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

Sansa Stark | Game of Thrones | Court of Stars is her faction

[direly]

( the setting stars )

[ The hardness of the floor is the first thing she notices as her mind rolls out of the fog of sleep and into wakefulness. Hard and unrelenting, making her grimace and groan slightly as she pushes herself up. Her eyes are just as slow to open, unsure of how she ended up--all thoughts stop immediately as she realizes she is not in Winterfell.

Nor is she anywhere else she could recognize. Not King's Landing or the Eyrie.

Has she been kidnapped? Once she realizes soldiers are around her - or knights? she doesn't recognize the armor - she gets herself up to her feet as quickly as she can. She stands up straight as she smooths her gown out. She asks the nearest person to tell her where they are, who they are, and why they have taken her. The answer she receives is not what she expects. Even remotely. Immediately she thinks it is a jest of some sort. It has to be.

But it isn't. Sansa looks from face to face and there is no lie, no hiding, no anger or ill intent. Just relief and exhaustion. It's only due to those things that Sansa willingly goes along where she's guided, her stomach starting to twist itself into knots. Not as bad as when they were in the crypts but it's getting close.

When one of the guards proclaims, "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!", she can't help staring in disbelief. "Fellden"? "Emperor"? What in Seven Hells is any of this supposed to mean? Is she truly not in Westeros anymore?

Remaining silent as she goes along with the "tour", Sansa tries to keep calm as she looks for any chance of a familiar face or someone that looks just as confused as she feels. It can't just be her, right? ]



( welcome to the gods wood )

[ She doesn't even know why she agreed to come here aside from the name: the Gods Wood. There was a hope and curiosity in her that maybe, just maybe she might see something like a weirwood tree. What could it hurt to try? Dressed in boots and trousers, the dark and rich purple and pink of her new faction making up her layered tunic, red hair pulled back in braids twisted into a bun, Sansa frowns deeply at the blindfold from the moment it is put on to now. She doesn't like it. At all.

And then likes the darkness that greets her uncovered eyes even less. But at least there is a relief in her eyes finally being open again. She sighs, exasperated at the situation, ]

Of course it would be like this.

[ Back to feeling like a lost babe in the woods. This time more literal than the last. ]



( drawn to the coastline )

[ Like everywhere else she's been thus far, curiosity drives her to explore more of this place. This world that is apparently no longer her own. She is never too sure what to expect, turning down one corner, stepping out one door or into another. Going through what appears to be a mirror, she audibly gasps at the sight that greets her.

For a brief moment, she almost thinks it is King's Landing, her heart seizing in her chest. But no, it's not. The buildings are not the same, the clothing, the people are... different. Not all "people" as she knows them. Even the smell is different. (Not reeking of shit, for one.) Sansa still finds herself craning her head to get any sight of the new sept that was being built, the Red Keep halfway to completion again. Nothing like that here.

So, she follows what other paths she can find. Sometimes chasing smells, catching bright colors of clothing, glints of jewels. Everything seems vibrant and new. Somewhat concerning when she doesn't know her way around but that feeling rarely stays. People see her, give her polite nods, she does the same. Sometimes she's able to return a smile.

She peeks into taverns and stops at a few stalls to try the hot food that made her stomach growl angrily at her as she tried to decide on what to try first.

Eventually, she'll find her way to the beach and the memories that come back to her make her look down one way and then another, almost expecting to see the same trader vessels in Blackwater Bay. Or children playing among the lagoons. Any ships she can find, Sansa isn't able to recognize. And still, no Red Keep. Just white sand and the bluest water she's ever seen.

It takes a few minutes of walking along the beach before she decides to remove her shoes and carry them in her hands, letting herself walk a little closer to the water, smiling at the feel of cool, wet sand under her feet. It's strange how she can feel such strange calm here, a place she is a complete stranger, when she never really did in King's Landing. ]

The Setting Stars

[standalonehuman]

[To Togusa, the young lady looks more like she belongs here than he does. He sharply stands out, wearing armor of an odd black material, badly broken and damaged beyond repair. While on the surface, Sansa could vanish into any crowd here, in his mind. But it's the looks on people's faces that mark who has been here before and who is brand new. It is automatic, the way Togusa tries to smile at her, to be reassuring, even though he has no clue of what is happening.

A moment where their guide is quieter, and Togusa sweeps through the group to Sansa's side. The look on his face is genuine concern.]

"Are you all right?"

[A frown.]

"Are any of us? Dumb question."

[direly]

[ She can't bring herself to smile at anyone right now. Her mind is too busy trying to decide on what to believe. This is different from anything she's experienced before. Is she just another captive? They aren't really treating her like that. Nothing they are doing comes off like they are hiding something. Just reserved.

The man now beside her is far more open by comparison. Shaking her head, ]

I have not been harmed.

[ She can't help gesturing to his person, thinking the question should be posed to him instead. ]

Were you in a fight?

[standalonehuman]

[Togusa nods, and the look in his eye eases. Her answer will do.

Togusa's hand ghosts over the gap in the side of his armor, presses to the cloth underneath, but it is just an instinct. He shows no pain, and his hand comes back away with no markings.]

"Just before I woke up here. I was. But, I don't see anybody else here."

[His voice becomes uncertain, and his eyes sweep over the crowd again.]

"Just me."

[Why him? If you could pick any one person out of the group of people he had just been with? He should have been the last pick. Maybe he was the only one..

Hey, let's not go down that thought train right now, Togusa. He shakes his head.]

"Um, I'm Togusa. Hitori Togusa, but last name is fine."

[direly]

[ She looks at his hand, having followed it as he felt through the armor - a kind she's never seen before - and she nods in approval. She's just as puzzled as he is, looking back to the crowd around them. ]

I haven't seen anyone I know, either.

[ There's a small comfort in that at least. It's not just her going through this. Looking back to him she gives a polite bent of her head, ]

I am Sansa Stark of Winterfell. It is a pleasure to meet you Hitori Togusa.

[ She has no idea what kind of name that is (she's never heard anything like it in Westeros) but she does her best to repeat it the way he said it. She also leaves her true title off. The guards didn't know who she was, it might be better not to reveal it just now. ]

[standalonehuman]

[Togusa has enough manners to bow, slightly, when she introduces herself.]

"A pleasure, as well."

"Winterfell..."

[Togusa repeats the word with an absent look of confusion on his face. Slowly, he shakes his head.]

"Is that a group, or a city?"

[Togusa is so unsure, as the alarm in the back of his mind starts to sound. His brow furrows and he is trying, again and again, to make the unconscious motions of connecting to the network here. Any network. Why is there nothing?

To anyone else, it might look like he is just developing a headache.]

[direly]

A place. My home.

[ She can't really hide the disappointment in her voice at him not recognizing it. But it's just as well. She needed some kind of confirmation and got it. Neither of them are from the same place and this place is new for both.

But looking at his face again, ]

Are you certain you are alright?

coastline; beach (let me know if you want to avoid Shadowbringers spoilers)

[towerkeeper]

[The problem with the Exarch's rather fancy choice in attire is that sandals with so many straps become more difficult to remove. He's taken off one and has those toes buried partly in the sand as he sits and stares out over the ocean. The other remains on, and he hasn't bothered with it further.

He tilts his head up toward Sansa as she nears, hood pulled down to obscure the top half of his face. His robes aren't made for the beach, but they're all he's used to wearing. He's only just gotten used to the idea of his own people knowing his true identity. Everyone here, with a few exceptions, is still a stranger to him.]

Is there someone you're looking for?

i'm canonblind so spoilers don't bother me!

[direly]

[ She looks toward the voice and slows her steps into stopping. Shaking her head, ]

No.

[ She was but he didn't need to know she was keeping an eye out for anyone familiar. ]

Are you?

[towerkeeper]

Not at the moment. I merely asked because you appeared to be searching, but I suppose I could have mistaken your actions and you're simply admiring the view.

[It's a pleasant view, there's no denying that.

The Exarch stands slowly, glancing around for where he'd placed his missing sandal. It may seem odd that he goes out of his way to cover his face but does nothing to hide the fact that his right arm is formed fully of crystal. In truth he doesn't need to cover either, but old habits die hard - especially in large crowds.

His shoe is nowhere to be found. How awkward.]

Or perhaps I've lost something after all.

[direly]

[ Sansa doesn't want to appear rude to him -- or push where he isn't willing to reveal more of himself figuratively and literally. Not when she's out here by herself. ]

Did you have it before you came to the beach?

[towerkeeper]

Yes, of course. I was wearing it.

[He lifts his unsandaled foot so that she can clearly see what the missing item is. The Exarch's expression, or what can be seen of it, is slightly sheepish.]

It's quite embarrassing, really. Well, it can't have gone far.

[He nudges the sand around him with his toes, assuming he's accidentally half-buried the item. Thus preoccupied, it doesn't stop him from continuing their chat via a different topic.]

You're a new arrival as well, are you not?

[direly]

[ She glances at the foot and immediately her eyes start to track the sand. One would think a sandal couldn't be so easily lost and yet... She's about to ask what direction he has walked in before settling here but his question brings her eyes back to him. ]

I am. I still do not understand how it was done but they seem to want our help desperately.

drawn to the coastline – time for post death drama

[remarriage]

[ Margaery remembers dying. She remembers the pitiful look on her family's face. The scared people of King's Landing. That realization in the High Sparrow's eyes that Margaery Tyrell was no pompous fool. She did not deserve to die like the rest of them, like the ones who could not see King's Landing for what it was – a herd of sheep following from one abusive power to the other.

And then?

She remembers nothing. Not until the warm air hit her lungs and she was shocked to find herself here. Another land, another world. The adjustment took time – a few days of Margaery isolated and alone, swearing she would find her family. Find Cersei. Her body had been kissed with scars that fan up her body from her toes to her neck. The poor girl would sarcastically thank the Gods for their mercy, for only cursing her mostly with disfigurement but not taking those gorgeous long curls or face. Her face remained faint with patches of red under her eyes and near her jawline – but it was still the Tyrell face that could light up any room. Now, she shielded herself away with heavy cloaks out of her own vanity.

She was drawn to the beach, not dwelling on her own racing mind. Her own new-found insecurities and disgust. No, she survived the cells the High Sparrow tried to break her with. Death was the only thing that broke her and she will not have that happen again.

However, fate was kind and cruel all at once. For every happy memory, why would a bad one not closely follow? Margaery sees Sansa from a distance, following her for quite some time still cloaked and secure. The Tyrell had to be sure, had to know that this was not some trickery or illusion her panic had caused. It was not until Sansa steps into the beach does she soon follow – from wood walkways to the sand, her form can be seen approaching. Slowly. Cautiously. ]

Many pardons, my Lady. [ A voice all too familiar calls out. ] You remind me of a girl I once knew –

[ No, before her was a woman. Margaery's fingers lace up and tuck down the hood from her hair, letting only her face become visible. ]

/screams quietly

[direly]

[ Sansa noticed the cloaked figure following her a few times but assumes it could be a coincidence, as well. So many people were walking the same ways she was in the city. Never could she have imagined it being Margaery. Not after what she heard what happened in King's Landing. She had mourned for a time, tears that came easily and then carrying the weight in her chest with all the others she had lost.

She turns partway when she can feel someone approaching, gripping her shoes tighter, willing to throw them or use them as weapons if she needed to. But that voice--Sansa stills and then turns fully. The shoes drop from her hands, her mouth opening, words unable to find their way out. Eyes wide, they water quickly. It can't be. ]

Margae-Lady--Your Grace.

[ And just like that, Sansa is no Queen of the North but that girl back in King's Landing, living through a long summer, clinging at what few friends she could find in a dangerous place. ]

[remarriage]

[ Margaery feels the pit of her stomach twist into an intricate knot. Part in fear, part in anger, part in relief, part in disbelief. Everything in King's Landing was fresh — but it had been some time since she last saw Sansa before Joffrey's death. And my, how beautiful the woman before her had grown. It rivaled any flower bloom she'd ever seen in Highgarden. ]

Margaery is fine.

[ This was not King's Landing — clearly, she has no claim to it. Her fingers keep a secure hold on her garb at her chest, fingers tensing as the next words hoarsely creep out — as if she has to physically keep herself from stammering. ]

Is it truly you, Sansa Stark?

[direly]

[ Sansa nods her head without hesitation, tears welling in her eyes more the longer she sees the other woman standing before her. It's been so long. It's felt like ages.

She steps closer to the other woman, about to embrace her but then stops, ]

It's really you? You're here?

[remarriage]

[ Sansa was but a girl, now a woman. There's a hesitance, uncertainty plastered across her features. Was it her? It was her body, but it was instead brandished with scars like a up reaching flame – Margaery had no confirmation, but... All she can do was offer a simple gesture. A nod, slow and unsure follows. ]

As much as I believe myself to be, yes. Lady Sansa, it has been... some time, hasn't it?

[ There's a tension between them – Margaery couldn't offer answers she did not know. The vivid flashes of green, it burns into her mind as much as it did her flesh. That dimpled, lop-sided smirk feels hollow now. Empty. ]

Come to me, girl. We were to be sisters once, after all.

[ And soon, instead – she closes the distance to embrace the Stark into a tightened hug. ]

gods wood

[malavhenan]

You say that as someone who as experience being dropped in the middle of unfamiliar woods.

[ The words are said warmly with a hint of amusement as he approaches with an already lit torch held aloft with his right hand and a gently encouraging smile. Even in the dim light, it's not difficult to see that he's missing the other from the elbow down, the sleeve of his tunic folded and tucked out of the way. The fire lends a warm hue to his own red hair, nearly identical in shade to Sansa's. Finel softens a little, noting the similarity.

He nods briefly over his shoulder, indicating the direction he had just come. ]

There are some supplies just over here, if you would like to bring anything. I'm sure we can find a way out if we stay together.

I'm Finel, by the way.

[direly]

I am no stranger to unfamiliar places or difficult situations.

[ To say the least. Though these are far darker than the woods near Winterfell. And less welcoming. But she still tries to manage a smile despite her disappointment. She also gives a nod, ]

Sansa Stark. It is a pleasure to meet you, Finel.

[ Adding with a slight laugh, ]

I also appreciate the light.

[malavhenan]

It sounds like you are very resilient, then.

[ his tone is admirable rather than patronizing. For better or worse, they seem to have that in common, although he can't help but briefly and silently wonder at the experiences that have prompted such a response.

Still, Finel smiles, genuine. ]

It is lovely to meet you as well, Sansa.

Unfortunately this seems about all I can do for the moment. Do you happen to have any weapons or skills we could use for a defense?

[direly]

[ It is a long and often sad story. Not one she is keen to share the details of. She simply gives a little nod, the Stark in her showing a little more. ]

I try to be.

[ Adding, addressing his question. ]

I know to stab with the pointy end of a knife. Unfortunately, the rest of my skills won't serve us very well. Unless you have clothes that need mending.

[ She knows how to ride a horse as well but they don't have any from what she can see. ]

[malavhenan]

[ He laughs in return. ]

Is there truthfully anything more to it than that? Here.

[ Finel offers her the torch, holding it out carefully. ] I can see just fine in the dark, so it will do you better. If anything unfamiliar gets too close you'll have something to hold it off with.

[ Hand free, he reaches for the staff at his back, sliding it free from the strap with a flick of his wrist. The energy through it is faint, but stronger than it was when he'd first arrived. A large, pale crystal wedged into what might have once been branches glows faintly. ]

Unfortunately I'm not quite as helpful as I'd like to be, but if we keep our wits about us we should be able to defend ourselves long enough to find help should we get into trouble.

welcome to the gods wood

[marred]

Like what?

[ Luke sidles up next to her, dressed in the same colours as her. He appears a little more confident than most—being the son of Hermes means he has a jack of all trades kind of skillset, and finding his way through unknown territory just happens to be one of them. This is kind of fun. He's a masochist.

His expression is easy and open, making the scar over his right eye appear less menacing. ] Unnecessarily creepy and over the top? They could've made do without the blindfolds. No one's able to tell east from west when you're stuck in the very centre of the woods.

[direly]

[ Dryly, after giving him a glance, ]

Dark and frustrating.

[ How in all Seven Hells is she supposed to find a weirwood tree in this dank, dark ass forest? ]