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bondedmeme2026-05-12 04:59 pm
triumvirmod) wrote in bondedmeme2026-05-12 04:59 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME | #01
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.
➤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.)
➤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 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!
no subject
He sees that tear rolling and lifts his hand to gently catch and wipe it away with the clean back of his thumb.
Then he locks their lips, kissing Daan passionately as he begins to move inside of him. He moans, desperate and muffled into his mouth.]
no subject
Daan's arms wrap tighter around him, covetously. All his for the moment, this clever man. Their mouths glide and push and pull against one another, all lips and teeth and tongues. Daan drinks in the taste, wine and smoke and cum. It's just what he wanted, maybe ever what he needed on some spiritual level. One his ego can't cross into without delving too deep. For now, Daan doesn't want to think about what haunts him or what ails him, only what he's got right now. A passionate man fucking him raw and kissing him so gladly.
Fingers grip into Ellwood's hair and get just coated with now melty wax. When they attempt to dig into his back, the man is spared any scratches, Daan's fingers just slip in place somewhat comically. Largely because he does keep trying and it just won't stick- which then eases him up to smile and huff against Ellwood's lips, bemused by the minute awkwardness.]
no subject
His exhales into Daan's mouth come with soft grunts and groans, slight whimpers here and there.]
Oh, Daan—
[He breaks the kiss to look at him, gaze at his face and into his eye. He threads a hand into his partner's hair, tenderly pushing it back out of his face, and smiles as Daan attempts to scratch him and is thwarted by the wax. Ellwood's hair is disheveled now, curls sticking out in odd ringlets as the wax starts to lose its hold. Normally he would fix it immediately, but right now it's hardly even on his mind, with Daan filling all his senses. He moans, a small and thready whine.]
no subject
He kisses the man more soft and light, muttering against his lips so the vibration of them is felt and not just the sound heard,]
Just look at you, you're darling... [with his expression all want and hair all wild. Daan can't make a scratching post of Ellwood, but he can massage into that waxy residue with soothing pressure,]
Go long as you li-, ahh... like... hard or slow... as you like... [Daan is the eager recipient of Ellwood's whims. It doesn't means he's just going to lay back and take it unreciprocated, of course. When Ellwood pushes in, Daan pushes back, bucking his hips in meeting. It pushes Ellwood deeper, so deep Daan feels it at the base of his tailbone, that sensitive tail radiating sensation up his spine. A bit ticklish, but it's actually tantalizing now, the context is better, the sensation more clearly pleasurable. And the tail itself, it wraps back around and curls around the back of Ellwood's thigh. Just another thing anchoring him to Daan, not wanting him to rush off in escape.]
no subject
Shhhhh...
[To shut him up, Ellwood kisses him again and fucks him harder, faster. Soon he forgets all about darling, overcome with pleasure rippling through him, heating and flushing his skin. His moans mount into small cries of overwhelm.]
Oh, Daan I'm—
[He's getting alarmingly close.]
no subject
Ellwood speeds up, Daan's legs tighten to make sure he's getting all the tightness he could want from him, all the well earned pleasure. There's some relief for Daan that he's not trying to cum again himself, it takes the pressure off, allows him just to focus on Ellwood.
He hugs the man, tucks his face towards Ellwood's ear, encourages him from there.]
Pour into me, Ellwood. Come. [If Ellwood likes to stay held so close, he can come like this or Daan will loosen his hold enough he can lean back away, watch Daan or kiss him, whatever it is he wants for his moment of climax.]
collars can break now perhaps~?
[That verbal permission opens the floodgates. Ellwood is happy to bury his face into Daan's neck and be held by him as his body whirls up into ecstasy and his muscles spasm violently. It's as blissful and beautiful as poetry, as pent-up and angry as grief. His fingertips dig into Daan's back as his hips hilt one more time, then stutter and still, filling his partner with seed that's gone unspent for weeks, maybe months.]
Ahhh...
[With that demon exorcised from his body, at least for now, he finally relaxes against Daan, their bodies melting and melding together.]
get Bonded, idiots
Daan feels a rush of energy he's only experienced in Sylvian ritual circles and for a moment his body curls in like a too tight spring. Every instinct is to throw Ellwood off of him- He full well knows the difference between being cum inside and actual magic-
There is actual magic here.
It's not Sylvian. Daan doesn't know what it is. The tension holds and shivers in place, it doesn't kick out against Ellwood. Daan realizes he doesn't feel... afraid. If anything, it's like a long suffocating weight is being lifted and he can breathe, he can breathe, he can breathe again..!
The collar around his neck shatters as Daan gasps like the wind was knocked out of him. His smoker's lung sounds rough as he tries to catch his breath after, curling into Ellwood rather than pushing him off,]
>:)
Daan gasps and Ellwood pushes himself up abruptly, enough to see his partner. Shards of their brass and silver collars have fallen all around Daan's neck and collarbone, littering his skin and the bed below him like flower petals.]
Hey, shh, you're all right.
[He cradles his partner to his chest and pets his hair.]
Our collars have broken, that's all. I suppose they couldn't handle our raw chemistry.
no subject
Separate from me- A moment- Please- Please, Ellwood-
[Panic. He feels panic bubbling up, he tries to anchor himself in reason. His hand find his own neck and squeeze briefly, as if checking he's all there. Once they're bodies aren't connected, Daan seems to begin to even his breathing and stop coughing between every pant,]
Are you okay-? [what a thing for a man who does not seem okay to ask another]
no subject
[He's taken aback as Daan suddenly sits up. He scrambles to get off of him, as requested.]
Alright, just- give me- ugh-
[He has to first pull himself out of Daan with a small grunt, and then he scoots apart from him, watching him panic.
Oh, dear. Has he gone mad?]
I- I'm fine. What's the matter?
[Everything was fine, amazing actually, and now-]
no subject
Y, yes... you're fine. Quite fine, indeed. [he huffs slumping forward to rest his forehead to Ellwood's nape. His hair is all mussed up as well, sticking with sweat to the man as he calms himself down. Mad is right... he's always just barely keeping his mind together, isn't he?]
I- I thought I hurt you, for some reason- Perhaps I've just had... too much wine. Empty stomach and all. [a complete lie, but it's convenient. An excuse to fall back on. He can't explain what a melting, magical sensation would spark him into a panic. He can't begin to explain to Ellwood what he's seen.
And what matters is it wasn't Sylvian's magic. He wouldn't have gotten the chance to apologize, if it had been. So, it's something else. Best to bring attention to that, pull it away from himself and his oddness,]
... why ever did the collars break, though? [the shards are already gone, too, dispersed like so much smoke into the air. He lifts his head to look to Ellwood's neck, to see again it was missing just the same as Daan's own.]
no subject
You haven't hurt me, Daan.
[He wraps an arm around Daan's shoulders and sighs. He does not believe this is a matter of too much wine. Part of him is grumpy that their bliss was interrupted by this--whatever this is-- but another part of him thinks of Gaunt screaming from nightmares. Crawley screaming in his face in absolute terror and then snapping out of it, saying, "I thought you were someone else." He thinks of the boy with pretty little poems who stuck a gun in his mouth after two weeks on the front. His own hauntings and nightmares. Madness seems to come for them all in insidious ways. It's only a matter of time. And Daan was a medic. He can't very well expect him to be perfectly sane.
He turns his head to kiss Daan on the hair, then strokes it back, smoothing the sweaty locks away from his face.]
I've no idea. [He rubs the spot on his neck where the collar was, still imprinted and red with some irritation from the cheap brass. As his eyes wander across the bed, his gaze catches on something. His brow furrows as he tries to make it out. Is that...
Maybe he's seeing things.]