May Intro: We're Going Down, Down

[lifeaftr_mods]

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!

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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

[crosslaced]

[Truth to be told, the normal person's reaction would be of horror but Laurent just thinks ‘that's more like it’. This is real hatred, understandable hatred, not Ignis’ pathetic Chapter 9 account. But since he knows nothing about canonpoints Laurent just assumes the man was a goner from the start. Going for a man who blinded you is Damen-tier levels of stupid.

Truth to be told, this is impressive. awful, but impressive.]

That's awful.

[He doesn't say that Ardyn sounds too much like a politician to have left serious targets alive. Who knows if that was what happened. What he can know, what becomes increasingly evident is that this man is going to hugely disrupt the Ardyn Reformation project a few people have got going on. He's going to be a problem.

Not necessarily Laurent's problem, though.]

The islands are full of do-gooders, so I think we haven't had to deal with murder… but maybe it's about time.

Are you and Ignis close? I've only talked to him a few times. [Laurent you invade his house daily demanding food.]

[piercetheheart]

Murder applies to people. [And Ardyn is definitely not human. He's a monster, he's worse than a monster.] I don't know that I can kill him. I think... Godsdammit! It has to be Noct.

It didn't work the last time we killed him, it won't work now. His death is the only thing that will lift the darkness but I can't fucking do it. [Okay that's not true but it kind of is and Gladio's still not 100% on board with the whole Noct sacrificing himself part of things. As much as he prepares for the worst that doesn't mean he likes it or even wants to admit it has to happen.

It's the turn back to Ignis that makes him take a breath, try to calm down, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the depths of his hatred for Ardyn. Just because it's Iggy.]

Iggy? He's my best friend. [Firm and without hesitation, no matter how much distance has come between them over the years.] I mean we've been working together, looking after Noct since we were kids. He's...[And if Laurent is looking for it, there's a slightly pained, wistful kind of exhale that's not quite a sigh. A flicker of something that hurts just as much as it makes him smile, soft and earnest.

He has no idea how obvious he can be.] He's practically family. Means as much to me as my little sister does.

[crosslaced]

At least while you're here no one can take out your Noctis, either.

[Gladio says the words ‘best friend’ and something coils uneasy in his mind. Best friend. Childhood friend. Laurent thinks of himself desperate to prove he had no heart, smiling to Damen's beloved deputy oh, I flayed his back off. I was trying to kill him, but my uncle wouldn't let me but this had the potential to be much worse. Ardyn apparently ended the world, and objectively Nikandros would back off just after maiming Laurent a little.

Only Noctis can kill Ardyn. Gladio's little sigh tells him that there's some complication in their best friendship. Interesting. But more importantly, Ignis is probably going to fuck this up or Ardyn might use their…. sexual tension… against him, and hopefully Gladio's someone that can be talked down but Laurent's not sure of that. He may have to talk to Noctis. Ugh.

But for now, he needs to hunt. It's unlikely that one dog will feed all of them, especially with Ignis’ propensity to hand out food to just anyone. Laurent steps back from the corpse, raising his voice so he can still be heard as he looks around.]

Best friend? Maybe you know more about what's on his mind. He has things he's losing sleep over, but I can't say what exactly.

It's nothing major, he's still mothering half the archipelago as is.

[He just said a truthful thing!! ish. If you don't count his guesses.]

[piercetheheart]

[The very idea that anyone would come after Noctis has his expression darkening, flashing a warning look over at Laurent. But it’s Ignis he’s more worried about. Especially here and now with the years between them making Ignis more vulnerable and Noctis more self sufficient.]

There’s plenty for all of us to lose sleep over... [And the Gladio smiles, chuckling and rolling his eyes.]

Sounds like, Iggy. He’s not happy unless he’s fussing.

[crosslaced]

I'm sorry?

[Realtalk, you've just put a target on your king’s back. If just the thought of Noctis getting hurt puts Gladio on edge like this, then- like Ignis- the way to hurting him is through Noctis. But Laurent recognises it's not an option to be taken lightly; they'll fucking murder him afterwards, and if the time really comes he'll have to be prepared for that.

For now, he's not interested in playing. Laurent wanders further from Gladio and his kill, pitching his voice enough to be heard as he scans the woods around them.]

It's like he can't sleep unless he's adopted five new charges. Not to mention, at least three people want to fuck him, probably. He's gotten past all of them by not knowing what the word even means.

[Finally, there is a rustle of something in the woods. Laurent goes very still, his eyes trained on that spot-

and then he pulls something bright and glittering from thin air and-

throws-

the THUD is wet, a sound of his spear sinking into flesh. A Centipuppy yelps and is dead. The blonde lets out a satisfied breath.]

[piercetheheart]

[Gladio smiles, laughing at the idea that Ignis is adopting half the island. It's adorable and is so much better than the seclusion he inflicted upon himself back home.

And then he's choking on his own breath, turning from his kill to stare at Laurent. For a moment he's not sure how to even respond to that. Ignis was... well he was Ignis of course everyone wanted in his pants. But things were so much different here, he might actually... entertain the idea of-

And that thought made his chest tight and painful for a moment, his breath stuttering out, a brief flare of something like hope smothered swiftly by duty,as it has always been.]

He deserves some happiness. [So if there are people pursuing him then maybe he can have some. And Gladio would do everything he could to encourage it... After scaring the piss out of any would be suitors.

Even if it does hurt. It's not fair to Ignis, not when he knows all that awaits him on his return is death.]

[crosslaced]

[He goes out to drag back his kill, and misses that sweet sweet body language. but the conflict in Gladio’s reply, he catches. This is either a really fraught relationship or some forbidden love bullshit.]

You try telling him that. Could I have a little help?

[A spear of ice sticks out of the dead Centipuppy’s neck, already melting. More importantly, it's unskinned, ungutted.

pls?]

[piercetheheart]

[Sorry, Laurent. It's kind of both?]

I have. [Soft, wry, not really intended for Laurent. How many times did he try before he accepted that he'd never-

Right... helping.

He pushes himself to his feet, leaving his kill for Laurent's. He eyes the wound, curious at the magic but from what he's come to understand not as surprised by it as he might have been. Still he feels around the wound, turning the creature's head back and forth, nodding.]

Nice shot. You can just... create ice like that? Out of nothing?

[crosslaced]

Not infinitely, but yes.

[He snaps his fingers and a small ice-sculpted dove falls into his hand. Then he goes to tuck some hair behind his ear, and just casually pretends he's pulling a frozen flower from his ear. It's not a trick he's practiced multiple times or anything.]

[piercetheheart]

[Gladio watches this display of frivolity and can't help thinking this kid is a little bit...

mmmmm... stupid?]

Thought you said it was limited?

[Prompto mentioned earlier that people other than royalty have magic and also that everything was much more limited here. And if ice is his weapon then why waste it on shit like that? Roses? Birds? Is this supposed to be impressive 'cause it's just... incredibly wasteful.]

[crosslaced]

[ He can justify that this is acceptable splurging- they're not reliant on this skill for water, and its main use (combat) is not on the agenda today- but the thing Laurent does is to not offer any explanation and let people think he's an awful person. It keeps their guard down.]

Well, at one go, it's not.

[piercetheheart]

Hmm... [If you say so. Not really his place to call the guy on it if nothing else. ]

Least you've got a guaranteed source of fresh water.