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Welcome to the Test Drive Meme for

escordvi! Anyone can participate in the test drive, regardless of invite eligibility. Just keep in mind that only those who have received approved invitations from the mods and players can actually reserve on December 25th and apply on January 1st. Our EMP/ATP can be found here.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice | TDM (IF TDMING). Current players can use the same header, just without the "TDM" label. We do require those who are TDMin'g to include the label so other players can distinguish between others.

For everyone's convenience, TDM threads can be carried over in game if you wish! If you are still unsure which armada to place your character, you can play it a bit loose and vague in the TDM and make retroactive changes if you carry over the threads. The log itself is set to cover starting from December 13th until the end of the month. Characters will appear at random intervals during this time rather than all at once, so players have some more flexibility on how much more adjusted they are for someone else.

If you have any question about the TDM, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated December 23)

GETTING STARTED

This section can be timed for any time after December 13 until the end of the month, which includes during the current event. These prompts are to benefit those TDMing, but this portion can be handwaved instead and be served as a reference for players to know what their character will have experienced and learned on arrival.

STARTER SHIPS

There are two ships that serve as starting ships for each armada: Stormbringer for the Corsairs, and Royal Fortune for the Paladins. There are various ways new arrivals—or riftfarers as they will be called, among other creative names—will appear on or by these ships.

🚪 Random room. It could be empty, filled with crates or supplies; down in the hull where the livestock are kept; have the luck to awaken in a bed...or the misfortune of that bed already occupied; somewhere in the kitchens; in the bathroom—any room! Now let's hope the doors can open or someone may have to try and ask for help. Or jump through the porthole if there is one and it's above water.
⛵ On deck. If not in the ship itself, another possible spot to wake up to is somewhere on the maindeck. If they're lucky, they're on the deck itself. More unfortunate souls may find themselves caught in the sails or netting, the crow's nest, or on the top of the masts. Someone should be able to help, right? Or catch.
🌊 In the water. The most unlucky sods will find themselves appearing in mid-air just past the ship and plummeting straight into the water. Good news, there's always someone on the look out for such a thing and calls for help to throw a lifesaver get the rowboat will be made. Are there sharks? Well... ...Are there?

However the new riftfarers arrive, they will be poorly clothed, practically rags or loose uniforms depending on the ship. Fortunately, veteran crewmates will guide them, escorting them to a room with a strange typewriter in it. After typing their name, the typewriter will magically continue and type by itself at a fast pace until it dings and rolls out the paper. This paper will have the following information:

• Name and Shellphone ID (journalname)
• Armada (Corsair or Paladin, will match the starter ship)
• Cabin Number for their personal cabin on the starter ship
• Apartment Address for their personal address at their base armada location
• A basic map of the starting locations in Eltrut, including written directions (continued in the Eltrut section)
• A basic map of where they can find a chest with their original clothes and belongings (this will be different for every person and will be anywhere either on the starter ship or on Eltrut—players can be creative here).

After that, the crewmate will do their best to explain the basics of how they got here, what's going on, and what they'll need to do to live in Escordvi while they are here, giving them a small leather pouch with money. They will be reaching Eltrut soon, so the crewmate will suggest they look around, meet the others who have arrived. Even from their distance, they will be able to see the giant sea turtle that serves as Eltrut's leviathan.

ON ELTRUT

Once in Eltrut, the new riftfarers will be greeted by several birdfolk who will be happy to give tours to those who may need them. Otherwise, anyone is free to roam as they please and will have a map for the following main places they should visit.

🐚 Microshell. The first stop that is encouraged will be Microshell, the main store to acquire their own personal Shellphone. The paper they received on their starter ship will have their ID and the staff at the store will set them up, explaining how the device and the network works.
✒️ Inkwave, Tattoo Parlor. The next stop is Inkwave, a tattoo parlor run by a very burly but friendly octopus, Knistej. Here everyone receives their own unique magic tattoo, allowing anyone to cast specific single element spells and other magic. Note: tattoos are required before anyone will be able to use their original magical abilities.
📜 MANTA office. The final stop is the MANTA office, where all the request, mission, and task notices are posted. Each armada has their own branch office for armada specific notices as well. A great place to find jobs to earn some cash so they don't stay a hobo forever.

WINTERSTIDE

As December continues on and, in some places, the cool air of winter starts to blow through, many are preparing for Winterstide, a time where the islands practice an array of tradition depending on where they live. And to help herald its coming, The Frostsinger soars through the skies on her sleighship pulled by jackalope and singing a song. Wherever she passes, even the grumpiest of grumps will feel a bit more cheerful—if for just a few minutes.

As part of her gift, since the leviathans are situated in warmer waters, all leviathans will have large sections of snow deposited in a designated area, along with special winter clouds to keep it falling throughout the month. It's enough to create small ice rinks, build snowmen, and just enjoy the experience of having snow in an otherwise relatively warm location. Some innovators have also tried to create snow machines to spread the snow around town…but there are a number that will malfunction and either produce wet sludge or dump way too much snow in a small place.

But even so, everyone is enjoying the season, and local traditions are going in full swing. While each leviathan has their own unique traditions, there are a few that are shared between them all.

🦇 Mistletoe Bats. While there may be some sprigs of holly hanging around doorways, there is a special species of bats with wings of mistletoe leaves and cute little red heads. They will fly around and bite people, making the bitten want to either kiss or fight others. How severe the effect is up to the player. Some might want to "kiss" to the cheek (either by mouth or fist) or some might want a full "passionate" session.

🎁 Gift Giving. Although the Frostsinger will deliver gifts herself later in the month, anyone can give a special gift to friends and loved ones at any time. The Corsairs in particular will be on a "mission" to try and regift items from obnoxious nobles to those more fitting or in need of it (or pocket it for themselves—it counts). The Paladins will be on charity work, making and crafting toys and needed goods to hand out to those less fortunate.

🍭 Candy Cane Dare. A special challenge targeted towards couples, but can be played by anyone. Each person takes one side of the candy cane and starts biting off a piece each turn. Will they meet in the middle? Or will someone break away before?

🎀 Ribbon Dance. Little birds will randomly attach a colored ribbon to an individual and should they decide to participate, they must find a partner with the same colored ribbon. Multiple individuals will be in a color "group" so there will be more than one option. Once partnered off, they must bind their wrists with the matching colored ribbon and dance together until the ribbon falls off. For those who may be shy, the magic ribbon may just choose the partners for them.

🏖️ "Sandmen." Although the Frostsinger provided some snow, most will take to the sandy beaches and make their own snowmen and sculptures—with sand. Who can make the biggest one?

🥘 Food Contests. Both Nogard and Elah have their own version of food competitions, and are both vastly different. In Nogard, participants can only use the meat they hunt and gather their own ingredients, and are tasked to create the wildest dish possible. In Elah, ingredients are provided, but their dish must have impeccable and elegant presentation.

🦢 Boat Parade Competitions. There are numerous boat competitions held throughout the month, as well as the opportunity to parade one's boat with all the decorations fitting for Winterstide. Some will go all out, with decorative lights, ornaments, and streamers. Others will try to build a boat themed specifically Winterstide. Whether they are seaworthy or not, eeeh.

In Nogard, one particular fun tradition they like to do is to cover a large number of buildings with snow and race over them, carrying a bag of "gifts" and using their skills to avoid obstacles in the way. Participants can try to intervene and even steal the bag, and those who succeed can keep the goods inside (mostly low quality gems, basic equipment accessories, discount coupons, and doubloons, but hey free stuff is still good stuff). Scrimshaw is another tradition that, while done throughout the year, becomes more popular during Winterstide as there is an abundance of bone and makes for good gifts for anyone. Some even hold contests to show off their skills, and there are several whale bones standing by the ports where anyone is encouraged to carve their own design as part of a larger mural.

As for Elah, they have paragliding kites, where one is challenged to not only craft their own paraglider kite, but then fly it over the air streams produced by Elah. A successful flight will reward them with a nice pocket of doubloons. Another tradition they enjoy is to gather in the center of the Plaza Fontea where the water fountains will be dyed various colors that can be used to paint murals and canvases all over. It's a wonderful way for anyone to express themselves and perhaps even create a special gift.

Finally, all leviathans receive special offerings provided by the locals, usually various foods or random trinkets that can serve as decoration for the temples designated for each one. In Eltrut, one simply has to sail around its shell to a special pier and follow the mossy ridge up to a carved in ridge where the building is to leave the goods. In Elah, a ride on the sky gondolas which will carry visitors directly to the temple where caretakers will collect offerings. In Nogard, a more arduous task of entering through a guarded and sealed door and traversing through the leviathan's cavernous underbelly must be taken, walking all the way to the temple in its gut to deposit the goods.

YOTELSIA: TOY ISLAND

[note: all threads featuring Yotelsia prompts are worth 4pts due its special quest-like nature.]

Midway through the month, reports are coming in of lost contact with various ships that have sailed out to Yotelsia and have yet to return. This is an island known to belong to the Frostsinger, and every year during Winterstide she allows access for those to "harvest" toys and materials for the increased sales. The Frostsinger herself is too busy to investigate, so she makes a formal missive requesting those willing to investigate.

Those who venture out and near the island will notice the changes almost immediately. The once fluid water becomes choppier…and blocky to the point where most ships must either use equipment similar to ice breakers to get through, or stop completely before risking damage from the strange green and blue blocks that now float and fill the waters surrounding the island.

🌉 Building blocks. The blocks are large enough to carefully hop and cross over, even able to connect the blocks to form pathways and bridges to get to the shore. Some might even try to make rafts out of them to float through the gaps.

🚢 Empty ships. Previous ships can be found anchored…and mysteriously empty. Investigating the ships will find no traces of the crew. Only random toys littering the deck. Wait—did one just move?

📦 Toy collection. Those who do not want to venture further can start collecting the toys on the ship or try to figure out what happened to the crew. Later, once the curse is revealed, those unaffected by it may try to gather the curse stricken sailors to put them in a safer place.

As they near the shore, they will see lots of random toys scattered across the beach, as if dropped without a care. However, something seems to be…hopping? A plush rabbit?

"No!!" a squeaky voice tries to shout out, frantically waving its small arms as the words barely carry over the wind and the sound of blocks bumping against each other. "Go back!! The curse—!!"

At that precise moment, the sound of a xylophone rings through the air, and whether people made it to the shore or are still on the blocks, they will find themselves surrounded in a strange mist. And in the next moment…

They have taken the form of a toy.

With some despair, the rabbit plush will reveal himself to be the captain of one of the most recent merchant ships to have arrived. He explains there is a curse on the island, changing everyone into living toys but only for a limited time—two hours. The rest of his crew and some others are scattered across the island trying to find a way to reverse the curse, but the grim consequences of what would happen if they don't can be found by the motionless toys gathered on the beach. Living or dead, they don't know, but everyone has stiffened up to become completely inanimate, colors completely dulled, and with only sometimes a twitch here and there. But even as he feels his own body starting to stiffen, Captain Rabbit (Robert) has been trying to gather those unfortunate enough to be trapped to try and keep them relatively safe.

"There's a rat in there, we've seen him. Used that damn xylophone on us and hid somewhere in that tower. Find him and break this curse before it's too late!"

The island itself is made completely out of "toy materials"—fabrics, felt, wood, metal, cotton. There is nothing "living" here, including the plants. Felt trees, plastic bushes, popsicle stick cliffs, building block hills. It's a mishmash of everything with no rhyme or reason. And usually there is nothing living here, just plain toys. But the curse has "breathed some life" into everything.

🕷️ Hostile island natives. There are "animals" and "monsters" that could harm them (but not kill), so beware. That plastic spider with the silly string webbing will happily wrap anyone caught in their web, even if they won't actually eat anyone. Or that plastic tiger might want to pounce, though lack of actual claws and teeth won't do much more than rip a few seams or leave scratches. Good news is, a nice whack will stun them or even fall apart.

🛹 Getting around. It's going to take a while to trek through the island on foot. Not only that, but all abilities and magic are reduced in effect, even modified to fit whatever toy form they have taken. Perhaps those who are more creative can try and build a vehicle from the materials around. Or tame a toy animal to get around. There are even race tracks that could help speed things up. Assuming one can stay on it.

🐇 Free the Jackalopes. The Frostsinger's trusty jackalopes had tried to investigate the situation but were caught and trapped in various places across the island. Find and rescue them!

🧸 Rescue fallen dolls. Captain Rabbit (Robert) has asked those going through the island to find others who have already succumbed to the curse and bring them to the shore. They can be recognized by being the only toy on this island not moving and will have a grayish tint to their color. Some may twitch a little, but not often.

The tower itself is instantly recognizable, standing tall in the center made of giant wooden blocks and with a giant clock face whose eyes seems to roam around, as if watching everything happening. Once inside, everyone will need to climb up and try to find the one who made this curse—the Pirat King.

The tower is fairly straightforward, with several floors that is only accessible by various flights of spiraling stairs and "magic lifts." Pass through the challenges and mazes—or even face the Pirat King or his minions as they appear at random throughout the tower.

🎹 Musical Ascension. There are various "musical" challenges scattered throughout the tower. From floors and steps made out of piano keys that need to play the correct highlighted pattern tune, to playing with a ~~Bop-It~~ "Dance-It" toy and follow the pattern, to using a karaoke machine, to picking up a toy instrument and free styling—some paths or doors won't appear or open until that correct tune is played.

🃏 Card Games. Some floors will have varying card games that must be played. While some are simple as sitting at a table and playing poker or Old Maid, some are more complicated, such as the memory games where one must step on tile sized cards on the floor to clear them away. There is even a floor where one must ride giant playing cards like carpets to cross a giant chasm.

♟️ Chess Match. One floor is a giant chess board, and those on it are assigned a piece. Rather than playing the game properly, they just have to try and get across the board while limited to their piece's movements (pawns can only move forward one space or diagonal if taking an enemy, knights have the L jumps, bishops diagonal, etc.). Just be careful of the other pieces—they will try to knock them out. The spaces will also flash and will disappear, making those not fast enough to move to fall back to a random lower floor.

Every so often, mechanical toy rats in pirate outfits will appear to try and fight or capture those trying to ascend the tower. Fortunately, they only wield toothpicks and plastic weapons, but they can still hurt! If caught, they will be taken to the lower dungeons where others who tried to get through lay listless, the curse already taken them. Those who try to break out can also try and rescue those caught, or leave them behind. Corsairs may try to negotiate or even work with the Pirats, but results will be a roll of the dice (literally, a small d20 dice will appear and roll how well they do before disappearing).

As for the Pirat King himself, he will try and harass and accelerate the curse on those he encounters in the tower. The key to his powers is the magic xylophone he carries strapped to his chest, which will not only momentarily "freeze" any who hear it, but can also make them dance for a short time. Damaging the xylophone will reduce the curse's effects and will free at least one person who had succumbed to the curse completely. However, that Pirat King is a slippery bastard and will disappear in a puff of smoke after taking a few hits. It'll take a concerted effort and everyone taking shots when they can. At the very least, breaking the xylophone completely will release the curse and fix everything.

QUESTS

The current MANTA Board is available, but we have a couple of additional quests that are specific for the event! Teaming up is of course encouraged, no matter what the affiliation. You can assume they acquired some kind of ship for the quests out at sea, either the starter ship or some other ship heading out there. All quests will be worth 4 points.

Frosty Finesse

Eltrut

A large pad of ice has appeared in the center of Eltrut. No one is sure where this pad of ice came from, but a new challenge has appeared to see who can traverse across it the fastest. Using all manners of skills or magic, whoever can get to the other side without crashing might just get a nice reward. Race your comrades, challenge someone from the opposite armada, or just enjoy a leisurely skate across the pretty glossy ice. If you can make it across the fastest you will be rewarded with a scarf and pair of mittens that always stay toasty warm even in the coldest of nights.

Mischievous Minis

Everywhere

Tiny creatures have appeared and have been annoying the locals, always wisping around their heads while trying to get them to do something. There has been a demand for travelers to get rid of these pesky and nosy things before someone loses their patience. The tiny creatures themselves seem to be trying to whisper something in people’s ears. Maybe if you listen you’ll hear something good. But maybe they’ll tell others your deepest desires. All anyone knows is that they’re known to lie. Get rid of them by capturing them with nets, shooing them away with your hand or … burning them with fire. You do you.

An Order for Jadis

Atnam

A local bakery is requesting help in creating a large batch of turkish delight as fast as possible for a client who claims that she is a witch. So long as you can lift heavy bags of sugar or work with your hands, you’re more than welcome to help. Team up with someone to get as many batches of this sweet delight made as possible and as fast as possible. Just beware that making turkish delight can be a little messy. The sweet dessert is sticky and goopy. It requires boiling, mixing, cooling and shaping. So it won’t be an easy task!

An Eggstraordinary Harvest

Eltrut

A ranch has reported that they have miraculously found a massive batch of golden chicken eggs in their chicken coops. They say this isn’t normal so they are requesting others to come and investigate these special eggs. The eggs themselves do seem to glow a pretty golden colour and are solid and warm to the touch. But are they really gold? Investigate the golden eggs and find out if they are actually made of gold or if they are normal edible eggs. What makes them golden? Why are they glowing? Are they poisonous? Taste pretty good? Can they be sold for crazy amounts of dubloons? The results will be up to you to find out.

(Note: The outcome of the eggs is up to you. Choose what would be best for your scenario.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Cid was just looking over when he feels such an intense gaze on him and turns to find her closer than before.

...

Ha.]

Hm? Do you want to do it again?

[His voice is playful, but a touch lower. ...A tone that would have been more effective were he not a miniature Ramuh.]

[Well, it's a tone that should not be so effective on her while he is a miniature version of his Eikon, but here they are, and Benedikta feels a shiver threatening to spark all the way up and down her back right between her wings. She hates it. She hates it so much already and somehow, it is so much worse...

So she huffs, her feathers quite literally being ruffled right now, and turns her cheek to him.]

If you want to make it to the next one, you are going to have to.

[In all honesty...

....

.....

She might actually just be wishing for another. And not wanting to say it. Wishing for him to go the mile to do it.]

[No, it really should not have been so effective, but seeing that it clearly was, he can't help but chuckle as he leans in closer to that offered cheek.]

I'd like to try another way, but it may be for the better if we just stick to this.

[And while there's a different place he'd rather do this, he'll kiss her gently on the cheek.]

[...

Benedikta turns to him, little pink, rosy cheeks forming all over again, this time far more obvious, and her eyes go slightly wider before they narrow at him.]

And what exactly is that other way?

[He eyes for a moment before he grins.]

This.

[And then just going to cute little peck on her adorable tiny lips.]

[She knew that was coming. She expected it the moment her eyes briefly met his. She had been wanting it, the absolute fool that she is. But things had gone on for too long that she simply could not help herself.

And now she immediately regrets it as his tiny lips touch her tiny lips, because—]

Your beard...!

[She brushes her free claw against her face, spitting, as her feet start to kick as she rises a bit in the air.]

It's scratchy.

[Actually, it's quite soft, but no way in hell she's going to say that!]

Edited 2023-12-28 05:11 (UTC)

[He chuckles at her reaction, knowing she would complain about it. After all, it is a very bushy beard.]

I'll give you a better one once we turn back to normal.

Well then...

[She gives one last little pffbbbtt to blow a beard hair away from her lips before she's looking on to their next destination, a new fiery spark lighting up somewhere in the depths of those big, green eyes.]

Shall we get a move on? Wouldn't want to keep me waiting.

[An amused grin.]

I see—so that's your motivation.

[And he won't wait for her to respond before he taps the key to activate the final set of notes—which are a lot more than three.]

No.

[She immediately protests, her voice loud over the sound of the notes that play through the room. Yeah, she didn't pay attention to any of them, and now she's rising higher and higher again.]

My motivation is to get ourselves out of this form and right back to Nogard and never return to this wretched place again. That, and I cannot stand that beard of yours.

[A laugh, and it's a good thing he did as he floats up and takes her hands.]

So you prefer the way it is normally, aye?

[And just going to lead her to the keys.]

[And now it will be her turn to spin them—sharply—in the air until they are close together again, and if she could arch her brows any more than she already is, she would.]

I didn't say I preferred it any way.

Would you rather I shave it all off?

[A arch of a brow as they land on one key and then it's off to the next.]

This beard?

[As they spin around in the air, Benedikta's small, kicking feet doing most of the work to send them flying in whatever direction—he'll have to steer because she wasn't paying attention.]

I'd say so if I didn't think it might choke you to death on its own should you try.

[And steer he shall to the point that it really will feel like a dance. Or perhaps the music notes themselves are like a waltz?]

Haha, I meant my beard. I'd rather not test Ramuh's patience if I tried touching his.

[Though as much fun as he sometimes make of it, he has to admit, it really is quite an impressive beard—the normal one, not this one. Though it's also impressive in a different way.]

In that case, no.

[She likes his beard, and she finds herself missing it in all its scratchy glory in the moment, wishing that she could run her fingers along it instead.]

You wouldn't look like you without it.

[Which is to say that she likes his beard. That, and men with beards are cursed without them. She doesn't make the rules.]

[A soft, quiet chuckle.]

Now you make me wonder what I would look like if I grew it out more.

[And moving along the keys~]

Like the old man himself.

[Benedikta's nose crinkles, and she shakes her head, using her wings to take them a little higher again to get over the keys.]

Don't. [She lowers her voice, grumbling under her breath.] ... I like it the way it is.

[...Cute.]

Then I'll keep it the same, just for you.

[A playful wink before he twirls her a little towards the next key.]

[You know, that wink would be so much more effective if they weren't so small... She has a sneaking suspicion that once they are back, he's going to try to make up for all of this "lost time"...

Damn him.

She makes a low noise in the back of her throat, drowned out by the sound of the key when they are lowered onto it, and Benedikta hovers there a moment.]

... No one else.

[And she's throwing them up into the air once more before he gets the chance to respond, so hope he's ready!]

[It does surprise him a little, so he loses that chance when she throws them up into the air, making him to quickly look to see which key they need to land on to direct them to it. But once they land, he'll turn her so that she steps onto the next one right next to it, this next set just one right after the other.

They will continue like this, the music flowing beneath their feet until they have to take one last leap to reach the stop step. Upon landing, they keyboard will flash green and the whole sequence will play at its proper pitch and tempo, revealing quite a fun, pleasant little piece.]

There we are. Looks like we managed.

[The jumping around from key to key has been a lot, and Benedikta can feel her wings growing weary from trying to carry her around. He does it so easily, however, directing her from place to place, and she wonders how he knows where each one is before she remembers that this is just how his mind works...

And she is so lost in her thoughts that by the time it all finishes and the music plays back to them, she doesn't realize it.]

... That's it?

[They're finished? Already?]

Disappointed?

[An amused smile as he continues to hold her hands and stand close to her.]

[She bristles and huffs at him, as if she has just been caught red-handed doing something she shouldn't have been.]

No.

[Yes. A little bit.

... As she floats closer to him, too.]

Relieved, more like, that that miserable game is over.

As fun as it was, I have to agree that I'm glad we're through. Makes me wonder what else this place has in store.

[And with his hand still holding hers, he'll start moving them along.]

GETTING STARTED

WINTERSTIDE

YOTELSIA: TOY ISLAND

QUESTS

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