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soddersays2020-03-25 05:21 pm
sodder) wrote in 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.
MJ | MCU
So... ( without taking her eyes off the retreating pig, MJ addresses the person next to her, calm as can be. ) Did you just see that guy, ( the sausage she has speared on a fork is waving in the general direction the pig is now darting off to, ) turn into a pig, too?
( while it's not out of the realm of possibilities considering the stuff she's already seen; including but not limited to aliens invading her city, robots destroying other cities, and people (she being one of them) blipping out of and back into existence, it's still pretty frigging weird.
one minute the guy's human, happily picking away at his plate of bacon, and then, out of nowhere, he's not either of those things. human or happily munching on his... oh. )
Huh.
( that's the sound of all that just happened clicking into place. immediately followed by the rumble of her stomach. hungry as she is, and dude is she hungry, there's no way she's going to chance turning into a pig and possibly being used for government experiments.
keeping her feet firmly in place she carefully leans toward a garbage bin, dropping both fork and sausage link into it before shoving her hands into her pants pockets. )
I officially hate this place.
――――――――――
un; boh
Anyone else watch the video a few years back where a guy stumbled upon a deceased floating pig with human hands?
Also, I read Israel released wild pigs to destroy farms and fields of Palestinian farmers, and to attack villagers.
( are the two connected? you decide. but conspiracy theories are always a nice icebreaker. and given how she's witnessed more than one person turn into a pig since arriving, these fit today's theme. )
――――――――――
wildcard;
( • as a note MJ is taken near the end of Far From Home while being trapped in the vault with Happy and the others. • please feel free to start your own prompt if these don't work! I'm more than happy to go with whatever. )
Video; un: Mysterio
That's very morbid.
video; un; boh
and finally, deep breaths Michelle. you can do this. you can totally ‒ maybe, do this.
after about two minutes she switches her feed to video. coming across the screen looking bored. not angry, or terrified at seeing him, just bored. one might even go as far as saying it's as if she doesn't know him. (spoiler: she does.) )
And what part of people turning into swines screams wholesome to you?
( until she sees him in his getup, costume, whatever, she isn't going to touch on him looking remotely familiar. )
no subject
It’s like a surreal horror film, isn’t it?
Speaking of which, you should come to the cinema. Not only to see some great films, but you can also take a break from the madness in town.
no subject
I guess it all depends on who you ask. Me? Yeah, I agree. Although I've seen some other pretty bizarre stuff back home, too.
( a pointed look and then a shrug. )
The movies? ( okay sure she'll bite. ) What films are they playing at the theater here?
no subject
I’ve yet to decide. I’m the cinema’s manager, so I do have control over that.
[He likes being in control.]
no subject
( not cryptic. nope.
did he say this month? she's doing the math and it's easy math to do. yet somehow it's not adding up. if he's telling the truth that is. )
How long have you been here? Or have you always lived here...
( she's waiting for a name. an actual name and not his alter ego like his username is offering. )
no subject
I've been here about four months. Spending a lot of time with Peter...
You're M.J. Right?
[A friendly smile.]
We never officially met but I certainly know about you...
no subject
( if she looks a little pale it's because she is. feeling sick will do that to a person.
eventually she nods. )
The one and only. Can't say I know you. Not from Peter. He's never mentioned you. Unless... ( she pulls herself together enough to feign surprise. ) Holy shit! You're the guy. The guy from the news back home! You saved everyone when the water monster attacked Venice!
no subject
[He grins.]
Quentin Beck, but you probably know me better as Mysterio.
no subject
( a beat. )
I'm gonna backtrack a bit here to clarify some stuff. You mentioned hanging out with Peter? You're talking back home, right? Because he's not here. No. That'd be... ( bad. super bad. )
no subject
Back home, Peter mentioned the name Mysterio to me. I liked it. I adopted it. That's what I'm known as now, although it's not a secret that my real name is Quentin Beck.
As for Peter, he is very much here. Actually, there are two of him, but one is from another world due to all the multiverse glitches going on.
[It just confirms his story, luckily for him. He will even try to convince MJ of that.]
(no subject)
text. un: (√-💩)²
[sorry, future lady. he has no idea what you're talking about]
text; un: boh
some people swear it was part dog since it had a straight tail instead of a curly one. but no way. you could tell the thing was part pig part person. and that it clearly was an escaped government experiment.
( probably for the best. )
so. like, does that happen often around here? people turning into pigs, i mean.
no subject
do you have the video
i kinda want to see it
people turning in to pigs is new for me
but this place is
kinda weird
the last couple of months had the titanic
and godzilla
and some underwater city called rapture
and you just missed the killer cults
no subject
( he's starting to remind her of someone, too. )
i'm sorry... what?
( to all of that. all. of. that. it's a lot to take in. if whoever this is isn't messing with her. )
hold up. are you talking Ishirō Honda's or Gareth Edwards', Godzilla ? and how do you know i missed the killer cults? did they wave a flag in surrender and retreat back to their base of operations? all i'm saying is unless you have proof they're really gone, then they could still be here, right?
no subject
shes really in to conspiracy stuff and knows a bunch of really obscure facts about things
i can handle it though
but you dont have to go out of your way for it
i never actually saw godzilla
i was still inside
but godzilla was the iceberg this time
the cults kind of took over the city here
and the locals are back to hating us again
so im pretty sure theyre gone
no subject
i mean there's this guy from home who's here, but he isn't someone anyone should like. bright side is it's better for my friends that he's here instead of back home.
it's not going out of my way if i offered? besides. what else do i have to do around here? not like there's school i have to attend. or practice. or a field trip to get back to.
was Godzilla was made of ice? did the titanic sink by hitting him or did he have his atomic breath even while made of ice and did he use it to destroy the ship? did people join the cults? i feel like you need to elaborate on the hate. are the locals giving dirty looks to people, or do they act on their hate? and is there a specific reason the locals hate everyone?
no subject
theres people here from back home
but theyre all from the future
or i dont know them too well
theres a school here if you wanted
and i dont know what club youre in
but im sure you could find someone to practice with too
i never saw godzilla
but the titanic hit him
and some of the sleepers hung out with the cults
so this place is kinda old fashioned
at least compared to the world im from
the locals here discriminate against all of us
all the isms you can think of
sometimes they act on it
sometimes they dont
no subject
thanks but i'm hoping i don't stick around long enough to have to go to school. it's not really a club? more like a small team. we get together to study for upcoming competitions.
lol i got that. i just meant maybe you heard someone talking about seeing godzilla's atomic breath or whatever.
this fucking place gets better and better the more you describe it. :/ i'm almost regretting not having chanced turning into a pig.
your username now checks out. shit definitely just got real.
no subject
none of them should be here
what do you compete in?
a lot of people died on the titanic
so most people dont talk about it now
[also, congratulations, stranger. you're the only person whose mentioned the username since he got here]
no subject
the academic decathlon. it sounds boring but it's not. promise. it can be intense. do you have anything like it where you're from?
right. so note to self: definitely don't bring up the titanic to anyone. are there any other subjects or incidents i should avoid talking about?
(no subject)
here's some general weirdness for ya girl
A quick visit for sandwiches 'to go' at Dearly Diner afterward, and here he is...!]
You've my apology, for the way this town behaves.
If you'd like — I have a spare meal?
[Don't mind him tugging back a long robe sleeve, to reach into his satchel. He has a very neatly wrapped turkey and cheese sandwich, one he must admit was some gluttony on his part. He's a growing boy?
He holds it out to her.]
One not made with anything that will change your appearance, praise be.
story of her life tbh
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?
no subject
We share very similar faces, Peter and I. It is not the first time someone thought me Peter. My name is Diarmuid, and I can assure you, you're safe to eat this. I had some earlier without any concerning changes.
[But if they do end up influenced by even a regular turkey sandwich, at least it shall not be alone???]