prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .003

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▶ TDM .003

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▶ Tales from the Crypt
Moon Iris | top

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 eat those fifty cent street truck tacos last night? — 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. Alternatively, you can ask the staff about the moon base. They suggest that you visit one of their excavation sites nearby: an enormous hole known as the Glory. The scientists have been excavating this site carefully for years, searching for a legendary ancient tomb sleeping within. They’re accepting volunteers if anyone is inclined to aid in their efforts. Perhaps the Moonblessed have the knowledge they need to make it a success!

A ⬤ A chroma-powered lift made of magically fortified crystal is used to access the lower grounds. Be careful not to fall off! On the way down, some translucent caterpillars and crystals light your way. Be quiet and keep an eye out for Queen Bowie beetles: these glowing neon bugs are attracted to music, and a single note will send them flying into your clothes and hair. Putting the beetles under pressure is not advised, as they will explode and send their sticky insides flying throughout the airspace, potentially stinging your eyes. This will make moving around in dark, cramped spaces all the more difficult! Thankfully, they get bored if no one tries to sing for one whole minute.

B ⬤ Scientists, engineers, miners, and archeologists are at the unearthed antechambers, hard at work. They will assign you to different tasks: recording observations and taking down notes, digging with advanced excavation tools, or collecting fragile relics with metal and crystal detectors. The Moonblessed may also assist with solving riddles the ancients left in the tomb’s doors, chests and walls. Solving them may lead to either treasure rooms or trap walls that close in on unsuspecting grave robbers. Others, well...

Golden jellyfish statues line the walls, encrusted with glistening jewels all over, some worse for wear. Tall pillars have numerous ancient runes which the Prismals are struggling to decipher. Soon, an eerie whisper reaches your mind: “Wander no further. A curse awaits all who enter our kingdom. Disturb not those who slumber in the deep.” True enough, the floor from this point onward appears to be blue sand combed in the pattern of ocean waves... Are you brave enough to continue drilling through?

C ⬤ If that is not enough to send you scrambling out with moist underwear, perhaps the seismic jolt to the ground will. A slimy substance begins to ooze out the tomb’s cracks, glowing lilac like the Iris moon... The Prismals are quick to usher everyone out before the shaking gets worse. As the lift may be too dangerous, climbing equipment will be provided. Watch out for falling debris or collapsing rocks while assisting each other out of cramped passages and up the walls to safety. Try not to get stuck in the slime!

This little adventure might leaving you wondering what or who exactly lies deeper inside, but the Prismals are just as clueless as you are. Cave-ins happen from time to time, but this might have been the strongest one recorded on this site.

Eventually you’re called to the docks and led onto a large transport vessel. Destination: Prismatica.

▶ Those Kicks were Fast as Lightning
Higher Lunatia, Level 1 | 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.

With the end of Harvest Boon, the city is calm once more. The streets of Level 1 and 2 are now sparkling clean as always, but Level 3 is still in the process of cleaning up. There are confetti and deflated balloons strewn all over the streets, but Swiffy bots are on the scene, sweeping up whatever waste they can get their hands on. Sometimes, they might even play tug-of-war with you for it. At one of the train stations, a Prismal doomsayer screams about the apocalypse returning. Passersby shrug at the conspiracy theory and move on.

A ⬤ In response to the unexpected rough events during Harvest Boon, the Moon Knights decided to hold free-for-all self-defense seminars at a large park near Lunatia Square. The live demonstrations include proper monster-wrangling procedures and how to efficiently keep a rogue moonheld (read: transformed under the moon) Prismal away. Participants are encouraged to learn and interact with each other to learn various safety practices and techniques. The training visors provided enhance the seminar experience, changing whoever your eyes focus on into a cerberus or other rogue moonheld Prismal on the visor’s display. Don’t use the visors for too long, or you’ll be seeing everyone as a cerberus well after you take the visors off! Fortunately, the effects only last for an hour. Energy drinks and free snacks are available to any worn-out Prismal or Moonblessed.

B ⬤ Virtual lunar conditions are also available via multiplayer VR pods in Lunar Scientia headquarters, simulating the Moonblessed/moonheld experience under full moons. Mental exercises and magic practice sessions are accessible in the virtual spaces, allowing people to test out their magical abilities and transformations. Simulation participants can either train by themselves, with a partner, or through a tutorial of instruction-based movements. However, the program is still in beta. You may experience errors or bugs like lagging, NPCs phasing into things they shouldn’t, weird physics, or body glitches.

▶ Meas Trees are the Bee’s Knees
Middle Lunatia, Level 2 | top

The rows of Meas trees planted this Harvest Boon are blossoming beautifully into view, painting the fields in Level 2 with colors of spring. Meas tree saplings each have a small sign next to them, displaying their owners’ written wish if they chose to disclose it. Interestingly, the color and aroma of each flower depends on the owners; fiery personalities might have red or orange flowers, those born in a coastal town might have flowers that smell like the sea near their hometown, and so on. Maybe you’ll encounter a familiar aroma if you’re lucky enough.

The Moonblessed who were most active with moonlacing the past few weeks have the largest trees, nearly rivaling the oldest Meas trees around. The older trees planted by Prismals over time can be seen in the next field, standing majestically with their swaying branches and flying petals.

A ⬤ Picnic grounds for flower viewings can be found near the fields. There are plenty of stalls selling homemade bruschettas, crostinis, sandwiches, wines, cheeses, and other enjoyable finger food. Notably, some wines may give you an insatiable desire to whisper things in someone’s ear. Sweet nothings, death threats, your secret kinks—no matter the words, you’ll want to kill someone softly with them.

B ⬤ The Swiffy bots that are assigned to the parks and gardens in Level 2 help keep things spick and span, but they’re due for maintenance and may attempt to sweep off any unfortunate picnics with their high-powered vacuums or leaf blowers. As they zoom across the paths, they chirrup about not treading on the grass and take off with picnic blankets, table cloths, and people’s clothes. Any nearby maintenance staff (who are all desperately trying to chase the bots) yell that a conk on the head will immobilize them. Once the malfunctioning bots are stopped, the staff approach to wheel them away while apologising profusely for the mayhem.

▶ Questions

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Lancer is tagging along for this one. He's not one for these riddles and puzzles and he seems more than happy to let Archer have his fun. He is just here due to mild interest and the need to supervise.

It's not because of mentions of ancient crypts and what he may associate with that.

Not at all.

So Vlad silently watches as the puzzles get solved at an amazing pace. When the voice comes to him he does not keep quiet any longer.]

Those that slumber shall stay where they lie or I will pin them to their tombs.

[Okay, that was a little stronger. He tries to pay it off with a very forced laugh and nods to Archer.]

Treasures... yes. Obviously they are just scaring people away from some prize.

[ Thankfully Archer has been behaving, especially with a Lancer alongside him. Those are trouble! He doesn't need trouble right now when he has absolutely no foothold in this current situation.

When he speaks, however, Archer laughs. ]

Excellent comeback, my friend!

[ It's a good thing that Archer isn't the only one hearing it, at least. Paints some of its own story. ]

Treasure in the eye of its owner, at the least. It could very well be meaningless to us but such a protective measure certainly brings out my curiosity. How about you?

[Where as Lancer is kind of hoping for trouble. Trouble is something he can handle. Trouble that has the ability to feel fear is definitely something he can handle.

If there's a vampire in here though he's bringing the whole place down.

Maybe they'll get lucky, there will be a grail, a glorious battle and then things can get back on track though! See, optimism. Not that he dislikes Archer. The man is brilliant and quite capable. It's just good to have goals.]

I must admit I am curious. It could be quite promising, or dangerous. If it's the latter, we'll meet it head on and leave our mark upon this land.

[Speaking of land, Lancer thrusts his spear forward pointing at the sand.]

What say you, Archer? Magecraft or something else?

[The wavy lines suggests they're up against something sea based but this is all a bit outside Lancer's wheelhouse.]

[ It's an excellent question. Archer moves to crouch down and visually inspect the sand. It's no substance known to him, either from life or from the information he gained upon being summoned into the modern era, which does lend itself to something of the magical variety. ]

It would appear to be magecraft of some sort. Unfortunately, that is outside my area of expertise. Given time, I could likely deduce its composition and effects, but there are other, quicker ways of determining its purpose.

[ Read: he's gonna touch. ]

[Sure he may know of magecraft, stranger methods and stranger servants but he still gets to be surprised a lot when it comes to things outside him homeland.

Maybe if he had taken time to get to know this place and set up his territory things would be different. Instead, he gets to go along for this ride. Without evidence to the contrary, Lancer is certain he will see this through with little to no problem.]

Victory is earned by the bold and the brave.

[Translation: Do it!

Maybe they need a different type of adult here.]

[ No time for that, science is now afoot! Archer moves to place his hand on the sand, then (carefully) raise himself up and take a step forward as he inspects the residue left over his glove and palm...

... but then the tremors start. The walls ooze. None of it looks very inviting. ]

Ah. That would likely be from activating this.

[The smile fades as the earth shakes and the walls start to do their thing. No real opponents to destroy, no one to strike fear in, just a natural disaster with a strange side effect. Lancer grits his teeth at it all and has to admit that this might just be a wash.]

I will not stand by and be laid low by someone's trap. If no one has the courage to stand forth and face us, then I suggest we make our way back.

[Being caught in a cave in is not a glorious way to be defeated. He rather head to the surface and survey the aftermath. Maybe someone will be righteously angry enough at the commotion to warrant a real dispute.]

What say you Archer?

I agree, Lancer.

[ It's about that time that the locals who came down and were trailing in their wake are panicking, starting to usher everyone out, and Archer gives one last longing look toward the mysteries behind the stretch of sand. ]

Perhaps we will return at a later date?

[ Nothing but conjecture and hope, but oh well. He turns and begins to walk out, not in a particular hurry yet, until the real jolt kicks in and he lets out a slight yell. ]

Maybe we should pick it up a bit, then!

Later, with more workers at our disposal.

[A team to do the labor would be nice. He misses having golems at his technical command. Then the loud, rough shift of the earth almost topples the regal posing Lancer. No time for that nonsense, things are rushing towards a finish here.]

Agreed. Try to keep up.

[A boast, as he doesn't have his horse and he's not in his domain. He lunges forward to rush towards the platforms to be transported back. He could try to outpace it up the wall, but why when there's a perfectly good mode of transportation available?

Hey, no fair!

[ A head start is cheating! Archer wanted to do that first! Oh well. He moves to try and keep pace with Lancer, but there's certainly more difficulty in it for him as he's much less capable of ducking and weaving around the crowds as necessary. He can see the officials discouraging use of the lifts up ahead, likely due to the current instability of the excavation site, and changes his course abruptly.

He takes one hop, two, lands one foot on a handhold above the heads of all the rest and checks for Lancer. ]

This way would be quicker.

[Climb up the shaft? Like peasants?

Lancer notes the agile Archer's choice and decides to rely on the other's perception. What archer got by without the ability to notice things beyond the other Servants?

Lancer halts course, leaping free of those waiting on directions and finding a place to land above them all. He nods to Archer and lets the other take the lead in this.]

I must ask, if we had gotten to the end of this quest and it had been the Grail, what would you do?

[So many Servants about, it was always good to know what he was up against.]

[ Yes, like peasants. At least the peasants will be alive!

Seeing Lancer join him on the face of the cliff, he glances down below one more time, but everything seems to be in order so it isn't like they'll get called out for going on ahead. Thankfully, even if he's a cheating cheater who cheats, he does have an incredibly keen eye that one might expect from his Class, and leading the way up to the safety of a fortified hallway is child's play. ]

The Grail? In such a place? Hm... well, I daresay it's just as useful as any other power source, so keeping it for when necessary would have been useful!

Just as useful but potentially more than that. You must have considered that other Servants would go to war for it should it appear.

[Though the energy sources here are varied it doesn't meant the Grail is useless otherwise. At least to those Servants summoned to do battle and make a wish, the Grail is the only prize that matters in the end.

Lancer is not saying he'd stab a friend for it. But Vlad would probably stab a friend for it.]

Though I suppose the point is moot at the moment.

[Because if they don't get out of there they'll be buried with whatever secrets these catacombs are keeping.]

[ Truly, Archer isn't one to view the Grail as anything more than an opportunity. Its wish-granting properties are something he has no need of, given that he can do whatever he wants given enough influence and power... so the pure energy of the Grail is much more useful to him in that way. ]

Yes, I'd say. We've no indication that such a powerful object exists here, although if the locals are to be believed... even us as Servants may be able to produce our own energy.

[ Oh, he's got no thoughts of them dying down here. They're on their way out, after all, and he's the one leading! They'll be fine. ]

This world has strange rules, even for us. Still, we exist for a reason even if that reason has been postponed. This transfer of energy though is fascinating in its own way.

Did you ever imagine such things, Archer?

[Lancer, in any world, really wants to win the Grail and make a history changing wish. He's also supposed to be summonable to face off against end of days type events but the grail will always be in the back of his mind.

He holds casual conversation while following Archer's lead towards safety.]

Hahaha! What interesting thoughts. I admit they hadn't occurred to me. However, it appears you must be from a time or place different than mine. There's been an absolute flood of summonings unrelated to the standard Holy Grail Wars all across history. That's where I came in.

[ Suffice it to say, Archer really doesn't care. He's used the power of the Grail and equivalent sources before, but the things he's done with them are similarly achievable with other forms of power just the same. He's a science-y sort of guy, not the type to put stock into using magic to automatically solve his problems. ]

Then I will bother you no more with that concern.

[Because of course if it did come up Lancer believes he would ultimately claim it. It'd be a fun contest but not one he isn't ready to face.

Unlike Archer, Lancer's problems aren't as solvable with constructive methods and science. How do you erase specific history as a Servant limited to the influence they can put upon it?]

We should be back here either way. The threat we received should not go unmet and the mystery of what lies deeper does intrigue me. I would much prefer to tackle it along side someone with a mind like yours though.

[ Knock yourself out, Lancer. This Archer is already concocting non-Grail related ways to collect energy and power to reestablish himself in this new dimension, and looking for one specific source among the rest is simply narrowminded to his cause. ]

Yes, I agree. However long it takes for them to reopen the passage, I would like to return with more preparation. Just imagine what could be hiding behind such a mysterious trap!

Whoever, or whatever the cause it should be uncovered to be known to the people here or stopped from doing whatever it just did.

[Considering cave ins and... whatever that goo really is might be a problem for your average citizen. Lancer is not a fan of leaving threats like that unchallenged. Though he has to be careful when it comes to facing challenges now, all things considered. Not for his safety but for the safety of his legend.]

Preferably while Sanguis still hides from the sky and gives sway to other forces.

Is that your alignment, then? The Sanguis moon?

[ Not that Archer knows his own yet, but this information is quickly and quietly filed away for later.

All too soon, they reach the top of the shaft and Archer alights on the firm ground of the reinforced hallway. ]

You're not incorrect about discovering who was behind this, but on the other hand... it seems to have laid dormant this whole time until disturbed. There's likely many more urgent issues in need to deliberation before they deal with this one.

Apparently the red moon has taken a liking to me.

[He wants to play it off as an accident, or something alien to him but it is all too fitting in the worst ways.]

And as for this, knowing your enemy is a fine strategy but so is acting before they truly know you. I suppose though it has the advantage of knowing its territory better.

Edited (too many "thoughs") 2019-05-20 12:15 (UTC)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

▶ TDM .003

tales from the crypt - b!

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