signs of life.
That being, of course, because the signs of life are all in here. Characters might wake up on any of the decks on the upper side of the ship - anywhere that isn't the cafeteria or lounge where previous arrivals spend most of their time is free game. This also means, of course, that they have the jungle of plants to contend with...
LIGHTS ON, SHOW START
Most areas in the ship are dark when characters arrive. That doesn't mean that they stay dark. Occasionally, lights overhead flicker on and off for a few minutes at a time.
The problem with this isn't the lights themselves (cool white and kind of industrial). It's the reaction that the addition of the extra light causes the plants in the dark areas of the ship that's cause for alarm. To describe the growth as explosive isn't an understatement - vines, saplings, and even thicker branches surge with growth, pushing outwards towards the distant sunlight and upwards towards the flickering bulbs.
The growth is sudden enough to take all but the most aware characters by surprise, and if they're in the wrong corner of the room, it's very easy to get tangled up, wedged in by a tree trunk, or otherwise trapped against some corner or wall. If you're lucky and skilled, you might be able to cut yourself out from there (or break down the wall you're shoved up against), but otherwise, there's only one solution left.
Yell like your life depends on it, and hope somebody out there can hear you. And that whoever hears is someone who is inclined to help, rather than leaving you there. Or worse.
Oh, and the lights flicker back off after a few minutes, of course. Hopefully you're not waiting for rescue in the dark (with the smell of mold and the general faint dampness of the forest) for too long.
TILT-A-WORLD
Occasionally, the whole ship tilts.
This is not simply the side to side motion of a ship on the water (or the equivalent motion brought on by the way this particular ship moves); it's an extremely forward or backward tilt that sends things sliding across the floor if they aren't secured by roots or something else. Unlike storm-tossed ships, the tilt is somewhat prolonged - rather than everything sliding back and forth a couple times a minute, the tilt lasts for five, ten, maybe as much as twenty minutes.
Although it's not enough to knock a well-balanced character off their feet, it's quite likely that new arrivals will not be particularly on-balance. And attempting to traverse the ship with the tilt is a tall order... especially when the ship's angle does unexpectedly change... to the exact opposite direction. All that goes up the mountain must go back down, and a glance out the windows reveals that that's exactly what's going on, as the ship progresses across a mountainous landscape without real regard for the concept of mountain passes.
And for characters who have managed to make their way to the "civilized" parts of the ship, namely the cafeteria and the lounge above it... None of the furniture in these areas is secured. The cafeteria carts under the direct control of the Ship don't seem as inclined to go anywhere, but the tables and chairs in the cafeteria and the couches and armchairs upstairs... Well, it's a good thing both spaces are surrounded by railings. Large chunks of tree trunk also still littler the lounge, sliding back and forth and occasionally rolling with great force across the floor.
Better hold on tight.
SOMETHING WHISTLING
While wandering around the ship's interior, characters might occasionally hear a person whistling.
The sound always seems to be coming from just around the corner, but it sounds alive in a way that other sounds don't. Maybe more alive, even, than the rustle of leaves, the occasional drip of water, and the sounds of things sliding back and forth across the grimy, leaf-covered floors. The whistler, whoever they are, doesn't actively respond if called out to - but the whistling does pause, as though indicating that the call was heard, before starting up again.
If characters choose to follow the whistling, they're inevitably led to the same place - somewhere overlooking the great gap down the middle of the ship, whether an internal suite's balcony, one of the bridges crossing between the two halves, or one of the hallways that runs alongside it. Once they're there, there's no whistler in sight; however, characters will be filled with the overwhelming urge to look over the edge of the railing and down into the lower parts of the ship.
Exactly what they experience after looking down varies. Some will hallucinate that they've fallen over the side, feeling their balance go haywire and seeing the floor rushing up to them right up until the moment of "impact," at which everything returns to normal. Some will feel a stranger's hands on their shoulders, threatening to push them over with a great shove that goes through them with incorporeal fingers. Some will just hear unidentifiable laughter right up close to their ears, and experience the distinct sensation that there's someone laughing at them, in a haha-made-you-look kind of way.
But whatever happens, when they look up, there's no one there - or at least not anyone that physically close to them. The one good thing about being drawn to the middle section of the ship by whatever prankster this is is that it makes it a lot easier to run into people if you're all drawn to the same, highly visible place.
And at least the other person is flesh and blood, right? Probably.
Good thing he likes card games and trap cards-
It’s little things like this that make her seem less of a prowling hunter and more…like a person. He’s not sure what’s requiring so much thought, but he’ll wait. To him, this deal makes sense.
High risk, high reward.
She leans forward, and while he does twitch away a fraction, he watches her in turn, his mind made up. A gambler does not shy from the bet. “Don’t believe in debt? My dear lady, you have… much more generous morals than I’d ever experienced, it seems.” Debt is all he’s been allowed. Betting is how he lived. He briefly thinks of Ratio, scoffing at him once upon a time, insisting that if one has the means to cure an ailment, then it’s only logical that one should. Idealists, the lot of them.
And there it is. This won’t kill him, so she says. He feels that familiar rush of anxiety mixed with excitement, the curiosity over what might happen, where the chips will fall. “What’s a little more suffering? I’m familiar with it, I’ll be fine.” And if it squared away a debt? Secured an ally, perhaps?
If it could help him not be so scared all the time-’They only see your big bets, your bravado, the full house, the straight flush. They don't know the other hand is below the table, clutching your chips for dear life.’
He keeps his eyes locked on her own, which are full of barely restrained hunger and…something else he can’t quite read. Deep crimson red…Beautiful. Terrifying. Like pools of blood, reminding him of when he took the shackles around his wrists and—and-ended his master’s life, of when his sister’s life ended right in front of him, while all he could do was hold in the screams to not make her death in vain. His hand shakes, and he shoves it behind his back. He smiles, wide, a bit manic. “Seems like we’ve reached an agreement, Lady Aurelia. Go ahead and eat up.”
Well you asked for it.
Before his hand can make it behind his back, her own darts out and catches it by the wrist. She considers scolding him for his levity, but it doesn't really matter. From the moment her fingers touch the skin of his wrist, the flow shifts. The sensation of gravity shifting, pulling the stream of emotions underneath his skin off course, to rush out through their point of contact and into her waiting mind. The red surges, howls, the hunger hiding beneath the ocean opening it's maw and drinking deep.
Fear, like rich red meat served at the highest functions of the land. She savors it, funnels it through the labyrinth and feels the ice begin to melt and reaches deeper. Grief and guilt and old sorrows, a blend of spices rarely separated, that burns the inside of her mouth and rushes through her blood, warms her to the core. Pain and frustration like fruit bursting under her fangs, light and sweet. More. She plucks curiosity and excitement out of him like ripping fish from the river, swallows them and savors the sugary taste of chocolate that lingers in the back of her mind. The flow is slowing, she needs to be careful, the red of her eyes leaps out and plunges into the thinning ocean of his thoughts reaching for -
Something burns, and the red recoils in hatefearpainpainpain her mental grasp only brushing against his memories. A young woman (his sister), face pinched with hunger. Shackles around her (his) wrists, chains snapping. Death. Dead men dead sisters dead family. An older man, purple hair and a strong jaw, a meal shared with exasperation and frustration (and affection, right? she can't be sure, he wasn't). A golden halo, blinding as (it dissolves into static, someone was here before her, who?)
The feeling of rushing... nothing. Nothing filling her mouth and cutting of her air but she dosen't need to breathe but (he does)
She pulls away, taking the fragments of memory with her and retreating faster than he can see into the shadows around them. Red eyes blazing as she lets out a low laugh, musical and full of feeling. She's never felt this alive before, and it's taking all of her willpower not to pounce on her weakened (not prey not prey) friend and rip his throat out. She looks away, keep an eye on him from the corner of her eye as she sways back and forth.
Everything is so very bright now. How delightful!
SURE DID!! Bone apple teeth, girlie
He shudders, his terror suddenly surging forward to the forefront. She'd pulled his trembling hand back out into the open, she knows she knows he's going to die-
Of course she knows. This is what he'd offered her.
And something...drains out, and he finds himself hazily wondering...why he'd been so scared just now...
This was part of their deal, and they both get something to eat. It only makes sense. The lack of terror gives way to a strange peace of sorts, even as he feels...something...tear deeper into him, consuming, ripping something important away...something about that should be worrying, but instead his muscles relax. He sways in place, as he starts to lean into her strengthening grip.
There's a giddiness bubbling up in his chest. Finally. He's not...scared anymore. Why would he ever be? He's just helping someone not starve anymore like he did. It feels...good. The excitement of the new sensation makes him giggle before that all drains away too, leaving him a little woozy. Thing is, that gets sucked into the current too.
And then...something blood colored and warm, a shared meal...? It's slipping from his grasp. A tiny voice tells him this is bad, he needs to hold onto this- but the voice sinks quickly into the numbing rush flowing into the now warm hand around his wrist. What was...someone would be...cross with him for doing this...
Who...? He literally can't find any means within him to care...
The hand pulls away, and he slumps to the side, against some metal railing without that support. His limbs feel like lead. He can barely keep his eyes open. There's a heavy...nothingness over his thoughts, a hollowness in his chest he'd...never quite experienced before. Wow. He's taken "medicine" nowhere close to this effective.
He hears a laugh somewhere nearby. The faintest note of satisfaction drifts up to his attention then pops like a bubble. He's...really tired...he gives a sleepy smile, only because you're supposed to smile when someone laughs. He can't really recall why, but that he should.
"Hmm...taste good...?" He mumbles, his head drooping down toward his chest. All alarm bells that would go off at going unconscious in front of someone are effectively silenced at the moment. He's just...exhausted...
Aventurine doesn't realize that, without apparent danger, his overtired body is starting to shut itself down into a recovery mode of sorts. His eyes close, and a darkness spreads over his mind like numbing static before he loses consciousness, going fully limp against the bridge's railing.
This leaves his hand hanging over the darkness below. Before, this would have terrified him. Now he's not even aware.
He can't keep getting away with this.
Aurelia is chewing on her stolen memories, letting names and faces float together in the melting pool of her mind when Aventurine starts to slip, and like any predator would goes still and fixes her attention on him.
He's trying to laugh, his facial muscles twitching rapidly as he sways drunkenly. (She could kill him, with stolen life force burning in her veins she could tear his throat open between the heavy blinks he can't resist.) His eyes have the glassy hollow look she was expecting, but no one ever acted like this when she fed on them before (not that she has a huge sample pool really and maybe she should just finish him before - )
He falls over, slumped against the railing. He's slipping down it and she crosses the bridge in a flash to keep him from bashing his head against the ground, catching him by the scruff of his jacket as she tilts her head down at him curiously. Well. Fuck. He's asleep. "You know, I really should have seen this one coming" she muses quietly, voice rich and with a musical accent, "With how tired he was he probably forgot he was running on Adrenaline"
Considering the tenor of his stolen memories, he's probably been running on adrenaline for most of his life. Wherever he's from. (she can't pin down even a region from the fragments she stole, somewhere with a lot of sand maybe?) "Well now what am I going to do with you?" She asks rhetorically, looking around the bridge to see if someone had materialized now that she's assaulted another passenger and knocked him out.
No? Well. Shit. She takes a deep breath, reaches for calm and control, and tries to freeze the glowing river of her thoughts back into place. She needs to take him somewhere safe, it's the responsible thing to do. (She needs to take him to her lair, her heritage reflects back at her, so she can finish her meal in peace). "We're gonna ignore that."
She's talking to herself out loud, as she pulls him up with one hand and settles him across her shoulders with a casual ease. "Alright alright, you're gonna be a consistent problem for someone around here I'm sure, let's take you upstairs hmm?" Something in her stolen memories drags her in the direction Aventurine approached from. The quiet call of like to like against enhanced senses. Slipping away from the bridge and deeper into the ship.
Bet won?