Recollé Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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repeter2017-08-16 11:47 pm
recollecters) wrote in repeter2017-08-16 11:47 pm
Entry tags:
AUGUST TDM
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AUGUST TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé. ...yeah. Yeah, it's just sort of a mess... What will you do today? I. What the hell happened here? Perhaps you're new to the city, or perhaps you've finally started to notice just how bad the damage is to the beloved city of Recollé. The convention center is still crumbled in pieces and several local shops have boarded up windows and doors to prepare for reconstruction. Vendors on the street try to urge residents to purchase monster insurance for all of their home and vehicle needs. But the moment you step outside, you'll find yourself greeted by a member of the Recollé Restoration Committee as they thrust a hardhat into your hands and eagerly chatter about your new assignment. Whether you find yourself in Tisse and assigned to haul pieces of stone around or you're placed over in Apprassage to pour cement, you'll find you aren't alone in these tasks. It's nice to meet your coworkers, isn't it? II. But really, what caused all of this? This is completely insane and while some of you may be willing to help rebuild the city, others might wish to solve the mystery. Poking around the various districts, NPCs will explain that monster attacks "sometimes just happen" which seems pretty strange in and of itself. Monsters shouldn't "just happen", should they? And where are these alleged monsters anyway? Careful what you wish for, though. Exploring too much and straying off-task will lead to finding some things you may not want. These creatures will immediately hone in on new Retrospec users and begin to chase them, though they won't outright attack. While the smaller ones may be destroyed with a bit of effort, it might be wise to either cut your losses or find someone with a bit more experience to take on the larger creatures. Don't worry; there's bound to be someone to help. III. By now, you may have heard the rumors from some of your fellow Retrospec users that several members of the network have disappeared. You may even hear the rumors that those members are lost in "unreality" and that the city itself is a bit...unstable. But they're just rumors, right? Everything seems fine as you go about your day (monsters notwithstanding.) However, any time you pass from one district to another suddenly a list of names scrolls past your line of vision . As the list comes to a halt and lands on one name, you may recognize it as a friend or a stranger. If you're lucky, you may get a holographic video connecting you to someone still in the city. If you're even luckier, you may find someone speaking up inside your head due to a telepathic connection. Go ahead and say hi. You just might get some answers from those who have been lost and those you haven't met yet. IV. As the night begins to set upon the city, a warm sleepy feeling rolls through. Whatever you're doing, it's hard to fight off the urge to curl up under a shaded tree and take a nap. After some time it's nearly impossible to ignore any longer and no matter where you are, you'll instantly fall asleep. Strangely, even The place that you wake up, however, may look very familiar to you. You've seen this place before. In fact, you've lived through this very scene before. Maybe it's the little league game you scored your first home run, or maybe it's your high school prom. These are your memories played back to you, and glancing back you may find that again you aren't alone. Any Retrospec user has the ability to pass through these pockets of time and can stumble right into your memories. The memory pockets can appear no matter where a person is, and they'll be able to view and interact with the memories they see. Take a walk through your childhood neighborhood. Sit through the nightmare of your college entrance exams. These memories are yours as you've lived them. However, try not to change anything about the past. Memories can be quite tricky if meddled with too much. BONUS. While the makers of Retrospec are a bit scattered and busy at the moment, it seems as though they have failsafes to keep their systems up and running. The latest update push operates on its own and begins to download to your device. Your profile remains the same as always (your name and your photo), but it appears you won't have access to it until you apply one of the brand new filters to your picture. Seems easy, right? Maybe you should have given this a second thought. As soon as the filter's applied to your photo, you might find that people are stopping and staring at you as you go about your day. They may or may not comment, but what's evident is that something's going on that you're unaware of. A quick glance in your phone's camera, a storefront window or a mirror will reveal all. That fun filter's now applied itself to your face with no hope of coming off for a while. Have fun! Welcome to the recolle test drive meme! All characters will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. You may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own depicting your Recollé AU! Prompts do not have to be set in the districts listed above. You can review our list of locations for what's available. Please note that TDM threads can be used as samples, can be kept as game canon, and can also be used for bonus points for future item regains. Share a few minor details of your AU, tag around, and have fun!
For continuity's sake, for the first time we will be stating that the TDM is dated IC 8/17! This is all in one day. Potential applicants/characters on the TDM will revert back to NPC status on 8/18 and will not remember the events of the TDM until the mod-posted Retrospec post goes up 9/1. Members of Group 2, since the TDM can be considered game-canon, prompts III and IV are open for you to tag around to new players while stuck in your locations outside of the city! For Prompt III, members of Group 2 may telepathically connect to someone even if there's a video option, but their faces and surroundings will be obscured! Other members of the game + potential applicants may use video if they wish. For Prompt IV, please remember these are memories from your AU and not your canon! Should characters deviate from these "memories" too much, they will find themselves thrown back to the beginning of the memory to start over! And finally, the filters provided in the bonus are just examples and you can swap in any others you want. Your August TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here! |
no subject
[ that sure did turn into a soliloquy... while a good amount of the coloring has been restored, and even if his tone remains lighthearted, he still has a bit of salt about the entire debacle. ]
[ it's also something of an inquiry— he does wonder if (suspect that, rather) howard might be new to the app of retrospec and its going-ons. ]
Aw, well, no pushin' here. [ his grin widens. ] I've only heard a few horror stories 'bout that, but I'm sure you've got a whole arsenal of 'em.
no subject
[Local man completely misses huge going-ons and world-altering changes of perception because leaving his house is too hard, sometimes.]
Horror stories? [That actually gets a short laugh out of Howard, a deep little "HAH" that sounds rather unnatural coming out of his mouth.] I suppose. At least for the day I can avoid that, when everyone is busy with rebuilding the town.
[He points down the road to some cafe nestled in between a few buildings.]
Oh, we're almost there. Have you been to this place before, John...?
no subject
[ ... ]
... Lotta people have turned into homebodies this last month, too, so I'll give you a pass on that. [ what with the monsters and all; that confirms his "probably new to retrospec theory" at least, though. john probably should have gleaned that a preference for staying at home is actually just a howard thing(tm). ] What'cha write 'bout?
[ the gesture redirects his attention; he peers forward, tilting his head to ascertain just which place— ah. ]
Nope! [ he shrugs. but as they're approaching the cafe he supposes he can somewhat lower his guard, letting the grip on his knife slacken. ... not that he hadn't already somewhat lowered it with all his chatting, but details. ] Are cafes a favorite of yours?
no subject
Oh, well. [He clears his throat. standing up a bit straighter, his eyes a bit wider.] Shipwrecks. The ones that went down in battles or otherwise. Not like the Titanic, but more like..The Griffin. Or the HMT Royal Edward. The reasons why they sank, where they sank, what they carried, if the ones that we haven't found will eventually be discovered, if they were in areas which we haven't even explored...
[He trails off, slightly conscious of how he sounds - this sort of thing is fascinating to him, but he completely understands from prior experience that not many people care about it at all. So, he speaks up again, to clarify:]
Of course, I do more research than on that, like the use of ships in wars over the years, but...shipwrecks are a bit of an interest of mine. [He's always liked the idea of destroyed ships rather than intact ones, for some inexplicable reason.] I'm trying to gather material on some of the more less-known ones, try to find patterns in the location of where they went down.
[He's smiling. This is probably not a topic he should smile about. To John's question, he gives a nod.]
Not particularly? But they have good pastries. [A huff and a shrug.] Their chocolate croissants are to die for.
no subject
john has to reflect on how fitting that is, also not without some morbidity. but it's charming, in its own way, hearing him speak so passionately of it, and listening intently in the meanwhile— until he trails off there. while the subject's about as fascinating to him as botany might be to howard (though, let's be real, shipwrecks are interesting in of themselves), john offers an encouraging smile in return. ]
I dunno much 'bout that at all, frankly. [ he imagines that's not uncommon to hear, either. ] You ever got to dive down and visit one, see any in person?
[ and so, outside the cafe's entrance, he'll hold the door open for his comrade. polite habits die hard, etc. ]
Sounds like I'll have to put that croissant to the test, then.
no subject
[He shakes his head.]
Besides, perhaps something would just eat me up if I went too far down, and I'd never return...
[Another laugh, though there's a sense of anxiety(?) that squeezes in his chest that's too real to be brushed off. He's very thankful, then, that they're at their destination, and he doesn't have to think about that topic anymore. John gets a thankful nod as they walk inside, and he points over to the counter with a bony finger.]
Oh, you should. I get them all the time. [To the person behind the counter:] Uh, two croissants, please? T-thank you.
[And then his attention is back to John. He points over to some far-off corner of the cafe, where there's barely much light.]
Well. Uh...do you want to sit over there, then? That's where I usually sit...
no subject
[ no, john, that's you that would be all about that... perspective. but noting the discomfort, he decides that he'll be merciful and not pursue the topic further.
howard placing the order has him raising his eyebrows in surprise; he's appreciative, but he'll probably have to pay that back later. the pointing has him distracted from this— his gaze follows it, and. wow. that sure is the darkest corner of the cafe. john shrugs. ]
Sure!
[ croissant accepted, he'll march over to pull out their chairs for them both and claim the table as theirs. ]
no subject
[...What in the world is he doing? It's not like he hasn't hung out with people before, he's hardly some social pariah, but Howard is struck by the fact that...well, this person is still technically a stranger. A random person he just met who happens to study at the same university he works at. And here he is, buying him a croissant. Talking with him one on one.]
[He swallows his bite. He could just leave. Just allow his better sensibilities to direct him where to go. This man is a stranger. He's eager to talk with him, of all people, who in the world is this man? This John Becket, who thinks spending time with some gangly stick man in all black is something really worth doing. Is the world turning upside down? Nobody really wanted to talk to him because they wanted to. They talked to him because they needed something out of him.]
[Despite his frantic race of thoughts, he's pulling out the chair and sitting down, his knees drawn slightly up to himself. He might as well. It's not like John is bad to talk to, anyways...]
[He finally speaks up, after a long pause:]
S-sorry. I just...don't do this often, you know? Just going out like this and talking with someone out of the blue like this. Yes. [He says, with a shuddering sigh after another swallow of croissant. He's tapping his foot under the table nervously.] I mean, I'm not especially good company, at least, I don't think I am, and I don't know if I could do anything for you, so I...uh. Well.
[God, this is so awkward. He has half a mind to hide under the table.]
...D-do you like the croissant, at least?
no subject
but any of that? ]
You don't gotta do anythin' for me, let alone apologize. [ john shrugs again, waves his hand in the air as if to dismiss the thought. he wants to say something like you don't gotta be nervous, but he knows that's stupid advice, unhelpful that's easier said than done. instead, he just ends up offering a smile. howard will get used to seeing those, probably. this one happens to be just a bit warmer. ] And you're just fine company.
[ it's all said pretty easily. ]
[ at the cue, john takes a bit of the croissant. the chocolate's melted!! which is the best lbr. his eyes widen. ]
It's good! [ muffled; ah, he should probably swallow before he blurts that out. ahem. ] I mean— it's really good. Thanks!
no subject
Then I'm...I'm glad.
[Is all he says, before he turns all his attention back to his own croissant. He would usually just wolf it down, but he's taking nibbles of it, still a bit shocked. At least his leg has stopped jostling underneath the table.]
[He's fine company, apparently. He has half a mind to pinch himself to make sure he's dreaming.]
What kind of plants do you like? [He asks, suddenly, like the thought's just occurred to him.] You said you liked botany, didn't you?
no subject
Yup!
[ he perks up in his seat. after munching a moment longer on the croissant, collecting his answer, he elaborates: ]
I guess it would be cheatin' to say "all of 'em." [ yes, even the parasitic ones he can appreciate. ] The ones you can eat are best! I grew up workin' on a farm, so traditional crops and whatnot are what I'm most familiar with— though, that's more in the line of agriculture, huh.
[ a shrug; it's more applied. though worthy, the thought of going to college to study agriculture is weird to him? ]
Grapes are my favorite.
no subject
That would be agriculture, yes. But botany can have its uses, too. Knowing the biology of certain plants, being able to understand the science behind how they grow...
[He's never been interested in science, but he can appreciate it for what it is. The last statement makes him furrow his thin brows together.]
[Grapes. Huh. It's just a random fruit, but he doesn't know why there's some kind of mental pause he has to take after hearing that. Like he was expecting that answer already.]
...Do you like wine? You want to grow a vineyard, perhaps? Or do you just like the fruit by itself?
no subject
Just the fruit, 'cause it's delicious.
[ and a pause as he thinks on the simplicity of question; there's a little more to his answer than that, but bringing up the notion of how something like grapes, as inexpensive and accessible as they are in recolle, would be something worth dreaming of in times of hunger... could be a bit much to drop in first conversations. he'll spare him.
and then despite steinbeck's abilities, something tells him he doesn't make a profit with vineyards. why, he doesn't know. he's sure he'll come to understand that whether he likes it or not.
thinking along those lines— john wonders when it would be appropriate to bring something like that up. probably not ever. yes, for now, he'll spare howard a lot of things. ]
'S not a really excitin' reason, I know.
no subject
[He offers Steinbeck a slight smile.]
If it makes you happy, no one has a right to judge you, you know?
[He's talking somewhat from experience. He enjoys what he does, even though he knows 99% of people on planet Earth don't. That's fine. He knows it's impossible to please everyone. He's not doing it for them.]
Anyways, I like grapes too, so...I'd approve of it. You can't go wrong with those.