( 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

Moon | Pokemon

[lunala]

A; A Boarish Welcome
[Moon had never been one for staying on a path. She'd been through jungles and up mountains, after all--of course she's going to take a look around a forest. That's how she got surrounded by boars. And, well, they're not any Pokemon she's seen before. It doesn't look like she's got any weapons on her, so maybe you should help her out, or maybe you want to laugh at her, when--]

Trop Kick!

[A creature, plant and animal and large as a child, sends one boar flying and then another. Maybe she's not in quite as much danger.]

C; Beauty is Pain
[Walking through the mansion--no ghost Pokemon, unfortunately--Moon finds a mirror and finally notices her signet. It looks like it's part of her skin, but that's silly. Moon feels around for an edge and taps on it repeatedly.

Sorry, everyone. Things are going to be a bit painful.]

E; Goldilocks
[It's a weird habit. She knows this, and yet--well, Moon can't help but go through and try out every bed in every hut. Some are definitely better than others! Every time, she sprawls out face-first on the bed like she's trying to divine some sort of backstory from it.

Sorry if you already claimed this hut. She'll be out of your way eventually, probably.]

e

[p_mortem]

[ There's already somebody sprawled face-first on this bed, who doesn't even lift his head when he hears the door open— or maybe he doesn't, with earphones clamped over his ears and music loud enough it can be heard from paces away.

He's not moving at all when she enters. ]

[lunala]

[Looks like someone got to this bed before her. She's a little surprised, though on reflection she doesn't know why she should be.] I'm sorry, is this your room? [...She's not actually sure if he can hear her over that music.]

[p_mortem]

[ He didn't exactly write his name out on the door as instructed, not intending to live here long enough to need to stake a claim, so at least that point is forgivable.

While he couldn't make out the words, Minato stirs when she speaks, sitting up from the bed and blinking vacantly over at her for a few long moments before removing the earphones. ]

...Sorry. Is this your room?

[lunala]

[Well, at least she wasn't intruding (on this guy, anyway).] No, I was just looking around. How's the bed?

[p_mortem]

Okay. Kind of sandy. Smells a little salty.

[ But that might be because he tracked the sand in himself from the beach, it sticking everywhere from his torso to his shoes, and that's how he'd flopped down onto the bed. ]

Are you comparing beds?

[lunala]

[Not a bad bed analysis, in her opinion! She nods.] I don't know about claiming any of the huts, but there's something nice about so many beds to try out. [She's not going to be here long enough to need a hut, right?]

[p_mortem]

Oh. Like going to a mattress store and trying them all out.

[ He's definitely done that before, tired of shopping or tired before he even starts shopping, and ignoring those "do not sleep on" signs.

He slides off this one, sand falling off the covers and onto the ground where he steps. ]

Are you trying out the others? I'd like to see too.

[lunala]

[See, this is a guy who understands her.] I've been working my way down the row! We can go together.

[p_mortem]

Thanks. My name's Minato.

[ Minato has joined your party! He gives her a small smile, letting her exit the tiny little hut first before before he makes his way out too, having to shut his eyes tight against the sunlight when it first hits his face.

He looks left, right, not sure which end she'd started from. ]

What's the ranking like so far?

[lunala]

I'm Moon. [She heads to the left--she'd started on the right.] The one three doors down is the softest one so far. They all smell pretty much the same. The one right next door to where you were was like lying on a rock. [She pulls a face.]

[p_mortem]

[ "Rock." Minato mirrors that expression immediately, a small tug down on the corners of his mouth. He makes a mental note to grab the second softest bed, letting Moon take first choice of which one she wants.

Reaching the next door, he raises a hand to knock— once, twice, no answer and he opens the door to walk in and sit on the foot of the bed, testing the springs. It feels exactly the same as the other one. ]

Hmm... I think I need your professional judgement.

[lunala]

[Wow, look at that knocking! That's probably a better idea than just slamming through all the doors, huh?]

Okay, here goes! [Once Minato makes room, Moon sprawls out face-first on the bed.] It's not bad. About average for the beds here. Smells like linen to me, so I don't think anyone's been here before us unless they just did laundry.

[p_mortem]

[ Clean bed sheets is a +1, not seeing anywhere they can go to wash linen themselves. But between clean and comfy, he envisions spending a lot of time lying in bed, so it'll have to be comfy. ]

Why don't we take the linen with us? [ Or, Moon should carry it, because Minato's still all sandy, which is why he'd only sat on this bed instead of lying on it. ] We can swap sheets after finding a soft bed.

[ Best of both worlds. ]

[lunala]

[That's a pretty practical idea, but Moon looks around like the owner might jump out and shout at them.] Do you think it's okay to swap the sheets around? [Minato is older, so she'll defer to him on this bedsheet issue.]

[p_mortem]

[ Finders keepers, honestly. Whether or not it's polite, though... It's not really, but if they're really the first people here, then there's nobody to know and get mad at them. ]

...Yeah.

[ She doesn't need an explanation, right? ]

C

[juniberries]

[Allura has the misfortune of being in the same vicinity the moment Moon taps at her signet. She well practiced enough where she's able to keep the sharp Quiznak to herself, but then moments following her voice can be hear clear as day through the telepathic link.]

Be careful with that!

[Not...that she's tapped at the signet herself. No siree.]

[lunala]

[That startles Moon into stopping, at least. She looks around wildly.] Ah! What? [She says it out loud, but she responds telepathically as well. She'll get the hang of it eventually, probably...]

[juniberries]

[She'll speak calmly, but a bit tersely, now that the pain as subsided:]

Just...be careful not to tap at that device. It hurts.

[lunala]

Oh. [Oh! Moon covers the signet with her hands, careful not to touch it, like she expects someone to strike her right in the collar bone at any moment. She manages to respond only telepathically this time.] Sorry! I didn't know! I was trying to figure out how it was stuck on me.

[juniberries]

It's fine. I...actually did the same.

[She's currently in the library of the mansion, perusing through books in an attempt to find any answers but...so far, nothing.]

Just know that it hurts. It seems like we're all connected by...whatever this device is.

[lunala]

That's a little spooky. [More than a little. It makes it sound more like it's actually been put in her body in some way instead of just stuck there.]

a

[redsea]

[ See, normally Kougyoku would be minding her own business, but here's how it works in Kougyoku's head:

1. Save the girl.
2. Girl is impressed by her beautiful swordsmanship and wants to become her friend.
3. Kougyoku accepts her friendship and thus gets her first female friend.

IT IS A FLAWLESS PLAN. With her jian in hand, she lunges forth— ]

[redsea]

[ oh. nevermind.

the appearance of the creature shocks her so much that she exclaims, ]

WHAT IS THAT?!

E

[needmetoo]

[Okay, Xion's down by the shoreline in front of the houses, and confused as she is by her surroundings and situation, it takes her a bit to pull herself out of her thoughts. But eventually she does notice the girl that's going into Every. Single. House. And.... she can't help but be curious. Especially as it continues.

Bit by bit she sidles closer... finally peering into a small house where she's already flopped onto the bed. She hesitates and then,]

Are you looking for something?