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

[Manji may not have sensed the danger on waking, but he knew enough to listen to Makie. So he shuts up quick even if the childish part of his mind says to lick that hand over his mouth. Luckily he's adult enough to not do that.

He waits for her hand to be removed. It was a bit eerily quiet; he had to agree with that.] Do you know what is going on? [Asked barely above a whisper.]

[Good. Just a cranky waker, then, and not devoid of intelligence. She lets go, both of the chain and Manji, and reaches down to pick the shamisen up and lean it against the wall of the maze. Hopefully where nobody will trip over it. She can't carry it and fight, and Manji has no free arm.

Sigh.]

No. Someone is playing a game at our expense. [Potentially a deadly one. She considers options.] We should attempt to find our way out before that creature--

[Starts lumbering directly for us? She's abruptly glad there's a hedge wall in the way, because while whatever it is obviously heard them, it's going to have to find its way. Hopefully while Makie and Manji head in the opposite direction.

Beasts aren't known for their maze navigation. She can hope that's enough. She stands, offering him her hands to help himself up.]

[Manji probably could get up on his own, but he sees no issue with accepting help from her. He takes her hand and jumps up onto his feet.] Let's go. [But he is overly masculine enough that he decides to take over once he is on his feet. Leading the way to the closest exit. As if he has more knowledge about how to get out even though he woke up second.]

[As long as it's away from the increasingly heavy sounds behind the wall-- whatever it is is running now, on two legs, and she's suddenly quite uncertain as to her best guess. Makie's direction sense is no greater than Manji's, and she's more than willing to let him take the lead. Haru-no-okina is a comfortable presence folded along her arm.

Whatever it is, it's giving chase.]

Shit [Manji swears under his breath. More of a hiss than a full word. He moves faster knowing that Makie will be able to keep up. Except the problem is as he turns another corner he runs them straight into a dead end.] God damn it. Can't we cut through all this shit grass?!

[It's possible they could. But on the other side will be more corridors, won't there? They'd still be lost. On the other hand, a dead end is a dead end, and that takes the choice out of her hands. Ironically, she could probably just vault over this stupid wall with her weapon if she didn't have Manji attached at the wrist.]

I will try. [Back up a bit.] Get behind me.

[Largely because she doesn't want to have to account for Manji when she flicks her wrist and sends the pike blade sweeping out, scything into the hedge. The good news is it definitely does damage! Twigs part, greenery goes flying up into the air like it's following the blade.

The bad news is that doesn't come anywhere close to carving them a path through, not yet, and if Manji is behind her he'll get the first good look at that monster as it comes lumbering around the corner. They're out of time. What do?]

Holy... shi-- cut faster. [There's not a lot that disturbs Manji, but that sight is horrifying. Especially when his one working arm is attached to a much better fighter than him.] Unless you think you can beat whatever the hell that thing is.

Do what you gotta. [He's not looking forward to the pain of losing an arm, but he also can admit that even with both of his arms Makie was still their best bet for survival.]

Edited 2019-08-15 12:25 (UTC)