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Welcome to the first Test Drive Meme for

escordvi! Anyone can participate in the test drive, regardless of invite eligibility. Just keep in mind that only those who have received invitations from the mods can actually reserve on August 25th and apply on September 1st. Our Interest Check can be found here.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice. If undecided, put "Undecided" for the Armada.

For everyone's convenience, TDM threads can be carried over in game if you wish! If you are still unsure which armada to place your character, you can play it a bit loose and vague in the TDM and make retroactive changes if you carryover the threads. We'll have more armada focused prompts in the opening log in September. The log itself is set to cover the next two weeks, until the end of the month. Characters will appear at random intervals during this time rather than all at once, so players have some more flexibility on how much more adjusted they are for someone else.

IMPORTANT REMINDER FOR MAGIC USERS!! All magic abilities will be "sealed" until characters get their tattoo from the Inkwave parlor in Eltrut. That means no magic on the starter ships before docking.

We do require TDM threads for samples for our application!

If you have any question about the TDM, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated August 28)

STARTER SHIPS: ORIENTATION

There are two ships that serve as starting ships for each armada: Stormbringer for the Corsairs, and Royal Fortune for the Paladins. There are various ways new arrivals—or riftfarers as they will be called, among other creative names—will appear on or by these ships.

🚪 Random room. It could be empty, filled with crates or supplies; down in the hull where the livestock are kept; have the luck to awaken in a bed...or the misfortune of that bed already occupied; somewhere in the kitchens; in the bathroom—any room! Now let's hope the doors can open or someone may have to try and ask for help. Or jump through the porthole if there is one and it's above water.
⛵ On deck. If not in the ship itself, another possible spot to wake up to is somewhere on the maindeck. If they're lucky, they're on the deck itself. More unfortunate souls may find themselves caught in the sails or netting, the crow's nest, or on the top of the masts. Someone should be able to help, right? Or catch.
🌊 In the water. The most unlucky sods will find themselves appearing in mid-air just past the ship and plummeting straight into the water. Good news, there's always someone on the look out for such a thing and calls for help to throw a lifesaver get the rowboat will be made. Are there sharks? Well... ...Are there?

However the new riftfarers arrive, they will be poorly clothed, practically rags or loose uniforms depending on the ship. Fortunately, veteran crewmates will guide them, escorting them to a room with a strange typewriter in it. After typing their name, the typewriter will magically continue and type by itself at a fast pace until it dings and rolls out the paper. This paper will have the following information:

• Name and Shellphone ID (journalname)
• Armada (Corsair or Paladin, will match the starter ship)
• Cabin Number for their personal cabin on the starter ship
• Apartment Address for their personal address at their base armada location
• A basic map of the starting locations in Eltrut, including written directions (continued in the Eltrut section)
• A basic map of where they can find a chest with their original clothes and belongings (this will be different for every person and will be anywhere either on the starter ship or on Eltrut—players can be creative here).

After that, the crewmate will do their best to explain the basics of how they got here, what's going on, and what they'll need to do to live in Escordvi while they are here, giving them a small leather pouch with money. They will be reaching Eltrut soon, so the crewmate will suggest they look around, meet the others who have arrived. Even from their distance, they will be able to see the giant sea turtle that serves as Eltrut's leviathan.

ELTRUT: FIRST GLIMPSE

After reaching the port of Eltrut, several birdfolk will appear and happily greet all the new arrivals from both starter ships. Here it doesn't matter which side they are affiliated with, as long as they keep those swords and weapons sheathed and not pointed at each other's throats. The birdfolk will even act as guides, showing them the main places they should visit and give them a visitor's map to help guide them.

🐚 Microshell. The first stop that is encouraged will be Microshell, the main store to acquire their own personal Shellphone. The paper they received on their starter ship will have their ID and the staff at the store will set them up, explaining how the device and the network works.
✒️ Inkwave, Tattoo Parlor. The next stop is Inkwave, a tattoo parlor run by a very burly but friendly octopus, Knistej. Here everyone receives their own unique magic tattoo, allowing anyone to cast specific single element spells and other magic. Note: tattoos are required before anyone will be able to use their original magical abilities.
📜 MANTA office. The final stop is the MANTA office, where all the request, mission, and task notices are posted. Each armada has their own branch office for armada specific notices as well. A great place to find jobs to earn some cash so they don't stay a hobo forever.

It's a lot to take in for sure, with the port city bustling with all walks of life. Not only do they have both armadas mingling with each other, there are different races and species from all over Escordvi gathered here. It's not just humans, which many riftfarers always seem to be surprised about. There are also plenty of veteran riftfarers who will gladly give some advice and even share stories of their world. Maybe some are familiar.

After finding their belongings, exploring the town, and meeting other people, being able to just sit back and enjoy a drink and warm meal will be in order. While there are plenty of places to choose from, the Minstrel and Cask will be the top recommended tavern for all newcomers to visit at least once. Great drinks, great food, and can learn a lot from the patrons or meet more people.

Of course, as expected of a highly popular tavern, it's not always peaceful. A man will ask travelers what they want to do with their life. Clearly drunk, he only accepts answers that hint at wanting to find riches. If told this he will give out a treasure map. But if told anything else, he'll put up a fight, hoping to deliver a black eye. Those who do receive the map will be sorely disappointed—it will lead them down a long, winding, circuitous path around town and end at a random outhouse, likely occupied and certainly stinking to high heavens. There's likely some kind of moral here, but at some point, others who have been duped will return to the tavern to sling their fists around.

Looks like another tavern brawl for the night.

QUESTS

For those who want to try their hand at some quests, there are a few that would do well for newcomers. Teaming up is of course encouraged, no matter what the affiliation. You can assume they acquired some kind of ship for the quests out at sea, either the starter ship or some other ship heading out there.

Spicy Squid Eating Challenge

Eltrut Port

There is a traveling food ship (think food truck but on the water) that has been going around challenging ships to their extraordinary Hornswaggle's Spicy Squid Eating Challenge. If participants can scarf down a prepared three-pound bowl of exceptionally spicy ghost pepper squid and rice, they will win their meal for free as well as a crate of dried spicy squid for their ship's stores. If participants fail, they will have to pay for the meal and the crate.

...Careful, are some of the squid tentacles still moving?

Coral Reef Snacks

Eltrut

Rumour has it that certain types of coral reefs contain unique properties that can make you more alluring to the one you desire, but no one is sure what the side effects are. Test this out by trying to crunch into chunks of coral reef pieces to see if there are any added effects on your body. Hopefully, they don't ruin your teeth in the meantime.

Oh, and you have to find the correct coral reef too! Red chunks seem to make you more affectionate towards others, while blue chunks seem to make you more volatile towards others. Eaters, beware!

Giant Sea Slugs

Starter Ships

Giant sea slugs tend to only attack ships if they feel threatened but are otherwise peaceful creatures. They're about the size of a large wild cat. They also secrete a slime that contains strong disinfectant properties. This thick slime is highly sought after for its ability to heal wounds cleanly, so kill them and collect as much slime as possible.

Killer Sharkgulls

Eltrut port and ships

Seagulls can be a pain to most ships. Yet, seagulls that have evolved to be violently carnivorous can be even worse. These new birds, effectively named sharkgulls, have been seen attacking ships and ports alike. They are big enough to eat small children in one gulp or will do their best to eat full-grown humans after they've ripped them to bite-sized shreds. Beware and kill them before they can kill you!

Siren's Serenade

Out at Sea

A merchant's ship has crashed upon an outcropping of rocks after being lured in by a group of rogue sirens. These captivating creatures possess the power to ensnare their prey with their enchanting voices, luring unsuspecting souls into the depths to meet the grim fate of drowning.

Search for the missing ship and help rescue the captive sailors before it's too late! You will be supplied with special earplugs to muffle out the siren's voices so be careful to keep your ears effectively plugged. You don't want to succumb to the siren's bloodlust yourself.

Any sailors or rescuers affected by the siren's song can be treated with a harpy's potion that can reverse the song's effect. Or tie up the afflicted for twenty-four hours to wait out the effects.

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[ At least G'raha isn't making a big fuss over someone stumbling onto the wrong ship. Factions don't really mean much to him from the get go. So the girl gets something like a wave and G'raha shooing some of the other crew away when they've had their fun.

G'raha just hums at the question. ]

I suppose the only way to know for certain is to simply ask. Otherwise I wonder if there is a way to simply placate or distract them as we harvest slime.

Quite so. Sharlayan is quite the impressive city itself and yet...

[ There's Bismark on the First, of course. But no one had actually been living on the fae whale. They were not so large as to house a port city as well as landforms. G'raha is rather stupidly excited, wishing his friend could be here to experience it. ]

It fascinates me, how different and yet similar stars can be. We are so far removed from all that we know and yet there is still yet familiarity despite how vast the the sea of stars may be.

[Doo de doo de doo, just quietly mopping this hallway--

WHAM!!!]

AH!

[Kotori just... stands there, frozen at the fact that A DOOR JUST FLEW PAST HER A FOOT AWAY FROM HER FACE. So much so that the blonde girl at her feet now is only faintly registering.]

Wh-wha...?

No need for all of that. The fault is mine for dropping it in the first place. Your friend there was simply kind enough to bring it back.

[ No harm, no foul. Now if it had been taken from him? Different story. G'raha would absolutely pout and fuss about getting one back. But something like this? Very, very minor.

Now he does open the roll to show off the center. ]

Strawberry, is what they called it. The look is quite similar to what we would call a rolanberry. I wished to know if it was the same.

[Joshua always could have been in better shape, so that's not anything new or surprising. That said, as long as he's alive, there's still hope for Dion, and most importantly to Jill, Clive.

There's worry on plain on her features because she catches Cid's hint easily enough. Of course with the good there has to be the bad and there's a number people that Jill considers bad. The list is very long and instead of letting her imagination run wild on who's been resurrected, she might as well save both of them the trouble and just ask straight out.]

And who are we discussing?

[ He can't see Nimona on the other side of the screen, but she's looking down at the words "pretty rad". Has she really landed herself in a world where people don't see that kind of ability as monstrous? ]

Yeah, it's pretty awesome. It's just part of me, at this point. You do it so long, and you can't remember if you were born with it or picked it up at a really young age.

[ It reads as casual, but she never really tells the truth about where her ability came from. ]

[Well. Alright... she'll bite. If only because she could use some allies here. Some people to recruit, should the need arise, and if this girl is able to pull out something bigger from those little fingers of hers, then all the more reason to pry just a little further.

Pushing herself up off the wall, Benedikta leans in just a touch closer to her.]

And what can you usually make?

[Her fingers clutch tighter at the trinket in her hands, nails drawing crescent marks of blood in her palms now. Her hands won't stop shaking, and she's laser-focused on not letting it drop out of her hands when he drops that little bit of news.

Benedikta's breathing stalls, a sharpened inhale that echoes through the room, and she stare at him as if he's just grown a second head before that shock and confusion turn back into rage.]

Do not toy with me, Cidolfus.

[Oh. Joy. Hand injuries. From sharp things. Kotori's favorite. Just uh... don't mind if she's a bit pale at that, she's fine, it's fine.]

I um... s-sure, I'll... get the first aid kit...

[ Faris will find another looking on to the questboard, his arms folded over his chest and a line across his brow as he furrows them in inspection. At least he was use to these types of boards given the Cursebreaker's ever vigilant posting.

His wolfhound, Torgal, pants a little distance away. More distracted with the happenings around them then what was listed on the board itself. ]

I've not dealt with either... though with a name like "sharkgulls" I can only guess how hellish they must be.

[ A subtle glance to Faris, his frown present but not deepening. ] What say you? Finish one quickly then move to the rest?

[She sees that scowl, and she sees her attempt to swallow it down, but unlike Jill, Benedikta is entirely unfazed by the title. Even appears to prefer it because she does—if she is without Garuda in their world, hell, if she is dead in their world, then why not ensure that everyone knows that name here? She has nothing to lose these days.

And even if she might not have Garuda here, it isn't so bad still being the Warden of the Wind.

So, at the name, she only chuckles.]

That the Mistress of Fate should see you dropped into my lap after I no longer have need of you.

[Another puff, but there's something about her expression that shifts, any semblance of pride gone and now edged with a sharp bitterness that lines her voice, too.]

She really is an ungracious bitch, isn't she?

Edited (changed my mind SORRY) 2023-08-19 22:56 (UTC)

Well, I'm afraid I don't know what moombas are either!

[ He lets the baby sharkgull peck at him a little, but then lets it go off into the air, casting it away. ]

Ah, pleasure to meet you, I'm Aziraphale.

[ He just doesn't tell him that he actually is an angel because - well, he's not feeling very angelic right now. ]

How is your hand? We could go patch it.

[Oh my gosh, what is this child doing here, and how does she not realize this is a fight? Okay, Kotori, get this kid to safety now, panic later. stay calm.]

Uh... no. No not really. Let's-let's go somewhere else, follow me, okay?

[Fortunately, Tifa has neither the look of a Corsair or Paladin about her—rather, she looks like she doesn't belong at all with her leather skirt, red gauntlets, and matching boots. Nor is she quick to judge anyone else, so there's nothing dubious about it when she hears a voice call out from behind her, she whirls around, her hands immediately patting herself down as if she really had dropped something.]

Huh—?

[But when she looks at the item in his hand—a "shellphone" (how cheeky)—she finds her own tucked safely and securely into the waistband of her skirt.]

No, I didn't.

[She tilts her head at him as she gives her phone a little pat pat, and looks down to the dog with a warm smile. Hello cutie (the dog)...]

But someone's probably looking for it.

I'm not.

[Again, can't blame her one bit, so he just remains firm and calm in his gaze as he stares at her.]

You can ask anyone on this ship, they'll say the same thing. Now whether they are lying or not, I don't know, and I'm not so quick to believe it either. But I woke up not long ago in a storeroom not far from here, same as you. So just telling you what I heard.

If we really want to get to the bottom of this, I need you to calm down.

I. Arrival

[ Astarion wakes up in the cargo hold of the ship, of all places. He manages to narrowly avoid hitting his head upon a rather ill-placed beam as he sits up, taking a moment to figure out his surroundings...such as they were. ]

Not again... [ whispered under his breath like its a curse, and then followed up with:] where in the hells did the rest of you get off to?

[ His head is pounding and somewhere behind it is a reminder of how hungry he is, a desire he cannot sate by simply reaching into one of these barrels of, well whatever is in them, fish, probably, given the smell.

But then, there -- the telltale skittering of a meal. A disgusting one, perhaps, but one does what one must. Quick as a flash he descends upon the rat, plucking it up off the ground, as much as stowaway as he is. The rodent writhes in his grip and he's just about to end its suffering when he hears someone else.

Whoops.

Caught rat-handed and on the first introduction and everything. ]

I was just helping with the, ah, rat infestation. Seems to have gotten a little out of hand.

II. Minstrel and Cask

[ Like any good adventurer, Astarion finds himself at the local tavern later that night. He's got a a glass of brandy in front of him (a successful perception check would tell you it is untouched), but his attention is on the crowd. It is as if he's searching for victims--or maybe for information? Regardless, if someone is attractive enough or simply looks like they know slightly more than he does right now, he won't hesitate to offer a smile. ]

Would you like a drink? My treat.

[ How convenient that the seat next to him at the bar is open! He nods towards it invitingly. He doesn't bite!

Well, probably not. ]

III. Fetch Quest.

[ Time to get out of these rags! After successfully determining (at the tavern, of course, the heart of all gossip) that his clothes are somewhere on this damn turtle, Astarion heads out on a quest to retrieve his effects. This leads him to digging around in the sand in the dark, but he doesn't seem to have any problem with the lack of light. He did at least remember to bring a shovel but he seems rather put out about the whole thing and, indeed, is complaining to himself as he goes. ]

What kind of nonsense is this, anyway? "Let's steal the clothes off of an unsuspecting individual and bury them in the sand! Isn't that hilarious!" [ he laughs mockingly, as part of the bit, you see. ] What a waste of bloody time. There are far more worthwhile things to bury.

[ should've just hired someone in town to do it for him, really. ]

[He's going to take a moment to take a puff of his cigar, letting the smoke rest in his mouth before releasing it in a loud exhale.

After another look at her, he regrets a bit saying all this now. Maybe he could have waited. Let her share her stories which would be much better to listen to than this. On the other hand, she should know so she can better protect herself as he can't always hang around her. And who knows what could happen in the tavern. They could even walk through the door at anytime...

...

Another puff before he sighs.]

Barnabas and Benedikta.

[Perhaps it's easy for someone to relish in the power that being a Dominant gives them when they have little else that makes up for their lack of a decent personality. Jill can certainly see that being the case for Benedikta, simply from this less than five minute conversation of theirs. If it could even be called conversation. Maybe polite sniping is a better term.

Jill keeps her face schooled straight solely not to give Benedikta the satisfaction of knowing how that phrasing, how that need really just means people using and abusing her, still sometimes stings. No matter how many years have passed or how much atonement she's done, the anguish seems as raw as the day Shiva awakened in her.

But then she smiles, a civil thing that curls the corners of mouth just so.]

Does saying that make you feel better? Gives you the feeling of capable long after you've been forgotten? I do hope it does, for your sake anyway. I can't imagine what it must be like to be dragged here with not much to say for yourself outside of Waloed.

[She's not the usual type to be catty, but when the occasion calls for words instead of steel...]

I'm fine.

[It comes out as a bit more of a snap as Roxas finishes with another guy. Mostly by shoving him into some tables, and snatching up the leg of the smashed chair just in case. But he's not seeing red enough to realize he's got some help.]

Thanks.

[Kotori looks up from wiping down the large, heavy island-bar style table of wood to look up, and... wow. This pink-haired girl looks like she just walked out of an anime, especially with a name like that.]

U-um, hi. [Come on, Kotori, don't be shy. She gives March a light bow at the waist.] Nice to meet you, um... March 7th-san? I'm Kotori Iida.

[Does he take her for a fool? The fact that he is here with her, claiming all this madness about other worlds only makes it that much more suspect. Her mind is fragile, so maybe this is all a dream—a hallucination. Maybe she will awaken in the aftermath of Garuda's destruction. Maybe she will find herself right back where she left off.

But whatever this dream is, it's nigh impossible to wake herself up from it, and even if she wanted to scream again, her throat is too far gone to manage it.]

And you expect me to believe that? To trust you!?

[There's a distant flicker in her eyes... Not of anger, but something else, something softer and more fearful, there and then gone in a blink as she snaps her eyes away from him.]

Take me back.

[Apparently there was at least a little habit of them being thrown down here whenever whoever appeared- he'd landed amongst chickens, and perhaps he was still brushing a few fresh feathers off in his own.

At least his own 'rags' allowed him to keep a hood, but there was no hiding the little red glint of eyes- at least his beard still looked well trimmed?

His head did tilt to one side, hand on top of a closed barrel.]

May as well finish helping. I won't stop you.

[At least he hadn't been found in the chicken pen, perhaps.

Still, not hard to note the reaction to being stumbled across down here. Kept eyes on the man, even as posture was kept relaxed to an untrained eye.]

[Two names she thinks were better left off the ship's passenger list.

She takes a deep breath and lets it go slowly. Benedikta, Jill can't say she's had experience with her aside from battlefield gossip and other tales told about the Warden of the Wind. But Barnabas? Somewhere there's quite the bit of irony that the last time she found herself on a strange ship it belonged to him. If he's lucky, maybe he got a taste of what it's like to be stuck in the hull's dank dark cell on the ride over here.]

So I believe it's only a matter of time before I find myself in their company. [The barmaid arrives with their meals, but ill ignores the food to sip at her drink, hoping it would ease the nerves that seem to have begun settling in her stomach.] At this rate, we'll never be guaranteed peace here.

[ Astarion hesitates, a momentary drop of his persona. First to look this man over--the hood was suspicious at best, and the red eyes didn't help. (Pot meet kettle, he supposes.) Although normally fairly perceptive when it comes to posture, Astarion will have to be forgiven for failing to notice any irregularities now. He's frazzled with this new place and being caught at something so sensitive. Also, he rolled a 10 on the d20 so there is that.

In any case, the hesitation turns into a short almost strangled laugh that certainly wasn't his intention. It's meant to sound blasé, or perhaps even derisive at the stranger for asking him to keep hunting rats as if this were a normal topic. As if he hadn't brought it up himself.

But of course, he had, and that was the rub. So he snaps the neck and before drinking it, too. A shame really the blood would cool and it wouldn't be nearly as good. Not that rats were very good in the first place. ]

Ta-da.

[ He casts the rat aside. Yes, see, he is just a Regular Normal Elf. Nothing to see here. ]

Well how could I say no to a free drink?

[A bit dressed down as opposed to his... usual style, to be sure, and if he wasn't so aware of the necessity of information in situations like this he would have avoided being seen in public altogether. Go outside? Without all his stuff? He'd have been better served being naked and so would everyone else here, in his opinion.

Rags, however, were just going to have to do, and he'd gotten all his irritation out of his system before he got here at least.

His company looked like he very well might be in the same damn boat he was (pun unintended), but snubbing an opportunity to start forging a few partnerships wasn't the best way to conduct oneself in a strange new world.

Also: drinks, and from such a striking person at that. Which was a perfect metric on which to base who you're going to talk to about information of course. Its a bar after all.]

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Page 11 of 190

« test sail »

STARTER SHIPS: ORIENTATION

ELTRUT: FIRST GLIMPSE

QUESTS

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In a Jam

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Baby Sharkgull (Do-Do-Do-Do-Do)

Questboard!

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:)

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Astarion | Baldur's Gate 3 | Corsair

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Arrival

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cw: rodent death

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