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

[Armin reaches the kid he shouted orders at, palms pressed firmly over his own ears. He sees Akechi eyeing the concert hall and tries to duck to meet his eyes, gaze laser-focused, deadly serious. He shakes his head, jerking it back in the direction he came from. He mouths as clearly as he can: Talk with me first.]

[Bright blonde hair enters his peripherals. The kid from earlier maneuvering near him - in front of him. Catches his gaze when he shoots an annoyed look his way, all venom.

Talk with him - annoying. Necessary. He's been in this area and may have something worthwhile to provide.

Akechi casts the building one more glance - eyeing windows that are reachable, a roof that could be traversed before he turns back to where they came.

This better be good!!!]

[He's saving you from being knocked on your ass by a full-body burst of electricity, k i d.

[Armin begins walking, leading them, perhaps, an irritatingly long distance away from the concert hall, but, he doesn't want any ~~nighty night peanut time~~ inconvenient naps.

[Once he thinks they're safe, he removes his hands from his ears, and the music is long gone.

[He faces Akechi with an apologetic, but subtly conspiratorial smile, inclining his head.]

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. I made the mistake of getting too close to that building, and I didn't want to see you make the same. The music causes us to fall asleep, and entering seems, as of right now, difficult, if not impossible.

[But.] It's something I want to explore too, but that might better be done in numbers.

[Let him go into the void, kid.

Tension rises the further they move - Akechi's pace doesn't falter, but his hackles are up. Ready. Prepared for the boy to turn and strike.

No one can be trusted here. More deception from a foul shadow, or otherwise. It isn't until the kid's hands drop, Akechi's own had fallen the moment lullaby started to wane and rapid blinks weren't a requirement to keep his eyes open.

He talks - no attack occurring. Smile plastered. Akechi doesn't match it - only watches and listens for viable information.

Akechi isn't an idiot. Knows there's power in numbers in moments of necessity.

But there's no time to fuck around and form a group from the nobodies pulled from their realities.

Arms crossed over his chest, he takes the comment in and opens his mouth. Fatal error.]

Noted. Please explain what you think makes it 'impossible' and I'll decide if I'm willing to collect a ragtag group to investigate.

[The other boy's prickliness has absolutely 0 effect. Armin's smile remains, and it's not entirely ingenuine - or, maybe he's just trying to fool himself too.]

I should correct myself - "impossible" implies I won't keep trying. That's not the case at all. [Even if it is impossible. Even if it's inevitable. Even if there is no hope.

[Yeah.]

I saw someone try to enter just before I fell asleep. A blast of some sort of energy - electricity, I think - blasted them away from the door.

I haven't tried the windows or any other entrances, though I'm sure you can understand my caution. I have no way of knowing if that attack was fatal, but I wouldn't doubt it. Aside from that, something to block the sound is necessary. Communication is difficult.

[Ziodyne or a variation of. It's a matter of not giving into ailments and withstanding the savage beating until it can be killed.

A simple goddamn task. The same as ever - a barrier to be knocked down.]

Understood. It's nothing I can't handle, frankly. The sooner that shadow is killed, the better and I'm itching for a massacre.

[Not interested in the team situation. Thanks.]

I'm going to scout for entrances. If you're so interested, you can join and then run off to collect your little group.

No group to speak of as of yet. [As quick, chipper, and amicable as ever.] So, I'll gladly join.

Let me ask you, though - "that" shadow...

I can only assume you mean a demon - please correct me if I'm wrong. Did you see something specific near that concert hall?

A shadow is what I know these beings to be. Most 'demons' are familiar in appearance to me. Call them whatever you wish - we're referring to the same entities.

[Back towards the concert hall at a steady clip - the lullaby's melody isn't back here. His voice remains quiet anyway. He needs to hear when the shit starts.]

My assumption is there's one in the concert hall invoking this mess - the electricity and the ailment.

[Oh. Haha. Yeah. We're rewinding, here, a moment.]

Excuse me. [Not harsh, not edged, but said in such a way that ensures he will be heard.] These beings are familiar to you - then, you have them in your world too.

[Or.] Unless you managed to wander into this place of your own volition. [The same world?

[He'll need this guy.]

That's irrelevant. The only thing you should concern yourself with is that I'm aware of them, but not this particular reality.

[This might be a palace. Mementos. Could be any number of places he's visited before.

The COMP makes a friendly comment about the 'demons' - irritating enough in his pocket that it's pulled it up to his face so he can find a volume button. Somewhere. Shut up - he's his own navigator.]

I assume you think yourself capable enough to fight, since you were exploring the area. We may end up in an altercation. Are you prepared?

["That's irrelevant," and yet Akechi still answers Armin's question nearly to completion. He's familiar with them, but not this place - understood. Why do people so often pretend that they're giving less than they actually give? Or, maybe they just fool themselves too.]

I'm rather confident in my abilities, [Haha.] yes. That being said, if you have any advice, I'd gladly take it.

Don't fall asleep or I'll have to give you a rude wake up call, if I find you worthy of rescuing at all.

[Navi!Kechi advice at work, and at his finest. He doesn't have time to entertain an in-depth discussion on the matter. They fight, attack, kill or don't. Find a route in, or don't. I'm rather confident in my abilities at his heel - a sense Akechi doesn't share with an unknown kid.]

When we get there, I'll move towards the back entrance. You stay at the front.

[Armin stops their walk, trying to catch Akechi's eye.]

Let's stop to think first. We need to cover our ears but free our hands. Do you have something you can tie? [He'll look like a moron with Eren's damned coat wrapped around his head, but it's not as if they simply Won't Fall Asleep This Time because the spell (or whatever it is) decides to be extra nice.]

We're defeated before we even try if we don't come prepared.

[Get good and deal with it probably isn't the response this guy wants. It's the one Akechi's about to give anyway.]

If you're so concerned, stuff some dirt in your ears. I'm prepared.

[Earplugs and the like would take forever to find - Akechi's scarf could act as a buffer, and he raises the fringe of it to show he's covered. If needed! He plans to do what he can without a ridiculous makeshift plug first. Fabric will do little to stop the sound anyway.]

Or if you want to be useful, you can scavenge the area while I look for a viable entrance. It's a street. I imagine there are supplies scattered about.

With all due respect, [Of which, there is, thus far, no particular compulsion to feel.] if you search for a viable entrance before something is found to buffer the sound, we'll end up back in the exact same position we began.

[And Armin will end up dragging his stubborn ass out of the street before he's eaten by a demon.]

[Not to worry! He'll simply figure out a plan just like he always does. Maybe Akechi would be opposed to ripping up his pretty scarf of his, but Armin-- Well, actually, Armin's just dying to rip up this coat he's wearing.

[Lifting up the edge, he tears off a strip of fabric with his teeth; repeats this until there are four small sections. He hands two to Akechi.]

This ought to do the trick. I'll invesigate the front entrances further while you take the back - as you suggested.

[He doesn't care.

And the next comment burning on his lips is 'You will end up in that position.' He knows his limits - when to retreat, when to pursue. The timing is key and he needs to make sure this false world is killed as soon as possible. Whether it's formed by Maruki or otherwise.

Then this guy destroys his coat.

In an instant, shreds ripped apart and Akechi takes the strips without complaint. It's his outfit - what does he care.]

Very well - then let's go. Move quickly or I'll leave you behind.

[AND OFF TO THE AUDITORIUM THEY GO - Akechi pressing those strips into his ears as the sound intensifies.]

[What a pleasant guy. Armin only rolls his eyes internally, stuffing the strips of fabric deep into his ears. Off to the auditorium indeed.

[As agreed, Armin takes the front entrance, though doesn't approach closely - not until he can determine the intricacies of the trap, spell, or...whatever it is that's blasting people away when they try to get too close. At the very least, with the sound from the music thoroughly blocked, he doesn't fall asleep.

[And, as agreed, he allows Akechi to take inventory of the rest of the building without any complaint or interference.

[First things first, and for lack of any better ideas, he picks up a nearby branch - holds it in his hand for a moment, testing its weight - then lobs it at the front entrance like a spear.]

[With that, they begin.

Every entrance guarded, no sneaky side entrances. It's a building with no way to brute force past potential electrocution.

He needs Hereward. The thought pisses him off, as he continues to move around the building's edge. High Pixies are pathetic. They're nothing. He could throw at shoe at them and they would die in a few hits. This is embarrassing.

By the time he makes it back around, he doesn't look happy, but hey! He never does. When Armin appears back in his line of sight, he'll hook a finger and motion for him to come towards him.]

[Armin obliges, giving the entrance to the concert hall a wide berth as he comes to stand by Akechi's side. It will be difficult to speak with fabric stuffed into their ears. Shouting could work at this distance - taking the fabric out just briefly is a gamble, but not impossible...

[For his part, he merely jerks his thumb in the direction of the front entrance, and firmly shakes his head. Aside from that, he'll wait to see how Akechi chooses to communicate.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[DAY 0] TDM.

YOU ARE A KID YOU FUCKHEAD

akechi ???? literally so old and wise and pure of ass ???

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he's like "girl I watched someone fucking die"

just one??? weak.

lmao "just one" cute

two???👉👈three????

worryfrog

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