January - February Test drive

[indigo_events]

➞ Post with a character you wish to test drive in this game's setting.
➞ Tag other people's starters and thread out shenanigans!
➞ Invite your friends! Try out new characters! Come play with us!
➞ Have fun!

NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR TEST-DRIVE JOURNEY?
CHECK OUT ALL THE LOCATIONS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN:

JOHTO | KANTO | SEVII ISLANDS

Feel free to make various prompts in multiple locations!

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OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
NAVIGATION | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

Comments

Can she accept the Starbucks and refuse the lamp?

[seirosscriptures]

[His is not the first face from Fódlan she has had the pleasure of seeing again. If... 'pleasure' is the proper word for it. Her feelings on this strange occurrence of reunions is complicated, at best. There is familiarity and in familiarity, even one that may not be the most close, there is a semblance of security and stability. Does she trust any of them? Perhaps no more than they trust her, and none of them in this very strange set of circumstances has really any reason to.

To her, they are all victims of time, even if it has, in the case of Felix, only touched in slight. Claude too is enough of the young man she knew of in academy days that she can recognise him. The turn and lilt of his tone. That overconfidence, which seems well-founded given his reputation. Rather, what little she's known of it, given that only monastery whispers have found their ways into her ears.

Faced with him, he is pointed. Very to the point. Very... Claude. In the past, she has been able to avoid many conversation topics by filling in a void with information that is not nearly as much as it seems. She has thought it more than once since her arrival that she will not always be able to resort to this. Against Claude, she images she has very much met her match. He is a cunning man. Dangerous, some might say, and though he has never quite outright spoken against her, she recognises him for the threat he very well may be.]

I suspect you may be inclined to ask me of things others have since my arrival. [She replies kindly, finding that in ways here and there, she has said much the same thing to those who have inquired.] That is, if you wish to know of what last I saw... [Rhea shakes her head.] Younger days. A younger you. At the time of the fall of Garreg Mach.

[And yet knowing him, Claude likely has so much more to pursue. He always has and he has never been shy about chasing it down. Already Rhea's mind is turning with possibilities. She finds herself at the same place she was before. If they should fail to remember what they learn in this world, what harm is there in being so honest? Old habits die hard, however, and Rhea clings to sentiments that will do her no good here.]

Oh the Starbucks is for him.

[vrdantwind]

That's certainly one question I was going to ask! [Given the length of his list, it'd be hard for her to think of a question not on it.] Not surprised others beat me to it. I guess that explains why you're still wearing your archbishop outfit. In the timeframe I remember, you've been missing for going on six years now. There's a theory that Edelgard has you imprisoned, but there's no actual proof that's the case that I've been able to find. [He scrutinizes her through the screen.] To be honest, I'm not sure that if Edelgard had gotten her hands on you, that she wouldn't have just executed you. I'm not sure what she'd want to hold you prisoner for, unless as some kind of bargaining chip...but then she'd have probably used you as that much earlier in the war.

[This minor information dump - in which he's not actually giving Rhea as much information as he seems; it's just the fact of her disappearance combined with his own theories on it and some passing rumors - has plenty of ulterior motive behind it. For starters, it's meant to rattle Rhea a little. It's just plain sense to put her on the back foot immediately, crack her composure to see what might slip out. He's never been overly sympathetic to the archbishop, having too many contradicting facts to her benevolence to regard her with much compassion or trust, so he feels only the faintest twinge of conscience in intentionally aiming to unsettle her.

But more than that, his words are also a lead. Both into some questions he could ask, while also meant to guide Rhea's thoughts - and, potentially, reactions he can read off her - down the lines he wants them to take. If she knows some reason Edelgard might keep her captive for years, then maybe she'll give that away. Even confirming that Edelgard might do so will give Claude more insight on the war at home, and maybe Edelgard herself - especially once he starts really pushing for answers. This is nothing but the gentle prelude, a light testing of Rhea's guard.]

wao rood (she deserves that)

[seirosscriptures]

[It takes a great deal of discipline for Rhea to remain composed in the face of the information Claude practically flings at her. She has very specifically kept what information she does know to herself, utilising rather flimsy evasion tactics with the others who have questioned her on memories and what she's been willing to share about her experiences with the war that has ravaged Fódlan.

Edelgard continues to leave a bitter impression upon her heart. To think that she allowed someone of such a nature so close to her. So close to her family. Can it be true that Rhea was truly so unaware? She suspects that for just some moments, that bitterness crosses her expression, quickly put aside and replaced with something that is not quite blank, but serious. Attentive.

He's putting her in a very difficult position, and somehow she isn't surprised. This is not the first time Claude has directed such prying questions to her. Even in his younger years, he's been direct. Masterfully direct. She suspects there are not words that properly convey how uncomfortable he makes her. He may not stand against her in such an overt way, but she's well aware that he may be a threat.]

I have not seen Edelgard since the happenstance of the Royal Tomb.

[And that is a truth. She has heard a great deal of Edelgard's aims. The ambitions of the Empire. She knows enough to understand that she is in grave danger whenever she ought to make return for Fódlan. As a result, there's not much in Claude's plethora of information that comes as... a surprise. Edelgard has made it quite plain and simple that she means to eradicate Rhea off the face of the living earth. The reasoning...

Well. Rhea can hardly understand how deep that goes. She has never asked and she never intends to. What use is the impassioned heart of a human interested in senseless war?]

Her opposition lies with the Church of Seiros, though to what extent, I did not inquire. In the moment she declared herself a threat, I could no longer permit her to stay within the grounds of Garreg Mach.

[Although in the end, her own defence of Garreg Mach had not been successful either. And for her own safety, Rhea could only flee. Cowardice, perhaps, but she continues to live another day.]

[vrdantwind]

Happenstance? That's surprisingly diplomatic of you. You're usually pretty vicious about anything that goes against the church, from what I've heard... [Another barbed statement. Claude's lacing the conversation with them like caltrops.

He absently drums his fingers on the desk his Gear is sitting on.] That's something I've been wondering about, though. I mean, to throw the entire Adrestian Empire into a brutal civil war with not just the church, but all its neighbors...the Edelgard I know isn't stupid, and doesn't do things without good reason. But she's also not so charismatic that I think she could just talk a whole country into taking such extreme measures - and sending so many of them off to die in battle - easily. But, well...there's been some tension between the church and the Empire for a long time, hasn't there? There hasn't even been a branch of the Church of Seiros there for awhile. And then, of course, we know the western branch revolted against the church as well...in fact, they were targeting you specifically.

It seems like the Church of Seiros has become increasingly unpopular, wouldn't you say? And you in particular, as well. Enough for people to be willing to die opposing the both of you. And yet from the outside, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of justification for that, does there? I mean, everyone knows about all the church's good works. There's people like Catherine and Cyril who can't stop singing your praises. But then there's people like Captain Jeralt, who didn't even tell our dear Teach that he'd ever been one of your knights or of the existence of the church at all, and let everyone he knew think he was dead before a total accident brought him and Teach to us...

It's all so mysterious, isn't it? Although I guess it would be, since I know Seteth was very careful about controlling what kinds of books were allowed in the Garreg Mach library. So it wouldn't be too surprising if library books weren't the only kinds of information the church has been selective with letting other people have access to...

I'd really like to know what could make so many people declare war on the church, Rhea. In fact, considering we've spent years weathering a bloody war seemingly as a direct result of whatever these mystery factors might be, one might argue that I've got a right to know. And who would be in a better position to have that information than you?