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TDM: April
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aefenglom's test drive! All threads can be considered game canon, should you choose to do so; regardless of if you pick specific threads to remain canon to the game, the prompts and test drive itself will be. This will be touched on later in-game, so it's fairly important to note! Aside from that, here are some quick reminders:• Reserves Open Today! If you're interested in securing a spot, put one in! We accept applications without reserves too, of course. Reserves will expire three days before the end of the application period, on the 28th.With that taken care of...
• Applications Open The 24th! These will last until the end of the month, the 30th, with the game formally beginning on May 1st. The application page can be found here.
• If you have any questions about the game or the world, please refer to the FAQ page; if you still have questions, feel free to ask them! For questions specific to the test drive, please ask them on the appropriate thread.
• For the purposes of the test drive, your character will have access to all magics taught by the Coven if they're a Witch, and as much of their shifted form as you'd like if they're a Monster. Feel free to play around and experiment with each!
• Test drive threads can be used as samples for your applications!
You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the wind brushes playfully against your face -
and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that.
The Tea Party
The air turns a sweeter smell, almost like a bakery; the gentle laughter and chatter of living creatures filters in through leaves that brush against you, hanging from winding vines that hang from above. Flowers in shades of orange and red glow faintly among the greenery, their petals curling in shyly once they're paid attention to. As the area comes more into focus, the shadows of insect-winged forms become clearer, flitting about - talking about some kind of party, about a Queen, about the Courts meeting on neutral ground for the first time in a thousand years.
You're not entirely sure what's going on, and it doesn't seem as if anyone's noticed you've arrived - but three different paths unfurl in your mind's eye, vague in shape and meaning.
 A Taste of Faeryland... Following the voices, you find them: smaller-than-average humanoids with thin limbs, a variety of wings (prismatic butterfly, fuzzy moth, delicate bee - all of it), large, glittering compound eyes, antennas fitting their winged insect-type... Those familiar with the tales of the fae might recognize these Monsters as something similar. They greet you as if you were an old friend regardless of your appearance, inviting you to sit down at the table - which seems to go on forever in the large dining hall-esque canopy of nature they have set up, lined with elegant porcelain tableware and shimmering orbs of magic. The food is similarly endless, ranging from the familiar to the unusual, and careful observation (or just plain digging in) shows the following effects: breakfast foods make you glow and emit colorful sparks, brunch foods get you floating as if filled with bubbles, lunch foods will make you feel as if you've taken part in happy hour, dinner foods will make you insatiably hungry, and dessert will make you feel as if you should simply stay in Faeryland forever... It's possible to mix and match these with effects, but do be careful. The creatures present speak in high, lilting voices about nothing in particular at all - if asked anything serious, they merely give the character a curious if disproving look and say it's impolite to speak of politics over a meal. Ask something a little more lighthearted though, and they laugh and still... don't quite answer, patting your hand and asking if you'd like an extra slice of buttered bread and jam. The tables aren't exactly the best place for eavesdropping and learning what's going on, it seems - but there are plenty of exits out of the dining hall. Large, beetle-like Fae stand guard at the entrances of various hallways outside of the hall in the castle though, preventing anyone from entering them. When asked, they simply reply these are to private quarters that ordinary guests aren't allowed into and refuse to budge on the matter. |
 A Coalition of Interests... The Seelie and the Unseelie Courts of the Fae - whether you know them or not, evidently it's a big deal that they're meeting tonight. Or over several days and nights; the Fae themselves seem to be in a bit of an argument over how long they actually want to stay in the same company as their counterparts, neutral ground of the Dewaint Forest. Regardless, there are no marked differences between the two physically, and they all speak of a singular Queen heading them; behaviorally, though, that's another thing entirely. Those of the Seelie Court are quicker to engage in conversation and prefer it one-on-one, hardly allowing a word in edgewise and getting irritated when interrupted; their pranks are usually mildly malicious, with spells causing uncontrollable laughter, color changes, and charms to make the charmee fall in love at first sight with whomever they see first peppering their repertoire. Returning to their good graces is fairly easy - the gift of something pretty as an apology tends to work, but each Fae has their own very particular gift they like. If it's messed up even a little bit, they won't accept it, and will merely play another trick upon the giftee. Those of the Unseelie Court, meanwhile, are a little harder to talk to; they prefer to prank and trick first to test those they might be interested in as a group, not unlike children trying to get the attention of someone they like by pulling their hair. Their pranks usually range from genuine hurt (such as pulling hair, stinging nettles, or simply beating them with bound vines) to curses (losing one's voice, the head of an ass, or full-scale animal transformations). Withstanding these, or standing up to these Fae, earns as much of their ire as it does their respect - the truly respectful human will be subjected to headpats and collars, like a pet. |
 A Treacherous Adventure... As beautiful as it is outside of the main dining hall and newly-grown castle (just for the momentous occasion itself, going by the rumors!), Faeryland as a whole is mired in danger. The wrong step sends one tumbling down a rabbit hole full of interesting sights, landing in a wide field of drooping flowers that snore softly and scream bloodcurdling loud when awoken. No matter how long one walks, discovering both familiar and unfamiliar sights, never ends in finding the castle again. In fact, it's much easier to find yourself accidentally going deeper into the woods. The exceptionally tall trees of the Dewaint Forest show hints of decay and rot, the smell of the dead barely covered by the flowers desperately growing across the blackened bodies of Fae and other animals that wandered too close to the growing infection in the area. What look like corpses will tremble and rise when they sense someone is close by - their eyes and mouth are pure white, contrasting with the darkness around them, and throughout the shell are cracks of a similarly pulsing whiteness; it smells magical, it feels incredibly heavy and overpowering, and it might just be too powerful for those most sensitive to the corruption and to magic. The shadowy creatures' wings are larger than normal and monstrous, with their bodies held up by the dew-crying flowers that simultaneously hold them back yet sneak their roots closer to grab those who awakened them and drag them closer. Where the monster begins and ends with the corrupted nature it's made its bed in isn't completely clear, but one thing is: it's very, very hungry. Thankfully, it's a good thing some of you have new abilities at hand, and some of you have a few neat changes to help. Teaming up makes things go quicker, and once defeated, these creatures bleed white magic and disappear in ashy smoke, shell breaking off in bits to reveal a dried-up corpse of a Fae. Nothing else remains, not even a hint to their identity, and the more of these monstrously-turned Monsters characters meet, the bigger and more terrifying they get. |
no subject
Maybe it's your beautiful, steely eyes, so full of disdain- Or that humorless scowl on the handsome face?
[ It's you who got rank E Luck right now Archer. Now you have to deal with this. "This" being a draped annoyance, who still manages to both praise him and insult at the same time. When Caster realized he can use his affliction just to irritate the bowman, he started taking the whole thing rather well. ]
Of course it's the hosts, asshole. [ Caster's hand who is now finding a place to rest on Archer's chest right where his heartbeat could be felt- if not for the layers of armor. ]
no subject
Thanks, I guess. [odd, how hard is to ignore the way Caster drapes over him. It's been a very long time since- but there's neither time nor place to waste time on such unimportant details.] Had I known that you're going to pay attention I'd try on a better expression.
[Love spell or love potion, it all boils down to pursuing the sudden infantuation. The question is what are the conditions, is it time, or a specific action. Touch doesn't break the spell, after all it's too obvious. Now it's to him to test all the possibilities.
Such a perfect way to pass the time.]
no subject
I'm sure you're going to show me a better one soon enough. [ Of course Archer wasn't going to make it easy, but if he did, it would be boring. And maybe he even manages to help to break the spell along the way, because- shit, his eyes are really nice and it's becoming more distracting than Caster would want. ]
Do you have any more questions, or should I tell you what is the next step? [ He's supposed to be a "guide" now, and while it's a role he imposed on himself for his Master... sure he can guide Archer how to flirt (maybe) ]
no subject
There's no need to. [corner of Archer's lips curls upwards. His smirk is much more melancholic than sarcastic this time.] I can see that you're trying to get into my pants.
[It's almost a shame that the only cause is a spell. Cú Chulainn makes a fine companion, and doesn't expect much in return. Both of them are temporary beings, summoned for a short time.]
no subject
The confusing desire for the red knight (damned spell) is laced with a more understandable and simple desire to win. To make the man either retreat or indulge him- to get a reaction out of him, a human reaction. Come to think of it, this extreme calm and collected no matter what demeanor has been pissing him off.
So his hand moves down again, the other one joins- and now Caster is grabbing Archer by the collar with his both hands and dragging him behind a convenient column. That lets them get off the sight a bit (still, that ain't a room) ]
You are running far ahead, but I guess you're not wrong. [ His grip lightens only when he pushes Archer against the column, and leans on him ] So you want to skip the courting phase?
[ It's more like casting a lure to figure what Archer wants at all. He must want something, otherwise he wouldn't be a Servant. ]
no subject
He allows Caster to bodily drag him, feeling his pulse quicken. It's just like a spar, albeit of different kind. Such bold actions demand reaction, and despite his poker face Archer isn't as uninterested as he pretends to be.]
Now you're making me curious about the courting phase. [there's the challenge, there always is one. So far Caster has been handsy, and now is his turn. One of Archer's hands rests on his chest, fingers splayed wide. Honestly, what the Irish hound wears always look like painted directly on his skin. He can feel each breath and each heartbeat. Slowly his hand slides down, touch light, until he can grab and pull the blue annoyance closer by the waist.]
Does it include a pile of enemy heads or animal herds, like historians are trying to prove?
[Staying so close makes him focus on blood red eyes. Archer isn't going to deny that Caster is attractive, or that he enjoys the chance to check him out.]
no subject
No enemies to deal with here, nor herds to steal.
I was thinking of the more boring type of flirting. [ Like the one they're doing now. With snark and touches and challenging each other with "who cares about personal space?" Caster does press his body against Archer's (thanks spell compulsion) and leans in close as if he was about to kiss him ] Unless that's just not exciting for you enough.
[ Because he could maybe come up with something. ]
no subject
I'm afraid that my skills are a bit rusty. I rarely have a chance to indulge in such luxuries. [as always there's a fine underline of sarcasm in his tone, albeit this time the hint of bitterness is more obvious.] There's always much more urgent matters to attend to.
[Hah, of all the irony. Now that they're so close Archer can feel Caster's body heat. For a fleeting moment he entertains the idea of discarding his overcoat. Just to up the stakes, it has nothing to do with said warmth. Right.
This close Caster can notice a curious thing - odd patches of faint shine around the outer corners of Archer's eyes. These look like purely decorative scales, opague with a red tint.]
no subject
I'm urgent. [ Caster wouldn't call himself luxurious though, so there is that. He got a long history of flings, pleasure for the sake of pleasure, no strings attached but that- that dispassionate thing Archer has bothers him. The hint of bitterness show that at least there's a person somewhere there but still- ugh ] For all I know, if I don't find a way to break this spell, we will spend rest of this night like this-
[ And by like this, body draped over a body in a -less sexy, more awkward- embrace. Unless somehow the bowman learns how to relax and enjoy a moment. ]
-so attend to me. [ Caster frowns as he raises a hand to Archer's face, his voice going quieter as he finishes the sentence. That detail, these- scales. That wasn't here before, and he doubts that Archer suddenly become fond of make-up. ]
no subject
I don't think there's anything to admire. [he mutters quietly to himself, not really getting what's so interesting about his eyes. Nevermind, there's indeed urgent matter of a spell to break.
Caster is no princess, really, but Archer couldn't care less. There must be at least a few ways to break this enchantment, starting with most traditional one. He tangles his hand in Caster's hair to tilt his head slightly and pull closer for a rough kiss. It has been a long time since any human contact- while he's forgotten how to be gentle, at least Archer still remembers how to kiss.]
no subject
"You're bad at this, bowman"
There's a bark of laughter when they part and Caster moves away. A goodbye signaled clank of teeth- a threat of bite that never comes. ]
Freedom! [ Caster rolls over, now he's back is to the pillar too, arm-to-arm with Archer. The strange haze clouding the judgment is no more. ] Points for the effort I guess.
[ Elbow (Caster) meet side right under the ribcage (Archer). ]
What's your deal? [ The scales? Or maybe any other curses ]
no subject
and the request for help. Someday this unwillingness to step back is going to cost him dearly.]Was that supposed to be a kiss? [he feigns innocent curiosity.] Too many teeth to count as one.
[The question (and bonus elbow) makes him frown.]
My deal? [he repeats suspiciously.] Don't tell me I still have red hair.
so i heard you wanna continue this
Meta-jokes aside, Caster raises his eyebrow- it doesn't seem like a feigned ignorance. It's also unlikely Archer gave himself the scales so-- you know, their gracious hosts are the only options. ]
You might want to look into a mirror though.
yes I do!
Wonderful. [he mutters to himself and looks around in search for anything resembling a mirror. Their fae hosts didn't provide such luxuries so he has to improvise. For example, using a silver tray.]
What-
no subject
[ Caster just came down from intense romantic thirst for the first person he had laid his eyes on, he had danced before, and done some other embarrassing things that were probably like saying "hello" to their winged hosts ]
It's up to you to figure out how to stop it, though.
no subject
I avoid them after one decided that I need carrot red hair instead of green skin. No idea which one thinks I'm not pretty enough.
[Look, he's had his own share of running into fae playing their tricks, and he's seen what the food does. At least the glow and sparkles are amusing.]
no subject
[ The thought of that carrot hair is amusing. But also mean they would be fully on the spectrum of "colour-coded for your convenience" ]
Watch out or you'll grow ears or horns soon. [ And then be forever part of the fair folk court. Or something. ]
no subject
Thanks for the lovely idea. I'll make sure to point them to you for help.