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.

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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

[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.)