Lunar Interlude 1

[balancemod]

They describe it as a very sharp stomach pain, a flash of vertigo, and then it's all over. NAVIGATION 1. ARRIVAL No matter where you are or what you're doing, the picture is exactly the same for all of you. One minute, your world is as it always is, and the next, the sky begins to turn an obsidian black. It doesn't make sense, you've never seen anything like it before, and suddenly, whatever you're doing doesn't matter any longer. You feel something at the pit of your stomach, a sense of wrongness at all of this. Whatever this darkness is... definitely isn't native to your homeworld, and as you look upward, there's a pervasive stain that begins to melt the landscape all around you. Long tendrils of tar-like arms stretch down, ready to devour an entire universe- and sure enough, this beast, this monster... it's large enough to do exactly that. It pervades everything, everywhere, everywhen. And it sees you. It sees you with millions of eyes in the darkness, all staring down at you - you specifically. Where the limbs of the Hunger have touched down on terra firma, monstrous aberrations spill out like the oil of black ink had hit a saturation point too heavy for the Hunger to keep itself together. But in the darkness, a small beacon of light appears next to you. A hand outstretches itself towards you, and a stern, but worried voice speaks directly to you- or your mind, it's impossible to tell. "Would you hurry this up, please? Your world no longer stands a chance. Come with me, we are the last bastions of hope for all universes everywhere. And we're going to need you." You take her hand, and everything around you fades to nothingness. There's a bright light, warm and resilient, a feeling of brief, momentary safety as you feel it touch your cheek and envelop itself around you. And then, a violent thud. You, and 49 other people have just been deposited onto a Base hidden deep into the second moon of this world. And as soft as the grass in the Quad could be (seriously, it's the softest), it's definitely not made to break your fall. In her office, Madame Director smiles to herself triumphantly. She's done it. She's really pulled it off. And then, as if expending the last stores of her energy, collapses in front of the throne. She might've overdone it a little. But as you look around to your new environs, you see people you may know, but, more likely, you're met with the confused stare of a lot of other strangers. Try as you might to remember the Hunger or what it looked like, the image is just a static in your brain, as if the signal has gone out on an old television set. The only thing that remains is an extreme sense of dread. You remember a hand reaching out to you, and you remember taking it. What... just happened? Meanwhile, a short man with a mustache stands on the edge of a fountain in the middle of the Quad. He has a megaphone in his hands. "Alright! Welcome, everyone, to the [SCHCCHHHH] of [TCHHSCHHHSCH] Oh, that probably didn't sound like much to you. Don't panic, no worries, it'll make sense in a few moments. Please form a single file line heading to the dome to the east!" 2. THE VOIDFISH To expedite this process a little bit, the guards at the Bureau of Balance will take groups of 5 down to the chamber of the Voidfish. In the easternmost geodesic dome, a spire rises out of the bubble that protects a small elevator shaft. The grounds around the entrance of the elevator are well maintained, if not a little barren- just a small field of heather and wildflowers dot the landscape and not much else. Two guards (one dragonborn and one half-orc) stand at the entrance and nod in affirmation to the one approaching. The dragonborn has a bit of a hard time keeping a straight face, as his lips curl up into a smile. This is the Director's hope, everything she's been working to achieve. It's hard to not have faith in the new recruits. As your guard presses his bracer up to the paneling next to the door, the elevator is summoned to the ground floor. It's definitely built for 3, maybe 4, to be in there comfortably, but 5... is a little bit of a stretch. Time to accidentally make a friend. You can ask the guard any question you'd like to, but unfortunately, any real piece of information will come up sounding like static. They're not unsympathetic to it, they know why you're hearing the static, but to explain that would just cause a whole headache more of static to occur in stereo. "Maybe it's best if you save your questions for the end of the tour." And as the elevator opens up to a rather grand looking hall, banners of the Bureau of Balance adorn both sides of smooth metal walls. Another set of guards stand and wait at the entrance of the only door in the entire passageway. They salute you 5, and you notice that they're wearing the same bracers that the other guards upstairs were wearing. Everyone seems to have one. Total fashion statement. Entering out into the chamber of the Voidfish, you see a massive tank in front of you. It's the only thing of significance in the room- as it stretches an almost impossible height upwards. Looking directly at the water, you notice it's rather murky- a black ink seems to occlude the direct view of its contents. For what it's worth, your entrance here is met with the sound of someone playing the violin- and it's one of the most beautiful arrangements you've ever heard. He looks sad, for a moment, as the music ends, and he pulls at a drawer just at the metallic base of the tank. He solemnly enters a few scrolls into its basin as the tank begins to light up, like lightning behind dark clouds. And suddenly, you forget what that song sounded like. "Yeah, man, like... don't think too hard about it, it's like that every time. I'm guessing you're here to be inoculated? Just a heads up, you might want to, like, seriously, hold your nose while you drink it down. It tastes wicked gross, man. Anyway, I'm supposed to tell you that you have a choice. If you drink the black stuff, you'll be able to hear through the, uh... Huh, how do I describe it? Through the [TSHCSCHTSHCHSC] sound. You guys like, hear that? Anyway, it's all about knowledge or something. I don't know, I'm just here to, like, feed the thing. We call it the [TSCHHSCHSCH], by the way. So, like. You get a choice. You can drink it and understand stuff, or not drink it and then hear that crackling noise all day every day. If I were you, I'd drink it. But, hey man, I'm not like, your dad or anything." The bard takes five cups and draws liquid from a spigot connected directly to the basin of the large tank. Stormy, muddy looking ichor is drawn into them, one by one. He offers each of you a sip. Drink it (he wasn't kidding about what it tasted like), and you're inoculated to the wisdom of the Voidfish. You try to remember the melody this bard had played a few moments ago and the notes all come back to you. You think back to when the mustached man with a megaphone had greeted you. Hearing through the static, you clearly understand the invitation. "Welcome to the Bureau of Balance." Yet you still can't remember the Hunger or what it had done to your world. And as you look back to the tank in front of you, the water has become clear. There's a jellyfish, as tall as a building, floating within. You look into the body of the creature and you can almost make out a beautiful, tiny universe floating within it. 3. TEST OF INITIATION A. THE DIRECTOR'S GREETING The Director will finally make herself known to her Reclaimers in person on the morning after everyone has settled in. If you're in your room, it'll appear on a holographic television set inlaid into the wall, with a selection required to "accept" or "decline". Those of you who hit the decline response will find the image on the wall constantly ringing every 5 minutes to the soft, musical styling of Vivaldi's Spring as performed on a recorder. And if you're at the Quad, you'll be able to catch the good Director speaking in person on a raised dais. All other areas of Moon Base will broadcast the message, so there's really not much of a chance to miss it. The Director stands, looking tired and worn after the past few days. Hair kept short, she stands a proud figure with perfect posture, using a staff to help her keep balance. Her voice is filled with wisdom and gravitas, filled with a wealth of experiences apparent in every tonal shift of diction she employs. She's a strict woman, but empathetic. This is a troubling message that she has to share with you all. "Welcome, one, and all, to the Bureau of Balance. I... understand that it has been a rather trying and difficult time for all. In such a short period of time, you've left your homes, your worlds, everything and everyone you know and love, behind. My deepest sympathy goes out to each and every one of you. I know that it is not... of extreme significance to offer my condolences to you, as there is nothing I can say or do to ease the ache in your heart... but I sincerely wish that I had the powers and capabilities within me to have done much, much more than I have. The event that you have experienced before coming to the Bureau is simply known, throughout any and all universes, as the Day of Reckoning. What we stand for here at the Bureau is a path of research. Of understanding. Knowledge. But most importantly, protection. Not much is known about how, or why, the Day of Reckoning occurs, but it is our job, our calling - our very purpose - to come together and rise up against it so that its willful path of destruction does not wipe out the light of existence from all worlds everywhere. And this is why I have done what I can do to bring you here. Within each of you resides a warrior's heart, an orator's wit, a scientist's mind, a magician's ability to change the world as we know it - for the better. And it is because of you that we will win this war. Our first task, then, is to ensure the safety of this world as we plan to take this battle onward and outward. Those of who you are new to the Bureau of Balance will sign on as Reclaimers, tasked with finding and obtaining 7 Grand Relics that have been lost to the sands of time within this world. It is imperative that you are able to resist the call of the relics, as their use is strictly forbidden by all members of the Bureau. Their reclamation and subsequent destruction is the first step to ensuring the stage for the final war to come. Thus, in order to grant you complete access to the Bureau and ensure that you are ready for this massive undertaking, we have designed the Arena to administer the Test of Initiation. In pairs, you will work as a team to make your way through the trial. You may choose your partner, or allow our system to randomly generate one for you, but everyone must participate in one, and exactly one, test. When you enter your name into the system, an appointed time slot of one hour will be locked for you and your teammate. Upon completion, you will be given your Bureau Bracer, an item whose purpose is to signal that you are acting under the agency of the Bureau of Balance. It provides access to a network of information, allows you free transport to and from our Moon Base, and preserves your body in the event that you should become incapacitated during a field mission. Good luck to you all. I have the highest expectations that all of you will pass with flying colors." From the Quad, the Director will leave the grounds and head back to her office. As she is still recovering from the massive expenditure of magic that it took to bring you here, it's rather difficult for her to entertain questions or comments. Some well-needed rest is in order. But for you, the Test of Initiation is about to begin. [ooc: please refer to this OOC post for more information on how the test will work! remember, you are free to shape the test landscape however you see fit.] [additionally, players who turn in their initiation test thread at AC check-in will be able to take one small, nonmagical memento from home from the test arena landscape.] 4. AROUND THE MOONBASE At some point either before or after the Test of Initiation, there's always a nice, warm bed waiting for you back at the apartment complex. Coming home, you'll notice a pamphlet waiting for you on your bed. The cover features a simple amazing head shot of Garfield the Deals Warlock, with 90's style Microsoft Word clipart text (complete with embossing and an overly redundant use of shadowing) that boasts "So, you're a _____!" (where ____ is filled in with your path). In it will provide all the information your character would need to know to understand an introductory comprehension to your path, as well as the path actions that are available to them. Smack dab in the middle of the brochure is a two-page wide advertisement for "Fantasy Costco: Where All Your Dreams Come True." The back panel of the pamphlet urges those who are interested in learning more to sign up for classes at the Moon Base's Academy. A. GET IN WE'RE GOING SHOPPING Not everyone was lucky enough to be pulled in with a weapon or other means of protecting themselves at the ready. That's why, each arriving Bureau member will find a small bag of coins next to their Welcome Pamphlet in their rooms. It's time to go check out some wares. There are a variety of different shops offering their wares around the town on the Moon Base, but if you're more of the one-stop, get-in-and-get-out sort of shopper, you're going to want to check out FANTASY COSTCO, operated by Garfield, the Deals Warlock. Like the name implies, you can find pretty much anything jammed along the aisles here, though the large majority of it is in bulk. Does anyone really need a 20-pack of toothpaste? Yes, obviously! But you'll also find a few weapons and shields for sale in, mercifully, one-unit packs. You've been provided with enough funds to purchase either an beginner-level weapon and shield, or one slightly better quality weapon, as well as one simple outfit. Or, you could blow all your coin on toothpaste. Garfield won't judge you or your ridiculously minty breath. B. SOUP'S ON Let's be real, it's been a stressful day already, and now that the taste of whatever the Voidfish is stewing in has finally worn off, you might find yourself a little peckish. Luckily, the café is open 24/7. Your chef for the rest of your time here is an oversized pair of robotic arms attached to the ceiling near the counter. Technically, he's the Culinary Operating Official Kitchenmate, or COOK for short — but judging by the murmurs of more experienced members passing through, he's better known as Bender. Bender's got a pretty wide repertoire, but thanks to a programming error the base's techs haven't been able to fix, his menu tends to be a little ... monotonous. This week's menu? Soup. Soups of a wide variety of flavors, soups catered to whatever dietary needs you might have, soups of pretty decent quality, but at the end of the day, you're still getting some sort of ingredient in some sort of broth plopped onto a bowl. Next week, it's sandwiches. As the days pass, you're probably getting a little sick of soup. Luckily, though, there's a tablet on the counter where you can input food requests. Unluckily? That tablet also happens to be the reason Bender has a programming error in the first place. Feel free to roll for a new menu item, but be forewarned: a failure may result in altering Bender's programming permanently. Or, you may just flood the entire café in ramen. Or both. C. SUPER ROOMMATE FRIENDSHIP COMBO If you haven't really had a chance to get to know your roommate already, the Director is more than happy to provide an opportunity! Should you and your roommate be one of the more (un?)fortunate ones, the next time you both are in your quarters, you'll find the door to the exit impassably locked. Curious. There's a screen attached to the door that may or may not have been there before, too. Your instructions are laid out clearly, and in HD, even: THIS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL YOU MAKE EACH OTHER LAUGH. Yes, for those who are now trapped in their quarters, this is a mandatory team-building exercise. Hope your roommate's not a master of the poker face. D. THE MOON IS YOUR SPACE OYSTER (WILDCARD) There are plenty of other locations around the Moon Base that you can explore at your own discretion. Feel free to refer to the Settings page for more ideas on what shenanigans you can get into. blurb code by photosynthesis

Comments

FIND YOUR TEST PARTNER HERE

[balancemod]

PRE-SELECTED GROUPS
Chiaki Nanami & Akira Kurusu
Sans & Gundam
Kaede & Akechi
Lion & Willard
Da Vinci & Chiron
Casey & Majima
Blake & Yang
Ryuji & Qrow
Gamzee & Beat
Izumo & Fushimi
Erika & Angel
Link & Luke
Shouyou & Dorothy
Maya & Guido
Dwyer & Nanu
Rei & Sera

SOLO QUEUE GROUPS
Tallisabeth & Soldier 76
Castille & Kenpachi
Yata & Futayo
Selina & Roxas
Venus & Luna
Dave & Kliff
Terezi & Makoto
Lorem & McCree

RNG

[balancemod]

Want to roll for a specific action or outcome? Reply to this comment!

VENUS + LUNA

[wingstosee]

NOTE: LIKELY ZERO ESCAPE SPOILIES??

So it looks like Venus and Luna are partnering up together, which will probably create some very interesting hybrid scenarios! Off the top of my head:

• Given Venus AND Luna's last places of residence, we can draw from space stations for inspiration!
• Given Venus's canon, we can draw from camp, cabins, weird magical realism, radios, sirens, and God/the devil!
• Given Luna's canon, we can draw from color wheels and plot twists ok no you can offer some input here too

Any thoughts? I'm trying to think of a way to "test their concentration" with some of this stuff, but I'd like to hear your input first!!

[ribticklers]

2; four replies maximum
[Sans, lagging behind his group at his own, leisurely pace, is the last one still with the muddy water sloshing around in his cup. There's a lot to consider, here. He's not sure if he can even drink this, first of all. Side effects, that's another concern, though nobody else seems like they're dying or anything. He doesn't really want to have to work around hearing static all the time. And, of course, he doesn't feel like doing much of anything.

But--fine. Down it goes--and out it goes. Not all of it, but some of it, dripping out between his ribcage, staining his shirt, and dripping onto your shoes.]

Probably could'a guessed that'd happen.

3; closed to Gundam
[Sans and Gundam ended up together because they were the last ones who hadn't ended up in a group. For Sans's part, well, there's no harm in sitting back and watching everyone else, probably, and now they might as well get things over with.

They're met with snow and evergreen trees and a darkness like night but different--no moon, no stars.

Hah. What a bad joke.

There's a path to follow, regardless. Sans stuffs his hands into his pockets.]

Guess we should get going. [He doesn't move, though.]

4B
[There's soup on the floor. There's so much soup on the floor, and there's a skeleton sitting at the counter with a stack of bowls on either side of him. Every time he puts any soup in his mouth, it comes out somewhere where his stomach might be, if he weren't made of bones. But somehow it's less than what he put in his mouth, if you're paying attention.

Believe it or not, he's improving. Anyone nearby gets a casual warning, like this were no big deal:]

Floor's pretty wet over here.

[lullabytes]

chiaki would like to roll a new menu item please!

[grakraka]

roll for a new menu item please!

[antecede]

roll for a new menu item, please!

[balancemod]

Absolutely! We'll set it as a DC of 11. Sound good?

Also, does Chiaki have a specific food request in mind?

[lullabytes]

Sounds good! She wants mochi...

[balancemod]

We'll set this as a DC of 11. Does Akechi wanna drown in coffee, or does he have a different request?

Ready to roll when you are!

[balancemod]

Heck yeah! We'll set it as a DC of 11. Sound good? And, does Luke have a specific food request?

Yata & Futayo

[cluelesscavewoman]

Where are you? You poor person.

I'm completely cannon blind but Futayo's from a sci-fi(ish) series with lots of airships and metal hallways. She also grew up in an old style Japanese house with a load of robot maids. Said house was surrounded by grass covered skyscrapers because the apocalypse already happened.

Basically there's a lot here to mess with from her series.

[grakraka]

definitely coffee. absolutely. i'm ready!

[wingstosee]

Venus wants to roll for a new menu item, requesting pizza!

[getinthedanny]

Casey is gonna roll for a new menu item, her request is a loaded beef gyro.

[antecede]

sounds good! and let's say he'd ask for whatever the star wars name for space sushi would be. What Could Go Wrong™

[thevanguard]

ALSO HERE FOR NON-SOUPS! RNG me >.>

[blodsvorr]

arena

[Well, it's been a couple days. So there's been some time to settle in. Hooray! Is your first response to stress and distress to pick up something big and try to do a murder with it? Because that isn't Qrow's, but it's maybe his second or third. Early on in this first week, he can be found almost exclusively at the Arena. He has a bigass scythe in hand, and he's practicing moves that could perhaps be best described as "scythe ballet." There are one-handed scythe handstands involved. Backflips. Spinning!

He seems kind of... frustrated? Well, that could be justified for a lot of reasons, but maybe what it doesn't justify is him literally throwing a spinning scythe across the room and letting it land, sharp-end first, in some dirt, shy of the training dummy, with a growl of anger. To be fair, it was an impressive throw from the perspective of normal human capabilities. It was just a throw that hit the upper limits of what humans are capable of in non-anime worlds.]

Come on! Is this what Moon gravity does or what?

[Yeah he's not happy about for some reason not being as fast or strong as he was, like, just two days ago.]

arcade

[It takes him until later in the week where he's out and around in a reasonably functional sense. And this slouchy goth uncle has decided that, he is going to spend his time responsibly: going to the arcade to play video games. Like, sure, he went to school and did training and academy stuff, but there are video games! This is an adult thing to do with his time.

He is currently at Marco Kart Arcade, aggressively attempting to master Rainbow Courseway. You are free to invite yourself to play against him. If he spots you looking his way, he may inquire with a raised brow,]

You here to watch, or are you here to play?

Madame Frione's Tea Kettle (cw: heavy alcohol consumption)

[Day one. After making sure Blake and Yang were okay, after the Rite of Initiation. After finding out there's a teenager to care for in his room. Day one, after everything important has been taken care of, everything he needs to stay sharp for—after the last sacrifice to responsibility and functionality and being a real human being instead of an ugly mess has been made—after all of that, there is only one place Qrow wants to be with all the money the Bureau has given him: Madame Frione's Tea Kettle, with as much alcohol as a cranky woman is willing to give him.

Qrow is not yet truly drunk, but he's absolutely doing his best to make his way there. While he is a quiet drinker, it's certainly not fortunate to sit beside him. If you do so, you may find the chair underneath you collapsing and falling to the floor. In response, Qrow growls, shifting in his seat and offering a hand to help you up.]

You alright?

[Let's be real. You are probably not alright. He is probably not alright. No one is alright, and that's how it is on this bitch of a moon. But at least we can be not alright together!]

wildcard

[Other ideas? Really want to play around with bad luck and bad life choices? PM me or hit me up on the CR meme to hash out some ideas, and let's go!]

[balancemod]

Congratulations, you rolled a 14! Chiaki will be presented with plate of mochi in a few different flavors — definitely more than enough to share, if she feels like it!

Bender will be adding this to his rotations. Please look forward to enjoying mochi for a week in the future.

[lullabytes]

she will thank him profusely (although apologies for future mochi week.

...or not

it's mochi love it)

DROPS IN HERE

[birdslament]

I'm totally down for the space stations idea!!!! maybe they can play some space themed escape room puzzles??

IDK

luna's canon is scifi with lots of room for making up Things. They could be brewing some kind of potion too. just throwing some stuff out so lmk either here or on discord!

[lullabytes]

i. arrival

[ there's a very quiet girl curled up against the wall upon arrival. well, not her arrival. but by the time you get your bearings.

it's okay, though. she's not dead or anything. she's just sleeping.

because...this is absolutely what one should do when pulled through to another dimension. okay, chiaki. if you feel like waking her up, that'd probably speed things along even if static central is still occurring. ]

ii. void go fish

a. elevator
[ five people sure is squishy! but this elevator ride isn't taking them to a class trial, at least.

...probably.

at any rate, chiaki is at it again and your shoulder (or chest, or whatever is nearest her 5'2" head clearance) seems like a good pillow. good night, she's sleeping tight until you jostle her awake or try to talk to her. this is probably a huge invasion of personal space but at least it's just from a girl who apparently desperately needs a nap? ]

b. bottoms up
[ you know who needs zero persuasion to drink the voidfish water? this girl. she downs it pretty immediately, although her half-lidded eyes go absolutely wide as she swallows and one hand lifts, slightly trembling, to her lips afterwards. ]

... [ is she going to throw up? apparently not, but it's a near thing. ] ...ew.

[ that's bland reaction is fairly outgoing for chiaki, really. it's a FIRM "ew" and she looks a little nauseus. probably not the best recommendation for the liquid, huh? ]

iii. tests and trials

a. open
[ well. you're not her partner, but chiaki will give a little wave if you catch her eye all the same. ]

...Good luck. Be sure to win, 'kay...

[ it's said with a little yawn at the end, but at least someone is wishing you well! ]

b. closed to akira kurusu
[ he has the look of a protagonist, chiaki thinks. messy dark hair and sort of unassuming, and that's what draws her over and has her fingers gently hooking onto his elbow to get his attention. at 5'2" she has to sort of speak up for people to pay attention and she...doesn't always. ]

...Chiaki Nanami has joined your party.

[ congratulations, akira, it looks like you might have a partner? ]

iv. all the prompts, all of them,

a. fantasy costco
[ someone probably needs 20 packs of toothpaste, you don't know everyone's lives mr. prompt. but anyway! chiaki is at least kind of looking at the weaponry, although she's...not really interested in it, apparently? in fact she appears to definitely not be interested in the weaponry. no, she's way more interested in these SLINKIES she's found.

she's...yeah she pulled out some building blocks (why is she in the toy aisle? because GAMES) and now she's just...making the slinkies go down some makeshift stairs.

how is this helping anyone, chiaki. how is this a good use of your time??

you can also find her setting up a game of fantasy candyland or whatever or playing with one of those paddle balls. she unfortunately smacks herself in the face with the paddle ball and then slowly raises a hand to rub at her nose. ow.

alternately-alternately, find her trying on some fantasy clothes! she mostly seems to be trying to cosplay some nondescript video game characters, probably. ]

b. what if no more soup tho
[ chiaki lasts three days before she tries to request something else with the tablet. luckily, she manages to produce a plate of a variety of different mochi, with more than enough for a single girl...

but if you happen to look over and envy her the non-soup desserts? ]

...I don't mind sharing if you'd like. [ she's kind: it's in her base code. the plate is slid over halfway between you. ]

c. sitar hero
[ once chiaki discovers the arcade it's...kind of hard to make her leave this place? she's the shsl gamer, this is her jam, and while vegetable reality is new she's pretty much happy to play knock offs of some of her favorite games. she stays mostly away from the more active ones like dance dance evolution but seems to pretty much nail every note on sitar hero.

how is she doing that, actually? how much time does this child spend on video games that she's this good at them.

(the answer: WAY TOO MUCH.)

but hey, if you want to try your luck against the super high school level gamer - well. ]

If it's not co-op, it has to be...versus. [ is that a challenge to compete or an offer to cooperate? you decide. ]

wildcard.

[ alternately, catch chiaki around the quad or anywhere on the moonbase. she'll find comfortable seats and pretty much play her psp or nap...at least she's easy to entertain. also feel free to hit me up via pm or plurk or whatever to plot out alternate specific scenarios! ]

[balancemod]

Congratulations, you rolled an 11!

Akechi will be presented with a nice cup of Mocha Matari for his efforts — however, something in Bender's wiring mixes up, temporarily (and magically) affecting a small fountain in the middle of the café's seating area.

The fountain is now coffee.

[cluelesscavewoman]

RNG her some breakfast, she just woke up and this happened. Please feed her?

[balancemod]

Heck yeah! How does a DC of 11 sound?