( TDM | #5 )

[spellbindmods]

IMPORTANT: This TDM is something a little different -- it's a mix of 4th Wall shenanigans and test driving. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come and make this spooky experience even more creeptacular, and all threads are canon. Any weird happenings, magic shortages or flip-flopping for new characters will just be considered part of the strangeness of the night.

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.

The foreign moon has come as close to the hub island as it possibly can, and the nocturnal deer aren't the only things acting up at this point. Those with intact spiritual intuition or with the power of emotional understanding will have felt the heaviness in the air, and as the days have dragged on that thickness has only intensified. Tonight that thickness might be explained by the heavy fog that's settled in on the island. However, that doesn't mean it's all that's making the night unsettling. All across the island, spirits are taking shape. They're humanoid in nature and completely devoid of sound -- like holographic projections with the audio broken. They flashstep around at times, and other instances they'll walk around like a normal person. Their mouths move and yet no sound escapes. They tangibility is as erratic as their movements. In one moment they have control over their solid mass, despite being translucent, but other times they can walk through walls or pass right through flesh. Their clothes are indicative of a somewhat modern time period, and sometimes they're indistinguishable from other coven members outside of their blue, sepia-toned hue. Another inconsistency is that their demeanor and actions are as varied as any modern society's. Some of these spirits are confused and angry. Some are trying to go about life as best they can. One might be able to pick up a sword and swing it, while another might want to braid your hair. Ages, strengths, dispositions...they match the state of the person as they once were. But where do new, potential coven members come into this equation. A ▢ Some "new coven members" will come to the island as they are. That's your choice. Others, however, are also affected by the bizarreness of the moonlight. Unlike other spirits, characters affected by the moon will be able to talk, but everything else will match their new spirit friends -- from translucence to physical inconsistency. B ▢ No matter whether your character is spirit-y or 100% as they were, the spirits in question are still going to interact with them. For this prompt, they've run into a kind spirit. Whether this is a child spirit tying to round them up into a game of tag or an adult spirit who is trying to communicate with them in some way, this spirit will be neutral or welcoming to their presence, as well as to the presence of other coven members. C ▢ Other spirits may not be so friendly. While their demeanor will mirror the type of person they were when they were alive, the spirits run on very simple and exaggerated emotions. A person with a gruff demeanor in their life will exist as an aggravated spirit. A person with violent tendencies when alive will exhibit as a malevolent ghost. This is the type of spirit you happen to have encountered. How will this interaction turn out?

Brie's been pretty busy trying to fix the wild boar problem that the island has been having, which the results? It's hard to tell if they're paying off, yet. She's somehow smuggled out some Elto bones and tried to use them as something of an electric fence system around the boar-dense areas. The boars who are alive seem to be reacting well! Others, however, are not. D ▢ Dead boars are now waking up around the island, somehow affected by a combination of magic and the moon's spiritual awakening. Some are a little more like their alive cousins -- undead flesh still pretty much in place. Others are totally skeletal, roaming around and thrusting their tusks anywhere they please. E ▢ These boars and spirits happen to be attracted to several shrines located on the island. While the religious affiliations of these shrines are unknown and vastly differ from one another, the spirits seem to be drawn towards them. If your character happens to be exploring the island and finds one of these unique locations...good luck with that hoard of spirits and/or boar zombies. F ▢ Boar zombie tusks should be avoided at all costs, but there's also another threat they pose: their bite. Instead of turning characters into the undead, their bites or their saliva results in something of an instant poisoning. Characters touched by their mouths will die temporarily, just without the whole gaudy spectacle of death. Everything will stay exactly as normal, except they too will be turned spirited. This counts for new characters and old characters -- so if you don't want your character to go ghost, you should avoid their gnashing teeth at all costs.

Despite the creepy air the island holds right now, let's say you want to do something...normal. No boars, no spirits. Just some good ol' fashioned test driving. You have a few options, though they still may be tinged with the spirit of...spirits. G ▢ Despite the moon causing a lot of craziness on the island, there's a lot of beauty in how close it is. You can't reach out and touch it -- everyone would be dead and frozen to death, let's be honest -- but it does cast a lovely cool glow on the entirety of the island. The moonflowers are in full bloom, with the nocturnal deer dancing around through the foliage. There's a lot to see on the island that isn't necessarily overrun by spooky spirits. H ▢ There's also the issue of NPCs preparing for new characters -- which they did! There's the beginning of a welcome party set up, though it's obviously abandoned. With all the craziness going on, the base camp is thrown into chaos. If your character makes it here from wherever they spawned (or if they spawned here in the first place), they may be confused by the chaos. Asking questions might be good, especially since there's still so many to ask outside of dead people suddenly coming back from the grave. 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

[everlighting]

Just keep up the good work and let me take care of the rest.

[--she says as she starts hoisting herself up the back of the building. Will would absolutely kill her if he were here. But there's no time for thinking about that! They have two boars that need killing. Near the top there are a bunch of stone monuments or statues decorating the edges. They're detailed but more importantly-- they're heavy.

Norma pokes her head down over the side of the building to see how her partner is doing down there. She whistles to get her attention.]

Heeeeey~

[If you could be so kind as to lead them her way-- she's ready to cause some destruction and crush some boars.]

[ingermain]

It's a very basic plan.

[But it makes sense - the boars are so skeletal that things like piercing won't work, but blunt impacts would, obviously, break them. And they don't have any kind of hammer on hand, so this seems like it'll work well enough.]

They're large targets, so don't worry about aim. Just make sure you hit both of them, not just one.

[She watches their master strategist heft herself up, then glances over her shoulder. Beckoning the boars with her arm, she runs in place for a second, gives them time to catch up - then rounds the corner behind the shrine, dives forward to make sure she's clear of the falling statues as the boars trail after her.]

[everlighting]

[She's glad someone appreciates her master strategizing. It was pretty good for what it was-- the product of the few split seconds she had to come up with something.

It's a good thing they are so large though. It means she shouldn't have any trouble hitting them. But she has to wait for just the right moment-- when the two of them are in range together.

Just before the two pass, Norma lifts her right leg and gives the statue a hard kick. The base breaks from the building and it falls over the edge; gaining momentum until it smashes hard into the creatures. As she'd hoped, their bones break under the weight and they just seem to crumple.]

Woo-hoo! Perfect shot.

[Norma jumps up and down, already celebrating up on on the roof. Probably not the smartest idea. But at least she hasn't lost her footing yet.]

[ingermain]

Two of them with one statue?

[It actually is an impressive shot - Saint-Germain's used a gun plenty, at least once they were invented, so she appreciates the aim.

She kicks, absently, at the pile of bones, half-expecting them to recombine themselves and start moving again. Fortunately, even the individual bones are shattered.]

Good work! Try not to get too excited, though. [The last thing they need is her falling, right after the threat's been eliminated. Almost subtly, Saint-Germain shifts her shoulders, preparing to catch her if she falls. Or if she just decides to jump down.]

[everlighting]

[At least it looks like Norma isn't reckless enough to try jumping. But she has a ways to go before her feet actually touch the ground yet.]

So-- woah! [...probably should have waiting until she was on the ground. But she catches herself before her foot slips. But with a little hop, she does manage to make it to the ground without any spectacular spills. Only to immediately turn around to her companion and grin.] What's your name?

[ingermain]

[Saint-Germain actually moves to catch her - when she catches herself, she's left with her arms cradled around nothing. After a moment, she sighs, lets them fall back into place as she watches her hop down beside her.]

Saint-Germain. I'm still a little disoriented, from everything going on, but...

[She pauses.]

... You're very good at screaming for help. Ah, you are?

[everlighting]

[Norma puts her finger to her lips and seems to think for a moment. She's focused enough that she'll let that part about her screaming slide for now. A few seconds later though she seems to have found what she was looking for with a small 'aha!' which is promptly followed by--]

Alright. "Geri", then.

[What with that important detail decided, Norma grins.]

Norma. Norma Beatty. Pleased to meet you~

[ingermain]

-- Geri? [She's been called just Germain before, plenty of times. She's gone by dozens of aliases. Geri, however, is a new one. She puzzles it over for a second before realizing Norma's actually introduced herself.]

It's good to meet you as well. [And - look, the last time she actually met someone and just talked to them was a few hundred years ago. And she spent dozens of years living as a man about court, charming noblewomen for money to fund her research.

Put those two things together, and she's reaching for Norma's hand, slowly enough that she can pull away if she wants to. If she doesn't - either because she doesn't get it or because she doesn't want the gesture - Saint-Germain takes her hand into hers, leans down to kiss the back of it.]

Thank you again for the help, Norma.