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

[matermali]

[ By this point she felt as though she must have seen it all, but again she is proven the fool. Not fool enough to trust him, however. He must think her mad, but one may not blame him for the display she nearly made over what some could call a 'harmless joke'.

In this case, she is even less curious for the punchline. Trust has been her undoing at every turn. ]

Certainly not.

[ Even amidst the turmoil of recent tragedy, something like the sight of a human flying gets as much of a stare as a pink dolphin had. Perhaps more-so, if only because young Vanessa had dreamed what it would be like to become a bird—a raven, no, a falcon—and see the world from so far away that it would seem as small as an egg. Then she could love it entirely, and it would be so fragile and in her care and it would have no choice but to love her back.

Young Vanessa existed several lifetimes ago, and the world she had dreamed in is now smothered in poison and ash.

Here, in this world, she can only stop herself from outright gawking and glaring at the idea that she'd trust a stranger to carry her at all, let alone into the sky. She supposes she isn't so afraid of what would happen if he dropped her...but it would be a pitiful way to go, even by her measure. As though she can't witness him needing to make adjustments. He may not even drop her on purpose. ]

Am I to think Hermes himself invites me up to Olympus? I have doubts that you can even make it across the river on your own. Have you done this before?

[ She hasn't said no, with something approaching an outstretched hand, but hesitating to take his. She doesn't trust him, she'll trust no one, but she's considering the risk. She no longer has anything to lose, after all; her life was forfeit long before she came here.

But the view might be lovely. ]

[ironypoisoned]

[ At 'certainly not', Tony laughs pleasantly. That? That he's used to. ] Of course I've done this before. [ Okay, admittedly, usually in a bit more of the suit than this, but- He'd be fine. They'd be fine. ]

Going across a river isn't even all that impressive considering where I've flown this thing. [ He points, directly up, towards the night sky above. ] I've gone all the way up to the stars. [ And managed to come back mostly unscathed twice. ] Hermes wishes he could make it all the way there.

[ As he speaks, though, his balance starts to get steadier, starts to get used to what he has to work with now. Another minute of confidence and steadiness, and he figures 'why not' and does a little mid-air somersault, re-righting himself with minimal effort. He's still holding his hand out for her. ] The view's something else. [ He speaks it sing-song, almost as if it was a joke, but for once, Tony's actually being deadly serious. ]

[matermali]

[ He acts like quite the showman, which isn't something that fools someone like Vanessa, but there is something about his offer that's earnest enough. At this point she might hope she'd be able to smell deceit, but then again she may have forgotten how to hope the proper way.

She doesn't hurry, though, making him wait a moment longer while pulling her hair back. She's lived long enough as a woman to know how to tie it back—crudely—without needing a ribbon, and with the rest tucked under the jacket, Vanessa will give another glance to the celebration behind her before reaching to settle her hand into his and stepping up onto the railing with an elegant balance.

No matter what he promises about 'views', she'll keep her excitement minimal. Her expectations are lower than they've ever been, in truth. She isn't looking for happiness, nor does she want it. She wants only to be gone. ]

I don't require a view. I only want to be away from the music.

[ironypoisoned]

[ He tries to hide the smirk on his face once she starts tying her hair back.

Tony maneuvers himself once she's taken his hand to make it easier to carry her to somewhere quiet that he can easily fetch her that towel. Vanessa dangles from his hands, like a pendant on a chain, as he flies just above her, leading them both far from the music.

As they approach a forest, Tony slows down to make dodging branches a simpler task. Just as the ride becomes unpleasantly bumpy, he stops and hovers; they're just over a staircase landing leading to an absurdly large and modern treehouse. ] This is your stop, Miss Ives. [ A beat. ] Mind the gap. [ He hovers a little closer to the landing, letting her loosen her grip on him and return to dry land. It was, at least, away from the music. ]

[matermali]

[ Anywhere on her that did manage to (barely) dry off is left chilled to the point that she ought to at least shiver a bit, but she doesn't register that any more than she does the extravagance of the treehouse. It's more the location that confuses her.

Dropping to her feet and staying steady is no issue, but the stillness is still an attempt at righting her senses once more. Even for a creature like her, or perhaps especially for one such (was there any other?), that was an intense amount to process all at once. It takes a moment to go back over what's happened since her arrival, but none of it necessarily leaves her shaken.

It wasn't the most dignified way to travel, but she's left disappointed by plenty other than that already. It's a strange sadness to have been able to see so much in so short a time, and from so high up as if she were gifted with wings, and then to simply be left...wanting. For what, for inspiration to return? She's forgotten already. There is so much color here, but it blinds her more than it delights.

Vanessa had been a woman whose entire life had been driven by her need to be captivated. Where did she go? Whoever stands here manages to handle any dizziness that could have left a lesser woman off-kilter, but she keeps her balance while shifting back to await his landing.

This is all so very awe-inspiring, and she recognizes that it is in a way (or else she wouldn't stare), and yet? ...It is at least quiet, but most anything would be after what they left behind. ]

I would have thought a man like you to prefer living in a city.

[ironypoisoned]

Usually do. [ Tony easily admits. ] But this is the closest you can get to a high-rise around here. [ There's a moment where he wonders, vaguely, if he should explain what a high-rise is. After all, he's gotten pretty used to people from different points in time, different galaxies, and different universes.

He settles on: ] I guess I like being tall. [ To try and offer a slight explanation, just in case Vanessa just- Likes dressing like that, and is in fact aware of what a high-rise building is. Tony doesn't like to judge; he's met all sorts. ]

Don't worry, you'll be steady on your feet again in no time. [ It's a simple enough statement, but Tony remembers the first time he took flight and nearly fell out of the sky for his efforts. He remembers how unused to the ground his legs were when he managed to land again. Sure, these days, he's as at home in the sky as he is on the ground, but he knows it takes some time to get to that point. ]

Towel. [ He says suddenly, remembering why he took her out here. He's two steps towards the door when he follows up. ] I'll be back. Guessing you're a red wine sorta girl?

cw; suicidal ideation

[matermali]

[ They all like to seem tall. Even the sweet ones.

Still unmoving until she can regain her sense of how to be, she stares while he heads off and asks his silly question before disappearing. Of course he would ask about wine. Why else would a man bring a woman to his home? If that is what he calls this...house. High-rise. ]

I would often favor brandy…or whisky.

[ There’s just no appeal anymore unless it serves some other purpose. In this case, it’s to keep him in easy spirits while she learns more about where she’s ended up.

Once he’s gone—and she does do her best to tune out anything she can still hear just inside—Vanessa attempts to take a small step. It focuses her, and when she reaches the edge with a steadier sense of self, she looks out at all of the green. She had certainly never lived around woods so vibrant. It could be beautiful. Only, the breeze whispers something before it falls low, and for a moment she thinks to follow it. What a mess it would make. She may not be the most polite guest, but Vanessa didn’t let him bring her here just to have him clean up after her grief.

She sits abruptly, not seeming to think on how strange it may look. With knees hugged to her chest, Vanessa is forced to think of what her next move ought to be. With both mind and heart broken, it’s a struggle that continues to leave her empty. ]

[ironypoisoned]

You got it! [ He calls, before disappearing into the house to grab the things he needs.

He returns, a few minutes later. There's a big, fluffy towel draped over his arm, and in his hands, a pair of lowball glasses, and a bottle of whiskey. With a light clink, he sets the glasses and bottle on a nearby table before silently walking over to her, unfolding the towel, and wrapping it around her.

Tony disappears behind her again, to fill each of the two glasses with some whiskey. ] Sorry, only had the American version. [ He says as he sits down next to her and hands her the glass once he reappears a second later. ] Cheers nonetheless. [ He holds his own up, if she'd like a quick toast. She looks as if she's seen a ghost, or maybe something worse. He's smart enough to not ask at this point. ]

[matermali]

[ No matter the presumed reasoning for any of it, it’s difficult for Vanessa not to be mildly soothed by the kind actions—she’s still weak. It doesn’t hurt that he seems to have capabilities beyond a normal human, which will always draw her curiosity.

With the mildly dampened jacket rumpled at her waist, Vanessa will tug the towel a bit more firmly over her shoulders before accepting the glass and dropping her knees down to sit somewhat more suitably. She has no qualms at all with American exports, and feels the need to at least appreciate the scent of the drink for a moment.

The expression catches her mildly off guard, though it may mean something different for her than what he intends. The gesture is enough for her to understand he’s making a toast, but she can’t think of much to toast or celebrate now that the whimsy encouraged by the music has worn off. From the look and sound of things, he’s been here long enough to at least feel comfortable, or something resembling the state. How long did that take?

Though her glass is lifted in turn, it soon settles back to be cradled in her hands while she stares.

Cheers. ]

Are you happy here, Tony Stark?

[ironypoisoned]

[ Loaded question... Tony exhales with an audible puff. ]

I am. [ He says eventually. It took months to get there, and certainly it's been easier surrounded by old friends who want to bury their so-old-it-should-be-ancient hatchet, but as much as he wanted to deny it, he actually was happy. He missed Pepper and Morgan, of course, but this? This gave him a second chance, a chance to live a life less populated by anxiety and trying to get ahead of the next fuck up.

He chuckles to himself as he sips at his whiskey before continuing. ] Truth is, I'm dead back home. [ He tugs his right sleeve up slightly, showing off the gnarled flesh of his forearm, the lightning bolt patterning of scars that presumably go up the rest of his arm. ] My final battle scar. [ Tony almost sounds affectionate as he refers to the Infinity Stones' handiwork. ]

So... Even if everyone left Folkmore tomorrow? Think I'd still stay. [ A beat. ] Hard to say if that's happiness, or just fear of what comes next. [ It's a confession. ]