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

[it's not his first time finding himself in an unusual world - but the last time was some two and a half years ago, and at least then he wasn't flung straight into water. So he's recovering himself, still, and it doesn't quite register there's someone with him.

Goodness, but the first impression he must be making, slumped over, dripping wet, and surely there is still water in his ears]

A-Avalon...?

[he's about to straighten up to address the person properly, but the word catches badly and sets him coughing all over again, raising an apologetic hand. Avalon, though, not Amoi?]

[Gokudera won’t even consider first impressions, given that they all arrive like this.]

Yeah, Linneus. Avalon…

[He keeps his hand held out, waiting patiently]

Avalon.

[not Amoi - or at least the possibility is dwindling. Mostly on Amoi they would be incentivised to go place to place, not dropped into water without any warning.

Or was there warning? What had he been doing before he got here?

But if this was a new place—- this person already knew his name.

Straightening up-]

Gokudera—?!

[Not Amoi. Gokudera hasn’t been on Amoi in a year and a half or so. He just remember when he was last there, he was mourning the loss of Yamamoto, trying to carry on his life without him and settle into a more domestic lifestyle. There’s been a lot.

Hearing his name, no longer waiting to take Linneus’s hand, he surges forward and wraps his arms around him. The pink-haired man may notice that Gokudera is still wearing his pet ring, the collar around his neck not entirely active or inactive, but malfunctioning thanks to his trips through time and space.]

Gokudera...

[He's here, but it's not Amoi. And Gokudera has already closed the gap and wrapped his arms around him, so Linneus feels slightly less guilt about wrapping his sodden arms around the boy and leaning his head against his shoulder in kind, only pulling back at length. Light finger-touches to the boy's face, tucking back errant strands of hair, wanting to reassure himself, but he knows his hands must be cold. Fluttering around them, the fairy washes over bluish lilac, relief, before flickering into cautious amber again]

It's been-- months.

It’s been years for me.

[His eyes well with tears, no shame at all crying in front of Linneus when this man has seen him at so many worse moments. Gokudera brings his own hands up and cradles the sides of Linneus’s face, then presses their foreheads together, smiling, letting relieved tears flow. This world will treat Linneus so much better than Amoi ever could.]

I’m so sorry I left... I- I’ve been to another world and I still remember everything and no one else does...

[a disbelieving catch to his voice - not that he thinks Gokudera would lie to him, but--]

Years?

[Catching the glint of tears in his eyes, he gently tugs the boy down properly. They've sat in each other's arms before, it's no hardship to hold him now]

Years-- in another world? [another other world - it was possible for all of them left on Amoi after the capture, but Gokudera wasn't even there by the time that became a possibility] But-- how? You disappeared...

[Gokudera is certain he’s aged, and would usually be upset to be seen taking comfort from Linneus the way a child would seek out a guardian. But Linneus has been there for him and in the softest way. He doesn’t hesitate to sit with him, to be held. Let whoever sees them see.]

y-yeah

[He hiccups gently, sniffling and certain these are tears of joy but also relief.]

Same way I showed up on Amoi and here. I just woke up and I was in another world.

[His tears stop, and he starts to breath a little easier, settling into the familiar comfort of Linneus’s arms.]

I hope that one did not also land you in water...

[with the gentle humour he usually employs when trying to recover himself. Automatically freeing a hand to try to check his pockets for his handkerchief, before he realises it will be little to no use. Instead he catches and chases away what tears he can, while his fingers still skim Gokudera's face. Years should show.]

...was it kinder? This other Another World?

No. A dome on an alien planet. This one always sends people into the water.

[He smiles gently and shakes his head.]

Anchor was the world I arrived in. It was abandoned.

Amoi, Anchor - and now Avalon?

[...shall they end up going through the entire alphabet, at this rate?]

What was it like there? Anchor.

[Gokudera looks down in thought and then glances at the fairy that seems to be Linneus’s familiar.]

Quiet. There were only a handful of people there, but also... I met another Takeshi. He didn’t know anything about those other worlds, and then my pet collar started to malfunction... he helped deactivate it... and the world we were on got invaded by zombies. I uh. I died, and came back. Other than that, it was a very peaceful place, but it felt lonely.

[the fairy has settled on top of Linneus' head right now - so for a second he's slightly confused about where Gokudera is looking, but then he mentions the Pet Ring, and dying, and his brow knits in concern]

...but he couldn't get it off?

[even after going to two other worlds, Gokudera is still forced to carry the reminder of the first?]

What about here? Surely somewhere there must be some way...?

Oh. He could. But when I came back, it was back on again. I was wearing it while it was deactivated, which [He puts his hands up in a disarming gesture. He’s already taken the time to feel like a fool.] I know is pretty stupid, since I’m stuck with it again.

Ah well... in Anchor, Takeshi and I got engaged. But on this world... this Yamamoto doesn’t know anything about any of it.

[So he’s doing what he shouldn’t. He’s avoiding bringing up the collar with either Yamamoto or Tsuna.]

Engaged...?

[He shall have to hear about all of this - properly, slowly, and perhaps with tea. The good and the bad. Because that sounds wonderful, knowing Gokudera's past with Yamamoto, and yet... awful, all at once, to have it torn away.

His own hand stops short of touching the collar, cupping Gokudera's cheek instead]

Would he be able to take it off? If you were to ask him to? Makoto was able to do so with mine, but I know that was still on Amoi...

Yeah. He proposed to me...

[Gokudera gets up and moves to help Linneus up as well so they can walk and talk and make their way to the caravan and up the cliff. It’ll be a bit of a walk, but walks help Gokudera clear his head.]

He would. I just haven’t told either of them about the collar in great detail because I’d rather not explain the implications.

I'm not sure how engagements are in other places. But it must at least be a good memory?

[whatever heartbreaks followed. Accepting Gokudera's hand up, the fairy taking flight again from where she had settled, hovering above both their heads. He slides his arm into Gokudera's as they walk. Both of them are wet at this point - it shan't make too much difference.]

Either of them...? He's been here more than once?

No. Just me. The Yamamoto here seems to have come from our home world of Namimori. He’s not the same person I’m engaged to and I’d rather he not know.

[Gokudera feels awful not telling him, not sharing the love for one version with the other. He knows his Takeshi would want him to carry on his love, but it hurts pining like this and fearing his affection will not be returned. He doesn’t know if he can handle the rejection.]

I'm sorry.

[gently rubbing Gokudera's arm]

You always seem to come so close together only to be just out of reach again. But he is here? He is doing well?

It’s alright. I hope you get a chance to meet the Tenth. The circumstances in this world are much better than on Amoi. Everyone here has magic and a familiar to help them.

[Gokudera smiles gently at Linneus as they walk, and approaching the cliff side, he takes a deep breath to brace himself for the climb.]

Yeah, he’s well. Carrying on as if this were all normal.

That must be good to see. Though I'm sure it is both heartening and disheartening in turns.

[and Gokudera knows Linneus' story, how well he knows that kind of pining, and Linneus hates that Gokudera must feel that feeling too. Of course, Yamamoto is not entirely out of reach, but one can only carry on opening their heart so many times.]

Everyone does? [not including him, surely? It was different for people like Gokudera who had powers already. Aside from his own good looks, Linneus considers himself fiercely ordinary] But this place hasn't met me yet...!

Yes. Well... I’m happy as long as he is.

[Ignorance is bliss, after all. Gokudera is just trying to protect himself and he appreciates that Linneus isn’t trying to push him into acting too quickly, and jumping into risking further heartbreak. He’ll have to be honest with the swordsman eventually.]

Yes. Everyone. I’ve been here long enough that I have two types of magic. I’d be happy to help you learn yours. Don’t worry about the world knowing you.

As long as that remains the case, then.

[a fond squeeze of his arm. It's so easy to keep saying it, even when it's no longer the truth.]

How does one... learn magic, if they don't have it already? And what of the familiars? Are-- [gently rewording his question] How do they work?

[Because "Are they handed out?" felt foolish, even to him]

That’s the bottom line.

[No matter how he feels, when it comes down to it, what matters most is if his family is well. The squeeze to his arm is appreciated, the physical reassurance helps and has been missed.]

I learned magic through my familiar setting examples on it. The best way I can think to describe it is that it’s more a feeling, than anything. And as far as familiars go... they kind of come to you, to help you. Mine’s around here somewhere.

[Sure enough, there’s nothing visibly following them, but Gokudera can feel when his familiar is around.]

Who’s this? [He points to the fairy flittering about them, and smiles while holding out his other hand, taking it from Linneus and then pulling out a candy. He remembers how the fae in this world like sweets, so he tends to keep them on hand.]

But you already had skills, anyway!

[and Gokudera's abilities were basically the same as magic, in Linneus' eyes]

Who is--?

[echoed in confusion. By keeping mostly above his head (if not near-hiding in his hair), his fairy had been doing an excellent job of keeping herself hidden from him - who would have imagined candy would be enough temptation, even if her size in comparison means she does have to extend both arms for it. Shimmering into gold, as Linneus gasps in delight]

I-- I have no idea. How marvellous...!

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