TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 13

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*Mod note: I know this graphic is super ugly, but I ran out of time to make it pretty so it’s pretty much just for function right now. Don’t @ me about it, I know.

 

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!
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

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 currently 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.

 

---

 

 

King Arthur and the Queen of the Fairies have come to an agreement- if Camelot and the otherworlders cleanse the Forest of the Felled, removing all traps and wards that were placed up by humans of the past, they will be permitted safe passage into Elphame and invited to their Winter Solstice celebrations. The path to success in this task isn’t a smooth one.

 

A ⦿ Not Seeing is Believing
	After the initial failed venture into the Forest of the Felled due to the Fachan destroying resources, a new expedition was planned. All those willing to help are welcome to come along with the party, led by King Arthur and Glewlwyd.. but the party itself isn’t quite as welcome after the tricks pulled on the naiads last time. The naiads have summoned a basilisk that is slithering up and down the river, guarding it from passers.   Thankfully, Avalon basilisks are more along the lines of Medusa snakes than instant-death. If you catch their eye, you’ll find yourself instantly paralyzed.
It’s probably a good thing that there are many people around that it’s leaving people frozen where they are instead of eating right away… but in case you haven’t charged ahead out of orders, the party will be distributing blindfolds. The snake won’t try to eat the unparalyzed but crossing a river without your vision is no easy feat—it’s recommended you find at least one or two people to hold hands with, or perhaps travel up to the Pure of Heart Bridge if you think you can make it across. There’s always the option of fighting it, but a single bite from this creature would be fatal even if you manage not to give it a glance.

 

---

 

B ⦿ A Cure on Cloud Nine
As with any mission, there are casualties. Those who survived their encounter with the basilisk far outnumber those who don’t, but there are plenty who unfortunately fell to its paralysis. It’s up to those who didn’t to save them. Thankfully, Arthur has the greatest wizard of all time on speed dial and is able to call up a consult about what they need to make a cure for the basilisk’s paralysis. In a stroke of luck, the flower necessary to make the medicine does grow in the Forest of the Felled last he checked. It hasn’t been seen in years since the forest has been virtually inaccessible, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t still be growing there.
The flower is called a Nimbus flower. It’s short, but the petals are wide and seem to flow out like gray clouds that end in a silvery blue lining at the tip. Au natural, they are known to cause euphoria and hallucinations when touched with bare skin, so gloves are handed out to pick them to any who don’t have them already. The effects fade away when heated, so cooked and mashed into a paste is the easiest way to administer them. However, that means finding and retrieving them first… a difficult task, as it seems that the various booby traps within the forest are blocking the way. Find your way through nets, log traps, snare traps, magical rope and vine binding traps, and just about any kind of booby trap you can think of (feel free to get creative) for both magical and regular creatures and you might be able to make your way to the flower field they grow in! Only then can you return and save your allies from becoming one of the forest’s felled.

 

---

 

C ⦿ Paralysis, Paralysis, and Paralysis Again
	With the basilisk episode behind everyone, everyone is set into small groups or pairs and given a sector to patrol and clean up. For the most part it goes smoothly, save for a few curious fae who followed the party in causing mischief here and there. Ultimately, they understand that everyone is here to benefit Avalon, so they don’t cause too much harm. Everyone is able to have a smooth trip the rest of the day, though are asked to return to camp by dark for safety. After last time, who knows what else may come out at night. Everyone is provided with a thinly-stretched stew and some rustic bread for dinner. It’s after people begin to fall to sleep that things start to get unfortunate again. Most of the wards and traps are impossible to differentiate the details of, so an unwitting party accidentally released a pack of sleep-paralysis demons that had been trapped in the forest long before it became known as the Forest of the Felled.
This demon sits on a sleeping person’s chest and enters their mind, filling them with inescapable nightmares as the demon feeds off of their positive thoughts and emotions, slowly sucking out all feelings of love, happiness, and self-worth. Even if they wake up, they’ll find they are unable to move. Insomniacs and cognitive mages are going to be the best weapon against these creatures—insomniacs can attack the demons from the outside and guard cognitive mages who can dreamwalk into the sleeping victim’s dreams and convince them they’re only dreaming and to wake up. Some of the NPC insomniacs get together to perform a ritual to allow cognitive mages to cast others into dreams as well, so go quickly and help those trapped in nightmares of their own design!

 

---

 

 

If you're not the type to wander off into the forest and want other ways to help, no worries! There are plenty of tasks to be done back in Camelot and the nearby areas that are much safer. Ish!

 

A ⦿ The Floor is Lava
With the city of Camelot being overcrowded still, but many things having at least been stabilized and worked out temporarily, attentions have turned to building projects to get the people of Celliwig and Lestari their own space back. Nobles have been tasked with governing townships of these refugees and creating new homes.. but to that end, people need to help create those homes first!   Various building sites near but just outside Camelot or the Celliwig ruins have been set up, but the best tactic seems to be to have crews work on them one at a time, so most people
are at the same initial one, just outside of Camelot.  Unfortunately, some idiot saw all the construction potential as a platforming opportunity and cast what can only be described as a “The Floor is Lava” spell, after the children’s game.. but much more realistic. It doesn’t seem to affect the buildings or furniture, but it’s hot as hell and people are trapped on half-built foundations because no one’s quite sure what it’ll do if you fall into it. Each building seems to have a set-up candle circle to keep the game going though, so hop from platform to platform, using furniture, beams, ropes, or anything else you can manage to get across to get to these locations, break the circle, and free buildings from the lava. And DON’T fall! (Though if you do, don’t worry- though it looks like you explode in a fiery twister to those around you, it just teleports you outside of the play area.)

 

---

 

 

B ⦿ Hungry for More
	With only Camelot’s farms left in tact, there’s not quite enough food left to go around with Celliwig and Lestari refugees having mouths to feed through the winter as well. This has lead to another type of project that people have really been working toward in Camelot… creating more food.   In fact, there are a number of spells and potion recipes going around on TikTok based on experimental cloning magic.   One of the most viral videos has resulted in a potion based on the Cereus de Anima flower that uses an extract you can order online to make your own potions and “dopplegang” your food.
As with many popular TikTok trends, it’s not the best idea and has landed some people in dire need of help. #DoppleDinner is the tag to use if you’ve run into unexpected trouble using the potion:   ·        accidentally creating a temporary clone of yourself ·       accidentally creating endlessly replicating food that fills up the entire room until you can’t manage to get out of the door ·        food that seems to animate and turns around and try to eat the caster   Those seem to be some of the biggest problems this potion has created… or if you’re not caught up in the trend, you might be one of the rescuers going around to help people get out of their own doppledanger.

 

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C ⦿ Magical Flu Season
	Unfortunately, flu season happens just as much in the magic realm as it does in the regular realm. People are starting to get sick all around Camelot, especially with the more condensed population making it easier and easier to spread disease.   One such disease is the magical flu—a variation of the flu that has a rather alarming change of symptoms from the original. Headaches, chills, sweating, sniffles, and coughs? Sure. The magical flu passes up the grosser excretions though, and instead many mages find themselves excreting magic unexpectedly.
Uncontrollable, accident casting is running rampant with those infected, and it’s causing a lot of problems. The only cure is a good healer, so you’d better hope you can hold in that sneeze on the way to see a doctor… or else you might end up casting whatever magic you’ve landed with on anyone around you.

 

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• 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. • If you have feedback about the layout still, click here to give it! Be constructive, mods are people too and don't appreciate rude comments.

 

Comments

Susie | Deltarune

[facebite]

1. CARAVAN TO CAMELOT
[Should you have the misfortune to be joined by a big purple monster in your carriage to the city, she spends the whole trip scowling, chugging sodas from the minibar in one gulp, belching loudly, listening to the introductory spiel on her phone without earbuds (they don't fit dragon monster ears, okay???) and generally being unpleasant company. Her familiar is no better, a big hellhound with a spiked collar who slobbers and snores his way through the trip on the seat next to her.

Internally, though, said big purple monster is facing a dilemma: if she needs to find someone to share a room with her tonight, what is she supposed to do? No one will want to share with her, especially when there are so many humans around, but it also wouldn't be fair if she scared people off and hogged a room for herself. Maybe she should just sleep outside...

She catches the eye of the person sharing the carriage, and just when she's debating whether to pluck up the courage and ask, she gets nervous, bares her teeth and snaps:]

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!

[Nailed it.]


2. NOT SEEING IS BELIEVING
[Susie... doesn't really understand the full story behind what's going on with Elphame or what the big deal is, but a goal is a goal! And she's trying to get better at the whole good guy thing. Even where Dark Worlds aren't involved, this is still a saving the world thing, right? So as much as she's itching to fight the basilisk and has her axe at the ready, she understands that just getting across without getting paralysed is the easier and more peaceful option. Having been given a strip of black cloth to cover her eyes, plus a spare, she finds someone who might look particularly reluctant and stomps over to them.]

Hey! Hurry up and put this on. Then we're going across!

[She doesn't seem to be leaving them with much choice, practically shoving the blindfold into their face.]


3. A CURE ON CLOUD NINE
[Of course, even with the best intentions in mind, some fell prey to the basilisk, so again Susie jumped at the chance to help. Or rather, she charged off alone to go look for the nimbus flower without fully listening to the warning about booby traps... which is how you might run into her, stuck in a net in an awkward pose, suspended from a branch in the air. The net is so effective (or maybe she's just way too big compared to the intended human or fae-sized target) she can't even move her arms to reach for her axe. Chomping through the rope is no good, either, so she's just stuck... hanging out here...

When she spots someone approaching, she just squints at them through a gap in the net.]

Sup.

[She's practically daring you to make fun of her. Go on, do it.]


4. WILDCARD
[Write your own starter! Feel free to hit me up via PM or moonsilver to plot or chat. Chapter 2 spoilers probably won't come up, but if you'd like to avoid being spoiled anyway let me know.]

[sometrash]

[ Well...while he doesn't look like he's about to laugh at her, he does look like he's considering turning around, walking away, and pretending he didn't see anything. It's nothing personal, he just doesn't want to get caught up in something even weird...er than this situation already is. Besides, even if Raon isn't here, Cale already has his hands full with one dragon (and two cats, werewolves plural, and every person that's been following him around for one baffling reason or another) back home. He doesn't need another headache.

He weighs his options, considering the pros and cons. He's really just. Giving it more thought than he probably needs to. Damn it. Cale can't exactly just leave her like that. Like all dubious choices, it would just come back to bite him later, maybe literally. He can feel it in his lazy bones. And he would just...he would feel kind of bad, okay????

He glances at the top of the net, pulling out a knife as he follows the rope to where it's tied around a nearby tree. ]

If you land on your face, it's not my fault.

[ He cuts the rope. ]

[facebite]

I can deal with it, just get me d-- oof!

[He cuts the rope much easier than she anticipated, so she only has a split second to turn her shoulder to actually stop herself faceplanting into the dirt. Luckily she's tough, so it won't leave much of a mark, but as she gets to her feet...]

Damn-- net--! [...She's just kinda thrashing around and biting at it instead of trying to untangle herself, so she trips right over back to the ground again.]

[sometrash]

[ Well, she's not blaming him, so he considers that a win! Being at the mercy of her pointy maw doesn't seem like it would be all that pleasant. At least she's not threatening to raze the forest or something.

The net seems to be giving her some trouble, though? Maybe? Unless she--oh. Okay, no, she just fell over. Nevermind. ]

Here. You'll have better luck with this.

[ He squats down near where she's fallen and holds the knife out, handle first. ]

1! aaaa susie <3

[letmewin]

( Normally, Asriel avoids seeing who may have arrived in this world. The idea of seeing someone from home besides Frisk or Chara is ultimately something he doesn't want to do -- he doesn't want to hurt them anymore. He had other reasons for venturing out where he did, but that's neither here or there. What may be more important right now is the fact that he's sharing a ride with who he very much suspects is a monster.

... But, he also knows far better than to ask. From what he knows, the term monster is something that people see as more of a dangerous thing. So, instead of thinking about how to ask, he greets her quietly instead. The carriage only jut started to move forward when he speaks. )

Uhm... Howdy, there.

azzy!! 💜

[facebite]

[That meek attempt at friendliness is so familiar she just blinks at him for a second with a confused expression. What's with this kid...?

She crushes the empty soda can in her hand, and glances out the window with a surly expression as the carriage starts to move. It's hard to be mean to a little kid, so she just settles for being grumpy instead.]

... Howdy yourself.

<3 also, totally okay with any potential ch 2 spoilers

[letmewin]

( Asriel once befriended every monster in the Underground (before-- well... he got bored, to say the least) -- grumpiness or meanness isn't something that phases him like it once did. So, he offers a tentative smile in response.

It's a little funny to see the difference between their familiars. Hers seems so much bigger and stronger than the armadillo that tugs along with him. It's something that he already knows that Chara would agree is pretty amazing. )

Did you just get here? I bet you have a lot of questions, huh?

1

[corruptedsave]

[Chara wasn't paying much attention to whoever was joining them in the carriage, at least not at first. They do stare though when they do finally notice Susie, mostly because this is a monster they don't know.

Of course, when she yells at them they just give her a flat look before answering.]

A monster, is what.

[facebite]

Yeah, yeah, gold star for you, smartass!

[She grumbles, narrowing her eyes at them, though she does at least lower the volume a notch. There's something a little offputting about them that reminds her of someone. Maybe it's just a coincidence...?]

Don't you see many monsters around here?

[corruptedsave]

[Maybe it's the striped sweater, or the brown hair? Or maybe it's Chara's red eyes that are giving Susie the offputting feeling, who knows? Not them, that's for sure.

They let out a short snort of their own at her reaction at least before answering her.]

Aside from my brother? No, you're also one I haven't met before. I thought I knew everyone in the Underground.

2 - Because I wanna hold hands.

[pacifiststrength]

[She has seen stranger things. She knows she has. She's experienced stranger things, but just because that's the case doesn't mean she wants to invite more of it. To go from one world to another and then to this new one, Noelle's head spins with a multitude of questions that she has no answers to.

Susie isn't the right party to be asking questions of either. She's an all-action, no nonsense sort, after all. Just the right amount of intimidating.]

Oh, uhm—

[At first she can't even see what Susie's practically thrusting at her, but when she puts two and two together, her uncertainty is palpable in her expression.]

Is this a good idea? I don't know about this... What if we fall off?

[facebite]

All we have to do is put the blindfolds on and run in a straight line! How hard can it be? Just trust me and I'll lead you across.

[She's just going to go ahead and put a blindfold on Noelle without waiting for further argument. She's surprisingly gentle about it, for someone with such big claws, although she's a little shyer when she asks:]

Does it, uh, fit okay?

[pacifiststrength]

Well, okay.

[She does trust Susie. More than she's ready and willing to say. The thought of Susie leading her anywhere warms her right to the core.

She folds her hands together, perhaps a little tighter than she means for it to and she worries that her feelings might somehow escape her. But the moment she can't see anything, she fumbles a bit blindly, using her hands to take a loose hold on the bottom hem of Susie's shirt.]

Thanks for your help. I don't think I could do this on—Wait, don't you have to be blindfolded, too? How are you going to lead us if you can't see?

1

[candyapplechild]

Aah...!

[ Eri came along with the many others going to see the new arrivals, though she'd... unfortunately gotten separated from the people she knows. Still, she knew what to do! Just get on one of the caravans!

...and then she chose the caravan with Susie in it. Yaaaaaay!

Yeah, all of the noise Susie is making is a good way to catch attention... and unfortunately, Eri doesn't know to not stare.

And so now the big purple dinosaur(?) is yelling at her! Did she do something wrong!? In any case, she immediately flinches back. ]

I-I'm sorry!

[ Don't worry about why the small human has a horn coming out of her forehead. ]

[facebite]

[Susie glares at her for a second longer before relenting. She's made her point, and she didn't mean to scare the strange horned kid that much, so she sits back in her seat.]

If you have a problem with me, just say it.

[...Well, if Eri didn't have a problem with her before, she certainly would now.]

[candyapplechild]

A-Ah, no I don't...

[ It's the attitude, Susie. She unfortunately doesn't respond very well to things like that for... reasons. ]

You're just... very loud...

[ Though, surprisingly, once Susie's tone is less outright-yelling, she starts cowering less. It's mostly just nothing new with her at least. Not for bad reasons, no, just because of a certain boy from home who likes explosions and also yells a lot. ]

Wildcard- Red Springs Inn

[icedream]

[Noelle was on one of the last caravans heading to the Red Springs that evening- and by the time she arrived, she was practically staggering from exhaustion, just following the direction of the guides without really letting herself think. Between the disturbed sleep and the weird dreams it was no surprise, was it?

But all her energy immediately came flooding right back as she saw a familiar flash of purple not too far from her.]

S- Susie...!

[And yup, the poor gay deer was going to trot right over to her. Was it really her??]

[facebite]

[Susie's a little disappointed they're being forced to stop at an inn for the night before she's gotten a chance to see anything -- by contrast to Noelle, she's raring for her next adventure, even if this one winds up being with some new faces instead of her friends, so she was more than ready to head straight to the city and look around.

With more energy and adrenaline than she knows what to do with, she'd been stretching her legs and exploring the inn and the surrounding area before she turns in for the evening, which is when she hears a familiar voice amongst the new arrivals.]

Noelle! [She's startled, turning to spot her.] You're here too?!

[icedream]

[The surprise was definitely mutual- her face lighting up in tired relief as she realised she wasn't mistaken.

She's just tilting her head to try and work out if Susie had gotten drenched in the bay, too.]

Yes- I just got here. This place is so strange, isn't it?

...I still don't really know what it even is.

[A small, sheepish smile. Another dream. It must be, if Susie were here too... right? Another surreal dream.

Maybe she was the one who hadn't woken up in the library yet.]

3

[actless]

[ Kris has been having an unfortunate time up till now. There had been no sign of Susie, no sign of Ralsei, no Darkners running around looking to pick fights on behalf of their rulers. It was beginning to look like this wasn't a dark world at all, which...sure. Alright. But where does that leave them?

Following on some kind of quest, hunting down some flowers, is where. Unfortunately, they got a little lost on their trek through the woods. It's fine.

The bushes rustle nearby. Given the situation, any kind of rustling is ominous, but the source is made evident pretty quickly: Kris, leaves sticking out of their hair, looking relieved to see a familiar face. ]

Susie, you okay? You look...stuck.

[ Can they offer you some moss in this trying time? ]

kris!!!

[facebite]

[Susie bristles at the rustling, getting ready to potentially defend herself in what limited ways she can against any would-be hunters who come to cut down the net... although that soon changes when she sees it's just Kris. Normally she'd be excited to see them, but in this case, they just get a flat look.]

Nah, I'm good. Just figured I'd hang out for a while.

/o/

[actless]

[ The flat look is returned, though the corner of their mouth quirks up into a small smile. Kris nods, as though what Susie says makes complete sense, before coming over and sitting down in front of the net.

They know she's not being serious, but it can be fun to play along. ]

I can help when you're ready to come down.

3

[dothehomework]

Ooohohohoho... Looks like you're all teeth. Not to worry! The trap expert has arrived on the scene~!

[DARE: TAKEN. Teasing has occurred. But Satoko seems cheery enough as she says it, even if that's because of the air of superiority floating around her. She is already hoisting herself up into the tree, aiming for the right knot to untie.]

[facebite]

Trap expert? Are you pals with puzzle guy or something?

[Susie squints at her through the rope, fully expecting her to botch this attempted rescue based on that similarity alone, but at this point she's not going to complain about any help offered.]

[dothehomework]

There's a "puzzle guy" here?

[She sounds skeptical, but, that's probably interesting if true. And she doesn't need much focus to climb up the tree.

Once she's balanced on the right branch, she examines the situation—it'll be hard to untie by hand while it's supporting Susie's weight, but the rope up here isn't the same material as the durable net. This can probably be sawed through more easily. She shifts her own weight, trying not to fall off as she digs in a pocket for a knife.]