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

[catpiper]

Yes.

[Hopefully they don't decide to Be Brave in the coming days because then she's gonna skedaddle to her favorite hiding spot. Her stomach reels at the thought and she attempts to think about the shining, twinkling stars that'll cover the sky instead. ]

Are you going to hide with your treasures until the sun comes back?

[Her eyes fall to the lil guns at his feet. She hopes that's his plan, at least. It's one she'd support. 10/10 Ren approved.]

[postictal]

I plan to pass these out to anyone who doesn't have one yet.

[Does she...know what guns are? Should he be the one to explain what guns are? It's probably best if she at least knows that they're weapons, just so she doesn't end up picking one up and thinking it'll just be an innocent little trinket.]

They're for signalling for help.

[catpiper]

[She can't tell how these little items manage to do that and kneels to the ground for a better look at them.

She desperately wants to touch one, but they're his treasure and he is like right there too. So. Time for some self-control. Incredible. She's managing well enough for the time being.]

How? Does it make a noise?

[postictal]

A loud bang, yeah. And a colorful flash of light. Kinda like a firework, if you’ve ever seen one.

[He won’t assume that she has, which just means he’ll have to persuade one of the elves to try and magic up an equivalent. He’s not wasting the rounds he spent his hard earned stories on just for a laugh.]

[Yet, anyway.]

[catpiper]

I've seen fire work. It doesn't make a bang. It glows and keeps you very warm.

[Said as two words because please. She has no idea what a firework is, but she's certainly seen fire work. It's amazing. A great gift for humanity. The key to survival.

The loud bang aspect of it makes her pause-she knows someone that likes loud surprises. They might like this.]

Do you want to trade treasures?

[postictal]

[Yep, okay. No idea how fireworks work, then.]

Fireworks are a little more than fire. They’re kinda like...they get shot into the air and explode into a whole bunch of bright colors, way up in the sky. [Paired with an awkward wave of his hand, as though that might get the idea across.]

[Maybe it’s a good idea to make sure she can call for help, but he’s sure as shit not just handing the thing over without any instruction.]

You ever fire a gun?

[catpiper]

[There's a pause as she tries to visualize what he's saying-she kinda gets it. Explosions are-well she's familiar with that and paired with the gesture, she can imagine how they spread out. Sort of. She Does Not like explosions, but she does like colors. So.

It's 50/100 on the scary scale right now. Good odds.]

Kidwun might like that kind of thing. Explosions are a loud surprise.

[But as a for his gun question, she shakes her head.]

I don't know what that is.

[postictal]

[That almost gets a smile out of him.] Yeah. Kidwun likes that kinda thing. Good at it, too. Maybe you could get ‘em to show you fireworks sometime.

[He is at least 90% certain that they willingly and truly would.]

It’s something you shoot. You know... [Feeling a tad foolish, he forms a fingergun with one hand.] Bang?

[catpiper]

[Asking about that will 100% happen. Probably the moment she spots them with her beady eyes-they're around here or Enso and she's bound to run into them. The colors will be worth the hearing loss.

But the gun description is-she copies his gesture and forms a fingergun, staring at him all the while. It's starting to come together. Slowly, but still.]

The flash comes out-[She points to the barrel with her fingergun.]-when you say bang? That's how it is?

[But how many rocks will she need to trade, is the real question? Maybe he accepts rainchecks.]

[postictal]

Like that, yeah. Guns are pretty dangerous, though. If someone has one pointing at you? You get away as quick as possible.

[Just because he's telling her about stupid things like fireworks and flare guns is no excuse to get sloppy and not impart some good old-fashioned laws about gun safety. He's never actually even fired a gun - as if anyone would give him one - but you don't grow up in Alabama without learning a thing or two about how they work.]

[Running away won't do much to stop a speeding bullet, but at least she'll know that someone carrying a gun has the potential to deal real damage.]

[catpiper]

[That causes her to hesitate. In the blink of an eye, this went from weird treasure to horrible quick. While understood they were lowkey dangerous by their initial description, she likened them more to a loud surprise over dangerous weapon.]

I can run very fast. The ghosts couldn't catch me, so I can get away from this weird thing too.

[Comforting?? Yeah, of course that is. She sounds confident? It's fine. And now she's wondering about this nugget in front of her.]

Can you run fast? Do you know how to do that?

[postictal]

Probably not as fast as you.

[A chain-smoker with the kind of stocky build he has? Chara outran him in the caves, easy, and Ren could outrun him now. Speed isn’t his strong suit. Not in general. Granted, he doubts he has a whole lot of strong suits to begin with.]

But that’s good, yeah? Means you’re faster than crusty grown-ups like me.

[catpiper]

[Well, that's about as comforting as the gun safety tips were. She doesn't want to be faster than him-she wants to him to run alongside her if things get weird or if there's a weapon pointed in their direction.

Nope, not good at all. She doesn't look happy about that revelation.]

It means you'll have to hide. I'll find big places for you.

[It's way harder to find spots to cram adults into and she'll have to wander around Enso again. Maybe thoroughly check out this island as well.]

Then you can run to them. You won't have to keep up with me.

[postictal]

[Big places, huh? Well, she's not wrong there; he's much better at running from his problems than he is at facing them directly, particularly when fighting said problems usually results in things going pretty far south for just about everyone.]

You worry about everyone, kid? [It's sweet of her to want to make the effort, but he's hardly her responsibility.]

[Or at least, he shouldn't be.]

[He shouldn't be any child's responsibility anymore.]

[catpiper]

[It's hard for her to not worry about everyone. There's a chance they might not wake up in the morning-a possibility it could be because of her presence here. The people who charge into danger like Seto, lacking the sticks needed to protect them when their bravery fails, scares her. The fact it would be all too easy for all these kind people to just-

die.

It does scare her. And even Taako, who hid too well, for so long even the Storyteller couldn't find him in the caves, worries her. It's no longer a fear exclusive to the brave peanuts that go into danger.

It's safer to hide, but not foolproof anymore.]

The people who are very brave-I think about them.

[Which happens to be, hm, 99% of this island.]

And people who don't know how to hide.

[So EASE her worries TIM PLEASE. Let her hide you.]

[postictal]

You don't have to worry about me, okay? I know how to hide.

Got real good at it, growing up.

[When you grow up in a hospital, you get good at "hiding." At burrowing into yourself, curling up in the corner so that no one sees. At getting the window open and sprinting into the woodland, burying yourself in leaf litter so that when the doctors come tramping after you with the beams of their flashlights sluicing through the night, you can last hours before they find you.]

[He knows how to hide.]

...so who hides you?

[catpiper]

[If she hadn't known about his past, that he grew up like her, she would argue she could show him better hiding places. That maybe he didn't know the island well enough to realize what rocks could shelter him from creatures above or ones surrounding him.

But he says he can hide and she believes him. She can only hope that's his first reaction to problems and he will hide himself if things get spooky.]

Okay.

[But if she sees that he can't, she'll step in to give him tips. She learned a few from the elves that benefit him as well.]

I can hide myself too [Pause] or I follow the cats. They know where to hide.

[postictal]

[There, uh, does happen to be a weird influx of cats on the island these days. That’s sure...something he didn’t see coming, but he has nothing against cats in principle so there’s nothing wrong with that, per se. It just raises a few questions, and also a few eyebrows.]

Cats can be pretty good at hiding too. What happens if you can’t find any?

[catpiper]

Then I think 'where would a cat go?'

[Pretty good? No, friend. Cats are the best at hiding. They don't get caught by ghosts and they can find the safest area in any situation. Ren studied under their kitty tutelage for many moons.]

They like the sewers [A pause, because that's not A Thing here.] Or a small place where you can see things, but no one can see you. That's how I hide.

[postictal]

Sounds like you've kinda got a system.

[Except not, uh, especially, seeing as he's still extremely worried that something awful is going to happen to this poor girl. Still, she's lasted this long, hasn't she? He's pretty sure he'd know if something ended up hurting her long-term.]

[He's certain the entire island would know.]

If you can't find a cat, or a place to hide...you know to find someone who can help, yeah? Someone like the elves, or Kidwun, or - even me, if you really need it.

Okay?

[catpiper]

[Those words bring her relief because they're ones she's thought for some time, but having this guy say them aloud-like even he thinks it's okay for her to find shelter with other people instead of in the dark-

It's nice to hear.]

Yes, because you all let me hold your warm hands, I know it's okay to do that.

[She won't argue with this backup plan, despite the confidence she has in her hiding ability. Push come to shove, she'll run and run until she spots a familiar face.]

And you can find me too. If you get scared, I'll help you.

[postictal]

[If he were more personable, that might be the cue to reach over and...and ruffle her hair or something, because it's so clear that she means it, even if she shouldn't have to feel responsible for people, shouldn't have to feel like she needs to take them in and keep them safe and hide them for their benefit.]

[If he were more personable, he would grin at that, or laugh. If he were better at that kind of thing.]

I appreciate that. You're, uh...you're a good kid. Anyone ever tell you that?

[catpiper]

[The doctors would say that to all the kids-that they were good children, when they would take their medicine without a fuss.

Here, it's been said towards her a few times and it's always strange to hear it used outside of that context. Weirder still to have it directed towards her and not a group of kids doing what they're supposed to. And like every time, she can't agree or accept it. Because she knows she's a cowardly sort of person with something in her that has the potential to hurt others. She's 'unsuitable', even if Murasaki saw something pretty in her heart once, that doesn't change.]

Good adults say that kind of thing to me.

[Adults like him.]

The ones with very nice hearts.

[postictal]

[Good adults.]

[Are those things even real? He wouldn't have always assumed so; not now, and not when his feet touched onto the mist-darkened flagstones of Sol Raveh, and certainly not by the time a knife to the soul heralded his exit.]

Good adults, huh? [The ones with very nice hearts, she says. Looks like he's got her fooled.]

[Anyone with the remotest notion as to who he is would know that he's not exactly got one of those.]

Well, I mean it. You care a lot about people. Not everyone here does.

[catpiper]

[The people she's come across have all been extremely kind to her and seem to care about each other. She knows there must be some out there, filled with bitterness and resentment towards humanity like Shin, but she's yet to come across them. Only one person made her pause when she witnessed his terrifying memories, but-

He still smiled at her once.]

You do too. You let me hold your warm hand.

[And now she'll die for him. That was probably in a book somewhere. It's fine.]

I think that's how it's supposed to be.