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Entry tags:
February 2023 Test Drive Meme
FEBRUARY 2023 TDM
INTRODUCTION
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.
Content Warnings: extreme weather
the time is near
in from the snow
the time is near
The earth is awakening.
You are aware of this fact before consciousness truly returns. One minute you were a falling star but as your body reforms you can sense the freshness of spring just around the corner. In your minds eye you can see circling birds in the sky, feel the first warm breeze of the season, and hear icicles melting into crystal puddles.
But something isn't right.
The moment you are truly awake you find yourself in what could generously be described as a shack built in the snowy wasteland of Wintermute. You and another Star Child are at least being kept warm by an electric heater, but there really isn't much in the way of amenities otherwise. More disturbingly, the entire shack has a deeply oppressive aura to it, encouraging the pair of you to leave as soon as you can.
But where can you possibly go?
Stepping outside reveals the answer, as parked not far from the shed is a dogsled, complete with warm winter gear to protect you from the cold.
The dogs themselves are the real marvels; not flesh and blood, the sled dogs are in fact automatons. The winter sun reflects off of their silver and copper bodies and the steady tick of their inner workings breaks the chilly silence. Each dog has a key sticking out of its back, turning slowly.
The oppressive sense you felt in the shack continues to grow. Your thoughts begin to turn negative: sad, paranoid, fearful. It is quite unbearable... until your eye falls on a delicate splash of purple against the snow.
Close to the dogsled, a single crocus pokes out of the ground.
The very sight of it calms you down. Picking it will make you feel happy, and you will find yourself blurting out the first pleasant memory that comes to mind.
The robodogs bark, delighted, encouraging you to climb aboard the sled and look for more of those flowers!
Every crocus you collect will make you feel positive emotions and the urge to share good personal moments with your companion. The more you find, the happier you will be... and you might get quite close to a total stranger as a result as well!
in from the snow
While you are out and about, you'll want to keep an eye on your team of dogs - they can and will lose power after a point. Your job as a good dog driver is to keep them wound up! Yes, you'll have to stop and physically wind the dogs back up when they lose steam.
You are likely to discover weapons jutting up from the snow. These are all unenchanted items, basic swords, guns, shields, etc., but the second you pull them from the snow the weather will take a turn for the worse. You may even be subject to a sudden avalanche! Hopefully you got the dogs wound up enough that they can get you out of there without any damage!
Eventually the dogs will choose to take you to Akhlut Station in Wintermute where you can catch the train somewhere a little warmer.
Content Warnings: Fungus, spores, live burial, mental confusion and hallucinations.
putting roots in my dreamland
coast is clear
putting roots in my dreamland
Willow is definitely warmer than Wintermute. The tail end of winter means that while much of the farmland is still blanketed in snow, the more wooded areas have large clear patches beneath the conifers. The ground here is damp and rich smelling. Poking out of the soil are tiny white mushrooms. These fungi glisten wetly, strangely compelling in their little rings of earth. You just want to take a closer look... maybe have a seat under the conifers and listen to the snow melt...
The mushrooms enchant anyone who gets close to them into simply staying put. They cloud the mind, leaving you in a dimly pleasant haze, while your body sinks slowly into the earth. The longer you stay, the more you sink - maybe a passerby can come and pull you out! If you don't wind up suffocated by dirt you will find that your head clears on its own once night falls. You will probably still need a hand pulling yourself out of the ground, but at least now you know what's going on.
The woods at night are not still - there are mice and owls and the usual nocturnal critters. There is also something else, something that moves slowly beneath the trees checking the mushroom traps. About eight feet tall, this lanky creature resembles a human skeleton held together by muscles and tendons of moss and fungus. Its head is a huge mushroom cap, underneath from which glitter a pair of bright blue eyes. If it finds any unfortunates stuck in the traps without anyone to help them, it will push their heads beneath the soil and hold them there until they die.
The sight of this creature inspires feelings of disorientation and hopelessness. These feelings are lessened when you are in close physical proximity with another Star Child, so it is to your advantage to stick together. The mushroom creature's objective remains the same: to feed the living earth with your body.
The creature is not particularly tough - its flesh is soft and gives way easily. You can defeat it easily with weapons or even your fists provided you can get close enough without succumbing to the disorientation and hopeless feelings. Oh, and you may not want to hit it on the head...
The mushroom cap, when struck, showers spores everywhere. These spores burn if they land on your skin, and if they get in your eyes they cause vivid hallucinations of ghostly figures reaching for you, trying to immobilize you. These hallucinations are so real that it is likely you will act as if they are real, standing still as if you are restrained.
If you defeat the mushroom creature, it will dissolve into the ground and leave in its place a wooden chest. Inside each of you will find some canon clothes and/or an item from your homeworlds.
coast is clear
Not far from the forest treeline, a bonfire burns merrily in the center of a circle of light green tents. The tents are kept warm by portable heaters, with some containing food and drink, and others offering small packs of seeds as gifts. These seeds are for common earth flowers and vegetables. One of the tents provides first aid supplies, in case you got roughed up fighting a giant mushroom or something.
The tents are staffed by squirrels and chipmunks. Just plain old ordinary squirrels and chipmunks. They don't speak - only chitter and occasionally screech - but they will help as best as their tiny paws allow.
This is a good time to recover, and also to talk to any other Star Children you may see.
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She steps over the mushroom to give another good chop. The best defense is a good offense - that's her fighting style.
jeanne d'attacc]If you cannot fight boldly, fall back - I shall defend you!
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Turning around and straight up running away until she's put enough distance between her and the shroom to hide behind a tree, scrambling to cling to it. ]
...go. Fight. Win. Ra ra ra.
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[ The creature tries to stagger to its feet, but Jeanne knocks it over again. She aims her axe at what would pass for its throat, if it had a throat. ]
Surrender to the Maid, and leave with your life. Persist and -
[ The mushroom coughs spores and hopeless despair feelings at her. Jeanne grips her axe and powers through, but there might be some collateral emotional damage....
Ryo there is a wave of What It Feels Like To Be Bocchi headed your way. ]
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Sure, getting blasted by mushroom spores should be avoided anyways but y'know. Ryo.
So she gets a faceful and staggers back, swiping at her face before a hand reaches out- ]
Nope nope nope noooo way.
[ Which leads to her flailing wildly around her - if the monster wasn't already down, she'd be easy prey. ]
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Oh, no -
[ Gritting her teeth through the burning sensation as the spores hit her skin, Jeanne swings the axe a final time!
The creature goes down, also a final time, and dissolves, leaving a wooden chest in its wake. Jeanne spares half a moment to exhale, then runs to Ryo's side. What is this person doing...? ]
It's over! You're safe!
[ She is covered in little burn welts, but you are safe. SUCCESS. ]
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Killing the mushroom seems to be weakening the hallucinations, but her chest is still heaving with terror. Ghosts don't normally bother her in the slightest.
That is, ghosts that aren't real, back home, where she's more scared of driving lessons than monsters. Here... ]
What... the hell...
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But the person she saved is still hurting. Kneeling, Jeanne - Jeannette - reaches for Ryo's hand, tries to clasp it gently within hers and return Ryo to the moment. ]
La.....la li la.....~
[ Can you hear her? It's a soothing, gentle song. ]
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When a hand reaches for her, and anchors her. This hand is real and warm and gentle. It's a person's hand. The woman who protected her.
Her heart rate steadies, as she clings to the offered hand and the gentle singing starts to wash over her. ]
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[ Jeannette smiles, heartened, as Ryo begins to calm down - she was able to be of assistance! Her fingers squeeze lightly, hoping to ground the other girl even more. The horror is over, it's going to be all right. They're safe.
When she finishes the strains of her improvised melody, she makes sure: ]
Are you well now?
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...yeah.
[ She's fine? She's fine. There's a powerful, gentle woman to protect her. Nice. ]
That was... really strange.
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[ And now she does pause to say a little prayer, just in case, because even mushroom creatures don't deserve to die without receiving Confession. ]
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[ Ryo could learn magic. ...could.
The prayer is a little surprising, if only because it's being offered for an RPG encounter, but there are always people like that. ]
Wonder what being here does for anyone's souls...
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[ Which is quite perplexing, given the wings-and-a-halo she's obtained. She has heard tell those are marks of angels!
She has never heard tell, however, of creatures who dropped chests upon their defeat. It hadn't interested her much, except it - suddenly swings open!
Ryo. What do you most wish (that can fit inside a treasure chest) you had with you from home? Right this moment??
Ta-da. ]
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[ And this lady thought she, what, died? Leaving it in the hands of her god... it sounds like a very Christian God she's talking about here which Ryo doesn't know too much about.
Ryo's finally up and steady, regardless, and she got her bass, blessedly, when she went through her own Test Drive Meme, so what's next? What's most crucially important to her?
...her
ApplePear all-in-one of course. If it's really hers it'll be loaded with downloaded music and artistic software, although she eyes it warily given the environment. ]This thing better turn on when I get home.
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Why, this - can it be -
[ She draws a sword, decorated with crosses. It makes that cool anime ZINNNNGGGG sword-drawing sound effect and everything, and her eyes brighten. ]
My sword! What a miracle!
[ Holding it makes not only her halo, but her wings glow, too. It's probably nothing. Just emanating incredible holy power over here NBD. ]
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[ Ryo's seen a few actual weapons here, so she's not as stunned as she might be, but a magical sword is a lot cooler than a PC.
On the other hand she's a godless heathen, and gay, so should she look straight at it? Is she going to burst into flames? ]
My PC is miraculous too.
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Jeannette's joy over her sword, great though it may be, is immediately surpassed by the chance to hear that someone else has received good fortune. She sheathes her sword, which thankfully dims the light show (does Kessoku Band need vfx?), and looks over in interest. She has NO IDEA what that object is, but she is so happy Ryo is happy! ]
Is it? What is a Pii Cie?
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[ Kessoku Band already has Kita - her shining extrovert aura is bright enough. If she had a magical sword they really would burn to ash. ]
You're from the past... before we taught rocks to do math.
[ Judging by her whole everything, from looong in the past too. ]
The devices they hand out here are probably an easier way to learn.
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[ Jeannette pulls hers out. She's kept it nice and safe, see? Though it's clearly never been used.
I know it's highly unlikely that jamjar communicators come with one of those clingy transparent screen protectors over them but I'm imagining that and it's sending me.]But that does not tell me what they do....
[ She's holding it upside down. ]
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[ She sets her computer back in the chest it should be fine there - and retrieves her own communicator. She has, of course, already taken off the protective cover and used it. ]
You can use it to talk to people who are far away instantly. A lot more than that too, but can I show you the basic stuff?
[ Ryo's feeling charitable after Jeannette saved her from a monster. ]
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[ She sidles closer, intent upon making the most of the lesson her new acquaintance is being so kind as to teach her. ]
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[ She flips through options for that. ]
You can write with it, have it send your voice, or your voice and your image. Then everyone else who has one can see it on their own screen like you're right there.
gives in and stuffs every tag with joan of arc trivia
So you need not trouble a herald when you wish a missive read? That is a miracle.
[ Her heralds kept getting captured and held in defiance of the rules of chivalric conduct. She suspected it was because her opponents did not respect her, and it made her feel terrible.
Didn't stop her from sending letters, for the English deserved due warning....but if she can send news to others, and receive it, with greater speed and less risk, how marvelous that will be! ]
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[ ...some of them don't use it much though. ]
It has its upsides and downsides but it's hard to go without it.
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[ ......Hm. If....if most people....have one....could she....possibly...??
Pressing buttons now, but not at random - she's thinking about each, and noting what happens. Okay...and....very well. So then... ]
How do I address someone specific?
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