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

[turns out, if you yank a chain and there's a scrawny tweenager on the other end, he's going to trip over his feet and bump into you. and then promptly back away, red to his ears, tugging much less purposefully at the chain.]

-- I don't know. I've never been here before. [it's mumbled, accompanied by him looking down and away, because haha, talking in a normal tone to a girl, what's that.]

[She's furious that anyone would put a boy younger than her into potential danger. He's not a little kid, but he's not sixteen either. He's younger by a handful of years. His posture, manner of speaking, and body language make her smile in understanding. When she was younger she had trouble speaking sometimes too.]

It's alright. I haven't either, but I'm positive we'll find a way out.

[They're chained together, and there's a sound of rustling edging in closer. Sabrina doesn't hesitate to start moving in the opposite direction.]

My name's Sabrina, by the way. Sabrina Spellman.

[he's still red in the face, but he nods obligingly, part of him very glad to have someone older than him in charge. unlike his friends, will doesn't mind too much when one of the older teenagers - jonathan or nancy or even steve - starts giving orders. it helps stop the panicky spinning in his head, keeps him focused.

besides, the smile, the poised and take-no-nonsense tone reminds him a bit of nancy. and that prompts a very small smile in return. he'll even loop up the chain so it doesn't drag, doesn't give away their location.]

-- Spellman? Really? [he sounds impressed, though it takes him a beat to add:] I'm Will. Byers.

It's nice to meet you, Will Byers.

[He gets another smile. He's adorable, and seems sweet. That means he's earned Sabrina's lifelong protection and friendship. She's hoping that she won't have to do something drastic to protect him here in this maze. She starts to move faster as the sound of something shuffling and rustling through the maze becomes louder.

Closer.

They're in trouble. She reaches over to grab his hand.]

How fast can you run? Come on!

[And off she goes, hoping they can stay at an even pace with one another.]

Y-Yeah, you too. I mean. Aside from... [cue a vague gesture at the maze, the cuffs, the...everything. the circumstances could definitely be better, that's all.

he's about to continue with the niceties (where are you from, do you happen to be extra good at getting out of mazes, etc.) when all of a sudden there's the rustling and she's taking his hand and running. fortunately will is very speedy for such a little guy, so he keeps up fairly well.

less fortunately, they are two teenagers trying to run from an enormous maze monster. in a hedge maze. so even after running and taking some scrambling turns here and there, the rustling and stomping footsteps are still right behind them.

will is fairly out of breath by now, chest heaving as he tries to catch it, doubled over.] We've...can we...outrun it?

No.

[Sabrina doesn't lie to him, doesn't sugar coat this. Her side is aching and she's winded. But she doesn't have time to catch her breath. The monster is gigantic and holding a scythe that can kill them both in no time. She tugs Will behind her and extends an arm to keep him at bay.]

We can't outrun it. But I can destroy it.

[She grins and focuses on the monster, beginning to chant in a murmur. The spell is one she has memorized, one that enables her to assume control of inanimate objects. She can only hope that extends to the scythe.

The spell connects and she feels a tingle that has her moving her hand to act as if she's tearing the scythe straight out of the hands of the monster.

There's warmth on her face, right above her mouth. She tastes the metallic twang of blood as she keeps chanting. Her arm moves as she guides and directs the staff, rapidly pulling it back and away and trying to send it flying in a way that cuts the monster in half.

She misses on her first attempt, but she gains better control and runs it through on the second. The monster roars in pain and dies before their eyes. By now, Sabrina's nose is gushing blood and she breaks the spell so she can wipe and pinch at her nose. The scythe falls to the ground at their feet and Sabrina turns to look at Will.]

You're safe now. It's not going to be able to hurt you.

[okay there's definitely a time and a place for a response to what just happened, and it's probably not the time and place they're in. but despite being more familiar than most with trauma, will is still just a twelve-year-old boy.

so his reaction to that is to stare at sabrina with wide, awed eyes and whisper in genuine delight:]

That. Was awesome.