Duplicity Game Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
duplicitymods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
duplicitymemes2019-11-12 05:14 pm
duplicitymods) wrote in duplicitymemes2019-11-12 05:14 pm
Entry tags:
TDM #9
« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »
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 cool weather has begun to fade into a wintry mix of soft snow and chilly wind. LAST TIME ON... Duplicity's annual Tumenalia preparations are under way and all citizens will know about the charms. |
 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 annual Tumenalia festival is coming at the end of the month, and the citizens of Duplicity are well into their preparations. The decorations on the light posts and building exteriors are becoming more commonplace, streamers and lights and silken banners hanging from light posts and doorways and some have taken to wearing strange masks. These festive touches almost distract from the boarded up windows. A variety of seasonal booths are also popping up throughout the city streets in both the Up and Down. Many of these are giving away the same red, blue, and green charms that have already been in circulation for the past two weeks. But there’s also a new product being handed out: small sealed glass vials full of colored powder in intricate striped patterns. The powder vials seem purely decorative at first, with no special properties. But once the vial has found an owner, without warning, the glass begins to glow and the powder within begins to disappear, as though falling slowly through an hourglass. Characters holding the vials will experience the effects of the charms at a greatly increased pace and intensity. Red, blue, and green powder will have the same effects as the charms do-- but unlike the charms, the powder vials allow for colors to mix and combinations of effects to be experienced at the same time. A character could feel the strength and aggression of red mixed with the exhibitionism of the green, or even aspects of all three effects at once. The powder will continue to affect the character until the last of it vanishes from the vial, a process that takes about three hours. It seems to be the fashion among locals to wear the empty vial on a necklace as a badge of honor, and empty vials are apparently valuable in some way, though nobody seems willing to answer how just yet. |
 As excited as the locals seem for the upcoming Tumenalia festivities, there is also a sense of unease and foreboding in the air. Tumenalia is known as a time when anything can happen, and though there have been multiple promises from the mayor that this year won’t come with the usual violence and property damage, most of the locals don’t seem reassured by this. Many are in the process of physically securing their homes and businesses, and many others seek some sort of premonition in the form of fortunes. While not as prominent as the booths handing out charms, there are plenty of pop-up fortunetelling booths starting to appear on the streets. These impromptu oracles provide a variety of divinations, including but not limited to tarot readings, tea leaves, and even reading roses. Ask about love, life, death, health, wealth, or whether or not to upgrade your insurance policies before Tumenalia. Whatever you ask, though, you’ll find something curious - it may not be literal, and it may not be in the manner expected, but all fortunes somehow come true within the day. |
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: Sweet or Savory. If your character favors Sweet Foods then they are a Dominant. If they favor Savory Foods then they are a Submissive. Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!! |
and breathe me
He catches sight of Prudence, and though it takes him a moment, he recognizes her from the passion play and the party after. Nicky, Sabrina, now Prudence, he wonders who the city might bring next.]
You expected something better?
no subject
She turns her head when she speaks, eyes raking over him carefully. They pause at his collar, then raise all the way to meet his gaze. ]
No. [ Pointedly, with a thoughtful cant of her head. ] But I've learned that sometimes people can surprise you, provided you keep your expectations low enough.
But usually they don't.
[ "Accidentally," she kicks over a teapot at another booth. ]
Does somebody own you, Gray?
no subject
So young and so cynical already?
[He tsks, giving no indication he's ashamed of the gold band circling his throat, and smiles. It's a sharp smile, revealing a little of the devil beneath his angel's face.]
Quite the opposite, actually. [His gaze flicks to her unmarked throat and back to her face.] I've acquired a mortal with the necessary designation.
no subject
[ She notes his hair vaguely, although it might be more apparent to Prudence if she'd ever been in the Gray Room more than a small handful of times. Either way, it's not what interests her the most about this meeting so far.
A grin spreads across her lips, bright and surprised and just a bit devilish as well. ]
A mortal? [ She laughs. ] Why Dorian Gray, whatever possessed you to start slumming it with such commitment? I've always known you to have standards.
no subject
When I said I'd acquired one, I was speaking literally. I purchased him.
[Is he a slave? Is he a pet? Who can say?]
It's an excellent arrangement. I've all the advantages of having a Dominant and none of the submission.
no subject
How adorable. Has he been keeping you entertained? [ She turns her gaze forward thoughtfully. ] I suppose I shouldn't be so hasty as to rule out a pet mortal of my own, when the time comes.
no subject
He's turned out to be rather useful, as well as an excellent lay. I'd highly recommend finding one of your own.
[His tone turns scoffing.]
Just don't fall in love with it.
no subject
[ Feel free not to spare any details, too; she's yet to meet a mortal boy she liked, let alone that impressed her in some way, but clearly it happens-- and she'd like to know more about her options besides Nick and Ambrose, since well, she is known for being unapologetically fickle.
Prudence cants her head in interest, her full attention clearly captured now. She smiles, curious and cunning. ]
Do tell. Who but a Spellman would ever be so foolish?
no subject
[Some of them are even quite fun and/or useful. Dorian's not disappointed with mortal lovers, though he is only toying with most of them.]
Who but a Spellman indeed. Perhaps someone a Spellman also loves?
[Look, he's been keeping his nose mostly out of it, but there is nothing but drama waiting there, and he suspects Prudence will appreciate that.]
no subject
[ Thank Satan that's not the case, though; even the thought of contracting with Nick appalls her, even if she's sure he knows better than to ever think of himself as dominant with her. Prudence trusts him well enough, but-- no. ]
After all, they are rather fun to toy with.
[ It's unlikely Prudence has ever outright fucked a mortal, but she's played with more than enough of them to understand the enjoyment there. Mortal boys are so easy to seduce, sometimes adorably so and sometimes repulsively, and Prudence can recognize the potential in either. She might have to ask Dorian if she can borrow his sometime to practice on.
She looks at Dorian, eyes alight and brows raised sharply. She needs to know everything about this. ]
You wouldn't be referring to our dear Nicky, would you?
no subject
Their inexperience can be...charming, don't you think?
[They're frightfully easy to shock, for one thing, though Eggsy is always surprised by the oddest things.
The look on her face is exactly what he was hoping for, and he gives her a conspiratorial smile.]
The very same. He's picked up a mortal from Riverdale of all places. Very pretty, very dim.
no subject
[ Or, again, adorable, but she's already used that word. ]
But yes, they can be sweet... and so, so very stupid. Or just stupid, which only makes tormenting them all the easier. You will tell me more about this pet of yours later, won't you?
[ But first things first, because she's ready to leap on this tidbit about Nick like a cat with a bird. ]
From Riverdale? [ She laughs again. ] I should have known Sabrina would poison the well for us. Now she's passed on her mortal lust to Nicky like a venereal disease. What the heaven is there to love in Riverdale? Pretty and dim mortals are a dime a dozen.
no subject
[The concessions he makes to keep Eggsy happy astonish him sometimes.]
I'm not sure what it is about this particular one. He's eager to please, which is useful, and I don't question Nicky for contracting with him, but love?
[Nick has never said he loves Reggie, and Dorian doesn't ask. He knows well enough what the answer would be, but somehow hearing it would make it worse.]
I'm not sure I've ever been more disappointed.
no subject
[ Past-tense, mostly, as far as her displeasure about Nick and Sabrina goes. Overall Prudence has gotten over it and used to it, the more tolerant of Sabrina she's become; tolerant and... wary, all things considered.
But Spellman is still a powerful, if controversial, name, and Nick always did have a rebellious streak, so Prudence could at least understand it. What could a mortal possibly offer him that's worthy of love? ]
How can you be so certain it's love, and not simply one of his more convincing seductions?
no subject
[He's never really had a problem with Sabrina--at least not until she was so rude to him here in Duplicity--so he's never minded Nick's relationship to her. But he hasn't seen Nick around her, so he can't say for certain what sort of feelings he has for the half-witch.]
I know Nicky well enough to tell, and I've seen him with the mortal in intimate settings.
[Nick is very good at masking his emotions, but less so in the heat of passion.]
no subject
She clicks her tongue, echoing Dorian's disappointment, but also not particularly surprised by this news. A half-witch was already a slippery slope in her book, added to the fact he already idolized Edward Spellman, noted mortal fucker-- red flags all over, frankly. Maybe it's Prudence's fault for not seeing and stopping this sooner, before it got so out of hand. ]
I see. That dumb slut. [ She's not jealous; more like morbidly curious. ] Just what was he like?
no subject
He's not entirely sure how to describe the look on Nick's face when he's fucking Reggie, but he can try.]
You know that moment when you're playing with someone, and they first realize they're in over their head? When the mortal reaches that point, Nicky reassures him.
no subject
Frankly, Prudence would argue that most of the time it defeats the purpose to actually let them touch you at all, but that's more of a personal preference. Sleeping with mortals is harmless enough as long as it remains completely emotionally sterile. ]
I've nearly half a mind to find that mortal and wipe his memories clean. For Nicky's own good, of course. [ She shakes her head. ] But I believe this might be a lesson he'll be better off learning on his own, the hard way.
no subject
If you do, please let me know. I'd love to see the fallout from it.
[He doesn't curse Reggie as a rule, since he's technically Nick's. At least not seriously.]
no subject
[ She smiles in that sinisterly sweet way of hers, meaning every word. Prudence has no plans on doing such a thing to Nick yet, she's perturbed by this information but also ultimately doesn't care quite enough to be moved to intervene, but... she recognizes that there's a distinct possibility it might become necessary at some point. Mortals are risky and unpredictable, which is one reason why bothering with them at all is not always encouraged, but falling in love with one?
Who knows what trouble that could get Nick into... or get them all into. Prudence still remembers the hassle Sabrina's witch hunter boyfriend alone had caused them-- although admittedly, that was more Sabrina's fault than his. Directly, anyway. ]
With any luck it won't come to that. It'd be a shame to break our Nicky any more than absolutely necessary.
no subject
But he's watching.]
He's a resilient boy. He can survive a lot.
[And now he has so many friends from home to see him through it.]
Besides, an angry Nicky is a marvel to behold.