May 2022 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

MAY 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

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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.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

A PLACE IN THIS WORLD

Content Warnings: Possible insanity via cuts by thorns. Temporary nullification of abilities.

DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS

The world comes into focus in one sharp, overwhelming rush. You are laying on the ground surrounded by staggering walls of flowers of all types and colors. Their sweet scent fills the air and the sky above is clear, blue, beautiful, and endless. It would be easy to be lulled into a quiet nap in such a peaceful place. You can even hear a soft, disembodied voice singing songs from some unknown place all around you. After some time, this siren song creates an intense yearning that will eventually bring you to your feet and pull you forward. You are filled with the urge to find someone important. You may know who or you might just have some aimless, faceless person at the forefront of your mind.

All you know is that when you finally find them, you'll know. Is it love? Is it a friend you have always needed? The perfect enemy? Only time will tell, but for now, you must find them. The flower maze is dense and for now, it doesn't seem like flying out and above them is an option. If you try, you just wind up vaulted back into the maze. Nope! This trial is about using other means of exploration. Maybe you can destroy the flowers, but you will find that this flower field is apparently endless. If you get cut by thorns along the way, you will become increasingly hectic about finding this mystery person. Some have been thrown into insane desperation just looking for their People among the flowers.

But once you finally find them, you're both filled with relief and the flowers around you blossom wider. You can then treat the flower maze like a solvable puzzle and get your way out of it. However, some people spend a bit more time in the maze since once you do find your person or people, you will be stricken with the urge to talk to them, to "open up" about your yearning to find them...even if you've never met them before!

OUT OF THE WOODS

Just outside of the flower maze is a little festival set up just on the edge of Willow and partway into Epiphany! Little stalls of food and drinks have been set up - and we mean little! The good folk who set up these stalls are magical cats standing upright and wearing clothes like little people! All the stalls are cat-sized and so are the dishes and food - which means most of the people walking through will likely be quite a bit bigger! That's okay, the cat folk seem happy to serve you bigger or multiple helpings of their yummy soups and bread. None of them seem able to really communicate with the new arrivals, but that's okay, their cute meows are fun to listen to anyway.

The music is a bit more pronounced here and a handful of cat couples are dancing around. Don't be surprised if they encourage you to join in the dancing! Maybe you didn't actually find someone in the flower maze - if not, the cat folk will encourage you to dance with another new arrival to get to know them! Because apparently dancing with someone you don't know is a good formal introduction? Ah well. Sometimes it's just the idea that counts.

There will also be some supplies to help patch people up who have gotten a lot of cuts from the flower maze. Some of the bouts of insanity are probably still going a bit hectic, so you might want to lay down in the recovery area until you feel a bit more stable. Talking to people apparently helps with the stability, so maybe strike up a conversation with a fellow newbie?

ENCHANTED

Content Warnings: Optional selective amensia and/or altered sense of self, possible monster/creature violence, temporary enchantments, forced relocations.

LONG STORY SHORT

You're in a very unusual, specific outfit and in a place you might have seen once or twice in a storybook or in the imagination of your childhood. For some, you might pick up on what's happening immediately. For others, you might be so immersed in the role that you don't realize it - but you're featuring in a classic fairy tale. Maybe it's Sleeping Beauty or Little Red Riding Hood or Tale of the White Snake or The Mirror of Matsuyama. Either way, you're the main character or the main antagonist and it looks like you're going to have to play out the story with whoever you're stuck with!

The other person in the trial can either match up to the other side of the story or just arrive as themselves and have to play along. Trying to just abandon the trial is quite literally impossible! You're stuck in the weird woods or high tower and trying to "leave" just results in you going in repeated cycles until you wind up where you started. You have a role to fill and you might as well get used to playing roles in Folkmore! It's time to understand how these trials work. What lesson are you supposed to take away?

If you're grumbling about it or are left confused, don't worry! Thirteen will appear to those struggling and explain the situation: "You need to play out the story! C'mon. Everyone knows this story...Right? Well, whatever, it's obvious! If you play your part, I promise I'll give you something you want." Can you really trust a fox though? Especially the fox who brought you here? She laughs before you can really pester her for more information and vanishes in a burst of red dust. Foxes really are mischievous, aren't they...At least most fairy tales are incredibly short, basic, and straightforward so most people should be able to figure it out!

In theory.

DAYLIGHT

At least the Fox wasn't lying. When you complete the task of the story, the fairy tale world will melt into one of the settings in Folkmore and you will be brought back into the current reality. You will be left in the weird clothes, but fear not! A mystery trunk has appeared in front of you and whoever you completed the trial with. Inside the trunk, you will find some of your canon clothes and a few canon items. Nearby, there will be some weapons sticking out of the ground: basic swords, guns, shields, etc. These items might not be enchanted, but at least you have something to work with!

Better yet, you don't necessarily have to complete the Long Story Short prompt to find these trunks either! They seem to be dotted around Folkmore and you might find them just by virtue of exploration! The trunks seem to mysteriously know who is opening them so you won't find someone else's stuff by accident, but you might have to fight over who gets the sword in the stone...

A word of caution to those who grab the weapons...You will immediately be tested on how good you are with them. As soon as you have pulled them out of the ground, the ground will begin trembling and a serpent-like creature will form out of the ground. If you're in Wintermute, you have a sizeable icy creature to deal with. If you're in Cruel Summer, meet the fire-breathing snakey nightmare that's going to try and roast you alive. Don't think Epiphany or Willow will have gentler creatures! They might be covered in moss or flowers but they will hit just as hard. You have to defeat the angry creature - or try running for your life. They are relatively easy to beat and people without powers can manage if they are highly skilled or...really lucky...Or if someone far more capable finds them! Good luck. As a pro-tip, maybe don't pull weird swords out of the ground in the future.

Comments

Vax’ildan | Critical Role (Stream version)

[foundpurpose]

Death By A Thousand Cuts

[The flower maze is a mess of spiraling walls of flowers moving in a slow revolution. Vines dangle down to guide one to the moving platforms of dense flowers pressed together down to the bottom floor. One tall, dark-haired half-elf is kneeling before the door using long, thin thorns to pick a lock on a thick door of, you guessed it, more flowers.

He squints and curses. But as you approach he looks up and his eyes widen. He lets go of the thorns. Vax'ildan stands up with a sigh.] There you are. Let's get out of here.

Whatever kind of 'test of potential' this is, there's more of it to do.

[Right now, Vax is dressed like any standard rouge. His daggers are on his belt. His cloak is dark to help him blend into the shadows.]

Out of the Woods

[The recovery area is a good way to go. A great way to go. He got some cuts and whatever magic seems to have pulled him to someone else needs to go. Vax has sat himself down with a bowl of soup and holds one up to whoever comes to sit down.]

Nice to see someone else made it out of that maze. Need to be patched up? [He gestures to the supplies.] I'll help you if you help me.

Long Story Short - the Vax Edition

[The red dust is still falling when Vax sighs heavily and starts walking down the wooded path. He shifts the basket he's carrying as he calls out,] I know what you said but I refuse to skip!

[At least that's what he thinks this story is about. Some carefree red hooded girl. He never actually paid attention to the story when his mother told the story. He was more concerned with his mother’s smile and her voice. And how his little family were happy. He walks a little faster with a grumble.] Nope. Not skipping. I’m not doing it.

Daylight Cw: brief nudity

[He opens the trunk and his face visibly relaxes with relief. He ducks behind the truck and strips down to pull on his armor and gear. He stands up and his black leathers are adorned with raven feathers around the shoulders. He picks up his blades as the ground rumbles.

He flips the longer dagger with an easy smirk. He catches it as he whirls to face the thing emerging from the ground. The snake-like creature is covered in flowers but his smirk doesn’t waver.]

Finally, I was getting an itch.

[He doesn’t look back as he adds,] So, let’s see what you can do. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.

Wildcard
[Got an idea? What something else? Hit me up in pm or over at skyheron and we can work a thing out.]

Long Story Short

[erschlagen]

Are you sure?

[A mysterious voice whispers out from the shadowy underbrush of a few nearby trees. While this scenic wooded path is nicely lit, the shadows dance below the dazzling green canopy above. Something or rather someone is lurking here.]

It would be more fun that way...

[As the fairytale goes, Little Red Riding Hood was on the way to her grandmother's house until suddenly a Big Bad Wolf appeared. But who's playing the Wolf here? Thirteen didn't say anything about that, did she?]

[foundpurpose]

[Creepy voice in the forest. Someone lurking near by. He really should have paid attention to that story. He gives the most unenthusiastic skip known to Tal’dorei.]

Nope. Not seeing it as fun, buddy. Why don’t you come out and have a chat face to face?

[erschlagen]

And ruin the element of a surprise?

[A twig nearby snaps under the weight of something large. It would've been more fun if Thirteen transformed him into a wolf but Rosenkrantz would've felt so sluggish in such a form. Instead, he wears the pelt of one across his broad shoulders all equipped with a white wolf-like mask. In the fairytale, the Big Bad Wolf is always depicted as an enormous black wolf but Rosen felt like spicing things up a little.]

I think not...!

[Suddenly, an enormous red lance juts out from the underbrush nearby hoping to pierce Riding Hood. It seems that the Big Bad Wolf is taking many liberties in this story. No one told him he had to follow everything perfectly.]

[foundpurpose]

[As they were talking Vax had been listening carefully to figure out where the stranger is. As the twig snapped he relaxed, ready to begin a fight.

Toe to toe with someone he is fine. But he doesn’t know the situation and doesn’t have his usual tools. Better to be cautious.

The lance cuts through the air and barely misses the wicker basket that falls to the ground. There is no half elf in a dress with a red cloak. But like Rosen, something moves in the shadows. And a dagger cuts through the air in the direction of the lance but above it.]

[erschlagen]

[He should’ve known this wouldn’t be easy. While this grim little fairytale typically ends with Little Riding Hood’s death, it seems that Little Red came somewhat prepared.

Rosen clicked his tongue in annoyance when he missed but he barely has time to do much else. The dagger comes dangerously close to his throat, a little too close for comfort. He dives out of the bushes with his lance in tow before quickly thrusting that red lance towards his target. Rosen doubts he’ll be able to skewer the elf but he desperately wants to put some distance between them.]

You’re faster than I thought!

out of the woods

[glitchinthesystem]

[ Was this person he was looking for when he was in that maze? Maybe? He's not really sure, but it's the second old person he's encountered. Old being the operative word for anyone over 18.

The fifteen-year-old stares at the man with a suspicious look. Glitch at least avoided getting hurt in there so he didn't need a patch up...but there was food around here.

The question though is one he does mull over for a moment. The guy looked well armed and probably a lot stronger than him...so... ]

Yeah, sure. But I want to eat first. So long as the food isn't poisoned.

[foundpurpose]

[He nods and shifts a little so there’s room for Glitch to sit nearby where ever he wants to.] Far as I know, it isn’t. But if it is, I can help with that.

[He waits until Glitch has the bowl before he adds,] I don’t think cats think that way. I could be wrong. But either way, we’ll see what happens, I guess.

[glitchinthesystem]

Since you haven't dropped dead yet, I'll take it as it's not.

[ Not that he could explicitly trust the words of this stranger anyways. Always had to be suspicious of people he didn't know, they could potentially stab him in the back. He has already taken a bowl of soup and bread and is already eating it ravenously. Through a mouth half full, he looks to Vax;]

So. How much you wanna bet this is all some kind of fever dream or really bad head injury?

[foundpurpose]

Nothing like this is ever that easy. [Vax replies as he keeps an eye on their surroundings. He would eat in a moment. The soup smells good. Nothing familiar but still good.

He takes out one of his less magical daggers, keeping Whisper sheathed. He inspects the edge and takes out a whetstone. He sharpens it while he watches the cats move about.]

More likely either we are told exactly what is on the table up front. Or we don’t know everything we should have been told.

[glitchinthesystem]

Suppose you're right. Optimism is way too off brand for me, but thought I should at least try it once.

[ The boy looks at the other man for a moment as he eats, taking the other in. He couldn't help but notice how odd the guy's clothes were. Definitely, nothing he's ever seen before outside of maybe a book.

When he see's the knife drawn he does blink a few times in confusion before looking up. ]

How do you have a knife? [ After all, if they were both from the domes he shouldn't have one. Then again that Fox thing in his dreams was saying strange stuff...he's still not sure if he believes it all. ]

I'm just waiting for the nasty surprise to come up. This is all too good to be true.

Daylight

[xploud]

[Vax isn't the only one taking the opportunity to change. Though Katsuki's not going completely bare, he is tugging on a fully insulated, high-collared and skintight black shirt, and matching pants. He feels more comfortable in his Hero Costume, really, considering all the shit he's already dealt with today. And, having his other grenadier bracer - the full set of two now adorning his thickly muscled arms - is another great comfort. They are his strongest weapons, after all, outside of his literal hands and quirk.

And no sooner has he tugged on his mask than the ground starts to shake and a behemoth of a monster splits the earth asunder to go on a rampage. The older man barely registered before, and he still kind of does, but Katsuki's learned how to play nice and actually, y'know...exhibit teamwork and all that.]

Heh, had the same thought. [The itch, and seeing what this Keebler elf has to show.] Don't get in my way!!

[Cuz Katsuki is literally barreling towards this thing. His hand stretch out behind him and an explosion fires off from his palms, rocketing him forward toward the beast. Come on, old man, he's giving you an opening, that serpent is obviously snapping its gaze to the sound and movement now.]

Re: Daylight

[foundpurpose]

[The serpent snaps its gaze towards the target rocketing towards it. As if Katsuki looks up he'll get a glimpse of a shadow reshaping into Vax'ildan on top of the snake's head out of sight of the eyes.

He stabs down with his daggers and a blast of dark energy rips out, forcing the head down. It should give Katsuki a better shot at any target he's out for when it comes to the head.]

[xploud]

[Okay, that's actually pretty sick, he has to admit. Katsuki's not really a weapons man, but a lot of Pro Heroes definitely use them. Hell, one of his teachers is a trained sniper. And he, too, is a weapon in and of himself. Not wasting the opening he was given as the serpent hisses and writhes from the initial attack, Katsuki waits just a second and--

There.

Positioning his palms in the form to fire his Armor Piercing (AP) shot, a blast is throwing into the serpent's gaping maw at it tries to get free and snap its toothy maw at Vax to grab hold of him, or poison him, maybe...who knows. Eother way, the controlled "bullet" of energy strikes the massive reptile's gullet and bursts into a larger blast, a mix of blood and blackened ichor pouring from the beast's heavily damages jaws. Not dead yet...but it won't be using one side of it's mouth very easily, since, uh...

It's barely hanging on.]

[foundpurpose]

[Vax grabs hold of the moss as the snake rocks back and forth, gurgling in fury. He focuses for a moment and cold empty darkness that is as cold as the grave gathers around him. Raven feathers fall from the thrashing beast then fade to nothing.

Just before a second snake takes a swipe at him from behind. Vax dodges at the last second and kicks off the snake. Before Raven wings snap out of his back and he glides up out of reach.] Wonderful timing.

[His wings flap as he calls out.] I’ll finish off the first one if you distract the second. Or we could do the reverse. I’m not picky.

[xploud]

[You know what? This guy has the right idea about being in the air, especially if there's more of these shitty reptiles slithering about underground. Katsuki's not about to be blindsided by something bursting from the earth beneath him - he's good in terms of combat ability and reaction time (exquisite, even), but he can't gauge where something is that he can't see.

He grumbles under his breath the usual response when given orders, a snort of "don't tell me what to do", but it's...muted, which is a first for the blond. There's a choice presented, and he appreciates that much. Besides, even he can see some skill in how this guy fights - he's not blind.]

Second one's got its eyes on you, I'll take the first. [And with his arms extended behind him, palms splayed, Katsuki literally rockets himself into the air and throws out another explosion as the snake coils its neck and tries to strike, but with half its mouth gone, and his mastery of aerial movement with his explosions...it grabs only air and smoke.] OI, MAGPIE, STAY AIRBORN!! THESE THINGS HAVE LIMITED REACH AND WE GOT RANGE! GET IN CLOSE ONLY WHEN THERE'S AN OPENING!!

out of the woods

[integrous]

[ The girl approaching him isn't exactly looking great. Her physical injuries aren't too bad - she mostly just seems to have a few cuts from the thorns of the rose bushes on her hands - but her facial expression shows that she's not exactly in the best of moods. There's a frown on her face that's both thoughtful and annoyed, perhaps even leaning slightly towards the latter.

Her foul mood seems to be no fault of Vax's though, since she just sits down and takes the bowl from him, even mumbling a: ]

Thanks.

[ Before moving to quickly shove a spoonful or two of the food into her mouth. ]

I'll help, I think I just.. need a moment.

[foundpurpose]

Take your time. This seems like a safe place for now. [Vax says as he sets his bowl of soup down. He cuts the hunk of bread they gave him in half and offers that to her as well.

But he doesn't say anything else. She wants a moment. He'll give her that. Instead, he's watching the world around them with slightly narrowed eyes. One of them had best keep watch and he's good at it.]

[integrous]

[ Asahi gladly sets out to eating some of the soup and the bread, already grateful enough that there's someone here willing to share with her so easily - so she isn't going to complain, especially when she doesn't know yet when their next time to get a meal will be in this place.

Even if everything seems like a party right now (and Asahi doesn't seem to fully trust that, since she keeps glancing up from her bowl to look at everything too, despite the fact that Vax is already keeping a vigilant watch), she knows to not take anything for granted. ]

.. All of this is so weird.

[ It's the first thing Asahi suddenly speaks up with, after letting a few moments of silence linger between them where she's just eating. ]

[foundpurpose]

Yeah, it is. [He peers at the cats walking around and generally having their own little society.] But, I've got only the experiences of dealing with one god when it comes to challenges of potential and stuff like this.

[Vax shrugs as he uses his bread to scoop up some of the soup into his mouth. The bread is already soft and freshly baked. But, old small-town habits die hard. Especially when one doesn't want them to.] The cats are really weird.

[integrous]

[ Hold on.

Hold on.

Asahi was halfway through pushing another piece of bread into her mouth when she suddenly starts choking on it. Pretty violently too, though thankfully she seems to manage to resolve it by pounding against her chest with her fist a few times, rather than miserably dying here on the spot by having choked on a piece of bread.

Once she's sure she can breathe again, she just voices: ]

Dealing with a god?!

[ P-Please, Vax?! You talk about dealing with a god like it's normal? You can't just throw that at a normal girl in the middle of a simple meal here, it startles her! ]

daylight

[overnightoaks]

[ Henry didn't really have much in the way of weapons to get out of his trunk. He's just finished fastening the fanny pack of holding around his waist when the ground begins to rumble and he staggers back, glancing to the side to see the other man readying a dagger. ]

Aww, jeepers creepers... That thing doesn't look friendly. D'you think we could maybe talk to it? I could cast Speak with Animals?

[ Never mind that the serpent creature is clearly no ordinary snake.

Realizing that rationalizing with the monster probably isn't going to work, Henry gingerly removes his glasses and zips them into the fanny pack. He may look like your average suburban dad, but he's got a trick or two up his short organic cotton sleeves.

A bright green-gold glow overtakes him, as he casts Wild Shape and takes the form of a grizzly bear. ]

[foundpurpose]

If you want to try that, do it. Just tell me what the plan is and I’ll do my part.

[But when he glances back, there is a bear where there was a strangely dressed man. He visibly shrugs then clicks his heels together. Raven wings unfurl from his armor and he pulls a long dagger out of his belt. The world feels like it slows down all around him.

He shoots up into the sky and hurls the dagger, becoming a shadow once the dagger sinks into the side of the snake’s long body. He appears in front of his blade, hand around the hilt and wings flapping.

The snake is at least distracted by the sudden pain for now.]

[overnightoaks]

[ Plan? What plan? You mean you guys make plans before rushing into battle??

The bear looks kind of worried and pushes his glasses back up his snout. ] Well, I don't know... It doesn't really look like it's in the mood to chat!

[ Why can he speak in bear form? Because Dungeons & Daddies doesn't pay attention to D&D rules. Anyway, the dagger guy is already attacking, so Henry takes the opportunity to rush forward and attack from the ground, his big bear claws making a swipe at the serpent's neck. ]

[foundpurpose]

[The fact a druid in animal shape is talking is so surprising that Vax has to grab onto the snake's moss to keep from being thrown from it.] Wait, wait, wait. You can talk like that?

How? [The snake hisses and he seems to remember that. It has taken damage from both of them and is a bit battered. Vax pulls on magic and it becomes easier to attack the snake as his hunter's mark cast settles over it.]

Uh, well. Guess we just take it down then? [He seems to be gathering more magic but he's waiting on word before he unleashes it.]