( TDM | #4 )

[spellbindmods]

IMPORTANT: The weekly update post will go up later than usual tonight to give time for any other barrier quest responses to come in. Nothing major will be affecting how old players respond to newbies on this post, so tag away! Threads here do count for September bonus AC for old players.

TDMs can be used for anyone interested in the game and/or testing out a new muse.

Test Drive samples are encouraged to be used for your application sample, though they are NOT a requirement.

Feel free to use one prompt, multiple prompts or make up your own!

These threads can be considered game canon upon game opening if you so choose.

Telepathy and magic can be used at any point in time on the TDM, from Prompt A to your wildcard prompt. A specific prompt exists, however, that makes sure all characters have an equal chance to use this mechanic within the TDM. You're encouraged to have characters use telepathy and their magic accidentally or even purposefully on any TDM prompt.

If you aren't set on your character's power yet or want to try out a few, you're still able to use the test drive. Maybe your character is a late bloomer and hasn't fully unlocked their intuitive drive yet. In the case of multiple powers, only prompts that contain the power you choose for your application will count as potential game canon threads.

While only one character can be apped or reserved during a cycle, feel free to post with more than one character if you like! This is for those who are uncertain of their first choice or who would like to try out different characters within the setting.

IMPORTANT: This world is low-frequency. No canon powers or abilities are allowed! Also check out the setting information for more info about what the hub island looks like and what can be found there.

You blink and that's all it takes. At first the picture doesn't come in clear, like you're waiting for a screen to fully load -- more aptly, it's like you're waiting for a camera to focus so you can find image clarity. Before you happened to rapidly close your eyes and open them, your life was normal...well, normal for you, anyway. Fighting an alien, making a quesadilla, dying. And then that blurry picture suddenly takes over. There's a lot to take in here -- you feel weird, your surroundings are weird. Everything is just weird. For starters, there's that new piece of jewelry inserted in the space above your chest. That certainly wasn't there before you opened your eyes. A ▢ Your character's first experience here will be waking up in a forest. Specifically, located here. It's up to them to traverse and try to figure out where they are, whether they make it to the beach or the main house area. If this new little signet catches their interest, fiddling with it will result in a bit of a neural vibration in everyone else with telepathy. Nothing painful; it's actually quite pleasant. But if they do decide to play with this new jewelry, they're likely to find some seasoned telepaths (aka old coven members) in their brain space, wondering that's up. A2 ▢ Alternatively, new coven members are notorious for being bad at telepathy from the jump. Their panicked reation to this journey or confused mental state may send out some network messages that maybe they didn't realize they were sending out. Or, maybe what's pushing them over the edge are all the other voices already doing exactly that in their brain. B ▢ Unlike the previous coven members who found themselves on the hub, new recruits won't find as many supplies randomly in the forest they're suddenly in. However, like old coven members, they will come across some wild boars that aren't too happy to see the humans have returned to their stomping ground. Your character may also come across a boar with babies in tow, which means that they're even more likely to be aggressive. If your character has useful magic within them somewhere, now may be a good time to discover how to use it...? C ▢ Whether you've braved a boar encounter or avoided one entirely, there's a lot to do and see in the forest, as well as other areas of the hub! Well, "do" is debatable. But! Coven members before them have discovered some pretty nifty locations that can be stumbled upon, from a phallic fertility shrine to tree homes and passageways.

If you eventually make it out of the forest and aren't devoured by a boar, you'll eventually come upon your new base camp. Someone (Genette) will be there with your introductory letter and a brief description of magic you now have. If you didn't discover it earlier...surprise! One thing of comfort might be that you aren't alone in this journey. There are other coven members here, fresh back from a journey to another world. If your character wants to get the lay of the land or understand what's going on a little better, they may want to hit up some of these folk for information. There's a large, gold, floating caravan hanging around next to a bonfire, and there's a back gate open that reveals something of a space pocket containing lots of different things. Luckily for new characters, the Palai from the previous world didn't want them to go hungry...which also means they'll be inundated with shrimp to eat. Hopefully they like shellfish! D ▢ Many of the old bloods in the coven can be found hanging around this area. Of course, a few of them have gone off on their own to do whatever it is they do, but since they just got back this is a good place to hang out if a new character wants to see a familiar face, ask questions or steal someone's belongings. You never know! E ▢ This will also be the place where they're given their first provisions. In a woven knapsack, they'll find a bag of cooked shrimp, a set of clothes (you pick the style) that may not fit, a toothbrush, and three other random objects -- dealer's choice! It's very likely that your character got something useful in there, but it's also likely you got something that your character would never use in a million years, or that doesn't fit. Time to start trading! F ▢ Finally, there's always the chance for your character to explore the big mansion next to the beach area. Actually, they may be asked to lend a hand. Everyone is tasked with unloading supplies from the caravan to the front foyer of the mansion, and there are quite a few trips to be mad. Or, alternatively, your character can slack off and play in the game room that they have. How good is your character at pool?

If you're much more of a loner and don't want to follow the flow of things, there are of course other locations that you should probably check out. Travel to your heart's content and find something new...but there are two other points of interest you may want to discover. G ▢ There's that bathhouse that's nearby, for starters. Your character won't encounter any snapping crabs, like last time, though the water for some reason isn't as hot as it once was. Whatever was previously heating the bathhouse seems to have died out, so there aren't any steamy, comfortable pools to take a dip in. There are, however, acrid waters with pond scum floating on the surface. The showers also spew out a greenish liquid, so any hope your character had at having a relaxing bath is gone. However, the lack of heat and many closed off rooms can make for some nice alone time. H ▢ Your character may want to claim a beach house while they're at it. Some characters have disappeared from the coven over time, and some of these few may have left their belongings before departing. This makes it hard to tell what huts are free and which need to be cleared out. Might as well play roulette and see if you picked one that doesn't have an owner or not. (For the sake of the prompt, you might want to choose the former, just saying). I ▢ Wildcard prompt. Go nuts and utilize your own creativity within the setting. This can mean striking out on your own or utilizing a certain location in a different way. The world is your oyster!

GAME NAVIGATION

Comments

[akumas]

Thank you, Mio. You are always a precious servant.

[Personal space and Mio do not exist at the same time. Eva does give Mio a good pat on the head since look he missed him.]

The jewel and the change of location... In simple terms, you were summoned by a magus named Qri. I don't fully understand who she is nor have I met her in person, but I do understand that she is someone powerful. Powerful enough to explore realms on her free will and keep a balance among them all.

However, she is struggling to stay alive right now. The type of energy her kind needs to survive is becoming more limited. She is summoning beings from all kinds of realms to help her, creating a traveling coven to help her seek that energy in order for her to stay alive.

[A pause to let Mio register all that in, his eyes glancing up into the sky.]

[mysterybone]

[ He practically glows at the praise, nuzzling into Eva again just because he can. Stupid Ban isn't even here to stop him, it's perfect.

But oh, now it's time to listen. ]

So we've been summoned to help this Qri person, whose magic is even stronger than ours? [ he tilts his head, trying to understand. ] Master, have you decided to help her then?

[ He isn't sure whether it's a choice or not, but he can't believe that Eva of all people would ever be held to do something against his will. ]

[akumas]

I thought hard about the situation when I first arrived. [He looks back towards Mio.] A summoner can have the power to return their summoned beings back where they come from, correct? Should she fall... I would never return home to you and Ban. Not only saving her would allow me to return back to my original realm, but having a powerful magus as an ally would be beneficial to me.

[A pause.]

... I will not lie on how much I worried being away from both of you. Time might been manipulated across realms, but Qri summoned me a little more over a month ago following the flow of time here. Sammy was also missing from my presence when I was summoned.

[And of course that still got him in a panic.]

[mysterybone]

Yes, yes I see! That's all definitely true. I'm glad you thought of it, Master. ♪ [ he nods, eager to agree with him and follow along.

but then he pauses, freezing for a moment as those words hit his ears. A little over a month ago? No, that can't be possible. He would have noticed for sure if it was just him and Ban! And Sammy would have been worried too! ] What? This magus can also manipulate time like that? I definitely can't believe you would have been gone for that long ... and without me and Sammy!

[ Ban doesn't matter. ]

Oh, Master! You must have had a terrible time!

[akumas]

Some elements of this... "journey" was terrible, but I think the most important thing is that I survived.

[That reminds him.]

Ah yes... I did learn a new power when I arrived.

[The owls that were walking with him before have already disappeared during Eva and Mio's distractions, but he holds his palm open with his arm out. He chants some words under his breath and purple wisps form before three orbs shoot out. There are three owls floating in front of him and Mio, manifesting after the initial orb stage.]

My weavers of fate. Daughters of Nyx. I'm pleased your heard my call easily. I would like to introduce you to my faithful servant from my realm, Death Chronos.

[All three of them hoo towards Mio in greetings.]

[mysterybone]

[ Mio frowns a little to hear it was "terrible", but Eva-sama is right of course. That he survived is the best thing of all. ]

I'm glad you survived, Master. I wouldn't know what to do without you!

[ but he tilts his head as a new power is mentioned. ]

Did that magus make you stronger?

[ He'd thought he saw something trailing along with Eva when he first arrived, but he was so distraught and so happy to see the other, that the thought kind of vanished along with the spectral owls. But now he pays close attention, watching as they take shape and then come to hoot at him. He laughs merrily, finding them most fascinating. And adorable of course. ]

Oh, they're wonderful! This is very good black magic, Master! [ he turns toward the owls and bows a little ] Pleased to meet you.

[akumas]

Do not worry. I will not go down so easily. There are people waiting for my return. Our friends and loyal followers. I simply refuse death until it's my proper time to leave this body and be reborn anew.

[Of course, it's way too early for him to think of death since he's still young. The three owls floats down to curl up in Eva's lap. Hearing Mio's praise brings out a pleased hum.]

These familiars... Sammy must have called for them in order to assist me on this journey before he disappeared.

[He doesn't mind having more owl companions, but he still wishes for best owl child to return in good health.]

[mysterybone]

Yes, yes! I believe in you, Master!

[ He doesn't like thinking of death either. Thankfully, Eva-sama is immortal so there's no problem there. ]

I hope Sammy is alright. But then, maybe these familiars are also his way of telling you that he is?

[ They're awfully cute, at least. So Mio approves. But if Eva is sad about Sammy, he is too. ]