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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. |
no subject
What the fuck?
[He's looking at the kid with annoyance.]
As long as I don't fall in, it's fine.
[Well, that is as long as it functions the way a pitcher plant normally does, and hasn't evolved any additional hunting methods. It's probably fiiiiiine.]
no subject
Not a chance I would take around here.
[He glances down at the forest floor around them where several tendrils connecting to different flowers writhe towards their presence, as if sensing them and waiting for a moment to strike.]
You'd be better off giving all the wildlife a wide berth.
no subject
But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I've never seen specimens like this before.
[He gives one of the vines a prod with the toe of his boot, and it actually twitches and moves to avoid him. Animate plants. He never thought he'd see anything like this outside of the magical courtyards of Dracula's castle.]
Do you think they're dangerous?
[There is awe in his voice. That would be so cool if they were. He's already running through ways to incorporate animate plants into his devil forging designs.]
no subject
Probably because this is a dream.
[So he can't be exactly sure that this guy isn't just another resident of this strange dream world he's found himself in, but if his reaction to the plants is anything to go by, he's as new here as Riku is.]
Yes. Which is why I think we need to keep moving.
no subject
[Now that he stops to think about it, there is something unreal about this world. That's even more reason to study them closely. It's not every day you get to examine the physical manifestations of your unconscious brain.]
If this is a dream, does danger matter? None of this is real, right?
no subject
[He doubts it. It's not how the dream worlds he's been in have functioned. But something about this dream feels different. Like it has a set of rules all on its own.]
Do you really want to test that theory?
[In Riku's experience dreams can be as dangerous as the waking world's. He sees no reason to think differently about this place.]
no subject
I suppose there is always the danger that if we die in the dream world, our souls are trapped here for eternity. It would be wiser to let someone else be the first to test it.
[He gives the plant one last look, then sighs.]
That probably means we should move on. Any ideas on a way out?
no subject
I don't know how we can get out of the dream, if that's what you mean. I should be able to open a door but...somehow my power is blocked. [He's tried using his Keyblade several times to no effect.]
For the jungle, I've just been following the river. If anyone lives out here they'd be close to a source of water.
no subject
[So far, all Hector's seen are trees and rocks.]
That makes sense, if this world is dictated by logic.
[Which, who knows?]
It's as good a place to start as any.
no subject
[He cuts off and shakes his head. He's probably already said too much anyways. Dream or not, he's not supposed to go around telling everyone about the Keyblade.
He's not Sora.]
Everything here has to survive on something. If it's not water the worst thing that can happen is we bypass a lot of the dangerous creatures living here. And if it is...at least we'll be prepared.
I've been staying along the river, but I try not to get too close to the water itself. Just in case.
[There's also this faint singing he tends to hear from time-to-time. But that's probably nothing.]
no subject
Ok, we can keep going that way.
[Although he wouldn't mind if they at least spotted some of those other dangerous creatures. Hector is always looking for ideas for new and better creatures to forge.]
I'm Hector, by the way.
no subject
[While he responds his focus is on the path ahead. It's not much of a path really, just a wild strip of dirt and grass that runs along the side of the river. Riku keeps a distance of a few feet between himself and the water.
Just then a tremor rolls through the earth beneath them, causing Riku to jerk to a stop. This one feels closer then the last few he's felt.]
I think something is coming. Something big.
no subject
There. We're downwind, so if we stay out if sight, it should pass us by.
[And they can observe whatever it is, so double win if it works and they don't get killed.]
no subject
And he's not wrong. Moments after taking up their hiding spot the giant head of a Turnskin breaks through the tree line, heading in the direction of the river.
He spares Hector a wide-eyed glance.
They have two options: stay completely still until it finally leaves, or try to sneak away.
He just hopes Hector won't try to stick his head in that thing's mouth.]no subject
He turns back to the creature in fascination. There’s a beauty in the power of its frame, in the fierce potential of its claws and teeth. Hector wishes he could follow it down the river, but he knows it isn’t possible.
For all the danger this creature represents, it is a beast, driven by a series of logical needs. It steps toward the river, lowers its massive head, and begins to drink.
They are both safe for this moment, when the turnskin’s thirst outweighs all other needs, and still in danger as the creature lingers near their hiding place. ‘Drink, then move on,’ Hector wills the creature.]
no subject
Less fortunately, the turnskin seems to be taking its sweet time drinking from the river. The longer they wait there the more urgently Riku feels the need to flee.
If they can just sneak away...
He reaches out and taps Hector on the shoulder to get his attention. Nodding to the side, in the direction away from the river, he tries to silently tell Hector what he wants to do.
It's time to go.]
no subject
But the kid beside him isn't content to stay and wait, and the absolute worst thing he can do is stay here when Riku moves and draws attention to this spot.
Hector takes a deep, silent breath, and turns. He eyes the ground beyond the bush. With the humidity, there are no dried, crinkly leaves to step on, and the ground is wet and soft. If they avoid branches, they might be quiet enough to not be heard above the sound of the river.
He looks at Riku, gives him a nod, then starts stepping carefully toward the woods.]