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!

GAME NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ok but let's be real: on the other side of the purple hut is probably a blue one? with rose's handwriting saying "john egbert" on the tag or whatever? anyway it's clear john wants to go inside so dave kind of opens the door for him, apparently not about to stop it. ]

What the hell is all of that?

[ john why are you a hoarder.

JOHN, WHY DID YOU LITERALLY SHOVE LIKE STICKS AND FROGS IN YOUR DEX DURING THAT ONE WALKAROUND THING ]

[He'll figure that out in a minute because he's happily stepping forward to go explore Dave's hut, juggling all of this crap and the Vrillyhoo somehow. This is literally the worst idea ever.]

Oh, did you not open any of the bags in the forest? They were full of different items that I thought might be good to keep around. The crates in the mansion, too. [Look be grateful he reconsidered picking up and carrying around a live crab, okay.]

No, I opened two of 'em. [ then he stopped for some reason? ] I did pick up a medkit and some clothes though.

[ maybe he already stowed them in the hut! because that seems easiest. ]

Since I don't think our pajamas are gonna wash themselves anymore.

Since our godtier status seems to be null and void here, medkits do not seem like a bad idea. [And into the hut they go. He's already moving to also just. Set his crap in a corner so that he has an easier time getting used to the fact they are definitely going to be living in these.] I just wish that didn't include the constant drycleaning. That made everything so much easier. And if the main water source is that bathhouse we may have to fight crabs to wash everything.

Dude, are you takin' over my cabin? [ he can't work up to any actual annoyance or ire, though, just taking a seat on his bed and letting john do whatever? ] Laundry ain't so bad, and we can probably eradicate the crabs if we work together. Which may be for their own good? They were like committin' crab suicide.

I don't have one yet, so this is only temporary since my sylladex doesn't work. [He flashes Dave a grin before he finds himself standing in the middle of the room? The huts probably aren't that big.] I think all of us know how to do our own laundry at least, but the crabs are a different story. [A pause.] They actually did not taste half bad though.

Your hut is on the other side of Rose's, dude. We knew you wouldn't think about it. [ THE STRILONDES HAVE JOHN COVERED because they love him or something. ] I would say I can't believe you found time for a beach bbq, but I totally can. What other adventures have you had so far today?

Oh! [Stop looking so genuinely delighted John what the fuck?] Thanks. It will be way easier to have all three of them next to each other. [But at least he looks a little sheepish in response but he shrugs instead.]

That was how I met Jake. I told you, we were doing other things and that included eating crabs. [Give him a moment to recall his adventures of the day.] I looked through that mansion, too. And I found out that I can talk to people through my head? So that's weird. Annnd I beat up a boar and wandered around the forest with Dirk. Met a few other people. Nobody seems to know why we are here yet. [He'll let Dave choose what part he wants to address.]

I figured you'd like that best. [ and also that rose and john would Prefer to live near all these people... ]

So I know you liked your convo with Jake. Did the one with Dirk go well, then? Also yeah I haven't met anyone who knows what's up except Brie, and we may be part of a magical space militia?

[The fact that there's nothing but an answering grin should be enough to confirm that yes, this is exactly how he would want things. John wants to be in close proximity to people to see them and befriend them. It's probably a problem.]

I guess it went okay? [A shrug, but at the same time there's a slight touch of hesitance. That probably happens when you don't want to tell your best bro that the last memory you have of his teen bro is floating off to die somewhere. Plus Dirk is a little...different? Sure.] He's kind of cool, but he's pretty mad he can't flashstep anymore.

[He thinks to ask "did your convo with Dirk go okay" since he's not sure why Dave's asking him, but he doesn't. Partially because:] ...you had me until "magical space militia." What? And who is Brie?

Brie is apparently someone who's been here longer than us, the one who set up the spycams in the mansion - not that I think you clocked those.

[ being. john. who doesn't care about cameras even if they exist probably? ]

She said she was a captain and we're all privates and her friend-person will probably explain things in depth later. So I figure we're waitin' for that?

There're spycams? [So yeah that's a negative.] Spying on us, I'm guessing. You're sure they worked? And why would we be recruited for a space militia? What about our own universe? [He ends up leaning against the wall.]

We do not exactly have time to wait.

I mean, maybe you do not, but I think the nature of the "totally not time travel" shit you were doin' means you do? But I am pretty sure the rest of us may as well stay here?

[ although, wait, john probably did not even. consider that. ]

But yeah I'm sure the cameras were in workin' order, and there are cams. They're just pretty tiny and hard to spot.

[He looks up, gaze sharp suddenly because that definitely didn't occur to him? And it's definitely not a thing he wants?]

No. [It's a flat, aggravated tone.] That is not happening. [But in the interest of not explaining shit and not fighting with Dave...] Can we go back and look for them?

John. [ he rolls his eyes but gets to his feet. ] We can, but dude, that's how time travel works. You said somethin' about Terezi, and fixin' things. I know you paid zero attention to my aspect, but - shit, I should've not pointed it out.

[He's up and moving, apparently deciding he can collect all of his shit later and leaving it in Dave's hut as he heads for the door.]

I am going to fix everything. But I cannot do that while we're here. When we leave, I can go where I was going to go and figure things out to make things right again. Terezi and I have a plan, sort of.

Right. [ he's quiet for a second THEN HE CAN'T HELP HIMSELF: ] But Rose'n'I may as well stay here, while you go do that? I think I like it better than dream bubbles.

But what if I can't zap back here on my own? How could I...[...this is a stupid subject. There is no point talking about this now.] Spycams. We could probably loot some of the other crates left over, too.

That's not what I meant and you - do not know it. Fuck. [ HE MEANS: THEY ARE DEAD END TIMELINE MEMBERS. and unlike john, they can't leave it. there's no point to going back to a place where they are simply dead, unless they want to hang out with teen troll ghosts for eternity (dave isn't a fan of the idea). ] But yeah, sure. Let's drop your shit at your cabin first, dude.

[Nope. He absolutely is unaware of what that really means, he just knows he's going to talk to Typheus, learn to do the zappy thing, hop around fixing the alpha timeline and that is that. He hasn't thought of specifics.

Dave protesting makes him not want to. Not now. Not when he has his best bro back and they're together here.]

We can do that later? I do not think that the cabins are going anywhere.

John, its literally two doors down and there's no reason for you to lug everythin' up to the mansion and back, especially if you plan to pick up more shit. Which we both know you do?

[...fine. They are both aware he's going to do exactly that and so he loops back to pick up all of his crap that he's dropped to head for his own hut. Come on, Dave.]

...I really miss my sylladex.

I'll carry half of whatever you wanna pick up because I'm that good a friend. Don't know what all y'all would do without me.

[ a drawl. john only met dave in person the first time like, earlier today when he got dumped on that planet but. he is. southern. ]

[Despite everything there's a twinge of a smile when Dave's drawl picks up and not for the first time today he thinks about how he's really happy he gets to be with his friends in person for the first time. For longer than a few moments while time-hopping away from grimbark Jade. He bites the inside of his cheek temporarily.]

We'd be hopeless lost or whatever. Thank you for being the hero we need. [There's a roll of his eyes but he's also moving to open the door of his own hut. It's probably the same size as Dave's but still smaller than Rose's. Rose got the best one.] I probably will not have a lot to bring back? Depends on what else we find out there.

You've never met an item you didn't want to pick up at least briefly?

[ he DOES know you, john. ]

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