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

zivis (cloud) | ota

[mutesiren]

[ I ]

It was a sandstorm that blinded her, swirling up out of no where probably because some Djinn got its panties in a twist probably got territorial when someone wandered too close to its home. She heard a voice dimly calling towards her left and she turned, the world falling away into the stars that reminded her of the mounts that she'd befriended in the past few months. Shifting without actually shifting, she was the one moving...falling.

And then...not...

The branches are the first thing that comes into focus, leading to a heavy look of confusion on her face.

"Mother...?"

The words are soft, hesitant, and the voice that says them is horribly rough with disuse, pale pink eyes search the boughs, looking for something familiar in them. But there's nothing there. It couldn't possibly be the other Tree, even her own couldn't teleport her children out of danger like that. A voice nearby distracted her from digging any further into that thought, leading her down the stairs.

"I don't understand... I'm not the Commander..." She'd heard of their stories, the legend that has grown under that moniker. But she was nothing compared to them and definitely didn't want to live that kind of life. It didn't sound like...this was a solitary one at least.

Still...

Zivis will be sitting on a cot when found, hugging herself as she looks down at her bare feet. It's not that she's cold. It's that she's never been involved before. And the thought of that is...daunting.

[ III ]

The platform of the Observatory has risen at this point, the air getting colder, but the Sylvari seems to be refusing any sort of offerings of coverings or hot drinks by the natives. Sure, the stars are all sorts of interesting, especially with how they're not the stars of her home. (Not that she ever really paid attention to those in the first place—being under water makes them wiggly anyway.)

Instead the blue plant person is leaning over the edge of the railing with what looks to be absolutely no fear of falling. She even crouches after a few moments, holding onto a staff that seems to generate its own wind.

"Everything looks so tiny from here! Like little dolls!" She sounds very enthusiastic about this, moving to a sitting position with legs cast over. "Do you think anyone can see us from up here?"

Now is probably when you'll notice that she's glowing pink, the color getting stronger and then fading out in various places on her skin. "Or do you think they're not even looking up if this is normal for them?" She turns, looking up at the poor soul (you) that she's started talking to out of no where.

[ IV ]

Now while outwardly she looks like a plant, Zivis doesn't normally have a connection to the earthbound variety. Instead she prefers the variety that they seem to be cultivating in shallow water tanks for the moment. The blue lady has her face pressed to one of these tanks, looking at a pink colored plant.

"This isn't nearly big enough for this one..." She sounds a little sad by this, "They can grow at least as tall as me."

She straightens and looks around for someone who perhaps works in the conservatory, "Do you think they have a tank bigger than this one for it?"

Another pause from her as she tilts her head towards the tank, "And it seems to want more tank mates," pink eyes turn towards it, "Are you sure?" Another pause, "I suppose it would be easier to make friends that way."

Why yes, she is talking to the plant. She is a plant.

[ V ]

Sure, everyone around her is mingling like they're all long lost family and whatnot. But honestly she just feels strongly...disconnected. So she crouches in the shadows—it's daytime so she's not glowing—just simply watching the interactions.

Zivis shifts to chinpalm with her elbows on her knees as she watches with a soft frown, "It's like...the Dream. But I don't sense anything like the Dream."

Sure, it sounds weird to you, if you happen to overhear. But the innate connection that Sylvari have to one another at Awakening can be strong, especially then. She'd been Soundless for so long that she couldn't even remember what it felt like, but there was a deep absence of that connection here. Worse than it had been with her pushing that bond as far away from herself as possible. Even with Tryalae's influence she still didn't reach out...

Now she wish she had.

[ WILDCARD ]

[Don't see anything you like here? Feel free to hit me up in Zivis' inbox or discord is gloryfalling#0443 and plurk is just plain old gloryfalling.]

iii.

[junctured]

Settled into a chair, Arliss is as comfortable-looking as she's been all day. More than a day, in fact. She can't say with certainty when she was last out of danger. And it does really appear that they're safe here, for the moment, which is incredible. There aren't even any reflective surfaces near her to glimpse Epigone. Instead, Epigone is her shadow, noticeably standing whereas Arliss is sitting. She's mercifully silent, however.

Arliss is holding her sketchbook and putting down the shape of the telescope when the voice calls her attention to the person she'd noticed on the way up to the observatory. Zivis is so different from the beings she knows, and yet she's still much more normal to her than the beings she can glimpse in (or that cross over from) the Copper Layer. She starts sketching her silhouette, blinking up when she's addressed squarely.

Or seems to be. But no one else is in their immediate vicinity. The feeling of not wanting to be rude, and being curious, overrides any fear of speaking to someone who wasn't actually addressing her.

"They probably look up sometimes," Arliss says quietly. "Or I would, if I lived near something this pretty."

[mutesiren]

She won't deny the fact that the furniture that they have here almost looks as lovely as the cushioned pillows and piles of fabric that she'd gotten used to in the desert. Almost like you could just sink into it and let worries and cares just drift away. There's simply too much around captivating her attention for her to think about slowing down for now. Perhaps when the moon is past its zenith.

Zivis holds a mermaid-like quality to be sure, even more so with her old garb but she had to update it in order to make sure she'd survive against the new enemies. There wasn't much water in the desert so she had to adapt as well as switch her sea-legs for land legs—she still doesn't like it, hence the staff.

Ignored or answered, she doesn't mind to be honest. But there's a hesitant smile at being responded to, as if the facial muscles are still unused to the action. (Happens when you wear a mouth-breather piece all the time prior to the desert.)

"But do you think they just look up at the stars? Or..." She turns her gaze back out over the town, "Or do you think they sometimes look at this place against the stars and marvel at it all...?" She thinks it would be pretty, in the same sort of way that the ruins she'd heard of from Tryalae in Orr were in the water. The Sylvari looks back towards her new 'companion' with a sort of sheepish air, "Sorry, this whole place has me kind of taken aback."

[junctured]

Arliss lets out a quiet laugh, shaking her head as she puts down her mechanical pencil. It's been so long since she had someone to talk to who wasn't Epigone. This person doesn't immediately twist her words into a sarcastic response or make some disturbing, nonsensical statement that has her questioning the order of the universe. It's refreshing.

"You don't need to apologize. I feel the same way."

Earlier, everything had seemed darker. The lack of familiarity had felt more sinister than anything else. Now that she's starting to feel safer, her new surroundings are giving her feelings she hasn't felt in a while.

"They kind of... seemed intense," she goes on, "when we were in the city down there. But I'm sure the kids marvel. That's what kids do."

[mutesiren]

Zivis could surprisingly relate to that in an odd manner, she'd spent so many of her years in the water with no one to talk to. Well...a few people to talk to, but they talked to her and she kinda just...horribly mimed things back to them. (She's been told she's an excellent listener.) It's only the past few years that she's had to adjust and learn how to talk to others. Probably why she just spoke out to the open air and just expected someone would have the kindness to respond.

She shifts, turning where she sits to face her new companion, sitting cross-legged now. The staff and its constant soft whistle gets placed on the ground in front of her. A nod, rather enthusiastic, "I felt the same way! It is like they expect many things from us but do not know how to act around us at the same time. A quiet...buzz of excitement that we are here."

Children... Rarely do her thoughts turn to such young beings and she glances over her shoulder at the city, "I do not know what kids do, if I am to be honest. We do not have our own. And I have not interacted with many at home."

[junctured]

When Zivis puts down her staff, Arliss can't help but pick her pencil back up again and start to idly sketch the shape of it. It's something she's never seen before. A beautiful, functional thing. Nothing back home is beautiful and functional unless you've got a lot of money.

"Oh, kids aren't too complicated. They're like little sponges. They absorb everything you do and say around them."

Sketching and painting outdoors means that Arliss has had plenty of experience talking to children, who always want to see what she's doing, how she does it, and how long she's been doing it. Most just stand and watch her work. It's a lot nicer than some adults, who interrupt her to have full-blown conversations.

"You must not be afraid of heights," she adds, with a brief smile. "To be up there like that."