June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

June-July 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]

Pirates of the Loreibbean . ★

Content Warnings:

Old wood creaks and groans, barely audible over a howl of wind. Wet droplets of rain hit faces and soak into clothing. Clouds overhead are a murky gray, blocking out the sun. Though summer weather is often somewhat temperamental, a true storm has now hit. Both newly arrived Star Children and veterans may find themselves in the midst of this situation quite abruptly, standing on the unsteady deck of an old, grand ship. Those who run to the nearest rail and peer overboard may be shocked to discover a stark absence of water below. Instead, the view just goes down… and down… The land of Folkmore lies far below, as this ship is flying through the storm, its sails struggling to hold under the force of whipping winds. There is no captain, there is no helmsman- there is no crew at all to be found, only fellow Star Children. And yet… the ship is still moving full speed ahead through the storm, as if it has a destination in mind.

A resounding boom echoes, and those with a keen gaze may just spot something whizzing past, missing the ship by a hair. Was that… a cannonball?

Just like that, a second vessel weaves its way out of a deck of gray clouds, pulling up side by side to the ship the Star Children are on. Lightning flashes, illuminating a whole bunch of sneers across the way, along with some eye patches, bandanas and goggles. Sky pirates are attacking! It's clear from their animalistic features that they're local spirits, but they're hardly as benevolent as those typically seen in Folkmore.

Ready yourselves, Star Children!

Those who wish to return fire will find several cannons lined along the ship's deck, ready to be used. These don't work just like any old artillery, though. In place of those unwieldy metal balls, one must load magic into these cannons. Lore, to be precise! It even says so on a small metal plaque, attached near the firing mechanism: "Connection is one's true ammunition." Find a fellow Star Child and start chatting! The more meaningful the conversation, the grander the magic ball one may blast at the pirates with the cannons.

Unfortunately, the cannons alone are not enough to fight off the pirates, as several of them swing their way aboard with ropes. (Or just fly, if they're bird spirits.) Star Children can head down into the armory below deck to grab a weapon. Yes, even weapons from home (or items that can be improvised weapons) are available, and may be kept after the fight is over. Star Children capable of flight may even be daring enough to make their way to the enemy's ship and deal some real damage over there.

The ship continues to shake and creak and bob in the storm, which may complicate the fight, but not all is lost. There, in the distance, up ahead… A beacon of light flickers, struggling to be seen through the thick clouds. What is that?

• Star Children (new and old) find themselves aboard a grand wooden ship, flying through a storm. Yes, literally flying!
• Sky pirates attack! They're just the local spirits, but a rowdy bunch nonetheless.
• Use conversation to load up a cannon with Lore energy, then blast it at the pirate ship.
• Alternatively, grab a weapon (possibly from home) from your ship's armory and start swashbuckling.
• Star Children can keep one (1) weapon/item from home and other basic weapons.

So Said the Lighthouse Keeper. ★

Content Warnings:

Other Star Children, both new and old, may find themselves drawn to the floating island of Never Fade. Up here, in the clouds, the storm rages just as fierce, and the native spirits all share the same worry: the lighthouse is broken. Indeed, up on the highest hill of Never Fade stands a towering white spire, its beacon dimmed. 'A ship is coming in at any moment', the spirits all whisper. 'And there's reports of pirates in the area, too. What will we do?'

The goats which are quite common in Never Fade join forces to guide Star Children up the hill towards the lighthouse. And if not guiding, then dragging, chompers clenched around the fabric of sleeves or pant legs as they pull. The rain does not slow, but the wind thankfully blows uphill. Best to just go along with it, so you can go take shelter from the storm inside the enormous spire building, because the goats won't leave you alone otherwise.

Just outside the lighthouse stands a very curious cat. It's so large, it's almost the size of a pony, and its fur is black. No, white. … No, it's black, isn't it? (It really depends on what mood it's in.) Karma the cat peers up at any approaching Star Children with knowing eyes. It dashes inside the lighthouse for a second, then reappears with an envelope in its mouth, holding it out for the newcomer to take. Careful- the paper might get wet in the rain! Come stand under the awning or inside the house as you read:

"The lighthouse keeper is on vacation. Please help! The beacon needs to be charged. We need positive energy to power the light, and negative energy to rotate the lens. Be nice or be mean, both are good! :)"

Are you up for the task, Star Children? Then stay in the lighthouse's near vicinity, or go right on up to the beacon, and do as Karma asked: Either compliment your fellows, or insult them. Share fond memories with one another, or commiserate on how terrible this situation is. Both pleasant conversation and nasty confrontation will do the job. Before long, the light springs to life and the great glass lens begins to rotate around it, a majestic beam of light revolving outward from the spire, piercing the dark clouds.

Those who wait around will see it: that great big wooden ship which comes flying towards Never Fade's docks to make port there. … Is that a hole in its side? And a cutlass sticking out of the mast? Confusion may make way for relief, as all the Star Children aboard disembark, surely bursting with a great tale to tell. Elated spirits bring out the hot soup, bread and all other hearty comfort foods to celebrate the successful arrival. Time to celebrate! Or raid the armory for a free weapon from home, if you haven't gotten one yet- with an emphasis on one, because Karma the cat will attack anyone who got greedy, be it now or during the earlier voyage.

• Star Children who weren't taken to the ship may instead have been drawn to Never Fade, where the storm rages just as fiercely.
• Goats guide Star Children towards the lighthouse, which is broken. Karma the cat awaits them there.
• In order to get the lighthouse beacon working again, it must be charged with both positive and negative energy. Engage in either pleasant or hostile conversation with a fellow Star Child to help out!
• Once the lighthouse is up and running, the ship from the first prompt will dock at Never Fade, uniting all the Star Children for a great celebration.
• The ship's armory is still available for a free weapon (possibly from home), but anyone who got greedy and tried to take more than one will be confronted by Karma. Literally. (And lose the additional items).

Comments

whoo hoo!!

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter's pretty exhausted himself - months of soft living have gotten him a little out of shape, okay - but he's relatively uninjured, save for one shallow cut on his arm oozing a weird, pinkish sap blood. ]

I think - I think we got them? Yeah?

[grabaslice]

We got 'em. We cleaned up. [He is just going to motion for Hunter to come over and sit down.] You hurt anywhere else?

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter obediently wanders over. SO relieved he didn't get Casey's sensei killed. ]

Huh? I'm not -

[ He glances down at his arm. ]

Oh. Uh. I guess I did get nicked.

[grabaslice]

Lemme see it. [The sentiment is a bit more parental than he means it to be.

Leonardo carefully crouches down to be more on level with Hunter. Extending a large hand out expectantly.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter cautiously approaches? Also uh. ]

You're way taller than I expected.

[grabaslice]

It's a trick of the light, I assure you. [He says absently, joking as he gently examines the cut.]

And you're sure, you aren't hurt anywhere else?

[pyrighteous]

[ It looks a little weird! Like, clearly that's human-ish flesh, but also it looks a little like someone cut into the side of a tree. Distinctly plantlike. ]

... That's some pretty weird light then.

[grabaslice]

[He frowns at odd texture differences before reaching into his pouch to see what he has. Not much, but a slim roll of bandage. He pulls it out easily enough.]

You could need glasses too, kid. [He is giving Hunter a hard time because he can.] I can wrap this up for now, do a better job later.

[pyrighteous]

I-I don't need glasses! Maybe you need glasses!

[ He obediently holds out the arm to be wrapped though. ]

[grabaslice]

The emperor doth protest too much. [He teases lightly, working on wrapping Hunter's arm. His touch is light. Likely overly careful.]

[pyrighteous]

I'm allowed to protest. I can do what I want.

[ Pouts. Eyes the bandage. ]

I'm - um - I'm glad you're all right. Though.

[grabaslice]

I'm glad you're alright too. [Leonardo makes sure the bandage is secure before he moves to rise back from his crouch. His vision is spotty for a second, but- he pushes past it with a big exhale.]

Think we're clear of the pirate menace?

[pyrighteous]

[ UHHHH SIR?? That's concerning. ]

Looks like it. Yeah. Do you - do you need a minute to rest?

[grabaslice]

[He waves a hand gently, trying to dismiss the concern.] I'll be fine. Worked off less energy than this.

I'm supposed to be threatening you after all.

[pyrighteous]

You - you are?? What did I do?

[grabaslice]

I'm supposed to give you a shovel talk in some capacity. Though Casey mentioned you had a few already. I'm debating where to start.

[he's doing his fatherly duties.]

[pyrighteous]

[ GULP ]

O-oh. Right. I'm - I'm dating your son, and you don't know me, and I'm ssssort of a monster?

[grabaslice]

I love to remind you, I'm a giant mutant turtle who was originally made to get rid of humanity. [He offers plainly enough, trying to not find humor in the teenager stumbling over his words.] I wouldn't call you a monster.

Only way you'll get on my bad side is if you treat Casey badly.

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter's eyes go wide at that. ]

Wait - what do you mean, you were made to get rid of humanity?

[grabaslice]

Draxum made my brothers and I for his agenda to get rid of humans, take over the surface for yokai. It was a whole thing. [Ancient history to Leonardo at this point.] That didn't really define who we were.

[pyrighteous]

W-well - no but -

[ he rattles off a nervous laugh. ]

If you'd told me that when I'd first gotten here, I'd have been thrilled! I used to hate humans! And they're still a little weird.

[grabaslice]

I heard you had very... negative experiences with humans. [He will not ask for specifics out the gate about the whole invasion Hunter dealt with.] They can be weird, but, they're good people too. Can be kind or cruel, depends on the person.

[pyrighteous]

Yeah, uh. I got that after a while. Casey helped a lot after I stopped yelling at him.

[ Another small laugh. Good times. ]

I liked Draxum a lot too.

[grabaslice]

Were you yelling at him that often? [Good answers only, little man.]

Draxum was a good guy, a little bit of a pain, but, had a good heart under all the bluster.

[pyrighteous]

Uh - well - my first meeting with him was basically all yelling -

[ SWEATING ]

W-we got better really fast! I never yell at him any more! U-unless we're both arguing but that's different!