TEST DRIVE MEME #10

[abraxasmods]

Test Drive Meme

Welcome to the 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.

Below are some links to information you may find useful. Our Setting pages have information about the world itself as well as current events for each nation, while our Game History page outlines the game's story so far.

Setting | Game History | NPCs | Arcana
You can also find answers to questions asked on previous TDMs in their respective questions threads.

Summoning

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. 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 - still unclothed.

Arrival

You'll find yourself summoned to one of the following three major nations: the extravagant and magical Kingdom of Thorne, the bustling and advanced Free Cities, or the tightknit and faith-driven rural community of the Solvunn Commune.

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. After a week or so, your abilities will return.

When you gather your bearings at last, you look up into a series of unfamiliar faces...and equally unfamiliar surroundings.

Welcome to Thorne

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 another mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. The man 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 nods, satisfied. "Excellent." He motions for one of the young apprentice mages over. "Settle our guest in, please. I don't have all day."

The apprentice hurries forward with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals. With a wave of their hand, the clothes reshape to fit you perfectly. Once you're dressed, the apprentice leads you into the hallways of Castle Thorne, prattling on about the kingdom, names of royals and nobles, and, of course, the reason why you're here: 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.

◎ Surroundings

Castle Thorne is where not only royals and members of the court reside, but includes the surrounding city itself. With winter still here, the weather is frosty and in the distance, you can see snow-covered mountain peaks. Fortunately, the castle is enchanted to be at a comfortable temperature.

As you walk or look around, you take in some of what's going on around you:

• The East Wing where members of the royal family and court reside is tightly guarded. At this time, you won't be able to go here - and the guards take their job seriously. The dungeons are also well-guarded, and newcomers will be turned away. You might hear rumors that the cells beneath are beginning to fill up.


• Apprentices, kitchen staff, guards - everyone seems to be bustling and busy. The air is tense, and you hear chatter of crop shortages for winter and something about scorched farmlands in Nott, the lakeside city to the south. As a newcomer, you won't know any different when you visit the buffet table, but those who are familiar with the extravagance of Thorne might grumble about the lack of quality and choices in food. The food is still excellent. It was just apparently even better before.


• There's equally talk of the Free Cities among the common folk, dubious truths or not: magic will soon be outlawed there, their army has great metal machines, and dissenters are exiled into the desert where they're left to perish. Attitudes range from wary to dismissive to disdainful depending on who you talk to.


• Despite the troubles that continue to plague Nott, life in the Castle is less touched by those difficulties. There's also plenty of chatter about the giant ocean life that found itself onto the shores of Borrel, Thorne's military city. Borrel is not accessible at this time - but perhaps some of the older Summoned can tell you of their visit.

◎ Exploring

Despite the troubles that plague the land, Castle Thorne and its surrounding city have much for you to indulge in.

Trail Riding
Thorne has beautiful trails for riding and many horses of fine noble stock. Each horse is well-groomed and well-trained. No matter your skill level, the stablehand will help you find a horse. There are a few trails that take you around the castle city, ranging between an hour to a half-day's ride with a stop for a packed lunch and to enjoy the view: beautiful snowy mountains rise in the distance, lush gardens with glowing ponds make for great resting spots, the city has several taverns and bookshops, and of course what would Thorne be without its potion shops? Take a friend if you wish to see the sights with some company. Or maybe you run into a new face while riding? Be sure to return the horses in proper condition! One or two trails are unfortunately closed due to soldiers on patrol, a reminder that all is not well despite the idyllic scenery.

Magic Lessons
Regular magic lessons are held by apprentice mages as part of their training, usually involving learning to cast a small spell. These classes are for the natives of Thorne, but you're welcome to join if you wish. The spell they will be teaching is conjuring a white ball of light that will illuminate the space around you for about an hour. It functions much like a candle, but without the risk of fire. The spell relies on Academic Magic which involves a few words said correctly. You'll likely need a few lessons to grasp it unless you're well-versed in magic already. In the meantime, the class of fresh-faced students means there's a constant bright explosion of light coming from the practice room as the spells fail. It isn't dangerous, but it can be annoying.

Evening Banquet
To improve morale, Thorne has pledged to hold a banquet now and again. One of these will take place as the new arrivals come through, and you're free to join at your leisure. If you don't have the appropriate clothes, you can ask one of the mages to conjure you an outfit or approach one of the existing Summoned to help you dress. The banquet is not overly extravagant, but it is a nice party with fine food, wine, and music that seems to come from nowhere. If you're here to make friends (or enemies), this is a good place to start.

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in an eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, opens on the first weekend of every month for a total of 3 days. Shortly after arriving, you'll be given a pendant that allows you to travel to and from the portal. In Castle Thorne, the portal is a short walk around the back of the castle. You can enter Nocwich freely and explore what's available in Oleuni Square and Luna. You won't be able to enter Ikorr nor will you be able to exit into another faction's portals. Once there, you're welcome to meet those from other factions, take in the sights, and - if you've come by some money or a generous soul - even make a few small purchases. Inns are available for a fee if you want to stay overnight. Otherwise, you'll need to return home through the portals each day.

◎ Settling In

When you're ready to rest, you're shown 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).

Although you can leave the castle, you can't leave its surrounding city with the exception of entering Nott via portal in order to assist with rebuilding or visiting Nocwich. Borders are especially well-guarded right now due to the recent attacks. Besides, Castle Thorne gives you everything you need: fine clothes, great food and wine, massive libraries, and all the magic and knowledge you could want. Isn't that plenty? You won't be given money as you're provided for, so if you want to do some personal spending later, you'll have to find a job in the city on your own.

Welcome to the Free Cities

Dry warmth hits you at once as you're set on a hard floor of dull ruddy stone. 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 is a raised pedestal with a card bearing an Arcana symbol.

A guard covers you with a simple robe and returns to their place in the semi-circle. Before you stands another woman, dressed in a more elaborate and decorated uniform than the others. A sword rests at her hip. She carries an air of authority as she approaches you with a nod and a warm smile. "Sorry about the circumstances. Take a minute, catch your breath. 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 robed mage off to the side approaches to help you up. 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. You'll learn you're in the Cadens Desert Outpost 003, a military base on the outskirts of the major city of Cadens. You're told the world is in delicate and dangerous times, and you're needed to help. You're important and they're very grateful you're here.

◎ Surroundings

While you're currently at the outpost just outside of the city proper, Cadens on the whole is a large bustling city. Temperatures have cooled but the climate remains hot and dry - during the day, at least. At night, they'll plunge to near freezing. Look to the west and you'll see a long stretch of desert wasteland. This is the infamous Badlands. The soldiers don't recommend going out there unprepared - you're likely to face a slow death to the elements or be eaten. Reaching Cadens is possible by wagon, a trip of about 2 hours each way. You're asked to return by sundown for your own safety... but no one will chase after you if you don't.

You'll be given a military style uniform with your Arcana stitched on it where a formal rank would normally be. As you walk or look around, you take in some of what's going on around you:

• Though Libertas is steadily rebuilding, the chaos that resulted from it and the refugees that have poured into Cadens are still causing difficulties. There might be tensions in the air between citizens - though there's also plenty of chatter about the giant ocean life that found itself onto the shores of Aquila, a neighboring city.


• Among the soldiers, anti-Thorne sentiments are high. Thorne seemingly destroyed one of their cities on a whim, civilians and all. Rumors abound, true or not: Thorne is run by a Mad Queen, dissenters are fed to the frost wurms in the mountains, and some of their mages perform gruesome blood rites. Nonetheless, many also aren't eager for war. They worry for their comrades and friends.


• Cadens itself is even more chaotic and crowded than usual. Refugees from Libertas are now in Cadens, seeking temporary shelter and struggling to rebuild their lives. Discontent can be felt around rising food prices due to shortages. The shelves of some shops are emptier than usual and not everything can be readily found.


• A particular inn and tavern stands in Cadens - The Sarstina - where natives say the Summoned are frequently found. They might point you there if you're looking for one of your own.

◎ Exploring

Despite the troubles that plague the land, the barracks and Cadens have much for you to indulge in.

Training Grounds
Non-lethal training weapons and obstacle courses are set up for anyone to use. The soldiers will be watching, and if you catch their attention they might approach you and encourage you to enlist. You're free to invite other new arrivals to spar, but be sure to keep things friendly and avoid trouble. Discipline is key in the barracks. If you're especially competitive, the soldiers will sometimes hold impromptu obstacle races with informal wagers made. They'll be happy to race against even the most unlikely of opponents, and you'll be judged more on your spirit rather than your skill. If you really impress them, they'll even buy you a drink.

Traveling Merchants
Word of new arrivals spread quickly to enterprising merchants. Many will arrive with samples of their wares, offering free things to try. These items include miniature pastries, trinkets powered by New Magic similar to those cheap flashing toys one find at a carnival, ales, fresh fruits, and healing elixirs. Not all of the elixirs are of proper quality. Some are akin to snake oil and might have adverse (though harmless) effects - take care not to accidentally turn your hair bright green or similar. All of the merchants will be gathered at a central point in the barracks so they'll be hard to miss. Maybe you can make a friend or two while perusing.

City Tours
The arrival of refugees from Libertas means tour groups have sprung up around Cadens to show these new folks around. Organized for free by volunteers, these tours are meant to help the refugees feel welcome and take their minds off the loss of their homes but anyone can join in on the walk. The tour will take you to one or more of the following places: the Hall of Natural Relics where you can look at the skeletal remains of various desert beasts, Portam Hall where you can observe the chaotic government bureaucracy of a large city (and the beautiful architecture), backstage of the Catterborough Theater ("The Cat") where you can meet some of the theater performers, and the Academy of Knowledge where you can attend one of its free public seminars (the topic of the month is on the various types of spiderwebs that can be found in nature. Exciting!)

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in an eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, opens on the first weekend of every month for a total of 3 days. Shortly after arriving, you'll be given a pendant that allows you to travel to and from the portal. In Cadens, the portal is a short walk away from the center of the city. You can enter Nocwich freely and explore what's available in Oleuni Square and Luna. You won't be able to enter Ikorr nor will you be able to exit into another faction's portals. Once there, you're welcome to meet those from other factions, take in the sights, and - if you've come by some money or a generous soul - even make a few small purchases. Inns are available for a fee if you want to stay overnight. Otherwise, you'll need to return home through the portals each day.

◎ Settling In

When you're ready to turn in, the barracks are waiting for you. They 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. Each barracks room is rather sparse. Six simple beds set against the wall, three on each side of the room, each with a trunk at the foot of it. You can greet your roommates here, most of whom will be new arrivals, as well.

If you plan on making use of your assigned quarters, you'll have your basic needs met: uniforms, a roof, bland food from the mess hall, and access to the training grounds. You won't be paid unless you formally enlist with the army. The longer you take advantage of the barracks, the greater the pressure to enlist. Some soldiers will start to see you as a freeloader if you refuse to join them yet continue to use their resources. If you're set on not enlisting, you can always strike out on your own in Cadens - but you won't be provided for and handouts are rare. You'll have to work to earn every copper and loaf of bread. Whether that's honest work is up to you.

Welcome to Solvunn

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. An elderly mage stands before an ornate altar. He holds an old leather-bound book in one hand and in the other is a card bearing an arcana symbol. "I detect no ill will from the gods," he says. "It seems we've been blessed with success."

Those that had gathered all breathe a sigh of relief and now seem pleased. One offers you some clothes of leather and knitted wool that seem to fit you perfectly. A rough-looking man steps forward once you're dressed 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 center of the Primary Settlement. 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.

◎ Surroundings

The Primary Settlement is full of greenery, blessed with the fresh ocean breeze. Winds are moderately chilly with the occasional heavy rains that soak the farmlands. The scent of flowers fills the air. The shops, farms, and homes around you are all modest and unassuming. You get the sense that the people here prefer to blend in with their neighbors than stand out.

As you walk or look around, you'll be greeted warmly, even eagerly...though there's an edge of awestruck nervousness to some. Though the settlement is often quiet and calm, there's still plenty to take in:

• While farmers are still recovering from events that led to failed crops, ruined livestock, and a massive loss in fishing, life is slowly returning to normal. They'll be happy to receive any assistance: brush the horses, milk the goats, weed the gardens, churn butter, mind the children...whatever you can think of, you'll be needed.


• Those in Solvunn are reluctant to speak of the conflict between Thorne and the Free Cities in any depth. Their stance is that Solvunn is above petty grudges and violence. They are sorry for the loss of innocents in both nations.


• There are whispers of a shrine deep in the woods that took a powerful sacrifice. If asked, the natives will say that they do not know where this shrine is and that it's best to leave these matters in the hands of the gods' chosen, the Council.


• You're free to venture towards the ocean if you like, though heed the warnings of leviathans. These beasts do not stir near the shores, but if you look closely in the far distance - at night in particular - you'll see the water's surface bubble and roil beneath the moonlight. Recently, a giant ocean life found itself onto the shores in Solvunn. Many will tell you this was a test from the gods, and that saving these creatures granted the world a boon of fish.

◎ Exploring

Despite the troubles that plague the land, the commune and its settlements have much for you to indulge in.

Goat Racing
That's right. One of Solvunn's fine traditions is its regular goat races. Meant to be a bit of informal fun, there's a pen of goats where you can choose a goat, get a number, and simply join one of the starting lines. These goats are not trained so the race is less of a race and more pure chaos as the goats do what they please. Whoever eventually wrangles their goat over the finish line wins. The only rule is that you can't pick up or physically pull your goat, but you're free to cajole, lure, or even use a bit of magic to get yours to the finish line first. Winners receive small prizes of cheese, ale, wood charms, woven baskets, and other similar tokens.

Shrine Offerings
As a new arrival, you'll be encouraged to perform your first offering. This can be anything that feels right to you: fruit, wine, flowers, even an animal you've hunted. Whatever you choose, it must be retrieved by your own hand meaning you must pick the fruit, cut the flowers, or pour the wine yourself. You can travel to the shrine by yourself or with a companion. Once there, lay your offering and ask for a blessing through Solvunn's tradition of High Magic. Blessings are often made for the commune overall such as abundant crops or good weather. You will not see the effects right away, but you may find over the next day or so that the sun has cut through the rain. Of course, you're free to dismiss this as the nature of how weather works...but don't be too loud about it. Solvunn takes its beliefs very seriously.

Evening Feast
Potluck-style feasts are common in the settlement as a way to strengthen the community. You'll be invited to join in one of these feasts at any time, held outdoors in a lush grove filled with wildflowers. As a new arrival, you won't be expected to bring anything yourself but you'll make a better impression if you do so even if it's merely a few apples you picked in the morning. Want to help hang decorations before the feast? Your assistance is more than welcome! Place flowers, pin ribbons, or lay the tablecloths. The food is simple and hearty, ranging from stews, roasts, fresh bread, and puddings. If you're shy, someone will be there to fill your cups and plates if you won't do so yourself. Eat, drink, and be merry - it's what the gods would want.

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in an eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, opens on the first weekend of every month for a total of 3 days. Shortly after arriving, you'll be given a pendant that allows you to travel to and from the portal. In Solvunn, the portal is a short walk away. You can enter Nocwich freely and explore what's available in Oleuni Square and Luna. You won't be able to enter Ikorr nor will you be able to exit into another faction's portals. Once there, you're welcome to meet those from other factions, take in the sights, and - if you've come by some money or a generous soul - even make a few small purchases. Inns are available for a fee if you want to stay overnight. Otherwise, you'll need to return home through the portals each day.

◎ Settling In

When you're ready for your bed, you're brought to the center of town and escorted to an apartment above one of the establishments in town. The living conditions are temporary if you'd like them to be: the local families would also be happy to host you in their home. In return, you'll be expected to contribute to their household, taking upon daily chores and repairs. While money has its uses, many establishments and craftsmen are happy to barter with your time or skill for their goods. You'll find your willingness to trade and your friendliness with the natives more valuable than gold.

You can even leave for the other two settlements if you like, but you're encouraged to remain in the Primary Settlement. Just be sure you have an invitation to the Secondary Settlement. There are tales of travelers visiting the secondary settlement without invitation disappearing without a trace. The gods are as hungry as they are protective.

Questions and Answers

If after reading these you're still unsure about anything, or your question wasn't covered, please feel free to hit up our Questions thread below!

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.

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.

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 nation?

In Thorne, characters can leave the castle but not the city. In the Free Cities, they can take a trip from the outpost to the nearest main city, Cadens. In Solvunn, they can explore the entirety of the Primary Settlement.

Can my character eventually change nations or kingdoms?

Yes, but tensions between the major nations are at an all-time high. Doing so is possible, but will require some plotting and discussion with the mods once you're in-game!

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). It will also affect your character's day-to-day life and development. Characters who seek technological advancements or combat will find more of it in the Free Cities while those keen on court politics and learning magic will have the most access to it in Thorne. Anyone who wishes to uncover the secrets of the Old Gods and forest mysteries will best do so in Solvunn.

This is not to say characters can't do these things from another faction - with effort and the help of friends, anything is possible! Don't get too anxious about your choice. This is just one of many, and every character in each scenario can work their way towards many individual goals and outcomes. Additionally, once in-game the Horizon will provide characters with a way to easily find cross-faction CR.

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?

Your Arcana sign won't have an immediate impact on your character beyond them seeing it on themselves or being told what it is by the locals. You're welcome to disregard those aspects in your prompts or try out different signs.

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.

If you're interested in threading with characters outside your borders on the TDM, you can utilize the Nocwich prompt which will allow all characters to meet in person regardless of arrival scenario.

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.

Can I try out more than one arrival scenario on the same TDM?

Yes, although only threads taking place in the arrival scenario you formally choose upon applying can count as canon. However, you're welcome to try out as many as you like on the TDM.

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Comments

mavis (oc) — hanged man — thorne

[telepathy]

MAVIS (OC) — HANGED MAN — THORNE

MAGIC LESSONS | VOYEURING
[ flares of light draw mavis towards the hall where a mage conducts magic lessons for the thorne natives. still injured by the mine collapse, she limps around the corner, seeking out the entrance to the room she'd seen only from the outside.

normally, this would not be so difficult. normally, she could just trace the surface thoughts, listen her way towards someone who'd caught her attention. the silence is both blessed and infuriating. it feels like learning how to walk again. she has never in her life been anything but acutely aware of every person remotely near to her.

she reaches the cracked door to the lecture hall and peers through. inside, a single instructor coaches young students to summon little lights. one by one, they practice the spell.

it is impossible to process what she's seeing. she lingers there in the doorway for some time, just watching. they complete the practice just as kuruko children learned to handle daggers and axes. under guidance, finessing their form and practice. did this happen in kossos? is this what aristaeus and his squadron had offered to her after they burned the kuruko camp?

she sways, holding the stone wall to steady herself.

then a brighter, blinding flare of light goes off. disgruntled shouts come from inside, but mavis cannot see them for a moment. spots burn in her vision as it clears back up. panic hastens her heartbeat, and mavis can only think of the rumors of the free cities. exile to the desert. of her own exile, of her people's fear. for the first time in her life, she wants to know their thoughts, wants to read their minds and know what is coming.

she crosses the threshold into the hall instead of lingering outside of it, ready to defend the student from the selfsame fate she had suffered, but—

there is no fear. instead, the instructor's voice booms: do it again.

and mavis only stands awkwardly in the room as the students groan and grumble. unnoticed, as if she were invisible to them, as if nothing had happened at all. ]

EVENING BANQUET | HAVE YOU TRIED THE LAMB?
[ when she enters the banquet, mavis is still wearing the silken tunic that she had been given upon arrival. the fabric is the softest and finest that she had ever felt, but no one else is dressed so simply. elaborate gowns and suits of many layers and bright colors fill the room, gaudy and disorienting.

the tables are long and covered in food. she counts at least three kinds of meats when she settles into a chair. she touches the knife for cutting meat, the closest to a real weapon she has found. she takes it, folding it into the napkin and leaving it in her lap.

she looks around to see who has spotted the movement. then reaches out to pull a leg off a chicken at the center of the table. it never touches her plate. she brings it right to her mouth, smearing the spices and cream sauces, and tears into it, ravenous.

how many days has it been since she last ate? since she last had a meal like this, properly prepared? she thinks of the new year feast in the southeastern camp at the edge of the golden canyon, the fires high, people dancing and reveling. the last she had spent among her people. ]

SETTLING IN | OH MY GOD THEY WERE ROOMMATES
[ the room she is escorted to in the north wing is enormous. it could fit multiple tents, at least two families. she lingers in the doorway, studying the strange wooden frames and their sheer drapes and the other people milling in with her, and the belongings which are already set out in parts of the room.

the floor looks hard. stone broken by decorative rugs. she toes at one skeptically, then moves to sit down on it, testing the give, the warmth. she can feel the cold seeping up through the stone floor still.

she misses the sun. she misses the dirt and her goatskin mattress and the smell of blooming palo verdes. she tucks the napkin with the knife inside of it, stolen from the banquet, under the strange wooden frame beside her, up against the wall. ]

— roommates;

[somatosensory]

( in his defence, the last time aristaeus had seen mavis had been in the mine. pressed close in that suffocating darkness, he'd resigned himself to the inevitability of their deaths.

finding her here, alive and unharmed? well. )

Is this real?

( the words are slow, as if each cost him dearly.

he hasn't dismissed the possibility that this isn't just some figment of his imagination. )

[telepathy]

[ it cannot be his voice.

it is impossible that aristaeus could also be here, worlds away. drawn out of a mine at the edge of his death and hers, brought to a strange new land, made powerless and naked and subject to the whims of its jarl.

but she could not forget the sound.

she pulls the knife from inside her napkin, and when she turns, lunges at him with it. the memory of his betrayal is still fresh. how they had tended each other's wounds and suffered to survive together only for him to knock her out so he could bring her back by force to his people. ]

[somatosensory]

( well. that's a little rude.

she's quick. somehow he'd forgotten how quick she could be — her blade catches him across his forearm as he lifts it to block, the pain startling. )

Not happy to see me? ( a hiss of breath across his teeth. the wound is bleeding, now. blood staining the fabric of his shirt. ) I suppose it's too much to expect a little gratitude.

[telepathy]

Gratitude? [ she gets her bearings, spreads her heels. ] Gratitude?

[ the audacity. he had turned on her. she had trusted him, believed that they had something in common that meant more than all their fighting, and he'd turned on her.

she comes at him again, this time a stab towards his abdomen. it isn't a real dagger. not something useful or properly sharp. it was made to cut meat, the edge serrated, the blade short and one-sided. ]

[somatosensory]

( she's not going to stop. this doesn't surprise him so much as it disappoints. he'd hoped they were beyond this, he really did, but evidently, he might've been a touch optimistic.

he's ready for her this time, at least. reaching out to grab her arm with both hands, twisting the weapon away from his body in a practised motion. )

You would have died without me. ( bluntly.

he considers breaking her wrist but decides against it. as much as the thought appeals to the petty, vengeful side of him it would only be momentarily satisfying — and encourage her to do something stupid like try to smother him in his sleep. )

[telepathy]

[ she is kuruko. born to fight. relentless. but she is also untrained, exiled before she could ever get the chance to learn with the rest of the children of the clan. without the ability to anticipate his movements, even her respectable strength is nothing next to his training.

he keeps his hold on her wrists, holding them at an uncomfortable angle that makes her hand want to release the knife. she holds fast, resisting, trying to twist it back around and drive it towards him. ]

And you would have died without me. But I did not help you so I could kill you differently, later. [ not like he had. taking her to kossos would be tantamount to death. death of her self, death of her identity, death of her connection to the people he had destroyed. ]

[somatosensory]

Don't be dramatic.

( bitten off and harsh. this is an old argument, well-worn to the point of becoming tedious. the tether doesn't work like that; the tether has never worked like that.

but she's not going to give up the knife. of course she isn't. it's the only advantage she has. so he lifts a knee, striking at her side as hard as he can. )

I would never let that happen.

[telepathy]

[ nothing that he says offers her comfort. it only gives the same impression he'd given her in the mine — that he believes that he controls what happens to her, that it's a foregone conclusion.

with a grunt, she drops the knife, bends in an instinctive flinch to protect her ribs. but all that does is give her an idea of her own. she gives up on the knife and knees him in turn.

right between his legs. ]

[somatosensory]

( again, he lifts his leg, catching the worst of the blow across his knee. his brows lift, as if to say really?

at this rate, the next person to step through the door is going to find them rolling around on the carpet like two children. hardly the best first impression.

but, fuck it. dignity is overrated and she did just go straight for his balls.

he swings, catching her across the mouth with a hard slap. )

[telepathy]

[ her head turns with the force of the hit. her cheek stings. the inside of her lip tastes like iron. her tongue probes at the corner of her mouth where it had cut against her teeth. ]

I should have let you die.

[ he barely knew how to survive in the desert. like a child. he could have starved or died of heat stroke or dehydration without her. he never would have been able to betray her. ]

[northerndragon]

[Mavis isn't the only one reaching for the chicken.

These banquets -- they are dull affairs, more or less, but they remind Jon of home. Now that there is some question about food in Thorne, even more so: tensions may have lessened somewhat since the meeting a moon past, but there is still sometimes a feeling that something worse, war or some kind of privation, might be coming. He expects that, if that is so, the queen will be the very last person who is still well-fed.

But the way the girl nearby is furtive, darting in to tear at a piece of chicken and then bringing it directly to her mouth, makes him think... well, it makes him think of a lot of things. The Free Folk when one is starving, to begin with. His little sister, who had never starved, but was a skinny, scrappy little thing as a child nonetheless: might be that she'd be around this girl's age if she still lived.]

Take as much as you want, if you're hungry. There's enough. Enough tomorrow, too.

[He says it very quietly, so no one else will notice, but he doesn't lean in. Instead, he gives a small plate of mashed roasted turnips a tiny nudge in her direction.]

[telepathy]

[ her gaze lifts from the leg in her hands. grease smeared on her palms, on her face. she narrows her eyes on him.

the man seated beside her is broad-shouldered and dark-haired and pale haired, bearded and scarred in a way that the kuruko would be proud of. a warrior. she uses her nail to pick chicken skin between her teeth, then sits up straighter.

she pulls the edge of the plate nearer to her, peers down at the turnips. it doesn't have the same texture as masa. smoother, more homogenous in a way. harmless, she thinks, so she swipes her finger through it and puts some in her mouth. it's rich and buttery and almost a little tart underneath. ]

What do you want for it? [ 'you,' she says, because he must be one of them. ]

[northerndragon]

[He shakes his head, and realizes: She doesn't understand.]

Nothing. I'm not like them. I'm like you. I was summoned... oh, nine or ten moons past.

They don't want much either, but for you to learn their magic and not betray them.

Your people -- are they smallfolk? Farmers, merchants, no one highborn?

[This is his best guess, from what he's seen of her so far. Smallfolk, and wretched. A girl like this shouldn't be asking what she'll have to trade for food.]

[telepathy]

[ her people.

she hesitates. she isn't a kuruko. even if the kuruko clan still existed, they had exiled her from them. but they are all she'd ever had. and her parents? slaves, who had freed her by dying as warriors.

she tears another piece of chicken off the bone with her teeth. chews it over for a moment. ]

Warriors. [ that is what the kuruko are, what her parents were. ] I don't understand. Why do you need warriors? You ... [ no, he'd said that's wrong. ] They have so much. Why don't they have their own?

[northerndragon]

[He hesitates. He doesn't know much, and some of what he does know isn't safe to say here. But he can tell her something.]

They have their own mages, their own warriors, aye, but they think we have a power they do not. We're connected to the Singularity.

Where I come from, lords feed their [(he nearly says "men," but corrects himself before the word comes out)] warriors. But I know warriors who have no lords but themselves. That why you're so hungry?

[telepathy]

[ the singularity. that's right. she'd heard mentions of it, which she hadn't fully digested because she was paying less attention to that and more to her disorientation and loss of furor.

even now, she doesn't stop to ask about it. it feels like a distant thing, somewhat irrelevant to her. let the thorne nobility worry about that. ]

I had a clan, with a jarl. [ this is defensive. she turns the chicken leg over, picking out what she wants to chew at next. ] They're gone. [ she sucks at one of her fingers. ] But I can hunt on my own. I was trapped underground. Cave-in.

[northerndragon]

[He looks troubled at this. Not sure what a jarl is, aside from some sort of lord, but this girl had been abandoned and trapped. It might be that being summoned was her only chance. He had been taken away from a vital task, one that might decide the fate of the world, but she -- had she been rescued?

It is good if she has been, but why has no one rescued Arya? Why did they want him and Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower and no one else he's ever heard of? Arya would only be one small girl. He'd give half a world to see her again.]

You can hunt? There's good hunting in the woods here. Can you fight? Ride a horse?

[telepathy]

[ she starts to nod, but hesitates by the last of his questions, her head instead tilting a little to the side. hunt, yes. fight, yes. but she is not from a mountain tribe, and the woods are foreign terrain to her.

more importantly ... ]

What is a horse?

[ don't they have lynxes, in this strange land? she hasn't had the chance to leave the castle yet to find out. ]

[northerndragon]

[All right, can't ride a horse. No way of saying she won't be afraid of horses, either. He's beginning to form the impression that she's a wild little thing.]

A horse is a great beast that people saddle and ride. Ask for the stables. The grooms there will show one to you. Don't hunt horses. A horse can be your mount in some hunts, but it takes time to learn to ride one.

What sort of weapons do you know the use of?

magic lessons

[thedevilwhorose]

[She likely will catch the odd, audible droning, radio tuning sound coming up behind her as an alert to his presence. Lucifer doesn't try to stifle it as much when he's in Thorne as he does elsewhere.

But it's more likely that she picks up on his thoughts--or the absence of them. A very carefully constant white-noise machine on his surface level, everything deeper much more secured in the last month than even he had them previously.] Hey.

[Another new Summoned. Did Kyle jinx them? He thinks Kyle jinxed them.

At least she's wandering around classes looking unwell, not anywhere she definitely shouldn't be. He glances at the teacher. Thornean, not one of the many Summoned teachers.] Are you okay? [His tone is sharp, little actual care to it. The answer doesn't particularly matter one way or another. He's just expecting every single new person to be a Problem, and this already looks like one.]

[telepathy]

[ for the first time since she arrived, there is a humming under her awareness. like a numb arm prickling as blood returns to it — a sense waking up. she doesn't notice at first because she can't hear his thoughts. just a sound she doesn't recognize, somewhere between a buzz and a chirp.

and then she realizes she's not hearing. not with her ears.

it staggers her. she reaches a hand out to steady herself on the wall. the noise is piercing, in a way. it drives through her skull almost like a dagger, and she can't shut it off. can't quiet it. never learned to control it. ]

Fine. [ her jaw is tight. she knows better than to tell anyone what she is, now. had been exiled for it before, and no magic lessons would convince her that the same couldn't happen here, that she couldn't give up every silken tunic and decent meal and log on the fire if they realized what a risk she could be. ] Who — [ she looks to him, shakes her head. what is he? what kind of person sounds like that inside their own mind? ]

[thedevilwhorose]

[He raises a brow at her, then looks beyond to the instructor who's sharply looked his way and he manages to squash down the tuning sounds with a small wave and a grin, over-the-top feigning apologetic.

She does not look fine, but who is he to give someone shit for, you know, lying.] The one that's going to get you out of embarrassing yourself, come on, let's go. [He turns, takes a few steps, and looks back expectantly, wondering if she will actually follow. Ideally, for both of them, he'd just like her out from the class.]

[telepathy]

[ they are all staring now. mavis isn't used to being noticed, to being a part of anything. she'd spent most of her life a shadow, enjoying her own parasocial voyeurism as a sort of substitute for a sense of community. all these eyes makes her want to crawl out of her skin.

she takes a step backwards, then turns and hastens after the stranger, shoulders high around her ears, hands tucked in her pockets. ]

Me? What about you? [ he'd been worse, obviously. ]

[thedevilwhorose]

I'm used to people talking about me. What's one more thing? [There's worse things he could be known as than a disruptor.

He's leading her through the mess of turns towards the dining hall, though maybe ditching her in the library would be the wiser plan, but he gets along with most of the staff there, and leaving them with a stray is rude.] I'm going to take a wild guess that you 'got in' recently. [Few days, tops.]