achates | [DAY 0] TDM.

[DAY 0] TDM.

Error in final launch sequence:
Failed to execute MI command:
target remote localhost: 01633
Error message from debugger back end:
Cannot access memory at address 𝟹͚̽𝚡̰̍̂𝟸̠̯̘ͭͧ𝚌̭͉̺͖ͥ𝟿̳̰̒̇ͅ𝟷̦ͣ̉͌̅𝚋͓͎̈̒̀𝟻ͭ̌͂𝟷ͩ̓𝟾̦
Failed to execute MI command:
target remote localhost: 01633
Error message from debugger back end:
Cannot access memory at address 𝟹̖͇͕̃𝚡͉̹̯͇̻̉̓̂𝟸͚̹͈͓̩͚̲̼͒̾𝚌̱̠͙̝̪͇̈̌̂̃̄ͭ𝟿̱̜̪͓̳̹ͤ̊̈́ͦͥ̑𝟷͖̱̝̀̒̇̂̄̈́̓̇ͅ𝚋̥̯͉̹͛͛̊ͤͦͩ𝟻̬̮̈́̋ͯ͛̉̐𝟷̋ͩ̔̔𝟾̼
Waiting for debugger connection...
Debugger connected
Debugger connection lost.
Waiting for debugger connection...
Debugger connected
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Debugger connection lost.
Shutting down...
Rebooting
Download in Progress:
File download complete
Time elapsed during download operation: 00:12:33.131
Rebooting
Launching Demon Summoning Program. . .

You open your eyes to the end of the world, but you do not see it.

Instead what rouses you is screaming and crying, blood and tears: all around you are signs of life. Inside the overturned train, people begin to awaken, sprawled on the ground as if thrown violently from their seats, broken bones and bleeding wounds struggling to rise from the carpet of shattered glass from the windows at their feet. Emerging from the wreck, characters will find themselves at the edge of a dense forest, a towering stone wall at their backs. Bright eyes peer out from the shadows of the foliage, more and more blinking into view like stars in a darkening sky, but despite being drawn to the scent of blood that hangs heavy in the air, nothing steps out of the forest. Not yet.

None of the passengers can recall what happened, what they were doing on a train, where it was going- there's more they can't remember, but overshadowing the gaps of memory are things they have gained in return. A familiar item that is not theirs. A gemstone that feels lighter than it appears, as if hollow inside. And a device that wraps around their wrist (or rests on their head, or hangs around their neck, or however it presents itself to each character) that starts up on its own the moment the character turns their attention to it, as if waiting. Each character's COMP has a "navigator" selected at default, either "A☆L☆A" in bright neon orange, or "K5" in cool slate blue, although the presiding navigator can be freely switched between them.

Heya, boss! My name's Ala, your new navi!

You wanna know something really funny? Go ahead and touch the map on the corner of the screen to enlarge it. See all those little red dots? Those are demons out to kill you. Haha! You're surrounded!

Heya, boss! You can call me Keigo, your navigational AI.

If you touch the map on the corner of the screen, you can enlarge it and see the positions of all your allies. Looks like some of you are already heading out: see those little blue— oh. That one just disappeared. ... Try to stick together.

Along with providing a map with enemy/ally positions, the navigators will walk characters through the demon interaction, recruitment, and summoning processes, with advice varying between the two navigators (click to expand)

Just beat 'em up and force 'em to join! They can't say no if they're dead!

Nobody is immune to bribery, not even demons. What do you even have, though...? No matter what, don't let them get that life stone.

More demons incoming! Ooh, you're screwed. You'd better run! Don't worry, I won't tell.

Let's hide here. We'll wait here until that demon passes, then move!

Look, a body! Are they still alive? Wonder what's in their pockets...?

It's already too late to help. But better them being demon food than you.

Or, you could stay. There is nothing forcing anybody to leave the relative safety of the train. Those who stay behind will find the conductor's cabin empty, save for a small black cat perched on the headrest of the driver's seat that peers out with bright golden eyes at those who enter. Otherwise, there are no signs of a fight or struggle inside the cabin. Elsewhere, there is unclaimed luggage in the overhead compartments with an abundance of clothing and blankets, although characters will not find any of their own clothing except what they're already wearing. The dining cart is still stocked with enough food and beverage to last each passenger at least two days— maybe longer, if people keep leaving/dying... But at the same time, maybe shorter, considering the pervasive hunger that gnaws at the pits of everybody's stomachs, an emptiness that yearns to be filled by something... more.

As minutes stretch into hours, it becomes painfully clear that nobody is coming to help. Everybody only has each other, this town, its inhabitants. The forest is dark and unforgiving, near impossible to navigate even with a map. Strange creatures jump out from the shadows, eyes bright, mouths salivating, hungry. Strong hands claw through the dirt underfoot to grab at people's feet, pulling themselves up, mouths wide open, hungry. Sharp talons swoop down from the skies above, snatching characters up into the air, crushing skulls and snapping spines. Hungry. The demons here seem delighted to see such a feast wandering right into their home; those who are stopped for attempted conversation express surprise that characters are able to see them, but ultimately the hunger wins, and hunger does not listen to reason.

Casualties are inevitable. Blood mist permeates the air, and follows even as characters break out of the forest and across town, all the way to the fraying end of the world. Out in the open, however, the sun rays beat down bright and harsh, and those hungry eyes shy away from the sunlight to remain in the shadows, inside husks of buildings and thickets of overgrown fields. Characters will be able to find refuge in the greenhouse and the church, and some of the standing houses are truly vacant (as opposed to "surprise! there's actually a demon inside!" vacant); the only eyes that follow you are those of photographs hung crooked on the walls, of familiar strangers and forgotten friends. Look, there's a picture of you too.

Other locations require more caution to explore:

The sound of crying can be heard from the upper stories of the school building, thin wails echoing up and down the deserted halls, and human-like shadows peer out from the broken, unboarded windows, as if watching. A barricade inside the front doors makes it difficult to enter from the main entrance, and with most of the windows boarded up, the hallways inside remain dark even during the day. The smell of rot is prominent, heavy and cloying, especially in the auditorium-become-mausoleum that is littered with crushed bones, thin and brittle, every last scrap of flesh already nibbled away. A flock of demons crowd around outside principal's office, where a blizzard blows through the entire hallway, rendering visibility near zero and temperatures below that.

The hospital is also deathly cold, breath visible in puffs of mist that sometimes form into screaming faces, and when all is still and quiet, you look up and see yourself. Shadows form into mirror images of the characters who enter the hospital, silently approaching others and attacking once the person's guard is down. If a demon borrowing your face isn't bad enough, Phantoms go a step further and take the form of people who are close to your character: friends, family, foes. Exploring the hospital may or may not be worth the potential backstabbing, considering the fact that the supplies found are maybe not the most sterile, half the equipment is rusted or corroded, and a lot of the medicine is unlabeled tablets and capsules inside unlabeled bottles (essentially, take at your own risk). Moreover, hordes of all sorts of demon ghosts will bar characters' way down to the basement, gathering in massive numbers anytime somebody tries to descend. Electricity bounces around the top of the stairway down, while bright flames lick the bottom of the stairs; particularly unlucky characters may be hit with a confusion spell, liable to throw themselves headfirst down the stairs to be consumed by the waiting demons below.

Hauntingly beautiful music can be heard from within the concert hall, and listening to their song puts you fast asleep— possibly in the middle of the street if you're not careful— while those who manage to make it past the front doors are immediately frozen in a hunk of ice or electrocuted to a crisp before being kicked to the curb. The concert hall appears to be actively guarded, and it's clear that strangers are Not Welcome. Even the other demons keep clear of this building, drawn to the music but lingering far enough to not be overwhelmed. Characters may have an easier time of initiating conversations with demons from around town or inside the houses nearby the concert hall.

The crackle of electricity can be heard from inside the power plant's upper stories despite the blackout, and the entire building shakes from time to time, as if caught in a thunderstorm, or an earthquake. A slow drip... drip... drip... can be heard throughout the building, of amorphous demons clinging to the walls like mold and leaving puddles of caustic acid Everywhere. Anybody who enters the power plant's front entrance is met with a massive agglomerate of black Ooze that has expanded to fill the entire first floor from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, preventing anybody from going upstairs while it remains. Arms and legs poke out of the demon's body in places, desperately clawing and kicking, weaker, weaker. done.

OOC

Welcome to Day 0! What better meet-and-greet is there than everybody being tossed into the fray to fight for their lives? ('': For convenience, here are the game info, locations, and demon compendium pages; please use these as reference for what more can be found in the setting.

The characters' COMP will turn on only after they notice and focus on it. If they do NOT activate the COMP, they will not be able to see the demons or interact with them in any way other than being killed. Activating the COMP will allow characters to see demons and somewhat understand their language, with an added effect of allowing physical attacks to harm demons, and mitigating the damage taken from demons.

For characters who app and are accepted, please report demon recruitment here. Characters who are just tdming do not have to report. Recruited demons are inclined to listen to their summoner, but are not necessarily friendly at the beginning: if your character shows weakness, the demon may be just as likely to eat them as they are to protect them.

There will be no NPCs in this game other than the two navigators and some key demons. You're on your own for now!

This first event/tdm is open to the public, and can be used for test driving at any time after the game starts. I'll be keeping a pulse on threads for when characters have gotten their bearings and seem to have a general idea of how they want to proceed into the next day, and we'll go from there.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( ooc: PLEASE take a look at my opt out! it lists a couple of things in elmer's backstory. )

1. train

[ when elmer wakes up, he is not smiling. it's almost impossible to maintain a smile while you're unconscious, after all. though part of him can't help but wonder if it's possible. would people be happier if they smiled through their sleep?

but this is no time to focus on that. the smell of blood that is mostly not his own, the crying of the other passengers, and the item in his hand-- a thin, metallic stiletto. he has no way to hide it or pocket it, but he sees no issue. if anyone is afraid of him, then surely a big warm smile and a few words of reassurance will help clear the air and get them back to smiling.

he takes note of the wounds on himself, and the fact that he's not healing from them. strange, but that hardly puts a damper on his plans. stepping over the dead, he'll go up to anyone that is not smiling and stop them. ]

2. hospital

[ and so it seems like something has stopped his immortality. and though it's both a shame and a chore to have to be more careful with his own body against the creatures prowling for what seems to be their next meal, he seems to have very little problem making his way to the hospital.

in there he sees the faces of those he's formed some sort of connection with. sylvie, felt, czes...even huey and monica. but they don't seem to affect him, as he makes his way to an area with a series of medicines. as an alchemist of 300-something years, it'd be silly to say that he didn't keep up with the advances of modern medicine. ]

[ he pockets a dubious looking bottle of ibuprofen, and then turns towards your character. ]

[ he makes the motion of going to hand another bottle to your character...and immediately pulls back. ]

3. church

[ the church has always been an odd place for elmer. having been rescued by the spanish inquisition, it was obvious that he had received their teachings; their precious miracle child. nonetheless, this didn't stop elmer from growing up an atheist and blaspheming against the very hand that fed him by deciding to become an alchemist, but he held no grudges. would've been nicer if they had smiled a little more for him, though.

still, he's in the graveyard of the church, taking a break as he sits down on the tombstone of one of the graves.

(does he notice the names of the tombstone, and how it says 'Huey Laforet'? does he even care?) ]

4. Wildcard

[ idk just make something up or hmu on

odasaku! i'm very flexible! ]

[Alice's drifting through the graveyard comes to an abrupt stop before one of the headstones, labeled ARKOS JUNGHART.]

...figures. [For a long moment, her face is perfectly blank. Then she gives the slab of stone a vicious kick. Her thin soles offer little protection against the recoil, but she doesn't even notice the pain.

However, she does notice Elmer.]

What are you looking at? [she says, totally not defensively.]

Looking at you, of course.

[ he chuckles, as lighthearted as can be. he doesn't look concerned in the slightest, as if the two of them weren't in the middle of a creepy church in the creepy town. ]

So? Did kicking the tombstone make you feel better? Was it someone you hate? If it was, then maybe you should smile a little more.

[Now that makes Alice laugh. A long, desperate laugh, and she doesn't smile for a single moment while she's wracked by her spiteful snickering, but hey, that's progress, right?

Once she recovers, Alice's gaze is harder than ever.]

You can't die if you never existed in the first place. "Arkos Junghart" is a mass delusion that the rest of my family thought up. That's it.

...I was the one who killed him, in a way. That's something to be happy about, I guess. [She's still not smiling, though.]

Edited 2024-08-30 05:53 (UTC)

If it's something to be happy about, then come on. Smile. Like this! Smiiiiileeee!

[ he tugs on his own cheeks, stretching his mouth into a clearly goofy and exaggerated version of a smile.

while still tugging, he continues talking in a muffled voice. ]

See? Just like that. Not too hard! Even a baby can do it.

...

.......

Wow. You're a creep.

Edited 2024-08-31 15:32 (UTC)

elmer’s gonna put her in an intensive how to smile class :/

smiledetector - 2024-08-31 15:39 (UTC) - Expand

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rimingcouplet - 2024-08-31 18:43 (UTC) - Expand

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smiledetector - 2024-09-07 02:43 (UTC) - Expand

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rimingcouplet - 2024-09-07 05:38 (UTC) - Expand

...what?

[ Minato hadn't been smiling, but he also wasn't frowning the way he does now, hearing that optimism, so out of place he almost finds it laughable, if it weren't for all the death and dying and Minato who is supposed to be one or the other but instead he finds himself still alive. ]

Can it be anybody...?

[ Not just him, please, do not bank the group's luck on his (in?)ability to smile ]

Sure it can. It'd be nice if everyone could smile at the same time, so that at least they die happily, but that's probably unreasonable, so I'll settle by saying that the more the merrier.

[ he nods, his bright smile like a ray of light among the darkness of the train and the despair of the grieving. ]

You could smile because you're happy to die here. Or, perhaps, you want to smile because you have hope that you'll make it out of here alive. Or maybe you don't want to smile yet? In that case, though, I'd prefer it if you avoided dying.

[ "at the same time"... good luck with that, when the first few people Elmer meets is already this resistant. It makes sense, though, sort of. Not really, but kind of. If he really thinks about what Elmer is saying— it would be nice if he could die happily, with a smile on his face— but the contentment of death has already been wrenched out of Minato's hands and instead leaves him feeling lost.

He won't make it out of here alive because he's not supposed to be alive, anymore. ]

Most people do that by default, I think... [ "most people". anyways. ] What do you think? Are we all going to die? Or will we make it out alive?

[ for what reason is Elmer smiling for? ]

Most, but not all.

[ there's a couple people that he could name that wouldn't fit the bill. he himself is unsure as to which category he would place himself in. he's far more blasé about death than most of his immortal friends, but even he would rather avoid permanent death unless there was no other choice-- especially now.

that's why the question does get him to pause, his smile replaced by a more thoughtful expression for a few seconds. ]

I think many will probably die. I mean, so long as our legs can still carry us or we can defend ourselves, we'll probably be able to run from these strange creatures, but... [ he glances over minato's shoulder and behind his own, at the many people who have been strewn about like rag dolls. ] Well, if you can't run, then it might be lights out for you.

[ hahaha. he's back to smiling. but even though he's laughing, his words carry an air of gravity to them that show that he's not joking. ]

But what do you think?

I hope everybody will make it out alive.

[ That's not an answer to that question, but it is what he feels. Realistically, many people will probably die— every minute that he stands here, while unsuspecting people wander into the forest, people are dying. It would be impossible for everybody to survive. It would be stupid to try.

But he still wants to. He knows he'll fail, but he still wants to try. ]

I can fight. Protect people. Might not be enough to make them smile, but at least I'd like to make them not as afraid.

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[Kaito wasn't really smiling right now, because this is a serious situation, but he can't help but crack a grin upon hearing what Elmer said]

Now that's what I like to hear! A good attitude is important! You cannot tackle the unknown without a fearless smile!

[Probably nooooot the same thing Elmer meant, but hey, he's smiling!]

[ ~~eh, close enough, he doesn't need to know about the horrors.~~

elmer grins when his smile is returned with another. the unknown, huh? ]

Indeed. Even the settlers must have smiled from time to time. [ mostly said from experience, though unfortunately so many of his shipmates stopped smiling after a certain event. ] The more that are able to survive, the more smiles we'll be able to give to people.

[ a pause. ] So do you have any idea of what's going on?

That's right!

[Kaito isn't...100% sure what Elmer was being all about, but hey, it's about smiles, and smiles means everything is fine. That's all!

The question gets Kaito to shrug]

Got no idea, but that's fine. What matters is to get through this. Simple enough!

[Kaito is exuding confidence!]

Hey, hey, I like that confidence!

[ it's foolhardy, yet even elmer can't help but feel somewhat invigorated by the enthusiasm that is bounced back at him. it's a rare thing, usually the normal response from others is to call him an idiot or a freak... but it's useful. far better than someone wallowing in despair.

he glances through the window, at the horde of creatures that are sauntering towards the train car, led by the smell of blood and despair. ]

I'd say that I never thought I'd be stuck in a cheesy B film, but the last place where I was at was something like this too. [ ..... ] Hope you know how to either fight or run, or we're toast!

[ does he say this while still smiling? yup! ]

[Man, how could you say that one while smiling, he thinks to himself. Kaito hasn't seen what exactly is approaching, but he looks at his COMP, seeing the red dots approaching, and that's enough to know encountering something bad is inevitable]

Yeah, got both covered, but give me a second, I'll figure something out, just in case.

[There's got to be a decent weapon around here! Kaito looks around, sees the handle of the door to the next train car half-broken, and decides that yeah, that can be ripped away. Soon Kaito has a long, curved piece of metal. Not all that heavy and therefore not the best weapon ever, but hey, it's metal. It's going to daze anyone it hits, he's sure!]

We're not sticking around. We're outnumbered, so get going!

[Fighting a horde by yourself is dangerous! Were it just one opponent, or maybe up to six opponents, no matter its size, Kaito would stand his ground and fight. But against a horde...yeah, no, fleeing is the right thing]

A smile...?

[ He asks, incredulous, his hand hanging in the air for a few seconds longer before falling back to his side. That's that what he would expect a person to ask for in in a place that reeks so heavily of death and decay. For most, it's far more concerning when a person can smile easily at that ugly sight, and he does believe that present company would pass as unsettling for a normal person.

Dazai cants his head, unconcerned, but rather with a no small amount of budding curiosity at this strange request. ]

Why that?

Edited 2024-08-30 03:34 (UTC)

Because we're in a situation that's straight out of a post apocalyptic horror movie! In these movies, the economy is in shambles and people tend to barter, right? It's been a while since I've done that.

[ playing with the pill bottle in his hand, elmer continues smiling at dazai like it's been plastered on his face. nothing about this seems to faze him, and if it does, he's certainly not showing it.

at the very least it's easy going, and his other hand is not even close to the stiletto that hangs from his hip. ]

Ah, but if it'll make you upset to not have these, then I'll just give it to you. It'd be no good if I went and did the opposite of what I wanted to achieve.

[ His head tilts the other way now, but his logic is sound. If he searches his memory further, he finds that it's a common gesture of kindness: People give things away or do favors while stating that it's for the sake of seeing a stranger smile. Things like that. But it's out of place in this situation, with these two people.

He stares for another moment more, blinking, before Elmer accomplishes his mission by drawing out a quiet chuckle and an easy smile. ]

You're a strange person, aren't you?

[ Dazai holds out his hand again. ]

Okay, you got me. Now pay up.

Yup, they do! But hey, if it works and gets people to smile--

[ he'll toss over the bottle towards dazai, hoping that the other young man catches it. the smile was wonderful to see, refreshing and filling like most true smiles are. it's even nicer when there's something unexpected about them, like if even the person themselves didn't expect to be able to smile over something so silly. ]

--then I'm not gonna complain. Far from it, actually! [ he shrugs, returning to searching through the scattered contents. ] So? Did you wake up on the train, too?

[ Dazai catches it easily, using his thumb to slowly turn the bottle around. There are only so many pills here that are labeled, but it'll come in handy later. Dazai can never go all that long without suffering some injury or another.

This one is definitely a strange person. People tend to ask others for those things which they lack, so he wonders if that's the case here too, if that painted on smile is ever anything more than a habit. ]

Yeah... I was in the middle of something, so it's kind of annoying. But this place is interesting too. I would have never expected to run into demons.

[ Though granted, the demons haven't proven to be of much interest. The majority are no better than mindless animals, ones infected with rabies that can only be put down. But there's a kind of thrill in that too, a heart-pounding sensation, and so he perks up a little more. ]

I feel closer to death than ever... I could really die here! I don't have any back up, or access to the tools or intel that I normally do! I have no idea what to expect!

[ But that's exciting too, in its own way, for a person who could tell the future better than any fortune teller and manipulate it just as well... No one's outsmarted him, no one's surprised him, not quite yet. ]

suicide ideation tw (probably for the rest of this thread lbr)

smiledetector - 2024-08-31 04:49 (UTC) - Expand

lord in heaven definitely cw: suicide ideation for the rest of the thread

proposed - 2024-08-31 05:11 (UTC) - Expand

Oh! [ A slight surprise, as she is bringing out a heavy bag of bones apparently to drop them literally anywhere within this gravesite. Bones belong in the graveyard holes!!! ] Did not think anyone else would dare try to come into the graveyard, [ Dusting herself off, she sits her hands to rest on either side of her hips. ]haven't had enough spooky time walking around this demonic place?

That weird? What if I wanted to laugh with a friend?

[ he pats the tombstone, fully aware that huey is not buried under here. it'd be hilarious if he were, though, since then he could see him crawl out of the dirt like a bad zombie flick, but he highly doubts that'll be happening.

he watches bb lugging around with the bag, an impish gleam in his eyes and smile. ]

Actually, I'm taking a break. Haven't seen the demons be able to reach here, so I figured it'd be nice to have a quick break while I decide what to do with those creatures. [ he motions towards the bag she holds. ] Are you the new grave keeper?

Tell him I said hello then, and let him know we'll be in the church if he's bored. [ She continued the conversation, deciding to take a few steps closer to look at each headstone there. Names of people she doesn't know - at least for now. ]

You can try befriending the demons, BB has no trouble with that. As long as you know how to of course... Hehe, but they are hungry and are likely to eat you before you can come to convince them otherwise. [ So she muses, stopping short of a headstone that catches her interest but doesn't seem to make her feel anything otherwise - who cares about mister Hans Anderson anyway? ] Gravekeeper is .... Not it, BB can use magecraft, and bones like this will be ripe with magical energy and perfect for spells. She just wanted them out of the church and all in one area for when she decides to cast something eventually.

[ the first comment gets a laugh out of him-- he can very clearly picture huey's annoyed expression in this scenario. ]

Magecraft? Huh, never heard of that one.

[ witchcraft, sure. he's heard of that tons of times, ad nauseum by both the spanish church and villagers and even in regards to huey's past. and in his alchemy lessons, the use of bones as materials wasn't all that uncommon either. so regardless of the unknown term, he seems to accept it at face value. ]

But huh, yeah, befriending is one of my options. I've only befriended one of those before, and it was kind of a chance encounter. [ in an almost theatrical manner, he taps his chin in a thoughtful expression. ] If they're able to smile, I guess that would be my first priority, huh. I'd love to see how a demon smiles and if it's any different than a human's.

[ or if it's any different than the smile he has all but sewn to his face. ]

Are you a witch then? Is that why the demons like you? Or did you somehow blend in, like those wildlife shows?

[DAY 0] TDM.

elmer c. albatross | baccano! | i'm still making icons gomen 🧍🏻‍♀️

3, changed my mind on the prompt

oh i am so excited for this

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i have exactly one icon of "alice" smiling and it's cheating because it's not even her

elmer’s gonna put her in an intensive how to smile class :/

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suicide ideation tw (probably for the rest of this thread lbr)

lord in heaven definitely cw: suicide ideation for the rest of the thread

3. church

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