folkooc | October 2022 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

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

[blocks schmocks, he's not soliciting shapeshifting advice from a guy who was convinced he was hallucinating ten minutes ago!! he lets the topic drop entirely in favor of following through on something he knows he can do.

he beats a path through quaint, idyllic Willow, following the wagon road from the station into the cozy country square where the Prancing Pony resides.]

That one. Let's go there. We can test out the spoon-thing in there.

[but Jayce and his opposable thumbs were going to have to do the honors of opening the door; Manabu would step in and sniff around. at this time of day, it's not nearly as bustling as it could be, but a handful of spirits linger about.]

[ Oh, excuse U, but seeing a Catbus is reason enough to believe one is losing his marbles. It doesn't mean he doesn't have any good advice to give!!!

...but yeah Jayce knows jack shit about shape-shifting. He's only trying to help, as he did even before he became a Legends here. Now the urge is compulsive. He does not insist after Manabu clearly avoids the subject, instead simply following and opening the door when it is clear that paws will not do the job.

Jayce tries not to think about how ridiculous the scene might look. His hair is in disarray, he's covered in dust and glitter, and carrying a truck that is almost as tall as him. Not to mention the galaxy-looking dog sniffing around. ]

Should I order us something to drink? [ He refrains from asking if Manabu would like a cup or a water bowl. Jayce is not that rude and he also doesn't want to get bitten. ]

Get yourself something first of all. And when the server asks for payment, hand them the spoon. You'll see what I mean then.

[and also maybe the server will be an anthropomorphic bird or something so that he's not the weirdest thing since the catbus. glitterdog would like to be on the lower end of the weird tier.]

Okay... [ Jayce says, a tad unsure, but approaches the bar to get the attention of the bartender. Manabu is in luck, because when the woman approaches them it turns out to be not a human but a satyr woman, with two curled horns on her head, large goat ears, and a goat body to match from the waist down. Jayce is used to Vastaya in his world that looks like her, so this at least it's not such a confusing view as it might have been. ]

Could I have some tea, please? Green or black, anything works, miss.

[ The woman smiles and flicks her ears a couple of times, leaving to get his drink. She doesn't go too far, not wasting time using a teapot to heat up the tea. Instead she simply places a cup in the palm of her hand and heats it up with magic. She sets it down on a small plate alongside the tea and some sugar, then asks for the payment. Jayce handles her the spoon as Manabu told him, but looking down at her hands, fascinated by the cause use of magic. ]

[Manabu hesitates to watch, just to be sure what he expects to happen does. and it does: the satyr accepts the spoon, it glows briefly, and then she returns it to him with a thank-you.

nice to see some consistency around here... Manabu's tail wags a little.]

So that's how it works. But I think you have to just keep talking to people to make sure you have enough to, uh...spend?

[ Jayce says thanks back to her one last time, because his mom raised him well, but his eyes are trained on the spoon. It's now looking like a simple wooden utensil, no glow emitting from it right now, but Jayce gives a thoughtful thought to the view nonetheless. ]

That was very informative, I get it now. Thank you, Manabu. [ He sees that tail wagging, he sees it...he is also smart enough not to say anything about it. Jayce smiles down at him, pocketing the spoon carefully as if it were something precious. Because it is! Since it's magical! And Jayce treasures these things. ]

I hope I have enough so far for a room with a bed and a place to shower.

[wow. being able to do a good job for a change? Manabu's been kind of starved for it a while here, given how behind he is in getting his footing with the way things are. such an easy lesson to teach still matters in the scope of things.]

A--yeah, that... Uh... [one ear cocks back, conveying some awkwardness.] That's weird, too. You'll find there's a whole bunch of empty places you can just...take.

[ If Manabu hangs around Jayce he might get praised more. He had no issue recognizing other people's accomplishments or appreciating their help. ]

Like, abandoned buildings? [ Jayce raised an eyebrow at the dog, then reaches out to take a sip of his tea. ] Eh, It beats sleeping in the street. I can deal with that.

[ Until he can gather more spoon energy and find a decent place, he will manage. ]

Sort of, I guess. More like... [both ears go back.] Like they were made in advance. For all of us, considering...we were all brought here intentionally.

[ It's interesting how Manabu's body language is still expressive even in dog form. Knowing that there's a house somewhere waiting for him is both a small relief and a big concern. ]

I take it that no one knows exactly why Thirteen is doing this. What she might want from us She didn't seem malicious but it's so difficult to judge the morality of otherworldly beings.

"True potential."

[Manabu's tail droops a little at that.]

Did she say that to you, too? When she walked you into this dimension. [he looks up toward him.] About seeing your "true potential."

[ Manabu needs to stop looking like such a sad puppy, or else Jayce won't be able to stop himself and will pet him again, even at the risk of losing a finger. ]

He did. God only knows what that means. [ For a moment, Jayce eyes his teacup as if he wishes it were something stronger. ]

What do you think about that? that she is asking us to be better people? I already know I have to work on myself.

[a touch dry:] What's getting stuck on a cliff face or getting turned into a sparkly dog got to do with being a better person? Sounds more like stress testing to make us into...I don't know, weird...magical soldiers or something...

[ Jayce tries to keep his frustration at bay, but he can't fault Mababu for being angry. The cliff experience was unpleasant for everyone involved.]

Maybe getting stuck there was a test for others, not you? I could have chosen to ignore your call for help. And this... [ He taps the trunk containing the hammer with his shoe. ] ...was what we got for the trouble? Weird way to train soldiers, but it's also a possibility.

[ One Jayce doesn't like one bit. ] Perhaps we were chosen because of our abilities. What did you use to do back home? I was an inventor, engineer, and metalworker.

...

[if the goal is to maximize the potential of a dog looking pensive, Manabu may be ready to graduate as master of the art. he turns his seeing-eye away, watching other patrons mulling about. fantastical creatures, empowered human-likes...]

I was just an officer. [quickly:] A decent one, but not--not like...a genius or, or anything. There's no...powers or magic where I'm from, so that can't be it. So it can't really be me selected as some kind of ideal unless it was because of what happened in Trench. And even then, there's-- [he halts, catching himself.

hastily:] Ne-never mind that! [he looks back up.] What I mean is, I don't know if it's about ability. Or if it is, then there's some stuff getting messed up with the process. But I don't know how good guessing about it is at this point.

[ It's a ~~funny~~ interesting look for a dog, Jayce thinks. He's not an expert in reading animal language mannerisms, so it's good that Manabu still acts so human-like even in his quadruped form. ]

There is more to people than being a genius or having magical skills. What defines us, in the end, is how we act when it matters. [ Jayce has the feeling that he has been failing at it lately, even if he did try his best to ensure peace between Piltover and Zaun. It's something he wants to fix, maybe being here will give him the chance. Instinct also tells him that there's more to Manabu than being a simple good officer, but he might have to coach answers gently if he wants to get them. ]

You know I'm not from your world, so I wouldn't judge if you wanted to talk about anything that happened there. [ After seeing Manabu suddenly anxious, Jayce chooses to kneel down so they're at closer eye level. ] Ey, it's fine. The day has been a lot for both of us, and I doubt we will get real answers here. Maybe we will be able to find the fox and ask her in the future. For now, let's try to not stress over it. Are you sure you don't want to have anything to eat or drink? It could help.

[funnily enough, Jayce making an effort to meet eye-to-eye is what makes Manabu more skittish. this is weird and embarrassing, okay? maybe if he were in his proper form, this sort of conversation would be easy to swallow, but being stuck in this shape makes it inherently...emasculating. like he's a child being talked-up by a teacher or something. his platoon would laugh...and they should.]

Auh, it--It's fine, really, I should just... [he catches glimpse of someone better at this Familiar-business shifting with ease; his eyes wince. but then his ears perk up.]

...Actually, if I could get like a handful of pepper...?

[ Count on Jayce to try to help and only make the situation worse, story of his life...

He seems to realize he's only upsetting Manabu, even if he doesn't understand why. Jayce looks at him apologetic, then slightly confused, and then the request clicks.]

Oh, yes of course!

[ Stading up, Jayce gets the attention of the satyr lady and a moment later she give him a pepper shaker. Then he turns to Mababu, raising the shaker.]

Ready?

More than ready! [SUPER ready to be bipedal again. and tall.

...relatively tall, anyway.

he waits for a small handful of the spice to be sprinkled into an open palm and takes a generous sniff, instantly recoiling with distaste because...well. he snorted pepper. it's unpleasant. but! it does make him sneeze, and in that sneeze and a burst of glitter (sorry, nearby diners and staff; not sorry Jayce), Manabu finds himself sitting on the floor properly a person again.

after a gasp and a sniff:] Hoh-! Oh, j-jeez! [he wipes his nose.] Thanks, I--I really...need to figure out how to make this work without sneezing...

[ That's exactly what Jayce did with the pepper, expecting Manabu to sneeze it so he could change. What he did not anticipate was what the sneeze would cause.

Jayce needs a second as he coughs a lung out and then tries to wipe ALL that glitter from his face. His hair is a lost cause. A very shiny lost cause. He really hopes that those free places Manabu mentioned come with a decent shower. ]

Yes. Yes, you do. [ It comes out with a wheeze. ] Could you, ah, gods... pass me the tea?

...

Oh...

[right. Jayce is...very sparkly now. Manabu grimaces, ears going back and face reddening in shame for a few seconds. the nice thing about being a coldblood is blushing is such a brief flash of heat...and the crappy thing is that it makes his hair fluffy and staticky.

that said, Manabu hastens to get to his feet (nearly headbutting Jayce in the process, sorry), looking around for where Jayce had set his drink down.]

Here. [..,.] Sorry. Thank you, but...sorry.

[ He should have known that this weird day was only about to get worse, he should have. When he sees Manabus's embarrassment, he gives a vague gesture of his hand as if to tell him not to worry. He doesn't trust himself to speak again, lest he swallow even more glitter.

It's only a matter of a few inches, but his head luckily misses Manabu's when he moves. After that, Jayce attempts to stand straight once more. Some more glitters fall off of him as he does so, and when he reaches for the offered cup, his fingers are also stained in rainbow colors. ]

You must be great at parties. [ He murmurs after taking a long sip of the tea, feeling his voice return to him. ]

It's all right. Are you feeling better?

[if it's any consolation...it's magic glitter, not plastic glitter. so it can magically dissipate in time...

...in time.

in the meanwhile, Manabu sheepishly offers him a nearby napkin, hesitating only because he doesn't completely get the dig about parties that was uttered as an aside. was that sarcasm? it was probably sarcasm.]

...Mn. I'm, I'm fine. I'll...be fine. You should look after yourself, more importantly.

[ It's a small consolation, but it's something. Jayce foresees many showers in his future.

The party comment was more of a joke than cruel sarcasm, nothing mean spirited. He takes the napkin with another "thank you" and wipes his cheeks clean. He can't help but let out a short laugh after the 'look after yourself' suggestion. Yeah, he isn't very good at that. ]

Will do. Or I'll try, at least. Do you have any suggestions about what areas are safe to go to find a house to crash at tonight? From what I saw during our crazy trip in that cat...bus...thing, this place is pretty big.

Mn. And, and not all the same biome. So if you go exploring, you might need more than a hammer and the clothes on your back...so supply up first. But anyway, uh, safe places? [he rubs the back of his neck and looks about, toward the door.]

There's cottages along the road out past this way. Seems to be alright in this general area. I can't really say much about the others, since I don't stay there, but now that the fog's lifted, maybe...

October 2022 Test Drive Meme

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and it's a wrap ♥