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

[justribbing]

[ Yyyyyep, that is definitely Newt.

And he's with someone else, from the sounds of it. He'd initially think it's Wade, but... there ain't no way Wade wouldn't be chasing the tail end of what Newt says with some ridiculous commentary.

He hopes he's alright.

In any case, now that he knows who it is -- for sure, rather than a snap judgment -- he can't actually turn his back anymore. Despite the urgency, Sans is not and never really has been one to shout much. Still, he's heading their way without an announcement. ]

[escampist]

Shit shit shit shit.

[A tree, of course there's a fucking tree in the way. He can almost hear David in the back of his head giving him a fun fact about what kind of tree it is, but can we fucking not with this right now.

And Max...

Okay, well. There's a reason Max wasn't signed up for adventure camp.

So yeah, the tree? The tree slows him down some, even though he's scrambling as fast as he can. His stature is not doing him any favors right now.]

I'm working on it! Fuck-- [And as he says that he slides down and lands not-so-smoothly on the ground.] FUCK THIS ONE TREE IN PARTICULAR.

[ohnehalfte]

[Newt can see two more trees get sucked in--and he's reaching out to try and grab Max by the back of his hoodie and pull him along] Yep, totally agree with you, fuck this entire island in particular but we'll have to talk about it later, dude! [he glances back, briefly]

Shit--why is that thing so big?! [he glances around, even as he jumps over another, smaller, falling log] Start veering right or left or something! Maybe we can get out of the way--

[justribbing]

[ Something cold, hard, and thin--even spindly-- grasps Newt's hand, hard enough to latch on but not enough to tug at Newt, and if he keeps going the one who grabbed at him may end up passively tugged along in his wake.

A little taller than the kid with him, except, y'know. Skeletal.

Anyway, if realizing Sans is present is enough to give Newt pause, the next Sans reaches for is whatever of Max he can grab with the other hand.

He speaks, a low, indolent and good-natured rumble: ]

Sup. Quick question.

Which wouldja rather eat? A brick or a matter baby?

[ In time for that ridiculous question to sink in, the world blinks out, dropping them into a vast, empty dark that howls darker. In the next moment, they're back out into the oppressive humidity and overpowering light and noise of the jungle, roughly fifty feet behind the Fustercluck.

Hopefully, momentum won't let that thing suddenly reverse course. ]

[escampist]

[You know, normally being pulled by his hoodie bothers him, but he'll allow it today. And so much is happening.

So much, in fact, that it takes him a bit to realize there's someone else. Not until he's suddenly grabbed and--

That's a skeleton, that's a fucking skeleton, what the actual fuck and what did he just ask?]

Um.

[Then...

...Did he blink? Wait, no, even if he had, he shouldn't suddenly be behind that... thing. Suddenly. With no explanation. Jesus, this is A Lot and he still hasn't been able to deal with the walking halloween prop here.]

...Um.

[He needs Several Moments.]

1/2 i know i said i was going to bed but this is the last one of the ngith i swear

[ohnehalfte]

[the thin, skeletal hand on his is enough to jerk Newt to a brief stop]

Sans--?

[he barely has time to get that out in surprise, and absolutely not enough time to fully process the joke, before the familiar feeling of being tugged along through one of Sans' "shortcuts" pulls him along, and in less than the blink of an eye they're no longer in front of that thing but behind it--and Newt stares for a second, disoriented because it's been a while since he's experienced that particular bit of monster magic-- ]

2/2

[ohnehalfte]

[....and then he processes what Sans said before he tugged them through the short cut, and Newt can't help but let out a high pitched, slightly hysterical giggle. He slaps a hand over his mouth to stop another from escaping, but it's a breath, two, and then he manages to lower his hand and ask:]

Hey, Sans, uh...wh-what's a matter baby?

[justribbing]

[ Max needs a moment -- or several -- and there's still a few left before Newt has a Very Important Question to ask, and during this, Sans stands on the tips of his ridiculous wheelie sneakers to see if the Fustercluck's able to reverse course and roll back their way. So far, that isn't happening.

So he sags back, only to bend nearly double, holding himself upright by grasping his knees.

After a moment, it becomes apparent that the tremble in his shoulders is a kind of breathless laughter. because when he finally lifts his skull, Sans is wiping at one eye with a sleeve, grinning.

To be fair, he's always grinning. ]

That worked?! [ His laughter's a little high and ridiculous, and doesn't last long. ] I can't believe it, dude. You just made my whole week.

[ And, to the kid: ]

...Yeah, I'm alive, buddo. That's a thing, better get used to it. Wanna get outta here, or what?

[escampist]

[He wants to make a snarky comment so bad about that stupid goddamn joke. But everything happened so much and nothing is coming to him, for once.

The skeleton is fucking laughing and Max hates everything.]

Oh my fucking god.

[That'll just have to do as his comment on that.]

I... yeah? [He would like to get out of here, yes.] This sure is happening.

[ohnehalfte]

[Newt can't help but grin widely as Sans laughs, definitely overly pleased with himself at being able to make him do so. But his attention is quickly pulled back to the kid he woke up near, glancing down at him]

It sure is, dude. [his hands go to his hips as his eyebrow arches above his glasses] I take it this is your first 'dragged to another world' rodeo?

[justribbing]

What, really? We gotta 'nother newbie to this thing?

[ The thing that's bound to get on a kid like Max's nerves is how these two 'adults' here are treating it like it's something funny, getting uprooted from the only life you've ever known to get planted down lightyears or universes away from home.

But, uh, considering the alternative, one might argue it's better than panicking. ]

That's rough, kiddo.

[ The skeleton actually chuckles, but eventually, shoving his hands deep into his hoodie's pockets, he starts to shuffle away from where the Fustercluck had gone. ]

Guess you gotta lotta questions. Fortunately for you, you landed up with one of our resident experts. S'all you, Newt.

[escampist]

Yeah, so. This thing you're doing? Where you're insinuating that this is a regular thing?

I'm not into it.

[In fact he hates it. But hatred is his default state, so that's not noteworthy.]

Seriously, is it not supposed to be my first time? Because that's fucked. I'm almost starting to wish I was back at camp and that's the worst fucking thing I've ever had to admit in my life.

[ohnehalfte]

Oi, hey, foisting introduction duty on me! [Newt turns and moves to move after Sans, reaching out to tug on the hood of his hoodie in a thoughtless gesture of retaliation because oops he's gone and forgotten boundaries again. But he is glancing back to Max and motioning him after them]

It isn't for some people--like Sans and I--but it is the first time for a lot of people, so you're not alone in that. [the corner of his mouth quirks] What--were you at summer camp before this? [because hey, if he can keep the tone light, maybe it'll keep Max from having a freakout of any kind.]

[justribbing]

Uh-huh, sure am.

[ The pluck at his hood is brief enough to not warrant a warning, and, unwilling to make a big deal of anything, he shrugs. ]

Don't blame me if you were too slow to pass.

[ Resuming his lethargic, plodding pace, he adds: ]

Anyway, he's right. You should listen to this guy, kiddo.