avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ I

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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

1. Arrival

[Kise gets to only briefly yelp before he is cut off as his body hits the surface of the water. He doesn't remember what he was doing, probably sleeping, so this is the rudest of awakenings in history. Trashing and kicking around in panic persists even as something lifts him up and towards the surface and then drags him towards the shore.

Once he's there, the thing that dragged him out appears floating in the air above him- a woman, not older than thirty, looking as if she's made of air and winds, with long curly hair and wispy clothes, floats above him just... looking at him. She doesn't say anything, just smiles, but Kise does. He shuffles back even more, patting the first person he sees on the shoulder.]

I-I'm not seeing things, am I? [He shouldn't be surprised, considering all the shit he went through, but it won't hurt to check.]

2. Carriages

[Climbing up the cliffs is no trouble for someone that keeps in good form. Also, the spirit that introduced herself as 'Vila', makes the climb all that easier, what with her air magic and stuff. If he wasn't at that other godforsaken place already, he'd be freaking out right now.

She urges him towards one of the carriages and they end up going back and forth until she just picks him up and drops him in the carriage with her magic. This is the second time he's fallen today and it hurts a lot more- faceplanting into the floor of the carriage is never nice. He lifts himself with a grumble, rubbing his nose and patting around for a seat to climb on.]

Give me a warning next time!

[It's directed more at her than the occupant of the carriage. Yes, sorry if he ended patting your leg or knee, or just plainly intruding on your ride, he didn't have much choice.]

3. The Feast

[With a heavy sigh, Kise plops down in the first empty seat he can find, rubbing the back of his neck. A plate seems to float over to him and by this point, he's already used to the familiar just making things float around. He didn't really have the appetite for anything right now, so he's just picking at the piece of pie that "the wind" brought over, watching a Jester (what kind of place is this?) perform tricks.]

Magic studies... back to school we go I guess.

4. Magical Training

a) [Kise... doesn't know what to do.

He's listening to the instructions and his familiar is floating somewhere in the back behind him, trying to send him courage (or maybe she's mocking him - those giggles aren't very supportive).

This... is not something he can just learn from observing. Which is great! Fun! But also FRUSTRATING. The professor (?) instructs him again, patiently, and Kise tries again, focusing on trying to bend the light and air in front of him into... something! He doesn't even care what it is at this point!

And he succeeds! It's... a blob. A blob of translucent, shimmering light but it's enough for Kise to erupt into cheer. Sorry other students, but this is a success!]

b) Network: @ PerfectCopy

What kind of magic are you guys learning? In Japan there's no magic so this is the first time I can actually use it.

[ooc: Kise is CRAU from Prisma (as I wanted to keep him at age 18 because I can't age him up here (time frozen and all)) so that's a bit of info. Poke me at

WindsongWitch if you want to plot something else or hit me up with your own stuff!]

Edited 2020-11-01 11:03 (UTC)

Harry is in the middle of drying up as he is still drenched from the plunge earlier while his Pygmy Puff friend is shaking off water from her fur and body when he could feel someone patting him on the shoulder. Shocked by the sudden action, he turns around to see a man his age group. And yes, the teen wizard also sees the floating lady in the air and isn’t imagining things at all.

“You’re not making things up,” he shrugs in his reply before he motions the small pink furred creature to climb onto his shoulder, “I can see that floating woman behind you very clearly. You never saw people who can float in the air before?”

Kise stares at her for another few seconds, as if making sure she won't do anything, but as she just floats up there, he looks over to where pink fur is climbing on the guy's shoulder. That's... that thing is kind of cute, he won't lie. He doesn't know WHAT it is, but, you know- it doesn't seem to be attacking the other guy so it's fine. Right?

"N...Not really. I've seen people summon other stuff to fight for them but," he turns to look at the woman who is now fixing her long, curly hair with wispy magic, "they don't appear unannounced. I suppose I should be grateful, she dragged me out..."

“At least you didn’t drown. It is just so happen that I have a Pygmy Puff for a familiar now when I resurfaced from the water, she was able to float on water because of the amount of fur she has,” he explains to the guy in front of him, “Back where I’m from, we usually have familiars: usually owls, cats, and frogs, just not Pygmy Puffs or floating people until now.”

The other man probably never saw a Pygmy Puff before, but he doesn’t have to worry for this little one doesn’t show any signs of aggression at all, just being a nervous wreck from floating in the water for who knows how long.

"Yeah... that was terrifying. Imagine one minute you're sleeping in your bed and the other you're in cold water?" Kise shudders- both from the thought and the fact that he's still soaked. The air lady doesn't seem to offer any advice on where to get clothes so he ignores her.

"Pygmy Puff? That's his name?" Kise grins. "It's cute. Kind of reminds me of fluffy guinea pig." No, he didn't see anything like it before. But he's not taken aback that it exists. He's seen enough to not be surprised.

Thank Merlin, he was not sleeping when he found himself in the water, though the thought of falling into the water without warning is still bothersome as it could get.

“Oh, that’s the name of the species she comes from,” he informs the guy, “I didn’t know of her gender until I reached the shore just now. There is, um, a friend (he was trying to say ex for Ginny, but decides not to use that word) I know from home who owned one and he’s purple & rides on her shoulder a lot. Her older brothers bred them from these things called Puffskeins and they had a hard time fulfilling the demand for some time.”

Species? So it's an animal, of sorts. Kise has never seen anything like it before.

"I see. It's pretty cool," Kise admits. And then notes he's still drenched. "We should probably do something about this before we catch a cold," he looks around. He doesn't ask whether the guy knows what to do or not because he clearly looks like he went through the same thing as Kise.

"I'm Kise Ryouta, by the way. Nice to meet you."

“Harry Potter, nice to meet you as well,” he greets Kise back, at least the jacket isn’t as water logged as the rest of his clothes, though he and Rose are still shivering from the unexpected swim.

Looking at the stairs to where they have to go to, Harry is just as surprised to see that there are no rails on these flights of stairs, but then again he’s also the same guy who climbed stairs that magically move on their own at Hogwarts.

“Maybe those stairs can take us to somewhere we can find towels and extra clothes to dry up and change into,” he informs Kise, “Too bad that they also lack rail guards though.”

[ If it had been anyone other than Kise, Midorima would've made much more of a fuss about a knee on his hand. As it stands, he doesn't even know if this is his Kise or not yet, so he doesn't know exactly how to react to it, and instead just gives him a firm look and a scolding. Regardless, it's still Kise, and Kise is scoldable. ]

If you had been doing what you're supposed to you wouldn't need to be manhandled by that woman.

[ He doesn't know who she is. (Or.. what.)

Also please ignore the tanuki with a hat and a blanket in its lap sitting on the seat across from Midorima. ]

[He didn't pay attention! There were dots dancing in front of his eyes from how much his nose is hurting. All he wanted was just to get up and sit wherever and just be done and over with this.

But the voice is way, WAY too familiar and, despite the fact that it is scolding him, it's comforting.]

Midorimacchi! You're here! [Not knowing whether this is Midorima (...his Midorima) is the only thing stopping him from fully jumping at him and hugging him.

The lady joins them and sits on the opposite sides, ignoring both of them, and from what appears that her dress and hair would cover the tanuki sitting there it just doesn't happen, as if those parts just disappear and leave behind wispy trails of air.]

Where is this carriage taking us? [If anyone mentioned it, he didn't pay attention. One of the main reasons he didn't want to board it.]

[ The tanuki is reaching out with little paws to see if it can grab her hair and it's just invisible or if she's intangible.

Midorima, meanwhile, is focused on Kise more than the familiars. They're strange on their own. ]

Camelot, apparently.

[ If Midorima sounds skeptical, it's because he is. And yet, probably not as skeptical as he could sound because this still isn't the strangest thing he's experienced... But it should be Sanguis now, and Kise doesn't have any animal features. So maybe it isn't his Kise, or the moon is too far to influence him? How does he figure it out without asking? ]

[She is indeed intangible. But she figures that making part of her dress invisible is enough for fellow familiar. It is a curious thing so she'll stare at him and his attempts. But she'll swish her finger to close the door of the carriage when Kise tries to peer outside, making him jump back onto the seat.

Kise grumbles as the carriage takes off and he ends up being in a similar situation of staring at Midorima. He wants to ask if he's sure but at this point, nothing surprises him. The lack of his animal feature is something he doesn't notice though. Too busy trying to comprehend what's going on.]

No rest for the wicked I guess. Are you- [he starts to ask, looking at Midorima, but bites his lip-] alright? My back still stings from how I splashed into that lake. [Midorima's extremely composed despite the situation and it helps. It really does (if the yelling outside wasn't proof enough).]

Edited (grammar) 2020-11-05 10:40 (UTC)

[ The tanuki is just a curious, playful sort. There are all kinds of familiars with different magics, so he just wanted to see. ]

Yes. Takao is somewhere around here, too.

[ Where he got off to, who knows. ]

You're handling this well.

[ Too well for a first timer, maybe? He's still trying to pry it out of him. ]

Edited 2020-11-05 11:06 (UTC)

[She'll entertain him a little- after all, she's the playful type. They'll be busy while they travel.]

Really? I didn't see him. Maybe we should've waited for him. [He gives his familiar a 'look' and sighs.]

I... kinda saw worse. Maybe? I don't know how bad this place is yet. Sorry if it sounds weird. I am REALLY doing my best to not freak out.

[There's definitively a painful expression on his face and he turns to look through the window at the road. He's certainly more composed that some of the people that were at the beach.]

[ He doesn't think Kise's gone through anything unreasonable enough back home to qualify as worse than getting grabbed to another universe. He has to remember, then. Unless he remembers another place, but.. Midorima thinks that's confirmation enough. ]

Having the best boyfriend in the world was worse than this, was it? It's a good thing you don't have one anymore.

[ He's dumping him just to be rude. He'll think about forgiving him if he fesses up. And if he has no idea what he's on about, Kise won't know he means him anyway. ]

[And he's completely right. The memory of being sliced up is still fresh though, even if it's been a few months (he has a small scar that still itches). His head snaps back to him, one would think it neck was about to crack, eyes wide with both disbelief and hope and million other things, brain refusing to acknowledge the "you don't have one anymore".]

No... Having him was the single best thing in my life...

[The answer was soft and almost quiet- ending up here, with Midorima, his Midorima, is a bigger surprise and relief that he needs a few moments to get himself together.

...And he's very tempted to throw himself at him to hug him with everything he can.]

[ God, way to make it embarrassing Kise. Midorima's expression pinkens just slightly and he looks to the side, letting out a huff of air. He pushes up his glasses by the bridge. ]

Then stop complaining.

[Usually he pays attention to what he says because he knows that Midorima goes into complete tsun mode whenever there's touchy-feely stuff going around.

Today is not that day.

All decorum is out of the window and Kise's almost throwing at him to hug him as tightly as he can. Kicking and screaming won't help, Midorimacchi. He'll just bury his face in your neck and mutter incoherently.

Vila, however, will give Midorima a smirk because she can see that blush.]

Kise--!

[ The flustered yelling is unavoidable when Kise launches himself at him, and he works to get his right hand between Kise's face and his neck to try to push him back. ]

Get off!

[ :( They're in public.. even if he, too, is relieved more than he can say. ]

[Kise is undeterred even when Midorima pushes at his face to get him off. He just slides a bit lower, face buried into his shirt.]

No! I was so afraid... [-that he wouldn't see him again. He just got dumped into weird lake with no one familiar around. And it's not that public- the carriage is on the move by now and there is no one else but their familiars (with Vila giggling herself in and out of existence).

He told you that you won't be getting rid of him so easily, Midorima. It was a promise.]

[ Midorima manages to work an elbow underneath Kise's chin to try to push him back. He's not trying to get rid of him, he's just not comfortable being glommed onto here! ]

You were separated from me for less than a day, calm down!

[ Admittedly, Midorima isn't happy about this new situation- the stakes appear to be much higher, but he was lucky to have at least crash landed here with people he knows instead of starting off alone like he did in Prismatica. There's a brief little tug at the corner of his lips before he renews his efforts to pry the blonde off. ]

[Unstoppable force, please meet immovable object.]

How do you know that!? It could've been days, weeks, months! All that weird magical bullshit I can't do anything about- [he takes a shaky breath-] -I'm so relieved...

[His hands are still clutching onto Midorima's shirt, as if afraid the guy will turn into dust or mist or disappear the same way familiars do. So- just in case. Also, he's refusing to make eye contact because his eyes are stinging. Let him hide his face against you dammit!]

[ Okay, away isn't working, maybe he'll push him down onto his waist so he's at least less visible and constricting. ]

How long was it then?

[ If it's really been longer than a day for Kise, he'll show some mercy. Some. But he's pretty sure it hasn't. ]

[ Kise's hands eventually let up on their grip even more as he starts composing himself and thinking about the situation they are in. He is not making visible movement to pull away completely though. Being next to Midorima like this is calming him a little.]

I... I don't know. I arrived here today, yes but... I have a feeling like I haven't seen you in ages. As if there's something missing. [ Kise shakes his head]

I can't really explain it. Sorry... [ He looks genuinely sorry and somewhat upset that he can't explain the feeling to him.]

[ Midorima stops pushing the less clingy he gets, almost like the human version of a finger trap. ]

I have memories of going home and playing against Jabberwock now, but you were there. Our time in Lunatia seems more distant because you're exhausted and stressed, that's all it is.

[ That's Midorima's roundabout way of him saying 'me too.' ]

Kise Ryouta | KnB

1 for Arrival (and yes, Harry can see the air lady too)

xD I think everyone can see familiars 👀

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