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3.0 Test Drive Meme
3.0 Test Drive Meme
Premise & Arrival ֍ FAQ ֍ Apply ֍ Navigation
Welcome to Well! Characters arrive a little differently this month (see the first prompt). Your character arrives this month in the middle of the formless desert with only a handful of memories, clad in old west style clothes of your choosing, with no items from home.
Anyone is free to play on the TDM, but you need an invite to apply. Feel free to use these prompts, and interact with the arrival or locations. NPCs are around, but only say a certain set of phrases. TDMs can be considered game canon.
This TDM takes place from the first week of August onward, and can happen concurrently with other events during August and September. This will be the only TDM for August, September, and October.
Applications are open July 26th until August 1st, and August 27th until September 1st. Invites are available for friends of current players.
A Little Lost
Content warnings: heat exhaustion, feelings of unreality
You wake up in a sea of sand. It’s hot, and dry, and it seems to go on forever. You don’t remember much about yourself except your name and a handful of memories that most likely aren’t useful right now.
The sand slip-slides under your feet with every step. Sun beats down heavy and hot on your neck and your head. You’re so thirsty. How did you get here? How long have you been walking? Where are you headed? You can’t know. You feel like you’ve been walking forever, but the sun stays high above you, like it’s always noon. It may have been hours, it may have been mere minutes. What are those things circling in the sky above you? Vultures? That can't mean anything good.
Eventually, you find someone else, another new arrival, maybe, or a resident of the town who may have wandered a little too far into the desert. Maybe they have some water on them? Either way, company is exactly what you need right now, because there sure isn’t anything else in this desolate place. Not a cactus, not an animal, not even hints of a town.
Once you’re together, it seems a little easier to move forward. Time starts to move, too. The sun dips in the sky, your feet tread through the sand, and together, eventually you find the town.
If you take too long after you find one another, and the sun sets, be careful. Cacti sprout up closer to town, and after the sun sets, the cacti start to move, and they seem hungry for blood.
tl;dr:
You wake up in a sea of sand. It’s hot, and dry, and it seems to go on forever. You don’t remember much about yourself except your name and a handful of memories that most likely aren’t useful right now.
The sand slip-slides under your feet with every step. Sun beats down heavy and hot on your neck and your head. You’re so thirsty. How did you get here? How long have you been walking? Where are you headed? You can’t know. You feel like you’ve been walking forever, but the sun stays high above you, like it’s always noon. It may have been hours, it may have been mere minutes. What are those things circling in the sky above you? Vultures? That can't mean anything good.
Eventually, you find someone else, another new arrival, maybe, or a resident of the town who may have wandered a little too far into the desert. Maybe they have some water on them? Either way, company is exactly what you need right now, because there sure isn’t anything else in this desolate place. Not a cactus, not an animal, not even hints of a town.
Once you’re together, it seems a little easier to move forward. Time starts to move, too. The sun dips in the sky, your feet tread through the sand, and together, eventually you find the town.
If you take too long after you find one another, and the sun sets, be careful. Cacti sprout up closer to town, and after the sun sets, the cacti start to move, and they seem hungry for blood.
tl;dr:
- This time, new arrivals wake up lost in the middle of a vast desert.
- There's too much sun, too much sand, vultures circling and too little water.
- Finding each other makes time start again, and lets you find the town.
- If you don't make it back to town before nightfall, vicious living cacti appear to attack you.
Face Your Fears
Content warnings: hallucinations, reality shifts
In this town, fear soaks the hot, dry air. It lurks in shadows and the corners of rooms, waiting for their moment. What is it that you fear? Monsters? Disappointing your parents? Maybe you’re afraid that everyone you love will leave you, or that you’ll end up alone. Whatever it is, right now, there’s a chance of becoming very real.
It happens suddenly. Your mind drifts. You lose focus on what you were doing, and when you look up again, the world around you has shifted. What was a nice lunch with a new friend or a fun visit to the saloon becomes a nightmare. What fear manifests is totally up to you, and it can be different every time. The person beside you could become a monster you think is trying to attack you, or you could be suddenly alone in a cold dark space, desolate and empty.
Whatever horror your mind conjures up for you, it will feel real in all ways and with all senses including, of course, your perception of pain. As far as you know, you’re trapped in a nightmare with no way out.
Except, of course, there is a way out: you just need to figure out that it isn’t real. Maybe you’re strong enough to do that on your own; maybe you’ll need help from a friend or a new pal, reaching through the illusion to pull you back. After all, these hallucinations are entirely in the mind of the beholder: to everyone around you, it sure just looks like you’re yelling at your pancakes!
tl;dr:
In this town, fear soaks the hot, dry air. It lurks in shadows and the corners of rooms, waiting for their moment. What is it that you fear? Monsters? Disappointing your parents? Maybe you’re afraid that everyone you love will leave you, or that you’ll end up alone. Whatever it is, right now, there’s a chance of becoming very real.
It happens suddenly. Your mind drifts. You lose focus on what you were doing, and when you look up again, the world around you has shifted. What was a nice lunch with a new friend or a fun visit to the saloon becomes a nightmare. What fear manifests is totally up to you, and it can be different every time. The person beside you could become a monster you think is trying to attack you, or you could be suddenly alone in a cold dark space, desolate and empty.
Whatever horror your mind conjures up for you, it will feel real in all ways and with all senses including, of course, your perception of pain. As far as you know, you’re trapped in a nightmare with no way out.
Except, of course, there is a way out: you just need to figure out that it isn’t real. Maybe you’re strong enough to do that on your own; maybe you’ll need help from a friend or a new pal, reaching through the illusion to pull you back. After all, these hallucinations are entirely in the mind of the beholder: to everyone around you, it sure just looks like you’re yelling at your pancakes!
tl;dr:
- You start hallucinating that the things you fear most are actually happening to you.
- These fears feel like real, concrete sensory experiences, even though they're only happening in your head.
- You can escape by recognizing that what's happening isn't real, either on your own or with help.
Bullrider
Content warnings: mild bovine coercion, alcohol
Come on, hot stuff. You know you want to.
Bet you can’t stay on for more than half a minute.
You don’t look too tough.
You think you can tame me?
In the saloon, you hear a voice in your head. It calls to you, the words seductive and enticing: you want to prove it wrong, you want to find out what it’s promising, you hate to lose. Whatever the motivation, you find yourself abandoning your drink and making your way to the new attraction at the back of the saloon: the bull.
It’s a big boy: a massive mechanical bull. Covered in spotted cowhide, with a bull head and big horns, this thing sits on a massive pedestal like a challenge. Around it is spread... relatively thin padding and a flimsy rope to keep the audience back an appropriate distance.
The compulsion keeps a hold on you until you’re on the bull. Maybe you’re on it with a friend, or a stranger, and it starts up with a mechanical buzzing. It starts to sway under you, and now you have just one job: stay on.
It starts easy, but gets harder as it goes along. It’s incredibly difficult to stay on for more than a minute. But during that minute, you feel amazing. You feel hot as hell, in whatever way that works for you: sexy, powerful, bold, in control.
Until he throws you off onto the padding or into the crowd! When you get thrown, there's a good chance you'll go flying into the crowd. Hopefully they're ready to catch you!
If by some miracle you manage to stay on for more than a minute and a half, the bartender slides you a bullrider special: a spicy whiskey cocktail with a hint of lime. Feel free to leave it up to pure chance, and have the mods roll a die for you to see whether you manage to stay on or not.
tl;dr:
Come on, hot stuff. You know you want to.
Bet you can’t stay on for more than half a minute.
You don’t look too tough.
You think you can tame me?
In the saloon, you hear a voice in your head. It calls to you, the words seductive and enticing: you want to prove it wrong, you want to find out what it’s promising, you hate to lose. Whatever the motivation, you find yourself abandoning your drink and making your way to the new attraction at the back of the saloon: the bull.
It’s a big boy: a massive mechanical bull. Covered in spotted cowhide, with a bull head and big horns, this thing sits on a massive pedestal like a challenge. Around it is spread... relatively thin padding and a flimsy rope to keep the audience back an appropriate distance.
The compulsion keeps a hold on you until you’re on the bull. Maybe you’re on it with a friend, or a stranger, and it starts up with a mechanical buzzing. It starts to sway under you, and now you have just one job: stay on.
It starts easy, but gets harder as it goes along. It’s incredibly difficult to stay on for more than a minute. But during that minute, you feel amazing. You feel hot as hell, in whatever way that works for you: sexy, powerful, bold, in control.
Until he throws you off onto the padding or into the crowd! When you get thrown, there's a good chance you'll go flying into the crowd. Hopefully they're ready to catch you!
If by some miracle you manage to stay on for more than a minute and a half, the bartender slides you a bullrider special: a spicy whiskey cocktail with a hint of lime. Feel free to leave it up to pure chance, and have the mods roll a die for you to see whether you manage to stay on or not.
tl;dr:
- There's a mechanical bull in the back of the saloon!
- There's a strange deep voice in your head, coercing you into giving it a shot.
- It's hard to stay on, but when you're on it, you feel powerful, bold and in control.
- The padding's pretty thin and you'll get thrown hard when you do. You might hit someone!
- If you stay on for more than a minute and a half, you'll get a fun little drink as a reward.
VIC
[is that a mirage or is a brawny clydesdale centaur about eight feet tall trotting up to you]
Hey! Bro. What're you doing out here? C'mon back to town, I think it's... this way? Maybe? Uh, have an iced tea, you look real thirsty.
[where did that come from! but. hey. it's a paper latte cup full of cold tea, you might need that right about now.]
bull
[When Vic follows the bull's call, quite susceptible to that kind of coercion, and climbs on top of it, it looks... hm. He comes up from the back and covers it and locks his legs around the hide-covered body, leaning down to grab the horns with his hands, and clarity reappears just before it starts moving.]
Uh, sure hope this doesn't look inapp-whOAH!
[How does the mechanism cope with at least a ton of horseflesh weighing it down? It might be slower, the spins and bucking more ponderous, and there may be a bit of high whining strain as it moves. But it does move! Vic grins ear to ear for about two minutes, before his grip loosens and the bull twitches out from between his forelegs, more of a stumbling dismount than a throw.
After that he lingers, trying not to wince drinking his cocktail. His legs are a bit sore from the frankly unfamiliar use, he's not getting on again - but he will try and catch other riders in when they're thrown!]
Sick air time, bro!
lost | cw: drugs
Are you trying to roofie me?
no subject
Bro? Bro.
Do I look like a guy what drugs people?
Is it the manbun? Should I let my hair down? That's all itchy though...
no subject
[ He might, actually. Alec doesn't know for sure, but since he doesn't actually have a solid answer for horse-guy's question countering with a question of his own seems like a safe bet. ]
I just woke up in the middle of the desert. Excuse me for trying to be cautious.
[ He doesn't sound sincere about asking to be excused at all. ]
no subject
Well bro, if you don't want anything to drink, I do. It wouldn't make any sense if I drank something I'd put roofies in, you know? Centaurs can't vomit, so I gotta make sure anything I put in my body is good, pure stuff. Like this tea.
[He takes a swig, swallowing audibly.]
no subject
You can't puke? That sucks. [ He manages to actually sound a little like he means that, if that's worth anything. ] Okay. Sure.
[ He shuffles closer and holds out his hand for the iced tea. ]
Iced tea me, 'bro'.
no subject
[He doesn't think he's missed much, re: throwing up. It doesn't appear to be a good time.]
Here!
[It's green tea specifically! With lemon, and there are still chips of ice clicking around in there.]
no subject
Maybe Alec will look into that later, if he thinks about it. Right now, he's pretty focused on the iced tea.
He didn't want to let on how badly he wanted it, but as soon as he gets the first taste of cold, refreshing liquid his eyes widen with obvious, almost shocked relief. He gulps hurriedly, like he's expecting Vic to interrupt him, but even with how quickly he drinks he still is struck by the revelation - ]
- that's fucking good.
no subject
Vic gives a little smug nod watching the human appreciate the tea. That's right, it is good. He'd conjure more but he doesn't think he'd be able to do so and not give away that he's the one doing it. And he doesn't want anyone to know what his magic is. Too mareish. If a mare was doing it everyone would like her, but he's very not a mare.]
Right? It's the one real good thing about all this heat, drinks are way better. [He frowns, furrowing his brow.] I think. I mean, it does get cold most nights and then cold drinks aren't so good... yeah, I was right the first time.
no subject
His body is...loud. The moisture soothing the rasp in his throat, the slosh of liquid in his guts, the throb of his pulse in his temples - he'd felt steadier when he'd had a consistent, unrelenting discomfort to tune out. This just makes him uncomfortably aware of how much he'd needed something to drink.
Now that he's probably not going to die in the desert, he spends a second thinking about it. An especially shitty way to go, probably. ]
Good call.
[ Another thing he strangely actually means. He tips the cup back to slide the last fragments of ice into his mouth, swallows a trickle of melt. When he lowers it, he gives Vic another evaluating look over, then glances in the direction he came from. He gives the remaining ice a decisive crush between his molars. ]
You were saying something about a town?
[ Where there's presumably more water and a place to get out of the sun. That'd be cool. ]
Lost
[Delicately pointed ears twitched at the mere suggestion, and the slender woman looked up at the towering centaur with nothing short of interest and respect. Her thick white hair was dirty with sweat and sand, but the woman's confident carriage did wonders to hide any discomforts that she may have been feeling at that moment. Tugging at the collar of her linen shirt, she gladly accepted the offered iced tea without question and sipped deeply from the paper cup.]
Mm. Wonderful choice in blend, too. It's sweet without being overwhelming... and was that a hint of summer fruit in there?
no subject
[He watches whoever this is drink it with proprietary pride! It's actually always really great when he can just give someone a thing and they appreciate it. If only food magic wasn't so life-ruiningly mareish. If only he was a different person.]
Oh, yeah, totally. Don't ask me the percentages or whatever but a little pineapple, a little orange, a little lemon... nothing too extravagant, y'know, but like, if you're not paying attention it could just be an earl gray.
no subject
No... Bergamot is the oil from an orange, not necessarily the entire rind. The pineapple, however, is an excellent choice.
[Heat now forgotten for the moment, she lifted her brows at the stranger with hints at a million and more questions.]
Sir Centaur, I simply must know where you acquired this.