Test Drive: April 2020

[storyevents]

Test Drive: April 2020—

§ instructions.

Welcome to the Test Drive for Forgotten Tales! This is to help interested players test out their characters in the game's setting and see if the essence they have chosen will actually work in game play. There are a number of prompts that try to touch on the kinds of settings and scenarios the characters may encounter. So here are a few things to keep in mind while on the test drive:

• Feel free to use the current Workshop for help if you need it! Both the Workshop and the Test Drive are required for Registration.
  
  
• Participating on the Test Drive does not guarantee a spot on either Claims or Registration.
  
  
• Check the Character Roster and Essence List to see if your choices are not already taken.
  
  
• Include Character Name and Canon in the subject line, and note somewhere within the toplevel your character's essence. It can be in the subject line if you already know what it is (so ex; Character | Canon | Essence). Side note: You are free to try more than one essence if you're on the fence. Just make sure to note which one you're using for that particular prompt.
  
  
• Players are free to assume their characters have been informed of the very basics so you can skip all that if you'd like.
  
  
• Only the "In the Index" prompts of the Test Drive can be carried over in its entirety, but you can alter the story based ones as "stage play" settings within the Index if you wish to carry over that interaction as well, or alter components to a slightly different scenario (ex, instead of fighting Erasers in a story setting, it could in the Index or different monsters within the Index)..
  
  
• Don't forget to refer to the Game Info for how the mechanics work.
  
  
• Public Registration will open May 3rd, but anyone with an invite and current players can register at any time. Claims will open April 26th.

Most of all, have fun! Feel free to invite those you may think would be interested to participate in the test drive.

---

§ prompts.

¶ I. In the Index. When not out adventuring or playing character roles in stories, the Aspects will have some downtime within the Index, the central hub of the Realm of Stories. Here they can explore the city, read up on other stories, socialize with fellow would-be heroes, learn more about the essence, or even just do nothing at all. Any threads and CR made with "Index" prompts can be carried over into the game.

• A. Out in the City. Life in the Index can range from the mundane to the extraordinary depending on which area one travels to. Because it is a hodgepodge of many different stories from numerous cultures, one can never be sure what they may encounter even on an average run for groceries.
  
  
  
  1. Spring Has Sprung! It's spring in the Index, which means the city is decked out for more holidays! Sakura and other flowering trees scatter petals into the gentle breeze, streamers and banners in bright pastels hang from the lampposts and in shop windows, and best of all, specials on candy! However, some of this decoration magic is spreading all over. Some may suddenly find themselves with flower petals raining down upon them as if to give them a more "refreshing, romantic" effect, though sometimes instead of a gentle shower it's more like a raging storm (hopefully none of them are thorny roses). Buildings are suddenly made of chocolate or dyed random colors that glitter and sparkle in the sun, blinding those who walk past. Hopefully that chocolate doesn't melt. And some will find themselves sporting rabbit ears. They're "real" for about an hour before they turn into fake headbands, but fake or real, the ears can twitch and move.
     
     
  2. Rabbits Can Multiply. Some people might stumble across a chocolate egg. It might be in your winnings if you participated in the egg hunt, on your kitchen counter, placed really obviously on the bench next to you after feeling someone tap your shoulder. In any case, the egg soon hatches into an adorable little chocolate bunny—that quickly starts to eat everything in sight and multiplies like, well, a proverbial rabbit. One rabbit chowing down someone's garden or restaurant inventory is easy to handle, but not five or more. The little menaces seem to distinctly avoid carrots, though. Maybe whacking them on the head with one or spraying them with carrot juice will get rid of them. You can use heat to melt them, but would you really want to scar the children like that?
     
     
  3. Magic Jumping Jelly Beans. Special jelly beans are being handed out to everyone, children in particular. They come in all different flavors and colors and are quite tasty. The only problem is catching them all. When not contained in special, magical plastic eggs, the jelly beans will jump out and bounce around here and there and everywhere without any care. A handful is amusing, but when an entire box or cart full of them is accidentally knocked over and entire rooms or streets are filled with them...it's a problem. Traffic is blocked, eyes are at risk, and those little things can hurt when flying at high speeds. Whether it's grabbing and shoving them back into the eggs, smashing or burning them, or simply eating them, find a way to beat back the beans before they cause serious bodily harm or property damage.
  
  
• B. Essence Practice. Suddenly inheriting the abilities of another person while losing most of your own at the same time can be quite jarring. Picking a place to test out these newfound powers or even going to the Library to read up on the essence's story may help glean some clues as to what they can do.
  
  
• C. Try Out the Journal. The journals are unique to this world and the sole source of communication for everyone. Feel free to give it a try, either by sending a random message out or even a doodle.

¶ II. Jack and the Beanstalk. The classic tale of a young boy who climbs up the magic beanstalk to discover the giant's castle. Aspects are requested to help restore this story and are given a few tasks to fulfill. First they must scale up the current, contaminated beanstalk to help clear out the Erasers and other monsters lurking. Then a few select souls must reenact key scenes so that the Storyteller can rewrite the story. Finally they must help chop down the beanstalk so that a newer one can be grown.

• A. Up the Beanstalk. The beanstalk is a twisting rotting mess that leads up to dark, stormy clouds. But it is up this beanstalk they must climb and try to not only create a safer passage for those involved, but to keep it from falling down prematurely as it is the only way up to the giant's castle in the sky. There are several large leaves that look as if they could be safe platforms, but be wary—some are actually venus flytraps in disguise and will snap close if triggered. There are also numerous Erasers and hostile creatures in the form of varying insects. A few beans and pea pods hang off its sides and they can be used as 1) nourishment and remedies, 2) thrown to create safe platforms, 3) sticky explosives against hostile creatures.
  
  
• B. Dealing with Giants. There are two many scenes to pick from. For each, characters will take on one of the two roles, but it's only in name and appearance only. How they act is all up to them. There is no script, just a basic guideline on the setup and potential goal, but how it happens and how they get there doesn't matter. They can be serious in their role or just go completely off script. Each one has a costume: Jack, (Princess) Harp, and the Giant. (Note: characters do retain their Aspect abilities as well as temporarily gain some from their scene roles.):
  
  
  1. Jack and (Princess) Harp: Sneaking Past the Giant. It's a stealth co-op mission to get through an extreme obstacle course without waking the Blot giant. Think Ninja Warrior obstacles and traps. (Princess) Harp is transformed into an actual harp with their head and arms the only movable original part of the person. Fortunately they are small enough to be carried, but be careful to not let any of the string snap! Don't wake the giant or they will get Fee Fi Fo Stomped.
     
     
  2. Jack and the Giant: Confrontation. Despite their best efforts, the giant is able to catch up to Jack and impede his escape. Jack must now find a way to get past the giant, and it's up to the one who plays the giant to determine the method. Will the giant be talked into letting Jack go peacefully? Perhaps if Jack traded the harp? Solve a few riddles? Jack uses his wiles to somehow distract and sneak past? Will it come to a fight? Or perhaps another method? (Note: Jack will have a toy harp as a prop.)
  
  
• C. Chop the Beanstalk. Once everyone is down safely, it's time to chop this giant beanstalk before more threats come down. It's very thick, not to mention riddled with obstacles like peashooter-pods, pome-grenades filled with alarmingly red sticky juice, spiky, stinky durian bombs, and worst of all, the SQUASH! Some chainsaws are provided, but there are other ways to help weaken it via Essence abilities. Those who have affinity with plants can perhaps coax it to soften itself. Others could try cursing it to wilt, and there are of course the elements to use against it (fire is most effective). Watch out for the various critters that will drop down in attempt to defend it, as well as the beanstalk's other defenses.

¶ III. Request Board: Creature Handling. People aren't the only ones displaced due to the Story Eater's destruction. A variety of creatures from various fairy tales and stories have sought shelter within the Index, and have for the most part been contained away from the main city. However, not all creatures are friendly, and some do escape, whether on their own or by those with ill intentions. While it is preferred to keep every creature safe and alive, the safety of not only the people but also other creatures and the Index itself is paramount. Lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary. Although some requests specify certain types of individuals best suited for the task, anyone with comparable skills or alternative methods can participate. With everyone needing to learn how to use their new Essence abilities, these offer a perfect opportunity to test them out.

1. REQUEST: TRACKERS, HUNTERS, ANYONE WHO CAN COMMUNE OR UNDERSTAND THE FORESTS. A herd of unicorns is missing and must be found immediately! Poachers are known to trap and cut their horns to be sold on the black market as well as smuggling them to other stories to be sold. This is highly illegal and harmful for the creature. Please find and return them before they are harmed! If you spot a poacher, you have permission to capture them and take them to law enforcement.
   
   
2. REQUEST: WARRIORS, MAGES, BEAST TAMERS, TRACKERS. A large cerberus was spotted roaming near some ranches set by the mountains. Normally they keep to themselves, but this one is a young male likely looking for new territory to claim and drawn to the livestock. No humans have been harmed, but we want to keep it that way. Partners and groups must have at least one person capable of tracking it down. We wish to drive away the cerberus rather than outright kill it, but it can be unpredictable. If it cannot be driven off or knocked unconscious, then permission is granted for its destruction. Be wary of its three heads—it is capable of harnessing the three main elements: fire, water, and wind.
   
   
3. REQUEST: BARDS, MUSICIANS, CHARMERS. Because of the recent incidents, many of the more timid creatures and farm animals are nervous and won't settle down. Many have wedged themselves in odd hiding places and just won't come out, while others ceaselessly stampede through the spring fields and trample the crops! Music will help calm them down, especially duets, and they are also fans of musical numbers. However if music isn't enough, perhaps a sleeping spell of some kind will do.

¶ IV. Mix it up. This is the "wildcard" prompt. Feel free to take any of these prompts and make them more of your own, or pull from an entirely different story. As mentioned you're free to use any of our previous stories or other events. Just have fun with it!

Comments

[no_reload]

"Let's not be so coy. I know more about you than anyone, save perhaps one other. You can pretend all you like, but the reality is that I know your moves before you do." Especially since he was now aware that Jack was here in the same situation that he was. For him, that meant doing research to learn what character Jack was representing so he could make a plan to deal with him accordingly.

It took two to turn on each other, and of course, their grievances were easy to pile up in all the years before and since the fall of Overwatch. There came a point where sacrifices and plans didn't hold up, but he didn't expect Jack to understand what he was actually doing. Some sacrifice plays were beyond even the great Strike Commander.

"You'd need every advantage just to feel like you have a chance of beating me," he remarked as he rose from his crouch to his feet.

[steadypulse]

A hoof braced back a little, motion looking more as if his stance was straightening-

Would be funny, there was sparks of magic in those old bones of his now, which meant that one moment 76 was still standing and looking where Reaper had perched himself, and the next he was just above. Tail swinging as fingers gripped a branch and allowed himself to swing downwards- cloven hooves first, towards the other's sides.

"See how far that can stand up, because I think there are a few things you've forgotten." Most wouldn't know between the two of them, that when they were younger, Jack Morrison was the dirty fighter. The one that had needed to be pulled back, and it was only once he no longer had to be held back by a title that it bleed through once more.

[no_reload]

Every story seemed to come with its own range of powers, and if Jack had been here longer than he had, Reaper had no doubt that the old soldier had spent considerable time learning everything there was about those powers. In some ways, it might give Jack an edge, but Reaper only considered it evening the odds out between them, if that. Beating that old dog was basically a given these days.

As such, he didn't even turn his head as Jack disappeared from the distance in front of him to be above him. He could hear perfectly well and could guess the next move. Jack had always been a dirty, cheeky fighter, which made him excellent in the nitty gritty of a war, but then the man had been strung up by the noose of a title.

His hand snapped out to catch a cloven hoof, and he jerked his arm to try to rip Jack right off of holding to that branch. At the same time, the temperature around him plummeted until every breath could be visible and ice began to gather along his feathery-looking coat and the branches around them. Wilting leaves. Making breathing a pain.

"How could I forget that underneath all this show, you're just a dirty farm boy throwing dung in people's faces?"

[steadypulse]

Could have been funny, there was not mist of breath coming from 76, but that could have been because of the muzzle he wore. Claws digging in to that branch, using the hold and caught momentum to just twist himself and aim a back kick at Reaper. Didn't even care to aim, keeping his brace with the branch for just that much longer.

"Never was a bad thing, if I remember right." Damn well kept an edge on him and on his side during the Crisis, and had helped them win a few battles under Reyes' orders. Stubborn enough to match his Commander's own, "All of the show was always more your suit-" He was honestly going to keep that kicking up. "-while I never cared for spit-shine and polish." Or the leash, having to parade around and be held up as some man he wasn't and had to try and fit himself in to.

Gave up who he was, all so he could do what was needed of him to keep things running, keep the operation going. Use a silver tongue and that home grown American boy looks to win over grants and favors. Protect those he never thought he had to protect before—

With no show of having any issues breathing 76 kept going, if anything the cold had drove him in to hitting even harder. Not holding back, switching up his grip and aiming to take Reaper right down to the ground with him once again.

[no_reload]

It was true that he had been aware of ol' Jack getting back to his roots, of those tactics which were fast, brutal and effective. Between the two of them, Jack could have been considered the more dangerous as he had lost what scruples he had to kicking the absolute crap out of other people. The old soldier might not kill them, but he would maim them beyond belief, whereas Reaper was tactical, almost surgical in his choices when it came to kill. He was using microcosms from decisions to spin his spiderweb.

And he was already gathering information. Jack not blowing out frosted breath? Information. The fact that he could and would hit harder? Information. Right now, he was information gathering, learning what he could of Jack's new form so that he could tactically maneuver his way around it.

After all, he had a perch of his own where he could duck and dodge those kicking cloven feet, slapping them hard enough so they passed by him. Certainly, smoke rose from some of his motions as his concentration was focused on the battle, so holding himself together was a touch of an after thought. He had been doing it long enough that it was practically a normal occurrance.

"And yet... spit-shine and polish was what brought you down to your knees. Maybe you should have been better at it," he remarked with a deep growling laugh. "Come now, swinging from the trees like a monkey. Is that the best you can do, Jack-be-nimble?"

[steadypulse]

Brutal and efficient, like any good soldier was expected to be to get a job done. Sure, he went easier on those who weren't targets, did whatever he could to quickly knock them out with as little injury as possible. Quick in and out, and he'd gotten better at it over the years, but it was all an ends to a means in his search.

In his hunt. "We both know that's wrong—"

Spit-shine and polish had been all that was holding him together near the end, strung up by red tape an expectations that no human shoulder ever have of them. A picture he never had been able to fit, a shadow that grew beyond in to some person that never could have existed. Enduring so much, because if he could do anything he still wanted to foolishly act as a shield no matter what it did to him. He'd shattered--

He had broken and shattered, been treated like a martyr that he had never wanted to be, held aloft by the same people who had been calling for his head. Wanted to see him hang for what he'd allowed. "—I was brought down by betrayal!" And it was with that snarl that he twisted himself in a way that shouldn't have been possible, letting the cutting edge of a hoof aim downwards as he launched himself and shattered that perch of Reaper's with what almost felt like force alone.

[no_reload]

"Is it?" He issued a slow nasty laugh. It was all about needling Jack into more anger, aware that there were some buttons that were easy to push at this point. All of this tit-for-tat conversation seemed to be just setting up for what they knew was going to happen.

So many of them had shattered as Overwatch crumbled. So many of them had given everything they had, and in the end, it had still destroyed them. Reinhardt's forced retirement. Ana's sniper dueling gone wrong. Gerard being a Talon target. McCree walking out. Jack barely holding it together but still putting on a brave face. Him... well, no need to dwell on the past.

"We were all brought down by betrayal. You aren't special in that." That was all he could say as his perch was shattered, and he jumped away, dark wings unfurrowing from his coat - or was it his coat? - allowing him to beat them to put distance. He pulled a shotgun as he moved back and fired to drive Jack from following so eagerly.

[steadypulse]

"I'm not the one that thinks I was ever special."

Forced above people he'd always seen as equals in the eyes of the public and everyone else he ever had to interact with? Yes. Had to act like it as well, because every decision he made affected so many people, and he always had to think and weigh every decision he made on the possible outcomes if any little thing went wrong. How he could move himself to try and intercept so others could still move, the game of political chess he had to play and was far better at than some imagined.

The choices he never wanted to make, and had made for him despite arguments, the suffered loses that he could do nothing about and took all of the brunt and blame for anyway. That was part of his position as well, to soak up every bit of blame and ire. Nothing was ever enough for anyone.

He still followed, shrugging past a shotgun blast by ducking down to all fours, sweeping up shards of wood to fling upwards like primitive wooden darts. Still worked for him.

[no_reload]

"Soldiers are never special for anything more than what they are willing to sacrifice," he agreed, and it might be the first thing they had agreed upon in a long time. "But they needed a smiling puppet, and you fit the look they wanted. Too bad you were too strong-minded and willed to be readily controlled."

And so they had to find other ways to destroy Morrison, and that involved all the pitfalls of being a leader. Blame went to the top of the mountain of command after all. Red-tape could bind up a man, and Reyes had wanted no part of that. After all, he had seen the writing on the wall even before that promotion had come to pass. He was better off keeping to the shadows as a glorified information officer, and that was fine by him.

But that was all in the past, and anyone had left was chips on their shoulders and a strong need to see wrongs corrected through any means necessary.

A blast of wind exploded around him, throwing the darts off course as he flapped back to settle on another branch. He hopped backwards as his wings folded and seemed to meld back into his coat. "If it's revenge you want, you can hardly obtain that here, now can you?"

[steadypulse]

And Jack Morrison, of course, had sacrificed everything to the cause; for Overwatch, to Overwatch, and even Blackwatch in a way. It had been needed, and so important to do what he couldn't because of his position, had trusted Gabriel Reyes to do what he had always done best. So he had allowed himself to be bound by red tape as strings, the UN as his puppeteers with a stranglehold growing ever tighter around his throat.

He never took it laying down, until there was nothing left, but even without support he'd tried. "A failure of them not taking it in to account," growled as the words were. One little thing they had in common- he just got away with it because of his looks and the fact he knew how to convince people to work with him.

"Could ask the same of you, what brings your miserable carcass here?" Didn't stop him from taking a direct hit to the tree itself, shaking it from roots to the very top as if something so much larger had hit it. The wood creaking as limbs trembled and leaves shivered while some actually came loose to fall.

[no_reload]

"They still beat you down eventually. They play the long-game," he reminded almost casually. Their long-game was still in motion after all, but now many of the pieces that were Overwatch and Blackwatch was scattered to the wind. A few of those elements were all part of the plan, like a cog in the machine. As long as they behaved themselves, they would be allowed to roam 'free'.

As for why he was here, well what did that information actually matter to one like Jack? He'd play the rabid dog or... well, whatever he was now. Reaper would learn his storybook powers and seek to get back to where the real action was for him. While he had been assured a 'mirror' version of himself was still in play, it didn't sit well with him to not be in control of his revenge. After all, it was no fun not being able to see the faces of his enemies when they realized who he was just before they died.

He eased down into a crouch as Jack hit the tree thanks to the blast of wind, issuing a low laugh. "My, my, look who has put on a significant amount of weight. You're getting fat in your old age, Jack."