escordvi | « test sail »

Entry tags:

« test sail »

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.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Chastised by proxy, Alucard swallows his own questions for the octopus for now and focuses back on Xenk. ]

What sort of magic do you expect to be able to do when it is complete?

[ Xenk would have a much easier time of sussing out the truth if he wasn't tipsy. And also if he wasn't actually finding himself having a nice time.

Because he remembered that he promised he would not ask Astarion any personal questions. And now he has to determine if this is personal or not. ]

You know yourself. I trust you.

[ Who could know better? Xenk releases his hand, more to prove that trust than anything. No personal questions. He has to remember! ]

I think I would like another wine. Or perhaps a glass of water.

Radiant magic.

[ You know, Radiant magic, like that totally explains anything? ]

I am also able to heal minor wounds, as well as bolster my allies and strengthen my blows.

[ He feels...strangely, after Xenk lets go of him.

Cold.

His brow furrows as he considers it, a thought too difficult to really dwell on for too long. ]

A glass of water sounds like a good plan. Much as I'd otherwise love to watch you get drunk! Perhaps you'd stand on a table and start singing.

[ but he is indeed nice and orders him a water. It's just not as fun to bully Xenk? (Citation needed.) ]

I assume radiant and fire magic are one in the same.

[ People only have a few choices of magic where he's from, though weirdly there's a lot more variety when you get into enchanted items. ]

Were you born with these abilities?

The natives know enough about our situation that they aren't surprised we showed up at random. They've been fishing people out of the sea with practiced ease. [ If people from the same world are showing up, they may not end up with the same crew. So looking around this ship may only yield a few familiar faces.

Velvet watches him move the barrel, then shifts to find a bucket large enough to catch what might fall out. At least then the crew won't be too pissed that they wasted more during the cleaning. ]

Apparently, there's some artifact out there in the world that's responsible for bringing us here. Only problem is they don't know where it is. We'll have to search for a map to find our way to this artifact in order to put a stop to it.

Aye, a Truce.

[Barnabas has never made it a secret he wished to collect the dominants under his banner. Though his goal was different from simply concentrating that power that many had assumed. He wonders what the Prince knows, as he had stopped paying attention to him once Mythos had absorbed Bahamut.

No matter.]

Perhaps more down the line, but there is time for that later.

[NO DON'T SAY THAT]

It could have fallen.

[Stubborn until the end.

Valo, however, will just accept all the praises and good will.]

[Rude!?!?

She looks to the man on the ground, then at Eustace as he turns to walk away, but before he can take even a single step, a wall of flames erupts across the ground. They aren't high, nor are they very hot, but she hopes it's enough to stop him because despise it as she might, she does think she has some duty to uphold, and not because she's a Paladin.

Except the man screaming on the ground at the flames isn't really helping her cause.]

What did you do!?

Edited 2023-08-24 14:09 (UTC)

[The flames do surprise him—and Valo, who yelps and scrambles a little in his arms. So he's only going to turn and glare at her, the shadows cast by her flames behind him not helping the poor man on the ground.]

Nothing. He bumped into me and tripped over Valo before screaming at us for no reason and running off. Valo chased after him thinking something was wrong and clearly there is.

[Interrupted... they are always interrupted, and she just rolls her eyes. But when he comes around to block her path—]

You mean your best interests.

[As it always is.

Benedikta stares several honed daggers right into the center of his forehead. And while it isn't entirely a lie that she did want him around, it is indeed her mood getting (mostly) the best of her.]

I have already "figured it out", as you say. I do not need your help. Now move.

Because that's how he is.

[HOLD ON, GOTTA SMOKE.]

As far as he's concerned, so long as we deem useful to him, he'll want us for whatever grand scheme he's planning.

[Which he's heard of, but it's still unbelievable. Unbelievably stupid—]

[The words are sharp, but he's not really up to arguing. So instead—]

You've been circling this area five times. Or so I've heard.

[She looks around at the people milling about, and those that are still in the line, some of them even betraying her with a nod of their heads to confirm.

Even still—]

I have not!

[Maybe three, at most.

But she is not here to argue either, so she tries to step around him.]

I am going to go look for those stupid "phones" instead.

[At the shop that is in the other direction. It might help if she glanced at her map, but her pride is now both so wounded and so thick that she doesn't dare look at it now.]

Edited 2023-08-24 14:27 (UTC)

[ you gotta face and accept the truth!!! ]

I didn't drop my coinpurse in a port full of pirates.

[ typing this....it sounds like an innuendo but this is the one tag where he's not doing that on purpose. Incredible. ]

You can't really be that ignorant to his skills, can you? I would assume dogs don't just go off and learn entire jobs without their master's knowing.

[ Xenk nods. It's not like he couldn't order it himself, in fact it's almost strange that Astarion sees fit to do it for him. Astarion's so nice. Usually, he's the one taking care of others. Then again, he doesn't usually down two glasses of win just for the sake of spending time with a friend.

He certainly is trying new things here. He finds it feels... pleasant. Wow. But instead of saying that, he says: ]

I cannot sing.

[ Yeah, you definitely don't want to hear him sing. It would shatter the illusion of him being a perfect, talented knight. He has to be bad at something, you know? ]

[ Astarion laughs at that. He's sure Xenk means this and isn't just being humble and there's something weirdly endearing about know this chiseled man has some flaws at least. ]

We can't all be as gifted as bards.

[ is his bard ok?? No, no, it doesn't matter. Everyone's fine. Time probably isn't even passing back in faerûn. ]

[DENIAL.]

He's never done so before and he has no reason to now.

[Look at that innocent face. That face of the goodest boy.]

[ Astarion has one of those too! Look at him! Baby boy! ]

Don't let your dreams be dreams.

[ this is to the dog, obviously ]

You're good at what you do. Maybe one day your master will see that.

[Cid is just going to wait until she takes about three steps before loudly clearing his throat.]

Other way.

[ The funniest thing is that Xenk isn't even trying to hide it. It just never comes up. He isn't a raucous person, he shies away from most celebrations and spends most of his time to himself. So he just never sings, and no one has managed to find out that he's bad at it.

He isn't sure why it does, but he's glad it pleases Astarion. ]

I can play the lyre. I have deft fingers.

[ But a waiter comes by with a glass of water before he can elaborate. ]

[ Astarion clicks his tongue -- in a sexual way, to be clear -- when he says that. ]

I'll just bet you do.

[She's so!! Sick! Of This!!!

There's a sharp spin of her heel before she's stalking off the other way, with still no idea where to go, so she only gets about three more steps past him before she stops...

And though she doesn't turn to face him, there's a very visible tension in her body as all of her frustration gathers into a tightened knot right between her shoulder blades.]

Have you picked up yours?

[No he's the most sus lookin' one of them all—

Valo has no idea what he's saying, the dog tilting his head before barking and wagging his tail. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING.

Eustace will just rub his brow.]

If you've finished trying to corrupt my dog, we'll be going.

[He won't laugh... He won't laugh... He's probably the only one who would dare to.

Which is why he keeps his hand at his mouth and head partially ducked to the side.]

Not yet. Was on my way myself.

[No he wasn't, but also not quite a lie. He was going to find it after finding her, so it's still true.

And now he's just going to walk forward, letting her follow if she wants.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 76 of 190

« test sail »

STARTER SHIPS: ORIENTATION

ELTRUT: FIRST GLIMPSE

QUESTS

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject