![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme
August & September 2023 TDM
Introduction
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.
🦊 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.
Content Warnings: Difficulty seeing, possibility of drowning, forced relocation
Fog & Footsteps
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.The Will or the Wisp
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 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.A Magical Day
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.
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.
🦊 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.
Content Warnings: Possibility of drowning, fetch quests
Boat Bonanza
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.Flotilla Afterparty
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.
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.
🦊 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.
Mitsuko Hiramori, A Flatswoods Monster alien | Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush! | Myth/Apping
Mitsuko wasn't sure what she was expecting but she didn't expect to wake up on wet sand. However, she supposes that's what she gets for following a mysterious fox to another world. Nonplussed by all of this, Mitsuko pulls herself up to her feet and begins to float again. She brushes off the sand with her giant cloak and begins to drift calmly forward, her new reptile tail with heart scales dragging behind her. The tail drags a thin line behind her, the only mark in the sand, save for the ones she doesn't make.
When she footsteps, she's naturally suspicious but she IS lost. She doesn't know where she is or what's happening so she just... moves forward. Without much direction, Mitsuko follows the spirits that lure her into Exile...
She needs help but... Will you approach? In the gloom of the fog, she looks like a monster. Mitsuko floats only about an inch of the ground but it's incredibly likely she towers over you. After all, she's a whole three meters tall (9'10")! And if she sees you, her round, red eyes will glow brightly.
"You'd best beware... I am an expert at hide and seek," she cackles.
---------------------------------
Boats and Babes
Her suit got wet. Not her clothes, her actual suit, with the helmet and the flowing dress. But thankfully, there's no real damage to the mechanical parts and all Mitsuko needs to do is let it dry. Actually, she's pretty fortunate and one of the spirits has offered her a deal: let them use her suit as a makeshift tent while it's drying on this boat and he'll take care of it on top of giving her as much bread as she wants.
So you will see a giant woman carefully going from one boat to another, looking at the assorted stalls, with a loaf of bread in her arms that's bigger than some children. Given her size, it's very easy for her to turn and accidently knock you with one of her limbs or the bread itself.
"Ah! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"
-----------------------------------------
Fetchquesting
Are you familiar with the Duel Monsters Trading card game? Because one spirit clearly has. By fortune or some other weirdness, one stall has a whole bunch of trading card packs on their ship. The boat is piled high with cards, sleeves and deck mats, as well as something more technologically advanced.
"Duel disks?" Oh shit, she doesn't have hers. She has HER deck but she doesn't have a duel disk. "Oh... I should get one of those just in case."
Mitsuko boards the ship and speaks quietly to the stall owner. Forty minutes later, the gigantic woman is going up to every stall and person she meets, likely including you.
"Excuse me, do you know where I can get the ingredients for three hundred and thirty-three curry buns?"
[OOC: I've used measurements in the prose but if it's hard to picture; she's taller than Lady Dimitrescu :D]
➥ boats and babes
Because there's things here: things to see, things to experience, things to have. The Sin's fingers knead into the base of his spine as the boat dips and rocks like a bobber on a calm, open sea. He lets his nails scratch across his skin; the smells of grilling food, rich oils, and thick spices filling his noise. Yes, there's a lot here to have. And in the pit of his chest, that core of his quickly stirs. It jumps and skips, writhes and scratches - the pressure of it thudding, pounding, in a silent, throbbing beat:
"Give it to me. Give me more, give it all, give me everything."
Funny, that the first thing he sees when he catches the horizon again is a giant woman moving across the swim of boats.
The homunculus slowly arches his eyebrow as he watches boat after boat dive lightly into the drink only to bounce back up again in gentle sprays of seafoam and silt. Whoever (or whatever) the woman is, she doesn't look like she's entirely in a rush. Taking her time, examining what she can. Greed's mouth quirks lopsided to one side and as he slowly stands, he casually moves to sag over the railing; his one heel planted and hooked into the flaky, semi-rusted steel.
Of course, he misses the oversized bread entirely and when it hits his face, the Sin's foot skids across the rail, making his body splay out awkwardly on the bow. Shrrrrrrrrrk.
"Oi, oi," Greed slurs. "Might want to watch it with those, huh?"
no subject
When Mitsuko hears the scrape of Greed's boot against the rail and his voice, she becomes very aware that there are other people too. The woman swallows the large hunk of bread in her mouth and turns (thankfully, not hitting anyone else).
"Oh, sorry!" Between the crumbs left on Greed's shoulder and cheek, it's not hard to figure out what happened. "Sorry... Here, let me help you up."
And she does, if Greed lets her. Even for someone as her size, Mitsuko has three times the strength of any human. Most of the time she has no issue with moving people around, or at very least helping them to their feet.
"Sorry again... I'm used to having three times more space than this."
no subject
He'll take the minor inconvenience.
Greed touches his cheek with his thumb, removing a dash of crumbs from his skin. "I'm sure you are, sweetheart. But given where we are, might be a good idea to keep that in mind, huh?" The Sin plucks off his sunglasses while he talks. Under the sky's dim, the slits of his eyes adjust, thinning to steady, jagged points; their purple color, vibrant and deep.
"Can't say that's the best way to meet someone, but I've had worse." And really, can he be offended? Not likely. The homunculus tilts his head and hands up to survey any damage to his sunglasses. A few, short seconds of examination show that they're fine and he languidly anchors them into the crook of his collar, letting their frames dangle at his throat.
"Gunna take a wild guess you aren't human either, that right?" Because most humans, well. They didn't get that tall. Not in his experience at least. Though, given where they are (and how he got here in the first place), that old saying of his: it's true, isn't it? No matter where he went, no matter where he found himself.
There really is no such thing as no such thing.
Greed tests his neck by flopping his head from side to side in a smooth, seesaw motion. "Ah, that's better," he hums. "I was a little rude there asking that, wasn't I? The name's Greed." While he talks, the homunculus subtly drags his nails across his chest. "Think it's fair that I at least get yours, hmn?"
no subject
"Nope, definitely not. I'm a Flatswoods Monster Alien." And if he's not a human... "Are you an alien as well?" Technically, they were all 'aliens' in this strange land but Mitsuko asks a little more literally.
Mitsuko laughs with a surprisingly raspy cackle. She didn't expect such a formal introduction; he's a lot more polite than most earthlings she's met. Mitsuko gives a grin herself, showing her own jagged teeth as she nods her head in greeting.
"Hiramori Mitsuko. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Greed. What brings you on board this fine evening?"
no subject
Of course, he has no idea what she's talking about. But being where they are? The possibilities are endless. "Alien? No, sorry, nothing like that. Though, that is interesting," a curl rolls on his tongue; the sound of it like a thin string plucked to just the right tune. "I've never heard of a Flatswoods Monster before. What's it like?"
And now, he's a bit closer. The Sin slides his crossed arms over the rail as he bends and dips into it - his body, comfortable and slack. "Homunculus," he answers, showing his red mark inked into the back of his hand. "Something from home. Not sure if you've ever heard of it before, but it doesn't really matter." Greed lowers his hand back down, sinking it under his other arm. "Hiramori, huh? It's a pleasure." His lips squint together and the homunculus cants his head back up to watch her; his purple eyes wicked and sharp.
"Well, funny thing about that, lovely. Ended up crashing into the ocean just a few hours ago. Can't say I exactly had that planned."
no subject
Well, I'm from the "3 meter planet". Everyone and everything there is 3 meters tall," She says with complete and utter seriousness. "We fly around, make suits, go to meetings... I suppose not too different from what regular people do."
Mitsuko pauses and looks over the red mark and the curious star. She shakes her head, confirming she did indeed had no idea what a Homunculus was. Her own vivid blue eyes twinkle down at Greed, and she leans in so she's in a more comfortable position to listen.
"Hehe... must have been a nasty scare. I assumed you just arrived here? Or did some other nasty spirit throw you into the sea?"
no subject
What regular people do and oh, isn't he the complete opposite. Never regular, never normal, never natural. The homunculus stretches his neck to dip his chin and shoulders down a bit - his snide smile small, yet no less sharp. "Sorry, never been part of that crowd. Always been a fan of the other. People, those that can't live a normal kind of life. Guess you could say I've made it a bit of a point."
But now, she's leaning in. Curiosity, interest: he knows the look. Feels it. The need to know, the want. Greed sways a bit to meet her, forcing him at a slight, right-slanting tilt. "I wouldn't say that. More I wasn't expecting it. My body's not too different than most people, but it does have a few perks." He tightens his fingers and wiggles them, making the bones crrt and ccnht.
"As for that other thing, no. Haven't run into any spirits yet. I just arrived."
no subject
"Ohhh... Perks? Sounds interesting." She knows aliens who pilot mech bodies, aliens who were cat-shaped, and aliens who even turned into shirts when they ran out of energy. She doesn't think she'd be surprised with whatever perk she was shown.
"Fair enough. Then let me be the first to welcome you. I am fairly new myself but you catch on to things quickly."
fetchquesting
Category one: the person is an ally who has taken on a form far taller than usual, standing at four, fifteen, or seventeen meters tall.
Category two: the person is a Titan standing between two and fifteen meters tall—and they intend to kill him.
As Bertolt looks up at the gigantic woman looming over him, he feels a nervous sweat break out on his forehead, green eyes wide. She isn't a Titan; she looks nothing like one, and the fact that she spoke so eloquently proves it. Furthermore, she certainly isn't behaving like one; there would be chaos if she was. Still, the woman's sheer height is difficult for Bertolt to wrap his head around.
"Um." Not a strong start, but he's trying. "Three hundred and thirty-three … what?"
no subject
"I'll repeat it thrice if I have to. Do you know where I can get ingredients for three hundred and thirty-three curry buns?" She holds up three fingers for emphasis. "I have to cook that many curry buns so I can purchase a Duel Disk from one of the spirits over there. However, I need to procure the ingredients myself."
no subject
Curry buns. Given the context, Bertolt guesses that's a kind of food. Unfortunately, he's never had it before, nor does he have any idea what goes in it.
He briefly worries his lower lip with his teeth, then asks, "Do you know what the ingredients are?"
no subject
"Bread flour, cake flower, a little salt, sugar, whole milk, yeast, unsalted butter, eggs, panko and oil. That's for the batter. Then we need curry roux and a meat. If I have to make the roux from scratch, then I'll need some extra curry powder, and additional spices."
"Did you get all that or do I have to repeat myself threefold?"
no subject
It's quite the list; he doesn't have an answer for everything. However, he can at least help get her started.
"There's a vendor selling meat in that direction," Bertholdt says, pointing. He had made a note of it, meat having been rare for so many years of his life. "And, um. Most of the ingredients for the batter should be at a grocer four ships that way." He points again, this time in the opposite direction of the meat vendor.
no subject
"Oh well. At least I don't have to buy the ingredients. Just trade these for them," She holds up a bag roughly the size of a potato sack, though it looks comically small in her hand. "I would not want to do three extra quests just to be able to complete this one. It'll take long enough as it is."
"If you're not busy, would you mind helping me gather said ingredients? I hate to ask you for another favour but I won't ask for a third."
no subject
However, there's a difference between volunteering and being directly asked. Since that's what has happened here, Bertholdt finds himself nodding.
"I'm not busy," he admits honestly. "Do you know what kind of meat you want?"
That would be far easier for him to identify than the ingredients at the grocers.
no subject
"Beef, preferably. But I've used chicken thrice before and that would be an acceptable substitute," Mitsuko smiles.
The woman waits for her new guide to escort her. She stretches a little and takes a deep breath.
"Oh, by the way, my name's Hiramori Mitsuko. Lovely to meet you."