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

[mamaterasu]

[Amaterasu licks her lips, then perks her ears up at the question - my, it's always a difficult one she has to answer. While she'd love to play a mischievous little game and pretend that no, she doesn't understand and is only here for the offering, it's not a charade she can pull off for long...given so many others know she's a lot more intelligent than just a normal creature. With a nod of her head, the white wolf yips softly.

Yes, she understands you, strange horned man. Her eyes zero in on the dish, the heavily scented liquid - sweet, but pleasantly spicy as well, a tickle on her nose - and a line of drool begins to form around her chops, which she slurps up swiftly. Ah, truly...she is a booze hound, and while it may not be her favorite drink, she won't turn her nose up to the pleasant bit of the blitzed cider, and the warmth it provides. Her tail wags swiftly behind her, mouth open and panting a bit.]

[geniusofslaughter]

I thought so.

[ Ox pinches his chin between two fingers and nods. It isn't just the response but the presence that he feels, as well. Wolves, themselves, are noble creatures and such nobility is not lost. But for him who has been on countless battlefields, he senses -- and pauses when she starts to drool for the cider that he's poured. Hm.

Setting it before her, he still tips his head in turn. Wolves are the soldiers of the world, too. Maintaining the balance of nature through bloodshed. At the very least, he can accept that much even if he feels his analysis of her presence might be a little off.

He clears his throat. ] I am Ox. Nice to meet you, Miss Wolf, ma'am.

[mamaterasu]

[This poor fool is going to be severely disappointed if he thinks there is anything noble about Ammy--erm, aside from being a goddess, that is. She sure as heck acts like a dense mutt than a noble predator or whatever... She has her moments of acting as she needs to, but the majority of her time? Is spent acting like what she is - a playful and fun-loving canine. Warrior, though...mm. That, she most certainly is. With tooth and nail, alongside an arsenal of weapons and powers befitting a god, she is not one to trifle with.

Though her powers and energy seem to be dwindling down, with the slowly dying sun. Ammy can feel in in her bones, but remains in good spirits. For now. She bounces a bit on her feet as he sets down the dish for her to drink from, and she laps it up greedily, spilling a few drops to the ground in her haste. It doesn't stop her, though - Ammy goes so far as to mop up her mess with her tongue as well, wagging her tail behind her. Only when he names her does she lift her head and set him with a dead-eyed look, making a noise like a low grunt.

Miss Wolf? Really? Come on, buddy...you can do better than that. Even Fido is a better nickname.]

[geniusofslaughter]

[ He blinks as it appears that he is being given a disapproving look. Ox blinks as he cocks his head to the side, slightly. Making a soft confused sound, his eyebrows furrow as he attempts to figure out what has her troubled. This may actually make him look like he's annoyed, but it is unfortunately his face and clumsy mannerisms around others. ]

Let's see. What is it? [ The cider appears to be well-received. His name may be given some odd look as he understands that it is calling himself after an animal. However, he does not think that a wolf would find that troubling. A wolf? Oh, could it be that she is not pleased with the name? ] I see. I am only attempting to be polite. It seems like you are displeased with it. I apologize.

[ His tone may come off harsh, like he believes she should accept what kindness that he is giving her. But he is the kind of person that just says his thoughts as they come to him. However, since he says his thoughts with a serious expression and tone of voice, it tends to get him into awkward situations. ] Miss, what would you like me to call you, then?

[mamaterasu]

[Oh gods, and the hard question comes once again... Why can't some people be a little more imaginative? Creativity is the spice of life, after all! She turns her head and breathes out a puff of air from her mouth, almost like a sigh, then shakes her head slowly. Honestly, some people are more blunt than her reflectors...

Grumbling low in her throat, Ammy stands up and uses the tip of her tail to write upon the ground. From the tip flows a deep, black, glistening ink. The source? Who knows, but it is certainly magical in nature. She swipes at the ground several times, drawing up one Japanese character. Whether or not poor Ox can read it will determine how much effort she has to put into this...]

造

[Create. Make something up. She knows you can do it, bro (maybe).]

[geniusofslaughter]

Come up with something on my own, hm?

[ He holds his chin as he finds himself mildly fascinated that she can write with her tail. Interesting. But she would like him to think up a name for her? Ox hums to himself before he kneels down to get closer to her face. ]

I have only ever named my weapon. It is called "Bayonet." [ Yes, he calls his saber "Bayonet", which obviously pales in comparison to what other's named their weapons, please have mercy on him. ] It seems rude to name someone without knowing them. Yet I suppose I did so by simply calling you "Miss Wolf." That is hardly a name. I shall attempt to think of a reasonable name for you that I can call you, then.

[ And he grows silent for a few minutes, staring at her. ] Miss Mizuki, maybe? Spelled with the characters, hm... [ Pardon him as he is going to try to draw up the characters. ] 美月. Like so? [ "Beautiful moon." ] I thought snow might be right, but the red markings... the moon can appear a red shade but it illuminates more than looks frightening.

I apologize. The best I can come up with is going off your appearance which is lovely. But... women are more than their looks, is that not right? And giving a name based off of that seems unkind. Hm, let me attempt to think of another one. [ And he goes quiet, again. ]

[mamaterasu]

[Oho, so he could read that! That's promising, and quite surprising. So many of the other islanders didn't seem like they could read or understand her written language, and every so often when she does find someone, she gets a little feeling of elation - they're not all different, are they? Their worlds aren't as far apart as one would think. At least, that's how Ammy chooses to interpret it.

The naming of swords is not foreign to her either - many of her glaives also have names. Heck, many of her weapons in general have names, though her glaives seem to have a more...sort of name to call them, than just a title. Tsukuyomi, the cerulean blade born of the slain Orochi...and her signature weapon - Solar Flare. The reflector which holds her holy symbol, and spews forth flames of a rainbow hue. The name of his blade isn't familiar to her, and Ammy tilts her head to one side, twitching an ear.

She waits, letting him appraise her, and mulls on his words a bit. Sure, there's the air of affection to naming something that has more familiarity, but she's always thought the best sorts of names come within the moment - a spark, or a jolt of inspiration. Something that just stands out, and rushes to the mind at one time. Like now. She perks up at the name, and the spelling of the characters, wagging her tail as her lips curl up at the corners. It's almost funny, in a way, that she'd be named after the moon...when she is actually the goddess of the sun. Heh heh, but it's a lovely name either way, and she'll cherish it.

Mizuki.

Ammy paints a little heart under the characters, to show her appreciation, bowing her head in thanks. She likes it very much, thank you, good sir. ♥]