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TEST DRIVE MEME #8
Welcome to the eighth 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.
◎ Rumor has it that two emissaries - a werewolf and a vampire - visited from Nocwich in early July. With them came some wares distributed to shops throughout each faction. A few sparse items may remain for purchase, such as glowing flowers or fine ales, but much of it has now been sold.
◎ New arrivals in THE FREE CITIES may hear a bit of chatter around Cadens about art, politics, and recent performances involving its sister city, Libertas. It's all standard fare - the kind of topics spoken about over a beer or in line at the market - but there's a small stir in the air.
◎ Lately, locals in SOLVUNN have begun to approach the Summoned with a sort of awe and respect. New arrivals 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 delicious goat cheese. Your character is free to turn these down and should they turn down enough people, they will not be bothered further as no one wishes to offend them.
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.
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.
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.
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 long-horned creature with large wings on a thin chain over your neck. Ask around later, and you may find that it is a symbol of Vielehauffe, the God of the Herd.
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.
klaus hargreeves | the umbrella academy | the fool
[ klaus hargreeves opens his eyes, fully expecting to be a dead man.
he’d even argue it would be a fair assumption, given the fading memory he’s left with, given the chaos of another end of the world, drifting piece by piece into an endless vortex. it makes sense why he spends most of the duration of his initial arrival profoundly believing this to be the void. albeit a very interesting one. some particular afterlife of someone with a particularly overactive imagination, and there are just so many things that klaus doesn't understand, and hey look at that, people were even talking. maybe that's what happens when all you have is the afterlife?
he had nodded and played along, entirely content and only slightly growing more and more worried about his family, about reggie’a betrayal, about all of it, as it slowly builds and builds in the rising anxiety bubbling up in his chest.
but just the same, with that funny way of believing things will either work out or they won’t, klaus had navigated outside into the very quaint looking settlement.
he stands there, carving a long, lithe figure in the middle of the road and looking at the goats, head tipped to one side as he watches the world around him. it’s like a — commune. it even reminds him a little of the one he’d inadvertently started in texas. if you add gods and magic to the mix which, if he was honest, he’d probably seen weirder, this is what you got.
he tips his head, patience finally reaching some form of an end, the guilt and rising anticipation finally cresting it’s peak, as he turns to the first person he sees walking by. ]
Hi, sorry, excuse me — [ his voice is soft spoken, near sing-song in inflection. there’s a small wave around them, in some vague direction of the road or the trees or the — everything. ] — have you seen a girl around here? Rides around on a little bike, has the air of immortal contempt on her face? Kind of judgy?
[ of all the ways to describe the purported image of god — or a god? she said she was god — this is how klaus hargreeves chooses to do so. with a flourish of his hand and a small smile. ]
II. FREE CITIES (tdm)
[ klaus had once said, sitting at a dinner table as waves lapped at the shore behind him, as he stared at the face of a mother he never knew, that peace is overrated.
wondering around this fantastical place, with an easy sort of swagger that no amounts of dimension hopping or dying could seem to keep down, klaus concludes that he still agrees with that sentiment.
he wonders through a city he’s never seen, and really only becomes half-way convinced that this was real several hours in — in as much as it wasn’t the void, that god on a bicycle wasn’t going to chastise him with a dainty little fingerwag of judgement — convinced enough to stop by a place called mag’s inn. convinced enough to have a drink. watch the patrons of this fine establishment.
he sighs, and when the first buzz of the drink hits — low-key and simply pleasant, some habitual dulling of nerves (and another reminder that this wasn't entirely the void; what with no buzz in the thereafter) — he says outloud, to no one in particular, or maybe just someone within earshot. ] Well, this is certainly a change of scenery from before.
[ doomsday did skew perspective, and he tries to focus less on the fact that — for all intents and purposes — he was very much stuck, and very much without a way out. he kept thinking little five would come strolling in through the front doors, looking as crooked as the old man he really was. no such luck. ]
III. THORNE (tdm)
[ while this place was so vastly different from the halls of hotel oblivion, or the umbrella-turned-sparrow academy, or — really — anywhere else klaus had been, it held a particular air to it that reminded him a little too much of dear old dad. dear old dad who didn’t care, who betrayed him and killed him over and over (and klaus had let him, had fed right into that stupid little hope and —)
maybe it was the way that head mage carried himself. maybe it was the way the halls of this place were far too large to keep anyone from feeling impossibly small, impossibly out of their depths.
whatever it may be, klaus wanders through, with clothes emblazoned with the sign of fool. he’ll drop onto what is allegedly his bed. sit up when someone who looks to be his new roommate walks on in. he’ll even offer a friendly wave.
he’ll wander into the library some time too, walking through the tall shelves and humming some shapeless melody. he’ll pull some tomes out, before near carelessly tossing them onto a nearby desk. if he hears someone shuffling by, any footsteps, he’ll say, voice soft more by nature than by virtue of being in a library at all — ] You think there’s ghosts here? It feels like a place like this would be really haunted. [ but the odd thing is he hasn’t felt it, not even a little, since getting here. funny that. ]
(( ooc; or wildcard it! open to any interactions in any locations as i try to figure out where he’d fit in best! i’m leaning heavily towards solvunn, but would love a chance to have him run into more people! ))
III
He's... likely not the ghost Klaus is referring to.
Ghost or not, Lucifer is currently propped up in a windowsill, reading. He doesn't deem to look away from his book when he answers, sounding bored.] Everywhere has ghosts. Whether or not the Singularity has done something to them is the question--perhaps it eats them, I don't know, it seems like something that would happen.
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klaus hums in something almost like understanding. everywhere has ghosts and the twist to his mouth is almost sardonic. ] Don’t I know it.
[ klaus nods along, like the series of words that lucifer tells him makes as much perfect sense as it makes no sense at all. which in and of itself seems about par the course for how things have been lately. ]
Oooh, great, [ he drawls, looking back to the shelves, fingers dancing along the spines. ] Why does every place I get to need to have something eating away at anything? Why can’t it just be all — sunshine and beaches and a nice drink with a little umbrella in it?
[ for the most part, the question sounds rhetorical but, before long, he risks to ask: ] This Singularity thing you just mentioned — it doesn’t look a big ball of destructive vortex threatening to consume everything around it, by any chance, does it?
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He flips another page.] Haven't been. [And then a pause, and he finally looks up at the newcomer with a small frown.] That's very specific.
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klaus stops his perusing - in as much as he wasn't really paying attention to the books anymore, and turns to fully look at lucifer.
he shrugs, some fluid motion of long limbs giving a very dismissive wave. ] Well, you know, we had this whole Kugelblitz thing happening. End of the world again, blah blah blah. So I figured, what would be the odds that damn thing popped up here? [ there's a momentary tension in the jovialty he offers, eyes on the book currently held in the current company's hand. ] Reading anything good?
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But that's not important what's important.
He drops a leg to hang down from his perch. Klaus keeps earning just a bit more of Lucifer's focus every time he opens his mouth. That's rare.] End of the world again? [Meaning an end of the world that Lucifer wasn't involved in.
Or potentially a version of himself, because maybe it was another him being responsible (re: radiation black holes being fun).
He folds the book around his finger to keep his place and holds it up so Klaus can see the word on the binding. HISTORY.
So. No. Not really. Especially because he's much more interested in someone talking about an Apocalypse like they're talking about the weather.] How many ends-of-the-worlds have you experienced? Or almost experienced, I suppose.
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but as it happens, none are the wiser, and in a way, history might be doomed to repeat itself with klaus’s openness.
though — it is curious how it’s the mention of the end of the world that really pivots the other man’s attention more and more to klaus, leaving his history book momentarily paused. it reminds him, perhaps erroneously, of reginald’s attentions. particular things of particular interest.
but it leaves him stepping a foot closer regardless, intrigued, to prop back against one of the library’s chairs, one ankle crossed over the other. he sighs — drawn out, nonchalance easily worn as a perfect mask, hiding away any deeper turmoil, rolling beneath the layers of eccentricity. ] Oh. Yeah, there were three, [ easy answer, rolls right off the tongue. just like the weather and expression pinched in a way that says ”crazy, right?”. he offers no other details on those, though he supposes he could. ] Though, I was pretty sure this last one was kind of looking like the real deal.
[ he hums, thoughtful: ] Maybe this is the afterlife and we’re the ghosts. [it’s not meant to sound profound. If anything, it’s either a real possibility or simply a good joke. ]
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Although there is a real temptation to it. What's the harm in a little baiting? It isn't like him or Castiel can storm Castle Thorne. ... But they might have friends. Hm. Hm. Hm.
At Klaus' other comment though, Lucifer snorts.] This isn't the afterlife. [For as much as the press of nightmares recently had made him think Abraxas was a punishment and an illusion, he's sure. Even Lucifer doesn't truly know what happens to angels and demons when they die--but it can't be this.] Realm's too... complex. A melting pot for the damned and the righteous? No. Nothing functions like that.
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[ asking about five made the most sense - he was the one that stuck out like a sore thumb. but so, not the afterlife? got it. the guy speaks with a sort of gravitas of knowing that makes klaus entirely less inclined to question it. realm's too complex? might be, who is he to know? although there's something near biblical in the choice of words. ] Mmm, figured, really. Well, [ arms outspread into an animated shrug. ] Different realm it is! Eternal peace is a little overrated anyway, don't you think?
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Thirteen-going on-fifty seven is oddly specific and yet. Well. He has no idea how old Dean actually is, but you add the math with Hell-time and...] Maybe forty-going on-eighty. [And that sounds about right.
A shrug then, and he leans backwards against the window. He grins, wide. Mostly sincere even.] It is indeed overrated.
I
The cat, somewhat startled at being suddenly addressed, with her ears flattened back and tail bowed, stares at him from several meters away. And then, recovering her dignity, she straightens, blinks twice... and speaks.]
What's a bike?
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actually, this was kind of a nice change of pace, as klaus pivots languidly over to look at the cat, and both hopes it will and won’t ask him a riddle. ] Oh — I didn’t mean to give you a start, [ he notes, before considering the question. ] It’s like a — two wheel metal contraption that you just - pedal around on. Well, not you personally. People use it, when they want to get around places faster. You know, because we only got two legs. [ accompanied, of course, by a pleasant smile and by a hand gestures, two fingers mimicking a walk. ]
[ he does shrug, after a short pause - ] — So, are you local, or. . . ?
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[It's a token protest. Birds, she's talking about birds, of course, and you're clearly some species of ape. Apes can, but don't usually, go about on two legs so... it does check out that you'd want something to help you move faster. A contraption? She isn't sure, exactly, but let's not worry about it for now.]
No, I— They pulled me out of the water? How does that even work, I'm new here. Nobody seems to have met a cat before, which is pretty strange. It's not like we're rare. What about you?
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regardless, whether they were to ruminate on the intricacies of why some folks might need to get around places faster than others, or what constituted their definitions of people (though he'd still more likely agree with her definition anyway), klaus seems well at ease with current circumstance. he snorts, at the next question. ] Me? Oh, no no. Fresh out of the pond as well, as it were.
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[Great. That's just great. But at least she isn't the only one, right?]
You ever attend at the college? [It's a long shot. She doesn't really think he is— even if larger body-types are a different track, she thinks she'd remember seeing something like this. But if he was, if he did recognize it, then...] I recently took a job with the rationale. My name's Quintet.
Solvunn
"Some children, yes." He says with a slight frown. Back in the Settlement of course, but there had been a few running around the farm, helping with the work in small ways. "But, no bikes that I've seen. Did you...upset this girl?" Maybe he's looking to apologize.
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He laughs, waves the question off with a little lilt. “Sort of. Not on purpose. She doesn’t like that I keep dying, so,” maybe he ought to think about how he says things like this. Maybe, to most people, this sounds insane, but Klaus had long operated between than thin, thin line of eccentricity and insanity and honestly, it thinned more and more, the more times the world ended around him. “I think it upsets the cosmic balance. Or something.”
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"It's a legitimate concern, I'd think, circumventing the natural cycle." He decides to take Klaus at his word, for now at least. "Do you do a lot of dying?"
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"I'm still not convinced this isn't the Void, either, you know?" he hums, a little thoughtful, before his expression turns a little — sad, maybe? "I suppose I'll know soon enough anyway," and with that, he extends a hand. "Klaus."
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And yet this man talks about it as easily as one might discuss the weather, though not, Ben notes, without some regrets.
He steps forward. "Well, if it's any consolation, I'm rather certain I've not died even once yet, so I don't believe this to be some kind of nether-realm." He takes the offered hand. "Ben."
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Maybe in other circumstances, Klaus would have spoken about this particular talent of his differently — but given the context of this, the absurdity of the realm they were in, the orbiting disbelief and the underlying thought of did it matter?, candor is what Klaus chose. Heart on the sleeve, and all that.
"Mm, that's good then. Keep it that way. I think more than once gets really tedious," Klaus hums, agreeably. Then — Ben, the stranger says and Klaus's eyes flick up to his face, some brief surprise. Is it irony, or fate, or cosmic humor that one of the first people he meets would have the same name as the once-dead-not-dead brother? There's no resemblance in sight, of course. Nothing save for a name shared, like a small personal joke. Klaus smiles, something a little somber, but genuine. "Nice to meet you. You — ah, just get here too, right? Fresh from the pond, as it were?"
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Nevertheless, Klaus recovers, although seemingly a bit more somber but before. Ben takes it in stride. "Yes, that's correct, though I wish they had found a slightly less alarming way to bring people here. Though I've just been the last several hours at a farm up the road." Something to do at least, and it lets him observe the people, and get a better feel for the settlement and the area surrounding it, or at least part of it. "What are your impressions so far?"
I.
I'm not sure they have bikes here. Seems a little too...medieval for that? Though, I guess weirder things have happened, historically inaccurate transportation wouldn't be unheard of.
[It's probably a good idea to stop him before he starts babbling. He does have a tendency to go off on a tangent. ]