justhugalready | Test Drive Meme!

Welcome to the Rekindle Test Drive!
Trying to see if a character will fit or work in the setting? Need some interaction samples? Well this meme is for you!

Make a post, tag around, and most importantly, have fun! Here's the setting page for those who want to learn a little more about the city itself.

~~Then don't forget to go reserve your character in a week when they open.~~

Here's some prompts to help you get started, if you need it:

Option 1

[While the days grow longer and warmer and the older, oriental-style of the city would normally make one think that the interiors would not be much in the way of relief from the hot sun, it may surprise the guest to see that the apartments the natives have allocated for them are surprisingly comfortable. In fact, the only modern convenience they may be missing is a television set! At least, outside the media floor on the first floor of Building One - the first of four inter-connected buildings.

In fact, each apartment building seems to have at least one different amenity on the first floor. In Building Two they seemed to even spare a library in another that seems to have the basics and some information packets that are otherwise found in the Welcome Center in District 2. There are even a few restaurants and common dining areas in the Building Three that are open until late at night, and meeting areas and a ballroom on the first floor in Building Four, perfect for setting up small parties or big events.

With the locals gone save those who work in the restaurants and the one librarian, leaving you to your own devices, what will you do? What mysteries could be left to discover in this place?]

Option 2

[With summer coming, the water level in the river is starting to go down, exposing some of the beach. The Riverside Shack is open late, and its restaurant is pulling out all the stops and offering seafood specials (even though a river is a far cry from an ocean). The rental store, meanwhile, is finally bringing out more of its swimming supplies, inner tubes and pool noodles, and a calmer stretch of the river has been roped off with buoys for swimming. They even have lifeguards chairs set up. Clearly this sort of thing used to be an annual event.

It's not quite an ocean beach (quite different actually), but there's still plenty of chance to have fun in the water. Or teach someone to swim, perhaps.]

Option 3

[If you're more inclined to explore or learn, the City's Learning Center might be more to your tastes. There certainly seems to be a lot going on here - there's laboratories and libraries and workshops, and plenty of communal areas where you can meet and talk with people. The natives seem pretty absorbed with their studies and work, though they're polite in brushing you off, at least.

Perhaps you'll have more luck seeing what other Guests such as yourself have discovered?]

Option 4

[Whoops. Looks like you haven't taken the cautionary words of the other NPCs to heart, or maybe you just wanted to take your chances. Either way, the withdrawal symptoms have started and you need to find someone to hug quickly before you get even more sick.]

Option 5

[If there's something else you wanted to play with, that you didn't see here, then have fun with that. You've just arrived in a strange city, after all. There's got to be plenty to explore out and about, not to mention people to meet.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The prince watched his father carefully, watched the change in his expression, in his eyes. It hurt him to see that look in his fathers, his kings, eyes. He'd had enough in his life to worry about until now, without the thoughts of the tower that Legolas had.

He reached out with his free hand, laying it on Thranduil's shoulder and giving a soft squeeze.

"Do not worry for me. What happened was outside of even Iluvatar's control. I endured and adapted to survive, kept safe those that I could. Until we could find a way to get home."

That expression softened into some odd mixture of pride and resignation. The regret, almost pain, was still buried behind it, but it was far behind by then. He bowed his head, slightly, in very nearly deference. Respect.

"Beyond the control of the Valar, perhaps, though beyond that I should not say," he said. "I will not demean that which you have suffered by saying it matters not, but it is done," his hand hovered near to his neck, where the collar of metal had been almost replaced by one of cloth, a crude bandage to bind his wounds, "and the sun is fair, and the air is sweet. And even if it is not what I would wish for my home, if I am truly to be forced once again into a new one, it is... lovely in its own way." His voice turned slightly dry - the city was entirely too developed for his taste, he'd prefer a forest, or wide-open fields if none could be found. But, loathe as he was to be pulled from Mirkwood for any great length of time when he was still so needed there, it would do. The technology (it still seemed faintly unnatural, almost vulgar) was at least fairly unobtrusive.

"It is."

He gave a weak smile as the kings hand hovered near the holes in his neck. Already he was tired from removing the collar, the blood loss really, and of having to recount things he'd rather forget to his father. Things that should never have happened, shouldn't have been possible really and yet it had happened.

"It does not have to be home. Those of us in the tower were told our worlds destroyed. And yet we held hope of returning home. The same is possible here, I've no doubt of it. You are right though, it is lovely in its way."

He could see the exhaustion - Thranduil was very familiar with that emotion, after all this time.

"I worry only for the state in which I shall find it, should I be allowed to return," Thranduil said softly, posture changing to something slightly more supportive. He was ready to pick Legolas up again and carry him, as he had so often so many years ago, if it were necessary. "You should sit down." And rest. Elves could withstand much, but it still took their bodies some time to recover.

"With hope, it will be well. When I departed Arda and was forced to the tower, we called it Eryn Lasgalen and the shadow had been lifted for just over one hundred and fifty years."

A good part of him wanted to refuse to sit and rest, a more prideful part that was more used to being strong for the sake of others. The other, sensible part would like nothing better and he nodded. There had to be somewhere nearby that they could just rest. It was nice to feel a real breeze after so long and he didn't want to retreat inside until it was absolutely necessary. Thankfully enough, one wasn't far and the view was acceptable.

"Would you sit with me? I am not used to be alone anymore."

Thranduil looks at him, startled. "The last I had known, we had been fighting it for a thousand years. The shadow over Mirkwood-" he disliked the name, missed the days when it had been Greenwood, "-has yet to lift." If it would ever.

Thranduil, at least, understood the sentiment of not wanting to be inside. Why would he wish to here? He smiled a little at the invitation. "If you wish it."

"I do, so long as you don't mind." Legolas gives a little smile, glad that he can finally provide good news! Taking a seat and leaning back, careful not to irritate his neck, he sighs comfortably.

"I've learned that when we are taken from Arda, time seems to have little meaning. When last I walked through the forest, it was the Fourth Age. Sauron was defeated and by a pair of hobbits no less." He laughs very softly at the memory. Such plain and unassuming creatures and yet Frodo had carried the fate of all Middle Earth.

The king smiled himself, a little ironically. "Why should I mind?" It was true that he had not always been able to stay long with Legolas back in Mirkwood, but back there he'd had other, and frequently more important, things to do. There was only so much time that could be spared when one was King of a realm like Mirkwood, which needed such constant and such vigilant defense.

"I do not see how that can be," he said, seeming somewhat unconcerned about it. He wasn't convinced that the darkness overshadowing Mirkwood could be so easily expunged. "Sauron has lain defeated for thousands of years." And what, exactly, were hobbits?

"I don't know. I'm still used to life in the tower, I suppose. Everyone having something that needs done, keeping each other at arms length." Never knowing who to trust. He shouldn't have to worry about that here and he quietly leans against his father. Not enough for support but to remind himself that he's there.

It was nice to just relax a moment now, smiling a little at knowing something his father didn't. A youthful part of him that the tower hadn't quite managed to snuff.

"His ring survived. The Ruling Ring. And he couldn't be truly defeated until it was destroyed in Orodruin's fire."

Thranduil didn't lean against Legolas, not quite, but he did incline himself towards him, bowing his head just a little over his son's. And he listened. His eyes closed in a very subtle, veiled sorrow - he knew, only too well, what it was to hold everyone at arm's length. He would not wish such isolation for his son. It had, for Thranduil, been what he'd used to deal with being forced to take his throne in Mordor, in fields of ash and blood. It could be a very lonely existence.

"The Ruling Ring has been gone this past age," he said carefully at this news. He was not completely ignorant at its history.

"Yes but only. It was found by Gollum, then Bilbo and then passed on to Frodo." It was impossible not to recognize it when Frodo had brought it out at the Council of Elrond. Even Boromir had recognized it. And they had all learned quite a bit about it during the Council.

"So much has happened." He paused for a moment. "When was it before you came here?"

Test Drive Meme!

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