test drive meme #13

[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 September 24th, and apps are open October 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, 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: DON'T LOOK AT ME
[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 lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect chance to hop right on you and chow down. This time, the Door has brought in several Boos, from the Mario video game series.

These monsters can be menacing, but are also incredibly shy. When looking directly at them, they will cover their faces and fade into the background- however, when turning away from them, they advance on you until they're in the perfect spot to take a nice big bite. The only way to defeat them is to escape this part of the level- that is, run madly away and try to keep up eye contact while you do so. They may look cartoonish, but those ghost teeth can be sharp!]

SCENARIO TWO: YOU'VE GOT RED ON YOU
[Hadriel is home to many things- temples, irate gods, angry citizens and... well, zombies, apparently. Beware as they start to walk/stagger/generally kind of shuffle around the streets of the city, since where there's one or two, there's usually a hundred more just waiting for the right moment to strike.

Zombies attack Hadriel by the dozen for this prompt, and nowhere in the city is technically safe from them! While they're not necessarily fast or intelligent, they have an advantage on you in that they have a lot more friends and they can't feel pain. So saddle up, bunker down, and try to survive the infestation!

This is a mini version of our Dead Men Walking event this month!]

R A G E

SCENARIO THREE: CAPTURE THE FLAG
[Hey, what's Hadriel without a few mind-numbingly stupid games to forget the fact that you're in a murdercave that routinely tries to scare the crap out of you while also maybe killing you every once in awhile? You're not quite sure who came up with this particular mind-numbingly stupid game, but you seem to be playing, so get your running shoes on and grab that inhaler!

This is a game of Capture the Flag, and thanks to Rage, you're really starting to feel that competitive spirit. You're going to win- you have to. So what if you incur a few fouls along the way?

There's a red team and a blue team for this prompt, with both teams trying to protect their corresponding flags. Try to strategize to take the other team's precious flag, chase someone from the opposing team down, or just go all out and full body tackle that poor guy who got a little too close to your territory- it's all on you!]

Comments

[mismanagement]

[Maketh hesitates.]

This man said he served what rose in the aftermath. His uniform had a variation of the Imperial seal.

[It ought to be said.]

[fulcra]

If we can take the Empire down once, we can do it twice.

[ there's no sense of immediate threat to ahsoka's tone - she's too civil for that - but her pride and belief in the rebellion is clearly intact. ]

[mismanagement]

[That's an odd way of putting it. Maketh frowns slightly.] There are others here? From the rebellion?

[fulcra]

Not here. But back where they need to be. [ she almost smiles. it might not be a terribly reassuring expression, given the context. ] If you're the only Imperial in this cave, I don't think we're gonna have a problem.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh almost says she's not an Imperial. Not in this place, at least. But really, the truth - if it must be said - is more complicated than that. She merely nods.] I'm afraid you will face other enemies. But if you help to protect these people, you will find no trouble with me.

[fulcra]

That was the plan. I'm glad we could come to an agreement.

[ she holds out a hand, offering it for a shake. protecting people is always her number one goal and respecting maketh while she does that doesn't bother her. ahsoka isn't exactly about to leave her to the zombies, either. ]

[mismanagement]

[Of course she hesitates. This woman could kill her in an instant. Maketh watched the Inquisitor do as much to her own men. She remember the sound his lightsaber made. How he'd smiled.

She shakes Fulcrum's hand. It doesn't matter. She has a duty to protect the people here, no matter the cost.] Of course.

[Maketh hesitates.] What--what should I call you?

[fulcra]

[ after a firm handshake, ahsoka leans back, folding her arms across her chest and looking amused. ]

I'm curious, actually. Has the Empire ever come up with a nickname for me, or did you just get lazy and co-opt my codename?

[mismanagement]

[Maketh huffs.] We didn't assign 'nicknames'. That would be childish.

[Though really, it's not that surprising that Fulcrum is an alias.]

[fulcra]

Are you kidding? We used to do it to the Separatists all the time. [ we here being her and the army of literal ten year olds. childish might apply, but it gave them spirit.

she considers maketh a moment, debating whether to share her name or not. fulcrum has come in handy time and again, but outside of the fight between the rebellion and the empire, maybe it's just not necessary. ]

My name's Ahsoka.

[mismanagement]

Of course you did. [Maketh just sighs. The Old Republic fell for a reason. But the name--

She's quiet for a moment, thinking.] ....Ahsoka Tano?

[fulcra]

[ there's a moment of genuine, but brief, surprise on ahsoka's features before she frowns slightly, one white-patterned brow arched. it's good that there's no reason to think that her real identity is associated with the persona of fulcrum, but still. ]

I'm more popular than I thought.

[mismanagement]

You were a commander during the Clone Wars. Of course we know about that. [Perhaps 'we' is no longer the right word. Maketh pushes that thought away.] And your--trial. Well. That was known as well.

[It's probably not wise to bring that up right now.]

[fulcra]

The trial was a mistake. [ a setup is the better word and one she would have used in the past, but it's been well over a decade. she tries to be kind to barriss's memory. ]

And I'm never sure how much the Empire scrubbed its history, especially when it comes to the Clone Wars. It must be hard to acknowledge Jedi for the officers they were.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh just watches her for a long moment.] On the contrary. Cadets are taught to honor the memory of the Jedi for their process in combat and the great service they provided to the Galactic Senate. You supported a weak system, but that was hardly your doing.

[Maketh exhales roughly.] Don't think me a fool. My mother served in the Clone Wars. I know very well what you faced.

[fulcra]

I've had less than reasonable conversations about this before, considering the government's official stance on how the war ended. We did our best. So did our men. [ she pauses a moment. ] But that war was a mess and the galaxy turned out much poorer for it. So I appreciate you have some respect for that.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh nods just once.] We haven't forgotten. But there were reasons so many went to the Empire, the stability he promised.

[She meets Ashoka's eyes briefly.]

We were hungry. I hope you can understand that. It doesn't excuse what happened, but---that ought to be understood.

[fulcra]

[ that earns a moment of quiet contemplation from ahsoka, trying to balance the instinct to blame an enemy for their own existence with wanting to accept any ally in making the galaxy a better place. recruitment has been part of her job for a long time now and while she's sure not about to turn it on maketh right now, when she still hardly understands where she is, she has to remind herself of the empathy that takes. ]

I do understand. And that's exactly why the Rebellion is doing what it's doing. So long as the most stable thing in the galaxy is corrupt and evil and everywhere, we don't know when our enemies are just trying to survive. So I do get that, but we both know what the Empire has done.

[mismanagement]

[Maketh doesn't argue. There's no point in that. The Empire and the Rebellion are far from this place, so far removed from what they face in Hadriel that they might as well be a dream. Something lost and half-remembered.] We do.

[That, however, ought to be said.

Maketh straightens her back. Posture is important.] I don't ask this for the Empire, or your rebels, but the people here. They're good and honorable, and they deserve protecting. Will you help me?

[fulcra]

Of course.

[ protecting is what she does. it's one of those jedi traits that stuck with her. it's the motivation that's carried her this far in the rebellion and the same motivation that has her fully ready to defend maketh from any approaching zombies, even now. ]

You sound like you've been here long enough to know how defense is organized. I'd like to know what you know. Or at least what parts of it I need to.

[mismanagement]

Of course, Master Jedi.

[It's an unconscious slip into formality. Officers must be addressed by their rank. Maketh may have forsaken hers, but this woman - a legend of the Old Republic - will be afforded respect. It is how things are done.]

We have assembled a militia to protect the civilians, armed with what few weapons we have. Though we have no shield generators or missiles, we've managed to set and maintain a perimeter around the inhabited portion of the city. All of my guardsmen are willing and able to fight. A few of them even have powers similiar to your own, though not of the Force.

[She's quiet a moment.]

Occasionally we are killed. The ones in charge here summon things at random. But we are more useful to them alive, and so they bring us back. Death is not permanent.

[fulcra]

[ the title catches her off guard a moment, brows furrowing in confusion at how odd it feels to hear it. and then she needs a moment to catch up, only to be caught unaware again by maketh's last bit of information. ]

Brought back from the dead? That sounds... ominous. [ as if the rest of this hasn't. sith-like, ahsoka also means, but sometimes it's better to not try to associate things like this with one force faction or the other. ] I'm not really keen on this place so far, but make sure I'm added to that list of guardsmen. My lightsabers don't have any risk of running out of ammo, after all.

[mismanagement]

Correct.

[Ominous is one word for it.]

Your aid would be greatly welcome. As I said, some of the guardsmen have abilities of their own. The majority of them are merely warriors. Talented, but--not like you.

[Maketh holds her back very straight.]

Myself and a man named Henry Percy are issuing orders at the moment. It would be best for you to meet him soon, I think.