AUGUST 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

[sodder]

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.

Comments

omg yes good, shenanigans

[definitelynotmagic]

[ Oh. Oh, no, Merlin is actually way too familiar with that look. Incredulous recognition from strangers is common enough back home to probably warrant its own title for the phenomenon. Merlin still feels something icy yet excited descend into his stomach at the expression. And the question.

At least Kurt isn't calling him Emrys. Maybe he isn't a Druid, maybe he's thinking of a different Merlin?

Merlin's spent this time looking quietly stunned and a little horrified, mouth open in surprise, so salvaging this won't be terribly convincing. But he's gonna try anyway.

He attempts a laugh and then a smile that looks a little like a pleading wince. ] I dunno about 'the' anything. Just— Merlin.

Don't tell me Arthur's complained to you already about me. [ Yeah, he's...got no idea that that name might be digging his grave deeper. ]

616 merlin is a T R I P

[suchmiracles]

[ Kurt grins at that name, though his delight is tempered by the young man's apparent horror at being recognised. Luckily for Merlin, he's not cruel enough to push it and makes an effort to compose himself. It's clear at least this isn't the Merlin that he's acquainted with, that man apparently having never been a normal boy as far as Kurt knows. Brian had explained it once over a beer -- it was something to do with the Phoenix Force, the Sorcerer Supremes and a demon.

He waves a hand at Merlin, making the chain rattle. ]

Don't worry, mein Freund, I haven't heard anything from this Arthur. You share the name of a.. great and powerful man from my world, to whom I owe something of a debt.

[ At least, in the part of establishing the Captain Britain Corps and the founding of Excalibur, through which Kurt had met many friends and had countless adventures. He frowns briefly, remembering their last encounter with the mad wizard. ]

Though he did not use his power so wisely, in the end.

[definitelynotmagic]

[ 'Great and powerful'. And then the word 'power' again, there. It's a testament to the place Merlin comes from that he absolutely believes this man he's just met, and is now instead frantically trying to figure out how to control the damage of it.

But...he does say he might be mistaken. Merlin senses there's something more - just because he's a terrible liar himself doesn't mean he can't pick up on the same sudden lies from others - but he's reluctant to push the issue.

It's just going to haunt him for the rest of his stay here, that's all. ] Oh. [ A flicker of a smile again, and a shrug. ] Must be a coincidence. Besides, I'm not a-- 'mutant'. [ He repeats it like he's remembering sound-by-sound, like it's in a different language and he's just doing his best to parrot it. It might be clear he's never heard the word, in any context, before today. Or it might just sound like he's an incredibly awkward person who doesn't know how to speak, in general. Either or.

...Okay, no, now he has to ask. Merlin's expression goes from uncomfortable to reluctantly curious. ] What happened to your friend? [ Did Kurt say 'friend'? No? Merlin's just assuming. ]

[suchmiracles]

[ Kurt finds himself wondering if there's something he can do to make Merlin feel less anxious. There's very little he can do about wherever they've ended up or the fact that he has recognised him, so he settles on tucking his tail behind him and trying to present a pleasant expression.

He's happy to accept Merlin's assumption that it's a coincidence, although the fact that the boy has mentioned Arthur makes Kurt doubt it's so far from the truth. Still, if it's what he needs to reassure himself and enable them to get out of this maze, it's enough.

Kurt blinks briefly at Merlin's question, mentally rewinding the conversation for a second in case he had mentioned Brian, before he realises that Merlin means the other wizard. He laughs softly. ]

Oh, he wasn't my friend. More of a.. facilitator, I suppose. A great sorcerer. He brought together some friends and myself to fight a great evil, which we did not realise at the time was his old rival. [ He looks away from Merlin, his expression going distant with the memory. They had all been so angry at being manipulated. So young, so passionate. ] He put us in harm's way, used us like playing pieces on a chess board.

But in doing so, in bringing us together, he gave me some of the best years of my life. [ Kurt shrugs as he looks back at Merlin. ] So, you see, some things are not so simple.

[definitelynotmagic]

[ This is a story that Merlin isn't so unfamiliar with, either. He's attentive while Kurt talks, and a line appears between his brows. It's clear enough that he feels bad for him - and his actual friends. Who, presumably, are also trapped back home - if everyone's in the same boat as Merlin.

He's yet to find anyone else from Camelot, or any other kingdom he recognizes. How did this strange place manage to find so many disparate places to pull people from? Merlin comes from a place with different realms to it, but nothing quite like a multiverse theory is there for easily making sense out of this. This is clearly not Avalon, so where is it? ]

Guess it's not so simple, but you all might've met on your own if he hadn't done that. [ It's easy to be picky about morals when you're young, right? ]

So you're a...knight, back home? [ Merlin's probably going to keep dating himself like this. It's a genuine question, one that's lined with pity as well as respect. ]

[suchmiracles]

[ Again, the question -- or the phrasing of it, really -- takes Kurt a little by surprise. He's been asked all sorts of things about himself, but this is something of a first. He can't help the urge to indulge himself. ]

Ach no, I'm more of a swashbuckler! [ Grinning, he falls into a fighting stance and mimes a sword flourish, the chain that links them rattling as he moves. ] What about yourself?

[definitelynotmagic]

[ Merlin's a lot more comfortable with talking about this, a fact that's probably clear from how he smiles at the sudden movement from the other. Incredulous glee turns into a brief laugh. ] So you're a pirate? [ Yeah, he doubts pirates announce it like that, but— 'swashbuckler', eh. ]

Er— Just a servant, actually. [ Everything Merlin says is apparently fated to suggest he's Not From Present Day. ] Probably lucky I'm paired with a swashbuckler for this round, then.

[suchmiracles]

[ Kurt's smile goes up by about 100 watts at the mention of one of his favorite words. It fades, however, as Merlin describes his own station, a mixture of teacherly sternness and determination making his expression sober. ]

You never know, mein Freund. It looks as if you have held your own against this nightmare so far. [ He indicates Merlin's bloodied sleeve with a slight tilt of his head. ]

[definitelynotmagic]

[ This guy definitely has fangs. Does he use the fangs? Is that part of his— power? Merlin is a little distracted by them, but he's more distracted by the fact that saying pirate seems to earn him a smile in the first place. Okay, so: grinning at each other in the terrible maze. That's easily the most positive start Merlin's had so far.

Merlin looks at his own sleeve at the mention of it. The blood's almost entirely dried, now, and sticks to the hairs of his arm. He's...definitely not happy with it. ] Oh, I got— lucky. I don't think anyone goes in here alone. [ That and, you know. The magic.

Which he's got a good segue away from, because— ] Oh! Right. Right, the— the monster in here. It's uh. Troll-y? But it's not a troll. I've never seen something quite like it, and it's... [ What's the best way to put this? ] ...hungry.

You'd think it'd be full by now, but... [ He shrugs. ]

[suchmiracles]

[ Kurt narrows his eyes a little at Merlin's evasive response. From the looks of it, nobody had been particularly lucky -- unless that blood came from the monster, which seemed doubtful given Merlin's lack of weaponry. It makes Kurt a little wary; the Merlyn he'd known hadn't been the kind to let people stand in the way of doing whatever he wanted. Perhaps this boy has the seed of that in him as well.

He schools his expression carefully, keeping it as light as he can despite his dark thoughts. He glances out at the maze before them. ]

Ja, I've met the creature. I don't particularly want to again. Perhaps we should start moving. [ A flourish of his hand, a quick flash of his smile. ] Lead on, Herr Merlin.

[definitelynotmagic]

Oh. [ Met the creature. So they've both survived one round, and then...what, picked wrong? ] Probably not a good sign, is it? Three doors, three options...unless they all lead back here. [ Which would be terrible, obviously.

Merlin's not keen on the narrowed eyes, but he's also used to working with a fair amount of either suspicion or dismissal hurled at him at all times. Class divisions - they're great for making any and all of your contributions feel like they're more trouble than they're worth. He's surprised to be invited to go first, but not because he's reluctant to turn his back on Kurt - it's just odd to be invited to go first at all. ] Kind of getting sick of playing by its rules. What do you think it wants?

[ All that aside, it's easier to get moving than to stay put and wait. ]

[suchmiracles]

[ Kurt frowns to himself as he walks beside Merlin, fiddling with the cuff of the chain so it rattles back and forth. It's a good question; one he realises he should have asked himself earlier. ]

Perhaps it just wants to keep us here. Or kill us. [ He glances over at Merlin. ] How can we break the rules?

[definitelynotmagic]

Maybe. [ The old 'it's literally just a bloodthirsty monster' is a real option. It's just that Merlin's met enough intelligent beasts, or ones sent by other sorcerers, that his immediate suspicion is that it's not random. ]

Oh. I just mean-- it's got this whole maze for us, right? So it wants us to follow it. Play in its game. Uh, literally. [ Merlin glances at the chains between them a bit sharply when they rattle in more earnest, as Kurt fiddles with them. ]

...Wonder if we can burn it... [ As if that has zero drawbacks... ]