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

Clowning Around - Team Two

[controlsthedie]

[ Dressed in various loose, draping fabrics of purples and golds and fake jewels attached to his skin (and looking a lot like Nyx overall), Thanatos plays the part of the mysterious fortune teller. He carries around a spool of thread and scissors. The townsfolk flock to him, worried about how much time they have left given the murders. The Oracle of Death pulls a length of string. His trusty assistant, Mort, squeaks when it's time to cut, and that becomes the remaining lifespan of his customer.

Thanatos is on his way to get more thread when he sees Zagreus burning things with his feet. ]

... Really, Daemon?

[dyingpro]

What? It’s not like it was my idea. One of the other passengers said it’d draw their attention, and it seems like it's working.

[The Prince is kindly holding his feet out for a group of small children, who are curiously hovering their mounds of cotton candy near his fiery toes, and squealing with delight when the candy melts and reforms into semi-solid syrup upon their paper cones. He’s grinning along with them, and his grin stays as he glances back up at his dearest friend.]

Fine costume you picked out for yourself. You really do resemble your Mother, you know - not like that’s a bad thing. So what is your act, exactly? Appear all stoic and brooding, and sweep away the affections of all the mortals?

[controlsthedie]

[ Thanatos idly wonders if this was the same passenger who told Thanatos he'd make a great escape artist magician because of his shifting ability. The glare Thanatos gave at the suggestion nearly turned the passenger to stone. ]

Don't be absurd. No one looks upon the Oracle of Death with affection.

[ He rummages through a sewing kit to retrieve spools of thread left over from costume making. ]

I tell them how long they have left to live using thread like Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Morbid, but popular given everything here of late.

[dyingpro]

[WOW RUDE I'M RIGHT HERE] Well I can think of a few who do, Than, but fair point. We Cthonic Gods are misunderstood by the mortals, to be sure.

[Zagreus waves to the children as they run back to their parents with their melted cotton candy, before all his attention is focused back on Thanatos.]

Ahh, so you're taking your sisters' jobs! What next, put our good river boatman Charon out of a job and take up rowing? Is there nothing you can't do?

[controlsthedie]

[ Who's right where? Who does? Thanatos doesn't know what he means. ]

I'm only playing at it. The threads don't mean anything.

[ He pockets the thread and pulls out a small bag. It jingles as he tosses it to Zagreus. ]

Although, maybe I could take my eldest brother's job. I seem to have one part down.

[ Somehow, he has amassed a small amount of coin. ]

[dyingpro]

Well I suppose asking you for one then wouldn't be a bother? I'll try to advertise your business with it.

[Zagreus catches the bag with ease, pouring out the contents into his hand and viewing them with awe. These coins are fascinatingly not like Charon's obols, but much sturdier, heftier, and with a myriad of designs on them.]

Woah! Amazing, Than! I'm sure Hermes would be impressed with your side hustle, there.

[Although, now that he's holding these coins, his brow furrows with confusion, and he glances up at Thanatos with a bit of a sheepish look.]

Hey, Than... what exactly are we supposed to do with these? You're the expert on the surface world between us, so... what can you buy from shops that aren't Charon's?

[controlsthedie]

I think the question should be what can't you buy using coin.

[ He says as he begins to draw out another length of thread. He whispers something to Mort who squeaks in reply at various intervals. Pull, squeak, snip, knot. Pull, squeak, snip, knot. Thanatos cuts many short threads of various colors and knots them together into a longer, mismatched thread. He cuts a single dark thread the same length as the knotted one. The two strings are twisted together, knotted at intervals, and then tied off into a loop about the size of a bracelet.

He holds out his handiwork to Zagreus to take. ]

Your thread is a complete mess. Congratulations.

[dyingpro]

Well what can't you buy? I don't know what the mortals think is worth any coin. You'd know more about that, wouldn't you, being up in the mortal world and all?

Hah! Fair enough. [Amused at the jab at his repeated deaths, Zagreus nonetheless finds himself taking the looped thread and slipping it carefully onto his wrist.] There! Now if anyone asks, I can tell them you'll read their fortunes. Hopefully they don't ask about my knots, though.

[controlsthedie]

If anyone questions the knots, just tell them that Death finds you amusing enough to help you defy death. And that's how you became a daemon.

[ But then Thanatos looks off into the distance, not really watching the villagers going about their lives. He puts away his threads and crosses his arms. ]

Some mortals would claim that everything has its price. There's nothing their money can't buy. Goods, services, power, loyalty, truth, love... they'll try to buy them all.

If they're lucky, they'll realize their folly before the end. But often, they learn the lesson too late.

[dyingpro]

Seems your sisters had a hand in that, too, but you've made your point. I'll be sure to tell the mortals that. It's a more fun story than I was picturing, anyway.

[His face shows a flicker of his smile for a moment.] I suppose it's much like showering your friends and loved ones with bottles of nectar to place yourself into their affections. But unlike the mortals, it seems to be working out for me just fine.

[Is that what he's doing? No, it's different, he thinks. Like with Than. Especially with Than, it's different.]

When I showed up at the platform, I didn't get to take any of my keepsakes with me. I'm... sorry, Than. I swear I didn't lose your Pierced Butterfly on purpose.

[controlsthedie]

[ His sisters have a hand in everything, and thread arts like weaving and sewing and cutting seems to run in the Nyx family. ]

Not exactly, but you know what? Let's just leave it at that.

[ He gets antsy over those gifts Zagreus forces upon him. He has nothing to repay them with. Not even a Centaur Heart now. ]

We arrive with one item from home, so the butterfly I gave you is probably still there. It's better that you got to bring Stygius with you than be without a weapon.

[ Thanatos doesn't know how well Zagreus could wield the sword sometimes summoned to his hip. Could he even wield it? ]

[dyingpro]

[He breathes a sigh of relief.] Thank the Gods. I wouldn't know what I'd do if...

[And Zagreus trails off, not sure he can admit anything to himself or Thanatos just yet.]

... I suppose that's true. If I could have any one of the Infernal Arms by my side, it'd be old Stygius here. It's seen me through a lot of escape attempts. Some of which were even successful!

[Not many of them were, but that's neither here nor there.]

Thankfully Achilles taught me some techniques I could use were I without a weapon. Grappling and fisticuffs and the like.

[controlsthedie]

[ "Some of which." Not one of which. Thanatos tries to keep his expression the same, but he can't fully hide a sadness, a worry. ]

There are weapons back on the train, many that I haven't seen before. Someone could teach you if you asked about them. That way you wouldn't be limited in choice.

[ And unlike the Infernal Arms, Zagreus could carry one of those and Stygius at the same time. ]

[dyingpro]

[Clearly Zagreus is bumming Thanatos out, and that's enough to make him pause. Why is it emotions are always so difficult with Than specifically?]

You know I'll never be Achilles, but I could try to teach others how to use them, so that everyone can help fight, if need be. I don't expect everyone to do so, but... it's nice to be prepared to defend yourself, right? Would lighten some of your load too, I'd think.

[His sword is literally friggin' Excalibur sometimes, Zagreus thinks he'll be fine with just the one.]

I can't make you a scythe nearly as nice as the one you had at home, but I could try to make you one, if you're interested. I'd just need the materials and the tools.

sob, I want this world in game canon, it's fun

[controlsthedie]

[ Because Than wishes he sometimes didn't feel things and never had much of a chance to explore being more than his job, being a person. Because he's behind in the Zagreus feels realization. Because he's Thanatos in general and when are things not difficult with him? ]

I'm sure they'd appreciate the help.

[ At first, Thanatos is surprised that Zagreus thinks he can make a weapon. Ah right. Those hammers of Daedalus. Thanatos sticks out his hand and easily summons his scythe. ]

But why would I need a second scythe?

[dyingpro]

Then I'll see what I can do. Surely at least one of them could stand to battle a god on a semi-regular basis.

[Admittedly Zagreus repaired Stygius from a pile of shards given to him by Achilles, and turned it back into a deadly sword. He may not be the smith Daedalus was, or the God Hephaestus, but he's pretty good at it.]

... hey, that's not fair! Why don't I ever get to do that? [Summoning Varatha back to his hand doesn't count, because he can't do it between rooms.] Damn it all. Fine, have your scythe. I rescind my offer!

[But there's a small lilt to his tone that indicates he's just teasing. If Thanatos ever needs his help, he'll come running, no questions asked. That's the unspoken rule between them that will never change.]

[controlsthedie]

[ Whoops, been ages since I read the codex pages for the Infernal Arms. I should do a full read through. Even if I need to still finish Erebus and Red Onions....

Thanatos might not need a weapon, but some of his friends might. He especially thinks of a healer who appears meek but has amazing inner strength. The scythe disappears, unneeded for now. The only weapon he needs as the Oracle of Death is a pair of scissors. For the moment. If those murders start again, that may change. ]

You know, Zag... if I need a back up weapon that doesn't depend on my divinity, I'd rather a sword.

[ A large scythe is harder to fight with without his powers and floating abilities. A sword is more manageable. ]

[dyingpro]

[No worries I only caught it when I was writing Zag's app! Also, hard same]

Oh? I... oh!

[A request! Zagreus is taken aback, but his chest gets all warm and fuzzy at the thought of Thanatos asking him for something.]

So if someone were to get you another weapon, say a handmade one lovingly crafted for their best mate, you'd want a sword. Any particular kind of sword, or would you leave it to their fancy? I assume something like a shortsword would be better than a broadsword.

[controlsthedie]

[ So many more attempts and fails to go.

Thanatos raises an eyebrow. Zagreus is more excited about the idea than he expected. Well, he guesses there's nothing wrong with humoring him. ]

Something like this?

[ And Thanatos summons his sword, normally sheathed on his left hip. ]

It's the first weapon I learned before creating my scythe and favoring a more distant style.

[dyingpro]

[There is everything wrong with humoring him. But maybe, maybe just this once, it would be okay.]

I'll be sure to tell this mysterious benefactor who may or may not be contemplating making you a sword.

[He sort of eyes the sword and glances back up at Than, tilting his head a bit out of curiosity.]

Funny, I don't think I've ever seen you use a sword. You've always had the scythe since I can remember. Or was this before I was born?

[controlsthedie]

[ As long as Zagreus doesn't cover Thanatos in swords, he thinks he'll be okay. This time. ]

You haven't? Maybe you were too busy looking at my long hair. I stopped using my sword around the same time I cut it.

[ The time when Zagreus first tried talking to him and Thanatos had given him a look like he was going to chop his head off. It had been a bad time for Thanatos. ]

[dyingpro]

Ohhh, that's why I don't remember! But I do remember the glare you gave me.

[He grins. You really did look handsome with the long hair, Than.]

Anything this mysterious benefactor might want to know? Motifs or etchings you might want on there, that sort of thing?

[controlsthedie]

[ He probably looked like the angriest little godling ever, cute but not happy at all. And Zagreus still decided to pursue him as a friend. ]

There's no need to do anything elaborate. But if you must, don't make it look ridiculous. All right?

[ Thanatos is about to leave it at that when an actual idea comes to mind. ]

Wait. Scratch that. Design a sword that the Oracle of Death would wield. Do you think you could do that?

[dyingpro]

Not ridiculous. Got it. I'll be sure to let your mysterious benefactor know.

[Zagreus gets ready when Thanatos starts to leave to start up his act again, but brightens when Thanatos stops in his tracks, for one further request.]

I most certainly think I can do that.

[And he gives Than a wink with his green eye, grinning happily as ideas swirl in his head about possible designs suitable for the Oracle of Death.]

You heading out, Than? Want to go hunt a killer later?

[controlsthedie]

[ Hey if it keeps Zagreus out of trouble for a little bit, then maybe Thanatos can actually be at ease for once. ]

I should get back to the mission, even if it's good talking to you.

[ Doesn't this feel familiar? ]

But you know what, sure. We can look for that killer together when it gets dark.