avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ I

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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

the red spring

[He already knows how this is going to go down. The inn requires two people stay together, and he gets it-honestly he does.

But that doesn't mean he has to like both being an intruder in someone's private quarters or having a stranger in his own business. If he gets lucky, and historically Zeppeli's don't, he'll find a likeminded soul that won't irritate him to his very core for the short period they have to spend together.

Sorry, whoever's already hanging out in this room. Caesar's content to make himself at home-digging through drawers, inspecting the video games, trying to make sense of the television by flipping through every single channel available in quick succession. That's probably annoying, but guess what? He's just looking. Let him live.]

It's all nonsense.

lost, lost and lost again

[He can't stand this.

The eternal looping is driving him mad and tearing at the thin strand of patience he's desperately trying to hold together. He can't rely on hamon to bubble beam his way out of this bullshit problem. There are clues in every loop, and he figured out that was the key to getting out of this ridiculous trial, but-

It's the third, fourth, fifth series he's gone through and he's got a feisty squirrel under his arm that's making its displeasure greatly known and a crushed flip flop he's trying to keep in front of its nippy face to avoid being beaten up by a rodent and-

He's about to lose his mind.]

It better not be another creature this time.

[He says, as if whatever powers at be can actually hear him.]

quest complete

[He's livid.

Furious beyond belief and he has definitely summoned his unicorn partner in crime to find the nefarious fool responsible for making a fool of him.

The only issue is he, and his horse companion, are lost in the cornfield. If you listen closely, you may hear the world's angriest Italian yell-]

I'll find you, you fool! You won't get away!

Edited 2020-11-01 21:08 (UTC)

[As it happens, when Caesar arrives at his designated room, the other inhabitant isn't immediately present inside, though there's definite evidence that someone else has been inside — one of the beds has its pillows pulled out from beneath the sheets, the comforter is rumpled and indented like someone's sat on it, and a few things have been shuffled around in the bathroom. Whoever his roommate is, they've been there; that much is clear.

Also, upon closer inspection, some of the odds and ends are missing. The count of wrapped bars of soap is off, among other things. One of the folded hand towels has vanished from its stack.

It's not until a while later, once he's had the opportunity to fiddle around with everything inside, that the door creaks open and a new arrival swishes through the entry —

And stops dead in her tracks, startled to see another person present.

It's a girl about eighteen years of age, blond and blue-eyed and fair of face, decked out in a white gown straight out of a Cinderella tale and a long red cloak over. There's a bag held fast in one hand — which probably explains where she's just returned from — and a look of startled unease on her face, because evidently whatever she'd been expecting to return back to, a tall broad man in her room decidedly wasn't it.]

...Er.

[Magnificent.]

I...beg your pardon. I — think I have the wrong room?

[Well this is a pleasant surprise. There were signs of life all over the room and someone being around-he didn't think it would be a beauty of this caliber and damn if things aren't looking up for ole Zeppeli.

There's a shift in his demeanor when he catches her out of the corner of his eye and all his irritation in his expression vanishes with the remote he tosses on the bed behind him. She is definitely a better way to occupy the time. Bye bye, 400 channels.

There's a warm edge to his voice when he speaks up, content with this newfound companion.]

Are you sure, bella? It would be a shame to lose such a beautiful roommate. You're welcome to stay.

[Because even if she wasn't here first? He doesn't know where the previous rando went and now she has roomie rights. That's how it works. He doesn't make the rules.]

Well...no, you're right, I am sure this one is mine. My key worked in the door, after all; it'd be ridiculous to think otherwise. But I can't very well —

[Share a room with a man, she almost points out, except that the truth is she doesn't really want to share a room with anyone, and at least this one is friendly. It could be worse, she supposes.

...Also, he's kind of cute. It could be a lot worse.]

...Er. what I mean is, this is the one you were assigned to, also? I wonder who had a hand in that...but if that's how it is, then I suppose it can't be helped, and we might as well make the best of it.

[Fortunately for Caesar, his roomate was content to simply lounge in the window, contorted like some sort of lanky bat as he surveyed the surroundings from the window. As Caesar tore through the room, the most he got was a simple glance from the window where Gundham watched.]

It is, but it's not all bad. Should this realm be built entirely on fiction, I would still welcome this reprieve.

It's not the worst.

[Even if he would prefer being back in his hometown-that's no longer a viable path. This wild ancient arena will have to do and all things considered-well, as his new companion says. It's a reprieve.]

Have you been here long?

Less than a day.

[At least Gundham is assuming he's talking about when he arrived in this place.]

It seems even one such as I am stuck in the same situation as all these mortals. To think that I would be brought so low...

[ What's better than one idiot trapped in an endless loop? Two idiots. He's taking three steps for every one of Caesar's since he heard his voice not a long distance away. The other is holding a... squirrel? He thinks it's a squirrel. He picks up his pace to catch up to the guy, and then takes a deep breath as he's finally within a couple of feet of this guy. ]

How many times have you gone through?

[ It's been small differences he's noticed. A weird looking rock, a misplaced mushroom, things of that nature. He's glad for it because that means he doesn't have to carry some sort of living creature with him. He's been able to pocket them, but now that he's found someone else, maybe it will be easier. This last loop hasn't been so kind to him. ]

He'll be nicer to him if you give him something to eat, probably.

[ Give the squirrel something that isn't a flip flop. Louis looks thoroughly amused. ]

What do you think a rodent wants as a snack? I don't see any meals lying about.

[He turns to address his new partner, irritable and snappy from all the walking when-

Oh, it's a talking deer. That's fine. It works out well, actually.

Because that's it. It's one of the clues to this stupid puzzle and this ridiculous loop is one step closer to coming to an end. The squirrel holds the flip flop with a rabid anger for about two seconds after Caesar relinquishes his hold on the shoe because-

He's reaching for Louis instead. One hand moving to grip his wrist-what's with all the animals in this loop? It's certainly different. ]

You're coming with me. I'm sure you're one of the keys to get out of this madness.

Then what did you do to upset him?

[ Because there's only two reasons that he would be so bitey with Caesar. One of them is that he's hungry, one is that he's mad. So, if he's not hungry - the only logical answer is that Caesar pissed him off.

It seems all well and good for the entire seventeen seconds it takes before Caesar reaches out for him. Louis withdraws his hand and he gives Caesar a full-on look to suggest the distaste. ]

Excuse me, don't touch me. I'm trapped here, too. How do I know you're not the key?

[ He takes a couple steps back. ]

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ I

caesar zeppeli | jojo's bizarre adventure | ota

red spring!

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Red Spring

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they're lost.

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