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

randall flagg / the stand / tower arcana

[hardcase]

1 / Cellmates

[ Flagg's aware of the fact that he doesn't have his magic here. At all. If he did he'd play along for a while before getting up, walking through the bars, and taking a nice big bite out of one of the guards for his trouble. As is, well, he's been without his magic before, but never in a situation like this.

He remembers poor Lloyd Henreid, starving away in prison all alone. That could be him now, he thinks, but he has his cellmates and the other prisoners. Strength in numbers may be the best and only chance they have of escape.

Time to turn up the charm and make some friends. ] First time being shitcanned?

[ He smiles, big and wide. Without his usual threatening aura, it's not so off-putting. ]

2 / Recreation + Arcana Talk

[ Flagg doesn't feel the need to lift weights or run around or scrap with any of the other prisoners. He's happy enough to stretch his legs and look at the sky, as if his powers might return to him any second and he could fly away.

He does, however, take notice of the signs on everyone's uniforms for the first time. Of course, his own would be The Tower. He almost wishes Roland were here to see it, but that'd mean letting his nemesis witness him powerless and captive. No thanks.

Captive. The thought still stings. It's not right, that something like him should be held like this. He looks to another prisoner, trying to take his mind off of it. ]

I used to do tarot readings, back in my magician days. Never took it this seriously, though. [ That's not entirely true because he sure did make a big damn spectacle about it. ]

3 / Visitors

[ He doesn't need a good reason to be bitter about the people who are free to walk around as they please. They're in a better situation than he is, and so he has contempt for them.

When anyone walks by his cell, he leans against the bars and smiles at them, a much sharper, less-friendly smile than the one he offered his cellmates.

He won't bite, though. Not unless he's provoked. ]

4 / Wildcard

[ ooc: Anything goes, or feel free to hit me up at dandymott or vellocet#7191! ]

1

[redimendum]

[ Matt, with his back in a corner and without his superhuman senses, turns his head towards the man speaking. He can't hide that he's blind, but he's making sure not to act like he's a target-- even if he feels like one.

He smiles as he answers as well, not quite as broadly. ]

In a manner of speaking.

[hardcase]

[ He slides down onto the floor with a plop. It actually hurts a bit when he hits the ground, but he won't complain. Having a physical form is truly a curse. ]

Now, what d'you mean by that?

[ That sounds like a story and he does love a good story. ]

[redimendum]

Back home I work as a solicitor. Usually community stuff, immigrants working on their visa applications and employment contracts, that sort of thing. But sometimes I get a client or two in the shitcan and I get to experience some of what it's like.

[ He's weighing up how much to share with the strangers he's imprisoned with. It's unlikely anyone here is going to be able to know him, let alone link him to Daredevil. And he needs people to see him favorably if he's going to be so dependent on them. So he adds, with a small self-depreciating laugh: ]

Last time I was visiting, things went sideways. Prison riot.

3

[nadine_he_loves]

[Something about the dungeon calls to Nadine.

She's curious. If she's considered a success and a valuable asset to these people, what the hell do they consider a threat? Beyond that there's just some sort of pull, a mental tugging she can't quite shake.

So she doesn't. She indulges her curiosity and that constant little pulling. Ignoring any rational thought to just leave well enough alone, she slips down into the dark stone dungeon, heart beating faster with every stair until she reaches the bottom. What is she doing down here? It's a medieval prison, there's no reason for her to be here...

Only there is. And this makes even less sense than anything that's come before. Nadine approaches Flagg's cell with a look of confusion and distress. She's one thing, she's just a mortal woman who got - depending on how you look at it - lucky. Him? She'd never asked, never wanted the confirmation, but she's long been sure he came from some dark pantheon of deities who's names were lost to mankind. Randall Flagg is no mortal human man.]

What happened?

[hardcase]

Nadine, Nadine. What a lovely surprise.

[ His smile softens just a little, and he stands up straight enough to tower - ha, tower - over her. He reaches a hand through the bars, and he doesn't touch her, but she can take her husband's hand if she so desires.

He may not have his magic. But he's got his words. All things considered, he'd be at a worse disadvantage to lose that. ]

I'm afraid our new hosts aren't fond of me.

[nadine_he_loves]

[She takes his hand immediately, in both of hers. For most of her life, there's been one stable constant she can always rely on, one foundation that has never been ripped out from beneath her. Randall Flagg.

She's not under any false delusions as to what manner of man he is. His power, his temper, the danger...she knows these things. But what does that matter in the face of everything he's ever done to and for her? Yes, some of it has been less than pleasant. The situation in Boulder hadn't been ideal. But it's the old saying about omelets and eggs. And Harold...well, Harold will be forgotten. She'd already gotten her satisfaction there, when she left him in the ditch.]

Who are our 'hosts'? Why are we here? I was just with you....

1

[sankt]

[Not so off-putting, but this prisoner seems offended just the same. If it's any consolation, he isn't playing favourites. No, from this fellow, slouched there on one of the lower bunks, anyone and everyone in this place may receive what may be generously described as a shitty look.

It could be the shock of arrival. It could be the affront of imprisonment, the unpleasantly-textured tunic. The sandals. Perhaps all of those, plus an additional consideration: he looks distinctly under the weather, uncomfortable and unwell in a way that suggests he's been here much longer than is true.

Responding with a silent glare seems unlikely to dissuade, but he tries it anyway.]

[hardcase]

[ Oh, this one's a sourpuss. How fun. He keeps on smiling; if anything Kirigan's gloomy mood has heightened his spirits. ]

C'mon now, the only real prison's a bad attitude. [ He glances over at the bars. ] Well, that and this hellhole, I guess.

[ And he laughs at his own bad joke, loud enough to earn a shush from the guards. Everyone's a critic these days. His smile drops away and his expression turns to one of concern (as much as someone like Flagg can feign such an emotion). ]

What's got you so down, my fine friend?

[sankt]

[There is a sense of grudging abatement. Not for the joke—he's hardly feeling kind enough to call it that (although it is a bit funny)—nor even the broad laugh that follows it, but the attention. It's something to focus on besides himself and the darting agitation of his own thoughts and the horrible absence behind them.

He wets his lips, slowly, before answering,]

That we currently share a cage does not make us friends.

[Please keep talking.]

2

[baltimores]

[ Amos glances up. He does feel the need to lift weights, but not all the time, at least. He can take a break. Enjoy the fresh air that's no longer as much of a novelty as it should be for him.

He tilts his head at the guy's statement. ]

Yeah? So you think these actually mean anything, or is it just bullshit?

[ He's skeptical. Doesn't see the point of the branding, either. No tarot where he's from, and the whole Lovers thing doesn't make a lick of sense to him. Considering the flat look, the abrasiveness bristling under the surface should he need it, he might have a point there. ]

[hardcase]

A bit of both, I imagine. A kernel of truth surrounded in bullshit.

[ He knows what The Tower means, and he can hedge a guess about why he's been branded with it. But you can't really sum up the whole of a person with one symbol, no matter how convenient it would be.

Humans do like trying to reduce themselves down to simple categories. At least this one's got a tag more nuance than the good and evil spectrum he's usually placed firmly at the latter end of. ]

The way I did it didn't involve assigning cards to people one at a time, I drew a bunch of 'em and gave advice based on their placement on the table. [ Which, saying it out loud, sounds a whole lot like bullshit. ] If we're being honest, reading the person was more important than reading the cards. They're just a good conversation starter.

[baltimores]

[ Yeah, kind of sounds like it's all bullshit, buddy. Even if there's somehow a kernel of truth embedded in there — doesn't seem like it's a particularly big kernel. Or even an accurate one. How would anyone in this world know, anyway?

Amos inclines his head, tone conversational enough. ]

So you just did cold reading. Cards didn't have anything to do with it. Not really.

[ That is to say, yeah, this is definitely bullshit. He takes a look around, at the various signs on other people's tunics. ]

This is all pretty elaborate for some bullshit, though.

2

[solmate]

Do you know what this one is? A guard called it the hanged man.

[ Alina pauses because even though it sounds terrible she's pretty sure he's hanging upside down. Which... still seems uncomfortable but at least she isn't carrying around a sign of literal death all the time. Continuing on... ]

Supposedly for outcasts, but they haven't exactly been kind in other ways, so I'm not sure how much I buy that.

[ It's not... incorrect. In fact it is actually pretty correct. That still doesn't mean they were nice about explaining it. ]

[hardcase]

The Hanged Man's complicated. At first you might think 'That poor guy's dangling by a rope around his ankle', but then you look closer and he's smiling. Why is that?

[ Rhetorical question, but he watches for a reaction just the same. ]

Outcasts, maybe. I always took it to mean the acceptance of fate in a way that deprives it of its power. It's there, and it will always be there, but you own it and not the other way around.

[ He's fond of the card himself, as someone who takes great pleasure in sticking his middle finger up at the forces of fate. Productive? No. But it's fun.

He knows why he's The Tower, but he could have been The Hanged Man if his impulses weren't so destructive. ]

To put it a different way: the rope may hold the man, but the man without the rope is still a man with all of a man's potential. The rope without the man is just a bit of twine.

[solmate]

Huh.

[ Alina rubs her thumb across her collarbone. Between her hair, which is down around her shoulders, and her tunic, her collar is hidden well enough. Maybe it looks like an idle touch, maybe it looks a little more purposeful, as she feels one of the breaks in her skin through the fabric. Her brows are knotted together in focused concentration.

Was she strangled by fate? The stories and mythos built around the idea of the Sun Saint? She hadn't asked or it or wished for it. At first she had actually resented it, asked for some way it could possibly be taken from her.

Now that it has, it feels like a piece of her is missing. And the stories are just stories again. ]

That's... interesting. [ Alina, always the excellent (ahem) actress does an incredibly poor job of hiding the fact that the gears in her head have sunken their teeth into a concept and are currently working very hard. ] I mostly just was wondering why he didn't cut himself down.

3

[jealousbitch]

[ When he learns about the dungeon, a part of him can't help but feel a little uneasy about it. Trauma or some shit. His questions are met with being told he didn't need to worry about it because he was welcome in this place, which was another strange feeling altogether.

Still.. his feet carry him down the winding steps to the musty dungeon, and it looks like something out of a pirate movie. He's distracted enough by the surroundings that seeing Flagg's sharp grin that always seems just a touch too big causes him to stumble back with a startled yelp. He calms himself down and lets out a nervous giggle, but doesn't move much closer. ]

Hey there, jailbird.

[hardcase]

[ Now there's a face he wasn't expecting to see again any time soon. Or ever, really. Once a nuke wipes you off the face of the Earth you're usually gone for good.

Usually. He came back, so maybe by some accident of the universe, Lloyd did too. Or maybe time's just funny here. It often is. ]

Lloyd. [ He slips some affection into his tone. He's not going to plead or beg for anything, but he can play up the charm. ] Ain't you a sight for sore eyes. Glad they didn't throw you in here, not that I'd mind the good company.

[jealousbitch]

[ Despite knowing that he didn't really do what he was meant to, which means he's probably going to get eaten at some point, some of the tension leaves him. Hell, some part of him can't help it when it comes to Flagg. Even some sort of fake affection and familiarity is better than nothing.

Lloyd's brow furrows in disbelief, though a little bit of hope creeps in. Why should it, though? He's not the one that broke his promise first.. ]

You sure about that? Last time I saw you, you were pretty pissed at me.

1

[gardienne]

"No," Eponine replies. She's been watching the man, as she has their other cell mates, and she's first to offer a reply when he asks the question. She rubs her wrist beneath the manacle.

"I were arrested in Paris not so long ago. Perhaps some months now. I don't remember."

She might be young and slight, but there's a roughness to her voice, a toughness to her, and she speaks almost proudly of her arrest.

"Is this your first time to be arrested? It is not so bad, really, you know?"

[hardcase]

"Paris," he says, "I was in Paris once, when the King was beheaded. That must have been some time ago now."

He didn't participate. He was just there, as he often was, to watch it happen. Perhaps his passive influence caused the crowd to jeer louder, but perhaps they may have jeered as loudly without him.

"It's not my first time. I've been sentenced to life and to death, but I've always escaped," he says, and he is proud of that, "What were you in for before?"

[gardienne]

“Not so long, Sir.” Eponine smiles. People here have such fantastical stories that speak of foreign worlds and places. Eponine cannot tell fact from fiction with them: they sound like fairytales come to life. She laughs now.
“I didn’t see it. Perhaps before my time? Or as a child? I don’t know. But my Pa, he fought with the Duke, Sir. We’re real Bonapartists. Always we have his picture. Even under the bridge when it snowed, he was in the best place and dry whilst I lay my feet in snow.”

That’s a grim memory. Eponine’s initial excitement fades. But here too, she can boast.

“I lied, Sir. Told ‘em I were fourteen. And how are they to check? Ask my Pa, the thief in La Force? Or my Ma, the thief in Saint-Lazare?” She shakes her head.
“My sister were in Madelonnettes too, but she is too stupid to lie. I ain’t seen her since.
But for me...”
she hesitates, glancing round at the cell before her gaze settles on Flagg.
“If you know Paris, you know why a girl is sent to Les Madelonnettes and not Saint-Lazare. You can guess, as well as theft, what they think of me. I told ‘em no. Nowt of it were mine. Perhaps for being overcrowded, but they let me out in the end.”

It’s a mournful story, really, but Eponine’s expression is one of triumph.

“But you? How do you escape? I love such tales, Sir. Did you murder for such a sentence?”

2

[aquaveiled]

[ Training and exercising is something she ought to be doing. Not someone who is prone to sit around idly, it would be a fine way to pass the time given the limited options available. But the truth of it is that she is more of a mage than a fighter and even her attempts at mastering more physical classes had substantial help from her ability to manipulate aether to supplement her attacks.

People watching is decidedly more interesting. And a man musing to himself and seemingly unbothered by their notably deplorable situation is definitely something that catches the eye. Which is why this short woman with horns and a long dragon-like tail does not hesitate to take a seat nearby and look up, trying to see what it is that has his attention.

That cloud...looks a bit like a donut. ]

Tarot?

[ She cocks her head, gaze shifting from the sky pastry. ]

...I don't see any of the familiar constellations.

[ At least not while the sun is out. Mayhaps she had take a better look at night?

Himeka is, of course, unaware that the symbol on her tunic designates "The Fool". ]

[hardcase]

[ Flagg doesn't seem at all bothered by the horns or the tail; he's seen far stranger. ] The symbols they've put on us. They're from a tarot deck.

[ He squints, staring up at the sky. The stars were often different between worlds, so he hasn't clocked the absence of the constellations he knows as unusual. ]

Different universe, different stars. You get used to it.

[aquaveiled]

[ She purses her lips, but nods. It makes sense, especially having been transported to a different star not so long ago. Though there were plenty of similarities between the First and the Source, it is hard to find them here when they can't go any further than their cells or the recreation yard. ]

Does that mean you can read these ones?