TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 8

[avalonmods]

✨ 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 ⚔️️ SUMMARY: 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. 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. (Though.. given how hot and muggy the weather is this first week, maybe you might want to ask him to toss you right back into the lake where the waters are still cool.) *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 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. SUMMARY: Merlin has a Plan B in case Camelot failed the trials: raise a sunken ship and offer it to the Elphame Traders on their way out in exchange for permission to travel their waters. Characters prepare for ritual magic to raise a sunken ship and travel underwater at the empty Camelot docks to gather ritual ingredients for it. After they've done all they can, Merlin sets up a little beach party with a bit of master magic for anyone who came along for the trip. After arriving, people may have heard about recent events-- the people of Camelot voted against war and to instead accept the trials of the people of Celliwig. The trials are now concluded, and a good number of people are emotionally exhausted and taking time to recover. Word from Celliwig has not yet arrived, but across multiple social media platforms, including AOL, there are clips of Merlin's cryptic addendum to Arthur's announcement along with notes that the meeting date was delayed a couple of days due to the awful weather and a need to rest after how bleak the trials were to some people. With people down and out, it won't hurt to have the new arrivals pitch in and learn a thing or two. "Lucky me, we've got a decent group. Celliwig's out of our hands now, but what isn't is a back-up plan. Vote was close enough I figured we'd have enough people to get a head start. Celliwig is closer and much less dangerous to deal with, we'd be able to communicate much faster with the faeries' queendom. They're not big on internet. Big followers of the Old Ways. T-L-D-R, we can't just text the queen and ask if drop-bys are on the table. We'd never make it past the leviathans without permission, so here's the plan: There is a... fixer-upper of a vessel sunken about a hundred yards from shore tossed out from Bermuda. We tried to build docks here forever ago, but you can guess the Bermuda triangle spitting out stuff in the lake all the time didn't go great. We just keep it up for visitors now, but there's plenty to explore in the immediate area that we can magic back into business." A ⦿ Shipwreckers He goes on to explain that the fairies value items that were once lost and refound, so step one is exploring the shipwreck with fellow magic users to find what amounts to a scavenger hunt list of items from the ship. He sets everyone off with a quick spell that essentially transforms their clothing into swimsuits that best fit their preferences and personality-- that means no one's going to get a swimsuit that makes them horribly uncomfortable, he's not harassing anyone. After that, magicians will be directed to use their magic to get down to the ship. It's not as convenient as underwater breathing and not as easily sustainable, but there's definitely different ways to go about it. Light magic users will find they can create a forcefield above the surface of the water and go under the water, though they may run out of oxygen quickly. Elemental users can find they can create a similar bubble by pushing water out of the way, though may run into the same diminishing air without a more advanced elemental user already in the game who can pull oxygen out of the water or an alchemist who can create chemical reactions to generate oxygen. Animal mages may be able to convince local lake life to help push bubbles along, and healers will be instrumental in healing oxygen deprivation if anyone stays under too long! (Note: If two characters can't create a bubble, you can put in a third NPC to do the bubble while your characters handle other roles during the search.) No matter what, make sure you bring someone who can watch your back. Rumors have it that the Fuath are harassing anything that comes near the area. Fuath are intangible spirits that may present as giant humanoids at about 8-9 feet each, but with the mane and tail of a yellow horse, with no noses and keen eyes. They hold grudges against anyone who takes advantage of their surroundings, even if not their own, and will come to attempt to throw those who try to take from the ships and flying through the air to land somewhere else in the water. Be very cautious about using names around the Fuath, as though they do not speak in human tongue, they have a particular ability to draw people and animals in using names that makes them very difficult to escape once you've been found. They've been known to turn familiars against their partners. They can be deterred, dissipated through attack to buy you time, but they'll keep coming so get in and out of the ship as fast as you can and definitely stick to more combat-heavy magics like dark and cognitive mages! *Note: These magics are all examples of ways to use primary magic, but feel free to get creative with your character's magic if you think of something else! B ⦿ Hoist the Flags Once all the ingredients are gathered, the ritual is underway! With the mementos from the ship, swim to a protective circle formed at the top of the water by Merlin that will keep the Fuath out. There, you need to take whatever item you gathered from the ship and try to find someone with a similar item. This "sister" item will allow you to pull the essence of the item up from the ship. It takes a load of people to raise a whole ship, but pouring your magic into the item and chanting the spell will cause the ship to resurface and restore itself to its original state before the crash, using residual memories from all the different items on the ship. Of course, finding a partner with a matching item while swimming around could be a challenge, especially if you don't get along-- it may take a while for everyone to get on the same page. It certainly won't clean up all the algae and kelp and wayward flopping fish, it brings the ship back to a livable state.. and a much cooler, more explorable one. Get a quick exploration of the ship and help clean up some of the lake slime before Merlin flags over the traders. Or goof around until then, and learn a sick free spell called (Recipe) Cool Firework: create a rocket firework from your fingertips. Make sure you're aiming it into the sky when you cast this spell, or Merlin will set off a Camelot totem right beneath your feet. No sinking the ship when they just got it up. The fireworks will attract the Elphame Traders, who are leaving the day after they close up shop to head back to Elphame, before the set out to leave. Merlin negotiates offering the ship to them as an offering for Queen Elphame to give them permission to travel in the Elphame territory. At that point, the ship is pulled into the docks and Camelot citizens are ushered out for the fae traders to take over the ship. C ⦿ Beach Episode Once everything's said and done it.. really only took a couple of hours, so the whole group is done around 4pm. There's plenty of time left for dinner and a good time at the beach a short walk away from the docks and the sun doesn't go down until around 9pm. Before Merlin leaves everyone to themselves, he conjures up a buffet-style table with loads of fresh food and drink, watermelons and bats for smashing. The swimsuits provided earlier wear off at midnight, though you'll probably want to leave before then since it still gets chilly in the evening, especially if you're all wet from playing with the chest full of waterguns or the beach balls distributed around the beach. The docks are nearby, so feel free to call your friends over to come hang out with you, even if they didn't help. It's a beach party, enjoy it! SUMMARY: Unseelie faeries and unseemly humans have teamed up to kidnap a small number of otherworlders in the chaos of the trials to fight in an underground fight ring. Play as a victim or be part of the squad to put an end to it if you're more good-leaning, or villains can choose to participate as audience and pay for "gifts" to be given to their favorite fighters during matches. CW: These prompts contain kidnapping, illegal and forced fighting, and inhumane treatment of fighters. Just because people are tired doesn't mean that the world stops for them... crime certainly doesn't. Throughout the start of the month, people are going missing. Exactly what's happening.. well, finding the truth out about that is going to depend on your perspective. A ⦿ Cursed Kidnapees Kidnapping victims will find themselves suddenly blinded by a spell, and then chloroformed by a floating cloth pressed against their face. (Smart kidnappers don't touch their victims if they have magic, you know!) When they wake up, they'll find themselves in a dungeon with at least a dozen other people. There's definitely not room to lay down, and sitting down as you had been propped up immediately starts you with a potentially uncomfortable view. Don't worry, someone's peeks in from a window at the top of the room-- an extremely handsome-looking man with long, wavy hair and pupils slitted like a cat's. "Let's see.. You two, you'll be the first fight of the night. Winner gets dinner, gyahaha!" It's a fighting ring. You've been kidnapped into a fighting ring and there's no obvious escape! Fight against fellow captives and monsters for your dinner and to buy time to figure out what you're going to do... At least you start hand to hand, so there's nothing lethal... right? (See Audience for more details.) B ⦿ Audacious Audience Maybe you're a less scrupulous sort and saw an invitation to this event hidden on the dark web, or got invited by a particularly sketchy friend. Either way, you've got cage-side seats close enough to chat with either fellow audience members or interact with the cage fighters. As a bonus point, audience members can spend some of their G on betting or on purchasing "boons" for their favorite fighters, such as weapons or enhancement spells. They can also bid against other audience members for special sabotages that make it harder to fight-- foot weights, strange masks, roller skates, hinderance hexes.. get creative with it! It's the biggest fight show that you can interact with your wallet... newbies may find it's a very lucrative way to make a pretty penny very fast. (As always, remember to communicate with anyone you're helping/sabotaging so you don't go past anyone's OOC comfort level.) C ⦿ Roaring Rescuers Thankfully, the fae who want nothing more than to sow discord and the greedy humans who joined in their venture are a bit disorganized. Even the beginning-level heroes among us will be able to track them down and topple them with a little bar hopping to gather information from the locals. Eventually, one of them will give up having overheard some "scary looking fellows" talking about which of the patrons of the bar looked like they'd be good in a fight before getting extra hush-hush. Follow all the leads, and you'll find yourself at an outlying, smaller-scale castle with a dungeon tower and an underground fighting ring built beneath its floors. Sneak in and unlock individual fighter dungeon doors while the fights are providing a wealth of distraction. Maybe you'll find a grateful Fogueria who casts a temporary fire-immunity spell on you to allow you to do ride them into battle to bust up the fight going on right now. There's definitely gratitude going on, regardless of moral compass, and you may find gifts of food and drink (non-alcoholic if you're not old enough) placed at your door over the next week for your deeds. 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. • We are testing out formats for key points displays, to be voted on for player preference based on what seems to work best for the most people. The other options were used here (end of post summary format) and here (start of post preview format). The format featured on this post is the last option, which will provide small summaries under the banner of each prompt set. A poll will be put up before the next event to see which format will be used going forward, so please keep in the back of your mind which seems most comfortable/makes the content more easily accessible. •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.

Comments

[starshower]

[Tifa's determined to win this now, so she preps herself for a jump, bending her knees and reeling an arm back for some extra momentum when—

SPLASH!

Out from the water comes her familiar again, chirping happily as it smacks the ball with its tail, thinking that it's every bit as involved in the game as the rest of them are. Of course, it's just a dolphin so it doesn't know the rules of vollerball, so rather than knocking it at the net, it hits it out into the deeper parts of the water before diving back beneath the surface.

The ball lands with a plop.]

"What's with that thing?!?" [The boy on the other side points at Tifa.] "Call that thing off!"

[She looks to Lizzie then to the rest of them, sheepish.]

Sorry...! Maybe she thinks she needs to put on a show...?

[warbun]

[Some of the other players are annoyed, but Lizzie can't help but laugh. The dolphin just wants to play, same as they are. And who can blame her--it's a lovely, sunny afternoon! Perfect weather for playing around and showing off.]

We can go entertain the dolphin while you all continue. I think there are more balls on the beach?

[Lizzie turns to Tifa.]

Assuming that's all right with you? We can practice vollerball with her so that she stop interrupting this crew.

[starshower]

"If it'll get that thing outta here!"

[Tifa does feel a little bad that it was her familiar who's interrupted the flow of the game, but the way the other team scowls at her and the dolphin through the net when she pops her nose out from beneath the water puts her off, too. She gets it—they're all just trying to play a game—but she can't exactly fault a naturally playful creature for wanting to... well, play.

She appreciates Lizzie's effort to include her, so she nods to her and the dolphin and it heads to shore to fetch the ball—for them. Not for the players. It even makes an effort to splash them with its tail some before diving and leading them away from the group, Tifa following. They can go get the other one themselves.

And when they're out of earshot and have found a clear spot, Tifa will stop.]

Thanks. We're both still a bit new... I guess she just doesn't understand human etiquette yet? [She laughs, breathy and light.] Never had to tame a dolphin before...

[warbun]

[Lizzie rolls her eyes so hard that it practically hurts. It's just a game, for gods' sakes. The dolphin just wants to play.

She feels a lot less bad about taking the ball and leaving them after that comment. Jerks.]

It seems so. At least she's not trying to be actively malicious--she just wants to play.

I'm guessing she's your familiar. Does she have a name?

[starshower]

Not yet.

[Lizzie will feel a small bump from behind her as the familiar tries to nuzzle its way under her arm. Tifa's expression softens, her fondness for the creature as clear as the skies. She can be a bit on the pushy side sometimes, but it was never in an aggressive or unfriendly way.

Quite the opposite, or rather, she had a tendency to be aggressively friendly.]

Having a hard time coming up with something that suits her. I want it to be perfect, you know? ... Is that silly?

[warbun]

[Lizzie lifts her arm up so the dolphin can nose in, reaching over and petting her nose with her other hand. Pushy, yes, but friendly. Lizzie is the last person who can criticize that sort of behavior.]

I don't think it's silly at all. It shows that you care.

And it's certainly more thoughtful than what I ultimately did. I have a paissa familiar, and I just call him Paissa.

[In fairness, she's not sure the creature could handle learning a name. Fond as she is of it, it's dumb. She tries not to think too much about what that might mean about her own intelligence.]

[starshower]

Hey, at least "Paissa" is already a cute word. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you hit the nail on the head.

[Dolphin? Not so much. It doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Even if she has no idea what a paissa is.]

I'm sure I'll come up with something. Just need to really sit down and think, but I am open to suggestions.

[Not that the dolphin will allow them to talk for much longer! At least not without tossing the ball around a little first. It splashes its tail around behind Lizzie, spraying the two of them with water again while it tries to bring every last bit of their attention back to her.]

Alright, alright! Let's play a little ball. Just like we promised.

[She plucks it from the water and prepares a toss, and the dolphin swims out from under Lizzie's arm between them, lifts itself up, and spins, chirping with anticipation when Tifa throws. Not at her, but at Lizzie.]

[warbun]

It's a very cute name for a not-very-cute creature with hardly anything going on between his ears. But I care about him all the same--I'll have to introduce you to him sometime.

[Paissa are definitely an acquired taste.

The dolphin doesn't let them say much more than that, demanding their attention like an overly-friendly dog. Which really, is about what a dolphin is. Lizzie laughs again as their splashed, unable to help appreciating her playful mood.

Lizzie steps keeps an eye on the ball and bounces it toward Tifa's familiar once it reaches her.]

Go for it, girl!

[starshower]

[She falls for it, thinking that Tifa's first throw was meant for her and goes for the jump, but misses, instead landing back into the water with a graceful dive and splashing them both again. So much for trying to keep her hair as dry as possible...!

But she's coming right back up when Lizzie hits the ball her way and tosses it back to Tifa, who hits it back to—you know the drill!]

I'd love to meet him! I'm sure she would love to make some friends, too. Ones that aren't just me.

[As if part of the conversation, the dolphin chirps at Tifa. In disagreement, perhaps?]

Don't know how I'm gonna keep up with her at this rate. Some other familiars might do her some good, you think? Does Paissa have a lot of friends?

[warbun]

[Watching the dolphin play, darting around and falling for the fake, is a shot of pure joy to Lizzie's veins. The three of them continue to bounce the ball around, an easy bit of sport as they chat.]

That might be good for her, definitely. Let her burn some of this energy.

Paissa isn't the most social type, but I'm sure he could benefit from befriending her as well. He could use with some socialization.

We'll have to arrange a play date for them sometime soon. I'm sure we can find a floaty for him or something.

[And then she laughs, because the mental imagine is ridiculous. As she does so, she misses her turn with the ball and it bounces off of her head.]

[starshower]

[Now that has Tifa pausing to laugh. Whatever a paissa looks like, she can only imagine how cute it would be for any familiar to be floating along the beach on a floating tube or with the floaty wings on its arms.

Her imagination doesn't wander too far out to sea though, because after giving the ball an idle throw, she hears the sound of the ball bouncing off of Lizzie's head and splashing in the water, where the dolphin goes to fetch it. Meanwhile, Tifa's already wading over to check on her, as if she'd just been nailed in the head by a bowling ball instead.]

Are you okay!? Sorry, I should've been looking...!

[warbun]

No, no, I'm the one who should have been paying attention! It's fine--I've quite the hard head.

[It missed her ears, and that's what matters. That would have smarted, although the ball's light enough that it wouldn't have done anything worse than the pain of impact.]

Thanks for making sure, though. You've been nothing but kind since we've started playing together.

[starshower]

It's nothing. [Because there's nothing else to be.] Not everyone would've made the same call you did. Some would've just done the same—told my familiar to get lost.

[Maybe not others who do have a familiar, but that's besides her point.

She reaches up to gently brush a piece of stray hair from Lizzie's face, and pats it back into place just beneath her ears. Pardon her intrusion into any personal bubble Lizzie might have...!]

Sorry, I gotta ask. You probably get this a lot, but... the ears. I've never seen anything like them before. [Quickly realizing that she phrased her curiosity as more of a statement than a question at all, Tifa laughs, dismissing it.] They're cute. I like 'em.

[warbun]

Those some are arses.

[Just calling it as it is. That one guy back at the vollerball game was a jerk, as far as she's concerned.

Lizzie's usually the one invading other people's personal bubbles, so Tifa's entry into her own doesn't faze her at all. She smiles and gives a small nod of thanks at fixing her hair.]

That's very sweet of you to say. The ears are unusual even where I'm from--my race, the viera, generally doesn't interact with outsiders, so those of us that do are generally treated as a novelty. I've grown used to questions and the like.

[Sometimes it grinds her gears, but she can't be upset in this instance.]

They can be a mite sensitive, though, and have seen some abuse since I've gotten here. Doorways on this star are awfully short compared to what I'm used it.

[starshower]

[Tifa's quick to withdraw her hands, as if she'd just touched the ears themselves. Her familiar wanders up, hits the ball at her, and she swats it back, buying them a few extra seconds to chat, and to sate her own curiosity. And to make sure that others aren't grabbing them...]

I hope it's just from doors. Not people.

[She will punch the next person who tries to touch them!?]

[warbun]

Oh, it was from people as well. I arrived amid a springtime celebration that had much to do with rabbits. I was doomed.

[They can punch the next person together. ~Friendship!~]

Now that we've moved into summer, people have settled down in that regard. And I've gotten much better at ducking through doors.

[starshower]

[She'd hoped that wasn't the answer, but... guess it can't be helped? Tifa brings her fingers up to pinch at her own ears...]

Can't imagine that was very fun... I wouldn't want anyone touching mine.

[So why go around touching others!? She shakes her head, and finds her smile again.]

Well, if I ever get a bar up and running around here, I'll be sure to settle on a bigger door. Just to make sure.

[warbun]

Exactly. But people certainly didn't think that way.

[Rabbit ears are still ears, people. :( ]

Oh, you're a bartender? That'll be a good skill to take advantage of here. Especially with higher doors--I know I'm not the only one who'd be appreciative. A dear friend of mine stands over seven fulms tall. And I don't believe she's the only one.

[starshower]

[Seven what-now tall? It doesn't matter, because whatever "fulms" are, she can only imagine how tall that actually is. Now that's a lot of woman that she'd like to meet someday... Her eyes go wide with surprise, but her expression softens quickly enough.]

I'll be sure to keep it in mind, then. Wouldn't wanna hassle any potential regulars.

[The ball returns to them, splashing against Tifa's back when her familiar slaps it at her. It chirps, as if she's reminding them who the real star of the day is. She picks it up and bounces it in her hands.]

Ready to get back to it?