lifeaftr | November Intro: Red Sun Rises Like an Early Warning

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November Intro: Red Sun Rises Like an Early Warning

INTRO LOG: NOVEMBER

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

The New Arrivals: Hold My Hand
When you wake, it will be to the lapping of waves, frothed with foam...pulling at your hair, your skin, your clothing. The sand is soft and wet beneath you, but it's several inches submerged. And the longer you stay here, the more obvious it will be that the water level of the ocean ringing this strip of island has begun to to rise, and not merely because the tide has started to come in.

And what's more? You can tell that something else about this entire situation is horribly, horribly wrong.

Perhaps you've lost some special power. Perhaps some piece of your memory is freshly and disconcertingly blank. Perhaps you've just discovered that one of your senses is missing, or that you've been rendered unable to speak, or you've been struck by a debilitating fatigue. Not only are you stranded in some unfamiliar place, stuck on a rapidly flooding beach, but you aren't even doing it in full possession of all your faculties.

For those who agreed to put themselves at a disadvantage for a stranger, these are your consequences. If you're unclear as to the handicap your character has been assigned, if any, please check your initial acceptance notice!

All new arrivals will additionally awake with knapsacks, their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can also be found in your acceptance notices!

For All: It's a Long Way Down
The water isn't a problem for the newest arrivals, either. It seems that the waters all over Ensō have started to rise, slowly at first, and then with a steadily increasing rate. At first, you might be forgiven for assuming the tide must simply be unusually high, or maybe that the island's begun to sink. But the longer it endures, the more obvious it becomes that neither is the case.

The water has begun to rise. Something is wrong with the island itself, or the being living on it, and now there is nothing preventing the water's inexorable approach as it steadily washes over and over the mainland. In fact, if you listen closely, you might even be able to hear a peculiar sound tearing over the cold rush of the coastal wind; something akin to a desolate wailing.

Either get to high ground - and quickly - or find out what's causing this. But either way, we suggest you hurry...because there are a great deal of newly arrived, very disoriented folk on the beach that could really, really use your help.

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.

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 )

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[All over again, Severs finds herself supremely grateful that the Hist made its children semi-aquatic. Waters that might spell disaster for a dryskin really only spell a minor bit of extra packing-up for an Argonian - if she were set on being particularly optimistic, she might be inclined to view the rising water level as an excuse to get some extra swimming in, and therefore a treat.

On the other hand... anything that proves trouble for the dryskins proves trouble for the people who are capable of helping, too. No great surprise, then, that she's (somewhat reluctantly) made the trip away from her pleasantly isolated corner of Enso to check up on the rest of the rabble.

Which, happily for her, includes Guzma! She whistles sharply and waves a hand, wading through the shin-high waters.]

Two-tone! Tidings! Who's your friend? Never seen a two-legged chaurus before!

[Is that too irreverent for the present circumstances? Maybe he'll appreciate a break from all the storm and stress. Sev sure knows she would, at least.]

[Golisopod is the first to turn, moving closer to his trainer protectively as he regards the odd creature that's approaching. Again, a new smell he doesn't recognize, and it's not any sort of pokemon he knows, either. Or has seen in Alola or this place. Thankfully, a pat from his trainer has the huge insect relaxing some as Guzma pushes himself forward.]

Easy, bro...I know 'er. Whaddup, Charmeleon? [He holds up a palm himself, then screws up his face. Lizard, you are speaking in tongues again.] Cha--...huh? What? Yo, this is Golisopod, he's 'nother of my pokemon.

[IF HE HAS TO EXPLAIN AGAIN HE'S GOING TO ACTUALLY SLAP SOMEONE WITH A POKEDEX (once he gets one).]

He's one too? By the Hist, "pokemon" is a pretty broad term, huh?

[Looks nothing like the technicolor spider, aside from both being kind of creepy-crawly. Maybe "pokemon" just means "animal" or "daedra" on... whatever plane he's from. Still, if she knows one thing, it's that he won't have them treated like familiars or pets, so she dips her head to the man-sized bug thing.]

Then tidings to you too, Golisopod. I hope this one can swim as well as you can, two-tone. Seems this place resembles Black Marsh more and more with each passing day!

[That probably warrants a "by the way, Black Marsh is a marsh," but she's confident her boy can fill in the blanks on his own.]

Thought I'd wander over to Dryskin Town to see how you lot are holding up. Thought maybe I'd get to piggyback you home again, if I really got lucky, but I'll settle for helping carry possessions to higher ground.

Gotta catch 'em all, yeah? [Guzma grins wickedly. He'll leave out the part there are, what? Over eight hundred pokemon known presently, just to keep her sane. But, this does make his want for a working pokedex all the greater. Maybe he'll try to wish for one or something.]

Lady, y'all's speaking a whole other language to me, I got maybe half that...but Golisopod can swim, yeah, s'why I got him out here with me. [He frowns a bit at the teasing air she's got, especially about carrying him around like a child again. Listen here, lizard, you got to baby his sorry backside once, and once is all you get. Most people don't even get that much.] Most'a them li'l islands ain't effected, but the big one here, as y'all can see...

[He motions to the water reaching his mid-shin.] I'm actually looking for a couple'a people what I know can't swim. Can I ask y'all to do me a favor and get 'em to someplace safe if y'see 'em? Two kids - brown hair, both wearing sweaters with stripes. One's green, other's purple.

...Watch out for the one in green. Might wanna bag n' gag 'em first. [No, really.]

Bag n' gag? Does "catch 'em all" apply to hatchlings, too?

[She's not sure which concept seems more ridiculous to her - that anyone would find it necessary to apply brute force to a child, or that anyone would actually let someone grow past toddlerhood without knowing how to swim. Might as well not know how to walk or ride a horse! How are you supposed to get anywhere if you're afraid to get a little damp?]

These kids of yours got names, two-tone? They might not take being bagged or gagged so well if a strange Argonian comes barreling at them shouting for green or purple. I've seen how most of the dryskins around here react to my species.

[Racial epithets and comparisons to animals, mostly, and that's the friendly ones. Ones who she'll need to "watch out for," on the other hand? She can't imagine they'll take a Giant Talking Lizard Thing in stride.]

...Y'know, with the right materials, I could enchant 'em up some Circlets of Waterbreathing. Won't do much for their swimming ability, but it would compensate for the tragic lack of gills.

Mmm...that's a loaded question.

[Considering pokemon hatch from eggs, but Guzma is wise enough to know she wasn't referencing pokemon at all. He chuckles darkly, giving a shrug of his shoulders and doesn't comment further on that point. However, he does reply very firmly when asked for the names of the two children, his casual tone evaporating very suddenly and replaced with a bit of a scowl. He still doesn't like that they're coining themselves after numbers, and people with less sense and no brains in their skulls are allowing it.]

Their names are Amsonia and Gracidea. They may tell you otherwise, but-- [He closes his eyes and shakes his head, forgoing that train of thought. Not his place. He has to remember it's not his place.] ...S'what I call 'em, and I--

[Hold your freaking horses. Back up. Record scratch and all that. Guzma blinks stupidly, shaking his head as if he hadn't quite heard Severs when she spoke. Circlets? Waterbreathing? Like, as in breathing under water? Without an air tank and a wet suit and and all that stupid gear?

Holy shit???]

You...you can do that?

[Amsonia and Gracidea. Sounds vaguely Imperial-ish, she guesses. Hard to tell why Guzma looks so... troubled? Displeased? Afflicted with mild indigestion? Hard to tell why his expression goes so off when he names them. Hard to tell why he has to clarify what he in particular calls them. Maybe their real names are even harder to pronounce?

Not really something Sev lingers on or bothers to ask about, though. The conversation has already moved on. She inclines one shoulder in a faint shrug, as if one were just talking about a side job or hobby.]

Oh, yeah. I've trained in enchanting. Waterbreathing's not a common one, but it's nice because it isn't dependent on the size of the soul gem. Even the weakest gem means you're as comfortable breathing under the surface as... well, me.

[Holy crap, that is so damn useful. I mean, Guzma doesn't know much about soul gems or whatever the hell, but he simply assumes it's some sort of rare stone she can do her magics to or...whatever. He still plans to teach the kids, but in instances like these, where even swimming may not be their best option, a bit of magic will do wonders to keep them safe and well.

Guzma wastes no time at all. His first question is quick and abrupt, barely a second after she finishes--]

What do y'all need to make 'em?

Not much at all. I told you I've got three filled soul gems of my own on me, but once those are used up... you'll need your own gem, and you'll have to Soul Trap and kill something to fill it up. Other than that, all it takes is the object that needs enchanting.

I can do weapons, armour, or jewellery. I offer the standard set of enchantments that you can get at the Mage's College, which... you... probably don't know a thing about. Man, I keep forgetting how deprived everyone here is.

[She scratches the base of one horn, sighing woefully. Truly, it's hard to imagine someone not knowing about something as mundane and commonplace as making stuff be magical.]

Most of them won't be much use for hatchlings, since they're pretty combat-oriented. I can do stuff like Muffle or disease resistance? Make carrying more stuff easier, make them heal a little quicker? I can do two enchantments per item, but with smaller soul gems, you're really not gonna see very potent ones.

[The silence that hangs over them as Severs talks is...pretty heavy. Guzma didn't understand a thing of what she just said, and his facial expression paints that picture very clearly. With one brow screwed up, mouth hanging open in the form of a large 'oh' he slowly tilts his head to one side, as if that'd net him any sort of of understanding.

...Nope, none.]

Yo, Charmeleon, the only stones I know 'bout are Z-Crystals, and I never been privileged 'nuff to get my mitts on a Z-Ring what which to couple 'em with. [He shakes his head, crossing his arms with a thoughtful (and a bit frustrated) expression as he digests the latter part. Not much use for the kids, huh? Well, to be fair--]

One of them kids is, uh... Well, I'd say they got decent skills in combat, yeah. That there healing one sounds promising though. What'd you be willing to trade for something like that? Ain't got much, but you name a price and I'll deliver.

[One way or another - Guzma is tenacious and stubborn.]

[What-crystals? Man, it's going to be at least a year before she feels confident she's even speaking the same language as two-tone is.

At least she gets the part about one of the hatchlings being scrappy. They shouldn't have to be, but... well. They used to refer to Tamriel as "the Arena" because of how violent and perilous life could be on the continent. Not really surprising that a deserted island without the luxury of homesteads or guards would be even more dire. Like it or not, this is exactly the kind of situation where scrappy is definitely something everyone has to be.]

You have to understand, two-tone. I'm not a charity. I've not seen a single soul gem here aside from the ones I carry. It could be that once I use mine up, that's it. No more. I'm really sacrificing for your sake, here.

[The shrewd con artist in her can't quite resist pointing that out. Even with someone you like, it never hurts to negotiate. You don't rebuild the Thieves Guild by being easy to take advantage of, after all.]

I understand that this is for the sake of hatchlings, so I'm willing to cut you a deal, but for it to be even close to fair, you need to be offering something rare.

Don't suppose you could summon up one of those Pokemon daedra for me, could you? I don't know much Conjuration, myself, but I wouldn't mind knowing what this "Charmeleon" thing is like!

[The feeling is grossly mutual, friend.

Ah, and here we go - Guzma wasn't necessarily expecting the trade to come easy, all things considered, but he does sigh a bit when the large reptilian begins making her bargain. He'd like to point out that whatever crystals or gems, or...whatever could probably be replaced by the Storyteller, but he opts not to mention that right away. Let's see what her asking price is, first, before he gets to haggling.

A thief and a thug, how uncanny the two would try to make a peaceful barter. However, Guzma's brow raises up and he scowls. That there price is, uh...that's asking a lot, lady.]

Yo, homie, y'all is way off the mark. I don't just snap my fingers and make a pokemon appear outta nowhere - can't pull 'em out my pants, neither, if that's what you thinkin'. The ones I got are already caught, that's what the pokeballs are for. And s'far as I know, there ain't no wild pokemon lurkin' 'round these parts.

[He thinks a moment, clicking his tongue as his large arms cross over his chest. While Guzma may not be able to show her a real one, he actually has an idea of how she could get a better understanding of a Charmeleon and its whole evolutionary line. May be tricky to get his mitts on a pokedex, but he's been meaning to add it to his wish list for sure.]

But I got a proposition for you, if'n y'all willing to hear. Can't get you a flesh'n blood Charmeleon, but I know a way to get y'all every bit of info on it you could ever hope to have. Height, weight, look, the works. May take a li'l while to obtain, but if y'all can accept that, then we may be able to strike a deal, yeah?

[Home...y?? She decides not to ask.]

Caught? What, like a thrall? Or is this more of a "stick a wolf in a cage" kind of... you know what? Never mind.

[Too much of a language barrier here. The point is that it's not as simple as Conjuration, and a bound familiar can't be transferred over to someone else. No giant bipedal bug for her, alas and alack.]

Didn't you just finish telling me there are no wild Pokemon in this land, two-tone? I'm no Storyteller; words with no practical application don't benefit me much at all. Still, I'd be lying if I pretended I wasn't even a little bit curious about your world, your folk, your utterly baffling dialect.

[Studying up on how all this garbage works will go a long way in understanding what in the two moons Guzma's even talking about half the time. There's some use in information, if it means that she's never clueless about what's being discussed. Honestly, she might be willing to be persuaded to accept just that. She likes Guzma. Likes knowing about his weird, buggy, spidery kin.

But she's also greedy, after all. You don't negotiate by settling for the very first offer you're given. You reach for more. She shrugs one shoulder, ruffling her plumage in a casual projection of aloofness.]

Tell you what. I give you my soul gems, AND do the enchanting for you. Four enchantments total, and for hatchlings in a hostile, very watery environment, the promises of both protection AND absolute safety beneath the waves is an incredible boon. Could be the difference between life and death, even. I do this for them - I do this for you.

In return, you share that info somewhere down the line, let me have a few drops of your spider's venom for my arrows, and promise me you'll be willing to use up one of your Storyteller favours on soul gems for me if it turns out I need them in the future.

Think about it. Some easily-harvested juice and an I.O.U. That's all you have to pay. I wouldn't trust just anyone to offer promises instead of payment, you know, let alone for such an utter steal. You're lucky I feel like spoiling my boy, two-tone.

[Good thing Severs decided to change the subject, because Guzma's brows knit together tightly, and his lips curl over his clenched teeth when she makes the correlation that his partners are in any way caged wolves. He's getting terribly sick of having to explain this to people - people who assume that being a trainer means he's some sort of sideshow host and his pokemon are the freaks.

He breathes a little evenly, just a little, once she goes on. Thankfully, she didn't rile him up too much, and it's easy to come down from just a twitch of irritation not full blown anger. But oh, she's playing him now, and he raises a brow at her sales pitch. It's good, making it out like he really, truly, honestly needs this. Like he has no other options, like it's benefiting him, like he's the one making out with a good deal.

Lips curling up into a wicked grin, he chuckles softly.]

Dang...you're good. Not good 'nuff, sweetheart, but good. Could definitely cheat anyone who don't do no cheating themselves, yeah. [Guzma hums thoughtfully to himself, and makes his own counter offer.] What sorta enchantments you gonna magic up? Cuz I don't need nothing...I can swim, and so can Golisopod here. I can teach them brats to swim, too. You saving me time, yeah, and that there breathing underwater is sick as, oh yeah, but who's to say it'll even work right, mm?

That there info's a given - already made it a part'a the deal, and I needa tell others 'bout mine, too, and a bit'a ol Ariados' poison I can throw in, too. S'not a big deal gettin' it from 'er. [The 'but' hangs pretty heavily in the air, and he stares her straight on, stone-faced.] But I ain't giving away nothin' else 'til I know this stuff works. I like y'all too, Charmeleon, but no so much as to heap a load'a goodies on your lap, yeah. Though I 'preciate them nice words.

Anyway, y'all gimme that water breathing thinga-ma-jig for the info and my girl's poison, and if it works...you get one'a my favors. Just one. [Gotta make that clear.]

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November Intro: Red Sun Rises Like an Early Warning

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