worldsmeme | West World - Test Drive Meme #1

West World - Test Drive Meme #1

★ Test Drive Meme #1 ★

Reserves are OPEN, and Apps open on February 18th!
Game opens March 1st!

Your body is gently rocked awake. No, not to the dulcet tones of an Aerosmith ballad, but the rumble of wheels, the creak of wood, the thunder of dozens of horses beating the ground with their hooves. Perhaps you're asleep in the saddle, perhaps awkwardly jammed between strangers in the back of a canvas covered wagon. It's a peaceful prairie afternoon, the sun is shining and the birds are singing, a herd of bison are baying down by the river, but this is the wild frontier, and the tranquility won't last forever.

But first, there's you. What do you remember? Perhaps it's a fabricated history on the East Coast: a huge family of which you are the youngest; a toppled business empire; a brush with the law. Whatever it is, it's why you've hit the trail, a past that you can't return to, your hopes staked on a future in the town of Horseshoe.

Perhaps. Or perhaps those hazy memories are quickly slipping away. Perhaps you know exactly who you are, and you have no idea - none at all - how you got here in the first place. One second you were fighting a space battle in a galaxy far, far away, and now you're eating dust, blinded by the hot summer sun, your ass being beaten sore by the road beneath your feet.

The question is: now you're here, what will you do? The road is hard ahead, but it's dangerous to go it alone.

★ It's Only Horse Play

The thing about horses - and mules, for that matter - is that they're not cars. They have minds of their own, and you can't fix them by swearing at them until they start, although I guess you could try. They have limited energy, so they might stop dead in the middle of the road, holding up traffic. They might throw a shoe--no, it's nothing like changing a tire. Irritated by flies or the whip, or surprised by a snake in the road, they might bolt at random. If the worst should happen, that wicked cool stallion you're riding might just have his eyes on a mare in harness. Be careful he doesn't break his leg trying to climb over the wagon's shaft.

All in all, four feet and a mean set of teeth make for a fun ride. These horses, too, have come an awful long way, and they're getting as miserable, tired and grouchy as their owners. Harnesses are one size doesn't fit all, wagons are heavily loaded, and the horses are bruised and sore, their legs and feet aching from the slog, their necks arched painfully forward to take the strain. To spare your horse, its good to get out of the saddle now and again, but on the trail, that's not always possible. Don't be surprised if, hitching up, a horse resists the harness--and be careful! Remember, that animal is your lifeline. Without it, you and all your worldly goods are stranded out here.

★ Old Man River

A river crossing. Awesome. You remember this part in Oregon Trail, right? All you have to do is cross the river. But it's not that simple. One wagon might cross easily, but another, more heavily laden, might sink too deep a few feet in. A weaker, more exhausted horse may struggle, or lose its footing in the swell of the current, or worse, one of the wagon's wheels may break halfway across. A horse might even panic, as the water wraps around his feet, jump sidewards and take the wagon with it.

Perhaps you make it, but if not you're going to need help. Brute strength or supernatural powers might come in handy helping you to wrestle across the haphazard ford. Maybe that help is friendly, and maybe it comes with a price.

Rivers are dangerous. One missed step, one misjudgement, and it's the end of the road. Whatever you do, be careful. Make a plan. But whether you like it or not, you have to cross. The road to Horseshoe is on the other side, and you're so close now you can taste it.

★ It Was A Dark And Stormy Night

It was a dark and stormy night, and the travellers had pulled their wagons into a circle. Firelight glowed from the campfires that struggled despite the makeshift windbreaks, damp wood keeping their glow muted. You're close, one more day's drive away from the town, the scout says. One last night of misery. One night in gloomy, damp wagons, wearing wet clothes. One more night of dried meat scraps and corn meal. If you've remembered who you are already then it's all okay for you, but for some of the group this is it, the end of their long road, their turmoil; their hopes and dreams on the line. There's an air of celebration despite the weather.

If someone still has some bourbon to hand, then now is the night to pass it around. Stories will be told, songs will be sung. The constant sound of a fiddle or a banjo cuts through the night, keeping all but the heaviest sleepers awake. Tired horses doze standing up around the edge of the circle, one hind foot cocked as though to catch them if they fall. Now is your last chance to really get to know your fellow man, in the cameraderie of the trail, before the town swallows you up. Tell your stories, struggle with reality, teach someone the words to Yellow Submarine. Sleep when you're dead.

★ Wildcard

You're on the trail, so why not let your mind wander where it pleases as well? Perhaps your character is riding out to scout the trail ahead. Maybe they're law enforcement or ex-army? Maybe the wheel comes off your wagon, or your horse drops dead and you have to beg for a stranger's help. Maybe you're Superman, and you want to frighten the natives by flying off ahead, or you're a faith healer, who can revive a broken down horse with a touch. Start a gunfight, or go shooting rabbits, or soothe a stranger's teething infant with an alien lullaby. It's your adventure, so make it up as you go along.

(p.s. if your character absolutely must fly off ahead to get the lay of the land, they won't be able to find the town. That would spoil the fun of getting there, wouldn't it?)

★ Mods notes: A quick reminder that characters can have either no memory loss, OR a partial memory loss which allows them to recollect their past at a player's chosen speed. Characters are also allowed to have NPC family members (who may or may not be on the wagon train with them), for instance an NPC wife or kids who might give them a hard time about not remembering who they are. NPC family members are not mandatory, we just thought they were a fun thing that you could play with if you wanted! We also accept OCs and game-based OCs,as well as canon characters! If you have any questions about gameplay, please check out the FAQ! ★

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good morning to you too, sunshine. [Jacob chuckles, pulling back his very much asleep arm and shaking the feeling back into his hand. It was worth it, since Ned doesn't seem to be grumpy.

Well, for now, there's still the task at hand.] I've let the old girl relax by the water, so I don't think she'll fling us to our deaths. It's just the wagon. There's no telling if the wheels are sturdy, or if it's too heavy, or...

[This doesn't sound great, but,] We'll be fine.

[Give him another moment to straighten his hat. Jacob earned that dead arm, thanks for the pillow. Not so much thanks for the... assessment of the situation.]

How many wagons have you gotten across rivers? It's no Thames, but it's still... [He gestures out at the river. But they're going to drown.] Well, let's see what we're dealing with.

[Before they drag themselves into this river, he's going to slide down from the seat to stare at the wheels. How much do they suck...]

We can say I'll have first-timer's luck. [Jacob tried, but his grin didn't last too long. No, this sucked. While Ned was going to inspect the wheels, Jacob is going to climb over the side and start going through cargo.]

Could take some weight off. Can't imagine all this is that important... Or I could just try throw you across! It's not like you weight more than these boxes! [He's kidding, but.]

[Okay, that's rude. Ned leans away from the wheel to frown in Jacob's direction. No, Frye. They need that stuff to live.]

You put your hands on me and I'm keeping them. Finder's fee. [Don't throw him, he hates that!!] Come here and take a look at this—actually, is there a hammer back there? Couple of these spokes look loose.

You don't know where my hands have been. [You don't want those, Ned.

He is going to scavenge around looking for a hammer, though. Things are getting tossed around needlessly, but it's fine, he's got it and he's passing it down instead of hopping off. Instead he's hopping on the wagon, like it's an actual test if it'll hold.]

See? It's fine!

[Ew. Point. Ned rolls his eyes, but he's taking the hammer and trying to look at this wheel to tap a spoke or two back into place. He's not great at wagon repair, this is fine...]

Don't push your luck, Frye. [get down from there] Come look at this.

[Again, come here.]

Where would I be if I didn't push my luck? [Jacob rolled his eyes, jumping over the side and lading next to Ned. He's stupid and doesn't know what he's looking at here, Ned, help him.]

Should I be looking at you or the wagon? [The wagon, Jacob. He's looking at Ned anyway.]

[Jacob, it's a wheel. Does it look like a sturdy wheel, yes or no?? Ned gestures at it with the hammer, since he's figured out that handing Jacob anything at all is a bad idea unless you want him to hurt somebody with random objects.]

Eyes on the thing we need to get across the river. Look, doesn't this one look like it's popping out? Am I seeing things, or not?

[Hey, he knows how to use a hammer without putting it through someone's face. That was one time.]

You... aren't seeing things. It's missing a pin, so it might fall off if we go too fast. [Ughhhh. He frowns, looking between it and the river.] It's not that deep. Maybe if we took the weight off this side, or... [Hmmmm.] Could just try and ford it.

[Lord have mercy.]

Uh huh. And some of us have to live in the real world, Frye. Here- [He seems to regret making the choice, but presses the hammer into Jacob's hands; do something about this, muscle. Ned will go look at the cargo and think about how much of it they're definitely going to lose in the river pretty soon.

But he leans around the back of the wagon to helpfully add, in case it were unclear,] Fix it!

Valuable input from the great Ned Wynert! [Jacob didn't learn enough about fixing things from Aleck, Ned!! He sighs, shrugging off his coat to hang over the side and roll his sleeves up. Hot-- in both ways, he's sweating in this heat-- repairman coming through.]

I think taking on two Blighter-filled carriages was easier than listening to you nagging.

[Hot repairman will have to wait, Ned's climbing - with effort - into the back of the wagon to look at their stuff. What is all of this? He doesn't even remember packing this wagon. Did someone kidnap them and give them free things?

Suspicious. He's still got time to laugh loud enough to carry back out to Jacob the repair boy, though.]

If this is what you consider nagging, you're really not gonna like crossing the river. [Remember that time he stood in one place during a train heist and yelled criticisms?? Imagine that, but also with a nervous horse and broken wagon wheel.]

[How can he forget those fateful days Ned was yelling at him? ... No, really, how could he forget? He doesn't spare a second thought about it. Memories of London are more distant than they should be, and he doesn't make a single comment about his real nagging.]

Maybe I should cuff you so you don't strangle me. [Like he has them. He braces himself against the wheel, shoving it further back against the cart with a groan.] What'd you even put in here, anyway?! American carriages are too heavy!

[That is the question of the hour, what is in here—]

Would you believe me if I told you I'm just borrowing all this cargo, officer? [ha ha jokes, but really he has no idea.] It looks like everything a young family needs to start a new life out on the frontier.

[A beat. Yes, a young family. There's stuff in here clearly intended for children. Someone gave Ned the wrong free wagon. There's a noise of him climbing over some parcels from inside the wagon before his face appears from the front this time, looking down at Jacob. Nice shirt.]

Let's chuck some of this.

[As annoying as this work is, Jacob does laugh. Making fun of predicaments is his specialty, after all. Made everyone forget the risks he was still going to take.]

Looking to start a young family, Ned? I'd be a great father. Or mother! [He says this with confidence, as if he weren't the most reckless man in London. Or... well, America, right now.]

Maybe there's a dress I can try on and everything. [He looks up with a grin, hauling himself up the front to climb back in. He's looking for a dress.] Can't imagine someone's paying you much for this. [He tosses a wooden toy over, rest in pieces.]

You might want a young family running around, but the gang's all I need. [His gang, specifically. The weird thieves. Adopting Rooks is different, because he did that too. But anyway.]

I'm pretty sure this is the pay. [This is the worst caper ever.] Don't toss anything we can sell.

[He keeps looking through the stuff, making a noise of absolute mirth when he finds a truly hideous dress. He holds it up; it looks more like a tablebcloth folded in half with sleeves cut out than something that was intended to be fashionable. God, this hick stuff is unbelievable. Here, Jacob, take this!!]

[Jacob looks up and over at it, eyes widening with an outrageously loud gasp. He let go of the crate he was going through to snatch it up, immediately hugging it so his chest and pulling the skirt against his legs.]

I'd be the most beautiful mother in America! It's just my size! [He could maybe fit an arm and a leg through.] Don't I look darling, Ned? Wouldn't you marry me in this? You'd marry my sister in this. Oh-- We have to get Evie a matching one! Real twins!

[Ned folds his arms and leans his hip against this crate of ugly clothes while Jacob puts on his weird show about it, amused. Look at him go... He'd burst that awful dress at the seams, but look at him go.

And—wait, wait.] Frye, your sister's already getting married.

[Is this, like, a business thing...? Does Jacob think they need to keep it in the family so Ned doesn't just take the Rooks from him wholesale?? Not saying that's a thought he's entertained over one too many glasses of whiskey, or anything—he wouldn't do that.]

"Real twins"? [jacob my guy, sit down for this one,]

Somehow I don't think that'd stop you. [Jacob's so certain of this. He even winks at him like he's in on whatever it is he's suggesting. He had no idea anything Rook-related was a thought to be had at all.]

I'm just saying, we'd look it. I'd still be the more handsome twin, but... [Here, look how great he is, running a hand through his hair. It'd probably look better if he didn't have the hideous thing against him, but...] I'm keeping this.

[Ned makes a face, like he'd object to that if it weren't technically true. He tends to get what he wants eventually, but is it rude to tell someone so insistent about it that you're not interested in his sister? She's a nice girl, Evie, but well...

Anyway, she's getting married either way, so whatever. Ned will just watch him pose, hmm, yes.]

You never fail to surprise me. Put it back in the box if you want to keep it.

I'm jumping after it if we lose it. [Will he? It's entirely possible. Jacob actually folds it neatly back in the box, as if it were really that important to him. Please.] Hmmm...

What do you think? Get into town, catch the train out to the coast? [He's just going to keep going through this box. There is an absurdly large cowboy hat that he has to put on, look at him.] Can't seem to remember what the plan was in the first place. I didn't even think you'd be here.

[He's looking, but he's thinking about catching the train to the coast. Sorry, he's distracted.] That would be something, wouldn't it?

[Don't mind him really not listening at all; he's never been this far west, so hopping onto the nearest - or only - train and taking it as far as it will go has exactly the right kind of appeal for him to not care at all about getting this wagon safely across the river anymore. Get him to the train instead.]

Plans change. Think on your feet and you won't get killed, am I right? [more importantly: trains]

I like that way of thinking, Wynert. But I don't think there's anything out here to kill us, right? [He laughs, but furrowed his brows as he reached the bottom of the box. He stood up, turning a pistol over in his hand and checking the loaded barrel.] ... Right. Because all families need these.

[Take this, Ned, he's going through another box.] We can't be the only criminals out here, I suppose. Keep that.

Don't tell me you're surprised a family has to protect themselves. [Please. Now he has this gun to look at though, turning it over in his hands while he raises a critical eyebrow. Wow...]

As much as I love a good shootout, [although he's usually just watching] I hope we are alone out here. This thing's crap.

What? Just because it's not all decorated like The Mars? [Jacob snickered, unceremoniously dumping a box of old pots and pans over the side. It's not like he knew how to cook, according to Evie.]

I'm good at protecting you anyway, aren't I? [Remember that one time he crashed the carriage so many times escaping with him? He's so good.]

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