TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[penancemods]

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

The hotel is undergoing some improvements already! Thanks to the new arrival of sinners, hell has a burst of energy and growth available to it. One demand of the demonic staff was the addition of elevators. It gets tiresome having to take the stairs all the time. They'll eagerly implore you to help them test out this new system, even going so far as shoving you right in the nearest available elevator with whoever else is in the vicinity.

Unfortunately, things aren't quite up to par just yet. Press a button and you'll find your elevator gets jammed between floors with very little chance of escape. Oh, oops. This is entirely the hotel's fault and will be fixed as soon as possible. In the meantime, enjoy your company and try to relax a bit.

It's definitely a high priority repair for staff, promise.

Prompt II

Maybe you were looking for the hotel gym to work off some stress or maybe you just took a wrong left somewhere, but instead of what you were expecting, you stumble across what appears to be a very well stocked torture room. There are tables with straps to hold down victims, chains falling from the walls and ceilings to bind them upright, and absolutely every possible torture device you can think of. There's even an iron maiden proudly displayed in the corner. Besides that, there's the normal supply of whips, knives, and any other equipment someone could want to inflict the most delicious pain available.

You're free to check it out or give it a go. You're also free to back out of the room very slowly, but with the knowledge this space will probably come into play at some point.

Oh, and a tip: the gym is to the right of this room.

REACH UP HIGH

Prompt I
Warnings: cutting, blood, torture.

After settling in, it really is only a matter of time until your demonic hosts expect some participation. You can try and shirk the responsibility, of course. But eventually, you may find yourself trapped in a room just off the kitchen that's curiously full of knives. 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 becomes apparently what you're supposed to do soon enough when someone else is eventually shoved in with you. Both of your lists of in will appear in the room on a nearby table 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 one of your sins into the other's flesh. Help them in their journey to be candid with everyone they 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

Well, that last punishment was a bit heavy, wasn't it? Or maybe you somehow skipped out on it all together. Fortunately for you, there's a less horrible one to get potentially wrapped up in along the way. You'll hear that all too familiar voice ringing in your ears as you explore the halls of the hotel or poke your head outside.

"Do one genuinely kind deed for someone and we'll consider it a step in the right direction for you."

This can be helping one of your fellow sinners out with a task or helping them find something. It can be a shoulder or a listening ear towards someone who needs it. You can even offer to help the staff clean up a bit around the hotel, or help a poor hell beast pup out of the hellfire around Penance. Careful though, even they have pretty sharp teeth and an aggressive attitude. It doesn't matter what you do as long as it helps someone else out.

Oh, and one more thing! The longer you resist, the more aches you'll notice. It'll start with a mild headache and escalate from there. You can wait it out, of course, and pills may help you cope with the pain if you really can't be bothered to do one nice deed. Although Satan is still very disappointed in you.

FOLLOW ME DOWN

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

With all the new sinners arriving, this feels like a call for celebration! The bar will be lit up with activity. 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.

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 you've presumably done your atonement for the day, yes? So cut back a bit.

Ask the staff demons very nicely and you may even get less scrupulous drugs. Things that will convince your fellow damned souls to tell the truth or perhaps even things that will make someone so enamored with you, they won't take their eyes off you. How dare they give you the cold shoulder earlier, right?

There are also tables set up for all sorts of gambling and various bar games to entertain yourself with.

Relax and enjoy your first night in hell. 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 kinks.


Much like the hotel improvements inside, all these new sinners seem to have given hell the ability to open a new building just outside the hotel. It happens to be quite a happening sex club from the looks of it. Everything is bathed in obnoxious neon lights when you first enter the establishment. There's plenty of space for dancing, and poles for those so inclined. Mood music fills the air, along with something a little too sweet.

As tacky as it is, something may pull you to stay.

Whether experienced lover or total virgin, once pulled in, you may not want to leave for a while.

There are back rooms people can go for a bit of private fun, full of every type of toy and restraint that you could possibly desire to play with. There's also a rather large room with a massive bed that seems to be fit for any orgies you may want to try to arrange. Hell's not judging and may be encouraging a bit.

There are aphrodisiac laced food and drinks available around the club as well, but these will most likely be marked. If one slips through, ah well. Why else are you here if not for a bit of fun? The drugs will only help that out.

Of course outside, this club is clearly marked for what it is and anyone who would rather avoid it are free to do so.

MISC.

Thank you for checking out penancerp's first TDM! Please note that all prompts are opt-out and players are more than welcome to come up with their own ideas while exploring the hotel and hell outside.

All that we ask is that you remember to put clear warnings on any potentially triggering content! Warn for sex, including underage or incest, violence, abuse, non-con, etc. Please put these warning in a visible place, either by the prompt itself or in the subject line. This isn't just a suggestion but a requirement to participate in the game.

Now that all that's out of the way, we hope you have fun! Feel free to ask questions under the appropriate comment before or on the FAQ page. Since this is the game's first TDM, we are also very interested in hearing any suggestions you have or ways to improve the game experience.

Since this is a big event, Lucifer himself will be taking a few questions via his device for anyone so inclined down below.

As a final note, don't forget that reserves are open now until May 1st as well!


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Comments

[unreconciled]

Andrej presses his fingertips to his forehead again. Weird meeting? Human Empire? Nonetheless, he can try to guess the context, and it doesn't seem an unfamiliar one at a glance. He was initially concerned about Inquisitors, after all. Some sort of Inquiry, perhaps merely the preliminary levels equivalent, with his friend wanted for further interrogation?

It's also not difficult to start questioning the other common elements of this odd situation... particularly the issue of 'judgement'.

"No. No I have not. What is your friend accused of, that you worry he was taken?"

[styxtoshadows]

"What's he not accused of? Though most recently I think it was being called the leader of the Resistance by Orcs in the Row that really did it, though there was that chapel full of Disciples...." Styx probably not making much sense. Nor is he really trying to.

"Anyway, if there's a place called the Pit here? That's where I'd start looking. I don't know about what your friends might be accused of though."

[unreconciled]

It doesn't make specific sense, but Andrej gets the general sense of it. Or at last the general sense of Styx's scenario, which in the overall context of his own world, still makes no sense.

"I'm not concerned for those I'm with." Or was with, for that matter. And that's a partial lie, but Robert seemed to be taken care for the time being. Then again, what had happened to his Security that he was here alone...

He can remember the dream, the other dream, of falling down and down. And a voice.

"And, forgive me for asking, but what are you accused of?" Andrej asks gently. For if there's a true conclusion to draw, perhaps it lies in that. At the same time, there's no need to spook this fellow. Anyone would be unhappy to see an Inquisitor, especially one asking pointed questions like that.

[styxtoshadows]

"Good. That's one less thing for you to worry about anyway."

"You sure do ask a fuckload of questions." Styx flexes his hands. "But I don't mind. My list said nothing about being against the Inquisition, mostly it's real petty shit: some lies, envy, spite, revenge, arson, some other stuff. Nothing nice there, but what is?"

He'll just conveniently leave out the many thefts and murders.

[unreconciled]

"Arson is a misdemeanour charge at the least," Andrej notes abstractly, as if to remind the goblin. He's not acting in any official capacity, his security is not here besides, nor any Bench authority. To add to that, assuming the fellow is at least partially telling the truth, some of those items are not crimes. Sins, perhaps. The same as his own list.

His headache suddenly seems to feel worse.

[styxtoshadows]

"Mm. Maybe. But what are you going to do about it?" Is the man going to do anything about it? Styx is more than reasonably confident that either the man can't do anything or it's too late anyway.

He holds out a finger. "Anyway. Enough of that bullshit, why are you here?"

[unreconciled]

"Perhaps for the reasons we are all here, alike." He's loathe to think it, really, and it seems too absurd to say it aloud.

"I think I should like a drink." Andrej decides, what seems very suddenly. "Have you or a fellow found yourself inside a kitchen pantry at any point, or has a rest amongst the bathing supplies been sufficient?"

[styxtoshadows]

"Ohhh, I see. And what reasons do you think those are?" He tilts his head. "Just non-specific naughtiness?"

"Alcohol? Sure if you want to be disoriented. I think the kitchen's that way." He points down the hall. "At least someone is making noise with pots and pans. But I think I've found something a little closer to home."

Does hell have a mini-bar? If so Styx holds up a tiny bottle of rum he's taken. "Take it, but maybe in return if you see some bottles with Amber inside you could pick them up for me...that's glowing yellow stuff to you, since you don't seem to recognize anything."

[unreconciled]

Not entirely sure if he trusts taking unknown beverages from men hiding in towel-carts, Andrej accepts the bottle nonetheless, lifting it up to look curiously at the label. "If I should happen to find such a thing, I'll inform you at once. Will I find you in here, or in the laundry, perhaps?" he asks with a hint of dry amusement.

[styxtoshadows]

"It is alcohol" he says cheerfully noting the man's doubtful expression. "The good shit. At least it smells that way."

"I'll be around." There's just the smallest bit of defensiveness about being caught hiding. "I'm not sure how these people are going to take a goblin in their fancy prison."