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The Crossing Mods ([personal profile] thecrossingmods) wrote in [community profile] thecrossinglogs2025-02-05 04:26 pm

TEST DRIVE #2

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.
blindluck: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-26 07:51 am (UTC)(link)
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: (I AM A MOST EXCELLENT LISTENER!)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-27 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
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: (056)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-27 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
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: (I KNOW TALKING ABOUT THIS ISN'T EASY)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-29 09:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[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: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-29 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
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.
spaghettimonster: (OH-HO!)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-29 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey! That's a sentiment I can actually agree with. [Said earnestly and with enthusiasm that betrays that he disagreed with just about everything else Nagito said.] I do fancy myself an encourager of hopeful mindsets...
blindluck: (035)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-29 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
That's great! [Nagito is so used to people taking that sort of tone with him that he hardly notices.] There's nothing more important than spreading hope. Being able to do so even after death could be considered a privilege, don't you think?
spaghettimonster: (YOU MEAN THIS?)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-29 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmmm... I never would've thought of it that way...

[Mostly because, again, his world surely doesn't have predestination about who can have a talent vs who can only hope to bolster others. Other than himself, and even his greateness - like everyone's - has plenty of room for growing greater through will and effort.

But his tone isn't outright disagreement about that whole paradigm thing again, so much as being puzzled by the notion.]
A 'privilege'... Well, you know the other dead people here better than I do. Do they need lots of encouragement?
blindluck: (035)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-29 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Some of them do. A few of them generate so much hope they hurt to look at! [Nagito sounds weirdly thrilled about this second part. Like, too thrilled.]
spaghettimonster: (SKELETONS AND FLOWERS)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-29 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[The skeleton has no idea what would make an appropriate level of thrilled for seeing an inspiring person generate light, but yeah, this is probably a bit much for it? For a person who seemed surprised at the sight of a skeleton and concerned about the word monster, this much delight over what he can only assume is some kind of fire elemental is a bit much. Glad as he is to know there isn't a dangerous lack of encouragements going on, he has to ask:]

...Do we need sunglasses?? [He pats at his outfit, reaching into scarf-cape as if expecting to find a pair there, only to come up with empty gloved hands.]
blindluck: (011)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-29 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
We're in a desert, after all, so they'd probably be useful if you can find some. [Nagito hasn't been bothered enough to ask the Ferryman for some though.] But when it comes to the light of hope, it's not as if it hurts in a bad way! It's a good sort of blinding! Why would you want to look at anything else anyway?

[It's probably a metaphor.]
Edited (hang on let me make it so he is instead being extra weird instead of contradicting himself) 2025-03-29 23:27 (UTC)
spaghettimonster: (THIS WAS A TRIUMPH)

Nagito? seemingly contradicting himself? couldn't happen (I didn't see before the edit lol)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-30 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
A good sort of blinding... [It's... probably a metaphor, yeah. It sounds a little like the feeling of looking up at the sky of the newly accessible surface, the light of the sun filling his sockets...]

...Well, I do like to encourage everyone to admire my face. And if I'm as hope-inspiring as I like to think I am, then it must be that very light shining off of me! [Maybe more in a starlight way than a sunlight way for now, but who needs to actually express the kind of less than total self confidence aloud, right now?]
blindluck: (002)

it's a very specific kind of contradicting himself okay

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-30 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
You're very confident, if nothing else! [Hopeful people have to prove themselves, of course.] I'm looking forward to seeing how you contribute to the group!
spaghettimonster: (APPRECIATE IT!)

it really is.

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-31 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Prepare yourself to be wowed and impressed! [Another confident-sounding boast, somewhere between sincere and talking himself up.] And also to answer more questions, because you have to admit, this situation is very strange.

[No matter how most awful Nahgito(?)'s world(??) is, lingering after dying in this way... That's the stuff of stories, not reality. Everyone knows that monster bodies and souls break apart and dissipate almost immediately - except in very specific cases, neither of which applies to him. He thinks. (He's pretty sure he's not secretly Asgore and Toriel's secret second son, or anything.) So, for... him, the skeleton, to still be here, wherever here is? Definitely whelming. Not overwhelming, not underwhelming, just... whelming.]
blindluck: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-31 04:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll do my best to help out, even if that isn't much! [Nagito sounds so cheerful as he puts himself down.] I can probably at least point you to people who might have a better idea of things. Of course, I don't know how much any of us knows yet.
spaghettimonster: (CONCERNED SMILE)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-31 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Because, that investigation and scavenger hunt thing... [He nods along slowly, choosing not to engage with yet another obvious self-put-down just this minute. The time will come. Instead, he mulls on what he's heard so far in this walk and talk tour.] I suppose that Ferrymansan must know a lot, but telling us would spoil the search.
blindluck: (066)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-31 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
There's a lot of discussion about Ferryman-san's intentions as well! [Ferrymansan... Nagito is not going to correct him.] Whether they're not telling us on purpose, or whether they can't, or whether it would be dangerous...
spaghettimonster: (PUZZLING)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-03-31 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Dangerous... to tell us? [Repeating to make sure he heard correctly, because that sounds unlikely.] If there's something dangerous to know... All the searching might uncover that dangerous hidden truth anyway. Unless it's like a stovetop. Cooling down while we search...

[A stovetop, or radioactivity. Still the chance of stumbling upon this nebulous it, though. Secrecy is only really effective with things that are actually impossible to achieve without a certain knowledge.]
blindluck: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-03-31 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
It's just a theory. [Nagito isn't prioritizing that one above the others or anything.] It's just that we know so little about this place it might be possible to sneak something by us that we'd never notice on our own. Or at least it might be possible to believe that, even if we did uncover something we shouldn't.
spaghettimonster: (SPIKES -THEN- FIRE OR...)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-04-01 04:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Mysteries upon mysteries... I admit, I didn't expect to face so many intertwined intellectual puzzles. [Or, any, at all. He expected to stop existing, or maybe to resume existing without any memory of the things that led to his death, and maybe more than that.] Why might anyone want to 'sneak something by us', anyway...?

[Not that he expects a clear and specific answer. By now, he's getting the sense that any leading question will get a variety of possible answers. Maybe this Ferrymansan isn't the only one reluctant to give clear answers to the questions facing them all. The skeleton is almost surprised his skull doesn't hurt.]
blindluck: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-04-01 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Who knows what sort of strange intentions someone might have for a bunch of dead people! [Nagito sounds almost excited by that.]
spaghettimonster: (FASHIONABLE GIGGLE)

[personal profile] spaghettimonster 2025-04-02 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[After everything so far, the dissonance of tone and words startles the skeleton into a brief laugh.] Who knows! I guess there's no telling where, or when a clue might turn up.
blindluck: (002)

[personal profile] blindluck 2025-04-02 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Exciting, isn't it? There are so many potential opportunities for hope! [More like potential opportunities for adversity. Which leads to hope!]