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.

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[She finds herself staring for a moment, more transfixed by his blond hair than anything else. It's something pretty in a land currently devoid of a lot of beauty, so for a moment she doesn't answer until the demon nudges her with its snout.]

Oh. [her brain feels sluggish and she shakes her head to clear it, instantly regretting it at the wave of dizziness that comes over her. It's a good thing she's already sitting down]

I'm alright. Sorry, I don't mean to worry you. I just gave up a bit of blood to bond this one to me. But I don't remember when I last ate, so it's made me a bit... [She pauses for a beat too long, trying to figure out the best word to describe literally any of this] Tired?

[Also "a bit" might be misleading here for the amount she actually gave up]

[ When she doesn't respond right away he tilts his head and frowns a little. Although when she speaks it doesn't put Dimitri's mind at ease. She willingly gave it blood? It did seem to like her now... ]

I see... [ The concern is not leaving his eyes. ] Well, if you are feeling undernourished, I did harvest some vegetation from the green house near the old school.

[ He glances around the street making sure there were no errant demonic beasts before he rests the long sharpened stick he carries against the porch and takes off his backpack to rustle around in there. ]

Admittedly, I do not recognize any of them... but I also was given some containers of water on the... [ What had the others called it? ] Ah, 'train' as well. You are welcome to any of it if you are in need...?

[Vegetables would work. She tries to think of the hospitals she'd spent too much time in and out of and what they might have given her mother after blood draws. The memory is hazy, her mind instinctively shying away from trying to 'remember,' as it often does.]

It'd be a good start. I need something to help my body make more blood. Like... [She trails off, desperately trying to remember just one damn thing.] Sweet potatoes? [Arguably the easiest thing anyone could grow she's pretty sure. But honestly anything might work?? She doesn't know, she's doing her best.

The mention of the train reminds her that they're all in a rather precarious situation though and she looks sheepish] I... really wouldn't want to take anything from you if you need it.

['You need it, the dog says out loud, it's voice an unimpressed draw and he noses at Ruka's leg again impatiently. 'Take it.'

Ruka cringes and places a hand on the dog's head in a gesture for it to stop talking] ...I wouldn't say no to the help.

[ Dimitri is unfamiliar with any potato, whether sweet or not. Hopefully one of the vegetables he picked was one... Honestly, he wasn't aware vegetables could help the body's blood, but he supposes he has never had a mind for healing magic. ]

You need not worry yourself over me, really. There was plenty of... whatever all this is in that garden. Oh! And there was a well there, so we'll be able to refill the containers.

[ He sits at the top of the stairs on her porch, still giving her plenty of space if she wanted it, and begins pulling out the strange vegetation he has procured. It's nothing like either of them have ever seen, but Dimitri has eaten some of them- strangely he's still rather hungry- and hasn't felt any adverse effects.

When he is done laying them all down he holds out a completely average looking sealed plastic water bottle. Not that Dimitri knows what plastic is, much less has ever seen it before. ]

Here.

The well water's clean? [It doesn't look like anyone's been living here for...a while, at least, but if the water from that's been helping in the greenhouse then it's probably fine.

Which actually begs another question as she takes the offered bottle of water with a smile of thanks. She eyes the vegetables, baffled a little that she can't recognize any of them. Did she actually not know, or was it yet another memory she's lost? She can't tell, but whatever. At this point if she dies, she dies, she supposes.]

I wonder who's been tending to the greenhouse before us and what happened to them... Someone's had to water them, right?

[Unless they're somehow magical plants. At this point nothing would surprise her. She opens the water bottle and drinks greedily, remembering to pause to breathe and drinks about half of it before she finally feels like she's not about to collapse any second.]

Admittedly, I have no way of testing it... [ He frowns now, thinking about it. Dimitri knows nothing of the aqueducts that helped get clean water to more of his Kingdom.

He shares a kind smile with her as she takes the water.

Dimitri considers the question as he takes a bite from one of the vegetables. He finishes chewing and swallowing before he speaks- just because the situation may be dire doesn't mean he needs to forgo his manners. ]

I'm not so sure... The greenhouse seems well overgrown. There is also a considerable amount of, hmm, [ No delicate way to put this. ] human remains inside the church. This village seems to be abandoned.

[She eats slowly, listening quietly. Her eyes don't stray from Dimitri much as she alternates between taking a bite, offering the next to the demon, taking another bite, repeat. The demon dog probably doesn't actually need to eat but it's fine. whatever. don't think about it.]

So there could've been caretakers, at one time. But a disaster likely occurred, and now these things are running around causing all sorts of chaos. [A muttered 'no offense' to the dog, who doesn't seem to care either way.]

I wonder if the train was on purpose? I don't have any memory of getting on one, but if it derailed and crashed...I wonder if something more powerful caused it to, with more 'food' on board after they'd cleaned out this place.

[Despite the horrifying idea, she's still eating rather calmly, expression distant and thoughtful]

[ Dimitri's own eyes only leave the girl to occasionally glance around to ensure there were no other demonic beasts prowling towards them. ]

Yes, it seems like there was quite the population before the disaster too. There's even a graveyard behind the church.

[ It makes him uneasy that she is the second person to suggest the theory that they were meant to be food. ]

I also have no memory of getting on the 'train'. [ He can confidently say he has never seen a train before in his life, actually. ] Perhaps if we take a look around where it crashed we could find evidence of tampering... Or where it was heading, if not here.

[Her brow furrows a little and she frowns. If it was a tiny little town or something, it would be more...

Well. 'Okay' isn't the right world. None of it would be 'okay.' But it'd be more understandable? A tiny village up against all these demons-- Okay, even a big place would likely have issue. Maybe it's just that 'quite the population' implies so much more death than previously thought.]

If you had been on the train, where would you have wanted it to take you? What destination were you--would you have been-- hoping for?

[ Dimitri takes in her question with a little apprehension. How much to say...? He doesn't want to talk about how he'd been detained and unable to leave where he was before this... He bides a little time by taking a sip from a container of water. ]

Well... In truth, there are no 'trains' in my Kingdom, so, I'm afraid I don't know what sort of options would be available to me. This was my first time seeing one...

[ Every time he says the word 'train' if feels like the word itself is in quotes, as if there is a slight pause before and after the word. It's a concept he is wholly unfamiliar with. ]

['Kingdom' makes her tilt her head, abandoning her original theory immediately to focus on this new development]

A kingdom? [The only place off the top of her head that would still refer to itself as a 'kingdom' would be the United Kingdom... Which on one hand would explain the Western features like blond hair and blue eyes. On the other hand, no British accent. Huh.]

There's no trains on the island I was on either... I'm not sure how we ended up there. [A beat, and she adds, tone lightly joking:] Magic?

[ When she doesn't immediately know which kingdom he is talking about Dimitri wonders if perhaps she's from off the continent... Or maybe Sreng? Sreng does have islands. She also has the darker hair with a light complexion... If she is hopefully she isn't from the border, otherwise this might get worse than awkward... ]

Yes, I'm from the Kingdom of Faerghus.

[ He seems to seriously consider the application of magic here. The idea that one person could do this seems too staggering. Was it a group then? ]

I don't think one person could warp this many people... So if it was magic it would have to be a large group with several mages.

[ Nothing about his tone suggests he's joking either. ]

[Her brow furrows, going silent before she pats at her sides, then pulling over a small bag from behind the demon dog to poke through. She pulls out a notebook and a pen, expression serious and intent on the page as she scribbles on it.]

Kingdom of...Faerghus... [She fumbles the pronunciation, pauses, and mutters it again until she gets it right. She's not sure she's spelled it right in her notes, but that doesn't matter as much.]

I don't know where that is... Is it to the west? [Again, she's like 98% sure there isn't any place that calls itself a kingdom except the UK but also maybe she forgot okay she doesn't know!!]

Oh, and... your name?

[ As the girl digs in her bag Dimitri tucks into some more vegetables- somehow he's still hungry. He wonders what the food he's eating tastes like... Is is good? Sour? Bitter? Is he lucky or unlucky that he hasn't been able taste anything since he was 13?

He's a little surprised when she says she doesn't know where Faerghus is- perhaps she's from a small island? ]

Hm, I suppose that depends on where you are from. Faerghus resides more in the northern part of Fódlan, but we are west of the Leicester Alliance.

[ Dimitri is still careful not to give out his last name. He doesn't want to run into someone who knows that he, the crown prince, was imprisoned. ]

Oh! Apologies, my name is Dimitri. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

[none of those words mean anything to her. She just nods though and mutters an "oh," as if she understands. (She understands Nothing).]

Pleased to meet you, Dimitri. [She writes that down in her notebook. Blond hair, blue eyes. A pretty boy with pretty colors. Dimitri. Kingdom of Faerghus, wherever that was. Leicester Alliance, another name she doesn't recognize. Sheesh.]

Oh, I'm Ruka, by the way. [And since he gave his home's name, she should probably do the same...] I'm from...Rogetsu Island. But it's okay. [She says it as if she needs to reassure him that her being from that island isn't a problem.] I'm normal. [Which is also a very normal thing to feel like you need to tell people.

She is also a liar but like, look. It's Fine]

[ Dimitri smiles at Ruka. He's glad they met as she seems to be a kind soul.

Although, he can't say he's heard of Rogetsu Island, which causes his smile to turn a little confused- he's never been very good at keeping his emotions off his face. Which is clearly demonstrated once again when she follows the foreign name up with reassurances and assertation of her normality- he blinks several times looking more bemused than anything. ]

Is that so? [ He suppresses a chuckle, but the smile can be heard in his voice. ] I'm glad to hear it.

I don't believe I've heard of Rogetsu before... Is it part of Sreng?

[ It must be a small island indeed, Dimitri has done his best to remain politically aware of the other nations around him even though his formal diplomatic training had gotten sorely interrupted. ]

It might be… [She fidgets again, scratching a line into the paper. She peeks at him through her lashes and then back down at her notebook.]

I have a… [”illness” might imply it’s contagious which…. Okay it IS, but not at this point, probably. She should tell him to keep away from her just in case, but she hasn’t heard of the illness getting to anyone outside the island. Or had it? She couldn’t be sure, but the bottom line was that she was feeling a bit selfish. Maybe she wanted a friend for once without worrying about it all.

Ruka sighs a little, tone apologetic] I’m sorry. I have a… an illness? It affects my memories. I can’t remember anything before a certain age, and things slip my mind easily. [Ruka gives the notebook a little shake for emphasis to indicate that’s what the notebook’s for]

It hasn’t been bad for a long time, but it’s been acting up again recently. [She’d woken in the train with the distinct feeling of having forgotten things again, which was worrisome in and of itself] I can only tell you a little about myself and where I’m from, because I can only remember a little.

[About specific things at least. She seems to remember general island history pretty well, and her hobbies and her mother. She shrugs.]

[ His attention on her is one of genuine interest, even though he still periodically glances around to ensure their safety. When she first trails off though Dimitri focuses back in. She looks worried... And so he looks concerned- but then
she apologies for being ill which baffles him once more.

Oh dear, it appears his prying has brought up something painful. Dimitri knows he is terrible with people, but he didn't think he'd be messing this up this quickly. ]

Ah, no, please don't apologize for being unwell. That was rather thoughtless of me, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.

[ He shakes his head in disappointment, almost chiding himself. ]

Still, thank you for telling me. If there is anything I can do to help please do not hesitate to ask. I imagine that is quite the burden to struggle with.

No, it's alright... It's not uncomfortable for me. But it can make others uncomfortable, or annoyed. [She lowers her gaze, thoughtful] Questions help, sometimes? Sometimes I can answer without thinking and that helps me remember. Sometimes the thinking helps trigger a memory.

But sometimes it doesn't, and then that's when people start to get upset. But I have the notebook, so if my memory gets worse, or... If something were to happen to me, the notebook should have all the notes in it about everyone and everything I see.

[You know, just in case it's needed.] I'm afraid I'm pretty useless otherwise. I don't know how to fight or protect myself against these kinds of things. If I had a piano I might be able to drown out the song from the concert hall, but finding one outside of the concert hall itself is probably impossible. So the least I could do is keep notes.

[A pause, and then:] So, if you learn anything, please let me know, so I can write it down.

[ Her reassurances seem to help perk him up a bit. ]

I see! That's rather clever of you. Hmm. It's probably worth noting the water well within the greenhouse near the academy here, as well as the vegetables. [ He casts his mind back. ] There is a woman going by Princess and a man called Rosie, both of them seem to have noble hearts. They were kind and helped me- I believe them to be trustworthy.

Beyond that though, I'm afraid I don't know much about this place. I'll keep an eye out for a piano though, there may be one in the church, or perhaps in one of the houses here...

[ He's quiet a moment, then looks back to her. ]

They shouldn't get upset with you for something beyond your control. I hope you know that is a failing of their character and not yours.

[She blinks, surprised, and then dutifully starts writing it down.] I met Princess, she seems nice. [And she's met some not-so-nice people, but this is all a very drastic sort of situation. She isn't going to hold it against anyone if they're angry or upset these first couple of days.

His continued reassurance makes her stop and she lifts her head, staring at him silently for a moment of clear shock. She doesn't really know what to say to that.]

Oh.

[a good start, clearly. She clears her throat, cheeks and ears turning a bit pink.] ...Thank you. That's kind of you to say. I'm afraid I spent a lot of time in the hospital trying to get treatment that didn't really work, so it's natural to be frustrated, I think... [She scratches at her cheek, uncertain.]

But, if you find a piano, I'll play for you. In thanks.

[ His smile is a little more sad this time. It seems no one has told her that before, or she doesn't remember it ever being said. That won't do. When he speaks he does so gently. ]

I look forward to that, if there is one in this village I'll find it. ...I think you should write down what I said incase you forget it. People shouldn't be taking their frustrations out on you.

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[DAY 0] TDM.

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