now don't be rude

[maskormods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping into MASK OR MENACE? Want to dip your toes into the setting and get a feel of whether your character will fit into it? Or maybe you're just cruising and want to play around? Then you've come to the right place!

Pick any of the following scenarios below or feel free to make up your own, but don't be afraid to throw yourself at anyone's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory is hazy and you might feel increasingly frustrated or anxious, or maybe you're excited as soldiers march past, barely glimpsing you. One second you're somewhere underground, the next you're enveloped in blue light, and suddenly you find yourself directly under Flordia sun's bright and burning glare. A female soldier steps toward you with a wide smile on her face and directs you to a car, ready to debrief you. You realize you are not the only one, surrounded by equally confused or eager faces... and you're all sporting a digital tattoo on your wrist.

02. Welcome to Cape Canaveral, where the smell of the ocean is in the air and locals are more than pleased to see new imPorts roaming their streets. They wave, they cheer, they ask for pictures as politely as they can. The more inhuman you look, or if you're wearing a costume, the more likely locals are to approach. Hey, enjoy the moment! The popular malt shop is offering you a free drink if you need it.

03. The technology in this world is certainly something. The cars are clearly modeled after popular 50s cars, but they hover several feet above the ground as they drive down the street. There are digital jukeboxes in restaurants, motorcycles also hover through traffic, advertisements can be seen on a digital projector on the taller buildings. Even kids on skateboards appear to drift a safe ten feet off the ground while playing!

04. Wherever you are, you can hear the loud revving of an engine, distance at first before you finally see it: a hovercar bursting around the corner, going beyond the maximum speed limit and just barely making its sharp turn. It doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, not with two police cars trailing it... and uh oh. Those skateboarding kids don't have much time to get out of the way as the car comes speeding down the road. You've been brought here for a reason Hero — so you better act fast.

Comments

koltira deathweaver | warcraft

[respired]

.1.
[The sun bears down on Koltira, and he squints in agitation. The warmth doesn't bother him; he hardly feels it, but the light illuminates his pallid, cracked skin in great detail. His armor stands out, too, glowing of its own accord and shimmering darkly against the harsh, midday glare.

In fact, despite the muggy summer weather, little rosettes of ice continuously form and dissolve beneath Koltira's boots as he walks forward, and remnants of snowflakes still glisten in his white hair.

Blood, fresh and dark, stains his neck. The curtain of his hair disguises most of the wound, and his expression -- cold and inscrutable -- suggests that he isn't worried about it, regardless. His new surroundings are of much greater concern.

When the soldier approaches him, he recognizes her as someone of military authority owing to her formal address. The uniform is foreign to him, but it's a uniform, regardless.

His mouth twitches as she directs him towards the car.]

Is there a war? Are we to be conscripted?

.4.
[Once he's set loose on the streets, Koltira finds that his best option is to explore. He hasn't done much with this project when he comes upon the car chase and the two kids positioned directly in its path.

The way he sees it, Koltira has few options. He could destroy the speeding car, perhaps causing an even greater wreck and very likely ending the driver's life. Or, he could cause the children some surely mild discomfort and spare them a much more grisly fate.

He goes for option two.

Without a word, Koltira extends his hand towards the skateboarders. One after the other, spectral energy shoots forth from his palm and wraps around each kid's throat. Koltira jerks his wrist back, manipulating the energy like a taut string, and the kids are yanked off of their skateboards and towards his position on the sidewalk.

It's a terrifying rescue, to be sure, and the kids are coughing and rubbing their necks in fear afterwards, but Koltira is satisfied.

He saved their lives, after all.]

Calm yourselves. You will be fine in a few moments.

4.

[yseult]

[ The street corner features a tall hedge that obscures her view, so Sansa isn't quite sure why the small pack of dogs that she is currently escorting suddenly begin to whine, stubbornly refusing to round the corner. They are usually so well behaved for her, after all. She frowns and tugs at the leashes, and with some gentle encouragement-- her powers may or may not have played a role, even if it wasn't entirely conscious on her part-- they eventually concede and follow behind her, their collective ears drooping as they round the corner.

Her eyebrows are furrowed as she glances back over her shoulder at the dogs, and doesn't notice as she bumps into the tall, armoured man, only moments after he saved the children from the oncoming car. She lets out a loud gasp of surprise, her eyes wide as she practically trips over the leashes as she hurries backwards, putting a yard or so of distance between herself and Koltira.

Behind her, a golden retriever whines loudly. ]

[respired]

[It's true -- animals don't usually do well around Koltira. He turns towards the girl and the dogs, though he doesn't look annoyed. As ever, his expression doesn't betray any emotion at all.]

Mind yourself.

[yseult]

[ She's trying not to stare too blatantly, really she is. But this is the first time she's encountered a man in armor since arriving here, which would be enough on it's own to serve as a small shock. And then there is, well, the matter of his appearance. ]

My apologies, Ser.

[ She glances over at the children who are rubbing at their necks and trying to hurry away, concern in her eyes. ]

[respired]

[He follows her gaze.]

A car was oncoming. I dragged them to safety. They are fine.

[yseult]

[ She nods at that. She isn't going to be outwardly sceptical of the dead knight who is carrying around a sword almost as big as her entire body. ]

Do you rescue people often?

[ Most of the dogs have apparently resigned themselves to the fact that they're not leaving just yet, laying down on the sidewalk and attempting to make themselves look as small as possible. ]

[respired]

[Poor puppies. Fortunately, Koltira makes no move towards either them or Sansa. He merely shrugs.]

I do whatever needs to be done.

[yseult]

[ She's not sure if she likes the implications that are carried in those words. ]

I see.

[ Sansa notices the way that the dogs are reacting, and after casting a glance at Koltira as though unsure whether or not she should be turning her back on him, she turns to face the dogs and kneels close to the ground. She murmurs to them, soft reassuring words, and after several long moments something in her voice seems to make them relax. ]

[respired]

[Koltira takes a step back, almost apologetically.]

Animals do not do well with my kind. You should move along.

[yseult]

[ She nods, looking as though she is willing to do just that, until she hesitates for a moment. She can't help but spare the man a long, studying look. ]

Your "kind"...?

[respired]

[He gestures to his own face, indicating his eyes in particular.]

Those no longer among the living.

[yseult]

I... I thought those were just myths.

[ Really, you'd think that she would have seen stranger things since arriving here, but the prospect of people returning from the dead is a particularly disconcerting one. ]

[workout]

[ Scott's eyeing the car when he overhears the question, glancing over to see... a dead guy. At least he's pretty sure it's a dead guy, though he's seen enough things lately to allow for the fact that he could be alive and just very, very messed up. ]

I don't think conscription's legal.

[ Or it wasn't back at home. This obviously isn't home, so the comment lacks any real certainty. And pending a slight pause to pull back his sleeve and consider the tattoo on his arm: ] Then again, neither is branding people.

[respired]

'Legal'?

[Koltira raises an eyebrow. The concept of legality -- of rights -- is so far from his experience that he can't even fathom it.

He hasn't noticed the tattoo yet, either. Seeing Scott's, he unlatches his gauntlets and pulls one off, revealing more cracked marble skin beneath ... and a strange projection of foreign, barely visible words.

He mutters.]

It is a less instrusive mark than others I bear, at least.

[workout]

[ The confused echo earns a bemused look, and Scott studies him quietly for a second before responding. It'd probably be rude to ask him outright what he is and why he smells like stale dirt, so you know. Maybe after they exchange names?? ]

Legal. You know, allowed. Permitted by law? [ Textbook definition. And, very slightly unsure: ] Do you have a lot of tattoos?

[ Doubtful. It's just that explanation is way more pleasant than the alternatives, so one can hope. ]

1. hay gurl

[biotically]

[ It's really not his place, to talk to the new people, before they really get the lowdown. He's on the military base because he works there. But his job was really more of a technical job, and that meant that sometimes, you really just needed to get away from a console, and get some sunshine.

Then again, people who looked like they'd be more at home in a freezer -- or a morgue -- weren't what he was expecting in the Florida sun.

He shook his head. ]

Not, ah, exactly. It's a little different than that. More enlistment than conscription.

hay gurl haaay

[respired]

If we have no say in the matter, what's the difference?

[Koltira turns to look this new man in the eyes. He has a military look about him, too. In one sense, Koltira finds comfort and familiarity in this: he has always been a soldier, himself. But his commanders have not always treated him well.]

[biotically]

Well, we don't have to fight. Or even sign on with them.

[ He rolled a shoulder, like it was a choice Koltira would have to make himself. It was, after all. Kaidan had spent months on that very decision. ]

We have to be here, but we don't have to comply.

[respired]

And there are no consequences for refusal?

[He eyes the waiting car. Doubtfully.]

[biotically]

Not that I've seen, so far.

[ He shook his head. ]

I can't promise for the future, but right now? The worst they do is stop the free ride.

[respired]

[Koltira doesn't need much. He has essentially no physical needs at all, though even he can appreciate a place to stay and sit down.]

And what of you, stranger? What was your decision?

[biotically]

I...chose to register.

[ It's with no amount of hesitation, which should say enough. ]

I took a while, to make my decision, though.

[respired]

And why did you? What do you fight for in this place?

[He squints up at the sun, then looks 'round him -- this is certainly not a war front. Everything seems orderly; peaceful.]

[biotically]

In this place?

[ He shook his head, and followed his gaze for a moment, before he shook his head. ] I don't know. Back home, it's easier, fighting for the right thing, but it's not as easy to find here, but I just have to do the right thing, and maybe I'll find what's worth fighting for here, too.

[respired]

[This man does not sound certain at all.]

I see no enemies here. So far, I fail to understand who -- or what -- we'd be fighting.