prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .018

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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. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena 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? — 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. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Welcome to the Jungle
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.

▶ I Didn’t Choose the Hug Life, the Hug Life Chose Me
08/09 | Outside Lunatia, Kingdom of Calanthe | top

With the return of Lyestella and Vulpus to the land, the Lyestellans and Amegaharans have pledged to cooperate with the Lunatians in their effort to continue to restore Prismatica to its former glory and recover the planet’s lost history. The Prismals now turn their attention to the decrystallization of the land and the detoxification of the air, both remnants of the great cataclysm of ages past. The planet’s surface has already been changing, revealing new sites of archaeological interest. Aside from Neuhr Ellysti, another one was recently found to the far south of Lunatia in an old city that the Prismals call Calanthe.

The Moonblessed-produced Chroma has dissipated the toxic mist surrounding the city, revealing a sprawling, majestic kingdom encased in crystal as if it was frozen in time. The kingdom is partially submerged in water, requiring some sophisticated techniques to reach its innermost recesses. Lunar Scientia has requested for Chroma to be funneled into the ancient city to allow them to study it further.

As an apology for his antics last month, Vulpus has volunteered to lead the Calanthe decrystallization efforts with the power... of dance! His Azure Passion Blossom dance will help the Moonblessed generate more Chroma by amplifying it considerably.

B As Vulpus dances, the Moonblessed are asked to participate in a large-scale hug-a-thon at the Calanthe research camp. The goal is to partner up with one another and try to remain awake for 3 hours, simply standing and hugging, in order to take home the following rewards: a generous amount of groceries, two luxurious dessert cakes (comes in two flavors!), and the choice to take home one of the latest Chromawear releases from Prissy Polyp.

Now that he’s being good, do you think Vulpus’s hips don’t lie? Nope. He is definitely back on his bullshit. For those unwilling to participate, they will find their bodies inexplicably “magnetized” to one another, spontaneously sending you through the air and sticking you to someone else. Escape is nigh impossible for at least an hour when the effects wear off. Better be prepared to make friends fast.

▶ Ride It, My Pony
08/10 | top

The mass amounts of hug-induced Chroma successfully banish the crystal and toxic mist away and open up the kingdom of Calanthe. While many may be eager to venture into the unknown, Lunar Scientia warns everyone of the dangers ahead. Prepare yourselves, and don’t travel alone.

Calanthe is covered in runes and symbols that may be familiar to veteran Moonblessed, including the Mark of the Destroyer which had been present in the Glory. Meanwhile, the shimmering waters surrounding the city are remarkably beautiful, but with no ocean floor in sight — only an endless abyss.

C Calanthe’s waters are enchanted to drown all those unwelcome, even those who can breathe underwater. It’s not a good idea to touch or stand close to the water for too long in any way, either. That will summon innumerous kelpie horses that will lunge out and ram against you, your friend, and/or the nearest Prismal researcher, instantly knocking them into the nearest wall. These creatures best described as finned horses made of water; they mysteriously evaporate after each attack, only reappearing to ram any threat to their territory again.

Once provoked, the kelpies will start conjuring bubble cages around its opponents, which will send them floating upwards before quickly sinking into the endless abyss. Damaging the bubble cages from within is completely ineffective, as they can only be broken by those outside of it. Rescuers, hurry and break the bubbles before it’s too late!

Alarmed by these developments, Lunar Scientia will order a temporary retreat as they try to figure out how to deal with all the furious kelpies before any more people are taken into the abyss.

▶ Natural De-Selection
08/10 - 08/24 | top

Day and night, all begin to hear haunted whispers echo throughout Lunatia in the next coming days, among them the voices of those who were recently taken into the abyss, begging for help or mercy.

Ghost sightings of slain jellyfish and Korokiels from past battles flicker into view at random hours of the evening. Some people feel painful, spontaneous electric shocks. Others feel tentacles coil around and strangle them for a few seconds before the sensation disappears completely.

Just what did they unearth in Calanthe? News programs, articles, and social media are filled with rumors and conspiracy theories, but all seem to agree that the research team has awakened an ancient curse.

Those who were not freed in time and kidnapped into Calanthe’s watery abyss will remain in an unusual stasis, floating about in the bubble with those they are trapped with. The longer they stay there, the smaller the bubble gets, making it harder for them to breathe. Their most painful thoughts may end up echoing throughout Lunatia. The captured can stave off death a bit longer by constantly moonlacing until rescue comes for them.

D Time is of the essence. As soon as Lunar Scientia quickly announces their findings, everyone dives straight back into the bottomless depths. All rescuers will be given a newly developed Carcharian potion that will allow Moonblessed to temporarily grow shark properties, including the special ability to breathe in Calanthe’s waters, enhanced flexibility and agility in the water, and possession of sharp jagged teeth. These teeth are magically effective against kelpies who seem to fear the shark kind. The potion’s effects will naturally wear off after an hour, so be sure to complete your rescue by then.

With the kidnapped Prismals and Moonblessed back home safely, the Prismals will continue to carefully study how to safely navigate the area and explore Calanthe.

▶ Questions

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

WHO CAN POST? ▶ Test drive memes are for new characters only. Existing players may not post starter threads in the test drime meme. 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.!

IS THIS CANON? ▶ 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.

DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE? ▶ As always, all content is optional. You do not have to be affected by any of the prompts if you wish to opt out.

KELPIES ▶ These horses cannot be tamed or reasoned with. If you kill one, more aggressive kelpies will come for you out of vengeance and start to swarm you and others.

CALANTHE’S WATERS ▶ As stated on the log, these waters are enchanted to drown intruders. Even those who can breathe underwater will NOT be able to. Attempting to bypass this through any means will not work.

BUBBLE CAGES ▶ Each bubble should contain at least two people. A Moonblessed may be trapped with an NPC Prismal if desired. You may freely communicate with other bubbles in the abyss. Attempting to use the network will fail as the signal is jammed.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( there's a slight raise of an eyebrow but it's not negative, actually more of an agreement on what he's saying. parts of it, she's still getting her head around the chroma but that's not her biggest concern currently )

Then it'll be a simple answer to find.

( perhaps simpler than this )

There may be one answer you dislike though.

[ Jim is used to it, by now. Very used to it. He's seen enough tricks and ploys to not be shocked by this new tactic, and he's already imagining a number of possible scenarios and solutions in his head.

This time it's her words that get him to raise an eyebrow, more curious than anything. ]

Oh? And what answer is that?

( there's a variety of different ways that she could phrase this, a variation on the same exact question but she goes for the simplest, the one least likely to be confidential or rejected )

What was the stardate?

[ It's a complicated question for entirely different reasons than she might think. He opens his mouth for a moment, then closes it again, settling for— ]

Earth year 2263. We, ah... you'd have to tell me how you track stardates, in your world.

[ He presses his lips in for a moment, then adds. ]

It's possible that we come from different realities.

( she frowns, about to query something but... then there's a look of recognition in her expression. it's potentially a long shot but-- )

If you're assuming we're from different realities that means something happened for you to be aware of that.

( this is why everyone hates time travel )

Something happened, yes. On the day of my birth, and then again, twenty-two years later.

[ And yes, everyone hates it, and he's going to say it. ]

It had to do with time travel. Those two events created an alternate reality— my reality.

What happened?

( it's partly curiosity, partly to see if she's heard of it whether romulan or not. there were many instances of time travel throughout history across various species but it was the first time she'd encountered the outcome of it )

[ Her question poses quite the conundrum for him. He's not sure how much to share, what would be safe to tell her. Then again, would it really make that much of a difference in this place?

Best to start simple, he supposes. Then go from there. ]

Two ships were captured by a black hole, and ended up traveling to the past. One of them resurfaced over a hundred and fifty years before, the other some twenty-five years after that one.

[ He pauses. ] Hold on, what year is it for you?

( she listens, tenses slightly. it'd be a coincidence if it was nero but... it'd be a bigger coincidence if it wasn't, if it was another event. she doesn't know exactly how long it's been for him but... 150 years is the right time frame )

2399. I know the event you've described.

( if she's wrong... well, he doesn't need to know that )

You do.

[ It makes sense that she does; this also makes him surer that she comes from the prime universe, and not his own. He lets out a breath, not sure whether he should relax yet but doing so anyway. ]

Well... I don't know how much people in the prime reality know about that event, but it created my universe. And me. I'm another James T. Kirk.

Nothing's written about another universe but the event that led to it is unforgettable.

( especially when you're romulan. the destruction of your homeworld? yeah, that's a big thing )

It would take comparing events to know how much was changed.

( she's far more interested in this other universe than you personally. but that's probably a good thing? )

[ There's a moment of silence, his expression more solemn. ]

I'm sorry.

[ About the destruction of her planet, that is. Yes, he does know about that much. ]

Well, if you're interested, I'm not opposed to sharing however much I know.

( she's quick to pass it over, not wanting to dip into sentiment with someone she doesn't know even if it's a nice gesture )

It would pass the time like this.

( and maybe she'd think of something during show and tell )

[ Jim dips his head in a nod. ]

Very well, then. Where would you like to start?

[ Jim could start with the obvious and mention Vulcan, but he'll leave that one for later. ]

( if only her question didn't lead there )

150 years ago. What happened?

( what happened after nero came through )

[ Oh, great. Let's just start with the most fun part of it all. Luckily Jim can at least tell her about the initial confrontation without mentioning Vulcan yet, or the circumstances of his own birth— or his father's death. ]

One of the ships swallowed into the singularity was a Romulan mining vessel. It emerged in 2233, and the USS Kelvin was sent out to investigate. A confrontation ensued, and the Kelvin was destroyed. The Romulan ship ended up stuck in our reality permanently, for years looking for that other ship and the person manning it.

[ He's not sure how much she knows, so vague it is. ]

Spock.

( it had been an effort she hadn't expected to work, if only because she wasn't someone prone to bouts of hope )

I assume the Narada later found him.

Ambassador Spock. Yes.

[ It feels important to specify. After all, Spock is a different person to him. ]

He did, yes. And he marooned him on Delta Vega so that the Ambassador had to watch as the Nerada destroyed Vulcan.

[ There's a heavy pause before he goes on to add. ]

So did too my Spock, Acting Captain at the time, witness this destruction. He was actually on the surface as it began, and we was beamed out just in time.

[ Alas, not everyone made it. But that's a more personal note that he's not at all willing to share. ]

( even with their long history that still makes her pause )

Vulcan was destroyed?

( she looks and sounds surprised by that, confirming it even though she'd very carefully heard him say it. but it hadn't in her universe, clearly by her reaction )

For what reason?

( why would nero do it? )

[ Jim nods, understanding this must come as something of a shock to her. He is admittedly a bit intrigued that she asks why. ]

Grief. Revenge. I'm sure Nero thought he had a number of reasons to do it.

[ Not good reasons, the way Jim sees it, but grief is a very deep, strong emotion. And it can easily turn into something damaging, as was the case. ]

( she doesn't know how much he knows about her people or their history but she doesn't attempt to offer it either. no matter what she feels about her home being destroyed or vulcans... destroying vulcan feels too far. inflicting the same pain on them?

though not all of her people are so reasoned. none of them are vulcan, some have wild tempers and emotions but... well, he wasn't tal shiar, wasn't more measured as they had to be )

I assume that Nero's incidents didn't stop with Vulcan.

[ Admittedly, Jim's knowledge on Romulans isn't the most comprehensive, but he's always had the feeling they tend to be at least a little more reasonable than Nero was. But one can't say how his experiences likely changed him. Seeing his planet destroyed, being trapped across time with no one else other than his ship's crew.

Even the Romulus in his reality likely didn't feel like home, to him. Jim can hardly imagine. ]

No. [ He snaps out of his thoughts, shaking his head. ] He tried to destroy Earth, next. We stopped him.

Stopped.

( she assumes killed which honestly is no big concern. he was a romulan far from control, it didn't seem like there was any other way with him )

I'm glad Earth was saved.

I reached out. Tried to offer him the option to turn himself in, but he refused.

[ So yes, he gave the order and destroyed his ship. It was no light decision, the first of many, but the way he sees it, he was left with no other choice. ]

As am I. [ He offers her a faint smile. ] I'm only sorry we didn't get to Vulcan on time.

[ Or that he didn't remember the events leading to his father's death in time to save all the other Starfleet ships that were attacked by Nero, and all the officers that perished along with them. ]

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