forgottentales_ooc | Test Drive: January 2019

Entry tags:

-tdm

Test Drive: January 2019

Test Drive: January 2019—

§ instructions.
Welcome to the Test Drive for Forgotten Tales! This is to help interested players "test drive" 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 vary from casual to more task focused work.

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! It's not required, but highly recommended.
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.
Don't forget to refer to the Game Info for how the mechanics work.
Feel free to join the Discord server to ask questions or request threads.
Registration is always open.

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. Winter Wonderland. Currently the Index is covered in snow and although Christmas has passed, it's still decorated for the winter season. Festive garlands, buildings made of gingerbread, lively snowmen—it's all there.
- Gingerbread House Mayhem. Gingerbread buildings may look nice from the outside, but on the inside it's a bit of a nightmare when even the furniture and other interior decor starts transforming as well. A chimney made of marshmallows is not going to last long with a roaring fire. Gingerbread buildings also have one fatal flaw—they are absolutely delicious. And there are plenty of young children and critters ready to just take a nice giant bite out of them. Fortunately no one is going to be literally eaten out of house and home—they may have learned from Hansel and Gretel that eating too much is dangerous. But they're quick with their "eat and runs," laughing as they continue to dare each other. Stop them! —Or join them if feeling peckish.
- "Zombie" Snowmen Tag. Aspects may suddenly find themselves surrounded by a circle of snowmen, their coal eyes glowing red. When they try to move past, they may let them leave, but then eerily shuffle and slide after them. Better run, because they've been marked and a volley of snowballs are hurtling past. And if there's a giant rumbling... Don't mind that, it's just a giant snowball bouncing down the road.
- Winter Games. Can have fun without some winter games! There is the obvious snowball fight, but ever tried ice sculpting? Maybe an Aspect's essence can be of use.
- Falling Snowflakes. Everyone loves catching snowflakes. But they might enjoy it a lot less if they're almost as big as a human and essentially giant sheets of ice. Someone is deliberately jumping on the giant floating snowflakes above, making them crash down to the earth below. While there have been no fatalities thanks to the obvious and slow descent, it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured. There are many ways of stopping them, from catching the snowflakes, destroying them before they hit, or blasting them away. Just be careful to not be hit—they really do hurt. Alternatively, Aspects can go up to try and catch the perpetrator. Those who can fly will have an easier time, otherwise, time to jump on some giant snowflakes!
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. Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Upon entering the small fairy tale, the Aspects cast into certain roles will find themselves dressed in one of these costumes with the role of one of the following: Goldilocks, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear. Gender makes no difference—even guys could be Goldilocks and yes, they are stuck in a curly wig and dress. At least the bear heads are removable if needed. Strange attire aside, there is only the dark, foreboding forest and the decepit, old cottage. Strange growls can be heard from within the forest, so take care.

A. Making Porridge. Before they can try and taste which porridge is the best one, it needs to be made first. In the cottage kitchen three rusty stoves are arranged by the wall, each designated to make the porridge either "too hot," "too cold," or "just right." Ingredients are also available, but no recipe and not all ingredients are actually supposed to be used (unless you like frog legs and scorpion tails). One more person can try their hand their cooking, just be careful. The "too hot" stove has a tendency to suddenly burst into flames, the "too cold" stove is completely iced over from the stove, and "just right" will smack various parts of its "body" whenever the porridge is going wrong. The stoves only care about the temperature so the won't pass judgment on what's actually used to make them. Once the porridges have been made, "Goldilocks" must try each one and give her reviews. Whether these things actually taste good… That depends on the chef.
B. Finding the Right Chair.The next task is for Goldilocks to sit in three different chairs in the living room. The problem is, she needs to find them first—and find the right ones. The living room itself is huge, and there dozens of chairs of all shapes and sizes scattered all over, including on the walls and ceiling. Fortunately, there are a couple of clues to make this easier. Each chair has a "symbol" clearly visible on their seat, and this "symbol" is actually an emoji. From various faces to random pictures like knives and trees, the symbol indicates the type of chair it is. Whether a chair with a knife on it means it's actually made out of knives or something else is up to the player. Be as creative as you want! But the three chairs needed are those that fit each of the bears, with the baby bear's chair ultimately broken by Goldilocks.
C. Taking a Nap. The beds are next, and some assembly is required. More importantly, they need to gather materials because except or Ikea-like directions, there's nothing in the bedrooms. Those helping with this part must go find the following for each bed:
- Too hard: Rocks. Lots and lots of rocks. Some wood could also work, but the aim is to make it as hard as can be.
- Too soft: Pillows will be the main body of this bed, along with anything else that could be used as soft stuffing.
- Just right: The one playing Goldilocks has to specifically pick out what they want to sleep on. Could be anything from a rug on the floor to the most ridiculous, fanciest bed that can be made. Assistance is allowed.
Once the beds have been made, Goldilocks must test each one, but once they lie down on the final bed, they'll fall fast asleep.
D. Angry Bears. For the most part, those playing the bears can either be assisting in the setup or just hanging around exploring or waiting for their time to go in. But once it's time, they must now go through and discover their intruder, starting with half-eaten porridge, the chairs, and finally Goldilocks. They are free to wake up the sleeping Goldilocks in any manner they deem fit, and what happens after… Well, that depends on who is actually playing the roles. Will Goldilocks just run away? Will she try to make amends? Or will a fight break out with the bears attacking? Or will Goldilocks be the one to attack??? Possibilities are endless.
E. Beware the Blots. For those who may want a little action and not interested in what's going on inside the cottage, they may find themselves on "protective" duty. Occasionally large, gruesome looking bears or girls wielding machetes will shamble out from the forest. They aren't part of the story, instead they are Blot versions of the characters and made of black ink. They are drawn to the activity inside the cottage, so best to take care of them. Fortunately they come either on their own or at most a small group and relatively easy to handle.

¶ III. Mary Had a Little Lamb. In this classic nursery rhyme, the Aspects will find themselves either on the road or in a school, and those cast as Mary or the Lamb will find themselves in appropriate costumes. For the sake of ease, a doll version of each is available to use instead. At least this is a quick little "story" and should be a straightforward restoration, right? ...Right?

A. Everywhere That Mary Went. Mary and her lamb must follow the road leading to the school, but it's not going to be easy. Not only is the road itself broken and hard to walk through with big, giant gaps in places, but there are other dangers lurking about. Blots in the form of wolves will emerge from the ground around them, hungry and ready to attack. Mary and the Lamb must fend them off. If neither are able, perhaps those along for the journey can help fight them off.
B. Followed Her To School One Day. After managing to get past the wolves, Mary must now attend boring classes. Except these classes aren't so boring and Mary is now trapped in a creepy classroom full of silent Blots who have taken on the form of teachers and students. Other Aspects may have found themselves inside with Mary as well, and at least the Blots aren't attacking. Yet. But have no fear! The Lamb followed her and is ready to help break her out. Problem is, it has to get inside first. The Lamb can try to find an open entrance, break in, or even get help from either Mary herself or an Aspect posing as another student. Once inside, the Lamb has to distract the now agitated Blots by making them laugh and play. Doing so will appease the Blots and allow Mary and any others trapped inside to escape. Of course the Lamb could just opt to get the hell out of there and leave everyone to their fates. That's definitely an option. Fighting the Blots is not necessary, but if things get out of hand (or if an Aspect wants to, anyway), then it's fine to do so.

¶ 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. You're free to also use any prompts from our previous campaign or other events. Just have fun with it!

Threaded | Flat

¶ I-B: Essence Research

[ As much as Velvet is perfectly fine walking around town with a perfectly visible set of black wolf-shaped ears perched on top of her hair, the townspeople certainly seem to stare a little too much. Hence why whenever she does go into town for anything, she grabs a cloak with a hood to cover them up. Normally, she isn't much of a reader but if she's expected to learn about her new Big Bad Wolf abilities then Velvet might as well learn about the story the Wolf comes from.

So here she is taking over a table at the library and it turns out there's quite a few stories with wolves in them. A pile of books sit in front of her and Velvet glowers at the tiny stack. She intends to learn about all of them. With a sigh, she reaches for the first book. ]

Might as well get started.

[ Velvet will save the Little Red Riding Hood story for last so that it'll be fresh in her mind when she leaves. ]

¶ II-E: Blot fighting

[ This is one person who's more than happy to leave the story to others while she hangs around outside to take care of anything that might try to disrupt it. Velvet is more than eager to take some aggression out on the dark figures creeping closer. With a shift to put her right side back, her left hand comes up ready to battle.

She doesn't even really look over to whoever might be accompanying her on this particular task but there is one thing to say. ]

Stay out of my way and try not to die.

[ Real nice and helpful, this one. ]

¶ III-A: Fleece as white as snow

[ W e l p...

Velvet has somehow found herself dressed up as shepherdess (the irony of the situation is not lost on her) and she kind of hates the outfit. Okay, she really hates the dress. Her lamb isn't even real but is a soft tiny plush instead. The road isn't much of a problem but there's an awful lot of Blot wolves on the horizon.

Her own set of wolf ears twitch and her tail flicks in annoyance (yet another ironic twist to the story). A low growl can be heard from Shepherdess "Mary" who momentarily debates just turning right back around and leaving. ]

Let's get this over with already.

[ Luckily, she's not a helpless girl but perhaps the Blots sense that because they just keep rising out of the ground as Velvet moves forward. ]

¶ IV: Wildcard

[ Perhaps someone catches sight of a nearly all black wolf in the forest around Index, just wandering about as if minding their own business. This particular wolf has gleaming golden eyes and the smallest hint of a white patch on its chin. Its also slightly bigger than a normal wolf. Not to mention the eerie way it stares at anyone who dares to come within visual sight.

The wolf is perfectly still, watching the supposed human trespasser almost as if daring them to come within biting range.

Do you dare? ]

¶ I-A: Gingerbread House

[ Spotting kids and various other critters quite literally eating bits of buildings (cookie buildings by the looks of it? what even ...), Musashi watches intently - sternly, even - from a distance. Did this count as damage to public property? Was this dangerous to those who may be living in these buildings? Shouldn't she do something?

Yes, she should. Which is exactly why she marches right up to the nearest building, spooking some of the kids away ... and grabs a chunk out of it to try it for herself. ]

Oh, woah! It really is something you can eat! Too bad it's not made of udon, but I won't complain ...

[ Don't mind her, she's just gonna ... take a bit more for later. It's fine. Shhh. ]

¶ II-D: Angry Bears

[ The whole thing seemed really silly to her, but hey, this was what she signed up for so she'll help with whatever. Besides, wearing the silly Goldilocks costume was a small price to pay for acting as a food tester and getting to take a nap. Sure, she would've preferred the action, but there were others out there doing it already. ~~She'd rather fight them over the Blots anyway.~~ So it's okay for now.

Sleeping away on a rather fancy bed, Musashi is ready to woken up by whoever's around to play as a bear. ... Did Goldilocks always have a set of katanas and a wooden mallet on her?

Maybe startling her isn't the best idea. Even if she's starting to snore. ]

¶ III-A: Everywhere That Mary Went

[ ... Okay, she really is not a fan of the dress even a little, but it's at least not bulky or whatever - she can still fight in something like this! But there really were an awful lot of Blot wolves showing up, and it was a right pain in the rear to have to maneuver in these heels. She could probably do this on her own, but she could already feel that this was going to be an exercise in frustration if she did.

So, she turns to whoever ended up as her "sheep" with a somewhat embarrassed grin. ]

We're awfully popular today, aren't we? ... So hey, what are you better at? Fighting, or running?

1-B

[Okay. This is a thing that has now happened. He really expected the whole "dragon and then eating a Lord of Calamity" thing to be the end, who wouldn't, but here he is. More pirate-y than he had been eight hundred years ago, when he was an actual fucking pirate.

He missed this. He could do without the wardrobe change, but the hat is pretty cool and he kept his own damn boots. More than he'd have gotten otherwise.

But Eizen is, at his heart, the biggest nerd and when he hears there's a library for researching these stories? Well, he's pretty sure he summoned a small wave that promptly froze over so he could more or less slide down the road there, but he's not entirely certain.

But that was a few hours ago and Eizen's been pouring over books since he got here. He reaches up to rub at his eyes, sighing.]

I need a drink...

[And then he knocks over the stack of books he has next to him when a bottle of some sort of booze just appears right by his elbow.]

...you know, usually when I say that the bottles all mysteriously vanish.

2-A

[Why Eizen is wearing a bear costume he doesn't know. Why Eizen was "elected" to be one of the chefs he doesn't know. What Eizen does know is that when he was told to make the "too hot" porridge, he just went over to the stove and added a lot of curry powder to the pot.

What? It's technically "hot", and it's way harder for him to fuck up a recipe if he just adds one thing and leaves it alone. This does mean, however, that he is eying poor "Goldilocks" with some sympathy as he hands over his bowl.]

Be careful. There's enough curry powder in there to kill a man.

4

[Eizen has the worst luck known to man. He's around and probably causing you some issues just by him being around. Sorry about that.]

I-A.
[Lotor is all alone here, except for the cat perched on his shoulder. All of this is strange to him: the snow, the people, the world—and the children.

Lotor has never played with other children before, so seeing a lot of them all in one place, and watching them behave so—bizarrely—is well, bizarre. All that running and laughing and pulling off pieces of houses. It's disgraceful. He would consider chiding them for it, but it would be a waste of his time. It's not as if they're Galra. Perhaps it's to be expected that they would behave in this undisciplined way.

However, part of him is curious, and even a little desirous of being in on the fun. He doesn't join forces with the other children, but heads in on his own. Without any difficulty, he quickly sneaks in to tear off a handful of house himself. He retreats with it just as quickly, unobserved. Once he's on his own, he just looks down at the gingerbread severely, frowning. What is the appeal of it?

The cat on his shoulder leans in to sniff at the confection.]

What do you think, Kova?

[The cat can't talk, of course, but Lotor likes having someone to talk to. Especially someone who's also willing to listen to him, even if they can't answer.]

I-B.
[Lotor doesn't mind the fox ears on his head so much, but his tail... It's very un-Galra. He's not so keen on that.

Lotor isn't familiar with any of the stories in this world. None of them seem to be Galra stories, which is more than a little disappointing. Imagine if he could be one of the great Galra heroes! Like Father... but no, he's an animal of some kind. Fortunately, as he starts to read the stories about this Reynard, he's a little more heartened. At least it's a clever creature, frequently victorious in battle—even against larger and stronger opponents. That's not as bad as if could be.

So—he's this fox creature, somehow? Then what can he do?

No sooner does the thought flit through Lotor's mind than his body shifts into the form of a small, purple fox. Startled by his own transformation, he rushes forward. He's aiming for the library door, but if anyone gets in the way, they might just find themselves a bit foxed up.]

II-A.
[Baby Bear... honestly, Lotor isn't entirely sure what a bear is, but it feels like an insult to him, based on what he has been able to figure out. He's not a baby! He's very mature. And now, injury added to insult, he's being made to cook? He has never cooked a single thing in his life. This puts him at a disadvantage, but he isn't going to admit that.

He folds his arms, stubbornly.]

I refuse to engage in this menial task.

III-A.
[Everyone's heard of a wolf in sheep's clothing, but what about a fox in sheep's clothing? That is what Lotor is now. Literally. The sheep's head is making his fox ears itch, and they are twitching uncontrollably, while his purple fox tail is clearly visible outside the back of the costume, knocking the false sheep tail as it moves.

When the wolves appear, it's a relief, honestly! He doesn't even bother to consult with his Mary before leaping forward into the fray. His fighting, at least at first, consists of him darting from wolf to wolf, so quickly that they end up lunging at each other instead of the little fox dashing between them.

Wolves are so stupid, really! It's only the ridiculous sheep costume he's forced to wear that's slowing Lotor down a bit...]

I-B: Essence Practice

[While Bridge is no stranger to finding a random street corner and playing music, he is curious about how being Orpheus (in a way) would affect his music. After all, Orpheus' music had been able to sway even the king of the Underworld. He wondered if it was like his own Siren Song back home, that had a hypnotic ability, or if Orpheus' music was really just that captivating.

So, finding a quiet enough spot to settle where he wouldn't be in the way, Bridge carefully picks at the strings of his(?) lyre, getting a feel for it. Once he's more confident with it, he begins to sing, though he doesn't really notice anything different about it than when he normally sings.

...Though that might be because he doesn't quite notice the birds that start to gather to listen to him perform, or how the trees seem to sway in time with the music.]

II-A: Porridge

[In all honesty, wearing a dress and a curly wig isn't the weirdest thing he's ever had to do. And really, he felt that he was rocking that dress.

Focusing back to the task at hand, he looks at the bowl of porridge in front of him. He certainly enjoyed eating lots of food, and he doesn't have any particular dislikes.

But this...]

...Are you sure this is even edible?

III-B: Followed Her To School One Day

[While he wore the sheep costume for the most part, he left the head off to hang on his back, like a hood.

Mostly because it was easier to study the school building without his vision obstructed. And with the front door locked, he had to find another way to get inside.]

Let's see...I could break a window? Or maybe there's a back way in.

[He pauses, thinking for a moment.]

...Would help if I knew what classroom she was in.

IV: Wildcard

[What he likes about being Orpheus is that, besides a few things here and there, it's not that much different from how he was back home. He's free to play music (even if it's with a lyre, but he could look for more instruments in town), and even write songs. The journal was pretty handy, since it let him jot down thoughts and ideas that came to him in a sudden burst of inspiration.

So he can normally be found sitting around somewhere out in town, either playing music and singing, or jotting something down in the journal.]

I-A Winter Wonderland

[As a designer Korwa has practiced with plenty of different mediums in her line of work. Ice sculpting though? Nope. Which is why she's giving it a chance today. It never hurts to flex your creative muscles!

She's going for something small to start, just to test the waters, so she trying to work her block of ice into a familiar friend. It seems to be coming along well, until Korwa looks away from her work for a moment. That's when her essence comes into play, finishing her sculpting for her!

Well. If you can call that finished. It sure is something.]

... That isn't my work at all! Vyrn would never look so... So... Well, it is pretty close, I think. That expression doesn't sit right with me at all though.

[Maybe she can try sculpting it the old fashioned way and fix it up? She picks up her chisel and looks ready to start chipping away at the ice-vyrn.

... Wait, did it just move?]

I-B Essence Practice

[As her ice sculpting showed, Korwa has the power to magically change the appearance and shape of things. Sure the ice could have gone better, but after doing some research it looks like her powers are well suited to vegetables and animals anyway.

Which is why she's out at a market in the city, stood in front of a vegetable stall and looking over what's on offer.]

A pumpkin would be the right choice, but I'd never be happy copying someone else's work. Maybe an apple? They're always a sign of good work, at least to teachers or something like that. Hmm... Hey, excuse me!

[She'll wave out to any passers-by and motion for them to come over to inspect the produce with her.]

Out of all these fruits and vegetables, which do you look at and think they would make a perfect carriage? [...] Weird question I know, but humour me.

II-? Goldilocks and the Poor Fashion Choices

[These costumes are terrifying what is up with these heads?? She's designed costumes for Halloween that don't come close to this.]

Just a second.

[Still outside of the cottage and wearing what looks like a Papa Bear outfit (she's ditched the head, sorry), Korwa will grab your attention and quickly start looking you over.]

Do you mind if I make a few adjustments? A proper outfit that fits well will make a world of difference, I promise. I won't take long.

[Priorities.]

II-E Beware the Blots

[Fashion policing done, Korwa has remained outside as a result and hasn't poked her head inside the cottage to see what's going on. Instead she's set up and quite happy to wait on guard duty... Which is good, especially given the rather large bear-like creature that's slowly shambling out of the woods now. It's just the one Blot, but it looks like trouble with those rows of sharp teeth and paws with exaggerated claws which drip black ink.]

It looks like they've shown up to give us a bad ending... Well, this story isn't through yet! How about you take the front and I'll back you up?

[She's not a fighter. She's a fashion designer. No swords, fighting and getting rough here... But she does have her essence to help out plenty!]

Threaded | Flat

Velvet Crowe | Tales of Berseria | Big Bad Wolf (Red Riding Hood iteration)

Miyamoto Musashi | Fate/Grand Order | Issun-boshi (The Inch-High Samurai)

Eizen | Tales of Berseria | Davy Jones (or: an amalgamation of sailor superstitions)

Prince Lotor | Voltron | Reynard the Fox

Bridge Nocturne | OC | Orpheus (Greek Mythology)