lifeaftr | April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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.

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.

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

She has no idea why he's flapping his mouth like a fish on dry land, squinting both at the bright light and trying to figure out just what this small-eyed person and companion are doing here.

Though not about to put down her spear, she does rest it over her shoulder, shielding her eyes against the sun with her free hand as she peers down the field. Maybe it's still too far for him. Appearing slightly more wary of the dog than Magnus himself from the shift of her eyes -- people are good, animals can be trouble -- she walks to meet him in the tall grass, adding an inquiry to both: the image of both Magnus and the dog chasing down a deerlike creature together, accompanied by a vague sense of curiosity. She assumes they're partners, but it would be good to have confirmation.

Magnus walks at a steady pace, avoiding moving too fast - something rare for him, which his friends could certainly vouch for - risking leaving himself vulnerable in hopes of showing this stranger he means no harm. Johann, unnerved, growls, but Magnus shooshes he dog and pats him on his back when he's close enough, which seems to at least quiet down the wary animal, now keeping next to his owner.

Another image flashes and Magnus stops, just a few feet from her. This is definitely her doing...right? He's not sure, but it's the only option he has right now.

"Huh..." He hasn't really done any deer hunting lately. The image confuses him, as it doesn't feel familiar, but the curiosity registers and he tries.

"Huh, no? Or..I mean, kinda?" With an unsure look, he shrugs, holding his hands up still. He pauses for a moment, thinking, before he crouches down and sets his hand on Johann's head.

" He's my friend. We're from..." He doesn't know if this creature understands words, actually. Can they read his mind, or only project into it? He tries to think of an island, and points behind himself and Johann, in the direction they come from. And talks, yes, covering all his bases.

"We're from another island. Near here. Are you-- are you from here?" And thinks...of a small house, of them in it, in a place very similar to this field. And a whole lot of confusion. Is this thing on?

She squints at the pair, 'listening' hard before shaking her head. The images come again; the smallest, briefest flicker of someplace very dark, alien honeycomb-like structures stretching from floor to cavernous ceiling, fading quickly to a longer view of some sort of barren wasteland, sandy soil and rocky cliffs, with little more than the occasional scrubby bit of grass clinging to life. Other people, like herself, resting in the shade of a rocky overhang as the sun sits high in the sky.

An island is still something she can understand, a house somewhat less so. So don't worry Magnus, you're not the only one emanating mild confusion here. Still, there was that dream... as almost an afterthought, she pictures the Storyteller's rabbit shape by a campfire.

This is sure a new way to talk to people! He should probably tell Ren about it, since he was looking for ways to talk with her friends who don't talk-- wait, Magnus, focus.

"You met the Storyteller." He perks up at that image, and while the confusion stays, there's a feeling of recognition, slowly putting things together. "Are you new?" This one is harder to put into words or to picture a specific image for, instinctively thinking of the figure in front of him in that honeycomb-like place, and then suddenly in this field. A feeling of something that doesn't match, but also a vague feeling on relating to an experience. He's not from here either. And he remembers waking up in a thick patch of ice, of waking up cold and confused, seeing a rocky island in front of him, and grey skies ahead.

He thinks of too many things, trying to, somehow, think of something clearer for her.

"I'm not-- this isn't my home, either. These islands. Did you wake up here?"

April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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