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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Who hasn't heard of mermaid stories before? Zack is sure he's read a couple of them in stories when he was a little kid once or twice. Mermaids are supposed to be pretty ladies who sing songs about living under the sea.

He's not really expecting to hear that the ones here are the ones hunting people. Sirens must be some sort of offshoot horror to those stories.

Zack wanders forward and puts his hand to his brow to try and see anything past the jagged rocks that are jutting out from the shore.]

That's what they said. Even if that wasn't much help we better keep looking. Those sailors' lives are on the line here.

[When he wanders past her, she fixes the back of his head with narrowed eyes.]

I'm not so worried about the sailors. They followed the voices and reaped what they sowed.

[Her boots crunch against the buried twigs in the sand before she moves past him now, continuing on to their supposed destination which, lo and behold, is just up ahead, as a small ship's mast can be seen jutting out from behind the rocks.

With a grin, Benedikta saunters forward.]

It's the payment I'm after. And perhaps a siren's head if I can manage.

Hey, now. Those guys probably couldn't help themselves. You heard what they said, didn't you? There's something about a song that makes these guys do whatever the sirens want.

[Sirens... Speak of sirens Zack digs his hand into his pocket to pull out those earplugs they were given to use.]

I'm not about to pass up some money-making either, I need it. But still.

[She says nothing, only sticking those earplugs they'd provided into her ear as he's yammering on like a puppy, catching none of what he says. Or, perhaps she does but pretends not to as she stomps her way over to this apparent shipwreck on the coast.

And when they arrive, she looks around, the boat itself torn apart at the hull as it lies upon the rocks.]

I don't see any of the men around.

[But even through the earplugs, she can hear it—it's like a sharp ping in the back of her head as voices giggle in the distance, and yet, they are still so close, as if whispering in her ear, and it makes Benedikta stop dead in her tracks, lifting an arm to stop Zack from moving any further.]

... Hey! Wait up!

[He absolutely sprints after her because he won't let the lady trek off into the dangerous unknown without some backup. He spied her weapon on her hip but he's still not taking any chances of leaving anyone on their own to fight sirens.

Yet the action makes Zack stall just a bit too long in getting those earplugs into his skull. As soon as he steps closer to the wreckage and stops when she puts her hand up Zack can hear it. ... The soft sweet song. It's a sweet melodious tune that makes his heart feel like it's been gripped in a tight grasp. It makes his head feel dizzy and his body feels light as air.

It's the most beautiful thing he's ever heard.]

... Do you hear that? ... That's real nice.

[He starts walking forward and towards the rocks like nothing matters.]

What—?

[Did she not just block him from moving any closer? Benedikta has never encountered a "siren" in her life, but Valisthea had no shortage of fairy tales about them. Stories meant to scare men, she thinks. She knows what they are capable of, and while she had no strong desire to protect Zack from their minstrel wiles, she is not about to lose what she thinks might be a proficient partner in taking them down.

She grabs hold of the back of his shirt and pulls him back with such force that if he doesn't catch himself, he might stumble backwards... and she'll let him.]

Do these fucking earplugs not work? [She steps in front of Zack, putting herself right in his path.] You go find the sailors.

[It's like Zack can't hear a thing anyone else is saying anymore. All he can hear is the sweet song in his head and that's all that matters. He feels like he's hearing sound for the first time in his entire life. And it's a great gospel.]

Agh?!

[Even with the woman grabbing onto him and pulling him back Zack basically falls backwards uselessly like he's forgotten how to use his limbs properly. He clatters to the ground but he doesn't hesitate in trying to get back to his feet. Which turns into him grovelling forward towards the water.]

Hold on. Wait for me, I'm coming. I'll come and join you in the water. Please. Just keep singing to me. I'll do anything.

[He's losing himself to the song!! Some sirens are going to kick his ass.]

[...

Well, she's not sure what she expected out of this mission, but it certainly was not this. She watches with no shortage of disbelief as he clambers towards the water that he might as well not have the earplugs in at all. How pitiful that he would fall so fast to the siren's calls, and she makes no effort to stop him.]

Ugh. Men...

[All of them.

But just as she's about to shriek at him to stop again, she wonders if she can't use this to her advantage instead. As the siren's calls only grow louder, that sparks an idea.]

Fine. You'll make a suitable distraction for them, then!

[Go ahead Zack, go to them!! And she'll be following right behind him, drawing her sword on the way.]

[If she's not going to stop him then Zack's going to keep walking! Barely hearing a word she says because he's completely focused on the sound of the siren's song! He even lets his weapon clatter to the ground in a forgotten heap as he starts clamouring over the jagged rocks towards the broken ship that lay ruined up ahead.]

I'm coming... Wait for me. I'm coming.

[And just as Zack's feet start hitting ocean water there's a fierce giggle in the air. Two womanly figures start to emerge from the surface of the water and they start to beckon Zack closer and closer...]

[If Benedikta could roll her eyes any harder... but he does make a suitable distraction indeed, as well as bait, because she sees the two horrifyingly ugly figures emerge from the water near the shore, their song but a distant sound with her ear plugs, though to her, it just sounds like incessant shrieking and noise...

Yeah, she's going to judge.

But not before there's a blast of wind at Zack's feet that both pushes him back and violently splashes him with water with the hope that it will at least snap him out of it for the time being. Long enough for Benedikta to rush in with her sword.]

You fucking loud little shits—!

[She lunges at one, shoving the jagged end of her sword right into its shrieking mouth while the one tries to reach for Zack—]

[He's so close to these beautiful babes. He can almost reach out and touch them. Touch their silky hair. Give them a little smooch. Listen to their beautiful song until he dies.

...]

Waghg?!

[But before he can reach them something blasts him back hard enough that he falls to his ass again. Water slaps his face just hard enough for Zack to get a second of real clarity.]

What the hell?!

[He looks up just in time to see the woman's blade go down that siren's throat and as blood and sea water spatter up everywhere. For a split second Zack's mind empties out to nothingness and he feels at ease but-

SHRIEK!!! The second creature whips herself away from the blade-wielding woman. Her powerful tail kicks up a wave of rapid water and her voice is a high-pitched screech so loud it could pierce eardrums soon. Zack has to clamp his hands over his ears.]

No!!

[The splash takes Benedikta by surprise, and as she draws her sword back, the jagged edges trailing blood and flesh along with it, she shields herself, only to be met with the shrieks instead.]

What did I just say!?

[There's a blast of wind that circles around her and Zack both, carelessly cutting at the waves and at them, all to beat the siren further back and to buy them some distance from her thrashing as the other falls back into the water, now lifeless.

She turns to Zack.]

If you aren't going to act as bait, then why not use that sword of yours!?

[The blast of wind does well to buy them a few seconds. The shrieking creature temporarily has to struggle backwards and flops against the rocks. But she doesn't take her murderous eyes off the two of them.

Meanwhile, Zack is feeling this throbbing pain in his skull. The sound of the music is dull and piercing in his head at the same time. He can't get it out... He can't get it out. He can't get it out!]

I can't... stop hearing... them... That music...

[Zack looks up and unhooks his weapon. But instead of using it on the siren, he points it at Benedikta. And the siren shrieks again as if commanding him.]

Don't touch her.

[And he lunges at Benedikta instead with the intention of knocking her away.]

[It certainly does knock her away. She should have expected this, but as his much larger sword meets hers, she still can't help but be outraged by it.]

What the fuck—!

[She digs her boot into the sand to gain some traction and to stop herself from being pushed back any further. Winds begin to pick up again, this time swirling sand among it until it cuts at both their skin, hoping that it can beat at Zack enough to throw him off...

...

Enough that she can attempt a kick at his shin because that's unfortunately as far up as she can reach without threatening her balance.]

[Man, is he going to be embarrassed about his performance later. But he just can't get the siren's hold out of his head.]

Damn it!

[Her attack to his shin is going to do a hell of a lot of damage in the right direction, though. Zack stumbles and he swings his sword just enough to miss slashing her with it. Instead losing his balance enough on the rocky outcropping to drop his sword entirely.

That makes him grab his head. He grits his teeth and growls out.]

Get out of my head!!!

[He's so tired of people controlling him. Of people gripping him and making him do things he doesn't want to do!

Meanwhile, the last siren is getting frustrated that she's losing her charge. She knows when she's in a losing battle and turns tail and swims off...]

[Benedikta looks to Zack first, then to the siren that begins to swim away...]

No, you don't—!

[And there's a rush of wind that splashes all of the water violently back in their direction, and it carries the siren with it. She said she was going to return with a siren's head, and that is exactly what she intends to do. The siren shrieks, and while that may affect Zack just a little longer, she couldn't care less. This fucking bitch has caused her enough trouble than it's worth, and she will make her pay.

So, as it's brought in by the wave, Benedikta spears her in the belly with her sword.]

Do not make me ask you again.

[And with her boot, she very slowly steps on the siren's mouth and presses down... down, down, down until she hears the telltale CRACK of a jaw breaking. And that is when she frees the jagged edge of her sword and buries it into its head instead, twisting it like a corkscrew until its screams finally die out.

As the winds and the waves settle, all goes silent, and she looks over at Zack, waiting for him to regain his sense of self-control.]

[When all is silent and the siren is very much dead Zack can finally feel some relief. Without the siren's voice shrieking he can finally hear the air and ocean again and it feels like waking up from a bad dream. The lingering effects of the song will still be heavy in Zack's body and mind for hours but at least it isn't grasping so much that he can't function.]

The hell...?

[His vision blurs and when he focuses he looks at the carnage set before him. And holy shit she really made clean (ish) work of that siren's body. A monster is a monster.]

You did it.

I did.

[She just gives him a look through the corner of her eyes before she's kneeling down next to the siren's lifeless body on the sand, and when she pulls her sword free, there's a vile-smelling cloud that erupts from the wound, releasing a stink into the air that has her lifting her hand to her nose.

Ugh... Disgusting in every sense of the word.

Glancing at Zack again...

...

She supposes she could offer him something.]

Are you alright?

[There's still something that jars Zack about seeing the siren in that sort of shape. The smell and the sickening sounds make him feel ill. And he feels ... heartbroken. In a weird sort of way too.

Must be the residual effects of the siren's song.]

Honestly, I don't know. I wasn't expecting that. At all... Sort of feels like my guts have been stirred up and spit out only to be shoved back into me.

[He scrubs a hand over his eyes.]

You're really something.

I know.

[A casual response as she flicks her sword to shake off the residue left behind... but gods, she is going to need to get it professionally cleaned when she gets back to town.]

If that is how you feel, perhaps you should stay away from the shores for a day or two.

Yeah, you're probably ... right.

[He still doesn't really feel like himself. At all. Until then he really should just stay away from any more siren or mermaid encounters unless he wants to go for a dive with them.]

At least let me help you carry that or something.

[The ... siren... body part.]

[...?

Oh, right.

Benedikta says nothing as she lifts her sword and brings it down in an arch and slices the head clean from the siren's shoulders. With a wrinkle to her nose, she picks it up by its hair and...

... tosses it at Zack before she starts moving again.]

Here you are. Should give us a hefty weight in gold, at least. Surely they'll find some use for it.

[He... grabs it. But not without making a face when he does and looking like he'd rather be doing anything else. He's not new to guts and gore but ... come on.]

Yeah... I've got it.

[Money or not- Zack is trying to tell himself that this was a monster more than anything else. He's trying to shake off that lingering siren song.]

Hopefully, the next job doesn't make me feel like I wanna rip my own head off.

I won't stop you.

[She's just... going to kick what's left of the body back into the current so that it can be carried off in the tide before she's turning to walk back in the direction of the camp.]

At the very least, you managed to fight it and live to see yourself get paid.

[That's her way of saying that he shouldn't sell himself so short, so take this victory, Zack. She is still a bit annoyed that he fell for it at all, but maybe it was better that way—he served as a good enough distraction that now they should have what they need.]

[In the end... He's a big dumb man who fell for the lady song. But he did manage to make it out alive to get paid, so there is that.]

That's a bright way to see it.

[And off he trudges back towards camp with her too. They'll get paid a fair amount each for the task.]

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« test sail »

STARTER SHIPS: ORIENTATION

ELTRUT: FIRST GLIMPSE

QUESTS

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