Test Drive #3

[felldenmods]

Welcome to the November test drive! We're so excited to have you with us.

A few things of note:

✦ Test drive threads can be considered game-canon if you choose. They're essentially in a shared dreamscape and take place between your character leaving their world and arriving in the audience hall with their faction leader.
✦ Reserves will open at 12:01 AM UTC on December 1st, and continue to be until 11:59 PM UTC on December 7th. This is to reserve a character, not an application slot.
✦ Applications will open at 12:01 AM UTC on the 8th, and remain open until 11:59 PM UTC on the 15th, or until all application slots have been filled. Once Activity Check ends, we will have an application slot number available on the application page. The IC & OOC intro logs will be posted two days later.
✦ Questions? We have a FAQ that's chock full of good information! If they are test drive specific, we have a top level thread below that allows for OOC questions to be posted.
✦ The network is available to use! No matter where your character is, their compass arrived on their person. Please feel free to include a network post in your top-levels! Once opened, the compass will display instructions on use, such as using voice-commands to activate it. Usernames are your characters first name or their most common nickname.
✦ Below will be a header for OOC questions as well as a request for Fortuna if you risk having your fortune read in Kyst.
✦ Current players who participate in the test drive by tagging new players will be eligible for a secondary blessing in December.

All set? Perfect! Welcome to Fellden.

AS THE MOON RISES.♪ You’ll find yourself just outside the Temple doors, which will be locked if you try to open them. A little rude, keeping you out after bringing you all this way. The thing is, you can hear a lot of commotion in the distance, and smoke rising from the center of a district; you may want to check that out. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire! Except the smoke is not at all something to be concerned over. Instead, people are gathered near a large bonfire in the decorated city square, drinking and carousing, singing songs of celebration; Moon saviors have arrived! War winners! The residents of the city laugh and sing and dance in pairs throughout the square that's dusted with snow, grateful for those who have come to aid them. Their merriment doesn’t dwindle as the sun begins to set on the horizon, twin moons rising in its place. When you (and other new arrivals) are finally noticed by the revelers, do not expect to be left alone! Crowns and laurels of fir and juniper will be deposited upon your heads, seasonal fare of food and drink placed into your hands, while live musicians play loud enough for the dead to hear. You’ll be invited to dance, to drinking games, and offered food and flowers and other items of value. Some may cry when they look into your face, thanking you for becoming their champions during this long and exhaustive war. Hopefully you’re here to enjoy the festivities. Sneaking off is just fine, too, but don’t expect to be let go of quietly; the people of the Moon Temple are so happy to see you! Enjoy the celebration while it lasts long into the night. If you do manage to leave, a helpful citizen of the Temple will inform you of the nearby transport mirrors that will take you anywhere on the map, one of which they will provide to you.

THE SETTING STARS.♪ You'll find upon your arrival that the castle is not accepting visitors as they decorate the interior in preparation of the festive season that quickly approaches. Guards at the door will instead direct you to the center of the city where further preparations are being made. Venturing there, you'll be greeted either by those who are decorating for the evening's party that will enlist you to help, or perhaps you're a late arrival and the celebration has already begun! Festivities are in full swing in the Court of Stars. Starfolk have begun their celebrations of the new arrivals and the ushering in the season of the Winter Festival. Once hesitant, guarded, the Stars citizens now welcome new arrivals with open arms, celebrating their appearance with a deep gratitude. Large circles of dancers will pull you into the fray or pull you to dance one-on-one. Others will place bundles of cedar and juniper in your arms for decorating or perhaps learning to weave your own wreath to wear: some will even take pity, create it for you, and set the laurel upon the top of your head. You'll be invited to dance, drink, eat, and participate in the festivities through a snow dusted square. Even the soldiers will join, knocking shoulders and welcoming you to the Court of Stars. Whether you choose to remain for the festivities or wander off, one thing is certain: you are more than welcome in your new home. If you do manage to leave, a helpful citizen of the Court will inform you of the nearby transport mirrors that will take you anywhere on the map, one of which they will provide to you.

MARKETS OF THE COAST.♪ The coastal city of Kyst is abuzz for the holidays, some calm finally beginning to settle in after the rocky past few months. Newcomers will be welcomed with smiling faces from merchants as they look to try to sell their pricy but beautiful wares. Tavern owners and barkeeps will beckon with the promise of warm food and delightful drinks, a place by the fire, and stories of holidays of old. The air is rife with music and the smell of delicious baked goods. Perhaps you'll hear or smell something you recognize from your home; as Fellden is the beginning of all worlds, it wouldn't be an impossible likelihood! Those looking to help out might be coaxed to assist in decorating homes with laurels, garlands, berries, and other bright green, red, silver, and gold colors. Those who seem very eager to help might be recruited by shopkeepers to stand outside and try to get customers in to see their wares, to have a drink, or to rent a room. Anyone willing to do so even for a day will receive free food and drink for the duration of their assistance. And for the auspicious, some may notice a person who has set up a mild little stall in the back of town, sipping eggnog as she offers fortunes. "Fortunes for the new year, my friend," she tells any who approach her. She offers only a small smile. "A laurel for a card. Only one."

BEYOND THE CITIES.♪ In the distance from Kyst, a large forest looms, the Gods Wood imposing even from this distance. Should you travel there, everyone you encounter will urge you to be respectful while within the forest. There, people can be found visiting intricately decorated shrines, prepared for the upcoming holiday, while people leave seasonal offerings in the bowls and plates within the shrines. You're free to leave the crown you were given at your faction celebration, or perhaps something else that you've been granted since your arrival is better suited for your offering. Be mindful of your actions though; those that show disrespect will be forcibly removed from the Gods Wood by the trees. Best foot forward! If the forest is too intimidating, there appears to be a gathering at the nearby Lake Theta where the Festival of Aeons is taking place. You'll be drawn into the fold readily where people will inform you that it is a celebration of souls, both living and passed beyond the veil. You'll be taught how to make paper lanterns to be set into the sky when twilight falls, with further revelry coming after. Be prepared for a long night of celebration ahead of you as the dancing, music, and festivities last long into the night.

Comments

[thinline]

You're in luck. [ But maybe you could use a little extra fat there, V. You're near skeletal. ] Be there soon.

[ Usually in a game she's weighed with weapons and syringes and shield batteries and the sort… but somehow carrying a giant basket of breads and cheeses and fruits and jams and ale feels more difficult. The locals did not want her to left wanting for anything once she chose to retire for the night. They even gave her an extra scarf… on top of her two scarves. Endearing but burdensome. Still, the Temple steps at last come into view, and Wraith doesn't stop until she gets there.

She searches between the pillars, against the walls, looking for the quietest spot—and there he is. She wasn't quite expecting him to be so emo-looking dark or tattooed, but hey. It's just a cover. She's gotten a glimpse of the actual book.

Swinging the massive basket and dropping it beside him, she greets him. ]

Hey. You are V, right? [ Just to be extra sure. ]

[summonere]

You can call me that.

[ It was hard to say you had a name when you were merely the cleft off part of someone else's soul. V is Vergil, and it had simply been an easy moniker to use when approaching Dante. ]

Is that really more than you can eat?

[ An eyebrow raised wryly. ]

[thinline]

Considering I ate there too, yes. So please, help yourself.

[ In the meantime, she takes a seat on the stair step and pulls out a leather flask to pass to him. It's warm to the touch. ]

Not quite sure what this is. Might be a cordial or ale.

[summonere]

[ He has never had either cordial or ale. He tries it hesitantly, makes a face at the taste, and gives it back. There is an argument to be made that he has trouble really understanding tastes, he has the memories of somehow who did not need to eat and had been exposed to little, and is now overwhelmed with options and complexities. Maybe it would take him some time to learn the different textures and flavors in the world. ]

Thank you.

[ No call to be rude over it though. He digs in the basket for something he finds... unchallenging... Coming out with some very pretty red grapes. ]

Truth be told, everyone has been trying to force feed me all day. [ He eats a piece of fruit. ] The forcefulness was unappetizing. But maybe that’s just me.

[thinline]

[ Wraith is no stranger to a poor appetite. The need to eat is instinct, but as humans the mind can trick the body. Stress, hardship, grief, and many other things can make one's stomach twist and reject anything it's given. Back when she was just Subject 61137, confined to her growing mental instability and the incessant Voices that drove her into the ground… she's grateful she isn't there any longer, even if presently well-fed in a strange land.

Flashed with memories, she tries to uplift the conversation. Making food appealing might help him out, if he is to remain here until further notice. From what they've already spoken about, she's sure a new perspective could enlighten him. ]

Don't all things need fuel?

[ As she speaks, Wraith is enthused by the sight of fruit and actually fishes an apple out of basket herself. Though she's satisfied with her earlier meal, she wouldn't mind a touch of sweetness. Not to mention, the apples here taste great… a strange colour, as if kissed by the moon with tinges of red. She cuts a wedge out of it with a knife kept from the day's labour. ]

Plants need water and sun, and animals need meat or plants. Even machines get hungry, needing oil or electricity. So - [ crunch ] - I don't want to force you, but I strongly suggest you eating. It's a power source for bodies like ours, even a little.

Grapes are a good start. [ She cuts out another wedge, offering it to V over the basket. ]

[summonere]

[ He blanches to himself a little. This talk of fuel and hungry entities make him think of Urizen on his throne of blood. He recovers himself quickly. That he's gotten used to, the overwhelming flashes of thought and emotion. Sometimes it was flahses of Mundus and Hell. Sometimes his other half, the terror that had been unleashed. ]

You're very patient.

[ Is that good or bad? It doesn't matter, the implied inquiry is where does that trait come from. ]

[thinline]

[ Any further paleness his thoughts cause is written up to lack of nourishment. Wraith swallows her bite with a chuckle. ]

I just know how to bide my time. [ That and some of the other champions are, well, restless. There has to be balance. ] I find it more rewarding than haste in most cases, anyway.

[summonere]

Yes.

[ Interesting to hear that out of someone who otherwise looks quite healthy and battle ready. Maybe he's just been spending too much time with the Spardas, who were always ready to fight. ]

I think haste is a good way to get myself killed. Although my familiar might claim I can be... [ Oh. What's the word... ] Defiant.

[thinline]

[ She'd say they're all a bunch of knuckleheads if she knew them. Wraith wouldn't believe they and V were related, sort of, and has a difficult time seeing a frail man be a soldier. Yet, the way he talked… maybe he's at the end of his career? A train of thought best ignored for now. Instead, her eyes wander, ever trying to find a visual before words can describe. ]

Familiar?

[ She's heard the term before. A companion, a shadow… basically like Artur, Bloodhound's raven. ]

[summonere]

Hmm.

[ A hard decision, but he lets Griffon out. The bird is there in a puff -- shadows around a purple core of magic taking form-- he settles on V's shoulder, adjusting his feathers. The vulture looks too big to really fit there, and like his claws should really be hurting V, but here he is. ]

Yeah? What's it you. Who's this chick? How many fuckin' chicks have you talked to today?

[ The demon squawks a crass laugh. V ignores this crack, choosing instead to eat a piece of cheese. ]

[thinline]

[ Paint her surprised. Wraith has seen many wondrous things born from the advances of war-spurred technology, but this sort of magic is another level.

And it talks. (Much to V's apparent chagrin.) Wraith leans aside in case the familiar flaps its wings and gives it a once-over, thinking of flyers, but this bird is more like bird of prey rather than a leathery wyvern. ]

I'm Wraith. You have a name?

[summonere]

Wraith. [ The demon squawks it back at her. ] I like it, you fit right in. I'm Griffon.

[ He puffs out his chest proudly. He's a mouthy piece of shit, but he also extremely likes it when he is treated with a little bit of politeness. ]

And I haven't been counting how many women I've spoken to, it didn't seem like a relevant metric to keep.

What, you didn't hit on a single one of them?

I've had other things on my mind.

[thinline]

Fit? [ This vulture has quite the personality, but he's tolerable so far. After all, she's not at the receiving end of this exchange. She hides a smirk, addressing V. ]

Do familiars often play the role of wingman?

[summonere]

[ Griffon purposely flaps his wing into V's ear before jumping down to have his own space. This suits V fine, he does not quite roll his eyes but almost. ]

We're usually a whole clown car inside this weirdo. Me, Shadow, and Nightmare. Imagine if we added a Wraith.

[ Don't lie, it sounds good. V waves a hand in dismissal, and wishes that Griffon would stop opening his bird mouth to people about the details of his summons. ]

She's not a demon. [ He doesn't want to give the wrong impression like he could add her to the collection. ] And he exaggerates... most things.

[ V is not old enough to have hit on literally anyone. Ever. ]

[thinline]

[ Imagine. Wraith's trying to wrap her mind around the new information. Familiars? Demon? A talking bird with an atypical beak? V is starting to sound like someone from a fantasy story. She's entirely without judgement but full of curiosity. ]

There is a saying "three's a crowd," Griffon. I think you could use the extra room for yourself.

[ She spent a day in the town, surrounded by new strange things, but she never thought her day would lead to talking with a bird. But pursuing the subject it started— ]

So that's your thing? Collect demons?

[summonere]

No, just those demons. [ And he was the only one of them with a stable body to store all their energy inside. So here they were. ] Just this demon, at the moment.

[ This loud mouth. ]

We're getting along just fine without them, V.

[ V's face is less convinced. As the only one of them with a stable body, he is also the one most effected by the loss of their energy. ]

[thinline]

Scant kind of "fine," anyway, for human bodies.

[ Wraith casually offers an apple to Griffon, if he needs to eat too. ]

You find your abilities limited too, huh? I thought so. I'm missing some things too.

[summonere]

[ Demons do not need to eat, but plenty of them do it for fun anyway. Griffon chomps on his apple happily and... V's opinion is at least it shuts Griffon up for a little bit. ]

I can't feel the other familiars at all. They tell me your power comes back with time, but I'm not sure what that entails here.

[thinline]

[ Seeing the blue-black bird chew away, Wraith cuts the core away from the apple and tosses it in to join the rest of his snack. ]

Reward for our service in their war, probably. Still haven't found out much about it except it's in our hands now to settle the differences among their gods. [ She shakes her head, expression wry. ] I'll feel more comfortable when the lines are clearer.

[summonere]

I don't know what god entails here either. I've heard many a creature declare itself a god.

[ Griffon spits a big glob of apple onto V's pants in his fervor to chime in. ]

Demons are fuckin' arrogant. Of course they all wanna be king of hell and from there they want to be fuckin' god of the universe. The smart ones anyway and oh boy are there a bunch of flocking stupid demons in the Underworld.

[ Demons are arrogant? U don't say Griff. ]

[thinline]

[ She didn't mean for that to happen. Griff, you're kinda gross. Wraith regards the chatty and passionate bird. ]

There are demons in my world too. Not literal ones like yours, by the sound of it, but they hunt for power too—or hunted. The war is over, and the IMC has been crushed for some time, but the universe is still picking up the pieces, the people healing. It's still a mess, but there is peace.

[ Wraith fishes out another fruit from the basket—an orange. Now she extends it to V. ]

Care to try this? Vitamin C.

[summonere]

Is that something I need?

[ Nutrition is absolutely something he has no conception of, but he takes the orange. He knows you peel them, but is the vitamin in the peel?!?! ]

Maybe that's why they brought us here, we already know demons and war.

[thinline]

Essential for your blood, skin, and bones. Found in higher quantity in citruses. I'll split half if you don't like it.

[ watches if he knows how to peel them… ]

It'd be a good choice for soldiers, but how well we all do depends on what exactly we're facing. Have you learned anything else?

[summonere]

[ He determines that the best course of action is to peel the fruit the way he knows, and afterwards inquire of the rind, ]

Can you do anything with this?

[ He expects he'll be doing this often in a less literal way. Pulling things into their respective parts and trying to understand their uses. If he takes everything at face value, he's going to end up funneled into only seeing one perspective. ]

Not much, only that this war has been prolonged. I'm not sure how to take that fact. You would think gods could settle a score quickly.