dankmemes | Test Drive Meme #6

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Test Drive Meme #6

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 23rd, and apps are open March 1st.

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: BLOBBED
[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.

Watch out as you explore the streets of Hadriel, because you're not alone, and there's always something on the rooftops watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to separate you from your group and tear you into pieces. This time, the Door has brought in several Blobs, from the similarly titled 1988 movie, The Blob for you meet.

These gelatinous creatures have no weak spots or brains that can be sliced or crushed to kill them. Instead, their only goal is to absorb and dissolve its prey so that it can grow larger. Think that its, er, blob-like form makes it easy to avoid? Think again- it moves faster than one might expect, as shown in its canon 'kill' video here (with a healthy cw warning for gore and 80's movie effects).]

R A G E
SCENARIO TWO: WENDIGONE
[Hey, that snack you found? It might taste a little too familiar. At least you don't have time to worry about accidental cannibalism too much though, because you've now become host to a vengeful wendigo spirit! The transformation will be sped up for the purposes of this test drive, though you can post at whichever point in the change you desire. Want to tear people to shreds? Go for it. Want to try to clutch onto the last few pieces of your humanity? Be our guest!

On the flipside, as someone who is unaffected, you may be trying to arm yourself and take these wendigos head-on... or, you may be trying to figure out a way you can save them, which would involve somehow trapping them on Hope's altar. Think you can handle that?

This is a mini version of our Who What Where Wendigo event this month!]

H O P E

SCENARIO THREE: CARNATION DAY
[You know those moments in high school that everyone used to dread? Where everyone would spend a week or so with the opportunity to buy a carnation or two for someone they like, only for carnation day to come along and dash any hopes and dreams you had of getting a flower from that special someone?

Well, here's your chance to relive that day- but, you know, hopefully make it end a little happier.

In this prompt, some characters will emerge through the Door- or wake up, or just suddenly appear- with carnations clutched in their hands. These flowers can be any color of your choosing, and all have tags on them. They can be addressed to you or to someone else, and in that FROM category? Well, from your secret admirer, of course- or any other character who may or may not have sent it! Here's to hoping they're a good one!]

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Hope.

[As if finding herself somehow transported to this odd place weren't disorienting enough, the carnations added another level of confusion to the place. Glaring at them, though, she finds the note--"From a secret admirer"--but that only deepens the scowl, and she tosses her blonde hair over her shoulder, a gesture practiced enough to look spontaneous, habitual enough to both be graceful and further convey her annoyance.

She does speak out loud, though, and her voice is accented when she does--Polish, if anyone were to guess--but not hindering her speech at all.]

"A secret admirer?" Preposterous. [She hasn't really had time for those, and regardless, she doesn't want one. Far more trouble than they're worth.

But, really, the more important part is how, exactly, she'd been pulled from her coven and placed here. Her fist tightens around the flower stems, probably killing them unnecessarily, and she turns her glare around her at the surroundings, speaking again, but this time directing it at a more specific target.]

If this is a joke, Mister O'Sullivan... [She sighs. She can't have his head, the treaty forbids it. And he's the best chance of preventing Ragnarok, besides. He isn't here to hear her complain, either, so what good will that do?

She lets out another sigh, and glares at the flowers again, still not releasing them, and she isn't sure exactly why.]

Zorya Vechernyaya, chron mnie od zla.

Mou dame.

[Because fuck you, you're not the only person here who's educated enough to speak more than one language.

Emily is just going to assume you were bitching about this place and there weird shit that happens here.]

Get used to it. Those flowers are one of the nicer things to happen.

[She never said she was? But at least there's an actual person to talk to now, even if she isn't quite finished with the glaring.]

I don't know that I would call this "nicer." Is this meant to mollify me? [She doubts that, but it does, at least in her mind, put the ridiculousness in perspective.]

[Yeah no see, the fact that she spoke another language screamed showoff to Emily, and in Emily's book, showoffs need to be put in their place.]

It's probably supposed to make you feel "hope". [She makes those air quotes.] This place is succh a shitshow, honestly.

[Crossing her arms, she rolls her eyes.] So do you feel hopeful? [What a slap on the face to Hope, if she doesn't.]

[Or, it's her first language and somewhat easier for her to speak?]

Hope. [That isn't a question, but at least it gets her to drop the glare, and give the flowers a bit more of a thoughtful look. A few flowers were supposed to make her hopeful in the middle of this mess?

And yet, somehow, somewhere deep, she had to admit that she did. Not that she would ever mention that out loud.]

How is this supposed to inspire hope?

[Probably true, but hey. That's Emily for you.

Though honestly, that reaction to the whole hope deal makes Emily smile. It's more of a smirk than anything, and it's admittedly reluctant, but you're getting it. You're not some wide-eyed optimist. Shit like that will get a person killed here, or even back home.]

No fucking clue. There's this guy here who says he's a god [witness that massive eyeroll], and he gets power from our hope. His name is Hope. So creative, right? [eyeroll #2.] It's kind of pathetic that he thinks some flowers are going to make us feel hopeful.

[She doesn't even flinch at the mention of a god--she's seen her share of those, and another certainly isn't going to make much difference. The world is big enough for all of them, after all--that's the whole point. And the gods did take their power from their followers' belief.]

It does leave something to be desired. I'm sure there are other, better ways to bring hope to the people.

You'd think a god whose name is the thing he wants would be able to think up better ways to make people hope, but that's Hadriel for you.

[Sorry not sorry, Hope.]

Fear and Rage, though. They know what they're doing.

They often do. [Or, at least, it seems as though they do. Rage is, perhaps, more unpredictable, but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, either. It's a tool--a strategy--when used properly.

But she hadn't missed the name--one she hasn't heard before.]

"Hadriel?"

[Rage is definitely creative. The wendigo thing was fucked up, but it sure made people angry.]

Yeah, that's what this shithole is called. One big fucking cave with no way out. [Emily gestures vaguely with her hand, indicating the cave. She would say she's sorry you're here, but she doesn't actually care one way or the other. If Emily is stuck here, why shouldn't others be? Granted, she's hoping for someone specific, but... well, there are reasons Hope is so weak, in Emily's opinion.]

I'm a big fan of Rage, if you couldn't tell. [She's not smiling as she says that. Is there a god named Sarcasm? That one would be her favorite.]

[She raises an eyebrow at the more colorful vocabulary, but she can certainly understand the need for it--particularly in circumstances like these.

Some things, though, deserved a response and others, more questions. As long as the information is being offered for free, she'll gladly take advantage of it.]

No, I hadn't noticed. [Two can play the sarcasm game.] If there's no way out then how did anyone make it in?

[For someone so classy, Emily really does swear a lot. She's not sorry, though. Just college kid things.]

Magic.

[She's serious.]

Fear did it, if Hope is to be believed.

[Again, she doesn't so much as flinch, instead narrowing her eyes, and folding her arms over her chest, sizing up the girl in front of her. How much to reveal about herself...]

Spells can always be broken.

[Emily's instinct to snap back with something is dulled when the words click in her mind. Not for long -- she's definitely a glass half empty person -- but just enough to give her pause.]

If you have any ideas for how to get us all out of here, go ahead and try them. Nobody else has been able to figure out what to do.

[Not that home wil be any better than here, but if it means she'll get to look for Matt, then she'll take another few hours on a monster-infested mountain.]

Unfortunately, it seems I've been hobbled. [12 more witches would have been immensely helpful--12 very specific ones, if she had any say in the matter. It isn't as though she's powerless, just... Even the thought of performing the ritual required to even try by herself is exhausting.]

No doubt that was rather on purpose.

You think? [Emily arches an eyebrow at the newcomer. Part of her wants to insult her. The other part of her realizes it's in her best interest to stay in her good graces. If she's talking magic and spells so casually, then she must be able to use both of them.

After a month in this hellhole, nothing would surprise her.]

You can bargain with the gods, though. Like, trade some of their emotion for a favor.

[Is that going to make this woman hopeful? Because Emily needs to be doing that to get some skin care products from Hope.]

Everything has its price. [She knows that rather well, actually. Honestly, it's surprising that she's managed to get this much information from the girl without being asked for a quid pro quo. The naivete is almost refreshing. And while she isn't willing to give something away for nothing, she's more than happy to give nothing for something.]

What sort of favors?

[That it does, though for Emily, 'price' is usually denoted in currency.

She wouldn't normally be so generous with a stranger, but it's... it's been a weird month. It's been a weird year, really, but the last month takes the cake.]

Anything, as far as I can tell. I'm trying to get skin products. This cave is not treating my face well.

[Not that it shows. The discoloration she'd been freaked out by had been due to, well, other things. If she doesn't get some cream or something, she'll be fine, but she's going to try anyway.]

Somehow, I doubt it's "anything." [There has to be some catch. And it has to be more than just what they were willing to accept as payment.

But, skin products? Really?]

I'm sure there are more pressing things to worry about.

Look, I don't know what other people have asked for, but they'll at least listen to us. Or pretend to, whatever.

[Yes, skin products.]

I take skin care very seriously.

[She won't tell you about the clothes, restaurants, and spa she also asked for and was denied.]

These phones they gave us have their number or whatever, so you can just contact them. [She shrugs. Hope's kind of a dick about how busy he is, but he does answer his messages.]

So like any other god, then. [Or most of them. Some were a little more...invested than others.

She does have to raise yet another eyebrow at the remarks on skincare. If only the girl knew that Malina's routine was far, far better than anything she could do.]

Yes, I can see that you do.

[At the first comment, Emily shrugs. She's not really familiar with gods. They're not a thing in her world the way they are here. Then again, she'd thought that about mythological creatures and yet wendigos are real. Too real.]

I'll take that as a compliment.

[Though she would love to know Malina's secrets if she had even an inkling of them.]

Anyway, they're not granting everyone's wishes to go home, so I wouldn't waste my time trying that. [Fucking pricks.]

It wasn't. [Not one to beat around the bush, this.

So how exactly does one stay looking young at 160? Be a witch! Join a coven today!

She sighs though, at the second statement. If that druid were here doubtless he would say something along the lines of things that aren't worked for aren't truly valued and she would have to disagree on principal. She is quite happy to let others do the work for her and get something for their trouble.]

And I'm supposed to be surprised by that? Kidnappings seldom end in the victims negotiating their own release.

[At that, Emily gives her the falsest of smiles. It's not often that she meets someone who can dish it out as well as Emily herself can, so this is nice, in its own way. It's entertaining, if nothing else.

And you know, that witch thing sounds pretty tempting. It'd definitely help Emily smash through that glass ceiling once and for all.]

No. Just wanted to dash any hopes you might've had of that. Can you believe there are actually idiots here who try and do what these gods tell them to do? Because that will make them send us back. [If they need emotions to feed off, there's no way they're sending all these people back. It's goddamn common sense, but so many people lack that.]

I suppose it depends what gods they are. [She'd certainly do a lot if the Zoryas asked. But that wasn't exactly something she was willing to share. Still, it seems she's in the realms of other gods, and that means learning the rules to play by until she could work out what she can do.]

Gods only exist because we believe in them. [Simplistic, but ultimately true.] It follows that there must be someone who listens.

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Test Drive Meme #6

Malina Sokolowski | Iron Druid Chronicles

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belatedly realizes i did not catch the accent thing, omg great job me

lol no worries! :)

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