TEST DRIVE MEME #11

[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.

Reminder that the TDM is forward-dated to when the summonings occur in-game, at the start of April. For current players, this means all of the Summoned will have been rescued and recently returned home to their respective factions.

For prospective players, there's no need to familiarize yourself with the recent event, but prompts in the TDM may reflect the aftermath.

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. Now in spring, the weather mild and cool. In the distance, you can see snow-covered mountain peaks that are beginning to melt, and the gardens are in bloom. 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 North Wing, devoted to housing the Summoned, is tightly guarded against outsiders. As one of the Summoned, you're free to come and go. The guards aren't keeping anyone prisoner. They're there to protect you, and they take their jobs seriously.


• Apprentices, kitchen staff, guards - everyone seems to be bustling and busy. The air is tense, and you hear chatter of abductions and mutated victims who were only just recovered a week ago.


• The infirmary is full. Healers are in high demand. Normally, Thorne's staff put effort into welcoming new arrivals. This time, they're focused on what seems to be an influx of the wounded - including other Summoned who arrived before you.


• Despite the troubles, life in the Castle is beginning to resume. Still, you can sense that a major crisis has only just been resolved, and much of the fallout remains.

◎ Exploring

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

Care Packages
Castle staff are putting together care packages consisting of flowers, hot meals, and draughts to manage pain. Gather flowers from one of Thorne's many beautiful gardens. The gardeners will direct you if you ask, though you're welcome to gather anything that catches your eye. There's no magic in the flowers beyond their ability to brighten up someone's day.

You can put together the bouquets and care packages with a partner, as well as deliver them yourself to one of the older resting Summoned. They might be in the infirmary or in their rooms depending on their injuries. Why not stay and chat? Though you've only just met, they've evidently been through something terrible. Perhaps they could use a friend.

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 modest defensive light shield that can protect against a single magical blow. 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.

Forest Growth
Patches of woods in the city of Castle Thorne have suffered from dead flora. It appears to be related to some heavy magical corruption from the past several weeks. Though Thorne's deemed it too dangerous to go directly into the woods, you can help plant new saplings in square crates filled with soil and pack them onto wagons. Make sure they're secured and kept upright. These trees will be taken out into the woods later by mages to replace the withered plantlife in the forests.

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. While Nocwich is normally thriving, no shops are open in Oleuni Square. Nocwich citizens explain that unforeseen circumstances prevent the market from opening as usual and request you return next month to explore. However, you can stay to help. Tents, tables, and medical supplies around the Square need to be taken down and packed up. You can guess that this was once a site for heavy rescue operations and emergency treatment.

◎ 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 are rising, and the climate is hot and dry, though still pleasant - during the day, at least. At night, they'll cool rapidly. Desert blooms dot the landscape for the spring. 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:

• Libertas shows signs of having suffered a devastating attack, but a good portion of it is rebuilt including a new garden park memorial that commemorates the lives lost. Chatter has shifted from the fire attacks to the abductions and failed experiments recovered only a week ago.


• From Cadens to Aquila to Libertas, the streets are heavily guarded. Soldiers patrol all areas, especially those typically occupied by the Summoned. This includes a particular inn and tavern in the heart of Cadens - The Sarstina - where the Summoned like you are often found...though it may not be as busy and thriving as it normally is.


• Instead, many of the older Summoned are either resting in their homes or recovering in Cadens' largest hospital. Doctors are busy, and the hospital is heavily guarded, too.


• Despite the troubles, life around the Free Cities is beginning to resume. Still, you can sense that a major crisis has only just been resolved, and much of the fallout remains.

◎ 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.

Supply Delivery
The Summoned are important to the Free Cities. The government means to take care of them through their recovery, and have instructed the military to assist. Soldiers are packing rations, medicine, and other supplies into crates to be delivered to the hospital in Cadens. You can help pack or make the deliveries yourself by hopping on the wagon. Though you aren't supposed to wander around the hospital, as one of the Summoned you have a bit more freedom than the average citizen. Maybe you could visit one of the rooms while you're there? Or you might run into a Summoned in the halls arriving to check on a friend.

Furry Friends
Researchers in Cadens have been studying the positive effects of animal companions on those who recently went through traumatic experiences. They've settled on the catlike Leosylph, a popular domestic breed, as the best choice. You can help bring these animals to anyone who would like one in the hospitals, or you can simply play with them and make sure they're fed while they're awaiting their assignments. They enjoy chasing mechanical mice powered by New Magic and purr when happy.

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. While Nocwich is normally thriving, no shops are open in Oleuni Square. Nocwich citizens explain that unforeseen circumstances prevent the market from opening as usual and request you return next month to explore. However, you can stay to help. Tents, tables, and medical supplies around the Square need to be taken down and packed up. You can guess that this was once a site for heavy rescue operations and emergency treatment.

◎ 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 pleasantly cool with the occasional heavy spring rains that soak the farmlands. The scent of wildflowers 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:

• Shops and stalls in Solvunn are temporarily closed. Many of Solvunn's residents have instead dedicated their time to helping the rescued Summoned. They're reluctant to speak of the recent abductions, stating that what happened was blasphemous to the Old Gods.


• Solvunn Elders will accompany anyone who strays too far from the Settlements, and will give you protective charms to make sure you're safe. You're advised to stay close to the commune where possible.


• Shrines around the settlements are overflowing with offerings. It seems something has happened recently that's made the locals especially dedicated to showing their devotion.


• 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.

◎ Exploring

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

Warding Homes
In order to aid recovery, commune Elders have asked for your help to ward the doors of homes occupied by the Summoned. Many of these homes are in housing provided by the Council or with host families in the settlement. You can hang bone wreathes on the doors to request blessings of protection and healing from the Old Gods. You can also bring hot meals and herbal medicine to the Summoned while you're there. Host families are friendly, and will welcome you in as long as the Summoned inside are willing to receive you, as well.

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.

Goat Herding
Due to the circumstances, Solvunn's traditional chaotic goat races will not be happening this month. This means the goats are filled with pent-up energy. Ornery and mischievous, they'll headbutt anything that moves, chew fence posts and clothes, and generally make a nuisance of themselves - some even escaping their pens. Exasperated farmers and herders are struggling. You can help retrieve escaped goats, repair broken fences, and do your best to contain the animals.

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. While Nocwich is normally thriving, no shops are open in Oleuni Square. Nocwich citizens explain that unforeseen circumstances prevent the market from opening as usual and request you return next month to explore. However, you can stay to help. Tents, tables, and medical supplies around the Square need to be taken down and packed up. You can guess that this was once a site for heavy rescue operations and emergency treatment.

◎ 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

😭 b-i with a slight wildcard if that's okay!

[godshattering]

[ If there's anything positive about recent events, it's that Claude can safely say his streak of being a terrible patient is unbroken. Well, mostly - there'd been no disagreeing with the healers in Nocwich and he hadn't been in shape to try it until the end of that stay. And then there'd been the matter of being shuttled right off to the hospital and he'd wasted no time in wheedling the doctors and attendants into accepting the idea that exercise would absolutely help with healing! It's good to be up and moving around! They finally acquiesce with the stern warning he'd best not overdo it, yet another familiar refrain from many a healer in Fodlan, and he solemnly promises he'll do no such thing without meaning it.

Case in point: here he is wandering the hospital hallways. His pace is slower than usual with some still healing wounds as the scattered bandages across him both visible and not suggest he might've been through something major enough lately (as does the grown in beard he hasn't bothered to shave yet), and he probably should find somewhere to rest soon, but. There's only so much he can handle staring at the same walls and another Summoned he'd visited with a bit ago said something about there being animals to visit with so off he goes in search of them.

With his gaze trained down a hallway off to one side as he pauses mid-step to wonder if it'd be best to check down there, he's the perfect target for some tiny paw strikes. It startles him enough to look down and he grins at the small cat-like creature peering upwards with a paw still raised. ]

Hey there, I-

[ But Claude doesn't get to finish that thought before a voice interrupts him - a voice he knows well. Wherever he was going is promptly forgotten when he whirls around to look, and there's Marianne looking back at him. Actual shock keeps his jaw dropped for another second before he recovers and breaks into a wide grin. A genuine one. ]

I have to say, that hurt a lot less than when Dorte decided my hair was some new grass in need of being tried out immediately. [ Gods, there's so much he could say, too many thoughts cramming into his mind at once, but what he settles on is - ] How long have you been here?

of course it's okay! ♥

[sereneadherent]

[It's hard not to notice the tense atmosphere that permeates the hospital. Marianne is doing her best to keep her head down and stay out of the way. Part of her wants to ask if she can help, but her own experiences cause her to hold her tongue. Keeping a medical operation running smoothly is a delicate balance (one she knows well thanks to the recently-ended war), and inserting herself into it without understanding the triage and organization would only slow things down. They're busy, but don't seem desperate for healers.

How she can help is by keeping the Leosylphs entertained while they await their human assignments, so she's been focusing her energy into that. That she may know any of the patients isn't a thought that occurs to her, so she pays them no mind--until she hears a voice that she'd recognize anywhere.

She looks up and there's Claude, smiling at her. Her eyes sting with tears as a mix of emotions washses over her.]

Claude?

[She scrambles to stand. She should probably laugh at his joke, but she doesn't have it in her. Hopefully he understands.]

Um, I arrived two days ago. I thought I was alone here.

[She has so many questions, yet none of them come to her. Right now, she's just glad to see him, even if it's clear he's seen better days.]

<33

[godshattering]

[ It's such a relief to see her - something only compounded by that she seems to feel the same. At least based on all those times he'd spent carefully watching Marianne's reactions to figure out where she stood on something, that is, and enough that Claude thinks he can apply that here, too. He nods in response to being here for only a couple of days, another relief that he hadn't somehow overlooked her for far longer, and as for the rest - ]

As far as I know, I was the only one who arrived alone. Unfortunately, the rest of you have been stuck with seeing me soon after your arrival.

[ A small hint that there's more than just the two of them even if their other friends aren't around at the moment. He'll get to that momentarily. It's important, but not nearly as much as offering Marianne whatever reassurance he can given everything about the upheaval of arriving here brings.

Claude's not much of a hugger by default, but: when it fits, it fits. Recent events have certainly pushed that forward more too, so he'll hold out one arm to pull her in for one should she want to accept it. All while also gesturing to the sort of cats again with another smile, since something about this also feels fitting. ]

I should've guessed I'd find you here wherever animals might be. It's just like old times, isn't it?

[ As if he'd known Marianne would be here, but he's still attempting to get a smile out of her. Eventually is a good goal. ]

we'll just pretend that Dorte is a Leosylph or something in this icon

[sereneadherent]

[So it's not just Claude that's here, and it sounds like he's been here awhile. Both pieces of information are a lot to take in, but the latter is especially difficult to wrap her head around, given that she saw him mere days ago back home in Fódlan. Does the magic used to bring the Summoned here allow them to be in two worlds at once?

Rather than opening the floor for conversation about the implications of his statement and the pieces that Marianne is trying (and largely failing) to put together, Claude instead offers her reassurance. She's grateful for that; after the last couple of days of feeling lost and adrift, soothing her anxiety seems much more urgent. There will be time for questions later.

There are few people that Marianne would accept a hug from, but he's one of them. So Marianne doesn't hesitate to close the distance between them and wrap her arms around him gently.]

I couldn't say no when they offered. I hope to find where they keep the horses before too long.

[Slowly but surely, Marianne finally starts to relax. She's not quite smiling, but she's at least much more at ease.]

omg that is PERFECT

[godshattering]

[ When Marianne steps forward Claude offers her a smile before wrapping his arms around her in return. For a second he considers a joke that he's still sturdier than he looks, given there's no missing his various bandages but thinks better of it. That can be said through holding her a little tighter despite her gentle care.

He'll also hold onto the hug until she chooses to let go. Or until someone comes to scold them for blocking the flow of traffic in the hallway - whichever happens first. ]

You're in luck, Marianne. There's stables not too far from where we stay in Cadens with many horses just waiting to be spoiled like they've never been spoiled before now that you're here.

[ Sylvain could tell her more about them, most likely, and Claude could just direct them to the man in question's room. It'd partly answer who's here but also add more complications depending on what Marianne remembers. That is a question he's not looking forward to asking for what it's revealed each time he's asked it. Hilda included with the stretch of time between them, and - selfishly - he wants to put that off a little longer.

First things first, since if they've not let go of each other yet Claude will tilt his head down slightly to catch Marianne's gaze. ]

And about that. If you're still in the barracks, you don't have to return there if they've told you so. They won't do anything if you don't come back, and we'd rather have you in the city with us.

I love the Dorte icon so much

[sereneadherent]

[Claude's hold on her is firm, and Marianne tentatively tightens her hug on him in response. He's injured, but not as badly as she feared. (Either that, or he's really good at hiding it. It really could go either way. But she chooses to believe that it's the former.)

The comment about spoiling the horses finally gets her to crack a smile. He's not wrong, and the thought of hanging out in the stables of Cadens making new equine friends is a comforting one. If there are horses, she'll be there.

That last statement catches her a bit off guard, and she blinks at him in surprise.]

They won't?

[She thought for sure there would be consequences for desertion, even if she hasn't technically enlisted yet.]

In that case, I'll stay. I'd rather be with you and other people I know.

[Whoever they are. She's sure Claude will tell her who else is here in good time.]

it is VERY good!

[godshattering]

[ He catches a glimpse of a smile and that all in itself feels like a victory of sorts, all things considered. Before Claude can tease her about it, though, they're right back to an all important topic he's brought up which is even more of a relief. If Marianne senses him relaxing just a bit, that'd be accurate. ]

That's good, because I also don't think we'd let you leave to go back there anyway. Hilda in particular might clobber me if she hears I didn't tell you about staying. [ Teasingly, but - he does mean that. Which brings them to the inevitable after mentioning Hilda, and so he reluctantly lets go with a smile offered to Marianne. ] Not that that was going to happen since I didn't let her go back when she showed up in Cadens either. C'mon, let's bring that little guy along with us.

[ Leosylph required, since it's only fair to not abandon their new friend all because this isn't the best conversation to have out here, but his hospital room's not a far walk away. It's quieter, for one, but also means Marianne has the choice of sitting either in the chair that's been occupied by different visitors over the past few days or the end of the bed if she'd prefer. After smoothing out the blankets he'd left in total disarray, predictably enough, he sits down closer to his pillow.

Well. Nothing to do but touch on the rest. ]

Let's start with this. What are some of the last things you remember happening in Fodlan before you arrived?

[sereneadherent]

Hilda's here, too?

[That's good news, as much as anyone being here can be. Hilda's one of the dearest Deer to her, someone who's stuck by her side even back when she was a maladjusted teenager. She'll have to make it a point to find her and say hello when she's finished visiting with Claude.

Marianne scoops up the Leosylph and carries it along with her as they enter Claude's room. Out of politeness, she sits in the chair next to his bed and sets the animal in her lap. After a pause, she scoots the chair closer to the bedside so that Claude can reach over and pet it if he so desires. It's meant to be a comfort animal, after all.]

The last thing I remember? [The question feels ominous, somehow.] Um, it's the beginning of the Horsebow Moon. We defeated Nemesis and his forces almost a week ago now, and we've all been working to figure out what direction we want for Fódlan now that the fighting is finally over.

[She looks at him nervously, trying (and failing) to read his intentions.]

Is... is that different than what you remember?

[godshattering]

[ It is ominous, and Claude dislikes that he even has to ask this. Hates it a little more every time he has, but it doesn't change that it's still an effective way to find things out - even if he'd stumbled across that by accident without knowing there could be different answers the first time around.

As Marianne talks he listens, face devoid of any expression except that pleasant smile so often meant as a placeholder for something else. By the end of what she says it's less forced than it was before, something a little closer to an actual smile. All of that is a relief he doesn't know how to quantify. Until he considers the question she's asked which is no less loaded than the one he'd asked her first, but that's only fitting to have it sent back his way. ]

I'd have to say both yes and no, and for once in my life that's not because I'm being difficult. I remember what you do, yes. But before I arrived here, what you just described was... several months ago, so no. The year for me was 1187.

[ On second thought - sitting still's a little too difficult so he leans forward enough to scratch the Leosylph under its chin, something that seems to be quite welcome if its eyes squeezing shut happily is any indicator. ]

Hilda came from the day of Gronder, and before the battle. She doesn't know what you and I both do. [ And by extension through that: he also hasn't told her. Yet, as he tells himself again, and yet it's been months and he still hasn't. For this Claude keeps his gaze on the Leosylph with a pensive look on his face. ] It only gets more complicated from there, though. Petra and Sylvain are also here, and Felix was but isn't any longer. Neither of them... well. The easiest way to put it is that both of them remember- lived things differently than we have.

[sereneadherent]

[Having sat on many a council with Claude, Marianne is well acquainted with the expression he wears as she begins her explanation. It's pointedly pleasant and neutral, meant to put the speaker at ease without giving anything away. That he seems sincerely more relaxed by the end is a relief, but then he opens his mouth and confuses things quite a bit.]

1187? I see.

[She most definitely does not. That Claude is from the future and Hilda is from the past is difficult enough to wrap her head around, but the confusion goes even beyond that.

Later, she'll pick up on the fact that Claude has not told Hilda about all the strange and unbelievable ways the war expanded after Gronder, starting with the javelins of light at Fort Merceus. For now, however, she's mostly just trying to make sense of the rest of what he's said.]

So we're all from different times? Oh, except that you just said that Sylvain and Petra don't remember things like we do. So we're from different... Fódlans...?

That shouldn't be possible. I-I don't doubt you, but... um, this is a lot to take in.

[godshattering]

[ There's a telltale twitch of one corner of his mouth when Marianne says I see, if only because he thinks he understands the sentiment behind it. What else is there really to say when presented with this much all at once? Even though he's been mulling it over for months - it's still plenty confusing and with no way to find answers for any of it now that they're here. Assuming there even are ways to find answers at home.

Now's not the time to halfway distract himself with the Leosylph, so Claude straightens back up to look at Marianne. ]

I'd say different times is accurate, but it's also more than just time alone like the months between you, me, and Hilda. Petra and Sylvain both have things that happened that couldn't have happened for us without things being... very different. Or impossible. [ This really isn't that helpful either, and Claude knows it. He furrows his brow to think for a minute of what else to offer that might somehow make more sense. Or, conversely, make everything even more muddled. ] Teach seems to be involved for all of us somehow, though I'm not sure we've really figured much out there.

[ Then again, with so many other overwhelming aspects of being here: Claude realizes he could also wait to dig into the further details, especially without even touching on Abraxas and all it has beyond familiar faces they know. That makes it easier to flash a smile that's not for show this time around. ]

Petra and Sylvain will be glad to see you. Despite everything, that was the case when I found them after they arrived and the same for when Hilda arrived later, too.

[sereneadherent]

[Claude's elaboration isn't terribly helpful, exactly, but there's really no way to make any of this start to make sense. It's obvious that he's struggling to explain it, which is telling in and of itself. If Claude, the Deer's guiding breeze, doesn't quite know how to make heads or tails of it, Marianne has no hope of figuring it out anytime soon. She'll just have to accept the facts as they are for now.]

The Professor does have a tendency to be involved with the impossible.

[In a way, that's explanation enough.

The Leosylph mewls protest at being ignored, and Marianne reaches down to absently scratch under its ear.]

I'm glad they won't hold the war against me. [Visible relief spreads throughout her features.] We... had to make a lot of hard decisions that ended poorly for both of them.

[godshattering]

[ At that Claude can't help a snort of laughter that might've been a poorly muffled chuckle. That's the perfect summary of Teach in so many ways. ]

I'm not sure I could've picked a better way to describe him myself. Either being the impossible or contributing to it seems to be Teach's way of going about life.

[ That's a fond enough memory so it's easy to smile about despite everything both here in Abraxas and back home. There's more to be mentioned about Teach when it comes to those different memories - as well as Abraxas - but that can wait a bit longer.

Sort of; whatever smile he'd put on turns rueful though he tones it back upon seeing Marianne's relief. A feeling he can relate to, especially after finding those outside the Golden Deer and seeing they were thrilled to see him, despite everything. A couple seconds go by where he watches the Leosylph enjoy the ear scratch. If only things could stay so simple. ]

Yeah, we did. It could be that they had to make the same choices at different times for all I know. Felix was from after the war himself but he wasn't here long enough for me to really have a chance to ask him much, and to be honest, I was a little tired of asking people what they remember.

[ Back on goes the smile as he looks up, since he's not going to pass up a chance to tease. ]

Not you, though, since there's no Marianne exemption on my list of people to bother.

[sereneadherent]

It's something we all admire about him, I think.

[Especially given how he used that penchant for the impossible to help all of the Deer grow into themselves. If it hadn't been for the Professor, Marianne's not sure how they all would have ended up. It's better not to think too much about it.

Just like it's better not to think too much about what it is Sylvain and Petra--and Felix, despite his absence--remember. Still, questions hover at the edges of her mind. Was Dimitri still mad? Was Edelgard still rigid in her approach to righting what she saw wrong with Fódlan? Did Fort Merceus still fall to Those Who Slither in the Dark's attack? Did... did they have to face and kill those they once called classmate and friend?

She shakes her head a bit to clear it. It only sort of works.]

I... I know you bother because you care. [She gives him a small, fond smile and a shrug.] And because you can't help yourself.

[godshattering]

[ It's easy to smile over Teach and the many ways in which there are to admire the man in question, and easier still to smile wider when Marianne sends one his way.

Marianne's absolutely not wrong that a large motivation behind said bothering is because of caring, at least when it's directed towards his friends. But - because she's also handed him an opportunity to act like a fool, he's going to take it with an overdramatic gasp. ]

Because I can't help myself? That's just cruel.

[ It's no such thing - and is rather accurate, really - but that's not going to stop Claude from clutching a bandaged hand to his chest to really complete his faux 'outrage' like he's been seriously wounded. Never mind mirth threatening to overtake his expression at any second. That's totally not there, like it's not a relief to latch onto something far lighter than all they've discussed so far for a small break away from it. ]

I don't know how I'll ever recover from this. Lysithea would be awfully proud of that, you know.

[ And Lysithea would've said something far more scalding than a gentle truth, most likely, but: details. ]