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avalaughs2022-02-28 08:54 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 17
| QUICK NAV: |
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A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival
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If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the mossatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. 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
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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 and a pair of ear buds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives 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 a special feature for warm winter drinks like hot apple toddy and butter beer. 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. 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! |
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When everyone arrives it seems like during the siege on Camelot the training grounds were absolutely trashed! |
A ⦿ gArBo HuNgErS | |
| With everyone focusing on recovering Camelot main and the bulk of the resort facilities at the Red Springs, the training grounds at the Red Springs have gone a little neglected.. at least enough to be taken over by a band of local decay sprites. |
What's more, they grow in size each time they eat something new, so some of them are already big enough to swallow an orc! Don't worry, the trash goes into a hammerspace to decay over a long period of time, so if you get swallowed, there's still a chance for someone to get you out... which they can do by fighting the decay sprite. Decay sprites can suck things up similarly to Kirby, though they do not gain your powers, so finding a way to keep your feet on the ground with magic should be your first step. Beware though, defeated sprites will spin in a circle and fall over, and everything they've eaten will spill out onto the ground... so you're going to have to clean it up yourself. | |
B ⦿ Slightly Shabby | |
The state of Camelot isn't exactly great when everyone arrives. It's been ravaged by siege. Things are broken, scattered, and though many of the buildings are still standing, most people are focused on things like taking care of kids, rebuilding, or rerouting the new arrivals since the inn is not available right now. The castle rooms are already pretty full of people whose homes got trampled during the siege, so new arrivals are going to have to find their own place to live. |
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kinda clingy feelings toward anyone who lets you out. Though acting on it can be fought with strong enough willpower, it's certainly going to get you and a stranger much closer than you planned a lot faster. It looks like you may have gotten caught up in some kind of dark web experimental product... oops. | |
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The start of the month begins with the usual March rituals like the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies before flowers start to bloom throughout Avalon. Once things start to get cleaned up, some Camelot citizens think of ways to get Camelot back to its normal glory.
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A ⦿ Running of the Moon Rabbits | |
Doing the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies often attracts Moon Rabbit kits. These friendly small rabbits do eat a lot though, and it's important right now that the youngin's are nourished without depleting Camelot's food stores. |
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B ⦿ Eggxacting | |
| With the streets clearer and Camelot finally starting to look more like its former self (albeit a little sparser) a culinary wizard has taken to trying his hand at a kind of magic that should help to quickly decorate the city and encourage floral growth. Using a wild combination of animal magic and green magic, the wizard created a special brand of eggs he's calling Oeufs de fleurs. He's selling them for a low price (hey, he does need to bring in some income to afford his expenses) for everyone and new arrivals get half a dozen OdF eggs for free! Just make sure that you follow the directions and there won't be a problem! 1. Blue eggs should only be thrown at night. More information is available on the chef's Instagram page, of course, but that's all that's included. The further information lets you know that blue eggs are |
photosensitive and will turn into bear firs if thrown during the day, but if used correctly will blossom into moonflowers at night. The white eggs react to the moon and will grow into 60 foot tall trees if you throw them at night... but if you're throwing them during the day, they will become beautiful morning glories that only blossom during the light. | |
• 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. |
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Why thank you! Some of those songs are decades old now, so if I'm to be completely honest, I'm not sure I'm always putting my fullest effort into them. [...That's. Not even remotely true. Whether Jaskier's done a song once or a hundred times, he keeps the performance with just as much energy as it had the first time around. But what's better than to say that there's even more he could do? Keeps the excitement up and an audience returning for more.] I'm sure I'll find a muse sooner or later and add something fresh to my repertoire.
[But until then, his current catalog will likely keep everyone entertained just as well. Not as though many here have ever heard them before. So, it shall only be a matter of time before he hears passersby humming his tunes as they become the latest trend.]
You know, perhaps you and I could work out a partnership after all, [Jaskier lightly folds his arms as he considers it.] If you don't mind sharing the stage at your usual venues, I'm sure we could bring in a greater amount of tips together than we could alone. And when I inevitably make a name for myself here, they'll see you and say "Isn't that the piano player that plays with that loveable and talented Jaskier?" [Jaskier brings the finger he was using to point and lightly wag in Gokudera's direction up to his lips as he grins.] Oh ho, yes. We'll double your profits easily. No, triple!
[Jaskier raises his eyebrows in a silent you interested? He lowers his hand back down to his other folded arm.]
Of course, I would need to hear you play and see about your ability to improvise. Improvisation is key and if you're too reliant on rote memorization—which I don't think you are from the sounds of it, but if you are—we might need to work on that first.
What do you say?
[Who knows, Jaskier? You've hardly given him a chance to say anything with all this excited chattering. Jump in now, Gokudera, while you still can, or the sales pitch will continue.]
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They may be decades old where you come from, but you have to keep in mind that this is a world that likely hasn’t met you before. So it’s all new and exciting to them, hm? [Especially the children.]
You could talk to your familiar about a muse.
[Gokudera stares on as Jaskier speaks, and honestly, it seems he’s considering it, but then… he’d just be backup. That’s fine, though. He’s not looking to make a name for himself. He just plays as an outlet for words and feelings he can’t express, a task to keep his hands busy, the last thing he has from his mother.
And he does improvise a lot of what he plays.]
My name’s Gokudera. I’ll take you to a few places I play at, and we’ll go from there.
[He can’t commit too much of himself to playing piano. It doesn’t help out with his actual job as a mafioso… not that either job is demanding or making him much gold. He’ll just do some quests to supplement his income.]
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[Jaskier claps Gokudera on the shoulder like they go way back, his grin even wider now that Gokudera has accepted the partnership. At least, he's more or less done so to Jaskier. He goes from stranger to best friend very quickly, and makes no apologies for it.]
I could tell right away that you were a reasonable fellow with a good head on your shoulders. Trust me. You'll be the most requested piano player in this entire city in no time.
[One would perhaps be correct in assuming that Gokudera is not quite as invested in making a living as a musician as Jaskier is currently painting him to be if they were listening to the level of enthusiasm from Gokudera relative to Jaskier. But to some extent, Jaskier needs this arrangement to be mutually beneficial. Otherwise, it's just Jaskier getting a few local bars to play at regularly until he catches the eyes and/or ears of the right people, and Gokudera gets nothing particular out of the deal, and that simply feels unfair. Plus, it would perhaps make it all the more tempting for Gokudera to back out at some point prematurely before the aforementioned catching. Jaskier simply cannot have any of that.]
And of course, if you've any compositions of your own, I'd be honored to play them.
[Maybe not exactly as they are written and with his own particular brand of flair to them, but still.]
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He sighs at the bolstering words, at the sheer confidence Jaskier has. This man has a passion for his music, he can tell. It’s really refreshing. Gokudera just isn’t in a very creative headspace.]
It wouldn’t be bad to play more often…
[He’d locked himself away for nearly a full week in mourning. So… yeah… music. Maybe it will help?]
I have a few, yeah, but let’s practice some improvisation first. C’mon.
[He may look fairly young, but Gokudera will get them drinks at a bar, will smoke (even without cigarettes, because for some weird reason, he occasionally exhales smoke. No one’s ever asked about it, so who knows why that’s happening), and carry himself with the experience of someone beyond his years.
Gokudera starts to lead them down the street, to the bar closest to the inn. He would play at the inn for new arrivals, but he’d have to… get the piano across the street. It’s a shame his instrument is not so portable.]
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[Of course, the one thing he can't help but do is continue to talk. If Gokudera w as hoping for a quiet, peaceful walk to the bar, he was going to be sorely disappointed. Jaskier is constantly filling silence wherever he goes whether it's with conversation, absentminded plucking at his lute's strings, or song. Unless the man is asleep, he is just a source of constant noise and energy, and even then...]
So, how long have you been playing? Composing? Were you formally educated or something you picked up on your own?
[If they are to be partners in this venture, Jaskier would like to know the level of experience he is working with here. But it would probably also help if he wasn't pelting the poor guy with questions and gave him a chance to answer before moving onto the next.]
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Not that Gokudera can’t tone it out as they walk. He’ll wait until those questions stop before he answers them.]
Fourteen years. Composing was more recent, only maybe four years or so. I had a personal teacher for a few years and just ever formally stopped. I’ve only recently played for others.
[Does Jaskier need to know who trained him? Gokudera would like a drink before he starts on his token silver/white haired shounen tragic backstory.]
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I was only a little older than you when I started performing myself, [Jaskier says with a wistful smile. Not that those were particularly happy days. If anything, Jaskier was exceptionally bored until his path managed to cross with Geralt's, and he was more reliant on food being tossed at him for his next meal rather than coins. But one has to start from somewhere and have an appreciation for that sometimes. Humble beginnings and all that.] I wasn't terribly well-received in those days, but I made the mistake of playing my own compositions before I was ready. My compositions were terrible in the beginning. Truly awful and thankfully, completely forgotten by anyone who's heard them.
[Hopefully they are, anyway. To be on the safe side, there are still some taverns and inns Jaskier tends to avoid when he travels lest the follies of his youth were to tarnish his hard-earned reputation in the present.]
The best advice I can give you: while you're still young and establishing yourself, improvise every now and again so people remember you, but stick to the classics. Even if they bore you to tears to play again and again, it's the only guaranteed way to get some food in your belly, a roof over your head, and possibly a fair maiden or two by your side for the night. Eventually, you'll hit your stride with your own compositions, and then that's when you'll truly cement yourself as an artist.
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His mother taught him before his father had her killed, and so he ran away from home. All he knew was the mafia, and no one wanted to take in some piano-playing brat.
So he’s suppressed a lot, played mostly alone in his apartment before he started performing on Amoi, then on an alien cruise-ship on Anchor, and the occasional bar here in Avalon.
He’s spent most of his time learning how to be a good friend to his boss, and how to blow people and buildings up. He lets Jaskier talk and then gives a groan.]
I didn’t ask for advice.
I do quests to make my gold, and I just lost both my prince and princess, so… when I play, it’s the classics, sometimes with bits of music I’ve heard from other people, from other worlds.
There are no grand ideas for me. Feel free to take center stage in performing.
[And they’re walking in. The barkeeper hollers at him and he waves him off before moving to the piano. He can hear, and ignores the fussing behind the bar. Gokudera frequents often enough, and is temperamental. If the barkeeper or his wife, the owner, were upset about his sudden appearance, neither are approaching to say anything.
Gokudera was out fighting the wraiths to try and protect New Camelot. They won’t give him any trouble. Plus, he’s brought in a new patron with Jaskier.]
I’ve lived in this world for over a year now.
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[But before he can make any such complaints, the mention of loss causes Jaskier to tone himself down a bit more, focusing more instead for the moment on taking in the environment of the bar. Jaskier only doesn't offer condolences because Gokudera doesn't appear to want to linger upon it too much rather than because he doesn't care or doesn't know necessarily what to say. He lets that be just as much.]
[Grabbing a chair, Jaskier sets it down nearby to the piano and slings his lute back around in front of him as he sits.]
A year? Then you must have a fairly good measure of what people's artistic tastes are here.
[Once again, something absolutely invaluable to Jaskier. Already, Jaskier begins plucking at his strings idly seemingly out of habit.]
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It can be applied to other things besides music, he imagines. But with his current situation, he’s closed off and unreceptive. But at least there’s explanation as to why. The damage to the city is one thing, but to have lost two important people… he’s got more heartache than drive at the moment.
That’s why Jaskier’s music had been so nice to listen to. It was an entertaining distraction, and he can appreciate that this man is bettering himself and so willing to share.]
There are a lot of performers in this world, and actually, for the most part, I avoid them. Concerts… rap battles? I don’t really participate. I just play background music.
[The last time he played for other people as a sort of performance, it was with his prince and princess. So… he’s not too enthusiastic for attention.
Gokudera plays a few chords, runs scales to check the piano’s tuning, and settles in to play something practiced. It’s essentially smooth jazz piano, appropriate for the current quiet of the bar.]
Business tends to pick up here in a few hours. But… this is just so you can get an idea for what I’m into currently.
[It doesn’t stand out. Just… background music, but it feels good to create it, helps him relax a little so he’s less irritable.]
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[It sounds absolutely like nothing he's heard before once Gokudera is settled into playing rather than checking the piano and warming up. Even if it doesn't necessarily stand out or grab Jaskier's attention the way his own more boisterous way of playing would, the novelty of it to him certainly does.]
[For probably the first time since they started speaking: Jaskier shuts the fuck up and listens.]
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[With one note, the pacing changes, bounces a little and takes on something more classic, well-known, gentle but with much more depth. Gokudera doesn’t know what world Jaskier is from, but he hopes he’s heard something like Debussy before.
Slowly, he introduces the next song and sways gently as he plays. The acoustics in the bar don’t allow it to carry as well, but for a moment, there is only the piano.
It’s execution isn’t perfect. There is no sheet for him to read from. This is his best execution from memory, but there are obvious mistakes where chords don’t sound correct. His left hand has been broken and healed… poorly, and so his music comes at a struggle. Still, he pushes past those mistakes, and gives them little more attention than the knit of his brow. When he’s done, he pulls his hands back and looks up and over at the bard.]
I didn’t… stretch today.
[Didn’t have enough of a warm up… or so he’d claim. His hand hurts from where he’d tried to extend his pinky, but it won’t straighten out.]
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[Jaskier's fingers move along the lute as he puzzles it out. If there were questions about Jaskier's own talent, they were likely being answered right now as he meanders his way into a close approximation of what he just heard. Given that he had only heard it once, it's not bad. Jaskier's eyes remain unfocused on some point on the floor as he continues playing, his entire attention centered on the sounds he produces rather than any other sensory input, but they eventually light up once more as he begins riffing, deviating, and putting his own spin. Now that he's less concentrated on trying to recapture the sound and is beginning to simply have fun with it, leaning into whatever sounds right, he grins crookedly and quietly says,]
There it is...
[There's the lute's voice with that piece. or at least there's Jaskier's lute's voice.]
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He’s never actually heard a lute played in person before until today, and he’s happy to compliment what Jaskier plays, the lute.
It’s easy enough to stay to a few bass chords, tinkling light notes on occasion that are echoes of what that lute sings. His eyes focus back to the keys, but he’s not entirely watching his own fingers, just improvising with the other, joining without trying to nab the spotlight. The better they can make Jaskier’s music sound, the more likely it will be he can land this bar as his next venue.
He can still play for coins, but it’ll be more lively for him to have guaranteed listeners to engage with, and not just children or random passerby.]
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On a good night, [he asks over the music,] How many seats would you say?
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[Gokudera keeps his fingers going and looks around. The bar fills first, so… roughly about 15 people. This place isn’t big and doesn’t feed many, but that could change, if they start performing more often, attracting a crowd.]
My guess would be somewhere around twenty?
[He honestly has no idea. But he is tempted to invest in a keyboard so he can maybe accompany Jaskier about in support of his performances.]
((ooc: and I’m pulling all of this right outa my ass~))
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[He grins as he suddenly shifts the tempo on Gokudera. Perhaps a slight test to see if he can keep up with Jaskier's musical whims or not, but mostly, Jaskier is fonder of these sorts of tunes. The ones that turn heads, potentially even get people up on their feet or tempted to start singing along if they know the words. Let them forget their troubles a while.]
Then we aim for forty!
[Just like that, Jaskier is launching into song. Gokudera might already recognize it as one of his earlier tales, but not the quite exact version he told the children. While still heroic and fantastical, he makes some alterations to the melody and a couple of changes to the lyrics that he thinks will fit for the sort of patrons would find in a small bar like this. Jaskier is likewise not quite as manic in his movements as he was for the children, but there's very little that can keep him still while he plays. When Jaskier sings, it's with his whole being, after all. Even when it's faffing about, testing the acoustics and feel of a place.]
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[Color him amused. Gokudera really likes this guy’s attitude and he’s keeping up well enough. When Jaskier changes the tempo, there’s a slight pause to the piano, but it picks up as well, still remaining back-up, taking the chords up the scale and keeping that same jovial tempo.]
Forty? I’d like to see that…
[He could introduce him to a few Lords and Ladies, mainly Ochako. He has a piano in her castle that he plays often enough, and maybe she’d enjoy the tales this new bard has to tell/sing.
Gokudera is entertained, trying to enhance the drama in how he plays to better suit the story and the way the lute sings with Jaskier. This is probably the distraction he never knew he needed, and it’s helping him forget about his troubles.]
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[At the song's end, Jaskier's lute playing comes to quite the dramatic end before he bows to the audience that isn't quite there. He returns to the piano where Gokudera is seated.]
Well done! Say what you will, but you do have a knack for performance.
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He could play for no audience and enjoy this just as well, but the bolstering way this bard sings and plays, dramatic and flashy has him following easily. Gokudera’s always been attracted to a good bit of drama, flashy in his tastes even on the battlefield. He’s legitimately smiling once they’re done, the barkeeper applauding them from behind two glasses of drink for them.]
I was just keeping up!
[Gokudera is a bit modest. After all, without Jaskier playing, his music would not have sounded like that.]
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It was far from natural. I’ll have you know, a lot of that was just… luck. You really threw some curveballs in there!
[The way the music shifted about is not something he’s accustomed to. He’s improvised, sure, but with another person? It was fun, challenging… but honestly he felt like he tumbled through it. Couldn’t repeat that performance again… it would likely always feel different.]
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[Not that Gokudera was really in any danger of Jaskier not taking him on as a partner of sorts anyway. It's not as though there were likely many options to choose from to begin with if one were to be less charitable and more pragmatic. Given that Jaskier is far from pragmatic though, it's more that he would be willing to augment his style to meet Gokudera where he's at and go from there.]
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[He’s used to being tested without being made aware or warned ahead of time. That consideration of Jaskier’s is unusual, but Gokudera won’t complain about receiving it.]
I’ve been to several different worlds. I’ve played for all sorts of creatures, and I’ve never played with someone like you before. You have a lot of skill. Very captivating… er… lively?
[It’s how it felt to play with. To actually have fun for a change of pace instead of focusing on studies.]
If… you don’t mind my saying so.
[He walk right up to the bar and takes one of the drinks that had been poured for him, then offers the other to Jaskier.]