Test Drive Meme #3

[hadrielmods]

Welcome to Hadriel's test drive, and thank you again for your interest in the game! As always, our reserves page is here, and our applications page is here! Reserves open November 24th, and apps are open December 1st.

Two quick points here as well:

1. Any thread made in Hadriel's test drive will be accepted as the sole Action Log sample in the application.
2. All threads made in the test drive can be considered game canon!

Test drives will be broken up into specific god mini-events, during which your characters can see how well they fare under the watchful eye of one of the gods. Choose wisely or just simply pick 'em all, and have fun!

F E A R

SCENARIO ONE: GIMME A HUG
[The Door brings in all that is chaotic and evil in the world. This may include you, may include the person next to you... and may include the monster behind you.

Watch out as you explore the streets of Hadriel, because you're not alone, and there's always something on the rooftops watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to separate you from your group and tear you into pieces. This time, the Door has brought in a large slithering beast for you meet.

This Titanoboa is not the friendliest of snakes. Over fifty feet long, it requires quite a lot of meals in order to keep going, and it seems to be most interested in making you one of them. A giant anaconda, this is a constrictor rather than a venomous snake - but don't worry. It's got teeth, too, in case it needs to do a touch of nibbling. We're sure you'll get along just fine.]


SCENARIO TWO: THE DOCTOR IS IN
[You awaken on an operating table. How did you get here? What's going on? You don't remember checking into a hospital or seeing a doctor, and when you try to get up you quickly discover that your hands and legs are secured tightly to the table, the straps digging into your skin.

Next to the table is a tray of gleaming steel surgical instruments, their sharp blades glittering as the overhead light flickers. They seem to be the only clean thing in the room, as you begin to realize that the walls of this operating room are moldy and stained, and there's something dripping from the ceiling. This may not be a legitimate hospital at all.

There are footsteps outside the door. It could be a friend - or not. Will you call for help? Try to free yourself? Lay back and wait for the doctor to arrive?]


H O P E

SCENARIO THREE: HOPESGIVING
[You find yourself in a kitschy, brightly lit, utterly pleasant gift shop. Lining the shelves are all manner of stuffed animals, inspirational figurines, greeting cards, and delightful ornaments. Some even look familiar, like something you might have seen before.

The door isn't locked. You can just leave, if you want. But on a pedestal where the registers should be is a globe of glittering light, and within it, a picture of the person you care for most in the world. Carved on the pedestal are the words Bring someone hope, and you will bring them happiness.

Of course, you aren't alone in there. Will you find something on the shelves to show to your companion, something that might bring them hope? Or maybe you brought something from home. Or maybe you don't care at all, and just want to smash everything in there. It's all up to you.

This is a simplified version of this month's Hope event.]

Comments

[miscreant]

Are you alone, or are there more of you?

[As long as he isn't actively furthering the Scourge's purpose, what does she care about his presence here? Something in the back of her head itches and she finds--

She doesn't really want to kill him. Not actively.]

[cowed]

[ one foot slides out, just a little. he presses his palms flat against the wall, lip curling in response to her question. ]

You're the only thing I've seen so far. [ and if it weren't for her sudden hostility-- well, extra hostility-- there would be two of them. tch. ] The answer should be obvious.

[miscreant]

[His tone doesn't put her on edge like it had before, but the stutter-start of his heartbeat does. It's preferable.

It's also marked by the lowering of her eyelids and the way she leans back just enough so she isn't so aggressively in his space.]

I ask because there are other knights. Of the Ebon Blade flavor.

[howlingblast]

[He takes it gently, which is quite a feat when he's armored to the tusk. He turns it over, contemplating.]

With my boot or my hand?

[howlingblast]

You are small and barely an adult by human reckoning. I am likely triple your age. Child.

[He isn't sure what a 'yuu-rei' is. She seems pretty brave and... well, no, nonchalant about everything. Not brave. What an odd human. At any rate, the ice has grown so thick that it's begun making spikes. He tries his bonds again, and this time, he doesn't stop. His snarl turns to a growl, lips curled down around his tusks--

-- just a little more --

And then the wrist-bonds shatter into pieces. Pretty dramatic. After that, it's easy enough to reach down and help pull off the other ones. He doesn't pay her much mind while he's doing this.]

[cowed]

[ he's not stupid enough to become complacent the instant she backs off; every inch of him remains just as taut as before, braced for the worst.


his expression flickers at the mention of the blade; merodach bites his lip, head lowering as he considers the ramifications. they're... all bad. ] Then I suppose it's imperative I change sooner rather than later, hm? [ haha. he pauses. ]

And what flavor does that make you? [ for clarity's sake. ]

[lyriumburned]

[What had the suicidal human just called him? He'd heard 'little' and that was enough to make his blood boil. Luckily, the snake is the one who takes the brunt of his anger.

Morsov, to his surprise, launches himself at the snake's neck, tearing huge gashes into the creature moments before Fenris takes a swipe at the back of it's head, landing another powerful strike. Far from wanting to eat either of them now, the snake seems more than done with these little creatures with pointy sticks.

Fenris couldn't blame the boa, but could they really let the thing live?]

Shall we finish it? [Why he's even asking this strange man is a bit of a mystery, but killing animals who had just been defending themselves had always left something of a bad taste in his mouth. Part of him hopes the stranger agrees that killing the thing is pointless.]

[miscreant]

My own.

[She's firm when she says it, even bristles just a little at the implication that she might be one or the other. There's a threat to her tone, like his asking is an attempt at accepting an invitation she never sent.

She would never be Scourge again. Not willingly.]

[amos_moses]

Amos chuckled, even as he poked his head out into the corridor for a look around before stepping out: the last time he'd heard that phrase uttered, it had been by an exasperated Kat, his friend and often-partner in various misadventures. (It had gone something along the lines of 'Amos hold your damn horses...' and 'Hard to when they've got no halter,' and 'You've actually got a horse out there, don't you, you imbecile.') It had taken a good deal of Amos's persuasion to get the horse in question to let them have a ride to the town...animals did not like Kat, possessed by a nekomata and smelling largely of cat, demon, and large predator.

"Speaking of animals, that's what's giving me the willies. Ain't no animals near, not even roaches," he muttered to Harry as they started down the dimly-lit hall. "S'what made me think of demons, animals don't like 'em, or magic. So prolly humans with magic or demon-casting, 'cause animals like the fae-kinds, for the most part."

The silence in his head had been a large part of his panic earlier, the one that had allowed him to escape his bonds. But now he was wide awake and thinking clearly, and all the animal-chatter was just off at a distance, barely within his range.

[cowed]

[ he exhales slowly. do all death knights turn out this difficult in comparison to their previous selves, or is he just that lucky? ] Just asking.

[ he finally slouches a little, not relaxing so much as resigning himself to the fact that there's no easy escape route available. ] Doesn't explain why you'd tell me so, given your, uh-- [ mm, how to put it. he tilts his head. ] Lack of knowledge.

[miscreant]

[Why does he ask so many questions? Even if he isn't directly asking them, he's making her question her own actions, and if he really knew her postmortem would know how easily such actions stress her.

When she can't answer his question right away, she snaps outward and pins him to the wall with her hand by his throat. The squeeze is rough, but not particularly damaging.]

Perhaps I was imagining you would answer that question for me.

[miscreant]

[There's a considering glance from her before she smiles in an almost serene manner.]

Throw it.

[cowed]

[ the instant her hand connects with his neck he goes rigid-,but once the moment passes and he realizes he can breathe with relative ease, his eyes narrow. he puts a hand on her wrist-- it rests there, as if to confirm that she's still solid. ]

Why? [ it's too easy to be complacent; the only thing he can be is contrary. despite the unfolding predicament, he sneers. ] As you said-- if the memory escapes you, it must not've been very important.

[miscreant]

[Her only response to that is to squeeze the air out of his lungs as frustration takes over her. Patience is absent in the face of that sneer he tries to throw at her.

Call it an incentive.]

[peoplediewhenikillthem]

[ What interest she had in him shattered along with his binds. ] Neat trick, old man.

[ If he's going to call her child, she was going to return the favor. What a moody and petulant demeanor she took herself, almost as if she was pouting now that he was free. Much like a cat that's lost interest in the mouse, Shiki crosses the room and leaves her back exposed to him.

Not that she's afraid. Those utensils she pilfered earlier might seem harmless against his armor, but they were all that she needed. With enough pressure applied, she could kill anything.

But could she kill something that was already dead? There were the fiends that swarmed the Ogawa Apartment Complex that were easily dispatched with a few well placed kicks and slashes though they weren't sentient. They didn't attempt to converse with her even if this could hardly be called that. ]

Guess it's pointless to ask if you're the one responsible for dragging me into this mess.

[cowed]

[ it disappears as soon as her grip tightens, at least. his hand goes from merely resting on her wrist to having it in a proper hold, though he doesn't struggle directly. he only grits his teeth, heading tilting back automatically as he focuses his efforts on getting some amount of that air back.]

-- C'mon. [ he manages to wheeze out after a time, the corners of his mouth lifting into a shaky, apologetic grin. ] Not helpful.

[miscreant]

Neither are you. Would you like to revise your answer?

[She doesn't loosen any -- if he can still talk, he can answer her]

[toochromeforthisshit]

[Morsov has never not finished a fight with an enemy. You either die or you kill the other person, unless it's just some scuffle with the other War Boys. And even then there's always the lingering threat of going too far and killing them. They're all replaceable anyway.

So he nods eagerly, shifting the knife in his hand. ]

Then we can eat it!

[He's even willing to share with the stranger.]

Kamina | TTGL | choose your format!

[themightykamina]

Scenario 1

The giant snake dropping from the rooftops is met with a loud yell, but it doesn't seem like the man doing the yelling is anything but surprised. In fact, after the initial stagger backwards, he doesn't seem to be anything at all besides interested. There's a cocky smile on his face as he pushes his sunglasses further up his nose, hitching up the belt at his waist, adjusting the scabbard shoved through it.]

"Well, look at you. You're a pretty big fella, aren't you? Well, you picked the wrong meal today, for the mighty Kamina is no snake's dinner! Go ahead and run, or face my wrath!"

Scenario 2
He doesn't know where he is. All he remembers is Gurren, the rain, the pain across his belly, blood obscuring his vision...Kamina tries to lift a hand to his stomach, to check the wound that should be there, but apparently whoever left him here has bound him thoroughly. There's a few moments' surprised struggle, then a shout.

"Hey! Whoever you are! Who the hell do you think you are, tying me up like this? Come out and fight me like a real man!"

two.

[bekommen]

The door creaks open, and a figure slowly enters with a loud huff, making no effort to deaden her footsteps.

"I ain't a man, dude." Nick slams the door closed behind her to punctuate her statement. "Who the hell are you?"

[themightykamina]

"How was I supposed to tell that through a closed door?! Hurry up and let me out of here!" Her footsteps are loud, but his voice is definitely louder. He's not a guy who does stealthy. Ever. Tugging on his restraints, his efforts are only stopped by her question. That gets a cocky grin.

"Me? I'm the mighty Kamina! Badass leader of Tean Dai-Gurren, and a beastman's worst nightmare! Who are you?"

[bekommen]

"Maybe don't automatically assume everyone's a dude?" Obviously. Nick rolls her eyes and folds her arms over her chest, watching him futilely struggle to free himself. He's obnoxious enough that she has half a mind to just turn around and leave again.

"Uh huh. You don't say." Was she supposed to be impressed? Because she just plainly isn't. Something about this guy is irritatingly familiar, and it takes her half a second to recognize that his ridiculous manner reminds her of Chris.

"Name's Nick." And she pauses for a moment, thinking, before she adds, with a sarcastic half-smile: "Queen of the Nightbane."

If he can make stupidly exaggerated claims, so can she.

[themightykamina]

"Maybe just let me out of here and we don't have to talk about it anymore, okay?" These straps are not comfortable, and he's really not interested in seeing what whoever put him here is planning on doing with those knives on the table next to him. It doesn't even cross his mind that she might be the one who put him here.

She doesn't look impressed now, but just give him a chance, really. Honest. On the other hand, her own self-appointed title clearly goes right over his head, judging by the blank look on his face. "The hell's a queen?"

[respired]

[Koltira scowls. It's been years, but he well remembers his time with the Scarlet Crusade. The rack. The torture. His broken ribs. But, more than that, he remembers his shame. How he should have been left to die. He still thinks that, the other circumstances of the situation notwithstanding. He had been careless; reckless. It's not a fault he's improved on much, really. When Koltira reacts, he commits.

Which is why he wraps one hand around Rag'kar's throat.]

I'm not the one tied down right now.

[He squeezes lightly. It's just a warning, but one he hopes is clear enough. Rag'kar is his subordinate, and he doesn't brook disrespect.]

[bekommen]

"Seriously?" That's his question? What kind of idiot doesn't know what a queen is? She'd understand if he'd never heard of Nightbane - Nick herself never heard the word until after she discovered she was one. But to not know a queen ...

"A queen is a lady who rules everything and takes no shit from anyone," she says, finally, in answer to his question. "Now tell me why exactly I should let you out of there." She points to the straps holding him down. He doesn't seem like the begging type, but Nick can always stand to be a little surprised.