Test Drive 020

[voidtreckermods]

Welcome to the Test Drive Meme! Here is the place to see how your character might fit the setting, grab samples and have fun!

1. Post with your character, including their name and series in the subject. We’ve written out some prompts but feel free to make up your own, you have a whole train to play with!

2. Assume they've been around long enough for threads to jump right into the action.

3. Have lots of fun.

Happy testing!

Crisis On... An Aeroplane

The train has a game carriage and the VR video games are always popular. A good way to relive boredom as well as teaching some good skills.

Crisis on...This game can be played with two to four players. It is essentially a crisis simulator mixed with an escape room. You can chose the scenario (the bridge of a space ship, a camp in a jungle, a high rise building, a sailing ship etc) and you are thrown into the middle of a crisis of some kind. Teamwork and a cool head are important as is using the surroundings wisely.

Here you are the crew of a small aeroplane in desperate trouble and attempting to land, the wind is strong, your engines are straining and the visibility is near zero. Can your crew land safely?

Dressing up

The Voidtreckers have a new mission and the dressing carriage is open for their convenience...

The mission is taking them to a circus and the clothes sure reflect that. Clown costumes, glittery leotards, many feathers and an overabundance of sequins.

There is make up and facepaint provided as well, hopefully there are enough voidtreckers with expertise to make it look convincing.

Clowning Around

Strange happenings have been happening in Kilpi, a monster ridden land and joining a performing troupe is the best bet of protection outside of the small settlements. The voidtreckers are masquerading as one such troupe, in order to help out a small settlement that has seen a spate of killings. Voidtreckers must put on the show of their lives, investigate the killings and bring peace back to the town.

Team One

Setting up the stage for the performance is a good time for building bonds with the towns people. Everyone knows something, no matter how small and they are more likely to gossip with stage hands than talk to the town guard.

Gather information, set up a stage and get ready for the show.

Team Two

The killings always happen in the evening or at night, always when people are alone. So making sure people are not alone is the task of team two. The show is ready, it is big, it is loud and hopefully enough to draw in the whole town.

Eat fire, juggle, walk that tightrope. Music plays, sequins glitter. The show is a distraction and their task is to be the best distraction they can be.

Team Three

Whilst team two are distracting it is team threes chance to catch the killer. The streets are deserted, quiet and stealth is necessary to remain undetected.

Most people are at the show, but not everyone. Are they in danger? Or are they potential suspects.

Comments

[dyingpro]

[The prince smiles at Persephone, plucking away at a little tune that's enough of a groove to keep some of the townsfolks' attention on him. Enough to captivate the stragglers, anyway.]

Oh, I picked it up from one of my good mates. Told me I had the hands for it, so I bought a lyre from the Contractor, and he taught me the basics, and urged me to keep practicing. Nothing else to it, really. You ever heard of Orpheus? Of course you have.

[It's a source of pride for Zagreus, to have one of the best musicians of the mortal world be his lyre teacher. Of course, he's not as good as Orpheus or Eurydice, but that's something only practice can fix.]

So how'd your show turn out? Quite the crowd, I hope!

[springforth]

[Her smile doesn't waver at the unfamiliar name. Before her time maybe? Or after? Instead, she nods along, stretching her fingers out surreptitiously. Does she have the hands for it? Probably not.]

Oh--well enough! For someone who's never actually walked a rope, I hope I put on a decent show. Helps when you're not actually afraid of falling. They don't know that and what they don't know just makes me look daring.

[dyingpro]

[Though the heir to the Underworld is dense about a great many things, he is quite capable of catching when someone is merely nodding along to humor him. His mismatched eyes widen and he actually pauses his song, much to the consternation of the group he is currently entertaining.]

Sorry, sorry, I’ll be just a moment! --

[And his head whips back around to Persephone.] -- seriously, you don’t know about Orpheus? But he’s a legend up in the mortal world! Rage of the Myrmidons? River of Flame? Mouth of Styx? Surely one of those must ring some bells. He and his muse Eurydice wrote so many great songs while they were alive! And also while they’re dead, conveniently enough.

[But that’s a different matter. For the moment, he goes back to playing, his fingers carefully plucking out the series of notes, even as he goes back to casually chatting with Persephone.]

I’m sure you put on an excellent show, even so. But I’m not sure you have to go to such lengths to impress them. Just one quick burst of your powers and all the mortals will be amazed. It’s been working for me!

[springforth]

Have I mentioned how young I am and isolated I have been for most of my life? Because it was pretty much completely isolated, with a handful of nymphs for company. Male musicians--didn't get to meet many of those in the mortal realm. Mom was so weird about it.

[She laughs and perches on a nearby crate, swinging her legs and tapping her fingers on her knees to his tune] My powers aren't that kind of showy. Creating flowers is nice for a party decoration, not a party trick. No big bright flames here.

[dyingpro]

That... sounds uncomfortably familiar. [Though instead of flower nymphs, he had tragic shades. Instead of academic scholarships, he had martial training with Achilles. And instead of cool plant powers, he got the red blood of the mortals. Go figure.]

I'll have to introduce you, if he ever shows up. Or if we ever get to go back at some point. I'm sure he'd love a set of fresh ears to listen to his and Eurydice's songs. Maybe we can go to Asphodel and meet Eurydice, too.

[He takes the lull in conversation to finish up the tune for his audience, meager in comparison to some of the other acts, but no less safe from the killer. The final chords are struck, and he sets down his lyre to take a little break, stretching his fingers and hands as the dozen or so onlookers clap for him before moving to the next performance tent over.]

Well it's still impressive. Not many mortals I know can will flowers into existence. Nor any other kinds of plants, really. And I can't really do anything with them, they just... sort of are. Not like I'm the God of Fire, or anything.

[He sticks out his feet as far as he can and wiggles his toes for emphasis. Though a few sparks come off, and the grass beneath his feet withers easily, they remain as hot and feet-like as they have been.]

[springforth]

[How familiar it was. Isolating your children from the world seemed to be their family's way of raising children. She leans back on the crate]

I'd love to hear him play. I would request one of his songs, if you're taking requests, next time you play.

[With all the people moving on, she sticks her feet out to wiggle as well. Nope. No fire feet. Honestly, she's not sure where he got them from. But the rest makes her start, pushing up on her crate to talk closer]

They aren't...I kind of assumed you just didn't have great control over your form. Powers flaring out in weird ways when you have strong emotions or panic?

[Is that rude? That's probably rude. Who wants it to be assumed they have no control over their powers] I--I mean it happens to me. I know when I get agitated or upset, I can grow flowers or plants from my body, more than just the ones I get in my hair--it gets bad sometimes. I figured it was like that?

[dyingpro]

That was one of his! Or, should I say, hers. Eurydice never did get much credit for her songwriting while she was alive, apparently. But I can play another one, if you'd like. I think I've got just the one in mind.

[He begins tuning his lyre to play another song, ready to play it whenever Persephone gives the go ahead.]

Oh, no, I inherited these from my Father. Living proof that I'm Hades' son, I suppose. This eye, too. [He gestures to his red eye with a wry smile.] I've heard of the other Gods being able to change shapes, but I've never been able to do that. When I get upset they grow a little hotter, I think. Does that count?

[His mismatched eyes do look upon Persephone with some curiosity, and he grins.] That's really cool! That you can shapeshift at all, I mean. Even if you don't have control over it just yet, someday you will, I'm sure of it.

[springforth]

It doesn't not count. I think a lot of godly things get more intense when your emotions get more intense. And honestly, it's not all it's cracked up to be. I'm still young, still figuring it out. And I still haven't figured out how to pass a mortal--which would make my life ten times easier with all these missions on worlds that just do not know what to make of me.

[She's bright pink. It gets some questioning looks. Either way, she knows he doesn't know the extent or reasons behind her shapeshifting abilities. Involuntary as they might be. But--it does make her wonder]

I will never get over how different your Hades is. The one in my world is very...blue. Very blue. [She glances from his eye to his other one] It continues to be extremely strange.

[dyingpro]

Well we'll figure it out together, all right? I've got your back. I'm never going to be able to fit in with these, so... might as well tell everyone I'm a daemon, or a lava creature, or something.

[He wiggles his feet again before settling them back on the already singed footprints in the grass. Wouldn't do to harm other plants, especially not in front of the nature goddess herself.]

Well mine's not not blue. You know how mortals lose their color when they die? His skin is that color. Mine's sort of like that, too, but I think my red blood keeps me from appearing completely ashen. Courtesy of my mortal grandfather, I suppose. [He lets her gaze over him, examine him as she will, though he does give her a wink with his green eye.] Your Hades sounds way better, anyway.

[springforth]

[She flushes, embarrassed at being caught staring and kicks her feet. It's just odd, the way his eyes are two different colors and she has to wonder if that means the other her has green eyes. She'd like to have green eyes, she thinks.] I--I mean I don't want to judge too much just on what I've heard but maybe? I mean, I don't...I don't like your dad that much based on what I've heard but that's not up to me. I'm not your Persephone.

[There's a pause] Your grandfather was mortal? On like--like my side?

spoilers for Hades

[dyingpro]

Oh, don't worry, neither do I. We kill each other all the time to show our mutual disdain for one another.

... listen. [And he puts his warm but all-too-pale hand on her shoulder.] You may not be my Mother, but you are Persephone. You're so familiar, but you're so different, and that's what I like about you. And I'm wondering if... if I am meant to be your son in the future. Not specifically me, obviously, but... you know what I mean. [He waves his free hand dismissively.]

At least according to Demeter, yeah. Or should I say Grandmother? [It's his turn to pause.] She seems... rigid. Is yours that way, too?

[springforth]

[There's an air of alarm at the casual admission of just killing each other to show 'disdain'. What--And he says all that, all of it so easily. Like it's not hard to imagine she might be his mother, in some other world, some other life. She can't bring herself to point out all the things that have changed, how impossible it is. Hades has someone else, she sort of does as well. But--She raise her hand to squeeze his on her shoulder and doesn't duck her head to avoid him. She'd be lucky to have a son like him, if she ever feels up to the idea]

Momma--that's a hard question to answer. She's loving, she just holds too tight. Like--like I only really met Hermes on a regular basis growing up when he brought and took letters. Hecate and Ares a little later, Hades later than that. When I moved out on my own, it wasn't really with her blessing, let's say that. I'd grown too--too much for her to keep hidden away, though sometimes I feel like she would have if she could. But--she was there for my whole life, caring, teaching, loving me. ...This isn't really answering the question is it? It's pretty hard to answer, really. She's strict, but not wholly rigid. But I hadn't disappeared. I don't know how she'd be if I disappeared.

[dyingpro]

That may be so. Heh, she's taken to calling me 'little sprout'. She sounds lovely enough, if a little stifling. But that seems to be the way of it with most of our family's parenting styles.

[The talk of Persephone's disappearance stings, somehow, in a weirdly familiar but oddly foreign way. Like it was a hole in his heart he didn't know he needed to fill. And at the mention of Demeter's reaction, Zagreus feels he has to say something. Shouldn't he? If Persephone knows, then she might be able to prevent the winter and the death, might be able to stop it before it starts. Better that than sitting back and doing nothing.]

... well if she's anything like Grandmother... like the Demeter I know... she'll freeze everything. She's still under the impression that the mortals took you-- er, took Mother. She often talks of winter's cold, and I get the impression it's by her design. And so I think she's punishing the mortals by making sure nothing grows. 'No comfort from the bitter cold...'

[He trails off, remembering the words Demeter used when last he used her Call. It smarts, in hindsight, to realize what she meant far too late.]

I'm sorry if I've upset you, Persephone, it's just... I thought you ought to know.

[springforth]

She calls me Kore cob. Like corn cob. I used to be called Kore when I was young.

[She starts to swing her legs, but the look on his face and then the havoc he speaks of slow them, then they still. Her hands tuck up onto her lap and she bites her lip]

I--yeah. I don't know if...no, you know, if she thought mortals took me somehow, she would punish them. Withholding the harvest, turning everything bitter cold--that sounds like something...But she can't. We're not--We're not Zeus or something, taking out our--Did no one tell her? She's my mother.

[She tucks in tighter and then unfurls to stand, breathing out hard] Well--I always wondered what she'd be doing if I really disappeared at home. I...I knew she loved me so much but--[She slaps her cheeks] Sorry, I just need to really not think about what I can't control. Wondering if my world is frozen over thanks to me being here is not productive.

[dyingpro]

Oh, Kore? [He pronounces it the very Greek way, Core-ay.] Mother never liked that name, supposedly. That's why I never thought to even call you that. Would you prefer I call you Kore, or should I stick with Persephone, or... I don't know... Perse? Sepha? Something else?

... forgive me for asking, but what exactly is corn?

I don't know exactly what happened; Mother hasn't gotten around to telling me the whole story, yet. I hope to understand everything soon. All I know is that Lord Uncle Zeus is somehow involved, and... well. That Father still is deeply in love with Mother, despite her ideas to the contrary. That's what I'm going to try to prove to her, when next we meet.

[springforth]

Persephone is perfectly fine. Perse or Sephe. Kore is just kind of... For another version off myself who no longer exists.

But--I, uh. I hope it goes well... I, uh, I don't know the story either but I wish I did. It really kind of sucks knowing only half the story about some possible future. And I'm sure it sucks not knowing your own past.

[Pause] And I would explain corn but that's a whole other conversation. A long one.

[dyingpro]

Sephe, then. Seems a bit more, I don't know... cute? Simpler, definitely. Maybe Perse for special occasions, like feasts of honor.

I didn't think about it until recently, to be honest. I was more or less content being the Prince of Hades that Father kept around for formal functions only until... well, until I found out Father lied to me. And then I had to go find her.

[This is getting away from him. This is supposed to be a cheerful place, not one of sorrow. He shakes his head a little to clear his thoughts.]

Well it's not like I've got anything better to do except listen. Unless you'd rather I play you another song instead? I've got loads more, courtesy of Eurydice.