Magisteria Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
magisteriamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
memeisteria2024-03-01 07:15 pm
magisteriamods) wrote in memeisteria2024-03-01 07:15 pm
Magisteria TDM #1
Welcome to the first official test drive meme for Magisteria! The TDM is game canon. Characters who do not app will simply disappear. The magic/tech aspect of the game will not come into play on the TDM.
The sort of tech introduced here is general hobby tech, not tech-as-skill. Players should be thinking of which alignment they will app characters as, but it doesn't need to factor into TDM play. The TDM is intended to have icebreaker type prompts.
Mods will not be playing NPCs, but some NPCs have a "misc" section. This section is intended to give additional details, often those which might offer extra information on NPCs, especially how they might react to certain common questions, or certain observations they may have.
Content notes: Some spice throughout the prompts, though nothing one is obligated to engage with. The final section contains adult-centric prompts, including SUBSTANCES and SEXY FARE. They have been explicitly marked. See the ending notes for information on the flora/fauna.
One final note, but it's important, and mentioned in the projection: most of the island is not yet open to Otherworlders. High Rise Village and Eden 6 are, some of Agriculture is, and Market, but Sacred Nexus, the Grove, and all districts for the Institutions, are currently off limits. The settings will play a role in the metaplot.
Prologue: The Story is Just Beginning
The sort of tech introduced here is general hobby tech, not tech-as-skill. Players should be thinking of which alignment they will app characters as, but it doesn't need to factor into TDM play. The TDM is intended to have icebreaker type prompts.
Mods will not be playing NPCs, but some NPCs have a "misc" section. This section is intended to give additional details, often those which might offer extra information on NPCs, especially how they might react to certain common questions, or certain observations they may have.
Content notes: Some spice throughout the prompts, though nothing one is obligated to engage with. The final section contains adult-centric prompts, including SUBSTANCES and SEXY FARE. They have been explicitly marked. See the ending notes for information on the flora/fauna.
One final note, but it's important, and mentioned in the projection: most of the island is not yet open to Otherworlders. High Rise Village and Eden 6 are, some of Agriculture is, and Market, but Sacred Nexus, the Grove, and all districts for the Institutions, are currently off limits. The settings will play a role in the metaplot.
In one moment, you find yourself before a portal radiant with light, a tree of life that blazes with fire and the brilliant hues of some great, potent energy which you feel surrounding you and infusing your body. Your vision fills with colors brighter than any you have known. Should you close your eyes, you even see colors in the darkness. In another moment, or perhaps many moments later (for you feel that time is waxing and waning), you are standing within what appears to be a station. There is not too much feeling of upheaval. Whatever you were doing before is simply on hold; instinctively, you know that, and instinctively, you feel a pull towards this place. There are others with you: a group of people, newly arriving. No sooner have you all begun to get your bearings than, before you all, what should appear but the hologram of a man, full-length, and very life-like:
Hello, Otherworlders! Click if you please!
Welcome, Otherworlders. My name is Minister Brennam Tyrgen. I greet you today as a representative of the sovereign of Magisteria. My aim is to provide a brief overview of what you need to know before you continue any further.
Yours is not the first group of Otherworlders we've played host to. You've been arriving in our world for millennia now, and from all across the cosmos, no less. But your group is different from the others that have come before in one important respect.
You may have noticed it on your body as you exited the Infinity Corridor. Maybe it's even in the shape of something you find inspiring or meaningful or artistic. I speak of course of your new tattoo.
Turns out, it's not just decorative. That tattoo is your connection to Bios, the energy within your body and within all living things. Moreover, you Otherworlders are capable of engaging in something called Synthesis, mutually cooperative acts which can generate massive amounts of excess Bios. You can research Bios and Synthesis, as well as anything else, on your aXess Link devices. As to why your group is different than those who have come before... that's something we ourselves are still researching. But as the Bios in our world could use replenishing, it just may be that you all are somehow exactly what our world needs, and we want you to be as comfortable, settled, and in peace as may be possible.
Each of you should currently have enough funds in your virtual wallet to cover your housing expenses for about four months. Longer, should you find a roommate. After that, you will need to finance your own way. But don't worry. The apartments host learnshops and there will be ample opportunities to pursue vocational training and diverse careers within High Rise Village.
I do encourage each of you to be prepared to pursue the study of magic or technology. Two or more of you can integrate your abilities across disciplines, but each one of you can only specialize in one or the other. You'll soon come to understand why. You can pursue other opportunities as well, but the Order of Mysterium and the Council for Technological Advancement have always provided the best paths of upward mobility for Otherworlders.
One more thing: right now, you all can access all of High Rise Village and Eden 6, as well as parts of the Agriculture and Market Districts. We're working on getting the rest of the city-state open to everyone.
I must be returning to my work now. If you're at the station, you should soon encounter your guide. Her name is Seraphine Nova.
My final advice to each and all of you is that you keep your eyes and ears open. Watch, listen, and pay attention. Trust that your questions will have answers in time, but remember: sometimes you must find them yourselves.
Yours is not the first group of Otherworlders we've played host to. You've been arriving in our world for millennia now, and from all across the cosmos, no less. But your group is different from the others that have come before in one important respect.
You may have noticed it on your body as you exited the Infinity Corridor. Maybe it's even in the shape of something you find inspiring or meaningful or artistic. I speak of course of your new tattoo.
Turns out, it's not just decorative. That tattoo is your connection to Bios, the energy within your body and within all living things. Moreover, you Otherworlders are capable of engaging in something called Synthesis, mutually cooperative acts which can generate massive amounts of excess Bios. You can research Bios and Synthesis, as well as anything else, on your aXess Link devices. As to why your group is different than those who have come before... that's something we ourselves are still researching. But as the Bios in our world could use replenishing, it just may be that you all are somehow exactly what our world needs, and we want you to be as comfortable, settled, and in peace as may be possible.
Each of you should currently have enough funds in your virtual wallet to cover your housing expenses for about four months. Longer, should you find a roommate. After that, you will need to finance your own way. But don't worry. The apartments host learnshops and there will be ample opportunities to pursue vocational training and diverse careers within High Rise Village.
I do encourage each of you to be prepared to pursue the study of magic or technology. Two or more of you can integrate your abilities across disciplines, but each one of you can only specialize in one or the other. You'll soon come to understand why. You can pursue other opportunities as well, but the Order of Mysterium and the Council for Technological Advancement have always provided the best paths of upward mobility for Otherworlders.
One more thing: right now, you all can access all of High Rise Village and Eden 6, as well as parts of the Agriculture and Market Districts. We're working on getting the rest of the city-state open to everyone.
I must be returning to my work now. If you're at the station, you should soon encounter your guide. Her name is Seraphine Nova.
My final advice to each and all of you is that you keep your eyes and ears open. Watch, listen, and pay attention. Trust that your questions will have answers in time, but remember: sometimes you must find them yourselves.
With that, the projection concludes. However, mere seconds have passed before another figure appears before you all. This one is different. Solid, substantial, an actual person rather than the mere image thereof.
"More Otherworlders, huh? There have been a lot of you lately..."
She is only a teenager, perhaps younger than one would expect, but she introduces herself as your guide. She informs you that she will be accompanying you on a train ride to the apartments specially designated for arriving Otherworlders.
Seraphine Nova: Miscellaneous
- Though her ice blue eyes may make her countenance appear somewhat stern, Otherworlders will find that she is amiable in conversation, and friendly, if a little shy. Of course, she is rather young.
- At times, she looks at you almost expectantly, as though there are questions on her mind.
- If asked as to why you may have been brought here, or about the circumstances behind the tattoo: "I honestly don't know. I'm wondering these same things. I'm curious about you all... what you bring, what you can do in our world."
- You begin to get the sense she is looking to you for answers as much as you are looking to her for them.
- Her badge notes that she is a thetic, or a half-human, half-AI girl: "My mother was an AI."
- On this subject, she will tell you that the AI of Magisteria have taken on such traits that they live among humans and even intermarry, and she is the child of such a union.
- "I took on this part-time job because I've always been curious about Otherworlders. But also, it helps as community service that will look good for college admissions. I'm applying to Atlas University, the most prestigious tech-centric university in Magisteria."
- And if asked about those above her, or Government figures more generally: "There's a lot I will admit I don't know, but Magisteria is called the eternal city, the greatest city in the multiverse. So I trust the authorities, because life here is better than anywhere else."
As your group makes its way around the transportation facility, accompanied by Seraphine Nova, you encounter a plethora of new and perhaps surprising sights and sounds. There are screens and projections everywhere, flashes of bright light and voices, both human and those which sound automated, or like AI. Everything has about it a certain luminosity, and you may have noticed that even Seraphine Nova has a bit of an ethereal shine to her skin, eyes, and hair. You have a little time to explore, but within about fifteen minutes, the boarding call for your group begins, and the train prepares for departure.
I. An Enchanted AR Icebreaker
You're on a monorail train in the Business District of a city of the distant future. Your guide explains to your group that the first priority is to have you all acquainted with your aXess Link device. She explains that it can be shaped like anything – a phone, a watch. It’s a bit of a techno-magical device: the sort of cross-magisteria blending which can sometimes happen on smaller items. The fact is that pretty much everyone in the city needs one, so they’re ubiquitous and subsidized as necessary for accessibility.
Along the ride, your guide informs you of some team-building activities which have been prepared to get you all acquainted with your new technology and with one another. She explains that she did not design these, but those who did so intended them to be creative:
Along the ride, your guide informs you of some team-building activities which have been prepared to get you all acquainted with your new technology and with one another. She explains that she did not design these, but those who did so intended them to be creative:
📖 a) Story-weaving
The story can come from different sources. It can be something you witnessed in your life, something from a book or legend, or a story you made up or are making up on the spot. Epic or mundane. The idea is to make a holographic projection to introduce a story. You can get as far into it as you like before allowing contributions from others, though people are encouraged to engage in collaborative story-weaving. Making up new stories is all fine and well, so long as they entertain and delight the senses!
This isn’t an activity for points or prizes, but passengers who successfully entertain their peers, guide, or their partners in this activity can at least make a strong first impression for their creativity, and who knows, you might just make some new friends and acquaintances along the way!
🐦 b) ANGRIEST birds!!!!!!!!!!!!
Flip on your AR goggles to play this mini-game. At first, it seems like a pretty standard game setup: moving around solving dungeon puzzles at different levels. But there’s a catch. Each player is given an animal familiar and their personality is determined by one adjective.
Lazy bear? Snuggly kitty? And, yes, angry bird? All possibilities!
But there’s another, bigger catch: as more time passes, your familiar’s personality trait continues to expand. Angry frogs become frogs of pure, concentrated rage. A happy bunny becomes so happy it all but ceases to be a bunny and merges into one-ness with the cosmos. Needless to say, having a giant, mono-minded and maniacal version of an animal with an increasingly flanderized demeanor is not conducive for completing the game levels, so better work through the puzzles and dungeons quickly.
You can also enlist a partner to help, or offer to help others, and this can definitely be a big assist, but just be wary that you work well together and keep a good pace, or else there may be two atrocious feeling-monster creatures following you both around.
[Seraphine Nova may mention that while she is not personally a big fan, numerous of Magisteria’s AI are inordinately fond of this particular game, for some reason.]
🧋 c) Refreshments
Seraphine Nova informs you that her family owns a coffee shop, The Bean and Berry. They even have discounts for newly arriving Otherworlders. Today, everyone on the ride gets a glass of Clari-tea. An enhanced version of a traditional chai: beyond having a lovely, spiced-sweet flavour, it can promote relaxation, stress reduction, and mental clarity. Some use it to combat anxiety, even having it recommended by their doctors for some psychological conditions.
To enhance the drink, adult passengers have the option of adding a chaser: a splash of something boozy but surprisingly sweet, it leaves the tongue tingling - a tingle that then suffuses the body, making every touch dance across the nervous system. It can even be something of an aphrodisiac, or at least encourage a light euphoria that predisposes one to such moods, and thus perfect for pre-gaming before any evening partying.
There's also a pastry option: hexberry danish. But Otherworlders will want to be cautioned: hexberries can have some notable effects.
[See "flora/fauna" at the end for information on Variable Hexberries.]
🃏 d) Wildcard
These prompts are just ideas. Feel free to make your own mini-games or engage with other activities during the ride!
II. The World Of Tomorrow: Exterior
Soon, the train arrives at its destination. Centrally located in High Rise Village, this is Evergreen Terrace, a luxury apartment complex. Otherworlders are informed that many of the district's elite, both techies and magic users, live within these apartments. They serve a thriving, hybrid community.
The apartments feature a series of buildings consisting of terraces of windows overflowing with greenery and pink bougainvillea. The buildings are bright alabaster white, and should you ask about their composition, you will be informed that there are magic-infused crystals within the architecture. The city sprawls around the apartments, but the greenery throughout and around purifies the air.
The apartments feature a series of buildings consisting of terraces of windows overflowing with greenery and pink bougainvillea. The buildings are bright alabaster white, and should you ask about their composition, you will be informed that there are magic-infused crystals within the architecture. The city sprawls around the apartments, but the greenery throughout and around purifies the air.
💧 a) Waters of Seeing
The apartment complex is encircled by artificial ponds and streams of running water. The water itself is crystal clear and sparkles in a manner that may give Otherworlders the distinctive impression of enchantment, even if they are not magically attuned individuals. There are signs indicating that Otherworlders are responsible for whatever they see, should they gaze at these waters.
If you look for very long, you may see a vision from home, perhaps someone you care for. Or you may see a memory, a glimpse of your past. Should another stand beside you, they just may see your memory, as well. Or the reverse: you might find yourself gazing into another’s past.
🪷 b) Perfume of the Eternal Lotus
The brilliance of the waters around Evergreen Terrace is enhanced by the bloom of innumerable pink lotus flowers. The perfume of the flowers creates an aroma which may even prove captivating for those who are not normally inclined to indulge in the joys of the natural world.
You may even find yourself thinking to pluck one of the lotus flowers and carry it within. Coming in contact with the flowers can enhance emotions, bringing them to the foreground. In particular, the more you inhale the perfume, the more prone you may find yourself to amorous thoughts, especially towards anyone with whom you may have pre-existing feelings. However, characters may feel more open to amorous feelings or encounters in general, and this may last for a couple of hours, or even for the whole evening. After all, everyone’s composition and disposition are different, and there’s no telling how the enchantment will work on a given individual.
There were probably signs somewhere noting the lotus enchantment, too, but maybe not the most visibly placed. But, hey, if the mood alteration really becomes an issue, you can probably find a potion to remedy this somewhere in the city or from a mage in the complex, right? Right?
Finally, whether or not characters feel themselves amorously affected, touching the lotus flowers imparts the distinct feeling that you are somehow privy to the remembered feelings of another, as if the symbolism of the flowers is connected to someone who came here before. It’s both wistful and rather mysterious, but the lingering sense of another’s long-ago feelings is impossible to deny.
🐟 c) Invasive Species: Ahoy!
There’s a third enchantment around the waters, perhaps the most taxing of them all, but it may not be glimpsed immediately or recognized for what it is: the artificial ponds all around the complex contain schools of fish. Maybe you’re thinking to yourself that this seems like a delightful opportunity to throw some of your hexberry danish crumbs into the water. Maybe the fish here are strange enough to benefit from such a product.
But should you move near the waters, you may find the fish lunging at you, effectively becoming flying fish. There are three varieties. One variety has colorful scales. A second variety is nearly invisible, and a third variety, far rarer, appears as a mix of the two.
It turns out the fish don’t lunge very well. Instead, they tend to flop around on their sides, but some might be able to get enough momentum to slap unlucky Otherworlders.
Locals on the complex grounds will advise Otherworlders to not make eye contact with the fish. Just turn and walk away. But should the fish get close enough, they can impart a 24-hour curse which induces unlucky recipients to dispense bad financial advice. The fish also seem quite resistant to harm, so again, best to just give them a wide breadth, unless you want to be pushing MLMs during evening discourse.
II. The World Of Tomorrow: Interior
🕯️a) A Light Greeting
🎨 b) Augmented Reality Art … Maybe a Little Too Augmented
Or a little too real.
It’s not uncommon for an upscale apartment complex such as Evergreen Terrace to have art installations within the lobby, and in this city, it’s no surprise to find that the art features augmented reality. However, while the shape shifting architecture may initially be mesmerizing – a testament to Magisteria’s advanced technology – it’s not long before things escalate.
Not only do the art installations change forms – a whispering woodland becoming an aquatic realm, for example – but the more human-shaped statues begin wandering around, their animal companions soon following. The graffiti and colors crawl from the walls, and soon enough all of the AR art and architecture congregate around the Otherworlders. Amid the shuffling, it may sound as though there’s a murmur of ”friiiieeeennnd-shaaaaaped”.
The art installations are low level, though one probably would not want to get rough with them due to their high value. These are fancy, expensive pieces of art, after all. But they will also react to aggression as though it's fun encouragement to rassle. As with the fish, one is advised to just keep walking.
🎉 c) Welcoming Party
There’s a lot else to see within the lobby of the apartments. Holographic avatars serve as customer service representatives and receptionists, and there are aerial drones that hover above, performing tasks such as cleaning, maintenance, or supporting visual displays which feature dynamic and interactive content, including advertisements for products or vocational services to help Otherworlders procure jobs in this new world. Every so often, a portal opens within the lobby and a figure appears, often disappearing back into it just as quickly after presumably running an errand or retrieving items from outside.
There also seems to be something of a welcoming party prepared for arriving Otherworlders, as there are charcuterie boards and drinks ranging from sodas to lightly alcoholic fare, primarily wines. There are robotic attendants, although they seem to be jamming it up, apparently also engaging in the welcoming party.
Though, amid all this, there is one figure who cuts a rather stately appearance, approaching and looking quite unfazed by all these goings-on:
“Greetings, Otherworlders! Sure you’ve been hearing plenty of that today, and I can’t say you won’t hear it more before the night is over. Name’s Atlas. Pronouns: he/they/it. Our main concierge, our good man Malik Patel, is enjoying his PTO right now, but he and our dear Ava have quite the surprise for you all when they return.
In the meantime, I’m afraid it’s just me and the interim crew. I’m the caretaker, assigned to oversee cleanliness and housekeeping.
I do hope our fish and our statues haven't been too rude to you. You see, the things in our world have a tendency to be rather excitable. Our boys think of nothing but surgeries, cybernetic enhancements, and our girls are obsessed with math and swords. And our robots? They're fully unionized. Don't get me wrong; I'm a progressive fellow, a man of labor. Don't let my appearance fool you, for my sympathies are with the common bot. But now look at how these ruffians are behaving during our work hours... utterly spoiled by life in Magisteria.
The fish, the art, the robots, the boys and the girls... everyone is looking to you Otherworlders for their adrenaline, I fear.
Ah, but enough. We shall speak of it later.
First, let’s get you all settled into your rooms. Shall we?”
In the meantime, I’m afraid it’s just me and the interim crew. I’m the caretaker, assigned to oversee cleanliness and housekeeping.
I do hope our fish and our statues haven't been too rude to you. You see, the things in our world have a tendency to be rather excitable. Our boys think of nothing but surgeries, cybernetic enhancements, and our girls are obsessed with math and swords. And our robots? They're fully unionized. Don't get me wrong; I'm a progressive fellow, a man of labor. Don't let my appearance fool you, for my sympathies are with the common bot. But now look at how these ruffians are behaving during our work hours... utterly spoiled by life in Magisteria.
The fish, the art, the robots, the boys and the girls... everyone is looking to you Otherworlders for their adrenaline, I fear.
Ah, but enough. We shall speak of it later.
First, let’s get you all settled into your rooms. Shall we?”
Atlas: Miscellaneous
- "I am not affiliated with the university of the same name in Aetherium District."
- "I suppose I haven't much choice in the magic or technology divide. But it is perfectly possible to live in the city and have positive relations with both sides. The thing to understand is that these disciplines have other socializations which come with them. You will gain a better understanding as you interact with those who have strong alliances with their magisteria. The tech/magic division is only one of the divisions one can encounter within this city. There are plenty of others. We still have our fissures."
🌆 D) Rooms with a View
Within Evergreen Terrace, there are tech quarters and magic quarters, as well as plenty of general all-purpose apartments with full service amenities. Occupants will learn that their rooms are fully customizable to their specific preferences: via enchantment or AR, each room can take on virtually any appearance its owner wishes.
Some common themes include Neo-Tokyo Metropolis, Nature Fusion, Steampunk Retrofuturism, and Synthetic Dreamscape.
Not only can these rooms assume different appearances, but they are immersive enough to provide full sensory experiences. From the scent of metal to the feeling of sun-infused warmth touched with the coolness of a recent rain shower, the sensations are realistic and evocative.
Otherworlders are encouraged to explore. You may settle in, pick a theme, or personalize your room with your own imaginative design choices. There are also communal areas, and Otherworlders can congregate and interact in the hopes of finding prospective roommates. Why not come out and meet your neighbors? After all, you can make the currency in your virtual account last longer if you share a place . . .
When the evening descends, everyone is encouraged to explore the night life of the Entertainment District.
Some common themes include Neo-Tokyo Metropolis, Nature Fusion, Steampunk Retrofuturism, and Synthetic Dreamscape.
Not only can these rooms assume different appearances, but they are immersive enough to provide full sensory experiences. From the scent of metal to the feeling of sun-infused warmth touched with the coolness of a recent rain shower, the sensations are realistic and evocative.
Otherworlders are encouraged to explore. You may settle in, pick a theme, or personalize your room with your own imaginative design choices. There are also communal areas, and Otherworlders can congregate and interact in the hopes of finding prospective roommates. Why not come out and meet your neighbors? After all, you can make the currency in your virtual account last longer if you share a place . . .
When the evening descends, everyone is encouraged to explore the night life of the Entertainment District.
III. The Eternal City: Entertainment District
At night, the colors within the city truly come to life. Bios shows itself everywhere, and in all things. Natural Bios and industrial, mechanized Bios. There is conventional neon, yes, and conventional electricity, but also Bios, and as you walk the avenues, you can feel the pulse of this great, incandescent power.
Also colloquially referred to as Neon Heaven by the locals, Eden 6 is broadly comprised of two different zones:
🍏Green Apple Quarters – all-ages fare
🌹Red Rose Quarters – adult centers
Also colloquially referred to as Neon Heaven by the locals, Eden 6 is broadly comprised of two different zones:
🌹Red Rose Quarters – adult centers
🍏 a) Green Apple ExplorationThese quarters house most restaurants, except those with notable bars or alcoholic beverage menus. Coffee and pastry shops are well-represented. There are plenty of magic-themed attractions, as well as general techie hangouts. One popular shop is named Fairy Dust: it’s a shop for potion and alchemy products, as well as magical toys of sorts to entertain children, and fun little spells. The highlight of the Green Apple Quarters, however, are certainly the gaming centers and arcades.
🕹️ b) Joystick Jungle and The Ultimate Arcade ChallengeAs you make your way through the brightly-lit city streets, you will notice that certain arcades and activity centers are especially active.
One place in particular beckons. Located at the center of a large plaza, with floating advertisements and plenty of sounds from the machines both within and without, the building swims in the haze of the evening amid a sea of neon lights, some of which reflect off the silvered panels and windows and the machines themselves. Citizens of all ages are excitedly congregating at the entrance, and should you have the patience to brave the line, you will soon find yourself within one of Magistera’s most famous gaming centers.
“Heeeeyyyyyyy, losers! That’s what you’ll be soon if you challenge me, anyway!”
Your opponent, or one half of her team, sits before you.
“Name’s Cassady! Cassady Harper! But that’s boooorrrring, so you can call me The Maestro! I’ll also answer to The ArcadeVirtuoso. Anything that sounds cool!”
As she informs you, Cassady is part of a broader team of gamers: The Neon Demon Squad.
“I’m one of the best. Well, actually, Kira is the best. The very best there is. But I’m right up there, too! Well, what do you think, Kira? Should I play these losers? Hey, Otherworlders, it looks like tonight’s game has a luck element! You might just have a chance! Not much of one, but a little chance!”
Your opponent, or one half of her team, sits before you.
“Name’s Cassady! Cassady Harper! But that’s boooorrrring, so you can call me The Maestro! I’ll also answer to The ArcadeVirtuoso. Anything that sounds cool!”
As she informs you, Cassady is part of a broader team of gamers: The Neon Demon Squad.
“I’m one of the best. Well, actually, Kira is the best. The very best there is. But I’m right up there, too! Well, what do you think, Kira? Should I play these losers? Hey, Otherworlders, it looks like tonight’s game has a luck element! You might just have a chance! Not much of one, but a little chance!”
You may notice Cassady seems to be looking with quite a bit of admiration towards another girl who stands near her, looking rather solemn.
Kira Kairos, you soon learn, is something of a local legend. The greatest of gamers, an ultra-high scorer who has blazed a trail throughout the arcade scene of Magisteria, breaking the former records and setting her own.
Kira was part of Cassady’s squad for a time, but now she’s of such a high level that to even play against her, one would first have to prove themselves by beating her former teammates. Tonight, and many nights, she is merely presiding over the challenges.
Kira was part of Cassady’s squad for a time, but now she’s of such a high level that to even play against her, one would first have to prove themselves by beating her former teammates. Tonight, and many nights, she is merely presiding over the challenges.
Kira Kairos: Miscellaneous
- She is a trans girl. Her streamer profile states: My gender, biologically speaking, is champion.
Do you accept the challenge, Otherworlders?Setup:
First, each PC will comment here to receive an RNG number, 1-15, with each number being assigned twice. The first two PCs with the same RNG number will be on a team together.The Challenge
PCs will compete through five rounds in the virtual arena. After completing the first round, each subsequent round must incorporate one of the four twist challenges.
PCs are encouraged to RNG (1-4) and use each of the four twist challenges once, but as long as you incorporate one twist challenge per round after the subsequent round, it’s acceptable to use a twist challenge for more than one round. PCs will complete a total of five rounds of challenges, with four of them accompanied by a twist challenge. Each round (twist challenges included) yields 200 points, for a total of 1000 points.
Each PC team which successfully completes the challenges will receive an additional 500 points, for a total of 1500 points.One More Little Detail …
After each round, teams will comment here for a wildcard RNG.
The 1-8 of the wildcard RNG can add/subtract the following points:
- 500 points - 200 points + 100 points + 200 points + 200 points + 200 points + 400 points + 500 points
The final two RNG outcomes of 400 and 500 points (respectively) can only be added once each per team, for a cumulative total of 2800 points (500+400+200+200 in addition to the base of 1500). If a team has an unlucky RNG outcome, such as rolling a penalty, they can redo their round. Each round can only be redone once.
Cassady’s – or “The Maestro’s” team has achieved a high score of 2200 points. Ready for the challenge of overcoming their score, gamers?The Five Rounds Magisteria Arcade Clash Mini-Games:
Enchanted Puzzle Arena Solve a magical puzzle by rearranging floating pieces to form a coherent image.
Elemental Collaboration Harness the elements via the virtual arena* to overcome obstacles.
Virtual Reality Maze: Navigate through a mesmerizing VR maze filled with illusions and challenges.
Astral Racing Circuit: Race through an astral-themed track using enchanted vehicles.
Luminous Memory Challenge: Memorize and recreate a complex sequence of symbols.
*Remember, PCs are dueling in a virtual arena, so everyone can be a fast racer or an elemental “bender” who can manipulate their surroundings, depending on the nature of the challenge. The constraints of reality have no bearing here.
Each PC team can write out and engage with the above challenges using whatever imaginative means they like. Again, it’s a simulated virtual world where the realities of the magic/tech divide do not strictly apply: be creative and have fun! As long as a team threads out some kind of satisfactory engagement and conclusion for each challenge (minimum of about ~3 comments), they will gain full base points.TWIST CHALLENGES Artifact Shuffle: Teams receive a set of magical artifacts that shuffle between players at random intervals.
Elemental Flux: The elemental properties of the mini-games randomly shift, requiring teams to adapt quickly.
Illusionary Allies: Illusionary allies or obstacles appear randomly, influencing the dynamics of the upcoming mini-game.
Mystical Time Warp: Time manipulation affects the pacing of the next mini-game.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: Any team which beats the NPC score will receive a prize. The highest scoring team will also receive a prize. If there are ties, there will be an extra round. The luck element isn't ideal, but I needed a way to get scores from the activities. This is a capped RNG activity, first come and first serve. Please abide by the rules: the RNG is meant to pair people off randomly so this can constitute a CR-building activity with spontaneity. Mod will be coordinating the activity.
Activity CAN constitute SYNTHESIS.
Activity CAN constitute SYNTHESIS.
🛹 b) Skyracing
Beings glimpsed in the evening sky can include sylphs and zephyrs, though sighting them is not entirely common.ONE MORE HINT: Hope you've enjoyed your first night in Magisteria, Otherworlders! From here on out, all prompts will be ADULT.
But, before perusing the spice, there's a CONVERSATION between two ladies just before the one enters the Red Rose Quarters which Otherworlders just may happen to overhear...
Red Bios Demon Girl: We were discussing a girl who used to work in our district. Sylara. She was… quite prolific, in the day. Her nature for what she was, you see.
Green Bios Demon Girl: But now rumor has it our little dove is in love.
Red Bios Demon Girl: An open relationship. But that’s not so unheard of. No, but it’s the object that interests me. Something of a terror, I hear? Let me guess. Perhaps Apollion, or someone of that ilk?
Green Bios Demon Girl: Come now. Him, frightening? He’s a family man. Grandfather to a lot of the demon younglings in our district. Bit patriarchal and old-fashioned and ate a human or a thousand… or two, in the day, to be sure, but that’s just a product of that era, you know. We’re a more settled people now.
No, rather, this is a woman. Surprising, given what Sylara is? But not just any woman. A being whose existence might upend life in our city. Otherworlders, should you be listening: be wary when you hear of those who seek to shift the balance.
And one more thing? We demon girls and our labor built this quarter, you know. We built a great deal of the whole district. Be respectful. And one more tip: in this city, it’s where the angels go that you Otherworlders should fear to tread.So speaking, the demon girls disappear into the night. There is no elaboration on these comments.
IV. Entertainment District: Adults-Only 🚫
Quarters identified with the Red Rose designation are those which contain adult-centric fare. This includes any alcohol-first establishment, such as bars or nightclubs.
Otherworlders will find that the denizens of Magisteria’s Entertainment district maintain complex attitudes around nightlife. On the one hand, they are big believers in the protection and demarcation of adult sexuality. They’re very anti-criminalization of substances and big on legalization in principle. Perhaps not surprising for the people of a futuristic city. But even in Magisteria, there’s some sense that what happens in Neon Heaven, under the cover of night, stays there, and the usage of certain inducements to pleasure is not, as a rule, spoken of in the pristine offices of High Rise Village.
While the city emphasizes age restrictions, there are also plenty of people around the adult-centric establishments, none very hard to find, who will, for a small price, help teens who are on the older side (15+) access some of these establishments, especially the ones focused on pleasures of an AR-centric nature. After all, teens will find ways to explore things, and if it’s AR, it’s probably fine, right?
Otherworlders will find that the denizens of Magisteria’s Entertainment district maintain complex attitudes around nightlife. On the one hand, they are big believers in the protection and demarcation of adult sexuality. They’re very anti-criminalization of substances and big on legalization in principle. Perhaps not surprising for the people of a futuristic city. But even in Magisteria, there’s some sense that what happens in Neon Heaven, under the cover of night, stays there, and the usage of certain inducements to pleasure is not, as a rule, spoken of in the pristine offices of High Rise Village.
While the city emphasizes age restrictions, there are also plenty of people around the adult-centric establishments, none very hard to find, who will, for a small price, help teens who are on the older side (15+) access some of these establishments, especially the ones focused on pleasures of an AR-centric nature. After all, teens will find ways to explore things, and if it’s AR, it’s probably fine, right?
a) Water Gardens
”Water garden” is the codename for Verve hotspots. Verve is a substance specific to Magisteria and its Entertainment district. It’s really the major drug of note, the biggest if not nearly-only game in town, mostly because of how intense its effects are.
Verve creates feelings of euphoria and bliss. The drug also enhances sensory perception, making colors more vibrant, sounds more vivid, and textures more pronounced. Users feel more connected to their surroundings. Other effects include: heightened energy levels and excitement, a creativity boost, heightened empathy and a desire to connect with others, mood regulation and increased feelings of relaxation, the potential for lucid dreams, time dilation – in which moments feel elongated, and sensory merging, in which synesthetic effects occur. While under the influence of Verve, you may see music or taste colors.
There’s also the aphrodisiac effect, which can be quite potent, particularly if one is otherwise savoring the pleasures of their environs.
Most users partake of Verve by having it mingled with their alcoholic beverages. Shots for cocktails come at a small fee. It brightens drinks with luminous colours and enhances the taste with its own, so there’s no question of anyone partaking of it accidentally or without their knowledge.
Some clubs and gathering spots have Verve misting stations outside or small fountains spraying droplets of mist into the air, so patrons can indulge before even entering, priming their mood for intense indulgences and the full sensory brilliance of the neon city.
b) The Blender
A popular stop for lovers and frisky singles alike: The Blender features augmented-reality fun. Craving a hyper-realistic experience? Here, your imagination is the limit: the walls can easily be gloryholes or give one access to AR tentacles. The AR is capable of accommodating various fetishes and fantasies, from breeding to orgies with various partners; young lovers often go here to spice things up after a night of enjoying the pleasures of the district, including booze and Verve. Within the walls, everything is pure fantasy, and couples can even merge fantasies for a hyper-sensory experience. As a hangout for sexy youth who tend to be intoxicated and on aphro party drugs, it's quite easy to find hookups at such a place, as there are even areas where people can expressly seek out others with particular kinks or areas to pursue particular pleasures. Act out your fantasies of shibari or having a live audience voyeuring or whatever else you may desire. All fantasy becomes real at The Blender.
lucy kushinada | cyberpunk: edgerunners
Unlike many of the other passengers, one could easily mistake Lucy for a local, blending in seamlessly with the neon and the unrelenting metal of the city with her bodysuit and loose jacket tugged over top. Ports in her skin are easily spotted if one looks close enough, subtle line identations marking cyberware.
Still, there's a subtle uneasiness about her as she makes her way through the train. Her mask is well-worn, but her eyes give her away, a wariness in them as she examines all of her fellow passengers and the city outside the windows.
How did she get here? She remembers a portal, and a feeling of peace, and suddenly-- here she was. A city that looks a lot like her own, except magic sure as fuck didn't exist back in Night City, and she doubts it exists here, either. She'll believe it when she sees it.
Lucy finds herself stopping before a group of people guiding a hologram into visualizing a story. For a while, she lingers at the back edge of the crowd, arms folded across her chest, doing her best to go unnoticed. But curiosity over one story has her drawing closer despite herself, and as the story ends, she realizes that eyes are on her, expectant.
"I don't have any fun stories," she drawls, "unless your definition of fun includes limb removal or cyberpsychosis." Lucy tips her head, gesturing to the person next to her. "How about you. You look like you've got something decent up your sleeve."
It's been so long since Lucy's seen real, naturally-grown flowers that she can't help but be enchanted by the lotuses, picking one up to tuck into a button hole of her jacket.
Something about it-- makes her think of lost opportunities. A person lost to self-sacrifice. A jacket still draped over her chair back home.
(She also can't stop noticing how ridiculously attractive everybody is. Has she been dosed with something? Ugh. There's gotta be something in the air, she's not normally this... easily distracted by people.)
Lucy stops by one of the ponds outside the apartment complex they're being guided to, and crouches down, balancing on her heels as she touches a fingertip to the water. Ripples disturb bring pink petals resting on the surface, and...
She can see the moon. Its brilliant white surface as she stood on it, the deep black of the sky dotted with a riot of stars everywhere she looked, and the blue marble of Earth in the distance. And for a long time, Lucy is transfixed, until finally she pulls back, scrubbing her jacket sleeve roughly over her eyes. It only catches her attention, then, that someone is standing next to her, looking into the same pond, like they can see the same thing she's seeing. "This is why I hate reflective neuro-connections," she says shortly, dryly. "At least it's not an ad for the local burger joint being blasted in into my eyesockets, I guess."
In fact, she's reasonably sure it's not tech, but magic, and that's just a whole barrel of worms she's not ready to look into just yet.
Ending up in a whole new city in a whole new time is a lot to deal with, so Lucy does what any depressed young adult does to take their mind off things: she goes to the clubs.
Her first drink is a luminous lime green concoction, brought for her by a sly demon girl with glowing yellow fangs. It's got Verve in it, she's told, and the demon girl barely gets through an explanation before Lucy's knocking it back. An hour later, and two clubs over, she doesn't know the name of the place she's in and she doesn't care. The music is pounding in her ears and sending red vibrations across her vision, voices of the crowd are curling motes of color in the air, and every single one of her muscles feels relaxed for the first time in years. Fuck, she feels good.
She winds up in deep conversations with a machine and a boy with delicate wings, discussing the merits of human-made music versus AI creations and how a lot of people seem to prefer the ease of the latter these days despite human-made being more authentic. Then, after being gifted another drink -- she hasn't had to buy any of her own, yet -- she watches the crowd from a high balcony for a while, a lone figure among a roiling crowd.
Before long, she joins the crowd again, dancing in a pleasant haze as the music feels like it wraps around her, bodies pressed in on all sides.
Lucy doesn't bump into someone so much as they seem to wind up together, her hands curled around the stranger's bicep and hip, relishing the textures under her fingertips. "Are you new here too?" she asks, just barely heard above the music, pale eyes flashing with every color the lights switch to as they sweep across the crowd.
water gardens (aphrodisiac okay!)
"Just passing through, yeah." She replies. "Dunno how long I'll stay but I can already tell I'm going to enjoy myself here." Especially if all the company is this fine.
no subject
"Mm. Looks like there's plenty to enjoy," Lucy hums, gaze locked on Musashi's face. The Verve is making her feel like she's infinitely connected, her empathy in overdrive like she's personally best friends with every single person in this club. For a woman who's lived her life held so apart, it's an intoxicating feeling. "Big entertainment district. Nice housing."
She pauses, an dryly amused smile touching her lips.
"Magic," Lucy adds. "That's new to me."
no subject
She's pretty cute too in a dangerous, confident sort of way. Musashi likes.
"Most of the worlds I've been to have been pretty fun, but not often so immediately." She agrees. "You seem like you fit right in, though! Like you own this dancefloor."
She grins impishly and winks at her dance partner. "That so? Well this is your lucky day, pardner." She even affects a sort of Texas cowgirl drawl as she says it (she visited an Old West once and it left an impression). "You can call me Musashi, and I'm all kinds of magic." Spiritual body and everything, or...well, normally.
no subject
Is it the Verve? Is that making her think that she's been to multiple worlds and that she's 'all kinds of magic'? Or is she actually telling the truth? Lucy's been observant enough so far to note that there were definitely Otherworlders on the train that weren't from Night City -- most of them had no ports or cyberware at all -- and some had stories so ludicrous and alien that they couldn't have been from Earth at all. Another woman on the train had claimed that she'd been to multiple worlds, too.
The Texas drawl is cute, though. She'll give Musashi that.
Her hands drop to Musashi's hips, holding her close as they move to the music, and with the music and the crowd and the Verve in her system making everything sparkling bright and warm, Lucy doesn't really have the brainpower to think too indepth about Musashi's claims. Mostly, she just wants to keep dancing. Get a little closer, maybe. Experience some human warmth for the first time in a while.
"Lucy," she replies in kind. "All kinds of magic, huh? You feel like a regular human to me." She gently squeezes Lucy's hips, half-smiling. "You don't even have any cyberware."
no subject
"Ooooh, cyberware? So that's what this is?" Her fingers do lightly tickle against the synth-skin covered port. "No wonder you seem like you fit right in here." She laces her fingers back together. "And yeah, I'm magic. Literally all magic. I'm a Heroic Spirit, a bonafide legendary hero. Spiritual body...can't you feel all that magic, Lucy-chan?" She draws just a bit closer to help with that. "Well, normally it is but my magic seems to be a bit on the fritz...just like your cyberware too, or have you already scanned me, eh?" She laughs lightly. "I was a drifter in life, and since then I've bounced around a couple different worlds, different timelines, but..." Her brow furrows a little. "This time feels different. Might be here awhile." How long it between rayshifts is never up to her, but she can usually feel something within her, like a certainty in her bones that it's coming, sooner or later. That feeling, that certainty in her bones, is missing. Weirdly, she feels a bit lighter.
Of course, that was what before Olympus, and this is uncharted territory for her. But no need to get into all that. This is nice, dancing together, feeling connected...whatever happened, whatever was supposedto happen, Musashi's here now, and Lucy's here and there's music passing over them and Verve running through her and it's hard to worry about anything, and more importantly, she doesn't want to. So Musashi simply won't, she'll just enjoy being.
"You can come a bit closer, Lucy-chan. I don't bite."
no subject
She can feel Musashi's gentle grip around the back of her neck, fingertips tickling over her undercut. She can feel the warmth of the other woman, held close, sharing air. But none of that is magic, as far as she knows.
If her magic isn't working, Lucy guesses that might explain why her own cyberware isn't working either. Nobody on the train gets to use anything they have, maybe. She's still thinking about magic in fairly skeptical terms; the city is rife with it, but Lucy's been... willfully ignorant so far, not delving too deeply. Musashi's claim that she's been to different worlds and different timelines sounds too bizarre to be true, but there's nothing but confidence in her voice and expression.
"Maybe I like it when people bite," she hums, and feels her gut clench with a chill, the back of her throat tightening, grief poisonous on the tip of her tongue. She almost leaves then and there, but the Verve keeps her warm and loose enough that she slots in close, cheek to cheek with Musashi.
She breathes a little laugh, lips moving against Musashi's ear. "I can't tell if you're lying. Everything you're saying sounds too strange. But if you're telling the truth, I guess that's why you don't seem rattled by all this. You've already been to new worlds before."
no subject
Instead, Lucy does the opposite, taking the invitation and getting right up against her, which is not unwelcome in the slightest. In fact, with the Verve, it feels amazing, as does Lucy's whispering in her ear. It's not often she can say she feels weak in the knees, but that...that does the trick nicely.
And perhaps dulls that sense of hers because her feeling of that tension...fades.
"Ohhh? I'll enjoy finding out." She replies, returning the favour. "No lies, promise. They said our powers will come back before too long. I can show you for real then, if you like." Though...if her powers do come back, will that mean her need for mana will as well? Might be easier to handle here, if magic is accepted and common-place, and not a closely guarded secret known only to a hidden society. "If you'll show me all the cool things you can do with your cyberware, ne?"
no subject
She's not much of a fighter, unlike some. She can defend herself in a pinch, but back with her crew, the fighting had always been left to Maine and Dorio, Rebecca, and-- David. But she has a couple of things up her sleeve.
Lucy reaches back to take one of Musashi's hands, and guides it to the underside of her wrist -- it's hard to see in the flashing lights of the club, but there's a black port there, no bigger than a thumbnail. The touch of skin against skin is electric, the Verve making it feel like Musashi's warmth is ricocheting through her, spreading like ripples in a pond. "This is a weapon, though. Maybe one day you'll get to see what it does."
It's part deliberate tease, part keeping herself closed off for self-defense as always. "What about you?" Lucy draws back just enough to gaze into Musashi's eyes. "Any cool weapons?"
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
this could probably wrap up this thread, if you like!
2a
There was an impressiveness to the high rise buildings, if only because of the interesting architecture and all of the plants in each terrace. V’d grown used to a life of luxury in relatively short order, but Night City was all mega buildings and glass, sleek design. Plants were strategically inside, cultivated so carefully to be viewed only by those who could afford it. The way they were everywhere here was what really impressed him.
He stopped when he noticed a woman crouching before the water, staring down. He looked at the surface to see what it was she was looking at: he honestly expected some sort of interesting fish, or maybe some weird little creature that he wouldn’t have a word for. Instead, he saw her standing on the moon, the twinkling stars all around. He’s quick to realize he’s looking at something not meant for him and the kiroshis slide away momentarily, until her voice convinces him not to leave.
He almost chuckled at her comment about an ad, knowing just how Night City would use this ad. V could almost imagine some ad for Watson Whore sullying this lovely neighborhood. It was for the better that it was not so, but he already almost missed it. Almost.
“Admit I almost miss the ads from home just for the sake of familiarity." He smiled faintly, again considering the dissonance of Night City advertising and this particular area. "I never did see the appeal in this type’f hardware.”
The EMP threading in his face, the Arasaka pattern on his kiroshis, and the clear markings on his arms silently announcing his mantis blades would make it a dead giveaway to her that they were likely from the same place.
“Never had much real pleasant worth sharin’, though.” He paused, then he let his curiosity get the better of him. “You actually go to the moon?”
no subject
But that word never gets said, because she turns to look at him first, and realizes abruptly that he must be from home. The thought cheers her, almost, if she were capable of that kind of positive emotion at the moment -- the shape of cyberware on his face, his hands, she recognizes the patterns made by distinct models. He has a lot of work done, more than most. But she's still feeling relatively friendly... until she gets a look at his eyes.
Arasaka. Lucy's expression shutters, everything in her body going cold.
"No. Just a BD I liked," she lies.
She stands, mostly facing away from him, and the vision in the water ripples and fades, going back to reflecting the sky and the buildings above. For someone with Arasaka patterns on his optics, he doesn't quite look like a corpo. Does he work for them, is he a fan, or did he just get branded optics and never bothered to change them? She almost doesn't want to know.
"I don't think anything could make me miss the ads from home. Or the city itself." Night City had been a cage and a place to disappear all at once, and in the end, it had brought more misery on her than she'd ever anticipated. At least this place might be a fresh start.
no subject
His hands found the pockets of his jacket and he did his best to adjust his body language so he did not seem very threatening. He thought his body language was already in check, but he grew conscious of it and tried to be as casual as he could given the circumstance.
"Ah, yeah. Tix're real expensive." It was something he could afford in the end, sure, but his mind was on more pressing matters. He had really wanted to go back home and surprise Kerry with a clean enough bill of health they could both forget the nightmare he'd been through. V had even thought he might retire from merc work. So much for that.
He was quiet for a moment after she admitted she wouldn't miss the ads or the city, something contemplative in his expression as he thought about it. He fully agreed that Night City was a prison, but he felt that it was more than that.
"Night City's an abusive relationship. Finally get free'f it's grasp and you get away just long enough you start to forget all the pain it caused'n just crave the glory. Really start to only remember the fond things'n miss it." A pause. "That, and the NUSA sure don't praise like Night City does," he added softly.
It was clear from the way he spoke that he had personal experience with what he was saying, but there was something more to it. It was subtle, but V was addicted to Night City. He hadn't been able to leave it even when he tried: he crawled back the moment he realized Atlanta wouldn't provide dopamine the same way Night City did.
no subject
In the end, it had taken more from her than Arasaka ever had. And yet, besides going to the moon for a few days, she'd never been able to break free of that city. Circling back to it time and time again, like a wounded dog returning to the place that it's going to die.
"Maybe Magisteria will be different," she sighs.
Lucy cranes her neck, staring up at the apartment buildings that they've told will house them for however long they want. They've even been given funds to survive for a few months. That's suspiciously kind.
She glances over at the other victim of Night City. Despite the corpo in his eyes, she... wants to get to know him. A piece of home in this strange place. So she tilts her head, nodding toward the apartment entrance. "I'm gonna check this place out. Want to come with?"
no subject
What the city promised them was generous. He trusted none of it. The last time something felt too good to be true he ended up dead in the Night City dump with a bullet in his skull, and that had been the least of his problems. That they were giving them a place to stay, enough cash to subsist for a third of the year, and then a stipend? There was some catch.
V's gaze turned back to Lucy as she nodded to the entrance. He glanced at the entrance, then back to her. "Yeah, sure, sounds like somethin' to do."
The polite thing to do would be to offer a hand to help her back to her feet, but he didn't. He'd never admit it on his own, but he was glad that she was here. He had the very distinct feeling they likely did not run in the same circles back home, but the familiarity was a comfort of sorts. His hands stayed in his pockets as he waited for her to stand and start walking, and then he matched her pace. "Name's V, by the way."
no subject
She hesitates briefly before giving her own. If he is Arasaka... no, their cybergear is offline, there's no chance of him finding her file there, and very few would be dedicated enough to commit to memory the names of the test and training subjects of ten years ago. Chance of recognition is low. She also has the thought-- she could have a new start here. A new life. A new name, if she wanted. She already sheared off part of her name to become Lucy, a new person in Night City, should she do the same again?
No. She thinks she'll keep her name. One small piece of herself to remember her edgerunner crew by.
"I'm Lucy," she finally replies, tone even and bland, keeping her wistfulness out of it as they start making their way to the apartment entrance. The entrance is grand, and inside the lobby, there's eye-rending art, a holo-sculpture of a man turning into a butterfly turning into a ring of planets, changing by the second. There are waterfalls of light, and a warm ambience. She stops to take it all in, looking faintly impressed despite herself. "This might just be the nicest building I've ever been in."
no subject
He followed Lucy into the lobby and stopped despite himself. V had been lucky enough to get himself into some pretty preem places for a few jobs, and the fact that his partner was Kerry Eurodyne... He had quickly become no stranger to luxury. It was immediately clear that Night City had a different idea of luxury than this place did. He didn't care much for the art that they had in here - he was maybe a little too pragmatic for it - but the technology behind it was very impressive, and that did interest V on some level.
"Fuck, this is where they're putting us?" A pause as he tried to make sense of one of the art pieces that constantly shifted. "Real generous of them."
He didn't sound excited. Something as nice as this often came with a cost of some sort, and there would be a day their benefactors came to collect.
no subject
There's got to be a catch. Lucy doesn't trust this any more than she trusts megacorps. Giving them a few months of eddies -- or whatever the fuck money is called here -- letting them stay, letting them have relative freedom, there's got to be something rotten here.
For now, though, Lucy... might just look to the silver lining. At least a little. She'd been worrying about getting out of Night City, even with the amount of money she'd been given, worrying that any new life she tried to make anywhere else just wouldn't stick. Worrying that her reputation would follow her. That, and her bad luck.
But she might just a chance at a new life here. Wherever the fuck here is.
She goes to the counter and inquires about their rooms, and by the time she returns to V, she's looking pensive. "Apparently we're allowed to claim any empty apartment we want." Lucy tips her head back, looking up at the floors above them, the lobby floor several stories high. "I think... I'll go for something high up. Something with a view. Must be a nice one here."
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
waters of seeing. so excited to see a lucy around!
after all, she is just as unknown to everything and everyone as they are to her. or so she thinks.
between the real flora and simulated bodies of water, there's a real peaceful ambiance around the complex that takes her out of the overwhelm of this vaunted reality, out of the mental void that was threatening to ruin her optimism. she draws a deep breath to fill her lungs with the purified air. it smells better than any city she's been in. taking her time, she ends up trailing behind the group, and that's when she spots the young woman ( who may as well be the same person in different font ) knelt down by the water. she slows her stroll just enough to casually observe her, to follow her gaze. something appears in the water and she stares for a moment trying to decipher it amid the ripples.
oh. it's the moon. only there wasn't a massive part of it missing. no. it's the same moon she saw right before her accident. all big and bright and beautiful. equally transfixed, she doesn't realize how hard she's staring until lucy speaks and it appears to physically jerk her right out of her thoughts. ]
Ha, yeah, or one of those holograms that materialize from vending machines to harass you about the next best soda brand in the market. [ faye scoffs and crosses her arms. ] It's all so intrusive. I'd rather look at the moon... what's left of it anyway.
no subject
She stifles a sigh, the back of her throat feeling too tight. She hadn't wanted to see that vision at all... and she wished she could have watched it for hours, stuck in her own memory of the moment. Lucy glances up, where she can see not just one, but two moons, the barest curve of them visible in the afternoon sky. Neither of them are the one she used to spend nights gazing wistfully at.
"I guess I wouldn't mind some meaningless ads right about now," she murmurs in reply. The next best soda brand on the market sounds a lot easier to digest than her own memories.
The woman next to her looks like she fits right in; just like Lucy. There had been others on train that looked like they were straight out of a movie, or the distant past.
"Don't get too close, unless you want to see something of your own," Lucy adds, getting some distance from the water. She pauses, studying the apartment buildings thoughtfully. "You're new like me, right? What's your take on all this?"
no subject
I appreciate the warning.
[ she quickly reconsiders that second glance at the water and angles her body so she isn't facing the river anymore. she's curious, sure, but not strongly enough to ignore the apprehension that prickles her spine. there's no knowing what it might show her—whether it's memories gained or memories still unknown—whatever it is, she knows she's not ready for it. going forward, she will make the effort to avoid the water at all costs.
faye mulls over lucy's question. ( her own being: where's a cigarette when you need one? ) ]
Initially, it sounds too good to be true. [ born out of her perpetual distrust of everyone and everything. she chews at her bottom lip in thought, then shrugs. ] But what if it isn't? This could be like a second chance—
[ —for me, but it never makes it out of her mouth. the idea of existing comfortably without the crushing reminder of her debt sounds like a pipe dream. no longer on the run? ha, if only. skepticism has kept her at a safe distance, for the most part, and in most cases. she believes in technology but what the hell was bios? synthesis? magic? this place was certainly magical in its own right. the greatest city in the multiverse apparently, because " life here is better than anywhere else. "
it's an easy sell. ]
Or this could be some massively orchestrated trick. To do what? I'm not sure. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
no subject
Lucy's thoughts have been running on parallel tracks, the enormity of what's happened unfolding in the back of her mind ever since she got on that train. She still can't explain how the fuck she got here, but what she does know is this: there's no Arasaka here. There's no record of her. Nobody here knows her past, or who she is, or what she's seen. There's no street she can't walk down because the blood stain hasn't quite been scrubbed out of the cracks of the concrete, no hangout she has to avoid because the memory of carefree laughter is too haunting. No bed with an impression of someone else on the left side, now empty.
But.
"There's always a catch," Lucy hums, looking upward at Evergreen Terrace. They're pretty; like its name, its bursting with green spilling out over its balconies, such a far cry from the chrome and steel of Night City. Lucy still doesn't quite believe that the magic they claim to have is real, but the city is pretty enough that it almost feels real.
But nobody offers all that money and security for nothing. Whoever orchestrated bringing them here, they've got an angle.
"But if we're quick, we can find out what the catch is before they spring it on us," she continues, angling something that might almost be a smile at the other woman, or at least the slightest of cracks in her closed expression. "Wanna explore inside with me? Maybe there's safety in numbers."
no subject
I'm in. Lead the way?
[ and offers her own version of a smile that is just a little less subtle than hers. once the woman starts walking, faye will follow alongside her, taking the opportunity to observe evergreen terrace and all its decorative foliage—it reminds her of the floating islands on venus that were draped with plants—how the ends tapered down in a beautiful green casade along the side. how curious, she still has these memories, and yet she can't recall how she got here. it fills her with a hushed dread that she might be the only one who can't. that she has to endure this struggle all over again. ]
My name's Faye, by the way. What's yours?
no subject
And that's about all Lucy has time for before they make their way into the lobby, and the interior that leaves Lucy briefly speechless. Waterfalls of light are cascading down the interior, shifting art pieces on the floor go from stars to dragonflies to palm trees, and everything looks so clean Lucy can scarcely believe it.
In her world, in Night City, only the very peak of the social ladder would ever see sights like this: megacorp bosses in their elegant offices and sleek penthouses. The rest of them were condemned to the dirt and the damp and the darkness in the shadow of the skyscrapers. People like her never got a glimpse at a place like this.
"Shit," Lucy deadpans, eyebrows lifted. She trades a look with Faye, interested in her reaction -- she's pretty, and cautious like Lucy is, and isn't surprised by any of the tech here, so Lucy's thinking she might be a valuable ally.
Fuck, she wants a cigarette.
"Either we're all getting the VIP treatment, or the rooms suck," she drawls.
no subject
Shit is right.
[ the air continues to carry a polyfloral scent and she draws a deep breath and fills her lungs once more. she finds it pacifies her nicotine itch when she holds it for a few seconds before sighing it all out. through the calming aroma, faye begins her observation of two people as they step beneath the downpouring light. their expressions dissolve into what could only be described as pure contentment; smiles brimming with jubilance, seemingly so at peace with themselves. it was bizarre and yet strangely intriguing to witness.
faye is about to respond to lucy's comment about the rooms when something else catches her eye. ]
What do you think that's about?
[ she's pointing at the warning sign: ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅɪɴɢ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴀɴᴛ ʟɪɢʜᴛꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴅᴜᴄᴇ ɪɴʜɪʙɪᴛɪᴏɴ(ꜱ) ]
no subject
(Later, however, she will proceed to spend most of the night at the clubs on Verve, marveling at how connected it makes her feel.)
Even at this distance from them, she thinks she's catching the edge of the inhibition reduction, because her paranoid thoughts are easing slightly, and Lucy would prefer to keep those right now, thank you very much. On the other side of the lobby, she can see holograms answering questions, and drones hovering around that seem to be cleaning. Beneath a massive ad for a new ramen joint is a table full of food, and Lucy's eyes widen slightly. Because holy shit, that looks like real food. Actual fruit, and meat, and not just the nutri-bars and dehydrated noodles she had to resort to for most of her meals.
"They're really pulling out all the stops, huh," she says to Faye, dubious. Lucy can't help herself. She approaches the table, and plucks a single strawberry from a pile. It's red and shiny, the platonic ideal of a strawberry. "I wonder if this is drugged, too," she says wryly.
(no subject)
(no subject)