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Entry tags:
October & November 2023 Test Drive Meme
October - November 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: Potential nonconsensual physical changes
Tides doesn’t have a farmer’s market. However, it does have a regular artists’ fair. Spirits—and Star Children—can set up stalls to offer art they have already made or to make it right before people. On the spot commissions! It’s a great way to see a wide spread of the art available in Tides, on rare occasions even Jewelia’s own.
Within the artists’ fair is a makers’ square where everyone is invited to join an artist in learning to make some kind of art. It might be painting and wine. Lithography. Embroidery. You name it. Seriously, feel free to put a suggestion in the box of what Star Children would be interested in. The artists leading the space don’t all teach at Jewelia Academy. This could be the only chance to learn from them!
This time it’s making salt water taffy. Spirit Children can learn how to complete the process from start to finish with a bit of an arm workout. If they aren’t interested in or cannot handle the arm workout pulling the taffy, they can help a spirit wherever they’re interested. There is any flavor Spirit Children can imagine to flavor their taffy, even ones only found in their home worlds. Share a little culture!
Star Children may keep up to half of the taffy they make, but the rest will be offered to everyone coming through the makers’ square in the artists’ fair. Perhaps it’ll encourage other Star Children to make their own! Star Children, whether they make taffy or simply take free samples, will find that eating taffy can have an effect on them.
Eating taffy made by Legends will give Star Children color changing eyes that give away their mood, just like Legends. Eating taffy made by Myths will give Star Children horns, claws, or a tail that grows larger when they react more logically and less emotionally. Eating taffy made by Familiars will give Star Children animal features. These effects last from one-six hours.
Eating taffy made by Spirits has no effect at all!
Tides doesn’t have a farmer’s market. However, it does have a regular artists’ fair. Spirits—and Star Children—can set up stalls to offer art they have already made or to make it right before people. On the spot commissions! It’s a great way to see a wide spread of the art available in Tides, on rare occasions even Jewelia’s own.
Within the artists’ fair is a makers’ square where everyone is invited to join an artist in learning to make some kind of art. It might be painting and wine. Lithography. Embroidery. You name it. Seriously, feel free to put a suggestion in the box of what Star Children would be interested in. The artists leading the space don’t all teach at Jewelia Academy. This could be the only chance to learn from them!
This time it’s making salt water taffy. Spirit Children can learn how to complete the process from start to finish with a bit of an arm workout. If they aren’t interested in or cannot handle the arm workout pulling the taffy, they can help a spirit wherever they’re interested. There is any flavor Spirit Children can imagine to flavor their taffy, even ones only found in their home worlds. Share a little culture!
Star Children may keep up to half of the taffy they make, but the rest will be offered to everyone coming through the makers’ square in the artists’ fair. Perhaps it’ll encourage other Star Children to make their own! Star Children, whether they make taffy or simply take free samples, will find that eating taffy can have an effect on them.
Eating taffy made by Legends will give Star Children color changing eyes that give away their mood, just like Legends. Eating taffy made by Myths will give Star Children horns, claws, or a tail that grows larger when they react more logically and less emotionally. Eating taffy made by Familiars will give Star Children animal features. These effects last from one-six hours.
Eating taffy made by Spirits has no effect at all!
🦊 Star Children can attend an artists’ fair and make salt water taffy.
🦊 Eating salt water taffy made by Star Children will give temporary features of that kind of Star Child.
🦊 Eating salt water taffy made by Spirits has no effect.
🦊 Eating salt water taffy made by Star Children will give temporary features of that kind of Star Child.
🦊 Eating salt water taffy made by Spirits has no effect.
Content Warnings: Pocket universe, dungeon castle crawl, forced relocation
One of the many food carts in Tides serves homemade ice cream. The fox spirit serving it promises that it will provide a jolt of inspiration—even to Star Children who cannot eat. Even holding a cone or cup of the ice cream can jolt someone’s imagination, the fox says. It’s free as part of the welcome to Tides, but no one has to accept it, not even to hold. The fox spirit won’t cajole anyone, and Star Children can go along their way.
At least a few hours later, long enough to have forgotten the offer or to get frustrated by the lack of promised inspiration, Star Children fall down down down into a painted, sculpted, sidewalk chalked, or otherwise artistically bent world. They are as artistically made as the rest of the world around them. They match it, as do their one to three companions who arrive with them. They may be friends or strangers. They are compatriots in this strange world.
Whether starting deep in the bowels or high in a tower, this artistic world is that of a castle. A unique castle to each Star Child host. Elements of its design, decor, and mechanisms tie back to a creative endeavor of the host. For the castle is a direct manifestation of whatever project the Star Child host experiences creative block around, whether that’s art or science or anything else. It’s baked into the design. Not only that, the castle is under attack! Dragons or monsters or knights, oh my! Whatever attacks, the very creative idea may crumble if it doesn’t get solved.
Star Children who ate the ice cream will have an easier time shoring up defenses, buying time to think, and even experiencing a breakthrough moment of inspiration. Any companions who ate the ice cream will have an easier time helping the host. Regardless, the only way out is a breakthrough or to see the idea fall to uninspired ruin. Which will it be?
When a group breaks through, they return to Tides with up to four nearly identical dollhouse castles. A miniature doll of one party member will be in each dollhouse. The doll will also have a miniature version of an item from home. Take it from one’s doll, and it becomes lifesize. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
One of the many food carts in Tides serves homemade ice cream. The fox spirit serving it promises that it will provide a jolt of inspiration—even to Star Children who cannot eat. Even holding a cone or cup of the ice cream can jolt someone’s imagination, the fox says. It’s free as part of the welcome to Tides, but no one has to accept it, not even to hold. The fox spirit won’t cajole anyone, and Star Children can go along their way.
At least a few hours later, long enough to have forgotten the offer or to get frustrated by the lack of promised inspiration, Star Children fall down down down into a painted, sculpted, sidewalk chalked, or otherwise artistically bent world. They are as artistically made as the rest of the world around them. They match it, as do their one to three companions who arrive with them. They may be friends or strangers. They are compatriots in this strange world.
Whether starting deep in the bowels or high in a tower, this artistic world is that of a castle. A unique castle to each Star Child host. Elements of its design, decor, and mechanisms tie back to a creative endeavor of the host. For the castle is a direct manifestation of whatever project the Star Child host experiences creative block around, whether that’s art or science or anything else. It’s baked into the design. Not only that, the castle is under attack! Dragons or monsters or knights, oh my! Whatever attacks, the very creative idea may crumble if it doesn’t get solved.
Star Children who ate the ice cream will have an easier time shoring up defenses, buying time to think, and even experiencing a breakthrough moment of inspiration. Any companions who ate the ice cream will have an easier time helping the host. Regardless, the only way out is a breakthrough or to see the idea fall to uninspired ruin. Which will it be?
When a group breaks through, they return to Tides with up to four nearly identical dollhouse castles. A miniature doll of one party member will be in each dollhouse. The doll will also have a miniature version of an item from home. Take it from one’s doll, and it becomes lifesize. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
🦊 Star Children will be offered homemade ice cream by a fox spirit.
🦊 Star Children will be transported into an artistic world set within a castle under attack.
🦊 1-3 other Star Children will join the host.
🦊 Escape by breaking through the host’s creative block.
🦊 Star Children whose groups break through will receive a personal item from home. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
🦊 Star Children will be transported into an artistic world set within a castle under attack.
🦊 1-3 other Star Children will join the host.
🦊 Escape by breaking through the host’s creative block.
🦊 Star Children whose groups break through will receive a personal item from home. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
K.P. Hob | Dimension 20 | Legend
[ i. arrival – OTA ]
[Well. This is certainly a strange predicament. It's not every day you find yourself blearily emerging into a bustling underwater urban sprawl, spiritually divorced from your body like you shimmered between the very cracks of actuality, the patient voice of the guiding Fox still echoing in your bones.
But you don't rise to the rank of Major of the Royal Goblin Army by letting little things like a change of scenery throw you. Ears flicking, Hob appears bewildered for but a moment, inexplicably surrounded as he is by water and people and scent and light and noise—before he seems to catch himself, straightening up, at attention once more. Shoulders squared, hands clasped behind his back, he starts marching towards the fairgrounds with his eyes fixed dead ahead.
Surely, there must be something or someone around here who can help elucidate the bugbear's abrupt change in circumstance.]
[ ii. candy man – OTA ]
[Once the sensory overwhelm of stalls upon stalls of finely crafted tchotchkes and sundry other bric-à-brac has subsided, Hob oddly finds himself enjoying the artist's fair. It's nostalgic in a sense, like a good old Goblin Rumpus, sans all the violence and trash-eating and excessive flatulence. The kind of Rumpus he could get behind.
Of all the artisans displaying their craft for the curious public, it's the candy makers who truly draw his eye. Watching them clench and stretch and squish and pull at endless ropes of brightly colored viscous sugar is utterly hypnotic. So when one of them waves him over, encouraging him to come try for himself, he is hard pressed to refuse.
Upon standing there, trying and failing to manipulate the cooling taffy as it gums up and sticks all over his furry paws, Hob finds that candy making maybe isn't for him.]
Honored craftsperson, I owe you the most heartfelt of apologies. [His affect, while booming and blunt, appears to be entirely sincere.] This batch has regrettably become more hair than taffy.
[ iii. creative block castle – OTA ]
[When life gives you lemons—or bugbear fur taffy™—make frozen lemonade. It seemed a good fix at the time. Promises of jolts of inspiration aside, Hob had readily accepted the free treat from the friendly fox spirit and shoved the whole thing in his mouth right there and then, paper cup and all. The punch of sugary tart brain freeze proved to be an excellent distraction from his failure as a confectioner.
Much later, when the already alien world of Tides starts to shift and distort around him, Hob fails to make the connection. No scoop of ice cream would reasonably cause the glass dome encasing the city to turn into dusty blackboard, nor the stalls and streetlights and inhabitants to warp into clumsy streaks of colored chalk, flattened against the dark teal surfaces surrounding him, reduced to crude approximations of their forms.]
Ah. Well. You certainly don't see that every day. [He tries to take the change in stride, but something about the encroaching dark walls... unnerve him. The blackboards are covered in untold layers of old, faded scribbles, faint outlines of drawings and diagrams and frantic lines connecting indecipherable words long since wiped away by bone-dry erasers. All familiar shapes that almost make sense to your brain, that just about reveal sentences and patterns, but are lost the moment you start to comprehend them.
It's like the constant noise in his head has materialized all around him. Hob's eyes flicker, searching the visual clangor, finding nothing.] Is this— W-Would you say this is a common occurrence?
ii | candy man
Thus, not even remotely deterred by the idea of a mouthful of fur, he scoots closer to the stretching hook and drags free a small chunk of hairy, sticky taffy goo.]
It's okay, I bet it's still good.
[GOING RIGHT INTO HIS MOUTH]
im so sorry about this man
He blinks, watching the small human—human, right? he must be, given the lack of identifying Fae features—gobble up the candy. The panicked spluttering of the confectioner goes unnoticed.]
What a curious sight! I did not realize human beings also partook in goblin customs! [Hob leans in, all seven feet of him, watching his face closely, like a curious bird. He's... picked up some mannerisms from somewhere.] Eating garbage is a proud tradition. How is it?
never apologize for hob pls hes perfect
Goblins eat garbage? [He does not look like what Casey would've assumed a goblin would appear as, but he's never met one before, so he's not about to disagree. He's definitely human, though.] Oh, it's really good! [Very hairy. The taffy's all stuck in his teeth and it's hard to talk. But the SUGAR-] It's not garbage yet, though. No one's thrown it out.
[The confectioner shoots him a withering look that goes unnoticed, already reaching for a trash can. It is about to become garbage.]
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[Casey's approval of his candy, hair notwithstanding, makes Hob perk up with a big doofy smile on his face.] Oh! Well, I am glad to hear it! You are welcome to as much of it as you want.
[The candy maker clears his throat, holding out the trash can and gesturing to the sad-looking taffy hanging from his hook. Rather than understanding that he wants the bad batch thrown away, Hob just takes the trash can from him with a booming] Thank you, kind sir, [takes the lining out of it, and stuffs it full of hairy candy. A suitable receptacle! How thoughtful!]
Here you are, young man.
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Humans kind of eat whatever they want to, honestly. If it isn't poison, it's edible. [Or Casey has... unusual standards and should probably not be counted on for this information. Case in point: he accepts the garbage bag of hair taffy without question.] Whoa, the whole thing? Don't you want any?
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[Part of him hopes they're not too similar. He could do without all the sundry mischief and mayhem and sneakery and rumpus and ruin.]
You are welcome to all of it, young sire. I was making it with someone else in mind, and... I am doubtful they would apprexiate the textural changes. [Instinctively, Hob tries dusting off his tunic, instead only leaving streaks of taffy across his chest.] I-In exchange, may you guide me to the nearest washroom? My sticky predicament seems to know no end.
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2 give me the taffy goblin
But, naturally, a quick trip turns into a relaxing late lunch for one, which in turn becomes into a little extra window shopping just because, the owlbear wandering the artists’ fair with a bag full of goodies already slung over their wing. It's maybe no surprise that Rue's outfit of the day is Tides inspired, a seafoam green sundress with translucent, tulle bell sleeves that shimmer into different shades in the light, a delicate silver necklace buried amongst their neck feathers.
They see him before they hear him, that imposing, furry figure facing the other direction, his arms held out to the side and already coated in gooey taffy. The familiarity to their husband brings the gentlest of flutters to their chest, but for a moment, Rue only stands some feet away giggling into their paw at the sight ahead of them. Some poor fool has made the mistake of a lifetime. Fur is much less delicate than feathers, but much more dense. Whoever he is, he'll be working taffy out of his fur for weeks.
But then the tall, fuzzy stranger speaks and the giggle dies immediately on Rue's beak.
It is a just a few minutes later, whenever Rue is able to breath properly again, that the owlbear approaches where Hob is left standing, sticky and useless and smelling like fruity candy.]
Excuse me, sir? I believe I've found some of your fur in my taffy...
TAFFY GOBLIN,
At least he doesn't seem too fazed by being covered in goo by his own doing. In the most innocent of senses.
Their voice suddenly cuts through the noise of the candy maker and passing patrons, making Hob's ears twitch sharply before he spins around to face them. A comically bewildered look flashes over his face for a moment, before it splits into a huge grin.]
Rue! My word, you're here! You're really here! [Having never had a single thought in his entire life, Hob's arms extend to their fullest capacity—
and pull his spouse into a very tight, very sticky embrace.] Oh, beloved, I cannot begin to muster the words to describe my relief.
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Rue does not even flinch at the embrace, not even a twitch as the taffy globs onto their fine dress and delicate feathers, and it squelches between their bodies before they are throwing their wings around Hob's neck and giggling against him. Truly, there is no one else Rue would let this stand with, but it has now been months since they've been apart for them, after he disappeared leaving only a letter behind.
So they'll take a little taffy disaster if it means finally having their husband back.]
Knickolas! [They laugh, paws seeking out his furry face so that Rue can peer down adoringly at him.] Look at you, love. What a mess you've made of yourself! I hardly recognized you at first.
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Then he'd been here. Or, at least, this part of him. Without much of a clue, and without Rue.
But thankfully not for long. He beams up at them, barely noticing the squish and stick of cooling taffy he's leaving behind all over their dress and feathers. He's just so happy to know he's not stranded here without them!]
Ah, yes. It appears my career as a confectioner has ended before it got off the ground. [He can't help the big doofy grin on his face.] The search for a non-military career continues onward.
Did you only just arrive as well, my love? The mechanisms of this place still confuse me, I must confess.
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Do not worry, darling. There are a million other careers to try and most are not nearly so prone to stickiness. We shall find you something more appropriate to try next. Perhaps cobbling or agriculture or balloon animal making? You know that I support whatever path you eventually decide to take, as long as it does not take you from my side.
[No long distance truck driving, for instance. But anything local is fair game.]
Not quite, dear. I've been here in this realm for about three months so far. And before that was half a year or so in Massachusetts. [Their gaze is a little intense there, searching his face for even a flicker or recognition.] You do remember Massachusetts, don't you?
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1 arrival I'm so sorry about him
But then he smells it. Then sees it.
This fucking motherfucker. He'd only seen Hob across the room back at ADI, but he'd left Rue.
So forgive a 5'5" turtle being up in Hob's business. Nevermind this Hob probably doesn't even remember.]
YOU. You're late, what are you doing down here?!
FULLY DTF (down to fight)
But he must admit that none of them have been quite as turtle-shaped. Or as small.
Blinking owlishly down at the irate reptile suddenly blocking his path, the bugbear tries and fails to recall what prior commitments he could've possibly made with him.]
Pray, forgive my ignorance, young man. I am afraid I was unaware my presence "down here" was expected in any way. Perhaps you have me mistaken for someone else?
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But it still makes his cold blood boil. Rue deserved better than being left behind, and then have months forgotten and have to redo it all over again. So the turtle gets all up in the bugbear's space.]
I'm sorry, am I not talking to Knickolas Pnackleless Hob? Love and light of Rue's life? Is that not who you are?
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Leo pushes entirely into his space, glowering up at him with a fury Hob finds both puzzling and misplaced. But the bugbear stands his ground, hands clasped behind his back, meeting the young turtle's furious gaze. He's handled enough irate young officers in his time to not be intimidated.]
That is indeed who I am. I take it you share a relationship with my betrothed of which I am unaware. State your business with me.
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He knows now this is not the same Hob that was in Gloucester.
He also cannot find it in himself to care. Rue loves this guy. Rue married this guy, he was at the wedding. Rue has been upset and torn up and lonely for months because of this guy. And that just isn't something Leo can set aside and ignore because Hob doesn't remember it. Fuck alternate timelines.]
Yeah. My business is you abandoned them and only left a note! How could you! That wedding was the most beautiful wedding I'd ever seen and you just left! They hadn't been the same since then.
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3
The fact it's changing rapidly around him is not helping his distaste any. He does not know why he even tries coming down here sometimes.]
Not usually, no- [It takes Peter a second to put together who he's talking to. He blinks a little before looking at the goblin properly. He recognizes the goblin from his and Rue's wedding. It has been a bit too long though since he's seen him, so Peter wonders if he's wrong.] ...Mr. Hob?
A WEEK LATER HI SORRY SUP
When it finally registers, he turns towards the little human, peering down at him, confusion evident on his face.]
Present. [Hob doesn't blink, looking the young man up and down, struggling to place him. He is positive he's never seen him before.] I do not believe we have met.
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He awkwardly tucks his hands into his jeans pockets.] I'm Peter, we haven't met properly or anything. So, it's nice to meet you.
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Yet another boy in this place who has gravitated towards Rue for care and safety. Well, then. Hob, all seven furry feet of him, offer Peter a formal bow as greeting.]
The pleasure is all mine, young sire Peter. Any friend of Rue's is a friend of mine. [His tone, while still booming and courtly, has softened some at the thought of the owlbear.] Pray, have you known them long?
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He doesn't want to claim anything and make Rue sad.] We've known each other for nearly a year or more. We met in Massachusetts in not super great circumstances, but... I'm happy to have them here.
I'm glad you're here too, Rue missed you.
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III
[ When Edward arrived, he was dragged from alternate life to another. This is kind of nothing. ]
There's probably some trick to get out of it.
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[It's a relief, in all honesty, being trapped here with someone seemingly experienced. Helps distract him from the unnerving feeling of his innermost thoughts and internal noise made manifest.]
What tricks have you performed in past to release yourself from such magical confinement?
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[ He's not that experienced, but he's experienced enough to know the gist of it. ]