January Intro: I Know the Winter's Getting Colder

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: JANUARY

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: January 5th and onward
Where: Chol and surrounding waters
Warnings: Mark as needed!

The Overview: New Lands
New arrivals will not be waking in the typical hub of activity; instead, they will find themselves coming to on the small island of Chol. While the island's fringes are little more than an unforgiving spread of craggy, canyon-like rock and coastal cliffs, the island dips down to form a fertile divot of edenic woodland in its center. The people living there will even be helpful and polite to you, should you inquire after them.

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!

Icebreaker: This is the Winter of Our Youth
Unless you're someone with a fondness for the cold, you'll undoubtedly be waking with more than a slight chill in your bones. The appearance of the island of Chol has signaled a coming event of great import in LifeAftr, and unfortunately, the signs of that event's approach have already been set in motion. The temperature has begun to drop as the sun's rays begin to die, faster and faster, leading to an impressive cold snap in the ocean waters - particularly those surrounding Chol.

It is for that reason that you won't be waking on Chol, per se. Instead, you'll be waking on a thick crust of ice that's mantled itself over the ocean waters, freezing solid enough to bear your weight...for the most part. The ice won't hold forever; it isn't meant to. If you happen to be particularly vivacious in your waking, or especially active in general, thick cracks will start to spiderweb out from underneath those impacts with low, warning chunks and wrenches of fracturing ice. Better hurry to land soon, unless you care to take a little dip into those freezing cold ocean waters.

Mainland: When We Pick Over the Past
Should you make it to the land of Chol, braving the iced-over waters surrounding its craggy shores, you'll encounter something at least as startling - the people who have elected to set up a rudimentary encampment upon its lands. While a bit on the scalier side, the Jormun are nonetheless allied to you land-dwellers, and will welcome you to the island. Most will be preoccupied with preparations for an approaching siege, but many will comment idly that the cold is a sign of the coming battle. Some may point you to their leader, known to most as Munin, but others will venture hospitality based on the actions of those land-dwellers that came before you, who were successful in allying themselves to this sea-dwelling people.

Those who might have braved the cold a little too fiercely will quickly be offered some rather rough blankets - perhaps more on par with burlap sacks in terms of texture - as well as a hot brew that the Jormun call brrkshavak. Heated to a boil just prior to being served, the drink will be more than adequate in warming your weary bones, though it bodes mentioning that it is both scalding hot and made with a fleshy kind of undersea herb that is akin to crushed chili pepper in taste.

It'll warm you up, all right.

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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.

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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

[geniusofslaughter]

Could you be the new fighter, perhaps, Ritsuka?

[ That would mean that he isn't yet experienced in battle, wouldn't it? New enough that he doesn't yet have a name that is different than his real name, too?

Ox wonders to himself as he feels a debt left unpaid. Still, he accepts the hand taken and pauses before he attempts to pull the teen to be carried. If he is a fighter, Ox decides to a piggy-back is less troubling than being princess-carried. ]

[growingpains]

What-- [The question makes him freeze. His eyes widen in a surprise and shock, allowing himself to be pulled close.

A fighter? Here?! It shouldn't be that surprising-- actually, maybe this whole place is an illusion he's created? Is 'Ox' his real name? Would he have recognized Loveless maybe?]

No. I'm not. [This is bad. Ritsuka can't fight on his own.] I'm Sacrifice.

[geniusofslaughter]

[ He recognizes it? And that's the appropriate response, I suppose. Ox muses over it as he takes off on a run toward shore. Running may be putting it lightly -- it is more like gliding across the ice, barely letting their weight rest long on the frozen waters. ]

Sacrifice? Hm, do they call them that? I suppose. [ Another must have been chosen among the Zodiac household, then. ] You're lucky. Being a fighter is unfortunate business. [ Ox wonders if that matters, though? The honor is always to the one chosen. Even if he says that it isn't as glamorous as being named the representative, does that not still sting? ]

Saying that... it's speaking out of line and not thinking about your feelings. I apologize for saying something so unkind.

[growingpains]

[The way he moves doesn't come as a surprise to him. It must be piece of cake for a Fighter like him if they're inside his spell.

Ritsuka stays quiet the whole way until they're reached the shore, his hands gripping on his shoulders while trying to avoid getting any of his long hair into his face. He could swear that his heart has just jumped to his throat but he thinks about what he says. Ox doesn't seem like he wants to fight him... But.. one can't be sure?]

Yeah. It is. [Sacrifice is the one who takes all the damage but he couldn't bring himself to imagine what Fighter must bear. Soubi always had looked so lonely.]

Ox, are you part of the Septimal Moon? Do you know anything about Seimei?

[geniusofslaughter]

[ Allowing Ritsuka to slide down and onto the shore, he breathes out a half-sigh. Perhaps, he can repay some of his debt here in looking after someone part of the Zodiac household. His eyes close for a moment as he believes that would be right. ]

Septimal Moon? [ What is that? He blinks before cocking his head to the side. ] I'm afraid neither of those names mean anything to me, Ritsuka. [ After my time, perhaps? Since he knows what is happening in his world before he dreamed of a giant bunny, he accepts that there may be some divergence in time. It would be too simple if everyone came from the same time. ]

I fear that I've only ever known anyone by their names as warriors. I have never looked up anyone else's name to find out their true names. It would be unkind for a warrior to know that going into battle... it is as though you're taking more from them, then, than simply their life.

[growingpains]

Are you sure? [His voice raises a little, sounding more pressing and distressed. This is a first time he meets a fighter who doesn't know about them.]

Seimei wasn't a fighter. He was a sacrifice like me. [He pauses for a moment, taking deep breath in.]

Seimei is my brother. His fated name is Beloved. [A brother that had been found dead about a year ago. Ritsuka can't bring himself to say it.]

I don't think I can fight you, Ox. Not without Sou-- my fighter.

[geniusofslaughter]

I am. [ He gives a quick nod.

His eyebrows come together at hearing another discarded representative. He supposes that isn't so surprising, but he finds it distasteful that they give them names after they are not chosen. Still, if it easing the hurt, he cannot say anything. His distaste wanes as he decides that if that is what the Zodiac household considers "right," then what is right for him is to not step on their traditions. Could it be their way of saying even the discarded representative is worthy? He's never thought of how the other households conduct themselves.

Fight me? Oh. ]

That is all right. I have no intention of fighting you, Ritsuka. It would not be right to challenge you to a battle when you're not a fighter. [ He shakes his head. ] You can rest easy. When you are with me, you are safe. [ A beat. ] I have a debt with your household... I know not your brother's name nor yours, but a debt is a debt. Your fighter fought well and so, my saber is yours. [ He wishes he could offer more. But in the end, he only has his saber. ]

[growingpains]

Oh. That is good to hear. Lot of people want to fight me. [The tip of his tail sways in the air. It's a relief that he doesn't need to start worrying about battles right away. He's not even sure how he'd survive from them on his own -- after all he's just a Sacrifice.

There's an uncomfortable sting in the back of his mind, reminding him how vulnerable he is alone. The last thing he'd want to do is depend on people.

Mention of the household and debt makes him frown a little. It's first time he's heard any of that and frankly, it makes him suspicious. Ox claimed not to know anything about Seimei but that sounds exactly like something he'd gotten into. Is he being lied to again? And there's something fishy him just agreeing to be his Fighter. So far everyone has been very upset and specific about the pairs and names: every Fighter has their own Sacrifice and vice versa. To go against that name has always treated as unforgivable crime.]

No. I mean-- [He pauses, searching for words.] I already have my Fighter. [It's only a half-truth. Soubi isn't really his, is he?] And you, don't you also have someone else you're fighting for?

[geniusofslaughter]

That's shameful. How dare they even call themselves warriors. [ He shakes his head at the very idea of going after someone's family members simply because they are related to the Zodiac Warrior. Such cowards should be cut down where they stand -- that is the only thing that Ox considers to be right. ]

Well, of course, you do. [ Ox returns to the conversation to blink owlishly at Ritsuka. However, the expression to the young teenager may look more like he is squinting and looking annoyed. He cannot do anything about his face, unfortunately. ] I don't have anyone that I am fighting for, Ritsuka. I fight only for myself and for what I believe what is right.

[growingpains]

Fighters. [He corrects.] I don't know. The rules are.. complicated, I guess. [Rules of what is right and wrong and why the people were after him were all so vague. Ritsuka had never gotten proper explanation but rather had to learn through experience, picking out things as they came.

And speaking of that: what Ox is saying goes against to lot what he's learned. Fighting alone or offering to serve someone without your name. And what was it about the Households? Maybe it's not the case that he's being lied to, or so he hopes, but that he doesn't know the same rules.]

Does that mean there is no one else with name Ox?

[geniusofslaughter]

[ Are they? Well, he supposes he doesn't know how the Tiger household does anything. Are their rules so difficult to follow? Well, they should still protect the noncombatants. It doesn't feel right to him to think of them being targeted for any purpose. ]

... no, that's not quite true. There have been many Oxes before me. [ How much does Ritsuka not know? He makes a thoughtful humming sound, as he decides that it probably comes down to knowing and not knowing. ] There have been ten before myself. Though, all of them are now dead.

[growingpains]

No? [That sounds... strange to put it lightly. It all goes against to what he's learned so far. Is Ox like the Zero? Still, it's unusual to see someone who appears to be so content with fighting alone. At least he doesn't seem to be too lonely.

Who knows, maybe he's another black sheep?

His expression turns into more thoughtful one and he wraps his arms around himself. The cold is catching up again.]

I can't accept you as my fighter. But we need to find shelter.