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TDM: May
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aefenglom's test drive! All threads can be considered game canon, should you choose to do so; regardless of if you pick specific threads to remain canon to the game, the prompts and test drive itself will be. This will be touched on later in-game, so it's fairly important to note! Aside from that, here are some quick reminders:• Reserves Open Today! If you're interested in securing a spot, put one in! We accept applications without reserves too, of course. Reserves will expire three days before the end of the application period, on the 28th.With that taken care of...
• Applications Open The 24th! These will last until the end of the month, the 31st, with the intro log going on up June 1st. The application page can be found here.
• If you have any questions about the game or the world, please refer to the FAQ page; if you still have questions, feel free to ask them! For questions specific to the test drive, please ask them on the appropriate thread.
• For the purposes of the test drive, your character will have access to all magics taught by the Coven if they're a Witch, and as much of their shifted form as you'd like if they're a Monster. Feel free to play around and experiment with each!
• While current players won't be allowed to post top levels on the test drive itself, feel free to reference or play with the dreams in-game.
• Test drive threads can be used as samples for your applications!
You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the wind brushes playfully against your face -
and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that.
The Eternal Fall
The smell of autumn leaves surrounds you, a myriad of colors sparkling into existence at the same time. Despite the warmth and light, the air feels heavy and stiff, as if on razor's edge. The forest is eerily silent - not a bird, bug, or rodent dares to stir - and when you do hear something, it's the high-pitched crying, whining, weeping, sobbing, howling sounds of something far off. The tunnel of bent branches invites you further with an unpleasant compulsion; though fighting it and turning around finds you in front of a chilly, damp cave alight with the faint, cool glow of bubbling fountains and streams.
 The Compulsion Unable to sway yourself from the call of the forest - or maybe you're simply curious as to where it leads - your feet pull you further and further into the autumnal tunnel. The cry from before grows more distant, but in return, the air weighs even heavier on your shoulders than before. The branches hang lower and lower as well, as if pushed by gravity, until their leaves smack your face, twigs offering small cuts from the thorns protruding from their bark. But you can't stop. Not now. The end of the tunnel seems so close; but it's seemed that way for a while now, you suppose, and you've already come this far - you might as well stay the course, wherever it might lead. The further you go, the brighter everything becomes, and you realize it's the leaves surrounding you; they've begun to glow, encouraged by the sunlight streaming in from above, and the wind begins to whisper in your ear. At first, it's only encouraging things, or silly facts - harmless words, but as the foliage begins to shimmer and reflect your image, the wind's words turn colder. Within those reflections on the autumn tunnel, you begin to see your worst moments - morally, ethically, emotionally. The things you don't want anyone else to know, that you'd feel ashamed or struck for anyone - especially those close to you - to see. The wind becomes louder as the scenes play out one right after another, boldly declaring your true feelings as they were in that moment, good or bad. Worst of all - you still can't bring yourself to turn back, even as your mind begins to free itself from the tunnel's compulsion. Maybe someone else can help out, if they're not too taken by their own memories, or maybe the shock of sharing such private secrets will jolt you and anyone else back to reality. Either way, it's that, or staying stuck watching your worst memories play on repeat for what feels like the rest of your life. |
 The Cry While not compelled by any means, you still feel a curious draw down the path in front of you; as you follow the leaf tunnel, with others or alone, you find another, less-traveled path. Following it reveals a large pond colored orange and gold by the reflection of the area it's in, sunlight and shadows playing on its surface. At a glance, it seems to be rather shallow, but that's hardly the truth. You realize, after a moment, that the crying has continued, evidently coming from the water. Looking closer, the culprit is an infected Merrow, who - upon begin seen - shrieks and dives for whoever's looking at it with the clear intent to drag them down beneath the water. Its claws are extra sharp, its teeth similar to a shark in number and shape, and its scales have turned a pale black; an oil-like substance flows from beneath them and from its gums as well, shimmering the same way gasoline does in the light, and its eyes are the tell-tale white of a Shade. It isn't impossible to fight it to get away, especially as some of you have new abilities at hand, and some of you have a few neat changes to help that along. Once distance is successfully put between you and the infected Merrow, it howls in a wet, warbly voice, visibly frustrated. Unlike ordinary Merrows, who can walk on land and have legs as long as they stay dry, this Merrow can't seem leave its pond at all, and electricity sparks from it like little static shocks in its irritation. It does dive back under once it realizes it can't reach you, resurfacing as your character's most important person in an attempt to lure them back. The expressions are far too real, too genuine; even those aware it's a Merrow might be fooled. While its voice isn't a perfect mimicry, the song it begins to sing has with it notes of yearning and beckoning to join it, join your beloved person, in the water. |
 The Cave Pulling yourself from curiosity or compulsion, the cave behind you - in front of you, if you've turned around - gives off an oddly pure feeling. Like an oasis in a desert, it feels refreshing and calm; incredibly safe, compared to the eerie call of the forest it's in. Within the cave are pools of water that glow and glimmer from the magic runes found around them. The runes shift similar to a mirage whenever you try to focus on them; and try as you might, you can't glimpse what they say exactly. It isn't so hard to figure out though, as the pools of water surrounded by them have a pleasingly cold temperature, while those without them are near scalding. A few of the latter have runes around them, but they're not glowing like the rest - feeding a little magic into them changes this immediately, and steam rises in a sudden blast as the water cools rapidly. The opposite can be done for the colder pools too - taking their magic somehow or ruining the runes will make them bubble and boil as they surge in temperature. But that isn't all the cave has to offer. Moving further inward, you get the feeling you're going down - beneath the ground and the enchanting forest. Eventually, the cave widens out to a massive underground lake, multiple waterfalls pouring into it; despite their number and size, the room is completely silent. All tunnels seem to lead to this one room, with a few of them looking more man-made than natural. Traversing other tunnels leads you into a maze that only ever brings you to the lake, or to the cave's entrance, no matter how many different paths you take. Something different happens eventually though; signs of life begin to appear, or at least signs that life once lived there. Leather pouches rotted by the dampness of the cave hang on sharp nails beaten into the cave walls, with boots in similar condition strewn here and there. Torn, soaking clothing lays in piles in the tunnels, and candles burnt down to their wick's end stand in shelves carved from the navy blue and black stone. There's broken toys and books too waterlogged to read, instruments with snapped strings or clogged holes, and - most peculiarly - smooth, round devices that heavily resemble large pocketwatches or hand mirrors. They refuse to turn on though, either due to age or due to the wetness of the air. |
the cave!
[ At the waterfall, that is, its rolling cascades robbed of sound by what Asura imagines is the very same magic used to fuel the runes which mind the cavernous pools and their temperature.
Dropping to his knee, he siphons precisely half of the magic from the runes framing the basin currently housing his companion, cooling the water which had scalded her legs a rather fearsome shade of red during her wading. That he'd taken notice of this from afar, Asura does not say, simply resting a taloned hand upon a cocked hip after he rises, following the girl's line of sight to the steady flow of water from above. ]
A once in a lifetime opportunity arises, and you haven't yet reached out to take it. [ Head canting to the side, he grins, because right here and now, he's found himself a peculiarity, hasn't he? A girl who'd tolerated pain in order to survey something beautiful, but remained hesitant experience it for herself. ] Humans have often been known to meditate while standing beneath the center of a waterfall's flow.
[ To strengthen both mind and body, according to numerous schools of faith. Truth be told, it's a curiosity to even Asura himself. ]
It would do no harm to test the merit of their practice.
no subject
[She's enjoying looking at this. Though she makes a sound at the sudden change of tempature-while she's scalded herself, she can still feel the wave of coolness that came with it. She shifted her weight, and turned around to taking Asura in.
He was...beautiful, she thought. Imposing. How would the people in the city react to him, someone clearly not human? Would they be repulsed, or lured in? Maybe both at once.]
But you wish for me to stand under a boiling waterfall...?
[She glanced over to the fall again, and back to him, her eyebrows raising.]
Did you want to see my skin turn completely red? Is it because you like the color that much?
no subject
It is true, I am the Crimson King, and red is both my banner and favored color. [ That much, at least, is wholly apparent even in the low light provided by the glimmer of the poolside runes, their magics dancing incandescent across walls of limestone and gypsum. From head to toe, Asura is garbed in red, and while this miiiiiight have otherwise posed a grave fashion disaster, the color is tastefully partitioned by accents of obsidian and gold. ] But I would not see you boiled beyond what you have already brought upon yourself.
Together, we could attempt to cool the fall of water. [ A sound course of action, being that while he'd studied the runes before proceeding to the lake concealed below, he hadn't been able to focus on their scrawl long enough to mimic it. ] Or...
Before I was brought to this place, I regularly bathed in fire. My body could absorb heat. I will not deny that I am curious to see if this is still the case.
[ Green eyes catching with gold, he holds her gaze, going silent before...! He unceremoniously plops down, before the pool, the palms of his hands pressed to the stone below as he reclines in study of his companion more so than the cave. ]
no subject
She's seen so much worse. At least he's not covered in gold. She'd have to comment then.]
We could, if we so desired. But also...
[She turns then, taking him in, rather then the waterfall itself. Her knees are scalded; it's obvious from the way she's tucked her skirt up, away from the water. But she still folds her arms under her small chest, and offers a quiet huff.]
If you want to see if you'll be boiled into jerky, by all means, give it a try. You might make an interesting corpse. Though...
[Now she's musing to herself, more or less.]
I'm not sure if the pressure would keep your body underwater for very long King. It might.
[She's not impressed by his title btw. For some reason. Congrats, Asura, you found yourself a beautiful, scalded snot.]
no subject
[ And by composition, he isn't referring to the scales which gild the high points of his face, nor the horns which accompany them, but rather...!!: ]
I'm dense. Terribly so. [ Is he joking?? Somehow, it's difficult to say. Though Asura does not seem the type to speak frivolously, he could very well be the sort of person to boast about his (admittedly above average) gunshow. ] But, for the sake of pursuing that which is interesting...
[ Interesting to her—no, he hasn't yet forgotten the look of wonderment she'd held for the waterfall in the moments after she'd just become aware of his presence. ]
I will join you. [ And into the basin of water he goes! Wading through its depths, he makes his way to the falls, the whole of the pool rippling with his motions as though they were something profound and momentous, and not just some daredevil's stunt. ] Call me 'Asura', by the way. It's the name I took for myself.
[ Rather than the title of 'King' which he'd no choice at all in. ]
And if I am to perish here, I would like to know the name of the one about to witness my untimely demise.
no subject
Or perhaps a chocolate rabbit, considering what might be happening for her body just at this moment. But hearing that he's dense, her mouth quirks, thinking of a few dense people that she's met before. And it does seem like a rather sly way to speak of his muscles.]
Very well. Asura, Crimson King. Should you perish here, I'll be certain to ask for assistance to pull out your body.
I'm Caren.
[Not to say she'll die with him. But hey, he'll know the person who keeps his body from being ground into dust. She watches, as he strides forward, and...well. He certainly carries himself like a King. And carries himself with dignity as he positions himself under the waterfall, and...
Her breath catches, and her eyes widen, once more, with wonder. For all that she doesn't bat an eye to his beauty, seeing him under the waterfall and hold, is...well, it's something to behold.]
no subject
(And what a relief it is, to know that while his former magics had been stripped away clean, his origins of heat and flame and crystal could never be taken from him.)
The force of the falls may be a massage, and draining its heat a much-needed treat, but more than that, Caren's wonderstruck gaze is a perfect thing. Her expression is not for him, not by any means, but what he wouldn't do to see it brought about again in the slip of a girl who knew of nature through only vague memory. He cannot imagine her, precisely, as a damsel isolated in a tower on high (despite her being a slip of a thing, fragile-seeming for all that she'd been uncaring of pain in pursuit of her own delights), but perhaps as a small warrior insulated by her chosen purpose instead. ]
Caren! [ —he calls with a grin, giving a great roll of his shoulders beneath the flow of water. ] I suppose we are well met, for I am not yet dead.
And while I cannot say I have found any measure of enlightenment by standing here... [ Raising an arm, he beckons for her to join him! ] ...I can say with certainty that it is an experience worth having.
no subject
But now...now, she's away from the rural Churchs, and urban streets, where she had been closeted away, much like a princess, but not for saving her. Never to save her.
And Asura was...well, this was a marvel in itself. She was used to marvels, jaded in ways, but the sight of someone standing underneath a waterfall, taking in the heat, making it just so with their magic...?
That was more interesting then what she knew about it from her world, with the elitism and bloodlines.
...though he is way too cheerful and loud.]
I suppose not. But you've deprived me of an interesting story.
[With a head shake, she moved forward, legs dragging in the water. At times, she moves deeper, other times higher, from the way the rocks have smoothed over time.
And she pauses in front of him, her expression becoming almost shy.]
Show me how to do this? I'm not used to magic.
no subject
[ How insatiable and stubborn, especially for someone so very small. And while the thought inspires both fond memories (of new Summer recruits and their intent to doggedly prove themselves with displays of might) and a smile from the King, he does not fail in watching Caren with a keen eye, minding her progress in the event her legs (scorched, still) might be swept out from under her.
The closer she draws to both him and the waterfall, the more treacherous wading through the basin becomes: below the surface of the pool, the water churns without pause, and for all that the pounding of the fall itself cannot be heard, its power and pressure can still be seen and felt.
But danger, if approached with knowledge and with care, can be both mitigated and tamed, and as Caren looks to him with an air of uncertainty, he answers not with another bout of humor, but... ]
May I take your hand? [ ...a surprisingly gentle touch, as his hand envelops her own, guiding her fingertips to the fall of water at his side. ] Here, the water will run cool.
[ Due to the crystal in him leeching its heat, storing away the energy for healing—or so Asura hoped, if the functions of his body remained wholly intact. ]
And farther away... [ Slowly, he guides the palm of her hand farther out, away from his person. ] ...warm, then hot.
But this isn't magic. The runes are, I'm not. Or at least, I'm not at the moment.
Like I said, I'm dense. [ Like most volcanic rock. ] Try lifting up my arm.
[ Now that, that'll be something. A truly herculean task. ]
no subject
[She scoffs a bit. For someone who is so small, she's jaded and cynical. There's a moment or two where she winces from the heat or lackthereof, but for all that she's scalded, her walk is cautious. She's used to walking in water it seemed, even if she was unfamiliar with this magic and with waterfalls.
There's a small nod, and she feels the difference. Cool water runs over her hand, then warm, then warmer still. Fascinated, her other hand moves to mimic the other, as if to be certain it wasn't just his touch.]
That's a lie, isn't it? I'd thought that we're all magic under the skin now, even if we weren't before.
[She makes a soft sound, and her hand withdraws from his. Gently though, so she can run them up his arm, feeling the density for herself.]
Though I won't try lifting. I'd likely need a sling after, and I didn't bring a first aid kit.
[She needs to make one as it is. It'll make her life easier, she thinks.]
no subject
[ Eh??? Practice? With little ceremony, Asura does as he pleases, bending to scoop Caren up, into his arms, one arm supporting the crook of her legs, the other at the small of her back as he rights himself beneath the fall of water overhead and...! Walks, away from the cavern's scenic landmarks, the pool below no impediment to him as he wades to its edge, setting his captive atop a cool slab of rock, perhaps mindful of her comfort. ]
I imagine that your legs are stinging something fierce right about now. [ He hasn't forgotten that this had been of her own choice, but still: ] I can show you what a Witch's magic really feels like, and then you can decide whether or not I played a trick on you.
[ So how about it, Caren? Asura's certainly game, if that smile of his is at all telling, his green eyes alluring and bright and made all the more so by the wet, ravendark curls of his hair which cling to his skin, elegantly framing his face in the lowlight of the runes. ]
no subject
[If only so he could have a tiny mend spell. Even if he's rock, he might end up injured-or his companions might. At least Caren knows better then to try, and feels over the scales instead. It's rather lovely, and a reminder of what he's supposed to be.]
Prac-
[She yelps, squirming and wriggling, uncertain and confused as to what was going on. Why was she being carried? Why? This made no sense! She could walk!]
Sei pazzo?
["Are you crazy?" was to put it mildly. Thankfully she was placed down without incident, but she still huffed, puffing her cheeks.]
You're acting weird. If you want to do it, then do it. Just let me hit you if you try to do something else on top of it.
no subject
And you've never had fun before, huh? [ But that should have been expected from a girl so peculiar in ways which reminded him of the Vallanzasca's eldest daughter, sheltered and made ignorant to the wonders of the world for it, but armored with a fierce, ungovernable nature which demanded that a sucker punch be offered to her in recompense for a transgression which hadn't occurred just yet. Ah, Caren is perfectly delightful, isn't she? Rotten in a way which begs the sharp edges of a grin to burgeon from the softness of Asura's smile: what a companion he's found. ] Now is that why you've asked to hit me?
[ Because she might like it? Because it might be fun? ]
Do as you please, but I caution that your hand might be worse for wear afterward. [ Especially if her knuckles should crack against a ridge of crystalline bone beneath the skin. ] Either way, I'm not going to do anything to you aside from help.
[ Still very much standing in the grotto pool, Asura's eyes flick up, looking to Caren who sits higher upon her perch of stone in a manner which is curious and daring both. ]
Think you can handle that?
no subject
It was if she was tumbling into something entirely new, and she couldn't quite keep her feet steady on the ground. She grumbled under her breath, something about men and pigs-in Italian of course, which no doubt Asura understood completely-but she tried to straighten up.
Which, well, while she might have been slightly imposing...it really wasn't by much. She was barely an inch over five feet after all.]
If you're going to do something to me, it's only fair that I do something to you.
[Not about fun. Fun. Pa! It was about being fair.]
I can handle whatever you attempt. Go ahead. Play as you wish. But if you will not let me hit you with a hand, then I request a rock to attempt the hit.
Not because it's fun. But to see what will happen.