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penancememes2020-09-24 01:58 am
penancemods) wrote in penancememes2020-09-24 01:58 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #17
Arrival
You remember a dream.
Or maybe nightmare is more accurate.
It was full of hellfire nipping at your skin and a sensation of being pulled down no matter how much you struggle or cry for help. There's a voice that feels like it's coming from all around you at once. Contrasting with the nightmare unfolding around you, it's smooth as silk. It makes you want to listen with every bit of attention you can muster in the moment.
"Judgement has come upon you, but not to worry. It can still be undone."
The voice promises you redemption for your sins. It promises you a better life and everything you could ever want, if only you just stop struggling so much.
And so you do.
Everyone wakes up in the same room initially. The room is done up in red with a cushy bed, a window, an old TV in the corner on a desk, and a few Hieronymus Bosch paintings lining the wall. There's a bathroom to clean up in and any belongings will be sat around the room to be gathered later. There's a duffel bag provided for your convenience.
After feeling a sensation of falling or dropping onto the bed, characters wake up feeling like they've just slept for a week. Their body will feel heavy and stiff, and they'll have a massive headache at first.
They'll quickly notice the list of their sins written with their blood on a bedside table on an old piece of parchment. This will mean the list is tied to them and can't be changed or tampered with. They'll also receive their device to connect with others and the network. It won't be anything terribly fancy. As a matter of fact, it looks like a very old Blackberry type phone.
Once characters are ready to leave the room, they'll head down long, winding halls. They're dimly lit and have an ominous feeling. They may encounter fellow sinners or demonic staff that will direct the newcomer down to the lobby to get their actual room key to settle in. The staff may be pushy, or they may border on courteous. It really just depends on the mood of the staff at the time and how they're treated in return. Eventually, everyone comes to stairs that lead downward.
Once down to the lobby, you'll notice the front desk manned by a demon who looks bored out of its mind. To the side of him is the door to the kitchen, where guests may help themselves. To the right is a small duty free shop that seems to have a surprisingly normal, expected stock of items. Look around a bit further, there will be a tiny bar tucked in through a corner door. It seems pretty well-stocked and best of all, there's a demonic bartender who seems to know how to mix any drink you can imagine (and a few you can't). Of course there's some seating, bar games, and a jukebox tucked in the corner if you'd rather stay and socialize a bit. There's also a new addition of a karaoke machine.
Please note that all the songs on the jukebox are appropriately hell-themed. Hopefully Sympathy for the Devil is universally loved.
Stand Your Ground The weather has grown only more harsh outside when guests, new and old alike, wake this fine morning. The chill in the air is biting, unforgiving, and the hotel never seems to ever be quite warm enough to be comfortable. Heat is on the fritz, it seems, but the staff is too preoccupied to really worry about it. No one will die from a bit of cold, so stop complaining!
While the feel good feelings from weeks ago are starting to fade and business is getting back to the status quo, there's still a strange lethargy hanging in the air for the demons. They seem rather worn down and worried. Perhaps it's the strange Devil's Cross tattoos people were waking up with after disappearing for unknown periods of time, or maybe it's the fact that the past few months have gone hard and heavy. Maybe it's something else entirely, but they seem rather tight-lipped.
Either way, there's probably no reason to let your worries linger on that, dear guests! No, instead, focus your attention on gathering the extra blankets being supplied in the lobby or visiting the warm drink station set up in the kitchen. It seems pumpkin spice has made a comeback for some of the food and beverages, but it isn't quite as all encompassing as it was the previous year! It seems the goblins have learned what balance is, thank goodness.
That does not mean, however, that you are free from the horrors of such concoctions as pumpkin spice pizza or pumpkin spice bacon. It will be very hard to say no when eager little goblins look so anxious for approval, won't it?
While Hell seems to have skipped pleasant Fall-like weather right into bitter cold, guests may start to notice strange-looking pumpkins sat around everywhere. They'll be carved into novel designs ranging from the usual jack'o'lantern to tentacle monsters to designs that may seem to prey on sinners' actual fears. They'll appear in suites throughout the hotel, as well as outside, and range in color from orange to purple to black. At least it's not dolls this time! The staff also assures they will not be animated anytime soon.
Those who are sensitive may notice that there is something a little bit magical about them. Something that feels beckoning. Probably nothing to worry too much over though. Move along!
Observant sinners may notice the skeletal guards on duty around the gates of the Penance community. While these are guests sent from Lucifer's colleagues in other areas of Hell, they seem to keep to themselves for the most part since their arrival.
At least until now! Those who are curious enough to venture close enough to these eerie guards may notice the hidden anguish that seems written in the hollow sockets of their eyes or see the way their decayed flesh is stretched so thinly across brittle bone, ripped in some parts to reveal what's underneath. In short, they're dried, humanoid husks who seem to be suffering for it
They fear nothing, according to rumor. They have seen all horrors known to Hell and beyond. It's said that they live in a constant state of agony that gives them their strength and drive. No one can hurt them worse than they already ache, so they are perfect soldiers. Be careful! They truly are some of Hell's most fearsome soldiers. They will not play if tormented enough. Generally though, they seem rather content to just ignore sinners making jackasses of themselves.
Any mentions of the Veiled Order from this point on seem hushed without question, sharp glares sent to anyone who dares speak the name. If asked, the demons will say it is for Lilith's comfort. She went through trauma, so have some sympathy, will you?
It feels like there may be more to it than that, but the demons of Penance seem desperate to just get back to normal.
Prompt I: Spirits Was anyone truly under the impression that they could get through this month without something odd just under the surface? If the pumpkins didn't do it, well... guests may start to notice sudden cold spikes while they're wandering around the Penance community, wherever they may be. It starts off as just a creeping cold sensation and may grow into a feeling of someone watching.
Odd.
The demons of Penance seem to be setting up some sort of festival as well. Nothing extravagant. There are a few vendors set up selling warm apple cider, others selling novelty items such as t-shirts (Who doesn't want some 'I was damned to Hell and all I got was this shirt' type things?) as well as various magic trinkets. These likely won't work, but will have various claims such as promises of attracting love or fortune, or even promises the charms will keep at bay the Mares or other nasties.
There's also plenty of food. The whole theme of this festival seems to be geared towards gluttony. Guests may find themselves inclined to eat and eat, even to the point of being sick, if they allow themselves to be carried away by the sweet smell of food around them. They may also be inclined to try food they've never been fond of before. At least there's no public frying of tiny little animals this time around?
Besides food, there are a few random attractions such as bobbing for apples, squonk racing (They let the little guys go through makeshift obstacles to see who achieves the goal of burrowing in a hole and crying their ugly little hearts out first), and strangely enough an offering table.
It's asked that sinners leave trinkets or food items to appease the spirits. They may also leave little notes of respect, if they so choose. If asked why the spirits need to be appeased at all, the demons will inform the guests that this is Lucifer's bidding. He wishes to make good with the damned, disembodied spirits to help keep an eye on things outside the gates in places where even Lucifer's eyes can't reach. All eyes, everywhere, will surely keep them safe.
It's not a huge deal! Nothing to worry about. The night is ended with a lantern ceremony. Floating lanterns will be released into the air come night time after guests have written small notes to attach to them. These notes can be names of those they miss or regrets they'd like to let go of, anything. It's specifically for cleansing purposes, so let go!
Apparently there was a slight oversight? The ghosts may be appeased, but when guests return to the hotel that night, it seems the odd activity they've noticed has only grown worse. What was just a creeping sensation becomes a deep sense of being unsafe in vulnerable places such as the shower or anywhere one is generally alone and unreachable. It may get to the point where it feels like even closing your eyes may be a gamble not worth it, even if it's just to rinse shampoo out. Guests may also experience odd scratches and bruises they won't be able to explain.
At night, they may feel someone who isn't there cuddling up next to them or just sitting there watching them, even if they're alone. There may be, occasionally, frisky hands wandering over bodies...
Nothing is more unsettling than waking to phantoms you can't see beyond the odd glimpse from the corner of your eye, doing things to you that you can't anticipate.
While nothing seems overtly menacing other than a bit of poltergeist activity, it does seem the hotel is experiencing a bit of a haunting that shows no signs of stopping.
The staff, however, will advise against using any means to contact these spirits. The longer sinners entertain them, the harder it will be to get them to leave when the time comes. They're a bit of an annoying menace to the staff, too, so they'd appreciate them not overstaying their welcome.
You try cleaning blood dripping down the walls all the time!
Guests may find oujia boards and seance materials down in the basement if they're really curious, however... Ghosts will be rather chatty given the opportunity. Conversations can range from threatening to odd, some ghosts may warn "It's coming!" or beg for others to "Come join the other side, we're so cold!". They seem to be trying to beckon guests outside the safety of Penance, actually...
Those who just want peace may find staying together seems to keep the spirits at bay, as well as putting salt circles as long as the circle remains unbroken and one remains within it. It may be inconvenient, but at least sinners won't have to worry about the activity for a bit, right?
Reach Up High WARNINGS: mutilation, blood, torture.
Lucifer's voice rings out as it always does, compassion and warmth clear despite his words. It lingers in guests' ears even as they're forced into a dark room by demons and shown an ominous looking device just waiting for them.
Should the guest refuse or fail they will hear the contraption start up. An ominous sound of something shifting rings out before a sharp pain shoots up their finger and ricochets through their body. Each time a person fails their turn they both lose a fingernail. this will keep going until they've lost all ten (or however many the guest may have) or they answer a satisfactory number of sins. It really just depends on which sort of torment the guests are content with suffering through and how much they want redemption.
[Note: How many sins characters have to explain to be released will be left up to player discretion!]
Follow Me Down
Prompt I: Lost My Shirt and My Heart WARNINGS: sex, drugs, alcohol, aphrodisiacs, body changes, potential kinks, violence, potential non-con or dub-con.
Club Penance seems to be trying out something new! Themed nights. This night's theme is: Anything But Clothes. Guests who enter the adult oriented side of the club will notice the incubi and succubi who serve in it are entirely without clothes (and any ounce of shame!). They're very encouraging of others to do the same whether it be immediately or in sexy strip shows.
On their trays, they offer drinks and drugs of all sorts. Shows are being put on on the stage as usual, the offer of sex demos with guest participation are still on the table.
As usual, these demons play under respectable rules, safe words and all. They will also gladly exit the stage and let guests entirely run the show. They're on their best behavior tonight, even if the natural aphrodisiacs they give off seem to be amped up
Guests who refused to undress may also find their clothes randomly disappearing, or being torn off by some eager patron or demon who is a bit too into the theme! Ah, well, no need to worry too much. There will be costumes and lingerie to slip on to go home in. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a walk of shame back to the hotel in nothing but a thong, they'll assure. It's just another night in Hell.
For those who are really adventurous, there are also special concoctions that the club offers. These include:
For the dance oriented portion of the club, the theme is a little more lax. Instead of outright nakedness, patrons may be offered revealing clubwear instead. Things that will look mesmerizing in the lights of the club ranging from neon colors to clothes that seem to flash on the dance floor. The music will be thrumming in the air, pumping down to your very bones as you dance the night away, and all patrons will feel good. It will feel as if they could actually dance all night if they so wanted, even without the aid of any drugs.
It will be an all night rave with all the party drugs and drinks one could want! Live music plays all night. The band also loves to receive requests, so knock yourself out! They seem to strangely know any song they're asked to play.
Knock yourself out, give up any care in the world and have fun. You're already in Hell, so don't you deserve to feel good for a while?
Wildcard/Misc. Don't see something you love but still want to get a feel for the game? Check out our extensive list of LOCATIONS and write up your very own prompt however you'd like to! You can also add a "NETWORK" post option to your TL for quick, easy, and fun interactions.
And without further ado: Welcome to our new TDM for the October 1st app round! As always, potential appers and characters already in game are welcomed to jump right in! This TDM counts as an additional game event as well as game canon for those coming into the game. If you app and are accepted, TDM tags become game canon and can be used for AC! Please have fun and don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have down below.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc., go here.
Navigation
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Rules | Taken | Reserves | Applications
Network | Logs | OOC | Memes
Or maybe nightmare is more accurate.
It was full of hellfire nipping at your skin and a sensation of being pulled down no matter how much you struggle or cry for help. There's a voice that feels like it's coming from all around you at once. Contrasting with the nightmare unfolding around you, it's smooth as silk. It makes you want to listen with every bit of attention you can muster in the moment.
"Judgement has come upon you, but not to worry. It can still be undone."
The voice promises you redemption for your sins. It promises you a better life and everything you could ever want, if only you just stop struggling so much.
And so you do.
Everyone wakes up in the same room initially. The room is done up in red with a cushy bed, a window, an old TV in the corner on a desk, and a few Hieronymus Bosch paintings lining the wall. There's a bathroom to clean up in and any belongings will be sat around the room to be gathered later. There's a duffel bag provided for your convenience.
After feeling a sensation of falling or dropping onto the bed, characters wake up feeling like they've just slept for a week. Their body will feel heavy and stiff, and they'll have a massive headache at first.
They'll quickly notice the list of their sins written with their blood on a bedside table on an old piece of parchment. This will mean the list is tied to them and can't be changed or tampered with. They'll also receive their device to connect with others and the network. It won't be anything terribly fancy. As a matter of fact, it looks like a very old Blackberry type phone.
Once characters are ready to leave the room, they'll head down long, winding halls. They're dimly lit and have an ominous feeling. They may encounter fellow sinners or demonic staff that will direct the newcomer down to the lobby to get their actual room key to settle in. The staff may be pushy, or they may border on courteous. It really just depends on the mood of the staff at the time and how they're treated in return. Eventually, everyone comes to stairs that lead downward.
Once down to the lobby, you'll notice the front desk manned by a demon who looks bored out of its mind. To the side of him is the door to the kitchen, where guests may help themselves. To the right is a small duty free shop that seems to have a surprisingly normal, expected stock of items. Look around a bit further, there will be a tiny bar tucked in through a corner door. It seems pretty well-stocked and best of all, there's a demonic bartender who seems to know how to mix any drink you can imagine (and a few you can't). Of course there's some seating, bar games, and a jukebox tucked in the corner if you'd rather stay and socialize a bit. There's also a new addition of a karaoke machine.
Please note that all the songs on the jukebox are appropriately hell-themed. Hopefully Sympathy for the Devil is universally loved.
Stand Your Ground The weather has grown only more harsh outside when guests, new and old alike, wake this fine morning. The chill in the air is biting, unforgiving, and the hotel never seems to ever be quite warm enough to be comfortable. Heat is on the fritz, it seems, but the staff is too preoccupied to really worry about it. No one will die from a bit of cold, so stop complaining!
While the feel good feelings from weeks ago are starting to fade and business is getting back to the status quo, there's still a strange lethargy hanging in the air for the demons. They seem rather worn down and worried. Perhaps it's the strange Devil's Cross tattoos people were waking up with after disappearing for unknown periods of time, or maybe it's the fact that the past few months have gone hard and heavy. Maybe it's something else entirely, but they seem rather tight-lipped.
Either way, there's probably no reason to let your worries linger on that, dear guests! No, instead, focus your attention on gathering the extra blankets being supplied in the lobby or visiting the warm drink station set up in the kitchen. It seems pumpkin spice has made a comeback for some of the food and beverages, but it isn't quite as all encompassing as it was the previous year! It seems the goblins have learned what balance is, thank goodness.
That does not mean, however, that you are free from the horrors of such concoctions as pumpkin spice pizza or pumpkin spice bacon. It will be very hard to say no when eager little goblins look so anxious for approval, won't it?
While Hell seems to have skipped pleasant Fall-like weather right into bitter cold, guests may start to notice strange-looking pumpkins sat around everywhere. They'll be carved into novel designs ranging from the usual jack'o'lantern to tentacle monsters to designs that may seem to prey on sinners' actual fears. They'll appear in suites throughout the hotel, as well as outside, and range in color from orange to purple to black. At least it's not dolls this time! The staff also assures they will not be animated anytime soon.
Those who are sensitive may notice that there is something a little bit magical about them. Something that feels beckoning. Probably nothing to worry too much over though. Move along!
Observant sinners may notice the skeletal guards on duty around the gates of the Penance community. While these are guests sent from Lucifer's colleagues in other areas of Hell, they seem to keep to themselves for the most part since their arrival.
At least until now! Those who are curious enough to venture close enough to these eerie guards may notice the hidden anguish that seems written in the hollow sockets of their eyes or see the way their decayed flesh is stretched so thinly across brittle bone, ripped in some parts to reveal what's underneath. In short, they're dried, humanoid husks who seem to be suffering for it
They fear nothing, according to rumor. They have seen all horrors known to Hell and beyond. It's said that they live in a constant state of agony that gives them their strength and drive. No one can hurt them worse than they already ache, so they are perfect soldiers. Be careful! They truly are some of Hell's most fearsome soldiers. They will not play if tormented enough. Generally though, they seem rather content to just ignore sinners making jackasses of themselves.
Any mentions of the Veiled Order from this point on seem hushed without question, sharp glares sent to anyone who dares speak the name. If asked, the demons will say it is for Lilith's comfort. She went through trauma, so have some sympathy, will you?
It feels like there may be more to it than that, but the demons of Penance seem desperate to just get back to normal.
Prompt I: Spirits Was anyone truly under the impression that they could get through this month without something odd just under the surface? If the pumpkins didn't do it, well... guests may start to notice sudden cold spikes while they're wandering around the Penance community, wherever they may be. It starts off as just a creeping cold sensation and may grow into a feeling of someone watching.
Odd.
The demons of Penance seem to be setting up some sort of festival as well. Nothing extravagant. There are a few vendors set up selling warm apple cider, others selling novelty items such as t-shirts (Who doesn't want some 'I was damned to Hell and all I got was this shirt' type things?) as well as various magic trinkets. These likely won't work, but will have various claims such as promises of attracting love or fortune, or even promises the charms will keep at bay the Mares or other nasties.
There's also plenty of food. The whole theme of this festival seems to be geared towards gluttony. Guests may find themselves inclined to eat and eat, even to the point of being sick, if they allow themselves to be carried away by the sweet smell of food around them. They may also be inclined to try food they've never been fond of before. At least there's no public frying of tiny little animals this time around?
Besides food, there are a few random attractions such as bobbing for apples, squonk racing (They let the little guys go through makeshift obstacles to see who achieves the goal of burrowing in a hole and crying their ugly little hearts out first), and strangely enough an offering table.
It's asked that sinners leave trinkets or food items to appease the spirits. They may also leave little notes of respect, if they so choose. If asked why the spirits need to be appeased at all, the demons will inform the guests that this is Lucifer's bidding. He wishes to make good with the damned, disembodied spirits to help keep an eye on things outside the gates in places where even Lucifer's eyes can't reach. All eyes, everywhere, will surely keep them safe.
It's not a huge deal! Nothing to worry about. The night is ended with a lantern ceremony. Floating lanterns will be released into the air come night time after guests have written small notes to attach to them. These notes can be names of those they miss or regrets they'd like to let go of, anything. It's specifically for cleansing purposes, so let go!
Apparently there was a slight oversight? The ghosts may be appeased, but when guests return to the hotel that night, it seems the odd activity they've noticed has only grown worse. What was just a creeping sensation becomes a deep sense of being unsafe in vulnerable places such as the shower or anywhere one is generally alone and unreachable. It may get to the point where it feels like even closing your eyes may be a gamble not worth it, even if it's just to rinse shampoo out. Guests may also experience odd scratches and bruises they won't be able to explain.
At night, they may feel someone who isn't there cuddling up next to them or just sitting there watching them, even if they're alone. There may be, occasionally, frisky hands wandering over bodies...
Nothing is more unsettling than waking to phantoms you can't see beyond the odd glimpse from the corner of your eye, doing things to you that you can't anticipate.
While nothing seems overtly menacing other than a bit of poltergeist activity, it does seem the hotel is experiencing a bit of a haunting that shows no signs of stopping.
The staff, however, will advise against using any means to contact these spirits. The longer sinners entertain them, the harder it will be to get them to leave when the time comes. They're a bit of an annoying menace to the staff, too, so they'd appreciate them not overstaying their welcome.
You try cleaning blood dripping down the walls all the time!
Guests may find oujia boards and seance materials down in the basement if they're really curious, however... Ghosts will be rather chatty given the opportunity. Conversations can range from threatening to odd, some ghosts may warn "It's coming!" or beg for others to "Come join the other side, we're so cold!". They seem to be trying to beckon guests outside the safety of Penance, actually...
Those who just want peace may find staying together seems to keep the spirits at bay, as well as putting salt circles as long as the circle remains unbroken and one remains within it. It may be inconvenient, but at least sinners won't have to worry about the activity for a bit, right?
Reach Up High WARNINGS: mutilation, blood, torture.
Lucifer's voice rings out as it always does, compassion and warmth clear despite his words. It lingers in guests' ears even as they're forced into a dark room by demons and shown an ominous looking device just waiting for them.
"Welcome, my honored guests! Since some of your ilk have displayed an alarming tendency towards secrecy and outright lying, I've come up with a way for you to practice frank discussion instead. What I ask of you won't be an easy task, but it will be a lesson that's valuable to learn. When the device before you turns on it will display a sin one of you are guilty of. You will be given exactly one minute to begin explaining what happened and how. Do be frank about it, and fair warning: if either of you refuse... you're unlikely to be unhappy about the result."Guests won't have the option of refusing this daunting task. Demons drag sinners in, easily overpowering even the strongest if only for long enough to secure them in the seat and shove their hands into the opening of the device. Once secured, sinners are unable to remove their hands as a typing noise begins sounding out. After a moment, a sheet of paper will then pop out of the top of the device for guests to read. One sin off their list is printed neatly on it. Guests have one minute to begin explaining what it means and how it happened or why it's a sin of theirs.
Should the guest refuse or fail they will hear the contraption start up. An ominous sound of something shifting rings out before a sharp pain shoots up their finger and ricochets through their body. Each time a person fails their turn they both lose a fingernail. this will keep going until they've lost all ten (or however many the guest may have) or they answer a satisfactory number of sins. It really just depends on which sort of torment the guests are content with suffering through and how much they want redemption.
[Note: How many sins characters have to explain to be released will be left up to player discretion!]
Follow Me Down
Prompt I: Lost My Shirt and My Heart WARNINGS: sex, drugs, alcohol, aphrodisiacs, body changes, potential kinks, violence, potential non-con or dub-con.
Club Penance seems to be trying out something new! Themed nights. This night's theme is: Anything But Clothes. Guests who enter the adult oriented side of the club will notice the incubi and succubi who serve in it are entirely without clothes (and any ounce of shame!). They're very encouraging of others to do the same whether it be immediately or in sexy strip shows.
On their trays, they offer drinks and drugs of all sorts. Shows are being put on on the stage as usual, the offer of sex demos with guest participation are still on the table.
As usual, these demons play under respectable rules, safe words and all. They will also gladly exit the stage and let guests entirely run the show. They're on their best behavior tonight, even if the natural aphrodisiacs they give off seem to be amped up
Guests who refused to undress may also find their clothes randomly disappearing, or being torn off by some eager patron or demon who is a bit too into the theme! Ah, well, no need to worry too much. There will be costumes and lingerie to slip on to go home in. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a walk of shame back to the hotel in nothing but a thong, they'll assure. It's just another night in Hell.
For those who are really adventurous, there are also special concoctions that the club offers. These include:
Frenzy ○ The drug will be given to anyone anyone who asks for it. It can be snorted, injected, taken in pill form, or smoked given user preference.
Despite the questionable name, guests who partake really will feel the best they've possibly ever felt. They won't need sleep or to rest, but they won't necessarily feel the strain on their bodies either. They'll be full of energy and their mood will be amazing with no hint of nightmares or dreams anywhere.
The demons won't let anyone come down either, not once they've started and not until they're told a guest doesn't want any more.
Even then, they may still try to convince them otherwise. It's a party for as long as you can go, or until you completely burn out, it seems.
But with all good things come bad. It seems a side-effect of the drug is an actual frenzy as well. A frenzy for sex or violence or anything a character might want that they deny themselves on the regular. They'll feel this growing hunger, this ravenous need to have and to claim everything they think is theirs.
Some may even fade away into an almost animalistic sort of state.
The more the guest takes, the more they'll experience this sensation. Fighting it won't help either. Though they did sort of bring that one on themselves, didn't they?
Other symptoms of coming down won't be too different to those of other drugs. Fatigue, depression. Guests will begin to feel the effects of staying up for so long without rest or stopping to take care of themselves. They may also feel a certain longing for more, but it can be fought off with enough strength of will.
The drug isn't free either. The succubi expect to be paid in energy or through actual work in the club.
Bond ○ A potion that will bond guests together the minute one speaks to the other. The encouragement is that this should be done consensually, but the demons won't necessarily be checking. Once bonded, guests will feel what the one who took the potion feels. This includes pain and pleasure both with effects lasting a full night. Give someone the most intense pleasure of their lives or torture them until they beg for mercy!
For a really intense experience, both participants can consume the potion with mutual effects.
For the dance oriented portion of the club, the theme is a little more lax. Instead of outright nakedness, patrons may be offered revealing clubwear instead. Things that will look mesmerizing in the lights of the club ranging from neon colors to clothes that seem to flash on the dance floor. The music will be thrumming in the air, pumping down to your very bones as you dance the night away, and all patrons will feel good. It will feel as if they could actually dance all night if they so wanted, even without the aid of any drugs.
It will be an all night rave with all the party drugs and drinks one could want! Live music plays all night. The band also loves to receive requests, so knock yourself out! They seem to strangely know any song they're asked to play.
Knock yourself out, give up any care in the world and have fun. You're already in Hell, so don't you deserve to feel good for a while?
Wildcard/Misc. Don't see something you love but still want to get a feel for the game? Check out our extensive list of LOCATIONS and write up your very own prompt however you'd like to! You can also add a "NETWORK" post option to your TL for quick, easy, and fun interactions.
And without further ado: Welcome to our new TDM for the October 1st app round! As always, potential appers and characters already in game are welcomed to jump right in! This TDM counts as an additional game event as well as game canon for those coming into the game. If you app and are accepted, TDM tags become game canon and can be used for AC! Please have fun and don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have down below.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc., go here.
Rules | Taken | Reserves | Applications
Network | Logs | OOC | Memes
c
In any case, he doesn't amble back into his bedroom until after midnight. He's been up on the roof playing guitar, and now he's very much looking forward to crawling into bed, so suffice to say he's not expecting a visitor. He starts when he sees Klaus perched there waiting for him.]
Oh, jesus, hey.
[He sets his guitar down against the dresser and shrugs off his jacket.]
What are you doing in here?
no subject
[He doesn’t have his usual high energy magnetism to get caught up in; instead, the air around him is much more subdued, tainted with a choking sort of anxiety. Now, not alone— or at least not without another living person in the room, he can’t seem to sit still, knees bouncing, fidgeting.]
I hate this place. [He breathes out, running a hand through his hair, knees dragging up, and lacing his fingers behind his head.]
no subject
But, oh, something is definitely wrong. The presence of ghosts crosses his mind, as he remembers Klaus hates his ability, but the ghosts Harlan has encountered haven't been particularly troublesome. He doesn't jump straight to that conclusion, then.]
What's going on?
[He's here to be a good friend and all, but he is sleepy, so it's PJs time. Sort of. He'll decide in a moment how much he wants to commit, but for now he's unbuttoning his flannel, leaving him in just a black t-shirt. It's not a new sight given that he and Klaus spent a month living in a tiny dorm room together, but he's accumulated a few more injuries and scars since the last time Klaus would've seen him without sleeves. Most notably, his right forearm is neatly bandaged. It doesn't need to be anymore, not really, but he wants to bury his name under as many layers as possible for as long as he can get away with it.]
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The deep breath he tries to take in comes in staggered and ragged, shaky in a way Harlan hasn't seen out of him. But then, he hasn't seen Klaus dealing with ghosts, either, has he?]
It's so much worse here. They're worse. More insistent. They just... look... awful. I didn't think it could get worse than bullet and stab wounds still looking bloody, but who knew-- Hell's more creative. [A laugh titters out of him, but it's empty, hollow, has no mirth to it and doesn't feel right hanging in the air behind the words that came just before it.
But that's when everything shifts suddenly, a sharp slam on the brakes at the flash of white amid the darkness of the room and Harlan's t-shirt. A bandage, He frowns and leans forward like he might see better from where he is if he does; points to clearly indicate what he's talking about-- ]
What's that? What happened?
[There could be a million things that filed in behind that question, and Klaus didn't like any of the ones his mind supplied at all.]
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Someone cut up my arm because the cult told them to. It's nothing serious. I'm fine.
[He shrugs. It's true, too—he's mad about the scar it'll leave, but the discomfort of it doesn't bother him.]
...Are you seeing things now? In here?
[Harlan does his own quick pan of his bedroom, though of course he doesn't see anything. He's seen ghosts around, sure, and he's felt them more than anything, but he knows Klaus probably has a different view of things given how he's talking.]
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The glance around mime from his friend is a terribly familiar sight when he says he’s seeing things. People. Things that once used to be people, anyway. It’s almost comical because he knows Harlan probably won’t see them.]
There’s at least four of them in here. They want me to go... somewhere. Follow them... join them
[A shudder runs down his spine at the thought and he tugs his knees up close. He feels so small, so weak, and he misses the earlier days of Hell when he thought he couldn’t reach the dead here.]
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Instead, he opens a drawer and digs out a pair of sweatpants, then heads into the bathroom. He shuts the door over just enough to give himself some privacy as he swaps out his jeans. As much as touch bothers him, he's not all that shy about his body; still, he doesn't like sharing the scars on his legs.]
Good call on not doing that.
[He says it over the rustle of undoing his belt.]
And I take it you haven't had much luck in getting them to fuck off, huh? What does it take to get them to go away?
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He laughs, that same, empty laugh again.]
Go away. I wish. They don’t- they don’t go away, Harlan. Except when I’m really, really fucked up.
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Does weed take the edge off? I've got some.
[He's not about to let Klaus venture further down that rabbit hole, but pot is barely a drug anyway, according to Harlan. It doesn't count, and lord knows he uses it as a coping mechanism often enough himself.]
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He wants more than weed. He wants coke, if he’s honest. Something to keep him awake but without legs long enough to last for days at a time. Meth has its place for some people, but it always lasted much longer than he liked much of anything to last. He’s sure it’s just old habits and muscle memory, but it’s a hard instinct to ignore.]
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Alright. Do you want weed?
[It's a gentle question. He wants to help in some way, but he's not sure how.]
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[Which is to say...]
...Yeah... weed’s fine.
[One of the few things Vanya says is his fine, because she doesn’t expect perfection and isn’t that part of why he loves her so much anyway? She sees him, really sees him, in ways other people don’t and she has realistic expectations of what he might be able to achieve. She never asks for more than she legitimately thinks he can give, and that’s more than any of the other Hargreeves ever bothered to do.
It’s why he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize this with her, here and now.]
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I'm not gonna let you break your promise to your sister.
[He reclines back against the headboard as he lights the joint. The high is just going to make him sleepier than he already is, which could be a problem, but he'll push through it for Klaus' sake. He sucks in a hit to make sure it's burning properly, and then passes it over.]
And shut up. You're not a useless coward. You'd be high as shit already if you were.
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You have no idea how hard it was to make myself come here instead of doing something so fucking stupid.
[He passes the joint back and stares at his own fidgeting fingers in his lap.] And then you weren’t here... and it was everything to just stay put. Wait you out. Kept telling myself...any minute now, you were gonna walk in that door and it wouldn’t matter. I don’t even know how long I sat here, or what time it was when I left my room... but I didn’t know who else to go to. I knew you wouldn’t mind...if I could just make it til you got back...
[Is that weird? He isn’t sure. It all feels somehow strangely possessive or obsessive on his tongue; it also tastes desperate, like the last hope of an already intensely hopeless man.
Harlan’s wrong, he thinks, he is weak, for so many reasons his friend can’t even begin to know yet, but also for this. For not being able to handle anything that bothers him on his own. He has to be around someone else, he isn’t strong enough to stand on his own against his own desires.]
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He takes the joint back, but just barely puffs at it. It's more for Klaus' sake, and anyway, he should probably keep a reasonably clear head in this.]
See, you're saying all of this like it makes you a fuck-up, but that's bullshit. You made it here. You muscled through it. You're not high, other than me being a bad influence.
[He gestures with the joint before offering it back to Klaus.]
Anyway, I'm here now. You should stay here tonight.
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[It’s hard to put into words how much little affirmations like that really mean to him, so he leaves it at that.
There’s a skip in his heartbeat at that request, so simple, so casually dropped without the importance that it actually holds for Klaus just for being made sitting behind it. He wonders if Harlan even understands the weight that lifts from him— he offered, which stops Klaus from needing to ask and feeling pathetic for needing to, or like a burden he’s pressing onto someone else. Every negative twist his mind might have placed on the idea is dissolved because the idea wasn’t his anyway.
He takes two drags from the joint and looks up at Harlan, unadulterated appreciation on his face.] Yeah? You don’t mind me crashing in your space without warning?
[He thinks he knows the answer, but it doesn’t stop him from wanting to hear it. He hasn’t had friends like this before, and he isn’t used to being someone people do any more than tolerate.]
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It's not like you showed up just for a slumber party.
[Even if he had, would Harlan have minded? To some degree, sure, in the same way that he minds waking up to Klaus murmuring about how silly the word "movies" is if you think about it. It's not Harlan's favorite activity for three in the morning, but also, movies is a silly word. He's not going to just go back to sleep like engaging isn't worth the effort.
He tugs the pillow out from behind him so that he can hug it to his middle.]
No, I don't mind. Do the ghosts bug you much when you're asleep?
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[He nods.] They don't care about that. They wanna be heard. Helped. Paid attention to. I don't think... I don't think I can help them, though. I barely understand my power and... I'm too much of a chicken-shit to try anyway.
[Still.
This is helping. The weed, probably has plenty to do with it; it calms his nerves and the anxiety-knot balling up tight in his stomach. But it makes the shrill shrieks of the damned spirits almost like a dull and distant dream of a feeling. It's...blissfully quieter than while he'd been waiting for Harlan to get back.
Which.
Actually--]
Where were you, anyway?
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[He nods at his guitar propped up against the wall. He feels a little guilty, having not been up to anything worthwhile as Klaus was here waiting for him. He had no way of knowing, of course, but he's still going to feel bad about it.]
So, hold up, are you saying you might have some control over your ability?
[Harlan had just been assuming it was a Sixth Sense kind of thing and that was that.]
That sounds like something worth testing out, if you ask me.
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[He smiles a little. He isn’t the most musically inclined, but he knows a little, and he appreciates music all the same.]
Certain parts, yeah. I can manifest them, but I can’t ever make ‘em go the fuck away.
[Which is exactly what he wishes he could do. But that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Harlan’s not wrong, though. It probably would be smart to test things out. Especially since he is doing the mostly sober thing per his promise to Vanya. He could try. Maybe he ii could even remember some of the things Dad used to try to get him to do...
He’s lost in his own thoughts, not thinking about what he’s doing as he sinks slightly to one side; Klaus has always been tactile, and it’s so much worse when he’s being actively haunted because he wants reminders of the living. It’s a subconscious seeking out of someone solid and real that has him all but sunk into Harlan’s side, his fingers tracing ghost patterns on the inside of his friend’s arm.]
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[He's not really the serenading type, despite how prone he is to singing in people's general direction, but he doesn't mind an audience. He'd go grab his guitar right now, even—Klaus could use the distraction—but the only reason he's not still on the roof is his sleepiness was making him fuck up too much.
Besides, Klaus seems to have other things in mind. Harlan startles gently as Klaus leans into him, though he doesn't move away. This is fine, he tells himself as he feels his pulse spike against the fingers playing over his arm. This is fine.
And it is, is the thing. He trusts Klaus, and he's come to learn that casual touching isn't something he needs to read into. It's contact for contact's sake, nothing more. It's a foreign concept to him, but he's growing to appreciate it.]
Maybe you can make them go away with practice. It took me a long fucking time to get good at my magic. I bet the same logic applies for you.
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There’s a comfort in knowing Harlan is getting used to some of his random quirks and habits; that none of it is some kind of dealbreaker in their continued friendship.
He sighs softly, fingertips sliding from Harlan’s wrist up to trace gentle loops against the palm of his hand.]
Yeah... maybe. I wish I wasn’t so scared of it all the time.
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What scares you about it?
[He watches Klaus' fingers trail up to his palm. He has a messed up relationship with fear, he knows. Things like pain and dying don't scare him all that much, and yet here he is, talking himself out of his nerves over something so insignificant as another person's hands on him. That doesn't make a lot of sense.]
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And I dunno, it took awhile for my dad to believe me about what I was seeing. I couldn't prove it, really, I don't even remember why he finally did believe me. But you know, your parents- they're supposed to save you from the monsters under your bed, but not my dad. My dad just threw me at them harder.
[He takes in a soft, slightly shuddering breath at the memories he's dragging up. But it doesn't feel impossible to talk about, at least. That feels like some kind of progress, somehow.]
I think I was... six? Maybe seven, the first time he locked me in the crypt. I couldn't escape the dead on a good day, but in there-- [He shakes his head.] I was cornered from every direction by these shrieking, grotesque spirits that pawed at me and screamed my name, and I didn't know what they wanted, I didn't know what my dad wanted, and he left me. He just fucking left me there alone and locked in the mausoleum until dawn. And he did it for years, until I finally left home.
[tl;dr answer to your question, Harlan: Trauma, mostly.]
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Harlan doesn't really want to get into the details of his own life. There are parallels, yes, but the specifics couldn't be further apart, so there's no point in bringing it up anyway. But... they're really talking about magic, right? Powers, abilities, whatever Klaus calls it.]
I don't know my dad, but my mom sucked. She never did anything that terrible to me, but I inherited my magic from her. She'd use it on me, and I didn't like that, so I started practicing mine to keep her out of my head.
[He shrugs like it's a casual thing.]
At least I had some control.
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