lifeaftr | December Intro: Don't Come Home for Christmas

INTRO LOG: DECEMBER

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: December 3rd and onward
Where: Monsun
Warnings: Mark as needed!

The Overview: Uncharted Waters
Stay alert, new adventurers; instead of the white-sand beaches of Enso, you will instead be coming to on one of two sides of the relatively uncharted lands of Monsun. Most of the information regarding this peculiar land can be found in the informational post linked, but as a quick-and-dirty rundown: Monsun's western side is a hot wasteland of a desert prone of disasters and mishaps, but will affect your character's emotional and psychological state in a positive sense, while its eastern side is a verdant forest filled with endless resources...as well as a tendency to bring out the absolute worst of your character.

To start with, all new arrivals will be showing up in one of two squares that characters uncovered last month! We are leaving it up to player discretion as to which side of the island your character arrives on, but bear in mind the psychological repercussions!

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

Monsun, C4: These Are Your Good Years
You wake to the hot sun steaming overhead, rapidly drying your clothes and belongings, waterlogged from washing upon this desolate shore. The heatwaves shimmer at your vision, distorting your view of the horizon. But if you really squint, it looks like there might be something dark green fringing that pipecleaner skyline, like a lush woodland awaits you on the other side of this desert nightmare. A mirage, maybe?

Whatever it is, you don't get very long to contemplate it. Beneath your feet, the ground has begun to shake as a many-headed horror erupts from the earth. Great streams of pale sand slough from its dry, scaly hide as multiple horned heads unfurl in a hissing inflorescence. The creature's eyes are all pale as grubs; it is quite blind. But that does not mean it cannot smell you.

Boasting both a thick hide and a chitinous coat of sandy-colored scales that blends them perfectly with their surroundings, Sand Hydras sleep several feet under the sand until they sense the vibrations of potential prey aboveground. While they are significantly smaller than their mythological counterparts - they can only span eight to twelve feet in length - Sand Hydras are cunning creatures nonetheless with a number of heads that can vary from one to as high as ten. Their weakness, on the other hand, is simple: water burns them like acid. It seems they may flourish only in any moisture-poor environment.

Assuming your character lasts that long, remember: as physically destructive as Monsun's west may be, your character's most admirable traits will be amplified to their fullest potential by the twenty-four hour mark.

Monsun, D3: Before You Bury Yourself Alive
Those waking on the eastern side of the island, on the other hand, will face a far more pleasing tableau. The temperature is perfect, the sun shines modestly through the canopy of deciduous greenery above your head, and the air is thick and sweet with the smell of fresh fruit.

That's right - within minutes of their arrival, your character will discover several plants laden with fresh wild blackberries.

Should that temptation arrest their attention, should they be vulnerable to the foibles of greed or hoarding or paranoia, your character may very well wish to keep this treat to themself. Or...perhaps not. Perhaps they'd much rather search out a fight, or try to steal someone else's supplies, or embark on a poorly-advised mission to swim out into Monsun's surrounding waters.

For that is, after all, the catch: as physically soothing as Monsun's east may be, your character's most hateful traits will be amplified to their fullest potential by the twenty-four hour mark.

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 )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...

[He swallows and starts walking towards the river. It takes him a minute to find his voice.]

Was it the planet or someone responsible for making you feel that way? [A tall man with a shock of white hair flashes across his thoughts. It stings a little. He still needs to find a way off this rock and find the team.]

I'm sorry...that happened to you.

It... was one of Ruana's months in charge of the Tower, so it was probably her. She liked stuff like that. Called them "games." We were all put in costumes against our will. Mine was Pinocchio. We were told to collect candy and if we didn't...

[Okay... maybe she'll gloss over the nastier part of what happened when you lost one of Ruana's games.]

We'd start acting strange like that.

[She hesitates though, knowing that even with her omitting details, this isn't a very pleasant topic of conversation. She smiles a bit, weakly.]

... don't be sorry though. It's not your fault.

Yeah, but you went through all that.

[Experiments. It isn’t the Galra who built Robeasts and drain planets. But it’s bad enough. Keith takes a breath. Glossing over the details is a good idea.]

Thanks for the warning. You notice it getting worse in any specific areas over on that side?

...

[Could this side mess with them too?] Um, did you...notice any changes on this side?

I... I don't know. I didn't stay there too long. We may have to find though, unless we can find some supplies over here.

[His second question does send a brief jolt of panic shooting down her spine. Because she doesn't... she doesn't know. It's... the only way she'd be able to know for sure is if she compares it against a place where she knows she's not being influenced.

It doesn't last too long, at least.]

I... it's hard to tell when you're in it. So I can't be sure. But... whatever it is doesn't seem to be as bad, at least, if it is. I think.

[That’s a good point. He’ll just have to see how he’s being affected, if he is, later. The faint sound of water catches his attention for a moment.] We’ll figure it out later. For now let’s see what is going on.

If this side isn’t making us worse that’s good enough for now.

[They can gather information and anyone else that’s out there. That makes him think.] Did you wake up with no idea how you got here in the other place?

[She grimaces again.]

Not... exactly. I don't know how I got here, to this world. But... this isn't the first time I've woken up like that.

There are other places like this, out there.

[The only differences seem to be what they look like and how bad they can get.]

[Keith tugs his hood a little further over his face. His lips are pressed into a thin line. Even at his best, he can remember the alternate Alteans and their 'peace'.]

We'll figure this out, okay? Whatever it takes we'll find out what's going on.

Yeah...

[She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, then opening them again, setting her chin determinedly. Whatever it takes. Just like they did before.]

Yeah, we will. [...] The river should be just up ahead. There's a lot more plants, animals... everything, really, on the other side, but...

But it also messes with you. Should be fine if I go over and come back. [His worst...he can see it still being alright. Just as long as no one gets in the way of his goals while he's like that.]

We could build traps for animals over here and move them over there too. To lessen the risk.

[Xion nods.]

It may also take time before it gets bad. Might be worth testing.

[Not to mention she didn't like the idea of not pulling her own weight in this kind of situation.]

If we could take short trips without too much danger, it'd help.

[He nods, accepting the idea. Yes, that will work out.]

Alright, we could swap. I'll take a few minutes to get traps set up. You could check them over. I'll set them, then we wait.

Sound like a better plan?

Oh. Um, y-yeah.

[She scratches the back of her neck, suddenly awkward. She hadn't meant to imply his plan was bad or anything. She'd just been thinking more long-term. Depending on the others they found and how easy (or not) it would be to get off the island.... well, thoughts for a later time.]

Yeah, that works. [Um.] Do... you mind if I watch?

[Reno had done a lot of the monster-hunting back during the leaner months in the Tower, while her focuses had been elsewhere.]

No.

[He doesn’t see a problem with it. Keith checks the pack and frowns at the contents. Sugar could be used for an explosive. But he doesn’t have the other tools to make that happen. He tucks the pack contents back into place and draws his knife.

They reach the river and he pulls his hood back over his head. The mask appears and his voice distorted but clear, breaks the silence.]

It’s going to be crude. We don’t have string or anything that could be a hinge.

[Have to go with a snare. That is alright.]

Edited 2017-12-13 18:49 (UTC)

[After all the time in the Tower with scarce resources, she should be able to figure something out. Some workaround, some alternative. Except running through the list of items in her new backpack and on her person, or even items nearby, she can't think of anything.]

I'll try to keep an eye out for something I can turn into those. Um.... later, I mean.

[Right now she should focus on this.]

[Keith drops the pack down beside her feet and dives into the river. Swimming is easy. He follows the current and emerges on the other side.]

We'll figure it out. [He scouts around for young branches and cuts four from the nearest tree. He lays them down and sets to work. Making a snare isn't easy but it isn't difficult if you knew how. Keith thankfully knows how to do it with just branches, grass, and a small space.]

December Intro: Don't Come Home for Christmas

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