The Technician (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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worldsmeme2017-01-28 04:23 pm
worldtech) wrote in worldsmeme2017-01-28 04:23 pm
West World - Test Drive Meme #1
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! ★
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More than my fair share.
[ It's offhanded, Sam trying not to let his smile falter as Kat sniffs the coffee. He did briefly consider letting the guy be, but usually Sam found that the most interesting people were the ones who least wanted to talk to him. ]
You looked like you wouldn't mind - you know - non-equine company. I'm Sam.
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Or, much worse, this Sam guy was just that nice and friendly. Kat sipped the coffee and considered its quality before shrugging.]
Kat. [Okay, so the coffee might actually be nice and Kat might have really needed a hot drink after the crappy day.] You can sit. I don't bite people who bring me food.
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He hummed, softly, and sat down beside the fire. It would be rude to take his boots off, and besides, whether or not they still felt like they were filled with water, it didn't mean that they actually were. That and it would just look awkward. Also they were his feet. Nobody liked feet, and his least of all.
So the boots stayed on, and he lifted his palms up to the flames instead, to war, them. ]
Well, I'm going to take that as a win. [ It didn't occur to him to take the biting comment any more seriously than that. ] You traveling alone?
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What about you? [Kat glanced at his coffee.] You look like the family and friends type, but if you had someone here, you wouldn't be bartering coffee for conversation. [Would he? Maybe he was gathering intel. Spying, as it were. Kat looked Sam over critically.]
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[ But it's a fair enough comment, and Sam grins despite it, dropping his hands back onto his knees and glancing up at Kat again, looking him over a little more critically. ]
If there's anyone I know around here, they're keeping it quiet. I'm sure it won't be for long, though. My brother has a habit of showing up no matter how far we get away from each other.
[ If he was lucky. If not, he was going to be stuck in wild west hell for who knew how long. ]
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Maybe these people Sam knew were taking a welcome break from the jolly giant.]
I know someone like that. [And had family like that, but this was what happened when one had a family embedded in crime and you screwed them over. They followed you to the ends of the earth. Luckily Amos had more luck finding Kat than his family ever had. Somehow.] .....your brother's not out to kill you, is he?
[Kat didn't want to get involved in someone else's family squabbles if this guy shows up. ]
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[ That was surely the most reassuring statement that had ever been stated, right? But it was true. Dean had tried to kill him probably a dozen times in as many years. It hadn't always been his choice, of course, but they forgave each other and got on with things. No big deal. ]
His name's Dean. If you see him around here. He's uh...surly. Short cropped hair. If you see a guy wearing a blanket and chewing on a toothpick that's probably him, he loves all this cowboy stuff.
[ Oh yeah, and he's such a pro at blending in himself. ]