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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[ Dimitri tilts his head as he listens to her reasoning. ]

Still, too many people have died today. [ He shakes his head. ] But… well, we are already here, aren’t we?

Have you found anything that may be of use?

[ "People"... Does he see her as a person? If so, that's a relief. ]

Not exactly, but...

The demons here are similar to that big one. And I know that some demons can be negotiated with, and they don't necessarily have any loyalty to one another...

So maybe one of them could tell us something useful.

[ Dimitri does indeed see her as such! His wristlet had said there would be an ally in this room and it wasn’t wrong before when it said the demonic-serpent-man was an ally. There are so many strange things at play here. ]

Ah, yes! That is an excellent idea. [ He casts a glance back to the one on the ceiling, then back to her. ] Let us find one capable of speech and see if it has anything to offer.

{ ooc: Would you do the honors of posting the investigation inquiry? I am heading off to sleep now. }

You'll come with me? I'd certainly feel better with someone helping me.

[ She'd be less vulnerable, for one. She offers a polite bow. ]

My name is Kate. It's good to meet you.

[ And our investigation request is posted! ]

Of course I shall accompany you. [ He smiles. ] It wouldn't do to chide you on the dangers of being alone here only to leave you as such.

[ Dimitri sweeps into an elegant formal bow. ]

The pleasure is all mine lady Kate. My name is Dimitri.

[ With the plan settled the two of them head out and hold court with the local smaller Oozes, attempting to get answers out of them. When their questions are only met with pleas of hunger Dimitri first tries to offer them some of the mysterious vegetation he acquired in the greenhouses, but if that fails he'll offer up some drops of his blood. ]

[ Dimitri seems almost like a prince from a storybook, and he doesn't even appear bothered by her appearance. Is this really happening?

They find some Ooze to interrogate, and Kate tries asking it some questions... but when Dimitri offers up some of his blood, she turns to look at him quietly. Dark smoke rises from the top of her head. Hm.

... and the Oozes gather to demand more. ]

Hold on! This is an exchange. You don't get to ask for more when you haven't met your end of the bargain yet.

[ There's a bit of haughtiness, a hint of authority that comes through in her tone. Like a lady commanding a servant... or maybe more like a sister scolding a younger sibling. However it sounds, she hopes they're listening. ]

[ Dimitri was a little surprised feeding them the blood worked so well. He's used to demonic beasts just... well, just trying to rip them apart. These little Oozes are almost cute in comparison. Like feeding a flock of birds...

They go back and forth with the demons for a little bit, and the horror story it felt like he was stuck in begins to feel a little more like a comedy. Although the question of how many humans has he killed knocked him a little off center. It was something he was ashamed of, but what with war breaking out the number he has had to slay...

Regardless, in the end Kate and Dimitri don't learn of any kind of secret weapon to use against the large Ooze on the first floor. Nothing outside of bribery or feeding Dimitri to it, and while he admittedly didn't put a lot of value in his own life, he thinks it could be spent doing better than that. Besides, there were somethings he needed to accomplish first.

After they leave their flock of Ooze, Dimitri looks to Kate as they continue on carefully. ]

I'm a little astonished they behaved so well.

[ As they walk away, there's more smoke rising from Kate's head. ]

... You were awfully generous with your blood back there.

[ A little sharply. ]

Do you feel light-headed? Should we rest?

[ Dimitri blinks at the smoke rising off of her again, but also notes her change in tone. Is it somehow linked to her mood? He hoped it didn't hurt... ]

Ah, well they did mention eating life force, so a bit of blood seemed like the best bargaining tool.

[ He gives an apologetic smile. ]

No, I've had far worse than this. There is no need for concern... How about you? Is it alright that you're...

[ Dimitri motions to the top of his head trying to indicate the smoke rising from her own. ]

The soot? It's fine. [ And, realizing she may need to say this... ] It doesn't hurt.

[ It's not entirely reassuring to know that he's had "far worse." He looks like he could be a soldier... That would explain it. ]

... Are you a soldier?

[ His smile is one of relief. Clearly this ranked more troubling to Dimitri than the minor injury he gave himself. ]

Is that right? Good.

[ This question gives him a little pause, head tilting to the side. The answer is a little complicated, isn't it? ]

Well, no, but I have had the training for it. I was attending the officers academy.

[ Technically Dimitri is a lot of things. Sole survivor. Student. Soldier. General. Crown Prince. Prisoner. And now... whatever he is here. Perhaps prisoner still. ]

Edited 2024-09-06 05:45 (UTC)

Are you going to be one, then?

[ That's what an officers academy would be for, she would think... but Kate wouldn't know much about such a thing, especially one in a faraway nation.

The smoke above her head seems to thin out and fade, little by little. ]

[ Dimitri quietly notes the soot no longer rising and wonders idly what it is tied to. However, he is too polite to outright ask. It could be something sensitive for all he knows. ]

With the war coming I doubt it will be avoidable... [ He sighs, looking a little distant. ] I just wish to keep my Kingdom safe.

[ Is he going to be able to though? There are more things standing in his way than being stuck where ever they are now. ]

Your kingdom? I see...

[ An actual kingdom. It seems a bit like a novelty to Kate, who's only seen such places in books. ]

War sounds terrifying. But... I know what it's like to have people who need protecting. I wish that I had the strength to fight for them myself. All I can do is rely on others.

[ On people like Dimitri, even. She's a little envious of those who can hold their own in battle. ]

[ Dimitri comes back out of his thoughts at her words, her earnest tone, and finds himself gently shaking his head. ]

But Kate, we all must rely on each other- there is no shame in that. It is how society functions. Just as my Kingdom would be ill suited to defend itself without our knights and our soldiers, the reverse is also true. Without the farmers and hunters our army would be without food. No blacksmiths would mean no weapons. Without the nobility speaking on behalf of their people we wouldn't know what aid to send or where.

Just because you may be lacking in physical strength doesn't mean you aren't protecting the people you care about.

[ He hasn't known her long, but Kate to him seems to have a bright mind. Dimitri would wager her contributions weren't a small thing. ]

[ She stops for a moment. ]

Am I? I don't know about that...

[ Kate should have been able to protect them... but she failed. She doesn't know if she'll get a chance to fix it before it's too late.

There's a moment of tension, a haze of smoke above her head... but she shakes her head, as if to try to push away those doubts. ]

... Did you come in through a window? We might have to go back out that way...

[ Dimitri has a small frown, but he knows a pivot when he sees one. ]

Yes, I did. It wasn't too difficult of a climb, either.

[ Although he is loath to leave the problem of the large Ooze unsolved it's best left until they can come up with a solid plan to get rid of it. ]

If you have any difficulties with that kind of thing I can go first and catch you if you fall.

{ooc: We can probably wrap it there, unless there is anything else you want to do. c: }

[ It wasn't too difficult? Kate thought it was plenty difficult...

...

Which means it's a small relief when he offers to help her climb back down. ]

Oh! Yes, that might be a good idea. I'm not very good at this sort of thing...

[ She will accept his help in leaving this place! ]

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[DAY 0] TDM.

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