January 2023 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

JANUARY 2023 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]

beautiful sunshine ray

Content Warnings: mood altering substances.

hot chocolate

The weather across Folkmore is universally chill: Wintermute is frozen, Willow covered in snowdrifts, Epiphany a mess of slush, Cruel Summer dangerously cold at night, and Exile wrapped in a numbing fog. You wouldn't know it, but things are at least a little nicer than they have been - with the exception of Wintermute, you at least are not likely to freeze to death just by wandering around.

Or so you'll discover eventually. Right now? Well, you just got here! One minute you’re falling through the sky, and the next you’re in the middle of an ice fort. The walls are chiseled with care, rising up about seven feet high. Skinny windows are cut in the ice at regular intervals. There is no roof, and above you the sky is a cold, clear blue only marred by the occasional fluffy white cloud. Set inside the fort is a hot chocolate bar staffed entirely by white rabbits. They are the size of regular rabbits, but they don't seem to have any issue standing on their hind legs and using their little paws to pour drinks from large red cannisters into red paper cups.

By request, they will also drop a marshmallow into your cup. You have your choice of colours, and each one will have a different effect:


Pink: Causes you to feel bold and confident!
Blue: Grants you a mild sense of euphoria!
Yellow: Makes you feel quite flirty!
White: Nothing. It's a marshmallow.

winter games

Outside of the ice fort, you will find yourself among gently rolling hills covered in snow. It's perfect for packing... which you may very well find out when you're hit with a snowball. Who threw that? Who cares! The very instant you're struck you have the irresistible urge to get in on a no-holds-barred snowball fight! You might wind up throwing snowballs at other Star Children, or maybe you team up with another person to take out anyone else you see. Or maybe instead you see that there are toboggans and crazy carpets at the tops of some of these hills and you decide to take a ride with someone instead. There are snow angels and snowmen to make, too!

No matter what you decide to do, the moment you are hit with a snowball you just want to engage in light hearted fun and what some might call childish behaviour. You might be a little embarrassed later, but right now you're not concerned at all! And really, this is a great way to maybe make some new friends.

beautiful moonlight shine

Content Warnings: potential monster fights.

sing your life

Maybe you stay out having fun in the snow just a little too long, or maybe you've wandered to an entirely different part of Folkmore. However it happens, the sun has set and a brilliant sliver of moon has risen instead.

Folkmore is home to many Star Children, but it is also home to many spirits. As you move through the night, you realise that you can see some of these in your peripheral vision: pale, insubstantial things that inhabit the natural world. The idea might be creepy, but these spirits are all singing and the sound of it makes you feel safe. When you encounter another Star Child, you are happy to have them with you, happy to share this sense of comfort. You feel like you could walk forever under the new moon and have no harm ever befall you again.

...until it stops.

The sudden stillness falls like a blow, only to broken by the sound of an awful lot of snow hitting the ground - a loud thwump. When you turn to find he source of the noise, you will find one or more vaguely humanoid snow creatures ponderously headed your way!

You can fight them, of course. They are a little slow, but they are aggressive and have an annoying habit of reforming. You will notice that there are weapons hidden here and there - normal, unenchanted swords or guns or spears. You can find these and use them to smash the snow monsters apart until they stop trying to reform.

Or you may realise that these creatures only showed up when the other spirits stopped singing. What does that mean?

Weaponized karaoke!

When you sing, the monsters retreat. A duet will encourage them to do so even quicker. And when they are finally gone, you will find that they have left behind a sturdy wooden chest, inside of which is one item from home for each of you.

poetry in lights

In your travels at night, at some point you will find that you can see warm lights up ahead. Once you get close enough, you can see that the light comes from red lanterns hung everywhere. There are Star Children and even some spirits present, many of them moon gazing.

There is a kiosk set up, manned by black rabbits. If you have been injured in your fight with the snow monsters or some other way, they will patch you up with basic first aid at once.

The rabbits are also handing out sparklers. People are drawing shapes in the air with them, laughing and having a great time.

When a sparkler is put into your hand all you really want to do is trace words against the velvet night sky. What words? You are compelled to spell out something from the heart: it can be a deep hurt, or a secret hope. Something intensely personal that you may not otherwise share, now written in light visible to all.

Maybe you feel the urge to explain, or defend. Or maybe you want to ask someone else about their own words hanging there in the air like a neon sign.

What a way to get to know someone.

Comments

Xavier Thorpe | Wednesday | Familiar

[artmoves]

Beautiful Sunshine Ray

hot chocolate

{ He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he followed the fox, but this wasn't it. Was this...a fort...made of ice? He couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship, and he spends a few moments taking it all in before the hot chocolate bar catches his attention. A lowered brow and a look of utter confusion signaled he'd noticed the rabbits behind the bar and he approached cautiously. He'd seen a lot of weird stuff in his lifetime, but he'd never seen bunny baristas in a snow fort.

He approaches cautiously at first, still wondering exactly what he'd been expecting when he'd decided to come here, when one of the rabbits poured him a cup, on its hind legs and all, and chittered at him about an array of marshmallows. Feeling like a lost Disney prince, he chuckles slightly before choosing, blue just because he wondered if they were different flavors, and took the prepared hot chocolate from his leporine server. }

Uh...thanks.

{ It's probably not the best idea to drink the first thing handed to you by animal baristas in a weird new world, but he's sort of cold, and the steaming cup of hot chocolate is beyond inviting. He takes one tentative sip before a broad smile crosses his face because it was good.

So good, in fact, the usually quiet artist looks to the closest fellow Star Child, still smiling. }

Hey, you've got to try the hot chocolate. Seriously, it's probably the best I've ever had. Just trust me.

winter games

{ The euphoria from the hot chocolate hadn't worn off by the time Xavier decided to see what the rest of this place was, and might have even played a part in his decision to step outside. The snowball made contact with his chest while he was idly pondering whether or not he'll stumble upon more animals running shops. Normally, he'd look at the very least offended, but instead, he grins broadly, moving to take cover behind a snowdrift. He starts forming snowballs even as he looks over to whoever might be sharing his cover. }

They're asking for it. Are you in?

Beautiful Moonlight Shine

sing your life

{ Wandering at night was beautiful here. He's not the least bit weirded out by the singing of the spirits. There's a warmth and a comforting from their song that can't be put into words, but he's already thinking of how he could best put them to imagery, allowing oils and canvas to reinact a story he doesn't have words for. He's smiling up at the sliver of moon, lost in reverie and enjoying the quiet (or not so quiet) company of whoever's joined him.

Until silence falls like a sledgehammer.

And then the snow joins it with a loud crash. He jumps, he can't help it. }

What was that?

Wildcard

(Hit me up with any prompt you want! I'm on discord at vikael#0221 or plurk at vikael)

hot chocolate

[woenesday]

[ Wednesday can be spotted first off in the distance watching as people leave the snow fort. Her goal in sticking around, in watching, was simply to find people that she could use for spoons. There was a purchase she desperately needed and that purchase would require an inordinate amount of them. Much to her chagrin this meant conversing with people and those coming out of the snow fort seemed to be the perfect type for this activity. They were new, unfamiliar with this place, and seemed to be full of questions that made it relatively easy to start some sort of conversation.

Nothing had prepared her for this particular new arrival though. Her eyes widened as she watched him smile as he willingly drank the hot cholate. Of course he'd be stupid enough to trust it so easily. Her eyes narrowed as she watched to see if he'd just keep over from drinking it. Really, it'd have completely served him right if he had. ]

I'm unsurprised you'd be so quick to trust that. [ But no, she was not going to take a sip of hers just because he said 'trust him'. ] Why are you here? [ Had he somehow found out she'd come and followed her? No, that was impossible, unless the fox had somehow lied about them leaving a piece of themselves behind. ]

hot chocolate

[artmoves]

[Truth be told, Wednesday Addams was the last person he thought he'd seen in a place that this, though he's completely unsurprised she isn't holding a cup of hot chocolate, and is instead looking around at their surroundings paranoid.

She'd always been the one looking for answers where there weren't that many questions, and that didn't even describe this place. Still, he was feeling pretty good about his own decisions.]

Because I had a weird dream about a fox saying it might be a place to expand my art, and apparently it wasn't a dream. [He shrugged at her comment and had another drink of his hot chocolate.] And apparently, white rabbits are really good at making hot cocoa. You should try it. [Though a thought occurred to him then and he looked confused.] Why are you here?

[No, wait, he knows the answer to this question.]

You needed to know whether Thirteen was lying or not, didn't you?

[woenesday]

Your dreams are never just dreams are they? At least you were upfront about it this time. [ Okay, maybe she's the last person in the world that should be making a comment about that right now. But...she can't really help it. Not after everything that happened and not after arriving in this place.

Her eyebrows furrowed at his suggestion and she made a scoffing noise. ] Ah, yes, trust the cocoa given to us in a magical land by white rabbits. Have you never read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? [ Everything there was a thinly veiled reference to opium. Of course she was not going to try that. ]

I've been here for a month. [ Yes, that was exactly why she'd followed Thirteen and she was absolutely not going to give him the satisfaction of being right. ]

[artmoves]

That's true. [The part about his dreams never really being just dreams, not about his being...no. She's right about that, too.] I guess I better get to sketching, huh?

[Vaguely, he's aware of the fact that he should be at least a little more wigged out about this place, but in all honesty, it all seems like it's probably fine. That might be due to how crazy the last semester had been, or it might be something he'd eaten recently. He wasn't sure, and at the moment, he didn't really care all that much, either.]

Well, too late now, right? [He did finish his cup, though.] I feel fine, Wednesday. You worry too much.

[A little voice in the back of his mind was telling him he wasn't worrying enough, but it was easy to ignore.]

A month, huh? Then you must know all sorts secrets about this place.

[It only took her a week at Nevermore, after all.]

[woenesday]

Try not to bring it to life an injure yourself. [ If he was even capable of controlling it. She rolled her eyes ever so slightly. ]

I wasn't worried. [ Utterly ridiculous to think she was worried about him or anyone else besides herself. Completely and utterly ridiculous. It was actually almost offensive that he'd think that. But of course he would. He had a high enough opinion of himself to assume she'd be worried about him. (She might have been just a bit worried.)]

I've learned enough. This place is nothing but secrets though. [ Between the people, the places, and the events it seemed like a sea of them existed here. ]

[artmoves]

Hard to do that with a landscape, Wednesday.

[He's perfectly capable of controlling it most of the time, unless there's strong emotion tied to it, like painting a literally nightmare. Not his smartest move there.]

Of course. My mistake. [But in the semester he'd known her (and holy shit had it really only been a semester?), he'd come to realize Wednesday cared at least a bit more than she liked to let on, and it wasn't even to fulfill a goth girl vibe. It was just who she was. Did she care about being right a little bit more than the well-being of others...? Yeah. Yeah, she did, sometimes, but that was just the collateral damage of being Wednesday Addams' friend.]

Are they secrets you're willing to share with a newbie?

[woenesday]

You might find a way. Or find yourself painting something else with the false impression that it'd be impressive. [ It wasn't. Maybe a bit. No. Nope, not impressive. She didn't care. Let him paint whatever and do whatever while he was here. It wasn't her problem and she certainly wouldn't be concerned for his wellbeing. Or pleased to see someone from her own world. People just caused problems. ]

You're right, it is your mistake. [ At least he acknowledged it. Even though she got the distinct impression he was just saying that to placate her. ]

I thought we didn't share secrets with one another. [ We just hid them and then eventually made a mess out of everything because of it. She stared at him directly for a few seconds, eyes looking him over as if she was searching for something. ] What are you? Myth?

[artmoves]

So, now you're coming after my work, too? You're a tough customer, Wednesday Addams. [But if he were honest, it was one of the things he liked about her. Wednesday wasn't into things other girls were, she was a mystery and way more deep than any sort of water he'd ever thought of plumbing before.

He crossed his arms though he was still smiling.] And I thought we figured out that was a bad idea, not sharing I mean.

[But if she wanted to play that game, he could go along with it.] Wouldn't you like to know?

[woenesday]

I'm coming after your need to have others approve of you and find you as impressive as you think you are. [ Ironic coming from her but being a hypocrite was sort of the story of her life. It was certainly never going to change, certainly not in this weird place. ]

You certainly like the word we. [ She folded her own arms both mimicking his posture and challenging it with her own. ]

Not at all. Keep your secrets.

[artmoves]

[He scoffs at that.] That's rich coming from you.

[He could bring up all the ways she was currently being a hypocrite, but he didn't see the point right now.

It also just didn't seem worth it.]

Or...you could guess. [There's that smug, slightly teasing smirk of his.]

[woenesday]

[ She says nothing and just glares up at him with her arms still crossed. ]

I don't feel like playing games. Just tell me so we can get it over with.

[artmoves]

[He crosses his arms, too, tilting his head to the side slightly.]

Why's it so important for you to know?

[woenesday]

Why is it so important for you to not have me know? [ She narrows her gaze at him. ] Ah, right. Because you prefer your secrets.

[artmoves]

[He breathed a sigh at that, letting his arms fall. He didn't want to start off on this road with Wednesday again. He wanted things to be better this time.]

Thirteen said I'm a familiar. Is that better?

[woenesday]

[ She blinked and then smirked. ]

A familiar and not a myth? I guess it is more fitting.

[artmoves]

[He tilts his head to the side, smirking in kind, though he can't help but look a little confused.]

More fitting? What does that mean?

[woenesday]

[ And now it's her turn to smirk slightly satisfied with herself. ] Wouldn't you like to know? [ Now he could eat his own words. ]

[artmoves]

[He scoffed at that, shaking his head.]

It's good to know you haven't changed.

[woenesday]

[ She blinks and then takes that entirely too literally. ] I've only been here around a month or so. [ Clearly not enough time to change. ]

[artmoves]

[He chuckles at that, ducking his head for a moment.]

Not enough time to change, got it.

Sing For Your Life

[losttothesandsoftime]

[Sheik, too, knows how to enjoy a good melody. He hadn't been resting too far from Xavier when the music stopped, and the thwumps sounded in the snow. Something feels wrong with that music gone, and Sheik's quick to get on his feet, preferably to run, when he hears Xavier ask what that was.

There's another person. Shoot, Sheik's no hero. His job back home was to play messenger and be a Princess on a pedestal (okay, he really hated that last part). But he knows he can't just leave someone here.

Keeping an eye on the snow that fell nearby, he cautiously makes his way to Xavier.]

It was a bunch of snow hitting the ground at once.

[Which was... wild. Where did it all come from? That dread is nestling itself well into his stomach.]

But... I wouldn't let your guard down.

[artmoves]

[The teen nearly jumped out of his skin when the other guy approached.]

Shit! I didn't even see you there.

[And in retrospect, he probably should have been paying more attention to his surroundings. Now that he was though, were those...weapons stuck in the ground? In confusion, he looked back to Sheik.]

Yeah, I'll get on that. [Nearby, there was a bow, no lie an actual bow shoved in the snow, already strung and everything, and a full quiver of arrows.] Ominous. Were...these weapons here before?

winter games

[visifrida]

[ honestly this... girl? young woman? is just like. lying on the ground in the snow behind the snowdrift, completely unbothered by all the snow flying everywhere around her. she sounds vaguely distracted as she talks. ]

Hm... is this the kind of... thing where I should, I... wonder.

I'm not... very good at moderation, you... see.

winter games

[artmoves]

O...kay... [He looked over to the girl as he continued to pack snowballs.] No one's making you join in, I just figured there's strength in numbers.

[He paused for a moment.]

Moderation?