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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.
tagartist: (9)

[personal profile] tagartist 2020-04-08 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
but the hat MAKES IT maybe that's the real reason he never scored

i'm gonna assume being a mathlete ruins you in exactly the same manner. what did you play, band geek


[ This is her forever name now. ]
yolos: (xoxo 04)

ha ha ha ha ha

[personal profile] yolos 2020-04-08 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
[ She's barely paying attention to him herding her around (this is normal, apologies, Martin) because after the initial confusion of what are we talking about, she's just going to go with it.

She's fourteen. She knows she doesn't know everything. But she can learn. ]


Oh, cool! Yeah, we have those. The equator too.

[ She's letting her fingers idly moving racks of sweaters and shirts and coats, but in that non-committal I don't have money, I wonder if they do digital transfer here kind of way. ]
Edited 2020-04-08 02:25 (UTC)
lonelynotforsaken: art by <user name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (cool | you don't say)

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-08 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
Right. Well, good luck, then. [He means that genuinely.]

And I was the one stalking you, remember? I wonder if I... [He trails off as he stands up and moves a little ways away, then further. Martin breathes a sigh of relief as he returns and collects the cups on the table to rinse out in the sink. It's a reflex to just take care of it.] I think I'm okay to go now. Maybe getting my finger bandaged up helped it? Jon can take care of himself for a little while, but I should probably go and see what he's found.

[He huffs out a little breath.] Hopefully not any spinning wheels.
broozes: (03.)

[personal profile] broozes 2020-04-08 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ She carries the pig in one arm, the other free to use a sword, and the trek up the mountain is almost pleasant. Brunnhilde isn't a talker — once, silence would have pressed on her like buzzing flies, but she's kept to her own company for so long it doesn't matter anymore. ]

[ She follows the sound of rushing water until the stream, then braces herself. ]

I'll hold on to you. It's a strong current.
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (It has to be more than that)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
Oh... um... actually I never gave that any thought, my future back home was... pretty much set for me. I seriously never gave thought to anything other than it.
lonelynotforsaken: art by <user name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (kiss | head smooch)

TAKES IT. COVETS IT.

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-08 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
[The tight band of tension in Martin's chest finally snaps as the other man says he remembers. He sighs shakily, then wraps his arms around Jon, engulfing him in a hug.]

Okay. It's okay. [He presses a kiss to the crown of Jon's head.] I've got you, Jon. Just... stay with me here, okay? We're here. It's okay to remember, but come up for some breath, all right?

[With Jon in his arms, Martin's realizing this is something he needed just as much. This place is strange, frightening. He'd woken to an empty bed and light that filtered through the windows with eerie shadows. He needed this hug, too.]
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (I'm scared)

Text UN: Feedthebunny

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
[Kind soul, you say, Tony? Well, Usagi is here to help.]

OH NO! ( : ౦ ‸ ౦ : ) ! Are you okay! Are you still transforming? I can help you get back to your actual shape if no one has helped with that yet!

It super sucks that we can't trust any of the food here!
\(º □ º l|l)/ I was told to only eat stuff you make yourself or from other Sleepers. ( ˘▽˘)っ♨

Do you need me to come and get you?
Edited 2020-04-08 02:41 (UTC)
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (Think think think)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh, don't be silly Varian, Rapunzel would totally be that excited about someone else's time period. Usagi is just a deadlier Rapunzel, let's be real.]

Er... well... yeah, probably but there's hooky magic things in my world so we have people from the far past and future messing around with time like... ALL the time. [She gave a dismissive wave.] We had this super evil family of aliens come from the future to try and take over the past because in the future the queen pretty much stops them dead in their tracks so they tried to get to the queen before she even was queen. [Which begs the question why they didn't do even BEFORE Sailor Moon, like honestly?]

Oh, you have a lot of magic in your world? [The way he said it though... Usagi was just glad she didn't mention HER magic... not that she would.]
vatical: hozierspam | tumblr (002)

[personal profile] vatical 2020-04-08 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ he stiffens in surprise as martin just. cleans out the cups? he wants to tell him not to bother, that sunny will get them, but maybe it makes martin feel better.

he smiles at the reminder of the spinning wheels, shifting in his chair to brace his heel against the seat and fold his arms over his abdomen. ]
Be careful out there, both of you. Maybe I'll see you around.
lonelynotforsaken: name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (work | sweat)

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-08 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
[It finally clicks.]

Your planet's not called Earth, is it?

[Well. He's met the human form of god and a person made of grass. This probably shouldn't be that surprising.]
itknowsyou: used with artist permission (!- til it hurts sometimes)

[personal profile] itknowsyou 2020-04-08 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ Jon clings. Martin is solid and steady, a counterpoint to the vast detail crushing in. He is distantly aware of warmth, and he gentles into it a little. Relaxes by degrees. He might be fainting? Jon can't quite tell. But it doesn't hurt, it's just... it's so much.

He might also be crying. Hard to be sure. ]


Yes, I... I'm... I'm alright. I'm fine. [ He'll just. Stay here a minute. Clumsily getting his arms around Martin for a proper hug, as he begins to find his bearings again. Oh it feels good. ]
lednikovyy: IW (what you want it to be?)

un: barnes

[personal profile] lednikovyy 2020-04-08 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
[ Bucky just attaches a picture of his hand. It's the right one, of course. No need to show off the chrome. ]
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (Oh gosh)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I can never do anything alone. I always need help.
lonelynotforsaken: art by <user name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (smile | gaze down)

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-08 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
I'll try to say hello if I do see you.

['Try to' being the operative words here. Martin's still trying to reconnect with the world. It's easy when it's just Jon or even Basira, to an extent. Mostly talking to her over the phone helps. And people in shops or just out don't really pay attention to him beyond the requirements to just get on with things. Sunny might be the first person outside his little circle that Martin's had an actual conversation with in... months? The last person to try had been Daisy.

The cups are turned over and set into a drying wrack.]
I owe you a coffee... or maybe tea, if you like that.

[He quirks his lips into a small smile again.]
touchofrogue: (The Rogue)

[personal profile] touchofrogue 2020-04-08 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ ...well, okay, mutant + gloves probably does mean that he's at least heard of her.

One time, she met fanboys. There was a whole conversation about who would win in a fight, her or Logan. It was a weird day.

And the telepathy and the whole... mouth covered in straps thing... ]


Sure. I'll buy that. [ An eyebrow goes up ] Is that gonna be a problem?

[ She has been... a lot of things, even in her own life. She doesn't want to be responsible for her actions in another reality too. ]
touchofrogue: (Default)

[personal profile] touchofrogue 2020-04-08 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ Huh. Mean parents. ]

Rogue.

[ She opens her bottle of soda. And, although not much of a conversationalist herself, offers the rare follow-up question. ]

You been here long?
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (Think think think)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[Seeing cute girls blush always makes Usagi happy... Maybe she learned too many things from Haruka. Ah well.]

Hmm, well, honestly, besides the feet thing I didn't feel all that weird to begin with! But maybe we can try to see what the curse even wanted me to do. I mean, how do curses usually get broken? If it's a spinning wheel I should be asleep, but I'm already asleep, right? So maybe I... well, storybook curses are usually broken by kisses... or weddings.
lonelynotforsaken: art by <user name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (smile | rest)

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-08 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
[Martin squeezes the other man gently, propping him up through it all. When Jon starts to hug him back, Martin drops his hands down a little to make it easier. And he just breathes. Slow and steady, something for Jon to match, if he needs it.]

I was really scared there. I thought-I thought this was really a nightmare. If you didn't remember, I- [But he has remembered.] Are you sure you don't want tea?

[Look, he has his go-to comfort activities and fussing over making sure Jon has a nice cuppa is one of them.]
tuishou: (pic#11351497)

Neji Hyuuga | Naruto

[personal profile] tuishou 2020-04-08 03:08 am (UTC)(link)

Arrival {brief mentions of: death, mutilation}


[The first thing he sees

which is in itself bizarre in the sense that it shouldn't happen, it shouldn't

is the tattoo. He contemplates how much he'd lack in coordination if he were to lose his right hand. Maybe just lose the thumb and index finger and the fleshy part that shows off the ink under his skin like some cruel joke. The thought that he's having the thoughts (it makes sense, he swears) is what ultimately jars the idea out of his head. He remembers the dream, the deer, the warmth of his blood. Dying. He remembers dying. Was he supposed to? His clothes- the all-black and flak jacket- are drenched in red, but lack the... tears. Neji supposes there were supposed to be tears. And his wounds aren't exposed, much less open, much less bleeding, but the scar tissue was horrible and soft and tender.

Sodder said 'Get Over It', apparently.

He finds a change of clothes. His clothes. He changes, and braves to slip outside. The world is different. Of course it is. He'd died. And now he was

smelling pork, seeing feasts laid out, being invited to share in the festivities and food. Genjutsu? Maybe. He's too exhausted to care to dispel. He's starved. When had he last ate? There's dumplings amongst strange food. He's starved.]
I doubt I could pay. [But the vendor grins, enlightens him. And suspicion be damned, a loud and empty stomach was embarrassing--] No, I shouldn't, I'm [--] Is there anything lighter to eat here, today?

Mirror, Mirror


[One mark, one life. That was how it went, right? He'd been in such a

haze, he supposes, upon waking up. He'd just wanted his blood off of himself, he'd just wanted to see if his body was

he could walk, fill his lungs with air, it was incredible. And not... real. A dream. Of a dead man? Of someone else? Suppose, then, that maybe he hadn't actually-- His chest seizes. His stomach hurt, the scar tissue there far too sensitive. So there would have to be more investigation into this, but there was currently too much to investigate to even begin with something as trivial as himself.

Still.

The storefront he'd stopped in front of wasn't about to reveal any secrets to him; it was just going to tell the truth. He'd parked in front of a mirror; there's a lot of those in this town, he notes. It's strange, being so reluctant to get a simple action over with. He looks no worse for wear-- a few days at war, in need of proper grooming, like he's hiding a sour wince with every movement. Off-white robes, free of blood. A Leaf village headband. He'd just have to remove that headband he'd been so quick to place on himself back in that room where he'd woken. He moves to remove the cloth-- it would be quick. Painless. Like several things he can't

someone's behind him, and Neji's quick to make eye contact through the mirror. And then he drops his hand, because the person behind him isn't raising their hands to their forehead. He doesn't know that's the reason why just yet but

well

he shifts his stance. It's as defensive, as aggressive, as open, as loose, as the stranger's is.]
tagartist: (267)

[personal profile] tagartist 2020-04-08 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ Chloe hops down from the counter, walking the short distance between them while she's talking, nodding along with her explanation of not feeling so bad and how she ought to be asleep and such. Her assessment is correct. ]

Well, I dunno that we could get a wedding thrown together that quickly, but...

[ One out of two ain't so bad, right? There's a pause before she definitely goes to put her finger under Usagi's chin so she can tilt her head up a bit and she leans in to kiss her.







Look, she's helping. ]
vatical: mooncons | ij (013)

[personal profile] vatical 2020-04-08 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ in spite of himself, he's just a little bit surprised. sunny can be.. a lot for people sometimes, and martin's quiet. he's warmed up a lot since the start of their conversation, but--

his smile brightens a little, hazel eyes warm in his face. ]
I'd like that a lot. I'll make sure to bring my stories for Jon when we meet up.

[ and maybe he'll get to meet martin's partner. ]
lightthedarkness: (Sailor Moon)(Haruka) (Happy but unexpected surprise)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
Hm? Well, I mean-

[Oh.

OH!

Usagi is not at all complaining when she's being kissed by Chloe. In fact, she's blushing a bright red because Chloe is very pretty and has very soft lips is an excellent kisser. Not that Usagi is a slouch when it comes to kissing herself. She closed her eyes and deepened it a little before pulling away.

She giggled, bright red in the face.
]

W-w-well, shall we see if it broke the curse?
tagartist: (4)

[personal profile] tagartist 2020-04-08 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
[ Chloe had mostly just been going out for a coffee, because why wouldn't she? She's avoiding the pork flavored everything on the sheer principle that anything Deerington offers at a discount probably can't be safe, and she's fueled by caffeine, nicotine, and THC on a regular basis. She had just been about to go to what was usually her favorite spot when she'd unintentionally seen the guy hanging out by the mirror. Mostly it was the get up that had caught her eye, but now he's... turning?

Why is he turning?

Chloe notices he seems about as chill in posture as she is, but given how he'd been a second ago, that feels off. Really it feels off that he's even looking at her at all, but what is she supposed to do? There's an awkward silence that lasts about as long as she can take it which is in reality really not that long because Chloe detests silence. ]


Uh. Can I ... help you?
driving: (pic#13327197)

[personal profile] driving 2020-04-08 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
i think harrington burned his
or just hid it somewhere he'll never have to see it again


if you've gone through real torture, uh
does that mean you're aware of some weird shit in hawkins


[ He doesn't just want to say 'hey do you know about the monsters' because Steve and the kids all act like it's some secret club. ]
lightthedarkness: (Usagi) (What a great idea!)

[personal profile] lightthedarkness 2020-04-08 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
I have, but I didn't get to really explore while I was. [What with... saving the planet and then saving the galaxy.] So we can explore together, Bella-san! And I hope you do, if you come, I hope we can find some way to keep in touch cause I'd love to show you around! All my friends would love you too, I'm sure! [Introverts attracting introverts and all, Usagi, their extrovert will just all ensure they all meet.]

I would love to try your cooking! I don't know what I could do in return, but I hope you don't mind?

Oh, that's me! I try to look on the bright side of things as much as I can! [Despite being the literal moon goddess, she is figurative sunshine.]