▶ 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]

Someone like you..? Aren't we all special in our own ways, besides, you said it yourself. You called me kin, did you not? ( or could it have been he was hearing things? to caster, specific words that relate to such abstract matters are meant to be noticed. he knows there's something different about her, no matter how familiar because there's a reason to be curious. what he gets from her type of personality is that everything she says — aside from how brutish — has a reason, and why should he ignore her words? she may be prickly around the edges, a sharp point to her words as she speaks but caster guesses she could be harmless.

she's already shown her abilities in being able to speak incantations so he has every reason to be wary. he just hopes she feels like being harmless from now on. truthfully, he can't ask for much considering he's said some rather cruel things, but who wouldn't to protect themselves. aside from that, he's said his apology (sort of), as he keeps his focus on her eye, and wonders how much she's seen through her life. )

If we meet again, do tell me if that sour expression leaves your face afterwards! ( he sounds proud of himself, which he has every right to be since his magic has never steered him wrong — aside from those sloppy incantations. but, he's slowly learning what seems to be very important to her which he knows not to dig into. he's already said his piece about her husband, and part of him hopes word doesn't get back to him. what he's deduced is that it all ties to going back home. it's actually endearing, though he does hope they have another chance to cross each other's path at a later date. for a moment, he knows that he should let it pass but there's an interest in learning more of what she knows: )

I have one last question revolving around the King of the Knights. I'm wondering if you could answer and I'll stop prying. ( yes, his darling, little girl who grew up to shoulder so many responsibilities. it's always interesting to hear of the alternate words where history acts out differently. though there is a question that crosses his mind, a little miffed by his own thoughts as his brows knit together over it. what he wants to ask is a sensitive subject, his attention latched onto the idea of maybe something better has came of the king if the female is aware of who that is. perhaps, there is a timeline where things didn't go as sour because of merlin's own faults. it's still apparent in his mind, knowing that he was wrong for disappearing on her in the end, and leaving her to die. call him a troublesome father who ruined the life of an innocent girl, ripped away her happiness, and led her down a path of sadness. he does hope for the best, despite the small tone of worry located in his voice. ) Had the King took their first step into the Battle of Camlann?

( and this time, he does hope for the female to say no. )

[gwenhwyfar]

I am fairly confident that we are kin.

[ Gwenhwyfar still recalls Vergil, an older half-demon, being so critical of her inability to control herself. It doesn't change the fact that she's younger than any of them, likely the youngest of the handful that she knows. Being half-demon doesn't exempt her from the scolding of her elders, much to her dismay.

She knows that she is cantankerous, rude, and snooty -- it's the front that she puts up in front of some when the need calls for it. Or, well, when Gwenhwyfar is significantly annoyed or hurt. She is hurting, she is unable to process it beyond her teacher's insistence for her to bury it inside of her.

That being said, Gwenhwyfar's lips and expression grow even flatter, purely out of spite and to be contrary. ] Don't be ridiculous, I can find you again, very easy.

[ At least she thinks so.

As for Camlann... ] King of knights? Arthur ap Uthyr?

[ She goes through the vast information in her mind, what she knows so little of Arthur's realm compared to Cameliard. ]

I have heard of no such battle. The last I heard, one of his knights told me he was traveling with his cousin, Cullwch and other members of his family.

[ Camlann, King of Knights... he has some sort of association with Arthur, doesn't he? Gwenhwyfar isn't about to let him go so easily, not when a surge of protectiveness overcomes her and Gwenhwyfar approaches, her arms so firmly crossed in front of her. ]

And what association do you have with Arthur?

[ If he is a foe of Arthur, well, Gwenhwyfar has to really reconsider where she stays. The panicked feeling in the back of her head nearly manifests into a dizzy spell. She's already done so much running. ]

[observing]

Is it for the charming, good looks that we have? ( he chuckles, trying to diffuse the tension that's apparent between them. caster may be an idiot, but there's a little good left within him which he probably caught from his mother's side. she was the human, after all. while his words may irritate her, it's better in this case so that she has something else to be distraught over which she does a good job at.

she may be able to find him and then she may not, he doesn't know how this place works but she doesn't feel like a servant so she couldn't find him by that method. his head tilts to the side, trying to make heads or tails of her response, but her first step towards him makes him shift back. it's not like he doesn't trust her, it really isn't that, but he's better safe than sorry if his jokes had been far too much. )

Ah, yes, Arthur as you call him. Your King, the dutiful Lord of the Round Table! ( although caster speaks with familiarity, he knows that's not the same person, but even that arthur deserves the same respect. but there's reassurance from her words as a smile pulls wider on his features, and caster's content. he lets out a sigh of relief, a hand raising to his chest as he nods to accept her words. ) That is.. good. Do understand, I was only curious. I'm just a crazy, ol' man! ( a little more than that, but he's unable to give away his identity since it's important to him, and he still plays with the rules of being a hobby servant on the side. there's too much at stake when it comes to a servant's real name, but caster is one of the lucky one's who doesn't have much of a weakness. he's immortal — to an extent — all because avalon has taken care of that.

but he can't leave her question fully unanswered, so with pride: )

I didn't vote for him?

( that doesn't answer anything, nor does it betray his origins. it doesn't place him as someone the other should be wary of or does it? either way, he finds her reactions almost as interesting as everything else about her. while they're answering questions about one another, violet focuses on her way of dress and then back to the color of her cheeks. )

You must be one of his citizens, you truly are protective!

[gwenhwyfar]

[ Charms and all of that aside, Gwenhwyfar notices the step back and says nothing on the matter. Without a doubt, Arthur is her king, in a sense, arranged marriages and old houses aside, the soon-to-be high king of Briton with the rebellion of twelve kings squashed, as far as she knew. Maybe there was a reason why Gwenhwyfar was left in the dark about the matters of what was going on in Briton, the tension between old and new customs, humans' constant desire for power, and the mess of what are royal families.

It left her unprepared, even a little resentful to the adults in her life. At least her mother had tried to make the effort before Melwas had invited himself to Arthur's dining hall. Curious, he says, but it's part of the reason why Gwenhwyfar is the way she is, all the scars she bears and the nightmares she cannot escape. ]

I am not one of his citizens.

[ Only Gawain knows that and both Fish and Mollymauk keep her origins guarded. But for her own benefit of being freed from the anxiety that can be seen by a tremor running through her hands, to which she balls up in fists.

She is absolutely petrified. ]

He is my betrothed. I am Gwenhwyfar of Cameliard.

[ Princess of Cameliard? It's not a title she likes. ]

[observing]

You're...

( caster redirects his gaze, swiping his eyes over the female's form one last time as he listens to her words. it's jarring. he would have expected something else, but this isn't an option he thought would play before him. his lips part, but there's not a gasp that leaves — oh no, it's more so he's speechless, and follows up with a smile. a hand raises to his chin, cupping it in thought as he begins to nod. isn't this funny, but to hear her admit such a claim has him pause. his betrothed? there's just no way for him to deny her but why would anyone who's aware of a timeline have to lie.

still, he must be patient, but also keep in mind to figure if she's telling the truth or not. ) ... King Arthur's significant other?

( if she who she calls herself, to call him her betrothed is pushing it .. unless, that has yet to happen. the term says it all so they must be early in. he relaxes, careful with his words for the reaction she gives with balled up fists. he may speak as if he's in disbelief, but he's curious so there's something he believes that he can question — ) Ahaha! Yes, if you say so!

( he plays coy, blinking as a hand leaves from his chin, and down to his side. ) Is that why my words offended you so much? ( but then, it dawns on him what he's said about the king if true, and that's a problem. it only makes since since the female from his world loved king arthur so much, she did everything for her. so who is to say this one isn't the same? well, if she's lying about her origins.. )

[gwenhwyfar]

[ It can't be helped, the glowering on her face, Gwenhwyfar crossing her arms tightly, almost in an effort to soothe herself. ]

Yes.

[ While it's always been something she's kept to herself, any slither of doubt actually makes her angry. What Gwenhwyfar really wants to say how much she had suffered for it. What it was like to hear these words whispered in her ears by a rival king, almost every night to break her spirit.

But she doesn't, only pulling a face that expresses how hurt she is by it, a look that she is sure her teacher would condemn, it would be an open display of weakness. ]

Think whatever you like. [ As her voice begins to quiver, she steals herself right back up. ]

I only want to know your association with him. Whoever he has ties with, I will have ties with, for better or worse.