March Adventure: Swim with the Current and Float Away

[lifeaftr_mods]

NEW ISLAND: AI'TUOH

Who: Anyone who feels brave...or particularly lawful
What: A city worth exploring, and a people worth meeting
When: March 10th and onward
Where: Ai'tuoh
Warnings: The themes you might associate with strict punishment and rule-based dystopias will abound, along with nonconsensual drugging/sedation for those found guilty in the streets. Otherwise, mark as needed!

The Overview: Ai'tuoh
The dawn of the 10th will see the appearance of the promised island on the horizon. The smooth, even planes of city walls rear across the expanse of sandy beach, but beyond that, no particular discerning characteristics can be immediately glean. That same morning, characters will awaken from a brief dream, wherein the Storyteller will advise that the new island accessible via mana pool - and they suggest, with some trepidation, that you do not make the location of said mana pool on the new land immediately obvious to the natives. It's clear that something has put them on edge, though they've yet to say what.

Welcome, adventurers, to the island of Ai'tuoh.

Our City, Our Rules
Ai'tuoh is home to a sprawling city, built of smooth, sandy stone. Its architecture is simple, precise, and uniform, valuing utility above all else - function to the exclusion of form. The homogeneity of the people of Ai'tuoh extends beyond the similar, monochrome spectrum of their apparel. Despite the gradations of skin color and the subtle shifts in the shades of their hair - all falling within established limits, of course - they all appear to be more or less human. But most striking of all is the stern warning emblazoned across the city's gates. It translates as follows:

May those who violate our law be cleansed in the Standing Water.

The Unerring Law of the people of Ai'tuoh can be found in the library, which contains little besides some five hundred copies of the same dispassionate lists of various laws, most of which you've probably already broken by the time you've entered.

If you plan on stopping by, we'd recommend taking the time to explore the docks first - those that frequent that particular area are rather more forthcoming to travelers. You might find someone sympathetic to your plight, willing to offer some helpful hints.

Holding Cells: Awaiting Your Trial
Those unlucky enough to be caught by the concealed militia taskforce of the city will be sedated on sight of their violation, and will wake in a small, smooth-stoned room. There are no windows, and only one door - and it won't be opening under your duress. The holding cell into which you've been deposited is beyond barebones; while clean and uniform, it lacks even the basic commodities of a bed and bucket. It seems that there's no need to plan for keeping prisoners in the long term. No one drops by to visit, and no one addresses you if they pass through. Your only company is in your cellmates, who you might be able to hear through the walls, provided you raise your voice over the soft, buzzing hum that permeates the air; a magical suppression field, to ensure that those with particular talents cannot exert them to break the law's hold.

The barracks are sorted into clusters of several buildings, each with variety of cells hidden in secluded pockets. To contrast the uniformity of the city itself, there is no such order here; the buildings are designed to be difficult to break into, and even harder to orient oneself in.

Those who are being kept in holding until their cleansing will not be in complete isolation forever. There are a number of militia who patrol the prison areas to ensure peace is being kept...and some might even be open to conversation.

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For OOC information about Ai'tuoh and the city's laws, please see our recent OOC information post!

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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

Otus | OTA

[pallidscops]

<[ I. ]

[ Otus has been wandering around the city slowly, trying to stay out of the way of the masses, and keeping his small and oafish hands to himself. Things go wrong as soon as he touches something. Or tries to help. And now...

...now his friends are in jail, and while he can't recall the exact reasons why, it has required a walk to process. He's never been afraid to fly-- in fact, flying is one of his favorite past-times! And! Yay, wings! But not here. Here, he minds his business, searching around for clues, for answers, for...anything. They've been kind enough to not arrest him, but there aren't many people on the outside.

He wanders nervously into a narrow alleyway, and when he's sure that he won't be seen by a native, jumps and flaps his way gracefully to the rooftops, hanging his legs over a ledge and watching the city.

So bustling with life, but...empty, still. ]

<[ II. ]

[ his wandering has led him to a Library-- or really, the biggest house of books that Otus has ever seen. He'd kept a few books to himself back in Vale, and he read them with the same endearment that he'd read them the first twenty times. Brave stories of heroes, of owls, saving unfortunate passerby. Outsmarting their foes in a battle of wits-- even just living day to day lives. All fictional, but in the darkness lit by a candle, Otus felt stronger and more empowered than ever to succeed in his training.

To be the best Owl he could possibly be.

He touches the side of a book left on a desk. Rules.

They were all like that. They all were thick, like manuals. No captivating icons of adventure. Not even textbooks.

His shoulders slouch. The biggest library he'd ever laid his eyes on, and...he's disappointed. But it wouldn't be courteous to the people who live here to not even look at their rules-- maybe he's being insensitive.

:C hoo. He opens the first book on a table and licks the tip of his thumb gently while he turns the first page.

The first page, of four hundred and fifty eight. ]

ii.

[souldeterminant]

[Not very light reading, is it?]

[Soon after Otus settles down with his text, there's the sound of another book thudding loudly against the wood across from him, as if dropped halfway in the middle of setting it down. The child that takes the seat across from him doesn't show any sign of temperamental pettiness in their face, but they do let out a soft, short huff.]

[They open the leather cover and let it sit like that for a few seconds, staring blankly down at the title, written in thick, austere lettering.]

[The library seems quite scarce, for the most part. Ai'tuohan laws aren't usually the kind of thing that natives find themselves needing to reference. It's what gives them a bit more courage to glance up from their book and try to catch Otus' eye.]

[They haven't seen him around, but they're pretty sure he's in the same boat as they are.]

[pallidscops]

[ he practically jumps into the sky as the large text thuds against his desk, and he watches his new Librarby companion settle nearby with a racing heart. M-m-maybe the book was really heavy...he gets it. Kind of. Being here drained him of some strength that he hadn't realized he even had in the first place. The books carried some heft-- and some even had to be carried in both hands...

Their book looks similar to his. No one says anything about dropping a book on a desk in the library, but he's sure that he'd skimmed over something similar to that already in his own lengthy rulebook.

He can't help but stare. Something about them reminds him of someone. Maybe just a similar feeling to someone he'd met already. Or maybe he's just been wandering the city for so long that having someone nearby elicits some comfort from his tense body.

Their eyes meet, and he is absolutely openly watching Frisk with genuine curiosity. There's nothing wrong with that, right? ]

[souldeterminant]

[Nothing wrong at all. At least not as far as they're concerned. Frisk watches back, a small, apologetic smile forming on their lips for the unwelcome surprise -- but now they're very sure that he isn't one of them. Even if he's just a kid like Frisk, they don't think that many Ai'tuohan kids would have reacted that way.]

[Calmly, Frisk turns to a new page and moves a hand below their bleak, colorless cloak, reaching into a pocket they've concealed from the general public. They draw out a piece of charcoal, eyes scanning the room again to ensure no one is watching.]

[No one is, of course. Good, silent children such as them are often overlooked.]

[Satisfied, Frisk pulls their book closer and begins writing on the page, seemingly without a beat of hesitation or thought to the consequences of defacing a book at the Ai'tuohan library. Maybe, partially -- because it's not from the Ai'tuohan library. They scribble quickly right over the written text that seems to document shipment arrivals, and once they're finished, they push the book forward for Otus to see.]

This place stinks.

[They set the charcoal down between them. Not necessarily an invitation, but certainly an offer.]

[pallidscops]

[ th-they're writing in a book, and he sits up a little straighter to try and see what they're doing-- Otus is mostly sure that isn't a coloring book. They're just writing over the words nonchalantly, as if those packing documents didn't exist at all. Not that there are many people here who are watching. The Library is quiet around them, the sound of pages turning breaking the awful silence that permeates Otus' mind. It's never been this quiet before. It's awful.

They push their book closer to him, and he looks over the words, a small smile coming to his face. They remind him of Geddy. Not in looks, but...verbage. The soft slouch of their shoulders. Very friend-like. Otus reaches out to press the charcole against the page, copying them. Hopefully the librarians won't notice. Or miss their book. ]

Lots of rules. [ he hoots softly, and writes more. ] Not from here?

[souldeterminant]

[Oh...... he hoots.]

[In a garish and unlawful display, Frisk's smile softens considerably. No problem. They actually hadn't a clue when they started this secret communication, and -- well, they'd like to sign at him to see if he knows that, but something tells them that sign language probably isn't looked upon well here. Maybe later.]

[They turn their eyes down to the page and take the charcoal back, scratching down their reply.]

I live on the big island with everyone else. You, too?

[They would say Enso or Storyteller's island, but Frisk doesn't want to give anyone any leads if this book ends up getting away from them.]

[pallidscops]

Yes [ he writes back with a dedicated hand. Otus glances at the ceiling...and then writes some more. ]

I have a good friend. [ a little smile breaks out on his face. C: ] They are very important to me.

[ he wants to draw a picture so Frisk knows who he's talking about, but...alas, he's not a very good artist, and Knight is somewhat complicated to draw. :C hoot. ]

[souldeterminant]

That's nice [they write, embellishing the sentence with a small happy face at the end. They really hope that someone stuffy and rude finds this and is super offended by all of the casual artistry happening.] I have someone like that too.

[They think for a moment, tapping the tip of the charcoal against the book, dotting the page with tiny marks. Then they start scrawling again.

My name is Kittu. Sorry if I scared you.

[pallidscops]

[ his brows raise a bit at the apology, and he sits there in written silence for a moment. Sorry? Oh no, m-maybe they meant to write something else...why are they sorry? What are they sorry for? When was the last time anyone even casually apologized to Otus...for anything? ]

Don't be sorry [ he scribbles a little faster now, feeling guilty for letting them be apologetic. ] Should have been paying attention

[ to be a better Owl. To make Asio proud, wherever he is. A real owl wouldn't have been scared of a loud noise like that. After setting the charcoal down, he raps his fingertips together a little. How do you fix being jumpy? Er...um...? ]

[souldeterminant]

[They shake their head at the elaboration, but don't argue any further. They don't want to make it weird. Instead, Frisk writes down their next sentence with no undue beating around the bush.]

Your name? :)

i

[lightlessfuture]

[ Luckily, the Knight is practically a model citizen by Ai'tuoh's standards. Even the weapon is permitted, after some fuss.

While the little bug can't fly like Otus can, they hop up the side of the building with claws in hand, using them as hooks to grip the clay surface. A final jump, cape fluttering, takes them onto the ledge, and they land with the tiniest of impacts.

They shuffle close to their friend, sitting and shifting aside their cloak to poke out their hand. They put it on one of Otus' hands, as far as they can reach.

They're a bit cautious - they don't want to get Otus in trouble - but their friend looks so sad. A little bit of contact wouldn't hurt. ]

[pallidscops]

[ he looks down at his small companion with a smile, relieved to see him despite their circumstances. His fingers wrap around the Knight's little hand, and he holds on.

It's comforting.

No words needed, no exchange of vocals required, just...the warmth from that small hand. We'll make it through. A vote of confidence greater than any Otus could have come up with on his own. The owl boy looks his friend over from horns to little feet. Okay? Is he okay?

He even has his weapon. Otus wonders if they gave it much thought, but that nail is sharp. Really sharp. Maybe they didn't examine it closely. They didn't really look Otus' cloak over very carefully. Maybe they've never seen an owl cloak before? His free hand touches the Knight's head.

Welcome. Welcome to the rooftops. Glad that you're okay. ]

[lightlessfuture]

[ Despite the lack of a voice, they'd managed to get a permit for their weapon; they're authorized to carry it. It's a small comfort in a series of very long, strange days.

They notice Otus looking them over and nod briskly, giving him a thumbs-up, pushing their cloak aside to show they're all intact.

When they're patted on the head, they clasp Otus' much larger hand with both of their small ones, giving it a small squeeze.

They tilt their head, in curiosity. Is Otus okay? The guards probably hadn't hurt him, but this city is...they wouldn't say scary, exactly. But it's not a happy place. Not a place for people like Otus, who is soft and friendly. ]

[pallidscops]

[ It's Otus' turn to tilt his head-- understanding each other is hard sometimes. But the good intentions of it all come though, and Otus flaps the cloak out behind him a little, creating a small gust of air that lifts him off the roof for just half a second, and then sets him back down with a soft thud.

Yep, all good here-- though flying overhead made some highly, highly uncomfortable. He's opted into some good, old fashioned walking around, though it's quite evident he's a little uncomfortable in restraining himself from flying. These people-- are they like gnomes? Would they try to hurt him if he caught their attention?

Despite being physically okay, he looks pretty uneasy. Sitting on the rooftops helps, but just a little bit. ]

i.

[mamaterasu]

[Otus will find, when he's lifted himself to the top of the roof, that he is not alone. No person greets him, thankfully, but the figure of a white wolf laying with her front paws over the side of the building, dark eyes observing the movement of bodies below. How in the world did she get up here? Well, she's quite the agile thing, and both being able to spring off the air itself, as well as perform a wall jump is a feat she does possess.

One ears flicks to the sound of wings behind her, acknowledgement, but Ammy doesn't turn just yet. She assumes it's just another bird, swooping in to get away from the people of this dreary island. The only creatures here that could retain their freedom...while the human lay locked in their cage. Her expression, her very body language itself, is so different than the usual. Ammy has always been loose, happy, friendly, open...

But as her inky, black eyes scour the streets below, there is very little warm held in them. She's far more serious, more quiet, more watchful. This place is really quite terrible, and she has only been allowed to roam freely by pretending she is a captive beast, belonging to one person or another. The trick will not last long, she knows this, but for now...she can keep a low profile and simply learn what she can, from these people.]

[pallidscops]

[ Otus remembers this one-- she's soft, and very nice. No name for her that he can remember, but she had a wagging tail, and...that means she was happy, right?

She's a friend. He's standing at the edge of the roof, trying to convince himself to go and say hi to her, but it's hard without support-- even to someone he'd already met. She looks busy; what if he's bothering her?

He doesn't want to bother anyone.

Otus stays where he's at and touches the tips of his fingers against each other nervously. This whole place is nerve-wracking. For every reason possible. ]

[mamaterasu]

[She can feel his eyes on her, and that's what gives Ammy a reason to finally look away from the moving bodies down below. She's not one to really enjoy being on display, after all, ans if whoever it is has come this close to her, they must have a reason for it. Looking back, she spots a familiar young...bird? She's still not entirely sure, but little Otus reminds her so much of the Sparrow Clan and she wags her tail happily, lips pulling up in a friendly smile to greet him.

Sliding off the spot by the roof she was laying on, Ammy stretches out her back and trots over to him. She can do her people watching later - friends are always more important. Besides, he looks about as nervous and reserved as everyone else in this place. Perhaps he, too, was threatened for daring to be different.

What a horrible place, squandering creativity and originality like this...]