farsickooc | Test Drive Meme #1

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*test drive meme

Test Drive Meme #1

Welcome to Fernweh's Test Drive Meme! Do you have an interest in joining the game? Need to make sure the setting works for you and your character first? Or have you made the decision to join the game and need fresh samples for your application? Whatever the reason, feel free to use the scenarios however you wish.

You know what to do! If you don’t, just follow the instructions.

How To Play:

→ Comment with the character you would like to test drive (duplicates are allowed)
→ Choose a scenario or start your own
→ Tag around
→ Have fun!

SCENARIOS

01. Arrival

You have been sitting and staring at the sign above you for some time now, lost in a blur of swirling questions that seems to start with how you ended up there; in a place (and time, maybe) that you know you weren't an hour earlier. Or maybe you're an old hand at this by now and you've figured out that this is simply another stop that the multiverse bus has made. So why not get off and look around a little?

At any rate, the sign points you towards the direction of a place called "Gazin", which looks like a decent-sized town from where you stand. There has to be someone who can explain.

02. Around Town

So, you've settled in. Well, mostly. At least you know where things are without taking too many wrong turns and ending up in the less desirable areas of town. But now you can go about your day. Visit the market, check out the local shops or have a drink with a new friend at one of several inns.

03. Exploring

You've heard people talk about some pretty interesting places and now you're itching to get out and find them. Be careful though, there are creatures and monsters out there that will be pretty interested in meeting you and may wish to have you for its next meal. Better take someone along. And maybe some weapons, too. Make sure one is made of silver.

04. Monsters

So, you managed to find that location you were looking for. Good for you! Only.. it seems you've also found one of the native creatures to the area and you now face to face with it. Um. Good luck! We'll see you when you get back!

Hopefully.

05. Celebration

It won't take long for you to figure out that people of Gazin are, all in all, pretty happy people. It shows, too, when a seemingly quiet evening suddenly bursts into a random, impromptu party to celebrate whatever good fortune has touched a person. Name Days, good harvests, betrothals, weddings, or just life in general.

Sing, dance, drink and be happy, too!

06. Wild Card!

Want something else? Feel free to choose your own adventure or mix and match to create something completely different!

NAVIGATION

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ARRIVAL.

Well. This isn’t what Aella expected. At fucking all. The landsmeet had ended, and she’d spared Loghain’s life. Because no matter how fucking badly she wanted to end him... she’s barely grown. She had no great knowledge of strategy or how to command ARMIES. She’s barely managed to keep her motley band of misfits together.

(She hadn’t, though. Alistair left. Because she spared Loghain. Without giving her even a moment to explain WHY. Her reason didn’t matter. It only mattered that she hadn’t murdered him where he stood.)

Loghain was a soldier. A general. And a good one, before he’d gone and fucked everything up. She needed his expertise. Needed him to help her to make sure this worked. Make sure they won. Make sure she knew what she needed to before the battle was joined. She had to put aside her desire to end him. For Ferelden. No matter how much it fucking bothered her. She needed him.

The Landsmeet ended, they’d won the day and she’d convinced them to side with her, and Loghain became a Warden... But Alistair was gone and they still had an Archdemon to face.

All she’d wanted was to be somewhere else. ANYWHERE ELSE. She didn’t want this. Didn’t want to be the one on who the fate of the entire fucking world depended. (She wanted Alistair back. He could have listened. Could have trusted her. He’d followed her across the world, he couldn’t give her one chance to explain?)

And now she’s here. Apparently near some town called Gazin. Which sure as shit isn’t anywhere familiar; she’s done a lot of travelling and looked at a lot of maps and hadn’t seen hide or hair of anywhere called Gazin. Doesn’t change the fact that she’s here, now.

So she sighs, brushing a few loose strands of hair back behind a pointed ear, and sets off to find out more about where the hell she is. At least she’s gotten used to travelling. And roughing it.

AROUND TOWN.

On the upside, no one looks at her ears twice, here in Gazin. No insults or disparaging comments or people treating her like shit, like something less just because she’s an elf. On the downside, she’s a long way from home. A long way from everything she needs to do. It’s practically fucking peaceful, here. She thinks she likes it, if she didn’t feel like she’d abandoned everything and everyone that was important.

Still, there’s not much she can damn well DO about that, so she settles in. Finds a place to stay. At least she was alright on the gold front. Turns out all the gathering (and looting) she’d done before the Landsmeet comes in fucking handy. She’ll need a job still, probably, but at least she can take a little time. Figure out what the hell she CAN do, here. The blacksmith is promising, and so are the taverns. And the breadmaker. She’s got options, is what she’s saying.

But she is used to being a whole lot more busy than this. It’s weird not to be fighting anything or doing her best to navigate politics. Or choose fucking rulers. There was that, too. There’s talk of things in the forest, though. So yeah, she absolutely heads out there for some exploring when the calm and lack of... complicated bullshit gets to her too much.

Is she surprised when she runs headlong into trouble? No she is NOT.

CELEBRATION.

It’s been a long time since Aella has had reason to celebrate. She supposes that her wedding would have been the last time, technically, but it had gone to shit before vows could even be spoken, let alone celebrations to come after. And it’s been nothing but chaos and death and hell since. Have to save the fucking world.

So it feels pretty weird to be surrounded by revelry like this. It’s nice, too, though. An odd little reprieve from... everything. It’d be better with Zevran were here with her, and Morrigan. Leliana, too. But it’s just her right now, so she grabs a drink and tries to enjoy herself. Or at least soak in the celebration going on around her. Listening to the sounds of happy people with no cares in the world.

WILD CARD.

[CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE.]

Edited 2020-03-14 22:52 (UTC)

Sometimes, trouble is explosions, sometimes its dragons, and sometimes, it is a 6'9" tall hero from another age wrestling two harpies while keeping them away from a child who is screaming its eyes out.

Oh, and he's singing, while he's doing it.

It's a loud and bawdy song and he sings out of tune, but with very strong lungs. Probably easily heard for quite a ways. He finally sighs and glares at the harpies.

"You two are no fun." And he hurls them into the air, as high as he can... they clear the treetops before managing to dizzily regain their flight. Of course, that is when a large boar, startled by the noise, charges out of the underbrush.

Morrigan isn't one for celebrations; she's the kind of woman who has spent the past months pointedly setting up her own camp well away from the group's circle of tents and never budged from this. Yet celebrations mean good food and drink and the opportunity to observe people when they let down their guard. Tongues loosen after some beers, there is much to be learned about the people in this town which she only enters when she must.

Besides, maybe it does get a little lonely. Just a little. Not that she's planning to admit to it.

She is chewing on a skewer with savory pieces of meat and wanders around aimlessly, taking in the sights and the merrymaking to which she is only a bystander and... She pauses to watch a group of friends.

So Aella, drink in hand, doesn’t really expect to actually SEE a familiar face in midst of celebration. She wants to, of course, she just doesn’t think she’s going to be lucky enough to have that happen. So when she sees Morrigan, it takes her a minute to realise that it’s actually her. (Honestly she first thinks that maybe she’s finally lost her damn mind, first, before going to the it’s really her idea.)

She’s grinning, she can’t fucking help it. She’s missed the witch’s sarcasm and attitude. She’d missed her friend. “Morrigan!” she calls, winding her way through the crowds to her side. “I didn’t really think you were the celebrating type.” There’s fond, gentle teasing in her voice; she doesn’t mean any harm with her words. “I’m glad, though. It’s good to see you.”

That... is someone calling her name and sounding delighted to see her, which would be strange enough at home but even stranger in this place. Morrigan just remains standing where she is and waits.

Of course, when the happy elf makes her way through the crowd, that doesn't resolve this mystery either. She looks her up and down blankly and tries to recall if she is one of these random villagers she had to run errands for at Surana's insistence.

"'Tis because I'm not the celebrating type," she confirms wryly. And then, because there is no way around it, "Who are you?"

Everything’s fine until Morrigan says those words. ‘Who are you?’ And Aella’s world comes to a stop. After everything – her wedding-that-wasn’t, Ostagar, the Landsmeet, Loghain, Alistair... It feels like she’s been kicked in the fucking chest; it has to be a dream. Another bullshit trip through the Fade. Only it’s not. There’s no recognition on Morrigan’s face. It’s like they’re strangers.

Which. They must be. For however they might clash at times, they’re still friends and Morrigan would never do this. “Aella. Tabris.” Her name tastes like fucking ash on her tongue. It’s fine. Everything is fine. She’ll just... introduce herself all over again. “We’ve just been travelling together for the past who the fuck knows how long.” Flippant. Like it’s no big deal. “Your mother rescued me” she doesn’t mention Alistair, she can’t right now. “when Ostagar was overrun.”

And she’d murdered her later. For the woman in front of her. So yeah. This is great.

For what it's worth, Morrigan isn't enjoying this either, for all that she is careful to keep up the pretense of not giving a damn. It's a good pretense to have but it's very far from the truth, and can't quite fully cover up her disquiet with this situation. This is not some random villager she ran into once, the elf looks stricken at not being recognized... and then she mentions Ostagar. She mentions Flemeth.

Every pretense of being unbothered goes out of the window with the realization that this seems to hint at something completely impossible and yet...

"My mother did save two Grey Wardens: Neria Surana and her pet - the sword-swinging one, not the dog." She shifts, sizing the woman up with eyes searching for any hint of a lie or a joke but she can't see why she would, either. There is nothing to be gained from this game. "She has been dragging me all over Ferelden ever since, from Lothering and Redcliffe to the Frostback Mountains and Brecilian Forest."

That kind of comes across like she’s being accused of lying, and Aella is really not here for that. She folds her arms and lifts her chin a little, meeting Morrigan’s gaze steadily and with a little bit of challenge. “Yeah, no. Pretty sure if this Surana existed in my world she died in the fucking tower. The place kind of went to shit. And sure, Alistair turned out to be functionally useless in the end, but he was there for everything, too.” There’s a twist of something there, too quick for anyone to pinpoint because she’s got that shit on lockdown when it comes to feelings and she’s not going to show vulnerability to a friend that’s not her friend. No thanks.

“It’s been a real fun time. Got to help choose a ruler in Orzammer, which, you know, not exactly something I ever expected to do. But if I never see a broodmother again it will be too fucking soon.” ~~Too bad the next one is going to TALK.~~ She still has nightmares about that. About what it could mean for her. She has nightmares about a lot of things, anymore. And only some of them are thanks to the fucking Archdemon.

She takes note of that reaction when Aella Tabris mentions Alistair, her brows arching up. Looks like there is a story there, and like someone isn't much of a fan... She won't even try to deny she is curious but before she can inquire further, Aella speaks of going to Orzammar.

"You have been to Orzammar, you say..." A king, a broodmother. "'Tis quite curious, for my Wardens were planning to go to Orzammar as well... but we hadn't gone yet, when I was brought here."

She steps a little closer to Tabris, starting to walk around her as if closer scrutiny could give her the answers she wants. In all actuality, all these discoveries are simply making her antsy and she wants to move around.

"What strange and powerful magic. I have met people from worlds different from ours, but I didn't think I'd meet someone from a twisted mirror image." Her lips curl. "Now if that isn't quaintly poetic."

“Oh, they will. Have fun with that.” If they ever leave this place, anyway. (Not that Aella is in much of a fucking hurry for that.) “They’ve dealt with the elves and the wolves in Brecilian Forest, though, I’m assuming. The demon possessing a kid in Redcliffe?”

She turns with Morrigan as she walks around her, because like hell she’s going to let the stranger wearing her friend’s face behind her. She’s been stabbed in it enough for one year, thank you.

“From where I stand you’re the one from a twisted mirror image,” she retorts, before turning the tables. “Did you know your mother can turn into a dragon? That was quite the fucking surprise. Or maybe she IS a dragon. I don’t know. Didn’t really have time to ask her any questions about it.”

The undisguised display of distrust is noted and in a strange way, Morrigan even appreciates it. Aella Tabris won't turn her back on someone she doesn't know. That's real and honest, no games to it... and with the discovery she had made right before ending up in Gazin, she really doesn't think she can handle anymore games.

She narrows her teeth at the mention of Flemeth, and a dragon Flemethn at that, and swallows hard. She stops her attempts to circle Aella and just looks at her. "So then you have done it," she says, her voice flat, "you have gone and fought her. For... me." Her mirror self, the one Tabris would rather have here.

But she's done it, has done for Morrigan what she sees as a lost cause with her own Warden.

Aella doesn’t have the energy for games. Oh, she can play them, and can play them damn well; has fucking had to in her frantic dash around Ferelden to try and stop the Blight. But she doesn’t like it, and won’t if she has any fucking say in the matter. She much prefers shit to be straightforward. Fights are so much more simple.

She closes her eyes and just, exhales tiredly, before looking at Morrigan. “Murdered the woman who saved my life to protect you? Yeah. I did.” She’d asked it of her and Aella’d fucking done it. Had turned down Flemeth’s deal and fought her. Killed her. “She offered me an alternative, you know. Take the grimoire and some robes and let her live. And I didn’t fucking take it.”

Because Morrigan is her friend, and she couldn’t dare risk the chance that Flemeth would use that second chance to hurt her.

Her eyes widen momentarily before she looks away altogether, her expression glum, shoulders hunched.

"Then there is no way I can count on my Warden to do the same," is all she says. For even if Surana won't refuse her request outright, there is no way she can resist the opportunity of a loophole, of some clever bargain.

But this Warden had refused and Morrigan scrutinizes her all over again, once more trying to take the measure of her when that is something you really only can do once you are on the road. Words tell you little about people, it takes actions to see. But words are all she has for now.

"Why did you not take it? You could have returned and told me you had killed her."

Well THAT just stabs Aella right in the heart. What sort of woman was this Morrigan’s Warden to fold so easily when confronted with a fucking loophole? (She kind of hates her, not going to lie. This Surana. You don’t fucking do that.)

She bears her scrutiny without blinking; she supposes she’d do the same if she was having to deal with this shit. So she just looks back at her, watchful. Thoughtful. Until Morrigan’s question, anyway.

“Because it was fucking WRONG!” Her answer is immediate and just a touch on the vehement side. “If I did that, if I took that deal and she came back and used that second chance to hurt you? To take your body for her own vessel? I would never have forgiven myself. I couldn’t take that chance. No matter how much I fucking owed her for saving my life. You’re my friend.”

She just stares at the sudden outburst, just for once all out of sarcastic responses and blithe jabs. That is real. Real caring. For a mere stranger wearing a familiar face even. What an odd woman this Aella Tabris is. Odd, yet remarkable.

And then she goes even farther, calling Morrigan her friend and if she weren't already speechless that would certainly do it. How do you even react to someone telling you they are your friend? She's never been in the situation before, and sarcasm doesn't seem to be right response just this once.

"Your Morrigan is a lucky woman," is what she finally settles on. She regards Tabris cautiously still not quite certain how to react. It's disquieting to be talking to someone who knows you well while you don't know anything about them at all. "Loyalty like yours is rare." She lets a heartbeat pass. "How did she earn it?"

Aella is surprised that Morrigan’s surprised. Surprised that she surprised her. (And isn’t that a fucking mouthful.) If the way she’s being stared at is any indication, anyway. It’s what she deserves for her outburst, probably.

“I don’t know. You just did.” Fuck, this was going to get annoying. “She just did. We’ve fought together. Bled together. Nearly died together. You’re helping me save the fucking world, after all.” And you didn’t leave. You stayed. Alistair left and you didn’t. The thought goes unsaid because she’s said too damn much already. “Somewhere along the way... we became friends.” Now she can’t imagine doing this shit without her.

And even knowing that this isn’t her Morrigan, this isn’t the Morrigan she knows, the Morrigan who gives a damn about her... it doesn’t change the fact that she does. She cares a whole fucking lot for Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds.

You... She... That is indeed going to get confusing and annoying, but Morrigan finds herself not being all too bothered by the mix-up. It's rare enough for a stranger to trust her more for knowing who she is.

Morrigan looks pensive at being called a friend, weight shifting from one leg to the other. "I don't remember the friendship you had with that other Morrigan," she says, still looking thoughtful, "but you seem like someone I wouldn't mind fighting side by side with." She arches a brow at her, faintly amused. "I'd say saving the world may just make you someone worth bothering with."

More like, this is a woman who must have already learned everything there is to know about Morrigan... and she still wants to be her friend.

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Test Drive Meme #1

Aella Tabris | Dragon Age (AU)

Wild card-around town

Re: Aella Tabris | Dragon Age (AU)

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