Test Drive Meme # 2

[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 October 25th, and apps are open November 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!

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 LAUGHTER OF A CHILD
[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 some little friends for you to play with.

Grey Children are enemies in the video game Silent Hill. They usually move in pairs or groups of three, clinging to your legs and pulling you down so that they can laugh as they stab you to death. They're not particularly sturdy, but since they hunt in packs, they can kill you just the same. Let's hope your group is bigger - or that you can get away before they get ahold of you. But don't be too mean. They're just children, after all.]


SCENARIO TWO: FEAR ITSELF
[You turn a corner, and there it is. The one thing that terrifies you more than anything, that turns you into a frightened child, that makes you want to run or scream or fight wildly. It could be anything. That person you trusted, who betrayed you. A monster that haunts your dreams. Spiders, maybe? Whatever it is, it's exactly what you fear the most.

And then there are footsteps next to you, and someone else is there. Maybe they can help you. Maybe they can save you. But everyone's afraid of something, and the moment your savior gets close, their fear will manifest as well - and if you're really unlucky, combine with yours to make something even worse.

It's not real. It can't hurt you. Not unless you let it. But if you let it, it will destroy you.

This is a simpler version of October's Fear Event.]


H O P E

SCENARIO THREE: THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE
[A moment ago, you were making dinner. Not alone, but with someone you care about nearby - your beautiful spouse, or your amazing child, or your beloved sibling. Then, in an instant, you look at them and you know: this isn't real.

This perfect house, this perfect family, it's not yours. You can remember your real life now, and that person you care for? You might not even know them. A moment ago they were your world, and now you know this isn't actually your life. Your life is something else, somewhere else.

Above the fireplace sits a painting of you and your happy family. You know that if you destroy it, you'll return to your life. But do you really want to, when you've never felt this contentment, this happiness before? You could have it all, if you wanted. And what about your companion? This is a decision you should make together - if you want to.]

Comments

[hornrims]

[He remembers Ronan, and the kid's face is not one that Richie had expected to see. Ronan's appearance feels instantly genuine due to being so out of place. The house was trying to trick him, and it was using familiarity to lure Richie into its snares. This isn't a face that belongs in a Gecko family setting, and therefore the only thing other than himself that Richie can be certain is real.

Fist tightens around the lighter and Richie takes a step back away from the fireplace before facing Ronan.]

I'm going to burn it all down.

[His voice is firm, more present than Richie's sometimes distant manner of speaking.]

You sure you wanna be here?

[It's asked knowing Ronan likely didn't have a choice.]

[greywaren]

[The answer doesn't surprise him. He can see the way that Richie looks at the others here- even if he hadn't seen the man's face tighten and wither into itself for a moment, he'd know that something wasn't right. And this- whatever he finds in Richie's expression is merely a confirmation of that.

So Ronan shrugs, stepping more into the center of the room, further away from Richie and his fire- just so he has time to try to get out before the whole place goes up in smoke.]

I don't have anywhere else to be.

[A pause.]

...do you plan on going down with it?

[hornrims]

[It's a good question, and one that Richie hadn't considered in his impulse. But he knows the answer.]

I will if I have to, but I know that's not my fate. We're not victims.

[He spits out the the last word, as if it insulted him by existing within the English language. Richie won't be like Ray, especially not in death.

An idea then occurs to him, and Richie reaches up to pull the mantel runner from above the fireplace. He extends his arm, handing the runner to Ronan in a fist with a raise of the eyebrows that indicates anticipation at what is to come. If the young man accepts, Richie trusts him to hurl it like a grenade after being lit.]

Wanna help?

[greywaren]

[Ronan nods, darkly pleased at Richie's vitriol. He understands the sentiment and to hear it spat out like that makes his respect for the other man inch upwards. Still, he's initially a little confused as Richie offers him the runner, but after a moment, the implication clicks, and his answering smile is knifelike.]

Hell yes.

[Fire and Ronan don't always get along very well, of course, but he's a rebellious teenage boy, and there's just about nothing that rebellious teenage boys enjoy more than burning things. So, Ronan takes the cloth and lifts it, prepared to help Richie with whatever he needs, so long as what he needs involves further destruction.]

[hornrims]

[Just because Richie doesn't smile doesn't mean that he's not pleased with the turn of events. Business first, anything pleasant could wait.

The first thing to go is the painting. Richie ignites the torch and touches it to the canvas. As the painting caves in on itself, the images of his parents in the room appear to short circuit, snapping in and out of focus. The mother disappears first, leaving the father whose bones protrude through skin when not covered by a suit. This time he doesn't scream in death. Instead Ray Gecko looks to the woman who wasn't there, ignoring Richie's presence completely.

"You're right. He was a bad seed."

At that Richie yanks the burning painting from its wall hook and hurls it at the image of his father. The house doesn't give him the satisfaction of watching Ray die as he too vanishes. The painting falls to the floor, flames licking to the wooden frame and onto the carpet.

It was time now. He turns to Ronan, making eye contact through his glasses.]

Do what you need to do to make sure this place lights up. Then get out.

[There was much more that Ronan could set on fire if he took the right initiative. Richie then sets the runner ablaze before getting out of the way, heading toward a pair of dingy curtains.]