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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh, that's right. Yeah. Work. Doppo just let out a huge lung-ending sigh before collapsing on the bed, not even taking off his jacket. Hifumi always scolded him for not taking his clothes off before sleeping but frankly, he was just too tired.]

My boss is gonna kill me...I wouldn't put it past baldy to just find a way to email me anyway....blame me for the whole world ending....I really need to get back to work, even if we won the division battle it doesn't matter in that regard...
[Doppo ended up mumbling more towards himself at the end before shooting up again. Oh, his mic!

The thing was still fine, but Jakurai would advise him to probably put it in a more secure place than just the end table. They were powerful and while he didn't think anyone here yet knew about them, he really didn't want to get it stolen.

He glanced over at the older man again, opening his briefcase and putting it inside. Why did this guy seem so...off? He was perfectly nice.]

Sorry, that wasn't necessary. I won't disturb you anymore. I'm probably just going to, um...rest. Actually, have you...seen any other mics like mine?

[Rei just lets Doppo mumble away to himself, waiting with a half-smile for him to pick up the thread of conversation again. Guess this guy's self-esteem issues really WERE as intense as he'd heard.]

A mic? Can't say I have. [This lie will bite Rei in the ass the second a mutual acquaintance of theirs shows up, but he can't help it. It's TOO FUNNY.]

Why? Isn't it just a regular microphone?

[And Rei certainly hadn't seen the worst of the insanity, especially since his partner in crime wasn't around. Unfortunately, it was just his miserable self, staring at the man in confusion.]

No. It's....a hypnosis microphone. It can affect the nervous system. I was hoping Hif-my teammates were here. It's fine...It's probably for the best this way. They can get dangerous.

Hmm... You're right, that does sound dangerous. [Doppo sure is trusting, isn't he? Just volunteering that information right off the bat?! Hilarious!! For all of his dire muttering, it seems like he hasn't lost faith in humanity as a whole. That's good(?).]

Well, if I see any persons wielding one, I'll be sure to let you know. Here-- those phones they gave us have contact lists, right? How about I add you.

[He glances down at the current... uh... disassembled state of his own phone, and laughs.]

Well, soon as I put mine back together, at least.

[Maybe he was sometimes a decent person unlike Rei!! And he hadn't completely died inside yet. Besides, this was some strange parallel world where magic and giant zombie whales were a thing. Who even knew what was dangerous anymore.

He was too tired for this shit.]

Thank you. I...you have my business card. That has my name on it, I'm probably not gonna change it. I'm just, maybe you should've thought of that before you took your phone apart? Are you sure you can put it back together?

Oh ye of little faith! I told you, it's fine.

[Truth be told Rei actually does NOT know if he can put it back together. There's a bit more... magic... involved in it than he expected, and if it requires a zap of that bullshit before it turns back on again he's totally fucked. STILL. EVEN IF THAT HAPPENS IT'S FINE. IT'S FOR SCIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rei's smile gets a little mean, like he's goading Doppo to disagree.]

'Sides, sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission. Don't you think?

[Oh he doesn't like that look. That set him on edge and remind him of his boss when he was challenging Doppo to talk back.

Too bad he was too polite-and scared-to say it to this guy's face. He's been nice so far, what right does he have to think badly of him?]

I um, never mind. I'm sure you have it handled. I don't really want to think about that...

Haha. Look forward to it, then. [Rei's expression lightens once more, like the edge was never there at all.]

Well, Kannonzaka-kun. [He picks up his screwdriver again, releasing poor Doppo from the curse of "Rei's unreserved attention".] You said you were going to rest, right? I won't keep you much longer, then. Sure we'll all need whatever shuteye we can get if we're all supposed to be world-saving heroes.

[He really didn't like this. Something about all of this felt so wrong. Why was he like that? Time to just pretend this guy was normal and this was all a normal situation and go to sleep like that.

He flopped back on the bed, closing his eyes and trying to once again pretend he had no brain (why couldn't a water flea be his familiar?) But it wasn't working. He couldn't go to sleep, no matter how much he tossed or turned or attempted to burrito himself in blankets.

No his roommate was going to get mad and probably kick him out and then he'd have to sleep on the cold hard ground and freeze to death before he even started living here.

One tired green eye was peering out of the blankets at Rei, quickly diving away again if the guy even noticed he was awake.]

[Oblivious to Doppo's inner turmoil, Rei focuses back on the task at hand: taking his phone apart to look for obvious spyware. He gets absorbed fairly quickly, having written off his roommate as harmless (and unconscious to boot). So for a while, Doppo is left blissfully forgotten.

When it becomes clear that the damn phone seems to have a battery yet-unknown-to-man-in it (magic?!) among other things, and he won't be able to parse anything about it, Rei loudly clicks his tongue, glowering in genuine annoyance. It's at this unfortunate moment that he remembers Doppo's existence, and glances up to see if he woke the man with the noise-- which means Doppo gets a fully-misplaced glare accidentally thrown his way.

WHOOPS]

[This was is. This was how he died. 29 miserable years on the earth and all he had to do was disturb one sleazy mystery man peeled out of a gambler's den while he was trying to reverse engineer a fucking magic spell.

Thinking that Rei's glance meant he'd disturbed the man with his endless tossing and turning, he started so badly he tumbled and fell out of the bed, nearly garroting himself with his own lanyard. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I shouldn't exist here, I shouldn't room with anyone I always annoy them, I'm so sorry I'll just leave-"

And by the gods he was going to do so even without a coat or shoes because he was headed for that door unless Rei stopped him.

[Rei vaguely knew Doppo was jumpy, but not like THIS. Startled by the explosion of noise and movement, Rei watches with surprise as the poor man bolts for his life like he's in the last leg of an Olympic race.

All Rei gets out is--]

Ah? Where are you going, K--

[--aaand he's out the door.]

[Rei sits there in vaguely bemused silence, rubbing his chin. Then he notices Doppo's briefcase still lying there, hypnosis mic inside and all.

He has the gall to look miffed, talking aloud to himself.]

Oi, oi. Those things're gonna be hard to replace... I'm a bit offended you'd leave it behind, you know?

[REI THIS IS LITERALLY, COMPLETELY, 100% YOUR FAULT]

[Well, Rei won't bother messing with it or anything. Doppo has clearly demonstrated that he's paranoid enough to do something like remember exactly how many centimeters away from the bed his briefcase was or something, so Rei decides he's added enough fuel to the fire for once and leaves Doppo's things alone.

Clearing his own belongings away Rei gets up to check outside the door, in case Doppo tripped on his way out and is just lying there in a state of shock, or something.

Should he see nothing, well.. Rei will do Doppo a favor and clear out of the room himself, politely asking to be moved to another lodging for his dear, dear roommate's sake.

RIP (rap in peace), Doppochin..... and look forward to getting a text out of nowhere one day. Because he still has that business card. :')]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

doppo is just a simple man!!!! dont play him like this

:) ;)

REI NO

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1/3 im SO sorry doppo

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3/3 😭