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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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No promises. After all, I do enjoy pulling the rug out from under people.
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That's gonna smack you in the face once of these days, Vanitas.
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[ Just asking. ]
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We don't know that for sure yet! So it does matter! Probably more than you really realize.
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[ Come on now, Sora. Vanitas knows what becomes of him. He experienced it after all. ]
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I'm still standing by what I said too!
[He shouldn't have just faded away.]
I don't think you're gone-gone.
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[ Heck yeah they are going to argue over it. After all Vanitas needs all that positive reinforcement. ]
I wouldn't be causing problems you realize.
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[Sora fusses with his hair again before he stomps up to Vanitas and pokes him in the chest.]
You don't just give up on people just because they cause a few problems.
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[ Both Aqua and Ventus had, initially become aggressive when Vanitas hadn't wanted aid on their terms. Even now Aqua still has some problems with the way that Van is, because she can't always understand why he shouldn't be happy and polite when help or something is offered.
But Van huffs, looking down in confusion as Sora pokes his chest. That's... Sora is so stubborn. ]
I've caused more than a few problems.
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[Sora pouts, head tilting to the side. When he thinks of the others he knows how much they've all been through and all the hurt and trauma that went along with it. So it's normal for people to be scared and hurt about things, isn't it? But still-]
You can't really expect people to turn around and accept things right away. I think with time they'd see. Both you and they need to give everything a chance. Not just give everything up now that we've all worked so hard.
[Problems or not, Sora thinks they'd have a great future. If they all just tired. Is it bad to want peace?]
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Thus why should I want to put any effort forth? I am not the one that desires this "togetherness."
[ That's Sora. And Ventus. Then Aqua just seems to be convinced that Vanitas could be different if he is just shown kindness. Like he's some project. He doesn't entirely trust it. ]
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[Sora huffs softly before reaching out to take one of Vanitas' hands, tugging him.]
You're being stubborn but that doesn't mean I'm going to give up on you. Come on, let's go look around together.
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That's -
[ Sora's movement cuts him off. His hand being grabbed has Vanitas sucking in a breath. He's trying so very hard not to have a fit over it. Very hard. ]
Maybe. You should.
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But why would I do that?
[Sora doesn't give up on anyone.]
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There's no pain as Sora holds his hands and it confuses him so much. ]
You should... [ His jaw clenches a moment as Van closes his eyes. Trying to clear his head. ] You should think about yourself for a change.
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Then he says that and Sora looks a little shocked. He laughs lightly after that, looking slightly embarrassed.]
That's a weird thing to say, Vanitas. I'm fine! It's gonna be fine.
[He doesn't need to think about himself.]
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Huh? You don't know that it is! Not everything turns out fine just because you wish hard enough for it. Even so, that's not what I am talking about...
[ His eyes lock onto Sora's, actually looking a fair bit irritated. ]
I'm talking about how you worry about everyone else when you're falling apart too! You can't always hide under a smile and not do anything for yourself!
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Is it so bad to want to help? I don't think it is!
[Just watch him wish hard enough for things to happen. Just watch him.]
Doing something for someone who needs help is better than not doing anything at all! Has anyone ever offered to help you when you really needed it?
[He worries because he cares, is that so bad??]
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[ What had Marie said? Something about self-care? That can't just stand for Vanitas... Marie had made it seem like this is something that should be happening for everyone.
He goes silent at Sora's question. Van looks away. ]
No one was there when I really needed it.
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And that is only solidified by Vanitas' look away and his words at the end.]
I want to help you. I always have. That's what I mean! You faded away like it was your choice like you didn't want anyone to help you...! But I-! I did. I wasn't there before but things can be different if you let them be.
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I didn't want anyone to help me at that time, Sora. Content I was to fade because living a half existence wasn't anything I wanted.
[ Vanitas looks at Sora now. Yes, he knows the brat wants to help him, because he can't let things go. Because they share a connection and Sora wants to get to know everyone that he's connected with. ]
What would you do if I said that I don't need your help?
[ Will he be like Ventus and Aqua, trying to shove it down his throat? Or Marie and Mira, who want to help and are patient enough to wait until Vanitas agrees. Does Vanitas have a choice. ]
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Then you don't want my help? If you really needed someone, you'd say no to me?
[He's not going to answer that question because it's Vanitas' choice. Not Sora's. Sora knows that he's not good enough for a lot of things. And all he can do is try.]
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Rejection. A word that is so bitter to Vanitas. ]
Augh. That's not what I'm getting at. I'm asking if you're going to leave it for me to decide or if you're going to force it upon me, Sora.
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I mean- I guess it's up to you! As much as I'd want to try...!
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Get a hold of yourself, brat. [ Vanitas flicks him on the forehead. ] If you're making it my choice, then who knows? Maybe you'll get your wish.
[ He starts to walk off then, further into the jungle. ]
You coming or what?
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