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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[When Selene strikes his hand, she quickly springs away, disengaging and recovering to a neutral stance as Gohan springs to his feet. Her grin is fierce]

I see you are not one to underestimate.

[Gohan can't help but manage a small grin of his own. He may dislike life-or-death battles, but he still enjoys a friendly sparring match against a worthy opponent now and then.]

I was trained to learn quickly. I'll have to start moving faster, too.

So you can move faster. I suppose I will have to step up my game as well.

[She once again assumes the open stance watching Gohan closely for his next move]

[Suddenly, Gohan's body appears to shimmer, then vanishes. He reappears, with the same shimmer for a brief second, to Selene's side, striking toward her with an open-palm strike.]

[Selene steps lightly back, spinning to gather momentum and throwing her hand out to Gohan's wrist to grab it and launch him forward with his own momentum]

[As soon as Gohan feels his hand grabbed, he immediately begins to pull his forearm back and flex his elbow. This time he focuses his ki into his arm, making sure it's up to the job of lifting a human body. He'll take being launched forward, but he's taking her with him.]

[Well this was interesting. Usually mages who can fly are not particularly physically fit and thus easily dispatched before they can take to the air. She quickly flips herself up, launching a kick at Gohan's head before releasing his hand and leaping nimbly back to the ground.]

[Gohan sees the kick coming and blocks it with his free arm. There isn't much he can do about Selene getting away from him again other than pursue, and now that he's in the air, he has more mobility. He disappears from sight again, reappearing by Selene's side again, throwing a punch.

But it's a feint. Before getting in range, Gohan disappears again and appears on Selene's opposite side to throw his punch.]

[Up to this point, Selene had been content to meet Gohan with just her fists. With him employing his magic, however, she felt it prudent to judiciously escalate herself. A disc of light forms around her arm, coalescing into a shield which she uses to block the incoming punch]

Whoa!

[Gohan is intimately familiar with ki manipulation, and though the light looks similar, he can tell right away it isn't the same. He's never seen it make shields before, at least.

For now, Gohan springs back, using the shield to push himself away. Then, as he flies back, he focuses his energy in his right hand. A ball of light appears, then he throws his hand forward. The ball turns into a beam of energy, which flies straight at the shield. He's hoping the blast will shatter it.]

[Ah, so this man believes he can break her. Blade she may be, but among the Blades, she is the sole Diamond. And a Diamond does not break. More light forms around the shield as it expands into a huge tower shield, growing thicker and harder as she plants it firmly into the ground to block the oncoming attack.]

[Gohan is visibly impressed when the shield grows and successfully blocks Gohan's ki blast. He didn't expect Selene to have such powerful defenses.]

Wow. I didn't think I'd have to go this far in my first sparring match here. I'm going to have to take things to a whole new level now.

[With that, Gohan assumes a rigid stance. He draws out more of his energy, and undergoes an unusual change. His hair turns from black to gold, his eyes turn from black to green, and he envelops himself in a gold aura. His power also undergoes a massive increase, perhaps a full ten times more powerful than he is in his base form.

With that, Gohan falls back into a combat stance.]

All right. I hope you're ready for this.

Enhancement magics! Most impressive. If you would come at me with all your might, then I shall answer in turn.

[The shield turns to light and fades away as a long pole forms in Selene's hand, ending in a long crescent blade. She spins the weapon lightly before assuming a battle stance, the blade held low. It's edge is blunted, but it at least appears to be metal.]

Then here I come!

[This time, there's no delay whatsoever between Gohan disappearing and reappearing to make his attack. It happens in the blink of an eye, and he appears right above Selene, rather than any side. From there, he unleashes a rapid flurry of blows with his fists, which like his movement speed, strike faster now that he's gone Super Saiyan.]

Selene immediately drops down and to the side, whirling her glaive with the momentum of the dodge to strike at Gohan and employ its superior reach to put distance between them.

[It's time to see how much force there is behind one of Selene's strikes, and maybe get a better idea of how strong these weapons are for himself. Gohan spins toward the glaive and, aided by his momentum, throws a roundhouse kick at the flat of the glaive's head.]

[The glaive is hard - far harder than its steel-like appearance belies. Almost as if it were a blade made of diamond.

But when his foot strikes the blade, an odd thing happens. The pole snaps cleanly and the blade goes flying. The rest of the pole shines with light and re-forms rapidly in her hand as she keeps her forward momentum, intentionally pulling her angle down to target his chest instead of his throat as her hands clasp together around what was a broken haft and is now blunted longsword]

Edited 2024-07-02 22:45 (UTC)

Test Drive Meme #1

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