July 2022 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

JULY 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

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Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.

All TDMs are game canon. You can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Each TDM will provide a scenario for how characters arrive in-game that particular month.

Playing TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.

Current players are allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a log with the prompts. Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!

TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

Paper Rings

Content Warnings: Unwanted romantic/sexual attention from a monster, optional sexual themes, optional monster fights, giant insects in 'accidents' prompt.

YOU'RE THE ONE I WANT

Folkmore has many lakes and streams. You wake up suddenly beside one, the world coming into sharp focus the moment you do. It's sunny, and the sounds and sights are warmly nostalgic for the very idea of summer.

You can sit and relax a while. Maybe lounge in the shade. Let your mind drift, and relax. There's a few people around, some still sleeping and some awakening the same as you, but it's far from crowded here.

Suddenly a shadow falls over you. You turn and are greeted by a monster: it looks sort of like an avocado covered in kelp, with oversized hands and a huge mouth. It also looks like it's entirely made of rubber - even its eyes appear to be only painted on.

This monster waves its arms threateningly. “Gaaaaah!” it says. Its voice is muffled. “Gaahhhhhhhhh!”

Somehow this creature is a lot faster than it looks, and the next thing you know it has enfolded you in its embrace.

“You will be Greg’s bride!” the monster shouts, regardless of your gender identification. It looks at whoever happens to be in your general vicinity. “Who this?”

Struggling, you realise that Greg is stronger than any creature you’ve ever encountered before. You can’t seem to get it to let go of you, and it's rocking against you in such a way that it makes a sound like the soles of sneakers on a gym floor. On the plus side, it doesn’t have any genitals that you can see, so at least it’s not as bad as it could be? Still, desperate times call for desperate measures! “That’s my partner!” you claim before you can think about how stupid an idea that is.

“You bride? PROVE IT!"

Oh shit. Now you’re stuck - you and whatever innocent bystander you've dragged into this have to convince Greg that you're a couple! You could admit to something true about love or intimacy under the guise of it being about the other; Greg’s lie detecting abilities are good enough to call you out on untruths, but not good enough to know who you’re talking about.

Or you could just start making out, I guess. Whatever works.

If you're a terrible actor, Greg will abduct you and pull you beneath the water. You better hope your fake partner will try to rescue you!

If you manage to convince him that you're a couple, he will shed a tear from his unblinking eyes before either slinking away or flying into a murderous rage.

If you choose to fight Greg, either in the water or on land, you will find that he's pretty tough for a rubber monster. Any blows to his back or sides will land harmlessly, and the kelp on his body may grab whatever you hit him with. And that big goofy mouth of his hides rows of deathly sharp fangs!

However you get rid of Greg, once he's gone you will find a trunk shaped like a koi fish. Open it and you will find some canon items from home. Clothes or weapons, maybe. Lucky you!

I HATE ACCIDENTS, EXCEPT...

You don't necessarily have to complete the One I Want prompt to find these koi trunks! They seem to be dotted around Folkmore and you might find them just by virtue of exploration! The trunks seem to mysteriously know who is opening them so you won't find someone else's stuff by accident. There are also some unenchanted weapons sticking out of the ground in random places: basic swords, guns, shields, etc. They have no magic, but they're usable!

But be warned: the second you take one of these weapons, you'll have to use it.

As soon as you have pulled a weapon from the ground, a high whining buzz sounds, swelling in volume as somethings come barreling out of the sky at you. They are short humanoid creatures about three feet tall with the heads and wings of cicadas. They are also wearing human clothes - what sort depends on what part of Folkmore you're in. If you're in Wintermute they might be wearing cute sweaters, but if you're in Cruel Summer they might be dressed like your suburban dad on summer vacation. How cute! Except they have very sharp talons and the sound they make can incapacitate you. Better take them down fast!

Or run even faster.

TIME OF MY LIFE

Content Warnings: Mood altering substances, optional alcohol use, optional suggestive themes.

I LIKE SHINY THINGS

Summer isn't all about getting bitten by mosquitoes out at the lake, or sweating your way up a mountain in uncomfortable hiking boots. For the less outdoorsy types, there's still plenty of fun to be had... and all within walking distance of an air conditioner when the weather gets too humid. Close to Epiphany, there appears a gem of a spa, nestled comfortably by a beautiful waterfall. The lobby is spacious and cool, with a distinctly mid-century modern sensibility. The gentleman working the front desk wears a crisp suit of burnt orange with a small golden fox pin on his lapel. He is more than happy to direct you to any of the spa amenities.

There are massage tables, hot tubs, and steam rooms. You can get yourself a manicure, pedicure, or facial. There's a full salon for anything you might want to do to your hair - maybe it's time for a kicky summer 'do? Any kind of pampering you're after, you can find it here! If you need to lie down, there are even some hotel rooms on the upper levels that you can rest in.

There is also a tea room - all soft pinks and sage greens, with plush chairs in sets of two or more around small round tables. You will be seated with someone else, as the tea room is designed to encourage conversation. The waiters in this delightful space are all flamingos - they move around the room with a sort of gangly grace, carrying trays on their backs or with their beaks. Unconventional, but they seem to have no problem understanding people's orders. Speaking of, what's on the menu? Seems every kind of tea has a different effect...

Black tea hypes you UP! Who wants to stay sitting around with a bunch of birds?! Let's go party!
Green tea brings a sense of great peace and mental clarity. You will find it easy to talk about emotional subjects without being overcome with feelings.
Oolong tea calms you and relaxes you deeply. You might even find yourself nodding off!
Milk tea inspires feelings of affection - whoever you're sitting with now seems like they could be your new best friend. (Or more?)

Spending time in the tea room really does encourage you to open up to other people one way or another, and all the other spa activities tend to put people in the mood to open up a little bit.

IN DIRTY DREAMS

If you tire of such relaxing pursuits but you still don't fancy wandering off into the woods, you could always poke around behind the spa, where there is a smaller separate building. If you listen you can hear loud music playing, carried faintly on the summer wind. Some kind of party? Why not check it out? Okay, so there's a big old 'STAFF ONLY' sign on the side of the building, but you could just wander in and come up with an excuse if someone spots you. Or sneak in through the bathroom window or something if you're that worried.

Once inside it becomes apparent that this building functions as a private club for the spa staff. The interior is dark and wood paneled, lit only by some old hanging lights with warm bulbs. At the far end is a bar, and beyond that the glow of a small kitchen. A few tables are scattered along the walls, but the bulk of the long room is taken up by a dancefloor.

And boy oh boy are people getting down.

The music is so loud that you don't have to be able to hear to feel the beat - it pounds through the floorboards like a pulse. It's a compelling rhythm that urges you to join the throng. Even if you lack any and all natural grace, the urge to dance is strong enough that you can cast off your reluctance. You can even find yourself a dance partner, although you might want to keep it a little more G-rated than some of the couples around.

If you tire, you can hit the bar. The bartender isn't checking any IDs, considering they think everyone present is a staff member. Just don't blow your cover!

Comments

[siriusly]

[Manabu has at least good sense to try and shield his face from incoming flames best he can while being swung around by a very scruffy pendulum. Greg howls indignation, sending out kelpy arms to try and give Yuri a paddlin' for the offense, leaving Manabu high (and thankfully dry? for now?) overhead.

so it's not flammable, huh? doesn't seem that way from this angle.]

Try something else!!

[vibing]

Something-- [ Yuri growls, trying to wrack his brain for what he could do here. He's not the strategy brain of the group, that's Karol, or Flynn if he's around. Yuri just hacks at people until they drop, but Greg isn't letting him do that, not the way he's used to.

Frustrated, he drops his sword to shift into a panther, his familiar form of choice. He leaps on powerful legs and snaps at one of the tendrils, which tastes just awful in his mouth.

He bites down, and Greg still doesn't seem to care at all.

Yuri drops away and prowls the bank, looking the thing over, tail flicking irritably. In his human voice: ]

He got a weak spot you can see?

[siriusly]

Uh--! [good question. Manabu tries to focus on what he can see of this creature - a hard ask when swinging upside-down as he is. most he can glean is...seaweed? kelp?

this won't do. Manabu doesn't do damsel well (he'd like to believe so, anyway). that said, he tries grabbing onto the tendrils who have hold of him and igniting his own hands to...to little avail, much to his dismay. for better or worse, he gets little time to dismay as Greg wails and seems ready to abscond from his competition.

which is...bad. Manabu can't breathe under water, so seeing the encroaching threat has him panicking, sparking in desperation.]

[vibing]

No good. [ He mutters, it mostly to himself, and then does what any fighter would do, and goes for the belly. The belly is almost always a weak spot.

He lurches forward and digs sharp teeth and claws into horrid tasting seaweed, and this time he gets somewhere. He pulls away, ripping at kelpy flesh before kicking Greg in the gut with his back feet, impaling the thing with his claws.

Greg goes down with a lurch and a gurgle. Maybe Manabu can avoid the water if he's quick? ]

[siriusly]

[wait--

wait if Greg's going down and losing his tendril-grip, Manabu would prefer to be over the water so his landing is--]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--

[not...not the ground.

oh well.

splat. facedown, kelp-free, head empty. this may as well happen.]

[vibing]

[ Ah, shit. Yuri really didn't think this through. He disengages from Greg and tries to intercept Manabu, but doesn't quite make it in time. Instead, he sheepishly pads up to him, still in his panther form. He paws at Manabu's body ]

You alive there? Eesh... think he'd treat his future bride better...

[siriusly]

Nrh-hrnh...mhff... [he squirms, getting his arms under him so he can push up, spitting and sneezing silt. he lifts his head and squints, then chokes a bit when there's a big jungle-cat's face in his face.]

D'AH-!! [he fumbles, rolling on his back and coughing. EVERYTHING HERE IS TRYING TO KILL HIM.............it really must be Trench.]

[vibing]

Whoa there. Hold on, man.

[ Yuri shifts forward a bit then sees his own paw and, yeah. Okay, he gets it. With a short laugh, he shifts back into his human form and stays crouched there on the ground ]

Hey, hey. You're okay, no one's gonna try to whisk you off the an alter, promise.

[siriusly]

[Manabu's still braced for pain, even when a second and third look shows a person, not a panther, crouched before him. his heart's still hammering overdrive, and sparks flick off his cowlicks.]

D-don't be so sure! We, we gotta get the hell outta here!

[vibing]

Hey, hey, slow down. Pretty sure the danger is over, but-- okay. C'mon.

[ Yuri pushes himself to his feet and holds a hand out for Manabu. ]

Let's get you up. You just show up or something?

[siriusly]

[he says the danger's probably over, but Manabu's not comforted by the sloshing of the water behind him. he grasps the wrist in front of him and all but lunges to his feet, wincing a bit.]

Ju..."Just show up"...I, I mean. I guess? Where in Trench is this supposed to be, and where's the nearest lantern?

[vibing]

Trench? Yeah, I don't think you're there anymore. You okay?

[ Not that Yuri can really help, but... ]

Did you have a nice chat with a fox, then walk a really long ways to get here? She said something about potential, your best self, that kind of thing?

[siriusly]

[he wipes himself down, shooting furtive, worried glances over his shoulder at the lake, which makes his tone somewhat distracted. because he is somewhat distracted. i'm a fucking excellent wordsmith.]

A, a what? No, I...someone's weird-looking omen-dog showed up. I think? It was too colorful to be a beast, so I just figured--

[he sees Greg starting to rise out of the water and bristles, starting to move forward without looking--] Uffh-- [and bump into Yuri.] He-hey! We should get out of here if that thing's not dead!

[vibing]

[ you know sometimes you just gotta tell it like it is.

Yuri catches him when Manabu bumps into him and grins, jerking his head toward the woods ]

Yeah, good call. I don't want him looking to whisk you off to a wedding again. Something makes me think he wouldn't be the most respectful hubby.

[ He heads that way, letting go of Manabu, but walking with him. Once they're in the cover of the trees: ]

A dog-omen, huh? Like, an omen of bad news or something?

[siriusly]

[if Manabu just moves and keeps his eyes forward he can pretend he's not hearing stuff about weddings and hubbies and all will be well.

except for all the stuff that isn't well, but it's fine. it's a process.]

Apparently yeah, since this happened all of a sudden. At least the relentless heat's gone? It was messing with me even with the cold blood...

[vibing]

Right, right... [ Yuri really has no idea what he's talking about, and he glancing at the guy again, looking him over ] I dunno if this is where you think it is, man. This place... it's something else. Somewhere new. Nowhere near where I'm from, at least. Another dimension, some people have called it.

[siriusly]

[somewhere new.

not...not Trench?]

...Okay... [he hesitates.] But this place still has monsters and stuff, huh. Like...that thing. Is it as hung up on blood-stuff as Trench?

[vibing]

Blood? Nah. More, hell. It's more obsessed with sex and feelings. And [ He reaches up to brush the cat ears atop his head ] making us look like animals.

Yeah, there are monsters, but they're... I dunno. They more want to fuck with us than kill us, most of the time.

[siriusly]

[Manabu blanches, his hair frizzing up with a little paff of static.

flustering:] A-wuh, wha-what? That--that's... [icky!!!!!!!]

[vibing]

[ Oh, no. That's hilarious. Yuri watches him, stifling laughter, and keeps his voice in a bored drawl ]

Oh, yeah. This place is all about trying to get us to open up about our deep, dark secrets. Shack up, pledge your undying love for someone, tell them your deepest fears.

[siriusly]

[from white to red then white again (thanks coldblood), Manabu goes through his chameleon era with wide, unblinking eyes. one dog ear twitches in tandem with an eyelid.]

So it's--it's torture? Why? Which Pthumerian's getting off on this?!

[vibing]

Pthumer... nah, man. It's some fox. Guess it could be torture, if you look at it like that. I mean, she did kidnap us and change our bodies.

[ But those dog ears... are pretty cute. ]

So, welcome to Folkmore, I guess.

[siriusly]

Change our...? Wait, what? [he looks down at himself while he's being welcomed to Folkmore, pulling up his sleeves. antler tattoos, check. he pats himself down, starting to frown. where's his stuff? his satchel? his gUNS??????????????]

Hang on, all my stuff's gone...

[vibing]

Oh, yeah. That happens. [ Yuri gives him a little smile now. Okay, teasing can take a backseat for a minute ] You'll find it again, or you can buy it.