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

[saisdoesmatter]

He can't help it - the countered quip makes him really laugh, which helps take the some of the edge off from being turtlehandled by a goat to come here at first. Weird stuff was always happening back home and it seems like wherever he's ended up: this is more commonplace than he expected. "Sorry, it'd be bad for you, m'sure. Probably full of too much random trivia for your liking if you want something more substantial."

Once Baphomet takes the lead, Raph whistles when the fire suddenly appears. So this guy does have powers. Not potentially a mutant - he was still too human for that - but definitely more tricks up his leather clad sleeves. He whistles at the fire, but considering he's getting answers to his questions, Raph figures it's not an actual monologue from some half crocked bad guy. Baphomet seems legitimately helpful with the information of this new place: Folkmore.

The stocky turtle is light on his feet behind Baphomet as he takes in the lighthouse. "So this...Folkmore place, which is where we are now, runs on 'Lore' and this is what this note from the cat was referring to? Huh."

The mention of interactions though makes him curious. "Well damn, I was kind of wondering if I shoulda found the beacon and just started hollering at it if that'd help." After all, he's got a good set of lungs and is used to yelling. A lot. He chews on his lower lip a little, thinking about what must have happened if he ended up in some other world. "...I didn't dream that fox then, huh?"

[punderworldgod]

It's a surreal experience to come to Folkmore. Baphomet knows some Star Children come from worlds with experience with multiverses and the like, but most of them, moooost of them come from one world where that isn't more than theoretical physics. So following a fox to another plane of existence that operates by different rules and is however different from the previous world? It's fair to think it might all be a dream at first. Even if Baphomet's gotten more comfortable in the role of a Familiar, helping people, he doesn't want to be a dream guide. That would see too much messed up stuff.

"You really followed that fox all the way to Wonderland," Baphomet agrees. "Shouting by yourself probably wouldn't do anything. Your most OP superhero or villain or god or wizard can't create that Lore on their own. Which is great or sucks, depending on how much you like to socialize.

"Now you can holler at me in front of the beacon, and that'd help." He grins and looks back. It takes effort not to show off everything, but that's not who he is anymore. For the most part. The fire is practical and fun. Sometimes it's worth just being Cameron, goth boy in the rain. Drenched like this? He wants to savor the feeling, not lean into the divine powers.

"Or pick an accent for me to yell at you in. I used to DM, so I've picked up how to do accents."

[saisdoesmatter]

Getting the information from Baphomet is helping ease some of the stress, given that Raph really has no idea where he's ended up. It's still very much like the goth boy says: walking into Wonderland without so much as his normal gear, as well as new rules and everything. As much as he hates the idea of it, he's had to deal with things outside of his control before. Only difference was usually his brothers were with him at this point.

"Guess so, man. Even then I'd think it was a dream since Alice wakes up at the end, but this is very much real with how real it feels. Also I'd probably have fallen out of bed by this point if I was still home."

He listens though, a frown creasing his features, but he sighs. "Ehhhhh, kind of middle ground, really. Social stuff's fine and all but also a turtle's got to have his down time too. At least I'm not wasting my breath doing it alone if it ain't gonna work."

The grin he gets from Baphomet makes him grin right back. "Aw c'mon now, you can't promise an accent and not deliver! Pick yer best one then!"

[punderworldgod]

Say what he wants about himself, but someone who knows Alice wakes up at the end knows more about the story than most of the public. It gains a measure of respect. His arrival was so long ago it's hard to remember the feeling of being unmoored in a new place. It was also his escape, his way out of a bad situation, so it came with relief. Even if, in the end, it was only a dream. A dream can still be an escape.

"It's not so up in your face you get no down time," Baphomet nods, "I get plenty of quiet brooding time in. You cannot always choose when." The last part in a Russian accent.

He motions to the two of them. Thankfully his planned social visit was unannounced, so he's not late. Plus people understand when trials interfere with plans. Still, he prefers to be a dick on purpose than on accident.

He's not sure if the accent's his best, but it's one of the most fun. "In Russia, accent picks you!"

[saisdoesmatter]

As much as this feels like a dream, the reality of the situation just spurns him forward - it isn't ideal but until he can figure out what it is that he needs to do to get back home, Raph'll plod on ahead. The Alice metaphor works in a way, given he read the book ages ago, but it helps put things into perspective in its own way.

It's also reassuring to know that it isn't always intense. Gaining intel of how this place works helps ease concern, to which he'll have to adapt to, but he hehs softly at the mention of needing brooding time. "That's good to know. S'not all that different from life back home then."

He can't help the snicker that slips from him as Baphomet pulls out a not-so-great accent. "Oh no man, that's terrible." But it makes him actually laugh all the same. "You need a scarf too if you wanna be a Russian granny."

[punderworldgod]

Baphomet doesn't know the details of anyone's world, and he knows better than to judge based what's off a single tin. It's reassuring as always to hear there's some similarity between their life experiences. That's no surprise. Folkmore's hit home the "people are more like you than you think" issue repeatedly. Not that Baphomet ever took himself as a special snowflake. Every god for six thousand years had been in the same position as him. Twelve others were in his position then and there. If not exactly then closely enough. Folkmore doesn't need gods to make Baphomet feel similar to someone.

One snap of his fingers would get him an authentic Russian scarf, but Baphomet opts to peel his wet jacket off himself and wrap it around his head. The arms get tied under his chin to hold it there like a proper scarf.

"What are you saying to your babushka?" Baphomet asks in a Russian accent. He turns around and points a finger at his companion with all the knowing sureness of an old Russian woman. "You wouldn't be rude to your elders, would you?"

[saisdoesmatter]

When you're a mutant turtle, most of the time, there's not anyone to really relate to other than your own brothers, but Raphael can't help but go along with what's presented. Sure, being careful was still on the table, but considering that he's just met Baphomet and the two are on the same thought process of actually trying to help? He's down for it.

It helps that Baphomet kind of reminds him of Casey a little bit. Especially when the dude pulls off his soaking jacket and dons it like a scarf. He isn't expecting in the slightest, as the Russian accent comes out full force, but he can't keep a straight face all the same.

It just makes him laugh harder, having to bring one hand to his mouth to try and keep it from echoing too much in the lighthouse.

"N-No--*snerk*--Granny. Of course not."

He may or may not have managed to get that out without completely devolving into giggles.

Probably not.

[punderworldgod]

Baphomet manages not to laugh immediately himself through sheer experience staying in character for LARPs. His back hunches over, and Baphomet shakes his head biting down on his teeth. His jaw goes painfully tight, but only a whistle of air gets out, and it can't properly be called a laugh. Still, he's entertained as hell.

"Good. Babushkas know much more about the world than young little things like you," Baphomet leans into it and keeps going as they reach the height of the lighthouse. The top opens up to reveal a circular room centered around a large beacon. A dim light not enough to illuminate the room (much less the skies) floats in its core. They need more fun and positive energy to light the beacon.

"We must get this lit! For Gondor!"

This is all the funnier since Raph's VA is one of the hobbits from these movies HAHAHAHA

[saisdoesmatter]

While Baphomet is managing to keep himself from laughing at the situation, Raph is not so lucky. The snickers keep slipping from him as he smirks at the way that Baphomet leans into the role and tells him that he knows more about the world than he does, much like an elder would.

"To be fair, Granny--*snerk*---I did just get here, but yes'm," he answers, following the human dork up the rest of the lighthouse to where the beacon is stored. He pauses to look around the circular room, taking in the dim area for possible threats in the dim, but relaxes again.

The quip has him laughing again. "Light the beacons!" he manages, remembering the joke from the internet, "Gondor calls for aid!"

"Have they taken the hobbits to Isengard already?"

I had no idea omg aaaaw sam ~~cast the hobbits as the turtles~~

[punderworldgod]

"Practically born yesterday," Baphomet tuts. Nothing against new folks in Folkmore. In fact, he welcomes them. He's not holding his breath for anyone in particular to arrive. His luck on those grounds over the years hasn't been good enough, but people... people are fun. Good. It's not entirely unlike welcoming someone new to LARP. Just everyone plays themselves here.

He grins at the fellow nerd in this tower. It's a shame the beacon isn't shaped like a giant d20. He eyes the beacon again, just in case it feels like entertaining his notion. Nothing.

"Of course they've taken the hobbits to Isengard," Baphomet answers in his native British accent. "Pippin lit the first beacon. We will take on his sacred mission and lead Rohan here."

He motions into the dark, the sky illuminating with another bolt of lightning. Someone needs them. As much fun as they're having—and that's part of the purpose—something serious may rely on it.

Yup! Same actor as Sam *offers you po-ta-toes*

[saisdoesmatter]

"Hey now," he replies, though it's not serious in the slightest. He might have just gotten here but Baphomet is pretty chill. He's cool with that, given the fact that this is all very much new to him, but having someone to rely on right now is probably for the better.

The Russian accent drops and Raph's smirking a little bit at it. "Of course. The Riders of Rohan must be notified."

He looks to the dark, the lightning cracking to illuminate it again, then turns back toward the beacon. "So...is this helping this thing or should we be doing something else?" He isn't sure how this works at all.

boil 'em mash 'em stick 'em in a stew /some TNMT villain

[punderworldgod]

"The Riders of Rohan," Baphomet continues. As a joke he snaps his fingers to light a little flame again. He dances it before the beacon like it's some long lost cousin that will hop right in and take over. It doesn't. It won't. Not like that. He punts it upward to float in the space.

"It's helping," Baphomet says. He sighs. "It can feel strange when real lives could be on the line that humor and fun and internet memes can save the day. But sometimes you gotta approach it like a LARP. Hit the punchlines, connect with your peers. Because when you have fun, others have fun, and you save the day."

Okay, that sounds pretty corny. "We can do something else. Per the instructions, anything headed to the extremes. The good or the bad. Maybe even the ugly."

mmmm delicious

[saisdoesmatter]

Raph watches with curiosity when Baphomet lights the fire again, before it flutters around the beacon and then it floats up higher. His eyes follow it, before returning to Baphomet.

"I'm used to more improv with fighting weapons than speech, but if it's helping, then that's alright with me," he comments, thinking about it before tossing another grin Baph's way. "It also helps that yer funny."

Might be corny but if it works and helps out, he can play along. "S'been awhile since I've read LOTR so the jokes might go flat. The more extreme the better?"

Re: mmmm delicious

[punderworldgod]

If only reading Tolkien aloud to each other qualified as a positive enough bonding experience to light the beacon in a timely manner. Dramatic readings can be fun, but they take time. They might need more bang for their buck.

"This thing's not only running on Lore, per the note, but kinds of emotions. Bigger the better, just like life." He grins, with no idea what the turtle is thinking about. Something fighty? Nerdy? It's a great thrill to wonder. "Light it up. big guy."

[saisdoesmatter]

This wasn't his forte, but he remembers the few times that they played that game--Mazes & Mutants--which honestly wasn't THAT bad but they had already fantastic enough lives that they didn't have to pretend. Considering that Baphomet mentioned LARPing, that was pretty similar to what happened when they got sucked into a literal game...

"Hmm..." he mutters, thinking about what that he could possibly do. The jokes between the two of them wasn't working the best, but he was having fun with the banter. After all, Baphomet kind of reminded him of Case, though he had all of his teeth.

"The bigger the better...hmm," he checks around the room to see if there's anything he could use--oh hey that's a broom in the corner--that works. So the turtle is scurrying over to it, snagging it to spin it around with a flourish. As he does this, he looks to the distance between him and Baphomet, where the little fire went, and then uses the broom to vault himself across the room.

He lands, spinning the broom again, suddenly serious as he raises his voice for the iconic line. "YOU--SHALL--NOT--PASS!!!"

Before he's slamming the 'staff' down in front of him and trying not to grin.