February Intro: Chasing Kairos

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: FEBRUARY

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

Monsun, for the uninitiated, is an island divided in two, separated by a ribbon of flowing river. To the east, a rich deciduous woodland and perfect temperature heralds a plethora of resources at your disposal, at one singular, significant cost: your very worst traits will manifest the longer you remain in the area, until, by the twenty-four hour mark, you're living your absolute worst self.

By contrast, the island's western region is a harsh wasteland, a swathe of desert with hardly any shelter from the unrelenting sun and arid heat. Most everything here wants, in some way, to kill you, from the landscape to the fauna. Ugly storms and predators run wild, but the benefit is probably exactly what you think it is: namely, that your best traits manifest more and more strongly the longer you remain on Monsun's western half.

You, you lucky band of newcomers, are going to be arriving on one of two sides of the island. Whichever one in which your character wakes is up to you - though they're certainly welcome to head either direction, once they get their bearings.

Monsun, B2: Desert Air Won't Drown You Out
A craggy stretch of desert borders Monsun's northwest coast. Parts of the sand here, the further north you head, seem to have gone suspiciously slushy or boggy...though that might be the beginnings of an oasis that looks like it might be present on the region further up. Or, possibly, something else entirely.

It'll probably be hard to tell when you've got a mess of your own to contend with. Namely, the presence of a predator that's going to be making life quite...difficult for you, the longer you remain.

Nova Scorpions have been unlocked in the bestiary! Nova Scorpions are about one meter in length and have a large stinger to match, with a golden carapace that makes them near-chameleonic when it comes to blending in with the sands they so favor. They are nocturnal by nature and tend to burrow into the sand and form lairs with others of their kind. Occasionally, one might encounter a scorpion carrying its young on its back.

By far the most dangerous thing about them is their venom, potent enough to floor even the most powerful and even those of the nonhuman persuasion. They can be, potentially, milked for said venom if you're in need of a powerful toxin to lace your weapons, but it's recommended that you make sure the scorpion is very thoroughly dead or well on its way before doing any harvesting of its resources. You know. Just to be on the safe side.

The good news, of course, is that your better traits will be amplified the longer you stay on this side of the island. If you don't mind the danger, you're far more likely to earn yourself some help here than you are on the other side of the island.

Speaking of which.

Monsun, C1: So Scared of Overgrowing Youth
By utter contrast, the rich woodlands of Monsun's east give all the appearances of being the best sort of welcome one could ask for. With the island's coast lining the region of C1 to its north and a deep, beautiful green swathe of lush deciduous undergrowth swarming throughout the entirety of the area, one could almost call it idyllic.

One thing is certain: it is very, very beautiful. The presence of so many growing things make it a glorious contrast to the island's western half. And in C1 in particular, there's no shortage of resources. The odd berry bush, the abundance of trees that can be harvested for lumber, if necessary...and the presence of some very odd, but nonetheless potentially adorable little creatures known as mosslings.

What may initially appear to be a tuft of particularly springy moss will, on closer inspection, prove to be something a little bit more. Mosslings are practically indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape unless one is keen-eyed enough to pick out the twin yellow points of glowing eyes nestled among the leafy orbs of their bodies - or unless one happens to spook one by accident, prompting it to scurry hastily away. They are extremely peaceable, extremely docile creatures, though they can make traversing the landscape startling on occasion, for the faint of heart. Aside from potentially edible, leafy flesh, they don't have much use in the way of resources, but they are quite harmless! You, on the other hand, probably aren't so harmless. At least, not the longer you stay here. If you don't start forging your way west, or weaving your way to the island's single mana pool - located on E3 - to get off of it entirely, your very worst self is going to be manifesting, along with all your worst and least desirable qualities. Prone to violence, cowardice, jealousy, or paranoia? Better hope no one else is around to aggravate those traits, because they're not immune to Monsun's psychological effects either.

The only danger here comes from within. But the worst things usually do.

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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

[shiritai]

[ ... well, that's unusual. Violet's... fairly sure dogs aren't native to deserts, but she's also fairly sure giant white rabbits don't usually talk, so who is she to question how things are going today?

Her expression does soften a little though and rather than stay standing, she stoops a little to encourage Ammy to come closer. She hasn't seen many dogs in Leiden but a wagging tail means she's inclined to be friendly, doesn't it? ]

Hello. [ she's already said that, but her voice, just as her expression, has gone a little gentler than it was before. ] Do you belong here?

[mamaterasu]

[The bend of the body was completely unnecessary, Ammy would have happily trotted over regardless, but that's as good an invitation as any. Hurrying over, the wolf pants excitedly and snuffles about Violet, trying to get a read on her scent. Hm...definitely not familiar, she may be a newcomer, or someone Ammy simply hasn't met yet. There are plenty of smells around the islands, and some she knows and doesn't know, that's for sure. As sociable and friendly as this pup is, she can't be everywhere at once, and meet everyone.

The question is ignored other than a blink and a tilt of her head, ears flopping to one side, before she goes back to sniffing at this young woman. If her hands are at all exposed, they may very well meet the fate of getting nudged and kissed by a wet nose or tongue.]

[shiritai]

[ No response. So... this really is just a dog, then. That's odd.

No odder than a talking rabbit, she supposes, but still. A dog this fluffy and this friendly certainly can't be a wild dog of the desert, which means that perhaps...

Violet pats her, taking care to be gentle, but even as careful as she's being, it's impossible not to feel how cold and hard her hands are, even through her gloves. ]

Is your master nearby? Or are you lost, as I am?

[ What makes you think you're gonna get any more of an answer this time, Violet you dope ]

[mamaterasu]

[That definitely is something Ammy notices, mostly the cold part. In a blazing desert like this, no part of a person should be cold for very long. She gives her hands a few affectionate licks, hoping to warm them a bit before the second question is posed to her--or, erm...second and third.

This time, the wolf does respond. Her intelligence is exemplified here on this island, as is her friendliness and willingness to help those in need. No hiding her true nature, or at least not being as guarded about it. She shakes her head to say no, she's not lost. Not...really? Monsun is a winding, arid island on this side, and it's filled with many dangers. Ammy rarely comes here, opting to avoid this island entirely if she can, so she hasn't really mapped this place in her mind, instinctively, yet.

Master though...heh. Heh, heh, heh. That's funny. Her lips curl back and she pants, tongue flopping slightly as she wheezes out a sound that might almost be mistaken for a wheezy sort of chuckle or a laugh - a sound like a hyena's cackle.]

[shiritai]

[ The sound of it makes Violet smile as well – it's a soft, barely-there thing, as if it's an expression she's not quite used to making yet, but it's unmistakably a smile. ]

No master, then.

[ Perhaps in other circumstances, all this talk of dogs and their masters would sting her, but something about this place makes it hard for her to dwell on those sorts of thoughts. If this weren't such an inhospitable place, perhaps it would be a welcome change. ]

Then if you have no companions, would you object to the two of us finding our way together?

[mamaterasu]

Yarrp!

[The wolf barks in response, wagging her tail behind her. That doesn't sound at all unpleasant, but hopefully the mana pool on this island hasn't been damaged. There was one accessible on this side of the island long ago, but she's not certain if it remains now...after all the kerfuffle that's happened with Monsun in the past. It's been...well. It's been. And that's all she'll really dwell on. Ammy really doesn't want to go to the other side of the island, especially not with anyone else.

She's terrified of what she may do to a person, if it's anything like she did to the local wildlife the first (and last) time she entered the wooded side of this island. If they have to meander into the forested area, that's where she'll part ways, sad as it may be. Hopefully the mana pool on this side still remains...]

[shiritai]

[ Violet pets her again – just as gently before, like she doesn't quite trust her hands – and then carefully straightens up, pulling herself back to her full height. ]

May I rely on you to guide us, then? You seem to have a reliable nose.

[mamaterasu]

[Barking again in response, Ammy wags her tail excitedly. She does indeed has a good nose, and is pretty experienced with tracking. It shouldn't be too difficult, if the mana pool is still on this side... She remembers it was actually near the shore of the dividing river, so if they following it, then maybe they can take it back to Enso, where the terrain is much easier to navigate and poses far less of a threat.

Ammy begins to make her way down the ban of the river, sniffing around the ground to see if she can pick up the faint but familiar aura she familiarizes herself with coming from the mana pools. It's not so much a scent as it is a feeling - a presence - that she can feel in her very soul, but...appearances mean a lot to others. Might as well keep the acting up, even if this young lady is pretty aware she's not just a regular dog.

Ammy will even keep her pace slow so she can keep up, periodically stopping and looking back to make sure Violet isn't stumbling, getting tired, or that no wicked creatures are about to ambush them. This side of the island is host to the nastier beasties, after all.]