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

[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!!

[foundpurpose]

[He has never seen a mage flight like this before. If, this kid is a mage. He can’t tell. The second snake lunges at him and he dives down, letting the speed carry him out of the way.] Yeah, I saw that! Doesn’t seem like they like doing the dive and pop up tactic but watch for it!

[Just in case. He hates enemies that like to hit and run. Fortunately these don’t seem to be that way. The shadowy power of the Matron of Ravens is held tightly in his chest, ready to be unleashed. He dodges another strike and climbs up into the sky but still in range.

He wants to stay in range of his team mate because this could still go to shit. Every battle he’s ever been in does. The snake coils to strike and he takes a second, clicking his heels together.

And the world seems to slow down. Every beat of his wings feels like forever then he moves. To normal eyes, it looks like he clicked his heels together before rocketing forward like an arrow, too fast to be stopped.

He hurls his daggers, one then the other and they embed themselves into the snake at different spots. Before he grabs onto moss and unleashes the divine smite. The second snake screeches as it rocks to the side, the shadowy magic hammering into it with brutal force.

Its side caves in and it curls to protect it as Vax retrieves his daggers, pulling them down and driving them right back in.]

[xploud]

[Eh, some in the past may have called quirks "magic" - when they were still first appearing in the world - but truly...he's just an average kid in his world. An average teen with a lot of battle experience and a hell of a good quirk he's honed to suit him in literally every capacity. But, Katsuki's quirk does have its limitations. This magpie is a lot like Hawks - meaning he can also hover in place with those wings a lot easier than Katsuki can with his explosions. And it's probably not with the same recoil and knockback that said explosions have on the young teen's arms and shoulders.

...Right. Gotta kill these shitty snakes fast then. A Howitzer would probably do the job just fine, but it's his strongest move...and the collateral damage is insane. Plus, he'd probably singe a few feathers (and then some) if the magpie here got too close to the blast radius. Bah, he'll have to use his gauntlets. There should be enough sweat built up to give him a decent blast...]

Don't tell me what to do!!

[He says, doing exactly what was asked. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Climbing higher and higher into the air, Katsuki's red eyes snap to the insane movement on his other side - holy shit, flight and speed...a very powerful combo - but he focuses in on his opponent just as it lunges from the ground to try and snatch the smaller, presumably weaker morsel. The old guy is doing well, showing off some flashy moves, so Katsuki can't be left in the dust...his pride won't allow it.]

YOU HUNGRY, HAAH, YOU GAUDY HANDBAG?! EAT THIS!!

[And with a click of his own, one of his grenadier gauntlets is aimed at the plant-like snake as he pulls back the hidden pin in the steel part...and a line of sheer, explosive might rips from gauntlet and strikes in a line of pure corrosive flame. Intense heat, and an impact of sheer force. Ohoho! So they came fully loaded, huh? How lucky...

The snake is...unrecognizable other than a blackened, flaky, smoldering noodle. If it had any life left in it, it's not much...and it quickly falls to the ground in a heap. The, uh...th-the ground is also a line of burnt grass and earth, but it's fine. It's totally fine. That can grow back.

Eventually.]

[foundpurpose]

[The sound of the explosion slaps his senses. It reminds him vaguely of fighting a fire giant. He grips the moss harder and sucks in a breath. He drives his daggers in one final time and the snake begins to fall. He breaks away from it, sweeping back into the air as the lifeless body slams into the ground.

His wings beat at the air to keep him aloft. Vax puts his daggers away and finally gets a glimpse of the damage Katsuki left. His eyes widen as he dives down to land on the ground. The smell of burnt plants is as awful as ever but, at least it isn't as bad as Emon.

Nothing he has seen right now is as bad as Emon.] Well, that's over with. I saw what looked like a village a ways south of here while I was up there. Fancy a walk to it? Or a flight. Whatever.

[xploud]

[Katsuki is rolling his shoulder, namely the one that he fired his gauntlet from, noticing just two pops from his sore joints - good, that's less than last time, his training's paying off, but he still needs to bulk up and keep working, especially if the blasts get stronger. The recoil and knockback, especially from his gauntlets, is way worse than just using his palms. It's why he's so top-heavy in terms of muscle - wide shoulders, large chest, thick arms. If he didn't, the force of his explosions would break his arms, tear his ligaments, and probably snap his own neck.

Speaking of...he turns his head from side to side and hears those two little cracks. Hah...haven't gone all out like that in a while, feels good.]

Walk. If there's a place with people, I don't think it'd great for them to see two fuckers drop the sky unannounced. [Especially looking like they do.]

[foundpurpose]

It absolutely wouldn't be. If they have scouts watching the skies, even less welcome. Probably.

[He starts walking as he glances curiously around them. Nothing sounds out of place with a normal forest. The quiet in the wake of the explosions is clearing and birds and creatures are beginning to make themselves known again. He moves smoothly, his steps light. He isn't at his best in the woods but there is the suggestion that stealth and shadows are where he does best.

His wings fold up against his back, jet black in color but as they stay there the feathers gain the qualities of the night sky. The tips of the feathers take on the look of the sky at dusk. He doesn't seem to notice.] ...not the best at tracking but, this is definitely a path that's traveled. There's some tracks ahead.