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Sodder ([personal profile] sodder) wrote in [community profile] soddersays2020-03-25 05:21 pm
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APRIL 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME




APRIL 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME









Welcome to April's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: ENCHANTMENT 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: Enchanted food, possible body horror, mild finger injuries, magic based mind control, rapid aging, possible death
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!











YOU UNCULTURED SWINE


Pork is on sale!! Time to buy it up for all your family meals. It also means anything with pork in it in all of the restaurants is on special and super affordable for just about anyone. New arrivals can even get a free meal of bacon, sausage and eggs at the diner! Seeing all the low prices, you find yourself craving pork more than ever. But who doesn't love bacon, right? Maybe you had ham and pineapple pizza at Peter's or those delicious and mouthwatering pork dumplings at the Hot Pot. You could have cooked a nice pork loin with your friends and family for a large get together. Candied bacon is a real treat to munch on in the park!

You're cooking it yourself or getting it from the local restaurants, so nothing bad could happen with a little self-indulgence, right? Just about everyone has learned not to trust the food at a giant feast in Deerington, but short of the lunch and dinner menus at the diner, the restaurants and the grocery store have never done a Sleeper harm! At least, that's the way it's always been before. Two years is long enough to start taking things for granted.

Anyone who has any of the specials from the restaurants or who cooks any kind of pork related product at home will find that once they have finished their meal, they will slowly turn into... pigs. It seems to vary on how fast a single person turns, some moving slowly over the course of days while they eat more and more food, and others will turn into a full blown pig in a manner of minutes. At first you can still talk to others and display your usual personality in pig form, but the longer you stay a pig, the more boarish you'll become.

So how do you break the curse? Locals say there's a magic stream up on the mountain that will stop these kinds of enchantments, but you can't go alone. Someone will have to carry you up and sing to you while you drink. It might be a friend or a lover or a complete stranger, but whoever you can nudge into it will have to physically carry you in their arms up the side of the mountain looking for this stream. It can take a while— the walk is fairly long, a few hours at best, but you'll know it when you find it. The stream sparkles unnaturally in the sunlight and it seems like none of the animals are willing to drink from it's unnaturally cold waters. The moment you take a long sip while your companion sings whatever song pops into their head, you'll turn back into a human. Hopefully your clothes turn back with you.

If your character does not eat meat/pork, then they'll be safe from this event!


GOOD ENDURES


Mirror mirror on the wall...

The pork doesn't seem to be the only enchanted object around Deerington this month. There are several of them cropping up all over the place and each one has a different outcome for those unfortunate enough to run into them.

Spinning wheels seem to be in the most random of places. Some of them will even just appear in your house. Sometimes multiple spinning wheels show up. Anyone who gets to close will have the strong urge to prick their finger on the spindle, the needle very easily cutting the tip and making you bleed more than you might have expected. Hopefully you have a first aid kit around.

Anyone who pricks their finger will find that they are forced to follow the next person they see around everywhere. They'll follow them to work, to school, to the bathroom, to the kitchen, even to bed. It doesn't matter if it's someone you've never spoken to in your life, you will follow them like a lost duckling every hour of every day. It's enough to drive anyone bonkers.

Mirrors will also suddenly be being displayed in every home and every shop, even if you never had them before. It doesn't matter whether or not you have a reflection, any person who looks into the mirror will find that they are forced to imitate the next person they make eye contact with. This can be their personality, their posture, the way they speak, their basic movements— you'll start to become a total mirror image. If it goes on too long, you might even start to find the two of you start to look more and more alike...

Apples start to pop up in all the stores as well as in your fridges. They're bright red and look so delicious, you can't resist taking a bite. Even if you don't like apples or are normally allergic to them, you'll want to eat these, and you'll find they taste delicious and don't bring harm to anyone. At least... not at first.

A few hours after eating the apple, you'll start to notice differences in your appearance. Your hair has start to thin and become gray and limp, your skin is wrinkled and covered in spots, your hands become frail and shaky. You're aging, and rapidly at that. Before you know it, you've turned into a hideous hag, one that would frighten children in any fairy tale book. But how do you reverse it?

The cure for all three enchantments is to tell three facts about yourself. Even just introducing yourself will show improvement if it's to someone who never knew your name before. Those who ate the apples will have to seek someone out, but anyone who pricked their finger or looked in a mirror will specifically have to confess these three facts to the person they're enchanted to follow/imitate. Once three facts have been shared, you'll be able to leave, return to normal, and age back to your regular self.



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.
littlelesshelpless: (just reading; u know how i be)

[personal profile] littlelesshelpless 2020-04-05 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
So many trees. It's like...a weird green alien planet. All that drippy moss and stuff everywhere. [She shudders a little, still a desert-dweller at heart.]

I can cook. I'll, um...I can show you some of the easier recipes? [Then, knowingly:] You can, yeah, but you gotta make sure not to undercook it. It's good with butter and stuff. I've only made it a couple times, but it's nice. Not too fishy.

...really? I haven't seen one here, yet... [Bella sets her hands on her hips, looking around like the lighthouse is going to just...magically appear.]
littlelesshelpless: (tiny smirk)

[personal profile] littlelesshelpless 2020-04-05 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
Uhm...both, I guess. [It feels a little bit like betrayal to even say that, but her head's still all tangled up with Jake and Edward both, and any perspective would be...highly appreciated.]
littlelesshelpless: (lmao that's wack)

[personal profile] littlelesshelpless 2020-04-05 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Oh. Do you think...it is? [The idea of it being a realistic dream is sort of reassuring. You're supposed to wake up from dreams eventually, right?] I mean, do you think it's the same as where you're from?

But then, why are people from other places here too? [Unless they're all from the same world? Unless...Bella lets out a soft, frustrated sigh, reaching to rub at her forehead. She's getting a headache.]
littlelesshelpless: (pnw lewks)

[personal profile] littlelesshelpless 2020-04-05 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
I-I'm sorry, I don't-- [Then Bella stops, looking down at her hand, at where there's a bandaid wrapped around her finger. Hurriedly now:] Wait, I might...I might have an idea. Uh, tell me what your star sign is.

[...Bella, what.]
fate_aspect: (Default - Textbox)

Itherael || Diablo III

[personal profile] fate_aspect 2020-04-05 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Arrival]

[Itherael drifts along the streets of Deerington, not wandering too far from the house they woke up in. One hand holds a large scroll; their blessing basket hangs on their elbow. It's hard to tell due to the lack of a face and all, but they're very, very confused. Wordless, aimless, Itherael levitates just over the road and around the block.]

[You're seeing the angelic equivalent of a system crash.]

((OOC: Itherael works with they/them or he/him pronouns. First time playing at this game at all, patience appreciated. Thanks for your time!))
threelayers: (10)

[personal profile] threelayers 2020-04-05 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
[She was clearly amused despite the tone that Rogue took. Why not? It was funny. It didn't really bother her. She'd never known for her own tact, though not being able to talk could help avoid getting in trouble with her own mouth. Walking towards Rogue, she shrugged and gestured again towards the wheel before putting her hand down and resting her umbrella on her shoulder, giving a little shake of her head.

Her head cocked and she raised an eyebrow, curious to see how long before Rogue actually looked in that direction and saw what she saw.]
onerthes: (02)

[personal profile] onerthes 2020-04-05 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
Hello there?

[Initially, she'd been nervous. A creature like this could have been some sort of monster sent over by the city or the nightmares that lurked here. However, the basket was telling. She knew those baskets, which meant that this stranger might be one of them, however unusual in appearance.

She drew a little closer, eyes cautious for a moment as she tried to get a clear look at them.]


Did you just wake here?
fate_aspect: (Attention!)

[personal profile] fate_aspect 2020-04-05 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
[Itherael stops at the greeting and turns in place to look at the source. There's a considerable pause before they answer, as they shake themselves out of their stupor.]

Yes. I have. [Their voice is echoing and mellow, if a little monotone; they speak slowly.] However, I...I do not understand how my conscious was brought to this place. Or what I am to do. I must find a way to return. I am needed in the Heavens.
onerthes: (06)

[personal profile] onerthes 2020-04-05 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
...

[There was a tension in her when that was the reply. She had a mixed relationship with angels and demos, but this being did not look like the sorts that she knew from her own world. She had to remind herself of that fact. Lucifer wasn't like those maddened creatures, and this one was speaking, calm.

Breathing in and out for a moment, she stilled her nerves and nodded.]


The magic of the one who has brought you here is incredibly powerful, and it seems not entirely in her control. You will return. We all will... but for now, we are trapped here.
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (It has to be more than that)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
[She wondered, well, from what the letter said the residents wouldn't like anything that they did, so did it matter if it was allowed or not? Still the more she heard about this place...

Her head snapped up when Mami mentioned her powers changing. Her powers could change? Her eyes widened.
]

I... what... do you mean that your powers change, if you don't mind my asking?
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (This is so exciting)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
I love manga! I fall asleep on top of it from reading it so late at night. Ah but, this place has a comic book shop? Count me in!

Aaaah geeeeez, so like, I can't even take food from the grocery store or a restaurant?
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (Cute but ditzy)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 06:45 am (UTC)(link)
[She has so much to rediscover about her beloved friend! She looks forward to it.]

Well, then I have a feeling you'll be doing amazing things pretty soon, Rei-chan learns things at such an amazing rate, so if you're learning, you'll be soaring above me soon enough.
lightthedarkness: (Serenity) (The moon's shining light)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 08:41 am (UTC)(link)
Oh! Thank you! That's so nice of all of you, I really appreciate that. It's nice to see that we can really depend on one another even in scary situations, don't you think?
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (It'll be alright now)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 09:25 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, yeah, sorry. I don't mean to be a burden. [She gave a sincere apologetic smile, not wanting to be a burden to anyone.]

Thank you, Varian-kun. And um... no, I can't say anyone has done anything besides that Sodder person in the letter. I basically came out of a house and then ran into a spinning wheel. But you don't need to if you don't want to!
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (Think think think)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 09:30 am (UTC)(link)
I do adore how amazing people can be, that's true... but um... you humans so... that means you aren't one, yeah?

[She's not bothered by it, after all, Usagi herself is a Lunarian. It was nice to meet an alien who actually LIKED people and wasn't trying to destroy or rule over her planet for once.]

Oh, well, won't you be hurt by food they offer then? I don't want to put YOU in danger.

And actually, I'm pretty used to people and creatures from other planets and universes. At least five different aliens have tried to take over my planet... well, not the last one, she was just threatening to destroy it.
lightthedarkness: (Usagi)(Luna) (It'll be alright)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-05 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
Japan can feel drippy because of the humidity. Never go in the summer unless you love sweating just for existing in a spot.

Oh! I would love that! [Being shown how to cook by a pretty girl, count her in!] Oh wow! You've even made lobster? You're incredible, Bella-san!

Then we should totally find one together! I mean, not today, but I don't see why we can't try and find one, right? Hopefully, it's not too spooky, I'm terrified of ghosts! [Which is hilarious considering she can so easily fight them.]

I'd love to go on an adventure with you, Bella-san. We should try and do things we can look forward to until we can get out of here.
sathan: (♛ 𝓋𝒶𝒸𝒸𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓊𝓂 𝓂𝓎𝓇𝓉𝒾𝓁𝓁𝓊𝓈)

[personal profile] sathan 2020-04-05 10:54 am (UTC)(link)
I remember it.

( she gently takes her hand, opting to teleport them there rather than walk, wanting to be somewhere more pleasantly familiar quicker.

where they end is the kitchen, a fond memory back to where they'd first spoken, first made agreements )


Should I ask if you've been safe?

( considering that they'd both died at one point-- safe was relative here )
sathan: (★ 𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓍𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒽𝓊𝓂 𝓃𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓃𝓈)

[personal profile] sathan 2020-04-05 10:56 am (UTC)(link)
Most stories written are just that, fables from the men who twist events into what they want.

( what makes them look good -- condemning the woman, looking the hero. such ego )

It wasn't sleep that ended up befalling her.
sathan: (♛ 𝓅𝑜𝓁𝓎𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓊𝓂 𝒷𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒶)

[personal profile] sathan 2020-04-05 10:59 am (UTC)(link)
No doubt to one day do something worse.

( it's not the most positive thought but they'd both been through personal hells here, though this place would have to be a little more creative to ever represent any of the actual hell, as cruel and disturbing as it seemed to be )

But I'm-- glad that you're alright.

( she doesn't do sentiment much, take this one quickly )
casuistic: (pic#10700661)

Eames | Inception | repeat offender, hit me

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-05 11:22 am (UTC)(link)
ARRIVAL
1. Broken record
      It seems as if Eames closed his eyes in his studio just a second ago, walls crowded with paintings, rusty orange flashing behind his lids. When he wakes up in the forest, staring up at the sky that seeps in through the dark shadows of the branches hovering above him, he doesn't quite understand what has happened. There's no sense of time being lost, there's no understanding that he's been gone for what seems like almost a year. The last thing he remembers is an obsession to paint everything orange and then this.

      He lays on his back for a moment quietly just assessing the situation. He doesn't have for long to enjoy the humming of the forest around him, rustle of leaves and the endless sound of wind travelling between the tall tree trunks, he's being pulled, dragged across the forest ground. It's just as disorienting an experience as it was during the first time, but this time he actually manages to listen what's been said before he wakes up in his apartment.

      No, not his apartment.

      Something is different...

      You never really remember the beginning of a dream. You end up right in the middle of it...

      Something has happened but what? He rises from his bed, looks around and doesn't recognise the room he is in. The next room doesn't seem any more familiar than the first, and so, he walks out into the hallway and then to the street outside.

      It's bright, sunny even, the air still a little crisp but definitely feels like summer is coming. Eames senses a dread in his gut, like he woke up in a dream of someone else's design, not knowing what was going to happen. Disoriented and out of breath, he looks around, standing in the middle of a busy street in his pyjama bottoms, rocking an old Rolling Stones t-shirt. He doesn't have shoes on.

      Approach with care?


2. Re-connection
      [ Eames doesn't need to look around in his Fluid for long before he notices that time has been rushing past him while he was sleeping like a certain princess. Or maybe something else happened.

      He doesn't know yet. But he types in his DeerFeed: ]


      Losing time might be a usual occurrence here but it's quite disorienting. Anyone want to fill me in? What's going on?


GOOD ENDURES
3. Spinning Wheel
      Eames knows not to touch anything that seems out of place, but there's really nothing he can do about it.

      Perhaps you met on the street and he offered to brew a pot of tea in exchange for some news of Deerington for the past year. The flat is quite simple, nothing special about it, his welcome basket still standing on the table, untouched. Eames walks into the kitchen and calls back as he fills the kettle: "Do sit down, I'll be done in a minute."

      When he has the water on the burner, cups with tea bags waiting on the counter, he spots the spinning wheel in the corner of the kitchen. A sense of dread settles in his stomach immediately. Nothing out of place in Deerington is ever good. Apparently he needs to inspect it closer.

      "Anything about spinning wheels?" he calls out, his mind very much catching the fact that he probably should ask instead of just going for it, inspect instead of touching, but... It's right there, and he is very curious.
Edited 2020-04-05 11:29 (UTC)
funnyname: (surprised - oh)

[personal profile] funnyname 2020-04-05 12:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I bet.

[Luka steps over and stops just within reach to offer his arm - but he refrains from that for now.]

It is a bit of a crazy story and I am not sure where to begin... Do you know how you ended up here? Has anyone told you about the town yet?
droptheious: (My hungry children)

B2

[personal profile] droptheious 2020-04-05 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[Varian learn fast not to trust the food here- unless it came in your blessings basket or a Sleeper cooked it, there was always a 65.8% chance it was cursed. The odds just weren't that great. He watches Rogue toss the apple away, and morbid curiosity sets in. He wonders who this will affect her? Would it be gauche to pull out his notebook and take notes? Probably.

He does it anyway because of course, he does.
]

Yeah, food here is terrible. How do you feel? Any effects yet?
paradoxpoint: (I know)

2

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-05 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[There's a username he didn't expect to see posting in Deerington again.]

You're back?
laminae: (awkward)

[personal profile] laminae 2020-04-05 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Probably.

[That's how this place works, after all. He isn't naive or optimistic enough to ignore the reality of Deerington.]

Thanks. I'm... I'm sorry you're stuck back here.

[As happy as he is to see her, it also means she has to go through all of this again. That's an unequivocal bad thing.]
casuistic: (thank you for your contribution)

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-05 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I didn't know I was gone.