avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

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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 chilly 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 paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you.

If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. When not helping people, the turtles are going around and hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals or pushing personal items to the beach near the new arrivals they smell like (belong to). If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. 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, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly.

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, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** to everyone before getting them settled in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and give them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: 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.

A ⦿ Trial and Icy Errors

Winter has arrived in Avalon, and with it has come to a change in the weather. Puffs of breath precede sentences when outside, small fires fill braziers to allow people to stop and get warm for a moment between where they come from and where they are going. Snow has begun to fall; at first, it is the same, fluffy, white flakes many adventurers will have seen. However, as the day progresses, the snow begins to shimmer; it’s like a prismatic effect, a magical light catching against every little crystal and illuminating sparkling flakes, so vibrant it’s clear someone has enchanted the snow.

Shortly after the change, there will be a text alert to all devices:

Tired of the same old routine with your magic? Ready for a little something new? Come on out and have an old fashioned snowball fight with a magical twist. Be sure to practice your new powers and have fun! 😉 -Merlin

Those who come outside to find the rainbow snow already being packed into neat balls by Camelot's citizens; go ahead and grab a basket full but remember, don’t just toss them. Let’s get magic with it!

Different types of magic will have different effects on the enchanted snow:

Use kinetic magic to toss three at once. Nevermind if they suddenly balloon inside and burst into a snow shower over your opponent, throw a couple more; some are bound to hit, right?

Throw a little animal magic in there and morph a few into a bear or some other animal of your intent; sorry about his random dance attack, at least your opponent will be laughing too hard to throw a snowball at you.

Try hiding them in a shield or cast an illusion with some light magic; better apologize when that goes sideways and the snow hardens, bursting into rainbow crystals at your opponent's feet.

Team up with someone who has cognitive magic; they can telegraph you the plan without your opponents being any the wiser... except the snow seems to be picking up on it and sending those thoughts right to your opponent! Perhaps use this as an opportunity to learn control!

Maybe you want to try using a little wind magic if you’re of the elemental class; watch out for the rainbow snow squall your perfectly lobbed snowballs will become.

Healing magic is one you might not see coming-- enchanting a snowball with healing magic can result in positive mood enhancements. Give your enemies a blast of zen to lower their guard and make them an easy target!

A dark magic user might think to add a little hex to their snowball; give themselves an edge... too bad, without practice, that hex might be a little too heavy and burst over the maker before it even leaves their hand! Hope you know how to fix it.

Alchemists are welcome to change the shape of those snowballs. Maybe try and craft them into something a little more stealthy or projectile. Too bad that snow seems to want to turn into a batch of butterflies and be free... magic sure is tricky! But hey, they sure are pretty.

In the end, it seems while adventurers will be able to get plenty of practice in, some of that practice is going to come from trying to stop the side effects of mixing their powers with the magic snow; welcome to your first lesson in control. If one is going to use magic in conjunction with already magically imbued things, they ought to know the right amount, seems Merlin wants you all to learn in a trial by snowball error.

Those who practice their magic and participate in the snowball fight will be given hot chocolate, warm soup, fresh baked goods, or other treats to warm them up after their training is done. But don’t slack off! You’re like to find your hot chocolate spiced with pickle flavor, that warm treat suddenly turns to ice cream in your mouth. Avalonians want that practice to happen, and are willing to add some incentive... whether that means the carrot or the icicle.

All throughout the City of Camelot is a buzz of excitement about the oncoming winter solstice on the 21st. Citizens will tell you of the winter solstice's importance in cleansing the flow of Avalon's magic each year and absorbing sunlight to increase its potency. In other words, the winter solstice generates a significant amount of magic if the proper ritual is followed, so the visitors from other worlds really should head on over to Albion's White Cliffs.

A ⦿ The Darkness in the White Cliffs

The first task that you'll experience during the ritual is asking the Cliff Beast's permission to enter the cliffs. Though they look wholly solid on the outside, these cliffs contain a veritable labyrinth of magical caves that weave in and out of the chalky cliffs. As there is danger within these walls, it is recommended no one go alone. The Cliff Beast will only open a door to the caves for parties of two or more who present him with a gift. The gift doesn't need to be something significant, just a show of courtesy-- a lovely rock or a seashell will do, placed at the base of the cliff. The only gifts he will outright reject are precious gems and metals. Honestly, they make him a little nauseous-- and you don't want to see a cliff beast nauseous. In fact, if you try it, the Cliff Beast will suddenly burst into a rockslide right near where the gem was left. Watch out!

Once you gain entrance, you will find there is no light within the caves and the door seems to close behind you. Non-magical lights won't illuminate anything within these caves, so you will need to either navigate through the darkness or find a magical means to light your path. Be wary-- traveling in the dark will be a much safer journey if you can find your way through the caves and keep track of your companions. The reason there is no light are the bat-like creatures that eat energy like fire and electricity. With the magical light attracting them and nothing to consume, they'll be very aggressive and swarm anything emitting heat.. like an unsuspecting traveler. Make too much noise, and the Cliff Beast will spit you out back onto the sand and you'll have to start over.

B ⦿ "For a greedy man, even his tomb is too small."

Those who persist within the caves will eventually come upon a room whose ceiling glistens with bioluminiscent microbes that are too small for the bats to eat. These little glowing creatures create reflections in the room that show just what it contains-- glimmerings of precious gems, gold, and other treasure cover the walls and floor, save for a large flat stone altar in the center. There are many hand-crafted clay cups filled with what appears to be water. The side of the alter has a very simple message: "TAKE ONE CUP TO THE SPRING, LEAVE THE REST. SPILL NO DROP." Sure enough, this matches with the instructions you were given about the ritual: Take a cup of waters harvested by the Asrai, a fairy that lives within the walls of the cliffs that cultivates it every year to bring to the Red Springs for the Winter Solstice.

There is no clear warning about what will happen if you take anything besides your one cup. However, characters who disobey this instruction and take any of the riches within the cave will initially experience severe symptoms such as magical blockage, an endless common cold, and food turning to ash in their mouth. They will experience dreams in which they are urged to return the treasure and a day later, advanced symptoms if it goes on for too long have been known to result in vomiting frogs and snakes, insomnia, speaking in tongues despite the translation spell, bleeding from the ears, and eventually death.

C ⦿ Drink Up

Those who listen and take the Asrai's cups to the Red Springs will notice while carrying the cups, all creatures and threats will leave you in peace. Neither rain nor snow will touch you, parting from your path in both the sky and on the ground. The effects will only last as long as you don't spill a single drop. The ritual can still be completed, but the protections only work if you don't spill-- otherwise you'll be fighting off weather, creatures, other people, and whatever else you encounter as the effects of a spilled cup will cause those around you to try to steal your cup without thought for your safety, even if they might not even think to do normally.

Upon arriving at the Red Springs, a party of people there to guide those who have made the ritual's journey to a particular pool within the vicinity of the springs. Characters will be directed to take a sip, then pour the rest into the Spring alongside your peers, finally throwing the clay cup itself into the spring. Throughout the day, you will begin to feel strangely giddy, but it will pass. Nothing much will seem like it happens otherwise, but the guides assure you that you will understand on the night of the winter solstice when the ritual is complete and your body becomes a conduit to purify and rejuvenate Avalon's magic.

For now, as thanks, the guides offer you one of the celebratory gifts they have to offer-- free drinks (this time of the age-appropriate alcoholic or sugary variety), a free night's stay at the Red Springs, a yule log, an escort, a Recipe: Snow Dance. (Effect: Snow Dance will cause small flurries to pick up where the spell is cast, resulting in decreased visibility. Only works if snow is already present, as it cannot generate elements.) The choice is yours. Pick one.

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 may 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.

*This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count.
**Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

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[If Hikaru was not used to weird worlds and how this all works then he would call bullshit. Sound Planet? Midi City? Really? But one of his closest confidants was a guy that came from the Fire Nation who used fire so Hikaru is used to this by now.]

So it evolves? Like how, it gets bigger or something? We talking about some kind of monster thing here?

[But part of himself cannot believe he's just going along with this. Wow.]

It doesn't get bigger or turn you into a monster? It just glows brightly and you can feel the power flow through you.

[It's hard for him to describe, but apparently it does have some purpose when it comes to fighting the dark monsters.]

I think you do kind of transform too. Like the girl from another world evolved her stone to the highest purity, her clothes changed to white and she sprouted angel wings! She got really strong and defeated the enemy in one blow!

[He blinks and then shakes his head.]

I can't believe this is something I'm hearing and believing. [Mostly spoken to himself but then he speaks to Crow directly.] So there's enemies...?

Well, imagine my surprise when I arrived here!

[Honestly, it does sound farfetched. He didn't believe in any of it himself since he never encountered it until recently. When Cyan arrived that's when the dark monsters started popping up.]

I guess. They weren't always there, but we found out the cause. The president of one of the top music labels in Midi City was trying to take over the world, and so he was corrupting people's melodisian stones, and turning them into monsters. There was also the Queen of Darkness who was going to blow up Sound planet, but we stopped her in time.

[He settles deeper into the water.]

So I'm assuming your homeworld is pretty normal? No, evil villains or stuff like that?

[That...

Sure is a lot.]

Uh. Yeah. Nothing like that. Bad people are out there but it's not anything like somebody trying to take over the world...?

No? Well, it's not like it happens often. Most of the time life is pretty peaceful.

[He couldn't ignore it, since it affects him directly. No one wants their whole planet blown up or the music industry monopolized to one ultimate band.]

So your world doesn't have magic or the like either? Then you must be adjusting well. Did you get a familiar? Mine's flown off somewhere.

Where I come from there's nothing like magic but the place I was before this one had magic. Way different than this, though. [He stretches out and exhales. This hot spring is really nice.]

Yoshiha seems to just come and go whenever she wants. What did you get? Mine's a fox demon.

Guess the magic differs depending on the world?

[Crow shrugs, it's not something he's going to mull over too long. What's going on in other worlds doesn't have much to do with him. He just has to master the magic in this world, right?]

My familiar is a three-legged crow, I think he said he was a yatagarasu. Anyway, I named him, Onyx. It's a great name, right? Guess they have their affairs to deal with, not like much is going on for us anyway.

Ah, yours talked to you? Yoshiha just kind of screams and makes that weird laughing sound foxes make. She's rude, though. I don't know why I got her.

[Obviously Hikaru isn't rude in the slightest!]

I still don't get this whole familiar thing.

Well, it doesn't speak to me out loud, but I can hear its voice in my head. He can be pretty dramatic sometimes, but I have no complaints.

[ Crow chuckles at Hikaru calling his Kitsune rude. Well, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.]

Too bad, no returns or exchanges allowed! I don't get it either, but it's kind of cool to have a companion. It's almost like having a pet, but you don't have to worry about taking care of them.

[That makes Crow sounds like a neglectful owner, but it is one less thing to worry about.]

I'm glad I can't hear her. I bet she'd just sound like my grandmother or something. [And that's definitely a nightmare come to life.]

But I guess when you put it like that, it is sort of like that. Not that I ever wanted pets.

Your grandmother? Wha? Does she have an annoying voice?

[He's thinking about his own grandmother, and she was a sweet old thing. Too bad she had Crow as a grandson.]

I don't have time for pets either with my crazy lifestyle and all, but when I was on my parent's farm I had a few cows I was pretty attached to.

She has an annoying everything. [She's the worst.

But importantly, he stares.] You're some farmer boy? [Literally not what he was expecting.] And you had cows?

That's not right. Aren't you supposed to respect your elders?

[Yet, Crow is laughing so he must think it's funny.

However, when Hikaru seems interested in his background, Crow is too proud of it to be embarrassed.]

Yeah? My parents own a dairy farm, so we have a lot of cows! There are other animals too, but our milk is our pride, so we take good care of our cattle!

[There's no respecting an old woman that doesn't respect him or his brother! That's simply that.

Hikaru's not as intense about commoners as Tamaki may be but he has never met a farmer.]

Wait. So did you milk them? [This seems so novel! Like wow, a real-life farmer. Right there.]

Of course.

[ Crow gives Hikaru an odd look, since he's a farm boy, he has to be hands-on. His parents never gave him the privilege to slack off. Yet, he doesn't see how a rich kid perceives a blue-collar worker like him and his family.]

I mean to compete with the other dairy farms out there, we had to increase production, so we use machines now. However, it's gentler on the crows to do it the old-fashion way. I've milked a whole bunch of cows, bathe them, and even sung to them. They were my friends before I even had any.

Wow. I thought stuff like that was just in movies. Not the milking part and bathing part but...why do you need to bathe them? Don't they just stay outside and get dirty?

[It's a little sad how absolutely fascinated he is by farming. Not that he would ever want to do it but hearing about it is crazy.]

[Oddly, Crow doesn't mind talking about his farming days. He thought it was common knowledge to people, but maybe it wasn't.]

No, they only go outside to pasture. We normally keep them in the barn overnight, since the nights can be cold. And you have to wash them regularly to avoid infections since it'll affect the milk.

[They couldn't afford to have spoiled milk, since their livelihood depends on what they produce.]

It's the same for chickens and pigs. We gotta keep them groomed, so they can stay healthy.

But don't pigs bathe and sleep in mud or something?

[Maybe he's asking dumb questions but he is thoroughly interested in all of this. Not enough that he will ever take part or want to become a farmer because that sounds like a nightmare but stories about this is really interesting. Who knew caring for animals took so much work? ]

Oh yeah, they do bathe in mud, but there's a reason for that. Pigs don't have many sweat glands, so when the weather gets really hot they tend to hang out in the mud. They even like water, but the mud keeps them cooler longer. Although, they can't always be dirty, since we have to keep them healthy too.

[He then huffs, remembering how annoying it is to deal with pigs.]

It's like giving a dog a bath. They kick and scream the whole time, but they feel much better when it's over.

[Either way, Crow doesn't mind answering Hikaru's questions. He doesn't think they're dumb at all, but he's just surprised not everyone knows this.]

So you never had a pet back home? But I guess even if you did, you have maids and butlers to take care of it, right?

[Hikaru had always known how awful farming sounded. Any type of work like that was horrible but when he really thinks about having to wash pigs? That sounds like a nightmare come to life. Who knew farmers had to do so much? Hikaru always imagined they just drove around on tractors because what does he know of work in that type of way? Nothing at all. This has been a real eye-opening experience for him. Learning more about the blue-collar side of the world.

Even if, apparently, Crow is from some different world but whatever. Hikaru can't imagine it's that much different.]

Yeah, we'd never have to take care of an animal like that. My friend has a dog and I think he enjoys taking care of him but I don't really get it at all. [Hikaru may not have the most nurturing sense of feelings.]

[Well some farmers do work the land, and so they do drive around in tractors. Crow has ridden in one too. So Hikaru is not totally wrong, but there's certainly a lot of hard work involved either way. Maybe he'll consider that the next time he goes to the grocery store.]

Well, I think dogs are cool! They're loyal, always up to play and they're good at obeying orders.

[Crow is clearly a dog person even if he's a hedgehog.]

Though I get what you mean. It's disappointing to invest your time and energy into animals, only for them to be shipped out later.

[Crow looks a bit dejected as he says that. He means shipped out as in being sent to the slaughterhouse. It's part of the reason why he couldn't carry on the family business.]

[It takes Hikaru a moment to figure out what Crow means but then it hits him.]

Oh, you mean like when you have to kill them? [He had seriously never thought of that part. That's a lot and very sad?]

Putting so much work into something like that...[Hikaru has learned a lot about farming and it gives him a new perspective.] But if you know it's coming then that's good. It prepares you? [But it isn't like empathy is his best friend here.]

[Things are getting deep in this hot spring1 Crow only nods his head at Hikaru's realization. Once Dairy cows mature, they are sent out for their meat. Crow would like to say it gets easier, but he's seen these animals from birth to adulthood. So it's easy to get attached.]

You know it's coming, but it only makes you cling to them even more. I think at one point I became really rebellious and thought of releasing them into the wild. Though they won't last long out there, or they will be picked up by someone who will eventually ensure the same fate.

[There's no way around it. Honestly, it's become an inspiration to Crow's music which has a constant theme of breaking from the herd and changing fate.]

I still love my parent's farm, though! With anything in life, there's always going to be something you hate and love about it!

[Who would have thought this conversation would go to this? Hikaru sure didn't think they would talk about farm work and the struggles of being part of the meat industry.]

I still get why you left it, though. Other than all the other stuff, it isn't easy, huh? [Nothing like being faced with the fact that you do not know hard work like that.]

Never knew this was what the other side was like. [Not that it changes much about Hikaru. He's a rich brat through and through and it only convinces him of some things. Like how poor people just really don't have enough time and so it makes sense why they make so many cheap things?? But it's sad.]

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milkmycattle - 2021-02-17 02:52 (UTC) - Expand

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