April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: APRIL

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: April 3rd and onward
Where: Ziziphus
Warnings: Mark as needed!

A9: Sow the Seed
Unbeknownst to new arrivals, the archipelago of LifeAftr has recently seen the appearance of a new island, as chosen via voting - and they have been unceremoniously placed there instead of upon Ensō, where most newcomers would typically appear. It's probably for the best that the island of Ziziphus is so outwardly peaceful. There are worse places to find yourself, all things considered. The mana pool glimmers with a greenish light, the stone ring containing that peculiar fluid set firmly into the earth. The surrounding land fits neatly into that general aesthetic: rippling fields stirred by the occasional crisp breeze alternate between amber-golden and rich, verdant green in coloration, and irregular patches of color signify the presence of a great deal of flowers of all sorts.

It's a peaceful scene.

We're sure you're all about to make it go horribly wrong.

B9: Reap the Harvest
For the unluckier, or the more adventurous, something far less tranquil awaits. Perhaps you woke up on this particular map square instead, or you saw fit to journey a little farther, just to see what might happen. In any case, you'll quickly discover that this may not have been the best idea, when an ordinary grassy mound abruptly detaches itself from the ground, hauls itself upright on bristling legs, and starts scuttling near.

SPINDLANKS have now been unlocked in the bestiary.
What might initially appear to be a leafy hillock will very quickly prove to be something far more...mobile, if you get close enough. That clump of grass and red ferns will abruptly hoist itself up on six vine-like tendrils, crawling for its prey like a very large, mossy spider. While it's fully capable of swiping at its foes with its massive, leafy arms, the spindlank's favored method of dispatching its prey is simply to scuttle forth until it's positioned directly above you and drop down. If its weight does not crush you and choking on the clods of earth doesn't smother you, don't worry; the spindlank intends to eat you alive with a set of fleshy jaws set deep in its center, buried somewhere in its underbelly.

For despite their appearance, spindlanks are very much carnivorous. Their size can vary from anywhere between six and ten feet tall when their appendages unfurl entirely. They are, in essence, very large plants, and thus can be easily dealt with, if you can burn them.

Just try not to get overwhelmed.

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All new arrivals will awake with knapsacks, their names stitched to the front. The contents of said knapsacks can all be found in your acceptance notices!

As a final note to those who participated in the Test Drive Meme, bear in mind that those threads, if all parties involved would like, can be game canon in the form of dream-like memories involving a place very much like this one, though the layout is considerably different.

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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

Keith | Will match format.

[thermalwind]

Manapool [A9].
[A lone shadow peels away from the others at the manapool. Keith moves as quietly as he can, knife drawn in case he runs into trouble. There's no telling what they'll run into and after the last island he has no desire to meet it without a blade in hand. He stops to scan the rolling grass with eyes flicking left and right. He won't swing unless he has to.

But so far this area seems for the most part a good place to establish a small camp. He glances back at the pool that glints green in the sunlight. A ring of stones surrounds it for purposes unknown. Possibly to contain it. He decides to leave it alone as he circles the parameter of the area.

High overhead his phoenix, Ember soars. He'd decided to bring the bird with him when he realized the two pronged assault could aid him in getting intell back to the group. He catches movement out of the corner of his eye and jerks back, looking towards the source.]

Hey! See anything out there?

Plant monsters? Plant monsters. [B9]

[With the manapool secure and a camp struck for later, Keith strikes out away from the others. With just him and his bird, he takes his time scanning about for what the island has to offer. He has decided on being a self appointed scout. Still he almost doesn't see the creature until he's almost upon it.

It blends in well with the grass around it. Too well. Keith leaps back as dirt drips down from the suddenly upright shambling plant. He dances back while purple light washes over his knife reshaping it into a sword. He whistles, short and shrill. Ember plunges straight down in a killing dive and ignites.

As he tosses his sword to his left hand and draws his clear, glass-like knife with his right she strikes full on against the upper part of the plant beast.]

Camp [A9, sunset]

[Keith emerges from the tall grass and jerks his hood back, the mask over his face fading away. He unslings his pack from his shoulders on his way over to the small fire pit he dug earlier in the day. The sun is setting. He could go back to Enso through the portal. But he's reluctant to leave.

He drops his pack with a sigh. Time to get a fire going. He sits down, crossing his legs under him and flicks his knife. If anyone approaches he'll look up from his work and raise his eyebrows.] What are you standing around for? Come on over, fire will be going in a minute. No sense in you being cold.

Wildcard
[Got an idea? Hit up this journal!Or hit skyheron.]

camp

[raygunner]

[ It always, always strikes him just how kind people are. And really, it's foolish for them to be so; even though they're all stuck in this world, they're virtually strangers. There's no reason for them to be nice to so many people.

... Still. ]

Thank you. That's very kind of you.

[thermalwind]

Not really. Just making sure if something tries to come for the mana pool, it has enough defenders. [He strikes his flint against the edge of his knife. It's easy to see even in the fading light. The glow of the symbol on the hilt gives him just enough light. It doesn't take long at all to get the fire started.

He uses a stick to stir up the burnable contents.]

Or I guess consider this a trade. What did you see out there?

[raygunner]

[ Ah, that makes sense. ]

Well, you're lucky to have me. I have quite a considerable amount of combat experience.

[ He crosses his arms. ]

A large, plant-like creature. It was quite hostile, actually.

[thermalwind]

I got attacked by one too. It didn't use its legs to knock me around like it could have. It just tried to drop on top of me.

[He cleans his knife and sets it in his lap. If he needs to fight it will be within easy reach. Keith glances at the fire.]

It really didn't like being harried by a phoenix.

[raygunner]

It seems we both had unfortunate luck. I'm glad for my fire abilities, at the very least.

[ He sits close to the fire. ]

A shame our first moments here were spoiled by being accosted by murderous plants.

[thermalwind]

It's about what we expected, isn't it? Nothing is wholly safe here. Not even on Enso. Especially after the siege on Chol.

[Keith leans back, cracking his back in one swift jerk.]

At least they aren't that hard to deal with. For now, anyway.

[raygunner]

Yes, we're lucky they're exceptionally flammable.

[ At least Robin had been allowed to keep his fire skill... even if it's weaker than Akechi would like. ]

One more experience like this, and it's bound to make a person paranoid.

[thermalwind]

I think we're all reasonably paranoid. Any island we come upon has been trying to kill us one way or another.

This one is all plants but it's the same situation. [He turns his head to peer at the long grass.]

On the bright side we might be able to secure what seeds we need to grow more plants we actually need.

A9

[sorewatopsecret]

[The other members of Takane's exploration group are off exploring other parts of this square to get a lay of the land, though in her case, she hasn't quite moved away from the pool. One of her core philosophies is that haste makes waste, after all.

Hopefully this island won't be as dangerous as the last one they found themselves in... Then again, killer plants and whatnot may be easier to deal with than other people, if it came to defending oneself. Takane tests the weight of her newly acquired shovel, intending to use it to uproot plants if needed, but wonders if she will have to use it for other means... and if she would be able to bring herself to.

Her thoughts are interrupted by hearing a voice calling out to her, and she slowly moves her head to face its source. Ah. Though he is for a most part a stranger, Takane feels like she's seen him somewhere before... probably someone else who got wrapped up in the whole happening around the Standing Water? She takes a short glance upward at the sky, seeing the smaller-sized phoenix soaring the air with interest glimmering in her eyes, before she regards his question. She shakes her head.]

... Just as the Storyteller had said, these eyes of mine can only catch sight of greenery in all directions. This truly is an island primarily consisting of vegetation... I believe that if we were to have more specific knowledge of what can be found on this island, we must venture further and examine everything closely.

[thermalwind]

Sounds about right. Is there an expedition group being set up or already set up?

[He slides his knife away for now and pulls his hood back away from his face. he closes enough distance between them they can talk freely without bothering to raise their voices. He'd seen her before probably at the Standing Water.

The important questions out of the way he follows her gaze up to where Ember is sweeping over head. He whistles and the bird drops down onto his held up forearm. Who knew space armor would serve as a good perch.]

Felt like we needed scouts above and below.

[sorewatopsecret]

[Takane's eyes follow the phoenix's movements until it perches onto the boy's arm. Impressive. A simple slight tilt of her head to the side is all she does to convey that thought outwardly.]

That is very thoughtful of you. I feel reassured to have such a capable pair around. You must be quite lucky, or incredibly skilled in animal handling, to not have one explode on you instantly...

[From what she saw, the great majority of people trying to handle chicks on that day met quite the fiery outcome. It was quite the day, trying to make sure no one was burned seriously...]

To answer your question, I have not heard word of anything formal, but I am currently about to venture forward with some associates, to discover the gifts that nature has to offer us on this new land. A member of my usual group is currently feeling quite ill, so we are looking to procure anything that could assist in relieving him somewhat.

[thermalwind]

Well, if you want extra hands when you do I'll help. [He lightly taps the knife hilt on his belt. Having something to do after cooling his heels in that cell for so long would do him some good.]

I'm good with a blade and not that bad of a scout. As for Ember here...I'm not sure it was animal handling. I showed him respect and he didn't burn me as a result. [The bird croons and he nods to it.]

You can go back up. [Ember leaps up off his arm and sweeps his wings in powerful downward flaps, cutting his way back up into the sky.] He's just restless.

[sorewatopsecret]

[With a small smile on her face and a brief giggle of understanding, Takane's gaze follows the phoenix reascending to the sky. Respect, hm... That only cements her belief that the reason behind one of the chicks exploding in her friend's face was because he insulted it. That silly boy.

Once the bird was fully back to his own business, she'll return to the conversation at hand, giving a brief nod of acknowledgement.]

You are too kind, good sir. I shall keep that offer in mind, but unfortunately my companions and I may get in your way... Though miraculously we have thwarted the grasps of fate thus far, we are not very adept in terms of survival situations. [Yet here they are, about to explore anyway. What is self-preservation.]

[thermalwind]

Just Keith. [They're going to explore without knowing much about survival, it causes a faint frown on his face.]

...and that's not really a problem. I could teach you. Better now than when you absolutely need it. [They might absolutely need it shortly anyway.]

It's up to you. If you want to learn later on down the road, the offer is going to still be there.

[sorewatopsecret]

Keith. [She repeats the name with a nod of acknowledgement. She will respect that. Likewise, she'll return the courtesy:] I am Takane. To answer your offer...

[She pauses for a moment to think about it, a hand on her chin as she looks off into the distance. Seeing the pattern of these islands, she most probably will need it. Perhaps she can impart what she's learned to her friends as well... With her decision made, she gives a resolute nod to Keith.]

... Yes, actually, I've ran into so much perils that it certainly would be absurd not to accept. While I do know some self-defense, and have done stage combat for some movies, it obviously cannot suffice when it comes to strange creatures and the like...

[She did almost kill a man once. Except that man was her friend and it was thanks to the floating islands' influence that she wanted to kill him, against her will. It was a bad time.]

[thermalwind]

[She knows self defense but it's important to know just how much.]

It won't. [Blunt as ever he nods once, his eyes accessing her for the tell tale marks of a fighter. How one holds themselves and moves tells another trained warrior what to expect.]

First, whenever you're free I want to see how much self defense you know. What weapons have you handled, if any. It's easier to learn something you've got some experience on.

[They could ask the Storyteller for the weapon for training purposes and combat use.]

B9

[solperierat]

[Ember isn't the only phoenix in the sky around here--a second flaming bird comes peeling down out of the sky to strike at the shambling hillock's other side, quickly followed by a much larger winged combatant.]

[The force of Ed's impact is shocking, enough to set the thing even further off-balance than two spots of living flame already do, but Edward himself is too focused on ripping into it to consider if Keith might be in it's stumbling path.]

[thermalwind]

[Keith gets the hell out of the way as two new combatants hit the creature. It stumbles under the assault while the Blade whistles to call Ember back into another pass. The fire bird strikes the side Ed isn't with its companion close behind.

The plant beast is not doing so well by now. Between the four attackers its trying to get away. A sword cutting through one of its legs hinders that effort.]

[solperierat]

[Ed keeps tearing away at the thing, seemingly bent on destroying whatever might be at the core of it. Heather swoops up and around for another pass, lighting the base of one leg alight and calling out to it's sibling.]

[He'd be hard pressed to miss the spindlank stumbling once more from Keith's blow, and he looks around a moment before spotting the human and cursing to himself.]

Cut that leg through, ground it!!

[thermalwind]

[Not quite human. His scent will give him away when he gets close enough. Keith spins, using his momentum to slash through the leg with his blade. He reverses the strike cuting right to left to be and withdraws.

The stumbling Spindlank hits the dirt. He leaps up onto it, draws his knife, and flips both blades to stab down into the beast.]