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[prismods]

SHOOTING SHARK

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"Blue Oyster Cult - Shooting Shark" (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.

▶ Keep all Hands and Feet inside the Burning Vehicle at all Times
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Outer Space | top

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 mix tequila with xanax 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. 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 Prismal locals. The next destination: Prismatica.

A. After settling into the ship and selecting the current in-flight movie, Back Door Slugs 9, you and those around you may eventually feel a bit of turbulence during the movie’s highly anticipated climax. Did anyone notice it, or is everyone too focused on the hot characters?

At first, it’s a small jitter that’s easy to miss or brush off. But as the transport vessel travels on, the shaking progressively escalates to erratic tremors strong enough to cause severe nausea. A minute later, a voice over the speaker announces the ship will have to make an emergency landing, citing technical difficulties.

Sparks can be seen overhead as more ship parts malfunction. This is a good time to hold your neighbor’s hand, say your last goodbyes, and apologize for that horrible thing you did in the sixth grade. Grip your seat with the might of every god you can think of.

B. Another minute later, a follow-up announcement states that external entities have breached the transport vessel. Everyone is warned to be careful and watch out for each other. Small fires will have to be put out before they worsen with either magic or emergency equipment onboard such as extinguishers. In-flight robotic attendants will be scuttling around to perform immediate repairs.

Eventually, an entire power panel bursts, and prismatic jellyfish unnaturally spill out. The jellyfish will try to latch and suction onto any technological devices close by such as the television screens on the seats or communicators and will show preference to Iris Moonblessed over the rest. Be ready to help and pull numerous jellyfish off both the faces of Moonblessed and Prismals!

▶ Jaws IV: Jaws Harder
Planet Prismatica, Outer Lunatia | top

The emergency landing successfully completes and the transport vessel will safely land on top of a gorgeous lake filled with tiny glaciers floating by. When reached out and touched, you’ll find out that the “glaciers” are surprisingly cool crystals and not ice.

The ship will be left hovering idly on the water surface while passengers are ferried to solid ground using portable emergency boats. However, civilization is still a distance away.

A. You’ve probably heard of flying sharks from a veteran Moonblessed. But how about sea lions? These aquatic lions are born with scaly skin and gills outside of their crystallized manes. Unfortunately, they haven’t tasted fresh meat in quite some time. If there are any injured onboard or near your boat, the chances of the sea lions detecting people will be higher as they are drawn to the scent of blood. Growling hungrily, they will be quick to latch onto the boats, biting the edges, and trying to knock everyone overboard for dinner.

After surviving through so far, the Prismals guide everyone to a nearby encampment run by humanoid rabbits. They are tall, built, and have a habit of mentioning their virility an awkward amount of times. They are also generous and will share their game meat and fresh crops while allowing everyone to rest for the night at the only inn in their village.

B. There is no running water all the way out here, so if anyone wants a bath, they’ll have to do it traditionally. The village protects a natural spring, which is a good place to bathe away the sea water. Around the spring, the rabbit folk’s friends — little scintilla chinchillas — will shock away any predators that dare to approach their sanctuary! Be at ease and feel free to offer your friends shampoo massages.

The next day, the rabbits can be seen hacking away at some of the wilder-looking plants for an easier pathway. If you wake up early enough, you can ask some of them for a tour of the beautiful greenery. They mention that it’s thanks to the Moonblessed that their crops have been doing so well lately — the result of all the chroma influx. The rest of the journey to the city will be smooth sailing.





▶ It’s Free Real-Estate
Level 2, 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. 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. A new high-end boutique, Prissy Polyp, has opened in Level 2. As compensation for what happened, both Moonblessed and Prismals that were affected in yesterday’s flight will receive 50% off their total purchase. Those unaffected will receive 30% discount coupons as a promotional gift. All are encouraged to visit with their friends or special someone, try on some things together, enjoy each other in the fitting rooms, and deal with the loud, ear-blistering background pop music.

Their clothing collections are characterized by bright iridescent designs, some features such as design patterns may glow ethereally in the dark. One of their signature dresses features a one piece (also available on their trench coats) that can amplify the appearance of one’s decolletage, gluteal muscles, and/or bulge with the press of a neon button. Another item among their collection is the maiden sweater: a sleek, backless sweater that shocks those who attempt unwanted touches. Others include skin-tight leggings (also available on their shorts or pants) which produce pleasant and relaxing vibrations on all lower extremities and fashionable polyp-shaped hats for all kinds of people. It’s a huge shop, you never know what else to find in there.

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

▶ IMPORTANT! By request, we've uploaded image samples for the Prissy Polyp clothing collections! Note these are merely samples for a visual guide and we will leave more selections to players.

▶ 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

[pushpin]

[cream in her coffee, cream in everything. soft and sweet. not just sweaters but knits; he remembers the texture of them under his fingers as they held each other and more, the gift of warmth at the holidays that's probably floating in his old apartment somewhere on the other side of the universe that had once had her scent in it, her golden strands of hair marking the place as 'came and went'. people watching like she is now, seeing him through.]

[his ribs rattle under her touch — then still. he hates the relief that comes after crying when everything before it is such a terrible twisting, sorrow smoothing itself into catharsis. it's a shame he can't get it any other way; it's a shame he can't use this grief for something more productive.]

Mo Guanshan. [family name first, he's sure she'll gather on her own.] Was a space station called Lagunbiru.

[he doesn't even need to think about whether or not to tell her just what went on, the things they've done and the parts of her Guanshan has seen; it's better to suffer that one in silence. after a few strokes of her wandering hands, he eventually reaches for her himself, one of her her dainty little hands clasped between two of his own, hungering for the softness only a woman can provide him, all smooth skin and manicured nails.]

[cadeuces]

( Cream in everything; yes, near enough. The texture of her favorite sweater is there against his right arm, the same spiced vanilla perfume at her throat infusing the very fibers piled atop it, sure to find another to fit him provided the winter season rolls around again and they're still friends.

She can feel the tremor in his chest as his breath rattles about, but he gets ahold of it and smooths it back out in the space of another, giving her his name on a voice not nearly as smoothed over and then: that name again. Lagunbiru. )

Mo Guanshan— ( He'll be just "Guanshan" again in short enough order, probably. She knows the naming structure and still has her manners, at least for a few utterances. ) —thank you for letting me in, again. And I've heard of that place before. Lagunbiru. A blonde man named Shell recognized me from there as well.

( Oh. That's her (other) hand he's taking from her knee. He has long fingers that cage over hers, spreading to clasp his one before he covers it with the other. It's invitation enough to give him another squeeze about the shoulders and encourage him to turn into her, cheek coming to rest on his shoulder. She still gives herself to him as easily as ever, even barely knowing him. Her thumb strokes along the side of his own and true to his memory, her skin is soft as ever. )

Did you like it there?

[pushpin]

[ letting her in again. right. ]

Sure, I remember seein' him around. [ a tone that carries no strong opinion outside of what's perhaps the casual disdain he has for everyone that dips his voice in natural venom. she'll get used to it. ]

[ but did he like it there... what a question. the memories of every time he'd scorned it play across his memory like an old movie real — tears in his eyes and all that shame and discomfort voyeured by those rich sadistic bastard, a gun to his head, aliens on his body with claws or even stranger appendages, knowing every interaction had a timer counting down attached to it... ]

[ somehow, even thinking of this, the past words "I fuckin' hate this place" don't resonate in him as the truth. at least, not the whole truth — because yeah, there was that, but there was more too. people close to him he let in, forgivenesses that were earned, sweet moments and romantic moments and downright fucking hot moments, and in between them — or maybe because of them, something that sometimes felt like love if he closed his eyes and let himself believe in it. ]

[ someone who he can close his eyes and miss already. ]

[ did he hate it? that's the better question. and the answer is yes — but somehow he made a home for himself anyway. so what he says instead is: ]

I learned a lot.

[cadeuces]

( Isn't he? It certainly seems like it to her. But an entire space station must have been quite large. The mere acknowledgement that he knows of the other person who had mentioned Lagunbiru to her is enough to confirm both sides, to her, and she just dips her head in a quiet nod. The tone of voice is new to her, though. Perhaps it's his usual, or perhaps he didn't like the man she'd mentioned. There's no saying either way.

The question earns far more thought from him, and she waits at his shoulder for it, blue eyes watching his face without being scrutinizing.

It's a good answer. What he finally ends with. )

Not as reassuring, perhaps, but still a positive takeaway. Shall I tell you about this place, a bit?

( Maybe letting her talk for a little while will help him settle further. )

[pushpin]

Guess I gotta learn that shit someday too, unh.

[ there are always voices he's more willing to listen to than others; certainly hers more than a handful of strangers bombarding him with information it will take time and too much patience (and, most likely, hands on experience) to actually absorb. like he wants to listen a bunch of stuck up moon-worshiping half-animal assholes lecture him for hours about a bunch of magic hoodoo and the sanctity of crystals or their planet; quite frankly, he doesn't want to help fucking strangers when there are people he cares about scattered across the universe waiting for him. ]

[ his rational side reminds him to stop acting like a kid. it's in that vein that he makes a final pass at his face with a sleeve and then stands, hand clasped on hers turn and pull her up too. petite girl packed in by war but he lifts her with ease all the same, guiding her to join him on her feet. ]

Mm'jes exhausted, so let's get coffee first. [ emotions. draining. ]

[cadeuces]

Better sooner than later; you have a week and a half, two weeks or so before anything in particular happens, but it's best to have a good understanding when that comes. It's when the lunar cycles begin again.

( She has it down to a science by this point, though whether or not that science will be easy for him to grasp is another thing entirely. He should be able to follow. If she knew it came down to worrying about others as a distraction, however— welcome to the club.

But he scrubs at his face one last time and hefts himself upright, then draws her up with him right after. She's a bit more graceful in it, the slow unfurling of limbs folded up to match, but he does it without a lick of strain and she gets a better idea of the body she'd squeezed beneath the baggier layers he wears.

Surely he'll either expect or forgive the way she slips her hand from his to circle his waist instead, turning on the ball of one foot to face him and offer him a proper hug.

Something about it just feels right. As if they really did know each other, and she fits there like he's molded a place for her in his arms, having held her countless times before. It's just her imagination getting away from her with how he'd described everything so far. )

Coffee sounds perfect. I know just the place. Do you mind walking a couple blocks?

( If he's that tired, she's going to ask before dragging him off on a goose chase for a good espresso. )

[pushpin]

[ lunar cycles... right, he remembers some shit about that when he'd first arrived to Prismatica and been "initiated" — which is when to say people talked at him and a group of others and he ignored everything that was going on as he toyed with a fray in his jeans. whether or not he chooses to absorb it from her is another issue entirely too; he can be warned to the high heavens, but he never really does learn until he's dug his fingers in and felt it out completely. a flaw or a strength, hard to say. ]

[ she navigates herself around him, and he isn't fully prepared for the embrace — not to this degree. he's always known her to be a trusting and warm person, welcoming and safe, but this much and this easily... he doesn't feel like he deserves it, for her to welcome him in so readily. ]

[ it doesn't change how much he enjoys it, truly selfish even in his best moments. there are arms around his and she's against his chest and inviting, and he wraps around her with an experience that's legible, how he fits his body to hers, chin tipping down to press his mouth against her skull. her hair smells good — almost the same, he registers, his breaths abruptly slowing as he breathes deep and exhales out slow. ]

[ crying is a good release — holding and being held is, too. ]

S'fine. [ is what he grunts, reluctantly letting her go and retreating back into himself, hands shoved in his jean pockets. as much as he might selfishly take, there's a steely resolve in him to earn back what he's lost, all the same. ]

[ he really should thank whoever mentioned Lagunbiru to her in the past — he wouldn't have let himself have this opportunity if it weren't for that, usually preferring to suffer in silence. ]

Lead the way.