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TDM: MARCH
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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 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.With that taken care of...
• 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. |
no subject
He sees the look the other man gives him, knows its well deserved too, but he also manages a small chuckle and a shake of his head at Qrow. ]
Qrow? Well I must say this is a rather welcomed surprise. Are the locals always this...engaged?
no subject
Eh. They've been hassling me for hours, but dunno. Never been here before.
[He's already getting kind of tired of waking up in random new places, though, even though it's only happened twice.]
They're pretty big on bonds in Aefenglom, though. Which is where I was before I woke up here. [He lets out a soft snort.] Not quite this zealous, though.
no subject
[ For Ozpin he's still rather unsure on how any of this is working, if him staring at his hands resting on his cane are any indication... ]
Ah, yes, bonds. I've been informed they're a rather important part of this world. [ But that gets the ever iconic head tilt from Oz. ]
You've been here...for how long exactly?
no subject
[Time has felt a bit fuzzy since he woke up, which bothers him at the same time as his mind tries to smooth it down. Just a dream, just a dream.]
Aefenglom? Been just under two months.
[There’s a beat. He’s not sure how much he should say until he can be sure this isn’t some kind of trick; Ozpin should not be in this body, and it would be very easy to play on his weaknesses by showing him this and encouraging him to spill all of Ozpin’s secrets he’s been trusted with at it.]
The Battle of Haven had just ended when I came.
[He pointedly says nothing about the status of the Relic or where they were planning to take it.]
no subject
I see, interesting. We were just together in Haven Academy as well. But I suppose time here is different, which is why I recall fighting alongside you only moments ago.
[ How very fascinating. And Ozpin does nod. ] I do...remember that as well. Telling Oscar where to bring the relic...that is the last thing I recall. [ Before both he and Oscar passed out. Using that much energy, while unwise, was definitely needed at the time. ]
So it seems we're not too far off from where we left off then. Good. It certainly makes things easier, doesn't it? [ He could really use some easy right now, given what he's dealing with. ]
no subject
Makes things less complicated, that's for sure.
[And he'll take what he can get, where that's concerned. Speaking of complications, though...
Ozpin leaves the destination for the relic unsaid, and it strikes him that he's not the only one with reason to have his guard up, here. Ozpin especially...with what's just occurred in Haven, there's no proof he's who he says he is either, is there? He can't even turn into a bird anymore, the unique spark from Ozpin's gift gone from his body entirely--and the man won't have his original magic, either.
Lionheart's betrayal puts into question the other kinds of codewords and failsafes used to demonstrate their identities in the past, which just leaves....personal things. He kind of hates that, but what's the alternative? Not trusting Ozpin? That feels so wrong it's rejected out of hand.]
This is pretty nostalgic though, huh? Think one of our first training missions as STRQ was in a cave like this. Almost feel like a Grimm could pop out any minute.
[He chuckles, and it is genuinely fond, despite the fact that he's meandering like this with a purpose in mind.]
Never thought I'd wind up getting involved in something like that, back then, especially with how things started. [ . . . ] How'd you know, anyway?
[There's a silent apology in his expression for doing this. He doesn't want to be suspicious of the person that gave him a home and taught him what it was like to care for people and be cared for in return, but it's what Ozpin would expect of him if this man before him was a fake.
There's a lot of things Salem and her cronies know about them, about him, especially now that Raven's joined their number, but this is such a minor detail, so irrelevant to the bigger picture, he can't imagine she would've told them their original purpose for joining Beacon Academy, all those years ago.
She doesn't seem to want to remember that time in their lives, anyway.]
no subject
At the mentioning of a mission so long since gone and over Ozpin can't help but feel briefly nostalgic. He also understands what the other is doing and respects his decisions for doing it. Something only he and Qrow would know, hm? That's what he expects from the spy he's entrusted to keeping tabs on things. ]
Ah. Yes. I do fondly remember Summer being rather...excited over the prospect. [ She was always most eager of the group, leader as well, and quite good at it. That is something she and her daughter share in common. ]
How? Well Beacon was always open towards the more eclectic sorts. I find those with such an open mind to become rather independent and powerful huntsmen.
no subject
[He sees that in Ruby, too. Sometimes it aches, seeing it.
...But that's not quite enough for Qrow. STRQ was well-known, after all. It's not hard to make a guess based on their personalities. He needs a confirmation, or he'll keep feeling this unsettled anxiety, and he can't deal with that.]
But I dunno. A secret war like that, with Salem...I was never exactly star student material. Ditching classes, blowing off homework...you must've seen something in me. Right?
[This is it. It's now or never. He just hopes, desperately, that he's not wrong. Ozpin has to get it. He has to.]
no subject
Something in you. [ There was a lot he saw in the other man, truth be told. ] Who else better to be my eyes and ears in hard to reach places? Despite your...academics I found those to be, at the time, second best when it came to loyalty.
[ You can't have decent spies without loyalty. A shame...considering Raven's whole take on the situation now. But it wasn't just that, was it? Something also set him and Raven apart from the rest. ]
If I recall correctly your...curriculum was a bit outside the norm as well. After all there weren't many looking towards dealing with huntsmen at my school. I don't know of any others who wished to train for something like that.
no subject
You saw a kid trying to learn how to murder your graduates and figured he'd be perfect spy material, huh? Glad to know I was so subtle.
[A lilt of his voice, faint teasing sarcasm to cover the slight hitch under his ribs at the first part of all that. Loyalty .... he feels a little awkward accepting that compliment, given where he was back then. Even now, over twenty years later, he wonders where Ozpin's endless faith came from.]
Let's get outta here. This place is way too crowded.
[And the locals are way too nosy. If one more person pesters him about Bonding, he swears to the gods--]
no subject
[ Given the betrayals and the obvious hardships of his past, it's only natural that he try implementing something like this, after all those years. But his loyalty it two-fold, and of course there are things Qrow is still unaware of. But perhaps another time and place he would eventually speak of what it is. ]
And where exactly are we going? [ He'll follow as he falls in line with Qrow when they begin to walk. ]