Test Drive Meme: April/May 2015

[undergroundmods]

Update: 19/05/15: Looking for characters to tag you in advance of applying? Look no further than this volunteer list from our current batch of players who are willing to help out! NB. TDM threads are not necessary in order to apply. But you do need threads from somewhere, so feel free to start here.

"The Jam - Start" (Watch on YouTube)

Welcome to the first Underground test drive meme! This is where you can try out the AU version of your character, start some potential CR and get a feel for the world of the game. Choose your character's species, read up on the available factions and you're ready to go.

Put your character's name in your subject line when you post, tag out, and have fun!

Here are some prompts to inspire you:

1) START. Welcome, newcomer! You've just moved to London. Go see the sights, enjoy the Thought of the Day at the Tube station, take pictures of Buckingham Palace. Just try not to lose your way.

2) IT'S A HARD DOUBLE LIFE. So, you're trying out this "normal" thing. Pretending to be human, paying the rent, working or studying, having a drink at the pub, etc. You're trying, that's the point. But anyone can slip up...

3) RUN/CHASE. Whether you're hunting humans or other supernatural types, there's always a thrill in the chase. London at night is brimming with life and who knows what lurks out there in the darkest alleyways, the bars and clubs, parks or tube stations. Perhaps you're the one being hunted after all.

4) LIGHT IT UP. (30th April) The fire festival of Beltane is a time of celebration for witches, marking the beginning of summer. Come along to the bonfire for music, food and drink, flower crowns and fertility rituals.

5) SLIDING DOORS. (1st May) Beltane is also a time when the barrier between the human world and the Other Realm is at its thinnest, making it easy to pass from one realm to the other by chance. You might even have an encounter with the mysterious and mischievous fae.

6) ENEMY ENCOUNTER. Bad luck. You've come across a member of an enemy faction or species in a place you wouldn't expect. Maybe you're waiting for the same bus. Maybe they walked into your favourite café. Maybe – horrors – you work in the same office. This is going to be awkward.

7) FULL MOON. (4th May) Uh oh, it's that time of the month. Werewolves, have you been feeling more aggressive lately? A little short of temper? Better start preparing for your monthly transformation and hope that you don't get interrupted. And then there's the morning after, which feels like a massive hangover. Wait, where are your clothes?

8) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. Anything goes.

Comments

[rules_winter]

2) IT'S A HARD DOUBLE LIFE.
It had been difficult enough returning to London after so many years away. Finding a place for herself in the court of the Unseelie had meant navigating the difficult balance of intrigue that happened in any court anywhere on earth but to find that she must learn to interact with humanity again on occasion was distasteful to her in many senses. It seemed that it was something that was necessary for managing to interact with the other species of this area as well, and that was something she would need to do eventually. It was likely the only way she would be able to find creatures outside her own court with which to ally herself and grow her power base.

Which was why she was now standing outside a theater looking at the titles of films and trying to understand what a Boogaloo was and why it was electric, and why both Max and his road were so angry, along with apparently seven other very angry people.

5 ish) Sliding Doors (Beltain or unclosed doorway)
Someone has either slid into the Other Realm while the barrier was thin or stumbled upon a doorway left open by someone playing games. Instead of entering one of the many large, well groomed public parks of London or busy streets nearby, instead the traveller finds themselves in something more wild and significantly colder than the burgeoning summer in London. A woman had been speaking to someone, but in a burst of snow the other creature is gone and she turns to take the intruder in with a cool, somewhat curious look. The trees nearby have frost growing on their leaves as well as each stalk of grass in the near vicinity.

"And what would bringeth thee to Winter's lands? Surely t must be something dire." Nothing as silly as leaning against the wrong wall or pressing a hand against the mirror in the changing room at Harrods. Right? Because it would be really unfortunate to have been doing something that mundane only to stumble into a place where you could hear things skittering nearby and they actually sounded disturbingly large.

8) In the Fae Courts.
If there was anything the fae liked it was a party. This evening was no different. The festivities were strung all along the Thames on both sides of the River as both Courts enjoyed the evening. Mostly they stuck to their own side but occasionally one would wander to speak with an acquaintance or pick a fight. The Unseelie tended to do the latter more but for the most part the evening was filled with music, twinkling lights and faerie drink. Dancing had broken out on the Unseelie side of the river and there were several nobles who seemed to have gone with a 1930's New York vibe and were currently twirling and swirling to something distinctly jazzy in nature as the stars started breaking out above. The colors started to grow dizzying and entrancing all at once as the dancers picked up speed. Mab moved off to one side, eyes scanning the crowds, keeping an eye on who was where and with whom each of them were speaking. She certainly didn't know enough of local politics to feel she could work her way through the crowd just yet. That would come with time but she planned to find someone who would fit here interests and engage them soon. An ally could soon turn to an enemy but you really couldn't get anywhere without either one, now could you?



8b) Ya'll ready for this? (throw something at me bro)

2!!

[falsify]

This is the benefit of his fascination with Earth, Eames supposes. At least as far as the rest of the court is concerned. It's always nice to show someone around, help them acclimate to the current state of the world. Good for both of them; though he'd never bank on a favour to be repaid when done without the offer laid out beforehand, but he also knows his people remember these things better than most.

He steps out of a portal in a nearby alley and wanders up to her on the street, a light spring in his step as he enjoys the cooling air and the setting sun. His favourite time of day, this. When the sun sets and humans scurry about, going home or looking for something fun to do. The change from day to night that sparks a little something in him, even as the seasons change.

"Lady Mab," he says with a smile, a brief and slight bow in his posture - showing deference to someone higher on the ladder than he - but nothing so overt as to draw the eye of anyone around them, "I hear you're new to this area."

[rules_winter]

Mab had not been back in London very long but long enough to know Eames was the go to Fae for information that was up to date in the human world. She did not think she would need to interact much with the human world but it seemed the supernatural forces in the city would make it absolutely necessary. Which was both irritating and an interesting challenge.

His presence draws her attention first, the feeling of a connection between realms, she doesn't turn to look at him though until he says her name. Then her eyes drop from the marquee and she turns, dipping her head in response. "Fae Eames." She doesn't smile but she also doesn't look cross about him being there. "New to London or new to ...?" She tried to remember which borough they were in. Tedious, naming every little section of a city. Perhaps it was necessary when the humans congregated like ants. Scurrying around and always checking their clocks. "I am new." She finally settled on, and let him determine what it was she was new to. And it was the way she was wearing an expensive woman's suit in front of a movie theater while most other people visiting it were in casual clothes, that made it clear she was not used to the etiquette of visiting such places. She did, at least, look human, long hair pulled up into a complicated do to hide how very long it was, and eyes dulled with a pair of glasses, pupils now round and normal in the utterly mundane way humans eyes tended to be. She could be a bit of a snob. "What else have you heard?" She wondered aloud.

[falsify]

He cants his head thoughtfully, deigning not to dwell too much on her first question and wondering how best to answer the second. He could tell her lots of things - who owns which borough, and that they aren't overly welcome in the one they happen to be standing in. He could tell her about the way London seems to attract vampires or the humans who get themselves killed because they call themselves 'hunters'. He could even tell her about the lovely little cafe down the road that does the best coffee he's had the pleasure of drinking, though Mab doesn't strike him as much of a coffee drinker. And she's better placed than him to know the chatterings amongst the fae.

He'll go about it the roundabout way. If she wants specifics she can ask for them, he decides. "Lines in the sand change and fashion moves on, but the humans themselves don't change overmuch, I'm sorry to say." He wrinkles his nose in distaste, but his sigh might almost be mistaken for fond, "they're always fighting for control, but they never keep it. Honestly it's like trying to keep track of which dog has marked which tree."

[rules_winter]

Eames takes his time considering his answer which she appreciates. Her eyes focus on his as he determines what he ought to tell her. "It is in their nature, fleeting as their lives are, it leaves little time for massive shifts in consciousness." She shrugs a little, and does take note of his sigh and it's implications whatever they might be.

Her lips curve up a little at the thought of humans urinating on street corners to claim their territory. The graffiti around isn't that far from such an image. "True, unfortunately it does effect us, does it not?" Her lips pursed and she looked up at the marquee. "I have come here to understand." As if one trip into the human world could do such a thing. She understands humans in broad strokes and in their deepest weaknesses. But the surface is the complicated part for her.

[falsify]

"Well then," He exhales softly, putting his hands in his pockets. Understanding is a tall order, especially for just one outing, but Eames feels as though he has a bit of a responsibility to help. And part of him thinks it'd be absolutely fascinating to see the way Mab chooses to interact with the world. "For starters, we're in Kensington right now. The Night Council controls this area, and they're not exactly fans of ours." He smirks at Mab, amusement clear as day in his expression, "we don't play by the rules, you see."

[rules_winter]

Mab is, fortunately, patient in some things. Learning about mortals and how their current world operates cannot take up all of her time but she has set aside certain amounts of time to visit now and then. To learn. She shall have to find a mortal who doesn't call the police when she talks to them to really get her into the nitty gritty but Eames clearly is a good start.

The Night Council. Lead by a certain witch if she remembered correctly. She smiled as well, but hers looks more dangerous as her eyes drop from the marquee back to his. "Very true Mister Eames. We play by our rules." And while it wasn't bright to set the humans off, if the Night Council decided to raise a stink, Mab was not against raising one right back. The witches could not hide from frightened humans in the Other Realm if they had made enemies of the fae.

"Kensington." She repeated, letting the name settle in her mind. And then in an apparent non-sequitor she asked, "What, precisely, is a Boogaloo?"

[falsify]

The question completely throws him off and he looks at Mab for a moment like she's suddenly grown an extra head. He's about to ask her to repeat herself when the question processes and he gives her an answer that's less eloquent than he's used to being. "Uh... A type of music, I believe." That's right, isn't it? It's not something he's ever actually had to know. "Why do you ask?"

[rules_winter]

Something like amusement dances in her eyes for a moment as she catches him completely off guard. "Music?" She turns her head back to the marquee and points to the title of one of the films. Electric Boogaloo is top on the roster likely because E comes before M and the Mad man on the angry road has baffled her just as much as music played with electricity.

"How does one play a boogaloo?" She wondered out loud, it didn't look like she expected him to know. "Did you notice how angry the mortals seem to be?" Furious 7 was also displayed. "Perhaps it is because there are so many of them." A group of people brushed by them as if to emphasize the fact.

[falsify]

He laughs at the question, looking up at the marquee to see which movies are on this week. There's always so many action movies at this time of year, you'd think they'd get bored of that many explosions after a while.

"It's more than that," he says softly, "they love action heroes. Stories of revenge and heroism, people doing the-" Fingerquotes," 'impossible.' For two hours, it means they can forget they'll never be more than they are."

I'm going to find a tense and stick to it LOL

[rules_winter]

She lets out a huff of breath, not at him but at what he mentions. "Yes, it can be useful though." After all, who doesn't want to become a hero? Her head canted at the air quotes though. She may have seen someone do that sometime but it just looked like an odd tic then. Clearly it was a Thing.

"It is difficult for a human to realize their own insignificance, I imagine." She was quiet for a moment as she considers the people moving in and out of the cinema, and next door there was a small cafe with people seated at the window eating sandwiches.

"Perhaps I should simply visit some human establishments."