The Mods of LifeAftr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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lifeaftr2017-09-01 08:43 pm
lifeaftr_mods) wrote in lifeaftr2017-09-01 08:43 pm
Entry tags:
- final fantasy xv: ardyn izunia,
- final fantasy xv: ignis scientia,
- fragile dreams: ren,
- hyper light drifter: the drifter,
- marble hornets: tim wright,
- mass effect: commander shepard,
- mushi-shi: ginko,
- osomatsu-san: ichimatsu matsuno,
- pokemon sun & moon: guzma,
- pokemon sun & moon: luna,
- undertale: chara dreemurr,
- ✖ bastion: the kid,
- ✖ captive prince: laurent,
- ✖ dangan ronpa: hinata hajime,
- ✖ disney: mickey mouse,
- ✖ dungeon meshi: marcille,
- ✖ fallout: the courier,
- ✖ ffvi: terra branford,
- ✖ ffxv: nyx ulric,
- ✖ ffxv: prompto argentum,
- ✖ fragile dreams: crow,
- ✖ fullmetal alchemist: edward elric,
- ✖ lady trent: isabella camherst,
- ✖ lisa: buddy,
- ✖ off: the batter,
- ✖ original: finley,
- ✖ overwatch: mercy,
- ✖ rwby: jaune arc,
- ✖ rwby: weiss schnee,
- ✖ the adventure zone: lup,
- ✖ the adventure zone: taako,
- ✖ the order of the stick: roy greenhilt,
- ✖ the walking dead (game): clementine,
- ✖ undertale: asriel dreemurr,
- ✖ undertale: frisk,
- ✖ undertale: muffet,
- ✖ undertale: sans the skeleton,
- ✖ world of warcraft: maridian,
- ✖ world of warcraft: thereth,
- ✖ world of warcraft: yrel
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!
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.
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!
( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )
fashionably late to the mana pool party
What's it doing?
ooh miss ren oooh
She's afraid. And it's funny. They can't remember the last time they saw a child who was afraid.]
It's magic. And not the sort that will do anything unless you touch it- I can promise you, you're quite safe.
no subject
So in case they're wrong, she wanders within arm's length of them. They can run away together if things get freaky.]
What happens if you touch it? Do you know?
[DON'T TOUCH IT TO FIND OUT THO]
no subject
Chara looks back at the water, lips pursing thoughtfully.]
I am uncertain. This pool is meant to provide power- perhaps this is an upgrade, of some kind.
[But what if they just touch it a little bit?]
no subject
We can ask the bunny when they visit again.
[You wanna lose a finger?? That's how you lose a finger.]
no subject
[They're 100% down for losing a finger. Or any limb, really. Their life might be pushing it, but a few body parts is a good start.]
no subject
It might hurt you.
no subject
[That's always a possibility. At the least, they're honest- though maybe for once lying would have been the better option.]
But life often hurts in some manner, does it not? Which is better; a pain you were prepared to face, or pain that you have no control over?
no subject
That resonates with her in a strange way. The beginning of her short life was spent completely out of her control. It was in the hands of lab technicians and scientists and doctors, with no hope of a future that could be her own. On this island, she has a choice. Choices. Endless possibilities that all end with her death, but she's in control until that happens.]
I understand that-
[But she doesn't get how someone is able to convey that message. Those words were far from anything she expected to come out of their mouth. It shows a different kind of bravery, but still that all the same. Someone calm. Confident.
Seto would understand this kind of choice, far better than her.]
A little bit. I get that.
[Even if she still thinks it's a bad idea Kidwun don't and she's not about to jump into weird green pool for them. All she can offer is the one comfort she can to someone that might be in pain soon-her hand.]
You can squeeze this if hurts you. That helps.
no subject
But still, they take her hand. Fingers curling over the side of her palm, rather than allowing her digits to thread through theirs. Ensuring they can let go quickly, if need be.
It's hardly comfortable. They make no indication of that, not to her.]
On three, then. One, two-
[And the moment they let their free hand touch the light, both of them are transported in an instant- a fraction of a second that displaces them from their original point to another, surroundings immediately foreign.
Usually, their first thought would be to investigate such change. Right now- Chara immediately seeks to pull Ren away from the pool towards the shelter of the closest tree; somewhere she can hunker down that isn't as open, not with another child close by to pen herself in with.]
no subject
Her eyes fall to Kidwun to check them out for any injuries. It doesn't look like they're bleeding and when she's satisfied with her quick scan of them, her attention shifts to the area around them. No ghosts or malicious thoughts are spawning and all she can see are old buildings in the distance, but that does little to ease her worries. Houses mean corpses and corpses mean ghosts. Typically.]
Th...That surprised me.
[Surprised. Terrified. It's all the same.]
Are you okay? Did it hurt you?
no subject
Even so, they wait, not taking their eyes off her until the tight grip on their hand begins to loosen, somewhat. Only then do they let their eyes sweep across the space around them properly, examining the worn looking buildings with a critical eye.]
I'm perfectly well. It appears the pool transported us elsewhere- you see? [They point across the water, where Enso can be seen in the distance.] If I'm not mistaken, that's the same mountain you can see from the temple.
We're fine.
no subject
We're fine they say, like they haven't been thrown miles across an ocean in less than a second. Being physically unharmed is one thing, and she's glad for it, but this is new area unsettles her. The presence of houses makes her anxious and every time her gaze flickers back to them, her grip tightens.]
We should go back. I don't know where to hide you here.
[Which could be easily solved by exploring, but she's going to need like an hour to warm up to this place and its spooky, potentially ghost filled, houses.]
no subject
Her restlessness is easy to see; the only reason they bear with such a tight grip, keeping their own lax in turn. Standing confidently to inspect their surroundings from a more appropriate height...nodding reluctantly, after a moment.]
If that is what you wish.
[They can leave her in more familiar surroundings, prior to coming back and exploring on their own.]
There's more narcissus flowers around the pool; I'd gather returning is the same process as getting here.
no subject
[It's a relief they agreed to leave and that it didn't require anymore persuasion to make them do so. What a good child. This will give her enough time to gather up the courage needed to inspect these spooky buildings and find new hiding spots for the siblings.
She stands up and takes a step towards the pool. If Kidwun allows it, she'll keep a tight hold on their hand and begin to guide them back with her. ]
They haven't heard us yet. We'll be safe going back.
[They probably don't need the gentle encouragement as much as she does, but golly she's giving it out anyway.]
no subject
But it doesn't stop them from smiling at her; smaller than their usual sharp edges. One could even call it warm as they lead her back to the mana pool, keeping her hand in their own the entire time.
Maybe one day, they'll teach her to be a little less scared. In the meantime, they'll put her comfort and safety first.
Because she reminds them of someone, before the timelines took their toll. Someone just as kind- someone full of mercy.
It would be nice to think that she could keep this innocent trust for others, before she becomes like Frisk.]