dankmemes | Test Drive Meme # 2

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!test drive

Test Drive Meme # 2

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 October 25th, and apps are open November 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: THE LAUGHTER OF A CHILD
[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 some little friends for you to play with.

Grey Children are enemies in the video game Silent Hill. They usually move in pairs or groups of three, clinging to your legs and pulling you down so that they can laugh as they stab you to death. They're not particularly sturdy, but since they hunt in packs, they can kill you just the same. Let's hope your group is bigger - or that you can get away before they get ahold of you. But don't be too mean. They're just children, after all.]

SCENARIO TWO: FEAR ITSELF
[You turn a corner, and there it is. The one thing that terrifies you more than anything, that turns you into a frightened child, that makes you want to run or scream or fight wildly. It could be anything. That person you trusted, who betrayed you. A monster that haunts your dreams. Spiders, maybe? Whatever it is, it's exactly what you fear the most.

And then there are footsteps next to you, and someone else is there. Maybe they can help you. Maybe they can save you. But everyone's afraid of something, and the moment your savior gets close, their fear will manifest as well - and if you're really unlucky, combine with yours to make something even worse.

It's not real. It can't hurt you. Not unless you let it. But if you let it, it will destroy you.

This is a simpler version of October's Fear Event.]

H O P E

SCENARIO THREE: THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE
[A moment ago, you were making dinner. Not alone, but with someone you care about nearby - your beautiful spouse, or your amazing child, or your beloved sibling. Then, in an instant, you look at them and you know: this isn't real.

This perfect house, this perfect family, it's not yours. You can remember your real life now, and that person you care for? You might not even know them. A moment ago they were your world, and now you know this isn't actually your life. Your life is something else, somewhere else.

Above the fireplace sits a painting of you and your happy family. You know that if you destroy it, you'll return to your life. But do you really want to, when you've never felt this contentment, this happiness before? You could have it all, if you wanted. And what about your companion? This is a decision you should make together - if you want to.]

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fear — one;

[ of all the times to not be wearing proper armor or carrying his usual weapons... the winter palace is not the place to be armed, josephine had said. it sends the wrong message. we need to let the people know we are here for peace, she said. whenever he gets back from--wherever this is, cullen is going to give her a piece of his mind and strap his sword on. she can frown at him all she wants. the daggers he'd stuffed in his boots are not enough to deal with these things. he can throw them well enough, but there's only two of them. not enough to take care of all the monsters coming towards him.

still, he's not completely defenseless. not when he has a mabari next to him, crouched and growling, ready to leap to cullen's defense at a moment's notice. apparently he'd adopted a war hound with good instincts that mysteriously disappear every time cullen thinks of training with him. which is just his luck, really. and something he probably shouldn't be complaining about when the dog is ready to throw itself into danger. ]

Easy, pup. [ he slips a dagger out of his boot and shifts into what he hopes is a passable defensive position. he's a sword and board warrior, not a rogue. daggers aren't really his thing. but there are three monsters coming towards him and he's not going down without a fight. ] Wait for them to come to us.

fear — two;

[ he turns a corner and the world lights up. it takes him half a second to realize that the sudden light in front of him is familiar--it's a barrier. the likes of which he hasn't seen in over a decade. he stumbles, knees hitting the ground hard. this can't be happening. it can't. and yet he can't deny the sight in front of him.

he's trapped and farris' body hovers in the air outside the barrier. it's broken--limbs twisted in ways they were never meant to be, his head lolling too far backward and exposing the inside of his throat. blood covers his armor until cullen can barely make out the sword of mercy on his breastplate. the desire demon behind the body laughs and cullen--cullen can't tell if it's real or if it's memory.

he is thirty-three. he is nineteen. screams and the wet sounds of bodies twisting, cracking, pulling apart and reforming into abominations reach his ears from the harrowing chamber. every part of him trembles and his throat is raw from days spent praying for relief. behind him, his mabari whines and noses at his elbow. except he doesn't have a mabari. he'd always wanted one, back in honnleath, but he was going to be a templar and he couldn't bring one along with him to training.

the dog whines again, licks his cheek, and cullen thinks this isn't real. he is thirty-three. he is the commander of the inquisition. he--needs to get up off his knees and do something other than pray because that is what he did when he was nineteen and trapped, and slipping into memory is the last thing he wants to do. he needs to anchor himself in the present. levering himself up off the ground, he winces at the way his knees ache and the muscles in his legs pull. he ignores it and paces the length of his cage, singing a tavern song about the storm coast under his breath, his dog at his heels.

that won't help you, cullen, the demon croons as it drags farris' body around, making sure it's always in cullen's peripheral. a reminder of all it has done and all it will do. but if you give in to me, i can make it all stop. you could see her again. you could be happy together, away from all this.

he scowls and sings all the louder. if he can just keep his mind on something else, keep focused on the words, eventually it will go away. it has to.

any other option is unacceptable. ]

Edited 2015-10-23 00:22 (UTC)

[ Out of somewhere, an arrow hisses through the air and into the bodies of one of the little beasts. It shrieks terribly, opening a gaping mouth much too large for any human child. Not that it looks remotely humanoid; the monster's faced is stitched together, practically, its naked body pale and strangely muscular.

Never mind its fellows, all eager for blood, and brandishing knives. ]

They're quicker than they- [ A young woman begins, but falters. Her eyes widen in pure shock, one which she recovers from with practiced swiftness (after all, they're still on the battlefield, reunion or no). ]

Maker's breath. [ The Inquisitor breathes, but there isn't much time for her relief, and certainly not enough of it to wonder over the hound at his side. Instead, Cecily Trevelyan glances in his direction, moving slowly as the Grey Children cry out, brandishing their weapons, ready for a fight. ]

On your guard, Commander. [ She advises with more than a hint of fondness, despite the situation, just before readying another arrow. ]

[ with the inquisitor and her arrows about, cullen's chances of survival just went up by a significant margin. enough to have him smirking a little as he throws his left-handed dagger at another child. it sinks into the neck-area of the child. or, at least, what would be the neck if the thing were a human and not some monstrosity. ]

As you say, Inquisitor.

[ it's a relief to have her here, even if he's not quite sure where here is. so long as she's with him, safe, and still fond of him, he can have faith that things will work out alright.

he shifts his stance, nudging the mabari with the heel of his boot. ] Left, pup. [ it's a simple command, but the dog understands, snarling as it leaps for another child as cullen ducks right and swipes at it with his remaining blade.

what he wouldn't give for a sword right about now. ]

[ Were she a warrior, she might have another weapon to offer... but, as it is, there are only the daggers that they both have on hand and the longbow held comfortably in her grip. The monsters are eerily playful, she notes, and likens them quickly to demons. Though, there's also the knowledge, having been around in this strange world for almost a month already, that there are no demons in the area. None of their kind, anyway. These creatures, like the monster with the long tongue and the mutated bears, may have strengths and weaknesses, but they're unknown.

In other words, for the first time in a long time, the Inquisition (or as much of it as is in Hadriel) is flying blind. ]

You were brought alone, then? [ She tosses the question over her shoulder, crouching briefly to let loose a shoot that tears through the gut of one of the children in its path. ] Don't tell me you just happened on a mabari within moments of arriving.

What? [ no, really. what? ] No, I--

[ the child in front of him shrieks. questions and distractions will have to wait a moment while he and the mabari take care of it. it's relatively quick work, though it does leave his formal wear spattered with gore in a way that's--unpleasant.

but not quite as unpleasant as the fact that some things aren't lining up quite right here. ] Do you not remember me telling you about how I found him? I know there was, ah, quite a bit happening in that conversation...

[ he lets the sentence trail off. even with all the life-changing events that happened just after he told her about finding the dog, that seems like the kind of thing she shouldn't be confused about. the mabari (who really needs a name other than 'pup' at some point) bounds over to cecily and wags his entire back-half happily. it's that more than anything that reassures him. if there were something truly sinister going on with her not remembering, the dog would be much more concerned. but it is worrying. ]

[ Of course, there's also that: the fact that the Commander is dressed not as he usually is, but in the red formal attire that they'd all donned for their trip to the Winter Palace. Thankfully, there's more time for questions once the pair of them (and the enthusiastic dog) take care of the small band of monsters in their midst.

Cecily stops, refitting the bow onto her back, catching her breath. ]

Did you tell me? I swear, I've never seen him before.

[ But she crouches, gently extending her hand for the hound to sniff, scratching him behind the ears if he'll allow it.

Eventually she rises again, smiling wearily. ]

I'm... really glad to see you, even if it is... here.

[ In their bizarre world full of twisted, violent creatures. Never mind all the strange technology, the people... Either way, the Inquisitor reaches out to lay her hand on his arm, squeezing gently. ]

Were you being fitted for new clothes when you were taken? [ She asks wryly, idly fingering the material. ]

[ the dog not only allows it, he tilts his head into it and pants happily. ear scratches and belly rubs are probably his favorite things in the world. ]

No... [ cullen frowns, even as he reaches up to cup cecily's elbow in his hand. ] We were at the Winter Palace. For the Exalted Council?

[ there's a tension in his shoulders as he studies her. if there were some creature masquerading as the inquisitor, they wouldn't be able to create a perfect replica. and he's fairly certain the mabari would notice. but there's clearly something wrong and he--can't see any evidence of her having been hit with the kind of magic that could alter a person's mind.

in some ways, that's a lot more worrying. ]

Do you really not remember?

[ Cecily has never had a dog; it's more of a Ferelden thing wherein the stereotypes are completely true. She's spent enough time, though, in Skyhold's stables to know how to be in the presence of animals, though, and thumbs attentively at the back of the hound's neck before looking again to Cullen, frown deepening. ]

The- What? [ Now she looks concerned, more so than when they'd been attacked by demonic, knife-wielding children moments before. The Inquisitor straightens, body language on alert. Tense. ] Why would there be...

[ But she trails off, suspicion growing. Carefully, she steps back, again slipping the bow from her back. She doesn't pull it taut, doesn't aim it at him just yet, but her eyes are sharp. Clearly, there's been some recent trauma, some reason for her to distrust that the former templar is who he appears to be. ]

You're another illusion. [ Cecily says quietly, dangerous in her rigid stance and quick reflexes. ] I've only been once to the Winter Palace. What you've said; it never happened.

[ well. that's concerning.

cullen lets the dagger drop out of his hand and clatter to the ground. he holds his palms out in front of him, as if the gesture could placate her. it's hard to appear calm when his heartbeat has just kicked up a notch, but he tries. ]

Cecily-- [ he pauses. what can he say that won't end up with him getting shot? ] What's the last thing you remember?

[ where is the divide between them? what sort of a thing could they be dealing with that would affect her like this and turn them against each other? and how does he stop it? because this is really annoying and he would very much like to not have to deal with things ruining the happiness that came with getting married, thank you. ]

[ Unfortunately for Cullen, she'd seen other versions of him too recently. Phantoms of all her friends and companions chiding her, insulting her, hating her. And then hurt, tortured, dead.

It was almost too much, though she'd managed to (barely) get a handle on it by the end. Now, though... the old fear creeps in through the cracks in her resolve and she waves, conflicted. Please, don't take this from me, not again. ]

We defeated Corypheus. [ She says, though she isn't convinced he won't transform or attack at any moment. ] It's over.

[ That was before she'd been taken to Hadriel, anyway. It had finally been peace and calm, something none of them have had in a very long time. ]

How can I know you aren't another hallucination? That you're - That it's really you?

That-- [ he has to take a moment and swallow hard. ] That was two years ago.

[ if it weren't bad enough that she seems to be missing two whole years of her memory, the way she asks if how she can know he's not a hallucination hits him like a knife to the chest. he remembers a time where he had been plagued by visions of friends. where he had lost track of what was real and what wasn't. the thought of her having gone through something that would make her question things the way he once had... ]

I suspect nothing I say will help with that. [ and yet-- ] But I swear to you, on Andraste's holy ashes, I am really me.

Two years?

[ It catches her way off guard, like a blunted hit to the back of the head. It's so absurd that she falters in her determined wariness, her eyes widening in surprise.

It's enough to make her believe, because- well, why would any vision say that? ]

... I believe you. [ Cecily says quietly; there's something else entirely to be troubled about, now. And she can't even marvel at the idea of time travel, not after what she and Dorian experienced in Redcliffe. She has to take it at face value, to accept what he's saying minus the logical potential for it to be true. ]

Two years. [ She repeats, sighing, shoulders falling. Again, the weapon is replaced, but she doesn't close the gap, not yet. A lot can happen in two years' time. Suddenly, she's pricked with nervousness and eyes him with deep apprehension. ] What's happened? Why is there a Council?

[ How much have I missed? ]

[ watching her put away the bow and hearing her say she believes him has him sighing in relief. he'd have let her shoot him if it came to that, but he was really, really hoping it wouldn't.

hesitantly, he reaches out for her, but his hands stop before they can make contact, hovering awkwardly by her arms before he thinks the better of it. he rubs at the back of his neck with the hand that's mostly clean and clears his throat. ]

There are some people who think that Inquisition has too much political power. And no one can seem to agree on how to deal with that.

[ it's the simple version of things. and it doesn't mention what cullen feels is the most important thing to have happened that she doesn't remember. but how could he mention that? it could--she could react poorly and then where would he be?

he frowns at the space above cecily's left shoulder. the mabari, who has been watching all of this calmly, shuffles over to cullen and leans heavily against his legs. ]

[ She's just distracted enough not to make note of the way he almost brushes her, too honed in on the words to see the action. Cecily sighs shortly, crossing her arms, and- oh. He's closer, now. And with the dog lying against his legs, the sight of which almost makes her smile. ]

First, we weren't important enough to pay any mind, and now we're too much. [ The Inquisitor mutters. ] You'd think, after the breach and after Corypheus, that they might want us around.

[ It isn't as if they're making to take over the whole of Thedas, anyway.

Unfortunately, she doesn't know what she doesn't know. Some things will have to remain in obscurity, at least until he decides it wouldn't be strange to take that same, significant step twice. ]

So we've come under siege. How is it looking?

We're in Orlais. [ his tone is about as dry as the western approach. ] I don't think it's possible for things to look good in Orlais.

[ it's a bit of humor couched in truth. if there's one thing cullen hates dealing with, it's orlesian politics. the fact that they want to put more oversight on the inquisition is even more awful. but it's not hopeless. between cecily and her advisers, cullen is confident they'll end up getting what they want out of the council, whatever that may be. ]

Josephine has a plan. [ josie always has a plan. ] And if things go wrong, I hear Varric has made you a Comtesse in Kirkwall.

[ he pauses, attempts at good humor fading. ] Do you truly not remember any of this?

Doesn't she always? [ Thank the Maker for their resident Antivan. ] And - What? Comtesse?

[ And in Kirkwall. Defying her confusion, a smile plays at her lips. What would her family think of her now? Maybe she should write; it's been ages, and they'd love a chance to try and bring her back to marry off to someone atrocious.

After being ripped apart by the Council, though. There goes the happy thought. ]

No. [ She admits. Since he mentioned it, she's been wracking her mind, trying to find answers, memories, events that just aren't there. She remembers very clearly the day on which she'd been in Skyhold, then woken up in the local coliseum with Dorian and the dire bears. Whatever's happened, whatever he means, hasn't happened to her, yet. ]

But, I was... there, with you. [ Cecily says, slowly. ] So it isn't as if we've been here two years and been missing.

[ That would be a real nightmare for them all, she imagines. Herself most especially, to hear that she could have been absent without reason, along with Dorian, Thom, and Sera.

Cecily looks up into his face again, then decisively reaches out to take his hand, fingers curling around his. ]

You're all right, though? No invasions or holes in the sky above the Winter Palace?

[ a smile tugs at his lips as their fingers link. cullen leans forward just enough to rest his forehead against hers. maybe a mostly deserted street with monster corpses nearby them isn't exactly the best place for a romantic gesture, but oh well.

it's easier for him to digest things with the physical reassurance of her, well, being fond of him. even if there's two years of difference between them, they still have the foundation they built while fighting corypheus. ] No one ever noticed you were anywhere other than where you should be.

[ which, now that he thinks about it, is mildly disturbing. and something to think about later when he has more answers about where he is and how long she's been here. ]

No, there's no invasions, no holes in the sky, and no known assassination attempts we have to stop. [ yet. ] Just politics.

[ and the anchor acting up. which he is keeping to himself for now, both because he doesn't want to scare her and to use as a sort of litmus test to see if she is really from two years behind him or if something has erased the time from her mind. ]

cullen rutherford » dragon age » there is the teeniest trespasser dlc spoiler in this beware

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