Test Drive Meme #22

[hadrielmods]

Welcome to Hadriel's test drive, and thank you again for your interest in the game! As always, our reserves page is here, and our applications page is here! Reserves open July 25th, and apps are open August 1st. Please remember that there is an app cap of 20 apps.

Two quick points here as well:

1. Any thread made in Hadriel's test drive will be accepted as the sole Action Log sample in the application.
2. All threads made in the test drive can be considered game canon, either through handwaving or through a shared mental experience while coming through the Door!

Test drives will be broken up into specific god mini-events, during which your characters can see how well they fare under the watchful eye of one of the gods. Choose wisely or just simply pick 'em all, and have fun!

F E A R

SCENARIO ONE: THE WRONG KIND OF SCARY
[The Door brings in all that is chaotic and evil in the world. This may include you, may include the person next to you... and may include the monster behind you.

There's an odd shuffling to your right and to your left. Do you know what that is? Maybe not, but at least nobody else does either. You might peek at an eye stalk or a stinger, you might catch a glimpse of something that can maybe pass for fingers... or maybe it just has a mouth on its butt because its creator was feeling particularly sadistic that day. That's right, you're looking at the creatures from Spore, EA's infamous alien creation game with the most awkward alien creator imaginable.

These particular Spore creatures are the carnivorous kind, the kind who seek out and eat other creatures so that they can instantly procreate to pass on their victim's genetic code and make their species even more wild. You might not want to stick around and watch the mating process. I promise it's just as weird as you think.]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y / C O N F U S I O N

SCENARIO TWO: STEPFORD SUNDAY
[You wake up one lovely weekend morning to the sounds of birds chirping outside and sun streaming through your window. What a wonderful day to be perfectly normal and happy in the suburbs! Your family is all around you, like a Norman Rockwell painting, happy to go about their average day in their average life in their average city.

So what if your sister is an archdemon? Or your father is somehow a dragon? It's just the way that things have always been... isn't it?

The perceptive of you may begin to see cracks in the veneer, may begin to wonder why everything seems to be so perfect... and as the truth begins to unfold, it paints a much darker picture than the one you're seeing. Are you sure you don't want to stay, just a little while longer?

This is a mini version of our Stepford Summer event this month!]

R A G E / D E L I G H T

SCENARIO THREE: CAKE WARS
[There are plenty of ways in this world to rouse your competitive spirit. Many of them involve athletics- few involve such beautiful edible artistry as this.

That's right, you're in a cake baking competition, and no matter how competitive you normally are, thanks to Rage's influence, you want to win. Competitors can be in teams of two or alone, and they have until morning to bake their cakes to the fullest and bring it to Delight's temple for judging.

So what kind of cake baker are you? Do you revel in your artistry? Do you measure everything and carefully prepare each icing tip? Or do you know that you suck at cooking and decide to use the opportunity to sabotage your opponent's cake instead? Nothing is off limits, and all's fair in cake and war, after all!]

Comments

don't look at me

[evocation]

[Kyna's attention is absolutely locked onto Michael's dog, not him, so she almost doesn't hear what he says to her, and then when it registers it doesn't make any sense.]

Uh... I don't know. Like a week ago? Why?

[Excuse her, Michael. She's just going to lean down to pet his dog, rubbing behind its ears.]

[aroundthecoroner]

[Oh, good. At least having a dog helps make him seem not as odd.]

Um... no reason. Just couldn't remember. [Michael shrugs awkwardly. The dog snuffles at Kyna, seems to deem her worthy, and allows itself to be petted.]

Say, uh... Who do you get to do your landscaping? I'm in the market.

[evocation]

You are the cutest boy ever.

[It comes out in a sugary sweet voice that maybe might be mistakenly assumed to be directed at Michael, but is absolutely for his dog, who she kisses on the nose before glancing up.]

Uh, I don't know. My brother takes care of all that crap. I don't care how our grass looks.

[aroundthecoroner]

[He's taken aback for a second until he realizes that the first part is for the dog. Oh thank god. The second part's for him. Wow Kyna, that's very helpful. Michael has to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

Maybe he should just cut to the chase. This whole beating around the bush thing isn't getting him any closer to figuring out if he's losing his mind.]

Do you think it's weird? How everyone's yard looks the same?

[evocation]

Uh...

[She pauses, glancing around at the yards surrounding them. They do look pretty much identical, but that's not super strange, right?]

We're in the suburbs. Everyone's allergic to dandelions and pays out the ass for it. I mean... I don't know. I guess it's pretty weird.

[aroundthecoroner]

[Okay, now they're getting somewhere. Maybe???]

Okay, but, I don't think I do. I don't pay for lawn service. So why is my yard as good-looking as everyone else's?

[God he sounds insane. Please don't notice.]

[evocation]

[Kyna finally stands up, crossing her arms as she studies him. He doesn't look like a crazy person.]

Maybe your grass is super awesome. Maybe your cute as hell dog is eating all the weeds?

[aroundthecoroner]

Dogs don't eat grass.

[That's clearly the only thing wrong with her argument. Also, she's obviously never met a crazy person. And- Wait. What dog?]

I don't- [He looks down at the dog. He doesn't have a dog, does he? He feels like he should have something, but dog isn't it.]

[evocation]

Dogs eat grass and puke all the time.

[She's squinting at him now, looking mildly concerned.]

You don't what?

[aroundthecoroner]

Wait, really? [He looks up. That's gross. Do dogs really- He should know this. He has a dog.]

I don't... I don't know anything about dogs. [Smooth cover.]

[evocation]

Are you like... dogsitting?

[A better cover, because what the fuck?]

[aroundthecoroner]

[He looks down. The dog looks up at him, unimpressed.]

I don't think so?

[evocation]

[Oh. Okay.]

Um... Do you know what your name is?

[Is he having a stroke? Is this what strokes look like?]

[aroundthecoroner]

It's- [Wait. She was making fun of him probably. Don't answer that.]

Yeah, I know what my name is. Look, I'm not crazy. I just don't remember owning a dog. [Yeah, what's crazy about that?]

[evocation]

[Kyna holds up her hands placatingly, eyebrows raised.]

Hey, I'm just trying to make sure you're not having a seizure or some shit. Do you know the dog's name?

[aroundthecoroner]

[Michael scoffs.]

This isn't what a seizure looks like at all. [Back to the dog.] It... doesn't have one, I don't think. [That sounds right.]

[evocation]

You don't think? What does the collar say? Where did you even get it?

[aroundthecoroner]

[Michael stoops down to check, but the tag just has his address on it.]

It doesn't have a name on it. And... good question. [He scrutinizes the animal. Reveal your secrets, mystery dog!!!]

[evocation]

Okay, I'm not trying to be an asshole, but are you messing with me? Is this like, some weird flirting attempt?

[aroundthecoroner]

[Michael goes from concentration to mortification in .03 seconds. He stands up suddenly.]

What? No. I'm not doing that. Why would I do that?

[evocation]

[Kyna rolls her eyes and scoffs. She's kind of offended.]

Yeah, why would you?

[aroundthecoroner]

[Wait what? Why is she offended that he didn't creep on her?]

... Because I'm not trying to be weird? Sorry did I do something wrong here?

[evocation]

You were like... implying something there. God, this is a weird conversation.

[aroundthecoroner]

What was I "implying"?

[Whatever!!!]

God, this whole day is weird. First the grass, then the dog. Now this I guess?

[evocation]

Okay, whatever. Look, is there anything else you don't know? Do you know where you are?