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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sizhui came from a much later time where he remembered memories he buried deep from his childhood. His love and respect for Wei Wuxian is a gap of 16 years, so Sizhui has grown. With relief, he stayed by his side while he guides him away from the rails since he senses the source of darkness is swimming beneath the waters.

If he guides him away from the water, the terror will lessen. For now, he stays by his side, so Wei Wuxian won't be alone.]

No, not good at all. I came alone. I couldn't find the others. I think me and the other juniors are separated. I have no idea where we are going on this boat.

What about you Senior Wei?

[this is good. this is someone wei wuxian can protect. this is someone who can keep him from staring into the waters and losing it.

mostly, this is someone wei wuxian can act like the wise older brother around. he does enjoy that. he pats his shoulder once more, voice more certain and reassuring.]

If they're here, we'll find them. If they're not, then they're safer.

[the same could be said for lan zhan. he swallows against the hope and longing he feels for wanting to see him.]

Wherever we're going, it should be safer than this ship. Are you able to maneuver your sword?

[if the ship does go down, maybe sizhui can at least fly above it and stay safe.]

[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.

[wei wuxian smiles faintly at that. the ship is indeed scary. there's so much going on that even he doesn't understand.]

That's good. It'll make us both braver.

[he gets the feeling that they're going to need that.]

If the ship does start to sink, I want you to fly above it. Got it?

[Listening to Senior's Wei wisdom, Sizhui nodded.]

I think I got it, but if the ship sinks, we'll both fly on it.

[Sizhui haven't discovered yet that his powers are warped and flying on the sword maybe unreliable for true flight. In the meanwhile, the ship is steady and sailing course. Sizhui dutifully stayed by his side. As long they kept a distance from the underwater ghosts.]

[he smiles at that. what a good boy, is that really just lan zhan's influence on him?]

Don't worry about me. I'm a strong swimmer. If you can take someone else, there are women and children on this ship.

[if he died, and he probably would, well...he's already been through it once anyway. it doesn't hold any surprises for him.]

Come on, let's go back inside. You can tell me if you've noticed anything else while you were here.

[He was well-taught. Sizhui really considers his plan. Wei Wuxian is really important to him. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't be here today. Sizhui doesn't remember much. They're memories of a three year old, but he's begins to remember. So he wanted to repay back in kind.]

I'll follow your lead. Where are we going, Senior Wei?

[where are they going. wei wuxian pauses with a sudden and slightly wicked grin crossing his lips. he slides a friendly arm around the boy's shoulders.]

Why don't we find something to drink? You're not in Cloud Recesses, and looking at all this water is making me thirsty!

[Sizhui learns his lessons really well. Still, he's all smiles as instinctively wanted to be in his presence, his memories of him as a young child, he's starting to recall. Whatever Wei Wuxian suggests, he will follow after him.]

I'm thirsty too. But I can't drink. It's forbidden. [Plus he didn't want to make his father Lan Wangji angry if discovered.] I can only drink water.

Ahh, I recall the rules well.

[he should have, as many times as he copied them! days and weeks spent writing "no" and "do not" until he thought his eyes might cross permanently and ruin his good looks.]

I've even seen Zewu-Jun drink a toast, believe it or not!

[Sizhui may have spend a lifetime copying the rules while doing handstands. It's a rough childhood of rigorous training.

He blinks. Then with a smile, almost as mischievous. Perhaps a memory forgotten as a child of this trait.]

Uncle drinks...? I never had known. [That sound scandalous!] Ah? Where are we going? [To dine in first class? Second? Third? Wherever Senior Wei goes, he follows after dutifully.]

He has a trick to it.

[a rather clever one, wei wuxian was impressed. he pulls sizhui closer by the shoulders as if he's about to share it.

but then he considers that question. third class is a little rough. first class is a little - well the security is already looking for him there. (long story.) that really only leaves one option.

but first-]

...Uncle?

Edited (work brain, work) 2020-01-10 03:13 (UTC)

[Does Wei Wuxian remembers him? Lan Sizhui simply smiles, not suspecting. Following him inside the hall of the ship. It's much fancier inside.]

Zewu-Jun is my Uncle. Lan Wangji is my teacher, like a father-figure to me. I was adopted into the Lan clan. I'm Lan Sizhui.

[it would be a terrible time for the ship to spring a leak and start going down. (not that there would be a "good" time for it.) wei wuxian would be so lost in thought that he'd never make it off.

he does clear a lot up for him though. zewu-jun is his uncle, and he knew that the only way was through lan wangji.]

Oh, oh.

[wei wuxian nods in understanding then, a smile following.]

Hanguang-Jun is good. He's not too strict on you, is he? You don't have to worry about that with me!

[Sizhui smiles back as he gives Wei Wuxian a clear picture of his family. He isn't worry at all. This is the Wei Wuxian he remembers.]

Oh I'm not worried about the rules at all. Hanguang-Jun taught me a lot since I was young. He's like a father to me. He is strict! He made me do handstands everyday, but the lessons and exercises he taught me to make me strong and I become a leader of the juniors.