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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.
no subject
Alright. You know what. That's fair. Akechi can hardly blame the man when they are both trapped in here. If anything, maybe this is Thirteen's response to his public prying.]
But what could they possibly want? [The dogs are quite literally running away with their only possessions. Make it make sense, Thirteen.
But Akechi isn't going to let himself boil in here forever, so without waiting for an answer, he lifts a hand from the springs, gives it a little shake, before he's tentatively reaching out to rest his palm against the nearest dog's neck. It doesn't immediately snarl or whip around to bite him, so the teen pets the beast gently behind the ears.]
Hm. Friendly enough, so why -
[Aha! The paper rolled barely peeking up beneath the thick collar catches his attention, so with one more scratch Akechi plucks it free and unrolls it, scanning over the text there.]
Share something that other people have refused to listen to you about. Everyone ought to be listened to. [...] Is this some kind of terribly unfunny joke?
no subject
No, that sounds like something Thirteen would ask of us. Sorry, friend. We're likely stuck here until we bare our souls a little. Though with it being not so specific, you might be able to get away with something simple.
[This might not require detention-level confession, here. Lots of people were stressed about that one.]
no subject
Do you mean to say this happens frequently enough? That Thirteen traps individuals in order to force their hand into revealing sensitive information about themselves? What is the penalty if you decline?
no subject
no subject
I assume this is part of her convoluted plan to have us reach our full potential. Emotional manipulation in service of reaching your true greatness.
[It clearly won't work, but Akechi has spent enough time around emotionally immature teenagers to know how they fold when feelings come into play.]
If you were to answer this, what would you say?
no subject
[A difficult question to answer. He has a pretty good track record of people listening to him, actually, and when people don't listen he tends to let it slide. Which means he tries to forget about it. Although, with things having been set back to zero with a certain half-orc...
He glances back at Akechi, sizing him up. He looks young, but not that young. It's probably fine.]
I would say, don't go to bed with evil pirate women. It's a bad idea.
no subject
The teen blinks twice, all of that sullen teenage rage disappearing from his face in an instant, truly taken by surprise.
An evil what now.]
Ah, and no one you've met was ready to have that conversation?
no subject
[Which would have been funnier at the time if it wasn't so terrible of an idea.]
no subject
I suppose it does fit the requirements we were given. [presumably???]
If it is that simple, then mine is that, despite my engaging and academic analyses otherwise, no one else is ever willing to hear that the third Neo Featherman movie was far superior to the previous two installments. Every time I attempt to start a friendly debate on the matter, I am viciously trolled online.
no subject
I've never met a troll who was familiar with "movies". Is that common in your world?
no subject
Ah no, I don't mean that kind of a troll. Rather, a person who has nothing better to do than to anonymously bully you on Twitter. [hmm actually.] ...Twitter is a social networking app where you can post your thoughts to share with the world, either under your own name or a more anonymous moniker.
no subject
I see... [He kinda does and doesn't. But bullying isn't a good thing, so he can at least agree with the sentiment that trolls must be vicious.] What is Neo Featherman?
no subject
Also nerd mode activated:]
It's a fairly popular series focused on a group of teenage heroes who overcome every odd to keep saving their city, with flashy suits and weapons!
no subject
D&Dadventuring-party. Although the teenage part is unreasonable. A lot of responsibility on a group of kids.] Why is the third one better?no subject
The first two are quite threadbare in terms of story and character arc. The action is exciting enough, if you only need flashiness and cheap effects to hold your attention, but they both fail in terms of getting the audience's buy in to what should be pivotal scenes playing out on screen.
The third, however, is the strongest thematically, centering around Gray Pigeon and his journey of redemption. Unlike the other films, it is shot like a true film, with an almost neo-surrealist quality, instead of the childish lights and flashing colors of the former. It breathed fresh life into the franchise as a whole, it's just before it's time, not many are ready to accept it's true value yet.
no subject
[He's been sort of witnessing and cultivating it in multiple people for the better part of a year now. If he didn't like redemption arcs he'd really be in the wrong line of work.]
no subject
[yes, he will convert one person, he will!]
And that should be it, right? We should be able to leave without those dogs keeping us trapped?
no subject
Worth a shot. Hey, can I have my robe back, now?
[The dog that had stolen it before begrudgingly trots back, carrying it in his mouth.]
Well, we may end up smelling a bit like wet dog, but I think we could be in the clear.
no subject
It worked! [as another dog returns with Akechi's things as well]
And with such unimportant - [fist clenching, neo featherman is important] -information shared. Perhaps I judged the fox as manipulative quicker than I should have.
no subject
Foxes are traditionally implied to be clever creatures. This wouldn't be the first time she'd appreciate a good loophole, if you can find one.
no subject
Loopholes do have their uses from time to time. [And if that's really all it takes to outsmart the fox, the threat of her rule over them doesn't feel quite as oppressive.
The teen follows off to the opposite side where his clothes have been left and there's plenty of fluffy towels to dry off with before dressing again.]
She takes many forms, doesn't she? The fox?
no subject
Technically, though it's my understanding that most of her forms are different variations of the same human woman. It'd be like saying me in this bathrobe is a different form from me in my clothes. [The two look very different, but very much the same face and shape as before.] I think what shifts more is her personality in each form. There doesn't seem to be any consistency between them.
no subject
Do you think the differing personalities might be contradictory in nature? It would be interesting to see how one variations' morals might conflict with another's and how Thirteen might resolve that.
no subject
also gives him death anyway]I haven't seen evidence that they're contradictory, just different. You might find it worth investigating, however.
no subject
I think I might.
[Once he's fully dressed and wrapped back up in his thick winter coat, scarf in hand, Akechi approaches Caduceus, looking him up and down.]
I appreciate the insight and the thought-provoking conversation.
(no subject)
(no subject)
every time. every time i roll insight. akechi is so screwed