▶ TDM .009

[prismods]

Now whip it

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"Devo - Whip It (Video)" (Watch on YouTube)

You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. Even the few shy moon creatures you find in the wild have strange crystal growths on their hides. This is far from home— perhaps a dream? You pinch your skin and slap your cheeks, yet nothing seems to do the trick. Searching for answers yields nothing but an endless expanse of purple dust as far as the eye can see. You have four options: one, panic; two, soil yourself; three, admire it all then soil yourself; or four, go into survival mode. Eventually, you’ll realize that you’re not alone.

After a day or two of living off the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. After the strange phenomenon during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? Why did I inhale all those permanent markers in the third grade? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay.

While waiting for transport to be prepared, you may freely roam around the government center. Eventually you’re called back from exploring, escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the moons and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals. The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Whip It Good
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

 A  Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

 B  At the Crystarium Moonports is a new family restaurant called Grapplebears, here to serve your favorite dishes from all around the galaxy at affordable prices! The menu ranges from the atomically hot and spicy Chamakshalan curry rice, delectable dragonsaur steak served with mashed space-tatoes, to the sweet and creamy Lunatian milkshakes that bring all the boys to the yard, all prepared by their handsome and huggable bear crew.

As you might have noticed, the restaurant staff is a ragtag group with members from planets unknown to both Prismals and Moonblessed. The waiters and waitresses in particular are tall, muscular, leather-clad bears who take your order by whipping you with a special riding crop that compels you to bark out your order — but only if you ask to be, of course! They might induce you to reveal other unrelated interests so make sure you’re not thinking about anything embarrassing!

If you chat up the staff or customers, you learn more about the restaurant’s origins. The bears say their planets* were also wiped by the Calamity hundreds of years ago, and life for them has been difficult for them since then…

*Further information about these planets is unavailable at this time.

▶ Night of the Living Dummy
City of Lunatia | top

The last vestiges of Geistnacht have officially passed and the first chilly autumn breeze ushers in the new season. The city is awash in giant piles of browning leaves that decorate every walkway.

 A  To deal with the mass collection of fallen leaves, many buildings across the city have been retrofitted with a new disposal system to help clean up. A sprawling network of automated vacuum tubes around the city will efficiently suck all those pesky leaves right up. While children love playing inside and using them to “teleport” around Lunatia, they have also been known to spontaneously suck up anyone who’s not too careful. You may find yourself falling on some hapless bystander on their afternoon walk, or crammed in a tube with your new neighbors. Lunar Scientia officials warn everyone to be careful of where you walk, else you might need to crawl your way to sweet freedom.

 B  A pop-up shop in Level 1 is attracting much of the locals' attention, run by a peddler who speaks in a low, elongated hiss and wears a hood over his face. He assures you that his face is of no consequence. What is more important is his selection of wares! In contrast to his cloaked, enigmatic appearance, his travel cart is a Barbie pink explosion of frills, hearts, glitter. He will tell all visitors he comes from the Valley of the Crimson Serpents, which Prismals and older Moonblessed arrivals find odd. Wasn’t the Sanguis moon uninhabitable?

Among the peddler’s wares are adorable, wide-eyed and heavily perfumed dolls in all sorts of clothes a child dreaming of rainbows and tea parties could ever ask for. Hug and squeeze a doll, and you will be greeted by a pre-recorded voice telling you how they’re your bestest friend ever. It’s like they were made for lovin’ you! But if you look away for one moment, you can almost swear you hear a snake’s hiss, its long tongue licking the shell of your ear… The next time you see the doll, its body will be in a slightly different position or location. Is it… following you? Fortunately, a minimal amount of moonlacing will make it leave you alone. You can wait it out too, but why would you?

Destroy a doll and it will later reappear wherever you are when you least expect it, good as new, but leaking from their porcelain heads is a strange pink, glitter-covered liquid. The peddler calls it the “love juice” giving the doll an extra dose of affection for you.

▶ Bird is the Word
Level 2, Greatmoon Groves | top

As autumn paints Lunatia with its golden hues, pumpkin decorations and desserts are now in vogue. This is thanks to Chroma-infused pumpkin seeds, which allow them to rapidly grow in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colors. The Moonblessed are invited to visit one of the largest pumpkin patches in the city housed within the Greatmoon Groves, where they can enjoy the sight of oversized, colorful neon and sparkling semi-phallic pumpkins, expertly carved to greet you with their buck-toothed smiles.

 A  The pumpkin patch is full of toddler-sized creatures called hugbugs. When they are not tending to the pumpkins, they follow the Moonblessed around, requesting hugs and treats in exchange for their obedience.

Reward them and they will do simple errands for you and give you compliments. They will also be your personal hype men, talking up your strengths, talents, and physical assets to all those special someones you’re trying to impress. Once you earn their trust, they will be your friends for life!

Ignore them, hurt them, or bully them, and they will cry and place a curse upon you, reducing your self-esteem to nothing and magically forcing you to cry along with them. The effects of the curse may last for up to a week if you’re not careful! But how could you do such a thing? The hugbugs are sensitive and want somebody to love.

 B  If you manage to survive your encounter with the hugbugs, you are welcome to join in on the Prismal knitting group and enjoy creating your own fanciful scarf made of Galadrian thread, which is known for its bright, golden sheen and aromatic properties. Give it to a friend or wear it yourself, and you will notice a strange ability to attract animals and insects of all kinds. Live out your Disney Princess fantasy! Or a Hitchcockian nightmare. It’s all a matter of perspective as a whole flock of honking birds comes bounding towards you.

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

Comments

[observing]

( it's time to change that today, today, they shall be the best of friends — well, as far as friends that caster will allow it. in a way, this is like.. his family, the round table and everyone of its contents. it's a stretch but merlin enjoys these little idiots at everything that they do.. maybe if he's here.. maybe.. the k..kings? he'll ask soon. )

Is our Lord around? ( well, he was supposed to wait on that but anyway but maybe that sounds too casual? merlin turns around, looking towards the doll that's made its way closer to him and he feigns shock, jumping away a bit while holding his staff in fear. )

It's too late! It's way too late to ward it off, it's spotted me now! Oh, oh, our King could handle this! But where... where! ( he's just doing this to have fun, mind you and at gawain's expense. he's hiding behind him, hands pressed on his shoulders with the best cowering expression that he can manage. this is merlin after all. )

Don't let it get me! I just got here! ( his eyes happen to glance up at gawain's hair, it is in grabbing distance now. ) I'm too young to die!

( the doll is just s
sitting there. )

[galatining]

[Before Gawain can answer that question, Merlin goes into full on simpering mode. So familiar. So nostalgic. In the worst way possible.

But at the same time, this man is a part of the Round Table and one of it's most important members. It would be remiss of him not to help.]

...it doesn't look so frightening honestly. Did you do something to offend it? [Because he obviously did.] You could apologize.

[That shiny head of hair is indeed in grasping distance of course. Ready for treachery.]

Really at your age...

[observing]

My age? My age has nothing to do with this! When I was your age — I am still your age, I'm the best magus to ever exist as you know..

( he could keep complaining but he's too busy faking his unease, looking at the doll that just sits idly before them with a smile on its face. there's nothing horrific about it, just a doll that wants to be loved by the person that'll take them in which is meant to be caster but... he doesn't feel the same way. ) A — anyway! Apologize for what? I haven't done anything but mind my business.. you use to be such a good boy, you have to protect me or.. or..! I know you can't live without me, imagine a world where no Merlin exists..

( that'd be horrible, no one can live like that. but luckily for him, the so called sun is by his side so he'll just stay right behind him as a hand slowly raises up to pat at his shoulder first. encouraging gawain to help him out just a bit, now he knows he's put everyone that's part of the round table through a few ups and downs but.. but..

it's not that bad! )

Go talk to it or something... protect me, Knight.

[galatining]

[A world with no Merlin?

Well yes, realistically, that would be bad in a lot of ways probably, since the King would never have been born. Butterfly effect and all of that. But at the same time...!

But Gawain will force himself to be generous for once and well, he does feel he should negotiate with the doll, if only for it's own sake. He is a knight, as Merlin mentioned.]

Very well, let us see if someone more trustworthy can reason with it.

[He sighs, then steps forward, conveniently dislodging the wizard's hand for a moment.]

Hello there, er, Miss? [He's going to hope it's a Miss.] Whatever problems my comrade may have caused, I would like to make amends. If at all possible.

[Will Charisma E work here?]

[observing]

( NO... his hair. gone just like that.. why did he move? caster sighs, crossing his arms as gawain makes his way over to the doll to hold some odd conversation and while there's distance placed between them — merlin makes his way over to peak from behind his savior. )

Trustworthy... when you say that, it sounds like I'm up to no good.. be nice to me Gawain! Be nice..! ( the doll in question doesn't reply, it's ominous smile and beady eyes just stare at the blond like before, continuing to act like an inanimate object. they're both aware that the creature in fact isn't the sort so the way it feigns innocence, sitting on the ground with no evil aura for the moment is alarming. )

Don't say that, like you wanna side with it! ( the doll is quiet, there's nothing and as caster is about to speak up; the doll speaks instead: )

I love you!

( his eyes widen but he's amused more so, a hand raising to his lips as he tries to cover his chuckling. ) Got you a girlfriend just like that? I am so proud.

[galatining]

...well no, I think you are mistaken! As are you! [Gawain snaps as he glances back at Merlin quickly before turning back towards the doll. Who has moved forward a little and is now standing there with it's hands raised up.

This is vaguely unsettling. Really how can you make something so wholesome as a child's toy look so sinister? It makes one worry for this era...]

This is why I didn't wish to become involved.

[Does he just have to kill the doll? Is this something he should experience a morale quandary over? Maybe?]

[observing]

( touchy! touchy..! caster thinks, looking gawain up and down while his eyes focus on the small doll before them. ah, it did move its little hands, and merlin shifts a bit to hide even more behind his meat shield. )

I am your magus! You have to protect me.. ( like, gawain.. really doesn't have to, but caster is hoping that if he clouts himself enough that it'll be enough that the blond reconsiders not leaving him. )

Look at it.. now its holding its arms out to you. I'm feeling like.. you've switched sides. ( caster drops down to his knees, hugging at the male's legs, and holds them tight to himself. ) If I die, everyone is coming down with me! Waaaah!

[galatining]

[Well yes, technically he is their magus and the King and Ritsuka would both want Gawain to protect Merlin. Merlin who when he is not causing trouble is indeed so incredibly useful.]

Very well. Never say I do nothing for you.

[Gawain looks at the doll then and notes the way it's reaching out.] What, do you wish to be picked up? Are you sure you are not too old for such a thing?

[And wow, there is a feeling of displeasure in the air. Unspoken, but it's there.] I guess not.

[Gawain tries to step forward, only to find the mage still clinging too tightly.]

Loosen your grip. Please.