( TDM | #2 )

[spellbindmods]

IMPORTANT: This TDM takes place on the current world the coven is part of. Please read the linked Google Doc about the world AND be aware that the world is high-frequency, meaning canon magic and powers can be used.

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.

WORLD ONE: AIMINTAS

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... Some of you might open your eyes to find yourself wandering around a sandy area, outside of a large stone house. There's a large glimmering caravan floating around outside, which might intrigue you. There's also a lot of supplies, food, clothing...all just laying around outside. It's worth investigating, right? A ▢ Your character has found themselves arriving right outside the coven's new digs in Aimintas, and there's a lot of confusing stuff to look at. Th ocean in the sky, that floating caravan...your character probably can't get to that ocean, so they may want to examine the caravan. If they touch it, they'll immediately regret that decision -- the caravan has its own defense mechanism, and you can pick one or the other: - A1: Once your character touches the caravan, they can't remove their appendage from it. Kick it? Their foot is stuck. Touch it? Their hand is stuck. Lick it? Their tongue is stuck. They'll remain like this for 15 minutes without magical intervention. - A2: Your character's hand doesn't stay for long, but the caravan holds onto that hand for five seconds while giving your character a pretty excruciating burn. Medic! B ▢ Maybe they're smart and they don't touch the caravan. Let's go through all of this cool stuff on the ground! It might be sort of obvious that it belongs to someone -- a lot of someone's -- but your character is thirsty, confused...maybe there's some water or answers in this pile. And maybe there's also someone who catches your character going through their shit.

Other new potential coven members will find themselves in a completely different part of town. These lucky individuals will have suddenly appeared in the marketplace area of Aimintas, surrounded by walking lizard beings that suddenly turn and take an immediate interest in this stranger. C ▢ The Palai are very interested in the new coven members, and a new humanoid person -- or anyone that doesn't look like them -- will immediately catch their attention. They'll immediately find your character worth of their undivided attention, talking to them about coven-related things...pretty confusing right? If you need help with the short lizard folk, maybe someone will eventually arrive to help you out. On the other hand, you might learn something interesting talking to them. A friend might join in either way! D ▢ Once you break free of the Palai, you'll find that this marketplace is pretty interesting. It's a mixture of primitive and semi-modern technology...or is it totally unfamiliar to you? Never seen a cellphone before? Unfamiliar with the concept of women wearing pants? There's certainly something to see that'll interest your character here. E ▢ Finally, you might be hungry and thirsty after suddenly appearing. The Palai are masters of making food, including a new concoction of theirs that they're trying out in honor of all the new people. It's a sort of bottled fruit juice that has been energized by the Eltos. It's essentially the first Aimintas Red Bull, except on acid. The drink immediately makes anyone who drinks it extremely giddy, hyper and they may potentially hallucinate. It doesn't seem to bother the Palai's biology, but everyone else...oops!

The setting found in Aimintas is pretty expansive, so you have a lot of room to wander around. Here are a few things that might catch your eye if you're really committed to wandering around. F ▢ A house near the marketplace is incredibly special to the Palai people. Characters who wander near here will find a group of Palai who are even more excited about their new visitors: baby Palai. Some are still in eggs and kept inside, but the juvenile Palai are about two feet tall, rowdy and want to play with these new, bipedal creatures. Some of them still crawl around on all fours and are more lizard-like than others. Hope you're good with kids! G ▢ The Palai have constructed a large library in the middle of town. If you wander in here, you'll find a myriad of books in a strange language. The Palai are a rather visual people, though, so many include pictures and illustrations. They also have a collection of computers here that connect to the Aimintas internet, as well as visual media stations that can play videos -- though they're really just powered tablets that play video files. Time to get a little taste of the Palai culture. H ▢ 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

[storyseller]

[She's surprised, and looks up at him.]

Thank you. I appreciate that kindness very much.

[who knew you could make friends so easily with a magic cat]

[yancat]

No need to thank me. I'm always kind.

[no]

[Also they're not friends. (They are.)]

Should you ever feel that your life is in danger, I can send you body— Ah, no. I don't have the resources for that at the moment.

[Hm. Being poor is weird.]

But a person with exceptional talent and wit must be given patronage. Lift their burdens and they will realize what they're truly capable of.

[storyseller]

[JUMIN WHY AREN'T YOU A KING. It means her King Radar isn't working, which is to say, she's confused. She can't seem to fully understand what Jumin wants of her or why. Except cats.]

That was the attitude taken by kings, in my time. There were some who would call far and wide for new books, and pay for their weight in gold. Others would finance the arts or schools of scientific study. In that way, a king could enrich his people and nourish greatness in his nation.

[yancat]

[In her time? Reminded of why he's here, Jumin gently places the cat back down. She can dismiss it now if she'd like. This isn't the time to be fooling around.

Yet Caster continues to hold his attention.]

That is what kings do, yes. [A amused smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.] Are you asking if I am one, Caster?

People often ask me if I had plans running for office but I've never thought about it. Leading a country isn't too different from running a business — and I own several — so it's rather common for businessmen to desire and win seats in government. But I think that is greed. After all, it's rare for businessmen to have two kinds of wants. While I do have both, I can only commit to one. It'd be irresponsible of me otherwise.

So no, I am not a king. I'm merely curious about what you can do. If I can assist you, all the better. And... it's not everyday that I meet someone so pleasant and well-read. I'd like to hear your voice more often.

[Because her storytelling is really good. Was that a strange thing to say? You know what, he'll just leave it there.]

[storyseller]

[It is a kind compliment, and one that sets her nerves on edge. There is one great disadvantage to this man not being a king: she cannot read him. She knows, as many women have known, as Shahryar taught every woman in the land, that to catch interest can be a death sentence.

It can also be the only way to stay the heavy axe of death.]

Your discretion shows both wisdom and restraint. [She doesn't note that both are important traits in leaders. Jumin would already know that.] It would be my pleasure to share more tales with you, as it please you.

[The cat wanders off, behind a bookshelf. Scheherazade waits for it to be out of sight before she dispels it.]

[yancat]

[Wisdom and restraint are longtime friends of his. When you can see the ugliness of people's hearts before you're as tall as your father, you grow up faster than you'd like.]

Thank you. It would be an honor. [And convenient. In an effort to survive in this world and possibly in the worlds to come, Jumin intends to work just as hard as he always does. The stress he will accumulate is difficult to manage without any form of entertainment, and television can only give him so much.

As his hand lingers on the spine of a book, so do his thoughts. ]

... Of course, one is not corrupted by merely becoming a leader. That is up to the individual themselves. It's simply our experiences that taint our perceptions...

[Jumin stops. Maybe that shouldn't be coming from him.]

Hmm. It appears I've learned something from speaking with you. [???]

[storyseller]

[Glad to be substitute TV.

Her eyes flicker towards him, a slight movement when she is mostly hidden by her veil. She recognizes that something has occurred, some thought that refers to something that she doesn't know.]

It is the role of the storyteller not only to entertain but, if possible, to enable others to find truths they had not considered. Or so it was in my home.

My thought... is that leadership encourages the amplification of certain traits. Those who are greedy have the power to feed their greed, and so make it more ravenous. Those who are selfless have the position to offer themselves to others, and so wear themselves to nothing. The distrustful are given endless opportunity to be betrayed, and the shrewd may hone their skills at the highest level. Whether it is a trait that grows stronger in its use or one that is weakened by every occurrence, the position of a ruler is one that enables greatness for good or for ill.

So it is that a leader requires restraint and self-control, and of such a variety that these tendencies grow stronger with use and do not weaken and fail.

1/2

[yancat]

[It's not a substitute if it's better than the K-drama of the season??

When you're groomed every day of your life for the task, there are lessons you come to know as well as your own name — the lessons that come with that name. Caster is right to assume that Jumin is aware of what a good leader must be. How does she know the same? He casts a glance at her, intrigued by what her eyes have seen, much less the face behind the veil. Pursuits of knowledge are familiar, but curiosity from him is a rare thing.]

... Yes, I'd have to agree.

[The wary grow shrewd, and the shrewd grow stronger. And Jumin has always been wary. However, there are things that he must do as an heir, and if being a leader is good for the family, then it must be good. That's restraint, too. But as he stands at the top and lays claim to this so-called strength, it isn't the opinion of others he fears.]

But it isn't often that one finds such a leader. Many only follow power, blinded by even the slightest glimpse. They are mongrels led to believe they are lions of the same pride.

[There's some bite to his words, but it's not for Caster. Her sight seems clear.]

[yancat]

...

[ Actually, that came out harsher than he intended. He's not drunk enough to ramble on, so he'll adjust his cuffs and stop here. ]

I thought I'd been far too talkative with you for my own good, but I see it wasn't without reason. [Stories were often a way of escape for him, but.] Perhaps I'm seeking truths of my own.

[ Let's leave it at that. ]

Have you eaten?

[storyseller]

[She doesn't take the harshness as aimed at her, as, after all, she has made her position clear: she is a storyteller, one who advises at best. She is no King. But it seems that Jumin takes the role of leadership as one that is important. She wonders if he, in his way, may be thought as Sovereign.

Her eyes watch him carefully, and her mouth does not signal any expression. She inclines her head agreeably.]

I have not. Food would serve as a temporary substitute for a reliable mana source.

[yancat]

[Well! Jumin was about to wish her a good day and tell her what his nutritionist told him about Vitamin D like the nerd he is, but then she had to say that. He doesn't know if he can be considered a King like the ones she speaks of, but this magic she uses sure is convenient. He gives her another sidelong glance before feigning interest in a book he can barely read. This isn't like him, but a little curiosity never hurt.

Also, magic cats.]

... Would you like to join me? Working is difficult on an empty stomach, and shaking the Palai off is a bit of an ordeal when you're alone.

[storyseller]

[Jumin you goddamned nerd. She watches his movements askance, choosing to let him take the lead. It is often more simple to react than act. It is often less dangerous.]

It would be my pleasure. Thank you.