lifeaftr | April Intro: Better Get to Digging

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April Intro: Better Get to Digging

INTRO LOG: APRIL

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

Waking up to the gentle proddings of what appears to be very curious, sentient trees isn't the worst wake up call LifeAftr has to offer. For our newest arrivals, however, it may be a tad…odd.

Situated in the valley between two mountains, Elower is a scenic village filled with the friendly Roaka, tree-like beings that are rather peaceable and happy to assist those who have just arrived. I'’s a peaceful location for one to start their adventures - though, unfortunately, it doesn't stay peaceful for long.

Cahypdo: You'll Bury Me Low
Those who have explored the new island of Cahypdo in the last month will undoubtedly recall the series of quakes that shook the island throughout March. With the arrival of LifeAftr's newest adventurers comes Cahypdo's largest tremor to date, striking without warning and more than enough force to throw even the steadiest and sturdiest of your number to the ground. With a low rumble, the mountains heaped on either side of the island will start to shed an abundance of slag and debris, pouring down their slopes. Anyone who's scaling those peaks risks being flung bodily off them when the outpouring of shale comes roaring down those mountains, and anyone at the mountain bases risks being crushed beneath.

As one might expect, unsuspecting newcomers aren't all that have been shaken up. Though protected by netting and retaining walls, the cliffs around and above the village of Elower can only take so much pressure before giving way - a threshold that has been crossed entirely. With a sound like thunder, rocks fall.

Everyone dies?

Only if you don't act quickly. Roaka housing is sturdy in build, enough to protect a decidedly less sturdy body from all but the heaviest of boulders. Hiding inside any of their village constructs built into the sides of the mountains will certainly save you from taking a new weight onto your shoulders. They will not, however, save you from being buried alive.

For those who become trapped inside any of those abodes, your options appear limited. Work to free yourself, or wait for help to arrive. Though, speaking of help, those outside may think to offer the Roaka a helping hand in getting their trapped people - and yours, at that - a few breaths of fresh air.

Before you suffocate.

Cahypdo: Stay Acting Brave
Such seismic activity will also stir up the local wildlife, of course. Those unfortunate enough to come across them will recognize the restless shark-dragon hybrids, hydrac, now prowling across the shorelines, while the wickedly fanged wabbits will also be far more frequent, traveling in larger numbers in the jungle and at the bases of the mountains. Taking care to avoid them would be wise - though another creature may make that venture much more difficult.

Lorbies have been unlocked in the bestiary!

A strange mix between owl and serpent, the recent quake has clearly startled these usually reclusive creatures into the open. Alone, a lorby is a rather skittish animal, prone to hiding from most perceived threats. Useless for food due to the toxicity of their flesh, lorbies do have the potential to be tamed...but this comes with its own risks.

A lorby may be prone to flight rather than fight when encountered solo, but in groups, these feathery critters are far more hostile. A defensive lorby emits a piercing cry alone, but a group is an almost ear-piercing experience, capable of rendering the unfortunate unstable on their feet at best, and unconscious at worst. For the days that follow the severe earthquake that so rocked everyone's foundations, any hope for silence is lost in the infrequent bursts of almighty screeching by colonies of lorbies who have so rudely had their homes overturned and disturbed.

While the lorby is omnivorous, it may not think to take a bite at anything so much larger than them. That doesn't mean that conflict with these fluffy creatures won't attract something much more willing to take advantage of the fact that you may or may not have been reduced to a prone sack of meat. If something else does arrive, you best hope that it's a friendly face.

If you're interested in keeping a lorby for your own, bear LifeAftr's companion limit in mind - two per character, and no more. The lorby is omnivorous and can survive off of most odds and ends: insects, fruits, berries, critters it can dig up in the sand, and more. However, the process of trying to tame a lorby is not always successful. We recommend use of a d10, with the following guidelines:

Rolling a 10: Critical success! This lorby will love and adore you, and may even feel comfortable enough to drape itself along your neck like a beautiful, furry scarf, churring softly all the way.
Rolling 7-9: This lorby will prove high-strung and timid, even if safely befriended, and will take several weeks to warm up to you. But once it does, it's yours!
Rolling 2-6: Failure. The lorby enters a state of distress and starts screaming. Hope you brought earplugs, or you'll be snoozing for several long hours for your efforts.
Rolling a 1: Critical failure. Not only does the lorby start screaming, but its panic attracts a colony of its friends, and they all start screaming too.

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 you prefer.

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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[Guzma nods in understanding. That's fair, and he won't push it - especially not inquiring about what said medical condition is - but he does chuckle softly at the poke Tim makes at himself. He gives a shrug and a scrunched up sort of smile, shaking his head a bit.]

Honestly, y'ain't missing much. Drinks like these are just drinks what'll taste a bit bitter to finish most of the time, or burn on the way down. Apparently there's s'pposed to be health benefits to wine in moderation, but...ehh. [He waves his hand dismissively.] Best thing to do for y'all's health is to give it up.

[Guzma really only drinks very rarely, or when the, uh...'situation' calls for it. With friends, or when he's anxious or upset. Even then, he usually goes straight for his preferred drink - Tapu Cocoa. Speaking of--] Y'all taking suggestions for drinks? Because while it'd be hard t'get a hold of without a few favors from the rabbit, making some Tapu Cocoa or some Komala Coffee would be aces for this sort'a joint.

[Tim leans forward, considering.]

It'd depend on how hard it would be to get ahold of them. Coffee would be pretty ideal, and cocoa...I think kids would like that sorta thing. Hard part would be making sure we could have a consistent amount of it, or some way of growing whatever's needed.

[Has Ren had hot cocoa? If she hasn't, he should probably make it his business to fix that.]

We've got milk and whiskey and sometimes this guy Laurent comes in to make ice for drinks, but that's about it. Still working on expanding our stock, and stuff.

Well, for the coffee, y'all just need to produce the beans. [Which, obviously, means getting their hands on enough seeds and/or saplings to plant and produce them. Cocoa...is a bit trickier.] For a Tapu Cocoa...y'all gonna need the mix, or get your hands on some quality dark chocolate nibs. None'a that store brand Mudsdale crap they sell for three bucks. The good stuff.

No lie, having a cacao tree or two growing on the island sounds super hecking nice. [Has he been longing for a bit of chocolate this past year and a half? Oh, honey, you have no idea. Guzma's taste runs on the sweet side.] Yo, If y'all need ice, my homeboy just got a new move that can make ice no problem. It'll tucker him out if he uses it a lot though, but I don't mind here n'there. So long as I get a fruit smoothie outta it!

[Tim's...not going to ask what a Mudsdale is, because he's pretty sure the context is enough of a clue, but...damn, the cacao tree isn't a bad idea. The Storyteller might be able to boost the growth of that sort of thing too, right? Maybe.]

[It's a good thought. Chara, he thinks, would at least appreciate the gesture.]

That's a good idea. [He manages to sound genuinely appreciative, too.] Can he? That'd be pretty handy. Laurent doesn't have a schedule or anything, but a smoothie's not a bad idea either.

[A cacao tree would absolutely be helpful, and learning to make chocolate for real is a skill Guzma would adore. The best stuff comes straight from the source, after all. He doesn't say it aloud, but he'd gladly pitch in a story or two (if he has any to spare) to get a little grove going.

Actually...]

Yo, don't sweat it, my guy, I don't mind - s'good practice for a new move. Buuut... if'n I can get another hand on a project I'm working on, I'd be appreciative. And I'd throw in a story or two for them cacao trees, to boot.

I can't promise I'll be all that helpful, depending on what it is, but I'm an extra pair of hands.

[He has hands, and he can use them. Prime qualifiers to help with just about anything, provided that whoever's in charge knows how to direct him. He didn't learn much at Sol, but that's one thing he came away with.]

[Learning to put his back into it.]

If y'all managed to make this here place, I doubt what I got planned is any harder. Prob'ly a whole lot less, yeah.

Anyway, I been hoping to make a cellar near my place what I can store some stuff like meats, fish, veggies, and other stuff. [Like said ice his Pokemon can create.] Things that'd go bad baking in the heat for more'n a few hours. The materials I can get my hands on no problem, but making it, all on my own...I don't think I got it in me to do another huge project like that.

[The work he did on the roof of their house (which he still maintains to this day) took him months, and Guzma's not exactly the patient sort.]

Cellar. That's a good idea.

[He's already mentally mapping out what that would require: digging equipment, wood and stone for supports, possibly some kind of ice to keep things chilled. Ice, apparently, Guzma has covered, and Tim knows where they can get some of the building supplies.]

Well, you're in luck on one thing: I've got a whole bunch of carpentry tools that need some breaking in.

[Guzma, too, has a few ideas - he's been thinking about this for a few weeks now, and seems to perk right up when Tim mentions he'll lend a hand. It's really all he needs - an extra pair of hands and someone who's good with the actual construction part of the job.

Guzma's decent with the design, thought up a few concepts he can...hopefully jot down when they hash out the details, but the actual work he can do is mediocre at best. He simple doesn't have the resources or the tools for a job like this.]

Sick, man! Thanks a lot!! And I owe you for it, so lemme know if y'all ever need a favor, yeah? Your boy Guzma's got you covered. [And Guzma will tell Tim his home location because I don't remember and I can't look it up rn. 8|b]

[He's been learning to get better at actually building things. It's the one skill he can say with relative conviction that he has (relative, since he's largely self-taught), and it's proven to be useful in an environment like this one. For once in his life, he's useful.]

[It's a weird thing to be.]

Hey, I'd be willing to trade some work for some ice whenever.

[Both things they can do, right?]

You're living with Lillie, then?

[It's someone Guzma wants to learn as well. He knows his way around a nail and hammer, but the bigger sort of construction and handy work is well above his expertise. He's glad there are people around like Tim, who know even a little bit more than him.

Guzma perks up at the sound of Lillie's name, swirling the liquid in his glass before taking another long gulp.]

Mhm...she's staying with me, yeah. You know the little Princess? [He should, Lillie comes here pretty often, and must have a rapport with the staff by now.] She's a good kid. Keeps me in line, anyway.

I've seen her around.

[She was scared out of her mind in here, once. And he might not consider himself the best at kids (or at anything, really), but he's at least obtained something of a reflex for how best to ensure that a kid's not going to break down in the next hour or so.]

[So he'd like to think, anyway. He'd never be so bold to assume he does.]

Yeah. She's...braver than I think she thinks she is.

GUzma's expression softens a little bit, the rare smile he hide behind the scowl or the snide looks and crass attitude actually ghosting past the veil for a half second. He's become fond of Lillie and Luna, considering the former has had it about as rough as he did when he was a kid. And still managed to turn out way, way better than he did.

Thank god for that, the world doesn't need more people like himself.]

Bro, don't I know it. [He's seen her in action before, and the kid is...well, she's impressive. Being brave or strong doesn't always mean in the physical sense. It takes a lot of guts to tell someone who's hurt you what for.] Wish Lil could see it, though... She's got a lotta potential, but none'a the self-esteem to make good on it, yeah. She'll come around though, I don't doubt that for a second.

[Undoing the damage of a sinister household isn't easy, and nor does it take second to mend. It'll take years to even start mending the wounds dealt by the so-called Mother Beast.]

[He's gotten entirely too used to picking up on the warning signs of kids who've had it rough - kids who weren't really allowed to be kids. Lillie is more along the lines of Frisk, in terms of how she's adapted to it: internalized, restrained, unassertive.]

She hangs out in Denny sometimes. A little while ago, she hid out here.

How long's she been here? Do you know?

[Oh, same hat, my guy. Guzma's much the same, and it's part of the reason why he has--er...had a Team full of unwanted nobodies who all came from places they desperately tried to escape from. Some were better than other on the spectrum, of course, but it's not difficult to pick out from a crowd those that have had it just as bad as yourself. The signs are all the same.]

Yeah, she told me it's one'a her chill spots. [He can see why now, it's actually pretty relaxed and calm here. If he were more the reading type, it'd be nice to chill with a few mugs of Tapu Cocoa and a big breakfast.] Uh....mm....I don't really know how long, but way less'n me. She also disappeared a while, prob'ly got sent back to Alola, then got spat up back here again maybe a month or two ago?

Maybe six months? Tops?? [He kinds scratches the bridge of his nose, chewing his lip as he tries to Math the span of time.]

Edited (mfing bracket son of a dick ) 2019-04-29 23:29 (UTC)

[If she was here before, that might've at least made the transition easier, but is anything here really easy? It's easier than things were at home, because at least here, Tim has a goal, a concrete purpose to work toward each day.]

Well, we'll see if we can figure out some sorta...cocoa, maybe. Place isn't the best, but it'd probably be better with chocolate.

[Especially for kids.]

You know if she likes chocolate?

Well, she never complained 'bout it.

[Guzma doesn't have much left of his stash, and has used it extremely sparingly, but he does share with Lillie when they have a quiet moment together or if she wants something to drink that isn't water.]

Not like there's any real variety of sweet here what kids can eat n' drink... [He furrows his brows. Tea would also be something good to have, Lillie seems like a tea drinker, at least to Guzma. She's so dainty and elegant, it just...fits.] Anyone know 'bout any tea leaves or flowers? Mint...chamomile, uh--...hibiscus? I think that's what it's called?

[He huffs, leaning back in his seat suddenly and crossing his arms with his chin out.] Man, y'know what we need? A cook off! Gettin' together some'a our places' foods and recipes that we can actually make - and their ingredients - and having one huge potluck or gathering.

I'd kill a man for a good Poke Bowl. Or some sushi...and a soda, dang.

Asgore, I think. He's got some tea plants, I'm pretty sure. Not sure which kinds.

[He knows this based on the updates he's gotten across the stones - and his knowledge base of Asgore in general. But he's not about to offer either of those out of nowhere.]

Been a while since we had that pizza, huh. Not a bad idea. Not sure what the occasion would be, but...I dunno if we'd really need one. [People like food. They don't generally need an excuse to share said food.]

[Guzma, the manchild that he is, can't help but bite his lower lip to hide his grin at the name of that other person. A tiny chuckle escapes his lips for a second, before he turns it into a clearing of his throat and nods. It's good someone's cultivating plants and flowers for teas - he's pretty sure Lillie would like tea over breakfast.

The mention of pizza actually gets him talking though, rather animated, as a grin spreads across his face.]

Actually, a pizza is pretty doable here, so long as we get the right kinda seasonings! It'd take a lotta work, since we need wheat to make flour for the dough...and milk to make cheese, but the tomato sauce and other toppings ian't too hard, if you make it like...the super traditional Kalosian style.

[Italian. He means Italian.] Y'know like...tomato sauce, maybe some garlic shoved in there, mozzerella cheese, and basil leaves. I actually been planning to ask for some stuff to make cheese and planters for basil and tomatoes when I got more stories saved up.

Oh man, but...all this talk'a food's got me hungry as heck, yo. Can I get a bite?

Milk's easy, as long as you don't mind that it's blue. [Can make it hard to tell if the cheese has gone moldy, but what can you do?]

I think there's a wheat field on that farming islet. Haven't seen anyone really do any work on it, though, so who knows if it's fit to feed anybody. [They don't have a mill, either, so that's gonna add a whole extra step. He doesn't know anything about cooking, though, which is why it's handy to have people like Muffet around. Thank god for that, really.]

But uh...sure, yeah. We don't have much - pretty basic stuff like jerky and eggs. Coconut cookies, though. Got lots of those. Muffet keeps making them. I think she stress-bakes.

Or getting kicked by one'a them Sawsbuck pieces of... [Guzma grumbles softly, taking another sips of his drink. Mistakes her made, but they were only made once. Thank the absolute gods he learned how to properly milk an animal (that's not a large, venomous spider) properly on Nuidan. The proper tame beasts were a lot more forgiving than the wild ones they found long before the island showed up.]

Really? [Thaaat would be fantastic? Though a mill is definitely...essential to make said wheat into flower. A water wheel actually would be ingenious to have, especially on the islets. They could make use of the natural ocean currents to turn the wheel and mill the grain. Maybe a future project for the island as a whole.] Oh, right, uh...I don't mind some eggs and jerky. Bacon substitute, I guess.

[Though he did indeed catch that there end sentence, raising a brow quizzically. He hasn't talked to Muffet recently, but he might pay her a visit sometime, to check in. If she's stressed out about something, then god only knows what's going down.] ...Yeah. I'll take one'a them, too.

[Tim does not do the milking. Thankfully. He does not want to risk trying to milk a cariborn, particularly after hearing that little aside.]

[It's little incidents like those that would be why Tim imagines Muffet might stress-bake at all. Because everyone else around her keeps doing shit like that, and then she has to deal with it. He wouldn't be shocked if that's how she felt about it, anyway, but as a general rule he doesn't ask.]

All right. I'll see what I can put together.

[Tim's never had a job waiting tables in his life - who would hire him? - and it probably shows.]

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April Intro: Better Get to Digging

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