Test Drive #1

[felldenmods]

Welcome to the August test drive—our first in fellden! 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 are open and will continue to be until 11:59 PM UTC on Tuesday, August 20th; they are not necessary to apply! They're valid for the first four days of the application cycle.
✦ Applications will open at 12:01 AM UTC on the 21st, and remain open until 11:59 PM UTC on the 27th. 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 either arrived on their person or available in the Gods Wood. 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. (Apologies for missing including this on the initial test drive!)

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, 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! Flower crowns will be deposited upon your heads, 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.

THE SETTING STARS. Unlike the Temple, your arrival to the Court of Stars is met with a rather somber greeting, however expressions are relieved, despite any emotional guard that may be up. A gathering of knights, weary from a skirmish along the border they're returning from, pat you on the back and lead you through an open air courtyard. All the gathered people of the Emperor's Court look up from their tasks, giving the passing Otherworlders a knowing nod. There's gratitude in their eyes, but that's all the welcome you'll receive: your presence is appreciated, but growing an attachment is another heartache for those that care so deeply for their faction fellows. The silence is broken when a high-ranking member of the guard gives the proclamation: "Our heroes have arrived! Court defenders, world travelers! Help has come from the far lands to aid us in our battles for our Emperor, for all of Fellden!" From there, the few knights that have not yet departed will lead you through the Court's castle, a brief tour of the most important areas (dining hall, housing wing, guard barracks, and the throne room) is given before they instruct you to rest, because the real excitement begins when the sun falls behind the horizon. Left to drift, you can explore the castle, or venture out to the surrounding city as it prepares for the celebration the Starfolk have in store for the returned soldiers and, now, the new arrivals. You'll be invited to the party that spreads across the entire Court city, drawn into large circle dances, and will find that the locals become more at ease and welcoming the longer you spend with them.

WELCOME TO THE GODS WOOD. Between one blink and the next, your eyesight has seemingly been stolen from you. Or, perhaps it’s more likely that something is covering your eyes? Yes, that’s definitely a blindfold tied around the back of your head, although quite the mystery as to how it came to be there. You vaguely remember a wolf that may or may not have spoken to you, but the blindfold is certainly a new addition to the situation. Once removed, you’ll find yourself in the thick of the woods, with no path or directional indicators in sight. The moon is obscured by the tree line, and the stars above do nothing to light your path; seems like removing the blindfold wasn’t as helpful as you may have thought. As your eyes adjust to the darkness, it’s obvious that you are not alone in this; other people are removing their blindfolds just as you are, staring blearily into the dark of the forest with a similar lack of understanding to how they came to be here. Thankfully, you’ll find some nearby travel packs with self-lighting torches, a few rations, and your faction-provided communicator. The compass, unfortunately, remains broken, which means you’ll have to find your way out of the woods without it. Hopefully your sense of direction is passable! Whether you team up with others, or go your separate way is entirely up to you, but you must find your way out, and the fog rolling in is not going to be of any assistance. This is a Dropping, and the Gods Wood is not kind to loiterers.

DRAWN TO THE COASTLINE. Needing an escape from the hectic energy that greeted you in your faction, an empathetic bystander pointed you in the direction of a nearby transport mirror, which you either stepped into without stating a destination, or didn't give one with enough clarity for the mirror to understand. Spitting you out on the beach just outside Kyst, it doesn't seem keen to let you back the way you came; temperamental teleportation magic. As the largest trade city in all of Fellden, there is no shortage of things to do here! Shopping with what coin was hoisted upon you before your departure, mapping out the city itself to memorize the in's and out's, enjoying a drink on the house at a local tavern where you can get into a mean game of cards with some faction soldiers, or even meeting someone else that seems to have stumbled into this world just as you did. Perhaps you're more keen to the outdoors, rather than the bustle of a large city, wandering away from the city just far enough to find a stretch of pristine beach and inviting crystal clear waters of the ocean; the salty air fills your lungs while the rays of the midday sun are almost blinding against the swath of bright white sand that meets the crashing waves. Regardless of what you decide to do, or where you end up, you're in the closest thing to No Man's Land you can get; enjoy your time fraternizing with the enemy, make some new friends in this neutral land, or stick with those from your own faction to get a lay of the land.

Comments

moon

[judicatus]

Your Excellency.

[ there's an unmistakable tone of trepidation in gabranth's voice — and how can there not be, given the circumstances? given that when last he parted from this man, it was with the unspoken charge of assassinating the lady ashe, and now here he stands — here they both stand, in a world that could not possibly be more distant from where they were meant to be...

but, even so. he is judge magister, and he must attend to his duty.

he stands stiffly some distance apart from vayne, though not so far that he can't make himself heard over the cries of the crowd, and though the shade of his helm hides the cast of his eyes, he is ever watchful of their surroundings. ]

You are unharmed, I trust?

[punchcombo]

[ He folds his arms behind his back as he turns to look toward Gabranth. The artificial warmth that radiated off him moments before dies in seconds. His boots slide against the ground as he turns to face the Judge Magister -- expression turns to an icy calm.

His gaze seems to hold Gabranth's even though with the helmet it would be difficult to tell where the man is looking. Vayne lets his cold response slip back inside of himself; he brings back the warmth and kindness that he gave moments before. ]

Ah, Gabranth. [ He tilts his head slightly in greeting. ] Yes, I am quite well. You concern is, as always, most appreciated and undeserving. [ A beat, as his tone softens. ] After all, you call me "Your Excellency" yet as we stand now... I am no more than a soldier. We are equal footing, wouldn't you say?

[judicatus]

[ gabranth sees the bait for what it is, as surely as he sees that all-too-brief slip in vayne's mask of warmth, and he stands firm against it. his heart seethes, but he will not let himself be caught out so easily. ]

My loyalty lies solely with House Solidor, and so too follows my blade. That another kingdom should seek my fealty — and by force, no less — matters not in the face of my sworn duty.

[ he will admit to no less and no more than serving as the newly appointed emperor's most loyal hound, at least not until his back is well turned. not where vayne has ears to listen. ]

[punchcombo]

Is that so?

[ On the inside, he feels a smile coil its way upon his face. It is a grotesque looking one that warps his soul. Yet on the outside, the corners of his lips lift just a little. The answer that Gabranth gave is the one that he was seeking.

Very good. ]

I am humbled by your continued loyalty, and shall do all I can to ensure that I am deserving of it even here on this world so far from home. [ The knives in his words are quick and vicious. Cutting deep in places that only the man before him would suffer while others would hear the words of a gracious, grateful man. ]

[judicatus]

[ each one of those knives strikes true, and were he any less practiced at this, gabranth might very well tremble beneath their blows. but he has weathered worse than this; he can weather yet more than this, as he surely must, for what other choice does he have? ]

You need not concern yourself so, my lord. [ he bows his head as he speaks, and oh, how it burns him. ] Until such time as we find our way back to Ivalice, and I may resume my course for the Ridorana Cataract, my sword is ever at your beck and call.

[punchcombo]

Kind of you to say.

[ Vayne spares a smile -- brief and small. It is the only one that he ever gives, like it is a reward for others to see his usually calm face break. Of course, the smile itself is a practiced thing in and of itself. ]

But I am no more a soldier for these people. [ His eyes close. ] I would like for us to be equals, but after such words... I would not do to sully your honor by asking for that now.

[ He lifts his hand to place it over his heart. ] As I said just moments before, I say yet again... I will do what I can to prove I am worthy of your blade.