( 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

[juniberries]

[Already he's reminding her of someone...

She frowns, crossing her arms in turn.]

Well, for all I know, this could be a trick. [But the anger and frustration in his voice feels a bit too real to feel like the trick of a druid, so while she remains cautious, she will take his word for now.] When did you arrive here? And do you remember how?

[Sorry it's the natural authority in her to dole out questions when she doesn't have the answers herself.]

[teratias]

About two seconds ago! [He throws his hands up in the air in absolute frustration, one hand hitting a bag and his arm becoming tangled up in the rope tying it to the tree branch above. Rather than try to untangle himself, Waver simply continues to gesture as he talks.]

One second I'm standing right by a river in Japan, then there's some kind of, I don't know, distortion and then I'm in the middle of a forest trying to figure out what's happened and having to play twenty questions with someone I've never met and thinks I'm the mastermind of this!

[Actually, that last part is almost flattering. If only Waver could be that skilled a mage.]

[juniberries]

[The use of seconds confirms that this man is an Earthling, and considering how...admittedly disconnected humans are from her part of the universe puts her a bit more at ease. Plus his hand is tangled in the dangling rope so he's...certainly not a threat.

She goes back to undoing the rest of her hair, letting it fall down to her back in its usual style. It's obvious she's thinking through what he's saying, regardless of his attitude.]

So it seems we have been brought here through similar means, but from different parts of the universe.

[She has no idea what Japan is. She casts a more asserted glance at his tangled arm.]

Do you need help?

[teratias]

Help? Why would I need-- [He pauses, following her eyes and realizing just how tangled his arm has become. There's a twinge of red in his cheeks as Waver reaches over to start releasing himself from the clutches of the bag.]

I'm fine, it isn't hard to undo something like this.

[He moves the bag itself around carefully, following the rope's loop with ease.]

And if you're from somewhere else, that's at least useful information to have.

[juniberries]

[She watches him as he begins to detangle his arm, arms crossed once more.]

You seemed a bit stuck.

[There's an almost condescending tone to her voice, before shaking her head, shrugging her shoulders, and her posture straightens. When she responds next, her voice sounds a bit more formal.]

I am. I am not from Earth, which...is where I am assuming you're from.

[teratias]

I am not. These bags are just placed too close together.

[As if for emphasis, Waver undoes the last loop and lets the bag drop as dramatically as possible. Which is to say it just sways back and forth a little harder, but in his opinion, that is getting the job done.]

It is, yes. I guess Earth's made alien contact at some point?

[That seems to be the only logical reason for the question.]

[juniberries]

[She kind of just...idly stares at the bag swinging back and forth for a tick, holding back the urge to roll her eyes.

Sure.

But on to more important matters:]

Well...it isn't that simply put. Something from my homeplanet had been found on yours. [(Technically it's not really from her homeplanet but since we're still in the dark about the other Lions origins.....)] We're actually hoping to keep alien life away from Earth.

As it currently stands, the galaxy is under complete galactic takeover-- [There's a bit of a panicked pause, and her eyes widen the moment she says that.] --which is why I have to figure a way out of here.

[teratias]

[The idea of keeping alien life away from Earth is something Waver doesn't blink at. If anything, that seems like a very, very wise idea given that everyone would lose their collective shit if something like that happened.

And if that is the first thing that makes sense all day then well, jeez. That says too much.]

Wherever here is, besides a place without any useful sign posts.

[Waver's tone is very slightly softer, the snark slowly trying to redirect itself. Why it is that this explanation of alien takeovers has calmed Waver down, well, hell if Waver knows. But that little moment of making sense has done something to his prickly disposition.]

[juniberries]

[She's quiet for a tick, looking from Waver to the trail of hanging bags. It's clear she's wary, but considering their situation and the fact that there is a path...]

Well, it's either we stay here until someone comes for us, or...we take a chance to follow where those bags are leading.

It may actually be best to do so with a partner.

[teratias]

[Waver stares at the bags with deep suspicion, unsure of what their end goal is.]

I don't trust where they're leading at all. [Being contrarian and going off onto the other paths has him worried as well.]

What do you think actually lives in these woods?

[Which is not to say he is refusing the partnership, but Waver is very, very unsure about what lies at the end of the bags.]