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abraxasooc2022-07-20 10:26 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2022-07-20 10:26 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #8
TEST DRIVE MEME
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.
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 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.
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[ So formal. Claude had somehow forgotten this about Dimitri thanks to the course of the years separating him from the academy until presented with this living reminder of those times. Living being the operative word in that sentence. Not from Gronder, and not a terrible dream. He's still (silently) marveling over that as they walk down the crowded streets. That question about how he's been breaks through his musings, and Claude gives Dimitri a sidelong look for quite a few moments. ]
In terms of before arriving here or after?
[ Partially an evasion, but also that he's not totally sure what Dimitri's asking him. It's not really meant to be a permanent avoidance, though; he'll answer just as soon as Dimitri clarifies.
But the way he's going to choose to counter that with yet another question of his own before waiting for the prince to respond, however, might feel familiar. ]
What's the date where you're from, Dimitri?
[ There's no casual way to ask but Claude's taking a shot at it anyway. Even just generally knowing what Dimitri last saw on a calendar could bring a lot into context. ]
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[ and other such stories. dimitri frowns at the ever-shifting way claude deftly steers their conversation; he seems to be more controlled at it than before. he remembers the boy the way he remembers him like it were yesterday for him; years, perhaps, to this claude. always a wildcard, but nevertheless, he was fond of choosing the other as a rival, in a physical sense, even if the other didn't fully believe in his judgment at all.
now he feels like he's being tested. dimitri isn't sure what the future will bring him. curiousity will eat him alive otherwise, and anyway, for the sake of faerghus, for his duty, he must know.
so he answers his questions just as polite as they come. ]
I will say before. After all, the arrival after is likely similar to all of us who did not choose to be here.
The year is 1180. It was the month of the Verdant Rain Moon, and close to the end of that month.
[ he and his house were heading back from conand tower. ]
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Wait. 1180. The reality of how far apart they are suddenly hits him like a gut punch and the glance he sends Dimitri's direction is lined traces of with something like melancholic nostalgia. ]
The last dates I remember before getting here were in the Pegasus Moon. But the year for me is 1187.
[ This opens a dangerous door he won't be able to close. There's no hiding he's older than Dimitri. Older by a significant amount as he now knows; lots has occurred between the prince's reality and his own. He'll go back and answer that question about how he's been, sure, but now it is decidedly evasive. ]
Before coming here, I was fine. Some... things... were starting to wrap up into good conclusions after a lot of work being done on them.
[ It's both opaque about what's happened and not subtle that something has at the same time. Claude won't bother to expand on that any further which says more than he wants it to in and of itself. But assuming that Dimitri can even manage it, any greater detail (or any at all) will have to be pried loose from him. ]
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[ a pause, and then dimitri says, ] You must be the Duke now. And myself, the King.
[ after all ... that was the only future that was secure for himself; everything that he did lead to that point and strayed no further. he wants to ask him so many questions, but he did not want to be rude, and furthermore, the duke that claude has become may not even be the same boy he had remembered him anymore.
and to begin with, they weren't close, though he certainly tried. he enjoyed his company.
not knowing what to ask, he hedges in saying - ] Are we ... still friends?
[ allies might be the best word, but would that be rude to say? he did not want to be crass and make it sound like that was the only thing he thought of when it came to claude. at least, he thinks, if he phrases it like that, it allows claude to control the definition by correcting him. he bore no ill-will to him, but he also didn't know him well enough to be truly accurate in his statements. and dimitri, not having as much guile as edelgard or anyone else, only asks what he believed to be true at the time. ]
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[ Never mind that the duke part is past tense for him now, or that he doesn't truly know if Dimitri the adult had a coronation and wore a crown. There was no time to ask at Gronder, not when everything went to hell so quickly as that awful reunion he'd tried to joke it off as so to not pull out his hair instead. The past is what it is; nothing about it can be changed now.
Which is why that next question gives him pause yet again, and Claude's careful to look forward as they walk the last bit of distance to where the inn waits. That question shouldn't hurt as much as it does, that plaintive wish to know something so simple. It only solidifies his decision to keep things contained in the relative present to protect Dimitri from as much of it as he can while he can. How he'd treat a younger sibling, if he had one beyond the Deer he'd defended just as much, or perhaps how once he'd wished his siblings would treat him. When he does turn to look at Dimitri while holding the inn door open for him, it's with a real enough smile. ]
I've always considered you a friend, Dimitri. There's nothing that could change that.
[ It's not a lie. He'd tried his best to reason with Dimitri to get the Kingdom's forces to turn around after the shock of discovering the other was still alive. Better to gesture the prince towards sitting down at an empty table in one corner of the tavern than to focus on that. Claude goes to the bar at the front to retrieve mugs, a teapot full of hot water, tea leaves, and some bread and cheese onto a tray while dropping some coins into hands of the staff member on duty. All of it he brings with him back to that table; this, at least, a familiar tradition from Fodlan as he drops the tea in to steep before sitting down across from the other. ]
Now, I've yet to find chamomile tea around here as of yet so I'm sorry to disappoint there. This is pretty close so hopefully you'll still like it.
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(how very wrong he was.)
dimitri follows him and sits at their table primly, and the sight of tea and cheese makes him feel hungry. he hadn't even realized how long he's been playing with the children. ]
You remembered! [ dimitri smiles brightly at him. ] How kind of you. I appreciate it, Claude.
[ he portions the bread for the two of them, and happily enough eats the cheese first before anything else as he waits for tea to steep. ]
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[ He's reaching for a piece of bread, but Claude stops for a second when he realizes there's a pretty good chance he should've kept that to himself and Dimitri gets a glance of slight apology even if it's paired with a smirk. ]
Don't tell the me you know that any time soon because he won't be very happy about having his methods revealed.
[ Or so Claude can only assume based on how he'd spent his own teenage years. Instead of dwelling on that or any other potential differences between himself and who it is Dimitri knows, it's easier to enjoy that his guess the prince still loves cheese as much as ever was correct.
Finally picking up the bread is also a good chance for him to take a large bite that requires him to chew for a while, a convenient opportunity to select his next words carefully to - if he's lucky - get not only an answer but a better sense of Dimitri's feelings about it. ]
I take it you're staying out in the barracks at the outpost, then? How are they treating you out there?
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[ cleverer than most, and edelgard was suspicious of him and his origins, if he recalled correctly. there were, in fact, rumours surrounding claude's origins considering it seemed like he just appeared from the mists after being announced as duke oswald von riegan's son - but what of it? they were nobility, and nobles often found ways to procure heirs anywhere, especially crested ones. just take a look at gautier. ]
And there is no need to worry. Your secret's safe with me.
[ not that he has any reason to say it otherwise. not that he has any reason to think otherwise as to why would claude even be unhappy at having these things revealed - dimitri thinks of it as a form of thoughtfulness, and not necessarily the kind of ruthlessness claude has for himself. the gap in their experience is much too wide, and not being the dreaded king of the future, he has no reason to think of him as anything other than his schoolmate, whose company he enjoyed.
perhaps there's happiness in that.
as for the next few questions, dimitri's brow furrows. ] Well, I miss having my own room, but it could be worse. I've heard the urgency in their words and have reason to believe they do need us, but I don't quite understand the state of this world enough to comment on whether or not the entire thing is justified - bringing over strangers to act as a supplementary force isn't exactly how I would conduct warfare. It reflects poorly on their own force where training and retention is concerned ... not to mention we all have affairs to settle in our own worlds that we ourselves are busy with ...
That being said, I am glad to see familiar faces, but I feel that the subject of time makes reunions rather awkward, the experience of which, I have to admit, do not enjoy at all. [ dimitri winces. ] Perhaps it is a bit naive of me, but I do wish that we can all meet in simpler and less strained terms .... [ he is going to drink tea, and then glance at him with a slight resignation. ] I suppose you find that childish, however. We are not exactly peers, not anymore.
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But that heavy feeling of exhaustion's nothing new and hasn't been for some time before this, so Claude sets it aside to listen attentively to the answers given to his questions. Parts of it are not unexpected, given that they match his own thoughts and he'd like to think he could still guess how Dimitri's thought process works. The idealism in it is not unforeseen either; it sends another pang of nostalgia through him for the students they once were. ]
It's not childish to wish for better things. You'll do well to hang onto that view that more can be accomplished that way over any others. And no, that's not a hint about anything in the future. [ A quick grin to counter both the seriousness with which he'd started and to sprinkle in a little misdirection as well. ] Just a tip from someone who finds it very strange that he's more than old enough to be your older brother instead of your peer, for all these introductions have tossed us into.
Anyway. Your assessment of their military matches pretty well with what I noticed while I was staying out there. Bringing in others to help with a fight that's not our own seems rather disorganized at best. Even the Alliance was more organized than that, and that's really saying something. I made a point of getting out as soon as I could to avoid being involved.
[ The pause in which Claude reaches for his own tea to take a sip is definitely a pointed one, if Dimitri was wondering. ]
There has to be a lot that they're sharing with us, and that doesn't bode well for anyone they're asking to join their cause. What they've told you and everyone else upon arriving is the cleanest version of it: a nice little spiel meant to make you inclined to help. But I wouldn't recommend it. Not for you or anyone else, Dimitri.
[ Though that usual genial expression on his face Claude's carried with him through the years never once fades, the underlying message will likely still be clear: don't make him drag you out of the barracks. ]
no subject
Very well. I look towards your instruction, Claude von Riegan. I am in your debt.
[ no small feat to make a prince indebted to a duke, but ...
dimitri frowns at the way he talks, which is something he hasn't considered much - though granted, he did not have time to think things over to begin with considering he'd just arrived. he trusts claude, and he believes this one has his best interests at heart, too, but he can't help but wonder - ]
... I understand the need for caution, but what of those who need our aid? I can't turn a blind eye towards that. If I am able to help then it stands to reason that I must offer what I can of my strength.
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[ He follows that up with another drink of tea to hide a smirk only for Dimitri to pull out a line of thought he feels he should've partially seen coming. Claude spends a lot time studying the prince with his hands wrapped around his teacup after he sets it down and with an even expression. He's evaluating that question with an inherent amount of chivalry twined through it with the amount of weight it deserves, but it doesn't take him long to find it dangerous in short order. Dimitri himself is not a or the threat; the fact that if he walks around voicing that means there's a chance it could be taken advantage of that's much closer to 100 percent than zero, and that's deeply worrisome.
All this to say - Claude doesn't feel any regret over pulling out light manipulation tactics to play upon the prince's better nature and guide him away from one source of influence to another. ]
That's a very good point you have about helping. [ He furrows his brow in mock thought, like Dimitri's presented him with a puzzle, just to set the stage properly for what he hopes to execute. ] Even if the military is disorganized, that's their commanders' problem and not ours. We'd likely just be making their problems worse.
More importantly, here in Cadens? Lots of people who need help where it'd have a much bigger impact.
[ Suspense always assists with this sort of thing, so Claude takes a bite of his bread and idly watches two frequent patrons of the tavern sit down at a table nearby before turning his gaze back to Dimitri after he's done chewing. ]
Take Mag, for instance. She runs this inn and tavern and ran it by herself before Summoned started showing up here to help her out. I'm positive she'd have plenty for you to do, but there's lots of others who need help: merchants unloading and organizing wares, workshops doing the same, and even others like us who might have tasks for you to complete that would assist them immensely. And it'd be a lot easier to play with those kids like you promised you would if you were here all the time, wouldn't it?
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A most compelling argument. [ a pause, and then, dimitri adds, ] You have certainly become more persuasive than last I met you. I must admit I'm feeling out of depth at this change, and can only hope I've grown as capable.
[ ignorance is bliss, so they say. anyway - ]
I feel that is most prudent to consider. The people, after all, did not choose the circumstances they have to bear with; what we can offer in exchange for our privileges should return to them. We cannot hope to replace who they have as rulers, nor should we be expected to act as such.
Therefore, I will render my services to those who need it the most.
[ perhaps the chinstrap is well-earned. hm. much to ponder there. ]
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Still, he heaves a tiny inaudible sigh of relief that the pulling of even more strings isn't required for now. ]
That's all true enough. Nobility isn't a thing here in the Free Cities, from what I can tell, so no one's going to be impressed if a duke or a prince start wandering around shouting orders at them. They've got more pressing things to deal with, like trying to get through their day.
[ All said in a breezy tone, like they haven't been both deeply upended into a place they know next to nothing about. Claude's aware he has the upper hand here with being a couple months' worth of more familiar even though it's not saying much. It's enough to keep Dimitri from joining some unknown military force, so that's good enough for him. ]
You'll find plenty to keep you occupied here. Once you get your strength back you'll be in high demand for helping to move things, I'm sure.
[ Though - something else occurs to Claude as he's reaching for his tea and he glances up at Dimitri. ]
They did explain that it'll come back, right? That part wasn't a lie even if they might've blurred the lines on everything else. Also, Crests aren't a thing here. I haven't really told anyone about mine, and no one's asked.
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That being said, I think introducing myself as 'Dimitri' is just fine. And one I haven't really had much opportunity to do so. [ rather wistfully, he adds, ] Nostalgia is not just the province of my elders.
[ by the way, by 'elders', he means you. ]
What have you been up to lately? [ just wondering. ]
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What, first you call me old and now you want all my secrets? Yeesh, kid. Your buttering up skills could use some work.
[ For all his entirely put upon wounded act, it's exactly that: an act and another show of dramatics that Dimitri might remember from more recent academy days. Now Claude's doing it more to be entertaining than as distraction as that wide grin on his face suggests - as does ditching that old title based nickname in favor of a new one if the prince is no longer going to introduce himself as one. Also, that age difference works both ways. ]
Luckily for you I'm in a sharing mood anyway. And the truth is... nothing terribly interesting aside from trying to get my bearings. Mostly I've spent a lot of time in the libraries reading whatever I can find when not helping out around here, or making friends with some of the merchants nearby to pick up some odd jobs. Looking for a project already now that you're here?
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Are you not older than myself? It's the truth.
Also, even if you weren't in a generous mood, what purpose would you have to be dishonest to me? I mostly wanted to know because ... we were an entire wing of students who never slept on time. I imagine that even here, you'd need something to keep yourself occupied, and someone who's already in your advanced years would hardly be content with just reading.
[ (this is the kind of question, a very dimitri question, that he can ask in the age that he is in.)
claude staying in libraries, however, is something that he takes for granted here. making friends with merchants, and helping out around town ... well, it's no different from any of their usual missions from the church. only, without the strong arm of the church leading them towards the people.
anyway, some mild teasing: ]
No fantastic schemes at all? I must say, you've changed.
I suppose I'll have to find something to keep myself occupied as well, whatever project that may be.
But if you find it in your rather busy schedule a kindness to extend to myself, if only so I have a friend to have tea with regularly here, I would much appreciate it, Claude.
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[ Sleep escapes both of them; Claude hasn't forgotten that. If anything, war's only made his already deeply questionable sleeping habits worse, and for Dimitri... well. At this point he can only guess that had never changed for him either. Too late to ask now, though Claude's quick to push that thought away when the prince resumes speaking.
All of what he says is true enough, but that last part is what catches his attention more than finding ways to remind the other of his youth. Claude sets aside the talk of schemes to give Dimitri a sharp look even if the other was only teasing, a slight frown of something that's not quite concern but is close enough. ]
Dimitri. I wasn't planning on telling you to stay in Cadens and then just leave you to your own devices. [ Which, now that he thinks about it: that's exactly the sort of thing his younger self would have done if he hasn't already done that to the prince in some other context, so. Dimitri's worry (if it is one) isn't terribly unfounded and neither is that small mention of dishonesty. ] That's not how I do things anymore, and especially not while you're still adjusting to being here. Tomorrow I'm supposed to go organize a couple of storerooms so your first project can be coming along since it'll be a good way to get to know your way around.
[ A pause now where Claude taps a couple fingers on the tabletop, stops when a thought occurs to him, and immediately smirks. ]
Perhaps you just volunteered your way into being my first scheme here. That would be rather fantastic, wouldn't it?