xistentia | 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

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!

In this world, the mission and pleasure roll together well. The implant picks up information, so your main job is to explore. Perhaps you and your partner might enjoy yourself a glow-in-the-dark cocktail in a smoky bar where a two-headed singer is providing the music, a tour of the massive shield generators in the sparkling complex. Or pick fruit from one of the hundreds of bonding trees in the city's central park— so named, because it requires successful completion of questions to "the newlywed game" for each before one of the luscious, sweet fruits is released from a vine.

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.

Most days, it looks like a forest— incidentally, very much like Xistentia. There are dozens of hybrid creatures in it, most of which are edible, others toxic, several very dangerous. However, the ground below can change at any moment, turning into mud or belching acid baths. Or you might find yourself abruptly attacked by a bear with biological armor growing from its huge shoulders. The control room, operated by Primus, is concealed from view. Its role is to keep the environment challenging for those competing, shifting the settings of the place to advantage some and cripple others.

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?

Footnotes

Please ensure that threads are marked with appropriate content warnings!
The plotting post for this event can be found here, and the original announcement with some other details is here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ You have visitor, they tell the dragoon. Someone who wants to sponsor you. Show him your thanks. While that's not entirely the purpose for his visit, he had to have some guise for arranging the meeting. He's already got his plans in the works for rescuing Era from the arean. Bros before hos, he knows, but- One, Era isn't a ho. Two, Estinien can hold his own and isn't at the disadvantage of missing a horn.

Also, they need someone to stay in Servus to gain intel there for F.A.T.E.S. Who better suited than Estinien? Honestly, he's surprised that his friend lasted as long as he did among the lavish lifestyles of the Primus. ]

Hello, old friend.

[ Every bit of his posture seems to say 'Estinien, what in the absolute fuck. While he hadn't been aware that their friend would be joining them in the prison world, he'd been alerted as soon as he was arrested. Of course he was. He could helped him avoid this fate if he'd known. But he didn't, so- There's no used in worrying about what could have been. ]

I probably could have made a case for you to stay in the Primus class, [ he does actually say ] before you called them 'whores.'

[ Though nothing in his tone actually speaks of disagreement. While his friend was right in his assessment, it still wasn't something that most people took kindly to being called. Especially not so vocally. ]

[ Estinien nearly tells the guards that summon him to fuck right off, but it's both curiosity, and a gun held to his face, that has him cooperating, looking disheveled, dirty and deeply irritated when he's pushed into the cell he's to meet with his potential sponsor through.

For a still, shocked moment, he looks on Aymeric with surprise and something like awe or satisfied longing. Loner as he is by nature, there's a small handful of people he simply doesn't want to live without, and Aymeric is on that list. After shaking out of that moment, he lets out a sharp, barked laugh, pacing his way over. ]

Let's be honest, it was bound to happen regardless of your presence and counselling, clever and convincing as I'm sure it would have been.

[ there's only so much bullshit Estinien is physically able to take before he has to open his mouth and say something rude. It's just the nature of his being, a terminal condition, can't be helped. But the sentiment is appreciated, as is his presence, shown in the lazy smile betraying his relief, and the lax way he slumps against the bars that separate them. ]

The only way I could pass for one of those is by coma or feinting mute. Neither of which I'm very skilled at.

[ Dishelved, dirty, and deeply irrtated is practically Estinien's default state! Still, there is a touch of concern even the Lord Commander isn't able to betray on his face at his friend's haggard appearance. He dislikes this prison world most of all of them, so far. He can't stand the way it wears down the people he cares for most in his realm or the next. ]

'Tis likely, [ he admits. ] I'm not sure even my counseling could have truly prevented all... [ emphasized with a sweep of his eyes around the holding cell ] ...this. At least they were wise enough to take the proper precautions.

It's a compliment, truly, that they don't underestimate you.

[ An inconvenience, too. Aymeric is already contemplating a jailbreak with others; however, he's not sure how well they'll be able to pull such a thing off. He supposes he will have to do his best, wait, and see. ]

I don't think being behind bars suits you either, however. A shame this world doesn't seem a fan of compromise. [ There are only the two extremes of haves and have nots here. ]

[ Thankfully, the bars are just bars, and Estinien can lean the side of his face against one, with enough space he can view his friend between them, arms pushes through with elbows rested on one of the horizontal bars, forearms flopped on Aymeric's side, enough he could probably touch him, were he close enough. He supposes the arena masters assume the upper class will be smart enough to stand further back if they don't want to be grabbed at. ]

The flattery's appreciated, Aymeric, thank you. But it's alright, you needn't soothe my ego.

[ He's settled with the fact that he can't kill everyone in the city, so he has to be in here. Still better than having to consummate a fake marriage with some stranger looking at him like an exotic doll, all tall and willowy and elf looking. ]

No, it truly doesn't. Which begs the question, who have you been married to that you've yet to be cast in here with me?

[ You have to be "married" to stay in the caste outside of the arena, even to an utter stranger, so who did Aymeric get stuck with? Not that Estinien doubts his friend's ability to charm the pants off any soul that comes within a few feet of him (that's why he's a politician and Estinien isn't), but he's just curious. For amusement's sake. He needs something to laugh about while waiting to murder or run from murder out here, okay? Be good to him.]

[ Aymeric, meanwhile, doesn't feel the least bit threatened by Estinien in the way others might. He respects his friend's strength but also knows it is more likely to be with him than against. ]

If I don't, then who will? Certainly not Era.

[ They both know how hard-heared their Warrior of Light can be. Aymeric loves her for it, of course, but that doesn't need to be said just yet. ]

Speaking of her though, it's my intention to try and be betrothed to her so that way I can free her from the arena.

Prison World #3: Panultima (tw violence, torture, coercion)

a little bit of a and wildcard

HIHIHI sorry for the wait, im terrible 8(

no worries I am hiatus and just as slow basically so!!

gently rolls along with u, we'll get there someday, friend

someday, beyond the sea........