TEST DRIVE ; no. 1

[powergamer]

TEST DRIVE MEME

So first of all, welcome to Dyspros' very first test drive meme! We're happy that you're interested in the game, and we hope that you have some fun playing with the setting, regardless of whether you decide to join or not.

As a general reminder, we recommend that you look over the game information before jumping in. In addition, if you decide you're ready to join, you're welcome to put in a reserve, and applications will open on May 4th at 12:01 AM (EST). Finally, if you have any questions or concerns, please send us a message!

So now, without further ado, let's get to playing:

A ; NEW RECRUIT

Well then, welcome to the guild, Initiate! After some thought (or maybe the choice was obvious), you've finally settled on a guild, and you're ready to get started. You're welcome to check out your accommodations and see what kind of people you'll be living with for the foreseeable future. This is your home now, so hopefully you get alone with them. If not, then you can just spend all of your time sharpening your skills!

Whether you're just claiming your bed or you're jumping right into the thick of things to practice or sign up for a mission, a new recruit is unlikely to go unnoticed.

B ; MISSION TIME

It's your first mission, which is pretty exciting, right? You have all these pictures in your head of going off to fight a dragon, to come home with great riches and valor...

Too bad those missions are for the higher ups.

No, it's the middle of the night, and you're out guarding the small fields just outside of town from wild animals. Right now you're standing by the cucumbers, which are considered especially important to guard, for some reason. You have to fight off sleepiness somehow, so maybe an animal will come out for you to scare off, or maybe you'll just end up chatting with whoever is stuck doing this with you.

Or you know, if you're a dick, you'll steal the vegetables for yourself.

C ; STORM THE CASTLE

Okay, the missions for initiates are pretty lame, and you're ready for some real fighting. You can go alone, or you can go with some other people, but it's off to Castle Dyspros! You'll find a variety of creatures to fight, and the power of teamwork will help you make progress through the castle!

Or you'll die. There's that too. Good thing it's fairly inconsequential, if weird!

Either way, have fun fighting to your heart's content!

D ; PICK YOUR OWN

Just like it says, if none of the others appeal to you, feel free to make up your own prompt!

Comments

alyona | original

[splendour]

D1

[ are you holding a sword?
if no, are you at least holding a weapon of some kind?

if you answer yes to either question, al -- dancer, holding an ornate sheathed sword -- will be approaching with a smile on her lips. ]

Greetings! I'm Alyona. Will you spar with me?

D2

[ a harmless looking mission: I am looking for two people to act out my written script turns out not-so-harmless when the script is delivered and it turns out to be a mesh of plots and tropes into something that is barely coherent.

she reads a line directly out of the script, looking sort of impressed ]

Dar-Darling, I've become a star! [ raising her head, al breaks character and murmurs, curious: ] ...A star?

1

[peachbaths]

O-oh? You will spar? With me? [ Kougyoku points at herself. Oh gosh, she's so happy. She has never sparred with a girl before! ] Of course I would, Lady Alyona!

[ She draws her sword and gets into position. Are we moving a little too fast here? Only fast enough for Kougyoku to consider normal. ]

Would you like me to go all out!?

[splendour]

[ this excitement is contagious. al beams in response, nodding.

too fast? there's no such thing! on her end she draws her sword but still retains the sheath in her left hand. ]

Yes, please do! [ the smile and cheer is bright on her face as she slips into a battle position with her sword held in front of her, the tip of the blade pointing downwards. ] I'm ready!

[peachbaths]

O-okay! Here I go!

[ AND THEY FIGHT! Kougyoku lunges at Alyona with her sword, a jian that she bought with the last of her gold. Her Chinese fighting style might be recognizable if they spar long enough.

Wait a minute, is that ice coming from the sword? You're fighting a Punisher here, Al. ]

[splendour]

[ what is chinese in fantasy worlds--

al for her part fights with a sword that almost resembles a jian -- it even has a small red tassel attacked to the end of the hilt. her fighting style resembles a dance, each and every movement planned and filled with grace with nothing wasted.

the sudden ice -- power -- behind the other's strike almost throws her off but al reacts, quickly bringing her scabbard up to parry it. ]

Magic? [ more than surprised, she sounds in awe. ]

[peachbaths]

[ Kougyoku is awed by Al's fighting style — she has never seen a fighter with movements so fluid. When Alyona parries, Kougyoku pulls away and stands back to brandish her sword, now covered in frost. ]

Oh, are you not part of the warrior's guild?

[ And she jumps back into the fray to strike downward. Making casual conversation while sparring, yep. Totally normal. ]

[splendour]

[ totally normal! she parries that strike with her scabbard again ]

I thought about it, but--

[ she stops talking, eyes noticing how the frost of the sword is slowly spreading onto her scabbard, and pulls it back, side-stepping and swiping horizontally with her own blade ]

[peachbaths]

[ Kougyoku doesn't parry this time, as she attempts to strike horizontally at her head. This doesn't go as planned, however, so she twists her body and deftly dodges Al's blade. As she gets back into position, she grips her sword with both hands, crouches and attempts a piercing attack at her neck.

She is careful not to wound her. ]

Is it not your style?

1

[ronso]

[Spar? With this young girl? It seems dangerous to Kimahri. But he says nothing, taking in her smile and her poise with nothing more than a slow nod. He hefts the spear from his shoulder and crouches down into a defensive stance; if she's as experienced as she seems, she'll know the spear's reach her weakness, and take the wordless invitation to test herself.]

[ronso]

[Hold back? Never. For practice to be truly beneficial, it must have a sense of the danger and desperation in real combat.

His eyes remain fixed on her as she moves into position, his own face betraying nothing. When she starts forward, he growls and swings his spear's arced tip towards her blade's edge; the two metals clash with a harsh shriek.

She's faster than he is, and he finds himself without room to use his weapon as it's meant to be used. Instead his grip is wide, the wooden shaft acting as his shield and a means to trip. With a grunt, he dashes the spear towards her ankles; if she does not stumble, perhaps at least she will retreat and let him regain his advantage.]

2!!

[agitato]

[ Guess who's just recently turned in a mission herself, and is just wandering around? For a moment Airi considers walking off and past her, but huh, that looked like a script, didn't it?

Really, she doesn't mean to sound so abrasive — but the words somehow just come out that way. ]

… Are you even trying?

[agitato]

Look. [ She extends an open hand in front of her. ] Pass me the script and you'll see what I mean!

[ This can only end well; replace well with horribly. ]

[agitato]

[ Taking it, she begins reading where Alyona started without reading the lines in advance.

but first, a breath — then: ]

Darling, I've become a star! [ So far so good, she manages to deliver the line without an ounce of passion missing!! ] So please, I hope you'll continue being by my s-side… Forever until now…? Wi, without your support and lo, lo, lo…

[agitato]

[ … ] —ve. I would've never gotten this far?!

Grr... What the heck is this?! This — this writing…! It's awful!

[ Are you sure it's not just you, Airi. ]

[agitato]

… What? Couldn't you tell? I totally it messed up!

[ So she's not allowed to say that?! ]

And jeez! Anyone could do a dramatic reading of dialogue, being able to do this much doesn't make you a performer at all! It's not that simple!

[agitato]

Were you even paying attention? I stumbled!

[agitato]

[ … ]

But what didn't you get about it, anyway?

[agitato]

… You took that literally?! Haven't you ever heard of figurative speech?

2

[lucena]

[Dio is idling nearby, and happens to catch that little performance. He applauds!! because it was pretty endearing.]

Congratulations!