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

[That's an easier response. Two knocks.]

[It's all right, friend. You've tried your best, for what little you could do. You've lent them your ear, your company, your concern. Who would they be to try and come away with more than that, than their rightful share? He has already tried so hard on their behalf.]

[It's all right.]

[There is only so much anyone can do for them at this stage.]

[Two knocks. One for yes, two for no. They didn't want him to go and get help. Once Shion would have done it anyways but now... He couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't lead to them being hurt more.

So he would remain silent, even though every part of him screamed that he should do more, do anything in order to help them. He couldn't though, not now at this moment in this cell.

But...] When... they will need to take us elsewhere... Hopefully as a group [If they took them one by one... that was a different matter. That would be more difficult. Harder to get everyone out, to escape together.

And they would escape, or try their best because Shion was not giving up.]

I... I have white hair and red eyes, I don't know what you look like so... try and find me. I'll try my best to help you. To get you out.

[Not I will protect you or I'll make sure nothing bad happens because they were promises he couldn't keep. But promising to try his hardest to protect this unknown person, he could do that. He couldn't promise to succeed, wouldn't promise that because he knew he wasn't strong, wasn't brave, was still despite everything a person who relied on others. But he also knew he was not someone who would leave anyone behind if he could physically help it.]

[White hair. Red eyes. That...hair like Ren, maybe? She has silver hair, but the two are close enough. They will...perhaps they can recognize him by his voice, as well. They stand out, they know, as they tend to. Perhaps that will be enough for him to recognize them in turn.]

[He ought to save himself. He ought to do what he can to escape. In this state, they will only drag down the efforts of anyone who attempts to assist them, so slow and unwieldy they are as a result of the deprivation of their sprite.]

[...given his tenacity, however, there is every possibility, even should they refuse, that will simply make him more determined.]

[More than a slight possibility.]

[And so they knock. Once.]

[Yes.]

[If they die before they wake, then at least it will be in service to others.]

[It is not so different from dying in service to a god, in its own way.]

[A knock. One knock. Yes. They will try and find him. That's a plan then. Not the best plan Shion has ever had. After all he has no idea where they are right now, where they will be taken, where the mana pool is from here. Their neighbour is injured and once Shion would have been able to carry them, like he carried Aster when they were expelled from the tower, like he carried her on their dead worlds. But now he was weak, would not be able to. But he would try his best.]

Try and rest. Save your strength.

[There was nothing else Shion could do. But he could think and as long as he could think things were alright. He could come up with a plan.]

[One final knock.]

[Save their strength. They hardly have any to speak of, but they've no options available to them to pass the time other than the obvious: curling up in the corner, making themself as small and unobstructive as possible, and try to conserve their energy with eyes closed and breathing shallow.]

[Sleep, if they can.]

[Between the dry heaves and coughing fits and the spurts of vertigo, there's not much hope for that.]

March Adventure: Swim with the Current and Float Away

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