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Entry tags:
April 2023 Test Drive Meme
April 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: hallucinations, poison, giant worm
One minute you were a falling star, but as your body reforms you become aware of one important detail: it's friggin hot.
That's because you've landed in a desert! Yes, you have had the misfortune of landing in Cruel Summer, the hottest and arguably most dangerous part of Folkmore. Lucky you!
The first bit of good news is that you're pretty sure you can see a train station off in the distance, although it's extremely difficult to judge exactly how far off due to the flatness of the terrain. The second bit of good news is that you have awoken with either a canteen of water, or an umbrella to keep the sun off. The third bit of news - good or bad, depending - is that you've awoken near another Star Child. Whoever this is will have the opposite gift than what you received; if you have water, they have an umbrella, and if you have an umbrella they have water. Well, you know what they say: sharing is caring! Undeniably the water is a touch more important, so hopefully whoever has it isn't a colossal dick.
As you trek through the desert towards the distant structure, you will notice periodically the air off to either side of you will shimmer. You may dismiss it as merely the heat playing tricks, but if you choose to investigate you will find mundane weapons like swords, guns, shields, etc.
At some point as you walk, you will feel a tremor beneath your feet. It grows in intensity until suddenly the sand sprays everywhere as something bursts forth from the earth below!
Wavering above you is a blood red worm. It is large - end to end it runs about thirteen feet - and its segmented hide is tough enough that rocks bounce right off of it. You might have more luck with bullets or bladed edges, but it's still going to be a tough fight. It also boasts some impressive offensive tricks; its mouth is ringed with many rows of fangs, and itspits a thick yellow acid that will corrode your skin and your weapons if you're not careful. If that wasn't enough, during your fight you might here a sudden brrrrrrrrrapppp! as the creature farts lightning at you. Hilarious... until it knocks you to the ground.
You would do well to work as a team to take this monster down. You and your partner might have powers or skills that could come in handy, or maybe you're quick on the uptake when it comes to any new abilities afforded you by your new role!
If you defeat the worm in battle, a golden chest will appear. Inside of it are items from your homeworlds - these rewards are especially likely to be any weapons you owned back home.
But hey, maybe you're a lover, not a fighter. There's no judgement here in Folkmore. You can outrun the worm instead if you're both fast and clever - finding any terrain that is more rock than sand will give you a decided advantage.
Once you have either defeated or escaped the worm, you will find that you come upon a small group of tents. Under their shade are first aid supplies, and kiosks manned by fennec foxes offering water, food, and shaved ice. Nice!
One minute you were a falling star, but as your body reforms you become aware of one important detail: it's friggin hot.
That's because you've landed in a desert! Yes, you have had the misfortune of landing in Cruel Summer, the hottest and arguably most dangerous part of Folkmore. Lucky you!
The first bit of good news is that you're pretty sure you can see a train station off in the distance, although it's extremely difficult to judge exactly how far off due to the flatness of the terrain. The second bit of good news is that you have awoken with either a canteen of water, or an umbrella to keep the sun off. The third bit of news - good or bad, depending - is that you've awoken near another Star Child. Whoever this is will have the opposite gift than what you received; if you have water, they have an umbrella, and if you have an umbrella they have water. Well, you know what they say: sharing is caring! Undeniably the water is a touch more important, so hopefully whoever has it isn't a colossal dick.
As you trek through the desert towards the distant structure, you will notice periodically the air off to either side of you will shimmer. You may dismiss it as merely the heat playing tricks, but if you choose to investigate you will find mundane weapons like swords, guns, shields, etc.
At some point as you walk, you will feel a tremor beneath your feet. It grows in intensity until suddenly the sand sprays everywhere as something bursts forth from the earth below!
Wavering above you is a blood red worm. It is large - end to end it runs about thirteen feet - and its segmented hide is tough enough that rocks bounce right off of it. You might have more luck with bullets or bladed edges, but it's still going to be a tough fight. It also boasts some impressive offensive tricks; its mouth is ringed with many rows of fangs, and itspits a thick yellow acid that will corrode your skin and your weapons if you're not careful. If that wasn't enough, during your fight you might here a sudden brrrrrrrrrapppp! as the creature farts lightning at you. Hilarious... until it knocks you to the ground.
You would do well to work as a team to take this monster down. You and your partner might have powers or skills that could come in handy, or maybe you're quick on the uptake when it comes to any new abilities afforded you by your new role!
If you defeat the worm in battle, a golden chest will appear. Inside of it are items from your homeworlds - these rewards are especially likely to be any weapons you owned back home.
But hey, maybe you're a lover, not a fighter. There's no judgement here in Folkmore. You can outrun the worm instead if you're both fast and clever - finding any terrain that is more rock than sand will give you a decided advantage.
Once you have either defeated or escaped the worm, you will find that you come upon a small group of tents. Under their shade are first aid supplies, and kiosks manned by fennec foxes offering water, food, and shaved ice. Nice!
Content Warnings: emotional trauma, impalement
Giant death worms aren't the only danger in the desert, they're just the most obvious.
Even if you avoided the worms entirely, you still have to make it to one of the train stations in Cruel Summer. As you trek across the dunes you will gradually become aware that over the sound of wind and shifting sand you can hear someone singing. You feel an urge to follow the sound to its source.
This song could be anything - one that exists in your world or others, or just a melody spun in the air for the first time. Whatever it is, it is heart rending; tears may spring your eyes as you follow the sound, precious moisture falling to the thirsty desert ground.
The singing is coming from a cactus. It is taller than most humanoid creatures, tinted purple and pink at the tips, with abnormally long spines. Its song reminds you sharply of some deep loss from your past, and at the same time inspires a terrible compulsion to go to the cactus and sink against it.
And what a relief it is, to embrace that melody and feel the spines slide easily through your flesh to pierce your heart. You do not bleed. By some strange alchemy, your heartache drains from your body as liquid, filling the cactus and causing its flowers to bloom and its song to cease.
You could very well stay pinned there, dying a slow death of desiccation, but lucky for you Star Children are all over the place this time of the month and someone is bound to see that you need help.
Trying to pry someone off of the cactus is impossible. The key lies in the flowers - they must be removed. When they are, sweet liquid will spray from the place where it had grown, dousing the rescuing Star Child. With this impromptu shower comes psychic flashes of the painful memory that has trapped the victim.
Once all of the blooming flowers have been removed, the cactus will retract its spines and release its prisoner. There will be no physical wounds left from this encounter.
You will also discover nearby that there is now a golden chest. Inside of it are items from your homeworlds, although none of these items are weapons.
Thankfully, you should be able to reach either Oozlum or Obambo Station without further incident. At either of these you will be able to get some water and supplies, as well as get the hell out of Cruel Summer.
Giant death worms aren't the only danger in the desert, they're just the most obvious.
Even if you avoided the worms entirely, you still have to make it to one of the train stations in Cruel Summer. As you trek across the dunes you will gradually become aware that over the sound of wind and shifting sand you can hear someone singing. You feel an urge to follow the sound to its source.
This song could be anything - one that exists in your world or others, or just a melody spun in the air for the first time. Whatever it is, it is heart rending; tears may spring your eyes as you follow the sound, precious moisture falling to the thirsty desert ground.
The singing is coming from a cactus. It is taller than most humanoid creatures, tinted purple and pink at the tips, with abnormally long spines. Its song reminds you sharply of some deep loss from your past, and at the same time inspires a terrible compulsion to go to the cactus and sink against it.
And what a relief it is, to embrace that melody and feel the spines slide easily through your flesh to pierce your heart. You do not bleed. By some strange alchemy, your heartache drains from your body as liquid, filling the cactus and causing its flowers to bloom and its song to cease.
You could very well stay pinned there, dying a slow death of desiccation, but lucky for you Star Children are all over the place this time of the month and someone is bound to see that you need help.
Trying to pry someone off of the cactus is impossible. The key lies in the flowers - they must be removed. When they are, sweet liquid will spray from the place where it had grown, dousing the rescuing Star Child. With this impromptu shower comes psychic flashes of the painful memory that has trapped the victim.
Once all of the blooming flowers have been removed, the cactus will retract its spines and release its prisoner. There will be no physical wounds left from this encounter.
You will also discover nearby that there is now a golden chest. Inside of it are items from your homeworlds, although none of these items are weapons.
Thankfully, you should be able to reach either Oozlum or Obambo Station without further incident. At either of these you will be able to get some water and supplies, as well as get the hell out of Cruel Summer.
no subject
As for what this? ( she shrugged, voice still as gentle as she could manage. ) A Trial perhaps or a welcoming gift. ( They went hand in hand sometimes. Despite her tendency to lose track of time she did recognize that it was that time of the month when new arrivals seemed to trickle in. Some months they were met with playful mice offering hot cocoa, others eggs that hatched with attacking birds or wistful tree climbing adventures, and sometimes people were exceptionally unlucky and got singing cactus. ) We need to get you free. ( Though the idea of simply pulling him off it seemed a bit too much of a risk for her to take. He might not be bleeding now but that hardly meant it was worth pushing that. ) Perhaps I could cut you free somehow...( Not that it looked as though she had any weapons on her at the moment. )
no subject
( it's slurred, and bucky tries to shape his head to force away some of the static. instead, he tests the spine that's pierced into his jaw and grunts resentfully in pain.
he would have quite liked the mice with the hot cocoa. )
How? ( it's easier to say than the rest of what he tries to think. whenever thoughts try to pry him free from the emotional entrapment, another wave of self-loathing seems to lodges itself within him. ) Why?
( it doesn't matter. there's no point in leaving. hydra made his bed for him. he just needs to close his eyes, let them take the reins. )
no subject
Mmm, would you prefer to be attached to a cactus for the rest of your time in this place, then? ( Her tone is still gentle though there's just a hint of firmness to it. ) I doubt Thirteen would allow it forever and there's definitely more comfortable locations. Like the catfe. Or the Prancing Pony. ( A drink might be better after this than some cute treats. She moved a hand forward and a small dagger made of translucent and gold celestial energy formed in her hand. Her eyes lingered on the blooming flowers and her thoughts went back to the toxic mutations last month. Perhaps these flowers held some sort of significance that could be exploited. ) I could remove the flowers. I promise, I'm good with a blade, I won't harm you.
no subject
he can't quite see what she sees, pressed to the cactus as he is now, but now that his coherence begins to return, the alarm starts to set in. what the hell just happened? )
Flowers. Are there flowers? ( speaking strains the spine against his jaw, and bucky tries to pry himself free. instead, the needles only seem to dig in deeper, gripping tightly from where they've been buried. he flinches with pain, then refocuses on keeping as still as possible. ) Only saw buds. Earlier. Can you reach?
( he's not sure if he might be covering them. )
no subject
Steady. ( At least he seemed to realize his own mistake quickly enough. Plenty of the people here she'd met would continue to struggle against something that caused them pain. Folkmore seemed to be populated by particularly stubborn people. ( She nods and leans forward, reaching slightly above him to slice into one of the flowers. With that cut came a spewing of liquid onto Thena's face. )
cw: torture
they shock him again, and he screams. in pain, in anger, in terror. all they need is for him to give in. just a little bit. it won't hurt after, they promise. it'll be as if none of it ever happened. but he can't let them, can he? this is hydra. he can't let these assholes win. right?
another shock. god, it's so awful. everything hurts. no one came back for him. none of the other howlies. not even steve. another shock. did they even care? with all the loss on the front, all the deaths already guaranteed when he'd been deployed to italy in the first place, he's just another number now, isn't he? the despair is so difficult to fight back when there isn't hope anymore. give in. another shock. he thinks he's crying. he can't really tell anymore. he doesn't know what time it is. or what day it is. three two five five seven oh three eight. three two five five seven oh—
the guard strikes him hard across the face, slamming the lever down again after, to complete the circuit once more. they prefer the screams over the mutters. is this all there is now? there's really nothing left? nothing to free him from all this misery?
it's too late, isn't it? this really is the end of the line. he's been fighting this whole time, alone, but hydra's already won.
unaware of any of this, in the present, bucky hears the splatter of something striking against thena. he strains to see, fearful it might be some sort of defense mechanism. some plants spit acid in defense, right? he asks with veiled alarm, ) What was that? Are you okay?
no subject
It'll be okay. She can hear a voice in the back of her mind, familiar, comforting, and she holds onto that as she focuses on the distinction between her and these memories. Keep the distinction, hold onto it, focus. It's easier with these memories to find the shore in her mind to brace herself on. They're so different than the usual jumbled mess that floods her mind when she succumbs to the Mahd Wy'ry. This is more personal, it's the suffering of one rather than the destruction of all. The weapon flickers in her hand for a moment before she focuses her eyes back and it solidifies again.
She nods slowly at his question and tries to force something of a smile. If anyone needed kindness it was certainly this man. This man who seems to also be of her world, or at least a variation of it. A strangely frequent occurrence in this place. )
Your memories, I assume what it's used to trap you here. ( That was often the case in this place. Something from the past anchored them to some sort of trail or task that has to be completed in order to move on. ) You've suffered more than most here have. More than anyone should. ( Her tone is still quiet, but there's something more strained about it, as if she were fighting to control her own demons inside. She returns slowly to the process of removing the flowers. ) I had a...friend who insisted there was always hope, even for the most broken spirits. ( He'd know what to say here better than she did. The right words always came to him with such ease. ) For what it's worth, Hydra lost. ( As far as she knew. It wasn't as though they ever got involved in any of that. But Gil heard things and so she heard things too now and then. )
sry dealing with some post-sick brain fog; hopefully back to my usual speed soon
she speaks gently and quite consciously of the circumstances with how carefully she treads, and a deep, loathsome shame grips him. no one's supposed to know. he's supposed to carry it on his own, and no one else should ever find out. he never even told steve the breadth of what happened to him, what it took to make him give up everything, but now this stranger knows his deepest secret, and all he can feel is shame for having his weakest moment so thoroughly exposed.
he doesn't know if there really is hope, if he even deserves it after letting hydra have him, but it feels quite meaningless with the past already written in the way it has been. )
I. I'm sorry. You. I. ( his jaw clenches despite the pain it causes. he mutters through grit teeth: ) No one's supposed to know about that.