abraxasmods: (Default)
ABRAXAS MODS ([personal profile] abraxasmods) wrote in [community profile] abraxasooc2024-03-20 11:39 am
Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME #17

Test Drive Meme
Important Links
SettingGame HistoryNPCsArcanaFAQ
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 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. You can also find answers to questions asked on previous TDMs in their respective question threads.

The TDM is forward-dated to when the summonings occur in-game (when applications are accepted), at the start of April.

While the world is undergoing some tumultuous weather, newly arrived characters will be assured that everything is being taken care of and cautioned to shelter indoors where possible.
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 getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying the 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 territories: 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.

Go to scenario
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 is cool and marked by howling windstorms. In the distance, snow continues to cover the mountain peaks. Spring flowers are beginning to bloom in the gardens. 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:
  • Windstorms batter the walls outside. The city of Castle Thorne is largely safe, but debris, fallen trees, and toppled wagons are still a danger. Try not to go outside unless you have to! Across the sky, lightning surges horizontally, never touching the ground.

  • 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. There's some buzz about the arrival of Admiral Rudolph Sidwell, the Queen's uncle. While Rudolph is temporarily staying in Nott, he can occasionally be seen in the castle halls when he visits Castle Thorne.
◎ Exploring
Despite the troubles that plague the land, Castle Thorne and its surrounding city have much for you to indulge in.
Sorting Tomes
A few apprentices out on errands have grown trapped behind some fallen debris, leaving the library short of helping hands. Volunteers are desperately needed to help sort and shelve the books, which are beginning to pile up. Fortunately, Thorne's magical shelving system means the shelves will immediately let you know if a book has been placed incorrectly. Unfortunately, the way this works is that the book will expel itself back out and fall to the floor. Watch your head!

Serene Steeds
Due to the heavy storms, Thorne's prized horses are growing nervous in their stables. To help soothe them, apprentice mages have asked you to cast a calming spell on each horse. The spell relies on Academic Magic. While the spell only requires saying a few words correctly, a lack of concentration can result in some unexpected memories or feelings surfacing, inducing strong emotions. You might vividly recall a tumultuous moment in your life or find yourself reflecting on who you are, where you came from, and where you might go next.

Painting Session
You're encouraged to explore Thorne's proud naval history in Borrel at its Maritime Fair. Because of the storms, it's being held indoors within heavily strengthened walls. Here, you can join a paint and cider session where you can follow a guided instructor to paint a displayed model of Thorne's famous naval warships. To finish your masterpiece, decorate the frame with Borrel's famous sea glass. The paints and brushes are enchanted to help you along, but it requires a little concentration. Growing frustrated with your progress might cause some splatters or turn the colors muddy. Not to worry! You can always start again with a fresh canvas.

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, is, unfortunately, CLOSED due to recent events.
◎ 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).

As an important figure to the kingdom, you can't move out of the city of Castle Thorne without permission or take any extended trips. If you're feeling restless, though, day trips to Nott or Borrel via portal are allowed, or you can visit Nocwich. Don't try to sneak out - someone will bring you back. 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 or you can earn some pocket money by doing chores around the Castle.

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. The climate is hot and dry, though the sandstorm has obscured the sun, lowering the typical spring temperatures. At night, temperatures will drop further. 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 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:
  • Sandstorms assail the cites, especially in Cadens. The dust is thick and choking, and visibility is low. Try not to go outside unless you have to! Across the sky, lightning surges horizontally, never touching the ground.

  • In the Cadens barracks, soldiers are hard at work fortifying its walls and preparing for further changes in weather. Shops and merchant stalls that populate Cadens' outdoor markets are absent. With the storms going on, the city streets are eerily empty except for vagrants and those who don't have shelter to retreat to.

  • City guards are present around an inn and tavern at the heart of Cadens - The Sarstina - where the Summoned like you are often found. They're here for your protection, not to prevent you from moving freely.
◎ Exploring
Despite the troubles that plague the land, the barracks and Cadens have much for you to indulge in.
Pimp My Ride
Innovation is the way of the Free Cities, and showing it off is just as important. Every few years, wagon enthusiasts will display their customized New Magic-powered wagons in the Wagon Parade. Although this usually takes place in the streets of Cadens, this month's storm has forced the parade indoors into the Fortune Arena, the oldest horse arena in the city. They'll need help boarding up windows and doorways so that the this year's amazing entries aren't harmed. As with any event, pop-up merchants appear along the parade line selling food, drink, and a variety of commemorative tokens.

Masking Up
Dust storms are not unheard of in the desert, but the reduced air quality is still a concern. In response, the government is distribuing breathing masks and is asking for volunteers who are willing to brave current conditions to hand them out. Standard government-issued designs are free, but some wealthy citizens have elected for a more refined design while the cautious opt for total coverage. You'll be given your own mask (in the design of your choice), but the winds will still be a force to contend with. Be sure to travel with a partner for safety.

New Wave, New Age
New Magic is how the Free Cities diverges from reliance on more traditional magic. With New Magic, the Arcana plays a much more limited role. However, New Age thinkers of Libertas have risen with the arrival of the Summoned. They stress that to move to the future, you cannot forget your past. To encourage this reconnection with one's roots, a group of New Age practitioners have set up a table at the Cadens Library. You can take part in designing your own tarot card on pieces of thin metal. The goal is to create a design that speaks to you the most: find inspiration from your connections to the world, from home, or through an important symbol in your life. Special pens will easily burn and engrave any marks you make, so craft carefully.

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, is, unfortunately, CLOSED due to recent events.
◎ 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 are 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'll eventually have to strike out on your own. The government won't provide for you 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, but you will want to start making money. Nearly everything in the Free Cities has a price - including the portal to Aquila. Luckily, the portal to Libertas is free if you want to stretch your legs.

Welcome to Solvunn
You're in a grassy clearing amid 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 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 who 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 who 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. With spring on the way, the winds remain somewhat chilly and the rains are heavy - not to mention the small twisters forming across the plains and on the ocean. 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:
  • Small twisters assail the settlements. While it isn't strong enough to lift homes or large structures, important shrines, and small animals are still in danger. Try not to go outside unless you have to! Across the sky, lightning surges horizontally, never touching the ground.

  • Shops and stalls have closed due to conditions. The strong community means in Solvunn everyone has chosen to pitch in to help each other out, delivering meals when there's a break in the storms, finding lost pets, repairing broken gates, and exchanging essential goods.

  • Fishing in the Tertiary Settlement has also ground to a halt. Isar Hart, who sits on the Council, can be seen frequently in the Primary Settlement to gather much-needed supplies for the residents.
◎ Exploring
Despite the troubles that plague the commune, the commune and its settlements have much for you to indulge in.
Shrine Offerings
As a new arrival, you'll be encouraged to perform your first offering. Due to the turbulent weather, Solvunn believes offerings in the tradition of High Magic might quell the Gods' fury. Create a bundle using a combination of fruit, wine, flowers, or an animal you've hunted. It must be picked and put together by your own hand. Once you're ready, you can approach any shrine belonging to a God that speaks to you: is it Cadaevos, who purifies the community and soul? Endrborrin, who brings forth spring and change? Vagn, who oversees one's journey in death? It's a good idea to travel with a partner. While the twisters aren't deadly, they can be dangerous if you're not careful. Perhaps, along the way, you can talk about what the concept of gods and blessings mean to you.

Goatnado
Due to the heavy rains, Solvunn's fine tradition of goat racing has been put on hold so the goats can be kept safe inside their pens. Of course, the goats prefer their free-range lifestyle and are prone to escaping. Help find missing goats or tend to the ones who have been returned to their pens. It may not be as simple as following the sound of bleating and tying them up; reports of small twisters picking up goats and other livestock have been made, sending them far away from their pens and farms and even into the more dangerous wilds or inconveniently on buildings and houses. You'll need to team up and track them down before they can cause any property damage or get hurt themselves.

The Shrieking of the Weeds
Goats and livestock aren't the only victims of the sudden winds. Farmlands and crops also face the brunt of destruction. The twisters travel quickly across Solvunn's low and flat landscape, and the freshly tilled earth is even easier to disturb. As a result, Shrieking Weeds, a staple garden guardian in Solvunn, are being ripped from the ground and sent in whirling, noisy tempests that keep everyone up all night and day. The weeds must be retrieved and will only quiet when planted back into the ground. Luckily, you can easily follow their discordant cries to find them.

Nocwich
Nocwich, which is shrouded in eternal darkness and is home to the werewolves and the vampires, is, unfortunately, CLOSED due to recent events.
◎ 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.

Goat-drawn wagons can help you get to the other settlements, but you're encouraged to remain in the Primary Settlement. If you insist, though, no one will stop you from leaving. Just be sure you have an invitation to the Secondary Settlement. There are tales of uninvited travelers to the Secondary Settlement disappearing without a trace. The gods are as hungry as they are protective.

Questions & 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 territory your character is drawn into has nothing to do with their morality, beliefs, or how highly they regard themselves and their 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 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 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 into 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 territory?
No, they must remain within the territory except when visiting Nocwich. Review the Travel section on each territory's Setting page for where characters can go within their borders.
Can my character eventually change territories?
Yes, but tensions between the major territories are at an all-time high. Doing so is possible, but will require some plotting 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. Those interested in court politics, the Singularity, and magic will have the most access in Thorne. Anyone who wishes to uncover the secrets of the Gods and other mysteries will best do so in Solvunn.

This is not to say characters are locked out of other scenarios completely. With effort and the help of friends, anything is possible! Don't get too anxious about your choice. Every character in each scenario can work their way towards many individual goals. Additionally, once in-game, the Horizon, Nocwich, and certain events will let characters make easy cross-border 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. You'll 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?
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. In situations where Nocwich is closed, you can put up prompts for multiple scenarios, though only the one you choose in the application can become canon.
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. 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.




cointosser: ([215 - S3])

horizon

[personal profile] cointosser 2024-04-02 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
It's been some time since Jaskier's taken to traveling across the Horizon -- at least past the domains he usually occupies for a bit of a change of pace. Geralt's temple, Julie's club. His own Bleobheris, the great oak. But the storms that have battered his glade and broken branches from his oak are enough to impress upon him the need for a bit of new scenery... and to see how far out the storms go.

It's when a particularly close peal of thunder startles him that he ducks inside a door, expecting some sort of shop or a home. And it is a home, or a piece of it... at least, it has the feel of one. But also one that has been abandoned, forgotten in the back of one's mind, for a very long time.

Mostly because it smells of dust. It's only his own perception of the room that makes him sneeze.

Jaskier approaches the lone machine on an equally lonely desk, curiousity piqued. It isn't one he's seen himself, not in the Horizon nor in the Free Cities. And odd little thing... but quite clearly for some sort of writing?

He presses a key, which slams a small arm onto a piece of paper.]

Oh! Now that's a delightful little thing, isn't it? [He's absolutely going to hit several keys at once to make that noise louder.]

[ooc: I just wanted to say your Alan is absolutely incredible! I hope even if you don't have time to app this round, you come to join us at some point! I would be absolutely thrilled to have an Alan in game :)]
dead_tongue: (voila)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-02 06:39 am (UTC)(link)
"Uh, yeah, I guess so!" Iggy has a vague idea what bards did.

"He sang about a lot of stuff, really. Love and fear and hope. Uh. Goblins, once, memorably."

Dance magic dance, Jon.
unresponsives: (Default)

[personal profile] unresponsives 2024-04-02 10:21 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe.

( though whilst she'd had one theory heather didn't know if she could be more helpful than that. a system sounded as if it made sense, things wouldn't work without rules or some kind of organisation to it? how would anyone learn it otherwise?

but it was just that, a theory, and whilst annabeth also didn't know that was more in terms of how specific it was to this place -- she did at least know about magic )


I think I've got a lot of reading to do before I know even anything about it. If I can find the right book or find out where any of them go.
flagrates: (clive-18517)

[personal profile] flagrates 2024-04-02 11:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's instinct to reach up and touch his scar, blinking at Cid before huffing out a soft laugh and glancing away, shaking his head. ]

Couldn't become Cid the Outlaw if I was still Branded, could I?

[ It's, maybe, more than he wants to admit at first, but it's been five years of regret at not saying more. He's not going to let this chance slip him by. ]
seaweedbrain: (049)

[personal profile] seaweedbrain 2024-04-02 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Percy blows out a breath, like he's gearing himself up to deliver the truth bomb of truth bombs.

He doesn't actually know if it'll mean anything to a guy from 1868, like maybe his saying '2009' (allegedly, because who knows what's going on in the Riordanverse timeline) is gonna just seem like he's spitting out a bunch of random numbers.

But if he were from the 19th century, where steam whistles and locomotive trains were the newest, hottest thing? He'd probably ... uh. Faint or something. Oh, man, he hopes this guy doesn't faint. ]


Well, I've got some good news and some ... weird news. The good news is that the new inventions totally don't stop happening, and New York is gonna get interesting and stay interesting — [ Look, he has to say something, okay, he has to. ] — and the weird news? Is that I know that for a fact. 'Cause I'm from like a hundred some years after you.
seaweedbrain: (126)

[personal profile] seaweedbrain 2024-04-02 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Nope, no, that's okay, he's fine. No pinching necessary, thank you very much!

Percy's equally sure this likely isn't a dream because the usual markers of a demigod-dream-turned-vision-turned-warning-turned-prophecy aren't there. It feels almost too normal, too mundane. Nothing's coming in to jumpscare them, no god or goddess is making a grand entrance to bless them with their presence only to offer a really crappy deal and a sugar-coated threat of 'do it, or else'.

It's just two campers in a weird world, walking away from the stables.

So it's gotta be real. ]


— hold on. What did Zeus do to Apollo? 'Just won the Giant war'?

[ He leaves out the expletives this time. He is also starting to backtrack on that whole 'dream' thing. ]
seaweedbrain: (030)

[personal profile] seaweedbrain 2024-04-02 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The horses calming down does seem to help — a bit — with the roar of noise and visual stimuli that seems to have surrounded Percy within the last few minutes of his distraction. He doesn't register it as anything specific, but the pinched look in his expression eases ever so slightly. However, try as he might, and truthfully he isn't trying all that hard on account of his own fears gripping at him, he doesn't see a way out of here.

No doors, no spots of warm and inviting light, no neon sign with a blinking arrow telling him, 'Freedom from your own waking nightmares, right here!'

He thinks he can hear someone else, here with him in Tartarus 2.0, and it's familiar like he's heard that voice before. But it isn't Annabeth, and some distant howl of dry, acrid wind captures his attention again.

He mumbles something unintelligible, something caught between a gasp and the starts of a name. It probably doesn't come out sounding so cool. ]
divinityfrompain: (106)

[personal profile] divinityfrompain 2024-04-02 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
That's exactly what it is. Fantasy galore. But it's also all real. You'll get used to it eventually.

[ It's okay that she is still baffled by it all. Julia is one of the lucky people who is used to a supernatural world so adjusting here was pretty easy. It doesn't make it pleasant; she didn't want to be kidnapped to a weird world away from what was extremely important in her real life. Goddess training really had to be up there in necessity, but here she is instead. Still, she was only a few years ago new to magic, so she knows how hard it can be to open your mind all the way.]

I can take you if you want. It's not far from here, but it's better to go by day so the animals aren't out and about.

[ Julia can probably fight back them herself so Beta isn't in any danger, but it still seems like a smart thing to suggest in case she goes wandering on her own later. It can be dangerous in the woods in Solvunn, but most creatures genuinely want to be left alone by humans. They only do something if they must.]

It's up to you. She set up this cool obstacle course, are you good at those too?
simils: (pic#)

[personal profile] simils 2024-04-02 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I suppose...it really is amazing what can someone get used to.

[ Her eyes shine at the offer, but there's a bit of reticence as well. She has no reason to distrust her, specially since Julia mentioned Aloy on her own, but then again...

Distrust still runs deep within her. And yet, Beta doesn't really have many options to go with at the moment.
]

Sure, but...animals?

[ At the mention of the obstacle course, she grimaces. ]

Nnnno, I'm still catching up on the...physical side of things.

[ She's a wimp. A wimpy kid. ]
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696595)

[personal profile] wwrench 2024-04-02 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
The little room leaves few options for alternate seating, and Wrench knows that settling onto the floor will probably look more rude than chivalrous, but he still considers the bed for several long seconds before settling in next to Iggy. The big man leaves space between them and tucks one leg under himself, sitting so he's faced toward the younger man.

I typically drink in the tavern. I'm sure there's someone fermenting their own beer by now, though.

My "thing?" I guess so, yeah. Hunting, fishing. A little foraging, but there are others here better at that than me. Helped out with construction, some, but I mostly try to take care of myself and avoid needing to trade when I can.
dead_tongue: (say cheese)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-02 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
It feels so wild to say 'tavern' and not just 'bar.' God, I'm gonna miss clubbing so much.

Iggy's little smile grows.

I think you're the most antisocial person I've ever met.

You wanna make out?
wwrench: <lj user=proverbially> (pic#13703904)

[personal profile] wwrench 2024-04-02 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Believe me, once you see it you're going to have a hard time calling it anything else. Wrench smirks, imagining the young man before him dressed in something that might be more suitable for a packed warehouse with music blaring and laser lights flashing in a hundred directions. His concept of clubbing might need some work.

People are fine. I just don't like owing anyone for anything.

To the last statement, he shrugs his shoulders. How long has it been, Wrench wonders, since he made out with someone? Can he even remember back far enough to recall how it went? He stuffs down the urge to ask Iggy why he'd want that. Can't exactly pretend to watch something on TV, I guess.
dead_tongue: (gosh)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-02 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh boy. I'm getting Medieval Times vibes.

Really, Wrench isn't too far off provided that he's picturing a slutty outfit.

Iggy tilts his head to one side a little.

You view every human interaction as transactional? That's really funny, that you do and I don't. It should be the other way around.

The shrug isn't exactly the enthusiastic agreement that Iggy was hoping for, but he's pretty sure Wrench isn't enthusiastic about much. Very stoic, this one.

He puts one elegant hand on Wrench's knee and grins.

Did they have 'Netflix and Chill' in your when?

No pressure. I like just talking to you. You're awfully funny.
seaweedbrain: (122)

[personal profile] seaweedbrain 2024-04-02 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Percy might have a long-standing history of being pretty dense when it comes to picking up on emotional cues, but it's hard to miss the way Annabeth's expression changes — the crease between her brows, the tightness in her mouth and in her eyes, it all seems to soften to something that doesn't quite reach a smile when he studies her, but it's good enough for him.

Nothing grounds him more to reality, to himself, than Annabeth Chase.

The last of the too-vivid images of Tartarus ebb away to the edges of his memory, easily enough to be distracted by anything else. Which, you know, is good, because he does not want to think about Tartarus as much as humanly (or non-humanly) as possible for the rest of his life.

With an exhale, he nods. ]


Yeah. I'm okay now.

[ Thanks to you, he doesn't embarrassingly blurt out, but that much is clear if he climbed a church tower and rang the bells as loudly as he could. ]
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696591)

[personal profile] wwrench 2024-04-02 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
It might have something to do with who's used to screwing and who's used to getting screwed over. The answer is a tidy one, even if it's not entirely truthful. An itching thought in the back of Wrench's mind reminds him that no one betrayed him; they simply stripped every possibility from him and then wound up dead.

It's an easy thought to dismiss when he's so eager to set it into the past. Easier still when Iggy's hand shows up on his kneecap. Wrench looks at the man's slender fingers and feels compelled to reach out and give them a squeeze.

Maybe? You're going to lose me with most cultural references. I was off the grid for a long time. He etches Iggy's palm with a fingertip.
dead_tongue: (cleaned up)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-03 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
Iggy just shakes his head and laughs silently.

See? You're funny.

It's easy to smile instead of talk about how it feels to be used, about the strange ways one can combat that feeling. About how they wound up here, in a dark little room in some other world.

Iggy turns his hand so Wrench can trace patterns on it. His smile is soft, his posture welcoming. Everything about him invites touch.

Do I make you nervous?
inthenameofhades: (Smiling face)

[personal profile] inthenameofhades 2024-04-03 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
Zagreus thinks about this for a moment, and then laughs. "You know...I think a demonstration might be easier."

And with that, he starts running towards the goat. In terms of pure running speed, he's not Hermes fast - but he's still quicker than most mortals. But more importantly than that is the effect that shifting has on his movement.

It looks like some kind of mix between teleportation and phasing - a kind of practically instantaneous movement forward about a metre in space, leaving behind streaks of red light as he goes. He repeats this several times, and the goat most certainly does not have any change to react before Zagreus is bodily picking it up, and tossing it over one shoulder.

Then he's speeding back towards Teddy, coming to a stop just in from of them. The goat, meanwhile, appears to have acquired a 1000 yard stare from the experience.

"Do I get the bonus points?" Zagreus says, cheeky.
kobes: (Default)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-04-03 01:29 am (UTC)(link)
"They run it?" Koby glances up, over the tops of his glasses, eyebrows arched. "That's a big job." One that Iggy doesn't seem to be super enthused about, which is...very interesting. Koby quietly files that away, continuing his drawing. He's not...particularly great at it, his talents much more inclined to map-drawing. Art for art's sake is beyond him.

Ears still very red, Koby clears his throat a few times, reflexively. "I -- was worried someone might hear. Or say something. Or -- I don't know. Where I'm from, once you start that topic, it's very hard to get people to stop."
divinityfrompain: (sm1b308)

[personal profile] divinityfrompain 2024-04-03 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
That's very true. I mean, you're from a future with robot dinosaurs, you'd know. In my time we don't have anything as sophisticated as the tech Aloy's mentioned.

[ Julia's from 2018, they have technology but it's not along the lines of the dinosaur that Aloy let her ride on in the Horizon. Julia was shocked at something that impressive, but apparently they're normal in Beta and Aloy's time. She doesn't know all of Aloy's story yet but she's tried to get a good picture of her. She's a fascinating woman.]

Yeah animals, don't go wandering around at night in the woods, but during the day it's fine. Aloy's actually put together a hunting party thing, it's really cool.

[ Julia gestures for Beta to follow her. A gust of wind comes shooting toward them, howling in the air, and Julia flicks a hand at it, a spell tossing the wind aside. The magic is so casually used that she keeps chattering to Beta like she didn't just toss a mini tornado to the side like it was nothing.]

We don't have to do the obstacle course. That's something she can teach you separately. I know the way through.
dead_tongue: (u don't say)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-03 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
A long and measured stare. Then:

"...do you think they're going to sacrifice us?!" And on the heels of that," Oh my god, do you think there will be an orgy?!"
sophos: (pic#5602696)

[personal profile] sophos 2024-04-03 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
[ percy doesn't need to say it, because she can see in his expression the implication she already felt. thanks to you. the pull she has on percy is incredibly intimidating sometimes, as much as she thrives on it too. she saw how far he would go for her sake many times over in tartarus and can recognize the underside of that, but standing now in his arms she also knows the way they ground each other is stronger. they have a lot to figure out about whatever the hell they've been thrown into now, but right now she just wants to bask in the way he's looking at her, like she hung the goddamn moon. ]

[ but he's okay. and so is she. that's a good start. ]

[ annabeth would never admit she doesn't have anything to say, a little overwhelmed by her own feelings as much as his, but she doesn't think percy will mind the way she lifts off her heels just enough to easily kiss him. how else is she supposed to react to - any of that?? arms still wrapped around his shoulders, she smiles a little against his mouth and takes another bout of comfort from letting herself just exist in only his space. ]
simils: (pic#)

[personal profile] simils 2024-04-03 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
Has Aloy told you about our world?

[ While Beta doesn't mind talking about it, the fact their "future" is kind of a backwards dystopia...with robot dinosaurs.

Beta stands up, dusting herself off. She follows Julia, quickly catching on her hand movements.
]

W-what are you doing with your hand? It's like...the wind obeys you. And yeah, I'm sure she will.

[ Knowing Aloy, she's going to have Beta climbing walls and rappelling down whatever they have for Longnecks in no time. ]
simils: (pic#)

texting

[personal profile] simils 2024-04-03 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦.
tedandroses: (dreaming)

[personal profile] tedandroses 2024-04-03 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
Once Teddy's been given permission for hugs -- unless it's explicitly taken away -- it's pretty much a yes, though they still tend to telegraph. Being surprised with them? Bonus points. Whether it's their own social justice awareness or generally affecting a sort of stoic attitude -- apparently interdimensional travel puts your heart on your sleeve -- or just being tiny, that almost never happens.

"I have faith in you," Teddy assures in a deadpan, restrained grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Like that, though, Iggy's own smile goes a little nervous and hesitant, fading from his eyes to a polite sort of thing that Teddy can recognize from how often he's done it. Teddy nods, slowly, listening and thinking. "Well," he says, and the vowel shift his accent puts there makes the word an easy thing to draw out to think on. "I don't know if what I'm thinking of has anything to do with the religion, or not.

"When I hear 'Spiritualism'," he explains, tilting his head thoughtfully and seriously, "I get --" Another waved hand in much the same way as Vancouver. Hopefully more accurately? "Spirits, mediums, uh: the Fox sisters, Lily Dale, Arthur Conan Doyle? Which is probably why I even got into this...oh!" Teddy blinks out of the literal string of free association in a realization that actually, there is a religious aspect they know about.

"No: It was Quakers. I took this Radical Thought class sophomore year of college, and the Quakers were. Kind of all over it, honestly, it was great. And they got really into Spiritualism, and a lot of their ideas got linked up -- pacifism, and abolition, and --" Teddy's being sort of enthusiastic. They liked that class, and it was also kind of nice to read a lot about progressive religious groups while having one of their many many periods of what do I believe.

Unfortunately, they're rambling. "And...I'm either way off the mark, or I'm explaining the history of your religion to you," they say and make a face, holding up both hands in apology. "But uh. Yes! Healing prayer. Is a thing I am intimately familiar with." Teddy's, frankly, just glad they didn't go to some other, just-a-step-to-the-right churches that would have absolutely, in the Year Of Our Lord 2023, seen their epilepsy as a sign they'd been possessed.

"And -- hey..." Her voice softens and she looks up at Iggy. "You can't weird me out, okay? Tell me whatever you want to. Or not. I mean." She shrugs. "My sorta boyfriend in high school was from a Pentecostal family -- that's the one with the speaking in tongues? And I know he at least, kind of...panic attacked himself into it. But...I'm still open to the possibility that some people don't. You know? I don't know everything. Much less about God. ...sss? I mean. Isn't that the point?"


"Yeah okay, Canada," they tease back and try to think if there's any kid in their state who hasn't seen a gun, at least historical weapons. "Hm. I'll take it."

Teddy nods, feeling a little warmed and increasingly relaxed about verging onto serious subjects. Iggy's got a lot of surface flash: clever, funny, pretty, light-hearted -- but it's the more thoughtful, considerate underneath that actually intrigues him. He hums softly in thought. "I mean, just based on other polytheistic religions -- I don't know, Greek mythology? Or Celtic, Norse... I'd guess they're sort of all available to pray to or go to for advice depending. Or. From my very brief I'm sooo edgy 13 year old pagan dabbling, maybe different ones become relevant at different times of the year? But." He pauses. "Then again, I guess there are devotees of a single god in Greek history, too..."
dead_tongue: (bruh)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-04-03 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Iggy's eyes widen. "I was aiming for reassuring," he says honestly.

"I'm trying to like... honour your feelings, you know?"

Page 39 of 49