March Intro: Let Loose Your Glow

[lifeaftr_mods]

INTRO LOG: MARCH

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

With a quiet month behind them, those on Ensō will be greeted by the new month with even more quiet days, weather only just beginning to take a turn for the immensely hot as summer begins to loom on the horizon. For our newcomers, this is also the scene in which they’ll find themselves waking; washed up on the island's shores, meeting interesting people, missing some key items, and gaining some new ones.

This peaceful time to greet one another and collect yourself won't last long, however. As the sun begins to rise into the sky, the quiet air will be disturbed by shrieks of surprise, dismay - and triumph. There is no new creature set to wipe out all life, no elevator from the sky, or clown box to chain. No. This month, the new arrivals have been set upon by Ensō's deadliest and most ruthless creatures.

Their fellow adventurers.

Ensō: Give Me One Drop
Last month, adventurers eagerly participated in the Storyteller's request to coat the island in protective ink, one of many steps the local god has been taking to keep Ensō, and its occupants, safer than they have. However, a great many variables to account for inevitably leads to something falling through the cracks - such as what to do when new arrivals arrive on these heavily protected shores.

Though they’ll have time to "automate" this process in the coming months, for now, the Storyteller once again humbly requests some assistance. Nothing harmful, of course, but...well, it does need to be done. In order for the new arrivals to be protected and not considered a threat by the local contingent of flocking, fluttering pages flying on the breeze, they'll need to come in contact with the base material that ties these protections together, and a lot of it. That base material being ink. Which is where our more settled adventurers may step up to the plate. Though the purpose here is unstated, the return of the...equipment that was initially provided to paint the island sends a message all of its own: the Storyteller is happy for you to "assist" these new arrivals by any means necessary.

Welcome to LifeAtr, dear newcomers. Please excuse this very necessary, absolutely reasonable hazing. At the very least, all signs of ink on your personal items - and person, at that - will fade away within twenty-four hours.

And of course, the option to retaliate is yours for the taking, if you can find a bucket or water gun. There happen to be quite a few lying around on the beaches when you first wake - and they're all loaded, too.

Monsun and Ensō: As the Heavens Set Fire
Those of you who have been with us for some time may remember a time when a rather costly item request was involved in placing a mana pool on Monsun's western desert half, so as to bypass the verdant east. The mana pool in question seems to have been...lost, for the time being. It's not clear what happened to it.

Until now.

You see, Monsun didn't take kindly to you throwing its idea of balance out of balance. With the artificial placement of a mana pool on the western side of the island, it seems that hardly anyone would have any reason to visit the east, and that simply won't do. When the landscape shifted, the mana pool wasn't just lost - it was broken, its stone containment shattered, scattering its magical, greenish fluid to the sands.

It's just terribly unfortunate that it was some of Ziziphus's displaced population that were the ones who found that precious mana first. Ziziphus's creatures are most notable for being an even blend of plant and animal. Thus, they could soak up those juices by their roots...and flourish. Have you yet encountered a rootwyrm - the plantlike dragon with entirely too many legs, bowed beneath the weight of its turtle shell and shelled in bark? Or perhaps you've had to contend with a plant beast, with its hissing lunge-attack and gaping, toothy maw. Several members of those innately hostile flora-fauna - the scrambling spindlanks, the shambling shrumal ogres - have had enough of you adventures crawling all over their territory, and are seeking to retaliate. It's not immediately clear how some of them managed to reach Ensō...but rest assured, several have.

Perhaps you'd be inclined to call these variants something catchy, like...a Rootwyrm +1, for example. Whatever the case, you can be assured that these "improved" variations are larger and stronger than their ordinary counterparts and tend to regenerate damage, having sustained the mana pool's "recharging" capabilities. And, because mana pools have multiple uses, they can also teleport - which would be how they've managed to reach Ensō, despite originating on Monsun. Thankfully, they're fairly distinctive and might be easy to avoid from a distance. They're larger and more vividly colored, for one, though they're also much more hostile by nature. It's likely they'll require a significant amount of teamwork to be successfully taken down, or at least driven back to Monsun.

Let that be a lesson in where you ask to set down your mana pools.

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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

Zidane Tribal [OTA]

[atailoftwoworlds]

A - Give Me One Drop

[Zidane is far away from home. Far away from the people he cares about and those who were the closest to family he has ever had. Far away from the home he belongs– where the girl he loves is waiting for him. And with no known way to get home and the possibility he might be stuck here for a very long time, the young thief has every reason to be miserable about his situation.

However, he chooses not to be. Because he is going to make it home somehow. He has to. He just does not know the way back yet. However, if he managed to make it to this world, surely he can find a way out of it, right?

So, with a smile on his face, he decides to go and get his bearings. Find more people in his situation. Because the chances are, there are people from other worlds who are stuck in the exact same situation as him. They should stick together!

Although what he does not expect is to find a random bucket on the ground and a…….toy of some sort? Machine? He doesn’t know. Since the closest thing to a gun, let alone an ink gun, Zidane is familiar with is a canon on a ship or airship, he picks it up, puzzled.]

Huh? The heck is this……?

[And as he inspects it all over, he accidentally presses the trigger. And so the next passer-by is going to be covered in ink. You’re welcome.]

B - As the Heavens Set Fire

[Well, that weird activity made him wet and covered in ink but it is actually pretty fun! And hey, he can find a place to wash off, right? Even if it’s a lake or something. And it seems to be for a good cause anyway. Now pretty familiar with how the ink guns work, he looks around, seeing who he can target next. Hey, are you under attack from those flying pages? Because you might need help!

While he is looking (or taking aim at you), something suddenly appears right in front of him and blocks his way. Something plant-like, gigantic, a cross between a dragon and a worm…..and looking incredibly menacing.

Not expecting this at all, Zidane drops his ink gun.]

GEEZ! Where the hell did that come from?!

[Either you're both stuck in a double bad situation with the paper AND the rootwyrm or you're a passer-by seeing a blond teenager with a tail face to face with a rootwyrm. Maybe help out if the latter?]

C. Wildcard

[Any other ideas for you and Zidane to meet? Hit me up!]

a

[catpiper]

[This is war?? Actually??

The papers hadn't swarmed him yet, so she was really just coming over to see if he was okay. And he sure is fine enough to commit ink treason within ten seconds of being on the island. That's fine. She's got ink too. And when she's able to wipe the colors off her face, she sets the bucket in her hand down, cups her hands in the glittery, neon purple mess and just-

Throws it at him.]

Re: a

[atailoftwoworlds]

[He blinks. Wait......that is what that machine does? Squirt out ink?

Wait, it's just gone on that girl there.] Ah. My bad. I didn't know it wo - Whoooooooah!

[And he tries to dodge out of the way so that neon mess doesn't land on him, only partly succeeding as half of it does end up on him. Oh well, he half-managed. Although he looks pretty stupid.]

[catpiper]

[The purple adds charm. Look at it? It's amazing.

She claps her hands together at the mission accomplished-it's revenge and protection all in one. The little slips of paper might look the other way now.]

Now you're safe from the 'security system' too. Do you want more purple?

[Because she will Oblige.]

[atailoftwoworlds]

.....Security system? [Okay he's got no idea what she's talking about. But she did do that on him intentionally. And while he covered her in ink by accident, she clearly did the same on purpose. And it's given him an idea.....

Is that what this button does? He aims it at her and gives it a try.] Hmmm......

[catpiper]

[THAT'S CHEATING.

And she's proud, on some level, that he brazenly opens fire on her while she's directly in front of him. The ink hits her poncho and she looks excited-like she's going to tell him he did a great job, but that pride doesn't last long. Revenge is sweet and she's-

Gonna pick up the entire bucket and throw it into the sky-yeah that's right. All her ammo will be lost in the frontal attack, however the odds of her coating him in ink get way better with that necessary sacrifice and she's willing to lose it.]

B

[lightlessfuture]

[ There's the sound of rustling, and then...!

...A tiny figure no more than two feet tall (and that's a generous estimate, with their curved horns) comes bursting out of the undergrowth, ink gun tied to their back. They skid to a halt as they take in the situation, and then don't waste any time in placing themselves between Zidane and the monster, nail immediately drawn.

It might look ridiculous. But they're not hesitating; they just fix the rootwyrm with their unwavering attention.

They won't attack something that doesn't attack them first, but standing their ground isn't even in the top ten of scariest things they've done. ]

B

[atailoftwoworlds]

[Zidane goes into a defensive stance when the knight appears. Only because he didn't expect them to appear as well. But he relaxes a little when he finds that they seem to be facing the rootwyrm.

And then the rootwyrm dives down, aiming straight after the knight. And Zidane, being Zidane, sees if he can grab the knight to get them out of harm's way.]

[lightlessfuture]

[ It's nice of this stranger to try and save them from harm, but they're used to such aggressive motions. The little bug dashes out of the way as the rootwyrm's jaws snap shut on empty air.

Then they leap forward onto its head, drive their nail into a crack between its scales, and hang on grimly as they try to block its vision. Whether it's the start of another attack or just providing an opening, it's unclear, but Zidane has an opportunity to get a head start or attack as he wishes. ]

[atailoftwoworlds]

[The rootwyrm cries out in pain and tries to shove the knight off. Zidane sees this as his chance.]

Well, it looks like the little guy needs a hand!

[And he gets out his daggers and tries to leap onto the monster's neck to take a slice at it and succeeds, making it howl more.]

A

[vagabone]

[Oh nooo, more ink on his shirt! Luckily it's the sort of ink that fades, otherwise he'd still be blue and speckled.]

Haha! I see how it is!

[Of course he's kept his own 'weaponry', all four ink guns. Of course he's unable to resist, rising to the unintended bait and shooting at this newcomer (a complete stranger!!), aiming for the face. Rest in peace, you poor monkeydude.]

Re: A

[atailoftwoworlds]

[By this time, Zidane's worked out what the ink gun does and he was wondering if it would stop those damn flying papers but he has aimed wrong - and it ended up on Hector.]

Oh! Sorry, man - huh?

[Wait.....is it just him or is that a skeleton? Who has just talked?]

[vagabone]

[Okay, the guy isn't firing back a second time and that takes all the fun out of it. He shrugs, sheepishly, and stops. Maybe he shouldn't be so triggerhappy with the ink... oh, well.]

Don't worry, it'll fade!

[There's that odd deja-vu feeling again, the one that happens with some new arrivals. Feels like he's met someone with a tail before. A weird tail, too. Looks out of place on a guy who's otherwise human??]

[atailoftwoworlds]

[Yep. A talking skeleton. And yet aside from the fact he sprayed ink on him, he doesn't seem to be harmful. Well, so far, anyway.]

It will? Even though it's ink? [Not that he minds having to wash off the ink he's got on himself. There are far worse things that could have happened.]

[vagabone]

[He doesn't look like he could be harmful. Old dry bones, yellowed and fragile, barely holding themselves together. Not that it'll stop him inking the unsuspecting!]

Magic ink. It'll keep those flying papers away.

A

[thermalwind]

[Keith looks at the splatter of ink on the chest of his armor. It's blue which is funny or will be in hindsight. He sighs and looks to the stranger. A large reddish orange bird of prey settles on the black shoulder of his armor.]

I'm going to assume you're new. Has anything been explained yet?

[He sets his own bucket down. The ink inside looks like the night sky lit with stars and ripples of shifting color.]

Re: A

[atailoftwoworlds]

[Ah. It looks like he hit someone (possibly again) instead of the paper things. Whoops. He chuckles sheepishly while rubbing his head.]

Ah.....wrong target. Sorry about that.

You got me there, though. I just woke up here a few hours ago. And uh.....I had a dream from a giant rabbit explaining where I was and what happens here. Does that count?

[Ok that is going to sound really weird out of context.]

[thermalwind]

Yeah, it does. That was Storyteller. They're someone trying to help us. This is their world but they can't really remember why things became like they are.

[Keith crosses his arms over his chest leaving them loose enough not to get any paint on his gauntlets.]

This is Enso, their island. We all wake up here and live here. We're working on a way to get back to where we belong. Not much to that right now. Or to what's really going on here.

[atailoftwoworlds]

[He nods.] I remember them having a silly name like that. They filled me in on the basics about how this place works.

Not much to that? So nobody's managed to leave this place yet? [Well, that's a bummer. But that doesn't mean there isn't a way out, right? They just haven't found it yet.]

[thermalwind]

Not of their own choice. People come and go, but we never know how. [Keith nods as he checks the paint on his chest. Not dry yet.]

The rest...something broke this world. We're not sure what but there are some suspects. Not enough to say more than something broke the world and the gods...or spirits...or whatever they call themselves each have an island they govern. They're embodied and empowered by the concepts they represent.

Storyteller's power is in stories and those who believe in them. For one example.

A.

[jagarico]

[Yusuke hated having to waste ink. Of course, if it is for the safety of others he will do what must be done. Yet as he goes around, carrying a bucket of navy blue ink, he looks quite unhappy with the task he has been given. Can't there be some other way...?

As he wanders, trying to find newcomers to help protect, Yusuke doesn't see the attack of ink coming his way. When it splatters on him, Yusuke doesn't look angry so much as he just looks at himself and sighs.]

Such a waste...! [Even if the ink did stain his clothing, it wouldn't be a problem. His clothes were often stained.]

Re: A.

[atailoftwoworlds]

[Okay that's not the first thing he expected to hear from someone. Worrying about the waste of ink but whatever.]

Uh.....I don't think this ink's supposed to be used for writing or painting, buddy.

[And quite honestly he doesn't want to be attacked by flying paper.]

[jagarico]

Of course I understand that. But simply, it can be used for creative purposes and yet...

[Yusuke still sighs.]

I understand this is necessary. I simply wish I could keep some of it.

[atailoftwoworlds]

[Oh wait, is that what's upsetting him?] Well, who said you can't? All I know is that we have to protect everyone from that creepy flying paper but that doesn't mean there won't be some ink left over when we finish, right? Heck, if I find a bucket or another one of those gun things, I'll let you know, okay?

[See? It's not so bad, Yusuke!]

[jagarico]

The burden of wasting such fine materials is still great but I truly am grateful for your consideration.

However, I will continue to do the task that has been given to me.