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Deer Country Mod ([personal profile] reddosmod) wrote in [community profile] countryclub2022-07-25 10:37 pm
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July Test Drive Meme!

JULY 2022 TDM
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: Colorful paper lanterns shaped like jellyfish lit up and hovering in the air. ]
[Image Two: A person with long hair wearing a crown dedicated with shells and rocks. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A GIF of waves breaking roughly out in the middle of the ocean. ]
[Image Two: Strong waves crashing into a lighthouse and rocks. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A large Ningen (a sea creature that is half human, half monster, and has no face except for a large slit for a mouth) towering over a deep sea diver. ]
[Image Two: A person standing out on the rocks with their arms out stretched as the tentacles of a large sea monster wave in the air above the ocean. ]

STANDARD ARRIVAL
WHEN: August
WHERE: The Farther Shores/The Boardwalk
CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A


You're one of the lucky ones. Your journey is smooth sailing and you wind up exactly where you're supposed to: on the Farther Shores. You grow out of your squid body without a hitch, either with the help of another Sleeper or one of the Wakers, and you get to discover this new world. All new Sleepers might take some time to find their bearings. It might be tricky to remember how to use your body parts the way you're supposed to. You might stumble around the beach or forget how to talk - but don't worry! It'll come back to you sooner or later.

Hopefully, you've found something to wear, either in your Welcoming Bag or otherwise, and can start familiarizing yourself with your surroundings. Maybe you help some other squids out on the beach. Waking up sucks! You feel for the little guys. And hey, maybe you're hoping one of those squids is a good friend...Stranger things have happened.

SEASONAL DETAILS ON THE BOARDWALK

This month has an entire festival dedicated to Mariana. The people of Trench seem to be quite enamoured with her, despite her often cruel and unpredictable behaviors. The festival has gone all out with decorations. The boardwalk will be lined with lanterns in the shape of various sea creatures, such as jellyfish, dolphins, seahorses, and (of course) squids! These lanterns will be lit every night throughout the month and will burn through the night. They are bright beacons to a month that is otherwise becoming more and more gray and chilly as time passes.

The people of Trench are also decked out for the occasion. Blues and greens are the popular color choices for outfits, and many people will even decorate their hair with pieces from the ocean. Whether it's with full headpieces that are worthy enough for mermaids or just something as simple as weaving shells into a braid, everyone seems to have something on them that ties them to the sea. There are stalls set up to help newcomers (or oldies who just want to have some fun) decorate their hair as well and face paint for those who want to go the extra mile.

The festival comes with all sorts of celebrations that can be partaken in at absolutely no cost. There are food vendors, though they seem to be short on seafood this month. Likely it's due to the rough seas with waves so treacherous that not even the most skilled of sailors seems to be able to get out into them. They'll remark on how difficult is must have been to swim to shore in those awful waves. So instead of fish and shrimp, there are other sea-dedicated dishes: seaweed salad, noodle dishes made with seaweed broth, caramelized chicken in a fish and ginger sauce, etc. There are also ocean themed desserts, such as cupcakes with blue frosting shaped to look like a great wave. There are games such as dunk tanks, dart balloons, ring tosses, and other typical carnival entertainment. If you can think of it, it's probably there. At the end of the night, there's often a fireworks display over the rolling waves.

rough seas and high winds
WHEN: Last Week of July, First Week of AugustT
WHERE: Beach and Nearby Oceans
CONTENT WARNINGS: Threat of drowning, severe weather phenomena, Environmental hazards, possible death


For some reason, Mariana is particularly wrathful even as the month begins. Even leaking into the end of the month of July, the sea begins to foam and rage in ways that are almost impossible to imagine. As you stare out int the beachheads, you may see vast waves and surf that would daunt the most professional of surfers. Water crashes into each other in colossal spouts. Waterspouts can be seen as storms occasionally buffet the coastline and just out into the ocean itself. However, the one thing about this chaotic energy is that it is just that, chaotic. One moment the sea may be calm, and the next it is a roiling, seething force out to destroy everyone.

This is, naturally, dangerous for those who are just hapless squids trying to reach shore. They may find themselves inexorably being flung towards sharp rocks and shoals, threatened with being dashed upon the stone near to the coast, or they may find themselves constantly swirling in eddies and whirlpools to the point of near exhaustion. However, they are not the only ones so threatened. Even those on the coast are in near constant danger of being washed right back out to see by an unexpected wave and sudden rip-tide. There are wood planks and other detritus to grab hold of, but it is very much a battle for one's life out there!

The sea's rage, the locals say, is because Mariana is particularly incensed over something that occurred. They do not know what exactly, but many have said that sleepers have felt a particular brunt of this ire lately. For now, it is a game of survival and a constant battle to bring people in safely.

Notes:
-Any natural weather occurrence is possible in the first week of August and last of July. Seemingly impossible combinations may occur (A waterspout in the middle of the eye of a hurricane, almost anything.
-These threats will be upon anyone who is not far enough inland to enjoy the festivities. The beach is not truly safe and sleepers are hustled inland quickly.
-Death is possible, though sleepers who die in the ocean find themselves returning very quickly as squids for some reason, within 24 hours, only to be threatened again before they eventually find shore.

of monsters in the water
WHEN: Throughout August
WHERE: The coast and waterways
CONTENT WARNINGS: Monster Horror, Possibly Getting Eaten, Threat of bodily harm, Unnatural Physiology, Existential Dread


Something has been dredged up from the deep by the storms that rage. It is said that Mariana not only presides over the oceans, but also the most powerful monsters that dwell within the deep. Some of these, it is believed, may be the remains of Pthumerians whose minds and lives were lost during the hard times before, or the spawn of their mating with things other than humans. Whether these rumors are true, eldritch things have begun to emerge from the depths and darkness, things best left unseen.

Throughout the month of August, it is possible to encounter creatures that can only be described as monsters emerging from the water. With every passing storm, another emerges. Some are as large as small kaiju, while others are closer to human size, and each shares very little in common with the others, save for two particular details. The first of these is that they are all aquatic in nature and bear at least a passing similarity to sea monsters of ancient legend or particularly large and dangerous aquatic animals. Giant cuttlefish, Megalodons, Plesiosaurs, Octopi, Sea Cucumbers, Whales, or any of a number of other sea creatures appear to be their basis. The other similarity, however, is that all are hideously and grotesquely deformed. Tentacles, second rows of teeth, great clawed hands and feet enabling them to walk on dry ground, a thousand eyes all over the hump of a hunchback whale all shooting laser beams in the full moon, almost anything seems to be possible, though the changes are all chtonically horrendous in nature.

These creatures are violent, dangerous, and horrifying to behold. Just looking at them jars the mind and threatens to damage one's psyche while they try to understand what they are seeing. Bones are in seemingly impossible angles, bodies moving in ways that they shouldn't. Just looking at them can cause nausea, vertigo or mental breaks, though the danger does not stop there. They are agents of chaos, seeking to destroy mind or body, on a rampage whenever they reach ground, though they do not delve far into Trench beyond the waterways and beach, almost as if they are prevented by something. When one strays too close, an ominous light glows from the tops of the tallest spires in the city and they are inevitably repelled, but until they are killed or sent back to the deep from whence they came, they remain a threat outside of the city.

CODING
underbluesky: (pic#15841313)

[personal profile] underbluesky 2022-07-29 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[In fairness to her, the way she's clutching the bag and her smile looks off does parse as a reaction to the scars to Vash, stepford smiler extraordinaire. He thinks it's a pretty unpleasant sight, so of course he's going to assume that's what she's distressed by rather than anything else.

His smile back is apologetic, and he doesn't actually get back up to take the bag from her, instead sort of trying to shimmy up closer and reach up without exposing the worst of the scars again, even though he still has enough on his back that it's something of a fruitless effort unless he buries himself in the sand wholesale.]


Thank you.

[It's said a little too softly for his own taste. He brightens his smile a bit before trying again.]

Man, I'm starving. The food tent would be great. Do you know if they happen to have any donuts?

[There, that's better. An appropriately silly concern for this weird and alarming situation should get everyone's mind off of how messed up his body is, right.]
unphase: (I walked into your dream)

[personal profile] unphase 2022-07-29 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[it's not because she's alarmed by his scars. far from it. she'd gotten entirely used to them in the Other world. and she knows she knows things he'd rather not want her to know. like what really happened in July.

the smile, though, that she's seen. and she allows him to take the bag easily, hoping against hope that the cloak will be long enough to conceal all of his scars. the Mistress knew he had more than his fair share]


It's...the least I could do.

[and she wants to throw herself at him, asking him if he remembered her, but she knows she's not that lucky. that if he recognized her there would have been some indication by now]

I've seen chocolate cake donuts before, but none of the really good ones like the plain glazed or jelly or cream filled donuts. Those are, well. Luxuries.

[ones she'd made for him every Winter Solstice since she knew him. but damnit, Tinya, stop thinking in the past!]
underbluesky: (pic#15841490)

[personal profile] underbluesky 2022-08-05 11:57 am (UTC)(link)
[It's more than even he knows, at this present point in time, honestly, though he doesn't think to suspect it just from her expression and hesitance.

He has to set the bag down before he can ty to get the cloak on, and there's an awkward sort of dance to trying to do so with one hand and without her having to see him; ultimately he has to compromise the latter point for the sake of efficiency -- while playing the fool has its uses, the last thing he needs is this girl coming down to actually help him with the cloak. He sits up properly with a grumble and gets his remaining arm into the proper hole for the cloak, sort of swinging it around to the other side to get his other shoulder into it as well before he stands up with the bag and slings it over his good shoulder. He has to awkwardly hold the cloak closed because there's no way he's going to be able to tie the belt, but it's good enough for the moment.]


Aww...well! Chocolate is still pretty delicious, though! Where can I get some??
unphase: (I've said it all so maybe we're a bliss)

[personal profile] unphase 2022-08-05 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[Tinya's always been good at concealing her true thoughts and feelings. far too good. which was probably why her mother placed her in the role that she had before Tinya managed to escape.

and she blushes as he does the dance, hoping that it only shows as that of a young maiden in the face of a naked man. but she's a wife, a mother, she's anything but a maiden thanks to not only the Other world, but due to her own choices back in her own. and she'd never even try to help him with the cloak unless he himself asked for it. she supposes that's a good thing of the Other world, it taught her boundaries in the harshest way possible]


They do have really good chocolate cake donuts. [nothing like the ones she'd made the other him every Winter Solstice, but] To be frank, I haven't eaten in a while myself, so the chocolate cake donuts sound really good.

Follow me? [and she turns to leave the shore, looking back to make sure he knew to follow]
underbluesky: (pic#15841496)

[personal profile] underbluesky 2022-08-11 12:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahh, then what are we waiting for? Let's go!

[We will all magnanimously pretend there was no blushing nor anything to blush about. There was nothing to see and nothing seen and everything is totally fine.

He'll even whistle a cheerful tune on their way. Awkwardness begone, there are donuts to consume.]
unphase: (in the garden I did no crime)

(Cw: mania)

[personal profile] unphase 2022-08-11 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[and she gives him a warm, genuine smile. she keeps telling herself that this Vash isn't her big brother, but it's hard to catch those instincts] Onward! To donuts, for great justice!

[of course everything is fine, what would make him think otherwise? /insert a slightly manic grin here

and the tune she catches onto and hums along with him.

finally, they reach the tent. and the chocolate cake donuts. she takes two with a black coffee and a murmured 'thank you,' then waits for him to make his choices]
underbluesky: (pic#15841431)

whoops sorry for the delay, do you wanna wrap in a few and do something new soon?

[personal profile] underbluesky 2022-08-28 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
[Are we not all a little manic here to bury our actual thoughts and emotions. It's fine, everything is totally and completely fine.

Vash perhaps orders way too many donuts, honestly. At least six different kinds. He is not sorry. (Okay, maybe a little. But he'll be able to repay her eventually, he's sure)

He beams gratefully at her in place of a thumbs-up or something, since he has to manage both his cloak and the donuts now.]


Thanks!!
unphase: (in the springtime of his voodoo)

Sure, sure! Works for me!

[personal profile] unphase 2022-08-29 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[she's so used to Everything is Fine that it's becoming increasingly hard to let her real emotions show. but far better that than to make people worry.

and the sight of all of those donuts makes her smile. she figures it's worth a few extra trade goods to make him smile and feel something close to comfortable.

and she smiles back cheerfully. her load is much lighter]


Of course! Would you like me to help you carry some of that?