avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

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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

[Oh. His recognition makes her flustered expression turn more surprised. The first and yet the last thing she expected was to have her uniform recognized. She still wasn't quite used to the idea of this being a wholly different world and she almost expected to find herself back home any minute.]

Yes.

[He must be a student there are well. He looked the age and -- ah, she should probably ask, right?]

Do you go there as well?

[Her tone is soft but genuinely curious. She seems like she's either very quiet typically or simply very mild, the sort of girl who would be easily overlooked.]

Yeah. I um. Last remember being at the beach for our break, so I wasn't in my uniform with arriving like you, but. I'm in the class that did that play for the school festival.

[With Yuki and Tohru and the rest. In case she needed a hint as to which class he was in, since he doesn't think he's in the same one as her. He gives a shrug, not wanting to make her flustered or whatever exactly, so he introduces himself to her in any case.]

I'm Kyo. You probably at least know of the president, right? I'm one of his cousins.

[Another Sohma. Because they are everywhere and a large family. Sorry if you thought you escaped dealing with the Sohma here, Machi, it doesn't look like that succeeded if so.]

[The play. That play. Oh she knows the play. And now she gets where the feeling of half-recognizing him came from. She makes a soft 'ah' sound, her expression evening out again.]

Then you're related to the Sohmas in my class as well? Momiji-san and Hatsuharu-san?

[Ah, she hadn't asked permission but this conversation would only get confusing if she didn't. Plus it wasn't near as difficult as getting out the President's name. Speaking of:]

I'm the treasurer. Of the student council.

[Yeah. That play. Where Kyo made the worst prince type ever.]

Momiji and Haru? Yeah, yeah, they're family too. But ah, that makes sense then.

[It isn't like he paid the most attention to Yuki and his goings on, but even Kyo was aware of the other's responsibility and all with that and how Yuki had been pushing himself in accepting that position. Even if he was oblivious for the most part to the council's shenanigans.]

[He's so nonchalant about it all. Machi decides in an instant that he seems like the sort who talks rough and acts rougher. Yet that somehow makes him all the easier to talk to in this moment of confusion.

Her shoulders relax, some tension easing off of her. The kitsune draped across them lazily opens a golden eye but does little else.]

You must have a large family.

[It's an automatic assumption considering the number of cousins in play here. And, well, she might be a little curious. She only knew as much about the President as she could see with her own eyes and observations. Hearing anything about his family or background tickled something in her she couldn't readily put name to.

Ah, she had forgotten her own name.]

Machi Kuragi.

I guess. It isn't like all of us go to school together. It's -- they can be a handful sometimes though.

[Momiji with his boundless enthusiasm and energy that just....exhausts Kyo. Haru and his moments he loses his cool. Shigure being.....well, Shigure, not to mention Ayame. And Ritsu. Kyo's used to it but yeah. His family are kind of a lot. He gives a shrug at the observation, given she hasn't met most of his family as it is and is saying that.]

Machi, then. Alright. I guess this is at least -- sort of? A familiar face in all this.

[He himself has a bakeneko cat familiar that leaps up and settles in his lap, eyeing Machi even amid Kyo's initial flustering but realizing it isn't like there's a lot of space for the cat to really settle much anywhere else.]

[Machi's eyes direct down to the bakeneko as it moves. She tilts her head a little and most will miss the very subtle tell of her interest. She automatically offers out a hand like one might do to a stray cat, not intruding on it's space but giving it a silent bit of acknowledgement.

Her lips quirk some at their corners, a very quiet smile rising up.]

Mm, you're definitely recognizable after the play.

[Is she ... amused? It's so faint but it's there somewhere.]

Thank you for being a familiar face.

[She wants to ask more but she wonders if he would be willing to answer anything else. There's little to do on this ride besides look at the things they've been given. Machi's sunglasses are settled atop her head and so don't match the otherwise cool demeanor she seems to have.

So in lieu of simply sitting in awkward silence or whatever comes after her comments she indulges herself for once.]

Are you close to your cousins? I've never spoken to the President about his family.

[Which is funny in hindsight because boy did he know about hers.]

That damned play.....but ah? You're welcome? I guess.....

[He gets what she means. He just wasn't expecting her to thank him for simply being here. For showing up the same as her where he had little to no say in the matter or anything. Kyo gives a shrug, his familiar reaches a paw to place on top of her offered hand.]

I mean. Some of them I have been around more than others. I live with Tohru and a couple of my cousins back home. And because Tohru's there some of the others often come visit. It's mostly Haru though of the ones I don't live with that I have seen around the most. Him and Kagura. Both of them also train with Shishou at his dojo and all. And Shishou was the one that took me in, before I went to live with Shigure.

[But. Well. Family could be complicated at the best of times. Let alone when it's the Sohma. So perhaps he isn't too surprised if Yuki hasn't talked about them all that much.]

[Tohru? Tohru. The name sounds somewhat familiar. Was she in the play too? Machi believes she must have been. She's likely an upperclassmen then. It sounds like she's fairly popular with his family too.]

It sounds ...

[Busy? Annoying? Hectic? Machi had only ever lived with her parents and for a brief time younger brother. When extended family got together it was far from pleasant. Family gatherings were talk of money and inheritance, more schmoozing than real connections. They only made her lonelier in the end to be honest.

What Kyou describes though if not in so many words strikes her as far different. He doesn't seem to hate it necessarily, not from what she can infer or see anyhow.]

Lively.

[She gently strokes her thumb over the top of the offered paw. It's soft to the touch in her mind and in spite of her rather stoic face she seems to give off this pleased sort of aura.]

I guess that's one word for it. Yeah.

[Kyo got used to it after a while though. Coming home to find cousins visiting every so often. That might not so much be the case now, but. Even if it might be lonelier for Tohru without them and her two best friends, at least she wasn't entirely alone from home anymore with him here. And Machi.

Because somehow he wouldn't be surprised if Machi knew her somehow or other as well. The way Tohru just befriended most everyone it seemed. So easily.]

I'd say at least here things might be quieter but Tohru's probably gone and made friends with everyone here too.

[Friends with everyone. The idea is a little boggling to Machi and she can't help but automatically reply.]

Is she that friendly?

[It's both question and a bit of a baffled statement. Does there exist a person who can be friends with everyone? Then again Machi has always found it a difficult proposition to be friends with anyone.]

She is. If you haven't met her yet, you'll get it once you do.

[He's known for years now. That's just how Tohru is. He grew up hearing about her from Kyoko and all, and then meeting her properly years later. It isn't like she had it easy, didn't have her own issues. But she was kind. She was caring and friendly with everyone and all. It was hard not to like her. There was a reason his family all flocked to her in her easy acceptance of them in spite of how traumatized and broken they all were in their own ways.

His familiar shifts to lie more comfortably at Kyo's lap, tail swishing slightly before curling into a ball.]

[How interesting. Machi looks thoughtful for a moment, raising a hand to pet her own familiar's tails like one would absentmindedly stroke their hair. She isn't much for such gestures normally but having the kitsune hanging out there makes her more prone to them.]

That sounds nice. Being so friendly.

[But...]

It must be difficult too sometimes.

She does end up having others walk all over her if I don't step in sometimes.

[But that's just how Tohru is. Wanting to please everyone. Wanting to help. Always. Kyo has to appreciate that about her in some ways. Given her acceptance of him meant the world to him after his past, his upbringing with his mother and how she treated him. So over protective and fearful his beads might come off and all, revealing she was really scared of his True Form regardless of her reassurances. Kyo sighs, one hand instinctively petting the familiar of his.]

So I guess in some ways it can be difficult. But that's just Tohru for you. Seems exhausting to me too. I still don't think I really get it. I'm better than I was though, in being around others and all. Interacting with people.

[Largely thanks to Tohru and her mellowing him out as time went on.]

[Ah, was he awkward around people too?]

The President has helped me a lot with interacting with others.

[She's praising him too much. Even if he's not here she best reel it in a little.]

Even if he is an airhead.

An airhead, huh?

[He is kinda taken aback. Mostly because most everyone else seems to praise Yuki and consider him perfect or whatever. Kyo isn't sure what to make of this or how to react to her calling Yuki that apart from chuckling, a hand to his mouth and then forehead in response out of instinct.]

[She looks only mildly surprised at that.]

Yes.

[Machi stands by her initial assessment. But...]

That's not entirely a bad thing.

[B U T . . .]

He's not a prince though.

[Is she complimenting him or not here.]

No, he isn't. You should see his room, it's the farthest thing from anything resembling 'prince like'. I've never understood that sort of thing.

[That 'perfect prince' sort of ideal others seem to take away from Yuki. While even Kyo, not that he's admitted it yet, admires Yuki in wanting to be the other in some aspects. That didn't mean he in any way held such an idealized and unrealistic image of the other. Not by far. He can't help snorting at that, though his familiar doesn't seem bothered by Kyo's scoffing as it settles comfortably at his lap.]

[His room? Machi tilts her head some. What was it he had called her room that one day?]

A sea of decay?

Yeah. That. Exactly. You get it then.

[For all he knows maybe Machi came over to help him with some council stuff or whatever in Yuki's room and Kyo had been out. It didn't really matter but what did was that she wasn't under that stupid illusion of Yuki being some perfect prince type. Because he wasn't. Even if Kyo was jealous of Yuki to some degree, that didn't mean that he was believing that nonsense either.]

[So the President's room is as bad as hers then? ... Should she say that out loud?

... Nah, it's better not to.]

Are you more tidy then?

[She's typically not one for small talk but there's exactly nothing to do but ride in this carriage in awkward silence and she's curious to boot.]

Most anyone would be more tidy compared to the state of his room.

[Which. Would be a yes. It isn't like Kyo has a lot but what he does have he keeps neatly on the shelves or such at least. Unlike Yuki whose mess sprawls and included the kitchen being a disaster when Tohru had first moved in and had to deal with. Kyo for his part, doesn't mind talking. It isn't like talking about Yuki was something that personal that he got upset or flustered about or whatever at least.]

[Ahahaha... ha. Machi makes a quiet mental note to never have Kyo over. Then again maybe she can make an effort to keep tidy this time?

... Well, as long as it wasn't perfect tidiness.

She fidgets a moment, the kitsune across her shoulders shifting as she does.]

He is very busy.

[Just. Sort of very mildly defending him here. Not that she cares though.]

He is. Stays at school a lot with the council stuff or whatever. I usually spend time at the dojo with Shishou after school myself.

[While Kyo had made friends at school eventually, he was always more tentative in getting really involved in much of anything, the way he was resigned to his fate as the Cat. Here, there's no Akito. No Cat's Room. Nobody else here besides Tohru even knows of the zodiac curse on the Sohma. Maybe this is like a second chance, almost. He's still processing that realization and train of thought, as the cat shifts in his lap to climb to his shoulders and stretch to sniff at the kitsune.]

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 9

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