Sodder (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sodder) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
soddersays2020-01-25 04:29 pm
sodder) wrote in soddersays2020-01-25 04:29 pm
Entry tags:
FEBRUARY 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME
FEBRUARY 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to February's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: DYSTOPIAN/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 in Rapture. More information can be found in February's Prelude post.
CW: Centipede-like insect picture (linked), potential for bugs burrowing into skin, mind control, violence, potential for murder, potential for suicide, death by explosive device, genetic modification (Splicers by default)
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!
A SLAVE OBEYS
Adjusting to Rapture may already be a challenge for most; the lack of sunlight, the constant worry about whether the glass and metal surrounding you is really going to hold, the lack of powers you might be used to... Especially when there seems to be something or someone looking for a fight around every corner. Maybe you were lucky and found an abandoned apartment to crash in or maybe you were unfortunate enough to have to find some gap between rubble piles to curl up in out of sight; no matter what, it's doubtful you're getting a restful nights sleep very easily.Those few moments where you're left unaware still leave you vulnerable and there's one creature that will take advantage of your moment of rest: a strange bug that is looking for a host. If you're fortunate, it will latch on to the base of your neck without you being fully aware; once discovered, these bugs can be pulled off with the help of a friend with a strong grip. They may take a chunk of skin with them, but at least they'll be gone, right? The less fortunate are in for more of an ordeal. The bugs will bite the skin to numb it before burrowing itself inside, latching on directly to the muscle surrounding your spine. These bugs will have to be surgically removed — whether that's from an actual skilled doctor (of which there are few) or someone willing to cut into you with a (hopefully) clean knife all depends on how desperate you are.
Whether it's latched or burrowed, the effect is the same: anyone with this bug attached to them will be unable to refuse the commands of the people around them. It can be something as simple as standing still or something as significant as killing another person... or even yourself. If you're someone with a particularly strong will, you may be able to fight off these commands with an extreme amount of effort, but it will leave you with blurry vision, dizziness, a severe migraine, and muscle weakness when you try for too long. Let's hope you run into someone altruistic rather than someone vengeful. For your sake.
NOTE: Characters can be controlled by other characters or players are welcome to utilize NPCs who might make their character attack other characters.
AN INVITE TO THE FISHERIES
If you're the investigative type or if you really just want to look for answers to what the fuck is going on, you might get a few helpful Splicers who are going to direct you to one place: Fontaine Fisheries. They won't tell you anything about the place or who you might be looking for, but they will tell you knock twice and make sure you do what you're told if you're not looking for trouble.If you follow this advice, you'll end up in front of a large steel door with a sliding door peephole built in. Knock twice and the sliding door will open, a pair of eyes glaring at you from the other side with suspicion. If you're alone, you'll be ordered to come back with someone who's willing to vouch for you, promising you aren't working for the enemy and who you're willing to vouch for in return. If you already brought a friend, you'll go through the process of these paranoid promises, before being told to deposit all of your weapons into the bin beside you. The door won't open until you've shown you're empty handed.
Once inside, you'll find yourself in an old fisherman's warehouse, covered in ice and fog. Going inside, you won't be able to see the man who opened the door for you, almost like he's run for cover. If you decide not to turn around and leave, venturing further inside will make you hear the paranoid shout of the man:
A second later and you'll hear the sound of something heavy skittering across the ice. If you're quick, you'll notice it's an explosive, and hopefully duck for cover. Once you know what he's tossing, you have just enough time to pick these explosives up and throw them back at their owner if you're hoping to kill him. For the more peaceful types, you can team up and use the fog and ice to your advantage to sneak up on your attacker and knock him out.
If one or both of you manages to neutralize the threat and survive the attack, you can move further into the warehouse to find a medium sized box filled with a small supply of small weapons (pistols, ammo, a wrench), EVE hypos, some canned food, some medical supplies, and a map of Rapture.
No answers, though. Seems like you were sent on a wild good chase by someone hoping you might not come back from it.
Character Arrival
You can read how all characters arrive in Deerington here.NOTE: Characters can arrive in Deerington or in Rapture this month. More information can be found in February's Prelude post.
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.
no subject
[What a horrible nightmare! Sana wakes up in a cold sweat, touching her back. It had felt so real... didn't Iroha say she'd been having important dreams as of late? Is it related? Maybe she can ask over breakfast. She slides out of bed...
... And suddenly realizes this isn't her bedroom. This isn't the villa.]
Huh? ... Huh?! W-what?! Ah...! Iroha-san! Yachiyo-san?! F-F-Felicia...!
[She snatches up her Soul Gem, clutching it close to her chest. Was she kidnapped? Are her friends okay? Fear brings tears to her eyes, which she desperately tries to fight off. Crying won't do her any good! She wipes her eyes, and then slowly begins to head out of the room, looking around the house. Being a Magical Girl, she can use telepathy with any other Magical Girls... but for now, no one responses...]
Hello? ... Is anyone out there?
Rapture - Fisheries
Fueee - !
[While Sana's powers may be nerfed, they're thankfully not totally gone. She can still summon her gigantic shield, which blocks her (and you!) from the blast.]
Th-that was a bomb, wasn't it?! I don't understand... I don't understand anything that's going on... Are you okay?
Deerington
Hello? Can you hear me?
no subject
[Good news, another magical girl!]
"Yes, I can!"
[Bad news... Isn't that... Mami Tomoe?!]
"... Huh?! Oh, no! No no no! Stay away from me! What did you do to me? To everyone?!"
no subject
Wh-what? I didn't do anything I swear! I was pulled here too!
Who are you?
no subject
"How do I know this isn't another trick? That you won't brainwash me again?"
no subject
[ Oh Mami if only you knew. ]
Please... I know this is scary situation to be here. But I promise I'm here to help.
no subject
"... Okay. I'll... accept your help... but if this another trap... I-I'm stronger now! I won't go down so easily.."
no subject
[ She really has no idea what Sana is talking about... but she has to try to help anyway right? Mami sends her a location to a public cafe. ]
Are you comfortable meeting here?
no subject
Y-Yes... I'll head there, right away. Um... thank you.
no subject
[ Mami makes sure to head over right away. She hasn't seen the face of this girl... but she seems to know her for some reason. And a really bad one at that. Brainwashing? She would never... right?
Either way by the time Sana's showed up, Mami's enjoying a cup of tea while waiting. ]
no subject
Sana, not in her Magical Girl form, slowly begins to approach, still clutching her Soul Gem tight to her chest. Maybe Mami broke free of the brainwashing? Or did she get help, like when it happened to her and Felicia? There's a million and one questions flooding her mind.]
... Um. H-Hello...?
no subject
I'm glad you made it here okay. Here- [ She holds out a few dollars. ] you just got here right? Go ahead and order something to drink.
no subject
[She gestures at herself before going on-]
... Because of my wish... I'm invisible to everyone but other Magical Girls. They won't see me or hear me ordering. Please, save your money.
no subject
[ Mami frowns. She's never heard of such harmful wish... ]
Then, tell me what you'd like to order. I'd be happy to get it for you. Honestly you should really have something to drink at least.
no subject
... I'll just... um... that is... I-I'll have whatever you had.
[She finally takes a seat, fidgeting before finally putting her Soul Gem in her lap.]
no subject
Just a moment then.
[ She heads over to the counter and orders another pot of tea with some small scones. When it's ready, she brings it back over and places in front of Sana. ]
So... will you tell me your name now?
no subject
[Hesitating, she slowly takes a scone.]
... I know you. You're Mami Tomoe. Are you... no longer working for the Wings of the Magius?
no subject
[ Despite the circumstances anyway. She feels bad this girl is so scared of her, but she has no idea why. ]
You really do seem to know me. But... I don't know what the Wings of the Magius are. I've never heard of them.
no subject
[And normally that'd be a bad thing, but in this case, it might be the Best Thing Ever!!!]
What about... Iroha Tamaki? Kamihama City?
no subject
[ Could she have amnesia? She was in Homura's labyrinth for a long time. Maybe there are holes in her memory... ]
Neither of them mean anything to me. Are you sure it's me you're thinking of?
no subject
[Ah, she wishes Iroha or Yachiyo were here! They could probably explain things a lot better.]
... Yes, it is you. Your voice, your face... There is no way I'd mistake you. But... if you really don't remember anything... maybe we don't have to be enemies...
... You came to the city where I live... Kamihama City... Your friends, Madoka, Homura... they said you came to investigate the city because it was so strange. Compared to everywhere else... we have way more witches, and stronger ones too.
no subject
[ Now something really is up. And she know Madoka? That shouldn't be possible... ]
I... I've seen a witch before. [ And became one while being in this town. But that's another story for another day. ] But it was a special circumstances. There shouldn't be any witches. Can the Law of Cycles not reach your city like this town?
[ But she did just mention Madoka. So what's going on...? ]
no subject
[Dang, and things were just going so well. She blinks rapidly, wondering if she somehow missed a word or a sentence or... something!]
But... of course there are witches. Why wouldn't there be? Witches are...
[... magical girls. ah. hm. er. If Mami has truly forgotten everything... perhaps she's forgotten that awful truth too. And is it really Sana's place to make her relive that horror?
Her eyes go down, and she nibbles on the scone. The anguish in her mouth makes the scone lose all taste.]
no subject
[ It's painful to say... but it's the truth. ]
I know. But... witches are not what I've been fighting. My enemies have been the Wraiths. I know that magical girls are supposed to become witches... but the Law of Cycles is supposed to prevent that.
[ Mami leans back in her seat and crosses her arms. ]
Something... is off. We're both definitely magical girls. And I believe you know of me. But a lot of our pieces do not line up.
no subject
You remembered that?! But nothing else? Fueee... this is too much! And Wraiths... that's new too! And the Rumors, and Wings of the Magius, and this place, and the nightmare, and... and...
[Aaand it's officially too much for her. Tears begin to flood her eyes, and she covers her face, ashamed. She isn't strong all by herself! She needs her friends! And they're not here... she's alone.
She can't handle this.]
Hnnngh...! Ugh...
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
CW asphyxiation
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)