sodder: (Default)
Sodder ([personal profile] sodder) wrote in [community profile] soddersays2019-10-26 07:49 pm
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NOVEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME




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!











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.
onerthes: (10)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
You wouldn't be the first to try and decipher it, oh no you wouldn't.

I suppose that I my world itself would be called Agarest. As for the people, that depends extensively upon their species. There are twelve great races among the five continents, the gods, spiritually empowered creatures close to gods, Larvae who serve them, the corrupted and fallen monster races, and some of the many races name themselves more for their national identity.

I fear "What do I call them" is a bit complicated.
onerthes: (12)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
A great many things, and yet not enough because I cannot tell you how to leave. And, unless you are a rare sort, that is probably one of the first questions you would ask.

Ask, and I will endeavor to answer. I have had a year researching this nightmare, so there is a bit I can say with certainty.
trancheuse: (15)

[personal profile] trancheuse 2019-10-30 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
[Almost as soon as she leaped from one streetlight to the next, Larxene was giving chase. She laughed gayly as she did, her body shooting across with a nimble athleticism that was anything but natural. Keeping pace wasn't going to be easy, but she was clearly taking this as a challenge of sorts.

If Homura managed to get away? Well, that would just mean she was that much more interesting next time. If not? Larxene was entirely up for chasing and irritating someone.]
negate: dnt (Default)

[personal profile] negate 2019-10-30 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
You have been here a year?

Has someone been here longer?

Just tell me the basics. Who is in charge, what is the motive for us to be here.
earthlike: (event)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Then I will have to interview those who have come before me, so that I may add their knowledge to my own findings.

Fascinating. The two worlds I have been to only have one sentient species apiece. National identity factors in, of course, to what you would call the individual people, but the races as a whole are either 'Human' or 'Ningan.' To hear of a world with so many sentient races and other entities besides that is astounding to me.
fuzzbeat: (04)

2

[personal profile] fuzzbeat 2019-10-30 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ The woman's distress shows in every bit of her, and honestly, Harriet can't blame her. This is a feast of human organs. People are actually eating them and enjoying them in front of other people, and there's no police force banging down the door and arresting them all for murder and just-- all of this.

It's what she'd like to see, anyway, but leave it to authority to ignore anything that doesn't directly threaten it. Harriet shakes her head, huffing out a sigh of displeasure, and goes to crouch by the distraught young woman in the corner. ]


Hey. [ She modulates her voice to keep it soft. She's had a lifetime of practice at talking to hearing people in a way they'll understand. She succeeds. And if nothing else, there's sympathy in her gaze, a gentle smile on her lips. ] Take a breath. You'll be okay.

[ Step one: help her calm down. She'll see how it goes. ]
negate: (z11)

[personal profile] negate 2019-10-30 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ Homura doesn't look back, but she takes the first chance to jump up a rooftop and keep moving. She wants to follow? She's free to do it. All Homura needs is a good excuse to pull a little sneaky on her.

That is, of course, if she can catch up.
]
earthlike: (shocked)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ Unfortunately for this kind woman who's seen fit to try to help Nadass calm herself, the heart she ate is making her unload every thought and feeling she has onto whoever happens to be closest.

Nadass looks to the woman, tears in her eyes, and pleads, ]
It's not cannibalism, right? If the organs are human, I mean-- The blood on them is red, so it's not-- I'm not a cannibal!

[ The words might not make any sense coming from someone who, by all appearances, seems to be human. Though Nadass' species is biologically close enough to humans that eating organs is still a horrific undertaking. ]
onerthes: (Default)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
A few. Moira, Allura, Shiro, Lance, there are some like them who have been in this place a few months longer.

"Who is in charge" is hard to say. I believe the nightmare is more in charge than anything. We seem to be trapped in the nightmares and dreams of a very powerful girl, whose torment and unleashed power has resulted in this perverse version of her home town.

Her twisted, dark father is the mayor and he along with a twisted woman called mother superior are out to try and remove us through any means, and harm her to stop the nightmare, but are probably only making it worse, and certainly not our friends.

Who truly runs this place is impossible to be sure for now.
onerthes: (Default)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
I have heard similar things myself. Some are curious about the races I've known. Curious to me is the ubiquity of humans in so many worlds, even my own. They seem to be everywhere, as if a 'baseline.'
negate: dnt (Default)

[personal profile] negate 2019-10-30 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
So everyone that comes here is trapped ever since?

Inside of a nightmare, you say.


[ Well isn't that oddly familiar. ]

Has anyone tried to get rid of them? The father, the mother, or even the little girl?
earthlike: (elbow)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
This is not the first I have heard of humans inhabiting a world other than Earth. Did Agarest's human population evolve there naturally, or did they come to your world from Earth? It is strange to me, the idea of one species developing identically on multiple planets.
fuzzbeat: (02)

[personal profile] fuzzbeat 2019-10-30 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ ...Harriet actually has to take a few seconds to process that, frowning. ]

If you're human, it is. [ That's... you know. Obvious. ] You're not human?

[ Hmm. Well, if she's not, then technically she's not a cannibal. ]
teamfun: (It's not going to be long)

ii

[personal profile] teamfun 2019-10-30 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
[Louis hasn't been having a fun time with the maggots. He's fairly used to them- you see enough shambling corpses around and they become part of the day-to-day. But these aren't exactly normal maggots. Normal maggots don't pull creepy shit like this.

He's been swinging at them with Chairles, knocking out hunks of the damn things while trying to get as far away as possible. But his self-preservation isn't great enough that he's about to leave anyone deal with them alone. He raises his hands up Chairles still in one of them but at least not raised in threat at Theo's withering glare.
]

Nothing! Just making sure you're okay, but you seem to be holding your own by yourself.
earthlike: (cry)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nadass shakes her head, shaking slightly, trying to string together a coherent sentence through the noise of everyone else's thoughts in her head and her own overflowing feelings. ]

N-no. I come... from a planet... called Ninga.
teamfun: (In the body I'm living in)

TWO

[personal profile] teamfun 2019-10-30 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Louis has been beating his way through the (gross, so fucking gross maggot things as he makes his way across town. It's been a shitty month and he's pretty goddamn done with it all, but like hell, he's not going to make sure people aren't getting through it okay. He hears Dustin and comes jogging over, his chair-leg-with-nails-in-it weapon dripping maggoty grossness as he does. ]

Stand back, dude, this shit is awful and I don't think you wanna accidentally swallow any of it.

[If he goes through the basic rule of walker-smashing, he figures it'll work out fine, right? No fluids get into you and you're fine. Probably. He swings his weapon down, taking the maggoty mess down with a wet, squishy squelch.]

Ugh. This is the grossest fucking thing. [Then, to Dustin:] You okay?
fuzzbeat: (05)

[personal profile] fuzzbeat 2019-10-30 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ Okay, that's not so weird for someone who grew up in an interdimensional library to come across. ]

You're not a cannibal. [ Harriet smiles at her. ] Neither am I. Let's get out of here. It's creepy.

[ She shudders and makes a face, then stands up and holds out a hand. ]

I'm Harriet. [ She makes her name sign as she speaks it out loud pretend they ever showed it on the show orz. ] Let's get coffee or something. No human blood, I promise.

[ Harriet oh my god you can't just make jokes like that to a girl who was just freaking out over this gross buffet. ]
teamfun: (When the night draws in)

beast or kin

[personal profile] teamfun 2019-10-30 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
Gunfire is always a worrying sound for Louis. It's almost always the stupidest fucking thing a person can do back home when they're in trouble- and it's a feeling he's never really been able to shake. Noise might not bring walkers here, but it certainly brings Louis running over- just in time for the tail end of Grady's rant and the end of his bullets.

He swings his chair-leg-with-nails-in-it weapon down onto a clump of the maggots with a satisfying if gross squelch. He lets out a soft 'ugh', shaking his weapon clean of the mess it left behind, before glancing in Grady's direction.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure there's more efficient ways of dealing with these, man, but points for style, I guess?" he feels around in a pocket of his coat, just in case. "Hey, you got anything else on you? Got some... knives if you want, which probably won't do a lot, but what can you do, right? Better than an empty gun."
earthlike: (let down)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
[ The signing is unfamiliar to Nadass. She may have seen something like it before, in her travels across Earth, but she's not thinking clearly enough to recognize it just now.

But all that doesn't matter, because Harriet has said the magic word. ]


Coffee?

[ Just like that, Nadass stops shaking, stops crying, a tentative and hopeful smile spreading across her lips. ]

I love coffee.

[ Caffeine is illegal on her planet, so in her time on Earth she's become somewhat addicted to the drink. ]

M-my name is Nadass. [ "nə-DAHS." It unfortunately does not rhyme with "badass." ]
onerthes: (Default)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
They were crafted by the gods, one of their chosen children, a crafting in the image of the one for whom they were a beloved creation. It is definitely a little odd, but I have also seen elves of some sort in several worlds.

So, perhaps there are certain types of creatures that are more common?
onerthes: (12)

[personal profile] onerthes 2019-10-30 01:23 am (UTC)(link)
Some have disappeared, woken up we believe, but the way to accomplish this is not clear.

We believe so, but we cannot be entirely sure.

We have no clear way to find any of them. Some have thought of doing this, but they remain cagey or trapped away from our reach. We think that Sodder herself and Mother Superior are in a lab up in the mountain, but none can actually enter it. The mayor has only shown himself on these devices.
chosenside: (i'm upset too that leta was fridged)

[personal profile] chosenside 2019-10-30 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
[Percival has always been a rather serious man, but he never looked haggard, completely worn out to the point that people might question his capabilities. He's always looked well-put together, and the exhausted man before Theseus is nothing like the Percival he's come to befriend. A cautious voice in the back of his mind whispers that he could still very well be a trap, perhaps even the dreaded dark wizard himself, but Grindelwald shucked his disguise when he was first caught.

No, this isn't Grindelwald standing before him. And if it's some illusion, well, Theseus doesn't mind risking his life interacting with it, not until he's 100% sure that the Percival standing before him isn't real. Until then, however, he's not leaving. He's not going to abandon his friend after all this time, after he's been most likely tortured for months. The thought enrages Theseus and he can feel his grip tightening on his wand, his temper barely kept in check. The only thing really stopping it is his concern for his friend.

Theseus raises his hand for a moment when Percival has his own up, but the British Auror lets it drop to his side as the other pulls back slightly, a look of understanding crossing his eyes. While it's sorely tempting to just step forward and tightly hug him, he decides that it might be better to ask first.]


Do you want me to hug you so that you could find out?

[He weakly teases, a flicker of an upturn of his mouth showing that he's somewhat joking about that. But there's definitely something serious in his eyes, a focus in them as he watches Percival in turn.] Or I can cast revelio on myself, if you want to be a bore like usual.

[Despite his words, however, Theseus is more than willing to do so.]
trancheuse: (10)

[personal profile] trancheuse 2019-10-30 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
[She almost got away a couple of times, but Larxene was just barely at sight. Just before one of those sneaky sneaky moments, at the top of a roof, Larxene came to a halt, panting lightly and focused.

A grunt of pain, a wince, and with concentration the teleportation worked, barely. Shadows wrapped around her body, dragging her down and repositioning her below a lamppost on the other side of the street. Trying to conceal the wince from that trick's current price, she waved back at Homura, a wicked grin visible.]
earthlike: (interview)

[personal profile] earthlike 2019-10-30 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
My own people's legends say that we were crafted by our gods in their own image as well. That seems to be a common factor in creation stories.

[ Even if, for Nadass, they are just myths and not reality. ]

I have just met an elf here. He said he came from a world called Arda. So perhaps you are right, and there are certain species that exist throughout many worlds in parallel.
tagartist: (163)

one

[personal profile] tagartist 2019-10-30 01:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ Chloe was just trying to get a coffee so she could go to work. That's really it. Why is her life a series of young teenagers who always want to talk to her about things? He's new, clearly, and obviously from a time with slightly less tech, because she's never heard someone from the 2000s or later get so pumped about texting before.

She leans against the counter, at least not interrupting his raving, and waiting until he takes a breath to comment. ]


You're from a time without smart phones, huh?