abraxasooc | TEST DRIVE MEME #11

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!test drive

TEST DRIVE MEME #11

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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Threaded | Flat

A. Non-Conformist (Free City)

Abby took enough time to look around the barracks to find all she needed for what must be done. A flat clean space to work, a pair of scissors, a razor blade, and enough obscured sightlines she could take off her top, letting her undershirt deal with her modesty.

Not that she cared if anyone saw her like this, she cared more about this ugly ass uniform she was given. That she couldn’t just go around in. She’d started hacking away at the thing almost right away, removing the material halfway down the shirt. Her stomach was great, why hide it? SHe was now going to the trouble to clip the seams holding the sleeves on. It was too hot for sleeves anyway.

She hummed to herself as she worked. Letting the idea of looking half-way cute in this ugly ass crap keep her sane. As nothing else about today was going to help with that.

B. Exploring the Free Cities / Wildcard

Abby elected not to stick with a proper tour group, and to just wander around the city. Museums and Theaters, great, sure, that’s every city. If she’d thought about it, maybe reading up on where she was and what this place was would be smart. Instead she was looking to see if weed existed and getting distracted anytime anything magical went on.

Often saying, under her breath, how much she can’t believe any of this shit going on. Generally speaking, she is being a surly terrified teenager masking her fear with swearing and snark.

D. Nocwich / Wildcard

”So… the cool place to visit is a weird monstertown of perpetual night which definitely isn’t a recipe for a horror movie. Cool. Coolcoolcool.”

Abby wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but as she didn’t have anything better to do she went through the portal for the day hoping to find… anything interesting, really. But not ‘she ends up a statistic’ interesting. She can settle for seeing some monsters do the mash or whatever, some dancing, some fun. Of course, the shops are all closed. “Seriously? What’s the point of the portal if I can’t even get a ‘I wasn’t eaten by a monster’ tee shirt? This blows.”

Abby lurks around the square, not helping, but also not getting in the way, watching and waiting to see if anything interesting happens.

Edited 2023-03-20 17:06 (UTC)

The whole situation is a bit mad, but there's something depressingly similar to being plucked from space, tossed in a uniform, and told that there's a war on. At least he knows how to blend into that sort of society. (And how to deal with sand in his boots. His hair. And every other blasted thing.)

✸ Exploring
Luke is a ~~scenic space-himbo~~ very helpful young man. He's unsettled by the sudden shift in how he perceives the force, but a world with a different flavour of force connection is not unheard of. Still, the best way to deal with his nerves is a mix of sparring, being useful (so much packing and sorting of supplies!), and occasionally a bit of quiet meditation.

After a few rounds of sparring or obstacle running, he heads off to the showers. (Novelty! Water showers, and in a desert, who'd have thought?) Should anyone stop by, he's clearly unbothered by barracks style living and has a rather motley collection of old and new scars.

✸ OOC
Want a specific, special starter? Maybe just to chat? HMU (Bootknife#7474 on Disco or

bootknife.

A. Magic Lessons (Thorne)

Naturally the one thing about this place that draws Maya’s attention past the ancient castle is the magic of it. Magic was a thing she loved as a kid, the idea of it. The impossible was so interesting when your mind worked hard on doing the complicated but possible. So while she’s not taking part in the class, the blonde cellist has made herself small and off to the side as she watches the lights and listens to the words.

She is practicing the words under her breath, but not actively trying to draw much attention to herself. As much as she’s suppose to have done some grand things… that can’t be her, a mistake. Like all the mistakes that make up her life.

B. First Passions (Thorne)

Clothes are great, not exactly her color but the fabrics are great, and it fits the ‘fantasy prince’ vibe this place wanted for her. But she didn’t need clothes- well, yes, she needed clothes. Obviously. But not spiritually.

She needed song. She needed an instrument. She could sing, but she needed more. A keyboard seemed unlikely here, a full piano would be a bit much. A cello is the preference, but she’d take a guitar if she could. Hell, she’d take a ukulele at this point. So she wandered the castle town looking for an instrument. Asking anyone who seemed largely friendly if they could offer her directions. “Hi, know where I could get a musical instrument, and maybe a job to pay for one?”

C. Shadows Cast in Thorne Castle / Wildcard

CW: Depression thoughts/reference to attempted suicide
Maya’s mind kept coming back to where she was, what this place meant. A part of her, of course, nagged on the idea this could just be a grand break with reality. She’s never had one quite so creative, but after her last year it wouldn’t surprise her to have lost it. Maybe she didn’t make it off that roof after all. Maybe she was still there.

And without her phone, her headphones, any way to drown the thoughts out, she was just sitting there. She tried to will the thoughts, the doubts, the concern out. How could she be some prophsized hero? She could barely take care of herself. She couldn’t save anyone, she wasn’t good for anyone. Her very presence just made things worse, right.

When the thoughts came on she’d find a place to sit, either staring into nothing or with her eyes squeezed so tight there had to be so much in her head. Her face pale and expression either too vacant, or too tense, to be normal. Someone please help this girl losing to herself.

warding homes;

[ This has been a very strange day. Nanaue has made many friends, more than he even had just yesterday! Some are old, some are young, some are fat, some are tall, and some are short. The worst part, though, is that he feels tired. More tired than he can remember before. But he still wants to be helpful to his new friends, so he follows them after they give him new clothes.

Across the Primary Settlement, there now walks a massive man-shark in a leather skirt.

Nanaue sits with some others who are making wreaths made of bone to hang on the doors. He doesn't exactly understand the reason, but he is quick to offer his services and no one seems to be willing to be the person to tell him no. ]

Pretty? [ He asks the next person to walk by, holding up a wreath. Compared to the ones that the natives have made, it looks... large.

It also immediately falls apart when he lifts it.

The natives look at each other nervously, then at you. You can see it in their eyes: help?]

settling in;

[ There is a great battle happening in a nearby field. An army is trying to take down a great, grey beast. They hang from his arms and wrap themselves around his legs. He gives a roar as he tries to escape their grasp, but they are too many and too strong for him!

You might be brought here by that roar, or perhaps the sound of the children laughing as they tumble around the shark man, his smooth skin making it difficult for the youngest ones to find purchase on. A small boy loses his grip and falls from one meaty bicep and immediately begins to wail. The other children stop their games and hover around him. Nanaue stops as well, staring down at them with his beady eyes, slightly slack-jawed. ]

What you hurt, friend?

nocwich;

[ Nanaue can be found in Nocwich.

However, he seems confused. Why is everyone taking down the tents? Where are they taking all the boxes? What is in the boxes?

He's very curious - but seems at a loss, watching as people walk by, standing in the middle of the square and being more of a roadblock than anything else.

Maybe you can give him a task? ]

( OOC: Nanaue is a six-ish/seven-ish? ft shark man. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed and will attempt to eat pretty much anything - including people, but he doesn't eat friends. Feel free to wildcard if none of this strike your fancy! )

Edited 2023-03-20 19:10 (UTC)

🃂 { Early Moments (free cities) } 🃂

Being dragged, naked, out of the water is a great way to start a new adventure. No, no it's fucking not. Not when the last thing he remembers is stepping - okay basically being shoved - into a damn port-a-potty so he could take some time to "cool off". He didn't need to cool off. He needed a ref that wasn't blind to actually make good calls.

He's pretty sure this isn't the port-a-potty and he's really hoping it isn't Oz though he wouldn't make bets. Even as he looks around.

"Definitely not munchkins. Though the cult attire is truly fear inspiring. Like human sacrifice levels going on here. The sword really sells it, honestly. Tell me, does clicking my heels together work here?"

Ignore him if he tries it when he is on his feet and in a robe. Nothing wrong with nudity but also he's not being judged early on by if he's a shower or a grower, thanks.

He follows along though and he listens and when he's left to himself with a very military issue uniform and a lot in his head about how much he can help and how glad they are he's there, he watches them retreat as he stands outside of the barracks.

"Glad to be of help and all," he calls after the person that had showed him around walked away. "But next time willing enlist is a better choice than kidnapping!"

🃂 { Training Grounds } 🃂

The uniform is a bit altered by the time Jake wanders his way to where others are sparring. Namely it would seem the sleeves have vanished. Wow, must be magic? Something he's yet to truly believe in despite all he was told. He stands on the sideline, hands in his pockets and watches the others before figuring why not?

Stepping forward, he looks around with a goofy smile.

"Okay. It's been a while since I've let myself be caught in a fair fight but I'm sure I can remember."

🃂 { Hospital, supply runs and cats?, oh my } 🃂

This kind of work is familiar to Jake. At least from early in his voluntary enlist in the Army back home. Working on packing supplies is a lot like the doll factory back in South America, with less creepy faces scaring at you and more talk about people sprouting plants and the magic that is still like a needle on a record in his mind. He just can't wrap his head around it yet.

Of course, he might have been happy about lack of creepy faces when he's handed a small furred, winged thing and it takes him a moment to realize something.

"It's a cat. Uhmm, you guys know you shouldn't trust these, right?"

Even if it's pretty cute. And friendly. And the purr is kind of cute. Whatever. But it's a break from the monotony of packing boxes and so he heads down the hallway with it perched on his shoulder like a fuzzy parrot. Every so often he ducks his head into a patient's room.

"Hey. Kittygram here. Did you know that a cat's purring is supposed to having healing properties? Yeah, I wouldn't buy it either," he says before whoever it can respond. "Likely it's all them cursing you in some kitty language we don't understand."

Dogs are where it's at, okay?

🃂 { Nocwich } 🃂

At this point Jake is positive one of two things has happened. Someone got the jump on him somewhere and he's in a coma and his brain is having a good ole time while his body languishes.

Or those mushrooms on the pizza last night were locally sourced and definitely not what they were meant to be.

Because vampires and werewolves... definitely some of his favorite movie tropes. Not so much something that even his D&D and game rich mind could wrap itself around. But since he's there, he's helping out, taking down things and facing more signs of whatever the hell happened and just how bad it all is. He glances at someone else helping.

"So... vampires? Seriously? Are they like gorgeous babes in latex and leather? Because I could get behind that." He winces even as he says it. "Not the way that sounded. Right. Not good. Ignore that."

(ooc: open to wildcard ideas as well anywhere in cadens or free cities. he'll be exploring everywhere.)

Edited 2023-03-20 19:49 (UTC)

If we were all suddenly somewhere else | Free Cities

[The Sarstina. That’s where Crane first finds himself, lurking in darkness in the corner, seated towards the back. People walk by. This man is nobody. This woman is nothing. Their lives are nothing. Observing them is a way to pass the time. They're a distraction.

His eyes close a little before he raises a hand. Fingers burrow through his hair and support his head. Nails scratch his scalp; once, twice, three times before settling their movements.

Limbs and shoulders align and he straightens as somebody takes the opposite seat. Fingers glide together and his hands slide between his knees. Eyes glance left in the direction of the window. An impassive, polite expression deigns to appear on his face - eyes returning to look the other in the eye.

Calm. Controlled. Certain. His voice is soft and polite, with the nasally air of being aggrieved.]

Don’t let me stop you.

[Such a curt phrase spoken so nicely. Not a personal inkling of annoyance at all.]

A man can listen and smile and be a villain | Free Cities

[Crane is sitting beside an elderly lady who thirty minutes ago was a stranger; a local with a curious case of loneliness and grief brought on by loss. It had taken gentle caution and judicious use of his words to convince her to speak of her missing husband and learn she was visiting this memorial garden out of hope.

Broken emotions with splinters as fine as fractured glass. He spends his valuable time keeping her together, keeping her calm and safe. He affords her space and encourages her to share pleasant memories. It is only minutes later that he notices they are being observed.]

Can I help you?

Feel the wind on the wing of madness | Solvunn

[The gods have graced them with his presence. How delighted they are.

No praise comes from himself. The lack of acclaim is something they hardly notice. Platitudes are miserable at the best of times - and being away from home is one of the worst. The absence of his notes and data - his work - leaves him unable to resist reaching out in search of comfort. It’s rough to begin again, but he finds solace in the same old patterns, the same old routine.

He glances through a collection of bottles and charms; wheat and berries scattered here and there across a shrine carved out of stone. His fingers keep a respectful distance from picking something up and offending whoever is around.]

Offerings. How delightfully vintage.

[Superstitions. How delightfully malleable.]

Edited (html) 2023-03-20 19:18 (UTC)

I. Training Grounds

Unused to idleness, Obi-Wan makes use of the training grounds, practicing forms and velocities with which he's most familiar (and likely appear somewhat strange to the locals) with the nonlethal weaponry provided. Simply because he's no longer in the thick of it is no reason to let decades of training lose their edge. He'll happily enough instruct anyone that expresses curiosity or an eagerness to learn- especially Form three, as it's primarily defensive in nature. Sparring, also, comes easily to him- but habit more than anything else has him offering constructive critique between bouts-

And on occasion during.

The obstacle course, now, has been where he's spent most of his early mornings and afternoons if only for the extra coin it can potentially provide. Underselling what he's capable of and performing just ahead of what's expected enough to earn pocket change while he comes to a choice about joining up or not may be a little unkind- but no more than the assumptions made. Besides. It's not like he's rigging gambling in earnest, and even if he was- he learned it from his Master. When needs must, indeed.

II. Furry Friends

"Hello there." As solemnly cheerful and calming Obi-Wan attempts to be while visiting the hospital, it's somewhat difficult to maintain one's dignity when there's a fluffy, winged felined creature burrowed into his shoulder, chewing on his hair. Obi-Wan's grown accustomed to this quirk of the creature, and remains unruffled and unbothered as he makes his way through the halls to untangle and deposit the determined little Leosylph upon whoever is in most need. He lingers to offer commentary, quiet company, and the odd fondly chastising sigh for the little moppet, collecting the kit when both patient and problem have tired before moving along to the next, whereupon the kit perks right up for another round of gnawing playfully on fingers and burrowing in to purr and be pet.

Later he can be found sitting quietly where the Leosylphs are kept, covered in them while meditating, only half his focus on keeping them from taking a tumble off his knee or shoulder and, yes, enduring several more rounds of his hair being gnawed upon.

III. Free Cities Wildcard

Obi-Wan bides his time attempting to reconnect with The Force by finding somewhere quiet and nondescript to meditate- and if that so happens to be the newly crafted memorial gardens- so be it. With what he can feel he tries, though it has never truly been his skill, to nudge the plant life there to flourish, or at the very least offer encouraging energy. The Living Force never was his specialty.

When not in the gardens he seeks information, unobtrusively, by using coin earned in the training grounds to get a drink and listen in at the local tavern. Something has gone horribly awry- and that bears no little consideration. Better to learn all he can from those present for it before drawing his own conclusions.

IV. Norwich Wildcard

The very notion of a portal or transport one can simply walk through is deeply curious to Obi-Wan, provided he wasn't awake in truth for his summoning. Taking the time to pass through while fully conscious to make notes on how it feels and what he can sense even with his diminished connection to the Force is one of the first few deeply normal things he feels he's been able to manage. It's far less dangerous than other events where he'd been struck with curiosity that could be detrimental to his own health, and seems safe enough.

Finding troubles on the other side of the portal is worrying, but- this is something he knows how to do. Manual labor is tedious, mind numbing, and almost meditative to a degree- and the work needs to be done. He is fit, people are in need, it takes no time at all for him to find himself taking down tents and packing up medical supplies, doing his best to be of assistance without complaint.

[ for anything specific, PM me! ]

Edited 2023-03-20 19:45 (UTC)

solvunn
[So. As Bruce has said, this is all terrible. Not a huge fan of the randomly finding himself in places he doesn't know and isn't supposed to be. Pretty sure he doesn't know anyone that is a fan. But he doesn't have a lot to go on, so he has to mostly just nod along and ask questions and not feel weird about a bunch of magical cultists tugging his skinnydipping self out of a pond. Apparently!

It's a cute place, honestly. And in spite of the lack of technology, it feels homey. He can work with this, with farms and working with his hands and a simpler life. But also, where's the tv and the fridge and internet? How does he get out of here? No, he does not have any interest in magic. No thank you, he is also not interested in making offerings to whatever might be out there. He does not...lean that way.

Clint tries to keep his head down. Do some work. Fix fences and other little sundry carpentry things. He can go out hunting, too, and clean some critters. And leave bones for people to make their weird little wreaths. He can help with the goats and is quick enough to not get a butting head to the nethers. (For the most part. They're sneaky demons sometimes.) He can do household chores for the family that's taken him in, even if the way people in the house and beyond look at him is far too reminiscent of his small amount of fame back home to feel comfortable. He can do this while gathering whatever intel he can.

It doesn't mean he has to like this. He might have to strike out for the other settlements (or literally anything beyond) before the cozy farm life gets to be too much.]

nocwich
[God, and this place that's at least apart from everything else isn't even really open? What sort of shitty D&D bullshit did he fall into?

But it's become exceedingly clear that he just missed out on some intense shit going down. This was a site of a rescue operation. Wounds got treated and supplies stored. He can recognize the fallout of some heavy tragedy when he sees it. So, fine, fuck it, he does not have anything better to do than help take down and pack away tents. Maybe he can find out a little more about what, specifically, has been going on lately elsewhere in this weird world.]

1. Exploring Cadens;

[ Somehow, Joel got roped into helping with a supply run. Mostly, he agreed to it because it was a free ride into town and he needs to get the lie of the land. So he can be found loading supplies for the trip, or unloading at the hospital, passing them off to whoever shows up to get them. He's not picky. If no one shows, he'll probably keep something for himself.

After, he wanders around a bit. Notes the state of things. ]

Don't suppose there's somewhere I could get a drink.

2. Barracks;

[ Hot, running water is a luxury that Joel cannot turn down. He doesn't care that it's communal. He's going to take a shower, then find his way to the room he's been put up in, clearly uncomfortable in the uniform shirt they handed him. ]

Can't say as I'm interested in fighting in anybody's war.

3. Nocwich;

[ Joel isn't really the altruistic sort; this isn't his home and he didn't ask to be brought here, so why should he help out of the goodness of his heart? But a guy's gotta eat, and he's not interested in signing up for a military, so he may have come to an agreement with some of the people in Nocwich to help with the cleanup - for a price.

So here he is, packing up a big canvas tent, might need some help though. ]

4. Wildcard;

[ Have another scenario in mind? Hit me up! Or you can contact me at

frodabaggins if you want to plot something out. ]

(1) Free Cities ◎ Arrival (Outpost)

The first thought in Bucky’s mind, possibly the first thought that’s always in Bucky’s mind, is simply, haven’t I been kidnapped enough for one lifetime?

He’s survived enough shit that he’s not that concerned about drowning in the impenetrable black void from which he emerged. Sure, drowning would suck. It’s not an experience he’s seeking out, which is why he backed down after his first attempt to steal a guard’s sword. But at this point, he’s pretty confident that someone or something will just keep bringing him back. The USSR fell thirty years ago, but the KGB still has a room full of Black Widow clones to wake up whenever one gets axed. He can only assume there’s a yellowing photocopy of Bucky Barnes laying around somewhere, too.

But he hates this. Hates being acted upon by strangers who want something from him that he doesn’t want to give them. Hates being reminded that so much of his life isn’t really governed by his own choices. Hates being stuck in a weird place with weird people and no mission parameters. Bucky doesn’t have a dossier on any of these fuckers, and even if he did, he doesn’t have his gear.

Speaking of which, his second thought is, where are my guns?

It’s the thought he has whenever he wakes up in a strange environment, particularly if he doesn’t have pants on. (Which, honestly, isn’t that often. Bucky tends to eschew romantic subplots unless they involve people he’s known for at least half a century.) Right now, he doesn’t have any of his things, and his arm doesn’t feel right, either. That is, his human arm feels fine, but the metal arm feels— like the human one. Which isn’t right. Something about inter-dimensional fountain travel has clearly thrown him off his game, and stolen his favorite jacket. The good one, without the blood on it.

It’s fine. Steve will look for him. Probably. Once he knows he's gone, which could take a while since he's been trying to respect Bucky's boundaries. Natasha— might look for him? Really depends on what kind of day she’s having. Sam and Sharon are solid maybes. Fury… might or might not be alive, at the moment. Who even knows.

Fuck. This is what he gets for disappearing all the time without telling anyone where he’s going. And— faking his death, that once.

By the time he makes it to the Barracks, he’s still angry, and still wet. He puts on his uniform and drapes his damp robes across a bed to stake an arbitrary claim to it. He knows they're all the same, and that it doesn’t really matter, but it makes him feel a little bit more in control.

Wandering outside and looking out on the military base around him, he feels faintly (frustratingly) at home. He was raised on one of these, cut his teeth on the obstacle courses at Camp Lehigh, sold stolen cigarettes to soldiers to pay for bottom shelf whisky and dented cans of corned beef. Before he ended up being pulled into a war that wasn’t really his to fight, and spending the next several years in the barracks. This is just history repeating itself (first as tragedy, second as farce.)

“Fuck.” He allows himself, out loud this time, dragging the heel of his boot through the dirt outside the training grounds. He hasn’t had a cigarette in 60 years, but he wouldn’t say no to one now.

(2) Free Cities ◎ Furry Friends

Bucky isn’t sure if someone has asked him to play with a therapy cat as a covert way of getting him to tone down the justifiable homicide energy he’s giving off. But if that is their plan, he has to admit, it’s kind of working. He likes cats, even has one at home, who he really hopes someone is feeding. Although if they aren’t, maybe it’s a good thing he never quite got around to handling that mouse infestation. And by now, she’s probably taught herself to use the can opener.

As irritated as he might be about his current situation, the cat is clearly an innocent in all this. Maybe even as much a victim of circumstance as he is. She’s done nothing to him except be a very small cat with a tiny little moth face. And Bucky is kind of a sucker for tiny animals. (Even the human ones that try to kill him.)

“Hello,” he offers, holding the cat in the palm of his hands. Somehow, he feels socially awkward about this. Like the cat knows what the appropriate greeting is, and he’s messed it up. But she merely chews on the flesh of his thumb in response, which is fair enough. He wiggles the fingers of his metal hand a little, as if in demonstration. “Just so you know, you don’t want to chew on these. It’d hurt you more than it’d hurt me.”

He sees a human-shaped shadow cross in front of him, and pulls the animal closer to his chest, protectively placing her inside of the front of his coat. Unwilling to appear vulnerable in front of a stranger, he tries to draw himself up to as much of his full height (so, 5'10") as he can establish under the circumstances.

“You need somethin?” He eyes them suspiciously. He can look very cold and sharp-edged on a dime, but the air of danger is somewhat undercut by the fact that he’s sitting on the floor with a mewling cat in his jacket.

(3) Nocwich ◎ Staying to Help

When Bucky hears that there’s a place he can travel through a portal between worlds, he jumps at the chance. He doesn’t know how much that relates to the magic that brought him here, but it sounds like a lead. He came here through a strange, dark void. Norwich is shrouded in eternal darkness. Those ideas seem a least potentially related. Even if they’re not, he needs to collect as much intel as he can on this place and its magic.

Turns out, it’s not immediately useful. And for the moment, there isn’t much to explore. But he can’t say that it isn’t informative in its own way. There’s a pretty big difference between this place and home, but he still knows what a field hospital looks like. And this one, clearly, has seen some shit. Even before the locals started to dismantle it.

He doesn't get much information from them about the reason for the hospital, maybe because they're too busy to entertain the same several questions from every confused guest who wanders through. For a lack of anything better to do, Bucky offers to stick around and help with the cleanup. Seems like there’s more work than there are locals to do it, and he’s a helpful guy.

(Also, Bucky’s not yet sure how much he’s going to need to beg, borrow and steal his way through this place, and a medical tent seems likely to have supplies.)

He’s dutifully packed up a couple of crates and loaded them into a waiting wagon when he sees an opportunity. The local he’s been helping has wandered off to start dismantling a tent, leaving Bucky alone with a box of bandages, some crackers, and something that looks like it might be antiseptic. He stuffs a few in the pocket of his uniform jacket, hoping no one was around to notice. (Or at least, that no one was around to care.) Then hears something break behind him.

(4) Wherever ◎ Anything Else

[ hit me up here or on plurk if you want to do something else/something specific ]

Edited (I swear this looked shorter in drafts) 2023-03-21 01:01 (UTC)

(OOC: Brackets or prose, I have no preference so tag as you like and I'll match you.

Drawing from OG RE4 canon for now. No remake spoilers here, though I do intend to incorporate that version of him so... see ya in May!)

A. Supply Delivery (Free Cities)

[Torn very suddenly away from the consequences he absolutely had coming, a second chance is the last thing Luis thinks he deserves. And the idea of being enlisted in some kind of army is maybe not the last thing he wants, but it's real close to the bottom of the list. The offer of enlistment received not just a "no," but a "hell no," and given his insistence that he's not good for anything and won't be any help at all, he's put to work packing supply boxes.

Though he looks rather sullen and uncomfortable as he works, it's really not a bad gig. It's keeping the soldiers off his back, and giving him a chance to look over what constitutes "supplies" around here. When it's just him and another Summoned in the room, he slows down dramatically so he can examine the objects they're meant to be packing, in particular the medicines. Perhaps, given how nervous he looks and how clearly interested he is in the little vials and bottles, this might look a little suspicious.]

Hey. You know if they have any smokes around here? [He asks abruptly, especially if caught snooping.]

B. Hospital (Free Cities)

[Look, nobody said he couldn't go looking around the hospital after the deliveries are done. Though it's apparent from his darting eyes and uneasy body language that he kind of doesn't want to be seen doing so regardless.

He lucks out and manages to find a seemingly empty storage room where they're keeping some of the unusual medical equipment. This is what they call "advanced technology" around here? This looks practically stone age. But then again, with goddamn actual magic in play, who knows what-

A door opens across the room. Luis snaps up right and immediately backs out of the other door, into the unoccupied hallway he entered through.

Well. It was unoccupied when he entered, at least. He nearly runs into someone, immediately lifting his hands and cracking a nervous smile, laying on the charm.]

Disculpe. Sorry. Wrong turn!

[Man, if only he had any kind of poker face whatsoever.]

C. Furry Friends (Free Cities)

[For essentially the first time since he arrived, Luis doesn't look like he's twitchy and terrified and about to jump out of his own skin. From the moment he's assigned to the leosylph pen he's relaxed, at ease, fascinated petting and examining the little creatures and their mechanical toys. He's got one on its back, laying across his boot, purring up a storm and fluttering its little wings as he strokes down its spine, occasionally cooing little endearments to it.]

Think they'd notice if I tucked you under my shirt, there, pequeño? [How does one get a full-time job as a magical winged kitten wrangler around here, anyway?

Beyond any small talk out in the pen, he'll eventually be called to bring little Pablito here to somebody's room. Good luck getting him to leave after that.]

D. Wildcard (Free Cities)

[It's late at night, and the lights of Cadens glow all along the horizon. Standing somewhere up high, Luis drags on a cigarette (or as close to a cigarette as he can find-- he has no idea what substance he's actually smoking, here...) He gazes out beyond the city, into the darkness of the open desert, and he considers his companion for a moment before asking.]

Hypothetically speaking, how far you think it is to the next city? [He releases a puff of smoke.] On foot?

E. Wildcard (ETC)
(Happy to hash something out with you specifically. Drop me a line!)

Edited 2023-03-21 14:44 (UTC)

A. Settling In

i. The Barracks

good

B. Exploring

ii. Supply Delivery

iii.Furry Friends

iv. The Sarstina

v. wildcard

courtings

A. The Barracks

[Marianne is apparently doomed to move from one conflict to the next. No sooner than the years-long war in Fódlan has finally, finally come to an end, she finds herself in a military outpost wearing a uniform and trying desperately to make sense of it all. That she doesn't see a familiar face among the few people she sees in the outpost during her initial walkaround doesn't help things. She had already dreaded leaving everyone behind now that the war is over, and now she finds herself separated from them by time and space.

To say that her day so far has been disorienting is something of an understatement.

After a half-hearted attempt at eating lunch (which only manages to be half a bowl of soup), Marianne makes her way to the barracks and sits on the bed that's been assigned to her for the foreseeable future.

As other people move around and approach, she greets them with a wan smile.]

Oh, hello. Please don't mind me--I'll probably be in here for a little while.

B. Cadens

i. Fluffy Animals

[After a day or so of proverbially sticking her head into the sand, Marianne decides to venture into the nearest town. Once there, it doesn't take long for her to get wind of a request for volunteers to help socialize Leosylphs waiting for assignments. She has no idea what a Leosylph is, but through context she quickly puts together that it's an animal of some kind. That, Marianne can most definitely help with. She's generally more comfortable with animals than people, anyway.

Before long, she's sitting on the ground playing with a kitten-like creature in her lap. It's starting to get a bit overstimulated, and immediately bolts to chase the heels of a passer-by. Luckily, Marianne manages to grab it before it does more than a few harmless swats.]

I-I am so sorry. I didn't expect him to get away from me that easily.

ii. The Sarstina

[Later on, Marianne parks herself in a corner of the tavern. She feels better after pseudo-kitten playtime, but there's still a large part of her that's ill-at-ease. This place is strange, and clearly recovering from some terrible event. There's a high military presence and damage throughout the city, not unlike Enbarr is these days. The comparative thought hurts a bit--she'd much rather be there helping her country recover than this place.

But there's nothing to be done about that for now, so she sips her water and watches the people around her in hopes that things somehow start making sense--or, if the Goddess can hear her prayers in this place, that someone she knows might somehow appear.

She's also keeping an eye on the time to make sure she doesn't miss the last wagon back to the barracks. They did ask her to come back before dusk, after all.]

C. Wildcard

(( Feel free to hit me up with something besides what's listed here! I'm at

asondeiru or asondeiru#9009 if you'd like to plot something. ))

Prime - Supply delivery - Free Cities

Strange winds has thrown him here and there during his youth. Many times he has sailed through life like a ship without a direction. This was many years ago. At the twilight of his life Cadfael decided to forgo the excitement of a soldier's life and take upon himself a mantle of the monk.

Now, he stands again in a soldier's uniform and dry, desert wind fills his lungs. Lord truly works in mysterious ways. It's not long when he's able to piece out from the bits of information and gossip what is all the commotion about.

At first, he just helps with packing the supplies. Every pair of hands helps, and Cadfael is going to sit idle when there are people in need of medicine. Not long after though, and he finds himself with a set of directions, a map, and a cart full of supplies in his care. He knows his way around animals. If only he had another soul to help him. He's not above asking a stranger for help.

"Come, join me for the ride. I can handle the animals myself, but I'd more than welcome the company."

Terce - All around the castle, with special mention of infirmary - Thorne

Cadfael spends his time walking around the castle, trying to lear as much about it's denizens as he can. At a first glance, it is a royal dwelling. The walls are high and strong. There are guards everywhere, and staff aplenty. He speaks with all that would indulge him. They do confirm his first impression. This is a great city and castle of Thorne. Seat of King and Queen. They tell him he's lucky to be there.
As if led there, his steps take him to the castle infirmary. After a few exchanges, they do take him in. It's obvious there's not enough medics in this place. Cadfael will help when he can. Be it gathering herbs, mixing them for potions and medicines, or checking on patients.

Sext - Healers and Goat Herders - Solvunn

The gentle country with its houses, fields, the wind coming in from the sea. All that reminds Cadfael of his beloved Wales. Where this nostalgic comparison breaks is at the many shrines he has seen, the talk of gods. He has no intention to judge the people living there, pagans as they are.
There was time, generations ago but not completely forgotten, when his own home had bowed to the old gods. Not knowing the Light of the Lamb that later came to free them.
Cadfael find himself work, even in spite of his reservations. There are hot meals and medicine and a good word to deliver to the sick. He might even learn a thing or two while talking to the people there.

When all that work is done, he's glad to help with the escaped goats. Cadfael has more personal experience with sheep, but all kinds of people kept goats in and around Shrewsbury. One would need never to leave the walls of the monastery to avoid dealing with goats in one manner or the other.

Laude - Nocwich

Cadfael is no stranger to tales of werewolves, shapeshifters and vampires. He had not met one in his travels, but he had no reasons to speak ill of those that said they did. It all too easy to call another man a liar, it's more difficult to actually prove it.
In the eternal darkness of Nocwich he finds proof of their words. If those creatures exist here, why wouldn't their exist in his own home country. All over Europe and the Holy Land even.
There is not much to see, but Cadfael wouldn't be himself if he chose to just wander around when there's work to be done. He stays to help. It is not uncommon for people working together to talk more freely. So he counts he can learn something about what has befallen this place, it needed such a huge operation. He can tell from the amount of equipment he helps packing.
It cannot compare to a crusaders' army when they were packing, but a Lord's one sounds more likely.

Compline - Wildcard - Anything, anywhere, not exactly at once
Cadfael is a friendly, understanding man. He has seen much in his life. It taught him not to judge people too harshly on their first meeting. He is also curious to the point of noisy, so feel free to meet him anywhere the Summoned are allowed in. It is very probable he would have wondered there.

[ Training Grounds ]

Rey can be found running through the obstacle courses just to test herself; they're by and large far easier than climbing around old starships. She's competitive enough to get a little careless sometimes, so you might find yourself being cursed out for getting in her way and causing her to veer sharply off course and into an offending object that had been placed in her path.

Later, she can be found training with a staff, either against similarly-skilled opponents (perhaps you?) or working on her form with a training dummy. There's a bit less cursing involved, but she is particularly focused in a way that has led a number of soldiers to ask her if she'd like to join their number. She's undecided; this place looks like it could use a lot of defenders, but she has no idea what the actual conflict here is. Perhaps you'd like to enlighten her?

[ Furry Friends ]

She's just returned a Leosylph from the hospital back to its holding area and is now deeply occupied in playing with and cuddling the little creatures, who seem incredibly reluctant to get out of her lap and, much to her annoyance, hair. And clothes. She's given up on removing them and has just sprawled flat on her back and let them make themselves comfortable while she considers taking a nap in a pile of kittens.

[ Nocwich ]

Content that she's seen enough of the Cadens outpost, she ventures out into Nocwich one evening. There aren't any vendors open, which is disappointing, but she decides to stick around and help pack boxes of medical supplies anyway. Those who've stayed to help might be able to give her an idea of what the conflict had been like for the other cities, perhaps?

[ This is early-TFA Rey, but do feel free to ruin her day with news of the future. If you want a custom starter hit me up at

speaksincolor ! ]

Libertas.

[ Annie walks among the wreckage, still, feeling a bit stiff on the clothes she's been given. They're not as different as some of the choice of clothes she has worn in the court, but still, it's not the same. Still, the sight of destruction around her is all too familiar, although the circumstances are completely different. ]

Such destruction... at least the restoration works are going well.

[ She's hear a bit of the rumours of what has transpired, but Antimony can't really form an opinion yet. Who is right and wrong, it's hard to tell without knowing all the sides of the story. ]

And what's that about failed experiments? Hmm...

[ There's much to learn. ]

Hello Nurse.

[ It's not that difficult for Annie to get a modicum of authority in the Hospital, as she's at least well versed in basic care, so she can make sure the patients that aren't in immediate trouble are at least comfortable.

Antimony can be found:

a. Tending to someone sick, changing dressings, disinfecting a wound, rationing meds. Perhaps you know the patient? Perhaps you are the patient? Or perhaps you need to be a patient??? Let her know.

b. Taking a breather, sitting by a corner, tired but content to be useful. She looks like she could use something to eat, maybe. ]

Training

[ Antimony swings a sword, obviously well accustomed to wielding one. Well, she prefers Coyote's Fang, but she's not surprised to find out the weapon didn't come with her. She might yet find a way to obtain it...but for the time being she doesn't mind keeping herself trained with regular swords.

Annie makes a flourish and some of the soldiers clap and cheer, making her blush a bit. Still, she feels like swinging a blade alone is kind of useless.

She looks around, hoping to find a sparring partner. ]

They're basically cats.

Oh, you're a cutie, aren't you?

[ Antimony lifts a...cat thing. It's a cat thing. She doesn't care. It's very cute. She likes it. It seems to like her back. ]

Let's find you something to play with. Maybe one of those mechanical things...or a friend? You want to find another friend?

[ Look, she needs this. The cuteness allows her to get over everything else going on. ]

Barracks.

Ah, finally.

[ Antimony throws herself on a bed the moments she enters her room, letting a big, tired sigh. It's been A Day, and even if she doesn't feel completely ready to turn in, she needs a second to sort her thoughts out.

But for the moment she's just going to moan and complain a bit. She feels like she's owned that much. ]

What a mess.

[ She's used to messes, at least. Or rather, she's used to them. Antimony wouldn't go as far as saying she likes them. ]

FREE CITIES WILDCARD).

[ Antimony Carver doesn't care about being told she can't go somewhere. She will go wherever she wants.

So yeah...you might find her...somewhere. Snooping. Just because.

Do with that what you will.

ooc: lmk if you want an scene through dms or @

beoluve and we'll talk yeah? Yeah. ]

Nocwich (WILDCARD).

[ Now this, this feels a lot more familiar. Nature, mystical creatures, magic. The works. The place looks like it has seen better times, but still, she's there and she's ready to have a not terrible time. ]

But first, I need to find someone who can tell me where's what.

[ It shouldn't be that difficult? ]

Edited 2023-03-24 03:12 (UTC)

(1) Free Cities ◎ Exploring (Cadens)

Tony hates high fantasy. Hates it. Even back at MIT, he was the only nerd who had no interest in Lord of the Rings. Even now, after serving on various Avengers teams with multiple magic users and briefly dating a witch (whose number he inadvertently lost when he tried to charge his phone using the R.T. Node), he still really doesn’t like magic.

But here he is. Sitting in the back of a transport wagon. Stuck in the unskippable cut scene from the beginning of Skyrim.

He doesn’t have his armor — or if he does, he can’t access it — which just leaves him confused about why he’s been summoned here at all. He’s far from useless without his suit, but he’s accustomed to working with access to (comparatively) advanced technology, not to mention fissionable materials. He doubts that this civilization has enriched uranium on hand, and if they need to start a uraninite mining operation before he can get to work, he could be stuck here for a very long time.

Another problem? The physics. In his experience, the thing that keeps parallel worlds from touching most of the time are the tiny variations in the laws of physics between one world and another. He’s worked in other worlds before, so he knows that he can do it, but it’s difficult if you don’t know the rules or the energy signature of the world you’ve landed in. Currently, Tony knows neither, and he’s not sure anyone here would understand the question if he asked it. There’s got to be a university around here somewhere, right? Someone who speaks English?

He figures the city is his best bet. But the closer he gets to Cadens, the more obvious it becomes that some shit has transpired, and probably recently. Armed guards, patrolling soldiers, signs of unrest and upheaval. This must have something to do with the “dangerous times” the Prime Minister was referring to, but she was pretty light on specifics.

Using the skills he developed playing Skyrim, Tony deduces that the best place to get information is the local tavern. His transport driver suggests the Sarstina, so that’s where he goes, rolling up the sleeves of his uniform and trying to look a little less out of place.

The tavern is busy enough (which is to be expected for the only game in town,) but he still spots an open seat next to one of the other patrons, who seems to have a drink in front of them. (Tony doesn’t think he has any money, but maybe if it looks like they’re together, he won’t be expected to order anything.) He sidles up to the counter, and taps them on the shoulder, gesturing to the open seat.

“Hi, do you mind if I sit here?” He offers a broad smile, trying to look as friendly as possible. At 6’2,” he’s quite tall, but he’s not imposing. And, well. He’s pretty, which usually helps. “I’m Tony, by the way.”

(2) Free Cities ◎ Supply Delivery

Tony’s not a big fan of the psychoanalytical framework that his therapist keeps applying to him, but she’s probably not wrong to say that trying to make everyone like him (even people who have tried to kidnap him) is an unhealthy way of coping with the lasting effects of his crappy childhood. But Dr. Linda’s not here, so Tony will volunteer to deliver mysterious supplies to a military hospital if he wants to.

Anyway, chronic people pleasing is at most 20% of his motivation here. In fact, delivering supplies seems like a way to earn some good will with his captors (okay that still sounds like people pleasing), meet more residents of the settlement, and get a better look at the place where he’s staying. In his experience, you have a little more freedom to wander if you’re wandering around with a pack of medical supplies and a very official-looking clipboard.

When the wagon is almost unloaded, Tony throws another crate over his shoulder and wanders a little further into the halls than he was instructed to. He’ll pass off his presence here as a simple mistake if he’s questioned — he’s new, after all — but he really wants to get a better look inside.

He ducks his head into a few of the rooms -- some empty, some housing the injured, though none are familiar. But with the crate blocking his peripheral vision, he only realizes that he’s run into something when he’s bounced back against an open door frame and dropped some of the bandages onto the tile floor.

(ooc: open to a person he ran into or a person whose room he was outside of when he ran into the door frame)

(3) Nocwich ◎ Helping Out

Despite his documented distaste for magic, Tony decides to visit Nocwich because it sounds weird. Proper weird, even compared to the overall weirdness that typifies his current circumstances. An eternal darkness nightmare town sounds like the kind of place where Strange or Billy Kaplan might be able to find him. If they’re looking. (Which they — aren’t. They probably aren’t. But it’s still an idea.)

When he arrives, though, it’s clear that the place is less weird and more eerie. it’s remarkably empty, and has the look of a place that shouldn’t be. The streets are lined with shops and restaurants, but there are medical tents and tables stacked in front of them - a field hospital, likely an emergency outpost that was set up to treat the victims of a nearby disaster or pandemic that overwhelmed the town’s usual resources.

Of course, it’s hard to tell more than that, because it’s empty. And there’s no liminal space creepier than an empty hospital.

Tony slowly starts to help pack up supplies, deciding to make himself useful for a little while longer. Maybe if he’s packing up, he’ll have a good enough reason to delve a little deeper into what happened here. But apparently, he’s feeling a little on edge, because when someone gently bumps into him from behind, he nearly jumps out of his skin.

(4) Wherever ◎ Anything Else

[ hit me up here or on plurk if you want to do something else/something specific ]

SOLVUNN & CO

[ despite her bemusement, lucy is used to taking in a lot of information while her head is pounding and nerves are crawling up her spine. she's important, she's special, rare, nothing she hasn't heard before, but it's not as comforting coming from rowan march than it was coming from anthony lockwood. and it wasn't entirely comfortably coming from anthony lockwood either.

still, they say nothing about her listening so she doesn't know why exactly she's special to these people. ]

Almost miss the unicorns and rainbows, [ she says mostly to herself, picking at the woolen clothes. ]

BONES & CO

No, no. [ backing away from the elder with the bone wreaths, lucy holds up her hands in surrender, shaking her head. she knows that her talents as muffled right now, clouded like an adult, but it still screams of a bad idea to touch what could very well be a source when she doesn't have anything to defend herself. no rapier, no irons, no salt bombs, no lockwood. just herself?

she shakes her head again, scampers back further. ] I can't touch that. I'm sorry.

GOATS & CO

Sorry, did you say goat races? [ lucy's face lights up because she's a teenager and goat racing sounds brilliant. way better than bloody bone wreaths. if she knew she was trying to corral this wayward goat for a race, she might have been more inclined to actually catch the goat.

now she is invested.

she plants her feet, mouth turning down in a determined slant. ]

Alright. Let's bloody dance, Billy.

[ goat wrangling is not on her cv, but it is about to be, lucy launches herself at the goat with gusto. ]

NOCWICH & CO

[ the disappointment is plain on lucy's face when she arrives in nocwich and it's... nothing, a country flea market in the process of closing up. she'd been hoping to find somewhere she could replace her rapier or pick up ingredients she needs for bombs (not that she is going to tell anyone they're ghost bombs.)

with a sigh, she screws on a smile and turns to the closest person that looks like they're doing a task. ]

How can I help?

FREE CITIES & CO

[ nocwich was a bust, but the free cities seems like it has a lot of the accoutrements she would get from an agency so when lucy gets a chance, she travels there. she doubts they're going to let her walk in with nothing and walk out with a weapon, but she at least wants to know what she could have at her disposal. it's like picking between fittes and lockwood & co.

she leans against the fence surrounding one of the obstacle courses, considering as she nibbles a cracker. ]

What's the money called here?

WILDCARD & CO

( go where your heart takes you, lucy is a nosy, teenager ghost hunter who resents adult supervision, hit me up on plurk @ baleinette if you want something special. )

Kingdom of Thorne

Magic Lessons

[ Lockwood isn't sure how he feels about all this. His arrival was chaotic, he's not thrilled at having his Talent dulled and if one more adult tells him to go here, go there, he may just lose it. He's held his fraying temper thus far through a combination of genuine curiosity and the memory of the fact that he's had to navigate adults all his life. It was just a question of staying patient until he knew more and then going from there.

With that goal in mind, and necessities such as food and clothes settled, Lockwood was actively searching out answers to questions. He was running into a lot of road blocks, but where a door closed a window .. blah blah blah.

Drawn to the promise of lessons focused around the magic that was native to this world, Lockwood would appear to be a very attentive student. Not only attentive, but in typical Lockwood form, a very apt student, quick to pick up the words and flash the light shield into existence. His smile, as he does this again and again, grows into something wide and warm as for the first time he begins to really have fun.

Enough so that when he encounters someone who is perhaps finding it a little more challenging, he'll cheerfully duck any wayward blast of lights and kindly offer. ]

Forest Growth

[ Lockwood absolutely, positively wants to go where it's been deemed too dangerous to go.

Which means he's being a good boy and planting saplings as directed, but every chance he gets, he's trying to attach himself to the group of mages who intend to do the actual planting. Anyone who looks like they may be part of this group, will be approached with a winsome smile and a hopeful expression. ]

[ Beaming smile. ]

[ It's a question, but not quite a question, designed for maximum wheedling his way in to being part of the group of actual planters. ]

Free Cities

Training Grounds

[ His Talent may be dulled but his rapier skills are as sharp as ever. Even if he's left holding a wooden practice weapon, rather than his usual iron blade.

Though he doesn't look like much, compared to the older, more muscular soldiers, if anyone has been watching the slip of a boy has disarmed half a dozen over the past while. All in good fun, Lockwood is always good about creating an air of spirited competitiveness, but there is also an underlying hint of genuine sharpness. Lockwood knows his abilities and he's not above discreetly testing the capabilities of people he's meant to fight with, shoulder to shoulder.

It's actually one of the traits that makes him good as a leader of his own agency back home, this ability to engage with people, test them and see what comes out in the wash. Anyone who wishes to take up a practice blade against him will be met with a willing, cheerful smile as he settles into a defensive opening stance. Blade back in a one-handed grip, angled forwards with the blade arm held parallel, the other hand held up in a challenge. The dominant foot was positioned back. ]

Solvunn

Goat Herding

[ He's a city boy.

He was born in the city. He was raised in the city. He resides in the city. He can recognize grass a bit better than say George but at the end of the day Lockwood is more at home navigating narrow, cobbled streets than he is out in the countryside.

As such, Lockwood trying to herd goats is probably quite comical. For the most part the goats are getting the better of him. Faking him out with threats of headbutting, and even a few making use of his distraction with a fence post to nibble on his garments.

About his only saving grace in all of this indignity, is that Lockwood appears to be taking it in stride. He doesn't grow angry or impatient with the animals, the way a boy his age might be expected to react. He does often groan with disbelief, as yet another hole appears in his shirt, but his winsome smile is ever present as he laughs and tries to shoo the animals towards something green. ]

Settling In

Waking up somewhere unknown, with no recollection of how he got there is just a Tuesday for Klaus. The weird part was how utterly welcoming the circle of people he'd found himself in had been. Still, Klaus rolls with the punches as they come, and once he has a fresh set of clothes and gets the introductory spiel from Rowan March, he is on his way.

Over the first few days, he can be found wandering the settlement to familiarize himself with the place. He might even be found helping to hang bone wreaths to ward homes.

Or maybe you see him trying to herd goats, which is a lot more of Klaus running from an aggressive goat chasing him than him doing very well at all at the herding part. He leaps for the large, wooden fence and lands along the top of the gate against his stomach- "Shi-iiit," he coughs and reaches for the nearest person, "Help, Whoopi Goatberg is coming for my ass!"

Nocwich

He didn't really know what had happened, though he has heard the murmurings about abductions having happened recently– but with the opportunity to explore another part of this strange new world he found himself in? Klaus wouldn't dare to pass it up.

He can tell this place is usually a social hub, and he definitely will come back when things are back to normal. In the meantime, he'll still stay to help out. He drifts over toward a table with medical supplies, boxing up tinctures and salves. Perhaps you even catch him trying to slip something in his pocket for later.

((ooc: will match action or prose!))

SUMMONING (THORNE) cw: eye injury
Soon after Ambrose deemed his welcoming sufficient, Lord John finds himself seated on the bench on the edge of what he believes to be a royal garden. Unless everything in this place is so decorous, he would not put it past them.

To be honest, if not for the throbbing in his head and in his eye, he would be convinced he had fallen into some ridiculously elaborate sort of fever dream. But both are entirely too real for comfort. Raising one hand up to cover his bad eye, he reaches for the scrap of cloth he'd managed to beg off a member of the staff and wrap it around his head. He doubts it helps much in the way of his appearance, but now that it's protected from the light, things seem to have more or less settled down, the tears no longer streaming down his face on that side as they had done before. Small mercies, he supposes, before pushing himself up and start exploring the grounds.

...finding himself at the doors of what appears to be row of stables. He holds a hand out to the creature within, his lips curling into a smile that pulls at the bruising on his face as the horse nuzzles at his fingers. It is good, he supposes, to see that some things remain the same, even despite the most extreme circumstances.

SETTLING IN (THORNE)
Lord John squints in the direction of the flashes of light that apparently indicate there are magic lessons in progress. A helpful apprentice informed him that they are working on learning how to produce a defensive light shield, and he is welcome to join, if he would like. Just the thought of standing in a room of bright flashes of light is making his head ache.

Really, he ought to do something about his eye. It's becoming something of a nuisance at this point. He had poked his head into the infirmary at one point earlier, but the healers inside had looked -- harried. Accepting a pain draft, he had let them be. Really, he has had worse than a blow to the head by one James Fraser. That doesn't mean that it's a particularly enjoyable experience, mind. And the makeshift eyepatch is leaving something to be desired, as far as the rest of his outfit is concerned.

"Magic lessons..." he muses to himself, shaking his head before raising a hand to rub tiredly over his face.

NOCWICH
Lord John cannot help his curiosity. When he is given a pendant to visit the mysterious portal to this place called Nocwich, he cannot pass up the opportunity to do so.

Whatever he had expected to find here, however, it certainly is not the marketplace of a town square that seems to have suffered the same calamity whatever it is that the people of Castle Thorne are recovering from as well. Unforeseen circumstances, the people here have said. Lord John would say that the circumstances look pretty seen to him.

Nevertheless, he has come this far, and these people have asked for his assistance. Perhaps he might at least be able to learn a little as to what might have happened here while he does?

At least, that is the theory. He hadn't realized it would be quite this difficult in practice until he's standing with the pieces of the tent, disassembled on the ground.

"...oh Tom," he says, talking to himself (and the ghost of the valet he had kept for upwards of a good decade), "I've done it now..."

WILDCARD
((ooc: hit me up here, via PM, or on plurk at

lycanthropy101 if you'd like something specific!!))

Edited 2023-03-30 00:24 (UTC)

Sabine wasn't paying attention to the two men who scurried away or the man who said to calm down. She wasn't even paying attention to the dripping water or her lack of clothes. She was staring at her outstretched hand. The way her metacarpals shifted the skin on the back of her hand just enough to wrinkle, and then the tight stretch of it over her knuckles as she curled her fingers into her hand, feeling the tension of the muscles within that fist, down the underside of her forearm, the delicate, sharp press of her nails into her palm.

Being nude and soaking wet and the people hunkered
were causes for concern, but not as much as—

Corporality.

She'd been walking Jack through the very last door—Employees Only a red slash against so much white—and suddenly. Here? Solidly here? Awake? Alive? Her brow was already wrinkled when she looked back up at the man suddenly shoving a pile of clothes into her hands, which only helped her first words along, "No towel?"

Apparently not. The clothes went on. Soft against her skin that seemed just to keep announcing where else it went on existing. Her expression remains neutrally confused, with a side of suspiciously ready for business, already trying to decide whom to question first. Still, there was no flicker of reaction at the magic used to resize, cut, and shape of her clothes.

This city is still more concerned with itself than her or anyone else who seems to have arrived around the same time. Everyone is running to and fro, taking care of victims of some terrible abduction that appears to have involved a gruesome amount of torture and genetic mutation. It's hard to make sense of the whole lot of it. Unbalance. Like she was dropped into the middle of someone else's story, a side character no one had a specific need of after that weird 'Chosen One' speech on the way to her new room.

In media res had nothing on this.

🆃🅷🅾🆁🅽🅴

There's a nebulous strangeness to the feel of this place. Outside her, inside her; it's hard to tell still. Equilibrium is a boat she mans but an ocean that still flounders in flux. Oily uncertainty ebbs. Shifting shoals. A deep, resonant vibrating hum beneath it all. And every once in a while, when she isn't focused on anything, a soft pitter-patter of a beat she can't quite place that tugs at her with an ache of insistence but not name or direction.

Still, with nothing else to keep her hands busy and fewer answers than questions—which seems to be the same for people who have come here and have always lived here—she agrees to help pick flowers in the garden for the care packages being made and to be part of a group of people who will be delivering them around the hospital.

🆂🅾🅻🆅🆄🅽🅽

With nothing else to keep her hands busy and fewer answers than questions—which seems to be the same for people who have come here and have always lived here—she agrees to help hang bone wreaths to The Old Gods of this new city, and deliver hot meals to the victims of recent events.

After a few days of those, she gives in to the constant encouragement to offer a first blessing. Even if the arrival was unasked for, she could be grateful for being clothed, fed, sheltered, and not being in the straits of those she's been helping. She brings with her a leaf. Wide-reaching, thick veins running down to tiny ones. It's green with spring, and it reminds her of home, which is not beside the point, as when she steps in front of the altar, she raises it to her lips, letting it brush her skin, before looking down at it again.

"Thank you for the kindness that's been given to me since arriving,"
Sabine placed it on the altar before adding a softer whisper,
"I don't need your blessing. Just send it to him.
Keep Jack safe until I can get back."

Edited 2023-04-01 22:30 (UTC)

Threaded | Flat

Questions

Abby Littman | Ginny & Georgia | The Lovers

Luke Skywalker ✸ Star Wars: Legends ✸ Free Cities

Maya Matlin | Degrassi | The Star

Nanaue ☠ The Suicide Squad ☠ Solvunn