September Intro: The Fields Are Painted Gold

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: SEPTEMBER

Who: New arrivals, and you!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: September 4th and onward
Where: Primarily Ensō, though Umui is also likely
Warnings: Mark as needed!

The Beach: And the Sun is Coming Through
When you arrive on the archipelago of LifeAftr, it is on the shores of Ensō - turquoise waves dragging through the pale sand of the beach. The breeze carries the tang of salt on the tropical sea spray. The sky overhead is a blue to rival the aquamarine surf. All told, the atmosphere is almost...pleasant. Not far from the cream-colored beach, the jungle beckons.

Above the treetops, however, something seems to be drifting overhead.

Bright spots of color drift on the wind like motes of dust. On further inspection, one might be able to discern what, exactly, is the cause of this lazily wafting, brilliantly colored confetti. They are flower petals, being funneled up into the sky. Petals of every color and shape imaginable, thickening the air with golden currents of pollen, being lifted from one specific point. They are streaming freely from the Storyteller's Temple, as it happens, though this may not be clear to the newly arrived. The Temple has at last begun to shed the floral trappings that have ensnared it since the end of last month, and the breeze carries this out across the ocean skyline.

There's no mistaking it: it is very beautiful. Unless you have allergies.

Inland: The Trees Are Filled With Memories
This influx of flowers on the breeze, aside from being a potential source of unpleasant reminders to those who died choking on said flowers last month, have had additional consequences. The creatures rescued from Ziziphus flourish in such pollen-rich environments, which has led to a fresh budding of their young. Baby mosslings crawl like lumps of lichen over the trunks of trees, and the loud peeping of arboreali chicks can be heard in the branches above. Most of these creatures are not tameable, but some, such as flowccus, can be kept as livestock.

Just take care, when venturing into Ensō's verdant jungle. If Ziziphus's prey animals have begun to spring forth, then its predators have begun to reproduce as well. Young spindlanks and rootwyrms are not nearly as vicious as their adult counterparts, but you may have a bit of trouble getting rid of them without killing them - you did, after all, bring them here to preserve them.

Most notable, however, are the fresh litters of tigerlilies that have begun swarming all over Ensō.


Tigerlilies can be tamed and kept as pets, though despite their fearsome appearance, they not terribly vicious. They subsist in much the same way any other plant would; off of water and sunlight, primarily, though they might also graze like an herbivore from time to time.

If you're interested in keeping one for your own, bear LifeAftr's companion limit in mind - two per character, and no more. The process of trying to tame a tigerlily is not always successful, either. We recommend use of a d10, with the following guidelines:

Rolling a 10: Critical success! This tigerlily will follow you to the ends of the earth.
Rolling 6-9: Taming and training this tigerlily will be like educating a stubborn housecat, but will be nonetheless successful.
Rolling 2-5: Failure. You get sprayed with soporific pollen, which will affect you for several hours.
Rolling a 1: Critical failure. Not only do you get sprayed with soporific pollen, but the tigerlily in question decides that you're their new cat toy. Tigerlilies are not carnivorous, but their teeth and fangs are still very sharp, and not highly pleasant to contend with.

Bear in mind that these are only guidelines; you are free to predetermine successes or failures as you'd like, presuming your character can sustain the companion! Our discord channel has a room for dice-rolls, if that's your speed.

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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.

---

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

[ladytakamaki]

[ ann wants to talk about how she can use fire, too, how handy it is but...alas. she swore to secrecy when they'd formed the phantom thieves. that still stands. ]

Oh, uh-huh, aha...that sounds...convenient!

[ why is she so awkward about this ]

there ain't no stoppin us now

[ladytakamaki]

What?!

[ it's not even the second part that catches her off-guard. akechi mentioned it once. it still hurts to hear, but it's not news to her. she'd been thinking about that ever since she woke up on this island. ]

He was here? [ she can't help it. she starts glaring daggers into akechi again. ] You didn't do anything to him, did you?

[raygunner]

[ There are a couple ways to go about this. Akechi is a liar, always has been. Anything he says... would she believe it, after he's told her so much? After he's shown his hand? He doubts it. ]

Hmmm.

[ It's a thoughtful, quiet noise. ]

What do you believe more? That I left him alone? That I attacked and killed him? Or that our relationship here was something close to amiable? Take your pick, Takamaki.

[ladytakamaki]

[ she hates this. she hates him.

he's playing with her. she expected it, but it doesn't make it any less jarring, to be faced with someone as twisted and manipulative as goro akechi is. ]

You...

[ he could have helped them. he could have fought on the side of justice.

instead... ] You didn't! Akira never would have let that happen!

[raygunner]

[ Ah. She rose to the bait; just like her element, Ann Takamaki has always been easy to catch onto things. She's always had that spark inside her, aching for a chance to grow. It's why she'd become a Phantom Thief, he thinks--a need to just.

Show her fire. ]

Really? Hmm. You know, regarding our personas, there's an annoying caveat in place. The more you use it, the more tired you become.

Someone as desperate to help people as Kurusu.... It isn't impossible to believe he could be easily caught off-guard in his exhaustion. Is it?

[everylittlesecret]

[Nari watches Ann before snorting.]

Ya know, I know your leader. Akira Kurusu. You can stop pretending you don't know how to do anything.

[You're really bad at acting, Ann.]

[ladytakamaki]

[ no more holding back.

the implication is there, and even if she'd just seen akira before waking up here, there's a part of her that fears that akechi is right. and he's tipped her over the edge, past her breaking point.

without warning, she lunges at akechi, hand balled into a fist, aiming straight for his cheek. ]

arrival

[everylittlesecret]

[Akechi might be all calm about this, but Nari isn't. No. She's swearing rather loudly whenever a petal lands on her, ripping it apart, not caring that her hands are being stained by the petals.

That's as much of a hi as she'll give at the moment.]

[ladytakamaki]

Wh--

[ SHE WAS NOT. EXPECTING THAT. AT ALL. ]

What?! He--he told you?!

[raygunner]

[ Her fist connects, and Akechi stumbles back. He lets out an involuntary gasp; she's stronger than she has any right to be, and he's gonna be sporting a hell of a bruise later.

The cat in his arm jumps down and moves in front of him, hackles raised as she growls. It brings Akechi back, back to the pain and the blood he can taste in his mouth. ]

You hate me? Good. [ He spits out a bit of blood. ] You could've shared some of that with Kurusu.

[everylittlesecret]

Sorta. Hard to explain. But I know you ain't not ordinary girl, and that's gonna keep you alive longer here.

[She is not going to tell Ann she met another Ann. Nope. That would. Probably not go over well. Or about murdertimes.]

[raygunner]

[ Ah. ]

... Are you alright, miss?

[ladytakamaki]

[ ann's own tigerlily hisses back at akechi's. a warning. but it makes no move to attack. ann's breathing hard but her hand is trembling.

she'd been wanting to do that for a while. more than she realized. and she hates to say it, but punching akechi feels so damn good. ]

He's too good for that. [ her voice is laced with venom, not batting an eye even as he spits out blood. ] You're lucky he even gave you an ounce of forgiveness.

[ladytakamaki]

[ ann falls silent. she's absolutely shocked that nari knows about this--any of this. did akira trust her that much? did he tell her about all the phantom thieves? is that how nari was able to figure out that akira was her leader?

ann has so many questions. but she needs to get the important stuff out of the way first. ]

Look... If Akira told you all of this, then that means he trusts you. So...that means I trust you, too, to keep this a secret.

[raygunner]

[ And in response, Akechi's hisses back, before yowling. Akechi wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and he looks at Ann Takamaki with cold eyes and a swollen cheek. ]

Of course he is.

[ He's raised his voice; it's not quite the level he'd achieved back on Shido's boat, but it's close.

(She doesn't remember; how will she treat him when she remembers? If she ever does?)

And Akechi laughs, before he grits his teeth so hard it makes his jaw ache. He feels the white-hot bubble of rage, of anger and hatred and jealousy rise up in his chest, and he wants nothing more than to let it go.

Loki pushes at the edges of his mind, but Akechi stifles him. ]

Because he's so much better than everyone else. Your precious leader can do no wrong, can he?

[everylittlesecret]

[Oh shit there's someone there-

So she... slowly stops ripping a purple petal up while looking at him with wide eyes.]

......... No. I hate flowers.

[everylittlesecret]

[Ann. Honey. No. Nari never actually met Akira. Just watched as he and others every week went through hell and seeing him slowly lose his mind, or so it looked to Nari.

Plus, being a Phantom Thief was listed in his profile.

Good thing that Noctis has taught Nari how to keep calm and lie, even if she hates doing it.]

Yup. Total trust after I proved myself. [Ahahahahahaha...] I'm very good at keeping secrets. Just know that no one here will hold it against you. Powers are a "blessing" here, and you could be helpful to those who can't defend themselves.

[ladytakamaki]

[ things might be different if she ever remembers. but here, in the present, all she can see is red--the blood that's been spilled on akechi's hands. all the lives he took. she can only hope that akira's wasn't one of them. ]

He's not perfect, but he's not a murderer!

[ladytakamaki]

[ hearing that people won't judge her for it helps a lot, but she still can't afford to take any risks. if anyone here is from the same world as them, there's a chance their secrets might be leaked, and they'd be found out by the police.

there'd be no hope left, if that happened. ]

It's not just a matter of being judged, though. We need to keep a low profile because if law enforcement ever found out about us? We'd be done for.

[everylittlesecret]

Law enforcement? Wanna know a secret?

[She stops Ann to boop her nose.]

You and I and everyone else here are the law enforcement. So unless you want to arrest yourself, don't worry about it. No one can communicate with other worlds, and they've tried. My girlfriend has something that's like a cellphone and it's useless here. This world ain't tech friendly.

[jackal_style]

[Dogo hears something talking to him, and sees... an animal he's never seen before. A really, really tall animal, extending his hand out. Dogo cautiously approaches, plopping himself down in front of Prompto.]

Hi!

[Best to put on a friendly face. Animals will be nicer to you if you put on a friendly face, so Dogo smiles and wags his tail a little.]

I'm Dogo! Do you live on this island?

closed to damen and ann!

[crosslaced]

[The first indication that Laurent isn’t home is the horses, chilling by the Islet 1 public showers. Their manes and tails are damp from a recent bath and they’re just chilling, watching their human wrestle his Tigerlily into a shower.

Left to his own devices in the forests around the Temple, No Stop That the Tigerlily has gained a fair bit of leaves and petals in his coat. He was supposed to gain independence. But oh well. The Tigerlily looks much more matured than the precocious juvenile he was when he followed Laurent to Enso- but still he’s a dumbass, and mewls with great distress under the running water. Laurent’s keeping him in place with the help of a woven harness, so even when he squirms periodically he can’t quite get away. ]

[SAD MROOOOOOW.]

Don’t give me that.

[Laurent’s preoccupation in washing the dirt and pollen off his ridiculous cat means that Damen or Ann can get the jump on him, at least. ]

[ladytakamaki]

I-I was talking about law enforcement back at home! You know, so nobody accidentally blabs about us or something!

[ SHE'S SO EMBARRASSED ] But uh, it's good to know they don't exist here, y'know? We get to make our own rules and stuff, right?

shiro // voltron // ota // will match // possible spoilers

[propugnator]

[ A: PETALS LIKE FALLING SNOW. ]

( a body can be found face-up along the shore, a considerable collection of pink petals littered across him as the waves lap gently against his right side. they collect against his face and neck, some of them floating on the surface of the water hitting against him. he might be familiar to some as a man who had been here before, although just a little different now with snow white hair and a missing arm. from first glance, it is clear that he isn't injured and his armour isn't damaged.

someone just got dropped off at an unfortunate location.

he can also be found on that same beach a little later on, sitting in the sand with his helmet at his hip after eventually waking up either on his own terms or through some helpful intervention. he pulls his glove off with his teeth, biting at the tip of the ring finger to yank it off. he gives it a couple shakes afterward, flicking off beads of water and some stubborn pink petals. )

Guess I should be getting used to this, huh.

( a sigh. then he's glancing off towards the ocean as if it might magically provide him with some answers. )

Where is this even supposed to be?

( it definitely doesn't feel like earth. but where else had they been headed? had they crashed on the way? he's got to get some answers. )

[ B: EVERYBODY LOVES CATS. ]

( priority number one, now that shiro has had a little time to get himself straightened out, is to explore the area and potentially find some signs of civilisation. somewhere with weather this nice and forests this lush must have people living here. or at least one could hope. he really isn't looking forward to the outcome of getting temporarily stuck somewhere entirely alone. he had tried his communicator a few times on the beach, but he had received no answer.

no static. only dead air. not a good sign.

however, a distressed sound stops him as he pushes his way through the jungle. it's quiet, a little pathetic, and more than enough to catch his attention. while he knows that he needs to cover as much ground as possible while it's still daylight, he can't just ignore that kind of sound. he immediately takes a sharp turn in the direction of the noise, pushing back tree branches to find a strange plant-tiger trapped within a mess of thorny vines.

it makes another noise as soon as shiro approaches, something between a growl and a meow. reaching forward, he pulls at the vines with a gloved hand. )

I know, buddy. No one likes to be caged up. I'm going to get you out.

( he says gently as he works on freeing the beast from its accidental imprisonment. )

:3c

[salschef]

[ Hunk's taking a walk- needing a break, needing some air- when he sees... someone.

He hears the voice, that deeply familiar voice, first, and he bolts towards it, not bothering to sneak as he crashes through the underbrush, but he freezes when he sees who was making it. ]

Holy-

[ Is that really- ]

Shiro?