graveyardsmash | TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Welcome to the Ryslig Test Drive Meme! Below are a few prompts to get you started, but you may make up any prompt you desire! Please take a look at the navigation page for rules, setting information, and links to reserves and apps. Have fun!

SCENARIO ONE

You wake up in a dark ditch, the sky cloudy overhead. Dirt cakes into your cuts and scrapes. The air is clammy and damp, and it smells like rain.

You’re in a grave. And when you sit up to inspect the tombstone marking your spot, it has your name on it. Maybe the graves next to you have the names of familiar friends, family, acquaintances. Not all of them are open like yours are. RIP.

There’s a light dancing in the distance, and you hear the jingle-jangle of heavy keys, or worse still, the gravekeeper’s massive pitchfork or shovel. If you're lucky, you can sneak out beyond his notice, and get out alone. If not - you might find yourself on the wrong end of a shovel’s swing, or worse yet, tripping headfirst in front of a pair of monstrous eyes.

SCENARIO TWO

You've stumbled your way out of the graveyard, and you're promptly besieged by the overwhelming sights and sounds of the city. Cars honk at you to get out of the street, and strangers try not to look in your direction for too long. They see your dirty clothes and scraped faces, and pretend to busy themselves with something else. Rarely, a look of pity is cast your way.

But some people try to reach out. Enterprising citizens and those that hope to curry favor with the newcomers pass out new clothes and bundles of food, asking if you have a place to stay the night, wondering about the details of the world you came from. Some are even handing out pamphlets which vary in how helpful they are--"What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)", "Wolpertinger: Fact or Fiction?", "100% ACCURATE MONSTER QUIZ ASSESSMENT: GUARANTEED TO PREDICT YOUR MONSTER!", and "Ryslig Law In A Nutshell".

Then there are the people who aren't happy to see you at all. Glares and silent, judging stares if you're lucky, torches and pitchforks attempting to drive you out of the town if you're not. You may need a friend to help you.

SCENARIO THREE

"Seek us out," the voice whispers in your head, and before you have time to question it you've found yourself in someplace entirely alien.

Maybe it's the Fog God's ghostly town of Dyster, where exultant followers dance around bonfires and sing their praises to the skies above. Maybe it's the Fourth God's arcade, with small robots wheeling about amidst the lights and colors of old pinball machines.

Only one thing is certain: you are not alone, in this sacred place.

SCENARIO FOUR

The time has come and you've found yourself becoming a monster. Is the change instant, or gradual? Are you familiar enough with monsters to know what's happening, or is it a complete shock? Does it fit you, or does it feel incongruous with your nature? Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Alphinaud inclines his head a bit with understanding. If she looks closely, Nana might notice his own clothing is still smudged with dirt.]

It's alright. You are certainly not the only one to react as much, myself included.

[He's glad to see she's not hurt though, at least from what he can tell.]

I've not been long awake myself...but I thought it would be best to stay awhile to help the others. Ours are not the only graves here.

That makes me feel a little better. But I should ask - are you all right? And I'm Nana.

[Nana's looking him over now, concern in her eyes. She's not nearly as worried about herself as she probably should be.]

I think that's an excellent idea. Let's be a little on guard, though. I get the feeling that the person responsible for digging those graves -

[With that, she shudders involuntarily.]

- probably isn't too far away.

[Right, introductions are in order, aren't they?]

Pray forgive my impoliteness. I am Alphinaud Leveilleur. Physically I am well as I can be...mentally I might have to get back to you on.

[Like, he's...fine? He's not where he needs to be though, which is more distressing than anything else. He's fairly certain he's not in Eorzea, but then...where?]

Right. All has been quiet for the time being since most of the graves nearby have been vacated since I woke. Someone may be coming by to start checking once they realize the graves have been disturbed.

[Which...yeah, he's pretty sure neither of them want to be around for that.]

Stay close to me, alright? At the very least it would be unwise to get separated.

[Nana listens carefully to his name - not Japanese, she thinks. Probably French, like Claudine's back home. She's also making a careful mental note on the pronunciation.]

Daiba Nana, then, but just Nana is fine. Is Alphinaud-san okay? The honorific, I mean.

[She looks around, then, and down at her sides; she hadn't made a note of what she was wearing before. It's her school uniform and not her Revue uniform. Nana frowns at the realization that she doesn't have a weapon on her.]

I agree, and I will.

[The Elezen- or...perhaps he's not so much one anymore here, not that he's realized it yet- tilts his head a bit at the usage of the honorific. It's not something he's heard in that exact way before, but it smacks as familiar all the same, somehow...]

It's quite alright. A pleasure to meet you then, Nana.

[His brows knit together when he notices the way she's searching herself, and it makes him wonder just what sort of world she hails from. He at least isn't unarmed, but he'd already discovered earlier that his grimoire is in effect useless at the moment. He can't summon his carbuncle, much less use any sort of spells.

As long as they don't run into trouble though, it'll be fine. It's fine.

Alphinaud starts to walk past her down the path along the front of the graves with recently overturned earth, making note of the few that haven't opened up yet. There aren't all that many of them left, here...]

I've been wracking my brain, trying to fathom how this sort of thing could have happened. Being buried alive...surely that's not something one would simply forget. But the last thing I remember...

[Well. It wasn't that, he can assure you.]

[To say her world is complicated is an understatement. As it stands, she tries not to think too hard about it. While she would certainly rather have a sword on her, she also knows that if they can get out of the situation without a fight, that's far better.]

Same here.

[She nods.]

- mm. The last thing I remember wasn't pleasant - a fight with someone that's special to me - but it didn't end that badly. We worked things out in the end, and she never would have hurt anyone like that. Not Junna-chan.

I see...fighting with anyone, but particularly those you hold dear, is never a pleasant experience. I am sorry you had to go through that.

[He hates that what he has to share in turn isn't much better, a sigh passing his lips as they pass more graves, more of them dug up now than not.]

The last thing I remember...well. There are parts of my world that are currently embroiled in war, and myself and a contingent of our closest allies are doing what we can to aid in the efforts. It pains me to be someplace else when I have urgent matters to attend to elsewhere.

[Nana is quiet for a long moment, looking around to see if anyone needs help. Her problems seem so small and insignificant compared to a war. When she finally speaks, it's quietly.]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

[Nana knows perfectly well how cliched her response is, but it's genuine despite that.]

I can't imagine being taken away in the midst of something so important. I hope we can find a way to get you back to your allies. I'll do whatever I can to help.

Your concern is much appreciated. It isn't your fault, of course...it isn't anyone's, really. It is simply the result of those seeking too much power, and being more than willing to trample the lives of the lesser fortunate to obtain it.

[He hopes, dearly, that whatever place he's found himself in isn't dealing with something similar. But while Alphinaud might be young, he has been in this business long enough to know that perfect peace is a tenuous thing, and not often easily gained or even actually attainable.]

I think we both will be able to focus more on finding a way back to our respective homes once we've gotten more information about the place we find ourselves in now. Have you seen any more disturbances in the graves?

[He's wondering if Nana might have actually been one of the last to wake, now that he thinks about it.]

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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Alphinaud Leveilleur | FFXIV | OTA

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