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TDM: January
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aefenglom's test drive! All threads can be considered game canon, should you choose to do so; regardless of if you pick specific threads to remain canon to the game, the prompts and test drive itself will be. This will be touched on later in-game, so it's fairly important to note! Aside from that, here are some quick reminders:• Reserves Open Today! If you're interested in securing a spot, put one in! We accept applications without reserves too, of course. Reserves will expire three days before the end of the application period, on the 28th.With that taken care of...
• Applications Open The 24th! These will last until the end of the month, the 31st, with the intro log going up on February 1st. The application page can be found here. As a reminder, this will be our last uncapped application round!
• If you have any questions about the game or the world, please refer to the FAQ page; if you still have questions, feel free to ask them! For questions specific to the test drive, please ask them on the appropriate thread.
• For the purposes of the test drive, your character will have access to all magics taught by the Coven if they're a Witch, and as much of their shifted form as you'd like if they're a Monster. Feel free to play around and experiment with each!
• Test drive threads can be used as samples for your applications!
You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the wind brushes playfully against your face -
and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that.
The Prehistoric Wilde
Thick summer heat hangs heavy over the uninfected landscape like a damp blanket, smothering. The jungle around you is thick and wet, full of the sounds of chittering animals and the high-pitched drone of insects. The flora and fauna are like nothing you've ever seen before, large and alien in colors and shapes, though they bear no signs of the Cwyld. Flowers the size of a man's head and brightly colored in rainbow hues curl their tendrils invitingly, and giant mosquitoes buzz through the air seeking a meal. You can barely see the glow of the twin moons through the thick canopy above. There are no signs of civilization - at least, not the civilization most will be used to; only the distant sound of the river, compelling you to follow its winding path. But will you go forward, or will you go back?
 Rumble in the Jungle Making headway through the jungle at night is a chore. The foliage grows thick and the humid heat is oppressive for even those who enjoy the warmth. There are no clear paths here, no easy way through. The canopy of the ancient trees far, far over your head is just as dense, but the faintest moonlight filters through the holes left by the huge leaves in stippling patterns across the musty forest floor. 'Large' seems to be the theme - lining whatever path you pick your way through, there are pitcher plants massive enough to swallow a grown man, with small animals and giant insects being digested down inside the sticky liquid that fills them. The flowers are as big as a man's head, and come in a rainbow of colors, their venomous tendrils curling toward signs of life. The trunks of some of the trees are as thick as houses, and shade the ground beneath them with leaves like umbrellas. The hand-sized mosquitoes thrive in the sticky heat and if not killed first, can make off with a full pint of blood from an unsuspecting person. At some point in your journey, the ground begins to rumble beneath your feet. The farther you go, the longer you walk, the more signs of life become visible: thick, winding trails of crushed foliage, huge, animalistic footprints in the mud. Luckily, to this world, you are small and insignificant, and may escape the notice of the local Monsters - the massive, prehistoric ancestors of today's Monsters. They seem like giants, colossal Titanoboa Nagas with hollow fangs like swords, towering Fauns with the lower halves of mammoths, sabertooth Turnskins, pterodactyl Harpies with leathery wings. Even the parts of them that resemble humans (and they have far fewer human-like parts than their modern counterparts) are larger than any actual human being. They operate primarily on instinct, made even stronger by the full moons above, and perceive the strange new creatures as threats - or food. Sticking to the river seems safest - at least until you run into megalodon Merrow, singing an alien, but alluring, song to draw in prey, or the apex predator of this prehistoric world - Dragons, bigger and scalier than the ones Mirrorbound may know, stopped to drink at the river. All other Monsters flee from the huge reptiles, lest they become food themselves. Luckily you can defend yourself with your new abilities, or your neat changes - you're small, but not totally helpless. Interesting to note... while all other Monster types are represented, there are no Fae or Chimeras in the Wilde here, and the Vampires are more like huge bat-monsters that traverse the jungle on all fours than humanoid bloodsuckers. |
 The Natives Going backward, away from the distant sounds of the sea and against the current of the river, leads you through dense jungle. How long have you traversed the landscape? Hours? Days? Time passes funny in dreams. Eventually the trees thin out, grow taller and less leafy, and the air becomes drier. Instead of loamy soil beneath your feet, you start to feel rocky, harder earth, and spot outcroppings of stone. The sun begins to rise, which makes it easier to spot people on the horizon, a little settlement coming to life in the morning, nestled where the river forks into two. They're much hardier than the familiar people of Aefenglom, sunburned and dressed in natural, rough fabrics. Their homes, if one can call them that, are shoddy little structures made of sticks and leaves and mud, pressed up against the sturdiness of the stone formations. And, when they spot strangers approaching their village, they scramble for their weapons - crude clubs, stone axes, even just large rocks snatched up off the ground. The translation magic works on them, thankfully. Their speech is halted and simple, but they get their point across. Tell them who you are, or they'll beat your brains in. Monsters might get their brains beat in anyway if they aren't careful, even though they're much smaller than the Monsters these humans are used to. And Witches? May the gods help you if you use magic in front of these terrified, unevolved people, lest they mistake you for a Fae (the word is whispered with fear and revulsion in their voices) and swarm you with simple iron tools. If you're an actual Fae, an obvious Fae? They'll whisk their children into their huts protectively and then run you right out of the village. Violently. The truly observant, or those who can see through illusions, among you may notice something strange, though. Some Fae actually seem to live among them, heavily cloaked in natural illusions, with the primitive humans none the wiser. There are just a few, but all of them look young, twelve or thirteen at the oldest, and they are all scared of their secret coming to light. Fae who get caught tend to be burned at the stake around here. |
 The Invaders Perhaps you chose to go forward, with the current and toward the distant sound of ocean waves, where the river pours into the sea. More long-time residents of Aefenglom may notice that the shoreline is familiarly-shaped, but wider, bigger, not yet worn down by thousands of years of erosion. There is no bustling Harbor, only the waves crashing on the rocks, small islands dotting the water near the shore. There is no Bright Wall - there is no city, even, only an expanse of beach transitioning gently into an idyllic grove dotted with gauzy, pointed tents, and a beautiful, gilded ship half sunk into the sandy earth. It seems safer than the jungle, at first - until you notice all the Fae. They're more insectoid than the ones many are familiar with, with big, glittering eyes and either bright, jewel-toned wings like dragonflies or butterflies, or delicate, leafy wings in greens and browns. They're also taller than modern, lesser Fae, though not by much, and they're thin and angular, standing on spindly limbs that barely seem able to hold them. Characters receive a warmer welcome here, by the band of true Fae that have made their camp in the grove, though the alien-looking beings have a tendency to treat them like toys, children, or both, cooing over their sizes and their magic. "Look at the little Monsters! Aren't they cute!" "We should make some of our own! And oh, the little humans have magic! Delightful!" It's hard to have a conversation with one - they're condescending at best, and at worst, flit off to another entertainment out of boredom while you're mid-sentence. And entertainments abound in their camp. They're served and tended to like emperors by collared humans - adults and young adults do the heavy labor, including pulling grand little chariots for transportation, though there are some highly-supervised human children running about fetching drinks and fanning their Fae masters with palm leaves. Farther out, a large, deep pit has been dug out of the earth, ringed by a waist-high barrier of logs, a few Fae gathering at the barrier and leaning over, talking in conversational, happy voices. Down below, Chimera gladiators fight for their amusement, while the Fae keep up running commentary, discussing each warrior's chances, new breeding prospects, interesting crossbreeds their fellows have come up with ("She's trying an Arachne and a Turnskin together, how delightful!"). Trying to disrupt the proceedings will only result in the Fae turning their magic on you - illusions and curses, nasty little tricks. Sit down, silly little ones! The fight is just getting good! Or maybe... Maybe they'll toss you into the pit to see what your chances are in battle. |
Welcome to the SHADOW REALM, YOSIE!
Letting go of Leslie's hand, she nods and taps her fingers to her armored breast in a sort of cross-my-heart gesture.]
I mean it as it sounds. This...dream...is a kind of doorway into another world. It pulls dreamers into it, and deposits them into the city of Aefenglom for a time.
[She keeps any trace of concern, worry, or fear from her face admirably. There are some things that hopefully the girl won't have to face, like becoming a vampire, but there are other things she might do well at. Witchdom, perhaps. But best not to worry her further just yet.]
Your body will wake up in the city. And eventually, whatever power brought you to the city will return you home. My friend Caspar, one of my generals, arrived with me six months and then returned home in his sleep not long ago.
I know that might not sound terribly appealing, but there's nothing that we can do, for a time. There are scholars and researchers looking for ways to send us all home, though. So, you need not worry. We will all be home soon enough.
and fifty buzzsaws descend as my lifepoints get lower https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1nqnZAKxw
[Leslie shakes her head rapidly, eyes wide and hands over her mouth. Subconsciously, she takes a few steps back, as though she's trying to retreat from the news.]
No, no, I can't disappear like that right now. If they can't find me -- if they don't know --
[A flash of realization crosses her face and she surges forward again, trying to take one of Edelgard's gauntlets in both of her hands, her expression pleading.]
There must be a way to leave a message behind. I -- please, if you know anything, I have to let them know!
God that man is a genius.
If such a way can be found, I will do everything I can to make certain you will be able to, Leslie.
[That much she would do, say, for anyone. However...]
As it stands, we...do not even know fully if time operates in the same way. From what I understand, the scholars believe that time stands still while we are here, and begins moving again once we return.
[It's a slim hope, but she keeps any trace of doubt out of her face. If Caspar had woken up knowing what was going on, and the other members of her army would certainly have noticed she was missing, then they'd have torn worlds apart to get here. The Professor had proven markedly capable of that once before, and Hanneman and Linhardt would certainly help.]
Do not fear, Leslie. Things will be quite alright. I promise you that.
[Famous last words...]
1/2 He's incredible and he's so right about Yu-gi-oh.
Leslie's own face doesn't hide any of her desperation. She tries, but it's obvious from her eyes and the way her lips are held too tightly together. The fear is a little more well-hidden, but the slight shake in her arms is more obvious for Edelgard since Leslie is holding her hand.
A few moments after Edelgard makes her promise, Leslie lets out a sigh and a lot of the tension escapes her body. She drops her head, eyes closed, and speaks in a low voice, speaking to herself but still loudly enough to be audible.]
Things will be alright. That's right. Even if I do disappear, the duchess is clever. She won't let herself get trapped by this. And I might not disappear at all. It will be alright. It will be alright.
[She's still worried, but she's no longer panicking. Or, at least, she's not panicking until she opens her eyes again and sees that she had unthinkingly grabbed Edelgard's hand. An emperor's hand.]
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I...I'm sorry, Your Majesty! I wasn't thinking, um.
[What does one say to an emperor in a situation like this? She's sure she read it somewhere....]
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It's quite alright, Leslie. I do not mind at all.
[The girl is a child, and a frightened one that just had her world dropped out from under her. She can hardly be expected to follow courtly etiquette, and Edelgard is glad that she has not.
So, perhaps thinking to round the conversation back to the girl, Edelgard focuses on a word that stood out.]
You are staying with a duchess, in your home?
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Leslie you have no ideaBut, then again, so was the duchess: the duchess is famously reclusive, one of the most important people in the empire, and a woman that no one in the world — in her world — could dare to disrespect, but just that evening, she’d placed her hand on Leslie’s head to calm her anxieties, too. Granted, Leslie still wouldn’t dare to rush up to grab the duchess’s hands, either, but she wouldn’t be afraid of the consequences if she did. She’d just feel embarrassed that she’d been so childish and disrespectful to someone so amazing, to someone who had been so kind to her. Maybe that’s how this emperor is, too. The thought helps as much as the ruffle to help calm her down, though she does still blush over her previous actions.Ah, and speaking of the duchess...Leslie still isn’t used to the idea of different worlds, so she thinks of the mansion when she hears “your home.”]
It’s her home, but yes, I am staying there. Duchess Salvatore — I heard she was looking to adopt a daughter, and I was able to come to an agreement for her to choose me, at least until I am old enough to live on my own. The law requires every child to live with their parents, and even though I’m not really a child any longer, I am also not an adult yet, legally.
[Leslie looks down, a fond smile growing over her face.]
Even though the adoption process is not over and I am not yet a Salvatore, the duchess has been letting me stay in her home. And even though our contract only requires for her to protect me, both she and her family have been amazingly kind to me. They are all wonderful people. I admire them very much.
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I'm glad to hear that, then. I would be concerned if someone with such a respectable title was not doing all they could for the well-being of a young woman like yourself. I believe quite firmly that caring for youth is one of the greatest duties a noble should be carrying out.
[That is, after all, one of the many reasons that she sought to break down the current system and reforge it.
It also sparked a thought in her. One she was not certain Hubert would like, but one that seemed like the right thing to make. It was a stated obligation, a sacred duty, and if she did not then she would worry, as she had with Michel.]
So with that said, when we wake, I will seek you out. You are still young, yet and Aefenglom can be a complex and confusing place. I have established myself, and have even begun gathering a library of my own. I would happily ensure you are kept safe and without worry, with plenty of opportunity to read and learn until such time as we all return home.
Furthermore, if the Duchess Salvatore arrives here, I would be loathe to have you returned to her care in a worse state than when last she saw you.
[It would reflect poorly on her indeed.]
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That expression, though, is blown away by her shock at Edelgard’s offer. Duchess Salvatore’s help, once given, has been basically all-encompassing, offering Leslie more than she could have ever dreamed, but even then, Leslie was the one who needed to make the first move. This is the first time in her life someone has offered her help proactively.
Of course, in this place, the barriers set in place by the Sperado family don’t exist, but her magic also isn’t there to be an advantage to looking after her. Big Brother Ruenti tells her that she is much smarter than she’d been told, but it’s not like Edelgard knew any of the books Leslie told her about. Even though Edelgard isn’t suggesting anything as monumental as adopting her away from an unwilling noble family, Leslie’s thoughts immediately turn into securing her place with a mutually beneficial contract.
Leslie clasps her hands together in front of her stomach. Her expression is tense as she tries to hold back her excitement (a library in the house! one like in the Salvatore mansion, where she doesn’t have to sneak in to read a book from it! someone to help her navigate a new world! a roof over her head!), but it’s clear in her eyes and the rapid pace of her words.]
Are you sure? Even if I can’t offer much, Big Brother Ruenti says I’m good at studying, so I’m sure I could help you in some way, but I’ll be okay if I have to find a place to live myself. I don’t want to put you out, and most of the reasons I had to ask the duchess for help won’t be a problem here. I’m sure she’d understand even if she comes to the city later.
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[Her honor demands such. She has played herself, small child. Well done. However, the earnestness of Leslie's statement and her sincere desire to do something useful is not lost on Edelgard. She doesn't even miss a beat when she continues on in reply.]
You are not putting me out. I live in a fairly large house with one other person, so realistically you would be assisting the city by sharing residency with someone who is already established.
Though, I think perhaps I could also find some tasks for you. You are clearly able to read, so I assume you know your letters, so you could assist Hubert and I as a scribe, and once you learn the city you could be a messenger for me.
[These are all reasonable tasks to expect of a self-sufficient young lady.]
It will be no trouble at all, Leslie. In fact, I think having another person around would make our home a more cheerful place.
the calculus involved in whether to reference other unfinished threads
"Of course. Any noble worth their salt would do the same. ......aw shit."
Leslie's hands grip each other more tightly as time goes on, but it's clear from her trouble hiding it in her expression that it's because she's trying to not have too much excitement burst out of her. No being childish ever, but especially not in front of an emperor, as kind as this emperor may be!! She does separate her hands when it comes to hearing about working as a scribe, but that is for her hands to fist in a kind of "I CAN DO IT" gesture.]
Yes! I can certainly write! And I am confident in my spelling. I will do my best to make sure it is neat and quick.
[Should she bow? It's probably right to bow when thanking an emperor, but also Edelgard seems to be okay with something more casual. Would it be more insulting to imply too much distance with someone she might be living with temporarily? She waffles for a couple of seconds and, in the end, doesn't bow.]
Thank you, Your Majesty. I wouldn't want to inconvenience the city, and it will be really helpful for me to be with someone who already knows the city and is established. I don't know if I'm the best person to cheer up a home, but I will do my best!
[...Hubert. Hubert. That sounds familiar. Something recent.... It's been hard to keep track of what she's been doing in this dream, which probably would worry her more if she wasn't dreaming. But she vaguely recalls meeting someone else and asking about the collars. She concentrates and tries to remember....]
Oh! You're the emperor that Marquis Vestra said he serves!
The Calculus of Angels
I trust that you will.
[She chuckles, though breaks off a bit at the mention of 'Marquis Vestra.'
Not in a bad way, just considering...]
I am indeed. Marquis Vestra, Hubert, is my closest confidant and adviser. Though, I know he can seem a touch unsettling at times, he is among the most loyal people you could ever hope to meet.
Was he kind to you?
no subject
He was very courteous!
[That's not quite the same as kind, but close enough.]
He said it was good that I was being dutiful in my studies even after I got a little carried away in talking about my history books. And he was patient to explain things I didn't know when we were talking, like [okay how exactly did this word go it's so long] subterfuge. It was very interesting, even if....
[She hesitates, looking like she feels guilty, tracing random patterns in the sand with one foot.]
It was a little unsettling, at times. I didn't mean to judge him by the way he looks like a villain or anything like that, but I think I let my instincts get the better of me a couple of times. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to think badly of your friend, even if it was only for a bit.
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I would never fault anyone for reacting like that. Hubert can be a little unsettling. And he certainly cultivates a more sinister appearance, but deep down he's a very kind man.
[Not gentle, but kind.]
He pushes people to do what is best for them, and he is very good at subterfuge. He has a talent for it, and so he uses it. For good, I assure you. To stop bad people from being able to do worse things.
[She's not intending to elaborate, not much...]
Just know that appearances can be deceiving. Watch how he treats people, and you'll start to see what I mean.
1/2
It's like the way the Salvatores started the rumour calling them monsters...though I don't think it's the same reason.
[At the very least, she knows one of the Salvatores' reasons is to keep the imperial family from growing jealous of their strength, and this is Hubert's imperial family explaining his sinister act. (She didn't say it was an act. Just that he plays it up.)]
2/2 I thought this was going to be a lot less in-depth??
[As Leslie says this, she is kind of folding in on herself, her hands partially over her face. She's not sure why she's telling Edelgard this. Maybe she wanted to tell someone, and it sounds like it will be a long time before she can ask Duchess Salvatore about it.]
But I also don't know if Marquis Vestra's methods are wrong. And that's scary. ...But I'll keep watching.
haha it's okay!
It's refreshing, in a sense, to know that there are people in the world that are not as well versed in intrigue, backstabbing, and the bleaker side of court life as the nobles of Fodlan.]
I understand, Leslie. I know that a lot of people place a lot of importance on honor, especially among noble society.
[She does not, and it's likely evident in her tone.]
I have a thought I would like you to consider. Would it be better for a corrupt Duke known for his cruelty to be dealt with through subterfuge, or to continue on until he is challenged and defeated in an open battle?
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As for the thought experiment:]
In this hypothetical, can the corrupt Duke not be defeated in open battle or in a court of law for a long time?
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[This is a fairly complex question, but she enjoys seeing Leslie working through the problem. She's admittedly asked it of herself a hundred times over.]
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[She doesn’t really want to say out loud that she’s not sure what would happen if it was a member of the imperial family, as she’s holding on to the duchess’s reassurance that there wasn’t anything to worry about when it came to the marquess taking her to court. (Even if the corrupt duke is neither a marquess nor a real person, Leslie is projecting so hard on this hypothetical that she might as well be having an out-of-body experience.)]
...It would depend on what needed to be done to deal with him through subterfuge. If it would kill his victims, or some people who weren’t involved at all, I don’t think I could think of doing it.
[The pouch of fae-poisoning iron Hubert toyed with in front of her had a very strong impact on her. She imagined it being spread through the camp indiscriminately, with people she still didn’t know if were all responsible for what, and her assumption was still haunting her a little.]
But if it’s only the corrupt Duke...he’d be getting off lightly if he was given a quick death.
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That is typically something that is the aim of more subtle attacks, yes. To remove a single person, the rotten egg in the bunch, without having to harm their soldiers or underlings.
Very rarely is it used indiscriminately, and that is not something that I would encourage or condone. People deserve the chance to thrive, and such tactics are best employed like a physician's knife, against those that would deny them that chance.
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Are there really a lot of people like that? People so evil that the world would be better off if they were dead, but that the people around them aren't like that?
[The man she was thinking about certainly falls under the classification of evil, but Leslie thinks just about the entire household, servants included, are rotten. Just taking Marquess Sperado out of the picture wouldn't have solved things in her case.]
no subject
[Edelgard stoops down again, putting a gloved hand on Leslie's shoulder and forcing as sunny as smile as she can manage.]
Sometimes they surround themselves with evil, too. I think you know that, already.
[Just vibes, Les.]
In those situations, subterfuge is less useful...and that is when the righteous must take a stand. That's a time when it's better to engage in more direct action, which is my preferred way of dealing with conflict.
Neither way is always right, but...sometimes it's necessary, to protect the people who can't protect themselves.
no subject
New Fire Emblems from non-CF routes stare. Edelgard’s face can do that?!Leslie looks down as Edelgard vibe checks her, but she does nod a little to confirm it’s an accurate read and meets her eyes again once Edelgard continues to describe her beliefs around helping others.“That is when the righteous must take a stand.” She wonders if, were Leslie from Edelgard’s empire (“world” is still a strange enough concept that it’s easier to consider it as another country that is outside the continent), Edelgard would have been the one she would have turned to. Hubert had mentioned purging corruption that was abusing the system, after all.]
I understand. Some of the things Marquis Vestra described...I’m still a little uncomfortable with them, but it’s much better than doing nothing when people need help. Much, much better.
[Cough cough, Sperado family servants. Cough cough, crown prince.]
Your country must be very lucky to have a ruler like you, Your Majesty.
no subject
[Releasing her arm, she turns her head away from the group of Fae that have begun to take note of her...their...presence.]
For now, perhaps, we should move on? We do not want to linger in a place where our kind are not well regarded, do we?
(no subject)