Test Drive Meme #29

[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 February 21st, and apps are open March 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: FRACTURED FUTURE?
[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.

This time, the Door has decided to bring in some monsters who already have a taste of what it's like to win their war. Welcome to the Risen, from the Fire Emblem franchise!

Risen are reanimated corpses, dedicated to obeying their master's will. While they have some form of sentience, they cannot be dissuaded from their goal and attack all who oppose them with a singleminded desire to execute their purpose, which unfortunately for you is "killing indiscriminately". Still, they're not all bad and some of them may even be relieved to finally be put to death. Have fun!]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y

SCENARIO TWO: ONLY THE GOOD STUFF
[Tranquility has decided to take over Hope's food supply regimen and- well, if anyone thought he was a self righteous hipster before, this is probably what's going to seal the deal. All the food provided in the shops is now extremely vegan-only, from basic lettuce to the most bland fruit you can stand to look at.

None of it even tastes like anything, either- it's all like you're eating water. Maybe to Tranquility, this is a feast, but for you, it's difficult to register that you're even full. Better start prepping those salt mines- it's gonna be a long month.]

R A G E

SCENARIO THREE: YANDERE LIFE
[Unfortunately for you, you came at a time when Rage was very unhappy with everyone- and now you get to suffer for it. Is there anyone who catches your eye? Anyone who you might want to get to know a little better? Well, you're about to get to know them a lot better, because now you're obsessed with them.

It's not the innocent kind of obsession, either- this is a full speed ahead, breakdown, pull out the knives and rope kind of obsession, where your desire to be near someone is synonymous with stalking, being a creep, and overall just not really anything remotely approaching healthy.

Better look out and hope that nobody gets a crush on you either.

This is a mini version of our Kiss me Kill me event this month.]

Comments

cecily who

[stabsbooks]

[ Turned away with all her focus on a corpse trying to kill her, Cassandra doesn't see the woman raise her hand in the air to discharge the anchor. The sound is familiar enough, though, and she glances back as soon as she gets a chance, scanning the scene fruitlessly for any sign of Lavellan.

A coincidence, then. Or she is hearing things. Things like phantom sounds...but also like the clear distaste in the stranger's voice as she nocks an arrow to her bow. She frowns - what had she done to so quickly earn the woman's dislike? - and nods, somewhat shortly. There's no time for much else, not when they're under attack. ]

Be vigilant.

[ Already, there are more coming their way, and Cassandra throws herself into battle. If she's offended the other woman in some way, well, she can deal with that later. ]

[closerift]

"Vigilant." Right. [ What are you, Cassandra? A Grey Warden? Her mouth flattens into a thin line as she continues the fight, loosing arrows into the (apparently) squishy corpses that move toward them. Like everything else that appears in the coliseum, these monsters want to kill them, and Hope doesn't have the energy these days to do much reviving. She should know. ]

Are you all right, Lady Warrior? [ Cecily asks between deep breaths once there's more of a lapse in the onslaught. Her eyes find the ever-approaching zombies and she sighs shortly, glancing from them to one of the exits. ] If you've had your fill of fighting, I would love to show you the way out.

[ The city is always preferable, and safer, even with the change in scenery. ... Especially because of the change in scenery? She supposes it depends if you prefer the hot or the cold. ]

[stabsbooks]

[ Lady Warrior? Cassandra raises her eyebrows at the unorthodox address, and considers the question as she swings her blade and beheads another corpse. She is not tired, or injured, and could easily keep fighting...but there is no sense in fighting a battle that does not need to be fought. Especially one that cannot be won, and with the way the waves of enemies keep appearing, their numbers seemingly undiminished by all of their efforts, it doesn't look as if this one will end anytime soon.

She nods shortly, not looking away from her enemy. ]

If there is safe refuge, we should take it.

[closerift]

There is, and we will. Come on. [ She wastes no time in jerking her head toward one of the exits and heading off, checking occasionally to make sure that Cassandra is following. Leliana will be pleased to see her, Cecily assumes, and Cole-... well, she isn't sure of their relationship, if it exists at all. ]

I can explain where you are, but I don't think you'll believe me. [ Cecily notes lightly and over her shoulder. ] There are a few allies of yours already here, though, and they should be able to help.

[ Cassandra's allies. Her allies. The Inquisition. Every time she has to distance herself from it, it's a clutching pang at her insides.

Still, it's better than arguing over the so-called 'truth' of the matter. ]

[stabsbooks]

[ Cassandra follows, sheathing her sword once they're free and clear of any immediate threat. The stranger's words catch her attention, and she hurries closer. ]

...You know my allies?

[ Which means... ]

You know who I am?

[ It's not that she's unused to being recognized by strangers, but this...this doesn't even look like anywhere she's ever been before. Much less somewhere the Hero of Orlais, or the Right Hand, or anything else she might be, would be recognized. ]

[closerift]

Only by reputation. [ She's going to be lying a lot, here, but if she admitted to being Inquisitor, the Seeker would claim that she was lying anyway. Better an easy-to-swallow lie than the more complicated truth. ] I've been in contact with Leliana and Cole, recently, and some others in the past.

[ To put it lightly. ]

This is Hadriel. [ Cecily informs her as they move farther into the city, toward the Spire that they call home. ] It isn't a part of Thedas at all.

[stabsbooks]

[ She looks at the unfamiliar buildings, at the unfamiliar landscape, at the unfamiliar woman leading the way. She has no reason to disbelieve her, not when everything she's seeing points to it being the truth.

And yet. ]

What do you mean, it isn't a part of Thedas?

[ She looks around again. Everything seems real enough, but she can think of only one option. ]

...Are we in the Fade?

[closerift]

I mean that an artifact not unlike an Eluvian, I think, has brought us all from our world into this one. And, no, it isn't the Fade.

[ The sooner she can leave Cassandra with Leliana for an explanation, she thinks, the better. It won't be much longer... ]

I know it sounds mad, but it's true.

[stabsbooks]

Not unlike an Eluvian?

[ What is it, if not that? It doesn't strike her as mad so much as just...well, confusing. She certainly hadn't gone through an Eluvian or anything like it. ]

Brought us all.

You are also from Thedas?

[closerift]

Well, no one's ever seen it. We've only been told about it. So, it may well just be an Eluvian, or it may not exist at all in the way we've heard.

[ What are you gonna do, right? Until they find some physical sign of the Door, there's no telling what it actually is. ]

I am. Cecily Trevelyan of Ostwick. [ Inquisitor, she doesn't add, curling her fingers into the marked palm. ] Pleased to make your acquaintance, Seeker.

[stabsbooks]

Trevelyan?

[ The name is well-known enough for Cassandra to recognize. She looks with some surprise at her new acquaintance, wondering why she hadn't introduced herself before now. Perhaps she, like Cassandra, despites attention paid more to her name than to herself, and so Cassandra doesn't comment on it further. ]

It is good to meet you, Lady Cecily. Though I wish the circumstances were better.

[closerift]

[ Cassandra is right in that regard. Cecily has perhaps even less love for her name than the Seeker, having had to actively avoid family once the Inquisition became less a heretical mess and more something to be associated with.

Hypocrites. ]

Please, "Cecily" is more than enough. I'm awful at being a lady. [ She does smile, though, glad that the air seems to lighten between them. ] What would you prefer that I call you?

[ "Cassandra" might be too familiar for a woman who doesn't know her. ]

[stabsbooks]

[ Cassandra smiles in return, warming just slightly. She understands that all too well, and isn't about to question it. ]

Cecily, then. [ She nods in greeting and acknowledgement. ] "Seeker" is fine.

[ Better than "Lady Warrior," or any of the other awful alternatives. ]

[closerift]

Seeker. [ She inclines her head somewhat. ] Well, now that we've got that all settled, I s'pose I should get you to Sister Nightingale. She'll be able to explain more than I about this place.

[ If only because Cassandra will trust her more. ]

Is that all right?

[stabsbooks]

[ She certainly wouldn't object to seeing Leliana right now. A familiar face would be a comfort, especially in this strange place full of unknown enemies. Still, she frowns, puzzled, at Cecily's apparently eagerness to hand her off to someone else. ]

I'm sure you are quite capable of explaining things yourself, Cecily. You seem familiar enough with Hadriel.

[closerift]

I am. I've been here for over two years.

[ One of the oldest, now. It's a strange feeling, and a lonely one. ]

What would you like to know, then? Ask away.

[stabsbooks]

Two years?

[ She takes a moment to absorb this, frowning in thought. If she's been here for two years, if Leliana and Cole are here, have been here long enough to become acquainted with Cecily...The obvious conclusion isn't a reassuring one. ]

Am I correct in assuming, then, that we are...not free to return home?

[closerift]

Mm. I've seen a few others from Thedas come and go, but there are only three others here now, besides myself.

[ For the moment. ]

That's right. I've been here that long, but others come and go without a few weeks. There's no rhyme or reason to it that anyone can find, and we have no way to influence it one way or the other.

[stabsbooks]

[ This makes less and less sense the more Cecily explains. Cassandra doesn't blame her for that, of course, but. Still. She frowns. ]

Leliana was at Skyhold when I...was brought here. As was Cole.

How could they have been here long enough for you to - to know them?

[ Not just to meet them, it sounds like. ]

[closerift]

I know it sounds mad, but time is... strange, here. For example, a while after I first arrived, I returned to Thedas for two years and was then brought back here in the middle of an Exalted Council to find that time here hadn't progressed much at all. Two years in Thedas amounted to... maybe a week?

[ She shakes her head hopelessly. ]

It's easier to just not question it, if I'm honest.