lifeaftr | 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

[Oh, believe me, child, Ammy has had her fair share of scuffs and scratches from beasts that are scared and hesitant to accept her aid - much larger than these little things. Thankfully, she's a sturdy beast herself, and a howl that shakes the heavens usually gets her message across pretty quickly. That, or a butt with her head and a cross snarl. She can be loving, kind, and forgiving, yes...but even a mother's patience can be expended. Especially in times of great stress, like this.

But for tiny, baby animals such as these? Ammy does tend to act a little gentler...most of the time. In all honesty, she would love to just growl at the cubs and make them freeze long enough for Chara to grab, but Ammy still has some semblance of kindness in her heart, despite the circumstances. So, instead, she flicks her tail in a circular pattern over the tigerlilly cubs and lets the divine magic of Bloom take root in their hearts. The seed of calm is planted, and when it blossoms in them, the fearful cubs are turned into purring, mewling kittens, which approach Ammy and Chara gladly and affectionately. She usually reserves this skill for plants, but it has it's...other uses, in a pinch. Certainly a nice bonus.

As the effects wash over the tigerlillies, Ammy wastes no time in grabbing them by the scruff on their necks, one by one, and dumping them (a bit rougher than normal - she didn't forget that scratch) into the flowerpot with their brethren. Just in time, it seems like - the ground gives a low groan, an eerie message that the sands of time are running thin. It's time to leave this island behind. Now.]

[A nice, abrupt change- one that has Chara pausing in surprise, just long enough for Ammy to trot into their periphery. Collecting the last of the cubs gains her a quick pat of thanks as Chara stands, hauling the pot into their arms.

Now, just to figure out how they're going to navigate this hellscape- with a pot filled to the brim with kittens.]

Ammy. Can you find a stable path?

[There's a shudder, then a crack in the distance as a tree goes toppling down - possibly into the abyss of the sea as the earth splits - and she nods her head. She can probably get them all to safety, the path here was...stable, but that was several minutes ago. By now, it's possible the earth has been reduced to rubble, but she's fast, and agile - and has a bag of tricks still at her disposal for...now.

Crouching down, she yips to allow the child to climb on. Even with their cargo, it should be fine for her to carry them all without slowing her down too much. It's just going to be up to Chara to hold on to both the pot of cubs and to her fur while she runs.]

[A tall order, Amateratsu. But neither of them can afford to waste time with hesitation. Throwing a leg over her back, Chara settles as quickly as they can, leaning over the pot and grasping her fur either side. That's about as sturdy a hold as they've got time for.]

Go. [Another crack. It sounds much closer than the last, greenery around them shivering at the impact. Another ten minutes, and this space would likely meet the same fate.]

[If they pull or tug, Ammy seems not to care - better they do and secure themselves and their cargo than fall off or drop anything (or anyone). Once Chara has seated themselves and secured the pot filled with the cubs, she nods her head and throws herself into a run. The trailing flowers behind her perhaps the last this dying island will grow before it plummets into the sea with its destroyed deity.

Ten minutes is more than enough, though the terrain tries its best to slow her down. Fallen trees, fissures in the earth, and the stray animal - or its body - thrown into her path. Ammy has to be careful not to go at full speed, either, otherwise she threatens to lose her cargo... Hopefully neither human nor beast complains too much about a bumpy ride - there's precious little she can do about it. A swift escape comes with a few twists and turns.

The mana pool is in sight, and she barks to inform the child on her back. She can head right in, or stop and them them all off. There's nothing left to do on this island, other than pray for it.]

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

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