![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME 001
⚰︎ ⍢ ⌲ ⍚ 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
the darkling — netflix shadow & bone, diabel
amidst the clatter of knives and hum of conversation, he is able to pick up snippets of gossip. most of it meaningless to him, but he nonetheless engages them cheerful small talk, before steering the conversation toward subjects of greater interest.
the castle and its occupants in particular.
he’s also quick to get stuck into helping, whether it’s chopping vegetables, stirring pots, or tending to sizzling pans. perhaps he’ll even hold out a spoon to you taste whatever he’s been preparing. ) Too much salt?
his gaze lingers on the bed closest to the window, its covers neatly arranged. his fingers brush lightly against the fabric, taking note of the faint scent of lavender lingering in the air.
a former occupant or one of their cheerful hosts? difficult to say. )
Curious that they left the place standing for so long. ( it’s said as he slides his fingers beneath the mattress, feeling for irregularities. )
02. WILD CARD
boarding house
His attention elsewhere means he's surprised by the spoon. Vincenzo looks at the man with a gaze that suggests he isn't someone social enough to do so under normal circumstances but after a moment, he accepts the offering. Rolling his lips, Vincenzo considers the taste. ]
It could use a little more.
[ Though in spite of his appearance, Vincenzo is used to Italian food. ]
no subject
his own attire is not much better, really: an oversized tunic that might well have been a dress, its hem barely reaching past his knees. the kitchen is warm enough that the chill doesn't penetrate the thin fabric. )
I feared as much. ( mildly; he takes the spoon back from vincenzo and turns, his gaze shifting toward the shelves. ) It's difficult to gauge just how much salt is too much for certain dishes. ( a slightly considering look at vincenzo, now, before adding: ) Especially with such varied tastes at play.
no subject
[ Though he does well to hide his discomfort, Vencenzo is a prideful man, and his clothing allows for little pride. It isn't as easy to make eye contact even during mundane conversations, but he hopes to find a better outfit soon. ]
They can add salt, but it's not something you can take away. Are you an experienced cook?
no subject
My mother wasn't known for her culinary abilities. It was either learn or starve. ( a touch hyperbolic, but only a touch. )
no subject
[ Which is to say he isn't a bad cook himself. It isn't a hobby so much as cooking is just a natural life skill, but the kitchens are warm, and Vincenzo likes the relative solitude and privacy afforded by the kitchens. ]
What are you making? I can offer my expertise.
[ And maybe get a free meal from it. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
boarding house, b;
Besides, what she has been given only covers her so sufficiently; this dress is much too small for her, the hem trimmed well above her thighs, and she keeps having to resist the urge to tug her skirt down so as not to give anyone an unseemly glimpse between her legs.
By the time she's given a key and instructed to take a room, nothing sounds as heavenly as laying her head to rest on a pillow — until she opens the door to said room and finds a man standing within, prompting her to stop short and fumble the several rolls of bread she'd carried up in one hand. Most of them fall to the floor, rolling across it and coming to a stop in various places, but Ada doesn't move to retrieve them, not if it means crouching down in this dress to do it. ]
My apologies, sir, I had no idea this room was already occupied.
!!!
it's the chivalrous thing to do, after all. )
Here, ( he bends to pluck up some of the fallen rolls, offering them to her. like ada, he's dressed in a tunic that might well have been a dress in a previous life — a large man, the thing barely skims his knees, revealing much more than a glimpse of muscular legs.
not that he's particularly concerned about what she may or may not see at this moment. )
These are too good to waste.
no subject
[ It is her first instinct to try and resist his assistance — to insist, rather, that he need not help her when she is perfectly capable of retrieving what's been dropped on her own power, but before she can even muster much of a protest along those lines, he has already moved to aid her. ]
Just a bit of clumsiness, I'm afraid. And I did not expect anyone to be in here. I thought —
[ Well, it doesn't matter what she'd thought, given that he's clearly standing here before her as she gathers the retrieved rolls from him and then tries to tuck them back underneath her arm. Normally, she might have used her skirt as a makeshift carrier, but given the shortness of the hem, it would have meant baring her unmentionables to anyone within view. ]
Are there not enough rooms here for each of us to have our own?
no subject
( several fights have already broken out over this.
it's exhausting, frankly. no one wants to be here, much less to be forced to share with a stranger; aleksander, who had resolved to be pragmatic, was nonetheless grateful that his potential roommate didn't seem the type to stir up trouble. )
I take it you woke in the woods?
( as far as he can tell, that's the only common thread that connects him. of course, it's not as if he's had the opportunity to conduct more than the most cursory inquiries. )
b
she wears an oversized white tunic that makes her look like she's drowning in it as she ventures through the boarding house. what she's searching for, she's not quite sure. she's still covered in dirt and still has dried blood on her temple and hands from tearing wundagore apart. the townspeople had done their best to try and convince her to let them help her, but wanda had thought they'd done enough for her by giving her this to wear.
when she spots someone tall and dark in a room eyeing a bed by the window, she can't help but stop in the doorway and lean against it. despite her self-proclaimed isolation (it's best that she's not near anyone again), wanda's a human who doesn't long for loneliness. there's a reason why she's in this town and not back in her secluded cabin. someone or something doesn't particularly want her to get what she wants (again).
and, besides, his eyeing the bed by the window in such a way reminds her of pietro choosing to sacrifice her to the serial killers who use the door. ]
You know serial killers can climb through windows, too? It's best to just take the floor if you're looking for a safe space to sleep.
no subject
( he turns, regarding her with eyes as black as lacquer: glossy and impenetrable. like her, he's dressed in a borrowed outfit: modest by the standards of this place, though just barely. his tunic hands just past his knees, and if there are any trousers to speak of they're short enough that they might more generously be considered briefs. )
Although in my experience, the greatest threats often originate from within rather than outside.
( in the early days of the second army, he'd come dangerously close to having the floors of his rooms tiled. the expense would have been excessive, and it would have done little against the already brutal ravkan winter, but it would have saved many a carpet from blood stains.
although, given the state of this room, perhaps it would benefit from a little colour. )
A fellow traveller, I assume.
no subject
[ "kidnappee" has a nice ring to it, although "traveller" sounds a lot kinder. she'll take that, thanks. ]
I wonder if this is the outfits for travellers. [ she gestures between them. he's practically wearing a bigger version of the already big tunic that she's wearing. is this all they really had to give out? no, she suspects the townspeople gave their finest items to the follow travellers who had wandered into their town with a little too much applause for wanda's tastes. ] I was hoping for something with more colour. Maybe a little more shape.
no subject
( voice warm, perhaps even a little wry, like they're both sharing a secret. )
I'd have even accepted something in leather, but regrettably, the tailor seems to be closed until further notice. ( nevermind how, precisely, he would have paid for any of it. if he'd have paid for it. he's not above menacing a seamstress to get something a little more climate-appropriate. )
Why don't you come inside and sit down? I'll keep my eye on the door if you'll watch the window.
no subject
she smiles and steps inside and makes it a point to look pointedly at the window as though she's going to take her post watching it seriously. she would. it'd be a pity if she lost one of the few people she's spoken to to some weird cult-like serial killer. and through a window. ]
If I see anything near the window, I'll be sure to push you away from it.
[ she sits on the edge of his bed and rests a hand behind herself. ]
I'm Wanda. In case you need to shout about a serial killer sneaking in through the door.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wildcardd
Her mind can't wander while she's doing this. She can't become overwhelmed with everything she needs to do, back home and here, in order to get back home. However the hell she's going to do that from Europe. She was on the no fly list before she took a plane down.
Up. Creak. Down. The door is opening. She has no choice but to catch. Which Lorna does, attempting to seize the hilt in her hand in the same motion to conceal her power's glow. It's not seamless. She snaps upright, then snaps at him. ]
Pretty sure they've invented knocking!
no subject
however, he did catch a glimpse of something interesting before she'd caught him off-guard with her shout
'materialki,' had been his immediate thought — she must be one to control the metal like that. foreign, with that accent. she also didn’t know him. no one would dare address him in such a manner, not even his closest friends. but he'd never seen the small science accompanied by light like that before. )
I apologize for startling you. ( if she is indeed grisha, her fear is understandable. raising his hands, he shows her he's unarmed. )
No harm meant. ( darkness spills across his fingers, as if to say, "see, i understand". )
no subject
Is that... shadow? You've got to be kidding her. She has to admit it's the right play. Whatever the rest of his deal is, at least he's not strictly human. ]
I'll keep your secret if you keep mine. [ Can't put that feral cat back in the bag. She stares into his face unflinchingly, twirling the knife between her fingers. ]
no subject
it can be a useful thing, that remove, but this isn't ravka, and he doesn't have the luxury of falling back on his reputation. )
Of course.
( the shadow dissolves. it's a symbolic gesture, more than anything, but he also knows better than to antagonize anyone that skillful with a knife. )
I can still leave if you prefer.
no subject
[ He's a known quantity now. More known than the rest of the people here, anyway. And she'd rather share a room with someone who can look after themselves, at least for this first night. ]
Stay. [ Lorna shifts, taking her legs from the length of the bed to the width and shoving her back against the wall. Before resting both arms on her bent knees, she dismissively flicks one hand towards the door, securing the lock. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
boarding house—
but as fate would have it, he was handed over to the enemy kingdom of jing when he was a child as a hostage. they'd starved and beat him, and as such, he turned towards desperate means to acquire food, whether it be by begging, scavenging or stealing. after his marriage to ye xiwu, he wasn't treated much better. his wife hated him and, as a result, the servants of the ye family took it upon themselves to mistreat him. to get even scraps of food, they would assign him various tasks to do in the kitchen.
so, tantai jin is much too familiar with the kitchen. the only difference between the one in this boarding house and the one back in jing is that the people cooking and serving the food are far more generous and kind in comparison. it's rather strange, yet novel.
he takes the proffered spoon, giving the soup a tentative sip. )
No. It tastes fine. ( he hands the utensil back to the man. ) What is it made of?
no subject
taking back the spoon, he turns, attention shifting to the pot he'd been stirring. ) Buckwheat groats, simmered in a savoury broth, served with mushrooms and onions.
Simple fare, but satisfying when done well.
no subject
( a warm broth is well-suited for the cold weather. he looks forward to having a small bowl of it, once they begin serving dinner. )
Are you a native here?
no subject
aleksander casts a brief glance at the other man, wondering if it's because he is shu. it's been centuries since aleksander has been able to visit that continent, so it's entirely possible that it's a new invention. )
No, not local, but it feels like something like home.
( barring the love affair with all things leather and lace. )
You? A fellow traveller, I take it?
no subject
An involuntary one, at best. I awoke in the forest, like many others here. ( the mysterious circumstances surrounding their arrival in the woods is troubling. he can't seem to think of any reason why he would end up in such a place, unless this is perchance another dream...? )
I've never even heard of Rubilykskoye until now. And our ability to communicate with each other is rather curious.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)