lifeaftr | July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

INTRO LOG: JULY

Who: New arrivals, your lif᷆t̕i͗n᷅ģ f̧̞ͅr̡̦̃ḭ̅ͭe̩᷅̂n̟̣̤d̨̬̏, and you!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr, and everyone makes a new friend!
When: July 5th and onward
Where: All over Ensō
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Like a Bat Out of Hell
At this stage, the appearance of new arrivals to Ensō's shores is hardly a surprise to anyone but the arrivals themselves. Whatever mysterious force is responsible seems to have taken a vaguely nostalgic route this month, depositing the new and unconscious across the shoreline of the beach closest to the tumbled stone bastion of the Storyteller's temple. At first, that seems to be all there is to it. The arrivals stir to the smell of salt and the summer sea air, and the cycle of questions, searching, and settling begins.

For about five minutes. Perhaps ten.

Almost like an afterthought, something else shows up, plummeting straight out of the sky and landing with a veritable explosion of water some hundred feet from the shore. A large, rectangular shape breaches the surface after a few moments, bobbing, cork-like, in the foam-crested waves before ever so slowly beginning to sink into those aquamarine depths. For those familiar with such objects, it makes for a rather odd sight. That most certainly was an elevator, or you can be...fairly sure it was?

Give it another minute, and you'll be certain. The elevator streaks out from the ocean like a creature possessed. Maybe, in those split seconds prior to its approach, you'll be able to note the elevator's distinct features: a disturbingly smiling face on its doors, and a set of teeth framing a very organic mouth.

Meet Upsy, your lifting friend.

In case it wasn't obvious by now, Upsy is far from a conventional elevator by any standards. What's more, Upsy has not taken to LifeAftr as well as some others. Armed with the ability to move in any direction, the rogue contraption takes no prisoners - by which we mean, they take as many prisoners as possible. Upsy proceeds to swoop across the shoreline, combing the beach in the most haphazard and patternless path possible, scooping up anyone slow enough to be caught in their maw. Once you're caught up in their jaws, it comes down to the winds of fortune, in regards to wherever Upsy proceeds to spit out their cargo. While the journey itself will be rough and...sticky, it is not inherently dangerous.

Hopefully, the same can be said for wherever you end up Ensō hosts a great deal of predators, environmental hazards, and worse. Though you could always end up belched into the ocean. Hope you can swim!

When the Metal is Hot and the Engine is Hungry
Upsy’s reign of terror isn't restricted to mere adventurers. Those with livestock or animal companions may be in for a small shock or, perhaps more likely, a very large one, when flying elevator sucks up those cuddly critters with a grin and spirits them off into the great unknown.

Though your phoenix, chocobo, or tigerlily may not be where you saw them last, you can at least be assured that they are still on Ensō. All you need to do is round them up. And if this isn't good enough news, well...at least you don't keep bludrocs.

Whether you're out searching for an animal or not, be careful traversing Ensō for the next three days. If Upsy is empty, they'll most certainly snap you up. And if they aren't? You may find anything from birds to horses spat out at you.

The velocity of these organic projectiles tends to vary. Dramatically. Upsy's reign of terror will end on the evening of July 9th. At that point, the elevator will fly off to greener pastures...and our RNG spreadsheet for potential encounters in future. Sweet dreams.

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 )

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[ Whatever this thing is, it is clearly a menace and should be stopped.

Though, it's made of metal, and it's much larger...and the Knight doubts that even their sharpened blade could deal much damage. Still, it's easy to follow, due to the noise and clumsy movements it makes, and -

- wait.

They stop at the sight of Grimm, somehow not expecting it. Dreams were sometimes more than dreams, that much was true. But they hadn't expected this particular one to carry over into the waking world, especially as Grimm was a creature of dreams himself.

They shake themselves out of their reverie soon enough; it lasts only a moment before they leap forward into the fray, distracting this...thing from its current route with a powerful slash that glances off it.

( What is it, actually? Some kind of animate box?? What kind of magic IS this...unless it's a living thing, somehow? The Knight doesn't know. They're not sure if knowing would help. ) ]

[Perhaps in the case of beings like Upsy neither bug nor man were meant to know.

How Grimm was pulled into this world through a dream - or as best as he could reason before his..."new friend" appeared - without the Lateran being lit was currently the biggest mystery here. But the Troupe Master knows the time to question this is not now. He was not particularly amenable to being eaten alive. And, well, being attacked in this way was rather rude.

Unfortunately Grimm has also found out the hard way that Upsy could appear wherever it wanted. And yes, while the Troupe Master could teleport too it appeared that something was wrong. He could only go to places he sees. So while he could play keep-away with the creature, things were stagnating.

And a dance that stagnates becomes old and tired quickly.

But someone cuts in and it is wonderful to see the Knight again. Certainly Grimm had seen them in the dream but it was just that: a dream. The mind bends at will when one is dreaming and if their meeting again in reality was a product of Grimm's own imagination then it would not be a surprise. But here they are.

And of course Upsy is still here as well. Can't forget that. The Knight's strike is a small distraction to the creature but it is indeed a distraction and Grimm will take it. Spinning on his heel to teleport a little farther back, Grimm's cape extends and strikes the ground as familiar spikes pierce the surface.

As always there are gaps between the spikes for the Knight to take advantage of but Upsy is far to big to benefit from the same thing. But it's very likely this will not stop the creature.

At best it hopefully will slow it down for the moment.]

[ This is a familiar dance, even if the stage is decidedly not. The Knight falls into old patterns easily, dodging to take advantage of the spaces left for them.

They leap into the air to deliver another strike while the strange entity is distracted with the spikes - another glancing blow that's meant to push Upsy away.

Their combined efforts seem to have at least deterred it, for the moment. Though it's fairly undamaged, it does change direction to go and prey on some other unfortunate victims who are more susceptible to being swallowed.

Once the beach is quiet again, they walk towards Grimm. Their progression is slow, as if they're not entirely sure this is real, but - well, whether something is strictly real is hardly a case for disrespect.

They give the Troupe Master a little bow. Waving seems...strange, in this case. ]

[Indeed it is a rather familiar dance and while Grimm has had very few dance partners pair with him rather against him, it is a easier to fall into step with the tiny Vessel's actions. Divine had been correct in her assessment that flame and shadows will dance well together.

Similarities with a split. Scarlet and void.

Grimm watches the demented elevator change direction and leave them alone, likely to prey on someone incapable of setting it on fire or stabbing it. Ineffectual as their attacks were in the end, clearly it was an annoyance for Upsy to deal with.

But with the creature gone, Grimm turns his attention to the Knight and returns their bow with one of his own.]

We meet once again, my friend. Perhaps in the realm of reality this time?

[He remembers the dream that pulled him from the oblivion of his final sleep. Of meeting the Knight in a forest of vines. Did they?]

[ What a strange creature. The Knight still doesn't know what it is. It's likely they never will.

They nod to answer the question, apparently pleased to see that Grimm, too, remembers their strange meeting. It clarifies that this, too, is not simply a continuation of an odd dream, but...it does make some things more confusing. They scratch words in the sand.

still no troupe ?

It would make sense that when Grimm was brought here, they would be here too. It was just how they operated - the troupe, all together, bound in ritual and scarlet flame.

But that doesn't appear to be the case, in this strange place. ]

[The Knight is correct in their question as all Grimm has to offer is a shake of his head.]

It appears not. As bound together as we are, it appears this place has another, separate fate in store for myself and my Troupe.

[Grimm always knew where his Troupe members were and vice-versa. The bound between them all, the saying "Where there's smoke there's fire.". It was how Grimm walked between worlds and dreams, how Divine found her way back to their home. And how the flame burned out and ignited yet again.

However that is not to say they would never appear on this beach.]

Have you been alone on this island for a long time?

[The Troupe Master knew as well as the Knight to not discard visions witnessed through dreams but Grimm also knew nightmares; things twisted in a bug's mind while they slept...although without the mind control.

But the point is Grimm wished to cover what he could to understand the full picture.]

[ The Knight tilts their head - clearly, this is a strange and powerful world, to separate an old ritual - but, when Grimm asks...

They nod, slowly. Then, scratching in the sand:

only one from hallownest

but not lonely

They certainly seem to be using more words than they did in Hallownest (which, well...were no words at all. Not even writing - that was reserved for maps).

six full cycles of moon changing

i think

Six months, at least. They never bothered to keep time on their journeys, but that feels about right.

not sure why i am here ]

[There is indeed a change between the silence the Knight offered when they first met and their writing now. Grimm did not begrudge those who wished to be silent - Brumm was not the most talkative - and he knew the Knight's circumstances and that silence was all they had.

But it appears that has changed.

Grimm was not the someone who kept track of time either (he was far too old), but time still passed and many things can happen along the way.]

Nor am I, as the one I met in my dreams had no time for questions. It certainly carries the air of a mystery about it. You have met those who are friendly to you?

[The Knight's comment of feeling no loneliness raises that question.]

[ The Knight nods repeatedly - the Storyteller certainly is mysterious, there's no doubt about that. The dream was more of a one-sided imparting of information than a conversation, though there is of course nothing wrong with that. But it leaves more questions than answers in its wake.

(They appreciate, though they find such things difficult to convey, that though Grimm knows exactly what they are and the circumstances of their birth, he...easily accommodates their voicelessness into his conversations. Treats them as he would anyone else, in the same position.

Perhaps others would like to be treated exceptionally. The Knight desires exactly the opposite.)

others without voice

taught me other ways of talking

did not know before

They had always been expected to listen. They didn't mind it, certainly. But they hadn't been aware there was anything else, and now that they have this gift of alternative speech, they are starting to leave less unsaid.

many ruins here

but no dreams / no ghosts

not sure what happened, before

gods do not say ]

[That dream did indeed leave many questions unanswered, questions with results that Grimm could not foresee. A place where the dance routine appeared to be scrapped for something new and exciting. How that turns out remains to be seen.

It is quite interesting to learn there were those here that could not speak like the Knight yet knew another way to vocalize their thoughts and feelings. And indeed the Knight was becoming much louder then they were in Hollownest when they first met.

(Would it be petty of Grimm to be more then a little curious to see Wyrm's expression upon seeing the growth of one of his 'failed' Vessels? Yes, perhaps it would.)]

It's wonderful that you are learning other methods of communication! You have grown since I last saw you, my friend. As for the ruins it is quite curious how they were brought about, and the lack of ghosts that normally come with them.

[Ruins often produced ghosts and there were always ghosts in the memories of ruins. Often one involved the other. As for the gods deciding to not speak of the hows and whys, he is not surprised. Gods, Grimm carefully does not say, are a stubborn bunch.]

This Storyteller is one of the Gods in question, yes?

[ 'Wonderful'. They would not have described it that way themselves, but...

That implicit approval of their growth, of being something they were not meant to be, is something they treasure.

They nod.

storyteller one

other gods

twins in water What's a 'fish'. They've heard of Balance, even if they haven't specifically talked to them. But they've nothing to say to them, in any case.

overgrown plant god

called bliss

very sick maybe ?

not meant to be like that

tried to give happy dreams until death

tried to make them understand but did not listen

others destroyed when they would not let go

Killing a god is no easy task. It takes the work of many, not one. They should know, after all.

have seen/met no others yet

They're not sure they would count the water as a god. It didn't seem to communicate, only to take. So they don't mention it.
]

[Grimm was someone who valued creativity. As the Master of the Grimm Troupe, it was his and his performers' roles to offer that to the crowd in all of their shows. And if one thinks of it, a blank mask is one where anything could be applied to it.

It was just wonderful (and amusing) that the Knight themselves was the one to do it.

The Troupe Master considers the list of Gods that the Knight offers him. There certainly is more then what either of them have had experience with, and different forms if twins in water is any indication.

No God of light, however.]

No matter where we go, there are always Gods following along. [Grimm isn't angry. He can't be.] All of the people here participated in the killing of this Bliss?

[He wasn't surprised that a God would be lost in their ways and would not listen to reasons or pleads, even within the delirium of sickness. But a cooperated effort to dethrone such a being is certainly interesting. Those here must be very strong to do such a thing.]

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July Intro: Upsy-Daisy!

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