bopbay | 002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

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002 ⟡ MARCH TEST DRIVE

⋆✩ test drive 02 ✩⋆

The day begins like any other.

Routines, eventful scenes, and boring errands — no matter what you were in the middle of, there's a moment where everything begins to feel wrong. A searing pain tears through your body, so intense that it feels like every nerve has been struck at once. Muscles spasm, joints scream in protest, and as you double over, you find yourself clawing or clinging at anything within your reach. As your attempts to maintain composure fail you, your bones begin to twist with an agonizing force, the pain rising in a crescendo until it becomes unbearable to even breathe. Then, as quickly as it began, everything stops.

For a single, terrifying moment, there's nothing. No sight, no sound, no touch, no taste, no smell — just the weight of nothingness swallowing you whole. The absence of sensation might even be worse than the pain, leaving you adrift in a void you can't escape. Hopelessness threatens every fiber of your existence, and try as you might to fight it, your darkest thoughts begin to surface, flooding your mind in an onslaught of suffocating feelings and ideas.

In the darkness, you hear a voice.

It's faint, a gentle flashing of something warm along the edges of your mind, like sunlight itself. It's a voice, but you can't identify who or what it comes from, how it sounds, or what it means — still, you know it's directed at you. Something tugs at your heart, a powerful ache that throbs once and ripples outwards. You can feel the aches again, like fresh sores throughout your body. You feel off, like something isn't quite right, like you're not where you should be, or who you should be. But the voice continues, whispered just beyond your understanding. The sound is warm like hope, and it wraps around you, distant yet intent, before you wake up.

i. arrivals

OUT OF THE WOODS

A branch cracks, loud and deafening in an otherwise eerily silent forest. Thick fog coils through the trees and around your new form, twisting into unnatural shapes in your peripherals, and returning to nothing when your head whips around in an attempt to catch it. Though your memories are still solidly your own, they're gathered and pressed oddly into the back of your skull, out of reach in a way that's difficult to explain. Something rustles between leaves and underbrush, and the unmistakable sound of claws against bark follow shortly afterwards. Though the fog is thick and difficult to see through, you're suddenly aware of one thing: you're not alone.

The fog that surrounds you and your fellow new arrivals is maddening, and something foreign wraps around not just your mind, but your body as a whole. A strange illness has long been spoken of and witnessed within and around Bottlecap Bay, and you're the unlucky bunch to arrive with it slithering its way in now.

The fog is heavily related to this mystery illness that has plagued Pokemon, both inside the city and wild, for some time now. Though the connection isn't easy to fully grasp, it becomes incredibly clear as time passes that the fog worsens the symptoms of the illness. Some Pokemon who traverse the fog come out just fine, but others fall ill with varying levels of severity.

As soon as the first reports come from the Cheri Berry guild indicating that a large amount of confused Pokemon have been spotted approaching Bottlecap Bay from the forest, the three guilds send their members out in forces. Rescue these newcomers and discover that they're just like you, and not just confused wild Pokemon. Dr. Denne firmly insists on bringing everyone they can to the Pokeclinic, so please hurry!

AND INTO THE FIRE⟡ Whether you fall ill or not, the fog is not safe to stay inside of for extended periods of time. Time within the fog leads to hallucinations, aggression, temporary memory loss, and overall confusion, so Pokemon should be careful, and try to get out as soon as possible!

⟡ While all new characters will arrive infected with this mystery illness, it is not contagious in any traditional fashion, and the severity of the symptoms is up to the players. Some barely exhibit any symptoms at all beyond the initial foggy memory and may even wind up cured out of nowhere! Existing characters may become infected during the rescue, if you so desire.

⟡ The illness can cause Pokemon to have the fog symptoms listed above in any area, and it can come and go erratically. It also creates symptoms much like a normal illness, varying by the person. Some examples are: coughing, fatigue, fever, chills, sneezing, nausea, and the accidental discharge of Pokemon moves. NPC characters who have had this illness have died from it, and some characters are warned the same.

⟡ Symptoms may improve or worsen for characters as the players desire, at this time.

⟡ As some of you have already discovered during your quests, the forest is filled with Pokemon exhibiting these same symptoms, as well as dangerous pitfalls, plants with minds of their own, and poisonous berries, leaves or thorns! Be careful!

ii. nightmares over

LINGERING SHADOWS

The nightmares had ended weeks ago, or so everyone had thought. Now, some Pokemon may experience them again, a more extreme version that causes a number of Pokemon to wake up in the middle of the night in a panicked sweat, screaming, writhing or scrambling quickly out of their nests. Upon waking, these Pokemon plagued by resurfacing nightmares notice something is wrong. Physical scars or injury over a spot of insecurity, phantom pains over limbs that are no longer there, or constant shadows in the corners of their vision...

How does it feel, when the Pokemon beside you wakes up with a calm stretch and a healthy, well-rested and rejuvenated smile? They feel great, they say, looking at you with worry and concern. What's wrong? You didn't feel that warm and wonderful sensation during the night, like being wrapped in a blanket of lullabies? How odd...

What could this possibly mean?

THE FOLLOW UP⟡ From our survey, 8 characters talked things out, and 6 timed out, meaning we took this as a fairly even match of sharing versus holding it in. Because of that, only those who held it in have "consequences" to bear, and only those who talked it out have "blessings" to hold.

⟡ Characters who did not talk through their nightmares in the previous TDM experience one more horrible nightmare, accompanied by the feeling of a foreign presence. They may optionally feel someone eating their happier dreams, leaving only nightmares in their wake. These characters may now experience physical manifestations of their suffering upon waking from this last dream-eater's nightmare: scars, phantom pains, continuing nightmares with the sensation of being eaten, strange injuries, weakened abilities, etc. We encourage creativity! While you may choose the punishment and its severity, everyone who did not talk it out should have a lasting scar or effect of some sort. It should be at least mildly unsettling and upsetting, but not a heavy block for playing your character.

⟡ Characters who talked out their own problems, especially if they also helped others, will sleep amazingly, especially with the company of others. They'll tend to feel more refreshed after a night's rest in company, and will notice that they feel great in the mornings after sleeping alongside friends or companions. Their presence will also, from now on, seem to create a soothing aura that calms those around them during the night, meaning that those Pokemon experiencing suffering may seek them out for better rest.

⟡ New characters this round enter with a similar sort of presence. Characters who see their sleeping forms will feel the urge to cuddle up next to them and keep them safe from these nightmares. Any characters who sleep in the same room as them will feel more refreshed the morning after. New characters who do not find sleeping partners or roommates may find themselves plagued with similar creeping nightmares.

iii. pokeclinic

PRESSED FOR SPACE

Though the number of mystery-illness cases has been steadily rising for months now, this is the first time that the Pokeclinic has seen so many patients at once. Existing characters receive updates constantly over their Grumpearls, indicating the Pokeclinic at max capacity, but still insisting that all new Pokemon be brought to the clinic, and that all previous "newcomers" come in for a quick checkup, as well.

Anyone who steps foot or paw into the Pokeclinic can tell immediately that it's overbooked. The main ward of rooms is packed, cots spilling out into the hallways, and even the lobby is beginning to look like an impromptu campsite. Pokemon staff shuffle, flutter and scramble around the bodies of ill Pokemon, performing checkups wherever they can find the space, applying medication and herbal treatments where necessary, and reassuring worrying family and friends.

In the midst of this chaos, it's not hard to see how mixups are occurring. It gets bad enough that even Polteageist themselves joins in on treatments, causing a shocked ripple of whispers and gasps any time they float by in a hurry. They can be heard, at times, firmly scolding those who make the mistakes, insisting that there's no excuse for poor health care, and that even in times of urgency, care and attention to detail is needed. But for the time being, this isn't enough to help.

So they put out a plea to the other guild leaders. The Pokeclinic needs everyone who can help to check up on patients, deliver meals and medications, and check records for mixups. Lum Berries are fewer in number, so it makes sense that they're being overwhelmed right now! Polteageist promises to make it worth everyone's while, of course. Any Pokemon who works within the clinic during this time will be awarded with points.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO?⟡ Characters, old and new alike, are encouraged to help where they can. Obviously those more serious cases should focus on resting, but anyone capable is allowed the chance to help out!

⟡ Caretaking is one of the most important roles in the Pokeclinic. While Pokemon like Chansey, Lilligant, Gardevoir and others move around using their moves to help with ailments, many of the patients need more personal care and assistance. Whether it's feeding them their recommended diet, helping locate and deliver their medication, or just snapping Pokemon out of hallucinations, it all helps!

⟡ The rooming situation is a complete mess! Hospital cots are stacked multiples to a room, lined up in hallways, or even spilling into the lobby. New characters may end up staying together, and existing characters may end up temporarily checked in while awaiting their screening, or listed as an actual patient after showing signs of the illness. Or maybe there was some kind of a mixup? Whatever the case, you're in rooms together, now!

⟡ Clinic visits may lead to violence on occasion. In some cases, Pokemon moves are set off on accident (like a thunderbolt going off after a reflex check), and in other, the illness-related agitation flares up, leading to straight up brawling in the clinic. With newcomers and ill wild Pokemon mixed together during the chaos, some may resist treatment and lash out at staff, other patients, or any passerby. Try to keep order if you can!

LEARNING YOUR BODY

Polteageist has worked with Dr. Denne to encourage an assortment of activities and classes to help characters better adjust into their new forms. Not only is this helpful in every day matters like movement and balance, but Dr. Denne also believes that this could help reduce symptoms of the mystery illness that's still being looked into! Because of this, characters are encouraged to pair off for activities or visit various classes together, hosted in various places around the city.

BODY SPECIFIC⟡ Various body type angled classes are being held throughout Bottlecap Bay! On the beach, aquatic Pokemon hold classes on swimming, and an underwater obstacle course has been set up beneath the waves of the ocean and through the various underwater cave systems!

⟡ Pokemon with wings or other methods of flying are encouraged to meet in the Canopy for some careful flying classes. The natural clutter of the trees and branches makes for a great agility course, too, and this has been marked off with bright painted colors.

⟡ For those with more or less legs than they're used to, various activities have been set up around the city and outskirts to promote paired encouragement of movement! Just be aware, sometimes these new forms of yours come with a large tail, or bulky wings, and you might just smack into someone next to you while trying to get your bearings.

⟡ Mightyena is holding sparring tournaments and matches on the beach just before the cliffs. Try your bodies out in battle with one another!

TYPE SPECIFIC⟡ Each type (fire, water, grass, etc) has its own collection of activities to try to better become accustomed to the movesets. Often, opposing types will be matched up and told to fire attacks at one another, with the aim of practicing brushing off super-effective moves, or powering through weaker type moves. First aid kits are scattered throughout the city for this purpose.

⟡ Sometimes, it can be difficult adjusting to a type. Fire types, while comfortable in high heat, may find themselves overheating or unable to control their temperatures. Water types may forget how to breathe on land temporarily, requiring assistance in meditation. Grass types may feel oddly slow, or tied to the ground beneath them, though it's purely in their mind. Maybe your dragon type can't stop roaring. Feel free to be creative with your character's struggles!

⟡ In an attempt to encourage special Pokemon moves (rather than physical), one of the local bakeries has developed Type Muffins for characters to try out! Just be warned, sometimes it makes it so easy to use your moves that you might send them off on accident. It's suggested you try these with a friend to spot you.

CHALLENGE YOUR MIND⟡ More dangerous (but not lethal!) challenges await those who wish to sign up for them. Polteageist insists that with the dangers on the horizon and at their door, it's important now more than ever to become prepared. So, they have suggested an escape room of sorts. These come in three flavors, and even ill Pokemon are welcomed to try them, as experienced rescue Pokemon will be on call the entire time. Anyone who takes longer than the allotted time will be rescued.

⟡ Ocean room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up in a small cave beneath the water, with pockets of oxygen for those who need them. Upon waking, they must work together to escape the labyrinth of caves beneath the water and make it back to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: a maze-like cave system with misleading routes, paths with less or no sunlight, strange plants that may inflict status effects, agitated or disoriented wild Pokemon, and varying water temperatures/underwater geysers. It has an hour time limit, so good luck!

⟡ Forest room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up in the center of a dense forest, with tree covering blocking most sunlight. Upon waking, they must work together to find their directions, navigate through thick brush and forest, and make it back to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: the fog, collapsed floors into cave systems, sudden steep drops, aggressive Pokemon and plants, vines, thorns, poisons and toxins. It has a two hour time limit, so good luck!

⟡ Cave room. Two Pokemon are put to sleep and wake up far beneath the city, in one of the many tunnels belonging to the mines. Upon waking, they must work together to reorient themselves and find a way out to Bottlecap Bay. Some obstacles along the way may include: unstable sections of mines leading to collapses, a vast assortment of tunnel directions leading to disorientation, extreme temperatures, lava pits, and lessening oxygen levels. It has an hour time limit, so good luck!

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ TDM CWS: body horror, death, disorientation, hallucinations, illness, injury, scars

⟡ TDMs are game canon and act as events for the month they are posted.

⟡ New characters can link to their top level beneath the NEWBIE DIRECTORY!

⟡ All new arrivals are not assigned to any one guild. However, if they assist with any of the clinic prompts, they may gain points for their future guild!

⟡ The creepy forest fog can be done away with temporarily through Pokemon moves, but always seems to work its way back like it has a mind or will of its own.

⟡ Remember that at least one thread for your application must come from the TDM! There is no comment minimum, but we will be looking for engagement, as well as for players and characters who take the time to delve into things like character thoughts, emotions, morality, and other deep themes. Take this time to engage with the setting as you would in game!

⟡ As of today, reserves and applications are now permanently open, with apps processed every other month! See information on their respective pages for details!

⟡ Have any questions related to the TDM? Ask here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!

FULL NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A - Into the Woods to Find the Thing

[Reports of this fog are unnerving, to say the least. Firoza is not versed in how illness spreads, particularly, but the very idea of something you could breathe in causing such harm...well, it stirs memories of times where she thought back to what could have been, and pulls the blue bandana up and over her Nidoran snout, if only for a way to comfort herself as she dives into the woods to help.]

Hello? Anyone out there? Can you hear me?

[For someone usually so soft-spoken, Firoza's shouts through the trees are surprisingly strong, unshakably confident. She hopes that's something these lost and confused Pokemon are drawn to - someone who sounds like they could get them out of here. And she can! You can't be ignorant of the forest if you're with the Cheri Berries, after all.]

It's going to be alright - help is on the way!

B - Night Terrors [cw: body horror, scars, blood, fucked up nightmare imagery; closed to Cheri Berries]

[She doesn't know if the fog from the forest had gotten to her somehow. If it had clung to her and lingered in her lungs so it could seep into the rest of her body. But that night, curled up in her allotment of leaves, the wind is bitingly cold, and the darkness presses oppressively close.

In her dreams, she's a Hyur again - and in her dreams the dead strip away her armaments and drag her deep, deep, down into a tangle of briars and rotted corpses grasping, grabbing. The briar patch blooms with black roses. The dead are a thousand thousands, foes and friends alike, pulling her further and further in until she can't even see faces anymore. Until ice-cold hands cradle her face, and her eyes pop open to see the luminous blue of-]

Ve-

[The utterance is heard in the waking world as Firoza's form thrashes, strangled cries of pain slipping through gritted teeth. In the faint light of the stars and moon that push through the Canopy, you can see a line of blood etch itself across Firoza's right cheek. Then another. Then another - enough to form wispy tendrils, a garish mimicry of the markings on her face in her original body. The ones she awoke with, after collapsing in front of the Sultantree and properly communing with Hydaelyn for the first time. The marks she often joked were the strange scribbles of a god, a primal, an ancient who wanted to make sure everyone knew this was Her Mortal.

Firoza tumbles out of her nest of leaves, half-awake and shaking with pain, but once with that onze of awareness, her pained cries are wrangled into strained hisses and gasps.]

Wh...why...who - ow...

[Oh boy, talking doesn't feel great.]

C - Someone Fetch a Healer!

[Fixing clerical errors is not something Firoza can do. She's just...her brain doesn't process it. Making food or medicine? No, can't do that, the most she can do is put something on a stick and roast it on a fire. But delivering that food or medicine? Absolutely easy-peasy lemon squeezy. All she needs is a description of the patient and to know they get this or that, and she's off, maneuvering with care around the overcrowded clinic. She's pulled her bandana over her snout again, half for the placebo against the illness and half because her face is...well, let's not scare people with what happened to her face, yeah? Yeah.

It so happens she approaches you with a baggie held between her Nidoran buck teeth. She looks you over, as if mentally confirming something, and then places it down before you.]

Hello. I've been told to deliver this to you, and see that you take it.

[So whether it's the grossest medicine you've ever had to drink or a berry-jam sandwich, this little blue creature is going to sit and watch you put it in your gob and finish the whole thing, goshdarnit.]

D - Wildcard

[None of these prompts hitting your interest? Want to encounter Firoza somewhere else? Hit me with a scenario, I'm up for it!]

[Anasui isn't used to loud foes. Usually, they're quiet, sneaky, and the ones with traps rarely show themselves (with few exceptions). Usually, they're not ones who call out with promises of help.

Help that he, admittedly, could really use. Anasui doesn't like accepting help but the cold he has is NOT doing him any favours, let alone the fact he's a 6'3" ostrich. So after a long moment of deliberating his options, the Espathra steps out of the woods. The bird's cold, blue eyes stare right at the Nidoran as he looms over her.]

.........

[Why isn't he saying anything?]

Edited 2025-03-11 14:57 (UTC)

[Oh, tall.

...Yeah wow taller than she would be if she was properly herself, damn.]

Are you in need of aid? I can bring you out of the forest and to safety.

[Clearly not put off by the Tall and the Not Talking.]

[He's also taller than he would be ordinarily. Anasui would be enjoying the height if it didn't come at the cost of arms...]

... How'd you know I needed assistance?

[Seems suspicious, but at the same time, he DOES need to know how to get out of this forest.]

And how dangerous are these forests actually?

Because everyone appearing here is in need of it.

[Weird question, but okay.]

The mist here...it causes some sort of illness. I'm not too familiar with it, but the natives insist it has killed before. I do not want to see that befall someone if I can help it.

[Honestly, that's a weird answer in itself! Everyone needs help if they enter these forests? But her explanation helps him understand more about what's going on, at least...

Ah... she must be one of those rare 'good people'. Like Jolyne and Ermes, she's willing to help civilians and people she has no reason to help.]

If you haven't seen it before, how do you know how to help? [Anasui, please.] I've had a headache since I got here but I assumed that was caused by transforming into an ostrich.

Because the natives have seen it before. And they asked for help in helping others - so I'm doing that.

[But "transforming", hm...]

If this form is new to you, then you're like myself and the others - you're not from this world. The city beyond this forest is a good one, full of kind beings - they can help you with much and more. Including that headache.

[Anasui gives a small grunt. He wasn't going to say 'fair enough' so that's as close to him conceding as she's going to get.]

... I figured as much. This doesn't look like Florida. [Anasui pauses. He usually doesn't like going towards people (he hates them, really) but he has no Stand, no human body, no way to treat his headache. He does need help, no matter how much he loathes to admit it.]

Hmph... I guess I have no choice but to trust you. Lead the way then.

[A nod.] Will do.

[If he can pick up on any sort of vibe from her, the vibe is one of sincerity. Firoza knows where she's going, and she believes the town she speaks of is a good, safe one.

There's a beat of quiet as they begin their trek before she speaks up again.]

What's a Florida?

[Anasui's not used to sincere people so it takes him a moment to really pick up what her deal is. He doesn't relax, per say, when he finally figures it out but there's less of an edge in his movements as he walks.]

...I really am far from home. [Anasui huffs and shakes his head.] It's a place. Shitty state in the South-East of America, where I'm from. It has lots of water... and damned gators...

I assume where you're from doesn't have it either, right? You inferred you weren't a local.

Mm, I am not. And...I can't say I've heard of any place quite like the one you describe. Places with lots of water and alligators, yes, but not...particularly shitty. They were actually quite beautiful places.

[Teach her of Florida Man, Anasui.]

Firoza Istus | Final Fantasy XIV (OC) | Current Player, OTA unless noted

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