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childrenofbajablast2024-09-14 12:01 pm
diceofthegods) wrote in childrenofbajablast2024-09-14 12:01 pm
Test Drive Meme #1
Arrival
Broken Palace by Jonathan Eng
0:07 / 1:13
▶︎
During 2014 Jonathan Eng composed the soundtrack for interactive narrative experience The Sailor’s Dream, consisting of a mix of instrumental tracks and a seven-part musical story told in folk song-form.
Like all who come through summoning circle, your arrival is heralded by a dream. Waking up is a dizzying, disorienting thing... and possibly made worse by the fact that you aren't alone.
Right after you appear, so does someone else. If you're lucky*, they'll simply blink into existence by your side. If you're not, there's a chance they spawned below or above you. That's one way to make a memorable first impression. Best untangle yourselves and get things figured out.
If you're extremely unlucky*, instead of another person being brought through the summoning circle, it's a monster. The creature bobs, laughs maniacally, and immediately begins to spit flames your way.
Some welcome this is. If you aren't the fighting type, hopefully someone nearby is. Eventually, one of the local Town guards will slay the monster before it - and you - cause too much trouble or fire damage.
Right after you appear, so does someone else. If you're lucky*, they'll simply blink into existence by your side. If you're not, there's a chance they spawned below or above you. That's one way to make a memorable first impression. Best untangle yourselves and get things figured out.
If you're extremely unlucky*, instead of another person being brought through the summoning circle, it's a monster. The creature bobs, laughs maniacally, and immediately begins to spit flames your way.
Some welcome this is. If you aren't the fighting type, hopefully someone nearby is. Eventually, one of the local Town guards will slay the monster before it - and you - cause too much trouble or fire damage.
Town Tricks
After your unexpected introduction to either your fellow offworlder or monster, you'll be given a proper one from Charlie in Town. He sends you on your way shortly after to get settled in properly and deal with then next offworlder that walks in. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a revolving door right now so he doesn't have time for a more in-depth explanation or to answer too many questions.
Nor does he remember to warn you about The Fae.
Although native to Talahee Forest, which is currently off-limits to offworlders, the surge of magic from the summoning circle has piqued their interest. While the faefolk vary wildly in appearance, the ones scouting are pixies.
These tiny tricksters may be too shy to reveal themselves outright... but that won't stop them from playing pranks on all these fun, new victims. Some examples of what can happen are:
Thankfully, these Fae mean you no harm. In fact, if you react with hostility they will give you a wide berth and simply find someone more fun to play with.
Nor does he remember to warn you about The Fae.
Although native to Talahee Forest, which is currently off-limits to offworlders, the surge of magic from the summoning circle has piqued their interest. While the faefolk vary wildly in appearance, the ones scouting are pixies.
These tiny tricksters may be too shy to reveal themselves outright... but that won't stop them from playing pranks on all these fun, new victims. Some examples of what can happen are:
- ⁂ Your shoestrings are suddenly tied together and make you trip.
⁂ An object you had on your person goes missing... only to be found in an odd place. Repeatedly.
⁂ Create illusions of food and drink that disappear or turn into something else as soon as you try to consume it.
⁂ At night, they'll use dancing lights to lead people astray and turn them around Town.
Thankfully, these Fae mean you no harm. In fact, if you react with hostility they will give you a wide berth and simply find someone more fun to play with.
Rocky Talky
One of the things that was given to you in your welcome pack from Charlie was a summoning-stone. Although it looks like, well, an ordinary stone- It's actually magic! You can look through it and see someone else's face too if you're both viewing your stones at the same time. It can also record your speech and deliver that to someone else in a snap.
One of the other features is that you can scrawl on it. It will turn your writing into legible text that you can send others to read on their stones. Of course, you need to attune yourself to your stone first. To that end, it prompts a small questionnaire:
The last couple of questions might seem... strange but, surely, it must have a reason for asking. Once you answer the questions and unlock your device, you might pocket it and forget. Unfortunately, your scrawled answers were sent to the entire summoning-stone network throughout Town. Everyone can see what you put and they might even have some thoughts about it.
One of the other features is that you can scrawl on it. It will turn your writing into legible text that you can send others to read on their stones. Of course, you need to attune yourself to your stone first. To that end, it prompts a small questionnaire:
- Name:
Age:
Race:
Favorite soup? Why?:
Is soup something you eat or drink?
The last couple of questions might seem... strange but, surely, it must have a reason for asking. Once you answer the questions and unlock your device, you might pocket it and forget. Unfortunately, your scrawled answers were sent to the entire summoning-stone network throughout Town. Everyone can see what you put and they might even have some thoughts about it.
Registration Questionnaire
Notes
⁂ Hello and welcome to Children of Bahamut! If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback feel free to comment here!
⁂ For the Arrival prompt, feel free to roll a d20 to see how lucky or unlucky you are.
⁂ The Town Tricks example list for pranks isn't exhaustive. If you have other silly prank ideas in mind, feel free to roll with that and have fun with it! The Fae certainly are.
⁂ There is a correct choice of favorite soup and the moderators will remember your choice/opinions. (We're joking. Mostly.)
⁂ Full Navigation ⁂
⁂ For the Arrival prompt, feel free to roll a d20 to see how lucky or unlucky you are.
⁂ The Town Tricks example list for pranks isn't exhaustive. If you have other silly prank ideas in mind, feel free to roll with that and have fun with it! The Fae certainly are.
⁂ There is a correct choice of favorite soup and the moderators will remember your choice/opinions. (We're joking. Mostly.)
Angeal Hewley-Rhapsodos | Final Fantasy VII (Amani CRAU) | OTA
...Because, yeah. Angeal can at least say that he's played this game of nonsense before. And thanks to the kind of bone-deep adaptibility that potentially comes with having an alien hivemind virus thing playing a vital role in his DNA, once he's played once, he can adjust well enough again.
Okay. So he's in a whole new world. That's that.
But he has most of his lovers about in some capacity. That's the real important thing. Anything else, even feeling disconcertingly weaker... He can roll with. He's determined to roll with it.
Which means for anyone stumbling out of their rushed meeting with Charlie... They may find their way to the marketplace part of town, and find Angeal looking over some of the food that's available. Obviously it's nothing fancy.
Aware that he's sort of being given company, Angeal speaks without quite looking up. "So, what do you know about animal husbandry? Anything?"
B - Pixie Problems
God, he is just so annoyed by weird creatures causing problems for people. Last time it was mermaids, and whatever pseudo-hivemind deal Legion had going on with them.
Now it's faeries. Or pixies? The fae?
Angeal has no idea. This isn't in his canon. He doesn't go here. Mostly he suspects they're a bit familiar to yokai, and Rosie's whole deal. But in that case... he thinks he can work with that.
Anyone wandering about the outskirts of town might see Angeal having just... corralled a bunch of chickens. Yes, already. No, the makeshift branch fence isn't going to do a lot for long, but still. He has, like, three in there as he carefully walks away and talks loudly. "And that's all my chickens that I've spent such hard work on gathering. sure would be a shame to lose any of them."
Anyone watching just gets him raising a finger to his lips. Shut up and don't worry about it.
Pixie time!
Now though, all he can remember is the undertone of gentle sadness in the man he spoke with shortly after his arrival. Damn it, he should never be questioning this. It is clearly another of his mind games, a long con.
It's enough to make Cloud furious. However, he is not afforded the time to be, with the sight he stumbles upon. A man- SOLDIER, with a bunch of chickens. The Buster Sword upon his back suddenly feels even heavier. That's-
"You're alive???"
SOLDIER First Class, Angeal Hewley, in the flesh. A man said to have been killed in action. Cloud swears he knows him on some sort of close level, but whenever he tries to delve into memories before a certain point, things grow genuinely painful.
This makes absolutely no sense to him.
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Once they're far enough away from the chickens, Angeal takes a second to pause and look over the little mess that once used to be a tiny cadet who wasn't even in SOLDIER proper - no class to his name. He has a good eye for faces. Really he has a good eye for a lot of things, and he has to wonder how much of that is regular biology and different biology, but that's besides the point.
What matters is that he remembers seeing this kid. And he remembers going back in a point in time to make things right by Sephiroth, and recommending the little mess.
But they're clearly skipping around in times, aren't they?
Angeal has no idea if this Cloud has ended up in another world like he has, but he can at least say it's not a world where they've met if so. For now, he just huffs out a breath and glances back to the chickens. "Buster looks a dusty mess. What have you been doing with her?"
The answer is picking fights, of course, but they'll get to that.
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He really does like birds.
The fact Angeal knows about his sword confuses him. If Cloud really digs, the only things he can find are: one, it is an extremely important thing. Two, someone gave it to him. Someone important. Any time he goes for specifics, it doesn't go well.
"Using it. What else would I do? Carry this huge thing around for show? Get real."
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"Seriously, ol' girl's been put through the ringer already, it looks like. That dust and dirt is fresh, isn't it?" Yes, he knows Buster enough to hyperfocus on little details like that. Even if he thinks it's pretty obvious. "Clean her."
It is not even a suggestion.
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Cloud can well tell when one of his superiors is giving an order, and this is one of those times. Except they're in some weird podunk world, Angeal, a First above even him, is supposed to be dead, and somehow who somehow claims to know his sword, despite the memories not matching up.
The built-in urge to comply grapples with the SOLDIER's own stubborn pride, resulting in him just crossing his arms and giving Angeal a small scowl. Of all the things they could be discussing, the guy is focusing on his sword.
"Clean it with what?"
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Anything else they could talk about, well - Angeal has decided a lot of it is too complicated for him to jump into, just based on what he's been told by others. As for anything else, well.
What is there to talk about when they've both been dragged rather suddenly into a whole new world?
At least, not with how they are now.
"You could find some things," he says, raising an eyebrow. "They might not be as fancy as the sort of cleaning kits you might find back in Midgar, but people in places like this still want to care for their equipment. Farming tools, kitchenware, and even proper weapons since people have to protect themselves. Have you talked to anyone?"
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His posture goes a little more rigid, eyes taking on a certain hardness. "Sephiroth. All three of you are here. Clearly you've been busy, though." Cloud inclines his head towards the chickens, which he continually has been glancing over towards, just to make sure they're fine. Really.
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Angeal forces himself to look over at the chickens as well. "Well, we need to take care of ourselves, don't we? And you should never assume that this is something quick and easy to finish up. Better that I get stuff prepared for the long term, just in case."
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YOU!! (A c:)
That question is welcome, though. Maybe the most welcome thing he's heard since he was summoned in the first place. He's not necessarily desperate for easy conversation - he's not much of a talker in the first place, really - but it's an easy point of entry, and he'll gladly take it.
"It depends on the animal, but it is a specialty of mine. Who's asking?"
meeeeeee
"Angeal. Any of the livestock around here seem familiar to you, then? Or at least familiar enough, I suppose I should say." He gestures to himself. "I'm a baker by trade, so keeping an eye on the ingredients I have available to me is practically nature by now. What I noticed pretty quickly is while there's plenty of food here in the market, I spotted a good chunk of cow and chickens - at least as far as I can tell that's what they are - just running amuck. So I was thinking having someone wrangle them up might be really helpful."
Both just for their own uses, and possibly for trade elsewhere. Always a good idea to get that worked out, and all.
"I know how to raise and handle chickens well enough, but the larger beasts... It's not my wheelhouse."
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"I've worked some with both, at least enough to know they probably shouldn't be wandering around..." He looks around as he things, as if he might spot one of the wayward animals in question here in the middle of town. "I wonder if there are any places for them here. Charlie's idea of hospitality seems...a little limited. But rounding them up is one thing, I'm not sure that I know enough to run a cattle ranch. Chickens, maybe, but not cows."
Hmmm. Wait a minute.
"How long have you been waiting here?"
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Personally, he thinks this place seems pretty lacking on a native population.... At least, if Charlie can so easily tell them to choose any house that they all want to live in. But there are still some other people about besides just that poor overworked god.
Speaking about overwork - "Just around ten minutes or so, although it's not just been for waiting." He huffs out a low laugh. "I've been looking over the food available as well. I have some people of mine that are here with me too, so I need to make sure none of them complain about what I make for dinner tonight. Especially since it's not like we have some of the items we're used to cooking with."
Alas, slow cooker, he loved you dearly.
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Gethen doesn't consider himself the heroic type, but he's willing to admit that he's enough of one to be dissatisfied with this conclusion. Walking away from a new acquaintance with nothing to do and no schemes in mind? That's just not acceptable.
He's not going to comment on the matter of cooking, not at the moment. He'll likely have to learn at some point, but that can wait at least a few days. As it is, there's not much he can offer that this man wouldn't already know.
"I see. Well, rounding them up would be better than leaving them. Uh, the livestock, I mean. Having them just roam around sounds dangerous for everyone, and we could use a head count."
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With that said, he steps away from the stalls. "Should we do it together, then? An easier job with two people rather than one."
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"Absolutely. Who knows what they're capable of..." After a moment's consideration, perhaps waiting to spy their first quarry down one of Town's surrounding lanes, he sets his mind to a plan of action. "Think we should look for a paddock first? We could work our way in from the other side of town if there is one, save us some time if they're flighty."
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"And considering how otherwise developed this place is - buildings and all of that - I imagine we shouldn't have to look too far for somewhere suitable. There should be somewhere.... probably on the edge of town, in my experience. More room for big animals out there." He waves a hand once his arms lower. "Anything smaller is probably all over."
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post arrival
"Angeal!" He sounds close to tears. "I'm so glad to see you!" He is in tears now. Despite his best efforts. Though just as quickly he releases the man and moves to straighten himself out, rubbing at his face with the sleeves of his robe.
"Sorry- sorry. I just. I was worried I'd never see you again." And never confess... though now he can comfortably continue to put that off! "You seem like you're in one piece. Have you seen anyone else? Themis is here at least, and my father. That I should be so lucky!"
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He's... really going to have to adjust, sooner than later.
But for right now, what he mainly adjusts is pulling Erich back in close to him after that bout of surprise, a fond smile on his face. "No, pull it in. I'm glad to see you as well. Honestly it's way more reassuring stumbling here than I thought it would be with everyone I've seen - which has mainly been Genesis, Sephiroth, and Mithrun." And all from the simulation, no weirdness involved!
Well, Sephiroth - that's complicated, but still.
"Didn't get hurt arriving here?"
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"No. Got chased by a weird kind of monster, but Themis saved me. How about you? You seem okay..." But you never know. "So the others are here as well? Ahh, I hoped that would be the case." He doesn't really want to let go, but eventually reluctantly loosens his grip on Angeal. There will be time for more hugs later. Probably.
"Is there aught I can do to help with- well. With aught?"
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"It seems a good chunk of us have made it over here. I suppose we should all count our lucky stars; I thought all mine got auctioned off or something." But for helping... Angeal shakes his head.
"All I'm doing is gathering up some basic supplies for the night. In a new situation and place, it's easy to get frazzled by all the big flashy stuff." Dragons, new world, all that. "But at the end of the day, you're not going to figure that out instantly. So I'm focusing on the basics. Have you found anywhere to settle down in yet for the time being?"
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"I'd not be so sure to count all your luck as spent. Luck is stronger when you have people around you to bolster you, and you have plenty of people who love you, Angeal." Himself included, but now isn't the time to fuss over his own ends.
"Themis and I have found a home to occupy. Please, allow me to assist. Creation magicks seem to be weaker here, but not completely gone. I should very much like to put mine to some practical application." He has the right of it. When you feel like you can't do anything, you do what you can. A lesson he has learned over and over in life.
From his days solving the mysteries of Pandaemonium, to his role as a warder, to weathering the Final Days. Sometimes the little things were the only thing that kept him sane.
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Instead, he considers the offer. "Honestly, once we get things going back at our place, Genesis might be the one to take you up on that a whole bunch... He put a lot of work into the villa back in the simulation, after all, and I can tell, past his minor case of intoxication, that he's disappointed it's all gone." So of course it will probably be one of the redhead's main priorities with nothing more serious in the way.
"But for now, as I said - just the basic supplies. It seemed that the Charlie guy running all of this has been alright enough with giving us some things, like cooking equipment. It's not fancy and modern, at least modern as I know it, but honestly you never need that for what counts."
Ah - "Although I'll admit, if we end up staying here longer than we probably should," he admits, "then... I've been wondering about starting up the bakery again."
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"Ahh, the bakery!" A familiar place that he had found great comfort in, plying his burgeoning culinarian skills. "If you do, would I still be able to fill a position there by chance?" He doubts Angeal would refuse him, but he's not about to assume. "Really just... if there is aught you need help with, consider me completely at your disposal."
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"You really need to ask?" Angeal huffs in amusement, bumping their shoulders together. "Obviously you would always have a place there. It's just a matter of me finding a building large enough that will suit all our needs. Although we won't get to do anything fancy like we were making back in the sim, just so you know." This place needs something more practical for now. He can tell that at a glance.
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wrap around with this?
Yep!