testdrive | welcome to the new age.

[geistnet]

testdrive meme.

1. First Day At Falner
You have just arrived at Falner Estate, a sprawling, beautiful, 400-hectare co-located space between Britain, Germany, and the Philippines, and the main base of Netsach. The flora and fauna in the area gives both a sense of familiarity as it looks at first glance like things you’ll find on Earth, and a weird sense of otherworldliness. Given the size of the place, the Estate is less of a compound and more like a town unto itself. The older buildings within the estate are gothic in their construction, and clear throwbacks to 19th Century Europe. The newer facilities, however, sport cutting edge contemporary designs that were clearly inspired by Fourth World architecture and technology.

If you want a better idea on what can be found on the estate, you can refer to this link.


2. A Day On The Job
You are pushing papers at Methuselah, doing research at the Arcanum, or going out on patrol -- whatever it is that you're doing, it's just another day for you as a Hunter of the Vigil.


3. Let's Head Down to Haven
Find yourself itching for a night out on the town? Why not head over to Haven, the classy nightclub that looks like a large, monolithic black building with no visible windows from the outside and the name of the club emblazoned in bold, white letters on one side.

Haven is located in Makati City, and is open to the public (especially the local supernatural community), but you might want to prepare yourself to wait in line for a very, very long time – unless you’re a Hunter, of course.

Falner’s Maenad Division holds office on top of Haven, as does Ordo Daywalker. Some of Haven’s staff also live above the night club.


4. The Awakening
Want to tag out your character's origin story? Set the stage and let's see where things go.


5. Choose Your Own Adventure
If none of the suggested premises hit the mark, feel free to set things up and let's do a tag round.


Instructions for the Testdrive:
1. Specify your chosen scenario number on the subject line.
2. Should you wish to tag with a specific character already established within Waking the Dead, indicate who. The current list of available NPCs can be found over here.

Comments

Mason Turner, Option 1, Open

[nimble_fingaz]

All things considered, the trip to the Falner Estate makes Mason realize how desperately the Kindred cling to their inner mundies. There was, after all, that old saying: "When you receive the Dark Gift, you become more of what you were in life."

He was expecting an elite Netsach hit squad armed to the teeth, blowing through his Invictus guards like wet tissue paper. Instead he had been greeted by a smile and a Spaniard: the famous Golden Hand, her equally-esteemed husband and the former's Ordo Dracul escorts, who had of all things managed to engage his assembled courtiers in some witty repartee. With the violence of the past month he was expecting Detroit's Kindred to put up a fight at the first sign that he was leaving, but what transpired seemed more like he was a tired CEO being dragged off to a much-needed vacation—all smiles, goodbyes and well-wishes. He had come to expect a team of mages ready with a portal to take him straight to the fabled Haven, but the entire group simply took a flight back to Manila with him in tow.

He distinctly remembers wondering if the woman who had strutted into his audience chamber really was the Golden Hand he'd heard so much about. His eyes told him that she was eighteen; the Beast inside told him that she was roughly twice his age in 'vampire years'. The dead told tales of how she could singlehandedly kill an entire Belial's Brood coven with her eyelashes or how one snap of her fingers could force the vitae out of your veins, all at once. Some even believed that simply saying her name would bring Ordo Daywalker down on your haven like the proverbial hammer driving a stake through a heart.

The Inquisitor who had flown him across the world proved to be none of this; truth be told, she seemed more like that favorite aunt who's always ready with a peck on the forehead and a hug when you scrape your knees.

He takes in the sights of the Estate: The hover trams, the old-school architecture alongside Fourth World innovations, the people. Oh, the people!

A vampire's first impulse upon arrival is always to size up potential prey and other predators upon arrival, but nothing in his 'education' as a prince had prepared Mason for the sight of so many different mundies and supernaturals in one place. Though the Veil had been lifted decades ago and supernaturals were part of a kid's schooling these days, Detroit's prince had seen none of that during his mortal life and only other Kindred in his first month among the dead. His head would be spinning if he was still biologically capable of being dizzy.

After a month of the boot-licking and throne-sitting, here he stands thinking that in the end, he really is just a petty thief who by happenstance picked the biggest pocket of them all.

[outstanding]

"Quite the view, right?"

Hello there stranger, have another Kindred walk your way, hands in her pockets and discrete smile on her face. Only a week "old", the power of her blood isn't all that impressive, probably, and judging by her walk and own obvious interest she isn't there to throw her weight around. What weight anyway? She's a petite blonde with fangs, and seriously not one to go and cry to her sire (mostly because her sire is pretty damn scary); no, she's there because she might have heard of a vampire is arriving and hey, he's a vampire.

"Newly arrived I assume?"

[nimble_fingaz]

(*OOC: *Testing, testing. Let's see if I can reply via email 'coz I have no DW access at work. Unfortunately I can't muck around with the icons.)

"Yep, just flew in from Detroit."

It takes the other vampire's greeting to make him realize that he's been gawking for the past few minutes, snapping him out of his reverie. Predator's instinct kicks in. Size up the competition. Blood talks before you do. Back straight, eyes on the newcomer. Regal bearing.

Much to his relief this one seems far younger than the other Kindred he was normally surrounded with back home -- no Beast trying to cow his into submission this time. He manages a bit of a smile.

"Quite a place Netsach's got here, huh?"

[outstanding]

Ella's smile grows a bit; it's funny how vampires might not always think the world of their fellow Kindred but they will nonetheless adhere to certain rules of etiquette all the same. She is too young to properly handle herself in any way other than what she feels is approachable and nice, but it could also be innocent and weak. Oh well.

"You can say that again. I keep thinking I'll get lost on the forest past dawn. I'm usually counting down the hours anyway." Is that considered TMI? Probably. "I'm Ella by the way. Nice to meet you."

[nimble_fingaz]

He resists the temptation to go into the princely greeting that was drilled into him: enunciating his full name and mouthing off the titles attached to it. Once again, a mental note to himself that's he's no longer on courtly business.

"Name's Mason, sometimes Mace for short. You been here long?"

[outstanding]

"Mason," she says, decides, almost. She doesn't know him well enough to use nicknames.

"Only five days, ever since I was Embraced. Talk about being a fledgling. How old are you? Is that a thing you can ask other vampires?" She's still learning the ropes, obviously.

[nimble_fingaz]

"I think I've been dead for around..." he takes a moment to mentally count the nights, "a bit more'n a month." Has it already been that long? A brief pause at the completely honest second question -- he had grown accustomed to a political environment wherein a vampire took care never to show how little one really knew about...things.

"So, where do the Kindred normally hang out in these parts?"

[outstanding]

"Oh, so not that much. You're still older than me though, if we count living years." Ella has an idea of why would vampires want to keep that sort of information, but so far her exposition to this new unlife has been all about trying to make a smooth transition, so the usual avatars of the Danse Macabre are unknown to her. Ignorance is bliss, apparently.

"You know what, I have no idea. I usually spend the night alone or with my sire if she's around, or I run with someone else like you."

[nimble_fingaz]

"Speaking of. Who is your sire anyway?"

He sounds genuinely, positively, flat-out curious. Honest casual conversation being a rarity among the Kindred he has met, he finds himself practically treasuring the fact that the very first vampire he's met in this strange new place isn't milking him for information or trying to petition for something.

[outstanding]

"That would be Barbara Gomez, Golden Hand of Ordo Daywalker. You know her?"

What were we saying about ignorance???

Finally, home with dem icons again. Woooo!

[nimble_fingaz]

There is absolutely no hiding it -- his jaw practically drops and his eyes widen at the revelation.

She has a--

"Well, congra...I mean, wow. The childe of the Golden Hand."

It takes all of his restraint to keep himself from kowtowing on the spot.

"Dragged my ass out of Detroit and flew me here, actually. Far more pleasant company than a lot of the Kindred I know, I gotta say."

priceless face

[outstanding]

Ella's shrug is more uncomfortable than anything else. She's far from smug or proud. Grateful, yes, but her sire's station hasn't really made her feel like anything in particular.

"It doesn't really mean a thing? She's the Golden Hand, after all. I'm just something of an unexpected charity act." Even though she knows Barbie doesn't think of her like that. "She's been good to me though."

Ella laughs sheepishly. "Yeah you first feel like she's going to tear you a new one and then she acts completely different. I think she mentioned in passing something about you coming, but she didn't elaborate. Are you in trouble?

[ktotheatothez]

Today had been a normal day: he saw Nico off with the Vucari, had breakfast with the Brennans and the Leitmans and dropped Yuka off at home, seeing as both Mamita and Granma wanted her to themselves today. That, of course, left Kaz to his usual things at Rhiannon and Balamb.

Point of fact, he'd been on his way to see Aidan before going to class when he saw the tall mass of a man, instinctively thinking that it was Brigade until he felt the Flow around him.

'Interesting...' he thinks, because not a lot of Kindred are up this early, and in fact, he only knows three who would be: Tita Barbie, Uncle Rau, and Grandfather. Which is why he's got his phone out, in case he needs to make that call.

Still not getting over TITA Barbie. :3

[nimble_fingaz]

The Kindred newcomer manages to tear his eyes away from the glorious Falner sprawl long enough to notice the, to his senses, perfectly normal human being currently wielding his phone.

"Oh hey, uhh. I just got here. S'cuse me but...would you know the way to Haven?"

Normal? Ha ha.

[ktotheatothez]

'New to Falner, and asking to go to Haven. Hm.' If anything, Kaz has learned to keep a pokerface when trying to gauge someone, and the typical Zobel de Ayala grace when meeting someone new.

"Oh, Haven, huh? Most Hunters know the way to it, but uh, here."

He strides over to the Vampire, seeing as no names have been given yet, and pulls up a map of Falner's districts, and he points out where Haven is.

"What brings you to Falner?"

Re: Normal? Ha ha.

[nimble_fingaz]

"Business, I...think."

Okay, looks mortal but he's most definitely a Hunter. We're in Hunter central after all. Don't do anything stupid.

"Inquisitor Gomez just flew me in from Detroit. I'm...trying to get my bearings I guess?"

Of course, first thing any vampire'd do in a new place: Find others of his kind.

[ktotheatothez]

"Inquisitor Barbara Gomez?" Kaz asks, mostly because for Tita Barbie to send anyone to Falner, that means they're of interest to her, or to the Vigil.

He tucks his phone away as well, now very curious about this one, and his manners eventually return.

"Ah, where are my manners. I'm Kaz, Kaz Raio-Zobel de Ayala."

[nimble_fingaz]

"Turner. Mason Turner."

His hand comes forward for a shake.

[ktotheatothez]

Kaz shakes Mason's hand, returning with a firm grip of his own.

"Well, Mr. Turner, I'm not the Kaiser or Ti-Inquisitor Gomez, but welcome to the Falner Estate. If you like, I could show you around."

['You nearly slipped.'] Roxas pipes up in Kaz's head. His Persona's chuckling, but understands why. There's no need to draw attention.

'Shh, he seems friendly enough. Besides, you know Tita Barbie.'

Let it never be said, though, that he didn't err on the side of caution.

[nimble_fingaz]

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot, actually.

He can't help but kick himself inside for not bothering to learn Auspex. Instead of being able to assess a threat better, he's reduced to simply seeing everyone in terms of "yes" or "no" on the mortal-to-undead scale of supernatural beings.

"Apparently I'm gonna be here awhile."

[ktotheatothez]

"Well, all these places and I'd rather think we have a lot of time... Where would you like to start? I'm scheduled to teach a class in a little while, but if you'd like to tag along..."

He needs to make his daily quota of Doctor Who references, and better to use them on an unsuspecting subject, rather than his brothers, one of whom would put him in a headlock, the other would threaten to erase his game saves, and the other one was in space. Yulia would probably stab him.

"Although, uh, Mason? Isn't being up this early draining you of Vitae?"

Actually true based on the rules, it's only 1 Vitae to wake up IIRC. :3

[nimble_fingaz]

"Nah, I'm good. We actually only have to feed every few nights."

He pauses to consider the options.

"Class might be good, actually. I think I'm scheduled to start attending one or more of those in fact. Or something."

[ktotheatothez]

"I doubt you'll be with me for those classes... I teach kids, mostly. But you never know."

Much like Aria, he was teaching kids that were teaming up and would eventually be ready for their initiation. But that was a long way off, still.

"Shall we, then?"

sup brah

[bladeweaver]

You feel a pat on your back on that dance floor on Haven, just on top of the spot where your heart would be. The voice that accompanies that gesture is friendly and welcoming, though, as if the back pat was nothing other than a simple greeting, even though both of you would probably know that it is not.

"There are seven wallets on this dance floor ripe for the picking, along with around ten more on several of the tables. But you already knew that, didn't you, mister vampire sir?"

Do forgive him. He likes the occasional practical joke, even if he is supposedly a straitlaced Obrimos mage. No one survives a war without a healthy dose of skepticism, too.

Re: sup brah

[nimble_fingaz]

Actually, that's eight if you count...

He turns around to face the newcomer, somewhat surprised to see an older mortal in this place.

"Well, that depends on what you classify as ripe for the picking."