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 of them player characters, the Flaws, are welcomed as curiosities. Whether they're among the passionate, oft thought as hot-headed, but hospitable folk of the Banner or the noble and haughty people of the Empire, your characters will find a wide variety of cultures, races and simply people to interact with and investigate. They could be seeking employment, answers to the mystery of their arrival or other folk like themselves, or a quiet place to drink away their worries.

03. WILDCARD!

Comments

C, because goats

[teratias]

[Waver's adjusted to certain parts of being a stranger in a strange land well enough. He can get food and lodging for himself without a fuss, he's gotten skilled at not running his mouth at every opportunity, and he's found that he can learn a city's layout if given a few days. Moreover, he's learned what not to bat an eye at when in a new place, lest he betray the fact that he's from another world entirely.

A woman chasing after a goat is something to bat an eye at.

Truth be told, he's about ready to pack it in for the day when the goat barrels past him, and the words hairy idiot makes it clear that this is a problem. So as Aila runs past, he can only offer:]

There's a solid wall up ahead, try and get it to go left. That turn's a dead end.

c.

[snaphiss]

[Mara has never seen a goat before. She has no idea what a goat is. It's loud and awkward-shaped and bleating wildly and a woman is running after it, but maybe that's normal on this awful backwater planet. It's her the girl's equine-screamer and she needs it back for its delicious scream-milk.]

[This is ridiculous.]

[The creature runs toward Mara, and she puts out her hand, closes her eyes, and concentrates, feeling the Force flow through her, waiting, feeling it fill her with potential and power and-]

[The screamer runs right past Mara. Well, that didn't work. Dryly, she looks to the girl still chasing the screamer.] Is that thing yours?

[letitallout]

[She's not used to common sense out of most people, and also that stupid goat's pretty fast, so Aila just waves in acknowledgement as she and the goat go speeding past Waver. But she was listening.

With a smooth gesture that doesn't break her stride, she scoops up a rotten cabbage that some vendor let roll into the street and launches it at the goat with an impressive overhand throw--where it misses to the right and splats against the wall of the T intersection. The goat, spooked, veers left and into the dead end alley, pursued by a Dragonborn.

What, you think Aila wants to deal with a goat covered in slimy cabbage bits?

In true comedic fashion, the rest of the chase happens off-screen. There's a shout of triumph, a bleat of alarm, and a thump and crash, as if a grown woman has just cornered and then tackled a goat. Soon thereafter, the two reappear, Aila once again dragging the goat along on a lead, this time carefully inspected for weak spots.]

Thank you, stranger.

[scarletcast]

[ Open doesn't mean unprotected. Wanda doesn't venture too far in, however, something warm fills up Ollie's mind. ]

Hello.

[teratias]

--Yeah. Uh.

[Waver blinks, blindslided not just by Aila's speed but how damn good that aim was. A scripted comedy couldn't have done that better, and the fact he's thinking like that just adds to the ridiculousness of the situation.]

That was ridiculously well executed.

[sigillum]

[This is a new experience, because every mind is different, and every witch is different. The last thought witch in her head was... a long time ago. She doesn't follow that thought too far because she doesn't want to spring that on a stranger.]

Hello Wanda. Do you come from here?

[This world, she means. There's magic in the world, so she can't be sure.]

[scarletcast]

[ Every mind is different. This one exercises far more control than what she's used to. Wanda gestures for her to walk together, as she tells the people around them not to look, to leave them alone. ]

No. Do you?

[sigillum]

[Ollie falls into step easily, hands in her pockets, which is a bit of a novel experience to have, considering she usually needs them to communicate.]

No. I'm from a place called Indiana, America.

[scarletcast]

I live in New York.

[ She projects it: Stark Tower, Times Square, perhaps it's the same place. ]

[letitallout]

[In the moment she has before her run carries her entirely past Mara, Aila answers. She's nice like that.]

No, just delivering it.

[She'll figure out what the heck that pose with the hands was supposed to be after she catches her fugitive livestock.

The goat caroms off a pile of empty crates, toppling them and forcing Aila to hurdle the sudden obstacle--which she does, almost gracefully. At least, she doesn't turn an ankle landing.]

[letitallout]

Goats aren't too bright.

[Clearly he means outwitting the thing, not the throw, right?

Aila's breath is already slowing, and she looks none the worse for wear. The goat looks disgruntled, but goats always look disgruntled.]

[sigillum]

[The name sparks recognition, but she takes a second to put a name to the place, because she hasn't seen anything like what Wanda is projecting.

Ollie has never seen New York in person, but she's seen pictures and it's those that she thinks of now. Broken buildings, overgrown concrete and still smouldering fires. New York was a battle ground, and the city lost.]

[scarletcast]

[ Wanda frowns. This city is a ruin, and no one can lie to her with their thoughts. Conceal, sure, but never lies. ]

Is it all like that? The whole world?

[teratias]

You think most people could make a throw that accurate?

[Waver's at least determined to clarify his point. And to offer the goat a sidelong glance, if only to ensure that it isn't eating the merchandise of some other vendor.]

[letitallout]

I'm not most people.

[Nor is she overly burdened by modesty, but her smile is wry enough to suggest she doesn't take herself too seriously.]

Aila Steady-Hand.

[She offers her name with a bit of a nod. Maybe the wry smile is because she realizes how appropriate her clan name sounds in this context.]

[teratias]

Waver. Name less indicative of nature than yours.

[It is a pitiful attempt at a joke, but it feels like the best way to avoid any judgement on his own name.]

Were you taking your friend for a walk, or returning a runaway?

[letitallout]

[Aila's far too much of an upright sort to comment unfavorably on someone's name, at least when that someone doesn't currently have a weapon drawn on her.]

Delivery. If it were mine, it would already be a rug.

[Hard to be sentimental about livestock when you're from a medieval culture.]

[sigillum]

[That answer is a complicated one, or it would be to give in words, so it's lucky she can do it with her thoughts.

There are two main images in her head: the first is a mess of a city, slums with shining apartments stacked on top, hovercars speeding over rickshaws, and a heavy military presence throughout the whole city.

The next thing she thinks of is a rural town, farms spread out over the land, automatic machinery harvesting crops, while farmers tend to livestock. Barefoot children play amongst ruins of rusting fighter jets.

It's a complicated place.]

[teratias]

It'd probably still find a way to escape.

[He had to pause though, wondering if delivery meant slaughterhouse or otherwise.]

I know the streets pretty well, if you want a hand in case there's another runaway.

[letitallout]

[She doesn't know what the storekeeper wants with it, though the number of uses for a goat isn't that great. Generally, she only asks questions about shady merchandise. The goat is just annoying.]

I checked the lead this time, but you're welcome to come along, if you like.

[She jerks her head to indicate the direction.]

If the docks don't bother you.

[teratias]

Not particularly. I'd be more worried about the goat trying to--

[Waver stops, realizing that the goat has indeed done what he's been concerned about: attempt to take a bite of his backpack's straps, which aren't for eating at all.]

That. Do exactly that.

[letitallout]

Bad goat.

[She yanks its head away from Waver's possessions by grabbing a horn.]

What if I fed you to a dragon? How would you like that?

[Because the goat understands you threatening it, Aila.]

b. click tap hiss snap we're halfway to cellblock tango

[clicktap]

[ Glokta isn't here to take her job, but he does have one to do. He pauses a judicious ways behind her, leaning heavily on his cane. ]

A navigator and an oracle,

[ He smiles. Maybe someone else could make it pleasant, but here it's just a leer, lips curled back over the gaps in his teeth.]

I admit, farming seems a waste of your talents.

[fighterflight]

[ Mute. Small blessings. Makes it that much more likely the kid's going to come out the other side of this if they run into trouble. ]

And it's sure not Utah, or Boston, or Kansas. [ Marlene shakes her head, slings hands on her hips, considers how to put this. Breaking the shit news, that's never been her favourite part. But it's got to get done. ] Folks out there, in the group — not all of them have heard of any of that. We're in the dark here. All of us.

[ She shakes her head, voice calm. ]

Way I see it, that puts us all on same team. Until we find a way to shed some light. [ Marlene points to her own boot, eyes Ollie's. ] Can you handle that?

i dont want to know whos squish.

[snaphiss]

[For a moment, Mara is back there, in darkly lit rooms, mist and the blackness of space through giant windows, holoprojectors all around as his calming, crackling voice-]

[The smile breaks her out of it. The Emperor never showed his teeth.]

[She regains her composure in seconds. She never really lost it, it just strayed as she stood there like a bantha's ass, lost in time. But now the vacant expression leaves a glare in its wake, and she speaks with the tone of someone accustomed to authority.]

I hope that wasn't an attempt at flattery. [She cocks her head to the side, considering him coldly.] Do I even want to know what you think my talents are?