Bardsong's First Test-Drive Meme!

[dm_screen]

The Bardsong Test-Drive Meme!




How to Use:

Please take the time to review the premise, the FAQ, and locations to get a feel for the setting!

Make a toplevel with Character Name, Canon, and Class Names in the title. The class page is right here!

Tag out, mingle, and enjoy! We'll announce the opening date soon!

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It all began when you fell from the skies above, wreathed in flame. When you landed, you learned that you weren't alone: So many others, each from worlds entirely different from yours, have found themselves in his predicament, and know about as much as you do! The locals greet you with a cautious friendliness, welcoming you to the town of Concord. They tell you that the world was broken apart mysteriously not long ago, and are trying to devise ways to step far beyond the town borders to find where the rest of the globe went, get to the bottom of things.

But your arrival is nothing short of a blessing. Perhaps you, the Starfallen, are the answer to their prayers. They explain how live presently works in Concord, they give you that tour of their guilds, and even give you a place to stay at Concord Crossing, where you're randomly assigned roommates. You hope your roommates are amicable...

In the days following, after shaking off the shock of your current situation, you find yourself beginning to integrate into Concord life. But while you await word from the local researchers among the many guilds dotted through town, each looking for new members to bestow their teachings, you need to fill your pockets with precious, precious sol. You'd also heard that there was to be a celebration very soon, and everyone is invited. A little partying never hurt anyone, right? Besides, free food!

Now, where to begin...?


I. More Than This Provincial Life

Concord, the large city that it is, hosts many opportunities for work. Between the multiple quarters and their specialties, just about anyone can find a job. With the isolation from the rest of the world, employers eagerly welcome the Starfallen with part time or temporary work (Apparently, all full time positions are taken and employers conspicuously nudge people out the door if they spend too much time on the clock) to coincide with the life of an adventurer. For those who wish for something to do and a source of income outside of quests, there's always an honest day's wage to be made! With the exception of a few tasks the South Quarter may have to offer, but those aren't the kind of jobs spoken of too loudly.


I-A. Magicka Cleanup Detail

The Concord Magic Academy, between bright-eyed students trying their best and young nobles whose admission was paid in cash, sees quite a few accidents in its halls. Alchemy experiments, wayward fireballs, testing theories given by their Occultist friends, anything can come up and make a mess of a lab or a classroom. As such, the academy welcomes the brave and the patient to the field of custodial engineering, especially those with strong stomachs and combat experience. It wouldn't be the first time stains fight back or gravity ceased to be, so on top of keeping to their own personal hygiene standards, employees are expected to be thorough in their cleaning and expect the unexpected.

I-B. Amazing Paperboy Deliveries

The Concord Truthogram is dedicated to bringing the truth right to the doors of paying customers as soon as the next issue is ready. They're looking for delivery workers and runners equally dedicated to I bringing the truth to subscribers! Runners will need to deliver newspapers all across Concord before dawn breaks. Subscribers are all throughout the city, so runners are encouraged to find an optimal route and coordinate with their co-workers to bring the truth the world in a timely and orderly manner! This job favors the agile, as early Concord mornings are filled with people bustling through the streets and occasional hazards to trip up the distracted runner. Try not to make too many mistakes, as unsatisfied customers will unsubscribe and deny themselves the gift of the Concord Truthogram. Watch out for stray dogs and the occasional grim reaper.




II. O Valley Of Plenty, Whoa-oh-oh!

Working at a coffee shop or helping to organize a wizard's dusty study isn't for everyone, and the people of Concord understand. Every world runs on some currency, and here, it's known as the 'sol'. For those looking to do a 'dirtier' work, the citizenry helpfully direct the Starfallen to the Men-At-Arms Guild, your source of monster-busting work!

Lit by the glow of lanterns, the following work is looking for takers, posted on a large board outside the guild:


II-A. Rabites!

"We need someone to handle the Rabite problem! A couple that chooses not to be named found a pair and decided to raise them as pets, but they have since bred out of control into feral, very bitey colonies. They may look cute and cuddly, but you may need to bring a friend to be on the safe side."

Reward: 50 sol per pelt

II-B. Bumps in the Night!

"We need graveyard shift relief for the town guard posted along the outskirts of Concord. Lately, the guards have been reporting strange noises through the night, and have seen an influx of ghoul sightings coming down from the nearby hills. Take care care not to get bitten; it won't make you like them, but it will make you sluggish and leave you as easy prey."

Reward: 800 sol a night + 100 sol per head




III. Like One of Those Music Videos

While typically only those following the paths of their departed founders and enduring Masters of the Manor are granted entry to the Glistering Estate, the Guild of Steel and Lace nonetheless occasionally open the gates to outsiders. Oftentimes, this is simply to showcase a performance at the theatre, or to offer a chance for newcomers to join their ranks; today, however, is a special occasion: the anniversary of the Estate's groundbreaking. For the evening, the entire Estate grounds have been made available to the residents of Concord, and an exquisite buffet has been prepared for all who would raise a glass to their Founders. Many who come may be tempted by the lavish wealth on display, but aspiring thieves and troublemakers must be warned: Behind the gold and silk lies a house packed to the brim with the likes of veteran Paladins and entrapping illusionists.


III-A. Black Tie...?

Before one is permitted entry to the Estate proper, they must be willing to show a modicum of due deference and wear the proper attire. For an open-door event such as this, simple and tasteful formalwear will suffice; a collared dress shirt or modest blouse, at the very least. Fortunately for those who cannot afford- or, as is sometimes the case, simply forgot- such fineries, the Guild of Steel and Lace happily provides attire of the sort worn by their own members on the estate grounds, and their stocks accommodates all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, their standard attire inevitably takes the form of service attire such as maid outfits and butler uniforms. They have even provided booths to change in private, so please, don't make a scene.

III-B. Upper, Upper Class High Society!

Once inside, the guests have freedom to enjoy the manor's full facilities; the Guild of Steel and Lace have spared no expense in setting up food options from their in-house chefs ranging from terrestrial crab legs and tropical fruits to... erm... unfamiliar flora or fauna that are unidentifiable, but thoroughly delicious. At least, to the locals who have already acquired the taste. Additionally, The theatre is hosting an ongoing series of performances from the Guild's bards, though they're not above letting the Starfallen have their turns at the microphone. Nonetheless, from ballroom to gardens to bathhouse, the entire estate is open to visitors, so why not have a look around...?

Comments

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin's been focusing a lot of her attention on one particularly persistent ghoul, so much so that the second one coming up from behind misses her attention. As she manages to finish the one in front off with an expert slice of her sword finally separating the head from desiccated body, Claude's arrow whistles uncomfortably close to her ear and strikes the ghoul in its eye that she realizes how close she just came to being chewed on.

"Whoa!" Her hand goes to her ear in alarm, but she doesn't find any blood. Well, that's a relief. "T-That was a bit close for comfort sir, but thank you. I appreciate the help."

[goldenscheme]

Claude doesn't even seem ruffled by any of it, the monsters, her reaction, whatever. He's not a terribly easy person to ruffle anyway, but really he's just a good actor. This is...more than he was expecting, if he's honest. (He isn't always, not entirely, and not out loud.)

"Sorry about that," he says, though he isn't. "Better you get a little scare than a face full of ghoul drool though, right?" Despite the somewhat grim situation, his smile is as irreverent as his tone.

It might not have been necessary, he realises. She can obviously handle herself with a sword. Still, he's gotta make allies in this place somehow, right? There are a couple more off in the distance, but he thinks they might be coming to the end of this encounter with monsters fairly soon. Well, good.

"You up for a tag team? You go close and I'll cover you? Promise I won't hit you. My aim's good." That much he means. And if it came to it, he'd get closer. He's not out here to watch someone get seriously injured or killed. The money for the job doesn't matter too much to him; they can split it as far as he's concerned.

[bladeofconquest]

"Yeah, no you're right. Don't worry about it, I appreciate the save." Corrin nods in agreement, still somewhat breathless. It seems he knew what he was doing and the ghoul had managed to escape her notice.

She looks back towards the coming stragglers. Three, maybe four, it's hard to tell in the dark and then turns to look back at Claude and gives him a thumbs up. "You know, I believe you on that." She flashes him a grin. "So, sure, let's make this quick. I have some snacks I can share once we're done if you like." Combat always works up an appetite for her.

Flipping her sword around in her hand, she assumes a combat stance and then charges the closest ghoul, doing a small leap into a full body spin that brings her sword up, neatly separating the ghoul's arm below the elbow from the rest of its body. It gurgles in surprise and raises its other arm to strike at her with its yellowed, dirt-encrusted claws, but Corrin's not worried; that's what she has back-up for, right?

[goldenscheme]

His answering grin mirrors hers, and he pulls an arrow from his quiver. The bow he arrived here with is woefully inadequate compared to Failnaught. And of course his Crest abilities seem to be...unreliable, somehow. Despite that, though, he's well-trained, so even with an average bow, he's an above average archer (and that's probably being modest).

"I'd love some snacks, so long as we're not becoming them," he says.

She goes off after the next ghoul. He's secretly impressed by her prowess, the way she finds a weak point right off. The ghoul doesn't go down yet, though, so as soon as that arm comes up, Claude looses his arrow – right through the ghoul's right eye, sending its head snapping back a bit before the whole creature topples over backwards into a twitching heap on the ground. It's a bit brutal, really, but Claude did promise he'd keep Corrin safe.

He's already turning to the next one, though, practiced hands drawing another arrow and launching it at a shambling ghoul, striking it just above the heart. It falters, but doesn't fall immediately. Whatever this creature is, it sure doesn't play by the same rules most humans would.

[bladeofconquest]

The arrow lands as Corrin expected it would, and she raises her free hand in thumbs up as a quick thanks and acknowledgement to her partner. He's good with a bow, she thinks ruefully; skilled archers like him are hard to find in Nohr. But another arrow is quickly loosed at a second ghoul but doesn't succeed in dropping it. Tucking into a forward roll, Corrin assists in that venture by coming up out of it and in one smooth movement taking severing it at the knees with her sword. As she comes up, the ghoul goes down, and a single thrust to the chest finishes it off. Of the lower legs that were formerly attached to the creature, one, slowly topples over sideways.

"So far so good, huh?" She calls back. "What's your preference in terms of snacks, anyway?" Corrin always comes prepared with a selection.

[goldenscheme]

Claude still hangs back, of course, preferring to be a distance fighter. But he moves enough to find that first ghoul he'd shot, pulling his arrow out with a rather unpleasant squelching sound.

"Gotta love the undead," he says wryly, looking back up to meet Corrin's gaze when she glances back at him. He's all smiles, like they're not having a gruesome encounter. Look, everyone has to deal somehow. Claude's way of dealing is generally with irreverence.

"Oh, I love food in general," he answers back, noncommittal. It's true, though like everyone, he does have preferences. But he can take generosity when it's offered, especially from a potential ally.

As the next ghoul shambles up, surprisingly quick for such a lumbering creature, he looses two arrows in a row, seamlessly right after the other. These hit in the joints of the ghoul's shoulder, knocking first off balance, then toppling backwards.

"Sorry about that last one. Would have thought that an arrow through the eye would be enough, but these guys don't really take hints very well."

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin likewise deals through camaraderie and the fostering of good relations with allies. Though she dislikes combat for the most part (at least actual combat and not training spars), she can't deny facing battle with someone is a good way of connecting with them for the most part.

These creatures are surprisingly fast; as Claude looses two arrows another is loping towards Corrin. Fortunately, the creatures are stupid for the most part; no sense of pack tactics or anything other than charging in and trying to take a bite. Corrin ducks to one side, avoiding a wild lunge and responds with a high kick to the face to knock it off-balance and in short order slices its outstretched arm and then head off. It goes tumbling as the body falls, rolling across the ground and coming to a rest just shy of Claude's boot.

"Sorry about that." Corrin breathes, scanning the area. Looks like that was the last of them, at least for the moment. "Don't worry about it. Guess when you've already died it's hard to die again." She sticks the sword into the chest of the fallen ghoul just to make sure, before pulling it out. Hard, but not impossible. "Looks like we've earned ourselves a breather. Snacks?" She asks, nodding to where she left her pack when the first ghouls attacked. She starts towards it before pausing and extending her hand towards her ally. "I'm Corrin. Nice working with you."

[goldenscheme]

Claude considers retrieving another arrow or two; without the resources he has at home, he has to be more concerned with his current stock. On the other hand, they're kind of gross now. And the longer they stay out here, the more likely they are to find some more ghouls. While he's a very capable fighter, he's a tactician at heart and much prefers to not be in the thick of it like this. He's done the job he said he'd do, and that's enough, as long as no one else around them is in immediate danger. He's not about to let innocent people die if he can help it, but he's not a saint or a hero, either.

"Gruesome as this is, I will say it's enough to work up some appetite, huh?" he answers, closing the distance between them and shaking her hand. He has a firm grip but not overbearing. He's been doing the politics dance for so many years that the etiquette is second nature (even if he's more than willing to bend some rules when it serves him to do so).

"Claude," he says, leaving the rest out. The Riegan name and Crest don't mean anything here. In some ways it's freeing, because there's some baggage attached to having any Crest in the first place, and extra baggage especially in some circles. On the other hand, well, he's used to having certain avenues open to him because of the privilege he was born with and not having those makes things difficult. He's adaptable, though.

"I take it you're like me," he continues. "Not a native. Fell right outta the sky, huh?"

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin nods, smiling brightly. "That's right. I was in the first batch of arrivals. Though I guess at the time nobody knew it wasn't going to be a one-off thing." She admits. She walks over to the bag, waving at Claude to follow. "Come on, let's get off our feet for a bit. Gotta rest when we can."

Taking her own advice she sits down cross-legged on the grass, opening up the pack and begins removing the aforesaid snacks. There's some of the sugary variety to be sure, but also a few slices of bread, some salted pork, and two waterskins. An army can't march on an empty stomach, even if it's just an army of two. She offers one of the waterskins to Claude.

"How are you adjusting to life in Concord so far anyway?" She asks.

[goldenscheme]

"Well, let's hope it's not a regular occurrence, for all our sakes," Claude says dryly. He's already figuring if it wasn't a one-off to begin with, it's likely that he's not going to be in the last group of people to fall from nowhere, either. It's not his favourite thought. "Don't suppose anyone's figured out the way to reverse the process?" he asks, talking to talk more than expecting a favourable answer. The fact that Corrin herself is here fighting monsters with him is answer enough. He wouldn't be much of a tactician if he couldn't extrapolate that much, would he?

He follows to join her on the grass. It's been a bit since he grabbed a bite, so he goes for the salted pork and accepts the waterskin. "Thanks," he says with a smile. Very little about Claude is genuine, but he's a good actor, and he's a charmer. That smile is all charm, like he was born with it.

He shrugs a shoulder. "Oh, you know. I'm not the kind of guy to get too shook up about monsters, I guess. To tell you the truth, I'd rather shoot them than actual people any day of the month. But it's not home. And it's not like home. I imagine I'll find out some shady secret eventually, and then maybe it will be just a touch more like home. I'm not in a hurry on that front, though." It's a lot of words to say very little, and it's a little bit of a mislead; he'd love to find a shady secret, because if he did, that might help solve the mystery of how they got here and how to get back. "What about you? I assume you already knew how to fight at home. That kind of swordplay isn't something you pick up on the fly."

[ ooc: I'm so down to keep this thread going if you'd like. I had no idea how to get an app code so I wasn't able to app this month. ]