February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

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 Better ★ Netfox & 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!

Comments

[backwaterbelle]

Trials? [Her eyebrow lifts and she makes note of the time frame for later. That clearly piques her interest, while also assuring her that they're in a calmer period currently. Hopefully that means some actual rest before she works out a way back home.

Well, first she needs to determine whether she's dead first. Then comes the plan making.

Outwardly, Rogue appears relieved that there are other Avengers here. It's not untrue. At the mention of Rogers, however, there's a slight tension in her jaw before she shakes her head, hair obscuring her face somewhat.]

If there's no danger or hurry, ah can swing by later. Besides, ah just saw Steve back home.

[She casually omits the fact that Steve's positively livid with her for not handing over Xavier's brain with the Red Skull. That's a bridge that'll get crossed when it's necessary.]

Besides, a closer place is better. [But more importantly, if there are Avengers here then maybe...] Speakin' of Avengers, are any of the X-Men here? That you know 'bout.

[heypartner]

[ Cobb's a smart man but he misses the way Rogue reacts to Steve's name. He's usually pretty good at catching on to folks lying to him, especially when they do it right to his face. Must have other things on his mind. ]

Might not be the same Steve. This place can grab folks from different times and different universes. [ It's always worth pointing that out because it gets confusing real fast. ] There folks from my galaxy from a lot of different times.

[ He shakes his head at her question. ] Never heard of 'em. If they are I haven't spoken to 'em.

[ They come up to a small cabin with a little stable built on one side. There's a unicorn hanging out in the stable which doesn't seem strange given Cobb does nothing more than pat the animal on the neck as he passes.

He climbs the steps and opens the door, signaling Rogue to wait. ] Mando! You decent? [ When he gets no response he nods and motions for her to come inside. ] Must be out right now. Come on in.

[backwaterbelle]

[Well this makes things even more interesting. Let's just hope this Steve Rogers doesn't have beef with her or mutants as a whole. It's even odds either way she feels.]

Well that just spices things up. [There's a wryness to her voice. She remembers when Hank brought the original five X-Men to the future in an attempt to help matters.] How's that goin' for you and the folks from your galaxy?

[It is frustrating to hear that there are Avengers here, but no X-Men. Not that she wishes them to be stuck here instead of helping people at home, but friendly faces are always nice to have around. She'll hold out hope that he just hasn't met them yet.

The unicorn earns a lift of an eyebrow, and she absently thinks of Wade, which has her a little sad. Better to focus on the situation at hand.]

Nice little spot you got here. Looks cozy. [She waits at his request, filing the name away for later. Once he gives the go ahead, she follows Cobb inside.] Friend from home?

[heypartner]

We're all gettin' along for the most part. [ Cobb shrugs. ] Certain events can be a surprise for those from the past but otherwise we're makin' due.

[ The home is a two bedroom cabin with only a few personal touches like the stable next to the cabin and a collection of windchimes and suncatchers made from scrap. ]

Yeah, Mando and I have worked together back home. [ Cobb makes his way to the kitchen to put on a pot of caf to warm them up and he also gets down a bottle of whiskey remembering her earlier comment about bourbon. ] He's not always in the mood for company though.

[ He could explain the whole business about helmets and Mandalorians but Cobb figures he can leave it simple for now. ] Make yourself comfortable. You need somethin' to eat all?

[backwaterbelle]

So all same universe, but different time points? [Sorry for all the weird sounding questions, her multiverse is Weird and she just assumes others are also just as complicated. Volatile even.] Could be wilder. Glad to hear it's goin' smooth for y'all.

[She can't help but take in the space, attention lingering on the handmade chimes and catchers, a smile curling at her lips. Sorry Cobb, she's about to interject and derail the conversation a bit by gesturing to the objects.] Y'all make these yourselves?

[The mutant herself likes to tinker and worked as a mechanic for a spell. She's no Tony Stark or Beast, but she can hold her own with repairing a vehicle or welding parts.]

Ah've got friends like that. Hell, sometimes ah can be like that. We all need space in varyin' doses. [Some are introverts by nature and others have a bit avoidant attachment styles, preferring to keep folks at arms length.]

Need? Not really. But ah won't be a rude guest if you're offerin' anythin'. [She also doesn't want to stress his resources if that's an issue.] Bathroom is where?

[Please let there be indoor plumbing.]

[heypartner]

Yeah, that's about the size of it. [ He and Din are fairly close in time but the rest are scattered around. Some haven't even lived through the Rebellion and the end of the Empire yet.

He looks at a few of the trinkets and baubles around as he pours the whiskey before he starts the caf. ] I like to keep my hands busy. Makin' things from scrap is a good way to pass the time.

[ That they're kinda pretty things doesn't bother Cobb any. He wouldn't call himself an artist at all but what he makes has a certain junk aesthetic. ]

Down that hall. Second door on your right. [ He waves in the general direction. ]

[backwaterbelle]

[She makes a small noise of acknowledgement as she admires a particularly interesting piece, Rogue can only imagine how frustrating that could get.
It's liable that it'll be like that for her and anyone from her necks of the woods that got pulled here.]

Ah get that. A mahself like workin' on motorcycles and the like. This seems soothin' in it's own way, an' you have a finished piece.

[The mutant offers him a smile before dipping off to use the facilites.
When she returns, she's wiping slightly damp hands on her pants with her gloves tucked under her arm. Instead of leaving them there now that they're indoors, she tugs them back on with a bit of a face on the left hand. It wasn't as dry as she wanted. Oh well.

Drawing a deep inhale of the caf brewing, she sighs, relaxing a little bit more as she joins him in the kitchen, leaning her hip against the counter.]

So what sage wisdom can you impart as a seasoned resident of this place?