dagung | TDM: MARCH

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TDM: MARCH

Test Drive: March

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 character, put one in! This time around, reserves will expire after the first 48 hours of applications being opened. Those first 48 hours will be open to those who have reserves only, so we recommend placing one. It will not guarantee you a spot, but it will guarantee you can post your app immediately when they open.
• Applications Open The 24th! There will be a cap of 30 applications accepted this round, and apps will close whenever we've reached that cap. If there are slots left after the reserves-only period, apps will open to those without reserves. The application page can be found here.
• 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 Underground

Take a moment. Let your eyes adjust to the dark, your ears to echoing silence, but for the steady drip of condensation down the stone walls that surround you. The tunnels down here are wide, the ceilings high, but they are dim, devoid of sunlight and breeze. The only light, in fact, comes from the shards of softly-glowing shards of quartz lining the ground and the bio-luminescent algae that smears the stone in long, blue veins, pulsing gently, pushing breathable air into the otherwise-stale passageways. The air is damp, but the temperature is moderate - almost comfortable. The tunnels fork off and meander from where you are, some narrowing and some widening, but none seem to lead you to the surface, no matter how long you wander. Is it a trick of the light, that the algae glows a little brighter, pulses a little quicker, when you head in a particular direction? It's hard to sort your senses so deep underground, far from the world above where things make sense. Hopefully you've found a friend by now.

The Crystal Cavern
Many of the tunnels, both wide and narrow, lead to the same place: a massive chamber hewn out of the stone by time, and the drip-drip of water from the ceiling into the central lake. Perhaps you came out toward the bottom, and the ceiling is a thousand feet above you, or maybe you came out toward the top, and the lake is a thousand feet below. There are a hundred or more holes in the sloping stone walls that lead to more tunnels, and something like natural steps down from most of them. In a way, it resembles a beehive, this room acting as a central hub of sorts.

This is also the first place you find signs of life. Short, tough little tufts of grass growing from the thin soil, bone white in color, having long abandoned photosynthesis and chlorophyll. More of the glowing algae. Small, skittering insects - beetles, grubs and worms. The occasional albino rat, much larger and louder than rats have any right to be. Ruffled and capped fungi growing on the wet rock like parasites, some as large as a grown man. Blind, slimy cave fish wriggling around in the still waters of the lake.

And milling around the great stone cavern, slurping up the glowing algae that covers the rocks and grows in lacy sheets across the water, are dozens of great beasts, bigger than horses. Shaped like worms, but with dozens and dozens of stubby, fleshy legs, these creatures are huge, with velvety, multi-colored hides, and though their antennae wave in curiosity when approached, they don't seem aggressive. At least, as long as you avoid the big silk-wrapped bundles stuck to the walls and ground all over the cavern. These are their egg sacs, and if their young are threatened, they'll quickly shoot jets of viscous slime, a quick drying adhesive, that can slow and trap even the strongest adult. If you find yourself in a sticky situation, you better hope someone can wrench you loose - the worms seem content to eat algae, until they've caught prey. Each worm has a long, hooked, chitinous blade concealed within its fleshy jaws to tear and shred, and a nightmarish round mouth full of multiple rows of teeth.

Navigate carefully. There at the bottom of the lake, where it feeds into an underground stream that leads down another wide tunnel, there are a few small rowboats, some missing oars, certainly not enough for everyone. You'll have to share if you want to get out of here. Or you can keep hanging out with the giant wormipedes.

The Procession
As you proceed down the stream by boat, the lighting grows just a little brighter, seeming a little more purposeful in how the glowing algae is planted, how the softly glowing crystals are placed. You start seeing a new type of moss, greyish-green and growing in ragged sheets from the ceiling of the tunnel. Watch your head - it's near impossible to cut through this stuff should you get tangled. For a while, you only hear the soft splashing of the gentle stream, but then... there is a flash of torch light, up ahead.

The boat ahead is longer than the one you use, better kept, and full of people - three Monsters, all whose forms are based on creatures that thrive underground, in pieces of armor, holding spears, and one very elderly Witch woman, seated in the middle, wrinkled hands folded primly in her lap. Her milky gaze stares straight ahead, with something soft and proud in the set of her face. One of the Monsters holds the torch, the other rows the boat, and the third settles down next to her; they speak in hushed voices, with little smiles.

After a while, the rowing Monster slows the boat, before they can bump into a thick, heavy, impenetrable curtain of grayish-green moss that stretches across the whole tunnel, blocking the way, like a gate. The other two help the woman to her feet, and guide her toward the front of the boat - and the curtain of moss. She reaches out for it blindly, and they help her step onto the edge. There is something almost ritual or reverent about the movements, the way they regard the Witch as she touches the curtain of moss... and is wrapped into it quickly, swallowed up, absorbed. After twenty minutes of gentle pulsing, the lump that used to be the Witch is no more, and the whole of the moss pulses with light and magic. The Monsters watch this whole process vigilantly, and once the lights die down, they continue on. The moss parts to allow the boat through, brushing against the Monsters but not swallowing them.

The procession happens a few more times, in separate boats, with separate victims - but all are very, very elderly, and seem proud, even happy to meet their fates. Trying to follow them further after the ritual will have the same thing happen for your boat - the moss will part, and brush over those in the boat without causing harm. If you happen to be infected with the Cwyld, however... you might meet the same fate as the old woman, with the moss reaching and grabbing for you. The procession can be stopped, but drawing attention will draw the ire of the Monster guards, and, strangely, the victims themselves, who will fly into a distressed rage at the interruption.

The Marketplace
Beyond the veil of moss lies... civilization? The cavern is enormous, big enough to contain a city at least as big as Aefenglom, if not larger, though the population at a glance seems to be much smaller. Twenty thousand people, perhaps, give or take. Buildings have been carved out of huge stone spires, or formed by draping cloth around and between the natural stalactites and stalagmites. Monsters tend to be quite tall or bulky, possessing obvious physical strength, while Witches and humans tend to be shorter than in Aefenglom. They all mingle on the streets together, with no immediately obvious class difference. Since there is no weather to dress for, some don't bother to dress at all, though humans at least tend to wear flowy silks or simple clothes made from wormipede hides. The streets are wide and the buildings far-spaced, and many get around on the backs of those worm creatures, having made them saddles and reins.

The stream ends in a lake right next to a marketplace, with many small boats docked on its pebbled shores. The stalls sell all kinds of goods: clothing made from fine silk and worm hide or rat fur, skewered meat (It's bug.), weapons, armor, jewelry made from chunks of beautiful stone. Your arrival is bound to cause a stir though, so keep your head down, and maybe it's time to snatch a disguise from one of the clothing stalls.

Monster guards, occasionally flanked by Witches, patrol the streets and keep the peace, and stopping to talk to anyone will make one thing clear: they are not at all used to outsiders. They won't believe a word you say about being from above ground, and they've never heard of your world or Aefenglom. You're nomads from the tunnels, right? Of course, don't be ridiculous, you can't fool them with tall tales! At least they're usually willing to talk - briefly, of course, everyone is very busy down here, it's morning and many will be heading to tend to the herd soon.

Those who are subtle and pointed in their questions can learn a lot about the vast but also small civilization below the surface of the world. Strength is valued here - the stronger the Monster or more powerful the Witch, the higher their rank in society, and the closer they live to the center, largest spires of stone. Monster-Witch Bonded pairs are the be-all-end-all, and often wear matching wrist-guards or pendants proudly. Pretending to be Bonded to another will put many of the natives at ease, though Monster-Monster pairs get snide comments about how you have to team up to find a good Witch, and Witch-Witch pairs will get odd looks and assume you both have a very strong Monster partner somewhere. It must be quite rare for Witches to go un-bonded here, and any who pass through without an obvious partner may be propositioned by young Monsters showing off their various talents. Unbonded Monsters may be nudged in the direction of any strange, unbonded Witches - usually fellow Mirrorbound - in a poor attempt at matchmaking. Those poor unbonded Witches need protection, right? Or so the locals think.

It's too bad trying to go any farther than the Marketplace will get you stopped by guards and turned back, however. They don't allow nomads into the inner city.

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A...dream? [She echoes him, confused, and flinches away again when he draws nearer. Not that she can go anywhere, but she looks utterly at a loss for what to do here. The village she’d grown up in had been remote, after all. Rare were there ever visitors and outsiders, and while she’d gotten used to people stumbling in over the years now, she’d hardly been in the right from of mind to regard them.]

I don’t sleep. I don’t think. [Did she sleep? There were moments of ‘oblivion’, but the passage of time was so strange for her now. Sae places a hand to her head and shakes it slowly, trying to just— remember. Basic things were lost on her. Her body felt so heavy. Was being alive always such a burden?

Oh. Names. Right. She lowers her hand and blinks slowly.] ...Sorry. I’m not— I’m not usually this— [Disoriented? Slow?? Rude??? She can’t bow very well here, but she still places her hands on the ground in front of her and turns as much as she can to bow low against the floor]

Kurosawa Sae.

[he didn't mean to startle her. before coming here, wei wuxian was only just starting to get a taste of people being afraid of him. some people seem to like having that sort of effect on others. he doesn't. he'd rather make friends.

so he offers her another smile, softer this time. the bow surprises him, and he just barely manages to stop himself from reaching out to her.]

Don't worry about it. Right now let's just focus on getting out of here.

[he won't leave her, even if the worms do come. but it still begs the question of -how-. he doesn't have his own sword, or even the borrowed bichen.

wei wuxian smiles slowly when he remembers what he does have.]

Remember Lady Kurosawa, stay still.

[so he doesn't accidentally scratch her. because oh yeah, wei wuxian has the beginnings of claws these days, and they seem made for digging someone out of the slime.]

[She tilts her head, nodding, even if at first she doesn’t quite understand what he’s going to do at first. The address doesn’t bother her either—she’d been the Crimson Sacrifice, after all. She’d been treated with the utmost amount of fear and respect that could be granted to someone, on par with royalty just about.

So she watches and then when she notices just how sharp his nails are, she tenses up in surprise.]

Your hands—

[it’s not the weirdest thing she’s seen, honestly, but it’s alarming nonetheless.]

Yeah.

[she doesn't need to say anything more. wei wuxian gives her a sheepish grin before he starts digging to free her leg, careful that he doesn't come in contact with her.]

When you come to this place, you either become a witch or a monster. [he doubts he needs to say which one he is, but at least he wouldn't be ashamed to say it now.] It happens slowly. These came in just after the last full moon. My eyes changed too.

[golden now instead of brown.]

The fur I had from day one!

[that's along his chest and back and arms though, hidden by his robes. he works quickly, leaning back after a moment.]

See if you can pull free now.

A... monster... [She echoes him, but she doesn’t look so afraid anymore.

They called her a monster too, after all. They’d just been both literal and figurative about it. She wasn’t sure it really mattered much now, looking down at her kimono. Pure white, aside from the blood, and folded in the ‘dead’ way. She touches the blood that stains in the vague shape of a butterfly’s wing and feels dizzy.

At least it keeps her quiet and still until Wei Wuxian speaks again. She blinks, snapping out of her thoughts, and wiggles her legs a little, managing to yank her foot free from the rest of the slime with a little effort.

She rubs at her ankle, brow furrowed a little.] ...Thank you. [Slowly Sae looks around the cave again.] You said this was...a dream?

Can you walk?

[he looks at her ankle with concern, but his gaze soon follows hers to look for possible exits. he doesn't even remember coming in here, but he didn't remember entering the jungle before either.]

That's how it worked before. I had a dream, and other people were in it too. Then I came through the mirror and they were in Aefenglom with me. [his expression turns a little sympathetic as he looks at her.] It's a lot to take in, but...it's probably a better place than where you were.

[he glances to the blood on her kimono as he says it.]

But regardless, we're not safe yet. We should get out of here. Do you need me to carry you?

[She listens, but she feels like she can’t quite wrap her head around it too much. Like she gets it, but also can’t quite believe it. A dream, walking through a mirror, ending up in some other city? How could she think it’s real? Granted, it’s perhaps not too far-fetched...

Slowly Sae begins to stand, wincing a little as she puts weight on her ankle. It’s not busted or anything, but it’s sore from how hard she fell. While she might not be able to move fast, she can at least move. She looks down at the blood when he does and starts, like she’s seeing it for the first time, and reaches a trembling hand down to touch at the stain. It’s in a vague butterfly wing pattern and she feels the beginnings of hysterical laughter welling up in her throat.

Sae swallows hard and brings her shaking hands away from it, flecks of the dried blood coming off onto her fingertips.]

It’s not mine.

[her voice is small and hollow, her gaze distant. Screaming villagers and pleading voices fill her ears and for a moment she can hardly breathe, let alone process his question.]

It’d be improper. [She manages to murmur, and then she blinks again and some awareness seems to come back to her as she levels her gaze on Wei Wuxian once more] Am I...Alive?

[well that's a relief...isn't it? even if it leaves the question of whose blood it is, she's scared and young, and seems more shocked by the blood than anyone.]

There's nothing improper about needing help. [he smiles at her, but it saddens at her question.] You are now. Here, I'll prove it.

[wei wuxian turns and crouches down.]

Hop on. I'll have us out of here in no time.

But... [But he’s a boy and she’s a girl so ??? Clearly there’s a lot that’s improper here!!

But Wei Wuxian seems to just plow on ahead regardless and Sae slowly exhales, brow furrowed slightly as he crouches down like that. It takes her a moment to understand what he wants and she makes a slightly stranger noise. Her kimono doesn’t allow for that much, uh, leg spreading god there’s no non-terrible way to make that sound, and she wants to protest further.

In the end she opts not to argue, though, and gets herself situated and comfortable on his back, her arms winding loosely around his neck. She’s abhorrently light, and after a moment she just presses her face against his back, closing her eyes. Once upon a time she’d fallen while playing and Itsuki had carried her back like this, Mutsuki and Yae fretting all the while. The memory stirs up a well of emotions in her that she firmly tries to keep back.]

Where are we going...? [Belatedly it occurs to her that she has no idea where he plans to take her and that maybe she should’ve asked that earlier.]

[if you ask him (and even if you don't), it's far more improper to let a girl walk on an injured ankle. or anyone for that matter. he stands up once she's settled, keeping the fabric of her kimono between his arms and her legs as he helps keep her in place. she's light, but she's definitely real. definitely alive.]

There's water. If we follow it, it might lead us out of here.

[at least one end of it might. if he chooses the right one.]

It might be a long, boring walk though. Tell me about where you came from before this.

[He’s warm and surprisingly comfortable, Sae finding herself relaxing despite herself. Follow the river to...civilization? Probably? Or at least something with light.

When was the last time she’d seen sunlight...?]

I’m not supposed to. [Sae’s voice turns shy again] Outsiders aren’t supposed to know about it much... [Merchants came through once in a while, people invited. Letters were carried in and out, things traded. But outsiders never stayed long or they met grisly ends.]

Oh, but...I guess it doesn’t really matter now. [The place didn’t really exist anymore, after all. Still, she falls quiet for a long enough time that it might seem like she’s either fallen asleep or decided not to answer before she finally speaks up.]

It’s a quiet place... All God’s Village, deep in the mountains. We don’t ever get many visitors or anything, and I never left it before now. My family was the ruling family there... My father was in charge of overseeing everything. My sister and I... were really lucky...

[She trails off again and goes quiet.] It’s not very interesting, I’m sorry... I can’t compare it to anything else. I wasn’t allowed to leave, so... So I never experienced anything else.

I'm not an outsider, we're friends! And what can't friends share?

[and once again, things are as simple as that, wei wuxian's uncanny ability to strip things down to the bare bones. he picks his way more carefully through the cavern, not taking any of his usual risks with her on his back.

his brows lift at parts of her story, first when she says she's from the ruling family. ah. so that explains why she's so proper. wei wuxian smiles at that.]

You must miss your sister a lot right now. I'm sorry. I miss Shijie and Jiang Cheng, so I know how you feel.

[She thinks of Itsuki again and realizes she doesn’t quite know the answer to that. Is that what friendship was? She felt like she couldn’t quite be sure.

There’s silence however and she feels hollow and cold all over again.] I miss her. [More than anyone could ever know, could ever think.] We’re twins... We’re of one mind and one soul. Being without her is like... Is like missing an entire half of me. I’ve never been without her before.

[...Give or take the couple hundred years or so, but she’d been kind of mostly-crazy by then, so.]

I'm sorry.

[wei wuxian says it again, softer this time in the wake of learning that her sister is her twin, understanding why she would feel that way even if he doesn't have a twin himself.]

I bet she feels the same way about you too. And she'd want you to be strong and safe until you're able to meet again.

[because she will. if this place and lan wangji have taught him anything, it's that those who are meant to be, will be.

he stops, spotting something in the water. hopefully something that will cheer her.]

Look. I see a boat!

I...I don’t know if we’ll be able to meet again... [She whispers her worry into his back and shivers. Yae must’ve already moved on and where did that leave Sae?

But she perks up with interest and sits up a little to peek over his shoulder at the boat.] A— A boat? I’ve never been on the water before...

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TDM: MARCH

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