diceofthegods: (Default)
diceofthegods ([personal profile] diceofthegods) wrote in [community profile] childrenofbajablast2025-04-01 04:09 pm
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Test Drive Meme #3

GOLDEN GREENERY
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Bloom by The Paper Kites
1:24 / 3:33
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The Paper Kites are an Australian indie rock/folk rock band from Melbourne. The band was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist/guitarist Sam Bentley and keyboardist/guitarist Christina Lacy. Their 2010 single "Bloom" has been certified Platinum in the United States.

Recently, Town was decorated by locals and Fae folk both. Things are a bit more colorful and the sun is shining more and more instead of the continuous winter gloom from before. The world finally feels like it's coming alive again.

Sorry about your possible allergies as trees blossom and spit excess pollen.

There also seems to be an emphasis on both green and gold. Crowns or other accessories of clovers are being made for luck. Whether or not they're actually lucky, who knows! Dragon-bonded are also being enlisted in helping with post-winter (and post Mind Flayer) repairs. Those creatures did quite a number skittering around some homes so why not lend a hand - clawed or otherwise - now that you're here? It'll help with offworlders reputation if nothing else!

Meanwhile, the Fae appear to have taken to the opposite of helping as they are wont to do. They are instead trying to trick locals and offworlders both with glittering chests of gold that most would know are too good to be true.

These are mimics who will attempt to devour someone that falls for the temptation of quick riches. Not to worry though, they're relatively harmless and all just for a good bit of fun. You might need some help though getting unstuck since they can be pretty persistent once their trap has been sprung.
CH-CH-CHANGES
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There comes a time in every young dragon's life where they begin to experience some changes. That might be nothing new to those established in Town by now, of course, as the majority of their changes have come and gone. Nothing can surprise them anymore about their dragon-bonds.

...Or so they thought!

Whether established characters or ones just pulled through the summoning circle, springtime is a season that throws almost all dragons for a little bit of a loop. It is a common rutting season and those hormone fluctuations can strike when least expected.

Even if outside of your specific dragon's season or newly arrived, they'll be swept up by the rest being in so close proximity and likely be at least mildly affected as well. Some handle this season better than others, but there are still specific things to watch out for as more 'universal' experiences.

    Heightened aggression - The ways that this can manifest varies wildly! Perhaps you're more easily irritated or frustrated. It's also possible that this presents as an increased competitive drive with someone else or just in general.

    Brooding - While usually described as an instinctual behavior of sitting on eggs to incubate them, for most dragon-bonded this will instead appear as a compulsion to cuddle up with someone dear. You have the instinct to keep them safe, warm, and where better than right here with you?

    Nesting - That stick is really neat. It'd look great in your home, wouldn't it? Dragon-bonded will feel the desire to create a safe and comfortable environment for themselves and friends. This often involves cleaning, organizing, and preparing a space. For what? Maybe your character doesn't know, but will feel the urge to do it anyway!

    Increased Libido (The NSFW Option) - For those of age, there will be a distinct increase in sexual desire that can be noted as well. While not everyone will experience it, it is something that can be present as an undercurrent either on its own or coupled with other instincts. (For example, the compulsion to cuddle isn't just that or nesting will be a result of attempting to breed.)


PLAYTIME
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To help dragon-bonded with their seasonal and instinctual urges, Charlie and others have put together some games. They understand this might be a bit overwhelming and strange to those unfamiliar. So, why not make it as fun and enjoyable as they can?

    Horn Locking - All dragon-bonded will find that due to the season 1) if they have horns then they aren't going away no matter their attempts to shift and 2) they're extremely itchy. Even the newest among them will have small stubs of horns pre-maturely! To help combat this and channel some unexpected aggression, dragon-bonded are encouraged to lock horns with one another. It hopefully scratches both the literal and metaphorical itches they're dealing with.

    Scavenger Hunt(s) - To help with the nesting urges, a list of miscellaneous items has been given to dragon-bonded to search for. The reward for completing this list* is five (5) bond points. Charlie trusts that you'll find what has been asked for... but doesn't need to see it. Yes, that is a nice rock. It can stay in your home though, really.

    Baseball - Even if called something else here, people will realize quickly enough: this is just baseball. Dragon-bonded will be encouraged though to hit the ball with one of their draconic extremities rather than a bat. They can use their tail, their hands, or even their horns to whack a small ball as far as possible. This game is set-up to help release some of that pent-up energy as well as indulge in that competitive instinct.
Rocky Talky
One of the things that was given to you in your welcome pack from Charlie was a summoning-stone. Although it looks like, well, an ordinary stone- It's actually magic! You can look through it and see someone else's face too if you're both viewing your stones at the same time. It can also record your speech and deliver that to someone else in a snap.

One of the other features is that you can scrawl on it. It will turn your writing into legible text that you can send others to read on their stones. Of course, you need to attune yourself to your stone first. To that end, it prompts you to set up a Rockstar Profile:

COMMENT CODE TEMPLATE
Notes
⁂ Hello and happy Spring! Welcome to Children of Bahamut's third drive meme! If you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback then feel free to ask here.

⁂ We have a top-level directory drive for ease of finding new players to tag! After some feedback, we ask that only new players link their top-levels though current players are allowed to top-level and enjoy the TDM if they so wish as well!
    (Example header: character name | canon )

⁂ The list provided by Charlie will have approximately ten (10) miscellaneous items on it to find and collect. You can decide what they are and we're operating on the honor system here of your characters going out and finding everything if you so wish. (Just let us know when you turn in your bonds that's what your character did and provide a link if possible, but know that one isn't necessary!)

⁂ You can customize the the Rockstar Profile however you wish! So long as its readable, have fun. The profile image appears best when a 250 by 250 square image. Anything too tall might stretch it strangely or cause issues. If you need to edit or crop a picture to suit, we recommend using Pixlr as a free option for up to three images! We're not sponsored or anything, it's just neat and convenient.

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soldragon: (fight-ready)

2)

[personal profile] soldragon 2025-04-02 05:46 am (UTC)(link)
For all butting heads is what the fairies asked, and for all he's inclined to listen to fairies-- the ones back home helped him out a lot!-- there's just something to be said for keeping in practice.

So he decided to find a nice spot on the beach, take up his good old Ranger Blade, and run through the basic attack forms he learned in training. Vertical, lunge, side sweep, basic defenses, defense-opening techniques, on up to more complex, less practical forms meant for conditioning and building muscle more than raw effect.

Not that he didn't find a use for even those, once in a blue moon.

He is, sadly, as yet unaware of the Pouncening about to be enacted upon him. Not that he has any traps available right now.
Edited 2025-04-02 06:24 (UTC)
relentless_sentinel: (Rising Morale)

[personal profile] relentless_sentinel 2025-04-04 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
Well, thankfully for Ryu, there's no pouncing. Not yet, at least. But there is a dragon watching inquisitively over a sand dune. What? She was sunning, and he started training, and she's a soldier, of course she's going to watch.

As much as the idea of pouncing towards him does appeal to the playful side of her that secretly likes trolling people, it's held back by the knowledge that having a large dragon pouncing at you is scary and could end up in him getting hurt. Well, maybe her too, but she's incredibly tough, so she doesn't think about that.

So when she does decide to pop up, Ryu at least gets the warning of a few quiet wingbeats before she lands in the sand some distance away. It's close enough so she doesn't have to shout, but hopefully far enough that he doesn't feel threatened. Although, she has no idea how much the sun is shining off her scales and the subtle mist surrounding her, so Ryu might be getting blinded...

In a warm feminine voice thick with a country accent, like if warm apple pie could speak, the dragon observes, "That's an interestin' form, there."
soldragon: (Linked)

[personal profile] soldragon 2025-04-04 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
It's more the sand than the reflections that cause Ryu to raise his hand against the approach. By this point, it's almost become normal to see dragons everywhere. Odjn wasn't kidding in the slightest-- there's been so many dragons he's met already.

Still, this one was a cut above. Stunning to see, a grace in motion.

Odjn's chuckle in the back of his mind only made things worse, causing him to hesitate before stumbling out, "Standard Ranger training with the broadsword, miss. I used to hunt rogue genics down in EndSector. I... Never really got out of the habit once Shelter started coming up top."
relentless_sentinel: (Bearer of Hope)

[personal profile] relentless_sentinel 2025-04-04 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
If she could hear the thoughts about her being graceful, she'd probably shatter all that by being very bashful about it. But he's spared that for now. For now, she listens intently, long tail twitching with interest, the willow leaf-shaped spikes at the end catching the light and sparkling especially bright.

After a moment to process all of that, she rubs the back of her head, similar to how a person might rub their neck. "Ah'm...not sure what a lotta that is," She confesses after a moment, "but it's always good to keep up your trainin' an' work hard to get stronger. Ya want a partner or anythin'?"
soldragon: (fight-ready)

[personal profile] soldragon 2025-04-04 08:15 am (UTC)(link)
Ryu pauses. "-- As you are, miss?"

Could they even Dive, right now? We can. Claim the skies! Is-- You are not at risk.

He really wished he could trust Odjn fully right now. "I... Can give it a shot, but I'll have to do something a little risky."
relentless_sentinel: (Glad to help)

[personal profile] relentless_sentinel 2025-04-07 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, right. She's a dragon right now. (Look, this form is getting to feel pretty natural, at this point. Can you blame her if she forgets?)

She chuckles, "Well, if ya want, but Ah was more meanin' in my original form, a...human." She'd almost said 'beorc', but most people have no idea what that is, so the other term has to be used.

"No need to be takin' more risks than necessary. But it's up to ya."
soldragon: (Full Attack)

[personal profile] soldragon 2025-04-08 12:20 am (UTC)(link)
He braces himself for the pain of it, breathes, tries to reach the point at which he can Dive-- and finds that, just like a few days ago, he can't. Instead, he's just at the point where he's. Fast. Strong, stronger than he is even after recovering and gaining weight and condition in the sky; it turns out that beastly strength never quite left him. He's glowing red with circuitry and his eyes burn for a moment.

He grumbles. "... Still can't reach it?"

He rubs his throat thoughtfully. "... No, maybe that's a good thing."