JANUARY 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to January’s Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: NEW YEAR'S.

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: Mind alteration, alcohol, options for self-harm, knife violence.

Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

YOU BETTER GET THIS PARTY STARTED

It's party night at the Grady Hotel and the hosts are pulling out all the stops. Champagne, funny hats, pictures, great music, and a wonderful countdown clock that let's everyone know just how much closer they're getting to the end of what has probably been a pretty crazy year for everyone. The glasses never seem to empty themselves and the citizens serving them out to people seem to be making extra sure that everyone has one for themselves. Regardless of whether or not you usually like champagne, anyone with a glass in their hands will eventually be tempted to take a sip, especially the closer it gets to midnight - the bubbles make you giggly, friendly, talkative in a way that you may never have been before. It lifts up just about anyone's spirits, no matter how rough of a time they've had before (or during their time in) Deerington. It doesn't seem to get you drunk, no matter how much you drink, but it definitely makes you more euphoric. Enough so that you might start to think you can do anything; tell someone how you really feel about them, compliment whoever you've had your eye on all night and see if they want to spend more time together, make up with someone you've been fighting with lately, do a magic trick you never were able to master, or even something as drastic as fly when you know you can't. Hopefully you start off trying to jump from a chair, but there is definitely roof access for those who are a little more daring - maybe someone a little more sober will have the wherewithal to stop you before it's too late.

There is also plenty of entertainment happening in various parts of the room. A table with beer pong for the adults who never outgrew their college days, a dart board, card games in the back, and a game called Guess the Candy for those who want to test their sweet tooth. Anyone who wins a round of any game will get rewarded with a small gift from home (no bigger than a toaster). Unfortunately will disappear once you leave the party, so make sure to enjoy it while you can.

The dance floor is also lively, the music upbeat and easy to move to no matter what your personal tastes might be. If you want a random dancing partner, take a dance card! Each one has a random, glowing number on it and it's your goal to find the person who matches. Once you do, no matter who it is, you'll find yourself literally stuck together (hopefully just by your hands, but it can be any body part) and will have to go through an entire dance (or maybe even two) with them before you come unstuck.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Everyone starts to gather around the countdown clock as it nears midnight, and when it's down to ten seconds, obviously you've got to start counting too! Everyone seems to be having such a good time as they shout out each number (10! 9! 8!) and you might not even notice the way some of the people around you have started to get a little... twitchy? (7! 6! 5!) Or the way some are starting to get more handsy, pushing themselves up close to whomever is beside them. (4! 3! 2!) And it isn't until they all shout 1! in unison that the room seems to shift in two very different moods.

If you're lucky, the person next to you will just have the urge to kiss you - and you might even have the urge to kiss them back! After all, sharing a kiss at midnight is supposed to bring you good luck for the rest of the year. And with the way everyone else is starting to act, you might need it. For some, the urge to kiss might be stronger than just a chaste peck. For those who find themselves wanting to get a little more intense, it might be best to try to sneak out the back and head back to your place. The moment you step outside into the cold air, though, the urges seem to disappear - unless, of course, you were in the mood all on your own.

If you're unlucky, there's a murderous rage that runs through you, and there seems to be a table of weapons near by to help encourage a messy time. Various knives, swords, machetes, and other blades are laid out, enough for almost everyone. You might find yourself driven to plunge your weapon into the closest person, or maybe someone you've hated for a long time, and even more - maybe someone you've loved. Whoever it is, the image of their face will be burned into your mind and you'll do everything you can to try and make them bleed. Hopefully they can fight for their life - or at least evade your attacks until they can trick you into going outside. Like the desire for love, the desire for murder will also disappear the moment that someone steps outside, regardless of whether or not they did so on purpose or just to try and hurt whoever they're after.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

In with the new?

[Terra's voice was soft and uncertain. She had very few memories and the ones she had were nothing like this.] I'm not sure I understand. [Her brow furrows as her eyes sweep the room. She's trying to make sense of it all.]

Is this ballroom bad?

[She takes a sip of her drink and feels the heat of the alcohol warming her cheeks.]

It's not...

[ He searched for a way to put it a little more diplomatically. ]

I don't know if it was the fault of the ballroom, exactly, but durin' the last party I attended out here, we kinda slid into a different version of town.

One with a lot less people, and spookier party decorations. Just apprehensive about it happenin' again, is all.

[It's a little overwhelming but she tries to understand. There is something unsettling about this place. It's as if the energies of the world are wrong, flowing backwards or all over the place.

It's unpleasant and Terra doesn't like it.]

When did this happen?

[Everything looks nice now.]

About six months ago. Haven't particularly been back since.

But if somethin' does happen, I'd rather be here.

[ A laughing gaggle of partygoers fluttered by, scattering little glittery party stars all over the place. ]

I'm Majima, nice to meet ya.

[Terra follows the flecks of glitter as they drift lazily to the polished hotel floor. She stares at them for a moment and then lifts her chin to gaze up at Majima.]

Terra... that's my name.

[Her voice trails off slightly.]

Does this party have something to do with that?

[She takes another sip of her drink and frowns at it. Terra isn't sure if she likes it but she doesn't want to stop drinking it... odd.]

I honestly don't know. Hope not, though.

[ He took a sip from the glass as a man waved his arms about excitedly and ran past. ]

Wonder if New Year's is always like this.

Edited 2019-01-07 02:10 (UTC)

Do you not know?

[Terra's gaze is questioning as she looks up at the tall stranger standing at her side.]

This is my first New Years party.

I haven't been here a year, and my home's not in the States. Where I'm from, ya mostly spend the night in and go for shrine visits in the mornin'.

[ Christmas in America was so loud, too -- honestly...

And the man from before was now climbing on top of a chair...? ]

It is like that where I am from too.

[She's fairly sure, some of those memories are fuzzy.]

[ As the man took a flying leap off the chair, Majima was already breaking into a sudden dash; he managed to catch the guy by the back of the collar and pull him back right before he was about to take a dive right off his platform. ]

You mental? You could break your face pullin' a stunt like that!

[ The man was laughing and flapping his arms. "I'm a bird! Caw!" Talk about too much to drink. ]

[Terra doesn't understand humans.]

What is he doing?

Actin' like a bird, apparently.

[ Majima hauled the man up, past a couple getting close with each other. He was now attempting to peck at the ground. ]

Look, fella, I think you've had enough.

Perhaps it is better if we leave?

[Terra glances around them and feels a shift of tension crawl uncomfortably across her skin.]

Something is happening.

You should go if ya don't feel safe. I need to stick around, it's my job --

[ A woman was hauling herself up to a set-up microphone. She bowed theatrically. "Yes, welcome, friends and all! It is I, the Prestidigious Persephone!" ]

What now?