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TDM: January
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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 31st, with the intro log going up on February 1st. The application page can be found here. As a reminder, this will be our last uncapped application round!
• 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 Prehistoric Wilde
Thick summer heat hangs heavy over the uninfected landscape like a damp blanket, smothering. The jungle around you is thick and wet, full of the sounds of chittering animals and the high-pitched drone of insects. The flora and fauna are like nothing you've ever seen before, large and alien in colors and shapes, though they bear no signs of the Cwyld. Flowers the size of a man's head and brightly colored in rainbow hues curl their tendrils invitingly, and giant mosquitoes buzz through the air seeking a meal. You can barely see the glow of the twin moons through the thick canopy above. There are no signs of civilization - at least, not the civilization most will be used to; only the distant sound of the river, compelling you to follow its winding path. But will you go forward, or will you go back?
 Rumble in the Jungle Making headway through the jungle at night is a chore. The foliage grows thick and the humid heat is oppressive for even those who enjoy the warmth. There are no clear paths here, no easy way through. The canopy of the ancient trees far, far over your head is just as dense, but the faintest moonlight filters through the holes left by the huge leaves in stippling patterns across the musty forest floor. 'Large' seems to be the theme - lining whatever path you pick your way through, there are pitcher plants massive enough to swallow a grown man, with small animals and giant insects being digested down inside the sticky liquid that fills them. The flowers are as big as a man's head, and come in a rainbow of colors, their venomous tendrils curling toward signs of life. The trunks of some of the trees are as thick as houses, and shade the ground beneath them with leaves like umbrellas. The hand-sized mosquitoes thrive in the sticky heat and if not killed first, can make off with a full pint of blood from an unsuspecting person. At some point in your journey, the ground begins to rumble beneath your feet. The farther you go, the longer you walk, the more signs of life become visible: thick, winding trails of crushed foliage, huge, animalistic footprints in the mud. Luckily, to this world, you are small and insignificant, and may escape the notice of the local Monsters - the massive, prehistoric ancestors of today's Monsters. They seem like giants, colossal Titanoboa Nagas with hollow fangs like swords, towering Fauns with the lower halves of mammoths, sabertooth Turnskins, pterodactyl Harpies with leathery wings. Even the parts of them that resemble humans (and they have far fewer human-like parts than their modern counterparts) are larger than any actual human being. They operate primarily on instinct, made even stronger by the full moons above, and perceive the strange new creatures as threats - or food. Sticking to the river seems safest - at least until you run into megalodon Merrow, singing an alien, but alluring, song to draw in prey, or the apex predator of this prehistoric world - Dragons, bigger and scalier than the ones Mirrorbound may know, stopped to drink at the river. All other Monsters flee from the huge reptiles, lest they become food themselves. Luckily you can defend yourself with your new abilities, or your neat changes - you're small, but not totally helpless. Interesting to note... while all other Monster types are represented, there are no Fae or Chimeras in the Wilde here, and the Vampires are more like huge bat-monsters that traverse the jungle on all fours than humanoid bloodsuckers. |
 The Natives Going backward, away from the distant sounds of the sea and against the current of the river, leads you through dense jungle. How long have you traversed the landscape? Hours? Days? Time passes funny in dreams. Eventually the trees thin out, grow taller and less leafy, and the air becomes drier. Instead of loamy soil beneath your feet, you start to feel rocky, harder earth, and spot outcroppings of stone. The sun begins to rise, which makes it easier to spot people on the horizon, a little settlement coming to life in the morning, nestled where the river forks into two. They're much hardier than the familiar people of Aefenglom, sunburned and dressed in natural, rough fabrics. Their homes, if one can call them that, are shoddy little structures made of sticks and leaves and mud, pressed up against the sturdiness of the stone formations. And, when they spot strangers approaching their village, they scramble for their weapons - crude clubs, stone axes, even just large rocks snatched up off the ground. The translation magic works on them, thankfully. Their speech is halted and simple, but they get their point across. Tell them who you are, or they'll beat your brains in. Monsters might get their brains beat in anyway if they aren't careful, even though they're much smaller than the Monsters these humans are used to. And Witches? May the gods help you if you use magic in front of these terrified, unevolved people, lest they mistake you for a Fae (the word is whispered with fear and revulsion in their voices) and swarm you with simple iron tools. If you're an actual Fae, an obvious Fae? They'll whisk their children into their huts protectively and then run you right out of the village. Violently. The truly observant, or those who can see through illusions, among you may notice something strange, though. Some Fae actually seem to live among them, heavily cloaked in natural illusions, with the primitive humans none the wiser. There are just a few, but all of them look young, twelve or thirteen at the oldest, and they are all scared of their secret coming to light. Fae who get caught tend to be burned at the stake around here. |
 The Invaders Perhaps you chose to go forward, with the current and toward the distant sound of ocean waves, where the river pours into the sea. More long-time residents of Aefenglom may notice that the shoreline is familiarly-shaped, but wider, bigger, not yet worn down by thousands of years of erosion. There is no bustling Harbor, only the waves crashing on the rocks, small islands dotting the water near the shore. There is no Bright Wall - there is no city, even, only an expanse of beach transitioning gently into an idyllic grove dotted with gauzy, pointed tents, and a beautiful, gilded ship half sunk into the sandy earth. It seems safer than the jungle, at first - until you notice all the Fae. They're more insectoid than the ones many are familiar with, with big, glittering eyes and either bright, jewel-toned wings like dragonflies or butterflies, or delicate, leafy wings in greens and browns. They're also taller than modern, lesser Fae, though not by much, and they're thin and angular, standing on spindly limbs that barely seem able to hold them. Characters receive a warmer welcome here, by the band of true Fae that have made their camp in the grove, though the alien-looking beings have a tendency to treat them like toys, children, or both, cooing over their sizes and their magic. "Look at the little Monsters! Aren't they cute!" "We should make some of our own! And oh, the little humans have magic! Delightful!" It's hard to have a conversation with one - they're condescending at best, and at worst, flit off to another entertainment out of boredom while you're mid-sentence. And entertainments abound in their camp. They're served and tended to like emperors by collared humans - adults and young adults do the heavy labor, including pulling grand little chariots for transportation, though there are some highly-supervised human children running about fetching drinks and fanning their Fae masters with palm leaves. Farther out, a large, deep pit has been dug out of the earth, ringed by a waist-high barrier of logs, a few Fae gathering at the barrier and leaning over, talking in conversational, happy voices. Down below, Chimera gladiators fight for their amusement, while the Fae keep up running commentary, discussing each warrior's chances, new breeding prospects, interesting crossbreeds their fellows have come up with ("She's trying an Arachne and a Turnskin together, how delightful!"). Trying to disrupt the proceedings will only result in the Fae turning their magic on you - illusions and curses, nasty little tricks. Sit down, silly little ones! The fight is just getting good! Or maybe... Maybe they'll toss you into the pit to see what your chances are in battle. |
i. which might be mean but I thought it was funny. at least she has aefendream witch powers.
Leslie is very brave for a twelve year old, but when some giant monster roars -- a giant monster Leslie hadn't even noticed before that moment -- her body tries to jump at the sound at the same time as her legs decide they're done with business for the day and collapse. So she ends up making it about three inches off the ground as she launches at a forty-five degree angle before tumbling forward onto the ground. She scrambles to at least leaning on her elbows. Her voice comes out in a squeak. ]
To run, right?
[ That's what she wants to prepare to do and is pretty sure everyone would normally do. That looks like something even the duchess would hesitate to face, and in Leslie's mind there is no one anywhere stronger. ]
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[ It's only about then that Saber gets a better look at Leslie. She's... young. Saber's expression barely flickers, but something is recalculating in that head of hers. After only a moment more of staring down the dragon - which has begun to launch itself towards them - Saber turns to run, bodily picking up Leslie by the collar of her shirt to quite literally carry her. ]
Stay with me-!
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[ Or, rather, she can't not stay with her when she's being carried. Still, if only to show willing, she begins to move her legs in the air as though she were running. Compared to the sort of speed that Saber is capable of performing, it's pitifully slow. Her experience in running has been contained within two separate houses. Two very big, rich people, mansion houses, but indoors nonetheless.
It doesn't help that she keeps looking over her shoulder at the charging dragon, looking terrified. ]
How are we supposed to fight it if we don't manage to give it the slip?
[ A combination of wishing she still had her magic (she might be able to hide them with that) and thinking about the phrase "give it the slip" results in her unthinkingly reaching for the magic she has in this dream, a wave of cold freezing a patch of the river behind them. ]
Huh?
[ The dragon, not expecting this part, puts its foot down on it and slides off its intended path after them to ram headfirst into a tree. This doesn't slow it for long, though, as even the huge tree here cracks a little under the weight while the dragon is unharmed, but there's a small reprieve for a moment.
...Leslie has no idea how that happened. ]
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She glances back, expression still set in her usual grim mask as she assesses the situation. She angles slightly after a moment, trying to a gap in the bushes. ]
As best we can-
[ Her reply is low and cool and calm. ]
Hang on-!
[ And then, suddenly, they have a bit of breathing room. She glances down in surprise. ]
You're a mage?
[ She darts deeper into the woods. Hopefully the dragon won't follow. Hopefully. ]
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I --
[ She hesitates for a couple of seconds, because she's not sure if she's supposed to keep her magic secret anymore. But this person is almost certainly not associated with the Sperado family, so it should be fine. ]
I know how to do some magic, but none of it was working here. And this is nothing like anything I've learned. ...Ah, maybe it's because this is a dream that I can just imagine things happening and they do?
[ At least, she thinks this is a dream. It makes more sense than being suddenly transported in the middle of the night to this strange environment. Doesn't that make this knight not real? It feels like the people here are real, though, strangely, but maybe that's dream logic talking. ]
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A dream...?
[ Yes. This is a dream, isn't it? One that feels incredibly real. She slows slightly, pausing to wipe sweat from her brow. ]
I've never had a dream like this, though.
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You've never -- but this is my dream. ...Isn't it?
[ Oh no, is this some kind of existential quandary? She hasn't heard of her world's version of the butterfly's dream, but she is starting to vaguely think along those lines. ]
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[ Which isn't totally unheard of, but then again Saber isn't really an expert on dreams. She deals a bit more in the concrete. The sound of their erstwhile pursuer is getting a bit distant, so Saber takes a moment to catch her breath. ]
I'm... not familiar with dreams.
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[ Leslie recognizes there are many, many things about the world she doesn't know, so she is at least entertaining the idea that it could happen. As she's thinking, she shifts and extends her legs towards the ground -- even with how short Saber is, Leslie probably can't quite reach the ground herself, being about three-quarters of a foot shorter -- to try to indicate to Saber that she can put Leslie down while she's catching her breath if necessary. ]
I've had a lot of dreams, but I don't ever remember meeting anyone real in them. I thought dreams were something that happens inside one person's head.
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[ Besides, you know, having them. She takes a breath and draws herself up to her full height (which isn't that tall, honestly) and glances down at Leslie. ]
Are you hurt?
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[ She's mostly in the same boat when it comes to dreams. Ah, but when it comes to whether she's been hurt, Leslie shakes her head. ]
I'm fine, thanks to you. I did get bitten by one of those giant bugs earlier, but it didn't stay for long, so that just itches now. Are you okay?
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[ She's no physician, of course. But if it's not harmful, then it might be best left alone. ]
Did you also find yourself here suddenly? You're not native to this place, are you? Although if this is a dream, I shouldn't expect anything else...
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I didn't really think of it as suddenly, since I was in bed before now and I knew it was a dream.
[ She gestures at her current outfit: a nightgown and bare feet, though the latter might be hard to see through all the mud on her feet by this point. ]
But I definitely have never seen anywhere like this before. I may not have been in the forest back home before, but it didn't look anywhere near as big as this from the outside. So it was the same thing for you?
[ Since Saber is here, obviously that means she's asleep in the real world. Of course. ]
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[ Saber states this rather matter-of-factly and with a slight frown. She's not about to share exactly what she was doing, but that just makes this whole thing feel a bit weirder. ]
But I have never been to a place such as this. It is... strange. I don't know why it would appear in my dream.
[ Just gonna chat with a 12-year old about dream physics nbd. ]
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I don't know. Dreams are strange. They often seem to mix up all sorts of things until it's barely recognizable. Like....
[ She glances around until she sees one of the vibrant, poisonous flowers. ]
Like the flowers. I've never seen a flower like that, but I have seen flowers, and I've seen many different colours before, so I could have imagined combining those.
[ Leslie looks back in the direction they ran from, frowning. ]
...But I've never seen anything like that thing which was chasing us.
[
I know a friend who would be horrified by Leslie's currently reptile-less existence.]no subject
[ Saber doesn't dwell on dreams too much, but Leslie has a point. The subconscious often mixes things up in very strange ways. But if this is a dream shared, how did they both come up with this? And if it isn't, did Saber create Leslie? Or vice-versa? She doesn't know. ]
I've never seen a forest like this one. Dragons I am familiar with, but... as creatures of legend.
[ She sighs. ]
Come, tell me your name.
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[ It's basically instinct for her to curtsy when introducing herself at this point, so she dips into a fairly low one. ]
My name is Leslie....
[ There's a slight hesitation at the end, because she doesn't want to give her last name, but she feels it's rude. The desire to avoid the last name wins out. ]
What's a -- [ NO WAIT HOLD BACK YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT DRAGONS FOR A MOMENT THIS INTRODUCTION SEQUENCE ISN'T OVER she cuts off that question to turn to a different one. ] Um, may I ask your name?
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I go by Saber. I will do my best to see you to safety.
[ Look at her, getting all protective. ]
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Saber....
[ There's a little bit of confusion apparent in her eyes -- she's never met anyone who "went by" something, and she feels like she's heard the word before in a context removed from names -- but she doesn't ask about it. ]
Thank you, Sir Saber. I don't think I have any way to repay you here, but...I'll be in your care.
[ ...Embarrassed foot scuffing. ]
Would it be okay if I asked you about what you mean by dragons being creatures of legend? I've never heard of any stories like that.
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[ Saber gives her a little nod. ]
They're monsters of legend - ancient, powerful, magical beasts. It is said that their blood can run in the veins of kings of old. Or at least... some of them.
[ Like her, WOOPS. ]
They are mostly stories now, though. They're not supposed to exist. And yet...
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[ Leslie shakes her head. She doesn't have any proof for this theory she came up with off the top of her head. ]
Um. If there was supposed to be dragon blood in the veins of some kings -- that means they had an ancestor who was a dragon, right? Was some even older king supposed to have married a creature like the one we just saw in the stories?
[ At least she's never been given the birds and the bees talk so she's not going to be imagining anything less wholesome than -- well, she's also never been to a wedding, so she doesn't really have enough knowledge about marriage to even think about that giant dragon in a veil. The best she gets is trying to think of fitting a dragon like that inside a house. ]
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[ Saber never really thought about that, but the fact that she probably has a dragon in her family tree somewhere makes her pause and think. It's not something she wants to dwell on, especially in the here and now, but Leslie has managed to make her short-circuit for a brief moment. ]
Or perhaps a dragon gave a king their blessing.
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So, it may be something more like a blessed name, but one that gets inherited by the head of a family.
[ Everyone knows what a blessed name is so there's no need to explain, right? ]
It's strange to think of a dragon as a priest, either, but it's less strange than thinking of one as a parent alongside a human parent.
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[ Here she is, in the middle of a jungle, talking about dragons and culture with a twelve-year old.
Actually, you know what? This is definitely a dream. ]
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[ No, she shouldn't make a big deal about someone not knowing something given how long the list of things she doesn't know are. She swallows down that "you don't know?" ]
It's a name given to a child by the temple. Nobles donate to the temple as a sign of their wish that their child will live a happy, healthy life. In return, the temple blesses the child in a special ceremony where they give the child a second name between their given and family names. They call those names a blessed name.
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