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soddersays2019-07-27 01:49 pm
sodder) wrote in soddersays2019-07-27 01:49 pm
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AUGUST 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME
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!
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.
no subject
"If you're so familiar with this place, get us the Hell out!" He growled. Not exactly the nicest person to be chained to, Aziraphale. Too bad.
[1/2] Don't mind me being MOSTLY canon-blind. I still cackled when I saw this tag! XD
"Unfortunately, it seems so. I've only been here for a month, and already, this is at least the third time something...strange has happened." At the growl, his exasperated expression changed to one of mild offense as he looked back up, his mouth pursing in a thin line. "There is no need for that kind of behavior. I am just as lost right now as you are, Mr.-...?"
He reached over with his aura, trying to get a sense of the man while also trying to send out a calming influence in the hopes of setting his surly temper.
[2/2]
Nothing about the other was familiar. He'd never met him, not with the face he wore or otherwise, if his aura was anything to go off of. But there was no mistaking that he was demonic in nature. For Aziraphale, there was nothing about that that was a good thing.
His first and strongest instinct was to run, but the shackles chaining them together made that impossible. He swallowed hard, trying to quietly, discreetly miracle them off of his wrist so that he could run. But no. Of course that wouldn't work. Whoever had trapped them here would of course have made sure that that was not an option for him, wouldn't they?
Not to worry! I can elaborate things for you so they make sense. It happens!
"Crowley. Mr Crowley. No relation to Aleister Crowley, before you even bloody ask. Now stop your puttering about like a hooked worm. I've already tried all of that and more. They're not coming off." If Aziraphale cared to look down at Crowley's wrist, he would note it was rubbed raw and bloody from where he'd tried to force it off among other things. "And besides, a gentleman always introduces himself to his date before asking his name." So, he's waiting, angel.
That could be handy. XD A friend broke it down a bit, so I'm not QUITE so blind now, at least!
That name, though, even mispronounced as it was, made him stop short, and unbelievable as it might have been, the fear on his face was replaced with incredulous confusion.
"I beg your pardon...If you didn't want to give your name, then you could have simply said so...!" Oh. Oh, no. Even as the words were leaving his mouth, he seemed to realize how dumb they were, the clever part of his brain screaming to terrified life and trying to stop the bastard side of his brain before it could finish. No such luck. He stuttered and stammered incoherently for a moment, shifting on the ground to put more distance between the two of them, for all the good it would do him.
"A-...Az...iraphale..." It wasn't as if he was any less dead if he knew his name then if he didn't, to be quite honest. A demon this powerful probably knew who he was, anyway, if only because he'd been the angel who'd worked so hard to try and avert the apocalypse. Satan had seen his face. He doubted the Lord of Hell would come after him personally, but it was just the type of thing that would get sent down to someone from middle-management to take care of.
<3
Yes, he appreciates that he has an actual name to the angel, but that doesn't mean he'll actually use it. Ever. "Stop quaking in fear, Powderpuff. You're an angel, aren't you? Act like it." The Angels he knew were warriors. Castiel was the softest one he'd met, and even then, he was still a soldier. Part of a garrison.
The demon stood and gave the chain a tug to urge the angel to follow him. "Get a move on, Snow White! I'm not getting mauled because you're gawking." Yep, sorry Aziraphale. He's... insufferable.
DERP XD
"What sort of game are you playing at???" The entire situation was scrambling his wits and his survival instincts, making that mouthy side of him take charge out of pure confusion and mild panic. Even as they ran, he continued to make terrified glances behind them, keeping an auric "eye" out for the location of the monstrosity that was following behind them.
"Crowley-" pronounced correctly, thank you very much! "-is not the King of Hell! He would never be!" And not just because he wasn't powerful enough to be! He was too good, too kind, would never have the cruelty needed to get him to such a terrible title! There was undeniable pride in his voice when he said it. "If you insist on mocking me, at least try and make sense when you do it!"
Powderpuff? Snow White? Please. He'd been called worse on the streets of Soho, simply walking to the bakery across the neighborhood! And he wasn't going to let this one use Crowley against him in some sort of twisted little game. If he'd been sent to kill him, at least he could do it honestly.
Oh, if Hell had sent someone after him, Aziraphale hoped that Heaven hadn't don't the same for his friend. At least let one of them get away from this nightmare alive!
CW: violence, some gore, demon temper tantrum
"I am Crowley and I am the bloody King of Hell!" He held him firmly there for a moment, his demonic aura threatening to smother the angel. Truthfully, the angel's celestial aura would likely be able to at least push back if he had the backbone for it. "I overthrew Lucifer and took the throne. That makes me the King of Hell!"
The pause in their escape allowed the monster enough time to catch up. It was barrelling towards them, but Crowley was pissy now. He turned and glared at it. One hand released Aziraphale and he snapped his fingers. "I'm busy you bridge troll!" With the snap, the creature's left arm wrenched at a bad angle and snapped, making the monster howl and stagger in pain, dropping its scythe from the ruined arm. "Tough bugger. Running needs to start again." He let go of Aziraphale and tugged the chain again, trying to take off while the creature was stunned.