![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
March 2023 Test Drive Meme
March 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: mild body horror
One minute you were a falling star but as your body reforms you become aware of several things: the breeze that caresses your skin is not quite chill, and smells of fresh rain and flowers, while whatever you are laying on is both soft but also a little pointy. Once you've come fully to your senses you will discover that you are laying inside of a giant nest. Around you are eggs at least as tall as you if not larger, and another Star Child like yourself. The nest is, surprisingly, not in a tree but rather on the ground. Looking around will reveal there are a few such nests, some of which have giant white fluffy bunnies sitting on the eggs like hens. Some of them cluck in low, ominous tones.
Okay then.
There are broken eggshells on the floor of the nest of course, but these are rather unusual in that the insides are coated with gold. Look closer at the giant eggs and you will see that they have a faint light glowing inside. You can just barely make out something that sure doesn't look organic.
Well, well. Something valuable might just be in there!
make an omelette
You can use one of the bigger branches making up the nest, any powers you might have, or one of the funky new traits you might have been gifted. Maybe you can just use ol' Fisty and Punchy there on the ends of your arms. However you choose to do it, you can bust that egg wide open to claim your prize!
But what spills from the egg is a beautiful, shining version of yourself. Radiant. Angelic. Perfect.
And then your lookalike belches and mutates before your very eyes into a gooey, gelatinous horror. (You ever see Akira?) At its center is another egg, this one small and golden.
This creature wastes no time at all in attacking you and whoever else has the misfortune to be in the nest with you whether they helped you break the egg or not. Good luck fighting it off! Lucky for you if you look outside of the next you will find regular weapons scattered about - non-enchanted guns, knives, shields and the like.
Due to its gooshy and malleable form, the creature is extremely hard to damage, but the little gold egg is of course the key: smash that, and the creature will melt away. It leaves a sticky, foul smelling residue but also a golden chest. Inside, each of you will find some canon clothes and/or an item from your homeworlds. (This may include a canonical weapon.)
hope springs eternal
Perhaps you're not the destructive type. (Or maybe you've consumed enough media to know that bashing into things for treasure rarely ends well.) In that case, you are free to crawl out of the nest and try to find your way somewhere a little less weird.
Luckily there's a path that winds its way through tangled underbrush that sparkles with the condensation of spring mornings. The path leads you over shallow hills and into a field of wildflowers, all nodding in the breeze. You can see that the path leads on towards civilization but right in the center of the field and the path is a huge tree. It has many straight, evenly placed branches, which makes it perfect for climbing. In fact, it seems to beg to be climbed. There's definitely enough room for two to be able to do so.
The tree is crowned with another nest. This one is not so large as the ones you escaped - it could belong to a heron, or an osprey. Inside are several blue speckled eggs, about the size of a baseball.
Once you're at the top of the tree, you can see so much of the great realm of Folkmore. The air is clean and clear, and as you look out at this place you are filled with a bubbling sense of all that is possible with a fresh start.
You're so overcome with this feeling, as a matter of fact, that you feel compelled to share something you hope for with your companion. They just feel like someone you can trust with this right now.
A sharing of hopes and dreams has an unusual effect: it causes the eggs in the nest to hatch. They split open quite undramatically, and inside are flower bulbs, and some small sentimental object from home. Once planted and grown, these flowers will emit an aura of optimism; being near them will inspire you with hope. (The object from your homeworld may not be a weapon in this case.)
One minute you were a falling star but as your body reforms you become aware of several things: the breeze that caresses your skin is not quite chill, and smells of fresh rain and flowers, while whatever you are laying on is both soft but also a little pointy. Once you've come fully to your senses you will discover that you are laying inside of a giant nest. Around you are eggs at least as tall as you if not larger, and another Star Child like yourself. The nest is, surprisingly, not in a tree but rather on the ground. Looking around will reveal there are a few such nests, some of which have giant white fluffy bunnies sitting on the eggs like hens. Some of them cluck in low, ominous tones.
Okay then.
There are broken eggshells on the floor of the nest of course, but these are rather unusual in that the insides are coated with gold. Look closer at the giant eggs and you will see that they have a faint light glowing inside. You can just barely make out something that sure doesn't look organic.
Well, well. Something valuable might just be in there!
make an omelette
You can use one of the bigger branches making up the nest, any powers you might have, or one of the funky new traits you might have been gifted. Maybe you can just use ol' Fisty and Punchy there on the ends of your arms. However you choose to do it, you can bust that egg wide open to claim your prize!
But what spills from the egg is a beautiful, shining version of yourself. Radiant. Angelic. Perfect.
And then your lookalike belches and mutates before your very eyes into a gooey, gelatinous horror. (You ever see Akira?) At its center is another egg, this one small and golden.
This creature wastes no time at all in attacking you and whoever else has the misfortune to be in the nest with you whether they helped you break the egg or not. Good luck fighting it off! Lucky for you if you look outside of the next you will find regular weapons scattered about - non-enchanted guns, knives, shields and the like.
Due to its gooshy and malleable form, the creature is extremely hard to damage, but the little gold egg is of course the key: smash that, and the creature will melt away. It leaves a sticky, foul smelling residue but also a golden chest. Inside, each of you will find some canon clothes and/or an item from your homeworlds. (This may include a canonical weapon.)
hope springs eternal
Perhaps you're not the destructive type. (Or maybe you've consumed enough media to know that bashing into things for treasure rarely ends well.) In that case, you are free to crawl out of the nest and try to find your way somewhere a little less weird.
Luckily there's a path that winds its way through tangled underbrush that sparkles with the condensation of spring mornings. The path leads you over shallow hills and into a field of wildflowers, all nodding in the breeze. You can see that the path leads on towards civilization but right in the center of the field and the path is a huge tree. It has many straight, evenly placed branches, which makes it perfect for climbing. In fact, it seems to beg to be climbed. There's definitely enough room for two to be able to do so.
The tree is crowned with another nest. This one is not so large as the ones you escaped - it could belong to a heron, or an osprey. Inside are several blue speckled eggs, about the size of a baseball.
Once you're at the top of the tree, you can see so much of the great realm of Folkmore. The air is clean and clear, and as you look out at this place you are filled with a bubbling sense of all that is possible with a fresh start.
You're so overcome with this feeling, as a matter of fact, that you feel compelled to share something you hope for with your companion. They just feel like someone you can trust with this right now.
A sharing of hopes and dreams has an unusual effect: it causes the eggs in the nest to hatch. They split open quite undramatically, and inside are flower bulbs, and some small sentimental object from home. Once planted and grown, these flowers will emit an aura of optimism; being near them will inspire you with hope. (The object from your homeworld may not be a weapon in this case.)
You've found yourself in any one of the neighbourhoods of Folkmore at dusk. The weather is pleasant and perfect for walking, so naturally that makes this a great time to explore wherever you've wound up.
While taking your little stroll, you suddenly hear a noise: a soft waow. Or maybe instead you see two wide eyes staring at you from the shadows. Stopping and waiting a moment will reward you with the appearance of a cat.
Well, sort of.
It's at least partly a cat. The other part seems to be something else. A slug, or an owl, or a moth perhaps. Any other critter that is approximately cat-sized or smaller. This hybrid cat is extremely friendly, twining around your ankles and making cute noises.
Then it runs away. But not too far. And makes its little noises at you again.
Look, genius, it wants you to follow it.
Your cat hybrid will lead you unerringly to another hybrid cat, who is also being followed by a Star Child. Yes, these little creatures are forcing you into a meet-cute. Heavy emphasis on the cute.
Chatting with this stranger will result in happy cats. Try to ditch the person you've just met and the cats will yowl and hiss at you. You can of course ignore them and storm off like the antisocial gremlin you are, but is it really worth the racket? Maybe it's better to just hang out for a little while.
This is also a good time to familiarise yourself with your surroundings. Depending on where you are, there may be businesses that are still open, places to find food and drinks, or just natural landmarks worth looking at. You and your new companion may not be from worlds remotely similar to Folkmore after all, and it all may be a little overwhelming.
You will at least make a friend regardless if you go the sociable route - you can adopt your cat hybrid. But you have to feed it and clean up after it!
no subject
He looks up, scans Ko once over, and grimaces. Enough for the cat creature to settle.]
Well. This is just great.
[ He can't even make some comment about Ko tailing him all the way here like usual. Seems like it's the other way around, this time. ]
I bet you've got everyone in Fukuoka following right behind you. How long until that single-file line rolls in?
no subject
( October. It's been since October.
It's not like he missed Raiga terribly, all their strange tension. He's not sure how to approach that, the single file line mentioned. At least for a moment.
It's just different now.
His wings ruffle and settle against his back. )
There aren't any Alivers here, Raiga. There's no one to sing awake or convert.
( No dictator, long gone but still present in their world. Which was a struggle at first. To be somewhere else, not seeing his burden and duty so clearly anymore, was to be blinded and left out at sea. )
So there's no worship or lines for blessings. I'm sure you'll be able to breathe easier knowing that, if you're here to stay.
( He has to wonder what role he's been assigned. Ko doesn't doubt Raiga would be able to do as Thirteen sees fit for him, to find his true potential. They may clash every time they meet, but he knows that much about him. Ambition and drive above all else. )
no subject
No Alivers, so no Zendead either? He tucks that thought away for later.
The first name basis has him click his tongue, but that can wait. There's a bigger, more feathery problem right in front of him. He stands, largely so that he doesn't have to suffer Ko looking down at him any further. ]
No worship, no blessings, says the guy who looks like every church's dream. You've even got the stupid halo.
[ He knows full well that the new additions aren't a choice, that they happen due to roles or whatever that thing was talking about, but still. The audacity is too much. ]
no subject
( The halo is a bit much, isn't it.
But no ... He might have made some acquaintances and friends from other worlds here, but the fact remains that he's no longer a man-made God, no longer someone thrust into the atrocious and stifling secrecy he and deva had been.
At least in part. He might not have to keep those secrets locked up tight with himself and Atsuhide, but it's one thing to simply omit his biggest sin, and another thing to go around telling of it to people, even people who are unattached from their world.
He's not quite there yet. )
And this can all change in an instant, anyway. I trust you haven't been here long, but Folkmore isn't what you're used to in any regard.
no subject
[ Doesn't matter to him if Ko thinks it's unfair or not. ]
It still looks like business as usual for you. I guess it'd be grosser if you looked like you came up outta hell. Funnier, though.
[ He huffs out a sigh. Maybe the place is different, the rules of the world unusual, but Ko... Yeah, definitely business as usual. ]
So what, are you gearing up to give me a lecture on what's different? Want me to call you Teach?
[ Raiga knows he's being a pain in the ass. He actually is a little curious to hear whatever he wants to say, but Ko doesn't need to know. ]
no subject
He remembers something from his first month here: a little note, addressing Reiji. It told him to set down his guilt. Just as he's struggled with that, he's struggling with the hard realization that there's more to work on. Always more.
And that includes Raiga and all their issues. )
That might be one of the kinder things you could call me, given your feelings on how I do things.
( Hi gaze flicks up to a space over Raiga's shoulder for a brief moment. The Willow lake is a ways off in that direction, recently having been overrun with a strange and violent entity. )
In the middle of the month or so ... Every month, without fail, you'll be tested. Sometimes it's violent. Sometimes it's like this: strange creatures herding you to another person to share something together before they let you part ways.
( He puts on a grin despite himself. )
I don't want to lecture you about the Star Child experience any more than you want to hear it, but ... I would hate to see you caught off guard by things like dragon kidnappings and bizarre bird murmurations.
no subject
He glances at the cat creature with Ko. They sure got him this time, but they don't really seem like they're forcing either of them to be here. ]
Huh.
[ Dragon kidnappings. That makes this whole thing seem ridiculous, like a kid's dream or a video game. Is that example from lived experience? ]
Alright then. If you'd hate it so much, then tell me what shit you've gotten yourself into, Bitchking.
[ Shouldn't have said the first nickname was kind. ]
no subject
Mm, well ... A lot of these trials and happenings are based in bettering yourself and connecting with others, you see. I can imagine you'll have a terrible time with that.
( Some of it has been tame. He remembers dancing with the Lord of The Harvest and its gourd people. And then he remembers fleeing from a dullahan on a horse that same night. Twisting his ankle, a great slash across his back.
The party that followed a few days later, the people he met, the ... Tighnari situation ...
It really must sound bizarre. )
Winter might've been the roughest, but that's hard to gauge. Quite a few people were suffering hypothermia and sensory loss from, ah ... Being shut ins, or not as social as others.
( Deki Hakushima, if you're out there: good luck.
There are other things that happened, of course, but Ko isn't going to tell him about them. No, he could barely get the words out to Flynn when the note about Reiji came, and those words weren't even really divulging his secrets. He can't tell him about the fires, the strange flashbacks brought about by the murmurations. The blizzards.
He rubs at the bite mark on his wrist. Atsuhide must be close. )
So ... Stay warm, I suppose.
no subject
[ Has he gotten worse somehow? Raiga only half-listens as he watches Ko carefully. The cold sucks, yeah yeah, he gets it. Do little chit-chats so you don't freeze your ass off. ]
What's with that?
[ He gestures briefly at Ko's wrist. Surely whatever's wrong with him is juicier than talking about the weather. ]
1/2.
( He's keeping it vague; if he tells Raiga about the specifics of their ritual for Atsuhide's birthday, he'll have a field day with it. They bit each other and have matching marks, it's fine.
He turns, looks the opposite direction. Sure enough ... )
2/2.
Atsuhide draws closer, a few shopping bags in hand. His own Familiar additions are the tall, perked up black dog ears. There's a tail, too. He has to fight to keep it from wagging. His own bite mark is along his left wrist, but only a glint is visible. ]
... Hey. When did you get here? Is anyone else with you? I saw Deki just a few minutes ago.