caelumooc | Test Drive #001

Entry tags:

meme: test drive

Test Drive #001

TEST DRIVE MEME
number 001

MAGNETS.

Today as the many residents of Hotel Caelum wake, they will hear an announcement come over the PA system from the familiar voice of Mr Bennet.

"Quite unfortunate, quite unfortunate," says the voice before clearing his throat. "We're having a bit of an issue today with the hotel. Something about the ions, I think. I'm not quite up on the science of it all but please pardon the interruption to your day. Feel free to come by the front desk for a coupon for any meal of your choice from our cafeteria as an apology."

That's all the announcement says and soon enough, the residents will find out what exactly Mr Bennet means.

Each resident's hands have now become magnetized, with each hand coinciding with the north or south pole of a magnet. They will find themselves drawn to other residents with their hands becoming attached to each other if they end up in each other's proximity. Whoops.

The magnetization can be strong enough to draw in people from across the room to as weak as only drawing people in who are only a few inches away (up to player preference). Be careful of crowds though because with enough people around each other, there might be a pile up of people sticking together. You have two hands, after all.

This will last for about a day until gradually fading out around the next morning.

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST.

One morning, before the ninjas, after the magnets, residents will find themselves heading down for their usual breakfast when the sound of a soft bell rings through the restaurant. Then, with quite a bit of force, residents will find themselves shoved down into a seat across from another resident.

On the plate in front of them is a note:
SHARE THREE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF

That's all it says but residents will find they are unable to leave their chair until they do as the note says. Once they do, they're able to get up and go about their day — unless, of course, they're shoved into another chair.

This will continue until a bell rings again at eleven am, signaling the end of the continental breakfast.

NINJAS.

A few days after the magnet incident, another announcement will come over the PA system.

"Sorry, sorry," says the familiar voice once again. "Our security system is broken today. We'll be fixing it post haste. Do be careful, and let a staff member know if any medical attention is required."

... Medical attention?

Soon afterwards, no matter where your character finds themselves in the hotel, they'll hear the crash of a window being broken and in swings a ninja, barreling forward quickly and ready to attack. Hopefully you're in fighting spirit, huh?

The ninjas seem to only have the goal of attacking the strongest looking person in the area. After being defeated, their bodies will disappear into a cloud of black smoke. For those who aren't in fighting form, they will be able to find safe haven in one of the hotel restaurants where the windows have been boarded up and the staff is serving tea. It seems to be an anti-ninja zone, somehow.

This too will last about a day before the ninja presence is slowly eradicated from the hotel.

NETWORK.

The hotel has a communal server! Think something like a discord server. Characters will have phones and/or laptops that can access it upon arrival.

Mr Bennet has even posted an ice breaker question.

CHANNEL: #general
DISPLAY NAME: Mr Bennet 😄

If you could pick someone in the hotel to kill, who would it be and why?

Mr Bennet, what the fuck.

WILDCARD.

Feel free to make up your own prompt and play with the setting as well. This is a test drive meme, so any part of the hotel is up for grabs. Please review our locations page to get a feel for what your characters might be able to find at Hotel Caelum! Thank you!

NOTE: If you play on this TDM and don't have an invite to the game, just message the mod account and I'll give you one! For the initial open of the game, things will be pretty open in terms of invites.

Reserves are open! Applications open 10/8 and game opens 10/15!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ HOLY SHIT. ]

Shi—

[ She just barely manages to keep herself from impolitely cursing when this woman gives that strong yank! Not even the warning and Sumina holding herself in places is enough to prepare for that! ]

Y-You're very strong, ma'am!

[The good news: this wrenches their hands apart!

The bad news: she can already feel hers trying to swerve back to Sumina's, so Reiju turns a step away and looks over her shoulder for the insurance of distance.

"Shit," huh? She folds her arms below her chest, smiling.]

Did it surprise you? I can still feel the pull, though.

Well, yes, but - I really should have anticipated something like that.

[ Of course this hotel would attract extraordinary people from all over the multiverse. Of course! And also herself, for some reason.

And speaking of things like attraction - she's certainly feeling that pull kicking right back in, too. ]

I can feel it, too. What if we tried... Say, running in opposite directions...?

[Sumina seems hard on herself. Reiju would argue that she gave warning, so there's really no need for the self-flagellation, but the conversation has already moved on.

So she lets herself be amused instead.]

A little bit of distance should do. I've already picked up my coupon, so I can go.

[ She is very hard on herself. But it's probably fine! ]

Oh. In that case, I apologize for holding you up here, ma'am.

[ A little bow. She really, truly is conducting herself almost like... someone who works here. (She doesn't.) ]

Shall we give it a go, then?

[Hmm.

She takes a few steps forward, putting a respectable amount of distance between them with her long strides. Then she stops to look over her shoulder again. A phantom tug pulls on her hand—a mild nuisance at best, which makes conversation safe.]

Do you feel it?

[ Sumina will dutifully shuffle along in the other direction, too, likewise feeling that pull just a bit... ]

I do, but it's... manageable!

[ At least, until her hand starts twitching incessantly in the other woman's direction... ]

Oh, bother. Is your hand doing this, too?

[She points her shoulder toward Sumina for a better look past the gap. Her own hand is nestled against the crook of an elbow, keeping in place.]

Not quite, but it's a sign that we should keep this amount of distance between us until the hotel is fixed. If you want to be left alone, that is.

Oh, I see... So there really is an effective range.

[ Sumina takes another step back, and the twitching of her hand stops. Interesting... ]

But! I honestly don't mind the company, ma'am! I apologize if it came across that way before. Still, it's good to know how these... ions, were they? How they work, I mean.

[The pull recedes. Bingo.]

There's a lot more to it than that. Maybe our concierge would be willing to hold a class by way of explanation sometime.

[The power of science. What a class that would be.]

Did you come here for the free meal?

Oh... Do you think they hold classes here? That would be fantastic!

[ This is apparently included in her idea of a vacation.... Anyway! ]

I did, but I was hoping to ask Mister Bennet some questions, and— Ah.

[ She glances back over at the concierge. No one is there... ]

...Just the free meal, then.

[She's getting the distinct impression that Sumina is someone suited for meticulous work. It's a shame that the mister isn't here to answer those questions, but he's bound to turn up at some point.]

Would you like to eat together?

[ She is... And if she were on her home turf, in her own inn, she might have excused herself more readily in favor of taking care of a million other things, but here... It's just as much of an important task, is it not, to learn more about her fellow guests? It's all for the sake of research!

And for the sake of her rarely having the opportunity to just... enjoy a casual lunch with someone...

As she picks up the coupon from the desk: ]

Ah, I... I would like that, actually!

[A casual lunch with social distancing. What can go wrong?

It's a good opportunity to learn more about the hotel and its people for both of them. Reiju unfolds her arms and heads off in the direction of the cafeteria.]

Let's go, then.

[ They can sit at opposite ends of the table! It'll be fun and so normal. ]

Ah, wait— I'm sorry, but I don't think I've caught your name yet, ma'am. I'm Sumina Heartleaf.

[Ah, it'll be just like home.

She angles her head toward Sumina. What a charming name.]

Nice to meet you. My name is Reiju.

[ Thanks, she didn't choose it!! Her mother probably would appreciate that thought, though. ]

It's nice to meet you, too, Miss Reiju.

[ A polite nod. ]

I'll do my best to maintain this distance between us, so we don't have a repeat incident.

[Good job, Mom!]

Don't worry too much about it. It's only a small amount of attraction.

Of course, I understand if you'd rather have both hands available to you when eating.

[ oh, she's gonna worry, mostly for inconveniencing Reiju. ]

It's really all right! I'm used to eating with one hand, honestly. Utensil in one hand, quill in the other.

Then it won't be an issue.

[So Sumina can stop worrying. It'll just waste energy.]

Are you a manager of some kind?

[ She will do her best... ]

Oh, not here, of course! But I'm an innkeeper at home. It's a much smaller operation than this place, but there's always plenty to do!

[That explains a lot. Reiju isn't familiar with managing inns, specifically, but it takes a lot to run a place.]

Then, as an innkeeper, how are you liking this establishment?

W-Well...

[ Her hands come up to fiddle with the end of her ponytail. ]

This stuff about "ions" is a bit too chaotic for my tastes, but ultimately nothing I can't eventually adjust to. We've never had something like that happen, though it's certainly not impossible... It might be because our inn doesn't reach such a wide range of otherworldly visitors, too.

Well, with any luck, the adjusting should only last for a short while.

[A wide range suggests that there is a range, though.]

Is it common to travel between worlds where you're from?

[ She's quick to shake her head! ]

Oh, not at all! It's actually incredibly complicated and difficult... But I honestly couldn't explain it all even if I knew it from the inside out.

[ A lot of it involves family secrets, too... ]

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