AUGUST 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

[sodder]

AUGUST 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to August's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: CRYPTID 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: Violent animals, ghosts, hallucinations
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?

Everyone loves s'mores, right? Of course you do. If you've never had them, you're gonna love them, and if for some reason you hate them, well, as it usually goes in Deerington, something inside of you will nag at you about how maybe you ought to give them another chance. There's a variety of different kinds of s'more flavors to try and plenty of perfect campfires to roast your marshmallows over. There's promise of wholesome and innocent fun to be had! Surely that won't be a lie this time.

Everyone who gathers around the fire for some tasty treats will find themselves in the mood to share creepy stories from their home worlds. Maybe they make one up on the spot or maybe it's an ancient legend that was passed down through the ages. Regardless, there's gonna be a whole variety of spooky stories, and the flavor s'more you're eating seems to dictate the theme that you'll end up leaning towards.

🔥 Traditional S'Mores will have people wanting to tell classic ghost stories. Maybe it's a haunted house you ended up in or a spirit who possessed the friend of the brother of this guy from your town once. The main theme here will be ghosts of all varieties.

🔥 Peanut Butter & Chocolate S'Mores will have people wanting to tell slasher stories. A famous serial killer from home, maybe, or the story about a group of kids who went up into a cabin in the mountains where there was once said to be a creepy caretaker and they were never heard from again...

🔥 Chocolate Chip Cookie S'Mores will have people wanting to tell monster stories. Local legends, maybe, or the classic stories about werewolves, vampires, and Bigfoot. Any kind of monsters will do.

🔥 Salted Caramel S'Mores will inspire people to tell revenge stories. These could be legendary warnings that exemplify why vengeance always leads to digging two graves. Or maybe it's your own story of revenge from home— or the fantasy revenge you'd like to get someday.

🔥 Nutella S'Mores will have people wanting to tell personal horror stories. These stories are ones that hit extremely close to home. The scariest, most bone-chilling memory you have, no matter how silly or serious it may be in comparison to those around you. Hopefully most people aren't fans of chocolate hazelnut?

Regardless of which story you hear, anyone gathered around the campfire will listen intently to all words spoken, and they will find themselves believing every word. On your walk home, you'll be filled with a sense of paranoia and dread, seeing things move out of the corner of your eye that may or may not be there. Is that a man with a hook for a hand or is your imagination just playing tricks on you? It's certainly hard to tell.

These can stay as harmless hallucinations, but for those who end up stuck in the paranoia for too long without being talked down, they will slowly start to become real. Eventually, they can become solid enough for other people to start seeing them, and the creatures from your mind may even start to attack. They can be defeated with normal weaponry or by the power of positive thinking! Wish your attacker away with enough conviction, and poof! They'll be gone.

Let's hope you can do it before you end up the victim for the next slasher story someone tells.

AHHH! REAL MONSTERS

It seems that the monsters from these stories aren't the only ones popping up in Deerington, though. There's talk from locals of multiple sightings of classic Maine legends all over town. They're easy to ignore as the townsfolk just being easily spooked for a while. But when enough stories start to line up, you might start to think maybe there's some truth to them. Or maybe you'll even end up seeing one of the monsters for yourself.

Down in Lake Tomoei, the legendary Cassie can sometimes be spotted peaking up from the water, or trying to attack anyone who even tries to go near the lakes shores. She's a nasty beast with one hell of a temper and she's quite possessive of the lake she's found herself in. 100 feet long with a skinny neck and a fish like tale, she definitely seems like a force to be reckoned with. Cassie is easily injured by ordinary weapons, but her skin is thick, so it will take a while to draw blood. Most likely, she'll disappear into the depths of the lake before she can be killed.

Up in the mountains, there's talk of the ancient evil Pamola. Penobscot legend describes him as half-man, half-eagle, with the head of a moose and a temper to match one. Pamola can't stand people visiting his mountain, even for a casual hike, and will often try to deter people away with random and unpredictable storms; thunder, snow, and powerful winds will beat down on whoever goes looking for Pamola. If you manage to find him, he will show no mercy when he attacks. Most who have tried to find him have been killed and eaten by the evil spirit. Because he's an ancient spirit, he will be particularly hard to defeat if you manage to find him; he can not be killed, but you can offer a sacrifice to quell his anger. If you have magical powers that can hurt deities, these will still be effective in weakening him until he retreats.

The final creature that seems to be wandering about is the Specter Moose (pictured above). This moose is thirteen feet tall, with thirteen foot wide antlers, and is a blinding white color. The moose can be found wandering in the park, usually, but sometimes it comes out to look around town. He may seem harmless, even cute, but don't get to close; moose are dangerous and locals fear them for a reason. They can charge at the drop of a hat and not even large vehicles tend to survive an encounter with a creature that big. The Specter Moose also seems to be incapable of being injured by normal weapons; solid objects mostly go right through it, unless it's purposefully aiming for them. You'll either have to get a shot in while he's slamming into something (or someone) or just run. Anyone who has magic or weapons that can hurt spiritual beings will be able to fight the Specter Moose as they normally would.

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.

Comments

[menaretrash]

[ She blinks, and then... he has to go and say that, and suddenly her train of thought is derailed again. ]

Wait... so, if you were dead, you wouldn't rest? You'd want to be a ghost? [ This probably isn't what he meant. And yet, here they are. Surrounded by spooky things outside and talk of ghosts on the inside. Nice. ] I can get that. I'd probably want to be a ghost, too. And of course I'm gonna worry about you.

[cawnfidant]

( what is... what? she got it all wrong. )

I don't wanna be a ghost, you're half-asleep and you slaughtered my joke. And I will never understand why you'd worry about someone like me. ( someone who, if she needs the reminder, is a murderer and also almost got their beloved leader killed. ) But it's not the time to talk about that, go back to sleep, you're going to get some ugly bags under your eyes and I will not take the blame for that.

( this is where he offers her back the pillow, pls take it... )

[menaretrash]

I would want to be a ghost so I could haunt my enemies and inconvenience them. [ That's probably not a nice thing to say, but it's true. She'd give a certain rival a reason to cry, alright... ] Because I can, and because someone has to do it. Mm... you're gonna get bags under your eyes first.

[ Oh, she knows exactly who and what Goro Akechi is. But he's not those things right now, and he's not trying to murder Ren at the moment -- which is a good thing, because if he were, she'd be taking that offered pillow and smothering him with it.

She does take the pillow, however, and stares tiredly down at it. ]

Thanks. You really should try to get some sleep, though, you know.

[cawnfidant]

( wow, that's an unexpected reply from someone like ann, it has him tilting his head only to take a better look at her. he... kinda digs it. even tho keeping his ways even after his death might be a little too much for him at this point. there has to be a limit to this madness. ) You don't truly want that... ( there is an uncharacteristic softness in his tone when he says that. don't pull an akechi, it's tiring and leads to absolutely nowhere. she deserves better. ) Hmm... I can't stop you from worrying but, it's a waste of time.

( oh, thanks the gods, she took it! )

I have years of experience avoiding looking like a zombie after an all-nighter. ( or ten. )

[menaretrash]

[ This is probably not how Akechi thought he'd be spending his evening -- stuck on a couch with Ann and dealing with her sleepy musings. ] Oh, yeah. The first stop I'm making after I die is Kamoshida's jail cell. He'll never see it coming. [ It's at this point a catchy tune should probably start playing, except it doesn't. ] I'm going to flick the lights on and off at inconvenient times so he falls flat on his pervy face.

[ Okay. Maybe it's not exactly homicidal but it's still not nice. ] I'm gonna worry about you because we're friends now whether you like it or not.

[ She stuffs the pillow under her head and lets her face drop down onto it, before she pauses again. ] ...How do you do it? I have to use copious amounts of creams and makeup to avoid looking like the walking dead. And that's not even including all nighters...

[cawnfidant]

( weridness aside, it's a little better than dealing with his own sleepy musings, alone. ) I never thought you had it in you. ( he lets out a soft chuckle at the lack of malice in her so well planned scheme. he almost fell for it. ) But think about it, once he's dead, you'll still be here, trapped forever and unable to move on. Would it be worth it? ( he knows it is, but that's him. )

Yeah, yeah, you... said that before. ( tho he still is waiting for her to bail on him at some moment, just as everybody always do. )

By sheer will. ( is that a joke again? who knows, becoming the beloved detective prince, being honor student, and doing all that other shit while wearing that fucken pleasant smile without looking absolutely exhausted, ever, he might as well not be joking. ) ...there is the occasional use of make-up too, I must admit.

[menaretrash]

That's true. But maybe there would be other people I could harass. Ryuji, for instance. Ren, too. [ Except Ryuji's haunting would be less devious and more trolling in different ways. ] Making them wake up with a face full of makeup seems pretty fun...

[ She closes her eyes again, curling herself into a tiny ball. As... much as she can, at least. ] It's true, though. You'll come to accept it someday. [ ...Probably. ]

I wish I had that sort of will... wait, really? [ An eye cracks open again at the mention of makeup usage. ] What's your favorite brand?

what is happening i can't even...

[cawnfidant]

( okay, that does it, he actually laughs at that, it's just a normal soft, though short-lived laugh very unlike the one he hollers when he's fighting shadows. who would have thought? ) And here I thought you were hopeless. I'd pay good money to see you haunting Sakamoto-kun.

The same way a hostage falls for their captor I suppose. ( he swears he's joking, but oh man, he can deliver some bombs while doing so. )

Be thankful for what you have, Takamaki-san. ( Sure thing, he probably might as well have that power, or whatever, but she has so much more than he ever wished for. you know, friends and family and stuff like a nice, warm bed when she could sleep in when was little without having to share with some other homeless kid. you know, nice stuff. what a dramaqueen, isn't he?

he makes a little pause and allows a smirk to himself, they are really talking this, huh? ) I might be partial to Smashbox, it really does wonders under studio lights.

i don't really know but i kind of love it

[menaretrash]

[ He's got a nice laugh. He should use it more often -- a sincere one, at least. It gives her a sense of pride that she was the one who made that happen. ] I'll make him really pretty while he sleeps. And flush the toilet while he's trying to take a shower.

[ Things she'd probably do to him while not being a ghost, but that's a moot point. His quip earns him a sly smile suddenly, at least. ]

Oh? Are you saying you're going to fall for me, then? [ She can tease, too! ]

I am... very much so. [ She sighs, because he's right. She's got it easy compared to the shit he's had to deal with. ] Oooh, that's a good brand! I like that, too. Mac makes some great setting sprays, too... I've heard their working on fake tan stuff, too. I don't think I could ever pull off that look, though.

me too, my dude!

[cawnfidant]

( well, if she wants it that much, she manages it again, though it's a bit lazier, this conversation is so ridiculous and he's honestly tired, he cannot avoid it. ) Sounds perfect.

Something tells me it'd be the other way around. ( don't get him started! she'll only get hurt. she wouldn't be the first. )

Hmm, I see what you're saying, but I feel Mac is flashy, I needed to conceal, not to make myself stand out more. ( they have pretty colors... he also probably does need sleep if he's thinking that. ) Well, you won't know until you try it. Isn't that what they say? ( they... you know, supportive people, or something? )

i am looking forward to future CR with these nerds

[menaretrash]

[ She could honestly go on and on about all of the things she could and would do to poor Ryuji, but she won't. Because Ryuji doesn't deserve that, and honestly, neither does Akechi. ]

Me falling for you? [ She hums at that. ] Well, you are very pretty. And polite. And smart.

[ She nods. ] Yeah, they have a lot of bold and dramatic colors and looks. I don't... think a lot of people could pull off such looks. They do have good concealers too, though. And primers... and lipsticks... but they're so expensive. [ She sighs heavily. They're also very unavailable here... ] I think that's what they say. I don't think being orange and streaky is a really good look, though...

me too!

[cawnfidant]

( he... might not mind listening about that for a change, maybe even give her some ideas. but lbr some of them might lead them to their death. )

Two out of three, not bad. You almost have me all figured out. You're not allowed to fall for me until you do. ( just saying. )

What do you have against streaky? ( loki would like to have a word! )

between akechi, ren, and ann, they are going to 10/10 have a Good Time

[menaretrash]

[ Honestly, she'd listen and take notes. Except the... death part. Death is bad. No death, please and thanks. ]

I'll do it, I'll have you figured out in no time. Challenge accepted. [ Probably. He's sort of an enigma, though... ]

Fake tans can go either way, but the majority that I've seen make people look like orange watermelons... wait, have you never seen that before? [ LOKI NO THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU-- ]

ann is the new « spoilers »

[cawnfidant]

( that is one weird challenge but... whatever floats her boat!  ) Have fun with that. ( it's not so hard, he's absolutely not polite a fucken all, well maybe just to the people he... doesn't hate? )

I don't think I have. ( TELL HIM THAT TO HIS FACE! seriously tho, wasn't she sleepy? maybe he's becoming a little sleepy now with all this senseless talking, at least she doesn't seem scared by whatever might be outside and that's good. )

LMAO i'm so sorry for her

[menaretrash]

I'm going to have so much fun. [ So. Much. Fun. For her, at least. Probably not so much for him... ]

It looks awful. And it doesn't come off... I tried it on Shiho's leg one summer while she was asleep. [ SHE WILL, CALL HIM OUT OKAY. And she is sleepy, for the most part. Even if she's enjoying rambling to the poor man. ]

never be.

[cawnfidant]

( definitely not for him.

HE'LL BITE HER FACE OFF! calling him a zebra was enough, tyvm! )

Y-you actually did that?! ( looool... only less enthusiastic than that. holy shit she's kind of amazing, though he's not sure if it's in a good way. ) You're an awful friend. What did she say? ( and why does he even care... )

[menaretrash]

[ BUT WAS IT A LIE?? ]

Yeah. I wasn't gonna test it out on myself, and she fell asleep first. [ DUH. Poor Shiho, but really, it was her own fault. This is what she gets for saying Ann's painting sucked all those years ago... ] She screamed because she thought she had some sort of weird infection when she woke up, and then she punched my arm really hard when I confessed my sin to her. And then she had to go to volleyball practice with one long, streaky, orange stripe down her left leg.

[ ....Is Ann smiling right now? She sure is. ]

[cawnfidant]

( S-SHUT. UP. IT'S A VERY SOPHISTICATED LOOKING CAMOUFLAGE! ... that... yeah... looks like a zebra...

he can hear that smile in her voice at least. )

Thank you, you have given me more reasons to never trust you. ( he'll never fall asleep around her at this point. )

[menaretrash]

[ VERY SOPHISTICATED AND ZEBRA LIKE, YES. It's okay, maybe one day he will appear on a National Geographic program....

...her smile may or may not be widening, and turning more devious. ]

Ah, I would never do that to you, Akechi-kun. I don't have the tools in which to give you a nice tan. [ How comforting! ] ...I might be able to make some, though...

[cawnfidant]

( at least he'll be a real celebrity! )

No, thank you, I happen to like my complexion. If you want to test it on anyone, you can do it on Ren. ( he's grated her permission, apparently. ) Just make sure to take pictures.

[menaretrash]

[ An absolute star! ]

Hmm... Ren is looking a little pale these days, isn't he? [ Akechi, do not encourage this... ] I could take pictures, yeah, or you could help me...

[cawnfidant]

Hmm... ( he's definitely encouraging this! ) What do you want me to do? To hold him down, or take the pictures? I think you'd be better at that, given your experience.

[menaretrash]

No, no, silly. We have to wait for him to fall asleep. That is when we spring our attack. [ This is... going to end well, probably... ] He'll definitely be sun kissed by the time we are through.

[cawnfidant]

Ah! I see. I usually go for a more, hmm... direct approach, cough... but I suppose it's not a bad strategy. It worked on your friend. ( poor ren... ) When will you be doing that yourself, though? Sleeping, I mean. ( apparently he and morgana not only share their taste for sushi. )

[menaretrash]

Allow me to teach you my ways, Akechi-kun. [ This means that there will be a sleepover in their future... poor Ren. It's a good thing he's so mellow. ] I dunno, will you please try and get some sleep too? At least, for a little while?