NOVEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

[sodder]

NOVEMBER 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to November's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: DEATH/ZOMBIE 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: Possible mild cannibalism, organs (including pictures of fake food that looks like organs), mutant insect in linked picture, blood, sensations of starvation, possible binge eating, possible binge drinking.
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

NOT BEAST NOR KIN

The blood and organs that have been festering in the ground and walls of Deerington seem to not only be attracting rats at this point, but something far more dangerous and... just plain gross. These deadly looking maggots are roughly the size of an average human. They’re slithering in an out of the ground, filling up holes where some organs seem to have burst open, or writhing around in the wake of the red waves that have left bloody puddles in the street. If you keep your distance, they’re mostly just disgusting to watch, adding to the feeling of utter decay that the town has gone into.

But those who wander too close or who are unfortunate enough to go by a nest of these maggots without noticing could end up swarmed. They can leap farther than something that large should physically be capable of and the sharp teeth on the end of their bodies will pierce through even the toughest of skin and bone. Once they latch on, they won’t let go; not until they’ve finished their meal. If you aren’t quick, the blood loss will be, and you could end up an evening snack for a whole group of these creatures.

They are fairly easy to kill, luckily. Average weapons seem to take them down or you can smash their heads (if you can call it that) with a few good stomps from a boot. The only trouble is how quick they move and how strong they are; you might need to call for help to get away from them when you get cornered by too many of these monsters.

ALL YOU CAN EAT

Maggots aren’t the only things that want to eat, though! And it seems that the community center is aware of that as well. Advertisements are strewn all over town for an all you can eat buffet that will be set up, not even an entrance fee required (though donations are welcome at the door if you’re feeling generous). No one in their right mind would want to go and get food from a party into Deerington at this point though, right? Of course not. You’re way too clever for that.

Except that as the party draws closer, anyone who saw the advertisements will find themselves slowly feeling like they’re starving. There’s a hallow belly feeling that no amount of food you consume will ever be able to fill. It feels like you might go crazy from how bad the hunger gets, craving something to fill your stomach, anything... And in the back of your mind, you might remember the buffet. You might start to feel a strange realization that the food they’re offering will actually help get rid of your cravings and you’ll be drawn to the party no matter how adamant you’ve been that it’s not a good idea.

The spread they offer isn’t something that should be appetizing to most on a regular basis; raw, very clearly human organs are laid out across the table on fairly decorative plates. A fountain of what looks like blood is put up in place of chocolate for you to dip your food into. No matter how disgusted you might normally feel, you find yourself practically drooling at the mouth and you’re quick to grab a plate and dive in.

At least the drinks look like they’re normal; sodas, beer, wine, champagne, and liquors ready to create your favorite cocktails. A menu will give you an idea of what pairs best with each organ, so make sure you select something that goes perfectly with your plate of intestines.

What would a Deerington party be without something tricky attached to all this. Even the smallest bites of any of the organs will offer sudden changes to the consumer, each power growing stronger the more that you eat.

• Eating BRAINS will make it so that you are able to hear another person’s thoughts. Anyone standing near by, really. They’ll trickle in slowly at first, but the more that you eat, the more you’ll hear, and eventually it could become overwhelming. Sometimes you can focus in on just one person if you stare at them intently, but that could make you look like a creep. Maybe you should just go somewhere quiet until it passes.


• Eating a HEART will make you feel compelled to confess your emotions to someone. Maybe a specific person or maybe it’s towards a complete stranger, but you just want to get everything out onto the table. You’re overcome with feelings so strong you don’t know how to contain them anymore and you’ve just got to get them out somehow.


• Eating LIVER will cause you to want to drink. A lot. You might find that you’re not able to get enough, even. It doesn’t make you immune to the alcohol though, so it’s got the potential to lead some pretty nasty alcohol poisoning if you aren’t careful. Characters who usually can’t get drunk will find that consuming liver makes them a total lightweight. Woops. Better have someone help you walk home.


• Eating the STOMACH will make you want to eat everything. You’ll no longer feel starving, but you just want to taste any food that’s near you, and you won’t stop no matter how full you feel. It’s not just organs, but any food consumed outside of the buffet. It might be a bad time to go to Peter’s Pizza for a late night meal.


• Eating INTESTINES will give you an abundance of courage. You’ll find that you’ve got guts you never knew you had and it might make you willing to go tell your crush how you feel about them, or tell off that one guy who’s been pissing you off for weeks, or maybe you might start to think it’s cool to go scale a building or fight a monster when you don’t have any skill sets to actually take one down. Hopefully you don’t do anything you’ll regret in the morning— assuming you don’t get yourself killed doing something stupid, of course.


• Eating EYEBALLS will allow you to obtain the memory of the first person that you touch. Depending on how much you’ve eaten, you may just see a small snippet or you could get sucked in to a full and heavy flashback. The memory will feel like it takes place in real time, but by the time that it’s over, you’ll find that whoever you touched is only just starting to ask you what’s wrong — or tell you to watch where you’re going, buster.


All affects from the food will wear off within about an hour if you’ve only had a bite — or they could last up to twelve if you really stuffed yourself. Please be sure to obtain OOC permission from any players for the brain and eyeball prompts!

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

[effinphd]

Yeah, well, you and me both, buddy. I don't think anyone was exactly begging to get snatched to Deathtown, Maine.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like there's anywhere to file a complaint either.

[effinphd]

Beggars, choosers, etc. Theo at least has the good manners to turn a little before flicking the maggoty goo off her face and arms. The crowbar gets leaned against a nearby wall as she carefully peels off her long, elbow-length gloves and wrings them out.

"I'm just as lost as you are, buddy," she snips, shaking the gloves a couple times before pulling them back on with a grimace. "But it stands to reason that if this is the welcome committee, the rest of this place is just as fucked up."

[effinphd]

[Theo rocks back and forth for a moment more, squeezing her eyes shut to try and banish the residual images -- mostly the glare of blinding lights and that fear. When she glances up at the young man, she can see a faint echo of it, though it's overwhelmed by something like -- guilt?

Her hand twitches, wanting to reach out again and make sure, but she resists the urge.] Not your fault.

[Either the passing of the images or the contents of them. If nothing else, Theo had been able to pick up on the lack of informed medical consent.] So. Nice to meet you? Is that what comes next?

[effinphd]

I don't -- [Theo huffs out a sound that's half laugh, half exasperation. She has no idea where the arcade is, kiddo. But she'll heft the crowbar up and follow, albeit much slower. Were kids always this fast? Is she just getting slow?

When she rounds the corner, the glaring neon sign of the arcade is fortunately very vivid, and Theo lets out a sigh of relief -- that turns into a grimace at the sight of the nest.] That's disgusting. That is so disgusting.

[effinphd]

Yeah, y'know. Like a prank show or...something. [It's a stupid idea, especially considering that this is a really extreme, shitty prank to play on a person, but...still. Theo's clinging to the idea to avoid having to face the horrible alternative.]

The letter thing was signed by a "Sodder". So...I'm assuming whoever that is. [Theo eyes the restraints for a moment, then, taking a deep breath, slowly pulls off one of her long gloves.]

I need to -- check. [She doesn't explain herself further before leaning forward, lifting her hand to rest against his cheek, for a fraction of a second.]

[klutziness]

[Rikku is used to all kinds of harsh weather, but even she's deigned to put on a sweater today despite the way it totally makes her hair all staticky every time she turns her head. The fact that this dude looks like he's ready for a day at the beach is, wildly, enough to cut her off mid-scream so she can turn a look of complete incredulity on him for several reasons.]

I'll scare them?!

[Her words are still half-shriek, but at least she's forming sentences instead of continuing her monotone screech. At least there's now a barrier, shirtless or otherwise, between her and the maggots, and she peels herself away from the house, preparing to book it to safety.

Then he shooshes the crawlies and she is absolutely gobsmacked enough to stick around.]

What are you, some kind of maggot-whisperer?

[She's dropped her own voice to something less than a scream and almost a whisper of her own, though her voice is still pitched high with anxiety.]

[multipliable]

[ a... prank show. he isn't quite following, but he moves past it. her next words hold far more interest for him. ]

'Letter thing'? You mean the sealed envelope? [ he has to wonder if the contents of his will be the same as hers. ] What did it say?

[ as she begins to pry off her gloves, ilias arches his brow at her questioningly. he was about to ask her what she needed to check when she reaches up to press the palm of her hand against his face. well, he certainly didn't see that coming. he instinctively jerks away, taking a couple steps back. ]

What are you doing?

[klutziness]

[Normal's boring. While Rikku would probably agree under almost any other circumstances, she can't help but wish she felt a lot more normal right now. At least she's got some confirmation that the way her skin crawls when she thinks about what she's eating (or supposed to think she's eating, because this is some huge, terrible prank, she reminds herself) is one normal thing that's happening right now.]

Yeah, okay, that is good to know. I'm sure ol' Bob would feel better knowing that nobody is really digging his buffet. You don't really think his name was Bob, do you? I'll like, lose it if these bits and pieces somehow have a name.

[That is a downward spiral waiting to happen, so she switches gears, latching on to something her newfound dinner companion has said.]

What makes you not normal?

[shiro2hero]

[Not your fault - boy. How many times is he going to have to hear that one? This month alone. Maybe too many. But it's never going to sink in. If it hasn't yet, it won't now. So he just nods.]

It could be.

[There's a sympathetic twist to his expression, to the line of his brow over the scar.]

I'm Shiro. One of the... veterans around here, I guess.

[flora_colossus]

He gladly takes the Goldschlager, drinks it straight from the bottle, realizes that it is foul, and spits it out. How is this worse than the last drink? Then he remembers how hard he worked for this, takes another swig, and actually swallows it this time.

"I am Groot." he says, giving Bucky a solid and brotherly pat on the arm.

[flora_colossus]

Groot thinks for a second. The trees feel a little safer--maybe too safe. He points to the wharf. "I am Groot," he says, and starts walking in that direction.

Harry Du Bois | Disco Elysium | CW: cannibalism, alcoholism, just being a creep ok

[discocop]

A. All You Can Eat - The Spread

[The putrid stench of raw human organs mixes with the odor of strong liquor until they form an ungodly miasma. It borders on the abhorrent and the offensive, like personal insults made into smell.

Why would anyone subject themselves to this atrocity? What desperation drives any sane person to dive into this olfactory hell?

And yet, wallowing in the midst of this is a man. A long mess of tangled, sweaty hair adorns his head. An ugly green jacket rests on his slumped shoulders. Underneath is a stained white shirt, adorned with a truly horrific necktie. It's a mix of three or four patterns at least, each more preposterous than the last.

He sits at a table, staring down at the plate in front of him, which has been piled high with bloody organs. Hearts, livers, stomachs. They seem to hold his entire attention until he looks up at the nearest person. And - holy hell! His expression is an unmoving grin, almost a leer, peeking out from underneath thick, untended mutton chops and a mustache. But it's not a malicious leer, no - it's almost apologetic and fragile, in a please-feel-sorry-for-me-my-life-is-terrible sort of way. In fact his eyes are watery with tears. What do you expect from someone whose very mind is assailed by the smell around him? The rest of his face is no better. It's swollen in places, red and raw.]

This is all so terrible. [His drawling voice is low and gruff. The statement is almost factual. Apparently his tiny mind is a little aware current predicament. He raises a limp hand to gesture at the person he's speaking to, an empty wine bottle falling from his fingers and clattering to the floor.] I think I need help. Serious, mental help. Are you a psychiatrist?


B. Not Beast Nor Kin

AAAAH! [Despite its single-syllable simplicity, the scream is laden with deeper meaning. It's part fear and anger braided together in thick knots, straining against one another as they are thrown into the night air. It's also part incredulity, as in "why am I being assailed by two meter long maggots".

In any case, there is a man down one alleyway who is struggling against said maggots. One looms in front of him, attempting to work past his raised arm and strike at his exposed neck and face. The man has a prybar in his other hand, which he brings up and down almost rhythmically - a steady beat intended to kill the beast in front of him, but awkwardly performed and not very effective.

(It's almost the opposite of effective. If anything it's encouraging the maggot to greater aggression.)

Two more of the maggots slither along the ground to either side. It's clear that he'll soon be surrounded. Hence the screaming.]

AAAAH!

[This scream sounds a little more like "please help me!"]


C. Wildcard!

[Hit me with anything!]

[cuor]

[ There are so many more questions he wants to ask. Who were the other gods? Did all the other people on her world look like her? Was she technically a dwarf after all, as she was made by the builder as they had been?

He restrains himself. One thing he's learned in his travels with the nine walkers was how quickly mortals became tired of questions.

It doesn't cross his mind that she might not even believe what she's telling him. ]

Is it the nature of this dream that there are those here from many different worlds? I assumed that all those I have met already were men, but now I see this might not be the case.

[effinphd]

Yup. It said something about this being a dream and some shit about the deer and the town and...and to be honest, I didn't really take much time to read through it. [Theo is a little impatient, waving a dismissive hand.] I was a little too busy freaking out about being kidnapped.

[When he pulls away, she stops, hand still held in mid-air.] I'm trying to see if you're planning to kick my ass or...eat my face or something the second I unchain you. If you want me to help, hold still.

[effinphd]

[Hey, she's a doctor, she knows what she's talking about!! There are books on trauma response, Shiro!! But she doesn't know yet how deep those visions go, or the ramifications in his day to day life.

So instead Theo just smiles, slowly pulling her glove back on.] I'm Theo. I take it "veteran" means "been stuck here a long time"?

[ace_of_hearts]

"Yeah, I got that," Ace followed along, hoping he didn't go too fast for Groot to keep up. A pause, because then it occurred to Ace slowly, "Wait is that all you can say? But you understand me, right?"

[disbelievings]

Yeah. And - Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?

[ It's a stupid question, all things considered. One look at Theo and anyone can see she's on the side of Not Okay, and anyone who knows Theo will expect her to just lie and say she's fine.

Steven, for his part, tries a vague smile of reassurance. ]

Is it just us?

Cw: One Piece spoilers

[ace_of_hearts]

["The usual way."]

[Ace wishes he had Marco's deadpan skills right now. Alas, he doesn't.]

Um.

[What is the least dramatic way to sum up torture, hell, starvation, and then a magma fist through the chest?] I was in a war????

And this doesn't even smell like my world. There's too much blood and sulfur and acid. Even Hell didn't smell like this.

[shiro2hero]

[Oh... Oh honey. You have no idea. For real. Because Shiro keeps these things as locked down as humanly possible. And when they come out, they're explosive.]

Over a year now, yeah. I think... there's only five of us or so like that.

[Take that as you will, doc.]

Re: 1

[flora_colossus]

Groot tries to think of whether he's heard of a Ryulent. Doesn't ring any bells. "I am Groot," he answers, and he can hear the frustration in his voice. This doesn't give him any idea where he might have wound up, and no one around here seems to speak Groot. But that isn't Vira-Lorr's fault.

He sighs, then holds out his hand.

[ace_of_hearts]

[Aww, that's actually pretty cute!]

[And Ace laughs, before holding up a handful of flames.] Not exactly, but they know I can burn them. And will, if they don't play nicely. [He lets the fire go out so long as they keep their distance, because they are mean little shits with nasty teeth! But Ace really doesn't have a problem with burning them as needed.]

All wild animals can sense killing intent, it's the most basic instinct, even more than what's edible or not. You just have to make it clear that you're a lot more dangerous than them. [... Some knight to the rescue, huh?]

[ace_of_hearts]

Same! [Casual shrug!]

[Very sarcastic/joking still, because technically everyone was more worried Ace would destroy the world, and he might be dead -- he's not really clear on it yet.]

I'm Ace, by the way. [Bows head, and offers a handshake, don't worry, it's not still on fire, just very very warm. Like a desert rock.]

Re: 1

[flora_colossus]

Groot stares at this magnificent beast. He has seen a lot of things during his four years of life, but never has he seen something so beautiful. Those shapely legs, that beautiful smile...he can't tear himself away.

"I am Groot," he tells Gwen dismissively, too spellbound by Jeff to explain that he is still a growing boy Groot.

Re: 3.

[flora_colossus]

Groot finishes pouring himself a new drink--this one is a murky blue-green color with golden flecks and no eyeballs--and turns around. "I am Groot," he answers, shaking his head.

He had been looking forward to tasting this one, like a lot, but this fluffy green guy seems like he could use it more, so instead he holds the drink out to Fern.

SMOOCHES. holds tag to chest.

[periit]

[ So disgusted with the realization of the things around him, both mentally and malodorously, Percival further fails to pay attention to his surroundings. How could he not? The smell of blood filling the air, of the organs. And after being in relative quiet for so long this overstimulation was disorientating. Voice after voice, revulsion after revulsion—one after the other and all on top of each other.

What he wouldn't give for the clatter of typewriters and flying papers again.

It's only the alarmed voice that sounds distinct against it all, calling out about a... flower? He doesn't make it to the chair he was headed for, turning to see what the commotion was about, only to duck at the creature diving at him. Some of his hair gets tussled from it and Percival loses his balance as he turns to track those bright wings, catching himself at an odd angle.

Then there are footsteps, quick and getting closer, making Percival turn towards them, a hand raised as he prepares for something more than something darting at him. Surely that's what it was: an attack.

The thought is quick to switch when he looks at the man rushing towards him, realization hitting him. His focus nearly drowns out the room's anguish, the other man's thoughts stark amongst them. Percival's head is pounding and yet he's sure. Lowering his hand, eyes glancing him over, he relaxes his stance. ] Newton?