vivalaooc | Test Drive Meme #1

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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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Id observes the way Link moves once again. He wonders, if only for a moment, whether he's a more recent arrival in this world than some others. Then again, muscle memory still compels him to grasp for his sword even now. Even still. This guy might just have been long accustomed to having far more on him.

In Id's case, it was generally just his sword he reached for. That was what Lilith required of him, and little more.

"You're welcome," he quietly replies when he reminds himself he shouldn't just sit there thinking about what they may or may not be used to having. Then he shrugs off the modest pack he'd brought along. Whether Id had been welcomed to it or not, it made good sense to grab it when the task was gathering resources. "Here."

It's harder to complete the task assigned to them if hands are full, so the solution is simple. He nudges the pack's strap against Link's knuckles.

He'd been forced to abandon his enchanted pack before reaching the Corsairs. Along with all his weapons, his armour, his paraglider...everything.

Even the Sword that Seals the Darkness. Leaving that behind...leaving that had been the most difficult of all.

Now though, there's another pack being thrust towards him.

"...But it's yours," he says. Though that doesn't stop him looking inside - and there that look of disappointment again. "Not korok-enchanted..."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Id says, but not unkindly. There isn't any bite in his low voice, merely stating a fact of their existence. For the time being, the lot of them have to take what they can get and make do. He has no idea what a Korok is, but maybe it's some form of primal beast, if it goes around enhancing objects.

The statement might be harsh despite intentions, but Id is very well aware he just isn't good with words. He's evaluated himself as a conversation partner only fit for something like a tree, and in his world, trees don't talk. None that he's ever heard of, anyway.

He shrugs, making no effort to take the pack back. "You've got more use for it right now."

Link makes a soft noise, of irritated agreement. He accepts that he can't be choosey, that he's going to have to settle for a bag that can't carry around over 900 lizalfos claws. That doesn't mean he has to like it.

"I'll give it back," he promises. And then shoves the notebook inside, along with several previously collected mushrooms. He has a good few already, in fact. And there's another one he spots nearby where the flower had been, that he quickly picks up now.

Won't take long for the bag to fill up completely, at this rate.

Id's sure he can find another if need be. He isn't shy about picking up supplies left lying around by their benefactors. After all, they're doing this work at their behest. At the very least, they can equip them properly for such tasks. That's how he rationalizes it, anyway, as he goes about claiming weapons and the like.

"...You're pretty effcient at this." He can't help but observe. Link doesn't appear to even need lists or descriptions, decisively plucking up mushrooms like it's something he does all the time. Id, of course, doesn't realize how close to the truth that assessment actually is.

In contrast, Id had seldom needed to forage. Even when working with the Grandcypher's crew, someone like Rosetta was easy to turn to for her expertise. Recovering airship parts or lost items for people who requested the help didn't require the same skills.

Link nods, because Id's right. He is efficient at this. He's certainly gotten the practice in to make him so.

"Always pick up what might be useful," he says solemnly, as he stuffs another mushroom into the bag. And also a small lizard that was just minding it's own business nearly. Apparently Link also classifies that as something that 'might be useful'.

There might be a reason he usually needs to carry around a korok-enchanted pack to store all of his things.

Edited 2024-06-05 08:25 (UTC)

The lizard vanishes into the pack, and all Id can do for a hot second is gawk incredulously. Here he'd thought that he wasn't shy about collecting whatever might come in handy, but Link evidently is on a different level. Maybe he intends to eat that lizard later, or something. Truly, he can only guess.

"It's sensible," he admits, though the mystery of the bag lizard will remain with him for some time to come. At the same time, he could just ask, but it doesn't occur to Id in the moment. Instead, he turns his attention back to their mission. "You remember what kind of leaves they want?"

He's got some height on Link, so he might as well make himself useful.

Who knows what the lizard is for? Certainly not the lizard. Maybe not even Link.

But right now, it's leaves they need to focus on. And Link nods, because he does remember what they're looking for. He always pays close attention when someone is giving him a Quest.

"Five points," he says. "Pale green, with blue veins."

"Right..." That description does sound familiar. Distinctive as it is, Id doesn't have difficulty identifying the leaves on a nearby tree. Sure enough, the pale branches loom just above his head, which would make them a troublesome target for Link. So he surmises, anyway.

He turns to busy himself with plucking leaves, twisting at their stems in an attempt to avoid damaging them. While Id may have needed notes to keep track of the finer details were it not for Link's memory, he does recall that keeping these materials intact was emphasized as being of the utmost importance.

"Wonder what they call this..." The thought is less an attempt at conversation and more musing. Id has picked up the language reasonably well, but new things he didn't encounter as a servant still leave him grasping for the correct words. This is a tree, these are leaves, but what kind are they?

Link shrugs. He got the details on what it looked like, but no one actually bothered telling him the name. It's just the pretty leaf with the five points and blue veins. He's still learning the language too. Something which might be going a bit slower for him than for others. His tendency to fall back on non-verbal communication doesn't tend to help with that kind of learning.

It's at this point that Link decides to help with the leaves. And, as it turns out, his height isn't really the hindrance Id thought it was - because Link just casually climbs up one of the trees, pulling himself easily into the branches. From there, he can reach leaves much higher up.

The guy really did just clamber up that tree like some overlarge squirrel. Id can't help but be surprised by the speed at which Link got up there, despite the lack of much by way of useful footholds. He knows well enough to surmise that comes from familiarity and experience, but he wouldn't have expected it.

"You do this often back home?" Id ventures a guess, between Link's efficient gathering and the way he approached that tree. He's not seeing anyone else nearby getting up there like it's mundane and routine.

On the other hand, he has observed a few people toppling over in the attempt.

Edited 2024-06-08 02:16 (UTC)

Link nods; to say that Link did this often back home is, in fact, an understatement.

"Mushrooms. Herbs. Fruit. Insects. Gems. Monster parts..." he says, listing of all of the things he liked to collect as he pulled leaves from the higher branches. Although it was probably easier to list the things Link didn't like to collect.

There was just something comforting, about finding something out in the wild. Picking it up. Finding something useful for it, or just keeping it for later. Maybe a lot of keeping it for later.

It's a broad variety of what could be materials, or ingredients, or some hobbyist's preferred collectibles. Id keeps working as he thinks about this, piling leaves beside him for the time being. He'll figure out how to store them once the task's completed.

"People usually want salvage or monster parts, where I'm from," he eventually says, his low voice a touch wistful. It almost feels like a lifetime ago, even though rationally, it hasn't been so long as that. Home is worlds away, just the same. "Then there was a kid who wanted pincer crabs. Just pincer crabs. Tiny things, they'll hide anywhere."

He's not sure why he's talking so much. Maybe it's the lack of judgement or negative response. Maybe it's an unconscious recognition that someone's even less inclined to say much than he is. Id's not socially savvy enough to say, in his own evaluation. It seems alright, though.

Link hums softly. "They're useful."

Lots of things you could do with monster parts. Make elixirs, give them to the Great Fairies, attach them to weapons...or just to sit in Link's pack until he eventually decides to do something with them.

At the mention of pincer crabs, however, Link stops. Turns to look at Id.

"Tiny crabs?" he repeats. Link would love to find some tiny crabs. "Are they tasty?"

Id pauses, mentally reviewing. Had he seen anyone eat them? That kid just wanted to keep them as pets or something. "Couldn't say, but they're crabs so... Probably?"

Maybe food's a subject that particularly interests Link. Id can't say he'd ever given it all that much thought. Soldiers of Avia didn't eat poorly, but there was more focus on filling bellies than whether it was an enjoyable meal. During his short stay on the Grandcypher though, he'd found mealtimes far more lively.

"More common to eat the bigger ones," he muses, returning to plucking at leaves. Come to think of it, Link recognized what crabs were pretty immediately. Sure, there are a lot of creatures here that resemble ones from back home, but considering the circumstances... "Do you have them where you're from?"

Link nods his head - and from the enthusiastic way his head bobs up and down, it seems very likely that food is, indeed, a topic that interests Link.

"We have Razorclaw crab. And Ironshell carb. And Bright-eyed crab. They're good for seafood skewers, or crab stir fry, or creamy seafood soup, or crab risotto..."

Yup, Link definitely likes food.

"All that, huh..." The guy is a foodie, all right. Back home, he doesn't think they have those species of crab, at least in Zegagrande. As for other Skydoms, he couldn't say. Those dishes sound pretty good though.

"You got favorites?" It seems the thing to ask, when Link practically lit up at the subject of food. Whether he cooks or likes to eat or both, it's an interest. Maybe it explains the foraging experience too. Id can only guess there, weighing the thought as he moves to work on another nearby branch.

"Everything," Link says promptly. Because how could Link ever choose just one food to love? He can't. He has to love all of it.

He's got enough leaves, by this point. So he shoves all the ones he's collected into the pack, and then jumps down to the ground with a dull thud.

Then he brings the pack over to Id, holding it open and nodding towards Id's collection of leaves - does he want to put them in there too?

"...Seriously?" Id's by no means a picky man, but he wouldn't say he likes every food equally well. He's definitely had some he looked forward to more than others, like sweet treats he'd never really had while serving as a member of Avia. Lyria had always seemed oddly pleased about that, looking back on it.

Maybe having things in common makes people happy? Id's not the guy to ask. When he's prompted, though, he's quick to gather up his share and deposit them in the pack along with Link's. He half-expects to see the lizard in there, but it doesn't emerge. "This should be enough for them, right?"

Edited 2024-06-12 02:29 (UTC)

Link nods. Seriously, seriously. Link devoured all.

Following Id's comment, he glances into the pack. They've gathered a fair amount, but it's nowhere near what he'd have been able to carry if he had his pack. But they're not going to be able to fit much else in, so...it would have to do.

"Can come back," he promises. If this isn't enough, he doesn't mind making multiple trips.

Id nods along. If more is required of them, they make short work of this task. It's simple enough. Link's pretty damn fast at getting into trees, to boot. "Alright. Let's turn these in and see what they've got for us."

Whether it's more of the same task or something else, it seems to him he's in good company. For now, he lifts a hand, gesturing for Link to lead the way.

Maybe one of these days, they'll be tasked with collecting crabs here too.

Link nods, shifts the pack around to settle on his back. And then does exactly as Id suggested, and begins heading back.

Hopefully Id doesn't mind moving quickly. Link's setting a fast pace. Walking isn't his speed, it seems.

It's swift gait Link's got, but one Id can match. He'll never have objections to moving efficiently, whether on this job or any other. Sometimes, he knows, it's essential.

Who knows what may be required of them in the future?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Test Drive Meme #1

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Shall we wrap up here?

Sounds good! Thanks for the fun thread 🎀

Hopefully we shall be able to thread more in the game! :)