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

[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...

[trainspotter]

[Ned frowns at even more Jacob in his space, and at the empty shops... He can practically hear the buildings themselves sigh with disappointment, as he does.]

You've got an eye for flair, that's for sure. And there's certainly nothing wrong with being ambitious, you know what I think about that, but—one problem. [He gestures at the empty shops, and then at the sweaters they basically just stole, but no one cared?? So it wasn't stealing??] This backwater cave city hasn't caught on yet that money makes the world go 'round.

[queensberry]

Oh. [Jacob's little smile falters, but it doesn't deter him from looking out at those shops with that ambition. Maybe it was from his lack of experience in... anything business related, but he'll just have to have his own hope and make up for Ned's.]

But it does... have people. And people... need favors. I clean up a place for you, gather some things, then people have a place to come in for something. Starting from the bottom isn't so bad if it gets us anywhere.

[trainspotter]

[Aw, he's trying. Ned chuckles this time, although he's not so sure how far an economy of nothing but favors will carry him. Them. Apparently there's an "us" involved now.]

So I can count on you to ride my coattails down to the fake bank? [Hmm,] I could use an extra pair of hands around.

[queensberry]

You can count on me to pick up your coattails if they're dragging you down. [Is it necessary he wink? Absolutely not, but here he is, winking. He thinks he's so smooth.]

Partners? After your favors, of course.

[trainspotter]

Is that what this is for? [He plucks at the edge of Jacob's coat again. Is Jacob just going to be difficult until he agrees?? It's ridiculous, but Ned knows he's not much one for intimidating without his people behind him, so...]

In that case, how about we start you on "associate" until I get my favors? Think of it as a little motivator. I may even put your name on the door if you're exceptional as usual.

[The door to the office he doesn't currently have, and no he won't, but that's fine. Jacob is exceptional, see.]

[queensberry]

Perhaps. [Jacob reaches over button up the front of the coat, effectively sealing Ned in it until he's had enough. His grin gradually grows wider at his terms and... admission? He's exceptional. And he doesn't actually care if his name on the door, so long as he continues getting the praise he deserves.]

Call me motivated, Ned. You have yourself a deal.

[trainspotter]

[What the fresh hell is Jacob Frye doing to him?? Ned looks down at his hands while he does up the buttons, not sure if he should be amused or offended or something else entirely. What is this? Why is this?

He settles for brushing Jacob's hands away with a pensive hum, but he leaves the buttons as they are for now. He can still move his hands, he's fine. Dignified.]

My, if you aren't easy to please. Now, I believe you said something about finding somewhere to stay...?

[queensberry]

Maybe I just have low standards. [He does, and he's kinda insulting himself, but that's besides the point. Jacob still walks like he's on top of the world while he's in a city miles under, all because he's ran into his new associate.]

I can't think of a better place to plot domination than an ominous... thing. [Spire is the word he's looking for. Idiot. That is where Jacob is leading Ned off to, though, because he has excellent taste.]

[trainspotter]

Maybe. And call it business, it's polite. [Domination... Maybe a little domination, but people get antsy about that sometimes.

Anyway, look at those...] I know you're from the sticks, Frye, but isn't this getting too literal?

[queensberry]

I'd answer that if I knew what you were saying, Ned. Speak English. [Jacob furrowed his brows, like he always did when something was just too American for him.] I don't see anything else, unless you'd like to sleep among ugly sweaters.

[trainspotter]

[Ned just gives him the same look he gives him every time something is Too American for him. Get past it, Jacob.] You don't know what a stick is?

[That's it, that's all he's giving up. Talk to more Americans. He doesn't answer the sweater suggestion, instead just shaking his head and gesturing for Jacob to lead on. Yes, take them to the big twigs, great.]

[queensberry]

I know what a stick is, but I didn't live in them. Do you really think I'm some sort of caveman? [Jacob is dumb and blind; he doesn't see his point. He shakes his head, adjusting his hat and making his way to the spires with a record of only two glances back at Ned.

Honestly, he surprised and disappointed to find they weren't in a state of disrepair on the inside. He so wanted to see him have to do some work. But the stairs...] You gonna be able to handle all that exercise, Wynert?

[trainspotter]

[Christ, does he need to equip Jacob with a "How To Talk To Americans" leaflet or something? This is dumb. He scoffs, choosing not to answer that caveman question in favor of casting a critical gaze at literally everything about the spires. Why are they so big and pointy? Why are they fucking round on the inside? Is any of this real?

Jesus.] You gonna offer to carry me up, next? I'll pass.