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

[onerthes]

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?

[earthlike]

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.

[onerthes]

It seems like the sort of things "Gods" would do, though I will be a little clear. It isn't exactly a story. I've met some of those gods, and believe me. The beastmen and neocollum were absoutely made in Deeth's bestial image. There's little doubt of that.

[Definitely not myths for Agarest. And lots of her gods were dicks.]

I see. There's a few who have been running around from time to time. An interesting race. What was his name?

[earthlike]

I see. That sort of literal divine presence is not what I'm used to, but I won't doubt that it's the truth of your reality.

He called himself Legolas, of the Woodland Realm. I gathered from our brief conversation that his world was very different from the ones I know, or even this one.

[onerthes]

Believe me. I would have been happier to have never met any of them. As stories, they were much easier to believe in than in person. They had the raw power, but madness had driven them to dangerous places.

I have never met one of that name, but I don't doubt it. There are so many worlds, in the end. Most elves, though, you will know by their lithe frames, long ears and powerful magic.

[earthlike]

Madness can bring terrible things to the loves of regular people; I can't imagine what it would do to someone with divine power.

He was quite lithe in figure, and he did have ears like that, though I don't know whether he possessed anything that I would qualify as magic.

[onerthes]

A story whose full telling I will save for another day I think.

Those who take up arms that I've ever known always seem to be a bit more 'mystical' in nature, after a fashion, though it's never quite so obvious with them. Even a tripe of magi needs its defenders.

[earthlike]

If or when you choose to tell it, I will be glad to listen.

Is taking up arms a common profession in your reality, then? I suppose your world does sound somewhat dangerous.

[onerthes]

Military arms is not an unusual occupation, no. But I've been involved until about a year ago in a protracted string of wars over several continents. It's an unavoidable part of one's life when you spend a century fighting that you encounter ever greater threats.

The average citizen lives a far quieter life, I assure you.

[earthlike]

I suppose military professions are common enough everywhere, especially if your world is so wartorn. I am sorry you have been unable to find peace.

[onerthes]

Oh, we found it alright. I simply didn't get to enjoy it before I woke up here. Believe me that, when I say we found it, there's not much left to do any real fighting for a long time.

People will be busy rebuilding for generations before kingdoms have to bother fighting each other again. But there is peace.

[earthlike]

Peace, especially peace that is hard-won, is always worth celebrating. I am sorry that you had to fight so hard to achieve it, and that you did not get the chance to experience it before you were brought here.

How long has it been, for you, since you arrived in this place?

[onerthes]

A year, if I remember correctly. A long, tiresome year, but we've made some progress in deciphering the place's puzzle at the very least.

[earthlike]

Are there many people here who have been kept so long? I'm sure you must be a wealth of information for newcomers.

[onerthes]

About twenty, I'd say, have been here for enough months to say something like that, give or take. The number dwindles with time, since people sometimes disappear without warning or trace. We believe they've woken from the nightmare.

I try to help where and when I can with information.

[earthlike]

You believe that... Do you have any proof? I suppose it would be a difficult thing to prove, from the inside.

Once I am a bit more settled, I would love to hear what you have to say. I plan on doing as much research as I can on this place to get myself up to speed.

[onerthes]

Wishful thinking if we're being somewhat honest. We are relying on senses that trick us regularly, and if I cannot enter their worlds, I cannot be 100% certain. But we are reasonably certain for now.

Good. We could use further notes. I have many that I can share.

[earthlike]

I was lucky enough to arrive with my datapad with me. It already contains three years worth of research on various pieces of Earth history and culture. I can make a separate file for this place. Try to compile what has been learned so far.

[onerthes]

You should speak with Moira. I am fairly sure that she would appreciate comparing notes about various scientific figures and biology. It's something of her bailiwick.

[earthlike]

I will make a note to contact her. Biology is not the subject of my research, but I have had the opportunity to speak with a few notable scientific experts on the Earth I came from.

Please excuse me, English is not my strongest language. What does "bailiwick" mean?

[onerthes]

It is the thing she is most well known for. She's a scientist of considerable skill. her focus is biology, I suppose you'd say.

[earthlike]

I understand. Thank you for elaborating.

My knowledge of biology is fairly limited to the distinct differences between human biology and my own. I'm sure there is much I can learn from her.

[onerthes]

That is without question, though I feel more comfortable letting her share what her studies have wrought over the years. They're her achievement after all

[That, and Moira could be cagey about free disclosure of data at times.]

[earthlike]

Then, I will reach out to her once I am more settled. Thank you for the recommendation.

[onerthes]

You're welcome. Do not hesitate to call me if you need information or assistance. I'll let you know if I am free.