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

[bloodandlife]

You may feel that way now, but I’m sure I can find something you legitimately like. If it’s true that we have to eat often, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to try everything this world has to offer.

[He’s more excited about this than he probably should be, but the thought of discovering all those new foods with Thanatos by his side...he never thought anything like that could happen, and it sounds...really nice.]

[inevitablerest]

[Why isn't he surprised that Zagreus would be excited by the prospect of something like that? It's always been so unnecessary to Thanatos, and he hasn't put much thought into making the experience 'exciting' so far. He's eaten when he got hungry, and eaten fairly simply. Why would he need to do more than that?]

Somehow, I don't think I'm going to be given any other choice than to humour you in this.

[Much like he claims Zagreus never gives him much of a choice in other things... But he always finds himself inexorably drawn along with anything the prince does, and could it really be said honestly that he minds it?]

I suppose it can't be helped.

[bloodandlife]

It absolutely cannot.

[He can’t help a small, self-satisfied grin.]

So you’ve attended a party. What else? Didn’t you say you’ve been here a few weeks? That’s...er, it’s probably enough time to do more than that. Right?

[Tracking the passage of time seemed nigh-impossible from the Underworld, with nothing to connect him to the surface. He’ll have to get the hang of that.]

[inevitablerest]

I've been getting my bearings.

[Zag, he's not going to give you a blow by blow account of everything he's been doing since he got here. Given most of it was dreadfully dull, he doesn't really want to revisit it himself.]

Getting used to the power this place has deigned to grant me.

[It's been a slow process to do that, particularly when something else was added relatively recently.]

A few weeks doesn't amount to a great deal of time, all in all.

[bloodandlife]

No? Well, then at least I’ve not got too much catching up to do.

[He flashes a smile before turning back to looks out the window again. Now that they’ve gotten a bit further from where they started, the scenery is beginning to change a bit, and Zagreus intends to see everything.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t change quite enough to hold his interest for too long. After a little while, he starts fidgeting. What is he supposed to do just sitting here like this? Thanatos doesn’t like to talk nearly as much as he does...then he has an idea.]

Hey Than, do you want to hear the progress I’ve made with the lyre?

[inevitablerest]

[The silence is welcome, for however long it lasts. Thanatos takes the opportunity to just watch the landscape outside passing by, still taken with the novelty of being able to do so.

He has the feeling that his life here is about to get far more exciting with Zagreus around.]

I had been meaning to ask you about that. [The prince was never going to stay quiet for too long, but he can't help but be relieved by the change of topic. Though he utters the statement casually, the question that follows has been burning in his mind since he first saw the instrument.]

Why do you have a lyre?

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus lifts the instrument onto his lap and idly plucks a string.]

Orpheus offered to teach me, so I took him up on it. I figured I ought to have at least one hobby other than cutting down every wretched shade in the realm. And if I manage to get good enough, maybe I can write a few of my own songs about my valorous deeds.

[inevitablerest]

Orpheus?

[The silent, moping shade of a bard that Hades insists on keeping around the place despite the fact he hasn't plucked a note in years? Even Thanatos, who follows the laws of life and death to the letter, has never quite understood why Hades continues to enforce contracts when they are clearly of no benefit to him.]

I haven't heard him play in ages.

[Let us say nothing of 'valorous deeds'... he'll come back to that.]

Go ahead. Impress me.

[bloodandlife]

He's been separated from his muse, Eurydice. [Zagreus looks sad for a moment, but it quickly turns to annoyance.] Thanks to another one of Father's needlessly harsh contracts. But I'm happy to report that Orpheus recently started to play again! He's truly remarkable.

[Zagreus shifts the lyre on his lap and adjusts his hold on it. He gives Thanatos a wry smile.]

Oh, I'll need a lot more practice before I impress you. But, here goes.

[He begins to pluck at the instrument, his face sort of screwed up in concentration as he tries to remember everything Orpheus told him. What emerges is...not music, mostly. Here and there a recognizable chord sounds, but for the most part it's a lot of inexpert plonking.]

[inevitablerest]

[Eurydice. Now there is a name Thanatos knows. Hadn't been too involved in the whole affair really - once they're dead it's no more business of his what they do - but... snake bite, he thinks?

He tolerates said 'plonking' for at least a couple of minutes before he raises a hand up to bid Zagreus to stop. At least he hadn't had any illusions that he was going to 'wow' Thanatos with this.]

That's enough. If you continue I may actually get out and walk.

[The effort was there, at least...]

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus stops, with a sort of disappointed look aimed at the lyre.]

It is pretty abysmal, isn't it? But Orpheus insists I have potential and that I should keep trying, so try I shall. And if Avalon thought it important to send my lyre here along with me, then it seems it's in agreement, too.

[He tucks the instrument back behind his seat again and stretches like he's been sitting still for a year.]

[inevitablerest]

I'm sure he wouldn't say it without reason.

[He smiles faintly, watching Zagreus stow the lyre away again, and once it's safely away he leans his head back against the wall behind him and lets his eyes fall closed for a moment. He could doze off, honestly, but he resists the urge to do so.

So, after a moment, he looks over to his companion and is struck once again by just how good it is to see him sitting there.]

What else have you been getting up to without my knowledge?

[He asks, but doesn't sound bitter this time. He may actually be making a joke. It's always hard to tell with him.]

[bloodandlife]

Quite a lot since we last spoke, actually.

[It occurs to Zagreus that...he hasn't seen Thanatos since before he actually reached the surface. He sobers a bit.]

...I did it, Than. I escaped. Father himself tried to stop me, but I defeated him. And I found my mother.

[So why doesn't he look happy?]

[inevitablerest]

You-

[That's one way to get his attention. Thanatos straightens up with a frown, then leans forwards slightly with his forearms braced against his knees. He may not have been happy about what Zagreus was trying to do but he did understand how much it meant to him... even if he disagreed.

But he'd got out? Found her already?]

You don't seem happy about it. [Where Thanatos can often be so difficult to read, Zagreus is like an open book. At least, he always has been to Than... until recently.]

[bloodandlife]

I am happy about it. We spoke, and it was...good. Really good. It's just...I can't stay there for very long. So I'll have to keep fighting to see her, a bit at a time.

[It's really not so bad, or so he tells himself. It's not really the need to fight his way out just to spend a little time with her that makes his heart sink. It's knowing that he'll never truly see the surface the way he'd hoped. Although now, with Thanatos here in this world, it seems that will change.]

[inevitablerest]

Ah.

[He struggles to find any comforting words. That Zagreus had actually found his mother, well, that could have only lit the determination in him even more brightly than it already shone. His eyes fall on the other god's hands and his fingers briefly twitch, a moment of wanting to reach out and touch him pushed down by quickly clasping his hands together.

That Zagreus couldn't survive on the surface wasn't strange to Thanatos. He couldn't stay up there for long himself without beginning to feel unwell.]

Is she... doing well? Your mother, I mean.

[It's not a hard question to ask, but it's spoken over the one that is pressing to emerge and being held back only because he doesn't want to start bickering again.

So you intend to keep trying?]

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus smiles.]

She is. I still don't know everything, we never have enough time. But you should see her garden, Than, it's beautiful. Even if it is a little too bright there for my tastes. It's not like the rest of the surface, there's no snow there. It's not cold.

[inevitablerest]

Curious.

[But then, why is he so surprised that Persephone would be capable of something like that? There had always been a vibrance about her even in the small span of time that Thanatos had known her. No, it doesn't surprise him at all.]

But you can't stay with her, so... then... what do you plan to do?

[bloodandlife]

I don't plan to give up, for starters. I may be bound to the Underworld, but I'll never stop fighting to escape and see her, even if it's only for a little while.

[inevitablerest]

[Thanatos sighs. He can't help it. He sighs and sits back, loosely folding his arms.]

So that's how you plan to spend the rest of your existence.

[More motivation than he'd ever really seen in Zagreus, but he wished that his friend would turn it to something more constructive than repeatedly fighting his way through his father's realm.]

Really?

[bloodandlife]

What else am I supposed to do? Sit around in my father's house getting scorned and blamed for everything for eternity? Forget about my mother and leave her to her solitude? Continue on knowing nothing about why I'm even here and why my family is such a mess?

[He sits forward, resting his arms on his knees.] I can't do that.

[inevitablerest]

[He gives Zagreus a long, steady look from beneath his eyelashes. Thanatos has never been ignorant to the frustrations of the prince, but had always somehow assumed that the persistent idleness suited him. Until now he'd never really shown any drive to follow through with anything.

Or had Thanatos simply not been paying attention?

He sighs.]

I know. [As much as it pains him to admit it.] I know, Zag. But is my reaction to it all really that much of a surprise to you considering the circumstances?

[bloodandlife]

It was, at first. I see now that it shouldn't have been.

[He manages a small smile.]

But look on the bright side. This way, we can still have our thrilling competitions, and at the end of the day or night, you'll always know where to find me.

[inevitablerest]

Mm.

[Another argument avoided at least. He catches that small smile and returns it with a very faint one of his own.]

If I have any trouble, I can follow the trail of broken pottery and stale food crumbs.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus chuckles, his smile growing a little.]

Well, you know me. Can't leave a single corner of my father's realm intact, or he might think I'm getting rusty.