TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ I

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary 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 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. You'll definitely see other new arrivals plopping in. If you can't swim, a red-headed woman known only as the Lady of the Lake will drag you to the shore if she doesn't spot someone else near you helping so no one ends up drowning. She's a little busy casting directive magic to make sure everyone lands safely and playing lifeguard, so if anyone attempts to talk to her, she'll tell them to head up to the Rent-a-Ride. 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 and a pair of earbuds 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 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. 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. A ⦿ Get Fresh Upon arrival in Camelot travelers are ushered to a large set of wash rooms where they can clean up and make themselves presentable for the Welcome Feast. They are informed that once the feast concludes there will be an announcement on where they can seek lodging and how to begin their magic studies. B ⦿ Be Merry After they freshen up, travelers are led into the main dining hall. The decorations range from simplistic to a little more grandiose, it is likely everyone will find something familiar. A modern mash up with a medieval flair. The jester makes his rounds, perhaps he has a joke or two to tell, go ahead, give him a listen or perhaps volunteer to participate in one of the jester's shows, like knife-throwing or hypnotism. Within the crowd of staff there are mummers, a juggler, here and there dabbled through small troupes perform mini skits, perhaps they’ll perform a well known verse from a traveler’s world or tell a tale of fancy from this realm. C ⦿ Eat Well A banquet is prepared with food that while all “rustic” in appearance are usually a version of modern dishes ranging from basic roast chicken and veggies to Korean-Mexican fusion and French patisserie. The drinks are much the same; while served in old fashioned goblets, they are drinks modern travelers will be familiar with. Have a seat, meet a new neighbor, find a roommate, maybe a new or old friend? Talk to the person to your left, your right, across from you. Mingle, enjoy the food, the music, it shouldn’t be long before the information promised is provided. Till then take your fill and get to know your fellow travelers. You've been here a few days now and have gotten a chance to settle in, find a place to stay, and Camelot's citizens have decided that you've been here long enough to start living your life again. Well, your new life. A group of citizens have decided to give everyone their first quest. "Hear ye, hear ye!" a man in chain mail with a tablet with his statement typed up on it declares to a crowd from atop a pedestal. There are two other citizens around him with phones to post the video to AOL later to make sure the word gets heard ye all around. "Those with magic, we beseech thee! Findeth us a grail most holy hidden in the depths of the Brocéliande! This holy grail is known to grant thine wishes three, a most noble quest for noble souls! Great reward will come to those who find it and proclaim at least one of their wishes to find the great Excalibur for King Arthur!" This is the first you've heard about King Arthur, and it seems curious that he hasn't yet shown his face around town. It also seems strange that this guy is speaking like he's stepped out of a bad period piece, and probably should be the clue that this is more or less an attempt to haze some of the newcomers by sending them into the forest... but no one is telling newcomers this. It's better to get them out there and start praciticing, after all. A ⦿ Lost, and Lost, and Lost Again The Brocéliande is well-known around Camelot for being a forest that's both bountiful and mysterious. Oddities are known to happen that may never happen again to the point that even if something weird happens and you can't prove it, most citizens will assume you're telling the truth. Which is what makes it peculiar when you keep passing the exact same locations over and over again, as if you've been traveling in circles or reaching the end of the map in a video game and coming out the other end. You're stuck in a space loop. The only way out is to successfully find the one difference in each loop five times in a row and collect it. Maybe it's a strange frog, a crystal that wasn't there before, a small wooden step that doesn't lead anywhere, or some other singular item, you've got to find what stands out... pick the wrong item, and you'll have to start your five count over again, and again, and again... B ⦿ Grail, and Grail, and Grail Again!? If you either missed the space loop or managed to get out of it, eventually you'll come to find one of... quite a few copies of a grail with holes in the side placed throughout the forest. They look like they might be good for draining noodles, but that's about it. Though they're spread out, it's entirely possible you'll find more than one, but each of them are placed in situations where it's impossible to get to by normal means. You'll have to use magic! It may be hidden in a bird's nest at the top of the tallest tree, inside of a hole in a rock with bars that prevent you from reaching in (perhaps an animal friend could reach it), inside a boiling pond, or inside the body of a bear fir... there are a load of possibilities, and now's a chance for you to try out your brand new magics! Use one of those samples, find something from the bestiary, or come up with your own adventure to get your hands on that less-than-holy grail. C ⦿ A Quest Completeish Or it would be, if you could ever find the guy who announced it... The AOL posts have since been deleted. You may end up spending a lot of time trying to find the guy. At this point, citizens will start telling you that you shouldn't take quests unless they're on the quest board or else you're going to get scammed... that's definitely an olden times themed noodle strainer. If that doesn't make you give up, or perhaps motivates you to find the guy to kick his ass, you'll have to head out to the farmland and chase them through a cornfield. (Be careful not to get lost, it's a maize in there.) If one of the boys are caught, they'll explain they were just testing you-- and hey, you got a free addition to your kitchen! If pressed, they'll apologize and give you a bit of money for your trouble. It's not much, but it'll get you at least a meal.

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. This is the first one, ignore this note today!
• 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.
• For the first month only, there will not be a quest board. Starting in December, quests will be posted on the 1st of each month for current players. After that point, quests may be used as TDM prompts in addition to the presented TDM prompts. A link will be provided as a bonus prompt option at the end of the post.
• The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM. 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.

Comments

akira kurusu | persona 5 royal

[fooligans]

( A: Arrival )

[ While Akira manages to reach the shore on his own, being soaking wet is a problem he can't tackle alone. His familiar who's been sitting at a safe distance from the water gets up as he approaches. From a very short introduction and a brief explanation, Akira learns that the familiar's name is Cat Sidhe and that they're supposed to stay together from now on. ]

Look at you. Let's dry your clothes before we climb the stairs.

[ With that said, they make a bonfire using a few sticks and a fireball before beckoning Akira to come closer and sit by the fire which he does in the next moment. ]

You're...a cat.

[ Without thinking much, he reaches to give them a head pat... ]

I'll set your frizzy hair on fire if you do that.

[ Needlessly to say, Akira withdraws his hand. If someone else reaches the shore in the meantime, he'll wave at them; there's plenty of space for more people, after all. ]

An actual warm welcome after falling into the water. Are you okay?

[ At least he didn't make another pun about breaking the ice or something like that. ]

( B1: The Red Spring )

[ They arrive in the city of Camelot in the evening after a long journey; Akira heads straight to the rooms at the inn and finds an empty one. Since there's enough room for one more person, he leaves the door open in case someone wants to stay in this one as well.

He can be found playing video games while lying on top of the bed. It seems that there's a fighting game called Street Knights, but Cat Sidhe doesn't want to play and a single-player might not be as fun. Thankfully, he finds a different one—a simple rhythm game with three songs, so he boots it up and picks the song. It's somehow relaxing, but if someone decides to come over, he'll immediately hit pause. ]

Do you want to play together? There's still plenty of food in the mini-fridge, too.

( B2: The springs )

[ Alternatively, Akira can be seen relaxing in the springs. His familiar tries to stay as far from the water as possible, which he finds cute but knows better than casually commenting on it. Somehow, Cat Sidhe can tell what Akira is thinking about and unsurprisingly isn't too happy about it. ]

Will you take me seriously? Let me show you something.

[ A few moments later a few water cascades emerge from the spring which makes Akira gasp. If someone else is around, well...they're in for a free magic show. ]

First get on this level before you call me a cat again.

( C: The Holey Grail )

[ The space loop sure was a thing, but thankfully it's in the past now. Too bad that reward for getting out is a faulty grail lying on the patch of land in the middle of a lake. Akira turns to the person who happens to be around for the quest as well: ]

A perfect spot for a quest item. How should we get there?

[ Swimming seems like the most obvious option, but maybe there's a better way. ]

( Wildcard )

( Akira's canon point is post true ending. His familiar speaks in italics, I hope that's not too confusing! I'm down for all kinds ideas, so feel free to wildcard me or hit me up at koohii or PM me for plotting! )

B1

[afoolshope]

[He hadn't exactly been sure where to go. He knew he could pick a room, nothing was assigned, but sometimes it was hard to tell if something was already taken. Of course, when he encountered a room with the door already open and video game music playing, Minato couldn't help but wander in. The black dog behind him followed suit, not minding the Cat Sidhe already inside. Minato pushed his hands into his pockets as he took in the room. It was a nice room.

His observations came to a halt when the magic word was heard and he nodded, beelining for said mini fridge. The grim gave a grumbly roll of his eyes.]

Do you ever stop eating?

[Minato ignored him in favor of pulling out a fruit drink and a packaged sandwich. He shut it with his food and sat down next to Ren.]

Rhythm game?

[The music he heard before didn't sound like typical rhythm game music, but it certainly did match the theme of this weird place they were in. He popped the can open and grabbed a controller, body shifting forward slightly as his familiar decided to lay down right against his back.]

protag room ✨

[fooligans]

[ Amused by how judgmental the black dog is, Akira wonders if most of the familiars are like this or are they just lucky to have such companions. Either way, it doesn't bother him too much. ]

Yeah. I shouldn't be too surprised they have those here, but...

[ To be fair, after getting introduced to a familiar and a world of magic, getting a smartphone felt a bit unreal. ]

Whoever wins gets to eat all the chocolate bars from the fridge.

[ The stakes are high, so he hopes the blue-haired boy will accept the challenge. Well, even if he doesn't, playing with someone else is more fun than doing it alone. ]

Only the best room

[afoolshope]

[Minato wasn't even used to a smartphone, being from the time when flip phones were still the norm, so Akira still had the advantage there.]

Better than being in actual medieval times.

[He'll take the weird combination of the two over no modern technology any day. There was a slight huff through it nose, a barely there chuckle, but his lips quirked slightly.]

Sure.

[While it would be a shame if he lost out to all those chocolate bar, there were other food in there so it wouldn't be a total loss. Still, he was interested to see how he did. Rhythm games were something he was used to playing, being more of an MMO and classic arcade kinda guy. He took a bite of the sandwich, listening to the all of three samples of the songs offered.]

Think we can unlock more as we go along?

[He deferred to whatever Akira wanted to pick.]

[fooligans]

No Internet would be rough. I need my daily dose of cat videos.

[ Being a teenager with Internet addiction in medieval times sounds like a nightmare. Thankfully, that's not the case, even if some things feel a little off. It's just a matter of getting used to it, probably. ]

I hope so. Unless it's paid DLC. [ Having no money is the worst. ] Let me start over.

[ He goes back to the title screen to make sure Minato can join the game. ]

How about a little warm-up first?

[afoolshope]

Hm? [A slight mumble around a bite of that sandwich.] What’s paid DLC?

[You have to pay to unlock stuff? Why? That sounded really dumb, if you asked him. He finished up the sandwich to properly hold the controller and join in.]

Yeah, sure. You can pick the song.

[fooligans]

[ Minato didn't [redacted] for paid DLC to happen, where it went all wrong... ]

If you haven't played a game with paid DLC...what can I say, lucky you. It's exactly what it says, you pay to unlock additional content.

[ Hopefully this game doesn't have it. As for picking the song, Akira leaves the choice up to random option, which picks a song for them a few moments later. ]

How about the winner also picks the next game? There are a few more installed.

[afoolshope]

I don’t think those exist. [A pause as he considered. He then added.] Not yet anyway.

[He took another bite of the food as Akira chose the song. He nodded.]

Along with getting all the food? Sure.

[A long, black tail smacked his arm.]

You really ought to stop thinking with your stomach.

So, where are you from?

[fooligans]

Not yet? [ It takes him a moment to realize what does that mean. ] Ah. Sorry for spoilers, then. Some stuff didn't age well...but I'll be careful from now on not to spoil anything.

[ There's nothing wrong with thinking with one's stomach but he'd rather not argue with the familiar if that can make things worse for the blue-haired boy. ]

Small town in Japan...probably haven't heard of it. I was hoping to get back to Tokyo in a few months, but I guess the plans have changed. And you?

B2

[uenosama]

[Uenoyama thought that the springs were the only thing that was even remotely familiar to Japan so of course, he was going to visit them. He didn't mind that there was the other person already there, that's just how the springs work, right? What bothers him is his familiar, clearly a woman, sitting happily perched on one of the rocks, feet dipped in water and happily strumming on her lyre.

His incredulous staring at her is interrupted by a huge splash of water and he turns his head to look at the other person in here.]

... What's the point of dumping more water into the spring?

[It leaves Uenoyama's mouth before he can catch himself. But honestly- the guy is already bathing, more water is just... more water.]

[fooligans]

Sometimes you need to show off, I guess.

[ Calling out his familiar so casually ends up with more water splashed around; most of it is directed at Akira at least. More precisely, at his face. It takes him a moment to notice Uenoyama's familiar, even though the sounds of the lyre has reached his ears earlier. ]

Should we get out?

[ He didn't see anything about restrictions on who can use the springs, but the woman might be holding back because they're here. ]