dagung | TDM: January

Entry tags:

* tdm

TDM: January

Test Drive: January

All threads can be considered game canon,

the prompts and test drive itself will be

• 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.
• 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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[ he stops, looking to his sides before both ears perk and Kaden looks above him. it's someone sitting higher up, somewhere that would probably be safer if something were to be stomping its way toward them both and especially so if that something might try to eat him alive.

and that's the last thing Kaden needs right now.

he's not going to risk getting dirty climbing the tree, either. so... ]

Help me up!

[ his eyes dart toward the direction of the naga. ]

[Momo's already halfway back to the trunk just in case, but he speeds up a bit when the other man confirms he needs help. He has a lot of questions about those ears and that tail, but as much as he's curious, now isn't the time for getting distracted by something like that. He would've been freaking out more about the naga if so, but he's writing this off as dream logic for the moment.

While many of the tree's lower branches are broken and shortened from what might be those monsters coming through lower to the ground, they're still enough to use as footholds, and Momo makes his way down with enough confidence in his step to say he's probably done climbing before.]

Alright, do you think you can get up onto my back and hold on? I'm gonna need all my limbs to get us back up. [He turns his back to Kaden and crouches slightly to make it easier for him, basically offering him a piggyback. Momo's not quite tall, but he's not short either, and he doesn't want this to take any longer than necessary.]

[ a piggyback ride...? yes, Kaden can do that. he's more than happy to do that if it means he doesn't have to get dirt under his fingernails or tree bits in his tail or his ear fur, and honestly the worst part of all is how sweaty he could get! no one likes sweat. he already feels sticky already from the humidity. ]

Of course! [ thank goodness Kaden isn't particularly heavy, though he's far from being some lithe woodland creature. he carefully climbs onto Momo's back, arms over the other's shoulders while he anchors the sides of his knees to Momo's sides. ]

Oh, we better be quick. I can see it coming!

[ not that he's rushing Momo or anything but he can see the naga's wicked teeth from here. they look very... sabre like. ]

[Momo actually lets out a somewhat relieved breath when it turns out Kaden is relatively light - Momo himself is heavier than he looks because of his muscle, so he knows better than to judge someone's weight on their size.

That said, he's well aware of the time constraint here, and as soon as Kaden feels secure on his back, Momo heads back to the tree trunk, looking for footholds that are on the opposite side of the trunk from the naga to give them as much time as possible.]

It'll be fine. Momo-chan isn't the kind of guy to lose a challenge~! [Even something as absurd as this. As soon as he gets a decent foothold, he starts climbing back up the tree at an impressive pace for a normal human, motions quick but careful and decisive, making sure he doesn't slip for trying to approach something too hastily. He can hear the naga getting closer, and Kaden might be able to feel the sharp increase in Momo's pulse rate if he's pressed close enough to his back, but outwardly, he remains calm and keeps pulling them upwards, up to where the huge leaves begin to hang down far enough to cover them.

The naga comes into sight again before he can quite make it to the branch, its lower body visible under where the leaves cover. Momo freezes on the trunk, since they're already concealed by the umbrella-like leaves enough that moving is probably the bigger risk of discovery right now, and he half turns his head back to Kaden, holding a finger to his lips for a moment as the massive creature slithers past.]

[ he seems confident in his abilities, and Kaden can appreciate that--- mostly because if he felt like he couldn't do anything, there was no way the kitsune would've jumped on this human's back thinking he'd be one hundred percent safe! but being able to feel some of Momo's muscle does help... he's fairly certain that he's in good hands. ]

I guess this is a challenge, but do you normally call things that might put you in harm's way a challenge?

[ it's more of a survival exercise. anyway, he's not going to argue the charity given to him. but as soon as he sees the hulking beast push through the brush underneath, he has to bite his tongue. how disgusting it is! he didn't like snakes in the first place to begin with, how they slither and look so smooth and... ugh. it makes his skin crawl.

but he has to keep silent, try his best to stay on Momo as best as possible. even at the slightest amount of slippage, he tightens his grip.

as quietly as possible: ]

... I hate it.

[Momo doesn't really get time to answer that question before he has to shut up courtesy of the naga, so it gets left hanging for a few moments as the creature slithers past. On one hand, its size means it covers the distance very quickly, on the other, it's even more of a worry when it's close enough to actually comprehend just how big it is. Which is why Momo waits a few extra seconds before whispering anything back to Kaden. He's not sure about snakes and good hearing, but he doesn't want to risk being louder than the undergrowth the naga is crushing on its merry way onward.]

It might be cool if it wasn't probably going to eat us as soon as it saw us... [A low, awkward laugh.] Anyway, to answer your question, it depends how much in harm's way it's putting me. This seemed like it'd be okay to call a challenge and not just me trying not to die.

[This is not the first instance of "Momo tries not to die" he's worked through, though the other ones are usually somewhat more drawn-out and need him to think more.]

[ do they know it would've eaten them? maybe they would've had a nice conversation about the weather, or how it must be nice to ignore all the heat and the jungle, or if combined they would taste good? those thoughts and more, quietly percolating in the depths of Kaden's mind, as he adjusts himself to stay comfortable as they chill out in the tree. ]

Have you seen anything like it before?

[ when Kaden looks back down, it's almost slithered into another part of the jungle--- one that seems even more dense and busy compared to where they've been. he raises a hand to rub some of the sweat out of his face, then lowers his forehead to rest against the top of Momo's head. ]

And I can't believe that we're okay! I thought I'd have to try to blow it up.

[Once the naga is far enough into that dense area for Momo to figure that it's more likely to hear whatever's in its own vicinity than them, he scales the last little bit of tree up to the branch he'd been on, sitting with his legs on either side of it so Kaden can basically just let go if he wants to be sitting on the branch instead of clinging to Momo.]

Not outside of movies or games. Though I have to ask if you're more used to this sort of thing if "blowing it up" was such an easy answer...

[The tone there is somewhere between amusement and like he's not sure whether that should be a bad thing, but he doesn't seem too put-out by the idea. As much as he claims he's a pacifist, he's pretty quick to violence when he has to be.] Anyway, it probably has better things to do than eat tiny morsels like us if there's other things more its size around here.

Oh! Um... well, I guess it's okay to tell you. After all, you've been really nice.

[ at least he can only assume. as he slides onto the safety of the branch, his tail dangles off while he grips the branch securely with both hands. shame that isn't not as comfortable or inviting as Momo's back, but that's fine. he can deal with it for now. getting carried is a lot more fun than he remembered! ]

Normally kitsune like me can't cast magic. But here, I can! Somehow it just happens. I think I would've tried to do something earlier, but... snakes.

[ he shivers. he can still hear the rhythmic slithering from not too far off. ]

Wait, you saw other things like that? [ his ears flick and then bend slightly. ] Ugh. I wish I could just wake up and find someone to brush my tail.

[ and then it dawns on him: ]

Who are you, anyway? I don't usually dream of humans I don't know!

[So he is a kitsune. That's what Momo's first thought had been upon seeing the tail and ears, but since kitsune aren't an actual thing in his world, it had been a little hard to believe just off-hand. Though adding to the pile of hard to believe is what he says about magic, which has one of Momo's hands coming up to his chin thoughtfully. It is just a dream (as far as he knows), so the idea of magic shouldn't be that out there, but with how realistic the dream feels otherwise, he can't help but be a touch doubtful.

He eventually decides to ask about it after Kaden's done talking, which means he ends up waving his hands a bit when he's questioned on who he is.] I don't usually dream about actual kitsune, either, they're just legends in my world...anyway, I'm Momo. About what you said about magic, is magic normally a thing that can be done in your world? Even if your people can't do it.

[Momo's made the occasional joke about doing magic since he's performed in some shows that used holograms to reproduce a similar effect, but actual magic being available is slightly beyond him right now.]

Normally? Yes. But I've never seen anyone use magic without looking at some book or waving some staff around.

[ he lets his legs dangle off so that he can kick his feet, it's one of the few things he can do to expend some of that nervous energy. despite wanting to play it cool, Kaden's been one giant bundle of anxieties ever since waking up in this awful dream that he never asked for. but it does help sitting with someone who'll keep his mind busy... ]

Momo! That's a cute name, I like it. I'm Kaden. [ also a cute name tbh. ] I guess if you're asking, you haven't seen a lot of it either.

[ which is fine by him. magic hurts. ]

... you climb really well. I don't think I could've done that, even shifted.

[Momo hums a little at that, tilting his head a bit like he's thinking on it. It's true that spellbooks and wands are pretty common in his world's lexicon of "things people do magic with", but it's interesting that it's off from both what should be the reality of where Momo came from, and the apparent reality of where this guy came from.

That kind of multidimensional thinking is going to take a bit of chugging through for someone from a world like his, though, so Momo puts that to the back of his mind for a moment to maintain the more casual line of conversation.]

Thanks, I like yours too! And no, magic isn't really a thing where I come from. I mean, it exists in stories, but it's not a thing people can actually do. [He rubs the back of his hair, like he's worrying about if he's explaining this in a way that makes sense.] I go bouldering a lot, but I have to admit I wasn't expecting it to come in handy like that.

[Being used to figuring out a route upwards with just what a natural formation gives him and no safety equipment definitely offered something of an advantage with climbing the tree.]

Well... I'm glad whatever that is, that you did it.

[ because who knows what could've happened to him if Momo didn't somehow save him? he might just be a sliver of fur draped along the naga's tail, or a scarf hanging off a fang! so really, kaden's more than happy to be in this position because he knows he won't be sitting here forever. ]

You know, for what you've done? I'll let you do something that most humans don't normally get an opportunity to do.

[ and he pulls tail up into his lap, running his fingers through the fur to get rid of any tangles or bugs or clods of dirt before gesturing to it. ]

Here! You can touch, but be careful.

[Momo could school Kaden on what bouldering is, but he gets too curious to ask as soon as Kaden makes that offer, and he puts his hands up to his mouth with a gleeful little sound when the tail is offered. Momo's actually a very tactile person, and while he can usually keep his hands to himself if he has to, he can't say he wouldn't have been tempted to touch the tail even if it hadn't been offered.]

Oh, it looks so fluffy! [Momo's always had a bit of a weak spot for animals anyway, the fluffiness is just a bonus. So he reaches out with gentle fingers, his red nails running through the fur deeply but softly.] It must be hard to take care of so much fur...my darling's hair is hard enough to take care of, and that's nowhere near as thick as this.

[Yuki's hair is plenty long, but it's not that thick as hair goes, so while it's a bit of a struggle, it's not enough that Momo doesn't enjoy the opportunity to take care of it when it arises.]

( there is nothing quite like the feeling of someone different touching his fur, and though he does his best to keep that number to a minimum despite the pleasant sensation, Kaden isn't going to be apologizing to anyone for this small indulgence after something quite unnerving and terrifying. )

It is! I... um, I spend a lot of time making sure it's extra soft. You never know when it'll come in handy.

( like now, where it's seemed to gained him a new friend? maybe? )

Well, I could always give your darling some tips! If they want it, of course.

[Once Momo gets more confident about what's what with Kaden's tail, his touches get more sure in turn, since he feels more aware of what's not going to hurt it. While he likes animals, he doesn't often get the chance to touch things like foxes, and he's not even sure he'd be able to apply that to a kitsune even if he did.]

Being well-groomed gives a good impression, so I'm sure it'll help you out if you meet anyone else new! [That said, Momo's expression shifts subtly at the mention of his darling, because if there's one thing he's noticed about this place so far, it's that Yuki is nowhere to be found despite how often he shows up in Momo's dreams.] If I see him here, I'll let him know, but I guess if he is then he might be lost in the forest like I have been.

[While he's managing to make himself not sound worried, of those two options he thinks he'd be less worried about Yuki not being here at all. He doesn't want him dealing with monsters.]

[ that tail suddenly goes stiff and straight, ears doing the same. he turns his head to look towards the darkest and deepest parts of the jungle, narrowing his eyes--- staring into the foliage and trying to focus on anything that moves that isn't something that might try to gobble them down. ]

... I don't think I saw anyone else out there, but I wasn't really looking.

[ which makes him feel guilty. what good is kaden if he's not actively searching for people in need? honestly, it didn't cross his mind anyone else would be out there, given that they're in a dream, but...

hm. ]

Then maybe we should go back, but that monster has me thinking that it's probably safer to find somewhere to hide that isn't up here.

[Momo hesitates when Kaden's ears and tail stiffen - he hadn't meant to worry anyone else, but then again, he supposes that if there's people from other places here, they might be missing people too. It is a bit hard to search when things like that naga are wandering around, though, and Momo gives a non-committal hum like he's still considering the best course of action.]

I've been mostly going through the trees because there seems to be less dangerous stuff up here than at ground level, but if there's any kind of safe place we can find, maybe there'll be others there too. [Even if this is a dream, Momo's brain is treating it more like some kind of video game scenario at this point - still not real, but functioning to some kind of internal logic and potential to encounter others.] I can't tell if this is where the forest actually ends yet, though.

[They're on the edge of a large clearing, but there's still a bit more on the other side, and Momo can't tell how far that stretches from this height.]

Yeah! Maybe there's a lot of people who've been able to live in this jungle without having any problems. I can relate, the forest I live in back home is dense and our village is very well hidden, but we've been fine surviving...

[ there are so many trees! so much ground to cover. ]

... I think I see a river? I heard water before, so maybe we could follow it somewhere.

[ from where they're sitting, he can see where the trees thin out and that it makes some kind of winding path in another direction. ]

[Momo nods along with the reasoning on the village, but almost immediately pulls a face at the mention of the river, raising his hands.]

There's a river, but I was following it earlier and there's... [This sounds ridiculous even to him, but he's just trying to think of a way to explain what happened.] ...do you know what a siren is? It's like a water creature that hypnotises people with singing. I heard something singing from the water and zoned out and almost fell in, so I don't think it's safe to follow.

[Usually the only person who makes him zone out while they're singing is Yuki, and he would've been in trouble if he couldn't get over that to perform with him, so this is new territory.]

I have no idea, but if it's dangerous... then I'll hold my ears shut as I walk toward it. That'll work, right?

[ that's obviously the way to approach something that might try to use its song to lure him into a watery death! it's not the first time he's heard music that's done something to him, too--- which is a shame, because azura could make anyone feel relaxed and in a good way.

this siren sounds like the opposite. ]

Here, let me show you how I'd do it.

[ and he promptly covers momo's ears. ]

[Momo looks a little bit doubtful about that suggestion even before he gets his ears covered, but then he actually does it and boy that lack of sound cues is not a sensation he likes when he's seen the kinds of things that are creeping around this forest. So with a placating sort of laugh, he gently lifts Kaden's hands away from his ears.]

I get your logic, but I don't think they're the only things that hang out near the river. If we were following the river and covering our ears, something could come up from behind us and get us instead while we couldn't hear it.

[He's not here to get eaten on land or sea today, and while the fact that his world doesn't really have these kinds of monsters is probably making him a bit warier, he likes to think it's justified.]

Hm. You're not wrong, but I do have something that works for me--- a kitsune's sense of danger.

[ he makes a few grabby motions as his hands are pushed away from those ears, and kaden sighs dramatically. how will they be safe from the music now? ]

... then should we just stay up here until someone finds us? That doesn't seem very practical either.

See, I don't have a danger sense, so I feel like I'd be at a disadvantage. [Momo's good at predicting danger as it comes from specific people and personality types, but not so much spider-sensing monsters coming for him without access to all five senses.

At the question, Momo shrugs slightly, moving himself a little further down the branch.] I've actually been climbing through the trees where I can...all of these ones are pretty old and big, so the branches cross over in a lot of places. If I keep going in the same direction, even if I'm not following something like a river, I'm bound to find an end sometime, right?

... maybe. Actually, that's not a bad idea.

[ but he doesn't like the idea of being so far off the ground for that long. it's why he looks back at the jungle's floor with greater and greater interest, wondering what might be lurking down there but also above? who knows what might dive down and pick someone off out of the trees, carrying them into some gigantic nest where their young is waiting and--- ]

But I think I'll climb back down. Easier to brush my fur down there.

[ and then he beams. ]

Do... hm. If this is a dream, will I ever get to see you again?

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yesdoubt - 2020-02-07 11:11 (UTC) - Expand

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