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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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and so he points back to the jungle, and mouths: "that way?" ]
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Sorry, Tendou. At least she waits, crouching on a branch and making sure he's not left too far behind?]
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[ so fast!!! she duped him so good, he almost even yelps as he searches for her climbing up up up— he hushes, loudly: ]
You didn’t even give me time to guess!
[ fear not, he looks heavily impressed— or maybe it’s hard to tell what he’s really thinking with the way his expressions go up and down rollercoasters. help him up? not that he needs it; those gangly limbs and claws are perfect for a good scaling. ]
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But Mikasa didn't look too pleased about her quick escape. She frowns down at him. She is very disapointed.
Tendou...You just started yelling while they were trying to get away without being caught damnit...]
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which, to their luck, continues, even as they're situated in the trees. tendou himself is hugging a branch, nearly upside down. indoor voice: ]
Think we can tree surf our way outta here?
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We're going to have to. We'd leave tracks down there.
[She wasn't sure if they'd care enough to follow them into the jungle. But she'd rather not risk it. It wouldn't have been a difficult fight, but it was one Mikasa wanted to avoid.]
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[ — and then it occurs to him. ]
Come to think of it, I've never seen a hyena in a tree.
[ could he actually do this? lmao. ]
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...I think dogs can climb a little.
[He looks like a dog.
...A very fucked up dog.
.......Or just a normal dog and the weirdness was from him.]
We need to move. Your claws would have left marks. I'm not sure if they'd think to look there first though.
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No offense to 'em, but they don't look that bright . . . [ giggle snort—so!! on the move regardless!! standing on the branch itself might be a strange task, tendou makes sure all his limbs are in contact with bark, slouching in his posture and aiming to leap for another branch. not a problem so far! and since mikasa looks very japanese: ] Meeting someone in the defense force is pretty rare these days! I'll count myself lucky!
[ and maybe its a little bit of himself just being friendly beyond the weird, and a male hyena's behavior to always kiss a female's feet (paws??? w/e), but! he looks interested enough, and hangs there, on his branch, until he's flipping upside down. ]
I'm about to graduate soon, and I've got zero idea what I'll do after that. Maybe— [ help] Writing? [ manga?? children's stories?? who knew. ] Kinda refreshing to see you all realized at least! I'm almost jealous.
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She checks her gear for a moment. And she has enough gas, but she's going to carefully walk across the branches. It was quicker, but she had to save it in case of an emergency.
Like most of the things he's said so far. Tendou just gets a blank stare, even if he can't see it. Hadn't more people been joining? Especially now the titans had been dealt with.]
Why would you be jealous? I haven't realised anything.
[She didn't have much of an opinion on what he was asking. But surely he would have gotten his education for his planned career?]
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Haven't you? You got a career going and everything. Unless, [ there's a bit of a grunt to his voice, but it sounds far more animalistic; curious. ] it's not what you wanted?
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Didn't have much of choice.
[Mildly. She couldn't say she regretted joining up... Well maybe she did. That was still a puzzle. But she wasn't sure what else she'd have been. It's been life for so long that what life would have been like without the scouts was an alien thought.
Mikasa wasn't even sure what else she'd be good at. She'd enjoyed sewing when she was younger, and that was a skill that had been very useful. Not as useful as fighting. But being able to patch and mend when they had little might have kept them just a little bit warmer.
Farming? She'd also enjoyed helping in the garden when she was younger. It seemed like a peaceful life...
Both of those things brought up too many memories. And she quickens her pace.
Thinking of those things wouldn't change anything.]
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[ and that's when tendou almost fall silent if it weren't for sharp giggling— thing is, he's not actually laughing now, not with the blank face he wears. hyenas laugh when they're nervous. and that wasn't a place he wanted to go.
what to do without making things a w k w a r d . . . ]
What do you like?
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Things like that were hard to feel when your social skills weren't great. And you'd already decided you were dealing with a weirdo. The answer is both hard and easy. She'd thought about it before, but never too much.]
Sewing and gardening I guess...
[There's a shrug. ]
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One of my best friends is into gardening! Actually— [ he points, ] You two could get along! [ to be fair, we don't know to what extent ushijima gardens, but he certainly loves the plant metaphors. ] Anything better than Kayako I can call you by? Didn't look like you liked it much.
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Oh... You were calling me that. [It's more blank than anything, too tried to think too much on it. She's been called worse. Maybe, she thinks it's a name at least, just not her's.]
Mikasa. [And she's moving again. Conversation hard.]
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[ wait for it, because he wants to see a smile— ]
Like, Nintendo.
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Yeah. She had no idea.]
Right, Nintendo.
[There's just a nod. No smile, only stony faced here. With all the weirdness here, she's going to call him by his full name and not the shorted version. He might start making sense then.
Then there's a shrill noise somewhere above them. And she's leaning into the tree for cover.]
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he's made a decision. it's too bad that his nervousness flares up when he sees a massive shadow above them, and begins to giggle. ]
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Not that it's important at the moment. The large bird-like thing was circling about them, crying out. Mikasa holds up a hand, shh. But the bird didn't seem to notice them. That or the...the other thing it was carrying was more important. It was a bigger meal than them after all. The bird lands ahead of them, in one of the taller trees.
Then there's a series of chirps. Higher pitched than the ones that the bird had made. Ah.]
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tendou points, and one fluffy looking falcon things twists its head to them. he covers his mouth, and the sounds keep coming. ohhhh dear. ]
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And uh...What a chick that it. If it weren't for the size, Mikasa would have found it cute. Fluffy feathers poking out in all directions as it's head bobbed at them. But that beck, it was still as large as their heads. And the speed it snapped shut...
Mikasa's slowly moving branches, making sure there's a gap between her and the chick. It didn't seem able to fly yet. But it was slowly climbing out the nest, balancing along the branches. Chirping and hissing at them.]
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[ he's ready to extend his arm to catch her when she does, but overall— his eyes are pinned. all his senses make guessing a lot more accurate. ]
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Up or down, it won't be able to follow.
[and she hoped it wouldn't try.]
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[ and then it fucking!!! jumps for tendou's branch. they whole of it shakes, the harpy chick wobbles and— so does tendou. ]
Oh, snap— [ as if on cue, the branch does indeed snap, and both the little harpy chick and the hyena turnskin fall. we could say that this is the end of the dream, perhaps, where everything fades before one could make a better move. maybe mikasa might only hear the faraway cry falling down, down, down . . . ]
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