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

[ Ever since waking up in this mysterious land Dimitri has not been certain if any of this is real or some sort of prison induced dream. He hasn't been able to get his bearings at all, recognizes none of the structures, nor the demonic beasts. Worse yet he doesn't have any of his weapons or armor on him.

Dimitri's strength has also failed him for the first time in his life. Too bad he didn't figure this out within the safety of the train. No, he found out here, in the forest, where there seems to be enemies all around him. He had been making his way towards one of the ally dots on his wristlet map before he noticed the encroaching glowing eyes. Only when he had attempted to lift and throw a fallen bough did this unfortunate fact make itself known and causing him to have to narrowly dodge roll over it. He's still crouched behind the thing trying to lift it.

He's stunned when the woman charges in wielding both chain and dagger to eliminate the foe. She looks dressed more to be a damsel, however she uses her blade with clinical ease and eliminates the targets fairly easily. It happened all, embarrassingly, too fast for him to react. When she speaks to him Dimitri finds her voice to be cold, yet beautiful. It makes him stand straighter. ]

Thanks for that. [ He means it. ] I don't suppose you've seen any weapons? [ Because he hasn't. ] None of these beasts have been wielding anything, and I haven't come across any... [ Which is probably obvious. Dimitri closes his mouth. ]

[ The Princess' timing was fortunate, and she wonders for a brief moment whether that has ever been the case before. Having spent the vast majority of her memory in confinement, she supposes she has no way to know. But he seems unhurt. She wasn't confident he would be, especially when he tried repeatedly to lift something heavy and the weight had wrenched him down instead.

By now, she has figured out she can't heft up something like that either. Why that is, she couldn't say, yet she can manage. No doubt he could do the same, taller and broader as he is. ]

I woke up with this blade, so I didn't go looking.

[ She punctuates her reply with a shrug, letting the dagger lower to her side. But she doesn't relax, not when more of those monsters are out there waiting to strike. The eyes linger on them even now, luminous and intent on them as they stand there. ]

But I think you had the right idea, going for something sturdy. There should be a branch somewhere around here that'd work.

[ The prince's eyes follow her dagger as it lowers, making him conscious of the one in his own bag. Well, that's not true, is it? It's as if the dagger is burning a hole in his bag with the way he cannot seem to remove it from his mind. ]

I too awoke with a dagger, but I must confess, it is not a weapon I have trained with.

[ At her mention of a branch he casts his eyes back to the bough, his eyebrows knitting together. Dimitri really should have been able to lift this and with ease. What in the world is going on? He then scans the nearby area noting the gleaming eyes that still watch. Likely waiting for an opportunity to pounce. No sizeable branches though. ]

Yes, thank you, I'll do just that. [ And sharpen it too. ] Are you from around here...?

I've never trained either.

[ She admits as much easily, having no particular feelings about it one way or the other. But if he had a weapon, did training matter? It was preferable to going about unarmed, made one appear more threatening to would-be attackers.

More than that, it enabled him to retaliate if something rushed him again. But maybe he prefers something with a longer reach... ]

No, I'm not from here. [ She points back in the direction from whence she'd come. ] I woke up on that "train". Didn't you?

[ His eyebrows raise in surprise- she wielded it with such efficiency, he could have sworn she'd studied the blade... Her tone seemed flat, without the inflection it is hard to tell if she is joking, serious, or lying... Honestly it reminds him a little of-

He turns from her to look in the direction she pointed. The same as he then... ]

Yes... everyone I have spoke to claims to be foreign to this place as well.

[ He looks back at her, then casts his glance up among the trees. No ambush from up there... ]

[ It seems to her that all of them are. At least so far she hasn't met any exceptions. Everyone who'd spoken with her about it had found themselves on the train without any recollection of bow they came to be there. ]

We must have been brought here, for some reason. If that reason was to feed these monsters, they're out of luck.

[ Even if that was the intended purpose, she isn't going to ler herself be prey. Not when she'd finally been free at long last. ]

[ Dimitri looks to her again. ]

Do you really think that could be the reason we were sent here? They would have had to have gone through a lot of effort to get me- [ Or would they? Did Cornelia willingly give him up to some cravens keeping demonic beasts as pets? It was possible... He frowns further. ] Then again, I was already in a cell... Still, I would think it would be difficult to smuggle me out of the Kingdom...

Where were you taken from?

[ He pulls himself from his thoughts- perhaps if they could find some sort of uniting factors they could figure out more about their captors. ]

[ She opens her mouth, only to realize she had no name for the world outside of the basement, and closes it again. ]

I'd only just escaped my own prison, and I don't remember much after that. I don't even know where I'd been taken.

[ She taps a finger to the cold metal of the shackle around her neck. ]

But I think I was finally free, if only for a little while.

[ For once, because as far back as her long and short memory extend, she had been locked in that basement. ]

[ Dimitri had hoped the chain around her neck was some sort of fashion piece much like the Ashen Wolves had worn. Seems not then. This almost lessens the discomfort brought about by the similarities she shared with the Prof-them, but then again why was she locked up to begin with? He should still remain cautious. ]

Hmm, not much to go on then... [ He knows he's just recently awoken, but there were too many unknowns. He doesn't like it. ] Would you mind accompanying me? At least until I've found something suitable to defend myself with?

[ One commonality they all appear to have is a lack of information. This is the first time anyone else has mentioned having beem imprisoned, however. She won't ask why he was, but she does find herself curious as to whether he knows why he'd been locked up or whether it was as much a mystery to him as it was to her.

Whatever the case may be, she nods, a short bob of her head. ]

Yes, I'll go with you. [ At least for the time being. ] These monsters are opportunistic.

[ If he were unarmed, chances are that he'd be attacked again. The eyes are too numerous for her to pretend her job here was done. ]

I'm grateful.

[ Dimitri gives a formal bow before he sets off through the woods at a cautious pace. ]

I've noticed that... They display far more intelligence than I am used to.

[ He keeps his eyes out for not just large branches ~~but not too large, apparently~~, but also for any demonic beasts looking to take a chance. ]

You've seen things like this before?

[ She hasn't. At least, not that she remembers. It was only her in the basement until her would-be slayer had arrived.

The Princess keeps pace beside Dimitri despite the difference in size, though with respectable space between them. If something comes at them, she needs room to attack, after all.

Besides, they don't know each other — only that they're equally threatened by the monsters around them. ]

[ Dimitri's eyes go a little stormy. He recalls Miklan's body shredding itself apart- transforming into a demonic beast. Then again at the Remire Calamity. So much blood. So much needless death. ]

I... Yes, something like them at least.

[ Dimitri appreciates the respectable distance the woman maintains from him. He knows he's in a bit of a state right now and will likely be leaping at shadows. And he's hungry again... Even though he'd eaten some of the food they had on the 'train'. Which is a little surprising since he hasn't been fed very well since being imprisoned. He thought it would tide him over longer... ]

Although, these ones are far more... strange. What I am used to is more... grotesque.

[ He can still hear the screams as the villagers' bones snapped outward, shapes changing. ]

[ She takes in his reply without comment, wary eyes on their surroundings. While the Princess is listening, the odds something would take advantage of any opening are high. These creatures were preying on them — or trying to, at least. ]

It'd be a more effective hunter if it doesn't look dangerous, wouldn't it?

[ Is she talking about herself? Him? Or the glowing eyes watching them ever so intently as they search for a suitable branch? One might speculate, but she hasn't given it too much thought beyond surface observation. It stands to reason that these monsters are hunting them and look the way they do because somehow it works. ]

Edited 2024-09-06 03:51 (UTC)

[ He blinks at this notion. Her tone when she said that... it was a little ominous, wasn't it? Or is he imagining it? ]

I think it would depend... The beasts I am used to are larger and can bring ruin to a village quite easily. They have no need to hunt- not when they can just take...

[ But, then again, Byleth had been unassuming and seemed very trustworthy. Dimitri knew they were skilled in combat and thusly dangerous, but he hadn't known just how dangerous Byleth could be. He knows better now. ]

Yet the monsters here do hunt.

[ So it stands to reason that some might look harmless to lull prospective prey into a false sense of security, she thinks. ]

So maybe there's a difference between the ones that do and the ones that don't.

[ And maybe there will be larger beasts such as he describes somewhere along the way. All the more reason to find him something that can serve as a weapon. ]

[ Hopefully the monsters had different origins as well. He would hate to think that kind of fate could be so common a thing. ]

Perhaps you're right. They may need to rely on guile to entrap their prey.

[ Dimitri bends and lifts a branch, but ends up frowning and tosses it. ]

[ Their search continues. The Princess keeps her eyes on their surroundings as they walk, lest they be caught off-guard in their quest to find Dimitri a suitable weapon.

It's a pity there aren't any surplus blades lying around. ]

You should learn to use it— the weapon you have. When there's time...one day you might need it.

[ Shame Dimitri doesn't know about the town just outside the forest. Plenty of broom or mop handles to turn into polearms.

There is a furrow in his brow as he continues to search, mulling something over. ]

... I'm sure you are right. [ He sighs. ] It would certainly be the wise thing to do.

[ Dimitri punctuates the sentence by whipping a rock at a demon who looked to be getting ideas. Getting some of the frustration out in the throw. ]

...But you don't want to, do you?

[ The Princess can understand it, from a certain angle. She'd woken with a weapon intended to slay her, after all. In this situation, she can't afford to be selective, but she hasn't forgotten its origins. She also hasn't forgotten what she wound up having to do with it.

For the time being, they're denied the luxury of choice, but it doesn't make any associations fade away. ]

You could keep throwing rocks, I suppose.

[ Dimitri sighs and stops walking. His face is one of frustration and sheepishness. ]

No, truly, you are right. I’m afraid I am being rather childish about this.

[ Pulling the backpack he got from the train to his front Dimitri rummages carefully for the blade. ]

I should not waste the fortune of having such a thing.

[ He slowly pulls the dagger out and feels his heart clench at the sight of it again. ]

I wouldn't put it that way.

[ It's plain on his face how much he'd rather not use the blade. She wonders why, but she knows better than to ask. Doubtless, he wouldn't have an answer for her. ]

Would you rather use mine?

[ Though she asks, she thinks she knows what the answer will be. It wouldn't be so unpleasant to him if it didn't matter. ]

[ Her question pulls his attention away from his own blade back to her. ]

I couldn't possibly. You need that to defend yourself, and I can't... I can't give this to you. [ He casts his gaze away, looking for demons or avoiding eye contact, who is to say? ] That would be a rather ill omen, I think.

[ As much as he would love to take a look at her blade, the design seemed exquisite... But to then in turn pass her this ill fated thing? Then again, if it could help her cut a path through this to a better future... ]

...This was the weapon meant to slay me. Would you call that an ill omen?

[ She turns the Pristine Blade ever so slightly, just enough to catch the light. It is well-crafted, inasmuch as someone like her can gauge such things, but that doesn't change what it is or what it represents to her personally.

Even so, a weapon is a weapon. A sharp blade may be the difference between survival and being some demon's lunch. ]

[ Out of all the things he expects to hear that isn't one of them.]

I... think that would qualify, yes.

[ Dimitri wants to ask what she means by it, but then again, perhaps that is her executioner's blade. There is one awaiting him in Faerghus after all and she too was a prisoner.

He looks back to the dagger in his hands. ]

... The last time I gave this blade to someone they used it against me.

[ The hand gripping the dagger tightens. Dimitri doesn't wish to speak of this matter. ]

III. Helping Hand

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cw: body horror descriptions

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