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folkmore mod ([personal profile] folkie) wrote in [community profile] folkmeme2024-02-12 11:55 pm
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February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

February-March 2024 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 canon items from homes 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.

[ Soon You'll Get BetterNetfox & Chill]

Soon You'll Get Better .
Content Warnings: Power Nullification, Potential Kidnapping, Potential Animal Spirit Harm

The island of Never Fade can no longer be seen in the sky from elsewhere in Folkmore, enclosed within a large purple tinted cloud. Within that cloud, the island is under water—a dreamy purple underwater that all Star Children can breath in if they breath and function in if they function on electricity, so on and so forth. It causes no more difficulties than reduced visibility and greater effort to walk. It's even possible to swim underneath the island, so long as Star Children make sure to make landfall before they get too exhausted and… well… fall.


Friendnapped

The purple water has streaks of silver shot throughout it. Beware, these silver streaks neutralize powers, canon and role abilities alike, for at least an hour. A neutralized Legend won't be able to sense others in danger. A neutralized Myth won't sense danger coming. A neutralized Familiar won't be able to shapeshift to help others. That may set of a danger alarm but not any spidey-sense. These silver streaks are harbingers of spirits recently returned to Folkmore thanks to donations at the Shattered Spoon Shrine: lonely sharks.

The source of the silver streaks in the water, these silver gray sharks swim up and gently bite people. These bites make people go instantly limp but otherwise don't do any damage. They won't even break the skin. Once limp, the lonely sharks take their prey new best friends down to a cave or grotto off the underside of Never Fade. These caves are full of silver water, saturated by the magic of lonely sharks, and the entrances are covered by a thin silver barrier that prevents Star Children from leaving. That means should a Star Child track down where someone is being kept, should they enter its home, they too will be trapped there.

Being held by the lonely sharks isn't the worst experience. These spirits will try to please their new friends, giving them their favorite foods and perhaps even an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Mind, the magic of these items will be neutralized in the shark's cave. It is possible to fight a lonely shark, even to kill one, but that will only be a temporary measure. Star Children will remain trapped and have to wait for the lonely shark to revive—with even more golden cracks than before. In the end, the only way to escape are hugs, cuddles, and other measures of friendship. Once all the golden cracks have thinned and disappeared, Star Children can leave.


Spread the Love

By the time mid-March comes around, most of the lonely sharks have been fully healed and no longer kidnap Star Children. Instead they swim the None of the Above tunnels below the island's surface, where they provide guidance to Star Children who ask them how to get somewhere. If Star Children have nowhere particular in mind, the lonely sharks encourage Star Children to make their way toward the Shattered Spoon Shrine.

The lonely sharks still create silver streaks in the water that neutralize powers, but they will accompany Star Children and warn them of some of the dangers. When voices call their names, the sharks will snuggle up against Star Children to provide comfort. They're devoted to helping Star Children reach the shrine. Once there, they will encourage the Star Children to donate Lore to one of the broken spoons there, each spoon representing spirits who have left, spirits who became shells of themselves from lack of lore, or ghosts.

Star Children who donate Lore will find their companion lonely shark presenting them with an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Mind, the magic will be neutralized until the Star Child has spent at least an hour away from the silvery water lonely sharks create. Lonely sharks will happily spend as much time with Star Children as they're willing but will show the way back to the surface either via LIM (Lavender Institute of the Mind) or the None of the Above tunnels.


  • Never Fade is underwater within a cloud.
  • Silver streaks in the water neutralize powers, both canon and Role based.
  • Lonely sharks kidnap Star Children and take them to caves on the underside of Never Fade.
  • Star Children who find those caves are trapped too.
  • Escape by hugs, cuddles, and being friends.
  • By the second month, most lonely sharks are healed and found in the tunnels.
  • Lonely sharks guide Star Children to the Shattered Spoon Shrine to donate Lore to help others.
  • Either when captive or once donating Lore, lonely sharks will give Star Children an item from home.


Netfox & Chill .
Content Warnings: Forced Relocation, Potential Secret Revelation, Potential Coerced Physical Intimacy

With the wide range of Star Children from many different worlds, sharing similarities, it's no surprise when moments of deja vu happen. That sense of the familiar with the new, the sense of something that happened before without quite being able to place it… or perhaps it being impossible. Regardless, when that connective moment happens, the Star Children involved are transported to a windmill home from the Cloud Colonies. They land together on a couch before a large television with all the makings of a movie night. There could be wine and cheese. There could be soda and popcorn. There could be tea or other hot beverages. There's a cozy blanket (only one). The movie has already been selected, and it starts playing.

Headliner

The movie is roughly based off one of the Star Children's lives, specifically for the Star Child that experience deja vu and triggered this experience. Regardless of the moment of deja vu, the plot of the movie is based off of some real or potential relationship—romantic or queer platonic—in their life. That Star Child can recognize some similarities immediately. If they had any doubts, they get a text message on their relic as the movie starts:

You need to get closer with your companion(s). You can either talk about what happened (or didn't) or not talk wink wink about it with them. The choice is yours (and theirs)! Have fun!

It's possible to ignore the message, at least for a while. The longer the movie plays, the more apparent it becomes that it's based off that Star Child. The starring character's clothes will change to resemble theirs. The cadence of their voice will shift to imitate theirs. Their facial features will shift. These changes will become more and more heavy handed as the movie goes on until even the most clueless companion will have real trouble not picking up on it. It may get harder and harder to distract them from talking about it! There's no pause button, and the only way to mute the movie is to *ahem* distract themselves from it until it becomes an indistinct background murmur.


Remake

If any Star Children thought this experience might have been a Valentine's Day prank, they'll be poorly mistaken come mid-March when it continues with a twist. The movie less closely resembles any one Star Child's life (whew?)… because it blends the lives of all those present together into a new story. One character is based off each Star Child, and it fits the other Star Child into the role of someone who was or could have been emotionally and/or physically intimate with them. If they had any doubts, each Star child gets a text message on their relic as the movie starts:

You need to get closer with your companion(s). You can either talk about what happened (or didn't) or not talk wink wink about it with them. The choice is yours (and theirs)! Have fun!

Not only does each Star Child have to decide what approach they want to take, but the other Star Child may pick up on what they're putting down! One Star Child may want to talk it out, but the other one desperately doesn't. Oh noes, how shall it be resolved? Well, the longer it takes, the more clearly the film demonstrates one way they could resolve it—a fictionalized ending, happy or sad or bittersweet or anything else, between the characters as they more closely resemble those watching them on the sofa. No one's free until they have a heart to heart or a something to something else. Any physical intimacy can do.


  • Experience a moment of deja vu and get transported to a cozy living room in a Cloud Colony windmill.
  • For the first month, the 'host' Star Child gets a text letting them know to get intimate—emotionally or physically.
  • For the second month, all Star Children get that text.
  • For the first month, the movie is based on the 'host' Star Child's experiences, what did or could have happened. As the movie progresses, it becomes more and more obvious that's the case.
  • For the second month, the movie is a story blending Star Children's experiences together. That too will become more obvious over time.
  • Some form of intimacy is the only way out!

geodesics: (clothes; hat to chest)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-15 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
The name makes him blink, but Chuuya doesn't comment on it. He's glad Makie recognizes the truth of the matter. It speaks to her intelligence. Enough people get satisfied by what the government does.

"Indeed. It's one of the reasons people are stronger in an organization than without. It takes power to stand up to power."

Even the strongest are stronger with an organization behind them and what all it can provide, whether they are trying to end the world, make a profit, or protect a city. It all comes back to power.

How women are treated sounds like a political question at first, except Makie really doesn't know. She has no idea. Chuuya has never once thought about describing how women are treated, which makes it awkward to try to describe it. "Equal in law, though how much that holds up can vary. There's far more men in positions of power, but women still go to school, work, date or marry who they want, and so on. Not perfect, but like we said, people in power don't want to give it away."
therewerefifty: (oh ffs)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-16 12:29 pm (UTC)(link)
In all fairness, Makie does not care particularly for politics or the workings of the Shogunate-- but she was very much married to someone who did and saw the cracks forming. (They tried to kill him for it, of course. You can't have a civilian showing up all the flaws in the ruling class.)

So she knows these things because Kagehisa had ranted about them often enough. But the role of women in society... that is far closer to home for her. For perhaps obvious reasons.

"It will never be perfect, I suppose," she murmurs. Men are unlikely to have changed much, still perceiving them as inferior. "But that seems... better."
geodesics: (Default)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-16 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nothing ever is perfect," Chuuya says with a shrug. He pulls them lower to land lightly a short distance away from a train station in a stretch of desert. It's not where he'd want to stay, but there's the train as a better option. It will have somewhere to go and know where it's going. Also the luxury of being away from the elements and the wind.

"It is better, and so long as the world keeps turning, I'm sure women will keep making it better for themselves." He's in the mafia. That's not his job.
therewerefifty: (not so bloody relief)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-16 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"If they have the power to do so, they will."

And solid ground. Her legs are a little shaky as they land, but she adjusts easily enough. And relievingly enough, no water in the air, look at that. "Thank you, Chuuya-san. You have made this day much easier."
geodesics: (Default)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-16 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Chuuya makes sure she's steady before letting go. He stretches back, all casual. "It was nothing."
therewerefifty: (huh.  whaddaya know.)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-16 06:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"You are modest." It's a mild note.

"You are not familiar with the rest of the land here, are you?"
geodesics: (action; cool guy)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-16 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"No, ma'am. Just got here myself. I have no idea where we are or how big this place is." Chuuya paid some attention to their location as he flew, but he doesn't have any point of reference to make sense of it. That's fine. It's not his first time being stuck somewhere he has no clue, and he isn't starving this time.
therewerefifty: (I have an oral fixation sue me)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-17 10:01 am (UTC)(link)
"I have been here just a little longer," she says with a wry look. "I was actually looking for a place to stay when the... water arrived."

And she peers up at Never Fade and its unsettling purple haze before glancing back to the train station. "But I have been most places to explore now. I could try to give you directions to a place you would be more comfortable?"
geodesics: (clothes; hat to chest)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-17 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Chuuya glances back at Never Fade, not the most visible at the moment. "I wouldn't recommend staying there right now. Even if we can breathe in that water, it's... creepy."

He cannot imagine sleeping with water in his lungs. He wouldn't trust that he'd wake up the next morning. "Eh, point me toward a city, and I'll be fine."
therewerefifty: (...you.)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-17 04:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"Especially not with a disease that transmits itself through fluids, no." Her tone is dry. She lifts a finger to point at the train station signage.

"You are in luck. The train that comes through here will travel through each major civilised area. You need only pick the one you like the look of and remove yourself at that station. Accommodation will be found nearby."
geodesics: (action; cool guy)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-18 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
That makes it even worse, that's true. He doesn't wince. It seems particularly cruel that she can't live where she wants because of this... watery thing going on in the sky. It's weird without that.

"Simple enough," Chuuya says. "Thanks. I'll figure something out."
therewerefifty: (I look kinda adorable here)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-18 12:51 pm (UTC)(link)
"I hope you find somewhere to stay that you enjoy. Or that you return home soon, whichever you would prefer."

She thinks she will try Gram next, so she will ride the train until they arrive there, at the least. Walking in this heat does not sound wise.
geodesics: (neutral; walk away)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-18 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"I haven't determined that yet," Chuuya says. It's been a very short period of time. He isn't too worried.

"You find good housing too." A pause. "Once the train gets here. I'm not looking around this place."
therewerefifty: (under hood)

[personal profile] therewerefifty 2024-03-19 12:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Thank you. I hear there is more than enough housing to go around," she says mildly. Truth be told, Gram has more endearing housing; she just liked the community up on Never Fade more.

"Apparently you find an empty place you like and move in. It's very odd, but I'm not going to question it."
geodesics: (mood; shocked pikachu)

[personal profile] geodesics 2024-03-19 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"... Finders Keepers rules, huh?" Chuuya snorts. What keeps people from taking occupied housing, eh? Probably not something most people bother to try testing since there's free housing still available. Maybe it's enough and similar enough no one squabbles over the exact apartment they get.

"Well, I'll find something."