Test drive meme - September & October

[indigo_league]

➞ 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!

✭ ✭ ✭


OTHER USEFUL LINKS:
NAVIGATION | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

Comments

Astarion - BG3

[bloodysnarky]

Network Video:

-Why you little-! You are not my mother, do not throw me out into the sun, you'll-!!

[A very pale elf with red eyes is practically thrown outside on his ass when he stands looking like he's ready for a world of hurt when all of the sudden, he freezes. He stands for a few silent moments, looking at his hands and touching his face.

Nothing.

Absolutely no pain or singes. A wide smile appeared on his face as a Litten slowly hopped outside and quietly rubbed its head on his leg.]

Well, and hello! Who are you, you precious thing?

[Does the kitty want uppies? Kitten gets uppies.]

Now, no idea where the faintest idea we are but seeing as I'm not set aflame...not as awful of a start, hm?

[He has no idea the feed was on.]

Goldenrod City; text

So this is what you all call a city around here?

It's awful. It smells like piss and smoke and the people here are rude. Even more than me, mind you. Is there anything to do in this city other than resist the urge to gag at the stench?

Network

[shiro2hero]

Are you all right?

[Listen, it's not every day someone gets tossed out of Mom's House yelling like that. It's kind of concerning. He's just got to ask!]

You're not hurt, are you?

[bloodysnarky]

[…Uh what. Astarion took a moment of sheer bafflement gathering himself to find the source of the noise, only to find the face of a man on this weird device he was given. In the brief moments he was here, he was only given so much of an introduction to this “video” thing before “Mom” arrived. So he wondered only so far into what in the world other people already saw of his business. Playing it as cool as possible was only natural to him even here.]

Oh, I certainly don’t remember ”Mommy Dearest” being so handsy but I am quite alright otherwise.

[He put on the small charming smile, WHAT ELSE DID THIS MAN NOTICE? Play it cool, remember Pale One.]

Not everyday you wake up in a whole new house, I’d say.

[shiro2hero]

[No worries, strange pale man. No one looks smooth when they get here. If this guy wants to gloss over it, that's fine. Long as he's okay.]

Yeah she's uh... insistent new arrivals get out and on their way as soon as possible. It's really disorienting.

[He'll just smile along.]

No, it's not. It's a lot to take in. But hey, I've been here a long time, so, if there's anything I can help answer, ask away.

[bloodysnarky]

Well, aren’t you a sweetheart?

[Astarion’s major liar days as a charlatan may technically be over but he needs groundwork to make sense of all of this. As much as he was concerned, this place was wonderful already because he didn’t need a parasite to be out in the sun. Opportunities and whatever.]

Such kindness on my first day. How long have you been here then? Assuming you just magically appeared here like I have out of thin air?

[shiro2hero]

Ah, I wouldn't go that far. I just figure if I'm going to be here this long, I may as well help out.

[Shiro? Accept a compliment? In what universe would that happen.]

You know, I've honestly lost track. Way more than five years, at this point. So... long enough to forget how long it's actually been? But I do know a few people who've been here even longer.

[bloodysnarky]

[Humble, too? How delightful. People who usually push back ever so innocently at his compliments usually was a sign they were better people. Usually. It was at least something he noticed a lot more experiencing freedom from his old dead master.]

I see, I see. So you’d say this place became your little home away from home? With our little animal friends here?

[shiro2hero]

Eventually, yeah... it does. It's got a way of making you warm up to it.

[For good or bad. Mostly good. A lot of people got second chances here, after all.]

They don't always stay little - just so you know. A lot of them end up way bigger than you expect. Did you already find your starter?

[bloodysnarky]

Starter?

[Suddenly, the idea of possibly being here for long term just gave him the warmest of fuzzies. A feeling he was bound to have at some point, he made sure. His freedom was something he looked so forward to with possibility. To think such a chance could arrive so soon. Very little else mattered. Except, well, understanding the rules.]

You mean this delightful friend?

[He figured he could…there we go. He moved the camera to show his Litten, who was purring and curled up on his lap.]

[shiro2hero]

Starter, yeah. The pokemon you arrive with - or wake up with. We call it a "starter". They'll be your partner until you end up with more of them.

[And boy will you, sir. So many.]

[As soon as the camera moves, Shiro just lights up. Oh, he knows that little friend. He knows them very well.]

Yes, that'd be it. Litten - I had one of them too, they're great little guys.

[bloodysnarky]

Hmm, “Pokémon”.

[One of many terms he picked up on but nothing he can’t handle. Perhaps it was his newfound supreme optimism, but anything too new to his eyes and knowledge just wasn’t that daunting. After his journey in heroics and ending the reign of his “vampiric master”, nothing seemed to phase him too much.]

And even more? Fascinating. Fun concept, even. Instead of bickering traveling companions, I can find more animal friends like a regular druid! Haha!

[His smile was bright now as he let out a smile and his fine lines and cheekbones shone in sincerity.]

Though, “Litten”, clever as a wordplay as it is, isn’t doing it for me. “Fire cat”, as this strange device says. Clever, but no zing.

[shiro2hero]

Druid? [That's a new one.] But, yeah. More. Hang on-

[Shiro has to duck off camera for a second. When he comes back, he has a Meowth on one shoulder, and a Litleo on the other. Since this guy seems to like cats so much, he went for it.]

Here's two of mine. Luna [The Meowth.] and Leo. [Listen, Shiro's not great with names but at least Leo is a constellation.]

You can name it whatever you think fits best.

[bloodysnarky]

[Astarion couldn’t help himself. To think such new and sweet little beings could be in his future…

He was giddy. He was happy, without the need of any blood. He fingertips were raised and pressed to his cheeks. His eyes widened, looking like red jewels.]

My, look at them! All different from my little friend and yet-

[Pause.]

Oh, I'm just going to love it here.

network video

[soupguy]

[Hm. Boober had a hard time adjusting to all this sunlight, and to this day it's still a part of why he has his hat's brim and his bangs obscuring his eyes all the time. But even he, the worrywart of fraggles, had never been that scared of being exposed.]

Excuse me, but if you're worried about catching fire, you might want to be more worried about that pokemon than being in the sun. Oh, some fire-types can control themselves fine, but other ones - young ones especially - can get too excited.

[bloodysnarky]

[About time some of the locals seemed to come at him about his display. As much as he tried to play it cool, he knew he was going to get attention. Not that he had forever before people started picking up that he was a vampire spawn. The fact that he DIDN’T burn was one of a few signs he just learned he could roll with and keep the secret bubbled.

That was until this one mentioned fire.]

Catching fire? Heavens to hells, I don’t know what you could be referring to. Where did you come up with that conclusion?

[Not really playing dumb. After all, he wasn’t WRONG about the fire. But what he said next was what Astarion wanted to hear.]

[soupguy]

Well, you seemed scares of the sun. Then you calmed down and said you weren't set aflame... I didn't think the sun could do that, but I know a fire pokemon can. So I just thought you should be aware.

[bloodysnarky]

[Oh so he was taking it literally. How…sweet. Still, this meant one of two things: this little one could handle the truth or be confused by the truth. If this one took it so literally, it was a matter of time before he could ask questions Astarion just wouldn’t be able to answer without telling the truth. Maybe that made him nervous. He had no idea how the locals would take to his “condition”. But, so far, Astarion felt…muted. Like his old self, whichever that was, from so long ago.]

Oh, you’re so sweet. But I promise you it has nothing to do with all of that so frankly.

I’m a vampire.

[soupguy]

Oh!

[Boober doesn't know what that is, but given how this world works, it seems safe to assume that a vampire is not a human. And while that's not exactly uncommon among those brought here, it's still kind of... Nice, every time, to meet someone else.]

Well, people who aren't humans change here. I used to be something else, too. [He scoffs.] It's very annoying, even with time to get used to it.

[bloodysnarky]

[…Does he know what a vampire is?? Still though, that was some very useful information. Good information, even if somewhat given in half good faith. He wondered if this one would be terrified of him if he knew. But seeing his demeanor seemed to be good natured and naive, probably not. People too keen to be kind were one of two things toward his kind: sympathetic or not. In his day he met many of the latter, and few of the first. But it was those few that changed his life. This one took the information given and instead of grilling him, he gave information…it was worth noting.]

Is that so?

[A grand smile. Both ecstatic at the news and amused at the second remark. He didn’t mean anything by it, since he didn’t know vampires…less even their spawn.]

Well, darling, if you must know I don’t find it annoying at all. Not that I blame you, not many have the sun be a literal death sentence.

You’ve given me something to relish in. My kind come with many “ailments”, if you also must know.

[soupguy]

I see. Well, I can't say I blame you either, if being human is making things easier for you now...

But what is a vampire, anyway?

1/2

[bloodysnarky]

2/2

[bloodysnarky]

...Oh, you are...quite serious. Well then, darling, be blessed you never have met one before coming here. Let alone kind of nice ones, like yours truly.

[Astarion, you are NOT that nice. Are you? Well, you weren't keen on feeding on people right away back then. Well you were, then your now bestie caught you. Your best friend forever being your first and only one. BUT, nice??? Ahem.]

Then allow me to give you the abridged version. Vampires are dead people that need to feed on the life of others, namely their blood. We can't be in the sun, eat human food, see our reflection, run through rushing water, enter other people's houses without being invited-. Why, all sorts of "fun" stuff, love.

[soupguy]

[Boober gulps, his dark skin looking a bit paler at that explanation. There's so much to unpack there, and none of it is pleasant...]

Oh, that's disgusting. A-And awful, I'm sorry. I don't mean to-- [He shudders.] It's just the idea of living off blood...

I can certainly see why you're glad to have changed here.

[bloodysnarky]

You didn't do anything. You just asked me a question. I answered.

[Goodness, maybe he traumatized the little poor thing. Astarion just opened the door to a whole new unpleasant world that he was better off not knowing. Maybe ignorance was bliss. Maybe secretly Astarion resented people can live not knowing of what kind of cursed existence people like him face.

Maybe there was no point in being that petty to people living perfectly normal lives. He told himself he had to be better than that.]

Trust me, darling, if I had a choice I would be eating caviar and drinking wine by the pier until my last days. But my days are forever and I grew used to not hunger for anything else.

But that has changed now. So don't worry your precious little head about it. Except perhaps keep this conversation our little secret.

[soupguy]

Oh, well, sure. I just thought maybe I shouldn't have called what you were disgusti--

[Wait. What is he accomplishing here? No, moving along.]

There are places here that have good food, since you can eat now. The restaurants in Olivine City are particularly nice.

And don't worry, I won't bring it up to anyone.

[Look, Boober highly doubts anyone is going to ask him outright if this newcomer is a vampire. And that would be the only risk here, because he can certainly lie by omission easily enough.]