test drive 02

[thestewards]

I know dust grows even when there is a breeze
Can't move, can't grow When you've fallen on your knees

► All TDM threads may be considered canon provided both parties agree and are accepted into the game.

► Canon threads may be redeemed for influence and reputation depending on how you solve the issue at hand or how you engage with the prompt. They also count toward AC.

► Feel free to switch up your character's Jewel from thread to thread. Get a feel for how a Birthright Jewel may limit or enhance your character's abilities.

HOT UNDER THE COLLARD GREENS
The relationship between the Blood and the landens has never been easy anywhere, least of all Draega, and even less so now that the Strangers have arrived. Between Blood and landen, opinions on the Strangers vary wildly. Some Blood believe the Strangers were landen in their original worlds and thus cannot possibly have anything to offer, but some landens think this means that the Strangers will be more sympathetic to them—or that landens could gain the power of the Blood one day, too. Then there are the landens who think the Strangers have sold their souls to Queen Fayura to gain the Jewels and the Blood who think the Strangers have embraced what it truly means to be Blood. Whatever that means.

Tensions are high, and they're highest on the main street of the Old Town Bazaar, where two restaurants have an on-going feud. The Last Meal is owned by a Blood family, none of whom wear a Jewel darker than Yellow. Across the street from them stands the mockingly named Blood and Breakfast, owned by a landen family.

To say these two hate each other would be something of an understatement.

On this particular morning, Lord Harle, the Yellow Jeweled owner and chef at The Last Meal, comes storming out of his front door. "You've done it now, Laney Cook! Soured all my milk!"

Simultaneously, Laney Cook, who is the owner and chef at Blood and Breakfast, comes stomping out the front door of her establishment, brandishing a wooden spoon like a sword. "Aye, and you've replaced all my sugar with salt, you ripe old bastard!"

Without missing a beat, both turn to you and the Stranger at your side. Wrong place, wrong time, friend. The two chefs decide the two of you can be trusted to help them prove the other party guilty of sabotage because neither of you has a stake in this. And, well, if the Queen brought you here, you should be an independent party. Both Harle and Cook seem to think the Queen is pretty okay.

Truthfully, they're both equally guilty. Lord Harle and Ms Cook have been trying to ruin each other for years, but who knows what you'll find when you go searching for evidence. And even if you find evidence that decides one way or the other, perhaps you'll simply lie and manufacture a solution that suits you—or the Queen who brought you here.


TERRIBLE TWO(HUNDRED)S
You're not entirely sure how this happened, but you're starting to understand why Blood females constantly grumble about the caste of males they call Warlord Princes. Prince Loren has, somehow, managed to maneuver you to the place you're at now: the head of a classroom full of Blood children who all look like they're somewhere between the ages of eight and ten. It's hard to tell, and you're pretty sure one bossy little boy declared he was 203-years-old, so everyone else has to listen to him, thanks.

Regardless of how Loren managed to get you there, there you stand. Fifteen energetic elementary school children all wearing Jewels shriek and shout, using Craft to amplify already shrill voices. One girl floats near the ceiling, her face screwed up in concentration as she clutches a Rose Jewel. Two little boys are taking turns passing their hands through their desks, which strikes you as distinctly unsafe for eight-year-olds to be doing. (You're not wrong.)

At least there are two of you, and you only need to babysit these children for the morning. "They're here for Craft lessons. Surely, you can manage until Lady Sheera arrives," Loren had said before abandoning you to a battlefield full of powerful, pint-sized children.

There's a lesson plan on the teacher's desk, but maybe you should lead with the snacks.


REVENGE, SERVED STINKY
The air is crisp and cool; it's still winter, but it's not as chilly as it has been, and so you're out for a walk. You've made your way north through Old Town and now find yourself meandering down the roads in front of the landen Guild Halls. Even though they're all made of red brick, each building is entirely unique. The Hunter and Crafter Hall, the largest of all the buildings, has more in common with a hunting lodge than the university building it once was. The Elektriline Hall might be the smallest building, but it's covered in neon lights and impossible to ignore.

Equally impossible to ignore is Master Tinker Mari and her collection of landen young adults. They're clustered around a storm drain. When Mari sees you, she detaches herself from the group of landen students and bounds over to you. "Ahhah! Stranger! You have been brought here against your will and are surely sympathetic to our cause!" she exclaims.

That doesn't make you feel too great since, you know, you're aware that the Hunter Guild tried to kill all the Strangers maybe two or three weeks ago. They may have mellowed out, or they may just be biding their time. Thankfully, none of Mari's students bear the markings of a Hunter.

She pulls you to the group. Already, canisters have been lowered into the sewers. A handful of students have clambered down after the canisters. "The Blood wouldn't help us repair the damage in Old Town," she says, rubbing her hands together. "Our people's homes were unlivable. So we're going to make their workplace unbearable." She points at the canisters. "Stink bombs."

There's another Stranger in the group, and you make eye contact over the top of the storm drain. Are you of the same mind as each other? As Mari? The choice is yours: agree to Mari's plan and fill the buildings of the Ebon Council with untenable stench or try to convince them there's a better way.


AIR TIME
Whether you catch the news on a Far-caster in the city or you're spinning the dial on your own device, you'll hear…

etiquette with evandra and aren
[Evandra's voice is a little bit rough and a little bit husky, the kind of voice that gives bad ideas to young men and headaches to fathers.] Today we're talking about everyone's favorite subject.

[Aren's voice is chipper and bright. He sounds more like an eager boy than the full-grown man he is.] Food?

[A laugh from Evandra.] No, Lord Aren. Sex and flirting. Culturally, the Blood don't consider it rude to flirt quite blatantly with each other, even when one or both of the parties is married. Isn't that right?

[Aren:] That's exactly it, Evandra. Older males allow young witches to flirt because it's understood that the male isn't interested or available. He becomes a safe partner for her to practice on, and his approval lets her know what is and isn't acceptable.

[Evandra:] What does it mean if a married male or witch flirts with you?

[Aren:] Casual flirting means that witch or male thinks you're safe. It's their way of telling you they feel comfortable around you. Of course, it's always acceptable to ask them to step back! [He laughs.] As we all know, just because you can flirt with a Warlord Prince's lady doesn't mean you should!

[Evandra:] Let's take a look at casual flirtation between different Blood castes…

the weather
[A soft-spoken man's voice rumbles out of the Far-caster. He's pleasant to listen to, with a soothing cadence to his voice.] Warmer temperatures will see melting snow over the next week. Be careful around the Heartsblood River, as the heavy snows will result in flooding along the banks. Need flood insurance? The Transport Guild is looking to expand into…

the news
…amusing to hear that Grand Master Niall blames the Blood for the fires in Old Town. It is my understanding that members of the Blood, these so-called Strangers, went out of their way to rescue both Blood and landen during the fires set by the Grand Master's Hunter Guild. [The man speaking has a slow, clipped cadence to his voice. It's very posh and polished.]

[Another voice, presumably an interviewer:] The Council counts the Strangers as Blood, Lord Grejor?

[Grejor:] What else can they be? They wear the Jewels, therefore they are among our number. [He laughs, and the sound is cold.] The Council is pleased to welcome our new brothers and sisters.

Comments

Sansa Stark | Game of Thrones | Purple Dusk

[theladyofwinterfell]

Terrible Two(hundred)s:

( Sansa hasn't spent extended time with children since her own brothers were small and she doesn't quite know what to do with an entire room of them looking to her for instruction. She has a partner in this, at least, but she's not certain how it will go; she's only just learned how to wield Craft herself these past weeks and instructing others in the art is hardly going to be within her wheelhouse. Children, though. Surely they cannot be so different from realm to realm?

Sansa looks to the boy who claims to be 203 and gives him a smile before clearing her throat and calling all to order. )

Now, little ones, your teacher will be along soon. Why don't we sing a song or two to pass the time? Do any of you know a song you'd like to sing or would you like to hear one of mine?

( Sansa looks to her unwitting partner in this, hoping they'll support her. She thinks she can keep the children occupied until the Craft instructor comes, at the least, and then she can escape for a well-earned cup of tea. She wants children of her own someday, after all, and this could be good practice for that worthy endeavor. )

Anyone? Or are you all a bit shy? There's no need for that, I promise.

Air Time

( Sansa isn't exactly certain of the etiquette in Draega and seeing the piece on how Blood men and women engage with one another leaves her with more questions than answers. She intends to submit a question under cover of anonymity, but it seems that function is unavailable on this Far-Caster (or, more likely, she cannot find it). Sansa has never really flirted with anyone before and the idea of flirting with another woman's husband and it being deemed acceptable is utterly foreign to her.

Is this place that strange, that marriage would mean so little? Or is there something she's simply missing about the nature and character of relationships in Draega that is blessedly absent from Westeros? Well, the only way to know a thing is to ask it, even if it pricks and stings at one's pride. )

Is it really acceptable to make an overture at a man who is married to another woman? And for he, in turn to return a flirtation to a woman who isn't his wife? Forgive me, but I am utterly confused by the way things seem to work here. What seems clear to you is opaque to me and I fear making a misstep as I come to learn this city.

Is anyone willing to give me a bit more guidance on the subject? I cannot promise much in exchange but I am quite a seamstress. I'm certain I could make something that would be worth the time of the explanation.

Air Time

[withbite]

That question comes with a big 'DEPENDS' as an answer. Where I come from, 'acceptable' depends on whether or not it's a poly relationship. Or if they can get away with it. Or whatever religion you're in. A lot of people also just sort of look the other way. Wifey's getting served by her tennis instructor and doesn't care that Hubby is getting extras from the Nanny or his secretary. Marriage gets old. The same set of genitals is boring after a year, let along a decade or ten.

That answer your question?

Re: Air Time

[theladyofwinterfell]

( It's certainly a colorful way to answer the question, if nothing else, and Sansa blinks at the text for a moment before getting together a response to send back in reply. )

Then it isn't so terribly different than where I'm from, then, except it seems more appropriate to speak of it in public. Men have mistresses and some women cuckold their husbands where I'm from but they wouldn't dare presume to do so publicly.

[withbite]

All depends on the people. I've seen a few hen circles have a grand old time comparing notes on who was the best pool boy to bang. Relationships have to have good sex, and if you're not getting it from whoever you're legally bound to, then you're going to go find it elsewhere. If you and your booty shaking partner are actually doing it right, neither of you are going to be looking elsewhere.

[Gee, that didn't hit close to home. Scowling, he pushed the thoughts of the past away from him and focused on the now.]

You're using some old-timey words. Making me feel nostalgic. If you can churn your own butter, I'm going to have the vapors.

[theladyofwinterfell]

I do not know how to churn butter. We have servants to do that.

( Perhaps it's too snippy a reply, though, so Sansa follows it up with another, longer message once she's had a moment to collect herself. )

My apologies. I only mean that I am a lady, so I have always had servants to cook my food and fetch for me. As far as relationships having to have good sex, I beg to differ. In my experience, men can find their pleasure well enough without women taking any in the act.

[withbite]

[A 'lady', mmm? Well, that made more sense as to the odd questioning and her... experience. He shook his head.]

Then whoever you know who's having their fun is doing it wrong. Good sex is good for both parties. Or all three parties. Whoever's involved. If only one person's getting their rocks off, that's just rude.

Might be a lady thing, too. Bet if you ask some of your servants, you'll find they get tickled the right way. You gotta ask for it. Or demand it. Or just take it.

air time

[stickypete]

Nah, all the etiquette stuff here is insane.

[Peter isn't going to mince words on this. He thinks this culture is a little nuts.]

Which I know probably isn't the anthropologically sound, culturally relativistic approach, but when the Queen is saying the culture has festered and gotten corrupt over the last 10,000 years, and the world is dying, I think it's fair to say they've got their wires crossed on a few things.

To be fair, I try not to be judgey about that kind of thing but you can definitely say it's weirdly and unnecessarily intricate. Also, since there's a lot of power imbalance between the castes and different gems, and a lot of random violence, it seems like it'd be hard for some people to tell someone else to back off if they don't want to be flirted with. Because of potential consequences.

Which is no bueno.

Re: air time

[theladyofwinterfell]

That is my fear. I am afraid that I will make some sort of misstep in how I speak to someone, or not return the attentions of a man and then I will be on the wrong side of some feud. It reminds me too much of my own home and I do not know the families or the politics here. I am afraid to speak up.

( Sansa has done this much, at least, but she worries that she won't be able to be assertive enough if she's pressured by someone of higher caste or darker Jewel. It seems these things dictate power more than family name, as it is in Westeros. )

I come from an old, respected family in my home. We've been on the wrong side of a war and decimated, yes, but my name has honor. I have no such reputation here to fall back upon. None of us who've come through as strangers have that benefit of reputation to protect us.

text

[stickypete]

You sound like you're from an old-timey kind of place.

[Or a fantasy novel type place.]

I think the Queen's name might be enough to protect us, but if not, we at least have each other. A few of us got darker gems and have powers of our own. Some have experience fighting very powerful people, both physically and through other less direct ways.

If someone gets too fresh, you have people willing to back you up if you say no. Or if you throw an elbow. (Whatever's your preference.)

But it's a terrible social norm considering all the people that don't have back up.

Re: text

[theladyofwinterfell]

Where I hail from, a woman hasn't got much to defend her reputation with. Of course, I was the daughter of a great house, so I have that but - a peasant girl wouldn't have any such protection if a lord decided he wanted her. I had no protection from being married twice against my will. In some ways, this place seems to treat women better and in others, I am not certain.

I wish I felt confident enough to actually fight. That's my sister. She has no qualms with striking a man. I don't even know where I would begin. I might try, of course, but I don't think I would get very fair. I haven't ever trained for that. It isn't something they train women to do where I'm from.

[stickypete]

[Oh boy that sounds bad. Definitely an old-timey place, where women are pretty much property. Peter takes some time before responding, partly because the idea of her being married twice against her will makes him want to throw something.]

[Although it's partly because he's in the middle of eating a meat pie and he got it all over his farcaster.]

There are people that can teach you how to fight. Some of the Queen's people train people every day at the palace and there are some of us that have experience we can lend.

I'd offer but my style isn't always something normal people can match. The best way to describe is that I'm altered into something that's not entirely natural and that means physically I'm capable of things normal humans aren't. But there are other people that might be able to teach you how to fight both physically and/or with magic.

And people willing to fight for you. We have to look out for each other here. Even the queen might not always do it for us.

Terrible Two(hundred)s

[midship]

[He does want to be supportive. As a general rule, after all, Horatio Hornblower is a supportive person, particularly to his betters--and, in all honesty, most people are his betters.

More than that, he wants to be supportive here and now to this young woman who clearly seems to know what she's about, with a voice that cuts well through the hubbub of shrieking chaos and a gentle manner the little ones seem at least moderately inclined to respond to. Surely that deserves his bolstering.

It's just this is genuinely something he cannot help with.

Not directly, anyway. Perhaps it will be sufficient to simply underline her thought.] Will-- you start them off, perhaps, ma'am?

Re: Terrible Two(hundred)s

[theladyofwinterfell]

( Sansa is still terribly uncertain about wrangling this many children who wield Craft but it seems children are still children no matter the realm and they do perk up a bit at the idea of singing a song. There's some clamoring over which song to sing and finally one boy pipes up and makes a request. )

Sing one together, Lady Sansa! You and Horatio should sing one together!

( Sansa glances over at her partner and gives the children a smile. )

Oh, but dear ones, he and I are from different places. He won't know the same ones as I do. We shouldn't put him on the spot now - that's a bit petrifying. Wouldn't you agree, sir?

[midship]

[The actual magic, of course, is magic, but there's still something quite magic-adjacent about the children settling into themselves. It even sounds, from the chattering, as if there might be a surfeit of tunes to distract the room with until a more properly qualified adult came to take command.

Unless this whole 'singing together' thing is a critical portion of the plan. Then, well, they're certainly on the cusp of defeat.

Horatio's features are fairly well trained into stillness, but it's very possible Sansa will notice the slight shift back of his weight at the suggestion. Hopefully there's nothing much wrong with regrouping in the face of simple requests from actual children.]

--hm. [Clearing his throat, as always, jumpstarts half an actual response.] I'm certain the children know it's-- quite important to face one's fears.

[That feels like the right thing to say. It isn't doing much to actually extract him from the situation, but it's probably what children ought to hear.

But also, clearly, already a regrettable thing to have said.]

[theladyofwinterfell]

Well, we'll do something a bit simple then, all right? I'll sing and we won't trouble Horatio unless he wants to join in of his own accord, all right?

( Sansa is quite comfortable singing, after all, and anything to take the focus off her companion seems a good idea at the moment. She starts singing a song she'd sung as a child at Winterfell, a silly little song about a tailor and a mouse. She has a high, clear soprano voice; she's always been a bit proud of it. It's easy to join in and after a while, some of the children start singing the chorus along with her. Once she's finished, she claps her hands a bit. )

Now, that was quite wonderful. I won't be able to instruct you in Craft quite like Lady Sheera but do all of you know how to vanish and call forth objects? I always have a bit of trouble with my shoes, you see, and if you'd help me learn it, I would certainly appreciate it.

( She looks to Horatio, gently inquisitive. )

Have you any insights about the finer points of basic Craft? I really do need all the help I can get. I'm quite hopeless.

[midship]

[The singing is almost certainly lovely. There's certainly an easy rhythm to the tune, and an identifiable clarity in her voice. The children seem to take to it well enough, which is far more important than Horatio abruptly growing the capacity to actually appreciate music or identify pitch.

Much more happily, the captivation of the children makes the room begin to feel faintly more familiar. Now that they're quiet and somewhat attentive, a number of their faces resemble far more the eager brightness of the ship's boys Horatio is far more used to wrangling. It's a natural thing to flit quietly down the rows, embellishing the chorus with the odd tuneless whistle and--more importantly--gently nudging the odd shoulder when a young attention span began to drift.

This is good. This is manageable. Craft is-- infinitely less so, but this is hardly the time to risk letting the calm that's settled over the room deteriorate again.]

Bit like everything else, ma'am. Matter of practice. [Another boy's attention seems to be wandering, but it's easily corrected by a light nudge.] Miss was nice enough to show us a song. Shall we thank her by showing her a bit of vanishing?

[Children have an oddly stringent sense of fairness, after all--more than quite a number of adults he'd known over the years.]

Terrible Two(Hundred)s

[garmr]

[He pauses when Sansa looks back at him, having nothing to offer her beyond looking totally out of his element.]

I.. don’t sing.

[Guts isn’t good at singing, or dancing, or talking to nobles and children. He didn’t know much about where this other Stranger came from, but she certainly had the air of a court lady, needless to say of the Prince that got them here. He averts his eyes from her, feeling rather useless and a little silly getting all his armor on only to end up in a room full of children. Casca had always been the one that knew how to avoid total embarrassment of the two of them, and it shows.

At the very least, he seems to be a good distraction for two girls reaching to play with his cape from their desks.]

Re: Terrible Two(Hundred)s

[theladyofwinterfell]

Oh, well, even if you hum along a bit I think that would be just fine. I would hardly force someone to sing if they weren't comfortable.

( Sansa peers down at the girls who are playing with his cape, eventually crouching a bit to be on their level. )

Are you interested in our friend's armor? Perhaps he can tell us a little about it, yes?

[garmr]

[For someone who had mastered his air of gruff austerity, he seemed oddly patient with the hands gripping at his clothes. As long as they didn’t wander too close to any of the less innocuous equipment strapped to him, that is. Magic kids and blades were never a good combination, regardless of the realm.

Her acknowledgment of the slight discomfort was admittedly a bit unexpected.]

What is there to explain? It’s what you wear when you don’t want to die.

[theladyofwinterfell]

( Sansa smiles a bit all the same, not wanting to alienate anyone. Of course armor was meant to protect someone from injury but she'd hoped a discussion about that would be less threatening. She turns back to the children. )

Could anyone tell me what you've worked on so far? I am very new to Craft so you could probably teach me things I don't know.

[garmr]

[The woman smiles, but he still gets the distinct feeling he messed up the answer. Maybe it was the way one of the eight year olds pops out from under the black cloth with an eagerness to know more about the morbid topic.

[He ignores the prodding questions from the girl - Why so many knives? Is that a metal arm? Can I touch it? What’s with the sword? - and makes another attempt to follow the other Stranger’s lead.]

I think that one’s working on his landing.

[He points up at one of the floating children clambering on the ceiling, looking back at them upside down.]

[song_of_ice]

[This is more than awkward.]

Even in Westeros, there were women that made overtures at married men. [He forces any thoughts of who his mother might be from his mind, focusing instead on Robert Baratheon and the way he behaved in Winterfell.] They have different morals here.

[theladyofwinterfell]

( Sansa's elation at seeing Jon cannot be tempered by this conversation and she gives him a smile all the same. Dear brother, she does know that extramarital affairs happen - it's only that it isn't encouraged in her experiences. )

Yes, certainly, but hardly with society's acceptance. It's quite frowned upon unless done in secret.

[song_of_ice]

[This was the last place he expected to find his sister and certainly not the way he wanted to be reunited, but he couldn't deny his relief at seeing her safe. Even if the conversation was a bit awkward to have.]

I suppose this doesn't shock me after living among the Free Folk. Their ways aren't the ways of noblemen either. I think you could call these people 'free' in a sense as well. They do as they please.

[theladyofwinterfell]

It's less a freedom than different priorities, I think. Blood hierarchy is complex but so unlike what we know. It seems the parentage from the woman's line is more important and they can deny a father paternity. Very different from Westeros, anyway.

( Sansa carefully doesn't use the word bastard. She never wants to say it around Jon, ever, and regrets she ever did in her past. She'd been young then, though, and not so close to him. Even if he's forgiven her, she doesn't think she can forgive herself. )

Their way of living reminds me of the South, though. The South as it was before the War of Five Kings - very decadent.