October Intro: Louder than Sirens, Louder than Bells

[lifeaftr_mods]

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.

---

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!

---

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 )

Comments

[hyperlit]

[A child - small and white-furred and unrecognizable, but undeniably a child - huddles in the center of the fray, and a spear slams into the ground mere inches from where he stands. The Drifter's blade whirs in the air in a blaze of cerulean. The projectile moves slowly enough to deflect its trajectory and knock it aside.]

[They may not be recognizable as human, or perhaps not even as monster, but one thing is certain: they're here to help.]

[They do so by drawing their Zaliska and opening fire. Two great round bullets hum through the air, orbs of supercharged energy that scatter the collection of apes that looked intent on recapturing their small quarry.]

[requiemofsunshine]

Coming here wasn't my intention, either. I've already been involuntarily displaced once and honestly had no plans to repeat the experience. [She lets out a small oof as she rearranges her grip on Clementine. It might be slow going, but at least it's going.] At least I'm not alone in not knowing what I've done to provoke these creatures' ire.

[Sometimes, People Are Just Assholes.

Not the Storyteller, though, from what little she saw of them. Kanaya is becoming unfortunately experienced with powerful beings with claims to godhood, but... the Storyteller seems benign, or at least willing to leave Kanaya mostly to her own devices, which to her is far more benign than anything else that's happened in a long time. Telling tales is a lot less worrisome than forcefully changing her body.

Though she might have some Issues with leaving her to be eaten.]

[dontkillme]

[He doesn't call for help... but somebody comes. The spear is deflected by a... from behind, they look human, maybe? But as they twist to draw a different weapon, he catches a fleeting glimpse of a blue face, deep black eyes - traits that'd be more at home on a monster.

The maybe-a-monster unveils their other weapon and fires. For just a moment, Asriel's chest lurches, the movement uncomfortable straddling the line between magic bullets, just perfectly ordinary mundane means of communicating, and... and the weapons that humans had invented on the surface. Six SOULs wriggling within him, and one had replicated a gun, firing outlandishly huge bullets, simple white things in comparison to the mocking little "finger guns" flowey had fired at that fragile red SOUL.

It's just magic. Just magic. He can't freeze up here. He pretends his eyes aren't watering, forces his numb clumsy feet to move.]

Th-thank you, whoever we are! We - we'd better move before the recover!

[Fleeing is a form of MERCY too. If they can run... he doesn't know where he is, doesn't know where to go, but anywhere seems better than here.]

[dontkillme]

I'm... guessing there's no chance they'd just bring us down and let us explain this was a misunderstanding, is there?

[He's been through a bit too much to be that trusting, that naive. You don't try to boil someone alive by accident.]

But Clementine... if you think you've been here before, then do you think you can figure out how to get back to that cottage? We're going to have to run fast when we're free, and I, um. I don't really know where to go.

[Asriel watches the monkeys closely. One of them looks up, notices their attempt to break free of their cage. Before he can lunge for the winch and plunge them into the water, though, Asriel focuses. A ring of those shapeless little friendliness pellets springs up between the two monkeys and the winch. The one who reached draws back sharply, clutching a stinging hand.]

We're REALLY not going to have time for being lost.

[hyperlit]

[The child makes an adequate point. They are overwhelmed. They've challenged insurmountable opponents before, triumphed over foes more numerous and more powerful than they. But then, they had an infinite number of tries at their disposal, and they were not accompanied with a nameless child - albeit one that resembles the manner of individuals they are far more used to seeing than these strangely furless, featherless, scaleless others.]

[It's time to go. The Drifter does not have time to nod, nor do they have time to flick up the text of their HUD. Instead, they do what they must.]

[Stoop to snatch him from the ground, if they can, so they can bolt the heck on out of there.]

[shedgrace]

[Nani the fuck.

This is a child. A child, not like the bright-eyed boy she still sees in Noctis but one who can't be older than she was when the Empire dropped flame and bullets into her home. A child whose smile is as frightening and deadly as the knife they wield.

Lunafreya stills, awed by all she has to unpack in the five seconds of information presented to her, then nods carefully. The urge to put down her trident and kneel to prove she means no harm is strong, but anyone who says, "I'm fine, ma'am," while soaked in blood is not someone she ought to patronize.]

Yes, I've taken no injury.

[None but to her sense of justice. What happened to make someone so young so... Luna has no reason to make this comparison, but she can't help but think of Ravus, twisted by pain and grief.

She must see what she can do for this child. Must get them to stay with her, at least for a moment.]

My name is Lunafreya. I am a healer-- [That's the most important information for them to know.] --so I am offering what help I am able. But I confess, I have only the barest understanding of the circumstances behind this bloodshed. [There, a weakness. She shakes her head.] Have you time to take some water before returning to the fray?

[shedgrace]

[For a moment, Luna's confused herself. The -fillia hits her ears like -freya, and she thinks of the reverent, indistinct voice of a crowd, all crying or murmuring or shouting her name until she could hardly recognize it.

But this is just one person, another strange, well-spoken child. Lunafreya manages a gentle smile.]

I am unhurt.

[Says the woman who looks like a murder victim that just got up and walked away.]

Why don't we seek a safer haven together? The Storyteller's temple is as yet untouched by this bloodshed.

[shedgrace]

[Does she negotiate with deities personally? onedirectionhahaha.mp3]

Yes. One of my functions is to forge covenants between the Astral gods and the King of Lucis.

[Whether they like it or not.]

I believe this island's Storyteller spoke with me briefly before my arrival. If you believe petitioning them for their help would yield fruit, I would be more than glad to try.

[despairing_hope]

[Though Komaeda was thin he was still quite tall and boxed in. He also was down to one fully functional arm and hand. However, he had an idea of how to get more space.]

Simple, we break off parks of the cage and use it.

[He pulled the wood drill out of his back and tried to hand it over.]

I also have a knife.

[esper_magic]

[ Well since the injuries aren't bad she doesn't see a reason to use a healing spell when it might be needed for more serious wounds. ]

Um - I've never been in this part of the island before, but if we can find a mana pool, we can get to a safe area. [ ... then again they were kidnapped from that safe area. ]

Or at least.. away from -here-.

[al3dalah]

It's not immediate, but Pharah does eventually sense that she's being followed. She's been through too much training and too many battles not to take notice when her senses raise the hairs on the back of her neck. There are things that the body realizes long before the brain does. She doesn't stop, but she does listen for the telltale signs that she's not just being paranoid.

She's not meant for stealth, not in terrain like this, and not when there's layers of limitations on what she can do. There's no way to double back or try to conceal herself to turn the hunter into the prey. So instead, she slows her pace to a stop, taking what might seem like a break.

The water jug is fished out of the satchel tied at her waist. The rocket launcher is balanced in the crook of her arm as she lifts her visor and takes a swig.

[catpiper]

Taako's voice is enough to pique her curiosity and she peers around the trunk to confirm it's not a trick or a figment of her imagination. Any noise outside of fighting or monkey hollering is welcome at this point, even crying ghosts. At least she knows how to avoid those. Being able to recognize the source of it all, both the voice and the chiming light, is a comfort she doesn't have time to enjoy. In an instant, she's running over to the duo.

She couldn't be happier to see them, but doesn't offer any kind of greeting or indication of that. Nope, priority #1 is to drag them to a hiding spot. The creatures attacking the island seem to have the whole pursuit and capture thing down pat. The sooner they leave, the better, and she scans the area around them for the missing member of this little party-where is Lup?

But that has to wait too. There isn't enough time in her panicky little mind to think about it and she reaches out to grab both their hands in an attempt to pull them somewhere else. Anywhere, at this point. The few moments they've stood here feels like far too long and she's trying to recall every spur of the moment plan she came up with in her world to help them survive now. And, well, she can only think of one. Her voice drops to low whisper. "I'll hide you. I know a big hiding spot."

[ratsinadaze]

Gobbet's gotta admit, this tailing people thing is really freaking boring. It looks way cooler in the trids - foggy streets and shady detectives weaving in and out of alleyways, each aware of the other but neither willing to give up the game. This is just making her sweaty and nervous. Especially when her mark slows to a stop.

They're still headed the same way, unfortunately. Damn it, she really doesn't want to confront this person. If they turn out to be hostile, she knows she'll be on the losing end of a fight. If only she had the patience for persuasion and bribery...

Focus, Gobbet. Look for a way around. There are plenty of trees that should be easy enough for her to climb; maybe she could take the high road. Can't climb with a spear in her hands, unfortunately. The primitive weapon won't fit in the knapsack, but she manages to thread it through the straps and lets the weight of the pack hold it to her back.

She moves slowly towards the nearest tree, trying not to rustle too much foliage and letting the sounds of tropical birds and buzzing insects cover her footsteps. When she reaches the base of the tree, she starts to climb as slowly and deliberately as possible. God what a pain. Why can't this walking tin suit just take a left or something?

[greatcleavage]

My capacity to aid others is presently undiminished, but...

[Roy sighs, shooting a glance back at the chaos and the cages that speaks of frustration and the vast depths of responsibility he feels.]

I'll be honest, I don't know the proper answer in this situation. Both taking or refusing healing could turn out to be incredible mistakes.

[greatcleavage]

[Roy can tell she isn't much of a warrior. For one, he can read movements well enough to get the impression that she isn't extensively trained in fighting. For the second, she's acting like she's trying to hedge a Diplomacy check on him in the middle of a combat while he's already agreed to accept her help and protect her. Definitely speaks to the kind of specialization she favors.]

Roy Greenhilt. I'll keep you safe to the best of my ability.

[greatcleavage]

You're right, but the longer this runs on the worse it is for us. [With limited resources and no safe point to retreat to, the apes have every advantage in a battle of attrition.] I won't let anyone get cut off though.

[Sometimes the only way to answer for a flaw in your plan or a pitfall of your situation is with your own flesh and steel.]

COMING OUT OF MY CAGE AND I'VE BEEN DOING JUST it's ota i;m very sorry

[maku]

MONKEY FIGHTS

[ Unlike something resembling a reasonable person, Karin doesn't stick with her two fellow prisoners once they burst out of the cage. No, instead she decides she's going to do what she does best -- throw herself into the thick of things with a sword swinging. She'd prefer two but after blasting out of their prison she's found she can only keep one around.

Alright. That's fine. She can handle just one.

Maybe you're in trouble and she comes to help you out, maybe she's just getting in your way while you're trying to get the hell out but she's hard to miss -- there's a ridiculously dressed middle schooler with a goddamn katana causing a ruckus and you might just find yourself getting caught up in it. Rest in pieces. ]

baby naps

[ Much, much later, once Karin's found herself to some sort of relative safety, you might spot her huddled up somewhere looking considerably more average than she did before. She's plopped herself down on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest and her face mushed into her knapsack. Going by the slow, even rise and fall of her shoulders it looks like she's up and conked out. But if you approach her (intentionally or just get a bit too close in passing), she jerks awake with a huge wheezy inhale and her eyes wide if a bit unfocused. ]

Wh-- s'there more monkeys? I don't--

[ She starts looking around, blinking rapidly and just all around looking like an idiot who desperately needs to be put down for a real-ass nap. Rest in pieces, Karin Miyoshi. ]

[maku]

"Huh." is all Karin apparently has to say at first, too occupied with her phone to say much more. But she's puzzled. If they were all brought here together, she'd assume their captors would've tossed away anything they had on them. And these monkeys -- if they're smart enough to build cages they have to be smart enough to not want one of their caged up captives to have a saw on her. But then, maybe she's expecting a little bit much out of a bunch of literal monkeys.

"I guess I can decide who I'm gonna take this up with once we get out of here." she says eventually, giving her phone a little shake. It's not turning on. Either it's out of power or just busted. It turns out to be the latter after a little more shaking (and Karin actually thwacking the thing with her fist) gets it to buzz and start turning on with a queasy sounding chime. Karin pulls a face. It might be dry now but this thing's been waterlogged. Great.

Heaving a sigh, she looks up and glances between her two fellow prisoners again, her gaze sharp and interested. Might as well assess what they've got to use apart from a hacksaw and a smartphone.

"When you say special abilities... what kind, exactly? Anything good for getting us out of here?"

Napnap

[shedgrace]

Oh--my apologies. I didn't mean to wake you.

[Lunafreya kneels gracefully beside Karin, hands folded in her lap, and bows her head. She's tired, and her dress hasn't gotten any less ragged or bloody, but so long as she has the strength to go on, go on she must.]

I only wanted to make sure you were all right. You're in no danger now.

[shedgrace]

[Hey, not her fault all her points are in Medicine and Charisma and literally none in Constitution. Also not her fault she talks like a Tolkien novel. Lunafreya is a product of her society and also FFXV is rude about giving girls party roles.]

Thank you, Sir Greenhilt. Let us concentrate on aiding those who still fight; I will do my best not to burden you in the meantime.

[maku]

[ Karin blinks slowly and after a long moment of just letting it hang open, shuts her mouth as she takes in another long, slow breath in through her nose. She's worn out to the bone in a way she's never been after transforming and that on top of whatever those goddamn monkeys used to knock her out has left her a little frazzled. ]

I'm.... yeah. I'm good. [ she lifts a hand and scrapes her messy bangs back from her face, squinting at Luna to try and make her eyes focus. ] Is everyone okay? There were a lot of cages in there.

[shedgrace]

I've not yet heard of any grave injuries on our side. [The poor monkeys, on the other hand... well, some people had a fun day.] And rest assured, should someone take a serious wound, those of us ready and able to heal will not falter in our calling.

[Though Luna's already met one child so far removed from childhood she didn't know how to reach them, she can't help but reach out now and gently brush those stray hairs back from Karin's face.]

It seems you fought with valor. [To escape, to defend the others, perhaps--Lunafreya has no doubt this girl's seen some share of struggle today.] May I ask your name, brave one?

[maku]

Uh--

[ Karin doesn't flinch away exactly but the way she twitches a little betrays her surprise more than she'd like. A curt good work is what she's used to and even when the Taisha get more flowery with their praise, it's never much more than the equivalent of a pat on the back and a "nice job today".

So she's caught off guard. A little too much to put up her usual front. If this was Yuna or Fu or even Togo she'd puff out her chest and say well yes, of course, she's the Shinju-sama's Hero, this was a piece of cake. But she's tired, out of her depth, a little more scared than she'd like to admit in the face of all this strangeness. So Luna gets a little more sincerity and a little less bullshit than is usually Karin's wont. ]

I'm uh-- Karin Miyoshi. I just got here. Whatever "here" is supposed to be, anyway. Kinda rude of a god to just dump us out in the middle of nowhere like this without even asking permission.

[shedgrace]

[The Oracle probably shouldn't laugh, but that's what Luna finds herself doing anyway, covering a quiet chuckle. The smile she shares with Karin is knowing. Gods, right?]

I've found gods have difficulty remembering human comforts and limitations, and manners are... rather an abstract concept for them to bear in mind in their dealings with mortals.

[Leviathan tried to fuckin' eat her earlier today, as far as she's concerned. But that's neither here nor there.]

My name is Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. I only arrived some hours ago as well, though I understand others have been living here for some time. Have you yet had any water to drink?

[deranged_practicality]

"If you have a knife, I could spare some cloth." Isabella hopes someone has a better option, but if she has to escape by using her clothing as a rope, then at least they will escape.