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

Lily watched him, when she saw his eyes she did pause a moment. For her people with red eyes were...a special but not in a good way. However, she will hold her judgement since it wasn't her job to do that, that was Master Glen.

The new word caused her to tilt her head in confusion then looking at the pile of bones. "Me...kuah...ba?" She didn't know that word. "Is that it's name?"

A little more excited she bounced on her heels. "This is Bandersnatch! My name is Lily~" There was a cat that had been following her but she didn't really know why yet, so she would figure it out later.

Good thing he is not from her world then, huh? Though he is not sure how he feels about a universe that pulls kids in and away from their families like this.

"Nah, s'old Japanese lore didn't know the shit was real till I saw this pile of bones." He jerks his thumb towards his familiar, still not a hundred percent sure how to communicate with it, since it is still just doing the staring thing.

"Samatoki, that the thing you're supposed to get your magic from?" He gestures with a lift of his chin towards Bandersnatch. It doesn't look like any creature he's seen before.

It was a good thing he wasn't. With Lily there was a lot to unpack in so many ways.

"Oh? So it's like from fairytale books?" Lily moved a little closer to look at it. It was a strange thing to her but she was sure if Lottie was here she would have figured if it was something to avoid or not. There wasn't a lot that could kill Baskervilles but what could...was no joke.

"He can do magic things at home! I have a contract with him forever!" With an excited voice she hugged the creatures neck as it flashed it's mouth of teeth at Samatoki. "Nice to meet you, Sama..toki?" Then there is a sparkle to her eyes. "Wanna be my friend?" She asked with a new degree of joy, as she moved the brand on her face more visible.

Now having baggage to unpack is a thing the Yakuza can relate to; he carries his own hundred tons with him everywhere he goes.

"Somethin' like that, yeah." This place, throwing young girls like her in to fight. If it was looking to irritate the Yakuza, it certainly has succeeded; he can't look at her and not see Nemu when she was that age; the ache in his heart only adds to his irritation.

"Keep him, close kid; he looks rough enough to protect ya." That's good; at least she has the creature, though he is not entirely sure it is her familiar, and while he is not inclined to go around adopting kids, Samatoki also can not leave her here on the beach with no one. He flashes an almost feral, half crooked grin at her.

"Why the hell not.." That brand on her face draws his eyes; he cocks an eyebrow.

"Oi, who did that to ya?" He jerks his head at the mark.

They will have a whole baggage car full by the end of this.

That was really neat. Lily looked closer at the familiar curious what it could do. Was it something like a chain? She had so many questions, all the more oblivious to Samatoki being worried about her. Though she would be happy to hear something like that.

When he mentioned Bandersnatch protecting her she puffed out her chest. "He does! But don't worry about me! I can't die~" That was something she meant quite literally. At him confirming to be her friend she started to bounce on the balls of her feet.

"Yay! I'm glad! You can't go back on that now!" She pouted a little before she tilted her head. A hand coming to her mark she looked a little downwards. There were fond memories even for something like this.

"Mn, mère et père." Her French slipped before she shook her head. "My mom and dad." Fingers still tracing the mark. "It's the Devil's mark. Bad stuff happens around me because I'm a Baskerville. So I was banished from the village but then the golden lights appeared and I found Master Glen. They are my family now!" It was something she really cherished.

"Everyone can die kid, especially in places like this, don't get too relaxed." He is not sure if she is really unable to die or not but from what he has observed of the others on the beach, no one seems to have any power they had before coming to this place. Which to him would mean, no matter what, here she is vulnerable.

He misses Nemu, so deep it's a constant ache in his chest but Lily's bubbly personality is a bit of a soothing balm oddly enough for the gruff Yakuza.

His red eyes narrow, what the hell kind of parents do that to their kid and then let them be banished? If he was not already feeling a little protective over the girl, he would certainly be doing so by now.

"Listen, you and me, we're gonna keep that shit secret, tellin' people that might get ya hurt, then I'd have to bust up some idiots face. " And heaven help her parents if they ever meet this man, he'd gladly kick their asses just from that little story.

"Let's get you dried off kid and some food, c'mon." He rises up, waiting to make sure she is going to follow him.

"Nu-uh! I'm Baskerville, I've even been shot in the head and lived. Only things from the Abyss can kill us." She did freeze a little at the thought...cause she watched the very type of thing kill Fang in front of her. Lily missed him but she didn't want to think about it right now. It hurt.

The village was poor and Lily was the smallest and weakest, so it only added more onto her when bad things seemed to be drawn to her.

Lily tilted her head a little confused when he mentioned a secret. "A secret? So don't tell people...I can't die? Or about my mark?" She didn't argue with him, she just didn't know what she was supposed to keep to just them.

"Okay!" The mention of food was quick to get her attention. Instinctively she reached out to grab onto him as they walked. "You're really nice!"

"That's back where you're from, kid; no one knows what all the shit would mean here. For now, you're gonna let me and your pet handle anyone who hassles ya." Who knows how things work? They just landed in a lake in a magical land where they have mekurabe and beast dogs following them. None of them from the same universe if what she says is true.

No excuse is acceptable in Samatoki's mind; he does what needs to be done; he gets that. But some lines should not be crossed, and failure to protect your own family or harm young kids is not something he could or would approve of despite past things speaking to a different sort of mentality.

"Both don't trust people too easily; we don't know shit about none of them yet." When she grabs onto him, Samatoki could nearly choke up, he remembers Nemu at this age, and his heart hurts so much it is a bit overwhelming. He shakes it off by focusing on Lily.

He gives a short laugh, shifting so he can take her smaller hand in his as they walk. "Nah, kid, I just got a Lil' sister, and I'd want someone to take care of her if she was here without me."

"So I need to be careful because...I might not be able to survive that kinda thing?" Lily was confused about that but she still tried to make sure she understood him correctly. For Lily this was very different and that confused her but at least this man seemed like a nice one.

Honestly, she didn't consider those people her family anymore so it was okay for her. Plus...when Fang and Doug got the same kind of mark on their face to show her it was okay, that proved they were family.

"Really? But if they are bad Bandersnatch could just play them!" Lily said it with no kind of remorse. For her and the chain playing was a lot more deadly than with a normal dog.

Face lighting up she held his hand tighter. "Really? How old is she?"

"Exactly, we don't know what kinda weird shit this place has done to us, so better to be careful, got it." Plus, you know, she's little, no kid should be dying like that and be okay with it. Adults somewhere in her life failed as far as the Yakuza is concerned.

Samatoki can understand marks that make people family, no he did not want to join the Yakuza but, the men who work for him are people he wants to keep safe. He bears tattoos that mark him, that will forever link him to that part of the world he has lived in and for him, back home, will be in for life or until he can change the way things are done in Yokohama.

"With his teeth.." He flashes her a feral grin, seems he can guess what kind of playing Bandersnatch would get up to and he is approving. About that time the mekurabe decides the man is not going to use any magic and simply disappears from his side.

Boy does Lily not knowing it but she's tugging at a heart that is kept on tight lockdown, all with a tiny hand in his that squeezes a little tighter "19, she's growin' up on me but that's how those things go."

When they reach the Rent-A-Ride Samatoki takes a second while still holding on to the young girl's hand to make sure he gets them a spot on the same caravan, assured there is food and drink within he heads out. When they get there he opens the door and grabs Lily by her waist lifting her into the caravan. "Up ya go, guy back there says they got some snacks, can have whatever ya want."

"Okay! I'll be care then? Back home Lottie said we have to be more secret too cause, cause people don't really remember the Baskerville's or they see us as bad guys!" She says it all on one breath but she was really liking Samatoki. He was nice and she didn't feel like he would do anything bad to her.

At his comment about Bandersnatch she let out a giggle before she nodded her head. "Yeah! He's not a bad boy though. It just gets boring for him sometimes." She looked at her chain as it followed them.

Lily was unaware if she was tugging on hia heart or not. She just liked him as a person. So he was likely stuck with her now.

Big blue eyes looked over the cart before she was lifted and smiled. "Can I have some sweets?"

"Good, then stick with what this Lottie told ya, and anyone hassles ya, let me know, I'll set 'em straight." No, he definitely will not hurt her and is likely to rearrange the face of anyone who does.

"Gotta have some woods around here, can let him get a run and munch a thing or two to help with that." Good, it seems like the Yakuza is going to stick to her as well. Who would have guessed it?

"Sure can." He pulls himself up in behind her and looks to see what they got, picking out the three sweetest looking treats and holding them out to her with that feral smile of his.

"Okay! You would like Lottie! She's really pretty and tough!" Lily trying to set Lottie up for a date without realizing it. She just really admired the other.

Lily giggled and nodded. "Bandersnatch would you like that?" She asked as the chain barked and looked at the cat that jumped onto the wagon with them. She reached out and picked the cat but before she petted it, most cats were scared of Bandersnatch so this one was nice to not be.

A hand reached out she grabbed the candy offered. "Thank you! Are you getting something too?"

"That so, well maybe you'll get lucky huh and she'll show up soon." Samatoki does not realize that is what Lily is trying to do, to him it sounds like Nemu, that admiration for an elder, someone who is special to you.

Samatoki has to wonder about the cat that just came out of nowhere, but since it seems to like the girl and her pet, he is going to let it be, it seems to make her happy.

"Yup, might as well if they're gonna just give it away." Samatoki reaches in, taking a sweet bun out and unwrapping it, he pops a piece off and tosses it to Bandersnatch, he might be hungry too, who knows.

"Probably have somethin' more than snacks once we get where we're goin'."

"That would be really good!" She doesn't either, it's a habit to talk a lot about the people she loves. Sometimes it leads to Lottie being thrown into situations where people are fawning for her.

A hand scratching the cats ears she then gave Bandersnatch a scratch with the other hand. It did make her happy she would probably have to address somethings that happened before she arrived but for now...she pushed it aside.

The food offering earns a sniff from the chain before he chomps on it and swallows. This guy wasn't so bad to him already.

"Where do you think we are going?"

"Have to keep your eyes peeled for her then." Poor Lottie, at least that does not seem to be happening here, then again who can ever honestly predict Samatoki Aohitsugi when they only see one part of him. Lily is seeing a layer he usually keeps hidden from others.

Everyone has baggage and if she honestly needs to touch upon something or work through it, the yakuza who has seemed to adopt her will be there for her.

He barks out a short laugh when the chain chomps on the morsel and swallow it.

"Don't know, by the looks of it their gonna be puttin' us up somewhere."

"Okay!" Lily then lit up. "Her chain is a biiig lion!" She smiled really wide at that, she had rode that lion a few times with Lottie. As far as Samatoki she really like him, he was a nice person.

As she continued to snack on her own candy she watched Bandersnatch then looked to Samatoki.

"Really? So we just live here now?" There was a small frown on her face.

"Everybody got one of those where you come from?" He is just curious, though her smile is met by one of his own. To Lily, he is a nice person, just not always for everyone else. He is a very layered man.

He knows that can't be too great to here, he's not happy about it, and to be young like Lily would have to make it worse.

"Just for now, I'll get us out of here." Though, if he has his way, he may be trying to take Lily back to his world versus hers, after the way her parents did her, he thinks it may be best.

"Baskervilles do! We are the only ones that are supposed to have them but now normal people have been making illegal contracts." She frowned and played with a piece of candy. "We are...seen as bad guys now while the bad man is a hero." A clench of her jaw as the events of what happened before she arrived start to hit her again.

"One of them...killed Fang, The hatter."

"Tch, bad guys gotta way of making their noises seem squeaky clean." Illegal contracts huh? Sounds like the kind of thing back home he would have gotten Jyuto and Riou involved in to help stop.

He sees that clench and reaches into the small fridge pulling out a juice, chocolate milk, and a soda for her to pick from.

"Someone killed someone ya care about, ya just get stronger and pay 'em back." Yes, great influence here Samatoki.

"..." She was frustrated the Baskervilles weren't bad. Now people thought they were bad guys or monsters to scare kids to bed. That's how Lottie and them told her. It sucked.

Lily grabbed the soda a little curious about it before she started to feel the tears.

"Yeah...He protected me. We can't die but the Hatter has a chain that can kill us..."

"Thing is kid, just cause someone says someones bad don't mean shit. Take me, got folks back in my world that'd tell ya I'm the bad guy, 'cause they don't know shit, so fuck what they say."

Oh shit, he will rearrange this person's face, he is not okay with those tears.

The yakuza gets up, shifting over to sit next to Lily rather than across from her, he knows the pain of losing someone when you are still a kid and he wraps a comforting around the girl's shoulders.

"Well now ya got me, ain't no one gonna use no damn killin' chain or you and yours, they gotta get past me and mine. My team is unstoppable."

"...You're not a bad guy."

Lily meant that as the tear began to fall down her cheek. As she rubbed her eyes she continued to cry and lean against Samatoki.

"...you're team?"

"Neither are your friends from home, so don't let that get to ya kid."

He is surprisingly gentle, resting one hand over her head, giving the hair a little fuffle, Samatoki is going to let her cry right there all over his vintage shirt because somethings are more important.

"Yup, Jyuto and Riou, you'll like 'em. Riou's big as hell, ya can climb him like a jungle gym."

Edited 2021-01-28 00:22 (UTC)

"...I like you, Samatoki."

The tears did come out and she hiccupped a few times as she pressed her face against him.

"...I wanna meet them too? If you like them they have to be good people."

Lily rubbed her face a little more, the hair ruffles were nice. "I couldn't control...my anger and Fang got hurt."

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ I

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