TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary 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.

Comments

[starshaper]

[Sirius will get all the attention later even if Usagi doesn't make it clear yet. She's just happily hugging Ren as tightly as she can there.]

Yeah, I'm fine. The nice lady helped me out of the water and those ice turtles were really amazing, I've never seen anything like them! You weren't hurt in that either, right?

[There's one weird thing after another happening here. Where's the flow of Chroma? The way how hugging and any other physical contact always feels incredible anywhere around Prismatica?

Also what? Usagi blinks in surprise and lets go of the hug a little... Ren's voice sounds different, and why does he say that? Is she talking too much? Not talking enough? Or what?]

What's rude?

[She's so confused.]

[saxsongs]

I'm just fine...

[He blinks when she asks that.] Nothing? I love your company.

"Rude is you hugging Ren when he was about to hug me." [Bark bark.]

[starshaper]

[ He gets a relieved sigh as soon as she hears that. ]

Good, I'm really glad to hear that. I love your company too.

[But she jumps a little, when she hears something again!! Usagi looks around like she's trying to see another person somewhere here but there's no one else nearby, at least no one who'd be paying attention to them?? This is so conf--

Wait wait wait, someone Ren was about to hug before Usagi rushed here to hug?? She's S L O W L Y turning to look at Sirius. She speaks with Luna and the other cats, sure, but a talking dog is something new!]

He-- He sure keeps barking like he wants attention too!

[She'll tell the truth sooner or later, most likely very soon.]

[saxsongs]

"Finally! Yes. I want attention too. Please?" [His tail is wagging wildly.

Ren looks over to Sirius and looks at Usagi, a little confused.]

Yeah, I was about to pick him up before you came up, so no doubt. Are you okay, Usagi-chan?

[starshaper]

[Can she hear him because she's Sailor Moon? No, isn't Sirius a normal dog??? But Sirius IS a dog from a weird alien planet, maybe that's why this is happening?? But she couldn't hear him talking before, why can she hear him now???

Usagi's face is turning more and more red, while she keeps them both waiting for what they want. She's laughing sheepishly like she's suddenly very nervous. What was in that water?!!]

I-- It's just that-- Ah, I'm fine, I think. Magic is just weird, you know. [Since they both know weird things happen in Prisma!! She, ummm, she should just tell Ren.] Ummm, so... Sirius says he wants attention too, please and earlier he called me rude for coming between your hugs.

[Wow, being a dog translator sounds so normal. MUST BE TUESDAY!!]

[saxsongs]

[She can hear what Sirius is saying? Ren looks back at his dog and extends a hand for him. The puppy gladly comes close to snuggle up to both of them and his hand.]

That's certainly something. I can't understand anything he says.

[Sirius seems content with getting attention now and mostly goes "yes yes yes".]

I wonder what's going on. Chroma isn't flowing either... what's this place up to now.

[starshaper]

[Usagi's smile becomes gentler and warmer as soon as Sirius comes closer. And because Ren's taking it so well, but yeah, Lunatia sure is a weird place where this possibly isn't even that surprising.]

I couldn't hear him before, so it took me a moment to realize he was speaking to me... You- You can't? Oh, it would have been really cute if you could hear him instead. So it sounds just like barking to you? [Her face brightens a little more at her own sudden idea.] Ah, can I be a translator between you two then?

[Now that translator idea doesn't sound weird since Ren takes the whole talking with your dog thing so well?? Usagi goes down to hug Sirius and she'll also kiss all over his face as much as she can from one side.]

I don't know. I don't think it was really that weird time there either... And there seem to be a lot of people but I don't think I've seen most of them before. Maybe new arrivals are early? Maybe -- Maybe we're unlocking a new city? Another test on how we manage without Chroma? At least this time it's not storming with thunders and lightnings. But then again, this could be anything else too.

[Hello ramblings. She should be looking for Mamoru but she has no idea where he could be... She'll just hug Sirius tighter after that to hide any signs of sad and worried face or any other negative emotions.]

[saxsongs]

A translator... yeah, that would be great. [Sirius is getting plenty of attention and ear scratches now. A good pup.]

Well, I wouldn't put it past Prismatica to suddenly change pattern. Hopefully we'll figure out what's up when we start moving around.

[Ren peeks at Usagi's face from behind Sirius.]

... hey, we'll find him.

[starshaper]

So, it's a deal then! Anytime when you want to know what Sirius is thinking, or what he wants or how much he loves you, you can always ask me!

[Except she will surprise Ren a lot by how much she and Sirius both love Ren but he's not going to hear that or it wouldn't be a surprise at all! Still giving lots of affection to Sirius here between all of her lines. Kisses, pets, gentle scratching... He's such a cute puppy!]

Me neither even if I haven't been here for that long. Changes like that sound like some kind of a new test to us but we'll get through this.

[... Oh. Oh no, he notices that. She smiles, she's trying not to worry him or anyone else. She sure doesn't want to be a bother. Everything's not fine!]

Of course we will. He has to be here somewhere. Hey, have you seen anyone else, that we both know? We have a lot of people to find here!

[Like... a certain basketball player better be here too!]

[saxsongs]

"Thank you, Usagi, thank you thank you." [Sirius cuddles against her a bit more now, even kissing her face.

Such cuties, both of them. Ren can guess it's bothering her more than she lets it show, but decides to leave it for now. No sense in forcing her to talk about anything before they know what the situation is.]

You're the first one I see here at all, so no yet... guess it would be wise to get moving.