TEST DRIVE MEME | #01

[triumvirmod]

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)

Comments

[dearestdarling]

Oh, yes. I think we all do. Though mine aren't the screaming sort.

[He leads Daan under a massive oak tree, big enough to keep most of the rain droplets from falling through the canopy. He sits by the trunk.]

If it would help to have someone stay with you who understands, I'm happy to.

[He's figured out by now that not everyone here is a soldier, and they're all from different places. So while Ellwood isn't always the most empathetic person, he reckons he gets it more than a lot of others Daan might share with.]

[livelamentlove]

I'm very tolerant of screaming even if you were.

[he's a medic, he's had to go numb to it. No other choice in the matter.

Daan watches as Ellwood find a comfortable place and takes a seat for himself. It's a nice image, he thinks. A handsome, young man at peace after facing war. Couldn't be him, but it suits Ellwood just perfect. Still bright eyed and- no, never mind that saying.]

Let's give it a try then and see how it works out. My room is marked 'Daniël Von Dutch' and you're welcome inside at your leisure even if I'm not there.

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood nods. He thinks he's close to being tolerant of screaming, as well.

He's certainly not at peace, but he's pretty good at faking it. Even now, there are whispers on the air, and he knows they are ghosts, but he does not react to them in the slightest.]

Daniël von Dutch.

[He repeats it in a musing tone, leaning his head back on the tree bark with a hint of a smile. At Preshute, would they call him Dutch, or Von Dutch?]

I'll come by tonight, then.

[He takes a small notebook and pen out of his breast pocket and opens it to a blank page on his knees.]

[livelamentlove]

Just Daan if you will. My mother called me that... my father called me Daniël. This damn place seems to have taken his side over hers, but it really is a toss up which is my real name.

[for whatever real is worth. Daan is just easier, people don't get the emphasis wrong so often.]

... the last name is from my wife. I prefer you don't call me that- I'm... widowed.

[his tone very strictly says recently and do not ask me anything about it]

[dearestdarling]

Oh.

[He wouldn't ask him about it anyway. It's not like he'd have any idea what to say. Other than:]

Sorry for your loss. Daan it is.

[He goes to write the date in his notebook, then realizes he doesn't know what day it is in this place. He decides to just write the day after the last day he remembers in Belgium. Got to keep track somehow.]

At Preshute, everyone calls each other by last names. That's why I go by Ellwood, though I let people call me Sidney if we're close.

[livelamentlove]

Thank you.

[Both for agreeing to the name and for the condolences. He'd rather not linger on it, it's too much to even start to speak on.

The war never gave him nightmares. Losing his wife did.]

Shall I call you Sidney then or do you need to sleep in my bed, first?

[he'll cope with humor to his dying breath]

[dearestdarling]

Hah! You'll have to do much more than share a bed with me to earn 'Sidney' rights.

[He challenges playfully, writing his name and Daan's name in cursive in his notebook.]

[livelamentlove]

A high bar I can tell. Very good to know.

[It must be nice to have standards.

... be nice, Daan. He rethinks that statement. It is nice to have standards. Much better.]

I'll see you tonight, Ellwood. I want go to look around more and you seem quite comfortable.

[dearestdarling]

[It's not really that high a bar, but like Daan needs to seem mysterious and aloof, Ellwood needs to seem a little harder to get than he is.]

Righto. See you tonight, Daan!

Skipping ahead!

[livelamentlove]

[Daan nods and takes his leave. He didn't really want to, but the time felt right. Maybe the conversation made him a little too antsy to stick around. A delayed flight response. He goes for a walk around the castle, wearing himself out, hoping he could sleep through the night if he did so.

He's rewarded with a nice find. The prize is tucked under his arm as he returns to his room that night. On the later side, and he noticed the fire is going in the hearth. Despite being a cat, his eyesight is pretty shit in the low light...

So, he calls out,]

Are you in, Ellwood? I have a surprise, so don't go surprising me in turn.

[if he dropped the thing he'd be pissed.]

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood spends the afternoon writing a letter to Pritchard that he can't send, telling him about this strange new place and his new fake-English friend and his lingering grief. Then he writes a bloody poem, and then he tries to find books. He's led by the construct to two huge locked doors, and is not able to produce a key for them the way he did for the cigar room. Damn.

Eventually he gets bored and curious enough to find Daan's room and give himself a little tour. It's very nice, more like his childhood bedroom at Thornycroft than any he's stayed in in the past 5 years. He doesn't take a bath, though the temptation is there. He does build a fire and sprawl out on Daan's plush bed, which reminds him of the one he shared with Gaunt in France. He tries to write again, but soon his boredom and hunger and the warmth of the fire lull him to sleep, notebook open, pen in hand.

When Daan comes in and speaks to him, he stirs.]

Mmh- Henry?

[The question comes softly from the bed. He can't see much with how dark the room has gotten, and for a few long moments Ellwood has absolutely no idea where he is.]

[livelamentlove]

[Already in the bed? Daan understands, if Ellwood could get some sleep in, he should do so. Doesn't mean Daan isn't a little jealous.]

I'm afraid not.

[Said wistfully. He doesn't need to know who Henry is to presume he's someone precious to the man. A cherished family member or comrade or even a lover... Daan won't pry. Ellwood didn't pry after his wife, after all.]

What I am is a man with a proper, aged bottle of red wine. If you would like to enjoy it with me, you better get up before I can drink it all myself.

[And he will]

[dearestdarling]

[Of course it's not Henry. Henry is-- right. That's a painful pang. Not Hayes, either. Ellwood looks at the man, cast in the dim light of the fire, and remembers all at once who he is, their conversation, and how he came to be in his bed.

He pushes himself up to sitting, rubbing his eyes and blinking. Little does he know he's smudging ink on his face.]

Sorry. Didn't mean to fall asleep-- you've got wine?

[livelamentlove]

[Daan crosses to the fireplace and sets the wine down on the small end table situated there between two armchairs. He takes a small stick of lit wood from the fire and uses that as a match to light one of the oil lamps, providing a little more light to the room. It's still dim, with just that and the fireplace, but it should provide Ellwood enough visibility to make it safety to the seats.

Taking one for himself, he wastes little time getting to the bottle. He just... digs a fang right into the cork and jostles it free using that. The pop! is unmistakable. And the smell of rich red is supple. Daan would have started chugging the thing if he didn't have company to be somewhat dignified around.........

Which is why it's good he has company.]

Yes and I'm not hesitating further so hurry yourself. [he's slightly hesitating.

Despite the room being well appointed, there is no glass wear about. Nothing really at all. So. He take a swig direct from the bottle. Can't be helped.]

[dearestdarling]

[To Ellwood's disappointment, Daan does not bring the bottle to the bed, so he gets up slowly, gathering his pen and notebook and putting them on the nightstand. He shuffles across the room to the chairs.]

How romantic.

[He mutters this as he sinks into the other armchair with a soft sigh. He holds a hand out for the bottle, since apparently they're getting right to it, and looks at the fancy label.]

Now where did you find this?

[livelamentlove]

[Daan just puffs a breath purely out his nose at that romantic comment. Very cute. When Ellwood joins him in his own seat, Daan will part his lips from the bottle and hand it over.

While his hand returns to him, he swipes some lingering red from his lips, before licking his thumb. Waste not, want not.]

Wandering about, someone opened up a room the same way you had. A wine cellar. I couldn't help but loot one for myself.

[He'd have taken more, but others were there and he wasn't going to be that selfish. Ration mentality in wartime, that sort of thing. Nobody likes a hoarder. Daan would prefer to be liked...... if at all possible for him.]

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood eyes him licking his own thumb. Hmmmmm...

He takes a swig.]

Man of many vices, aren't you?

[He notes that Daan seems unable to order the constructs himself, despite how easy Ellwood finds it. Maybe it does have to do with his cat ears.

He sips again, looking into the fire as he passes the bottle back.]

It's good stuff.

[livelamentlove]

Yes. Which reminds me that this could be even better with another smoke.

[now you've gone and done it, Ellwood. He'll drinking and smoking. Other vices may be on the table, Daan is a man of many such talents (see: addictions).

He'll wait a moment, though. Sitting is nice for a while, especially with wine on his tongue. Daan stretches his arms up, very kitty of him in his streeeetch.]

Would be better if I could properly decant it. Straight from the bottle will have to do.

[dearestdarling]

Christ. What others have you got?

[Ellwood puts another log on the fire, then sits and pulls one of his knees up to his chest, resting his chin on it as he stares into it.]

You didn't think to swipe any glassware from the kitchen?

[livelamentlove]

Ask again in a few drinks.

[what a mysterious and aloof fellow, huh?

... He looks to Ellwood, eyeing how he chooses to sit. It's cute, he thinks, portrays his youth well without being childish. Daan would be repelled if it did, despite teasing him for being a still a boy earlier.]

I didn't. Poor form on my behalf. I- [does he want to share more about himself? ... why not. They're sharing a room. Why not share stories. Daan used to be less closed off to that sort of thing, before he married.] used to be a butler. Up to and a little after your present age.

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood smirks and chuckles quietly at that.]

Will do.

[He's definitely curious to see where this will go, ambiguous as it is currently and sharing a bed after drinking. He feels open to whatever might happen, so long as it doesn't get him kicked out of here. It's a capital room.]

... Really?

[Ellwood seems astonished by this. He and all his friends are the types to have servants in their family homes.]

Did you like it?

cw: def some implications of sa/violence/privacy invasion here

[livelamentlove]

[Like it. Well.]

It was honest work. Far better than being alone on the streets of Rondon.

[his parents- the rabbits- weren't in the picture. He had to make it on his own.]

Compared to that it was the lap of luxury. Nice clothes, dry bedding, I even got a lock on my door. Such basic things... they make a world of difference.

[he stands. He wants that cigar. They got stashed out from his vest and into the room earlier. One he kept on himself, so that's what he'll take out. Daan just bites the end off with his sharp teeth. A handy multitool those are turning out to be. He crouches at the fire to light up,]

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood hums thoughtfully. He'd never gone without any of those things, not until the front. He knows now how much they can be taken for granted, how much he had taken them for granted, but he definitely still does. After all, the war is temporary. In theory.]

They do.

[Safety, too. Staying alive. That's easily taken for granted.

He laughs in surprise as Daan bites the tip off of the cigar.]

You're a savage. Beastly kitty.

[livelamentlove]

Nobody can pass through that door unless I've invited them. So, it's just you and I, safe and sound.

[Ellwood could always leave, that's his choice. It's just a comfort to Daan that there's no chance of a break in, that some magic compells against it. As far as he's been able to witness first hand, at least. Maybe that wouldn't hold up under pressure, maybe it would fade and allow in some devil like the Pocketcat, but he's trying to believe it. Trying his best to hold onto the comforts he holds,

He spits the end into the flame. Real savage stuff, indeed.]

I'm a proper heathen if you couldn't already tell.

[dearestdarling]

[Ellwood looks up at Daan with a bit of confusion, but then he smiles softly. He must mean that their meeting here is secret, in that no one will find out. Ellwood is far from the most discreet boy at Preshute, but he is still required to be, to some degree, so he won't be expelled or worse. Or maybe Daan just means that it's private and no one will interfere or harm them. Either way, it is a comfort.]

Lovely.

[It reminds him, vaguely, of all his time spent in Maitland's room.]

Truly! You've lost all your butler sensibilities, it would seem. My mother would fire you promptly for such animal behaviour.