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

b9

[crosslaced]

[Laurent is a man of standards, and when the most qualified person on this archipelago is Ignis- who has little he doesn't have, himself (skill, intellect, a face to attract the undisguised lust of dozens)- if his partner never showed up staying single and disinterested forever would've been easy. Except this is happening.

He’d paused to see if this stranger needs help, but he's staying because Shiro is beating up a beast with his bare goddamn hands. These are his standards maybe. They're pretty high.

Oh yikes there's another plant monster.

The second Spindlank does not quite have the ability to come after Shiro. Something's harpooned it and pulling it back- guess who’s added rope to the end of their spear for things like this!]

Careful!

[propugnator]

( it hurts.

there's a distinct ache in his chest from where the thick limb of the spindlank crashes into him. it's not severe enough to hinder his ability to fight, but it does make him grateful to have avoided a more direct hit. whatever this thing is, it hits hard. he tucks himself inward to roll away from another strike before throwing himself back onto his feet.

a spear sings its way through the air then, piercing through the thick vine-like appendage of the spindlank and nailing it down to the ground. shiro glances back to where laurent is, a "thank you" on the tip of his tongue, but there's no time to voice it before another vine is swinging their way but this time towards laurent in particular. there's almost no time to react. he yanks the spear out from the plant creature's limb, slicing through it in a fluid curve on the way out, before using it slice cleanly through the appendage aimed towards laurent. )

Sorry!

( for stealing the weapon, that is. )

Are you alright?

[crosslaced]

[He pulls back his wrist to call something more magical this time, but suddenly the man is there, tearing the Spindlank apart. The glittering ice spear is his hand wobbles and pins itself to a random spot on the downed monster. For a moment Laurent sees the image of Damen, cutting down men for daring to raise a hand against him.

The blonde has his eyebrows raised; he looks quite surprised. Laurent has the sinking feeling that this handsome stranger will open his mouth and he'll have to sue the Storyteller for copyright infringement.]

Yes. I'm fine.

[propugnator]

( with the monster felled, all of shiro's attention shifts onto laurent. he twirls the spear in his grip, a smooth movement, as he approaches. )

Thank you for the help.

( then he's extending the spear back to him, sharp end pointed inward and away from the both of them. )

I couldn't have done it without you.

1/2

[crosslaced]

[YIKES.]

[crosslaced]

[> a giant beautiful animal
> honourably gives thanks where it's due.
> acknowledges laurent as more than a snarky young upstart.
> acknowledges laurent as more than a snarky young upstart


indeed, he's suing. someone needs to pay for this cosmic joke that's he's the butt of right now. laurent snaps himself out of his two-second trance and takes the spear, social graces still in place even as he is having a internal feelings crisis.]

That's flattering, for someone who's just killed a beast with his bare hands.

[propugnator]

You're too modest. You and your spear helped.

( simply, oblivious to whatever is going on in laurent's head. then he's extending a hand out towards laurent, requesting a handshake. )

The name's Shiro. It's nice to meet you.

[crosslaced]

Laurent.

[ r u d e stop being so chivalrous!!!!

Still, Laurent takes the hand with a poise quite Altean. Or maybe it's a royalty thing.]

I take it you're new here? I haven't seen you around.

[He would probably have noticed.]