October Intro: Louder than Sirens, Louder than Bells

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INTRO LOG: OCTOBER

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: October 3rd
Where: Ensō
Warnings: Mark as needed!

The Beach: For All the Rest
The shores of Ensō are far from the tranquil, almost idyllic tropical backdrop that they should be. And so it is that while you fish, or perhaps as you go about your daily business on the islets, the first thing you will note is the persistent sound hammering at the back of your skull.

A drumming.

And it's growing louder.

The source of the drumming will, like it or not, soon become apparent. At the fringes of the trees, wielding slings and hollow, wooden pistols, is a group of large and very displeased simians who have every intent of claiming this spot of beach - yes, traveler, this spot of beach you're standing on right now! - for their own, and by any means necessary.

And they certainly don't look interested in diplomacy.
If you came armed, you might be in luck, because this conflict will require your steady hand in its resolution. If you did not...well, you may be better suited to run, or risk capture at the hands of warriors skilled, cunning, and incredibly vicious. Laugh at their monkey business all you like; they are ingenious fighters and, what's more, they're just as good at killing as they are at capture.

For the uninitiated, this particular brand of chaos doesn't usually sweep across the entire island the way it has. But those who have been here for some time will recognize the monkeys in question, and might even recognize this for what it is: revenge.

Group I: The Squeakquel
Looks like your monkeying around last month has landed you and everyone else in a spot of trouble. The monkeys in question certainly weren't happy to be confronted with others on their lands, nor are they willing to share their territory. While you may have triumphed last time you confronted them, the apes have been planning their revenge in the meantime.

Some of you were unlucky enough to become targets. Overnight, a great deal of them silently invaded the islets. Their blow-dart guns are equipped with a fairly powerful sedative that is more than capable of knocking most living creatures out - and those that were immune were simply snatched up, gagged, and bundled away.

However, it seems that some of their prisoners didn't suit their purposes, for one way or another, and thus weren't retrieved with the intention of long-term capture. Which is why a number of you will awaken in regions of the island that you've already explored.

...the really, really dangerous ones.

Whether it's a Center of Gravity, a parade of centipuppies, a contingent of Lungblossoms, a Fustercluck, or something else entirely, one thing is certain: the monkeys wanted you out of their way.

So get ready to fight for your life.

Group II: Ape Escape
If you're not one of the slightly luckier newcomers that materializes on the shore, then you're one of the unlucky ones that's managed to materialize square in the middle of the jungle. Or rather, in the middle of one of the denser, more populated parts of the jungle. The abodes woven into the canopy are crude, built of mud and sticks, but they're nonetheless sturdy.

And, as an important note - they are also swarming with monkeys. Snarling, baying, armed monkeys. Perhaps they'd be more hostile toward an interloper...if you weren't already in a cage, along with several others.

Fortunately for the newbies, they've all got something the monkeys didn't anticipate, aside from the element of surprise. Most prisoners don't arrive with knapsacks full of newly-acquired gear, and it's a good thing, too - you may very well need it, and the help of the new arrivals, to escape this place. You could always wait for the cavalry to come, but are you really willing to take that risk?

Group III: Pot Luck
As for you, you terribly fortunate third group?

You'll find yourselves suspended in wooden cages as well, though this time, to the hot curtain of whitish steam clouding your vision. It smells an awful lot like smoke down there. An awful lot like something...burning? Unlike your fellows over in the second group, these cages aren't simply a means of containing you, no. These cages are currently hanging over what might be the largest cast iron cauldron you've ever seen. All of this is, of course, for one simple reason:

Some species of monkeys are carnivores.
The acrid scent of smoke is already hot and rancid in your nostrils; the pyre beneath you has been lit, and the hungry flames are beginning to boil the water below quite eagerly. We'd suggest you hurry up in freeing yourself and your fellows - being boiled alive is not a particularly pleasant way to go. At least the monkeys weren't expecting quite so many main courses so soon, which allows you the element of surprise.

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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.

All new arrivals will awake with knapsacks with their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can be found below!

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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!

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

THE BEACH - LUNAFREYA NOX FLEURET AND ET. AL

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Lunafreya will find that her knapsack contains a jug of water, a hammer, a tarp, and a toothbrush.

As for the rest of you? Fight, run- don't die.

[shedgrace]

I.

[Lunafreya will not, in fact, find out very much about her knapsack at all as yet, because suddenly materializing on an unknown shore to the beat of drums and the threat of attack is rather a bit distracting.]

What...?

[She has misty, dreamy recollections of another island--of Sir Scientia and her dear Noctis and a girl whose name she never asked. Of something rather like she imagined Carbuncle to look, from Noctis's description. But it all vanishes completely out of her mind when confronted with the reality of sun, of sand, and sound.

For now, she's completely out of her depth. Lunafreya turns and bolts for the cover of the rising stone pillars and the cliff caves beyond them as darts begin to pepper the sand behind her.]

Someone--Noctis!

[It's the only name she can think to call.]

II.

[After retreating to cover, Luna's been able to get a handle on the situation.

Armed with her trident, staying low to the ground, divested of her absolutely useless heels, she creeps in the shadows, looking for anyone who might need her help.

She has water. She has a toothbrush strips of fabric torn from her already-ruined dress to use as bandages. And what's more, she has healing powers she fully intends to use on anyone injured in this battle.

When she finds someone, she hurries over, speaking softly and urgently.]

Are you hurt?

[prettypurpleparlor]

[The sedative on the simians' darts is indeed potent but, as it turns out, it isn't perfect.]

[Muffet was unlucky enough to be standing out in the open when the first wave of attackers came through, and was caught off-guard by a dart that left her half-unconscious and stumbling blindly... but it seems her luck today is both good and bad: whether due to her body being more magic than biology or just being more resistant thanks to being mildly venomous herself, she recovers from the poison's effects in a surprisingly short amount of time.]

[It's especially surprising for her captor, whose first clue that the prisoner he grabbed just grabbed roughly and dragged through the mana pool is awake is the purple webbing that appears from nowhere to hoist him into the air.]

[If you can hear anything over the sound of drumming, you may catch the high-pitched shrieking of an ape being thrown headfirst out into the ocean.]

[Muffet is definitely awake now. And she is not pleased.]

[builditstrong]

I

Kid wasn't around for the first incident with monkeys, but he certainly heard about it. He'd woken up from what had felt like a simple nap, complete with a strange dream--and he was missing almost two weeks. People have explored the mountain, and people discovered weapon-wielding monkeys elsewhere in the jungle. He missed a lot, it seems.

He's minding his own business, fishing on the beach and gathering shells when he hears the drums. He never goes anywhere without his hammer and shield. He sets his fishing pole and knapsack down among some rocks to hide them, then hefts his hammer and gets ready for battle. They look angry, and he can't help but think of a nest of disturbed Windbags. Only this is a lot more coordinated.

Maybe it isn't fair, considering these monkey creatures were here on the island first, but this is a survival thing. Fairness isn't a factor.

Kid yells for anyone nearby to follow him, then charges into the fray.

II

During a lull in the fight, there's an awful lot of dead monkeys on the beach. Kid is worn out, but he's already had a few minutes to rest. Now something needs to be done about this mess.

The thing he's most interested in is their weapons. They're crude, but they're functional, and if nothing else, they can be disassembled and used for something else. Those blow guns could come in handy. Kid is out on the beach, dragging dead monkeys into a pile, and gathering up all the weapons and supplies he can find. The weapons end up in separate piles further up the beach near the jungle, organized by weapon type.

He's also offering water from his waterskin to any fellow fighters he comes across.

cw unreality i guess?? tag the abyss and the abyss tags back

[ohshitsweetflips]

Save Our Lup | Closed to Drifter & Ren

Well in Taako's defense, he didn't really expect any potential home-invaders to have sleep inducing dart guns. He realises the glaringness of this oversight very slowly and with a great deal of effort, as he's being hauled across a beach. They did get some warning, frantically melodious wooden chimes at odds with the crash of a (harmless) brush trap being set off. He's reasonably confident Ren booked it, as instructed, here's your midterm, kiddo! He's more confident that the island has, at least, slightly fewer monkeys on it now. Shame it all went tits up regardless.

Some wild neck-craning reveals that someone didn't crit their constitution save at all, which is a shame, because Taako would feel a lot better right now if he could riff about that one part in Lord of the Rings instead of being, effectively, alone. There's no way he can spring an unconscious Lup, there's sharp ice in his heart as he admits that, but at least he has an easy out, he can escape and regroup. Taako casts Blink.

The Ethereal Plane has really let itself go, is what he doesn't say, because he's nowhere and saying isn't a thing anymore. The ice is spreading--outside in? He isn't sure of the direction, that's not a thing so much anymore either. Whatever's supposed to be here, it clearly didn't get the memo. In a sick rush he remembers everything Lup said about being trapped, everything he ever morbidly wondered about what happens to planes the Hunger takes, what if this is his new forever, until he forgets--

And after the longest six seconds of his life, he is spat back out into material reality, out of the immediate reach of his captors, and he is already booking it in a flat panic, in the direction of their hideout.

ota!

[whiteas]

A.
[ Weiss was relatively certain she'd heard of this movie, even if she hadn't seen it. Something Nora and Ren had said, about apes taking over the planet, starring Andrew Zerkis or somone like that. Weiss hadn't gone with them to see it, stating that a movie about primates taking over was ridiculous. They weren't even Grimm. Now she was somewhat wishing that she had, if only because she had never seen herself actually being surrounded by a bunch of ludicrously intellectual simians of non-descript species firing foliage-based weaponry at her.

This was dumb, and this island was still rude, and Weiss was rather lucky that despite the annoyance headache caused by the drumming, one of her primary talents was evasion and flexibility. Basically, it meant that she was doing a gosh darned good job of not getting caught for the moment, and was aiming to take the fight toward the cliffs.

It wouldn't be until later that Weiss Schnee realized her limitations on this island didn't just involved extra fast exhaustion using her semblance and the inability to summon, which is a problem given her intent to run up the side of the cliff to get away from them.

Which is where we are now.

Weiss is decidedly managing to hold them off, but due to the rather sudden realization that straight vertical runs are no longer in her skill set, she's cornered. And definitely needs help to break through, even if she seems to be doing okay pushing them back enough to keep herself from getting captured or maimed-- but it's clear it's not going to stay that way for too much longer, particularly given that the apes don't seem to have any more of a problem than she does climbing the significantly sized ice outcropping she made with her Dust to try to get over them-- especially given that some of its sharper crystals were clearly sprouted straight into some of the simian's chests. ]

B.
[ Exhausted and likely separated from anyone who had helped her get out earlier, Weiss had needed to retreat. She'd used too many glyphs and even if she hadn't, fighting for a long period of time often exhausted her more quickly than it did others. Running as far as she had didn't help either- it was her luck that she wasn't injured thanks to her aura, but it had gotten down dangerously low, and she'd fled to an area she'd seen before in her explorations. It wasn't far from the cliffs, but B4's caverns within at least provided more cover and had more ins and outs than were likely to get her cornered. More than that, she already knew that they would flood when the tide rolled in, so if she managed to lure them in, all it would take as a teaspoon of yellow Dust in the water as it flooded, make sure she was standing on a rock or something above the water line, and she'd have a bunch of electric-fried evil monkeys floating around her.

That was a plan for the future though, and she had a moment of quiet now, and was hidden behind a rock and panting to catch her breath, her forehead resting against the hilt of Myrtenaster. ]

GROUP 1: Danger level 1-2

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H2 - ORALECH AND SANS THE SKELETON

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When Oralech and Sans awaken, they will find themselves in the mountainous regions of H2. Nearby, they will see something moving - something multicolored and plantlike...and hostile.

Lungblossoms.

All but what Sans carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind in the house where he last fell asleep. Oralech, however, will find that his knapsack contains a bag of oats, a wood drill, a whistle, and a first aid kit.

E4 - TATARU TARU and OSOMATSU MATSUNO

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When Tataru and Osomatsu awaken, they will find themselves on a stretch of fairly nondescript beach in the region of E4. Something long and thin and furred can be seen creeping along their peripheral vision, seeking to encircle them both so that they may be devoured between snapping, canid jaws. We hope they like dogs, because they're stuck with a pack of centipuppies.

All but what Osomatsu carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind in the house where he last fell asleep. Tataru, however, will find that her knapsack contains a coconut, a hatchet, some flint and tinder and toothbrush.

D6 - MEDLI, ISABELLA CAMHERST, and MICKEY MOUSE

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When Medli, Isabella, and Mickey awaken, they will find themselves in the thick, humid jungles of D6. They'll also find themselves being pulled, slowly, inexorably, to some great magnetic force hovering at the region's center: the Center of Gravity.

All but what Isabella and Mickey carry on their respective persons is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Medli, however, will find that her knapsack contains jug of water, a hammer, a tarp, and a bar of soap.

G7 - NEWTON GEISZLER and MAX

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When Max and Newt awaken, they will find themselves in the thick, humid jungles of G7. A distant rumble of an approaching something will shake the ground beneath their feet, coupled with the low, fleshy squelch of said something rolling ever, ever closer. Stay alert, travelers: you've been placed in the same region as the Fustercluck.

All but what Newt carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever he last fell asleep. Max, however, will find that his knapsack contains a bag of rice, a hatchet, a bolt of cloth and a bar of soap.

E8 - SOMA CRUZ and CROW

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When Soma and Crow awaken, they will find themselves in the thick, humid jungles of E8. Nothing will feel out of place, at first, though Crow might find the situation a little familiar...particularly when the patch of sand beneath their feet begins to soften, and the pair begin to sink. They've run afoul of a patch of quicksand.

All but what Crow carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever he last fell asleep. Soma, however, will find that his knapsack contains a canister of baking soda, a hammer, a box of nails and a jug of rubbing alcohol.

GROUP 2: Danger level 3-4

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Those in group 2 will notice a few details about their current situation, whether they were stolen in the night, or arrived abruptly. Those who partook in initial contact with the simians will recognize the compound they find themselves in by the rather familiar door to the north; the very same impenetrable mass that hindered any attempts at exploring further. Whilst much of the area is overtaken with jungle, the apes have clearly tended to the land, leaving wide spans of dirt in shoddy attempts at a roadway.

This will further reveal to the captives that they are, in fact, quite close to the ocean. The cages themselves are positioned on a slope leading down to the water, tethered upright by thick ropes.

The warning should be clear; cause too much trouble, and your cage could be sent careening down that hillside, so that you and your fellow captives can cool off. The element of surprise will be far more important than strength...at least until you're free of the cages.

CAGE 1: SEVERS-THE-THREADS, ROY GREENHILT, GUZMA

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When Severs, Roy, and Guzma awaken, they'll find their cage is the closest to a rudimentary watchtower; looking more like an overly large birdcage than a tower at all. Six monkeys total guard this area- with two coconut guns, whilst the rest wield spears terrifyingly well.

All but what Guzma and Roy carry in their pockets are missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Severs, however, will find that her knapsack contains a canister of baking soda, a knife, a blanket, and a toothbrush, in addition to the items specified in her inventory.

CAGE 2: OUSE KUROSAWA, MARIDIAN, GINKO

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When Ouse, Maridian, and Ginko awaken, they'll find their cage is the closest to the eastern wall; in the early morning, this leaves the cage and the area around it shaded from the sun, but this won't last long. Six apes guard the area around the cage; two with coconut guns, whilst the others sport spears. They seem slightly more anxious at Ginko's appearance.

All but what Maridian and Ginko carry in their pockets is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Ouse, however, will find that her knapsack contains a a canister of salt, a hatchet, a coil of rope, and a toothbrush, in addition to the items specified in her inventory.

CAGE 3: CHIP ARABOA, ARDYN IZUNIA, ESPIO

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When Chip, Ardyn, and Espio awaken, they'll find their cage closest to the western wall. If anything, this seems to be to their advantage, as the main activity of the camp misses their cage entirely. Three apes guard the cage from close by, only equipped with spears.

All but what Ardyn and Espio carry in their pockets is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Chip, however, will find that their knapsack contains a a jug of water, a hammer, a blanket and a bar of soap., in addition to the items specified in their inventory.

CAGE 4: COLE, NOCTIS, LUNA, WADE WILSON

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When Cole, Noctis, Luna, and Wade awaken, they'll find their cage closed in on all three sides by three rudimentary mud huts, with pits dug in behind them- only a few feet from the cage itself. Judging by the smell, one might be able to guess what goes in them. The benefit to this, of course, is even monkeys don't want to guard the latrines. Four monkeys rest inside the three huts, but no one has their eye on them.

All but what Noctis, Luna, and Wade carry in their pockets is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Cole, however, will find that his knapsack contains a a bag of mixed nuts, a hatchet, a coil of rope, and a toothbrush., in addition to the items specified in his inventory.

CAGE 5: AMATERATSU, MERCY, HINATA

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When Amateratsu, Mercy, and Hinata awaken, they'll find their cage close to a large pen of Bludroc; clearly domesticated for their eggs and meat. The loud comings and goings of the poultry seem to be of much more interest to the five apes close by their cage, one with a coconut gun, whilst the rest are armed with spears.

All but what Mercy and Hinata carry in their pockets is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Ammy, however, will find that her knapsack contains a a canister of salt, a multitool, a box of nails, and a first aid kit, in addition to the items specified in her inventory.

CAGE 6: KARIN, IGNIS SCIENTIA, TERRA BRADFORD

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When Karin, Ignis, and Terra awaken, they'll find their cage close to the front cage of the compound. Whilst this is the most heavily guarded area, the eight apes are far more concerned with watching from along the areas walls, all equipped with coconut guns.

In addition to this, they will also see the reason for why this door has not opened prior; a solid log set into a bracket across the back of the gate itself.

All but what Ignis and Terra carry in their pockets is missing - presumably, left behind wherever they last fell asleep. Karin, however, will find that her knapsack contains a a pack of beef jerky, a woodsaw, fishing line, and a bar of soap, in addition to the items specified in her inventory.

GROUP 3: Danger level 5

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YOU get a cage! And YOU get a cage! EVERYBODY GETS A CAGE!

Of course, our soon to be boiled to perfection adventurers will also find themselves within the compound of the monkeys; square in front of a rather foreboding temple. Two monkeys manage the winch that will start to lower the cages into the water very soon.

Acting fast is your only chance of survival.

CAGE 1 - KARAMATSU MATSUNO and JESSE MCCREE

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All but what Karamatsu carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever he last fell asleep. Jesse, however, will find that his knapsack contains a jug of condensed milk, a knife, a coil of rope, and a shaving razor.

CAGE 2 - COMMANDER SHEPARD and GOBBET

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All but what Shepard carries on her person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever she last fell asleep. Gobbet, however, will find that her knapsack contains a bag of oats, a wood saw, a sewing kit, and a bar of soap.

CAGE 3 - FINLEY and PHARAH

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All but what Finley carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever he last fell asleep. Pharah, however, will find that her knapsack contains a jug of water, a multitool, a box of nails and a jug of rubbing alcohol.

CAGE 4 - JAUNE ARC and MIRA

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All but what Jaune carries on his person is missing - presumably, left behind wherever he last fell asleep. Mira, however, will find that her knapsack contains a bag of flour, a knife, a box of nails, and a shaving razor.

And Beyond! (Wild cards and OTAs)

[lifeaftr_mods]

On your way to play the Big Damn Hero? Busted out of your cage and looking to start some fights- or evacuate?

Pop a top level here!

Muffet | OTA | Anybody want a rescue? :D

[prettypurpleparlor]

[Muffet does not stride in and kick the door down, because she is a polite, reasonable woman.]

[But she is approaching the apes' base camp with a line of purple magic already in her hands and a distinctly displeased expression on her face.]

[You have something of hers, apes. She'd like them back.]