[July's Mod Open Post!]

[desperatemods]

Spring! It's a time of renewal, growth, optimism, and babies-- Wait. Babies?

Anthony J. Crowley is having a bizarre dream. In it, he's on a game show and each square on the board is represented by a different TikTok trend. It's Crowley's turn and the host -- a very familiar man wearing a very familiar suit, but the glare from the spotlight is just so that Crowley can't see his face -- has pulled up a video of a blonde haired woman talking about her ex and sharing old texts.

"This new TikTok trend uses what song overly to provide an ironic tone when the user is describing red flags that their ex used to have?" The spotlight shines on Crowley. He has no idea. He doesn't have TikTok. He doesn't even have a phone anymore!

Crowley wakes up underneath the bed sweating. His hand instinctively moves to his side table where... There's a phone? His phone? No, it's a replica. When he looks at the screen, the only app on it is one with a small black and white logo that says MT.

[[MANSIONTOK TIME. Crowley's phone (now Susan's phone) has had babies. Everyone gets a phone!

In the comments, please post whatever videos your characters are posting to the shared mansion feed. They can be fully scripted or just a short description of the video contents, whatever you prefer. 

If your character is replying, please have them reply in the format of what they type -- so not prose, just pure text. Let us know if you have any questions! This is very silly, so have fun with it.]]

Comments

[notalone_anymore]

Effie's video is just her, hair disheveled, eyeliner smudged around the edges. She speaks directly into her camera.

"Ugh, so knackered from last night. What's your fave hangover cure, kids?"

[aflashbastard]

goat blood jk

[higginbottom]

Esther's video is just her looking confused, eyebrow arched, at the camera. After a moment, she speaks.

"Um, hello? Is this on?"

[aflashbastard]

yes

[papadopoulos]

Naturally, Apollo's first inclination is to post a thirst trap on this strange version of GodTok. Since it is now officially spring, he's taken to his usual haunts of spending his mornings outdoors, phone carefully recording a short clip of him playing songs to his cows. For once, he is not actually dressed in the skimpiest thing imaginable but a neatly tailored linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up and shorts, lounging across some rocks as he plays some Beatles tunes.

[aflashbastard]

no

[summerdude]

Magnus, presumably ten minutes before his final death at the hands of Alex Fierro, posts a short video of Alex and Sunny curled up around each other on the trampoline, napping together. Sunny is making little bitty baby snores. Alex's ear twitches between two different sizes. Magnus has strewn the two of them with spring ephemerals. The text caption reads, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN *ANYTHING* SO BEAUTIFUL IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

[biteybaby]

Dgmmssgsyksklsafysyysfnsfkjsbabfadaftsjystjsystn hhidkfnwudhbdjdi dnskcmshajfmfkxnajdj sssssssssssssssssssssssss 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂✨🥸😈😼🫵🏻🦷🦸‍♂️🧜‍♀️💃🏼👯‍♂️👚🦄🐙🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦖🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩🦜🦜🦜🦜🌷🌷🌷🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️⛅️⛅️⛅️🌥️🌥️🌦️🌦️🌦️🌦️🍎🍏🍉🥥🥑🥒🍭🍫🧃🎾🎸🚀🛸🏖️🔮🔮🔮📚❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🖤🩶🤍🤎💔❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹❣️💕💞💓💗💖💘💝💟🔆✅⬆️⤴️↙️↕️🔴♥️🕡🏴‍☠️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇧🇾🇧🇯🇨🇴🇨🇷🇵🇫🇮🇪🇱🇹🇲🇦🇳🇺🇪🇸🇷🇺🇹🇯🇹🇼🇹🇻🇪🇭

[biteybaby]

Sunny's first video (of many) is a close up of her face. You can see almost directly up her nose, but the good news is that there are no boogers today. "Look!" she says excitedly, still definitely filming her face and not whatever she wants everyone to look at. "It Tachi! You can see Tachi on a rock? Nooooo Tachi don't -- no, Tachi, where you going? Tachi get on -- Tachi--"

The phone is set down (a phrase which here means, 'dropped unceremoniously onto the ground, saved only by the child-proof large foamy phone case it appeared with'), and the rest of the video is about a minute and a half of the sky with Sunny's voice in the background, trying to get Tachi back on whatever this rock is, giving up, and then just having a very one-sided conversation with Tachi.

[aflashbastard]

tachi??

[thepurpledanger]

A chance to film herself doing spinning leaps and backflips, flinging knives and cracking vases with her whip, all while wearing an array of gossamer robes in purple and pink? Smash cuts?? Flower stickers??? And she can set it to pipa music wit a hip-hop beat?

Gu Xiang is never going back.

🗡️ 🌸 😈 顾湘 😈 🌸 🗡️

[bymyheelies]

🔥🔥🔥🔥👍🏼

[futaille]

It begins with a brief generation-spanning millennial pause from a guy born in 1805, but Dionysus has at least given him the rundown on how it works so after that couple seconds is down it's off to the races. Grantaire starts off talking about a couple of his favorite wines that he's discovered here but then it takes some meandering turns through history and classical philosophy along with some random musings about some of the games in the game room into mythical sea creatures and how mythical they actually are if there's an actual griffin here anyway oh and another thing— and that's when the video gets to the end of the posting time limit.

[aflashbastard]

griffins

[untamedantinous]

Enjolras has also received a rundown from --either one of the gods, likely, and is curious enough to at least open up the app. He inspects the phone for a moment or two, cautious, and lets out a thoughtful hum before reaching to shut off the camera.

[futaille]

looking good sir

[summerdude]

Magnus, who successfully has avoided being murdered to death for real at the hands of his boyfriend by promising to post a video that could, conceivably, distract everyone at the Mansion from watching him sleep in Magnus's earlier video, films Hanguang-jun and Galahad's training from afar.

In a half-whispered voiceover that makes it clear he's trying not to get spotted and is neither clearly Steve Irwin nor David Attenborough, but which could, conceivably, be a bad attempt at either, Magnus says, "And here we see the great fighting dance of the cultivation world. See how the Hanguang-jun uses the swish of his robes to try to hide his movements, and the Galahad twists to block him? (The Western Lancelot does not teach like this, by the way.) One day, perhaps the Galahad's plumage will match the Hanguang-jun's in utter swishiness. That would be... so freaking cool. Look, now, as the Galahad strikes! He--"

The subjects of his video clearly hear him then and turn toward the sound. Magnus gives a little yelp. "Gotta go bye," he blurts, and the video cuts out.

[vineleaves]

crikey

[sporesprouter]

No mansiontok dances or crazy stories here, but as soon as figuring out how the whole thing works, Tress figures this would be a good place for supplemental chronicling of spore experiments.

So here she is in her workshop, trying out different ratios of zephyr and sunlight spores with different amounts of water on a small scale just to see what kind of bursts she gets from them.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Very clever !

[vineleaves]

Dionysus' first video is him very cheerfully explaining some of the details about how to properly use the phones, complaining about why they were all given phones without the ability to call one another, and a reminder that if anyone has questions they can ask him!

[futaille]

🔥🔥🔥😏🍇😉💜💜💜😉👅

[vineleaves]

Dionysus' second video is him reminding everyone when the next rehearsal for Oz is, which scenes they are planning on going over, and who all in the cast and crew will be needed.

[futaille]

🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆🍆

[involuntaryturncoat]

Asmodean's first video is just in the music room with him playing the harp. At least one person will instantly recognize the song.

[aflashbastard]

nice job

[lightbearinglord]

Upon a semi-involuntary lesson in the functionality of the seemingly-useless object that appeared beside Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's bedside this morning, Lan Wangji has no intention of posting anything whatsoever. Crowley will survive the deprivation. Someone will teach him how to concisely show his appreciation for whatever is posted by his most beloved people. No one needs to see anything else.

A mobile device, however, is an easy thing to misuse, especially when its user is, by some metrics, roughly fifteen hundred years old. Thus, the following does appear on the MansionTok feed, despite Lan Wangji's best efforts:

The camera faces the low table at the center of Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's quarters, slightly out of focus on the teapot and teacups sitting there. Simultaneously visible are a stack of romance novels with worn spines and a game of weiqi, halfway played. A crimson robe is strewn across one of the stools.

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian's voice crackles a little, apparently too close to the phone's speaker. "You scared Crowley away! You were so rude to him."

"Mn." Lan Wangji is obviously unrepentant. The camera wobbles, and the sound of Wei Wuxian's laughter flares again.

"Ah, Lan Zhan, you know I like it when you're mean--" At this point, the camera falls as the phone is dropped to the bed. This angle on Wei Wuxian should, by all rights, be unflattering, but he is a beautiful man, and his smile does a great deal of work toward making that clear. Lan Wangji's hand grips him by the nape of the neck and drags him in for a long kiss. It does, in time, come to an end, but only as that hand twines Wei Wuxian's ponytail around its fingers instead, yanking his head back as Lan Wangji goes for the throat. Mercifully, the phone slides off the bed and the recording stops.

[futaille]

😲😲😲😲😲🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[ravkanwitch]

After a couple of lessons from various sources, Nina's got the hang of it. She's a quick learner! She even splits her video into segments, with her voice sharing that she wants to share things that make her happy. First a brief look into her room with journals and books strewn about, Khitka curled up into a tiny furry ball, and the camera quickly panning away from a dying plant in the window. There's a flash of the mansion from the outside, then a smiling selfie in the sun, followed by a close-up of her breakfast: a giant stack of pancakes topped with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

[aflashbastard]

it needs discipline

[involuntaryturncoat]

Also, here is a two minute video of Dhakdi sleeping in his gigantic bed.

[aflashbastard]

v cute

[biteybaby]

The video opens on Crowley standing in front of a familiar lemonade stand with his arms crossed. He looks a bit menacing. “Do you like lemon?” he asks. The camera zooms in on him. Closer. Closer. …Closer? Too close??

Cut to a clip of Sunny standing in a hallway with a b&w filter. The video has been slowed to half-speed, making Sunny’s voice as she says, “Lemon is soooooooo good, you want to buy lemon…” pitched down to nearly a growl. There is a jump cut and suddenly Sunny is right up close to the camera, then just as quickly it cuts to a shot of someone (?) pouring lemonade into a cup. This clip has a red filter on it though, making the lemonade appear almost like blood.

The camera cuts back to Crowley, who seems mad – but it’s difficult to tell because he’s upside-down. Or is he on the ceiling? Anyway. “Buy lemon from Sunny. Or else,” he says, sternly.

[aflashbastard]

one glass of lemon please

[biteybaby]

Upon seeing a video of Daki, Sunny posts a video that is her face, very close to the camera, and she's saying, "Daki! Daki you sleeping Daki! Daki I love you Daki! You bed is sooooooo big! Where'd--" and the video cuts off.

[lightbearinglord]

♥

[kadewest]

Three instructional videos posted, each an hour apart, each with a close-up on Kade's very lovely hands and featuring his Oklahoma drawl talking the viewer calmly through:

1. Invisible mending (denim, cotton, wool, polyester, that funky fabric from Asmodean's World Kade finds so compelling)


2. Various visible mending techniques on the same


3. Taking in and letting out clothing to fit you better: shirt, pants, skirt, dress, jacket.

Each one ends with a reminder that Kade is here to provide all these services, and more, if people don't have the time or inclination to do it on their own.

[sagramore]

We are sowe lukkye to hav yuwe Kaydde maye I speke to yuw onn som newe close fore Sunnyye she ys gettingg soe bigg!! I thinkk ytt wolde be nyse for herr to have som thyngs thatt sute her personnalitty :)

[onthewillowsthere]

Galahad appears on the screen in floral patterned tights and a long-sleeved shirt with a black velvet pinafore dress over it, his chaotic hair recently somewhat tamed by an expert hand. The video is filmed in the laboratory, and is perfectly steady due to the phone having been neatly placed in a stand on the lab table.

"Hello," he says, very seriously. "These are some of the insects Susan and I have discovered that live here in the laboratory. I will show you."

There is a shockingly neat jump cut to one of the habitats, its glass pristine and clear so that the viewer can easily see the giant stick insect inside. "This is a Tiara giant stick insect, Bactrododema tiaratum. This species is endemic to southern Africa, where the local name is Godhorse or hag's horse. It employs camouflage to protect itself from predators and feeds by skeletonizing leaves."

Another jump cut. "This is an American rose chafer, Macrodactylus subspinosus. It is given its common name of rose chafer because it eats the leaves of roses, although it also feeds on many other plants. Macrodactylus subspinosus are covered in yellow hairs but with age and with normal activity the hairs are worn off the head and thorax, revealing a black color. It is therefore possible to distinguish between older and younger beetles."

Another jump cut. "This is the pupa of the daring-owl butterfly, Dynastor darius, a species of butterfly known for its mimicry of a python's head. This is one of the seven recognized subspecies, Dynastor darius stygianus. When pupated, the butterfly is unable to move and is vulnerable to predation, but the appearance of the pupa can deter predators and protect it during this period."

He pauses. "I will record additional movies about the other species. Thank you."

[lightbearinglord]

♥

[sagramore]

Sagramore's video has no speaking at all, and also it's set up too far away, but in the distance the viewer can see him running Szarka through her agility course, a far-away man and a far-away perfect dog.

[aflashbastard]

good girl

[tallyyoungblood]

Tally, thrilled to have a screen, even if it's a weird, Rusty-style chunky thing, posts a video:

Tally stands in her bedroom, cutting between showing off three outfit options: a black dress, a purple romper, and metallic silver joggers with a black tank top.

"Hi, everyone! It's like you're all getting ready with me. I love it! This thing is so bubbly!" She spins around in her dress, then cuts to the next outfit.

"What do you all think?" she asks anxiously. "What should I wear today? Option one, option two, option three? I don't want to be fashion-missing. Am I totally behind on any trends lately? Let me know!"

[aflashbastard]

one

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan posts a video of Regina washing herself in a patch of morning sun on Susan's desk, either unaware or unconcerned (or possibly smugly aware?) that at three separate points in the video, Lancelot walks through the back of the shot. He's out of focus, but clearly in the process of getting dressed, and in the very first frame he's only wearing underwear. With volume up, viewers can hear the following conversation:

SUSAN: Yes, I'm trying out a shared film of Regina. You've got training with Gideon this morning, is that right?
LANCELOT [walking past in just his jeggings]: Aye. She's [muffled, unintelligible]
SUSAN: My goodness! Oh - Regina, please don't shove your rear end into the camera, it's terribly --
LANCELOT: [unintelligible, until he comes back into frame tugging on a shirt] --haps with Laertes and Sagramore, if thou dost not [muffled]
SUSAN: No, certainly not, that sounds lovely. I suppose I've got rather a busy afternoon myself. Sweetheart, let me fix that --

A moment later, Susan joins Lancelot in the back of the frame, adjusting his shirt. They're just coming into focus as she leans up for a kiss when a curious Regina's face looms, filling the whole screen. For the briefest of moments, all you can see is a wet cat nose, and then the video cuts out.

[futaille]

excellent video. you should make more.

[biteybaby]

The camera shows most of Sunny’s face this time, but a good deal of the sky too. She looks visibly upset. “Everyone gotta stop writing words for me!!” she says. “You know I not can read!!! Use the pictures or maybe just come find me, I outside sitting down if you gotta talk me but I can’t read!!!! I am very frustrated! Sto—“

The video cuts off.

[aflashbastard]

✋🏻😔🚶🏻‍♂️☀️🗣️

[aflashbastard]

The top of a purple and black head looms into frame.

Dah-ay-loh-oo-tye! Doo-oo-tye?

Noo-Boh blinks a few times, eyes whirling mechanically.

[aflashbastard]

how did you get on my account