childrenofbajablast | Test Drive Meme #2

Entry tags:

!mod post,
!tdm

Test Drive Meme #2

SEASONS GREETINGS

On the morning of the first of the year, a notification message pops up on everyone’s Rocky-Talkies no matter if they just arrived or are longer-established offworlders. Small minor-illusion fireworks accompany the ping which features Charlie smiling and waving. Alongside him are both Slayd and Dimitri (where Dimitri is not smiling, but what can you expect?)

Without further ado, Charlie begins to speak: "Happy Winter Solstice and beginning of a new year! We have some fantastic news for you! The town of Hast has opened its arms to us in welcome thanks to your good work in the area. Not only that, but we have some very special visitors in their harbor. You will get to meet one of the legendary heroes that saved this world! Hoshiko!"

At her mention, an image of a... wanted poster mugshot pops up with a brunette woman holding up two fingers and sticking her tongue out. "Wait, no, sorry- Not that one!" Charlie corrects, the profile changing to a more recent photograph of the woman. Here, her hair is longer and she holds herself a bit more maturely.

"She'll be accompanied by a group of friendly kobolds who assisted in that journey as well. Hoshiko will be putting on a lovely firework display for everyone as a New Year’s celebration. The kobolds, meanwhile, are avid traders. They travel all around the seas to the north and have collected plenty of interesting items to trade. They have sent word that they are interested in any scrap metal you can find! Thankfully, the beaches near Hast are plentiful in scrap metal to collect from previous mining ventures there. You will also be doing the people of Hast a favor by cleaning up their beaches.

That said, please take care and wear gloves if you plan to collect the scrap! I will make sure there are plenty available in our shop for the taking. I have also restocked it with more warm winter clothes!" Though they are basic, it might be nice to accessorize a little. "Be on your best behavior to our hosts in Hast if you plan to visit, and please go with our warmest wishes besides! Hoshiko will make sure you're safe!"

The next part is said lower since Charlie seems to think the recording has ended before it actually did: "She promised she would, at least."

Hast To Be

The town of Hast is a cascade of buildings that trace down the large Bail Mountain and spill out into the harbor below. Hast is a busy and active mining town. Several mine entrances can be seen dotting the mountainside. Here, they mine for precious metals and useful minerals that are used throughout the continent for a multitude of purposes.

You are welcome to explore the mines at your own risk! You are warned that outside of the normal risks of being in a mine, there are some monsters that inhabit the older mines that are no longer in use. The town is not liable for anything that happens to someone foolish enough to enter unprepared.

The people here are friendly, albeit seemingly always on the move. They appear too busy to even really worry about newcomers. There are plenty of small shops where you can find raw minerals and metals for sale as well as products that are refined from such materials. Tools, more sturdy weapons, and useful gear are some things that may catch your eye here!

Charlie has afforded everyone 10 gold pieces to spend here. We will leave what you buy and how much it costs up to the player, on the honor system that you don’t go hog-wild. Generally, one gold piece = 100 modern-day American dollars for reference. (Please don’t over-worry about what-costs what, we trust you to use your best judgement!)

Aside from material goods, you can also enjoy one of the few pubs or eateries that exist around the town.

Enjoy your time!

Kobold Chaos

Rusty Bucket Bay by Grant Kirkhope

1:07 / 3:P57

▶︎

Click here to listen.

Grant Kirkhope is a Scottish composer and voice actor for video games and film. Some of his notable works include GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, and Perfect Dark, among many others.

code

The kobolds mentioned are plentifully packed in a barely-seaworthy hunk of metal ship that serves as their maritime clown-car. It is being tugged along by a far more... ship-looking ship. These creatures are hyperactive, will yip your ears off about nothing, and are all too excited to receive any metal or 'shiny bits' and will parade around with it like little peacocks proudly. That said, they are friendly (even if somewhat annoying or tiring for lengths of time).

If asked, they will happily tell you that the scrap is not only to repair their ship but also to build an effigy to their god: the "Arsenal Dragon." When pressed on this, they will say their god is indeed a very real person. He was another one of the great heroes that saved the land! He had ascended to divinity at the end of his journey and is currently helping to rebuild the otherwise desolate north. They will then proceed to gush about how cool and amazing and strong and great he is.

Did they mention great? And strong? And cool? Oh, and amazing!

There are two kobolds running an official trade-in booth hastily constructed on the beach. They have (barely legible) nametags.

"Mung", reads the tag in front of a red and cream kobold with gold horns. "Liberius", meanwhile, is a squat, white creature with thick glasses that looks like he's on the verge of a nervous breakdown at all times.

You can trade scrap metal and they will give you a random magical-or-interesting item of equal value. While can gather as much scrap as you wish, but please keep it to one trade-in per character. Everyone that helps out can report so to Mung and Liberius here and receive - in addition to their item - a bit of reputation as well as five (5) bond points to use for activity rewards.

LIGHT 'EM UP

Once the sun begins to set, offworlders are encouraged to head down to the harbor for a fireworks show on the water as promised. They are gifted sparklers of whatever color they choose and given the option to buy larger fireworks of their own if so desired. It can be noted that any purchased with the gold provided by Charlie have a unique logo branding on them that is separate from the town of Hast. This is a personal investment, it seems, versus helping the town proper.

If questioned, the proprietor herself - Hoshiko - will make an appearance. She wears a long, furred cloak that covers most of her body from view and shields her from the cold. "Look, a lady has to make money in this world somehow," is all she’ll say with a cheeky sort of smile. However, anyone that comes across her is free to make a perception check to notice that they have less gold than before.

If successful (a roll of 12 or higher), Hoshiko will congratulate them on their quick catch and return the gold then. If unsuccessful, they’ll find (most of) the gold returned and a note at the end of the night that simply reads: "Thanks! Here’s your change."

Other than the brief encounter, the captain seems mostly preoccupied with making a magnificent display of pyrotechnics. They launch from her ship and dance across the sky for quite some time before a large finale. Any stray sparks or potential fire hazards are to be expected, whether from her own show or careless handling of other fireworks, but thankfully they have a plan for that too.

A large, white dragon will put out any fires with a powerful blast of frost breath. Sorry if you get caught in the chill! It doesn't seem too concerned with that so much as stamping out any flames before they can spread. "Find someone to warm you up!" it will laugh (in a perhaps familiar voice) before moving on.

Notes

⁂ Hello and happy new year! Welcome to Children of Bahamut's second test drive meme! If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback then feel free to ask here.

⁂ We have a top-level directory for folks this test drive for ease of finding ones to tag into! We also ask that you please mention though if you are a current or new player in your top-level.

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⁂ Additionally, we have a separate top-level for rockstar profiles for people to post if they want to participate in an easier icebreaker texting option!

⁂ A reminder that TDM threads can be used for activity rewards even if the other person does not end up claiming and joining the game!

⁂ Full Navigation ⁂

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kaiba doused the fire with a little sigh, then joined Bakura at the door. It would be fine.

As they walked, he huddled close to ensure they were both warm enough.

"Right. And I'll work on insulating the place too, all that cold leaking in doesn't help. I think I see the shops---"

Thankfully it wouldn't be long, right?

"Insulating!" Ryou clapped his hands together. "I didn't think of that!"

They needed to keep the cabins warm to get through the winter... because they didn't have central heating.

"If we had the metal, do you think we might be able to build a stove eventually?"

The market wasn't too far...

At least it didn't look far...

"I'm sure I can," Kaiba nodded. He'd need to get better with his tools first, and perhaps ask for help, but he remembered enough about how these things worked.

He stuck by Bakura's side until they reached the market, where thankfully everything was generously provided. He thanked the vendors with little grateful bows, happily carrying whatever his partner needed him to.

"Did you get everything?"

"I did!"

How did a man who could carry barely twenty pounds look so energetic in the snow as they carried out their purchases? He held a bundle of cloth in his arms, which contained the more delicate purchases.

"I should be able to make a good dinner with this, and the fat will help with seasoning the cast iron and keep it in good order."

Wait. He'd need water, too...

"There's a well here too, where we can get water...did you collect any earlier, or should I get some more?"

And what were they going to do about bathing...?

"I can grab it," Kaiba promised, his steps back to their cottage a little faster now that he's sure of the route. He was ready to hole up and relax with Bakura, but it was true. they needed water for drinking and washing...

"The sooner one of us is home and watching the fire, the better. And then we can cook and clean and...bathe and everything."

Home...

Geez, it was like they were roommates.

He was not questioning this in the least. If anything, something inside him encouraged this line of thought, like a gentle push against his mind. It was... different than the Ring Spirit was, but it was still... familiar.

His smile even brightened, far more than one would expect in this situation, but...

Home.

That word made his stomach flutter.

"Then I will watch the fire when we get home. I'll also start on prepwork for our dinner."

"That'll work just fine. Thank you."

Once they arrived home, Kaiba carefully carried everything into the kitchen. He ensured Ryou was set up with all that he needed before ducking out for more water, and he quickly retrieved enough bucketfuls for all the washing they might need.

He returned, slightly tired and with a dusting of red across his nose, but all was good. "Everything all right?"

When Kaiba walked out of the cabin, Ryou set to work: First, he had to organize the shelves and make sure everything was in proper order. Then, set the few dry goods he was able to procure (flour, sugar, salt, suet) on the shelves. A jar filled with...something (a combination of flour and water?) sat with them, covered with a cloth.

A bowl for eggs sat nearby, which was neatly set. A cutting board was on the counter, a fire was going in the kitchen hearth, and the vegetables and meat he was going to use were set on the counter while the rest were arranged on another shelf, under the dry goods.

The garlic hung from the ceiling by the window as the last shreds of sunlight filtered through the window and reflected off his hair.

Ryou?

His hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, peeling potatoes a sharp blade and putting them in a bowl. The shavings were set aside.

He looked up and smiled.

"Oh, Kaiba! Welcome home!" He said, "I'm getting started on the prep now. Dinner might be a little bit, but get in and get warm! Blanket's out and ready for you."

"...ah, Bakura?"

When Kaiba caught sight of his (temporary?) housemate hard at work, he felt a strange warmth in his chest. Somewhere inside, this felt familiar. Comforting.

He swaddled himself in the blanket obediently, glad to have the chance to relax for now. He'd started to ache from all that lifting.

"You've been busy, huh. Looks good."

He was talking about the kitchen, but his eyes caught on something else...

"I wanted to make sure the kitchen was workable. I even got a Starter set up so we can make breads and not have to go to the bakery in town."

Though he was still going to go to that bakery sometime soon, because a place that sold bread in walking distance? With his appetite?

YES. Yes, please.

"If we had more time, I would have made a stew, because of the cold weather...I'll salt the meat we have and save the rest of it for tomorrow since we don't have an icebox. Instead, we're going to have panfried meat with potato cakes. Is that all right?"

"It's just fine," Kaiba promised, curled up on the couch to warm his limbs. "I could eat anything at this point...but I'm sure your skill will shine through."

How was Bakura so ready for this? Maybe. Maybe he could ask.

"I knew you were into tabletop, but cooking too?"

"I live alone," Ryou said, "So I had to learn how to cook when I was pretty young. I always liked to do it, especially if I got to share with others."

He hated that he couldn't take home ec with the girls when he was in high school, and was stuck in more physical activities. Even if he could, though...would he really have wanted to deal with fangirls who clung to him at every turn just so he could spend time cooking rather than running around and getting sweaty?

"Game nights with Yuugi and the others always came with home-cooked meals. I never let any of them go hungry."

They were his friends, after all. Of course he was going to share his heart with them...After all, a person's feelings made food taste better, didn't it? If you cook with your heart, your feelings go through...

Or something like that.

He'd also use different herbs and blends that he blessed in order to cast spells to give them good health and fortune, but he didn't need to tell anyone that. That was his secret to keep.

"...mm. I was so busy that I'd usually order out or hire a chef, as my. Guardian was before me. It's all home cooking now---so I'm lucky I have you to guide me."

Kaiba did dabble in it when he rarely had a day off, but he lacked the kind of extensive practice someone like Bakura had. He could sense the care that went into such an endeavor from here, it smelled comforting.

"Well, knowing you, you'll probably still be busy." He laughed, "But I can make sure you eat."

And wasn't that a nice thought. Having...someone to take care of. Having someone around that he could give food to and watch eat his cooking every day. Or every other day. He was staying the night, after all...

But oh, imagine if he could cook here every day? And this could be his new routine?

"If we make bread, sandwiches are easy enough to put together...and I know things like Jerky are easy enough to make..."

In theory. He might have to ask someone for a recipe.

"It sounds like you have things under control," Kaiba commented, happy to let Bakura lead on this. It was comforting that his new companion was so ready to take charge. This was surprisingly nice...and helped keep him calm in the upending of his reality.

"I think the sensation's coming back in my fingers. Do you need anything?"

"No, I should be all right," Ryou said, "Just focus on keeping warm, okay?"

He finished peeling the potatoes and started to grate them into a bowl before squeezing the water out of them.

He worked quietly, setting up his mise en place while washing up as he went. In minutes, everything was ready to go.

He wrapped a thick cloth around his hand and set a frypan on the stand over the fire to heat up.

"It smells good already..."

Kaiba wasn't very well practiced at relaxing. He fidgeted in his place on the couch, wondering...

"You don't have to go out of your way to be so kind, you know. We're partnering for survival in a strange world, but..."

He sighed.

"I haven't proven myself."

Ryou stopped his movements a moment, and blinked.

Did Kaiba...

Feel bad that Ryou was looking after him?

"I like doing this," he said, "It's not going out of my way at all."

Why would it be? He was able to cook for someone, to talk to someone. To give to someone and have them appreciate it.

To not worry about old memories getting in the way. To not worry about possession or items or anything.

"And... you've already proven yourself plenty to me."

"...Then I'll have to do it some more," Kaiba promised quietly, because what he'd done still didn't feel adequate. It was nice to have someone, but strange too.

"We didn't really know each other back then. There's still so much to learn. But I wasn't really in a position to be getting to know people well, mostly by my own doing."

"It's okay," Ryou fried some potato cakes on the pan; it sizzled and popped in the air, filling the cabin with the sweet smell of fried food. "I can't say I don't relate."

Keeping everyone at arm's length, worrying about the next time he passes out, terrified of the spirit hurting someone again...

(And yet he needed it. He needed its touch against his skin, the gold against his fingers, the hum of power in his ears--)

"We have plenty of time to get to know each other."

The question was...

Would Ryou truly let him in?

Mmm, it smelled so good. Kaiba found himself relaxing even more, getting used to the idea of his new roommate.

"Right. We survive, we thrive any way we can...and it'll come naturally, I guess? That's what they might say, anyway. I've never really. Done this."

He was still feeling a bit awkward.

Okay...potato cakes done, and set aside on a plate. All he needed to do now was take the two slabs of meat and...

There. Right on the pan with that sizzle.

Ryou smiled, despite himself.

It'll come naturally, hmmm...?

Yeah. He supposed it would...

"It's all right. We'll learn as we go."

And he won't be alone...

He won't be alone!

"I'll be in your care, Seto Kaiba."

Bakura sounds so...gentle? It catches him off guard. No one's ever really spoken about him this way before. It's so new. What?

He nods shakily and sizes him up.

"We're in this together...mm. Actually. Should I call you. Bakura, or..."

Ryou's too personal, isn't it? But they"re getting really personal

Should he call him...?!

Ryou almost dropped the frypan as he set the seared meat on plates to rest. Did he...?!

Did he seriously suggest...?!

Did Kaiba really want to become closer, then? The only other person he ever called by his first name (other than Mokuba) was Yuugi. His rival.

...

Maybe rivalry was Kaiba's way of expressing friendship? That was almost...

Cute.

Ryou scratched his cheek (red, he was so red) before chuckling.

It was nervous.

Shy, even.

"You can call me Ryou if you like...Seto."

It should've felt strange...but it didn't. They were roommates, not business partners. It was...comfortable.

"Then it's settled, Ryou. Everything still good over there?"

Yes. Ask about the food to distract from the strange warm feeling.

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