JANUARY 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

[sodder]

JANUARY 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to January's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: OCEAN 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.

PLEASE NOTE FOR CHARACTER ARRIVALS: This month, all players can choose to have their characters wake up in the town of Deerington or on the Titanic.

CW: Ghost of a child, rotting corpses, drowning, hallucinations, paranoia
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

WHERE FEET MAY FAIL

For those who were left behind in Deerington while everyone else was whisked away in the flood during the New Years Eve party, they will find that the town is a little more wet than usual. The streets are still flooded, houses are damp, and the chill of winter isn't making it easy to deal with. Your hands can feel like ice any day of the week and it's hard to focus with how badly you may find yourself trembling from the cold.

But it's almost preferable to the visions. They start off while you're sleeping; large sea monsters roaming the ocean, waiting to pull you down into the darkened depths; or maybe it's a strange, ghost looking girl with glowing eyes and tattered clothing, her skin blue and rotting the way a body does when it's been submerged in water for too long. She's calling out to you, beckoning you down, and all around her are the strung up, floating corpses of the people who were foolish enough to listen.

It's just a dream though, right? Slowly you start to see the girl around town. She's still calling to you, watching you, waiting for you. If you get too close, she'll even be able to grab onto you, pulling you down into the waterlogged streets, and into what you thought was only a puddle of water. It's as deep as an ocean, and just as dark and cold too. Someone near by can grab onto you before she can drag you under and the vision will disappear. If no one does, maybe if you're a strong swimmer, you'll be able to struggle free, but when you resurface, there will be a bruise forming on your arm in the shape of a hand – something to remind you that maybe these visions are a little more real than you gave them credit for.

The only way to stay safe is to travel in pairs. The girl seems to keep her distance when there's more than one person around, but it doesn't mean she won't try to find the means to separate you. Whether it's increasing the flooding in certain areas of the street or trying to distract one of you long enough to put some distance between you and your comrade, she'll do whatever it takes to try and grab onto whoever she can.

GHOST SHIP

Those who are on the boat might find that life is a little easier, depending on what class you've found yourself in. The struggles between first, second, and third are certainly rough on everyone, but many seem to find themselves thinking this is just the way of things. Maybe your mind has been altered to just accept the class differences or your memories completely rewritten and you think you've led a completely different life so far; either way, only a handful of passengers seem to fully understand that this isn't the way things are supposed to be.

There's nothing anyone can do to change things, though, and so many find themselves getting lost in day to day activities. Whether it's working on the ship, enjoying the finer foods in the first class dining halls, or enjoying the rowdy parties in third class storage after hours, everyone seems to be finding something to keep themselves occupied. As the days pass, even those who know full well what's coming seem to forget the looming doom, and you might even find yourself feeling lost in the monotony of day to day life.

But those who stare into the water too long, who look at the strange, large shapes swimming just under the surface might find a sense of dread filling them. The paranoia will shake you to your very core, leaving you with a sense that all is not right with this journey. You can try to tell people, but most will look at you as though you're insane. Eventually, your fear will become so heavy that you start to see destruction all around you. Whole sections of the ship will look flooded, rotting wood and rusted steel taking over every inch of the once proud ship, and every section is covered in algae. You might start to realize it looks uncannily like an old shipwreck.

The ship is still floating, though, and the coarse steady. So it's all in your head, right? Staying away from the water will make the visions and paranoia eventually ebb, but any glance at the floating shapes will cause it to come back tenfold. Maybe just stay inside and away from the ship's edge. It seems a lot safer that way.

Character Arrival

You can read how all characters arrive in Deerington here.

NOTE: Character's this month can wake up in Deerington or on the Titanic.

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

A. twospidermen.jpg

[especiallyparanoid]

Maybe it's his upbringing. Maybe there is something about the etiquette of it all that just makes him fall back into old patterns; which in turn makes him sink deeper into the shifting of this place. Whatever it is, Wesley slips into this world all too easily, walking around the deck with a manner so uppity and stiff it's surprising he doesn't snap in half.

That is, until someone trips him and he goes down with a yelp, arms windmilling. He comes up a moment later, staring at Lindsey with sputtering indignation, looking around quickly to see if anyone saw.

"You!"

It comes out accusing, then confused because he doesn't know this man – how would he, unimportant as he looks. Newly-rich, surely, from the looks of it, from the way he carries himself.

From the audacity of what he just did.

"How dare you."

There is only one thing he can do, really. Wesley takes off a glove and sniffs in utter disdain. Before he slaps Lindsey across the face with it.

[hedon]

[Okay, rude, Magnus makes a mental note to choose the people he saves more wisely. This one clearly wasn't in his right mind and was definitely on the wrong side of his own hysteria. It's with a long-winded sigh and a look of true apathy that Magnus steps back and holds his hands up, making it clear that he meant no harm and had no weapons.

Never mind the fact that he was the weapon.]

I just saved your life. That girl wasn't a girl at all, but that's a conversation best kept for another time.

She's probably back in the depths, waiting for another victim.

sfksajkg lmfao sorry gene orz

[hitactor]

[He's about halfway into the seat when this guy says his name, greets him like they are old friends with history, and for the life of him he can't remember him at all. It's as much cause for discomfort as bumping elbows with the deck royalty would be and his posture drastically changes upon the realization.]

It's uh- it's pretty good chicken, I guess. How do you know my name?

Arrival

[especiallyparanoid]

[He doesn't know why he's here.

Wesley belongs on the upper decks, with the high society. He shouldn't be here mingling with... commoners. He thinks. But something bothers him. Some itch, some feeling, some ridiculous paranoia that makes the journey more than unpleasant.]

What?

[He looks up when spoken too, like a deer in headlights, and studies the young woman with bewilderment and... a hint of fear.]

I don't-- [He clears his throat.]

I'm not quite sure what you mean.

[guestlectures]

[ Alana immediately lets go and jumps back against the railing, eyes wide as she watches-- something she can't possibly be watching. ]

You- your arm. What did you do? [ Then she takes him in, and her eyes grow wider again. In her work she's met all kinds of people who've been compelled to alter their bodies in sometimes quite extreme ways. Somehow she doesn't get the impression this is the case now.

She has a gun in her purse, and her hands go for the clasp. ] What-- are you? What do you mean, the thing in the water is a monster?

[ This is another tick in the box of "nothing is real, it's all a hallucination" ]

an awkward boi and his suave chechen lmfao

[hitactor]

[Barry definitely should've caught the gesture of goodwill but he's so caught up in worry and with his attention divided he's not half as good socially. Not that he was ever very good at navigating this sort of thing.]

Sorry. Thanks. I appreciate the help. It's a big ship but it's still a ship, he's around here somewhere.

[guestlectures]

[ The confusion isn't a surprise. As far as she can tell, most people on this ship genuinely believe they're supposed to be here and this isn't the first person she's confused with her questions. The fear, though...

She puts on an apologetic smile. ]

Oh, my mistake. I must have mistaken you for someone else. [ She holds out a hand to introduce herself. ]

Alana Bloom.

[especiallyparanoid]

That's quite all right. It's an expansive and crowded ship. Incredible, really.

[He catches himself, pushing the strange feeling away for now as to not embarrass himself.]

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. A pleasure, Miss Bloom.

[He takes her hand and pulls it up for the indication of a kiss to the back of it. There's no reason to be rude, after all he is the one who came here. But something prompts him on, something in that strange way she addressed him, in the words...]

Do you... not belong?

[laminae]

[Now that's a reaction he's becoming uncomfortably familiar with, and her outburst is causing several other people on the promenade to stop and stare and look like they're going to make the situation worse.

Fern steps back, and instead of doing the rational thing of raising his hands to show he doesn't mean any harm he clenches his fists, tensing up.]

I - I don't know. Probably? What else would it be?

[But that doesn't seem like the important thing here, right now.]

I'm grass, lady. I didn't do any of this.

[An explanation like that should totally help, right?]

Zevran Arainai | Dragon Age

[mmmleather]

ABOARD THE SHIP

Unchanged ; The Decks
[This... sure is a boat.]

[It sure is a ship. The likes of which he has never seen before in his entire lifetime. There are no sails, for one thing. Only the huge columns spilling smoke like forges into the sky. Everyone is dressed differently -- almost like something out of Orlais, but simpler. Which doesn't say a lot, because Orlais is what it is, and that is ridiculously complex. They are all, additionally, extremely human.]

[Which... makes for more than a few looks thrown in an elf's direction. Especially an elf wearing leather armor, and armed with a dagger. Staring means you haven't got anything like a low profile, which you typically need in his line of work. None of the others appear nearby, either.]

[But hey. Maybe it's that Shale would sink the boat, and Oghren's smell was far too terrible to be allowed out from belowdecks. But the others --]

Pardon me? [As he stops a nearby person with a flourish and an accent of some vaguely familiar land.] This will sound utterly insane, but, what vessel is this?


Changed ; Party Time
[Later on, as time wears by, the Antivan elf has become... a Spanish Gentleman. Of the second class party. What better way to blend in, after all? A perfect way to travel between the classes, to never be suspected, no matter what area of the ship he's in. The dagger, of course, hasn't left his person. It's safely hidden, in case he finds his mark.]

[This isn't a pleasure cruise after all. It's business.]

Might I have this dance?

[He will ask of anyone nearby, extending a hand. The tattoos on his face remain, though his unbraided hair occasionally hides them from view. He's still not tall -- so he will likely have to look up to his dance partner.] It is such a lovely night, though, I will admit... I am shamelessly distracted by your face.

[And the fact he thinks his target may be on the dance floor...]


Changed or Unchanged; The Dreadful Sea
Did you see that?

[Someone clutches at your sleeve. Pulling you toward the rail of the ship.]

It was just there! Under the water... look.


wildcard;
[Hit up this terrible little man elsewhere! I can roll with just about anything! He will be listed as Second Class on the official Titanic Roster, however.]

(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞

[lookattheglass]

He goes down hard and Lindsey can't help it, he snorts and devolves into a fit of sensible chuckles, at least until he's slapped with a glove.

A glove.

...

Of all the things that could happen, he wasn't expecting to be slapped.

By a glove.

Did this man really just slap him with a glove?!

Lindsey's too shocked to do anything at first (even if he was the one that tripped him) at first except sputter in similar indignation.

"How dare you!"

[angelic_archer]

Titanic - Promenade Decks

The Lightwoods were one of the great Shadowhunter families despite the acts that had resulted in Alec's parents being sent to New York. Wealth, power, a family name to uphold... of course that meant Alec would travel first class. He felt a pang of regret as he walked the Promenade Deck. Izzy and Jace should be with him. Izzy would adore the fashions that were on display among the other passengers and charm the unwary men aboard the ship. Jace... Jace would probably go stir crazy but at least his parabatai would be beside him. To deal with the loneliness and a sense that he should be more active, Alec fled to the Promenade Decks, hpoing that exercise and fresh air would settle his mind.

As he paused at the rail, something caught his attention. Something dark moved in the water, teasing at his senses, reminding him of something. All the stories are true. The thought seemed right and wrong at the same time, causing Alec to back away from the railing until he bumped into someone behind him. "Did yous see something in the water?" He pointed to where the shadow had lurked nearby. "It was over there."

Titanic - Dining Room

Without his siblings beside him, Alec really didn't know how to interact with those around him. There'd been someone else who had helped him become more at ease in these situations, but that being's name eluded him as it caused a painful ache in his chest. A memory of golden eyes reminded him how to smile at strangers and be at ease
while dressed in formal attire and listening to the drone of Mundie conversation. Picking up his glass, he took a sip of wine, and then realized he missed whatever the person next to him had said. "I'm sorry. I was distracted. What was the question?"

[notgneiss]

[speak of the devil and they appear. there are heavy footfalls behind zevran, then an irritated voice:] What is it staring at? Have these fleshies never seen a golem before? Perish the thought.

[apparently shale isn't sinking the boat! but... let's not find out what would happen if they skip a few steps.]

I got called a demon earlier. No imagination, honestly! Do I look like something as boring as a demon?

[guestlectures]

[ The kiss to the back of the hand is less of a surprise after three days of getting used to it. It still irks something in her, which she smooths down with another smile. Ladies get their hands kissed in this time. ]

I'm... not entirely sure what I'm doing here. [ That's a safe enough comment. ] Something of an existential crisis, you could say.

[guestlectures]

[ Alana know exactly what she'd tell her clients if they came to her saying I hallucinated a boy made of grass whose arm turned into a sword.

Seeing it herself is not comforting. Her fingers still on the clutch of her purse; what help is a gun going to be right now? Something is very, seriously wrong.]

Hold on. Let's deal with one thing at a time. [Backing up isn't an option, given it's the railing and the ocean (filled with a monster?) is behind her. She's stuck. ]

You're-- made of grass?

[mmmleather]

[Well hey, there's a sight for sore eyes. And a voice for sore pointy ears. It may be one of the first times outside of pulverizing darkspawn that he looks genuinely happy to see the golem.]

Shale! You have made it! I had thought the nature of the water would keep one such as yourself from arriving... but, it would seem I was mistaken.

How good to see you, my sturdy friend.

[Pay no attention to the scandalized passengers.]

[laminae]

'Course I am. What, you think I'm normal and just wanna look like this for fun?

[That's a rhetorical question, and he's giving a side glance down at the few people further down, two of whom are scurrying off. He isn't sure if boats have law enforcement, but it can't mean anything good and he remains tense.]

I'm grass now, and before this I used to be two swords. One of 'em was grass, and the other one used to be human.

[That probably doesn't clear anything up if she's surprised he's a plant, but there isn't really any way around his whole situation, so he might as well be direct and get it over with as fast as possible.]

hope this is ok

[hedon]

It's been some time since Magnus has seen Alec, he arrived shortly after his failed wedding to Lydia Branwell and that had been several months ago. While he still thought of him often he rarely indulged the idea, knowing that ultimately he was better off alone. It's not a world he'd wish upon Alec or any of the others, but that same loneliness set in during moments of silence when nothing else was left to distract him.

Given his status upon the barge, Magnus is considerably less refined than he's gotten a reputation for. He's in a dirty button-up t-shirt over a pair of wide-leg slacks that stay on his body through the use of some second-hand suspenders.

"I was asking if you were done with your plate." Magnus has his memories, he retained them, but much of the ship hadn't been so lucky. People had their history warped to fit the current setting and whatever waters they were traveling upon the celestial bodies visible out on the deck didn't make sense where mapping the stars had been concerned. None of it was astronomically correct which made him tread carefully as a result. If Alec didn't remember, didn't recognize him for who he was in such a state there wouldn't be much push back from him. Magnus has tried to fight against the powers here and failed each time, the last thing he wants to do is involve someone else in the repercussions of that. Alec especially.

[angelic_archer]

Setting down his glass, Alec eyed the waiter, taking in the dirty shirt and the ill fitting clothes. An old prejudice related to Mundanes and those who weren't as wealthy as the Lightwoods began to overtake his thoughts before he remembered Clary and Simon. Mundanes who had started his journey toward being more accepting of others. Shaking his head, he wondered why he'd thought that he was better than someone serving him when he'd never made that kind of comparison when they were at Taki's or any other restaurant in New York.

His mind cleared and he reached for his plate when he realized that the shake of his head could have been taken as a 'no'. "I'm done. Thank you - " The last word trailed off as he saw who was beside him.

A name burst into his awareness, sending a thrill through him that nearly caused his heart to stop. Magnus. How could he forget Magnus? How could he not recognize him instantly? Staring up at his boyfriend - that realization fought with a brief flash of fear that he'd lived with since he was thirteen - Alec tried to resolve his faded memories with the being in front of him.

His eyes should be green-gold. "Your eyes are the wrong color," he blurted out before he could stop himself. "And why are you dressed like that? It looks like you stole my clothes."

[bulletgram]

[ Hank follows quickly, bouncing after him like a large puppy, looking around at everything as they walk, taking it all in with wide eyes, wrapping his arms around him to keep warm. ]

What kind of weird stuff? Wet and cold, is not so weird, no?

Adam | Only Lovers Left Alive

[dalbergiaretusa]

[ Ghost Ship: on deck, sea gazing ]

[ Nighttime over the ocean is dark in all directions, even with the moon and stars overhead. A tall, pale man with messy hair and dark-colored clothing stands looking out over the water. His gloved hands hold the railing as he stands statue still, eyes fixed on something just over the horizon. At a glance, he seems deep in thought, brows furrowed while his grip on the rail tightens ever so slightly. He tries so hard not to let his gaze stray to the shapes he can see under the surface of the water. For so many reasons, something doesn't feel right about this situation.

While his posture may suggest that he wants to be left alone, perhaps it would be better if someone were to interrupt him. Perhaps someone themselves feels the same paranoia that Adam does and needs a bit of reassurance. ]


[ Ghost Ship: third class wallflower ]

[ Regardless of Adam's usual tendency to avoid large gatherings of people, the voyage is too long and the accommodations too crowded to remain in isolation without attracting attention.

On this night, he feels warm and fed and in relatively good spirits despite the dour expression on his face. The sound of music draws him out from his solitude. A pair of fiddles, slightly out of tune but played with skill and enthusiasm. The clapping of hands and the stomping of feet, occasionally a fraction off-beat but all the more charming for it. The cantor making up lyrics on the fly about dry land, better food, and softer beds (with more pleasurable company).

Adam leans against a far wall, nearly in the shadows behind some obstruction or another, to watch. Arms crossed over his chest, his attention is all for the music, scarcely sparing a glance to the people around him. He thinks that his wife would love this, were she to have joined him on the voyage, and how fond of dancing she is. His expression relaxes. Maybe he'll dance one in her honor. ]


[ Ghost Ship: Wildcard ]

[[ a Hiddleston-faced vampire stuck on the Titanic, at your pleasure. ]]

[hedon]

Alec sitting in front of him looks every bit the man he'd kissed in front of the entirety of his family-staged wedding congregation but they hadn't had the opportunity to explore it yet. Magnus hadn't even had the chance to say more than a few words to him since the event itself, he'd come to Deerington not long after and so he assumed that it would remain suspended and waiting the way people claimed it did. When alone, his mind drifts to that moment in time often, and Magnus can't help but feel like it was more than just a kiss the way he aches for him when he's conscious and aware of the flaw in that feeling.

Instead of saying anything else he pulls the china wear off the table and puts it into a metal bin that he's holding against his waist. It's large, heavy, and filled with soiled napkins and dirty dishes. Normally, he wouldn't get caught dead playing the part of a busboy but he's since learned sometimes that the roles delegated were important to see through.

The drastic transfer of emotions across his inordinately pretty face churns up the stirrings of hope within him, but he doesn't say anything until Alec does. "My eyes are glamoured." The cat eyes were offputting to strangers that didn't understand them, the comment on his class wardrobe, well, that earns exactly the look one would expect a perfect mixture of disgust and weariness. "I'm a servant. Isn't it obvious?"

[angelic_archer]

Once the spell or whatever it was that had dimmed his thoughts began to recede, it took all of Alec's self control not to jump to his feet and kiss Magnus. He'd kissed Magnus in front of the Clave, kissing him in front of a bunch of uptight mundanes didn't concern him. What did cause him to pause was Magnus' waist and his boyfriend's reaction to Alec's presence.

Doubt briefly caught in his chest, but Alec pushed it aside. He wouldn't second guess the situation. When he'd done something similar in the past, he'd nearly destroyed their relationship with his insecurity and jealousy.

"I know, but the first thing I remembered was how you look without the glamour." He couldn't keep the confusion from his tone. When Alec had been caught up in powerful magic in the past, he'd still remembered Magnus. Whatever they were caught up in now had to be worse than Seelie magic or the visions that had nearly seduced him in the past. "I don't know why I couldn't remember you. You're Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn. That's what's obvious," he countered softly so none of the others dining nearby would hear him.

For a moment, he wasn't certain if he should say something else about who Magnus is. They'd just gotten back together. Their relationship was still fragile, but Alec needed to hear the words if only to reassure himself that his memories weren't completely wrong, but he'd wait to say that until they were alone. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

[lanofsizhui]

[Lan Sizhui doesn't have much experience with ghosts and spirits being at a junior level but he can sense danger. He has fought zombies which is just as terrifying.

At the moment, they're safe for now. Sizhui wearing the same fashion a Lan Zhan as this is someone from home of Cloud Recesses who is familiar and recognized him. With a nod.]

I hope we could. This ship is scary. [At the suggestion of his sword.] My sword? Yes, it can fly.

[hedon]

"My eyes?" Magnus knows that he'd never shown Alec his eyes, not yet anyway. It's a surprise, not only because Alec seemed more or less fine with it. The glamour was as much for his benefit as it was for anyone else's especially among so many passengers that thought they were normal. What he was, what he could do was far from it and he really didn't want to lose his place here- not knowing where they were headed or what the future held. Certainly not now that he has Alec right in front of him.

"The High Warlock wouldn't be caught dead in this or helping patrons with food, but here we are." The tune of his voice takes a high cadence at the end, a small nod to his typical state of being. Had Alec arrived sooner than the sojourn on the sea everything would be different.

"We can." My quarters are three levels down, maybe you've been more fortunate. They could speak out on the deck, but only if it was barren enough that they could escape notice. It's evening, a lot of the crowd was in their rooms or in the dining hall. Magnus sets his bin on the table and pulls the towel he'd covered his lap with out of the britches he was wearing. "After you."