TDM #1

[fabulists]

fable test drive meme #1

// 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 magical creatures from all walks of life. 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, in order for their dragon overseer to reclaim his own magic and find his missing siblings. 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. Fortunately, though, it seems that your kitchen is stocked with ingredients. Enough to make a pie, at least! Most of the village shops are currently closed due to the bad weather, so it seems like socialising with your neighbours might be your best shot at finding something to do.

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. Perhaps the board will urge you to find some fellow people who are in a similar situation as you. The cold weather might inspire you to go fishing in the river canals, have a snowball fight, make warm drinks for people, get active in the kitchen or go sledding!

Or, just ... do whatever you want! This is your magical home now, might as well make the most of it!

snowfolk!

// do you wanna build a snowman?

While wandering through the village, you suddenly hear a voice appear out of nowhere. "Help ..." The voice speaks, rather ominously, which might alarm you. "Turn around ..." It says again, which may send shivers down your spine that aren't related to the cold. "Now, come closer. No, closer. Closer!" Jeez! You know this place is filled with magical creatures, but what on earth is taunting you at the moment? You can't see anything! There's just a Snowman in front of you.

"Hello." Wait, did that Snowman just--? "I am a Snowman." He did. He talked to you.

"I am lonely. Please build me some friends." Well, it's not like you have anything better to do ... "I will give you a reward if you do. Come to me when you have built, and I will give you a reward." Seems simple enough. You almost walk away to get started, until--

"HOLD IT!" He yells, very loudly for a Snowman. "You must use teamwork to build a Snowperson. The best Snowpeople are made with friends. Find a friend and build a Snowperson for me. Thank you."

Well, there you have it! You have been tasked with finding someone to build a Snowperson with. And of course, because these Snowfolk are magic, they're going to be quite particular about how they want to be built. They may berate you and act fussy during the process. You must divide the work between you and your acquaintance in order to complete your Snowperson. Get creative with hats, scarves, shapes, face designs - and whatever else you think the Snowperson should have!

Your final result will produce either an immaculate (or terrible) Snowtyke, Snowboy, Snowmam or Snowman who will reward you both with a random piece of winter furniture and an extra surprise!

Once you both feel satisfied with your Snowperson,
Please reply to this thread here in order to claim the rewards! Have fun!

the aurora ball

// ballad of the northern lights

In Finnish mythology, it is believed that the Northern Lights (Revontulet) are the creation of a fox who runs across the night sky. In Fable, this very same fox is the one responsible for the Northern Lights of their skies - and while he spends a lot of his time away from the realm to decorate the skies of many other places, he returns every Winter for a fantastic show (and incredible party!)

To celebrate his return, Fable's residents gather in Skáld to host a ball and have a big party beneath the lights. And you have been invited! No need to worry about travel - with your magical invitation, you can be poofed there in an instant! In an act of generosity, the Fox of the Northern Lights has temporarily given you a dose of his magic in order for you to join in the fun! While the party is ongoing, you will have a glowing pair of aurora wings which allow flight, a dazzling new outfit, an immunity to the cold, and the ability to create aurora streaks in the sky!

// the aurora ball

The moment you accept the invitation and arrive in Skáld, the magical effects from the Aurora Fox will activate! Shimmering sparkles will envelope you before you find yourself wearing a brand new outfit and accessories for the evening, and they really are very sparkly! Your floating aurora wings spawn behind you in any colour, and just like that, you're ready for the party! Don't worry about the outfit you were wearing prior to this, it has been transported back to your wardrobe in your cottage. With magic, of course!

The party runs for a few days, and it's a lot bigger than you imagined. Just how many mythological creatures are attending? You and the otherwordly attendees will be staying in a nearby wooden lodge that has been upscaled with magic in order to accommodate its large guests. The lodge has spacious rooms, complimentary meals, and even a heated outdoor pool!

The party itself takes place on a mountain adjacent to the lodge with an outdoor ballroom, Troll DJs playing through the night (with both upbeat and slow music), a bonfire, a food buffet and a bar!

Fancy a drink? There are cocktails and mocktails being served all night by the Troll bartenders! Who knew Trolls were so good at mixing drinks? Cocktails and mocktails are exactly the same in taste, except mocktails don't have any alcohol in them. If your character doesn't like to drink, they can still enjoy the tasty beverage without getting drunk!

Regardless of alcohol content, however, each drink will have a funny effect on the person consuming it.
Pink Pixie will make people feel more flirty and sensual, Minty Manticore will make people hyperactive and chatty, Blue Bunyip will give them a case of the blues by inspiring a little bit of sadness, and Purple Pegasus will make them sentimental and emotional.

Welcome to Fable's first 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

[dendrosprout]

[His tone of voice isn't all that sharp, but the unspoken 'leave me alone' that should be there beneath the sentence isn't unfamiliar to her. Once upon a time, she would have responded in much the same way.

It makes her all the more determined not to leave him alone right now. If only she was Amber. Amber would know how to handle this situation. All Collei can think to do is shrug and admit:]

No, you don't.

[She sighs deeply, staring down into her drink.]

I won't ask you about it. It's not my business. But I was thinking we could just... sit here together for awhile?

[inceptor]

[ The way she candidly admits that gives him pause. Many people would simply tell him to cheer up or ask him what's wrong, they would pry, but she doesn't.

The fact that she doesn't is the only reason he doesn't turn her away. She can't possibly...understand. Not just from a glance, and a quick exchange. And yet she knows what to say. Perhaps she just got lucky.

Regardless, he is in no position to refuse company. It's the reason why he's still at this party at all. So after a moment of regarding her somewhat warily, he nods. ]

...Alright. Suit yourself.

[dendrosprout]

[Collei understands better than he thinks.

Luckily he doesn't chase her away, and the two fall into something of a companionable--if miserable--silence. Even though she said she wouldn't pry (and she stands by that), she can't help but wonder what his circumstances are that have him feeling so rough. It's better than focusing on her own feelings, at any rate, especially as they become more and more morose.

Which is stupid! She hates when her mind and emotions do this to her. She should be getting over all of this, not wallowing in it. But it's hard not to feel overwhelmed by it sometimes, even after all of these years...

Out of nowhere, she clears her throat before hopping off the stool onto her feet.]

Sulking like this probably isn't good for us. Do you want to go outside and get some fresh air?

[inceptor]

[ Companionable silence is more welcome than silence suffered alone, as much as he might not admit it. He’s even a little disappointed when she hops up from her seat, expecting that she has decided to make her leave. He would hardly blame her.

But then she’s…inviting him to go with her? She isn’t going to just leave him here, even when a mess like this? He’s calmed down considerably, but there are still tear tracks on his cheeks, his face ruddy and flushed. ]

…You sure about that? [ After a moment, he’s hopping down to his feet as well. ] Alright, but don’t blame me if you have a bad time.

[ Not that they’re having a great time right now. ]

[dendrosprout]

[Collei's eyes are glassy with tears that she refuses to let fall, so really they both look kind of terrible. Pointedly, she doesn't call attention to it.]

Yeah, I'm sure.

[She wouldn't have invited you if she wasn't, sad person at the bar!]

It's better to have a bad time with someone else than on your own. It's... um, something that took me a long time to learn myself.

[Anyway, outside they go! The brisk night air does feel nice, even if the whole 'this should feel cold but doesn't' aspect of it is kind of strange.]

[inceptor]

[ Something it took her a long time to learn...what a strange thought. He's only ever had a bad time on his own, except for the rare few occurrences where he didn't --and, well. If he thinks about those too much now, he's liable to start crying all over again.

For being a puppet, he sure seems to have an infinite amount of tears he can cry.

He hesitates a moment longer before following, deciding to leave his drink at the bar. There's something off about the taste, anyway. ]

You seem pretty familiar with moods like this.

[ Not said with contempt or pity - simply an observation, from someone who knows them well too. ]

[dendrosprout]

[Collei blinks at him a few times in surprise. Was she that obvious? Yes. Yes, she was.

After the surprise passes she sighs and allows herself to deflate a bit. Briefly, she thinks of trying to deflect the observation--but ultimately she doesn't have the heart or energy to.]

Yeah, I am. I was in a really dark place a few years ago, and sometimes my thoughts kind of drift back there if I'm not careful.

[Like right now. Thanks, whatever was in that drink!]

But I don't want to burden you with all that. I came over to help you feel better, not turn this into a pity party for me.

[inceptor]

[ At least in Wanderer's case, he's not far enough removed from the dark place to begin with for this to be such an unusual shift for him. He just...usually doesn't wear his emotions so clearly.

Again, thanks to whatever was in that drink! He might need to have a word with the bartender later... ]

Don't they say misery loves company?

[ He's sure he's heard that before, though it's clearly a phrase he doesn't know his way around well. He crosses his arms tightly over his chest. ]

...There's been a lot of change in my life recently. [ BIG...UNDERSTATEMENT. ] I guess it all hit me at once.

[dendrosprout]

They say that?

[That's news to her. But many turns of phrase are, and at least this one makes sense. Like she said earlier--it's easier to feel badly with someone else than to wallow in it alone. Somehow, it makes the burden feel lighter despite there being twice as much of it. Or something like that.]

Change is hard. Especially when you don't ask for it. Even when it's for your own good.

[She sighs.]

I hope things calm down for you back home. Although I guess there's no way for us to know either way, huh?

[inceptor]

…Nope. We’re entirely at the mercy of the Fae.

[ And his tone makes it clear how he feels about that. Still, while he has unfinished business back home, if most of his “soul” is still back there, he can at least trust himself to do what needs to be done. That makes it no easier to know how to proceed here, but it’s better than nothing. ]

Whatever happens back in my world is irrelevant to them. So long as they get the fruit they need, I suspect they couldn’t care less.

[ He’s not even necessarily trying to be pessimistic, just realistic. ]

[dendrosprout]

[His tone causes her to hesitate slightly, although it's not because she's put off by it. If anything, it's kind of a relief to hear; she feels very much the same as he does about it. Being taken here without asking, even if it's just a small part of her, feels invasive and wrong. And, most terribly, familiar.

She tries to shake the thought off.]

Maybe they do. I've been surprised before.

[She used to think the gods didn't care, either.]

But I guess it makes no difference either way. It's up to us to make the best of this place, I guess.

[If she were someone like Amber, she could have made that last sentence sound exciting, like this is an opportunity for adventure that they've been handed that they should take advantage of! But all she can manage is to sound resigned to it.]

[inceptor]

[ Make the most of it, and not fight against those that brought them here...though Wanderer isn't inclined to do that, really, considering he's in no great hurry to return to Teyvat. Especially if the rest of his soul is still there taking care of things. It's not as though he's homesick. In fact, he'd be happy to leave behind Teyvat for good.

But he would have rather had a say in the matter of where he went. ]

I'll start with trying to find enough to keep me busy. Life seems to move pretty slow around here.

[ He's entirely unused to being somewhere so...relaxed, without the threat of calamity on the horizon - and being a part of that calamity. ]