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

clemens -- stone

[saltiness]

[ɢʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢꜱ, ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟʟᴇʀꜱ]

( It's difficult to choose which house and unlike others who seem to have made their choice straight away, Clemens is still there dithering for most of the night as he rests on one of the cots. Feet up, hands behind his head he can't help but mull it all over. Stone or Cloud? Each one had it's own merits of course but that made it all the more difficult to choose. From what Clemens can tell, Stone is more physical and Cloud is for the intelligent ones. He's neither smart or strong, just average if not a little on the taller side. Houses are not a new concept to Clemens, back home the elements are represented in their own global scale families. On a person's eighteenth birthday a brand appears on their wrist, allocating them to a House chosen for them by the Gods. Everyone had expected Clemens to be in the water-based family, House L'eau just like his father, his grandfather and so on.

But no, life had thrown a curveball and Clemens had found himself marked with that of the lightning-based family, House Foudre and that alone had been all over the internet in a matter of minutes. Absolute scandal! Clemens knows he's not as smart as those in House Foudre, nor quick and the most contact he's come into with lightning is a static shock or two.

Choosing a house is a novelty and Clemens knows it's not going to be a choice taken lightly. A part of him leans towards Stone if only because it offers the chance of understanding oneself. Maybe that would help?

The whole thing is an agonizing decision and Clemens knows he has to choose by dawn. Perhaps a stroke of chance or luck will help out? He'd flip a coin if he had one on him but a quick search of his back pocket only brings out paper notes, great for spending but not so hot for flipping. So when someone walks by Clemens simply calls out to them, completely unabashed by the whole thing.)

Hey you. Quick, you choosing stone or cloud?

[ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ᴅɪʀᴛʏ]

( Clemens had eventually chosen Stone when it came to a House, the opportunity of finding and understanding himself winning out over the enticement of further knowledge. When he'd been shown his quarters he couldn't help but appreciate the fact it was quite private. Privacy in his own world was never an option and maybe for once he can sit down and have five minutes to himself! He even thanks the person showing him the room, ultimately tripping over the doorstep and only just managing to keep himself upright.

Did anyone warn the house of Stone that an absolutely accident prone young man was headed their way? Clemens has two left feet and it's almost as if accidents simply follow him. Luckily it's only restricted to himself and doesn't extend to others, though it doesn't mean they're safe when standing next to the guy....

The clay pit is eyed with some trepidation. They weren't expecting him to strip down and do that were they? It seemed so and Clemens takes a few steps back, holding his hands up at chest level as he does his best to get out of it without looking rude, barely keeping his balance when he misses a step.)

No, not for me, I'm totally fine watching thanks —

( In his haste to get away (backwards), Clemens feels his back colliding with someone and he's already turning around to apologize, almost knocking a random passer-by out with an elbow as he does so.) — Sorry!

[ʜᴇʀʙ-ᴀ-ʀᴇᴏʀᴇ]

( Clemens is eyeballing some of the plants, noting how some look the same as back home. It's strange how that's a thing but in the end if people can come here then maybe other things can too. He's doing his best to catalogue what he can, asking others when he's not sure of what he's meant to be doing. Clemens knows he's not the most intelligent, those of the ocean families were supposed to be the most loyal and unbending, the kind who patiently changed the course of things over time. He'd been brought up that way with the expectation he'd fall into that house like the rest of his biological family. At least he has patience going for him!

Patience is something others will need though when Clemens accidentally nudges a nearby plant pot, catching it before it smashes on the floor.)

Anyone recognize where this plant comes from?

[ᴛᴇxᴛ]

do you think they'll give us replacement communication things if we break ours?

asking for a friend.

though really that friend is me; clemens.

anyone here reading this actually from this place?

[ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ/ᴏᴏᴄ]

( Down with anything, basically Clemens is an accident prone incident waiting to happen. Feel free to have him bump into/trip over/something your character! Will match prose and more than happy to talk via PM on this journal.)

ɢʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢꜱ, ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟʟᴇʀꜱ

[demology]

[Ciro is having an equally difficult time in deciding between the two. He's of two minds on the issue and the more he considers, the less he thinks he's capable of making the decision on his own. It makes sleep a little difficult and maybe his tossing and turning on the cot is his response to the restlessness inside. Eventually he gets up to have a walk around to clear his mind when he walks right into the very same conversation he's been having with himself.]

Don't know.

[He answers immediately, stopping in his tracks as he takes a seat in a nearby unoccupied cot.]

What about you?

[saltiness]

( Clemens can't help the small sigh as he shifts his glasses up to his forehead so he can rub his face with both hands. This whole thing is a mess and it doesn't seem like other people are any better off either!)

No idea. If they had chosen for us I would have complained but now I get to make the choice myself it's somehow worse.

( There's a brief moment of silence before Clemens puts his hands back down, peering at the newcomer with curiosity. Are they from the same world or somewhere different? And if different, how different? ) Think they'll let us switch if we change our mind?

[demology]

I think I'd rather have someone else choose for me. I have no idea what the purpose of any of this is, or why we're here exactly.

[Ciro was given the same explanation as everyone else, but he almost isn't sure he believes it. If it's like they say, it would seem counterproductive to bring someone like him. He's not particularly good at anything helpful, but maybe that might change.]

I don't see why not. Even if I don't understand it, I can tell they aren't trying to torture us or make us uncomfortable--probably why they gave a choice in the first place. [He looks over the stranger again, this time more thoughtfully than the first, eventually deciding on something.] I can help you decide. What's your name?

getting your hands dirty

[hojoon]

Easy.

[his voice holds the same tone as someone speaking to a spooked animal and...well, maybe that's not too far off. at least he doesn't go tumbling down the stairs himsel when the young man stumbles back into him. he stands steadier than his size would lead one to believe.]

You're going to give people the wrong idea saying things like that.

[i'm totally fine watching... hojoon gives him a little nudge back in the pit's direction.]

It's good for the skin.