lifeaftr | March Adventure: Swim with the Current and Float Away

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.

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

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

[Muffet doesn't trust this place now that she's seen the rules that Laurent brought back, and she certainly doesn't like them, but she knows the value of playing by the rules- right now, at least, when she can't afford to break them.]

[The simple fact of being a spider lady, well, there's nothing to be done about that, but she's managed to work out some appropriately colorless clothing and isn't visibly breaking any rules.]

[She greets Frisk with a calm nod, stepping up beside them and murmuring quietly:]

And how are you finding your stay here, so far?

I don't like it.

[It's stiff, and rigidly monotone, in a way that perhaps suggests a hard U-turn into old habits. Not by their choice, at least. Frisk sets their glass down on a table.]

But I know how this works.

Nor do I.

[Muffet hates seeing them like this, flattening themself down to fit someone else's demands, but she allows no trace of her feelings to show in her bearing and expression.]

I worry for the ones who don't know how to work with this, among our number-

[Her voice drops further, entirely inaudible to anyone but Frisk now.]

-and for all the ones who do, among these people.

That's why I want to help.

[Their tone remains even, but something in it flares out a little, gains some teeth at the edges. They pull at the sleeves of their coat almost restlessly and turn to look up at Muffet. Their hair, usually haphazardly pulled up, has been somehow tamed into a perfectly spherical bun, and they keep having to reach up to tuck a wildly rebellious lock behind their ear.]

Can I help you?

You are.

[A simple answer, but it's the truth. Seeing someone she knows and cares for in this place is having a calming effect, in a way, centering her by reminding her where her focus should lie.]

As it is, I wanted to ask if you would... keep an eye out for me, I suppose, to see if I come back through this way. I'm intending to try their market, to see if I can abide by their rules long enough to do some trading, and I didn't want to simply vanish without warning if something went wrong. If you know I've come through here, and I don't return, then at least someone will know why.

[A heavy topic to discuss with a child, she thinks, but angels know they've seen and heard worse before- something that's still at least partially her fault, to her own regret. But they need to focus on practical matters, now.]

I can go for you.

[They say it quickly, almost the moment she's finished talking, and bounce back on their heels once. Then Frisk seems to catch themself. Their mouth thins, and they shake their head firmly.]

I know how to trade with them. I did it for this. [they tug at the hem of their coat.] It's not dangerous for me.

Less dangerous, at least.

[As careful as they are, she knows better than to say there's no risk for them at all.]

I do appreciate the offer, but all risks aside I still wish to see this place for myself.

[Thus far she hates basically everything about Ai'tuoh, but she can't help but want to look at it in person before she makes her judgements. Perseverance, perhaps- or perhaps for all her talent with purple magic, she's got a bit of gold to her as well, enough to want to give them as fair a chance as she can manage.]

Then I'll go with you.

[They say this quickly, too, though it's more of a controlled speed than the blurting they'd done earlier; they've been prepared to make this offer from the start.]

People won't look as hard if you're with someone else. And I can do the talking. [Their mouth twitches into a grimace, and they glance away.] ... if you need me to.

[Muffet has no desire to take them into danger, but equally little to turn them aside.]

I wouldn't say it's a need, but if you want to come along then I certainly don't object to your company- even if I'd rather it was a much more pleasant outing.

[She tilts her head thoughtfully, considering how they might make this work to their advantage.]

You might be able to see more if you followed at a distance, so that you could watch how people react to me and see if any danger is coming, without being so close that you'd be caught up in it if it was.

March Adventure: Swim with the Current and Float Away

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