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December-January 2024-2025 Test Drive Meme
December-January 2024-2025 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: hysical Entrapment, Fictional Crimes, Forced Engagement
Winter has come to Folkmore in full force, and with it, the desire for most to get to their destinations as fast as possible. The cold is bitter, after all, and nips at bare skin in most of the realm's regions. The public transport system becomes a safe haven for all; a perfect way to take a break in comfortable warmth as both spirits and Star Children alike travel along stretches of land. From the Cat Bus to the trains, to the submarines that lead to Tides, to even the hot air balloons which provide a beautiful sightseeing tour before touching down on Never Fade… There are more than enough public vehicles to board.
And this is exactly where newly arrived Star Children will find themselves: aboard one of the bigger public transportation methods. With a flash of light visible to all, their landing in this new realm is made known to all other passengers.
Something funny is going on, that much becomes clear within several seconds. Perhaps a nearby cat spirit will keel over dramatically in the middle of the train's aisle, pretending to have died. Perhaps a frog spirit will let out a loud croaking wail, proclaiming their precious wedding ring has been stolen just now. Or perhaps a timid little mouse will come up to Star Children, prattling on about how worried they are for their missing spouse. They are all acting, as is evident from their lack of skill in that department. They relish the opportunity to spin their little tales, their characterization often broken by mischievous smiles or hasty snickers into the palm of their paws. Once the stage is set and the story is out into the world, the spirits will look towards the nearest Star Children with clasped hands and hopeful gazes. 'Will you solve the mystery?' they seem to ask. Sometimes they'll even voice the question aloud.
One thing is for certain: Star Children have found themselves in their very own locked room whodunnit setup!
The puzzling scenarios have a wide range of possibilities. Perhaps someone vanished, with the questions being whether they've hidden themselves somewhere in the vehicle and why. Or maybe a mysterious spirit suffers from a sudden bout of amnesia. Who are they, and how did they lose their memories in the first place? Was that person lying on the floor poisoned? If so, how? What makes these mysteries extra difficult to crack is the very magic coursing through Folkmore. That heap of ash under a seat may be evidence, burnt to a crisp with fire magic. The 'dead' body may have been moved from the original crime scene through teleportation. Or the missing ring may have been enchanted to return to its original owner, which leads to the shocking reveal that the one reporting the crime was a thief all along. All cases range in difficulty level.
There is a catch. The transport will not stop until the conundrum is brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The train will pass by stations, the Cat Bus will keep sprinting, submarines will circle Tides indefinitely… And the doors will remain locked, with even teleportation powers null and void. Star Children cannot disembark until the mystery is solved. Better work together to find those clues!
Winter has come to Folkmore in full force, and with it, the desire for most to get to their destinations as fast as possible. The cold is bitter, after all, and nips at bare skin in most of the realm's regions. The public transport system becomes a safe haven for all; a perfect way to take a break in comfortable warmth as both spirits and Star Children alike travel along stretches of land. From the Cat Bus to the trains, to the submarines that lead to Tides, to even the hot air balloons which provide a beautiful sightseeing tour before touching down on Never Fade… There are more than enough public vehicles to board.
And this is exactly where newly arrived Star Children will find themselves: aboard one of the bigger public transportation methods. With a flash of light visible to all, their landing in this new realm is made known to all other passengers.
Something funny is going on, that much becomes clear within several seconds. Perhaps a nearby cat spirit will keel over dramatically in the middle of the train's aisle, pretending to have died. Perhaps a frog spirit will let out a loud croaking wail, proclaiming their precious wedding ring has been stolen just now. Or perhaps a timid little mouse will come up to Star Children, prattling on about how worried they are for their missing spouse. They are all acting, as is evident from their lack of skill in that department. They relish the opportunity to spin their little tales, their characterization often broken by mischievous smiles or hasty snickers into the palm of their paws. Once the stage is set and the story is out into the world, the spirits will look towards the nearest Star Children with clasped hands and hopeful gazes. 'Will you solve the mystery?' they seem to ask. Sometimes they'll even voice the question aloud.
One thing is for certain: Star Children have found themselves in their very own locked room whodunnit setup!
The puzzling scenarios have a wide range of possibilities. Perhaps someone vanished, with the questions being whether they've hidden themselves somewhere in the vehicle and why. Or maybe a mysterious spirit suffers from a sudden bout of amnesia. Who are they, and how did they lose their memories in the first place? Was that person lying on the floor poisoned? If so, how? What makes these mysteries extra difficult to crack is the very magic coursing through Folkmore. That heap of ash under a seat may be evidence, burnt to a crisp with fire magic. The 'dead' body may have been moved from the original crime scene through teleportation. Or the missing ring may have been enchanted to return to its original owner, which leads to the shocking reveal that the one reporting the crime was a thief all along. All cases range in difficulty level.
There is a catch. The transport will not stop until the conundrum is brought to a satisfactory conclusion. The train will pass by stations, the Cat Bus will keep sprinting, submarines will circle Tides indefinitely… And the doors will remain locked, with even teleportation powers null and void. Star Children cannot disembark until the mystery is solved. Better work together to find those clues!
- New Star Children arrive in one of Folkmore's public transport vehicles.
- Spirits will re-enact locked room mysteries for Star Children to solve.
- Cases range from murder mysteries to missing persons, to simple theft.
- The vehicle will not stop until the mystery is resolved!
Content Warnings: Potential Information Reveal, Item Alteration
A cheerful ding rings out from each Star Child's Relic. It's a modest grab for their attention, a sign that something lies in wait. Checking out the origin, the recipients will find that they've received a message from Jewelia, one of Thirteen's aspects. It reads as follows: "It is a time for giving and a time for sharing. A time for friendship and a time for caring. Seek out this Star Child, and exchange with them a modest gift. Should you succeed and make the trade, then watch it shift."
What follows is not a name, but a list with facts. For example, a certain Star Child's role, which region they currently live in, what color their hair is, who their best friend is… It's all trivial data which, when put together, should point the seeking Star Child towards one particular individual. That's only the first part of the challenge, of course! Should they take the next step, they must give whoever they hunted down a gift. This can range from a batch of homemade cookies to a knitted sweater, to even a neat rock they found! It doesn't matter how big or small the gift is, whether it was bought or made… The present needs to be exchanged for something else.
As soon as the objects pass hands, they will evolve. They become nicer, or bigger, or tastier. The neat rock now shimmers like it's covered in eternal glitter. The knitted sweater now has a knitted hood to pull up over one's head. The cookies may take on a cutesy shape, or become more filling, with even a single bite enough to sate for a whole evening. The plain knife found in Folkmore becomes an engraved sword. This is the true power of sharing, and of paying good will forward.
Once an exchange is complete, each Star Child’s Relic will ding another time. A new list of facts appears, and they can repeat the process again. They have the option to give a new gift to their next match, or they can re-gift the item they were just given. There's no limitations to how much a single gift can upgrade, though objects will never become enchanted. They simply become nicer.
There's one more twist to this assignment: after three successful gift exchanges, the Relic plays an additional, cheerful little chime. A little victory note, almost. When the Star Child returns to their home afterwards, they'll find a small package waiting for them on their pillow (or whatever's close enough to a bed if they don't have one). Inside is a small item from their home world. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Just another reward for rising to the challenge!
A cheerful ding rings out from each Star Child's Relic. It's a modest grab for their attention, a sign that something lies in wait. Checking out the origin, the recipients will find that they've received a message from Jewelia, one of Thirteen's aspects. It reads as follows: "It is a time for giving and a time for sharing. A time for friendship and a time for caring. Seek out this Star Child, and exchange with them a modest gift. Should you succeed and make the trade, then watch it shift."
What follows is not a name, but a list with facts. For example, a certain Star Child's role, which region they currently live in, what color their hair is, who their best friend is… It's all trivial data which, when put together, should point the seeking Star Child towards one particular individual. That's only the first part of the challenge, of course! Should they take the next step, they must give whoever they hunted down a gift. This can range from a batch of homemade cookies to a knitted sweater, to even a neat rock they found! It doesn't matter how big or small the gift is, whether it was bought or made… The present needs to be exchanged for something else.
As soon as the objects pass hands, they will evolve. They become nicer, or bigger, or tastier. The neat rock now shimmers like it's covered in eternal glitter. The knitted sweater now has a knitted hood to pull up over one's head. The cookies may take on a cutesy shape, or become more filling, with even a single bite enough to sate for a whole evening. The plain knife found in Folkmore becomes an engraved sword. This is the true power of sharing, and of paying good will forward.
Once an exchange is complete, each Star Child’s Relic will ding another time. A new list of facts appears, and they can repeat the process again. They have the option to give a new gift to their next match, or they can re-gift the item they were just given. There's no limitations to how much a single gift can upgrade, though objects will never become enchanted. They simply become nicer.
There's one more twist to this assignment: after three successful gift exchanges, the Relic plays an additional, cheerful little chime. A little victory note, almost. When the Star Child returns to their home afterwards, they'll find a small package waiting for them on their pillow (or whatever's close enough to a bed if they don't have one). Inside is a small item from their home world. It may even be a weapon or magical item. Just another reward for rising to the challenge!
- Star Children receive a message on their Relic: a list of facts leading them to another Star Child.
- When they find this Star Child and exchange a small gift with them, the gift will evolve into something nicer.
- If a Star Child succeeds in three successful exchanges, they will find a small item from home waiting for them in their home, atop their pillow.
no subject
Now how did that get there...?
Well, the truth is, Ammy used her tail to draw the knife on the ground as a proposed weapon of choice. But not everyone is able to see the Celestial Brush as it does its work.
no subject
She looks over toward the dog and sees the drawing of a knife. Other than a sense of movement before, Mel didn't see it get drawn. A quick glance around reveals that no one seems to have come closer from the circle of onlookers to her and the dog. Either someone made another quick movement, it's magic, or... it's the dog? All three could go together. Regardless of how it happened, Mel nods. "A small knife could make sense. This side was facing the aisle, so we know their seatmate likely didn't do it."
She's not an enforcer, and physically searching everyone could work in a normal stabbing situation. However, since this "murder" might have been mimed, a search might not work. Nor is it one that everyone might enjoy going along with. This is more a game of wits than physical brute force. "Could the people sitting across and in the row before and after the cat please step forward?"
Those are the most likely suspects.
no subject
Ammy wags her tail lightly as they comply with Mel's request, looking up at her expectantly for what their next steps should be in this situation. She looks at the spirits as they arrange themselves as well, of course. But she's new to this game! Better to let the expert take the lead.
no subject
With a small nod to them and to her companion, Mel starts with the anxious ones—in case they are anxious for being on the stage. It's probably better to let anxious suspects sit, but Mel doesn't want anyone truly uncomfortable to have to stay longer than they must. Before she starts, however, she pets the dog further, and uses that chance to whisper (stage whisper), "You have a keener nose than I. Please stay alert to any signs someone is being dishonest."
Then her attention turns to the spirits. "Please tell me your name, who you were traveling with today, where you were seated, and what you know about our victim. It's okay to be nervous. I understand it might be the first dead body you've seen."
Mel's warm and generous, and she only interrupts to help them along, to gather some more details. The first anxious spirit, a vole, recites information without much tone and sighs in relief when they get it all out (correctly Mel assumes). Nothing terribly suspicious, so Mel asks them to take a step back as she carries on. So it goes until the curmudgeonly one who either doesn't really want to participate or is doing a good job of playing uncooperative.
Mel glances toward the dog she's with for her thoughts. She's pretty sure it's the latter, but again, the cues could get mixed up.
no subject
Unfortunately, this is looking more and more to be a matter of a logic puzzle and that is far from Ammy's forte. She's good at some puzzles, of course! She wouldn't have been able to come as far as she could if she was incapable of solving a riddle or two, but those were puzzles that usually meant she needed to push a button or pull a lever. Not try to deduce who might have had a reason to harm the cat spirit!
no subject
One of the calm ones, who spoke with ease, who spoke like it had nothing (NOTHING dare say) to do with them while giving Mel meaningful looks, seems the most suspect. The mouse spirit claimed not to know the cat, but she sat right behind her and clearly means to have something up with her. Mel calls forward the mouse's traveling companion, a small dog spirit.
"I trust you to be honest with me," Mel says, "Do you or your friend know the deceased cat spirit?"
The dog hangs his head and nods. He acts so sad and distressed, while his tail wags back and forth happily. Mel knows she's on the right track.
"How do you two know the cat?"
"We're neighbors, woof. Ms. Dot, the cat, chases Ms. Stiltonhouse every time she goes to harvest cheese." The dog pauses and leans in. "The fear alters the cheese's taste, so she says."
Mel nods solemnly. "Thank you."
Ms. Stiltonhouse, meanwhile, makes a break toward the door at the end of the traincar. "Justified! It's justified! For the cheeeeeeeeese!"
no subject
No escaping justice today, Ms. Stiltonhouse!
no subject
The wind disappears, and Mel settles back down. Ms. Dot immediately lets go and returns to her pose as a dead body. The other two take longer, so Mel doesn't rise to her feet, not immediately.
"Good work, partner," Mel says. She doesn't know her dog partner's name. "Ms. Stiltonhouse, if you still have the murder weapon, I would appreciate handing it over without threatening my partner or anyone else."
Her hand is raised, ready to surround the mouse spirit in a gold ball of light to protect everyone else if need be, even if a threat is only an act. The mouse only points toward the luggage rack, where a sharp paring knife has wobbled loose from between two bags, likely the result of the wind. Mel lets the prairie dog stay latched onto her arm, it was nervous the whole time, and reaches up to take it.
"Thank you. I am glad to say we solved this mystery. We'll have to arrange further conversation between Ms. Dot and Ms. Stiltonhouse when Ms. Dot revives so that we can avoid any further painful disagreement."
no subject
Well, it wasn't a terribly long game, but it was fun!
She lowers herself a little to let Ms. Stiltonhouse hop down from her back now that she's not under citizen's arrest like that anymore, wagging her tail in a happy, friendly manner. Ammy sits down near to Mel and looks up at her expectantly.
no subject
Mel meets her companion's gaze, and she's not entirely sure what the wolf who is a bit more than a wolf, if that wind and drawing are anything to go by, expects. Some things are simple and easy to follow through on, however. "You were great," Mel says and gives some scritches behind the ear. It seems like those were appreciated from Ms. Stiltonhouse. "Thank you for working with me."
She pauses. "Are you new here? I've been here some time, and I don't believe I've seen you around."
no subject
Mel's question doesn't get any answer either. Not that Ammy really could answer her so directly, but she's immediately distracted. The train comes to a halt as it reaches its next stop and Ammy lurches in a similar direction before righting herself. The doors open and Ammy can't help but crane herself around Mel to watch. Truly, this is quite the strange form of transportation!
no subject
The train doors open, and many people's attention goes to it. Mel frowns slightly as she recognizes the station after the one she meant to go to. Did the train skip two stops? The best thing she can do is get off the train and catch one in the opposite direction or accept this change to her day. Mel stands and motions toward the open doors to her new friend. She leads the way off and into the brisk winter air.
no subject
Fascination with the train aside though, if Mel is continuing on her way in some odd direction, Ammy is quick to catch up. So much so that she actually ducks beneath Mel to roll her onto Ammy's back. One wouldn't likely assume a dog or wolf of her size would be able to so comfortably carry a full-grown human, but it's really nothing to Ammy to give a pretty lady a lift! She does looks back at Mel over her shoulder expectantly though in being told where to go.
no subject
She moves toward the exit, whether to find another platform or to show her friend around the direction is the same. They may not be able to talk, but Mel will do her best. It takes her by surprise when the peculiar dog, she still has that feeling, sweeps her off her feet. It's no threat—her armor didn't activate—so she only flails a moment as she regains her sense of balance and rests her hands against the canine's back. Mel trusts the dog to know better what she can handle.
Mel points ahead toward a door to the rest of the station proper. It's a small station in Mel's opinion, yet it is beautiful and artistic all the same. "Everything is that direction, whether you would like to see Folkmore here or another part of it. Even perhaps ride the train again."
She pays attention for however an answer gets communicated.