TEST DRIVE MEME #8

[fairyfoes]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping to EACHDRAIDH? Why not give the setting a test run here! OPTIONAL SCENARIOS 01. ARRIVING IN THE DRABWURLD. The Seelie and Unseelie courts welcome you not with mirthful revelry, this time around dear friends. There is a seriousness in the air, though the food is still hearty and the imps still mischievous. After you have been briefed on your purpose here, you will find an endless feast and a night filled with entertainment to placate your concerns. Mingle with new arrivals, sneak down the castle halls and make sure your eyes are always on your glass; fairies and imps have no bias when it comes to tricks! 02. THE STATION. Looking for a little slice of home? The Station gives you all that and more. Take advantage of the wifi, have a cup of fairy-brewed coffee (the one they didn't spit in) or sit back and relax on the patio. You can even move your things into one of the available rooms! 03. WILDCARD. Your own scenario! Explore the Drabwurld or simply take advantage of your Locket! Be mindful, though -- the monarchs are watching and cross court communication should be done with the utmost secrecy.

Comments

[escutcheon]

[ She's covered in silverite plate armor an inch thick and shiny as a newly minted coin. Damn right she'd better stick out like a sore thumb! Do you have any idea how long it takes to buff a full suit of armor to a perfect sheen?

She's right in the middle of debating whether to brace herself and attempt another scalding mouthful of liquid treebark hatred when Hawke interrupts. ]

I find that somewhat hard to believe.

[ Squinting up at. Just who does this guy think he i-- Maker that's an impressive beard.
+10 approval. ]

[hawkethat]

[He has no idea, because he doesn't own a suit of plate! Aveline might know, but she's not here...so Cousland will just have to deal with Hawke.]

I did too, at first.

[He's just gonna pull up a chair and join her now and start opening the little packets of cream and dumping them into the questionable beverage still finger-pushed a safe distance away from the woman in plate.]

It still might not suit at all times, but it's oddly appealing first thing in the morning.

[Now to rip open the little paper sugar envelopes...he'll dump two in before stirring the whole mess with a stirstick that he also brought over and finger-nudging it back toward her]

Try it now. You can add more sugar if you want.

[escutcheon]

[ A Hawke is fine too! He loves dogs and beer, right? They'll get along famously.

Cousland watches with rapt attention as he dumps cream and sugar into the coffee with a slightly pinched expression; clearly she's unsure whether or not to risk her personal health again even after his reassurances. This isn't her first rodeo, buster. Plenty of people promised veggies tasted better after a sprinkle of salt when she was a wee terror of a child, and all of them were liars.
To this day, she still refuses to eat sprouts. Screw that.

So, after a moment staring at her coffee, then up at Hawke, then back at her coffee, she v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y picks up the cup to take the tiniest, most tentative sip ever.

Pause.]

Acceptable. It'll do.

[ Still reaching over to snag another two sugar packets to dump in though. Just because it's passable doesn't mean it's good. ]

[hawkethat]

[He adores dogs and beer! Now if only they can work that into the conversation somehow...

He grins when she pronounces the beverage 'acceptable'. He did a good!]

My name's Hawke.

[Introduction made, he leans back in his little coffee shop chair, now that there's no more coffee to doctor.]

You wouldn't happen to be from Thedas, would you?

[escutcheon]

Was it that obvious?

[ Can't imagine why. Sitting around a cafe in HONKING HUGE ARMOR is perfectly normal. Yyyyyup.

In her defense, she doesn't have any casual day to day wear in her possession at current time; a comfortable pair of leggings and a loose tunic would be preferable over full battle gear. The moment she has time, that'll take priority.

She pauses to sip at her now sweet as hell coffee before returning the introductions with her own. ]

Grey Warden Cousland, at your service.

[hawkethat]

Well, silverite isn't exactly common here, so, I figured it'd be a good guess.

[Girl, no, it's totally cool, do you see what he's wearing? Spikey shoulders and gauntlets and boots with a stylish butt-skirt and heavy fur collar...this is totally casual attire for a trip to the coffee shop, yo!]

Cousland?

[...Wait, what? There's no way this is that Cousland...is there? The woman died killing the archdemon and saving Ferelden from the blight...could she be an impostor? It's not exactly a common name....]

Any relation to the Teyrn of Highever?

[escutcheon]

[ She's eyeing the remaining cream packet thoughtfully - clearly not sure what it does to the taste of the coffee, but wanting more things just for the sake of having more things. Typical materialist.

Ah, fuck it. Putting the cream in too. ]

Bryce Cousland, yes. He was my father.

[ So that Hero of Ferelden? The mysterious figure wielding a god-killing sword and dishing out justice across the land?
Yup, dis brat. Accept no replacements. ]

[hawkethat]

[Well...uh...that...sure is a thing. It'd probably be really insensitive to ask about dying while killing archdemon--]

So...rumor has it you killed an archdemon.

[Oh, yeah. So smooth and not at all rude. G/J Hawke]

[escutcheon]

[ RECORD SCRATCH.MP3 ]

For once, the rumor mill gets something right. I hope it was blown up to impressive proportions.

[ Yeah so. Dying wasn't cool, volunteering that opinion right now. ]

[hawkethat]

Oh, yes...everything from "and then she grew thirty feet tall and stepped on its neck, crushing its throat," to "and then it picked her up in its mighty jaws, but its jaws were not mighty enough to crush the enchanted silverite of her armor, and she pierced the roof of its mouth with her greatsword and the beast knew no more."

[He might be squinting ever so slightly at her now. Just. Ever so slightly.]

Rumor also has it you were killed...Not that I'm complaining about that one being wrong, of course.

[But still...it's suspicious...]

[escutcheon]

[ Shit that sounds badass. She nods once, clearly satisfied with the wide range of fanfiction recounted stories she's left behind, and takes a pointed sip of her coffee. ]

No, that one was spot on too. A miscalculation on my part.

[ HAUGHTY SNIFF. ]

Dying is very unpleasant. Very. Wouldn't recommend it.

[hawkethat]

[Squinting intensifies]

If you don't mind my saying so, you look very robust for a dead woman.

[Not sure if believes...although this country is pretty weird and magical...]

[escutcheon]

[ Wryly: ]

I'm not faking being a dead woman, if that's what you're getting at. I have the scars to prove it.

[ Frankly, she's not entirely sure what happened beyond the Archdemon getting sword in the forehead. ]

[hawkethat]

I don't mind taking your word for it, actually. This isn't even the first time I've heard of something like that.

[The first time he heard of the dead coming back to life it involved his little sister...]