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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[As soon as their hiding spot is covered, she stares out through the leaves with an owlish expression, clutching her bow tight in her hands. It's obvious that she's terrified as she waits for the beast to finally run off. Once they're safe for the moment, she relaxes and falls to her knees.]

Goddess, I thought we were going to die. I can't believe I did that.

[She's fought in battles sure. She's been on all the battlefields with Edelgard. But this? This is just so different. And she hates it.

So much.]

Are...are you okay?

[ he's right behind her and also staring out, eyes trained on the sabertooth. this isn't the first time something's tried to kill him, but with his bayard out of commission, he's pretty much defenseless. ... not that he has to worry about it anymore, since the monster's gone.

he, too, relaxes and lets out a deep sigh of relief. then, he looks at her with a smile on his face. it's a bonus that she's real cute, too! ]

I'm fine, thanks to you! You saved my butt from turning into monster food!

[ he catches his breath, straightens up a little, then: ] I'm Lance, by the way. What's your name?

I...I didn't do much.

[She's not used to such compliments. Not even a little bit. Her cheeks color and she wraps her arms around her knees.]

Bernadetta.

[Lance. She can remember that! She offers him a shy little smile. He seems pretty safe which is a relief. Honestly she figures it would be just her luck to rescue someone dangerous.]

Sorry. I'm not really used to talking to people.

Well you happen to be talking to the right guy, Bernadetta, cuz I'm pretty good with people if I do say so myself.

[ he gives her a cheeky little grin, sitting across from her. man, he wonders how and why he's dreaming about a girl he's never met before, but it's not like he's complaining about it either. ]

So... Where're you from? Pretty sure I've never seen you before, so I thought I'd ask, even though this is all just a dream.

[He has a cute smile. She bets he'll make someone very happy one day if he's not already. Maybe. She does barely know him!]

The County of Varley in the Adrestian Empire. You don't look like anyone from where I come from.

[Just...look at those clothes!]

...Yeah, nope, never heard of it.

[ her clothes look pretty...well. they're definitely not from his time. ]

You should tell me about it, though! It sounds pretty fancy and official.

[ he's hoping it's at least better than the empire he personally knows of... ]

[She looks seriously startled that he would want to know about where she's from.]

Wait. You want to know about where I'm from?

[About her? Why would someone want to know about her?]

Well...yeah, 'course I do! You saved my life.

[ unless he's not supposed to know about it. that, he'll kind of understand. she looks troubled though, so... ]

And you're cute, on top of that. Why wouldn't I want to get to know you?

[ lance...please!!! ]

[Aaaaand she squeaks, going red in the face.]

W-w-w-what? I'm not cute! I'm plain and boring and...

[Her hands cover her face.]

Oh why'd you say that, Bernie!

[ oh my god, she's adorable. but she's saying all these bad things about herself!! lance frowns a little and he shakes his head, even though she can't see it. ]

Hey, don't say stuff like that. I just met you, but I think you're pretty great already!

[ he grins, trying to be encouraging. ] As a fellow sharpshooter, I can tell you've got really good aim. That shot was really impressive.

I-I...I got scared. And panicked. I got really lucky!

[That's not true at all. She aimed for that spot and hit it. Dead on. She's honestly a lot better shot than she gives herself credit for. It's hard for her to have confidence in herself after the way she was raised though...]

...you...you're a sharpshooter?

[She parts her fingers to let one eye look at him.]

Yup! A fellow sharpshooter, in the flesh!

[ he looks at her with the same smile he gave her earlier. really, she needs to give herself more credit. ]

I don't really know how to use a bow and arrow, but gimme a rifle and we're set. And hey, I'm pretty sure what you did back there was one hundred percent skill. You were able to do that while panicking, and that's something to be proud of.

It is?

[Slowly, she lowers her hands. She's really not sure why he's being so nice to her but the words make her feel good. He seriously seems to think she's got skill.]

I don't know what a rifle is. B-but um, thank you.

[ ...right, right, she's from a different era. that'd explain why she hasn't heard of a rifle. does she even know what a gun is? ]

Uh...well, I could explain it to you, but it'd be hard to understand without knowing what a gun is. It's like...this thing that shoots out bullets, kinda like pew pew!

[ he even does gestures to accompany the pews. nerd!! ]

[She watches him and the motion he makes. It's a little confusing but... Well, it's kind of funny. The noise he makes is also really cute. Before she can stop herself, she ends up giggling a little bit and smiling.]

A crossbow?

[ she's so cute, he can't handle this?? ]

It's kind of like a crossbow? I mean, you gotta aim, that's for sure -- but bullets go off more instantaneously. They're way faster than arrows, so you have to handle guns real carefully.

[ his expression softens a little. she's opening up again, which is nice! ]

You doing okay?

[She's not sure she fully understands but she thinks she might get it enough. A faster weapon that goes pew pew! And you hold it kind of like a crossbow! She wonders what it would be like to hold one...]

Oh. Um...

[Honestly, she hasn't realized how relaxed she's become. It's...really nice!]

I'm okay. Wow, I didn't realize I was feeling better.

[ one day, he'll show her! whenever he gets his bayard to work, she'll see it. for now, he laughs softly. it's nice, sitting in the forest, talking to a cute girl like this. ]

Heh, well I'm glad you are. Anything for a pretty girl like you.

[ here we go again... lance, please!! ]

Ehhhh? N-no. I'm not pretty. Th-there's much prettier girls than me.

[Cheeks red, she's back to covering her face again.

Welp.]

[ oh no?? he keeps doing this and he feels so bad about it. the urge to reach out and move her hands from her face is strong, but he feels like it'd make her even more flustered, so he keeps his hands in his lap. ]

You are, though! At least, I think so. And I like to think I have pretty good taste.

[ he laughs a little at that last comment. ]

In all seriousness, you should really give yourself more credit.

No...I'm like... A smushed cake! It just makes you sad to look at because it should be pretty but it's not!

[Ummm...yeah. That's the logic she'll run with here.]

A smushed what now?

[ what is this logic, oh my god. lance can't help but laugh at it though? what an analogy... ]

Oooor consider that you could be a regular cake! One that's not smushed. You know, really nice on the outside, super sweet on the inside... You get the idea.

...a cake.

[She doesn't believe for a second that she's a nice cake. Not at all.]

I was just...kind of wish I had cake to eat in my room.

[That would be so amazing.]

In your room? You mean...the room that isn't part of this dreamworld?

My room. Where it's safe and quiet. And I have my books and...

[Her hands lower to her lap.]

I guess I miss it.

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