reddosmod: (Default)
Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] countryclub2022-04-27 07:28 pm
Entry tags:

APRIL 2022 TEST DRIVE MEME

APRIL 2022 TEST DRIVE MEME
Another month, another test drive meme! Our test drive memes are open to anyone interested - regardless of whether or not you join our game!

All Test Drive Memes are game canon. Players can choose to keep their TDM threads canon or not. TDM threads can be used for AC and can be used as your writing sample for your application.

Our TDMs serve as a way to build into the actual lore and worldbuilding of Deer Country and we strongly encourage everyone to enjoy and participate! Current players are always welcome to pull prompts from the TDM to reference on the Network or bring into logs as well as tag out to new characters top-leveling on the TDM itself.

Characters will always be able to actively die during TDMs as this is an extremely dangerous world. You can still have this be game canon! Check out how character death in Deer Country works here.

If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask down below!

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

Prompt One
[Image One: Delicious, Gelatinous Fruit Treats]
[Image Two: Women in white dancing around a May Pole (Animated)]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A woman turning away from a mirror. ]
[Image Two: A woman trapped inside a mirror with disembodied hands grabbing at her. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A Forked Trail on a Wooded Path]
[Image Two: The Grim Reaper at the end of a sewer tunnel]

A MOSTLY PLEASANT ARRIVAL
WHEN: May
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: Forced honesty, personality changes, physical changes.


Congratulations, sleeper! You're one of the lucky ones to arrive in a month that is not awful to come ashore. The transformational process is almost alarmingly quick and painless. In fact, it is so quick that it is deceptively easy to change back into a squid and do it all over again! Partial transformations are not uncommon during this month for the first twenty-four hours after arriving, and even brief transformations of minor facial features like hair color, eye color, height, weight and a few more extreme possibilities have been known to happen. Don't worry, because the transformations are all temporary and none are inherently monstrous (Unless you already are a monster, in which case good luck with that!). Greeters are present in force to help accommodate you as you make your way, your welcome backpack and items all freshly and neatly cleaned and ready for you as they put the robe on. Everything is so welcoming and inviting that it almost seems like they're having a party.

This is, in fact, because they are. The Wild Moon is about and festivities are in full swing throughout the month of Bauphomette. May poles are set up and it is possible to dance around one if you should wish. Doing so can help to ground oneself in their current form, which may help new arrivals settle in a bit better. Even ignoring that, it feels good to sing and dance, and everyone is very friendly. Even the usually grim Hunters who guard the roads and entries to the shores seem to have less stern smiles on their faces, though their eyes are ever watchful to keep the peace of the festivities.

SEASONAL DETAILS ON THE BOARDWALK

Decorations this month are decidedly floral in nature. Everyone is dressed in white, regardless of their usual preferences. Flowers adorn many of the people of Trench and the weather throughout the first week of May is pleasant. Even if it rains, it is a refreshing, light and pleasant rain, and there are many awnings and umbrellas to take shelter underneath.

And of course, there's refreshments. What festival in Trench would be without them? The foods this month have a very floral theme to them. Edible flowers have been grown and prepared especially for this time of year. They've been used to help create infused and gelatinous sweets, Floral spring rolls and edible flower cookies and the like, along with floral teas that are meant to calm the mind. Additionally, the people of Trench will note that any of the foods present can have a beneficial, albeit transformative effect on the mind and body. They promise it won't last long, but if you're really concerned there is hard tack and water available that's quite filling.

Changes from Food will last a few hours at most. There are several options available among the drinks and foods. These may be combined as the player sees fit. Drinks have mental effects, while Treats have physical ones, the Trenchies will inform:

Pomegranate Juice: Sweet and tart, anyone who drinks it or has some of the fresh pomegranate and seeds will feel compelled to speak nothing but the truth. Pomegranates are found littering makeshift shrines to Bauphomette throughout the party, and Trenchies insist they are free to take.
Petal Infused Hot Tea: Pungent and aromatic, it is relaxing. The heat gives a warmth and vibrancy that fills a person with confidence, to the point of arrogance and fearlessness, leading the emboldened to try something that they might not otherwise do, even if it's very risky!
Floral Iced Tea: While refreshing, it feels like there's something just a little lacking, and anyone who drinks some will feel that they need more but not what they need more of at first, making them clingy and affectionate towards other people, especially strangers.
Iced Water: It's not the tastiest, but has a way of washing things away. Water can cleanse and remove the effects of other drinks, though it leaves the person feeling emotionally drained if it is used this way.

Floral Spring Rolls: Trying one of these surprisingly edible treats will have the added effect of giving a person plant traits temporarily. Hair may convert into tresses of ivy or carefully manicured moss, or perhaps a mushroom cap! Skin might become bark-like or chlorophyl green. The more that one eats, the more that they change.
Gelatinous Sweets: These curiosities come with a note. “Have you ever wondered what it is like to walk in someone's shoes?” Eating one has a profound physical effect, causing a person's appearance to transform into that of another person in Trench! It may not even be someone they've met, or seen yet! It would be awkward to meet someone, not looking the way you're supposed to, or worse? Looking like them!
Edible Flower Cookies: They come with lovely notes saying “Eat Me!” What could be sweeter? Well, like something out of Alice and Wonderland, eating one can cause a person to grow or shrink by a foot. More cookies can cause the height difference to become worse and worse, though if you're only a foot tall, it's a good way to end up an inch tall! So, maybe eating more to fix the problem is risky.
Hard Tack: Like the water, it can fill the stomach and remove prematurely any physical effects, though if it does so, removing a physical change physically drains the character.

A DIM REFLECTION
WHEN: May
WHERE: Throughout Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Paranoia, existential dread, hallucinations, possession-related horror.


They warned you about mirrors. Every once in a while, one of the locals in Trench might have whispered it, made a sign of warding when they passed by mirrors, but nothing seemed out of place. They told you that you might see yourself in it, and you would never be the same. However, every time you've looked it's been fine. So, maybe they were being superstitious about something? It certainly wouldn't have been the first time someone had gotten paranoid about nothing in Trench, would it?

How wrong you were. Maybe it was when you were looking down at a puddle rippling in a light breeze. It might have been a formerly polished piece of bronze covered in tarnish that adorned a building. Perhaps it was that lovely bit of obsidian in the shop where you caught your reflection garbled by the shape. It happens only when a reflection is seen in a distorted surface, especially those that are naturally occurring, though occasionally damaged and weathered surfaces that were polished will work. When you were looking at the image, it seemed to look back at you and something was wrong, distorted, imperfect. By then it was too late.

The natives were right. You saw some part of yourself there in the mirror. It might be something that you've hidden from others for a long time, or it might be an exaggeration of a single part of yourself that you aren't proud about. What it is, is a distorted and incomplete part of yourself, something that you try to keep controlled and in check, and it was there, smiling at you and winking. The moment it winked, it was like you were riding in your own skin, watching and unable to act as you changed into a self that reflected that distorted, unnatural and incomplete side of yourself. What shadows do you hide from yourself?

This effect lasts for, at most, one solar cycle. From the rising of the sun to its setting, or the moon to its setting, the effect can last no longer than that. Especially strong-willed people, particularly palebloods, can end this effect sooner through force of will, though it usually lasts at minimum an hour. The character is, for the duration of this effect, changed in personality to behave in accordance with some singular aspect (of the player's choice) of their personality that they do not usually focus on in their day to day behavior. This change can be subtle, or it can be drastic and even dangerous. Its goal is to make sure that everyone sees and witnesses this change, and goes out of its way to impact others in a memorable fact, making sure that they see there is more to the character than what they are revealing. This could be relatively innocuous or extremely dangerous, depending on the person, and the whole while the dominant personality is riding inside their skin, forced to watch what is happening.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
WHEN: May
WHERE: Dream worlds
CONTENT WARNINGS: Existential dread, disturbing visions


It happens when you are asleep one night. There is no warning for this effect, and it comes without apparent cause. One night, you go to sleep, and then suddenly you find yourself in a dreamscape, on a path. You can sense eyes on you the whole time that you are present in this field, and though they have a sense of benevolence to them, there is a deeply alien element to the experiment, almost like you are being observed by a scientist through a microscope. You are not alone on the path, either. One, or possibly more than one, other people that you may know or not know, they seem to have entered the same dreamscape. Behind you is nothing but shadow, and before you is a path. Might as well get going if you want to wake up, right? That's how these things work.

Introductions and questions aside, there's nothing but the path and dense, impenetrable woods on both sides, so eventually you and your companion start walking. As you do, shortly you see a branch in the path ahead of you. The fork has two paths, one of which shows the traffic of many feet, footprints grooved well into the worn cobblestones and mud. One of you will somehow recognize that the footprints are their own, and will notice that the other path has no footprints or very few. That is when the compulsion hits. It is inexorable and impossible to deny, the curiosity to see what is down the path that those footprints do not travel.

Travel, walk and taking that path, you will be treated to a vision. It is a moment in the dreamer's life, where they see something that happened in their life, which involved a choice. Did they go left or right? Did they say yes, or no? A choice they made, even one that seemed immaterial at the time, had some profound effect, and now you and they watch as the other choice was taken. And, within the hour, you will see the results, to your horror. Something terrible will happen to them. It could be anything, but it will be life-shattering, perspective altering and ghastly. They might even die from the experience or see a loved one die. The horror of it will still be in your hearts as you stand there for a moment, trapped in the sight of the aftermath, trying to come to terms with what you have just seen, and just at this moment, after a few parting words are said, both will wake up in a cold sweat.

The event that plays out can be from either character. Close CR is not required. Bauphomette has summoned the characters into the dream directly, and is sharing a distorted mirror of an opposite choice that could have been made. Actual “What if” canon events such as alternate timelines in Supernatural could be used for this, or the entire event can be concocted for this scene. The characters themselves are witnesses, and cannot be personally harmed in any physical way, but the horrific ending for the 'vision' version of the one whose dream this can be as awful as desired and take any form wished so long as it is unpleasant. Please be aware and mindful of each other's Content Warning Preferences in setting these scenes up.

CODING
imaglyphwitch: (gustanamo)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-04-30 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Eda, we all mostly have access to new powers now, and some of them are actually stronger thanks to these gods. The one I'm aligned with has actually helped more than I would have ever thought."

What was more, she'd have to get into the whole "I-chose-this-place-you-were-also-in-the-last-town" scenario along with a whole bunch of other crazy nonsense that she'd need probably a whole day to explain.

"Believe me Eda, the gods here are NOT the things that we worry about. Monsters live in the water. People can get blood corrupted. Crazy blood worshippers' kidnap us and experiment. This place might seem small, but trust me, it isn't. Oh!"

She gestured to, you guessed it, Eda's staff, which she had in hand. "If we take a ride you'll get a better idea how big the place is."

Why did Luz have Eda's staff? That's another long story.
uncoventional: (questioning)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-04-30 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it when she saw Owlbert, reaching out a hand to gently stroke it over the wood of her palisman. It sounded terrible, way worse than anything in the Boiling Isles - but something in it just didn't make sense to her.

For one, if the 'gods' - right, sure, trust anything that called itself that - were giving power out left and right - that was something she'd be deeply, deeply suspicious of.

When a place was that bad, you had to look at what was causing the disease, not just the symptoms, she reasoned. Who created it? Who benefited from it being this way? But, ok, fine, Luz has been here longer and...maybe she was right. She often was, in her weird human way. Eda sighed, nodding.

"Ok, fine, we'll do it your way."
imaglyphwitch: (O MAN I MESSED UP)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-04-30 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Luz had no idea how she was going to explain how bad things had gotten, between how things were going here and how they'd gotten back at the old place. How was she even going to explain that Eda had BEEN there, before her, and that was the reason she had the staff, or that the gods were only sort of in the picture compared to everything else that was constantly coming after them?

There were books to read, sure, but who had the time when the sun disappeared, or they were dealing with some monster or affliction that was infecting all around? It would be even more difficult to explain the gods were more like alien gods too, so it was even harder to wrap your head around.

"I wish it was my way," Luz grumbled. "More like, its easier to try and live in harmony with the people around you. I know it sounds easy, but its much harder than you'd think!"
uncoventional: (confusion)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-01 05:12 am (UTC)(link)
She gave Luz a bit of a doubtful look at that.

"Harmony, huh? Not exactly my song, Luz."

Or strong suit. Or something she'd ever really had to engage in in her life. The unspoken words there were: I don't know if I can.
imaglyphwitch: (ay hermosa)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-01 11:37 am (UTC)(link)
"Believe me, it's easier than you think, especially when everything else is trying to kill or maim you."

Luz tried to say this as brightly as she could.

"At least we don't have some crazy emperor trying to suppress us here. You can mostly do what you want, within reason!"
uncoventional: (Default)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-02 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"No, just sounds like crazy gods doing it, instead," she muttered reaching out for her Palisman.

"Hey, Owlbert. Ya miss me?" she said, with forced brightness. The Palisman unwrapped itself, eyes coming to life and hooting emphatically. "Hey, you," she said, fondly, petting his head.
imaglyphwitch: (Owl appreciation)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-03 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
"The gods are not as...united as you'd think. In most things I read, they're usually pretty petty and vengeful. These just seem to have an influence that extends over this world, and their ways influence a lot of what people in Trench believe."

Which described most gods, really.

"He really missed you, I could tell," Luz said, chuckling. "But he kept me company for a long time. I was really lucky to have him around."
uncoventional: (neutral)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-03 04:14 pm (UTC)(link)
If none of them were trying to break the system, then they all benefited. That's how crime syndicates worked, whether it was petty crooks, governments, or gods. All that changed was the scale of the crime, the nature of what was being stolen. Snails, cash, lives, freedom - a system was a system.

All of which she loathed to a degree that couldn't be measured. Eda had a natural suspicion towards any source of power that sought to push down.

"He's good at that. Did she at least play some games with you? Can't have you goin' soft on me when we play."

Her look though, was a bit watery as she moved to keep him close, turning away a second to whisper.

"Thank you for taking care of her."
imaglyphwitch: (nurture the hearth)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-03 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
To even BREAK the gods, that was really where the rub would be. It wasn't like they had a Mount Olympus, like the Greek Gods. They all sort of just existed in their own space, and only really interacted with Trench on their given months. Heck, some of them didn't even seem to have an ounce of malice in them.

Though maybe Luz's own Pthumerian was not free of that distinction. Certainly, her month had not been an easy one to shoulder through.

"Oh, of course! Though I have to admit, I haven't had a lot of time to play games! I have a household and several pets to take care of lately!"

She smiled.

"Of course, Eda. He's yours. I would have taken care of him regardless!"

The regardless being a) Luz had always been fond of Owlbert and b) Eda HERSELF had left him behind to help Luz.
uncoventional: (Default)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-03 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
She nodded, and Owlbert hopped back into position, screwing back onto the staff.

"Ok, kid," she said, "show me what you've learned."
imaglyphwitch: (...leave the stove on?)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-03 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Aw, bye Owlbert.

"Um. With games, or with magic?"
uncoventional: (Default)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-04 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
She gives Luz a lopsided smile.

"To show me the place. See how good you've gotten at flying. Impress me, kid."
imaglyphwitch: (staff ridin)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-04 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
"OH. I can do that!"

Luz hopped onto the staff and waited for Eda to board, and then the two took off.

There was no hesitance in Luz's flying now. Luz would have to one day tell Eda how many monster she narrowly avoided ending her that didn't because of that staff, because there had been so much happening she couldn't afford to be lax for even a moment. One slight hesitance and she would have been dead.

But here, Luz was the master of the sky, and pointed out all of the places in Trench. It was a big place, so it took some time, and finally Luz ended it in Cassandra, at the place she lived in.

"And this," she said with pride, "is our place. Former bad guys, plant guys, sea monters, a duck, a smoke guy, a lost princess and me! It's a pretty full house!"
uncoventional: (confusion)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-04 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Huh," she replied. "Sounds like a whole stage show."

But she really was impressed. Luz was flying like a pro, now. Frankly, she had...nothing left to teach her there. That should be...great. But it wasn't. Somehow.

"So what powers did'ya get?" she asked. "You said people got 'em all the time."
imaglyphwitch: (glyph pose!)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-04 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
"Nah, it's just all of us! We're all pretty strange in our own way, but that's why we work so well!"

Too bad Luz had no idea they'd be down half of their house members soon.

"I'm a Pale Blood," Luz said, wrinkling her nose, "so its mostly been mentally stuff. Premonitions, talking through telepathy, dream walking by mistake. I'm still trying to get the hang of it, and it's still second to glyphs anyway."
uncoventional: (Default)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-06 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
"Ugh, dream walking," she replied, "I hate that."

She made a face, shuddering a bit.

"Pale Blood?"
imaglyphwitch: (O MAN I MESSED UP)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-06 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"I shouldn't call it dream walking, actually," Luz corrected herself. "It's actually astral projection. Dream walking was actually something different in the last town we were in."

Luz nodded. "If I cut my blood and showed it in the moonlight, it would glow and smell like milk. Luckily, I'm not allergic to myself!"
uncoventional: (confident)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-06 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Smell like milk," she repeated, shaking her head. "Well that's a new one."

"Well, you're doing alright for yourself, learning wise, kiddo, that's for sure."

imaglyphwitch: (aw why??)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-06 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"I didn't choose that!"

She still really didn't understand that whole thing with the way it smelled. Someone explain it please.

Luz gave a smile, but it was a restrained, feigned smile at that.

"It hasn't been easy. I mean, its probably been one of the hardest things I've ever done. In my LIFE. It's not like any of it is over either!"
uncoventional: (genuine moment)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-06 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
And oh, she can see that in the smile. Luz doesn't exactly come with a whole lot of deception when it comes to how she's feeling.

Eda crouched in front of her, putting her hands on her shoulders.

"Luz, there's nobody I've ever known who takes on hardest things at the rate you do. Whatever this place can throw at you, you're going to handle it. You always have."

She starts listing things off on her fingers.

"You got King to relax, you made me care about a human, you fought your way into Hexside, you reminded the Emperor himself he's not all that while saving me. Heck, you even got ol' bossy boots Amity with that sincerity magic you do."

The last said with a wink.
imaglyphwitch: (allisgone)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-06 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Nope, Luz is notoriously bad at hiding how she feels, even if she could push down big emotions for a time. Not that she could exactly do that here. She wasn't loving the idea of inviting in corruption.

"I've been handling IT for a while Eda. I'm not weak, I'm sure of that. But that doesn't mean that it's all been a good time."

She turned away from Eda here and pulled up her shirt. It was rare anyone saw this, as Luz wore full on shirts these days, but on her back were several ugly pockmarked scars dotting her back. These were courtesy of the zealots and the farm.

"Being strong doesn't mean I don't need you. It just means that I don't get to hope you'll be here, because it hurts too much if I do."
uncoventional: (sad)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-06 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
There's not much that could describe the look on Eda's face, seeing that. She...might be able to make a potion to heal those. Might. But it's what caused them that had her eyes welling up and her fists balling.

"Who did that, and where are they. I will burn them out of the known universe! The last thing they'll see coming is a vengeance-based harpy!"

Her fists were actually trembling, she was squeezing so hard.
imaglyphwitch: (small not small fears)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-07 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
"Some Zealots in...February, I think. I'm not sure how long I was hanging on those hooks. Time kinda faded in and out, and the place we were in...well, let's just say the less I remember about it, the better."

The Zealots had unfortunately disappeared without a trace.

"They were some crazy cult obsessed with drawing blood for one of the gods. A lot of people had worst happen to them in there, if I'm going to be honest."

Thank goodness for Rose Desilva, or she would have likely been skinned.
uncoventional: (what the hell is this)

[personal profile] uncoventional 2022-05-07 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Great, so I can't set them on so much fire their ancestors feel hot."

She folded her arms, if only to do something other than feel useless anger.
imaglyphwitch: (can't quite place it)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch 2022-05-07 05:07 am (UTC)(link)
"If you could find them, and assuming you can hurt them. Those guys are very strong with the blood magic they use. It's hard to stand a chance."

Personally, Luz would be scared they might hurt Eda. If THAT happened, she was sure she wouldn't hold back in trying to attack them.

With Eda, obviously, all bets were off.

"Sometimes that kind of stuff just happens. You have to make sure to prepare, to ensure it won't go down the same way again."

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-09 00:26 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-09 00:59 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-09 01:22 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-09 13:06 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-11 02:20 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-11 04:13 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-12 02:48 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-12 12:01 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-13 01:52 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-13 12:58 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-15 01:39 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-15 11:51 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-20 01:59 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-20 13:17 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] uncoventional - 2022-05-24 02:29 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

[personal profile] imaglyphwitch - 2022-05-24 11:06 (UTC) - Expand