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abraxasooc2021-07-18 11:55 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2021-07-18 11:55 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #2
TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to the second 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 two different arrival scenarios below for your character to take. If you have any questions about this mechanic or anything else related to the TDM, please take a look at the questions below or ask one of your own under the Questions header below. For general game questions please still use the FAQ.
Our previous TDM has some answers to relevant questions as well, and feel free to look at our Game History page! Anything on that page - including information about the Horizon and the Singularity - can be assumed to be told to newcomers after they arrive, whether they are prisoners or honored guests. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, please see our NPCs page.
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:
"Aha!"
Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"Oh, thank heavens," he sighs, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief.
Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem quite relieved at his jovial outburst, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.
"Please, come with me, you're an honored guest here," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle, "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."
One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.
Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (the newcomers who were summoned back in June may have a great deal of information to tell you), or you can wander around and meet the others.
There's also a dining hall stocked with a rotating 24/7 buffet in celebration of the new honored guests. Somehow, your very favorite food is part of the rotation (or at least an attempted recreation of it given the limited technology available to the Thorneans). The town surrounding the castle is all abuzz as well, with most shops and services willing to give free samples of their wares to the new arrivals.
You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).
Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and spending too much time with the prisoners will lead to some suspicion being cast upon you. If you ask anyone why the prisoners are being held there, you'll be told that they pose a potential threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world) and are awaiting trial.
"Drat," Ambrose says with a frown, "And here I thought we'd worked out all the kinks this time."
The High Mage looks up from his book, wide-eyed as he stumbles back. If you look behind you, you'll notice that in the time it took Ambrose to browse his book, the tarot card hanging behind you has reversed and is now hanging upside down. An apprentice runs to snatch it from the pillar and put it back with the rest of the deck.
The apprentices seem apprehensive, but Ambrose regains his composure and resists the urge to insult their newly summoned captive. Instead, he turns to the apprentices: "Get them clothed and we'll send them to await trial."
One of the apprentices drops a baggy, rough-feeling tunic, a pair of pants, and some worn sandals in your lap and glares down at you until you put them on (if you refuse, they'll tell you they can kick you back down that well if you don't want to cooperate).
Once you're fully clothed, another apprentice clamps some heavy iron shackles around your wrists and leads you on. The High Mage is far ahead of you already, muttering some long string of Thornean curses before he stands up straight and pauses, spinning to face you.
"One more thing," he says, holding one hand in the air and chanting something under his breath, "Can't have you getting too troublesome."
If you had powers, the slight connection you still had to them slips away completely and you're left with nothing as the four apprentices drag you towards the castle. Despite your prisoner status, they will answer your questions to the best of their ability.
Once you arrive at the castle you're brought to the dungeons and thrown into a locked cell. There are four people to a cell, and two sets of bunk beds with a thin and lumpy straw mattress. If you're over six feet tall, these beds are going to be awfully uncomfortable. You might as well meet your roommates. Once per day you're dragged out to an enclosed courtyard for one hour of recreation (with some crude weights, benches, and balls lying around but not much else), where you can meet the rest of the prisoners, but you can also talk to your immediate neighbors in the cells on either side and across the hallway. Just don't yell too much or the guards will snap at you to be quiet.
Everyone in the dungeon is fed one meal a day, and for a prison meal it's decent: a bit of meat, a bun, and a salad. It would seem that the Thornean chefs take too much pride in their craft to send bad food to the dungeons. The meals are all served in equal portions, though, so the smaller prisoners may be overfed and the larger ones may be getting hungry. Feel free to fight for food or share with your cellmates.
Crudely embroidered on the back of every prison tunic is the same image that was on your card and the name of the sign beneath it. A guard may explain a bit about the sign, and will be blunt and honest but not overly negative about it.
You may be blessed with a visit from one of the more welcomed newcomers, and they may sneak you some extra food or a small book to read or they may share some of the information they've gathered. The guards will even interfere if the honored guests are being overtly cruel to the prisoners from now on.
Questions
How many slots are open?
Currently, there are only four slots open for new players. We will process activity check before opening applications, so we will have a better idea of the exact count then. Existing players can apply for a second character withour restriction.
How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Whether your character is honored or imprisoned has nothing to do with their personal morality, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into either situation.
Can I try out both scenarios?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.
What happens if my character refuses to comply with Ambrose?
Prisoners will be dragged against their will. Honored guests will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and Ambrose and the apprentice mages will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, Ambrose will warn them once that he's willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight he will make good on that promise.
My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the castle, murdering the castle staff, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other staff 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 (if they are an honored guest) or a punishment like denial of food or temporary solitary confinement (if they are a prisoner), and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Thorneans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.
I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from the original TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes!
Is the power loss for the prisoners permanent?
No, although honored guests will regain their powers first due to the lack of interference from Ambrose, the prisoners will be able to regain theirs soon enough as well.
Can the prisoners talk about anything private, or will they be overheard at all times?
There are guards patrolling the dungeon, but they aren't always within earshot. Most of the attention is being focused on the new guests, so the prisoners will have some opportunities for privacy.
The first prisoners in June were just thrown in their cells without being told they are awaiting trial. Will they be told differently now that the new prisoners are here?
Yes, all prisoners new and old will be told that the Court has shown mercy on them and they will be given a fair trial sometime in August to determine their fate.
Whether or not that's actually true - and whether they believe it, even if it is - is another story, but they will all be informed.
Can my character leave the castle?
Honored guests can leave the castle itself, but cannot leave the surrounding town.
Can my character eventually side against Thorne if I choose to make them an honored guest/can they side with Thorne if I choose to imprison them?
For this TDM, it will be easier for welcomed characters to side with Thorne and for imprisoned characters to side with one of the other two factions, so we encourage you to take a look at the factions and see where you might want your character to go.
However, that is not set in stone and if you change your mind, characters in Scenario 1 will be able to betray Thorne, and characters in Scenario 2 can work themselves into Thorne's good graces.
How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will affect characters throughout August, but our August event will wrap up the honored guests vs. prisoners plotline, so your character won't be imprisoned for too long. This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.
Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in both scenarios can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.
Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the two scenarios on your application.
What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).
Our previous TDM has some answers to relevant questions as well, and feel free to look at our Game History page! Anything on that page - including information about the Horizon and the Singularity - can be assumed to be told to newcomers after they arrive, whether they are prisoners or honored guests. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, please see our NPCs page.
Arrival
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:
"Aha!"
Scenario One: Welcome to Thorne
Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"Oh, thank heavens," he sighs, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief.
Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem quite relieved at his jovial outburst, and the one that handed you the tunic stops to take the tarot card down from the marble slab. If you show any curiosity about the card, they'll let you take a longer look, but won't let you touch it.
"Please, come with me, you're an honored guest here," he says, motioning for you to follow him towards the castle, "As promised, my pupils will explain your current situation. And, ah - if you had any magic of your own, or other special abilities you can't access right now, fear not, they'll return within the week. The summoning takes a lot out of you."
One of the apprentices steps forward and rattles on and on about the castle, Thorne itself, the names of a bunch of royals and nobles, and of course, your reason for being here. The Kingdom and the world itself is in great peril, and tales of your exploits have reached far and wide across universes. If asked about these exploits, the apprentice will simply smile and shrug. The High Mage was happy to see you and that's good enough.
Once inside the castle you're taken to the North Wing, which has been set up as living quarters for you and your fellow newcomers. There are four people to a room, but each generously-sized bed has opaque curtains that can be drawn around it. You can meet your roommates here and discuss your shared situation (the newcomers who were summoned back in June may have a great deal of information to tell you), or you can wander around and meet the others.
There's also a dining hall stocked with a rotating 24/7 buffet in celebration of the new honored guests. Somehow, your very favorite food is part of the rotation (or at least an attempted recreation of it given the limited technology available to the Thorneans). The town surrounding the castle is all abuzz as well, with most shops and services willing to give free samples of their wares to the new arrivals.
You may also notice that your sign is embroidered on your tunic: the same image you saw on the card from before with the name of the sign itself beneath it. If you ask the castle residents, they'll tell you a little bit about your sign (and will mostly stick to the positives, although some might point out the negatives).
Last (and, if you ask anyone else in the castle, least) there is a worn stone staircase leading underground to the dungeon. You can go there, if you wish, but all powers are restricted in the dungeons and spending too much time with the prisoners will lead to some suspicion being cast upon you. If you ask anyone why the prisoners are being held there, you'll be told that they pose a potential threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world) and are awaiting trial.
Scenario Two: Imprisoned
"Drat," Ambrose says with a frown, "And here I thought we'd worked out all the kinks this time."
The High Mage looks up from his book, wide-eyed as he stumbles back. If you look behind you, you'll notice that in the time it took Ambrose to browse his book, the tarot card hanging behind you has reversed and is now hanging upside down. An apprentice runs to snatch it from the pillar and put it back with the rest of the deck.
The apprentices seem apprehensive, but Ambrose regains his composure and resists the urge to insult their newly summoned captive. Instead, he turns to the apprentices: "Get them clothed and we'll send them to await trial."
One of the apprentices drops a baggy, rough-feeling tunic, a pair of pants, and some worn sandals in your lap and glares down at you until you put them on (if you refuse, they'll tell you they can kick you back down that well if you don't want to cooperate).
Once you're fully clothed, another apprentice clamps some heavy iron shackles around your wrists and leads you on. The High Mage is far ahead of you already, muttering some long string of Thornean curses before he stands up straight and pauses, spinning to face you.
"One more thing," he says, holding one hand in the air and chanting something under his breath, "Can't have you getting too troublesome."
If you had powers, the slight connection you still had to them slips away completely and you're left with nothing as the four apprentices drag you towards the castle. Despite your prisoner status, they will answer your questions to the best of their ability.
Once you arrive at the castle you're brought to the dungeons and thrown into a locked cell. There are four people to a cell, and two sets of bunk beds with a thin and lumpy straw mattress. If you're over six feet tall, these beds are going to be awfully uncomfortable. You might as well meet your roommates. Once per day you're dragged out to an enclosed courtyard for one hour of recreation (with some crude weights, benches, and balls lying around but not much else), where you can meet the rest of the prisoners, but you can also talk to your immediate neighbors in the cells on either side and across the hallway. Just don't yell too much or the guards will snap at you to be quiet.
Everyone in the dungeon is fed one meal a day, and for a prison meal it's decent: a bit of meat, a bun, and a salad. It would seem that the Thornean chefs take too much pride in their craft to send bad food to the dungeons. The meals are all served in equal portions, though, so the smaller prisoners may be overfed and the larger ones may be getting hungry. Feel free to fight for food or share with your cellmates.
Crudely embroidered on the back of every prison tunic is the same image that was on your card and the name of the sign beneath it. A guard may explain a bit about the sign, and will be blunt and honest but not overly negative about it.
You may be blessed with a visit from one of the more welcomed newcomers, and they may sneak you some extra food or a small book to read or they may share some of the information they've gathered. The guards will even interfere if the honored guests are being overtly cruel to the prisoners from now on.
How many slots are open?
Currently, there are only four slots open for new players. We will process activity check before opening applications, so we will have a better idea of the exact count then. Existing players can apply for a second character withour restriction.
How do I choose a scenario for my character?
Pick whichever situation appeals to you most. Whether your character is honored or imprisoned has nothing to do with their personal morality, or how highly they regard themselves and their own accomplishments. Anyone can be put into either situation.
Can I try out both scenarios?
You can! But please keep in mind that only the one you eventually choose can be game canon, if you decide to keep any of your TDM threads.
What happens if my character refuses to comply with Ambrose?
Prisoners will be dragged against their will. Honored guests will be forgiven for their moment of panic or anger if they have one, and Ambrose and the apprentice mages will try to calm them and persuade them further. If they put up too much of a fight and/or start actively attacking anyone, Ambrose will warn them once that he's willing to put them back in the well where they came from (see below), and if they continue to fight he will make good on that promise.
My character intends on causing a lot of trouble (destroying parts of the castle, murdering the castle staff, etc.), what would happen to them?
Characters who make too much trouble for the mages and other staff 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 (if they are an honored guest) or a punishment like denial of food or temporary solitary confinement (if they are a prisoner), and there will be plenty of opportunity for destruction and murder later, but for now the Thorneans have no desire to keep huge liabilities around.
I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from the original TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes!
Is the power loss for the prisoners permanent?
No, although honored guests will regain their powers first due to the lack of interference from Ambrose, the prisoners will be able to regain theirs soon enough as well.
Can the prisoners talk about anything private, or will they be overheard at all times?
There are guards patrolling the dungeon, but they aren't always within earshot. Most of the attention is being focused on the new guests, so the prisoners will have some opportunities for privacy.
The first prisoners in June were just thrown in their cells without being told they are awaiting trial. Will they be told differently now that the new prisoners are here?
Yes, all prisoners new and old will be told that the Court has shown mercy on them and they will be given a fair trial sometime in August to determine their fate.
Whether or not that's actually true - and whether they believe it, even if it is - is another story, but they will all be informed.
Can my character leave the castle?
Honored guests can leave the castle itself, but cannot leave the surrounding town.
Can my character eventually side against Thorne if I choose to make them an honored guest/can they side with Thorne if I choose to imprison them?
For this TDM, it will be easier for welcomed characters to side with Thorne and for imprisoned characters to side with one of the other two factions, so we encourage you to take a look at the factions and see where you might want your character to go.
However, that is not set in stone and if you change your mind, characters in Scenario 1 will be able to betray Thorne, and characters in Scenario 2 can work themselves into Thorne's good graces.
How much will my choice of scenario affect my character's plot later on?
This choice will affect characters throughout August, but our August event will wrap up the honored guests vs. prisoners plotline, so your character won't be imprisoned for too long. This decision - and every other major decision you make in game! - will also be used to flavor some mod surprises that will be coming down the line.
Don't get too anxious about this choice, though; this is just one choice you'll get to make in a game that has a lot of them, and every character in both scenarios can work their way towards many, many individual goals and outcomes. You're not locking yourself out of anything in the future via the choice you made on the TDM. It will primarily impact the immediate future with the far-reaching effects being up to each player.
Are TDM threads mandatory for my application?
No, you may use other samples, but we encourage you to post to the TDM and get a feel for this game and its mechanics before you join. If you do not have a TDM thread you will still need to choose one of the two scenarios on your application.
What if I haven't settled on a sign yet?
You can ignore sign-related prompts if you're undecided (or try out different signs in different threads).
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no subject
[ Comically, Nero turns his head and opens his mouth wide so that he can stick his tongue out. He makes a noise, but it is mostly because he usually is on the bitch-duty of cleaning up the corpses and finds it to be a pain.
But he freezes -- tongue hanging out of his mouth as he rolls his eyes back over to his companion. ]
You use dead bodies? I can't imagine that they are able to produce much in terms of spells or the like... but what do I know? My dark arts work completely differently.
no subject
What's wrong with that? I'm a Forgemaster. It's what I do.
[Nobody here knows what a Forgemaster is, but Hector still tries.]
I create new life out of them. What can your 'dark arts' do?
no subject
[ He squints, never hearing a title like that before. ]
Oh. A necromancer. [ His eyes roll as his mouth hangs open to let out a long, suffering sigh. Why call it Forgemaster? Because it's more okay for people? ]
My dark arts? Well, it can do a little bit of everything. [ At least, they used to be able to do a little bit of everything. ] You know, the usual... mind control, illusions, lances of pure magic... [ Nero ticks off what he can do on his fingers. ]
Average shit.
no subject
[Not that he expects this guy to get that. The elf lists his powers, and Hector shows no sign of being impressed.]
Yes, standard stuff. I'm sure you're positively adequate.
[He steers them into a clothing shop. The elf never answered what he was shopping for, so Hector's taking a guess.]
no subject
[ The elf shrugs his shoulders as he gives a wide smile to the unimpressed expression that he's being given. ]
Don't be so glum. I'm sure your dark magics can do amazing things, too.
[ He rubs his hands along his tunic, attempting to shove them into his pockets, but finds they are nonexistent with the pair of clothes he chose today. So, he actually is a little grateful to be sauntering into a store to pick up some clothes. ]
Wonder if they have anything in leather... what do you think? [ Ah, right? ] Name's Nero. And yours is?
no subject
[Hector doesn't have to like someone to talk their ear off about his work, after all. He managed with Godbrand, he can manage with Nero.]
Hector. They should have something for you. They'll insist on putting your damn arcana on it, but you'll have to live with that. It's inescapable here.
[At least the clothes are good quality here, and reasonably priced. Other than flat out refusing to exclude the emblem of the wearer's arcana, the owners are willing to help adapt their wares to suit the Honored Guests' sensibilities.
Hector points Nero to a shelf that looks like it holds leathers, and launches into an exclamation of Devil Forging. He'll keep going until Nero shuts him up, sorry.]
no subject
[ He gives a quick shrug about being upset that the arcana will be on his clothes. Nero pauses to give Hector a look that reads that he feels the man is being a little fussy and precious about the wrong sort of things. ]
We could be in the dungeons and unable to change our clothes at all, Hector.
[ First world problems. ]
Ah, leather, my old friend. [ The elf does a little hop and skip to leather. He runs his fingers over the material to test the quality and is quite pleased with it all. The stuff chaffs like no one's business, but it makes a person look just so cool, and he can't deny that he loves looking his best. So, he lets his new acquaintance continue to talk about Devil Forging as he muses over what he'll be wearing. ]
Mmm, mmm, mmm... so, do you ever think about having sex with your creations?
no subject
Yes, I suppose we could. [That had been his situation before coming here, after all. How a month in this city had made that feel so long ago....]
But we're not, so long as we're useful to the Thornes.
[Which Hector plans to be, up until the moment he makes his escape from here.
He paces around the aisles as Nero shops, not needing anything for himself from this particular store at the moment, but comes to a full stop at that question.]
What the fuck is wrong with you? Of course not.
[Is that was Nero does with his Dark Powers? Gross. Hector's disapproval of this elf is growing by the minute.]
no subject
[ Nero happily echoes the sentiment. He also wants to remain helpful to Thornes. They're dabbling in magic that feels like it is beyond them, and he wants to know why. He's curious about what this is all building towards, and why the guests are being so buttered-up.
What atrocities are we going to be asked to do? His smile widens as he wonders what expression that the other people will have, and if they will then rise up against Thornes; he can't help but chuckle at that thought. ]
Just curious. [ He replies to the quiet outrage and disapproval directed his way. His shoulders giving a small shrug in reply. ] Ain't no reason to get upset about it... but it does seem like you take your task and powers really seriously.
no subject
Dunno where you're from, but most people tend not to like when accusations of corpse-fucking start flying around. [Just as, like, a general societal rule. Hector's not too hip to the finer points of normal human behavior, but he's very certain of that one.]
I do take it seriously. My work is my life. I can create things that no one else can. It's fucking amazing.
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[ Nero nods his head like he is paying attention and will keep it in mind in the future. Will he? Probably not. But he rarely gets the chance to ask someone if they fuck dead bodies. ]
I'd like to say that's pretty bleak, but I understand what you mean. [ He smiles, pleasantly for once. ] Not so much with bringing dead creatures back to life, but ... my life is my work.
[ The world isn't going to end itself, after all. Well, it might end itself, but he'd like to have a hand in it. ]
Still, that amount of pride that you have... it's all right.
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Hector shrugs.]
You'd be surprised how many people disagree. 'Pride is a sin', and rot like that.
[Which is bullshit, in Hector's opinion. Pride in the creation of one's own hands should be considered a virtue. In spite of himself, his opinion of this shitty elf raises slightly.]
What is it that you do?
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[ Nero has no illusions like that, however. He knows he is absolute shit and his personality is worse; he's not better than anyone around him, but he still has pride in himself. Why shouldn't he? Even if he is the worst person there is, he still likes himself.
Being a good person and loving oneself has nothing to do with one another. Life lessons!! ]
Anyway, I was helping with a plague that had overtaken the entire world. Killing lots and lots of people for good few decades. [ Says a man that looks like he's in his mid-twenties. ]
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Everyone thinks they will never be the one outcast, so long as they can denounce someone else.
[It's a survival instinct, a very shitty one.
He trying to puzzle through what Nero says. Was the plague killing, or was he? Did Hector want to know the answer?
The decades comment doesn't cause him pause; he's too used to centuries old vampires.]
Plagues are always messy. This must be a nice break for you.
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[ Nero sings out his reply, but it is nice that someone else gets it. The world -- every world, maybe -- is all headed toward destruction because people just inherently hate each other.
He can't help but laugh a little bit about it.
As for me, I can't say I have any deep hatred or love for anyone. Maybe, that's my problem. His indifference towards life makes it easy for him to kill. Maybe if he hated or loved more, it'd be harder to carry out the act. ]
Actually, I kind of miss it. [ The elf admits. ] You feel like you're going forward when you're dealing with a plague. It's small steps forward, but you feel like something is getting done.
Here... it feels like I'm just digging around the trash and hope that I get enough information to understand what is going on in the first place. [ He sighs. ] And even then, it's only some half-formed idea. It isn't the truth... just the truth that I've decided on.
You know what I mean? [ Murdering folks is easier than gathering information. He has to go with his own biases and own warped understanding -- and he's aware that its very warped -- so he can't even be sure that he's come across the "truth."
What he wouldn't give for some evil monologue... ]
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There is a sort of comforting simplicity, having a clear job to do and being able to work toward it.
[Hector wouldn't ask for a plague or a war, but he can understand the sense of purpose that comes with them, and the lack of direction that follows when they end.]
We'll have to figure out what the fuck it is they need us to do here. I don't think the Thornes know beyond the vaguest idea of 'save the world'. Rather rude of them to call us here and not know what to do with us.
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[ Go to a town or city. Murder everything. Leave.
Rinse repeat. ]
Saving the world is quite a broad statement, too. [ His face scrunches up as he feels his nose wiggle. ] I really hope they're not gonna make us some giant sacrifice to keep this world afloat.
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[Back home, Dracula had given him his own lab. Say what you will about the vampire lord and his madness, he'd known how to win Hector over.]
But I think we're tools they want to use. They'll want to keep us in working order.
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[ He tugs a little on the leather in his hands. His eyes roll up as he wonders just how much his boys down between his legs are going to be able to breathe in the clothes. ]
But you're right about that... we are tools that they're wanting to keep around. Why else keep those prisoners alive?
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[Yet, as Nero has pointed out, they haven't been executed. Even the prisoner slated for execution only landed himself there by purportedly attacking Ambrose. Hector is personally glad the head mage seems to be too optimistic or squeamish to deal with the problem in the most logical way, since there is someone in the cells he hopes to see freed.]
The question is, what could they do to compel our service? We are the ones with the power to shape the singularity, so unless they have some means of mind control, they can't force us to act against our will.
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[ He opens his mouth to give a few nods. That's why he isn't a fan of Thorne's, it seems. Nero's the kind of person that'd happily follow someone to bring about the world's destruction in the name of heroic deed and sacrifice, but he has little appreciation for those that lack the stomach to kill.
Just half-assed efforts. The elf says to himself, and is pleased that he can make all the opinions that he likes as someone who has just rolled into the situation. Nervous about the prisoners but not wanting to kill them 'cause he thinks he can sweet talk them into listening?
His head lifts. ]
What if it's a lot more simple than that... what if it's just find someone who can coerce the prisoners and get that person to agree with Thorne's methods?
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[Costly and inefficient, with a crew as varied as is in those dungeons. It isn't even a matter of 'good' and 'evil', it's simple unrealistic.]
And that's supposing that Ambrose can find someone to act as this enforcer you speak of.
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[ He lightly taps his finger against the side of his head. ]
The elfin chieftain had a Brand that could easily control countries without breaking a sweat. [ It had so much power in it, and that is why Nero wanted it so desperately. But alas, he never was able to acquire it for himself. ] Well, it isn't 100% forcing someone to follow your orders.
It's like... presenting them with an ideal reality that they fall into, you see. They want to be controlled because otherwise they're forced to live in the real world. And ask you can see... [ Nero waves his arm to gesture around them. ] ... real world's kind of shit. So most people want to live in the fantasy world presented to 'em.
If Ambrose summoned someone like that... well, I think a lot more prisoners would end up being released and swearing loyalty to Thorne.
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[Hector's assuming the 'brand' is some sort of magic item that could project such a false reality, but would it be reliable? People are illogical, never doing what you predict they will.]
I'm sure if Ambrose could, he would have. I suspect his summoning process is imprecise, thus the number of people he ends up having to imprison.
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[ He gives a small nod as he explains how the mind control works. It isn't so much as forcibly taking command of someone's head but giving them what they want and what they don't want at the same time. ]
The chieftain is a strict pacifist and hates involving himself with humans. [ Nero waves his hand, dismissing the idea. ] But I would love to see that bastard locked up 'cause he wouldn't be willing to play nice.
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