folkooc | September 2022 Test Drive Meme

SEPTEMBER 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]

GOLD WAS THE COLOUR

Content Warnings: mood-altering substances.

What a Wonderful Harvest

It's harvest season in Folkmore. Apples, squash, potatoes, onions, peaches, sweet corn... all manner of crops are ready to be gathered, and golden fields fall willingly before the scythe. The air has a chill to it that you can mostly ignore in the sun but runs deep when you stand in the shadows.

After arrival you will find yourself out in said fields, maybe a little disoriented but not in any danger. It's peaceful.

In the farmlands you might be able to hear music floating on the wind. Follow it, or just wander by accident, and you'll find yourself coming upon what looks like some kind of costume party: people dressed up in cloth and vegetables - mostly gourds as masks - are singing and dancing around an enormous pole surmounted by the biggest Jack-O-Lantern you've ever seen.

The pumpkin people seem shy, but they won't turn you away if you wish to join their celebration - there are other Star Children like yourself here, and you might feel a little more comfortable with them. At least you can see their real faces. You can drink some apple cider and carve some pumpkins yourself if you like, or help out by husking some corn.

At some point, you will become aware of the fact that the dancers have stopped, and the object they've been dancing around has moved. The Jack-O-Lantern is looking at you.

The pumpkin king leans down, eternally smiling.

"Trick or treat?" he asks you in a deep voice. You'll have to pick one!

"TRICK."

The partygoers all watch you carefully. The lord of the harvest appears to think for a moment, then nods his massive head. One of the veggie dancers approaches you with a tray upon which are five cups of cider.

"Pick your poison," you're told, and you can only hope it's not literal!

Four of the cups of cider will have no effect whatsoever. But the fifth?

That fifth cup of cider makes you feel more social. Less reserved. Downright friendly, even. You want to talk and joke with people even if that isn't normally something you'd do. You might even join the vegetable dancers for a spin, and drag someone else along with you! Your judgment isn't quite impaired, but your inhibitions are definitely lowered. Might be a quick way to make some new friends, though!

"TREAT."

You are offered a large basket, held so that you cannot see inside. After some fumbling, you pull something out. What is it? It's an envelope. Or a cassette tape. Or a photograph. It might be the mixed tape you created for your high school crush, the poem you wrote about your broken heart, the letter you never mailed to your estranged father. It's something personal that is connected to someone from home somehow. As you hold it in your hands, you will feel an irresistible urge to explain it to the person next to you no matter how embarrassing or painful it might be. You can only hope that they aren't a colossal dick about it.

HELL WAS THE JOURNEY

Content Warnings: aggressive dogs, decapitated spectres, potential violence.

GET AHEAD

The sun sets earlier and earlier every day, but that doesn't mean there's suddenly nothing to do! The warm lights of homes all over Folkmore welcome people inside for parties. Of course, the Spirit People of Folkmore are rarely humanoid, so you may find yourself at a dance for frogs or a cocktail party for round fuzzy critters with giant eyes. Regardless of what kind of creatures you wind up partying with, they are excellent hosts!

When food has been had and drinks are flowing, someone suggests a time honoured tradition: the telling of ghost stories.

The guests take turns, spinning tales both familiar and not. One such tale is that of the Horseman and his Hounds.

This, the storyteller insists, is a true tale, and is as follows:

Folkmore is home to many Spirit People, and many other creatures besides. While most of these wish only to live their lives, there are certain powers that Thirteen leaves to their own devices, no doubt for reasons all her own. When the autumn harvests come and the leaves burn with colour and fall to the ground, the dominant spirit of lonely places is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. Some versions of the story claim the horseman's head is carried before him on the pommel of his saddle, while others say instead the spirit carries a lit Jack-O-Lantern in place of it... and wishes to find a more suitable replacement. No matter the variation, the rest of the legend is the same: in autumn, on lonely roads, unlucky travelers will hear the baying of hounds. Moments later they will see the Horseman upon his stallion, and then the unholy troop will pursue the hapless travelers across hill and valley.

Some tales are told of Star Children fighting off the spectral hounds and challenging the Horseman to a fight, with varying levels of success. All are in agreement, however, that the sure method of survival is to escape over running water. Easy enough in some parts of Folkmore... less so if you happen to be caught out in the desert of Cruel Summer.

All parties must end, and this one does too, which means you now have to make your way home. Not that you're scared or anything, but maybe it's wise to walk with someone else tonight...

Not that it matters. Ultimately you and your companion will find yourself on a lonely stretch of road somewhere, and just as you've managed to convince yourselves that nothing out of the ordinary is going to happen you hear it.

The Hounds.

Turn and you'll see them, dark and sleek, and beyond them their infernal master. Atop a gleaming black stallion, the Horseman is gigantic in height and muffled in a cloak.

Whether you run or stand and fight is entirely up to you. As if to make it more of a fair fight, there are weapons hidden off the road - stumble into a ditch and you might find a rifle or a sword. The Hounds have very sharp teeth but they themselves cannot be injured - if struck they simply turn to black smoke and vanish. The Horseman cannot be killed - he has no head! - but if you fight him to a standstill he will reward you with the gift of something from your homeworld. This can be a weapon or magical item.

If you manage to cross a stream or a river, the spectres will vanish with howling and laughter.

ODDS BODKINS

You're likely to be shaken up after your encounter, so it's relief when you see that there's a bonfire lit not far past the water you've crossed. Perched all around it are a bunch of different owls, many wearing hats. They all swivel their heads to look at you before they hoot and gesture for you to come near. There, set up to one side of the bonfire, is a long low table laden with drinks in many different colours and little cakes and cookies. You always thought owls ate mice, but whooo's to say? Hoo? Get it? On another low table are supplies for patching people up in case your fight with the Horseman got a little intense! The owls don't have hands, but maybe there's a kind stranger nearby who'd be willing to help you? Or maybe you just want to talk to someone who has their head on right!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey Wanda. Team's not together right now, but I'm here.

[Wanda isn't expecting the team to be together, not after the Accords, but she'd been hoping that the name is known enough to illicit a response or reaction from those brought to this world.]

It's good to see you.

[She offers Steve a small wistful smile.]

I didn't know who to expect. How long has it been?

For me? A few months. But time works differently here.

And if you're worried, it stops at home. Whenever we go back, it's like this place didn't exist at all.

Maybe we should talk about this in person.

I wasn't worried but thanks.

[She remembers what the fox had told her about how there is another Wanda in her stead. It's fine. She'd rather be here than in a high security prison.]

Alright. Where are you now? I'll find you.

I'm at my house, but if you want, I could just meet you where you are. I've got my bike.

[ He's also pretty familiar with most of the area now, having been here for a few months. ]

Are you near a cafe? Coffee's on me.

[She takes a look around and shakes her head.]

No café.

I am in a field. Willing to pick me up?

[She's ignoring the fact that she can technically fly. She'd rather keep a low profile while she's here. Being in the spot light has rarely ended well for her.]

A field. Sure, anything more identifying? Like maybe, a tree?

[ That's a joke. But he's maybe gonna need a landmark. ]

Grass?

[Wanda answers his question with a little tilted smirk.]

You'll see my signal in the sky.

[Sending up a flare is easier than identifying possible landmarks.]

Thanks.

[ He will in fact, see it when he's driving over, and she'll see his bike zipping by, though there are a few changes. There's a basket with streamers in front. He's got his shield strapped on, but he's in civvies and he's got a full beard. ]

Sorry to keep you waiting.

[The small burst of red light casts a dark shadow on the seemingly endless field that Wanda had arrived in. Her chin is lifted, up towards the sky, dropping at Steve's thunderous approach. Her lips curve into a warm smile at apparent the changes to his motorcycle.]

Has it been that long? [She asks as she walks around Steve's bike, her fingers lightly trailing along one of the basket streamers.]

It's cute. [Both the beard and the ribbons.]

[ He gives her an easy smile, which before arriving here, was probably not something that happened with the beard. ]

That depends what the last thing you remember is.

[ He dismounts, and then says: ]

But for me? I haven't seen you in months.

[ Which is hopefully enough of an excuse for why he's pulling her into a hug. ]

[Wanda is stunned but silently grateful for the comforting strong arms of her friend circling her. Steve has always been a solid force in her life, accepting her for who she is and what she's done. He and Clint are the only two since her brother's death who've selflessly supported her and made her feel like more than a weapon of mass destruction.

It's delayed but she hugs him back and gently squeezes his torso.]

I was taken to Raft with the others. [The prison built to hold people like Wanda.] Then... [She pauses as if uncertain.] I dreamed of a fox. It offered escape. [And the power to protect those she loves.]

When you get out of here, you'll be sent back to the Raft.

But don't worry, because I'll be right behind.

[ And in that case, he won't let go just yet because he couldn't stand seeing her in a cell like that. It's one of the reasons he reacted so strongly when Tony had told him that she'd been interred. ]

Well. Welcome to Folkmore.

[She doesn't doubt Steve however the thought of returning to the Raft sends an uncomfortable chill down her spine. There is no other prison in the world that can hold her and saying it's worse than a Hydra experimentation facility didn't account for half of the unpleasant experience.]

Thanks.

[For his reassurance and welcome.]

You've changed. [Wanda continues to return Steve's hug, waiting for him to dislodge her but turns to look at the impressive beard covering his chin.] I like it. [Though she wonders how long it's taken him to grow since she's always seen him clean-shaven.]

Yeah? It's gotten some mixed feedback.

[ Then he grins at her and gestures for her to get on the bike. ]

We've gotta find you a place to stay. You're going to be here awhile, mostly likely.

Well, they don't matter.

[Wanda follows Steve, throwing a leg over the bike and holding onto his waist so that she doesn't fall off the moment he kicks the roaring metal monster into gear. This isn't her usual form of transportation but it's nice to see something so familiar to her in this strange new world.]

Do you think it'll be an issue? Finding a place to stay?

[Her idea of looking for a place to live is far from normal. She and her brother had squatted at random locations from a young age and then she was taken in by the Avengers. This is going to be an entirely new experience.]

No, they give you a place for free unless you want a custom one. And you could probably just use your powers to make yours how you want it.

I'd let you crash at mine, but I've only got one spare room and Bucky took it.

[ Yeah, Bucky's here. Surprising, right? ]

What kind of place are you looking for?

I don't know.

[The idea of making her own home is an interesting one but for now she wants to keep the full extent of her powers a secret. She's tired of being looked at like she's a monster.]

I will find a place. [She smiles against Steve's back as they ride into town.] Bucky needs you.

[She's glad that he's here after everything they had done to clear Bucky's name.]

I don't know, actually. He's from 2024. Doing well. Got a haircut and everything.

He moved down to Louisiana to be with Sam and his family.

[ He smiles, genuinely happy but kind of just thinking about how different in time they are. Wanda's closer to him. ]

And I'd let you have the couch, but Sam's on it. You could take my bed, I'll sleep on the floor.

[It's going to take Wanda a bit of thinking to fully come to grips with the time idiosyncrasies of those brought to Folkmore but she's happy to hear that the pair have bright futures. Heroes are rarely able to live without constant conflict or anything that she'd describe has happiness.]

It's alright. [This isn't the first time she's been in a new place.] Can you take me to the most populated city?

I can find my way from there. [She'll let him know where she ends up staying if he's interested but she wants to get used to everything on her own.]

September 2022 Test Drive Meme

network, un: s.rogers

network,

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/ftb here?