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

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

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!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Like pollution and stuff?

[Good to know some staples exist universally. But the mentioning of Dust has his eyes light up.]

You know about Dust? You're a dragon?! That's so cool! But you don't look like a dragon, admittedly I haven't seen many--

[Cute? Give him a second because his mind blanks out. He must have misheard her!] Thank you. I'd prefer not to flash everyone and I'm pretty sure everyone else feels the same.

Yep. Just like pollution.

[A nod with a big smile.]

My girls from Remnant so of course I know about dust. And unfortunately at this moment not literally a dragon, though someone who's mom is a dragon said I'm like one.

[She laughs loudly.] Oh, honey, I have a few fam members who wouldn't mind being flashed by someone as adorable as you. And if you're legal, would even hit on you after that.

Doubt we're going to have to worry about that anytime soon. There's nothing here.

Well, you should be relieved to know that I don't use it. It takes years of practice and training so I would be... I think Weiss would call it a hazard? [He should not sound proud of that fact and yet.] Who's your girl? [He frowns in confusion.] Can you become a dragon?

[Congratulations, Nari, you got him to blush. He scoffs in disbelief, waving a hand dismissively.] Haha, very funny. I'm eighteen I'll have you know, so I'm an adult.

True. But if something does, they'll let us know. Plus, ya know, dead fish.

[....] You know a girl whose name means white? [Prepare for gushing!!] Only the most gorgeous girl I've ever met by the name of Pyrrha Nikos. She's, like, the sweetest, kindest, strongest, smartest and amazing girlfriend anyone could have! We didn't meet under the best circumstances, believe me, but I will say I'm glad I did. If it wasn't for her I might have gotten a lot of people killed for an ex of mine. Because people do dumb things for love. Like kill someone who they call dad. But that's not important, and he forgave me for that. Also I'm trying to figure out the dragon part and I'll let you know how that works out.

[Murdergames amirite?

And maybe disclosing that wasn't a smart move.] Oh~? Well then I don't think mind being flashed~

Dead fish are just dinner that you don't have to kill.

I mean, yeah. She must've told you that we choose names based on colors.

[Sorry, Nari, he just stops when she mentions Pyrrha. It's like his entire demeanor has shifted and it's hard to get a read on him. When he finally does speak, his voice is flat and quiet.]

What did you say...?

Can't much agree. I'm a red meat fan.

Huh. Color ain't so bad. Better than being named after your own mom in a language that she can't even speak.

[Hm? She might be bad at body language but that voice tells her she said something upsetting.]

A lot? Gonna have to be specific.

I'm just a meat fan.

What do you mean?

[He's gripping onto his sword now, hard, his eyes shadowed.]

Pyrrha. Pyrrha Nikos. Do you know her?

Then we will get along fine.

Mom's name is Lily. My name in another language far removed from Irish and German means lily too.

[That sword doesn't scare her, but she'll put up her hands.]

Yes. I do. But I can explain even if it's a fucked up story. [Oh boy] I met her through a intergalactic murder tv show called Airlocked. We weren't in the same round for the first go, but for the second one. She, just like me and almost 90 others, were pulled from different dimensions, times, and even some dead people were dragged in and given new life. She didn't kill anyone if that's any consolation, she did her best to prevent it because she never gave up hope on escaping. They put her in the jail season for being too polite and killing a girl named Penny.

Edited 2018-06-04 23:21 (UTC)

I don't know what Irish and German are but that's a nice name.

[He stands there, completely still while she talks. The rational thing would be to hear her out, give her the benefit of doubt, but every word just feels like another blow and it's more than he could accept. Pyrrha's gone.]

How stupid do you think I am?! [He finally glares at her, tears in his eyes.] Airlocked? Game show? Is this funny to you?! Who are you really? [He doesn't wait for a response, He just acts, on all of his pent up emotions, charging at her.] Answer me, dammit!

Eh. Not really. I hate my mom.

[Yep. He's taking it as well as she expected.] I'm not the only one from that game show who's here. Noctis Lucis Caelum and Touko Fukawa can back my story up. And I told you my name. Nari Nishitani, former Champion Dragon, medic, and yakuza under the Kijin Clan. I would never lie about being stuck in space for a year almost seven hundred years from my worlds future in conditions where every week I lost friends and the family I made to motives to make us murder each other.

Oh. ...Well I like this Lily. Not your mom's Lily.

Stop lying! [His voice cracks, and despite how he holds his weapon out, he's trembling.] Pyrrha isn't- She isn't-- [But Shion had said, and everything else going on... Would it be so farfetched had it been someone else? The tears stream down his face as he shakes his head frantically.] You don't get to use her name to further your stupid lies!

That's sweet. Really.

[Hmmmmm well she's feeling bad about the crying bit. But being called a liar? No thanks. That's not okay.]

Didn't I tell you the dead were revived? The people who captured us were able to so it. Just like the "gods" in this world can. Does it really seem that implausible?

What seems a lot more plausible is that this is some kind of dream that's taking way too long and that I'll wake up. That, or you're the enemy and this is your Semblance. So who are you working for? Salem? Cinder? Someone else? [He shuts down again, looking at her coldly.] You pretended not to know Weiss, but you must know her. Are you using the fact that I'm just a stupid nerd to try and convince me, Nari?

I wish this was a dream and you guys have Semblances that can change people's appearances? [Shaking her head.] Don't know her, and never woulda figured you for a nerd. The only Salem I know is a cat on a tv show about witches or the place in Oregon, and Cinder? Did that kids parents hate them to get a name like that?.... Then again there was a guy named McBurn...

There's Semblances for lots of things and that's not the point! She's a psychotic miserable shell of a person and she's going to die. [Said abruptly, but he leaves out the part about her relation to Pyrrha. That's not in his place to say if she really is alive.] How am I supposed to know for sure?! Either you're lying, and she's dead, or you're telling the truth and there wasn't anything I could do to stop it. So what am I supposed to do?!

[He brings his whole sword, shield and all, down on the water, getting out some of that anger but not really.]

Well... For one? Calm the fuck down. You're making me nervous as hell swinging your sword like that, and I can't control my powers very well like this. I ain't in the mood to kill one of my girls friends on accident.

[Go to power is electricity and with them both in the water...]

Wanna know what's fucked up for me? My best friend is here. But she doesn't recognize me, like, at all. Been here a month and this place seems to like to fuck with people.

[He hesitates, but puts his sword away. So she moved on.]

I saw my name on some kind of memorial and I've had to tell people I don't remember them. Life sucks, here more than usual. [Bitterness leaks in his voice.] But I'm glad she's found someone. Someone who hopefully won't hurt her and can give her the happy life she deserves. And I know she wouldn't kill anyone. Pyrrha would never do that on purpose.

[She knows how to defuse things with subject changes. It works about half the time.]

Seriously? Wow. Yeah we had memorials too. Not here. In that place... Even the living did. It's not fun to see your own face and name on one of those so I getcha. [Nods a lot, then stops.] Well, I only hurt her once because I killed someone very important to everyone for the sake of my best friend... Pyrrha forgave me. Then wanted to mercy kill me so she could be executed instead because she didn't want to go on without me...... That girls loyalty is terrifying. But it's something I love about her. Thankfully I didn't die, but I did disappear because of a warp cube and I wrecked a Spacebucks when I dropped it........... Warp cubes are the worst thing ever. Even worse than pineapples. Anyways. Yeah. She never succumbed to a single motive, and she did her best to comfort and protect everyone. Unless I made her go rest so she could have time to decompress.

I have no idea why you're comparing them to pineapples. Or what warp cubes are. [His voice breaks. Why is he getting so emotional over pineapples?]

Pyrrha's more forgiving of others than she is of herself. And she's loyal to the point where it's self-destructive. I guess that hasn't changed. Or maybe she acknowledges you as someone who can protect herself. [Shaking his head.] Sounds like you already did better than me. Please protect her from herself. If she somehow ends up here, or whatever.

Warp cubes are literally cubes that will warp you into another area. And time. I thought a few hours went past between the first and second warp. It warped me three days into the future.

[She sighs softly.] She has gotten better. Little by little. She had a lot of people who taught her that it wasn't weakness if she let herself get emotional and cry. Hell, if she shows up here, which part of me is still hoping she does because I miss her so damn much, you can see that yourself... and I would hope so. I was one of the deadliest people those bastards put on their damn show!

So that's why you disappeared.

[It's weird. As numb as he is, every word drives down into him like a heel to his chest. He hadn't had the chance to think, or reflect on what had happened, and after Beacon he had only been left with regret and emptiness. So why did it hurt now? It didn't matter. His feelings didn't matter. Pyrrha's alive.] I should... I should go. I need to dry off my sword.

Yep. It really sucked. 0/10 do not recommend.

[She shrugged at his answer, looking down and watching the turtles swim by.] I'm not stopping you. Well, except if you try and hurt these guys again. Go take time to decompress from his. Don't worry, I'll stay away. I know when I'm not wanted around. [It's not said with any malice, just resignation.]

Sorry for attacking you. [He doesn't argue. It's a lot to process. Hopefully, he'll be in a better frame of mind next time he sees her. But now isn't the time.]

You literally aren't the first person I've pissed off that's attacked me. [She waves him off.] Go on. Get some sword drying time in.

That doesn't make it okay! ...Right. Can't use it if it's rusted. [He wades out until he's back on shore, walking away, combat boots obnoxiously squelching in the sand.]

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

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