Test Drive #4

[felldenmods]

Welcome to the January 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 February 1st, and continue to be until 11:59 PM UTC on February 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.
✦ We have added a Suitability section to the application. Check it out! We will be requiring this going forward as it not only helps players see if their character is a good fit for the game but it lets the mod team gather some ideas about direction for your character!
✦ 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 Death or its Attendants if you risk placing a coin in their offering bowl.
✦ As in December, a secondary blessing will be available in February to those that tag others on the TDM!

All set? Perfect! Welcome to Fellden.

AS THE MOON RISES. You’ll find yourself just outside the Temple gates, which will be locked if you try to open them. A little rude, keeping you out after bringing you all this way, and the more you try to look up at the Temple structure the more insistent guards become in pushing you down the pathway to somewhere else. 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! Chrysanthemums will be offered as brooches or corsages, food and drink placed into your hands, while live musicians play loud enough for the dead to hear — for this is a celebration dedicated to them. Several were lost in the battle held the previous weeks, and the Priestess has decreed a time of mourning through revelry. Spirits must be kept up, even in these dark times. 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 despite the pall that may hang over the town. 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 prepare the interior for a solemn remembrance of those lost. Guards at the door will instead direct you to the center of the city where most of Starfolk have gathered to say their goodbyes and reminisce of memories past. Venturing there, you'll be greeted either by those who are serving food and drink from nearby taverns, or those with drawn faces tired from battle. Or perhaps you're a late arrival and the worst of the exhaustion has left the city, now imbued with laughter and happier memories! Those loyal to the Court of Stars greet the newcomers with guarded gratitude in their eyes and wary hesitance. How many more of these Otherworlders will betray them, they wonder out loud. If you try and take a seat with a party or three, chances are the conversation will halt as soon as you grow near, and the longer you stay the more uncomfortable the gathered people become. Trust is not easily gained in the Court of Stars; broken now as it is, the natives of this world fear the worst for their Emperor. Will you help us, or will you hurt us, they ask, wanting to believe they still have a chance at surviving this exhaustive war. Whether you choose to remain for the remembrance or wander off, one thing is certain: things must turn around for the Stars soon. If you do manage to sneak off, a hopeful 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 with an extra amount of people who sought refuge here during the attack on the Moon Temple. Some calm had finally started to settle but now the foundation has once more been shaken. Newcomers will be welcomed with smiling faces from merchants as they look to try to sell their wares. Tavern owners and barkeeps will beckon with the promise of warm food and delightful drinks, a place by the fire, and information to help you find your bearings. The air is rife with the scent of the coastline, fishermen bringing in their haul from the day. Perhaps if you pay enough attention, 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 for something more exciting will find closer to the northern border of Kyst a rather curious bi-pedal cat bouncing on its back legs. It flags you down with a wave of its paw, asking excitedly if you'd like to flex your claws into a juicy quest. You're just the hunter for the job! Purr-fect in every way! Out in the wild lands there's a great beast in a deep river, and it's bothering all the people who live in the nearby town! They can't get fresh water or fish for their meals; it's furr-ightening! If you agree to help, the cat will explain that the creature is a Nokken that has been luring many a brave fisher to their untimely death. It must be removed either by force or by convincing it to leave! Help them, Hero-wan Kenobi, you're their meownly hope!

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, and leaving offerings for their passed. If you catch their eye, they will beg of you to pay respects as well, and press a gold coin into your palm. Offer a wish or a happy memory to who you miss and place the coin into Death's offering bowl and there's a chance someone will be there to speak with you. Be mindful of your actions though; those that show disrespect will be forcibly removed from the Gods Wood by the trees. If the forest is too intimidating, Terebellum is open for semester registration, and the grounds are even more regal with a light dusting of snow all around. Students of all branches of magic can be found exploring the campus and practicing their craft. If you're lucky, perhaps you can find a teacher who will explain what is offered here at the University. But ah, there's a catch! Tuition is extremely expensive, so you must impress your faction leaders if you wish to widen your breadth of knowledge within these walls!

Comments

iii!

[conciliant]

[2B is on her way into the Gods Wood when she comes across this unsightly... sight. A girl, being thrown from the trees and skidding across the grass in a beeline towards her, only to stop barely a foot away to fall into a heap on the ground. She remains unmoving from her spot, not bothering to take a step forward to help or back to give some room when Zero lifts herself up.]

Hm. I've never seen anyone get kicked out of the Gods Wood before.

[A frank observation as her head lifts to look into the trees. How relentless. Guess it's true what the humans say: there's a first for everything...]

[intoner]

[Of course someone's around to see her looking like such an idiot, of course. At the very least, 2B not offering any kind of help to her is honestly less embarrassing than if she did. Not in the mood to actually get up just yet though, Zero looks up at 2B from where she's sitting.

Nice blindfold. Then again, given the flower in her eye, she probably doesn't have much room to talk (not that that'll stop her).]

Seriously? People are way more serious here than I would've expected then.

[conciliant]

[If it weren't for the visor, 2B's eyes would linger on the flower for a touch longer than normal, but luckily for her, it shields her gaze while she stares. Its distinct similarity to another flower has her curious, but she's in no mood to question it.]

You mean the Gods are. The humans here never stop celebrating.

[The tone of her voice suggests that she doesn't understand that at all, because it's weird. They're in the middle of a war, and yet they've been drinking and dancing all day.

(Or, at least, since she accidentally ended up in this dreamscape.)]

[intoner]

You think so? Sure, they were trying to celebrate back in—wherever the fuck I was, [She honestly can't bring herself to care enough to remember.] but if that's what they call a party, it fucking blew. Almost every single person there had to gawk and stare like they were about to piss their pants every time they saw me.

[Not that she's really one for partying and celebrating either, but even she knows it was a muted celebration at best.]

[conciliant]

They have nothing to celebrate right now.

[It's all very silly, and there's a touch of disdain to her tone.

Anyway, she wasn't too fond of the stopping and staring either. She had no idea the humans would be so in awe with an Android, as if they've never seen one before, but that's not to say that she's ever seen a human quite like this one either.]

Is it because of the flower?

[Because she certainly had been staring at it this whole time...]

[intoner]

[She snorts.] You'd think, right? That was probably part of it, but literally the moment I walk out everyone's just whispering and crying about how oh nooo, am I gonna betray them too? Will I actually help them? Am I here to just make things worse? Blah blah blah, just a bunch of bullshit like that.

Like fuck man, I just got here! And then everyone else has to defend them about how some terrible shit happened last month or whatever, but as if that has jack shit to do with me. [Zero vaguely gets the gist that she was brought here to help out in some war or something to that effect, and she basically only agreed on a whim. The people here acting so wary and anxious almost make her want to change her mind.]

[conciliant]

[Perhaps consciously, 2B's hand wraps around her wrist, where her tally tattoo glows through her clothes. Three lines out of four remain, reminding her and the faction of her betrayal. Thankfully, or so she figures, the newer people here would have no idea what it means, but the mention of betrayal still makes her mindful about it.]

It does. They think we're all here to save them.

[Which is right, in some ways... for her, and so very wrong in a lot of others. But she doesn't want someone else walking the same path that she is.]

You would do well to keep your head down at least. Until the war is over.

[intoner]

[She sees 2B wrap her hand around her wrist, and she wonders for a moment. Maybe this girl's part of whatever betraying happened last month. Maybe not. Either way, Zero doesn't see it as any of her business. That would require caring about everything going on here, and, y'know. She really doesn't right now.]

That's what winning a war usually means, right? [Still, she rolls her eye. Everyone wants to warn her about what to do and what NOT to do, and it's getting tiresome.] Sorry to say, [except not really] but there's fat chance of that happening. I've never been too good at following rules.