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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
She reached into her stocking, pulling the last knife she'd stolen and driving it into her thigh. It's not like the flower will let her bleed out, so this would at least buy her some time. "Blood is sound... sound is words... and words are power..." she mutters to herself before her song joins One's. The blood on the snow begins to travel toward Zero, forming the barrier around her to mimic One's with the barrier forming a spectral arm around where her gauntlet would've been, claws and all as Zero launches herself back at One, knife still lodged in her leg, lashing out at her sister like a feral animal.
no subject
She rose up, sword in one hand, the other clutching something. In it, her song started to form the familiar crimson aura. "Answer me, Zero: why did you think I dragged you out here in the first place!? COME FORTH, GABRIEL!"
She threw her arm up, the familiar magic flashing from the blood in her palm, all thanks to the cut her sister gave him. But just as the wind blew harsher than before, all Zero would find heading towards from the sky...
...was a snowball. A simple, bloody, snowball.
And closing in right now was a glowing One, the same energy of the song surrounding her. All the while, the sword that was her gift being brought up in her frenzied rush, intending to cut Zero's legs this time.
no subject
Sure her attacks bounced off of One's barrier, just as One's bounced off her own. That didn't stop Zero though. She was too far gone into her own rage, all that mattered was the face before her that she needed to maim, mangle, and destroy. The only thing that was going to stop her at this point was the adrenaline sparked from the knife in her leg wearing out, and her song petering out before One's. Because even in this frenzied state, her spite to not empower the flower was still overriding. Once the blood was no longer a strong enough source, the barrier would come down and her strength would fade. It was just a matter of time.
no subject
And her will was weakening.
Zero was truly embodying the monster One always saw her as, a feral animal that wouldn't let up, hounding it's target until it just couldn't run anymore. The mental fatigue, the stress on her body from the song and tumble, and even just her will was dropping. She wanted to hurt Zero, enjoyed it at first. But now? She hardly felt bad for her sister. But she was also feeling nothing, like there was no point. She said it herself. They did just want each other to feel pain.
And so she drew from the remnants of her anger, the only fuel she was allowed to have when everything was turning to shit. Her wobbly form straightened, more defiant as each memory flowed clearly into her:
The vision of Zero strangling Two as a child, just when the latter tried to offer pure, genuine love.
The vision of Gabriella arguing with One, wishing to turn herself into a daemon twice, all because of Zero.
The vision of One breaking down in a library, crying in solitude, when she realized there was no hope in saving the sisters the Flower damned. And realizing her life had no more value for the future to herself. A world without her family was one she no desire to live in after all.
And finally, the vision of Zero, of all people, receiving help to save the world. Of all the people, she was chosen, and One wasn't. She had been damned when trying to save the world however she could. And she was dumped into a trash can. For Zero.
Each vision intensified the anger, forcing One to keep glaring at the monster. Hatred was the only thing she could have? So be it. She'd embrace it. She'd hug it tightly until her body wore down and died on its own. Her song just kept growing, the barrier stronger and increasing in size. If she couldn't scream the words she wanted to hurl at Zero, let them be felt in what might have been her last song.
Let those flames be the fiercest they have ever been, until this storm snuffed them out.
CW: Blood and lots of it
Does a soul craving death really have the right to snuff out the flames of life clinging to kindling?
One would likely hear Zero's song fade before anything else as the crimson barrier dissipated as the spectral arm took a swing at One's face. Just in time for the sword in One's hand to find Zero's stomach, and cut a deep gash into it as Zero grabbed onto the front of One's blouse, hatred still burning in her eye, before crumpling to the ground in a crimson heap in the snow.
Of course she wasn't dead nor was she in any real danger of it, even given the storm raging around them. But all she knew at that moment was pain and exhaustion. After a long moment, she rolled over onto her back, eye gazing up into the blizzard vacantly, her eye moving from side to side for a moment as if searching for something overhead that just wasn't there, before turning her gaze toward One if she stuck around.
Cw: suicidal thoughts
It showed as much, with the look of pity One held towards Zero. Not that she would die though. The blade wasn't made from draconian materials. But the cycle would never cease at this rate. Body worn down, One found herself kneeling down, sword still ready. However, it was clear One was very, very tired to keep going.
"Would you like to know something funny, Zero?"
She gave a bitter smile, pained and unable to hold it back. This might be the one true conversation she would have with her sister. She had to make it count.
"Do you know why I wanted to try and save the world? Before I discovered the Flower was our enemy...it was because of you. Or rather, the life you once led before hunting us. I saw the pain, the blood, the villainy and assaults, all of the twisted injustice the world shoved onto you, and that you were but one of many suffering. That's why I sought out to kill the lords and reform this land."
Those memories were twisted admittedly. It was hard to tell what was true and what wasn't. But the pain and anger she saw in Zero's eyes, it had to stem from somewhere. Those memories had to be somewhat real.
"I know there is no happy ending for us. I tried my hardest and failed. So I..."
Eyes were shut, a truth she hated to admit. Partly for relying on her, and partly for her weakness. She soon spoke again, voice cracking as she began to yell, the last embers of anger igniting once more.
"I let you kill my sisters! Did you think I wanted to do it myself!? I clung onto the hope that I could fix this, because I was the only one that could! You shoved that responsibility onto me! You convinced Gabriella to transform! You and that stupid flower cost me a year I could have had with them!"
Even One knew all of it was her fault. But there was so much she held in, so much anger and bitterness that not even one single fight could truly do dispel them. And it was the one reason why she spoke the next words.
"Do you really think I had any desire to live once they were gone?"
Her voice sounded empty again, the last bit of anger gone, replaced with apathy. The weather, the fight, the years of fear, all of it had done the damage to wear One down at last.
"It's funny. Because had you at least tried to connect with us, with at least me...I would have gladly offered my head. Because like a child, I trusted you. And instead...this is us. I even believed that if I were to live in this world, maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to ask my sisters for forgiveness. But instead...you reminded me that it's all useless."
She rose back to her legs, one foot moving to stomp on the shoulder of Zero's one good arm. She didn't know how quickly her sister could heal, and didn't want to take the chance, not when she needed to make one more point clear. Yet even still, One’s confidence never returned.
"I will kill you eventually. I owe it to them, to the fox, to get rid of the flower eventually. Afterwards...who knows. I never thought about what life would hold for me next, and I doubt I ever will. So until then, Rose? This is goodbye."
She let go of her older sister, and began to walk off wordlessly into the blizzard. All until she paused, picking up another snowball, coated again in the blood from her hand that yet to heal. She tossed it into the air near Zero.
"One more thing, as they say...Merry Christmas."
The gift she gave soon turned into a snowman thanks to the magic of the realm, even decked out with a scarf and hat. But One would be long gone, lost to the storm she wandered into.
no subject
For minutes she just laid there, the snow slowly building up around her, the flower now the only thing keeping her going. She contemplated whether or not she should, but ultimately decided to use the freshly spilled blood from her gut as a conduit for one more spell. A simpler one. Just a spell that would carry her voice on the wind.
"One, just shut the fuck up and listen. I'm not asking for forgiveness, I don't want it. I don't claim to care about anything in this world, our world, or anyone else. But you deserve to know. If you know anything about my life as Rose, you know that pain and violence is all I know. Taking over the world was likely put into your head because of my selfishness. But that's also why I have to kill you."
"I know how this damn flower works better than any of you. You never had long. Not before it would twist you into something grotesque. You saw what was happening with Two, how she broke. She was the purest, the best of any of us... and she was the first the flower consumed. I should've started with her, should've saved her from turning into... that. If she hadn't died when she did, everything she - and you - worked for would've disappeared overnight. That's how this ends. But at least with Mikhail, I could preserve what you built in some form, even if neither of us were around to see it."
"Don't get me wrong, this isn't out of some sentimental bullshit wanting to save you from yourself. I genuinely hate you, just as you hate me. Just as I hate myself. So the last thing I'm going to say, is you're not allowed to die. Not until I kill you."
For those passing by where she laid, it was likely a fairly serene look now that her spell had ended. The snow had piled up around and on Zero to the point that once her spell faded, all that was above the surface of the snow was the flower itself, that and the snowman being the only things to indicate Zero's frigid shallow grave. She would eventually rise from it, but for now, she was content to simply embrace the numbing cold as her body slowly pulled itself back together. At least the flower hadn't seen fit to regenerate a whole new body, and spit it naked and covered in blood into the fresh snow.