TDM I

[thetonmods]

The Ton Test Drive Meme I

Welcome to the The Ton's first ever Test Drive Meme!

The game will officially open on the 1st of April (lol) and we will announce this via the game's Plurk account. Applications will open on this date - please do not submit an application before then as it will be ignored until the opening date.

Please note that the Test Drive Meme does not require an invite.

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Arrival

I. WELCOME

You don't remember when or where you fell asleep exactly.

Perhaps it's the tickling sensation of a low hanging tree branch brushing against your nose or the feel of the slightly damp grass underneath you that causes you to awaken but when you do you'll find yourself lying amongst a glade of wisteria trees. You're not alone - nymphs of the trees laugh and dance about you, clearly amused at the new arrival. Along with them, your new loyal servant is here on Pheme's bidding. How this servant looks is different to each arrival. Some are saddled with short, stout butlers, others are welcomed by towering, busty maids. Regardless of their appearance, they introduce themselves with a kindness and warmth that is simultaneously reassuring and strangely impossible to resist when they beckon you to follow them from the grove and out into the city of Andovale.

The closest structure within sight is the Palace and its grounds. It is here that the Lady Pheme resides and from here that she rules over the city, your servant explains to you. You have been selected and brought here personally by her. It is she who assigned the servant to guide you through the regency-inspired city that is your new home.

Eventually, they will bring you to your new residence within the outskirts of somewhere called the "Trade Quarter". You are now the resident of a room within one of the many imposing town houses which make up the Grand Crescent. Throughout your stay here the servant will be your own personal butler or maid. This is where all new arrivals will be living for the time being you are told. Your servant will also give you a crash course on life here and the concept of Thumos - the energy or life force that keeps Andovale and all life within it going - including you now that you are here. It's generated through acts of intimacy, whether that be physical or emotional.

Once you have been shown to your room, you are given two things: a network communication device and a letter. The letter reads as follows:

My dearest reader,

Welcome to Andovale.

The delights of our fair city are yours to explore.

I do hope that you make your stay here a most interesting one. I shall be frightfully disappointed if you do not - and we do not want that, do we?

You will hear from me again very soon.

Yours Truly,

Lady Pheme

You are free to wander about and explore the house and its surroundings as you please. It's certainly spacious enough. As well as your own quarters, each of the townhouses of the Grand Crescent have large communal areas, which includes the kitchens (although why you'd like to go there when your servant can fetch any delicacies you'd like for you!), a dining room, a parlour with its own small library, two drawing rooms (somewhere you can go to chill out basically - harp music anyone?) and a generously sized garden. Strangely, unlike most accurate regency townhouses, there do not appear to be any servant's quarters - perhaps these servants don't need to rest? Or they go somewhere else entirely for that.

Why not introduce yourself to your new housemates? Or enjoy some tea and cakes that have been prepared for you personally by your retainer, which they seem to keep insisting on bringing to you?

---

II. AN INVITATION

Your arrival coincides with the beginning of spring and with it the height of the ton's social season. What kind of social event can signify the start of this better than a grand ball?

Coincidentally you won't have long to enjoy your new home in peace and quiet. Wherever you are within the Grand Crescent your house's assigned butler or maid will track you down sometime during the day. They are not empty-handed and they carry a silver tray, upon which is an envelope with a wax seal bearing the letter "P". Inside the envelope is an invitation. An invitation from your benevolent ruler, Lady Pheme herself.

Each character will receive an invitation identical in wording to the one below:

MASKED BALL

YOUR CHARACTER'S NAME HERE


Is requested to attend the ball at THE PALACE, on 25th of March current, at 9 o'clock p. m.


Do not trouble yourself - masks will be provided upon your arrival.

Lady Pheme

You have already been told that an invitation to the Palace from the lady herself is the only way in. So if you want to find out anything about the tyrant lady then you better get yourself gussied up. Your servant can help you find something appropriate to wear - or not appropriate, the choice is entirely yours after all. The ball awaits.

Masked Ball

For the first time tonight, the gates of the Palace are open. Whether you're arriving on horseback, by carriage or on foot, you must travel through those gates and down a wide sweeping roadway, lined with immaculately trimmed hedges and roses bushes.

Stone steps and huge double doors greet you at the other end. Once you go through these doors, you will enter a grand entrance hall. You will see this room and the ballroom only. All other rooms are out of bounds and no amount of physical force or magic powers will get you to them.

In the short time that Andovale has been in existence, Lady Pheme has already built herself a bit of a reputation for being rather erratic when it comes to the Palace's interior. She seems to change it on a whim whenever she feels like it. She does so hate being bored after all. The colour scheme she fancies on this particular evening is black, white and silver. The many servants and attendants milling around are dressed all in white and are of course, wearing masks themselves. Every free surface is covered in grand flower arrangements, also in white.

Upon arrival, you are handed two very important items. The first is your dance card, the second is your mask. You will not be able to enter the Palace ballroom without both of these items.










The delight that is the dance card is key to every regency ball experience. Traditionally held by young women, at this ball everyone gets one. The dance card is used to record the names of those with whom you intend to dance each successive dance with at a formal ball such as this.

Got cold feet? Dancing not your thing? You might find that card being magically filled out for you. One second it's completely blank, the next you look down and find yourself with a list of delightful individuals with whom to show off your dance moves. (You have Pheme to thank for that - she's just looking out for you!)

Curiously, there is no sign of your generous hostess herself. Just a throne sitting empty at the top of the ballroom.

As for the masks, well... they're not quite what they seem too. It isn't as though you'll have any choice but to find that our for yourself. As previously mentioned, there's no entering the ballroom without one on. You might be able to persuade someone to swap masks with you or ask a member of the Palace stuff for another one - but they're all about as chaotic as each other.

Hey, at least the drinks are unlimited.

A typical regency ball usually ends around 5 in the morning so you might be here a while.

Note: The images below are just a guide, you can decide exactly what your mask looks like as long as it fits within the colour/animal category described.

Silver Mask

Simple and classic - unless you go for one of the more elaborately patterned ones.

The wearer of this mask will find themselves experiencing only the most pleasant of hallucinations. We'll leave the interpretation of that up to you.

You're also hungry. Really damn hungry.

Blue Mask

Masks of this hue will leave the wearer with an overwhelming sense of sadness. You're just plain bummed out.

Unless that is, you get yourself someone to dance with. In fact the only way to feel remotely normal or cheerful while you're wearing this mask is to dance the night away and you will feel compelled to do just that. Otherwise you're just going to be a giant sad sack all evening and nobody wants that.

Peacock Mask

Wow, so you like to make a statement, huh? Or maybe it was the only one within reach. Either way, nobody's going to fail to notice you in one of these.

Seriously. No, seriously, is it just you or is everyone staring at you? You know the mask is pretty garish in comparison to the others but this seems like an overreaction...

The truth is this mask makes you irresistible to others. So you have the personality of a shovel? Your problems are over, my chum. All of the ton will now be dazzled by your sparkling wit and the positively flawless way in which you conduct yourself. Everyone's laughing at your jokes, even when you didn't make one. Everyone wants to be the first name on your dance card. You might even find yourself with a couple of marriage proposals by the end of the night.

You lucky thing you.

Pink Mask

Two words: MEET CUTE.

Come on, it's everyone's favorite trope! You know that romcom hero or heroine who is delightfully and cutely clumsy? Always bumping into their future love interest? Well, this mask lets you become just that.

You know, after your third spilled drink of the night this could actually get really annoying.

Harlequin Mask

There is no such thing as privacy for those who end up with a harlequin mask. It may take you a while to realise (unless someone else takes pity enough to point it out to you) but this particular mask projects the wearer's innermost private thoughts onto the front of it for anyone else to read.

Let's hope you're not thinking anything too insulting. Otherwise, we might have a fight on our hands.

Cat Mask

This mask causes the wearer to start acting... well, like a cat.

Chasing shiny objects, randomly knocking glasses off the drinks table, rubbing yourself against somebody else's legs... all of that. You weirdo. What will it take to ward you off? A spray from a water bottle? A laser pointer? If only those had been invented...

Golden Mask

This mask will really amp up your Thumos production. When we say really, we mean really.

The slightest touch from another will suddenly feel like ecstasy to you. Even something as simple and bland as someone tapping you on the shoulder is liable to have you feeling weak at the knees.

Naturally this could get a little awkward if you've never even met the other person before. Oh well, at least they can't see your face properly.

Red Mask

Red is the colour of passion. That must be why you're passionately angry at that person. Specifically the first person you lay eyes on once you enter the ballroom. You might even say that they are your nemesis.

Does this person even know that they're your nemesis? Probably not. (Unless they just happen to also put on a red mask and lay their eyes on you at exactly the same moment!) It doesn't matter. Clearly they must be stopped.

Now no decent, upstanding member of the ton would condone actual violence of any kind. Particularly not at a high society soirée such as this. Your fighting must be sneaky, subtle - make them feel like they're simply not welcome here! Throw thinly veiled insults at their attire, literally throw one of the vol-au-vents at them when their back is turned, accidentlly spill your glass of lemonade in their lap... Do whatever it takes. Well, within reason.

How do you like them apples?

The bustling market of Andovale's Trade Quarter is known for having only the finest produce. This week there is a new stall that has never appeared before and it does not specialise in your run of the mill fruit and vegetables.

This particular stall is selling golden apples. In appearance they appear to be literally made of solid gold yet the beautiful woman minding the stall demonstrates that they are perfectly edible. In fact, they're downright delicious - you just can't stop yourself taking a bite. We would venture to say that they are probably the most delicious apples you have ever tasted.

They also come with side effects.

The legendary Golden Apples of the Garden of Hesperides were a wedding present to the goddess Hera from Gaia, the ancestral mother of all life. The apples promised immortality and anyone who ate them would never again experience hunger, thirst, suffering or illness... well, these apples are but a pale imitation of that. No, you won't become immortal but for exactly twenty-four hours after you've taken your first bite you will find that you don't need to eat, drink or rest. Your strength and stamina will increase tenfold and things that would normally cause harm to you cannot. Optionally, you may also be feeling extremely concupiscent, as the locals would put it - aka horny to you and me.

Somehow there's always a bad apple in the bunch though, right? Or several.

Unfortunately some of these apples are Apples of Discord. If you happen to pick one of these, one bite will still give you all of the traits mentioned above but for the next twenty-four hours you will find that unluckiness and chaos seems to shadow your every step...

So maybe you're passing beneath an open window and a maid accidentally empties a vase of water and some dead flowers on your head. Maybe you're in your local inn just trying to have a quiet drink but find that others are constantly trying to start a fight with you. Trying to get lucky with that special someone? Maybe certain parts of your anatomy just will not get with the program. And we advise you to maybe avoid carrying anything delicate and breakable for the next short while.

Wildcard

To assist you with inspiration our full list of Andovale's locations can be found here.

Want to play something that isn't listed here? Go ahead!

Please note that TDMs are considered game canon.

Both prospective and current characters who are already in game will be permitted to top-level on TDMs.

As your first port of call, we would recommend having a read of the premise page, as well as our rules. For any general game questions you may have which are not answered by the FAQ then please leave a comment on the FAQ page - for any questions specific to this TDM then please respond to the questions comment below.

Most importantly - have fun!

Comments

/sneaks into ball ahem/ late to the party

[melanholia]

[He knew he was cut out to be royalty, but he didn't actually expect to get an invitation to such a fancy ball. Even a mask was provided and honestly, it's as if they knew what to send him. That peacock mask is matching his entire aesthetic way too perfectly. Someone would say he's peacocking around too much, but he says it's 'never enough'.

But he did have some semblance of sense in him and didn't come to the ball in his coat. He's still standing out in his dark blue outfit, high-waisted pants and long coat, with a purple sheen on it, and high white collar a stark contrast to his purple skin, making his tattoos stand out all the better. His hair is a 'neat mess' of curls pulled back into a low ponytail. And of course, the peacock mask.

There was surprisingly not a lot of trouble when he made his way in, eyes darting around to catch someone he knows if he can- only to notice that a lot of people were staring right back at him. Not unusual as it happened before, a lot, but not for good reasons. Right now he can't tell if it's good or bad.]

The party is in full swing, [he says more to himself, exchanges few 'pleasantries' with other guests, promising dances for later, and then he dives into the sidelines to expertly, but subtly (hopefully) look for a familiar face.]

[zemnianjoy]

[ Caleb had been viewing the ball from a distance as the blue mask continued to weigh him down, anchoring him into the realm of sadness where thoughts seemed to drag him down, thoughts of this new place that he had been taken to as quite the surprise. However he was not looking precisely where he was going because he felt the jostle of someone against his arm, and then the slip of something or someone; and then out of his profile.

A peacock mask.

But rising just to the side, purple hair that was tied back and horns.. tiefling horns. Peacock feathers, that was ever his signature and he wondered if perhaps this place was being cruel enough to show him not only one dead person, but two. He managed to murmur a rather gruff: ]

I am sorry, I happen to be two left feet this evening. [ There was something familiar about this man, but this would not be the man as Molly remembered, bearded with hair that was dirt covered and a jacket tattered from years of use. No, this man was elegant, clean shaven and wearing waistcoat of blue and over that a darker blue coat. Aside from the tenor of a voice, it would be hard to associate the two visions.

But he was enough like him that... ]

[melanholia]

[A fanciful place ought to have fanciful people, and the gentleman that bumped into him is just that- a perfectly dressed gentleman that seems to have gotten distracted by the crowd. And honestly, Molly can't blame him.]

It happens to the best of us, [Molly says, helping him straighten up and turning to fully face him. There's something... about his presence that's tipping Molly's alarms off but he can't put a finger on 'what'.]

And tonight's especially busy. [Chatting people up is what he does the best, in the end, it's gotten him into so many situations- good and bad- and out of so many situations... good or bad. Okay, that last one backfires a lot, but still.

Is it him or is the guy staring at him? In fact, are people staring at them?]

[zemnianjoy]

[ Caleb cannot draw his eyes away from this creature in the peacock mask; he felt a wave of warmth and nostalgia cross over him, and a compulsion to move closer to him. It was the mask but it was something else-- something in his mind that screamed that this was Mollymauk and that Mollymauk was dead; that they had buried him at a crossroad.

And yet still he stepped a little bit closer; his voice carrying threads of softness to it. ]

There are many people who have just arrived here and we were all invited to this party because if it-- half the people I do not even recognize myself.

[ If his own limbs did not feel so heavy, he would ask this mysterious stranger to dance with him ]

[melanholia]

[He's not sure how he's managed to draw this man's attention so fully onto him, but you won't see Mollymauk complaining. He's still a bit oblivious that masks are enchanted, but his gut feeling tells him something like this would've happened anyway.

The more he listens to the man speak, the more his voice is ingrained in his head- it's so familiar, the accent and the way words come to him. He's getting a headache thinking about it, he should probably stick to things he knows.]

It is still a thing I'm trying to process and not think about a handful of beaten-up friends back home. [He was also roughed up a little, but he heals easily.

Eyes darting to the dance floor, he shoves the dance card into the inner pocket of his coat and offers the man a hand with a small bow-] May I have this dance? Or is this song promised to someone else? [He's stuck in this world with all these posh people- might as well try and make some connections. They are always useful?]

[zemnianjoy]

[ A warm chuckle that emerges from Caleb's mouth, for he was also thinking about friends-- worrying about them, of if they were alright facing against Vokodo on Rumblescup. He'd been plucked from that point in time and now he was here and the promise of a dance? He did not bother to check his dance card, he had already determined that the dance card had a tendency of showing him what was inevitable.

The hand offered though, he looked at it, the gloved hand and then he accepted it and took a bow over it. A smile on his lips, the slightest dimple in that chin that was familar. ]

It seems that I feel better when I am on the dance floor so I will gladly accept this dance from you, you look like you would be a wonderful dancer.

[melanholia]

[Molly's point of origin is both simple and complicated at the same time. Definitely not close to his destiny, so he's oblivious about that and the fact that Jester, Fjord, and Yasha were actually in danger and not just roughed up over some bowl. That entire confrontation was just tiring if he was to be honest.

But he'll dwell more on that a bit later. He's currently busy amping up his charm to hundreds and it's somehow working? This place is really odd, and he likes it.]

Not an expert, but people had fun dancing with me, [he offers a wide, impish, playful grin, happily taking the hand and giving it a brief kiss over the tips of fingers and then taking them to the dance floor. Yes, "dancing" had multiple meanings and he didn't even try to cover it up.] But please do continue, flattery will get you everywhere with me.

[zemnianjoy]

You seem like the type that everyone would like to be around, I've known a few people like that in my life.

[ He thinks of Jester and Mollymauk; of their effervescent charm that could beguil countless scores of people, Jester however.. Molly-- well. That almost pulls him downward from his blue mask into the floor, coupled with other unavoidable thoughts, before finally he feels the touch of lips to his fingertips and he raises a brow ]

A charmer too.

[ He hears the familiar beats of the waltz and then he tilts his head. ] I can lead, though perhaps if you are versed in dancing, I could allow you too.. what is your comfort?

[melanholia]

Not everyone, [definitively not everyone,] but a good part of them, yes.

[He's starting to love this mask- it's not as if he hadn't lied and bullshited his way through things before, it's what he loves to do, but this mask doubles down on the feeling of freedom and being able to say whatever he wants. They don't know each other, but they are stuck here and that means he'd run into him eventually. The mask minimizes the consequences of lying.]

Mother always told me to mind my manners, [hah] and she was right.

[He steps into the position and inclines his head a little,] Please, go right ahead. I'm all yours. [While yes, he'd prefer if the other man is leading this dance, he was primarily looking for all sorts and ways to sneak in a flirt or two. Which, again, strengthens the point about the mask.]

[zemnianjoy]

[ As Caleb lead this nameless stranger out onto the floor, he can feel his own steps becoming lighter; it had been so with Essek's dance though he had not danced very much, rather standing to the side while all of the desperate thoughts of melancholic had assaulted him. Essek had run away after a moment, made his excuses and left ultimately over something that Caleb could not determine.

But right now he was starting to grow a lighter as he drew them closer to the dance floor. His hand placed on the tieflings waist, against the fine fabric of coat and then his other hand clasped firmly in the other man's. ]

Your mother is very wise, ja-- [ There was the most fleeting little dip into zemnian, but it could've been construed as a 'yeah', it was so soft. ] But it appears that you have manners, or at least you know how to conduct yourself at a large party. That is quite the talent, you will probably do well here.

[melanholia]

[He could sense that the mood has lifted up considerably from the man's posture as they took their places in the throng of other people. And it suits him so much better than the slumped shoulders and a downtrodden voice. He even has an accent (!), which gives him briefly a whiplash memory of Caleb, but then reminds him that couldn't possibly be it. Caleb has perfect memory, he'd recognize him at any time. He didn't change much, right?

With a hand on the man's shoulder and the other clasped in the other, Molly smiles,] You are good at reading people, weirc ['spark' in infernal, there's no better occasion to flaunt it around,] I might just give you my name if you sweep me off my feet.

[And the flatter really is getting this man everywhere, Molly's enjoying all the attention he's getting.]

[zemnianjoy]

[ Truth was that they were recognizing each other, not their minds. No, Caleb's mind was still a bit dumb, but it was this man's energy that felt so inherently like Mollymauk's, that made it a pleasure to dance with and he felt light-- now that they took to the floor and he was indulging in a proper twirl. While they were there in the dance floor, they were nearly untouchable and held aloft by both manners but also a kinship that rose up over them.

And yes, he did not recognize Molly-- or perhaps he did, but he thought it was an impossibility.

Why was it that when this man proposed a challenge, he wanted to sweep him off his feet? ] I respond favorably to being dared, so I hope you realize that is hubris.

[ And also for the moment, this nameless man seemed to 'at the moment' happy, whereas Caleb had been melancholic and sad, the true definition of a sad wizard ]

[melanholia]

[Molly would reprimand Caleb for calling himself dumb if he knew the thoughts that swirled around in that head. And he wouldn't be saying that only because he knows him; he's very well aware that Caleb can be very cunning when he wants to be. Sometimes, that is a spectacle in itself.

He follows the lead, oddly light on his feet; either he's been lying about not knowing to dance or he's just that good at following the lead. Or maybe it's even something else, it's hard to tell. Tail balance?]

Oooh, I like that. I am happy and lucky I asked you for a dance. [And he is fully aware now that the man has the capability to put behind his words because he's not really noticing anyone else on the dance podium. His attention is completely taken, and that's already a win.]

[zemnianjoy]

[ Tail balance was science, tiefling science. And it felt nostalgic to dance with this tiefling. In fact, Caleb wanted to ask if this Tiefling knew where Exandria was but-- there was something that feared breaking up the moment of this, making it into something that could be fragile. He was already hurting from many things, worried about the Nein.

Upset about his reunion with Essek, scarred by realizing that his own Retainer was his dead mother. He did not want to ask any more questions. At all.

No questions allowed. ]

Well, it is a pleasure to dance with someone who is very spry on their feet. [ Already he could feel his soul lighten just with the movements, the melancholy of the blue mask seemed to push everything away ]

[melanholia]

[Molly tried not to let himself be swarmed with thoughts of Exandria and people left behind; it wasn't something he could change right now, so no point in ruining the evening. Especially if he can glean some information from how people are around here.

And this guy especially. The feeling he's getting from him Molly felt only once before. An aura, dare he say, that it's so hard to put into words because it wouldn't do it justice.]

One has to be, if the eyes of the world are on them, [he smiles broadly- he says 'world' but he's exaggerating. Or is he? The people here are watching them, who knows.]

It is odd that such a skillful dancer was on the sidelines. [A statement, observation... question?]

[zemnianjoy]

Oh, I love to dance but I an rather introverted all considered.. [ and the mask made him even more introverted and willing to stand off to the sidelines, it was heavy to approach anyone about dancing when one's feet felt like lead. Really he was waiting for the moment where he could rip his mask off and be done with it.

The only reason he was here was because he was interested to find out more about the person who had ripped them all here to this strange world ]

However you make it very easy to dance, I feel rather light on my feet now.

[melanholia]

[An introvert, keeping to himself and out of sight despite having incredible capabilities and talent. It sounds familiar and it made him nostalgic for a moment. Well, the guy is already dancing away with him, so one part of the 'problem' is fixed. Molly's easily forgetting what he came here to do himself the more he talks to this man.]

That is the best compliment I got the entire evening. You may have won the challenge~

[He's not technically lying, he didn't get many compliments... yet. Not that he was looking for them, but he wouldn't mind more from this interesting fellow.]

[zemnianjoy]

[ There were not too many of those types of introverts, that was for certain.

However very soon the dance would end, they always did and Caleb felt the music pane out, and then he took the hand in his own and bowed over it, pressing a kiss to the back of it. ]

Thank you for the very lovely dance, however a butterfly like you should be shared and free and I would not want to monopolize you all to myself; you have given me a gift that I will remember.

[melanholia]

[For an introvert, the man is way too charming. This one dance and encounter may have wormed its way to his heart; a highlight of this evening that's for sure.]

I don't mind being monopolized, [he glances at the people leaving the podium, making sure no one overhears them,] especially if someone knows how to use me to their full advantage.

[But he leans back once he says that,] But I am very glad you enjoyed it. It's what this night is made for.