TEST DRIVE MEME

[theflaws]

TEST DRIVE MEME

PREMISE PLOT ARRIVAL SETTING NAVIGATION

01. ARRIVING IN PELEA
A cold wind singing down from the white-capped mountains which hang blue-black in the distance stirs your cheek, the tall grass all around you. A bough creaks as the wind makes it tremble, and the dappled shadows drift over you, leaves rustling. As you blink awake, you hear the quiet hiss of water over stones. You are not where you once were!

You and a large group of strangers are blinking awake, pulling yourselves up off the dirt, grass, and rubble near a small wooded stream. There is no evidence of civilization in sight, and as you exchange stories you realize that you must decide what to do.

Will you head past the trees and towards the mountains? Deeper into the forest? Stay put and wait for help to arrive? You might even try to meet everyone else, and either convince them to band together... or head their separate ways.

02. CITY SLICKER
There are many cities throughout the world of Pelea, and in most player characters, the Flaws, are welcomed as curiosities. From the pastoral villages or bustling, grand cities of Shousal to the massive, sprawling bureaucratic centers of the Empire, your characters will find a wide variety of cultures and races to interact with and investigate. They could be seeking empoyment, answers to the mystery of their arrival, or a quiet place to drink away their worries.

03. WILDCARD!

Comments

[parkourprince]

Elves were known for their near infinite patience, and though Legolas did not exactly consider himself so very patient as the most of them, he still indulged these long stretches of nothing, and did not rush Venom to say anything. If these few past moments were anything to go by, that was simply how he was. Likely a lot of thoughts, but a very few words.

When the question finally came, Legolas had to laugh. Apparently his ears were a very thought-consuming subject.

"For our love of nature, perhaps, for our affinity to it," he shrugged, actually uncertain why they say leaves rather than anything else, "Even my name, it is for my love of the trees— though this would only speak for me and my reasons.

"May I ask a question in return? As in barter! Pay for knowledge with knowledge."

[anothermission]

"Barter? Sure."

His skeptical side wondered what the hell the elf could possibly want to know from him, as he didn't know anything about this world or its people obviously, which meant it would have to be some kind of personal question. And, Snake really had nothing personal to share. He was a soldier, nothing more and certainly nothing less. Whatever world Legolas came from it had elves with nature affinity and that was not Earth. Therefore what would Earth's conflicts mean to Legolas? Nothing, in no way that Snake could guess at anyway. Not a personal question then - something tactical, maybe about the box?

An affinity with nature, he repeated in his mind, wondering what exactly that meant. His one good eye glanced sidelong and downwards to consider the plain looking leather boots on the other. They couldn't explain the eerily quiet or light-footed walking. That could be part of it, he reasoned, but he had to wonder what else was a creature capable of walking in silence able to do? If there was anything he had learned over the past year it was to not underestimate people whatever their intentions or backgrounds appeared to be. Snake told himself not to underestimate Legolas.

"Shoot," he offered, signifying he was ready for this question.

[parkourprince]

There were many things that came to mind to ask about, some more about the sort of a world Venom came from, out of sheer curiosity alone, some others, indeed, more personal. It was difficult to pick just one, and so this time it was Legolas's turn to fall quiet as he got lost in thought. He missed the looks he received, looking up to the sky instead as if it would aid him in picking the best question for the moment. There was nothing written in the clouds, though, Legolas smiled himself at the thought and turned to Venom with a small grin.

"Is Venom a name you have chosen for yourself?" He asked finally, deciding it best to simply start at the very beginning of the long, long list of questions he had. He could only hope that Venom would indulge him for all of them, until his curiosity was at least partially satisfied. They had so much time, it would be a waste to spend it in complete silence at all times.

[anothermission]

You went straight down to hell, and they pulled you out, your eye wide open. Full of venom. The days of Naked Snake are long gone. Welcome back, Venom Snake.

After he'd woken up from his nine year coma, Ocelot had debriefed him, and given him his new moniker. Yes it had meaning, a lot of meaning, but to no one but himself. What was a name to most people but what they had to sign on their rent check? His name was his reality, his name was his job, and the tenuous thread of his phantom existence. It felt strange and almost uncomfortable to have the elf zero in on the code name so directly.

There was a slight, hesitant tone of emotion as he began speaking but his grumbling voice soon evened out. "It... was given, to me." He could have stopped there, but he continued in a quiet tone. "Venom Snake. In aboriginal cultures a snake's venom means revenge, or vengeance. The mythologies speak of a 'horned snake' with a crest on its head like a diamond, covering the whole world with venom in revenge for injustice from the gods."

The edge of the shrapnel in his skull rested on his optic nerve and it was therefore impossible to ignore, especially when it caused him headaches or hallucinations. It was simply a part of him now. Repeating the story though, it was obvious just how weirdly appropriate the code name really was. Now it was his turn to ask a question though and his own was much more practical.

"How do you walk silently?"

[parkourprince]

Horned snake, that phrase drew Legolas's attention to the strange piece of ... metal, he thought, lodged in Venom's head. He wondered about it, a lot, but found it far too rude to ask about. Far as he could see, it did not cause Venom pain, it was not a recent injury at all, and truth be told, he couldn't even be so sure it was an injury at all. Not in Pelea, not out of another flaw. He learned early on not to assume much, if anything at all, about the fellow flaws.

Still, he took in the answer and nodded with gratitude for the clear and simple honesty. He wondered then just what was the cause for Venom's vengeance, but it was not his turn to ask questions and perhaps that could be too personal. Patience, Legolas told himself, and he couldn't help a small chuckle at the question.

The truth was, he had no other answer to it other than I am an elf! Still, he tried to put it into words in a way that could be understood.

"I am an elf, and elves step lightly, we step carefully," he mulled it over, then continued with another chuckle, "We are not held back by the limits of the flesh in any way... it is the best I can explain it."