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

[Do not speak unless spoken to. It's not your place to -]

Hello. [Damen nods in acknowledgement.] Did you need something? I have something you can use to cover your hair, if you think it might be a problem.

Oh [His hand comes up to touch his hair, he had thought of that but...] I'm unsure on their opinions of head coverings. [They dislike pockets for apparent deception and there were rules against accessories.]

There's no specific rule forbidding it. It could be said there's an unspoken one, though - I don't think it's in fashion to wear one and anything not in fashion draws attention.

[He's not really sure it can be called fashion when everyone's everything is so unerringly the same, but that's the only way to describe it. It's worth noting he's arranged his himation so it covers his head because it doesn't quite match the texture or style of everyone else in this place and if anyone asks he can pass it off as a cultural quirk.]

So it's really more a matter of what you think might catch more attention.

[Shion nodded and thought about it. What would draw more attention, a head covering or his hair.

It's stupid, he's long stopped being so self conscious about the way he looks and indeed since he left his world it has become a non issue. He has met trolls, lizard people and talking dogs. No one stared at him for having scars and weird eyes and hair.

But he had gotten some side glances here, really he doesn't even care but also he doesn't want to get arrested and he is trying to attract as little attention as possible.] Could I borrow something?

Here.

[Damen produces a plain headscarf from the folds of his chiton and offers it. Funny thing about pockets: they have to be a seperate feature to be considered a pocket. Damen's chiton contains no such thing, it's just a giant tube of fabric and you can keep small items above the belt if you want. Kind of like keeping items in the sleeve of your kimono.]

Do you need help tying it?

Thank you [He takes the headscarf and puts it over his head. It is clear he has never worn one and positions it in several different ways, as if trying to work out the correct way to wear it. Was there a correct way? It was decidedly larger than the small squares of cloth he would cover his head with when helping his mum in the bakery.

He nods] Yes please.

Like this.

[Centering the scarf behind Shion's head, Damen gently ties it into a crown. He knows a handful of other ways to tie a head covering, but they're flashier and made for women who didn't wish to do their hair. This is the least obtrusive style he knows.]

It shouldn't come apart, but I wouldn't trust it to last through a fight.

[Shion watched as best he could as the headscarf was tied, it was a little difficult to follow when it was being tied on him but he thought he got the general idea.]

Thank you. I'm not planning to get into a fight [He would lose. Unless he could take them down very quickly, not likely if they were attacking him, he would have more pressing problems if he got into a fight.

He really needed to start training again, even if there was a knot in his stomach every time he thought about it.]

I'm Shion by the way.

Damen. [The King of Akielos says if it pleases you, call him "Damen."] No, Damianos.

[He doesn't usually mind introducing himself as Damen, but here it tastes like ash on his tongue. Unconsciously, Damen's hand rubs at the place on his wrist where a cuff usually sits. Not having it feels strange here when so much of him wants to kneel whenever Laurent so much as speaks.]

I am Damianos.

Damianos. [The pronunciation is pretty good, Shion has gotten used to names from many different worlds.

He doesn't know Damianos, but he notices the gesture. The way the man rubs his arm, like something is missing.

A bit like despite the fact Shion spent the last few years hating the collar he wore he feels strangely naked without it. Like his neck is too exposed though he has stubbornly refused to wear anything to replace it. Because he's not even sure what to do with that feeling and so is ignoring it, pushing it into the growing pit of things he is not thinking about.

Or perhaps not like that at all but something seems off and Shion really doesn't know... he can cope with having to keep his face blank. He has ways of comforting people that don't use facial expressions, he had gotten used to not having a face. But all those ways then use touch and he's not allowed to touch anyone here either and so he is a bit lost.]

We probably shouldn't stand still. [He blinks at him, trying to convey all his worry with his eyes alone] Do you want to walk?

I apologize. [Damen breathes in, then out.] Did you have somewhere in mind? There are certain vendors that are easier to deal with, if you brought something to trade.

[The inability to trade certain items made the trading more difficult than it was in most places, but most importantly he wasn't sure how it was meant to be sustainable. No one place could produce everything a civilization needed, and Damen hadn't the foggiest how the hell these people kept their city running with such strict trade laws.]

You don't have to apologise. [Blinking at him again, he wants to reach out so badly. It almost hurts not being able to reach out and hold his hand, to convey his worry that way.]

I don't. I was just looking around. [He didn't have anything to trade, even if he had wanted to risk it with such strict laws around it.] Have you spoken to anyone here yet?

A few. Many are wary of talking to strangers, but those that are here at the docks are more willing to talk. [Damen tilts his head slightly, toward the inn.] Several of us are staying there, at the inn, and the owner is agreeable.

[Damen's not entirely sure if that's because Laurent could talk anyone into being agreeable or if the innkeeper is actually sympathetic. It could be either, honestly.]

[Shion nodded, looking back towards the inn] I guess... they might be more use to strangers at the port.

[Strangers from where though? It seemed so... strange to Shion that this was a whole world that was potentially full of people. Cities like this, hopefully not exactly like this. His world only had six cities in total and the Tower had been on a world that was as dead as all the worlds they came from.

But this port, it suggested trade with places.] An inn... a hotel... [He's read books. In his mind he will always imagine a hotel like Dog Keepers hotel, but he knows that really this will be nothing like that] An inn suggests people come here quite often from other places.

Edited 2018-03-22 13:45 (UTC)

March Adventure: Swim with the Current and Float Away

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