flawedmemes | TEST DRIVE MEME

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TEST DRIVE MEME

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!

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The Market

"Look, I'm telling you that this is an authentic and actual life dragon." The man with a regal disposition was standing with what looked to be a rather ordinary lizard in his hands. The merchant across from him was doing nothing to hide his skepticism. "And I promise you," Richard went on. "That if you continue to try and inflict your outrageous prices on myself and the other good citizens of this city, then I will have no choice but to raise him into a terrifying beast which will inevitably ransack and destroy everyone present."

The merchant drummed his fingers impatiently.

"Which!" Richard added hastily before anyone could say anything else and he turned around to anyone who might be listening in, "I really don't want to do. I'm a people person, always have been. But he's forced my hand!" He turned back to the merchant, his expression grim. "You've forced my hand."

"It's still ten," the merchant answered brusquely.

"Oh fine. But don't think I'll forget this." Reluctantly, Richard slapped down the three coins to get the bit of food that was going to be his lunch today.

A Country Road

A man sat upon a horse. A lizard sat upon a man. They baked beneath the open sun, all up until the moment they would meet someone else along the road. Richard had been expecting this, which is why he had a sword ready at his side. Brigands and bandits and people with unhealthy skin conditions were just the sort of thing you were likely to meet in situations like this. He was ready. His eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared, and he met the other rider with brazen disregard.

"Hello!" Richard smiled warmly and offered a friendly wave. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the way to Sunvault, right?"

It was not the way to Sunvault. As it happened, he wasn't even in the right country for Sunvault.

Edited 2016-07-26 13:35 (UTC)

It was rare they took to the roads, especially not while travelling in such a large group. Which was why precautions were now taken and before the main groups, scouts were sent ahead. This time it was Legolas's turn to ride by his lonesome up ahead, many leagues, while some others prowled in the trees beside or the open plain, still out of sight. Threats could await anywhere, they could not let their guard down.

The sight of a lone rider awaiting his arrival, was a concerning one, the friendly attitude a little suspicious, yet upon closer glance and after a good moment that it took Legolas to come near enough, he did not notice much malice. And certainly no trap nearby. He returned the smile, laughing softly at the question, and letting none of his suspicions show— sad it was, what this land and its people had done to Legolas, that any person met could be an enemy and his trust was not so easily given.

"I fear, good man, you are too far south already than Sunvault would require, and— going this way, heading only farther south," he offered, eyebrow arching in wonder and amusement.

Well here was an attractive fellow. Some young chap on the road it seemed and nobody that Richard felt he would have to be all that concerned about. After all, any man who couldn't put together a proper beard couldn't possibly be that intimidating. Richard's own full and luxurious facial hair was the sort of thing that made people rethink giving him trouble.

"Oh." Richard turned around to stare in the opposite direction and wondering how he could have ever possibly overshot the city. Well, he was entitled to his pride. He turned back to the other traveler and offered a nonchalant shrug. "Well, clearly the city is far smaller than reported. I think I would have noticed passing it otherwise."

Legolas patted the muscled neck of his gelding, when the horse began to step from hoof to hoof impatiently, and soon the shuffling stopped. He sat comfortably, in spite of having no saddle or reins, and all his belongings were on his person, currently partially hidden away by a delicate looking cloak. His amusement only grew ten fold, however, at that response.

"It is not so large at all, indeed," he agreed with a mirthful smile, "Jiaport, I think, dwarfs it greatly, sprawling many leagues across the land; yet Sunvault, as its name will make you believe, shines like the brightest of gems— you can see it from leagues away, knowing not what it is, it may be easy to mistake for the sister to the Sun herself."

"Well there you are!" Richard patted his own horse just in order to ensure that his horse, saddled though it was, received the same amount of care and attention as the other did. He didn't want to be stirring up any kind of resentment. "I was told to keep the sun to my left on my way to Sunvault. If it was pretending to be another sun, little wonder I got lost."

Though he'd been told to keep the sun to his left in the evening. Not all day, which was rather troublesome when he had his mid-day naps and lost track of which way he'd been traveling.

Either it was a fine act of a fool, or this Man was truly without a clue, or simply most unused to travelling on his own. His bearing, sure enough, did imply some sort of regal upbringing, and Legolas figured him a noble, if nothing more than that. Why was he travelling alone now?

"Why Sunvault, if I may ask? Traveller's curiosity to see the beautiful city with your very own eyes, or perhaps visiting the family that lives there?" From his bearing too, it was difficult for Legolas to tell if he was a Shousal native or of another country. His time in Pelea was still brief, after all, but a single turn of the Moon's.

"Well, I was asking a new friend the easiest way to get back to my own kingdom and he suggested that not only was there a port there, but mages come and go there. If I can't get a ship home, I might find a way to magic myself there instead."

It was, in his mind, a very brilliant plan that had him traveling only to one place rather than many.

Legolas was silent for a moment, considering the words. A lot of it was very strange, and not strange as Pelea was foreign to him, but strange as they, themselves, were to Pelea. His eyes were fixed upon the Man, hawk-like in the interest, but the smile was still friendly.

"Perhaps I may help you, if you only tell me the name of the kingdom you seek? I fear your new friend's advice might have been a jest, nothing more than that."

"Well, mine would be just fine, but I'm actually trying to make it to Hortenzia. Buddy of mine, trying to rescue his true love, and me the devoted sidekick slash best friend." He chuckled lightly and easily. "Pretty standard stuff, really. Though, now that you mention it, that fellow did come off as a bit cheeky."

Charles tilted his head at the man, on his horse, with his lizard. What a peculiar spectacle he made.

Not that Charles looked all fine himself. He had the dust of a few days' travel all over him, the grimace of a man that spent too long in the saddle. He's obviously never been a fan of being on horseback, but he'd had no choice. Had to get to the interior to secure payment from a particular man who would not travel, not even for his prized black pearls.

"No," he replied from behind the scarf that covered his mouth. "This is the road to Jiaport. You're not even in Shousal, friend."

Ah, here was a dangerous looking man. He was rugged, dirty, and probably looking for a fight. Richard scratched the chin of his real life actual dragon to indicate that he did in fact possess a fearsome beast and that it was completely subservient to him. This allowed him a certain air of nonchalance to deal with this could-be-murderer.

"Jiaport," Richard repeated as he tried to recall if he even knew that name at all. It was bad enough when he scarcely knew what the name of his own kingdom was, much less what all these new ones were. He created a vast map in his head, with locations such as 'Richard' and 'Sunvault' on it and absolutely nothing else at all. "And ah... Shousal, would be right across it, yes?"

Frowning further, Charles tilted his head. What was this man even doing here? How did he manage to even stay alive? Not that he didn't believe in pure, dumb luck, but this was something else entirely. Did this man even have any supplies?

"Across what?"

If only Charles had a map. Fact was, he didn't need one on hand at all times, so he rarely traveled with one; they were cumbersome, and better used on ships than on land. He had no course to chart, here, just a road to follow.

Pointing North, Charles pushed the scarf away from his face. "Shousal is this way. The way you're going is away from Shousal and Sunvault. Turn around."

Turn around, hm? Well, that seemed to be the direction this shady character had been moving himself. Richard was no one's fool but his own, so being told to turn around felt rather a lot like an insult. If it was a challenge, he was going to have to answer with cold steel. Unless...

It was an invitation? Two comradely and musky men off on a heroic journey to Sunvault traveling a long country road for which Richard had actually already crossed most of already? It was tempting. Very tempting. A very sly and knowing smirk began to creep across his face before he was nodding eagerly.

"So it's like that, is it? Well, you drive a hard bargain, sir, but I accept."

"No," Charles answered immediately. He wasn't going to play coy or dumb here - he knew exactly what the man wanted, and there was no way Charles was saddling himself with a clueless rider when he had to go hard himself. He had no time to waste taking care of whoever this man was.

"No, you and I are not traveling anywhere together. No."

No. No way. Charles would rather turn bridle right away and get himself a whole new ship in Jiaport.

Then, he considers.

"...How much would you pay?"

Payment was difficult, because the only thing of value he had was his dragon, but that was not for sale. What this left was only promises and while Richard did not want to have to lie, he did need the help. It was clear he really had absolutely no idea what he was doing after striking out on his own.

"You can name your price," he offered generously. "Once I have been returned to my kingdom and throne, you can ask anything in my power to grant you."

He considered this for a moment before deciding he better not raise any expectations. "... although I don't have any daughters, if you were thinking of that. So it would likely have to be lots of gold. Land, perhaps."

Charles let out a long-suffering sigh, unable to help himself from rolling his eyes. Land - owning land is exactly the kind of thing Charles tries to avoid by being a pirate. He has no desire for land. He has no desire for marriage, either.

A lion keeps no den.

"Not interested," he replied, starting to kick his horse's flanks. Maybe, if he's lucky, he'll get away quickly enough that the man won't be able to follow him. Even if he is going to Sunvault, he's very certain he'll prefer the company of his own thoughts rather than the strange rider with his strange lizard.

Richard was quick to follow, having taken this to be a sign of a charitable man who sought no reward despite having only just asked for one. This man didn't look particularly heroic, but neither did Richard, so it all balanced out in the end.

"Oh, it's going to be grand. Two strangers forced into becoming unlikely friends, off on their epic quest to see me returned safely and gently home." Richard rode up next to the other man and offered him a sly wink. "They'll probably toss you in a song or two by the time we're done."

Pulling on his horse's reins, Charles stopped his horse and pulled it alongside the other man's. In a swift move, he had his hand around the man's throat, and was holding on tight.

"If you plan on following me anywhere, you will do it quietly, or I swear to God I will cut off your tongue and feed it to the crows."

he kept very close for a moment, snarling angrily, even if it was mostly for show.

This came as an incredible shock to Richard who had assume incorrectly that they were already on their way to becoming fast friends. But this was fine, because he'd befriended Gareth before and that was a man easily twice as terrifying as this one.

"Acckkk kchhhh blchhhh urrrkkk," he suggested unhelpfully.

Satisfied, Charles let the man go, shaking his hand loose before turning back towards the road. If necessary, he could ride with his dirk in hand, just to keep the man as quiet as possible. If possible, Charles would rather avoid getting jumped on the road, and a gibbering fool of a man would not help matters.

"Keep up," he said softly, kicking his horse into a trot. They had a lot of road to cover, and little time to cover it.

He was silent, at the very least for a few minutes. And then he got into a bit of whispering to his real life actual dragon that was still perched upon his shoulder. It was a rather normal and one sided conversation as Richard speculated fiercely about the nature of their new comrade, whether he could be trusted, and if Tad Cooper felt at all prepared to fry him into a toasty corpse if he got handsy again. But then it all came down to providing a simple test.

Quietly and with a low (and affectedly intimidating) voice he offered the following. "You know, when my buddy and I were on a quest like this, we found the best way to pass the time was to do some singing. I know, I know, it's a little unorthodox. But it's baffling how much distance you can pass through between verses."

Charles sighed, not even bothering to try and not look like he feels oh, oh so very put-upon. He pushes his scarf back over half of his face to avoid breathing in too much dust, and slows his horse enough to be by the other's man's flank.

"Sing, and I'll leave you to the roadside crews that will most definitely hear you, and attack you. That's a nice coat you've got here, I'm sure they'll make a decent amount of money off of it, and that's not even considering your jewelry. They'll let me be on my way if I deliver you to them, I'm sure."

A hand on the hilt of his rapier, Charles went on. "I don't care if you have no concern for your own survival, or simply you're just too rich to ever have to concern yourself with it. But I've got somewhere to be, and I don't have time for a scuffle with bandits just because you couldn't keep your mouth shut."

Charles is used to taciturn men, Jack notwithstanding. And even Jack would know to just keep quiet and ride hard on a road such a this, where raids are common. Charles' side pouch was too heavy to big stopped by cutpurses.

((ooc: because I had the gif in a tab, I just wanted to point out that this is totally the face Richard made Charles do XDDD never stop Richard never stop))

Richard listened, nodded in complete understanding, and entirely sympathized with the point being made.

"You know, it's honestly that kind of paranoia that leads to a short and friendless life. Now, I don't claim to be a headologist, but there's no harm in having a little more faith in your fellow man. Hard as it may be for you to believe, I was once a man whose very name inspired fear across the land." He turned to Charles, his expression grim. "I have walked this road you're on before, my friend. You won't like where it leads."

This had never been his intention when he accidentally ran into this random stranger just less than five minutes ago, but he'd already taken up the role of mentor to this poor lost soul. It was not a role he took lightly, even if he felt poorly prepared to have to teach when he considered himself to still be a learner.

After a moment, he realized this might be confusing, since he had actually just been on this literal path they were on because he'd been going the wrong way. He quickly added: "Literally and metaphorically, of course."

Edited 2016-07-28 23:39 (UTC)

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TEST DRIVE MEME

King Richard | Galavant

A Country Road (ps. I love you)

(yes thank you)

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country road

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