December-January 2024-2025 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

December-January 2024-2025 TDM

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 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.

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.

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.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

Murder on the Folkmore Express . ★

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!

• 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!

The Gift Train . ★

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!

• 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.

Comments

Alexei Shostakov | MCU | Legend (new character)

[dadguardian]

[Arrival]

[Those taking the train today will likely take note of the enormous, shaggy man who appears on the floor in a burst of light. His outfit is bound to stand out, bright red and battle worn as it is. He's been through some Action just before coming to Folkmore, explosions and all, and it shows. If he were wearing his helmet, he'd probably look even stranger, but it's safely attached to his belt at the moment. As a Legend, he does have wings, but they're currently hidden.

His rise to his feet is more of a wild, clumsy scramble, eyes of all surrounding spirits on him. It doesn't even click in his head that there's animal people all around him- he's too busy trying to peek over them, his gaze sweeping along the other seats in the train.]

What is...? Yelena! Melina! Girls? [Oh yes, you heard that right, that is a very thick Russian accent on him. His eyes are also changing color to a darker blue- something that may be hard to spot. He turns to come face to face with a frog spirit, and that's when he finally takes note of the crowd, jaw dropping.] Whaaat...?

[The spirits spring into action. A blob spirit falls from their seat, oozing all over the floor, and a waist-high mouse in a dress comes running up to Alexei, begging for help in such a high-pitched voice that he can't even hear what she's saying. He throws both hands up in a gesture of 'keep your distance'.]

Oh no. No, I am not a fan of the mouse people. And I have somewhere else to be. I- [The mouse starts tugging at the leg of his pants.] What are you doing?

[Help him, he does not speak 'frantic squeak'.]


[Gift Train]

[Anyone who got Alexei for this challenge would've been presented with the following list:]

- Legend
- Russian
- Dadbod
- Strong Santa Claus vibes
- Prison tattoos
- Could use a good beard trim

[Which... You know. Fair. But Alexei's on his own hunt, and will approach anyone he meets (regardless of which section of Folkmore he's in) to get some advice. His Relic in hand, he'll tap a fellow Star Child's shoulder to ask:]

Excuse me? What is... "Tsundere"?


[Wildcard]

[Want something else? Freestyle it, or hit me up at Meowzy or the Discord server, or PM me. Alexei is fresh out of the Black Widow movie, at least until Thunderbolts* tells us more about what he did afterwards.]

Gift Train

[decohere]

[Ava doesn't do presents, and she certainly doesn't take orders from text messages. especially when there doesn't seem to be anything in it for her other than a waste of time.

not that she doesn't read it over anyway, memorizes the description of who her target is meant to be. Ava's quite good at hunting people down, if she cared to make any sort of effort. but instead she makes the long trek out to the nearest stores not for gift exchange pursuits, but to get some groceries and hopefully a book. for herself.

turns out her assignment finds her first, and Ava lets out a surprised sort of snarl when her shoulder gets tapped, flinching into intangibility as if anticipating further attack. she's turned to face him, stance defensive, the motion of doing so takes a second to actually catch up with her.] Why the f- [eyes narrowed sharply as she puts together all the details.] Ugh, you do need a beard trim.

[dadguardian]

[Much like Ava, Alexei isn't actually on this hunt to exchange gifts. He barely read that part of the message. He just got a list of traits on this little device and doesn't know what to make of them. Especially the slang traits. He's too out of touch with society to recognize some of these words.

As soon as he touches the stranger, she flinches and- disappears? Phases slightly to the side somehow? What? He's so confused, he doesn't think to withdraw his hand again, instead leaving it hanging where her shoulder was. Give him a second.]

What? I- [He blinks, then shakes off the confusion as her words finally sink in. That's when he stands up straight again, hand returning to his side.] I do not need trim! Comb, at most. Length is perfect. What were you doing there with the... fading away and coming back?

[decohere]

[you're sure as hell not going to get her admitting to knowing any weeb terms either, that's so embarrassing.

as is his hover hand. but fine, she gives him a second to recover because despite every inclination toward wanting to do so, she's trying not to cause fights with random strangers. back home she could at least assume by default she had the advantage in most random encounters, but here, she's far less certain.] List I received states otherwise, red scare Santa. [which ugh, is unfortunately admitting she has him assigned as a gift recipient. hopefully she can keep him distracted enough to prevent him from latching onto that inconvenient little detail.]

What I was doing was minding my own business. I don't like to be touched.

arrival

[getscooperation]

[ Oh no.

Oh no, she knows that voice.

Natasha is torn by an impulse to run toward and to run away. She doesn't bother wasting time hoping it's a mistake. She doesn't have that kind of luck.

(She remembers the horrible ripping grief of losing her family so soon after finding them again, and although there is a part of her that will never forgive Alexei for stopping her and turning Yelena (and her) back over to the Red Room... such things are complicated, and she also knows what it means to regret.)

She wants to see him, but she also knows that dealing with Alexei - (and oh God, Steve is here) - is going to be a... rare experience. But she can't just leave him to himself either.

She takes a bracing breath. And, without standing up, speaks from where she has been sitting, hidden behind the seat several booths away. ]

It's better just to go with it.

[ She stands up because that's better than him rushing over to find her and is hit with a sudden, unexpected surge of emotion. Her eyes shift to a dark blue. She's glad to see him. She smiles a little wryly, and he might notice that she looks considerably older than the last time they'd been together. The bottom of her hair is still dyed blonde. ]

This place has a way of being persuasive.

[dadguardian]

[For Alexei, barely any time has passed at all. He left with Yelena, Melina and the others, saw Natasha disappear from view... And then he awoke here, on a train, surrounded by animal people. An unexpected turn of events, to say the least. That's why, when he hears Natasha's voice from several booths down the train's aisle, the confusion hits all over again. He whirls in her direction, then takes a few large steps to get to her side, leaning forward to get a good look at her face. There's subtle little differences, but there's still no mistaking her.]

Natasha? I don't understand... Did we not just say farewell? What is... [He turns back towards the aisle, waving a hand at their surroundings.] What is this? I am having fever dream?

[getscooperation]

[ Well, that's a useful time stamp.

(At least he won't know about Vormir.)

She permits him to inspect her, not threatened by his closeness. ]

Time is more flexible than it seems. [ A bit wryly, then she shakes her head. ] This isn't a dream, Alexei. What's the last thing you remember? Anything about a fox?

[Arrival]

[white_widow]

Why are you yelling? [Obviously this is a much more important thing to address right away, never mind the fact that a moment ago she had neither been on a train nor with Alexei.

She similarly files away the fact that he looks strange, somehow, in a way hard to pinpoint, and the general crowd around them - maybe aliens? - when she stands up, blinking the rest of the spots out of her eyes from the flashes of light.

At least, she thought she was going to pretend like the scene she had found herself in was entirely normal, until the opportunity for indignation presents itself. Resisting the urge for a low stakes argument - or really any level of stakes - was decidedly not in her skillset.] Do not be mean to the mouse people, they did not do anything to you!

[dadguardian]

[As soon as Yelena calls out to him, and rises, he turns to face her. It's reassuring to see her, because it implies they weren't all separated somehow. She's safe, so Melina and the others are likely safe too. She looks different, though. New outfit. Possibly older? It leads to a confused squint on Alexei's face. And then she calls him out on the mouse thing, sending him straight into petulant defense.]

I am not being mean to the mouse people! I am saying I do not speak mouse! Is fact, not insult!

[white_widow]

That is not what you said! You said you do not like the mouse people, which is mean! Apologize.

[At least the arguing feels familiar, which balances out the strange of everything else about this a little bit, although the longer that she glares at him the stranger he looks. She tilts her head, her own expression shifting to confusion now.]

Why do you look weird?

gift train

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Steve turns around and should be instantly recognizable by Alexei.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be true in reverse. ]

I'm not sure, but it sounds Japanese. Anything else on your list?

[ He gives Alexei's a quick read-over. ]

Wait, I think I've got something for you.

[dadguardian]

[The man Alexei approached turns, and as soon as he gets a good look at his face, thoughts come to a screeching halt. And then they sputter haphazardly. Is that? ... Yes? But the beard- Well, why wouldn't Captain America grow a beard? Anyone can grow a beard. But if he's wrong-

He barely registers what Steve is saying to him, he's too busy trying to stop himself from making an assumption right off the bat. Then finally, he blurts out, in a loud tone of voice:]

You. You are Captain America?

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ See, the thing about being around Folkmore and having people from the multiverse come in and out is that he gets this reaction a lot. Way more than he did before, when people were too polite to just come out and say it. ]

Yes, yes I am.

[ A beat. ]

Do you have prison tattoos?

[Gift Train]

[serendipitously]

[ Really, Betsy's only in Willow to see if she can pick up some tea from the Market and maybe stop by the Prancing Pony for a drink. Best laid plans never go as one wishes them to in this place though. So, when she's stopped by a man that might pull of a decent Ded Moroz, she just sighs. Accepts her fate. It's easier that way.

Besides, she likes his accent. Even if his question gets an arching of her eyebrow. ]

Relic gift game I assume? [ Seems a fair guess. ] A Japanese term for someone with a personality that appears hostile but slowly reveals a warmer side.

[dadguardian]

['Relic gift game' is about as foreign a term to Alexei as 'tsundere', but it does confirm to him that this woman knows what she's talking about. He's chosen the right person to ask. He tries to log the information away, even if he's not sure how to use it. Is he supposed to be looking for someone from Japan, then...?]

Oh... Thank you. And... [He peers down at the list on his relic again, reading one of the other traits that he couldn't make sense of.] "Normie"?

[serendipitously]

Happy to help. [ and you know she means it. At least this isn't as awkward as some of the gift exchanges have been. ]

A boring person. [ She smiles, like it might be a tiny joke of some kind. It is to her! ] Someone normal, average, I'd probably also assume someone without powers. But that's just based on my world view.

[ most people with powers weren't considered normies. ]

gift train.

[haveaflare]

[ Dion would be lying if he tried to claim translating the list of clues was easy. Most of the phrases made no sense to him, but prison tattoos and a mangy beard could be the powerfully built man before him.

He looked down at the remaining gift he had, a plain and unadorned dagger he found in cruel summer during his exploration. Perhaps this rather roguish looking man will appreciate the gesture.

His stride is confident, which is aided by his shining armor, as he approaches. ]

Good day, sir. I believe our benefactor has sent me to find you. At least I hope it is you.

[dadguardian]

[Alexei's having some trouble deciphering portions of his list too. Most of it is self-explanatory, but occasionally he'll come across slang he doesn't recognize, or phrases that couldn't possibly be literal. "Is sometimes a dragon" has to be code for something, right?

At least the shiny armor is one of those things that's both self-explanatory and eye-catching. He's alert immediately, checking for other traits. 'Tall and blond', sure.]

Oh? You get list on your device as well?

[haveaflare]

[It most certainly isn't, Alexei, but he's also completely unaware Thirteen saw fit to describe him thus. Who would even know that here? Maybe she just thought it was something worth noting.

The tall, blond man in the shining armor nods, a slight smile flashing across his face for a moment.]

I did, and you are not the first. It would seem our benefactor would have us exchange gifts by way of introduction.

[Because he really doesn't have any idea it's a gift-giving season. He offers the unadorned dagger in a plain but well-crafted sheath. Hearing this man speak does offer the truth that he possesses an accent but "Russian" doesn't mean anything to the former Prince of a nation in a fantasy world.]

I hope both that this will suffice and also that you are whom I sought. My name is Dion. [He adds the last as an afterthought. It seems strange to bestow gifts on a stranger without also exchanging names.]

Arrival

[ihadstrings]

[The thing about Folkmore was that it got its share of pretty colorful characters on a regular basis. After spending the better part of a year here, Ultron had started to get used to it. But still he was unprepared for whoever it was he was facing at the moment. This guy was colorful in a literal sense given his costume.

Ignoring the mouse people for the moment, Ultron stared down at Alexi, his head tilted curiously to one side as he tried to figure out what this strange Russian man was all about. His voice, tinged with robotic reverb, sounded oddly human as well in its cadence.]

So who the hell are you supposed to be? Action Figure Santa Claus?

[dadguardian]

[Alexei knows of colorful characters, even if he hasn't come across too many of them before this unceremonious Folkmore arrival. By the time the Avengers first began to emerge from the woodworks in 2010 and onward, he was already firmly in prison. He tried to follow the news, of course, and Sokovia was a very big deal. Even so, he can't place Ultron. He just knows he's looking at a big metal man with very ominous eyes.

Mice, blobs and metal men. Why not?]

Santa Claus? You are very clearly American robot. And confused. I am Red Guardian.

[ihadstrings]

[Ultron sounded triumphant as he told the man:]

That sounds like just the sort of name a Russian Action Figure Santa Claus would have!

[Sorry, Alexei. Ultron was gonna be fixated on this idea for a while. Blame the fact he sometimes had the mind of a child that somehow also had once possessed the entire internet in his mind as well.]

Arrival

[londontimes]

[Though he had also been through a fair bit of action himself before the fox appeared, Clive is quite a contrast to Alexei when he arrives around the same time. He's dressed relatively nicely with a jacket and tie, though the outfit might be a tad immature for a man. He's also very calm, if not a bit emotionally drained.

This bizarre scene with the large man having trouble with a mouse definitely grabs his attention. He's not quite back to his full self just yet, but since he'd had a bit of time to recover during whatever that journey was, he can at least find it in him to speak up.]

I think it's trying to ask for your help.

[dadguardian]

[Alexei's so overwhelmed by the situation, and the squeaking in particular, that he doesn't notice the young man's approach until he speaks up. His gaze goes to Clive, then back to the mouse spirit, and then back to Clive again.]

Help with what?

[londontimes]

[Clive frowns and crosses his arms.]

How should I know? I can't speak to animals.

[The irony of this fact with who he's still dressed to pose as is not escaping him.]

But its body language alone is enough to tell that it wants you to follow it.