Test Drive Meme 026

[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!

Stand Back

The long-awaited laboratory carriage is a place of many delights. And by delights, we mean 'unsafe thaumo-scientific practices'. Whether the chemistry stores, the machine shop and its welding station, the magitech benches sat right next to the physics research area... or the panic showers.

A strange, earthy smell is coming from the biology room. Green smoke is curling under the door of chemistry. The machine shop is eerily quiet, and within a metre of the physics room, things appear to be levitating. At least one of the showers is running, but who knows which room the erstwhile scientist came from? Dare ye investigate?

Autobiography

The library carriage is normally a place of quiet, two storeys of shelves and comfy seating. The shelves are normally a little empty, filled only with what the Voidtreckers have bought themselves... but today, every shelf is filled.

Some books are normal - that one novel you'd been thinking of last week, or the tome of old family recipes you wistfully mentioned to your friend. The lower shelves are replete with activity books for small children, covering topics such as anatomy (for kids! non-human kids, mostly!), holiday activities for familiar and unfamiliar national holidays, and an unnerving number of sticker books that bodes ill for the walls of the train.

Others are larger, gilt or bound in strange covers. Like this one, coloured in a familiar hue, its spine reading only your name.

Fools' Gold

The Voidtrecker Express has landed on the world of Pamsar. More specifically, it has stopped, floating and untraceable, above the mountains holding the castle and surrounding town of the Pale Marquess's march.

It would have landed, but the forests and gardens of the march have petrified. Trees are sweeping spikes and clusters of sharp, smooth jade. Gemstone flowers dot the meadows and twine up walls and around window frames. Mosses have taken on the rough texture of granite. Beautiful as it is, it threatens the march's survival.

Team One

What were cultivated fields of grain are now rows upon rows of pure gold. Blinding, shimmering in the morning light coming over the mountains, but useless for the people of the Pale March. Panic is spreading. This team is tasked with protecting the granaries and food stores from panicked citizens.

Team Two

When pressed, many people appear to know the source of their misfortune. Living at the frontier, the people of their march have grown envious of the palaces and styles of the inner kingdom, and their prayers the last year have been for wealth and prosperity above all else. A wandering deity granted these wishes, to the peoples' regret. This team is to locate the deity's temple in the outlands, and convince them to reverse the blessing. Or else find another of the outsider gods to repair the damage.

Team Three

The forests across the march are now gorgeous, sharped prison bars for the people and creatures that live within them. This team must ingress into the jade woodlands, and rescue those trapped within. For some, a discovery is made: living blood shed on the petrified plants slowly dispels the effect.

Comments

Emet-Selch | FFXIV | Spoiers Possible

[thesnarkitect]

Stand Back

Emet-Selch was not having a good day. The tall man is grimly looking over the facilities with practiced disinterest, a condescending sneer of the alleged 'accommodations.' Ohh, the facilities were leagues better than most of the primitives back on the Source, but compared to what Garlemald was capable of... well...

Within the chaos of the green smoke and ghastly mockery of physics was one thing that caught his attention. How in the stars did magitech benches appear in the train? Such one may find him were another were to go and investigate the ever increasing disasters that were occurring beyond the lab room doors. "Ah, you must be the help. Well, go on then, there is no doubt that whatever science is escaping will end us all should you permit it."

Autobiographies

The grim man was no less severe in the presence of books. Such primitive forms that one should pass on their words to scribed symbols and basic composition. There was no tact not art. Worse, how often were these tomes discarded or ignored by those with better things to do with their day?

"Oh... I suppose some light reading would not be remiss... now would that anything here would be worth the bother..." And so he goes, picking up a book, reading its first page and throwing it flippantly over his shoulder. "Great Strategies of Military Conquest Hardly... A Basic Guide to Horticulture? Basic is too kind of a word... I Want to Be Your Canary A Play Written by Lord Avon...?"

He cast an askance glance left and right before quietly tucking that particularly tome for future study.

Team Two

Emet-Selch had no interest in helping. The venture provided a fascinating opportunity for... professional enrichment. He was especially interested in what matter of deities the people were dealing with and just how capable they were of shaping their world... Though if they were content with using the powers of creation for something so fickle as granting mortal wishes, then perhaps they were not contemporaries he would want any sort of association.

But what was really getting his goat was the "team" part of this enterprise. Oh sure, he was told at the start that missions would be this way, but he didn't think it would be taken quite so literally. What a bother.

With an irritated flick he addressed the vanguard. "Now my dear valets, I know that this venture must be quite the exciting opportunity for you, but need I remind you that we're fighting a deadline? Now clear a path through those weeds and allow me to do the talking, lest you invoke further divine retribution beyond your pitiable existence."

Team Three

Despite, (or Twelve forbid, because of the venture imparted on Team Two, a rather pleased Emet is unusually chipper at the discovery of how to undo this shortsighted wish. "Well well. It would seem that the jade prison has a bit of a sanguine appetite. Now that we know how to restore them to full, we now have but one course. And so I ask you, who among you is truly willing to make this sacrifice for the good of these people?"

I have to, hello dad from another world!! Team Two --> Team Three, depending how far we get?

[dyingpro]

Zagreus chances back a glare at his new "teammate", fingers clenched tightly around the hilt of Stygius while the blade rests on his shoulder. "Look here mate, we're not your servants. We're here to do this mission, same as you. Would it kill you to at least pretend to be respectful to your fellow Voidtreckers?"

This particular individual in Emet-Selch's retinue would certainly be of some interest, in that his aether reads of an Eikon, though not assigned to any particular Element, or pair of Elements known to the people of his world, as is customary among most Eikonic figures. Though Zagreus is clearly borne of Fire and Darkness, with his flaming steps and his wan appearance, the magics of Life are just as strong within him, Wind and Water and Earth in equal measure flowing through his veins. It may call to mind the magics of the Padjali of the Source, White Magic.

hello "son," are you ready to begin missing your biological father?

[thesnarkitect]

"I would rather not risk that possibility." Emet smirked. "And we may be in the same predicament as each other, but we are hardly similar."

His appraising gaze did not miss those qualities of Zagreus. He felt similar to an Ascian and also less refined. Though perhaps with a little molding... Ahh, but he found himself moving two steps ahead once again. A poor habit of an overactive imagination (or so he tells himself). Regardless, Emet felt no need to pass on his knowledge of the special nature of this boy.

"Case in point, I am here on my own volition to have a conversation with these so-called 'gods.' And as for your intentions...? Well, I can only imagine that you are here to 'save this world.'" He scoffs venomously at those words. "But perhaps if your people prove themselves worthy of my patronage then I too may be counted among your number."

Autobiographies

[wewillwewill]

"I see your interest in theatre remains intact."

Elidibus has long been observant of finer details. When one looks left and right, one must certainly also think about behind. But the Ascian would be surprised if Emet-Selch had been unaware of his presence regardless.

In one hand, Elidibus bears a certain gilded book; one with his own.... name? Title? The spine is covered by the curve of his palm around it. The front of the book, if indeed the title is printed on it, is held against his thigh. No one will be reading its contents but the man himself.

The other hand bears something far less weighty. A book filled with cooking tips and basic recipes. Elidibus is nothing if not thorough in research needed to fulfill his duties. And eventually the Red Team will be on cooking duty. It only stands to reason he prepare accordingly.

[thesnarkitect]

Of course Emet had felt Elidibus's presence, but he dismissed it out of hand as some aberration in his senses. The fact that he was standing right behind him removed all doubt.

"What are we now but a continuing story?" Or, perhaps, an extended intermission. As he turns to face his contemporary he notices the books in his hands. Curious. Elidibus was never the type to explore such trivialities. Those 'human' details are more Emet-Selch's realm of expertise.

Of course he was going to task, but he couldn't just inquire up front. "Taking up a new hobby, are we?"

Stand Back

[flameinthedarkness]

From where Idia is peeking his head in from his slouched position from the doorway, his spine straights suddenly in shock as he's spoken to, hesitating to turn towards Emet-Selch, almost in hope he's not talking to him and was in fact someone else. But it wasn't that easy, was it? Idia's normal hunched over form returned as he muttered mostly to himself, but also as an answer, just barely loud enough to be heard. "I'm not the help," Though he's not surprised to be looked down upon, even away from school. "And I'm not stupid enough to go walking into someone else's experiment without having knowledge of what it is."

[thesnarkitect]

The boy was barely a presence, and had he not responded Emet would have sworn he just insulted the air. "This is no purpose to be underfoot. Unless you have business here, I would suggest leaving it to someone who knows what they are doing."

To accentuate the next point, Emet formed a shadow, only to re-emerge a few feet behind him. "Oh, and do speak up: no one likes a mumbler."

Autobiographies /throws the train's resident WoL at you

[dragoonrouge]

Q'uila couldn't be called a coward by any means, especially when you looked at the long list of foes and insurmountable odds her and the Scions had faced. But the train was not a battlefield and Q'uila would readily admit that she'd been purposefully staying away from the newest addition to crew from her home. Or another iteration of her home in the manner that Elidibus was.

However, the crystal of Azem had been burning a metaphorical hole in her pocket for a few days alongside an increasingly burning curiosity that culminated in many, many questions all of which Emet Selch was best placed to answer. And so she followed the darkness of his aether to the train's library and its play section.

"Hello Hades, 'tis good to see you well."

There was no falsehood to the sentiment, Q'uila had found herself enjoying the Ascian's snarky commentary on the First despite herself. That and the Emet Selch that had journeyed we her hadn't seemed to actually mind the many questions that her and the other Warriors had peppered him with over the course of their quest to restore the light.

"My apologies for disturbing you but may I have a few moments of your time?"

Stand Back /throws a WoL who isn't in the game at you

[catti]

K'zeka was not a man of science. He was a man of battle, song, and menial tasks and favors that gave him an excuse to not actually take a break whenever someone told to do so. If one wanted to use those terms. Therefore, the laboratory care meant very little to him except for the botany room, which didn't contain any man-eating plants so far as he knew.

The green smoke however...he was both curious and concerned about what it might mean, and though his face remained neutral, his tail twitched back and forth like he meant to pounce on the nearest potential diaster. But the Ascian's presence made him feel less like checking it at all, and he was firmly prepared to blame it on him anyway.

"Everyone aside from you, I'd wager."

Idia Shroud | Twisted Wonderland

[flameinthedarkness]

I – Stand Back
Since he’s arrived Idia’s been spending a serious amount of time in the lab, especially the machine shop and magiscience areas. He’s desperate to rebuild the tablet he would normally have back in the school, with it he at least has a barrier between him and all these… talkative, happy, extroverted people. Ughh.

This time though, with that green smoke billowing onto the floor and items floating in the air, Idia’s poked his head in just enough to see what is happening without fully going into the room. He knows not to mess with magic he doesn’t recognize, and sure, of course he could handle it if he knew what it was, it’s just… what if it isn’t something he knows? Things could get real messy real fast, and he would hate to ruin the lab by throwing the wrong spell at it. Also maybe someone else will come along and fix it, then he can just get back to doing what he wanted to in the lab.

II – Autobiography
Idia’s happy with knowledge, he just prefers it in digital form. Paper books are so outdated, and he’s annoyed to find this train was no better than the library back at Night Raven. But, he’s bored, and curious to know if there is books on technology or magic he’s not familiar with, thirsty to add more of those to his range. Normally he would grab a bunch to hide away either in his cabin or a quiet booth by himself to read. Today the changes in the carriage have caught his eye. Was that the limited edition art book for one of his favorite games?! It had managed to sell out before he had gotten his pre-order in for it, as well as the exclusive in-game items that came with it.

He’ll have snatched it up and stuffed himself into one of the seats, too caught up in the fact such an item was here for him to hide away like he normally would. Idia may have also grabbed one of those sticker books, one themed with skulls stickers in it. For later use.

III – Fool’s Gold: Team One
How did he end up in this team? Seriously, how?! It was dealing with people, and Idia was hating it. He’s trying to keep to the back of his team, let them do most of the talking as he tries his best to hide within the hood of his team hoodie, that blue fire hair of his spilling out around his face as it’s impossible to stuff it all into the hood. He knows they got a mission here, he just… just… please don’t make him do this.

As one of the citizens manages to get past the front line of the team, Idia realizes he’s the last one there to stop them, fidgeting for a moment before managing to get out a shout, it sounding more than a little panicked. “Stop! Please! Just stop and go back!”

IV – Wildcard

III

[controlsthedie]

It is some form of irony or a joke to place Thanatos on this team. He looks over the useless fields of grain and grips his scythe. Thanatos floats higher, trying to make himself look more imposing, and swings it out to trap the citizen between himself and the curved blade.

(The citizen is not in any danger. Thanatos has absolutely no intention of actually harming them.)

"Wait your turn. You'll invite disaster if you act so rashly." Thanatos's world suffers from a lack of food. He would know what mortals will do to each other in order to secure enough to eat for themselves and their loved ones.

I

[adolescenthope]

While Kokoro was not someone who would go tinkering around in a lab herself, the activities that go on here were something that got the better of her curious nature. It was a foreign craft to her, and watching the more scientific types do... whatever it is they do in here was amusing from the perspective of a young youkai.

That said, she didn't expect to see what she did when she turned a corner in the hallway; miscellaneous objects floating around the outside of one of the rooms, with a stench that very much caught the menreiki offguard. It seemed she wasn't the first to happen across it though, noticing the man poking his head inside the biology room. She sauntered on over behind them, curious as to what exactly transpired here.

"What's inside?"

Hata no Kokoro | Touhou Project

[adolescenthope]

Autobiography

The library was not a common destination for the Menreiki; she typically preferred physical activity and hands-on learning as opposed to having her face buried in a book all day. Despite that however, as she passed through the typically very barren library section, it was hard to ignore that there had been a significantly larger selection that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It got the better of her curious nature, and she decided to investigate it closer.

Kokoro skimmed over most of what she saw, showing little interest in coloring or cooking books just from a glance. However, she did take the time to examine a few select tiles more closely; mostly miscellaneous books containing the scripts of various Noh performances. However, there was one that stuck out to her more than any of the others; an eerily familiar book with her own name printed on its spine. Without much hesitation, she pulled the book off its shelf to get a better look.

"Why would there be..?"

Fools' Gold - Team One

While Kokoro was somewhat familiar with times of strife, she had not seen panic set in quite this badly before. Most conflicts she engaged with in her were 1-on-1 with a few exceptions, although she's never had to deal with this many people at once before. Although it may be difficult to tell, she was grateful she didn't have to deal with it alone.

And soon, she would very much need some assistance, as one of the panicked citizens attempted to push past her to gain entry to the grainery she was assigned to protect, catching her somewhat off guard as she tried to push them back.

"I understand you're desperate, but please wait!"


Wild Card

Fools' Gold - Team One

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl was mostly staying inside. While the SCA helped with their reaction to bright light, it didn't make it comfortable. But realizing one of their teammates outside made them look out, squinting.

"I can conjure some plants to keep them out without hurting them," they offer. But Entangle was one of their standard spells, so they could cast it now. "You'll need to stand clear and be ready to set something up after it fades."

Stitch | Lilo and Stitch | CRAU from Boomtown

[ohanaisfamily]

Autobiography

He had taken the time to explore the train to the best of his abilities when he came across the library, ears perked up in curiosity as he ventured in. In all his barely three foot glory, the alien experiment saw books that caught his eye almost immediately, little paws going to the sides of his face in awe, eyes bright before making his way in completely to explore more closely.

So, you've got some options for where you might find him. Perhaps it's as he's found a book that of course would catch his interest. Something close to his heart for so many reasons that he would hold close to his chest. Don't mind that he's got all four front paws out so he can hold The Ugly Duckling as well as climb back down to the ground and make his way to a table to read it for the umpteenth time.

However, you could also catch him as he finds the book that has his name on it. Not the name given to him by Lilo, either. But the book clearly read 'Experiment 626'. Curiosity getting the better of him yet again as he climbed his way up to get it, looking down for a moment. Maybe he catches you as you're looking at the books. Or looking at the odd little alien climbing the bookshelf. A little paw getting extended as he waves in greeting and grins.

"Hiiii. Do you have a book with your name, too?" He blinked before adding as a second question "Would you like me to grab it for you?"

Team Three

The idea of people being trapped in a prison of any sort really doesn't sit well with Stich. There's a little frustrated growl out of him as he moved with whoever he was with to try and help. Rescuing those trapped was definitely important to him. He thought about how this could be solved, eyes narrowing in heavy thought before looking up to who he was with and throwing his arms to his sides "I got nothing" He said, frustrated for sure.

Wildcard

Got something else you wanna do with Stitch? Hit me up with a top level somewhere, or mellzyvee!

Stitch is from RIGHT before Lilo left for college in Stitch!, showed up in New Dodge (Boomtown) and spent a few years there! A fair amount just. Traveling space.

Autobiography

[runicfeathers]

Willow's seen all sorts of people come and go by this point, including a talking cat of all things, but this blue creature has her stumped. Are there possibly similar creatures where she's from? Sure, but she's only heard about them, never seen them outside of some kind of small excerpt in a book with little to no information with no pictures in them.

A minute passes before she even registers that she's being spoken to, let alone waved at as gold eyes stare up at him.

"Ah-- no, I was only coming to return a book I had borrowed. I doubt I would have a book with my name on it."

[blue_ice]

[ Well. This is...odd. Kaiba doesn't typically spend much time on the lower level of the library, because he knows there's not much here. He's had time to read everything that might be remotely of interest. Until today, at least.

He takes his time scanning the shelves, looking for something that might be useful for their mission. Who knows, these books might disappear tomorrow. Best to take in what he can as quickly as possible.

That focus lasts right up until a small blue...passenger? He's pretty sure that was a SCA on a wrist. The passenger crawls right by his field of vision. Huh. ]

Find anything good?

[ A simple question that will quickly fill Kaiba in on the kind of person he's dealing with. ]

[consider8]

Eight noticed the little creature from the platform and was taking the better part of the day following him around. The fact that he reads pleases Eight and she appreciates the clumsy grace he goes up and down the banister.

She would be content to continue to look, but the creature seems to have other idea.

"Me...?" She gestures to herself. "...I don't think so. I don't think anyone would really want to read a story of me."

Re: Stitch | Lilo and Stitch | CRAU from Boomtown

[guru_clef]

Autobiography

Clef had glanced up when someone came in. Clef, as usual, had been sitting up on a tall rock he had created in the Library so he could have a seat that left him at the average height for human adults. He wasn't so much surprised by Stitch's colour or extra arms. No he was just glad that this new Void Treker might... might..

Might actually be shorter than he was!

And then Stitch clearly being appreciative of books, Clef smiled warmly down at him. "Welcome, fellow bibliophile."

She's not in the game, but I couldn't resist! Hope it is okay!

[aquawayfinder]

Aqua had been heading into the library when she heard a voice asking someone else a question. A familiar sounding someone...

She sped up and opened the door, and when she saw she had been right, she smiled warmly. "626! You're alright!" she said, happily.

Team Three

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl considered. Both rocks and plants were familiar in isolation, but not plants that became rocks. And they'd prefer a solution that didn't hurt the trees. "Can you climb these? You're small enough you might be able to get through."

They weren't sure what then. But maybe they could find a path through to get people clear if they explore the verticality of the forest -- or get people up to the canopy and go from there.

lan wangji (rule 63) | the untamed

[lanerguniang]

Autobiography
The quietness of the library is something familiar to her. She strides into it, feeling slightly awkward and out of place in clothes that are not hers. The books here are bound differently than what she's seen back home. But there was no question about it. They were books. Her dark gaze moves over the titles, remembering the time she had spent in her youth in a library and overseeing--

No. Now is not the time nor the place. She stands straighter. She needs to return home at some point. Sizhui is waiting for her back home and she cannot have him be abandoned twice.

Her eyes widen at the recognition of some of the books - music books that she had studied from through her life. They seem to occupy a shelf that is at her eye level and she makes her way over to it. Histories of the Lan Sect. Their rules. Then there is a white silk bound book that catches her attention next to it. She reaches up and pulls it out, breath catching in her when she sees her name on the cover.

Her movement is silent as she opens it and reads over the details of her life, flipping to each page until she sees the moment when she oversaw--

A sheet of paper slides across the desk with a drawn portrait of her with flowers in her hair. Light laughter.

She snaps the book shut. Clearly it's meant to distract her.

Wildcard
[Open to all kinds of starters!]

wildcard | platform

[weifinder]

Wei Wuxian is remaining dedicated to the habit he started last platform: thus he's out there, lounging on a blanket taken off his bunk, parked along one side of the open space closer to the train, away from the overhang meant to protect waiting persons from the elements.

He doesn't need a landscape to look out over, although he'd prefer one. Simply being off train, with no one in any illusion, and no one dying, and nothing going wrong is enough of a blessing.

Thus it's in that form, glimpsed beyond milling bodies on platform, including a dragon that flashes past overhead in the confines of the platform's vertical space, that Wei Wuxian closes his eyes and simply lets the world exist around him, more feral than untamed.

Christopher Wolfe | The Great Library

[stormwolfe]

Autobiography

Christopher had explored a good chuck of the train, but he'd been drawn to the car with all of the books in it. So many books, not under the library's control, free to the wild. Is it any wonder that it's that car that's drawn all of his curiosity and attention. For those that knew his world, probably not.

He isn't even reading any of them. Mostly at the moment he's teasing his fingers down along the spines of each and every one of them. There's a part of him that can't believe they're real. It's a book with his name that he stops at, though he hasn't steeled himself to take it off the shelf yet.

Does he dare? Read what it might say behind the cover, yet he knows his truth and the history of himself. However if it contains his future? Does he want to know? He's not really sure he's strong enough to read what's to come in his life.

Fool's Gold - Team Two

Christopher isn't exactly the fighting kind, he's more of a scholar type. Which is why he chooses to go with team two in search of the source of the misfortune. Because what's not better for his skills then helping to locate and work to turn this curse around, it's something he thinks he can help with, working on any tips and hints of where the deity might be hiding.

He's mostly keeping to himself, though occasionally he glances around the rest of the team. Noting what they might be doing or trying to figure out what they're thinking to help with this.

Wildcard

[ Throw something at us. Or DM us or reach out on thewrittenfae to plot. ]

Team Two

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl isn't particularly bookish, but they are a person you want when preparing to make a journey into the wilderness. Right now, they are carrying over a map and laying it out on the table. "What have you found so far about the location of this temple?" they ask. "Or just about the god. I figure maybe we can work out where someone might build a temple if we know what sort of god it is."

Probably not an agricultural god, or one associated with areas that had lots of plant life, because the god would be shooting themself in the metaphorical foot.