avalaughs | 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

[Claire does look absolutely, positively miserable but not from the cold. She's covered in grime and sweat-stains that run through it, along with scrapes and scratches that are evident pretty much everywhere you look, but the cold doesn't appear to be a huge issue. She's leaning up against the coach's wall, with a huge black dog's head resting in her lap. Her own familiar snorts as the young man enters, and she offers a soft smile before rejecting the cup.]

No, you drink it. I don't think I could keep anything down right now. But thanks.

[There's so much going on...food? drink? low priority.]

'Sides, you look soaked through.

[She definitively looks like she needs the drink more than himself. His familiar was giving her a worried look but wasn't moving from his side. A bit awkwardly, he pulls back the offered drink, slumping in the seat a little.]

So do you. We all took a dip in that freezing lake.

[And not only that, she looks seriously bruised up.]

A-Are you alright? It looks like you have some wounds, maybe we should ask for the doctor-

[-the carriage is already moving so they can't ask for it NOW, but when they arrive, maybe... Sadly he doesn't have healing magic.]

[She looks up, shaking her head again. Her hands run along her familiar's shaggy black ruff, and the creature wheezes out a small sigh.]

I'll be fine, yeah. Just some scrapes and bruises.

[Blowing out a breath, she finally focuses more fully on him, breaking out of whatever thoughts she'd been having. Mostly that this was a step up, and replaying the last 24 hours in her head.]

Seriously, I'll be alright. Place I came from was just a little bit rough, and it was a loooong night last night, but this is a whole lot better. I just need a shower and a good long sleep.

[Managing a smile isn't hard, so she flashes a quick one.]

Thanks for asking, though. [Leaning forward, she offers a hand.] I'm Claire, by the way.

[Uenoyama nods, reassured a bit. She would know the best, after all. He does glance at the dog who seems quite comfortable where he is, then takes a sip of the drink. It briefly warms him up, leaving him craving for it again, so he continues sipping. It doesn't really help with his damp clothes though.

He doesn't know what happened to her, but her tone gives a feeling she doesn't want to talk about it. Right now, at least.]

They said there are rooms at some Inn waiting for people that arrived.

[His hand is a mix of cold from outside and warmth of the cup as he accepts the handshake. Not something he always does but her name says she's not Japanese.]

Uenoyama. Uenoyama Ritsuka.

[Surviving a zombie apocalypse is generally not easy to talk about, no.

Her hand is firm and strong, catching his and giving it a quick pump before falling back to rubbing at the big dog.]

Nice to meet you then. I'll probably screw up your name at least once, but Uenoyama Ritsuka? I should address you as Uenoyama, yeah?

[Her pronunciation is pretty American, and she manages an apologetic smile.]

Japanese? Or...am I off base there? I haven't left the States before.

[Yeah, that would be a tricky one. Not something he'd believe it is happening if he were back home.

But here? After all of this? Everything seems plausible.]

Uenoyama is just fine, [he nods. The older woman sitting next to him plucks a few strings on her harp.]

Yeah. It's pretty far away from Japan so it's normal. I've never been to America either.

[He has a whirlwind of memories and things he was supposed to be doing, or done, brief flashes of the stage performance. It all feels so woozy; he rubs his temples and tries to focus properly on their conversation.]

Not missing too much. Unless you like burgers and stuff.

[She chuckles, nodding towards the woman with the harp.]

Who's your friend? Or...familiar? I guess.

[Feels weird to call it that, but, hey. That's what these seem to be named.]

I am not opposed to them.

[He looks over as well and opens mouth to answer but she beats him to it-]

I am Muse. Pleased to make your acquaintince, [-she answers, her voice a melodic concoction of several female voices, blended into one.]

Y-Yeah. She's my familiar. It's- it's a weird... situation.

[Weird. Strange. Dangerous. All of it at once.]

Uh. Hey there.

[Claire nods to the creature, unsettled by the voice a bit, but her own familiar looks up. Suddenly interested...]

This is mine. I...we...haven't figured out a name yet.

[Red eyes gleam, and the dog's mouth opens in a doggy grin.]

Apparently he's some sort of hellhound. The guy said something more specific, but he wasn't sure what yet.

[The Muse politely nods back and turns back to softly strumming the strings of her harp; a pleasant, gentle sound in the background as they talk (elevator music anyone?).

Uenoyama finally looks the dog closer up and he feels a bit of a chill because it's big. His interaction with dogs is Mafuyu's Kedama and he's just a cloud of fluff. Nothing like this.]

H-Hellhound. I thought those things weren't real. Then again, [he glances at the muse,] I also thought muses weren't real.

[The dog flicks his tongue out to lick the tip of his own nose, clearly trying to be a bit more chill than he looks. It isn't that hellhounds are all bad boys, they just have bad reputations.]

We are in magical faerie land, dude. I don't see why muses and hellhounds can't be real, given the situation.

[Rubbing the dog around the ruff, she chuckles.]

Least they're friendly.

Yeah... I am not used to the fact yet that this place has. Magic. And stuff.

[And stuff. Basically how he feels about everything that's happened so far. He's lucky he's alive and he has to thank his familiar for it, he won't lie, but getting used to the fact that this is what he has to deal with from now on until forever maybe.

But he sighs in agreement. At least they are friendly.]

You arrived here by yourself?

Me either.

[She sinks back against the cushions, hands running along the dog's back as he settles back down as well. Looking down, Claire sighs.]

And yeah, looks like it's just me and the pooch. I was with a friend, and a girl I was basically about to adopt, and neither one of them washed up here. Gonna have words with that swimming lady if they brought Sherry in here and let her drown.

[Uenoyama winces at that- would they actually let people drown? That woman seemed quite adept and skillful at retrieving people from the lake. She fed them warming potion too and got those animals to get them out.]

I'm sure they wouldn't let a kid just drown in the lake. I haven't seen anyone, [Uenoyama frowns himself, trying to remember if he saw anyone younger than himself on the shore.] I can help you look, once I get into dry clothes at this Inn they are taking us to.

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