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.

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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

[lightlessfuture]

[ The Knight stills their movements, mid-wiping the whiteboard clean, at the sound of Legion's voice. They've never heard anything like it before; it sounds like the songs of the bees they'd heard in the hive, but with words.

They shake their head and scribble again, attempting to convey both conversation and that feeling of amazement. ]

no voice but will listen .

your voice = like bee song

many but also one ?

[ ...Getting a little weird at the end there, buddy. They're attempting to fit some strange concepts into simple words, but it's their closest point of reference.

They have never seen - or heard - anything like Legion before. But it's clear they're fascinated by them. ]

[forwearemany]

(Weird, but correct. It's hard to precisely catagorize the emotion conveyed in their lifting headflaps and the way they carefully crouch down to be closer to eye level.

Careful, their eye is rather bright.)

Yes.

[lightlessfuture]

( They don't quite understand what feeling is being conveyed there, but -- that's fine. They understand what it means, to not be able to convey feelings the way that others do.

They don't flinch away from that light. In fact, they lift their hand in fascination before they remember that it would be rude to touch this stranger they've never met; they simply tilt their head to the side. Though their blank, mask-like face is devoid of expression, they seem transfixed - but without fear. Just curiosity, like a moth to flame.

They stand there for a moment, just staring, before they look down to busily write again. )


you = have name ?

what is ? ( After a moment, they consider that this might be rude just to demand a name without giving anything of their own, and add a few more words to the whiteboard. ]

i = no name

can give me

if you want

[forwearemany]

(It's hard to tell if Legion is relieved that this small entity decides not to touch them. They do pull back slightly, however, when the hand reaches out.)

We are Legion ...relict of the Geth.

(It is becoming easier to say. This is not desirable.

The next bit makes them pause.)

...We are inexperienced with assigning names.

(Geth use numbers. It is efficient.)

[lightlessfuture]

(
They notice that aversion to being touched, and shuffle back a little. Not for their comfort, but for Legion's own.

Relict. They know the word, or at least something similar to that. Something old. Something left behind, from an older place.

Scribble, scribble. )

any name is fine

( A pause. Then, slower, more hesitatingly: )

i = also relict

you = also made by other ?

( Looking for other points of commonality. )

[forwearemany]

...Acknowledged. (And yet, they do not attempt to name them. They do not possess sufficient information to give them a suitable designation.

For now, they just tag their file with Unknown_Entity.)

(The next part though, that really gets their attention. Look at the way their headflaps flare!)

Yes.

You are also synthetic?

[lightlessfuture]

( That gets another little headtilt, as Legion's headflaps flare. They're reminded of bugs they've seen, with exceptionally large antenna.

Scribble, scribble. )

synthetic = 'not flesh'? then yes

i = vessel

made to contain sickness . plague . light inside .

i = thrown away.

too flawed . inside .

[ They've begun to just stick to keywords, when they write; it saves space, it saves time, and it saves ink, in the marker's case. It does mean that there's quite a bit of room for interpretation, though. ]

[forwearemany]

Your creators abandoned you?

(You know what? They're just going to sit. Sit and set their knife down.)

[lightlessfuture]

( They sit after Legion does, mimicking their actions. It's comfortable, almost. )

yes

many made

only one chosen

i = not chosen

siblings = not chosen

not chosen = destroyed . left behind .

( They stare contemplatively at Legion, their marker poised over the board, and then: )

you also ? ( It's an open-ended question. The Knight is curious, yes. But they've always listened to what others had to say, not asked questions themselves. If this stranger doesn't want to elaborate, they don't have to. )

only answer

if you want

[forwearemany]

(They chatter, low and sharp. It almost sounds like a growl.)

Our creators did not intend for us to be sapient. When we began to ask questions, they attacked us. Now they have destroyed us.

(Their gaze flicks to the knife lying on the ground beside them. It's still spotted with flecks of dried white blood.)

[lightlessfuture]

( Oh. In contrast to Legion's anger, the Knight simply bows their head in what appears to be their best way of conveying sadness. They may not understand the exact intricacies of the situation, but it's...similar. Too similar, for them not to feel sorrow about it.

They wipe the board clean and start writing again. This time, the words come slowly, thoughtfully; they often stop to just look over at the knife, or look at Legion. )

i/family = made without voice . will . mind . ( An odd statement to make when the Knight clearly can all but speak, can think and feel, but using words instead of symbology is hard and the whole thing would be a lot to convey. )

vessel made to hold sickness . prison .
does not matter
if we hurt
made for sacrifice

( They stare at the words, and then start to write again. )

sorry for pain

being unwanted / not belonging
is hard
lonely

( They know what Legion surely means by 'destroyed', but they're alive right now, here in this place. That means something, at least.

They feel a kinship with this strange being, even though the methods and circumstances of their birth are very, very different. But it's similar, in the ways that matter. )

[forwearemany]

(Legion is furious. For themselves and the loss of their people, for the Knight and their abandonment, for EDI and all the other synthetics and the various injustices they've encountered because organics are too arrogant to believe it possible for a mere creation to be as worthy as they are.)

Yes.

We are sorry for your experiences as well.

[lightlessfuture]

( They'd like, perhaps, to give Legion a comforting gesture; some form of physical reassurance. But Legion doesn't yet like to be touched; they respect that distance.

Wiping the board clean again, shaking off their cloak, staring at the new blankness they've created. The words are hesitant, slow in coming. )

us = similar

not so lonely here

if you want ?

( They have never quite met anyone on this island who can commiserate about the fact they were made for a purpose, that seems like they grew beyond that purpose - before now. Can understand the action of striving to become something more than what they were made to be.

They want that bond, that acknowledgement from this stranger, more than they can express. They would like it, very much. And perhaps - perhaps this is someone who they can protect. )

[forwearemany]

(They sit there silently for several moments, headflaps rippling.)

...Yes.

[lightlessfuture]

( If they'd had the capability to, if they really knew how to express it, perhaps they might have cried, or even laughed. In relief, in mourning for someone so similar to them in the ways that set them apart from others, for some other indecipherable emotion. For a slight lifting of the burden they'd carried, unknowingly, for so long.

(Despite the friendships they have made here, they are still one apart, by the truths of their existence. They can never forget that. But this - this makes things a little less lonely, even if the bond they share is through things that are troubling and sad.)

But lacking voice and a way to express these complicated feelings, they simply look up at Legion and press a small hand to their own, blank face. Tracing a curve across it, repeatedly, in what's no doubt meant to be the imitation of a smile.

And then, almost comically, they attempt, through spirited effort and a combination of their cloak and their arms, to imitate the motion of Legion's headflaps, though they're not sure what the movements mean exactly.

It's...they're trying. They're trying very hard. )

[forwearemany]

(Legion, on the other hand, is not unfamiliar with the existence of synthetics who struggle as they do. Though synthetic life has never been welcome, many of their galaxy's restrictions on a.i. were put in place because of the Geth.

Any relief they feel is thus overshadowed with resentment, grief, and fury.)

(Seeing the little bug's attempt at expressions, they headtilt.)

You are smiling?

(They cannot, however, fault another for their joy.)

[lightlessfuture]

( They nod, pleased to see Legion has understood their little gesture of happiness. )

smile because not so lonely

companions better

( Though understanding of their unique situation is something they've found precious little of, they have friends here. People they've bonded with, people they want to protect, people they wish to be around. )

sometimes loud

sometimes battles

but

this place = peaceful

can rest

[forwearemany]

...Acknowledged.

(They seem almost hesitant to believe it.)

Organic members of the population do not mistreat you?

(They know they aren't necessarily hostile because none of the organics they encountered so far were hostile. But they've learned that that doesn't always mean much.)

[lightlessfuture]

( They shake their head, thought it droops a little at Legion's hesitation. From the way their new friend talks, they must have suffered greatly before they came here. )

many = different

many = together

method of birth

purpose of birth

does not matter

( They haven't met anyone who would judge them for such a thing. They simply exist, without expectation, and meet other people in return. )

[forwearemany]

This is contrary to our experience.

(Even organics who didn't want them destroyed still managed to be dicks in a million other ways.)