vivalaooc | 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

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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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The turtle opens his mouth once he sees where this is going, but by then Link's already leaping, and his attention turns to the scene below where now one of the two is on the floor.

"Oh, this is going to go well," he mutters to himself. While he doesn't get up completely himself, he pulls one leg from beneath him, planting it against the roof so at least he'll be ready to move if he absolutely must.

The two Corsairs, is seems, are rather flummoxed by Link's sudden appearance. The fact that he's planted himself between them is almost comical - he is far shorter than the both of them. Doesn't seem to be stopping Link, however.

For now, it's a stalemate. But Link's eyes flicker over towards Donnie, then the Corsair behind him - the one that was pushed to the ground - then back to Donnie. Link busy getting in the fact of the aggressor, but maybe Donnie could help the other one get up?

So far as Donnie's concerned, it looks like Link is successfully keeping the two from resuming their fight. Which is probably why he gives the Hylian a confused look.

What's with the glances, why are you getting him involved, this isn't his problem.

The turtle makes a very annoyed face at that.

An irritated huff. He's going to have to do everything himself, isn't it?

So with an intense glare at the aggressor - one that clearly says 'Don't move' - he moves to offer a hand to the fallen Corsair. Which, of course, is the exact moment the aggressor decides to try and swing a wild, drunken punch at Link.

So now Link is ducking underneath the swing, rolling deftly to one side as he faces off his attacker.

Donnie gives Link an exaggerated shrug- What? Why's he have to do anything, fight stopped, it's not even his fight in the first place. But he watches as Link moves to help the other off instead.

"-oh hey no, watch it-!" he blurts as he sees the other drunk resume his attack on Link instead. Unnecessary as it seems that Link's more than aware of it, but now he's got another problem to deal with.

"See, this is why you should've stayed out of it," he mutters with an exasperated sigh. He steps over to the edge and drops down, setting a three-fingered hand on the shoulder of the other Corsair who's still on the floor to start helping him up. "Don't you even think of joining in," he warns.

A brief eye roll in Donnie's direction. And then a shift of Link's feet, as he plants himself in-between anybody.

The drunken Corsair lunges towards Link, swipes aimlessly at him - but each time, Link dodges out of the way.

He could strike back, if he wanted to. It's clear from the way Link moves that he knows how to fight. But he doesn't move to make one single hit against the Corsair. He just dodges, letting the man wear himself out instead.

Which doesn't take long, because soon the man wobbles, attempts one more lunge - and then falls to the ground in a drunken haze.

What, he's helping now, what more do you want you long-eared man?!

Donnie maneuvers the other drunk off to the side, giving him a stern look to make sure he's not about to try anything, but it looks like the Corsair's pretty dazed. Letting his attention drift back to the...well, it's not really a fight, but Donnie can easily tell that Link has things under control. He winces as the drunk collapses.

There's a pause, and then Link gingerly nudges at the fallen drunk with one foot. Whether to make sure the man's not going to be any more trouble, or to check whether he's still alive, is unclear. But either way, Link seems to be satisfied with what he finds. He makes a soft noise in the back of his throat, and then leaves the man be.

Meanwhile, the other Corsair - the one who was punched - is stumbling to his feet, cursing, and making his way over to the other one. The relationship between them is unclear, since rather than give the fallen drunkard another kick, his victim instead helps him to his feet and stumbles off into the night.

"...Weird," Link says, as he watches them go.

"......" Color him unsurprised, somehow. He shrugs, already turning to head back to higher ground. He can't wait for the partying to be done with so he can go back to the Vault, but at least he can enjoy some fresh air in the meantime.

"What, that? That's within normal expectations," Donnie says, blinking as he glances back at Link. "If they don't pummel each other into senselessness- well, even more senselessness, then the wander off somewhere, get into it with other drunks, rinse, repeat. It usually doesn't get any worse than that."

"...Weird," Link says, again, for extra emphasis. He really doesn't remember seeing that sort of thing back home. Well, maybe among the Gerudo sometimes. But they were Gerudo. They held their Noble Pursuits better than anyone else - and when they got blind drunk the result tended to be lots of loud shouting, possibly some arguments about who had the best abs, followed by collapsing on top of each other. They didn't tend to do any actual fighting.

(Before the Calamity, the Knights and soldiers of Hyrule might have behaved in such a way. But Link had never regained all his memories - and few would have been inclined to behave in such a way in front of the bearer of the Sword that Seals the Darkness, no matter how drunk they were.)

At this point, though, Link looks at Donnie and says, finally, "Hi."

For Donnie it had become a normal process, one of the strange happenings of this bigger, broader world that he's been exposed to. He really doesn't get it, but for the time he's been with the Corsairs, he's learned quickly to simply stay away from anyone who couldn't walk or talk straight when they'd directly exited a bar. He's only once had to jump into the water after someone pitched headfirst over the edge of a barge because he doubted they'd know how to swim in such a state, let alone not swallow seawater.

Link's delayed greeting completely throws the turtle off. He blinks, looking at the elf-like one as though he's the weird one.

"Uh. Hi?"

(Link is absolutely the weird one. Donnie hasn't even heard some of the stories they tell about him back home.)

And just to add to the weirdness, Link nods. And without another word, runs towards the tavern and climbs up the wall, landing back on the roof.

Apparently, that's all he wanted to say.

"....."

What. The. Heck.

Donnie just stares a moment as Link runs back to his earlier post. He shakes his head. Know what, he's going to find a different place to chill.

Test Drive Meme #1

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