spellgrinders | ( TDM

Entry tags:

!tdm,
npc: brie

( TDM | #1 )

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?

here

its own perils.

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?

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.

Claim your hut, please!

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!

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Rose seems like an interesting person herself.

[He has met her, and likes her. But he realizes Dave is dodging and he puts things together.

The water rushes over him and pulls him down. He realizes what he has to ask next.]

You and me, do you...

[He doesn't want to ask. He doesn't want to breathe. He likes Dave, he wants to know him, he wants this. He wants this. He doesn't want to ask what he sure he knows the answer to.]

Us, um... Are things not, uh, okay?

...

[ good question. dave doesn't have a single goddamned answer on the tip of his tongue, though. normally he does, but he can't manage it with dirk, apparently. rarely could with bro, either.

the honest answer is probably "no, things are not okay" because really they never have been. but dave has never really been great at honest answers. ]

We only met a few hours ago. [ careful and calm and entirely undecided as to whether or not he wants to shove dirk off a cliff or sit down and talk to him. ] You...seem perfectly nice.

[ unless it's a TRICK

but he kind of figures it's genuine, more or less, which makes it even more fucking jarring than a trick would be, really. ]

No reason things wouldn't be okay.

[ #lots of reasons #cw: child abuse #lies ]

You met Rose?

Except for the reason behind why you weren't really eager to meet me.

[You know. THE HASHTAGS. Dirk doesn't know and he can't read Dave perfect but if there is one thing a mind like his is good at, it is sensing when there is a reason for someone to not want him around.

It's what makes him a little anxious as he answers the question about Rose. He wonders if he's giving Dave more reasons not to want anything to do with him.]

She gave me some advice on how to draw my sword without my sylladex. I.... would really like to get to know her.

[There's a way he is looking at Dave. It's the implicit 'is that okay?']

[ HAHA what if he ignores the first statement.

because actually the second statement sounds, like, whatever, but then there's the stare that's like a question and that's. weird. ]

Uh...I know you can't be askin' me if a thing to do with Rose is fine, because, like, one? She's definitely the last person in the universe who would accept someone else ever makin' her choices for her and, like, two, there doesn't gotta be a two. If she's not fine with it she'll tell you to fuck off, if she is fine with it she'll tell anyone who minds to fuck off.

[ like, sure, he wants to monopolize rose's time always like burning but he's not stupid, he's never tried to tell her who she can or cant talk to or tried to tell people they can or can't talk to her. rose will do whatever rose wants. ]

She's perfectly capable of evisceratin' you, I wouldn't worry about it.

That ain't what I'm worried about.

[god look what you've done dave, you'd made his stupid fake accent slip back in again]

It seemed like... I don't know. Maybe you didn't approve?

[ he has done nothing but talk like he normally does and he will call dirk on that sometime but not right now? ]

Rose can handle herself with you. [ worse, if he tells dirk to back off she'll want to know why. ] She told me two years back that she wanted to meet you, anyway, it ain't really a surprise that hasn't changed.

[He senses Dave stonewalling him. (Also your AJ is going to waste, Dave.) He is trying to understand it. There are two possibilities. Rose said Dave hero-worshipped his brother, and Dirk can imagine Dave not wanting a thing to do with this shitty knockoff.

Dirk can also imagine the other version of things.]

So... What... did you think about me?

[ oh shit you're right he has aj.

now is a great time to unwrap the straw and stick it in the box and drink some so he DOESN'T HAVE TO TALK AT ALL ]

[Fuck. Dirk stands there. He doesn't know if he should leave or just. What.

He is not staring at Dave to get him to talk. Dave can tell, in fact, that Dirk is looking away.]

[ the problem with this tactic is if dirk doesn't walk away he will? run out of aj?

is dirk awkward enough to stand there for the entire box quick question. ]

[Dave can get halfway through the box before Dirk asks,]

Do you... want me to leave you alone?

[This is not about leaving him alone to finish his AJ. Dirk's body language makes it super obvious.]

[ stop asking questions he doesn't even know the answers to? ]

...I didn't think much about you. [ spent two years trying to think of anything but. ] Just that it was weird we were goin' to meet teen versions of my Bro and Rose's Mom and Jade's grandpa and John's nanna.

[ just that he would rather stab himself in the gut than see his brother again, but his opinion hadn't been asked for and wouldn't have mattered anyway.

somehow that question was easier than trying to figure out if he wanted dirk to leave or stay or what. ]

Oh. Okay.

[Super verbose. He is thinking his way through all of the possible meanings of that and none of them bode well.]

[ fuck. okay, he can save this. ]

Because you were all kind of dead? And we...well okay, I am not sure how well everyone dealt with that, but it was three years ago and then suddenly it was like "hey, remember that? nevermind" but it was still a thing, and we weren't sure what it would be like, I guess, and I never saw a point in thinkin' about it 'till we got there.

[ a shrug, casual. ]

Because y'all ain't who raised us or who we lost. Genetically speakin', sure, but it's not like we're any more the people who raised you - or...however that worked [ uh. for the time slipped kids. ] - rather than strangers who share genetic code. It was never gonna be possible to tell how much carried over or didn't from one side of the Scratch to the other, even with two Seers lookin' at it.

[ if he keeps talking, he might hit on something. ]

Literally all I had to go on was your name from that one time with all the shoutin' and punchin' and then you flyin' off to god knows where in typical hi-bye fashion. I am pretty sure Rose didn't get much more from the encounter with our sleepin' teen mom, although she did say that was pretty much how her mom always slept?

[The words, babbling, wash over him. They remind him of when his Bro did interviews, but more coherent. He wonders if they're any more accurate, or if they're even more obtuse. If he believes Dave's words then it simply confirms he isn't good enough. If he distrusts them, well...]

Yeah. She, uh, was always like that.

I wouldn't know. I think most of what I knew about Rose's Mom is kind of warped through the lens of passive-aggression, although I know she did love her. I think she was generous and loved Rose more than anyone in the world, but that's like, the most I could say? Also apparently she was a scientist.

[ he should ask rose, maybe, for more info.

but he would have to give up his own if he did. so he never has. ]

...Passive-aggression? The rest all sounds like Roxy, she's like one of the most caring and selfless people I know. [But passive aggressive?? Doesn't match.

Also he knows Dave is dodging the point but he doesn't know how to call him on it. Skill not yet acquired! Lucky Dave.]

You talked to Rose.

[ the slightest quirk of the corner of his lips. ]

I think, probably, she took a lot of genuine shit as less genuine than it was. I'm not sure if the returned gestures were as passive-aggressive as she made them out to be, though, or if they were rooted in sincerity too.

[ he knows rose loved her mom. so. ]

We were thirteen and completely fuckin' stupid the last time any of it was relevant.

Right. That makes sense.

[It checks out. It also shuts Dirk up and makes him awkward again. There's something here and he doesn't know what it is. He doesn't know if he should leave Dave alone.

He doesn't want to, but he's a fucking selfish monsters and he knows that.]

Yeah.

Edited 2017-06-18 10:14 (UTC)

We picked out houses or whatever.

[ gestures at the row of colored huts. he sounds kind of casual about the idea because he's uncertain of how he'll sleep but bothered to get something next to rose anyway. ]

I guess one of us is gonna have to remind John to do that, or he'll do somethin' dumb like try to sleep wherever he gets tired at.

[He glances over at the houses. They're bright and colourful and grouped together. He wants a space to call his own and he doesn't want to be trapped that close to so many strangers.]

I haven't worked out what I'll do for sleep. There are... a lot of people here.

[ a shrug. ]

I didn't plan to really sleep there, but John actually sleeps so he should get one.

[ thanks dave.

he doesn't comment about where dirk will sleep solely because. he is used to bro doing what the fuck ever regardless of his opinion, so he doesn't...offer one? ]

[Wait.]

Where... will you sleep?

[He's concerned again good job Dave.]

You didn't, like, do camping shit in your session, did you? And you came from an actual city, not the ruins of one.

[ ANOTHER SHRUG he will catnap wherever he feels safe or too exhausted to not. ]

Grew up in Houston. [ probably did more "camping" than at least rose and john, since it wasn't like bro did. anything. ] Did some campin' and shit in our session. Sometimes I used to sleep on some outdoors parts of the meteor. Kinda depends.

[He's pretty sure that's a brush-off and responds accordingly.]

Okay. Cool.

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