vivalamods: Art: Merlin Ambrosuis (ArtStation) (Default)
Viva La Mods ([personal profile] vivalamods) wrote in [community profile] vivalaooc2024-05-31 08:15 pm
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Test Drive Meme #1


TEST DRIVE #1

The day begins as any other, you’re going about your day, living your life, when, without warning, you feel the world around you shift on its axis. You feel a great tear, welling from the depths of your soul as you are ripped from all you have known. If you’re lucky, you arrive in the wilderness of an unfamiliar world, where the language is foreign and the people are hostile. To make your escape, you must learn some language, flee, and occasionally fight, all to find your way off the floating isles you find yourself on and to the great ocean below, where rebel forces will welcome you.

If you’re unlucky, you materialize within a room full of armed guards and are quickly subdued with charged nets, stripped of your belongings, fitted with strange devices that suppress your powers and pressed into servitude. Your days are unimaginable pain and toil.

Fortunately, even in this world, there is still hope. For the denizens of this world have not given up. And it is for that dream of salvation that the Crimson Corsairs raise their flags and sail - for liberation. Perhaps you are one who has lived their entire life under the oppressive yoke of the Empire. Perhaps you have seen first hand your family and friends cut down by nobles hunting men for sport, or perhaps you have run afoul with the church and barely escaped with your life. No matter your origin, the Corsairs sail for you, for your freedom, for your life. And today, a taste of freedom will be won for all.


ARRIVAL/LIBERATION
This month, the Crimson Corsairs raided a Larendt labor camp in order to obtain much-needed parts and textiles as well as liberate another batch of servants for the cause. The raid was executed under the cover of night, with one team sweeping the dormitories and gathering as many servants as they could while the other team hit factories as they could, focusing on taking important items like ship parts and clothing, loading them into prepared trams and fleeing before the guard could mobilize. The operation, thankfully, went off without a hitch, and the Corsairs were able to usher a number of servants into their waiting ships.

As dawn breaks, the raiding fleet docks at Flotsam as the city-fleet begins the long journey away from the continent before a retaliation fleet can be mobilized. The former servants are finally let above deck. The sun is beating down hard on them, its brilliance marking their first step into freedom.

Corsairs on the fleet will have a lot to do - the new arrivals will need to be sorted, clothed, and fed. Many are emaciated from the conditions in the labor camp, and the former servants will be immediately ushered to a mess hall for their first meal as free folk. Corsairs will be needed to organize the movement, prepare and serve the food, and also just sit with them and talk to them, helping them adjust and filling them in on the situation.

Former servants will have found the entire process exhausting to say the least. They were awoken in the dead of night by heavily armed people quickly moving through, shattering their chains and ushering them into ships. The entire night was spent sailing, and while the hull is dark it is crowded and difficult to sleep in. Finally, upon arrival they are ushered into a meal hall and served a humble meal - but a meal that far exceeds anything that was ever served at the servant’s table. What is known is that they are now free.


MEANWHILE IN THE WATERLOGGED ROW…

With another successful mission under their belt and their duties more or less complete, the triumphant Corsairs observe a time-honored tradition: heading to the Waterlogged Row and getting absolutely shitfaced on awful grog.

The mood is jubilant and self-congratulatory, with drinking songs ringing out across Flotsam. In consideration to other residents, the Row is currently moored a good distance from the residential areas to keep the celebrations from disturbing what little peace there is in the chaotic town that is Flotsam. But for those who participated in the mission, tonight is about celebration. Singing, storytelling, socializing, this is the glue that holds the operations team together. And as the Crimson Corsairs do not officially recognize a drinking age, everyone is welcome! Even if they probably shouldn’t be!

New arrivals are, of course, not at all restricted so those who finish their meal and go exploring will quickly find the Row, as well as many Corsairs eager to buy them a pint to toast their newfound freedom.


MAKING THE GOOD STUFF

Elysium often serves as the crux of Corsair operations, and the next operation is no different. While the operations team is carousing and toasting their success, the planning team is hard at work preparing for the next mission.

The order of the day is gathering, which has brought the team to the forests outside of Elysium. In the coming month, Elysium will host a lavish party for the guards of a certain continent, and it is the duty of the gatherers to ensure that any drink served is “enhanced”, with such potency that they won’t be in any position to do their duty when the raiders strike.

Any herbology specialists will be absolutely vital for this operation. While the Corsairs have some documents and know, generally, what they’re looking for, there are a wide variety of things that grow within the forest, many of which can be quite dangerous.

Those new to gathering will really need to watch their step. Elysium is rich in hallucinogens, and a whiff of the wrong flower or mushroom could leave them contemplating their navel for the next hour. Tasting is out of the question, but what they don’t know can’t hurt them right? After all, the Elysium workers spend a lot of time eradicating poisoned growths to keep wandering nobles safe so anything they find can’t be THAT bad. Right?

And of course, for experienced foragers, they will find an entirely new duty thrust upon them - keeping the newbies in line. Really, how can they expect anything productive to be done when they send a bunch of green recruits into a forest full of hallucinogens?


EDUCATION AS THE BOMBS FALL

New Corsairs almost always find themselves in the Vault. Nestled in the earth and subject to the constant pounding of munitions overhead, the Vault is the repository of knowledge for the Crimson Corsairs and the place where new inductees are educated. Language instruction, education on the world and its people, writing, reading, arithmetic, just about any kind of learning can be done in the Vault’s halls.

Notable about the Vault’s education is how deeply tied it is to the Crimson Corsair’s broader philosophy - everyone’s unique talents and insight have value. As such, Corsairs are often called to the Vault to share their specialized expertise. While many Corsairs do choose to become full-time teachers, any Corsair can come and teach a class.

For the new Corsairs, now is a time to learn and train, acclimate themselves to their situation and figure out where they want to go from here. For established Corsairs, this is an opportunity to meet the new recruits and help train them so they can help with the cause. Those who might be students today will be comrades standing at your side tomorrow, so teach them well.


DANGER AT SEA

As the most mobile of the Corsair’s settlements and the only obvious Imperial target, Flotsam is well equipped to deal with any number of dangers. One such danger is the enormous sea monsters who dwell within the Eternal Ocean. While many are not too keen to tangle with such a large fleet, occasionally a monster will become angry or territorial enough to try to attack the fleet.

And it is for that reason that the Corsairs now find themselves battling a massive sea serpent that has stretched itself across the western edge of the fleet. New Corsairs aren’t expected to assist in this battle, but as the sinking of Flotsam would be VERY BAD for those who are currently trying to live on it, many will jump in anyway, especially as they should have been issued weapons. As to established Corsairs, well, you know the drill by now. Monster bad, try to sink ship, let’s convince it that there are easier marks than the pride of the Corsair fleet.

Some Corsairs will need to man the cannons to blow it away, but many will get up close and personal, jumping into melee range to drive it away from the ships and mitigate as much damage as they can. Others still will provide support from the back with magic or ranged weaponry, and still others will need to weave their way in between the battle to carry out wounded Corsairs for medical attention. Whatever your specialty, your city needs you. Best get to work.


WILDCARD

Have an idea for your own prompt? Feel free to make any prompt that you think would fit!

OOC
Welcome to the first Test-Drive Meme for Viva La! All threads here may be considered canon once characters have entered the game. Threads here are eligible for use as a roleplay sample for applications, which will open on the 15th of June at midnight.

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tisfinished: (concentration)

[personal profile] tisfinished 2024-06-01 01:41 pm (UTC)(link)
“Chicken’s too valuable for eggs to slaughter for meat. We’ve greens and pickles aplenty, and citrus for scurvy, but your body needs protein too.”

Senshi takes a bite of his makeshift lobster roll, closing his eyes as he chews to enjoy the contrast of sweet flesh with salted butter. Demonstrating that it is enjoyable?
curebootleg: (Why won't they shut up)

[personal profile] curebootleg 2024-06-01 01:48 pm (UTC)(link)
But I could move the whole bag with one hand, rendering their toil meaningless.

[ Ants are a pretty good comparison to how Preme is used to thinking of other lifeforms. By working together in great numbers, they could almost do what Preme can do alone. ]

...It's not like I don't understand your argument. By having allies with varying abilities, someone who fails at X can excel at Y, giving you a stronger multifaceted force. Even then, in a group this size, I can't imagine that most people have anything to contribute beyond raw numbers.
xenovore: (tentacles hell yeah)

Danger at Sea

[personal profile] xenovore 2024-06-01 02:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[Laios was already watching the dwarf man dissecting the sea serpent with keen interest, but once Senshi speaks up Laios's eyes widen.

Someone... wants to eat the sea serpent?

That's awesome!]


Right away!

[Laios dashes off, and returns a short while later with salt, as much scrap wood as he could carry (Some of which he maybe should have asked permission for taking beforehand), and a remarkable shortness of breath. Running around immediately after a battle possibly wasn't the best plan, nor doing so while extremely excited.]

Haah- Here- Haah...

[Laios dumps his loot on the deck near where Senshi is working. Despite his panting, his expression is bright.]

Can I help you cut it up?
wontreadthesigns: (What do you have there?)

Re: Mushroom Hunting

[personal profile] wontreadthesigns 2024-06-01 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[Snufkin meanders over, nodding slightly when he sees Laios putting it away]

They release spores that can cause extreme lethargy and drowsiness if inhaled, some people even pass out. The puff mushrooms only do it when conditions are wet enough for them.

So they're not on the list, but the Corsairs should find a use for them.
curebootleg: (Default)

Patrol

[personal profile] curebootleg 2024-06-01 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Preme ignores the tactical advice. She does require sleep, now, but missing an hour of it won't hurt.

"In other words, human rules don't apply to you. You're something else, aren't you?"
xenovore: (kensuke is speaking to me)

Magic 101

[personal profile] xenovore 2024-06-01 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"Uh..."

Sitting at the back of the classroom is a tall, blonde man gawping at Marcille. Laios's reaction is, for once, in sync with the rest of the group. He'd done his best to listen, he really did! But there had been a lot of words, and not enough of Laios to brain them good.

But Ms. Dohmanto (was that the teacher's name? Laios had missed it earlier) had asked if there were any questions and by God Laios is trying to come up with something. Most of the lecture has gone over his head, but if he thinks back to what Falin told him about magic in the past...

Actually, most of what Falin told him went over his head too. But Laios tries anyway.

"So... Where's the part where you go 'bwah?'"

He remembers that bit from Falin's explanation.
fish4science: (Default)

[personal profile] fish4science 2024-06-01 02:20 pm (UTC)(link)
They can also move the rice while you move some lumber, or a pot to cook it in.

[The diagrams are getitng increasingly tricky to understand-squares with squiggles in them, turning into rhombuses as Angelika loses the plot of her chalk's position.]

Ah, but that's where 'material conditions' matter. As an example, consider cereal crops-and we'll just use two, to keep it simple. Farmers can plant one of two crops in their fields-Wheat, or Barley. A lot of imperial nobles only want farms to plant wheat, because it's more nutritious and sells for a higher price. And in ideal conditions, it has a higher yield. Can you see any problem with that?
wontreadthesigns: (I'm listening)

[personal profile] wontreadthesigns 2024-06-01 02:21 pm (UTC)(link)
[He lets the sea-inspired melody fade off as he settles on a large piece of driftwood, accepting the mug and lemon, the latter getting a somewhat bemused expression, though he knew enough from Senshi there's a reason.]

Thank you.

[Snufkin takes a few sips, to quench the hints of a thirst]
akizetesche: (+ weary)

[personal profile] akizetesche 2024-06-01 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, no, no. It is the same back home...there are always those who do not partake as much. They are of less sociability. But that does not mean there are no observations to be gained from them. [ But before she can go on a tangent about who that might remind her of, Celes' second question causes her receptors to curl almost reflexively. ]

Well...
That is, ah, a long answer. [ She didn't really expect anyone who knew her from before to be here too, but she supposes that it was something she should have thought of. ] Some of the jut were making incredible things in their foundry vats - and the empire-cousins did not like what they heard. They assaulted our embassy and outposts very decisively, and many of the cave-cities decided it was no longer worth continuing contact with the bright cousins, and withdrew....

But! I did not agree, so I did not return to oltazni. I still think it is worth continuing our research here, even if there is only so much strength I can lend you.

[ how is she doing that hover text thing with her mouth ]
Edited 2024-06-01 14:28 (UTC)
knowhyoucry: (terminator7)

[personal profile] knowhyoucry 2024-06-01 02:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes." It responds to both Preme's points. "I'm a Terminator. Cyberdyne Systems model number 101. A cybernetic organism designed for infiltration and assassination."

The Terminator stops for a moment, turns out towards the open sea, scans the waves and open sky. It's done this a few times since its patrol started. The stars offer some illumination, but it's scanners are able to see far more clearly. No incoming threats detected. It resumes its patrol.
redprayer: (a stranger in a strange strange land)

[personal profile] redprayer 2024-06-01 02:30 pm (UTC)(link)
The pause between Rezo speaking and this man's response isn't long in the grand scheme of things, certainly not anywhere in the vicinity of months, but it is longer than is normal for a casual conversation. It's certainly long enough to make Rezo concerned.

"Are you alright?" Rezo crouches, trying to get closer to eye level with Ziel, even if he can't actually make eye contact. "What are you doing down here?"
freearcadia: (thanks I hate it)

[personal profile] freearcadia 2024-06-01 02:54 pm (UTC)(link)
He lets out a soft, bitter laugh - he can't refute that observation, not with the Earth of his time. "I sometimes think humans can be too clever for their own good, sometimes I do wonder if it's all humans, or a few with too much power at hand."
freearcadia: (Listen well - I will explain only once)

Edumacation

[personal profile] freearcadia 2024-06-01 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Donnie wasn't the only one who is stumbling on the reading portion. Harlock picked up speaking the language quickly in his time imprisoned, though sometimes he stumbles on the right phrase, but reading a new language is trickier.

The pirate sits at the table with a book of astronomy, and a book of navigational star chart with some scratch paper. His good eye flicks over to the... well, he's not entirely sure, but probably not an alien as he knows it. "Not having an easy time of it either?"
achelord: (Cycling trance)

[personal profile] achelord 2024-06-01 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
“Do you think a fern knows that it’s a fern?”

Despite being distracted by an infinity of infinities, Ziel’s brain kicked into first gear. With great effort, he managed to compare his current mental state to his normal one.

“I think…I feel strange.”
fuckthatdragon: (^_^)

[personal profile] fuckthatdragon 2024-06-01 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Marcille froze for a moment as he asked his question. There was something familiar about this guy. He almost looked like…

She shook her head. Focus on the lesson! After considering the question for a moment, she pointed to a section of the board covered with matrices of numbers.

“This part.” She declared, confidently.
curebootleg: (I'm just a little guy)

[personal profile] curebootleg 2024-06-01 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Is that so."

Preme looks the Terminator over again. A humanoid weapon. It's more like him than any of the humans, at least.

"Who created you?"
curebootleg: (Why won't they shut up)

[personal profile] curebootleg 2024-06-01 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[Preme does take the question seriously. As a solitary entity that never needed to eat in the sense that humans do, it never had much reason to consider supply chain logistics.]

...Disease? If something spread through the wheat supply, 50% of their food supply would be lost.
curebootleg: (What a letdown)

1

[personal profile] curebootleg 2024-06-01 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Preme takes the cloak without thinking. More of this human experience, this selflessness. Then again, looking at this creature, it's definitely not human, is it? ]

...Why are you helping me?
fish4science: (Default)

[ Education ]

[personal profile] fish4science 2024-06-01 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Let it not be said that Angelika is unprepared for class, or for odd instructors. She has her notepaper, her pencil, her bright and attentive looks. What she isn't quite prepared for is for the instructor to be a girl her own age (oh no, does this mean she is behind the curve?) or for the first question to be about poison of all things. It's a distasteful topic, and she wants to conceal how much she knows about an uncute thing...but the question, being asked, sends her hand up.

"If vomiting isn't effective, it could have a rapid absorption into the body?" She can think of other reasons-high lethality, delayed effects that keep you from noticing, non-food vectors like gas or a needle or dart...but talking about that makes her skin crawl, and even her overeager student nature can't cover up her discomfort with the topic.
Edited 2024-06-01 16:32 (UTC)
fuckthatdragon: (Suspicious)

1/2

[personal profile] fuckthatdragon 2024-06-01 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Marcille assembled the food as the dwarf suggested with an extremely dubious look on her face. Lime and garlic and butter could make just about anything smell good but…seafood was really stretching the definition of the word “food.”

Ultimately, it was hunger that pushed her over. She had used a lot of magic in the rescue mission, and her body needed to recover lost energy. Closing her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at what she was doing, Marcille screwed up her courage and shove the disgusting bug meat into her mouth!

Oh god the texture is so weird and flaky and- and-
fuckthatdragon: (Delicious!)

2/2

[personal profile] fuckthatdragon 2024-06-01 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
“It’s good!?”

Truly, Senshi was a miracle worker for making something edible out of this!
santabomber: (death glare)

Saga "Fuyumura" Faraday | Sanda | AU

[personal profile] santabomber 2024-06-01 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
1. i think it's time we blow this scene (Liberation)
[Sometimes, rescue missions necessitate finesse, stealth, and a dash of swashbuckling flair.

Other times, like now, you just need a very big hole in a wall as soon as possible, and that's what Fuyumura is here to provide.

Smoke fills the area after tremor-inducing boom (although one that's carefully calculated to leave a hole instead of blowing the entire thing apart), leaving Fuyumura a lanky, shadowy silhouette as she reaches for the nearest hand and says,]
Move, [before starting a full-tilt sprint.

Is she motivating another Crimson Corsair operative? Is she yanking a prisoner out of their cell? That's up to you!]


2. get everybody and the stuff together (Making the Good Stuff)
[Fuyumura has done extensive research on the herbology of the forests of Elysium, as is her forte. She can identify every ground-growing hallucinogen by sight. There's no way she'll join the pack of idiot newbies stumbling around, totally lost in the sauce.

Then she wanders under a tree similar to a cherry blossom, stares at it wistfully for a few moments... and is whammied by a facefull of hallucination-inducing pollen.]


Anna...? [Fuyumura's eyes tear up, but it's not an allergic reaction.] Anna!

[Heedless of anything else around her, Fuyumura immediately sprints toward the edge of a cliff.]

3. okay, 3, 2, 1, let's jam (Education as the Bombs Fall)
[In the great libraries of the Vault, there's a roaring, rumbling series of thumps, similar to an avalanche.

If one were to investigate the source of the ruckus, they'd find a single, spindly arm reaching out of a mound of books, burying what's probably a human body but considering the proportions could be some bizarre variety of stickbug instead.]
Edited 2024-06-01 16:49 (UTC)
purplexing: (of course I did...n't)

[personal profile] purplexing 2024-06-01 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Seeing new faces (?) that aren't readily joining in with established Corsair post-mission activities isn't anything new. Donnie's been on that side of things, in that strange little space where you're still trying to digest everything that's happened and soaking in the newfound facts of freedom.

This newcomer is quite the curiosity indeed, easily catching the turtle's eye- and gaining one in return, it seems. He stiffens briefly, only mildly startled, eyes widening as he takes this as an opportunity to stare a little more. Thought he was(n't) close before? Well, he's about to drift a little closer, though still cautious.

"What are you?" he marvels, not so much a demand as an open-ended observation.
fish4science: (Default)

[personal profile] fish4science 2024-06-01 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Crop diseases are a good guess! And they're a part of the larger set of problems we might also find, like too much or too little water, or bad soils, that can all cause crop failures. Barley is more resistant, so it can survive events that would wipe out a wheat crop. So for traditional farmers, it made sense to plant two, or even more crops at the same time...

[Angelika has finally noticed her out of control diagrams and squawks indignantly at the erratic chalk, before hastily magicking an eraser to undo the weirdest, newest scribbles.]

Ah, hold on a moment, let me just...fix this diagram!