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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.
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[oof, sorry, Mai.]
Well, that falls well in line with what I discovered. Might I go down my list with you?
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Yeah, ahahahaha totally foolish. Just like the boy I saw who pressed the home button and expected it to work. [She rubs the back of her head a little, because she would have pressed it too.]
Yes please!
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Instead, he reaches into the inner pocket of his winter jacket and pulls out a small, ringed notepad, flipping a few pages in. This close together, it's easy to see Akechi's tiny, precise handwriting, the way he's circled important info and crossed out irrelevant findings.
He taps a pen he's dragged out against the paper.]
The being named Thoth is simply another handle for the fox, who normally goes by Thirteen. Her other pseudonyms include: Kuma Lisa, Agrona, Amrita, Jewelia, and Lavender. I heard whispers that she also goes by Baba Yaga, similar to the folk tale, but I don't feel I have conclusive evidence on that enough to count it.
[another tap, denoting a new line]
Folkmore is split into seven different regions, each with a specific weather pattern of it's own. The one we are currently in, Wintermute, is the least commonly traveled to location, from what I understand, outside of those who travel to attend it's school, which specializes in technical education.
[tap]
This fair going on today is the work of Thirteen herself, disguised as Thoth. Every experiment featured is the supposed creation of someone she here. That is partially the reason for the excitement surrounding it, though I've heard from multiple people that they had no intention of ever volunteering as experiments today, but were suddenly whisked away without a choice to participate anyway.
[Akechi flips to the next page]
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But something he says doesn't sit right with her.]
I don't think that it's a disguise so much as an aspect of herself. I got the feeling that Thoth is her own person while also being Thirteen. Like the fox has split herself spiritually into multiple people. The fact that she practically looks the same in both form and can exist simultaneously feels like proof.
[Something in her heart tells her that Thoth is both the same and individual.]
And I also heard a lot of people say they weren't here because they volunteered but because they were pulled in. Which honestly doesn't sit right with me. Why pretend people have a choice when they don't?
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That's quite astute of you, Mai-san. I admit, I hadn't considered the possibility of the fox splitting herself like that, but if she was able to draw us all here from different worlds and timelines, why shouldn't she be able to have a physical embodiment of every aspect of herself? I wonder what that means for each different iteration, do they all have their own personality, flushed down to varying morals and wants? It would be interesting to see which ones intersect and which might contradict one another.
[a little more scribbling down before Akechi smiles up softly at his companion.]
I'm impressed.
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Ha, take that Naru! She's useful and not so dumb as you say!]
I get the feeling they are as different as the schools maybe? Like you said this is the technical college yeah? Maybe this is the aspect of her that is logical and technical? While an artistic school would be her passionate and creative side. But that's a good question, I wonder how individualistic they are or not, are there some that disagree with what Thirteen does or are they all on the same page? It would be interesting to learn.
[It could be the gap in the armour they need...]
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Working together isn't the worst idea he's ever had.]
It is fascinating. Especially going back to your previous point, regarding true agency. Clearly, Thoth has no remorse forcing others to do her will under the guise of choice - unless you pick the wrong choice, naturally, and then she forces you into it anyway. But there's another thing I noticed about this particular choice and those refusing to participate in the experiments. [There's maybe just a little sparkle in his eye, ok, he's having his professor layton moment.] Have you realized it yet?
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She thinks hard, trying to piece together points and pieces and think logically about it all. About the choices here, the flyer, the people refusing to participate... this particular choice... And then-!!]
Nope.
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That's alright, Mai-san. I didn't quite realize it either until after the first or second person I spoke with. But we already said that star children who refused Thoth's proposal ended up being taken to be used in her experiments either way. But there's a very specific outlier to that story standing right here.
no subject
But the only thing standing right here is them.
Oh.]
Us? We refused to take a piece of paper and we've not been forced to participate?
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Exactly! [and not to take too much credit considering they've only just met, but Akechi is definitely feeling a little tinge of pride.]
Of course we don't quite know what that even means yet, but it's something to add to our notes. It's too early for more conclusive findings, but there could be something to draw back towards in the future.
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She won't lie, she feels oddly proud of herself to hear him say exactly like that. Some positive reinforcement goes a long way.]
Nn. [She nods.] And there are must be other people who decided against doing it and weren't pulled into the experiments too. Perhaps with time we can figure out what makes someone get picked even if they don't want to.
[It reminds her of her own kind of investigating.] Kind of like with ghost hunting, you have to figure out all the things that aren't paranormal first, so you can focus on what actually is.
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[Akechi has been Pleasant this whole conversation so far, but there's nothing to hide his sheer fury behind when he spits that stand out. He did not choose death over puppetry to be dragged into another world where he'll be forced into the same fight all over again.
But the anger disappears just as quickly as it arrived.]
Anyway, I think we've exhausted our findings for the day, don't you, Mai-san. I hear there is a train that will take us back out to the other areas of Folkmore. From what I've heard, Epiphany is as close to a true city as we might find, with plenty of apartment housing and shopping nearby. You're free to join me for the ride, unless you'd rather remain here.
no subject
She can't disagree, after being possessed a few times, she can say that it's not pleasant to be taken over like that, even if it's not the same thing exactly.
Drinking the rest of her Cocoa, she nods, because they have done a lot of research here, maybe it was time to see other parts of Folkmore. Then it hits her!]
AH! Is the apartment housing open?! I don't know where I'll be staying or how to pay for it! [She worries over it, immediately grabbing her bag and searching through it.]
Do you think they take bank cards?! Do they use Yen here?!
[She pulls out a spoon and looks confused.]
no subject
Akechi flips over a few pages in his notebook and hands it over to her, a whole list of general Folkmore information he's been gathering since his arrival, holding it out for her to read through.]
Currency as a whole is much different than Japan. [He gestures to the spoon she's presented.] Lore, as it is called, exists within the spoons we were given and is generated through social interaction. Even this conversation between us is producing an income.
As for the apartments and other housing, they are free for anyone to take, without having to sign a lease or pay rent. It's all simply open for the taking. Quite the generous captor we have.
no subject
Part of her wonders if it hurts, but doesn't ask.
Instead reading the notebook he holds out for her while also listening to him carefully. She nods and takes in all the information. Luckily, she is like sponge and absorbs it all as facts and stores it away well.]
That's very generous of her, I'm kind of surprised... I thought I would be homeless again. [She sighs with relief, clearly glad to hear that their captor was at least generous like this. She looks at the spoon in her hand.]
So I just need to be friendly with people and I'll be able to buy things... That's easy enough.
no subject
No, I imagine you won't be.
[But then he's rising up to his feet, crushing his empty paper cup in hand, while holding out his other for the notepad back to tuck into his jacket.]
I was told the train station is this way. Shall we? [He offers her his arm again.] You never did mention whereabouts in Japan you were from.
no subject
Nn! [She nods and walks besides him easily enough, letting him lead the way towards the train She has no idea where she is going.]
I didn't? [She tiles her head, rethinking about the conversation..] I'm from Tokyo, I work in Shibuya. You mentioned knowing someone from Tokyo, are you from there as well?
no subject
I had a feeling! I'm from Toyko as well, though I admit I don't visit Shibuya as much as I used to when I was younger. Is your paranormal business quite popular there?
no subject
I only really go there for work. We get a quite a bit of business, though I wouldn't say we're popular. My boss only considers serious requests, so he turns a lot of people away.
[There's a fond exasperation because she often has to wrangle Naru into considering anything at all. It was so annoying sometimes, but she can't help but speak of him fondly too.
She goes quiet before voicing her next thought.] I wonder if we're from different Tokyos. I suppose it would be safe to assume so.
no subject
There's a distinct possibility, but I'd say that we don't have to assume a thing. We can discover the truth with a few simple questions.
[the power of deduction~]
What was the date when you left?
no subject
Oh how wrong you are, Mai.]
Ah! Okay yeah, that makes sense! It's February 2012. [Or something like that lmao] How about for you, Akechi-kun?
no subject
[No further questions necessary.]
I also arrived from February, but from 2017. [Akechi continues to look forward, but his eyes slide to the side to gaze down at the girl hanging off of his arm.]
So technically, you must be about three years my senior in my Tokyo.
no subject
I guess so, that's how the math works out, but still... you're from a future Tokyo! Amazing...
[Technically that makes her his senpai, but right now, right here, she is still younger than Akechi-kun, so it feels weird to think about it like that. Especially when he is so much more knowledgeable than she is.]
no subject
Inside, the train is warm enough that he can unwind the wool scarf from his neck and peel off the thick winter coat that was given to him earlier, leaving his thinner jacket beneath.]
Have you had a chance to check out the Relic you arrived with?
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cw: murder I GUESS
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Wrap up!
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