TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ 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 Vendors of all kinds have taken to selling cooling goods throughout the carnival grounds. Shaved ice, frozen yogurt, gelato, ice cream, iced tea and boba drinks are everywhere, and each and every vendor is vying for the attention of customers. Whether it's coupons for free snacks if they fill out a punch card for all three days of the carnival, or trying out their new, more magical recipes of frozen slush that make you temporarily behave like a penguin and try belly-sliding down a slip-n-slide that's been set up to occupy the unfortunate victims of that slush (It wears off, don't worry.) Perhaps most notably is the Margaritaville Pair Challenge. If you and an acquaintance can down a giant schooner of frozen margarita in less than a minute together, you'll both get a free happy hour item once a day for the next month from the restaurant and they'll do you a solid and teach you (Recipe) Hangover Moveover, a recipe that instantly cures hangovers. The brain freeze caused by downing that much frozen drink is yours to deal with, unfortunately... B ⦿ Surf New Turf In the evening, the fae folk of the carnival crew lead the way to uproot the party off toward the docks near Camelot. The Elphame Traders came back this past month with good tidings from Queen Elphame, who was impressed both with the gift of a ship and the winning over of Celliwig's people. To this end, a second ship was sent with the Elphame Traders to provide a means of transportation to the faery Kingdom of Elphame without passing through the Forest of the Felled: aquatic mounts. However, they aren't exactly easy for anyone who isn't an animal mage and will require practice before anyone can set out. You'll need at least one person to steer and one person to act as a combatant, as the lake north of the arrival point is more than a little treacherous but that will be a journey for another day. (Maybe the 20th? Stuff seems to coincidentally always happen around then, huh... Weird.) For now, the fae who stayed behind from the Elphame Traders this month are sticking around to help you find a partner and an aquatic mount that gets along with the two of you. Most of the creatures who have agreed to be mounts are hanging out alongside he beach near the old docks, so you can go around and check out the different kinds of available 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. Once you've found a mount that seems right, try to practice balancing on its back. They don't much like saddles so that may be a challenge, but if you hold onto your partner it might be easier! Once you're settled, try racing against another pair or going through a Survivor-esque obstacle course with your mounts. 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 Step one is to fight the hoard of zombies spilling out into the farm and stop them before they contaminate Camelot's food source. Use whatever means you can to dispense of the undead, keeping the following in mind: death mages are going to be the most effective combatants against the undead, but anyone can follow the basic rules of zombies to clear a path. Loud noises attract their attention, they shamble during the day and can move more quickly during the night, they don't feel pain so if you hurt the they won't be deterred-- you have to kill them, and always double-tap if you aren't sure. Just be careful not to set them on fire. Flaming zombies can spread fires to buildings and other surroundings and are just generally worse than regular zombies! Once the zombies are cleared out, farmworkers will bring out gifts of fresh lemonade and some extra mixed herb seeds they gathered throughout the year. They're still good, please take them as a thanks for helping save the farm! B ⦿ Of Wards and Worms After searching the perimeter of the Land of Rot, sources have found that the wards were damaged on the west side, so the zombies haven't fully penetrated any areas but the farm. Pair up with another person to draw the attention of the zombies away from wards while the other person resets the wards. While doing this, you'll find the earth is rumbling again-- a little heavier this time since you're much closer than back in the Bay of Avalon. Rather suddenly, a huge sinkhole opens up in the desert landscape of the Land of Rot nearby... and out leaps a thousand-toothed worm, flying through the air and diving back toward the ground teeth-first... with your character right in its target location! Maybe you're lucky and get out of the way only to get knocked down by another huge tremor, or maybe you've just been swallowed whole by a giant worm and really, really need to find a way out for you and your partner! Maybe you'll find something interesting while you think... Is that a broken boat in here? Hopefully you find your way out (or.. if you don't, you find someone to resurrect you, but that would really suck if you just arrived!) 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.

Comments

[heavenlyskies]

Leave it to some macho muscle-head to try and ruin the mood. The guy did look pretty tough though, more like some kind of brawler than a knight or hero you'd read about in a story. But then something told Haruka that things here weren't going to be quite like the stories that made up Hotaru's bedtime tales.

"Of course, the chance to fight against evil and do good. Saving damsels and princesses from the clutches of vile lords and monsters."

Reaching over Haruka plucked one of the small bottles before they were all taken.

"It also depends on the king and queen that you serve."

[beewulf]

Excuse you, he takes super big pride in his giant, macho muscles. Thank you very much. Said muscle-head takes a sip of his glass before setting his phone down with a soft clack and a soft, rumbling laugh. Not really at her personally, more at the notion of rescuing princesses from the clutches of vile villains.

"Most knights were the villains."

He looked amused as he finished off the glass in his hand and went to pour himself another one.

"But yeah, it can depend on who you serve. And what you're like as a person."

[heavenlyskies]

"Not in the stories that I heard, or in the ones that I've seen."

Then again most of those were fairytales based on long-forgotten things, though you could argue that in a way Haruka was a knight as well as the other Senshi since they were guardians who swore themselves to a king and queen. They just didn't go around with armor on horses and joust.

"See, just be chivalrous and find someone that is worthy of your dedication and protection, and being a knight wouldn't be bad at all. Though you'll still need to learn how to fight and handle a sword.

Do you know a lot of knights though? You make it sound like your familiar with all this."

[beewulf]

"The story doesn't matter, what matters is who's telling them."

Eventually he just sets the glass aside and opts to go for a whole bottle. He didn't know exactly what he was drinking, beyond that it was good, it was semi-strong, and it would do for a long ride. The man's voice sounded conversational, though his own thoughts were less on knighthood and chivalry and lawful-good types. And more on if he should go meet with this world's version of King Arthur, or if he'd even be allowed to.

"If that's what you want to believe. You could say I've met a few in my day. Most of them were marauding thugs that were only reigned in eventually by offers of prestige and money. As for the sword... I'd take a good spearman or archer over someone relying on an oversized dagger. A simple farmer with a staff can best the mightiest of swordsmen without much trouble."

The bottle opens up with pleasant pop and he takes a small sniff, makes a pleased hum before sipping it.

[heavenlyskies]

"Well, I could see why they wouldn't mention that."

Haruka uncapped the small bottle picked up a few moments ago and seemed to evaluate it a moment before taking a small sip. It burned a bit but wasn't too bad. Though the bottle would definitely not be empty anytime soon. At the mention of a simple farmer being able to best the mightiest swordsmen without trouble, Haruka's eye twitched a little. No way, she knew enough about swords and how to fight that some idiot with a pitchfork wouldn't stand a chance.

"It sounds like you didn't really come across anyone that actually knew how to use one then. You're oversimplifying it a bit. Besides Spears don't work once someone gets in close, and Archers eventually run out of arrows.

If you give an ordinary person any of those they won't really stand a chance against someone that has practiced seriously."

[beewulf]

"Haha...! Said many a "practiced" fighter thinking the same thing. Only to find themselves on the receiving end of a spear, or filled with arrows before they could take a single step."

He shakes his head, laughter still rumbling in his bared chest. Someone was really fixated on the idea of swords being all that. Well he supposed the image of a knight wielding a sword was cool and all. Far too many forget the dominance of the spear. There was a deeper swig of his chosen drink this time and his attention was full on Haruka now.

"Skill and brawn are nice, but they can only get you so far."

[heavenlyskies]

Haruka had every right to be confident with her skill, she'd fought through several lifetimes and millennia with the Space Sword. When she fell it hadn't been due to a simple spear or arrow.

"Alright, then what do you think it takes to win a fight?"

Of course brawn wasn't the deciding factor, there was speed and agility too. But those were part of someone's skill, taking another sip she figured he would probably respond with something about luck or fate.

[beewulf]

"To want victory before you fight. No one goes into a challenge and then expects to win just because they show their face. They wish to win well in advanced, wish to win, and to survive. Or for others to survive."

A shrug, planning in advance, preparation and foresight. Sure not everything goes according to plan, but its far better than rushing into a wall of point sticks or peppered with a hail of pointy sticks.

"And no small amount of luck." There's her luck bit. "Of course, the best way to win a fight, is also to not come to blows at all."

Which was probably rich coming from him. But years of ruling a kingdom taught him that constant struggle would get people nowhere. He polishes off his bottle and moves to grab another.

[heavenlyskies]

"That goes for anything. In every race I've been in I have to see myself winning before it begins, or I won't be at my best."

Well that was pretty obvious, otherwise, why would you even be fighting. It wasn't like people really decided to get into a fight or even an argument with the desire to lose, not if it was something serious.

Haruka looked pretty unimpressed with the whole idea,

"Yeah, but sometimes the enemy won't give you that option. Or even people that you're supposed to be allied with, they just keep getting in the way and refuse to listen to any warnings or requests. But yeah I've heard that before, “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” Sun Tzu."

She was impressed though that he was able to handle his drink as well as he did. It was probably a good idea to grab early to make sure there would be some left.

[beewulf]

"Victory goes to those that ready themselves before they move."

To be fair, if he was earnestly trying to impress someone then he'd just go out and kill another dragon or three. Or probably the whole of Avalon's dragon population (if there is any), and then turn them all into delicious steaks. Or boast about his accomplishments, as the prideful types are want to do.

But instead, he was here. Happily guzzling down booze.

"No, they don't always give you that option. But it's one that should always be on the table first." He should know all too well, in fact he frowns a little like something bitter was placed on his tongue, and it wasn't the alcohol.

"Ah-- it doesn't matter. I'm certain there's plenty of fighting to be had yet. Especially if you're looking to become a knight." Also, if she isn't careful he might take her own rush to the bottles as a challenge. And if there was one thing that Beowulf knew he could still do even nerfed, it was to drink others under the table. In fact, if it was a long ride he might actually find it an enjoyable way to pass the time.

[heavenlyskies]

"I guess I can agree with that."

Hunting would be the last way to impress Haruka, especially if it was something like a dragon. Yeah being competent and strong to fight something like that might be impressive to most, but generally hunting things wasn't as much so. A race on the other hand, so far the most disappointing thing about Avalon was the pace at which the caravan moved.

"Who says I'm not already? I just thought it would be interesting to be a knight of the round table since you hear a lot about the myths with King Arthur and Merlin."

As for the bottle, Haruka had only sipped so it was far from empty, and she wasn't looking for a challenge there. After all, there still wasn't a guarantee this wasn't an enemy's doing and she wasn't able to transform, so she had to be careful.

[beewulf]

Races are fine, in fact she could probably beat him in one. Even then he would probably enjoy it. In the case of the pace that they were moving at... it made him feel a bit itchy and bored. But there was other things to return his thoughts towards. Specifically a few familiar faces and names that pop up on the network.

He lets out a small hum.

"Are you now? Well if the Arthur here is anything like the one I knew, then I'm sure you'll find yourself a place in his hall."

It was said as a throw away comment.

"Perhaps I'll even join you. Until then, enjoy your drinks, friend. There's a long road ahead." Friend, congrats he called her friend!

[heavenlyskies]

"In a way, I've been a soldier protecting our kingdom and princess for several lifetimes. But you know King Arthur? Or at least a version of him?"

That was enough to grab Haruka's attention.

"So I've heard, and things seem to go a lot slower here than I'm accustomed to. What are the chances of finding a car or helicopter around?"

They had phones, so you couldn't lose hope.

[beewulf]

"Mm, I did...." And by the looks of things they might just be here as well. Or perhaps a version of them. He doesn't say this outload though. It was better to keep somethings to himself for the moment. Granted that it probably wouldn't be long before he heard from them. Or they heard about him. If they recognized him that is.

Maybe he could get a good fight out of them too in the future?

"Friendly, optimistic at times, and enjoys a code of ethic."

He takes another drink, before placing his phone down once more. There was things for him to think of and look forward to. For now, best to enjoy the ride. There would be plenty of time to wreck things in the future.

"Not sure about modern transport. But I'm sure you could find something similar. The devices that they gave us are certainly proving useful."

[heavenlyskies]

"At least that much seems to line up with what I've heard. Maybe I'll get the chance to meet them and see if the legends really measure up."

Haruka wasn't in a hurry to fight, but then again turning away when challenged wasn't really something that she did either. There would be a lot to adjust to though, without having her crystal and transformation, well it was a good thing that physical education and martial arts had been among the more favored classes for Haruka.

Still taking small sips from the bottle that had been snagged at the start, Haruka had considered the phone. She'd already seen familiar names and a few people that she would have to give a call and pop in on once they made it where they were going. The lack of cars was a bummer but at least they still had phones and the internet, and what looked to be a pretty active network.

"They had to make up for the arrival somehow, most people don't enjoy going for an unexpected swim."