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countryclub2022-04-27 07:28 pm
reddosmod) wrote in countryclub2022-04-27 07:28 pm
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APRIL 2022 TEST DRIVE MEME
APRIL 2022 TEST DRIVE MEME
A MOSTLY PLEASANT ARRIVAL
A DIM REFLECTION
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
CODING
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]
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!
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]
WHEN: May
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: Forced honesty, personality changes, physical changes.
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.
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.
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.
WHEN: May
WHERE: Throughout Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Paranoia, existential dread, hallucinations, possession-related horror.
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.
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.
WHEN: May
WHERE: Dream worlds
CONTENT WARNINGS: Existential dread, disturbing visions
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.
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.
no subject
This is probably going to be a disaster no matter what, but he's gotta try and mitigate it somehow.
"No, I get it," He says, finally. "Some ...major stuff went down between you two and It's probably still really fresh on your end? Where Great Uncle Ford is thirty years removed from it."
He slides his hands into his pockets, scanning the crowd a bit before he looks back at him.
"Whatever ill will you have at him is pretty justified, so I'm not going to talk you out of that or anything. I will say, without giving up any future spoilers, which I think is probably a bad idea? That he's realized a bunch of his mistakes in that time."
A pause.
"But he's still, you know, Stanford Pines, so he's got a long way to go."
there's that paranoia
"It's... fresh, yes. That's a good way of putting it. Do you -- did he tell you about it? I'm sorry, you have to understand it's a little odd talking to someone I've never met who knows so much about me."
It feels kind of like walking up a flight of stairs and missing a step, conversationally. The step is there, the conversation flows logically, but his foot just doesn't land right.
He does at least appreciate Dipper not telling him too much about his own future. Not that he's not blazingly curious, but it feels like inviting trouble. And it's not his future anyway when you get right down to it, because he's here now, and he's a squid, and he's never going back to Oregon either way. Which begs the question of whether the him in that timeline and the him he is now are even the same person and have the same trajectory of events to follow, but if he starts thinking too hard about that he's going to start either hamboning or tearing his hair out and neither would be a great thing to do in a crowd in public.
no subject
no subject
"Dipper! Fiddleford!"
He trots over to where the two of them stand, looking pleased as could be, and rests a hand on Dipper's shoulder (not the one with Castor). Dipper gets a proud Well done! whereas Fiddleford gets a more direct greeting.
"I admit, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon." He had seemed pretty convinced he wanted to be a squid again last time. "How are you adjusting this time?"
Through their bond Dipper will be able to feel buzzing excitement undercut with mild but steady anxiety. It's not like Ford's unaware of the fact that he and Fiddleford originally parted on extremely bad terms, and he's accepted that there's a very good chance Fiddleford might very fairly decide he never wants anything to do with him again. He knows that - but he misses Fiddleford, and the simple excitement of seeing his best friend again dominates for the time being.
no subject
"Well enough. I managed to get myself pants, so." He manages a thin smile. He's adjusting insofar as he's resigned himself to having to, which is not quite the same as fully embracing his new predicament. He can't imagine ever getting to that point. Or rather, he doesn't think he should want to imagine that.
"Your nephew was going to give me a tour if you'd like to tag along."
1/3
That was fine, this is probably not a good time for that conversation. Not until he has a chance to talk with the others about what exactly they should tell him. There are things he should know, but also, there are things he probably shouldn't. What a complicated mess this could turn out to be.
Not at all dissimilar to the complicated mess Dipper was currently standing in!
Sometimes being an empath was a nightmare, as it turns out. While he can shut out most of what would overwhelm him standing in the boardwalk, it does not eliminate both the familial blood bond Dipper has with his uncle, or the extended close proximity of Fiddleford. Even if he could Dipper is the exact kind of anxious that would rather know the states of those around him so he could keep tabs on it for his own sake. All this to say, he looks back and forth a few times between the two adults standing here, holds his breath, and then lets it out quietly as they greet each other.
Okay. He could work with this. Fiddleford was actively inviting Ford along, and while it wasn't out of any kind of excitement or fondness, that's a lot better than a straight rejection. He can feel Ford gently buzzing anxiety under his excitement and as long as that stays in check everything will be fine.
Everything will be fine!!!!
no subject
"That's right! We're doing a tour! of the city! So, we should really, uh, get on that."
no subject
"I'm fine!"
no subject
"I'm just in time, then!"
This is a good sign, he thinks. He's known plenty of people that arrived in the city and simply refused to try to adjust - including Fiddleford himself, as it turns out. This will be a good chance for Fiddleford to get to know the city, and an excellent chance for him to get to know Dipper as well.
But the emotional bond with Dipper works both ways. Not only is Ford familiar with Dipper tendencies towards anxiety and sweating problems and the outward signs of such, he's also picking up on that less-than-thrilled buzz that accompanies them. She's just about to say something when Dipper...
Well, Dipper pulls a Dipper. Ford watches without much more than an arched brow as Dipper whirls around, smacks into the trashcan, and tumbles to the ground - mostly because he knows from experience that Dipper will be fine and has probably done worse this week already. Still, he steps forward and leans down, offering a hand out.
"Perhaps I should lead the way...?"
He's asking for permission as much as making a suggestion. He actually sees a lot of advantages to letting Dipper take the lead here, but if he's not feeling up to it...
no subject
Even with the Memory Gun tucked safely in his bag there are things he knows it wouldn't be practical to erase. In Gravity Falls it was easy: that was a normal town. He was a normal man. He could just edit things around the edges, leave himself notes not to go into certain parts of the woods at night, and be relatively safe. Here there are things that, realistically, he simply cannot erase by virtue of the fact that they are impossible to avoid. The only way to do that is to keep throwing himself back into the sea every time he washes up... and he doesn't. That feels strongly like giving up, and McGuckets aren't quitters.
Which is all to say, he genuinely does think a tour of the city from someone (or someones) who know more about it than he does is the best immediate course of action he could take.
As long as one of his tour guides doesn't die. He winces visibly when Dipper falls. Ford knows this is just normal Dipper activity but Fiddleford doesn't, and he is both completely unsurprised by and very bitch eating crackers about Ford's apparent complete lack of concern for his nephew.
"Are you alright? That fall looked nasty. We don't have to leave right this second if you need a moment."
no subject
He will also just. Carefully right that trashcan, too.
"No, no, I'm fine. Hahaha, I'm just--"
Does he really want to start this off with Fiddleford McGucket thinking he just tripped for no reason into a whole ass trashcan? No. No, he is going to fib just a little.
"-- Depth perception, you know." Dipper waves a hand in front of his off-colored eye, The one distinctly unPines-like, that is foggy and faded. Hopefully that gesture says enough. He didn't usually trip because he was blind in one eye, but man, it was a great scapegoat for moments like this.
"But really, I'm cool to run the tour," And then he looks at Ford a little more reassuringly. "Promise."
no subject
Castor, who had indignantly launched herself into the air when Dipper took his tumble, finally alights on Ford's head. She's rests there for a moment and then dissolves into smoke and glitter. In her wake Ford blinks, then reaches into his pocket. It takes a moment of rummaging, but he eventually produces a small pouch that contains Dipper's enchanted eyepatch and hands it over. Just in case.
"Well - lead the way, in that case." To Fiddleford, he adds: "Dipper has been here as long as I have. He knows parts of the town better than me."
He sounds very pleased to share this very mundane achievement with Fiddleford, even though there are probably more impressive things to brag about.
no subject
"Alright, if you're sure. Lucky young folks are so durable." He completely buys 'depth perception'. That makes sense enough. Definitely he doesn't want to ask follow up questions and risk getting into a conversation about how a tween got blinded in one eye, so taking it at face value's all he's got.
"Tell me if, uh. Anything's going to be particularly haunted. You understand that's something a man wants to be forewarned about." Please don't jumpscare him he is just a little guy.
no subject
"Don't worry, I get it," He says, with a grin that does make his relation to Ford a little more obvious. The additional praise from his uncle is also very welcome. "That's another reason why I should be the one to show you around. I can see haunted things a lot better than most people can."
And he is already making a list in his head of places to cross off, for that reason. From the boardwalk, there's a choice of two districts right at the center, Crenshaw and Cellar Door. Neither strike him as particularly interesting to McGucket explicitly, but they are along the way.
"Alright, follow me. We'll drop by Crenshaw first. There's not a lot to see there, but it's where the watch tower is situated and it's where most of the housing is. If you wanted to see what's available, that's a good place to start. After that, we'll head to Cellar Door which is an entertainment district."
no subject
It's not until they're closer to Gaze that he starts to really speak up. As he zeroes in on one of the proper entrances to the district, he explains the quirks and tricks of getting in and out of Gaze with something that could be called 'fond annoyance'.
"Really, if you want to get in it's easiest to use the lamp network; we have one set up at our house if you don't want to go to the academy. The ravens will show you the way in if you ask, but I'm cautious about trusting them overmuch. Never Mind isn't hostile, but he can be..."
Ford hesitates, and while some might do so because the Clocktower is right there and Never Mind can surely see them now, Ford just wants to make sure he chooses the right word.
"Capricious. He has the sort of humor you'd expect from a raven."
no subject
On the other hand, a raven maze doesn't seem ideal. Fiddleford has always been overly-superstitious and getting a PhD did nothing to damp that down. Ravens are bad luck, or at the very least they're omens, and he doesn't particularly want either in his life right now. Bad luck for obvious reasons and omens because he has enough to be dealing with. He looks up at the walls surrounding gaze with the expression of a man who is at once resigned to his fate and and will still have to be dragged kicking and screaming to get there. You know, on principle.
"Right. That makes sense. I've... I've gone by lamp once before. I could do it again."
He will change his mind about being in Gaze the second he is inside it, but he doesn't know that yet. He's sure it fucking sucks but he is not aware of how much.
no subject
"Let's take the lamp by our house, just so you know what it looks like," without having to go inside, Dipper leaves unspoken. Fiddleford did say no ghosts, and boy did their house have ghosts. This way, if Fiddleford needed to find them for some reason or another, he'll know what to look for. Their house is ...distinctive.
Anyway, Dipper looks around and spots a lamp on the corner, near the gate. He'll head off towards it.
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"The Lamp by the Gate in Pruffrock isn't far from the glove store, which you'll want to visit soon - though it's a good district for all sorts of supplies. If you go to the Waystation out in Trenchwood you can speak with the Dog Keeper, too."
He doesn't not explain who the Dog Keeper is, but there's a touch of warmth in his town when he says his 'name'.
"Though I'd avoid the lighthouse or Sanguine Station unless you're certain you need something. The locals and locales can be... a little touchy."