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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

On The Ship
[Of all the places to wake up, tangled in the sails of an unfamiliar ship is certainly not one of them. It seems that Nanaki was one of the unfortunate few who had appeared in some of the ship’s overhead netting, and try as he might to struggle out of the netting; the thick hempen rope is too tough for even his claws and fangs. His struggling and snarling will definitely attract some attention, and if he catches sight of someone nearby, Nanaki will sigh and stop struggling, looking down at whoever is gawking up at him.]

…A little help would be appreciated.

[Yes, the giant cat just spoke. No, he’s not in a position to explain himself. Just get him down, please??]

At the Tavern… Sort Of
[After regaining his (albeit few) belongings, and even being kindly given a small pouch to hold his new shellphone in, Nanaki has opted to explore this strange town around him. Most of the townsfolk give him a wide berth, but he doesn’t mind; it lets him explore in peace. Eventually he does realize he needs to contend with his hunger, and so he makes his way to the tavern. But sadly, though he wanted to just enjoy some food, he was sadly turned away; no pets allowed, it seemed. Nanaki growled, scraping at the ground with his claws as he scowled at the person barring him entrance.]

Really, now… I’m not a pet! I just want some food!

[He huffs, and though the doorman looks nervous he isn’t budging. And their quarrel might be forming a bit of a line to get into the tavern itself…]

Sharkgulls
[The Sharkgulls are definitely a nuisance that must be dealt with. Fortunately, Nanaki’s got quite a bit of practice when it comes to fighting hordes of monsters. And honestly, these guys are small fry compared to some of the things he’s fought.]

[So amidst the chaos, Nanaki can be seen running through the attacking flock, snarling and swiping at them with his claws. He even manages to leap up and grab one of them mid-flight, stopping it from attacking someone. He crushes it with his jaws, and then lets the dead bird(?) fall to the ground once it’s body goes limp. He turns to whoever he just saved, looking rather serious amidst the chaos.]

Keep your eyes sharp. There’s still more to deal with!

Wildcard
[Got something you’d like to try out? Feel free to write up a starter, or PM me here or at

pocketnoivern to plot something!]

[March has been watching this whole embarrassing situation go down, unsure how to proceed. The giant cat certainly seems like it's struggling, but she's not sure if it's friendly. And even if it is, would it be safe to approach a wild animal while it's panicked and trying to break free? That seems like it's just asking for a flesh wound or three.

But then he speaks, and a flood of relief washes over her. He can understand her, and he's asked for help! So help him she shall.]

Hold on, I'll try to cut you free!

[Luckily she's gotten a large knife from somewhere aboard the ship! It's the only weapon she has at the moment, having not yet found her belongings, so it'll have to do. She starts climbing up the ropes to get closer to him.]

[Oh, this is definitely an embarrassing situation for the proud Nanaki. But as the girl agrees, he sighs and relaxes in the tangled netting.]

Thank you. This rope is too thick for even my sharp fangs...

[Is it a small dig to preserve his dignity? Most definitely. Still, he holds still as March approaches to cut him down.]

Honestly... what foolishness.

Well yeah, fangs are designed for ripping and tearing flesh, not rope.

[MAYBE NOT A GREAT THING TO REMIND HIM OF, but she's trying to reassure him that there's no pride lost here! And also making small talk because this would be awkward to do in silence.

Once she gets to his level, she starts the process of cutting him free.]

It does seem really reckless to have people just appearing in the skies like they have been. What if the ropes hadn't caught you and you hit the deck at full speed? You could have seriously been hurt.

[Nanaki lets out a low huff, but the upturn of his lips makes it clear it's done out of amusement. He appreciates her comment, even if it's a bit morbid.]

I would have at least been able to land on my feet in that case.

[He's a cat, he can land on his paws if need be!]

Why do ships need all of this netting, anyway? It's not the kind used for fishing, is it?

Oh right. I guess you would, being a cat and all. I was thinking more like what would have happened to me.

[Cut cut cut. That should maybe do it? She gives the severed rope a bit of a tug to test if she's cut enough to free him.]

I don't think it is. Maybe it has something to do with the sails? I've never been one a huge ocean ship like this before.

Well, not all of us can be blessed with four legs instead of two. [Proud cat is proud.] Either way, this is different than the ships I'm used to seeing.

[At the tug, Nanaki also tries to move, hefting himself up and forward with his paws. They're certainly looser, and enough to just... wiggle through...]

[...he half-tumbles out of the netting, and it's a little ungraceful, but he's out! Once he's on his paws he shakes out his fur, before looking back at her.]

Thank you. That was a nuisance...

[March waits to make sure he's safe on his feet before hopping down next to him.]

Don't mention it. I was happy to help out. Sorry I didn't jump in right away--I wasn't sure what you were going to do if I got too close.

[On account of being a wild cat and all.]

Anyway, now that we're both on solid... um, deck... time for introductions! I'm March 7th. It's nice to meet you!

It's alright. I wanted to make sure I could escape on my own first. And besides, sometimes I forget humans tend to focus more on appearances.

[He may be sounding a little insulting, but there is an undeniable pout in his expression. Is his pride still a little hurt? Perhaps... Or maybe he's still a little embarrassed. It's definitely hinting at a little immaturity, despite his mature manner of speaking.]

March 7th? A pleasure to meet you. I'm Nanaki.

[March is plenty immature herself, think nothing of it! She's not offended by the observation, per se, although she does give a slightly self-conscious chuckle.]

Sorry about that. I should do better than judge based on appearances alone.

[Anyway, what's done is done. She quickly moves on from that awkwardness.]

Nanaki. I like that name.

Welcome to the Royal Fortune! According to the crew, we're Paladins or something now.

STARTER SHIPS: ORIENTATION

ELTRUT: FIRST GLIMPSE

QUESTS

Nanaki/Red XIII || Final Fantasy VII || Paladins

On the ship! Let's go Paladins!

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tavern;

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tavern!

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