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avalaughs2020-12-31 11:53 pm
avalonmods) wrote in avalaughs2020-12-31 11:53 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3
 Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️  A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival
Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's 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
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
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
Along the route, racers can expect to run into minor obstacles such as snow bunnies, puddles that can’t be jumped, a flock of snowbirds giving hassle, trees that upend their own roots and move to confuse the pathway. Whatever the interruption, it will come in the form of either a small creature made of magical snow or some minor hindrance to the path. Competitors will have to use magic to overcome these obstacles. Whatever your magic class, find a way. B ⦿ Sled Races
On the path, obstacles will come in the form of wholly washed out portions of the track that need to be reformed using magic to pass. Use elemental magic to flatten rocky areas or wash away debris. Larger creatures such as snow deer and moose congregate in large groups blocking the path, so an animal magic user could be useful for asking them to move... someone with cognitive magic could try their hand at a little hypnotizing a fellow newcomer with big muscles to move fallen logs for them. Healing mages could easily use buffers to support their fellow magicians with temporarily increased speed or strength. Use light magic to sneak past living obstacles, or dark users can cast a love enchantment and make a love match between two moose even though it's far from spring. There are tons more creative uses of magic to help you get through the obstacles on the sled's pathway. Find a creative way to use magic and get through the obstacle; make sure you are faster than the other guy. C ⦿ Snow Chicken
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
B ⦿ Pure of Heart
"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
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. |
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Toph doesn't understand siblings at all but figures it was good to check first. Look at her, thinking of others! She's totally going to use this as an excuse to get Zuko to pay for dinner.
Of course, 'it will probably piss Azula off if you know' indicates it didn't go well for Azula, but details. Which is what she was checking about.
no subject
Zuko knew his sister was manipulating him; taking advantage of his kindness, and his ignorance, and his young age, a new time travel leverage she had over him to use to her own ends.
It just so happened her ends seemed to have drastically changed from the last time he'd seen her at home, when she'd also tried to kill him, so... alarm bells rang all over town when she showed up. He went into full panic mode, called his friends to go into hiding, the works. Until she unwittingly moved in with his friends by sheer chance and started dating one of them, sort of, so that threw a major wrench in his plans to avoid her. Instead... he had to believe her when she said she wouldn't try to kill him or his friends, had to trust her motivations or lack thereof, which he has done many times in his life, and ultimately regretted every one. It took a slow burn to trust her. He still doesn't trust her. He'll never be able to trust her. And he knows that, too. But she hasn't tried to attack him once ever since she arrived to that city several months ago. Largely because for a long time she had no firebending, and neither did he, and both of them were constantly physically and emotionally exhausted refusing to participate in that society's culture, until eventually they had to call a truce to exploit each other's exhaustion mutually — to help each other, as normal siblings might say. That balanced things slightly.
But Zuko looked out for her because... she... can't take care of herself in actuality. Not at home, not there, and not here. She's a princess who only knows how to fight and doesn't know how to make friends and doesn't want to. She can't cook, clean, work normal jobs, and while Zuko can't really do those things either, at least he's been a lot better at convincing people to do them for him because he's likable. And he passes that protection onto Azula, because she's still a human who needs to eat. He's paranoid almost daily still, somewhere in his mind, that this is going to blow up in his face at any time, and he's being just as foolish as any other time in his life to let his guard down around her, if not even more so now because he's self-aware of it.
It's yet to bite him in the ass, though. They've created a weird pact as siblings. It can't be called a friendship. But their stay on that planet, with a good few mysterious years between them that she won't describe, drastically changed their dynamic. Living in a side life they could never have been afforded at home and would never remember at home really put a new spin on things, and it would continue to here. He's fully intending to maintain this relative peace with her as long as he can, even if he knows his friends from home won't understand it and won't want to abide by it, have no reason to want peace with her, that she may have no reason to want it, either. But at this point, he knows that whatever Toph has to say about their fight would piss Azula off not just because she is prideful and vicious, but because they've still found ways to become closer despite that, and she'd be infuriated to know Toph may put that impossible peace at risk. It's far more precious to Azula than it is to Zuko — and maybe that's his own sick power imbalance over her now.
Zuko, however, wants to know the truth. He always wants to know the real truth.
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Because based on what Toph heard, she can't imagine Azula obeying the rules about surrendering, firebending isn't good for non-lethal combat, and she also thinks Zuko couldn't kill his sister in cold blood, or even in hot blood. It's not a skill thing, it's a 'Zuko' thing. Like, he wasn't Aang levels of 'we must find another way', but Toph was the first to admit that family was a whole other ball of complicated feelings in ways that were different than strangers.
"I figured she wouldn't want you to know that it wasn't just that you've improved, but that she totally lost it and then you and Katara kicked her ass. But it's probably a good idea, even if she's..."
Back to the same old Azula? It didn't sound like it. Azula was very hard to read, though. But some of what she'd heard suggested that the Azula Zuko had fought wouldn't have been able to keep up a deception that she could have during the Day of Black Sun, so it suggested she was...
"... feeling better."
no subject
"...I'll have to thank Katara. What do you mean, Azula 'totally lost it?' What happened after the Agni Kai?"
There's a twinge of worry in his voice. He has many things to worry about in his future, he always does. But now something extra to worry about in his future as if it's in his past. Because whatever happens or happened also now affects his present with his sister here in Avalon. He has many things to worry about in his present, too. He always does.