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JANUARY TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to Sphere's January 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! A note for current players: this will not be the same as the main February plot so if you're feeling this, come on over here and have fun!

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.

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.)

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:

Audio. Your character thinks audible words onto the network.
Writing: Your character thinks text into the network.
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

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Still a shame not to have the choice, isn't it?"

Since coming here, Letha hadn't thought about her husband in the slightest. He was like a dog to her - nice to have around, but not a tragedy if he wasn't. After all the marriage had been forced upon them, and she was still entirely convinced that it was a punishment.

But she was still glad to see the man who she assumed was Aristeo. And well, it would be hard to blame her - between the long hair, the gaudy outfit, and that particular note of arrogance in his posture, she would be hard-pressed to notice any differences between them.

"I'm surprised they haven't caught your attention." Her hand lingered a bit longer than strictly necessary on his before taking the fortune and adding it back to her collection. "When in a new place, there is no reason not to learn everyone one can. Did they tell you that no one dies here? I can't say I believe it, it sounds dreadful."

Seregil thought of commenting, but, to be entirely truthful, it was more of a rarity for someone not to become fascinated with him when he presented himself in aristocratic clothing. He decided to pay it no mind.

The woman herself was a bit strange, but far more typical to those which he was used to dealing. The air of aristocratic posture was sharp, and her words careful and thought through. There was an appreciation for her that he had to admit refreshing amidst all the changes he was being forced to adjust to. "They aren't leading you astray, when someone dies they simply return - or so I've been told by a very reputable source."

He continued to assist in her collecting, moving smoothly with her as he did. She was interesting, perhaps an asset, and he wasn't about to pass up one of those; even if he was sure that she couldn't help them with their technology problem. "They are fascinating though, these cries for help; but wouldn't it be better to look at the source of them rather than the cries themselves?" He may have been planning on going to the bottom of the well when most or all of the crowd had cleared out from around it.

In Letha's experience, Aristeo wasn't a ready source of good ideas. It wasn't that he was dull or dumb, just that he had learned the hard way that if he mentioned something that sounded fun, Letha would drag him into doing it. And more than likely leave him with the smoking gun once they got in trouble.

That makes the idea of going down into the well both surprising and refreshing, and puts a dastardly grin on her face.

"Do you think something is in there, writing them?" She glances over the edge and cocks her head curiously. "I'd been hoping for a ghost, but if you're really sure that no one can die..."

She'd expected him to be more distraught about that. After all, without the dead he won't be able to hoard bones under his pillow. He must be sleeping terribly.

Her curiosity reminded him of Angel, which, if it weren't Seregil, would endear her to him. The truth is that she seems innocent enough. Not scheming or duplicitous the way most Skalan gentry were.

"It's hard to say, but with the way, things are here, probably not." He offered a noncommittal shrug. He couldn't and wouldn't tell her what to do, just the likelihood of her actions paying off. "That doesn't make it any less of a thought to check it out."

"Perhaps it's a living person writing them. Or something magical."

Even coming from a world where magic is commonplace, the thought of new magic is exciting. Her family frowned on almost any magic that wasn't necromancy, so of course it bled into her love of the unknown.

"Oh... blast, I couldn't bring my bloomers with me from home. I suppose that puts a damper on clambering down there, I'd never get back up." She bats her lashes up at him impishly, "I don't suppose you'd be willing to investigate for me."

Proactive isn't she? Seregil appreciated that sort of quality in a person. She was also trying to be manipulative, which was cute in its way.

"Or we could find you some pants." While he'd been planning on taking Alec with him, having a different companion or adding one might be enjoyable as well (knowing himself well, he would probably add her to their twosome for the night); it made it easier to deal with an explanation later. "It's also possible that we'll find nothing, or that whatever is going on will deal with the Sphere itself. We can't jump to conclusions."

Her mouth drooped into the beginnings of a pout, but she never expected him to rush on ahead. If acquiring pants is what it takes to go adventuring, that is a small price to pay.

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. If it's beyond our assumptions, that will open up a greater mystery." A lightbulb went off, and she bounced a bit with enthusiasm. "Ooh, maybe the messages are from the Sphere! That would be exciting, wouldn't it?"

Well, before she was even done speaking, she'd decided that this needs to be investigated immediately. Which means grabbing Seregil's hand and (at least attempting) to drag him off in the direction of the nearest clothing store.

Seregil let her pull him along. It would be interesting to see where this ended at least, and if she chose something completely unsuitable he could guide her to something that worked. As was, it wasn't terrible being led around by a strange woman. One should enjoy these sort of things from time to time.