folkooc | October 2022 Test Drive Meme

OCTOBER 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's a very good thing to learn, and I'll be happy to teach you.

[He watches the boy's mannerisms carefully. A skill he's had to pick up for acting. He seemed overwhelmed, and something the yoga brought up touched on something. He couldn't know what, but he's sure he could get it out of him while teaching him.]

It is a lot, but perhaps if you look at it in a different light. Imagine all the interesting things this place holds. It likely has a unique culture all its own, and how many people get the opportunity to see it?

Imagine the stories, the music, the clothes, sports, even the food is worth exploring. I, for one, plan on taking in as much of it as I can. It will be like an adventure!

[But a safe-sounding feasible adventure for one so young he hopes.]

And since we are sticking together, I may just drag you around to try some things too.

[And he reaches forward to "amicably" ruffle the boys hair... while really trying to gauge the damage... and honestly, he's fairly certain that the gods here are dead because no merciful god would allow such an affront to hair care exist. Ugh, the sand in Scarabia's dorm was better moisturized than this.

That's a later problem. A. Later. Problem. He was glad of his years of acting experience because it was taking everything in his power not to drop character right now.]

[The longer he has to observe them, the odder the boy will appear. On the one hand he isn't so unused to people that he's shying away from any contact- in fact, given the minimal reaction a head ruffle is something common back home. On the other, he's more simultaneously more and less composed than any kid ought be- with mannerisms that came from adults more than anything else.

Hopefully Vil's composure doesn't crack, however. Emporio took care to keep clean, but sometimes your only option for a shower is to have the weather guy conjure a miniature rainstorm with his Stand.]

It definitely feels like an adventure... [He admits with visible anxiety, the side effects of the hot springs fortunately helping to get clarification. Safe, it certainly sounds.

Overwhelming?] ...I can probably guarantee I haven't seen anything here outside of movies, after all..! [Oh, Extremely.] ....I guess it'll be healthier at least.

[While observant, there were some things Vil's peculiar upbringing made him blind to. As an only child who grew up too fast given his choice in career, he didn't think much of the boy holding himself like an adult. He presumed that he was like himself, a child with limited opportunity to engage in others his age, as well as having a heightened sense of responsibility. Though he did come across as far more sheltered, hence being so very overwhelmed.]

I suspect it will be a lot at first, but we should make certain to find somewhere nice to stay and relax after as well, like we are doing now.

[and ah he said the magic h-word. Yes, yes this one is going places. A spudling, no doubt, but one with hope and motivation.]

I just so happen to be quite good at helping others stay healthy, what do you say I make you a nice meal once we find somewhere to stay, hm?

[Well. He isn't wrong in that at least. And...it seems that crafty plan really Is working, as Emporio laughs!]

H-hn-hah-! ...Yeah! ...It'll be nice to have something like that...I tried to keep things balanced, but it could get hard with the choices...

...Did you have to help a lot with that though..? You said you were an actor, but...

It’s more of a personal… hobby I suppose. I learned to do it for myself because acting can be very physically taxing at times, and I want to always give every performance my best. The I went to college I became the Housewarden of a prestigious dorm, where I’m responsible for many other people. Ever since I’ve made certain my underclassmen are likewise as healthy and capable as I keep myself.

[Just going to neglect to mention that he earned said position by creating the deadliest poison out of ask the other students. That can come up later. Or never. Never works!]

It helps them achieve their goals more efficiently, and it’s always important to try and better yourself. Even if it’s just in small ways at a time, like eating healthier or learning new things.

A 'housewarden'...

[He ponders the title a bit...] So...like the 'RA'? Uh- 'Resident Assistant'? At a college where I came from, they were responsible for the dorm activities, budget, upkeep, student welfare...

[It goes on a bit, so he just gives a small laugh.] ...Well, from what I always heard, it sounded like 'everything'...

...It sounds like you work hard at it though- it's good that you were the one who got the job then, even if it's a lot of work..! [Never, Later, who knows!! The boy ducks his head a little, focused on his water again.]

...I definitely spend a lot of time learning... [Speaking of the Deadliest Poisons-]

...I... ...I don't think I know what my goal really is now, though. Technically, coming here...already completed the biggest one I had.

It more or less is “everything”, particularly when the headmaster is useless in most situations.

[Said with an exasperated sigh, but that was neither here nor there.

This one had a goal that he’s supposedly met, and seemed willing to talk about it.]

Well, what was your goal before? Maybe we can use that as a start for coming up with a new one.

Ohhh.... [He has no idea what to say to that. ...Mostly because, it feels like headmasters in most media that informed him what those are are always useless. Can a headmaster that does their job exist? He wants to think 'probably', but signs keep pointing to 'no'.

...

Emporio freezes so sharply, he snaps to look at Vil in shock. He doesn't mean it, obviously. It's just...

...Surprising, he supposes. Being asked about. Well.] I....

[Nervously, he shrinks back a bit, looking away.] I....don't really think it can work as a base for...something like that.

[He wanted to get out. That was all. To get out, without having to ever worry about the danger following.

...

He didn't realize how much it would cost.]

October 2022 Test Drive Meme

haven't even started mine yet. It'll be fiiine. Totes McGoats fine.

Handclasps,,,,we must beam the other strength...

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY. IDEALLY WITH A PRE-WRITTEN APP. tossed you a plurk f-request btw

Oooo, accepts that...

no subject

it took writing this tag to realize housewardens are just RAs and I'm screaming

I mean, it’s true though

it's true............. ...also rip vil in advance tbh