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abraxasooc2022-05-20 09:54 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2022-05-20 09:54 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #7
TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to the seventh test drive meme for Abraxas! This meme is run a little bit differently than most in that you'll be asked to choose one of the three different arrival scenarios below for your character to take. If you have any questions about this mechanic or anything else related to the TDM, please take a look at the questions below or ask one of your own under the Questions header below. For general game questions please still use the FAQ.
Our Setting pages are full of information on the world of Abraxas, and an overview of the story so far can be found on our Game History page! Anything on that page - including information about the Horizon and the Singularity - can be assumed to be told to newcomers after they arrive, no matter which faction they are received in. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, Marlo, and Rowan, please see our NPCs page.
You can also find answers to questions asked on previous TDMs in their respective questions threads.
For characters who arrive in SOLVUNN: Recently, following the events in which some of the Summoned received visions of each other's past, locals in Solvunn have begun to approach the Summoned with a sort of awe and respect. Those who arrive in Solvunn will find themselves treated much the same way and may be asked for advice or given gifts that seem like offerings such as wine, harvest bounties, or some incredibly delicious goat cheese. Your character is free to turn these down and should they turn down enough people, they will not be bothered further, out of concern of offending the Summoned.
Arrival
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
Scenario One: Welcome to Thorne
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card bearing the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"One moment," he says, not bothering to look up from the tome. He looks tired. "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. We’ll explain everything in a moment, but for now, please calm down. You’re completely fine."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the pages, until he stops on one specific passage, stares at it for a moment, and then sighs with relief:
"Finally!"
Ambrose's expression brightens, relief visible across his features. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"Oh, thank heavens," he says, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief. “I was beginning to believe we’d never get it exactly right.”
Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem to visibly relax, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.
"Please, come with me," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle. "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."
One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.
Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (those who were previously brought in may have a great deal of information to tell you), or you can wander around and meet the others.
There's also a dining hall stocked with a rotating 24/7 buffet in celebration of the new honored guests. Somehow, your very favorite food is part of the rotation (or at least an attempted recreation of it given the limited technology available to the Thorneans). The town surrounding the castle is all abuzz as well, with most shops and services willing to give free samples of their wares to the new arrivals.
You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).
Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and most of the cells stand empty.
Scenario Two: Welcome to the Free Cities
You find yourself pulled from the water by a pair of strong hands. Dry warmth hits you at once as you're set on a warm hard floor. As your senses return you realize you're on dull ruddy stone and surrounded by strangers. Men and women in unfamiliar uniforms of brown and red leather stand in a semi-circle around a small pool of water. The very pool you were just pulled from. The water is still now, rimmed in pale gold tiles with odd symbols etched into them. Across it on the far side is a raised pedestal with a card propped on it. The card bears an arcana symbol.
You feel weak. Drained. Any abilities or magical powers you have seem far away and impossible to access. You're in what looks like a cave lit by dozens and dozens of torches set into the wall. There's no furniture or decoration to be seen besides the pool. It's almost uncomfortably warm and there's the sound of rushing wind somewhere in the distance. Flickering shadows obscure the faces of the guards. A robed woman stands off to the side, looking at you anxiously and then to the authoritative woman standing before you. She's grinning, dressed in a fancier uniform than the others. There's a sword at her hip. A guard covers you with a blanket and returns to their place in the semi-circle.
The woman with the sword gives a nod of approval and smiles warmly.
"Sorry about the circumstances."
She gives you a good hard look before standing again.
"Take a minute, catch your breath, you've had quite a shock. Take it nice and easy. I'm Prime Minister Marlo Reiner and you're in The Free Cities. That nice lady over there will explain everything to you and get you settled." A nod to the robed woman off to the side.
Marlo Reiner steps back and the robed mage approaches to help you up.
"Come with me, please." She brings you out of the cave through a corridor that angles upwards until you emerge in what looks like some kind of storage facility. Shelves of wooden boxes and cloth bags line them, unidentifiable parts of what might be machines are tucked into corners and propped against shelving units. "This is one of the Free Cities' outposts," the mage explains as she leads you. "We're honored to have you with us, I'm sure you have many questions but please save them. You need to recover!"
You'll learn you're in the Cadens Desert Outpost 003, a military outpost on the outskirts of Cadens city. You're brought to a room in the barracks that's been prepared. Each barracks room is rather sparse and utilitarian. Six simple beds set against the wall, three on each side of the room, each with a trunk at the foot of it. You're told the world is in a delicate and dangerous times and you're needed to help. You're important, you're told, and they're very grateful you're here.
You're asked to stay close for the time being, but to make yourself at home. The outpost is more a proper military base than the name implies, with full facilities. The barracks have a communal bathing room at the end of the hall, with curtains that can be pulled around the individual raised round tubs for privacy. There's a mess hall that has food available from sun up till a few hours after sundown. You're even encouraged to make use of the training grounds, if you'd like, with non-lethal training weapons available for use and obstacle courses set up. And the city of Cadens is only a couple of hours away by wagon - though you're asked initially to please be back at the outpost within a few hours of the sun going down.
For your own safety.
Scenario Three: Welcome to Solvunn
The feeling of floating is the first sense that comes to you as the edges of unconsciousness start to ebb. Sunlight filters through the rippling water as you open your eyes, making you squint. Before you have the chance to panic and inhale, firm hands grasp your arms and pull you to the surface of the water. Moments later, soft warmth is wrapped around your shoulders as you're guided on unsteady legs out of a pool of water. You're lowered to the soft grass. Men and women in simple garments with lavish embroidery stand by, waiting with bated breath, glancing seriously at an old man in an ornate robe. He holds an old leather-bound book in one hand and in the other is a card bearing an arcana symbol. His eyes move quickly over the page, and he mumbles idly to himself.
Any strength you may have possessed feels as though it has slipped through your fingers. Any abilities or magical powers you have don't come to the surface no matter how hard you try. You're in a grassy clearing in the midst of a circle of large stone slabs stacked to look like doorways. In the middle is the same glimmering pool you were just pulled from. A gentle breeze blows through, carrying the scent of flowers and herbs from an ornately decorated altar set off in front of one of the stone doorways. The mage closes his book and steps out of the water, addressing a matronly old woman. Behind her are two younger people, a rough-looking man, and a meek young girl, both of whom are also watching the mage.
“I detect no ill will from the gods, it seems we've been blessed with success.” Those that had gathered all breathe a sigh of relief and now seem pleased.
The old woman smiles and steps forward, offering to take your hands and help you stand. “Any gift the gods give us is one we will happily take. I'm certain you have many questions, and they will all be answered in time. For now, rest and know you will be taken care of.”
She pats the top of your hand and steps away with a serene smile, letting one of the others come forward with some clothes that seem to fit you perfectly. Once you're dressed, someone approaches to drape a delicate-looking charm depicting a butterfly with too many wings on a thin chain over your neck. The rough-looking man from before steps forward once you're decent and motions with his head outside of the stone circle. His speech is informal, his consonants harsh.
“Hold your horses, I can see all those questions coming about! Rowan March, at your service. I'm one of the council members of Solvunn. There's a lot to discuss, but it's best talked about over a hot meal.” He leads you to a horse-drawn carriage and helps you up into the back. He talks the entire ride to the settlement.
You find out you are in the Primary Settlement, the first of three that make up Solvunn's great territory. The settlement is situated between two lakes and is humming with life. You're brought to the center of town and escorted to an apartment above one of the establishments in town. Rowan explains that the living conditions are temporary if you'd like them to be, that local families would also be happy to host you in their home. That there are others like you who have also taken up residence within the three settlements. You're told that the world hangs upon the brink of disaster and that there are those in this world that are happy to see it fall to ruin with their meddling.
You're important. The gods have graced them with your presence. They're delighted you're here. Welcome to Solvunn.
Everything you need has been provided in this humble apartment, and if it hasn't, there are shops that line the streets and a marketplace in the center of town. Owners of some establishments or stalls are more than happy to give out samples or barter with your time for their goods. Babysitting can be a very lucrative business. You're told of the other settlements, that they'd like you to stay here for now, but if you can find a family to host you, the secondary and tertiary settlements are best to get to with an escort.
There are tales of travelers visiting the secondary settlement without invitation disappearing without a trace. The gods are as hungry as they are protective, young traveler.
You’ll find that there are more than enough activities to throw yourself into to better settle into your new life in Solvunn. Work is done in the first part of the day so that families can spend the rest of it together in leisure and work on their crafts - whatever those may be. For those children who are not of school age, they need nannies or storytellers, and there’s always a gaggle of them running about unsupervised. Families with livestock can always take a spare hand, especially since farms are so spread out, they have a tendency to wander. Whatever skills you may possess can always be of use to the community or to honor the gods.
If any of these options are no good for your lifestyle, the main roads between settlements can always use a bit of monster clean-up… just make sure you don’t go alone.
How many slots are open?
Please check the Taken page for how many player, franchise, and canon slots are available. Activity check will be processed before applications open, so the count may change between now and then. Existing players can apply for a second character without restriction.
How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Which faction your character is drawn into has nothing to do with their personal morality, beliefs, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into any one of the situations.
Can I try out more than one scenario?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.
What happens if my character refuses to comply with the NPCs?
They will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and the faction leaders will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, they will be warned once that everyone is willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight they will make good on that promise.
My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the cities, murdering the NPCs, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other NPCs would be thrown back in the well (which will mean drowning in the void, not returning home). Brawling with other PCs and causing minor damage is fine and will be greeted with a cranky attitude and intervention from various NPC guards, and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Abraxans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.
I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from an earlier TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes, in terms of the settings. As Thorne is no longer imprisoning any newcomers, that option is no longer applicable.
Is the power loss for characters permanent?
No, but it does take a week or so for their powers to be back in full, and certain powers (determined on a case-by-case basis) may require nerfs. If your character has world-breaking powers, please discuss with the mods what modifications may be necessary.
Can my character leave the bounds of the faction?
In Thorne, characters can leave the castle but not the city. In Cadens, they can take a trip from the outpost to the city. In Solvunn, they can explore the entirety of the Primary Settlement.
Can my character eventually change factions?
Yes. While the faction borders are currently closed, there will opportunities in the future for characters to relocate. For the time being, they are stuck where they are.
How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will determine where your character initially lives as well as the bias of the information they receive from NPCs (although other PCs can and most likely will give it to them a bit more straight). This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.
Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in every scenario can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.
Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the three scenarios on your application.
What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).
Can my character go to the Horizon?
First time visitors to the Horizon must be taken there by other characters, through either shared meditation or a physical journey to the Singularity, and all first-timers experience memory loss. For the purposes of the TDM, we suggest against using the Horizon.
What about making use of the network?
Much like Horizon they would need to be introduced to it by another PC, as no NPCs would be aware of the network or be able to access it. Because of this we would advise against using this mechanic for TDM top-levels.
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Zack Fair — Final Fantasy VII — Solvunn — Strength
It takes all of five minutes for Zack to irreparably snap the fine chain of the gifted necklace. In his defense, trying to acclimate to wearing delicate jewelry and strangely loose-fitting clothing at the same time was going to be losing battle from the start. He's accustomed to heavy denim trousers, tight leather belts, and turtleneck sweaters. Moreover, his wits feel duller since emerging from that well, and he isn't sure whether it was something in the water, something in the air, or something else entirely. Probably to do with that summoning ritual they were talking about, he reasons, although his own experience with summoning had never worked quite like this.
Well, maybe Leviathan was a little similarly...damp.
In either case, it was clearly meant to be unlatched rather than simply pulled over his head, and the chain had no trouble fragmenting in hands so often stronger than he realizes. Although he gets the feeling he's supposed to be wearing it (like some kind of beginner badge), he also doesn't exactly trust the slit pockets of these breezy, linen slacks to keep the charm safe. So, he opts to leave it behind in his temporary lodgings, on top of the rough-looking end-table that offers not a lamp but a candle. The rest of the room is equally humble, but cozy, perfectly adequate for a temporary stay, though the smell of stone and old wood and the general feel of the place reminds him a little too readily of a similarly cozy inn he'd once stayed in. But...thinking about that makes him tired, makes his heart ache, and there's far too much for him to get done in the way of acclimation for him to get lost in his worries and memories now. And what better way to acclimate than getting to know the folks downstairs, who seem to run a bustling kitchen.
And hey, maybe he'll even run into a new neighbor as well.
BARTERING
With a meal in his belly (paid for with a few loads of dishes and a promise for a second shift), Zack swings back around to his apartment to retrieve the broken necklace. He carefully wraps it in a tea towel (accidentally pilfered from the restaurant, but at least it's mostly clean) to carry it with him as he follows the general din of the center village towards the shops. The glint in his eye makes it obvious he's a man with a mission, though the way he scans the buildings on either side of the main path makes it equally obvious he's a man without a clue where he's headed.
The sights (and smells) of the stalls and shopfronts he passes are too tempting for him to ignore all of them, even though he's just eaten and even though he doesn't have so much as a copper to his name yet. If anything, though, Zack is the friendly, social sort, and happy to make conversation with any and everyone who flags him down for a sample of their wares, local and hired help alike. And in the same breath as his apology for being unable to buy anything, he asks to be pointed in the right direction to get this necklace of his fixed.
Hopefully, then, his theory about it being a beginner's mark is right, and he isn't making a fool (or target) of himself by flaunting it to every person he runs into. Of course, if you happen to be wearing one yourself, you'll most definitely hear the desperate, "Hey! Wait! Do you have a second?" of a man as desperate for a jeweler as he is for a kindred spirit.
BABYSITTING
Zack loves kids. In many ways, he's nothing but a big kid himself, even at the tender age of 23. That's assuredly why it's so easy for him to get caught up in their games. Granted, as a grown-up, he's not much good for most of them, stuck just playing referee for everything from kickball to relay races. (Although he doesn't mind filling in on the slowest teams, to help them get the perfect photo finish.) His enthusiasm and stamina are almost as endless as theirs, however, and it's already earning him the gratitude of a few harried-looking mothers who've been waiting for someone to keep the kids occupied long enough to get the laundry hung up.
Honestly...it's refreshing, being around so many kids. Growing up, he'd been one of a dozen in the village. After leaving, he did all he could not to worry about what might be happening in Gongaga, especially as the years passed. While he always did all he could not to let his thoughts drift to the inevitable fate of his aging hometown, the worry showed quite plainly on his face, darkening any of the brightness in his too-blue eyes.
Maybe a similarly friendly stranger will catch him floundering and help snap him out of it, and notice the kids tugging at his slightly-too-short trousers.
Or maybe you're also just helping to wrangle the kids—either admonishing Zack for permitting all the roughhousing in the dirt, or helping him to wear them out so that they'll all go right to sleep after dinner.
babysitting.
with the way the settlements are mapped out, the way the houses crop up here and there, tucked into little knots together at some parts of town and then spread out, in others, there are plenty of tasks to do for everyone, and similarly, plenty of children to wrangle in the evenings. with the help of her new talents--magic that she's not sure of, magic that feels unfamiliar, like it's new, in this place--there's a great use for her being out in the fields, coaxing stubborn crops to start to pluck up out of the ground, and the children love to walk with her, picking flowers or herbs or simply admiring the natural scenery.
one of their favorite places, of course, is the great mud pit, where some animals take to slathering themselves in the warmer weather, keeping themselves protected--it's a great place to push other children and, just once, aerith had been victim of it herself, tumbling in and staining her new dress. this evening, the boys are rough-housing near it, as she crouches in a nearby herb garden, snipping leaves and stems to take back to some of the houses in town; they seem to be waiting for what they're calling the new mud initiate, though she has no idea who they mean. maybe one of the girls, brave enough to wrestle around with the boys?
it turns out to be nothing of the sort: there's a sound of a voice, male and warm and playful, and the boys cheer at his appearance. aerith, too, finds herself smiling; it's a joy to see the children happy, after all, no matter who they've managed to talk into their schemes--and, when she lifts her chin to see who it is, the joy of it all makes sense.
when's the last time she's seen him, anyway? years and years ago, so long ago that even saying his name, out loud, feels strange: like he never existed at all. a lump crawls, balled up into her throat, and she hurries to tuck the herbs into her basket, pushing and shoving them down; the stem trimmers end up nipping at her skin, a cut across one finger that has her swearing, swiftly, under her breath. this is not how she thought she would ever see him again--she looks sweaty, homely, her boots caked with dirt and her braids a mess; pointedly, she pushes up from within the herb garden, stands up straight and calls out to him, where he's teasing with the boys near the mud. )
You're going to get yourself into trouble, you know. ( lightly, as though wondering if he's even real--if he's really there, or if she's just imagining the whole thing after all. ) They do all the washing by hand, here. Mud is a pain.
no subject
he's at a crossroads, then, when the oldest of the bunch turns to him and solemnly explains that if he's going to be trustworthy, he'll have to prove he's brave. and around here, there's nothing braver than hopping the rickety wooden fencing around a pretty foul-smelling pit of mud, grass, and probably a few other unspeakable things. he explains that all the kids here, when they get old and bold enough, take turns wrestling in it...
...but since it would probably take four of five of them to wrestle Zack, they'll let him roll around by himself for a few minutes, and that'll be good enough. ]
That doesn't sound so tough...
[ it's genuine courage in his voice, even as he sizes up the lazy pigs already lounging in the mud. they probably won't mind another guest. honestly, he's a little more worried about trying to get it all out of his hair later and—
—his clothes, chides a voice. not just any voice, but one he's had chiding him more than a few times before, yet not nearly enough for his liking. the kids snicker as his eyes widen, mistaking surprise for fear as he turns towards the sound. and even if it's like seeing a ghost, the leap of his heart pounds gratefully in his ears, and bursts to life as a wide smile on a face that hardly believes who it's seeing. ]
You'll help me get it out, won't you, Aerith?
[ a name unspoken for years. a name he never thought he'd call again. but...her tone...does she not remember him?
or worse, is he completely wrong? ]
no subject
( is he? it's the sort of thing that she wouldn't have hesitated to offer, back then--the sort of thing that would have come as easily as inviting him in for lunch or taking him to meet her mother. then again, things back home had been slightly more convenient than this place; she'd even taken her clothes to the laundromat once or twice, when her flowers sold well. here, like she says, it's all done by hand--to get mud out, there's a lot of playful cursing and re-washing involved, and she flexes her fingers just thinking about it.
he's real though, then, isn't he? he's real enough to answer her, and the kids react to his reaction, and everything tells her that he's right there, except he can't be, except that's not right at all. it's not like she ever saw what happened to him, but the feeling, from the lifestream, like a candle being snuffed out? a bright light, suddenly dimmed? that hadn't been so easily mistaken.
tentatively, she sets her basket aside, wiping her hands on the front of her worn dress; her eyes narrow at the boys, who know very well they might get into some trouble if she takes word of this back home. one of them nudges the other, and then they skitter off--yelling behind them that zack will be the one super in trouble! if he doesn't come along.
with a lift of a brow, aerith looks from the mud, back to him. they're close enough that she could hop over the rickety fence herself, but somehow, it feels safer to keep it between them for now. )
What's the payment? I don't do my jobs for free. ( a teasing sort of voice: like she's a mercenary herself, not that zack ever got to be one. ) Or should we wrestle for the win?