Magisteria TDM #2

[magisteriamods]

APP

FAQ

RESERVES

CALENDAR

NAV

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Magisteria Test Drive Meme #2

Welcome to the second official test drive meme for Magisteria! The TDM is game canon. Characters who do not app will simply disappear.

Notes:

* The magic/tech aspect of the game is not significant to TDM play. Any character can participate in the level of magic or technology used as TDM play.
* Content notes: Some spice throughout the prompts, though nothing one is obligated to engage with. The final section contains adult-centric prompts, including SUBSTANCES and SEXY FARE. They have been explicitly marked.
* Most of the island is not yet open to Otherworlders. High Rise Village and Eden 6 are, some of Agriculture is, and Market, but Sacred Nexus, the Grove, and all districts for the Institutions, are currently off limits. The settings will play a role in the metaplot.

Current players are highly encouraged to participate in the TDM. Those who do so will receive an extra reward for the month. 🎁 Those who show especial incentive in tagging new people might receive especially nice rewards and upgrades to previous gifts!

Prologue: The Story is Still Beginning... Just a Little Further Now...

In one moment, you find yourself before a portal radiant with light, a tree of life that blazes with fire and the brilliant hues of some great, potent energy which you feel surrounding you and infusing your body. Your vision fills with colors brighter than any you have known. Should you close your eyes, you even see colors in the darkness. In another moment, or perhaps many moments later (for you feel that time is waxing and waning), you are standing within what appears to be a station. There is not too much feeling of upheaval. Whatever you were doing before is simply on hold; instinctively, you know that, and instinctively, you feel a pull towards this place. There are others with you: a group of people, newly arriving.

This time around, things are a little different for newly arriving Otherworlders: first of all, you encounter your guide immediately... and possibly others, with her.

"Welcome once more, Otherworlders. You'll want to watch the projection that Minister Brennam prepared for the last group."

Meet Seraphine Nova: the first native who greeted the original Otherworlder group. Only this time, she is likely not alone, but accompanied by fellow Otherworlders, including possibly even others whom the new arrivals might know.

That's right; the OG Otherworlders have been roped into participating in the Magisteria Welcoming Committee. People from the first wave of arrivals are expected to help the newbies find their way around, get them settled in, and, once they're on the train, hand out the drinks.

I. An Enchanted AR Icebreaker

You're on a monorail train in the Business District of a city of the distant future. Your guide explains to your group that the first priority is to have you all acquainted with your aXess Link device. She explains that it can be shaped like anything – a phone, a watch. It’s a bit of a techno-magical device: the sort of cross-magisteria blending which can sometimes happen on smaller items. The fact is that pretty much everyone in the city needs one, so they’re ubiquitous and subsidized as necessary for accessibility.

Along the ride, your guide informs you of some team-building activities which have been prepared to get you all acquainted with your new technology and with one another. She explains that she did not design these, but those who did so intended them to be creative:

📱 a) Fuck/Marry/Kill, Magisteria Ver

The CyberCharm application has once again returned to the aXess Link. Only this time, it seems to have been modified a bit, and not necessarily for the best UX. Rather than a ❤️ or an ❌, users have three options: FUCK/MARRY/KILL. Users of the application will face forced honesty questions for each profile: each user will list someone for the three categories, as well as a secret confession.

Users will find that these categories will be automatically filled in by the AI if they don't answer these questions -- and the Magisteria algorithms may or may not have a good sense of these new Otherworlders' tastes. (Or, being algorithms, they may operate on a No Wrong Answers policy.)

Participation in the activity is theoretically optional -- after all, confessions wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but the app seems unusually glitchy today -- strange for a world of technology as advanced as this, perhaps? It's almost like it is really trying to pry some answers out of Otherworlders, or like it's determined to make everyone get to know one another through this strange game, even if it has to insert answers in places.

[Answers can be posted in comments and will count for network threading.]



<center><lj-raw><div style="width:350px;margin:0 auto 5px auto;background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);box-shadow:2px 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.1);font-family:courier;font-size:12px;line-height:1.4;color:#111;"> <!---IMAGES---> <div style="height:300px;background:#ddd;font-size:20px;text-shadow:1px 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5);"> <div style="height:300px;background:url(!!!YOUR IMAGE HERE!!!)center;background-size:cover;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;"> <div style="padding:0 0 250px 0;"></div> </div> <div style="padding:0 0 10px 0;"></div> </div> <!---PROFILE INFO---> <div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);" align="left"> <b style="font-size:22px;color:#4e3188;">CHARACTER NAME</b><br> <i>AGE / PRONOUNS / SEXUALITY</i><br> <br><strong>FUCK:</strong> <br><strong>MARRY:</strong> <br><strong>KILL:</strong> <br><strong>SECRET CONFESSION:</strong> </div> <!---PROFILE BLURB---> <div style="padding:20px;max-height:300px;overflow:auto;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.6;" align="left"> !!!ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER HERE!!! </div> </div></lj-raw></center>

*If questioned about the dubiousness of this activity or what purpose something like this could possibly serve as an icebreaker, Seraphine Nova will admit that certain activities might actually be meant to incite discomfort or test reactions in Otherworlders Something something "the trials ahead" and she will continue to insist there's only so much she's aware of, either.

🧋 b) Refreshments

Seraphine Nova informs you that her family owns a coffee shop, The Bean and Berry. They even have discounts for newly arriving Otherworlders. Today, everyone on the ride gets a glass of Clari-tea. An enhanced version of a traditional chai: beyond having a lovely, spiced-sweet flavour, it can promote relaxation, stress reduction, and mental clarity. Some use it to combat anxiety, even having it recommended by their doctors for some psychological conditions.

To enhance the drink, adult passengers have the option of adding a chaser: a splash of something boozy but surprisingly sweet, it leaves the tongue tingling - a tingle that then suffuses the body, making every touch dance across the nervous system. It can even be something of an aphrodisiac, or at least encourage a light euphoria that predisposes one to such moods, and thus perfect for pre-gaming before any evening partying.

There's also a pastry option: hexberry danish. But Otherworlders will want to be cautioned: hexberries can have some notable effects.

[See "flora/fauna" at the end for information on Variable Hexberries.]

🃏 d) Wildcard

These prompts are just ideas. Feel free to make your own mini-games or engage with other activities during the ride!

II. The World Of Tomorrow: Exterior

Soon, the train arrives at its destination. Centrally located in High Rise Village, this is Evergreen Terrace, a luxury apartment complex. Otherworlders are informed that many of the district's elite, both techies and magic users, live within these apartments. They serve a thriving, hybrid community.

The apartments feature a series of buildings consisting of terraces of windows overflowing with greenery and pink bougainvillea. The buildings are bright alabaster white, and should you ask about their composition, you will be informed that there are magic-infused crystals within the architecture. The city sprawls around the apartments, but the greenery throughout and around purifies the air.

💧 a) Waters of Seeing

The apartment complex is encircled by artificial ponds and streams of running water. The water itself is crystal clear and sparkles in a manner that may give Otherworlders the distinctive impression of enchantment, even if they are not magically attuned individuals. There are signs indicating that Otherworlders are responsible for whatever they see, should they gaze at these waters.

If you look for very long, you may see a vision from home, perhaps someone you care for. Or you may see a memory, a glimpse of your past. Should another stand beside you, they just may see your memory, as well. Or the reverse: you might find yourself gazing into another’s past.

🐟 c) The Tetra War Rages On

Otherworlders from the first group are already familiar with some of the... scenery around Evergreen Terrace, such as the lotus flowers and the fish. However, this time around, the scene is a different one. The pink lotus flowers are still present, but there's no longer a sense of enchantment. They are ordinary flowers. And the fish...

... well, there are signs around the ponds with messages like "CAREFUL: INVASIVE SPECIES CONTAINMENT IN PROGRESS". Dealing with the cryptocarp and the near-figmentary tetras (NFTs) is an ongoing process at Evergreen Terrace, and there may even be evidence of destruction of some sort as local mages and tech types are repairing the turf and the ponds.

If newbies want to know what's up with the Great Tetra Takedown, they are encouraged to ask more recent arrivals (who are, in turn, encouraged to fill them in ASAP). Both sets of Otherworlders will continue to be encouraged to help natives dispatch of the fish, whether by relocation or more aggressive means.

The fish themselves? Far from being easy targets, the tetras and cryptocarp have been rapidly multiplying. Feeling the threat, the fish have stubbornly locked into their Magisterian magical power of Imaginary Financial Numbers and are now rapidly replicating themselves -- so a single tetra might suddenly turn into three, including when they're shot or cut apart.

Otherworlders can defeat the Imaginary Financial Numbers power by using Synthesis to enhance their magic or tech... but the question is whether one would use their special Otherworlder hack for an activity like this. If they do, some of the fish, like classical video game enemies, will drop coins upon death. Some will even turn into bags of golden coins on defeat: better get those turned into virtual currency on the aXess Link!

The coin-dropping, coin-transformation cryptocarp and tetras are those who bloodstreams have been entirely modified by whatever Shady Financial Attribute has modified their evolution in the first place. Others will turn into regular dead fish who can be cooked/eaten.

II. The World Of Tomorrow: Interior

🕯️a) A Light Greeting

Waterfalls of light cascade down from the ceiling within the lobby of the apartments. There are people eagerly stepping beneath them, and should you do so, you will find that the light imparts a sense of deep pleasure and inner peace. Sounds within are ambient, voices musical, and you may feel attuned to this space. It’s like the feeling of being near a beach, warm and tropical-tinged: the sense of embarking on a new adventure. That said, there are signs cautioning that standing beneath these pleasant lights for too long could reduce inhibition(s), an effect which could potentially last for the duration of the night.

🎨 b) Art-Shaming

Other things have changed since the earlier Otherworlders arrived at Evergreen Terrace, too. In particular, the art installations from the first arrival now seem a bit quieter, and many of them have signs affixed in front of them, such as:

"I pretend to be a serene woodland but really I'm a party animal"
"I'm supposed to beautify walls, not walk them"
"I'm worth a million, but I act like a two-cent mischief maker"
"Officially a high-class installation, unofficially a high-energy instigator"
"They programmed me to inspire, but I just aspire to entertain"

The art installations are indeed far more passive this time around, though when Otherworlders' attention is divided, they still tend to try to sneak around. Otherworlders can help with this rather silly problem by using 🪄 basic magic to encourage a calm aura in the art installations. Tech PCs can simply modify the art installations, changing their state from an active to a passive one by tweaking their interior. These are very simple challenges that even low level techies/mages can do.

🎉 c) Job Applications

Instead of a welcoming party, this time around, there's a vocational learnshop. The time cometh for Otherworlders, old and new alike, to be contemplating what they might do for their jobs/careers in the city! Otherworlders can fill out any of the below categories, and their answers will be broadcast to the network.

PCs can meet people with fellow backgrounds/interests and possibly starting seeking opportunities together, and this prompt can also be used to initiate planning for longterm opportunities for those who do app (i.e. mods can work with players to make these happen). Answers can be serious or shitposty, of course.

<lj-raw><center><div style="width:350px;margin:0 auto 5px auto;background:#fff;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);box-shadow:2px 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.1);font-family:courier;font-size:12px;line-height:1.4;color:#111;"> <!---IMAGES---> <div style="height:300px;background:#ddd;font-size:20px;text-shadow:1px 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5);"> <div style="height:300px;background:url(!!!YOUR IMAGE HERE!!!)center;background-size:cover;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;"> <div style="padding:0 0 250px 0;"></div> </div> <div style="padding:0 0 10px 0;"></div> </div> <!---PROFILE INFO---> <div style="padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);" align="left"> <center><b style="font-size:22px;color:#4e3188;"><b style="font-size:22px;color:#4e3188;">JOB SURVEY FOR<br> [CHARACTER NAME]</b><br></center> <strong>Greetings, Otherworlder! Let's start with the basics.</strong><br> <br><strong>1. Pre-Existing Experience:</strong> <br><strong>2. Ideal Career Field:</strong> <br><strong>3. Experience with magic? Technology? <br><strong>4. Experience in Big Damn Hero situations? <br><strong>5. Running a business or showing strong entrepreneurial spirit? <br><strong>6. What establishments would you like to see more of in the world? <!---PROFILE BLURB---> <div style="padding:20px;max-height:300px;overflow:auto;box-sizing:border-box;line-height:1.6;" align="left"> OTHER COMMENTS </div> </div></lj-raw></center>

There's another area where things differ this time around: the whole apartment crew is present. Malik Patel, the concierge, Ava Nguyen, the head of the maintenance department, and Atlas, the AI caretaker, are all accounted for. It's been an eventful month at Evergreen Terrace, one might say.

Atlas: Well, I think I've been successful enough with the art installations for the time being. The robots, however, have begun whispering amongst themselves and calling me names. "Rutting dog of late stage capitalism." Slander! Simply because I think there are times and places for such a ruckus and we're on the clock!

Ava: Sometimes, Atlas, you have to be a little more carrot than stick.

Malik: I agree with that, as long as the carrot isn't one of Ava's muffins. One minute I was at the desk, taking a bite. The next I was floating, growing, shrinking, turning blue, turning translucent, and then I look up to see a Woofaloomp floating above me, covered in glitter and butterflies and smelling like hashbrowns. I guess it was an Experience and I'm a guy who is all about those, but not one I'm keen to redo anytime soon.

Ava: Guess the takeaway is I need to test my recipes more as I go.

... anyway, hello, Otherworlders. We're the crew here. Don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything. Sorry, but as you might've noticed, we've had a bit of a hectic month here at the complex.

🌆 D) Rooms with a View

Within Evergreen Terrace, there are tech quarters and magic quarters, as well as plenty of general all-purpose apartments with full service amenities. Occupants will learn that their rooms are fully customizable to their specific preferences: via enchantment or AR, each room can take on virtually any appearance its owner wishes.

Some common themes include Neo-Tokyo Metropolis, Nature Fusion, Steampunk Retrofuturism, and Synthetic Dreamscape.

Not only can these rooms assume different appearances, but they are immersive enough to provide full sensory experiences. From the scent of metal to the feeling of sun-infused warmth touched with the coolness of a recent rain shower, the sensations are realistic and evocative.

Otherworlders are encouraged to explore. You may settle in, pick a theme, or personalize your room with your own imaginative design choices. There are also communal areas, and Otherworlders can congregate and interact in the hopes of finding prospective roommates. Why not come out and meet your neighbors? After all, you can make the currency in your virtual account last longer if you share a place . . .

When the evening descends, everyone is encouraged to explore the night life of the Entertainment District.

III. The Eternal City: Entertainment District

At night, the colors within the city truly come to life. Bios shows itself everywhere, and in all things. Natural Bios and industrial, mechanized Bios. There is conventional neon, yes, and conventional electricity, but also Bios, and as you walk the avenues, you can feel the pulse of this great, incandescent power.

Also colloquially referred to as Neon Heaven by the locals, Eden 6 is broadly comprised of two different zones:

🍏Green Apple Quarters – all-ages fare
🌹Red Rose Quarters – adult centers

🍏 a) Green Apple Exploration

These quarters house most restaurants, except those with notable bars or alcoholic beverage menus. Coffee and pastry shops are well-represented. There are plenty of magic-themed attractions, as well as general techie hangouts. One popular shop is named Fairy Dust: it’s a shop for potion and alchemy products, as well as magical toys of sorts to entertain children, and fun little spells. The highlight of the Green Apple Quarters, however, are certainly the gaming centers and arcades.

---

🛹 b) Skyracing

This is an activity which both children and adults participate in, often in different forms. Throughout the all-ages districts, young people can often be seen riding in the air on skateboards. But there are also other kinds of flying craft, some which are more like aerocycles, as well as hoverboards. Some of the latter are more prominent among the older set, with some races even having a hardcore adrenaline junkie component. Those take place primarily around The Fountain, the superclub which is on the border between Apple and Rose. There, skyracing is especially popular around the sunset and early evening hours.

Beings glimpsed in the evening sky can include sylphs and zephyrs, though sighting them is not entirely common.

IV. Entertainment District: Adults-Only 🚫

Quarters identified with the Red Rose designation are those which contain adult-centric fare. This includes any alcohol-first establishment, such as bars or nightclubs.

Otherworlders will find that the denizens of Magisteria’s Entertainment district maintain complex attitudes around nightlife. On the one hand, they are big believers in the protection and demarcation of adult sexuality. They’re very anti-criminalization of substances and big on legalization in principle. Perhaps not surprising for the people of a futuristic city. But even in Magisteria, there’s some sense that what happens in Neon Heaven, under the cover of night, stays there, and the usage of certain inducements to pleasure is not, as a rule, spoken of in the pristine offices of High Rise Village.

While the city emphasizes age restrictions, there are also plenty of people around the adult-centric establishments, none very hard to find, who will, for a small price, help teens who are on the older side (15+) access some of these establishments, especially the ones focused on pleasures of an AR-centric nature. After all, teens will find ways to explore things, and if it’s AR, it’s probably fine, right?

a) The Neon Oracle

Come one, come all to the Grand Casino, the Neon Oracle.

Set in a towering skyscraper in the heart of a bustling cyberpunk city, The Neon Oracle dominates the skyline with its glowing neon lights and holographic displays. The casino is known for its blending of ancient magic with futuristic technology. There are gaming tables, slot machines, a VIP lounge with exquisite drinks for the ambitious, and of course, everything is enhanced by technology and magic. Augmentations and enchantments abound.

🃏 There are poker and blackjack tables. Players can play enhanced poker with magical effects, such as cards that randomly change to wild cards or cards which whisper about other teams and try to coordinate with the players. Enchanted cards, as it were.

🎲Magical Dice Roll: The magical dice can roll six positive outcomes or six negative outcomes. RNG:

1. 🌈 Rainbow Aura: This effect grants the player "Shield Tokens" that prevent any loss of credits for the next 10 minutes of play, effectively making them immune to negative outcomes in that time frame.
2. 🔒 Mana Lock: Negates the next positive RNG
3.🎁 Treasure Chest: When this prize is unlocked, the player receives one of the following items, selected randomly:
High Level Protective Armor/Shielding and/or Neural Circuitry Enhancement
A Mysterious Key
Arcane Blueprint (An Equally Mysterious Blueprint)
4. 🌪️ Chaos Twister: Previous winnings are blown away by a brief magical whirlwind
5. 🌀 Time Warp: The player can redo a negative roll at any point in the game.
6. 🌑 Eclipse Curse: Darkens your fortunes by turning the next prize invisible
7. 🎰 Jackpot Spin: Spinning this exclusive wheel can yield one of the following major prizes:
Luxury Vehicle: A high-speed, advanced-tech vehicle usable in various game modes.
Resort Pass: A voucher for luxury accommodations in the game's virtual world resort, offering unique interactions and bonuses.
8. 💥 Elemental Backlash:
9. 💥 Elemental Burst: Multiplies the player's previous win by 3
10. 🕸️ Web of Stasis: Makes you unable to collect the next reward roll
11. ❓ Mystery Effect: Triggers one of several random but highly beneficial effects:
Instant Win Cash: A large sum of credits added directly to the player's account.
Legendary Companion: A powerful NPC ally joins the player for a limited time, assisting in various game challenges.
12. 🔄 Reversal of Fortune: Reverses your fortunes by taking away the equivalent of your last prize won.

Players are encouraged to play for best of three or five rounds for the actual prizes.

Players can of course make up their own games for the casino! Slot machines with magical effects involving unicorns or fae companions, special AR creatures, cyborgs and AI -- the imagination is really the limit for the fantasy/cyberpunk casino and its indulgences.

b) Water Gardens

”Water garden” is the codename for Verve hotspots. Verve is a substance specific to Magisteria and its Entertainment district. It’s really the major drug of note, the biggest if not nearly-only game in town, mostly because of how intense its effects are.

Verve creates feelings of euphoria and bliss. The drug also enhances sensory perception, making colors more vibrant, sounds more vivid, and textures more pronounced. Users feel more connected to their surroundings. Other effects include: heightened energy levels and excitement, a creativity boost, heightened empathy and a desire to connect with others, mood regulation and increased feelings of relaxation, the potential for lucid dreams, time dilation – in which moments feel elongated, and sensory merging, in which synesthetic effects occur. While under the influence of Verve, you may see music or taste colors.

There’s also the aphrodisiac effect, which can be quite potent, particularly if one is otherwise savoring the pleasures of their environs.

Most users partake of Verve by having it mingled with their alcoholic beverages. Shots for cocktails come at a small fee. It brightens drinks with luminous colours and enhances the taste with its own, so there’s no question of anyone partaking of it accidentally or without their knowledge.

Some clubs and gathering spots have Verve misting stations outside or small fountains spraying droplets of mist into the air, so patrons can indulge before even entering, priming their mood for intense indulgences and the full sensory brilliance of the neon city.

---

Flora/Fauna

Rarity: Rare

Variable Hexberries

Found In: Only found on the riverbank of the Mysticaire District.
Description: Native to Magisteria, these berries grow in only one area on the island: on the shore of the river as it passes through the Sacred Nexus. The berries grow on plants that are never more than two inches tall, with leaves brightly variegated between a vibrant yellow and deep green. The plants will grow soon after winter ends, soon forming small flowers of unpredictable colour, and the colour of the flower seems to have no connection to the berries that they develop into. The process itself takes roughly ten days, and any berry that isn’t harvested will fall and develop into a new plant, the process repeating until the next winter. No plant bears more than two berries in a season and will die off once those berries are produced and either plucked or shed.

The berries themselves are small, no larger than a common garden pea once shelled, and have a tough outer skin that is still easy enough to bite through. Wildlife has been seen eating these berries to no ill effect. People report that their flavour is mild and sweet, but each berry has an unpredictable magical effect. So far, none of these magical effects has been truly harmful, though some have set off mild allergies, and none have lasted longer than one full day. Their changeable nature means that they aren’t seen as a dependable food source, but they do seem to have some use as entertainment. (See table A for observed results. It is possible other results have yet to be documented.)
Edible/Not Edible: Edible, with caution.

Table A:

1:	Hair colour changes	4 hours
2:	Eye colour changes	4 hours
3:	Everything eaten tastes like your favourite food	24 hours
4:	Everything eaten tastes like your least favourite food	24 hours
5:	Skin colour changes	4 hours
6:	Scales appear on your body then shed away, leaving the effect of a pleasant exfoliation	6 hours
7:	Sensation of pins and needles travels over your body	2 hours
8:	Gain the scent of flowers, type of flower dependent on anyone smelling you	12 hours
9:	Gain the scent of the favourite breakfast food of the person smelling you	12 hours
10:	Colour of skin, hair, eyes, and clothing changes to photo negative, even if action is taken to change those colours otherwise	4 hours
11:	Gain energy and wakefulness without "energy crash" afterward	5 hours
12:	Fall into a sleep state with pleasant dreams	6 hours
13:	Grow proportionally 6 inches taller, clothing included	8 hours
14:	Shrink proportionally 6 inches shorter, clothing included	8 hours
15:	Hands glow, leaving glowing prints on everything you touch	3 hours
16:	Gain a sudden and lingering awareness of the cardinal directions	24 hours
17:	See those with a strong emotional connection to you with a halo or aura	12 hours
18:	Gain the ability to control a floating, heatless source of light of scintillating colours that cannot be dismissed	6 hours
19:	Burp bubbles of different tints that float into the sky but pop upon being touched	3 hours
20:	Attract butterflies that land on you or flutter about you	6 hours
21:	Hair grows between 1-3 feet - can be cut, but will revert to original length	24 hours
22:	Levitate ten inches off the ground, but retain ability to move normally	4 hours
23:	Scatter glitter with every gesture - glitter can set off pollen allergies	8 hours
24:	Gain energy from sunlight, needing water but not food	24 hours
25:	Become translucent.	7 hours

Cryptocarp

Found In: Any moving freshwater. If found in lakes or ponds, please report immediately.
Description: Traveling the rivers in schools, the cryptocarp group together seemingly by colour. Their scales can range in shade anywhere from red-orange to yellow-green and be blotched with white or black. They sometimes beg at footbridges, schools swimming in enticing patterns to persuade the passers-by to toss in bits of food, from bread to lettuce to pellets that are sold by the handful in coin-operated vending machines.

Actually feeding the cryptocarp is frowned upon. The patterns in which they swim are hypnotic when combined with the patterns on their scales, something thought to have come about to lull predators into either ignoring them or finding them frightening enough to leave alone. Now, they use it to gain sustenance and reproduce in the rivers, sometimes threatening the natural habitats of the waterways. The pellet vending machines have been removed multiple times, but it is presumed that someone enthralled by the cryptocarp keeps replacing them.
Friend-shaped/Not Friend-shaped: Debated.

Near-Figmentary Tetra

Found In: Any moving freshwater.
Description: These tetras are an invasive species. At first, the nigh-figmentary tetras were seen as beneficiary as they kept the number of cryptocarp in check. As time has passed, however, their presence has made the number of cryptocarp dwindle by sniping the ability for the male cryptocarp to fertilize the eggs.

These fish are difficult to see, their entire body all but invisible. The only way to spot them is to be inside the water when one swims by and either see or feel the ripple in the current nearby. Even then, by the time they’re reached for, they’re already out of reach. Their invisibility thoroughly bypasses the visually-focused cryptocarp’s senses and brings them into the ideal position to steal the cryptocarp’s spawn. The two species are, somehow, compatible as it comes to breeding, but the offspring, a piebald mix of visible, patterned scales and invisible body, are infertile.

The tetras are big enough to be a food source when caught, and many high-end restaurants sell them as delicacies. Those who buy the dish mostly do so as an experience, however, as the flavour is reported to remind most of those who eat it of despair.
Friend-shaped/Not Friend-shaped: Not friend-shaped, free game for fishing and eating (with ample seasoning).

Comments

Elidibus | Final Fantasy XIV

[heartofsalvation]

1) Waters of Seeing

[The air here fair pulses with magic use, but the water in particular is compelling to look into. And, like any reflective surface, one sees things in it. In Elidibus's case, there are but a handful of memories that made enough of an impression upon him to be worth reflecting... but they are not anything he wants on display, as he has already learned by observing others. So he stays clear of them, attempting to walk in the dead center of the walkways to keep any stray imagery off the surface tension of the water.

That said, eventually he sees out of the corner of his eye a familiar flash of fire-red, and a man in black robes, and turns his head and walks to where the glint appeared, so quickly that his hair flows freely with the motion. When he looks again, though, it is someone else; the image he saw was of a reflection in the water. With a sigh, he shakes his head.]

...Another figment. My apologies if I startled you. I thought for a moment you were-- someone else. Has the water been leading you astray, as well?

2) Tetra War

[Elidibus has seen a lot of bizarre creations in his time. Ambystoma that could fly. Sharks with multiple heads. Carbuncles that consumed poison. But looking at the fish that multiply like hydra with their heads and limbs cut off, it just feels like another day at the Bureau of the Architect.

Indeed, it is a frustrating endeavor. Shooting fish in a barrel, as it were, is no longer the easy task it might normally be. Is this what Hermes dealt with in Elpis all day? An idle curiosity he tucks away as he tries to think of a better way to address the problem, but perhaps this "synthesis" really is the best solution...]

How in the world... [Pause. He glances at anyone nearby.] Are you the type to be motivated by money, perhaps?

3) A Light Greeting

[Truth be told, it has been a long time since he's felt anything remotely close to the calm generated by the lights before. It's enough that upon first exposure, Elidibus is drawn back to it immediately, finding himself craving the inner peace deeply. A feeling that has long escaped him, a void filled -- it's incredible to experience, and he almost can't believe what kinds of feelings a simple light like this can engender. It's enchanted, no question, but he finds himself thinking of anything except potential overexposure.

So he hangs out on the fringes of the light as if he were a cat under a warm sunbeam, soaking up the good vibes. He looks content, at any rate...]

How peculiar... [A glance up at someone approaching, and then he vacates the space, shuffling off to the side.] Pray stand under this and tell me if aught changes in you. I'm curious to know if it's just me.

3

[starshepard]

[ Azem doesn't expect to spy a familiar figure as they move through the lobby. They keep their distance for a moment, just to be sure they are seeing who they're seeing before making their way over.

They're dressed in loose-fitted clothing similar to their robes, however, instead of the usual black, the fabric is brightly colored with mismatched patterns between the top and bottom. They chuckle softly as they look from Elidibus to the light, reaching out a hand to run it through the pillar. ]

It's interesting, isn't it? [ They step in, closing their eyes for a moment. It reminds them of moments spent lazing in the sun while taking a break on their trek to some far-flung outpost on Etheirys.

Mismatched blue eyes open once more as they step from the light and smile warmly at him. ] 'Tis good to see you Elidibus.

[heartofsalvation]

[His mouth hanging agape for a moment, Elidibus blinks. How is this possible...?]

I...

[And thus come the complicated emotions. Azem, the traitor, who abandoned them all in their hour of need. But Azem had also been his friend, and though the memories are faint, the feelings they created are still there.

(Even more jarring to see them outside of the traditional robes, but going against the grain was always their way, so perhaps not so much.)]

Azem?

[It's all he can manage right now, along with some moon-eyed staring. He isn't sure if he's elated or upset to see them at the moment. Remembering may have brought him some measure of peace, but when pulled from his rest and then confronted with the very object of one of his deeper conflicts from long ago, perhaps it isn't the glorious thing it seemed to be.]

[starshepard]

[ While Azem's always had a gift for reading people, half of that has been due to the aether so Azem assumes Elidibus' surprise is due to running into someone from home. After all, who would expect that someone from home would show up out of the blue in some strange new world?

However, they suppose if it would be anyone it would be themself. ]

The one and only. [ They respond with a grin as they move closer to him. ] I take it you've only just arrived?

[heartofsalvation]

[His gaze drops.] ...Yes. Plucked from my rest, I'm afraid.

[Of course, he drops the admission just to gauge how much they know. If this is the real Azem, not an illusion or a memory, their knowledge would end with the sundering.]

It has been... a long time, for me. Very long.

[starshepard]

[ Azem brows furrow at his response. ]

Your rest, as in your rest rest? Last time I saw you you were hale and hearty as ever, if a little overworked. But you ever were a hard worker. [ They admire that about him. ]

How long, exactly? 'Twas only hours ago since I last saw you when I arrived here.

[ Unfortunately, Azem arrived here from a time before they realized the Final Days was upon them. It was still nothing more than rumblings of something happening to the south. And Emet-Selch has deemed to keep them in the dark on the whole affair. ]

[heartofsalvation]

[Oh.

He closes his eyes and sighs, exhaustion soul-deep.]

You don't know, then.

[Well, this is going to be a difficult few minutes. Seeing as how he has no idea of Emet-Selch's designs, or the fact he's even here yet, he can only weigh the benefits and drawbacks of laying the truth bare for them. His smile is wry, indicating he really, really does not want to talk about it if he can help it.]

I was afraid of that. How long has it been, for you?

[starshepard]

Don't know what?

[ The smile falls from their face as an uneasy feeling settles in the pit of their stomach. They've had this sense that there's something Emet-Selch hasn't been telling them, but it hadn't seemed important enough to ask.

Now, however, they're worried. ]

I've been here roughly three months now.

[heartofsalvation]

I see. Is there anyone else here we know, if I may ask?

[Something about him seems oddly businesslike suddenly, like he wants to just ask a few more questions and be done with it. Perhaps it is simply him avoiding the problem, but will that truly make either of them forget, now that he's accidentally installed a sense of dread in them?]

[starshepard]

Tha-- [ Azem starts then lets the moment pass. No, that is a reasonable question to ask. ]

Ha-- Emet-Selch is here. He arrived around the same time as myself.

1

[monklookslikealady]

[Libra is startled when Elidibus comes over to him, he'd been lost in his own thoughts at that moment. Hearing the other's explanation, he smiles.]

Ah yes, that specific water feature has been... troublesome, for lack of a better word.

I'm assuming you saw in me someone you know, from your home?

[heartofsalvation]

Yes... though admittedly the two of you are quite different physically. It was just...

[For a moment, he was sure he'd seen that red hair, the dark robes... except the person standing in the vicinity where he was sure it had been was not him.]

I apologize. This has been a problem with many people, I take it? 'Tis not something I want openly displayed, if I can help it. But I wonder if it could be dispelled...

[monklookslikealady]

It was the influence of the magic around these pools. I understand.

[He looks over at the water for a moment, but doesn't move closer. There's just the right amount of distance between where he was and the water.]

I've heard rumors, but never get close enough to get a look myself. There are too many things I wouldn't want to see conjured in the surface.

[He thinks a moment.]

As for dispelling it, I don't think anyone has tried.

[heartofsalvation]

Then perhaps it's time someone did. It seems such an unnecessary enchantment...

[And heaven knows he wouldn't want to explain any of his own past to just anyone, either. It's surely the same for others.]

It occurs to me that this may be a decent opportunity to practice this synthesis I have heard about, however. Are you much of a magic user, yourself?

[monklookslikealady]

Quite unnecessary. [He would love to spend more time near the water, the noise it provided was relaxing, but he didn't want to risk reliving some of his worst memories.]

Somewhat. I have started practicing the magic here. At home, I am a healer, too.

[heartofsalvation]

I suppose I will need to step into this other kind of magic as well... but magic has always come easily for me, so I don't expect it to pose much of a challenge.

If you are a healer, you would undoubtedly be more practiced in supportive and cleansing magicks, yes? Then perhaps it would be possible after all. What say you we give it a try?

[monklookslikealady]

Yes, I am. [A staff appears in his hand, as if summoned out of thin air. Thank Naga for Bios.]

I probably don't need this staff, but it's a habit to use it. I believe I can at least use it to focus.

[He glances at the water, then back to Elidibus.]

What are you thinking?

3

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch has by now experienced the golden shower and shakes his head firmly. ]

No, thank you. When did you arrive, Elidibus?

[ By necessity, Emet-Selch has had to put away the robes in favour of more native clothing: that means the bright, glowing colours which are so prolific in the city.

(One can't wear a single set of robes every day.) ]

[heartofsalvation]

[Well, when you've been without significant emotion for 12,000 years, you kinda get hooked easily. Oops.]

A day or two ago, at most. But there is a matter I would discuss with you, since you are here. Not long ago, I ran into, of all people, Azem in this very lobby...

[He crosses his arms. This is not going to go well for Emet, seeing as he expects him to know where he's going with this with just that introductory bit.]

[emet_sulk]

...I see.

[ He crosses his arms as well, stance more defensive than businesslike. His expression is inscrutable but his heart is beating fast. ]

And what did you tell them?

[heartofsalvation]

Nothing. Yet.

[In his confusion at their presence, he did accidentally make them suspicious, though. He supposes that will have to be dealt with later; for now...]

But I have a decent enough grasp on the situation. And I have to ask... why would you choose to hide everything? Did you really think you could sweep the circumstances under the rug, and that would make it all go away?

[emet_sulk]

What was I supposed to say, hmm?

[ It's snapped out. A touch of anger flashes across his face. ]

Imagine being at the end of your life and then coming here and seeing a friend you had finally accepted you would never see or remember ever again. Would you immediately walk up and tell them, "I'm sorry but everything you ever knew and loved is gone and I killed you a thousand times to try and bring it back." How do you think that would have played out, Elidibus?

[heartofsalvation]

Better than allowing them to find out later, through unforeseen circumstances, and learn it was being deliberately concealed the whole time. I don't know about you, but I would sooner be sat down and given that talk when the time was right than find out like this, if I were in that position.

[And he yet believes in the ability of people to come to terms with bitter truths, even if it hurts. Even if emotion makes them act irrationally at first. Erichthonios did.

He himself did.]

As soon as I figured out what was happening, I decided it would be best you were the one to rectify it, but believe me, I am full ready to have that conversation if you are not. I have a decent portion of my memories back, and a clearer perspective than ever before.

[emet_sulk]

[ He starts out with a low chuckle that slowly crescendos into helpless laughter. ]

Ready to have that conversation, are you? How easily you volunteer. And yet, until now, you could barely even remember that we had a fourteenth member of our council, could you?

[ Why is he doing this? He could just leave Elidibus to handle the difficult conversation. But several millennia of anger and bitterness don't simply vanish overnight, soothing golden showers or no. ]

You don't know what it has been like to live burdened by their memories. And now that I finally have a chance to have some semblance of the life I always wanted, you would take it away.

[heartofsalvation]

[Oh, that cuts deep. His expression falls further, into more of a glare.]

Have you never considered outside circumstances may cause them to find out without either of our inputs? Have you ever thought of the situation from Azem's point of view?

[Of course not, he thinks, because none of them ever turned their thinking around to view things through that lens. Azem's way, tried and trusted right up until Zodiark's conception, was no longer a viable method. He's guilty of it, too, even if his personal feelings were different from what he had to say in order to maintain appearances.]

You could've had the life you wanted without hiding things, I have no doubt. You know as well as I that someone like Azem wouldn't let it stop them, so long as they exist here. But all you're doing is setting yourself up for heartbreak on both sides. The facade will come crumbling down. It always does.