TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 5

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ 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 slightly chilled 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 still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, but seems to be focusing on coordinating a band of chia manatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Chia manatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plantlife growing on its back. While some are fully green, others sport small flower blossoms that haven't yet grown in or various types of mushrooms. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the manatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. 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. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. 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 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. 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. The Isle of Avalon is abuzz with excitement for the upcoming Spring Equinox (though some of the more posh citizens will insist it's the Vernal Equinox, tut tut). Unlike the very specific rituals of the Winter Solstice that require much preparation, the Spring is welcomed throughout the month through a variety of small rituals to help the world along as it renews itself, growing new plants and allowing nature to make new life. A ⦿ The Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies Throughout February, the Frost Fairies were running amok and keeping things chilly, even awarding those who gave them treats last month. These fairies create ice crystals on contact and can be spotted by the beautiful ice crystal patterns that form in their trail. They cause frost bite if you physically touch them, so capture isn't recommended. They seem to be sticking around a little too long this month, as they're normally supposed to leave at the end of February. No one seems alarmed, as it seems that this happens from time to time. It's easy enough to deal with-- and so, people throughout town are being asked to perform a ritual called the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies. It's perfectly safe, and lets these invisible little creatures be sent on their way until the next winter. The first step: create bait. Fill a planter with dusty miller and silver sage, with a night-blooming flower at the center. The silvery-white leaves pique the curiosity of the Frost Fairies because they look snowy, yet when they see the flower bloom, they know it cannot be. The plants won't be damaged at all in the ritual, so you'll get a moon garden out of it, which can be incidentally draw adorable little moon rabbit kits in to play inside your home while the moon is out. They're friendly, though they do tend to enjoy pack-sized snuggles-- you may find yourself stuck with no fewer than 15 rabbits attempting to climb on you for attention and need someone's help to pull them off. You may need to get them under control before you continue with the ritual. Once you've assembled your miniature moon garden, you'll need to find a stranger to perform the ritual. You need to bring a new energy into your home in order to let the Frost Fairies know that it's time to meet something new. Take hands with the new person and dance in circles around the miniature moon garden. The plants will start to glow and the Frost Fairies will become visible-- short, fat, all-white penguin with flamingo-length legs and icicle crowns. They will immediately challenge you and your summoning partner to a duel! Though, you can pick what kind of challenge it is as their culture dictates. They're pretty overconfident, just remember not to pick something that involves touching them unless you want to end up needing a healer. B ⦿ The Language of Flowers Once the Frost Fairies are properly banished, flowers are starting to crop up all around Camelot, the Broceliande, the fields in between, and those who come back to the White Cliffs after arrival will even find the Cliff Beast in a pleasant mood from all the lovely little flowers hanging off of his clifftop. (No one's quite sure how a cliff seems happy, but that's the sense everyone gets.) Wherever you may be, there are flowers starting to crop up. Normally, this would be when people would start gathering decorations to cover the buildings and make flower altars, but a lot of the wild flowers normally accessible... well... It looks like a brood of dragons hatched a little early and, upon seeing all the flowers start to crop up, decided that these flowers are the treasures that they want to hoard. The baby dragons didn't fly too far down from their mountain, but once one of them flew past the Lands of Rot and found the fields of flowers, it got its siblings. Now there are a handful of baby dragons claiming different areas as their hoard and making it impossible to get around without being attacked by an admittedly cute fire-breathing menace. No one wants the baby dragons slain, but the baby dragons need to be brought back to their mother's cave in the Ash Mountains. The safest way is through the half-dead area between the Dusklight Woods and the Lands of Rot. The dragons will attack anyone who comes into their area but seem to be friendly toward anyone wearing a flower crown, as they seem to accept them as a part of their hoard if the flowers send the right message. Use the language of flowers to communicate with the dragons and try to get them to follow you by wearing a flower crown that matches one you offer to the dragon. A flower crown that says sympathy and sadness might not be as effective as something that says virtue and bravery. Just be careful not to woo them the wrong impression with something that says eternal love and devotion, or you might have a different kind of dragon problem... Regardless, since the dragons are guarding the flowers you need to make the crowns out of, you'll need to find a way to get past their attacks to gather flowers to begin with to find the flowers you want to make your crown with. Flower crowns need at least two types of flowers to communicate with the dragons, so it's recommended you work together with others to try to gather as many flowers as you can to find the flowers you need. Thankfully, since dragons are sacred, most of the Dusklight Woods creatures will leave you alone, so it's best to hug that side of the mixed path. You and whoever you're working with only have to worry about fighting alongside the baby dragons to fight off the Land of Rot creatures that hang around the edge: Skeleton warriors that can only be scattered but not killed, Fogueria (a lion made of fire that likes to play with its food in sadistic ways), and rattlesnakes. Once you're at the foot of the Ash Mountains, the baby dragons will fly back up to their cave on their own. With the baby dragons returned to their nest, you can head home, and the townsfolk can start decorating for the Spring Equinox. C ⦿ Spiritual Cleansing The frost is gone, the flowers are free, and rabbits are running around town like they own the place. All of the physical and symbolic spring equinox preparations are made, now it's time to look within. As the season of renewal and rebirth, a huge part of that is personal reflection and growth. As such, outdoor meditation and yoga flash parties are all the rage right now. Get caught it one and you and anyone around you will be stuck in a barrier until you complete at least 5 yoga poses and hold them for 30 seconds each. Some of them are a little challenging.. thankfully, no one is going to stop you from getting help holding them from someone else who's stuck with you. A plague of smoothie hockers has also cropped up around town, which means portable carts offering different magical smoothies is going around selling their fruity and flowery spring flavors for a refreshing boost of your spirit. No, really boost it. The magical effects are in small text underneath the flavors, so they may be easy to miss. Hibiscus-Berry: Vanity Spirit (person may become temporarily obsessed with appearance, finding cute clothes, getting their hair and nails done, needing to be their ideal of attractive) Strawberry-Rose: Romantic Spirit (flirtiness, desire to be romantic with someone) Jasmine-Peach: Friendship Spirit (go out of your way to make new friends, make grand friendship gestures to people you've already befriended or have known for five minutes and want to befriend) Lavender-Mulberry: Distrusting Spirit (paranoid, may start fights because they think someone is out to get them) Butterfly Pea-Lemon Tea: Meditative Spirit (fall asleep easily, peaceful/relaxed about alarming things, sudden penchant for Big Thoughts about the universe) Dandelion-Apple-Banana: Surivival Spirit (sudden desire to do everything yourself, whether that's hunting/gathering food, getting really into DIY projects like making your own soap or building your own chicken hutch because you're going to get your own eggs, or really wanting to live outside for a while) The effects only last for an hour or two, so it's unlikely any real damage can be done (hopefully) but it'll certainly give you a new outlook on life! Spring is in the air, the Equinox is coming, and prep is underway. But all work and no play can get a little boring, right? Avalonians have come together and set up a few activities for Adventurers. While all of these activities can be completed and enjoyed without using magic, participants will be encouraged do to so, don’t worry if it goes a little haywire. There are magical force fields around the play zones to contain any mishaps. A ⦿ Keep it Rollin' Rollin' The first area set up for fun and games is a barrel rolling contest. Participants are split into pairs to compete against each other to see who can roll their partner inside the barrel down the hill and across the finish line the fastest. Springtime is when geysers start bursting around the bottom of the hill though, so you'll have to watch out for those and any boulders to make sure your barrel doesn't burst before you reach the bottom! To make things a little more interesting, the planners had a bit of mischief with the barrels... As barrels reach a quarter of a way down the hill, the outside will burst into flames. Surprise! While they are enchanted so that the flames aren't actually hot, participants are not aware of this. Sorry, the guys running this game aren’t that big on explaining; after all, it’s just rolling a fire barrel down the hill; what’s so complicated? Fire makes it look like it's going faster and is way more exciting to watch! B ⦿ Hop Skip and a Jump Everyone loves hopscotch, right? Well, whether you do or don’t, that next zone is all about the hop, the skip, and the jump. Two hopscotch boards about the size of a basketball court each are laid out side by side for participants. The object again, to see who can complete the task that fastest. If you reach a spot with a magic symbol, you have to cast a spell at your opponent or you can't proceed. This is combat hopscotch! Of course, once more, the folks running the show forgot to mention one tiny thing, a quarter of the way into the board, random spots will drop away as you go, leaving holes in the ground! Yikes, better take that leap! Don’t worry, if you miss, the bottom of the hole is filled with marshmallow fluff in bright pink, yellow, and pastel purple. (Kind of reminds you of something, huh...?) Down in the hole are rungs and footholds to get yourself back out, but boy, will that put you behind the other guy if they didn’t fall. Well, guess victory will have to be a little sweeter than you planned! C ⦿ Gettin' Brewy With It Now, this activity probably seems a little safer. Welcome to the “Brew” tent. Participants will be given ingredients, space, and set up in pairs to brew up a tasty drink! A variety of ingredients are available and with it, participants will be taught the Recipe: Brewery. This spell can be used to accelerate brewing and distilling processes for alcoholic drinks. Of course, if someone who is too young to drink according to their world's rules, any alcohol in the drink will evaporate, so it's really only a spell that's useful for adults... but everyone can participate in making drinks. You can pick any ingredients you want, but all participants are instructed that a sprinkle of that magic at just the right time will make it perfect. When asked what the right time is, all they will be told is they’ll know when. Some may get it right, depending on instinct. Others might sprinkle too much and cause the drink to burst all over them and their partner, and their workstation or have some other silly side effect, like make them hiccup uncontrollably or catch a case of the giggles. Or maybe they cast for too long or too short a time and the drink turns sour, turns to ash, grows wings on the cup, and flies away. Brewery magic can be fickle, so there's lots that can go wrong.. but get it right, and you can have one heck of a drink to enjoy! 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. • 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

[theleadingman]

[The force of that chain reaction is enough to send him reeling backwards, arms windmilling in a most uncoordinated way before he topples back and slips beneath the water, his voice swallowed up mid-protest.

This was not how he thought this would go.

He resurfaces a moment later, easy enough when the sand isn't too far below, and lets out a sputtering cough even as that first manatee bumps back into him, driving its head into his stomach. He braces himself this time, although he can't help feeling winded, and he looks towards the woman trudging her way towards him even as he lays a hand flat against the manatee's forehead (he thinks) and gives it a firm but careful shove in response.]

Perhaps I didn't think this through—!

[She's not the only one covered in seaweed, either. This vest is going to be ruined.

Meanwhile, on the shore, another moogle climbs up to sit beside the first, this one with long, slender ears that taper off at the end, wearing coveralls and a pair of goggles atop her head.

"They're really having a rough time of it, aren't they, kupo?"]

[thirdwisestar]

They aren't even remotely cold, either. [ Fuzzy and warm, actually. ] So between that and the wrong look of them, I think we can conclude they aren't faeries at all.

[ They just keep appearing out of the blue, too. More and more little bunnies. How does that make any sense? He pushes off another one that's deviated from the usual course towards Alphinaud before concluding, welp, time to get up. Nap ruined. ]

[longskirt]

Gladly. Once we get to the top then I'll teach you your lesson. But I'm not falling off the edge of this thing because of some bastard.

[She doesn't have a death wish thanks.]

[longskirt]

[Things that Yuki expected from her life did not ever include this but she also never expected any of the things so this was just added onto the pile.]

So, hey, nosy question but when you said other dimensions you mean like...other universes and the like, yeah?

[wolfhunted]

["Moon Rabbit" sounds a little odd, but then again, Robyn's name is bird-related, so...]

"Moon Rabbit" sounds like a nice name to have. I'd probably be like that if I had that kind of name.

[She almost absent-mindedly scoops up one of the rabbits with them. Rabbits are viewed more as a food source than pets in the time she's from, but these ones are pretty cute.]

[longskirt]

[At least he knows when to stop whining. Yuki didn't have sympathy then and it wasn't going to go up any.]

I'm just kind of assuming. A big staircase like this ought to lead to something important or otherwise people wouldn't have built it.

[It's not exactly a bad train of logic.]

[longskirt]

[This is nothing that Yuki has ever really heard of or dealt with in her world so she doesn't get it on a personal level but...]

Sorry.

[It's just one word but she does honestly mean it and feel it. Even if she can't exactly relate, she can still empathize to some degree even if this.]

I've heard a lot of people saying similar things. You know, missing something or other. Must suck.

[roseeclair]

It is! You might have met her already, Usagi Tsukino?

[Oh wait, duh! She holds out a hand to the girl, if it's not too full of bunbun.]

Ah, and I'm Makoto, by the way.

[Which is a totally normal name, Miss "Sincerity of Wood" totally has room to talk about names being cute and funny.]

[darkestbefore]

[ Her expression twists for a moment, but all that slips free is a wry chuckle. She doesn't jump to correct him - Kouka has been successfully fending off enemies at their borders for hundreds of years now. They've carried the blessing of their dragon god since he'd first formed their idyllic little kingdom. But that didn't mean there hadn't still been a cost. One that was, perhaps, easy to miss when dwelling within the bright walls of the capital - but it has been a long time since she'd left that place behind.

She'd seen it all while she'd been forced to wander. It was hard not to have your eyes opened when your only recourse was to survive among it. ]

For many of those in the fray of the battlefield, sword to sword, I'm not sure they can tell the difference. The same can be said for those whose villages and homes are the unfortunate hosts of such clashes.

[ But it hadn't been her intention to make him feel guilty, and wandering too far down that road had its own consequences for her, as well. So she shakes her head and offers him a crooked smile, even if there's still a hint of sadness that lingers in her gaze. ]

But that wasn't my point. Only that at that time, when I was in the middle of it, there was so little I could do. I hated feeling so helpless. So useless to accomplish what I wished for. If I am given the opportunity in this place to learn more than I knew then, to grow stronger - whether that be by magic or weapon - then perhaps when faced with it again, I will be able to do something different. To make a difference.

Perhaps whoever - or whatever - is responsible for us being here thought that by giving you something you've never before wielded or mastered would afford you the same opportunity.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[starshaper]

[Usagi makes the trip back the arrivals area every month to see if anyone from home just happens to be there. So far she hasn't seen anyone since arriving here from another world in December but she's never giving up hope and besides, it's nice to welcome any new people here! So even if she doesn't find anyone from her home world, she never knows when she finds any new friends among the new arrivals.

The moon rabbit notices the electric bear and instantly walks closer to it with an excited "Waaaaaah!!" and a wide smile on her face.]

Hello! You're really pretty, no that's an understatement, you look amazing! Woooow, you know you really remind me of one of my best friends, Mako-chan, she's just as adorable as you and she can really strike the strongest punches too!

[Is that a bad pun? Oh well...]

Ah, where's your bonded one? I really can't wait to meet anyone with familiar like you~! Hey hey, where are you looking at?

[She is rambling a lot but that's nothing new and at least she also finally turns to look into the water area too...]

[crimsongirl]

[So it was happening to more people. Kinda comforting in a way, though Yuki was right. Even worse if all they were made to do was fight. She couldn't imagine those feeling completely powerless.]

Yeah....could be worse, but I'll manage. I can still deck someone if they give me trouble though.

[Speaking of decking someone, based on this woman's dark attire and those gloves, she could have easily passed off as a Hebijo student.]

Name's Homura by the way. What's yours?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[roseeclair]

[The bear just... blinks for a second, god this human talks a lot and FAST. But it react much more than plopping himself in the sand and looking back out to the shore. Right about the time when...

When Makoto is finally close enough to the shore to be able to see those familiar pigtails flowing like banners... and to be able to drop off of the manatee into sand beneath the shallow surf.]

Usagi-chan...?

[songstressedout]

I mean... kind of, yeah?

[ She thinks for a moment, her eyebrows creasing for a moment to try and answer her question. ]

It's like... where I come from, there was originally just one dimension, but then there was a huge battle that split the original dimension into four.

[ Which was putting it lightly, considering how the world was almost destroyed. ]

[longskirt]

I'd prefer a ten out of ten but I guess I'll take it. Hide and seek it is, then. Hey you, faeries or whatever, we challenge you to hide and seek! Me and this guy over here hide and if you can't find us for fifteen minutes then you scram, got it?

[The faeries are stupidly cocky and nod, sure they'll win and Yuki turns to Akira.] Come on, time to put your money where your mouth is.

[arcsplainist]

It does, at the very least, hint at civilization being close by.

[ In theory, but it doesn't appear in disrepair, so it's a sound one. ]

Whether or not the one responsible for summoning us is as well may be a different story. [ And given that his time spent in the water was an attempt in not drowning, well, he hasn't seen any signs of the Lady of the Lake. ] But such speculation does no good, of course. We shall see what we have to work with.

[longskirt]

Heh, that's the kind of talk I like to hear. [Which came as a shock to nobody who took one look at her.] I'm Takamiya. It's good to see other people with some sense. Not that I can really blame people for freaking out and losing all of it.

[If she weren't so used to bizarre happenings then maybe she wouldn't be as calm as she is.]

[longskirt]

[If she had heard this a year ago then she wouldn't have believed it but well, after everything and being brought here? Well...

It isn't the craziest thing she's heard.]

What kind of battle we talking here?

[crimsongirl]

Events can shape people too beyond just some special powers. Had enough bullshit in life to not let this bother me too much.

[Or at least act like it didn't too much.]

What kinda place you come from then? [She was curious given Takamiya's own calmness.]

[longskirt]

If they're letting us have free reign then I don't think we're prisoners. But it doesn't give me much confidence just dropping us in a freezing lake with those annoying manatees.

[Somebody was cursed with animal magic and it is Yuki and those manatees had not shut up at all.]

[nerdism]

[ He won't find the object of her interest anywhere around him. In fact, technically he can't even see what she's looking at, not unless he sees himself in a reflection. ]

Your ears! Are they CGI? Are you cosplaying an elf?

[nerdism]

[ She's definitely gonna have to school him on email-sports in a minute, but first thing's first. ]

You too, huh? Ughhh, that's one experience I could have done without in my life. Don't they know this headset is Limited Edition?

[ Grievances aside, she steps a little closer, indicating that this is a secret discussion when she lowers her voice. ]

B-By the way... do you, uh, do have any superpowers?

[nerdism]

Shortcut? I was BORN brave. Come on, lay it on me!

[ She definitely wasn't born brave, but she knows she would rather avoid hiking all day. A computer geek like her has only so much energy for outdoor activities. ]

I'm a bit of a guide, too, you know. I gotta learn all the cheats and shortcuts if I wanna start helping others here.

[nerdism]

Yeah, but it's weird! I've never shared a room with anyone, let alone strangers.

[ It is a bit ridiculous that she's hiding in here, she knows it. It doesn't make exiting it any easier. ]

Okay, how about this? I'll ask you three questions to determine what kind of person you are. Depending on how you answer, I might open the door a little...!

[longskirt]

[She can tell that she and Homura will get along just fine. Obviously they're a lot alike and Yuki's just glad to have somebody she can understand in a world like this.

Though her world is a difficult question and Yuki frowns.] Eh, that's...kind of hard to answer. [It had only been recently that her world had turned out to not be what she thought it was.] I guess it was pretty normal Japan. [That seems like the safest answer to give.]

[arcsplainist]

[ rip Yuki... He doesn't understand the manatees, but he can relate to her lack of confidence. ]

They were rather... friendly, were they not? I should be grateful for their assistance nevertheless—I, um... well, I cannot say the shock of it all made for ideal conditions to be swimming under. If we had that sort of aid, then you do have a point. We may not be under any immediate danger, but I would caution to ware your step regardless.