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

[ He tugs harder. ]

What would you know about it?

I'm know him.

[ He yanks back his hand. He's not moving. ]

Do you?

Better than anyone else possibly could.

[ He pulls the chain so it's tight between them. ]

Younger brother, raised by an older brother who'd do anything for an absent father? Ring any bells, Castiel?

[ Tight and taunt. They stand on a thin dark line. ]

Dean isn't Michael and you aren't Sam.

[ He grips the chain, matching his stance. ]

They're better than you.

[ There's a momentary flare of anger in Lucifer's eyes. No one is better than him. But it passes as he reigns in his temper. ]

It's the same story. It'll play out the same way. Right until Sam says yes to me and I can put everything back how it should be.

[ He's already seen the story play out. Lived the outcome. He didn't believe in the brothers right up until the end when he threw his lot in with them for better or for worse. He didn't have faith in them then, but he does now.]

They have free will, Lucifer.

They're not bound by a script.

Aren't they?

[ He laughs, masking the surprise he feels. This isn't the Castiel he remembers.

He starts to wind the chain around his hand, keeping it taught between them as he walks in closer. ]

Aren't we all just a part of God's plan?

[ He's been killed by Lucifer once before, disintegrated into his most basic components but its not that experience that makes him tense now. A deep ingrained fear rises to the top as Lucifer draws near. It's instinct and nothing more. God made them to obey. Him and the Archangels. And despite his rise in status from their last encounter, he's still just a speck compared to his older brother's.

Still, he stands his ground. ]

God doesn't care about plans.

[ Lucifer keeps coming closer, stopping only when they're wrist to wrist and there's no more chain to wind. ]

How do you know that, Castiel? Have you asked Him?

I didn't need too.

[ The urge to pull away seeps into his grace, but he's a garrison angel so he stays. Facing his enemy until the end. ]

His Prophet delivered the message.

[ He can't help but laugh at that blind faith. ]

Delivered the message, just as planned.

[ He startles, not out of fear but for the obvious connotations of that statement. ]

....

[ He's left speechless. His mind a whirlwind of questions for a staggering moment until he latches onto the truth as he knows it. ]

God doesn't lie.

[ Whether Lucifer believes it or not isn't important. He's found a weakness. ]

If it makes you feel better to tell yourself that, go ahead.

[ He steps back, unwinding the chain a few loops. It gives them some space, but not much. ]

Now, unless you think our Father wants us to stand here all day, we should get moving.

[ He doesn't move. ]

You'll leave Sam Winchester alone.

[ He may have lost faith in their Father but he still believes himself to be the Winchester's guardian. So, despite the danger posed to himself, he will not help Lucifer get out of this alive until he knows Sam is safe from his influence. Like any angel worth their grace, he's willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good at any given moment. ]

[ A muscle clenches in his jaw, but Lucifer forces his expression to remain neutral. ]

All right then.

[ He unloops some more chain from around his wrist and holds it between his hands, testing the weight. Then he steps forward again, raising his hands to get a loop of chain around Castiel's neck. If the angel is going to be a problem, Lucifer is going to try to make him suffer for it. ]

[ ooc; giving lucifer free reign to hurt him as much as he wants; death is also on the table if it makes sense. ]

Do you agree?

[ He won't move without an agreement even as that chain wraps around his neck. ]

[ Lucifer pulls the chain tighter. Of course he doesn't agree. ]

Sam Winchester is going to say yes to me, and then through him I will bring an end to this apocalypse and all of heaven's plans. You can stand with me or against me, Castiel.