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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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But even though she kind of expects something to happen, nothing does. The spirit indeed just keeps going, like it isn't even noticing their presence, let alone Casey's loud dramatic proclamation. ]
.. is it real? [ She can't help but ask.
After all, even to someone as high-energy as Minako, a person like Casey is kind of hard to ignore..!
She steps a little closer, trying to inspect the spirit from closer up, but it's still just continuing its actions like Minako isn't even there in the first place. ]
Maybe it's just some sort of hologram. [ Not that she doesn't believe a spirit could exist here - but the way it's outright ignoring them is very suspicious! ]
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She frowns and looks on in confusion as the spirit keeps doing its thing. How can she be ignored like that?]
A hologram? Psh. Now that's just silly! [She says with a wave of her hand. She focuses her attention on the ghost, looking increasingly frustrating.]
I just don't understand why this spirit is ignoring us! Does it not want to commune with the living? Or even make an attempt to steal our souls?! [Maybe that's a good thing...]
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Do you want it to steal your soul?
[ Minako will say something more intelligent in a moment, surely.
But she's a little too baffled by those words for said intelligent thing to come out right away!! ]
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[She says with a hand on her chest.]
If that is what it seeks, rest assured I shall do battle with that ghost to ensure the safety of both our souls!
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Okay.
So even though the other is a little weird, at least it does seem like she's got her heart in the right place, as far as Minako can see. And usually she gladly would have offered to take care of the protection instead, considering she's the one with the supernatural powers here and all-- it's not like she can just tell any random person about that.
So, instead-- ]
Oh, you don't have to worry that much about me!
[ It's not like she wants Casey to put her life on the line for her, after all. No way! ]
If some ghost attacks us, I can kick it! [ A slight pause, and then, a thought later that seemed to come to her suddenly-- ] As long as.. it doesn't go through them, I suppose?
[ How do you fight a ghost without using your magical powers, that's the real question here! ]
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Indeed. It would be very troublesome if they turn out to be completely intangible! We might need a special solution to do battle with them if that ends up being the case.
[She seems deep in thought for the moment, before balling a fist.]
I would just have to keep punching and kicking it until it feels it! That should do it! Now, let's interrogate that spirit!
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But on the other hand, she feels like they'll never get out of here if they don't engage these things in some way. So it feels like they'll have to try this anyway - especially since Minako is not a coward! She refuses to be a coward!
Hence why she tries to confidently puff out her chest as she puts her hands next to her mouth, loudly calling out to a spirit just trying to go about its day in the same room as them: ]
Hey, you!
[ Clearly the most formal way to refer to a spirit, right.. Especially when you don't want to piss them off.. ]
How do we get out of here?!
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Not a bad start. But watch me!
[With that, she flips over across the room closer to the spirit and slams the counter with her hand before yelling.]
Who do you work for?!
[Now the spirit's starting to look towards them... while looking distinctly unhappy. Angry and vengeful, even!]
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Hm.
Minako is the safer one, given that she's standing a little bit further away from the spirit now after the Casey got closer to it.. but she still feels like she should speak up and do something about this situation before it gets horribly out of hand. Minako isn't the sort of person who's just going to stand there and watch someone else get hurt, after all..! ]
Uh, you know--
[ Granted, she isn't so sure how this is going to go.
Even if she's only just meeting Casey for the first time, she doesn't seem like the type who's inclined to listen to what others say, especially when it's meant as de-escalation.. ]
I think that might have been just a liiiittle bit too much?
[ Just a little bit.
More like a lot, but Minako is kind of hoping Casey will go along with her if she undersells it a touch! ]
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You're right! I should have made it clear that we're not to be messed with.
[Now she shouts back at the spirit.]
If you try to attack us, know that we will destroy you! We are powerful fighters, and we are not afraid of any ghosts!
[The ghost looks livid now, and it swoops at her! Casey backflips out of the way and lands next to Minako.]
There! Now it knows to fear us! We can do battle with it now, just as planned! [Was that the plan? Regardless, Casey punches her hands together in anticipation!]
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[ It's so rare for Minako to be the straight man in any given situation, but apparently that is what's happening here. Especially in this situation, which seems to have weirdly escalated. She glances around, wondering if there's something she can use as a weapon if she can't transform and use her powers..
It's not like they can avoid the fight now anyway. So-- ]
Alright, then-- Try to see if you can hit it at all, even though it's a ghost!
[ Or that is going to be a massive major issue. ]
You can probably throw a better punch than me, right? [ Given how much she's itching for a fight.. ] I'll see if there's something we can use as a weapon against him!
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[Casey looks nothing but proud of this sequence of events!]
That sounds like a good approach! I'll keep it busy while you seek out your weapon of choice. We shall see which of us can vanquish the spirit!
[With that, Casey flips into the air and soars at the ghost with a flying kick.]
Hot soup!!
[Only to fly right through the ghost and slam into a wall. She groans as she peels herself free.]
I... see that I must hit it harder...
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Well, that sound isn't telling her much good. She's still frantically looking around, but without turning her head to look at Casey and the ghost, she calls out: ]
Did you just go through it?!
[ Because it sure sounds like you did!! ]
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[She calls back excitedly while pumping her fists and looking back at the ghost.]
As if it wasn't even there. I must not have hit it hard enough. Take this!!
[With that, she unleashes a flurry of high-speed punches! All of which go right through the spirit. In response, its eyes glow red, and various objects start flying around the room, targeting both girls!]
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Minako lets out a yelp, but thankfully she has quick reflexes and pretty good dodging skills - which means that she manages to quickly slide out of the way before a bunch of glasses launch themselves at her. Instead they all end up hitting the wall where Minako was standing a moment ago, breaking into tiny little pieces as they hit the ground. ]
Here..!
[ She calls out, trying to raise her voice over the chaos. The blonde teenager throws a billiards cue in Casey's direction, hoping that it won't get a mind of its own too while flying through the air. ]
Try hitting the ghost with that to see if it changes anything..! [ Maybe it'll work since it's part of the environment, she figures..? Anything is worth a try to stop this madness at this point, honestly. ]
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[Casey flips around in yhe air as she dodges some incoming objects. She lands on the floor and immediately holds a hand out to catch the billards cue.]
Very well! Let's see if this does the trick!
[Gripping it with both hands, she wields it like a bo staff, and she rushes the ghost once more! She delivers a series of strikes, all of which go right through the ghost. Only now Casey is starting to get frustrated. She growls as she continues her swinging.]
Rrrr... Just let me hurt you!!
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.. but it clearly isn't. Which sucks, because it means she's practically gone through her entire list of options. Sure, she could transform, but she's been so dedicated to hiding her secret for such a long time now that she isn't really willing to give it up over one simple ghost.
So.. ]
Okay, forget the fighting! [ She calls out to Casey--
-- even though she isn't sure if Casey is even.. capable of forgetting about fighting. Ever. ]
Let's just run! Maybe it's not fast enough to chase us if we just take off!
[ YOU CAN JUST LEAVE, CASEY!! Think of the skeleton meme!! ]
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She still keeps on trying to attack the ghost while dodging debris. But Minako's suggestion gets Casey to look towards the other girl with a disappointed pout.]
Aw, c'mon! But we've just gotten started. It is far too soon to give u- OOF!
[While her attention is turned, she's smacked by a flying table that sends her flying across the room!]
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And even though Casey does seem like she could take a hit, it's still a lot to get hit by a table when then fly across the room to smack into the wall. Does Casey even have any special powers? It didn't seem like it, considering how she was trying to fight that ghost-- and if she's just a normal human, she might have gotten injured.
So Minako gasps in shock when she sees all of it happen, quickly running across the room to where Casey landed so she can check up on the other. ]
Hey, are you okay?!
[ Please be okay. Please be okay! Minako can do a lot of things, but healing people sure isn't one of them..! ]
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I'm fine! [She's quick to assure her.] He got a hit in on me, but I've taken much worse. Now, as I was saying, we can take him! [She resumes a fighting stance.] We just have to keep trying harder and adjust our battle plans as need be! He must have some weakness. If not, that would be really lame!
no subject
[ Minako certainly is not a pacifist, after all. She's all up for fighting the bad stuff you come across, rather than ignoring it.
It's just also that she isn't stubborn to a fault when it comes to this. She's already reaching out for the other's hand, trying to latch onto it so she can attempt to drag the other off now Casey is back on her feet again. ]
But when the fighting isn't doing anything, you need to think up a better solution. Like-- [ If she's got the other's hand, she will definitely start to run. ] --getting out of there..!
[ Because-- what's the alternative? Staying and allowing Casey to get her butt kicked while the ghost isn't harmed or stopped at all? Minako refuses to just stand there and watch the other injure herself like that for no reason. ]
no subject
A better solution could also be another plan of attack! ...But fine, if you truly think that a tactical retreat is called for, then it shall be so!
[Casey picks up speed now! Although she's not sure where she's going.]
Have you secured the exit?
[She says, while the ghost prepares another round of random objects to throw at them.]
no subject
But she knows that if she tells Casey that, it's very likely the other is just going to turn back and fight the ghost, which is exactly what she doesn't want. So even though she's lying-- It's fine! She's just lying for Casey's own good when she says: ]
We just have to keep going!
[ Surely an exit will prepare then, right? Because it might not seem like there's much room in here, but suddenly the path ahead of them starts to stretch out. It's like there's an entire corridor of rooms like the one they were just in, and various ghosts in all of them.. Though thankfully none of the other ghosts seem to care as much about them running by as the one that's attempting to chase them. ]
The exit is at the end of this, I'm sure..!
[ JUST KEEP RUNNING, CASEY. No ghost fighting!! None whatsoever!! ]
no subject
[Reluctantly, she rushes forth! But then they reach the corridor, and she sees it's full of those ghosts!
Casey... Casey starts to slow down. And she looks at all of the spectres around them, as if sizing them up.]
Wait, look! There's more ghosts! I have to be able to take at least one of them...!
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[ Please, Casey. You can't fight everything. You literally can't fight everything in this case! Minako would let the other do whatever if she truly stood a chance here, but fighting ghosts you can't touch just sounds like a terrible, terrible idea all around.
Hence why Minako does her best to just continue to tug on the other, trying to get her to come along. ]
You know it's not going to work! They're all ghosts..!
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