avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

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Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary

⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️

A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival

KERPLUNK, SPLASH!

Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's chilly waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you.

If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. When not helping people, the turtles are going around and hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals or pushing personal items to the beach near the new arrivals they smell like (belong to). If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly.

B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot

Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** to everyone before getting them settled in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and give them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go.

These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service,

avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk.

C ⦿ The Red Spring

The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies.

If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out!

The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there.

Everyone needs a little fun from time to time; the locals have put together the annual Snow Games. As with all things Avalonians plan, magic plays a part in the competition. There will be three separate tiers for characters to enter. Each Tier will have its predetermined track or ring, set up and ready to go.

A ⦿ Foot Races

three-legged race

B ⦿ Sled Races

magically driven sleds

C ⦿ Snow Chicken

Snow Chicken, Magic Vs Yeti Style... This competition will differ from the previous two; it is not a race to the finish line but instead a competition to be the last team standing! Participants will pair off and one person will climb on the shoulders of the other and try to wrestle their opponents off without getting knocked off themselves. The field is full of snow, with more coming from the sky. Your opponents will be Yeti. Try to stay on, Yeti are no slouches so teams will have to work together using their magic not only to stay put but to knock your big-footed opponents to the ground.

Just... be wary, these friendly yeti are surprisingly big on hugging as a form of congratulations. It's much more challenging to escape from a yeti's embrace than it is to knock one over.

Trumpets hail an announcement by the town crier in front of the castle. More than a few people pull out their phones to record it and post it to the AOL network for all to see.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Our noblest of lords, King Arthur of Camelot, will host a tournament on this January the 20th on castle grounds. All are welcome to participate in competitions to determine those most skilled in both the physical and magical arts. In preparation for the upcoming tournament, we are sending envoys to Celliwig. In Celliwig lies the Magic Mirror of the South, gifted to Camelot by the Fae, and a means to communicate with their royal court at will. It is a vastly important task in your journey to become magicians and to show your good will toward the fairies. Parts of the mirror's frame have been damaged. We will need those brave of soul and pure of heart to retrieve the crystals needed to repair the mirror. Those interested, the party leaves at dawn."

A ⦿ Brave of Soul

The first stop on the trip to restore Celliwig's Mirror is to a cave just north of Albion's White Cliffs. No longer a part of the cliffs themselves, this outcropping goes underground and to a dank, dark cave. It is the only place which a special prismatic crystal grows. The crystal itself is hidden deep in the cave, which can only be passed by passing into a zone in which magic cannot be used. Characters will enter the cave and must face an illusion of one of their greatest fears. Those frozen in fear will pass out and wake up outside of the cave with no crystal. Those who run will find themselves turned out of the cave as well. Only those who recognize and face that fear deep in their soul will find the path forward. The fear will turn into a small light spirit, which will smile and reveal to them the crystals they seek.

B ⦿ Pure of Heart

The second stop is past a shanty town and at the bridge north of it. The bridge itself is broken, only the ends in existence. The water itself is impassible, white rapids sweeping away anything that steps into it. Silver crystals are on the other side of the bridge, visible in an outcropping from where they are, but it appears there is no way around as magic does not work on the bridge. The only clue as to how to get across is a plaque in the dirt before the bridge.

"The pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith."

Since everyone has gone as a group, it will be possible to see others walking over the water once one person figures it out. Though the clue may seem challenging, it is quite straight-forward. Characters who are pure of heart will find that if they believe in themselves, they will be able to step off the bridge and hardlight will form beneath their feet to allow them to step over the water. Those with ill intentions or those who are willing to harm others to get their way will slip into the rapid waters and may need to be saved by other characters. At least you're off the bridge, so magic will work to that end.

C ⦿ Celliwig, the Splendored Court

As the travelers leave the bridge, they turn toward the shanty town-- wood shacks and failing farms. Not a place anyone would want to visit. Those who try to run ahead will find that it disappears as if an illusion, and they will find nothing. Those who stick with the party will wait a fair distance away until the sun sets. Once the sun begins to fall beyond the horizon, the small town will begin to shimmer brilliant whites and colors-- a glamour hiding its true glory, a city made solely of crystals and glass: Celliwig, the Splendored Court. Though smaller than Camelot, every part of the city is beautiful and glistening. The population is small and it's very quiet and serene for a city. The people of the city don't seem keen on speaking to outsiders, and will typically scatter before anyone can really engage them. They seem humanoid in nature, but not entirely human. Even the animals around the city seem to be ethereal in nature, gliding more than walking.

The party is led to a hall at the center of the city-- the hall of mirrors. Those who have succeeded in obtaining crystals need to bring them and set them on a table placed before a mirror at the end of the hall, which appears to have a number of empty settings. It's unclear what happened to the mirror previously, but now it's necessary to restore it to garner the favor of the fae.

Once crystals have been delivered, people will be free to explore the quiet city, but it seems most of the city is closing shop while the visitors are around. There is a restaurant that will serve visitors food, though all of the dishes are of the molecular gastronomy variety. Alcoholic drinks seem to come in vapor form and flashes of light if ordered, but seem effective nonetheless. The local general store seems to be willing to sell supplies to weary travelers as well, but that's about it.

...That said the inn doesn't seem particularly keen on allowing visitors in strangely, so you're either going to be sleeping on the iridescent streets or camping just outside the city if you prefer the soft grass and the darkness of night. Just be aware, if you leave, you won't be able to get back into this mysterious city so easily.

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.
• Note that the third prompt in this TDM will have consequences on the game's progression. After the application round, a poll will be put up to see how many characters who are in the game, both new and old, are able to obtain the crystals from the Brave of Soul and Pure of Heart prompts.
• The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but may contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly.
• Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

*This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count.
**Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It definitely helps take out the sting of the type of magic he ended up with. At least a little bit.]

I think it will be. It's been a long time since I've done something like this.

I know my friend Ven would have loved it.

(He nods in returns as the sled races are about to begin.)

Okay, the race is about to start soon. I agree, if he is here, he will have a lot of fun participating in this.

I’m Harry, nice to meet you.

Pretty sure I would have found him by now if that was the case.

[But he'll put that aside for now. For now, he has to focus.]

Terra, and same. Let's win this.

Alright, then we should get started right about now.

(The race begins and Terra and Harry take off at the same time as the other racers. Right away early in the race, Harry spots a lone stag deer in their path (how this guy got here is a total mystery), so he carefully lifts him up and places him on another team’s path for them to deal with so it is their problem to deal with now.)

Who is crazy enough to scatter animals on a sled ride path? That sounds really weird, don’t you think so?

No kidding! I'm used to having to just deal with other racers.

You'd think the animals would want to avoid a course like this.

[He yanks on the controls to avoid a small family of chipmunks.]

That is really a crazy idea to begin with. Dealing with other racers is definitely normal, not with animals being stranded on the middle of a race path.

(Un oh, just as Harry says that, there is a pile of rocks in front of them. Having to think fast, he ends up pushing that from their paths and into the sideways of the path.)

[Terra braces for the shift and then yanks on the controls again to right them. It's a little different from his glider, but he's getting the hang of it.]

Guess this place likes its thrills? I guess with all the magic you have to make it more exciting somehow.

Yeah, it definitely is: this place sure likes to keep everyone on their toes all the time.

(After he said that, he then notices a fallen tree on their path: it must be affected by the storm after the Solstice Night Run, so Harry has to tell Terra to get around it.)

Terra, watch out: there is a tree lying on the snow and it is getting closer.

I see it. I'm gonna try to go around it so lean into the turn! But don't fall out!

[A few scratches from the tree are a small price to pay as Terra aims to at least get them around most of the trunk. It's a bit of a tight squeeze though.]

Alright?

At least it is just a few scratches from the tree, and I didn’t fell overboard from the sled as well.

(Thankfully, Harry has holding onto the sled by the edges when Terra had to make a tight turn around the tree trunk, although they might to find a healer pretty soon after the race is over.)

That's good. Sorry, I don't have Cure here for the little injuries. Or a Potion for that matter.

[Or his armour for that matter. He's really starting from scratch here.

He's righted the sled for now.]

Anything coming up?

That is alright since I don’t have access to the healing spells I would have back home as well.

(Harry could see not too far away a huge rock in their path, so Harry swipes his hand across the rock to allow it to roll away sideways out of their path and into someone’s path.

Then comes a family of foxes on their path, the parents are trying to get their kits to cross the road. Scared about their safety, he attempts to move them to the other side and while he was able to get them to safety, it also ends in him realizing he needs to work on moving living things more efficiently when he accidentally drops the father fox into a pile of snow.)

Sorry, Mr. Fox!

[These animals are going to be the death of him, he swears]

I think he'll be okay. Snow seems soft.

The end in sight yet?

I haven’t seen it just - Oh hey, I can see it from here! Let’s keep up it.

(Then came a log in front of them, Harry swipes his hand in front of it to roll away to the other side of the path. As they approach nearer to the finish line, he could feel a sigh of relief from reaching the end of the sled race.)

[It's almost too bad they don't have some sort of boost to slam on for those last few portions of the race. It's always fun to cross the finish line in some sort of style.]

Keep your eyes open for any last traps. I wouldn't be surprised if there's something to trip us up at the end.

Okay Terra, I will try to check for anything that could be in our path.

(Right now, it looks like it could be smooth sailing, but it could change at any second. Then there is a random rock boulder in their path.

Shocked by its appearance on the snow, he proceeds to swipe it away from the path and right behind a couple of trees as it rolls away.)

That’s going to be hopefully the last one.

Fingers crossed.

[Is all Terra can say. That was close and he was almost ready to use his own magic, which he can feel wanting to be used. He doesn't even know what a curse would end up looking like. ]

This is a lot more eventful than the last race I was in.

So what was that last race you participated like? Were there any animals that were walking on the path?

(They are so close to the finish line, though they are so focused on avoiding obstacles and him trying to rescuing animals with his kinetic magic that they didn’t seem to care about winning at all.)

Nothing like that. It was on a track and really all you had to watch out for was the other racers.

[Though, they were animals themselves. Did that count?]

Less dodging obstacles and more keeping up speed.

Just like any other normal races, I assume. Neither was I: I haven’t been to one like this back home either. I got to hand it to the sled race organizers: Whoever organized this race sure likes to mix things up here.

(To be fair, even Harry never experiences any race, let alone a sled race, that involves having to avoid hitting obstacles at all.

But hey, at least they are nearing closer to that finish line now and thankfully no obstacles to avoid too.)

Yeah, no kidding, it's definitely been an adventure.

[Terra's doing his best to keep things steady but the ground's getting a little rougher as they come to the end.]

Somehow I don't think this is going to be quite a straight shot though.

(The bumpy ground has taken Harry by surprise: he was not expecting it at all as their sled slides across it. Even Rose gets spooked out by it.)

Well, this was unexpected: I didn’t see that coming either. Rose, just hang in there and don’t fall overboard.

(The little Pygmy Puff squeaks nervously as she holds onto dear life, her head bops errantly against the rough ground they run into.)

Any spells you've got that can make it smoother?

Or I guess any we can try?

[He doesn't know about any dark magic that might work here?

Well, I will try to think of something quick.

(Harry begins to think of a solution, so hard in fact he unwittingly teleports them and the sled to much smooth ground, much to his own shock. Did he just discover a new way to do kinetic magic?!?)

Whoa, did I just apparate ourselves away from the rough path? (Close but not exactly the right term)

[Terra looks a little rattled at suddenly not being where they were.]

That some form of teleportation? Or did you make the ground smooth?

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

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