lifeaftr | May Intro: We're Going Down, Down

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May Intro: We're Going Down, Down

INTRO LOG: MAY

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: May 4th and onward
Where: Ensō...and above
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Floating Islet: And Sugar, We're Going Down Swinging
While new arrivals may generally be expected at this time of the month, one factor that has continuously failed to maintain consistency is their point of arrival. And indeed, it appears that this month has once again exceeded even the Storyteller's expectations as to where arrivals may take their first steps on this world.

Those who were with us in February will most certainly remember the floating islands hovering far, far above the mainland. While they currently remain inaccessible, they are still steadily floating overhead, shifting appearance as if made of the clouds themselves. And so while waking up on top of the world may be a surprise, at the very least new arrivals will have a bird's eye view of Ensō to enjoy for a time...until they take notice of a rather sinking sensation.

In fact, that sensation would be the island itself, starting to sink out of the sky.

So that's nice.

On a crash course for the ground at F6, the Storyteller will eventually slow the island's progress to the ground below, though a rather profound impact is, simply put, inevitable. Characters with the ability of flight will find the island skimming low enough to reach on their own. Others may wish to utilize their resourcefulness to find an alternate means down.

Or, perhaps, you'll simply deal with whatever awaits you at the crash site.

F6 and Beyond: In An Earlier Round
Thankfully, the Storyteller's intervention will ensure that no one still on the not-so-floating island upon impact will escape with minor injuries at worst, the island itself crumbling to pieces and taking down more than a few thick trees. The pieces of the island will very quickly begin to blacken, crumbling underfoot as the floating island turns to dust. Anyone still aboard may wish to make a very quick departure.

The ripples of this impact, however, are far more significant than two pieces of land bumping up against one another.

Previously, visitors to the floating islands may have experienced some...oddities, during their time above the clouds. For the next few days, these oddities will spread across Ensō itself, leading to some rather awkward scenarios:

[ ♆ ] Some may find their weapons are... behaving oddly, though all are still functional. Weapons, in this instance, may also include fisticuffs, if the intent is to use your fists as a weapon.

[ ♆ ] Equally as irritating are those who find themselves coming down with a severe case of NPCitus: periods of time in which they find themselves incapable of saying more than one or two lines of the same, repetitive dialogue.

[ ♆ ] Equal parts nostalgic and irritating for some are the instances of lag (walking forwards, only to find oneself back where they started), Swimmer's Ear (incapable of movement unless swimming through the air), and clipping (suddenly stuck halfway through the nearest rock are all common, regrettable side-effects).

[ ♆ ] Other unfortunate side-effects may also transpire, as varied and wild as one's imagination.

Though many of these may be hindering or even dangerous in the right situations, they are, for the most part, passive. The Storyteller will assure anyone who asks that these oddities will disappear in the next few days.

You are free to create or utilize glitches you are particularly fond of, though keep in mind that any potential content warnings should be mentioned in your toplevel! You may peruse some of the past glitches here, or create your own along those lines! And a special thanks to our local Donn-mun, Jake (

venesection), for the first glitch on the list!

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 )

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a: fly away on my zephyr (islets)

[ When Vax opens his eyes, it's...not what he was expecting, in all honesty. It's beautiful, far brighter than he could have imagined, with a sky so incredibly blue it hurts his heart to see. He lays still for a moment, watching the sky, watching the clouds pass — just taking a moment to breathe, relish the quiet around him. It's absolutely gorgeous; probably he could lie here forever.

That is, until his stomach lurches. That's a weird feeling. He sits up — nothing seems to be different. What's going on?

Then he notices it: the clouds are still passing, but...upwards. That strange lurch in his stomach is a steady queasiness, and as Vax clambers to his feet, he finally notices the rest of the islands, sinking along with the one he's currently on. ]

Oh, shit. [ And there's a quick glance around, to see if he's alone or if he's got company. ] I think it might be time to go!

b: dream of californication (on the ground!)

[ He manages to avoid dying by falling islands, luckily, by throwing Whisper at a tree and zipping over to it as the ground rumbles and crumbles beneath him. Okay. He'd been willing to believe that the Raven Queen's realm could be lovelier and brighter than expected, far more lively than her temples had ever been; this, though. This is pushing things. Vax watches as the last vestiges of the island he'd woken on falls to pieces into the ground, and then deftly jumps out of the tree.

Unfortunately, he'd also been paying attention to the islands rather than where he's landing. He tumbles at the collision, managing to avoid landing on his face, but also — what.

Question is: did he land on the centipuppy harassing you? Or did he land on you? ]

c: i'll make it to the moon if i have to crawl (glitching!)

Um. What?

[ Vax is. Having some issues. Some very, very confusing issues. He'd managed to take down a centipuppy on his own, but watching its corpse float into the sky is definitely new. He watches as it vanishes, his battle stance gradually sinking into just...dumbfounded confusion.

Unfortunately, this means he's not paying attention as his feet start sinking into the ground. ]

What the hell just happened to that thing?

d: you were made in a sea like me (wildcard)

[ Got an idea you'd prefer to throw at me? Please feel free! Or PM me and we can figure something else out, too ♥ ]

Edited (this is why i need to preview things first ) 2018-05-05 08:15 (UTC)

[Islands were falling out of the sky. Out of the sky. Islands. Islands that had no business being in the sky in the first place.

For his first month here Shion had kept a tally of reasons why this place was probably reality and reasons why they were probably trapped souls in a place that was not real and probably in false bodies. It had swung so far to the latter that he had given up. It probably didn't matter, they were trapped here either way.

Also he probably should be paying more attention to his surroundings rather than worrying about why the islands were falling, this area was full of strange centipede puppies. Also something hits him from behind and he falls, sprawling on the floor.]

[ Vax lands with...not really the most graceful of entrances, spinning as he crashes into another body, managing to pad away on the tips of his feet for a few steps, before losing his balance entirely and coming crashing into the brush.

Well. He certainly feels graceful. How many times had his sister rolled her eyes at his dexterity? It feels a little bit like all of that has just gone straight out the window, now.

Vax jumps to his feet after a second, dusting himself off before picking his way back to whomever he'd knocked over. A little bit of a sheepish laugh as he holds out a hand to help him up. ]

Sorry, about that. I guess I was a bit distracted with the islands. Are you all right?

[Luckily Shion had lost none of his training, he might be scrawny and weak but he knew how to fall properly. Even being landed on he didn't hurt himself past scrapes and bruises. It took him a moment to get his breath back]

I'm fine [He looks at the man, a visual check for any injuries] Are you?

[The Liberator is a little distracted at first, watching the centipuppy fly up, up, and awaaaaaaaaaaay. She didn't do that. Did this guy? That's an impressive telekinetic kick if so.

Hopping down out of her spot from where she was perched in the branches of a nearby tree, she reaches out with her mind, emanating a faint sense of approval. Her cloak and skirt are having some trouble settling down after her jump, whipping around her despite a complete lack of wind. The animal teeth tied to both as decorations clink lightly.

Checking out the new stranger, she can't help but notice his big-eared similarity to a couple of the current residents, and relays the mental image of the island's twin elves, Taako and Lup, standing beside a big pile of assorted goods -- but it's a brief flicker before the feeling of surprise takes over, pointing at Vax's feet.]

[ Perhaps it's lingering nerves from the fight, but Vax spins at the sound of rustling behind him, a dagger clutched tightly in his hand — and stops, when he sees a person. Granted, a person who looks — unlike anything else he's encountered before, but she isn't making any effort to attack, and he actually feels..like she's approved of what just happened. Well. That's certainly a new thing.

He blinks at the sudden image of elves in his mind, though, utterly unfamiliar and a little bit confusing, and Vax narrows his eyes as a hand touches his temple. ]

Is that— Are you doing that? [ It's enough of a distraction that at first, he doesn't realize that there isn't a wind to mess with her clothing, doesn't notice the hand pointing toward his feet. What a weird feeling, he's had folks charm him before, but never this. ] Are you in my head, right now?

[ When he does realize that she's pointing to his feet, he's sunk to about mid-calf; luckily, it's stopped there, but there's a holy shit when he notices. Vax jumps, and it works, but his feet still don't leave the ground. ] What the hell is going on here?! Are you doing this, too?

[Affirmative on the initial two queries, but as he keeps sinking, her solid negatory on the last changes to mild alarm. She'd just grab him if he wasn't holding that dagger, but as it is, she offers a slightly more concerned hand, bringing to mind the image of pulling the man out of the ground.

She's not really sure why he's sinking, but it's worth a shot, at least.]

[All things considered, and despite the unfortunate side effects of being trapped here, Kravitz' stay in Lifeaftr so far has been very peaceful. There's been a very minimal amount of monster fights, at least three parties, and with the twins at his side, plenty of good meals. Sure, he's having to deal with living again which isn't ideal, but the location has been nice. Downright pleasant, if not a bit hot.

This? This is none of those things. The fucking sky falling? Where did he end up where the fucking sky falls?

He hadn't yet ventured too far from where he's been staying, but apparently that doesn't matter for the catastrophe of the month, because as soon as the thing starts melting he's met full force with a body and Kravitz hits the ground hard with an oof, staring up at whatever-- or whoever-- just crashed directly into him. He can't see much at first, but-- another half elf? He thinks? At least Vax isn't in dissimilar company.]

... Was that truly necessary?

[ It's a bit of a softer landing than Vax had expected, which surprises him — until he realizes why it was softer, and wrestles his cloak out of the way enough to see the man he'd unfortunately landed on. He scrambles to roll away, standing and straightening himself out before holding a hand out to help him up. ]

Well, you know what they say— gotta make an entrance, right?

[ Granted, he has absolutely no idea who they are, and making entrances is pretty much completely against the rogue way of life. There's a bit of a sheepish laugh as he reaches to brush some plants off the man's shoulder. ]

I'm sorry — I guess I was a bit preoccupied. You're not hurt, are you?

[No worries, Vax, you did find a guy who's fond of a good enterence. He quirks an eyebrow at the other man, straightening the edges of his suit in time with leaves getting brushed from his shoulders. If Vax looks carefully, he might see the ornate dressings on the cloth; little patterns of feathers, ravens adorning the cufflinks, a bird skull clasp at the bottom of his neck. He's even got a few feathers tied into his hair. Regardless, he doesn't look angry, just a bit baffled.]

No, I'm-- I'm fine. Truthfully, I wasn't imagining a morning walk to become a contact sport, but I also didn't expect the sky to start falling for absolutely no reason. So I suppose we are all just trying today.

[He observes the other man who had dropped down, trying to remember if he's ever seen him before. He doesn't think so. He hopes he hasn't just forgotten.]

Have we met?

Haha! Welp. Looks like it took off.

[Yeah, Merle watched the whole thing. Honestly, it was pretty entertaining. And honestly, when you're stuck floating slightly above the ground in a T-pose, right wooden hand in a fist with an enchanted broomstick clipping through it, you take your entertainment where you can get it.]

Hey, you got something stuck on your foot, there.

[He tries to gesture with his eyes. He's not much for bodily movement at the moment.]

Yeah, you're telling me—

[ Vax responds before he turns around, the amusement plain in his voice, but when he finally does turn, he pauses. That's....certainly an interesting choice, and he cocks his head to the side a little, a bit of a grin curling his mouth. ]

Are you all right, Grandfather? You're..floating, a bit.

[ And then he realizes glances down to his foot, wondering what he could possibly be talking about, he doesn't feel anything stuck or weighing him down —

It's the ground. The ground is stuck on his foot. Or rather, his foot is stuck in the ground, and when Vax tries to raise his leg, it almost look like the limb stretches so that he remains stuck. ]

What— The hell is this?!

Oh, no, I'm only a dad. There's no way my little shits are having kids anytime soon.

[They're like, five. Or ten. Or somewhere in between there. Probably. Merle should probably know, but he barely remembers their names half the time.

Then the elf guy stretches out his leg and Merle busts out laughing.]

Yeah, this place is pretty out there. I'm kinda digging it. Got a real, uh, Alice in Wonderland vibe. Not the torture-y Wonderland, the hallucinogenic one.

[The Drifter is fortunate that the worst of their irritating affliction seems to have worn off; no longer do they skate inexplicably through the air without any change in their momentum or any means of stopping it, though their personal physics do not necessarily always behave.]

[They can certainly recognize when someone else is having the same problems. The centipuppy writhes hopelessly as it ascends like a low-flying cloud, which the Drifter watches with mild interest before turning to the one who killed it, noting his pointed ears. Elf?]

[Shouldn't elves be taller?]

[Or...shouldn't they at least not be shrinking?]

[The Drifter's gaze drops, slowly, until they're regarding the way the ground has clipped through to Vax's shins, and tips their head to one side. They do not speak aloud, but the little object about the size of a soda can chirps and issues a text-based HUD, translucent and pink and hovering in the air alongside them:]

quicksand?

[ The chirp catches him off guard, dagger immediately back in his hand and in a protective stance — but when Vax turns, it's much slower than he expected, almost as though he's moving through mud.

Turns out that isn't inaccurate, he realizes, as he glances down to find his legs buried midway up his calves in the ground. He glances up to his new company, about to say something and instead pausing when he reads the word hovering midair. ]

I— suppose, but the ground seemed solid enough before. [ It doesn't escape him, though, that he's sinking and you're not, friend. Ridiculous as it is, the dagger comes back up. ] You're not doing this, are you?

[That seems a familiar accusation. Their dark eyes narrow incrementally, round, beetle-dark spots slitting into crescents, but they do not allow it to nestle in the pit of them for long.]

no

[Their expectation is that he won't believe them. That would be historically on par with the manner of exchanges they have generally had to this effect. They have grown too used to being gauged on their own terms - and not for being the blue-skinned creature they are.]

[It was foolish to allow themself to forget, even for a moment.]

the islands above have strange effects

No kidding! [Even by contrast to Vax's urgency, Barry's not doing well. Running his fingers continuously through his hair, he paces- back and forth, back and forth. No wand- no magic. No easy way to get his body back if he dies.

And multiple other potential casualties, to boot. Looking to Vax, he's about ready to just lay down, accept this is how he's gonna go, this time. Potentially for the last time.] Any ideas on how we're doing that, 'cause I got nothin'.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

May Intro: We're Going Down, Down

vax | come at me!! will match style c:

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b!

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they're so cute omg

bear with them they unaccustomed to the curses of todd

a. well hello again c: