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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 11
![]() Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ ![]()
A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival
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 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 still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are Atlantian Saury. Similar to Pacific Saury, these small fish don't have much lift power on their own... but contrary to their saltwater counterparts, Atlantian Saury are known for forming schools of thousands thick enough to lift a person right out of the water... as long as they aren't scared of a few fish flip-flopping out of the water and slapping them in the face with their tails. Animal mages will find they're very chatty, and very fast talkers, and very sensitive to each others' feelings. Insult one of them, and the whole school will start screaming and crying together. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. 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. (Though.. given how hot and muggy the weather is this first week, maybe you might want to ask him to toss you right back into the lake where the waters are still cool.) *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot
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. In a deal with Camelot's farms, the drinks are honey-based-- mead, tea and honey, even healthy ginger shots with a dash of honey to take the edge off. (Naturally, virgin editions are available of any cocktails like the Bee's Knees for the underaged.) Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, ![]() C ⦿ The Red Spring
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. ![]()
With the dangerous battle apparently waging on in the waters just off the coast of the island's west peninsula, the attempt to travel through Dinas Emrys is temporarily delayed. With Arthur back on his feet after a month of recovery, Merlin is working in the background on finding a way to get the travel party back on track. It's fine, since the autumn equinox is on the horizon anyway and there are a lot of preparations to be made.
At the bar, there are large tables with mideval-looking devices filled with vials of colorful liquids. The liquids are labeled with different flavors, like baked potato or bubblegum or something called gn'ooOOoo, which is reminisicent of the way that bumbleberry pie smells when you bake it but somehow doesn't taste like bumbleberry or pie. (It's a special kind of dwarven flavor.) It's no drug, don't worry-- it's magic. From the bottom of these wonderful flavors comes a tube and a replaceable mouthpiece (the traders will provide a disposable one for each person) and you're to take a deep breath in to feel the flavor overtake your whole being, then for about an hour afterward (you can refill as needed), you'll find yourself breathing out bubbles.. and flying. Have fun for a little while with this fizzy lifting bubble and get any hiccups (literal or figurative, as flavors can sometime change into something much weirder before changing back or can sometimes have the side effect of making you blurt out truths to the person you're talking to. The side effects will fade in time, even after multiple stops at the bar. B ⦿ Stars in Your Eyes
Don't worry, they won't be harmed in the process! The Elphame Traders will explain they're kind of like magic batteries that have the ability to pass through veil and guide the dead from the underworld through Avalon and on to other worlds from the autumn equinox through the month of October. The variation in travel times is why so many cultures end up with their days of the dead passing near the world at similar, but not the exact same times. What they will emphasize is that there's a big gold prize for the person who catches the most of them.. so don't be lax in trying to compete to catch more than your neighbor! ..Just be careful not to catch them in your eyes, as they like to magically hide in reflective surfaces and can only be gotten out by telling a lie to someone you like.. a repulsive act that will scare them out of your eyes and make you a bit less, well, starry-eyed. C ⦿ Minor Side Quest
And that happens to have woken up giant bats the size of people that have been flying around and scooping up pets and small children and taking them up into the rocks. While you've got that gift of flight, why don't you take a look around for some of the misplaced children and pets. The people of Lestari didn't even know those bats were up there, and they seem pretty primitive... even animal mages might find them speaking caveman-style and focused on nothing but base animal instincts. Oh, and they have 6-inch fangs and even bigger claws. Take a partner so you can fend off their captors while one of you takes care of the captive! ![]()
Those close to Camelot will not be without preparations to make, whether they took the trip to Lestari and came back later or stayed the whole time. There are a couple of tasks that will take.. well, quite a few types of badasses. The first preparation involves the binding of ash to mages to create spirit guardians for the dead. While the fairy coins act like batteries for the magic that lets the dead pass through the veil, spirit guardians are needed to direct them to the correct worlds.. or in this case, to welcome them to Avalon and direct them back to the underworld safely. The universe outside of this is frozen in time and space, there's nowhere for them to go, and that means things could get dangerous when the solstice rolls by if things don't go as planned. Which means they need as many mages as possible to volunteer for this.. somewhat painful process.
The first ingredient needed to raise spirit guardians is the ashes of the dead. Since they can't wait around for current ashes, a group of people will be sent out to the Land of Rot for monster-slaying. Capture an undead creature and bring back its remains to the giant cauldron roiling away all month in Camelot's town square. Be careful- undead creatures tend to pop back up even after you slay them more than once, and the trip takes more than a day, so you may have to spend all night waking up to make sure that your skeleton hasn't started crawling out of your backpack to gnaw on your arm. The remains will have to be burned in Camelot's crematorium until it turns to ash and can be placed in the cauldron, so you've got an arduous and tedious journey ahead of you. B ⦿ The Pain-Tolerant Badass
The next part of the preparation involves the removal of what appear to be pitch-black eggs that glow hot like coals from within the cauldron after it stirs in the ashes of the dead. Volunteers will be asked to act as hosts for the spirit guardians. Volunteers can lie face-down on special obsidian slabs that have been laid out around the cauldron. Others who are less brave are welcomed to use iron tongs to remove the eggs from the cauldron and place them on the backs of those who lay on the obsidian, then cast whatever magic they have on the eggs. This will cause them to crack and their insides to ooze out and sear a tattoo into the backs of the person they are placed upon. The designs are representative of some facet of the person they have bonded with. Though the process itself stings like only a burning hot tattoo can, after a couple of days, those who volunteered will find themselves immune to pain until the autumn equinox. C ⦿ The Caring Badass
The other two badasses have been through a lot, and no one can deny that the kind of person who can see someone go through things like that and be willing to be a shoulder to lean on is their own special level of badass. Anyone who isn't bearing a tattoo can volunteer to be a caretaker-- a special spellbound servant who is required to fulfill any need, like a personal genie, for a person with a tattoo for the duration of their shift (one day per person)! Those who take on this role are given special privileges for the rest of the month and can essentially get free meals from any restaurant in town for their sacrifice. It is voluntary to be spellbound for this position and none of the special priests around town are unclear about the terms-- anything needed means anything. Absolute refusal will result in the spell being broken to prevent non-consensual practices, but will unfortunately result in the person you are caretaking for losing their bond with the spirit guardian, resulting in return of pain reception and yield no reward in the equinox. This makes it important that guardian hosts don't push it to anything too abhorrent to their caretaker. Though you may not know each other to start, you'll undoubtedly come to trust each other by the end of the day and assure the spirit guardian it is in a place it belongs. 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 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. |
Xue Yang | The Untamed | Dark/Death
[The caravan is a nice distraction after being dumped into a lake! Xue Yang considered, initially, that he might have preferred his jail cell, but then he is given dry robes and freedom. The strange creature that had run up to him on the shore also isn't leaving his side and he finally has to laugh, flicking wet strands of hair out of his eyes.]
If they're expecting me to do something heroic, they're going to be disappointed.
[His fuzzy friend - a raccoon dog, he thinks - snorts and goes about munching on pilfered food. Hey, Xue Yang isn't one to judge. Everyone and everything has to exist somehow. But they are a funny looking pair - both infinitely mischievous - and yet, yes, when you look beyond Xue Yang's black robes and cocky attitude, there is something charming about him too. It's a shame his sanity is hanging by a thread.]
I get the feeling we'll be doing this together. [He shrugs his shoulders and leans back on his seat, peering up at the sky.] Camelot, huh? It's pretty.
[Network; UN: DemonsandSugar]
Ah ah~ [Xue Yang's boots are the first thing any viewer will see. A fox-sized creature is standing between said boots, pawing at the screen. The communicator is rescued before those claws and teeth can do any harm.] Here I am, trying to be social, and this brat interferes.
[The raccoon dog growls halfheartedly and stomps off.]
Hello, everyone! I'm brand new, so I hope you will treat me kindly. [He smiles, the expression almost sweet except that it is a border-line smirk.] You can call me Xue Yang. I'm sure we will be friends in no time~
[Or passionate enemies. He likes that too.]
[Fizzy Lifting Bar]
[The truth is so precious, isn't it? When he notices others having trouble holding onto their secrets, he stays close to the bar. Who knows what he might hear? He is also willing to take a chance and drink some of the bubbly himself.
Xue Yang is a man who never plays fair - even when his own self-interest is at stake.]
I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you say?
Network: un: daozhang
You should be kinder and gentler with them, Xue Yang. They might be your only ally here.
[ Harsh? Maybe. But Xue Yang has obviously escaped from his cell in being brought here. ]
Network
Also, cute sable, Daozhang~!]
Are you threatening me, Xiao Xingchen? Is that acceptable according to your principles? I could see Daozhang Zichen getting away with it, but not you.
Network
It is not a threat. Only advice.
You have one chance. [ His gaze drops to the sweet sable when little paws come to rest on a bent knee. ]
I would make the most of it and at least try to do good here.
Network
[See? One chance. Pure rage. Daozhang, calm down! Children are watching.]
Do good? [Nope, never heard of it.] Maybe I need lessons.
Network
Are you asking for my guidance, Xue Yang?
Network
And what if I am? Will you lock me in a cage again?
Network
You needed to be stopped. Massacring sects isn't a good thing. But...if you sincerely want my help in learning to be better, then I can only agree.
[ If he can help even one person in becoming the best version of themselves...he will feel like he's accomplished something. ]
Network
No one asked me why I did it. Maybe the crimes committed against me cried out for that much blood? [The best version of Xue Yang may not impress anyone.]
Network
[ His lips part to deny that, only to pause and press closed as he thinks. Only to shake his head a little, after a moment. ]
Then let me be the first. What happened? Talk to me. I will listen.
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Arrival
The whole reliving her past made her shy again around strangers but, perhaps she could offer some assistance to him.]
Excuse me... Are you new?
no subject
I am. What is that with you? I've never seen anything like it.
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Are you in need of anything, my lord?
[Though his question causes her to blink.]
My familiar? I do not know what he is exactly, but I call him Rafiel and he hardly leaves my side.
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He suits you. [Does his suit him? Probably. Snickering, he tickles the raccoon dog's side until he wiggles away.]
What am I gonna call mine? Maybe Ying.
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He does? He is a lot strong than this one.
[But she notices just how his seemed to avoid her and with a quick nod to the griffin, Rafiel goes to take a couple steps away and sit down while she kneels and pulls out a few cookies.]
Do you think your little Ying will accept them? I have some extra I can give to you as well.
[She used to have baskets full of candy but a warlord laid claimed to all of them.]
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Strength comes in many forms.
[Ying eyes the griffin warily before sniffing the air. He walks right up to Leanne and sits down at her feet. Cookies, please. If she gives them to Xue Yang, he won't get any!]
What are they? They smell good.
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Yes, yes it does though this one still has much to learn about strength.
[And she wanted to squeal. So so much at the chonky familiar sitting at her feet! Instead, she goes to smile and hands Ying a small handful of cookies to devour.]
These? They are called cookies. A baked sweet... Would my lord like to try one?
[And here, she will go and offer Xue Yang a cookie as well. That is if Ying doesn't steal it first.]
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Stop being cute. [His eyes narrow at Ying, but the familiar ignores him, lifting a paw adorably and munching on the cookies from her hand.] So she gets to see you being nice?
[All for...cookies. Huh. He gets up and walks over to her, taking one of the treats before Ying can be greedy. He bites into it and...
His eyes widen. He has found something better than candy? No... That can't be!]
Did you bake them?
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[And okay, have a more genuine giggle leaving her at Ying's cute antics. So cute in fact that she gives him more cookies and a quick ear sritches.] Is he usually not nice?
[A brief moment of fear goes through her as Xue Yang takes the cookie from her. A very brief moment before giggling at his reactions.]
No, I didn't. But I do have a lot more back in my room.
[She wishes that she could baked cookies. But alas, no one is brave enough to try her cooking quite yet.]
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video; un: 7😆H!TA1
[ It reminds him of someone... ]
video
[Grumpy in a cute way fits him too.]
Re: video
[ fun fact, despite being called a raccoon dog, they are related to neither raccoons nor dogs. but they are hella cute and that's all taichi can think about. ]
Does he have a name?
video
[And, yes, from this angle, she looks quite fox-like, doesn't she?]
Re: video
Hi Ying! Nice to meet you, sorry I misgendered you!
video
Ying lifts her head from her yummy apple and snorts. Of course she's a girl! Xue Yang never asked her before deciding. He needs discipline.]
I like her attitude.