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

[holytrident]

There's so many things Lunafreya would like to say, but that's the thing about distance; all these years seperated and barely more than a journal to bind them together. A promise of destiny, a star in need of saving, all of it serving only to divide their journey further apart. And Altissia...

When Noctis pulls her in for a hug, every word dissipates on her lips. She takes a shakey breath and holds it in. For so long, the princess of Tenebrae has tucked away her private feelings but the warmth of his arms is almost too much to bear.

Still holding onto her phone with both hands, she can't seem to pull herself together to do much more than lean forward and rest her head against his shoulder. No dream, she thinks, releasing her breath finally. No Gods, no destiny. Even if it's just for this moment than it's enough.

"I'm...so glad you are as well." The words don't come out the way she wants them to, but there's no time to dwell on it. The chatter of the people around them divide her attention, and Pryna's nose nudges at her side, coaxing her to continue thinking forward. "Perhaps we should go together, wherever these people are meant to lead us?"

[cess]

He should tell her the reason. Not just that he's happy to see her, the way he'd been looking at her from the crowd in Altissia, but because she gave her life for him. Because Ignis lost his eyes for him, and seeing her again like this... it's almost more than he can bear.

Her head rests on his shoulder and he lets his face bury in her damp hair. Even if just for a moment, he wants the world to let him have this. A chance to finally see her again, to be able to talk with her properly instead of being two steps behind her, constantly. Her words, however, are prudent; it looks like they've almost got the carriages set up.

He gently loosens his hold on her, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Yeah, that's... probably a good idea. Don't think we're gonna get much information out here."

Even if he casts a weird look to the horses. He's used to chocobos, not those. After a moment he steps back, but then his lips twitch up a bit and he offers a hand, his tone light.

"May the prince escort the Oracle?"

[holytrident]

When he pulls away from her finally, Lunafreya can't help but feel her spirit falter slightly. If she was a normal girl (and not a princess or an oracle) maybe it would've even been called a pout — but since she's nothing near normal, only a slight raise of her shoulders as she takes in a breath hints to her feelings. Pulling herself from the things she would like for the things that must be done is a well-trodden path.

When Noctis offers a hand to her, however, a tiny hint of a smile curls at her lips to mirror his own. "He may," she agrees, her voice calm and measured, an outward appearance of strength that's somewhat at odds now to her bubbling emotions. "Although, I do say, I think I might've preferred some other manner of travel. Even if this looks safe enough..."

Her slender hand takes his own and she begins to wander closer to the carts. "Not a single chocobo...how peculiar, don't you think?" Luna turns her gaze away to look at them, and it's nothing like any of the royal entourages she's been forced to deal with before. No magitek soldiers prodding her along, no crowds to watch as she departs. Just a group of interesting strangers...and the boy who means the world to her.

[cess]

They've been apart for so long. Sure, they have seen pictures - Noctis sending some of Prompto's photos along, and she frequently in the newspapers - but there's something, to being able to speak now. There's no immediate danger (the looming danger of their home will always remain), and no guards to pull them apart.

So, when she takes his hand, the barest hint of his composure drops as well. He looks like the twenty-one year old he is, smile flitting across his face, soft and shy, before he guards himself back up again, following her as they move closer to the carts.

"It is really weird," he agrees. "I'm kind of bummed the Regalia didn't make it... though maybe it'd be at the bottom of the lake, considering everything." Which would be an even more terrible fate for the car than being abandoned on Niflheim railways.

"They don't look as fluffy as chocobos either," he muses. "Which is good, I think he said not to touch them unless he was around."

[holytrident]

At the mention of the lake, Lunafreya turns to give one last look in the direction of where everyone had just arrived from. He's right, the car surely would've sunk down into the murky depths of the lake — but from what little she knew from the journal they shared, the girl can't help but feel slightly sorry to have missed it as well. (She also very pointedly does not linger on her feelings of being dropped in said lake. The further from water she can get for now, the better off she's likely to feel.)

When it comes to the idea travel adventures, however, she thinks this might not be the worst. "Even if we can't pet them," she thinks aloud, "I suppose we'll have to find some way to repay these people for their generosity. But, umm..."

She watches Pryna leap up onto the cart ahead of them, perfectly at ease despite how odd all of this is. As for herself, however, Luna turns to Noctics, "I might need a hand to climb aboard. This dress is, well, not well-made for these things." It occurs to her that she'll need to try to go shopping soon as well; royal attire (especially when battered) is completely at odds with any sort of adventure.

[cess]

Noctis doesn't turn to look, but he holds onto her hand still - squeezing it gently when he realizes exactly, where, she must have come from, facing the Tidemother's wrath.

It's on the tip of his tongue to agree with having to repay them - his father taught him to always settle his debts - when she mentions the dress isn't made for this. He looks over the battered dress and gives a small smile.

"Yeah, that's not exactly what I'd call travelling gear," he admits after a moment, but draws her towards the carriage Pryna had leapt into. "I'll help you in. And - worst comes to worst, you can borrow my coat until we find some appropriate clothes?"

It was long enough and could be tied around the middle. He could certainly stand the cold for a bit.