TEST DRIVE MEME

[eternitymods]

A. RETRIEVAL Dreams fade slowly, and awareness returns in increments. The hum of machinery, the smell of recycled air, the murmurs of others waking up around you. The interior of the ship has been outfitted with cots for those Biggs and Wedge retrieve from the Dream Width. Outside of the makeshift infirmary, windows set into the walls of the worn lounge area offer a view of space. It’s time to meet your fellow new arrivals who have been brought together on Biggs and Wedge’s airship. None of you know how you came to be here or where you are going, and the door to the cockpit is locked as the pilots focus on navigating the treacherous obstacles of the Dream Width. You might as well take this moment to introduce yourself to your fellow travelers. B. CURTI CENTER There’s an almost overwhelming aura of excitement in the tower as researchers rush to document this unprecedented number of interdimensional travelers. Over the commotion, the leaders of the Center struggle to explain, ‘Welcome to Vaikuntha. We don’t know why you’ve been brought here, but this is your new home.’ The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, provide maps and pamphlets about the world and the destinations within it, and even guide the arrivals to a neighborhood where housing has been provided for you. Yes, due to the strange influx of arrivals, you’ll be expected to share, but the Curti staff are doing the best they can under the circumstances. Experiences like these bring people together. Perhaps you are the only one here from your world, but at least you are not alone in this experience. Others are right beside you, learning the same information, planning trips to visit the same new cities, checking out these Job things, and settling in to their new (temporary) homes. C. UP IN THE SKY There’s a whole new world to explore. It’s almost enough to distract from the fact that there’s one place you can’t go- home. You are on an Airship, the main mode of transportation between the major cities of Vaikuntha. While the majority are owned by airlines, perhaps you hitched a ride with a friend that has their own. You can go anywhere in a matter of hours — One can only hope you don’t have motion sickness. D. GUILDS Proud representatives of the Guild are lined up, ready to demonstrate their skills for the new initiates. Make sure to stay behind the designated line, this might get dangerous. So you want a new Job? You'll have to first travel to the Guilds, sign the papers, go through the orientation and introductory lectures, and get basic training. Afterwards, you can freely chat and practice with your fellow members, celebrating your new powers, and checking out your new wardrobe. E. LET'S BE ADVENTURERS Separated from all of your material possessions, connections, and everything you know, and really, what you’re left with is time. Better try to make the most of it. Enough expository banter. It's explorin' time. Maybe instead of spending every day in your room, you'd rather spend it living it up in the city of Lavode, or betting on Chocobo Races in Sparks Goldsaucia. Or maybe you'd rather go and explore the caves and ruins near Arito. With Airships and Chocobos at your disposal, you can go nearly anywhere! F. SIDEQUESTS Maybe you’re telling yourself, ‘I didn’t sign up for this.’ But wait, you did. At least it pays. It all started when you checked the Quest Board.  All you wanted was a few gil to spend, and here you are in the wild, hunting for a Malboro Vine. Or maybe you are in some ancient and decrepit ruins looking for an artifact. Or you could be asked to be janitor for a week. Consider yourself lucky though, at least you don't have to do that alone. G. GET A JOB (THE OTHER KIND) You’ve got a Job, but Claire keeps sighing and muttering about layabout space-people not earning their keep, so it might be time to seek out Employment as well. There are plenty of opportunities to earn some gil in Vaikuntha, no matter where you choose to settle down. Your iMog slate includes listing for employment opportunities. Hopefully you can find something you can live with so that you can start saving up for an airship or the security payment for your permanent housing. H. MOGNET *Ding!* You’ve got Mog-Mail! Thankfully, you can instantaneously chat with your friends around the world thanks to you iMog Slate. And unlike old-fashioned Moogle Letters, you can even send messages to everyone in a blink of an eye! However, despite the change in technology, the old tradition of Mognet Strikes have never gone away. Nobody knows any more whether the Moogles have legitimate reasons to go on strike or if they are just lazy. But today, Mognet is down, and to get information you have no choice but going to the public boards or risk message corruption and mishandling. I. RANDOM ENCOUNTER The ground trembles, and out of nowhere, something hostile appears! Is that battle music playing? You were minding your own business walking around, and suddenly monsters attacked you! Time to put to use the skills you've learned with your Jobs! Will you try to fight on your own or seek help? And remember, you die in random battle, you die FOR REAL. There’s no shame from running from enemies that are a higher level than you! J. WILD CARD Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Comments

A

[singerofspells]

{S'reee had calmed down once they had found a tank, now that she no longer felt the crushing sense of her own (much reduced) weight. But she could still agree with the strange man's comment.]

I don't think any one of us will disagree.

[Calmer. Not calm. And realizing that the best thing she could do was gather information.]

[theoldhope]

[Obi-Wan's been around the universe, so a talking... miniature whale? ...doesn't seem as unusual as it could be. In fact, he wonders if the being is related to one of the species local to Mon Calamari or Karkaris.

At least the being seems to be alright - and a distraction from his own worries.]

I'm sorry. This must be quite the displacement for you. [He approaches the tank with a sympathetic frown.]

[singerofspells]

Well, I don't normally travel in a tank. But it is not my first time swimming the high currents.

[S'reee considered whether to mention how she did travel on land. Wizardry was not common knowledge among Earth's human population. But what explanations she's gotten suggested this world was a bit more aware. Or else led an active fantasy life, as none of the lcoals' explanations of 'magic' matched wizardry, even among the human wizards she knew. Best to let the currents guide her here, and see where the man lead the conversation.]

[theoldhope]

I see. It's a shame that you have to be confined in this way. [But there's not exactly open water around to utilize...]

Are you saying that you've been in situations like this one before? [He strokes at his beard thoughtfully. How fascinating.]

[singerofspells]

No, 'swimming the high currents' means leaving one's home planet's gravity well. A human would say 'walking the high road', I believe.

[Well, a human wizard. S'reee has never asked what non-wizards say.]

I haven't taken any extradimensional excursions. My Art keeps me closer to home.

[And yet, she says it as if that was an option, like a spaceship pilot explaining they take in-system jobs rather than between-system.]

[theoldhope]

I see... You'll have to forgive me. I'm not familiar with either saying, but now I understand what you mean.

[But it sounds like she's been in space, at least.]

May I ask what sort of art you practice? [Could this be a whale painter, or perhaps some sort of martial art? Obi-Wan can't help but be curious.]

[singerofspells]

[Well, this was sticky. But on the other fin, S'reee trusted that any human shoved into these waters would be psychologically able to cope with the existence of wizardry and wizards. This one was dealing quite well with talking to her. She would have liked to listen to the Sea to see what the status of this world was, but she'd have to improvise.]

I'm a wizard; wizardry is my art.

[theoldhope]

Wizardry.... I see. [He repeats that to himself. From what his own experience, all forms of magic are actually applications of The Force. So it's not too unusual to him to consider, though admittedly it's a bit surprising for this particular species.]

That sounds quite impressive. It's a shame that your practice has been interrupted by this... [He glances around.] ...situation.

[singerofspells]

Sadly, I don't think I was interrupted. Or if I was, it was because the Powers needed me here. There are no accidents, as we say.

[It was the sort of thing that really made one want to have words with the Powers that Be: if S'reee had been thrown so far off of her usual area, it was because the Powers had decided there was a problem that she was uniquely suited to assist with. Knowing that didn't make it comfortable, or give her any idea what the problem was.]