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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
Luz taps the side of her forehead with a smile, "It had to bite me to bring me here, it could have eaten me then, but it didn't!" The fourteen year old is working off half logic, half hope, but it has never really stopped her before. "So it must want us here for something." Luz is assuming friendship given how many gifts were doled out.
"I assume the way you approach any animal? Nicely?" Luz offers back, working off of her experience from helping her mother at the vet's office she ran.
no subject
"Nicely. I see. Well, why not?" he mutters, more to himself than to the girl. "If you must, do it where I can quickly interfere. I won't have you bitten to bits on my watch. But--"
He lowers his hand, arms akimbo, hat and cudgel tucked into the crook of his elbow. He regards her like a no-nonsense, exhausted schoolmarm issuing the same lecture for the hundredth time.
"Ask the creature first. If the Fox woman I met before might speak, let's see if the sharks and the fish can hear us, too."
no subject
"True, if the shark talks, we could ask him so many questions! Maybe he's seen a giant octopus or a manta ray, or eels-" She muses before she starts towards the shark, expecting Javert to follow.
"Mr. Shark! Hi! Can I call you Sharkratio? Why did you bring us here?"
The shark in question turns back to them, just blinking a little. There is no response.
no subject
He folds his arms across his broad chest and wheels on Sharkratio.
"Well? You heard the girl," he prompts with an air of cool, calm authority. He feels much more absurd than he sounds, doubt and disbelief roiling deep inside. There still remains the possibility that he is suffering some prolonged delusion with his dying gasps, far down below. Think of it. Congenial conversation with a fish! Madness. "You cannot fool us. This land, Folkmore -- if a Fox might speak with a woman's voice in this world, then a Shark might bargain with a couple of decent people. So charade it. Show us the answer. Go on!"
no subject
She drops her hand, twirling back around to face the shark. "I bet you'd like a pet, huh?" That is as much warning as Javert or the shark gets as Luz just walks into the shark's bubble to start petting its snout. Sharkratio blinks in surprise before leaning in for the petting.
"Ha! You did want a pet!"
no subject
bend his head down and beam excitedly like a pup with its first taste of a hearty ear scratch.
Javert stands frozen with his hand up, poised to grasp without making contact. Stunned does not begin to cover the utter shock smoothing the haggard lines in his face. Reluctantly, he draws his hand away, tucking it back under his opposite arm. He marches with purpose to the shark's side, his downturned lips steeped in doubt.
He tentatively places his weathered, calloused palm upon the Shark's flank. He can't bring himself to stroke. He merely sets it down, unmoving.
Like a robot whose crank has been turned to pivot his elbow.
His eyebrow flicks up.
"Well." He presses his lips together. Sighs. Twists at his lips. My God, he is exhausted. "That is one way to charade it. Is this all you want?"
no subject
"Someone is an attention hog, gosh." Luz muses with a laugh, just petting along the shark's snout.
She turns her attention back to Javert, whilst still petting the shark. "Thank you for the attempted rescue though. Thankfully, it looks like Sharkratio is just a big ole softie."
no subject
"You are quite fortunate he is, clever girl."
He puckers his lips like he's just sucked upon a sour lemon.
"Yet that brings us no closer to getting out of this cavern. Unless he is willing to show us the way out, like a gentleshark." He gives him another stiff, awkward pat. "We shall not stay here for-ever, lest the water bloats and wrinkles us to a sopping raisins down here. So. How much longer will you beg, then, Monsieur Shark, before you recognize a fellow shark might deliver your wants better?"
no subject
"You heard him, Sharkratio, we need to find a way out!" She scratches under the shark's chin, then around his snout, happy to just keep moving around the beast. The shark doesn't budge, just wanting the attention.
Luz reaches out to just squish the shark's snout in her hands. Luz leans into what she knows works on her mom and Eda. The puppy eyes.
"Pleeaaaseeee?"
Sharkratio's tail flicks as the shark turns in her grasp, pointing his nose towards the exit of the cave.
no subject
"It is that simple, eh? We might just walk out now?"
If that was true, what made 'Sharkratio' change his mind? Surely a few pats upon the snoot couldn't have convinced him. Javert has never in his fifty-two years ever encountered anything more absurd.
He does give the Shark a hearty pat, then, with more feeling and less robotocism this time.
"Good." Javert snakes an arm around Luz's shoulder and begins to guide her toward the aforementioned exit. "Quickly, let's be off, before our finned fellow changes his mind. Shall we? It will be a long swim out, I imagine."
He will thank her later, when they are well and free of the Shark's grasp. If they are freed...