thirstology | TEST DRIVE.

Entry tags:

test drive meme

TEST DRIVE.

test drive

Firstly, thank you for your interest! Secondly, since the game hasn't begun and therefore characters haven't actually gone to a world yet, this test drive is going to be a little different. It's intended to be presented as a mini-mission of sorts, on a much smaller scale and timeframe than a real mission in-game but with a somewhat similar feel. Because of this, if you join the game, you're allowed to count this as game canon, so make sure you make choices you want to follow your character into the game!

You know how this works, so go forth and have fun, and don't forget to reserve!

BASICS

Anwick might have been a beautiful town once. It's hard to tell now, since most of the buildings are scorched and crumbling, but they do resemble some rural modern-day buildings. Likewise, the people don't appear to be living too much in the past; several are carrying intimidating guns. For years, Anwick has been terrorized by dragons, living in fear of the next attack. Not anymore.

The people have just ended a bloody battle. Several people limp towards the outskirts of town, holding their bleeding wounds or new burns. In the center of town lies a slain dragon, the last full-grown one left in the world. To be honest, it looks like they've already taken care of their own problem.

A monotonous voice comes through your communication device to explain. You aren't here to help the townspeople; you're here for the dragons. The one motionless on the ground may have been the last adult, but it certainly wasn't the last dragon. Her children are located in a nearby cave, alone and orphaned. They're the ones you need to protect.

WYRMLINGS

The wyrmlings are still growing up, only the size of a small dog. Each has a slightly different appearance, but all of them have at least a few bright copper scales. They're beautiful, and they look a little bit harmless... at least, until they notice you. These dragons have never been exposed to humans before. Or anyone outside of their family, for that matter. They're small and scared, and they don't know any other way to protect themselves than to attack. Luckily, because of their tiny size, they can't do much more than small burns at a time — but make no mistake, it still hurts like hell.

The cave they're located in is pitch-black and labyrinthine. Every footstep echoes throughout it if you aren't light enough on your feet. It'll be difficult to navigate if you don't MacGyver yourself a torch or other form of lighting. Cell phones will work decently, at least until their battery dies, but you don't want to get stuck deep within the cave with no light.

If you do manage to get through the cave and rescue some without getting burned to a crisp, the trouble's not over yet. You'll have to find a safe place to stash them until they can be relocated; the townspeople aren't done with their dragon-slaying yet, after all. Walk into town with one in tow, and you're putting a target on your back. (Of course, this doesn't mean you can't do it.)

PROMPTS

ONE ✗ GOING ROGUE
Not feeling too obedient? Maybe you're ignoring the orders and helping the wounded people in town instead... or just coming to gawk. Maybe you're coming to slay the wyrmlings yourself. Whatever it is, at least try to be sneaky about it.

TWO ✗ THE DRAGON'S CAVE
Try to navigate the cave, fail to navigate the cave and get lost, or try to take the wyrmlings without getting barbecued. Somehow, you get the feeling that you aren't alone. Those footsteps are probably just your imagination... or they could be townspeople coming to kill you and the dragons. Of course, they could also be an ally, but you'd better hope you don't find out.

THREE ✗ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
You've gotten the dragon(s) to a secure campsite out of town, but the fun's not over yet. They're kind of freaking out a little. Some of them are still spitting fire. Even the less aggressive ones are crying shrilly, bound to attract townspeople or at least annoy everyone nearby. It can't be too hard to calm them down; they're basically scaly, fire-breathing babies, right?

FOUR ✗ NIGHT TIME
It's been a long day, and now it's time for the crew to sleep. Get to know your tentmates, try to ignore them, pray that they don't want to bring along a wyrmling to cuddle... or maybe you've been put on night watch with a few others, in which case you'd better find a way to pass the time until your shift's over.

FIVE ✗ CHIT CHAT
Network option! Maybe you've got a little downtime and you're bored. Or maybe you're frantically asking the rest of the team how bad a dragon bite is. Maybe you're just trying to figure out how the hell this magical jewelry thing works. No matter what, you get one username to identify you and one only — if you don't enter one, it will default to your real name (for example, Voldemort's would be tomriddle.) Choose wisely... or make it assfarts69, if that's your thing. More information on the network is here!

SIX ✗ WILDCARD
Do whatever the hell you want. Explore the ashes of the burned city, try to run as far away from this crap as possible, or try to teach a wyrmling tricks. The world is your oyster.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

two;
Jonathan groped about in the dark, wishing for all the world that he had a torch instead of trying to get by using the occasional burp of dragon flame. He was trying to coax a wyrmling out of a vent in the rock, but it was not going well. "What obstinacy! Will you come with me if I meet your demands?"

The young dragon stared at him with baleful, coppery eyes.

"...Do you have any demands?" He rummaged through his pockets and produced a small tube of lipstick. "How about this colored chalk? I-It's... ideal for children, don't you think?"

four;
Exhausted, slightly singed, and smelling of burnt hair, Jonathan wobbled in the direction of the tents and sat heavily on a tree stump. He eyed his torn clothes (bitey little things, weren't they?) with mild dismay, a mug of some lukewarm drink in one hand.

"I admit, I do not quite see the wisdom of our current course of action. Surely without an older beast to look after them, the days of these wyrmlings are numbered?"

And that was if they didn't start eating each other.

"I guess something has to be happen in a few days," is all Ella could guess as she looks up from the notebook she had on her person when she… came here.

It was a bit exhausting, really. Doing all of this and the reality of the strangeness sinking in when one isn't worried about getting singed or getting attacked by an angry mob. But she liked to think she's used to weird things happening to her -- it comes with the territory of being a private detective -- so she's doing her best to stay calm while here.

So pleasant conversations after a busy day are always a plus for her. "--I dunno, maybe their dad is going to come and pick them up? A dragon posse will roll out and go 'rawr rawr, surprise' at us all?"

"Yes, of course..." They were here to save this world, after all. Were they not? Jonathan smiled at Ella -- it took only a bit of effort on his part, and perhaps it would put his companion at ease.

"We should both keep up our spirits. I'm a bit uneasy, with these creatures so close to the people who took down their guardian. But perhaps the plan is to lead them to some safe haven? That way both sides can coexist without unduly alarming the other."

They certainly seemed alarmed by Jonathan and his friends...

She smiles back at him, glad that someone else here seems to be doing well with what's been happening. Closing her notebook down, she looks over to where her dragon happens to be sleeping, wanting to make sure he isn't awake and won't set fire to anything anytime soon.

"Maybe. I can't imagine us going through all the trouble of bringing them here to just leave them alone," she observes, frowning in thought of doing that. "They're only babies from my understanding. Probably only were around their mom until she got… downed."

Sighing, she rubs the back of her head in frustration. She feels terrible for the little guys, even if they set back her wardrobe a good week or so. They were just confused. "Do you have an idea what we're going to do tomorrow morning? Besides making sure the camp doesn't get burned to the ground, of course."

"I..." A moment of hesitation; the long days of having everything he knew turned upside down had shaken Jonathan's characteristic equanimity in more ways than he would perhaps care to admit.

"To be honest, I have no idea." He sounded rueful. "Yet let us not lose heart -- those who sent us here no doubt have a better grasp of the situation than we."

That was actually a little reassuring, having someone giving the orders who knew (presumably) what they were doing. "Oh! I apologize for forgetting my manners. My name is Jonathan. I'm a Samurai from the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado."

She nods, not holding it against him for not having the answers. Ella has a feeling it's something that they'll have to get used to for a little while.

Then he introduces himself and that topic definitely grabs her attention. That isn't something she hears in casual conversation every day. To her disappoint. It would make the bus rides to the groceries a lot more lovely. "A samurai…? That's pretty cool job to have. Wish I could say the same but I'm just Ella. I'm a detective from London, England. Pleasure to meet you!"

"Yes," he said with conviction, warming to the subject at once. "It is a duty I hold very dear to my heart. But what is a detective?"

And what was London, England? Yet another realm that he was unfamiliar with, he supposed. Lately, it felt as though the bounds of what he didn't know far outstripped those of what he did.

"It's a job that I hold very dear to my heart too! Basically, I try to solve questions other people may have but they don't have the time or means to do so themselves." That's the basics of it, really.

She looks up and tries to think of a way to explain it with an example-- "You must have weird things happen where you're from, right? A place known for weird sounds or kids going to a certain spot for no real reason. Sometimes if someone is really spooked out, I get called in to investigate if it's true or not."

… Which are actual cases she's taken up in the past, just very simplified.

"Well... yes..." He seemed at a bit of a loss to elaborate further, but it seemed that Ella wasn't looking for details on what life was like to have a secret underground cavern of evil sitting below the center of your kingdom. That would have been awkward.

"But more often than not, places like that are stuff of rumor and exaggeration -- surely you've found the same?"

Kanbei had been spending most of his time in the camp in silence, even when other conversations cropped up around him - trivial things, most of them, and nothing he had interest in contributing to. Business, on the other hand, was business, and that never failed to elicit a response.

"Some animals learn independence more quickly than others. There is much about these creatures that we haven't been told."

Maybe if they were put somewhere out of the way of their worst natural predators - humans - they would mature quickly enough to look after themselves soon. Maybe they wouldn't and he was completely off the mark in that guess, but he could only assume there was some solution. To spend the resources to place them all here, make the effort of having them do this much, if it was bound to be a futile effort as soon as they withdrew? That would be completely idiotic, and whatever he thought of their employers, the capability they'd already displayed simply in gathering this group suggested they had at least some level of competence.

"That is true enough," said Jonathan, swirling his drink around slowly in his mug. "Yet the villagers here vanquished a grown dragon. With the amount of injuries they were willing to risk to bring it down, I do not think they'll be content to wait until these also grow to full size."

Then again, there were many young. Some might very well slip between the cracks.

"Relocation seems the best option for them, although I imagine they would have to be relocated quite far before the villagers cease to see them as a threat."

Baby dragons might not be able to make it far on their own, but even before they finished growing, flight would open up their hunting range considerably. And then the possibility that once grown, some of them would have to migrate further to find their own hunting grounds - there was little information available to them about just how large an area was necessary to support a single dragon, or about their social habits and what kinds of groups they did or didn't form...

A threat... Jonathan's face fell slightly.

"They do seem quite dangerous, even as young as they are." He'd received a rather painful set of burns himself, though those he could at least tend to on his own.

"Now that the danger is not quite so immediate, perhaps we would be well-served to make inquiries among the villagers. I'm afraid I can't understand dragonspeak very well. If in fact they do have a language."

That...was actually a reasonable plan, certainly more so than some of the other ideas he'd heard floated around the camp (which ranged from "okay, he supposed" to "who even hired you"). Gold star for Jonathan.

"They may not know everything we seek, but any information will be more than we had previously." About other villages in the area, whether they'd heard of similar dragon problems further out in the country, from traveling merchants or wanderers, about whether the dragon attacks the village had suffered all seemed to be part of a hunting pattern or whether the dragons were aggressive even when unprovoked, about the frequency of those hunting patterns - there were plenty of good questions to ask, even if they only received answers to a handful.

"We would be best served by a representative who has not been seen with dragons, however." At least some of them had already been spotted, and that alone might be enough to sink their chances, if the villagers were suspicious of the number of outsiders in the area and their motives. Better not to give them any more cause for suspicion than necessary.

Jonathan stood, putting his mug gently down after him. "Well, then. I believe now is as good a time as any. Perhaps we can catch some of the residents here before they retire for the night."

As for finding someone who wasn't obviously clawed or burnt by small dragons, however, that might prove to be a tall order. Most who had tried to help herd the wyrmlings away were exhausted and slightly mauled, which a quick look around would reveal.

Kanbei's own glance around the camp, indeed, turned up few potential candidates, and so he followed suit, standing up and taking his gloves back out from where he'd tucked them away within his sleeve, pulling them on to cover the sprinkling of bite marks and small burns on his own hands.

"It may arouse suspicion to arrive in the village, ask about dragons, and immediately depart. If we take a room at the inn for the night, it should be simple enough to pass ourselves off as curious travelers."

That, and perhaps leaving by the wrong road, then looping back around once they were a safe distance out...a bit of an annoyance, certainly, but less likely to bring any suspicious hunters following in their wake.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE.

Jonathan | Shin Megami Tensei IV

four;

Re: four;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

four

Re: four

Re: four

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject