duplicitymemes | TDM #10

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TDM #10

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « LIFE WILL GO ON

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 weather is a brisk negative seven during the warmest parts of the day.

» » » BLINDLY WE'LL FOLLOW

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.

« « « ASK ME ABOUT X

Along with the usual Dom and Sub seminars and demonstrations, the powers that be have decided to try something a little more friendly. After attending the mandatory classes, all characters are invited to a (mandatory) social mixer! There are beverages and light snacks, and mingling is highly encouraged.

Also, all participants have had their clothes removed and replaced with long shirts ( they are allowed to keep their undergarments, but nothing else is allowed ). Said shirts have the phrase “Ask me about _____!” plastered loudly and proudly on the front. It could be a character’s deepest, darkest secret, their most negative trait, or something embarrassing they had happen to them. Each participant is given a clipboard, pen and a piece of paper and are tasked with “asking” three others about what’s written on their chests. Once they’ve completed the task and handed in the assignment they’ll receive their clothes back. Of course, the long shirts can be removed, but that means you’ll be stuck in the nude or in your undergarments until you cooperate.

« « « ON A FLIP CHART

Not into your long shirts? Want to complain or refuse to participate? There’s another option! Unruly Dominants and Submissives will find themselves locked in a private room with a bed, stuffed together into a get-along-shirt. There’s no escaping the garment either, until certain conditions have been met. Written on a flip chart in the corner of the room are the tasks that need to be accomplished to “get along.” Are the two supposed to share a kiss? Sing a romantic duet together? Say the alphabet backwards in sync? The whole point of the exercise is to find that synergy a Dom and Sub pair are supposed to have. Maybe this isn’t the best way to find it, though…

When the conditions are met the shirt is removable or rippable. Otherwise no matter how hard the characters struggle they’ll find themselves unable to get the pesky thing off.

« « « THE LONG WAY AROUND

Many local businesses have adapted to the timing of newcomers, and take advantage of the incoming crowds to do a little marketing. Stationed throughout Duplicity in LIEr-adjacent places such as the train station, the Up Apartments, the Down Motel, and the orientation center are representatives for local businesses and companies handing out free samples and hoping to attract business later.

This month, there’s a particular presence by Harbroken Industries, a cosmetic and beauty company. They’re pushing free samples of their new pheromone perfume sprays, delicately scented and guaranteed to work. Sample bottles are freely available, but some overeager volunteers are taking the department store approach and spritzing unwitting passersby.

The citrus scent is energizing and bright, inducing a talkative state where users cannot get enough conversation, and lose any internal filter for their words. The strawberry-vanilla scent is sweet and comforting, like a warm hug, which users will get a lot of with their new obsession with physical affection. Cedar-sandalwood makes those who use it tough as nails, angry and ready to pick a fight over the smallest slights. The cinnamon-pear scent makes its users feel adventurous and curious, and maybe a little TOO bold about trying new things. And predictably, the patchouli spray inspires “free love,” with an aphrodisiac effect that gets worse over time, unless taken care of quickly.

The scents will wane and the effects will fade after six hours, or after the urges they cause are fulfilled. These volunteers are so eager to make a sale that it’s entirely possible to be hit with more than one spray at a time, so maybe take the long way around these areas if you’re looking to avoid them.

« « « 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: Count the letters in your character's full name ( first, last, middle or whatever combo that they have ). If it totals twelve letters and below they are a Dominant. If it's thirteen and higher they are Submissive.

Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!!

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

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"That does mean I'm going to have to seduce you for them, aren't I?" he says, laughing. If this very tall stranger wants to take it as a proposition, that's definitely okay. But he looks down at his shirt.

"It depends on what kind of binding you want to talk about. The Lesser Key of Solomon is a good compilation, but the only thing in there that I'd say is worth reading is the Ars Goetia."

Darlington laughs as well, like it's a joke. Is it a joke? He still doesn't know all the rules, but that seems like the safest assumption.

"You use the Ars Goetia?" He's read the Lesser Key of Solomon. Mostly rubbish, so far as he can tell. Skull & Bones uses bits of it in some of their prognostication, but it's nothing on the level of binding demons. Nothing from the Ars Goetia. "And it works? Where do you do your binding?"

"I mean, I have," he says, and offers his hand. "Nick," he says, introducing himself with a smile, this one wider. This is a better conversation than he thought it would be, so-

"It works. It's not entirely accurate; some of the binding seals were edited in 1868 by Ezekiel Jackson, although it's suspected it was actually his sister Minerva who did a bulk of the research," he says, practically bubbling with enthusiasm. It's just. Dorian doesn't give a shit about the details, and Prudence finds it very tedious, and there is literally no one to talk to about the particulars. "And it sort of depends. On the kind of demon you want to summon."

"Darlington," he says, taking the hand and shaking it with a smile of his own. This is a much better conversation than he'd expected.

He finds himself reaching for a pocket to find something to write this down with, but of course he's only wearing the shirt, so he scribbles it onto his clipboard instead: A.G., E. Json 1868, Minerva?

"You've summoned more than one? Who have you summoned? Why?" He has a million questions, and he's not at all sure where to start. It's a little like summoning research with the Albermarle Book. He knows he needs a more precise question, but where do you even begin?

Nick is perfectly willing to give up all the secrets, but he also doesn't want to spoil or dry out this conversation fast. He looks over at the edges of the room, for a table, and nods his head a little, to indicate to a table. "You're asking for all my details, and I haven't gotten a single one of yours," he says.

"You're not a warlock, are you?" he asks, as they cross the room. "A...mage? Magician?"

And that is what Darlington was afraid of. He'll have to trade in secrets here, most likely. Intellectually, he knows Lethe's secrets likely mean nothing here. If these people can reach into his world, they likely know about the magic there already. Still, it's three years of rule and more than a dozen of habit to suppress.

"Not properly, no." He settles himself easily into a seat at the table. Despite being dressed only in a t-shirt, he manages to look like he's perfectly comfortable. "We don't really have anything like that in my world. Is that what you are? A warlock?"

They're just two comfortable guys in very ugly shirts. It's great. "Yes," he says, leaning back against his chair. "I don't meet many mortals who can follow any conversation about summoning, let alone have read any of the Lesser Key," he adds, because it's true.

He thought all mortals were like Harvey, and, well. It's not like Reggie is brilliant. Or interested in demonology.

Darlington has to laugh. "I don't meet many people who make the distinction of mortal or not."

As for his own interest, "I'm afraid I've always had a bit of an obsession," he admits. "With magic, I mean. Not demons in particular." Above their paygrade.

"Real magic, or mortal magic?" he asks, before he can really help himself. It's just that-

"By mortal magic I mean like. Magic tricks. Sleight of hand. Underwater escapes," he adds, because yes, he has real magic, but also mortal magic is cool shut up Pru.

It's a valid distinction, and Darlington well knows its importance.

"Stage magic," Darlington offers. "But no, I mean real magic. The sort you're not meant to believe in once you've hit puberty." Dangerous and marvelous, two elements sorely lacking in Darlington's childhood.

Edited 2020-01-16 23:25 (UTC)

His smile is brilliant. "Good," he says, "Although I'll admit a weakness for mortal magic," he adds, and he lifts one hand, and turns it. Flames burn at the tips of his fingers, just for a moment. "Any particular kind?" he asks.

He wants to know, because-

"Your Latin is good, right? Heaven, you didn't read a translated version of the Lesser Key of Solomon, did you?"

After the statement about mortal magic, Darlington isn't sure if the flames are real or sleight of hand, but they make him smile anyway. "Any kind I could find?" He spent a lot of time at the library. At a lot of libraries.

"I'm afraid I started with a translation, but I did track down a Latin copy eventually."

Edited 2020-01-17 00:18 (UTC)

"Oh, good," he says, brightening, sitting straight up. "Okay. So do you know any? Have you managed to use it?" he asks, because, well-

"I've never met a mortal who can do magic."

"Any magic? Quite a lot now, as it happens. I managed one potion on my own, but it was..." He laughs because it's funny now. Funnier than when he'd woken up in a hospital bed. "Well, I clearly did something wrong."

Or something right, as that's what ultimately got him into Lethe. "I can't produce fire from my fingertips or anything like that. Most of our magic involves rituals or enchanted objects or potions. And most of those have to be done at a nexus of power."

For a moment, he feels a little sad for a Darlington who might have grown up in a world where magic would never be accessible to him. "Is that what it means to be a warlock? Someone who can wield magic?"

"Near rhyme?" he says, although he shakes his head. No. He won't get that. "Nevermind, it's a bad joke," he adds, and considers it. "We do a lot of ritual magic too, but-"

He shrugs. "A warlock - or a witch, more commonly - we can wield magic. We're sort of...I guess if you want to be...specific. Okay."

He laughs, and shakes his head. "Let's start like this. The first man was Adam. He had a wife, before Eve. All the descendants of Lilith are witches. All the descendants of Eve are mortals." He shrugs a little. "Simplistically stated. If you believe that sort of thing."

Darlington's eyes light up a little. It's like learning magic was real all over again.

"I'm familiar with the story," he says, laughing a little. He's literally talking to someone out of a myth. "And I try to believe most things." Most things that sound impossible, at least. It's made Lethe much easier.

"Well, that's about as simple as it gets. There's some argument there. In 1601, the Church of Night and the Church of Shadows had a schism over the exactness of that belief," he says, but he doesn't suspect Darlington wants to hear about the goings on of men who couldn't get their shit together four hundred years ago. "But the point is, we're related, but not exactly the same."

In fact, Darlington would love to hear about the goings on of men who couldn't get their shit together four hundred years ago. That shit is his jam.

"So you inherited your magic from Lilith. Is she also the mother of demons in your world?" The idea of multiple realities is the easiest part of this situation to accept. The idea that stories he knows as myth are true in some of those other realities seems to be the logical outcome of that.

"Well. That's in theory. I guess you could probably ask her, she might know more," he says. Because. She's here. Of course, Nick says that as if it's logical, but a few months ago he wouldn't have managed to say it so casually.

But at least there's an answer there. "Yes. She's not really a demon, but she...creates them, sometimes?"

Darlington's eyebrows arch, and he blinks. Given the nature of their captivity, he can't help thinking of why Lilith was banished from the garden, and his laugh is a bit embarrassed, like he's been caught doing something slightly inappropriate. "Lilith is here. Of course she is. And you know her, I assume?"

He does try to believe most things, but this is an overabundance of fantasy to be confronted with. He has the same thought he'd had when he'd woken up here: something in Rosenfeld did this to him. Whatever he'd heard in the dark, beast or portal, is making him see things. Either that or he's found himself on some sort of quest, through the underworld, as the decision between doors suggested. If so, it's uncomfortably modernized compared to the magic he's used to.

"It stretches belief a little."

"That's the part that stretches belief?" he asks, and he laughs, shaking his head. "I do know her, probably better than I would like, all things considered," he adds a moment later. But still. Come on, Darlington.

"Not that she's here, exactly," he says. "That someone I randomly met at an awkward social mixer happens to know her personally." Quite personally, from the sound of it. "Unless everyone in this room is directly connected to people I know as myths."

"Well," he says with a consideration. "Probably not everyone," he adds, a moment later, with a kind of sweet, bright smile that makes Nick so dangerous.

Darlington laughs. He's very familiar with that sort of smile but it doesn't make it any less charming. "Perhaps I just had remarkably good luck. It would certainly make a nice change." Since Alex came into his life, it seems like his luck has been going downhill.

"You'e from the same world, then? Is there anyone else here from yours?"

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TDM #10

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