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Well Mod ([personal profile] wellie) wrote in [community profile] wellcome2022-01-03 05:30 pm
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1.0 Test Drive Meme

1.0 Test Drive Meme

Welcome to Well! Characters arrive the same way every month. Your character arrives 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.

Applications open on January 20th, and the game opens on February 1st. Invites are available for members of the mods' plurk lists.

Put on your dancing shoes
Content warning: Alcohol, intoxication, altered mental state

Something’s happening at the Cactus Pad Saloon. It’s lit up bright against the growing night, and music spills out onto the street. Seems like a fun time that you should check out. In fact, it’s hard not to check it out: the closer you get, the stronger the urge to join the fun. If you’ve been spending a lot of time alone, you’ll feel even more compelled to come get a drink.

The bartender serves up anything you can think of: from whiskey to apple juice to blood, if that’s your preference. She doesn’t blink an eye, no matter what’s ordered. The funny thing is, no matter what you order, once you take a sip, the world feels a little easier to deal with, your worries seem to melt away. You’re flush with sudden confidence.

If you strike up a conversation with the person next to you, conversation flows like you’re talking to an old friend. You feel a sense of kinship, deep and meaningful, good or bad, that bonds you together.

The old record player is playing a fun ditty, and the longer you stick around, the more you’re tempted to join, or start, the dancing. Whether you’re a great dancer or you have two left feet, you find that you feel capable of dancing like no one’s watching. No one knows you here, after all. You barely know yourself, so why not draw a partner into the fray? A party’s better together!

If you end up staying there til closing time, the bartender kicks you out with a gruff “come back tomorrow,” leaving you to stumble home with your new best friend. What was their name again?


Sand trap
Content warning: Quick sand, potential drowning in sand

You step through a door into a room you didn’t mean to enter. You were trying to head into the saloon, or your hotel room, or the bathroom, and instead you’re here: in a small, tight, windowless room in a white-washed building. The air here is old, stale, and thick. Hazy gold light bounces off the walls, but you can’t tell where it’s coming from, since there’s no visible ceiling. The walls just stretch up and up into bright nothingness.

Someone else is there, too, coming through an identical door on the opposite wall. Both doors snap shut, and won’t open again, no matter how hard you try. They won’t even break.

This might not be so bad, except that a sound starts to fill the space: sand, trickling down the walls. It’s just a dusting to start. It comes sprinkling down above, seeping through the cracks in the door. The longer you stand there, the faster it comes: sand flows down the walls in massive torrents, building up on the floor, shifting and thick, trapping you in place.

The only way out is up. When you look again at the walls, you’ll notice it: about 10 feet up the wall hangs a flimsy rope ladder, half-hidden by the waterfall of sand. You’ll have to work together to even reach it, or maybe let the ever-growing pile of shifting, slippery sand lift you up? Be careful, because even if you manage to reach the rope, you both have to get out of here, and the longer you’re here, the faster and harder the sand falls. The ladder seems to go on forever, tens of feet up an endless wall. The better you work together, the closer the top seems. No matter how well you collaborate, they're at least 50 feet high.

When you’ve fought your way through the sand and reached the top of the ladder, you finally see it: the sand is coming in through the open windows of a steeple. You can’t see where it’s from, not really. You can’t see much of anything, but it’s clear: the only way out is, well, out. You have to jump, trusting that yourself and your companion will be safe.

Once free, you land together outside of one of the buildings or rooms you were trying to enter, like nothing happened at all. It’s a calm day, after all.

Memories of the living
Content warning: Cemetery, contemplating mortality

Dusk settles purple over Wellstone. Early stars are out, the moon is thin, and you find yourself inexplicably drawn to the graveyard. You can resist, but the more days you do, the harder it gets. The graveyard is calling to you in a voice you can’t hear.

While it seems small before you enter, once you start walking through the crumbling graves, it seems to stretch endlessly. You pass elaborate dust-covered crypts carved with strange angels; bleached wooden crosses overgrown with cacti; a crumbling old well, long gone dry; worn-down headstones jut at odd angles. Some graves have old offerings on them, brightly colored beads or candles or framed photos, sun-bleached beyond recognition.

You may have been walking for five minutes or fifty, but when you look around, you can’t see to find the exit. You hear howling, and see the flicker of lights from behind the graves, but you can never find their source, no matter how much you look. No matter how long you spend in the graveyard, the sun never seems to sink lower in the sky. An oppressive sense of being watched grows to the point that you whip around, expecting to find someone there until—

You do. You find each other. Others drawn here to the graveyard, walking among the crumbling stones, will end up by the same headstones. Exploring together eases the watchful feeling just a little, but it won’t help you get out. No, you’re looking for something. The exit? No, you’re sure there’s something more important than that.

If you follow your impulses, you may just find it: a gravestone, weathered, old, with a familiar name on it: yours. Your date of birth can be visible, but the date of death is too weathered to read. You may find an offering there, something small and meaningful to you, a small shiny coin or some bright beads.

Once you find your grave, when you look up, you’ll see the exit. You’re really not that far from it, after all, the rusted iron arch barely a stone's throw feet away. Your companion won’t see it yet. You can make a dash for it, get out of this awful place, or help your companion find their own gravestone. When your companion finds their stone, they will also be able to see the exit. Exiting together will alleviate the impulse to come back to this place. Leaving alone will only draw you back, making it more difficult to find your grave again.

You can take the offerings left on your grave if you want, but the sense of being watched will only grow greater until you’re compelled to return them, and leave another offering of your own.

fauxmarth: (i mean. ok. but like. uh.)

[personal profile] fauxmarth 2023-01-04 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
[with a grunt, Lucina hefts up on the doorknob and helps the stranger realign the door with its frame. but that alone wasn't going to fix the door: the hinge needed its pin back in place.]

Can you hold it like this alone? So I can-- there was a piece...broke off...
thequeenhimself: (smartass)

Oliver Queen | Smallville

[personal profile] thequeenhimself 2023-01-04 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
Cactus Pad

[He didn't know much about himself-- and, somehow, he didn't like that.

Oliver Queen held back from the crowd at the bar, offering smiles and idle chatter at anyone who hovered nearby and wanted company. The smiles were real, and so was the easy conversation about music, drinks, and the manner in which everyone had found themselves there that day... but so were the occasional, dark and furtive glances that he cast about the saloon when he thought no one was looking.

It was as if he were studying, and for the moment just preferred to keep his own counsel.

Later in the evening, when most of the dancing had quieted down, he would take to playing with the dartboard in the corner of the room. It was just an entertaining thing to do with his hands while the tequila he drank snaked its way through his system

He didn't expect a bullseye.

He certainly didn't expect several in a row.

A disbelieving grin spread across his face while he cast his eyes at the nearest person.]


Well, would you look at that?

Memories of the Living

[Ollie already didn't like the desert. The skies were too open, the sun was too hot, and the sand got everywhere. Like some beast from the forested wilds, he felt trapped and exposed.

Adding this on top of finding his own gravestone did nothing to still the discomfort that buzzed at his nerves, adding a restless spring to his step that only added to his aura of an ensnared predator.

The arrow that had been shot into the ground just before his headstone, where his heart would be if there was a casket buried underneath, didn't help.

Rolling his eyes, he stretched out his shoulders and looked askance at the nearest person.]


Please tell me you've found a way to skip out on this field trip. I'm done with this.
Edited 2023-01-04 02:54 (UTC)
fauxmarth: (god this is the most relaxing void)

[personal profile] fauxmarth 2023-01-04 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
"You're right."

Lucina falls into step beside the polite young lady, already feeling better for having a direction to put all this anxious energy into moving toward.

"My name's Lucina," she says, offering a small, somewhat sheepish smile. "Sorry, I should've said so first..."
moremystyle: Chibi Faris in a circular frame, swinging a flaming sword (Default)

Re: Questions

[personal profile] moremystyle 2023-01-04 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
If someone was given one name at birth but lived most of their life under another, which name do they remember? (Faris was born Sarisa, but has been Faris most of her life and identifies more with that name.)
thinkfirst: (neutral | take charge | look up)

[personal profile] thinkfirst 2023-01-04 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ Flynn follows her out the door and is promptly inclined to agree. This is no gentle summer sun; this sun slams itself into the earth and bakes it dry and cracking, knocks into your eyes and your skin and your head, makes you squint. Flynn reaches up and pulls the brim of his hat just a little lower. ]

I don't... believe I know very much about the desert. Are you familiar with it?
fauxmarth: (i...guess you can eat cake that way)

[personal profile] fauxmarth 2023-01-04 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[taking it in strides, huh...

she smiles crookedly, glancing away again.]


I, I think there's a few people around who are taking a lot different strides... [namely the carefree dancing.]
thinkfirst: (skit | determined | huff)

[personal profile] thinkfirst 2023-01-04 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
I know we're on a time limit—

[ Wow, it's incredibly awkward having to clamber over Yuri like this. Flynn's thighs end up in his face at one point, especially as he sways to avoid the river of sand, and he has to do his best not to let his boot dig into Yuri's shoulder. ]

—but we should still be careful! Fishing you out of the sand wouldn't be easy.

[ So, obviously, Flynn is going to climb more slowly. Still quickly, still urged on by the rising sand and his own fear, but he isn't practically sprinting up the thing. Sand scrapes his palms raw, drags at the inside of his throat. The air in here is dry and hot and sharp, familiar in a way that's only frustrating. ]

Stay close!
rottencactus: (56)

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[No, its okay you can stay over there spooky stranger...]

N-No... its okay ...I am fine...

[Slowly, he will stand up so that he's not crouched behind his own grave stone. He lifts the veil draping over his hat so he can look at Flynn a little better, and so, Flynn can see him, too. His eyes are kind of bright, in a weird way, but he's mostly just a startled, pale teenager.]

Thank you... I can't ...seem to remember the words but ...but it felt important. It wanted out.
unjedi: (141)

[personal profile] unjedi 2023-01-04 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
Well, we don't need to go that far.

Not until we leave some moves first.
simplefarmboy: (I made this whole world shine for you)

Arrival

[personal profile] simplefarmboy 2023-01-04 03:04 am (UTC)(link)
[There's the sound of a scream and Clark's body moves on instinct.

Mayoi might see a blur of red and blue through his cupped hands but it's gone just as fast as it arrived.

Except that's not all that's changed. Mayoi's nose and ears might feel a little stuffed up. ...It looks like someone stuffed cotton swabs into them?

And he's not on the floor anymore? He's laying on a couch in the lounge wrapped up in a bright red blanket.

There's also a piece of paper laying on the blanket at his chest. It simply reads.

"It's okay. You're safe now. Just relax."

Clark on the other hand, breaths a sigh of relief around the corner just outside the room. Jeez that was stressful.]
unjedi: (136)

[personal profile] unjedi 2023-01-04 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
I'm . . . not sure.

[ something itched at her consciousness but she couldn't grasp the thought. ]

I guess I might be used to lots of different environments.

[ that sounds right. everything has the slightest whiff of familiarity, but nothing feels like home. ]
prayererror: ("they're not alike at all are they?")

[personal profile] prayererror 2023-01-04 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
You are not troubling me. It would not do for you to bleed to death in this place.

[Time to start cleaning up that mess. He'll gently cup Mayoi's head with one hand and wipe at the blood with the other, staring very intently at him as if that'll unlock secrets of the universe somehow.]

Do you typically do this? Is this a health condition you have? We will get you water once you are clean and feeling up to walking.
thinkfirst: (smile | helpful | kind)

[personal profile] thinkfirst 2023-01-04 03:08 am (UTC)(link)
A hint, possibly, Flynn thinks, and can't think any more about that. Without the juice, maybe, he would wonder what the angle is, what response is best. What is expected of him here? What should he do?

The thoughts flit through, don't take root, spin off into nothing as Flynn leans on the bar and half-turns, looking out at the laughing crowd and then back at his companion with a growing smile.

"In that case," he says, with a nod at her drink, "you'll get a chance to finish that, and then we'll see whether skill or enthusiasm matters more. I think it's polite to at least ask your name before I invite you to possibly let me stand on your feet."
thinkfirst: (skit | smiling | determined)

[personal profile] thinkfirst 2023-01-04 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
[ Cecelia Ardenbury. A crystal kind of name, Flynn thinks, the kind he's sure he hasn't heard very often in the mouths of the few people he remembers. It seems like the kind of name you would tell someone over the rim of a teacup, maybe, while they hold their own delicately for fear of it breaking. ]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Cecelia.

[ That, at least, Flynn means. It's been a long day of sun and sand and headaches, and now he knows the name of at least one other person and the world feels a little more open with it. ]

You're gracious for giving me another try— oh!

[ The music tips over from a rolling melody into one that frolics from note to note, making half the joint whoop with excitement. Flynn turns his head to watch the crowd with a grin caught on his lips, caught up himself. ]

Let's join them! We'll see what we remember, at least!
man_with_no_name: (calm)

The Man With No Name | Dollars Trilogy

[personal profile] man_with_no_name 2023-01-04 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
Arrival

He looks at the card given him by the receptionist, eyes flicking from it to them as he's given his key. Then he takes a small matchbook from the bowl on the desk, breaking one out with a single hand, then striking it from his boot - finally setting light to the reservation card.

"Thanks," he says, slowly, deeply suspicious of whatever the hell is going on, whatever is keeping his head so damn foggy. The remains of the card are dropped in an ashtray.

"I'll find my own way," he adds, heading away from the desk. Whatever's going on, people around here are surely in on it, and that's a good reason to be suspicious of everyone. Something is pushing at his mind, telling him to accept this, to engage with it - but none of it is real, none of it feels right. He doesn't remember much, but he remembers there was a world before.

Put on your Dancing Shoes

It's too pretty to be real, he knows that much. Well, his real - who the hell knows what this place is. It's like the stories he's heard about Coney Island, but like they were applied to the west. Truth is, most of the saloons he's been in would make this one look like a palace - maybe Carson City or some of the biggest stops would have looked like this. And none but the biggest would have such a selection of drinks.

Which he regrets immediately after downing his first whisky. His tongue feels looser, freer - and he wants to talk to people, which...no, that has never been his thing. But he keeps having to pull himself away from conversation, scowling, forcing himself to sit in a corner, with great effort, fingers digging into the arm of his chair like holding himself in place.

This ain't right, and getting drunk and spilling secrets sure won't help it any.

Sand Trap

He goes for a gun that isn't there the moment the doors snap shut. "Goddammit," he mutters to himself, looking to the other person and then at the falling sand.

"Well, ain't this just special," he says, looking up and judging the situation.

"Someone wants us to play nice."
thequeenhimself: (peering)

Memories

[personal profile] thequeenhimself 2023-01-04 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
[The haunting song sent a chill down his spine.

Oliver Queen knew how to be quiet, and not even the boots nor the desert sands could fully obstruct him. The foreign landscape they all had become ensnared in had lit his nerves up like holiday lights-- it was an adrenaline rush, but also a sense of being ill at ease.

He couldn't just let it be.]


Hey, kid.

[He called softly when the boy took a pause. The song was amazing to listen to, but:]

You doing all right? Singing like that makes it sound like you're going through it. But, we also don't know what's out here.

It's probably not smart to just sing in the dark when we don't even know where we're at.
moremystyle: Chibi Faris in a circular frame, swinging a flaming sword (Default)

[personal profile] moremystyle 2023-01-04 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
Awesome, thanks!
moremystyle: Chibi Faris in a circular frame, swinging a flaming sword (woke up on the wrong side of everything)

Faris Scherwiz | Final Fantasy V

[personal profile] moremystyle 2023-01-04 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
Come here often? (01)

[A strange time, a strange place... and nothing at all he can grasp a hold of. Just his name, and nothing else. All that he has is the sight of a tavern--even with this bizarre architecture, the nature of the building is obvious--and with no other direction, he chooses that one.

The drink that calls to him is rum, and when he takes a sip, things feel better. That's the job of rum. He looks around at the other customers and strikes up a conversation with the nearest person.]


Don't suppose you remember how you got here.

It's coarse and rough and gets in everywhere (02)

What in blazes?

[This isn't where he meant to be. But when Faris turns around to exit, there isn't one. There's just a faint sound... sand, running down the walls... the endlessly high walls.]

This ain't good. [He looks around for something, anything, to get out of here, but what he spots is another person.]

Wait--! [Too late, the door shuts with a snap!] You fool! Now we're both trapped!

You will find me a grave man (03)

[A graveyard... Faris wonders if he ought to be familiar with such places. He can't imagine himself to be a man who's lived a peaceful life, but then again, he doesn't know if it's the kind of life that would get the courtesy of a burial at the end of it.

This graveyard may as well be a city... Faris looks around, wondering how far it goes on. It's obvious the only way out is through. He finds himself pausing to look at the headstone offerings, wondering what they meant and who left them.

And the further he goes... the less sure he is that the dead are truly as asleep as he should be. He moves edgily, spinning around every few steps, waiting for something to jump out--and that's when he bumps into the headstone.]


...By Neptune's briny beard.

[That's his name, right enough.]

Wildcard

[None of these suit? Hit me up here / PM / plurk @ [plurk.com profile] compassinks!]
rottencactus: [interdigitate] (04)

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
[That is fine because Mayoi is allergic to eye contact, anyway. He will look forward or away if Dimos tries to capture his attention. He stays still, though, and lets him clean him up.]

I-...

[He opens his mouth and then closes it again. With a troubled frown, he thinks about it, before finally answering.]

I don't know. Perhaps...ah. Perhaps...?

[He's not actually sure!]
rottencactus: (64)

1/2

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
[



















what the fuck]
umbrosus: (a phantom)

cactus pad

[personal profile] umbrosus 2023-01-04 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
[The man who had slowly sidled closer and closer to Oliver as he sank bullseyes flinches, ever so slightly, when Oliver's attention falls on him. It somewhat undercuts some of the menace a man dressed head to toe in midnight black might otherwise project.]

Pretty good.

[He agrees, after a moment, his voice raspy and soft with disuse.]
rottencactus: <user name =__7__HR site =Twitter.com> (124)

3/3

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
[...................???????????????????????????????????????]
rottencactus: <user name =__7__HR site =Twitter.com> (120)

3/4 oops sorry now done

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
E-EEEEEH!??!?

[What happened?? What happened!? Where is he!!?! Why is he!?!? How-]

[Oh.]

[The blanket is kind of nice, though...]
rottencactus: <user name =__7__HR site =Twitter.com> (90)

done FOR REAL

[personal profile] rottencactus 2023-01-04 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
[Like a weighted blanket actually...]

[Maybe he will just take a nap like this.]