( tdm 11 )

[hownkai]

T E S T D R I V E

ABOARD THE MOIRA Whether adjusting to space travel has been difficult or not, there is always something to be done. From working to leisure, the Moira offers a multitude of opportunities to get to know your crewmates a bit better. Exploration of the ship is highly encouraged, but as another planet grows closer to being docked, things start to get a little hectic. You'll notice a slight change in the artificial gravity as the Moira is pulled into a gravitational field; however, more noticeable changes can be found in the overall morale as you prepare to descend. ☄ on your own There are plenty of other communal areas on the ship to explore! Pick a place, and see where it takes you. ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) H A I S T O S Unlike previously visited locations, the sweltering heat of this planet can be felt long before arrival. The surface of Haistos is not a place for those with a weak constitution. It’s in a constant state of low-level volcanic activity as its land masses are dotted with many volcanoes—all of them spewing black ash into the air. Breathing is difficult without the aid of a respirator due to the potential of breathing in ash, and the plant life is stunted, adapted to living in an environment with little sunlight. The weather is unpredictable, and ash-storms will often blow in fiercely, leaving people trapped for a hours at a time before they blow themselves out. But that same ash which chokes everything on this planet is what also provides its livelihood. Haistos’ volcanic resources are a highly sought-after commodity elsewhere in the universe, and as long as gathering the ash is profitable, people will continue to return. Looking closely, etched into the curling paths of ignimbrite deposits that swirl along the base of the volcanoes is a language that is easily translated by the MID, often resembling Latin. Carved over time by visitors and travelers, it tells a tale of fire and stone and power. Some might even say there are mystic abilities associated with these volcanoes, though the rumors and myths behind it seem to be nothing but a warning to those who think to go looking for it. It’s also hard to tell if the words carry any true meaning since there are no natives to question, and all those who harvest the ash can only tell stories. Still, it’s apparent that people from many different times have all added to the scrolling messages. A word of caution: you cannot build here. Stone, metal, and wood all burn, all crumble. Only what is true can survive, and fire will show its true quality. ☄ breathing sparks Despite the haphazard lay of the land, there are things to do. Or, at least, things to see. The rocky terrain often leads to some inactive volcanoes that are perfect for exploring and harvesting the ash that continues to rain down across Haistos. There are step-like structures built into the sides of the volcanic craters, narrow but sturdy. With each move down, the air gets even thicker, and your respirator takes longer and longer to filter the unbreathable atmosphere the deeper into the planet you travel. Yet, the risk of asphyxiation is worth what awaits at the bottom of the staircase. Still warm, the volcanic rocks that are sunk into the deposits are both smooth and clear as crystal. Most of these gems retain heat permanently and can be used to warm small spaces. Gathering too many together in a single place, however, creates a reaction with the limited air supply and can spark a faux volcanic eruption—yes, these rocks are capable of producing lava at an impossibly quick rate. Is it possible to outrun the flow and reach the steps before it begins filling the bottom of the crater? The only thing worse than a sudden swimming pool of lava would be the respirator finally breaking because of the abrupt, extreme heat, wouldn’t it? ☄ under pressure Despite being unable to actually build any structures of substance on Haistos, walking around the planet itself is surprisingly easy. Due to its unusual composition, the ground itself is a noticeable mixture of dark rock and shining surfaces. More than that, each step around the bases of the volcanoes reveals something both amazing and rather fascinating: the ability to create diamonds without much pressure at all. It only takes a single step or even a hand print. Take a break and sit to rest? Diamonds. Wrestling over what pile of ash is yours to claim? Diamonds. Tripping and falling and refusing to get up so that no one sees your embarrassment? Diamonds. Suddenly, moving around on Haistos has taken a whole new turn. Especially when it’s completely possible to keep what you make with your very own body weight. ☄ if you break it, you buy it Out of the eater came something to eat, and out of the strong came something sweet. At the base of one of the smaller volcanoes, this message is carved into the rock in large, curling script. The volcano is currently inactive and is dotted with openings large enough for visitors to enter through. Stranger than the message is the faint tinkling sound - almost like glass clinking against glass - that grows louder the deeper into the volcano you go. The intricate honeycomb of paths all lead in the same direction—towards the sound and a mellow blue glow. At the center, the sound is loud and the light illuminates a large space. Thousands of crystalline creatures swirl and bump against one another, the source of both the sound and light. They appear to be a cross between a lightning bug and bee, glowing and noisy and harmless. The beautiful sight may, or may not, be dampened by the fact that the cavern is littered with glass honeycombs that have been built up within the bodies of fallen travelers. It’s clear that the organisms didn’t harm them, perhaps the result of too much ash or broken respirators, and the honey they’ve produced is light blue and clear. It’s sweet if eaten, bright and citrus-y, and carries an earthy undertone, making the skin glow temporarily after ingesting. If careful, visitors may harvest the honey, but do not disturb the creatures. Their wings are sharp, and when agitated, they swarm out of fear. OUT OF CHARACTER INFO FAQ | LOCATIONS | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS | NAVIGATION For mature or graphic content, please label. For questions, please direct them to the FAQ. As always, be kind and have fun!

Comments

[camouflage]

[john's really not too worried about any hurt feelings regarding the whole body-double thing. if ahab really hated it that much, hated him that much, he could always leave the mission behind. follow in miller's footsteps and abandon the dream he spent four years dogging big boss' steps toward. what ahab does or does not feel about the erasure of his identity doesn't really mean anything in the long run.

the only thing john cares about is: are their enemies the same?

but anyway.] You were here before. [in some capacity. seeing him again doesn't make john feel any better about escape attempts or getting off this rig before the end of the ride.] It's weird. Don't worry about it.

[he just shrugs, like it's as easy as that. as always, john keeps things as simple as possible. no reason to try and piece together the puzzle that is the ingress or the true flexibility of time and space. you know, complicated stuff.]

You seen anyone else from base?

[alterplex]

[ "It's weird, don't worry about it" is basically Venom's creed by now, so he accepts it without much in the way of protest. Like John, he understands the futility of trying to take apart the intricacies of something that's out of his hands, and like John, he would rather do something about his current situation than seethe.

Whether or not that's an autonomous mode of thinking is also unimportant; John tells him that it's not something to worry about, and he implicitly trusts that it isn't.

After a vague sound of acquiescence, Venom tips his head lightly to the side. ] Not yet. If they're here, I'll find them.

[ That's how it always plays out, after all. He has faith in the others to be around when he needs them, so here's the more important issue: ] Is there anything I should know?

[ 'Should'. He'll leave that to John's discretion. ]

[camouflage]

[was there anything ahab shouldn't know? no. were there things ahab shouldn't know right this second? as always. after keeping the man in the dark, john wasn't keen on witholding anything else from him. unforunately, there were some things that even big boss wasn't sure about and, in this situation, it was better to omit than to give him false facts.

he had just arrived, it seemed. john remembered how he eventually tuned out when forced to sit through a non-stop, information dump.]

Let's walk. You can see the rest of the ship.

[two birds, one stone. the older man (or, at the very least, grayer) walks forward, knowing his shadow would follow.]

[alterplex]

[ Funny— this isn't how he thought he'd meet Big Boss again. Granted, this entire situation is something he hadn't anticipated, but the context is ironically similar to the circumstances in which he'd 'met' Ishmael; being led through unfamiliar territory, his confidence given without question.

It's surprising, how little indignation Venom feels. Did he expect his personal feelings (the little that remain) to supersede pragmatism? Not exactly, but there could have been something. It could have been possible that a part of him— maybe some nebulous pride— could have given rise to even a fraction of hesitation.

But there's nothing, and Venom follows John, winds across the observation deck and back through the halls of the ship in silence. The only time he slows down is to run his bionic over the glass, convinced, for a second, that he'd heard someone— something— calling from the other side.

Weird. This place is already the worst. ]