prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .010

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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 accidentally swallow the worm at the bottom of my tequila? — 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.

▶ I Heat Up, I Can’t Cool Down
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 After settling into your apartment, you notice a shiny silver indestructible mechanoid cube with a pair of tiny stag horns attached to it. The card attached says that it’s a gift from the Lunatian government. One touch of the cube makes it hover in place, light up brightly, and play the classic hit Last Firalia by Blam! on repeat. By the 7th listen, you get hot under your collar, beads of sweat forming on your temples and rolling down your neck, and your breath grows labored. By the 17th listen, you’re all but ready to burst into flames — a stark contrast to the plummeting temperature outdoors.

A bit of vigorous moonlacing should keep you from growing too hot and bothered indoors. Or you could simply decide to chuck the cube out the window and let it be someone else’s problem. That won't really stop it, though. The music only stops once the cube picks up enough Chroma in the atmosphere generated via moonlacing, so go forth, and spread the Firialia lust, love, and cheer!

▶ It’s the Moose Wonderful Time of the Year
City of Lunatia | top

In the city of Lunatia, the streets are emblazoned with beautiful antler decorations, gleaming gold and silver along every walkway. Snowflake holograms appear on shop fronts to announce their annual Firialia sales, and Prismals are all rushing to buy gifts and make preparations for the upcoming holiday.

According to legend, on one incredibly harsh winter, ancient Prismals were downtrodden and on the verge of starvation when the majestic stag king of the forest, Firi, emerged from his humble kingdom to bring them warm clothing, blankets, and gifts for surviving the biting cold. It is said that his spirit remains on the land even after the Calamity, appearing every winter solstice to bless the Prismals for the new year ahead. Every year, Prismals mount festive wreaths on their door, decorated with stag horns in Firi's honor, and exchange gifts to invite the benevolent spirit of Firi into their homes.

A Hanging fake deer antlers is a strong Firialia tradition that has endured for centuries — a success that can be attributed to its magical effects, which often compels two people caught beneath to share a bit of Firialia spirit with one another. One can find these trinkets everywhere, decorating even the most secluded of spaces. The antlers come in three colors:

RED: Causes a dangerous but intense feeling of desire to embrace the person you're with! You will want to roughly pin the closest person to you on a flat surface, passionately kiss, and/or aggressively hold hands.

BLUE: Causes people to want to kiss until they’re out of breath, hands liberally moving across each other’s body, and the errant temptation to go further, but no taking any clothes off in public or the Moon Knights will get you! You’ll simply be eager to tease and kiss beyond the lips and have difficulty feeling sated.

PURPLE: Causes people to want to caress each other's faces affectionately, steal soft kisses, and/or tenderly lace their fingers together. They may also feel compelled to offer up some sweet whispers and compliments!

B To combat the cool weather, Prismals will also be handing out cups of warm chocolate moose mousse. This light and creamy dessert is prepared in enchanted moose-shaped cups with a pair of festive graham cookie antlers poking out of it. Prismal traditions include taking a bite and passing it to your neighbor, enabling you to get a glimpse of one another’s Firialia wishlists left unspoken. Fancy a new fishing rod this holiday? Or perhaps that saucy leather subligar you’ve been eyeing since your arrival? The words and images that make up your list appear before whoever eats your mousse, so who knows? Maybe you might get it this Firilia...

▶ Are You Not Entertained?
Level 1, PrismaPlace | top

After the long wait and preparations, the League Match Action Online (LmaO) preliminary qualification rounds are now underway at the gaming hub in PrismaPlace in Level 1, as the city will be hosting the LmaO Grand Championship next month. Moonblessed old and new are welcome to take the game for a test drive and participate!

The award-winning VR MOBA boasts amazingly seamless first-person view graphics and a real-time combat mode almost as authentic as real life and guaranteed to wow and amaze. Players can explore and immerse themselves in the fantasy world of LmaO, where they can create their own avatars and either fight with or against players from Lunatia and the Kingdom of Lyestellus for glory and loot!

In co-op mode, you will be battling a selection of huge beasts chosen at random. The most notorious among them is Ogma the Dread Ogre, who has high defense and pesky unavoidable attacks. PVP mode pits you against other players, and getting KO’d three times in a row or having your base captured is a loss for you and your team. Fun mode featuring mini-games such as virtual basketball, rhythm step action, beat sword, and many more. Winning any of these modes nets you loads of in-game gold that can be used to buy aesthetic skins, cute in-game pets, fun game emotes, furniture for your in-game house, or weapon and skill upgrades to make you stronger for the next round!

Event emcees will be recruiting anyone passing by for the preliminaries and showing them into fully-equipped private rooms for teams of two to eight players. Each player will be given virtual headsets and tight suits for immersion and communication. Prismal players may be recruited with Moonblessed teams if necessary.

A The scenario for the preliminaries is a majestic coliseum filled with gladiators of all ages and species. In LmaO, weapon choices are currently limited to any melee and ranged weapons you'd find in an ambitious fantasy RPG setting (read: you can find dual swords and grimoires but also gunblades), including an elemental magic system of water, fire, wind, earth, dark and light. Choose your weapon and, with your team, fight for the top spot!

As you begin to battle, you notice that the more you get hit, the more your physical body shows visceral reactions to the attacks. Outside of the game, you lose balance. Bruises appear out of nowhere and mar on your skin. You earn minor abrasions and bleed. It’s possible to feel the sweat or saliva of other players or bots, the sensation of their virtual hands grappling you, or their teeth sinking into your shoulder as they bite. It's a new, tantalizing world of virtual stimulation.

B For those of you more interested in the glamour aspects of LmaO, you are welcome to compete against other players in either the in-game or a real glam-a-thon. Festive LmaO cosplayers will be scattered around the venue, dressed in colorful costumes of characters from the game, such as the ridiculously cool cyborg Kenji and the flirty immortal fox mage Yeri. As for the in-game contestants, they are located on a bright sparkling stage. Large monitors at PrismaPlace can be seen livestreaming everything.

Some of the many competitors are dressed in colorful gear, including stylish himations, risque chitons, and a bevy of glittery, neon gladiator sandals. Challenge other players to a fashion walk-off on the raised catwalk. Score high enough on either contests, and you will win an ultra-rare Firialia plump moose mount in-game. You are welcome to invite others on a scenic moose ride after as the plump moose very slowly waddles across the virtual snowfields and exhibits its adorable built-in feature where it decides to take a nap every few minutes.

▶ 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.

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[ Somehow he feels really compelled to touch those furry paws? Even with the claws they look so nice to touch, like that of a large dog. The feeling reminds him of Iris almost, even if it isn't Iris or the Triple Moons right now so it's a mystery to him why he's feeling this way. Josuke hasn't quite picked up on the fact that the purple antler decor hanging nearby is emitting an almost Iris-like influence.

It's a harmless feeling, even if taking a stranger's hand is definitely a little weird. He'll indulge it for now, if only in hopes that it'll go away. Josuke reaches out for Legosi's free hand, holding it in his own as he compares the differences. It's definitely kind of wild to be looking at this, even if he's used to seeing aliens at this point. They're similar in size but Legosi's claws make that hand look several times more menacing. ]

Man, those claws are lookin' pretty badass though. [ But if Legosi's never seen a human before, does he just come from a place where everyone's a wolf? Yet, he's wearing clothes that look very much human. He doesn't know if he'll ever get his head around how wildly different other worlds must be. ]

We got grey wolves where I'm from, but they don't talk or wear clothes or walk on two feet. In fact, go near one and there's a high chance they'll try to kill you.

( taking a stranger's hand unprompted and out of nowhere is definitely a little weird. it takes legosi by surprise, at least — he doesn't tear his hand away from josuke or anything, but he does leap up an inch or two, startled by the sudden physical contact. he doesn't shy away, though, largely because there's an immediate warmth to the touch and a soothing effect that washed over his mind. he blinks slowly, but he feels odd. even with the way it feels, a stranger inspecting his hand shone a light on a few ingrained aspects he was cautious of. as a polite carnivore, he was just used to being very aware of his hands and claws.

when compared, their hands are fairly similar in size, though perhaps legosi's claws made his seem a little larger. one of his ears flaps at the comment, and he makes a low, uncertain sound in his throat. ) I... suppose you could say that. ( it feels odd to accept a compliment for them. for so many months, legosi had tried to file them down, but they just grew back the next day. they could be intimidating and even dangerous to herbivores, even accidentally... they were a blessing and a curse to all carnivores.

he looks up, studying josuke as he talks. he hasn't heard anyone talk about grey wolves "where they're from," yet. don't... wear clothes?! he thinks of zaguān and feels light-headed for a moment. but if they don't walk on two feet either...

the last bit, though. legosi seems a little taken aback, and he still seems tense when he replies. ) Well... I am not going to try to kill you. ( he's worked very hard at that, okay! he's a new male, a new wolf! ) If grey wolves don't talk... then... ( he seems to be struggling with this concept. there aren't really any animals like that where he's from. )

[ This guy ... He's got a likeable energy but he seems a bit introverted. It's a contrast from Josuke's casual manner of speech and friendliness. Then again, Josuke's never had to feel uncomfortable in his own skin.

He's also not at all worried about being attacked, mostly being he doesn't sense any hostility coming from the other boy. ] Wasn't worried about that ... Lots of people have tried to kill me, but they were mostly humans.

[ In fact, he's pretty sure death by animal attack is pretty rare in his world. Humans killing each other though? That stuff's rampant and worldwide, if the news is to be believed. He's also had a dozen stand users come after his life, so there's that. As they speak, Josuke still has the other boy's hand in his own, and he unconsciously starts to rub at the fur with his other hand. The contact is just weirdly nice, the way moonlacing can be. ]

And yeah, they don't talk. They pretty much go by their instincts, I guess? I dunno, they probably spend most of their time roaming around or hunting.

( josuke is certainly correct in his assumption about legosi's overall energy, and it's fairly rare for a canine — they are usually outgoing and extroverted by nature, but, well... he's never been exactly like every other canine (or, really, every other wolf). he just takes more after his grandfather than he would ever admit to, and it was very obvious whenever someone saw the two of them together. )

Oh.

( legosi isn't too shocked, as he's certainly had... a half dozen... maybe even a full dozen different animals try to kill him at various points in the last year as well. and the vast majority of them didn't even have any intention of eating him! there are so many reasons for someone to try to kill you besides just that. wild. )

Well... hopefully they try to kill you less. ( why were they trying to kill him, anyway? legosi would admit that he puts himself into dangerous situations — was it something like that? hm.

the sensory input of the faint moonlacing of hands being held was good, in this circumstance; it cut his overall discomfort at someone taking his hand in such a way, and it also made him feel less disheartened about what josuke says about the wolves he knows. legosi thinks about some of the carnivores that he and gouhin had saved from around the back alley market — they had been similar, nearly feral in the unraveling of their primal instincts. he has to assume that just all of the wolves josuke knows are like that? (and, of course, this is still him imagining those wolves look like him. )

Hm... That sounds kind of sad. And scary. ...It can be like that, when your instincts overpower you.

( stricken by momentary curiosity, he reaches out his other hand and passes his fingers over the top of josuke's. he thinks that the feeling of skin is most similar to that of a reptile, though far warmer, softer, and without all of the scales. legosi merely seems thoughtful as he considers this. )

[ Both Josuke and Legosi are big soft boys who suffer from the MC syndrome of butting their heads into dangerous situations and being nearly killed as a result. ]

[ Even if he knows the pleasant warmth that he's feeling as he keeps his hands in Legosi's is a direct result of moonlacing, and the compulsion to stay in their position or possibly seek more contact is a direct result of some weird thing Lunatia is pulling, Josuke doesn't find himself resisting it much. It's nice, nobody is getting hurt, and they might make some money. So they have their hands stacked on top of each other's hands like a bunch of hand pancakes, and Josuke's loving warmth of it and the softness of his fur, so he squeezes Legosi's hand in his. The moonlacing aside, his hands were actually feeling quite chilly in the winter, so it's like having a furry handwarmer on him, almost.

He does hear Legosi when he speaks, but he's distracted. ] Huh? Oh, sorry, this is just kinda nice ... [ Is that weird to say? He hopes not. He's getting used to moonlacing but it can still be awkward at times. Anyway, they were talking about instincts, that's right. ]

Does that mean you gotta deal with that too? [ He wouldn't say humans have very strong, set instincts, so he can't exactly understand, but it sounds rough. Oh, wait. ] If it's anything like ... being so mad you can't stop yourself, I guess I can relate to that.

[ Given his violent temper at times. ]

( that's just what they get for being shounen protags.

legosi is not as familiar with the odd sway of lunatian magic for him to fully recognize what's happening -- he's just drawn to it without thinking, like the instinctual pull which causes moths to gravitate towards light and flame. sure, it's a little bit unorthodox and awkward, but, well... so is legosi, so that just about checks out. he's starting to think that humans almost feel more like seals, thinking of zaguan, though... they certainly weren't amphibious mammals (or were they??).

but with the chill in the air, it seems to him like not having fur (or a seal's blubber, or a bird's feathers) would be a detriment. so he keeps josuke's hand trapped between his, keeping it warm by the merit of his body heat and the effect of moonlacing.

the comment frazzles him a bit; one of his ears flaps helplessly, and he's unable to admit that he feels the same about it, even though it'd be true. it's not weird to say, but it's just that... the whole thing is weird, when legosi thinks about it. he's just not used to this place yet.

he grumbles low in his throat, as if he was hesitant to talk about it, but he continues nonetheless. ) Sometimes... Carnivores want to eat meat by their nature, but... we live and work with herbivores, so it's wrong. A few times - I felt myself being overwhelmed by my instincts, but... well, I was fortunate. ( if he'd been very unfortunate... well, he would have ended up being like riz, and haru would have died. and he would have never had the opportunity to fall in love with her.

after a brief moment of silence, he shakes his head, as if to clear it. ) But I've worked very hard to have better discipline and self-control! ( he sounds proud of that, if not a little aggressively proud. )

[ He always did wonder what those anthropomorphic animals in his childhood cartoons ate. It's like he's getting the answer for that right now, and it's exactly as morbid as he had guessed (definitely not appropriate to be showing children). That does sounds like a tough world to live in, either living in constant fear that you would eat someone or be eaten by them. He definitely senses no hostility or aggression coming from the other boy. If anything, he's enjoying their little handhold, drawing comfort and warmth from his presence instead. ]

Yeah, can definitely see that. You're pretty chill. I'm Josuke, by the way. [ He doesn't think they've exchanged names yet. ]

Guessing you don't eat any meat at all, then? [ This actually makes him feel a little guilty for eating meat so casually. Legosi has to control himself so much, yet Josuke gets hamburgers or beef bowls or some other kind of meat dish almost every day. ]

( it's a question stories like that wouldn't want to answer... but in legosi's world, they lived with the harsh realities of their situation all the time. he's thought many times that it just seems cruel, that one group of animals would be so much bigger and stronger and more vicious towards the other. he didn't know what it all meant. he had questioned so much growing up why he had been born a carnivore, why he had been born a grey wolf. he had found his purpose — in standing tall and strong to protect those that couldn't — but so many others only slumped into the mold that genetics and instincts made for them.

but legosi has always been a gentle, thoughtful soul, and he had spent a lot of time minimizing his physical presence to try to remain un-intimidating. he doesn't do that quite so much nowadays, but there is something that josuke picks up on — a calmness of demeanor that typically ingratiates him to most herbivores, though carnivores could find it infuriating to see.

well, carnivores and louis, but... )

Legosi. ( he pauses, shifting his weight from one foot to another. ) ...Thanks.

( unfortunately it didn't matter how calm or good or sweet you seemed. instincts were not logical things.

he pauses a long moment before shaking his head. ) No. ( he has, once, but that had been a very special circumstance, and he had promised it would be the first and last time he would ever eat meat. that was that. ) ...Others do. Carnivores, that is. But... if I did that, I wouldn't be able to look my herbivore friends in the face. And I could become dangerous for them. So I don't.

( he knows that humans do. it's a little uncomfortable, but mostly because they seemed so herbivore-like themselves. he has spent so much time in the back alley market himself that he can't think poorly too of carnivores who partake. it just wasn't a possibility for him. )

I wouldn't have initially thought humans were carnivores, the first time I saw one...

[ He's trying to imagine this now, if say ... he were born as he is, but with a higher drive to eat meat, and his friends Okuyasu or Koichi were born a 'prey animal'. How could he eat meat then, when it practically feels like cannibalism? He completely understands why Legosi chooses not to, because it's probably a decision he himself would make. ] ... You're a really nice guy.

[ He's kind. With how meat is so readily available and packaged up in such a way you don't even see the animal it came from anymore, Josuke's never really thought about his dietary choices, but now he's ... pondering it. It is kind of shitty to eat meat, isn't it? ]

'Cause our teeth are so blunt, huh? [ Yeah, he has no idea why they were created this way. Don't ask him about science. ] We don't use teeth or claws or whatever to get food. The real answer's ... actually pretty shitty. [ He wonders what Legosi will think of humans after Josuke tells him. Well, with so many humans here, the conversation is bound to come up some other way. ]

We use ... weapons -- some of us, anyway, to hunt. That or ... I guess we put the animals in farms or factories, where they're eventually killed off. [ Wow. It sounds pretty horrible said out. ]

( legosi doesn't seem like he accepts the compliment well. his expression clouds over, and he shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other, a low and uncertain sound stuck in the back of his throat. he doesn't outright reject it, but... he does say, ) I'm... just trying to overcome the worst parts of myself.

( he's said as much to haru before: he's a grey wolf, a large predator, with a dark personality and a knack for getting into trouble. but he's come a long way this last year from attacking her without provocation. he does think he's getting better, but... no, he doesn't believe any of that is intrinsic.

yeah, the teeth and claws were the main part of it — carnivores came in all shapes and sizes (one could tell as much just by looking at the canine inhabitants of his old dorm room, from the tiny fennec fox to legosi's towering grey wolf stature), but they all shared those characteristics. his eyes narrow and he leans back as josuke begins to tell him what the secret to their society is: it's... just about as terrible as he might have thought. his expression falls, and his tail droops. it's not as if it's unheard of. he might not have ever seen it personally, but he had spent enough time in the back alley market to hear about it: herbivores raised and sold as livestock, never being taught to read or write or even speak. (what would he think if he knew the importance of the number tattooed onto louis' own foot?)

in the face of that, the rest of the back alley market seemed almost merciful. at least those animals died of disease or injury or natural causes: for the most part, they were not murdered.

he huffs a sigh, which turns to a cloud of mist around his muzzle. ) Animals can use weapons as well... ( just ask him! he's been shot not once but twice. ) And... such a thing is not completely unheard of, though it is rare... I have only heard terrible rumors. So... I guess it is not too different.

( except he still probably doesn't understand that animals in this world aren't exactly sapient. )

[ Maybe he's reading too hardly into things but he's picking up a small tinge of guilt, like Legosi's done something he isn't too proud of. In any case, it's not Josuke's place to pry, especially since they've only just met. The response he gets from Legosi in regard to hunting and meat farming back home is one expected. It's not something the layman thinks about often, but it really is cruel, how things are, and it would probably only be more horrifying if he were to imagine humans suffering that kind of fate.

He's not too surprised to learn that animals also can use weapons, because from the looks of it Legosi's got hands rather than paws, and he's wearing clothes ... It's not infeasible that he might come from a modern world not unlike what Josuke knows. It's an odd mental image though, a wolf holding a gun or knife. ]

It's pretty much how we get most of our meat back home. [ And he feels bad that he eats meat at all now. ] It's so common that I've never thought about it much. You must think I'm a pretty bad guy, huh?

( it's not really legosi's place to make others feel guilty. well, sometimes, but... his feelings about things have changed a lot since bill pulled that vial of rabbit's blood out of his pocket before the second adler show. their world is a difficult one. carnivores have to deny something intrinsic about themselves so they can peacefully co-exist with herbivores. just because legosi feels a strange, undeniable attraction towards the latter... is it his place to judge carnivores who try to peacefully sate their innate need for meat as best they can? the back alley market was a crude solution, but it was at the very least one that didn't involve animals being hunted (for the most part). though some animals did get overwhelmed, thereby requiring gouhin's help (something legosi had helped in for several months), most didn't. as much as he had hated to realize it a year or so ago, the back alley market made the peace of the city possible.

things are not always simple, and they rarely fit nicely into boxes. he, a grey wolf who had fallen in love with a rabbit, should know as much.

when legosi sees how animals are here in this universe, perhaps it will make more sense to him. that here, animals are like... bugs, back home. and even legosi had eaten a bug before, even leading him to one of many revelations about the philosophies he lives his day-to-day life by.

so when josuke asks the question, a conflicted look crosses the wolf's scarred face. he pauses, and then he shakes his head. ) Josuke... No. I mean. It's not really my place to say...? I don't eat meat because... it's dangerous for others around me, if I do. ( he shamefully remembers his neighbor, the sheep, coming by to ask him something when he had been in the middle of his meat withdrawals. he knows he had scared her... that they were still friends was born of her strength and nothing else. ) I've had... trouble, controlling my instincts in the past. But... there are plenty of carnivores that - eat as well as they possibly can, without hurting anyone living. And maybe, for them, that helps them control their instincts. Um... what I'm trying to say is, no, I don't think you're bad if you do. It's... up to you and what you think is best, I think.

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▶ TDM .010

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