June Intro: Let's Sea How Far We've Come

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: JUNE

Who: Everyone!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr as the island of Ziziphus begins to crumble
When: June 4th and onward
Where: Ziziphus and Ensō...and Monsun
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Ziziphus: At The Start Of The End Of The World
Since Bliss's destruction, the extensive root network they've threaded throughout every inch of the island of Ziziphus has begun to crumble. June 4th marks the beginning of the inevitable collapse of the island as it starts to sink into the sea...coincidentally coinciding with the arrival of LifeAftr's newest adventurers. Between the dead trees surrounding Bliss's empty husk, great cracks in the earth start to widen, the dead god's absent root system leaving vast gaps underground which simply cannot support the life above. It almost sounds like thunder rupturing from the ground itself, wild tremors preceding each vicious boom until gaping chasms lay between venturing parties and the safety of the mana pool - only water waits below, for those unlucky enough to lose their footing.

And if the immense pull of mile wide chunks of landmass sinking beneath the waves isn't enough to suck you down, the heavy rain of debris from Ziziphus's rapidly destabilizing edges will certainly help. Want to avoid a watery grave? What you need to do is simple:

Escape.

Sorry, newbies. If you showed up on Ziziphus, you're in for a very athletic entrance to LifeAftr.

Monsun: Just Like Every Other Morning Before
Adventurers aren't the only creatures on Ziziphus attempting to outrun its collapse. Creatures great and small, from the largest spindlank to the smallest tigerlily will be heading south in an attempt to escape the worst of the quakes. Unlike offshore adventurers, however, these poor creatures don't have a mana pool waiting for them to escape through. Their extinction, it seems, is imminent.

Unless you have something to say about it.

Already exhausted from their attempts to get through to and then actively dispose of their fellow god, the Storyteller will break their traditional manner of communication to announce a potential solution to this problem with a single broadcast to the Stones of Far Speech in a strained, weary tone:

"The mana pools on Monsun are now open. If you are willing, save what you can."

True to their word, characters will discover that the island of Monsun will be accessible once more for a short period of time. From prey to predator, obstruction to catastrophe - multiple species of flora and fauna can still be preserved, should you choose to do so.

Be wary of the psychological effects of both sides of the island. Those who are new to our setting and wish to explore, the island of Monsun has a peculiar side effect to its stark divide: the eastern half is rich in resources, but brings out the very worst of you, while the western half is a tumultuous wasteland that accentuates your best qualities. More information on said island can be found on its entry on the Locations page, or its introductory info post.

Due to these efforts, the Storyteller will not be available for contact from the 4th to the 18th of June. Item Requests will also be unavailable at this time. They will, however, make a rather strained announcement to ensure all are aware that access to both Ziziphus and Monsun will cease on June 10th.

Ensō: I Wonder What It Means If It's Gone
The native fauna of Ziziphus aren't the only ones on the move, it seems. Those who wander the shores of Ensō will be delighted to witness the appearance of creatures akin to both turtles and dugongs drifting through the waters, gravitating around the island's eastern coast, rapidly gaining in numbers over the following days.

Kaleidoshells have been unlocked in the bestiary!

With spring close to ending in the archipelago, these peaceful creatures are looking to make good use of their natural nesting areas; hope you're open to sharing the beach for a little while. While a few braver individuals will make their way to the shores between C4 and D1 to begin digging nests, the vast majority won't be coming to shore quite yet.

They do, however, make a very fine sight around the waters of Ensō, especially in the evening. Luminescent, their rainbow patterns glow underwater, drifting mood lights for the increasingly warmer evening breeze.

---

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!

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[tenthstreetbred]

[The ground crumbling underneath their feet is a perfect distraction from the worry that gnaws at Shepard's mind. It's a mindless race through crumbling dirt and stone and just as it seems that the two of them will be devoured by the abyss, they reach a glimmering green pool. Without hesitation Shepard reaches down and rips some flowers from the ground around it and grabs Legion to her, flinging the flowers into the pool.]

Enso!

[In an instant the two of them are engulfed in bright white light- and suddenly they are standing on solid ground. She holds onto them for a brief second longer, just letting herself mentally settle before letting them go and turning to them.]

Are you ok?

[forwearemany]

(They jolt when she grabs them, whole body stiffening and freezing in place.

They don't respond when she turns to them, then moments after they pull away with almost violent force.

They chatter, stare at her with wary confusion.

She abandoned them. Why is she helping?)

[tenthstreetbred]

[When Legion pulls away Shepard can't control her face- her visage breaks out into pained confusion, matching to Legion's wariness. They chatter and for once, Shepard finds herself hesitating. She's afraid of what this conversation, whatever it may lead, will reveal.

But the fear doesn't hold her back long. She charges back into the conversation. She grits her teeth, hardens her heart, and steels herself.]

What's going on, Legion? I know you must be very confused right now but I'm not your enemy. It's me. Commander Shepard.

[Have they forgotten somehow?]

[forwearemany]

We are aware of your identity.

(They stare at her, somewhere between confused and hostile.

Their headflaps ripple, just once, just for a moment. Then, their lights flash red.)

You are NOT our ally.

[tenthstreetbred]

[Shepard steps back in alarm, eyes wide.]

What?

[She steps forward again and closer to the robot, confused herself.]

What are you talking about?

[forwearemany]

(They hesitate, momentarily. Something is clearly wrong here.

But they know what happened. The memory of her betrayal is fresh -- less than an hour ago they were dangling her over a cliff.)

You betrayed us!

(They hadn't been able to go through with dropping her.)

[tenthstreetbred]

I- I what!?

[She looks angry and hurt, but overall, extremely confused.]

What are you talking about, Legion!? When did I betray you?

[Was this a Reaper trick? Did they do something to Legion's mind?]

[forwearemany]

(Their headflaps flare, and they take a step back. They ripple, as they attempt to figure out how to proceed.

They're confused. She does not resemble the Shepard-Commander who betrayed them.

But they're angry, and there's not yet a logical explanation for why she would be so different.

They double down and take a step forward, emitting a horrible growling sort of chatter.)

You abandoned us to die at the hands of the creators!

(The accusation might seem ludicrous-she probably remembers an entirely different set of events occurring on Rannoch-but then why is that knife in their back?)

oooo Shepard said a Swear

[tenthstreetbred]

That is not what happened!

[The words come out in their own growl, even as she feels the hair on the back of her neck raise at the growling chatter coming from the geth.]

What happened? Did someone fuck with your mind!?

[How could this be happening? Did whatever thing that brought her here brought Legion, but changed? Maybe they are hurt?

With Legion stepping forward they are almost face to face, and while she looks angry, her eyes express concern as well.]

You're talking about Rannoch, right? What happened?

[She suddenly remembers the knife.]

...Were you hurt?

[More than hurt a nasty voice in her mind fills in, They died. She swallows down her next question and waits.]

[forwearemany]

Creator Tali'Zorah stabbed us!

(They do not turn their back to her entirely, but they do turn enough to make it all the more obvious, all the more visible.

It's Tali's knife, for sure. There's no mistaking it for any other.)

[tenthstreetbred]

What?

[What?? What the...]

No. She wouldn't... she wouldn't do that.

[But there truly isn't any mistaking the knife. It's hers. It's really, truly...]

How? I don't understand.

[She steps back.]

Tali didn't stab you. You two got into a fight but I managed to talk you down. Then the Quarians decided to make things worse but I got them to back down too. We all worked together. And then you...

[She pauses, pain clear in her voice.]

You died, uploading your consciousness to the Geth at large to give them true sentience. That's what happened.

[forwearemany]

(They know, also, that something is off here, but the loss of the Geth is too fresh in their minds.)

Empirical evidence indicates that she would.

(Again, her knife is in their back.)

Irrelevant. Regardless of our difference in memories, we do not wish to further associate.

(They're going to try and leave, but they won't turn their back to her.)

[tenthstreetbred]

[Tali's knife is in their back, and then Shepard feels a metaphorical knife of her own in her chest when Legion goes to leave.]

Wait.

[It's a breathless statement at first, like she can't quite believe what they said. When they start to leave she can't stop the widening of her eyes, the desperation in her voice.]

Wait, Legion! Don't go. There's something wrong here, but- but we can figure it out.

[Please don't go, she thinks.]

I swear, we can fix this!

[forwearemany]

(And perhaps they can, because nothing here is right, and she is not the Shepard Commander they have known.

But the Geth are gone, and her words, as though the scale of that loss matters nothing in the face of one single friendship, as though their losing them hurts more than her betrayal, as though they'd just be willing to patch things up, has them angrier than ever.)

No, Shepard-Commander, we cannot.

(And they'll pick up the pace.)

[tenthstreetbred]

[She stops following them, frozen, eyes wide and mind blank.

She doesn't understand. What happened? What is Legion talking about?

They're leaving. She wants to follow, to scream, to yell, to do- something. Something that will shake them from this delusion, anything that will make them remember how things really went.

She doesn't move. Perhaps this was on purpose. She's not supposed to be here, after all. She's not supposed to be alive. She doesn't deserve to be. She's selfish for lingering here so long and not fighting harder to go back home so things are resolved.

She deserves to be alone. She watches them go.]