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

[grabaslice]

I'll have you know, I'm a smart cool reliable guy. [He grumbles back, just relieved he can feel Donnie breathing and hear his heart beat.

He shrugs off his hooded cape, draping it over Donnie. The fabric is old, worn, but protective enough against the chill in the air.] You're the dummy.

[he's a grown ass man having a non-existent beef with his brother. Its fine.]

[notapancake]

Who's been lying to you? [It just slips out at Leo's statement of being a cool dude, and he has to resist the urge to shrug off Leo's cape.

He might not be the best with emotions, but he has gotten better with age and trauma! So he can tell that Leo needs him to at least be a little receptive.]

Gasp, the only dummy here is the so-called Commander not taking advantage of these canons.

[grabaslice]

[He snorts a little at the question, just bonking his head against Donnie's.] Me, I've been lying to myself. Someones gotta be the hype man around here.

[He sighs a little at the mention of the canon, reluctantly letting go of Donnie.]

First of all, these cannons want us to make a connection if we're gonna shoot at all. Second of all, you're the dummy.

[He can't let that go yet apparently, but he forces himself forward. They have something to do.] I missed you, it's been a long time. You would be so mad at Mikey and I, but, we did what we needed to do.

[notapancake]

[There is the softest of "ow"s at the headbonk, Donnie still isn't one hundred percent right now. Which might be obvious by how he ends up needing Leo to stay upright even after the other turtle let's go of him.]

You were always good at doing that and... Sigh. At least we have a head start with the connection thing.

[As to being missed, well he could say a lot of things. But he feels they wouldn't go well with Leo right now, so just a dismissive wave of a hand.]

When don't either of you two do something to make me mad? Needed or not.

[grabaslice]

Would you prefer I tell myself the truth and freak out? [He grouses back, with no heat in his tone. He steadies the other turtle without much fanfare.]

Twins are forever, so, connected forever. [He's not tearing up, you're tearing up-]

The rebellion failed. [He says that plainly enough. Aware Donnie doesn't want him to beat around the bush. We chose to make sure Casey would stay alive, even if we didn't.

[notapancake]

[He's about to say no, he doesn't want Leo to freak out. That's counterproductive after all, but Leo continues and says that they failed. And it's like Donnie's been hit in the chest, a sick feeling settling there at his brother's words. As many thoughts pop into his head, maybe if he lived things could have turned out better?

Sure Leo confirms that Casey survives, but he's not stupid. He gets the statement that neither of his remaining brothers got to share in that fate.]

... That... it's good you made sure Casey got out.

[His voice is thick with emotion as he says that, and adds:]

I'm sorry. [For what? Not being there? For dying?]

[grabaslice]

Mikey and I sent him back, back to when the Foot were trying to get the key. [He confirms this plainly. His hope went to the future, and he left it in Casey's capable hands. The Krang will never take over, the war will never happen. Casey will grow up like we did before the war.

[He bumps their shoulders together gently. Careful to not tip Donnie over.] Not on you, Dee. We did everything we could.

[notapancake]

[He nods at Leo's words about Casey's fate.] Of course, you three would just make a bifurcated time branch without knowing it.

[Ah but the rest, even with Leo trying to be reassuring with the shoulder bump? The frustration is starting to show.] If I hadn't got sick, or just... Prepared you all better for after I was gone...

[grabaslice]

We fixed the future, so, it all works. I'm sure its a great branch we made.

It's not on you. [He repeats more firmly now.] No matter how many plans you made, or ideas you jotted down, you know fate would throw something stupid at us and make it impossible to keep to plan.

[notapancake]

[He knows Leo is right, but the heart? It's not such a logical organ, especially when it comes to his family.]

Still! You and Mikey shouldn't have had to... I could've made it so all three of you got to see that future!

[grabaslice]

Donnie, we made the choice we had to make. We had nowhere to go. Everyone else was dead. [He hates having to say that. He hates having to tell Donnie how badly things fell apart. He wanted a hard won victory. He wanted to rebuild New York. He had hope they could do more.

But it couldn't be fixed.] I don't know how you could've opened a portal like that back in time, or if you even could, but, you had already done everything you could for us.

[The ca-chunk of a cannon ball forming in the cannon is loud, a bit hard to miss. Leo releases a shaky little laugh at it. The sound at least breaks some of the tension.] Well, there's one.

[notapancake]

[There is so much he wants to say about all of that. But saved by the thunk of a cannon ball. Instead he just sighs.]

Well, let's fire this thing before something happens.

[grabaslice]

Let's see if my aim holds up. [He reaches out to start angling the cannon properly towards the side of the enemy ship. He angles it intending to take the flooring out of under some of the cannons.

He sets the cannon off. The ball hurtles through the air, colliding with the side of the ship. Wood debris go flying through the chilly air, and one side of their cannons starts to slump drastically.]

A little off. I am getting old.

[notapancake]

Mm, yeah but not bad. Let me do the next one then.

[Which means they have to keep connecting so...]

How long... After I, I mean.

[At least let him dying have had something good come out of it. AKA gave his brothers more time.]

[grabaslice]

If you get a better shot, I owe you a pizza.

[Wow, he hates that question.] A few years.

Enough time for Mikey to figure out the spell, but, it was a one and done thing.

[If they had more time, if they could have done more- those are the things always running through his mind.]

[notapancake]

[He laughs a little at the pizza offer, but the humor dies quickly at Leo's answer.

Wow, he hates that answer. He honestly hoped for more than just a few years, like maybe a decade? He lets out a frustrated sound at that.]

I wish I could have given you guys more time.

[grabaslice]

You gave us just enough, and that is all we could ask for, Dee. [His voice is firm, trying to leave no room for arguments. More Commander than just Leonardo.] We used that time to live, that's what's important.

[notapancake]

Stop that, I'm not talking to Commander Leonardo. I'm talking to my brother.

[Yeah, he caught that change in tone. It may have been a few years for Leo, and Donnie may be more used to hearing it used on others, but he's not stupid.]

[grabaslice]

[That at least makes him conrite enough to huff back at his twin.] Same difference these days.

[notapancake]

Oh, so you talk like that to Junior and Mikey then?

[Why yes, he will bring them into this to make his point.]

[grabaslice]

[He rolls his eyes very visibly now.] On the battlefield, yes. This counts as a battlefield- [look at him looking for loopholes. Though its more Leo now than anyone commanding.]

[notapancake]

[This face.] What battlefield have you been on where you're needing to have heartfelt conversations to gain ammo?

[A beat.]

Before this one, I mean.

[grabaslice]

Someone is forgetting the We be We speech before we fought ole Draxy in the armor. [He teases lightly back.] The ammo we got was the will to go on and kick his head in.

[He is now being a little shit.]

[notapancake]

[... wait, what.]

I'm surprised you even remembered that. That was over twenty years ago.

[grabaslice]

[Now he's a little embarrassed.]

Well, it was- one of those first big fights we did. Its not crystal clear but... you know.