Duplicity Game Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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duplicitymemes2019-09-12 04:47 pm
duplicitymods) wrote in duplicitymemes2019-09-12 04:47 pm
Entry tags:
TDM #8
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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 highrise. 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 hellish summer heat is finally starting to subside, and the cool breeze suggests autumn is approaching. |
 After stepping through the door and participating in orientation, LIERS are assembled together in the Up for a tour of Duplicity in its entirety. 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. |
 The weather’s getting cooler, and people have begun transitioning from summer clothing to the sweaters and jackets of early fall. With jackets come pockets, and with pockets come a bizarre uptick in robberies. Then again, perhaps the correlation is flawed. In the Down, getting robbed is a constant threat. Gangs of street toughs look for lone or inattentive people who look like they’ve got valuables on hand. Uncontracted Submissives are particularly easy to rob, since authorities have little time to bother with a lowly Submissive without a Dominant to advocate for them. One particularly nasty gang of young adult men, the Bulldogs, hangs out near the train, looking to ambush unwary Submissives fresh out of Orientation. They are prone to violent muggings and will simply beat up their target and leave them in a gutter when they’re finished robbing them. In the Up, the streets are nominally safer, but there have been reports of a group of college-aged Submissive women taking advantage of their designation to attack travelers. They, too, stand near the train and the orientation center, looking to seduce passersby into an alley where a group of them can beat and mug their victims, usually Dominants looking to capitalize on their pretty appearances. But you’re truthfully at risk anywhere in the city. The new arrivals are easy targets, and any brazen thief might get the idea to make some quick cash. The authorities are spread too thin to help, but perhaps LIErs can look out for one another? Or they might just get in on the thievery. Everyone’s out for themselves, after all. |
( CW: potential dubcon, drugs, BDSM/sexual torture, prostitution, public use ) Surrounding a large building near the orientation center in the Up, banners and fliers announcing the beginning of the inaugural Duplicity High Tech Sexpo, a trade show for businesses and manufacturers of adult novelties. Since this is the expo’s first year, admission is free and many excited volunteers are handing out vouchers all over the city. These vouchers can be exchanged for goods and services within the expo, but have no monetary value outside of it. Even if you refuse them, you’ll likely find two or three of them tucked into your bag or pocket. Inside the expo hall, there are dozens of booths pitching a variety of entertainments. Many offer interactive demonstrations, showing off their tech for the crowds of interested onlookers. Competition is fierce, and booths try to attract attention and customers through any means necessary. There are private rooms all around the expo for potential customers to try out the products. Booths will also happily accept volunteers for demos, or try to recruit them by bribing them with cash or free samples. There’s a nasty rumor going around that some are recruiting volunteers via more illicit means, like drugging and dressing them up, but surely that’s an exaggeration… Some of the smaller booths sell more traditional toys and accessories: leashes and collars, specialty lubes and massage oils, fetish gear, strap-ons, dildos and vibrators in myriad shapes and sizes, and other basic items. Others advertise apps for the devices, the most notable of which is HUGGR (which LIErs may recognize as a poorly rebuilt sex-themed version of a certain other app.) The closer you get to the big-ticket sponsor booths, the more elaborate and fantastic the products become. One of the most eye-catching demos is for the Climax VR Headset. You and a partner both wear a VR headset, which displays a collaborative virtual scenario. Both partners can alter the setting and surroundings however they like, and any sexual activity conducted in VR transmits real sensations to their bodies. You can come together without ever physically touching. Symphony Hydraulics have a large, loud booth where crowds gather to watch perhaps the most outrageous demo: a variety of fucking machines. Volunteers get stripped, strapped in, and turned on, brought to screaming orgasms in front of the whole crowd. There is a fifteen minute break between demos on each machine, as some poor intern hurriedly washes and sanitizes them between uses. In the interim, they offer smaller, portable versions for sale or rent at the expo. (Some may note that a few of the Symphony Hydraulics staff members look a bit familiar.) Does all this high-tech equipment have you overwhelmed? Wish you could go back to a simpler time? Sir Robert’f Bedroome Provifionf (sic) is helmed by historical reenactor Robert Plum, who has also created his own line of medieval torture device-themed sex toys. Need a chastity belt to keep your Submissive all to yourself? A rack with an attached spreader-bar? An iron maiden with soft vibrating silicone ticklers inside? All the stocks and whips and chains you could ever need? Sir Robert has you covered. Of course, everything on display is harmlessly altered for sexual novelty purposes, but one might also ask to see Sir Robert’s “special” merchandise in the back. Perhaps the most unassuming booth at the expo belongs to Grandma Hattie’s Snacks and Sweets. Grandma Hattie, a kindly old Submissive, has partnered with a tech company to produce what appear to be completely normal vending machines, stocked full of her tasty homemade bread, snack cakes, and other baked goods. Vouchers are good for a free sample of any treat from a vending machine. They taste amazing and have no apparent odd effects-- until 10 minutes after consumption, when you suddenly gain an insatiable craving for a random kink. Your craving will dominate your thoughts for three hours, or until it is appeased. |
 (CW: potential dubcon, objectification) By far the largest and shiniest booth comes from expo sponsors Sexy Metal Incorporated, who have set up a display of their incredible high-tech sexbots. These life-sized dolls are made of extremely realistic material that feels like warm human skin, and come with state-of-the-art mechanics that give them lifelike movement. Engineers show off how the bots can be plugged into a computer and programmed to act any way the buyer likes. They come in a wide variety of customizable appearances and eerily, some of the bots on display look exactly like people you may know. Booth staff encourage customers to buy these dolls, or to rent them and give them a try onstage in front of the fascinated crowds. If that’s not kinky enough, one of the engineers has purchased a VR headset from another booth, and programmed it to interface with the bot’s controls. Care to slip inside the silicone skin of another person? |
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: In celebration of our one year, pick whichever role you want for your character! » A Pocket Full of Pennies: Feel free to come up with any free-roving gangs or petty criminals you like for your characters to tangle with. » New Flesh Like A Glove: Characters can spend money on items at the expo, or may exchange vouchers for what they want. Each voucher has a value of about $5 within the expo and they may be acquired by finding them, having them handed to characters/stuffed in their pockets or bags by expo volunteers, or paid them in exchange for “volunteering” at booths. Characters may indeed try before they buy, either out in the open or using one of the provided private rooms with a partner. The expo has a staff of unpaid student interns tasked with cleaning and sanitizing products if they are used but not purchased. Grandma Hattie’s snacks can inspire characters to have any kink you may desire. » Perfection of the Digital: Sexbots can resemble any player characters, including brand new arrivals/test drive characters. They can also resemble characters that yours knows from home. The engineers have no explanation for this, and the one who identifies himself as the designer will shrug and say he gets inspiration from many places. The sexbots are hot-ticket expensive merchandise, so security is tight around the booth. Characters who attempt to steal or destroy a sexbot (for instance, one who looks like themselves) will be quickly set upon by guards, who are meant to eject them from the expo. However, many of the guards will take bribes from other booths to provide them model “volunteers,” drugged into complacency. If characters want to acquire a sexbot permanently, they will have to buy it or exchange a hefty 50 vouchers for it. Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!! |
Wildcard - train stop
He sits. He watches. He prays. He hopes. It's a duel hope. He watches for Bruce and at the same time, he hopes that the young man would be spared this place.
He's been doing it so long that he's certain he's seeing things. Not too far a stretch in a place like this honestly. This Bruce could just be Duplicity's latest attempt to fuck with his head. First the literal rings of hell and then the lucid dreams, and now this.
It could be a trick.
Alfred would recognize Bruce anywhere. He stands the second he sees the teen. Finds enough dignity not to rush to him. He knows how he must look. He's worn thin, exhausted, looking like he's lost a year off his life and aged another in Bruce's absence. He's been pushed hard and he can't dare to hope.
But he already is taking off his suit jacket to hold in offering to the teen in the paper grown. His voice locks in his throat, stoppered a little by grief and relief and anger all balled together. It takes him a moment to get anything out.]
I'll have a proper change of clothes for you if you give me a tick, Master B.
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and yet when he sees the figure on the platform, all of that washes away in an instant. some unconscious part of him notes the changes--too thin, worn and tired and older somehow--and he realizes that alfred has been there a lot longer than the few hours it took to process bruce into the system here.
alfred has been here alone. and yet here he is, stripping out of his jacket and looking almost haunted as he offers it out.
there's a moment in which bruce simply stares at him, feeling strangely small and young and hopelessly, painfully grateful. then he steps forward, ignoring the jacket to practically fling himself at the older man, arms curling around him and hands tightening, white-knuckled in his shirt. it feels as if it's been a long time since he's done this, since he's hugged alfred, since he's appreciated him the way he should have been doing all along. alfred has been there for him his entire life, and he's been alone here, and he doesn't have to be anything at all for bruce in this place, and he's here anyway looking for him.
he pushes his face into the older man's shoulder, breathing in shakily, alfred's scent comforting beneath the unfamiliar soap he must use here. ]
Sorry I made you wait, [ he mumbles into the other man's shirt, because it's the only thing he can think to say, and it needs to be said. ]
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Christ. It feels real. There are arms around him and for a moment, he thinks it really is fake. He can count the number of times his boy has hugged him on two hands. He knows Bruce isn't demonstrative. But here he is and he's sure. He's so sure. He'll never forget this feeling.
Alfred is still slow to wrap his arms around the teen. To hold him back. He can feel his hands shaking as he gathers Bruce closer. Holds him tighter, like he's terrified he's all a dream.
His voice holds even more gravel, like he's barely keeping himself together. He can't lose it. Bruce needs him. Like always. Bruce needs him to be strong and steady.]
It's all right, lad. Nothing for you to be sorry for. [Because Alfred would wait for Bruce for as long as he needed to.] It's good to see you, Sir. So good. Wish it wasn't here, but beggars can't be choosy, now can they?
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Alfred.. how long have you been trapped here?
[ he hesitates a moment, then finally slides the offered coat from the older man's arm, pulling it around his shoulders. it's not cold here, but in just the thin gown he's wearing, it's certainly not pleasant by any means.
his jaw is firming as he glances back up, trying to look more certain of himself than he feels. he's not sure that he's really rested in.. a long time. he needs to be strong, though, for alfred if for no other reason. ] I was told that my belongings will be in the Down?
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He has the ability to help. He knows he can and he knows he will. As soon as he has a private chance, he'll make the offer. Just not right now. Not when he's still reeling in this. He doesn't want to let Bruce go but he does. He does and he steps back. Back into his spot. HIS SPOT. The place just a few breaths away from Bruce, ready for anything. Out of habit, he reaches out to help straighten the jacket. The simple activity is soothing.
His jaw tenses.] Since Feburary. A little over half a year at this point. But it's a bit more complicated. Ended up gaining a year some months back. [He can't tell Bruce how he also lost a year]
They will be. If you want to take the train and the bloody tour, you can, but I've a car and I can give you a better tour than that wretched thing. We'll get your belongings and I'll take you to my place.
[Either way, Alfred won't be leaving his side. Not for a while.]
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on the other hand, he doesn't want to let alfred out of his sight. half a year here, some sort of complicated timeline thing.. he doubts alfred will want to be far from his side for some time, either.
he shakes his head, holding still to allow the jacket to be adjusted. ] The car please, Alfred. I'd rather hear what you have to say about the city and society here, anyway. [ a small frown twists his mouth. ] My initial thoughts aren't exactly flattering.
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It's this way. [He'll lead the way. He's not far enough along his line that Bane has broken him yet. He's still hours from that happening, but he doesn't need Bane. This place did the job well enough. He fears a little, telling Bruce any of the terrible things he's done here. He's killed here.]
This place. It's right cracked. My first days here was spent in a prison camp where they were trying to force us all to follow the rules here. [He won't say how badly he handled that. It'd been a brutal near two months.] There's been literal hell. Entire place became the levels of hell, filled with all sorts of tosh, demons and the evils that haunt you and what not. They marked our worst sins on our body. Recently, there's been a bunch of dreams. Walking through other's dreams.
They like to pretend it's normal. That it's nothing. They expect us to act like it's all coming up roses. It ain't. It ain't. And that's not even the tip of it. They might have even put a tracker in you.
They did to me and the tracker... makes you do things you wouldn't do. I got it out and I'll take you to Haven to have a proper doctor look you over and get it out if they tagged you.
[Through this all, he takes Bruce to a rather nice car. It's not quite the Rolls from home, but it's close enough. He stops to open the door. Inside, there's clothing. Pants, black turtleneck, underwear, shoes. He always brings them. He is always prepared for Bruce. Always.]
Not to mention the slut center. Don't toe the line. Don't make your quota, they will drag you off and recondition you. Make you want something. It's a mess, Sir.
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and even so, the sight of familiar clothing folded on the seat makes something inside his chest warm dangerously. it makes him feel strange and vulnerable and fragile. he has to take several careful breaths, calming himself silently, trying to smooth the cracks in his calm facade.
alfred has known him since he was an infant. as a child, the man had bathed him, helped him dress and undress, seen him at his best and his worst. once he's seated and the doors are shut, he doesn't feel self-conscious about stripping off the jacket and the gown, sliding into the offered clothing. perhaps he should, given the themes of the city, the heavy and clumsy focus on sex and quotas and kink. but if he's safe anywhere with anyone, it's right here with this man guarding his back, standing at his side.
when he pulls the turtleneck down over his head, he pushes his hands up through his hair, mussing the curls and glancing back toward alfred again. he feels.. almost himself. this feels almost normal. and for a little while, at least, maybe he can focus on something other than the ugly darkness inside him. ]
The quota. [ he frowns again, brows knitting. ] .. And contracting. [ that part is even more discomforting than the sexual requirements. too many people already have tried to control bruce, and the concept sits uneasily with him.
then again, so much about this place disturbs him already that he hardly knows what to focus on first. ] I'd appreciate being checked for a tracker as soon as possible. I-- [ his lips press thin, fingers curling against the tops of his thighs, a part of him wanting to reach for alfred again, to reassure him that bruce is here and isn't going to leave him. ] Are you alright?
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He doesn't look at all when Bruce changes. He keeps his eyes forward and away from the rear view. He longs to look, to make sure Bruce is still in one piece. He won't. ]
Yes. The quota is a tawdry business. You'll want to be careful about what you eat and drink here. They like slipping us a mickey to get us in the mood.
[His knuckles go white on the wheel of the car from how tightly he grips it. He doesn't look at Bruce. He's not proud of what he's about to do.] I'm a dominant, Master B. You've got three months, but know that I'll sign whatever contract you write between the two of us. I'll even let you see the Permanent Contract I've got right now to see how to word it. But know that there's always a place for you with me. [But he won't force Bruce. He knows how much the boy digs his heels in with that. It has to be Bruce's choice and he must accept whatever choice he makes. Accept and support it. That's his job.]
I should be asking you that, lad. Christ but it's good to see you.
[He's avoiding the question because he doesn't want to worry Bruce. But his knuckles are white on the wheel of the car, clenched tight to keep the shaking at bay.]
We'll swing by Haven first. I'll point out different places along the way. There's a lot of good us offworlders have done here. But there's a lot of bad too. The entire Down's a lot like the Narrows.
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he glances up, looking at the older man in the rear-view mirror, glance dropping to his hands curled so tightly around the steering wheel. this is very difficult for alfred, he knows. he's not telling bruce everything--after what he's been through, that's undoubtedly a longer conversation, and one he may not be ready to have yet.
he's giving him something else to think about, too. contracting. contracting with alfred, which is something he never thought he'd have to consider. it's the most logical thing to do, though, isn't it? there are a lot of factors that could impact a contract with the older man, but it's still the safest and most predictable option at the moment, and doubtless the one that would make alfred the happiest right now.
he hesitates, then nods once. ] That would be fine, Alfred. I would like to see this other contract if you don't mind, though. And.. [ ah. ] .. your current-- [ he's not going to use the term 'submissive.' it's demeaning. ] --partner. I'd appreciate having this conversation with them. I don't want to make things uncomfortable for them. [ if it's going to cause this other person problems for bruce to sign with alfred, well, the teen's always been fairly independent. he'll find someone else that will agree to a mutually beneficial contract.
after another moment, eyes on the mirror again, practically willing the older man to glance up, he clears his throat. ] .. You didn't answer me, though. I-- [ his jaw works, tense for a moment. ] I don't show it, I know, but you're.. [ all bruce has left. the one person bruce wishes he could protect. ] .. important. Very important to me. You know that.
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He avoids a little longer.] Of course. I'll be taking you home as soon as we get your things. You'll at least have a decent place to sleep while you're trying to find your way here. [Because he means it when he says that there's always a place for Bruce in his life. In whatever capacity he's allowed to have it.] Very good Sir. I'll have that paperwork in your hands as soon as you are settled.
[Finally, he's forced to confront the elephant sitting on his chest. He does because Bruce isn't usually so open in admitting he cares. It means everything to him to hear it. Even more after all that's happened and all that he's aware will possibly happen.
His hands loosen and he turns in his seat.] You know me. I keep pressing on. [Still not an answer and sounds too positive. It tastes like ash on his tongue and the guilt is there. And the exhaustion. He's holding together only out of sheer stubbornness and the fact that he's found someone to look after. He's never been good at looking after himself. He needs the focus.] It's been rough, if I'm being frankly honest with you. I'm lucky to have found some good people here. They keep me on the level, keep me pointed north. Even got into therapy here. It's been...helping.
[He gives what he hopes it a reassuring smile. He's not okay. He's the exact opposite of that, but he's still fighting.] Told most of them about you. My friends here. So don't be surprised if there a lot here you don't recognize what knows you. That's my fault, sir. It just, I wanted them to know, about you. [Because even here, even so long apart, Bruce is Alfred's most important person.]
But you, sir? You're...you're all right? Current troubles not withstanding. You steady on? What's the last you know? Trust me. It's important.