( TDM | #1 )

[spellbindmods]

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.

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. Depending on your situation and ability to acclimate, you may not fully understand what's happening. A dream, a hallucination. But when you feel the trunk of the trees surrounding you, it's oddly...real. The smell is real. The moisture on the ground is real. The small grass snake you find slithering close to your feet seems very real as well. There are a few other sensations that also begin to feel a little more like reality with every passing second. Like the fact that your intuition is trying to tell you something that doesn't seem plausible. One is more obvious -- you now have a new piece of jewelry inserted snuggly between your collarbones. Maybe that's when you realize it is real. When you realize that there's no delusion here -- you aren't where you once were. But if that's the case...where are you? 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. There's also a mysterious trail of soft, felt bags, tied off with thin rope, leading your character to what appears to be a specific destination. These items can be as useful as a granola bar to as seemingly useless as a stapler. Let's just say that some of these mysterious objects are pretty out there. They're free to travel off the beaten path, but that comes with its own perils. Maybe your character has a power that could fend these creatures off...? They aren't exactly happy about sharing their territory.

After an hour or so of trekking through the forest, you finally come upon a break in the tree line that reveals to you an area that appears to be inhabitable. Your first stop is the large mansion that sits in the valley of the opening...if anyone is here or there's a way to get out of here, the house makes the most sense, right? There are a variety of rooms in this mansion, and you're free to explore them. You also spy a lot of crates sitting in the middle of the floor in one of the main rooms...are you curious enough to open them? B ▢ Feel free to have your character explore the mansion (the won't find much but you can take some liberties with the TDM), and they're free to open these mysterious crates. In them they'll find edible fruit and bread, modern clothing in a variety of sizes and portable medical kits. Characters who apply using the TDM are free to carry these objects into the game opening. If you want some specifics, there are a few rooms of note: the game room (containing a working pool table, non-electric pinball machines and a card table with supplied chips and multiple decks), the cellar (filled with a variety of liquor and wines, all aged quite well) and a large room upstairs that contains a glass ceiling and a variety of books in a foreign language. One more thing -- if you happen to go rummaging around, you may find tiny pin cameras. They're minuscule...you may not even notice them unless you look hard enough. At this point you notice that you aren't alone -- there are other people in the same boat as you! When they're around you, that signet you feel in your chest tingles slightly. The sensation isn't unpleasant, but instead like a warm tingle is spreading from their neck outward. You instinctively attempt to talk to your fellow kidnapping victims, and that works just fine...but what are all these voices you hear in your head now? Are you crazier than you thought you were? C ▢ Here's where you can play around with the telepathy mechanic. It's likely your character won't be used to it which can lead to accidental broadcasting. If they happen to tap the signet purposefully or try to pull it out, everyone within a radius of 100 feet will feel a throbbing pain in their head. But your character won't know that, will they? For those more inclined to adventure, there's also another building to investigate. From the outside, it looks very circular and unidentifiable, but upon entering you'll discover that it's a fully-functioning bath house. D ▢ Despite containing steamy water and luxury bathing accommodations, the bathhouse is currently being overrun with crabs. The not-so-smart members of this species have fallen into the extremely hot water, flash boiling themselves after being unable to get back out. Others are a little more intelligent but equally aggressive. Characters: watch your toes and be cautious if you really want to take a much-needed bath! They may also want to check twice before using the restroom, otherwise the experience might be more painful than they're used to.

Exploring the mansion and the bathhouse was fun and all, but aside from the crates they didn't prove to be very useful. When you came into the clearing, you also saw a row of very colorful buildings down near the beach. It makes sense that this area may be more beneficial to any escape plans you have, and taking a dip in the ocean might be nice! It's not until you reach the beach huts that you realize that murky blue color you spied wasn't the ocean. It's outter space. There goes any hopes you had of swimming to safety. E ▢ Time to explore the beach huts! Most of them are abandoned, but your characters will notice they seem to be more livable than the mansion somehow. This is in part due to a little note tacked to the door of each beach hut that reports in scrawling script "Claim your hut, please!" Will your character listen or reject the sinking feeling that they may not be leaving anytime soon? Some huts are also bigger than others, and a few even contain small sinks and softer beds. Grab these while they're available! Even though it turns out the ocean was a lie and you're precariously close to falling off the edge of the world, the area around the huts is decidedly beachy. Sitting on the beach is a lobster trap, though about 10 times the size of any you might have seen before. Inside are more felt sacks, though larger. The weirdest part is that peering through the bars, you notice each has a nametag attached. The reason you know this to be true is because you just spied your own name written on one of the labels. There's also something else underneath it. The descriptor may not mean much to you yet, but it will soon: it's the title of their newfound magic. In each felt sack is a sort of starter kit: a set of dated and drapey plainclothes, a bag of dried boar jerky, a leather flask filled with water and a small tube of sunblock (the writing is in a bizarre pictograph language, but the giant picture of the sun on the tube should explain the purpose). There's also a rolled up paper tied with a string that reads as follows: "Welcome. Things will be explained in due time. For now, understand that you have been blessed with a gift of magic. Look into your brain and feel the instinct for both. Practice makes perfect." F ▢ Here's the official prompt for playing with newfound magic (and telepathy if you want more practice). It's likely characters have already accidentally broadcast their thoughts, utilized the C prompt or used their magic inadvertently, but maybe this new information and small explanation has motivated them to try and see what they're truly capable of. Don't worry. If they're lucky enough to stick around, all will be explained. ...What if you're a wildcard, though? Someone who doesn't play by the rules and follows a different path, no matter what direction the world may be guiding you in? This island is large and contains many areas of interest, from crystal streams to hidden locations. Maybe you want to do something different...so break the mold and explore! G ▢ 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

[imsorey]

[At the mention of handicaps Sorey glances down at a hand and flexes it a bit, testing for his own powers. When nothing happens he gives his head a small shake.]

The handicaps you're talking about could just be from being on a different world, or whatever you'd like to call this place. A lot of abilities might be specific to where you're from. So at least that part might be unintentional.

It still doesn't explain what we're doing here, though.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"...Not in my case. Some of my particular abilities should be able to work regardless of where I am." [And god Joshua missed those abilities. he had an attachment to his power, to his position. A deep, personal attachment. To have them just be... rendered inaccessible was taking its toll on him, even if he wasn't outwardly showing it. He wouldn't let himself show it, not in a hostile environment like this.

"And no, it doesn't. Hopefully... this can all be explained properly in time."

[imsorey]

[He steals another thoughtful look at Joshua. Sorey could live without his powers--he missed them, certainly, but he'd gone most of his life without them. The same probably couldn't be said of Joshua.]

Well...if your abilities should work here, then I'll keep an eye out for whatever might be causing the problem just in case we run into it. It might go hand-in-hand with why we're here.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

[He shot a glance over at Sorey. Genuine concern. Well that was something rare. Had he really made it that obvious? Or maybe he was just good at picking up on small emotional cues. Still, it was odd. Usually people wanted to punch him in the face rather than show any form of compassion. All do that was calculated.]

"Well, I think I have an idea of what that might be. Still, I suppose I could enlist your help with that, if you really insist."[He had distinct hint of condescension in his tone towards Sorey.]

[imsorey]

[The hint of condescension is just enough for Sorey to hear it; he should be more irritated, he knows, but he can't find it in himself to be. Being stranded in a forest with no powers would put anyone on edge. And, well, if it was just a normal part of Joshua's personality, then he just had to be patient with it.]

I'm not doing anything better right now, am I? You might as well put me to good use. I'd like to help.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"I suppose." [And thus, Joshua's mind went from the more personal subject of his power, to the more business-like mindset he took with those he considered subordinates. Which, right now, Sorey fell into the category of.]

"Our first order of business is getting to a safe zone and securing your survival needs. Then we can focus more on the issue of my abilities." [His tone was composed, his expression rendered somewhat flat. It was time that they took care of business.]

[imsorey]

[Arching an eyebrow a little at "survival needs", but he isn't going to argue that he needs food and sleep, even if Joshua might not. And food was pretty important.]

If we find a safe spot that should be good enough. I don't need much to get by.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

[Well, glad to see he had his priorities straight. But he figured Sorey didn't fully trust him, judging by that eyebrow raising, which was fine. he didn't need him to fully trust him, he only needed Sorey to be of use.]

"Good. But, while I have you hear, I suppose I should ask you one more thing. What were you doing before you came here?" [He wanted to see if they had any similar circumstances going on. That could be an indicator of what was happening here. It could have something to do with them rather than some sort of outside entity. Although how it connected to them was another thing entirely.]

[imsorey]

[He shrugs, and in the understatement of the year just says,]

I was sleeping. And I thought I'd be sleeping for longer, so waking up here was pretty unexpected. What about you?

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"Just observing some of my friends." [Another understatement, this time on Josh's part. Both of them had their insanity in their worlds they wanted to keep private, after all. And also he doubted Sorey's knowledge of planes of reality, so it would probably just confuse him trying to explain.

[imsorey]

Then you probably want to get back to them as quick as possible.

[That's probably not entirely accurate given Joshua's choice of words, but he did say friends, so he must want to see them again.]

It doesn't sound like there's any common link between our situations. But maybe that's not the point we need to compare?

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

[Yeah friends really was a dubious term but there was no other way to put it that he could easily explain. And also, uh, kinda can't go back to them because, well, god and all.]

"Then perhaps, rather than it being in our situations, we share a common characteristic. Does anything come to mind for you?" [Because unless he pressed Sorey further, he didn't have anything in mind right now besides their sex and well, being male was certainly not an excuse to be whisked off to another world.

[imsorey]

[At a glance he doesn't see anything that would link him and Joshua together, but he does give it some thought all the same.]

Since we both had abilities taken from us it could be related to those. My powers were granted to me through a pact, though. I'm guessing yours are different.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"You're correct there. They weren't the source of my abilities." [Though, he could make pacts. Still, Sorey's abilities being missing due to the absence of pact partners made sense. His being just, inaccessible didn't without some sort of other explanation he couldn't yet guess at.]

[imsorey]

Then nothing adds up there. Maybe it was just random?

[It's not his favorite theory, but assuming that they were taken because of some commonality might be off the mark.]

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"Could be. It's in fact, a likely option. Simply just a less satisfying one." [He liked his patterns after all, but he also was well aware of the fact that many things in life were meaningless. In fact, many lives themselves were meaningless. Of course, for this to be meaningless was a little harder to believe than most things, but... it was definitely not something he could discount as a possibility.]

[imsorey]

[He can't help but sigh at the thought, but the exhale of breath is more exaggeration and frustration than an indication that he's disheartened. They can't change what they can't change; they can only work with what they've got, even if that's nothing.]

And it means answers might be harder to find. Well, it could be worse. At least there aren't too many monsters running around.

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"Yes, I suppose that's a positive." [Though granted, the mention of monsters running around did raise an eyebrow. He would have to ask about that later, but now was not the time.]</small]

[imsorey]

But let's not test our luck with that one. We should still look for someplace that's better fortified than a forest.

[Ideally, a house or a village would be most likely to deter monsters should there even be any around. He's hoping there isn't, but won't leave that to chance knowing his luck.]

[ofthedemiurgescomposition]

"Indeed." [And thus, Joshua picks up his pace, hoping that the further they go the closer they will be to some sort of civilization. Or perhaps they won't be, perhaps they would only land themselves further into trouble. It was really something either of them had no way of knowing, and given how he usually had his clairvoyance, that was something of an odd feeling for Joshua.]