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

Hush now. There is no need to thank me, my darling. This is what family does for each other.

[Ignis isn't surprised that she picked up on the mention of his lost powers no matter how causal he tried to make it. Still, she doesn't push it and for that he is grateful. He would rather focus on what he can do something about and that is her eyes, not bringing Noctis back.

Once he feels the canvas has absorbed as much water as it will, he pulls it from the container and then coaxes her to lean forward with a gentle pull on her hand.]

I'll try not to soak your clothes, but I make no promises. Apologies in advance.

[At least he can loan her his jacket afterward if need be.]

[ She nods, once, giving his hand another squeeze. Then, he's pulling her close, and she tenses up a little at the expectation of pain. It's something she's never been fond of, something she thinks makes her a coward...

All the same, she leans forward, letting out a shaky breath. ]

No-- You have no need to apologize. It is only water.

[It may only be water, but he's a chef and he knows well there are things one doesn't mix with water. He can only hope whatever is in her eyes isn't one of those things. Ignis will never forgive himself if he makes things worse.]

Try to keep them open as much as you can for the moment. I'm going to flush them before I begin wiping around them.

[Pretty standard procedure, but he says it more as a warning that he's about to begin than anything else. Startling her so she shuts her eyes as the cool water washes over them isn't going to help anything.]

[ The idea of opening her eyes, quite frankly, frightens her, and she swallows hard. A cold sweat breaks out on her forehead, but she nods. She knows Ignis doesn't want to hurt her or frighten her, so she steels herself and opens her eyes. Bites her lip against the whimper that threatens to burst forth.

It's not a lot, how much she's opened her eyes... but she hopes it's enough. ]

[A little is sometimes enough. They have to start somewhere.]

Blink the water through your eyes. I know it hurts.

[He gives the hand he's still holding a squeeze. Don't worry. You aren't alone.]

[ She makes a soft, pained noise, her lips pursed so hard they're white. Her hands are shaking, but she squeezes back as she does her best to blink. ]

I-I'm sorry... I-Ignis...

Shh... There is nothing to be sorry for. You're doing fine. This is the most painful part, but you can close them again now if it's easier.

[Gently, he takes to wiping around her eyes to get rid of whatever she may have blinked out along with what may remain that the water didn't wash away. Honestly, he would rather draw her into his arms and soothe the pain away that way, but he knows that won't work. Hugs will just have to wait.]

Th-thank you, [ she breathes, closing her eyes. Some of the ink is out of her eyes; quite a bit of it, actually, and she hisses quietly through gritted teeth as it burns her skin. ] I think it's... a little better now.

[It heartens him to hear there is some improvement. After a few more gentle wipes to get what ink remains on her skin, Ignis sets aside the cloth and wipes his hand on his pants before digging into the medical supplies he has. The Jormun kit has some treatments for burns in it and while these are not typical burns--they are more chemical in nature--he hopes the treatments may help soothe the pain at least a little.]

I have some salve that will help with the burns to your skin. After that, we'll see about getting you back home to rest.

April Intro: The Flower Ripens in its Place

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