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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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no subject
I always thought of you as a friend too, Petra. After all, I never would've been inspired to learn to climb trees without you around.
[ Easier to slip back into teasing, whether it ends up being just a brief return to something lighter than the mystery of what they both remember or not. The smile on his face shifts to slightly more genuine thanks to those memories of simpler days when he'd nearly been scared to death after thinking he was all alone for a nap. ]
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but we're both out of luck when it comes to this place. There's not many trees around out here in the desert so we'll both be stuck with the ground.
puts my hand over my heart, the tree...!
There is no going back, but perhaps in this place, whatever else it may offer, there can be a reprieve. For that alone, she finds herself grateful.]
That is unfortunate. We will have to be finding something else to climb! I wonder, though: where will you be having your naps? There are no trees for shade, that is being a much bigger problem.
[Her smile pulls wider, warmer. See, Claude? She can tease, too.]
I HAD TO their supports were some of the best tbh
[ Which isn't an exaggeration, at least not any more than it had been back at Garreg Mach where he'd found places to catch some brief shuteye that went beyond just the tree where she'd initially found him. A grin comes to his face then, one that's considerably less weighted than before. ]
I will say that it's a lot warmer here than it ever was at the monastery or in Derdriu, so some of those places that might be pleasant when you first lie down in them don't stay that way if the sun finds you while you're not aware of it. But on the topic of climbing things, I do have some quality rooftops I can offer you. That'll require being in Cadens to see them, though.
[ Now he tilts his head as thought something else just occurred to him, smile still at the ready. ]
Unless you're planning on staying out here instead?
they were!!
[The city that had been mentioned earlier. She'd been informed that there was a wagon that could be taken there, but had been so focused on finding her way around the outpost and locating clothes, among other things, that she hadn't given it much thought.
Her expression shifts to something more subdued as she considers, though not unhappy. Quality rooftops aside, he poses an excellent question.]
I had not decided what comes next. I have been so busy trying to be finding my bearings, I did not think about what to do after. The people here say they need us, but they are strangers. I do not know that I am trusting what they say— but I would gladly welcome advice from a friend.
no subject
As he picks up his glass to take a drink, Claude surveys Petra over it while she speaks. That she doesn't trust what the military leaders have told them - that's promising and what he would've hoped for. By the time he sets his drink down, it's with a small crease in his brow as he considers his words. ]
My advice would be to leave here if you don't plan on joining them. [ His words are quieter now to avoid being overheard, and said with a brief glance in the direction of some guards dining a few tables away. There's enough noise that it's unlikely his voice stands out, but Claude leans forward to close the distance all the same. ] They'll support you as long as you stay. That'll end if you leave, but there's an inn in Cadens where most of the Summoned end up. The woman who runs it, Mag, will rent a room to you in exchange for helping out around it. Nothing intense, just mostly like we used to do at Garreg Mach, and there's other jobs you can pick up if you'd rather take those on after you're settled.
[ None of that is any particular reason to be secretive - Claude's no under any illusions that the Free Cities know exactly where any of them are at any time in Cadens - but the next part: ]
Almost everyone that I've met here or in Cadens: they all left the outpost immediately. There's only a couple others that I know of that support anything to do with the war, and everyone else would rather... not. No matter what you guys are told out here, you can leave at any point you want to. You can even take the wagon in one day and just not come back, which is what I did.
no subject
She sets her fork down, resting her fist lightly against her chin.]
I am tired of war.
[It is a simple answer, but one she's sure he can relate to. They've both seen their fair share of it, even if they remember things differently.]
I do not want to fight someone else's for them. It is hard enough when you are fighting for something you are believing in. I do not think the people here would be so honest about the chance the leave— they were saying that anyone who went to Cadens must be back by dark.
[Her brow furrows slightly; she doesn't care for that attempt to exert control at all, but relaxes a moment later. Better to focus on what comes next.]
You have been making your own way in the city? I am thinking you would be quite good at that.
no subject
You and me both, my friend.
[ Claude figures that's all he really needs to say about that. Here they are again, presented with the exact same conundrum that'd been unleashed upon them in Fodlan. Only now they have none of the context and none of the allies, not to mention all the other complications.
For all the time he's spent dwelling on that lately before finding Petra here - he pushes those thoughts away now to pick apart later. It's much easier to grin again when she mentions what he's been up, simpler to slide right back into humor to put heaviness aside temporarily again. ]
Is that a compliment to my one time reputation as a rogue? [ Claude makes a show of thinking it over like he has a long list of misdeeds to draw on, purely for her entertainment. ] I suppose it did serve me well in bailing out of here without a second thought. That curfew's only a curfew if you plan on coming back here, really. There's more opportunities in the city beyond just the military, and while I'm sure there's ones that would make crime lords proud I've stayed out of them. Or - I'm pretty sure I have.
no subject
I simply know you to have much cleverness. You are also being very sneaky, sometimes— like me.
[It's a trait to be proud of, in her opinion, if such a talent is used in the right way. It's only right that they play to their strengths, and she can see how Claude's would serve him well here.]
It can be hard to be on your own, but it is being easier if you are resourceful. That is something we both know how to be, as well. I would like to be seeing this city of yours— I know that I do not want to stay here.
no subject
[ Teasing, because of course he is, though he does mean it as a compliment to her as well. Those skills were ones that he admired as well, and Claude absently spins his glass around on his tray just to give himself to do as he considers the rest of what Petra's said for a slight turn back to serious following that. ]
If you're sure you don't want to stay here, then when would you like to leave?
[ All said casually with a smile to match, particularly as a guard walks by on their way to get a meal for themselves and he watches until they're a safe distance away before shifting his gaze back to Petra. ]
You won't be alone or on your own in Cadens, you know, and not just because I'll be annoying you every chance I can get if you're there. I don't know that all the Summoned here are necessarily trustworthy - plus I haven't met everyone yet, besides that - but what I have seen is that people do take care of each other. They won't leave you to handle being there by yourself, and neither will I.
look at him threatening her with a good time
[That is a compliment in and of itself, as he'd intended, and one she will take pride in.
The when part of this is easy. There's no reason for her to stay here any longer than necessary if she already knows she doesn't intend to enlist— though she is a little worried about other friends from home who might be left behind.]
I am being tempted to leave as soon as I finish eating, but we are not the only ones here from Fodlan. I was seeing Sylvain earlier, as well— and Dimitri. I do not think it would be right to be leaving them here without saying something first. But...
[Her smile hitches just a little wider.]
It is good to know that I will be having a friend, whatever the other Summoned are being like.
what better threat than him bothering her ALL THE TIME
Don't worry, no one's getting left behind here if we can avoid it. If they decide to stay for now, I'll make as many trips back as it takes to get them to head back with us.
[ Another threat he means quite sincerely, but. They can't possibly be the only two worn down by war or the idea of heading into it. It's what Claude's counting on as a way to bargain if it comes down to it, but fortunately he won't have to do that with Petra. ]
You know... this place is different than Fodlan. And not just because of-- well, how we arrived here. There's technology here I've never seen before that could make a huge difference if we had some way to bring it back home. [ Then he hesitates, because that's not even touching on what the Summoned have done elsewhere. But explaining the Horizon?
Well. Maybe that part can wait a bit lest Petra think he's playing an elaborate prank on her if someone else hasn't informed her about it already. ]
I only remember part of what they told me when I was summoned because most of it seemed... I'll be charitable and say untrue, but some of it is accurate. If they haven't said your strength will come back in a few days then know that it really will. There's also two other countries here called Thorne and Solvunn. We can't travel there physically, but there's ways for us to communicate with who might be Summoned there. But as far as I know, I was the only one from Fodlan in any of the factions before now.
So seeing a familiar face? [ His smile is a little dimmer now, but the sentiment behind it is no less truthful. ] I'm relieved you're here and not somewhere else.
perfect he should absolutely do that
She knows full well how it feels to be far from home in an unfamiliar land with no one you know to lean on. It's not so different from when she'd first come to the Empire.]
I am also having relief. I do not want to think about what this would be like if I had not been knowing anyone. I have already done that before. It was enough.
[In the absence of friends, you can always make new ones— but she likes not having to start from scratch.]
This place is... confusing. We have traveled between countries before. We cannot do that here? Why not?
noted!!
Instead he idly moves some of the food around on his plate to give himself something to do while considering her next questions. Also good ones, and something he'd had trouble understanding where when even in Fodlan they'd been able to travel between countries with (relative) ease. ]
The countries here, they're mostly separated by land between them that's contested. It's not quite like Fodlan, where the Empire, Kingdom, and Alliance all shared continuous borders. I think only part of the Free Cities touches Solvunn, and only part of Solvunn touches Thorne. I get the impression they've all been at odds for a very long time.
But more than that, all of them are in disagreement over the Singularity. [ This is where Claude pauses to study Petra for a short stretch of time, only because he knows - quite vividly - how what he has to tell her about it sounds if it's the first time it's been said. Which is all the more reason to check first, just to make sure he's not telling her something she already knows. ] Has... anyone told you about it yet? Other people that were summoned here, I mean. Not any Free Cities officials or citizens because it's different for them than it is for us, or so I've heard.
no subject
No, not yet— I have not been meeting many other summoned yet, aside from others who are newly arrived. We are all having much to learn, still. What is the Singularity? Is it some kind of treasure?
[That seems a common enough source of disagreement between nations, in her experience, but there is always something. Resources. Religion. 'Treasure' only seems likely because of the very strange-sounding name is has.]
no subject
Still, he gives Petra a long wordless look from across the table. ]
Before I start with any of this, I need you to believe that I'm not telling you some made up story like I might've back in the day. Okay?
[ Important to preface, considering this does sound like something he'd have done just to entertain himself and their fellow students. But not this time; this time it's their reality.
Claude is careful to explain the significance of the Singularity, how it's the cause of what brought them here and is contested between the factions. How the Free Cities wishes to destroy it and Thorne feels the opposite, that even though it's seemingly just some magic rock (or rocks, maybe, he's unclear on this despite having been in the Horizon) it controls most of what's around them and grants, denies, or wreaks minor havoc as it so chooses.
He's positive there will be more questions, considering the hundreds he had and still has, but first: a little proof. Claude withdraws the small compact mirror from his pocket and sets it on the table between them with a brief glance up to make sure Petra is paying attention. Then he holds one hand out over it, concentrates, and suddenly a map of the night sky full of stars appears in the air above them just in the dimensions it takes to cover them both. ]
Like I said, I know how this sounds. But if you go outside and look up at the sky tonight and compare the brightest constellation in this - [ a gesture with his free hand to the projection above - ] to what you see, you'll find they're the same.
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Most likely.]
I promise— I will be believing you.
[She is quiet then, offering him her undivided attention as he explains. Her gaze does not waver for even a moment, not until he produces that mirror of his, and when he catches her gaze, she nods once more before following it downwards, fixing her attention on the mirror itself— only to suddenly jerk back in her seat when the stars seem to envelop them.
Oh.]
This— it must be magic!
[While she cannot say she understands the Singularity in full, magic is what immediately comes to mind when she considers what it is capable of, as well. Her eyes are wide with both wonder and curiosity as she scans the projection, an awed smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.]
I believe you, Claude. If this were some kind of trick, it would be a very elaborate one.
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Along with that weight lifted his shoulders lose a little of their tension unnoticed even beneath that veneer of a casual act. Crossing convincing Petra of all of this off the list is a start even if he's positive there's other questions yet to come. How could there not be? For now it's enough to watch her study the stars with a small smile of his own on his face - also equally unnoticed. ]
Fortunately for you and rather unfortunately for me, not even I'm that crafty. Though this whole thing seems to be some strange gift from the Singularity, so before too long I'm sure you'll have something too.
[ This ability of his own probably isn't something he should advertise so with some reluctance he closes the mirror to turn their surroundings back into the dining hall around them. Claude doesn't bother to peer this way or that, certain that sudden burst of magic's attracted attention that in retrospect he shouldn't have invited towards either of them. ]
Now feels like a good time to mention that the Free Cities, ah, I suppose the term is frowns upon magic. What they use is geared more towards efficiency in tools and other things used by citizens to get work done or improve lives. I haven't had a chance to see if any is used in healing, so. Professor Manuela would have some thoughts on that. [ A small smile first, then to his actual point. ] I don't know if you learned any magic at the academy, but. Teach made us all learn a few spells just to have backups out on the battlefield, and I haven't used any of it here. Not openly, anyway, other than just making sure they weren't kidding about abilities coming back after arriving.
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[She frowns just a touch as she echoes him, thoughtful once more. Yes, it makes sense, the way he phrases it— while she does not yet understand the concept of the Singularity itself in full, she does know a little something about greater powers granting gifts to mortals.]
The spirits have been known to grant gifts to those they thought worthy, in the past— so it is said in Brigid. Perhaps this is not so different.
[Either way, she's curious to know what might happen to her— though given what he says next about the Free Cities, maybe she shouldn't be so excited.]
I know a little. Not much— the Professor thought it would be wise for me to learn some if I was going to be dancing, but I have not made much use of it. 'Just in case,' she was saying, but if it is dangerous to use such here... that feels very strange. While I have not been using magic much on my own, I am used to friends making use of it on the battlefield, or to mend wounds, as you said. We must keep it secret here, then, even if they are new abilities we are gaining from the Singularity?
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[ It would be interesting if there's some overlap with Brigid's spirits, he thinks to himself, and then wonders if there's any other cases besides the tales told about what Almyran gods granted to the loyal and brave. Well, that'll have to wait unless he can recreate one of those many books in the Horizon sometime. More importantly, when Petra asks if they need to keep things secret Claude frowns just a bit and shakes his head. ]
No, sorry, I misspoke. I don't know that using the magic would have any negative consequences for us specifically, just that the magic the Free Cities prefers is for what's meant to be practical rather than creating things out of thin air since that's an option here. But I get the feeling that Fodlan magic could potentially make people wary if it was, say, used in front of a large crowd.
[ Though - wait a minute. Claude's eyebrows knit together a little more as he looks at Petra, his mind suddenly processing something else that feels important about what she's said. Maybe it matches to her seeing something happen in Derdriu that he didn't, or maybe it doesn't, but it gives him that same feeling he'd had while being told Derdriu fell all over again. ]
Petra. Are you saying that... Teach was your professor?
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[That makes sense. The Free Cities, then, are practically-minded. If she keeps that in mind, she's sure she will understand further going forward.
She takes another thoughtful bite of her meal, brow remaining furrowed, and as Claude's own expression shifts, she thinks they must almost comically mirror one another, even if just for a moment. She pauses and sets her fork down, tipping her head to one side.]
Of course. The Black Eagles are all being very fond of her. She has chosen a difficult path, as many of us have been doing, but she was doing it to protect us. [Edelgard, in that specific moment when the decision had been made, but in the end, it was for all of them.] I am owing her much gratitude.
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Teach taught the Golden Deer, for me. [ 'For me' feels like an important qualifier to add even if the rest of his sentence before it explains enough. Kind of. ] He was pretty fond of us as well even if we weren't exactly the most reverent house, which I might've encouraged. But you're saying that Teach sided with-- Edelgard.
[ This is where he should watch what he says; there's an alarm bell sounding in one corner of his mind. The fall of Derdriu made it start as a faint echo but now it rings even louder. Claude could elaborate on just why that realization, protection or not, actually causes him to shift ever so slightly in his seat in uneasiness buried within placing an elbow on the table as though to prop his chin in his hand though he never actually does. ]
Huh. I can't say I saw that coming. Professor Manuela taught the Black Eagles, and - [ Wait. Again. ] Hold on. When you mentioned Teach, you said she?
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Well. One thing at a time.]
Of course she is a 'she.' You are remembering things differently?
[She curls her fingers lightly, bringing her hand to rest against her chin.]
This is... very confusing. You are remembering the Professor as a 'he.' We are both thinking of Professor Eisner?
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[ Is that part consistent too or not? If he thinks about it for too long (or long at all) he might give himself a headache over this. Or he will anyway, because: ]
You know... Sylvain said the same thing. That he remembered Teach also as 'she' and--
[ Claude stops since there's a good chance he should be letting Sylvain explain his own memories, except for one other part that feels important to mention now. Might as well clear the air of it. ]
Sylvain remembers something else that I do aside from that he was on another side of the battlefield for it. Something I don't know whether it could have also happened for you if you remember me surrendering at Derdriu. I know that's vague, but... he said it was also just happening for him, and for me it happened several months ago. As in almost a year ago.
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It is, she decides, beyond her immediate comprehension. Better that she listens to what Claude has to say— and jarring as it is to hear such things, she believes him regardless.]
Almost a year...
[She echoes him, pursing her lips.]
Tell me, and I will be telling you what else I remember, where I can. This is... it is being very complicated, isn't it? In a different way than the war itself was being.
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I suppose you remember the mock battle we had on Gronder Field during the school year reenacting the Battle of the Eagle and Lion. From what I know or rather what I lived, the Deer won it. This also seems to change, depending on who you ask. [ If Petra gets the sense that for someone normally so verbose Claude is now dragging forth the words to tell her what he has to: she'd be right. ] Fate has a terrible sense of humor because we ended up at Gronder again in the war. Across from you, and across from the Kingdom, just like we were all back at school again but with everything at stake then. It was... awful.
[ An understatement, given it was war. While talking his gaze drifts to the table as he now looks without really seeing it. A year isn't long enough for something like this to feel like it's the past. But of some that terribleness - it comes with the cost of knowing he played his part in it and everything after, and in knowing he would make those choices again and again if he had to, each and every time. Each one necessary, deliberate, all the exact same.
Claude blinks back to the present and refocuses on Petra, one eyebrow slightly raised now. ]
In case this is still yet to come for you somehow, I won't say what happened there or after. I didn't tell Sylvain anything past this either. The year for me is 1187, which means that Sylvain is somewhere in 1186 by my guess. That just leaves what year it is for you.
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We can wrap this one whenever, thank you for sticking with it! Cuties…
very cute!! <33 it's a wrap!