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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.
(CW: colonization)
No, no, I'm not offended at all! [she smiled] Trust me, what you said is one of the least offensive things I've had to deal with. But if I can put up with nosy reporters and sleazy politicians, I can cope with anything. [she prided herself on keeping on an even, calm keel most of the time. but if someone messed with one of her crew, she'd turn into a pit bull.
and yes, galaxy as in thousands of planets. humanity colonizing planets in droves. she supposed it would always be a part of human nature, to want to expand itself into new lands. for good or for bad]
Sounds like you're a good person to have watching someone's back or fighting at one's side. I'll keep that in mind. But, wars? Your planet still has wars?
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[ More than himself. Despite being a child of two worlds now, he can't help but think it's almost too rational. Perhaps she's used to it as well? Or not new. People seem to have been here a while-- or, like she said, she can cope with anything. Maybe she's just one of those types.
Galaxy, man.
Still, he blinks at that statement and- ]
... Ah, yes. Forgive my pessimism, but what place doesn't have wars?
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[she felt like she had to be a bastion of sanity as she was surrounded by forces she couldn't always control. the Collectors, the Reapers...both were so horrifying that she tried to stay rational as a defense mechanism.
right up to the point where she and she alone could determine the safety of the galaxy]
Earth stopped having wars after the discovery of the mass effect relays, letting us know for certain that we weren't alone in the galaxy and that we had to work together.
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[ It's actually... amazing. To him, that's something which strikes him as enviable. He doesn't know what a mass relay is. But knowing that they need to work together, huh? Lex leans back on one of the broken seats of the train. ]
Then, no. No. The realms I know are rife with conflict, from monsters to men. Petty wars in the southern realms are common, if not my expertise. But even the east and the north are beset by more small scale conflicts.
[ And the west is a disaster zone he's avoiding getting into ]
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[she hoped she made the right decision, destroying the Reapers. but what she feared was who would be caught in the crossfire. EDI. the Geth. would they be unintentional casualties of her choice?
she probably wouldn't ever know, thanks to the last thing she remembered being tremendous pain, followed by the fox]
Is it prying to ask what they're all fighting over?
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In the southern realms, it's mostly about petty rivalries between old families. And trade rights? In the north, there's a lot of struggles over limited resources and furthermore there's some animus between the species when it comes to dwarves and ogres in those lands. Some religious differences lead to issues... And then in the east... man, pretty much all of the above? Not to mention the wandering monsters or the odd demonic incursion.
[ And, of course, there's the Forgotten Sky in the west. But again, we're not talking about the west. ]
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I certainly don't envy you, dealing with all of that! At least once the Reapers arrived, most of the known galaxy agreed they had to be stopped. [a short, slightly bitter laugh] There's nothing like the threat of annihilation to bring people together.
[she wishes she had more time. time to live, not just be the paragon Commander Shepard the galaxy expected her to be at all times]
no subject
[ He says wit ha smile, but his eyes shift to a yellowish color as he keeps it up. Reapers? Annihilation? That a foreboding set of sentences. That's... sort of a heavy topic, he suspects. and probably not worth asking her to clarify about as a result. Probably? Maybe? ]
no subject
[which was exhausting. she can't count the number of times she'd woken up because of nightmares. the only times she slept well was when Kaiden was with her, but she knew that she had to maintain at least some level of being his commander, not just his lover]
no subject
He doesn't even know the word, honestly. He wonders if this is a messiah complex or an accurate thought on her part. ]
Eeeeh.
[ Lex needs something to say, and he shifts a little on his feet a moment before just saying, ]
Well, then at least there's a singular target.
no subject
and both. what if it's both? she's been known to make the impossible, possible and she's expected to do it again. and she did. at great personal cost, but she did]
Yes. [she chuckles] And one which provides a lot of incentive.
no subject
[ And he really hopes that isn't like. The case. Even if he suspects it might be given the whole responsibility and galaxy thing.
Hell, he's now hoping another ice creature shows up ]
no subject
[the Geth were understandable once they were able to explain themselves and she'd considered Legion an important member of the crew. and EDI was invaluable.
but what if she killed them in her ardor to destroy the Reapers? what if they were caught in the crossfire?]
no subject
Eeeesh. Fortunate people decided to ally up for something like that, then.
no subject
Very much so, despite some...dissent. And some roadblocks.
no subject
Lex feels some relief to hear her say there was dissent. The idea some other world - some other galaxy - could all unite against and existential threat with no difficulties would be sort of irritating.
But as he's thinking that, he looks around the damaged train cart they're in. There really doesn't seem to be more enemies. At least for now. He keeps the sword in hand, but makes to sit on one of the less destroyed chairs. ]
Well, there's always some trouble, eh.
no subject
but Cerberus wound up becoming almost as big of a threat as the Reapers. and she'll never forgive Cerberus for almost killing Kaidan]
With an absolute certainty. Do you run into that as well?
no subject
[ He answered wit ha wave of his hand. ... Which is, more or less, true. The war with the Forgotten Sky was not his responsibility. Or at least, he didn't claim it. ]
(CW: death of family)
[but ever since she was sixteen and her family was slaughtered, she's had to make her own way in the galaxy, drawing responsibilities like a magnet drew metal]
no subject
[ Lex, if he could read her mind, would frown internally. After all, he's been on his own since he was fourteen. But he... didn't take responsibility. Or well, no, that's not true, he did once. But everything he had tried to build up burned down five years ago, and he refused to help rebuild it. Since then, he's worked hard to only accept what he needs to, wants to, or is paid to accept.
As is, he just laughs it off, waving a hand with a smile. ]
no subject
[though no one could've predicted what came next, herself least of all.
but she smiles back. she's had to be so serious for so long, except with Kaidan, but she finds herself enjoying the freedom. just a little bit]
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[ Or at least, that was the stereotype, right? Or at least, that was how a lot of Marksmen he knew were. Albeit the ones he knew best used magic or crossbows or bows as compared to something like that huge industrial sniper rifle. ]
no subject
[and Anderson was like a second father to her. they'd trusted each other completely and gently guided her into taking more of a leadership role. then he trusted her with the Normandy and its crew]
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Lex arches a brow at that, grinning some, ]
Well, mayb you've influenced me already. Bound me up in your spell.
(CW: grievous bodily injury/pain)
[pain. desperate gasps for breath. pain which crossed the line into indescribable. was she on the verge of life or death?
it was impossible to know]
( continuing those )
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