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Prison World #3: Panultima (tw violence, torture, coercion)
Characters: Ensemble Cast, maybe even you!
Summary: The third prison world in Xistentia is a terrifying subdimension where sentient people exploit each other in order to run technology that will fend off D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. The 'ruling' class, Primus, are bound to a system of coupling (see: fake dating!), legacy and nepotism, whereas the Servus are put through an elaborate media circus (see: Hunger Games). You're here to study this world. And perhaps even to free those captured.
Date(s): February 8-20
Warnings/Notes: Violence, torture, coercion
If you thought Earth was a tough neighborhood, welcome to Panultima. Here, life is sweet. At least, as long as you're one of the Primus class.
It's a sprawling city of wicked spires and elaborate canals, covered in a luminous, translucent shield. Rather than a circular planet resting in orbit, instead, it's a flat plane of matter suspended in space, the foundations of the buildings rooted in only a hundred feet of stone and unknown technology. But the vast majority of citizens care little for that. After all, the city has every amenity and experience one might desire.
Restaurants line the streets. Theater is at an apex in development, with a particular focus on integration of moral philosophical themes. Gondolas run the canals, whereas a railway races over the winding laser-track in the air. Fashion is diverse, colorful, characterized by wild shapes, patterns, and accessories. Food imported from worlds both thriving and dying across the multiverse. At the numerous colleges and institutes, premier technology and opera are under constant invention and reinvention.
Primus culture emphasizes couples. Trios. Larger groups of lovers than that, even. After all, with romantic love and loyalty to care for, and survival hanging on it... who has the time or energy to care about justice for all?
Not these guys!
But for the little guy, life is considerably shittier. Welcome to the arena, the fully manipulable bubble reality set up to torture the slave class. The emotions of pain, fear, anguish, and wild, adrenal victory.
But the arena's programming isn't the only threat.
Instead, you have a motley host of macabre killers, other Servus locked up in here just like you. Some have survived in here for years, earning favor from audiences thanks to the amount of pure horror they squeezed out of their victims. Some of the better-known brands are the Bantam Butcher, a fallen angel whose first kills were those who took his wings, and now thrives on torture. The trapmaster seems to have control over environmental factors that rivals the control room. And the baker trio will eat the flesh from your bones if they catch you.
For infiltrators, the challenge is worse. Not only might you need to kill, survive, and explore the arena with your implant— but if you want to save the very same people who are out to murder you, how are you going to do that?
Several days into the mission, and that's when it happens-- the control room shuts down, under attack. And suddenly, there's pandemonium. Within the arena, some of the servus know immediately what this means— and they're willing to make a break for it, cutting each other down, crippling each other if it means that the Primus might have slower-moving people to contend with and allow them to escape. Others seem to have long since given up, failing to respond as the trees suddenly go dark and motionless, the birdsong dying into silence. After all, where is there to go? It's either D.E.S.T.I.N.Y., or to join the system that hates them, isn't it?
Are you inside the arena, or out? Are you there to help the fleeing Servus, or are you merely ready to scramble on home yourself and save your own skin?
Summary: The third prison world in Xistentia is a terrifying subdimension where sentient people exploit each other in order to run technology that will fend off D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. The 'ruling' class, Primus, are bound to a system of coupling (see: fake dating!), legacy and nepotism, whereas the Servus are put through an elaborate media circus (see: Hunger Games). You're here to study this world. And perhaps even to free those captured.
Date(s): February 8-20
Warnings/Notes: Violence, torture, coercion
Panultima
You cursed your gods and died
The Primus Life
If you thought Earth was a tough neighborhood, welcome to Panultima. Here, life is sweet. At least, as long as you're one of the Primus class.
It's a sprawling city of wicked spires and elaborate canals, covered in a luminous, translucent shield. Rather than a circular planet resting in orbit, instead, it's a flat plane of matter suspended in space, the foundations of the buildings rooted in only a hundred feet of stone and unknown technology. But the vast majority of citizens care little for that. After all, the city has every amenity and experience one might desire.
Restaurants line the streets. Theater is at an apex in development, with a particular focus on integration of moral philosophical themes. Gondolas run the canals, whereas a railway races over the winding laser-track in the air. Fashion is diverse, colorful, characterized by wild shapes, patterns, and accessories. Food imported from worlds both thriving and dying across the multiverse. At the numerous colleges and institutes, premier technology and opera are under constant invention and reinvention.
COUPLE STUFF
Primus culture emphasizes couples. Trios. Larger groups of lovers than that, even. After all, with romantic love and loyalty to care for, and survival hanging on it... who has the time or energy to care about justice for all?
Not these guys!
THE SERVUS LIFE
But for the little guy, life is considerably shittier. Welcome to the arena, the fully manipulable bubble reality set up to torture the slave class. The emotions of pain, fear, anguish, and wild, adrenal victory.
But the arena's programming isn't the only threat.
Instead, you have a motley host of macabre killers, other Servus locked up in here just like you. Some have survived in here for years, earning favor from audiences thanks to the amount of pure horror they squeezed out of their victims. Some of the better-known brands are the Bantam Butcher, a fallen angel whose first kills were those who took his wings, and now thrives on torture. The trapmaster seems to have control over environmental factors that rivals the control room. And the baker trio will eat the flesh from your bones if they catch you.
For infiltrators, the challenge is worse. Not only might you need to kill, survive, and explore the arena with your implant— but if you want to save the very same people who are out to murder you, how are you going to do that?
Breakout!
Several days into the mission, and that's when it happens-- the control room shuts down, under attack. And suddenly, there's pandemonium. Within the arena, some of the servus know immediately what this means— and they're willing to make a break for it, cutting each other down, crippling each other if it means that the Primus might have slower-moving people to contend with and allow them to escape. Others seem to have long since given up, failing to respond as the trees suddenly go dark and motionless, the birdsong dying into silence. After all, where is there to go? It's either D.E.S.T.I.N.Y., or to join the system that hates them, isn't it?
Are you inside the arena, or out? Are you there to help the fleeing Servus, or are you merely ready to scramble on home yourself and save your own skin?
no subject
[ one eyebrow shoots up at veronica’s suggestion and his leg jumps restlessly, too quick to be unsettled by the thought of any one of them in the arena, or being anywhere close to it. jughead’s trying to tear it down from the outside but maybe veronica’s onto something. what if what they really need is someone on the inside?
he recognizes that as reckless thinking and flicks his eyes over to betty, despite the fact that she hasn’t lived through their last risky adventure, he wonders if the wheels are also turning in her head in that regard. ] What do you think it would take to get a meeting with them? A job interview scheduled for someone with more ideas than they know what to do with? [ he looks at jughead pointedly. ] A puff piece? [ here's looking at you, betty. ] A costume consultant? [ duh, veronica. ]
Or fresh meat for the arena itself?
no subject
so far, archie is making some pretty good points. his ideas sound good, at least until he comes to the last bit and jughead is sure he won't be the only one to object. ]
Hell no, Arch. The other ideas are great but there's no way we're letting you get in that arena as a contender. The people here are crazy powerful. People with actual powers and such. Going into that arena would be suicide.
[ he glances at betty and veronica for support. ]
no subject
No way, Arch. You're not putting yourself in danger just because you're the most athletic of us all. Besides, you're a terrible liar. [ she gives him a tiny smile before she glances at veronica, feeling the truth in her bones.] I think this is something we have to cover. [ because she and veronica are the best liars amongst them. both jughead and archie are not liars, in different ways. archie is very earnest and jughead's emotions play out on his face too often.
veronica would probably agree that betty's ability to lie is good, to play a part is better than good.]
no subject
she sits up a little straighter then, clearing her throat. she needs to focus. ] I like the idea of writing an article. Betty and I can get in, no doubt. [ with charm and grace and a few well-placed lies, yes ] Who better to interview than the [ monsters ] brilliant men and women pulling all the strings? Maybe they'll even give us a tour.
no subject
Veronica, I trust you. And Betty, I've always had faith in you. But how do we know they're going to be honorable? They design murder scenarios. [ he can't just sit on his hands. he tries not to scowl. ] If they're on the inside, where does that leave us?
no subject
[ said with emphasis as he glances at his friends. they're so eager to jump in that he can't help but worry. in this world of people with crazy powers, stepping into the arena seems like suicide for any of them. while they've faced situations that made them feel powerless before, nothing has been quite like this. jughead scowls at his closed laptop for a few seconds, thinking to himself as his mind whirls with ideas. ]
If you're so anxious to get involved, I think Archie should try for a trainer position. Betty, you'd be good on whatever they have for a newspaper, doing interviews and such. Veronica, I can see you giving the makeovers. Maybe we can infiltrate that way and get close to the contenders. None of us are made for the arena, so I think helping the people going in might be our best bet.
no subject
What are you going to be doing while the rest of us do what you said? [ she's not questioning him because she thinks he isn't going to be pulling his weight or that he's taking a coward's route. on the contrary, she's afraid he's going to use their tasks as a distraction to do something reckless or even more dangerous. ]
And who are we going to be helping in?
no subject
The only way I want to help them is helping them get out. Making them look pretty for their death sentence isn't- No.
[ Veronica doesn't mean to sort of study Jughead, but she's sure that's kind of what she's doing as she watches him. Betty's got the same amount of time missing as he does, but Veronica doesn't feel the same sort of.. disconnect between her as she does with Jug. like she has to relearn him, maybe. a little bit. she wonders if he's acting more guarded because he doesn't know he can trust her yet. it shouldn't bug her, but it does. especially with something like this on the line.
but she's not worried. she knows she'll be able to prove herself again. she's just taking time to read between the lines a bit, in a way she can effortlessly with Archie and Betty. they'll get there. ]
I want to get to the people in charge. I think that's- literally the safest place to be. They're untouchable, right? So if we get in with them, we're untouchable. [ her Lodge is showing, she knows. the plans in her head are mainly just manipulation, deception. she plays the long con, the back end. she wants to jump in, but under the radar. there has to be a way to do that, she's sure of it ]
no subject
He meant you'd be a shoe-in. You care about more than designer bags and make-up, but you're good at styling. It's an idea to get your foot in the door. [ ...and it had been archie's idea, anyway. the apprehension of what jug will be doing doesn't set in until after betty's brought it to light. he's seen firsthand the kind of risks that jughead is willing to take. granted, he isn't knee-deep in the serpents yet, but some day he will be. that guy's still in there. ] I've seen Veronica in action. She can pull off a reporter. And as much as I want to be nearby, I'm just as likely to do something I'd regret if I thought they were in trouble. So whatever you're doing, Jug, I'm with you.
As long as you know that if something does go down, I'm going after them, no matter who stands in my way. Or how over-powered they are.
no subject
so he grimaces a little, adjusting his beanie before responding. ]
Archie's got it. I think if you want to get to the top, working your way up might be the best solution. And if anyone can do it, it's you.
[ there's no doubt in his voice when he speaks, confident in veronica. then, glancing at betty and wishing he could reach across the table to take her hand, he releases a slow breath. ]
Continuing as we are isn't an option. If you, Betty, can write up some articles, I can make sure they get published anonymously. As for me and you, Arch, if we send anyone in, it might as well be us. Maybe together we can figure out a way to beat the system from the inside.
no subject
she undoubtedly looks unhappy about the whole thing. but it's the only thing that makes sense, she thinks, without exposing her ability to morph into someone else like she had that night with chuck. she lets out a breath.]
Okay. But for the record, I don't like that you're all taking the risks...