lifeaftr | March Event: De L'autre Côté de L'eau

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March Event: De L'autre Côté de L'eau

MARCH EVENT: DE L'AUTRE CÔTÉ DE L'EAU

Who: Everyone condemned to the Water, and those who see fit to rescue them
What: A rescue is implemented!
When:Predominantly on March 19th
Where: Ai'tuoh, and the small islet just off its coast
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Just Sing For Me All Night

It's time for your captured comrades to be recovered, and by none other than your fine selves! While the Storyteller will detail the elements of said rescue below, they very notably don't say anything about how they plan for you make it through Ai'tuoh, and then to the islet off its coast.

You have their tacit blessing to make your way there however you would like. Through stealth, through diplomacy, by salting and burning the earth...whichever you prefer. It is, as it turns out, awfully difficult to discern the innocent from the perpetrators when they all look alike.

Whatever course of action you choose, bear in mind that there will be consequences. The Storyteller will be sealing off Ai'tuoh's mana pool once everyone who has been retrieved has come through, but that doesn't mean that the island will be gone forever.

And If I Shout For You, Never Doubt

While the details of the rescue's mechanics can be found in the Storyteller's explanation below, we ask that, if your character was captured and needs to be rescued, please let us know HERE. This will make it easier for other players to account for who might be their focus, and why!

A few guidelines for each of the groups:

[ ♆ ] Group One will be predominantly busy fending away militia, who you can assume will be pouring forth to protect the Water from these intruders at a fairly concentrated rate. Most of the fighting will likely be grouped around the Water itself, leading to a risk of being forced into the Water or slipping in yourself. The militia largely fight with spears, swords, and shields, but are not above attempting to sedate you if they can get close enough, to make it easier to tip you into the Water.

[ ♆ ] Group Two will be serving as the tether, meaning they will be holding onto the thread the Storyteller has provided. This means physically remaining on our side of the abyss and holding onto the thread very tightly, as well as mentally focusing incredibly hard on the Water itself. When the thread is deposited into the Water, it will open a dark tunnel into the surface itself, leading all the way through to the other side. The Water will not take kindly to this; it will attempt to close, and exert a tremendous mental pressure upon your mind to do so. In order for this portal to remain open, your focus must be wholly devoted to keeping it open. It may feel very much like a mental game of tug-of-war, and you may very well feel a very physical tug on the thread itself as well; you must be actively concentrating on bringing everyone home.

[ ♆ ] Group Three will then have to grab hold of the thread in some way or another and not let go as they're swept into the dimension and through to the other side. As long as they remain in contact with the thread, they will be able to make their way back and be immune to the soporific effects of the strange void, as well as detect the opening the thread makes in the landscape of the netherworld on the other side of the Water. If they let go, they will lose their way and be vulnerable to the somnolent effects, and must be drawn back by someone who is still tethered.

Just remember: once you've found who needs recovering, you cannot, under any circumstances, look back at them while you guide the home.

You simply have to trust that they will follow, and that will be what leads them back to you.

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] March 19th: Characters are taken to the Standing Water, and the rescue is facilitated
[ ♆ ] March 20th: Monthly Storytelling occurs as usual
[ ♆ ] March 31st: Ai'tuoh disappears, and anyone left on it or in the Water will suffer a death

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( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There are some fates that are worse than death.

[He's learned this the hard way lately, on more than one level.]

Can you tell me what this place is? Anything that might make retrieval of those who do pass through the gateway easier?

Indeed, there are. [He'll face no argument from them on that front.]

It is not my domain. It is...difficult to explain. I suppose the closest approximation would be way of preserving things. A way to put things in storage, so to speak, until they can be of some future use. Isolating them from the stream and flow of conventional time.

[The concept prickles the hair across the ridge of their back once more. It's plain that this sort of talk is far from their ideal topic of conversation.]

Waste not, want not? Isn't that the saying?

[It makes him sick. People are condemned because of stupidly normal things like showing too much emotion, but who or whatever created this place doesn't just kill them. No, It throws them in a fridge just in case they could be useful later.]

These aren't resources or tools we're talking about. They're people. What kind of Being could possibly allow this?

For creatures such as gods, passage of that sort of time is but a blink of an eye. And there is...great power, in stories. In keeping them someplace where even the erosion of time cannot hurt them. Amassing so great a number that...

[The Storyteller trails off, seemingly losing the thread of that thought. They don't sound pleased about this, make no mistake, but their venom is not on quite the same level as Ignis's. Their gaze falls to the ghosting flame of the campfire at their backs.]

...but stories kept in stagnation are not really stories at all, are they? No one opens a book purely to read about an intermission.

No, they are not. Nothing allowed to stagnate survives. Left to do so too long, that which you wished to preserve will only decay and wither until all value is lost.

[Ignis isn't sure if such a warning to the Storyteller really means anything. Their mind is so different from his own, yet he feels the need to try.

Thinking of warnings, though, suddenly makes him look at his dream in a different light.]

Considering how helpless and terrified my dream made me feel, I was thinking of it as a threat. What if it was meant to be a warning instead? Could the sender be someone who may assist us in this task somehow?

That, I cannot say.

[The rabbit shakes their head, apparently unable to answer.]

I take it you are not typically host to such premonitions.

No, nev-

[He cuts himself off sharply as memory of the visions he had of Noctis' fated death come back to mind. For a moment, he winces in pain before forcing himself to continue in a slightly shaking voice.]

Once. I've had visions of the future once before, but I'm certain that was only because I was in the presence of a divine messenger. That time is nothing like this one.

[Pryna didn't pass some kind of permanent oracle-like ability to him when she passed, did she?]

Perhaps, in that case, your own world would be more to blame for that particular vision than this one.

[They're not saying it for certain, but it would certainly explain a few things, if Ignis's perceptions were a pattern rather than an anomaly.]

[Wouldn't they?]

[They would, but...]

Why would they waste such a thing on someon-

[Ignis runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head as if he is trying to tear himself free of the fear the idea of having permanent precognitive abilities causes. Already he's being forced to face the very real possibility that he won't be able to save the life of his brother--his king--no matter what he does. How is it fair to show him even more when he can't...

Well, he doesn't know he can't change anything on this one, does he? After all, he's already held the planning meeting and here the Storyteller is giving them much needed information.

He takes a deep breath, finally pushing away the lingering emotional tangle in his head.]

Never mind. You mentioned a trial. What is needed to make it successful?

[Perhaps, if circumstances were not as they were, the Storyteller would be more predisposed to pursue that line of thought. But at the moment, they've no time to preoccupy themself with personal issues.]

[They once again regard the spool of thread in the sand, nudging it with one paw.]

The Water is not a labyrinth, but it is a gateway. It requires a lifeline to keep its way open - a tether that one may travel to retrieve those lost to us.

[It's all right, fuzzy friend. Ignis isn't in the right frame of mind to pursue that line of thought either. Besides, he's not really known for putting thought of himself before thought of others.]

And that thread is strong enough to do that if dropped into the Water?

As long as it is supplemented by the strength of others, yes. Some will need to hold the tether to keep the way open, while others must journey into the depths to retrieve those in need.

[Can you see where this is going? It's going to be a group effort.]

[Oh yes, and his mind is already starting to wrap around how to best organize those remaining.]

There will also need to be those who protect the tethers and rescuers. I am quite certain our new 'friends' will not just stand by and watch as we attempt to retrieve them. Am I correct in assuming that those doing the rescuing will becomes just as lost as those already within the Water should the tethers break?

Yes.

[A simple answer, and the expectation was certainly there to begin with, but it is ideal to lay it out completely. To be as clear as possible.]

I suppose, then, a third group would be necessary to ensure that you are not overcome.

[Even if he can no longer see, Ignis wants as much clarity as he can get.]

I had a meeting a few days ago, if you weren't aware. We spoke of rescue attempts and how they might be accomplished. It gave me a pretty good idea of what people and resources we're still working with. I'll pass this information onto as many of those people as I can.

What else would you have us know about this trial? You called it 'The Trial of Orpheus.' Who's Orpheus? I don't believe we have his story on my world. If we do, it's told under a different name.

[The rabbit sits back on their haunches. If there would ever be a cue to draw up their great, heavy tome and card through the pages, one might assume it would be now.]

[But they don't.]

It is an old tale, from a people not of this land. It is better when properly told, but...it pertains to a gifted musician who lost someone he loved very dearly, and struck a deal with the gods on the other side of the abyss who ruled over the dead. They would allow him to return to the world of the living with his love, on one condition:

That when he would let her follow him out of the depths of hell, he not, under any circumstances, look back. He would simply have to have faith that she would follow.

[...it is, however, a tragedy.]

[It does not end kindly for either of them.]

[Ignis' lips thin and for a moment, he pales. He's got a large enough role in what will likely be a tragic tale of the ages that he knows another one when he hears it.]

The rescuers mustn't turn to look back. They have to have faith that those they are bring back will follow otherwise both will be lost.

[Lost to what? It can't just be to the Water because others could just go back after them. Death then?

Worse than?]

[Silence.]

[Then, wearily, the Storyteller nods.]

Those who enter willingly may return, even if they should fail. But those they fail to rescue...I will not be capable of retrieving them. They will remain in that place until the island disperses.

[As soon the Storyteller mentions the lost remaining until the island disappears, Ignis' mind goes to Monsun and the warning against remaining until it disappeared. They had to fight so hard to get Ardyn to leave lest he face death. Part of the man had still died, but...

He wretches himself from those thoughts. There's nothing he can do about that now and much he can do about this.]

They will die and if we're lucky, maybe you will be able to reach them then...

Precisely that, yes.

[This much uncertainty...it bodes well from a narrative standpoint, certainly. But they are no longer in a position to presume themself the narrator, ever ready to predict the end, infallible as they direct the path of the story's progression. They cannot claim to be that; not now. Not anymore.]

[They learned that lesson all too well.]

I'd not known the details of what manner of civilization I sensed, when I felt it. If I had...

[Perhaps they would have offered warning.]

[Ignis shakes his head.]

If you didn't know, you didn't know. There is naught to be done about it now aside from work to survive this together. We just have to be more careful in the future. Now is not the time for regret. It will gain us nothing when we need everything.

What more would you have me tell the others?

...be wary. I doubt their god will see fit to make an appearance, if they've not elected to do so before now, but one can never say.

[Something about this seems to put them on edge. The rabbit straightens, ears standing erect, twitching two and fro as though listening intently.]

[They lay flat a moment later.]

[Ignis frowns at the Storyteller's tone and behavior, unconsciously stepping closer as if he preparing to defend them should a sudden attack occur.]

Does that worry you?

[They're certainly acting on edge.]

You're afraid, aren't you?

[The rabbit stiffens, their nose twitching anew, and one hind foot drags over across the sand.]

No. No, I...

[And they abruptly lose steam.]

[The Storyteller's ramrod posture drops. Something about the whuff of air that escapes that soft little pink nose and the drop to their fuzzy shoulders communicates...exhaustion.]

Truthfully?

I am terrified.

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