( 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

azazel, rage of bahamut: virgin soul

[viperlance]

b) ring around the rosy

[ Azazel is doing his goddamned best to ignore these spirits, even the ones that take form as glitchy children who are hunting him down to to play with them. It's working so far, but with every direction he's met with another child that wants to play with his horns or asks why he's so pale. Is that purple lipstick?

He's. Having trouble. Because when they latch onto him, it's a 50/50 chance to pry them off. ]

I said I don't have time for games...!

[ But they keep coming and now he's buried in them. Help. He's scrambling for his life. ]

e) attack on zombie boar ft. crazed spirits

[ Azazel has been quiet as he takes a stroll. So much has happened in Mistarcia, but he didn't get to stay there long after the fall to see how humans, demons, and gods will carve their future. It makes him anxious... And unreasonably irritable as he wanders aimlessly. A few steps more and he finds himself near the shrines. It doesn't interest him at first, but does gain the raise of his eyebrows. Certainly, some concepts are universal.

But the amount of zombie boars and spirits that haunt the area is astounding. He can hear the wild creatures heave, picture its nostrils flaring, and feel the stares of the spirits. The ends up his lips curls—maybe this is just what he needed? He starts with an over the top laugh. ]

Even in numbers, challenging me, a demon, is almost an insult. Go ahead! Charge to your own death!

[ Except he can't use his powers here. He realizes that too late when they surround him. Where his shadow halberd should appear is nothing... His own dark magic is crackling into a puff of a smoke? What is this? Right. They said this was a low frequency world.

His thoughts are open for all to hear: I cannot die here. Not to some undead boars and forgotten nobodies.

Well. This is a sticky situation. His expression doesn't look at all confident despite his resolve for survival. He can flee, but he put on a show so he has to follow through. Do help him even though he'll claim to not need it. ]

wildcard

[ HIT ME UP WITH WHATEVER! Azazel will be skulking around to explore with Thoughts All Alone. You might even see him flying around. For a demon, he tends to save people in need if he's around. ]

b

[yancat]

[Jumin himself is curious why the lead singer of a Japanese rock band is here, but there are more pressing matters at hand. For one, children are disturbing the peace.]

Children, stop bothering the man.

[Okay. Maybe they didn't hear him the first time.]

Please stop bothering him.

[Not working either.

Okay.]

STOP IT. Stop it or I'll tell all your mothers to ground you for a month.

[viperlance]

You...

[ Something is definitely refined about him... He kind of doesn't like it, but he can't complain about good intentions. Still, his thoughts piece together as: what an idiot?

The children stop writhing on Azazel for a second, turning to the respectable businessman. ]

You couldn't have thought of something better? Run.

[ More ghost children spawn and latch onto Jumin, too. Here lies Jumin Han, a good son, an entrepreneur, and lastly a cat fanatic. ]

1/2

[yancat]

Ah.

[ His first thought is, "Shit." His second thought is, "Mentally, ghost children are surprisingly heavy." Jumin is good at many things, but he was never the best runner.

Currently, he looks like a ghost children tree. ]

Well, that turned out better than I expected. Anyway—

[yancat]

[ Nevermind, he's collapsing on the floor. He is now under a pile of a dozen children.

Help. ]

[viperlance]

[ "What was I even expecting from a human?" ... Azazel is not surprised, but watching exasperates him immensely. His frown grows as he rolls his shoulders back against the floor.

Black wings appear and he's in the air now. He'll pluck Jumin up by an arm or something, but some of the ghost children are still clinging onto him. It's time to fly with a demon. ]

It didn't even look like you tried to run. [ Emphasis: ] At all.

[ NO GOLD STAR. ]

[yancat]

[Oh. You'd think someone as arrogant and uppity as Jumin would complain about being lifted in the air, but he's surprisingly okay with this. Wow. This man can fly?

He answers Azazel's question without the slightest change in tone.]

I don't like running away from my problems. It only prolongs them, and that's not very efficient.

[He doesn't even try to get the children off his legs.]

Your ability is fascinating. Who are you?

[viperlance]

... That kind of mentality will kill you one day.

[ Odd enough, Azazel can understand that kind of mentality. It's pretty similar to his own, so he has a better impression of Jumin. Kind of.

It's weird to consider flying as an ability? He just has wings. ]

It's none of your business.

[ It's better not to associate with people, to keep them at a distance, and the children suddenly decide to weigh more than paper and it's making it Very Difficult for Azazel to fly.

He even drops Jumin. Whoops. ]

1/2

[yancat]

Don't worry. I always make sure that I don't—

[yancat]

DIEEEEEEEEE!

[why are people so mean

he will haunt them]

[viperlance]

Damnit—!

[ Oh my God. STOP SCREAMING. Azazel dives down so he can catch Jumin again, kicking away (to no avail) at the spirits. They do slowly descend down like clouds with mischievous smiles on their faces, letting Jumin live. ]

You surely spoke too soon. Are you all right?

[ It's none of his business. Still saves the weird human. Life is hard for Azazel, okay? ]

[yancat]

I'd be better if you hadn't dropped me.

[ Is saved by the possible man-eating demon. Still sasses him. Jumin, on the other hand, doesn't know how hard life is. ]

But you saved my life twice. I suppose I have to thank you. Whose record label are you under?
[ ??? ]

b

[bludgeoned]

You sure have the time now, don't you?

[ Tabasa is playing patty cake with another spirit child off to the side and just watching the spectacle of the children latching onto Azazel. At least he's appeasing one of them. Maybe Azazel is attracting attention because he looks so... not ordinary. ]

[viperlance]

[ His eyes narrow towards the direction of the voice, finding enough strength to sit up and almost throw the spirits off of him. Unfortunately, they come back to cling. ]

Are you mocking me?!

[ It sounds threatening, but it's hard to... take it seriously when the spirit children are so happy. Even more appeal and plop onto him. He falls back over onto his back and hacks. ]

[bludgeoned]

[ He laughs a little. It's pretty funny when a haughty guy is suddenly defeated by a swarm of ghost children, but he'll try not to tease him too much. ]

No, of course not.

[ He pats the head of the spirit of the kid that he's playing patty cake with and it moves along. He has a line of children wanting to play patty cake now. ]

Maybe if you ask them nicely, they'll let you go?

[viperlance]

[ Okay, so... He definitely has not tried that. Thinking about it actually makes him even more uneasy than when he first arrived a couple hours earlier. Frown tight as a line, his eyebrows furrow at the child that is closes to his face.

They're giggling, prompting him to LOOK AWAY. ]

If spirits would fall for something so simple, humans wouldn't be so terrified of them.

[ He scoffs!! Then some more silence. ]

... Please get off of me.

[ Don't. Say. Anything. ]

[bludgeoned]

People react better to polite things though.

[ The children are still latching onto Azazel, though not as forcefully as before. Tabasa is talking to one of the adult spirits on the side about the children surrounding him and Tabasa has a great idea! ]

It's time to play hide and seek. This big brother here [ gestures to azazel ] will be it, so you guys have to hide really well!

[ The children get excited and they all scatter in different directions, even reminding Azazel not to cheat as they scamper off. You've just been forced into playing hide and seek, Azazel. Don't make those children cry. ]

[viperlance]

[ They're just children—plus, he doesn't see why he should be polite. He owes no one anything and no one owes him... But he's still grateful that the children get the hell off of him.

He stands up and what is happening? There are so many offenses here. ]

What?! I didn't agree to this. Why can't you do this—[ But there are some lingering kid spirits that peak over the corner, making sure that Azazel keeps his promise.

This peer pressure. He clicks his tongue. ]

You're coming with me.

[ Sorry, Tabasa. The children are happy, though. ]

[bludgeoned]

[ The Great Azazel gets pressured by spirit kids. ]

But I have a line-- [ All those kids who were in line for patty cake also went off to hide. They're gonna have to find so many kids... ]

Well, alright then. Let's go.

[viperlance]

[ They would be troublesome later?! If they continue to hold grudges? He isn't keen on being haunted just because he refused to play with them. He's already roped in here... ]

You can appease them after. It doesn't look like you had anything better to do.

[ Actually, that line disperses, too? They want to play hide and seek. ]

How convenient.

[ MORE KIDS TO FIND. ]

b.

[armigers]

[ Welp. That doesn't look fun at all, and every one of Noctis' instincts screams at him to get the hell out while he has the chance. There are horror movies that start out this way, and he doesn't want to wait and see what their games actually entail.

The only thing that makes him stop and reconsider is the fact that lipstick guy might be in serious trouble. It's not like he wants anything to happen to the guy, but he also doesn't want to make his presence known and be hounded by ghost children. He guesses he should do the princely thing and rescue him (but at what cost???) ]

Hey, uh-!

[ Damn it, he should have come with a plan before calling out like that. He grimaces as he struggles to think of what to do next. Unlike trying to herd a bunch of aggressive deer, these are spirits. He doubts they're as easy to lure away or to cut down. ]

I got nothing.

[ And now they're crowding him too, so he throws the guy an apologetic look for being none too helpful. ]

Go home or haunt somewhere else! Don't you have a curfew? A ghost curfew?

[viperlance]

[ Oh? At first he’s curious as to what a human thinks they can do to help him in this situation. Eyebrows raised, Noctis gets his attention—along with all the children. With the silence drumming up the anticipation, it falls exceptionall flat that even Azazel feels the embarrassment. He shuts his eyes, feeling a migraine coming.

At least half of the spirits detach themselves to wobble over to their new target, circling around Noctis like he’s prey for their hunt. ]

There’s nothing threatening about curfews to those who don’t rest...

[ Why can’t you be useful? With less little spiritual bodies on him, Azazel gets into a crouch position before black wings spread from his back. It only takes one leap and he’s flying in the air, ditching his savior and scapegoat—yet he returns after a good minute to snatch him up by an arm.

A handful of spirits let go or dissipated, but the remaining latch onto Noctis like koalas, just adjusting their weight accordingly. Some look below in awe, others think it would be funny to tickle the prince in this extreme circumstance. ]

[armigers]

I know that now. Got any other bright suggestions?

[ Not that that was a suggestion. It was more a statement of the obvious, and Noctis doesn't even have the power to roll his eyes at the moment -mostly because he's being pawed at by numerous attention-hungry ghosts. What do they even want? They've mentioned nothing in specific, only groaning and harassing the new arrivals. ]

Do you guys only want to play with us? How about you guys count and we hide?

[ It's the only plan he can think of at the moment, watching as the kids gleefully express their excitement before turning their backs, covering their eyes, and starting to obediently count. It buys him just enough time to grab a hold of the guy's arm and drag him away from the ghost as fast as he can. Far away from the ghosts. ]

[viperlance]

[ That's what they want! Attention from royalty. Azazel is lucky to have snatched Noctis after he implements his rather clever plan. The children can't answer, but nod happily before running off... However, some are less keen on the game, distrusting of Noctis' words.

And they should be since Azazel is flying them far from the center of ghost children. He lets out an exasperated sigh before looking down at the road trip prince. ]

That's a lot better, but there may be a chance they'll chase us down if we don't actually play with them... Spirits tend to hold grudges.

[ Like he says, some of them appear underneath them, as if following them in a sequence of flashes. Or maybe that's new children? They all look the same. ]

Why did you help me?

[armigers]

You worry too much. Look how far we are from them already.

[ Spirits or not, Noctis did a lot of running away just now. He doesn't expect the spirit children to be that desperate that they'd come all this way just to pester them again, and with any luck, they'll probably find someone else to distract them. That's his best hope for escaping as he's already tired of sprinting away and isn't sure how else to really deter them short of actually giving in. Which wouldn't be that bad, assuming playing with them doesn't entail anything vastly unpleasant.

At lipstick guy's question, Noctis blinks a bit owlishly, unsure what he means by that. Isn't it obvious? ]

What? Would you rather I left you there with them?

[ No good deed goes unpunished and all that, but it's not as though Noctis wanted anything bad to happen to the guy, whether or not he feels like expressing any gratitude in return. Shouldn't that be reason enough? ]