TEST DRIVE #2

[thecrossingmods]

TDM #2

Welcome to The Desert, wayward souls.
It's good to see you again.

The TDM is game canon and will be active FEB—APR. For further details about the setting, please reference our current setting page. All the information there is fair game for this TDM.

arrival

— BENEATH THE RIVER ( NEW CHARACTERS ONLY )
CW: claustrophobia, being buried alive
If your journey is starting here, you begin as all others have, and all others will: in The River.

You awake in the dark and the damp, with pressure all around you. In this case, however, it isn't water that surrounds you— but earth. Specifically, it is mud made from the sand of the desert and the standing water of the sparkling white salt flat that The River has become, and it behaves like quicksand. It has you here, and it doesn't want to let go.

You aren't in any direct danger; you may or may not notice that you don't need to breathe down here (or at all). But that may be difficult to appreciate in the moment: immediately on waking, you are seized by what was perhaps your last memory— or, at least, the somatic feeling of it. Panic, terror, pain; or (depending on the circumstances) maybe peace, or relief. It is the moment of your death as told by your body's visceral, emotional response, and it won't stop until you pull yourself out of the mud.

You are close to the surface. Even a bit of lucky thrashing might be enough for you to break through the sludge, and crack the shell of salt above. But The River will not release you easily; it will continue to suck you back down until you are able to fully pry yourself free— or someone else is able to lend you a hand.

— BEYOND THE RIVER ( EXISTING CHARACTERS ONLY )
If you arrived here from the Cavern, you'll find that the cave you came from opens up onto a rocky cliff face, not unlike the one you may have found yourself settled in before The Crossing. From here you can see the sprawl of the Desert ahead of you: the Oasis tucked against the base of the cliffs, the endless dunes, and the wide, white expanse of The River — though it hardly looks like one now.

There is no city to be found among these cliffs, though. They are steep and rocky, with dry, loose sand making finding and keeping traction difficult. There is a narrow, winding path to the Oasis below, but it will take time to hike, and the sun is already hot and oppressive above you.

Theoretically, there's a more direct route... if you're feeling bold. The cliffs are covered in jutting striations (as if, say, carved by a massive river, or maybe a River) that make halfway decent handholds and footholds for anyone hoping to climb their way down instead.

Just don't change your mind too much. If you turn back, you may find that the path behind has become impassable or now leads somewhere else entirely. You don't ever see it happening, but it's almost as if the cliffs are rearranging themselves whenever your back is turned.

shelter from the storm

— THE OASIS
The Oasis, as well as the rest of the surrounding Desert, is bustling with life. (Or do plants and animals have a Journey they need to complete, too?) It's a green, if not lush, patch surrounding a small lake of fresh water, partially shielded by the arms of the cliffs from the winds blowing across the dunes.

There are creatures besides you making their homes here: from small, skittering mammals to circling scavengers. If you look closely, though, you'll find it's a bit of a mishmash, as if an ecosystem appeared rather than developed... and, depending on where you're from, some of it might even be recognizable to you.

Those of you that came from the Cavern might appreciate the return of natural light, though you might be disappointed to discover that day and night don't always arrive at the cadences you might expect them to... In fact, they don't seem to follow any recognizable or even trackable pattern at all. Some noon suns stretch on forever; some sunsets speed run straight into dry, cold night.

If that were all the unpredictability the Desert had to offer, it might be tolerable enough... but the weather proves to be just as erratic. One day is clear and bright, with wide-open skies; the next brings dust clouds and lightning storms rolling in from the dunes. (And when today might be half as long as yesterday, those swings add up.)

Luckily for all of you, there have evidently been others here before you, just like in the Cavern. There is a collection of shelters lining the Oasis, no more than huts designed to keep everyone within as cool as possible. There's less space than there was in the Subterranean City, but that means some things are easier to find... The huts are decorated just like the city was before it, as if in layers with the odd familiar trinket from your home stashed in a drawer or under a mattress.

shifting sands

— THE DUNES
The Ferryman is holding vigil at The River, as they always are. They have positioned themselves (and their Lantern) so that their Light casts over the Oasis— but that aura can only cast so far.

The Lantern's Light might not be quite so obvious here as it was down in the Cavern, drowned out as it is by the desert sun, but you can still feel when you approach the edge of its protection, the way the sense of comfort and safety wanes. Beyond it are the rolling dunes of the Desert, where wraiths gather in great numbers.

Those who have been paying close attention will recognize that these are not the same wraiths you encountered in the Cavern. Or, at least, none of the wraiths you encountered in the Cavern are represented here.

These wraiths are not the violent, wailing beasts encountered by some during The Crossing. They are just the same as the wraiths originally found in the Cavern: silent, insubstantial, and always watching. The ones who have found the Oasis prowl the edge of the boundary; the others wander the dunes as if lost. Or, perhaps, searching.

If you, yourself, wander the dunes, you'll find them at best difficult to navigate— or, at worst, impossible. You may be swallowed by a sand storm, or lose sight of your landmarks when descending into a valley between the dunes. You might find yourself somewhere you never expected to be... Or, you might just need to send a message out to the others for help finding your way home.

code

Comments

[blindluck]

Do you want a piece of paper for this? [Nagito pulls out a thick notebook.]

[spaghettimonster]

...I think, I'm already being nice to myself... [That said, he will lean closer to see whether the pages within also have affirmations like that cover on them.]

[blindluck]

Ah... [Nagito laughs, embarrassed.] I asked Ferryman-san for a notebook, and I guess they have a sense of humor. [The pages are blank.]

[spaghettimonster]

The humor of good life advice... [Said with signs of sincerity] But I'm glad they're not on every sheet. I'd never tell anyone to ignore them, but they have nothing to do with name storming! People might get confused and try to offer life advice as names....

[blindluck]

Good life advice? I suppose, though I think it's wasted on someone like me. [Nagito rips a piece of paper neatly out.] You can borrow a pen as well, as long as you give it back when you're done.

[Papyrus has many colorful options to choose from.]

[spaghettimonster]

Wasted on you?? [Surprise, skepticism, and the start of a scheming all cross the skeleton's face in a truly alliterative face journey.] I don't know about that... How could it be wasted?

[That said, after some consideration he goes for the lighter of the blue pens. The better to indicate to readers of the list that they should stop and really take it in.]

[blindluck]

Because regardless of the motivational notebooks Ferryman-san provides I'm still an inherently useless person.

[This is why the Ferryman gave him the motivational notebook.]

[spaghettimonster]

[This is definitely why the Ferrymansan gave that motivational notebook. And here- the skeleton- had thought Alphys needed encouragement and support. But he can't think of a single Undernet post quite that dire.]

What remarkable confidence, making a claim so bold... So absolute... [This tour and explanation conversation hasn't been that long, he doesn't have a clear handle without watching this person interact with others too, but.] Are you sure you aren't saying, you're scared to try and fail at usefulness?

[blindluck]

No, I've already done that. [Nagito seems to think this is a normal conversation to be having.]

[spaghettimonster]

[Well, maybe it is? He can't say it's entirely abnormal - he still lives with his brother and still follows Alphys on social media, after all. Neither of whom has ever been this... blunt... about the self-loathing, but... He has to figure, dying would put something of a pall on the idea of further self improvement, even if one is still lingering around after death somehow.]

Hmmm.... Trying, or failing?

[blindluck]

Both! Maybe you could call that efficient! [He's still smiling cheerfully.]

[spaghettimonster]

[Yeah, and it's only been maybe an hour or two, but it's enough to be getting the skeleton a little homesick. Not necessarily in a good way, and not just for Sans's own permagrin, but for life underground generally. People finding ways to fix smiles to their faces even while briefly acknowledging their helplessness for hope for the future...]

You could, if you wanted to be wrong! But I'm afraid you've forgotten to consult a dictionary about this. It's only failure if you've given up when you still have a chance to try. [Said with a little of the gusto and bluster of a skeleton who tells himself such affirmations, on occasion.] Maybe we're... all dead, and maybe even separated from our friends and family forever... But if we're still here, and working together to do things, then there's ways to not be useless. Like right now! Giving me advice and perspective. Even if it's depressing perspective.

[blindluck]

Oh, anyone could do that. [Nagito waves a hand dismissively.] But it's not as if I don't try to do things like clean up after myself or give people advice when I can, it's just that anything important should really be left to the others when it comes down to it.

[spaghettimonster]

Hmmm.... [Another thoughtful sound, this one even more pointedly skeptical.] And what would be 'important', if not helping a new and cool skeleton with his death orientation?

[blindluck]

Solving the mysteries of this place, leading the way through the Crossings... Anything that involves the spotlight. My role is as a stepping stone.

[spaghettimonster]

I see... [He says, unsure whether this narrative puts himself in the spotlight or among the stepping stones.] You've resigned yourself to being overshadowed, even when you're right there in the spotlight with whoever you're helping...

[blindluck]

I don't know if I'd call it resignation. That's the role of most people, after all. [Does that apply to monsters? Well, it must, if they're enough like humans.]

[spaghettimonster]

Is it, now... [Even more skeptical.] I can't say I've ever seen it that way... Sure, I'm great and important, but that doesn't mean everyone else can't be great in their own ways too! Just because the sun's the biggest, brightest star around, that doesn't stop the stars from shining at night!!

[It just means, the sun needs to go somewhere else for a bit. Or the sky needs to stop having air to reflect light with, ideally in a way that doesn't leave people breathless in the bad way. The important thing is, he disagrees. And maybe all that space stuff he's heard over the years can matter sometimes.]

[blindluck]

Oh, no, it doesn't work like that. [Nagito speaks as if he's correcting a basic fact.] Greatness comes from talent, and you're born with that.

[With a scant few exceptions, anyway. Even if it's not traditional talent, though, it's still unique to them.]

[spaghettimonster]

Truly, we must come from incredibly different worlds... [It's less a repeated concession, and more that the skepticism has reached the boiling point of something like pity.] But this isn't either of our worlds... So who knows how it works here! Death is kind of like a rebirth anyway, apparently.

[Maybe this guy is half right, but they all have incredible new talents yet to be discovered. Who knows!]

[blindluck]

You're very optimistic, aren't you? [Which isn't a bad thing, just noteworthy. Also, if he sidesteps the whole argument, they don't have to keep going in circles.]

[spaghettimonster]

But of course!!! [What other way of living is there, when you really get down to it? But maybe that's not obvious, without the context, and... well... A little trade, for that baffling story of an adjective-riddled and audibly capitalized tragedy.] Years of living in underground captivity... You learn to look all the harder for the bright side of everything!

[blindluck]

You did mention something like that. [Being unsealed, being away from humans so long humans in his world might not think they're real...] Unfortunately, I'm more the pessimistic type.

[He's all smiles as he says that, but that contrast might not be strange for this particular skeleton.]

[spaghettimonster]

[Yes, it's not the same as any underground monster's forced smile or even his brother's, but it's a bit hauntingly familiar all the same. The skeleton slowly nods, this one an outright concession - his rescuer here does seem the pessimistic type.]

Well, it's a matter of practice, and experiences. Maybe the teamwork of these 'crossings' will offer some more optimistic experiences. Or pessimistic ones... [He's not a fan of that thought, but, well, his name seems to be missing with no sign where it's gone.]

[blindluck]

Well, it's important to encourage a hopeful outlook! [There's nothing more important, as far as Nagito is concerned.] Crossing may be a struggle, but you can use that struggle to reach greater heights.