December Intro: Pressure Building

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: DECEMBER

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

It begins on a mild autumn day, one where the breeze is gentle and the sky a deep, cloudless blue. Ensō is quiet as the adventurers that call it (if only temporarily) home begin to awaken and go about their daily business- for those who have been here long enough, this may consist of searching for those new arrivals, undoubtedly lost and likely confused. It is a normal day on Ensō. Then the water starts to rise.

Northern Beachfront: Let Me Get Off the Ground
For newcomers waking on the shoreline and those who have come to greet them, the rapid swelling of the ocean's surface will be immediately noticeable. Just a few, short miles from the shore, the water continues bulging upwards to terrifying heights, obscuring the sun and throwing warped shadows over the majority of Ensō's northern landscape. It towers there, wobbling, inexplicably retaining its shape even as it ripples, flowing, and sends great streams of saltwater streaming over the ocean's surface. Though the sun is barely capable of piercing the immense mass, those with a keen eye will see...something moving within, coiled far above sea level. Some dark mass, too distorted by the water and the lack of light to solidify into any easily recognizable shape, nonetheless makes its presence felt regardless. All nearby will find themselves stricken with a growing sense of being watched by a gaze that pierces flesh and bone…one that is none too appreciative of what it sees.

Retaliation to this apparent threat is both vicious and immediate. Bursting from the trees and whipping through the air within a tornado of motion, thousands, then tens of thousands of ink-stained pages whip out from Ensō's jungle and across open water like a flock of ferocious birds, striking at the liquid mountain with unceasing fervor.

Now may not be the best time to gawk, adventurers. With this attack, the raised water will begin to collapse - and the giant waves resulting from the sudden upset will bear no mercy for anyone swept off their feet in the churning swells.

Storyteller's Temple and the Rest of Ensō: I See Your Corruption
Those seeking shelter and answers will find them limited in supply, if not entirely absent. For, you see, the mana pools on Ensō have ceased functioning, leaving characters stranded wherever they may be at the time the assault begins.

No safety can be found within the temple walls this day, with more and more black pages erupting from every door and window. Attempts to approach and even push through won't be harmful, or at least not intentionally - rather, the pages will force back anyone who attempts to come between them and their current objective. Those who may not get the message the first time may just find themselves flying quite a ways away.

The above will quickly become the least of anyone’s worries. Those who remember the rebirth of the sun back in January will not doubt recall the creatures of the night faced during those darkest hours. As the waters around Ensō continue to churn in response to the offshore assault, large waves act as ferries for those precise beasts, clambering onto the shore in droves. Though the sun is obscured in many spaces, these shadowy creatures will always make for the treelines during daylight hours, seemingly sluggish at best under natural lighting.

Unfortunately, the Storyteller will be occupied for quite some time - and once night falls, those deadly beings will be on the hunt.

For the duration of the assault, the islets will remain relatively safe during daylight hours, so long as your character is capable of accessing a boat to travel there. Once night falls, however, they will be as dangerous as the mainland.

Both the shadowy creatures and the risen water will retreat on the morning of December 10th, leaving Ensō silent once more. The hovering pages, however, will continue circling the coastline for some time like great papery seabirds.

The doors to the Storyteller’s temple shall remain closed.

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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.

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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

[warpstriking]

'M up, 'm up.

[Ignis could probably imagine him waving his hand at that with how he puts it. (Please no more veggie adventures; he'll start dreaming of those cartoon ones the really religious shove down little kids' throats.)]

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis chuckles softly. Why yes, he can imagine very clearly just that reaction.]

If it is any consolation, I shan't keep you from your beauty rest for long. I just wanted to know how you made it through the night and if you and Prompto were still planning on making your way to the farming islet today.

[He is worried about you two, but he is also trying not to nag. Aren't you proud?]

[warpstriking]

[Glad to be of amusing service, Iggy.]

Yeah, we made it alright. Found out the hard way my elemancy's gone. [Again. He frowns as he forces himself to get up.] And we are. How are things over there?

[He's so proud he could shed a single, manly tear. If he wasn't so damn tired after last night.]

[shatteredlenses]

[Ignis frowns. After all the information he had passed onto Noctis, how had he forgotten to mention such an important thing?]

I apologize. I should have told you right away that this place does strange things to our powers. I hope that neither of you were injured due to my lapse.

[Oops, maybe too early to be proud considering Ignis is being Ignis, and of course he's taking the blame for it.]

We are holding out fairly well, though I believe Ardyn and I are having an easier time of it than Gladio is. We've both faced these monsters before and fire is the most effective way of keeping them back as you've no doubt found out. I've try to stay near Gladio so I can send Rory his way in support, but you know how he is.

[That last bit comes out fond, but exasperated.]

It will be a relief to have more hands here to help out. Some of these creatures are extremely dangerous to fight in close quarters.

[Not that he knows this from experience or anything. Perish the thought...]

[warpstriking]

Nah, s'cool. Found out before I made it to Denny. [Which meant he was, at least, prepared for the long night. Even made a few ethers! ...Though he quickly found out he grew tired after three. He'll have to pace himself while figuring out the rest.]

So don't blame yourself. Couldn't have known how they'd be affected. [Trial and error time. Whee... It's almost like he's eight again.] Sadly unless it's with a lit stick, I'm out of luck in the elemental magic. And yeah, he's almost as stubborn as his old man sometimes.

[Or him, with vegetables. (Guess what he's not gonna be happy about having to actually eat and not just slide over to Ignis or Prompto?) Especially when it comes to fighting things on his own. Aaand then he catches the tone of the last part.]

...Iggy. [frysquint.gif]

[shatteredlenses]

As you wish.

[The agreement is hesitant, unsurprisingly, but Ignis also knows this isn't the time to argue such things, especially since no one was hurt in the end.]

Fortunately, we have options. We shouldn't have to resort to the 'lit stick' level unless things are very bad indeed.

[Hopefully, Noctis won't get caught up on losing that aspect of his abilities. Being able to make curatives, even a limited number, will more than make up for any other missing skills. Especially if Gladio continues his trend of 'inviting' people to stab him.]

Yes, Noct?

[Oh yeah, that sounds a lot like he's going to attempt to deflect the whole thing, but surprisingly, a few seconds later the sound of a soft sigh comes across the crystal and then Ignis actually does explain.]

I'm fine. My experience was gained when these creatures first appeared almost a year ago. Should you come across one that is a mass of oozing hairy limbs, it's called an oolick. They secrete an acidic oil and their blood is equally as acidic. If they manage to engulf within their bodies, you will find yourself totally cut off from all your senses and very conscious of that fact.

[There's a moment of silence there and when Ignis continues his voice suddenly sounds a lot more tired.]

I was fortunate Ardyn recognized my spear when he came across it and was able to free me, though I was completely catatonic by the time he did so. It took weeks for me to completely reconnect with my senses. I don't want any of you to experience the same.

this is the last tag i wrote before i die for a day or two with the voltron cast. byeee neko ;a;

[warpstriking]

[Good, because he honestly does not want to argue about it even if they had the time to do so. It wasn't Ignis' fault, plain and simple.]

Just an example. [He shrugs - likely just audible on this... rock... thing. Noctis is more interested in what he can do, not what he can't. He'll have to figure it out before it costs precious seconds in a crucial moment. He just got here and doesn't want to leave them again so suddenly.

So, he waits. He loudly taps on the wall he's leaning against to indicate as much until he speaks again; then he stops and listens.]

...Juuust great. [He runs a hand down his face, both at what is described and to wake himself up a little more.] Had enough fun with some dogs instead.

*Salutes you and the rest of the cast* Godspeed! (And RIP)

[shatteredlenses]

Ah, yes. Grimlings I believe they're called.

[Does giving a monster a name really help? Maybe not, but Ignis gives it anyway.]

They travel in packs, but aren't the brightest of creatures. Certainly no challenge for you and Prompto, limited skills or no.

[Will the Astrals be kind for once and make that the worst the two run into? Ignis can hope, though he has little faith in anything requiring the Astrals' kind intervention anymore.]

They are very much the Sabertucks of this particular group of creatures.

*stumbles back from the war, wheezes*

[warpstriking]

[Grimlings... He'll remember that. It may not help too much, but having a name to the monstrosity does settle something within him.]

Yeah. Especially since they started turning on their own when one got injured.

[Which was both relieving, considering the magic drain, and repulsive. And he thought sabertusks had no chill.]