( 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

Dr. Whale | Once Upon a Time

[ex_galvanist88]

a: forest party favors
[ Sure is great to be stuck in a different realm (again) probably thanks to magic (again) with absolutely no idea how you got here to begin with (again! Why was his life so bullshit?). Needless to say, Whale is not straying from the path because that forest looks a bit imposing and he's a doctor, not someone who can deal with large animals that could eat him. He's followed the path to find his useless trinket and now has come upon someone else who's found their useless trinket.

His white lab coat and hospital name tag tell you right away that he's a doctor. The fact that he's staring at a World's Greatest Dad coffee mug tells you right away that he is done with this situation. ]

Let me guess. You found something equally useless down one of the other trails?

b: booze cruise
[ Somebody should be a goddamn adult in this situation. That somebody is not Whale. Because all of this is bullshit but he found the cellar and he has found wine and he has a coffee mug so he is going to get drunk. Again, all of this is stupid and Whale knows that he'll be able to take the stupid a little bit better if he's a little bit intoxicated. Exploring the mansion is Whale's newest priority because it's an actual building and it's actually inside. Nature was alright, but give him the sweet brick and mortar world of civilization any day.

So, Whale's in the upstairs room, mug of wine in his hand, open bottle of wine on a nearby table as he peers through the books, partly trying to see if there's anything familiar, partly There's alcohol on his breath but he's not drunk drunk. At least, not yet. ]

Hey, come over here, [ he says, when he hears anyone enter the room. ] Take a look at this book--it's not in any language that I recognize and, not to brag, but I know a few.

[ Though he says 'not to brag', it's obvious that Whale enjoys bragging. ]

a!

[torching]

[ (mako's life is also full of bullshit. he understands.)

mako's probably arrived before the doctor, because he's just up ahead of him, picking up one of the bags that contains a single piece of notebook paper. looks like it was just torn out of the book, too. he's scratching his head, figuring just why something like this would be here, and then the man behind him speaks up. ]

Yeah. I'd say this paper's pretty useless.

[ mako looks over at the coffee mug. world's greatest dad...? is this guy even a father? ]

I mean, at least you can drink out of it...?

[ex_galvanist88]

The problem here is, I'd need something to drink in the first place.

[ And, weird creepy forest, does not look like it would have a fair amount of beverages. Still, at least this person is just as confused as he is and also looks just as out of place as he does. ]

Let me guess: you suddenly arrived in the creepy forest as well?

[torching]

I mean, it's a forest. There's...gotta be a lake or something somewhere, right?

[ he's...pretty sure, at least? or if it rains, he can collect water using his mug. ]

Yep. Got here not too long ago. You?

[ex_galvanist88]

Right, I'm a medical doctor, not a biologist, but even I know to not drink lake water.

[ Fish pee in that, Mako. And who knows what other sorts of nasty bacteria whatever hang out in lake water. Still, Whale nods at the question. ]

I've been here...less than an hour, I'd guess. You?

[torching]

Okay, fine. I don't know, I've never really been out in the forest before.

[ he knows how to survive in the streets! forests? well, not as much. he's doing okay, though, regardless. ]

Same here. Do you remember anything about how we got here?

A.

[needmetoo]

[If Xion seems a bit on edge right now, well... she is. There's a lot about today that's been confusing. And she's had to throw away the rules that she knows just to try to figure out what's going on. Including talking to new people.

And so she holds up her own mysterious find - a pinwheel. At least she's holding it by the right end?]

Maybe? [She's... never actually seen anything like it before.] But um... if they're useless, why are they leaving them here?

[ex_galvanist88]

My guess is that it's someone's idea of a bad joke. Welcome to a new world, here's a useless housewarming present.

[ Whale looks over at Xion's pinwheel with a critical frown. A pinwheel and a mug. This really is whoever cast the curse just fucking with them, isn't it. ]

[needmetoo]

[You know that look of blank confusion when someone isn't following your train of thought at all? That's about how Xion looks right now.]

These... won't keep houses warm though, will they?

[Not to mention she hasn't ever been given a present when going to a new world before. And she was pretty sure it wasn't a common thing, to go between worlds... or was it?]

[ex_galvanist88]

[ There's a paaaaaaause as Whale reassesses the situation. ]

You know those are children's toys, right?

[needmetoo]

[Eep.]

Yes.

[No. Why would the Organization teach her about toys, toys don't help make Kingdom Hearts.]

a

[p_mortem]

Nope. I found something good.

[ Says the boy covered in blood and dirt and carrying a sword, a nightmare for any medical professional. But he's smiling, and while it'd be cool if the sword was what had fallen out of one of the bags, it's nothing like that. He holds up one of the bags itself, empty.

Bags are the most useful, you could carry so much in them. ]

[ex_galvanist88]

[ Jesus Christ Minato, you are driving him further to drink. Whale pauses, looks over the bloody teenager with an expression of worry that quickly turns to one of resigned annoyance. ]

Alright, get over here. If that's your blood then...well, I can't do much if it's your blood, but I can tell you just how quick it'll be before you bleed out.

[ Why were all his medical supplies back in a different universe? His kingdom for at least a set of bandages. ]

[p_mortem]

[ Minato trots on over, movement unimpeded save for a lean towards the side that has to hold his sword. It's his blood, but he's not going to bleed out and he knows it. Because ~magic~ ]

No coffee in that mug? I could use some.

[ex_galvanist88]

No coffee, no booze, no anything. I just found a mug.

[ Whale can tell that it's Minato's blood and just gives the teen a look of pure annoyance. It's not Minato's fault that he got yanked here right as he was bleeding out from some wound...but it damn inconvenient. ]

Right, where exactly were you cut? And what the hell were you doing in the first place to get this bloody?

[ And why do you have a sword, but let's just stick with two questions for now. ]

[p_mortem]

Battling the god of death on top of the school building.

[ It's a flippant answer, but the truth, healing spells thrown about to stitch together wounds but that doesn't put blood back into the body after it's been spilled. He was barely holding on as it is, so all in all, being yanked here is convenient for him. ]

I'm fine though. Just tired.

[ Must be all the blood loss. But seeing as Whale is a doctor, who would likely not let him go until he can prove it, Minato lets the sword fall to the ground so he can untuck his shirt, soaked with blood from the hem to halfway up his torso, and pull it up a bit. Bruised, maybe, but no unbroken skin. He's fine. ]

b!

[luxurist]

Why, you should just go ahead and brag if you're gonna do it anyway. We understand, you're smart. Don't hide your flame under a bushel and so on.

[ Cheery and wry at the same time despite intensely hating it here already, Keira meanders over with an unopened bottle of wine, the bottom of it braced against her hip as she holds it by the neck while the other fiddles with a cup she's found somewhere close to the wines.

The petite sorceress cranes her neck a bit to take a gander at the book Whale is holding, pursing her lips and shrugging her shoulders. ]

Mmm, no. Sorry.

keira! <3 funnily enough, I'm actually playing through witcher 3 right now

[ex_galvanist88]

[ Whale is a bit of a horndog and obviously looks over Keira as she enters. Damn, son. Maybe this place wouldn't be too awful if he had lovely company like this woman.

Because no doubt about it, it's already awful. They woke up in a forest, found a (maybe) abandoned mansion, and Whale's got a feeling that if there's any sort of hospital here, the tech will be annoyingly out of date. His opinion on that will change when he spots the pin cameras but as of now, Whale's got no idea they even exist.

Still, Keira's shrug of his shoulders means that Whale'll give a sigh of his own. Worth a shot. He continues talking as he puts the book back on the shelf, turning all attention to Keira instead. ]

I'll hold off on the bragging for now. First impressions are always important especially when I'm meeting a beautiful woman.

most excellent choice! C:

[luxurist]

Oh, he's a linguist and a charmer.

[ She teases playfully; it's easy to slip back into old habits at least, when nothing else is very familiar at all. She's still trying to wrap her head around this whole mess and the powers behind it that made it happen in the first place.

At least there's wine. And thankfully, majority of the other people stuck here aren't the sort of unwashed village idiots she's had to put up with lately. (She's so generous.) ]

Keira Metz. But beautiful woman does just fine, as well.

[ex_galvanist88]

Only when I'm with someone who deserves the charm in the first place.

[ He's slipping back into old habits as well. This entire thing is awful and makes no sense but he's got wine, he's got someone he can flirt with, let's grab onto something familiar and work from there. ]

And I'm Dr. Whale. And may I just say, it is very nice to meet you, Keira.

[luxurist]

You may, in fact, say. If you have more of the same, please don't feel obliged to be sparing with it. Just for future reference.

[ She smirks, hardly opposed to some flattery from a handsome man. It has been a while. This is infinitely better than dealing with the bs going on outside of this room. ]

I see we've both decided to face this situation with a similar approach. [ She holds up the bottle of wine a little, indicatively. ]

A

[truestheart]

[ ][ Of all the people Henry had expected to show up in this weird realm, Doctor Whale was not one. He had been stooping down into one of the bags pulling out random junk from it when the voice hit his ears. He stops immediately and gets to his feet and turns. Yup. Definitely Whale. Definitely from Storybrooke.

Part of him is almost thankful, the other part was hoping for a relative. ]

Whale? I didn't think I'd find you here.

[ex_galvanist88]

[ Whale's also got mixed feelings about running into Henry. On one hand, it's good seeing a familiar face. On the other hand...he couldn't have been Snow or someone like that? Someone a bit more adept at 'getting out of a stupid forest' than the literal child. ]

That makes two of us, [ said with a little nod. ] This had better not be Regina's fault again.

[ Said with more than a hint of aggravation in his voice. Whale and Regina didn't get along on the best of days so he's naturally jumping to her as the reason they're all stuck here in the middle of nowhere. ]

[truestheart]

[ Wow, he's done more than you, Whale. Who helped break like several curses and saved the town. This kid.

Still, Henry gives a disgruntled look at Whale's comment on Regina. Seriously, everyone moved passed this by now haven't they? His mom redeemed herself. She was good and was trying to help people. Did she really deserve the criticism now? ]

If it was do you really think she'd drop me in the middle of a forest too? [ He replies, somewhat coldly. ]

Besides, she DIDN'T do this. She's not like that anymore.

[ex_galvanist88]

[ Timelines are a bitch and Whale is petty. He's always held more of a grudge against Regina cursing them all than other people in the town, and this hasn't changed here. He resists the urge to roll his eyes at Henry's statement, though he's obviously thinking about doing so. ]

Look, I know she's your mom and she loves you, but you've got to at least consider the option. [ But Henry's right: why would she yank him here? ]

Still, you say she didn't do it, I'll believe you. [ for now. ] So in that case, know anybody else who can do that kind of magic? Gold, maybe, but why would he bring us here?