bondedmeme | TEST DRIVE MEME

Test-Drive-Meme #01

Welcome to our first ever 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.

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.)

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 happens next?

On the 21st of June, the Pacts will turn over. For the IC duration of the TDM, the Moon Pact are in power. Those assigned to the Sun Pact will start the game off proper as the faction in power. Characters who are accepted into the game will be freed from the confines of the castle. The game will greet new players with a Mingle Event and Network Introduction Post, once all applications are processed. The storm will pull back at the start of July, allowing even further world exploration and Territory claims. Our first plot event will focus on discovering the threat that the Lost Souls of this world can present.

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!

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"The whole thing is insidious," Daan scoffs, somewhat dismissive of the idea because, "I also don't feel that pull. Sounds like a personal problem,"

He does feel an urge, but he wouldn't call it a pull. That storm... he wants to stay away from it. The water isn't exactly repellent, but he doesn't feel great as being a wet cat out in the rain.

"As for it being suspect," he goes on, "now that I can agree with. Perhaps we should boil the water first? I'd rather not get dysentery..." Under any circumstance, but especially this one they're all in.

His expression twitches into a scowl. The only urge that was a personal problem was to scruff this man like the irreverent cat he was behaving—

No. No, that's not productive. Not when allies nor enemies have yet to be established. If the water (or wherever the source) was whispering strange impulses and thoughts, what he felt was irrelevant. All that mattered was a practical and logical course of action.

"I've yet to encounter a situation where boiling the water beforehand proved disadvantageous." (Especially after someone spit into it.) Dysentery... he thought he'd heard the army physics use that word before. There was certainly far fewer sicknesses among the soldiers when the water was boiled.

"Boiling it is another matter. Have you a means?"

"I have an iron pot and a fireplace in my room, but no means to light it," Daan answers, smoothing his hands across his vest to somewhat dry them. It hardly matters, they're standing out in the rain. He's going to be a wet cat of a man regardless...

"Do you happen to have found any dry matches about? I'm out of luck on many things and that is of particular annoyance."

He would also love to light the cigars he's looted from the smoking room, but finding a source of fire in the Always Raining Castle has served to be taxing.

[I did not expect this TDM to cause me to look up the first known use date of dysentery and match in the same hour]

'Dry match' on the other hand, was a phrase or slang Hubert was unfamiliar with. No matter. The context was good enough.

"I will handle stoking the fire. Take me to the fireplace, then retrieve the water while I work."

[whoops lol that might keep happening when dealing with Daan]

Daan immediately points to the cask of water Hubert is already holding. He came here to get water, right?

"Why can't we use that water?" there's a brief pause, "Or do you just not want me to see how you make fire? You got hidden magic or something-?"

This guy does look like an occultist, Daan thinks without saying. Yet.

Hubert lightly scoffs. The unfamiliar, indignant impulse was back, urging him to dunk this man's head into the fountain. Doing that would get him nowhere. He really needed to get out of the rain; that's when the intrusive thoughts seem to have started.

"If we're going to go through this effort, we're going to prepare as much of it as we can. And considering I am the one that can stoke the fire, perhaps I'll take this back to my own room if you are unwilling—or unable—to contribute. I hadn't found a pot in my quarters, but then again, I didn't seek it at the time."

Hubert tilts his head to one side. He can keep the strange impulses at bay, but they do loosen his tongue some. "Or you could keep pushing me and learn how hidden my magic is."

"Fine, I'll get us more water once we're back. I don't need to see your magic tricks," Daan definitely deserves his head dunked in the fountain. Well, maybe not if going to give him dysentery, that's a pretty extreme punishment for being a little bit of a bastard. He nods his head in the direction of his room, not far as it's on the ground floor looking out into the courtyard.

Perks of being in the Moon Pact. So, he won't complain, much as he'll be cursing Rher the moon god until the day his consciousness finally snuffs out for good.

"Damn," he joking curses as they walk, with a dry sing-song of wistful exasperation, "this isn't how I usually go inviting a man back to my room," Maybe the courtyard is making him a little loony, too. Best to get out of the rain, already... warming up would be good for him. Some water he's sure is clean would also be great.

Hubert tops off the clay vessel with water for good measure. Well, two could be a little bit of a bastard, so all's fair, right?

"I'm sure you had to adapt your methods for a man with standards," he remarks drolly, following behind Daan. The most trying personality Hubert has met yet just had to make a fair point about boiling the water, didn't he?

Jokes on Hubert, Daan likes rude banter. It works for him.

"So, your saying I meet your standards? How flattering,"

They soon reach his room and on the frame is scrawled Daniël Von Dutch. Which Daan hates seeing, so he won't be looking at it. He walks right in, without a clue that he needs to spoken word invite the other man in for him to follow. Daan just stops when it seems Hubert gets stuck in doorway.

"You having a problem back there?"

"Clean water certainly does."

The door, though, does present a problem—but one Hubert did not seem agitated by. He glances up at the nameplate. That doesn't surprise him, considering the one bearing his own above his quarters, but this force...

Hubert raises a hand, palm open, pushing it until it stops flat in the doorway. "Fascinating," he murmurs, seemingly ignoring Daan. In fact, Hubert sounds almost happy about this.

It certainly meant he can stop sleeping in bursts of an hour or two, as he lays awake in the paranoia someone might try to attack him in his sleep.

"Oh, come on," Daan groans, exasperated, "are you a goddamn vampire? Since when do vampires have fire powers, that's so confused."

Now the real question, does Daan invite a man he now very logically presumes is a literal bloodsucker into his room-?

"Just come in and kill me, I'm so tired of all this."

That seems to release the seal, cool to know.

Hubert's hand does then push through the air, no longer halted by the invisible barrier. He continues to watch this phenomenon with interest.

He chuckles quietly as he steps through the threshold. "Be careful what fate you invite upon yourself, Daniël," he says with some lingering humor, despite his general exaggeration with the man. "There are all manner of creatures it, it seems."

What even was a vampire, anyway? No matter. Hubert unclasps his cape to hang on a nearby rack before making his way to the fireplace; simply because he mysteriously did not mind the rain anymore didn't mean he had to drag unnecessary water into the room.

Don't ask Daan what a vampire is, he'll tell Hubert they sparkle in the sunlight and fuck up his whole perception.

"I don't require any lecture on cruel fate," he snarls, because that seems to be an actual soft spot for him, "I appreciate the courtesy."

Daan goes to grab the iron pot meant for his fireplace. It has a chain it can hang from in order to suspend over the flames safely. He unclasps it and tucks it beneath an arm, ready to head back out into the rain as they agreed. No watching this man's secrets to making fire. Maybe he just found a lighter in the damn smoking room... Daan's had already run out of fumes it was running on.

"I'll return soon with more water. Just get this done, I'm not waiting outside my own room for you to finish." He'll just let that sound suggestive, he's out of fucks to give.

TEST DRIVE MEME | #01

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