TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[abraxasmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the very first 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 here. For general game questions please still use the FAQ.

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.

"Success! It's a success!" he exclaims, slamming the book shut and scurrying towards you.

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 (everyone appears to have arrived within the last few days), or you can wander around and meet the others.

There's also a dining hall stocked with all sorts of fancy food to meet every possible dietary need, and a library filled with epic tales and legends and the history of Thorne. Given that this is the Thorne library, it may be a biased account that makes the Kingdom look a fair bit better than the rest of the world sees them. Last but not least, there's a study hall where a few junior mages (younger and less experienced than the apprentices from earlier) might be willing to teach you some simple elemental magic. Think holding a small flame in the palm of your hand, or blowing a door shut with a gust of wind.

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 great threat to the Kingdom (and, by extension, the entire world).

Scenario Two: Imprisoned

The High Mage scowls, grinding his teeth as he slams the book shut. "Another failure!" he barks at the apprentices, "You lot wouldn't know your ass from a hole in the ground, would you?"

All four of them lower their heads, and two of them mumble an apology that Ambrose either doesn't hear or refuses to acknowledge. "Well, don't just stand there," he says, waving a hand in the air, "We've put all this effort into getting this wretched creature, we may as well put it to good use."

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). They're glaring at the High Mage as much as they're glaring at you (when they're sure he isn't looking, anyway). You might catch one of them long enough to ask them why they're so upset with you, but all they'll say is that the High Mage knows something they don't, and he's awfully upset about it.

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. They may answer a few of your questions (with some insults and curses peppered in), but they won't tell you anything important.

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 tell you some negative stereotypes they hold about yours.

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. However, rumors travel fast and some people believe the honored guests in the castle above are somehow responsible for the lot of the prisoners below. And although you may hope for kindness, there's nothing stopping them from being cruel to you if they wish. The guards will certainly turn a blind eye if one of them wishes to take out their frustrations on you.

---

Questions

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.

Ambrose will take it especially personally, as this experiment was his idea and too much trouble would risk the summoning spell being scrapped and potentially result in him being demoted. Rest assured it does not take much for him to throw someone back in the well at this point in time.

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.

Can my character leave the castle?
For now they will be prevented from leaving the castle, even if they are an honored guest. A bit of a gilded cage, isn't it? They'll also find that any powers they regain cease to work outside of the castle walls (this is also a temporary effect) so flying outside is not an option.

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?
Yes, 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 have a major impact on gameplay throughout the first few months of the game, and potentially a bit beyond that depending on where our players guide the plot. 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).

Can a put a character on the TDM if their canon is less than 30 days old?
Yes. For this app round, anything that's at least 30 days old when the game opens on June 12th can be applied from.

Do the apprentice mages have names?
Their names are Jeffrey, Grigory, Noelle, and Jolene.

---

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Comments

Kiryu Kazuma | Ryu Ga Gotoku/Yakuza | The Tower

[lone_horse]

[ The card immediately makes him think of Millennium Tower.

It's in his mind as he listens to the old man heap praise he has no interest in on him, because he knows what this praise is going to lead to. Whatever this is, whatever is going on, this man wants something from him and almost like a reflex, Kiryu wants nothing to do with it and trusts absolutely nothing coming out of his mouth. There are half-naked men in Kamurocho he'd step up for and help before giving this man anything he wants and he can't help but wonder what would have happened if he hadn't been a 'success'. ]

roommates

[ Kiryu's experience with roommates begins at an orphanage and ends in prison, neither of which being experiences he'd been all that keen to revisit. All the same, it means he's familiar enough with shared spaces, so when he's brought to meet the three others he'll be sharing his space with, he's quiet and respectful and offers each of them a bow. ]

My name is Kiryu. It's a pleasure to meet you all.

[ He'll be curious to see how the rest of them are taking all of this, what they think, and how they match up to his own sort of life experience. ]

study hall and about

[ It's not that he was looking to learn magic so much as he happened to be wandering around when he looked in a room and saw what was going on. Curious even at his age, he'd poked in and well, he has to admit: being able to summon a tiny flame into his hand, and being able to blow a small gust of wind is neat. Potentially very useful too. He takes to it like he takes to most practical skills, namely pretty well, and he'll start practicing as he wanders around, so you might find him closing or opening any number of doors or sitting out near a window and summoning a flame before dousing it. If you ask, he'd be happy to show you the trick of it too. ]

dungeon

[ The second he ventures down into the dungeon, his hands turn to fists. While there's very few times and places where Kiryu chooses discretion as the better part of valor, the strange weakness he'd felt upon coming here as well as his initial inability to feel the heat of battle keeps him from immediately punching out a guard and freeing the prisoners.

He wants to, though. Oh how much does he want to.

Instead, he's going to start bringing food and potentially more down there, perhaps even willing to go to the library to try and sneak books and other niceties to the prisoners. If anyone questions him? The glare he'll give them has literally made men piss their pants, and if anything, it'll be at a higher intensity for the absolute bullshit that is this situation.

Feel free to talk to him, to ask him for something (if you're a prisoner), or to caution him against being quite so openly supportive of the prisoners as you like. Good luck with that last one, though. ]

wildcard

[ yarnzipan if you'd like to plot! Or throw something random at him, I'm up for anything.]

Dungeon

[gruesome]

The grue arrived gaunt and hasn't improved in the past few days, but he still turns down the food the visitor offers through the bars, his double-smile polite and tired.

"That's kind, thank you. But a human might need that more."

[lone_horse]

"Then I'll bring more for them," is his answer to that, because he doesn't know what the strange creature is supposed to look like, but he seems... thin. To him. And the smile tired.

Something else occurs to him then and he pulls a small piece of the meat off of oe side, popping it into his mouth.

"It isn't a trick. I don't mean you any harm."

[gruesome]

Some's taking advantage of the fact that, for now, there's no sun shining through that window above them to actually be out of his bunk, stretched out on the floor along the bars of the cell instead. He has his legs folded beneath him like a sleeping cat, the skinny upper body half-reclining over the lower body, elbows propped against the foot of the bed.

"I didn't think you'd bring food to trick me. No one here has been that cruel, yet. But I can't eat it."

[lone_horse]

That's a different matter entirely. He dips his head in apology; he hadn't meant to assume.

"What is it that you can eat?"

[gruesome]

He's glad he's had a few days to have a ready answer to that - it means his lie comes out smoothly. "Nothing available here. I told the guards. Something will be done, I'm sure."

Dungeon

[therichremember]

[Jean watches Kiryu when he comes to visit, but when offered food, he shakes his head.]

They're not starving us completely--they've got meat and salad enough, even for prisoners. Probably magicked up instead of slaughtered and harvested; that's the only way giving us meat makes sense. Feed the kids and anyone sick or weak, and don't worry about me.

[A pause, and then a crooked grin.]

Unless you can manage to bring a blanket down here. I've slept rough, but I'm getting older and my back is protesting.

[lone_horse]

[ He nods to the answer about the food; they are being fed, and the food is varied, but he didn’t want to assume that anyone felt full. Feeding the kids and the sicker or weaker inmates makes sense to him, especially since he has experience at picking such things out.

As to the question of the blanket- ]

I have a feeling that if mine gets ‘lost’, I’d be able to request another one.

[therichremember]

It would be a kindness, if you can make it happen--but don't put yourself at risk for it. Like I said, I've endured worse.

What's your name, friend?

[At least, he's going to assume Kiryu is a friend, even if he is one of the golden welcomed crowd.]

[lone_horse]

[ His answer to that is a grunt at the back of his throat. If something as simple as a blanket would make them turn on him, they might as well get things over with and toss him in with the rest of them right now.

But he has his manners. He'll bow his head in introduction. ]

Kiryu. Kiryu Kazuma.

What should I call you?

[therichremember]

Jovano de Barra. [It's a fake name he's used before, and for long enough that he'll poke his head up if it's called across a room.]

It is a pleasure to meet you, despite the circumstances.

dungeon -- i'm sorry

[sunshinehan]

[This prisoner did not move whenever Kiryu approached the cell. He sat against the back wall with his knees bent, one hand resting atop a knee, and his head tilted forward till it almost touched his bare chest. The dark haired man had hardly been given any clothes--or maybe what little he had been given upon arrival had been stripped back from him. Because upon closer inspection it was clear that he had been tortured recently.

He looked fairly close to the epitome of forlorn, alone in the shadows, broken. Except perhaps not completely. Despite his bruised body there was something, an air about him that spoke of reserves of strength that hadn't quite been fully beaten out of him yet. But mostly he just looked tired. His eyes were closed though he wasn't asleep.

He didn't look up but he could feel the gaze of the other man on him. His voice was low when he spoke, either from disuse or a lack of wanting to speak up and draw attention to himself.]

What'da ya want? Starin' ain't gonna get ya anywhere.

welp if he ever needed motivation to dislike these people...

[lone_horse]

[ He tells himself at first, as he approaches the bars, that his mind is playing tricks on him. It's been over a month since he stepped away from everything, everyone. It's been longer than that since he'd seen Majima Goro, and before that, he'd been operating like a rageful shadow of himself thinking he was dead. The hair is different and the body is younger and there's no telltale patch over one eye so he tells himself: you're seeing what you want to see, even with the marks of torture over the man's body.

But when he speaks? Dammit. There's no mistaking that voice, even in the low, seething register he only used when he wanted, no, needed Kiryu to understand something important. And when that realization hits? He can practically hear his blood boiling in his veins. ]

Majima-nii-san?

[ For all his anger, none of it is in his voice. That is soft, even a little heart-broken. He might want to tear this whole place apart right now, but none of that is directed at Majima. What he feels there is something else entirely. ]

ahaha, whoops. also, apologies for the time shenanigans...i'm just getting acquainted to this guy

[sunshinehan]

Eh?

[Majima's one good eye opened at the unexpected sound of his name and he looked up at the man that stood before his cage. There was no recognition there, only confusion and curiosity. Was this person someone from his nightlife? He doubted that; no one he recalled called him brother even facetiously. What the hell was up with that?

He stared at the other man for a good silent moment, gaze narrowing slightly in suspicion.]

Well, you'll have to forgive me--but who the hell are you?

time shenanigans = drama = what else do these boys do? (other than all the ridiculousness)

[lone_horse]

[ It probably doesn't help that Kiryu isn't in his usual clothing, but he still has his stance, his poise, the slightly intimidating presence that can make some civilians skittish around him and, apparently, every street punk in a five mile radius decide oh yeah, that guy, let's mug him, what could go wrong?

Some of that dampens at the confusion, but not all of it. The question feels... weird. Introducing himself to Majima? The first time they'd laid eyes on each other, he'd already known his name.

All the same- ]

Kiryu. Kiryu Kazuma. I- [ Shit. How does he explain any of this? Well, it's probably best if he just keeps it simple. ] I was a part of the Dojima family. For many years.

Yes, good. I hope I don't mess up too bad though.

[sunshinehan]

[That caught his attention immediately. Dojima Family of the Tojo Clan, eh? Guess that made some sense out of all this. Maybe not quite enough though. Still didn't explain why the guy called him brother.]

That so? [...] Never heard of ya. Clearly you've heard of me... my reputation that proceeding?

i know you've been getting nothing but dungeon prompts but masumi is perfect for kiryu

[touchtonedetective]

[When Kiryu arrives at Masumi's cell, the surrounding area is blessedly free of guards. Which also meant that Masumi was free to do the parts of her training that she couldn't during rec hour: namely, her martial arts.

Her seem more akin to swords as she slashes through the air with them, keeping her breathing steady as she methodically goes through her Jeet Kune Do forms. The sharp snap at the end of her kicks indicates that the training isn't just for show, either—there's real force behind the blows, far more than is probably reasonable for a high schooler Masumi's age.

Even though opportunities like this were few and far between, Masumi wasn't hasty. She couldn't afford to ruin her technique with-

A few seconds after Kiryu enters the vicinity of her cell, he catches Masumi's eye, and she stops mid-form to face him. Her stance is wary as she looks him up and down, trying to figure out the risk of him tattling on her to the guards. She doesn't say anything. Yet.]

I welcome all dungeon! The man knows his prison stays...

[lone_horse]

[ He had been watching her as he approached, but when she pauses and faces him, he bows his head in apology. He hadn't meant to interrupt her, or to make her feel as if she had to stop. ]

Please don't stop on my account. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.

masumi is a supergenius detective fyi, are you okay with her inferring stuff about kiryu?

[touchtonedetective]

I was more worried about you telling the guards, [Masumi says, eyes taking in every inch of Kiryu's posture, his outfit, any scars, all the details she needs to try and put together a more complete picture of the person talking to her right now.] I blackened a few eyes and bloodied a few noses before the wizards restrained me and tossed me in here; I'm pretty sure the staff wouldn't approve of my training.

What brings you down here, anyways? Not often an honored guest shows up here in our lowly dungeon.

go right ahead. he's not exactly good at hiding things much. usually doesn't bother

[lone_horse]

[ His scowl deepens at the mention of telling the guards; never. Whatever side of the bars he was on, telling a prison guard what an inmate was doing that didn't harm anyone was the last thing he'd ever do. He looks satisfied when she mentions bloodying a few noses but winces when she mentions getting tossed in here. At the question, though, he dips his head to answer. ]

I've come with extra food. Asking if there's anything people here need.

[ And his expression darkens as he considers how much he hates that she, and the others, are imprisoned for the crime of not being what that wizard seemed to want. ]

:thumbsup: just wanted to check, don't want to infomod

[touchtonedetective]

[The moment that he makes that expression, it all clicks. Yakuza... no, ex-yakuza with that kind of altruistic attitude, Masumi wasn't under any delusions of what most members of the yakuza were like, but he fits everything else to a veritable T. Either way, he was definitely an ally—it's hard to manufacture rage like that in an expression, and in any case any member of an organized crime operation is likely to feel at least a bit sympathetic to anybody behind bars.

Some of her guard lowers, and she nods, getting closer.] The meals down here are actually pretty good, so I'm managing... but some of us need the extra food for sure. One of my cellmates is huge, he'll definitely appreciate this.

As for other things... Information, primarily. [Masumi pauses, scratching her cheek (then grimacing) as she weighs how much to tell him. If anybody could help with a prison break...] What the topography of the prison and the castle are like. What kind of magic you've seen the wizards using. That kind of thing. If I'm going to get everybody out of here, I need to know as much as I can.

...and if you're taking more personal requests... [Eyeing him up and down, Masumi does a couple of quick operations in her head. Worst case scenario, she's relatively safe in her cell, and if he does get in the odds should be even. Not a risk she would normally take, but she was getting desperate.] Screw it. I'd really appreciate a razor and a small mirror, although you'll have to stay while I use them so you can take them back. I'm pretty sure I'd get worse than beat up if the guards catch me with anything sharp.

Roommates (Wheel of fortune)

[golden_slinky]

The clothing was comfortable, he could acknowledge that much, his back to the doorway as the stranger enters, the voice enough to have him standing, turning to face the new arrival and offering a bow of his own, bringing his arms up to cup his hands as he would usually, before pausing and letting his right arm drop to his side again.

"I am Jin Guangyao. The pleasure is mine."

[lone_horse]

Kiryu is somewhat surprised at the cupped hands, and still a little surprised at the offer to shake. He takes it, if a little awkwardly, and keeps his touch light. It's nothing personal, he just... doesn't touch people much.

"How do you prefer to be called?"

So he can be polite.

[golden_slinky]

The touch on his hand has him looking down for a moment before his gaze returns to the other man's face

"Jin Guangyao is fine."

[lone_horse]

"Jin Guangyao," he repeats, to make sure he has the pronunciation right. But he offers another quick bow.

"Have you been here long?"