avalaughs | TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV }
Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary

⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️

A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival

KERPLUNK, SPLASH!

Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's 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

Arrival

[While those on the beach mill about trying to find people they recognise or make their way to the sloping path leading up the cliffs, and as they shuffle towards carriages to be transported to Camelot, a white-robed male sits on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the beach, his bare feet hanging over the edge and a tall brass helm sitting in the sandy grass beside him.

He hasn't moved for hours. Not since he first walked up the cliff. He took a seat there, watching the sea, and showed little interest in what was going on around him or in interacting with anyone.

Some might recognise him as a dark elf. His grey skin, red eyes and pointed ears give that much away. Some - fewer - may be able to narrow it down further. This is a dunmer, albeit an incredibly tall one. Even seated it's obvious he reaches almost seven feet when he's standing.

His red eyes watch the horizon, the wind off the water ruffles his white hair, tangling it about his shoulders. Sotha Sil thinks, considers, worries, with what appears to be no concern at all for anything going on around him. Not even when the carriage begin to leave.]

[ Open to a tag in at any point in the time he's there. I should point out for transparency that I have no intention of apping Sil, as right now I don't believe he's really sustainable in the long term in a jamjar, but this is scratching an itch... ]

[It's always interesting to see who washes up on the beach, and Finn is delighted to see that it's another Dunmer. A very tall Dunmer. Maybe he's part Altmer, or his parents fed him some sort of super food.

Finn approaches the tall stranger.]

Azura's wisdom to you, friend.

[He glances across to the person who approaches him. Another dunmer? Interesting. Those he had seen thus far had appeared to be mostly of human races, though there had been some that he... couldn't place.

A curious hail. But there were still some who did not bow to the Tribunal.]

And to you. [When Sotha Sil speaks, his voice is strange. It carries a mechanical twinge that lightly vibrates through each word.] I assume you find yourself as far from home as I.

[At five-foot-ten, Finn's never been very tall, but standing next to this man, this must be how a Bosmer feels next to a giant. The armor and headdress are of a make and style he's not familiar with, even discounting the fact that he's not an expert on armor.]

For a few months now, yes. I must say, it's nice to finally see another Dunmer.

I'm Finndarimus Onaru, but everybody just calls me Finn.

[He is taller than most when he stands, even outstripping the height of most Altmer, yet he didn't take on the affectations that his fellow Tribunal members did regarding their appearance. He could have remained golden skinned, but chose not to.

Though even seated as he is now, his height is still very much apparent.

The casual nature of the introduction doesn't pass him by and it gives him pause for a moment, his expression briefly curious.]

I am Sotha Sil.

[Though he is given many names... that one will suffice.] Well met, Finndarimus Onaru.

Sotha Sil?

[Finn's eyes widen and his words stutter.]

The Sotha Sil? Of the Clockwork City?

[He's talking to a god. And he just walked up an introduced himself like he would any mortal citizen. He probably shouldn't be this shocked, since he's spoken to Azura herself, and met all of the Daedric Princes.]

[Ah... there it is.

Sotha Sil only nods. It's one thing to speak with a Daedric Prince (he knows he is not special in that regard, though his dealings with them have been more complicated than most), but Sotha Sil himself is reclusive to the point that many do not see him for centuries at a time.

(And there is, of course, the fact that he's very much deceased in Finn's time.)]

Most recently of the Clockwork City. However... [He trails off, looking out at the sea again.] It would appear I have been called away by forces beyond my current understanding.

[Troubling.]

An unanticipated turn of events.

We all have, muthsera.

[Finn gets down on his knees and sits before Sotha Sil.]

And you'll find that any powers you had back in Tamriel will no longer work here.

That is already accounted for.

[That is, he knows, because the first thing he did was try to leave.

He is, however, perhaps more uniquely equipped for such a loss. Vivec and Almalexia would suffer greatly for it, he thinks.]

But I still remember my life before my ascendance. This will suffice. [It is incredibly troubling, but it will suffice. He tilts his head slightly, and the sun catches the scar marking the left side of his jaw.]

I had thought it some Daedric trickery at first, but it does not bear their signature.

So did I. I thought perhaps I'd fallen into a plane of Oblivion when I first got here.

[Finn isn't exactly a history buff, but he's read about Sotha Sil, and the betrayal.]

This might sound strange, but you and I are actually several hundred years apart in terms of what Eras we were plucked from. Where I come from, Tamriel is a little over two-hundred years into its Fourth Era.

[This does not seem to surprise him as much as one might expect.]

That somewhere capable of drawing individuals from many planes and stripping them of their power, regardless of strength, replacing it with something new is also able to choose from where in time it takes its subjects... does not sound strange.

[The whole thing would probably sound strange to most people, but Sotha Sil is hardly most people. The concept of multiple planes of existence is not a new one to him, and nor is the flexibility of time itself. His mechanical hands clasp together lightly, and he pauses a few moments before he speaks again.]

Tell me, what events prompted the ending of the Third Era?

I suppose.

[After all, he's seen an Elder Scroll used to open up a portal in time, and even used an Elder Scroll to see into the past.]

Basically, a Mehrunes Dagon cult killed the Emperor and his sons to extinguish the dragonfires, and then opened up a bunch of portals to Oblivion all over Tamriel to bring their god to the mortal realm. A hero found the Emperor's illegitimate son, Martin, but they were too late to prevent Mehrunes Dagon's arrival, and Martin shattered the Amulet of Kings to become an avatar of Akatosh and send Dagon back to Oblivion.

Martin's sacrifice closed the Oblivion gates and saved Tamriel, but his death meant the end of the Septim bloodline. And that's the official date where the Fourth Era began.

[There is a visible tightness in Sotha Sil's jaw as that particular Daedric Prince is mentioned. It's brief, but it's very much there if Finn is perceptive enough to see it.

Not without reason, Mehrunes Dagon is easily one that Sotha Sil could be pushed to say he despises.]

It seems that a great deal has happened since the position I occupy in the flow of time.

[And he sighs softly.]

You may refuse to answer this if you wish, as I am reluctant to ask it but find that I must. What do you know of Vivec and Almalexia in this Fourth Era?

They're... gone.

Some say that the Daedra killed Vivec during the Oblivion Crisis, and some say that the Neravarine killed him. As for Almalexia, she's most certainly dead. It was long before I was born, though, and some of the details have been lost to history.

[Finn is only 27, and some writings were lost during the great eruption.]

[There's an undeniable pain in his expression when he hears that, and it's perhaps entirely telling that he doesn't ask about himself. Nor does he ask how Almalexia died, as he's certain that he already knows. Their paths had been laid out long before he had taken up the Tools of Kagrenac and used them upon the Heart of Lorkhan.

It would have been just like Vivec to leave only speculation as to the manner of his death. As for Almalexia... the less said the better.]

Such things often are.

[For a few moments, the only movement about him is what the wind creates in his hair and clothes. Then he glances, just slightly, in the young dunmer's direction.]

If you have questions for me, I will answer them. You have been more than tolerant of mine.

[It's odd to see a divine being look so vulnerable. Most gods he's met won't allow mortals to see them in such a state. But Sotha Sil was once mortal, and surely he knows what it is to relate to someone like Finn.]

I have a few questions, yes. What was the clockwork city like?

[Unlike his fellow Tribunal members, Sotha Sil had never really thought of himself as a god. He bent his energies into the betterment of the world and felt the burden that each of his people carried. Despite his apparent detachment from his followers, even Vivec and Almalexia had to admit that he loved mortals far, far more than they did.]

What was it like?

[Ah, it feels strange to wrap the past tense around his most spectacular achievement. His expression flickers for a moment, but he shakes it off.]

The Clockwork City... was a place from which I hoped to reshape the world into something better. You must understand that it is not simply a city, though I do not know what truth about it would have survived to your point in time. Everything within my city was connected in some way to the workings of the world outside of it.

I've read a few books about the Clockwork City, but they weren't exactly comprehensive and I'm not sure how accurate they still are.

[Speaking with Sotha Sil himself, asking about the Clockwork City, gaining information that may have been lost for centuries. Even his grandpa couldn't make this sort of thing up with his kooky stories.]

And your mechanical parts? Those are real? Or are they armor or something?

My apostles wrote many books, though I do not know how many of them found their way out of the city.

[He almost seems as if he might speak further there. How many of them had found their way out of the city before-- Before time wends its inevitable way forwards to its inevitable end... one that Sotha Sil has already seen and accepted, knowing that their is no way for him to remove himself from its course.

The manner of his own death isn't questioned because he has already accepted that it will happen, and by whose hand it will most likely be at.

Finn's next question surprises a smile out of him - one that reaches his eyes despite the brevity of it. He lifts his unsleeved arm and it emits the softest of whirring sounds as the joints work. The fingers flex lightly, the elbow and shoulder move with all the ease that a flesh and blood arm would.]

No, it isn't armour. It has been a long time since I was fully flesh alone. The enhancements I have made to my physical form have been done in the pursuit of aligning myself more closely to the workings of my city.

[Finn would rather not think about how much knowledge was lost with the Clockwork City, or what Tamriel's technology would be like if nothing had happened. But, judging by Sotha Sil's face, Finn doesn't need to explain that to him.

He'd much rather marvel at the mechanical limb, looking at the gears and the intricate metal. So many smiths back home would be envious of this craftsmanship.]

Still, that's amazing. I mean, tech isn't my specialty, and I've only recently learned how to use a computer, but I know what I like and I like this.

[Sotha Sil had always admired the Dwemer and their craft, the way that they could mechanise almost anything. He'd sought to replicate that in his own city, though he had certainly put his own particular 'spin' on it.]

I would have liked to show you my city. I think you could have appreciated it.

[He lets out a soft sigh, linking his hands together in his lap once again.]

You mentioned the Nerevarine. I always hoped... I might meet that person. I would have had much to say to them.

According to history, you'll get to meet them one day, but I don't think the circumstances were very pleasant.

[He's heard a lot of contradictions about the Neravarine regarding who they were. Finn's heard and read various accounts with differing information about what race and gender they were, what their profession was, and even what guilds and noble houses they belonged to.]

What do you think you'll say to them if you meet them?

[He observes Finn for a few moments. The Dunmer is curious, and he reminds Sotha Sil somewhat of a Chimer that he knew in his youth. The Clockwork Mage has a reputation - one he is very aware of - for being reclusive and difficult to speak to, but as Finn has already seen very easily... it does not take too much to get him to talk, when the circumstances are right.

In this place, where uncertainty hangs over him like a dangling sword and he finds himself so suddenly unaware of which steps to take, he finds himself feeling far more open than usual.]

I've thought about it many times. It would depend on how they approach me, I suppose... The events that preceded the prophecy of their eventual coming have always been kept a mystery save to those directly involved. I wonder if they would wish to know the truth, or if they would come to me in anger. [He looks down at his hands, then shakes his head.]

I do not think it would matter either way. My path towards these events is a certain one, but the closer I draw to it, the more clouded it becomes. There are simply too many variables.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 7

Sotha Sil | Elder Scrolls Online | Elemental/Technomancy

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject