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wildestlogs2021-10-01 09:11 pm
wildestmods) wrote in wildestlogs2021-10-01 09:11 pm
TEST DRIVE ※ 1
TEST DRIVE #1
These woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but being lost in them is pretty alarming to most people. Perhaps it's lucky you're hearing what sounds like... a party?
If you follow the sounds through thinning trees, a brick-paved road rises from the ground ahead. Keep going, and you'll find yourself approaching a bustling festival. Small, jaunty, colorful buildings line a way bedecked with flags, banners, and (of course) ever-present vendors.
Good morrow! Dost thou carest for a turkey leg? Some funnel cake? Modestly priced costume jewelry? Come right this way, dear visitor! The faire is here!
First, however, the faeries would like a moment of your time. At one of the entry gates, a spritely, brightly-dressed faerie tells you, "Tickets are long-since sold out, but joy is one currency we accept. So as long as you plan to enjoy yourselves, you may enter with a day pass. However, please read the sign. By entering, it means you agree to the terms."
The faerie points to a large wooden sign with words painted on it. The sign says something to the effect that the summer faeries are not responsible for anything that happens at the faire, and by entering you're agreeing to exempt them from indemnifying you for not offering the same magical protections they offer proper ticket holders in the unlikely event of surprise and disaster, etc etc.
Fortunately, it's actually not that different from a standard legal agreement for some kind of dangerous activity like go-cart racing. Of course faeries would be careful about any legal disclaimers for events.
USEFUL LINKS
A FAIRE SHAKE
A renaissance faire is in full swing in the woods today, or so it would seem. But no one here is just playing a part: these outsize personalities, bright costumes, and pseudo-Elizabethan voices are perfectly real.
It's the only place you can go for food and appropriate clothing. Also there's magic at your feet, drawing you towards others bound by the Quest magic, making it so all paths seem to lead to the Faire. Even if you don't want to enter, it feels like you have to, like there's something important to find.
a) The Faerie Toll
Some of the faeries are lighthearted and cheerful, with round and heart shaped faces and brightly colored clothes. These summer faeries are willing to part with some faerie coin in exchange for certain actions. Anyone that watches others take them up on their deals can see that the actions are indeed harmless, and there is no catch. Apparently happiness and frivolity really can be exchanged with the faeries here. Ways to earn a small bit of coin: physical comedy, agreeing to a round in the dunk tank (yes they have one), telling the faeries a good joke (but it really has to be a good one, by faerie standards), letting oneself getting pied in the face, and pieing someone you're with in the face, among other things. Silly dances are also in high demand, especially ones with actual rules vs. ones that are made up on the spot, with a clear preference for moves like tiktok dances, the macarena, or the Hustle.
Some of the faeries are lighthearted and cheerful, with round and heart shaped faces and brightly colored clothes. These summer faeries are willing to part with some faerie coin in exchange for certain actions. Anyone that watches others take them up on their deals can see that the actions are indeed harmless, and there is no catch. Apparently happiness and frivolity really can be exchanged with the faeries here. Ways to earn a small bit of coin: physical comedy, agreeing to a round in the dunk tank (yes they have one), telling the faeries a good joke (but it really has to be a good one, by faerie standards), letting oneself getting pied in the face, and pieing someone you're with in the face, among other things. Silly dances are also in high demand, especially ones with actual rules vs. ones that are made up on the spot, with a clear preference for moves like tiktok dances, the macarena, or the Hustle.
b) New and In Stock
You tried to steal from the faeries instead of paying their toll, or have otherwise misbehaved. The faeries like your moxie, though. They'll let you keep what you took (if you took something), but first you're gonna have to do some time in the stocks.
Will anyone take mercy on you and bust you loose? Does anyone have a tomato? Perhaps you meet someone else while they're suffering a similar punishment in the other stocks across from you. If you didn't actually steal, maybe you got framed. Or you're in the stocks with your "partner in crime" who you were falsely accused of being affiliated.
Fortunately, you won't be in there overly long. Even if you can't escape and no one busts you out, the faeries aren't particularly cruel and the absolute worst you'll get thrown your way by the crowd is a fruit.
If you push, the faeries might also let you out if someone else agrees to be responsible for your good behavior. This could, naturally, lead to both of you doing more time together.
You tried to steal from the faeries instead of paying their toll, or have otherwise misbehaved. The faeries like your moxie, though. They'll let you keep what you took (if you took something), but first you're gonna have to do some time in the stocks.
Will anyone take mercy on you and bust you loose? Does anyone have a tomato? Perhaps you meet someone else while they're suffering a similar punishment in the other stocks across from you. If you didn't actually steal, maybe you got framed. Or you're in the stocks with your "partner in crime" who you were falsely accused of being affiliated.
Fortunately, you won't be in there overly long. Even if you can't escape and no one busts you out, the faeries aren't particularly cruel and the absolute worst you'll get thrown your way by the crowd is a fruit.
If you push, the faeries might also let you out if someone else agrees to be responsible for your good behavior. This could, naturally, lead to both of you doing more time together.
c) I'm Just Here For the Turkey Leg
Wandering lost in the woods is hungry work. Maybe you know better than to eat food offered by faeries, but the humans of the faire should be safe enough, right? Where else are you going to find a whole turkey leg, a funnel cake, or a cold beer around here? The lines can get pretty long though, and sometimes orders get mixed up, or someone swipes what was yours! Maybe they bump into you and spill food down your front. Or perhaps you see someone with no money and decide to offer to share.
Some of the food seems out of this world or is clearly made for a more alien palate (not always in an appetizing way). Most of the food has big enough portions if you're not the only one eating
Wandering lost in the woods is hungry work. Maybe you know better than to eat food offered by faeries, but the humans of the faire should be safe enough, right? Where else are you going to find a whole turkey leg, a funnel cake, or a cold beer around here? The lines can get pretty long though, and sometimes orders get mixed up, or someone swipes what was yours! Maybe they bump into you and spill food down your front. Or perhaps you see someone with no money and decide to offer to share.
Some of the food seems out of this world or is clearly made for a more alien palate (not always in an appetizing way). Most of the food has big enough portions if you're not the only one eating
d) Surely, You Joust
Whether you're just watching, betting on the outcome, or have convinced someone to armor you up and put you on a horse, the jousting tournament is a major event! Will anyone be able to unseat the intimidating Black Knight? Have you started a rivalry with a competitor you just met in a line twenty minutes ago? Are you helping another member of the squad by pumping them up for their match? Or are you just over here to see how many horses you can pet without anyone noticing?
Even those not interested in the competition might want to give it a whirl. There are different rewards for unseating certain levels of competitors like food supplies, flasks of boozeahol, small bags of silver or gold, and weapons of moderate quality, like swords, knives, or bows.
For those that don't own their own armor and lances, some light armor and lances are on loan but the armor is all dinged up and the lances are easily broken, putting someone using them at a disadvantage.
Whether you're just watching, betting on the outcome, or have convinced someone to armor you up and put you on a horse, the jousting tournament is a major event! Will anyone be able to unseat the intimidating Black Knight? Have you started a rivalry with a competitor you just met in a line twenty minutes ago? Are you helping another member of the squad by pumping them up for their match? Or are you just over here to see how many horses you can pet without anyone noticing?
Even those not interested in the competition might want to give it a whirl. There are different rewards for unseating certain levels of competitors like food supplies, flasks of boozeahol, small bags of silver or gold, and weapons of moderate quality, like swords, knives, or bows.
For those that don't own their own armor and lances, some light armor and lances are on loan but the armor is all dinged up and the lances are easily broken, putting someone using them at a disadvantage.
e) Everyone's a Comedian
You (and maybe your threadmate) are being teased by a pair of funnymen doing a bit, be they jesters, Punch and Judy style puppets, or a pair of washing well wenches. The audience is delighted, but are you? What are you both going to do?
You (and maybe your threadmate) are being teased by a pair of funnymen doing a bit, be they jesters, Punch and Judy style puppets, or a pair of washing well wenches. The audience is delighted, but are you? What are you both going to do?
f) Wares, If You Have Coin
You're here! You have some gold! Time to get yourself some "period appropriate" (for varying values of both words) gear. Have you found a shopping buddy? What if you resell some goods you just picked up at a slight markup? Are you suspicious of the quality of a vendor's goods? Maybe this item over here is the last of its kind, and you and this stranger want it!
You're here! You have some gold! Time to get yourself some "period appropriate" (for varying values of both words) gear. Have you found a shopping buddy? What if you resell some goods you just picked up at a slight markup? Are you suspicious of the quality of a vendor's goods? Maybe this item over here is the last of its kind, and you and this stranger want it!
g) Stop! Thief!
Someone picked your pocket or snatched something out of your hands! It might even be your thread partner. Do you give chase? If your threadmate isn't the thief, are they helping you chase the thief down or getting in your way?
Someone picked your pocket or snatched something out of your hands! It might even be your thread partner. Do you give chase? If your threadmate isn't the thief, are they helping you chase the thief down or getting in your way?
h) Archery Range
Are you taking the chance to start learning a new skill on the practice targets? If it's any incentive, several fair maidens and handsome young fellows are hanging about, flirting with the best shots. If you're already good, you might be competing in the archery competition for a prize! The targets are close enough you can make conversation with the person one target over.
Are you taking the chance to start learning a new skill on the practice targets? If it's any incentive, several fair maidens and handsome young fellows are hanging about, flirting with the best shots. If you're already good, you might be competing in the archery competition for a prize! The targets are close enough you can make conversation with the person one target over.
i) Fortune Told
A stubborn young blonde woman in a long purple robe with a pointed hat - one that looks more than a little bit witchy - is determined to read your fortune for you. Loudly. Whether you like it or not. She has to demonstrate her skills to drum up business, you see! Now please hold your hand still, she just needs to get a good look at your fate line...
(Note: Players will have to npc the fortuneteller says in their thread and can go absolutely wildly wrong. However, sometimes the fortuneteller suddenly gets more intense and guesses a few things closer to the truth...)
A stubborn young blonde woman in a long purple robe with a pointed hat - one that looks more than a little bit witchy - is determined to read your fortune for you. Loudly. Whether you like it or not. She has to demonstrate her skills to drum up business, you see! Now please hold your hand still, she just needs to get a good look at your fate line...
(Note: Players will have to npc the fortuneteller says in their thread and can go absolutely wildly wrong. However, sometimes the fortuneteller suddenly gets more intense and guesses a few things closer to the truth...)
j) Out of Water
You draw attention to yourself with your behavior, or by how strange your manner of dress is (according to the faire folk, anyway.) Perhaps you have a still-functioning small electronic like a smartphone that's unlike anything they've ever seen. People are starting to give you the stink eye or ask you invasive questions. Will your threadmate help you out?
You draw attention to yourself with your behavior, or by how strange your manner of dress is (according to the faire folk, anyway.) Perhaps you have a still-functioning small electronic like a smartphone that's unlike anything they've ever seen. People are starting to give you the stink eye or ask you invasive questions. Will your threadmate help you out?
k) Bargaining With the Fae
There are some faeries here that are different from the sunny, cheerful summer faeries running the fair. These are the winter faeries, more ethereal and elegant, more immaculately dressed in finery that's a little too fancy for the event. Despite their beauty - or maybe because of it - these faeries are...colder. Many of them are busying themselves with maintaining magical lanterns around the edges of the faire. If asked, they tell your character they're handling security and to bug off.
But some of them maintain stands in shadier-looking areas of the faire. They're willing to offer more in exchange for greater payment. Warm, durable clothing to cut through the slight chill that comes at evening and night time. Swords made of much stronger metals than can be found elsewhere, of better make, with edges that take forever to dull. Bows with strings that rarely ever break.
Their deals are definitely backhanded though. For payment, they might say something like "we could really use your view on something, just a half hour of your time" and instead of having you participate in conversation where your insight is welcome, you lose your ability to see for a half hour.
These effects are unpleasant but usually temporary, lasting no longer than a half hour or so - but it's not like they'll tell you that. And if you try to go back to the stall afterwards to confront them, they'll have mysteriously disappeared. You'll at least get to keep whatever your bought and it will be of good quality, but the joke is definitely on you.
There are some faeries here that are different from the sunny, cheerful summer faeries running the fair. These are the winter faeries, more ethereal and elegant, more immaculately dressed in finery that's a little too fancy for the event. Despite their beauty - or maybe because of it - these faeries are...colder. Many of them are busying themselves with maintaining magical lanterns around the edges of the faire. If asked, they tell your character they're handling security and to bug off.
But some of them maintain stands in shadier-looking areas of the faire. They're willing to offer more in exchange for greater payment. Warm, durable clothing to cut through the slight chill that comes at evening and night time. Swords made of much stronger metals than can be found elsewhere, of better make, with edges that take forever to dull. Bows with strings that rarely ever break.
Their deals are definitely backhanded though. For payment, they might say something like "we could really use your view on something, just a half hour of your time" and instead of having you participate in conversation where your insight is welcome, you lose your ability to see for a half hour.
These effects are unpleasant but usually temporary, lasting no longer than a half hour or so - but it's not like they'll tell you that. And if you try to go back to the stall afterwards to confront them, they'll have mysteriously disappeared. You'll at least get to keep whatever your bought and it will be of good quality, but the joke is definitely on you.
l) Wild Card!
You can make up anything your character might reasonably see at a normal Renaissance Faire, or place an encounter in the woods nearby! Go wild!
You can make up anything your character might reasonably see at a normal Renaissance Faire, or place an encounter in the woods nearby! Go wild!
❧ This counts as a plot and is part of game canon! This means that new players aren't the only ones that can make top-levels. Current characters can be thrown in like it's any other plot or event. The default for threads is that they're game canon if all characters involved are apped in or already in game, but prospective players may opt out and consider a thread non-canon if they're not happy with it.
❧ Feel free to play around with powers. If your character has powers from canon you want to play around with, go for it. If you'd like to test out possibilities for game powers, also go for it. Feel free to change it up from thread to thread if you need to. If you want to keep a thread as canon this can be handwaved as the magic making characters' powers shift a few times before settling.
❧ Potential players may use test drive threads as their log samples. However, at least one post in their thread must fit the requirements for apps, and in quality and length (200 words). If you do plan on using a thread as a sample, please make sure the writing throughout your threads is a good example of your writing skills and has some solid examples of the character's voice.
❧ Players can count TDMs towards AC, with the same AC rules as any other threads.
❧ The game is invite-only. Players without invites are allowed to tdm since some of them may know someone in game to ask for one, and since some people enjoy TDMs just for fun in games they don't plan to app into. But an invite is required during the apping process.
❧ The game is at a starting cap at 30 players. Right now the current number of invitees is likely to not exceed the game's 30 slots, but if we go a few over they will still be allowed to app during this first round. Future apps will be rolling apps and will have a wait queue if the cap has been exceeded.
❧ Invites at game start are limited to current and former players of the mods' previous game Piper90 (
piper90), former players of the first incarnation of Wilderlands (wilderlands, and people friended to the main mod's plurk. If any of those individuals want to invite someone outside those pools in the first app round, they can request it when the mods make a headcount of potential appers. If the game will be under (or only slightly over) 30 players to start, some extra players may also be invited, but the mods want to limit it to exceed the player cap too much. ❧ The first game round will be apps only, no reserves. Apps open: 10/15/21. Game start: 11/01/21
no subject
[He kicks again against the support posts, a sustained push with his feet. It's still useless.]
[His ears droop.]
Listen, are you going to help me get out? Or just stand there criticizing my stealing technique?
no subject
Magic is real, and irritating, but that doesn’t really matter at the moment.
[ He gestures towards the locked stocks. ]
They’ve already got you, and I’m giving them at least fifteen minutes to come back and let you out before I do anything other than stand here and keep you company.
[ He might not even be able to assist. If the stocks are magical, Little Cato is likely stuck until they free him. ]
If they can magically tell that you’re 14, then they can tell that I’m 18. If I get caught doing anything - and for the purposes of any faerie lawyering that’s not a declaration of intent to break any rules - I’d get a lot less mercy.
no subject
Oh great, you're keeping me company. That's useful.
[He ignores the part about Tim being willing to act if he's here longer than fifteen minutes, and that Tim has to be careful about acting because he's eighteen, because he's feeling well, catty, right now.]
[Tim is just an unhelpful thing watching him struggle with a hurdle.]
If I do something to free myself will you rat me out?
[He's really yanking now and his gestures are getting a little more panicked.]
no subject
I could leave.
[ It’s said in a way that’s questioning, like he’s offering to go as a favor. To be useful.
Tim would come back - in fifteen minutes. He’s not heartless. ]
I’m a neutral party here. I don’t know enough about this place to take sides.
[ Or to vocalize a simple no in response to the question. He’s not going to guarantee a no-snitching policy to a kid that he’s never met before who is a self-admitted thief with no apparent ability to restrain himself. ]
You shouldn’t yank so hard on the stocks. I know the movies make it look easy to dislocate a thumb and slip out of things, but that’s a saddle joint in most mammals. You actually have to break your thumb, and it hurts. Swells up quick, too.
[ Just making idle conversation. ]
no subject
[His tail reaches into a pocket and out comes some little metal tools that can potentially be used as lockpicks. Apparently his tail is somewhat prehensile. He starts wiggling them in the lock, trying to jimmy it open but he doesn't have as much control as he would with his hand. It was worth a shot but he clearly isn't having much luck.]
[He lets out a little growl of frustration and then starts pulling against the stocks again. Now it's starting to become clear he's reaching "I'll get out even if I have to hurt myself territory."]
I've been imprisoned by a better class of asshole than this. I'm not doing this right now.
[He starts pulling hard on the hand closest to the lock. He has small wrists and the hole is a little large, enough he might be able to get a hand free by just extreme scraping rather than dislocating it entirely.]
I only stole that stuff so I could travel and try to find a way home. We were facing down the end of the universe. That's more important than some stupid stuff. These guys are practically drowning in money and throwing it at people anyway, they can spare a few small things.
My crew needs me. I'm not letting this place make me show up too late to help them.
[Blood starts to bloom in the fur of the hand he's trying to wrench free.]
no subject
Relax. This isn't going to get you home and faster, and you can help your crew better with tw- four paws.
[ He swipes the tools from the tail, and eyes them. They - and Tim's skillset - are a little modern for the era. The older a warded lock is, the larger and more stupidly shaped the keys are. A few good skeleton keys would help, but nobody needs to carry them in Tim's time because the use of skeleton keys made the designs obsolete and no one's going to use a 300 year old iron padlock.
Or so Tim thought. He'll start with the shim and turning tool and puts the remainder in the corner of his mouth while he works. ]
Watch for the faeries, and you better start sobbing if you see them. They have to believe you're in enough pain to merit me breaking you out.
[ He pauses to fix Little Cato with a Look. ]
Just because you're 14 doesn't mean I won't kick you to get real tears.
[ He's risking faerie wrath for this because he thinks that Cato has probably annoyed them to the point that they might not release him despite him tearing his skin fighting the restraints. Making guards fight you is a good idea for a distraction, not so much when you're a prisoner. ]
no subject
[He isn't shocked at kindness per se but often finds it unexpected in some places. That's what happens when the people inside your "my people" bubble treat you really well, but the people outside that bubble often try to kill you.]
[Or eat your soul.]
[Or imprison you.]
[Or say they own you.]
[He lives in vast uncaring universe, where cosmic evils pull whole planets into hell and where most people he runs into shoot at him. No one ever swoops down from the sky to save you. His crew tries to do it for people in general but he knows they're very hit-and-miss about doing it right.]
[And sometimes when they do it - like when his dad came to save him from Lord Commander's prison, you can't look at it the same way later. Because even people in the bubble die, or go evil, or it turns out they'd betrayed you all along.]
[Fresh off learning the man he thought was his biological father had lied to him his whole life, he's not really finding it easy to trust a stranger. Or at least one that was just lecturing him. A few of the people here have had some good vibes, especially the ones that are kind of like him, like Catra.]
Um. I'm a better fake crier than a real crier, so don't kick me.
[That's a lie. He's gotten good at real crying over time. Lots of practice.].
[He keeps watch for the faeries but his eyes do occasionally dart at Tim.]
...Why are you helping me? If they catch you, they might put you in here too.
[He says this like there's no blood at his wrist or at least like he's surprised it'd matter to someone he just met.]
[The soft look fades and he looks more skeptical.]
I'm not going to give you any money or any of the stuff I stole, if that's what you think.
no subject
So he doesn’t bother to respond at all until he’s gotten a good start on the lock. ]
I won’t kick you, but as long as I don’t want anything from you, why does it matter why I’m helping?
[ Being sympathetic to someone having to get back because their friends are in danger is too big a piece of himself to simply give away. ]
You’re bleeding from the restraints, because they didn’t take care when they put you in them, and they didn’t leave someone to watch you to make sure the punishment wasn’t worse than they meant it to be. Everyone involved is making bad decisions, including you.
[ Including him sticking his neck out for the Artful Dodger. ]
You need to stop stealing from a faerie market; if they catch you again, they’re going to be furious.
no subject
They don't really just help people back home. I mean, other than my crew. And not many people have ever helped me. Except my dad's girlfriend Quinn and my grandma. And my dads.
[A pause.]
My dad, because my other dad is - never mind, it's a mess.[It's too big of a piece of himself to give away.] But it's weird. A lot of people have already been nice to me and it's...
It's just weird.
[He doesn't really know what to make of it coming from so many strangers.]
[And he doesn't realize how tragic it is that he does find it so confusing.]
And I won't keep stealing. [At least, not without backup; he doesn't think he can work this place alone anymore, he's too notorious.]
What are your feelings on grifting the obviously rich people, but only for what they'd consider pocket change? Swindling isn't the same as stealing. I may not really be a mute war orphan but the money's still going to a good cause. There's other people here who fell through the whispery plant hole that need clothes and stuff.
I want to help some of them before I move on and look for my crew, or they might die of exposure or something.
no subject
[ Because in the middle of all that hesitant rambling, it sounds like there’s at least three different people who really care about the kid. Even if it’s messy, that’s definitely something to cling to.
With a final click, Tim feels the tension on the lock resolve, but the padlock itself is stuff and requires some force to wrench free. ]
And if you’re really lucky, you can find a competent neutral party who is a curious, egalitarian sort.
For the record, I’m conflicted on the swindling. Some of them spend it on good causes; some of them are terrible people who don’t deserve a dime. I might be one of the people who fell through the whispery plant hole, but I’d want to know more about who was being swindled before I condoned anything.
[ He’s fine with swindling Lex Luther. ]
no subject
[Tim is helping him and doesn't want him to steal so he deserves a slightly more moral compromise for letting him out.]
[The lock gives and Little Cato is able to lift the stocks up enough himself to wiggle out, something that suggests he's slightly stronger than he looks despite being smaller than a human his age. He stretches his neck and rubs the bloody wrist thoughtfully.]
[For someone so brazenly criminal, the look Tim gets and the ensuing thanks is furtive and actually little shy. He sounds younger when he's not angry or brashly talking about crime.]
Um. Thanks.[A pause.] If you need something before I leave to find my crew and I have extra scam money, let me know. I, um, I can spot you for something and let you know how I got the money, so you can decide if you want to take it.
[He goes over to where his stuff is piled nearby and starts gathering it up.]