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

[pauldron]

[Oh. He's young. Not as young as Hope had been, but to be pulled into a war? Dammit. Her jaw tightens; why are they bringing kids into this?]

In full armor. In the sun. [Up goes an eyebrow as she shoves the thought away. Now isn't the time.] Must be something big you need to think about if you couldn't find shade first.

[leg_with_heart]

[Hunk gives a small smile, appreciating the apparent concern.]

It's actually pretty good at regulating my body temp. Alien tech made for space travel and all that.

[He picks up the helmet that was next to him and places it in his pretzeled lap, knocking on the dome a bit to hint at its sturdiness.]

Plus the ocean breeze is kinda nice.

[He looks out at the waves, suddenly missing family trips to the beach back home.]

[pauldron]

[Well now, that's handy. She's not even going to ask about alien tech and space travel--it's been too long a day to learn anything else majorly world shaking--but if it keeps him from overheating that's actually pretty impressive.

He's probably going to need it before this is over, too.]

It is. [She looks over her shoulder at the blue line where sky meets sea. How long has it been since she last saw a Bodhum sunset? Too long.] At least that's the same, even if this world isn't.

[It's still so much to wrap her head around. Cocoon and Pulse were one thing, but so many different worlds? It's...definitely something.]

[leg_with_heart]

[Hunk almost immediately recognizes that look and tone: homesickness. He's no stranger to it. He looks up at her as she views the horizon.]

What's it like where you're from?

[pauldron]

[What's it like back home? Complicated. She shakes her head.]

It was quiet. Peaceful. A small town by the beach with people just trying to live their lives.

[No one called her savior there, just Sergeant. A different life, let alone a different world. Realization sinks into her tone with her next words, even as her eyes remain on the horizon.]

It's not really that different from here.

[leg_with_heart]

[Her tone makes his face drop a bit, but he won't pry too much just yet.]

Well, that's kinda good, right? Means you probably won't have to adjust as much - y'know, at least until we get to leave, that is.

[pauldron]

I guess not.

[Lucky her.

Alright, that's enough. No more moping. There's work to be done and standing around here's not going to get it done. She turns back on him, all traces of homesickness and maudlin thoughts gone from her face.]

You should stay closer to town. You don't want to get left behind if we move out soon.

[leg_with_heart]

[Left behind? Hunk doesn't like the sound of that. With a shrug, he stands from the rock to his full height, several inches taller than the pink haired lady.]

You think they'd leave anyone hanging after bringing them all this way?

[He clutches his helmet, peering over the dunes to the nearby town.]

[pauldron]

I think that wars and battles don't give people much time to wait for the stragglers. We don't know enough of what's going on to be sure we're not getting sent straight to battle.

[Better prepared than sorry, basically; they've got enough to deal with without adding getting left behind or fighting solo against whatever threat is here to the mix. She crosses her arms.]

Without a command structure, there's no telling what'll happen.

[leg_with_heart]

[Hunk sighs. He was hoping to avoid more war, but it's not looking like he has much of a choice.]

Oh, great. Yeah, hopefully they'll give us some sort of briefing. At the very least, I'd like to know exactly what I'm dealing with.

[He glances at her as he follows along.]

Something tells me this isn't your first go-round, is it?

[pauldron]

No, it's not.

[She was a soldier a lifetime ago. The fingers of one hand tap at her rank pauldron, her frown deepening. Armies need a chain of command; without one, they're just a ragtag bunch of fighters. You can win a war with that, but it's not the smartest plan.]

It's not my first time in a war. Just the first time there was no real plan behind us.

[leg_with_heart]

I was kind of in the middle of a war myself before I got here.

[Her pauldron was impressive to Hunk; at least when she tapped it, he could get a feel for its importance.]

Do you think they'll take your rank into account? We could probably use some direction.

[pauldron]

[That explains the armor. It's a sour thought, kids in a war, but there's really nothing to be done about it other than shake her head.]

Maybe. If they're smart, they'll use every resource they have.

[And if not, well, it wouldn't be the first time she took matters into her own hands. Leaving people to run around without any direction at all is the fastest way to get them all killed. Officer training or not, that just doesn't sit right with her.]

But don't hold your breath. We could be walking into anything with these people.

[leg_with_heart]

[Hunk grimaces. The uncertainty is killing him.]

Oh man, this can not be good.

[He hugs his helmet to his chest nervously. She's no Shiro or Allura, but the woman's experienced presence is doing him some good for his mental state. Then he realized they had never formerly been introduced.]

I-i'm Hunk, by the way.

[pauldron]

[It's not a good situation to be in. No command, no plans, no explanation, and surrounded by total strangers. It's enough to put even the strongest of wills to the test.

A few weeks earlier, and she wouldn't be doing half as well as she is now. There's some luck for you.]

Lightning. [The barest tilt of her head, then in a slightly softer tone:] You said you were in a war. Are you military?

[leg_with_heart]

Uh, technically, I guess? I was a cadet at the Garrison, training to be an astromechanical engineer. Then one day I followed my friends out after curfew and before I knew it, I was a paladin of Voltron. [He gives a wistful sigh.]
Feels like it was only yesterday. But then again, we did get stuck in a space void for what felt like a few months, but turned out to be three years.

I guess ya had to be there.

[pauldron]

[That's a. Lot to process. Though she doesn't miss a step, Lightning stares sidelong at him for a few seconds. She'd thought the l'Cie thing had been complicated but this.

Right. Stick with the basics and don't think about the rest. Garrison is military; that he was a cadet before all of That is mostly irrelevant. Basic drills and teachings should be the same, a leg up on green civilians, but his training is clearly unfinished. To bring someone like that here...]

Sounds like it. [Inhale, exhale, then:] When they send you out, remember your training. Don't think about what you were doing before, just focus on staying alive here. That's all that matters.

[leg_with_heart]

[By this time, Hunk was no stranger to battle, although he was grateful that the Galra mostly had robotic sentries handle their dirty work. Although there was something ominous about Lightning's words.

Maybe because he was the only paladin of Voltron here that he knew of. Maybe it was because he had no idea how to get ahold of the yellow lion. Or perhaps it was that his bayard wasn't properly functioning earlier. He may be large and sturdy, but he was never that great at all those hand-to-hand fight simulations Allura put him through back on the castle of lions.]

You think they'll have machines to fix? I was just an engineer at the Garrison.

[He speaks sheepishly, downplaying his skills just a bit. He's not as confident without the rest of his team.]




((ooc: I think you commented before Kieth and Shiro, so I'm going with him not knowing they're here yet.))

[pauldron]

I doubt it. This place doesn't strike me as being very technical.

[They haven't been here long enough to really wander and get a feel for the place, but she hasn't seen hide nor hair of even a proper street light. Unless he's the kind of engineer who can make buildings as well as he could repair a velocycle, Hunk is probably completely out of luck in that regard.]

I'd be surprised if they had anything automatic at all.

[leg_with_heart]

[He was afraid she'd say that. He shrugs.]

Could be manual. I'm not picky.

[pauldron]

Well, whatever it is, you're not going to find it sitting on the beach.

[As nice as it is, there's nothing here. She looks back the way they came, the gentle breeze already erasing their footprints. The ocean comes in and goes back out, unbothered by the concerns of humans and their wars.

Whatever happens, whatever they can do, there are no answers here. Not today. She turns back to Hunk, expression firm.]

Head back to town. Do some recon and figure out what it is you can do back there. [For a second, just a heartbeat, a smirk flickers across her face.] Maybe you'll find something you can get your hands into if you look hard enough.

[leg_with_heart]

[He looks again toward the town. It did look kinda nice, even if it reminded him a little of playing Monsters and Mana. He takes a step in that direction, but pauses to turn back to Lightning. As faint as her smirk is, he hears it a little in her voice.]

Hey, thanks.

[Hunk isn't exactly sure what he should be thanking her for, but it just felt necessary.]

[pauldron]

[For what, the half-lecture? Kid's got some weird ideas about gratitude, but...]

Don't thank me yet. You might regret leaving that rock behind. [Still. Her expression softens just a touch.] Good luck in there.

[You'll probably need it.]

[leg_with_heart]

[Oh, Hunk has no doubt he absolutely will regret leaving that rock behind at some point. But knowing what's going on will end up being far more valuable in the long run. He shrugs.]

Well maybe, maybe not, but I may as well go be of some help.

[The well-wishes are much appreciated, and he gives her an appreciative nod before turning toward the city.]

You too.