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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[The eyes blink down at her, red eyeshine glinting back like lit coals.

Kaede had been making slow, cautious progress through the primal forest, the same as everyone. Her antlers were big enough in the dream that they kept getting snared in vines unless she was careful, slowing the Chimera's progress when all she wanted to do was run, bolt through the giant trees, vent some of the unresolved rage clouding her mind. But getting hung up in these woods would be a terrible idea.

Then something--a stick?--had whirled by her face, and the instinct to chase overrode all else. She surged after the whatever-it-was, like a dog chasing a thrown tennis ball. And like a dog, she ran on four feet--it was faster. She caught up to the moving thing, seized it in her jaws--and realized, aghast, what she had done. So caught up in mortification was she that Kaede didn't swerve in time to keep from slamming her shoulder and side of her antlers into a tree. It was noisier than it was painful, at least.

With an indignant snarl, the Chimera had leaped up into the tree to get a better vantage point and find what was at fault here, claws digging easily into bark. Once she had cleared the overgrown ferns, it was easier to see around--was that a person, down there? Puca. Monster. Still person.

Which led her to this point, glowering down at the frozen-stiff Puca with her tail lashing like an angry cat.]

Drrrt--

[God. The stick was still in her mouth. Irritably, the Chimera snatched it out of her sharp teeth, growling a second time before she spoke.]

Did you throw this stupid thing?

[She heard a yelp from this direction before. Or maybe this was just a bystander as lost as she was. Either way, they were the newest outlet for Kaede's frustration and anger at the waking world. Sorry, Akko. She's in a really bad mood.]

[All Akko can do is follow Kaede's movement in the dark with her eyes. Or at least try to. It just seems like a black, vaguely person-ish blob moving around other plant-shaped blobs before scampering up one and staying put. Her mouth starts to move as she tries to answer the question, but no sound comes out for a few seconds.]

I-I... [Hang on...? Did it speak to her? The scary thing in the dark used words she could understand and it wasn't threatening her. Atsuko swallowed hard and pushed herself to straighten up into something more confident than stiff. Her voice is a little thinner than she would like, but the paralysis seems to be letting up if she can speak.] I wasn't trying to throw it. That's my wand.

[There's a beat as she clenches and unclenches her fists, trying to will parts of herself to move.]

I'm a witch.

You threw it at me.

[The shadow-blob huffs in response, more indignant than intimidating. This time. Kaede tended to assume the worst first in almost every situation, and wasn't convinced the throw wasn't deliberate.

Though...a wand?

Hm.

Kaede studied the stick with a renewed interest, but it didn't look very magical to her. The shadow-blob resumes staring at her, light-sensitive eyes revealing everything in this forest as if lit by bright moonlight. She saw the Puca unfreezing, bit by bit. Honestly, Kaede was just surprised she didn't bolt like a flushed rabbit.]

Really? Those ears just for decoration, then?

[Well, that wasn't entirely fair--some who looked more Monster than she did could use magic like any other Witch. Another time, her sarcasm would have been confined to just a skeptical glance. But not when she was this cranky.]

[Someone with common sense would probably be confused as to why ears of all things are being pointed out. That would then lead them to inspect their ears one way or another, and thus discover that atop their head at two black rabbit ears. Atsuko, on the other hand, doesn't interpret it that way and sees it as general commentary on the obvious differences in their shapes. Because even if it's difficult to make out details, Kaede's shadow clearly differs significantly from a typical human's shadow.]

[So, Akko manages a frown.]

I use them to hear with! [Duh??] What do you use your ears for?

[Giving away her emotional states and ruining her usual poker faces--wait that was a side effect, not a feature.

Kaede's own tufted, deerlike ears pinned back to her head, though she wasn't sure if this girl could see them. Her feathery tail swished again regardless and she growled, low in her throat and exasperated.]

Listening to annoying Pucas, apparently.

[She probably should be listening for the big Monsters instead--though they weren't exactly subtle about their movements.]

[Akko's frown deepens as she finally manages to stomp a foot.]

What did you just call me!?

[She's at least correct in her assumption that Kaede is referring to her as the puca. What she's not so correct about, however, is that it's not some kind if word for humans or witches that's likely meant to be insulting if calling her an annoying one was anything to by. Overall, this is a very silly thing to be offended over, and yet here we are.]

[That thump didn't startle the Chimera--it was rather expected. The girl's reaction wasn't, though, and while the rest of Kaede didn't move, she did blink an extra time.]

A Puca. Little rabbit Monsters. Don't they have them wherever you're from?

[Well, no, that was a bit unfair. Where Kaede was from, there was a distinct lack of monsters that weren't herself or other diclonius. Or entirely person-shaped. But Kaede wasn't in the mood for fair assumptions. Just the other day an excitable Puca got right up in her face and Kaede was unsurprisingly uncomfortable at having to be social that much. Was that what this dream was about?]

[...Now Akko's gone from being irritated to confused. Well. She's still a little irritated because she doesn't know why she's being called a puca when she's clearly not one, or why this...girl (?) seems to think it's an insult to call her one (now Akko doesn't even know if she's supposed to be offended or should be?), and argh! It's confusing! Atsuko shakes her head, pinching at the bridge of her nose.]

[This is why she leaves the thinking to others.]

I haven't seen one, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

[At that, Kaede paused--tail stilling and all. Did...did she really not know? The Chimera's voice comes out of the dark sounding baffled, rather than ominous.]

You...are one? [Wasn't it. Wasn't it obvious??] Haven't you looked in a mirror?

A mirror...?

[Akko holds her arms up, gesturing to the jungle around them. With what mirror would she even look at herself? She still looks down at herself though, just to be sure, and sees nothing out of the ordinary.]

[The Chimera's next growl sounded exasperated, her voice a sarcastic drawl.]

You know, those shiny reflective things? Might have seen one once in your life?

[Maybe she was different in the waking world. Maybe she was just a normal person-shaped person and Kaede was being stubborn about Someone Being Wrong in a shared subconscious. Or maybe she was just hiding the fact that she had fluffy rabbit ears poking out of her head. Kaede knew what it was like to spend most of her life hiding her horns.

Kaede was also in a vile mood and not being very reasonable right now.]

[Akko makes her own little frustrated growl accompanied by some grumbling. She folds her arms.]

I know what a mirror is! But in case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of nowhere right now!

[Somewhere in Kaede's mind, something snapped. Her feathers bristled like hackles, and without any further fanfare she lunged, wings flaring just enough to direct her fall to the ground in front of the maybe-Puca. The wand (Offending Stick) was still clenched in a hand, but more out of reflex than a deliberate action.

The Chimera landed with curiously little sound, like a cat. Unlike a cat, she rose up to stand on two feet. And she reached over to grab one of those long ears. By the pads of her fingers, not the claws.

But she's a lot pointier up close.]

So what are these then? What are they?

[kaede don't just grab someone's ears?? That's fucking rude??]

[Had she more dignity, it's likely that Akko would be a little embarrassed over the yelp she lets out when Kaede suddenly leaps down in front of her. Every instinct in her tells her to run and she just about does until Kaede grabs her by the ear.]

[Well.]

[Atsuko doesn't actually realize immediately it's an ear, actually. With the tug she receives as a consequence of trying to get away, she just assumes that somehow Kaede's managed to grab onto some of her hair.]

Let go of me!

[Atsuko smacks at Kaede's arm, taking at least another step back in an attempt to free herself.]

[Akko's hand sank in up to the wrist in soft, shiny feathers. A lot of Kaede's arms were feather, especially in these dreams. Kaede ignored most of the impact, the discomfort fleeting, tightening her grip on the squirmy Puca's ear.]

Look at them! [Kaede that is an unfair request.] They're ears!

OwowowOW!

[Plan A doesn't work and only seems to make the situation worse. Fortunately for Kaede, this dream hasn't gone to the lengths of giving Atsuko more powerful legs, but her Plan B is absolutely to kick wildly for a shin or stomp on feet.]

I said let go!

[Kaede had stopped bothering with shoes months ago--so Akko's foot came down hard on her soft paw. And this pain wasn't so easily shrugged off. With a barking roar half in the Puca's face and half right in the ear she was grabbing, Kaede let go of it, staggering back half a step.

Dreams weren't supposed to hurt, but most dreams weren't whatever these were.]

[The moment she's released, Atsuko... Well, she books it. With wand entirely forgotten and unfamiliar instincts at the wheel, there really was no other option. She doesn't know what this girl is, but she knows she's not particularly friendly. It just doesn't seem smart to hang around.]

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TDM: January

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I'm imagining Akko like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8wfR7k3844

what an intimidating growl she has

[grumpy bunny noises intensify]

what a disaster...

Local girl terrorized by mom's cat

i'm telling moooooom!!