TEST DRIVE MEME #05

[nextnightmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME #05

Hello and welcome to the The Next Night's test drive meme for December-January! Thanks for your interest in this GPSL! We operate on a rolling application system. Applications are always open and will be judged on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Next Night is currently set to end in spring of 2021, so this will be the last TDM posted - but don't let that dissuade you! There are plenty of opportunities for new characters to get involved in current game events as the community of Beacon unites to deal with a world-ending foe.

While you're here...

• Take a look at our rules and faq pages to familiarize yourself with The Next Night.


• Note that we will have an application cap of 10 apps for new players, and that the game has a player cap of 60. An accurate count of current players will always be available on the taken page.


• 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 top-leveling is not limited to new characters! If current players wish to post a starter, they are welcome and encouraged to do treat the TDM like any other game-wide event. Current players are welcome to post logs or network posts using TDM prompts as desired.


• 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.


• As we no longer plan to have a bimonthly game-wide HMD meme, we will require all new applications going forward to have a HMD post somewhere on the journal and we will ask for this as part of the application process.

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

log prompts

the walls, the walls are coming down

After Dr. Solis' disappearance, the people operating the portal have occasionally struggled with bringing in new people. So they widen the parameters. Select all target sectors of the multiverse. Surely, this has to be better, right?

For some of you, the last thing you remember is dying. Maybe it feels like a moment ago, maybe a lifetime. But now you awake in darkness, with a lantern your only source of light, and a tablet that prompts you to sign on to a network at your side. The locals must be these strange thing surrounding you - some humanoid, some animal-like, others something else entirely, but they encircle you, masked faces pressing closer, until one shrieks and squeaks and takes you by the hand, or shoves you, or simply tries to herd you to the large bonfire in the center of an open square.

For others, you're quite sure you were just recently alive, and possibly in the middle of something important. And when the forest spirits try to haul you off, their hands pass right through you. Your lantern flickers. The network prompt blinks, but entering a username doesn't seem to get it to go anywhere until it finally lets you on as an anonymous guest user. Strange. But while you're here, you might as well enjoy the sights, right? Hopefully this is just some strange mistake and you'll wake up shortly with nothing more than a headache to show for it.

Note: for characters who are not dead, they will function as "ghosts" for this TDM - however you want to interpret that! If you decide to app them to the game, they will have to end up dead as part of their arrival in Beacon, but are allowed to remember the events of this TDM once they have died and wound up here.

As this is a fourth wall-style prompt, feel free to play any character you like for a brief visit to Beacon, but keep in mind that if you later decide to app them they will need to fit within the rules for appable characters. For situations involving characters previously in Beacon returning for this mini-event, any memory of previously being in Beacon is allowed but will automatically render the threads non-canon (or some strange hallucination).

Questions? Feel free to ask on the December Gameplan.

rat nicholas

Did you all forget the Rat King? Because the Rat King hasn't forgotten you. Just as you're picking up the monthly supplies and greeting the strangest round of newcomers yet, there's a thundering of paws, shrill little squeaks, and the glint of torchlight on sharp teeth. A wall of rats overtakes the town, threatening to trample anyone and anything in their path.

But if you manage to stay out of their way, you'll see a strange sight - the Rat King, body composed of hundreds of fleshy, furry rat bodies writhing and swaying, is being pulled on a large piece of scrap metal across the snow. And as they swarm, the King tosses gifts to and fro! Try not to get bonked in the head by a shrunken apple doll, or trip over a very pungent cheese rind. Among the strange rat-favored junk you might even find a few treasures in the form of actual sweets, or some lovely spirit-made garlands, though you might have to beat the rats to the good ones!

network prompts

Q&A

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE
TO SEE THEM AGAIN

WHAT WILL YOU GIVE
TO KEEP THEM SAFE

KNOWING YOU GET NOTHING IN RETURN?

[The words appear on the network - sometimes when you go to make a post, sometimes interrupting what you were trying to type.

Maybe this place is just like that, or maybe there's someone looking for an answer?]

shivers

The brutal cold drags its teeth across your flesh with every biting gust of wind. You just want to get indoors, to safety - but the snow spirals thickly around you, blocking all vision, reflecting light from your lantern onto shards of ice that seek to dig in to any part of your exposed skin. You close your eyes, cover them with a hand, while branches crack and snap in the forest around you.

When you open them, you aren't where you were, and you are very alone. But the tablet in your pocket still has a signal. Maybe you can ask for help? Maybe someone knows how to guide you back?

(This is a mini-version of our upcoming event, Shivers (I've Got 'Em)!)

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Comments

[paletteswap]

"I agree but.. a plan against what? With so many variables it's impossible to predict what the fight will entail." He doesn't like admitting that, it makes it sound hopeless, like he's lost the belief they can win this. Which he hasn't, not entirely.

"Between all of us we should be able to figure something out. Everyone has been doing enough reconnaissance that we have a better idea of some of the parameters."

[worthallthis]

Soldat lets their gaze drift further over the darkness, looking for any pinpoint of light. "I'm not good at plans... maybe if we did what we did against the one in Helix. Get more of those potions. That's supposed to help against the effects. Get the big dragon to engage it again."

[paletteswap]

"If Weaver can make more bombs, and much much larger ones, that we can attach to drones, we can replicate what was done on the station. I'm not sure how intelligent these world eaters are where they might adapt to what we've tried - but they don't seem to be doing much in the way of planning on their end either. It may be the best plan we have, since we know it's effective."

Well, effective enough anyway.

[worthallthis]

"No way for this one to know what we did to the other one, anyway," Soldat says. "If it knew, it would've found us more quickly." Frankly, if the things were even a little bit smart, they'd have either moved on after this much time, or found them. (Or else have some kinda grudge. Or need somethin' from Solis. Yeah. But that's... there's nothing we can do to prove that.)

Frustrated with their lack of intel doesn't even quite break the heavier unhappiness. "Bomb seems like the only real option. We don't have time for anything else."

[paletteswap]

"No, we're definitely running out of time. We must be, everything feels more on edge, more urgent than it ever has. I think if Robin were still around we'd be looking at a reset." Or so he assumes, they'd definitely not gotten along and he hadn't talked to her more than was absolutely necessary for information.

[worthallthis]

"Probably. But no more resets. Either we beat it. Or we hide in Helix station. Or we die for good." They might kind of be hoping for beating it. At the very least, then all of this might feel like it happened for a reason.

[paletteswap]

"Defeating it is the preferred option, but you're right; it's come down to very few possibilities. And hiding in Helix station just prolongs us dying eventually. Or running. And I don't run from fights."

[worthallthis]

Soldat half-turns to look at Kuai, expression stonily disapproving. "If the bomb doesn't work. You are running, this time. Not letting you just die for no reason. At least from Helix maybe we can try again."

[paletteswap]

He gives a wry smile, "Is that a threat?"

Because he's never run from a fight and he's not about to start now. Sorry Soldat, he has people to protect.

[worthallthis]

"It's a promise," Soldat says firmly. "You can't help people when you're dead. If we lose, or we're going to lose, we all run. Together. So we can try again."

[paletteswap]

"A tactical retreat." Huffing under his breath. "Undignified."

[worthallthis]

"Better undignified than mission failure," Soldat counters. "And letting a World Eater kill you is mission failure."

[paletteswap]

"Not if others live because of that death. But this is all hypothetical, once it attacks I highly doubt it will let us retreat."

[worthallthis]

"No one is going to live because you threw yourself at the World Eater, Kuai," Soldat says, voice flat. "More of us might die, because we didn't have you to help us later. If the bombs don't work. You are retreating with the rest of us."

[paletteswap]

How dare Soldat use reason and logic against Kuai's very stupid very honorable dedication to self sacrifice.

"Decisions will be made when the time comes." as in he won't agree to this plan of retreat, but the hasn't entirely ruled it out. Which is a lot for him.

[worthallthis]

Soldat is, frankly, a stubborn bastard, and they eye Kuai for a long moment, clearly not satisfied. "We'll see." They won't rule out bashing the idiot over the head.

But this has effectively distracted them from Javert's disappearance, at least. They look around, wondering for a moment what they were doing. "Are you coming on the rest of my patrol?" they ask finally.

[paletteswap]

Enjoy lugging this cold, dead weight around if need be, because he will absolutely throw his life away for a .0004 second advantage.

"Certainly."

He'll accompany Soldat on his patrol, it's where he was going anyway. They can discuss anything but that as they make their rounds.