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

[zanth]

[Zanth seems content enough to follow. While it was interesting watching some of the party, she's just as glad to be further from the crowd. It's possible she looks a bit more relaxed.]

I. Followed a fox. Or... something that looked like one.

[They're still trying to figure out what manner of creature it actually was, now hat the whole thing seems to have been real after all.

They sigh and run their claws through the feathers on their head, looking out over the railing for a moment.]

It wasn't something I'd have done of my own accord.

[They sound tired, and irritated. Best not dwell on that part.]

You? [She looks back at the woman and tilts her head to the side. Rue confirmed the fox was a thing, but they're not sure if everyone here had the same experience.]

[matermali]

[ When she had turned around to see the fox, she had expected—hoped—to see Ethan. As ever, hope seemed to fall short, and yet she had followed the fox anyway. At the time, it had felt right. Now, there’s a muffled sort of horror that stirs in her chest at realizing what she’s left. How is she to know what happens after? ]

I was waiting for a friend.

[ She’ll sit with a muted elegance on the end of the small bench, the pale skirt pooling around her feet. ]

I'm not certain what seized my thoughts in that moment. It must have been a compulsion.

[zanth]

[There's a pause, but then she sits down as well, close enough to seem friendly but no moreso.]

It must have been. [And they really, really don't like being forced to do things.]

But... I'm sorry you didn't get to meet your friend. [Another small pause.] I was, ah, keeping an eye on one. But he'll be fine.

[While their tone is even, it's probably not hard to guess they're saying that last part to reassure themself. Swan is going to be fine. The others are going to be fine. There's no point in dwelling on other possibilities.]

[matermali]

[ Sorry, yes, Vanessa is...sorry she wasn't able to see him again. For so much more than that, and then beyond that no forgiveness. Only what, then? This realm? Something she might have delighted in the idea of when young, but she hasn't been young for so very long.

He'll be fine. There really is no telling now, is there? ]

I'm certain he will be.

[ Her gaze is fixed on them with something approaching softness, but any comfort attempted may be shadowed by an echo of melancholy. ]

And you, how will you fare? Until you find passage out, are you able to find your way in a realm such as this?

[zanth]

[They appreciate the attempt all the same, and give a little nod. It's not like they can judge her for being melancholy right now; it's almost funny—Swan's supposed to be the sad, dramatic one. Zanth's supposed be the one who has it together. Maybe the change of subject is just as well.]

I've... had to adjust to new places before. I can do it again.

[They doubt that it can really be as much of a culture shock as leaving the little stuck-in-the-past village they grew up in. At least they get the impression there's running water and electricity here.]

Not that I've. Seen much of this one yet.

[matermali]

[ It's a claim filled with a knowing of loneliness. For someone to adjust to one place, then another, well then where are they expected to call home? She stares with a solemn understanding before turning her gaze to the celebrations beyond.

She doesn't know if she has ever been blinded with so much color. ]

We have both wandered between worlds, then. And so we will manage here as we have then done. I'm told there is much to see, if one can summon the desire alongside the fortitude.

[zanth]

[There's a beat where they seem to consider saying more, but then they look over at the festival as well.]

Well. If we're to be stuck here... I would choose that over boring. There may at least be things to learn.

[In fact, even a few weeks ago, they'd have been much more fascinated. It's too bad their natural curiosity is currently being weighed against their friends being in danger from monsters and local government.]

[matermali]

[ It seems they are of like mind in more than one case. It’s true that if she is to exist here, then she would at least prefer to find a way to keep from dying of boredom. It would be death by a thousand cuts, though suppose she does deserve such a slow torment before it does all end.

Sitting back so that her hand slides to her knee, she glances Zanth over with an imperceptible gaze. ]

What manner of things would you wish to learn?

[zanth]

[Their wings rustle as they shift them around a bit, before leaning an elbow on the arm of the bench.]

Well. I'm something of an inventor. And... an engineering teacher by day. Both.

[Not that the really need to include that sort of detail here, do they? It's not as if anyone can ask for references.]

I'd... like to see if their technology or their magic is the same as I'm used to.

[matermali]

[ Now she will raise her eyebrow, head tilting with a friendlier smile once more. To hope to learn more ways to create anything is admirable. ]

Now I am terribly curious as to what sort of creations you may bring into this realm. What were some of your prior inventions?

[zanth]

[And this appears to be either the exact right or wrong thing to ask, depending on how much she actually wants to hear about it. Either way, the owlin immediately perks up slightly.]

I make robots, mostly. Familiars and companions and... flying ones for delivering packages, once.

[But kids thought it was fun to throw rocks at them, making it one of the many tech start-ups that hasn't ended well. Not that Vanessa needs to know that.]

But... more utilitarian projects as well. Shields, security devices, a few weapons.

[She'll probably just list off more things, unless she's asked for details or stopped.]