August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

August & September 2023 TDM

Introduction

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This Test Drive meme is open to all.
Welcome to Folkmore's bimonthly 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 and work like "mini-events". For new players and characters, you can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Current players are also allowed to have in-game characters post to the TDM so long as they mark their top levels ‘Current Character.’

TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.

Playing and interacting with the 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 always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!


🦊 New Star Children meet the Fox still in their worlds, and she brings them into the new realm of Folkmore. As you follow her, your body begins to change and new characteristics emerge. These may stay for a while, or perhaps they will hide away after. And during all of this, the Fox explains to you where you will be going: to Folkmore.

and then... you fall like a shooting star, falling to the land in a burst of starlight.


🦊 Experienced Star Children are already familiar with this time of the month. There are shooting stars all across the sky, and some fall to the land, which means the Fox has brought new arrivals. These newly arrived Star Children will face some tests, but Thirteen wants the more seasoned residents to participate as well.

Perhaps you follow the falling stars on your own, or perhaps the Fox simply teleports you there, but it appears you too will be part of this.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

Oh How Quiet . ★

Content Warnings: Difficulty seeing, possibility of drowning, forced relocation

Fog & Footsteps

Some Star Children find themselves on land. The air is foggy and damp, blurring and distorting vision making it difficult to tell where they are, what’s real and what isn’t until–finally–Star Children find themselves on wet sand. Continue marching forward and trees begin to form a skeletal border, dark shadows growing and stretching further into their depths. Star Children who have experienced being exiled before can feel a path through the trees should they choose to venture further. Star Children who haven’t been exiled can feel resentment building around them and have greater difficulty navigating the path ahead.

Anyone who glances back may find footsteps in the sand alongside theirs. The more anyone looks back, the more prints appear. They’re inconsistent like their maker hops or flies part of the time or fades in and out of the physical universe… or something else. They may be human, or animal, or something Star Children can’t quite put a name to.

The Will or the Wisp

The longer Star Children dwell on them, the more tempting they are to follow—familiarity, comfort, curiosity, something. The footsteps eventually lead Star Children down a branching path toward a wall of thick, colorless fog. Inside the fog, there are enchanting wisps of light dancing just out of reach, urging Star Children to keep following. Just a little further, the sweet voices promise.

Continue onward and soon outlines appear in the mist, showing just who (or what) the earlier footsteps belong to–distorted human or animal shapes that exist only where fog is displaced by the will-o’-the-wisps they carry like lanterns. They lure Star Children deeper into Exile, all the while making promises they have no intention of keeping...

Salvation comes in the form of a fellow Star Child guided toward someone in distress by shifting sands. They radiate starlight that pierces through the thick fog around them, allowing people to find the sandy forest path toward The Beach. Once Star Children reach it, they will both find an old, sea-battered treasure chest which offers characters a personal item from home and either a nonfunctional compass or lantern. A will-o-the-wisp will fly directly into the item, which doesn’t seem to make it work. The compass needle points toward somewhere in Exile, not north. The lantern doesn’t light up. However, when the Star Child is truly lost, the compass will point where they need to go and the lantern will light up any darkness. Each Star Child can only receive either the compass or the lantern.

A Magical Day

Whether passing directly through the forest path or guided back to it, Star Children find a shoreline extending in either direction. Some water laps against the beach, but farther out is the long expanse of tenuous reality. Come September, it fades into the distance until it can no longer be seen. The beach itself is in Exile, heavy with the weight of magic. It feels reassuring and encouraging. Star Children can indulge in a sunless day at the beach, playing in the sand, and soaking in the magic. Those wishing for a bit more warmth can explore the shoreline north to the Boat Bonanza at the port where the Encantado reaches the ocean.

Key Points:

🦊 Star Children may pass through a thick fog to reach a wet, sandy path that passes through trees and leads to The Beach in Exile.
🦊 If they keep looking behind them on the path they will find footprints following alongside their own. Those footprints will try luring characters deep into fog using will-o’-the-wisp lanterns, leading them into the swamp so they can drown them.
🦊 A fellow Star Child can act as a light to guide lost characters back to the safety of shore.
🦊 Star Children that are rescued from the lure or who rescue another Star Child will be rewarded with a non-weapon memento from home and either a compass or a lantern (not both).
🦊 Star Children that don’t succumb will simply continue forward to The Beach without issue and will have opportunities to find a non-personal item from their home worlds being sold at the market. See below.

Christening Ceremony . ★

Content Warnings: Possibility of drowning, fetch quests

Boat Bonanza

Whether venturing up the coastline from Exile, floating down the Encantado River, or simply being plopped into the water, Star Children new and old find themselves in water. A strong wave rolls up the beach to drag suspecting and unsuspecting alike. Playful pinkish-red dolphins spray people off boats into the river. Or Star Children find themselves treading water deeper than they are tall with no land in sight. No worries, those who need help getting out of the water will get it. Along the shore, spirits in boats will pick up anyone in need of a ride and bring them back through the fog to the sounds of shouts and cheers and music to a large clear spot in the fog.

Boats come into view. Boats of all shapes and sizes, from single person kayaks to large houseboats, fishing craft and sailboats. They rise and fall with the waves but aren't otherwise moving. Ropes, planks, and bridges tie the boats together. Whether approaching by river or by sea, new boats explore the outskirts of the great conglomeration of boats and attach themselves—increasing the size of the gathered ships. So many boats are gathered that the shore isn't visible from new boats tying up.

Everyone's welcome aboard and to wander from boat to boat. Starfish spirits offer games of chance at low tables on broad open decks under awnings. There are even holes in the bottom of the deck, so players can dip their feet in cool water. A cephalopod band plays upbeat music other spirits and Star Children can dance to in competition with a scavenging of seagull spirits singing sea shanties as loudly as they can two boats over. Far from them, jellyfish spirits offer places to rest in quiet, with curtains drawn and sound dampened. Many spirits offer food and drink—seafood or seafood shaped candy or in the case of mystery flavored taffy, sometimes seafood flavored candy. Those who don't want freshly rolled sushi or take a chance with the candies can always see the Wandering Dog cart on the shore, where the dogs try very hard to be included.

Flotilla Afterparty

Come September, nymphs pop up in the waters and start shooing the boats away until only the houseboats and some submarines remain. Some go off on their lonesome, but more of them form flotillas that float along the coastline continuing their activities and coming to shore to pick up any who wish to join them. A restaurant flotilla, a meditative flotilla, music performance flotillas, and even gambling flotillas. Should people want off and the boats aren't ready to go to shore, sometimes Catbus shows up, able to leap whatever the distance.

Fetchquest

At any time, during the boat festival or smaller flotillas, Star Children may find non-personal items from their home world for sale. It may be a weapon or magical item. These spirits can sense who is from the same world as an item and will only offer them to those Star Children. These aren’t free! After all, these spirits pulled up these items from chests in the water. Star Children will need to do a few favors or barter something else to obtain the item from home. Star Children who help in Vasilisa’s, now mostly staffed by spirits, will find they have an easier time bartering… unless it’s in the Cuttlefish Curiosities shop. If the cuttlefish spirit smells a whiff of the grumpy old octopus spirit who has taken over as chef, that Star Child will have to do twice the work.

Key Points:

🦊 Explore your way to Nereid where the Encantado reaches the shore or get dropped into the water.
🦊 Enjoy an enormous boat festival! All kinds of boats! All kinds of activities!
🦊 In September, the boat festival will split into multiple flotillas floating around the shoreline.
🦊 Do favors or barter goods to receive a non-personal item from home. It may be a weapon or magical item. A magical gun from your world? Yes. Your personal magical gun with your dog’s name engraved in it? No.

Comments

[ultimateknight]

Senku has no idea what he is doing, not that that will stop him. This place may have more advanced resources than the stone world, but in many ways the problems are harder to solve. Another reality! No known way to escape. Even "achieving your potential" didn't come with an explanation of what that meant and what would happen. More than that, Tsukasa refuses to abandon Senku and Gen here. Any means of escape has to include them as well. ... knowing Senku, possibly everyone who wants to leave this place with the means for anyone who changes their mind or follows to depart. An ambitious idea.

"Whatever aid I can provide," Tsukasa starts but nearly stumbles, jerking to a stop, as his feet sink into wet water logged sand and his ankles hit a solid object. A trunk. "Perhaps I have found it already."

Anything so abruptly entering his path is meant for him. For them? Tsukasa considers dropping Senku's hand, to free both hands, but doesn't. If something truly dangerous appears, he can throw Senku far from danger more easily this way. Tsukasa crouches and throws open the lid.

Anticlimactic. It's shadowed and nearly empty. He pulls a compass out. It's old, varnished, and though he doesn't know his directions exactly, the needle isn't pointing steadily in any direction. Not north or south or anything. Beside that–

"Senku," Tsukasa says gravely. He pulls out a petrification device. A Medusa. It looks old and broken too. "One meter. Five seconds." He tosses it a couple meters from them.

Nothing happens.

Tsukasa goes to pick it up. "A restaurant you said?"

[apuckalypse]

[Casey follows with his grapple, landing neatly next to where he's sprawled. He pauses for a moment, unsure whether to try and help or let him get out of this with dignity, but ultimately he crouches down and offers a hand to help the kid up again.]

You can just climb across using the grapple rope, you know. I promise you'll get to the other side safely.

[The Emperor of the Boiling Isles (whatever the heck that is) would look a lot stronger standing on his feet than landing on his face, he figures.]

[10billionpercent]

He hums and lets Tsukasa test the device. It's a dud. They've seen so many of them over the years at this point. He can fix it, although whether or not that would be wise is another question.

Senku stretches a little bit. "This happens a lot." He comments. "Every so often you find treasure, it's usually something you need. Part of the reward system, I suppose." Rewards for being well behaved, probably.

"I did." He tilts his head in that direction to keep them walking.

"The currency around here is the spoon you should have on your person and you charge it by having conversations with people." He snorts. "They're big on bonds and relationships around here."

[pyrighteous]

[ The mask helps with face bruising, at least, but it does nothing for Hunter’s dignity. He hauls himself back up again with Casey’s help and considers the offer. That little hook and rope setup sure would be handy. But… the gaze of those two glowing blue lights behind his mask settle somewhere in the vicinity of Casey’s face. Specifically looking at whatever he can see of Casey’s ears. ]

Are you human?

[apuckalypse]

[Casey's brows furrow, confused. That sure is a question he's never been asked before. Is that relevant? Based on the impression of scrutiny he's getting, it's relevant, he just has no idea why.]

Uh. Yeah?

[pyrighteous]

[ Possibly the first time “yes” has been the wrong answer, too. Hunter snatches his hand back and stubbornly adjusts his damp armor. ]

Then I can handle myself, thanks. I don’t need to get stabbed in the back today.

[apuckalypse]

[...Wow. Uh... wow. He hasn't had that sort of reaction for years, not since meeting with some particularly unruly yokai in base. (And Master Draxum, it took a while to weasel his way into that guy's heart. Half of it was thanks to Master Michelangelo.) He looks down at his hand like he'd been slapped, blinking a few times. What did humans do in this guy's world?]

Would it make you feel better to ride with me? If you're the one holding on, I can't let go or drop you. And I can't stab you in the back if you're on mine. [A beat, and then,] Unless you stabbed me in the back, then I'd definitely drop you. So maybe don't... do that.

[pyrighteous]

[ Sorry, Casey. Hunter is wrong of course - but he has his reasons.

And he’s tired and worn down even before all this boat nonsense, and still reeling from his world coming to an end both metaphorically and physically. It makes him sensitive; it also makes him a little more open to, well. All of this. A well-rested Hunter wouldn’t be tempted by help at all.

He hesitates visibly, looking away from Casey and towards the rest of the gaps between them and shore. The next one he can jump, but the one after that looks a little too wide, and after that… ]

Just - just don’t try anything tricky, Human.

[ It’s reluctant agreement. ]

[recreator]

[He'd better not.]

[It takes some effort for Emet-Selch not to roll his eyes at the question. Is that how people greet one another these days? This is, after all, the second time he's been asked such a ridiculous question. Though, at present, it's hard to say how best to answer.]

A pity your manners aren't as polished as your spellwork.

[He shakes his head with a one-shouldered shrug, keeping his other hand free as his wings fold behind him like a long, impossibly dark shadow.]

Emet-Selch. Ancient, Ascian, half-faded soul of the dead. The Third Seat of the Convocation of Fourteen, sorceror of eld, and - according to a certain meddlesome fox deity - a "legend" amongst her captives.

Surely one of those answers will prove satisfactory.

[Emet-Selch studies the other man. He's seen all he needs to, he thinks, yet he's stubborn - and petty.]

And what are you? More importantly, what was that spell?

[apuckalypse]

[This sure fills him with confidence... he loves asking not to be stabbed and never hearing a solid affirmative. Juuust gonna flip his mask back down and activate the emergency signal on it. Since we're being cagey and unfriendly, may as well keep himself as protected as necessary for now. And if his vitals go down, someone will at least get the message and maybe come and avenge his terrible stabby death.

He crouches down a bit to make it easier for Hunter to climb on his back, angling his grapple in the meantime.]

Just say when. And my name's Casey, not 'human'!

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter is tall but light at least, a little bit less so than what might be expected, even with the armor. He winds up clinging awkwardly to Casey’s back - no stabs forthcoming, at least for now. ]

F-fine, then. Casey. Let’s just get out of here.

[apuckalypse]

[Casey's not the most muscular guy, but since Hunter is light and the grappling hook does most of the work, it's easy enough to get them across to the next boat. The extra weight - particularly the armor - makes landing a little more wobbly than he's used to, but with the boat's rail to balance off of, he's able to keep them from crashing. He's determined to do a good job with this, dammit- if only to prove the other wrong, that humans aren't terrible or untrustworthy. He's never been especially defensive of humankind (historically he's been closer to more mutants than humans) but that doesn't mean he's not offended by the assumptions. He'd never stab someone in the back. (Unless they were Krang. Or if they threatened his family. Or if they were absolutely, definitely going to stab him first.)

Regardless, if they make it to the boat without any mutual stabbing, he'll just keep grappling them from ship to ship, gradually making their way towards the shore.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter, in turn, is all kinds of tense at first - he expects to be dropped or stabbed (or the rare DROP STAB COMBO!!) despite Casey’s extremely reasonable points about how impossible that is given their current positions. But as they land at the next boat sans human trickery, and continue on past that, he relaxes just a little bit. A LITTLE!! Maybe this human isn’t actively the worst.

There are no stab attempts, or even further complaints about the occasional rattled landing. (That armor is just not meant for moving around this much.) When they finally reach shore, he stumbles a few paces just finding his feet after all that swinging. And eyes Casey’s everything. ]

That - uh - that was an acceptable lack of trickery. And a lot faster than just jumping around.

[ Is that a thank you? It sort of sounds like a thank you. ]

[apuckalypse]

[Casey takes a moment to stretch out his back and shake the ache off his limbs as best as he can; thank goodness he's kept up on practicing grappling around, or that would've felt a lot worse. He's not used to having a passenger, and his arm's going to hate him tomorrow. Still, better than letting that take three times longer, or risk more water-bound rescues if one or them fell.

The comment sounds like the fake sort of thank you he might've gotten from Donnie, which, while not all that satisfying, is better than nothing. Also better than being stabbed, which he wasn't, so overall a reasonable experience.]

Glad I made the cut. [What else do you even say to that?] I'm gonna head into the port, so you can come along if you want.

[A very roundabout way of offering to guide Mr. Emperor-No-Name without making him accept help from a human again. He's starting to learn how this works.]

[fistofvengeance]

[He still doesn't think cat is 'pretty good'. He managed to use it in a fight once, and that was just to run away from a big lumbering monster, luring it towards a healing river. A jaguar could've done the same thing.]

I heard some people here can turn into dragons. Still don't know if that's a normal Familiar thing or if they had to pass a trial to get that power. But dragons are apparently just... around in other worlds- not all too mythical. So who even knows, right?

[And now they've made it to the third floor! Marc leads the way to 303, even as he starts digging for his keys in his pocket.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Oh yes. This is the right way to handle Hunter. He’s absolutely in need of help and definitely way too prideful to accept it if offered. But if they both happen to be going the same direction, well… ]

It’s not like I can get home from here. So.

[ He reattaches his long white cloak (now badly mud stained) since they’re not going to be swinging or swimming any time soon now.

There’s a small pause as he hesitates, considering. ]

I’m Hunter. [ An awkward lil pause. ] E-Emperor Hunter! Of the Boiling Isles. Like I said.

[apuckalypse]

[A name! Casey's shoulders relax a bit; there's just something inherently comforting about knowing who you're dealing with, even if it's just a name. At least he'll have something to yell if they get separated. Or if he eventually does get stabbed. He has a feeling that's mostly off the table, though, as long as he himself can behave.]

Never heard of it, sorry. But it's nice to meet you. [Mostly. Mostly? Yeah, it's fine. Besides the prickly attitude and the human hating, he seems okay.

....Or Casey has a very low bar ANYWAY he's walking now. Heading for port.] Why're they boiling?

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter is wary still - surely the human’s betrayal will be sudden and inevitable - but it doesn’t seem to be imminent, and that’s the only thing that matters right this second. He trudges along beside him, metallic boots alternately squelching and rattling as he moves. ]

Uh. Nice to meet you too, I guess.

[ For a HUMAN. Anyway. ]

Because the ocean is boiling hot, obviously. Especially around the Toes - you’d get third degree burns just from the steam.

[ Here he falters a bit. ]

At least it did before the Collector invaded.

[lilscarab]

[Marc is here thinking about what would be useful in a fight and Layla is thinking about what would be comfy to watch a movie with.]

Dragons? Real ones? [She blinks, as if to get the image in her head but--] I guess I shouldn't be surprised, gods and aliens are real in our world, I got attacked by a 2000 year old tomb guardian thing, why can't dragons be real.

[Layla just shakes her head as she watches him dig through his pockets.]

[apuckalypse]

[Casey's step has his own half-stumble in response- the word invaded sure does conjure some grim images in his mind. He tries to shake it off and keep moving; his goal is to stay just a little bit ahead of Hunter if they're not walking at the same level, on account of the back-stabbing concerns. Best not to accidentally walk behind the guy.]

The... Collector?

[Why does he have that sudden, terrible feeling clenching in his chest?]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter slows himself, instinctively; his shoulders hunch as if he’s suddenly got the weight of a world on them. Mentally? He kinda does. It had almost been nice to tell about boats and humans and backstabbing for a while. ]

He’s this monster from beyond the stars. A human summoned him into my world. He’s - destroying everything. I’m trying to fight him off, but it’s …

[ The blue lights flicker out behind Hunter’s mask as he squeezes his eyes shut. ]

I think there isn’t going to be much left soon.

[apuckalypse]

[Casey listens quietly, and the more Hunter says, the more his shoulders slump, hating that the ugly feeling in his gut was proven to be the right instinct. It's all the same, isn't it? Monsters from the stars, summoned by misguided people, a mindless destruction of everything, all in the name of- what? Conquest? Bragging rights? What happens when the dust settles and the world is dead? What's their grand plan for an empty planet?

He wants to laugh. A quiet, stifled noise that could be defined as much a bitter chuckle as a sob escapes his lips. He's not crying, but the ache in his chest won't go away. How many worlds are like this? Was it just another name for the Krang, or are there other monsters out there who do the same thing?]

I'm sorry, [he finally manages.] I understand what that's... [he trails off, unsure, then shakes his head.] No one should have to go through that.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter winces at the stifled noise. Whether it's a laugh or a sob, it's too close to his own feelings in turn. He's lost so much over the last six months. People he thought were his friends, his uncle, the Isles themselves one piece at a time ... its only saving grace is still being new, so there's still hope, maybe. Or still a lot of suffering yet to come.

He sucks in a breath and stares over at Casey, unsure if that's comforting or not. His first instinct is to lash out a little - though his tone is more despairing than angry. ]

What do you even know about it?

[huntedtyphoon]

"You're somewhere called Folkmore but it's usually nicer than all this fog." Vash chuckles lightly.

"If you follow me we can at least get clear of it."

[apuckalypse]

[Casey's quiet for a long moment, considering his answer. He could brush it off, apologize, sweep it under the rug. He has no right to assume that their lives are on the same path, nor does he want to give the other the despair he'd felt his whole life. To imply something like, I'm you, but when the Collector wins, would be terribly cruel.

At the same time, he's felt... uncomfortably alone at times, here. Welcomed and cared for, but still the odd one out, from a world that no longer exists. The home he'd grown up in, the family he'd loved, gone forever, averted by the shifting timeline. Never to be seen again. And his new family, wonderful as they are, will never understand.

Maybe... it'd help them both, in some small way. To have someone who gets it.]

In my world... it's been over 20 years since some people opened a portal and brought the Krang into it. Aliens from space, who'd destroyed world after world in the past. They destroyed everything, too. That world's all I knew growing up. [He hesitates again, then stands a little straighter, as if it might give his voice some strength and not have him sound so pathetic.] We... lost. Everyone's gone. I'm all that's left now.