![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
July | Test Drive Meme
Jikan Test Drive MemeMinimize
You've seen this before. The thought strikes suddenly, during whatever it is you were doing. Having an important conversation? Running away from home? Dying in the midst of a fierce battle? Where ever you are, one things is true: you're certain this isn't the first time you've lived through this. But upon realizing this, that's when it happens. Like someone hitting rewind on the VCR, you're back where you were ten minutes ago. And it happens again. And again. And again--Until finally, something is different. A door stands in front of you. Will you go through it? Nothing else seems to be working, so this might be your only chance.
Upon opening the door and heading inside, a strange feeling overwhelms you. It's comforting and warm, like being enveloped in a soft, heavy blanket. You hear a voice murmuring in your ear, but it's unintelligible.
And in the next moment, you've appeared in a laboratory, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet worried faces of people in lab coats, speaking in a foreign language that doesn't sound so foreign to you anymore.
Nanjikan Research Laboratory
There isn't much time to process what's happening before characters are ushered out of the arrival room. They're passed between a medical and a psychiatric team, checking them for injuries and psychological trauma. Their every need is met: food is offered, injuries are tended to, and questions are answered. "You're in the Eastern Kingdom of Nippon on a planet called Gaia," they explain. "You were brought here because you became aware of the timeloop... we'll explain everything."
Orientation Nanjikan Research Lab, Tokyo
Everyone is brought to a large auditorium, where dozens of other people looking similarly out of place are seated around them. The scientists and doctors from before file on stage, thoroughly explaining the situation. What they experienced back home was a timeloop. While the loops in their home worlds are smaller and likely to resolve on their own, the fact that such a small amount of time is being repeated is what makes them so dangerous for those who become aware of it. And they've been working around the clock in collaboration with the neighboring Western Kingdom, checking adjacent universes for others who've become aware. While the technical explanations may go over the heads of most, that's not the reason they were all brought together like this.
And they continue to explain: their own world was trapped in a year long loop for decades, if not longer. Through the use of an ancient form of bonding magic, they bound their world to the present flow of time, allowing it to progress past the timeloop. Or at least, that's how they thought it worked. In truth, Kizuna is very powerful reality-warping magic. And thanks to the powerful bond all refugees now share with the country of Nippon, the magic surrounding them will only continue to evolve.
Until they find the means of resuming the flow of time back in your home world, the refugees will just have to make due with this one. But not to worry, because Nippon is fully committed to taking care of everyone!
A Place to Call Home Tokyo, Kanto
Once orientation is over, characters will be allowed to choose housing in both Kyoto and Tokyo, enabling them the means of easily living between both Kingdoms if they please. These housing options will be fully paid for by the government of Nippon, with the NRL and MRU providing a stipend for food expenses in Tokyo and Kyoto respectively.
In lieu of providing transportation, all refugees will be granted an unlimited rail pass that they can use to travel all across Nippon! Thankfully, express routes connecting Tokyo and Kyoto will be running at all times of day, allowing refugees to freely travel between the Eastern and Western Kingdoms as they please. While this TDM and its prompts are focused on the Eastern Kingdom, you are welcome to have your character arrive in the Western Kingdom instead.
In Nihonbashi, the lingering rainy season means the streets are consistently rather wet, causing an increase in accidents as people slip and slide all over the place. Which is dangerous enough on any busy street, but Nihonbashi is completely elevated, with only waterways and the streets of Shitaya below. Thankfully some areas are equipped with nets to prevent people from getting seriously injured, but even so, refugees might just find themselves being called over to help pull someone out from the water!
Things are a little more frustrating over in Little Edo, where some streets have become so waterlogged, they've actually flooded. None of the flooding is too bad, but some refugees might be unfortunate enough to wake up and find a little pond has formed in the genkan, causing their shoes to float away! Better hope your neighbors are proficient in Mizu magic to get rid of all this water!
And over in Yoshiwara's dorms, predictably, the ceiling leaks. Which wouldn't be such a big deal if the rooms were big enough to place a bucket or two. As it is, many should expect to wake up with a soggy futon. Thankfully, certain rooms seem to be entirely unaffected, so refugees will just have to share those rooms until repairs can be done! Just think of it like a bonding exercise.
NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech communicators, or magi-comms for short. They're heavier than a conventional smartphone would be, but far sturdier, and powered by the ambient magic that flows through the city. Now available with limited sepia-tone color, and video cameras! They don't need to be charged, but they won't work outside of cities at all. Upon booting it up, they'll find a message linking them to a special channel for refugees.
#nrl_time_refugee_support - online
All refugees who see this message will receive a giftbox of Japanese snacks delivered to one of their residences. Strangely, it's not a snack that exists anywhere in Nippon, so this is the only way they'll be able to try Pocky!
Use the following code for your top-level if you'd like! This is how network communication will look for characters in the game until more advanced magi-tech comms become available for characters.
Tanabata Festival
As the new month rolls over, most of the refugees have now physically recovered from last month's ordeal, in which a criminal organization from the Western Kingdom held over 100 refugees hostage for nearly a week. Most of the criminals were caught, but the scars of the incident still linger, with many refugees feeling uncomfortable in public and wary of the native population.
In response to this, the people of Tokyo wanted to do something for the refugees, to let them know the majority of the people in Nippon absolutely love and appreciate them. And Tanabata is the perfect time for such an occasion!
The Wish Weaver Nihonbashi, Tokyo
According to legend, back before Nippon was two distinct kingdoms, a human empress by the name of Orihime fell in love with Himeboshi, the Princess of a distant Yokai clan. Aware that bonds between Human and Yokai were forbidden, Orihime attempted to elope with Himeboshi. But she was caught, and Himeboshi was exiled to the furthest reaches of Nippon. Orihime is said to have wept endlessly, and soon, the people began praying for her happiness. Through the power of their bond, the wishes of the people came true, and Orihime's tears became a long river, which Himeboshi was able to follow to reunite with her. For this reason, Tanabata is held at the end of the rainy season, when Orihime's tears have dried and Himeboshi can safely follow the river to return to her side.
Clearly the legend is a little different from what some refugees might be familiar with, and many natives insist there's historical precedent for it being true. In any case, on Tanabata, it's customary for people to make wishes and hang those wishes on stalks of bamboo. While many make wishes for their own happiness, wishes made for the sake of others are said to have a higher possibility of coming true.
All around Tokyo, little displays of bamboo can be found set up on nearly every corner, where people have been writing wishes on rice paper and hanging them on the bamboo. Refugees are sure to notice just how many of these wishes are explicitly for the sake of others, with the bulk of them focused on wishing for the refugees health and healing. But actual wish granting isn't unfamiliar to many refugees by now, as incidents of wishes coming true have been reported since as early as January. And this month is no exception, with one important detail: any wishes read out loud by a refugee will eventually come true, in one way or another. This effect will only last until the festival's end on the 8th, by which time rumors will begin to circulate about the refugees holding some sort of sacred power.
Fire Flower Tokyo Outskirts, Tokyo
Tanabata is a bit wetter than usual this year, but that isn't stopping people from enjoying the brief sun breaks that occur throughout the month. One week in particular sees crowds headed for the Tokyo Outskirts, the name used to describe the flooded region between Tokyo and Yokohama. Once a bustling and busy city, a time surge caused the land to abruptly shift hundreds of years ago, well before it was understood what time surges were. The result is a large expanse of water that stretches like a river through Kanto, connected to much of the flooded areas up north.
Over the years, the artificial Tama Beach was built just south of Little Edo, allowing for some sandy shores. Here, small stalls selling fireworks can be found, which are all offering special deals for refugees. They mostly sell just sparklers and the occasional ground dancer, but one firework in particular has an interesting effect. They're small, slow burning fireworks that take the form of a small fire flower held on the end of a thin string. As it burns, the petals fall based on random timing. And this timing is what inspired a game: The first one to lose all their petals has to tell an embarrassing story!
Refugees may find themselves being corralled into playing this game with children and young adults alike, eager to share their culture and maybe get a funny story out of it. But they should be careful, because while most flowers burn red, those that burn blue burn much faster, and come with a small truth-telling spell to encourage honesty. Just make sure to keep the stories G rated if playing with local kids.
Bamboo Wishes Tokyo Outskirts, Tokyo
On July 7th, the Tanabata Festival begins properly, with festival food and games set up along the Tama Beach. Those who attend are encouraged to wear their brightest kimono, to match the colorful strips of paper used to make wishes. But this year is very special, as for the first time in a very long time, the emperors of the East and Western kingdoms are set to make a symbolic appearance together on a ship crossing the Tama canal, in honor of Orihime and Himeboshi's reunion.
As such, the crowds are larger than usual this year, with a higher number of Yokai attendees than ever seen in Tokyo. With this in mind, security at the festival is much stronger, with Exorcists from the West in attendance to prevent any suspicious magic or spell activity. Powerful Yokai magic users, the Exorcists are the Western equivalent to the East's various Hunter clans, specializing in taming dangerous beasts and ayakashi. While taking their job very seriously, many have also brought familiars to entertain the crowds, including a strange nekomata with an odd, bus-like appearance, allowing passengers to go on high-speed rides bounding across the tops of buildings and trees. Care to take a ride? They promise he doesn't bite!
The festival runs late, well until midnight, when all the bamboo wishes around Tokyo are collected and brought to the water. Here, the bamboo is sliced and cut in half, creating little boats for stacks of paper wishes to sit on. The paper is lit with a match, and the boats are sent out into the water, creating a beautiful display of hundreds of little lights that slowly flicker out as the paper and bamboo burns together. Refugees will be asked to set out the first boats, with the hope that their wishes are granted.
But come the end of the night, only Katsuragi-no-mikoto, emperor of the West, will be seen briefly aboard the royal vessel, looking a bit forlorn as he waves to the people on the beach. Were they not able to meet after all?
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's July TDM! The TDM is considered game canon, and also serves as the intro log! That said, whether you choose to carry threads over to the game or not is up to you!
• Current players are more than welcome to top-level, or take prompts from the TDM and use for their own logs! This may change in the future depending on how busy TDMs become.
• CRAU characters may start regaining their CRAU memories one month after the TDM. However, vague feelings of familiarity are allowed between previous game CR! For more on this, please read the FAQ!
• You do not need to sign-up for housing! Choose whichever style you prefer. Roommates can be chosen by the characters or can be random. If you want to switch housing later, your character has the option of moving at the beginning of each month.
• For current players apping a second character, you have the option to have your character join the game by being wished into existence during Tanabata through the power of Kizuna. These characters will be encouraged to visit the NRL immediately to be examined. They will remember a time loop, but will not remember seeing a door, instead appearing in Tokyo after hearing the wishing-character's voice calling to them. How they appear is up to you, so feel free to get creative or silly!
Please leave any questions about the TDM prompts in the thread below! General game questions can be directed to the FAQ!
Apps are always open!
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
jikan_rpg ⌛ jikan_network ⌛ jikan_oocRules ⌛ FAQ ⌛ Apply ⌛ Taken
Auxiliary ⌛ Hiatus/Drop ⌛ Activity Check ⌛ Bonus
Calendar ⌛ Code Directory ⌛ Contact
Setting ⌛ Housing ⌛ Businesses ⌛ Kizuna ⌛ Flora/Fauna ⌛ Magic
NPC Database ⌛ NPC Contact
Souma | OC
1. Invite Yourself In
[There is a knock at your door during the worst of the flooding. When you open it, there is a tall, rugged, dark-tanned man wearing loose black pants, a blue and white fabric tied somewhat like a skirt or sarong over the pants, and no shirt, his chest bare under an open, long indigo brocade robe. He is wearing a golden circlet around his forehead set with a lapis lazuli stone, several golden necklaces with various motifs that look like primitive gods on them, and his hair is braided long in the back with goldedn amulets in it. There is a pillow and a small duffelbag in his hand.
He pushes right past you to walk in and look around at your apartment, stern look on his face.]
This will do.
[And he makes himself at home on your bed, or sofa, or floor-- whatever you were planning to sleep on, and fluffs his pillow.]
2. Wish Weaver
[Seated at low picnic tables around a bonfire on the beach, Souma is watching a storyteller recount the story of Orihime and her lover. He is raptly listening, leaning forward, because he finds this story completely riveting. At the end, there are a few tears in his eyes, and he has to try and hide the sniffle that is threatening to make itself heard. He picks up the nearest cup and drains it of sake, then signals you to come closer. His expression is impassive.]
3. Fire Flower
[Your firework runs out just after Souma's. The score of little children playing with you two give a loud cheer. Souma points over at you and says:]
You lost. Spill your embarrassing story. Now.
4. Wildcard!
1. I'm sorry, It was too fun a prompt not to tag. I apologize for Altair in advance.
By all means, make yourself at home.
[His voice was dripping with sarcasm and there was a hidden threat in his tone as if Altair was daring Souma to continue to act like he owned the place. He was getting bored before this, but tormenting pretentious rich bastards was always fun. So princess, how are you going to respond?]
I had this tag written and thought I had sent it but...
A minute passes, or what feels like it.
Okay, really, surely any moment now, he really will have something good to say in this situation! He still appears to be thinking hard. He opens his mouth as he is ready to speak his line, but nothing happens and his face and posture hardly move.
Inside, Souma is chiding himself and churning up his brain, but he just can't imagine what it is that spoiled princes do in this situation he is trying to set up for science. His mouth closes again and he makes an odd sort of duck lip face, pooching his lips out in contemplation.
Then a thought occurs to him. It isn't good, but, at least it's a start. Perhaps, a thing to use to stall. He holds up a hand. His low voice probably sounds a bit too monotone.]
Hello.
[Can he really do this?! Is this not the dumbest plan he has ever had?!]
A moment?
no subject
He was a bit surprised when he finally did speak and he quirked an eyebrow at Souma's hesitant response. Oh? Was he so intimidating that the the princess was speechless? Altair's smile turned into an evil grin. This was going to be fun.]
Take your time. I've got nowhere else to go.
[He was curious what ridiculous plan the timid little princess was scheming.]
no subject
I have a few... questions.
Have you been working, since arriving here? Have you been... gifted, or earned. Any moneys.
no subject
I just got here so no. Looks like I won't need to either.
[He grinned wickedly at Souma as he grabbed one of the golden necklaces around his neck and roughly pulled him closer.]
This would fetch a nice price. Maybe I should just take it.
no subject
Oh... this? Yes. Of course.
[Being just out of arrivals, Souma hadn't had much time to put together his plan. Now that he's thinking about it, he really should have taken these things off. It just looks more suspicious with them on, doesn't it? Well, now he can give it to this man and it's just perfect.
He slips the fine gold chain off over his head. The charm is shaped like a rounded rectangular tablet, nearly an inch long. It has a round polished onyx cabochon which represents the new moon, inlaid into the metal above embossed fertile plains of rice and orchards of trees. Tiny stars in the sky make a certain arrangement around the moon that looks like a constellation. Souma isn't sure why his mother gave him this one, it must be wholly unimportant or she wouldn't have let him have it! After all, Itou give gifts a lot so this was probably a gift from someone that she hadn't been interested in. That said, he's had it for a long time. There are some numbers on the back that he thinks signifies the name of the artist.]
Here. Cleaning... a bit of tooth cleaning powder and water and it shall be as good as new. Then... can "sell" it.
[Souma thinks carefully for a moment.]
What else do people "sell" for money?"
no subject
I don't want anything from someone like you!
[If this spoiled princess thought bribing him would make him forget his rude trespass he was wrong. His wealth wasn't an eternal pass to do whatever the hell he wanted here, even if the necklace was beautifully crafted. He ignored the artist in him that admired the piece. He did not want it.]
no subject
No need... to modestly refuse. I do not mind. Take it, if you like it. It is a gift. Probably looks better on you than on me.
[Oh. but that last part has Souma looking down at Altair, curious and wary.]
What do you mean, someone like me? Because... I am taller than you?
no subject
No! Why should I care if you are taller than me?!
[It did bother him actually. He hated feeling short when he was a perfectly reasonable height. Stop looking down at him like that!]
I meant a spoiled bastard that just barged into my room as if he owned the place! Is that clear enough for you!?
no subject
[Souma nods, the same gently pleasant look on his face.]
Ah, that. Do not worry, it angers me not to hear that I am spoiled, nor a bastard. Both are true. But that is not why I am here. I am merely testing, to see if they are watching.
no subject
Who are you talking about?
[His explosive anger turned cold and his gaze darted to the door with a dark glare. He knew he couldn't trust this world.]
no subject
[Souma says this matter-of-factly. He walks over to the spot that he supposes Altair sleeps in. He lies down beside it on the floor, looking for a blanket. Hmm, his outer robe will have to do. Souma shoulders it off and prepares to spread it over him to sleep.]
It is getting late, friend. You ought to get some sleep, or you will be tired on the morrow.
no subject
Well those people aren't here and the sooner you accept that you are in a different world the better.
[Altair sounded tired. This wasn't his first time stuck on another world. He wasn't sure why he was bothering to help this princess, maybe he reminded him of his friends back home.
Altair raised an eyebrow as Souma nonchalantly made himself comfortable. He takes that back. Altair walked over to the futon next to Souma. It looked like he was going to sleep like Souma suggested but instead he placed a bare foot against Souma's back and kicked him towards the door.]
I will after you're gone. Now find someone else to bother. I'm tired.
no subject
[Souma starts for the door, but he looks just a bit disappointed. There is a bit of kicked-puppy in his looks back over his shoulder at Altair.]
But you seem so lonely. Are you sure you do not wish for company? I could keep you warm? Sing you a lullaby?