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bondedmeme2026-06-08 02:01 pm
triumvirmod) wrote in bondedmeme2026-06-08 02:01 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME | #01 OVERFLOW
TDM #01 OVERFLOW
Wow! B&B Mods could never have anticipated our first TDM would require an overflow! We're very flattered and honored by all the interest. Please continue to have fun here, away from the captcha demons.
This is open to all players looking to join our game or simply have some fun. Play on this TDM does not equate to intent or obligation to apply to join. Players on this TDM should follow all game rules and Characters should meet all game suitability standards per our FAQ. TDM threads are considered game canon for characters who join! The Moon Pact is in power for the full duration of this TDM, putting Sun Pact characters as in service. Moon Pact bindings are presently glittering silver and Sun Pact bindings are unpolished brass. Pact and Class can both be freely player assigned and swapped at will for the purpose of the TDM.
This is open to all players looking to join our game or simply have some fun. Play on this TDM does not equate to intent or obligation to apply to join. Players on this TDM should follow all game rules and Characters should meet all game suitability standards per our FAQ. TDM threads are considered game canon for characters who join! The Moon Pact is in power for the full duration of this TDM, putting Sun Pact characters as in service. Moon Pact bindings are presently glittering silver and Sun Pact bindings are unpolished brass. Pact and Class can both be freely player assigned and swapped at will for the purpose of the TDM.
Overseer, Awaken and Conquer
CW: Descriptions of dubiously consensual touch, choking, hallucinations, falling.
The Hands that Grasp
Consciousness wanes. From calm oblivion reaches a pair of elegant hands. Fingertips caress, trailing physical form, mapping curves and divots. Some dark or desperate compulsion leans into the comfort of this touch. The hands dig in. Clasping tight at the neck and pull downward. Down and down, through unclear space, through unclear time. Your character awakens with a start. Where they last felt those hands grasping into them, a collar now rests. Prying does not budge the solid metal, which is either of silver or of brass. Before their eyes is a pane of stained glass. Inscribed in a language all can read are the words Overseer, Awaken and Conquer.
The Glass Coffins
Overseers awaken, contained within a coffin of ornate, metal framework and glass. For some, a light push will cause the lid to swing open. For others, the enclosure may stick or prove too heavy to budge. Breaking free is an option, though mysteriously, the glass fully repairs itself within minutes of sustaining damage. Other Overseers may be present throughout the hallways, willing and able to aid in opening stubborn coffins. That is, should their unlucky inhabitants be able to get their attention through the sound dampening barrier. Overseers continually awaken, either individually or in batches, throughout the month. This will last until the day of the upcoming solstice.
The Gilded Cradle
Innumerable rows of glass coffins line the interior of a grand cathedral tower. Somehow, the name of this stained glass spire is imprinted in the mind of all Overseers. This is known as the Gilded Cradle within Absentia. Where or what is Absentia? How did they arrive here? Why are they here? The answers to such questions remain unknown. These names are as far as the foreign memory serves Overseers. The foggy corridors spiral downward, a staircase connecting floor after floor of largely unopened coffins. Many have glass too hazy to see within. The hallways are heavy with the scent of lavender tinged magic and lightning storm ozone, made visible as a thick haze in the air. Through this fog, Overseers may notice one another or they may see phantoms running by. People familiar to them. Chasing after these figments is a foolish endeavor, they will pick up speed into the thick of the fog. There, they will disappear. This can leave unsuspecting Overseers teetering on the topmost edge of a stairwell or allow their momentum to throw them over the central railing. A fall to the Cradle's ground floor isn't enough to kill an Overseer turns out, but it will injure. Beginning your journey battered is merely an added misfortune.
The Castle Constructs
When Overseers leave the Gilded Cradle, they find they're trapped within an abandoned castle. While exploring they find no other living creatures other than fellow Overseers. Throughout the halls and rooms of the castle rest Constructs. These figures are shells of either iron or brass, with a variety of gargoyle-like appearances. They stand with their wings tucked around their bodies. Littered throughout the location, their placements can often clue in to their former duties as the Castle attendants. These Constructs remain completely inert until two Overseers of the same Pact pass by. Iron Constructs react to pairs of Moon Pact members, while Brass Constructs come alive near pairs of Sun Pact members. When awakened, they unfurl and stand to a height ranging from around three-to-six foot tall. The Constructs promptly begin to carry out butler-like duties, as if they were long ago set to a schedule of operation. When presented with a task they can no longer seem to accomplish, they merely pantomime the action before moving onward. (These NPCs can be player controlled and are non-hostile unless attacked first.)
Locked In
CW: Survival themes, food insecurity, exchanging sex for goods and services.
➤Attentive characters will discover quickly that Constructs bring extra rations as room service to those in Power. This at first appears exclusive to the Moon Pact within the Hall of Overseers. The Constructs do this when Overseers have sex in the luxury of the lower floor rooms. However, the Constructs range of understanding is a bit impaired, so fucking in the courtyard also works to call food and drink, regardless of Pact alignment.
➤For those seeking a more direct approach to acquiring extra rations, there's always robbery. The Constructs are not highly fortified. Their routes from the kitchen to the Hall of Overseers are easy enough to intercept. They do resist Overseers who attempt to steal from them, defending the food if attacked. Overseers who damage Constructs find they simply curl back into their wings, where they become both immobile and invulnerable from further damage. They will repair themselves in time and do not... appear... to hold a grudge. The Overseers whose meals were hijacked might, though.
The Kitchen
The kitchen of Absentia is vast, meant to accommodate for a castle population in the hundreds. Long abandoned, any food reserves have turned to dust or rot. All that remains are a series of strange machines, humming with dull magic. Only operable by the castles resident Constructs, hungry Overseers would be advantaged to activate the inactive Constructs scattered nearby. Once occupying the kitchen, Constructs are more likely to provide a meager serving of food to Overseers who have used magic recently or who hold Influence. (Characters playing this TDM with no canon powers may presume they hold (1) Influence for this and subsequent prompts.)The Hall of Overseers
To the west of the Gilded Cradle there lies a long, rectangular housing structure, framing a vast courtyard. Rain from the storm overhead patters down constantly. Rooms for Overseers line the open air hallways overlooking the nature within the central outdoor space. At this time, those of the Moon Pact enjoy the lower floors of the indoor sections, with luxurious accommodations. These include private rooms with a fireplace, claw foot baths with clean running water, a variety of furniture, and a plush bed. The upper level indoor rooms are for the Overseers presently in service, the Sun Pact. These rooms are all shared and scarcely furnished. Hammocks and bunk beds are provided to house three or four Overseers per cramped room. These upper location hallways have shared bathroom spaces and no private amenities provided. Overseer names are engraved upon the door frame of their assigned rooms. There is no access given to rooms without this engraving. Overseers need to be invited in to rooms they do not own or share. (Rooms are fully self assigned by Players and can change freely between threads. Pact is likewise self assigned, but should match the room type described above. Moon Pact characters are free to invite Sun Pact characters into their rooms, and visa-versa.)
The Hands that Feed
As Overseers settle in, they find resources are thin and accessible castle space highly limited. There is no exit from the castle at this time. Trying to fly out over the top of Hall of Overseers courtyard results in perpetually being turned around by the Storm until exhausted. Overseers who try to smash windows or break through the architecture find their magic or strength immediately drained. Teleportation leads back to where one attempted to leave from. The trap feels inescapable. This inevitably creates an air of frustration and futility within the awakened Overseer ranks. All there is to do is to make do.➤Attentive characters will discover quickly that Constructs bring extra rations as room service to those in Power. This at first appears exclusive to the Moon Pact within the Hall of Overseers. The Constructs do this when Overseers have sex in the luxury of the lower floor rooms. However, the Constructs range of understanding is a bit impaired, so fucking in the courtyard also works to call food and drink, regardless of Pact alignment.
➤For those seeking a more direct approach to acquiring extra rations, there's always robbery. The Constructs are not highly fortified. Their routes from the kitchen to the Hall of Overseers are easy enough to intercept. They do resist Overseers who attempt to steal from them, defending the food if attacked. Overseers who damage Constructs find they simply curl back into their wings, where they become both immobile and invulnerable from further damage. They will repair themselves in time and do not... appear... to hold a grudge. The Overseers whose meals were hijacked might, though.
The Courtyard
The courtyard at the center of the Hall of Overseers is a public space with five distinct sections. At the center, there is an ornate fountain that serves as the most reliable, public spot for clean drinking water. The fountain depicts the three Classes, though all of them are partially destroyed. The Ruler has their hands broken off, the Dragon is missing its head, and the pegasus shaped Herald has a hole in its chest. Grimly, the water flows from each of these missing pieces into the pool below. This space is open and visible to all, especially from the higher rooms of the Hall. This central location serves well as a social hub and meet up point for Overseers to congregate, though it is perpetually raining here.
➤Heralds and Dragons experience their first urge to transform within the Courtyard. They are able to resist it, if their willpower is sufficiently high, but the compulsion is strong. Dragons feel a need to shed their skin, to fly and be free. There is not much room for multiple, large dragons to do either of these things. Mind your wings! Heralds begin to feel territorial, wishing to reinvigorate the long dead space. Heralds are able to terraform within the confines of garden planters as they see fit, but they may find them destroyed by Dragons or usurped by other Heralds. Miniature territory disputes may serve as practice for times ahead. Rulers can hear mysterious whispers throughout the Courtyard, but especially nearby the fountain. If they acknowledge these whispers aloud, they will get a response. Those Rulers who listen closely can hear the mocking words "you're not leaving this time."
The other four quadrants surrounding the central fountain are overgrown and wild, contrasting the initially desolate central area. These spaces are each themed to a different season; spring, summer, fall, and winter. Once Overseers enter one of the gated in spaces, the area within appears larger than the outside barrier suggests. The temperature varies wildly between each, though the Storm over head remains consistent. Each contains a singular hideaway which the Constructs will bring food to. These shield Overseers from outside view, but may turn out to be in hot demand. Mind yourselves if trying to sneak into one of these spots for privacy, they may already be taken! (Each hideaway may be customized at player discretion to suit their threads. A single piece of furniture for leisure may be present, like a lounge or hammock. Some ideas for natural spaces would be hidden behind a waterfall, beneath a canopy of trees, a frosty cave, or an alcove hidden by fallen leaves.)
➤Starting a week into June, there is a new development within the courtyard.
➤Heralds and Dragons experience their first urge to transform within the Courtyard. They are able to resist it, if their willpower is sufficiently high, but the compulsion is strong. Dragons feel a need to shed their skin, to fly and be free. There is not much room for multiple, large dragons to do either of these things. Mind your wings! Heralds begin to feel territorial, wishing to reinvigorate the long dead space. Heralds are able to terraform within the confines of garden planters as they see fit, but they may find them destroyed by Dragons or usurped by other Heralds. Miniature territory disputes may serve as practice for times ahead. Rulers can hear mysterious whispers throughout the Courtyard, but especially nearby the fountain. If they acknowledge these whispers aloud, they will get a response. Those Rulers who listen closely can hear the mocking words "you're not leaving this time."
Grief Hath Mates
Class Scenarios
Note: The following prompts are available for all Players, though abilities should always match up with a character's present Class! Class for characters on the TDM can change between threads, but should not change mid-thread. This fully locks down upon acceptance to the game. Characters are presently "unstable" in their Pact and Class assignments, so all threads can remain canon, even if they contradict Pact or Class assigned later on. Any changes made to shared setting environments below are temporary, so feel free to play with destructive and creation powers as specified.
RULERS
➤Rulers who attempt to speak to the Constructs will find they are reacted to in a way the Dragons and Heralds are not. Constructs do not speak back, but they are more attentive towards Rulers regardless of their Influence level. If asked where something is, Constructs will dutifully guide the Ruler to the location in question if it exists. Sometimes, Constructs will open up previously locked doors. None of these lead outside, but they offer some new clues to how the castle once operated in the past. Rulers can open up additional rooms to explore such as a drawing room, a music room, a wine cellar, and a smoking room. These rooms all have basic supplies for their given activity, including aged wine and cigars in the latter two respectively. Rulers with clever tongues or manipulative sensibilities can convince the Constructs to leave them “in charge” of a room. This grants the Ruler a key to the door they can leverage as they please. (Players can play their Ruler as if they hold exclusive control of a room, but this is not imposed TDM-wide. Multiple Rulers can each claim the same type room, no player actually holds full IC/OOC control.)
DRAGONS
➤Dragons are going to be the first to snap under such cramped conditions. Their natural urges are to spread out and fly, not be stuck within a castle. The more volatile Dragons will find their natural instinct is to go Berserk. Berserk mode can be engaged in either their humanoid or Dragon form, though Dragons can only transform at this time within the confines of the Courtyard. If Dragons are causing trouble in the Courtyard, luring or forcing them out of the Courtyard at large forces a Dragon to return to their humanoid form. Getting in fights may not be productive, but it might provide some enrichment to Overseers wishing to challenge each other or keep the peace. (Reminder: Dragons, regardless of form, are especially durable and may prove difficult to subdue! Rulers are best suited to this task, given they have a natural advantage over Dragons. Heralds can make their own attempts, it is simply more risky for them given how fragile they are.) Dragons of more even temperaments can make themselves productive by using relevant elemental magic around the castle. The castle interior is lit only by the dull glow of the sun or moon, which are often dulled by the cloud cover overhead. Providing temperature control or lighting could be a great ease to their own mental state, as well as benefit their fellow Overseers.
HERALDS
➤While cooked rice, dried meat, and pickled vegetables are largely what is being provided, there is a distinct lack of fruit or alcohol coming out of the kitchen. Heralds may find themselves especially desperate for these. Within the courtyard only, they can flex their newly found Class abilities to rapidly influence nature. Heralds may find themselves having vivid daydreams about their favorite fresh fruits from home. These fantasies manifest, growing the imagined fruits from nearby vines, bushes, and trees. This can happen deliberately or entirely by accident. However, due to the imperfect nature of both memory and imagination, these fruits are never fully accurate recreations. The taste and quality of the fruit end up heavily influenced by a Herald’s own subjective experience and are prone to exaggeration. Any fruit from any world is allowed, these simply cannot cause any magical effects. Devious Heralds which imagine poisonous fruits can injure, but not kill fellow Overseers. Such produce can be used to make alcohol by those with the knowledge and wherewithal to do so. Any manner of food is in demand and Heralds have this to provide. Replenishing energy though sex is always an option to help produce more or better resources of this kind.
OOC Info
What is Overflow posting Etiquette?
If you have a Top Level post on the Original TDM, then feel free to repost it in full or with new prompts below! Reply to your own, new top level with carry over threads, rather than create new top levels for each carry over thread. For COMPLETELY new Top Levels (or those reposted from page 4 of the last TDM post), we will have a Directory below exclusively for finding those. Players who posted their TL link on the previous Top Level Directory are welcome to edit a link to their overflow into their previous directory post.
Can I reserve my character before applying?
If you want to claim a character spot in advance of applications opening, our Reserves Page opens on the 10th of June, through to the 15th. This is not required for application, but highly recommended even for original or obscure characters. Reserving provides an instant-pass through 1st month game Activity Check! It also provides Moderation with an idea of incoming player numbers!
How do I apply to join the game?
Head over to our Application Page. These open up on June 15th and close on the 20th. The game officially opens on the 21st of June, barring any unexpected delays.
Is there an OOC space I can discuss potential plans?
Take a look at our Enable-me-Please for OOC discussions and plotting!
Gaspgasp~ Y thank ye!
"Why did Crimson Rain challenge the gods?" he rains little droplets onto the dragon from his fingertips, "Becoming a Calamity isn't easy. One has to have the willpower to defeat hundreds if not thousands of ghosts in a certain place."
:3 <3
Blinking slowly under the water droplets, the little dragon thinks back on what he's heard about Hua Cheng. "Who knows why he does anything?"
He nudges persistently at his friend, silently demanding an answer! To what? He's not entirely sure himself.
ouo <3
"What are you asking of me? Use your words."
As if he doesn't know.
^w^
Being lifted up and then nuzzled warms him, but he's rather glad scales don't blush as easily as human scales.
Only to huff again.
"Ming-xiong! What do you want me to call you here?"
no subject
because who doesn't like teasing their best friend?The huff is stupidly adorable and He Xuan leans back, floating on his back with Qingxuan perched on his chest.
"First... We have to talk about something difficult. The Reverend of Empty Words."
no subject
Qingxuan certainly enjoys teasing his best friend!Curling his little body up in a loose coil on his friend's chest, he waits
impatiently. Only to freeze, breath catching and eyes going wide. A tremor runs through him."H-how...do you know...?"
no subject
See? It's fun. He Xuan technically has two best friends, doesn't he. Goodness, when did that happen?He Xuan's hands stroke over that small trembling body and then he embraces him fully. He has wanted to do this...since that night.
"You needn't fear him. Here or in our world. I know of him and, in your time, I will devour him."
no subject
Good. He should have multiple best friends. Just as long as Shi Qingxuan is his BESTEST best friend.His mind goes blank at the embrace. And the reassurance. Then...hearing his friend had...or will...devour the spirit that had tormented him on and off throughout his life.
It's difficult to process. And to connect certain dots. He isn't sure he wants to believe it.
"Why...would you do that? I...How did you find out?"
no subject
Qingxuan can be fish mother. There, I said it."I'm not Ming Yi."
He Xuan is a cautious, clever man. He realizes someone could arrive in a coffin at any time and reveal his secret. If Qingxuan hears it from someone else, he really will be screwed.
"You asked for a name. I go by He Xuan."
no subject
Deal.And there it is. In bold, stark words.
Shi Qingxuan has heard the name of Black Water whispered here and there, just as he'd heard Hua Cheng's and Qi Rong's names.
Taking a breath, he nudges gently at one of the other's hands.
"He Xuan. Has it always been you? Or did I ever know the...actual Earth Master?"
Because really, that's one of the most important things.
no subject
The fish will be delighted.He Xuan knows there is so much more that needs to be said - that Qingxuan deserves to know - but he wants to be careful. He hadn't thought about the other man nearly enough before. Now he is different.
"It has always been me." he hadn't given the real Earth Master a chance to interact with Qingxuan in particular. That had been important.
"Qingxuan, we need to talk. As ourselves." he swims to the side of the pool and sets the little dragon on the edge, "Remember your body. Remember your shape and you can turn back."
That's how he manages his transformations anyway.
no subject
Well then. That's that. Of course he has more questions, but...He knows the friendship he'd held with 'Ming Yi' hadn't been a lie.
Eyeing He Xuan at that statement, he waits for them to reach the side of the pool and to be set on the edge before easily calling forth his normal form. The only differences are the horns at his temples and the crown that settles around his head. His legs remain in the water, dangling idly.
This feels important. It's important...to let He Xuan talk. But he's never been that great at sitting still, so his feet wiggle as he waits.
no subject
He can't forget the faces of his sister, his fiancee, his mother, his father. They were tormented and all for what? So Wudu and Qingxuan could Ascend together.
He Xuan pulls himself out of the water, transforming back into himself. His hair is longer, easily reaching his waist and his eyes are gold, radiating an unnatural light. He Xuan is a man who has obviously known labor, though his robes are beautiful - a mixture of black and silver.
"Your brother used me to protect you from the Reverend. Your fate and mine were exchanged and so I met a bitter end while you Ascended." his deep voice is usually cold and remote, but right now he speaks quietly, respecting Qingxuan's gentle nature.
no subject
Maybe he's decided he can actually trust Qingxuan?
His lips part as he takes in the true form of Black Water. He can see the harsh life the man had lived. Then He Xuan speaks, and he jolts with shock and horror. Not doubt. He knows his brother had been desperate to save him.
"But that's- that was...!" His thoughts scramble to make sense and his hands clench and relax. "That was wrong!" He finally bursts out. "I'm sorry you got mixed up with it!" His brow furrows in distress and he reaches for He Xuan.
no subject
He isn't disappointed. Once he would have gotten angry at the apology - can it bring back his family? his life? - but now he realizes that it comes from Qingxuan's heart. When those hands reach for him, he pulls Qingxuan against his side, wrapping an arm around him.
"It isn't that simple. Your brother is dead." he slowly lowers his arm in case Qingxuan wants to bolt, "For the sake of my sister, my fiancee, my parents... Myself... I killed him."
no subject
His heart aches for He Xuan, and he's actually surprised when the ghost pulls him close. Qingxuan leans into him for all of a moment before that next bit of news is delivered.
He stops breathing.
His brother can't be dead. Shi Wudu can't be dead. 'I killed him.' Those words ring horribly in his head on repeat. He doesn't register how he shakes his head in denial.
"Why...are you telling me...?" He chokes out after a moment, eyes pleading to understand. "Why now...?" The fact he isn't held close against He Xuan at the moment is precisely how he manages to stay put.
no subject
"Because you deserve to know." he meets Qingxuan's gaze, his pallor more noticeable, his eyes dark and haunted, "Qingxuan..." he rarely uses his name, "I'm from your future. I entered Heaven as Ming Yi for a single purpose: to get revenge for my family. Then I met you." now he turns away, "Wudu is cruel and short-sighted, but you... You are worthy of Ascension."
no subject
But Qingxuan can see how hard He Xuan is trying. He forces himself to think and breathe, to not just run away from all of this. For all he's a social being, he has precious few actual friends. Ming Yi - He Xuan - is at the top of that list even now.
He deserves to know...? His eyes widen a little at being told the other man is from his future. That makes it a little...well. Not better. But almost easier to bear. He swallows heavily, pale face pinched with strain and heartache as he tries to focus.
He had changed something, apparently. Somehow. Just through meeting the poor man. Oddly enough, to be told he really is worthy of Ascension (from this one person) brings a faint flush to his cheeks and he ducks his head. Reflex has him press against He Xuan again, hiding his face as he wrestles with how to respond to this wealth of history of pain and misery.
He doesn't like being told his brother is cruel and short-sighted. But even Qingxuan is aware his brother isn't actually perfect, no matter how highly he can't help but think of him.
"He's my brother," he finally starts, slow and quiet. "I can't help love him. What he did to you and your family...it was wrong." Shaking his head sharply, he huffs out a short breath. "I don't want to lose our friendship either. You are important." He doesn't usually speak like this, but if they're being honest...
There are only two people who have ever really mattered to him. Shi Wudu and He Xuan. Names are just words, he has no doubts at all that what's between him and He Xuan is real.