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

[hollystrike]

[Katie is already pretty rugged up for the cold and has (secret) fur besides, so she offers a tiny shrug.]

If I find it too cold, I'll just leave. Or hide under all that hair of yours as a cat.

[tsunergy]

[His brows quirk, clearly not expecting that particular addendum.]

As a cat?

[Hi he hasn't experienced the familiar aspect of this world yet. Despite being one.]

[hollystrike]

The perks of living in Folkmore. A good half of us can suddenly turn into animals, apparently. [She grins cheerfully.]

Did Thirteen tell you what you are? Legend, Myth, Familiar?

[tsunergy]

[He pauses; actually, that does sound, er, familiar.]

I think she mentioned Familiar. For some reason I wasn't able to ask her for more details... strange.

[And he isn't normally one to hold his tongue, either.]

[hollystrike]

[Oh, excellent.]

Have you tried changing into your favourite animal lately?

[tsunergy]

[wat.]

I'm not sure I even have one.

[In other words, no he has not.]

[hollystrike]

Really? That's a shame. Everyone should have a favourite animal.

[She is shocked and appalled! ...okay no, she just feels a little sorry for him.]

May I recommend cats? The opposite to dogs.

[tsunergy]

That would be way more ideal than a dog, yeah. How does somebody change into a cat, anyway? Do they just wish really hard for it?

[The idea sounds absurd, frankly. He's a seraph! His self-image as a seraph - a human-shaped one at that - is very strong, he can't just suddenly become a cat seraph. Although Morgrim would laugh at him, surely.]

[hollystrike]

You know what, I'm not sure. I just magically turned into a cat one day. Maybe if you think cat thoughts?

[Look, him being a cat would make him twice as adorable, she's hoping.]

lmao i flipped a coin

[tsunergy]

[Well, alright. He will... try to think cat thoughts. (What in the world are cat thoughts? He knows very little about cats.) He tries to think about Morgrim, then. Fat and fluffy (sorry, pleasantly plump), even-tempered, ancient and intelligent... wait, those aren't cat thoughts, those are just Morgrim traits. Uh. ...Mice and birds are... tasty? Sleeping a lot sounds nice... quickly running out of cat thoughts...

...yeah he's also not changing into anything.]

What are some cat thoughts?

[hollystrike]

Well, you're already halfway there with an aversion to dogs. Think small, dainty, you're the queen of the world and everyone should know it, and you like to think you have great dignity but the whole licking your own bottom with one foot stuck in the air tends to put a crimp in that image.

Oh, and you really like string and laser pointers.

[tsunergy]

[Okay, that does manage to make him smile a little more broadly. It all sounds very silly, and the mental image...]

I don't even know what laser pointers are. [What are lasers!!] I suppose those are good enough guidelines to give it an honest try, though.

[Round 2, then! He still feels absurd, but he tries once more, thinking her recommended Cat Thoughts.

...Still no change.]

I... don't think I'm meant to be a cat, sorry. Cats don't like water, do they?

[hollystrike]

Some do. About half and half, but the ones that don't absolutely make up for it with sheer loathing. Should I take it you're a lover of water?

[I mean it's not a deal breaker. She loves water as long as it's not a river.]

[tsunergy]

More like I am water, in a sense. [He lifts a hand, briefly manifesting a handful of droplets that drift between his fingers.] Seraphim are elemental spirits like I said, and mine is water.

[hollystrike]

[The droplets get an absolutely delighted look.]

Can you turn into a puddle? Or drown someone? Do you need to be wary of fire?

[tsunergy]

[Puddle... there's one he hasn't heard before.]

Let's see... no, but I can shift into a seraphic energy form if I want. Yes, but don't include me in any murder plots. And no, fire is a subordinate element to water, so I'd be stronger against it.

[hollystrike]

I wouldn't dream of including you in any murder plots. Murder is very unimaginative.

I'm restraining myself from making various steamy jokes, just so you know.

[tsunergy]

[He makes a face, torn between amusement and "uuugh".]

I can almost guarantee I've heard them all.

[Between Rose and Zaveid he's heard plenty of unsavory commentary.]

[hollystrike]

[And here she was just making a terrible pun. She grins.]

Then I shan't bore you. [And she tilts her head.]

...I think the train is slowing. Do you think we might finally be able to get off?

[tsunergy]

Hmm... [He glances out. It's true, the scenery is passing by more slowly than before, it seems.] I think so. And if it doesn't stop, we can always jump out the window. I can give us a safe landing.

[If she doesn't mind getting a little wet at least.]

[hollystrike]

[Coincidentally, so can she, but Katie is automatically curious what his safe landing entails.]

In that case, why wait? If we stop, more dogs might get on. [Let's take the fun way out, Mikleo!]

[tsunergy]

[He quirks a brow at her, then smiles faintly, amused.]

That's a very reckless suggestion.

[And then he goes to drag one of the train windows open, because it sure wasn't a no. Also he doesn't want more dogs. (If the window won't open, since trains are usually just Like That, his next step is the door at the back of the train car. yolo, as the kids say.)]

[hollystrike]

And yet you are recklessly taking me up on it. [The windows don't open, more's the pity. She'll cheerfully trip along behind him to the nearest door.] A lover of adventure or do you just dislike dogs more?

[tsunergy]

Both, obviously.

[And both conditions chronic, can't be helped. The wind immediately whips around him as soon as the door is opened, and one of the nearby spirits protests behind them, but he ignores them. Once Katie is out here with him, he hops to the very edge.]

Ready? Jump!

[Off he leaps! With a sweeping gesture a wave of flurries bursts out from his hand, gathering beneath them to carry them safely down into a thick pillow of freshly fallen snow, like a very snowy Feather Fall. He's come a long way from the clumsy water rescues he'd used on Sorey years ago. (One would hope so, with it being so long.)]

[hollystrike]

[She does indeed jump, offering a very non-apologetic wave to the spirits behind them. And lets out a high-pitched girlish shriek as they fall down, which is not at all frightened and instead more akin to a tiny child on a rollercoaster tbh. The fact she breaks into giggles when they land will make it clear. (And also hurt his ears less.)]

I think more people should get off trains the fun way. [Perhaps she'll encourage them one day.]