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purgastory2025-10-31 10:07 am
polterguests) wrote in purgastory2025-10-31 10:07 am
test drive maze.
test drive maze.
The fog spits you right out.
Where there had once been cloud and murkiness obscuring your vision, in the next instant, you blink and it’s gone. Instead, here you are. Among the woods. Dead, fragile leaves crunch beneath your every step. Tall, ancient trees tower above you. Sometimes, somewhere, you hear a skitter or a shudder of what might be wildlife or friend or foe. No matter how you might call out, you hear only your own echo–for now. Distantly, you recall the pact that brought you here. Welcome to Purgatory. Perhaps it lines up with what you always imagined, some dreary place washed in grayscale and so terribly, terribly lonely. Or maybe it’s worse. (It probably is not better.) All the same, you chose to come here, even if its specifics were unknown to you. There is something you are looking for–and of course it’s not so simple as to be found at the entrance.
No, you must head further in. Even though the trees seem to turn into natural barricades at some spaces, guiding you down paths until you hit inevitable forks–or sometimes dead ends. There is no map or rhyme or reason, but so much of the scenery looks the same. Overhead, there is the occasional dimming or lightening of your surroundings but with the perpetual gloom, it can be easy to lose track of days. How long have you been here? Do you need to eat? Sleep? Or do you just want to, just to feel something? It’s hard to say. Nonetheless, you persist.
No way forward but through.
i. compati falls
The sound of water comes first to you as a whisper, then a roar. Following the noise will bring all travelers to a waterfall. Where the water is coming might mystify you, as the land you are traversing has been so flat this entire time, but it falls nonetheless as though amnesia has stolen its memories of being able to do anything else.
Speaking of memories…
Perhaps you might spare the waterfall merely a glance, but it will suddenly become very hard to look away. Within its reflection, you might see a memory play out, or perhaps a fantasy. Maybe even a fear. However, this selection of snippets is specific. Every memory or illusion carries with it strong feelings of either kindness or envy. The most common are:
✦ A concrete memory of the greatest act of kindness you ever received, or ever gave to another.
✦ A fantasy of the type of kindness you crave most–whether it be from someone you know, or some faceless ghost granting you what you yearn for.
✦ A concrete memory or delusion of someone, familiar or not, receiving something that you wish that you had.
ii. arachnix borough
The ground gives way underneath you. You tumble, scramble, fumble your way down overgrown roots and eat dirt until you finally find yourself caught. A silk embrace awaits you, alarmingly sticky despite its delicate-looking strings. Strong, too. Thrash about as you might, it’s harder than you want to admit to even lift a limb from where you’ve been ensnared. For those of you with powers, they flicker worse in here, like something is cutting off the energy before it takes shape. Yell for help and perhaps someone will hear your echoing screams, but at present there is only you, the darkness, and the skittering.
You won’t have to wait long. The spiders felt the reverberation from your fall and have come to feast. Monstrous things. Gargantuan. Where most spiders have eight legs, these have so many more. The skittering turns into mocking, pointed insults that sting worse than poison. You may die soon, but they also won’t let you keep your pride. Their fangs widen, sickening venom dripping from their gaping mouths as they stare at you with too many eyes. Though as you stare too long, those horrible faces shift–instead you are staring into the too many eyes of your rival, or perhaps your best friend. Someone you desperately wish you could be more like, that has traits that you only wish you could inherit. Maybe then you could be better.
The trees above whisper a hint to you. Admit it. Swallow your pride and speak your green eyed monster into reality. Only a beast can kill a beast. Should you speak your horrid truth out loud–admit your ugliest feelings–you will receive a boon. Enough strength to break the webs, certainly, but you may take on monstrous features. Horns, fangs, claws–whatever it takes to defeat the spider.
Or you could wait for the kindness of someone else to help you. Unlikely, as they may just as well get stuck in this web too. Fucking loser.
iii. mirrorshift willows
The trees shift and warp over time, evolving into what you might be able to recognize as weeping willows. Their trunks curve protectively over your path, as if to shield you from any watchful eyes. Their long leaves drape, possessing an unearthly shimmer. The vines sway and dance, catching against what little light there is to be found, until they resemble strings of light. It possesses its own kind of uncanny beauty as you amble along, though it may grow a beat unsettling as you find that the trees and foliage swift and swoon to the rhythm you set. Or perhaps you’d find that type of thing charming if you like attention.
Should you find yourself with another in the grove, you’ll find that the copycat tendencies of the trees reflect upon their visitors. Any act you do unto someone else, they will feel compelled to do back to you–and vice versa. Picking a fight? Well, even the most demure person will end up throwing an insult right back. Baring your heart on your sleeve? The other person might feel moved into sudden vulnerability. Are you touchy, whether in the form of a handhold or a punch? Well, hope you are ready to receive what you dish out because it’s coming right back to you!
The golden rule–to treat someone else the way you want to be treated–really backfires in practice, doesn’t it?
iv. house :)
As you approach, you make out that the tiling on the house seems to be… gumdrops? Not to mention the doorframe made of chocolate bars, and as you walk in, the furniture all looks so delectably edible. Even for those who don’t have a sweet tooth, there’s plenty that’s sour, tart, salty, whatever you might be craving after having nothing to eat in this godforsaken forest besides spiders. Not that you ate the spiders. (Did you?)
Something beckons you to eat. There’s even a small note on the table saying: Welcome, weary traveler. Indulge as you please. They’re like, begging you to help reduce food waste. It’s a moral imperative. It’ll take immense willpower to resist. You should eat. Just a bite. A nibble. A lick. Yum.
Depending on what color of candy you indulge in, you might experience a different tingle. (Effects last as long or as short as a player wants them to.)
🟠 Orange: You suddenly feel compelled to demonstrate kindness, even to total strangers–though that may vary from person to person. Maybe your kindness is brutal honesty. Maybe it’s handholds. Maybe it’s bold declarations of devotion. As long as you can look back and say, “Wow, I was truly fulfilling a kind deed, even to this total rando.”
🟢 Green: Is it you, or is the nearest person suddenly kind of… all that? There’s something about them that you suddenly feel ravenous envy over. Their hair, their eyes, their impeccable charm, their godlike athleticism? Pick a feature! How did you not notice this five seconds ago?! And here you are, looking like such a naive peon in comparison! The dirt under their shoe! Disgusting!
😈 Purple: Oh… well… maybe you’re starting to feel a little bit… cheeky? ;) You know, just a smidgen mischievous? Maybe you’re in a weird situation with a bunch of strangers, but what could liven up the atmosphere better than a prank? Or a little razzing? Go get ‘em, you little tease! Rascal that you are!
🔵 Blue: God bless you and the fact that you’re the only sane person here. Some might call this behavior a bit sanctimonious, but as far as you’re concerned, you’ve just seen the grace of the heavens and must now walk upon the righteous path. And because of all the goodness in your heart, you will also grab hold of everyone else without their permission and make sure that they too will be saved. Go forth, my child.
Though eventually you might hear some heavy footsteps indeed.... get it together! A giant witch is coming. And she finds that you might be the one sweet enough to eat. Won't you let her have just a nibble? Just a taste?
mod notes.
✦This Test Drive Maze is canon to the game! Players may bring characters that they aren’t planning on apping as well if they would like to voicetest, and invited guests may play on the TDM without apping as well. Characters who are not apped into the game will disappear out of sight, back into the fog…
✦ Characters do not need to eat or sleep any longer, though it’s variable how soon they might notice that. Their circadian rhythm might encourage them to sleep or feel something like hunger, but they’ll find that they actually can still keep going without either. It feels a little… out of body.
✦ For Compati Falls, mods will not be policing what memories (trululus) or fantasies (delulus) you choose to have your character share, but please keep to the themes of kindness/envy! Moreso, memories must have a canon basis, even if they’re headcanon. However, fantasies can be from alternate route paths (otome/visual novel/AU style) as long as they’re within the set parameters. There will be more opportunities for this in the future, so don’t worry about not being able to give out your lore. Have fun!
✦ Questions specific to this TDM can be directed to the #mod-questions channel in the discord!
✦ Maze Runs are available for the Test Drive Maze. Since the TDM will be open for two weeks, you may submit one run per week! You may begin requesting second runs on Friday, November 7th.
a.
It is really nice of her to try to make conversation, it really is. But Tsukasa is also cocooned (of course he is) and looks like he is about a hair away from collapsing in a panic.
This is... a giant spider web. This is a giant spider web, isn't it? This is a giant spider web this is--]
H... huh?
[Did... did someone say something?]
Wh-who's there?! [Not the spider, Tsukasa. That is a young woman.]
no subject
There is a long pause.... maybe it was the trick of the wind... except no, it's just Reirin trying to pull enough of the webbing aside to show off her very friendly face, which is clearly what they both need in this situation.]
My apologies! I didn't mean to frighten you. My name is...
[ANOTHER PAUSE? WHAT FOR? but she eventually continues]
Reirin! Hello.
no subject
Anyway.
Fixating on another actual, normal, perfectly acceptably human face does help a little. He's not hyperventilating. Yet.]
Wha--huh?
[Why... the pause?
He's so confused. Hang on. He needs to kickstart his single brain cell again.]
Er. Hello! You--didn't! By the way! I wasn't frightened! [sure, tsukasa]
no subject
Oh? Then allow me to apologize once more, for mistaking your surprise as fear...
[what an embarrassing mistake to make.... she would place her hand to her cheek if she wasn't super sticky. she said this but she is smiling,]
no subject
She is smiling, so of course he smiles back!!! What a nice lady!!]
Not a problem at all, of course! [AHEM.] Now then! It appears we're both stuck in this sticky situation, so shall we put our heads together and come up with a way to escape?
[There is the sound of skittering above...]
no subject
I'm afraid I don't have anything sharp on hand... But perhaps I can use my teeth to rip us free...?
[the skittering gets louder... Reirin looks up just in time to see one whole spider leg. the leg is like twice the size of reirin and tsukasa together]
Oh my.
no subject
[Teeth...
...
He slowly looks up.
Sees the spider leg.
And:]
Eep.
[He is frozen in place. Is he breathing? Hard to say.]
no subject
But luckily she does have some sense, such as when the spider starts to dip its many-eyed head down -- she can tell that her friendly companion has gone into shock, and in an attempt to distract this spider from clicking its mandibles in his direction --]
Hello! I am very sorry to have disturbed your home! It may be within your right to devour me, but may I suggest an alternative? If you allow me to set my companion free, then I would be happy to hunt something larger for you!
[the mandibles start clicking faster]
no subject
AAAAAAAAAA
AAAAaaaAAA
I'm sorry I picked this prompt because Tsukasa is, in fact, hyperventilating and catatonic, just a little bit, which means I'm making you do all of the heavy lifting.
But the spider just skitters closer, slowly but surely, with way too many legs and huge fangs. Her offer has not seemed to impress the spider at all.]
no subject
Well, Reirin tried... As much as her heart is soft for skittering things with lots of mandibles, she draws a firm line when they are attempting to devour her and the nice young man next to her. She tries harder to try and free herself from the web, but it's clearly slow-going. But before she can consider chomping her way out of the web --]
A weakling like you should just die.
[the spider's head morphs into the face of a girl, who in fact looks, just like Reirin, if not for the too many spider eyes and the sneer fixed on her face.]
Why try to save another when you can't even save yourself? Your misguided attempt at heroism will get him killed too. A hindrance like you should just die quietly on your own!
[Reirin stops moving, her face turning as pale as the webbing caught around her.]
no subject
A... talking spider?
This is still nightmare fuel, but if he focuses on that face (wait, she looks--), instead of the many legs and the fangs and the everything else...
But those words--
Tsukasa is speaking before he even processes what he's saying, or what's happening. He just knows... he can't let that pass.]
H-Hey!
[A shake breath in. He lifts his chin (still entirely entangled).]
That's an unacceptable thing to s-say! [wheeze. No. Don't look at the legs.]
She is no such thing!! Take that back right now!
no subject
...she smiles, a tiny, apologetic smile]
I am sorry. Forcing you to come to my defense...! Oh, how embarrassing...
[she would cover her eyes but she is stickied,]