October-November 2024 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

October-November 2024 Test Drive

Introduction

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This Test Drive meme is open to all.
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.

Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!
🦊 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. 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.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

After the Storm . ★

Content Warnings: Natural Disaster/Natural Disaster Relief

It seems as if the Star Children will be restricted to Amrita Academy forever, when nothing changes at the one month mark. Yet, after another week has stretched endlessly past, a morning dawns to show that the moat of Lorasses has vanished. The way is clear to discover what the chaotic storms have left behind.

Most of Folkmore's resident spirits return. Good thing Catbus is among them because the train is not operating. Debris litters the tracks throughout the land. Someone's going to have to work to clean all of that up before normal schedules can resume... within the first week or so, everyone fervently hopes.

That is far from the only wreckage from those storms. As Star Children have seen, even Amrita Academy hasn't really been spared; between the Lorasses moat and the various structures built to weather the storms, the past weeks have left a mark on the school.

Other regions show clear signs of the warping they have endured similarly.

• Wintermute alternated between blinding light and pitch blackness, with mountains growing and crumbling away alike. Cabins were transformed into igloos.
• Willow experienced all the seasons in a matter of days multiple times, growing crops and new trees, losing old ones, and its buildings weathered as though through decades.
• In Epiphany, the streets ran with water so high it was difficult to walk, and the buildings shifted to reflect related settings.
• Cruel Summer grew hotter and more oppressive, so that survival away from the Selkie River was impossible. On the 13th, there was an explosion, and it rained robot parts.
• Exile was swallowed entirely by the Swamp of Sorrows, leaving no dry land.
• Tides filled with water, dark deep water that could not readily be seen through.
• Never Fade became even more purple, with a thick haze that erased visibilty of borders. It also became steeper, so there was no flat ground.

The rest of Willow shows signs of extreme growth and age, as if decades, not weeks, have passed. Epiphany and Tides suffer major flood damage, and Exile is entirely soggy and saturated with a sense of sorrow. Avalanche debris covers Wintermute, and the mountains aren't in the same place. Cruel Summer is even dryer, cracked, and in part of it littered with exploded, partially melted robot parts. Never Fade may be the best off; the ground has leveled off, and only the unsecured outdoor items have crashed around or dropped off the island. In general, all regions show signs of warping.

Talaria has been outright knocked down (once again) and will need to be rebuilt (once again). The contents of Talarian homes have been thriftily saved by Thirteen (yet again). They'll be back as soon as the homes are ready to be redecorated! There's also a new elevator connecting Tides to a platform in the ocean at surface level, making it a little bit easier to get in or out of the neighborhood. Fly, swim, or use a boat from Nereid marina to reach it.

Many of the buildings throughout Folkmore, businesses and residences alike, have been damaged, some past the point of habitability. For better or worse, some residences will wait unclaimed, as their resident spirits have not returned from wherever they went while gone from Folkmore. Newly arriving Star Children (or those interested in relocating) just might find those residences awfully appealing. As with all unoccupied homes in Folkmore, they're free real estate.

Each neighborhood has a new (and structurally-sound) building near its center: a hospitality station of sorts, stocked with basic foods (to suit a variety of dietary needs, relevant to the known local residents), clean water, personal protective equipment, basic tool kits, fresh clothing, and clean linens. For those ill equipped to cook for themselves for whatever reason, there's also a canteen/soup kitchen area. The canteen tends to collect idle spirits and Star Children who might be willing to assist with any cleanup tasks too big or too complex for one person to tackle on their own.

Working with the neighbors has an additional benefit, of course: sooner or later, whether while helping clear the train tracks or fixing up someone's home or business (including a Star Child's own), shifting the debris will reveal a weathered container of some sort, locked up tight, that will only fall open at a touch if and when the right Star Child finds it. There is only one chest per Star Child. Inside, is an item from home, either that of the resident whose house/business it's found in or the one keyed to the lock. It may even be a magical item or weapon.

There's some good news as well, in the midst of all the chaos: most Star Children will find that their homes are wholly unharmed; their pets, companions, Pokémon, etc. are all hale and hearty, having spent the entire time cozily asleep in their boxfoxes — which can be reused if kept, and just as easily abandoned now that they've released their occupants.

• The moat is gone! Freeeeeedom!
• The train is not operating for one week until October 27th due to debris over the tracks.
• Every region of Folkmore shows scars from the past month's extreme disturbances. Things have not reverted to before.
• Most spirits have returned; some remain absent. Claim the free real estate, if quick or bold enough.
• Hospitality stations have appeared in each neighborhood stocked with food, water, clothing, and linens.
• The canteens serve as a social hub and place to ask for/volunteer assistance.
• One time only, cleaning up or moving debris will reveal a container holding an item from home: yours or the person's you're helping.
• Most Star Children's homes will be unharmed; any damage should match the region's damage flavor. The level of destruction is up to you.
• Creatures in boxfoxes are out, fine and dandy! Boxfoxes can be kept/used again.

Dream of the Blue Turtle . ★

Offshore near Agrona Academy, there's something new. Something bewildering, maybe. Something growing. There's also something swimming up to any Star Children near the coast: a very large sea turtle, not willing to come far ashore. She's singing and chirping to get attention, in case being big enough to have a six-foot-long shell isn't quite good enough for some reason. (Or the way she has a blue-green bioluminescent glow when underwater, as becomes quite visible around dusk.)

She's happy to explain that she needs a place to lay her eggs. She doesn't have eggs to lay, just yet, but she wants to have her place all ready anyway. To that end she's busily building a brand-new island not very far from shore. It's just over there, visible once she indicates it with a flipper, barely any higher than the waves cresting around it. Here's the sad part: while she's used a great deal of cleverness in building it, from rocks and sand and bits of broken reef, she's all out of construction materials that she can reach! So she needs help: more construction material for the island.

It seems she's got a very loose definition, though, so pretty much anything that can later be covered in sand or dirt is fair game. Lucky that she wants it now. There's a perfect place to dump all that debris in the ocean recycle all the debris, anything not structurally sound enough for a repair-in-place job. Bigger is probably better, too. Work together with other Star Children to haul up the big stuff. It brings more and more joy to her songs as she finds the exact place for each and every item, making her island grow bigger and bigger.

Anyone who actively participates will be rewarded five (5) spoons by the turtle directly, as a thank you for helping her to keep her eggs safe. (If anyone asks, she'll explain that it's the number of limbs she has, so she thought it was perfect!) In addition, she gives each person a smooth and shiny sea rock that fits in their palm perfectly! If the island gets big enough to be more than a sandbar, anyone who helped with the construction will find it far more welcoming than those who didn't. She isn't expecting to use anything but the beach.

• A large sea turtle—with a 6 foot in diameter shell and about 3 feet tall at the shoulder—starts building an island off Cruel Summer.
• She needs help getting more building supplies. Bring your debris, bigger the better, here!
• All Star Children who help will be rewarded five (5) spoons and a shiny and smooth rock from underwater that fits in their recipients' palms just so.
• Star Children who help find the island more welcoming than those who didn't.

Comments

Katie McCoy | Original | Myth

[hollystrike]

After the Storm

[Look, Katie barely needed convincing to follow a magic fox! New world? One that isn't slowly dissolving her, day by day? Bath is boring, guys. And boring is lethal. Honestly, Thirteen probably could have just opened a portal and go 'hey, jump through, it's a complete mystery' and she'd have done it.

She, uh. Isn't expecting this disaster zone of a place, though. Not that it disappoints her terribly, it just wasn't on the brochure, so to speak. But perhaps that's why she was invited. With ruined buildings and foundations shot through with cracks, Katie can find an immediate use for her own gifts, because a healing gift that be applied to objects is great. She can't work miracles, but if it's a crack in your wall or a few bricks/stones that can be slotted back into place or a broken fence, her hands can smooth over the damage and put it back together again.]

There. [She smiles cheerfully.] I take all payments in fish.

[You don't have to pay her at all! She's still gonna ask, the greedy ho.]

Dream of the Blue Turtle

[Using her glamour stores on home repair means helping out Miss Turtle the regular way, and Katie could spare a wish she'd come across the Turtle first, but too late now. She is more than happy to spend time hauling debris back and forth, and smiles cheerfully at anyone she crosses paths with doing the same. In fact, she'll fall in step and talk your ear off. Her eyes are a pale green and remarkably cat-like, and if you're perceptive you can probably see a vague hint of fang when she smiles. Perhaps she's a cat familiar.

For Katie, this is a test run: how do other people here seem to act? Most of them don't seem particularly dreary, so that's a good start.]

So are you newly borrowed or a long term resident? Please tell me you've been here for years.

Oh My God, There Is A Catbus

[THAT'S IT POST CANCELLED-- no, but once she actually catches sight of the catbus, Katie just drops everything and goes straight for it and can be found riding around in it with great glee. Apparently, that's all she's doing. (Look, she may be trying to talk to it when nobody's around, but who knows how successful that is?)

And once evening comes, there is no Katie visible. There is, however, a small black and white cat curled up on one of its seats, fast asleep. She hasn't found a place to live yet--too busy exploring. The cat bus will do just fine for a few nights.

(She doesn't bite or scratch. Promise.)]

after the storm

[steepwithdead]

[Caduceus is decent with his hands, and a lot of damage occurred in Willow, considering how everything had been aging, so that's where a lot of his work is being done. Call him biased, but he wants to fix his garden and his house. (Mostly so he can go back to That One Spell, since he'd been rudely interrupted.)

Katie's contribution nets her a kindly smile in return, as he sets another fence post into place.]

Oh, you know that one too? [It sort of looked like Mending, anyway. Close enough.] Thanks for the assist. I'm afraid I'm not a very good fisherman, though.

[hollystrike]

[If anyone she's met so far pings her as One Of Her Own, it's Caduceus. Only he's not quite right-- she thinks if he is of the fae, he's certainly not of hers. (Or perhaps merely before the pact was made...?) But mention of having the same sort of skill doesn't help either, and she grins a little.]

I suppose I must. It makes for a lot of cheating when it comes to home repairs. [Or, you know, uh. Buildings you accidentally knocked down, or--] And drat. Are you sure? You look like such an expert.

[steepwithdead]

[Fey to fey communication- well, okay, he's only fey-adjacent. Not enough to count, just enough to matter.]

Is it cheating to use the skills you have, regardless of their nature? [No judgment. He's gonna do it, too.] And yeah, sadly, the last time I tried fishing the old-fashioned way, I didn't yield much. Could try and see if the lore method works again, though.

[hollystrike]

Only to repairmen who have to do it the boring way. [In short, she is unrepentant. Their jobs are safe, she'd go nuts doing this as a day job. But just for fun and meeting people? Eh.]

Hmm. How much Lore does it take to catch a fish? Preferably already grilled, unless you're partial to the raw variety.

Oh My God, There is a Catbus

[goongal]

[After spending some time helping out with the efforts, she catches the bus in hopes of getting back to Cruel Summer and checking up on Agrona Academy and her dorm there. While she's used to all manner of unusual youkai by now, she does notice that the Catbus is probably the most precious form of travel she's come across! Still, she can't help but wonder when the Catbus will be reaching any of its destinations. So she addresses one joyful-looking bus rider. She looks like she might know something about how this feline runs!]

Excuse me! Do you happen to have the, ah, bus schedule?

[hollystrike]

[This is where Katie, a nice law-abiding citizen who rides buses politely, should clearly impart her superior knowledge of the last three hours of cat bus riding. She does favour Casey with an apologetic-yet-somehow-appreciative smile because babe, you rock some killer eyeliner.]

I did, but I'm afraid I was hungry. [Yup.] Were you after anywhere in particular? I might be able to remember.

[goongal]

Ah... [That explanation makes her pause for a moment. Desperate times call for desperate meals?]

Well I am heading for Cruel Summer! But if this place stops at Epiphany before that, then I may check out that place first!

what if there were two caseys on a catbus

[apuckalypse]

[Soooo usually he flies himself home when he's out and about, these days. It's faster and simpler and he does love flying. But it also takes energy, and focus, and after a long day of working (that follows a very long several weeks of working that follows a very long several weeks of trying not to die) Casey is very tired. Thus, when the catbus rolls into his vicinity before he can fly away, he basically goes "you know what, yeah" and climbs aboard. Home, Jeeves.

Oh, hey, there's a cat in the cat. Casey blinks sleepily at the occupied seat for a moment, debating (does he leave it alone? Does he pet? He very much wants to pet) then opts for the tried-and-true cat cafe method of plopping down on the surprisingly soft floor next to the cat, crossing his arms on the seat, and resting his head there, close but not touching. If cats want to be touched they make it known, right? If not, he'll just doze like this for a while. It's fine.]

Heck yeah

[hollystrike]

[The cat in question opens an eye at the presence flopping itself down next to her seat. Done in such a way that his interest in her is obvious! This person has been around cats before and potentially treats them pretty well, given how respectful he is of her space.

Off to a good start, then.

She stretches her little paws out with a wide yawn, then shuffles over a bit to gently bunt his forehead with hers before settling back down again. Sup, kid. You look and smell exhausted.]

[apuckalypse]

[O-oh... blessed by cat bunt. He smiles and shifts one hand over to brush through the fur of her head and neck, scritching gently.]

I thought all the cats were at the community center or something. Are you new, or a runaway?

[He's amused more than anything. Cats tend to do what they want, in his experience, so she could very well be either or neither.]

Oh My God, There Is A Catbus

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul was immensely fond of the catbus, given he had to ride it whenever he left Never Fade to interact with the rest of Folkmore since he didn't have wings of his own. Due to some shenanigans, he was under the belief that the catbus was a minor deity and powerful in his own right.

As he got onboard one day, he spotted the cat. With a grin that showed off a few sharp fangs, he made his way over to where it was at. Maul had an immense fondness for animals and tended to collect a menagerie of pets when left unchecked, much to the exasperation of his friends. He reached out a hand and pet the cat gently on the head.]

Hello there, little friend. Where did you come from?

[hollystrike]

[Oh my gosh, dude, you have a killer look. Katie approves. She leans into the petting, get behind that ear would you?

Not human, like a good portion of the population. She hasn't seen his like before; not possibly-fae like Caduceus, so a secret third thing. She'll have to ask him when she gets a chance.

For now, she's just gonna be affectionate and see what he does with that.]

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul was more than happy to pet the pretty kitty, rubbing right behind both her ears. He even stripped the glove off his scarred-up hand so he could feel the fur better.]

You know, the last cat I found showed up on my doorstep in the rain. I took him in immediately of course. I couldn’t leave him out there to get soaked by in the freezing water. And it turned out to be a droid in disguise! How very sly of him.

CAT ON THE CATBUS

[ruevealing]

[Considering that most feral owlbears might be eager to eat any cat they come across, Delloso de la Rue can not think of a cuter, more sweet companion. In fact, since their husband disappeared from Folkmore some months ago, they have been dreaming of picking up a cat for themself, just so their little cottage so far away from their family doesn't feel quite so lonely.

So finding a cat on the bus? It feels like fate!

Rue carefully settles by the cat, wanting nothing more than to pet her, but respecting her space instead.]

Pray, I hope you are having a lovely day, my friend.

[hollystrike]

[Katie doesn't open her eyes immediately, only really rousing from sleepytime when Rue settles down next to her. The words make her smile. So polite! This person clearly deserves to give her affection.

Then she peers up at the owlbear face with its sharp beak and blinks. There's no hissing, but a sudden kind of stillness, a very inquisitive look. Because my friend, you feel a little like one of her own.

Caduceus was a delight to meet. Rue seems lovely already, but she can't help but wonder if there's a fae court here and what they might happen to think of pooka who are not, uh, very courtly.

--But you know what, WHATEVER. That is not as important as soliciting pets right now. She can work it out as she goes, and this lovely polite owlbear's reaction makes her live dangerously.

So with a little trill of sleepiness, Katie just stretches and then, uh. Brazenly hops into Rue's lap. Hi. :D]

[ruevealing]

Oh! Hello!

[Though Rue has always had a way with some animals, they've rarely met a cat so immediately courageous enough to just leap into their lap! It absolutely tickles them!]

What a beautiful cat you are, hm? You have the most gorgeous coat!

[And since the cat made the first move, Rue is careful to run a single talon down her back, gently petting her. There's a strange little itch that Rue's grown unused to in this place compared to home, something that scratches beneath their feathers and runs up the back of their neck, but they can't quite put their talon on it yet. So for the moment, they'll just keep petting Katie, in soft, slow strokes.]

Where are you headed today, dear?

After the Storm;

[fire_starter]

*He has heard about people taking payments and trades in a lot of weird things, but fish? He is not sure if this is person specific or world specific. Either way he does not have any fish.*

Fish really? Is that like... Common payment here?

[hollystrike]

Oh, yes. It's a wise idea to have a barrel of fish ready for use, actually. Outside. Possibly salted.

[She is lying through her teeth. It's nothing personal! That's just, uh. How she is. But the smile she gives him is a cheerful one.]

Turtle Dreaming

[nativized]

[ Borrowed is an interesting way to put it. Lex pauses a moment, as he too was carrying some debris. It was a weird task, but it still made him feel... useful? Useful to do the labor. Even if it was a little boring and he wonders why magic from the Fox can't reset more of it.

Oh well, the turtle at least is more direct in the labor involved.

But as the other asks that (his eyes changing color to a shade of blue), ]

S'bout six months for me at this point.

[hollystrike]

[And thus she is immediately distracted because Katie isn't about to politely ignore that--]

Oh! You can change your eyes? Is that a magic trick?

[nativized]

If it was a trick, I think it'd be a lot more theatrical. It's... well, you heard about the roles here?

[ If she's asking, she must not know what Legends are. That would pair with her first question, right? ]

Blue Turtle

[getscooperation]

Not quite years, [ is the wry response, ] although some days it feels like it.

[ It's good to get out of that little camp. This sort of rebuilding is painfully familiar to Natasha -- one can't just walk away from a battleground with devastated civilians and keep calling oneself a hero, after all. Not that she really calls herself a hero, but she does believe in cleaning up her own messes. ]

You're a new arrival?

[ Weird that despite all the mess with the Lore, the new people seem to keep coming right on schedule. ]

[hollystrike]

Of a sort, I suppose. This is my second time here, though I wasn't here long the first time at all. [Just happily lying her ass off as per normal. This one's easier to maintain.]

The place certainly didn't look like this last time, though.

[getscooperation]

[ Well, Natasha has read every single network post back to the beginning, and never seen Katie before. That doesn't necessarily mean Katie's lying, but she does note it. ]

Yeah? What was different?