TEST DRIVE MEME #5

[abraxasmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the fifth 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.

Our Setting pages are full of information on the world of Abraxas, and an overview of the story so far can be found on 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, no matter which faction they are received in. For more information on Ambrose and the apprentice mages, Marlo, and Rowan, please see our NPCs page.

You can also find answers to questions asked on previous TDMs in their respective questions threads— 1, 2, 3, and 4.

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.

Scenario One: Welcome to Thorne

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 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 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.

"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 sighs with relief:

"Finally!"

Ambrose's expression brightens, relief visible across his features. 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 says, closing the book and approaching you with a sort of worn-out relief. “I was beginning to believe we’d never get it exactly right.”

Now that he's not hunching over the book, he doesn't seem quite so stuffy and inapproachable. The apprentices all seem to visibly relax, 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," 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 (those who were previously brought in 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 most of the cells stand empty.

Scenario Two: Welcome to Cadens

You find yourself pulled from the water by a pair of strong hands. Dry warmth hits you at once as you're set on a warm hard floor. As your senses return you realize you're on dull ruddy stone and surrounded by strangers. 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 on the far side is a raised pedestal with a card propped on it. The card bears an arcana symbol.

You feel weak. Drained. Any abilities or magical powers you have seem far away and impossible to access. You're in what looks like a cave lit by dozens and dozens of torches set into the wall. There's no furniture or decoration to be seen besides the pool. It's almost uncomfortably warm and there's the sound of rushing wind somewhere in the distance. Flickering shadows obscure the faces of the guards. A robed woman stands off to the side, looking at you anxiously and then to the authoritative woman standing before you. She's grinning, dressed in a fancier uniform than the others. There's a sword at her hip. A guard covers you with a blanket and returns to their place in the semi-circle.

The woman with the sword gives a nod of approval and smiles warmly.

"Sorry about the circumstances."

She gives you a good hard look before standing again.

"Take a minute, catch your breath, you've had quite a shock. Take it nice and easy. 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 nod to the robed woman off to the side.

Marlo Reiner steps back and the robed mage approaches to help you up.

"Come with me, please." 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. Shelves of wooden boxes and cloth bags line them, unidentifiable parts of what might be machines are tucked into corners and propped against shelving units. "This is one of the Free Cities' outposts," the mage explains as she leads you. "We're honored to have you with us, I'm sure you have many questions but please save them. You need to recover!"

You'll learn you're in the Cadens Desert Outpost 003, a military outpost on the outskirts of Cadens city. You're brought to a room in the barracks that's been prepared. Each barracks room is rather sparse and utilitarian. Six simple beds set against the wall, three on each side of the room, each with a trunk at the foot of it. You're told the world is in a delicate and dangerous times and you're needed to help. You're important, you're told, and they're very grateful you're here.

You're asked to stay close for the time being, but to make yourself at home. The outpost is more a proper military base than the name implies, with full facilities. The barracks 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. There's a mess hall that has food available from sun up till a few hours after sundown. You're even encouraged to make use of the training grounds, if you'd like, with non-lethal training weapons available for use and obstacle courses set up. And the city of Cadens is only a couple of hours away by wagon - though you're asked initially to please be back at the outpost within a few hours of the sun going down.

For your own safety.

Scenario Three: Welcome to Solvunn

The feeling of floating is the first sense that comes to you as the edges of unconsciousness start to ebb. Sunlight filters through the rippling water as you open your eyes, making you squint. Before you have the chance to panic and inhale, firm hands grasp your arms and pull you to the surface of the water. Moments later, soft warmth is wrapped around your shoulders as you're guided on unsteady legs out of a pool of water. You're lowered to the soft grass. Men and women in simple garments with lavish embroidery stand by, waiting with bated breath, glancing seriously at an old man in an ornate robe. He holds an old leather-bound book in one hand and in the other is a card bearing an arcana symbol. His eyes move quickly over the page, and he mumbles idly to himself.

Any strength you may have possessed feels as though it has slipped through your fingers. Any abilities or magical powers you have don't come to the surface no matter how hard you try. 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. A gentle breeze blows through, carrying the scent of flowers and herbs from an ornately decorated altar set off in front of one of the stone doorways. The mage closes his book and steps out of the water, addressing a matronly old woman. Behind her are two younger people, a rough-looking man, and a meek young girl, both of whom are also watching the mage.

“I detect no ill will from the gods, it seems we've been blessed with success.” Those that had gathered all breathe a sigh of relief and now seem pleased.

The old woman smiles and steps forward, offering to take your hands and help you stand. “Any gift the gods give us is one we will happily take. I'm certain you have many questions, and they will all be answered in time. For now, rest and know you will be taken care of.”

She pats the top of your hand and steps away with a serene smile, letting one of the others come forward with some clothes that seem to fit you perfectly. The rough-looking man from before steps forward once you're decent 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 settlement.

You find out you are in the Primary Settlement, the first of three that make up Solvunn's great territory. The settlement is situated between two lakes and is humming with life. You're brought to the center of town and escorted to an apartment above one of the establishments in town. Rowan explains that the living conditions are temporary if you'd like them to be, that local families would also be happy to host you in their home. That there are others like you who have also taken up residence within the three settlements. 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. Welcome to Solvunn.

Everything you need has been provided in this humble apartment, and if it hasn't, there are shops that line the streets and a marketplace in the center of town. Owners of some establishments or stalls are more than happy to give out samples or barter with your time for their goods. Babysitting can be a very lucrative business. You're told of the other settlements, that they'd like you to stay here for now, but if you can find a family to host you, the secondary and tertiary settlements are best to get to with an escort.

There are tales of travelers visiting the secondary settlement without invitation disappearing without a trace. The gods are as hungry as they are protective, young traveler.

You’ll find that there are more than enough activities to throw yourself into to better settle into your new life in Solvunn. Work is done in the first part of the day so that families can spend the rest of it together in leisure and work on their crafts - whatever those may be. For those children who are not of school age, they need nannies or storytellers, and there’s always a gaggle of them running about unsupervised. Families with livestock can always take a spare hand, especially since farms are so spread out, they have a tendency to wander. Whatever skills you may possess can always be of use to the community or to honor the gods.

If any of these options are no good for your lifestyle, the main roads between settlements can always use a bit of monster clean-up… just make sure you don’t go alone.

---

Questions

How many slots are open?
Currently, there are 23 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 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.

Can I try out more than one scenario?
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 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.

I want to wildcard a prompt or use one of the prompts from an earlier TDM that isn't on this one (eg. the library), can I do that?
Yes, in terms of the settings. As Thorne is no longer imprisoning any newcomers, that option is no longer applicable.

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

Can my character eventually change factions?
Yes. While the faction borders are currently closed, there will opportunities in the future for characters to relocate. For the time being, they are stuck where they are.

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). 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 every scenario 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 three 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).

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.

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.

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Comments

[falcony]

[ sam feels something in the way peter hugs him back that worries him. a kind of clinging, a kind of tremble. something happened to this kid between when he disappeared and showing back up. part of sam isn't surprised - ever since he'd signed up for this life, sam's life has been nothing if not eventful. he can only imagine it's the same for peter, even at his age. but there's something else, something more complicated, and sam just nearly doesn't pull away. he's glad for the hands on his shoulders, glad for a way to keep him settled if only for a few more moments, the chance to look him over.

thank god he's fine - at least physically. that doesn't exactly settle his worry, but it's a start, as sam's eyes go back to peter's, a frown still tugging at him. ]

You've been gone for almost three months, kid. [ sam almost looks apologetic when he says it, his brows turning up gently. ] What happened to you? Did you go home? Somewhere else? Here- [ sam keeps one hand on peter's shoulder, a paranoid part of him somehow worried that if he lets go of him for any period of time, he'll just disappear (again) and the other reaching down for the groceries. the food. ]

We're going back to Magpie's. And you're going to tell me everything.

[ no, peter does not get the chance to argue. sam is going to start leading them off whether he wants to go or not. ]

[flame_emperor]

Edelgard doesn't really pause to take in the room, not when she knows Byleth has already scouted and claimed it. As her general (far, far more than that) closes the gap, Edelgard is already reaching forward, snaking an arm around her back as Byleth leans in to kiss a more than willing Edelgard, pulling her close. Edelgard's other arm clings to Byleth's sleeve.

It's deep, passionate, and provides much-needed relief to Edelgard after all the other stresses of the day, as well as feeling Byleth's body pressed against hers. But eventually they have to both come up for air and they disengage from each other, but only a little.

"I'm so glad you're here, Byleth." Edelgard says breathlessly, but her expression is pained. "My love, I'm so sorry...Captain Jeralt's ring...your ring..." She rests her head against the other woman's chest. "I lost it. Somewhere in the crossing." She doesn't want to think of it being lost entirely to the darkness. "Your greatest gift to me, and I lost it. I'm so sorry."

It's not as though she had any control over it, but that ring and the promise it symbolized meant everything to Edelgard. She wanted it to stay there for the rest of her life, however long that might be. It's more emotional than she might otherwise be, but the summoning ritual was especially traumatic and finding Byleth had come with her enough of a welcome relief that her composure is more than a little cracked today.

[snarkychampion]

Always, I'm a terrible liar.

[ Hawke is tall and broad although he lacks the sort of imposing stance that many people his size use, instead there's a casual indifference around him, talking to Viktor more like they're old friends than complete strangers. He is used to making friends - and enemies - of new people, why should this be any different? He would not hesitate from escaping if need be though, so good call on that assumption. He would make a lot of noise rather than leave the blame on a scapegoat though, he's used to having trouble follow him.

He lacks any awareness of machinery and items here that could be of worth, to be honest. There's no blades, no weapons he can spot. There is a stick of wood he got at the training area, no doubt for non-lethal fighting, and he left it leaning by the door for now. Fighting with a giant stick is kind of his thing, so that at least turned out well for him. He sighs, sorting through some clothes, glancing over at the man. ]

Not that I can tell. I was hoping to find something stabby. I can hunt with a staff but it is really rather hard to kill things by hitting them in the head a few dozen times. Satisfying, but harder.

[ He shrugs. ]

Selling animals or monsters, that'll be good trade.

[endcaller]

[He'd been prepared for anger and hatred, both reactions he'd deserve and both ones he'd embrace.

The sorrow in Hythlodaeus's eyes stings more than anger ever could. It makes his stomach clench and churn. How dare anyone feel sorry for him?

Fandaniel's expression darkens.]

Oh, please. Spare me your sympathy.

We both know I am long past deserving it.

[Then he smiles a smile that never reaches his eyes.]

If you must feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for those awful little half-broken creatures scurrying like rodents back on the Source. I was to be the instrument of their deliverance but, alas, it would seem they must endure their wretched lives a while longer.

bathing barracks!

[baconlips]

[ Dorian is not a natural-born fighter.

He was raised in the cloistered tents of the Silken Squall where he was prepared for a life as the second son to most prominent family; a life spent in his brother's shadow, trying to find a way to make himself stand-out, unique, worth knowing as an individual as opposed for the mystical weight behind his family name. In running away from home he's well on his way to achieving just that; it has involved exponentially more fighting than he was exposed to in the Squall, and he's finding himself more at home with his scimitar and his magic with every passing day as a result of his adventures.

Cadens, however, is something of a crash-course in soldiering. There are no feather beds or comfortable inns where he can rest after a day's work, and his upper body aches from wielding a sword much heavier than the moon-touched scimitar he keeps attached to the underside of his lute.

Ah, his lute. His palm aches for the warm weight of polished wood, his fingers for the anticipatory hum of pulled-taut strings, but most of all his chest aches for knowledge that his brother is safe and that his friends haven't managed to get themselves into too much trouble in his absence. (Not that his presence is less likely to land them in trouble, of course, but he feels better when he has at least half a clue what's going on.)

Dorian's expression pinches into a frown as, somewhat distracted, he glides into the steamy corner of the baracks given over to bathing. While he moves with the preternatural grace of an Air Genasi his body-language is unmistakably tense: he isn't comfortable with the idea of communal bathing at the best of times, but thnking about how much he misses his friends only highlights the fact that he's surrounded by a lot of wet, nude strangers. With a towel snug around his waist he gingerly drifts through the steam and avoids eye-contact with everyone—

Until something catches in the corner of his eye and takes his breath quite clean away. ]

... Oh my.

[ He breathes, crystalline blue eyes transfixed on the swathe of silver silk draped over the surface of the bath. Nearly everything about Dorian is blue: his eyes, his skin, even his hair blends from black through blue until it fades into pure white at the ends, but any idea that his appearance might be extraordinary is sidelined by the truly extraordinary hair before him. ]

Ah— forgive me, but your hair is most exceptional.

[ Awkward as he is he seems almost compelled to comment on it — but then he notices that the man seems to be having trouble with a particularly stubborn snag. Dorian hovers for a moment before indicating the tangle: ]

Are you in need of assistance? I happen to be quite good with hair-care; lots of practice, you see.

[ He adds, before indicating his own hair with an easy flourish. ]

Dungeons

[flame_emperor]

Edelgard's own explorations had eventually taken her down to the dungeons, but she's little surprised not to find much. Of course a place like Thorne would have a place to hold prisoners. Still, when Thancred knocks against the bars of the cell next to the one Edelgard is currently staring into, she turns to look at him.

"It's curious that there are no prisoners down here." She replies thoughtfully. "That's not usual for a place as big or busy like this in my experience." Even if it's just the odd thief or some drunken malcontent sleeping off too much wine. "One might almost get the impression our hosts don't wish to draw much attention to this place."

She lets the unspoken why of that hangs in the air.

[chosenfordarkness]

"I'd say it's the general look of uncertainty that does it."

His gaze follows the other new guy over to his chosen bed for lack of much else to do, but he's hoping to get a bit of a read on him. He certainly doesn't carry himself like someone who could be a potential threat. Anakin can't really say he's come across many of them since getting here. None that really cause him concern, he's faced bigger, badder droids.

"Well, nobody's stopping you. Good to meet you, Mat. Anakin Skywalker."

[techmaturgy]

[The excitement is a little much--it reminds him of first years at the Academy, except the last time he taught first years at the Academy, things were very different in a variety of ways (some that he doesn't want to think about). Viktor tries his very best to muster up his teaching assistant muscle memory (such as it is), but he does recognize that continuing to go on about this in front of the already-disgruntled shopkeeper-slash-scientist is not going to make him any friends.

He offers Peter a little wave in the direction that he's heading.]

We can talk about this outside.

[Viktor has kind of already been doing this to most of the people he's spoken to in this particular part of town, and though he generally doesn't care about what other people think, he seems to recognize that he's going to have to deal with the situation for the time being, and he shouldn't burn all of his bridges. If he's going to make any progress at all, he needs to ingratiate himself with the locals, at least a little bit. He needs equipment, resources. Then he can work on bringing the locals up to speed.

For now, it's refreshing to at least talk about this kind of thing on a reasonable level with someone else, even if that someone seems to be an excitable teenager. Viktor reminds himself that he was an excitable teenager too, once.]

He was proposing a combination that was too volatile. I was trying to save him a headache. Maybe some property damage.

[Not that he can really talk about property damage.]

Eh. [Another shrug.] He'll figure it out, one way or another.

(ooc: AHHHH no way I'm so excited!! Also please forgive me trying to fumble my way through playing a STEM guy)

B.

[snarkychampion]

[ Hawke is used to either being in a busy bustling city or in a solitary quiet road and there has really not been a lot of in-between, so he isn't paying as much attention to where he's walking either. Moving around is what he knows best so at the moment he plans on not bothering to come back. He's tall and solid so pretty difficult to throw off balance, but he instinctively reaches out to try and steady her at the elbow.

He flashes a quick smile, tipping his head to her in a friendly nod. This whole situation is madness but he feels completely calm about it. Or numb. One or the other. Both? Still, focusing on people is much easier. ]

No idea, I was told this would take me to the city so I didn't question it.

[ In fact he seems pretty comfortable sitting on the wagon and letting it take him to wherever, one of the realities of being a vagabond half of the time. ]

This place has big 'we promise we won't get you all killed in the next war' energy.

[hegemonwings]

Byleth all but melts into the embrace, drawing a deep breath without opening her eyes at first when they break away. She pulls Edelgard close, letting her rest her head against her as the two of them stand there. Finally, though, she shifts to sit on the bed without pulling away, guiding her Emperor to follow her in the movement.

"It's all right, El," Byleth murmurs, rubbing aimless patterns on her back. Of course, the ring has weight for them both, but... "That's not your fault. We're both here. We're all right. Everything else is just detail." Ring or no ring, the promise behind it holds. She tilts her head down, pressing a kiss into Edelgard's hair. Her partner can take as much time as she needs.

[a_better_man]

Turning his head, Mat shifts his lanky frame to look at the fellow who's identified himself as Anakin Skywalker. That's a name that sounds like it came right out of the Age of Legends. But Anakin doesn't exactly look like a hero of olden days. He looks...well, more or less like a lad from any village around where Mat grew up.

It's both comforting and painful.

"You've got a very low base line for what counts as 'good'. So they nabbed you, too, eh? Any idea why?"

Oh yes, they'd given Mat the speech on how he's important, they need him, all of that horseshit. Nothing new there. But, much like Moiraine had first been, they were very lacking in any actual details. Odds are high this one knows about as much as he does, but he at least ought to know something about who he's going to be sharing his room with. He's never had privacy before, but at least he's always known who he's bunking down with.

[subhuman]

[ Dante cocks his head to the side as he regards the man a few feet away. He doesn't look like he's staying here with the rest of them, but that means about as much as his left boot right now. ]

Is it?

[ He scratches the scruff on his chin. ]

Military outpost in the middle of nowhere with a few pointy sticks to entertain ourselves with?

[techmaturgy]

No, that was...uncalled for, regardless. I apologize.

[Except, that's the thing. He knows it was called for--it's extremely called for. Being brought here, effectively removed from his research, is a death sentence. It's more of a death sentence than the one he already has, which was only being kept at bay because of his research. Even that wasn't a guarantee. Having to start from scratch in a place like this, with none of his resources or even the same level of technology available? He should have done much worse than overturn a chair.

Still, Viktor has spent a very long time making sure that nobody had any reason to think him volatile or unstable. The last thing he needs here is to make a bad first impression. He takes another breath, apparently composing himself, but it all escapes him when she rights the chair with some kind of apparent telekinesis. His lips part a little in surprise, even though he knows it's rude to gape.

It's not worth the effort to stand, but he also doesn't think he needs to explain, given the brace he's wearing and the fact that she's already returning his crutch to him. He takes it, setting it upright next to the bed, within arm's length if he needs it, but Viktor can't really help but stare.]

How did you do that?

[cryptsleeper]

That everyone here is so new.

[The dhampir shrugs. He travels light - there's a small bag to his left that's full of remaining provisions and a few water skins - and with precious little flourish. His long, black coat rests atop the bag at the moment, far better suited for the nights here.]

But I take your comment regarding the weaponry.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

[It's a less limited existence than it might seem, at first glance. Though the body is not his, not truly, it is a simple enough thing to channel the majority of what he might wish to do through the medium of his borrowed flesh. (There had, once, been constraints. But it had been a simple enough thing to remove them, even if he'd then had to spend longer than he would have cared pretending that he had not.)

The pain, on the other hand, is very much real. Long years of grief and regret and sorrow, with naught to do about any of them save press on. To continue to bear them, despite the ever-growing weight of that burden. And yet... he does not acknowledge it, nor the way his very posture itself seems to have begun to bend under that selfsame weight. Instead, there's simply a shrug and another sigh.]

It was hardly my choice. Not at first. Though I'll admit to having grown somewhat accustomed to it.

[He could, perhaps, have chosen to grow it out again. He had done, before, once he'd been made Emperor and had somewhat less of a pressing need to ensure his hair had been short enough to neatly fit inside a helmet. But thus far he has no made any particular effort to do so, either.]

I trust your arrival passed without incident? Or at least, without more than I have been lead to believe would be typical?

And they were *roommates*

[bad_domino]

Despite his transfer to the Bad Batch and all the time he's spent with Hunter and the others since Skako Minor, as Echo enters the quarters and hears the casual greeting, the instinct to salute is almost instinctual. Not just because he almost immediately recognizes the man as a Jedi, and inhibitor chip or not, some things were drilled deep into (former) Regs like Echo. No, Echo salutes because it's not just any Jedi on the couch, but because of who the man behind the rank is. So after a start, Echo's prosthetic arm comes up automatically.

"G-General Skywalker! Sir!" He snaps to attention with military precision. "It's good to see you alive and well, sir."

[snarkychampion]

"Yes they do seem eager to please us, not really the type of reaction I'm used to." Hawke doesn't feel trapped quite yet although if he did, he might try to fly the coop, but at this point it's free food and shelter. Until he figures out the best way to get some coin and reconfigure his situation, it'll do. It's decent food. Much better than the stripped hide he survived off of for a week.

"Thanks, I wouldn't kick my name out of bed." She is very interesting looking, but it is fairly rude to straight up ask what she is. They aren't in his world where a dozen people would have already done so, making him less of an arse. He's in a strange new world. Breathing is preferable. He smiles warmly at her and tips his head in agreement. "It could be much worse, you're right." If his friends could see him now they'd just be exhausted that he found yet another way to survive when he shouldn't have. He should've had a cat last name, it's more applicable.

Nice teeth, they look like they can probably rip his throat right out given the chance. He's friendly but he's not stupid. Hawke offers his hand to her, never one to go straight to enemies when he's made a habit of befriending them. "Great to meet you, Shuten-Douji. Where are you from?"

[subhuman]

[ He's lamenting a very empty platter right at the end of the buffet when he hears a voice. Raising a brow and looking up and around, Dante spots a young woman leaning against a table. Not a bad sight but definitely not the kind of well, tart, he's looking for right now. ​]

Of course they do. They're the best things here.

[ He turns to face her with a half smile. ]

But it's good to know I'm not the only one here with excellent taste.

[ Then--ah! Nevermind, she is exactly the kind of tart he's looking for. Dante rubs his hands together as he saunters over to make a new friend and help himself to her breakfast. Or is this dinner?

No, breakfast is whenever you wake up. It's definitely breakfast. ]

Now that's what I'm talking about.

[ He picks one up and plops it into his mouth, swinging his leg over the bench to squat down on it in one motion. ]

This? This I can get used to.

[72hr]

Huh? Um —

[ Blinking, Link stares at the man — woman? — as he rubs his face, even though the sting is quickly fading. What a strange person, and an even stranger question. Then it occurs to him: he's not assuming that Link is supposed to be in school, is he? That did sound kinda like a question you'd ask a kid playing hooky. ]

I was just — about to be on my way. I don't... go here?

[ Link doesn't know if that's the right thing to say, but it came out like he's making an excuse and he totally does go here. orz. He quickly continues, trying to explain himself. ]

I'm — I'm not from here, I just arrived.

[flame_emperor]

The kiss, the reassuring feeling of Byleth's hand on her back, all of it serves to calm Edelgard. She remains there a few moments more, taking in Byleth's everything—her scent, her heat, her kindness, before composing herself and pulling away. However, she remains close enough to stay in her partners arms, taking her other hand in Edelgard's own.

"I know." She says. "Forgive me love, the crossing was...difficult for me." She need elaborate no further than that. "I'm here now, and so are you. Everything is fine." Well, maybe not fine exactly, given they've both been taken away from Fódlan at a crucial juncture, but assuming none of the other Black Eagles are here, Hubert and the others should be able to hold the Empire together until Edelgard can return.

"Right then." Her expression grows serious. "We have some time. Hopefully no one else will come looking for a room, but while we have it to ourselves, we should take stock. What did you get from the speech we were given when we were pulled out of that pool?" She asks. "This place is called Thorne, and we are not in the same world as Fódlan. What else do we know?"

[chosenfordarkness]

He sits back, leaning against one of the posts, watching Mat. He's interesting at least, and the humor is appreciated. Anakin huffs out a laugh, shrugging a shoulder.

"You don't know the half of it." Well, that's an intense line of questioning and he reaches up to rub the back of his neck, thinking about how to handle that.

"Probably the same thing they told you. We're meant to help them save their world and we were summoned with a purpose. I'm not really interested in being their pawn." He feels that ugly pull of resentment and the it's not fair threatening to come out. Things haven't been his idea of fair in a long damn time.

"They tell you anything about your arcana?"

:') oh my god...they were roommates..

[chosenfordarkness]

It takes him a moment to process, staring at Echo standing in the doorway saluting him with a slack-jawed expression, his brow furrowed.

"Echo?" Anakin stands quickly and waves off the salute. It feels wrong. "You don't need to salute, I'm not a General anymore." Logically he knows that doesn't matter to the Clones, and his men have always been nothing if not loyal.

"It's a surprise to see you." It feels like it's been longer than it actually was. Everything bleeds together in wartime.

[piqure]

I did too, yeah! I was here before, though, earlier, — [ a mixture of both nerves and giddiness spills over in his restlessness - because it's yet another face from home. because she recognizes him and while that implies a complexity of timelines, it's still so important. there is an unspoken sort of trust given to a familiar face, even if they are barely more than strangers. ] — but I came back about a few days ago.

[ she was a face at a funeral. he didn't exchange too many words the last time. he doesn't stop to think too long on how things hadn't much improved since then.

he has enough wherewithal to look sheepish at her question. ] — No, it's not really. I mean, that wasn't the plan. [ he pauses, considers to clarify. ] I didn't have a plan. [ moving on, peter! ] How are you?

[a_better_man]

At least all the trauma hasn't robbed Mat of his most polished skill. He even manages a weak chuckle of his own.

"You and me both, my fine fellow prisoner. Their problems are none of mine, and I've plenty of my own already." Oh, but it's a bad sign, isn't it? All their talk of being special.

He glances down at the emblem on his tunic.

"No, I didn't ask. But I'm taking it as fortuitous - the Wheel of Fortune. Dunno where you hail from, but me...the Wheel guides everything, spinning the pattern of existence. And fortune, well, who doesn't want that?"

Either literally or figuratively.

[carmesi]

[wanda offers him a small, tight smile—as if to say that she accepts his apology without trying to keep the topic going. it must be embarrassing enough as it were, to traipse around it would just make something that wanda really considers to not be a big deal even worse.

once the man accepts the crutch, wanda crosses her arms, hands tucked around her sides, and moves back towards her bed. it's two away and opposite from viktor's, and she's really just come in looking for a quiet moment away from all the excitement outside. she picks up her feet, sitting crosslegged, and looks at him again upon his question.]

It's magic. [she raises an eyebrow at him. surely, despite appearances, he would be familiar with the concept. everyone in this place seems to be, though their reliance of it is on the minimal side of things.] Is it unusual for you?