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August-September 2024 Test Drive Meme
August-September 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 a canon item from home, 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: Potential Wilderness Survival, Potential Death
New Star Children arrive in Amrita Academy, the largest school in Folkmore. They might arrive in the medical wing, or they could arrive in areas of the school that don't look like a school at all: forests with animals to hunt or gather, including for their medicinal properties; rocky crags with climbing routes; fields full of growing grains; meadows with sheep covered in soft wool; lakes and rivers with unusual denizens. It's like a miniature of Folkmore all in one school.
A fox with a clipped ear and a few scars greets each Star Child upon arrival. She explains that while things can be summoned with Lore, the best survivors learn to scavenge and to find what they need. New Star Children haven't earned much Lore yet, so that surely applies to them double. In fact, as befits a survival school, there are items that will help Star Children survive hidden all around and immediately outside the school. Star Children are directed to make a list on their Relic of everything they think they need to survive. Once made, the list cannot be changed. They will be more likely to find those items than others (though it will not be impossible).
Race, jog, or stroll around the expansive school in search of these items: clothes, bags, first aid kits, tents, survival supplies, etc. They might be harder to find than expected as they will be miniature and in little cubes aka survival squares (a misnomer). These cubes may be tucked away above, below, beside, or inside something. They also may float against a rock face or in the air among tree branches. The most likely locations are those densest in Lore. The longer Star Children explore, the more they will realize that these cubes are best and most easily obtained by working together. In fact, they will try to dodge and avoid the grip of a Star Child more than ten feet away from any other Star Child. Perhaps that's because two Star Children interacting are creating Lore and a Lore dense location? Once two Star Children touch the cube at the same time, the cube will disappear, and the item inside will grow to full size. Congratulations on being one step closer to survival. Remember to share.
Come mid-September, few cubes will remain inside the school. Star Children will have to check the perimeter of the school to find more survival squares. That task grows exponentially harder as the cubes are in the molasses-thick moat of concentrated Lore surrounding the school. Should anyone dip their spoon in the moat, in the Lorasses if you will, they will find that it tastes sweet, a rich spicy sweetness. Amazing! Less amazing? It is impossible to get past the moat of Lorasses. No matter how strong a swimmer or oarsman, it is impossible to make headway through or atop the Lorasses. Anyone attempting to fly across the moat will find themselves slapped by a giant sticky slappy hand rising like a goliath from the depths with perfect aim. Star Children can find themselves slapped anywhere from the shore to the center of the school. Star Children are free to get creative with ways to dig the survival squares out of the Lorasses, but beware! They'll have difficulty freeing themselves on their own from the sticky substance, should they fall in.
Since Star Children are likely to find themselves in sticky situations quite literally, they may be pleased to know that Amrita Academy has showers available for use. Unfortunately, due to one student's experiment, the shampoo is all made of beer. That's right, beer. It's good for one's hair! Or so the study should demonstrate. Be sure to fill out a feedback card outside the locker rooms.
New Star Children arrive in Amrita Academy, the largest school in Folkmore. They might arrive in the medical wing, or they could arrive in areas of the school that don't look like a school at all: forests with animals to hunt or gather, including for their medicinal properties; rocky crags with climbing routes; fields full of growing grains; meadows with sheep covered in soft wool; lakes and rivers with unusual denizens. It's like a miniature of Folkmore all in one school.
A fox with a clipped ear and a few scars greets each Star Child upon arrival. She explains that while things can be summoned with Lore, the best survivors learn to scavenge and to find what they need. New Star Children haven't earned much Lore yet, so that surely applies to them double. In fact, as befits a survival school, there are items that will help Star Children survive hidden all around and immediately outside the school. Star Children are directed to make a list on their Relic of everything they think they need to survive. Once made, the list cannot be changed. They will be more likely to find those items than others (though it will not be impossible).
Race, jog, or stroll around the expansive school in search of these items: clothes, bags, first aid kits, tents, survival supplies, etc. They might be harder to find than expected as they will be miniature and in little cubes aka survival squares (a misnomer). These cubes may be tucked away above, below, beside, or inside something. They also may float against a rock face or in the air among tree branches. The most likely locations are those densest in Lore. The longer Star Children explore, the more they will realize that these cubes are best and most easily obtained by working together. In fact, they will try to dodge and avoid the grip of a Star Child more than ten feet away from any other Star Child. Perhaps that's because two Star Children interacting are creating Lore and a Lore dense location? Once two Star Children touch the cube at the same time, the cube will disappear, and the item inside will grow to full size. Congratulations on being one step closer to survival. Remember to share.
Come mid-September, few cubes will remain inside the school. Star Children will have to check the perimeter of the school to find more survival squares. That task grows exponentially harder as the cubes are in the molasses-thick moat of concentrated Lore surrounding the school. Should anyone dip their spoon in the moat, in the Lorasses if you will, they will find that it tastes sweet, a rich spicy sweetness. Amazing! Less amazing? It is impossible to get past the moat of Lorasses. No matter how strong a swimmer or oarsman, it is impossible to make headway through or atop the Lorasses. Anyone attempting to fly across the moat will find themselves slapped by a giant sticky slappy hand rising like a goliath from the depths with perfect aim. Star Children can find themselves slapped anywhere from the shore to the center of the school. Star Children are free to get creative with ways to dig the survival squares out of the Lorasses, but beware! They'll have difficulty freeing themselves on their own from the sticky substance, should they fall in.
Since Star Children are likely to find themselves in sticky situations quite literally, they may be pleased to know that Amrita Academy has showers available for use. Unfortunately, due to one student's experiment, the shampoo is all made of beer. That's right, beer. It's good for one's hair! Or so the study should demonstrate. Be sure to fill out a feedback card outside the locker rooms.
- All new Star Children arrive in Amrita Academy.
- Star Children are greeted by a fox who prompts them to write a list of what they need to survive. These lists cannot be changed once made.
- Star Children search for tiny cubes with survival supplies, especially ones on their lists.
- Star Children must work together to catch & open the cubes.
- Come mid-September, Amrita Academy is surrounded by a Lore-rich molasses moat—Lorasses. Thou shalt not pass.
- Once the moat arrives, most cubes are in the moat. Shower to get clean afterward with beer for shampoo.
Content Warnings: Forced Close Contact, Coerced Behavior
It can be stressful to arrive in a new place among strangers and strange things. It can be even more stressful, sometimes, to be among people one knows. The fact remains that in Folkmore, no one is an island. The Shattered Spoon Shrine is a testament to that. Interact or perish. Those interactions usually don't even have to be positive. An emotionally charged argument generates Lore same as a touching reunion. However, Amrita's iteration has taken charge of Folkmore this month. She values cooperation and connection.
What does this mean for Star Children? It's time to get along.
When Star Children fight—physically, vocally, emotionally—they get stuck together in a magical t-shirt. This plain white t-shirt has 'This is our get along shirt' written on it on both sides, one in each Star Child's handwriting. (If a Star Child does not have handwriting, Thirteen will invent a handwriting she feels best represents them). The shirt works exactly as written on the tin. Until the two Star Children can get along, they will be stuck together in the shirt. Getting along can look a few different ways. It could be working through the reason they were fighting. It could be cooperating to accomplish something else. It could be helping someone else together. It could be large or small. Somehow, Star Children will have to get along to accomplish something.
The shirt will disappear, leaving them standing next to each other, only to reappear duplicated in each of their hands, perfectly sized to fit each individual. Should they so choose, either can be used for a repeat performance, with both of them trapped inside again. While the same condition will apply—they must get along to get out of the shirt—the shirt will now make it easier for them to work it out. Note: only the two people who originally wore the shirt can put it back on. No one else can wear these shirts.
One time only, a Star Child's cooperative escape will have an additional prize: their souvenir t-shirt will be wrapped around an item from either their home universe or their partner's. That's right, getting along can get a Star Child something from another universe.
It can be stressful to arrive in a new place among strangers and strange things. It can be even more stressful, sometimes, to be among people one knows. The fact remains that in Folkmore, no one is an island. The Shattered Spoon Shrine is a testament to that. Interact or perish. Those interactions usually don't even have to be positive. An emotionally charged argument generates Lore same as a touching reunion. However, Amrita's iteration has taken charge of Folkmore this month. She values cooperation and connection.
What does this mean for Star Children? It's time to get along.
When Star Children fight—physically, vocally, emotionally—they get stuck together in a magical t-shirt. This plain white t-shirt has 'This is our get along shirt' written on it on both sides, one in each Star Child's handwriting. (If a Star Child does not have handwriting, Thirteen will invent a handwriting she feels best represents them). The shirt works exactly as written on the tin. Until the two Star Children can get along, they will be stuck together in the shirt. Getting along can look a few different ways. It could be working through the reason they were fighting. It could be cooperating to accomplish something else. It could be helping someone else together. It could be large or small. Somehow, Star Children will have to get along to accomplish something.
The shirt will disappear, leaving them standing next to each other, only to reappear duplicated in each of their hands, perfectly sized to fit each individual. Should they so choose, either can be used for a repeat performance, with both of them trapped inside again. While the same condition will apply—they must get along to get out of the shirt—the shirt will now make it easier for them to work it out. Note: only the two people who originally wore the shirt can put it back on. No one else can wear these shirts.
One time only, a Star Child's cooperative escape will have an additional prize: their souvenir t-shirt will be wrapped around an item from either their home universe or their partner's. That's right, getting along can get a Star Child something from another universe.
- When Star Children get in a fight of any kind, not just physical, they get stuck together in a magical t-shirt.
- The shirt says “This is our get along shirt” front and back in characters’ own handwriting (or imagined handwriting).
- As written on the tin, Star Children are stuck until they figure out how to get along
- When they separate, both partners will get a copy of the t-shirt that fits them. They can choose to get back into said t-shirt together to figure out how to get along easier in the future.
- One time only, Star Children receive an item from their home universe or their partner’s.
friends don't let friends make friends with genocidal androids
There's a certain dryness to this Spider-Man's humor that feels familiar, even if it doesn't feel like her Peter's. It makes sense; they're all technically different versions of the same person. Even the one who'd looked old enough to be her dad had still felt vaguely familiar, if a little more subdued. This one, though....
"Yeah, Ultron," she replies, surprised that he finds that name familiar. To her understanding, he'd have to know who Stark is if he'd had an Ultron in his world, unless he'd been somebody else's terrible idea in that universe. "AI in a vibranium body. Created a bunch of clones of himself because robots are the future, or something. Most of Sokovia was destroyed in the process of taking him out, likely because he'd come to the logical conclusion that humans are Earth's biggest threat and so he had some genocidal ideas in mind. I'm sure there are some that argue that he wasn't wrong, since there are even Thanos sympathizers out there even after he'd wiped out half the galaxy." All things considered, she's surprised that she can still find her current situation weird, considering the kinds of things she'd learned in history class in recent years.
She doesn't like that there are apparently entire communities here. That makes it all too easy for some people to get comfortable rather than search for a way home. Which, of course, is probably the point. "Does the library include books on this place's history and how to open up a portal out of here? Because if so, I'll be camping out there instead of here." She doubts it would be that easy, of course, but sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective.
She's a little surprised to see him take his mask off, considering that he doesn't know her and so has no reason to trust her. But then, the other Peter who'd sprung into Ned's dining room hadn't had any qualms with taking his mask off in front of her and Ned. Of course, he'd just heard them call his name through the portal, so assumed they already knew who he was; this Spider-Man probably assumes the same....
Oh. And he'd be right.
The recognition is clear on her face as she looks at him, instinctively saying, "Oh, it's you," before she wonders why he wouldn't have just said so immediately. Blinking, there's a small frown on her face as she takes in his features, and while he's very obviously the Peter that had cleaned cobwebs from Lola's ceiling, he's also... kind of obviously not. Is he younger? Somehow closer to her age? But that would mean....
"You-... you don't know me, do you?"
aww not even as a treat? ):
They don't talk much. It's his fault - he hadn't exactly handled it well when they first met. Now it looms over their interactions - how can it not? They're both walking, talking reminders of the cost of the job, people they've loved and lost. Still, they try, and it's getting...better. She's just like his Gwen, except for all the ways in which she's not, and Peter's sure he's much the same to her, too. He can't help but wonder if MJ is seeing similarities to her own Peter, in him. If it's strange, at all - but probably not, considering her Peter is, you know...alive.
"He destroyed Sokovia?! He's here - " This is clearly news to Peter, whose hands fly up to his head to express his shock. It would be comical, if it weren't so earnestly worrying. "But he's just - hanging out! You're telling me he's been a genocidal maniac this entire time?!"
She's so matter of fact about it, Peter doesn't doubt her. Or at least that she believes it. Maybe the Ultron he knows is from a different universe? Even as he thinks it, it sounds like an excuse. But how can it be? Wouldn't he have felt it? Is there something wrong with his senses?
"Not in specific. I have a friend who's been researching, trying to figure it out. I've been approaching it from a scientific angle." Magic, after all, is just science they don't understand yet. He's been thinking he may need to expand his studies and add the magic school to his routine, but he's already juggling two of the academies. "I'm sure he would appreciate a fellow researcher to assist. I'll introduce you, whenever we all get out of here."
"Huh - what?" Peter blinks, perplexed. He wasn't expecting - that. The level of recognition on MJ's face isn't matching up with what it should be, which is to say - probably nothing? Maybe vaguely, in the way that him and the other Peter might be able to pass as cousins. His head tilts, matching MJ's evaluation beat for beat. "...no? Sorry...should I? Do - how do you know me?"
in the words of every MJ across every universe: "peter, no"
Instead, she reacts very strongly to the concept of Ultron being in Folkmore, because what?? "That's impossible," she tells him, clearly shocked. "He was destroyed. I mean, I'm sure the government probably carted away a few scraps or whatever for their own experimentation or private use because it's the government so of course they would, but... maybe this Ultron has different programming or hadn't gone psycho yet. Or maybe Ultron is just the robot equivalent of the name John or something, and this is a completely different robot. But if he hasn't already tried nuking the place, I think we should be relatively safe on that front." At least, she sincerely hopes so. She is in no way prepared to deal with an Avengers-level threat on top of the magical B.S. that was going on around here.
She hesitates for a moment, not liking the idea that she'd be here long enough to need allies or whatever. Still, she eventually nods and tells him, "Yeah, I can do the research angle. Especially if we stick to science, since magic is very much not my forte."
MJ can't help just gaping at Peter for a few moments, because this is Peter, the same one she'd just met and who'd saved her life just a little while ago, as far as she's concerned. But... he doesn't know her, and there's slightly less wear around the edges of his face, indicating that maybe-....
"Oh, this is some weird time travel thing isn't it? Ugh, I hate the multiverse. It wasn't weird enough that I ended up hanging out with a teenage Peter, a Peter old enough to be my dad, and you somewhere in between, but now you're either another version of you that just happens to look like that you or else you're the same you I met but from earlier in the timeline." She rubs her hands over her face, fingertips pressing a bit at her closed eyes as though wishing she could just change her circumstances with a soft reset that way, though when she opens her eyes and drags her hands back to smooth down her hair, the scene hasn't changed at all.
"Sorry. None of that made sense. But yeah, let's just say that my Peter accidentally poked a hole in the multiverse and we met two other versions of him. One of them was you. Or, at least, looked a whole lot like you, though maybe with a few more lines around the eyes or something. Could be a different you, could be future you. I can't even begin to narrow it down."