lifeaftr | September Intro: Knowledge is Hot Water on Wool

INTRO LOG: SEPTEMBER

Who: Everyone!
What: The Storyteller makes use of their first offering, and new souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: September 2nd
Where: Ensō...and surrounding lands
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Part I: New Arrivals
You probably didn’t last fall asleep on the warm spit of white sand that you find yourself, but nonetheless, that is where you awaken. There’s the hush of waves lapping up against the edges of the beach and the soft chill of a coastal breeze stirring at your surroundings, but the place is, all things considered, quite peaceful. The sun is merciless as it reflects across the glittering spread of seawater that surrounds you on three sides.

Three sides.

You’re on an island, if a rather small one. It can’t be much more than a mile across at the height of its length, and what’s more, it’s dotted with small, straggling outcrops of stone buildings that look as though they may have once been used for shelter of some sort or another, now weather beaten and wind-blasted. If you peer into the distance, it will rapidly become clear that you are on one small islet of a grouping of five. Battered bridges of wood-and-rope swing precariously between each one, joining them in a rough circle.

What’s more is that you aren't alone. You'll find that you have one or two companions waking on the islet alongside you, and each will discover a knapsack with their name stitched to the front, containing a paltry number of items, along with any rewards you may have accrued. There's probably a way off these islets, and a means of accessing the shadowy lump of a mainland that rears up in the distance, maybe two miles across the stretch of sea...but what is it?

We do recommend treading carefully, and not simply embarking on a poorly-advised mission to swim all the way there. A school of tiger-sharks have begun to stir up the waters surrounding the islets, hungry for fresh meat. They are at least edible - if you can succeed in taking one down, that is. If you do not, don’t worry: at least you have shelter. Very dilapidated, ruined, half-crumbled shelter that will hardly serve as protection against wind and rain, but surely that's better than no shelter at all, right?

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.

Part II: Old Souls
A floral, faintly bitter tang rings about the air of the ruined temple this morning. As you rise, you may find a familiar scene: a rabbit with snow-white fur, crouched nearby a dilapidated pillar, thumping their foot impatiently. They look to you, or perhaps they are addressing the room as a whole when they say:

"Ah. Finally. First, I must thank you for fulfilling your end of our transaction - your stories have done their job. Thus, it is time for me to fulfill mine. I've arranged something for you all. I’m aware that in many worlds there is a poor association with following white rabbits, so perhaps you would find the flowered path more enticing." The Storyteller shifts their gray tome from one paw to the other, giving a great leap across the fallen pillar. "Now, what I am about to grant you…there are procedures, of course. You must follow the instructions to begin with. And then, well - you need a place to go. You needn’t even need a name, specifically. The power will know. Simply be sure to tell it."

The rabbit sniffs and flicks an ear. "Just remember what I ask: no bathing, please. For all's sake."

And then they bound off into the darkness, disappearing just before the shadows engulf them wholly.

Indeed, where the dust-trodden ground gives way to grass, a sparse growth of white flowers have blossomed, winding wildly through the growth and leading around the temple’s exterior.

Those who find fit to follow the Storyteller's suggestion will find, first, that the path of flowers leads them to an outcropping of stone that overlooks the great cove formed by Ensō’s landmass. In the distance, just short of the ocean’s horizon, a white scatter of islets sit in the blue-jade waters. Those certainly hadn’t been there before, had they? Intrepid explorers, be patient: the path of flowers doesn't end here. In fact, it veers off cleanly in the direction of the mana pool behind the Storyteller's ruins.

Upon arriving at the pool, characters will find that the narcissus flowers have bloomed in full and prolific splendor around its edges, filling the humid air with a thick scent of bitter hay and honey. Upon a great slab of stone rising from the edge of the pool, a strange limerick seems to have been engraved:

A flower once loved above all,
The hubris of his mirror-thrall.
Were he water-lily!
Yet fate wet and pithy,
Narcissus, what a fate to befall.
No other instructions appear to have been left other than this cryptic rhyme. Should characters solve this riddle, however, they will find themselves engulfed in a flash of blinding white light, given the briefest sensation of falling…

Followed by the familiar vision of Ensō looming in the distance. Quite far out, in fact. Their surroundings have dramatically shifted from a lush jungle to an almost barren island, surrounded on its sides by four nearly identical islets. It would appear that any characters who use the mana pool have been randomly transported to one of the five islets appeared overnight. Other than a nearly identical mana pool lapping at their feet, it would seem that - aside from weather-worn, dilapidated shacks and shelters - these islands don’t have much on them at all.

Except, perhaps, new faces.

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

Well, when you put it that way, I can hardly argue with you.

[Ignis laughs softly before continuing.]

It's a pleasure to properly meet you, Kidwun. Just calling for Ignis is fine unless you would like to add a nickname to the already long list my friends have made for me.

I believe I'll stick to the former, mister Ignis.

[Unsurprisingly, "Kidwun" is terrible at naming things. A smile is cast his way, something that unfortunately will be missed entirely, before Chara focuses their attention on the pool.]

If I have not responded to you within the next minute, please assume that it is time to act.

If you insist, but please drop the 'Mister' if you would. While my friends may claim I sprang from my mother's womb at age 40, I'm not nearly that old.

[By the Six, really, he's only 22.]

One minute it is. Begin when you are ready.

As you wish, sir. And thus, we begin.

[Get used to disappointment, Iggy. With a cheeky smile that he can't see, Chara steps into the mana pool-

Leaving Ignis by himself, for the timebeing.]

[Ignis sighs when he all but hears the cheeky smile in Kidwun's voice, but it's a fond sigh. The tone of their voice reminds him of the many times the guys had made fun of his formal nature in the past. Well, if he got used to that, he can certainly get used to this.

After a moment, he shakes off the pleasant memory and carefully starts counting out a minute. By the time he finishes, Ignis is fairly certain from the silence that not only is he still alone, he has been alone ever since he started counting. Does that mean he was right?]

Kidwun?

[No response. For another moment- several, in fact, he remains alone at the edge of the mana pool, not a soul stirring about him.

Then, with another flash of light, Chara returns. Considerably more thoughtful (and irritated) than prior.]

It is a method of transportation.

[Ignis is seriously considering dropping the flower still in his hands into the pool and trying the experiment himself when Kidwun suddenly returns. He's both excited to know their theory was correct, but also curious about their tone of voice.]

What's wrong? Did it take you someplace dangerous?

The opposite, really. There was nothing threatening at all.

Just a series of islets, with some rather worn buildings. Houses for us, I assume.

[Funny, but they still don't sound too happy about it.]

If you enjoy a living space that comes with a caved in roof or half a wall.

Truth be told, it sounds like a moderate improvement from sleeping in the ruins.

[Not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but an improvement nonetheless.]

Yet, it sounds like you aren't pleased by this development. May I ask what's bothering you?

I suppose I had greater expectations as to what this god would provide us.

[It's quite the change from the last world they'd been on; where children were soldiers, and boons could be wasted on knives and TNT.]

Considering the items they've been capable of attaining thus far.

[Ah, disappointment. That makes sense. Ignis might find himself feeling that as well if another thought hadn't crossed his mind.]

Do you think it may be less to do with what they can give us and more to do with what they want to give us? After all, unless the Storyteller wants us snooping too much into the 'hows' and 'whys' of this place, they do need to make sure we stay busy. Repairing shelters gives us much to do aside from poking our noses where we aren't wanted.

[...

Again, he's surprised them. They should have figured it out for themself, should they not? To use the provided reward as a distraction; something to focus their attention on, draw their ire and energy.

Keeping them from seeing the issues beyond it.]

...I believe you may have hit the mark. This Storyteller- they certainly aren't wasting any time on muddying the waters.

[What kind of game are they playing, precisely?]

Indeed. Only a fool would wait long do to so when they have secrets to keep, and I'm certain that our furry friend has a great many no matter how informative they have been so for. Distraction is one of the oldest tactics in the books and one of the most effective.

[He should know. He's been studying those books almost as long as he can remember.]

Depending on how well the distraction works, I won't be too surprised if 'Divide and Conquer' comes next.

[Divide and Conquer- precisely the same tactics the Queen had used in the castle. First in March...then October.

The thought of going through either of those scenarios again is- exhausting. And yet, they cannot fault his logic.]

Then we can only prepare- and hope that does not come to pass.

In the meantime, would you like some assistance to explore the new ground?

Indeed.

[It's all any of them can do really. Prepare and hope for the best.

Kidwun's offer is met with a nod and a smile.]

I would like that very much if you don't mind aiding me. I'll try not to burden you too long.

Think nothing of it, sir. I'm sure that you would assist me if I were also in need.

[Or rather- he will, whenever they decide to collect his debt. Gathering two flowers from the edge of the pool, Chara drops them in, reigniting the reaction as they look to Ignis thoughtfully. They can't simply tell him to walk forward on his own, can they?

Their compromise is light fingers, plucking at the edge of his sleeve.]

Walk forward, if you please. I shall do my best to guide you.

September Intro: Knowledge is Hot Water on Wool

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Shall we handwave them exploring and end the thread here?

/thumbs up