JUNE 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

[sodder]

JUNE 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to June's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR.

All Test Drive Memes contain at least one clue to the Deerington's upcoming in-game events for the month! Keep your eyes peeled! But...not literally.

Characters may die during TDMs, but you do not need to count it towards a game-canonical death unless you want to. Consider it a freebie. All TDMs can be considered game canon as TDMs introduce minor aspects about the world of Deerington that can be revisited by characters later on in the game. You may also use TDMs for your application writing sample as well as AC.

CW: Altered personalities, potential physical violence, character death
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

Welcome to the theater! No one knows when they held auditions, or when they held practice, or even when they started advertising, but there's suddenly flyers in every home, every shop, ever restaurant, and the locals seem to just be dying for a night of real culture. Whether or not you're usually a person who enjoys plays of any sort, once you see one of the posters, you'll find it hard to get it out of your mind. You'll find that your schedule lines up just perfectly for one of the plays and the tickets are free, so... Why not?

Strangely enough, none of the performances seem to be the same, so multiple visits to the theater will get you a variety of shows. It could just be a night of fun - a performance, maybe you go to dinner with a friend, and you get to have a night of pure enjoyment, especially if you really do love the theater. It could seem harmless the first time, maybe even the second, and maybe you'll walk away without ever experiencing the strange occurrences you hear other people going on about.

If you weren't so lucky, people attending the various performances will find that each show brings its own unique horrors, and they all seem to personally catered to you. The players seem to be broadcasting people's darkest secrets, their worst fears, and the most violent and terrifying personality traits that so many try to keep hidden about themselves. Monologues will be run that sound a lot like the critical voices inside of your head - maybe it's your mother talking about how worthless you are, or your best friend saying how they truly hated you all along, or the person you're deeply in love with making sure you know how pathetic they find you, or maybe you even see a player who looks like someone you lost, come back to tell you how it's your fault their gone, how you let them die. Or maybe even how you killed them.

The shows will leave you feeling dark and empty, depressed and maybe even angry. You'll find that you're more prone to lashing out, to getting violent, and you're more than ready to take it out on the people around you. Strangers, friends, it doesn't matter; someone needs to feel the same pain you are and you're happy to be the one to put them in it.

NOTE: None of the scenes put on in the plays will be actual memories. While background information or secrets may get brought up, they are primarily broadcasting exaggerated insecurities and fears.

RING AROUND THE ROSIE

A carousel has popped up in town, just nearby the ice cream shop! It seems like it has just pop up over night strangely, but that's the nature of things in Deerington, isn't it? The kids seem to love it, going to get sundaes, and then hopping on to one of the classic wooden horses for a ride. There's a tug of nostalgia that will hit you as you watch them laugh and play, even if you've never been on a carousel, or ever even seen one before today.

What's the harm in one ride? When it comes to a stop and the most recent group of kids runs off, you might find yourself compelled to hop on. The cheesy, mechanical music will fill your ears as the carousel starts to spin and for the first couple of turns, you're actually kind of having fun! No wonder the kids were laughing and clapping. There's something almost relaxing about this.

Until it's not. Things start to get strange quickly - the lights on the carousel flicker, until they go dead entirely, and it's like the entire world has gone dark with them. The music is still playing, but it's slowly warping into something less comforting. Eventually, you'll start to see things - terrible things that might make you regret having gone on the ride in the first place.

Whether it's occurred at home or not, some character's on the carousel will start to see detailed visions of their own deaths. They'll experience them as if it were truly happening and there seems to be little you can do to stop it. If you're lucky enough to not see your own death, you might get sucked into the vision of the person near you. Can you help to save them? Or will you only be able to do your best to comfort them through it?

Once a character is dead, the vision will end, the lights will return, and the music will be back to normal. You'll still be sitting on your horse as if nothing had happened at all. No physical reminder is present, but that doesn't mean the memories are going to fade any time soon.

Character Arrival

You can read how all characters arrive in Deerington here.

There is not a collective "all these characters showed up at the exact same moment" occurrence in Deerington. Since characters fall asleep, die, or pass out at various times throughout all their worlds, it wouldn't make too much sense if they arrived in game all at the exact same time. There should be some discrepancy between character arrival, whether by a couple minutes, hours, or even days up to a week.

The players are entirely in control of how/when they want to play their characters arriving in Deerington. For TDMs, you can play it like your character has just arrived and that can be maintained as your game canon, or you can wait until game events for that moment. Or you don't need to acknowledge it at all. The flexibility for character allows a bit more of an organic feel to the character arrival situation, so please play it to whatever feels right for you.

If you are interested in having an "arrival" introduction for one of your TDM prompts, you are more than welcome to explore that option.

Comments

Yoshiya "Joshua" Kiryu | TWEWY/Kingdom Hearts

[lusito]

all the world's a stage

[Maybe the play that's taking place is perfectly fine, or maybe it's a play depicting your personal darkest fear or anxiety. Either way, a particularly dramatic line is delivered, and that's when suddenly, somewhere to your left--]

Really? That's the line read they want to go with? Honestly, where did they get these amateurs? I've seen better acting in a children's Christmas pageant than this...

[Joshua appears for all the world to be bored here, making the exaggerated gesture of yawning at the show here. Which is probably super inappropriate given whatever dark and terrible secret may or may not have been exposed about you, but he doesn't seem to have a care in the world about that.]

ring around the rosie

[Unlike a normal human being who would get on the horse to ride a carousel, Joshua can be spotted... sitting on the very top of the roof to the carousel attraction. How the hell did he get up there?

Either way, he seems to be just people-watching, letting the occasional turn of the carousel guide where his gaze turns toward. However, it seems that even just sitting on the overhanging roof isn't enough to completely shake off the effect the carousel has, so after enough turns he may end up seeing the death of one of the riders here taking place... or maybe it's some sort of fabrication of his own. Regardless, unless it's his own death (which gets a rather indifferent sort of shrug in response to seeing), maybe he can help you out? Or you can yell at him to get off the roof here.]

wildcard

[Anything and Everything you want can be done right here! Feel free to hit me up via PM of this journal or over on wailords if you have any questions!]

ring around the rosie

[miragesplit]

[ For as much as the riders don't seem to care about someone sitting on top of the carousel, it's fairly noticeable to a passerby. And hard to ignore when it's so familiar, even if Riku looks different than the last time they met.

He's seen what the carousel does and is hesitant to get close but he doubts Joshua is going to make it any easier. So time to go yell up at the roof. ]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see you here too. [ Though this isn't a normal dream world. It makes him wonder... ] Are you just visiting?

[lusito]

I could say the same about you.

[Still, he certainly has Joshua's attention now as he rests his chin on a hand here, considering his new guest keeping him company here.]

You've certainly changed quite a bit since I last saw you. Did you finally find a proper stylist somewhere?

[Josh why can't you just say "how have you been" like a normal person.]

[miragesplit]

At least you haven't changed. Still bad at answering questions.

[ Riku's version of a 'nice to see you too'. Great start. ]

This is the real me, now that I'm not taking an exam. Dreams can be deceiving, after all. Surely you knew.

[ Has he been waiting to use that line? Maybe. ]

[lusito]

Of course. I just never expected that they'd deceive even you into believing that was a good comeback here.

[But with a flip of his hair here, Joshua moves on--]

So if your little exam is over and done, does this mean you've graduated top of your class? With high marks, I should hope, after all that work you did for it.

[miragesplit]

[ Whatever! He looks pleased with himself anyway. ]

Something like that. I'm a Keyblade Master now. Sora--had a little more trouble.

[ Now he frowns and crosses his arms, glancing off. ]

Turns out you were right. I was in Sora's dream the whole time, as his Dream Eater. But this dream is something else entirely. I don't suppose you have any theories.

[lusito]

[Joshua nods--of course he was right, he's kind of omniscient buddy--but he does frown a little at the mention of Sora. "Trouble", huh...]

Mm... yes, I could say that there are a few that come to mind, now that you mention it.

[miragesplit]

Something that might be helpful? I mean, it's almost like what you did. Using dreams to gather people in the same place.

[ But there are definitely some key differences. For one, he motions to the carousel. ] Just not for anything as benevolent.

[lusito]

Indeed. By comparison to Twilight Town, this dream is structured more like a nightmare... but the question is whose nightmare it belongs to...

[And now Joshua finally hops down from the top of the carousel to stand in front of Riku proper.]

... and whether or not anything can be done for the people that have been unwillingly dragged into it.

[miragesplit]

[ Ah, he's earned the honor of talking to Joshua face to face. He seems relieved because he can finally motion for them to move away from the carousel. ]

I might know something about that, but let's get away from this thing first. It hasn't shown you anything, has it?

[lusito]

Oh dear, are you concerned about little old me here?

[Joshua giggles as he says it before waving a hand in dismissal.]

You need not worry: besides, even if I had, there's nothing that can be done for it now. What's past is past.

[... well that's totally not concerning at all.]

[miragesplit]

[ Remind him to never express concern over Joshua again. He makes it so difficult. ]

Maybe there's nothing we can do. Or maybe we can go for a walk instead of taking rides on the nightmare carousel. That's bound to have some side effects.

[ More pointed: ] Even for someone like you.

[lusito]

"Someone like me", huh? What a way with words you have, Riku.

[But now he gestures for them to walk away from the carousel.]

Lead the way then, won't you?

[miragesplit]

Well, all I know is that you aren't human.

[ He eyes Joshua's back for a moment like he's trying to catch a hint of wings. But it's not actually important and he walks ahead, getting them away from the attraction as quickly as possible. ]

I get the feeling you didn't choose to be here. This place doesn't suit you.

[lusito]

Well, well, aren't we observant. I'd say "bravo", but as you know, I only have so many to give out at a time.

[... About which part of what Riku said, he doesn't clarify.]

ring around the rosie

[missingache]

[Roxas tries, for the most part, not to watch people too much here. Many have made it clear it's not normal to watch people so intently. He can't help it. It's a habit that his many months here haven't fully shaken.

The habit is so bad that he's taken to watching a somewhat familiar person on top of the carousel. It's...... definitely not what he expected someone to do. Then again, what can one expect in a place that loves to dish up all manners of people and creatures from other worlds. He should say something at least...]

What are you doing up there?

[lusito]

Isn't it obvious? Given that you're doing the same thing here.

[... People-watching, he means.]

[missingache]

... yeah, but I'm not doing it from a location where people would question my sanity.

[It's less suspicious from the ground.]

[lusito]

Hey now, just because I've chosen a height advantage to observe from doesn't mean there's something wrong with my sanity here. That's just rude.

[But Joshua doesn't seem all that bothered really, judging by the amusement in his tone.]

[missingache]

Tell that to the deer. Or the Authority.

[If a black cat comes out of nowhere to be angry, that's no laughing matter.]

[lusito]

Well, I don't see them here, so I suppose I have no choice but to tell you instead for now.

[Sorry Roxas, but Joshua is always tempting fate.]

[missingache]

If you see a black cat, that's one of the Authority.

[Which... looking around, there still isn't really any cats around.]

[lusito]

Oh? [He still sounds terribly amused, though.] Well, they do say that cats seem to think of themselves as the true head of one's household, don't they? I suppose it's only fitting that they would fashion themselves as authority figures in that light.