TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[inthenightmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME #1

Hello and welcome to the In the Night test drive meme for June! Thanks for your interest in our game! Reserves open on June 20, and applications open on June 22.

While you're here...

• Take a look at our rules and faq pages to familiarize yourself with the game.
  
• Note that we have a reserve/application cap of 20 apps per month (this has been waived for the first month!).
  
• TDM threads can become game canon if both players wish. If the situation isn't something that could happen in-game, you're free to chalk it up to some strange hallucination, a shared dream, or other mysterious circumstance.
  
• Note that this is not limited to new characters threading with characters already in-game. If current players wish to thread out the TDM prompts as canon events, they are welcome to do so.
  
• Though threads can become canon, they cannot count toward AC.
  
• If you plan to apply, please keep in mind that we do require at least one sample thread on the application to be from our TDM (though it doesn't need to be the current TDM).
  
• You're welcome to use the provided prompts or come up with something on your own, but we do ask that all threads take place in our game's setting.

Thank you again, and we hope you'll choose to join us!

log prompts

YOU'RE DEAD, JIM

You haven't been in Beacon long when you find yourself in Bonfire Square, staring into the flames and thinking about how you ended up here. Maybe it was an accident, a sudden freak thing that you never saw coming until you woke up on the ferry, or maybe it's a miracle you made it as long as you did. Maybe death was a relief. Maybe it was just your time. Whatever the case, you can't help but reflect on your final moments as you linger in the firelight.

But however you died, it's behind you now, and you're here, stuck in this little town with just a few buildings and a smattering of other people. You're going to be here a while, so you may as well get to know your neighbors, but... Would it be cathartic to commiserate about your deaths? Or is your time better spent stocking up at the general store? Then again, you've got plenty of time, so why not catch a drink or two (or three) at the Invincible? Pretend you're unaffected by your death, and, well. Fake it 'til you make it, perhaps.

Point is, you have options. You're dead, you died, and this is your "life" now. Better get used to it.

AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES

Currently, there's only one place to live (technically speaking) in Beacon: the Invincible, a tavern and inn located in Bonfire Square. Luckily, the place has working amenities (minus light), and the forest spirits don't charge anything for your stay. Unfortunately, it seems there may not be enough rooms for everyone. Guess you'll have to get cozy!

Maybe you'll try to pick a roommate from around town or in the bar downstairs, or maybe you'll just walk into the first room you see and choose that way. Want a room all to yourself? Get ready to fend off any potential intruders. And the fun doesn't end there.

The Invincible's rooms aren't all created equal. Some may have had their furniture stolen or become a dumping ground for unwanted pieces, resulting in a single bed, five dressers, and other equally distressing situations. Will someone sleep on the floor? Will you nail two beds together to form bunk beds? Maybe you just want to make this room into something more like home— potentially to your roommate's chagrin. Whatever you decide, this is where you're staying for now, so you might as well get comfortable.

network prompts

HACKER VOICE: I'M IN

In order to use the network, you have to register a username. Er, at least, that's how it's supposed to work. For some reason, new users have recently been able to bypass that requirement, allowing them to post anonymously. Time to troll strangers on the magical internet!

Eventually though, you'll need a username in order to use the tablet's other functions, like the direct messaging system. So hey, why not take advantage of the ability to source opinions, and workshop your potential usernames on the network? Share ideas, get feedback, steal ideas, critique others, and figure out what you want everyone to call you.

TURN ON YOUR LOCATION

When you wake up, you're in the woods. An iron shackle complete with a chain leashes you to a tree, and the only light you have is your lantern. You've never seen this area of the woods before. You certainly didn't go to sleep here.

Hm.

But, all is not lost. You find your phone in your pocket, as well as a scrap of paper covered back to front in cryptic scribbles. Are these clues to your location? They must be. You also spot a key dangling from a branch, though it's hanging from a tree you'll never be able to reach from here. Perhaps someone on the network will be able to lend you a hand...

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Comments

[paletteswap]

He's not really sure where this conversation took a turn but it's uncomfortable on both sides. Are they even talking about the same thing anymore? He's used to conversing about fighting and this is probably the closest to a normal conversation he's had in a while which says something terrible about how often he talks to people.

"Is there a China in your world?" He's not sure how to answer that, describing an entire country in a few sentences is beyond him. Maybe start with something smaller. "I live in Arctika far to the north. It's a mountain upon which sits the Lin Kuei temple. If you are asking about the more populated areas like Beijing or Shanghai it's been years since I've been to either."

[primordialerebus]

“Uh duh?” She said, raising an eyebrow in disbelief at that question. Why else would she be asking about it? Come on Grandmaster, get with the program! Let’s get out of the minefield together!

“Wait… Arctika in China? Or in like. Greenland.” She thinks that’s where the north pole is. “Cause China definitely doesn’t go as far north as Russia and even Mongolia where I’m from… I don’t know though… I’ve never been.” She frowns slightly, trying to remember the map of the world. Geography was never her strongest subject (because it was boring as hell).

[paletteswap]

"In China. Greenland is several thousand miles away. It's east and north of Mongolia." He pauses, trying to think about how to explain this. He knows where it is on a map and knows all the locations around him, however in Mandarin, well Northeast Mandarin technically, which may or may not be helpful here.

"I think it would be Manchuria to the rest of the world? I'm unsure if that's correct though. Heilongjiang."

[primordialerebus]

She just stares at him blankly for a moment. Why did she ask like she’d know where anything was? The most she knew about Chinese geography was that her family apparently came from the Szechuan region and that it was in the south. That’s it and all. Her mom wasn’t exactly close with the extended family, due to… circumstances. She’d never even been to China. But hey, this topic’s better than the last one!

“Uh… any major cities? Sorry, I only know the Szechuan province cause apparently that’s where my family’s from?” She said sheepishly.

[paletteswap]

"Apparently?" he asks curiously, trying to steer the conversation away from geography because he's not very good at that. The Szechuan province is another area he doesn't know very well. It's not like he travels extensively, and the only time he'd been all over the place he'd been possessed and doesn't remember any of it.

"You do not know where you're from?"

[primordialerebus]

“I mean… I’ve never actually. Been to China? I just know my grandparents on my mom’s side are from there. So really, I’m from the great city of NYC.” She said with a slight shrug. It wasn’t exactly something that bothered her. After all, you couldn’t miss what you never had. Still, she was kind of curious of her supposed family on the other side of the world… that and her mom clearly missed it. So it more bothered her that it bothered her mom. God, let’s not open that can of mental worms.

[paletteswap]

"I see." He's not entirely sure why he's asking anyway, he doesn't know anything about his ancestors either. Jade seems to think all cryomancers come from Outworld, but if that's true it had happened centuries ago. He certainly was more linked to Earth than to Outworld, just as she was tied to America more than China.

"Our worlds may not be the same in any case. There are many here from worlds I've not heard of."

[primordialerebus]

If Coraline could hear this internal monologue, she would be a mixture of surprised and confused. He didn’t know about his ancestors? He seems so traditional though (god stereotype much Coraline)! Outworld? Someone named Jade? Man, her world was so much simpler (just ignore the 50 different versions of hell or whatever).

“That’s true.” She says, nodding sagely. “Like Insomnia, what kind of name is that?” This had been bothering her for the past… however long she’s been here.

[paletteswap]

"Someone is from a place called Insomnia?" Well that's strange, but he can't say anything since there's a Netherrealm where he comes from and that sounds equally as odd.

"It's strange there's so many from different worlds, yet some from the same. I wonder what the commonality is?" He shakes his head, he's just speculating, there's no way he'll find out unless he talks to every person or those that have been here before tell them. "Have you talked to many here yet?"

[primordialerebus]

“… Maybe some gods find this hilarious?” She shrugs. It was partially a joke, considering the shit she’s seem demigods and half-demons get up to in her world. From what she’s seen, they really weren’t as above it all as they liked to think. Hell, look at Leon. Above it my ass. She’s seen them pull Some (Hilarious) Shit.

“And uh…” She mentally tallies up the amount of people she’s actually had a conversation with.

“Just 5. Some through text. There’s a giant robot named Daylight! He helped me find these shades!”

[paletteswap]

"A giant.. robot." Well that sure is a thing. Why did robots need to be any larger than a human? That seemed unnecessary.

"That's kind of him, I suppose." Generally robots in his world weren't so friendly. "I'm sure you've noticed the obvious, but there doesn't appear to be any sun."

[primordialerebus]

She nods excitedly, obviously still a bit high her interaction with such a being. One so cute and sweet too.

“Yeah! He’s super nice and kinda reminds me of a like, puppy?” As she says this, she looks around surreptitiously.

“Don’t tell him I said that.” She says, her voice lowering as she attempts to whisper. She pointedly ignores the second part of his statement, hoping he won’t press.

[paletteswap]

"I will keep that secret from him." He smirks a little, some of her excitement contagious. At least there are those who are finding the good in this place rather than only dwelling on the bad. And if it happens to be because of giant puppy-like robots, so be it.

"Are there no robots in your world? I would not describe the ones from my realm so fondly." Which is saying something since he used to be one.

[primordialerebus]

“Thanks!” She says brightly.

“And I mean, there are, but most aren’t like, sentient? And the ones that are, the average person doesn’t really get to talk to.” She says with a shrug. If she had been a more prolific hero, she might have been able to chat with a few since most of the known ones were heroes… but she wasn’t. So.

“Are all the ones in your world evil or something?” She asks, frowning.

[paletteswap]

"They're controlled by someone who is." He frowns, thinking about Sektor and how he decimated their clan. "Power corrupted him and he seeks only more of it."

Power. And a superiority complex that made him think that his way was correct no matter the consequences. But there was a reason that Kuai was Grandmaster and Sektor's head was currently sitting on a table in the basement of his temple. If he could kill Sektor a dozen more times it wouldn't be nearly enough.

"He converted warriors into machines against their will. They don't know what they're doing - they're not really conscious."

[primordialerebus]

“Oh…” She trails off, unsure of what to say. Especially at the grand reveal that they were once people turned against their will. That prompts a fairly quiet “What the fuck.”. Despite him saying they're unconscious, she can't help but imagine it as being trapped in your own mind with no way to stop your actions. A part of you screaming to stop… God she hopes he's right.

“Is he still… “ She makes a vague motion that’s her attempt at depicting someone getting turned into a robot.

[paletteswap]

No that's what it's like to be a revenant. Having been both, he can confirm that the robot part was like a dream, he remembered everything when he woke up - but had no knowledge of it as it was occurring. When he was a revenant it was very much being trapped in his mind screaming as his body did things against his will.

For years.

"Sektor is dead. He's the one who made them. I ripped his head off and shut down the entire factory." Well he had in the past, now that Kronika had pulled warriors from the past into the present he'd had to be killed all over again.

"There's only one cyber Lin Kuei left, Cyrax. He didn't wish to live as a machine, so he is offline currently until I can devise a way to make him human again."

[primordialerebus]

Well that’s… violent. Kind of justified, and it’s not like there aren’t superheroes that kill but like… it’s never been her thing. Really though, what is she going to do? Put him in jail? She didn’t even think there’s a jail here. They're dead! Also, she can’t help but get the feeling she’d be the asshole in this situation. Seriously, poor guy.

Man, this whole conversation is depressing.

“Well… I’m glad he’s gone and I hope you succeed cause… yeah that sucks.”

'Yeah that sucks'. Great going Coraline.

[paletteswap]

Understatement of the year Coraline.

"Indeed." Though there's a very clear problem with her statement, "I won't have a chance to try seeing as how I am here, and he is still in Arctika."

He can't fathom a way to un-robot someone from here. He couldn't even figure out how to fix him when he was there.

[primordialerebus]

Indeed, she had realized the problem with her statement as soon as it had finished coming out of her mouth. She feels a shot of anxiety go through her, and in this singular moment, her greatest desire is to sink into the ground. Having him point it out only makes that desire greater… time to make a retreat then.

“Oh… yeah… I mean. I’m sure there’s gotta be some way back! But uh… yeah. I gotta go… I’m so sorry.” Nailed it again Coraline.

[paletteswap]

Some day they'll have a conversation that doesn't end in one of them abruptly leaving or worse one of them falling out of the sky onto the other one.

But it is not this day.