TEST DRIVE #001 : FALLING INTO BONDS WITH YOU

[restoriamods]

TEST DRIVE #001 : FALLING INTO BONDS WITH YOU

I. Greetings, Travelers.

You heard the voice, the song, the Call. You turned toward that voice and are falling, tripping through time and space, colors swirling all around you. You blinked.

You open your eyes to the great sprawling roots and unbending branches of the Tree of Harmony above you. You look around to find yourself in an open roof auditorium. And you are not alone. Others are there, waking up just as you are when figures step from around the tall stark columns circling the center of the room.

”Greetings Travelers. The Sentinels of Restoria welcome you to our Greenhouse of Unity. The Devourer comes for us all and we must bond our worlds to save them. We cannot save your worlds without your help.”

Your guide will lead you down a long staircase to another area of the Greenhouse’s compound: The Hall of Travelers. There you will be told what to expect of your time in Restoria, and then you will select a House: Stone or Cloud. Your House will provide benefits to you to help you in your new role, should you choose to accept it, including your choice of communication device and Housing.

If you need additional time to consider, you will be given leave to rest there in the Hall itself on one of the many comfortable cots provided for the night and simple meals will be provided. Maybe others will need time just as you do to think about the serious decision you would be undertaking. By the dawn, you must have your answer.

What will you do now, Traveler?

II. Getting Your Hands Dirty

Those who select House of Stone will be led by a member of the House to the Traveler Port leading directly to the center of the City of Stones for Orientation. There, Guides will take newcomers through the City, showing them important locations, such as the local groceries, restaurants, and entertainment. You may notice a lot of Stones’s entertainment involves outdoor activities or contact sport games. It is a city of physicality, but also camaraderie and group engagement. They may not talk a lot, but don’t be surprised if you are offered hugs and friendly arm holds wherever you go. Travelers are encouraged to greet each other similarly.

You will be shown your Housing, where basic supplies have been readied for you, and may be surprised to find that up to two items from home have also arrived with you and were already taken to your assigned room (unless they are too large to fit and you find a note instead of where they have been stored elsewhere). The Guides will give you time to greet any neighbors you have and take stock of what you might still need in your room, but before long they will be ushering you back out into the tunnels and through the canyon to the Sanctuary. It is a very busy day in the City of Stones with the Clay Exhibition taking place!

Entering through the Glimmering Gymnasium, you’ll be taken all the way to the other side to a wide set of stairs leading down a area depressed into the ground like a court that is used for outdoor games and other competitions has been filled with a thick layer of a deep red brown watery mush: The Gravel Pit, as it is affectionately called by the citizens of the City. The clay is a special mix just for this occasion. Coat your body in the clay, and you’ll find yourself wearing protective armor that moves just as smoothly as your typical clothing - but you can’t wear much underneath it. Too much clothing means it’s hard for the clay to set, so it's best to wear as little as possible.

And from there you’ll be encouraged to join in on the various exhibition matches: mud wrestling, mixed martial arts, gymnastics, and much more is open for any newcomer who would like to take part. What better way to start bonding with those around you?

III. Head in the Stars

Those who select House of Cloud will be led by a member of the House to the Traveler Port leading directly to the center of the City of Clouds for Orientation. There, Guides will take newcomers through the City, showing them important locations, such as the local eateries, museums, galleries and theaters. You may notice a lot of Cloud’s entertainment involves more creative pursuits and educational engagement. It is a city of knowledge, but also of culture and art. The people love to talk, to debate and challenge preconceptions, whether those of others or even their own. They will greet newcomers openly and without reservation, but they all have that assessing eye, looking to see what they can judge of your character.

You will be shown your Housing, and may be surprised to find that up to two items from home have also arrived with you and were already taken to your assigned area (unless they are too large to fit and you find a note instead of where they have been stored elsewhere). The Guides will give you time to greet any neighbors you have and take stock of what you might still need in your room, but not long as there is still so much left to do. Please keep up as they hurry you off to the Sanctuary of Clouds where they show off the Grand Library and give a waved hand of respect to the Watchtower before moving up into the mountains just outside of it. The air thins and the snow on the mountain side is cold, but it does not take long to reach the Observatory.

The Observatory is filled with tables and desks covered in star charts and books filled with various annotations and theories about space, time, and the laws of the universe. Some may even seem like familiar titles from your own world, and you are told that you are welcome to study them. Follow the winding staircase up to a large platform with various couches and cushy chairs for comfortable lounging and a large, obviously advanced telescope. Maybe you can sit back and relax for a brief moment.

The platform begins to raise itself up more and more as the sun fades and night falls over Restoria. The ceiling of the Observatory will open up to allow the platform to rise out over the mountain - the perfect location for stargazing and space-viewing. The air is quite frigid up here, which doesn't seem to bother the natives of Cloud. Newcomers, however, may find it necessary to cozy up together with blankets and hot drinks.

IV. Herb-a-Reore

As explained during Orientation, all Travelers will have opportunities to earn funds of their own. They do understand that not everyone will be satisfied with the basic free amenities that the Houses will provide them and may want to have capital of their own to purchase luxury items or anything else. Between larger Quests, taking jobs in their Cities and helping out around their respective Houses, the Sentinels also provide monetary missions to earn Reore on a regular basis.

With the large influx of Travelers, so comes the Merging, where the worlds of the visitors and Restoria begin to mesh and mix. The Sentinels take care to catalog many of these changes, including the new flora that show up around the cities, which they carefully cultivate in the large Conservatory. With the Travelers available, they request assistance in cataloging all of these new arrivals, offering each Traveler a reward of Reore for their time and expertise. Who better to help them make sure they don't miss a single herb or flower?

Travelers may recognize various plants from their own world, some benign, some less so. Some might even seem to have minds of their own: tendrils that reach out and poke, sticky webs designed to capture the unobservant, or sweet smells that make one sleepy. Please make sure to label them properly.

V. All Soulstice Day

The people of Restoria are friendly and welcoming in general to newcomers, but you may find them even more so today. They will greet you with smiles, offer their hands or even come in for a quick hug. Others may stare deeply into your eyes as if looking for some recognition, an understanding.

It may seem confusing, until you touch someone or look into their eyes yourself and feel a soothing sensation, as if you have known this person your entire life and couldn’t think of a reason to be wary of them. You can feel them almost as if you can sense their emotions in a distant way. Best friend? Family? Whatever this feeling is, you just know that you care about them and want to spend time with them.

What could be going on? Will you choose to ask?

If you do, you will be told what a fortuitous time it is for Travelers to arrive in Restoria with the celebration of Soulstice Day taking place. A day when the magic of Restoria is at its strongest and compatible bonds are even more likely! A wonderful day for new friendships and the strengthening of long held camaraderie.

Native Restorians and Travelers alike will feel themselves drawn to people as their auras react to heightened compatibility. Those friendly auras will almost sing to each other, bringing about happy, content feelings and a sense of understanding that might feel rare to you for someone you’ve only just met. Nothing is forced, but the possibilities are open for all who choose to lean into them.

People who meet someone with a compatible aura will find the effects of the Soulstice last for a couple days after the fact. A strong motivator for making new friends.

NAVIGATION

PREMISE ➤ RULES ➤ TAKEN ➤ FAQ ➤ APPLICATION ➤ HOUSES ➤ LOCATIONS ➤ QUESTS ➤ ACTIVITY ➤ REWARDS ➤ MERGING ➤ SUGGESTIONS ➤ CALENDAR ➤ MOD CONTACT

Comments

Chauncy Morior | House of Cloud

[yachtrock]

III.

[It was simple to pick which “house” to be a part of- a house of physicality, of warriors and sweat?

No thanks. He sweats enough without the extra exertion.

Unfortunately, neither house is exactly suitable him, but at least he isn’t living out of a cave. Yes, he’s aware that they quickly want him to be escorted to this “Observatory,” but just as quickly as he’s shown the tour of that highest peak, he makes his way to go back down those many steps, heading back to the city with the kind of urgency one might see on someone who’s trying to make it into a store five minutes before they close.

If he bumps into you in his urgency back down, he’ll glance back to apologize… sort of.]

Consider walking to one side of a path instead of dead center next time, the flow of traffic will thank you.

[Actually that’s not an apology at all, is it.]

IV.

Ah ha. Ha ha… Ah, oh, you meant it. You really want me to catalogue plants for you?

[The look of him says it all- styled hair, parted perfectly to the side, a militaresque outfit that some might recognize as more for a show of royalty than of an actual soldier. To top it all off, white gloves, unsuitable to digging through dirt. He looks to the plants with a hint of disgust, and continues to speak to the poor Sentinel on Conservatory duty with something of a “can I speak to your manager” tone.]

I thought you said you needed our help in saving our worlds, and I’m failing to see how telling you what a plant looks like is going to resolve this.

text

Is this like Sending? Am I limited to twenty-five words? No? Good. That would be irritating.

Greetings and salutations to all who can see this message. My name is Prince Chauncy Morior of House Deneb, although presently of the House of Cloud. I am reaching out to everyone here about a great concern of mine that I’ve encountered in my so far brief time here.

I have no money. I tried to buy a single croissant from a bakery and had no currency with which to buy it. Worst of all, the only “jobs” I found available involve physical labor.

I would greatly appreciate if someone found a solution to this.

WILDCARD

[ or we can just do whatever lol ]

Network

[dralchemist]

sending scrolls are limited by words where you're from? that seems like such a weird cramp.

i'm used to 140 characters.

[yachtrock]

It does seem very specific to being only twenty-five words, regardless of the word choice. Could be a conspiracy by wizards to ensure the brevity of messages sent.

[dralchemist]

you're kidding me, right? wizards are the longest winded mfers i've ever had the pleasure of speaking to. if sending spells were actually designed by high academia they'd have a word minimum.

[yachtrock]

[He doesn't actually know phrases like "lol" so instead you get:]

Ha ha ha! That's true. I don't think I can recall a single wizard I know of that doesn't love the sound of their own voice.

You're clever. What's your name?

[dralchemist]

same. i think there's a direct correlation between "power of wizard" and "amount of complex vocabulary used".

izzy d'oro, now similarly of house cloud. to whomst do i have the pleasure of speaking?

[yachtrock]

Prince Chauncy Morior. Yes, the full title. If I can't have my assets, distinctions, or connections, I can at least keep that part of me.

So what do you do, that's earned such a disdain for wizards? I assume worked with them at some point.

iv.

[apocultypse]

I'll admit, I'm relieved I'm not alone in that sentiment. [A polite distance behind Chauncy stood a man with dark eyes and hands distinctively folded behind his back, so as not to tempt a nefarious twig or other untoward flora to bite him. He grinned at his companion-by-proximity, the warmth in his smile unerring. There was no mistaking his aesthetic: gold rings, gold headband, burgundy robes, gold bracers holding tightly to his not-particularly-muscular forearms. Winking once at Chauncy, Ishaq Duvainor rolled initiative and took a casual few steps closer.]

First time allowed near a Conservatory. Something about glass houses, and my suspected tendencies towards throwing stones. Nonsense, I told them -- I belong to House of Cloud!

[yachtrock]

[Chauncy looks back to whomever's behind him, brows furrowed and lips pursed for a moment. He's... familiar in a way, but also this place is weird so he's going to just not address those thoughts right now.

He will take a few more steps away as Ishaq tried to step closer. who do you think you are, stranger man.

Maybe normally he'd try to be a little warmer himself, a little less succumbing to his baser instincts of suspicion, but he's had a stressful day. No one can reasonably blame him for this distress he's suffering, if he only exhibits it in the form of not wanting to stand close to people who might throw rocks.]

Are the tendencies suspected without warrant, or within reason?

[apocultypse]

[Those excessively notable few steps back gave Ishaq pause; he was familiar with the opposite reaction, and this situation therefore required delicacy. Smile only brightening, he raised both hands, soft palms displayed, in easy acquiescence. Inclining his head, Ishaq never once let slip his sight from Chauncy's face.]

Within reason? Absolutely not. Without warrant? Bit complicated, on a technicality. [He didn't wait to be prodded with questioning.] I've been arrested with warrant, but in my defense I was a political prisoner. Theocratic empire. Someone with my philosophy and my following? I was persona non grata.

[Hands still displayed as if to mitigate his confession.]

I say so in the interest of transparency. Because, you know, this place is strange and you're a little skittish.

[yachtrock]

I think we all should be a bit more skittish in this situation. I'm here because I agreed to save my world, but that doesn't mean there isn't reason to not be suspect of things or ... people. No offense intended.

[He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.]

Let's try again. Arrested as a political prisoner, but not a destroyer of glass houses, despite the accusations of otherwise. That's a lot for someone to know about another before knowing their name. I'm Prince Chauncy Morior. And I'm deciding on whether to keep using the title, given that I don't have anything to back it up aside from a series of sigils and pins that no one's going to recognize.

[apocultypse]

None taken.

[He took a smaller, strategically unnoticeable step closer towards this skittish man. There's the slightest pause, the slimmest curl of a sneer on his otherwise welcoming smile when Chauncy introduces himself as Prince.]

Ishaq Duvainor of the Host Radiant. [A quick glance at the back of own his hands, still showcased to his perspective. A wistful look at the sun and moon tattooed on his left and right respectively. He shook his head, hair unperturbed as if made perfect with a Prestidigitation spell. Those hands dropped to his sides.]

I sympathize with the implicit nostalgia there, and if I'm not too bold? [He was almost always too bold.] I think you'd serve yourself well, to keep your full identity in tact. Consider it an anchor to hold you to the standards you came armed with into this world. The reason why you were deemed heroic enough.

[yachtrock]

[He looks again at Ishaq with judging eyes, looking at him hard, trying to determine... where has he seen this man before? The thought is there, but the answer eludes him, shifting through darkness. Water through his fingers. If all someone saw was illuminated ground, the treetops changing it's shape and color, would they know it was the sun that cast it's beams?

Chauncy doesn't, for now. Low insight and all.]

If I was truly deemed heroic enough in their eyes to serve this purpose, the least they could do is let me have my belongings.

iii

[raimaidou]

[It isn't really the average accidental collision; Barbara is ten feet tall with the musculature to match, so it can be difficult for her to avoid bumping into regularly sized people considrring the world isn't really built for people her size. All the time in the world and she'd still be prone to the occasional accident.

However, the moment she feels she's bumped into Chauncy she immediately places her hands to his shoulders to ensure he isn't knocked over (briefly preventing any further urgency) and removing them just as quickly to ensure no touching longer than necessary and immediately moves on to offer a bow as an apology.]

My apologies, sir. I hope you are unharmed?

[yachtrock]

[Oh. Big lady. Alright, well rudeness isn't going to do him any favors here, when she can likely throw him off this cliff if he's too mean.]

Ah, yes, I am. Thank you. Perhaps I was moving too quickly as well...

[He clears his throat and remembers his manners.]

A staircase is a strange place to make introductions. I'll escort you to the top first.

[Nevermind, again, that she probably doesn't need any escorting.]

[raimaidou]

Of course.

[She's pretty agreeable about it all, if only because she didn't really have a destination in mind in the first place. Allowing him to move first, the oni follows closely behind as he ascends the stairs and the pair reach the peak.]

Though, you seemed in quite the hurry before. Are you sure it's alright?

[yachtrock]

I was hoping to get to a cafe before it closed, but...

[He glances to the sky, darkening quickly as it is.]

I feel I'm already too late for that. Something else that occurred to me- we're all strangers here, aren't we? We don't know if this place becomes more dangerous at night. And you seem quite strong.

[is he already deciding she's his bodyguard? yeah.]

[raimaidou]

Oh, were you scared all along? It's alright; as well as a maid, I have plenty of experience safeguarding nobles incapable of protecting themselves.

[While her facial features were identical to a human while she wore a neutral expression, her attempt at a reassurring smile contorts them into something more bestial with an unnaturally wide grin showing rows of razor sharp teeth.]

[yachtrock]

I'm not scared, and-

[Well, he can defend himself, but he is purposefully hiding that, isn't he.]

It doesn't matter.

[Those are some sharp teeth, but somehow, not frightening.]

I would like to employ your services.

IV

[slidesrightoff]

[While Eddie may be a 6'3", 450 lb cyborg, he isn't a super confrontational man... except when the need arises. Which is why he stops examining some of the crazier-looking plants for any that might originally be from the Mercury City Botanical Gardens and heads on over to the weirdo in white gloves harassing the Sentinel just trying to do their job.]

Because we might know what they are, and they don't. Because some plants look benign but are really dangerous. Because if something goes horribly wrong and we fail, this is all we've got--if we're lucky.

[yachtrock]

[He didn't expect to be stood up to, and also by someone maybe quite a bit bigger than him. It takes him back for a moment, but not enough to deter his irritation completely. At least he has a new target, so the Sentinel gets to escape.]

We're not going to fail.

[He doesn't want to think about the consequences if they do, so as far as he's concerned, that's a non-option.]

Even if there are dangerous plants here from my world, I'm not a horticulturist. I wouldn't know them any better than a stranger would! Being the test subject for their uncontrollable garden is a waste of my time, and abilities.

Maybe not a waste of yours, since you seem so ardent.

[slidesrightoff]

[Eddie doesn't want to think about it either, but he also knows better than to blindly pretend it isn't an option, either.

Always have a backup plan.

[As for the rest of the weirdo's outburst, Eddie remains completely and unequivocally unimpressed, crossing his arms in front of him to show off just how unimpressed he is.]

Then what isn't a waste of your time? Let me guess, you're the snooty type that sits back and lets everyone else work while you "help" by telling them what they already know what to do.

[yachtrock]

Why is everyone obsessed with making assumptions about me?

[He huffs strongly out his nostrils, but otherwise tries to not let it bother him.]

To start, you're undervaluing the role of administration and leadership, which is important, and it is where some of my skill sets lie. I'm also a diplomat, and considering that our goal here is to "bond our worlds," I would be doing a lot more good for all of us if I was put into a position that let me do that, rather than stare at plants.

[slidesrightoff]

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark here and say because you've been running around making assumptions about everyone else.

[Eddie continues to look spectacularly unimpressed.]

See, like that. I understand administration and leadership just fine. Psyche is a leader I'd die for, because I know she'd do the same for me. ["Whereas you seem the type who would replace me without a second thought the next day," he refrains from adding in a spectacular show of tact.] She's a real leader, someone who leads from the front.

And if this is your idea of diplomacy and forging bonds, we're all doomed. I'm no diplomat, but running around yelling at "the little people" because you don't want to do something isn't a great bonding tactic.

[yachtrock]

Another assumption! And no, I haven't been, aside from first impressions. Of which, you are leaving an impressively bad one by coming at my character with very little reason for it.

Tell me, who is Psyche in charge of? A group of people of less than twenty, or a company? A city? A country? If you have a leader of a country who would sacrifice themself for the sake of a single person, then all you have is a dead body at the end of the day.

What would you have me do, then? Apologize? If I went and found that Sentinel and apologized, would that really make a difference to you?