atlasmods: (Default)
The Atlas Mods ([personal profile] atlasmods) wrote in [community profile] theatlas_ooc2016-10-05 02:17 pm
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Test Drive Meme #01: The First


WELCOME TO KHARAS



It's gonna be a real scorcher.

Welcome to The Atlas's first Test Drive Meme! If you're considering joining or want to dabble in the setting a little then you've come to the right place. This post should ideally give you a feel for what it's like to play in the game...especially since this is how we're kicking things off! What does that mean? Basically that this post is considered game-canon and any inter/actions here will lapse over into the game once it begins provided both parties agree to keep CR when they are accepted. TDM threads can be used for sample requirements on apps!

Still interested? Reserves open on the 10th at 00:00 EST, and Applications open on the 12th at 00:00 EST. Both close on the 14th at 23:59 EST. Make sure you're familiar with both the setting and arrival conditions before posting...and have at it!


THE DESERT PLANET.
    WAKING

    You wake in a valley, gasping for air to fill your aching lungs. There are spots in your eyes. The midday sun hangs in the sky and temperatures have peaked at 100°F | 38°C. Every inhale brings with it the sensations of heat and thirst. Luckily? The strange pod you've arrived in contains some food and water. Rations. Two, three days' worth if you can manage to stretch them.

    But aside from that there isn't much, in the pod or your immediate surroundings. The only signs of life are the weathered and rusted-looking stasis pods around you from which others emerge, gasping or choking for breath once their lids open. Beyond that there isn't a soul in sight, and since each pod only opens once interfaced with...

    Who opened yours?

    SCAVENGE

    After the heat and disorientation wear off things start to become more clear. You notice the bizarre mark both your suit and the pods bear, as well as the rusted paneling and long scratches that run along some of them. It looks as though something once tried to claw its way into the protective capsules. And somehow yours held out.

    Others, well... Not so much.

    Among the pods of those who've survived and continue to wake, are the remains of those whose occupants couldn't possibly have made it. The fronts have been crushed in, hulls torn apart, sporting what looks like critical damage to the wiring or pods' integrity. This damage wasn't caused by weathering or the passage of time. Something deliberately tore them apart in search of whatever...or whoever was inside. Whether or not it's reassuring that no bodies remain inside is up to you.

    Careful inspection will reveal these pods look almost the exact same age as the one your character woke from. How long ago were they broken? How long have you been asleep? The only thing you can do is keep searching for clues... Maybe you'll get lucky enough to uncover the remains of the occupant's own rations? Although whether they're still good or even edible for your species is something you'll have to find out for yourself. They look...well. Ancient.

    SIGNS OF LIFE

    When you venture further into the valley and away from your pod, there's finally something other than sand and devastation to be found. Although not numerous, scattered here and there are clusters of a coral-like structure. Most of its stems are hard and rock-like, but closer inspection shows tiny tendrils of plant-matter which poke their way out of its tubes and vents whenever shadows are cast.

    But the moment you approach it? All signs of activity vanish and it goes deathly still.

    If you happen to travel further out from the protection offered by the valley's walls you may just be lucky enough to spot possibly the only actually green blue piece of vegetation on the planet: a single bunch of shriveled leaves. While not terribly exciting, at least it doesn't curl up and disappear like the coral...right?

    But just in case, maybe you shouldn't disturb it.

    ECLIPSE

    Especially when it gets dark.

    As the merciless the heat of the day gives way to the solar eclipse, the planet begins to transform: the tendrils of the coral emerge fully and appear almost life-like in the way they sway and grab slowly at the air. But be careful! If threatened or grabbed these tendrils will sting their attacker and cause itchy red blotches to form. And when we say itchy, we mean really itchy.

    And remember those shriveled leaves? Turns out they're more active at this time of the day too. As soon as the surface temperature of the planet drops to tolerable levels the leaves of this plant unfold and knit themselves back together until they form a full stalk & bulb-like head, from which an oddly sweet smell emanates. If left alone long enough, eventually what looks like water will begin to drip from the bulb.

    If it senses touch, the head of this plant will rapidly unwind and snap around whatever's closest...before it attempts to suffocate you with its moist secretions.

    MIST OPPORTUNITY

    The other strange phenomenon which occurs as the eclipse hits full-swing is the gradual formation of saturated clouds of smoke. They appear in pockets which come and go without pattern or design. One moment the desert is bare, and the next it's begun to fill with enough smoke to make visibility so poor it's easy to get turned around and lost. Luckily it's non-toxic and doesn't carry any kind of scent, so breathing it isn't a problem but something very odd happens when characters try to activate or meddle with their communicators in it:

    White noise.

    Although the suits can't broadcast any sort of message aside from their beacons, for some reason as soon as characters enter the smoke white noise begins and can only be heard while they're surrounded by it. Is it a signal? Some sort of message? Or something darker altogether...

    WILDCARD

    And of course, characters are always free to come up with adventures of their own. Feel like scaling the valley walls? Digging through sand? Meddling with alien technology the likes you've never seen before? Your rationsThe sky's the limit in: The Atlas!

...And there you have it! This TDM will be live until game launch on the 17th so please have fun, be kind, and if you have any questions at all please head on over to our FAQ!

We are currently looking for help with apps/plot write-ups, so if you're interested please hit us up.


ex_bossily211: (amused)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-08 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
Came to open my pod, yeah. I didn't really come to til I heard them knocking on the glass.

[There's an awkward laugh that goes here because wow, that was an intense time. She's glad it's a few hours behind her by this point.]

His face was close up against it too, smiling. I might have reacted poorly.
superblack: (playboy)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-08 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
[He laughs lightly and shakes his head. He's fairly sure he would've reacted twice as violently to that.]

I don't blame you there, Clara. No one really expects a smiling man in a window.

[Except, wait, when you're Batman, you do.]
ex_bossily211: (content)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-08 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
I think he meant well. I really shouldn't have screamed at him and beat at the glass the way I did.

[Laughing more, she has to bite at her lip to keep from babbling more about it.]

Come on, we should tuck ourselves away someplace so we can watch what happens here.

[Pointing over to the few pods that are still unopened, she takes her free hand to grab hold of his so she can drag him off toward a nearby cluster of pods to sit down behind.]
superblack: (playboy)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-08 06:24 am (UTC)(link)
[And, well, okay, there he goes, being dragged away. He's kind of amused about it, actually.]

I'm starting to think you've been planning this all along.
ex_bossily211: (smirk)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-08 06:43 am (UTC)(link)
[The sound she makes is most definitely amused and just a little bit devious.]

And I'm starting to think you're far more clever than you let on.

[Once she's lead him to an area where they can duck down behind some of the overturned pods, she drops her hold on his hand and makes herself comfortable.]
superblack: (late night)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-08 07:16 am (UTC)(link)
I know when a woman gets that look in her eye, and I know I shouldn't stop her.

[He settles next to her now, keen on focusing upon the pods and the horizon itself.]

I'm just hoping we get see more people and less of whatever the things attacked the pods.
ex_bossily211: (smile)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-08 07:45 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I've found plenty of people.

[She glances up at him, eyebrow arching.]

But hopefully they do emerge soon. If not, you get to go wake them.
superblack: (punkass journalists)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-08 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe you should return the favor to even out almost attacking whoever woke you.

[Said with a smirk.]
ex_bossily211: (smirk)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-09 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
[Snorting a little, she leans over to nudge him.]

I'm returning the favor by sending you. You're handsome enough that they won't have too much of a fright.

[And then she looks incredibly pleased with herself for that.]
superblack: (playboy)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-09 06:46 am (UTC)(link)
[If only she knew.

It does get a smile out of him at least.]


I might not be everyone's type, but thank you for that.
ex_bossily211: (smirk)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-09 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
Do you typically thank people who make poor attempts to flirt with you?

[She says it so casually, like it's perfectly normal to poorly attempt to flirt with someone in the middle of a desert planet while watching for others to come out of their pods.]
superblack: (women like you)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-09 07:16 am (UTC)(link)
[When you're Bruce Wayne, this falls under a category of normal.]

I don't typically flirt in the middle of the desert but I can make an exception.
ex_bossily211: (content)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-09 07:42 am (UTC)(link)
I'd be offended if you didn't.

[Pleased that she hasn't bothered him, she softly laughs.]

So go on then, give me your best line.
superblack: (playboy)

i have no idea what i am doing i am so sorry

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-10 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
My best line? They happen to change depending on the situation. For instance, if this were, say a gala, or a charity auction, I would ask you about your dress, compliment you. Get to know you a little better. But we're in the desert, so I might have to settle for calling your suit exquisite. Not the same punch, I know.

[He's giving her that trademark Bruce Wayne, professional playboy smirk, flashing all perfect teeth with a side of cockiness and confidence.]

It does let me focus more on your face. I don't have to play up your clothing. [Bruce thoughtfully cocks his head, watching her.] I could tell you how bright your eyes look, which they do. Or I could just tell you that you're a beautiful young woman, seeing as that you're of the more... direct types. Maybe one of those work for you.
ex_bossily211: (smirk)

i love it do not apologize, this is amazing

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-10 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
[She stares at him for a long while after all that, eyebrows arching up higher and higher with the more he speaks. Eventually, she can't help but laugh, cupping her mouth with both hands to hide her amused smile.]

Talking about how nice I look does tend to win me over.

[She's an egomaniac, okay. It's a problem.]

Suppose if we weren't in the middle of the desert, and were at a gala instead, I'd suggest we go out sometime. For drinks, since I'm not sure I have the patience to commit to dinner.

superblack: (women like you)

:')

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-10 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
But you have the patience to wait it out for some new friends.

[He scoffs lightly and shakes his head a little.]

As long as you're next to me, it's worth it, right? That's what you're going to tell me?
ex_bossily211: (Default)

[personal profile] ex_bossily211 2016-10-10 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
Do you have superpowers? Because I think you're reading my mind, Bruce.

[Smirking, she reaches up to tap him on the side of his head.]

I'll have you know that sitting next to you isn't as bad as you likely think it is.
superblack: (women like you)

[personal profile] superblack 2016-10-12 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
No, nothing super. Just observant.

[Which is really what makes him as good as he is.]

I would hope not. I'd hate to be bad company.