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

These sorts of things are my bread and butter, I would have had a terrible time of my twenties if I couldn't handle a little dance.

[She's decided to start with Max Briest: socialite for this particular place and this particular party, although that may adjust in the future. It's an old role for her and one she can play without needing to think too hard.]

[ Make this much more formal and you'll see John struggle. He'd started a pretty rough stone, and in tumbling himself over time, developed some polish and shine. But he's not a gem just yet, although in settings like this, he occasionally likes to pretend. ]

That's good to know considering I've been tryin' to start a club.

[ He offers one arm while the other goes digging into his suit jacket. Out comes a card, which he offers over. It's a bit of a joke (this is a horrific dreamscape, after all — no quiet town of meager means), although Max might find John acts pretty serious about it for a second. ]

Someone's just gotta fill in their name and they've just gotta dance once to get one. And maybe one of these days it'll get said person a free waffle breakfast down at Dearly Diner. Hard to say, though. Things're always a bit of a mystery around these parts.

[Following the etiquette of these sorts of things is easy, and Max lays a hand on John's offered arm as she accepts a card, turning it over between her fingers before laughing.]

Is there much call for this sort of thing? A dance club in the middle of a nightmare?

[She understands, of course. People need light to hold onto when things are at their darkest, but still. A dance club.]

[ He laughs, leading them out to the dance floor and assuming the so-called position. ]

Not even close, but if you don't find a way to blow off a little steam, it gets pretty rough.

[ It's only because of the alcohol he has any levity on the subject. Blake's been in town half a year now, and there's a great many years of strife behind that, too, so under more normal circumstances, he'd start with a much more suspicious tilt. ]

I'm Blake.

[Max was a ballerina, a lifetime ago, but she's made sure to learn most kinds of partner dances for situations like these, where it helps to know what she's doing. She's happy to let him lead, since that's typically how this goes.]

Max. It's a pleasure.

[The fact he's been here for a while is interesting, though, it's exactly what she was hoping to gain from this exercise.]

I took some time to read what I could on the devices given to us, but if you have any advice on surviving here I'd certainly welcome it.

[ He can feel the ease with which she moves, and for his own part, he's not so bad a dancer — a strong and certain leader, but not without grace. Training aside, he'd spent a lot of time out on the dance floor when he was a bit younger and that's part of the reason he's rekindled his interest in the past month or so.

Ruminating on her request, he pauses thoughtfully and then tips his head this way and that. ]

Depends on what kinda survival you mean. The day-to-day stuff's a bit diff'rent, and a lotta that depends on who you ask, too. If nothin' else, that you're thinkin' of this place as a nightmare already is a good thing. People tend to forget they're dreamin' after a while.

[It's nice to dance with someone who knows what they're doing, but more than that it's nice to dance with someone who's being respectful about. She's used to wandering hands, at the kinds of parties she usually tends, but she doesn't miss it now.]

I can't imagine I'll forget.

[The reminder is there every time she's tried to shift, this place isn't reality.]

There's been mention of the deer, are they truly our allies?

As far as we've been led to believe. Sodder, too. But I might be the most paranoid person to ask, so...

[ John takes a glance around, hoping to spy a familiar face. When it becomes obvious he can't find the person he's looking for, he turns back to her. ]

If you're lookin' for diff'rent takes, there's a guy 'round here named Majima that's got a pretty good grasp on the town. He'd be good to ask. Otherwise, look up Justine at the bookstore if you get a chance.

[Max is likely just as paranoid, but she sees no need to voice that thought. She can be smart here, that doesn't mean advertising that she has plenty of reasons to be paranoid.]

Having a variety of opinions can't hurt. Is there anyone in charge of those of us who arrived here?

[It makes sense to her, to organize in some way.]

Like a welcomin' party? Just Sodder. But you'll find people're pretty nice 'bout helpin' out. S'only occasionally we get an import goin' wild unless somethin' big's goin' on 'round town.

[ John swings Max out closer to the center of the dance floor, confident enough and sensing she'll be fine for it. ]

Went to a party earlier this month and it was a good time 'til I was hallucinatin' 'bout some guy I took down back when I was still a cop. Nearly ripped my friend's head off over it. Sounds ominous, but this place'll use your memories against you faster'n you can lock 'em down.

[ He frowns, expression turning part sympathetic, part apologetic. Honestly, John, way to make it weird and scary. ]

Can't imagine why I'm not on the welcomin' committee. Can you?