test drive meme # 35

[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 August 25th, and apps are open September 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: GET YOUR RED CAPE READY
[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.

And they sure are big boys. Big and easily angered and ready to run right over you. This time, the Door has brought in Brontos, from the video game Dragon Age.

Brontos are large oxen-like beasts, though more sure-footed due to spending all their time in caves underground. There are domesticated brontos, bred to haul and be ridden and eaten... but these aren't those. These brontos are wild, one and all, and they are skittish and large and perfectly capable of running you over. Maybe just keep your distance.]

SCENARIO TWO: DESERTED
[You're alone. Completely alone, as far as you can tell. Nothing here works - oh, there's food in the stores, sure, but the water's not running, the electricity isn't working. There's not a soul on the streets, where you would normally expect to see at least a few people here and there.

So what will you do? Smash windows and grab food from the stores? (Well, the doors are all unlocked, but hey, who doesn't love smashing windows.) Shout in the streets in hopes someone will hear? Curl into a ball and cry? All valid choices. But then, what will you do when you do find someone, after thinking you were all alone? Someone you like, someone you hate, a complete stranger?

This is a mini version of our Deserted event this month.]

S O R R O W

SCENARIO THREE: ONE MORE CHANCE
[You can't stop thinking about the one who got away. They've been on your mind - well, it feels like forever, but maybe it's only been a few days. A few hours. But you can't stop thinking about them and regretting what could have been.

Maybe it's a failed romance. Maybe a broken friendship. Maybe a family member who walked away - or who you walked away from. Even a business partner who things ended poorly with. Whatever it was, you regret how things went down. If only you had another chance, a chance to fix things!

And then, there they are. The person you've been thinking of. What will you do? Beg forgiveness? Make amends? Run away? Make your decision and take action, because as soon as you do it you might realize it was never that person at all. You might have just poured out your heart and begged forgiveness from a complete stranger.]

Comments

[oldtonew]

[ That's a strange thing to say. ]

I've never met a human who wanted to meet an orc.

[ Kettara tips her head to the side. ]

Are you human?

[unphase]

You haven't? Why not?

[she continues smiling]

No, I'm Bgztlian.

[oldtonew]

Because they hate us.

[ Hate, fear, all those things. Kettara blinks. Then she leans forward and inhales deeply.

Strange. This one smells almost human. There's a subtle difference, one she's never encountered before. ]

Oh. That's better, then.

[unphase]

Why would they hate you?

[she comes from a society where differences are celebrated. well. for the most part.

she doesn't react as she's being scented. her mother is a diplomat and ambassador for her home planet, she knows better than to react]

I'm glad.

[oldtonew]

There was a war.

[ The worst part is that Kettara does understand. Her family and the others made their choice, their bargain, and tried to conquer a world that was not theirs. Her mother drank the demon's blood like the rest of them and there's no getting away from what that did. The lives it took.

Kettara looks away. She understands the war. It doesn't excuse the aftermath. ]

It doesn't matter. What's your name?

[unphase]

Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.

[and she is genuinely sorry. she's old enough to remember the Braal/Titan war and all the upheaval and lives lost. she remembers her mother trying and failing to negotiate a peace.

and she remembers the United Planets rising from the ashes of that conflict to hopefully prevent such wars in the future]

I'm Tinya Wazzo. What's your name?

[oldtonew]

[ Kettara scratches her head, not sure exactly how to take the conversation. It's been days since she's seen anyone and this woman looks human, even though she isn't. But it's better than being alone, isn't it? ] Kettara. Hello. Do you...do you know where we are?

[unphase]

[and Tinya is naturally friendly and outgoing. she's been starved for conversation since everyone else vanished] It's nice to meet you, Kettara. As for where we are, it's called Hadriel. We're all sort of--trapped here by aliens who feed on our emotion, so it's hardly an ideal situation. No one knows how or why we were chosen to come here or when we'll get to leave, so most people try to make the best of the situation.

[oldtonew]

[ Aliens that feed on emotion. All right.

Kettara folds her hands in her lap. Be calm, be centered. Just like you were taught. ]

You're the only one I've seen. Where is everyone else?

[unphase]

[strange, even by her universe's standards, but true.

and she clasps her hands in front of her]

I'm not sure. I've only been here a month, but I've been told that the aliens play tricks on our minds to try and get us to feel a certain way. This could be one of those tricks.

[oldtonew]

[ A trick. Kettara supposes that makes sense, though she doesn't like it. Why didn't the elements warn her? ]

How do we see through these tricks, then?

[unphase]

[she thinks a moment, then sighs]

This is my first trick so I'm only guessing, but I think it's Fear playing with our minds, making us think everyone else is gone.

[oldtonew]

[ Kettara breathes. Holds it. Exhales slowly. All right. ]

Then it's an illusion. A powerful one. But they can be broken.

[unphase]

[Tinya waits patiently]

Really? You can do something like that?