Test Drive Meme #1

[bocadelmods]

A Choice to Make
 

In the midst of your mundane existence, amidst a meal's consumption or perhaps amidst a desperate struggle for survival, you find yourself teetering on the precipice between consciousness and oblivion. Whether it's the mundanity of everyday life or the shock of an unforeseen revelation, the next chapter in your tale is etched in the unfathomable tapestry of destiny. Abruptly, a shimmering azure tear in reality wrenches you from your reality, hurling you into the depths of a foreboding cavern. Within its shadows, two sinister whispers assail your senses, each vying for control over the path you must tread. One beckons from the left, promising dominion and power under the aegis of an enigmatic ruler, while the other lures from the right, pledging a noble crusade for justice and salvation. With each step, the choice you make echoes with the weight of eternity, determining the very fabric of your existence

As you stand at the crossroads of fate, the air thickens with anticipation, suffused with a palpable sense of ominous uncertainty. The leftward passage glimmers with an otherworldly allure, hinting at the seductive allure of authority and supremacy. Yet, the rightward path beckons with an ethereal glow, resonating with the righteous fervor of a hero's quest to vanquish darkness. Each voice, a siren's call to divergent destinies, casts its spell upon your soul, weaving a labyrinth of moral ambiguity. For in this twilight realm where the veil between worlds grows thin, your decision is not merely a choice but a covenant with forces beyond mortal comprehension. Whichever path you elect to traverse, know that the consequences shall echo through eternity, shaping the very essence of your being in ways unfathomable to mortal minds.
 

1. Evil

 

Emerging from the left tunnel, you step into a labyrinthine city carved from the very bones of the earth, illuminated by flickering torchlight that casts eerie shadows upon the twisted visages of its denizens. Monsters, grotesque and malformed, roam the streets with a purpose that sends shivers down your spine. It becomes chillingly apparent that within this infernal metropolis, your destiny lies entwined with a bid for power at the side of a shadowy sovereign. Amidst the clamor of preparation, the temple to the enigmatic entity known as the First Evil looms ominously, its dark allure drawing in supplicants like moths to a flame. Should your throat grow parched from the fervent chants of devotion, the Cantina offers solace in its crude embrace, a sanctuary that exudes an aura of ancient malevolence amidst its clay and stone walls.

 

Yet, amidst the sinister ambiance, whispers of knowledge beckon, promising insight into the machinations of this unholy realm. Seekers of truth may find guidance from well-intentioned demons or delve into the esoteric depths of the Stacks, where secrets lie entombed within dusty tomes of forgotten lore. As curiosity compels you to explore further, the Bringers, sinister heralds of the impending darkness, stand ready to lead you to your abode, a cold stone sanctuary where dreams are haunted by the specter of impending conflict. And for those who prefer the solace of steel and the embrace of weaponry, the armory awaits, a chamber resonant with the echoes of impending strife, offering a grim reminder that in this realm, even sleep is fraught with the specter of violence.

          2. Good

Venturing through the right-hand tunnel was a pact, a commitment to a harrowing struggle that now unfolds before you. Emerging into the realm beyond, you are met by a spectral figure, a girl whose countenance shifts with each passing moment, a testament to the legion of vampire slayers that populate this accursed domain. She, like her brethren, is both warrior and guide, leading you through the labyrinthine streets with a cryptic explanation that betrays the gravity of the task ahead. Together, you traverse the shadowed avenues, passing landmarks cloaked in enigma, such as The Odeon, a den of debauchery where the echoes of revelry mingle with the cries of the damned. With a sardonic grin, she points towards the gym, a crucible where the art of combat is honed amidst the backdrop of impending doom.

 

As you journey further into the heart of darkness, the Resurrection Cemetery looms ominously, a sepulchral sentinel guarding the threshold of a towering edifice—the colossal teaching hospital that casts a pall of dread over the surrounding streets. Amidst a labyrinth of silence and apprehension, you arrive at your destination, standing before the facade of the Doubletree Hotel, its ostentatious glamour a stark juxtaposition against the encroaching shadows of desolation. Yet, even as the hotel's opulence beckons, a lingering sense of foreboding whispers tales of recent upheaval, hinting at secrets buried beneath layers of opulent facade.


A Grave to Dig – Resurrection Cemetery

Patrol, it's the nightly routine for slayers, a dance with darkness amidst the tombstones, where the soulless minions of evil lurk in the shadows, ever loyal to the malevolent machinations of The First Evil. A cemetery of this magnitude, its layout intricate and labyrinthine, serves as the perfect battleground for the eternal struggle against the forces of darkness. But it is patrol, right? Surely you're not taking a detour to The Odeon without your trusty stake and crossbow. Strange choices in these perilous times, indeed.
 

This graveyard pulses with the heartbeat of vampiric activity tonight, more undead rising from their graves than ever before. Will you recruit them into the fold of darkness, their loyalty pledged to The First? Or will you stand as their nemesis, driving a stake through their unbeating hearts? The choice looms before you, a decision that could tip the scales of this eternal conflict, determining whether you become their savior or their midnight snack.


A Party to Crash – The Odeon

Amidst the haunting melodies of an otherworldly band, The Odeon pulsates with the feverish energy of revelers seeking solace in food, drink, and a hell of a time. At the jumpstart of the bash, there’s no doubt you'll get to soak up some of that vibe. But lurking amidst the revelry, there's more than just party plans brewing.

If you've been getting those Slayer senses tinglin' 'bout the graveyard gig, hold onto your stakes 'cause The Odeon's gonna be jumpin' too. Within the shadowed halls of The Odeon, a palpable tension lingers, as The First Evil's malevolent design looms ominously over the unsuspecting patrons. In this twilight realm where the line between good and evil blurs, the clash between opposing forces is inevitable, and it's here, amidst the haunting melodies and whispered secrets, that the true test of one's training and arcane talents shall unfold.

 

Comments

[speechy]

It was a good, strong lighter, intricately designed with more care than he had put into the cool metal of his own missing belonging. He took an extra moment to look it over, turned it in his hand after he lit up. Spike took a slow drag, inhaling like an old round of going through the motions just to do something that wasn't walking aimlessly for hours at a time or looking for a fight he wasn't prepared to tackle. When he was through, he held the lighter back out to return it to its rightful owner.

Spike, never one to appreciate the veils between known and unknown, shrugged and exhaled a wisp of smoke to his left, out of the young man's range as best he could.

"If you mean the live entertainment, you couldn't be more spot on. I've heard trash make a better series of sounds." It seemed that the future leaned more into synth and pop than even the early 2000s had.

"But," a pause for dramatic effect, another drag, "if you're referencing the nasties and all the bells and whistles surrounding getting us here to dabble with them, I don't know. I've stepped in worse." Chances were that the man would either give him a good conversation or he would look at Spike like he was insane; either way, he had gotten what he wanted.

[burnyoudown]

Under different circumstances, Kavinsky might have preened a little upon noticing the attention paid to the lighter. He couldn't exactly come out and say he'd made that, that he'd lovingly designed every bit of it, but he could still be proud when someone took a moment to appreciate it. But he wasn't feeling very proud of anything, right now.

He took his lighter back with a nod in place of verbal thanks, sliding it into his pocket. The first answer was so unexpected that he couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Harsh." But he grinned anyway. "I never expected anyone here to play any kind of music I actually love, anyway--but at least it's not all country."

Considering the other part, Kavinsky made a thoughtful noise. "Just feels kind of..." Not rude, though also yeah, rude. "Presumptuous to pull in people from where-the-fuck-ever to get us to do shit." That wasn't necessarily his real concern, either, though. "'Course, that implies someone has control over it. Which I've sort of been figuring someone does." Unless portals or whatever just opened themselves whenever they felt like it. "You don't sound very surprised about all this, though."

[speechy]

"The truth hurts." Plain, simple. People got tired of hearing it faster than any dance tracks. There was also merit to what the guy was saying about country, even if there were a handful of songs in the genre worth listening to. It had heart.

"Yeah," Spike agreed, followed by another exhale, not the least bit torn up by the state of affairs. It wasn't shock that kept him neutral, suspended in eerie calmness. The guy was young by the looks of him, not that looks meant much of anything. He could have bore witness to other terrors, different monsters — the human kind — prior to popping into this dimension. And it was a different dimension, had to be, he was certain of it.

"It's magic." A level of vehemence attached to that particular nasty word. "You put on fabric of reality altering spells like this one and someone always pays the price." The witch, them, the world. If someone was behind this, Spike had to wonder if they were still alive to tell them whether this was the intended result — if it was on-going, a group ritual of sorts, or an accident.

"This isn't the first time I've been snatched by an unseeable force."

[burnyoudown]

"You don't have to tell me that, man." He paused for a moment, considering things. "It's still better than a pretty lie, though." It was one of the things he'd always liked about Ronan; Lynch was always honest, to the best of Kavinsky's knowledge, even when other people would have shied away from the truth because it was painful.

He bristled at the way the other man said magic, tension tightening his shoulders. With an amount of self-restraint he didn't usually display, he kept himself reined in and didn't lash out. If only because there'd inevitably be questions about why he felt strongly about the subject. Instead, he frowned. "First question- are you implying this is like, a different version of Ohio and we weren't all teleported or whatever? And two- what kind of price?"

He'd never encountered magic with a price before, but he was aware of the fact he didn't really know shit about magic as a whole. He'd never had anyone who could teach him, who he could talk to about things.

"Gotta be frustrating, getting yanked around like that. This is a first for me, and I can't say I'd rather be back in Virginia, but-..." he shrugged. He sort of would, a little. This was a bit like being put in time out.