TDM #16

[duplicitymods]

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

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It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy. This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses. To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues. ... and you’re here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity. After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a paper gown to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation. If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You’re a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You’re a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you’ll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms. Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals. The weather is rather cold and icy.

» » » WALKING TOUR

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The cold, icy winter weather has seen to it that there is an unfortunate interruption with the usual city tour for the newest arrivals to Duplicity. Some of the train tracks have a dangerous amount of ice coating them and sections of travel are now unavailable via train. City officials still believe that the tours are important to integrate new LIERs to Duplicity so they have organised personal walking tours held by current LIERs. New arrivals will be paired with their own tour guide; they can take the suggested path or take their barely dressed charge on a more ad-hoc tour. It might be considerate to let them change into something warmer first! Important landmarks and checkpoints like Fiddler’s Square, North Park, The Up and Down Courts, the People Zoo and of course S.L.U.T. need to be marked off on the tours but there have also been fun local stores which have set-ups for free samples and information booklets. What order and how people travel to them is up to them.

« « « GALLERIA OF SEX

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(CW: exhibitionism, voyeurism, dub/non-con) One of the stops along these new walking tours is a temporary educational art installation that has been set up to display and talk about the rich variety of kinks that are popular in Duplicity. Newcomers are invited to come inside the building, sit on the human furniture to watch and learn or volunteer to participate themselves. Each section has local LIERs and graduated citizens there to help walk those new to the program through the displays, explaining the appeal and draw of each kink. Live demonstrations or performance art are carried out by LIERs who have volunteered, been conscripted or are fulfilling a sentence that would normally land them in the People Zoo. They can and will ask anyone and everyone to step up and be part of the artwork themselves. Some of the displays set up will feature: Naked Submissives have been bound and posed with their bodies arched in visually pleasing positions. They are surrounded with candles burning around them and guests are invited to drip the hot wax across their bodies to add to the artwork that is their naked skin. Zap your lover or the volunteers with an electrical wand and discover the way it can make the skin tingle and muscles tense in just the right place at just the right moment. The image of cum dripping from a well used Submissive is considering something to appreciate visually so stations have been set up with glory holes and kneeling participants to have their faces and buttocks painted over the course of the day. A variety of whips, canes and paddles have been set out next to padded benches for Submissives to bend themselves over. The marks they leave are something to be proud of. No art display in Duplicity is complete without an ode to bondage, one room will be entirely devoted to participants being suspended from the ceiling, held in positions that will test their stamina and flexibility and leave the most gorgeous bruises. We encourage players not to limit themselves in regards to what is on display. There are many more kinks than the ones listed, and Duplicity considers all kinds of sexual acts a form of art. Photo taking is encouraged throughout the exhibition, especially when your own participation is concerned. If you missed the chance to do so, in the moment, you need not worry as the gift shop at the end of the gallery will have many different prints taken over the course of the exhibition available for purchase. Take home a keepsake of your first day in Duplicity.

« « « ICE TO SEE YOU

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(CW: exhibitionism) Winter does make it harder in Duplicity to enjoy all the pleasures of the flesh that could be on offer in the warmer months. Most who live in the city still need to wrap up with many layers when the weather turns so chilly. But that’s not saying that the city can’t find ways to help keep its residents in the mood. It will first be noticeable to those trying their hand at streaming or posting video footage onto the network. Regardless of a character's state of dress while recording, they will appear completely naked to those watching and no amount of covering up with more articles of material will change that. Others might see it as they set about on their first days getting used to the city’s layout, glancing into a shop window they will notice their own state of undress in their reflection. You might even see it in a particularly shiny bit of ice but no matter where you look, all reflective surfaces will show everyone in their birthday suits, naked as the day they were born.

« « « BLADES OF GLORY

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(CW: exhibitionism, dubcon, drugging) In a bid to encourage individuals to get out and keep active despite the chilly weather, the city has transformed one of the large tennis courts in the Up into a makeshift outdoor skating rink. In the recreation building attached to the courts-turned-rink the change rooms have been outfitted for people to change into more appropriate clothing. There is also at the front of the building an area to rent skates. Many who get on the ice see no reason to keep apart, as many contracted couples can be seen holding hands or chasing each other as they skate. In the change rooms it isn’t uncommon to see a bit of hanky panky or people getting off at helping others in and out of their skates. There also seems to be a small hot chocolate stand set up inside the building where characters can buy a warm drink to sip on while taking a break from skating. The drink may leave those that consume it feeling especially warm and frisky, with perhaps a bit of extra energy they need to burn off - skating might not cut it.

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

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Please read carefully. On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right". When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass". This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice. To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide: If your character would rather have a dog for a pet they are Dominant. If they would rather have a cat for a pet they are Submissive. If your character is from a canon that has neither, pick the choice you believe they would prefer more. To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new tdms with different designations for fun! Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!!

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» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Comments

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob is a talkative soul, he likes to fill the silence with some sort of noise, some sort of banter. But he has also learnt in the short time that he's been here that sometimes people like to focus on their drinking. Hellboy certainly does, downing whatever is on hand with an almost mechanical desire to get out of his own head.

He supposes that is exactly how Arthur drinks, so he doesn't add anything more, simply settling in to sip at his own. ]

[towhatmatters]

[ Good man.

It will take less alcohol than usual for Arthur to start feeling the effects of it. As he's getting tipsy, he starts thinking about what Jacob said. It was 1868. The feller knew Charles Dickens. Could all be lies. That would make more sense. Or would it? Who would like about something like that? Nobody would buy it. No one sensible anyway.

The feller called Charles Dickens a friend. Wonder how Dutch would feel about meeting someone who knew Dickens personally. Does Dutch care much for Dickens? He's a lot more into philosophy, but ... It's probably the kind of cynicism he would enjoy. ]

So you're telling me Dickens actually believes his own stories?

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob laughs, sipping at his whiskey, not quite as far into his cups as Arthur is, but between them they've certainly made a good dent in the bottle. ]

The ones about ghosts? Let's just say he's disappointed when we have proof they're hoaxes.

[towhatmatters]

You know, you sound full of shit.

[ Which isn't really as much of an insult as it sounds like. So far, Arthur doesn't have any strong opinions or feelings about Jacob. ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob looks at him, eyebrow raised. He could take that as an insult, plenty would, but the memory of what bad shape the man is in stays his hand. ]

You sound full of whiskey mate.

[towhatmatters]

[ Sure, that sounds about right, and he just laughs at it. Partly because he's drunk, but mostly because he genuinely finds it funny. He hasn't had much reason to laugh lately. ]

Not full enough.

[ Another glass! ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob will pour him another glass, and gesture for them to be brought something to eat, onion rings and chunky chips with something to dip them into. Seems like the right mix of fat and salt to help soak up the booze.

And put skin on those bones. ]

[towhatmatters]

[ He has no idea what onion rings are, but more food sounds pretty good. What little he managed this morning wasn't enough to keep him full for very long.

But, for now, he's happy to keep working through this whiskey bottle. ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ He's gonna find out soon enough, because it doesn't take long for the platter to arrive, and Jacob digs in.]

Help yourself. Can't finish all of this on my tod. Food here is quick and good, for the most part. Even if I'm not sure what some of it is.

[towhatmatters]

[ Hm ... Looks fried? He curiously reaches out to grab an onion ring, and bites off half of it.

He decides it's acceptable. ]

Not bad.

[nothinglikefather]

[Jacob hums his agreement, gesturing with his own half-eaten morsel.] The red is ketchup, the white is some sort of cream and herb? Both are good.

Like I said, food in the Up is pretty damn good. I tried steak the other day. Never got that back home.

[towhatmatters]

What's special about steak?

[ It's just a piece of meat, right? He eats that all the time while on the road. ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob blinks. He'd thought that this ragged and skinny man was pretty much his social equal but... maybe he was wrong in that assumption. ]

You have steak?

We don't eat a lot of meat. And when we do its mutton.

[towhatmatters]

I eat plenty of meat. But I hunt it myself.

[ If you can't really do that, he supposes he can see that you wouldn't get the opportunity often. For the gang, vegetables and fruits were more luxurious. ]

[nothinglikefather]

Not much to hunt in London, unless you fancy rats or pigeons.

I don't know if in this place steak means something else. But it melted away into nothing in my mouth, it was the best thing I think I've eaten in a long, long time.

[He shrugs, and reaches for another chip.]

[towhatmatters]

[ He makes a bit of a face. Either of those would work if you were starving, but rats especially are far from appetising. ]

Huh. Guess that sounds better than the meat I cook on the road.

[ But he supposes it's not too difficult to do better than that. ]

[nothinglikefather]

It's worth trying, believe me. Although maybe it isn't as good as the stuff you catch, but I don't think there's much you can hunt here. Apart from a good time.

[He shrugs, and really hopes the city doesn't somehow hear him, and decide to make them all do some strange ritualistic hunter-and-prey stuff. That doesn't sound like a good time.]

[towhatmatters]

[ A shrug. ]

Was never that much of a hunter anyway.

[ With Charles's guidance, he was getting better at it, but he never considered himself one of the gang's best hunters. ]

[nothinglikefather]

If you catch enough to eat, isn't that the point?

Mostly what I catch is people. Then I have to hand them over to the police. Can't say that I've done any of that here, nor would I want to. Blood SIN Guards. Keep away from them.

[towhatmatters]

[ So a bounty hunter, basically.

He scoffs. ]

They make those abbreviations on purpose. LIES? SIN? Come on.

[ Bit on the nose. ]

[nothinglikefather]

[ Jacob would argue that he only hands in people that are mutual targets- people who are truly evil, who keep the rest of London oppressed. But he doesn't know what Arthur's life is like, and frankly, it's all dependant on your point of view. But if Arthur could turn in some of those O'Driscolls or Skinners for cash? Don't say he wouldn't want to. ]

I'm pretty sure they do. All the places here have names like that you'll notice. All the bars have suggestive names, some of them aren't even trying to be innuendos.

But the guy in charge of the whole shebang- his name is C.R Eator. Creator. So my guess is? He wanted to spread the pain around.

[towhatmatters]

Sure that's his real name?

[ Why even use both initials? What's the point if he hates it? ]

[nothinglikefather]

No idea. Trying to find anything about him and his dom is bloody impossible. They're hardly ever seen in public.

[Maybe he doesn't hate it. Maybe he picked it. Maybe they're just nuts. Jacob can't actually be sure. But he's been trying to find out about them, to know if they are the ones behind all of the horrible things that happen here, if somehow they're responsible for everyone being dragged away from their lives.

It's taking time. And he doesn't like that.]

[towhatmatters]

Sounds like a fake name to me.

[ Or is it absurd enough that it has to be real? Hmmm. ]

[nothinglikefather]

Is it a fake name if that's the only thing people call you?

[Not that it matters. He shrugs, and takes another drink]

Whatever the name, they're apparently the power in this city.