penancememes | TEST DRIVE MEME #4

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TEST DRIVE MEME #4

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, 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 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. They may be pushy, 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, self-serve if you want to get away from your demonic hosts for a bit. Of course there's some seating, bar games, and a jukebox tucked in the corner if you'd rather stay and socialize a bit.

Please note that all the songs on the jukebox are appropriately hell-themed. Hopefully Sympathy for the Devil is universally loved.

STAND YOUR GROUND

Prompt I

It seems like not long after everyone has either returned from the maze or arrived fresh to hell that the storms started yet again. A bit more sporadically and not the constant downpour of the previous month, but it's still blood and fire raining from the skies, along with claps of thunder and lightning strikes that seem far too close for comfort. Fortunately, there's not as much flooding this time. Unfortunately, a particularly loud clap of thunder and lightning that strikes close to the hotel seems to leave it and surrounding establishments in the dark. Quickly, the hotel becomes a cold place, urging all guests to to move to the lobby for some warmth.

A roaring fire will be going and there will be hot drinks and snacks kindly provided by the staff while they try to work on correcting the problem.

Eventually, some rather panicked goblin-like demons come rushing up from the basement. They're half-singed and dirty looking from their adventure, so it doesn't seem to bode well for the power returning any time soon. Guests who listen closely will hear the demons apologizing profusely for 'letting them escape' and much more worrisome than that, about how it looks like there might have been some tampering going on down there. The staff is quick to tell the demons to hush and go, not to worry the guests or let word get back to Lucifer.

Once that whole scene is squared away, the staff will be urging guests to volunteer and pushing them into a drafty, creepy basement with nothing but candles and flashlights to lead the way.

It's okay, they reassure, it's not that bad down there! The lights provided all seem to flicker dangerously though, almost completely going out at times, as you descend creaky stairs to a lower level. Apparently the demons are tired of risking their hide to get the power back on, but they're quite happy to risk all the guests'.

The basement is slightly flooded in some areas, bloody rain making its way through cracks in the foundation. It reeks of dampness and mold. There are things that skitter in the corner of your eye as you venture in further. Rats, bugs, and a few smaller beasts.

No one will be given more to go on than they're looking for a breaker box to reset, and hopefully, that'll get everything back up and running again. Unfortunately, there are so many twists and turns that it gets confusing after a while... How come the basement looks much bigger than it has any right to be anyway?

The basement is also jam packed with boxes just begging to be gone through. Most of them just seem to house an odd amount of clothing and what may be personal items left from previous guests, others hold decidedly more satanic and occult items. But if there's anything you're looking for in particular, from jewelry to a coat to a rad new walkman, you'll probably find it down here.

Keep going and you'll come across a room with a heavy steel door. If anyone should venture inside, they'll see a dungeon inside. There are demons chained to the walls in various ways, strung from the ceiling, or caged up that seem to be wasting away and forgotten. If they notice you, they'll try to plead with you to let them out, bribing you with information on Lucifer that no one else knows, but it's probably for the best you don't. There seem to be a few free spaces waiting for new additions after all... and besides, they've got to be locked down there for a reason, right?

Let them go against all better judgement and they'll most likely just rattle something off while they take off running as quick as they can.

Listen closely enough and you might hear tortured screams as they're presumably killed upon reaching the main floor of the lobby. It was probably inevitably, so don't blame yourself.

Anyway, moving on you keep going past the dungeon, and you'll finally find the room with the furnace and breakers to reset. It shouldn't take long to flip them back, but they'll continue to trip on and off for a while and may require multiple groups to make a return trek down to reset them until the demons finally correct the issues with the wiring that is causing these outages.

Speaking of issues with the wiring and what may have caused them... Hang around the bar or lobby enough, or around any area of the community, and you may hear muttering of something called The Veiled Order from beyond the gates. Some of the demons seem excited, others seem nervous. If asked, the demons may brush guests off. If drunk enough or given proper incentive, they may tell a story about a group of rebellious demons that Lucifer tried to cast out. They were damned to live in the burnt forests outside the gates, but sometimes, they still cause trouble.

Apparently, they thought they could be better rulers than Lucifer and were quite discontent with how he maintains Hell.

Some may say they're worried the Order is causing mischief by messing with the hotel, having had ample opportunity to sneak back within the gates. Others will laugh heartily and insist that it's a dumb tale to scare young demons, nothing more. Certainly nothing to worry about.

Another thing guests may overhear or bribe out of demons around the bar or club is talk about the call of infernal nightmares. If pressed for more info, the demons won't give much beyond the fact that it's a miserable thing, entirely miserable.

Prompt II

Apparently what the goblin-like demons accidentally set free are strange demons that possess fungi, dust, and dirt. They don't seem to quite be from this world, but they're called Coal Tars apparently. They're harmless creatures for the most part, but they do have a love of following around people with dark or sinister natures.

The staff will be offering a reward of a gourmet dinner of the guest's choice if anyone around the hotel will help to capture these little pests and bring them to the front desk. Afterwards, they'll be returned to the basement and locked away again.

Otherwise, people are free to ignore them or laugh at the people who can't seem to shake the little creatures following them around.

Careful though, breathing them in can make your lungs rot. Nasty way to go probably.

REACH UP HIGH

Prompt I
Warnings: cutting, blood, torture.

Whether you've been here for months or you're freshly arrived, your demonic overlord expects some participation. You can try and shirk the responsibility, of course. You can bargain your way out of it for a while. But eventually, you may find yourself trapped in a room just off the gym that's been fondly dubbed the torture room. It has all manner of equipment in there, along with an iron maiden even.

But don't worry about any of that right now. It probably won't be used.

You can try the door, but even with super human strength or every lock picking skill in the book, you won't be able to open it.

It soon becomes apparent what you're supposed to do soon enough when someone else is eventually shoved in with you. Both of your lists of sins will appear on a table that's been placed in the center of the room with two handy knives. You can choose to guard these or not care at all that they're on display.

"Know that honesty is a good place to start on your road to redemption. Sure, it can be terrifying at first, but that's why you've been given a partner in this journey. Pick up your knives and carve at least one sin into each other's flesh. Help in the journey to be candid with everyone you should meet here!"

The voice echoes all around you again, just like in the nightmare, and once again there's the pull to give in. This voice really does seem like it has your best interests at heart.

"If you need a bit of encouragement, we'll be giving it shortly."

It isn't a lie or idle threat either. The longer you wait to do what's been requested of you, the more shallow cuts that will appear on both of your bodies. Are you really prepared to endure this pain when giving in would be so much easier?

And more than that, are you willing to let another suffer along with you?

Eventually, the cuts will stop if you suffer them long enough, but you'll have failed this challenge and sustained more damage than if you'd just gone along with it. Satan will also be very disappointed in you.

Prompt II

"A generous nature is an important part of being a righteous person. Greed is a sin my Father frowns on quite a bit. What I ask you to do today is to go out and find a gift for that special someone or friend of yours and give them something to smile over."

With the items available in the basement and the shop in the hotel carrying a few new items, Lucifer would like to spread the good will of gift giving. It doesn't matter if you're not well acquainted with each other yet. You don't need to be! Anyone can spread cheer by giving a gift.

And if you don't, expect to be in excruciating pain for a few hours, and struggling for a breath. If you can't share a gift, then you don't deserve to share all that oxygen, do you?

FOLLOW ME DOWN

Prompt I
Warnings: Alcohol and drug abuse, potential non-con/dub-con.

With all the sinners, new and old, the bar will be lit up with activity and absolutely bustling with guests and demons alike. Food and drinks will be readily available and provided by hotel staff (although they might not always know what humans eat. What do you mean, you don't like fried kitten?), music will be blaring, and overall, there will be an energy to the atmosphere that's absolutely contagious. Even if you aren't typically inclined to linger at these sorts of events, there will be a certain pull to stay and have a bit of fun.

You may not get much of a chance to have that in hell after all. So one drink won't hurt, right? Nor will one more after that.

There will also be every sort of party drug available that might tickle your fancy. There's no harm in experimenting, is there? You're already in hell and the staff is handing it out and so helpfully showing you how to use it, or recommending a type that would suit what you want.

You've presumably done your atonement for the day, yes? So cut back a bit, let loose. Hell might be pain and torment, but it's also a nonstop party in the bar.

There's even a brand new stage and a karaoke machine for those feeling brave!

Ask the staff demons very nicely and you may even get less scrupulous drugs as well. Things that will convince your fellow damned souls to tell only the truth for a fun prank, or perhaps even potions that will make someone so enamored with you, they won't take their eyes, or hands, off you. How dare they give you the cold shoulder earlier, right? You've got them now.

There are also tables set up for all sorts of gambling and various bar games to entertain yourself with. Since currency as most are familiar with it doesn't quite exist down here, most of the demons seem to be accepting bits of your soul, if you're in a gambling mood. You may also get pulled into a fun game of strip poker against one of your fellow guests for a few succubi that are having a night out.

Relax and enjoy your night. Coming here and facing your sins is the hard part, so surely you deserve to have a little fun, right?

Prompt II
Warnings: sex, aphrodisiacs, potential dubcon/noncon, potential kinks.

The club within Penance has always offered many options for debauchery, but now it seems they're stepping things up a bit. There are themed rooms for sex machines (the same that were present at the carnival) that can be controlled by a demon or a partner. If asked, they'll gladly set you up on stage to put on a performance for the entire club.

They won't side eye you for any other kink you ask for either, however depraved it is.

But the succubi are handing out potions again, that can be taken willingly or not. The purpose of them is to strip away all of your inhibitions... or in certain cases, your mind as well as your will. It will leave those who take the potion as a perfect little pet or slave for someone.

It doesn't matter if you're generally strong-willed or not interested in submitting. You'll find yourself wanting to please someone until it's the most important thing on your mind. Maybe until it's the only thing on your mind. It doesn't even matter if you generally hate or adore the person you've attached yourself to, you'll find yourself sinking down on your knees anyway.

This is the perfect time to play out all those daddy kinks, domination and submission scenes, or perhaps a bit of pet play. It doesn't matter what theme of the game you choose, you're suddenly all for it no matter what.

Because you just want to make someone happy, even if what makes them happy is hurting you as much as pampering.

MISC.
Thanks for joining us for our fourth test drive meme, sinners! Reserves are now open for the upcoming app round on August 1st

If you want to speak with Lucifer, you're free to text or pray to him right here

If you let a demon loose in the dungeon, reply here to see what tidbit of info they revealed!

If you have a comment, suggestion, etc. please go here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

-- STAND YOUR GROUND #I cw: potential torture, gore & demoncide

[ At first, Squalo's focused on the mission. Oh, sure, he looks through some of the boxes on the way, but not too many, not too thoroughly, and he's certainly not looking to fill his pockets with anything. Well, if he finds a real nice blade, he might take it, but that's about as much as it goes. They need to restore power, after all. ]

[ His interest is piqued, though, when he comes across the prison. ]

[ You may find him being nice, trying to coax whatever secret a demon is offering via sympathizing and explaining how dangerous it is for him to cut the chains without knowing whether it's going to be worth it. He might outright be swearing to let them go as soon as he hears the words of interest. ]

::

[ Maybe the prisoners were too smart to fall for it, or maybe he's just greedy and the next one isn't all that keen on chitchat, seeing their friend not be released after all. Squalo's taking his sword and starting to draw long vertical lines starting at their face, without even a flinch as if he were raking bread. Depending how successfully it goes, he may be ripping off ribbons of flesh by the time you find him. ]

I'll ask again. What do you know about Lucifer?

::

[ Whether or not that works, maybe just taking too long for his liking, he just might actually free one of the unfortunate souls -- though he will grip them by the wrist before they can run off and remind them to keep up their end of the bargain. As soon as the demon finishes speaking, good information or not, a sword blade runs cleanly through their throat, leaving them sinking to the ground in a pool of blood. Squalo looks down and wipes the blood off as if it's a Tuesday. Some of the remaining prisoners may be expressing disdain. ]

I said I'd let you go. That's what I did.

[ He never specified what he would or would not do then. ]

-- REACH UP HIGH #I cw: cutting, blood, possibly torture

[ Again. This most have been one of Lucifer's more favorite games, then. Squalo is picky about his permanent marks, thank you, but he definitely has double standards where someone else may be concerned. ]

[ By the time you've finished taking in the surroundings, he's already twirling a knife in his right hand, leaning over to glance over your list of sins with, apparently, not too much interest. ]

[ His own list being in the open doesn't seem to bother him at all; if you manage to get a look there's a reasonably wide variety of sins, although the most prominent, repeated over and over causing his list to be strewn down the table and across the floor appears to be murder. ]

[ He's just raising an eyebrow at you and offering a half-grin. ]

Let's start then. Any preferences for your new body art?

[ How kind of him, he just might let you choose. ]

-- FOLLOW ME DOWN #I cw: honestly his singing counts as torture too

[ Squalo's a regular at the bar at this point, although it may be interesting to note that while events in the Carnival had caused him to drink more, dying in the Maze has apparently had the opposite effect. He's less tense, and back to his usual alcohol intake, meaning he's not actually trying to carry glasses (or whole bottles) out of the bar. ]

[ He's still downing those things pretty quickly though, and for a few moments it's almost like he didn't even notice you near the bar. But then he raises his empty glass in a greeting. ]

Hey. What's new?

::

[ Or maybe you're unfortunate enough when he's decided to try out that weird "karaoke" thing. It turns out to be more fun than he thinks, and you'll probably walk in on him half-singing, half-yelling partway through something that sounds vaguely like some popular opperetta or a song from a classic musical. ]

[ There's a problem aside from his way too loud volume, though: he's definitely missing more notes than he's hitting. It's honestly kind of awful. If you had to suffer through his shower singing before, it's definitely familiar, except now he has an actual microphone in his hands that one of the staff members is quite desperately trying to pull away from him. ]

E LUCEVAN LE STELLE --

-- WILDCARD

[ Want to do one of the other prompts or something else entirely? Hit me up here or on

jigglyballs! ]

Edited 2019-07-27 20:32 (UTC)

[ Nezumi's sins aren't very innocent, either. Murder, theft, and assault seem to be the most prominent, but he doesn't seem to be ashamed of the list. This is his life, his way to survival. While Squalo reads over Nezumi's list, Nezumi does the same. Murder, huh? Without any outward change, he prepares himself for defense in case the silver-haired man plans to add a new sin to the list. There's also a bit of a relief. Likely, he won't be too squeamish when it comes to drawing blood. ]

I hope you're a leg man.

[ Leg or arm is the obvious choice as neither is instantly fatal if attacked, but the arm is much closer to the neck, which is considerably more dangerous.

While Squalo is still some distance away, Nezumi bends to push the leg of his pants up to his knee. ]

Since we're trading, I'll even let you pick in return.

[ The count is at the very least in the hundreds, but... That's Squalo's life. For the most part, his job, though he did always love what he did. ]

[ He's already looking as if everything is the most casual, normal situation, like they were chatting about weather somewhere in the mall. He grins, throws his knife up and catches it by the handle, ready to start carving. ]

More of an ass man, but I'll make do.

[ He was asking about a sin, really, but he can extend his generosity to the location, as well... except he won't ask a second time. He picks the word. ]

[ He also gives Nezumi a once-over as he steps closer. He doesn't look very dangerous, but Squalo's aware looks can be deceiving. Probably relies on speed more than strength. Quite a bit smaller than him, but possibly makes up for it via maneuverability. Daggers? Poison? Well, he might find out soon. ]

"Assault" has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Like "fun". Or "pool party". [ what kind of parties have you been to, Squalo ] Put your foot on the desk.

[ One, it will be steadier than holding it up in the air, and two, there's no way in hell he's bending all that way down while the boy stands and has perfect access to the back of his neck and his own knife. He wasn't born yesterday. ]

[ Nezumi doesn't consider himself small by any stretch of the imagination, but he knows there are bigger men who underestimate him. It's usually their mistake. ]

Your idea of a party fits your list, but don't try anything here.

[ With ease, he hikes his leg onto the desk and keeps his balance just fine. In truth, Nezumi wouldn't survive in some of the more powerful worlds, but he gets by well in his more normal world. ]

There's no qualifier that says it has to scar, so don't go that deep. I don't know how it's meant to shame us when everybody here is meant to be a sinner, but I'd hate to ruin my leg with an ugly scar.

Don't give me a reason then and it'll be fine.

[ One that he apparently finds some enjoyment in, at least when he's not the one getting carved up. He presses the point of the blade against the other's tibia and gives a fake pout. ]

My handwriting's not ugly. [ Yes it is, but that remains to be discovered. ] Maybe you should pick a spot you don't want to show off then.

[ He doesn't wait for it, though. He's already drawing the first line, though it seems he's being nice; it's not deep after all. Mostly, he expects he can ask for the same if he follows Nezumi's requests; Hell sees he has enough scars and marks already. ]

We only just met so you shouldn't be asking to see such places. Have a sense of shame when I'm putting such trust in you.

[ His voice is just a bit higher, as if he's adapting a stage voice -- which he is. For someone who works so hard at survival, he's very bad at not giving someone a reason to cut him.

As the knife carves into him, Nezumi remains motionless. Moving will only make it worse. ]

Keeping it shallow makes it move faster. After I do yours, we can get out of here.

[ That suddenly-almost-feminine voice doesn't seem to phase Squalo in any way. He's seen weirder shit in his kitchen, thanks. Mostly because Lussuria spent a lot of time there. He does, however, offer a slight grin back -- more a bare of teeth, really. ]

If I wanted to see them, I wouldn't be asking.

[ His hand continues moving. The S's give him a bit trouble but he manages to curve them alright without nicking too deep. The rest are easier; his handwriting's narrow and pointy, like some kind of scratches on stone, but readable. ]

[ Nezumi doesn't necessarily agree with the statement, but he'll let Squalo believe what he wants. Saying anything in argument will only be seen as a challenge, and Nezumi doesn't intentionally challenge without a very good reason.

That doesn't stop him from being rude.

For now, he's quiet. Even Nezumi knows it's best to hold your tongue when someone has a weapon to your leg.

When it's finished, he raises his leg to look at the work. ]

Not bad. Your handwriting isn't good at all, but I'd be more upset if you added hearts or flowers.

Your turn. Which sin?

[ While he's horrible, his intention has always been about survival, not to cause pain. There's no reason to dislike or make an enemy of Squalo. ]

[ Squalo doesn't look too bothered by the insult, but his lips still curl into an unfriendly grin. ]

My handwriting's fine.

[ For someone who cut off their dominant hand and learned to write with the other -- it honestly is, but he's not offering up that information and his cybernetics are hidden under clothes, so it just sounds like empty words. ]

Well, "murder" seems to be the popular vote.

[ He tugs at his shirt, undoing a few buttons and pulling it down to expose his collarbone and most of his right shoulder. There's already a faded "foul language scribbled along the bone in tiny neat handwriting. ]

Just don't try anything funny. I'll have your throat open before you can sink that thing in half an inch.

[ Hmn. Foul language? Honestly, it's a small sin in the grand scheme of things, but it's also a long word. If Nezumi were to guess, he'd assume it was done to make it more painful. Still, an interesting choice. Maybe the guy is skillful enough to stop Nezumi before he sinks a knife into his heart, but he doesn't know Nezumi's skill either. That's exactly why he chose a place so far from any vital organs.

Lucky for Squalo, perhaps, Nezumi doesn't kill for killing's sake. ]

I'd never be so bold as to attack someone capable of foul language. [ There's a slight hint of mockery, but enough to make it seem like Nezumi is challenging the claim. ] It'd really be a pain if I have to fight before getting out of the room.

[ The knife digs into the skin, but it's shallow. He isn't a pushover in any sense, but he doesn't intentionally make enemies. ]

Wise decision. Hardly a more heinous crime than that.

[ If that was supposed to be an insult, Squalo seems to shrug it off easily like a duck would water. Still, his amusement lingers as he offers more context. ]

Last time we had to carve out each other's sins. Seemed like the least objectionable one on her list.

[ He catches himself saying it and realizes that he... doesn't actually remember "her". Someone brought here along with him, he thinks, but he can't remember their face or name or much anything about them. Never saw them around after that night. ]

[ Maybe she'd have gotten rerouted to something less... Hell, if this was the worst thing on her list. ]

[ ...Why yes, Squalo "My list of murders is twenty feet long" apparently has things he finds objectionable. Who could have thought. ]

squalo ⚔ khr! ⚔ ota

reach up high

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REACH UP HIGH #I

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Reach Up High I

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