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TEST DRIVE MEME #1
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.
You awaken suspended in the abyss, silent darkness stretching out in all directions. If you try to yell, you'll find that the sound doesn't carry. If you try to move, you'll find it's impossible to tell whether or not you're actually getting anywhere. If you reach for an item you were carrying last time you remember being awake, your hand will only touch bare skin.
You're naked and floating helplessly through the void, and what little air you have in your lungs is running out.
There's a pinprick of light that almost looks like a faraway star but as it grows it becomes clear that it's actually quite close. Through the opening you can see a bright room, but it's hard to make out any individual objects, as if you're looking from beneath rippling water.
A hand plunges through and you realize water is just what it is. Whether you take hold of the hand or not it will grab you and yank you up through the surface, lifting you out until you're sprawled on solid ground. Once you catch your breath, you can get a better look at the surroundings: tall trees and even taller stone pillars surround the platform you're laying on. Behind you is an ornate fountain, the base of which is so deep and so dark you might be compelled to scramble away from it lest it suck you back in to that endless abyss. Ahead of you are the walls of a large castle with several tall towers reaching up towards the sky.
If you had any powers, they feel unusually weak. Attempts to use magic or enhanced strength or powers of any sort fizzle out without any effect, but they don't feel completely gone, either.
Set into an indent on a marble slab behind the fountain is a card baring the image of one of the arcana.
An apprentice mage - the one whose hand lifted you out of the fountain - brushes the water off on their robes and runs back to join a group of three others, who all stare intently at a mage with highly decorated robes and a large, heavy book. He peers up at you for a moment and starts flipping through the book.
"I beg your pardon," he says, so absorbed in the pages of the book that he doesn't bother to look up, "I am Ambrose Rhett, the High Mage of the Kingdom of Thorne. One of my apprentices will explain everything in a moment, but please refrain from yelling and thrashing about until then. You're quite alright, and screaming gives me a hell of a headache."
Regardless of your response, he keeps flipping through the heavy tome, until he stops on one specific page, stares at it for a moment, and then exclaims:
"Aha!"
Ambrose's expression brightens, eyes twinkling with delight. He waves one of the apprentices over with a fine silk tunic, pants, and some basic sandals and with a wave of his hand they reshape to fit you perfectly.
"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).
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.
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.
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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cersei lannister ♛ asoiaf | the devil ♛ imprisoned
i - cell block tango (bardcore)
ii - food fight
iii - wildcard
ii
That should be a good sign, shouldn't it? Someone out there cares enough to care.
So she is somewhat happily munching on her own portions, paying mild attention to the woman who looks as if she would rather be sick than eat anything put in front of her. ]
Hm?
[ Himeka does not at all make the connection of this meal to a trial by combat. Why would she?
She cocks her head to the side and gives it a moment's thought, chewing slowly as her long dragon-like tail twitches at the end. ]
Myself.
[ She says rather simply. ]
What about you?
no subject
The takes another dainty bite of her meat, but her appetite will not rouse itself to the occasion.
⟫
My brother, if they are fool enough to summon him. ⟪ Though if they were to bring him here from his imprisonment, she would well-owe this mage a considerable debt. ⟫
You were trained to fight?
⟪ Her tone already suggests that she finds something unusual about it, and it's true: how many women she has met would have enough practice with one to risk their life on the use of a sword? ⟫
no subject
The thought of bringing any of her own brothers though is...both sad but mostly amusing. They would be absolutely useless in combat despite their size compared to most in this place. Oyster farmers aren't really trained for ward, after all. This woman's brother must be a warrior of some sort--
--or just clever enough to use whatever is in front of him, if anyone is foolish enough to bring him forward, it sounds. ]
Has he been your champion before?
[ Casual enough. Maybe this place is a bit more like Ishgard than she had realized.
To the question, she nods, but hums as she stabs the meat roughly with her fork. ]
More or less, though I am really more of a healer. It just depends on how I want to approach the fight or who else is with me. I take it you weren't?
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food fight
I hardly expect a trial as much as an execution, at this point. [He says it very casually all considered.] A trial implies the verdict is yet undecided. From the look in that sorcerer's eyes... there will be no mercy for us.
[This part is petty but he can't help but vent some of his discontent.]
I will fight them to the death whether or not they sanction it.
no subject
This is what I suspected. ⟪ A brutal thing, all told, and as easily as her response comes, there is still a flicker of dread to her. Whatever death she has envisioned for herself, and whatever death she has been cruelly promised at one point, a mere execution at the hands of a mad sorcerer seems unjust. Only exile could have been worse, and she had been so awfully close to her freedom... ⟫
Your spirit is unbroken, then. Good. ⟪ Thirst for blood and retribution is altogether preferable to meek compliance, or worse, the tears of the beaten. ⟫ I still reckon they have another thing in mind. Why feed us if all we are meant for is death?
⟪ She wouldn't bother. ⟫
no subject
He did say that he hoped to make use of his failures. The question is what service we might offer, and how long we will wait to find out.
[He hesitates a moment longer.]
I have been told that we are seen as a danger to the kingdom. Mayhap we will prove them right.
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i
He doesn't bother to argue with the request. Beds are a luxury he's never placed too much importance on; he's happy to sleep in a ditch if that's what was available. ]
Alright. I'm too tall for it, anyway.
[ His long legs dangle over the side of the bunk and he hops down, ducking to make sure he doesn't smack his head against the ceiling. ]
Not queen of this land I assume, unless you really fucked up. Pardon my French.
no subject
Granted, there is no way to maneuver the ladder with her preferred amount of grace, but she reckons the upper bunk offers a modicum more privacy than one of the lower ones. These are the crumbs her life has come to. ⟫
Queen Regent of the seven realms of Westeros. ⟪ For all the good it does her, but she makes herself comfortable (as comfortable as can be) on her newly conquered bunk, peering down to him at will. ⟫
What is your title?
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i
Are you?
[It's quiet, the amusement in his voice—it barely registers at all on his face. Incongruously soft, perhaps, in these surroundings. It's precisely the sort of deniable disrespect honed among courtiers, and he exercises it readily.]
Certainly, your Majesty. [With a graceful hand gesture, and a step back,] It's all yours.
[Will this perfectly capable gentleman help the lady ascend? No.
Is he going to watch her climb up there awkwardly all on her own? Yes. Yes he is.]
no subject
If he had chosen to deny her, she would have been denied. ⟫
You have my thanks.
⟪ Courtly play-pretend, at least, still runs through her veins just like the gold of Casterly Rock does, and she means to ascent with all the dignity and poise that comes with her station. The frame of the bed may be sturdy enough not to come crumbling down, but the ladder still gives an untrustworthy shake when she begins to scale it. Another thing, too: there had been interludes in haylofts in her past, and adventures that she followed her brother or her friends up and along into, but it has been a good long while since climbed anything.
It is a gangly sort of of progress that she makes, and she is a good deal from her goal when her sandalled foot slips and she very nearly loses her balance in truth. ⟫
Oh, godsdamned –
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she's ridiculous and i'm sorry
hee hee hee
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II
It is no small consolation, then, that the well-bred woman beside her is in an equally dismal state of affairs. Golden hair of that variety should be brushed to a shine, and arranged in plaints or shells or jewels. A lean body should be dressed in colors and textiles that are both fetching and functional. Between them, they have neither. Only these matching ensembles reserved for prisoners, and she is drawing in a neat breath when she finds herself invited into conversation.
A trial? Would their captors be proponents of such democracy? That they are being fed might be a positive indication. A trial by combat is a little less refined, a little less structured by laws of common decency and justice. ]
I won't be allowed to fight for myself? [ Maybe that would prove less entertaining for whoever was presiding? She can play along, and the distraction is welcome. She scans the room with dark eyes, as if her champion must be plucked here, from a rabble of strangers. ]
Can my champion be an animal? Have you already chosen yours?
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⟪ That does not strike her as an unusual thing to say: if she must place her life into anyone's hands, then it must be her twin's. Even the worst outcome would see them go as they had come into the world: together, as one. There are other technicalities, of course, his mastery of the sword and an assortment of other weaponry, his skill that shines brighter than that of any other in the realm.
It is not the most diplomatic of subjects, all told, but she is not the most diplomatic of women, and it seems as good a place to start as any, now that she has found herself seated next to a lady of evidently noble breeding. She does not hold her fork like an instrument for murder, she moves with the inherent grace of one who was raised to be someone's better, and she speaks, too, in a refined way that betrays her station. If nothing else, she may have found someone who truly understands the depth of her predicament. ⟫
Do you fancy yourself a warrior of sorts?
⟪ She does not look the part. She looks delicate, which must not mean the same thing as breakable – Cersei would know – but this is not a lady she can easily envision with a sword in hand, however far from the norm that may be to begin with. ⟫
If they let us choose so freely, an animal might well do. Granted, the Mad King made a choice of some value when he named fire his champion.
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[Eponine cackles. There's a cruel, mocking tone to her laughter, disbelief evident in her expression.]
There is no point in a lie, Madam. You might have the bed at the top, if you like. Me, I am glad for any bed at all so I do not care which you like. But Madam, to lie is stupid amongst us. Save it for the guards, if you will. My lies have bought my way from prison before now.
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For one who ever so often lies as soon as she opens her mouth, Cersei is woefully defensive of her 'honest' nature. ⟫
What, pray tell, suggests to you that I am lying?
⟪ There is a dangerous undertone to her voice, a lion ready to pounce – except, of course, that there is little she can do here and now, at least little that cannot immediately be done to her in turn. ⟫
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ii
This wasn't the place for their personal grievances and wars. He would deal with this woman later, but on fair ground and with both sets of memories in tact.]
I don't think they are going to allow trial by combat. I think this is where they are putting the people they don't have use for.
[Not that it is really a comforting thought. It's insulting, even to Cersei Lannister.]
It's not much better above.
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It is of no use for her. The portion she is served each day beyond suffices, more so with her appetite gone. She has accepted it regardless, because her twin goes half-hungry as is, and he would otherwise seek to start fights over the meals. With their crop of allies being as meagre as it is, that is hardly a productive approach. ⟫
How flattering.
⟪ The agitated annoyance in her tone is, at best, badly concealed. ⟫
What is it like above?
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wildcard
Because, let's be honest, unless you're building a functional suit of arc reactor-driven armor, captivity is boring.
"Special delivery," he announces to this cell, addressing the lovely gal with the golden hair, as he sets a deck of playing cards on the crossbar.
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And always, her twin. To know that he is in another cell, with their shared hours limited to the times set aside for their feeding and recreation, is a special kind of torture indeed. At least when separations were forced before, she could think of the crown she wore for that reason.
Either way, there is a stranger now addressing her, and he comes bearing a gift, for which she reaches with a suspicious glint in her eye. A handsome fellow he is, and a gift is a good way to endear himself to her indeed, and once she slides the cards from their pack, her smile is as close to genuine as it can be.
"At last, something to break the monotony. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
i ~
It was one of those funny little novelties, the idea of sleeping closer to the ceiling than the floor, climbing up a ladder to go to bed like a pirate or an adventurer or something. If he'd ever had a bunk bed, though, his brother Henry would have had first pickings, and older brother means higher up means top bunk, that's just how the cookie crumbles. Would have crumbled, if they'd been a bunk bed kind of family.
But Henry, great sage and eminent junkie though he may have been, would have been shit outta luck if it came to that, if they really had been a bunk bed kind of family, because Eddie's only had this bed claimed for a few hours and he's already sick to the back teeth of it. Clambering up and down this thing is starting to drive him crazy, and he hates to think how much worse it'll be when he needs to take a leak in the middle of the night.
Eddie never would've known to pine for a bottom bunk if he hadn't been sitting on the top for far too long, but he's holding that piece of wisdom tight to his chest now, since this lady – the queen, she calls herself – is hankering for a yankee swap. Well, alright. He'll have to do a little bit of theatre to make it seem like he doesn't want to give up his claim, but he can do that just fine.
Eddie rolls onto his front, dangling his head over the edge of the bunk so he can look down at her. All the blood rushes to his brain and he squeezes his eyes shut for a few seconds, blinking intently to draw the feeling away. ]
What'll you give me for it?
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⟪ On the palm of her hand, she shows a pack of playing cards. Courtesy of her sole visitor thus far, who has had the sense to guess how infernal the boredom down in the dungeons truly is. There is little to distract them from their most impairing misery: the hours during which food is served, and the hours that see them out in the prison yard, and the true beacon during each of those is her twin.
Who is not, unfortunately, sharing her cell. Instead, she has this one, who believes himself befitting the top bunk – which she fancies to be the more private one in a cell of four, where privacy is a most relative thing at best. To share a room is not foreign to her, she shared with Jaime as long as their mother would let them, and then, she had a string of friends to share a bed with, as is common to ensure a lady's chastity. ⟫
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i - hello i am here to plague u
[Susan took the top bunk first chance she got, and she's been sitting there in silence for some time now, face in her hands, occasionally sniffing. When she raises her head to look at Cersei, her eyes are suspiciously red-rimmed.]
[Still, her tone is dry, and for a moment, she regards the older woman from her perch. Then, making her mind up, she sighs and pushes herself off the bunk. For a moment, she is in flight, and she can almost pretend that the air that moves her hair is a wind on the Drop, that she's home and none of this has been more than a dream.]
[But that's stupid. It's stupid and fanciful, and it's only a split second before her sandals hit the stone of the floor, and jar any stupid fancies back out of her head.]
But sure. If you want it, sai, take it. It's no difference to me.
[It is, actually. Not much of one, but she'd snagged that bunk for a reason. She's seen jail floors before, and she doesn't want to be any closer to one than she has to be, especially not when it's unclear how often, if ever, they'll be let out.]
[Trouble is, Susan was raised right. And she saw that look in the woman's eyes, that flash of animal desperation, just as she sees the clenching and unclenching of the queen's fists. Queen means little enough to her mind - how long since there even was a Queen in the Baronies? - but that look means plenty. She has an idea this woman could use a win.]
hello why is she so good already
So she means to simply step past her to seize the victory she has been granted, arrogant enough to ignore that she has not received the worshipful notice of her station that she believes to be so deserving of.
Only unfortunate that it's a smallish blond girl, so easily someone Myrcella would grow to look like in a handful of years, or that her eyes are red-rimmed and puffy, belying that there is truth in her weeping. ⟫
Are you hurt?
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i
Huojin wasn't one for confined spaces, a lack of answers, his magic stifled, or company, and yet, in this most curious, hellish of places, he finds all of these things to be his fate. Despite his aversion to all of this, he kept his cool, knowing to act out would likely put him in a situation far worse than what he found himself in. At least, until he gained a better sense of what this place was and how they so easily summon him and restrict his access to his own power. In truth, his time in the cell hadn't been too unbearable. Certainly he loathed his lack of freedom, but the conditions were better than some of those he found himself in during his travels.
And then the woman spoke and a near condescending smile pulled at his lips as he made no effort to move.]
The queen? My, what has a lowly peasant like myself done to be given such an honor as to share a bunk the her majesty?
[ His voice dripped with sarcasm, his lack of interest or regard for any sovereign's status evident in his tone. Did he believe she was the queen? He didn't necessarily not believe it, but for some reason or another, they were in the same place. ]
You know, your highness, if you want something, all you have to do is ask. You might be surprised how much the smallest shred of genuine kindness gets you.
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This does make her more impassable than usual, though petty friends of the queen's may note that the difference is not much of a contrast to her usual state. ⟫
Genuine kindness is in the habit of seeing your throat slit.
⟪ The way she cocks her head to the side is teeming with arrogance, as though she is explaining a base principle of life to a child – and in the same moment, even she is forced to consider that she might wish to think twice on how to approach him. Who is to say that he has not armed himself somehow, that he has not been trained in combat in some fashion? Without the guards who so diligently keep her from the worst back-blows of her gentle temper, this might well be worth considering. ⟫
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