avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 6

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 6

Check out the OOC intro meme for this month to say hi to new players/characters!

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A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival

KERPLUNK, SPLASH!

Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. 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 mossatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Mossatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plant life growing on its back. While some are fully green, many sport blooming flowers or fairy circles 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, a pair of earbuds, and animal-themed ponchos 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. Which given the fact that it's pouring down rain in April? Not ideal. You were only given ponchos, not rain boots.

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.

Unfortunately, due to a bee infestation and massive amounts of rain, the hot springs of the Red Springs are not available this month! Instead, an underground salt cave is offered as a way to relax and unwind. Gather around in the rejuvenating, dimly lit caves and breathe in the relaxing effects of salt crystals. Feel the sand between your toes, or if you don't like sand, try one of the many pools with tiny garra rufa for a fish pedicure. Or, lie down in a recliner and stare up at the "stars"-- magic sparkles in the ceiling that move to spell out single-word concepts you may be experiencing. (Maybe you're relaxed? You might get something like "Chill." Find your relaxation buddy hot? Just be careful to look away before the stars spell "Thirsty" to the whole room.)

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 it turns out, a mythical land that's been around for a few centuries has a few things in common with many modern worlds. It's got the internet, and games have evolved a little bit past hoop trundling and draughts. April, being the traditional month of mirth and games and lots of rain making it hard to have fun outdoors, is the time for Camelot City Gaming Convention, affectionately shortened to CameCon. Come into the large convention center located in the south part of town, get dry, and check out some of the awesome things to do.

A ⦿ Couchless Co-Op

Fighting games

NASTAR Racing Game

rhythm dance game

Grand Theft Automation

really

B ⦿ Arthurian RP in your Arthurian RP

LARP as their favorite Knight of the Round Table

rock-paper-scissors-magic

dress-up

props that will magically give you sword skills

picnic on the concrete floor

C ⦿ It Figures...

A convention isn't a convention without a little shopping. Come check out what cool games are upcoming in the exhibit hall, buy figurines of your favorite game characters (or.. new ones you've never heard of since this is a new world, but are still cute and/or kick-ass), and most importantly, check out the cool magic you can apply to them. A spell available for purchase in the convention hall that's popular this year is Recipe: Figure Anima, which makes your figures move in place and say popular lines as if they're an actual, miniature version of the character. It's recommended you practice while you're in the convention hall though so figure experts can help if things go.. awry. People have been known to have their own emotions influence the spell, and sometimes toys have started taking on the attitude of the caster. There's nothing quite as tragic as your favorite angelic game character telling you they're gonna kick your ass because you were in a fighting mood. So OOC. Maybe you can find someone who's a little better at magic to fix the problem?

Of course, when the rain breaks through and floods the exhibition room, there's a lot of mass hysteria as people scream and climb up onto tables, trying to protect their merch above all else. Hurry, help someone else up onto your table before their ent dakimakura they just purchased gets wet! Only you can save the gamers from water! ..Or that's what you thought, until a second later the electricity goes out and you're left in a total electricity blackout in the convention hall. It may be a good idea to use some magic to try to light the way and find a way out of the flooded hall...

A ⦿ Keep Your Vines to Yourselves

overgrowth of prehensile, very friendly vines

destructive magic

without

tickle the person the vines have captured

B ⦿ Selfies with Selkies

very, very large flower

Take a trip up to the Archivist

Cereus de Anima

the Silent Shore

shirtless selkie

take a selfie

eventually

a cottage on the other side of the Pure of Heart Bridge

old man that Morganna tried to kill and save in a quest a couple of months ago

C ⦿ The Answer is No

Back in Camelot City, it seems that anyone who's been touched by the vines has been replaced by a doppelganger in their lives. They're just barely off from the original- they have all the memories, but may be slightly more skilled at things they didn't used to be, or may seem to make less ethical choices than they might otherwise. There's just something slightly off. But when people start using AOL to contact their friends and let them know they've been gone.. well, it may seem like the jig is up, or at least in question.

Those who find out they've been replaced may want to return to Camelot quickly to try to reclaim their lives. Doppelgangers will attempt to kill their original if they come into contact with them when they aren't around other people, so you may need to flee for your life if you haven't gotten good enough at magic to defend yourself yet. Around other people, the doppelgangers will do their best to try to prove themselves the real person and since they were made from the original, will have the same memories as the original character so asking questions that "only ___ would know" may not work. Eventually it will come out that the doppelgangers have occasionally wriggling vines instead of spines underneath their clothing, if you're willing to check that to see who's real, but that won't be common knowledge.

What can be found out from the old man at the Pure of Heart bridge if you choose to leave your doppelganger alone is that Cereus de anima doppelgangers can only live for a month without killing their original and absorbing the rest of their essence. However, if the original plant isn't taken care of with a special venom you can only obtain from certain creatures in the Forest of the Fisher King, the problem will just keep happening over and over until the city is overrun and becomes nothing but a breeding ground for the flower and its replicas.

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.
• You can have any animal-style poncho you want! They are themed, not made from actual animals. No animals have been harmed in the making of these ponchos!!
• TIMELINE: The resolution to the third prompt will be in April's event! The first two prompt sets will be during the first week of the month. The doppelganger problem and obnoxious traveling and research will be occurring for the second and third weeks of the month.
• People with green magic may be able to fill something off about the doppelgangers, but may not be able to identify what it is right away. Blood mages will be able to feel that their blood feels the same as the original as they are essentially copies. Cognitive people will be able to use their magic normally except for hypnotic suggestion- the doppelgangers are immune to it, so while you may be able to find other ways to out them, hypnotizing people to tell the truth won't work this time. Doppelgangers are made from the essence of the person, so they will be able to access their phones and accounts. Note that the Cereus de Anima and doppelgangers are not fairies and cannot be contracted with. If a Death Mage attempts to possess a doppelganger, it will technically come in contact with the doppelganger's vine and may end up with more than one doppelganger depending on how many times they try it. Siphon magic can be used to destroy a doppelganger easily, however, the essence that was stolen from the original's soul may be destroyed in the process so it is not recommended as the original may start to feel as though they are no longer a whole person.
• 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. Make sure to read the Red Spring section on this month's even if you're normally familiar-- the springs are closed this month, check out the alternate prompts!
• Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

"Hm. I'm sure it'll find you. If you try to call it, it can kind of— not exactly read your mind, but... You share a connection," he explains, brow furrowing in turn. His face lights up a bit, another demonstration occurring to him.

"Do you wanna meet my familiar?" A hint of a smirk grows on his face at the idea. This would be exciting to introduce Aang to Zunyan... The two boys share their own special connection that will surely make Zuko's familiar all the more impressive, after all.

What? Enchanted glass? [ Geralt rotates the thing in his hand, watching the image projected onto it turn with his movements. The fact that he's referred to it as enchanted probably answers that. ]

Some mages have scrying glasses or megascopes. They don't exactly store your coin, though.

[ Or play captured images. He's not certain if he trusts it to hold his money. Even a bank gives you coins you can hold in your hand. ]

[ Despite his protests, Geralt is surprisingly patient and still while she works, now that she's convinced him to let her do it. He watches her quietly, with a faint curiosity. She doesn't ask what happened, which is for the best. Geralt's not certain how to explain it beyond Got bit.

It does feel better, once she puts on the finishing touches. He shakes his head, already starting to stand back up. ]

Thanks. [ It holds his weight easier. Geralt shoulders his bag once more. Damn rain hasn't let up. They're both soaking wet now. ]

I won't hold you up. [ He imagines she'd rather be indoors somewhere. ]

One day, these two idiots might even figure out healthy expressions of emotion. (Today is not that day. Tomorrow doesn't look good either.)

"Okay, a ten-foot drop onto solid ground would suck a lot more, but still." There are much smoother ways to do this than 'dunk everyone in a lake.'

"Haven't had that damn thing with me since before the last place I was stuck. Or time to try it yet, dumbass. Good to know, though."

So he shouldn't try the mask variant he picked up in Liminal Space, either. Oh well. He never needed his Persona to cause havoc if havoc's what's called for.

Practice setting people on fire first. Got it.

[Is that not what she should be getting from that?]

...I'm more of a fire person. I don't need the rest.

They're ostensibly peacekeepers. But when the city is so overcrowded it can't feed or house all of its citizens, keeping the peace becomes a protection racket. If you can't pay or otherwise leverage your way into the cops' good graces, then you'll find yourself on the receiving end of their whips.

[ That's just the way things are on the street. Battle School was a welcome respite from that life, but it was by no means a utopia, either.

Would he play Go with Oda Nobunaga? He'd have to be an idiot to pass up the opportunity, even if he doesn't like games. ]

Let's find out where we are and how to get back, before we go playing board games.

Bombs don't care. That's why they're monsters, not animals.

[That is certainly a direction she can take from that, and Klaudia laughs a little at the confirmation. It's a joke, right? Sort of? Well, she seems amused whether it's a joke or not.]

You don't want to try out different things? Maybe you could hit someone with lightning and set them on fire. There's possibilities~

Why was she covering her chest? It's not like he could see down that strange kimono of hers.

Hmm.... And the girl appears to have a low self esteem. Not to mentioned sheltered if she didn't know what a performer was. "You don't what a performer is? It's one who performs, like a musician, dancer, singer, or even an actor. Surely you're familiar with those terms."

She is nervous and scared. It is a calming gesture to her. And why are you trying to look down her dress?!

Shhhhh! You notice nothing about her self-esteem! When he mentions the other terms, she just blushes even more. Beorcs seem to have so many strange words. "I only heard of singers."

Old habits?

[... Are you some street ~~rat~~ monkey dodging the guards while singing about it?]

Finding my way around, picking up some odd jobs here and there, maybe getting back into stage performances...

[... Thieving from thieves and uptight noblemen.]

... I was part of a troupe for years.

[ Corwin had intended to walk through with him, but-- nope. There he goes. And once Geralt passes through, the portal closes behind him, leaving Corwin standing alone in the rain. ]

Great.

[ He sighs, turning to remount his horse. ]

What a lovely conversationalist.

...I guess that'd be kinda cool.

I'm shouting because I don't know where I am or how I got here! Faster than light speed travel should be impossible in and of itself, and this wasn't just faster than light, it was instantaneous. I've never heard of anything human with psychic capabilities, so apparently you're something impossible, too.

[ He's just ranting now, which is pointless and frustrating. He sighs, going into his calming routine in his head. ]

Not what again? What do you know?

[ Bean already knows that this place involves people from multiple universes. It's an area of theoretical physics he's never allotted much time or energy to thinking about, because it's always been just theoretical before. But this older boy is talking in a way that seems both familiar to Bean, and utterly foreign. ]

What Alliance?

[ He wants to say something to counter the assertion that soldiers would be better off dying in battle. Not only would that be a waste of resources on an ultimate level, but it's shortsighted. At least with a mutiny, the soldiers are still accomplishing something. They live to fight more battles, albeit battles with a different aim. ]

I still don't understand what we're even supposed to be doing to get back to where we belong. And, I don't think the people in charge understand it, either.

Because of magic?

[Of course you will. If only that were true.

But it's awfully hard to maintain low spirits with the god of wine around, so the stars only have a moment to spell WISTFUL before they're shifting back to EXCITED]

It really does. And so many incredible devices, I have to wonder whether even Daedalus ever conceived of anything like them. Imagine if we were able to keep these phone things when we go back home!

That is quite the blinding smile. Either this guy really likes wine or he just enjoys being useful. Both? It could be both. In any case, the man's request sounds reasonable. "Mm. I'll just get my –"

son to make it, he was going to say. Chang Geng, endlessly talented, would naturally be able to make wine. But would he? Even assuming he agreed, he'd sooner sell it rather than let Gu Yun have any.

He clears his throat. "Uh... I'll find someone in town to make it, unless you know how. Hold your arms up higher."

Monks. [YEAH. He gets it. Kind of. Except Bean probably wasn't genocidal towards cops. Presumably.]

You're eager to get back already? [SOME PEOPLE HE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!]

[Jyushi listens to Hitoya, thinking about how he had been here for a month. By now, everything has been explained to Jyushi about how time seems a little weird here so of course it wouldn't seem like a month since Jyushi heard from Hitoya at all.

Really, Jyushi wouldn't allow it to be a month.

He's about to say something but when he looks into the room, he sees Amanda on the bed and runs to her so he can hug her to him with a smile.] Amanda! Did you miss me? Hitoya-san's here so you're okay now. Look, look! Look at this view. [And then he's running to the window to have Amanda look out to it.] It is a little different from Nagoya, huh? But it's okay. It's a new experience so we just have to try our best.

[He turns back to look at Hitoya, still smiling.] Right?

See. Magic is cool~

[She's not grinning at all, nope.]

Or what about-- What about freezing someone to the ground with ice and then stabbing them? Or, or-- You could just drop a boulder on someone out of nowhere. [A pause.] A flaming boulder!

[...that's still not her fault though?

Still, she's old enough and wise enough to know that it wasn't really her he was mad at.]

Well, we're both not sure how we got here so that makes two of us.

[She drew a circle in the air as she tried to explain.]

I don't know for sure but this seems to be one of those weird...alternate or other world bullshit where people end up in another world. Maybe? I mean, it's only happened to me once...twice, I guess but the other time really doesn't count. It's like... [She paused for a moment, her brows creasing.] If that is what's happening then I still have no idea how we got here though.

Gu Yun can't see the man's lips move, but the rejection is plain in the attitude of his body.

No doubt — a scholar without the strength to truss a chicken, who's probably never journeyed far from home, must find all of this overwhelming. "Lost" indeed. Little wonder he's hidden himself in an empty cavern, to soothe himself with something familiar: playing his qin. This kind of behavior, withdrawing like this, Gu Yun sees it sometimes in young recruits, particularly on the eve of battle.

Gu Yun hangs upon his features the smile he uses in such situations, confident and easy, as if the sky falling would be no more than a warm blanket. He says with a chuckle, "All right. Mm, don't let me stop you, it's been ages since I've heard anybody play. Oh — don't mind me, I'm just going to put in some peach trees."

On cue, a host of little shoots arise from the cavern floor.

[Jyushi has a feeling he shouldn't talk about the more violent stories there were about him and should probably just feed his ego.]

Well, um, we know you where I come from as the first great unifier of Japan...? And your military skills were really impressive.

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 6

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