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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.
redheat: redheat. (❝and all she really wants is love❞)

[personal profile] redheat 2020-04-10 07:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ She smiles as fingers gently take the bandage from his, tearing at it in a way where she affix it to her finger without too much excess. ]

I have a place in... Prospero I think it is. [ Her gaze drifts for a moment before coming back to Logan. ] It's not exactly the school but, you're welcome to stop by if you ever need to.

[ Ducking her head some, she glance off again. ]

I actually have someone staying with me. Her name's Bella. I ran into her a little into my own first coming around here. She was bleeding and out of sorts. [ Fingers running along the back of her neck, she lets arms fold in front of her chest then as she looks back to Logan. ] I thought it would be best she wasn't on her own when who knows what there is around here to begin with.
knewaguy: (5673)

[personal profile] knewaguy 2020-04-10 07:54 am (UTC)(link)
I'll know to knock and not just let myself in, then.

[He feels rusty when it comes to flirting and he's not sure if that's genuine age or the - embarrassed, awkward edge of still not quite knowing what to say to a woman he's genuinely head over heels for even now. He wants to say 'see? you are the people person out of us both' but settles for leaning against the counter and wondering if there's any other ways to prolong this moment. Before she has to return to Prospero. And leave.]

But you know I will be taking you up on your generosity. Like I hope you take me up on mine.
casuistic: (ithtmw288)

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-10 07:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eames has found something else to wear than his sleeping gear. Most likely his salmon pink shirt wasn't available but he made sure to reach for it, just because, neither were the tan trousers but he made do what he had and dreamed loosely.

Arthur looks the same he did when Eames last saw him just yesterday, maybe a little healthier. There had still been traces of the illness readily clinging to him in Eames' orange room.

A year is a long time, though, and it plays unfortunately to the tune that Eames has been already composing with Arthur for a long while. He doesn't expect this to be pleasant.

But he smiles when he arrives and reaches to push the door open for Arthur. ]


Sorry to make you wait, [ he starts, not that he's much late, but perhaps he's not talking about the meeting itself. ]
redheat: redheat. (❝she's got bubble wrap around her heart❞)

[personal profile] redheat 2020-04-10 08:07 am (UTC)(link)
[ The knocking would be appreciated so as not to startle the girl Jean's taken in, yes and she's glad he plans to do that. The gentle reminder of her being more than welcome here, however, gets her to look to him with a look of amusement before teeth drag over her lower lip and she gently twirls a finger about, lifting the first aid kit a little ways from them to be packed up. Each item neatly floating its way over and into the kit. ]

Wouldn't be to get a telekinetic in here to help you clean up a bit, would it?

[ But despite the teasing, she finds herself smiling as the kit is gently placed down on the table. All packed up. ]
paradoxpoint: (you've got to listen)

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-10 09:59 am (UTC)(link)
You always make me wait. Why start apologising now?

[It's not said with any venom, at least. Just the usual levels of cool disdain and hidden amusement as he somehow manages to give the impression of looking down his nose at someone who's the sqme height as him.

While none of the plague scars are left on his face (the only part of his body bared), there's a faint red, raised line that goes along his jawline, all the way around his head, visible along the bottom of his hairline at his nape. Two more lines join that at his ears, running down the sides of his neck as if someone had tried outlining him with something sharp enough to scar.

He steps into the bar, nodding in thanks at the door being held open.]


Found anything interesting since you got back?
especiallyparanoid: (neutral - unsure)

[personal profile] especiallyparanoid 2020-04-10 10:13 am (UTC)(link)
Oh.

[Wesley's eyes follow his hand, taking in the scars, the line. Was that - did someone try to cut that poor fellow's throat? How dreadful. He can't even begin to imagine what an ordeal that must have been.]

What... happened? If you don't mind me asking.
shoplifter: (Default)

[personal profile] shoplifter 2020-04-10 10:16 am (UTC)(link)
[Laura had been about 2.5 seconds away from hissing Spanish at the man, just in that fleeting moment when she'd noticed he was about to haphazardly bump into her table and destroy her perfectly productive work. But then — he doesn't. And she looks up with raised eyebrows as he walks away, just before her attention is drawn to the man nearby.

The new guy. There are always a few every other day, some new and confused person stumbling their way through the confounding aspects of Deerington. At first she's unsure where the commentary comes from; had he been surveying the scene that carefully to notice impending doom? She's surprisingly straight to the point:]


Did you do something?
quipsandthwips: (pic#12902255)

uncultured swine

[personal profile] quipsandthwips 2020-04-10 10:25 am (UTC)(link)
THWIP.

A thin web hits the piece of pork on Stark's fork and yanks it clear of his chompers, flinging the bite into some poor towns person's soup in the distance (they're pastel-haired, okay, they can turn into a pig on their time). As he does this quick, easy task, he says with a chipper tone:

"I would not do that."

Peter Parker is sitting in the restaurant as well, with a stack of student papers next to him, expecting to get a little fresh air from the high school and eat something good in the process. But he's absolutely noticed (1) Tony Stark unknowingly heading toward Piggy Town. So, yanno. Spider-Man to the rescue?
shoplifter: (pic#11316505)

[personal profile] shoplifter 2020-04-10 10:41 am (UTC)(link)
[Laura glances up at her, eyes dark and scanning and probably too familiar. Ultimately, she shakes her head. She knows some of why there aren't anymore mutants, but what good would it do, to launch into something so miserable? She's learned a little about tact the last year and a half.]

There just aren't anymore. I do not know a lot.

I lived in a building for most of my life, and we were not told important things. Things about the outside.

[... Okay, so avoiding miserable topics is impossible in this universe.]
sathan: (☀ 𝓅𝒽ℓ𝑜𝑔𝒾𝑜𝓉𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝑒ℓ𝓋𝑒ℓℓ𝑜)

[personal profile] sathan 2020-04-10 10:53 am (UTC)(link)
A-- ( she frowns slightly but she supposes in the simplest of terms that is what this is. it was an idea she'd not thought of before, a strange idea but it vaguely fit )

We'll see how long it lasts this time.

( how long until she's drawn back to hell and in a way this time she was less looking forward to it -- at least to the timer over her head )
casuistic: (tom27_zpsd852748e)

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-10 11:03 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, I forgot, I was supposed to be an arsehole all the time, [ Eames replies easy enough, immediately challenging the irritation that mildly frustrates him. Step forward, two steps back, rinse and repeat.

There is a little bit of whiplash that follows, though, and he sighs when Arthur's back is turned to him.

The scar is new - don't think he didn't notice that - and it thrusts a bang of anger through Eames. Suppressed, it still lingers on his brows as a frown a moment later when they walk into the bar. ]


How about we get drinks and you'll tell me what's happened since I disappeared? [ he suggests instead of answering Arthur's question. ]
Edited 2020-04-10 11:04 (UTC)
paradoxpoint: (brand new track)

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-10 11:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Come now, Eames. You're used to Arthur being a prickly bitch.]

You want it chronologically? It's a long list of events.

[Even so, Arthur's not going to turn down drinks. He could use it after the past several months.

At least his Eames is back, which reminds him:]


There's another you running around, by the way. From an alternate world or something.
casuistic: (075 (1))

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-10 11:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ He's used to it. He also finds it rather entertaining when he doesn't need someone he can trust, and he needs that right now. Because the situation is troubling him a lot even if he's not showing it. Arthur is it, his choice of a person when he needs someone he doesn't need to double-guess even once. ]

Give it to me in any shape or-- [ he pauses there, staring at Arthur with a deepening frown. ] Another me? [ What the hell does that mean? ]
especiallyparanoid: (shocked – mild shock)

[personal profile] especiallyparanoid 2020-04-10 11:44 am (UTC)(link)
Not that I am aware of, no... We had, however, a similar happenstance with pots of golds and cannibalistic leprechauns. Though I assume cannibalistic isn't quite an apt term, seeing as they would eat the inhabitants of this town, not their own species...

[Is this helping.]

I was headed home, actually. Well, the apartment which I currently inhabit. I take it you just got here?
paradoxpoint: (in a black book)

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-10 11:45 am (UTC)(link)
You heard me. This isn't some lookalike, either. His name is Eames, he's involved in dreams somehow other than through dreamshare or extraction work. [A pause, and then:] And he's got a dog.
casuistic: (pic#10700669)

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-10 11:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ The thought makes Eames obviously troubled, his eyes gone wider and his stance suddenly very defensive. You probably don't want to touch him right now.

His ears are humming and he reaches up to rub one finger under his nose while he thinks.

Another one of him. That's... Not possible.

Whoever this impostor is, they probably are good when they have Arthur hooked on the lie. ]


A dog? [ he asks instead and then shakes his head and turns to look at Arthur in the eyes, steady and focused. ] You know he isn't what he says he is, right?
sathan: (★ 𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓍𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒽𝓊𝓂 𝓃𝒾𝓉𝑒𝓃𝓈)

[personal profile] sathan 2020-04-10 12:01 pm (UTC)(link)
( she nods, both an agreement and a thanks to the offer of tea )

Oh?

( it was no surprise that wanda had friends, others looking out for her but she wanted to hear more )

Anyone in particular?
paradoxpoint: (you've got to listen)

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-10 12:20 pm (UTC)(link)
There've been multiple versions of the same person in Deerington before. You can't just assume either of us will be the exception to the rule.

[Shaking his head, he picks a seat at the bar.]

There's also a new guy in town that showed up more recently. Irish, looks and sounds a bit like he's from the early 1900s. Opened a pub.

[Lingers a moment on that before shrugging and adding:] He's got Fischer Jr.'s face. So don't get confused if you come across him.
casuistic: (34)

[personal profile] casuistic 2020-04-10 12:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Eames follows after Arthur to the table with a dread deepening the frown upon his brows. This is... He feared Arthur would say that. ]

There's always the possibility of there being more of us in a dream, Arthur, [ he says as he takes a seat at the other side of the table and searches for Arthur's gaze. ] But there are other ways to get to the same results. [ He has a feeling Arthur has already fallen into believing this person, though. And it worries him greatly. ]

How long this other me has been here? [ he asks and completely ignores the little detail about Fischer. Robbie will just have to come second right now. ]
lonelynotforsaken: art by <user name=everchased site=tumblr.com> (smile | so soft)

[personal profile] lonelynotforsaken 2020-04-10 01:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[This is not the time to be thinking about snogging Jon. They need to go out and explore and find out what's going on. But God, he's so perfect. Martin licks his lips and settles for lacing their fingers together and leaning back in. Kneeling, he's actually lower than Jon for a change.]

They're always available, free of charge. [He manages a nervous smile.] B-but we should probably get going. Judging by that map I saw, there's a lot of ground to cover. Tonight, we should- I can... Whatever you'd like.
paradoxpoint: (Default)

[personal profile] paradoxpoint 2020-04-10 02:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Since August, so... around 9 months?

[Don't you dare suggest he's going crazy, Eames. Not you, Mr. "Orange is the New Everything".]
itknowsyou: used with artist permission (=- from the land that i left)

[personal profile] itknowsyou 2020-04-10 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ truly something no one should have to endure!! ]

I do. Mind you asking.

[ He's gone prickly: frowning, shoulders tense. It would be so easy to snap back the same question, thread it through with power. There is a story here for him, he Knows it.

But. No. He is remembering to think of Martin, and Martin would... well, have some words for him. Jon sighs and revises. ]


Several different things, over a few very eventful years. We could say it is a... job hazard.
especiallyparanoid: (fight – i shall fight you good sir)

[personal profile] especiallyparanoid 2020-04-10 03:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[truly!!]

I see.

[A thoughtful nod. Work injuries, those can be rather dreadful, he knows. The gunshot wound still gives Wesley trouble from time to time and he doesn't want to think of Faith's torture even in his own private recapitulation.]

What is it that you do then, Mr. Simms? I cannot help but notice that you seemed quite willing to, well. Accept the magical spindle.

[Granted, the man said he has been here for a few days but still – the skeptics usually took much longer to become inured. At least they tended to be much more vocal and indignant about the strange happenings.]
itknowsyou: used with artist permission (/+= from those that came first)

[personal profile] itknowsyou 2020-04-10 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's not a bad observation. Does mean he'll have to explain how an archiving position nets one such a varied and violent collection of scars, though. Jon will figure that out when he gets there.

The phrase feels laughably fake on his tongue, these days: ]


I'm the Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute, London.

[ Or, well. He was, until recent... personnel changes. But he is still tied to the Institute, so it has some measure of truth. ]

Are you familiar?

[ The place's reputation tends to precede it. ]
fiorenero: (.53)

story of her life tbh

[personal profile] fiorenero 2020-04-10 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
( collecting empty cans and bottles can be a lucrative thing to do where she's from. she knows a couple of people who manage to pay rent by collecting the cans and carting them off to the refund and recycle machines at the grocery stores. reusing them is more her style. )

It's fine. I'm used to weird stuff happening. No sense in apologizing for it. Not unless... ( after rocking back and forth on her heels, she slowly turns to finally face whoever it is behind her. ) You're the one turning people into pi— Peter?!

( it's a good thing she's close to him to begin with or she might have made this ten times more awkward by hugging him. instead her hands slip from her pockets to cover her mouth. eyes wide because he (or who she assumes is Peter) is actually here. )

Are you wearing a cloak? ( it's a muffled question from behind her hands. one lacking judgement. she's simply curious. and staring. really staring at him. his face. the satchel. at the sandwich. back to his face.

a sigh of relief, )
You're not Peter. ( those are her keen observation skills in play. )

But um, yes please to the sandwich. Thank you. ( slowly she takes a step forward, hands dropping from her mouth. reaching out she takes the sandwich from him with a shy smile, giving the food a test sniff. not weird at all. )

Smells good. You're positive this isn't gonna turn me into a poultry or a slice of cheese?