folkooc | August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme

Entry tags:

*tdm

August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme

August & September 2023 TDM

Introduction

[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ That is SO MUCH. It’s enough to stop Hunter dead in his tracks as he tries to parse what Peter’s just said. A different version? They were roommates?? ]

I - I would never be roommates with a human. You must have known the previous Golden Guard. Not me.

You're not the Hunter I knew, but a different version. [Peter answers simply enough, not entirely sure how to proceed. Hunter wasn't so... standoffish before? He sure wasn't an emperor. Peter doesn't want to be mean to the guy.]

This place pulls in different variations of everyone, so, you're Hunter as much as he was.

[ This face says he is still wildly confused. ]

But - I - fine! I apparently have clones I don’t know about. And you knew one of them.

[ A slight pause. He can’t help it - he’s too curious. ]

What’s he like?

[Its not exactly clones as far as Peter knows, but, he doesn't push against the assumption. He knows the multiverse thing is... a lot. Peter still can't get his head around it completely and he thinks its cool.] We'll go with that, yeah.

Well, Hunter was pretty quiet, but curious and thoughtful. Genuinely really fun to talk with.

We talked about going to find a sewing machine together. The biggest problem was keeping Flapjack from getting into stuff. [He huffs a little in passing fondness for the Palisman.]

[ Quiet and curious - okay, he could see that. This Hunter is being kind of loud right now, but curious? Yes, even so. Fun to talk with? THAT sounds fake. The sewing machine… Hunter twitches an armored hand to his white cloak, which has several spots with awkward stitching. He hasn’t quite discovered his own love of sewing.

He would normally have plenty to say about either of those things, but he’s distracted by - ]

Flapjack? You knew Flapjack?

[The question does a far job of making Peter blink, realizing just now Flapjack wasn't here.

That's weird. As far as Peter knew, the two always were together.

Maybe Hunter needed help finding Flapjack?]

Yeah, I knew Flapjack. He's sweet, kind of silly. He really liked pancakes or eggs in the morning.

[ Absolutely no Flapjack here at all, not even tucked away in the folds of Hunter’s cloak. Hunter’s expression is hard to read with the mask in the way, but there’s something stricken in the way his shoulders hitch. Flapjack was here? His copy had Flapjack? Why did his alternate have Flapjack when he doesn’t—-? ]

Flapjack left. I - had to shoo him away when I went back to my uncle.

[ That had been painful enough but - ]

He still stayed with the human after the invasion started and everything went to heck.

[Peter has to stop himself from reaching out, reminding himself this Hunter doesn't know him. They're pretty much strangers right now. Touching his shoulder would probably go over badly.]

Oh. [Peter isn't sure what to say to that.] I'm sorry you had to do that, it doesn't seem... fair.

[ Sorry Peter, that would be a quick way to get punched at this point. This version of Hunter is radiating “don’t touch me” vibes pretty hard. Especially at this exact moment, where said vibes are being joined by roiling jealousy. Why couldn’t he have kept Flapjack? What makes his twin so special?

He just shakes his head hard. ]

Of course it’s not fair. I -

[ He doesn’t really want to cry at some human he barely knows. Breathe, Hunter. ]

I guess if you know Flapjack then you really did know a version of me.

[Peter just loosely crosses his arms over his chest. Okay, this is definitely a proverbial minefield he's kind of walked into. Peter is realizing that now. He can't really back out now.]

Yeah, I did. Hopefully I'll get to know you too.

[He hesitates briefly before he continues.] Maybe you'll see Flapjack again here? Anything and everything tends to happen here.

[ Hunter’s head snaps up at that. Could he really - is it possible? He hasn’t seen Flapjack in months now; he’s give just about anything to see his little bird again now that he no longer needs to decide between his uncle and his palisman. ]

Really? You’re sure it’s even possible?

[ This Hunter really can’t bear any false hope. He’s suffered too much already. ]

I can't promise he'll show up, but, so far people I thought were gone too, or I lost have been here.

So, it feels like anything can be possible. A little hope never hurts anyway. [Peter if anything is cautiously optimistic.]

That - that would be nice. If he doesn't still hate me.

[ He takes in a deep breath, his mask tilted down as he looks at the his feet. ]

Even a chance to talk to him would be ... nice.

I don't think Flapjack would hate you. [As far as Peter knew Flapjack, the Palisman was very fond of Hunter. Always with him. There was an obvious bond there.] Probably be sad you guys weren't together sooner-?

I can't really speak for him, but, it's a hunch on my part.

We - we were together. Until him and Luz told me lies about my uncle and tried to drag me away from him.

[ A deep breath. ]

He went back with her after that.

[Peter doesn't know A Lot, but can tell this isn't the safest topic for him to prod at. He just met this version of Hunter, so, he isn't going to test the waters that much.] I dunno what was said, but... maybe here things will be a little easier, and simpler to figure out.

...

I guess - if he shows up here -

[ It's a little easier to talk about when he doesn't think that has any chance of happening. Deep breath. ]

-- Well, what do you know about it anyway. How well did you know - me?

He might, right now, we don't know yet. [Peter if anything is hopeful about the prospect.]

I think I knew you pretty well? We lived together. [Peter knows there was always more to learn. So he can guess there will be differences if Hunter keeps talking with him after this.] I know you grew up in a castle, you didn't really have a lot of people your age around or anything. You were always training, studying or working in some capacity.

[ It’s so STRANGE having people rattle that off all at once. Living in a castle? Obvious. Always training and working? Less so. And especially the comment about not having people around his age… Hunter winds up hunching his shoulders, still deeply uncertain about this. ]

That’s - that’s true too. Yeah. I -

[ He frowns rather sharply. ]

I really lived with a human like you?

Yeah, all roommates assignments were random, but, we were roommates- well, the other you I mean. Until he moved out to live in the flop house. [Peter answers with a slight shrug.] It had more freedom and less oversight, but it wasn't as safe in a way.

I know the two you's are probably going to be different, so, it's nice to meet you again, Hunter. Hopefully we can be friends again?

[ This guy wants to be friends? Just like that? It's enough of a surprise that Hunter stares at Peter for a moment, not sure how to react. He's not usually the sort of person to make friends easily, let alone with - well.

He had the one human friend. And that didn't end well at all. ]

I don't want to be friends with a human.

[Ouch, okay, Peter is briefly stung by that, but tries to let it roll off his back. Peter is used to social snubs, so it isn't new, but the fact its coming from someone he thought of as a friend feels not great. This isn't the same Hunter obviously. He needs to just deal with that.

He rubs the back of his neck a little awkwardly.]

I... guess fair enough? Just, that kind of attitude isn't always going to work here? This place is kind of a mixing pot of people from all over the place.

[ Sorry, Peter. This Hunter's just as much of a softie on the inside, but his outside is extra spiky and difficult for now.

The spikiness can't keep him from being curious, though, and he asks: ]

What - what kinds of people? Witches like me? More humans?

Mutants, Owlbears, humans, aliens, probably a million other things too. I haven't met many witches yet, I think you're the first. [Curiosity the key to keeping the conversation moving. A familiar feeling.] Thirteen brings a lot of people here. Its really cool actually.

[ It's a siren song to Hunter. He could never help it, and he can't now either. ]

W - wait, mutants? What's a mutant?

August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme

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