The Far Shore Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
godsoffortune) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
takamagahara2018-11-01 10:38 pm
godsoffortune) wrote in takamagahara2018-11-01 10:38 pm
Entry tags:
Test Drive #34
Whether you're trying to figure out how your character would fare in this setting, trying to get some samples together, or just dipping your toes in the water, you've come to the right place! The Test Drive is here to make your life easy by letting you see what the game is like without actually joining it first. So here is how it works:
1: Post a starter with your character, including whether they are a god or shinki in the subject line.
2: Act like your character is established enough in the setting to allow your thread to go places.
3: Take on any god/shinki of your choosing, as long as they're not already in the game!
4: Comment around to the other people on the meme.
5: Have lots of fun!
Feel free to come up with your own ideas if these don't strike your fancy, though.
The fresh new spring fashion trend is accessorized denim. Super-accessorized! Bells, chains, beads, zippers, belts and more drip from every inch of this season's hot styles, and the stores need someone to model their new stock -- and bring in the buyers. It's your job to convince the fashion-savvy residents of Tokyo that these new jeans are exactly what their wardrobe needs, without getting your five chain belts tangled.
A huge, panther-shaped ayakashi is haunting the streets of Asakusa, and the pigeons at the local pigeon shrine have disappeared! Take care of this feline predator so the surviving sacred birds won't end up as dinner on the wing.
The residents of an Ikebukuro high-rise have an unusual problem: no matter how sunny the day or how long it's been hanging, their laundry just won't dry! Do they have a moist microclimate? An ayakashi of mold and despair? Or do they just need someone to get all that wet laundry to the nearest laundromat with a dryer until the weather warms up?
A gardener in Ueno has planted a brand-new strain of muskmelon in his window boxes, and this plant is going wild! Vines have taken over the exterior of his apartment building, and beach-ball-sized fruit are popping up all over. He needs help bringing in the harvest… but his neighbors are begging for this plant to wind up in the compost heap so their lives can go back to normal. Whose side will you take?
A community art project is being hosted at the Tokyo Art Museum! Jigsaw-shaped pieces of wood about the size of a hand have been handed out to artists and crafters throughout Japan, and the pieces have just been shipped back. Now, they have to be assembled into one giant jigsaw puzzle for display. There's just one problem: someone forgot to number the pieces before they were shipped! Now they've got a 20,000 piece puzzle whose pieces don't match, and it has to be finished this weekend for the grand opening. Help!
If you're uncertain about anything, feel free to check out the Premise, Rules, and FAQ posts. And don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have on the FAQ!
When and if you're ready to join the game, check out the Taken Characters before throwing in a Reserve and starting on your Application
Have fun!
no subject
godsoverworked and overstressed professors facing final grading hell everywhere. Or in this case, totally tunnel visioned shinki who are facing hours of putting this godforsaken mess (and ssshhh, secretly enjoying every moment of the challenge in front of them, bitching beside) together with a rapidly approaching deadline.Though said shinki might want to work on situational awareness outside that laser focus, because...]
AH!!
[That sudden divine caffeine blessing startles him right back on his ass. Face red, Waver looks around wildly for a second or two. What?! When did he get back? What's the time?
... coffee time...]
Uhh, thanks.
[Thankfully Waver's tendency to flail has decreased over the years, even if he's remained at a fairly even level of crankiness. He's still blushing, looking away in embarrassment, because that was a moment of utter fail and also Iskandar got him something nice. Geez, you didn't have to do that for him at all, you're going to spoil him at this rate.
Thankfully, scolding will save the day, or at least keep Waver from showing too much dere, and that comment of divine intervention causes him to snort.]
And they wouldn't need any if they had properly planned out this project from the beginning. [Rant's going on hold for a minute so he can crack this cold one open.] A project like this must have been in the planning for months - you're telling me none of the designers had the oversight to check their piece even once to see if the design was finalized and everything was properly numbered?
[And back to putting everything together. Waver presses together his lips grumpily. That goes there, and that goes over there, and that... oh, he can link together these big sections, wonderful.]
Someone's ass might still get reamed even if the display's ready for the event opening. This could have cost them more than a few yen.
[When money's involved, close calls due to accidents like this usually don't pass by completely ignored. Waver's job is to get this up and keep someone from being fired. ... he doubts they'll be so lucky to escape some kind of dressing down.
Then again, Waver's not so tolerant of fools in general and sometimes (a lot of times) it shows. Management might be a little softer in their outlook.]
no subject
Instead he just laughs.]
One would think I brought you a cauldron of ambrosia! Though I believe at this hour coffee might indeed posses much greater appeal.
[Iskandar sits on the floor careful not to disturb any of the already assembled pieces. Waver can save his situational awareness for some other time. His laser focus is in more demand now. Yet in one thing he's absolutely right. The sheer fact they were needed at all here is testament to some glowing incompetence on behalf of the museum. Which is utterly appalling considering they are the Art museum in the capital city of this country.]
They do seem to miss some crucial managerial oversight.
[Iskandar can understand just fine that mistakes happen. This is why you always need to have people to check after you. That's absolute foundation of logistics. No one sane would just embark on campaign without ensuring they've got all their supplies in order! This applies to any endeavour of substantial degree of complexity. Those people here? They don't do complexity very well. No wonder all they could do was to pray.
It might also be internal politics of this institution. Sometimes it is as pleasant, if not outright beneficial, to see your opponent fail as it is to win yourself. As much as Iskandar despises such underhanded tactics he must admit: this is exactly a kind of situation one could expected such a behaviour.]
We're probably saving some poor sod from dying of shame homeless on the street. That's a good thing.
[He is exaggerating and he knows it. Still sooner or later someone is going to get hit by the fallout of this disaster. Even if the worst part has been averted. The only hope being this was an honest mistake of a person far too absent-minded for their position and not actual ill will.]
no subject
His dignity and his laser focus thank you for your noble sacrifice, though! Precious time won’t be lost spluttering. Instead, one finger raises as he gulps down at least half the can in one go..]
It's pretty much the same thing!
[He jests. Or commits heresy, because he has the strangest feeling he’s just done that as an image of tea flashes to mind.
Waver watches Iskandar settle, then turns his attention back to the pieces. One hand darts out to grab a piece painted with flowers lying near the god's knee, head tilted as he listens and nods.]
Among other things…
[Brains, common sense, organizational skills… Waver could go on, but for Iskandar’s sake he’s going to curb the complaining a bit. At least try, anyway. One noble sacrifice deserves another, and this is his.
He snorts a bit at that, hiding a smile. Bantering with Iskandar feels natural, good, just like slipping into a warm bath. Maybe he enjoyed that in general in his previous life or maybe it was the people (person) he was with.
It's no good to dwell. But he can run with that exaggeration.]
You say it like the irony wouldn't do them in first. [He waves a puzzle piece towards one of the exhibit's fundraising banners. The cause of the community charity being sponsored? Helping to end homelessness.] But perhaps the near miss will inspire them to treat this as a learning experience.
Hopefully.
[If not, Waver would argue against fixing the next fuck up. Sometimes you just have to fail spectacularly for the lesson to get through.]
no subject
[Iskandar has no special fondness of coffee but he can understand. The beneficial effects of keeping one awake and alert in the middle of the night are in themselves commendable. Though the medicine is a little too bitter for his tastes. That's why his own drink is not coffee but some local beer.]
Sadly they don't sell wine in those nifty cans here. Alas! I can live with beer for the time being.
[The vending machine on the back of the museum building had very wide selection of different coffees, some sodas but very poor of anything even resembling proper liquor. Frankly, there was this beer and one other strangely looking brew with flowers and sparkles on the can. Settling on beer was evidently the safer option. Though Iskandar did hesitate for a moment. He was curious what this other concoction is.
He can't help but chuckle at "learning experience" part of Waver's comment.]
Yes, let us hope they indeed do. For if they don't I'm inclined to consider them beyond help.
no subject
[Absently as three puzzle pieces click together. He's sure he's seen wine in cans. Somewhere.]
You'll have to let me know how the beer is. The ones I've had from the vending machines have been hit or miss. [Though Waver prefers wine or scotch himself, he's not one to turn down a pint or two.] ... the last one I had was only a few steps up from piss.
[And not one to hold back his Opinions on the quality of it. Or Opinions of anything. When it's not certain to get him killed, that is, and even then...
Waver goes 'heh', ducking his head, and scattering one or two pieces as the ends of his hair sweep along the floor. Good to know they're on the same page about that. It briefly occurs to him that tying back his hair might be helpful, but he shrugs, instead pushing back the mass back behind his shoulders to drape against the red of his coat.
Keeping all that contained in a ponytail sometimes was a real pain. He slightly smirks, and though the tone's teasing, Waver's completely serious about going through with this if Iskandar wants.]
In other words, if they fuck up this bad again, any prayers from them go in the trash. Can do.
no subject
Then I have yet to see it. For all I've encountered up to this point was beer. Even this one funny machine that doesn't give you a can but pours a glass which then you have to wrangle out of it's clutches without spilling the contents everywhere. The beer was awful but I find the idea interesting. Impractical but interesting. This one...
[He finishes his beer in one big gulp then flattens the can to a small disk of aluminum.]
It's not terrible, I had worse. Not exactly great either but it's better than nothing.
[Said like a true alcoholic he is. Still in all fairness what he is supposed to drink? Water? Like animals?
Iskandar watches the hair incident with slight amusement. He even manages to catch one of the flying pieces and return it to it's original place. Still he's not going to criticize Waver on his fashion sense. Far from it! Especially when the said fashion sense is actually so spot on. However impractical they can be at times, long hair really suit Waver. Not many men can say that about themselves.
So does the red coat. Though Iskandar can be biased about the color scheme as black, red and gold is actually his own favourite set.]
Maybe. They'd better show some improvement if they want my attention. I have no patience for lazy.
[Though this strongly depends on the situation. He can be quite compassionate if he wants to. Quite inconsiderate also.]
no subject
[In fairness, the alcohol would be safer than water in those days of antiquity. That Iskandar has some actual justification in preferring wine. It probably explains a lot about early history. Everyone was young and drunk - decisions unfolded accordingly. Not that today's older leaders are much better. One only needed to read the papers for that.
But Waver's thoughts go more along the amused lines of Christ, with how this conversation is going, we sound like a pair of lushes than the thoughts of how alcohol soaked decisions in ancient times stacks up compared to those more sober of the modern world. Not... that... that's inaccurate, at least for Iskandar, but Waver would like to think he isn't that bad when it comes to this particular vice! Really!
... and the verdict is the beer isn't great, so...]
... that so? Let's just go out to an izakaya when this is over. We deserve better than swill after cleaning up this mess.
[Maybe he shouldn't encourage bad habits... oh hell, screw it. He wants that beer now and he definitely wants the food, and Iskandar will probably be as pleased as punch to go along with any schemes that certainly will end up with him charming the establishment into giving him pints on the house.]
You have no patience for a lot of things.
[Now Waver's voice is full out lilting as he grins, wagging a puzzle piece at Iskandar. Is someone going to get teased for not helping with the puzzle? Someone's going to get teased for not helping with the puzzle. Even though he knows it'd bore Iskandar out of his gourd and a bored Iskandar isn't a helpful Iskandar and he doesn't expect him to help at all.]
no subject
[Young and drunk is probably one of the most succinct and accurate descriptions of state of his army then. They wouldn't do half of the stupid things - glorious, yes, but sometimes incredibly stupid - they did were they sufficiently sober and mature to comprehend what the hell are they're doing. Or why.
Not that Iskandar would ever hesitate. No matter how sober he was. Or any of his generals for that matter. They were all bunch of morons. Save maybe for Ptolemy. And Eumenes. But only them. The common sense minority suffering from perpetual, stress-induced headache. Still they too were swayed by his vision and played a part in his follies. Idiots they may have been but they were his idiots. And they achieved some of the grandest deeds in history together.]
One would think they would at least buy us a drink or treat us to dinner, for all the help they are getting. Clearly they think we have no need of such things!
[He is joking. He knows very well that even if any of the poor, overworked staff of the museum could spare a moment to ponder such a frivolous topic... Even if, they would be perfectly right expressing such an opinion. Technically, neither gods nor shinki explicitly have to drink, eat or sleep to sustain themselves. All those things certainly do a lot to improve their condition and general well-being but they are far from necessity.
Meanwhile the people here push through on sheer grit, dread and panic, not eating or sleeping properly themselves. Thus expecting they would extend full hospitality to their supernatural helpers would not only be simply asking too much but downright insulting and cruel. And Iskandar is not that kind of monster. Their management might be imbeciles but the staff deserves none of the scorn.]
In truth though, I wonder if we'll be able to find any establishment that would still be open. It's already quite late.
[That would be the least of their problems. Ordinary mortals usually ignore gods and shinki. They are not invisible, far from it. People's eyes just glaze over them. There are many occasions where it is beneficial. Trying to order meal and drink in an izakaya is not such an occasion. One needs to put in some real hard work to keep the mortal's attention. There are, of course, those who are more sensitive to the supernatural. They're the one that require less effort. Still they are few.
It's one of the things that irritates Iskandar immensely about being a god. It shouldn't be that way! How can you ignore a god and not fear his wrath?! Still none of the mortals do it intentionally. It just seems as if they have great difficulty in maintaining focus while in presence of god or a shinki.
Yet this is all future's worry. For now his quite comfortable where he is.]
Hmpf! Right now, I could be called patience itself.
no subject
[The reply is immediate. Waver has both eyebrows up, because Tokyo - one of the busiest cities on the planet - doesn't sleep.]
There'll be things open. Lots of things. Try googling it.
[A segment of the population has to work the graveyard shift and Tokyo has plenty of nightlife. Waver figures there will be several internet pages worth of stuff in the general area alone.
That is, if Iskandar remembered to bring along his phone. Which, if he didn't, that's fine. His god can just borrow his.
Though it's true that the izakayas can be a real challenge. There is a reason Waver sings the praises of the waitress call button when they land a booth. Sometimes being ignored irks him as much as Iskandar - most of the time it's just a mild annoyance.
His lips quirk, though, at 'patience himself' while not saying a word. Yes, yes, you've been good, saintly even. Waver knows. This time. But he wouldn't be Waver if he completely let you off the hook for all those others!]
no subject
Fortunately, the outburst is short and giving Iskandar something concrete to do was actually smart move. Because this advertised patience of his? It started to wear thin. So it's definitely for the better he can be occupied with looking for the said izakaya open at whatever hour they finish the work here. That is when Waver finishes. Because Iskandar is not exactly contributing.]
Hm, I think I found something.
[He slides his phone toward Waver barely missing a couple of already assembled areas.]
How do you like fish ? They've got some interesting selection of drinks there too.
no subject
... he might have to steer Iskandar to phone games at this rate. Just... not the gatcha games. Definitely not the gatcha games. Those might be a little too addicting... in the worst, most expensive way.]
Grilled? Oh, they have aburi style nigiri there... sold. [Regular style sushi and sashimi is hit or miss, even though he's getting used to it. The texture and the fact it's raw is strange to his palate. Aburi is torched so it's a nice way to segue into the whole deal.] The rest of the appetizers aren't bad. Neither is the drink selection.