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

[ Cehd'ra can run faster but that's near the extent of what he can do. The aether won't respond as he's used to, keeping from vanishing from Zenos's line of sight in a burst of smoke or using any mudra to slow him even more.

Thus, without another option, Cehd'ra abandons the training field for the thick of the strange new city that surrounds it. He's had no time to explore it yet but there are certain things all cities share: little nooks and alleyways, shaded by tall buildings and carefully arranged trees--Camelot has enough of the latter to remind him of Gridania, if only a little.

Panting for breath Cehd'ra dives into the first such alley he finds, tucked between storefronts and tries to hide among the bins. He's squeezing his poor familiar hard enough the creature's lone eye is bulging with discomfort. ]

[ Now that the chase has begun, Zenos has no intention of abandoning it. Even if it leads off the 'battlefield', making this plainly no longer about the tossing of snowballs and the practicing of magic. The pursuit itself is even enough to elevate his pulse the slightest bit.

He has gained on Cehd'ra some, once on flat and shoveled ground. But the roads are still wet with melt, and such a frantic pursuit is liable to leave some trace behind.... he almost proceeds past the alleyway where Cehd'ra is desperately hiding himself but stops, looks, takes a moment to breathe... and then enters at a much more measured, menacing pace. ]

Should I find it flattering, that so many that have found their way here have reason to flee from me?

[ He says it lightly, or as lightly as he ever says anything. He sounds bored. He sounds as though he does not care.

He kicks away one of the bins, intent on exposing Cehd'ra's hiding place. ]

[ There are better places he could have chosen to hide, including not hiding at all and just continuing to run down the narrow and littered alleyways. The latter especially feels like the better choice when Zenos's footsteps pause and grow closer rather than continue on. His familiar has begun to squirm in his arms but Cehd'ra's gone numb to the feeling, fear still gripping him tight. ]

...

[ He sounds bored. He'd kill people when he was bored.

Cehd'ra's ears flinch at the sudden clatter of a nearby bin being knocked away. Not the one he'd been hiding behind but close to it, too close. He can't stay where he is but if he darts out now...

None of Cehd'ra's usual magic will work but he has some physical training left to him. The shadow walker risks a peek, tense and still, and the moment Zenos turns his face away he'll dart out and try to dash past the man with as much stealth as he can manage.

It won't work. It must work. ]

[ Cehd'ra is small, and he is fast. It is for this reason that Zenos's first attempt to simply reach out and clothesline the fleeing Miqo'te fails, having misjudged his position by a hair. But he has been spotted, and Zenos's own reflexes are considerable and his steps are broad. He turns, lunges, reaches, and catches hold of Cehd'ra by a handful of his clothing near the scruff of his neck. ]

There.

[ His satisfaction in his voice is unmistakable, but there is no particular joy to be found on his face when he roughly lifts the man and turns him about, holding him up to eye level without a hint of strain. ]

I would know who you are, to be so fearful, and to have such memories and such feelings.

[ He is enormous, and he is selfish, but he is not stupid. He can swiftly draw some conclusions about this man's origin, and he would have them confirmed or denied. ]

[ The rush of wind that would have been Zenos's arm crashing into his throat is just close enough to flick his ears further back. It triggers a reflexive duck as he rushes past...but neither that nor his own panic-fueled speed is enough to save him. ]

Gaah!

[ Cehd'ra's poor familiar goes flying, dropped and carried forward by momentum as the Miqo'te's hauled bodily off his feet. It's a scant miracle that Zenos doesn't have him by his actual neck. Instead his cloak bunches up with the shirt he wore underneath, stretching as he's left dangling, legs still pumping as if the ground isn't suddenly some few feet below him.

It would be comical if not for the obvious fear. Almost wild enough to keep him from hearing Zenos's demand. Almost. ]

M'nobody! No one, no one--please jus' let me go!

[ The sheer vigor with which he struggles feels like another hint towards the something-or-other that Zenos is seeking... but it's also a strain on his arm. He is still strong, yes, but quite as monstrously so. Which is why he reaches in with his other hand to grasp him by the collar instead, and then releases his grip on the scruff of his neck and shoves him up against the nearby wall. That should be a somewhat more comfortable position for interrogation. ]

I don't appreciate liars. Something that I am willing to assume that you already know.

[ His grip tightens the slightest bit, but his expression grows no more unamused than it already is. ]

You move like a Shadow Walker. Do I have the right of it?

[ He plainly thinks he has the right of it. ]

Were those your thoughts that I saw, Shadow Walker? Was that your fear?

[ Cehd'ra lets out sharp sound as his back hits the wall, pinning him and putting an end to his wriggling. The Miqo'te grasps hold of Zenos's forearm instead, half-prying and half-holding himself up, lest the Garlean actually grab for his neck instead. And the questions he's asked...

That Zenos even noticed such a detail...well, of course he would. Zenos wouldn't be a fraction of the warrior he is if little things like the way a target moves eluded him. Especially if it should be something familiar.

None of that soothes Cehd'ra's fear in the least. ]

I...

[ Shadow Walkers were given very specific training in one very specific place. If Zenos learns he's right then there's really only one thing it could mean.

All the years spent in Doma, Cehd'ra got by keeping his head down. Even more so when the crown prince was given command of his legion. Zenos ever had more important things to focus on than some meager Shadow Walker among his troops and Cehd'ra knows that likely saved his life.

But now those empty blue eyes are looking at him. He's gone and captured the monster's attention... ]

--it was. 'Know who you are...I was in the XIIIth Legion...

[ There's no point in denying it, all Cehd'ra can do is try to get through this alive.

He won't die here. He can't, not after everything... ]

[ He does indeed have the monster's attention. But this is not Doma. He is not but one of many elite-but-ultimately-disposable soldiers. And Zenos is no longer beholden to the same military structures and pressures and plans.

He smiles unpleasantly, and there's the faintest relaxing of his grip. Satisfied though he may be at having learned that for certain, no, he can't very well let the little savage go. He'll run. And he's not done talking, yet. ]

Good. And your name?

[ Not so much for the sake of recognition, or even introduction. With a name, he can possibly contact him again. Find him again, if... there's ever a task he finds himself unable to complete, perhaps. ]

Edited 2021-01-06 02:33 (UTC)

Cehd'ra, understandably, hesitates.

He doesn't know what Zenos wants his name for. It can't be for anything good, even if he felt the tension in Zenos's arm lessen ever so slightly.

On the ground a few feet away, Cehd'ra's familiar is rolling about on their back, little legs kicking as they struggle to get back up. No help's going to be coming from that corner just yet. All Cehd'ra can do is stall.

"Why...why d'you care?"

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

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