lifeaftr | September Intro: Knowledge is Hot Water on Wool

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September Intro: Knowledge is Hot Water on Wool

INTRO LOG: SEPTEMBER

Who: Everyone!
What: The Storyteller makes use of their first offering, and new souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: September 2nd
Where: Ensō...and surrounding lands
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Part I: New Arrivals
You probably didn’t last fall asleep on the warm spit of white sand that you find yourself, but nonetheless, that is where you awaken. There’s the hush of waves lapping up against the edges of the beach and the soft chill of a coastal breeze stirring at your surroundings, but the place is, all things considered, quite peaceful. The sun is merciless as it reflects across the glittering spread of seawater that surrounds you on three sides.

Three sides.

You’re on an island, if a rather small one. It can’t be much more than a mile across at the height of its length, and what’s more, it’s dotted with small, straggling outcrops of stone buildings that look as though they may have once been used for shelter of some sort or another, now weather beaten and wind-blasted. If you peer into the distance, it will rapidly become clear that you are on one small islet of a grouping of five. Battered bridges of wood-and-rope swing precariously between each one, joining them in a rough circle.

What’s more is that you aren't alone. You'll find that you have one or two companions waking on the islet alongside you, and each will discover a knapsack with their name stitched to the front, containing a paltry number of items, along with any rewards you may have accrued. There's probably a way off these islets, and a means of accessing the shadowy lump of a mainland that rears up in the distance, maybe two miles across the stretch of sea...but what is it?

We do recommend treading carefully, and not simply embarking on a poorly-advised mission to swim all the way there. A school of tiger-sharks have begun to stir up the waters surrounding the islets, hungry for fresh meat. They are at least edible - if you can succeed in taking one down, that is. If you do not, don’t worry: at least you have shelter. Very dilapidated, ruined, half-crumbled shelter that will hardly serve as protection against wind and rain, but surely that's better than no shelter at all, right?

As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

Part II: Old Souls
A floral, faintly bitter tang rings about the air of the ruined temple this morning. As you rise, you may find a familiar scene: a rabbit with snow-white fur, crouched nearby a dilapidated pillar, thumping their foot impatiently. They look to you, or perhaps they are addressing the room as a whole when they say:

"Ah. Finally. First, I must thank you for fulfilling your end of our transaction - your stories have done their job. Thus, it is time for me to fulfill mine. I've arranged something for you all. I’m aware that in many worlds there is a poor association with following white rabbits, so perhaps you would find the flowered path more enticing." The Storyteller shifts their gray tome from one paw to the other, giving a great leap across the fallen pillar. "Now, what I am about to grant you…there are procedures, of course. You must follow the instructions to begin with. And then, well - you need a place to go. You needn’t even need a name, specifically. The power will know. Simply be sure to tell it."

The rabbit sniffs and flicks an ear. "Just remember what I ask: no bathing, please. For all's sake."

And then they bound off into the darkness, disappearing just before the shadows engulf them wholly.

Indeed, where the dust-trodden ground gives way to grass, a sparse growth of white flowers have blossomed, winding wildly through the growth and leading around the temple’s exterior.

Those who find fit to follow the Storyteller's suggestion will find, first, that the path of flowers leads them to an outcropping of stone that overlooks the great cove formed by Ensō’s landmass. In the distance, just short of the ocean’s horizon, a white scatter of islets sit in the blue-jade waters. Those certainly hadn’t been there before, had they? Intrepid explorers, be patient: the path of flowers doesn't end here. In fact, it veers off cleanly in the direction of the mana pool behind the Storyteller's ruins.

Upon arriving at the pool, characters will find that the narcissus flowers have bloomed in full and prolific splendor around its edges, filling the humid air with a thick scent of bitter hay and honey. Upon a great slab of stone rising from the edge of the pool, a strange limerick seems to have been engraved:

A flower once loved above all,
The hubris of his mirror-thrall.
Were he water-lily!
Yet fate wet and pithy,
Narcissus, what a fate to befall.
No other instructions appear to have been left other than this cryptic rhyme. Should characters solve this riddle, however, they will find themselves engulfed in a flash of blinding white light, given the briefest sensation of falling…

Followed by the familiar vision of Ensō looming in the distance. Quite far out, in fact. Their surroundings have dramatically shifted from a lush jungle to an almost barren island, surrounded on its sides by four nearly identical islets. It would appear that any characters who use the mana pool have been randomly transported to one of the five islets appeared overnight. Other than a nearly identical mana pool lapping at their feet, it would seem that - aside from weather-worn, dilapidated shacks and shelters - these islands don’t have much on them at all.

Except, perhaps, new faces.

Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Kid has been spending the last five minutes looking between the inscription and the pool. He's not an idiot. He knows the pool is magic. He knows the flowers led him here. He knows the message on the stone is some kind of riddle--like a trick to get the pool to do its magic.]

[The problem is, he can't read too well, especially not in whatever this script is. Even if he could, there's no Narcissus in his world, nor is he entirely sure what a water lily is, nor does he even realize that these flowers are known as narcissuses. So he's just kind of standing here, feeling stupid--not that that's anything new--when up walks a young child. They pretty much only glance at the inscription, then drop a flower into the water. It wakes up like some kind of eerie whirlpool.]

[He blinks at the child, then peers down into the water.]

Ya figgered it out that quick?

It's not too difficult, should you have the right information.

[A calm response; not boastful, or accusing, as they have been with some. He seems genuinely surprised- but not aggravated at their success where he had failed.

They have to give some credit where it's due.]

The inscription mentions a flower, then a man- Narcissus. These flowers that bloomed are known as narcissus, as well.

From what I can make of it, the story is that the man was looking at his reflection and drowned.

[Which is super cheerful, right?]

Yeah?

[The right information. Well, the "right information" would probably include literacy. Kid isn't offended. Though he is a little sore at the fact that the Storyteller couldn't just show them or tell them straight how the pool worked.]

Nars...iss-is. Dunno 'f we have 'em back home. Ain't seen nothin' like 'em.

[He folds his arms and looks into the pool again.]

Pretty flower fer a sad story.

I may have the story wrong, but considering the way it has been presented-

[They're willing to bet they haven't.]

It doesn't precisely make one keen to test out what it does, however.

[Although it's quite obvious that Chara doesn't feel the qualms they've mentioned, shuffling closer until their nose is almost touching the swirling light.]

Ya migh' not wanna lean so close, then.

[He crouches down next to the pool, an arm's length from Chara so he can potentially pull them back if they fall in.]

Storyteller seems keen on helpin'. Dunno why they'd bother leadin' us t'some pool jus' t'have us drown.

In this instance, I imagine the drowning is more metaphorical. Instructions to 'drown Narcissus', as it were.

[But it is a rather cheeky way to tell people to drop a flower in a pool, they'll give him that.]

And so, we are left with instructions to cause this reaction; but no explanation as to what it does.

How mysterious.

[He's not sure he gets it. It takes a second. The flowers are Narcissus...es...and dropping them into the pool makes it light up.]

[Oh. Okay. Drown Narcissus.]

...I get it.

But yer right. No clue what it does.

[He thinks for a moment, then pulls a small stone out of his pocket.]

Gonna test somethin'.

[He drops the stone in.]

[There we go. It clicks, and in a rather bold move, he tosses a stone into the pool, looking to gain another reaction.

But aside from the standard plop of the rock sinking into the water, nothing. Even the ripples don't seem to last long, the surface of the water settling back into a steady, swirling motion. Still glowing, too.]

...A good attempt. Perhaps it will only react to living things.

[Not very exciting. He was hoping for some kind of change.]

[They have a point. The flower is alive, certainly. Kid would really rather not just stick his hand in there, but if it has to be someone, it might as well be him. Better him than an actual kid.]

Stand back.

[He waits for them to either do so or not--then he takes a deep breath and plunges his hand into the glowing water.]

[Not very exciting at all. But when he puts his hand in- that's when things get interesting. A flash of light, something Chara would usually expect to blind them, at least slightly, and he's no longer there.

At which point, they completely ignore his request, picking another flower to follow after him. Heck you they figured this out first.]

[There's a flash of light--bright, but not blinding--and then there's a sort of falling sensation. It feels almost exactly like traveling on the Skyways. Somewhere between Here and There, he realizes that that's what this is. It's travel of some kind.]

[And then he's There and. Well. He's definitely somewhere else, and none of his surroundings look familiar. He steps out of the pool and frowns, looking around, wondering if he should take the time to explore or just head back...but then there's another flash behind him, and the kid appears.]

[He blinks at them.]

S' like a Skyway.

[Stupid thing to say. They won't know what a Skyway is.]

Travelin'.

[They may not know what a Skyway is, but the meaning is clear enough. Skyway, shortcut- different words for the same thing. Chara hums, more interested in letting their eyes survey the area than providing any real response- investigation ending at the ground in front of them.]

There are more flowers here.

[They crouch, plucking one from its stem and twirling it between finger and thumb.]

So returning is likely the same process as what has brought us here.

[They're right, there's more flowers here. Kid wonders if they regrow at all. Otherwise they're all going to have a pretty limited amount of trips from the Ruins to...wherever they are now.]

[He looks around, squinting as he tries to get a sense of his surroundings.]

Ya wanna explore? I kin protec' ya.

[They don't need protection- but he's offering, and far be it for them to deny a willing body to place between themself and danger. Chara nods, standing as they tuck the flower in their pocket. They could test the flower's potency as well- if there's a limit to how long they can be deposited into the pool after being plucked.]

I would appreciate your assistance. Please, after you.

[He nods as well, and starts walking. He can still hear the ocean, and in a matter of steps he realizes he can also see it. They're still on an island, but this one is much smaller, and a little bit higher off the water. There's a rope bridge down a narrow, overgrown path, and nearby...]

[They sure do look an awful lot like buildings. Some are nothing more than shacks, but a few of them are bigger, more house-shaped. All of them are run down, completely decrepit. Still, they're buildings, with walls and ceilings, and Kid figures that if there is any sort of hostile presence on the island, this is where it will be living.]

[He draws his hammer, just in case.]

Stay quiet.

[He slowly approaches the nearest shack.]

[No need to tell them twice. As soon as he brings out his weapon, their own hand goes to their side, fingers lightly curled over the hilt of their knife and ready to respond at a moment's notice- due to an unseen enemy, or a sudden turn from the man in front of them.

Quietly, Chara follows, keeping a few feet between them at all times. Their eyes flick to the left and right, ensuring that they take account of the area around them as the Kid focuses in on the closest dwelling. There could be something in there, certainly.

...But from the state of things, and the continued quiet from the moment of their arrival, Chara's inclined to believe that this will be for naught.]

[He's dead silent as he approaches the shack, ready to protect himself and the kid if anything jumps out at them. He peeks carefully into the shack. There's nothing there. Dirt floor, ramshackle walls, crumbling ceiling, a lot of evidence that maybe some rodents or birds were nesting in here at some point.]

[He looks back at the kid.]

Seems abandoned.

[They straighten up at the announcement, coming close enough to peer into the building for themself. It's as he says- clearly abandoned, the building has seen better days.

Not exactly promising.]

If the next one over is like this, it may be safe to assume these islands are abandoned entirely.

[He frowns and taps his chin, looking around the inside of the shack, then looking around the rest of the islet. All the rest of the buildings are in about the same state of disrepair, and everything else is silent. If they were going to be ambushed, it probably would have happened already. He goes over to the next one, just to be sure, but it's also completely empty, with no sign that anyone was ever there.]

Think yer righ'.

[He considers all this for a moment.]

So...we got shelters. More'n jus' th' temple. Places need some shorin' up, but 's walls an' roofs. Migh' be we could live 'ere.

[They follow, gaze drifting from him more and more frequently as they get lost in their own thoughts. They can't say they're pleased with this- shoddy, dilapidated buildings requiring even more time and attention to be of any benefit, when most of the island is already working to ensure they have the food to survive.

It's not even remotely helpful, right now.]

A few shacks and some tiny islands to pen ourselves in on- wonderful. My enthusiasm knows no bounds.

[He gives a quiet snort at their reaction. Yeah, it's really not much. They must be used to a better standard. This must just be all the Storyteller could manage, if they're even the one that created this place.]

S' better 'n tents made outta palm leaves, 'tleast. Gonna take work t'make 'em livable, though.

[It'll be quite the project. He's already thinking about how to get started.]

Theys more 'o these little islands over yonder. Looks like bridges, too.

True.

[That said, they don't think they'll be retiring their hammock, any time soon. These dwellings are hardly going to take little time to truly reach any level of weather proof.

It's not a project they can help with...but looking around, Chara can't help but think it's a shame, that the narcissus are only growing near the mana pool. The rest of the grass looks so bare, by comparison.

Maybe that, at least, is something they could fix.]

Then we will look at them, as well. Shall we?

[He sort of nods to himself a bit. If he had enough time and resources, this place could really be something wonderful. It almost feels like being tasked with building up the Bastion again.]

[He kind of can't wait to get to work. But first things first.]

Sho' thang. Better t'be safe.

[And he heads for the bridge. There's plenty more to explore.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

September Intro: Knowledge is Hot Water on Wool

mana pool

hey kid I heard you like kids so I put some kids with your kid so you can kid while you kid

hey kid i heard you like kids wait that's a lie you like maybe four whole people

Um, rude??? They like way less than four people.

frisk, asriel, queen mom, king dad?

cross off those last three and there's your list!

then why u still a dreemurr kiddo

shut

;)

B[

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Possibly wrap in your next tag??

wrapped yo