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

What specific thing?

[ you're being super vague, circle-walking, dog-loving stranger, it's a little sketchy. jack's at least stopped trying to turn around to follow him as he walks, satisfied with turning his head most of the time, and missing him the other whatever percent. ]

Seems like a bad trait to have for business. But, maybe a good one for being happy.

[ children are generally pretty happy, right? oblivious of everything around them, but usually pretty happy. jack... probably has child-authority enough to say that, but he's not exactly the normal child, is he? ]

They probably tossed me here for the same reason they did you. [ that reason being: they're the townspeople and they love tormenting the sleepers, they don't really care which ones most of the time. ]

Souls. Namely, the soul of the person making the deal. It's a full disclosure agreement. They know what they're signing up for.

[Hey, he's sketchy even when he isn't being vague.]

I'd believe that if he didn't look constipated all the time. If he ever showed genuine glee over something, I think the universe might actually implode.

They're looking to have us fight, I think. But that wasn't my question. Why did they pit you against me? Hardly seems fair to you.

Oh, [ jack starts, with sudden realization, and a bit of a smile, ] You're a crossroads demon.

[ the excitement is probably more for the fact he got to use Hunter Trivia than anything else, but most any hunter would probably look more concerned about a demon standing in front of them. jack doesn't really get concerned about most things. it's hard to, when you're virtually unkillable.

the description of the partner has jack lifting a brow, but ultimately, it's left behind when crowley implies it's an unfair fight for him. a small, knowing smirk pulls across jack's lips, but he doesn't give any more away than that. ]

Deerington isn't usually fair to anyone. You get used to it after a while. [ or you get bit in the ass for underestimating strangers. ]

[Crowley's eyebrows rose up towards his hairline in surprise. He hadn't expected the kid to know anything about Crossroads Demons. Interesting. Were they from the same universe?]

Former Crossroads Demon. Now I'm King of Hell.

[The kid was peculiar. He was far too giddy to find out he was locked in a room with a demon.]

Well. Still. I don't make a habit of fighting kids. Or following orders.

Oh. [ wait, he knows this. he knows who this is. it goes from giddy to a mix of something like awe and sentimental fondness. ] ...You're Crowley.

[ it's soft, and a little sad, but most of all, still fond. if the pattern with people arriving here is continued, crowley probably doesn't remember this, or doesn't know anything about lucifer having a child, even, but either way, it's happened for jack and he never got a chance to say this. best he do it now before it passes. ]

You saved my dads, and me. Thank you.

[ well, two out of three, but castiel made it back eventually, and what happened with him wasn't any fault of crowley's. none of them would have gotten out safely without his sacrifice. ]

That's okay. I don't wanna fight anyway.

[Same universe. What an interesting coincidence.]

That I am.

[The next statement has him confused. The gratitude only furthering his confusion. Who was this kid and who were his fathers? Crowley didn't recall saving this kid or his fathers.]

Refresh my memory, who are your fathers?

[Fortunately, Crowley was more interested in information than fighting at the moment. ~~Not that he'd be able to defeat the little half-angel.~~]

[ crowley confirms, and if possible, jack’s smile grows wider.

The man doesn’t know what he’s talking about, so it’s probably another timeline issue (jack’s always the one furthest along), but he doesn’t feel that bothered by it, too occupied with being a little starstruck. ]

Sam and Dean Winchester. [ his fathers. The ones crowley saved, anyway. ]

They’ve told me stories about you.

[Sam and Dean???? Is this kid serious? But this kid couldn't...]

How exactly does that work?

[Confused King of Hell is confused.]

Oh, have they? Nothing but awful things, I'm sure.

[No, seriously, was this kid serious? The Hardy Boys talking about him? If that was true, why was the kid smiling so much?]

[ jack's about to ask 'how does what work' when it clicks in his head. right. the sex and birth thing. ]

Oh, I'm adopted. Sort of.

[ there were no actual adoption papers, but he's basically adopted anywho. ]

Some. Most of it wasn't too bad. Like when Dean was a Demon you went on a roadtrip with him, or how you took over Hell, and then Lucifer got it back, and then you did, and then he did again.

Well, that's a new one. Never pictured the boys going domestic. [To his credit, Crowley actually looks pretty thoughtful on that one.] It's charming in its own right, I suppose.

[Oh, but wait. Hold the phone.] Dean was a what? How--? I mean, the Hell thing I get. Lucifer and I don't quite see eye to eye. [And not because of the height difference!] But I thought we put good old Luci back in his box.