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abraxasooc2021-05-20 09:20 pm
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxasooc2021-05-20 09:20 pm
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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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no subject
"Mmm, the welcome was more...well, welcome last time."
She takes a quick sweep of the room and for better or for worse, G'raha is no where to be found, nor to pick his brain for appropriate summoning techniques. Though it does bring a new question to the forefront of her mind. Himeka looks down, brining her knuckles to her chin for a moment.
"...Could this mean that you've been accidently pulled with me?"
She looks up again, eyes widening.
"Is this another Shard? How long have you been here?"
no subject
"I know not," he says, drawing back a little as he tries to work it out in his head. "If so, tis not another Au Ra, Elezen, Lalafell, or Miqo'te in sight." At least that he's seen. There are some prisoners with appearances that might come close, but...
"An entirely different Star, mayhap," he adds grimly after a moment. He has no idea how plausible it is, knowing that even the great Midgardsormr was gravely affected by the effort it took to travel between Stars. Yet, what else could it be? The concept of the First had seemed equally impossible.
"Only Hyur, and Hyur that seem clueless to the ways of Eorzea at that. I've been here only a night or two... but long enough to glean that much."
no subject
She deflates a little, then shakes her head as she looks back up at her friend. "If it's anything given by the reaction of the person who summoned me, I don't think I was the intended target this time." Granted 'failure' isn't the sort of thing she admits to being worried about aloud. It still stung.
Himeka steps further into the cell--the beds definitely made for someone of a Hyuran stature. Any Auri man would find themselves comically uncomfortable.
"There were a few of them there. It definitely seemed like it was some sort of ceremony even if the result itself was an accident."
no subject
"'Wretched creatures' were the words they used for us, I think," he grumbles, glancing aside. Anger turns in his gut. The situation has escalated, and it is no longer his own personal indignity on the line. Eorzea needs its champion, and all else that they love could be at stake if she is not returned quickly and safely.
"They have made a grave error. I will see that they come to regret it."
He has little to back that sentiment with but, like it or not, it is still his default reaction to being put under great stress. Revenge, justice... there is no room to give up hope of achieving them.
no subject
And a grim promise at that. Yet instead it just makes her smile a little as she turns around to take a seat on one of the cots, her tail curling up along her side as she does.
"I've come to take that as a term of endearment at this point."
She pats the open spot next to her.
no subject
He doesn't feel comfortable showing much tenderness with so many potential eyes on him, but he will not deny her his company. He will simply sit with her quietly for a while, which is, in and of itself, a gesture.
"...I had hoped to make better use of myself to the Scions," he admits more softly, after a time.
no subject
hornear off if given the opportunity, but generally prefers to listen.In contrast to his gruff warning towards the other occupants, Himeka offers a forgiving smile before letting her gaze drop to her bare knees.
What to do, what to do...
It would be all to convenient of Y'shtola or Krile happened to wander on by and give them a bit of aether to tug them back to the Source, wouldn't it? The fact that the air around them just feel so dull and devoid of life makes her feel strangely small. She hadn't realized how accustomed she had become to having a pulse of the energies of life that to be without it makes her feel as if she's lost a sense as important as sight and sound.
Maybe having a friend next to her is a little bit of selfish comfort too.
She really doesn't want to be thinking about all this...
But it seems that she isn't the only one who is letting her thoughts fall to darker places. Himeka looks up at his quiet admission, though her gaze drops again a moment after. She's silent, trying to think of the right thing to say.
"I don't know..." she starts, lacing her fingers together to rest on her thighs. "Being summoned by some unknown force by an unknown purpose to an unknown Star has got 'Scion' written all over it, if you ask me. I would say you're off to a good start."
no subject
He can still feel Nidhogg's presence, though more abstractly than before. Those memories and emotions linger, stirred by recent events. Yet, that inherited power has been taken from him, and the impression of Nidhogg's spirit feels it just as keenly. Neither of them could stand being so exposed, so helpless to take action.
He looks up at her when she speaks and can't help but offer a wry smile in return.
"...You have a point," he says.
Maybe there's something to that. If he is truly the only one to be summoned as well, he could be the only comrade she had at her disposal. While he feels ill-equipped to do what he must, he can at least envision a purpose for himself: to see the Warrior of Light back to her home, at any cost.
It's probably not what Himeka would have wanted for him, emotionally, but it's something he needs right now. It will keep him smart - keep him focused on something that isn't short-sighted satisfaction.
"I can only hope it is not as long a detour as it was for the others."
no subject
"Sometimes I still can't believe it!" No mind at all to their cellmates who, at least for the most, have decided to avert their gaze until she loudly exclaimed.
"That they spent years when it was only days or a bit longer?" She lets her hands drop again. "At least we may rest easy knowing that I definitely recall seeing you just a day or two ago. Distinctly."
A pause and she taps her knee twice with her index finger.
"Oh...well, they'll be there when we get back."
When.
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Perhaps their own world makes similar ripples into this one. He wishes he knew. For now, he supposes he can take some inspiration from the conduct of the other Scions... to use this time to learn, and to plan for what they can.
Though he feels some amount of direction now, there is something that he can't help but worry about.
"I believe they will," he says, quietly, privately. "But I yet worry... for Alphinaud. Given what he's just faced... I take no comfort in what he may experience now."
He'd rather have not sworn on at all than to swear himself to the Scions and immediately vanish.
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She tilts her head to the side just so, taking a moment to read all of this in Estinien's expression. Then she gives his knee a light bump with her own, her tail giving a thump on the thin mattress.
"He's a stronger person than both of us. If anything, I think this will harden his resolve to see things through for when we get back. Don't you?"
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"I suppose I can take your word for it, can't I? You've seen so much more of the man he's become."
There's a longing, there, but if he's honest with himself, it's more based on his own selfish disappointment. Some part of him had been relieved to finally acquiesce to the Scions, and to be such a clear source of comfort to Alphinaud in his time of need. He had hoped to see more before parting ways again. He had hoped to allow himself to be a part of something.
But it's neither here nor there, now. He doesn't need that comfort, even if he thought for a moment that he might want it.
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Such optimism does not come naivety--rather, the fact that in the end and even facing her own death, perseverance has prevailed. Besides, she's now, what...eight-thirteenths of a person? That has to count for something. Some...extra boost of 'umph' that has nothing to do with the fact that she's lost all of her powers.
"Oh, which reminds me..."
Himeka holds up both her hands, palms up.
"I can't conjure a damned thing," she states...also matter-of-factly.
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Only for him to snort at her declaration, apparently not surprised at all.
"You have the High Mage to thank for that," he says derisively. "You felt it, didn't you? For a moment, twas almost there... and then he spoke his words, and Nidhogg's aether, too, fell silent."
He looks at his own hands, shackled as they are.
"If my power was returned I would not hesitate to break us free."
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(She does not see the Blessing of Light in the same way, but after all that transpired on the First...she does have to wonder: is she merely tempered?)
"I did, but I suppose a part of me had been hoping it was just me." What with the fact she is really cut off from aether around them, there is no way she could sense Estinien's presence or power either.
"...But that also means this Mage Whatshisface can do more than even Midgardsormr did."
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"The emptiness is unnatural," he says. "Even the touch of a primal would not render aether absent. Altered or stilled, perhaps, but this..."
He has no words for it.
"I can only think that our method of arrival may be involved. From your knowledge of magicks, would a summoned being be at the behest of the one who called it?"
A primal would, to some degree. But if it were the behavior of a primal he would not be capable of questioning it.
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"Aetherial manipulation has always been more instinctual--inherent?--than something I ever really studied." Part of that was what drove a wedge between herself and Sylphie when she began training with the Conjurer's Guild. She smiles, bemused but fond at the memories. "I really only had to attempt something once before I understood how to repeat it. It's a little unfair, isn't it?"
Himeka shakes her head, looking back up to Estinien proper. "Either way, Y'shtola or Krile would be much better equipped to answer that question than me..."
For many, many reasons.
She gives a moment's pause, rubbing her forefinger against the flat of her thumb. "...But I don't think we are cut off entirely. Even those who cannot sense or manipulate aether are still subjected to it. It's a part of all of us as long as we live and beyond. Whatever Whathisface did, my gut tells me that we won't be silenced indefinitely."
To his real question, she shrugs. "As for being some sort of Primal-adjacent, I have no clue. But I can say that I haven't felt an unyielding desire to destroy the masses of people around us or try and convert them to a cause. At least not yet. They may be keeping that one in their satchel, so to speak."
She seems, at least outward, unbothered by the notion.
"At the very least it would make more sense to let us be at full capacity if we are supposed to be doing their bidding."
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Though her last comment brings a darker though to mind.
"He did mention something about making 'use' of us..." he says. "Despite their repulsion, there remains something they believe they can take. A reason to keep us alive and fed... however intermittently."
"Expression so much ire, I cannot believe they would allow us that were it not for selfish ends."
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Sometimes people can just be terrible when given the opportunity. Sometimes they are terrible with the best of intentions. But where exactly does this place lay?
"I suppose we won't really know that purpose until they explicitly tell us and we believe them...or until we know what exactly they were trying to summon in the first place."
She allows herself to fall back on the mattress, looking at the cot above them. Maybe if she closed her eyes she could pretend it was her bed at the Rising Stones.
"Even with Primals it's not just for fun, you know? They were summoned in response to something."
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What continues to eat at him, however, is wondering what is wrong with them that is not wrong about the ones upstairs. It's not just that they are useless, it's that they're dangerous. That's what he wants to figure out, more than anything.
"...Divination, mayhap. Some indication that, according to fortune, we will not behave in the way they like. Those were astrologian cards, were they not?"
He remembers that there was a card set up next to the fountain when he was summoned - the same that marks his clothing now.
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"Of course." Everyone is at war over something. Apparently there were things she learned about back in the sea that were true, even if fleeing to the depths wouldn't save the Raen indefinitely.
"Hm?" Astrologian cards? She frowns as she thinks back to the room they appeared in. "Not any that I'm familiar with."
She did train as an Astrologian during her stay in Ishgard, more curious about it than dedicated. Much is the motions came naturally, but studying the cards was something she actually had to put effort into. (Leveva did not know about the cheat sheet she scribbled onto her sleeve.)
"At least not in Sharlayan Astrology or Hingan Geomancy. But they do kind of look the part, huh?"
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"This world's equivalent, I would wager," he says, nodding his head. "These symbols mean something to the people here... though I have not attempted to glean what."
Out of the principle of the thing, really. He doesn't see why he should have to care what he is by their labeling system.
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"There are six Major Arcana--" Three fingers on each hand, "--and two Minor Arcana.--" One on each hand, "--and Lunar, Solar, and Celestial Divination options. So that would give us either a total of...six to eight if we go just with the main cards themselves, or eighteen to twenty-four options if we include divination, right?" That math seems to add up.
She rests her hands on her stomach and turns her head to look at Estinien's back and shoulder.
"How many were by the fountain?"
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"Just the one. The same mark I'm wearing now. If there was a deck alongside them, I didn't notice." He shrugs his shoulders. "I was preoccupied with other matters."
Namely, fighting with the people trying to shackle him.
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If they did, she hadn't been paying attention or Jannequinard had said something that upset Leveva and Himeka found that decidedly more amusing. (It wasn't that Astrology was boring, per-se--she found the history of it all very interesting, but in application it was much better at providing enhancements to her party and healing than it was at any actual divination...you know, the real reason she picked it up in the first place.)
"How many people left with all their limbs intact?" she asks and raises a brow, shifting her gaze back to his face.
"--No idea, by the way. If I've seen that symbol before I don't remember."
Then again she is generally terrible with names and whatnot. Hopefully Estinien won't ask her how long it took her to remember his.
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