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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. |
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[The beast goes limp, but it probably wouldn't be out for long. She rushes back to Akko, taking stock of her injuries, and quite frankly forgetting that most people couldn't see in the dark.]
Can you run?
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I don't think so... [She looks back up at Fang.] I'm sorry, without my wand, I can't do anything about it.
[...And honestly, even with the wand, Akko's secretly a little skeptical she could do much.]
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Right. Nothin' for it, then.
[And without further warning, Fang scoops Akko up again, but this time with a more comfortable grip for both of them. That sabertooth thing was going to wake up if she took the time to explain about the nature of this world, and its magic.]
[So Fang starts off, back towards the wand.]
Got a good arm on you for all you froze up, back there.
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Thanks! [Akko says with a slight giggle.] You weren't so bad yourself.
[She chooses, for now, to skirt past the way she froze, trying to chalk it up to a fluke. Everyone has an off-day, right? And a dream like this where some mystery woman leaps into action to save you from gigantic cats trying to swallow you up, anything seems possible.]
[Although speaking of that, Atsuko cocks her head to one side to try and get a better look at Fang. Even in this low lighting, nothing about her features really jump out at Atsuko as even remotely familiar. Is it consider rude not to introduce yourself to someone you probably dreamed up? Akko isn't sure, but she decides that since the danger seems to have passed...]
My name is Atsuko Kagari, but nearly everyone calls me Akko. What's yours?
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[Oh. Oh. Relief and disquiet hit Fang at the same time, and her grip tightens a fraction. Luckily, she's trotting through a dense jungle, so that isn't noticeable, right?]
[But... why now? That's some timing this girl has, being scouted by the mirrors now. Maybe Akko's face is exactly what Chariot needs. Maybe it's the opposite.]
Fang, [she says, smiling in spite of her thoughts.] Hope you don't make a habit of meetin' everyone this way.
[Her trot slows, eyes turning to the ground. The wand should be around here...]
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[If only so she didn't end up the other Turnskin's lunch. Or perhaps snack? There is not much meat to Akko's bones to probably qualify as a meal. In any case, now that Fang has slowed down and seems to be looking around, Akko does as well. You know, despite not being able to really see squat out here. The darkness muddies up enough details that it's difficult to tell if it's a stick, root, vine, or her wand that she's looking at.]
Hold on, [she says, giving Fang's shoulder a few light pats to get her attention. She points.] Is that it?
[It's less something that she's seeing and more just a gut feeling. Maybe it's right, maybe it's wrong. She leans and squints, which is not making it easier to see and likely not making her any easier to hold.]
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[Just as she thought. It looked just like Chariot's wand. Fang crouches, pivoting to allow Akko to reach for it.]
There. You've got your wand, whatever good it's gonna do. [Fang makes an amused noise that's too short to be a chuckle.] Gotta wonder why you chucked it at me.
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Sorry about that. [Akko laughs sheepishly as she looks down at the wand in her hands.] To tell you the truth, I'm still learning and I guess I got a little carried away...
[She looks back up at Fang.]
It didn't hit you, did it?
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You sure did. Two for two on throwin' things tonight. Right in the head.
[But that's all the teasing she'll do... for now. Fang starts picking her way through the jungle again with a little hurry, aware that the sabertooth turnskin may continue its pursuit. She... thinks she can hear water, somewhere up ahead. A river?]
C'mon. Let's find a better place to set you down and take a look at that ankle of yours.
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If you get tired of carrying me, I can try to walk some.
[It's not like something is hot on their heels right this second, anyway, so it seems a reasonable suggestion. Especially since while Akko is grateful for the lift, she doesn't want to make Fang do all the work. Although part of her supposes it probably doesn't really matter? This is a dream, after all. It's not like Fang is a real person and not just a blend of features from people she's probably seen in the waking world, but not necessarily noticed.]
[Or maybe she was supposed to notice her and she didn't? Atsuko is not always the most observant and this could be the universe's way of trying to tell her something. She looks back up at Fang, trying really hard to see if there's anything recognizable about her.]
Do you live here? In the jungle, I mean.
[Not in dreams. Though maybe that, too? She's not sure how this is supposed to work.]
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[As if. Fang's relishing the feeling of this dream, of being back at the peak of her strength, and toting Akko along was next to no strain on a Turnskin's body. Even if it was illusion, using her hands, her legs, fighting off that sabertooth, even this damnable humdity... it felt nice.]
[Being able to do something for those in need around her felt nice.]
This place? Never seen it before. Don't think I have, anyway. [Fang hums lightly, glancing around.] Nice place, though. Kinda reminds me of where I grew up.
[Nothing like deadly superpredators and giant carnivorous plants and danger under every leaf to make her feel at home, right?]
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[If Atsuko sounds a little disbelieving, but also 100% fascinated, it's because she is. There's no hiding it as she sits up a little straighter in Fang's arms. She just can't fathom having a place like this be considered home, but then again, she also has had a fairly safe existence up until recently. At least it makes sense now why she was so fast and felt so comfortable just going head-to-head with a gigantic cat like that.]
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[Fang wasn't usually one for reminiscing, but talking about Gran Pulse was nice. Distant. Far from the present.]
[Fang approaches a break in the foliage, pausing at its edge to look carefully around; their sabertooth friend didn't seem to be following, and though her sensitive ears could hear a soft (dangerous) song in the far distance, the river ahead seemed largely quiet in the dead of night. So she pads forward as soft dirt fades to water-worn gravel, setting Akko down on a sizable rock and crouching near it.]
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[Akko has to laugh a little, hand curling into a fist as she lightly punches her forehead.]
I would get hurt like this in a dream...
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Right. Not too bad. [Ever so mindful of other people's personal space and belongings, Fang reaches up to tear a strip of cloth from the hem of Akko's outer robe.]
Dream or not, doesn't matter so much if it feels just like real, yeah?
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[Akko scoots back, swatting away Fang's hands, frowning a little. Once she's sure Fang's done with her attempt to damage her uniform any further than it's already been messed up from her fall, Akko reaches underneath the robe itself. It might be a bit of a surprise that Akko isn't bothering with trying to do magic right now, but right now? She needs to be a little honest with herself. There's no way she can cast a spell powerful enough to heal this. And as it turns out, not everyone wears catsuits underneath their robes and Akko unties and subsequently removes a red sash from around her waist. She loops it around her hand a few times to make passing it off a little easier.]
[It's a lot more practical than ripping her robe up in her estimation.]
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[But after that, she stands, wandering back to Akko with the soaked sash.]
So, you've got a wand. You're a witch, yeah?
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[She wasn't doing anything. Don't worry about it.]
[Akko nods enthusiastically at the question, smiling wide and with pride.]
I'm a student a Luna Nova Magical Academy! [She laughs a little.] I wanted to go there because my idol went there when she was my age, but it's a world-famous school! Even people who aren't interested in magic have heard of it.
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Yeah, I've heard of the place. [She kneels, wrapping the water-soaked sash around her ankle.] Water's not too cold, so don't know what it'll do for the swelling.
[It should feel nice, at least? Fang moves to take a seat next to Akko, now that that's taken care of.]
Followin' your idol around, huh?
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Mmhm! [She gives another nod as Fang sits next to her. She turns a little in her seat to face her.] I saw one of Shiny Chariot's shows when I was a little girl and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to become a witch just like her! I thought it was amazing how happy she made everyone.
[Akko laughs, not out of embarrassment over a childhood dream, but genuine happiness at the memories.]
I got to meet her recently, you know. [Akko's gaze drifts a little, her smile not fading but leaving behind some of that childish delight that was there a moment ago. She brushes back some of her hair behind her ear.] ...She wasn't exactly what I was expecting...
[She looks back up at Fang.]
But I'm glad I got to thank her for what she taught me and that she gave me the chance to meet my real mentor.
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[Hm. There's something Fang doesn't know, something complex hidden in there, but she knows enough to realize it has to do with that whole false identity thing.]
I never got to see any of those shows. What's it like?
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It was the most amazing thing ever! I don't think I can ever really describe it well enough to do it justice, but above the audience, the Big Dipper lit up brighter than all the other stars before falling, [Akko points above them to the sky and draws a line down to an imaginary stage in front of them,] and there was the Shiny Rod and suddenly Shiny Chariot!
[Akko bounces a little in her seat as she sits forward again like she's watching everything unfold right in front of them.]
She whisked the audience away into a world of magic with spell after spell. It seemed like anything was possible. [Atsuko places a fist over her heart.] That each of us had that kind of magic inside of us, too, no matter who we were...!
[Her fist tightens a little as she looks up at the night sky, the constellations looking completely unrecognizable even to someone like Akko except for one bright northern star. Even knowing the truth of that show, knowing that Chariot stole something from Akko and everyone else at the show that night... It doesn't sully the memory. It will always be something that she cherishes even if she thinks a little differently about it now.]
[She smiles at Fang, hand lowering back to her lap with a small sigh.]
It really changed my life.
[And for better or for worse, Atsuko wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.]
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[But it's hard not to be warmed by Akko's joy. Appearing from the stars... that really did sound like something Chariot would do. Honestly, it's hard for her to imagine her timid Bonded on a stage, entertaining dozens (or hundreds? More?) with grand displays, but... it's not unthinkable. Fang's seen flashes of it, in her enthusiasm for teaching and desire to make the people around her happy. She wonders what Chariot was like, however long ago this was, before something began to strangle the light from her.]
[Chariot... the raw admiration and joy in Akko's eyes makes Fang's heart swell with fondness and pride, but it hurts, too. Fang doesn't let her thoughts wander far.]
Sounds like a grand time. For someone to make you believe so strong it changes your life... [That Fang easily believes, given how her Bonded could make even someone like her feel hope again.] Sounds like a hell of a person. Glad you got to meet her.
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[Akko leans back, resting some of her weight onto her hands behind her as she gets a little more relaxed. She lets her non-injured leg swing idly.]
So, were you never into Shiny Chariot? I used to think everyone loved her as much as I did, but...
[There were plenty of witches who never really approved of the way Chariot used her magic, and before the world almost, you know, came to an abrupt end, a lot of mundane people didn't particularly care either after a while.]
[Akko shakes her head a little.]
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Maybe not everyone, sure, but you can't be the only person whose heart she touched.
[That seemed impossible. If even now, in her timid hesitation and self-doubt, Chariot could still help others believe, Fang couldn't imagine how brilliant she must've been back then. Would she ever get to see her like that?]
Never saw a show, but think I know the gist of it. Belief is magic, and all that?
[Fang laughs softly, turning her gaze from the sky to her hands, idly flexing her hand, relishing in the way her wrist responded. She was rambling, wasn't she? But the words just kept coming, so Fang speaks on.]
It's tacky, but if you can say it with a straight face, there's something important in it—hope, you know? Hard thing to hold on to, when you need it. Anyone that can give that to you, really make you believe... they're special.
[Fang startles when water splashes against her hand. No—she lifts a shocked hand to her eye, feeling the moisture there. Why... was she crying?]
The hell...?
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