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

And I just ... type the words?

Yeah! Anything you send will go right to mine. You can also post on the network, where everyone would see it. And you can read what other people in this world have posted.

Huh ...

[ He is at least familiar with scrolling, so he does that with his finger. ]

There's ... a lot of people here ...

Ah... yeah, there are. [He knows that can be kind of nerve-wracking at first. His tone is deeply sympathetic; he went through this, too. Still kind of is at times.] But everyone I've met so far has been really nice. I'm sure they'll be nice to you, too.

[ I need to double check if Hunter can see posts for people who have left because uh he would know some of those faces, including his own—-

But for now he gives it a quick scroll before closing it again. ]

Really? Nobody bad at all?

[~~like 99% sure the answer is yes but dont quote me~~

Casey makes a non-committal grimace at that, waggling one hand, before he shifts back to a smile.]

Nobody? Definitely can't promise that, I haven't met everybody yet. But when I posted something to the network there was a ton of people, and all they wanted to do was help me! I even had a few taking me out for food or to do fun stuff, teaching me how to cook... it was really nice.

That's ... really weird ...

[ He clearly does not trust this at all. ]

[ ...Clear...ly...

Casey tucks his relic away, quiet for a moment, then asks tentatively,]

Do people not... help each other, in your world?

[ A rough little shrug at that. ]

You have to be worth the help in the first place. Nobody's going to do anything for you if you're just pathetic or weak. You have to prove you're a good investment.

[That's... really sad. That's one of the saddest things he's ever heard.]

What do you think makes someone pathetic or weak?

W-well - not being able to do things without being told? I can't drag my problems to other people. I should be able to figure them out on my own instead of burdening them when they have enough going on.

[ He says all of that like it's completely normal. Like someone has said those exact words to him - or very similar - a hundred times over. ]

[Casey's gaze lowers, focusing on the little emblems of his cloak. Symbols of his family, people who didn't have to take him in but chose to anyway, who spent years building him up with their lessons and their stories and their words of encouragement. He's still young, still figuring out who he wants to be, but so much of who he is now can be sourced back to the things they told him. That he's loved, he's worth the effort, that he's family-

He's... getting a really bad feeling. Someone's been given the wrong lessons. Pathetic... weak... those are the words of Krang, not family.

"Powerless witches are worthless in the Isles-"]

...Hey, Hunter? [He looks up again, mustering a smile.] Thanks for helping me. I should've said it before, but better late than never.

[ Hunter, in turn, is still in that gold and white uniform: smooth, pristine, unadorned by anything remotely personal. The only signs of care are the patches that he himself has sew into place.

He stares back at Casey at that, confused? Then he pinks a little. How does he react to actually being thanked? Has he ever been thanked before? Well - yes, but it had been by a human who later "betrayed" him - ]

Oh. Um. I - sure. We helped each other anyway so it's fine. That's not what I was talking about.

I know. I just wanted to say it.

[And he does know, kind of. There's a big difference between helping someone drag some garbage cans around, and investing time and resources towards their development. His little favours and helps throughout the years, fetching tools for Uncle Tello, climbing into small spaces to find things for Uncle Raph, helping Master Michelangelo walk somewhere when his legs were too tired and he was out of mystic mojo, oiling the hard-to-reach spots of sensei's prosthetic. They're little acts of service that would never repay all they'd done for him.

But they thanked him anyway. They didn't keep score. He didn't owe them. They taught him to take joy in helping. Even if he's weak, it never stopped them. Little ways of helping can become big ways later, and they're all valued the same in the end. They can still come from that same place of love.

He's pretty sure the best help he can offer with this is just... to be a friend, though. Even if he's human, even if Hunter doesn't call him one. Feels like he needs it.]

I won't think you're weak or pathetic if you ever need help. Just for the record.

[ Hunter doesn't have the words or the emotional intelligence to voice it, but that's exactly right. More than anything? He needs a friend. Someone in his life who won't keep score, and won't "betray" him for doing the wrong thing. (Luz and Flapjack had tried so hard - they hadn't had any choice but to leave, in the end -)

Hunter hunches his shoulders a bit at that. He's learning to trust Casey a little here, but ... well, lack of keeping score is great and all, but he still fears another Luz situation happening. Better to know where he stands than lose everything later. ]

Well - good! Because I won't be! You're gonna see how useful I am. And I'll return all the help twice over! You won't regret it.

[ Hunter that's not what he meant, ]

[That is... super not what he meant, but some things take some time to sink in, so... okay. It's a start. And if someone's had those kinds of terrible lessons, plus a bad human association? Casey is expecting an uphill climb, here.

But hey, he is very much like his uncles: incredibly stubborn. Time to channel Uncle Mikey trying to reform and befriend his evil dad. ~~love you too Grandpa Barry~~]

No regrets here. [He tilts his head thoughtfully.] Guess I'll have to try and be useful, too...

[Until he can convince Hunter that friendship isn't about usefulness, anyway.]

[ That's a good tactic; Hunter immediately goes a bit wide-eyed at Casey's offer in return. ]

No - I mean - you don't have to! That's different. Obviously you're competent.

[He won't be deterred!!]

No, no! It's only fair that I have to go by the same rules as you. [The sagest of sage nods.] Gotta make sure you never have a reason to think I'm up to any treacherous human nonsense.

[At least he's taking it with a good sense of humour.]

[ He really is. It's kind of wrecking Hunter's logic here. ]

I - well - okay! That's true! I have to be careful of that.

[ Somehow, he's less enthused about treacherous human nonsense now. ]

[This is definitely not the first time someone's told him they hated humans. It was humans that summoned the Krang, after all. It's not the worst thing to ever happen, and in the past it just made him determined to prove them wrong. He can do it again.]

Uh-huh. [Maybe someday he'll learn that Casey Jones would sooner die than betray a friend, but until then-] So, can you show me how to eat a not-dog?

-- Oh! Right! Here!

[ He holds his own out and begins applying condiments. ]

Make sure to add all the toppings you want. Then make sure to eat the head first so that all the legs wiggle themselves out. Otherwise you have to eat wiggly legs first and that's awkward.

[Casey looks between the wriggling bun, the condiments, and Hunter, then dumps on a few that look vaguely familiar and lifts it up to look it over.]

...Is... that a spider?

[Why is it still wriggling...]

Probably? I was never super clear on what they're actually made out of.

[ Hunter chomps down on his - and as promised, the legs wriggle frantically for a moment before dying back down. ]

Huh.

[Somehow still not the worst thing he's ever put in his mouth. Following Hunter's lead, he bites the end off with the head, chewing thoughtfully as the legs wiggle their last.]

[ It's crunchy and savory? Kind of pleasant actually, despite the wriggles. The chitin gives it a nice crunch, and the fried spider fuzz around its gooey interior results in a consistency similar to a scotch egg. Good ol' deep fried tastiness.

Hunter looks very pleased with his. ]

I've only had these a couple of times. I - uh, I'm normally not allowed, but Steve bought me one once during a festival when we were both on guard duty.

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