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duplicitymemes2021-03-09 06:59 pm
duplicitymods) wrote in duplicitymemes2021-03-09 06:59 pm
Entry tags:
TDM #17
« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »
« « « ALL ON DISPLAY
» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «
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 clear plastic top and pants along with clear plastic boots 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 wet and rainy. Very, very rainy. |
» » » ALL ABOARD
 It's time for the monthly Duplicity train tour. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERS at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park. The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning. |
« « « RAIN RAIN GO AWAY
 (cw: aphro, dub-con, violence, marking)Ice and chilly weather have begun to give way to rain instead, with overcast skies and dark clouds a seemingly constant sight. While the overabundance of rain is an annoyance and comes with the usual series of problems, such as leaky ceilings, mold growth, and gutters or storm drains overflowing, this time the rain carries with it another problem altogether. A weather advisory warning is broadcast to every device, as well as on news networks and radio. The rain, at least for a few days, is not ordinary rain. Whether you're in the Up or the Down, when the water hits clothing it eats away at it. The more water it absorbs, the more the material disintegrates until the wearer is left naked. When the rain comes in contact with skin (or is ingested) the effects seem to differ depending on where you are in Duplicity. In the Up, it's relatively harmless and merely has an aphrodisiac effect, leaving individuals feeling hot and bothered, more sociable and touchy feely. Those in the Down, however, are not so lucky. As the rain seeps through the soil from the Up, it ends up laced with toxins, causing a range of less pleasant side effects for anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. Aside from the aphrodisiac, those who get caught in the rain may develop an uncomfortable, itchy rash, leaving them looking rather spotty for a few days. Those who can't resist scratching at themselves will find a newfound pleasure to the relief it brings and start to crave the feeling or sight of similar marks. In worst case scenarios, individuals will become addicted to marking themselves and others, perhaps even to the point of breaking skin. Effects may last for several hours after exposure and will stack with repeated exposures. In all cases, getting off will bring temporary relief but will not alleviate the symptoms entirely. Plastic coverings seem to be unaffected by the rain and, as word spreads, the Natives in Duplicity form a mad rush buying up umbrellas. Unless a character is lucky, they may find themselves unable to purchase - or even borrow - one. Theft of umbrellas becomes widespread in the Down, often escalating to violence, and even the Up isn't safe from thugs trying to steal and resell this suddenly hot commodity. There's another side to all of this, however. Due to the shortage of umbrellas, it isn't uncommon to see Dom/Sub pairs sharing umbrellas together. If anything, it's encouraged as a means to strengthen their bond. Enterprising Subs and Doms alike may even sell their "services" to escort individuals who would otherwise end up soaked. |
« « « SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME
 (cw: substance abuse, altered states, coercion, fluids, physical body changes)A new "holistic" pharma company named SQuIRT is opening up in Duplicity and is paying a pretty penny for people to trial run their new line of supplements. These supplements are supposed to increase a person's vitality and energy levels, but the side effects are what the company is really looking out for. Some of the side effects aren't so bad and could include:
While others might find their own reaction to be a little more severe:
Subjects must take the supplements for at least a week, otherwise they'll receive no compensation for their troubles. All new arrivals will find themselves automatically enrolled in these trials, whether they want to be or not, and expected to report to the clinic. Of course they don't have to take the supplements, but the payout is certainly enticing, especially for those unfortunate enough to be branded Submissives. |
« « « STICKY FINGERS
 (cw: violence)Crime runs rampant in the Down as always but now, with the nastier side effects of the rain creating an ongoing problem, some unsavory types are sneaking their way into the Up where the effects aren't so hazardous. The result is an uptick in crime in places that are usually considered safe. Be careful how you carry yourself - and your valuables. Those who look like easy pickings may find their pockets empty. Cameras in public areas are being vandalized as well, while homes and businesses are seeing a rise in graffiti. Most of the graffiti is merely obscene, but some is outright seditious. Good luck explaining the latter to the authorities if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the smaller gangs that has a presence in the Down is taking particular advantage of the rain's disruption to expand their territory into the Up. Known as the Bulldogs, their members are young men and they have a reputation for violent muggings and assaults - mainly targeting Submissives. They loiter in groups near the train and the elevator between the Up and the Down to ambush the alone and unwary. At night, they also prey on those walking home from bars or clubs who may not fully have their wits about them. In addition to beating up their victims for money, some of the Bulldogs are engaging in an informal competition over who can steal the most umbrellas - with bonus points awarded for whatever else they feel like. LIERs are worth double points by default, so watch out! |
« « « MOD & OOC NOTES
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: Players can choose whether to assign their character as a Dominant or Submissive on this TDM for the Door Pass for March Applications only. For May's Application round, threads started here may be used as samples however they will not be eligible for a Door Pass in May. Characters will need to use a thread from May's TDM, using those Door Pass rules, for an application after the March round. 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! THERE WILL BE NO APPLICATION ROUND IN APRIL Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!! |
no subject
he's polite with the receptionist, shows himself down to the office indicated, and with leather-clad knuckles raps lightly on the door. he waits for an acknowledgment--researchers are often busy, and unlike most of them, he has all the time in the world to wait--before pushing the door open and stepping inside. his wool suit is dark navy and well-made, though the dark shirt beneath it is polyester, and it hints at the tracking collar ringing his throat beneath the fabric. ]
Good morning, [ he greets, accent soft and odd, and in the warmth of the building, he looses the buttons on his blazer and removes it, draping it lightly over the back of one of the chairs opposite the archivist, then stepping forward to offer out a hand. between his cropped gloves and the buttoned cuff of his sleeve, the artfully-crafted metal of his wrist gleams dully, lit blue at the joints. ] The Archivist, then? Please call me Cain.
no subject
Cain. Right.
[He lifts a brow.]
Is that your real name or some sort of codename for this organization you're a part of?
[Jon's seen a great deal, but he's a skeptic at heart. The story of Cain and Abel is something he's aware of, and it's a bit mad to think this could be anything like that Cain.]
no subject
No. It's my real name. [ though most people call him by his item number these days, as if they think it actually provides distance. he doesn't mind, really; the foundation is still the closest thing he's had to peace and family in a very long time.
he settles in the chair his jacket is draped on, crossing his thighs and lacing his fingers together atop them. ] I'm not precisely employed by the organization in the traditional sense. When I say that I belong to it, I mean that very literally. [ he unlaces his hands again to lift one, hooking his index finger beneath the collar of his shirt to tug it down and reveal the tracking collar instead. ] Technically speaking, I'm one of their artifacts.
cw: attempted mind-control
I see.
[There's a great deal that he wants to ask, but Jon starts with the question that had brought them together. There's power put behind it, trying to force an honest answer.]
What is the name of your organization?
no subject
so when he speaks again and there's power behind it, cain isn't surprised, only.. disappointed, perhaps. even as he feels the compulsion reflect back on its origin, he finds his lips parting anyway. ] It's called the SCP Foundation. [ the answer is barely out of his mouth before it's shutting once more with a click of teeth together, lips twisting down into a weary frown. ] .. I had a feeling you were anomalous. [ he uncrosses his legs, hands bracing against the arms of the chair to rise. ] I would have given you the name willingly if you'd been patient and trustworthy.
[ he may have given more than that, if he'd thought the archivist trustworthy. as it is, he is clearly.. not. ]
no subject
Wait.
[He stands up with Cain.]
I'm sorry. I just- I needed to know. Not having information is- it's difficult for me. Like having a needle pressed against the back of my eye. My patron's gifts come at a cost. Collecting information is what it wants.
[Jon's own expression shifts to confusion and alarm. What... on Earth? He would never be that open about what he is and what he needs with someone on a first brush.]
I- What did you just do?
[Again, there's power, a more fearful snap of it rather than anything calculated.]
no subject
he breathes in through his nose, curling his gloved knuckles against the top of the desk and tapping once in thought. and although he doesn't owe this man anything more, he.. understands the hunger. there are similar beings within the foundation, like cain himself. contained, because otherwise they cause havoc-- doubtless the archivist has caused his fair share of it.
after a moment more, he takes pity on him, voice gentle despite the lingering disappointment. it's not entirely the young man's fault, after all. ] I can't be damaged, and I suppose the curse-- [ a gentle tap of his other hand to the mark carved into his brow. ] --interpreted your abilities as an attack on my person. The curse reflects them back on the attacker. I still feel the damage, though. [ he was meant to suffer, after all.
he considers, briefly, taking his jacket and leaving. he made promises, after all, and it's clear that he can't be certain the archivist won't attempt to use his abilities again. but.. instead, he sighs and sinks down into the chair once more. ] .. Give it a few moments, the effect will fade. [ a pause, a slight tilt of his chin. ] I'd like to ask about your patron, but not while you're obligated to answer.
no subject
It's called the Beholding. Or the Eye. Or the Ceaseless Watcher. It-Knows-You. I'm sure it has a hundred other names that haven't been recorded. Those are just the 'modern' set.
[He bites down on his own hand to stop himself saying more than that as he sits heavily and waits for the desperate need to speak to pass. He knows his own abilities are unpleasant, in general. He's had some sort of truth serum forced on him and they never get easier to deal with.]
no subject
[ the archivist's patron goes by no name cain's particularly familiar with, but the concept is nothing new. an entity that obsessively collects information, that.. watches, he supposes? some sort of elder god or extradimensional.. conceptual being, perhaps.
he glances down briefly at his knees, brushing at the fabric absently, consciously forcing his spine to relax into the chair. ]
My number within the Foundation is SCP-073. I've lived in one of their facilities since the mid-1920s. [ his eyes flick back up again questioningly. does it help, then, to offer.. something? ]
no subject
You said they owned you. Why would you even go there if you've been around so long?
[It's just a question, the Archivist purposefully reining in his powers.]
no subject
but.. what does it hurt to tell him? ] You have to alter your perspective. [ that's possibly not very helpful. ] That is, look at me. [ he gestures to the mark on his brow, then shifts to strip off one of his gloves, spreading the delicately-made, strange metal fingers. ] .. I stand out even in remote places, and as humanity advances, it becomes harder and harder to hide. [ he pulls the glove back on. ] Particularly given the stipulations of my curse. I don't enjoy salting the earth everywhere I go.
[ he rolls a shoulder in a small shrug. ] The Foundation has given me a.. home, I suppose you could say. Work. People that know what I am and who I am. [ his glance slips away from jon, mouth flattening faintly. ] .. It's a blessing to have those things, even if they're short-lived. A hundred years, two.. a thousand. Ten-thousand. It's still-- no matter how long the Foundation lasts, it will fall eventually, and so will civilization, and the cycle will begin again.
no subject
[He does have to raise his brows at the other man.]
And the cycle keeps going as long as the Earth isn't swallowed up by the sun. I presume astrophysics still apply in your world?
no subject
[ usually it manages to kill itself off, but not always. sometimes there are outside actors: items that cause extinction events, gods, things. perhaps like the archivist's own patron. ]
.. How did you become tied to your Watcher? You weren't anomalous before, were you?
no subject
I signed an employment contract and started recording stories for it. I wasn't made aware that I was feeding it until significantly later. [A pause.] From my perspective. More than a year.
You didn't answer me about the sun. Is the world just being reset as part of these 'experiments,' or will it all burn out one day, you along with it?
no subject
the question makes him spread his hands in a shrug. ] I don't know. One can hope. I've seen artifacts that affect such things, though, and the universe can and has been renewed before. [ apocalypse myths exist for a reason, after all. ] What is the cost to you if you don't feed your Watcher?
no subject
[Jon remembers the description of those things under Alexandria vividly, even now.]
Is there anyone else like you in your world?
no subject
[ he hesitates, reaching up to curl fingers over his nape, gloved fingertips scraping over the exposed line of his prosthetic spine. ]
I-- [ he shouldn't. he's been trusted with this information, he shouldn't offer any of it to a stranger. but.. truthfully, what does it matter? this is another world, and worst case scenario, the archivist proves to be untrustworthy and learns something that he likely can't use anyway. ] I may be able to provide some assistance with your patron. I don't know with any certainty, of course, and it'll take some time for me to review all the files, but.. [ he trails off, fingers sliding away. ] Well. If the Foundation were to find a way to this dimension, they'd likely want you.. safely contained, as well.
[ and while cain understands the necessity of it in some cases, it isn't always. ]
no subject
What sort of 'assistance' are you proposing? I'm not going to share the contents of my archive with you.
no subject
or perhaps that's just his personality.
he taps his temple with a finger. ] I said that I have an eidetic memory, Archivist. And the Foundation backs up all of its files and information in me. [ besides, he doubts there's anything in the archivist's collection that the archivist himself hasn't studied extensively. ] As for assistance, I suppose that depends on what you wish to come of your contract. More control? .. Freedom?
no subject
[His brows knit in confusion.]
You mean with the Beholding, not my- Everyone has contracts in Duplicity. I don't need anything particularly from my partners.
no subject
[ considering where they are. ]
You have multiple contracts with.. submissives? [ what a distasteful set of labels. ]
no subject
In any case, I don't have... It's not a contract with the Eye. Nothing physical like that. [Not anymore.] The only terms are that I feed it, or I'll wither away and die. I didn't sit down to negotiate.