TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 6

[avalonmods]

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

{ 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 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 Without the massive audiences required to really run MMORPGs, Avalon is much more a fan of couch co-op style gaming. Though most games are available on mobile devices throughout Avalon when they are released, there's nothing quite like coming to CameCon to utilize the gaming stages for everyone's favorite fighting games. Multiple players at a time can plug in their phones and connect their accounts to a light magic-based illusion stage (powered by multiple light mages at a time, once a year only!) roughly the size of a basketball court. Fighting games can be played tournament-style on the phone next to your opponent for some awesome trash talk during your battle. Race through space with this year's popular NASTAR Racing Game (National Association for Space Travel Auto Racing) game and fight off space pirates in an epic Mario Kart-esque racing and item battle adventure with your choice of star ship. Or plug your phone into the stage podium and get away from the humdrum fantasy life by joining in a live-movement game that combines synchronous kinetic and light magic. Move your body in the vortex illusion of your favorite rhythm dance game with a buddy! Or maybe you're more into the free-style gaming of Grand Theft Automation with both friends and strangers-- step onto the illusionary stage itself to explore crawling cityscapes and live the life of crime you always dreamed of... at least the cops won't really arrest you if you do it here. Just make sure if you use magic you remember you're on a stage and don't accidentally send some flying off at a poor convention go-er just past the illusion stage. B ⦿ Arthurian RP in your Arthurian RP None can forget one of the most important of game types: the roleplaying game. There's a huge historical set game going on right now where characters can LARP as their favorite Knight of the Round Table. There may be a couple of arguments if two Lancelots end up in the same game, but don't worry, there's a fair way of determining who gets the part for this game if you don't want to wait for the next storyline: rock-paper-scissors-magic. Instead of the traditional version of RPS, you shake your fists and open up to whatever hand-held spell you can make with your particular brand of magic. If it's something that can overcome the other kind in less than three seconds, you're the winner. (And yes, even healers can play-- some protective magic to block a dark magic pain curse is definitely going to win out, for example!) Either way, once your role is decided, put your acting skills to the test! ...and if you don't have any, well, they have costumes that will help you get into the mood with a little dress-up and props that will magically give you sword skills... though only while using the dull-edged plastic props. Or you can just sit on the sidelines and have a picnic on the concrete floor of the center with a potential new pal and watch other people play-- there's a lovely little buffet table with pastries, coffee, and juice in the corner. 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 With magic blossoming left and right because of the bountiful spring equinox rituals, things have been getting a little stranger around the Broceliande. Though it's always been known for being a little odd, there is an overgrowth of prehensile, very friendly vines populating the forest now. The vines seem to have minds of their own, sometimes grabbing people, pulling them up into trees, or generally wrapping around them as if trying to get a warm hug. Ultimately, they seem relatively harmless.. except when you can't get down from them. Hopefully, you've got some kind of destructive magic that can help you fight off the overly friendly vines as you head into the forest to investigate the strange reports citizens have been making of their friends and family disappearing in the generally friendly, if odd forest when they've gone to fetch herbs or other supplies, gone on walks, or who knows what else from the forest. It seems like the best way to get the vines to let go without magic is to tickle the person the vines have captured, so you really better hope you're ticklish... and there's someone willing to really go in on it. It takes a lot of laughter to get these vines to leave you alone! B ⦿ Selfies with Selkies Those who continue on with their investigation after avoiding or escaping the vines will find a very, very large flower that seems to have taken route in a sink hole in the middle of the forest. Hundreds of vines seem to be coming from it, and it seems like this flower may be the source of all of the vines throughout the forest. It won't attack unless you attack it first and it seems to almost immediately regrow any vines that are destroyed. If the flower itself is attacked, it will rise up and attempt to eat your character with thousands of tiny shark-like teeth that lie where the pollen of its flower should be. Those who try to fight will find it seems virtually unkillable and immovable. It is neither plant nor animal and seems to have a thousand minds and souls held within it that somehow feel incomplete, so it's largely incommunicable even with cognitive or death magic. It's definitely a strange find, and it could be easy enough to assume the missing people tried aggression as their first tactic and got gobbled up... Take a trip up to the Archivist will lead them to find a book that includes information on the species: The Cereus de Anima. This giant flower rapidly grows when a seed from the Land of Rot transfers via someone's clothing to an appropriate forest environment and is known to absorb a piece of a person's essence from anyone it touches with its vines. People often seem to go missing for a short period of time when one of these appears, then come back behaving a little differently but ultimately don't seem to be in distress. No one is quite sure what the cause of this is. There doesn't seem to be any record of there being lasting damage, however questionable the plant is... The Archivist, upon seeing you researching the plant, says that he's heard some of the lake's residents just off of the Silent Shore have some experience with one. He hands you a couple baskets of some specially anti-rust enchanted parts and tells you he was supposed to deliver them to a Selkie man living in the lake for a project he's working on. You and a partner can make the delivery and ask your questions from him. The Selkie isn't going to be particularly friendly to fellow men, not trusting human men farther than he can throw them, but will decidedly try to seduce women as Selkie men are known to be extremely handsome and flirtatious with human women. Non-humans he will be neutral toward. It's best to go in pairs so you don't end up on a whirlwind candlelit beach picnic with a shirtless selkie in exchange for information about how to uproot a Cereus de Anima. (At the very least, the selkie will want you to take a selfie with him before you leave so that you have something to remember him by, and you'll always be welcome back if you change your mind.) Regardless of how much of a challenge it is for you to get to that point, as long as he gets the delivery from the Archivist, he'll eventually tell you and your traveling partner about how he heard that there used to be a village at the edge of the Dusklight Woods that was overrun with one of them, and that there's only one survivor who moved to in a cottage on the other side of the Pure of Heart Bridge.. Those familiar, yes, it is the old man that Morganna tried to kill and save in a quest a couple of months ago! Time to travel all the way back to the Pure of Heart bridge and make your way over to the cottage and talk to the man and it sure seems like this quest is long and tedious and you may be wondering if someone will have noticed you're gone... 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.

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[avalonmods]

Shinjiro Aragaki | P3 Portable/Synodiporia CRAU

[fruitknife]

Arrival A

A resounding "What the fuck" can be heard around the lake as soon as Shinji has the air to voice it. Because seriously: what the fuck. Which of the goddamn Arcana thought this was a good way to wrap up everything?

...On second thought, Liminal Space is never this... coherent. Even the weird over-friendly manatees are on-theme, and there's not a second theme in sight. And, in sentences he literally never thought he'd have use for, his head is too quiet.

God, what now.

As he approaches the stairs, a moth-looking dude joins him, which gets a brief smile. "Oh, hey. Minako lurking around somewhere?"

Mothman chirps, clearly confused, and Shinji sighs. Of course she isn't.

Arrival B

It takes some digging, but he rustles up a white poncho that may or may not have dog ears. Koromaru didn't make the trip with him, for whatever reason, so he'll do what he can in the meantime.

For some reason, the explanation of what's brought everyone here makes Shinji bury his face in his hands and groan in frustration. (The reason... probably won't make sense to anyone, but he'll explain if they ask.)

Arrival C

At least whoever's stuck sharing a room with Shinji will eat well, even if they don't have much in the way of conversation. The first thing he does is dig into that mini-fridge, trying to figure out what he can do with its contents and only a microwave.

He does wander down and check out the salt cave after a while. Peaceful contemplation isn't really his thing, but he could use the space to think.

That lasts right up until he notices the ceiling mocking him, which it must be doing because it didn't say LONELY when he came in. "Oh, fuck off."

The ceiling shifts to BELLIGERENT. Shinji flips it off and looks away.

Vines C

Oh, what he wouldn't give for an axe right about now. But Shinji doesn't have that, just a Mothman who seems to think he can do magic (yeah right) and a very, very low bullshit tolerance.

Worst case, maybe Mothman could eat the doppelgangers or something. The first Mothman he knew sure had an appetite for flowers, anyway.

Network

What, and I say this with feeling, the fuck. Was this Tower's fucking extinction burst or something?

Where's a guy get cooking ingredients around here, anyway?

(OOC: So, such timing here. I will be out of the house most of the day tomorrow and getting round one of The Vaccine, so possibly knocked flat by that all weekend... BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.)

Zidane Tribal | Final Fantasy IX

[tantailizing]

[I. Soaking in Your Arrival]

[Of all the things he'd been expecting, this wasn't it. A plunge into an unknown body of water, meeting a gorgeous Lady leading around some odd green creatures (though, they were super friendly, he gets it), and now, standing on the shores of this similarly unknown beach.]

[Eh, at least there were moogles here. Maybe he could try sending a letter?]

[Nonetheless - standing on the beach - he was taking a moment to wring out his clothes and whip water off his hair and tail. If he accidentally got anyone else in the process, he doesn't mean to; it's not like someone left them towels, and he's not hiking up a cliff in wet clothes. Soaking boots were bad enough...]


[II. The Caravan to Camelot]

[Zidane had... no idea what he's been handed. A small rectangular box? What was this little boad? What the hell are earbuds? He doesn't even question the poncho and just put it on, ignoring how it made him look like a monkey - er, more like one.]

[After listening to Archimedes explanation, he would move to the side, still trying to figure out the weird rectangle with letters and numbers on it, looking completely confused. His moog- familiar seemed to get it, but things were happening on it that he didn't get at all. A quick glance around, he'll approach the nearest person.]

Hey, do you think you could help me out?

[Later, should he find himself sharing a seat with someone unfamiliar, they might find themselves the unfortunate subject to the curious teen poking the console, turning on the heat or AC, then turning them off... and then making the mini-bar appear and disappear.]


[III. The Red Springs]

[Zidane doesn't immediately mean to be a nuisance, but the mini-fridge? The microwave? The TV? Oh yeah, he'd be messing with them for a while. At least he's not as curious about the bathroom, but he would totally understand being thrown out.]

[Buuuut, once he's done messing around with the room, he decided to have a look around. Hot springs might be closed, but the salt cave? Alright, he'll have a look around!]

[Sure enough, plenty to do to relax, but he'll eventually wander his way out and over to the Training Grounds. He knows magic, but he didn't know if the magic here would be the same. He might as well try figuring it out, and figuring his own powers. But who wouldn't mind showing him the ropes?]


[IV. QuestBoard - Salacious Sailors]

[Did he mean to take this Quest? Not really. In fact, how he reached the Dark Web at all might as well be anyone's guess. Well, maybe he happened to overhear some people talking about it and wanted to have a look. Still, taking the Quest was an accident.]

[But dressing up as a sailor? Sneaking into a party? Maybe kidnapping a pirate captain and stealing his ships? Honestly, sounded like fun to him~ He didn't like the idea of taking the captain's life, but what about bringing him in and taking the ships?]

[Hehe, sounded better to him.]

[In the middle of the rager, Zidane's going to see about keeping the drinks coming and making this party a knock out. He might be a little dumb when it comes to technology, but he could rig a ship and prepare it to sail no problem. Though, glancing around, he couldn't be the only one doing this task...]


[V. Wildcard]

[OOC: I don't mind doing other prompts, but I didn't want to make this too long (I probably failed that already)! Open to DMs to plot other ideas and play them out!]

Network| un; Rocketman

[vrepit_no]

Tower...? Like the tarot card?

[Is he even allowed to get his hopes up at this point? Maybe just a little wary optimism.]

Aang | Avatar the Last Airbender

[all_the_aangles]

Arrival A

The sensation of falling isn't what surprises him. It's that he can't airbend his way out of the fall. The water is a shocking cold, but then there is a blur of sensation including...sea cows? Or something he's never quite seen before.

Some time later, he's sitting on the beach, trying to puzzle it all out. He's tried everything, straining his way through one stance and another. Nothing. Not even a whuff of air. His bending abilities are gone - he can't sense any of the things that make him the Avatar.

For the first ten minutes, sitting there with the only sound being the lapping of water at his feet, this troubles him deeply. Then another thought occurs to him, the answer to the question: 'who is the Avatar without the abilities of the Avatar?'

And the answer is, of course, 'Aang.' Which is when he's suddenly on his feet, whooping in delight and doing a backflip before diving into the water and just swimming around with a laugh. Oh, there's a mystery to be solved here, surely. With his luck, too, probably some evil that needs defeating. But, for these few minutes, he can just be Aang again. No great destiny, no fates to balance - he can jut be a sixteen year old kid, at the beach.

He's seldom felt so free. Dancing with Katara, perhaps, but - seldom this free.

Arrival - The Caravan to Camelot

This place has certainly been an education. The...weird portal thing had been bad enough. Opening that up and receiving a faceful of his clothes had been fine. Then a whole Appa flying through at speed directly behind it had been...more abrupt.

But then Appa had shrunk. One minute he was his full, usual size, then his whole body had given a sneeze and...shrunk down to about the size of a golden retriever. His head was currently on Aang's lap as he hung his legs off the back of the cart. As far as Appa looked like anything, he looked non-plussed. He wasn't big enough to intimidate anymore, but the amount of cooing and petting he was getting was some compensation

Meanwhile, Aang was trying to figure out the...thing he'd been given. The 'smart phone', though his attempts to engage it in conversation had so far been fruitless.

He tried shaking it, frowning at it.

Matsunaga Hisahide | Samurai warriors

[slyderman]

Arrival

[Prior to his arrival, Matsunaga had been stumbling about the remains of a burning temple completely overtaken by the euphoria of having murdered a handful of people he really, really hated. This post-murder euphoria had lead him to stumble through the burning building with explosives in hand; while that went about as well as could be expected, the feeling of being dropped into the water on arrival is the furthest possible sensation he expected considering his previous circumstances, which makes the sudden dip in the bay extra jarring.

He chokes out water, he flails his arms trying to right himself and, perhaps worst of all, he's assaulted (read: harmlessly played with, which he isn't receptive to in the least) by a bunch of strange creatures. Matsunaga eventually manages to get himself ashore, pulls himself to his feet and turns back towards the water still a little overwhelmed.]

Kah! Where on earth--?! Don't tell me...this can't be hell?!

[Not "the afterlife", he seems pretty convinced where he'd end up.]

Caravan

[Now a bit more informed and a bit less disoriented, Matsunaga sits awaiting the departure of the caravan to lead them to Camelot. However, he finds the whole situation...is really far more amusing than he could have dreamed it being upon arrival. If you're unfortunate enough to be sat opposite him, you'll witness Matsunaga lean forward a bit to cover his face with his hand...then he breaks out into a laugh on the other side of the carriage, throwing his head back dramatically.]

How absurd! Asking Avalon's greatest villain [Already decided on his new title, this guy.] to help save the world? Worlds?! Kyahahaha! It's far from cliche, I'll give them that!

[End of the Vine]
A

[Here, Matsunaga comes across a fellow arrival ensnared by the vines populating the forest. Whether his attention is intentionally called for or not, he looks up at the forest's prisoner with a smile, some fake pity, and then a dramatic turn and gesture.]

How terrible! To think that such a fate would befall you, so soon after your arrival...but worry not! [He turns back to the prisoner in question, holding his hand up to eye level as a flame ignites in his palm.] I'll get you down.

B

[Or...Matsunaga himself is the one who's been ensnared; he's wriggling constantly in his attempt to get free, but it's a fairly fruitless struggle on his part. He just can't bring himself to roll over and let an overgrown pest get the better of him.]

GAH! PREPOSTEROUS! RIDICULOUS! IF YOU DON'T LET GO OF ME RIGHT NOW, I'LL MAKE MULCH OUT OF YOU! AND YOUR PLANT SPOUSE! AND YOUR SEED CHILDREN! I'LL BURN THIS WHOLE FOREST-- [Oh hey, someone passing by.] GET ME DOWN FROM HEREEEEEEE!!!!!

oh god IC usernames, the bane of my existence, watch this take 6 months

[fruitknife]

Yeah.

But also no. Guess there was some chicken-egg bullshit goin' on.

Bean/Julian Delphiki | Enderverse

[justlittle]

[ ooc: Bean is 7 years old and his canon contains CWs for child soldiers, child homelessness, food insecurity, human experimentation, children killing other children, and genocide. If any of this would put you off of tagging Bean, you can opt-out here. I will match prose or brackets. Hit me up @ millennialfalcon or ©hris#9103 if none of the starters appeal to you and you would like to plot something else! ]

Arrival

[ Bean doesn't know how to swim. He's never had opportunity to learn, having gone straight from living on the streets of Rotterdam, to Battle School in orbit around Earth, to the asteroid Eros. They don't have room for swimming pools at military installations in space. Theoretically, he understands the principles of how swimming works. The body needs to remain afloat, with the head above the surface, so as not to inhale water instead of air and die. Bean is very good at not dying, but some circumstances are beyond even him.

And so, there is a small child, thrashing and flailing in the otherwise calm bay waters, gasping for air in fits and spurts. Maybe you can play lifeguard and help him get to shore. If you'd rather just stand there and watch him drown, well-- too bad. The mossatees will step in if no one else does, allowing him to grab a hold of the moss on their backs as they tow him to shore.

Either way, he ends up on the beach, coughing up water and panting, trying to catch his breath. It's clear he's in the throes of panic, but he recovers quickly, balling his tiny hands into fists and closing his eyes, drawing in slow breaths as he counts to ten. Soon enough he's back in control over his body, enough at least to look around and decide... he has no idea where he is or how he got here. ]

Alright. Where are we?

Network

USERNAME: ^Graff

We've been told that the rest of the universe is frozen in time. I believe that even less than I believe all this talk about "magic." It's like no one here has ever heard of Arthur C Clarke. The only thing I do believe is that the people who claim to be in charge are keeping something from us. Most notably, whatever "sufficiently advanced" tech they have that would have been able to pull us all here instantaneously. Until a few days ago, I didn't think anything could travel faster than light. I will accept that I've been proven wrong on that front. The evidence (me being here, nowhere near where I was when I woke up this morning) is indisputable.

So. Tell me. What should I know? I don't like going into a mission blind, and these "Avalonians" have turned off my viewscreen.

-END.

[ And then, a minute or so later: ]

ADDENDUM-

The little dragon is cute, though I can't help but think it's someone's idea of a joke.

CameCon pt. I

Bean has never been to a gaming convention. Nor has he had any desire to. The whole concept of video games is only something he was introduced to in the past year or two, and even then only in the context of a teaching tool, or a method of psychoanalysis. He doesn't trust anyone who gives kids a game to play and claims it's 'just for fun.' But, after watching the flashy gameplay of the fighting and RPG games, watching the players closely, as well as the staff working the display, he can find no logical ulterior motive. Maybe it is 'just for fun' after all.

That, and only that, is the reason why he decides to give the space piloting game a try. Commanding ships via a computer screen is literally what Bean is trained for, and he's the best at it. (He's the best at a lot of things, grant you, but he's especially the best at space ship maneuvering and tactics.) Some people might be mad that a measly kid who looks like he can't be more than four (even though he is) is defeating all comers, but Bean takes every win in stride. He doesn't gloat, he doesn't show off. He wins a match, then waits patiently for the next taker.

"Do you want a go? I promise I won't go easy on you."

Bean... That's not a very reassuring promise.

CameCon pt. II

[ When the convention hall begins to flood, Bean is among the first to climb on a table. He's only three and a half feet tall, after all. He's already had one near-drowning so far, he doesn't want to have another, with the added chance of being trampled under a panicking mob. He's mildly upset when the lights go out, as he had been scanning the scene, trying to find the most direct path to the exits so he could beat a quick retreat. Thankfully, he has light magic, or so he's been told. He has yet to actually try to use it.

He holds up a hand, concentrating on visualizing what he wants, and-- There it goes! A small ball of light appears above his outstretched fingertips. Now that he knows what it feels like, he calls on that line of thinking again, letting the light grow bigger and brighter, sending it out over the crowd to light the way. Realizing that the vast majority of con-goers are still panicking and splashing about in the dark, he figures he would have a better chance of making it out of here unharmed if he teams up with someone bigger. (And let's face it, pretty much everyone here is bigger than Bean.)

He turns to whoever is standing nearby, offering: ] I'll light the way if you make sure I don't get run over by the stampeding masses.

Vaan | Final Fantasy XII | Elemental and Technomancy | Familiar is Firemane

[idleskypirate]

[ooc: Firemanes looks like this]

Arrival

[Vaan patted the fiery horse in amazement. Not only was it way smaller than the one he fought in the Garamsythe Waterway, but it was also cool to the touch? And nicer? It whinnied in contentment, feelers pressing warmly against Vaan's bare arm. This was insane. But he couldn't deny it felt good given the chilly air and his lack of a proper shirt. Although would it have mattered given he was completely waterlogged? He had his wet shirt over other arm to testify this. He had rung it out but there was really no point in putting it back on.]

C'mon, let's go see where everyone else is going and get some answers.

[It snorted with a nod and followed along as Vaan made his way to where it seemed people were headed up. Although he did notice a few people seemed to be having trouble with those plant water creatures? He hurried over to someone and tried to shove the thing off of them.]

Hey, c'mon, give 'em room to breathe!

[Geez, this thing was heavy!]

Training Grounds

Hah!

[It was a different kind of magick, but magick nonetheless. It was all the elements too, some black magicks it seemed like. His fireman watched in satisfaction as the dummy lit up on fire, because of course it was happy about that. Vaan guessed that he was casting maybe the basic level stuff like Fire, Water, etc.

Vaan concentrated and soon had a bubble of water splashing over the dummy, putting out the fire for the most part. He cast it once more and it was out completely.]

Doesn't seem too different, huh? Wonder how long it'll take me to master 'em all again.

[The fireman snorted with a nod, hopefully not too long!]

Can I learn anything else like White or Time magicks? Or am I stuck with Black?

[It shook its head, nope. Stuck with black magicks. Figures.]

Wildcard

[The other prompts seem fun as well and even some of the quests, so if you'd rather do some of those, just hit me up in a PM and we can hash something out!]

IV

[idleskypirate]

[Zidane wasn't the only one who stumbled upon this. And even without Penelo, he was going to go all out if he could! The bounty on his head back home was high for a reason, after all. Thanks Balthier-senpai Of course, he needed to see this party so he could work out a plan. It was easy enough to recon the area, the captain, and the ships.

It was just a matter of actually getting anything in motion to happen. Of course, it wasn't hard to hone in on Zidane and realize that this was likely a fellow thief. His movements, and the fact that he looked like none of the other sailors (was that a monkey tail?) in this place. He had long since learned to trust his gut, so once he was able to lock eyes with the other, he tilted his head to the side and put a finger to his lips. Speak in private?]

[tantailizing]

[Sure enough, doesn't take too long to spot the odd one out like himself. Heck, even if he has his tail, no one else was looking at him that hard. He quirked the corner of his lips and faintly nodded back, taking one more look around. Party's already going so dipping off to the side to talk wouldn't be that big a deal...]

[It only took him a moment to sneak away and he waited for the other guy to join him.]

IV

[blackabyss]

[Zidane is not the only one doing this task. If he looks over, he'll notice another not-quite-human-looking figure also nearby, though he looks a little more shifty and wary as he goes about his own tasks. But he'd noticed the tailed boy had been acting a little strange, and so had followed him here.]

[The rager was still going on, but as of now, they were alone. And so Tokoyami risks speaking up.]

What are you doing?

Fumikage Tokoyami || My Hero Academia

[blackabyss]

Soaking In Your Arrival
[Arriving in a splash of water wasn't the most shocking thing. Nor was being spoken to by the Lady of the Lake, or even being assisted to shore by strange-looking manatees. The most shocking thing for Tokoyami came after he landed on shore, and wrung out his clothes of water.]

What a strange place... I suppose we will have to gather information, won't we Dark Shadow?

[Normally he would expect a witty reply, or a nod, or a "uh huh!", or something from his Quirk. But instead he's met with absolute silence.]

Dark Shadow..?

[Tokoyami looks around for his wayward shadow, but when he finds no trace of it? That's when the shock sets in.]

Dark Shadow? Dark Shadow!!

The Red Spring - Rooms
[After a long day of travelling (and world-hopping), Tokoyami is definitely tired. So when the caravans pull up to the inn, Tokoyami is all but ready to check into his assigned room for the night.]

[Perhaps you see him at the front desk as he gets his keycard. Or maybe you'll see him later in the hallway, as he makes his way to his room. He's mostly looking for his room, but he will perk up if you approach him.]

Are you looking for your room as well?

Arthurian RP in your Arthurian RP
[A convention seems strange in a place full of magic like this, but it doesn't take long for Tokoyami to be intrigued by the spectacle of it all. And when it's found out that the LARPing group is allowing guests into their ranks? Well, he can't exactly say no to trying, can he?]

[Whether you're an ally or opponent in the ring, you might see Tokoyami dressed up in some shadowy-looking armour; the kind that makes him look like a Black Knight from an anime or something. He holds himself with the same amount of confidence as well, his cape billowing as he points a plastic sword forward.]

Do you think you have what it takes to combat a disciple of darkness? Then step forward and challenge me in my domain!

[Is he acting? Is he being serious? Who can say. But he is having fun.]

It Figures...
[Of course Tokoyami would be drawn to the exhibition hall once his LARPing was done. With so many things on display, he can't help but eye all the wares available. He can be found lingering around the stalls that sell more gothic and macabre items, like swords and gemstone skulls. Perhaps he can decorate his room...]

[Or perhaps you see him later, when the Exhibition hall starts flooding. When it does, he will jump into action, trying to help keep the merchandise safe.]

Quickly! These merchants need our help!

Wildcard
[Got something you'd like to thread out with Tokoyami here? Feel free to come up with your own starter, or plot with me via PM or at pocketnoivern! I am still voicetesting, so please be gentle!]

[tantailizing]

[Oh yeah, they definitely stand out, but hey, he wasn't going to bring it up. When the other boy speaks up, his tail flicks and he chuckles.]

Enjoying the party. What's it look like?

[... Though, seriously, if it looks like anything else, their cover might be blown.]

childe | genshin impact

[commediadellanime]

training montage; ((cw for self-injury because blood magic, oops.))
[Saving the world is all well and good, Childe supposes, because, hey - his family lives in Teyvat. If he can keep his family safe by learning this new magic, that's what he'll do. Or that's at least what he says to the trainer looking him over to see what kind of magic he's been granted - it's not entirely untruthful. Childe would do anything and everything to keep his family safe, but he can't deny that there's a part of him that thrills at the thought of learning something new. Some new way to fight, something that's not possible to learn back in Teyvat. Something different.

Everything he does is to improve himself, so after getting a quick explanation of alchemy (which he assumes differs from the alchemy back home, somehow) and blood magic (which explains the odd new feeling tugging at his senses), he's set off to go practice with a few words of warning to be careful.

He has his bow on him, so that's where he starts. Breaking it down into twin daggers is familiar, even if the process is not and it takes him a few tries to get the right sigil. Once the blades are in hand, he immediately slices across his arm, deep enough for blood to pour from the wound. Nothing in moderation with him, it seems, but it's good practice to draw the blood forward, wrapping around the blades he still holds.

It's, uh.

It's not a great cut.

It doesn't seem to bother him, though, as he tosses the daggers (always gotta do things with flair!) and points one of them at another trainee nearby.]

So, want to give things a go?

[Do you wanna FIGHT?]

rp stands for role play;
[Childe can play a role - he's not unfamiliar with acting, even though this is quite different from, say. Taking over an opera and standing on center stage. He also doesn't know much about Arthurian legends, considering that's just... Not a thing in Teyvat. He grew up on stories of brave heroes and legends and he can think of tales that sound familiar, but...

Who the fuck are these guys? Why should he be one of them?

He leans his weight on one of the prop swords, a lazy smile on his face.]

So, what do you feel like being today? A gallant knight? A damsel in distress who may or may not need help from a dashing hero? Or would you rather be a betrayer? Live life a bit on the edge?

[He laughs, bright and cheery, and leans back to raise the sword.]

I'm flexible, though I think I look a bit like a knight, don't I?

[Don't answer that.]

vines;
[Well.

This is a predicament.

He's not exactly expecting for vines to grab at him while he's in the forest, and why would he? This world doesn't work on the same rules as Teyvat, how's he supposed to be expecting the dendro threat? This wouldn't be such an issue, though, if it wasn't the fact that his familiar is back at the inn so he can't quick cast any sigils, and his only weapon is the bow that's now on the floor of the forest. Salvation seems to be in sight, at least, as he grins and raises his one free hand in a wave.]

Hey there, stranger! Hate to [ask for help] bother you, but could you help me out a bit here? I can pay you back.

[He's very good at making money.]

kill your double; ((cw: more blood yayy))
Well!

[That was fun! Fighting someone that has the same memories as him - it was a challenge, even if in the end the vine's recreation of Childe couldn't beat the real thing. He's almost disappointed, but he supposes it was a cheap fake.

He seems unbothered by the fact he's covered in something that must be blood or something close, and lets out a bright laugh.]

I haven't had a fight like that in a while!

[He shoulders his bow, while the blood arrows sticking out of the doppelganger lose their solid shape. He's covered in cuts and bruises are already blooming across his pale skin, but he seems to be in an incredibly good mood.]

So, what do you think? Was it a close fight?

[He's well aware there's an audience, considering they fought in the streets of Camelot. There's a nearly manic look in his eyes as he looks at the passerbys who had to deal with their fighting, and there's blood dripping down his face from a cut on his forehead. All in all, he looks... A mess.]

wildcard;
[Just in case you want more options!]

training grounds

[theleadingman]

You seem to be taking to this place swimmingly.

[It has long been Balthier's way to make an entrance; even when they had first met, he had spoken to Vaan before fully revealing himself, though by comparison this particular meeting is hardly so dramatic. Should Vaan turn towards his voice, he'll spot Balthier leaning comfortably against one of the posts marking the entrance to the training grounds, his arms folded in front of himself as they so often were.

Truth be told, it's blind luck that has brought them here on the same day— Balthier has little reason to visit the Red Spring at present, but his curiosity has often gotten the better of him, and word of both the salt cave and the whisper of new arrivals had reached him all the way in Camelot. Going by appearances, however, he's been watching Vaan for at least a few minutes.]

Did you have to bring that with you?

[He does smirk, however faintly. He would have been glad enough never to see another of these beasts in his lifetime, but he supposes there are far worse that could have followed Vaan here.]

Oops! All Arthurian RP!! 1/2

[floatsaway]

[The convention aspects wasn't exactly unfamiliar to Ochako - there's plenty of conventions back in Musutafu and all over Japan proper, for comics/manga and anime, video games, and especially hero conventions. One for a fantasy aspect is little funny to Ochako, but then again...not everyone has and can wield various types, or are able to use a sword and shield, or a bow and arrow and stuff. She's not about to be judgmental, because these sorts of events are a ton of fun!

The LARPing gets her attention real fast, and though Ochako doesn't have a costume for herself, that's not an issue at all. Practically magicked (literally) into a frilly outfit and given a fake magical staff that lit up and sparkled with a shwing! sounds when waved around, she steps up onto the stage and is ready to perform and have a good time.

That is, until--]

Eeeh?! To-Tokoyami-kun?! [She blinks, and then stares out into the crowd as the silence becomes a bit heavy. Heck.]

2/2

[floatsaway]

[AHEM.]

I-I mean--...Tsukuyomi... [Pause.] ...san. Never would I believed it to be true that you'd fall to the darkness. I have waited, searched near and far upon the isles for...uhh. Two? Two!! Two months!

[Ochako, your acting stinks.]

To think I'd have to fight you, my friend!! [Grips. Fist. BIG (fake) SNIFFLE.] My heart aches...my soul shakes...and soon my tears will fall like the rains.

[Ochako, have you been watching K-Dramas again?]

[skybound_knight]

[Link's ears twitched when he heard someone talk in his direction: he was... sleepy. He spent a couple of hours in the salt cave under beautiful stars that spelled 'relax' and his feet in a basin of water filled with little fishes, the knight wasn't sure what living in paradise felt like but he was rather sure it had to feel more or less like that.

He turned in Fumikage's direction while yawning, and his eyes immediately widened. The bird-loving adventurer immediately smiled in the other man's direction and he had to remind himself some people in that place had animal traits. 'Don't be a good and show how childish you can be', he told himself before approaching. There was no need to bother the other, no matter if he had so many questions. Did he molt even if he was humanoid? Did he preen? Was he able to fly or were the wings functional hands that didn't allow proper flight? 'Control your own curiosity', he added mentally. There was no need to weird out a poor man.]

Greetings. [He offered him a polite bow.] I actually already found my room earlier, do you require any help in locating yours?

[blackabyss]

Hmm.

[He could say what it looks like to him, but they're kind of undercover here. Just two pirates doing tasks, nothing sus here! He looks around, making sure that no drunken pirates are around, before he takes a step closer and mutters a little quieter.]

Darkness is about to descend. What is our next move?

[blackabyss]

[Tokoyami's knight armour is definitely much more grimdark than Ochako's cute magical girl one, but the spectators seem to love it. A clash of light and darkness... Perfect for LARPing!!]

[But Ochako's not the only one surprised. Tokoyami visibly jolts when he sees her, his facade briefly faltering.]

U-Uraraka-san..?

[She was here too?? He had no idea! Though, he has to force himself back into the acting when he realizes she is still playing her role. Right, despite their reunion, ]

Right... Uravity-san. To think you have searched for me for so long... But you failed to search the places where my soul feels most at home. You know my true allegiance is with the shadows!

It matters not that we were friends. If you will not submit to my power, then we are fated to battle!

[There's so many things he has to ask, though! But they have to get through this scene first.]

[blackabyss]

[Tokoyami blinks when he sees the bow, and returns it with one of his own; even in a strange world, it pays to have manners. He nods after, looking at his keycard.]

Yes, I might require assistance. I thought I was going the right way, but it seems I went down the wrong path...

End of the Vine B

[heartlessswordsman]

[So far, Zelgadis has managed to avoid encountering any grabby vines himself, so he's not really all that aware of the problem by the time he comes across some guy that's tangled up in them. The guy sounds pissed, and rightfully so considering his predicament, so Zel's willing to let the yelling slide as he begins to approach.]

I think I can manage that. Try not to move, I'd hate to take off one of your limbs in the process.

[He draws his sword, fully intending to do this guy a solid and try to cut him down.]

[tantailizing]

[So darkness was descending, but that was just better for them. He winks at his partner for the quest.]

Simple - we let darkness fall. How strong do you think the booze is?

kill your double aka cleaning up after the murder boy 😔

[saxum]

[ Zhongli is used to seeing varying degrees of commotion within the city, but he feels something amiss, a degree of tension in the air, evidenced by the way his familiar seelie hovers high in the air as if to peek over the nearby crowd only to suddenly disappear. Strange...

He steps toward the group, tall enough to manage to get a brief view over crowded shoulders at that appears to be two individuals in the center, the cause of the commotion. There is a body on the ground.

That's when he realizes what he sees, what he smells in the air, keenly familiar. Blood. A voice, cheerful and wild, echoes across the mass of scattered individuals and it's not difficult for him to figure out who it is, what they've done. But it's the fact that when he slips past the gathering into the clearing only to see the body, bloody and littered in arrows appears just like Childe, that Zhongli doesn't know how to explain what has happened. There are two Childes, and one is dead. ]

Begone.

[ His voice booms firm with authority as a polearm drives into the earth below, cutting the silence through the crowd, there's a ripple of movement and then individuals begin to flee. Things are tense enough already with some dead boy in the middle of the street. It'd be better not to stick around at this point. ]