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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
[He's getting him down! There's no way he's going to walk away and leave Kaveh pinned up there like that. Even if it doesn't hurt, even if he's not in any immediate danger, he'll soon dehydrate and die out here without help.
So, with that in mind, he turns his attention to the flowers. Each time he pulls one off, breaking it free from the bulk of the plant, more of that sticky liquid splashes out over him and yet another flash of painful misery flashes through his head. He can't say that he grows used to it - how can anyone grow used to that? - but it does get easier to bear with.
As for whether or not they talk about it later... that will be entirely down to Kaveh.
A few of the higher flowers are more difficult to reach, and he has to stick them with several arrows before he finally manages to dislodge them.]
Ah-- ugh. [Gross. His fur feels disgusting.] Can you move?
[He'll try again, taking a gentle hold of the taller man and attempting to draw him away from the cactus.]
no subject
(And, whether he can admit it or not, he is certainly in danger.)
For each flower Tighnari dislodges, the liquid splashes and douses him, drenching skin and fur and only serving to solidify that twisting feeling in the architect's gut, that dreadful, unsettling concern that his friend is seeing things he doesn't want him to see. But he stops protesting despite the ever-growing urge, all but biting his tongue in the effort. And when the Forest Watcher reaches to pull him from the cactus, this time he slips free, unwounded and unscarred, but with a troubled, unhappy look forming quickly on his face as he adjusts his weight, trying to plant trembling legs firmly in the shifting heat of the sands. ]
Tighnari... [ He should say thank you. That's the first thing he should say, the most important thing under these circumstances to say— But instead he looks at his friend, his normally red eyes washed over with a sickly shade of yellow. His voice, when he continues, is hoarse: ] How— How much did you see?
no subject
When the question comes he just shakes his head.]
Enough.
[Is it really a question that needs answering? Despite all he'd seen he doesn't look at the other man with pity in his eyes. There's nothing to pity in someone who has been through so much and come out on the other side even close to whole.
For now, he feels like they have other priorities. Even though the day is cooling to evening and the sand no longer feels near-molten underfoot Tighnari is still feeling the unpleasant effects of the heat.]
Can you walk? We should get to shelter, then we can talk, if you feel like you need to.
no subject
He's glad when he doesn't.
In response to the questions, he frowns, shifting his weight on the sand under his feet. Tighnari is steadying him, but even without that pressure he feels like he should be okay to move. So he nods, finally offers the grateful smile that he should have shared right from the beginning of this whole mess. ]
Yeah. I think I can walk... Thanks, Tighnari.
[ He doesn't know if he wants to talk about it just yet. But despite everything, he finds himself grateful for an offer he never dreamed of needing to hear. ]
Do you... know the way we have to go?
no subject
[It doesn't look like Tighnari is about to step away and let Kaveh find his feet before he's ready even considering what he says. The forest watcher keeps himself under his friend's arm as they take their first steps out on the sand, despite his own struggles with the lingering heat in the air.
He curls his hand around Kaveh's wrist and gives it a gentle squeeze, looking up at the taller man with a smile.]
Come along, it isn't far then I can get a proper look at you. [And get some water into his hands, but right now he's primarily concerned that Kaveh is all right physically... He can address the mental part of it all after that.]
How long have you been out here?
I am back after covid ate me ♥
And yet, despite everything— despite the thorns pressing into him everywhere, despite how worn down he feels— his body seems unharmed.
His mind, on the other hand...
But Tighnari is talking, and Kaveh frowns, trying to find an answer to the question, because the truth is, he doesn't know. ]
A... a while, I suppose? I met some other people, and then went my own way, and— then there was the cactus... [ He sighs, shakes his head. ] I'm sure that wasn't very helpful of me.
♥ don't worry heatwave is eating me
[There would be no use in scolding Kaveh for wandering too close to a strange plant and getting himself stuck like that when the man is clearly in no state to take it and likely had very little choice in the matter anyway. So, with that in mind, Tighnari keeps his handling of the man gentle while he guides him along, both in voice and the way he keeps both hands on him to make sure he stays steady.]
You couldn't have known. It's very dangerous out here. [And those cacti aren't the only things they have to be concerned about...]
Try not to disturb the sand too much while we're walking. There are creatures that act like wenuts beneath the surface, and I don't want you to get hurt.