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June-July 2024 Test Drive Meme
June-July 2024 TDM
Introduction
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.
All TDMs are game canon and work like "mini-events". For new players and characters, you can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Current players are also allowed to have in-game characters post to the TDM so long as they mark their top levels ‘Current Character.’
TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.
Playing and interacting with the TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.
🦊 New Star Children meet the Fox still in their worlds, and she brings them into the new realm of Folkmore. As you follow her, your body begins to change and new characteristics emerge. These may stay for a while, or perhaps they will hide away after. And during all of this, the Fox explains to you where you will be going: to Folkmore.
and then... you fall like a shooting star, falling to the land in a burst of starlight.
🦊 Experienced Star Children are already familiar with this time of the month. There are shooting stars all across the sky, and some fall to the land, which means the Fox has brought new arrivals. These newly arrived Star Children will face some tests, but Thirteen wants the more seasoned residents to participate as well.
Perhaps you follow the falling stars on your own, or perhaps the Fox simply teleports you there, but it appears you too will be part of this.
Content Warnings: Ghosts, Potential Violence, Potential Death
Summer has hit. It's hot, and nowhere is it hotter than Cruel Summer. Naturally, new Star Children arrive in Cruel Summer with no indication of which direction to go to escape, unless they're so lucky as to arrive near the Selkie River. The water provides a break, and a selkie skin will protect Star Children from the heat. Though beware the cruelty of leaving a selkie without their skin. Along with the heat, Star Children can hear whispers and the echoes of screams throughout Cruel Summer. There's no obvious source of the noises. Not the normal creatures. Not anything anyone can see.
Whether new or old Star Child, anyone lost, overheated, in need of a rest, or anything else will find a friendly spirit will find them in the sands, rock, or shores of Cruel Summer. They'll guide the way toward the huts found in Cruel Summer. These huts have changed; the huts are bigger and grow together, making them one interconnected twisting winding empty town. No one appears to live there. The wooden town is in disrepair, varying from building to building. Even so, they are cool inside, a welcome break from the summer heat.
No matter how one entered, even through the swinging doors to the saloon, that exit disappears behind Star Children. There's no turning back. The only way out is to explore the way through the buildings. This fact continues to be true building to building as exits continue to vanish. The abandoned town isn't as empty as it first seems. As Star Children explore the branching paths through the wooden structures, they see ghosts of spirits going through the paces of their lives. They're familiar to these spaces and interact with missing objects that sometimes shimmer in spirit energy.
Spirit Children may interrupt these routines to try to talk with the ghosts. Some ghostly spirits are friendly. They may interact with Star Children as though they're someone else, someone the spirits used to know. Others, like the bartender, may treat them like a new customer. Other ghosts are determined to stick to their routines and, should Star Children continue to interrupt, will attack those who disturb them.
These spirits may kill Star Children when they attack. Normal weapons won't hurt them. There are revolvers, shotguns, iron pokers, hunting knives, and other plain weapons around to grab in self-defense. Salt bullets and iron will dispel ghosts. These weapons may be grabbed at any time. However, doing so attracts the creatures in Cruel Summer. A blood red worm spitting yellow acid may break through the floor to eat or spray Star Children. An enormous coyote may leap through the window. Whether attracted by the use of weapons or passing by, any dangerous creature found in Cruel Summer seems agitated when they come near these structures and will attack them and anyone inside. They will focus especially on anyone with a stolen selkie skin.
Should Star Children die, whether to ghosts or creatures, they will not immediately return to life.Do not pass go. Instead they will haunt the ghost town for one week in the room where they were killed. Other Star Children may recognize them and work to snap them out of their routines. Yet nothing will free the Star Children's spirits before the week is through. At the end of the week, they'll come to, alive, in their bodies in the room they died in. Best get through and out of the ghost town before dying again!
A constant through these scenes are the spirits' spoons, visible somewhere in each scene. The ghost spoons are whole. Once free of the ghost town, Star Children may choose to travel to the Shattered Spoon Shrine in Never Fade to search for the broken fragments of any of these spoons. They are in such small pieces, however, that no Star Child may feed them enough Lore alone to bring the spirit back. Two or more Star Children may spend time in the Shrine creating and feeding Lore toward the spoons to heal them. It just may be enough to bring someone back.
Summer has hit. It's hot, and nowhere is it hotter than Cruel Summer. Naturally, new Star Children arrive in Cruel Summer with no indication of which direction to go to escape, unless they're so lucky as to arrive near the Selkie River. The water provides a break, and a selkie skin will protect Star Children from the heat. Though beware the cruelty of leaving a selkie without their skin. Along with the heat, Star Children can hear whispers and the echoes of screams throughout Cruel Summer. There's no obvious source of the noises. Not the normal creatures. Not anything anyone can see.
Whether new or old Star Child, anyone lost, overheated, in need of a rest, or anything else will find a friendly spirit will find them in the sands, rock, or shores of Cruel Summer. They'll guide the way toward the huts found in Cruel Summer. These huts have changed; the huts are bigger and grow together, making them one interconnected twisting winding empty town. No one appears to live there. The wooden town is in disrepair, varying from building to building. Even so, they are cool inside, a welcome break from the summer heat.
No matter how one entered, even through the swinging doors to the saloon, that exit disappears behind Star Children. There's no turning back. The only way out is to explore the way through the buildings. This fact continues to be true building to building as exits continue to vanish. The abandoned town isn't as empty as it first seems. As Star Children explore the branching paths through the wooden structures, they see ghosts of spirits going through the paces of their lives. They're familiar to these spaces and interact with missing objects that sometimes shimmer in spirit energy.
Spirit Children may interrupt these routines to try to talk with the ghosts. Some ghostly spirits are friendly. They may interact with Star Children as though they're someone else, someone the spirits used to know. Others, like the bartender, may treat them like a new customer. Other ghosts are determined to stick to their routines and, should Star Children continue to interrupt, will attack those who disturb them.
These spirits may kill Star Children when they attack. Normal weapons won't hurt them. There are revolvers, shotguns, iron pokers, hunting knives, and other plain weapons around to grab in self-defense. Salt bullets and iron will dispel ghosts. These weapons may be grabbed at any time. However, doing so attracts the creatures in Cruel Summer. A blood red worm spitting yellow acid may break through the floor to eat or spray Star Children. An enormous coyote may leap through the window. Whether attracted by the use of weapons or passing by, any dangerous creature found in Cruel Summer seems agitated when they come near these structures and will attack them and anyone inside. They will focus especially on anyone with a stolen selkie skin.
Should Star Children die, whether to ghosts or creatures, they will not immediately return to life.
A constant through these scenes are the spirits' spoons, visible somewhere in each scene. The ghost spoons are whole. Once free of the ghost town, Star Children may choose to travel to the Shattered Spoon Shrine in Never Fade to search for the broken fragments of any of these spoons. They are in such small pieces, however, that no Star Child may feed them enough Lore alone to bring the spirit back. Two or more Star Children may spend time in the Shrine creating and feeding Lore toward the spoons to heal them. It just may be enough to bring someone back.
- Whispers, echoes of screams, etc become common throughout Cruel Summer
- Huts become bigger, interconnected, growing together. Anyone lost, overheated, in need of something in Cruel Summer gets a friendly spirit redirecting them to these buildings
- Buildings will still be in some state of disrepair, but like a whole twisting winding town
- Insides are a cool respite
supernatural ghost spirit air conditioning - Only way out is through, no turning back, as the exits disappear behind you
- Many are friendly, but some are not. One can attempt to talk to them, but how interactive they are varies
- Occasionally other creatures from Cruel Summer may burst in and attack
- If a Star Child dies, rather than return to life immediately, they stay a ghost for about a week, part of the tour
Content Warnings: Fire, Coerced Confessions
Fire! Fire across the realm! For the second half of June, wildfire burns everywhere. While it doesn’t hurt Star Children, it can reduce everything else to ash: homes, businesses, gardens, spirits. The local spirits will be in a panic and beg Star Children for help from small ice mice in Wintermute to fennec foxes in Cruel Summer. How can Star Children help? Confessions. Anything the person they are with doesn’t know. The more earnest and meaningful the better.
When wildfire erupts and spreads, Star Children may stand in or in front of an area they want to protect and confess something to another Star Child who happens to be nearby. Their neighbor? Their partner? A stranger lost in a new land? These confessions simply need to be something the other person doesn’t know to protect structures and spirits. Memories related to the confession will show in the fire. The fire will fuel these memories until they run out of energy, dying down to embers. At least in that place at that time.
Should something start to burn before someone confesses, multiple confessions are necessary to catch the wildfire’s attention and distract it from the fuel source it is feeding on. Two or more Star Children will need to make confessions whose memories are shared in the flames. Water powers can also help quell the flames, but confessions are necessary in the end.
Once July hits, the wildfires are mostly gone, only sparking up here and there on occasion. In their stead are embers. They spark in the air like fireflies and fly around Folkmore, attracted to Star Children. These embers land on Star Children and make them glow. There’s no pain. In fact, the embers provide sparks of insight into memories, situations, and other emotional dilemmas that Star Children haven’t previously understood. Talking the issue over with another Star Children provides further emotional clarity.
Spirits are welcoming to both embers and Star Children. Confessionshelp Folkmore grow as well. Gardens bloom in beautiful displays. Crops grow healthy and joyful. It’s even possible to hear humming from some of the vegetables and fruits. The land grows with the Star Children. Anyone who lacks a green thumb can work their way around that with confessions! Save that dying plant and grow those tomatoes.
One time that a Star Child confesses, either to wildfire or to embers, they will find a jeweled box shaped like a flame. The peak of the flame comes off to reveal the insides. Within, there is an item from home. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Larger more meaningful confessions are more likely to receive weapons. These items may even be larger than should fit in the box or its entrance. Whether the box should only hold a single ring or fill the palm of one’s hand, these items fit. Star Children also can keep the jeweled box, and this one item from home can be stored within the box. Other items too large to fit the box will not enter it. Only the one from the box.
Fire! Fire across the realm! For the second half of June, wildfire burns everywhere. While it doesn’t hurt Star Children, it can reduce everything else to ash: homes, businesses, gardens, spirits. The local spirits will be in a panic and beg Star Children for help from small ice mice in Wintermute to fennec foxes in Cruel Summer. How can Star Children help? Confessions. Anything the person they are with doesn’t know. The more earnest and meaningful the better.
When wildfire erupts and spreads, Star Children may stand in or in front of an area they want to protect and confess something to another Star Child who happens to be nearby. Their neighbor? Their partner? A stranger lost in a new land? These confessions simply need to be something the other person doesn’t know to protect structures and spirits. Memories related to the confession will show in the fire. The fire will fuel these memories until they run out of energy, dying down to embers. At least in that place at that time.
Should something start to burn before someone confesses, multiple confessions are necessary to catch the wildfire’s attention and distract it from the fuel source it is feeding on. Two or more Star Children will need to make confessions whose memories are shared in the flames. Water powers can also help quell the flames, but confessions are necessary in the end.
Once July hits, the wildfires are mostly gone, only sparking up here and there on occasion. In their stead are embers. They spark in the air like fireflies and fly around Folkmore, attracted to Star Children. These embers land on Star Children and make them glow. There’s no pain. In fact, the embers provide sparks of insight into memories, situations, and other emotional dilemmas that Star Children haven’t previously understood. Talking the issue over with another Star Children provides further emotional clarity.
Spirits are welcoming to both embers and Star Children. Confessions
One time that a Star Child confesses, either to wildfire or to embers, they will find a jeweled box shaped like a flame. The peak of the flame comes off to reveal the insides. Within, there is an item from home. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Larger more meaningful confessions are more likely to receive weapons. These items may even be larger than should fit in the box or its entrance. Whether the box should only hold a single ring or fill the palm of one’s hand, these items fit. Star Children also can keep the jeweled box, and this one item from home can be stored within the box. Other items too large to fit the box will not enter it. Only the one from the box.
- Last two weeks of June, wildfire burns across Folkmore. After that, they are rare.
- Confessions can protect or rescue buildings, land areas, and spirits.
- Come July, embers spark across Folkmore like fireflies. They provide insight for Star Children. Talking helps.
- Confessions help the land grow.
- Confessions reveal a jeweled box containing an item from home.
it is the answer
All that aside, she is definitely surprised to witness her suddenly burst in like that.]
You?!
[At the moment, she's jabbing at the worm with her poker to drive it back towards the hole it came from, while dodging its sprays of acid. But as she takes note of O'Neil, she also spies the ghosts that followed her in, with a sneer.]
This epic battle was under my complete dominion! [She kicks off the floor towards the incoming ghosts and tries to stab her iron poker through one of them with a midair lunge! As she does does so, she gives a shrill shout:] DON'T BRING EXTRAS!!
1/2
You!?
[THERE'S AN ECHO IN HERE--]
no subject
What's the matter, can't take a little extra challenge? [WHAM.]
no subject
While April takes on the worm, Casey flips around while trying to take more stabs at those elusive ghosts.]
It's just a nuisance to have to deal with leftovers that you couldn't take care of on your own!
no subject
[With a howl and a breaking of those weird teeth in its circular maw, the bat comes free and she drops down.] Also, when did you get here!?
no subject
Casey manages to strike a decisive blow on one ghost, which is blown away, and she proceeds to chase the other one while keeping an eye on April's progress.]
I have been here for... let's see... [She actually pauses for a second mid-battle to think about that.] ...approximately five hours!! [And she's wasted no time getting into trouble.] Why have you never told me about this wonderland of combat??
no subject
[She ducks under Ol' Now-Toothless trying to chomp her head off and points at Casey with her bat.] What is the last thing you remember before you got here? Did we get invaded yet?
no subject
I suppose we are in a different world now... [And now she goes in to help with the worm, jabbing the poker into its side while April has its attention.]
And now you wish to test my memory? Very well! The last thing I remember was us cheering about our victory over the Shredder, who totally turned out to be a disappointment! There! No sort of invasion was carried out! ...Unless you count the preceding actions of the Foot Vlant, which I know very much regret!
no subject
Eugh boy. WELP. Back to square one. [Cryptically, no she will not elaborate.] Sooo, welcome to Folkmore. Excuse me for just one moment.
[Pay no attention to her bat suddenly catching fire. Ah, there we go! Turns out worm hide doesn't like fire very much, at least. The bat slamming shall return in earnest.]
no subject
She doesn't know what April means by that square one comment, but she says nonsensical things all the time. It doesn't stick with Casey anyway, as she immediately pays all the attention towards the flaming bat attack. She watches it with intrigue! And jealousy.]
I will not excuse you while you take another kill that's rightfully mine! [As she speaks, she leaps onto the worm and darts around the flames while stabbing at tender parts of its skin.] I'd like to destroy something that isn't already dead!
[This is much more important than re-introductions okay]
no subject
Sure, okay. [Look, she's just gonna BACK OFF and lean on her flaming bat and produce a drink with a straw from somewhere. Don't ask where. Maybe there's still a timid ghost bartender cowering behind this counter. TOON LOGIC.]
Floor is yours, you got this.
[Do you got this, Casey Sr?]
no subject
Of course I got this! I was born to have got this! Your pulling back from the battle completely leaves me feeling no pressure whatsoever!
[Okay, now she really has to kill this thing! But so far, all they're doing is surface damage. Is any of this enough to really kill the worm? No, she has to think differently. Crazier? Spreading her wings, she flies up off of the worm's back, and around to its maw. She dodges the latest acid spray, and then... flies right for the mouth.]
I got this!! [She then disappears into the worm for a few moments.]
1/3
no subject
no subject
C'mon, c'mon C-MON-- [Not that Casey's around to hear it, but in lieu of her not being able to get in, she resorts to more feral methods and her words mangle off into animal growls as between one moment and the next, there's a feral honey badger trying to tear a hole in with its razor sharp claws. LOOK, SHE PANICKED, OKAY.
...she is having marginally more success. Honey badgers to the face do tend to hurt.]
no subject
Cassandra Jones!! [She declares triumphantly. But also with a frenzied panic as she tries avoiding the last deluge of acid.]
Watch out! [She tries to call out for April, only to find a... honey badger instead?] ...Random Woodland creature...?
no subject
...except now it's trying to rain acid on her YIPE-- you'd swear she teleported, the way she hopped up onto that small table so fast. Dang, Casey really did a number on that thing, watch it splatter around start death-throeing. Possibly they should safely distance themselves, acid splashes are no fun.]
Welp, glad you're okay! Time to bounce?
[...said the random woodland creature, scurrying for the door.]
no subject
[But her moment of pride in her victory doesn't dull her confusion, as she flies above towards the same door, while acid continues spreading through this room.]
It is also time to explain yourself! Why are you an animal now?! Have you mastered some new mystical power? Or have you been mutated now?! ...Honestly I wouldn't be surprised with how much of that went around back in our original world!
no subject
It's a whole thing here! Like you have wings now, some of us have picked up an animal we can change into. It's hella fun, I found out while fighting hellhounds.
no subject
Then she re-rights herself in the air, blinking a bit and rubbing her head before continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened.]
I see! So this is one of those other roles I've heard of. Is that the Familiar one? How is your fighting prowess in that form? [The most important question of course.] I wish I could do battle with hellhounds!
no subject
Hold on-- [The badger staggers a little and then April suddenly reappears in an outward explosion of fur, nearly falling on her ass before she gets her balance.] Better! I'm still not used to shifting, though. You met the others yet?
no subject
This room seems quiet (so far) and so Casey lands softly near April while listening very curiously as she talks about her transform. Of course she's thinking about how she would far against that form in a fight.]
Very good. Thay form sounds like a good fighter! I must spar against that form sometime! ...But, stealing from a library? I cannot do such things anymore! I am now newly dedicated to the path of justice!
[She does raise an eyebrow at April's question.]
The others? I have met a few strangets thud far. You are the first person I've come across who I recognize! I had assumed that I was the only person from our world worthy of being chosen by that fox...
no subject
Eugh, boy. Actually, most of us are here. There's me, all four of the guys, Barry... [She stalls for a moment, considering.] And another kid from our world you probably haven't met yet. [That's neutral enough. Gotta talk to other Casey before we bring that subject up, because yikes]
They'll probably all be pretty happy to see you, y'know. More company and all--
[POP. Suddenly, there is a Mayhem, falling from the ceiling. April catches him with a blink.] Oh, sorry. Mayhem's here, too. [Where have you been, you little deserter?]
no subject
Casey is actually startled by the appearance of Mayhem! She hops back and take a defensive position, which she soon relaxes as it becomes clear that no threat is posed.]
So that is that creature's name... [She hasn't met it in person before but probably heard of it among the Foot's intel on them.] I see! So quite a few of us have ended up in this world! How interesting. You said they would be - happy to see me?
[Something else to get used to! She clears her throat and manages a little smile.]
Of course! We are all friends now, are we not?
1/2
Hell yeah, we are. You're another piece of home!
(no subject)
(no subject)
me just casually fudging some soft canon in there
Bring on the fudge!
(no subject)