August Intro: You Think...You Wink...You Do A Double Blink...

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: AUGUST

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

Part I: Get Wrekt
You rouse to a splash of sea salt drying on your skin. A haze of glass-white sand glitters in your vision, dappled by lush palms and thick, curling foliage that disappears into a jungle of deep jade. From behind, crackling wood and sawing rope groan from a mangled life raft ran ashore. A petering wash of tide over pebbled sand fills your ears as you struggle to gain your bearings in a vast portrait of tropical color…

No...no, no, that’s not precisely how this story starts.

Why don't we start over?

You rouse to a splash of sea salt, spraying across yourself and the wooden floor beneath you as it breaks across the edge of the platform. The light as it dances across the sea is blinding, dappling white spots across your vision as you slowly come back to consciousness and realize that - this is not where you last remember being.

The middle of the ocean is likely not a place most recall being at all. As you struggle to fully comprehend the new scenario in which you have found yourself, three things become quickly apparent. The raft you find yourself upon barely constitutes as something that should float, never mind a boat. In the distance, perhaps a few hours away at most, a large island beckons to you, a wide strip of beach surrounded by cliffs making it very clear where the most fortuitous of directions shall be.

Lastly, of course, you’re not alone. Hopefully your new companion(s) are just as keen to get ashore before nightfall as you, or voyaging together will not be the most positive experience. At your side you will find a knapsack, one to every member of your raft party, and upon inspecting its contents, you will discover any rewards you may have accrued - as well as a few other items to give you a fighting chance.

A note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme: 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: Choose Your Own Adventure

By fortune (or misfortune, as it were), you eventually find your feet meeting sand, blessed shore to stagger upon as you shake off your newly found sea-legs. There are those that may find this place familiar, as though it appeared in a dream, though the expanse of shore certainly seems larger. The beach stretches off into the distance on both sides, curving around sharp ridges and cliffs, mist obscuring the view the farther along it goes.

So here you are. You’ve found land. Company. Supplies. The sun is now beginning to trek rather low upon the horizon…spending the night outside in such an unfamiliar land is unappealing at best and outright dangerous at the worst.

There is one silver lining in the midst of this mess. Directly ahead, the beach curves up a gentle slope until it meets forest, some manner of building visible through the trees. Further exploration of this area will reveal a dilapidated building of sorts; the architecture is indiscernible to even the most skilled eye. Despite looking as if it has seen better days, there are areas that offer some form of shelter...and who knows what else. Just because it appears uninhabited doesn’t mean you won’t wind up pleasantly, or unpleasantly, surprised.



So what shall you do from here, traveller? There is land to be explored, strangers to meet, friends to reunite with. Supplies to inspect and plenty of questions in need of being said aloud. Choose your path, make haste, and above all else: survive. And whatever you will, take heart.

Your story is about to begin anew.

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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

[thekingsglaive]

[To be fair while the belly flop hurt Nyx has had a lot worse within the past 24 hours. At least he wasn't getting shot at or slammed through walls.

The growl was loud and clear, and for a brief moment, he realized that he might have said the wrong thing. Not that he could've helped it he's not sure what else to call the monster.]

I called it a daemon. Where I come from that's what we call creatures that look like that. Does it have a proper name?

[yallstupid]

[Guzma twitches, and the hand holding that knife tightens a little bit as he exhales slowly. Yeah, he's heard and seen people freak out or turn heads at the sight of his pokemon - they're giant bugs, after all - but this is really starting to get under his skin. Calling his valued friends and partners, beings who have loved him more than any human ever has, monsters and demons is like greasing the fire.]

Don't really care what y'all call the critters back home, chum, but he is a Pokemon - a real important companion and partner from my world. And his name, and species, is Golisopod. Would 'preciate it if y'all don't call him - or Ariados, for that matter - anything but, yeah?

[thekingsglaive]

[For a moment his eyes dart to the knife in the other mans' hand, then returns his attention to his face and the... Pokemon? He had never heard of that before. Then again he had never spoken to a talking skeleton in a hoodie until this morning.

So right. Pokemon.]

Golisopod?

[It's almost like he's testing the word, making sure he says it properly. Then he nods more to himself tucking the information away.]

Right, okay. I'm going to guess Ariados is another pokemon?

[yallstupid]

[Golisopod lifts his head up when his name is uttered, twitching his antennae and making a quiet rumbling noise. Out of the two, he seems the most unbothered by the discourse, leering hungrily at the rest of the oysters Guzma has collected. He's still hungry, and probably eats enough for two grown men, though eventually he does seem to prod his trainer gently in the back with a long, black claw. Settle down.]

Tch...that's right, and she's in her ball sleeping, but she's a big ol' spider. [He doesn't really go into detail about Ariados, because why should he? This guy can figure it out on his own for the future. Sorry that his partners aren't the pretty or the cute types so many fickle jerks tote around on their journeys.] Poisonous, too.

[thekingsglaive]

[Nyx stared at Guzma for another moment.

He said in her ball... Right? Nyx didn't mishead that and-

And you know what? He wasn't going to ask. Nyx was tired of asking so much questions, plus he could always find out later.]

Well as long as she doesn't try biting me, I don't have a problem with a giant spider. She sounds better than a giant cerberus.

[yallstupid]

A what?

[Cerberus? The heck is that? That is certainly not a pokemon name Guzma knows, but he shakes his head. Probably something from this guy's world, and he's really not entirely taken to caring about others too much. Especially when this guy made such a, uh...poor first impression.]

Tch, Ariados don't bit unless I tell her to--or, uh...unless she's moody. Or hungry. [Guzma rubs the back of his neck, chewing on his lower lip.] Sent me right to the hospital for a few weeks, but can't say I didn't deserve it for tryin'a take something outta her mouth. Learned lot 'bout poison after that, though...

[thekingsglaive]

Giant three headed dog that likes trying to eat you.

[Whether Guzma cares or not Nyx elaborates, scowling firmly at the memory of the last time he encountered one of that nasty daemon.]

You tried taking something out of her mouth? [He almost laughs, but catches himself quickly. Nyx has already made a poor first impression, no need to make it worse.] Not a smart move with any kind of animal.

[yallstupid]

Mmn, so a Hydreigon only more... [Vague hand gestures.] Dog.

[That sounds weird as hell, but also sort of cool. Maybe like a Houndoom with three heads? Damn, now that would be sick as. Of all the fire types out there, a Houdoom suited Guzma's aesthetic the most. He's a bug type user through and through, but he sure as heck does have a bit of a soft spot for dark and posion types. Must be the influence of those around him...cough, Plumeria and Nanu

Guzma huffs, frowning - yeah, he caught that tone there, buddy, and he crosses his arms with a sour expression, narrowing his eyes.]

And what y'all want me to do? Let her choke because one of them dang idiot scrubs left their trash where she could get to it? [One of his grunts got it good after that. Never did it again. In fact, the mansion was spotless for at least two months after that episode.] Ariados hunt'n eat anything what gets in their webs - even if it's something that ain't no good for 'em.