TEST DRIVE MEME 001

[rubimods]

⚰︎ ⍢ ⌲ ⍚ TEST DRIVE MEME:

CONTENT WARNINGS for this game include: monsters, body horror, dub-con, non-con, religion, blood/violence, and marking/branding, loss of autonomy/self, and mental influences.

This log additionally has warnings for: nudity, spiders, waxplay, character death, and references to children in proximity to sexual situations.

✧ ✧ ✧

Welcome to RUBILYKSKOYE — a dark, horror-smut game where player choices will drive a mod-run storyline about the world and its NPCs. For the first round, this test drive serves as characters' arrival into game.

THESE THREADS CAN BE GAME CANON if both players are accepted into the game and agree to it. However, if players who'd prefer to start fresh are welcome to reuse these prompts in their own personal logs upon acceptance into the communities.

If you have QUESTIONS about the test drive prompts, please ask HERE. Questions about the game itself or the general setting should be directed to the FAQ.

FAQ ✧ SETTING ✧ CALENDAR ✧ RESERVES ✧ APPLICATIONS

AWAKENING IN PAJAK WOOD

The chirping of partridges in the treetops rouses you. Light barely filters through the canopy, just enough to suggest warmth of the sun. By the time it reaches the forest floor, the daylight has taken on a sickly green tinge. You lie amongst the mosses and ferns, the soil cold and just a little damp on your bare skin. Wherever you were before this moment, whatever you were doing or wearing, when you awaken in this forest, you find yourself naked and helpless as the day you were born.

Fortunately, you seem to be alone. The birdsong continues as you sit up and get your bearings — aside from a brief wave of disoriented nausea, you seem to be no worse for wear than you last remember. Amongst gnarled oaks and moss, you see nothing around. No sign of civilization or sentient life. Movement flickers at the corner of your eye, but it's just a curious animal — brave squirrels or lizards who have come to see what stirs in their home.

Then, like the rippling of the horizon at noontime, the ash-gray soil around you undulates. Sea, not earth. Something else has come to greet you — their grey bodies blended in so easily with the floor, but as you stagger to your feet, you see them. Thousands of spiders roll like waves underfoot. They crawl towards you from the darker edge of the forest.

attack

Individuals who attack the spiders will find the small spiders are easy to kill, but the pheromones released by their corpses draw larger spiders in their place. Huge, blood-red spiders the size of hunting dogs drop from the treetops. In addition to their venomous bite, which contains a fast-acting paralytic, these creatures are clever: they will attempt to use their webbing to handicap any trespassers, binding limbs together or to trees. If you're unfortunate to become fully cocooned, you don't have long before this forest will be the last thing you see.

FAQ: DEATH RULES

hunt

Any aspiring monster-hunters enterprising enough to try to follow the spiders to their nest will move eastward. This way, the forest grows darker and darker — though the sun never grows warm red-gold with sunset.

In the void, the birdsong is replaced by the click of mandibles and the skitter of many legs, but soon it is impossible to see. Even with the brightest magical light does not reach further than a few inches. The air grows heavy and thick, as if it were not air at all but some more solid mass. Almost like liquid-smoke, it presses down upon you. Slowing your movements. Soon, you cannot move at all.

Turn back while you still can — collapsing out here is dangerous. The void can play tricks on your senses. You may find yourself reliving unhappy memories or hallucinating your worst nightmares.

SETTING: THE VOID

But flee the spiders westward and you will discover that the wood is well-populated with the survival resources that someone might seek — berries bushes and trees bearing stone fruits; sticks and dry leaves to aid in the building of a fire; rocks big enough to fashion into crude weapons; small animals that can be hunted or caught; hike long enough, and you might just find the freshwater stream that runs north-to-south, populated by both poisonous toads and delicious crawdads.

What's more, you may run into others with stories just like yours. Some may have already formed clumsy nudist hiking parties, others may still be naked and confused and processing how they have no memory of how they got here. They all stagger vaguely, as you do, with only the sun for a waymarker — and even that won't last long.

Now is a good time to overcome any hang-ups you have about modesty, as it's going to be a long hike. If you sneak a good look at your new companions, you may four varietals of marks on their bodies. Maybe someone will even point out that you have one, too.

FAQ: CURSE MARKS

EVERY DAY LIKE THE ONE BEFORE

Hike far enough — or long enough that the sun does go down — and signs of life come into view. The glow of fires and lights, the smooth curve of a stone wall. A town sits at the edge of this wood, a reward to the survivors.

The fifty-foot wall of beige stone protecting the town's perimeter has only a single entrance — an iron gate positioned on the southern edge. When you arrive, the gate is already open, welcoming people into town from the winding dirt road. Attentive eyes may note that the road itself bears the mark of many wagon wheels and horse hoofs, but not cars.

guards

The guards grant entry to anyone who attempts a conversation with them. However, if your character is more likely to attempt to sneak in, overcome the guards, or attack them, please reach out HERE.

Inside the wall lies a quaint, historic town with a population around five thousand. The streets are cobbled, and their signs are lit by gas lamp. Wooden shutters protect otherwise open-air windows on the buildings, which are all under three stories with gabled roofs. A number of businesses hug the main street — a clockmaker, a cobbler, a bank — while residential homes sprawl outwards towards the wall. At the far end of the main street, visible about a mile to the north now that the trees and the enormous wall is out of the way, sits a castle with three towers.

No matter what time you pass through the gate, the streets are full of people. The climate of the bustle befits a night market or a busy friday downtown — plenty of people to ogle at your exposed body. But despite any efforts on your part to hide or make excuses, the locals don't seem offended by your nakedness. Even families with children don't gawk or look twice. In fact, the further into town you go, the more you may notice that they all wear revealing clothing that, to your sensibilities, may seem sexually suggestive. Some individuals openly expose their breasts and nipples, while some others may incidentally reveal when they turn around to tend to their errands that their dress is backless — entirely! If anything, they seem to be under the impression that you're naked to participate in the evening's events with the rest of them.

Those still determined to find proper clothing will find that modern clothing stores aren't a thing here. The closest this town has is a tailor's shop, which is closed for religious observance, and a stand in the central marketplace selling scarves and blankets.

Fortunately, the people of the town are very generous! The locals will gladly share what they have with those who ask politely — but those items are as revealing as what they're wearing. You might get a mesh bodysuit or drape outfit. Remember not to be ungracious! it's only appropriate for the occasion.

steal clothing

Anyone unwilling to ask nicely for help could break into someone's house or yard to steal some of their clean laundry. Notably, inside their homes, the people of the town also appear to own some more modest apparel. Be sure to alert us HERE if your character pursues this option.

SETTING: CRIME

And what is the occasion? The locals are excited and flattered by any interest in their ordinary weekly prayer: the folks dancing and selling their wares are all offering their energies to give thanks and ask for their god's patronage! The abstractions are all familiar — fertility, harvest, peace. Smalltalk makes them eager to chat and draw you into those festivities — including some ceremonial wax-dripping on the exposed parts of your body!

Anyone who chats at length with the townspeople will gather that the locals feel it's better for the newcomers to dive into the deep-end because, since you'll be settling in here, they expect you'll want to participate down the line. They seem to be under the impression that the new arrivals are a boon from their god.

In addition, many of the locals' choice of clothes reveal the same four types of marks on their bodies as the folx who were wandering out in the wood!

ROOM AND BOARD

Once you're tired out, the locals will help you find a place to stay. The boarding house is several stories tall and spacious, accessible through an embellished iron garden gate and obscured by hanging plants, trees, and vines. Beyond the overgrown yard is a bright red door, which opens into a spacious cottage.

The house has clearly been empty for some time — dust has gathered on various furnishings — bedding, sofas, curtains, wooden tables. According to the locals, it has remained empty since its last occupant passed away, and that's all they'll say about that!

Each floor of the house has a shared sitting room, but only the first floor has a kitchen — large enough to support feeding the entire household. Here, a few of the townspeople will help out — they stock the kitchen and help make dinner for the new arrivals.

finding roommates

Don't spend too much time in the dining room going for seconds, though. You'll want to claim a bedroom quickly because each one only has two full-size beds, and there aren't enough spaces for everyone. The last people upstairs will need to double up to squeeze in. Roommates will not be mod-assigned; players should coordinate directly with one another to determine their living arrangements.

Get a good night's rest. By the light of day, locals will help get the new arrivals set up on the coal stove with breakfast. You may notice they're dressed in a way you would almost call normal — at least, in a manner befitting 19th century Eastern Europe. As you find your way around town to get your bearings, folks are eager to help you find a place to apply your skills so you can contribute to your new home.

Comments

[explosion]

[ that piques her interest. she sits a little taller, although she doesn't appear ramrod straight. while she might like a moment alone, she's been mostly alone since arriving here. pietro would tell her that talking to others is good. it means she's not withering away in his shadow. ]

What kind of sweets do you like?

[ she's going somewhere with this, aleksander. ]

[morozova]

I must confess, I have a weakness for pryaniki.

( he doesn't expect her to have the faintest idea of what he's talking about, but the spiced honey cookies have been his go-to comfort food since he was a small boy. and after this day, a little comfort wouldn't hurt. )

Although, I'd settle for a decent cup of coffee.

[explosion]

[ if she recognises the sweets, wanda doesn't let it show in her expression. she smiles a small smile before she holds out her hand, palm up. much like samantha, she points her finger at her palm and the pryaniki appears, a handful of small cookies piled in her palm.

she didn't need to mimic samantha, but wanda's always enjoyed the theatrics. she lets herself smile now, pleased that the cookies look as she remembers them to be from the local sokovian bakery that's since been destroyed by ultron. ]

I can make you a coffee, but I've been told I sometimes make it too hot.

[morozova]

( worn out and weary, aleksander can only manage a tired blink at the display. a pity, really, as he is no stranger to theatrics and hers had been particularly impressive in how understated they had been.

he reaches out to pluck one of the cookies from her palm, turning it over in his hand. examining it closely, he confirms that it certainly looks like a pyranik. lifting it to his nose, he breathes in the scent of cinnamon and nostalgia, and he smiles. )

Can coffee truly be considered coffee when it isn't black as pitch and scalding? ( which is to say, he's hardly going to be picky when she's already being more than generous. ) There might be some cream in the kitchen. I can fetch it, if you'd prefer to remain here.

[explosion]

[ as theatrical as wanda can be, she's a little grateful for someone merely blinking at her display and not being wowed by it. she likes being on the receiving end of such fanfare… and sometimes she likes to feel utterly, painstakingly normal.

she smiles. considering his question, wanda does think about staying behind and simply existing in a room that's small and impersonal. but she feels the desire to move about, and so she shakes her head. ]

And risk you keeping all the cream to yourself? [ she shakes her head with a quiet tsk.

rising from the bed, she stacks the cookies onto the nearest flat surface. ]

If there's a lot of cream, you'll need extra hands to help you carry it and hide it from the rest of the travellers.

[ finders keepers, losers don't get cream. ]

[morozova]

Well, I'm afraid we can't have that.

( he gets to his feet and tucks the pryanik between his teeth, before extending his arm toward wanda, inviting her to take hold. it's only fair, considering all that she's already done. )

[explosion]

[ who is she to turn down an arm? if she does, she knows it's a sign of distrust. and while wanda truly has no reason to distrust or trust aleksander, he's been kind to her in these moments. he hasn't flinched at her magic or pulled forth a pitchfork. that matters.

she loops her arm with his. he's very tall. ]

Do you like this room?

[morozova]

( if there's one advantage in being as old as he is, it's that there's few things that can truly shock you.

oh, wanda's powers are truly exceptional. not least because she seems to draw on them with such ease and confidence, and with little to no drawbacks.

not merzost, then; something purer. something closer to song casting, perhaps? )

I've slept in worse places. ( plucking the cookie from his mouth before he answers, because manners. ) Not recently, granted, but I'm hardly one to shun a roof over my head. Even one granted under such dubious means.

[explosion]

[ a simple yes or no would've sufficed, aleksander!

when they've moved out of the room, wanda glances over her shoulder and points her finger toward the door. it locks. at least no one will think to wander into the room that they've seem to have chosen—or he has, really; a room is a room and is better than lying beneath a bed. ]

Hopefully this will be one of the better places you sleep. The view from the window isn't the worst. I think many people will try and fight you for it, though.

[morozova]

( the movement catches his eye — they flick toward the door, then away again.

a lady of many talents, it seems. it reminds him a little of elizaveta, actually. both young; both talented beyond comprehension. wanda, at least, seems to not be as inordinately fond of bees. )

I pity anyone that tries. ( he barely sleeps as it is. between the pair of them, they'd make quick work of any prospective invaders. )

[explosion]

[ she makes a warm sound low in her throat. at least he's not discomforted by her displays of magic. she can her vision in her head, reprimanding her for being so blatant with it. but what does she have to lose? the pitchforks are inevitable. burning witches at the stake is a cycle history likes to repeat over and over no matter what earth she's on. agatha hadn't been wrong when she said there was no love for women like them.

she might as well make the most of it before the townspeople—and potentially the travellers—deem her too strange and scary.

she furrows her brows. ]

Do you think this place is strange?

[morozova]

Yes.

( immediate and without hesitation — the superficial similarities with ravka only add to the strangeness. like an artist's rendering of a place based solely on second-hand accounts. )

Have you noticed how we all speak the same tongue?

[explosion]

I would have thought the townspeople wouldn't speak such perfect English. Some of the businesses are in Sokovian—or seem like they are.

[ this place is definitely not sokovia. the buildings aren't right. the pathways aren't the same. the sights and scents are nothing like sokovia. but the names are. they feel a little like home.

he'd spoken sokovian with such ease that wanda wouldn't be surprised if he was from sokovia. ]

[morozova]

( he doesn't know that word, "sokovian" — not "english", either — but there's a certain weight to it that implies a personal significance to her. aleksander takes note of that, of the little note of longing that underscores it, filing it away for later consideration. )

I had a similar experience. ( it'd been even more confusing because he'd been in similar woods before, much like the ones they'd woke up in. stumbling upon a ravkan settlement wasn't entirely out of the question. )

To be frank, I thought I'd been robbed and left for dead in the snow. It's not unheard of.

[explosion]

You were robbed.

[ with a small smile, wanda makes a show of looking pointedly at the fact he's wearing a tunic that doesn't suit him. it's long, but not long enough, and is shapeless in a way that's offensive. but she wishes to alleviate some of the weight growing with a little spike of humour.

but she keeps her smile small, not quite as bright as any smiles that have come before. he's shared something that she had been wishing to ignore for now. ]

I thought I was dead, too. [ she furrows her brows. ] Maybe this is like a purgatory. Or a universe that takes the dead and their clothes.

[ as light as she tries to make that sound, pietro was always the funny twin. ]

[morozova]

( it startles a laugh out of him. one that's a little rusty at the edges, granted, but genuine. )

There is a certain malicious creativity to it.

( he doubts that they're actually dead, though. mostly because he has long past the point where he can be killed by conventional means — if at all. )

Would you believe this was the tamest thing I could find?

[explosion]

[ she can't help but smile as she cocks her brow. regarding him pointedly, wanda is a little surprised that's the tamest thing he could find. ]

From what I could see of the townspeople, I didn't expect anything like that to be available.

[ wanda had been hoping all of this was a joke, but given how every single townsperson she saw was sporting the same dress sense... she sighs quietly and purses her lips. ] At least I can cross off 'join a nudist colony' from my bucket list.

[ that's... what this place is, right? ]