test drive meme

[barrayarmods]

Playlists by tsarcasm:
Barrayar ⚔ Cetaganda ⚔ The Invasion

Have you read the FAQ?

The Village ⚔ The Barrayaran Camp ⚔ The Cetagandan Base ⚔ The Fight

You've been on Barrayar for a while now, and you're finally starting to adjust. Or maybe you're not. Maybe this is all still too much for you – the attacks, the constant raids, living in the middle of a war zone by no choice of your own. But if you want to live long enough to make it back home one day, you might as well do what you can to help the war effort. Besides, where else are you going to go?

The fierce Barrayaran winter rages even to the southern end of the continent, and it's been none too kind to Vorkosigan's District. Temperatures at sea level are well below freezing, and up in the mountains, it's even colder. Several inches of snow already blanket most of the mountains all the way down to the Cetagandan base, and the storm that's just started up is only bringing more down. Visibility is low in the flurries, wind swirling snow everywhere, and God help you if you get lost on your own out in the storm. Nights are cold, these days.

A recent attack on the Cetagandan base has left half their facilities damaged and in disarray. Raid parties snuck in by night, planting bombs in previously scouted locations for maximum effect. Damage to the base's water treatment plant and organic grow labs have considerably impacted the Cetagandans' food and water supply, and in the chaos caused by the explosions, the Barrayaran guerrillas raided their medbay and made off with a considerable bounty of medical supplies. One man's bane is another man's boon, and while the Cetagandans have reserve supplies to sustain them for now, some of the damage is extensive and the repairs will take time. But in the meantime, the Barrayarans have scored a precious victory as well as equally precious resources.



the village
The Riverfall villagers are used to the harsh winters of the Dendarii mountains, and though they don't have much themselves, they are happy to offer what they can in terms of cold-weather clothing and extra blankets to those allied with the guerrillas. Despite the cold, the hill children are going wild in the snow, and they may try to lure you into their play by sneakily pelting you with snowballs.

Cetagandan allies, however, may not be met so warmly, and at the first sight of ghem soldiers, any children out playing in the snow will be immediately ushered into their homes. Unaccompanied outsiders from the Cetagandan base might have an easier time talking to the hillfolk, but any attempt at digging information about the guerrillas out of them will get you stonewalled fast. A sneaky hill child or two may steal away from their home to approach one of the "bad guy" outsiders to sate their curiosity.



the barrayaran camp
Morale is higher than it has been in a while after their recent victory, and the guerrillas are in high spirits. And do they ever love their spirits – as night falls, most of the Barrayarans gathered around the campfires are enjoying the deceptively named, dangerously alcoholic moonshine they call maple mead. It might start out sweet, but it burns all the way down, and a few glasses of that stuff will tank even the heaviest Barrayaran soldier.

But the storm rages on despite their celebration, and preparations must be made. Clearing as much snow off the tents as possible will help ensure that no tents collapse overnight, the horses need to be tended to, and the officers are always running training drills. Food is in real supply now, but the guerrillas need help foraging and hunting nonetheless. And when night falls, you'll have to find a way to keep yourself warm – it's a good thing there are a cozy ten of you to a tent.



the cetagandan base
The Cetagandans outnumber their guerrilla enemies almost seventy-to-one, so their base has not been completely devastated, but it hardly looks to be the work of a few raiding parties. Nothing is beyond repair, but the water treatment plant has been taken offline, which means that all water is now locally sourced and must be treated by hand with purification tablets. No one in the base will starve, but fresh food is mostly unavailable until they get the grow labs back online, which means that meals are mostly comprised of ration bars and MREs. Morale isn't exactly at an all-time low, but none of the ghem officers seem to be in a good mood.

They won't hesitate to put you to work, either. They need all the engineers and laborers they can get for the grow labs and the treatment plant, and the medbay's inventory needs to be thoroughly audited before they can send a request for more supplies. But if you need a break, it's not too hard to slip away for a little quiet downtime. Some of the lower-ranked ghem ladies might let you participate in some more artistic activities, or maybe some of the enlisted soldiers who are a little more used to you by now might invite you into one of their Cetagandan games of strategy. Or, since the treatment plant only affected potable water, you could appreciate your comfortable surroundings and take a nice hot soak in the bathroom while everyone else is working.


the fight
PVP
You're in the midst of a skirmish with the other side -- maybe you signed up for the battle, maybe you just got caught up in the fight -- but at least it's easy to tell who's on what side. Only one side is wielding swords, and the other guns.

But then you come across someone who doesn't look like they're either -- not one of the rugged Barrayarans or the face-painted Cetagandans, but an outsider, an exotic like you. They must be. So do you fight?

RECON
Maybe you're not on the front lines, but there's plenty more to winning the war than just fighting. You're partnered with another outsider on recon; the ground is cold, and you try not to let your shoes crunch too loudly on snow as you scout, scanning for patrols or supply lines.

Or maybe you're with the Cetagandans, hiking it thorugh the mountains with one of your fellow exotics in an attempt to locate the enemy camp. Except it's damned cold, and there's hidden ice everywhere, and everything is starting to really look the same.

--

Feel free to write prompts for your character on either side -- you don't have to choose just one for the TDM! Just label it clearly so folks know. GO WILD, MY FRIENDS

Comments

Jake Muller | RE6 | OTA

[50mil]

THE VILLAGE

Hey, you little--! [It takes his whole arm to wipe the snow from the side of his face and neck after being pelted. The Riverfall boys give a loud, long whoop of noise in victory, but when Jake squats behind a piece of building to begin hurriedly balling up snow, the pack of kids instead begin squealing.] That's it.

You guys are going to regret icing me.

[By the time he's finished making one of the biggest, tightly packed balls he can possible throw, someone new is in the line of sight.] You! Get out of the damn way!

BARRAYARAN

[While others are toasted on maple mead, Jake forgoes only for the sake of being alert in case something happens. He had a sip to take off the edge, but he's instead dodging celebratory festivities in favor of sweeping snow from the peaks of his bunking tent and making sure the horses are fine.

One or two that don't have a winter coat get a small blanket which he smooths out carefully. The hooves of a few get pinned between his knees and thighs as he looks the bottom of them over, and his voice, though unintelligible, can be heard talking to them as he works with the small hand pick.]

PVP + RECON

[Through and through, Jake is a guerilla fighter. He's use to being a mercenary. He's more prone to hand-to-hand fighting, but he's not opposed to strategic trickery.

Someone too smooth and polished to be an ally comes scouring through the base they are infiltrating, someone with too many amenities. He waits in the shadows against the wall on the opposite side of the doorway. When you pass, whether fast or slow, he ducks out and wraps an arm around your shoulders and collar; the other hand brings the nasty, partially serrated knife around beneath your chin.] Going somewhere?

barnyard action

[vindictive]

[She approaches him while he's working, and doesn't do much to announce her presence at first. Used to working with horses, she's fond of the ones at camp and often comes to visit them when she can't sleep at night. And on a night with so much boisterous celebrating going on, she definitely can't sleep. Hearing some of the horses that are bothered by the noise raising a commotion of their own, she goes over to see if she can't settle them down.

But someone's already here with them, and she smiles as she watches him work with and speak to the animal.]

They like you. Last guy who did that got kicked in the face.

when you don't get notifs bc the email was an old one...

[50mil]

[When he glances up, it seems like he's trying hard not to be embarrassed. He was probably gently complaining despite continuing to work the hoof, and he's not sure what all someone else might have heard out of him.] Sounds like the last guy deserved it.

[Releasing the hoof with his knees, he slides his fingers down the leg to let it rest on the ground without being dropped, and then he straightens up.] Know if these guys have a groom? The horses won't be going anywhere if they can't even walk.

PVP

[triple_queen]

[It's a dark-haired woman-- for about half a second. Then it's a mass of wild red hair and feathers, and a tight grip on his arm. For someone who looked fairly slight, pale, and regal, she's almost too strong.]

Nay, Badb has a little boy to swallow whole.

[He's left holding a swarm of angry, swirling crows, screeching bloody murder as they surround him. Though they're not making much of a move to attack... just distract, perhaps.]

[50mil]

[Two seconds in, he realizes he's fucked up being this close. His fingers release the knife, and his other arm zips around to grab it instead. But by the time he raises it for a downward stab to her neck, she's gone, and a flood of crows spills over the top of him.] What the--!

[Using his shoulders, he hunches up, shielding his face with one arm as best he can. The other swings out with the knife, less to kill and cut and more to try to get the crows out of his personal space.] Cut out the parlor tricks and fight me! [The crows aren't letting up. He tucks and dives back through the doorway he stepped out of, rolling to a knee turned around.

Grabbing the door, he tries to slam it closed on the birds in case they follow.]

I... am so sorry, Angry Badb is just NSFW /)__(\

[triple_queen]

[To be fair, it would have been quite the feat if he'd prepared for his target to turn into crows. The fact that he doesn't immediately start screaming is major points as far as Badb's concerned, but she's also an unholy brand of pissed off. He nearly made her bleed, and that's just unacceptable.]

[The crows try to follow him through the door, coming to a swarm as he shuts it. Something heavy, and singular, hits it hard and it rattles in the frame.]

[Badb drags her metal nails down the door, gouging ten ragged lines in a burst of fury.]

The only trick I'll be playing is putting your severed cock down your throat before you can blink, fucker!!

[shri]

[ She's tending a horse when she sees the snowball go flying, a snapped movement that is wary of attack - until she hears the peel of children's laughter and the rough voice her that informs her she's in the way of a counter-attack.

Not that she moves, busy fiddling with the tack and stripping the gear down. She hears the begging sound of protect us and she tries not to smile for it. Doing her best to look stern, she looks back at him with her best attempt to be very serious. ]

Seems we may be at an impasse, sir. I am afraid I cannot let you pass.