folkmeme | February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

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 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. Friendnapped

[When it comes to dangerous situations, being kidnapped by mouthy sharks is not the worst thing that has ever happened to Tav, but that doesn't mean he's going to be happy about it.

The creature made the mistake of giving him a weapon and the bard is clearly displeased, levelling the tip of the sword at the shark that had brought him down here with clear agitation in his mismatched eyes.]

You're gonna let me out of here, right now, or I swear to every god I know the name of that you won't be living to drag off anybody else.

[While the shark does not seem particularly perturbed by the half-drow's behaviour, someone probably should step in before he decides to make good on his threat. Or help him out? Whatever floats your particular boat.]

ii. Spread the Love

[Once he's calmed down and escaped one way or another, Tav does eventually make his way to the shrine courtesy of one of the sharks (and really, he's fine with them as long as they aren't trying to bite him and drag him off to hells-knows-where).]

Hm.

[He's twirling the slender spoon in his hand elegantly between dexterous fingers, then almost outright drops it when he hears a voice whisper his name far too close to his ear for comfort. Tav whips himself around, finding nothing, then frowns and purses his lips slightly.]

What in the gods-damned-hells... [The shark that led him down here nudges up under his arm, comforting, and he reluctantly gives it a light pat on the nose.] Yeah, yeah.

[He tries to shake it off, but he can feel the small hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.]

Should have had a destination in mind, I guess. [A huffing sigh.] How's this 'lore donation' thing work, anyway?

iii. Headliner

[Tav is not paying attention to anything on the screen of the television. Tav has never seen a television, and rather than watching it is moving around the thing with clear curiosity. At first he tries looking behind it, then realises that the moving images on the screen are a kind of projection and crouches in front of it instead, so close as to almost make the images blurry.]

What kind of magic is this..?

[Gale would know. Probably. He'd know, and if not he would probably be just as fascinated by the contraption as Tav himself is.

It doesn't really occur to him that he should be sitting down and watching. The snacks on offer have barely been noticed, unsure as he is that he should trust any food on offer here. He is hungry though, evidenced by the faint whine that his stomach lets out while he's poking at the television.]

[Why's that guy get his sword? Fjord didn't get his, this is clear favoritism!

The half-orc definitely perked when someone else was dragged into the cave, yellow eyes darting from the half-elf to the shark consideringly. He could let the pair duke it out, but he'd tried slipping out while the shark was away, and found the path barred.]

I wouldn't if I were you, [Offered in a dry sort of drawl from where he'd posted up for the moment to think on his next move.] Way out's blocked by some sorta magic. Kill our host there or chase 'em off and we might just be stuck for good.

[The presence of someone else in the cave is not the relief is possibly should be, evidenced immediately by the way Tav turns and levels the sword at Fjord instead. His eyes narrow, pinching at the corners, then he visibly hesitates. The tip of the weapon lowers slightly.

Though the stranger could be correct, there's an equally good chance that getting rid of the creature might break whatever enchantment is apparently keeping them both here. Tav weighs up his options, clearly frustrated, then scowls and lets out an agitated sound.]

Let's say you're right. [Let's say, because he's not completely bull-headed.] What's your alternative?

[Honestly, it's not a surprising move at all. The other is clearly pissed off, and trapped in a cave with a shark and a stranger, Fjord can't say he wouldn't have reacted the same way. So he doesn't move from where he was perched against the craggy cave wall, though a hand flexes like there should be a hilt in it.

But when the other seems to calm even that little bit, a faint bit of tension bleeds from the set of the half-orc's jaw as the angle of the sword had been shifted ever so slightly.]

Not sure yet. [Admitted with a faint, grim smirk like he knows that it's a shit answer. Do something about it.] Could be tied to that little brat, but I doubt it unless it's way more powerful than it's lettin' on with that whole puppydog act it's got going. You went through some of the silvery water, yeah? Before it showed up to cart you off?

Yeah. ... Yeah.

[Ngh.

He lets the sword drop entirely, idly twirling it around with a deft movement of his hand and wrist as he finally turns his ire away from Fjord. His annoyance doesn't go back to the shark either but rather at an unspecified spot on the ground, the frown on his face deepening to a crease between his eyebrows as his mind works.

This is definitely different to the kinds of things he's had to face before. Thirteen was not like Raphael, and he's kicking himself for letting his guard down so easily to be taken in by a trickster like that.]

I can't boast the array of spells that a wizard or sorcerer might, but I haven't been able to use any magic since it caught me.

[Well thank fuck for that. Fjord didn't fancy his odds, unarmed with an unknown pissed off guy with a sword if things had gone sideways, so it was for the best that he'd calmed down.

Annoyed still, but Fjord sure as hell couldn't blame him for that. He was pretty ticked off himself, though at who it was hard to say. Definitely a healthy dose of irritation at himself for similar reasons. As if he didn't have enough trouble with mysterious magic beings without adding whatever Thirteen was up to into the mix.]

Same, unfortunately. Dispelled my disguise and everything. And this cave is absolutely stupid with the stuff, so let's assume for the moment that the silver currents are what's blocking our magic... [As he spoke, Fjord watched with an uncertain frown as the shark did a circle around the pair of them, before headbutting against the half-orc's side in an attempt to wedge it's way under his arm like an eager hound.]

Woah, hold on there- [Just gonna be trying to nudge the shark back because excuse you?]

[Just as well that Tav has no issue with half-orcs, being what he is (would be a little hypocritical, wouldn't it?) and if Fjord had not mentioned a disguise he would not have even considered that might be a problem. The problem they both have to contend with right now, evidently, is these dratted sharks getting up in their business.

He watches the creature with just as much tension as his companion, but raises an eyebrow slightly as it decides to simply... headbutt him.]

It's acting like a dog.

[Hasn't he seen Scratch do similar things? Even the owlbear, after a time spent together, when he started picking up the dog's habits. Tav purses his lips slightly then holds out his hand, softening his voice like one might do to tempt a stray animal as he beckons to the shark.]

Hey, come over here.

[People were good at being hypocrites in Fjord's experience. But luckily it seemed the pair of them were of a similar opinion, so coexistence was possible thankfully for everyone's wellbeing.

The shark was definitely behaving just like a dog who insistently wanted close to a person, wedging itself right in against Fjord's side which just had his brows lifting.]

Don't look at me, you little menace, [And seeing the other reaching out, taking on that coaxing tone, he lifts his arm away, to see what the shark would do.] Never seen a shark act like this before myself. You?

[Watching it all but wiggle in excitement as it swims right over to the half-elf and bumps it's nose right up to the offered hand, clearly hoping for pets.]

Tavenlan "Tav" Myani ❖ Baldur's Gate 3 ❖ Legend

friendnapped

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ii. Spread the Love

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Headliner

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iii. headliner

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