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

The vaults of Babylon, the tombs of Pharaohs, the Palace of Versailles... Crowley had seen such glittering luxury before and wasn't particularly moved by it. What was interesting was the way this young lady stared at the jewel encrusted wall.

"You could stand there staring at the wall all day or you could take a few? Those jewels aren't doing any good just hanging there anyway."

Demons didn't always give the best advice.

Isabel looked over at the man, brows going up. "Maybe so, but I mean. You know about the fae, right?"

She'd only had a few brushes with them in the past--not that one of her mother's best friends hadn't been one himself. Or half. Even that half had been kind of overwhelming.

"I kind of like my parts where they are. In the right places and uncursed, like normal." Though she finished that last comment with a bit of a laugh. His words had seemed to break her from her reverie, though.

"I've seen the movies. Leprechaun. He was too tall in that, really."

He glanced around but saw no sign of tiny evil fairies or leprechauns and here there weren't even any warning signs or booming ominous voices telling you not to touch. It was more like a buffet than anything dangerious.

"There's nothing to say those jewels are cursed. And look."

He pointed to one that appeared to him to be a giant ruby.

"That one is barely hanging on. All it needs is a good tug."

"Leprechaun?" Oh boy, that was even worse. Not that Isabel remembered at all what leprechauns did, save give you gold if you found them at the end of the rainbow. Nothing came to mind if you tried to trick them or something.

"Nothing to say, but this place is full of fae magic--I mean I met the Lady of the Lake when I first came here! Mermaids! I've got a brownie cleaning my room--not that I've ever seen them, but I know at least to leave a saucer of milk out to let him or her know I appreciate them, right?"

She shook her head. "Red's so not my color." Instead, she went to pick up one of the cups, holding it carefully so she wouldn't spill any water.

"Is that why my socks keep disappearing? I'm going to have to have a word with them when I get back. I was about to blame Aziraphale."

He scowled at the wall but if she wasn't tempted, then it would be left entirely in peace.

"Remind me again why we are doing this water toting game?"

"Some sort of ritual. I've never really been involved in something like that, but there's always the first time..."

No, Isabel was at least sort of tempted, but having met a dangerous and potentially vicious fae in person once? She wasn't inclined to mess with any of them...a healthy sense of self-preservation was involved!

"Now, details about it? Not sure, but likely this is an offering to placate or venerate...something. Not sure what, though. It just seems likely."

Isabel didn't know any Dreamspeakers, or many Verbena who could've explained that to her, and in any case, they were all back home...

He half-listened to her answer which was amazingly rude as he had been the one to ask it in the first place but he was easily distracted and his limited attention span had been pulled to the sign.

"Take a bowl, don't spill a single drop... Sounds ominous. I wonder what happens if you do spill some."

Not really wishing to find out for himself he snapped his fingers and pointed at one of the bowls, utilizing what freezing elemental magic he had gained during the snowball fight to freeze the liquid in the bowl solid. Crowley then sauntered over to the dish, picked in up, and carried it to the opening to the next part of the maze without a care in the world.

"Coming?"

"Yes! And nice trick!" Isabel was impressed. Then again, that gave her an idea of her own. Not that she wasn't going to move a tad slowly, anyway...

But first, she furrowed her brow in concentration. Slowly, a thin film of hard light formed over the mouth of the cup. Satisfied, she nodded.

"Okay, after you!"

"What's that... a forcefield? Very scifi."

The corner of his lip curled up in approval before he turned and headed back into the maze. The creatures were much quieter now, the bats only bearing their fangs in great yawns instead of taking to the air to pelt people with their beating wings. Aside from a few rough patches of ground it was a largely smooth adventure.

Until they made it to their destination and they were approached by the people who urged them to drink from the water they had brought with them...

"Drink from... this?"

A demonic knuckle wrapped on the frozen lump that was contained within his clay bowl but it was entirely solid with nary a drop to drink.

"Shit!"

"Hey hey hey! Don't panic, you froze it, you can unfreeze it! You just have to be careful!"

It is very like Isabel to be a cheering section, but she doesn't want this guy to panic and have something really bad happen to him.

Though there's also a thought that enters her head. "You know, if that doesn't work...they said we had to take a sip of water. Just one. They never said it had to be from your own vessel..."

She darn well knew that might be pixieing on the spirit of the bargain, but if times were desperate, well!

From the mouths of strangers! His momentary lapse, worrying that he had done all of this for nothing, was soon glossed over by the smoothest of grins.

"Oh, I like that... a loophole! They couldn't possibly have any objection to it as long as I tossed this frozen lot in there afterwards."

It followed the letter of the signs if not their intended meaning and saved him having to walk back for an unfrozen bowl or risk spilling any by boiling it back into liquid form. Plus it bent the rules, what demon didn't love bending rules??
With a smirk and a more polite than he usually was bow he glided out of her way.

"Ladies first."

"Exactly!" Isabel carefully lifted her cup in toast--and only then let the shield go, moving it carefully to her lips for a sip. She couldn't help but grin a bit, but still, they weren't out of the danger zone just yet.

"Your turn!" With equal care, she steps forward to lift the cup up for the taller man, so he can take his own sip.

"I've got a suggestion for yours, if you don't mind a rank amateur making one?"

He didn't in fact mind at all, which was illustrated with a faint shrug before he reached out to help steady her bowl.

"We're all amateurs here. Having to deal with those familiars and whatever..."

This world's magic felt like a real step down from what he was used to. Crowley leaned down slightly to make up any difference between him and the offered bowl and took a sip.

"What's the suggestion?"

"Hold it over the pool. Don't worry about melting all of it--it'll probably even out when the ice hits the rest. Just melt around the sides of the bowl and let it plop in. It should be far enough from the shore that nothing splashes and gets wasted. And voila!"

It sounded like a good idea to her--and if Isabel had elemental magic, instead of this hard-light stuff she's found herself with? She'd likely try it herself, so she's not putting this guy up to anything fishy.

The frozen bowl was given a good hard look. Her plan did sound like a decent one. Clay conducted heat. If he simply cupped his hands around the bowl and though 'fire' just loud enough to be heard by this new magic then maybe it would work. Problem was Crowley wasn't entirely sure he had enough control not to 'bonfire' it. Getting used to new magic could be tricky.

Not that he bothered to voice these concerns or do anything to give off a vibe of doubt. He did like to maintain his cool image.

"Might try it. If its done over the pool then the worst that could happen is that it falls in too soon, maybe snuffs a flame."

Or bursts into steam and floats away. Eh, what were the chances??

His frozen bowl was carried to the lip of the pond and cupped between his hands. Fire, ought to be an easy element for a demon to control even if they were using foreign magic... Might have been too easy. Flames shot out around his hands high enough to almost toast the glowworms on the ceiling and only dropping the bowl with its still icy contents prevented it from setting the nearby plant life alight.

It splashed. The water from the pool parted and a tiny wave of it licked up to damped Crowley's pants leg. Crowley stood there gapping at mistake, his min turning quickly on how to spin this.

"That wasn't a spill, you saw it. Every bit of the water in my bowl ended up in the pool. That was a splash! You can't fault me for a splash!"

"Looks like you nailed it to me!" That was Isabel's story, and she was going to stick to it. They were all in this crazy mess together, and to her? That meant sticking up for this guy, too. He'd definitely committed to the spirit of the deed!

Even if his bowl was in the pool. It never said that the bowl couldn't end up there. Just that the water had to! No way she wouldn't point that out.

"It's water, it splashes," Isabel agreed. It didn't look to her like there had been any that escaped the pool. Not purposefully. It was water, it moved and changed--hadn't one of her own teachers told her to emulate that?

With Isabel taking his side he backed away from the pool and when nothing immediately happened he looked back towards the way they had entered.

"Guess that's it then. Just need to toss your bowl in and we can go."

"Sounds good to me." It did, too. She stepped forward and dropped her vessel carefully into the pool. It actually felt somewhat right when she did so. Like when she finally mastered sensing the spheres for the first time. It was a bit odd, but no one else seemed to be noticing. So act normal, Isabel. Or as normal as you can...

"Let's get out of here, I need to find the biggest mug of hot cocoa I can!"

"Hot cocoa?"

He smiled, an actual warm smile. Couldn't help himself! She had just reminded him of something that was waiting for him back at the hotel.

"Yeah, let's get back. I'm sure Aziraphale has some waiting for us."

"I'm game! But who's Aziraphale?" Isabel was too old to be afraid of strangers, and it wasn't as if she hadn't sort of bonded with this guy alreadty.

"Oh, right, I'm Isabel Knight. Who're you?" Not that her surname hadn't gotten her a couple looks, before she explained she wasn't that type of knight...

"Knight?"

People seemed to lose that 'stranger danger' feeling when they saw the two of them together anyway. They were too silly enamored with each other to be seen as much of a threat to anyone else.

"Crowley. Anthony J. Crowley."

He took a few steps out into the hall, heard the squawk of a bat, and wisely chose to lower his voice just to be on the safe side.

"And Aziraphale is..."

Um, how to describe him. He mentally stumbled over the word 'friend' as they were more than that, 'a guy he knew' was far... far too cold, and 'lover' was far... far too warm.

"My..."

it was teenage and silly but the word tumbled out regardless.

"Boyfriend."

Should have said significant other?

"You'll like him. Humans do. Like moths to the flame really."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 2

3: "For a greedy man..."

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