test drive meme #21

[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 June 24th, and apps are open July 1st. Please remember that there is an app cap of 20 apps.

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, either through handwaving or through a shared mental experience while coming through the Door!

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: A LITTLE FRENZIED
[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.

Do you hear something weird? Some kind of strange, constant humming? Hopefully by now you know enough to know that it's probably not nothing, and maybe you should run. If you don't, well- the Door has brought in some Winter Lanterns, from the Bloodborne video game.

Winter Lanterns are rather hideous creatures that hum constantly and glow orange when they detect someone's presence. They can grab you with their tentacles and take a nice bite out of you, which is super fun, or they can mess you up just by looking at you too long. Yep, hanging out in the gaze of a Winter Lantern for too long will end with you being afflicted by Frenzy - blood shooting out all over the place. Not great for the health, really, so maybe don't get into a staring contest. Maybe just run.]

S O R R O W / L O V E

SCENARIO TWO: HAUNTED
[You thought you might never see them again, but now they're here. That person you loved - that person you miss terribly. Except that you seem to be the only person who can see them, and you also seem to be getting steadily weaker.

So that's what it comes down to, then. This ghost that's haunting you will take your life so it can live, even if it doesn't mean to. Do you have the ability to stop them? You'll have to kill them to do it, and you love them so much. Now's the time to make your choice - but be careful. They're strong enough to be visible now, and one of your friends or even a passing stranger might have something to say about your decision.

This is a mini version of our Ghosts That You Know event this month!]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y

SCENARIO THREE: SLEEPING SICKNESS
[For some reason you can't quite put your finger on, you're tired. Like really tired. Like slurring your words, stumbling over your own feet, nodding off if you stop for a second tired. You can't seem to get enough rest no matter what you try - because it's always a light sleep. The slightest sound or movement will wake you up, leaving you just as tired and irritable as before.

What are you going to do? Try to find a quiet place to nap? Good luck. It seems like a lot of other people have the same idea as you - it might be hard to find a truly empty place. Or maybe you just can't take it anymore, and you're going to lay down and take a nap right in the middle of the street. Or maybe you actually feel fine, but everyone around you is falling asleep - and they glare at you when you make the slightest sound.

Maybe you should wake them up? Sleeping in the middle of the street isn't exactly safe. But then, maybe you just want to join them and argue over who gets the most comfortable bit of road.]

Comments

[requiemshark]

Huh.

[That explains a few things. Knowing how to fight, for one. And not freaking the fuck out when somebody threatens to kill him. Ephemera shrugs and goes back to his soup.]

You probably slept better than I did.

[He doesn't ask what Drake did or offer up an explanation for his own fuckups. Prison is prison is prison, and it's not right now. And he doesn't really want to dwell on the events that got him sent kicking and screaming to the Tartarus, or what eventually got him out of it. And it's probably not a good idea to tell somebody you just met about your adventures with treason. Among other things.

And he doesn't want to talk about that, or Chorus. Not right now, when he's being Ephemera.]

What'd you do on Earth for fun, anyway? Bet Doctor Moore knows how to get down.

[braveoff]

Maybe.

[ Drake doesn't offer up an explanation either, just lets the conversation move on. They can talk about it later, after they know each other better, if at all. Fifth date conversations.

What does he do for fun? He blinks, realizing that he actually has to think about that. Since going undercover his life was kind of the job, before Liv. He couldn't see his friends, couldn't go to his usual haunts, had to live the new persona 24/7. It was hard to really let loose. ]

Uh. I don't get much downtime these days, between two jobs and my ma and Liv. Past few months I've been spending all my free time with her. [ He presses a finger to his lips. ] Doctor Moore is plenty of fun.

[requiemshark]

[Two jobs, huh? Drake only mentioned being a bouncer. Ephemera shrugs. It probably doesn't matter. Either it's criminal or it's just work; nothing that needs discussing, anyway. People do what they've gotta do.

He grins, finishing his soup and then going to town on the crackers. Real food!] Yeah she is!

[Sounds like a pistol. Ephemera probably would like her.]

And you still got family. That's cool.

[braveoff]

[ Drake laughs at that, setting his bowl down. The truth is Liv is fun, and he really hopes he'll get the chance again to take her out. Really do things with her, without fear of being seen or found out. Just... be the boyfriend she deserves. He looks back at Ephemera, thoughtful, and plays it off. ]

I should take her out more. We tend to stay in, if you know what I mean.

[ But that's enough of that. ]

It's just me and ma... she's a handful but I wouldn't trade her. You said you were fostered?

[requiemshark]

Oh, I think I do.

[Drake and the good doctor probably have lots of fun. Ephemera laughs, focuses on his crackers. He's got food now and absolutely none of it will go to waste.]

Yeah. Me and a whole shitload of others. Back in the day you'd get extra rations if you took in a soldier's kids. Asshole's figured they'd game the system.

[He bares his teeth.]

Moment I was eighteen I signed up. Met CT and the others in jump school. They were my real family.

[braveoff]

Rations? Was there a war on when you were a kid?

[ Drake nods in understanding. Found family's still family. ]

Family doesn't have to be blood. [ And this time he does dare to say it: ] I'm sorry they're gone, man.

[requiemshark]

Yeah. UNSC fighting the aliens, locals fighting the USNC. Sign a peace treaty, give it two years, and it starts up all over again.

[So it goes. Everybody's always killing somebody.

He's quiet for a moment. He doesn't look at Drake.]

You would've liked them. They were good people.

[braveoff]

[ A war with aliens... and each other, it sounds like. What, were the aliens not enough for them? He huffs softly, shaking his head. That sucks.

And he's expecting Ephemera to either snap or shut him down, but he doesn't. It's a pleasant surprise. ]

You'll have to tell me more about them than their weapons sometime -- I always appreciate good people.

[ He's feeling tired again, but doesn't want to leave to go to sleep on that note. Loss and grief. ]

Speaking of people. Have you run into many others here?

[requiemshark]

Sometime. Not tonight.

[It's not no. Just--not right now. He shrugs, setting the bowl aside. No more food. But it was a good dinner, probably the best he's had in years.]

Not really. Talked to a couple, saw some more. Think they're organized, though. Couple mention something about a Guard. Sounded like a militia.

[braveoff]

[ It's not no. That's good enough for Drake. ]

A guard? This place definitely needs it. I bet they want you on their side.

[ Honestly, and he'd readily admit it, he's glad he and Ephemera are getting on now. Friends are always good -- badass friends are better. ]

There was a woman who helped me out of the arena who seemed to know a thing or two about the place, but we didn't get to talk much. I'll have to do more recon tomorrow. [ He glances down at Ephemera's leg, wrapped and elevated. The other man probably shouldn't be walking on it for awhile. ] Maybe they've got doctors.

[requiemshark]

Maybe.

[Depends what they're doing, who's running the show. He could get down with killing monsters, though. Stuff that doesn't talk back. You can get used to killing people when they're in armor, if you don't see their faces. But it's different when it's people. When they're not in armor.

If he has a choice, he'd rather not. And maybe he does.]

Doc would be good. More ammo'd be better. I'm running low. Looks like they're doing okay, though. Got food, water, most of the buildings are standing. Even got power.

[braveoff]

[ Drake's not up for killing people at all, armor or no armor. He's hoping "guard" means against the monsters. It's just one more thing he needs answers about. ]

Do you wanna lay low, heal up? I can ask around about ammo. And... everything else.

[requiemshark]

[Ephemera considers it. He doesn't like the idea of leaving Drake on his own. Fighter or no, the guy doesn't have armor. Doesn't have time to learn how to use Ephemera's, either. That leaves him a tempting target with no armor and no real weapons. But the other option is limping after him and hoping the armor keeps his knee stabilized well enough not to do permanent damage.

Not a good gamble either way.]

Probably smarter to, [he admits, not happily.] You can take the rifle. Doesn't have much ammo left, but nobody needs to know that. But if you die I'll be seriously pissed.

[braveoff]

[ He doesn't even have to ask to borrow a weapon, Ephemera just offers, which is good. Drake doesn't really want to wander around out there unarmed (or armed with something he doesn't know how to use) after what he saw on arrival. Monsters, man. Not cool. ]

I won't die, promise.

Thanks. For the loan and for giving a shit.

[ It's a reassuring feeling, having someone on his side. He stands up and stretches, then picks up their bowls to bring back to the kitchen. ]

Couch time, I think. You need anything else?

[requiemshark]

No problem.

[It's the smart play, even if it's not the one Ephemera wants to make. It's part of the job. Delegate tasks, do what you're capable of and don't fuck up. Going out on a busted knee definitely qualifies as fucking up. Besides, rifles haven't changed too much over the past few hundred years. Same general principal. Drake knows how to hold a weapon, he'll look the part just fine.

He grins suddenly.]

Nah, I'm cool. You're the first person I've had an actual conversation with in a long time. Thanks for that.

[braveoff]

[ The first thing on Drake's agenda is going to be to find Ephemera a doctor. He's got an idea of how miserable it's gotta be not just to be hurt but to be out of commission in a strange, dangerous place. The sooner they can get him back on his feet the better. ]

Anytime, man. Seriously. [ He smiles, shifts the bowls to one hand and lifts the other in a little salute. ] See you in the morning.