October 2022 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

OCTOBER 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]

SHINING

Content Warnings: Possible insanity via freezing. Temporary nullification of abilities.

COLD AS YOU

You were falling...

The world snaps into place all at once; you are laying on the ground, surrounded on all sides by towering bushes that stretch up towards a beautiful sunset sky. The bushes were clearly flowered at one point, but now the flowers have died and all that remains are browning leaves that are beginning to fall. On the chill air you can sometimes hear the sound of music, too faint to completely determine.

As you stand, you are filled with an intense desire to find someone. You might have an idea of who, but chances are you do not - you just know that somewhere ahead of you is someone that you need to reach. Whether they are friend or lover or enemy remains to be seen.

You wander the maze. If you're the impatient type and you have the ability, you might try to fly out but you will simply be vaulted right back down if you do. Something clearly expects you to play by rules which were never actually explained. As you move through the twisting passages of nature, you will notice that there is a frost creeping along the branches on either side of you. This frost brings a deep chill with it, and it encourages you to move faster, to find that nameless person now now now! If you take a very long time to wander the maze you may very well be on the verge of freezing and half mad with the desire to find someone. If you try to force your way through the bushes, the frost will crawl over your limbs and inspire both the freezing and near madness at once.

When you find your Person, the cold evaporates. The air suddenly feels merely crisp, and the leaves on the bushes seem more vibrant. The two of you now can focus on finding the way out - so much easier now - but any sense of urgency will have passed and you may just walk for hours, talking and sharing things about yourselves.

It is possible to solve the maze alone, but it is much easier (and more pleasant!) with someone else.

KEEP YOUR BRITTLE HEART WARM

When you exit the hedge maze you will find a stunning display of lights: hundreds of candles and lanterns decorate the ground and hang from trees, illuminating a clear path over a gently sloping hill. When you crest the hill you can look down and see a beautiful hot spring sprawled out below. It too is lit up by hundreds of lights, all of them glowing under the late autumn sky as it darkens towards night. There are changing rooms where you can stash your clothes (yes, there are bathing suits for the very shy) and bathing stations to ensure that you are clean before entering.

The water of the springs soothes madness and heals physical injuries or any frostbite that may have been sustained in the maze. It also relaxes you, making you perhaps more likely to open up to anybody else present.

The hot spring is staffed by many mice. They don't speak, but they squeak to one another in such a way that it sounds like they are singing - high lilting chants that seem to promise that everything will be okay. They are happy enough to band together to bring you towels or hot tea. The spring is open 24/7, always with lights to fight the cold and darkness of winter.

HIGH STRANGENESS

Content Warnings: Monster sighting, optional violence.

GLITCH

Folkmore has trains and of course the cat bus, but it also has roads, mostly utilized by horses and bicycles. Maybe you're looking for the convivence store, or maybe you just like walking. However it happens, you find yourself on a lonely road at dusk. It is unusually quiet, almost as if the world is holding its breath.

Suddenly you hear the sound of wings. A man-sized creature soars above you, something with huge red glowing eyes. It drops something at your feet: a walkie-talkie. The creature lands some distance away, staring at you, and a thought arises unbidden in your mind:

Help them.

The walkie crackles and you can hear someone speaking, asking if anyone is there. It is another Star Child, brought into this trial as well. They are in danger somewhere nearby; maybe stuck on the edge of a cliff, or trapped on a rope bridge - whatever it is, they need someone else to help them get to safety. If they have any powers, they have been temporarily nullified, but if the rescuer has powers they remain intact. That's where you come in! Using the walkie you must communicate with one another so that the rescuer can reach the person in trouble in time!

But what if you don't make it in time? Or decide that you're not the hero type? Well. The rescue-ee will suffer a terrible fate... for a few seconds. Then the entire world fuzzes and resets, but this time the roles have been reversed. Both parties will remember what has already happened, so if you just ran off into the woods with no intent of helping the first time you miiiight get your just desserts! This process will repeat over and over, people switching sides every time, until someone is finally rescued or the sun rises. Whichever comes first!

If you do succeed at a rescue, you will hear the rustle of huge wings once more. This time you don't see the mysterious creature, but you will find a mystery trunk. Inside you will each find some of your canon clothes and a canon item. Looks like teamwork is rewarded! Nearby, there will also be some unenchanted weapons sticking out of the ground: basic swords, guns, shields, etc.

BAD OMEN

You don't necessarily have to have completed the rescue trial to get some goodies, though! Those aforementioned weapons are scattered all over Folkmore. But if you just go to grab any of them you'd better be prepared to fight; after all, nothing comes for free!

As soon as you have pulled a weapon out of the ground, a tall, man in a black suit and hat will appear from seemingly nowhere and attack you. He has no weapons but he is extremely strong. He's also just really creepy - his face looks like it might be fake, somehow. The only way he can be killed is with a wound to the heart - any other supposedly mortal injury will result in another man in black appearing. It is possible for someone with no combat training to beat these creatures, but they really might appreciate a little help from someone with more experience!

The good news is that they won't mess up your clothes any, as none of these creatures bleed. Because that is totally normal.

Good luck!

Comments

Malleus Draconia | Twisted Wonderland

[hornton]

[Cold as You]

[The trial Malleus was now facing was the first which his raw power alone couldn't solve. In his centuries of living, nothing had the audacity to test him so, and honestly he didn't quite know how to react at first.

After flying didn't work, he took his true form and tried to simply charge through the hedges. Only to get a face-full of unpleasant cold. He did not like The Cold.

Between that and this uneasy feeling forced upon him, he did what any respectable Fae would do in the face of such a rude welcome! Throw a tantrum. So there would be a large dragon barrelling through the maze, his oncoming presence easy to notice beforehand due to the roaring and smoke.

He will awkwardly freeze upon being made aware of another's presence once he notices them.]

[Keep Your Brittle Heart Warm]

A.[The largest pool at the spring may seem a bit lumpy and shallow in spots, with some odd rock with a pair of holes in the middle.

After his cold spell, Malleus decided the best course of action was to sulk in the warm water, basking in it like the lizard he is. However he's completely submerged himself, save for the tip of his nose, so the unobservant may mistake him for a rock.

Sit with the dragon?]

B.[In the same nature as above, but in his humanoid form. He is still pouting and broody, but content to bask in the warmth of the spring.]

[Glitch]

[The voice that comes over the walkie-talkie is almost eerily calm, carrying a hint of amusement over the whole situation.]

Before I come to your rescue, you must first make me a promise.

[Bad Omen]

[Ah, weapons on the ground generally implied a battlefield- with these weapons seeming fresh... well, who was he to turn down such an invitation? He will cast a look at the company next to him with a grin.]

You had best take a weapon. I suspect we are not alone.

Glitch

[servicenyan]

[Son of a... does this look like the time to be striking deals to save his skin.

But still. He can't just agree. For all he knows, this guy is someone under Dark Blue that wants to kidnap Anzu.

So with a struggling grunt to try and get a better grip, he pushes the button and asks:]

What kind of promise?

[Trying not to sound nervous about falling to his death. Where on Earth are his powers? Why can't he transform?]

[hornton]

Worry not, it is not something terribly difficult- at least I would think so.

[But given the nature of his request, it is safe to say that his opinion is quite biased. ]

I simply ask that you do not fear me. It would make rescuing you quite difficult if you were afraid.

[servicenyan]

[That's a weird request. What would he have to fear? Not that he has enough time to really ponder it. He's not sure how much longer he can hold. And he's going to put his chips on whatever thing he might fear coming to save him is significantly better than dying right now.]

Deal. Please hurry.

[He's going to put his belief in whoever, and whatever, this person is to help him.]

[hornton]

I will not be able to speak over the device once I search for you, but I will be able to hear you. You may continue to guide me as I search. I am certain you will know me when you see me.

[And that is the last message he sends. There is a moment of quiet until a disturbance can be heard int he distance. Spooked birds, the snapping of trees, shortly followed by a giant flying lizard emerging from the treeline.]

[servicenyan]

[Not able to speak? Aoi has so many questions. But he decides it's definitely a better idea to wait until he's rescued first. Questions can come after.

He does his best to guide, but honestly, he's bad at it. The best Malleus really gets out of him is that he's dangling off a ledge with sharp rocks below. He has no idea about anything.

But then there's spooked birds. Did a tree just snap? Aoi holds his breath nervously.

That's.

That's a dragon. Isn't it? Is this what he was supposed to be waiting for?

He gives a silent prayer that this be the guy he's waiting for, and then he lets go of the breath he was holding. He's going to put his trust in it. He won't struggle in the slightest.

Hopefully it doesn't result in him dying. He's been involved in stranger things, anyway, right? What's one more weird thing?]

Over here!

[He shouts as loud as he can, which may have also come through on the walkie-talkie. Whoops.]

[hornton]

[Ah. That was very loud. And startling. He has kept the walkie talkie in his mouth as a way to hear it… but then shouting happened and out of reflex he spit it out.

Oops.

So this big dragon would be flying in place looking very distressed over this turn of events. This was going to make rescuing more difficult... it was probably broken at this point. Undoing that would be a challenge in this form. Help.]

[servicenyan]

[He's just... flying in place. Was he wrong? Maybe this isn't the guy he made that promise to. Things are even more confusing.

And Aoi's fingertips are screaming at how long they've been holding. He's not going to be able to hold on much longer.

Last ditch effort. Here goes everything.

He tries to swing himself a little bit so he can get as much momentum as possible, and he tries yelling out again:]

Over here!

[And he throws the walkie-talkie up as high as he can, hoping the dragon might notice it. (Though, in hindsight, would a dragon be able to see something so tiny? Aoi curses his own stupidity.)

Unfortunately, that swinging motion was all his fingers could take, and he slips. His fingertips are searing as he screams.

Is this really how he dies? He tries to transform, but it doesn't come.

God damn his powers for not being convenient.]

[hornton]

[It was such a dilemma. A tragedy. It was almost like he could still hear the stranger calling it to him from the little device…

Wait.

Oh hey! It was the stranger! Phew! He couldn’t help but smile as he dove forward, which was probably a tad unsettling because his smile was just Teeth, and now there’s a fire breathing colossus approaching at rapid speeds.

But he thankfully aims to land just below the stranger on the cliffs (didn’t want his flapping winds to blow the poor man from his perch), and climbs up the rest of the way. He positions his nose just within stepping distance… of course he’s still got that unsettling smile in the process.]

Hello, I am here to rescue you.

[servicenyan]

[Aoi's just... gonna collapse on that nose.]

Thank God...

[Surprisingly, Aoi shows very little discomfort at the teeth. He's sincerely grateful just to be rescued. He's glad he tried to get the dragon's attention. Lord knows where he'd be now if he didn't.]

Ugh... thank you for the rescue.

I thought you said you couldn't talk, though?

[Not realising that the dragon carried the walkie-talkie in his mouth. Honestly, he's not even aware that Malleus dropped it.]

[hornton]

Ah.

[Well he’s just going to look gosh darn guilty at that. Time to overexplain his whole dilemma!]

It wasn’t that I cannot dial in this form, but to both hold such a fragile and small device, and press the button is very difficult. Even if I simply held it with magic, you would likely only hear the wind- so I put it in my mouth.

But then it was loud and startled me, so I dropped it.

I could have gone down to find it and fix it, but I would have had to revert to my smaller form and that would take time, and I did not know if there would be time!

[Interrupt him at your leisure Aoi.]

[servicenyan]

[Aoi just listens and thinks on it for another moment before realising... Oh.]

Because I yelled?

[Shoot, his bad. Definitely explains why the dragon looked distraught in the middle of the air. It's Aoi's turn to be sheepish.]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking.

[He's just going to quietly beat himself up for being an idiot. Even if a normal person in his circumstances might have taken it much worse. Still, there's something Malleus said that sticks out, now that he thinks about it.]

You can grow smaller, though?

[hornton]

Still, I should not have dropped it. I am glad to have found you in time though.

[That was a good shift in subject! Easier to speak on while climbing up the cliffside. His charge seemed tired and content to lay on his snout, and he feared it might be rude to make him move and hold on so he could take flight.

He did not know. He didn’t believe there was any sort of social protocol for this specific situation. So climbing it was.]

I can. Dragons are… a rare kind of Fae. Things are not made to accommodate our size. So I take a smaller form much of the time.

[servicenyan]

[A Fae, huh? Like the kind in fairy tales? Though, come to think of it, he is right here, on the snout of a thankfully-benevolent dragon, having been rescued from life-threatening danger. This entire thing screams fairy tale.

He's not sure if he's dreaming this whole thing. Maybe he's actually still in Tokyo, passed out next to his friends on the rooftop as they soak the rain in.

He doesn't know. And in the off chance that it isn't some dream, he'd rather make friends with a dragon.]

That makes sense. I guess I never thought about dragons trying to get into the places humans do. What's your favourite place to go?

[hornton]

I personally like to venture in ruins and abandoned buildings- however I am a prince and I am often obligated to keep company of other nobles and royalty, some of which are Fae far smaller than humans.

[He makes it over the top of the cliff, and politely takes a seat on the ground. His charge did not seem inclined to move, so he would let him rest.]

And recently my caretaker saw me enroll in a learning institution. It is interesting walking among so many and I have learned much of humans, but it is noisy and crowded.

[servicenyan]

[When Malleus stops moving, Aoi waits a few moments before he gives a small peek to see the ground within a safe distance. Slowly, gently, he slides off Malleus' nose. He'll take a seat in the grass next to the dragon.]

Yea, sounds about right. Tokyo's really big, crowded, and noisy. So I get it.

I can't imagine what it's like to be a prince. [Being worshipped by fangirls every where he went was bad enough. Maybe it's in the same camp?] Do girls throw themselves at you all the time?

[hornton]

[Ah, so it was sitting time for both of them! Well, since they were speaking of his ability to change forms, now seemed a good a time as any to do so. One should be at Eye level when speaking to another after all.

So when he spoke next it would not be a big voice magically projected, it would be spoken as anyone else.]

No. I am one of the strongest mages in my world, and I have… a reputation. As a child I had very poor control of my power, it caused no small amount of destruction.

So I am regarded with fear more often than not.

The inbox forgives you xD

[servicenyan]

[Aoi turns his head when the voice changes from big-and-projected to something more normal. Huh, the guy almost looks human. If Aoi didn't hate his own cat form, he'd probably secretly admire Malleus' forms. The kid he once was that wanted to be a cool hero would, at least.

But Malleus' reputation... he feels kind of sorry for him. Aoi can identify with loneliness, but he's not sure his would be on the same level as the dragon's.]

Well, I'm not afraid of you. You used your power to save me. And that's worth admiration. So, as far as I'm concerned, we're friends.

Keep Your Brittle Heart Warm

[dragondisguised]

[To say Madeline likes her baths warm is an understatement. When she thought she was human she always assumed the joke about women liking scalding hot baths was just a little true for her, that's all. She always ran cooler than everyone else too so it made sense.

Now thought as she tests the water daintily with a scaled foot and finds it a very good level of hot she sighs as she steps the rest of the way in. Her tail swishes through the water, flicking back and forth until she's somewhere around waist deep.

After that Madeline takes in how lump one end of the pool seems to be. In the middle there's a much larger rock with holes in it but Maddie keeps to the sides, patting her way along with a clawed hand as she looks for a good spot to sit.]

[hornton]

[Well he wasn’t exactly surprised to have company, though he still wasn’t accustomed to people approaching him so readily either.

What was the biggest surprise was feeling someone’s hand in his side and… ah. It tickled. Mixed feelings on this.

Well that rock is just going to wiggle a bit. Don’t mind him.]

[dragondisguised]

[...?]

What.

[Madeline tests again. Now that she's paying more attention the rock seems distinctly ... soft? In a way. Her own scales may not be the exact same texture but it's close enough that she lifts her hand away with a healthy frown.]

... Hello?

[Don't tell her she walked in on something she shouldn't have.]

[hornton]

[There's some bubbling from that odd rock in the pool, and a very large scaly head emerges. He shakes off some of the water and stares at this new arrival, then lets his head drop on the side of the pool, giving the mice a brief scare.

...then promptly returns to his previous activity which was definitely-not-pouting.

At least he's not bothered by this new guest!]

[dragondisguised]

[The bubbling is enjoy to draw her notice but the moment that big head raises out of the water she makes a noise akin to a graceful squawk.

The few hopping steps she takes backwards just to get away from what she now realizes it's the side of an enormous creature ends abruptly by Madeline legitimately tripping backwards over her tail. She's still not wholly used to having it and this dumps her straight back into the hot water itself.

She pops straight out in a second or two, huffing out water. She's not exactly a sodden mess given she was in a swimsuit to begin with but her white hair is thoroughly damp and she has to take a moment to push it out of her eyes to even take note of the large head now by the side of the pool.

She blinks a time or three, hand poised in her hair and everything. Then she has the grace to look sheepish.]

Sorry about that.

[Um. Should she leave? The creature isn't exactly taking up all the spring or eating her so...]

[hornton]

[The flailing had Malleus looking over her way. Oh. Hmm. That was his doing wasn't it? Maybe he should help. He moved his tail near her, initially planning to catch her from her slip, only to wind up hesitating. She was very small, and given his difficulties reigning in his strength even in his humanoid form... perhaps he was better off having his tail near should she want to reach out and pull herself up with it. Yes that seemed the wiser plan.

Of course she managed to pull herself up while he was busy overthinking the solution. Oh. Oops.]

It is alright, you are not the first to be surprised by my presence. You shall no doubt not be the last.

glitch

[dentdelion]

[There was a very, very long pause. Malleus could hear the following: the creak of the rope bridge that Ruggie was on. The sound of wind, the sound of something falling from a great distance. Not Ruggie. Ruggie's still there, and Malleus might be able to tell that from the nervous soft laughter he could hear. Shishishi.]

Never somethin' for nothing, huh?

[They're both Night Raven College students, after all, it's expected.]

Sure, what can I do for you, Malleus.

[He will die, and he knows this, but at least it's not a video of some kind so it's not like Malleus can see him.]