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June 2022 Test Drive Meme
JUNE 2022 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: Potentially traumatic memories.
GOT THIS MUSIC IN MY MIND
I KEEP CRUISIN'
GOT THIS MUSIC IN MY MIND
Consciousness returns all at once, bringing with it the sound of water, the scent of wet wood, and the feeling of warm summer air. You are laying in a lounge chair near the head of a long wooden dock, one of many scattered along a small and pebbly beach. Other people rest on some of these chairs, dozing or waking up themselves.
In front of you a lake spreads like ink as the sun sets in the distance, turning the horizon into a riot of pinks and oranges. The water is still and dark, perfect for a little swimming, even if you don't have a suit. You can wade in, or walk down the dock and dive. If you're a little worried about going alone, you could see if anybody else is willing to take the plunge with you.
At the head of the dock where it rejoins the land, someone has placed a pastel boombox. It's playing a steady stream of synth music that really goes with the whole neon sky thing happening - it's like you woke up in a vapourwave wet dream! If only you had a saxophone!
The current song fades out and the DJ speaks up. Her voice sounds an awful lot like that of the fox that brought you here.
"Our next song goes out to a very special someone--" and to your surprise she says your name. What then plays is a song that is extremely special to you, whether positive or negative. Maybe it's from your first dance. Maybe it's the song that played on the radio when you said goodbye to someone you knew you'd never see again. Whatever it is, it cuts right to the center of you - you hear every note or feel every beat.
And it follows. The song will play on loop, growing louder and louder as it does. If you try to walk away, it somehow still plays - run into the woods to escape and you will still hear it echoing through the branches. Throw the boombox in the lake and another just reappears in its place. Plug your ears and you'll just hear it in your head, over and over.
How do you get rid of an earworm? Sing it aloud? Find another song? The DJ breaks in with a clue: "What an absolute banger! You'll want to share this one, folks!"
Yes, the only way is to get this song out of your head is to tell someone else about the memory associated with the song. The second you do, the song will stop looping, both externally and mentally
I KEEP CRUISIN'
If you get sick of the lake, a short walk down a path will take you to a little park. There are food stalls set up serving tacos, smoothies, yakitori, hot dogs, ice cream, somen, shaved ice... summer fare. All of the stalls are manned by humanoids with animal heads - at first you might mistake them for masks. But no, they really are animal people: roosters, chameleons, owls, panthers. They don't speak, and they're all very laid back, serving you in their own sweet time.
There are benches you can sit on. If the sun finally sinks behind the horizon while you're here, a number of soft lights in blues, purples, and pinks will turn on and keep the place illuminated.
Good thing, too, since the centre of the space is taken up by a skatepark. A kiosk nearby is renting out rollerblades and skateboards; if you're so inclined you can show off any skills you might have. Or maybe you'll just wobble along the pavement. The animal people will encourage you to skate in pairs if you're just learning, so you might meet some new people that way.
The vibe is chill, and even if you were upset when you first arrived you will find the longer you hang out the less anxious you feel.
Content Warnings:Stalking, horror movie type villain, optional violence, shadow monsters.
YOU SAY IT'S IN THE PAST
IT'S ALL GOOD
YOU SAY IT'S IN THE PAST
You've been awake for some time. Maybe you're getting something to eat, maybe you're exploring Willow and Euphoria. Whatever you're doing, some part of your body brushes up against an envelope. Really, it's like it jumps out at you. Written on the front is your name.
Inside is a piece of paper upon which is written a single statement: I know what you did last summer!
Well, that's confusing. And a little concerning, especially if you happen to have a lot of skeletons in your closet. Equally confusing is that someone nearby has found an identical letter, only addressed to them.
What's going on here? And could it have anything to do with that mysterious figure dressed like a fisherman hiding poorly behind a nearby object? Whoever that is, it seems doubtful that their intentions are friendly - you can see that in one hand they've got one hell of a big sharp hook.
The fisherman will stalk you and the other person who has received a letter, hiding quite a bit like a child; they duck behind skinny trees, crouch behind garbage bins, occasionally just place their hands in front of their already obscured face. Trying to approach the figure results in them raising their hook menacingly before running away. But they always come back. And although they may be inept, they do have a weapon. It may only be a matter of time before they catch you off guard.
You and the other letter recipient will have to work together to get out of this. The fisherman seems to think you were both in on something, so you should get to work figuring out if you have any experiences in common.
For some people this will be extremely easy. For others who may be from a different time period or planet, it may be a little more difficult. Still, there's bound to be something, whether profound or stupid. The moment you find some commonality in your past, you'll suddenly notice a box addressed to the both of you. How did it get there? Who cares!
Open in and you'll discover some canon items from home. It's especially likely that you'll find any weapons you may have owned, which is handy since the fisherman is now going to be after you in earnest!
After discovering what you have in common, it's possible that when you next see the fisherman they will be revealed to be someone from one of your stories. For example, if you both spent a year in Mathletes, the fisherman can be revealed as that nerdy kid you totally beat at the regional championships. Or maybe the fisherman's face remains obscured.
Regardless of who lurks behind that dirty raincoat and hat, you have to deal with him! This can be accomplished in a few ways: by revealing his identity if he has one, by knocking him out and turning him over to a couple of bumbling cops who seem to exist solely for this little drama, or by killing him.
Harsh.
If you find a commonality and receive a weapon from home, it will work flawlessly. One hit and that fisherman goes down! At least it wasn't hard!
But what if you just cannot or will not find common ground with someone?
Well. You still have to take care of the fisherman, but it's going to take a while. He's very stubborn and just doesn't seem to stay dead or injured for very long. It will take at least three attempts to keep him down long enough that you can turn him over to the police or throw him in the lake or whatever it is you choose to do.
IT'S ALL GOOD
If you had not previously received an item from home, with the disposal of the fisherman you will now discover the box addressed to you and your companion. Inside you will find some canon clothes and items for each of you, although they will not be weapons. As it turns out, you do not need to have completed the you say it's in the past prompt in order to find one of these boxes as they are dotted around Folkmore and may be found simply by wandering around. It's most likely that you'll have found yourself in Epiphany or Willow, which means that you'll also be able to find yourself things to eat and drink with ease. Euphoria especially might be the place for a pick-me-up since the convenience store has slushies! Awesome!
Less common that the addressed boxes, and more likely to be in the rural areas, are unenchanted weapons sticking out of the ground. Swords, guns, shields, maybe some nunchuks... They're not magical, but they're useable. After all you've been through you might want to pick one of these up. But be warned: the second you take one of these weapons, you'll have to use it.
From the shadows cast on the ground, inky black heads suddenly rise. Just heads. On insanely long necks that twist and turn as the heads come for you, gnashing teeth as dark as night. They’re pretty easy to defeat - cut off the head, or destroy the shadows they originate from. You can also run away, but you better be fast! That’ll teach you to assume you can get anything for free!
If you did encounter the fisherman or one of those nasty snake creatures, you may be a little worse for wear. Never fear - wander around a little bit and you'll encounter some more of those mysterious animal-headed people, who will point you towards a first-aid station. You can be patched up there by a woman with the head of a fennec fox. She manages to look unamused, somehow. Still, you can hang out in the recovery area as long as you need to. It's likely that you'll find yourself resting near other people, and you won't be told to shush if you strike up a conversation.
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That's a shame. I suggest all the rebellions and murder of necromancers.
[She flashes him a pained smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.]
Let's see. We murdered a hive of Illithid, took out a Beholder, killed a Duergar royal family, killed some basilisks, a dragon, fought a roc, dealt with the vampire in Emon, fought a bunch of vampire lackeys, killed the vampire's necromancer wife.... But a jailbreak? No, that's about three years ago. We rescued Percy from a prison in Jorenn Village and he joined our merry, dysfunctional band of misfits to save the world.
[She thinks it all over.] We did manage to ruin a banquet. What about you?
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[Casually messing in local politics. The usual really.] Dysfunctional band of misfits though, that does sound familiar. But so much for the timing.
[Look they're finding common ground in being friends with weird broken people. How about that. ...Caleb is, of course, one of the weirdest most broken of said people, so it's not like he's casting aspersions in saying so.]
So what is it? [He looks to the fisherman.] None of these things seem worth menacing us over. Yeah?
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[And, well, Vox Machina has been dealing with politics for a while now. They were part of the Tal'dorei council and, well, Percy technically rules an entire city, somewhat, while Vex sits on that council.]
I mean, I suppose that we were part of the Council of Tal'dorei in Emon for a while. You know, before the dragons showed up and ruined things. That's when we ruined the banquet. You know, when the vampire was there.
[Look, you haven't met her brother yet. Or Percival. She loves broken men, evidently. It's her brand. Caleb is welcome to join at any time. Vex turns her attention to the fisherman as well and waits, dagger at his throat.]
I know.
[Vex rolls her eyes in answer.] Of course.
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[But oh now this is new information. Part of the council is interesting. Dragons showing up is concerning.] Honestly, vampires being at a banquet is already an unfortunate ambiance.
[He heaves a sigh at the fisherman.] This guy is the worst. [But...] What do we do with him? Perhaps we could report him to the authorities?
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Oh, you have no idea. Vampires and necromancers. Absolutely abysmal for the palate. But, still not the worst party I've attended.
[Vex seriously considers killing him. It would be much less of a hassle. It would leave her safer. Vax would kill him. Percy and Grog would kill him. Pike and Keyleth might object. She turns her blade between both hands, sighs and then shoves it back into her belt.] I suppose we should. I don't feel safe with him running free, but he hasn't done anything yet to warrant leaving him tied up here or killing him.
[She reaches into her pouch and pulls out a length of rope.] The thorns will only last so long. I suppose we should tie him up completely before we have Trinket drag him through town. [She said nothing about not torturing him a bit for annoying her.]
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Killing him would be simpler, but it feels a bit much given that so far he's only sent annoying letters and ominously stalked them.]
Agreed. I don't want to set him loose either. That seems like it would be quite the mistake.
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Alright, buddy. We're going to take him to the center of town. I need you to pull this rope for me.
[She still thinks they should kill him. Ugh. If they're lucky, though, the brambles will break skin and he won't be completely without injury.]
We could just tie him to a pole or something in the middle of all this mess and leave him. Even if someone releases the ropes, our point would be made.
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[He trails off and pauses.] Did you see that box on the way in?
[Sorry, Vex. He's gone and gotten himself very distracted. They've probably shared enough and discovered at least a few commonalities enough to get to this moment, right? Because that box quite literally has his name on it. Perhaps also hers.]
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No, I didn't. [Which is odd, because Vex is generally very observant. Leaving the rope and captive with Trinket, she spots the box and moves closer towards it. When she is standing over the top of it and sees her name, she looks back over at Caleb and then at Trinket.
Who is alone.]
Where did he go?
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[That's a problem. How did he get free? Those knots were secure, he's certain of that.] That can't be good.
[And the box is probably a trap, right? Caleb picks up a stick to poke it. That's sort of like checking for traps, isn't it? It'll have to do. He uses the stick to open the box and nearly chokes on a sound of surprise.] My books! [It is the Exandrian equivalent of Christmas morning for Caleb Widogast. Escaped crazed stalkers have been entirely forgotten. Look at this, Vex!]
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She can't stop looking over at Trinket, who is holding empty ropes in his mouth and is surrounded by brambles that are slowly slinking into the ground.] How did he get free, Trinket?
[The bear gives a confused sound in response and she looks back over at Caleb when he exclaims about books. She can't help but look inside the now empty, and obviously not trapped box, and her eyes go wide.]
My feathers? How?
[She doesn't hesitate to reach in and pull out the grouping of blue feathers that have been magically preserved to stay in perfect condition. They look just like they did the day she took them out of her hair to braid them into Vax's.]
I... How did these get here?!
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The spells are as they should be, in his handwriting, the pages worn and stained and smudged here and there with ink.
It takes him a moment to realize that Vex has spoken, looking over at her startled.] Something personal of yours as well?
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However, having her feathers again... She looks them over, turning them in her hands over and over as she thinks about how she lost them. With a sad half-smile, she slips them behind her right ear, feeling whole in a way she didn't really have words to express.
It's only then that she cuts a look over at Caleb, watching as he pours over his books, like Percy and his tinkering. It's bittersweet, this whole damn situation.]
Yes. Something worth dealing with this idiot over. [She absently reaches up to touch the feathers where they rest.] I assume it's the same for you?
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[And the other book. He simply sets his hand on it, not opening that one at all.] And this one, well, even harder to replace.
[He spares a moment to get the book holster situated, feeling a great deal less naked now. But he does look up to Vex, standing up straight now, noting that she's placed the feathers in her hair.]
They suit you. [And clearly they have some sentimental significance to her.] It does make this incident a bit more worthwhile, and a bit less annoying.
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[It's why she's glad that most of her skills come from her abilities and her closeness to nature. She does notice the almost reverential touch on the second book and she makes a note of it but doesn't comment. She's got her own secrets, after all. And there's hardly a reason for her to drag out his to satisfy her curiosity.
Yet.]
Thank you. [She barely manages to keep from reaching her hand up to touch them again, but the slight flush of happiness is something she can't stop herself from doing.] And I agree. This was very annoying, but worth it in the end.
[She looks back at Trinket, who is obviously very upset with the fact that the bad man disappeared and he's disappointed Vex.]
I think we'd be better off getting out of this forest and heading back towards the main thoroughfare for now. I'm sure it has something to do with whatever games Amrita and her friends have cooked up, but I don't want to give them any more fuel.
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[He really does not need to be without his spells for preparing. He settles his coat back on. There. He feels more like himself now, and that's settling, grounding.]
I agree. We should continue on. [Though now.] Games? So this manner of... incident... is not unusual?
[What is he in for here, Vex?]
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Vex walks over to Trinket and scritches him right by his ear, getting her a happy groan and a slobbery tongue in return. She only shakes her head and starts moving towards the more populated areas. She and Trinket can explore Willow more later, when all of the craziness has died down.]
Caleb, darling, did you pay attention when you were visited by the fox creature that brought you here? All of these escapades are set up for us to "realize our potential". It's a different treat each time, I think. Although, honestly, I will take a weird person that stalks me, screaming about knowing what I've done the summer before over dreams of my death on repeat.
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Oh she said a great many things. But how is something like strange stalkers and cryptic notes supposed to help us with our potential? I suppose I did not know what to expect, but it wasn't...
[This. Or the weird business with the music earlier.
But hold on, he holds up a hand.] Dreams of your death? Imagined death or actual death?
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Well, you gained your spellbook, yes? I gained both Trinket and my bow back during the last... event. The creatures in charge here aren't exactly the most clear when they want to open us up to whatever chaos they're throwing us in.
[At his questions, she grimaces.] Both. I would not recommend it.
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[He'll conceded that point. But interesting that rewards for these games seem to be common. Very interesting. It's something he'll keep in mind because if he has to deal with nonsense to get useful things, he will deal with nonsense.]
Ah. No, I would imagine not. As a rule, I try to avoid my own death as much as possible.
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[And, excuse you, her BEAR is not common.]
I'm not really all that fond of it myself, but... Sometimes, it can't be helped. Especially when fighting dragons.
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[Caleb wonders if they'll have much of a choice in the matter anyway. He supposes he'll find out.]
I have not faced a true dragon. [That's still a few episodes away.] I could quite happily pass the rest of my life never having to.
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[It's still such a relief to be able to say that Thordak is dead.]
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[So okay, Vex is very pretty and a little scary. Caleb will take note of this and remember it well. Stay on Vex's good side. That's what he gets out of this.]
I am hoping you don't need to continue that streak here.
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[She and Vax had been after revenge for their mother's death for well over a decade and the second that Thordak had fallen, they'd embraced one another in tears of relief. Taking out Raishan had been the only smart thing to do.]
I honestly wouldn't be against fighting another dragon. They're challenging, but I feel... alive when one falls.
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