avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

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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, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that.

If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. 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 special ear buds (the supplier was out of the regular ones) 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.

After the new arrivals come in, they'll find that this month they came in on the middle of a rather tumultuous time... people are arguing and debating about a future decision to be made. King Arthur recently tried to negotiate with Celliwig's people to open the doors to Camelot, but they refused, and the people have been left with a decision: 1. attempt long-distance, slow wooing of Queen Elphame via the Elphame Traders of the next couple of months, 2. attempt to prove a balanced and deeper understanding of the need for both pure and impure hearts by suggesting an acceptance of trials from Celliwig, or 3. band together under Camelot's flag to invade Celliwig. Celliwig is a place of communication between Elphame and Camelot that bypasses the need for weeks of dangerous, often fatal travel, so the choice is very important in regards to how Camelot both presents itself to the fae people in the future. To that end, people with strong beliefs about particular choices have arranged gatherings to draw people in to hear their perspectives on what the choice should be.

A ⦿ Honey Over Vinegar

Tree-Picking Tournament

cookie orchard

B ⦿ A Balanced Approach

bug catching contest

C ⦿ A Show of Strength

The more war-hungry citizens of Camelot seek to go to war. This whole issue will be over if Celliwig itself isn't the one in charge of communication and it's just made directly between Elphame and Camelot, rather than having a mediator who refuses to mediate. They believe that a show of strength is the only way to solve this problem, and as such, they'll be demonstrating that the greatest rewards come from strength by organizing an expedition to a cave at the base of the Ash Mountains. Taking a path squarely between the Dusklight Woods and the edge of the Lands of Rot to the base of the Ash Mountains, this expedition will lead into a cave known as the Giant Cave. It's a pretty on-the-nose name, since it really is a big cave. One of the cool things about this cave is that it's filled with geodes. Those who have enough strength can use provided pickaxes and drills to dig up their own crystals and gold, both great for jewelry and enchanting. In particular, there is a large amount of:

It's not particularly a contest in this case-- you can keep and use what you want, and this show of strength has given you more power than ever, so why not consider the same concept for how to deal with our unneighborly neighbors in Celliwig? It may be sweaty business, but surely hitting some rocks will show you the value of strength!

With the surprisingly tame day in the Giant Cave, one would think that the Ash Mountains were something of a safe place. No one really bothered the travelers, but that's because no one had been home at the time. as it turns out, the Giant Cave is home to a giant... douchebag of a minotaur. Not a giant, despite the name. His name is Simon and he doesn't like to share, and now that a bunch of people have gone and taken his rocks (he didn't even know there were crystals inside, nor does he do anything with them). Now he has to take his revenge, regardless of not knowing who actually took the crystals that were never really his to begin with, they just happened to be in rocks near where he sleeps.

A ⦿ A Stone's Throw from Revenge

vaulting the rocks into Camelot's buildings

B ⦿ There's Safety in Numbers

(Recipe) Buddy System

C ⦿ Gross

Thankfully, the Buddy System wears off before the Minotaur is back for round two. When the Minotaur returns, the castle has since gathered forces to the edge of town to defend it from another attack. It's unclear where the Minotaur went to get healed, but whoever he went to apparently had some advice, however, and the instinctive minotaur gave into a different instinct for part two of his revenge. Rather than go right back to his pile of rocks, he instead travels the day to get to the southernmost part of Camelot and barrels into town unopposed, as most of the troupes are where they had thought he would come from again. After all, minotaurs are not known to be big thinkers. Instead of violently destroying this time, however, the minotaur instead heads straight to lowertown's well-- and takes a pee in it. It turns out, not only does he have a giant-- ahem, but he is a giant dick as well. Now the entire lowertown has to be evacuated due to contaminated water up to other areas of Camelot. Many people who live there are relocated to live in extra castle rooms. After all, Minotaur Urine is known to be incredibly potent and stinky.

Mages who are able to handle the smell are asked to come help perform a ritual of water purification for the lowertown's water system. This ritual involves multiple groups of people performing synchronic magic, a magic type that requires you to be in perfect sync with your partner. Draw a special ritual circle with four candles at equidistant points. Chant a spell in sync with your partner, and blow a special powder made of ground jasper, charcoal, and rosemary into the center of the circle. It will be drawn into the candles' flames and with enough people doing this, all impurities will be removed from the lowertown's water and dissipate into the atmosphere.

KEY POINTS

New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there.

There is a vote pending for Camelot and each side of the issue is trying to engage otherworlders to their side of the vote. The slow/steady approach is hosting a cookie harvesting tournament from a grove of cookie trees, the middleground group is hosting a bug-catching contest, and the group that wants war is hosting a mining expedition.

The mining expedition aggros an asshole of a minotaur, who throws rocks at Camelot. Driven away, the townspeople try to help by distributing a spell called "Buddy System" which binds two people together, not realizing it was intended for kindergarteners. (Oops.) The minotaur returns and pees in the lowertown's water, so a ritual of water purification must be performed because it's gross and stinky. The minotaur is still at large.

**** The above key points are a new feature we're going to start including on TDMs and Events. Since it's new, the format is still fluid, so please let us know if you have any feedback for this section here. It should just include brief summaries of each prompt to make parsing information easier and more accessible. The original prompts should still be read and referred to for complete information and details. ****

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.
• A poll will go up a little later this week regarding the mentioned voting, which should be answered ICly by each character you play. The poll will remain open through the 15th so that newly accepted characters may also vote if they choose to.
•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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He sighs and looks away, running a hand through his hair.]

Teach... When your father passed away, you let me read Jeralt's diary. I know it was Rhea who did those things to you. You even told me the goddess was in your head since you were a baby, and that she joined fully with you when she granted you her power.

[His Byleth had entrusted a lot to him, and he hopes that proves the Byleth that stands before him can trust him, too.]

I still don't really understand what you are, but I've never thought of you as less than a whole person.

I am now. [ truthfully, sometimes she still doesn't entirely feel like a real person. but that's not the point. ] But then? Even at the monastery, I was... fractured. Incomplete. A puppet half-dreaming her way through life. I started to wake up, when I met you all, but... [ she shakes her head. ]

I wonder if she even sees her strings?

Edited 2021-05-05 21:20 (UTC)

The other you, you mean?

She's using the church for her own ends. For a dream she and I share. If I can help free both her and Fodlan from the history of lies that have chained them down for so long, I'll do it. And I know she wouldn't settle for anything less, either.

[And though their methods are different, he's sure that's what Edelgard wanted, too.]

... Good. [ if she's being honest, she finds the idea of trying to use the church ridiculous. if its structural power isn't addressed and uprooted, so much of what has happened before will just repeat. regardless, the way claude is talking about her counterpart is... heartening, even if... ] I hope it works.

[ she really doesn't have much else to say to that, but her skepticism about the idea is somewhat obvious on her face. ]

And the nobility? The Crests?

To be honest, that was something I planned to talk more with you about when the time was right. Until now, we'd focused on just stopping the war, then saving Fodlan from its biggest threat. After that...

[He hesitates, but recalls she seems to know more about him than he expected, so he continues.]

I'm guessing from what you said, you already know I'm not from Fodlan. My plan was to entrust Fodlan's affairs to you, and I'd return to my homeland, to change what I could with the influence that I have. Then we'd meet in middle, to create a world where no one is excluded for who they are. Status, lineage, where someone is born... I wanted to tear down the walls between people and start over.

If Fodlan is no longer penned in by those walls, the outside world will change it, just as much as it will change itself. All the old ways of living will be swept aside for something new.

[ well, that sounds nice. and he's right, it's not dissimilar from what she and edelgard want. it's very similar. but... no, something about this... ]

I am the least qualified person to rule Fódlan. [ she rubs at her forehead, gold and ruby ring glinting in the light. she's a soldier, not a politician. ] Fódlan must open up to the outside world, I agree, but the rot in our society runs too deep for that to cure it alone. And leaving the old systems intact with a new figurehead on top won't solve anything, especially if you're asking her to win a game she can't play.

[ if anything, the nobility would push back against any efforts at meaningful reform, surely citing the spectre of the empire and fear of another revolution to justify claiming their old titles and rights again. there's no clarity of purpose here, just vague high-minded ideas.

it would take another war, she thinks.

how can claude not see this? ]

Edited 2021-05-05 23:57 (UTC)

They won't be left intact, but I know we can't sweep everything aside by force, either. That may have worked for you and Edelgard, but I want to do things the peaceful way. People have suffered enough conflict and upheaval. I'd sooner befriend the lords and bend them to cooperate, and I started taking the Byleth I know to roundtable conferences to teach her the skills she'll need to do the same.

I don't expect you to agree if you're so set on Edelgard's methods. I didn't come here to debate, or to reignite old conflicts. But if you can at least understand my perspective, that will be worth something. Don't you think?

[In their last battle together, Edelgard made it clear that, for all their similarities, she can't accept Claude or his limited understanding of Fodlan. He expected much the same reaction from Byleth here, so there's little point in dragging this out.]

[ conflict and upheaval in the name of what you don't have the conviction to carry through on, some small bitter part of her thinks, and she bites that back. claude's not stupid. he won't let all of it have been for nothing. ]

No, I... yes. Of course. [ byleth pinches between her brows, trying to think. ] I know we want the same thing. And it isn't that I hope you'll fail. I simply... [ she has a hard time imagining it might work, either. and there are lords enough who have bent to the empire already, who will be allowed to continue to manage their territory on a trial basis to show they can manage it to the empire's standards. it isn't as if they're sweeping every last one of them away overnight, even if there are sure to be further land reforms needed later. but that's all semantics, essentially.

she finally opens her eyes again, looking towards him. ]

I do appreciate your perspective. And if the Claude I know set off to do what you plan to, then... I'm sure the Empire will meet him in the middle, just the same. The fighting's done, but I'm staying in Edelgard's service.

Edited 2021-05-06 00:46 (UTC)

I still have a fight to win back home, against those who slither in the dark. Hubert entrusted that to us. And here, we have to stop the calamity that threatens all the worlds. After that, I can put my full attention into the finer points of what the new world will look like... but not now. Until I can devote my full being to it, I know everything I'm telling you probably sounds like a childish pipe dream, but all I can offer are assurances that it won't be.

[He can't prove himself until they all return home, after all, by which point they'll have gone their separate ways once more.

Along the course of the discussion, his wyvern has stopped stalking through the grass, instead landing on a branch near Byleth's eagle to peer at it curiously. Claude glances up at them with a slight smile, before focusing back on Byleth.]

Do you have the full rundown of the situation here, Teach? If we don't succeed, there won't even be a Fodlan to butt heads over.

[ what claude is saying is... entirely fair, really. and byleth can't bring herself to argue further, especially with what he says next. she might bring up that they still have their own fight with the—agarthans, flayn called them—to handle, but truthfully he just. has the right of it. and she doesn't wish to hear any more of what hubert and edelgard entrusted to them—that is where this hypothetical world turns from uncomfortable to a glimpse of despair.

so she simply nods, glancing up to look at their familiars when he does. the eagle pipes up with its own curiosity, its light eyes staying on the wyvern. ]

You're right, Claude. Forgive me, it's... [ personal is not the same thing as important. if she knows anything by now, it's that. she seems to think better of that approach, shaking her head. her fingers go to her pendant. ] no. I'm just sorry. I can only hope you succeed.

[ claude is better at playing the game than perhaps any of them are, but he doesn't play nearly hard enough. still, his approach has its place, even with its limits. she takes a deep breath, flexing her fingers. ]

I understand what we're doing here and why, yes. And you're right, it's more important. [ her gaze turns curious. ] Have you learned anything useful?

Thanks. [Not just for dropping it, but for the hope he'll succeed. Even if she can just acknowledge his position without fully agreeing with it, showing his hand won't have been a waste.]

I've seen the calamity that threatens all the world with my own eyes, so I can say what we've been told so far is true. [Maybe not all of it -- he's still a sceptic through and through, and won't discount any possibility -- but he can at least believe what he's seen.] To put a stop to it, we need to secure the cooperation of the fae, but King Arthur's negotiations with Queen Elphame fell through. Now he's... putting it to a public vote on how to proceed.

[He shakes his head. It's a bizarre decision, but it's what they're stuck with.]

Have you heard about that part? It's hard to miss with all the talk around Camelot.

[ she nods once at the thanks, listening as he changes gears. ]

Public involvement in government is... good, but... [ yeah, she seems about as confused about it as he is. leaving this decision up to the outworlders seems like a way for arthur to absolve himself of whatever happens next. ] I've heard enough about it. I'm still getting familiar with the politics, but... there's no justifying an invasion, as things are. [ a brow raises, as something occurs to her. ]

Do you have any guesses about Celliwig's grievances? I haven't been able to make sense of it.

[He frowns, recalling what he's learned so far.] I think they reject a conventional human stance on morality, and they want trials to test us on that front. From what I understand, they're a city of master light and dark mages. Before I arrived, they set trials for people to prove who was pure of heart and brave of soul... but everyone failed because people were too virtuous, on both counts. That means no access to the city for us.

Looking further back into history, they originally withdrew from their mediation role because they disliked the self-righteousness of humans. If we can come around to their way of thinking, I'm sure we can pass their tests easily.

[...or would pessimism about their chances instead of his usual optimism be the better approach here, given what they want...?]

I'm... not sure I understand. [ she furrows her brows, turning over a hand and gesturing. that description has her at something of a loss. ] Is it that fair is foul and foul is fair to them, or is it stranger than that? It will be difficult to prove ourselves on their terms, if we can't understand their mindset.

[ a civilization with morality alien to how humans typically operate is... a place to start, but it's very nonspecific. ]

Or do we not know?

My guess is that they value both fair and foul equally? They're light and dark mages, who coexist together. But if you tell people around Camelot you're a dark mage, you tend to get some serious side-eye... Or so I hear.

[Totally not an anecdote from personal experience, nope.]

I could be totally off base, of course. But it's not like we can just walk into Celliwig and ask them ourselves, so unless someone else would be able to tell us, guesswork is all I've got for you.

[ ah. understanding dawns, and she nods, but then—hm. something occurs to her.

if celliwig didn't like camelot's self-righteousness... and this place is really big on knights... oh god. oh no. she makes a face. ]

... Camelot isn't nearly as bad as Faerghus with that, is it?

[ pls say no. byleth may not be like claude in that she more than understands and accepts the idea of sacrifice in the name of a goal, or loyalty at the cost of one's life in the right circumstances but—look, she's had about enough of what a fucking crock chivalry and all its associated concepts are. Honor And Justice Above All Else leads only to madness and suffering, to men and women turning themselves into monsters in service to empty ideas that serve no one. if the people of camelot tend to be Like That, it would more than explain why celliwig wants nothing to do with them. ]

Faerghus as you remember it... isn't around in my Fodlan any more, Teach. The old Kingdom and its way of thinking was wiped out five years ago.

[Or a few months ago at Gronder, depending on which way you look at it. There's not much difference.]

I don't know if I'd say the comparison is like for like, though. Sure, they're both kingdoms who value knighthood and chivalry, but there are plenty of differences here, too.

It's gone in mine, too. [ she doesn't sound all that pressed about it, to be honest. the dismantling of the holy kingdom and its institutions are kind of crab rave-worthy. still, she nods. ]

Good. [ hm. it seems like that's everything she'd wanted to ask about that situation, so— ] You said you'd been here for a couple of moons. How have things been?

[ there's genuine curiosity there. ]

Honestly? I've been getting a lot of deja vu. The first month I got here, there was a big masquerade ball to usher in the spring. Since then, though, Arthur's failed negotiations have meant the city's been embroiled in debate about this potential invasion.

[He shakes his head, exasperated. The events, the timings, it's all eerily familiar.]

I've even made at least one enemy out of it, which is why I decided it would be better if we talked all the way out here. Sorry for the hassle, but it's better than sticking both our necks on the line.

[ oh, claude's mention of that night just sends byleth back. she remembers the garreg mach ball, and the goddess tower, and—

not the time. she shakes her head when claude throws in that apology, it's really not a big deal, but.

ah. damn it, claude. ]

You never could stay out of trouble. What kind of enemy?

Someone who really, really wants a war, and is prepared to silence any of the more vocal people who disagree. Lucky me, right?

[He shrugs. Another day, another assassin.] It would be best if you kept any connection between the two of us quiet until this blows over.

[ she almost offers to just kill that person as a favor, before remembering that it's... claude she's talking to.

so byleth just shrugs. ]

I'll follow your lead on this, then. Does this person stand to gain anything from a war, or do they only want bloodshed?

They just want bloodshed. Dorothea compared him to the Death Knight, and I don't think that's too inaccurate, really.

[Or worse than Jeritza, who at least saved their lives once. That's... something.]

He's not human, and he won't be sated unless he's able to battle and kill. So of course, helping instigate a war is in his best interests.

Jeritza is... he's more complicated than that. [ it's a weak defense, but she can't let that pass without comment. jeritza is her friend. ]

What do you plan to do about him?

Edited 2021-05-10 17:28 (UTC)

[The comment about Jeritza gets a raised eyebrow.]

Oh, really? I'll take your word for it. [Hubert was also more complicated than Claude had initially pegged him as, too. Maybe Jeritza was cut from similar cloth, but there's no longer much to be gained by dwelling on it either way.]

I have a plan or two up my sleeve, but I can't act on them right away. In the meantime, I'll keep a low profile. I have people looking out for me.

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

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