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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mmhmm. So, nothing to worry about for now.

And no reason to attack me either.

[She blinks, raising a hand to wave. Patting the air, calm please.]

I... I wasn't.

[Why would she do that?]

You have a pretty intense look for someone who wasn't gonna.

[That hand! Is gonna get! A high five?]

Here. High Five.

[???

Whatever grump that was on her face just dissolves into confuse. Why? What? Why'd you just slap her hand?]

...Huh?

[What was that about?]

[Ah, there it is. Much better. Sokie grinned.]

It's a gesture known as a high five.

Also, I like it better when you don't look like you're going to beat me to a pulp. It's very reassuring.

[Mikasa is still just very confused. Mouth set in an awkward line with pursed lips.]

...Did I really look like that?

Uh huh. A lesser person would have felt threatened with that scary look on your face.

[She really looks young, doesn't she. Too young to take care of a child, barely being more then one herself.]

Though I'm sure some children would find it assuring.

Oh... I thought I'd gotten better at not doing that...

[She probably should be more upset about that. But she had scared people before, she'd just put it down to them being surprised. But Sasha had mentioned it. Sasha had even gone as far as to push and pull at Mikasa's face to change the expression.

She's broken out of that thought, and nods. Still looking concerned.]

The new recruits follow me around a lot.

[Fifteen year old kids, waddling after a nineteen year old.]

Old habits die hard.

[Here, she'll come over and give Mikasa a friendly pat on the arm. Poor thing. She's all fierce but...she's still very much a kid.

Granted, Sokie can feel that way about most of the population of Mirrorbound and such, so.]

But I'm not surprised-about the grimaces nor the fact the kidlets follow you around. So-

[She made to step away,]

Why don't we dip our feet in the ocean for a bit? You can tell me about the recruits, and things about your world. I find this sort of thing fascinating.

[Excuse you, why you keep touching? She doesn't move to stop her but she does watch the movement closely. Because why? She was used to how Sasha had been before her death. But she'd spent seven years with her screaming and swinging on her, putting up with her snoring. Sasha prodding had just been normal Sasha.

Kidlets gets another confused head tilt. It did sound kinda cute but...]

...Most of them are dead now.

[It wasn't quite sad. Closer to dull, unsupervised. The survival rates still weren't great. Especially when coups happen.]

...no wonder you've achieved the grim look. You've seen some shit.

[That's...putting it bluntly. But well-look, Sokie has had a time lately and she's just kind of...blurting things out.

With a sigh, she comes back and. Gently takes Mikasa by the wrist. The grip is very easy to break, thankfully.]

Come on. Dip your feet in the ocean with me. The waters warm.

[If it meant anything, Mikasa had long since lost the filter which stopped her from blurting things out. She was too used to death to stop herself in time, but not used to it to be completely impassive. An awkward inbetween.

She lets Sokie grab her, but there's a delay before Mikasa follows. She was heavy enough that it'd be difficult to get her anywhere if she wasn't willing to go.

And Mikasa wasn't willing to go near the water. Not close enough to dip her feet, but close enough to warily eye the water.]

I'm not doing that.

[Even after Armin proved it was fine, she didn't like the water or the waves.]

You don't like the water?

[She was trying to be gentle at least. Not forcing Mikasa anywhere because well- Mikasa was built more solid then she was. Hot dang, she's more muscled then she looks.]

That's fine, if you don't want to go in. But it's pretty safe, surprisingly.

It's not. There are things hidden in it.

[Some less bad than others. But small, sharp shells, weird slimy thing that cling. She was not a fan. She was still watching it like something might just jump out. Good luck getting her to go in without being tossed in.

Then for a moment she looks out over the distance. Then back. The last time... But then she's shaking her head, looking back at the water.]

That's mostly kelp.

[It's fine Mikasa. It's fine. C'mon, keep following Sokie over to the water, where it won't actually kill you or anything. You can stay on shore if you're a weenie, it's fine.]

And other things that might be kelp. You'd be fine. You're not scared of it, are you...?

[Sokie why are you poking the tiger.]

...[But she's wearing boots. She'd have to take them off and her socks, AND roll up her pants.

Too much effort for getting cold feet.]

Why?

[So much effort! All the effort. Which Sokie is...already taking off her shoes as they walk??? Very casually???]

It's just cute that you have an aversion to water. Kind of like a cat.

Maybe instead of Mikasa, I should call you kitten?

[Sokie why.]

[Sokie plz

Mikasa just frowns from her spot. And she wasn't easily taunted but this was stupid. So there's a huff. And she's crouching to start removing stuff. Getting her gear wet would be bad. So the criss-crossing straps are taken off with the speed of someone whose done that hundreds of times.

Then it's time.

She's slow to actually step into the water. Squeaking. ]

-Cold!

[And she's wobbling. Her weight working against her, making her feet sink into the sand. Even as she's trying to pull her leg up. Trying to flick the cold water off.

No, don't like. ]

[Called it.

Sokie left her socks, shoes and her pants rolled up to her calves, and had gotten in no problem. But Mikasa's reaction-she couldn't help it. She barked with laughter, and moved to help Mikasa from falling over.]

Here, here-lean on me for a sec, don't pull you foot up like that-

[They're going to fall in, aren't they.]

[Enjoy being flicked with sand and sea water.

Mikasa's not even listening. Trying to keep herself upright, but the small waves and unstable ground made it difficult. Then something is there, and she just grabs it. Leaning her weight on it. Still trying to get a clump of seaweed off her foot.

Sokie... Mikasa weighed 68kg back when she was fifteen. She's only gotten heavier.]</small?

Mikasa...!

[Yeah she's not prepared for this. She gets trying to get the weight off and trying to get the kelp off of her foot but...!

Sokie wasn't prepared for all the weight, and well.

Down they go, with Mikasa on top of Sokie.]

[There's another squeal. Probably the most high-pitch noise anyone would ever hear from her. Not that it lasts long. Faceplanting in to water kills it.

She does just about manage have an arm out to brace herself, but that sinks as well. And Mikasa scrambles, rolling. Coughing up water.

...If Sokie had left her she might have righted herself. Even if she sprinted back out. Armin's amusement had been the main motivation for her staying the last time.

But as it is, she was awkwardly waddling out. Shaking off like a dog once she reached the sand. At least... At least her clothes weren't sticking because of sweat now?]

[Whoops. Welp, that did not go for long, and Sokie just sinks down, Mikasa's weight plunging her down. She didn't get much air, so she wiggled away, and out, up to the surface.

Not that it was that far. Poor Mikasa. Poor Sokie too-she's soaking wet thanks to the trip. But once she's up, and done her coughing fit...

Sokie starts laughing.]

Shit! I haven't been pulled under like that in awhile!

[She giggles. Snorts, and coughs again.]

Ow. I seriously got water up my nose. How's your nose Mikasa? Also uh...you still got a...

[She points. Still got some kelp sticking to her pants.]

[As if on cue, there's a snort, a shake of the head. And if there was water up her nose, it wasn't there now. Two strands of hair sticking up, waving in the wind- Did one just flick and bend at the middle for a moment?

Mikasa turns wiping at her face with a sleeve. It was useless, her sleeve was too wet to do anything. It just make her feel better. She blinks at the pointing, following it with pupils that were too large.

Oh, she's just going to grab that and toss the seaweed back into the water.]

At least it's hot enough that we'll dry off soon.

[Not that she was that bothered. The clothes sticking when she moves was more annoying to her. She hadn't even learned a basic clothes rule, don't wear dark colours under white. Cause the sports bra is clearly visible. Not a singular fuck was given.]

It is that.

[She's still smiling, even as she starts wading out of the water, clearly comfortable, even as she picks off bits of things-or rather goes over herself to check and see if there's any bits and bobs on her.]

But the salt will make us itchy. If you take off your shirt, I can get it cleaned up pretty quick with a spell or two.

[Mikasa...why do you violate these clothing rules.]

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Post timeskip/Season 3 spoiler because death mention

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