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

[He'd hardly expect a big announcement. But... at least the Professor, Hilda, and himself.... so they didn't have to worry about him, wonder if or when he'd come back. Just- However much they had or hadn't gotten along Claude had gone from house leader to Alliance leader and been one of the few constants ~~he'd~~ they'd had during the war. It was a miracle that the Professor came back to them, certainly, but-

Well they were all just a little bit lost without him.]

I certainly hope that means you have some idea of what is going on and how we're meant to return...

And that you are well aware this does not mean I've forgiven you. [In case you've forgotten how absurdly petty Lorenz can be, your Majesty.]

Then I'll just have to earn that forgiveness... Although in some ways, you're taking it much better than I expected.

[He sounds flippant as ever, but he means that sincerely. He can tell he really hurt Lorenz, Byleth -- even Flayn, judging by her reaction -- even if that had never been his intention.]

And yes, I know plenty about what's going on. What do you know so far?

What did you-

[expect is clearly what is coming after that but he frowns, brow furrowed... and Claude is clearly trying to change the subject. Normally he wouldn't let him get away with it but... well he's right about having more pressing concerns.]

One moment I was looking for you [An irritated gesture that likely would have been a swat from anyone else.] But everything was chaos after the battle. I thought I must have slipped going down stairs because then I was falling........ into a lake!! With some mad woman insisting that I come down here as though it's just perfectly normal to fall into a lake walking the streets of Derdriu!? In my full armor, mind you. It's a miracle I didn't drown.

[Yeah he uh.... has been too loudly indignant about the whole thing to really catch much, sorry Claude.]

Yikes! I'm glad you made it out. [Getting tossed into water in a suit of armour can't have been an enjoyable experience.]

I'm curious about this battle you mentioned, but we should probably get your stuff from the -- ahem -- box you were talking about first, and then get a ride to the city. I'll get you up to speed on the way.

[His expression darkens at the mention of that foul box but he... will force himself to bite his tongue. For now. Claude might be surprised to see the sword of Begalta among his possessions but it isn't as though any foolish princes would have taken such relics home to Almyra, is it? Someone may as well get some use out of it.]

City? Which city? [A pause as he considers] Those who Slither do have a propensity for infuriatingly timed warping, for good or ill, is that what's happened? Merely warped out into the middle of the countryside?

[Claude helps him unload his belongings (wouldn't want Lorenz to dirty his hands with the offending box, after all), only giving a quiet 'huh' when he spots the Sword of Begalta. The very same sword he'd arrived with here. That's not high on the priority list right now, though.]

Actually, this isn't anything related to Those who Slither in the Dark -- and this isn't Fódlan. It's an island called Avalon.

[He frowns at the idea that it's not some Agarthan scheme but if anyone would know it would be Claude.]

Avalon? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that isle... Part of Albinean territory?

[If Claude thought for a moment Lorenz wouldn't stubbornly dig in his heels and refuse to believe the scope of how not at home they are well... Lorenz is here to prove him absolutely wrong.]

Such a distance would be incredibly difficult to manage...

Nope. Isn't Albinea supposed to be really cold?

[Avalon's much more temperate in most places, like Fódlan.]

This is actually another world entirely. It's a long story, so we'd better get comfy first. [Now that Lorenz has his belongings, Claude leads him over to one of the carriages, opening the door to climb in. Just as he's about to do so, a small white wyvern about the size of a cat swoops down to join them, landing on his shoulder.] Oh, Naira! Want to join us for the ride, do you?

[He gives her a little neck rub, and she trills happily. ...He should probably explain where he got this new wyvern from, too, but first! He takes a seat in the carriage, and she hops down to curl up on the seat next to him.]

I'm not as familiar as I rightly should be with Albinea or its climate which is why I thought....

[He trails off, making a helpless little gesture with his hands. Another world? What madness is this. Surely he's not expected to believe such a thing!?

Getting situated at the carriage will end up involving ensuring a, now barely 12 hand, black mare war horse turned pony is on a lead to follow the carriage. Thankfully the carriage will be slower so even as small as she is now she should be alright keeping up just fine. Though that particular panic attack was far less upsetting when Darby was clearly behaving perfectly normally.

Lorenz making himself comfortable involves slipping into the carriage and promptly beginning to disassemble his armor to at least let the air begin to dry his sopping wet clothes.]

Well then I suppose you had best begin explaining.

Long story short, the situation here is... a lot more serious than Those who Slither in the Dark. Not only is Fódlan in danger, but our entire world, and every land in it. We've been brought here to try to help put a stop to it.

[He doesn't enjoy being the bearer of such dire news, but they've been through enough together already. It's just another challenge in a long string of many -- or at least, that's how Claude is approaching it.]

Someone used a sword called Excalibur to cut through the worlds, causing a great calamity that could destroy them all. Fortunately for us, the worlds are all frozen in time, and now that we're here, we have a chance to stop it and save them. First, we need to hone our magic with the help of our familiars, like cute little Naira here. [He nods down to the wyvern curled up next to him.]

Edited 2021-07-09 21:59 (UTC)

[More serious than the Agarthans? That had him sitting up a little straighter, worried.]

Does that mean this Excalibur has power similar to the Sword of the Creator?

[They did sort of watch the Professor cut her way out of an alternate dimension once. It's the only sort of framework that he has to go off of here and it at least gives him some idea of where to start picking at the magical complexities of the whole thing.]

Familiars... yes I heard something along those lines. Such practices were once discouraged in Fodlan, far enough back that I've no idea if it was really a matter of efficacy or... [One hand comes up to touch his creased brow before he waves it off, dismissive. Thanks Rhea.]

Would we not be better served using the practices of this world to amplify our existing skills? I've not been able to cast a single spell thus far.

[Not like he tried to blow up Edelgard or anything. Shhhhh]

Yup, you got it. It's a sword of legend that originally belonged to a guy called King Arthur, but it fell into the wrong hands. Now it's tearing at the very fabric holding the worlds together.

[As for familiars, Claude just looks exasperated when he talks about how it was discouraged in Fódlan. Somehow it's not surprising, though.]

Ah, well, you won't be able to use your normal magical abilities here -- you need to learn this world's magic from scratch. I'm sure a magic expert like you will adapt in no time, though!

This Arthur fellow didn't happen to be known as the King of Liberation, did he?

[It's a dark bit of humor but it's something Lorenz can scoff and roll his eyes at
and pretend for a moment to be unbothered by the whole ordeal. It... makes him feel a bit better than he did earlier, between yelling at Edelgard and crying on Ferdinand. See? He's absolutely the picture of composure.]

I'm certain the magics will not be difficult to learn but there's a difference between learning and mastering. I've been studying Reason for a decade now, that kind of mastery does not come without work and dedication. [A pause. A Look. He was very aware of your grades in magics, Claude.]

How are your studies coming along then?

[He laughs at the comment about Arthur. Well, Lorenz can't be too floored if he's still able to joke about the situation. As for magic...]

Yes, yes, no need for the lecture, Professor Lorenz. [Claude has some very middling wind magic and he's even worse in Faith; he's happy to leave both to the experts.]

Mine isn't so bad! I've been practicing. I'd give you a demonstration, but then I'd have to curse you, and somehow I get the feeling you wouldn't enjoy that.

Curses? Just what manner of magic is this, we're meant to be using?

[He looks rather taken aback at the very idea and his gaze flicks over to Claude's new little pet. Or rather. familiar. ]

I have only the harmless of dark magic. None of that scary stuff Lysithea can do. [Breezing right past that, though:] Oh, but you'll like my other magic! Watch this.

[He scoots over to sit next to Lorenz on his side of the carriage, and presses his hands into the seat. There's a brief green glow of magic, before he lifts his hands, and a small red rose sprouts up from the cushion.]

Pretty neat, huh? That's green magic.

[He doesn't believe Claude's magic is half as nonthreatening as he implies but that's neither here nor there. Not when Claude is so merrily encroaching on his space and then... conjuring roses up from nowhere. For... him...?

Sort of?

Well to show off, of course, but there's maybe a tiny bit of pink on his cheeks when he huffs in response.]

Green magic? I can only imagine what chaos you'd create with plant magic.

[He's very much not impressed, clearly. Though... he does concede enough to reach out to touch the rose itself, curious if it will feel or smell like blooms he knows from home or if this is some manifestation of what Claude recalls of roses. Surely the scent will be all wrong if it is. ]

But it is lovely... [It sounds more like he's thinking aloud, not necessarily intending to speak but that just means the appreciation is more genuine... and the stuttering flicker of light at his finger tips, ever so briefly coaxing the rose's petals to unfurl a little more, all the more surprising.]

[It's a real rose, sure enough: not a vague copy based on Claude's memories or impressions, but simply a plant grown by magic, seemingly rooted in the cushion. Claude just observes Lorenz's reaction with an impish grin on his face, not wanting to interrupt until the other man speaks.] Ah, Lorenz. You always criticise, but you always come around in the end.

[Then he scoots back out of swatting range to the opposite seat again, settling back down next to his wyvern.]

Who knows? Maybe you'll have green magic too. Then you can grow whole rose gardens wherever you feel like.

Well someone has to remind you not to get too far ahead of yourself in all that scheming. Goddess knows how you've managed these last months in Almyra without us.

[He gives Claude a sharp look but there's a fondness in his exasperation that he's grown less and less capable of hiding over the course of the war. And now he's out of practice on top of it! Unfair.]

Entire gardens? Really? Do you know if you're able to grow any breed or only ones native to this world? [Never mind if he has green magic or not Claude is clearly more skilled than he is for now.] It would be a shame if one were to be forced to use subpar roses for tea.

Er... Let's backtrack for a second, Lorenz.

[Of course he's rambling on about roses and tea, but Claude's mind is stuck firmly on the first part of what he said, frowning.]

Even though you know I'm Almyran, that's not the reason you're angry with me? [He never expected Lorenz to take it well -- or Hilda, for that matter -- and yet here Lorenz is, bringing it up like he's already come to terms with it. He seems to mostly just be annoyed Claude snuck off, from what he can tell.] Looks like time really has moved on without me.

If I were to carry on insisting that any number of things I was raised to believe were true I would still be locked away in my Father's Estate, doing precisely as I'm told.

[Had Claude said or done something to out himself early on of course it would have gone poorly. Seeing how dedicated Cyril was to his work and the Deer as a whole was a start but, loathe as he is to admit it, Claude and the Professor gave him the courage to stand up to his Father and everything that followed was a uniquely freeing experience. Even in the midst of war being allowed the opportunity to form his own opinions, uninfluenced by Father or traditions or anything of the like had been a joy.]

Bringing in such a large contingent of the Almyran army at the end of the war was hardly subtle, Claude- [An abrupt pause as he realizes-] Ah... or would you prefer I call you Khalid? That is your real name, is it not?

I only did it because we needed to press our advantage, and we had no other options. I knew even at the time it'd make you suspicious.

[He just couldn't tell him the truth, not when the tides of war were finally turning in their favour. It risked everything falling into disarray if the wrong questions were being asked at the wrong times.]

And-- Yeah, that's my real name. [He's put up with a lot of strange experiences here in Avalon, but for some reason, this is the strangest. A consequence of all that secret-keeping for over half a decade, he supposes.] Everyone knows me here as Claude, but you can use it instead if you like. It doesn't seem like I have much reason left to hide it.

I, at least, kept my theories to myself. I'm afraid Hilda has hardly been to cautious with just how much she lets her tongue wag. Any number of ridiculous theories!

[Including that Claude had left the Professor broken hearted and run off on her. Not that Lorenz suspected anything romantic there at all, why in the world would he? Surely not. There was far too much work to be done regardless.]

Perhaps... in private, then. I wouldn't want to make trouble for you, explaining yourself and all. [Another Look, half teasing half scolding. Explaining himself is definitely not something Claude is good about.] I... imagine it would be something of a relief? To be able to use your real name again, I mean. The very idea of spending so much time going by a pseudonym...

[Lorenz' pride would never allow it but, trying to put himself in the other man's position even is a difficult mental exercise for him.]

Oh, ha ha. [Claude rolls his eyes and smiles at the ribbing, looking a little more relaxed now that he has a better idea of where he stands with Lorenz, even if this whole topic is still something that instinctively sets him on edge. To the question, he looks outside at the moving scenery passing the carriage.]

To be honest, being "Claude" was a relief in its own way. My mother being from Fodlan, people in Almyra hated me. Then I got to Fodlan, and people hated me for being from Almyra. But once I was recognised as a legitimate heir with a Crest, and a name people would accept, suddenly I had status and respect... Crazy, isn't it? It kind of felt like fate pulling one big prank on me.

[Which isn't to say he hasn't had his problems, Count Gloucester foremost among them before Edelgard declared war, but it seemed manageable compared to daily hatred and contempt.]

[Lorenz is quiet for a long moment, watching the other man as he stares out the window, pointedly not looking at him. He can hardly imagine what that must be like even though he is all too familiar with the hatred Fodlan harbors for anyone different. But then, some of the most loyal and, dare he say, noble people he has known have been those not of Fodlan. Dedue's unwavering determination even when he could have joined them, Cyril's love for Rhea despite her failings, even Shamir's ceaseless dedication to the cause and Catherine both.]

Well... [He has to say something even though he's not entirely sure what to say. But, as per usual that just means something embarrassingly earnest comes out without his permission.] I just hope, one day, being Khalid will be a relief too.

[It's sappy and emotional and not the sort of thing Claude would ever take seriously so he's just... yeah, wow that view. That.... sure is a forest alright. Fascinating. He doesn't even realize he's tensing up waiting for the teasing but he absolutely cannot look him in the eye after saying something that foolish.]

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