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April-May 2024 Test Drive Meme
April-May 2024 TDM
Introduction
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly 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: Forced Relocation, Forced Sharing, Potential Violence & Harm
New Star Children arrive in Wintermute. Not at the hot springs, the school, or anywhere else near civilization. They arrive in the middle of white, snowy nowhere. The good news is that Wintermute is no longer dark twenty-four seven. There is enough light to avoid crevasses, blocked up wells, and other dangerous features of the landscape. Further, no one is expected to figure out how to get out of there on their own.
Usually Thoth finds the lost travelers in the cold expanse of Wintermute. However, she's busy exploring the multiverse for new and interesting ideas for technology. Not to fret! She hasn't abandoned ye who've entered here. There's a new emergency lost and found network:
The Wandering Dog food carts are now open twenty-four seven! The dogs work in shifts, but the food remains as delicious as ever. When a Star Child gets lost in Wintermute, another Star Child will happen to be buying food from a Wandering Dog somewhere in Folkmore. One such lucky unlucky Star Child gets transported to the School of Thoth. Specifically, to where the mechanical sled dogs hang out. They receive a warm winter coat over whatever they were wearing and another one on hand for whoever they are rescuing. Then it's off across the snow! Don't worry, non-mushing experts, the dogs know what they're doing and lead the sled right to the designated lost Star Child.
The rescuee gets to lay in the sled for the ride back, wrapped up warm and cozy in their new winter coat (it may be spring, but it's always cold in Wintermute). The sled dogs bring Star Children back to the hot springs, so that they can warm up even more. Alternatively, Star Children can explore the Cutting Edge, the School of Thoth, or something else in Wintermute. However, the Star Children cannot part ways or leave Wintermute immediately.
The sled dogs, yes the whole team, will stay with the pair to enforce this. They may surround the pair like a pack, cuddle pile on top of them, or lay around the edges of a hot spring. No matter how long it takes to realize the dogs are doing this and that there's a reason for it, Star Children will eventually find instructions in one of the dogs' collars: Share something that other people have refused to listen to you about. Everyone ought to be listened to.
Only once both Star Children have shared something with each other will the dogs let them part ways and see, perhaps, the rest of Folkmore.
On the walk to Akhlut Station, Star Children will see plain weapons sticking out of the snow: swords, guns, knives. These are simple, non-magical practical weapons. Experienced Star Children may know to suspect such free offerings, but nothing immediately happens upon picking one up. However, once on the train, the train will be attacked by frost spirits. These icy spirits must either be hacked to pieces until they can no longer reform or melted with fire. Innocent passengers who didn't pick up a weapon may be forced to get involved, but the frost spirits will be most focused on those who picked up weapons.
New Star Children arrive in Wintermute. Not at the hot springs, the school, or anywhere else near civilization. They arrive in the middle of white, snowy nowhere. The good news is that Wintermute is no longer dark twenty-four seven. There is enough light to avoid crevasses, blocked up wells, and other dangerous features of the landscape. Further, no one is expected to figure out how to get out of there on their own.
Usually Thoth finds the lost travelers in the cold expanse of Wintermute. However, she's busy exploring the multiverse for new and interesting ideas for technology. Not to fret! She hasn't abandoned ye who've entered here. There's a new emergency lost and found network:
The Wandering Dog food carts are now open twenty-four seven! The dogs work in shifts, but the food remains as delicious as ever. When a Star Child gets lost in Wintermute, another Star Child will happen to be buying food from a Wandering Dog somewhere in Folkmore. One such lucky unlucky Star Child gets transported to the School of Thoth. Specifically, to where the mechanical sled dogs hang out. They receive a warm winter coat over whatever they were wearing and another one on hand for whoever they are rescuing. Then it's off across the snow! Don't worry, non-mushing experts, the dogs know what they're doing and lead the sled right to the designated lost Star Child.
The rescuee gets to lay in the sled for the ride back, wrapped up warm and cozy in their new winter coat (it may be spring, but it's always cold in Wintermute). The sled dogs bring Star Children back to the hot springs, so that they can warm up even more. Alternatively, Star Children can explore the Cutting Edge, the School of Thoth, or something else in Wintermute. However, the Star Children cannot part ways or leave Wintermute immediately.
The sled dogs, yes the whole team, will stay with the pair to enforce this. They may surround the pair like a pack, cuddle pile on top of them, or lay around the edges of a hot spring. No matter how long it takes to realize the dogs are doing this and that there's a reason for it, Star Children will eventually find instructions in one of the dogs' collars: Share something that other people have refused to listen to you about. Everyone ought to be listened to.
Only once both Star Children have shared something with each other will the dogs let them part ways and see, perhaps, the rest of Folkmore.
On the walk to Akhlut Station, Star Children will see plain weapons sticking out of the snow: swords, guns, knives. These are simple, non-magical practical weapons. Experienced Star Children may know to suspect such free offerings, but nothing immediately happens upon picking one up. However, once on the train, the train will be attacked by frost spirits. These icy spirits must either be hacked to pieces until they can no longer reform or melted with fire. Innocent passengers who didn't pick up a weapon may be forced to get involved, but the frost spirits will be most focused on those who picked up weapons.
- New Star Children arrive in remote areas of Wintermute.
- Star Children buying food from The Wandering Dog get teleported to the School of Thoth to rescue people with a team of sled dogs.
- Star Children get amazing new winter coats!
- Star Children cannot part ways until they share something others have refused to listen to! The dogs enforce this.
- Simple, non-magical weapons stick out of the snow on the way to the train station.
- Anyone who picks up one of those weapons will see their train get attacked by frost spirits.
Content Warnings: Potential Forced Participation, Potential Harm
Thoth has been listening to any and all ideas people have had around science in the last few months. Whether they were shower thoughts or a discussion between scientific colleagues or anywhere in between, she's made her list and built every one as an experiment. On a human scale. A human test subject scale. Because every idea has merit. That's right: Thoth believes in you.
Posters saying Thoth Needs You! go up around Folkmore. They offer a reward for participating in an experiment. Simply tear off a piece of paper from the bottom of the poster, and at some point in the future, you're in. Now, there might be a little hiccup here or there. These posters are experimental too! So some Star Children who don't tear off a slip might get pulled into an experiment as well. (Who said Thirteen ought to recruit for her trials? Thoth listened… or she tried.) Oh well, at least it's all in the name of science!
Perhaps Star Children need to sing Baby It's Cold Outside to convince the other to stay (it really will be cold outside). Perhaps they have a choice of spinners, buttons, levers, or other devices to interact with. Perhaps they make their way through a maze. Perhaps they try a new contraption. Perhaps they even recognize their own idea come to life! There's a multitude of new tech to try, and it has not been safety tested.
Nothing will explode. Probably. Maybe. Okay, some experiments are definitely going to have explosions. How about pressing that button anyway and finding out if it's this one?
Once Star Children survive the experiment—and they will, Thoth may be a loose cannon of a scientist, but she's ensured that much—they will emerge from one of the School of Thoth's laboratories. Togo, the grey wolf mascot, waits on the other side with an item for each test subject: an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item.
No one is left to the cold to fend for themselves. One of the nearby classrooms has been set up as a first aid center. Dog spirits of all sizes, from the smallest Maltipoo spirit to the largest Great Dane spirit, staff a healing clinic and will treat any injuries Star Children received in the experiments (or already sported). They offer hot lemonade—lemon juice, molasses, and hot water—to everyone to warm their soul. Injured Star Children can find a corner to rest by themselves or company with which to discuss their experiments.
Thoth has been listening to any and all ideas people have had around science in the last few months. Whether they were shower thoughts or a discussion between scientific colleagues or anywhere in between, she's made her list and built every one as an experiment. On a human scale. A human test subject scale. Because every idea has merit. That's right: Thoth believes in you.
Posters saying Thoth Needs You! go up around Folkmore. They offer a reward for participating in an experiment. Simply tear off a piece of paper from the bottom of the poster, and at some point in the future, you're in. Now, there might be a little hiccup here or there. These posters are experimental too! So some Star Children who don't tear off a slip might get pulled into an experiment as well. (Who said Thirteen ought to recruit for her trials? Thoth listened… or she tried.) Oh well, at least it's all in the name of science!
Perhaps Star Children need to sing Baby It's Cold Outside to convince the other to stay (it really will be cold outside). Perhaps they have a choice of spinners, buttons, levers, or other devices to interact with. Perhaps they make their way through a maze. Perhaps they try a new contraption. Perhaps they even recognize their own idea come to life! There's a multitude of new tech to try, and it has not been safety tested.
Nothing will explode. Probably. Maybe. Okay, some experiments are definitely going to have explosions. How about pressing that button anyway and finding out if it's this one?
Once Star Children survive the experiment—and they will, Thoth may be a loose cannon of a scientist, but she's ensured that much—they will emerge from one of the School of Thoth's laboratories. Togo, the grey wolf mascot, waits on the other side with an item for each test subject: an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item.
No one is left to the cold to fend for themselves. One of the nearby classrooms has been set up as a first aid center. Dog spirits of all sizes, from the smallest Maltipoo spirit to the largest Great Dane spirit, staff a healing clinic and will treat any injuries Star Children received in the experiments (or already sported). They offer hot lemonade—lemon juice, molasses, and hot water—to everyone to warm their soul. Injured Star Children can find a corner to rest by themselves or company with which to discuss their experiments.
- Thoth has built experiments to bring Star Children’s ideas to life.
- Pick a paper tab off a Thoth Needs You! poster to participate. Or don’t. A mishap may bring Star Children there regardless.
- Do science! Be a human experiment! Maybe experience explosions!
- Togo, the Thoth mascot, will have an item from home for every Star Child who participates.
- Dog spirits man (dog?) a first aid center in a nearby classroom.
Dreamwidth almost ate my comment. If it did, no way I'm writing it qgain till tomorrow. But it didn.
Stupid. Such dreams, rare as they were back then, were utterly moronic. It was different now...
Eli closes his eyes, completely vulnerable now, and wonders what to do. Then, without asking, he embraces Thrawn from behind. He wants to hold him close, to never let go. He'd never dreamt of that yet - perhaps even his subconscious could never dare. Hugging a commanding officer? Preposterous.
He hopes Thrawn hasn't got any qualms with suddenly getting embraced.
"You're weird, but you're beautiful. And you can... do whatever you want to my body today, you know you can",
Eli says, a bit sheepish, and adds] "and, er, to be frank, about your beauty, I always knew that goes both for your body and your mind. I had once thought that it's because I don't know where you come from - but I've been there now, and that's not the case. I had once thought that you're simply exotic in my eyes and that held me back, too. If I still thought like that, I would never try to embrace you, no matter how much I longed to do it.
[He hopes Thrawn's not offended. There are 'exotic alien fuckers' in the Empire but, coming from the Wild Space, Eli always found such kink a bit offensive and had long decided to never, for example, sleep with a random twi'lek, or a random pandoran or, later, in the last month of the academy... he firmly decided not to sleep with a chiss no matter how unique the experience could perhaps prove to be. Eli was NOT an exotic alien fucker. Even if that sounded hot, he had long decided that that didn'tsound too respectful and Eli felt he could never bed a partner he wouldn't respect even a little. Even for one night.
"There are," Eli says, wondering if he could kiss Thrawn anywhere right now, "fairytales in which the knight leaves his heart - not the biological one, maybe the better word is, the soul, some mystic energy of life - in the hands of the princess. As long as the princess cares for the heart, the knight will never die. He's immortal. Which is great, because he can now go defeat evil monsters. And even if he never meets the princess again, the fact that he's alive means that so is she - otherwise surely somebody would steal and stab his heart already. When I was six years old, I thought this level of trust was humanly impossible."
Eli doesn't think so anymore. If souls could be shared like this, he...
"I'd give you a piece of soul. No, maybe even all of it. I know it would be safe. Safer even than with any fairytale princess. You'd never let any enemy steal it. So I would be immortal. I heard such fairytales when I was five or seven years old... honestly, it's your diary entry's fault that I remember it now."
Eli laughs a little, and then...
He moans slightly, realising that he's suddenly close to getting a boner. Even though nothing happened yet, besides kisses and hugs.
He's a bit mortified.
To divert attention, Eli says,
"No, truth is, I've already given you my soul, maybe. And I trust you're keeping it safe. Maybe in some protected treasure chest on a bottom of a mystical lake protected by a spell, that's how the princesses do it in myths, at least."
Pft.
no subject
The Chiss would consider Thrawn an oddball for finding an alien attractive, even one who looks close enough to a Chiss. Some might even label him a deviant. Thrawn only cares about Eli's opinion on the matter, and Eli clearly likes him.
"Whether you give me a part or all of your soul, it will be kept safe with me. As for you, you already held my words in your hands, from the day we met. I trusted you utterly, and have shown that I was right to do so."
Ooc: Same mun, alternate account, too lazy to switch accounts rn if that's ok. /ooc 1/2
blushesand says, deciding. he might as well be bolder,"Thanks. That means a lot. Can I tell you a secret? I like your eyes. I could look into them for a long time wondering just what the heck you're thinking. Maybe I'm just a slow learner?"
And then, after taking a deep breath, Eli Vanto says,
"Kiss me. Like it's a first kiss. Pretend if you want, just make it real for me."
An oxymoron? Who cares.
Of course they've both kissed other people before, they're not children, but Eli Vanto wants this, whatever 'this' is, to feel special.
And after all, if anybody can make anything real, surely it's Thrawn.
Eli Vanto closes his eyes, waiting with a bated breath, allowing himself full vulnerability in this moment. Even though being vulnerable isn'tso easy. But this is just some hot springs on, surely, some planet so distant that who knows if anybody anywhere knows it exists, so maybe, just maybe, it's alright to be slightly vulnerable and open here. With one's cherished ally - no. With one's cherished friend. When did friendship happen? That'd be a stupid question, Eli supposes. Like asking when does young man become an adult. Or any other such questions.
2/2
He decides not to say anything more while waiting for a kiss. And perhaps he should have checked if kissing can be casual or not in Thrawn's culture, but he had been far too busy and socially not too welcome by some in his time in the Chiss Ascendency to be bothered to check. It would've been fraternisation, anyway, with anybody with whom Eli would even want to.
no subject
He turns around and wraps his own arms around Eli, returning the embrace. Eli's brown skin is an interesting contrast to his own blue.
"I don't need to pretend for it to be real with you." Leaning in, he presses their lips together in a soft kiss. Not Thrawn's first kiss, but certainly the first in a long time.
Eli: feelings are algorythms. There, no reason to be embarassed.(He's a dork, people))
And after asking that outloud without thinking, Eli mentally combs through his own memory to see if he has or hasn't.
However, there isn't any time to overanalyse, as Thrawn's kissing him and Eli's kissing back and Eli does sonething he used to imagine sometimes - runs his hand through Thrawn's hair.
It's not as long as when they had first met, so he wouldn't ever be able to pull at it harshly the way he imagined so long, long ago when they had first met and for the next week or two Eli Vanto would sometimes think of Thrawn solely as a burden and had tried to hate Thrawn from the bottom of his heart-
(There are planets where it's believed that the difference between frustration and passion or love and hatred is truly minimal or nonexistant, and Eli can almost believe that if he considers feelings as points on the symbol of infinity - perhaps this is the point, for some people, when opposite feelings meet, which could make some sense, if feelings then slowly are allowed to harmoniously develop, whether shared or not. It made some sense at least. That was at least a simplified model, at least. If he truly wanted to understand what was happening in his emotions, he'd definitely need to delve even deeper. However, that was definitely unnecessary and a waste of tome when there were more important matters, so that inner mental explanation had to be enough for now)
Eli's not sure if he never would lie to Thrawn, but he knows that he would never betray him, and isn't that more or less tge same thing? Potential mundane lies of no consequence if they ever happened during academy months certainly don't count as far as Vanto's concerned. He doesn't know if Thrawn shares the same outlook, but if not, that's Thrawn's own kriffing issue that changes nothing. Eli's feelings aren't dependant on his friend's feelings.
But...
"Perhaps I should learn more about Chiss customs and traditions in potential casual relationships. If one can be, behind closed doors, friends with benefits in your culture. I don't want to be crass. I..."
How to put it.
"I'd rather get demoted or discharged than mar your reputation. Too much is on the line."
And even so, Vanto leans closer again, subconsciously wishing for even more closeness in these difficult times.
That's okay, Thrawn's a dork too
He kisses Eli again, moaning softly into his mouth, holding him close. He even dares to brush his tongue across Eli's bottom lip. Eli's lips are just as soft as he imagined, and finally getting to kiss him doesn't disappoint. And all it took to get this was them being spirited away to another world and getting in a hot spring.
"Chiss prefer not to engage in public displays of affection. As for casual relationships, they are not unheard of, but such things are typically kept between the involved individuals and not spoken of in polite company."
He strokes Eli's hair, allowing the other man to lean against him.
Re: That's okay, Thrawn's a dork too
Heh.
"Then again, I think you're more honest than that."
Eli grins.
And leans closer and-
"Speaking of honesty... Thrawn, if we don't stop, I am going to get a boner. It's your fault, so... if you're not ready to take responsibility, I'm just going to go to my room."
"And Thrawn- I know that, in the circumstances, you might not believe me, but I suspect that I-- I love you."
What? Feelings can be complicated. Eli's not quite there yet on (conscious) certainty.
no subject
Thrawn pulls away form Eli slightly, resting back against the spring wall, though his hand seeks out Eli's.
"I am glad to hear that. Because I believe that I have feelings for you too."
no subject
"Frankly, I always hoped you could like me. You were always so... captivating. I still don't know why. But it's fine. As long as there isn't any favoritism, I guess. I like to be judged fairly. For example, if you ever want to fire me, just do it, liking or not."
Strictly speaking, Eli Vanto isn't working for Thrawn anymore. However, as far as Vanto's concerned, he still sort of is. As far as Vanto's concerned, Thrawn can send him anywhere if he's certain that will be the best for their galaxy. And if someday Eli needs to most likely face charges of desertion and defend himself somehow on his own, so be it.
Anyway... Eli guesses Thrawn is right, they shouldn't, hm, explore each other's bodies right now. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next year. Maybe when they thwart Project Stardust someday, if they do. (He's heard something about the project from Thrawn, though probably not enough.) Who knows with this infuriating overly genius Chiss.
Vanto takes a deep breath and tries to just relax.
"It's been a while, really. When it comes to the Ascendancy, I'm just realising how long it's been for you. Thrawn, is there anything you want to know about how things are going in the Ascendancy? I'll be happy to update you on whatever I know, if allowed."
no subject
He keeps hold of Eli's hand, relishing just this small touch. It's enough, for now.
"Yes. Is the Ascendancy doing all in its power to fight the grysks?"
no subject
Eli Vanto mutters, not resentful, but syphathetic.
"Still, from Admiral Ar'alani tells me, we could be doing more. Any ideas on if there is anything I can do to help with that, short of miraculously changing a species?"
Eli asks, not quite serious.
"Anyway, there's lots of politics involved, so perhaps I'll understand more once I have more than passing familiarity with that. And here I hoped that Chiss politics made more sense."
What else is there even to say, Eli wonders...
"For now, I just want to focus on the girls, you know? Because it's important. Because this is something we can surely understand, if we just try."
because I care about them, personally, and I would gladly die for them,Eli thinks and does not say. Some things are better left unsaid in civilised company. He hopes it's true that Mitth'raw'nuruodo can't read thoughts, after all.
Ha. As if anybody could. Even Force users only read emotions, don't they? And Eli's fine with his emotions. Emotions never betrayed him too much yet, as far as he's concerned.
"In short, not everybody is as concerned with the Grysks as you are, sir" Eli says slowly at last. "But Admiral Ar'alani is working on that. Trust us, okay? She will manage. We will manage, if given some time.Just give us some time and surely some breakthrough can be done."
"In layman's terms, seems to me that some aristicras or whatever aren't your biggest fans, Thrawn, and I hope they won't make it a problem in the future. I'm beginning to see, I think."
See how Thrawn must've felt.