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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He notices and a wry grin forms.]

You think so? I like yours plenty.

So how about this—

[And he'll just move their plates closer, both within reach of the other.]

You take whatever you want of mine, and I'll do the same to yours.

[...?

That he would just offer it up so freely? It shouldn't surprise her, but it does.

Once again, it stirs more memories awake of their earliest days together. It was just another thing that he would do... especially when she hadn't had many of the foods that they served within the castle walls. She would often try bites from his plate, testing what she liked and didn't like, wary of just about everything before she grew more used to it.

Why now, of all the times for these memories to come rushing back, one after the other? Why did she have to think of him in those moments before priming? And why can't she shake it off and force things to go back to how they were?

This isn't normal. This shouldn't be happening, and yet...

...

She slides her plate across the table so that it's centered next to his as she takes another sip of his drink in silent agreement. That sounds like a fair trade.

As she pokes at her own pizza, taking another piece and forgetting that she still has Cid's fork and not her own, she looks around them.]

It might not be so bad, taking a look at the other places. What do you suppose 'tacos' are.

[He watches her, wondering if she would protest. He half expected it, but he's more pleased than surprised that she agrees to it. Truly, it's not until now that he realizes again how...natural they fell back into these old habits. Something he surely would have bitterly doubted not even a few days ago to be sure.

And since she keeps taking his drink, he's going to take some of her water—]

Haven't the foggiest.

[...What would happen if he combined the two slices together... He is going to be cutting a small square of his and then a small square of hers before stacking them together, looking at it curiously.]

But we can at least take a look after.

[And nom. Oh that's not so bad, it's just adding more cheese, tomatoes, and sauce...]

[She watches him with curiosity as he takes both pizzas and spears them together on the same fork for a bite, her brows raising in silent awe as he eats it. ... Strange man he can be sometimes.

But it's his words that surprise her the most, and as she's in the middle of taking another piece from hers, she pauses halfway to bringing it to her lips.]

... After?

[Here he goes again.]

What exactly do you think is going to happen after this?

[Does he really assume that they would spend the whole afternoon together? And why is it that her heart twists around itself as she asks...? It's not as if she's hoping that they would. There is a reason for all of this, but it isn't what he thinks.

She refuses to let it be.]

[And he's just going to look at her and shrug.]

Eventually we'll go our separate ways.

[Look, he's honestly surprised they've managed to last this long, but he's also not going to question it since it works in his favor. The longer he can keep her to him and away from Barnabas, the better.

...But it would be a lie to say that he wasn't also enjoying this a bit, bittersweet and nostalgic as it gets at times. Given their history, this is probably the most amicable they've been, and certainly more that he could have hoped or even tried for. Had it not been for their deaths, not been how he found her in that room, this might not have happened at all. At least, not so easily.]

But before that figure we could at least look around this area a bit. [And then a light smirk and wink.] So you don't get lost again.

[And taking another cheeky bite of her pizza.]

[Her lips pucker at him with a frown. Excuse you, she did not get lost, merely turned around! And she's going to continue to blame that stupid octopus for pissing her off so much in the first place!!!

But she would be lying, too, if she said that there wasn't another reason for all of this. It's true that if he hadn't been the one who found her, if she hadn't been in such a state, this likely would never have happened at all. She is scared—petrified, even—of what all of this means, what this place is, and whether or not she'll have a way to return to Valisthea. She had woken up here with a terrifying dread that she hasn't felt in a long, long time...

Having at least one familiar thing... it at least helps to keep that feeling at bay. And she would much rather the usual pricks of frustration with Cidolfus than having to deal with everything else.

Until they do end up going their separate ways, that is...

Benedikta distracts herself with that piece of pizza on her fork, chewing it slowly to buy herself some time before she has to answer him.]

We won't be staying here for very long, from the sounds of it.

You mean going to the next place?

[A thoughtful chew before he picks another piece.]

Strange as it is, curious to see what the rest of this world is like.

Well. They started us out on the back of a turtle...

[Another bite of his pizza this time, and she waves her fork around as if to gesture to "the rest of this world".]

Can't imagine how much bigger they can get. They will have to go even larger if they want to impress me.

[Whoever "they" are. The people keeping her here? The gods? The puppetmaster of this dream? She has no fucking clue what to think anymore.]

Edited 2023-09-02 04:13 (UTC)

Well you see that's the thing.

[And now his curious mind is at it again.]

This giant turtle itself... They call it a "leviathan"—quite different from the Eikon in our world, certainly.

But it sounds like the other major ports are on similar creatures. I also heard that most of the world is covered in ocean water.

[She tries so hard to stifle that interested glimmer in her eyes as he explains, her chewing on her next bite having slowed as she tries to imagine being on the back of something else. The Eikons were certainly quite a sight in their own right, but the turtle and this world has given her a whole new perspective on "massive".

Honestly, she is a little intrigued by these so called "leviathans"... and if it holds a candle to the rumours of the one they know of.]

Well, it's a good thing you already know how to sail... Shouldn't be a problem for you.

... Not that anything ever is.

[A small laugh and then a look over at her, fork with another slice hovering in mid-air.]

Offer to join my non-existent fledgling crew still stands.

[She barks out with a laugh with a half-finished bite of pizza before she leans over to wash it down with some more of his root beer, again without realizing.]

You will have to make a greater offer than that.

[Though, there's something that's making her heart beat just a little faster, while her stomach knots with something else. It's hot, and it's unsettling.]

Fetch me the biggest ship and the best crew and I might consider. None of this fledgling bosh.

[All in jest, of course.]

[...Oh?

Given her last answer he expected a firmer rejection. But her answer just makes him arch a brow before he grins and then laughs, shaking his head.]

What a demanding little princess. Well I can see what I can swing. Did it once, can manage again.

[And now there's one of his more arrogant smirks, one that she would be familiar. The one he always wears when he's decided on a plan and decided to embark on it.]

[Who said that wasn't a rejection? Just a very light one?]

My first demand would be that you do not call me that.

[And especially not a little one, that's for damn certain.]

But I don't recall you ever doing it once. You'll have to refresh my memory.

[Another laugh as he takes his root beer—wow she drank a lot of this.]

Did you forget my own little band? Stretched farther than you might think.

I haven't.

[Hard to forget when he is the most famous "outlaw" across the Twins.]

But your merry band isn't here to help you convince me this time. Not that it would have worked.

[She glances at him through the corners of her eyes, her lip curled just so with a grin of her own.]

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what you can come up with. Surely there will be people looking to become outlaws, and you already fit right in.

[A light smirk as he sets down his drink with a light thud.]

I do still need to earn that "Cid the Vicious" title. I'll try not to keep you waiting long.

[Another cheeky grin as he takes another piece of pizza, their portions a lot smaller than when they started.]

[She'll wait until he goes for his next bite... which she'll swipe right out from under his fork before he can spear it.]

"Cid the Vicious"? [Not even going to bother stifling that surprised, slightly mocking laugh.] Did you come up with that one all by yourself?

[...Wow?!?!?!

He just looks at her in disbelief before he'll stab at another. Rude— (He's smiling amused, though.)]

Well it's only fitting that I have a menacing title as an outlaw aiming to disrupt the world as we know it, isn't it?

So fearsome... I'm shaking in my boots.

[Though she does admit that she is a touch amused. He is far from being vicious at all, even when he tries to be.]

Is that what your plan is here, then? To disrupt this world, too?

[Excuse, he can be very vicious when he wants to be.]

Nah.

[Said between chews before he swallows.]

Not my place. Unless, of course, something happens that forces my hand. Course hard to really say without knowing more about this world.

I was about to ask...

[She raises a brow and goes for the last piece of his pizza that's left on the plate, not having realized that she'd been going for it more than hers.]

What could possibly happen in a world like this where your hand is forced? Seems to me like most everyone is an outlaw here.

... Not so vicious after all, are we?

[A small laugh.]

We'll just have to see, shall we?

[A wink before he looks down and—]

Oy! First my drink and now my own food?

[She'd been just about to reach for his drink, too, when she stops—]

What?

[Just an innocent look back.]

You did say that we would share.

Aye, share. Not pilfer most of it.

[Not that he's really complaining, he's more amused than annoyed. So he'll just have to finish up her pizza—not that there isn't much left.]

You always did like my choices better.

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