lifeaftr | November Intro: We Used to Think Our Words Were Gold

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November Intro: We Used to Think Our Words Were Gold

INTRO LOG: NOVEMBER

Who: New arrivals, and you!
What: New souls arrive to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: November 4th and onward
Where: Ensō
Warnings: Mark as needed!

Temple: We Built These Walls So We Could Find
With the Storyteller once again regaining control of Mu in the final week of October, the disturbing bleedover of characters' pasts and futures has come to an end; but, as it would seem, some alternative effects have merely been delayed.

The Chamber of Glyphs, which had held steadfast as a link between the physical and metaphysical worlds during last month's event, has finally bent beneath the strain - and, perhaps, due to the Storyteller's increased exertion over both planes. The Chamber, which typically represents a myriad of drawings intended to tell stories, has abruptly become much less tell...and much more show.

Newcomers will open their eyes to a high stone ceiling, punched through with beams of sunlight. Massive stone walls span them on four sides, upon which are endless murals drawn in chalk, depicting island life: a village gathered around a table, feasting; hunters with their bows drawn, chasing down a wild boar; warriors with swords slashing at enormous vipers. Any imaginable tale of wilderness survival adorns the walls, pitching and shifting, almost seeming to animate...

Right out of the walls, in fact.

Indeed, the drawings in the Chamber have come to life, bringing the chaos of their story into the room itself. And they seem quite determined to make your character a part of it. Though startingly lifelike, their features always seem to be fuzzy and indistinct, and their voices a bit too warbled to make out. Whether it be the taste of bitter ink in your mouth when you bite into an apple, or the feel of chalk dust on your fingers as you grip a weapon handed to you, there is a persistent sense of immaterialism in these ghost-drawings and the world they fill the gray corners of the Chamber with. Regardless, they all very much believe that you are a part of the feast, or the hunt, or the battle, or whatever other tale has leapt from the walls. And you are expected to participate.

Of course, any theoretical danger probably isn't real...but do you really want to risk it? After all, it isn't only mundane tales of the faceless that reside here - your fellow survivors, too, have added their much wilder stories to this world. Surely the Chamber would recognize them if they were to be nearby...and remember their contributions.

And Beyond: A Future We Will Never Write
Of course, there are other aberrations throughout the temple to contend with. For newcomers, the major issue appears to be the lack of a front door, while those who have come to visit the temple for any number of reasons will find the front door isn't quite leading to where it should; nor does it seem keen on sticking in one place. The only room within the building that any character will be able to reach is the Chamber of Glyphs itself - but actually escaping the temple may seem a difficult task.

The temple's interior does not help in keeping one's bearings. Though pillars, empty shelves, and even the outline of windows can still be seen throughout the imagery, they appear of have been superimposed into much wider areas of space - the arid, vast wastelands of Monsun. The ash-powdered lands of Chol, still scorched black from the rebirthing of the sun. Even Ai'tuoh, though its streets seem devoid of any life.

Though the eye may believe they have returned to the entirety of the island, other senses may confound and befuddle. Each step is still taken on level stone, the only sounds those of your shoes upon the floor - and the voices of anyone stuck inside with you. Venturing about will prove that these illusions do have a limitation, ending a few miles at most, though the unlucky could easily find themselves exiting one door...and entering a new island room. Exploration could potentially continue on indefinitely - or at the least, until the Storyteller wrangles their temple back into order early the next morning.

Be careful, adventurers. Though cycling through islands you have seen before - the very subject of your stories - there is a chance that those who go too deep will come across a land that is very familiar to some. Twisted remnants of something terrible, heavy with the scent of ash and decay. Bare, blackened landscapes that look as though they may have been blown to fragments. Portions of some foreign and unknown world a powerful strain of dark, volcanic corruption.

If you should find this, it is best to leave as soon as possible. Though the ground may still be safe to stand on, the same cannot be said about the breathability of the air.

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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[You know it's Wash because he yanks his weapon up before fully comprehending who it is he's looking at. News that new people would be showing up in the temple itself didn't bode well, considering how everyone's talking about the Storyteller, he'd really rather not be here any longer than absolutely necessary.]

[It doesn't follow that he got lost as quickly as he did. His sense of direction ought to be better than this - but he can't even be frustrated about it, if this is what's come of it.]

[In theory.]

[Last month has him wary.]

...are you real?

[Wash, can you chill? For just one moment in your life?

Lance, at least, doesn't panic or freak out this time. He just shoots a look at Wash, before raising an eyebrow.]

If I say no, are you gonna shoot me?

[He doesn't want to be shot, but. Come on now.]

[Never.]

We were dealing with hallucinations last month. I'd like to make sure that isn't happening again.

[Though why he'd be hallucinating Lance would be...you know what? He doesn't want to entertain that as an option.]

[Wow.]

Shooting a hallucination isn't going to do anything!

[Also, if he was a hallucination, wouldn't he just say whatever he would say to convince Wash he was real?

Probably. Maybe? He's not sure. This is above his paygrade.]

You gotta come up with a better plan than waving your gun around.

Shooting it would guarantee that it is a hallucination, and not something else.

[He is...still not lowering his weapon, though he's not showing any signs of opening fire, at least. Sorry, Lance. Paranoia just happens to be the name of the game when you're Agent Washington.]

When'd you get here?

What if the hallucination bleeds? What then?

[Your logic is flawed, Wash, if it's all in your head and what you want to be seeing.

He's not bothered by the gun being pointed at least - too much faith, probably - and he rubs his chin as he thinks.]

Couple of hours ago, maybe?

Hallucinations do a lot of things that most people don't.

[But he does seem to (finally) interpret that as a sign that this is the Real Lance and not merely a figment of his imagination, and so he lets his weapon drop, slowly. Very slowly.]

You got lost in a couple hours?

Are you an expert in hallucinations or something?

[Gosh! Lance rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and huffing.]

It's easy to get lost when the place is changing all around you.

Yes.

[It's a deadpan answer, but it's actually...completely and utterly accurate. How about that.]

Well, if you want to move with me, you can. I'm just looking for the door outta here.

Oh. Okay.

[He wasn't expecting such a serious answer! He was expecting to be ignored, truthfully.]

Pfff- good luck catching it. [Which isn't saying he's not going to tag along with him.]

Have you seen it since ending up here?

[Wash hasn't - yet - but that doesn't mean he's about to just sit down and let it pass him by. He's not one to passively endure until a solution presents itself, not unless there's no other option.]

Nope.

[Not in the slightest. He just showed up here and it seems like there's no way out.

So like. That's cool.]

If I saw the exit I would've exited. I don't run around mazes for fun.

That's the thing. The doors go both ways.

[Speaking as someone who's now two for two on going deeper into the mess instead of making his way out of it.]

That's how doors work.

[Lance is a genius.]

Have you seen any doors at all after you got in here?

[HE'S TRYING VERY HARD TO SIGH LOUDLY AT THIS POINT, JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE. Just so the jury is aware of how much effort Agent Washington is devoting to being perfectly fucking calm and rational here.]

Two now. And I thought they would take me back out of here, but they didn't, which is why the exit is a little harder to find than you'd think.

[Now there's a reaction Lance is used to.]

Weeeeell, it has to be somewhere. I don't think the Storyteller is exactly keen on keeping us trapped in their temple.

[Considering how destructive some of the people trapped inside can be...]

I doubt they're doing this intentionally. The last few weeks weren't easy on them.

[He's clinical as he says it. Curt. Dismissive. Not exactly sympathetic, but issuing a calm damage report.]

[Hmm. Don't like the sound of that.]

What do you mean? I haven't exactly...been around.

I heard.

[Guess he did disappear.]

The Storyteller had to leave for a bit, and that place we go to in our dreams wasn't too happy about it.

You did?

[Is he...popular?!]

Oh. Are they, like, okay now? They're okay, right?

I have no idea. I'd guess no, if this is still happening. [He seems grumpier more than he's actually concerned, but it's hard to say.]

Keith mentioned that he was looking for you. [He glances sidelong Lance's way. They're...a team, right? Why wouldn't he be looked for?]

Well, that sucks. [Sheesh. Lance does look actually concerned, though, brows furrowing together before raising an eyebrow.]

Man, Keith is going to be maaaaad. [A low whistle.] Well, if he ever finds me. Can't really find anyone on purpose in a place like this.

[Bizarrely, Keith doesn't strike him as the type to get mad over much - largely because he simply hasn't seen him get mad over anything.]

I think he's mostly going to be relieved that you're okay, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[It's a different experience when you're the one who's the source of most of Keith's ire.

Maybe he should work on that]

Yeaaah, maybe. But you're right. No point worrying about it until we get out of here.

Speaking of which...

[Boy oh boy. This is gonna be a fun little pickle to get out of.]

Which way have you been going?

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November Intro: We Used to Think Our Words Were Gold

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