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

i. train.

[Startled by the unfamiliar confinement of a train carriage—what is this place, what are these things?—Zhuzhi-lang's long, snakelike body thrashes wildly and quickly, his eyes wide and bright. In his confusion, he lets out a pained cry:]

Junshang? Junshang—!

[No one answers him. There are so many unfamiliar people around, and this cramped metal box was made for people of human size and shape. He has no intention of waiting around inside. Ignoring the strange amulet around his neck which starts speaking, he lunges forward, extremely swift for a creature of his size. He has little care for anyone who might be standing between him and the nearest exit.]

ii. forest. (cw: vore, demonic cannibalism...?)

[The creatures in the shadows neither frighten nor impress him. To Zhuzhi-lang, a dark forest is a familiar environment. Normally, the other demons here would be no threat to him, but he's so frustratingly weak that he has to be cautious. Fortunately, he's still physically strong and incredibly fast. He's able to dodge attacks with relative ease, and he can dispatch his attackers, too.

Currently, he's in possession of the corpse of a demonic rabbit. When he speaks, it may be to himself or to the dead demon in question.]

Ah, you see. It's nothing personal. Ordinarily, I would not, but sometimes these things are necessary.

[Beacuse, after all, he's so hungry. Famished, in fact.... He opens his jaw, preparing to swallow his prey whole.]

iii. town.

[His initial bewilderment in check, Zhuzhi-lang understands that these humans and other apparent non-demons are meant to be his...allies? He has a far greater tolerance for humans than most demons from his world, but that doesn't mean he trusts them. He knows better than to expect kindness from anyone.

As he approaches what he presumes to be one of the others who were unexpectedly brought here, he keeps his movements slow and lowers his head respectfully. He is unclothed (clothes for snakes being a difficult prospect at best), but there is a COMP at his throat, and he is doing his best to use his odd, asymmetrical limbs to carefully keep hold of a jadelike gemstone and what appears to be a printed text of some kind.]

If you would... excuse my humble self... please, I would like to speak with you.

iv. school.

[Having discovered the library in his explorations, Zhuzhi-lang rustles around with interest, looking through the various unfamiliar texts.]

Hm. Junshang would enjoy this, I think... If he were here.

[At this, he sighs. There's an undeniable melancholy in his voice as he leafs through the papers.]

I wonder if there are any poems.

v. wildcard.

[[ooc: or choose your own adventure! as zhuzhi-lang is a demon, feel free to mistake him for a potential attacker! i don't have any decent images of zhuzhi-lang's original form, but he is currently a giant half-human, half-snake with a bloated face; a long, soft body; and mottled, unevenly scaly skin. he is generally considered hideous by humans and demons alike; he currently can't take other forms with his powers nerfed.

feel free to pm this journal for plotting purposes/questions.]]

That's too bad... That one owed BB for losing her game earlier before. [ BB is kind of hanging out by a tree with thick roots that splay themselves outwards all around into the ground in a messy way. She tip-toes along those big long roots. Careful to not slip and fall down them as she childishly moves around on them. ] She guesses she'll just have to catch another one - unless you are going to eat that too?

[Zhuzhi-lang pauses, gazing up at her, eyes following the path of her movements with careful curiosity. Finally, he nods.]

It is too bad. Those who don't wish to die should not act so recklessly.

[If snakes must eat, rabbits may die. He shrugs—a kind of rippling motion that moves from the area one might call his "shoulders" down the rest of his body.]

If I have a reason not to eat one, I won't eat it.

[There's no point in not eating this one, though, so he leans down and takes the smaller demon into his mouth before swallowing it whole—keeping his bright gaze on her as he does so.]

The truest laws of nature! If you wanted to kill more BB wouldn't stop you, in fact, she would cheer you on! The demons here seem to like a good tussle anyway. [ She balances herself on a root, watching as he leans forward to consume more of his won prey. ] You could probably even try to establish this territory for yourself, ya know?

[Straightening while he continues to swallow, he keeps his gaze on her as she moves. He adjusts his humanlike appendanges, none of them fully formed, attempting to arrange them so that he can carry his gem and the unwieldy traditionally bound book he has with him.]

Yes, if I am hungry, I'll eat.

[Just as, if he's attacked, he'll strike. His father's people, though genuinely demonic, are considered animals by the demons of his realm. His natural instincts are strong, so he agrees with her.

Unfortunately, though, even after having eaten, he's no less hungry.]

I could do so, but I do not establish territory for myself. I have no desire for it. I only follow my sovereign. If Junshang wishes me to establish territory for him, I will, and for no other reason.

[ Junshang? BB preens information from him naturally and can begin to set some idea as to where he is from. ]

You may want to, just because of how the demons work here. That's just my advice, but otherwise, you look more than capable of handling yourself. So BB isn't too worried, she is more worried about the silly squishy humans that ended up here after whatever happened to the train did - ya know? [ Crystal, likely a com as well somewhere around them, and then an interesting book? BB keeps them in mind but says nothing more. ] Do you remember anything about that train by any chance?

[ Kate has been keeping to the dark spaces between the buildings, hoping that her own unusual appearance will go unnoticed. She doesn't expect someone to up and approach her, and she takes a cautious step back into the shadow of a building.

... But he isn't human, either. A demon? But unlike most of the demons, he wants to talk...

There's no point in hiding her face from someone who isn't human, so she faces the stranger properly and answers. ]

... What would you like to speak about?

[ Her voice is soft, and her tone polite. But her face is a dark void, and small wisps of smoke rise from the top of her head. ]

[When she turns to face him and he sees the void and wisps of smoke, he finds the sight encouraging rather than alarming. Perhaps she is another demonic being who appeared here? He doesn't sense any demonic energy from her, but his own energy is stifled, and the demons who live here are entirely foreign to him.

He remains wary, but he is hopeful. He keeps himself closely coiled, trying to appear as small and non-threatening as possible.]

Gracious Lady—

[He isn't sure if that's the right way to address her, but being polite to humans is important.]

I humbly thank you for hearing me out. I am Zhuzhi-lang. This tile has told me that I am meant to be the ally of yourself and the others who appeared here.

[He moves his hand so that the tips of his long claws touch the COMP at his neck, which takes the form of a large, flat amulet, flush against his scales.]

Oh. You have one, too...

[ She pulls a pocket watch out of her dress pocket and opens it. On the outside, it looks like an antique, but once it opens, it displays a high-tech screen with a familiar map and moving dots.

That's right... Demons wouldn't have one of these. Would they? ]

I suppose we have been designated "allies"... but what that entails, I don't really know.

[He nods, studying her version of the COMP. So, they can appear very different...]

So I do. I have never seen such an item before. It is perhaps a spiritual device?

[While demons rely on their natural power, humans are always coming up with new inventions to augment theirs.]

Nor do I. I thought others might have more insight. Simply fighting low-ranking demons is not much of a purpose.

[To the second-in-command of a Demon Lord, the demons he's encountered seem very insignificant.]

I don't know. It's very interesting.

[ Kate's fond of machines, though these COMPs are especially mysterious. It's exciting to have something so complex and versatile in the palm of one's hand... but it seems to be so complex, that even if she took it apart, she'd never understand how it works. ]

The demons here are... low-ranking?

[ They're already plenty formidable, as far as Kate's concerned. ]

Zhuzhi-lang | Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | ota

ii. forest.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

iii

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

wildcard - mistaking him for a demon

no subject

cw: fictional racism, fictional slurs

no subject

cw: fictional racism

iv

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

train

no subject

no subject

no subject