avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

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SUMMARY: New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. There is a small earthquake during this (shaking, some things may fall off of shelves, but no structural damage) that upsets the normal arrival creatures, limiting cliff-falling rescues and sliming the water. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there.

A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival

KERPLUNK, SPLASH!

Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that.

In the middle of the new arrivals, there is a small earthquake that shakes the island and makes the waters choppy. The jellyfish are startled and release a glow-in-the-dark slime that may dye your characters' hair and skin until they can get a proper bath. The Lady of the Lake seems disquieted by the earthquake, but there isn't much to be done about it where they are now besides make sure that everyone is outside of the water as quickly as possible.

If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, as the earthquake has scared the cliff beast into hiding, meaning for July's arrivals, there is no safety net. They may need some serious help if a fall occurs!

*Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players.

B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot

Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses, and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go.

These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service,

avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk.

C ⦿ The Red Spring

The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies.

If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out!

The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there.

SUMMARY: Camelot throws a carnival to combat the warming up weather featuring "cool" foods and contests, Queen Elphame sent gifts of aquatic mounts to practice in gratitude for the offering and peacemaking with Celliwig, and the clean-up for the carnival goes haywire as cleaning implements magically seek to clean everything.

Thankfully, not every minute of Avalon is adventure and trials and rituals. There are moments of respite, and moments to have fun. This July, for example, locals have decided to invite everyone to what they're calling the "Cool Down Carnival"!

A ⦿ Cool Carnival, Bruh

behave like a penguin

Margaritaville Pair Challenge

giant schooner

(Recipe) Hangover Moveover

B ⦿ Surf New Turf

aquatic mounts

Alpacapies: Cousin to the much more violent water horse fae the Kelpies, Alpacapies have been mistaken for baby loch ness monsters on more than one occasion given their penchant for sitting with just their hump and long neck above the waterline. They can be ridden in the water and tend to bond with people who are polite to them upon greeting. They will assist in combat by spitting water at their enemies or kicking with front legs, but they may shake you off if they need to deep dive to gain speed for an attack. They do not have back legs, only a dolphin-like fin. For some reason, they're really impossible to take photographs of.

Mossatees: You're familiar with the mossatee already. A special breed of manatee that grows flowers and moss on its back like a miniature garden. They blossom in the spring, and their backs can be very comfortable. They're a little clumsy and tend to run into things, both accidentally and on purpose, so it may be a bit of a derpy ride if you and your partner choose a mossatee. They also just had a lot of children, so part of riding with them will mean protecting their young on the journey. They're not good in combat and will prioritize defense.

Deinosuchus: A Cretaceous crocodile that gets up to about 10 meters long. It's huge and carnivorous and very well could eat you if you piss it off. It is fast, but has to take a lot of breaks. It will also terrorize in a fight. The fae recommend bringing it a goat or some other similarly sized meal to get it on your side if you want to go for this one. This pack is the only one left, transported by fairies to Avalon long, long ago, so you'd better not let them down.

C ⦿ Clean Up Chaos

As people head out for the second day of practice with their mounts or recover from a crazy carnival experience, things around town... seem a little off. It seems like someone tried some experimental magic after competing in the Margaritaville challenge feeling particularly benevolent. All around Camelot, cleaning utensils have taken on a life of their own. Brooms are sweeping customers right out of restaurants, sponges are scrubbing up dishes and chasing down patrons for the most public sponge baths of their life, and the local woodland creatures are assisting in picking up and taking away anything that touches the floor that ought not to be there. Some are even hopping up on residents to do their hair!

Whatever the source is, the only solution is to either destroy or scare the cleaning supplies off to the woods before they take over the whole town! A little magic should help, so why not test out the magic you've been working on since arriving in Avalon?

SUMMARY: The earthquake busted some of the Land of Rot wards and zombies are attacking Camelot's farmland. Save the farm, restore the wards, fight a giant worm, and then find a mysterious marsh before getting transported back home just as mysteriously.

The earthquake on arrival day was a little frightening, but ultimately didn't seem to cause too much trouble around New Camelot. That is, until a few days later when the farmlands seem to be under attack.. by the undead!? It seems like the wards surrounding the Lands of Rot were disrupted by the earthquake near Camelot's northeast farmland. '

A ⦿ The Farming Dead

B ⦿ Of Wards and Worms

C ⦿ Wake Me Up Before You're Go-Gone

First zombies, then a giant worm... today's been exhausting! And now you're.. somewhere in the middle of the Land of Rot and you seem to have run into some kind of marsh that you don't remember passing on your way in. The water itself is murky and the only creatures around seem to be bugs, bats, snakes, and frogs. Everything seems sickly, rotting, and is pretty awfully stinky. But none of it is quite as terrifying as when you and whoever you wandered into the Land with stumble upon what appears to be some kind of old hag.

What happens next? Who knows. She screams and both you and whoever you're with pass out and wake up snuggling in an inn room. You were definitely in that marsh though, because your pants are still sopping from trudging through it... Well, enjoy the panic, maybe interrogate your neighbors, and try to find out where in the Land of Rot you were! It sure doesn't seem to be on the map... What a mystery!

MOD NOTES:
• All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post.
• If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities.
•If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt.
• The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly.
• Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“You’re supposed to meet someone?”

Naoto overheard the person talking, and couldn’t help but intrude. Was it rude? Yes, but the matter of the fact is that maybe he could help said person try and find them? Well, try being the key word, but he doesn’t mind that much. He looks at the person curiously.

“Don’t you think standing around is kinda counterproductive to that?”

"That's what the wind tells me. Though I can't really look for them since I'm not certain who it is."

Besides, from experience, destined encounters happened no matter how hard you searched or attempted to avoid them. It did make Haruka a bit more aware that there were actually people listening and watching, which meant that certain topics should probably she should avoid discussing out loud.

"If we both go chasing after each other, then we might wind up in an endless game of tag."

“… That was cheesy, but I guess you got a point there.”

He knows that it was most likely the person’s familiar that told them that, but Naoto couldn’t help but notice the way they phrased it. It’s just one of Naoto’s quirks.

“Even so, you should at least grab food and something to drink. My cafe’s not that far off, so we could head there.”

Well given that the familiar in question was a wind elemental, it wasn't technically wrong. Though even before Avalon, Haruka was accustomed to omens coming to her on the wind due to her ties with Uranus. But being called out for the cheesy line just brought a grin to Haruka's face with a shrug.

"Lines like that are usually effective with pretty girls I find."

Now that the other mentioned food, Haruka did figure that she could go for something to eat.

"What kind of cafe is it? I could go for something if it's nearby."

“Well, yeah, but I’m not a girl…” but he is a (closeted) romantic, so he sees the merit in her words.

“A tea shop with mostly desserts as sides, but I’ve been testing some more savory items if that’s not up to your tastes.” Naoto smiles. “I used to do everything myself but when I got caught I had to stop and share the work.”

None of his friends would let him. None.

"I can tell, but it still seemed right."

It definitely sounded like a place that Michiru would have liked, and if it was really mostly desserts that dumpling head would probably go crazy for it too.

"Sometimes things are better when you just break down and accept the help that you're friends offer. Even if it might seem simpler and easier to do it on your own.

But what's the name of this place of yours?"

Oh boy, the lecture… “Yeah, I get it. My girlfriend says the same thing…” Which wasn’t a lie. She was trying to break through to him that he could depend on friends, and… for the most part, it was working.

“Oh, it’s Magnolia Cafe!” he answers with a bright smile. He’s totally proud of it without actually saying it.

More of a passing comment than lecture, after all Haruka wasn't the type to lecture or nag about things. She'd rather just let actions speak than words, besides if someone else had already told him it would be a waste of breath to repeat it.

"Sounds like you have yourself a pretty good partner then."

Well it was easy to understand someone taking pride in their work, though it didn't necessarily mean that it was good or anything. After all, there were a lot of aspiring racers and artists that unjustified in their pride.

"Magnolia huh? I know a few people who would really like that. I'll give it a try and then let other's know if I like what I see."

“Yeah… She’s been nothing but supporting. I don’t get a lot of that— never did, really, so that just makes it feel a lot more special…” He didn’t mean to get so deep about it, but the comment slips out of him naturally. Naoto doesn’t mind it.

“Thanks! It means a lot that you’re willing to try.” He’s not used to everyone being so open to trying, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to call it out— he’s not the suspicious type.

"Sounds like a pretty special girl, you better not break her heart or someone else will snatch her up."

Haruka wasn't sure who it was, but it was always fun to tease those who got all mushy so quickly. Plus what else was there to say, it wasn't like Haruka knew anything about the guy or the girl he was talking about right?

"You're welcome, most things are worth trying at least once. And if it's good I'll have a place to visit regularly around here."

Instead of teasing back, Naoto is surprisingly calm about it. “Yeah, I know.” he says, almost as if he fears the possibility if it happening. Death was all too prevalent in his life, after all.

“Yeah, that’s usually a good thing. I got a lot of staff, so if I don’t know something that you need to know, you could ask one of them.”

"I'm pretty quick at picking up on a lot of things. But it's nice to know that there's a place to go if I do have questions. And that there are a lot of helpful people there."

After all, Haruka had a feeling there was going to be a lot more free time here, given that there were no races to prepare for, no classes, no duties beyond simple household chores so far.

"You have any specials going on?"

“Believe me, I was one of the first ones here, so it took me a looong while to learn everything. I just hope to spare others the headache.”

Naoto thinks to himself for a moment: Yep, almost a year here! He doesn’t know if he should be happy about that.

“We have a monthly special, actually! This month’s a red shiso juice and macarons from me! My girlfriend made a whole bunch of other snacks too, so it’s varied this month!”

"That's pretty generous of you."

Well Naoto seemed like a decent guy, though Haruka wondered how long the other had been here if he was one of the first. Was there a particular reason for the order in which they were brought, or did it just happen to be a chance of where and when they were when the spell took hold?

Haruka continued following the other, making a note of various things to get a lay of the land.

"Macarons? It's been a while since I've tried something like that."

“I don’t see it as generous, I see it as common sense. I mean, you tell me: would you prefer to be in the dark, or know everything before acting?”

It just made sense to know things, to Naoto. They soon made it to the cafe, Naoto pushing the door in and quickly stepped inside, keeping the door open.

“Well, today’s your lucky day! After you!”

"Knowing as much as you can before acting is good."

Haruka had to admit that much was true, but at the same time, you couldn't wait forever trying to find out more before acting. There were times you had to move forward if you were still in the dark about certain things. Following Naoto in Haruka took a look around.

"I've been pretty lucky so far, so hopefully it keeps up."

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

Cool Carnival

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