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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
O-oh... it likely has.
[Of course it has. It always was. She knew she didn't get out much. But her curiosity had her gaze lingering on the claws. Then the ears.
It'd probably be incredibly rude to ask.The cool air is an immense relief, and the contents of the canteen even more, as she accepted the offer and had a drink. The wonders of cryo...]
Um, yes! I agree. But-
[She looked around, eyebrows furrowed.]
The fox, where-?
no subject
He glances up at the clear blue sky and unforgiving sun. There is a wind, but getting off the ground will be-]
Can you create a wind directed upwards? Not too strong, just a good carrying breeze. And lastly, don't be alarmed.
[And in a blink, a blue hawk looks up at her from where Kaeya had been standing.]
no subject
Could she create wind? Yes, she could. She took his parameters in mind, but his last warning was weird. Why would she-]
H-huh!?
[First turtles with wands, and now she had a superior that turned into a bird. That raised more questions than the claws and ears! But she'd startled a bit, a hand to her chest. After a pause and her face burning more with shame than an overheat-]
...Sorry...!
[She had a whole lot more to unpack here than she thought. Oh dear. But- yes, the wind, that's right. He needed a lift off! She clasped her hands and focused a moment. Central point, direction of rotation, speed of wind... there! Her clothing caught and jostled as a wind began to build, swept beneath them and grew. She had to shut her eyes briefly to mind the sand and dust.]
no subject
He will never tire of the joy of flight. He climbs higher and curves to the right. It’s the perfect angle to get a look at the desert. The sand stretches below like a detailed map.
He blinks. There is indeed a train in the distance. The track cuts through the desert and leads off towards the edge of the desert. He circles one more time than descends, turning into himself before he lands.]
There’s a way out of the desert ahead of us. It seems I can change into anything too useful right so I can’t get us there any faster than we can run.
[It seems he can only be helpful right now. Not a ticket out. Oh well.] Not my kind of interesting but, at least the Fox is consistent.
Shall we head out?
no subject
Kaeya landed and changed back. She curiously looked him over. It looked natural, no signs of pain or strain on the body that she could see.
But what a relief, there was a way out of here and she hadn't been walking deeper into the thick of it. She nodded.]
Yes. Let's go.
[But, oh, she can't let it just bubble in her mind:]
That's... a product of this place, isn't it? I feel as if shapeshifting would have rendered the use of a glider irrelevant otherwise.
no subject
Did the fox tell you anything? [He rubs his chin, mindful of his claws. Not all familiars are obvious, but from what he knows of her...] It feels differently for everyone.
no subject
I... the fox told me a lot about potential, and... and roles, but I also had a whole lot of questions about the places we walked through and what she is. I was given a lot of "that's for you to find out"s, which only multiplies my questions into more questions!
Time seemed strangely infinite during, but I miscalculated.
[She brought her hands to her hat and lifted it slightly. A pale green light gleamed from underneath. Trapped beneath the garment was her glowing halo, which will make her initial nights particularly interesting here.]
...But I do feel something on my head, and my... um...
[Her back felt strange, but she'd rather figure that out on her own.]
no subject
[He keeps an eye out for danger and glances up as the light shines. Ah. So that’s her role.
He says nothing about it as he continues.] And this isn’t the only magic she might grant to you. These trials she has us undergo for our potential…sometimes magic is a reward for passing whatever it was.
no subject
Can I ask what kind of trials?
[Testing absolutely wasn't outside of her scope of capability, but maybe a hint wouldn't hurt in knowing what to expect. Realizing one's inner potential sounded promising, but... but what did that mean for her?]
no subject
[He fiddles with a silver ring on his hand. The red gems on it catch the light. He catches himself doing it and sighs, dropping his hand.] I’ve heard once we were faced with tombs that showed us how important we are to those around us.
It is difficult to prepare for them. But, everyone you run into may be of help. They expect us to help each other.
no subject
Oh, whew... I'm glad. With tests like that, I'm relieved to know that's okay. I can't imagine how anyone would, er, become the best versions of themselves all alone.
[She paused. Oof. She sounded a tiny bit hypocritical there. Let's just forget about that right now. She never means to hole herself up in the lab for extended periods, it's just poor time management, is all!]
...Was changing shape a boon from one of your own trials?
no subject
[He had intended to submit them to Albedo. But, he had vanished. He snorts a laugh then adds,] I’ve come as far as I can researching it on my own. The school is only so helpful.
As you said, we can’t do our best alone.
no subject
Oh! Yes...! I'd like to see your reports on the matter. Please.
[She clasped her hands. How many others had looked into the trials and the results, what happens upon success and perhaps failure...? That was an avenue she'd like to pursue first, and then perhaps look into the roles after. Or during! She wasn't a slouch on multitasking.]
Ah- who else followed the fox here...? Anyone else we know?
no subject
[It had taken more than he wants to admit to shape the rest of Diluc’s name. He isn’t dealing and he knows it. He keeps talking as if he hadn’t had that pause.]
Our acting Grand Master is here now. I think this place and the lack of paperwork is truly baffling her. I told her not having paperwork to do and time off wouldn’t make her go blind.
[He grins, there are more teeth in it than back in Mondstadt. Being half wolf has fun additions to his life.]
no subject
Ah- Master Jean too? I can imagine she wouldn't take very well to the disruption to her routine. Not- not that it's a bad thing! She could use the break.
[Hell of a grin there, Captain, but she left her red cloak in the other cottage. As if he needed reason to be any more intimidating in her eyes, but the more she diverted her gaze, the easier it would be.]
Not that... I'm anyone to speak on things like that, at any rate...
no subject
[He isn’t asking for much. Hot weather like a summer. That isn’t dry. He sighs.]
Or whatever drink you prefer. That’s your choice. [He looks around them. Then changes again but the change is slower. An icy wolf shakes himself once and he walks beside her. He’s the size of a normal wolf.] It will be a bit longer but we’ll make it.
no subject
[She'd tried it once before and wasn't sure if she was a fan. Perhaps one day she'll find something to drink that she likes, but until then she was content with some nice fruit juice blends or something fizzy.
She watched him change. She'd grown a bit accustomed to it now, but it was still a marvel to behold. She wondered if he got to pick the form, or if there was a metric to what was obtained.]
...Th-thank you...! I'll find a way to repay you for this.
no subject
[He grins without showing any teeth. He has long since learned too much teeth is unnerving. He trots ahead with a yip.] Let’s go! We can get out of here.
Woo! I think we good here. Thank you!
[With a sigh of relief, she hurried along. Once out of the threat of heat exhaustion and death of exposure, she could try to get her bearings and figure out if all the tests would be like this or... how to prepare herself for them, if that was the case.]