TDM #4

[fabulists]

fable test drive meme #4

// away with the fairies

In your land, there may be stories of the Fae taking people away. Perhaps you haven't heard of the Fae at all, or perhaps you are more familiar with them than others. No matter how well acquainted you are with the Fae, everyone around you has experienced the same fate tonight: Being taken by them. Partially, at least. For they did not want to kidnap anyone from their home and take them away from the life they knew. In a small jar of fairy dust, part of your soul was taken in the night and brought to a magical village by the name of Fable.

On arrival, the Fae release you from the jar before waving their magic wands, and materialise this taken little part of you into a brand new you. From here onwards, your new life begins, shared among all sorts of magical creatures. Here, you will be allowed to grow, thrive and enjoy the bounties provided to you by these mysterious and wonderful creatures. In exchange, they ask for a share of the magical fruit that you grow in your garden, donated to their dragon overseer in exchange for rewards. After a briefing on your new life, you understand things as best as you possibly can. Now, it's time to settle into a brand new cottagecore life.

Welcome to Fable.

// arrival

Now that you are a resident of Fable, you have a brand new cottage, a garden, and a few tools to use! There's not an awful lot in your cottage, though: Just a cardboard box, a lamp, a cassette tape and a single bed. Fear not, though! By participating in friendly tasks, your cottage will look great in no time.

Something sparkly catches your attention before you realise it's a message board, advertising an array of tasks for bonus fruit. Did this thing appear out of nowhere just now? That must be the case, since you can swear it wasn't there a second ago. The board may inspire you to go out there and mingle. It seems that the monthly tasks are geared towards friendliness to welcome this new season!

april showers & pretty flowers

// treacherous thunderstorm

Around this time of year, the weather in Fable can certainly get hectic. While magic can only do so much to tidy the remaining fallen leaves off the ground, there's nothing like a doozy of a downpour to really sweep everything fresh and new. With all of the new flowers that have been growing in Fable, a lot of rainwater is certainly needed to give them all a drink. The dragons and storm spirits have been brewing up a torrential downpour scheduled to fall all over Fable and beyond - along with some strong winds. Are you prepared for the occasion?

From cottage to cottage, roof tiles rattle and leaves are swept away. It is advised to not go outside during this storm period, and if you're caught in the rain, to take shelter immediately! If you can't reach your cottage in time, there are other village landmarks to take shelter beneath. The thunder is very loud and the wind is strong enough to knock someone off their feet. It might be best to keep close to people in this weather - going out alone could be very dangerous. And if you're cooped up inside with a friend or a stranger, why not get to know them to pass the time?

It is important to be wary of the lightning. If someone gets struck by lightning, they will not die - but they will experience an injury and a magical feedback loop which swaps their personality! The cure for this problem is rainwater tea - a remedy which is advertised throughout the town's message boards as a precaution for any unlucky residents. The affected person will be lightning charged, causing them to receive an electric shock every time their hands are near water, which will make brewing tea impossible. Someone who has struck will need to rely on another person to brew the tea for them. A lightning-shaped scar will mark the person who got struck wherever they were affected.

After the storm ceases, there may be property damage such as collapsed gates, fallen fences, missing roof tiles and even an injury or two! Oh no! As compensation for enduring such a hearty storm - the realm's overseer, Prism, provides brand new repairing tools to those who had taken damage.

// flowers of kanshi

After enduring such a horrendous downpour, you definitely feel the urge to get out of town. The residents of Fable gossip endlessly about how stunning the cherry blossoms are in Kanshi this time of year, and the fairies practically insist that you go.

Upon arrival, you can see that Kanshi has received quite a beating from the storm. The winds and rain have blown cherry blossom petals all over the place - in the streets, rivers, and they're covering the buildings. You can see all sorts of tiny magical creatures making their best efforts to clean up, part of you wonders why they aren't using magic.

You feel a tap on the shoulder, and realise that it's a tiny sakura dragon sitting perched on you.

"Hi," they say, "I hope it's not too much to ask, but ... could you help us out here?"

You did come here to relax, so you may be a little bit hesitant at first. Still, you'll allow the dragon to continue.

"Kanshi normally has a dusting of petals here and there, but this is just too much for us to deal with on our own. If you help us gather petals, we'll offer you free access to our hot springs and restaurants. We'll even use the petals to craft furniture for you."

That's not a bad suggestion. Besides, it would be difficult to enjoy a trip here with petals covering the place. Once you agree to the dragon's request, you are given a fishing net to catch petals on the ground, in the water and in the air.

// sakura springs

Finally! It's time to relax. The sakura dragons were true to their word - in addition to the furniture gifted in exchange for the petals you collected, you have access to all of Kanshi's most favoured attractions!

There are incredible restaurants with shiba inu chefs ready to tailor to your every desire! The dining can be enjoyed in outdoor cafés surrounded by flowers, evening restaurants - and even an izakaya (alcohol & food bar) with food and drink available all night. It seems that the residents of Kanshi are very grateful for all the effort taken to clean up their home. If you want to spend the night here, even, the owners of the ryokan (traditional inns) will be glad to accommodate any guests. There are many beautiful wonders all across Kanshi, but one of the most renowned attractions are the hot springs. These incredible buildings feature indoor pools, outdoor waterways and rivers to bathe in which rejuvenates and uplifts anyone who steps in these waters. It's no wonder that creatures travel from all over just to bathe in them!

For every thread you write, you will receive cherry blossom furniture for your cottage! Feel free to leave a comment here to redeem these once you've written 5 tags in your thread! Since our TDMs are considered game canon, if you choose to app, these rewards will cross over with you when you join the game!

Let's see what the attractions of Kanshi have in store!

The Flower Cafés are sooooo cute! Situated outside, these charming cafés offer spectacular views of Kanshi's flower fields. All of the food and drinks arrive in incredibly charming pastel colours! (Even the savoury stuff!) Enjoying time in the café while surrounded by all of this pollen will cause a flower to bloom in your hair every time you smile! When they sprout, it's a very ticklish sensation - which might make you smile a lot. This ticklish pollen can be treated with a swim. Good thing there's a hot spring nearby!

The Restaurants have no shortage of incredible food! Whether you would like to order off the set menu, a conveyor belt or destroy all-you-can eat, every option is available. The more food you consume, the more you will feel the urge to open up and talk about yourself. Even things you might not normally be so inclined to tell strangers...!

The Izakaya Bars are the perfect spots for any adults who love good food and good alcohol. There are no innocuous effects from the food and drink ... apart from the house special - cherry plum sake! It is everyone's favourite drink in Kanshi and all-time best seller. Consuming the sake will cause any of the following effects: giggles, excessive compliments, tingly sensations, increased stamina and the urge to overshare your thoughts.

The Hot Springs are beloved by all of Kanshi's locals and beyond. These huge, towering buildings are crafted with wood and feature private indoor pools, outdoor waterfall pools and smaller pools which are connected by streams. In order to allow guests to bathe in peace, the mythological & animal villagers of Kanshi have granted their guests from Fable to have an area all to themselves. They have also provided care packages to the guests! They contain a variety of scented bath salts to choose from. Each salt type has an (undisclosed) effect once in use. The Rose Scented Salts will make someone feel warm, friendly and affectionate. The Vanilla Bean Salts will make someone feel confident and talkative. Their mood will also be enhanced - whether it's a happy kind or melancholic kind. And the Warming Lavender Salts, surprisingly, will give someone the tail and ears of an animal!

over the rainbow

// a rainsplosion

You were likely more than aware of the intense storm that happened earlier. Just when you figure that everything is settled, you are interrupted by a group of frantic fairies flittering through Fable's village.

"Quick! Quick! Come with us! You've gotta see it!"

See what, exactly? Once you have the opportunity, you ask these excitable fae why they're in such a hurry.

"There's gonna be an explosion! A magic explosion!" ... Is that even safe?

"You know the storm? The huge storm? Well - a lot of it was magic, you know! The storm spirits created something magnificent to tidy up winter and blow everything away. And then the dragons and unicorns got involved, and they all started playing in the clouds and had a magic fight! This one cloud is so full of magic - it's going to explode! You've got to come and see it! Nothing bad will happen ... we think! But if it does, we'll fix the problem right up with our magic! Promise!"

Can you really trust the fairies to keep their promise...? But a magical explosion does sound pretty cool. Perhaps against your better judgement, you agree to go.

On the mountainside, you see it - a huge looming storm cloud flickering with rainbow colours and streaks of lightning. There are a few dragons flying nearby, with a heavy layer of anticipation in the air. You can hear laughter from the creatures, which might reassure you that you aren't in any real danger. And then--

The cloud EXPLODES with a fantastic BOOM!

You have to admit - it does look pretty incredible! Just as you take a moment to admire the rainbow explosion, the magical shockwaves blast out and phase through you which causes an immediate effect...! Uh oh?!

Depending on which colour of the magical rainbow blast hits you, a different effect will occur:

Being hit with the colour Red will cause you to kiss the person you see next! Oh, my!

Being hit with the colour Orange will transform you into a merperson! Which is great, except ... you can't see any water around here! Maybe someone can carry you to water.

Being hit with the colour Yellow will give you an animal ears and tail of your choice. So cute! But you also feel the urge to follow the instincts and behaviours of said animal to some degree, too.

Being hit with the colour Green will summon enemies for you to fight! Yikes! From the shadows, monsters manifested out of your worst fears will come to life before trying to attack you - you've been given a weapon to defend yourself, but it would be better if you battled them with another person!

Being hit with the colour Blue will make you spontaneously burst into tears. It seems like nothing can stop you from crying, either - but comfort from another will ease the pain.

Being hit with the colour Purple will cause all of your inner thoughts to hover above your head in a thought bubble. Let's hope you aren't thinking of anything too strange at the moment ...

In a standard fairytale way, all effects end at midnight. Those cheeky fairies didn't keep their promise after all!

Welcome to Fable's fourth TDM!
We're excited to have you here, and hope you enjoy the prompts!
To familiarise yourself with the setting, please take a look at the arrivals & premise page!
We would also appreciate it if you could have a look at the rules as well.
As a general note, the TDMs are considered game canon!
Which means all rewards for fruit & furniture can be used in the game if you apply!

New arrivals have a cottage, a network device, the clothes on their back and a single item from home.
To view the locations, NPCs and more information about the game, please visit our full navigation!

If you have any questions that you have not seen answered in the FAQ, please ask in the FAQ post. Thank you!

(CODE)

Comments

[rainswords]

[ As it turned out his question was unnecessary; they got an answer in the form of an explosion. Hu Tao doesn't need to urge him forward, he already knows to run and his only hesitation comes from assuring himself she starts running first. Yet there is no escape from that purple haze. Once his coughing subsides, he still tries to wave away the purple smoke that lingers.

A deep breath does no good here, yet he feels they should continue to move away from the epicenter of the explosion. ]

I'm well enough. How are you holding up?

[ Unlike her, he doesn't take the time to check himself mostly because he doesn't feel that there is anything out of place but also because most of his concern settles on his friend. That's the only reason he catches sight of her thought taking physical form. Almost like in a comic strip, he presumes what he is seeing are her thoughts in bubbles.

That's odd. ]

May I ask if you're hungry? I know it's a strange question all of a sudden.

[ Of course he asks to verify if his assumption is correct. Although...if it's true then that means she would have read the novel he recommended.

Well, if she finished that novel I gave her, she may as well read the full series. I wonder if she is aware that there are more books? well, the second part is just as exciting! Our hero thinking that everything has been resolved only returns to the boat house to find his three closest companions have gone missing! Through his travels in search of them, he comes to the desert where he is reunited with two friends from his past and together they go in search of the three missing girls... ]

[localweirdo]

[Raising an eyebrow, she was rather surprised to hear his response. How odd. How did he know what she was thinking of? As she opened her mouth, she quickly closed in fear that he might know what she would say next. Was he able to read her mind all of a sudden? Did it have anything to do with the explosion?

Perhaps but it did make her a little nervous knowing he would understand what she was thinking.]

Perhaps a little but why do you ask?

[That said, as soon as she finished, she looked up to see a rather odd set of words appearing over his head. Was that how he was able to read her mind? Well then! Giving a small huff, it seems that she would need to trick him into thinking that she could also read his mind too!

Or at least, until she read the next series of words. Thinking about it, there were a series of words popping over her head as well.

Is that where the novel is going? I wasn’t aware it was an epic tale of finding young maidens. I wonder where else I should know about. Aiya, I hope he doesn’t give me spoilers…!]

[rainswords]

[ He still finds himself making failed attempts to clear the purple smoke that lingers after the explosion, once he becomes conscious that his effort does little good he finally lowers his hand. His eyes are trained on her. It seems his suspicion is correct. Although before he speaks again he has to wonder if she can see his thoughts as well, however, there are no verbal cues from her indicating as much. ]

We can sate your appetite after we ensure that no one was hurt during the explosion.

[ Another set of thoughts float above her head, these leave him silent a moment as he quickly scans through the words. Ever so slightly his eyebrows knit together in thought and again he has to consider that perhaps his own thoughts as visible to her.

...if that's the case then she would know what I am thinking.

Wait I would never intentionally reveal relevant plot points...

Now I can't stop thinking about the fact that his treacherous friend from the book she just read will be revealed to still be alive in the second volume... ]

...Hu Tao, about my reason for asking. Would it surprise you to say that I believe I am seeing your thoughts?

[localweirdo]

[This was certainly a lot more difficult than she thought. Try as she might she not think about such things, it might be impossible given how her mind works. Still, upon knowing that they can read each other’s thoughts, it seems that a battle of wills might be at play. Crossing her arms, there was a huge pout on her face.

How rude of him to give spoilers when she already told him she didn’t want any!]

What was that about the second volume? You can’t do that! I don’t want to know anymore!

[See the look on her face? She was definitely not happy!]

No, I’m not surprised. I could also see yours and it’s rather distracting I must say.

[That said, she started to look around for anyone else.] How about we go look for the others now?

[rainswords]

[ Hu Tao's expression alone says all he needs to know but her thoughts glaring at him from that bubble make her annoyance the more obvious. While he puts on an apologetic expression and he is earnestly sorry to have spoiled the next volume of text, it hadn't been his intention at all to reveal the following set of plot points. It just seems almost impossible to stop thinking about the novels once he learned she had finished the first. He clasps his hands together and hands his head.

Of course, there isn't just thoughts about the new mysterious villainess in the novel that had been collaborating with the protagonists former friend. His thoughts also show concern for anyone else caught in the blast. There are thoughts of ways he can apologize for spoiling the plot. Also plans for dinner that night... He isn't a boy to linger on a single thought, he has a lot of things he needs to think about.

He can see that her gaze does flicker upward, so he attempts to dispel the thought bubbles by waving his hand upwards. Are they gone now, can he read his own thoughts? That's what has him checking, also to see if his actions have any affect on them. ]

That might be for the best? I don't know if I can stop myself from thinking about that second volume...

[ Perhaps parting here might be beneficial? He really hopes she will still give the series a chance or she won't discover that...!!! He quickly diverts his thoughts here and forces himself to only think about the different variants of silk flowers and their uses... you know something boring but safe! ]

[localweirdo]

[Based on his expression, she could tell that he didn’t mean to spoil the events. And yet, it didn’t stop her from looking rather annoyed. As she kept on staring at him with a pout, she didn’t know how to proceed with this. It was as if any sudden thoughts would trigger another spoiler. It was a struggle as she too wasn’t one to think of a single thought for long.

Between trying to think about the book and what to eat for dinner, her thoughts ranged from feeling hungry and wondering if she should continue to read said book as she ate. Crossing her arms, she continued to pout as more of his thoughts continued, she didn’t know how to feel. She’ll just focus on staring at him until he finally says something.

Try as he might but his thoughts do continue to show.]

Then let’s go! The faster we find them, the faster we can think of something else! I don’t want to know what happens next!

[All the while pointing toward a random direction and walking behind him! The more she thought about finding everyone, the more she didn’t have to think about the books!!]

Do you see anyone yet?