test drive meme #17

[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 February 22nd, and apps are open March 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: SHOOTING HOOPS
[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 you are, calmly exploring this super cool cave city, when all of a sudden you see something roll toward you. What could that possibly be? Why, it seems the Door has brought in some hoop snakes, which are definitely real.

Hoop snakes are poisonous and aggressive reptiles, able to pursue fleeing prey by grasping their tail in their jaws and rolling after them like a wheel. Wow, so efficient! Hard to get away from, though, and kind of... terrifying? If you want to get away, you better be a fast runner. Or maybe you should climb something. Good luck!]

S O R R O W

SCENARIO TWO: YOU GOT THE BLUES
[You woke up this morning on the wrong side of the bed. Not the angry side - the sad side. Somehow, everything just seems to be going wrong, and you don't know why. You were out of milk for your cereal, the fruit you picked just yesterday is already going bad, and instead of getting frustrated all you want to do is feel sorry for yourself.

Even the good things aren't going too well. Maybe your friend just told you your hair looks nice today - doesn't that mean it looks bad the rest of the time? Probably. They've just been too nice to tell you. And your crush smiled at you - that probably means they know about your feelings and are getting ready to let you down easy. That's the only explanation.

No matter what happens, your mind is giving you the worst, most depressing interpretation. You can try to fight it and be aggressively upbeat - or maybe you just want to cry on somebody's shoulder. Yeah. That sounds good right about now.]

D E L I G H T

SCENARIO THREE: PUCKER UP
[For once, Hadriel looks rather lovely, all covered in snow and seasonal! Sure, it's not quite the right season anymore, but who really knows what month it is? Not the residents, and certainly not the gods. But for whatever reason, Delight has decided there should be snow on the ground and ugly sweaters in the shops.

And, of course, mistletoe. On your wanderings around the city, you may find yourself under the mistletoe with a friend or a stranger or even an enemy. Regardless of who they are and how you really feel about them, the mistletoe will give you a gentle compulsion to plant a kiss right on those appealing lips of theirs. You can resist if you want - it won't force you - but don't you kind of want to go for it?

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

Comments

[queensberry]

[Ned's sweater is nothing compared to what Jacob's dug up through the old shops. Absolutely nothing. He's kept his back turned to him for the entirety of his search for the perfect sweater.

He did find one that properly fit him, but it's set aside for the ugliest thing he can find. He sets his coat aside to pull on the worse possible piece of clothing he could find and turn towards Ned.] I am the most gorgeous man in all the underground, Wynert.

[trainspotter]

[Ned doesn't need to browse more horrible sweaters, so he spends most of Jacob's "shopping" time just loitering, occasionally lifting a nearby sleeve to raise a judgmental eyebrow at any given sweater. These are terrible. His train sweater is the only sweater worth wearing.

He looks up and over at Jacob when he hears him speak, and the speed at which his expression goes from idle curiosity to abject disgust probably breaks a few records and the sound barrier. That's disgusting.]

No.

[That's it. Just no. Burn it.]

[queensberry]

What?! [Jacob's fighting a laugh, like this is something to seriously defend. He outstretches his arms as far as they can go, because clearly this is not meant for a man his size. It's a miracle he's got it on.] Tell me I don't look dashing!

[Don't tell him, that, he knows,] It's not like you've found any better. I think this is the one.

[trainspotter]

[Good lord, sweaters were not meant to stretch this way.]

You keep that sweater and I guarantee you will never see me again until someone sets it on fire. Spare my eyes, Frye.

[queensberry]

And here I thought it'd be right up your alley, Wynert. [Jacob drops his hands in defeat, wrestling it off his shoulders. He's going to dump it on the floor where it belongs and press a v-neck to his chest in its place.]

I suppose you don't want to suffer seeing my chest, either. [Ignore the gingerbread man on it, it's fine.]

[trainspotter]

[Gingerbread man v-neck is not horrible nutcrackers, so. It's progress.

Almost. Ned holds up his hands and sighs.] If it's the lesser of two evils—which I'm not sure about, looking at this thing now- [Here, he reaches forward to flick at the sleeve of this gingerbread monstrosity.]

Well, put something on.

[queensberry]

You just don't like them because they have an acceptable amount of trains. Which is none. [Jacob tilts his head in a pout, but he knows the sweater against him is just as ridiculous. He makes some effort to fold this one back where it came from.

But it isn't all terrible. After discarding a child's sized, a cat-covered, and a keyhole sweater, he pulls a heart-patterned lesser evil. Even better, one his size as he pulls it overhead. Nice and cozy.] This truly speaks notorious assassin.

[trainspotter]

Maybe for once in your life you'll be subtle. [Subtle, in that thing. That's the implication, that even this cute heart sweater is subtler than Jacob on a usual day, shouting about being an assassin. Ned is usually right, so. Keep it.

He looks down at Jacob's discarded reject pile like he'd rather repress this memory, then scoffs.] I don't know about you, but I'd be happy to never see any of those again. You don't look half bad in this one.

[very....soft]

[queensberry]

My life will never be as enriched as it is now. [Jacob cast a mournful look at his reject pile, but it's short-lived. Ned doesn't think he looks half bad, and that's probably one of the highest praises he can get.]

I might like being subtle, then. [He hums, rolling the sleeves up to the elbows. The point was not to be cold...] As long as you're satisfied.

[trainspotter]

[jokes about how Jacob is hot go here]

Now you're trying to butter me up? Frye, you've done enough. Really. [Look at this, an actual genuine reply. He values you, you scrub.]

[queensberry]

Really? [Jacob raises his brows, but his smile is on the softer side. Ned cares... in his own way.] I'm touched, Wynert. Keep that up and you'll start making me feel things. An assassin. Feelings.

[trainspotter]

[Shut up, don't call him out. He manages a smirk, but he still shrugs and looks away at some other stupid sweaters like they're super interesting. Stop...]

Well, I wouldn't want the notorious Frye twins to lose half of their reputation. I'll keep it to myself, next time.

[queensberry]

Ah, ah. Evie's not here. I'll only be ruining my own reputation. [He puffs out his chest like this is something to be proud of. Notorious loser, Jacob Frye.

But... hm. He should say something, he guesses.] I'm glad you're here, Ned. Out of all people. I think I'd bore to death otherwise.

[trainspotter]

[Wow, what a dork... Ned rolls his eyes mostly in good humor, fiddling with an ugly sweater sleeve still anyway rather than look right at Jacob.]

You don't say. I'm glad one of us is entertained by wasting time down here. [It's been No Time, and he wants to go back to London. His beautiful city...!!] Keep that sweater; it's the most interesting thing that's happened so far.

[queensberry]

[Jacob gasps as if Ned, once again, has said something scandalous. He'll even go so far to lean down into his space with a look of disbelief. Pay attention to him, Ned, he'll die.]

If I'm the most interesting thing that's happened to you, call me concerned. You'd usually rather be miles away with your fascinating paperwork.

[trainspotter]

[That is his space, Jacob!! Since he's invading Ned's space, Ned has every right to reach up and flick the brim of his hat up. Is this the attention he wanted??]

And you've already been ever so helpful in pointing out that I've got nothing waiting here for me to do paperwork on. So if we're done wasting time on the regrettable and obvious, Frye... [entertain him, interesting boy.]

[queensberry]

[It isn't the attention he wanted, but it's the attention he deserves. Jacob pouts, folding his arms and letting his hat sit slightly lopsided. Pathetic.]

How about we find a place to stay suitable for Ned Wynert? Maybe we'll even find a desk you can yell at me from.

[trainspotter]

[That's a good look for him. Ned seems pleased with the results, at least, smirking at him before turning to move away from the sweater disaster area and back out to the snowy street.]

So what about you? Gonna find a box to crawl under? There aren't any beautiful trains to steal down here.

[queensberry]

I already have the homeless look. [Jacob goes to throw his coat back over his shoulders, but after a moment of contemplation, throws it over his arm and follows after Ned.

He's probably just waiting to shove it on the tiny man. Hm.] Maybe I'll live among the snakes. Speaking of which, you need a roommate?

[trainspotter]

[He's wearing a whole suit, don't throw dirty assassin coats on him without warning. He'll be very cross.

Which might be funnier, at least for Jacob, than the look Ned gives him at the suggestion of roommates. Roommates... there's something that's always been a bad idea. Give up his privacy? Unthinkable.]

After a line like that? You could park your box outside my door, but I'm afraid that's the best I can do. I'll leave cheap beer out for you at night and everything. [Remember this wiseassery in X months when he changes his mind,]

[queensberry]

Cheap beer? After everything I've done for you? I'm hurt, Wynert. [Throwing his coat over him was almost a punishment now. Jacob knows it'll annoy Ned, even if it's a nice gesture in some's eyes. He abandons previous hesitation to open it and drape it over his shoulders.]

I'll move my box elsewhere.

[trainspotter]

To be fair, you just called me a snake. [Is he denying it? No, but nobody likes to hear they're a snake without hearing what an impressive and fearsome snake they are right after. Jacob needs to work on his "you do good crime" compliments.

Still, Ned's walk kind of stutters to a halt when Jacob puts his coat over him. He put on this train sweater over most of his usual layers, that is enough, this is unnecessary. But all he does is raise an eyebrow and pinch at the edge of the coat, lifting it to inspect it like it's going to leave stains on his sweater. It might. It's an assassin's coat.]

I'm not your coat rack, Frye.

[queensberry]

Snakes don't do well in the cold, Wynert. [Jacob doesn't actually know if that's true or not. What he does know is his coat arrived perfectly clean, likely to both their surprise. Save a few tears from knives or bullets, it's in good condition.

Probably because he only got it just recently. Hm... It's been a few seconds since he's tried praising Ned, so.] Can't take over this place if you're sick, now can we?

[trainspotter]

[Okay... but does he have to wear it? It's so... stupid-large. How very much like Jacob.

Ned hums, not exactly pleased, but passably intrigued by this suggestion.]

A cave, Frye? Not exactly the glamor of London. Let's call it practice, shall we?

[queensberry]

It's a city in a cave. And having two under your thumb is better than one, right? Look at it!

[As if Jacob weren't already invading Ned's space, he clamps a hand down on Ned's shoulder as he gestures down the street. Shops... empty shops, but,] Think of them, restored and running under your name. We can get you another pub, another office...