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avalonmods ([personal profile] avalonmods) wrote in [community profile] avalaughs2021-10-01 12:05 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 12

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arrival banner

A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival
 KERPLUNK, SPLASH!

 You and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's waters. After plunging into the Bay, the rush of water fills your ears and soaks into every crevice of your body. You may find it hard to find a clear spot on the surface, as surrounding you are hundreds of fairy vallela, floating like tiny sailboats on the top of the water.  These vallela will surround you and begin to push up underneath, then slowly float you about three feet above the surface of the lake and carry you gently to shore... unless you thrash around or move too much, that is. Then they’ll drop you right back in the water, so be careful!

 

 

 vallela amassing on the water

The Lady of the Lake seems busy this time around, having cast the spell to draw in the new arrivals and bailed, but the Rent-a-Ride at the top of the cliffs seems to be the only place around to go. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs or getting acquainted with their new familiars. There’s no railing, be careful! Should you fall, a mysterious sand hand will 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




person riding horseback and looking at phone




Once everyone is wrangled atop the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box,” referring to a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's inventory. It’s enchanted by Merlin to recover possessions and pets from the lake before they become waterlogged. Before Archimedes can give his usual spiel, a special voice message is sent to everyone’s brand new phones.

``Merlin here. Welcome to Avalon! I usually don't greet newcomers like this, but I wanted to make you aware of the situation we have here in Camelot.

Refugees from places called Celliwig and Lestari are now living in Camelot, so we're a bit tight on space. It would be great if you could find yourself roommates when you get to Camelot. The Caravan ride is a great place to get to know to people. Built-in mini-bars to break the ice and all…

I'm not asking you to make lifelong friends or lifelong roommates. Just until we get this situation sorted. If you do end up making lifelong friends? Great! All the better. Anyway, that's all from me. Catch you on Insta.``

The man leading the caravan rolls his eyes and just expresses “There you have it,” before getting everyone going in modernized carriages pulled by horses. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless. The carts have a smart thermostat, the promised mini-bar, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, @avalononline (AOL), to chat with others, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, including how to use the phone). Just be careful-- 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. Newcomers get free inn rooms for their one night stay on the way to Camelot, containing two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and movies.

 

Don't want to relax in the room? Take a dip in the communal hot spring. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly. 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.

 

hot springs covered in steam



 
 
stuffy settling

A ⦿ Sleeping Struggles

 

 

Floating Sheet of Paper stock image. Image of parchment - 13714099

 

True to Merlin's word, the inn of Camelot is a little crowded. There are efforts to fit the inn with new furniture to help out the smaller rooms by bolstering them with bunks, but it takes a while to make a sturdy bed without mass production facilities. One particularly creative mage from Lestari came up with and is teaching a special spell called Recipe: Magnetic Lull, a spell that can be used to magnetize objects for about 4 hours at a time. The idea is to use it on a spot on the floor and a sheet with the same polarity so that the sheet floats above the floor. It's a nifty little spell for people who don't move much in their sleep!

Unfortunately, for those who move about, it's a little unstable so getting too close to the edge could topple you to the floor. Heavy sleepers are just as apt to have problems since the timing is very precise-- don't wake up to renew your spell before the 4-hour mark and you'll end up slamming into the ground.

Another tricky part of casting the spell is making sure you aim only for what you need... a little magnetism can go a long way when you can cast it on just about anything. (It is highly recommended you put any metal weapons in locked storage while using.) Be very careful or you may just find yourself or any other number of accidental objects magnetized!




B ⦿ Don't Break Me, Breakfast

 For the less polarized people, the inn is offering upgraded breakfast to anyone willing to simply share a bed, the most cost-effective means of saving space. Though their usual continental breakfast is temporarily suspended due to a need to ration, they are delivering portioned breakfasts to each room at precisely 7:30am each morning. Those who don't share a bed will get a mystery muffin and an apple. Mystery muffins are the kitchen's attempt to make their ingredients go a little further and may contain odd flavors or magical effects that last about 30 minutes. The first week's features are:

  • Cricket flour muffins - chirping a little tune is good first thing in the morning!
  • Burple berry muffins - will make you burp your words
  • Sorrow sap muffins - eating is such sweet sorry... you may find yourself crying about whatever you've been holding inside to anyone who asks.


muffin

Those who are willing to share a bed with another will receive the upgraded breakfast of scrambled eggs, mixed non-magic fruit, and go'oat milk. Yes, go'oat milk. It's a special blend of oats they've been magically preserving in their basement for emergencies. It'll give you energy for the whole day! Side effects may include jitteriness and slightly decreased inhibitions due to feeling like you're ready to GO!! But that's definitely better than the mystery muffins. ...Maybe you should check if Camelot's castle has any rooms left?




C ⦿ Not Quite a Puppy Parade

 

Capybara with butterfly on head

 

Humans and faekind aren't the only refugees from Celliwig and Lestari. Blessedly, a large number of pets were rescued during Camelot's efforts… but unfortunately, that doesn't always mean that those pets made it out with their pet parents along with them. In the town square, there are fence posts put up with light magic to create little pens for a number of pets. It's a pet adoption fair hosted by some Celliwig animal lovers who wanted to do their part to help everyone find their new temporary (or hopefully forever) home.

Popular pets from Celliwig include snow-white ferrets, owls, and small hamsters with tiny, useless wings. The hamsters were wild, but since they don't have their usual open roam space in Camelot, they're trying to find homes for these challenging-to-keep-cooped rodents. So much so that they will enlist random citizens to help catch hamsters that started wandering out of confinement throughout the fair.

Popular pets of Lestari include capybara, chickens, compsognathus, and a variety of fae frogs. The chickens seem to be going fast, with food shortages being a concern on a lot of peoples' minds right now with only Camelot's stores being available for three cities. Those who have the eggs have the money... but you couldn't ask for a better pet than the overly friendly capybara! The fae frogs are an excellent choice, however, as they tend to be capable of intelligent speech and though they tend to condescend, they're willing to help correct poor magic techniques to help you improve a little faster if you can get past the attitude problem. …And yes, we are going to glaze over the compies. They're considered an "advanced pet-owner" choice and don't seem to be very popular, but you’re welcome to try your hand with the tiny, hungry dinos if you don’t mind losing a finger or two.

Take a look around, play with any of the pets that you want, and help catch any that run off. Maybe you'll find your new forever friend?



 

Felled Not Forgot
Stressed out about the close quarters and odd ongoings in the city? Not to worry, there are tasks at hand for those who want to get out in the wild as well. With the sudden loss of Celliwig and the barriers being taken down that were shielding the river from crossing specters, the Forest of the Felled needs to be cleaned up.
 
 

A ⦿ River Rapid Rumba

 

It's not a short journey from Camelot to the Forest of the Felled, particularly for everyone. Though there is an easy path at the Pure of Heart Bridge, it is a bridge that is quite clear about those who can cross it-- the pure of heart.

Instead of risking half the party not being able to continue, a party is led by Glewlwyd, a strongman and one of the best-known guards of Celliwig. Being familiar with the area, he knows a special means to get past the white rapids of the river that are normally impassible by those not in the know: naiads.

The naiads control the waters of the river, and there are more than a few present in this one. They are both a loving and a jealous folk, so the key to getting across with ease is to either seduce or befriend one.

 

rapids

Naiads love beautiful people, both inside and out, so show them an act of kindness and you will not need to do anything physical. They will value your friendship as beauty and will allow you to pass. If you are not the type, consider taking off your shirt or showing some dance talents that work the rear.

If neither form of beauty befits your character, one who does have their affections may try to flirt with someone else on your behalf. A jealous naiad will redirect all the rapids around them in an attack and leave low water levels for those to sneak behind them whilst she is distracted. How the distraction team makes it out of that mess is on them.



 

B ⦿ Forest of the Fachan

 dark forest

Past the rapids (if you made it), the forest itself is too quiet, and the wind is too loud, whistling through the trees and a myriad of wards and ties and tricks that were once used to seal the spirits into the Forest of the Felled. Empty of death now, the forest only seems to be home to bugs, squirrels, and other small creatures that help the trees propagate. The biggest landmark now is the sleeping stone giant that sits in a self-made clearing in the center of the forest. It is visible even from the southernmost point where the party enters and begins heading north-east, removing wards, candles, scraps of fabric, ropes and twine binding trees together, and all other manner of implements used to trap spirits.

The trip itself is relatively quiet until the sun starts to set. Then, once in a while when you close your eyes, you feel like there's something staring back at you from within your own eyelids.

It chitters and laughs in your head loudly enough that you aren't sure if you heard it in your ears or your imagination, and then it's seemingly gone (to someone else). After the third time it happens, the voice will sing-song "No more dead, no more live, no more singing by my side. Break the quiet, make some noise," and then suddenly, in a deeper, more rugged voice "Ï̶͚̰̭̟̈́̆͝'̴̡̙͙͖͆͛l̸̻̾̈́̒l̶̗͈̔͊̒̀ ̸̭̉ͅb̴̮̍̓è̷̺͇̪̽̊̅ ̴̨̪̭͘b̵̪̞̉ṙ̸̭̳̼͓̊͠͝e̷̦͈̞͐̀͂a̵̙̟̘̾̀̀k̴̘̩͚͊̊̍i̴̳̥͒̚ͅň̷͈g̸̛̳̅̀ ̴̛͎m̴͈͆̇y̵͖̰͉͛̅̀͜͝ ̸͙̈́n̵͕̫̓͑̏̿e̷̬̤̎̌̈̈́w̴̛͎͛ ̵̫̘͑̄̈̈͜t̸͙̂ȍ̸͈́̄y̶̹̿̆̎͝s̷̯̀͜͠.̴̦͚̯͍̉͘"

The sun, appropriately, is setting at this point, and the party seems to somehow start getting separated. A strange stench, like rotten flesh seems to fill the air. With only two or three people left in an area, the creature will finally appear, wielding a barbed flail, with rotten apples hanging off of each of the barbs. It has one leg, one arm, one eye, and its skin appears like potato skin save for a tuft of black hair atop its head. Its wide mouth bears bloody, pointed teeth. The faint of heart have been known to be frozen in fear or drop dead of a heart attack simply from seeing it. It laughs in your head before it swings its flail, launching an attack. It's time to fight the fachan, an unseelie fae who had adapted to feasting on the spirits of the Forest of the Felled and is now hungry and ready to devastate any living thing that wanders into the forest.



 

C ⦿ Campfire Stories

 Campfire in dark forest

 

Someone is sure to defeat the fachan one way or the other, and once that is out of the way (or you were lucky enough to have someone slay it before it even found you), the forest is finally back to just the creepsome wind.

Everyone left is able to find each other and set up a tight-knit camp at the foot of the stone giant and with wires wrapped around the area to alert them if any... non-dead residents of the forest come a'knocking. Unfortunately, it's discovered that during the attacks a lot of the supplies were lost. This would be as far as anyone would make it, so it would be best to head back to Camelot to restock for now.

But that is for morning. It's far too late now, so pull up, get your ration of tater soup, and share your favorite spooky story to get in the mood for the season. The truly scary part of the evening is over, it's good to have a laugh at whatever kind of hokey nonsense everyone can come up with!

 



 


• All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, as the events within are considered game canon.
• This post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads and may start their own logs off-post, 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 usually present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. This month's has some changes based on current events, please read carefully. 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.


forbothofus: (Default)

Re: TDM Layout Feedback

[personal profile] forbothofus 2021-10-01 08:12 am (UTC)(link)
I just made a simple version of one prompt with cleaner coding and a smaller image with float and margin. Anyone is free to use this as a basic HTML template if you want to illustrate layout ideas rather than describe them. Have fun!

politicallyinclined: (❦ sobbing)

Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker | Star Wars

[personal profile] politicallyinclined 2021-10-01 11:09 am (UTC)(link)
A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival

(From the too cold birthing bed on Polis Massa to the waters of a place that reminds her, achingly, of Naboo, Padmé struggles to the shore, gasping. She can't say where her renewed strength has come from; she distinctly remembers losing consciousness and yet, now, it's like none of it happened. Has she...died? One of her hands rests on her stomach, still curved from pregnancy, while the other sweeps wet strands of dark hair from her eyes.)

Luke... Leia... (She repeats those precious names. Had Obi-Wan heard her? What about Anakin? She can't leave him. If he finds out she has died, he won't have any reason to...

To what? It frightens her to think of what he might become. Glancing back at the water, she seems reluctant to journey forward. If she re-enters the lake, can she...return? Or will she just drown?)


B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot

(After acquiring dry clothes and familiarizing herself with the technology, Padmé lets herself rest for a few moments. Unlike the other travelers, she doesn't speak to anyone nor does she seem willing to move unless absolutely necessary. The further from the lake they go, the more pronounced her oddities will seem.

It's like she's...waiting. Listening. For something. Someone.)


C ⦿ Not Quite a Puppy Parade

(Time passes, nothing changes and through the efforts of a sweet snow owl, Padmé begins to understand that this will last for...some unknown time. Perhaps always. Perhaps only for a few more days. Hours. Regardless, she has to adapt. Her fingers brush through the soft feathers of her little friend and she manages a smile.)

Do you need me? (The answer seems to be yes and she has never been able to say no to that request.) I'll stay.

(Network; Video; UN: amidala)

(She is pale and resolved; this is not a woman who is unaccustomed to strife.)

This seems the quickest way to go about my search. (And since her physical stamina hasn't completely returned.) I am Padmé Amidala, Senator of Naboo. Am I known to anyone present?

(She wants to be known. She doesn't want to be known. She wants a friend. She doesn't want anyone to touch her.)

It's not terribly important. (But it is.) Of course we can get to know one another. If you wish to speak, I will listen.

(Wildcard)

(If you have an idea, come at me! I can be reached on Plurk at [plurk.com profile] tiger_eyes or through PMs.)
Edited 2021-10-01 11:11 (UTC)
hootle: (040)

rinwell | tales of arise (spoilers in prompt ii)

[personal profile] hootle 2021-10-01 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
i; hootle-less arrival;

[ rinwell comes splashing in like any other, at first totally distracted by trying to keep herself afloat, and then distracted by the strange fairy vallela keeping her up in the air. she takes that chance to catch her breath, and once she does, immediately checks for her best friend, a small white owlet by the name of hootle.

however, once she checks her person, she not only learns that he's not there, but has been replaced by a... darker grey owlet, maybe slightly bigger than hootle is. what. cue panic. ]


H-Hey you're not Hootle! What'd you do with Hootle?! [ the little thing starts to flap around, somewhat panicked, as she reaches for it. ] G-Get back here! Where's Hootle?!

[ seriously, that owl is her family and she is not happy about this. unfortunately for her, all the commotion she's causing has brought the vallela no choice but to dump her back into the water, her owlet familiar flapping just above the water, concerned and at a loss. great start. ]

ii; far from home; (this prompt contains arise story spoilers)

[ despite her earlier commotion upon arriving here, rinwell is quiet now. she's reobtained hootle, finally, and sits upon the carriage, to wherever she's going now, with both owlets perched on opposite shoulders of hers. hootle, however, does not look happy about the other one — usually he's quite happy to meet other owls, but this one is vying for rinwell's attention, so it is a threat.....

meanwhile, rinwell's thoughts swirl about what could be going on. she's more apt than most at recognizing she's no longer on dahna, or rena, or anywhere she could recognize, due to her ability to sense their wills. but she doesn't know of any third planet, nor does she understand how she could've ended up here by herself when she was just on rena with the others. "avalon" is not just a town name, it's the name of another world, she thinks to herself. that's got to be it.

in addition, she can't feel any astral energy here at all. zilch. zip. nada. her astral artes are impossible to use without it, but even more so, she can't believe she's in a world without that. how does it function?

slowly, she reaches up to pat hootle's head. ]


It'll be okay, Hootle. We'll find them.

[ that's got to be her first order of business. she doesn't know how to get out of here, but she can at least try and search for her friends. they were with her, so they should be here too, right? ]

iii; owl friends;

So there are owls here, too, huh? They're a little different from the Dahnan owls back home though...

[ dahnan owls are a little differently shaped, and also have a strange penchant for wearing accessories. but that's neither here nor there. regardless, hootle is interested in meeting them as they're shown off to visitors looking for pets. rinwell has to awkwardly wave away any helpers, insisting that she already has enough owls to deal with (two, now, unwillingly), as hootle excitedly chirps about and greets them himself.

rinwell watches on, smiling for perhaps the first time since she's gotten here (it's hard not to, when your best friend is having a good time), until one of the smaller adoptable owls perches upon her head out of no where, causing hootle to puff up in jealousy. don't touch his bestie. that's his bestie and he's already stressed out about the other owl encroaching on his territory.

so, cue angry chirping and threatening flight patterns back and forth from him. ]


iv; magicless fight;

[ rinwell couldn't stand just sitting around waiting. she needed to get out and do something — explore, maybe even find a way out. so she went along with the team, both owls sitting quietly in her hood the whole way, both a bit nervous about the whole situation. admittedly, she was too — she was going into this without her usual magic, only some weaker version of it. but she was with others. she needed to do this — needed to try everything she could to find her friends and her way home. the fate of dahna depended partially on her.

but at some point, she's hearing those terrifying voices. she doesn't recognize the source of it at all — nothing's will, no one she knows, nothing. it's creepy, and genuinely... freaks her out.

so when the group ends up slowly separating, and the thing shows itself, all she can do is freeze up for a moment. she doesn't have her astral artes, but she figured out what magic she can do, more or less, back in the training grounds at the inn. she's always been adept, in tune, with magic, so it wasn't difficult for her to get a passing understanding of how to use it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's not nearly as powerful as her magic once was back in her own world.

still.. after a moment of time practically stopping for her, it begins moving toward her, to which she quickly shoots a gust of air out at it. ]


S-Stay back! I'm warning you!

[ the monster, of course, doesn't care much, and when it begins moving toward her again, she shoots a shock of electricity at it instead. this causes it to elicit a horrific laugh straight into her head, apparently still undeterred by her basic magic, and she falls back onto her rear, knees buckling from the fear of the thing. this can't be happening. is she really so defenseless here?

as the creature moves toward her again, slow and swinging its barbed flail, hootle makes a last ditch attempt to protect her by flying in front of her, between her and the creature.

maybe, please, stop this from happening, kind someone? ]


wildcard;

[ feel free to try something new or pm me to hash something out! ]
admiralchiss: (Cunning)

Network; un: mitth'raw'nuruodo

[personal profile] admiralchiss 2021-10-01 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I greet you, Senator Amidala.

[When he met her, Anakin introduced her as Ambassador Padmé, but he read up about her once he was with the Empire and found out her true profession, so her being a Senator isn't surprising. He's not sure what point in her history she was plucked from, and it could very well be before they met that one time.]

I'm afraid there's very few from our home galaxy in this world.
gunmettle: (• 082)

iv;

[personal profile] gunmettle 2021-10-01 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The man who steps in to help looks like a strange monster himself, tall and broad and sporting a massive revolver for a head. Like most of the others in the group, he’d drifted away from the pack, only for her startled cries to send him darting back.

One arm comes up to intercept the flail, the barbs slicing through his coat sleeve and digging into his skin. Blood spurts and starts to seep into the fabric. Juzo’s had worse, and it’s an easy thing to toggle his pain receptors off as he curls his fingers around the weapon’s chain. ]


Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?

[ Muscles tense as Juzo pulls on the chain hard, aiming to either disarm the creature or unbalance it or both. ]
fruitknife: (Default)

Re: TDM Layout Feedback

[personal profile] fruitknife 2021-10-01 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Squashing all the prompts and formatting them so closely to the pictures is... not doing great things for my desire to read the prompts. I'm not sure how else to describe it other than noting my initial reaction last night was 'wow, nope.'

That means it super doesn't help that the short summaries of the prompts seem to have completely fallen by the wayside.

Finally: Making the interactable things within prompts bigger isn't a bad idea, but have you tested that color change on multiple page views? It occurs to me that the blue might contrast too much with dark-view backgrounds to really be feasible.
hootle: (033)

[personal profile] hootle 2021-10-01 06:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[ okay, now there's some other monster here to fight the original one? she's somewhat freaked out at first, but seeing him take on the other creature, with words that suggest he's fully taking over this fight, puts her a little more at ease.

she quickly tries to get to her feet, grabbing hootle from his place in the air in front of her and holding him close. that was not going to end well, was it? the look of his arm... proves that. ]


Y-Your arm—!

[ ugh, she feels so bad. if only she had her astral artes here, this thing would be toast. at least he manages to knock it off balance. ]
polterguide: (Default)

bailey morello | oc (aefenglom crau) | animal + death

[personal profile] polterguide 2021-10-01 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
pumpkin mayhem;
[Bailey can count on one hand the number of times they’ve decorated a pumpkin - their family never bothered, so the first time they put a face on the pumpkin was after they had moved out of their college dorm. It had kind of been an utter disaster, but it had been fun, so it became something of a tradition.

A tradition that had been skipped the year they appeared in Aefenglom, far too concerned with the fact they were now half-sheep, half-Bailey to think about Halloween. (Now, though, they’re missing that… Wooliness. But it’s fine. It’s strange, but it’s fine.)

They’re not expecting for this adventure in pumpkin decorating to be more disastrous than standing in their apartment, watching as William waves a knife around as Felix’s menace of a cat sits on top of the pumpkin they’re supposed to be carving. What can go wrong? They’re not even going to carve it, leaving all that aside in favor of a paint brush and black paint. The design they go for is simple - an angry face with sharp, sharp teeth - but faces on pumpkins are just. The staple. They have to.

And then the pumpkin starts to float.]


Uh.

[The pumpkin is off, butting Bailey in the stomach before zipping away towards its next victim.]

W-wait! Get back here!

[They scramble after it, but better act quick unless you really want a pumpkin slamming into you.]

puppy parade;
[They should not be tempted by all of the cute animals on display. They shouldn’t. They’ve just arrived (re-arrived?) here. It’s irresponsible.

But they’re all so cute.

There’s an owl-like griffin perched on their shoulder, watching on in amusement as Bailey coos and runs their hand over a capybara’s snoot. They’ve always wanted to pet a capybara, always thought they looked so cute and chill in any picture they’ve ever seen of them, so they’re having a bit of a moment.

They pause for a moment, hand stilling, before they slide their gaze to their griffin companion.]


…Something smaller might be better, right?

[...]

It is really cute though…

[Decisions are hard in the face of a friendly rodent.]

spooky scary stories;
[There’s something depressing about removing all of the wards, and the whispering that starts up doesn’t help the unease that’s settled over Bailey. They count themself lucky they didn’t catch sight of the fachan - seeing the haggard survivors of the fight is bad enough, and they’re quick to offer some minor first aid to anyone who seems especially scuffed up. It’s not quite the same as healing magic, but… They have to try to help.

Things settle down at camp, at least, and stories start to come out.

Bailey sits with their legs crossed, listening to the stories around the circle, and when it seems like things have stopped with them they scratch their cheek.]


…My family’s home is haunted.

[They look into the flames, humming a bit.]

Her name was Maribelle Hutchinson - she had been murdered there over a century before my family moved in. She always seemed so lonely, so upset, and it’s not like you could really blame her, you know? She was killed by her fiancé, and her body was buried in the yard and nobody ever seemed to care that she went missing. It seemed like everyone had given up on her, and she was all alone for over a hundred years…

[They tap their fingers against their legs, a smile crossing their face for a moment.]

She was nice to me, though, even if she still seemed so sad. She helped teach me how to play the piano - she was never able to become a concertist, but it was apparently one of her passions and dreams in life.

wildcard;
[Want to plan something out or just throw something at me? Go for it! You can hit me up at [plurk.com profile] revelries or in the unofficial Discord!]
allumer: (3543855)

noctis lucis caelum | ffxv

[personal profile] allumer 2021-10-01 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
ONE ▮ soaking in your arrival
[ It seems to be a lot to ask for a warning in regards to anything that happens to him nowadays, but Noctis would at least appreciate not being dunked into the middle of icy cold water. His panic is, needless to say, very tangible, until he's able to focus and start trying to look for some hint of land. Unfortunately all he can see is all these little floating blobs that resemble jellyfish. Hopefully they don't sting.

Before Noctis can even start swimming through there's a strange pressure pushing up from below him, and the next thing he knows he's sort of. Floating. The blobs actually seem to be picking him up above the water. Sure would've been nice if they'd done this before he fell in there. The whole situation is bizarre but they're not attacking him so Noctis just sits in silent bafflement as he's carried over to shore.

Now very disgruntled, soaked, but at least on land, Noctis tries to wrap his head around where he actually is. Until he hears a distant splashing sound back toward the water. Immediately he rushes forward. ]


Hey! What're you doing here?

[ Noctis trudges in until he meets Carbuncle at the edge of the shore, scooping it up into his arms. The creature chirps and tries to shake itself dry. Noctis lets out a huff as he's splashed with droplets, but he can't help but smile a little. Well, at least he's not alone. ]

We sure aren't in Eos anymore, are we buddy.

TWO ▮ not quite a puppy parade
[ He doesn't understand much of anything in regards to what's going on in this place called Camelot, but from the looks of it, they've got a major population problem. The inn he'd been staying in was packed full. He couldn't even get his own bed. Breakfast wasn't much to call home about either. Granted it was better than anything he could make on his own but Ignis' cooking tends to spoil a person. Everything in the city feels so dreary. At least until he stumbles upon the pet adoption fair. Overhearing chatter, he comes to find out they're all displaced pets that need new homes. Noctis mumbles to himself as he observes the varied assortment of animals. ]

Never seen pets like these...

[ He recognizes most of the animals, but the capybaras and compsognathus? Those are new to him for sure. Maybe its best to stay away from the big lizard things. Anything big, really, so Noctis instead approaches the smaller animals around. He crouches near a pen of the ferrets, Carbuncle idling on his shoulder also peering at them. Noctis looks at his companion. ]

They look exactly like you. You could be twins.

[ Carbuncle shakes its head and Noctis can only laugh.

He may not be much of a people person, but he loves animals, and so he thinks he's going to stick around here at the pet fair for a while. Maybe a long while. Especially if he can find any cats. ]

THREE ▮ forest of the fachan
[ Suppose there's always going to be someone or something ruining the vibe for everyone. In the hopes of heading out with the exploration group to take his mind off of everything, Noctis has found himself with a small selection of stragglers now facing down some sort of creature that could definitely be mistaken for a daemon, or at least the total opposite of human. He doesn't know what it is, but its dangerous, and he's pretty good at killing things.

The downside here obviously is that he knows he's without any of his magic. No armiger, no weapons, no warping. While he's been given a rundown of what his new magic is he's not exactly sure how to use it. At least the elemental abilities he has are familiar, and so Noctis harnesses a ball of fire into the palm of his hand and tries to lure the fachan away from the rest of the group. ]


Hey, over here, you ugly stump!

[ Ah yes, insults will help. Here's hoping this doesn't turn out too badly. ]

WILDCARD
[ Throw whatever you'd like at me. If you've got questions or want to reach out for ideas feel free to shoot me a PM. ]
gunmettle: (• 028)

[personal profile] gunmettle 2021-10-01 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The creepy whatever-the-hell it is cackles in both their heads even as Juzo manages to pull it off balance, like it’s excited to finally have some sport. Hell. ]

Worry about that later!

[ Juzo keeps his grip on the weapon despite the barbs digging further into his arm and hand with every motion. The creature at the other end of the chain is trying to right itself, but it only having one leg to speak of is working against it, and buying them a little time. ]

What kinda magic you got?
judgementor: (071)

here we be wildin

[personal profile] judgementor 2021-10-01 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's getting closer to Red Wine's more preferred time of year, when the sun doesn't shine so fiercely and the air is fresh and cool, and it's been getting a little easier to want to spend time outside.

After the hellish couple of months they've had the onset of harvest-time festivities is a welcome reprieve, and for a change Red Wine did not go down to the bay on the day that the new arrivals would find themselves dropped into the increasingly chilly water. Instead, he's reading through something that got pushed under the door earlier in the week and considering asking Century Egg if he'd like to go and help put up shelters for the refugees.

He hears a tap on the door and huffs out a soft sigh through his nose, pushing himself up to go and answer. When he opens the door his heart immediately shoots up into his throat and the tips of his ears subtly dip. He stares, and his expression goes through several emotions very rapidly before it settles on a tense-jawed, uncertain kind of hope.
]

... Bailey.
polterguide: (Default)

[personal profile] polterguide 2021-10-01 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[They hadn't realized how afraid they were that Red was gone until they see him again - it had been easy to figure out they had disappeared and come back with the sudden dunk in the water, the way their body had been changed again. They had hoped, in a way that feels selfish, that Red Wine was still there. They... Could have managed without him, they think, but seeing him and hearing him say their name...]

Red...

[They don't know what to say, what to do, and they twist their hands in the hem of their sweater. They can feel their eyes stinging, and they blink their eyes rapidly to try to keep the tears from falling.]

Ah, sorry, I just...

[They pause, before offering Red a small, unsure smile.]

I'm sorry. But I'm... I'm back.

[And hopefully longer, they don't say, finding the words getting caught in their throat.]
insult_to_injury: (3)

W | Arknights

[personal profile] insult_to_injury 2021-10-01 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
The Caravan
[Sure enough, her equipment is in the Shit Box, which offers her a bit of comfort in knowing that she's still armed. Hard to pull a mercenary away from old tricks, you know? In any case, she begins to openly examine said equipment which wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't literally a grenade launcher. Add in some actual grenades, and a detonator for good measure. Fortunately, she handles the explosives like an actual professional, but still gives little regards to the fact that she's handling explosives inside the carriage.]

Relax, it's not even loaded. They brought me with so little ammo that I can't go around wasting it.

Don't you think they should've given me a better load-out if they're serious about my help?

Stingy~


Breakfast
[In W's eyes, giving up her room for the night was enough to consider herself "upgraded" to the fancier breakfast. Like hell she was going to sleep indoors with everything that was going on. Once the morning came, she helped herself to one of the muffins, one's that actually are supposed to make you cry. Instead, she feels... nothing. Probably because W goes to sleep every night with her conscience at peace despite everything she's done. As for the muffin itself, it doesn't really do much for her. One bite and the sarkaz decides she's had enough.]

Here. Maybe you'll like it more.

[Sure, just shove it into their hands without asking first, that's cool.]


Not Quite a Puppy Parade
[A companion? Nah, she doesn't really need any of that. W's just here to check out if there's anything worth picking up and turning into a meal. No such luck, however.]

Damn, didn't make it in time before the smart ones already snatched up the good stuff. Not a lot meat on what's left, either...

A couple of you do look promising, though.

[Perhaps... consider stopping her.]


Wildcard

[Hit me up and I'll match in kind!]
judgementor: (059)

[personal profile] judgementor 2021-10-01 09:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[Bailey had meant so much to him. They'd kept him from going to a dark and terrible place while they were together living in Aefenglom and losing them here had been... hard. It has been hard. But he's been feeling better, feeling more like himself, while never for a moment forgetting his absent partner and how strongly he had come to feel for them. They'd been in his mind every day. Every night before he went to sleep.

And now they're standing on his doorstep again and he finds himself uncharacteristically lost for words having not been allowing himself to hope that they might come back.

Red Wine shakes his head quickly. His voice is strained.
]

You don't-- don't be sorry.

[It happens all at once. He reaches out to tentatively touch them to make sure they're real, then he swiftly steps outside and pulls them tightly into his arms.]

I missed you. [He half-gasps into their shoulder, holding on with one hand clenched in the back of their clothes. His vision hazes slightly.]

You have no idea how much.
patchricide: (Should have listened to the space GPS.)

[personal profile] patchricide 2021-10-01 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
  • I very, very much like having the pictures with each prompt. If you play with the formatting to balance it better with the text, that's fine. But please do keep the pictures in some format, since I'm already finding these visual aids make it quicker and easier to remember each distinct prompt.

  • The bulleted list in the Breakfast prompt is also fantastic. Breaking up lists of information this way is always helpful.

  • The preamble that starts off Forest of the Felled is well-written, and I would like to see one before all three sections. There's something about this one that I personally find it more useful than the summaries were, since it's more about what we should expect from the prompts than trying to recap exact details. Maybe give it a little formatting like the summaries used to have, though.

  • I do think the colored text could be leveraged better. When I'm applying color, I try to look over everything and see how much I can mentally map the document to its contents without reading a word. Maybe try using a different (but still neutral) color in each of the three main blocks to break them apart, especially since the headers don't pop out as much with the pictures. You could achieve a similar effect with some pale backgrounds. Alternately, you could only use text color to highlight a certain type of key detail, like... I don't know, things to take note of OOC rather than IC, or some special notes that sometimes follow sections. There's things to dig into and play with here.

  • Speaking of, I love the voicemail from Merlin and how it's formatted separately. Wrapping it in another container wouldn't go amiss, but conceptually this is on the right track.

ranksinmistlore: (Default)

Re: TDM Layout Feedback

[personal profile] ranksinmistlore 2021-10-01 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Not in the game (yet?), but if you're taking feedback from passersby/people playing around in the tdm, as someone who accesses DW on my phone a lot, the pictures being on alternating sides of the prompts means I have to scroll left and right in order to read the prompts, which isn't entirely insurmountable but is definitely a little off-putting.
extraexplodey: (FISHBLASTING TIME!!)

Klee | Genshin Impact | Elemental/Light

[personal profile] extraexplodey 2021-10-01 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
i. Arrival - Waterlogged

[Well, this is a bit peculiar. Klee really has no idea what's going on when she finds herself underwater for a half minute, then suddenly spirited up to the surface by some weird kind of jiggly...is it a slime? She's not quite sure it's a slime, but it kind of looks a little bit like a slime!! Either way, she's only holding back from blowing them all to smithereens because apparently they are friendly slimes!! Floating her away towards the shore where she hops off, shakes out her still wet pigtails, and waves buh-bye to the friendly slimes.

Huh...is this another fun puzzle adventure her mom set up for her on the Golden Apple Archipelago? That must be it! But where are the others? Where's Master Jean? And the Honorary Knight?? And Kaeya and Albedo and--

!!!!]


Dodoco!! Where's Dodoco?!

[Heck, where are all her things?! Her backpack is missing, all her explosives and notes and...and everything! But especially Dodoco! Suddenly quite distraught, she hurries to start searching down the shore - maybe her bag and things washed up somewhere close by?]

Oh no, oh no...please don't let Klee's things all be at the bottom of the deep water!! Please...give Dodoco back!! Klee promises...she won't go fishblasting ever again for one whole month!

[Who is she talking to? Is it herself? You, perhaps?? Or maybe the cute, pinkish-red seelie that's following her around all too happily.]


ii. Caravan to Camelot

[Well, with no luck finding her belongings, or her precious Dodoco on the beach (and maybe crying a little bit), the rambunctious youngster sets forth on the only path that's really available for her. And once at the top, she meets with the kind of grumpy horseman and gets a ton of cool presents AND ALL HER THINGS BACK!!! Her backpack! All her explosives - which aren't even waterlogged at all (though she'll have to test them later to be sure. :D) - and Dodoco! Hugging the little stuffy so, so tight, she affixes it back onto her pack and hurries into the carts once bid to, kicking her feet as they dangle from the seat on the caravan.

And of course goes to play with this new toy. Eventually, she figures out how to write letters on it or something? So other people who have one of these can just automatically see it?? How nifty!]


Hi, everyone!!

My name is Klee! I'm looking for my friends. We got lost when we were having fun on the islands looking for Dodo King. There's a lot of them!!

One is Master Jean. She's big, has a ponytail, and puts Klee in solitary confinement when Klee is a bad girl and goes fishblasting.

Next is Master Kaeya! HE'S A PIRATE!!! He likes wine and has an eyepatch and is really funny and nice!

Next is the Hon
Honr
Ho
Honhonrie Knight!! They're really nice, and helped Mondstadt, and go on super fun and exciting adventures!! They even helped Klee find the Golden Apple Ar
Islands!

Master Diluc is angry all the time, but I like him. He has red hair and makes wine! Klee can't drink wine.


[And she goes on for a...while. Forgetting to give literally any kind of pertinent information and just details how much she loves everyone of her friends and found family of sorts. Albedo, Bennett, Razor...even Paimon! Klee loves them all. ♥]


iii. Part of a Balanced Breakfast?

[Welp, guess who reached the Red Spring and had a very tasty(??) breakfast. That's right, little Klee did!! Not really knowing what's going on here, Klee missed the part about sharing rooms and stuff, so her breakfast isn't as extravagant as other peoples'. But, she really doesn't need much in the mornings anyway, so her burple berry muffin and go'oat milk combination was well enough for the little ten year old.

Scarfing down her muffin, Klee washes it down with her milk (so good!) and goes to put away her trash, skipping along at...a rather breakneck speed. In fact, the more she goes, the faster she gets, and she's practically vibrating by the time she's tossed away her things, leaving a trail of tiny burps in her wake and giggling manically after each one.

That is, until all that bouncing and skipping stirs up her tummy just right and--]


BRRRAAAP!

[Oh dear. Klee actually stops a moment, blinking once, twice...and! Cue a loud, hysteric, childish fit of giggles. Listen, she's a small girl with the humor to match. And with each burp in between her shrill laughter, she only starts to crack up more and more.]


iv. Wildcard!!

[None of these prompts suit your fancy? Wanna do another not listed here? Hit me up and we can plot of something special!]
hootle: (012)

[personal profile] hootle 2021-10-02 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ she jolts ever so slightly at the creepy laugh — can it please stop doing that??

placing hootle back into her hood — his safe place — she switches to a more determined look. okay, she can do this. she can fight like this. she may not have access to her powerful spells anymore, but she can at least do something, and that's better than standing by and letting this guy get hurt for her.

the ease with which he asks her what kind of magic she has is jarring, considering her own experiences back on dahna, but she moves past it. ]


I can channel some of the elements! Just tell me what you need me to do with them!

[ and she'll readily do it. she's got this. she's a mage. ]
angelolatry: (Water Symphony ~ despair)

i

[personal profile] angelolatry 2021-10-02 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
Hootle? Um, are they a friend of yours?

[Because. While Colette doesn't have a pet/friend like Hootle exactly. She knows Lloyd would probably be unnerved to end up here without Noishe for example. Or that it would be strange to see Sheena without Corrine around. She can maybe at least offer to help Rinwell look for them? This Hootle friend. This place was a lot to take in anyway even without worrying about others. But hopefully if Colette helps they could find Hootle for this new girl? Even if it might be they aren't here. And that this is going to possibly distract from Colette being here in keeping some faint hope in possibly finding any more familiar faces among the new arrivals each time.]

Maybe I can help you look for Hootle? I'm not sure the owl had anything to do with them being missing though.....?
hootle: (039)

[personal profile] hootle 2021-10-02 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ she spits some water out, luckily close to shore enough that it wasn't so much of a problem that they dumped her back in, and just rests herself on the edge of land, her little grey not-hootle familiar flapping beside her. ]

Maybe you're right... It's just suspicious, is all. [ sorry, familiar buddy. ] I mean, how else do you explain me ending up here without Hootle but with an owl that almost looks like him but isn't!

[ a small, somewhat frustrated exhale. ] Sorry... Yeah, Hootle's more than just a friend. He's family.
gunmettle: (• 041)

[personal profile] gunmettle 2021-10-02 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
This is gonna sound crazy, so you'll just have to trust me--

[ He cuts off as the fachan yanks on the weapon, trying to use it to haul itself up. Something in Juzo's arm tears free, and the flail threatens to slip. He renews his grip and pulls back, sending the creature stumbling again. ]

--Hit me with a lightning bolt!

[ Yes, really. ]
amakakeru: (blinded by the light)

Not Quite A Puppy Parade

[personal profile] amakakeru 2021-10-02 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think those ones are for eating...Too much work for too little reward.

[ He's trying to be diplomatic here -- he's very used to dealing with this type of person. Perhaps he can find another outlet for her ... enthusiasm. ]

Are you really that hungry?
angelolatry: (And I try to make this kind and clear)

[personal profile] angelolatry 2021-10-02 04:32 am (UTC)(link)
Family. No wonder you can tell this owl isn't Hootle then. Maybe Hootle is up with the caravans with the rest of your things? We can go check at least.

[And if not, there's always the chance Hootle might show up later. But Colette doesn't want to go into that too much. Not wanting to upset Rinwell more than she already seems to be. Knowing this was a lot to process and all. So she simply gives a small smile and reaches to help the girl up to her feet.]

I'll go with you and help look. I'm Colette! Colette Brunel.

[Because of course she is oblivious to the potential implications there given her having a surname. At least, to Rinwell and others from her particular worlds oh Dahna and Rena. So she doesn't think twice in introducing herself and all, in using her full name, if without the Chosen title.]

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