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February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme
February-March 2024 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 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.
🦊 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: 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
Spread the Love
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 theirpreynew 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.
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
Remake
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!
no subject
Ask next time yeah? You're real lucky I'm not better at punching. [Oh don't give him that sad face, shark! He finally huffs, releasing his grasp to rub the top of his head and pat the smooth nose.]
Yeah no, basically just arrived last night. Place is pretty wild even before you add in the kidnapping sharks.
no subject
[ It could be much worse, of course, and Steve himself had taken awhile to adjust properly. ]
If it helps any, I think that this one will let us go if we play a game with him and give him a couple pets. Isn't that right?
[ The lonely shark is reluctant to answer, but then eventually agrees that he will let them go eventually. He nods, but then goes to headbutt Fjord in the hand to demand extra-good pets in payment. ]
no subject
[Once he'd established he was well and truly stuck, once he'd found himself at loose ends when he'd finished his explorations of the place, when there was time and space for dwelling on things-
Not now though!]
Well... I suppose I can trade some time and attention for a way outta this cave.
[And he will oblige that insistent headbutt, giving more emphatic scritches under the shark's chin.] Bossy bastard.
no subject
[ Why they didn't socialize with each other instead is really beyond Steve, but there's a lot of things about Folkmore that are really strange and sharks being kidnappers only to give everyone snacks and creature comforts isn't the worst. ]
The eagles, you really wanna watch out for. But I've only seen them once.
[ As he considers it though, actually, he realizes how many creatures around here kidnap, but he shakes his head and shelves it for now. ]
You should tell him a bit about yourself. They like that.
no subject
[Sure an average shark normally couldn't give two shits about people but when they were interested it tended to end poorly. Insisting on pets is mild in comparison.]
What the eagles get up to nonsense here too?
[He's really going to have to watch his ass around here isn't he? But the suggestion offered just got a faint huff, the half-orc peering down at the shark as he gave more pets, hands moving to rub behind the creature's gills.]
Nah... you don't wanna hear about me, do you buddy? I'm nobody special.
no subject
[ And as if on cue, the shark sidles up to Fjord and is very interested in what he's got to say. ]
See? He really likes you.
[ The shark swims around in a circle, wanting to hear a story. Will Fjord understand this directive? ]
no subject
[Fjord looks downright bemused honestly at the attention from the sharks. Mugging for pets and attention was one thing, but surely they didn't really want to hear about him?]
Questionable taste on his part, [Joked lightly as he tweaked a fin teasingly while the shark was swimming his circles.] Could tell you about your cousins and their feud with a seabird if y'want.
no subject
[ And then, he explains: ]
This one already knows me, so, I've gotta come up with some new stories to tell him first.
[ Seems like Steve's been here a fair few times since the Lonely Sharks cropped up again. He helps himself to some of the snacks that have been laid out for Fjord. Hopefully he doesn't mind. ]
no subject
I'll try not to be too quick about it then, [Commented in a wryly amused tone as he continued patting the shark, musing how to start.] Like I said though, your cousins back home? Not near so friendly. But you live on a ship long enough, you see plenty of 'em. They liked to hang around when sailors were fishin' to try and go for the fish that might come sniffin' after our bait, yeah?
[It was... kind of nice, talking about it. A simple time in his life where things were good, where they made sense. It might be a bit visible in how the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.]
Seabirds'd do the same. Granted those bastards'd come try and snatch a fish right outta your hands, but same deal. One big sonuvabitch though was the worst of 'em. Lost an eye in a fight somewhere I tell you what, bold as brass. He'd snatch the fish right outta a shark's mouth if they were close enough to the surface.
no subject
Steve is pretty fascinated too, but only because he really likes to hear about other people's worlds.
He also helps in petting the shark while Fjord talks, since maybe that'd let them out easier.
The thing really is a sucker for attention. ]
So you're a sailor? You must've seen a lot out on the ocean.
no subject
[An important distinction really. Fjord wasn't afraid to do questionable jobs to get by, but there was a line he didn't really like crossing morally, so a job on the level was easier.]
Now that bird though, started gettin' a rep among the sharks. They'd start goin' for him, full on jumpin' outta the water at him when they saw him comin' close. I swear though that bird started baitin' em on purpose just to be a little jerk.
no subject
[ The other shark wants to hear about it, clearly, jumping up and trying to get Fjord to tell him more. It's almost as if he's asking: 'like this?' as he does so. ]
What caused the birds to be like this, anyway?
no subject
Just like that. Why, you're the spittin' image of him.
The birds? I don't know what to tell you, seagulls tend to be born with a chip the size of a continent on their shoulder. And more than a little crazy too.
no subject
Well, I've never met seagulls like that.
[ The shark gets up and huffs, clearly wanting Fjord and Steve to stop talking to each other and pay more attention to him. ]
Okay, okay.
[ He'll pick the shark up and sling it over his shoulder to pet him; there's some tail whipping at his chest. ]
You wanna try?
no subject
[The shark's pretty impatient though, Fjord huffing a low, amused noise while Steve was scooping the menace up. Blinking briefly at the offer, he shrugged and opened up his arms in an offer to take the bossy little beast.]
Why not? You can give him that story you promised him in the meanwhile.
no subject
[ He passes the shark off to Fjord, and it seems like he goes easy, just wanting to be cuddled. He wants to be a shoulder shark, apparently. ]
Oh, I think I've got one.
[ He has a whole lot of adventures to talk about, so he pulls one out of the vault, starting off with some background, and it seems like there's a rotating cast of characters because he'll often pause to ask the shark if he remembers who Steve's talking about from a previous story. It's one about the war, and involves a lot of sneaking past enemy lines and stealing weapons. ]
no subject
Don't keep us in suspense then, yeah?
[Did the shark know this one? Fjord had no idea, it seemed pleased with the situation either way. It was new to Fjord, and he listened attentively and admittedly a little impressed. Sure the guy could have been lying, fluffing up a story to boost his own reputation, but even Fjord could clock the Truth and Justice all but rolling off the guy.]
Sounds like one hell of an gamble.
no subject
The shark perks up and decides that it's a good story, worth putting in the catalogue of Steve stories. ]
It was an easy choice for me.
[ A beat. ]
So, are you gonna let us go now? I've gotta go tend to my garden.
no subject
If it really was that easy for him... Fjord couldn't help but feel just a little inadequate in comparison.
Not that he would admit as much, just loosening his grasp on the shark to peer at it as it seemed to almost pout at the idea of letting them go.]
Come on now, if he doesn't leave soon his poor plants'll get thirsty. Don't want that, right?
no subject
Anyway, it had been the right decision, and he doesn't think about it anymore, except as a story to tell.
The shark shakes its head defiantly, but Steve looks at it with a bit of disappointment, and then it seems to relent.
Slowly, it drops the barrier. ]
You know I'll come back next week. But please be good in the meantime.
no subject
Fjord isn't going to look a gift horse (shark?) in the mouth though, but he does give the sad-looking shark a final pat.]
You're not so bad. If you promise not to try and drag me off again, maybe next time you can just get your pets without all of this hullabaloo if we run into each other again, hm?
[He's not gonna dally about slipping out of the cave after, but he will linger after to make sure Steve follows.]
Thanks. That was... well, not dangerous at least, but definitely weirder than I expected today to get.
no subject
[ The broad shoulder, armored look really gives him away. ]
Is this your first day here?
[ Waving bye to the shark, Steve is nonetheless swift in getting them out of ear and eyesight. They still do need to get down from Never Fade, unless Fjord plans on staying. ]
no subject
[How concerned should he be, in other words?
He doesn't seem to be too keen to linger at the moment, not with something about the island and the water interfering with his magic, so he's more than willing to follow along with Steve.]
Got it in one, yeah. It's a lot to process.
no subject
They didn't tell us, though, that they'd come back the next day. I guess in that regard, it wasn't that dangerous. But she also has a way of getting into your mind and under your skin. The fox spirit.
[ The one in charge. ]
Why don't we sit down somewhere and I give you the run-down?
[ That'll probably be the easiest thing for both of them. ]
I know Dan Heng's working on a guide. It's gonna have all the trials we've face described in it. I'm helping him with the illustrations.
no subject
[What's that? But his expression does sober a bit at what happened.]
Sounds like a fucked up mindgame to be puttin' folk through if you ask me. But... yeah, a run-down'd be appreciated.
[The whole thing is weird, and any information he can get would be useful, especially if it's not from the fox themselves.]
So things like this are pretty common then. Guessin' it's not easy to sort how intense it can be before you're in the thick of it?
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