avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

{ QUICK NAV }
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

[At least Hijikata's encounter with Kamui at the cliffs already made it dawn on him that not everyone came here with their memories intact - or maybe they were all plucked from different points in time, and some of them haven't had a chance to even make the same memories as their peers yet. Still, for Tsukuyo to not remember... he exhales, telling himself to look at the upside. This means, after all, that she has significantly less dirt on him. He nods to affirm that he just arrived, and as for her other question...]

Kamui.

[That's all he says, because he's pretty sure that she'll have a reaction to it.]

Edited 2021-01-10 05:35 (UTC)

[ oh so much less dirt on him

But as secretly relieved as she is to see anyone from her home world, that name definitely has her expression shifting to a menacing scowl. ]

That psycho Yato bastard showed up too?

Yeah. He has a scary familiar, too... a nue.

[Seriously, why did that human tornado need such a monster by his side?!]

On the upside he said he lost his strength. I think he's only as strong as a human anymore now. Small mercies, huh?

[The yeti from before calls over to them with evident happy anticipation and gives them two thumbs-ups as they turn their heads.]

...

They really want us to participate in this, don't they.

Someone gave that Yato a nue? [ Fucking hell. ] Even without his strength that's-- [ And she's about to go on but damnit those yetis are being enthusiastic. Tsukuyo sighs, she'll have to face the Kamui situation later. For now she's got other stupidity to deal with apparently. ]

Seems like it, they're very big on participatin' in things here. [ Which is unfortunate for both of them.

Anyway, if they have to this then... Bluntly: ]

Get on my shoulders then. [ Yes, she fully expects this to be like the Pool episode. Girls are stronger. Forget the fact that he's taller than her. ]

Edited 2021-01-12 13:30 (UTC)

[Alas, Hijikata wasn't in the pool episode, and Kondou only told him about Otae's bathing suit later and left out all the important stuff. So he objects.]

Don't be unreasonable. I've got to be heavier than you.

[He crouches to let her climb on his back.]

Let's get this over with. What's your magic, anyway?

What difference does that make? [ He's heavier... So what? Like that makes any difference to a ~~drunken~~ terminator like her.

Thankfully she's not wearing her usual kimono in this weather - just some kind of sensible Avalonian winter garb that won't expose her butt and her thighs to the world at large when she finally relents and climbs onto this cop's shoulders. ]

Kinetic. I can move things with my mind. [ And yes, she is fully aware of how ridiculous that sounds every time she says it out loud. ]

[He stands back up, adapting to his new centre of balance quickly enough. This isn't the first time he's carried someone on his shoulders, the Shinsengumi get up to all kinds of shenanigans after all. Tsukuyo's winter outfit very much keeps things from getting awkward right now, seeing how he has to hold on to her calves to help keep her in place.]

Oh, that sounds great, actually. Can you just push those big guys over, then? I'd hate to use my fire here.

[He's pretty sure that burning the opponents to a crisp isn't the desired endgame.]

[ True - much easier to ignore those smooth, silky thighs around his neck when they're covered like this. ]

The magic's taken a while to get to grips with but I know I can send some of 'em tumblin'.

[ And she's quite prepared to wrestle the rest.

There's also quite a few natural objects that she might be able to move and use to her advantage as well. ]

[Yeah. Thank goodness she isn't exuding pheromones here either... but he'll keep that thought nicely to himself because the last thing he needs is a kunai in his skull.]

Okay. I'll just charge in then, yeah?

[He starts running towards the yeti with something like a war cry.]

[ WELL THEN - no strategy here apparently. Just a full on charge in without thinking it over whatsoever Gintama-style attack. And it's bumpy as shit sitting one someone's shoulders while they attempt to charge through thick snow and with more falling from the sky.

It's been hard trying to get to grips with magic but Tsukuyo's been practicing pretty relentlessly since she got here and this is an opportunity to really put it to the test. However ridiculous the circumstances.

With a similarly ridiculous war cry, she concentrates on one of the approaching yeti pairs... She hasn't tried to move another being this heavy before but- she manages to dislodge the poor yeti guy from his partner's shoulders with her kinetic magic, depositing him unceremoniously on his butt in the snow. ]

I ain't gonna be able to do that with all of em'! [ Because they're chonky as heck and jeez does magic take a lot of focus and energy.

Still - 1 pair is out, however many left to go... ]

[The damn snow is slowing him down a lot more than he thought it would. Is this really the locals' idea of fun?! Seeing the yeti go flying off his partner's back is satisfying, but Tsukuyo's warning immediately puts a damper on his preemptive victorious mood.]

What?! Why not? Is there a limit to you charge or something? I don't see a mana bar over your head!

[He briefly considers using his fire magic, but seeing one of those furry fellows go up in flames would be beyond harrowing for everyone in the vicinity (not to mention overkill). What else can they do?]

Ah!

[He runs (or, well, kind of half-wades) towards a group of trees not too far away. Their branches are laden with heavy snow... this is kind of the oldest trick in the book he's going for here, and it surely wouldn't work on genre-savvy fellow Gintamas, but maybe no one told these yeti?]

Oi, I know yer new here and all but ya can't just fire off unlimited magic willy nilly straight away! D'ya know how much trainin' and practice it takes to do what I just did??

[ Also, yes Hijikata, please don't set fire to an innocent yeti who is clearly just observing his own traditions.

But right... heavy branches laden with snow, she can use this. Most definitely. She intends to just use the snow, dislodge it so that it lands on these guys.

Using her magic to shake a branch is easy enough at this point, only she doesn't anticipate one of the branches being a little more brittle and the whole thing snaps off... And promptly lands on one of the yeti.

I mean, the creature is fine- just a bit dazed and slightly less conscious than it should be. ]

Ah, shit.

[ At least it's another one off its partner's shoulders? ]

[The news about the magic taking so much out of its user is a bit of a downer, but Hijikata's mood goes right back up when he sees another opponent knocked down, even if the method was a little different from the original idea.]

Nice going!! Only one pair left!

[He's honestly getting a little exhausted, though. Tsukuyo isn't heavy, but carrying someone through calf-high powder snow while chasing adversaries would be enough to drain even a cold-blooded horse. It doesn't look like they'll have to hunt down or lure in the last yeti pair, though. They're coming towards them at a concerning speed, apparently aiming to either pluck Tsukuyo off Hijikata's shoulders like a damsel in a romance novel getting abducted by bandits while on a leisure ride, or simply just bowl them both over.]

This looks like a job for your kunai.

[Yeah, he wanted to avoid suffering that exact fate, but surely one little kunai won't do that much harm to a big yeti? Surely?]

[ How does she feel about stabbing a big probably-innocent fluffy yeti? She's not entirely sure to be honest- Gintama logic probably doesn't apply to them and they might not get straight back up again after having a kunai lodged in their heads.

Fortunately, she's made allowances already for just such a predicament.

Hijikata won't be able to see it, but she's got those rubber suction pads stuck to the ends of the blades. She had already had to use them on someone like this okay it's a long story.

She launches one, aiming for the center of the yeti rider's forehead- which she hits, smack back. The impact is enough to send the poor fluffy guy to the ground - apparently stabbed, only not really. Except Tsukuyo is the only one aware of the "not really" part currently and so the troubled wailing of unconscious yeti's carrier/partner is really quite distressing as he crouches beside his fallen comrade. ]

...Don't think they were expectin' that. [ OF COURSE THEY DIDN'T, TSUKUYO. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE MURDERED A YETI. They're rare enough as it is! ]

[He crouches down to let her hop off him, trying to look nonchalant and tune out the poor yeti's wails.]

We won.

...

He's going to make it, right?

[Already the guilt is creeping up on him, he did encourage her after all... but just about then the knocked-out yeti recovers sufficiently to show clear signs of life, and at the same time the other one figures out that the kunai is just rubber-suctioned to his partner's forehead. He plucks it off and lets out some significantly happier cries, which makes the others who were taken down earlier approach faster. After a brief animated discussion all heads turn towards Tsukuyo and Hijikata.]

Um. Maybe we should--

[But before he can even finish making the suggestion the fluffy giants are already running towards them.]

[Hijikata starts running, but he doesn't get far before the first yeti grabs him by the cloak and scoops him up into his arms.]

Wait!! No!

[His protests are unheeded; they're hugging him. With no rooftops in sight chances are Tsukuyo isn't faring much better.]

[ Tsukuyo is not faring any much better. There may not be rooftops but she had been making for one of those big snow covered pine trees- not quick enough apparently when she's surrounded by huge fluffy snow monsters. One of whom is now embracing her in all-consuming ever so fluffy yeti hug. ]

O-Oi! Let me go, ya beast!!

[ This is not her idea of a victory celebration- her idea of a victory celebration is a smoke and chill break. Not this. ]

[Hijikata is used to enduring drunk Kondou's gorilla hugs, and the yeti aren't that much hairier... okay, no, they actually are. They're fluffy and soft. ~~Maybe this isn't all bad?~~ Looks like they won't get out of this before the yeti decide that they've had enough, but on the upside these two ~~emotionally constipated~~ reserved people are receiving some physical affection. Even if their minds can't appreciate it, their bodies should get some oxytocin out of it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject