October & November 2023 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

October - November 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]

Candy Man . ★

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!

🦊 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.

Creative Block Castles . ★

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.

🦊 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.

Comments

[goodatforgiveness]

[ What does it matter to him? Crowley couldn't have aimed his dagger any more perfectly to stab the angel right in the heart. Of course what Crowley did mattered to him! Why ever would he feel it didn't? Aziraphale glanced away as he wrestled between being distraught and upset with the later ultimately winning out. ]

Yes, I have...

[ His voice held a clear haughty edge to it. ]

And you aren't making that any easier. I've lost count just how many times you've brought that up now.

[ Aziraphale drew in a sigh as he didn't really want to be harsh. This had been difficult for the both of them and he couldn't say when or if things might return to normal for them. ]

I know you don't care for my decision but you could still trust me?

[goodtobebad]

[ Trust me. Crowley is so glad for his sunglasses at a time like this. He stares at Aziraphale and he's glad the angel can't see his eyes. The pain he feels must be glaring out of them like a beacon right now, but they're at least safely hidden behind the dark lenses. ]

I don't think I can anymore.

[ He admits that quietly, his voice rough. He wasn't planning to do this - not here, maybe not ever. But Aziraphale asked. ]

I thought - we were on our own side. But we never were. You're running back to them the first chance you get. That's all you ever really wanted, isn't it? I thought you were different. But you're not. I thought a lot of things, started to hope for things I used to never think could happen, but. I was wrong.

So no, I can't - trust you.

[goodatforgiveness]

[ Aziraphale didn't have the benefit of a pair of shades to hide behind when that knife was given that sharp twist. His eyes grew misty instantly despite his best efforts to prevent it. How could they not when Crowley was saying something that sounded so final. All of the trust they had built up between each other over the centuries was gone just like that? That hurt in ways that were as unfathomable as Crowley's tempting kiss back at the bookshop had been. ]

Well...

[ He took a hesitant step away. ]

I tried to get you to come with me Crowley, I still want you to come with me! But, if that is the way you feel...

[ The angel fidgeted and only managed to prevent himself from losing control completely by shoving that spoon he had been holding roughly back into a pocket and turning so that Crowley's beacon-like eyes could only pierce his back. Aziraphale couldn't bare to look into those hurt and accusatory shades not when he himself was feeling shattered. ]

If you do decide to stay... Might be for the best really.

[ It didn't feel like it would be for the best but at least Crowley would be out of harm's way here. Surely the Metatron's influence couldn't reach all the way out here. If Crowley would be safe then maybe he could still do what needed to be done. ]

[goodtobebad]

You asked me to go back to the place that rejected me millennia ago, because you wanted to make me into something I'm not.

[ He says that simply, tonelessly. ]

That's all I am to you. Fallen.

[ And that's really what hurts the most. He thought, of all beings in the universe, Aziraphale understood and accepted him. Learning that wasn't true, that Aziraphale thinks he can or should be an angel again - as if that's all he should aspire to, as if the only way they can really be together is if Crowley becomes unfallen somehow... It rips his heart to shreds. The heart Aziraphale must not think he has, because he's a bloody demon. ]

[goodatforgiveness]

[ Aziraphale turned to face Crowley so quickly the small tails on his suit jacket nearly flew behind him. ]

Is that what you think?

Crowley...

[ But maybe he shouldn't explain? He cast a look around them, in case the walls or the ducks should happen to have ears, but of course those people milling about in the market were completely oblivious to anything but the buying of bread and their own little interactions so they weren't paying the slightest bit of attention to the drama playing out behind them. ]

That wasn't the reason I told you of the Metatron's offer.

[goodtobebad]

It wasn't? Fixing me wasn't the reason? Sending me to a place I hate even more than Hell to try and make me into something I hate even more than other demons wasn't why you told me about your important new job? You said it yourself: you want to fix everything. Well, good luck!

[ Crowley is yelling now, practically, and he's definitely ready for this to be over. Again. ]

[goodatforgiveness]

[ Wait. He hated angels more than demons?

All angels?

Aziraphale gave this a little quiet thought and a quick pout before all of his own thoughts and feelings brought his own voice to a higher pitch which was not quite a match for Crowley's volume but was getting closer. ]

I wasn't trying to fix you, I was trying to fix Heaven, to save you!

[ His hands floated over to rest in front of his stomach like some kind of protective barrier as his tone leveled back out again in an attempt to be reasonable. ]

Us. We couldn't have carried on the way we were for much longer. You know that. After that business with Gabriel Heaven was tightening its ranks, making sure everyone fell in line... There really was no choice. I had to accept.

[goodtobebad]

[ Crowley scowls at him. If he was trying to help, he sure went about it the wrong way. ]

I bloody well know what Heaven wants to do. Probably better than you. Your problem is, you still haven't figured out that it can't be fixed.

[ He sighs, suddenly looking tired. ]

And I don't need saving.

[goodatforgiveness]

[ It certainly wouldn't have been the first time good intentions had lead any one astray. ]

And you haven't figured out we can't just... run away from it all! We worked together to try to save the Earth just to abandon it again? I can't do it Crowley. It's not in my nature to give up on people.

[ Aziraphale gave a little sigh of his own though his held a good deal of compassion in it. ]

Maybe you do and you just haven't realized it yet. Maybe we both do.


[ OOC: Apologies for the slow! The holidays are eating me but I have really enjoyed this thread! ]

[goodtobebad]

[ Crowley looks - resigned. Sad. Tired. ]

This is so pointless. Do you want to stand here arguing in circles about things neither of us is going to change our minds over, or do you want me to help you get back to our world?

[ Because he will help. Go - Sat - someone knows, he's usually willing to help Aziraphale with even his most misguided plots and plans. Even if it means helping him leave forever. ]

[goodatforgiveness]

[ In that moment Aziraphale deflated too. It seemed they simply weren't able to make any sort of head way with each other. It wasn't for the first time, he supposed, that they hadn't been able to find a middle ground between them but this time it hurt far worse. ]

Yes... right... the fox. Must be around here some where.

[ He toyed for a moment with the ring on his finger before setting off in a direction, truly a random one for he didn't really know where it was he was going anyway. ]

I think I heard one of those noisy children with the enormous ice cream cones say something about a school as they ran past? Might be a place to start, that or if this world has anything resembling a library. I could do some research, find out more about the fox.

[ After a moment's ambling in that random direction he added. ]

Kind of you to help me even if you disagree.

[goodtobebad]

You shouldn't have to stay here, if here isn't where you want to be.

[ Crowley says that simply, with a shrug. ]

S'pose we'll have to ask some of the locals.

[goodatforgiveness]

I'm sure this is a nice enough place but it isn't really a matter of wishing to be here or not. As you know I have some where else I must be.

[ He did not dive back into the argument but instead stopped in the middle of the marketplace to take up Crowley's suggestion. ]

The locals would know best where everything is. If we could only flag one of them down. Excuse me!

[ He held out a hand like he were flagging down a Taxi but nearly got impaled by a French Bread when the baker he had been trying to speak to turned too quickly. The baker did know where everything was located however so it proved worth the near death encounter. ]

Well, that was helpful. I suppose you will want to wander off while I dive into research?

[goodtobebad]

[ It honestly aches, almost physically, how easily Crowley falls into line, slouching along slightly behind Aziraphale, trailing at his heels like a scowly, black-clad puppy.

He even grabs the back of his jacket to pull him out of the way of the French Bread Incident. It’s automatic, after so many centuries. Going along with Aziraphale’s ideas, hovering protectively, pulling him out of sticky situations.

This time, it’s all in service of helping him leave, and that’s worst of all. ]

Mmf. Yeah. Sure. ‘Course. I’ll just… whatever. Get the lie of the land. Maybe. Uh. Call me, if you - when you, uh, find something.

[ He shoves his hands in his pockets, prepares to slouch away. ]

[goodatforgiveness]

Yes, right, will do. And Crowley!

[ Aziraphale half nods, then seemed to reconsider as he almost seemed ready to say something more but again as always what he actually wished to say grew lost some where between his head and his lips.
He didn't wish to start another argument not while they were sliding back into their old comfortable patterns but seeing Crowley's back to him as he sauntered vaguely away still managed to twist the heart strings. ]

Do be careful won't you? There might be things here far more dangerous than that baguette.

[goodtobebad]

You, too. Be careful, angel.

[ The word slips out, like it always does. But it makes him wince a little. He's never thought about it, thought about how it sounds like an endearment - but now it tastes like ashes on his tongue and he turns abruptly, walking away faster than was his wont, before. Before. ]