avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 4

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modpost,
tdm

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 4

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⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️

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 chilly 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. It's paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you.

If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. It's a fast process, as they no longer have to collect possessions and pets from drowning in the waters, so they're only needing to go around hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. 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, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of 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. For the month of February: there are complimentary chocolates placed on the pillows that make you feel warm and fuzzy when you eat them, all the rooms have been temporarily redecorated after hearing about Valentine's Day after an announcement about an upcoming Valentine's concert to be held by the off-worlders. They wanted to celebrate love too, and help the newcomers feel welcome! Unfortunately, this means that the two-person bedrooms only have one bed this month... maybe you can get a roll-away?

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. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out!

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.

As the snows give way to rain and the cold persists across Avalon, it may seem as if some of the local businesses are suddenly short-staffed. A favorite spot might have shorter hours, longer wait times. Whatever it is, it seems that there are fewer Avalonians as the days go on. It is not long before there are signs posted outside local businesses and every clinic, there is an illness striking the populace and adventurers seem to be immune. While the healers can cure this malady, they are short on supplies and some of them are not easy to obtain. All are urged to take up a task and gather these ingredients. Anyone who does obtain one or more of the required ingredients will be given a Fairy-blessed Tincture of Wellbeing from one of the faeries who stayed behind after the tournament. It is said to bring healing no matter where you are when you sprinkle it on the ground in front of you. (Note: The tincture will teleport the nearest healing mage to your location. This information is not included with the tincture... surprise!)

A ⦿ Ingredient One: A Can of Sprite

obtain a small can of magic dust from a sprite's wings

sudden repeated visions of 15 seconds of a potential future based on every choice your character could make

B ⦿ Ingredient Two: Deez Nuts

retrieving baskets full of these tiny nuts

the Bear Fir, who won't hesitate to come for you

C ⦿ Ingredient Three: Wait, isn't that a Pokémon?

The hills to the south-east of the Red Spring are home to the elusive Hill Trolls, who never leave their hills, but like to engage with any traveler who does come through. Most try to avoid them as they are extremely rude in every way. However, for this particular remedy, there is special bluegrass known as poliwag grass, so named because the seer who discovered this unique grass had seen the creatures it is named for in an alternate world and found them endearing. The catch? Only the Hill Trolls know now wherein the hills the small patches of this grass can be found. Adventurers are tasked with entering the hills, engaging the Trolls, and requesting a guide to the grass. Avalonians will advise doing anything the troll asks of you, it’s the only way to appease them and get the prize. Characters will be set about various household and yard chores by the Hill Trolls, who will lead them to believe that this grass will take several days journey to reach and they simply can not leave their home and yard in such a state when on a long trip like that.

Make sure to complete all your tasks, though, try not to be too angry when once their yard and home are spotless the Hill Troll produces a satchel of poliwag grass straight from their cupboard. They didn’t say you had to go on the trip with them and they will need to replenish their supply after, so they're not apologizing for anything.

A video is sent to everyone's devices, a strong magic spell making certain that it opens. Morganna's face appears. Morganna, after all, is to be listened to when she speaks. She seems to be looking at her nails as the recording starts, not looking at her captive audience.

”"As infamous as Arthur and Merlin are, there are many magics they are unfamiliar with. They live in the realm of basic magics, the ones you all have touched and trifled with. But there are skills you will need in the future that require something a little stronger. Now if you came to me seeking spells, I would ask a fair price, dears... but it is my universe you are all saving too, so I will offer you a taste."

She finally looks directly into the screen. Despite that it's just a recording, it looks as if she's looking directly into your soul. She sees you even without you responding. Her lips curl up in a little smile, friendly and yet mischievious.

"Magic is stronger when more than one person performs it. Where you would be able to toss fire, you could create a fire tornado or rip the earth until it spits the fires of hell up as lava. To perform this kind of magic, you must be entirely in sync with your partners. Of one mind, of one movement. Open the attachment and it will place a memory of how to perform Synchronic Magic with a partner into your mind. It will still take practice, of course. Baby steps."

Magic-infused technology is a hell of a thing-- those who listen after the video ends and open up the attachment will find themselves rapidly flooded with what amounts to an instructional video and a visual sample of witches moving exactly in sync. After a little finger painting on each other's face and collar bones and some deep meditation while performing the spell, the caster of the spell will have complete control over the movements of the person the spell is cast upon. For the duration of the spell, the person who the spell was cast upon will mentally reside in the caster's head outside of their body. Their body will do anything the caster's does. For this particular version of the spell to work, it requires the consent of the person it's being cast upon, though there are other forms of the spell that do not that are not. With that knowledge, get practicing.

A ⦿ We Succeed Together

When a goddess gives instructions to learn something, you learn it, and so some of the locals have set up meditation tents at one of Camelot City's parks. The tents are filled with incense, steam, and have a spell cast on them to provide relaxing sounds-- babbling brook, yoga music, rain on the ocean, a crackling fireplace, the cries of your enemies, the relaxing sound of change falling from your favorite plinko machine... It will respond to your emotions and find the sound that's most relaxing to you to help you clear your mind. If you trust the person you're with, the spell will go smoothly and you'll be able to perform the much simpler practice spell provided in the tent: a shadow dance. Follow the dance steps around the circle on the floor of the tent; shadows will begin dancing along the walls of the tent outside of their light source. Your shadows will be able to separate from your feet and travel without you once the dance is completed. It will return after completing whatever task you need from it. If you need some help developing your trust in the other person, try playing a game of twenty questions or partaking in some of the sparkling ginger shots in front of you-- they've got a heated kick to them that's sure to warm you up and make you fire out a secret to the person you're sharing the tent with.

B ⦿ We Fail Apart

If you aren't perfectly in sync with your partner to cast Synchronic Magic, all kinds of things can go wrong. People who do not trust each other may end up accidentally sealing the tents shut and trapping themselves inside until they tell each other a secret they've told no one else, thus forcing them to trust each other. People believe the exact opposite at their core could end up temporarily body swapping with their partner until they wipe off the body paint and break the spell. And of course, even if you're completely on the same page and the person controlling both bodies has two left feet, a mistake in the shadow dance could cause the shadows to enter your eyes, turning both of your vision to complete darkness until you've been in sunlight for about 15 minutes straight. I hope you weren't practicing at night.

C ⦿ Loss and Gain

After performing the Synchronic Magic, magicians of all kinds are going to feel a little strange. It's a magic outside of their field of expertise used to perform further magics, after all, and they've shared their essence with another person to perform it. There's a chance that characters are going to feel very alone after being separated from the synchronic magic. Alone, tired, and wanting to feel connected again even if you're normally the lone wolf type. Synchronic magic makes you feel connected to others in a way that's hard to do otherwise, and without it it leaves a sense of loss and disconnect. It's not a side-effect that was discussed ahead of time, but the citizens of Camelot have prepared for it for anyone who wishes to stick around after their spellcasting.

After the magic is done, at the center of the tented area, everyone is invited to gather around a huge, prismatic bonfire taking place in the center of the park that the tents had been set up in. The bonfire is filled with flames of all colors, like a prism reflecting light and warmth, and acts as a beacon for casters' shadows to find their owners and reconnect with them. It also is enchanted to encourage affectionate feelings. This may inspire people to be more... touch-friendly than normal, wanting to hug and hold onto or simple be shoulder-to-shoulder with the people around them. These feelings can easily be fought even if they're present, but fulfilling them will help to eliminate the sense of loss from the synchronic spell ending. At the end of the night, little rainbow fireflies will begin to fly away from the flames, having been hatched within them, and fly off into the night as the flames turn to embers, and then to charcoal. It is said that if you catch a rainbow firefly, you can make a wish on it, and when let go they will take those wishes to the heavens with them. Some wishes may actually be granted, so if your character has a wish, submit it here.

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.
• 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.
• If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt.
• The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. (This month, please check updated method of inventory collection at the Rent-a-Ride and the "February Special" rooms at the Red Spring.)
• The Shadow Dance Ritual is a form of advanced dark magic; this means that yes, after significant practice, a dark magic user may be able to do this on their own with only their own shadow. Even if your character isn't a dark mage, they can do a ritual to perform out-of-discipline magic. More information on rituals and how to unlock them will come in the future!
• Please comment with wishes regardless of new/current member status if you want to participate! :)
• Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

*This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count.
**Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Luke stared blankly at her question, tilting his head at her... almost resigned response. ]

Why would it?

Inference from past experience. But if that's not really the case...why would you ask about it? Are you not human, yourself? Some other hybrid of sorts?

No, I'm human; I was just curious.

[ He shrugged slightly, a bit sheepish, but also apologetic; clearly now, he was bringing up a sore subject. ]

My galaxy is home to a lot of different species, some humanoid, many not. I've still never seen someone that just had pointed ears before. At least, not naturally.

[her eyebrow arches at galaxy.]

I see. So you're expecting me to have additional qualities, seen or unseen. Hm. Mm. [she looks askance to consider that for a beat.]

No, I...can't think of anything terribly relevant to speak of.

[ Luke let out a faint, "Hn," a faint smile on his face, like it really wasn't that big of a deal. After a moment, he peered up at her, a bit of a shy look coming to his expression. ]

...am I allowed to say they're kind of cute?

[ a h .

her mouth tugs into more of a bland smirk rather than just a thin-lipped smile of obligatory politeness. were she more comfortable with him, she'd roll her eyes.]

Well. What do you expect to receive as response for such a thing? Do humans often compliment body parts on others as a means of building bridges?

Depends on the human, I guess.

[ He shrugged sheepishly, determining that was a, "No, he wasn't allowed," and leaving it at that. ]

So... where are you from?

[ There, that was a nice safe topic, right? ]

[calculating.. . . . .]

Mm. An affluent city, nestled in the more verdant section of a large valley. Charmed upbringing -- books and tutors aplenty, and others besides. Now, considering the situation with magic being rather...mucked-up for travelers of our ilk, I can't say how worthwhile bringing any of that up is. [her eyes flicker to the book she's perusing.]

And until I can confirm with my own eyes the true nature of my world's alleged plight, I doubt much need be said of it. That is to say-- [peering back at Luke:] I wonder how much you would need to know to decide I am worthy of trust.

[ Luke chuckled softly; another thing that reminded him of Leia. Stars, he was missing her so much right now. ]

Definitely sounds more exciting than living in the middle of a desert.

[ And if that isn't an adequate explanation of why he's coming off as literally being made of sunshine, then nothing else was. ]

[ He met her gaze as she peered back at him, blue eyes distant, almost like he was trying to reach for something that wasn't there anymore. He came back to reality with a small huff, for a moment seeming annoyed with himself. ]

Like I said before, I have a good feeling about you, Cecelia. I think we'll be fine, as long as you're okay with me.

Miss Ardenbury, if you don't mind. I prefer it. [it's an off-hand comment, but she doesn't break eye contact when she says it, still trying to scrutinize tells of something more than surface-level politeness.]

I can't claim to know what an upbringing in the middle of the desert may truly amount to, but I will confess that where I am from, first impressions and one's intuition tend to count for a lot. [but not all.

a beat.]

You seem kind. [but that may not be all.] And so I can trust you with, perhaps, most trivial types of interaction or tasks. Magic, however? Especially magic I've yet to properly study, let alone master...mm. Well. [she smirks again.] If I can't trust myself with it yet, why would I extend it to a barely-met stranger?

I'm sure you see the logic.

[ Luke nodded at the correction, swallowing back the bit of sarcasm that was crawling up the back of his throat. He did understand her logic, but at the same time, they were all in the same situation. She could stand to have a little more faith in the others stuck like this. ]

I do, however...

[ He paused, considering what he was going to say next carefully. ]

We are all in the same situation as you. This 'magic' certainly doesn't work anything like the Force, as I'm sure the same could be said of powers in your world. Besides...

[ He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands under his chin -- only one of which was notably covered with a black glove -- a small smirk of his own coming to his face. ]

If you knew the magic we were to try here was reliant on trust, why did you stay?

My choices are a bit slim, you know. [her mouth remains quirked, though her eyebrows arch in a way that shows she's a bit skeptical that he'd even ask.] It might be different than where you've come from, but a woman stranded alone, facing so many unknowns has to tread carefully. Solidarity is all fine and good, but everyone has their own outcome, their own story to follow. It won't automatically align with what I need.

[she unfolds her hands, lightly tapping at the pages of the open book in front of her.]

This text says trust, but it does not indicate anything in absolutes beyond the output of the process trust is needed for. Trust to what degree? An assurance of no bodily harm? That control will be relinquished? That control can be relinquished?

I haven't finished reading, so I can't properly say.

[ Luke just barely stopped himself from snorting out a laugh, though the amusement was still sparkling in his eyes. ]

I think you're overthinking this. Some things you just need to do, not analyze from every possible angle.

[ He shifted his legs, settling himself into something more suitable for meditation. ]

So let's do this.

[that sounds like talk from someone who is adept at bouncing back from dumb mistakes, she thinks. but she doesn't give voice to it, grimly watching him situate himself.

a beat.]

Is that you volunteering to be the test subject in this exercise, then?

[ That smirk quirked up on his face again. ]

I haven't walked out yet, have I?

[ There was so much confidence in his voice, like he already knew this was going to work. Truth be told, he had no idea, but there was no point going through trying to inspire trust in each other and not going through with it. ]

...Right. [she sighs, looking back down at the book and her idle phone. after a beat she moves to that, considering the instructional materials still open on it.

her mouth puckers briefly with distaste before she lets it go with a weary kind of resignation. gods, she hasn't had to use paints or chalk to cast for a while. it's so messy.]

Don't suppose you've already prepared these colors this spell mandates, have you?

[ Luke glanced at her, a faint hint of a smile appearing on his very clean, pale skinned face. ]

No, sorry.

[ He grabbed up one of the paints, giving her a sheepish look. Time to get messy, Cece. ]

[she sighs...heavily...before picking up her phone and rising out of her seat, moving around to sit across from him. it's kind of a process with all this gown -- not her choice to get dunked into the sea in full court regalia, okay?]

Let me review this once more very quickly-- [she says so while thumbing back through some of the material, giving extra time to looking over the sequence in which these witches painted themselves.

she clicks her tongue with mild annoyance.] Now, it doesn't make note as to whether or not each stroke must be done in a particular direction or with a particular finger. I assume that means it has no impact...How progressive, allowing sorcerers who chopped their digits off for blood rituals to participate, I guess. [hm.

she puts the phone down to a side so the both of them can see it, holding out her hand for the paint.]

Here, let me apply this first. Swipe that hair away from your forehead, will you?

[ He almost said that she was overthinking things again, but apparently she came to that conclusion herself. He smiled, faintly, before reaching up, carefully sweeping his hair away from his forehead as best he could. ]

[look. overthinking is important when one is thrust into the study of foreign magics! a mispronounced syllable here or out-of-sequence gesture there can be disastrous! or...at least...yield a less-than-ideal outcome. she'd like to trust that such an unsettling spell is at least safe, if it's being so freely taught, but she's been burned before...!]

Right then... [she'll play the video on mute so she can follow along with the strokes of each marking, following the sequence strictly -- down to the pauses and breaks to reapply paint to her thumb. while no novice to painting up her own face, it's rare to have to do something like this to someone else.

engh. whatever.]

And...there. [she pauses, watching as the clip on her phone ends before deciding she's done, giving Luke a nod while withdrawing her hand so she can wipe her thumb off with a handkerchief.]

Do likewise, then. In sequence, if you please; I don't like leaving risks for error if possible.

All right; one moment.

[ He fiddled with his own phone for a moment, finally figuring out how to take a picture of himself and doing so. He peered at her sheepishly after, shrugging slightly. ]

...in case my sister ever shows up. She'd be upset missing this and I didn't get any evidence of it.

[ He let out a faint noise, before grabbing up the paints and setting the video to play. ]

Okay; hair out of the way.

[ Once she swept her hair out of the way, he started to work, his touch feather light and gentle as he painted on each mark. He sat back every now and then, as if to get a look at her whole face to make sure he was doing it right, before he finally shuffled back entirely. ]

There; I think that's good.

[her eyebrow briefly arches as he takes his photos and mentions a sibling, but she says nothing, instead just sweeping stray curls away from her face.

making things more difficult than need be, Cecelia's eyes stay open the entire time, fixed on this weird, soft little man here, as if doing so would crack open some book she just needs to conjure up. it...kind of is like that in a way, actually: with the scores of people she's had to interact, traces of different people show up in old and new places, and his demeanor is an echo of persons from her past. gods, it's not like her entire life is drudgery! there's nice people along the way, of course.

it's all just very brief by design -- nature's design and her career's design. she hasn't been trapped in a place long enough to really bond with any of those kind people beyond familiar tropes in books, though.

hm.

she better not linger here long.

Cecelia blinks slowly after he's announced he's done, not bothering to inspect the results herself -- there, have your trust, boy! -- and instead goes back to her phone.]

Now what-- was it some meditative chant of sorts, yes?

[ Luke paused a moment, looking over it on his phone. ]

Mm... looks like it's just deep meditation; clearing your thoughts and opening up your mind to someone else.

That's not so hard.

[ He literally did this back home all the time in order to access the Force. He's got this on lock. ]

[eugh. is it really so much to ask that the opening be relegated to the one volunteering to relinquish control of their body? Cecelia looks mildly disquieted by way of how her brow knits in going over the instructions again for herself.

flatly:] This may not take into account species who use meditation in lieu of sleep, hm. That is to say, it is not in my nature to leave my mind open and vulnerable to assault in such a state, so this may not go the way it was intended. [she squints at the screen, muttering.] I loathe to assume species, but I doubt they have elvish heritage...

[ Luke frowned, a little pout coming to his face as he read over the information. He didn't question about her sleep -- or lack thereof -- habits; again, a galaxy full of so many different species? There was no doubt in his mind there was one that just meditated as a means of rest. ]

Well... if I understand this, it's just one person that's surrendering their control to the other, right?

[ He peered up at her. ]

You may be able to just keep my presence at the edge of your awareness, and I'll allow you into my mind.

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