![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme
June-July 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:
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?
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.
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.
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).
Lighthouse don't mind me rolling out of my coffin
Rain? More annoying but he can at least still see. The lighthouse though, and the shoving from the goats he could do without. "Hey- Hey! I'm already going up, you can stop shoving me! Jeezuh."
Leo sighs stopping to look at the entrance of the lighthouse. And a (what he thinks is) familiar red and green. "Ooohkay good, Raph, you're here, let's just get whatever this trial is done and over so we can go home with our heater and blankets."
But once he gets closer, it's. Clearly different. Shorter. Slimmer. Wrong. Great. Another fucking multiverse thing. Leo sighs, rolling his shoulder of his metal right arm (sleek, built for him and his size, very different from his older counterpart) and raises his flesh hand in a placating motion. "Yes, I'm Leo, no probably not your Leo, you're not my Raph, we're still gonna get this done."
No worries! I'll tag until I'm dead in the ground fr fr
He blinks bright green eyes at this Leo. But before he can question it, he's getting nattered at about yes, he's Leo, yes you're a Raph, let's do this. Impatience was more his thing than Leo's but he's quirking a brow at it anyway.
"...a trial to fix a broken lightbulb?" he asks, offering the note from the cat.
no subject
"That's too easy, what's the catch," he takes the note to read over. Then groans, "Ugghhhhhhhhh positive and negative energy?" He glances at the cat. "Memories or emotions?"
The cat looks a little nervous being put on the spot and scrutinized so much but it shrugs.
"Great. We'll figure it out then. You're not gonna like it," he admits motioning for Tiny Raph to follow him into the lighthouse.
no subject
"Wait like...do we need to yell at the damned thing?" he questions, watching the way this Leo asks the cat, who legit seems to understand them enough to shrug, which surprises him.
Curious enough, he huhs to himself then heads for the lighthouse, looking around to see if it's some sort of weird trap. It wouldn't be the first time.
no subject
That's a long way up. He groans again, head back and shoulders down before starting to climb. "Knowing our luck, we just have to be emotional around it and it'll pick up the energy. Usually how this stuff works. The Fox and all want us to be open and reveal our emotions or secrets or whatever we'd rather keep to ourselves."
no subject
Oh boy. Stairs. No other way to go but up, since obviously they've been tasked to try and fix the light. He smirks at the groaning from Leo, who isn't pleased, but follows after him as he did say he'd help.
"What? The hell is being emotional or dropping secrets going to help a light?" Though the mention of the fox makes him focus on that. "...that wasn't a dream then?"
no subject
But he still does go up. As for the other question... "Half the stuff here runs on emotions and memories or stuff like that, money here is built around interacting and talking to people. None of it works the way it does in Manhattan." Which is probably the biggest understatement.
"You just got here, what other questions ya got? We got a long climb."
no subject
The climb doesn't bother him - at least not yet - so he works over that new information that Leo gives him. "That's...annoying," he admits, though considering this dream-world isn't actually a dream...things are bound to be different. He knows that much from the exchanges in Dimension X.
"Is that why I have a bloody spoon and not my sai?" He's frowning at the fact that he's not got his weapons. "Does anyone know how to go HOME? My brothers will freak out if I'm not there."
no subject
Halfway up now, and Leo is more determined to just get this over with and not let anything happen to this tiny Raphael. "Trust me, my fam's been trying to figure out a way home for years now. But that's the fun thing! We're not really gone from home," Leo sounds like he's even more annoyed about it. "This is just some part of ourselves here and we're all still back home. Nevermind how long it's been since I've seen home," he mumbles.
Right. Not this tiny Raph. Not his problem. Leo rubs at his snout, taking a deep breath. "Look. I'm sorry. The thing we're doing right now is called a Trial, and it usually happens when the fox is bringing new people in. It's supposed to help us grow or share more or help us somehow, but it always ends up being more annoying than the trouble it's worth."
no subject
Whatever it is, Raph isn't certain yet, but he keeps following Leo up the stairs and taking in what he can. Any and all information is better than flying blind. And while this Leo isn't HIS brother, it's easier to lean on him and learn, especially since it certainly sounds like he's been here for awhile with how he mumbles about not seeing it.
That's not the best outcome and it makes him frown, but he swallows it down. "So your fam's here? All of them?" He knows his brothers are going to freak out with him not being there, though it sounds like there'll be some not-him there so...he isn't sure how to feel about that. "So like--we've been divided somehow to be here and there?"
The mention of the trial makes him think of the goat that nudged him here - along with the cat who gave him the note. He frowns, folding his arms across his chest, but hmmms softly at it. "Sounds like it's just playing around with us for its own amusement. I...don't remember much from what it was saying to me when I thought I was dreamin' but like...who decides if we've 'grown'? This fox thing?"
no subject
Not dad. "My brothers are all here, and April's here."
no subject
Too many questions - it made his head hurt.
He hesitates on the stairs, watching Leo's body language. "Except Sensei, huh?"
"Least you're not alone."
no subject
Yeah, he is that obvious, isn't he?
"Yeah. Except dad." It's... frustrating. Years now without seeing dad. He motions for bitty-Raph to follow him with his metal arm. "C'mon, let's see what we can do with positive and negative energy."
no subject
He isn't about to give up information about his father to this one. It wasn't necessary. Even if hurts to think about.
"...okay," he answers, following up the remaining stairs to the darkened doorway, his eyes focusing on the still beacon. Wandering closer, he plunks a hand on it, looking it over despite the dim. "Doesn't look broken. Any ideas, fearless leader?"
no subject
"The note said it needs negative and positive energy, so that could mean just feelings or sharing memories by swapping stories or something else embarrassing. It's usually how this stuff works." He looks over at Raphael, thinking. "You got any fun stories?"
no subject
"You want good or bad stories? I got a few but some aren't that fun."
no subject
"Good stories probably better to star with." If it means they can get the light on without having to delve into bad shit, then that's for the best.
no subject
Spike turned into Slash---nah that wasn't that great, even if there was the back and forth between Slash doing better and backtracking...
"I found an abandoned egg when we were in space for awhile there. It hatched and I ended up with a fire tortoise that I named Chompy. He's adorable and the best. Even if his mum came looking for him, but she let me keep him since Chompy wanted to stay with me."
no subject
"Wait, you have a pet tortoise?" That's. Very weird, but still the most Raphael thing that could've come out of this guy's mouth. His own big brother would kill for that. He makes a mental note to be a cat around his big brother again for a while.
Focus. Time and place.
"Wait you were in space?"
no subject
"Tortoise or turtle, yeah - he's kind of from space so the whole classification is kind of..." he makes a vague hand wave at it. "So either works, really. He's still smiling at the thought of the little magenta cutie though.
The next question makes him look back to Leo though, nodding. "Yeah. After the Kraang crap, we had to deal with other problems trying to destroy earth."
no subject
Raphael may not be able to see it, but he can probably sense how tense Leonardo suddenly gets hearing that.
"I told them- I told them we'd have to worry about that. I knew it." He'd warned both his brother and Rue that he'd started thinking ahead to what comes next. What next big thing comes after the Kraang. He's been on edge about the possibility for so long now and had started to relax.
He can't now.
"Wild. Very cool, as long as you didn't catch any space diseases."
no subject
"About space threats?" he asks, glancing Leo's way. The smile's dropped now, thoughts of his pet pushed back as the conversation goes serious. "Man, there's always something back home - not sure if it's the same for you guys but... I dunno what it is about Earth getting things wanting to destroy it and everything but it's not like the humans can fight it without our help."
no subject
Right, he's ranting. Though the negative energy seems to be feeding in just as well. There's another little flicker in the corner of Leo's eyes from the beacon and he sighs. Rubs his face and bald head. "It's been kinda nonstop the last couple of years back home until the. World hopping crap started."
no subject
He closes his eyes, thinking about it again. There was always something. He knew this well enough - something bad lurking around the corner. Once the Kraang was gone, it was the Triceratons and space and everything else--then the Shredder again and---
He lets a breath he doesn't realize he's holding out quickly. Don't think about that right now.
"I get it, man. I really do. The problem with being on edge all the time is that you're just going to make yourself crazier waiting for something to happen so you'll either snap before it happens and won't be prepared or...well, have a break down." He usually doesn't talk that much about this crap, but given that it's obvious that THIS Leo is having the same problems that HIS did, it comes out anyway.
"...sometimes ya just gotta rest. Recharge. And ya gotta let yourself do it even when ya don't want to. Or else everything just breaks."
no subject
It's all a mess and he'd rather just be home but what can he do? Donnie's plan didn't work (and maybe it would have if Donnie had told them about it and let them help) and just made everyone more wary of them here and there.
Deep breath. He lets his head fall back and shoulders slump. "I'd love to just rest and recharge. There are so many telenovelas I wanna catch up on and games I gotta beat April in. Just need stuff here to stop dragging me out like this."
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)