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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
Yes, let's see what is in there.
[As soon as she opened it, she said before raising an eyebrow or two.]
A fork? What does a fork have to do with this case?
[Not unless that cat happened to stab that person with a fork but...!]
no subject
…give me a moment. [His form ripples and a large dark blue wolf, too big to be a normal wolf shakes himself once. One eye is marked by a scar but they both have his familiar diamond shaped pupil.
He walks to the luggage and sticks his head into it and sniffs.] Smells like cake. Let’s check the rest of the car.
no subject
Even now, as she stared at Kaeya's new form, she didn't know how to feel. For one thing, it was certainly a break from the rules of Teyvat. This wasn't what she was used to. But on the other hand? It sure felt like she was in a fantasy land; it felt something like a stories she would read.]
First a fork and now a cake. I'm sorry, how does this all make sense?
[However, that certainly didn't stop her from stepping out of the room in search of this mysterious 'cake' that is somehow related to the plot.]
no subject
[It’s so outlandish.] A lot of them smell like cake.
no subject
[Silly? But then again, they were in a murder case that was supposed to be silly. At this point, she wondered if she should question it. Shaking her head, she just moved on forward.]
...Nevermind, let's suppose that they did. We could get some evidence of hair or other items. We can even find out what they like to eat, that would be enough for now.
no subject
He sniffs around the chairs and looks up at the luggage again.] Did you have a tea party?
[A squirrel spirit beckons for them to follow her into the next car. A booth by the window has plates arranged around a serving platter with a large cake and an arranged stack of cupcakes on it. There are all the signs of a party has taken place, but they look quite recent.
To the trained eye they set it up as Kaeya brought it up. Some of the treats are still warm.]
no subject
Looking at the squirrel and then back at Kaeya, she examined the treats. She didn't need to feel it, she got close to them to see that they were recently baked.]
...Get ready, Kaeya. If they're still warm, they might still be nearby.
[Nevermind that her tone sounds like they were getting ready for battle.] They might be hiding close by and couldn't have gotten very far.
[She said before getting up and looking at the nearby area.] If we run, we can probably catch them.
no subject
His ears swivel and abruptly face forward.] Someone is taking to their heels.
[He darts ahead, shoving his fuzzy body against the ajar car door and opens the gap wide enough Jean could sprint on through. The culprit taking to their heels is the cat. Just like the animal spirits have been doing she is running upright, clutching something in her paw.]
no subject
Pointing to the cat, she immediately ran after them.]
Let's go, Kaeya!
[Looking at what was in their hand, she just had to run faster. The sooner they were done, the faster they can solve this case and stop the train!]
no subject
He gets ahead of the cat and lands before the far car door as he changes again into his wolf shape. The cat is cut off and Jean is free to catch them and find the supposed murder weapon in their paw.]
no subject
Surrender, murder, you can't escape. Hand over the weapon or face the wrath from the both of us.
[She would like to say the knights but...that didn't really matter here now did it?
no subject
It is handed over and the rest of the spirits flow in, popping party poppers. A great clap goes up and Kaeya fights himself with a wag of his tail.] Not bad. However, next time let me direct you. I can teach you how to really act.
[The train slows to a stop. The fun is over. But the spirits shuffle close to Jean and offer her a basket with a picnic lunch packed inside.]
Sorry for the late! School/Work has been killing me!
...I agree. I think it would add more to the drama.
[She might as well go along with this, right? Now that this was over, she might as well comment on it.]
No worries! Work has been doing the same to me.
It looks like we were let out near Lapine. It's a bit of a trek. [Perfect for a long talk.]
And here I am, late with starbucks
You make it sound like it's a challenge for me. I think I can handle it. Can you?
Welcome back!
[His smile fades a bit as he adds,] And I have a rather long over due report to give. If you don't mind it being verbal.
Life keeps killing me!!
[With that, she cleared her throat before attempting to put on her commanding voice. Again, she was nowhere near Mondstadt but old habits die hard.]
Cavalry Captain Kaeya, what do you have to report?
Life so be very on fire right now
I’ve determined they and the faucets of their being are not actively malicious. However, that is not to say they don’t do harm by our standards. Death is temporary here, further backing evidence that life itself is seen quite differently by them and theirs. To further back my theory, they seem to see into all realities and timelines.
I experienced a similar vision during one trial. The memories of that experience led to the formation of that theory. Power is lent to us in the form of roles. How we react to our world and how we move towards our goals seems to determine which role we get.
Regardless of what strength they possess they do not control or intervene with beings like this. This can lead to terrible tragedies that affect us greatly. [His voice falters for a moment. He pushes on, like he did when he gave a report of the scene of another tragedy, years ago.]
Trials are a means of measuring potential according to them. They can be as simple as a new roommate to getting an up close look at a possible future we should seek to avoid.
Several people, gods included have come from our world and gone again. Master Diluc is on his third time here. Each time he has forgotten. I’ve seen you once before. Albedo, the archons of wind and earth have recently left. As has the traveling wanderer Dainsleif.
But people have all realities come and go here. …except me. I’ve been here for some time.