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

[rediscovering]

This bit of history — future history — draws a soft smile on his face. So Uncle does earn his redemption, something much fuller than that, even.

"That's a relief," he murmurs, eyes drifting down to the water again. "Uncle deserves justice. The White Lotus— I didn't get it at first, when I first learned about them, but after everything that's happened, everything that changed, everything we meant to accomplish— well, did accomplish, I guess... It couldn't have happened without them. I never knew Uncle had friends like that," he says softly, remembering their meet-up with the Rough Rhinos. 'Friends that don't want to kill me, hmm,' the old man had said... Certainly he had very good friends, morally sound friends, one of many well-kept secrets of his uncle's fruitful life. "It's something special."

[avatar_state]

Well, that goes a long way to explaining just why Zuko ends up following in his Uncle's footsteps there, once he stepped down from being Fire Lord.

And it makes her like him all the more.

"Yeah, he does. And he gets it. And anybody arguing with me...hoo boy they'd have a bad time of it."

[rediscovering]

"Heh. Uncle has more friends than he knows, I guess," he retorts with a wry smile. He likes Korra already, too; and they share a common interest, clearly. If there's anyone to have in common, Iroh is a pretty trustworthy mutual friend to have.

"I hope he shows up here. I came here looking for him, actually," he admits. "I search the shores and the inn for him whenever there are new arrivals. And others, I guess — like Aang..." Whom he's kind of found this time around, casting a subtle sly look toward her like an unspoken joke. "But mostly just for Uncle."

[avatar_state]

She smiles at that.

"Heh, well, you're looking for good people at least. Let me tell you, Aang's a hard act to follow."

[rediscovering]

"Well, of course he is," he says matter-of-factly with a flat look, before casting his gaze aside awkwardly; it feels weird, talking to his next incarnation. Complimenting him isn't insulting her... She seems to understand, though.

"Aang was my first friend... period," he continues, knowing she knows, but— hearing it from his own mouth is something else entirely. "Not counting Mai and Uncle and Azula, y'know, they're different, but– I never really had friends until I joined Aang and the others... I've never had a friend like Aang, though — even in these places. Our destinies are linked, after all."

[avatar_state]

She wants to flail happily at that. It's such a Zuko admission. Just said in such a way, without preamble or warning. And it's familiar in a number of ways.

"I can say, with certainty, that he never had a friend like you, either."

[rediscovering]

That earns a half-smile from the prince, charmed, touched, uncertain of the future, but glad to have at least this much knowledge of it. Especially after so long without seeing Aang, boom reassured tp any degree that they're still fiends, it warms his heart in a way that's been much needed for a long time.

"You know— my other friend... the first friend I made in that other world," he continues, smirk still in place, "...I think he was an Avatar, too. In his world. What are the chances the first friend I make in another world happens to be some kind of Avatar? It's not like I go around accusing people of being Avatars all the time. Our destinies are definitely tied, too, somehow. I guess I'm meant to find the Avatar wherever I go..."

[avatar_state]

She arched an eyebrow.

"In our lives? The ones ruled by...destiny and prophecies? I think the chances are pretty much guaranteed."

She laughed a bit at the latter idea.

"I would give you so much money to do it, of course..."

[rediscovering]

He smirks at that. Like he'd ever want that.

"My first two best friends are both the Avatar, I mean— at least I didn't have to try too hard to find him that time..." He pauses, smiling softly still at a sudden remembrance. It'd been so easy to befriend 'Avatar' Gokudera, and Zuko'd downright convinced himself of his crackpot theory about the other boy's powers. He could wax on in detail about it and had many times to the poor boy. What's more, he felt he had inexplicable proof, even beyond all the strange narrative similarities and parallels their lives shared, too.

"I, um— was sent to that place with Roku's crown... and my crown. I didn't know why, but then I realized— I was meant to give it to my friend. Like my great-grandfathers did. Sozin gave his crown to Roku when they were sixteen. And we were sixteen, too. I gave him my own crown, though." It was a poignant moment he'll never forget, even if Gokudera has forgotten in this world, by some other twist of fate. Why, exactly, he was getting into this with Korra? Well— she's just easy to talk to, maybe.

[avatar_state]

She just smiled, and listened.

"That's quite the story," she said, "and it sounds...well, sounds about right, for an Avatar-based lifestyle."

[rediscovering]

"Exactly!" he agrees, seemingly like a flip is switched conversationally, ready to open about this topic more eagerly now somehow. "Weird Avatar shit. Like— he doesn't know how he got his powers, exactly, or how they work, because they were only activated once he time-traveled into his future and took equipment his future self had made to enhance his flames in battle, so what happens in-between and how he gains them is kind of a mystery, but his past and future are inextricably linked like that...! He taught himself his own powers by instinct this way, time-traveling — he was his own master indirectly! That sounds like fucking weird Avatar shit, too, right?!"

His princely manners had also worsened slightly for hanging out with this chain-smoking, rough street kid, mafioso Avatar, apparently. Nickelodeon and its affiliates do not endorse this language.

[avatar_state]

And she just blinks a few times, listening to all of that.

"Oooook, um, maybe, but...."

She ponders how to put this.

"Language aside there, that...I dunno, it doesn't sound like any of the Avatars I've met. It just doesn't...feel right."

She has good instincts, and trusts them. And something sounds strange here.

[rediscovering]

Her remark on his language makes him flush; he hadn't even realized he'd cussed, and somehow cussing in front of the Avatar doesn't sit right now that he's already done it... He'd definitely been away a while.

"I mean— He's from another world. It's not the same," he presses, still animated. "In his world, they don't have bending, exactly; but some people have access to powers they call 'Dying Will Flames,' and it sounds like it's similar to bending conceptually, just... maybe like bending hundreds of years in the future or something," he explains, a thoughtful look drifting over his face. Zuko's clearly spent a lot of time thinking about this, the more he goes on, gesturing as he thickens out his theory.

"There, there are seven elements, not four; most people can wield only one, maybe two if they're exceptional... But he can wield five and he's the only one who can! No one knows how he can, he just can, all he knows is that he learned from the future! And the only ones he doesn't know are the one that's opposite to his nature and the one that's based in harmony, which is what his boss wields, and it's his job to protect his boss. But their destinies are obviously linked. So I think he can't learn the Sky Flames from his boss until he conquers the Mist Flames that are opposite to his Storm Flames. Mist Flames create illusions, and Storm Flames destroy — it's probably like a firebender learning waterbending!"

'Probably,' being the key word. This is all just... Zuko's hot take on Katekyo Hitman Reborn what he's heard about Gokudera's powers having never even been to this world or even seen them fully in action. No matter if he's right or wrong, it shows his unique brand of intellect working, searching for answers, imagining profundity whether it's there or not. It shows his latent conviction about whatever it is he believes in, whoever it is he cares about. Even if it's all a cockamamy crackpot theory, it's yet another insight into this passionate, hotter-blooded, younger Zuko.

[avatar_state]

It really is. She blinks a few times, trying to absorb it all, frowning.

"So it's another...planet?" she says, having latched onto that detail.

[rediscovering]

"Yeah. It's also called Earth. But it's way bigger than ours, with hundreds of countries — and hundreds of languages! My friend drew me a map. He can speak and read and write multiple languages, himself, too! And one language — 'Chinese' — looks just like our language," he explains, just as eager to indulge her curiosity in that detail, too. "I can read it. But not Japanese, which looks similar. There's clearly some connection— I just don't know what..." His face is drawn with troubled thought. This particular detail is a piece of a puzzle that just doesn't seem to fit in.

[avatar_state]

She tilts her head, managing a smile.

"Wow, you've had...a long time to think about all this, haven't you?"

[rediscovering]

"Over half a year," he says sternly, meeting her eye. This is the fun interesting stuff he's learned about that planet. He hasn't even mentioned his in-depth special interest in World War II and the Holocaust and nothing else, just that, in a vacuum which has taken up a lot of the rest of this 'long time to think.'

[avatar_state]

She nods, slowly.

"Well, nothing like in-depth study, I suppose - I'm sure you've learned a lot of useful things."

[rediscovering]

"Yeah, I think so... My friend created a secret code he writes in. Only he can read it. Well, I can spell my name in it, but—... That'd be a great idea to use when I'm Fire Lord, wouldn't it? To protect against spies and political enemies."

Because he's already banking on having lots of those.

[avatar_state]

She thinks that over, and nods.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure they do that stuff for every leader? I mean, it'd make sense - but you might want to have a secret secret code."

She beams, because that makes total sense, sentence-wise.

[rediscovering]

"That's what I mean — one that not even my advisors can read. Only me."

Clearly, Zuko's found someone just as at risk and/or just as paranoid as himself to admire and befriend.

[avatar_state]

"Y'know what might be good?" She's warming to the theme. "Produce a fake one, too. So, like, people spend all their time trying to get the cypher or whatever of the secret code, and it's just this jibberish one they'll never figure out!"

[rediscovering]

Zuko's all but got a lightbulb going off above his head, face open in admiring surprise.

"You're right! That's brilliant!"

She's taking this a lot more lightheartedly than he is already.

[avatar_state]

Lookit that, she has Helped the Government. Sort of.

"Really? Fantastic!"

mind if we end here? i could go on 5ever with these two but my inbox is getting swamped lately, boo.

[rediscovering]

He skips a beat, then smirks, her last reincarnation's words to him on their first life-changing field trip together echoing in his memory vaguely as they fall out of his own mouth in turn.

"You know, you're pretty smart," he remarks, glancing her way. "...Avatar Korra."