Test Drive for October 2013 Apps

[highseasmods]

Welcome to your monthly Test Drive for high_seas! Here is where new players can test out their characters' voices, old players can try out new muses, and everyone can help each other get some threads for their applications! Feel free to use one of the prompts below, or come up with something on your own! Comment around, have fun, and remember that any CR formed here does not carry over to the game!

See you during the application round!

♦ So you're new to this world and have just woken up in the Town Square. How do you react? What do you do?

♦ You're lost at sea. Maybe you got separated from your crew. Or perhaps you're on an abandoned island. You need help!

♦ "Pirates off the starboard bow!" It's an enemy ship! Attack!!

♦ You and your crew are hanging out on your ship. Just another day at sea!

♦ "LAND, HO!" Hey look, a new island! How about you go explore it? Tell us what you find!

Comments

[awhitecrow]

[Hollom's fingers falter at those words. What is there to say? How can he argue? He can't.]

I'm not afraid of the sea taking me.

[His voice is very low, very quiet, and he stares out at the horizon, where the sea meets the sky and there's no land to be seen.]

[thatched]

[he lets him have his moment. There's something there though Thatch can't imagine what it is. Though after the moment has passed he works out a sliver of orange and pops it in his mouth]

I was more referring to pirates in the last part. Some scurvy bastards would shoot a man like you on sight. [there were plenty of places, after all, where a lone marine was a dead marine]

[awhitecrow]

[The threat of a very different kind of death jars Hollom. He actually laughs -- though a quiet, nervous laugh.]

I've never dealt with pirates before, sir. Privateers, Frenchmen, Spaniards... but I never did cross paths with pirates.

[And he sounds nervous enough with that thought in mind.]

I... I suppose there's little to be done about that. Save finding a ship that needs another hand. [A crew would offer some protection. For the time being. Until they had enough of the misfortune that would follow them with him around.]

[thatched]

What about a pirate crew, laddie? [since he can't be more than twenty? Twenty-five?] Find a good one and they'd treat you well-could be you'd even rise up in the ranks...and you'd be less, shall we say, outnumbered.

[awhitecrow]

I... don't suppose I have much of a choice. [He can, at least, view that logically. Pirates had their own inclinations toward religion. He might find a captain who would tolerate a little hesitance to certain acts from a man who could sail.

Especially as the amount of landsmen here seemed considerable.] I-- I've fifteen years service at sea, sir.

[thatched]

[he laughs, but not unkindly] Are you offering your services then?

[awhitecrow]

If you know someone who needs a sailor, sir. I-- I'm far away from anything I know, and I'm not sure how captains here recruit, sir.

If you aren't a captain, sir, or don't know one who's looking for crew... I'd be very grateful if you could tell me where to go, sir.

[thatched]

[if this little lamb wasn't careful, the lions would get to him--and they had much sharper teeth than Thatch]

I'm not a captain as such. More like a division commander... but experience doesn't cut it with my crew. What's your passion, matey? What drives you to be here or anywhere?

[awhitecrow]

[And that is what Hollom has been most his life -- a lamb among lions.

The question, though, surprises him. His passion? When has that ever mattered? So, the best recourse is honesty.]

I don't know if I have one, sir. I've lived under orders most [all] of my life.

[thatched]

[poor thing]

Tell you what, if you're amenable to it, I'll take you under my wing as a protege of sorts. Forget those old trappings and come live wild on the sea. Maybe you'll find your passion when you're not so laced in, aye?

[awhitecrow]

A protege? [This sounds like an offer Captain Aubrey would make.

...And he'd disappointed Aubrey so much. Failed to live up to even his barest expectations.] I... could try, sir.

[thatched]

[could try sir. Thatch had his work cut out for him. But bending the morals of youth was always a pleasure]

Don't start doubting yourself now. The fun hasn't even started. Tell me--

What's your name anyway?

[awhitecrow]

Hollom, sir. ...Formally midshipman of HMS Surprise under Captain Jack Aubrey.

[Best to have it all out, he supposed. A proper introduction.]

[thatched]

[good to know. But as they weren't here (probably) it was fairly useless information]

Hollum-- first name? Last? Only?

[awhitecrow]

[He can only hope Jack Aubrey isn't here. That would be too much.]

Jonathan Hollom, sir.

[And a crook'd salute, Navy fashion.]

[thatched]

[Ha. Saluting. He was going to be mocked in a friendly fashion across the ship and back but it would be good for him]

You can call me Thatch.

[he pops another orange slice in his mouth]

Tell me, Jonathan, is there anything you've always wanted to do but were held back by, rules, regulations [he waves a hand] a small voice telling you it'd be a bad idea?

[awhitecrow]

[And that mocking might be the worst thing in the world for Hollom.

Still, the question sparks something, and he glances down. A deep breath. Consider it. Then--]

My father wanted me to join the Navy. I was inclined to join the Church.

[thatched]

...Church? [He blinks. He knows places have churchyards and so must have a church to accompany it--and he's fairly sure that it's religious in nature... But not being particularly religious at all other than believing in an amorphous somewhere existing after death, he doesn't quite follow]

Like a priest or monk or something?

[awhitecrow]

A priest, yes. Of the Anglican faith.

[A very important distinction, where he's from. Anglican and Catholic... vastly different in their reception.]

[thatched]

Hard to find that bit out here. [he scratches his chin] Though I've seen my share of angels, they're not exactly religious. But I guess you'll be a fair hand at keeping zombies away.

[awhitecrow]

...Zombies, sir?

[thatched]

Aye. They're rare but you get them from time to time. Cursed islands and what-not. Though sometimes they're merely old men with bad wounds, but you can't be too careful.

[awhitecrow]

I'm sorry, sir, but... What is a zombie?

[thatched]

[didn't know what a zombie was? Poor sheltered kid]

The undead, lad. Animated corpses with parts falling off of them. Usually pretty cranky.

[awhitecrow]

Demons. [The term "zombie" is not one that has reached his part of the world yet.] You.. think I can be of use against demons, sir?