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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.
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Too late to be sorry! [She quips at the ghost before it vanishes with a wail.
Breathing a little heavy now, she looks around herself to see if any other ghosts are coming at them but finds the rest completely occupied with continuing their daily routines as if this never happened...So strange...]
Looks like the rest aren't coming after us. [She winces as she looks at her bleeding arm. The claw marks weren't very deep but it still hurt.]
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Here, let me see your arm... [ Ren mumbles, using Dia to heal the wound. He sighs, the immediate danger gone and his friend patched back up. ]
I- [ He has to ask, up front. The same way he did for Ryuji, and Akechi. ] I heard I'm missing some information. [ A beat. ] I realize this sounds crazy, but- It's not even July yet, back home. What- [ He sighs. ] What did I miss, Kasumi? [ He first names her to try and show he's being serious about this and it's not some weird prank. If only he knew. ]
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And then--
It's like the world drops out from under her to have the boy she loves call her Kasumi again after all this time. After affirming that she's not Kasumi, after figuring out she's Sumire and deciding to live as herself, to be herself. It makes her feel like she's going to be sick, but she--
She knew she would have to explain it to him, but-- ]
I-... I-I... [The words are hard to get out, she can't help but wonder if she had been Kasumi--... No. She needed to stop these thoughts.] A lot. Akechi-san warned me that you are from an earlier point than us.. I'm almost from April of the next year. [SHe needs to say it.] But before anything... K-Kasumi is my sister. I'm Sumire Yoshizawa. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to deceive you, I just...
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[ A beat. ] Sorry I'm so- Behind.
CW: Major spoilers
Do... do you know about Dr. Maruki's actualization ability? He used it on me when I was grieving my sister and... well, I wanted Kasumi to be alive instead of me, so he used it to make me believe I was Kasumi... [She pauses and sighs]
I know that's all really confusing but I know who I am and what I want to do with my life now thanks to you, Senpai. I know you don't know it yet, but thank you.
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But that's... That's not Kasu- Sumire's fault. He uncurls his fist and lets out a breath. ]
Akechi told me about Dr. Maruki's abilities. Seems like he's been using them for all sorts of problems...
[ But his face softens a moment later, and he looks up at Sumire through his glasses with a smile. ] Happy I could help you figure things out, at least.
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Still, she smiles back and nods.]
I-I... I would be happy to tell you anything you want to know, though I... suppose I should say that while I helped from time to time, especially towards the end, I never really joined the Phantom Thieves, so there are... um, many things that you accomplished that I don't know in detail.
[She winces a little, her tone apologetic.]
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[ He chuckles and rolls his eyes slightly. ] Like Mishima. [ There's a slight shrug of his shoulder before he says, tone full of amusement: ] Okay, maybe a step up from there. [ But a solid team of people in support roles? That was what the Phantom Thieves always needed most of all. ]
I'm happy to share the exciting details I actually know.
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Well, know that I was happy to help. And I would love to hear it all, I don't actually know the early details at all.
[She looks up at the ghosts around them and nods.]
Come on, let's find our way out of here. Wouldn't do to sit here.
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Ren tilts his neck and thrusts his head in a direction, towards the least populated hallway. ] Let's go.
[ He tosses and catches his knife a few times as he starts to walk. ] So I noticed you don't have an extra eye like Ryuji. [ He chuckles for a beat. ] Have you figured out what your new- [ What did the fox call it again...? ] Role is, yet?
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Nodding, she keeps the poker in hand and starts down the hallway with him, careful and aware as they go.]
Um, I haven't. But I don't have horns or wings or anything else that seems... Myth and Legend like, so I would assume I'm a Familiar, yeah? [A pause as she looks him over.] You don't have anything I can see either, are you the same? Or can you hide it like Akechi-san can his wings?
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I'm a Familiar, yeah. [ A beat. ] I'll warn you in advance; I turn into a- A rat. So if you see me knocking at your door? Please don't call up the local pest control place. [ Chuckling. But jokes aside... ] It's actually sort of come in handy. [ He's always been adept at fitting into absurdly small spaces, admittedly, but this did make it easier. ] I think this place tends to give pretty well-suited transformations.
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Um, so uh... h-how do you transform? I've not had it happen yet.
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I'll just- [ And down he shrinks, sort of animorphing into a fuzzy little curly haired rat. He waves from his position down on the ground. ]
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Just like that? That's impressive, I... um, here, let me try too.
[She tries to think of herself as an animal. crouched down next to him now. She tries to focus, tries to think of something--....]
Hm... Maybe I just don't know what kind of animal to turn into?
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He shrugs a shoulder. ] It's really not so different from the first time I summoned a Persona, I guess?
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[She smiles and does her own little shrug. There was no hurry, she's sure that eventually she will figure it out. If she's a familiar at all, she very well could be one of the other ones without an obvious trait.
Gesturing him to follow, she starts down a hallway, poker in hand.]
Can you not talk while in animal form?
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I haven't figured it out yet if I can. [ He scratches the back of his neck. ] A bit inconvenient, but it's probably not the worst thing I'm forced to blend in a little.
On the bright side, I've noticed I'm pretty good at climbing like that. [ Rat parkour. ]
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[She thinks about it as she makes her way down the hallway, taking point since she's the stronger of the two.
Now was her time to be the one to protect Senpai.]
I wonder if all familiars can't speak like that or or if some can and some can't. I wonder which one I'll end up being.
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[ He can't help but smirk when she passes him, posture protective. ] You know I can still take care of myself, right? [ This is a lie; he is a moron and needs all the help he can get. He's like level 25, he is a baby. ]
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While I don't doubt that, senpai, I think it's better that the stronger of the two of us take point. I mean... I suppose you guessed it, but I do have a persona too, you know. You can rely on me.
[She smiles at him over her shoulder as she ducks and weaves between two ghosts effortlessly.]
I'd be glad to continue our deal here, help you get more limber and work out.
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But more importantly... ] Thanks for the- [ Slightly embarrassing amount of ] help. [ A beat. ] Seriously. [ He can be embarrassed he's a weak piece of shit later. ] It's definitely helpful having you and the others here. [ He follows her lead and quietly sneaks past a couple ghosts. ] Gives me a window into the future. [ Perhaps not enough of one to guess what's coming, though. ]
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[She gives him a smile and a nod.] Anything you want to know that I can answer is yours to know as well. Feel free to ask anything and I'll offer what answers I can.
[Slipping around a corner, she looks around the room for an exit.]
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Ren figures he can wait on the questions; nothing is so pressing he needs to know right away. And then he thinks of one he really should ask. ] I do have one. [ A beat. No sense in waiting for her to ask what the question was. ] Did Akechi really die? [ Because there might be some way he can make it so that he doesn't have to. The fact that he's behind everyone might come in handy. If he can extract the right info. ]
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She looks at him over her shoulder, her eyes sad.]
Oh... um... yes. I-I don't know the details, but yeah. As far as I know, he died in Shido's palace. No one really explained how or why to me, just that he got shot there and died there.
[A pause then she adds:] Mona-senpai said that Akechi-san was positive of his own death at the end too, with Dr. Maruki.
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