February/March Test Drive Meme

[sphererpmod]

February/March TDM

Welcome to Sphere's February/March Test Drive meme! This is a great place to get a feel for the game and how your characters might fit in here. Explore the setting, and get your samples and some starting CR all at the same time!

• Applications and Reserves are always open!
• Threads on the TDM are considered game canon if both parties agree to it!
• Threads on the TDM may be considered for Activity Check if need be!

blue moon

So the people within the Sphere City miss the moon. At least, that’s what someone can draw from the fact that as January slips into February, large images of the moon are everywhere. The Full moon, to be more specific. There are silver streamers around the merchant dome, and lights have been modified to have a more silver than golden glow in appearance, even at all hours of the day there. Sure it makes things a bit difficult to see, but that’s not really a problem is it?

At night, several domes have large projections of the moon made against the domes. They’re pictures of the moon in varying states of artistic and scientific values. There's a kind of dreamy music that’s played, and a lot of the locals have silver flowers in their hair. Fire pits are common, and older residents are seated around them, telling tales of the moon and its connection to the waters above them. Some stories tell how it glows and shines or is made of green cheese. They also tell how sometimes there were people in the moon, men or women, gods or goddesses, or animals like rabbits. And some stories tell of how the moon would make people mad, and that’s where the term lunacy comes from.

Oh, and there are a few stories about werewolves too. And about how there walking among the people in the Sphere. Even now.

Food at the festival is based around the moon too, or at least the idea of the moon. There’s mooncake of course, but there’s also moon pies, half moon cheese pies, and pierogi, and various cheese and cracker platters, because the moon is made of green cheese after all. There’s moon-based cocktails, that are blue and silver. And some that are shimmering and shining.

People can draw fortunes from the moonwell, but, they’re silly and nonsensical, and people eat the silvery rice paper after they’re finished with them. A few of them however have more ominous sort of fortunes in them. Things like “help me” or “they’re out to get you” or “they’re coming and you can’t stop them.” People shrug those ones off too though. if someone asks about them.

what big eyes you have

So, there are rumors about werewolves that have been circulating around town, and people seem to be given red cloaks at random. Pretty girls and women are offered them the most, but they are open to anyone. If people put them on, which the surrounding locals will cheer and encourage them to do. Then they tell them that their clue is in their pockets and that they will save the town.

In the pockets is another silver disk with a list of names on it. One of those names is a werewolf. You’re given three clues (something like: ‘wearing a blue sweater’ or ‘bald man’ or ‘at the candy stall’) for each one, and then you either accuse them of being a werewolf or clear them. If you accuse them and you’re correct then you’re given a small vial with glowing stones in it and are told that they were actually pieces of the moon before it was lost. Whatever that means. You may want to hold onto them.

If you accuse them and you’re wrong, the game is over for you for the moment and the cloak is taken away. Each cloak has a different list of six names on it, and the names replenish every time someone gets a new cloak. Why yes, the Sphere is playing a game of werewolf with you. How the game goes entirely up to you, and whether or not your character gets invested or what. NPCs are definitely available for this if need be! Please feel free to go a little nuts with this, and player characters can definitely be one of the suspects if they're up for it.

exploration: something that was lost can be found

It’s big news around Sphere City: some old lost and sealed domes have been found along the edges of town. Not only have they been found, but they’re open! Not only are they open but the stuff inside is there on a first come first serve basis. These old domes show no signs of dust, but there are some personal effects within them, pictures and the like. They definitely belonged to someone who had been pulled into the city at some point within the last seven years.

And they’re definitely worth checking out. One never knows one might find in them. Various varieties of clothing are available, as are books, food items (probably shouldn’t eat them), toys and there may or may not be some magical or important historical things hidden here or there if your character is very lucky. Mod note: Nothing world breaky or living can be found, but small things like potions or jewelry or amulets or small weapons (daggers or guns with a very limited amount of bullets.)

mechanic: memory share

Too see the full updates on how memory shares work, please visit here

1. Memory shares are experienced over the networked, and beamed directly into the other person's brains as if they are experiencing it themselves.
2. Shares do not need to be written a certain way, but here is a mod example: Too see the full updates on how memory shares work, please visit Max Tinder memory share.
3. These memories are things that they are watching through the experience of the person who's memory has already happened. It's like seeing a recording that feels very real. However, there isn't anything that they can personally do within it. These are things that have already happened to the character and are fixed points.
4. These posts are responded to like a message on the network, and not in the memory itself.

wildcard

This is a good place to test out something like the network or an idea of your own! Remember upon waking in The Sphere, each character is fitted with a small golden circle behind their right ear. This is how they are connected to the network through a neural link. Touch and hold the button to create a broadcast of one of three types:

1. Audio. Your character thinks audible words onto the network.
2. Writing: Your character thinks text into the network.
3. Video. Your character projects a broadcast of a video of themselves onto the network.

Replies are determined by the player. The network needs to be accessed by choice, so character broadcasts are not automatically beamed directly into people’s heads. The Sphere isn’t that rude.

Private messages are allowed by pressing and holding and pressing and holding again as you picture the person in your mind. This can be an image or a name, err more on the side of things being more accessible than less.

photo inspiration

Comments

Sam Eliot | The Society

[ourvicissitudes]

( A. Blue Moon )

[ Being pulled into the Sphere came as a bit of a shock to Sam. He didn't quite know what to make of it all but the festivities had drawn him out anyway. He had managed to get himself some snacks and a drink before settling at one of the fire pits to watch an older resident tell a story. He was able to read most of it, though sometimes he lost parts. He's concentrated on that and on the delicious food he has stacked on a plate. It's kind of better than the things they'd been making in the cafeteria even if Will was a pretty good chef and all. Maybe it's just that it was something completely different? All the same, he won't notice right away if someone sits by him. It'd take him even longer to notice if they try and talk to him.

But he would, glancing beside him, seeing whoever joined him not understanding why he'd ignored them. Quickly he'd sign and as he spoke. ]

Sorry, I didn't see you.

( B. Movies aren't the best )

Sam wasn't there to watch the movie. There wasn't captions and even so he had seen the movie before and it really wasn't his thing. He was there to people watch. He hadn't had a ton of luck finding anyone that could sign and he was really missing his friends and oddly enough New Ham almost as much as he missed West Ham. How is that even possible? A plus was that his brother isn't here to completely destroy everything but neither were Grizz, Becca or Eden. He'd barely gotten to see Eden before ending up waking up in this strange place. Apparently, the universe wasn't done fucking with him -- or maybe this is a nightmare or some matrix thing. What was the matrix anyway? He'd never actually watched that movie.

He eats popcorn and he'll wave and smile at anyone that does look his way but he doesn't try to talk. What would be the point with a movie playing? But he does want someone to join him even if it would probably have it's challenges especially if they wanted to pay attention to the movie too.

( C. Network - text )

un: thereisnowhy

Is there anyone here that knows ASL?

( D. Memory Share )

(video for reference)

[ The memory that plays is one set in the library of New Ham. Sam's in it trying to research when Grizz walks into view until he can gain his attention. Before everything that had happened, Sam and Grizz hadn't talked much -- probably mostly because Grizz didn't actually know sign language. It tended to make forming a friendship harder when there was that sort of language barrier. But they'd talked more here and maybe Sam had developed a bit of a crush -- but it's a crush that you don't act on because he might know he was gay (everyone did) and that's okay as long as he didn't act on it, that's what the priest said anyway.

So, Sam smiles and moves away from what he'd been attending to. ]

What are you doing here?

[ Sam watches Grizz' response, the other had started to get better at facing him when he was talking. 'Gordy said I could find you in the library.' Why did Grizz seem so nervous? ]

Oh, okay.

[ 'Oh, one second... Let me just....' and then Grizz proceeds to attempt to sign something that seems completely and utterly nonsense to Sam. He's amused by it -- maybe a little charmed. ]

Uhm... [ He's confused at what to make of it really.

'You don't look so impressed.' ]

Am I supposed to understand that?

[ 'you didn't'? ]

Nah.

[ 'Fuck...that's...' ]

What are you doing?

[ It's hard to figure out, honestly. But it's interesting. Grizz is interesting.

'I'm trying to speak in gibberish apparently. I wanted to say how are you. It's nice to see you. How do you like my sign language?'

And then it makes sense when Grizz pulls the British Sign Language book out of his bag. Sam laughs, eyes crinkling and it's not mocking at all, though. 'What? What?' ]

This is BSL. I use ASL.

[ 'They're different?' Sam nods, agreeing. 'Come on, man, it's the only book I could find!'

And he doesn't really get it, why Grizz would even be looking for a book -- after all, Sam can read lips and that's enough for most people that don't know how to sign, kids that hadn't been his friends since he was younger weren't going to bother with it after all and he definitely didn't expect anyone to. ]

Why are you learning sign language? Are you planning on going deaf?

[ 'No, I'm not. It's just, I wanted to be able to talk to you. Or... you know, sign to you.' ]

I can read lips.

[ 'I know. I wanted to be able to talk to you, you know, in your language.' ]

Oh.

[ Sam feels a little flustered and pleased and that annoying butterflies in your stomach feeling that feels like the best and worst thing in the world. So, of course, he changes the subject. ]

Shouldn't you be getting ready for this trip?

[ 'Yeah. Sure. But, I'm also preparing for when I get back.' ]

( E. Wildcard )

[ I'll match tenses and styles! Open to whatever else! ]