AUGUST 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to August's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: DYSTOPIAN 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: Physical violence, monster violence, creepy ogre-like monster in link, being hunted by a monster.
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

BLOOD IN MY VEINS

With supplies low and food getting even more scarce, things in Deerington, Maine seem to be getting that much more tense. For those who pay attention to the habits of the townspeople, there’s something that might add to that feeling of stress; all of them seem to be involved in some kind of physical training, whether it’s archery, hand-to-hand combat, or fighting with firearms, they all seem like they’re getting ready for something and it definitely feels like it might be something big.

But no one wants to train against a townsperson - it’s highly likely they’re not going to fight fair with the way they’re all glaring at the Sleepers, as though they’re to blame for everything that’s been going on. Unless you’re sparring with people in your own backyard though, it seems like there isn’t any space to get your own training in.

The Betties are starting to pop up around town pretty regularly, waiting until they find Sleepers on their own, and quietly waving for them to come closer. “You need to prepare,” they’ll whisper to you in hushed urgency, before grabbing your hand to try and get you to follow them. If you fight, they’ll insist only once more, before leaving you alone. But there’s something inside of you urging you to comply and follow.

They’ll lead you down an alley, pushing aside a large dumpster, and revealing a trap door in the middle of the concrete. You’ve never noticed it before, even if you’ve been down this alley a hundred times. The Betty leading you leans down, pulling it open, and the ladder that goes into the tunnel is long and dimly lit. You could leave now, but the Betty will insist this is for the best.

“Knock twice. No more or less. Show them what you’re made of.”

Once you get to the bottom of the ladder, there’s an equally long hallway that leads towards a closed metal door. You knock twice and the door shakes before sliding open. The light that comes through is almost blinding with how bright it is compared to the dim tunnel, but as your eyes adjust, you can finally step in to a fully stocked training room.

There are instructors in basics for beginners, areas for intermediate, and most abundantly there are one-on-one sparring areas. The moment you come close enough, you’ll be immediately paired with another Sleeper, and the two of you will be locked in the room together to be observed. You could choose to not fight, of course, but you’ll be stuck there for a good long while if you do. It might be best to just get it over and done with.

So feel free to help others who seem to be struggling or show off your strength for everyone to see. It looks like everyone is going to need to be ready for some kind of fight.

I AM THE GREAT UNKNOWN

Maybe you got knocked out during a fight or maybe you fell asleep in your own bed - or maybe you don’t even remember closing your eyes at all, especially if you don’t usually have the ability to go unconscious for one reason or another. No matter the cause, everyone will wake up in the same place, surrounded by tall, thick hedges in the middle of a... maze?

It doesn’t take you long to realize you aren’t the only one waking up, too. Someone is next to you and it seems like you’re stuck finding your way out of here together. Literally. On each of your wrists is a metal cuff with a long chain connecting them. It can’t be broken, no matter how strong a person is or how powerful a weapon or spell they try to use against it. You’re in this together whether you want to be or not.

Once you can pick a direction to head in, it seems like this might almost be boring - that is until you start to hear the sounds of rustling leaves and breaking twigs. At first it seems like it might just be a trick to spook you, but the more you ignore it, the louder it gets, until finally you see it, charging down the row at you, scythe raised and ready to strike.

You can try to fight, of course, but it’s hard when you’re chained to one another. Learn to work together quickly and maybe you can make it work. It seems to go down with normal attacks, though it takes a long time to get the creature to fall unless you cut off the head. Ultimately your best interest might be set in running as fast as you can to get away. You can lose it in the maze if you’re quick about it. But then you might also be lost yourself.

If you do manage to lose the monster rather than killing it, stay quiet and you might not attract its attention again. It may take a while to find the end of the maze. The hedges feel like they stretch on forever and the sun is blaring down. You’d think there would be shade with all the height of the bushes, but there’s no relief from the heat. Hopefully you don’t burn easy.

When you get to the end of the maze, the two of you will come up on three doors. One door will lead out of the maze and back into the center of Deerington, cuff free. Another door will lead you right back to the beginning, forcing you to start again. And what’s behind door number three...?

The monster, of course.

Choose wisely.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Remy LeBeau would not have been Kurt's first choice of mutants to wake up chained to, but he isn't far from the top of the list. How many more friends, he wonders, will he end up finding in this place?

"Perhaps I just like to keep you on your toes, mein Freund," Kurt replies, showing a flash of fangs in a smile. He glances up at the hedges that surround them, his tail curling up behind him. "Although this place seems to be happy to do that for me so far."

Look, you're not his first choice either, boyyo. Your sister on the other hand... But that was besides the point; which was them being dropped into the middle of a maze and stuck together.

"Kind of ya," That answer sounds a little distracted, Remy putting half of his attention into those cuffs. They were just cuffs, right? Should be easy, only take him a couple of seconds to get free. Or that's what he had expected, those thoughts quickly brushed away as he fussed with his cuff, frowning down at it as he examined it. "So, first problem, there ain't 'nything to pick. Second problem," After a closer look at the cuff. "It don't seem like it got 'ny electronics or magnets or 'nything else 've seen before. Third problem," Remy tugged on the cuff, sizing it up. "I don't think I can slip it off even if I dislocated m' thumb to do so." It wouldn't be the first time he's had to do that to get out of cuffs...

Kurt sighed, watching Remy work and the growing frustration in his expression.

"I suppose it was a long shot." He raised his own wrist, looking at the chain as it swung back and forth between them. The metal was tight, parting his blue fur.

"This isn't the first time I've woken up like this," he explained, his lambent eyes finding Remy's. "I believe it is some kind of test, or perhaps entertainment for someone. We won't be able to get out of this. And if we do not get moving, we will soon find ourselves.." his expression grew dark, almost afraid, "hunted."

"Yeah, that sounds 'bout right." At least they weren't hanging upside down. Or being chained over a pit of alligators. So not Remy's worse case of being chained up.

Though those thoughts were pushed away quickly at the concern on Kurt's face, Remy smiling to him as he clapped a hand down on Kurt's shoulder, trying to offer some comfort to his friend. "Then if someone stupid 'nough to try that, they goin' to have a real fight on their hands." They weren't alone in this, even if it wasn't their own choice. They could get through it. "Now, while I realize the game be to work through the maze, we could turn this 'nto a type of mutantball version. No rules sayin' we can't burn our way through or teleport." Well... there may be, but they can cross that bridge when they get to it.

Kurt winced, though not at the slap of Remy's hand on his shoulder -- he's as used to the physically affectionate Cajun as anyone else -- but at the mention of teleporting.

"I'm afraid that may not be possible, mein Freund. I tried teleporting when I arrived in this place, and it.. didn't go well." He rubs the back of his neck, trying to forget the feeling of that aborted teleport, the blood and the pain. "We may be stuck trying to escape with more conventional means."

Remy's expression darkened with that answer, then turned more to concern, repeating that pat to Kurt's shoulder before dropping his hand. "'ffectin' ya too, hein? Seems this place just ain't big on mutants. Then again," A sigh to go with it. "We well use to that." It's also not the first time Remy's had his powers go weird. Though not this weird.

"My ones... lost that transfer through touch, thinkin' it's linked to m' sight now." Then trying again for a bit of humor, that natural reflex for him to help with coping. "Feelin' bit like Scotty."

He let out a huff of a sigh, but managed to plaster a smile on again. "Ok, lets get goin' 'nd see what we can do. After all, we both still capable hommes, powers or not. Lets track down who thinks they bein' smart trappin' us here."