April Event: Young Volcanoes

[lifeaftr_mods]

APRIL EVENT: YOUNG VOLCANOES

Who: Anyone and everyone!
What: A festival, and an eruption
When: April 10th - April 14th
Where: Primarily Cahypdo
Warnings: Natural disasters (volcanic eruptions), ifestiphobia (fear of lava); ICly, some events may appear reminiscent of ableism or ageism

The Festival of Cycles: Before It Has Begun

Don't worry about the concerning noises that the mountains might be making; the night sky makes it difficult to tell that there's an outpouring of smoke beginning to gather at the top of Mount Tharama. The Roaka, for their part, are doing everything they can to celebrate - and they'd be honored if you were to join them for the celebration.

One of the Roaka's most important customs involves implementation of a plant that they refer to as Living Lanterns. This variety of seedling is a deep red, and grows to a modest height, boasting a long stem with several buds. Its one quirk is that it must be warmed with open flame close by to convince it to bloom. Once it does, though, it grows several large, red flowers that glow brightly with inner light.

The Roaka, as is custom during a Festival of Cycles, have grown a great deal of these organic lights. Certain members of their group select a lantern and tie it to what appears to be an overgrown dandelion of some sort - large enough for it to send the lantern soaring into the sky when the Roaka throw it up into a strong breeze.

The effect is both striking and beautiful, as the sky is set alight with a forest of brilliantly red glows. The Roaka's unique appearance probably makes their choice in diet unsurprising: while their tables will be heavy with all manner of fruits, vegetables, and seafood, they do not consume red meat. One of the most common types of Roaka delicacies are skewers of vegetables and seafood, roasted over an open flame, but there are plenty of others - cioppino-style soups made from mussels, crabs, and shrimp, soaked in tomato-y broth; lobsters drizzled in chile-honey sauce; salads of every conceivable type; shrimp sizzled in onions and ginger; an ice cream-like dish made from coconut milk and festooned with chopped pineapple and mango; and as many others as you can feasibly think of! All dishes are welcome to be sampled at your leisure, and have been prepared with the utmost care.

And drinks, of course, alcoholic and otherwise, are to be found in generous abundance. Get drunk off of palm wines, coconut rums, and all manner of mixed drinks. For those that don't prefer to booze it up, there are smoothie-like blends made from banana, coconut, fig, papaya, apple, mango, persimmon, and every combination of the aforementioned.

The Youngdrink, distinctive due to how it is served from the opened half of a watermelon, features prominently. None of the adult Roaka will so much as touch that delicious, slushy treat, but they don't see fit to warn you that partaking in even a small amount of it will put you to sleep very, very quickly. You see, it doesn't occur to them that you would drink it unless you were one of their young.

If you take even a few sips, you'll find yourself grouped in with those that are to be transported to the underbelly of Mount Alysum, for protection from the oncoming eruption.

The Eruption: It's All Over Now

The day following the Festival is thick with clouds, as Mount Tharama spills its ashen preparations into the sky. Either you wake in the hidden caverns beneath Mount Alysum, and must make your way back out again, or you have awakened at the foot of a volcano about to erupt with a sizable portion of your number missing. If you have ended up in Mount Alysum, you are advised to find a way out of those hidden chambers as quickly as possible, before the tunnels cave in and leave you trapped within. The young Roaka gathered underneath with you won't seem very concerned about their fates. Given their hardy bark-skin, it's unlikely that any cave-ins will prove much of a danger to them, and the older Roaka outside will no doubt see fit to dig them out once the danger has passed. But you, who probably needs oxygen, or at the very least would probably prefer not to be trapped down here, should try and make your way out of here as fast as you can.

If you were not among those taken to Mount Alysum, you are faced with two very pertinent options: to either try and divert the lava's flow so that it does not set you on fire or consume the mana pool, or set out in search of your missing brethren. Either way, the Roaka aren't going to be of much help to you. This is their custom, and they're not quite sure why you might be startled by any of this. They know so little about other species and customs...why should you be alarmed, if their old and dying Roaka start to explode, violently, once the lava swallows them?

This log is for the first part of the event, dealing with the festival and the subsequent eruption. A second log, dealing with the aftermath, will be going up in the comms on April 15th!

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] April 10th: The Festival of Cycles occurs.
[ ♆ ] April 11th - 12th: Characters who partook in the Youngdrink wake beneath Mount Alysum, and the eruption begins.
[ ♆ ] April 15th: The eruption ends. Character ages may begin to be affected by the ash in the air.
[ ♆ ] April 20th: The monthly Storytelling occurs.
[ ♆ ] April 30th: The effects of the ash wear off, and affected characters are restored to normal.

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

ASGORE | OTA

[journalname]

a: the things we lost

[Of course Asgore came to the party! He likes the Roaka a lot, and he usually shows up for social events.

Somewhat unusually, he's being something of a wallflower tonight, hanging around the edges of the gathering and looking around anxiously like he's not quite sure he's supposed to be here. It's not so terrible. He got some roasted vegetables, and he spends a while making a valiant effort to distract himself with admiring the adult Living Lanterns. So he shouldn't really complain!

But...Toriel is probably here somewhere, trying to enjoy the evening. Maybe it would be better if he just went home.]

b: in the fire, fire, fire

[But then, if he'd gone home, he'd probably still be blissfully unaware of the enormous volcanic eruption.

At first, he follows after his particular friends among the adult Roaka, trying to plead their case. Surely they can explain something? Tell them where the others are? Maybe not place their elderly right there???

But it's a losing battle. He sees that; they were never the most direct of people to begin with, and he can't seem to express himself properly to them. So he goes instead to help protect the mana pool. Fire magic means that he can't shield people, or do much of anything against the lava directly, but at the very least he's got a good understanding of how fire spreads.]

Stand out of the way, please!

[He's working to burn away the greenery along where the lava appears to be headed. As much as he hates to kill the plants, anything close to the lava is going to catch. Ignoring that is only likely to allow a wildfire.]

A

[goat_mom]

[Unfortunately (?), Toriel finds Asgore. And she is rather drunk on palm wines when she does. So drunk that she can't seem to remember that she hates him? She comes up to him, slurring her words and stumbling slightly.]

Gorrrrrrrey, dear... why are youuuuu not enjoying the partyyyyy?

Church | ota

[motherfucking_ghost]

i. burn everything you love

[Church isn't one to turn down the party. He can't partake of the food, which doesn't bother him--he hasn't needed to eat in years, really. But it does look good. And smell good. He might take a plate of something...just to foist it off on someone who doesn't have any in their hands yet.

He's social, he's always been more social than he gives himself credit for, just...man, this all seems kind of awkward. Does he really belong here? An inorganic robot surrounded by well-meaning treeple (tree-people) who can't actually partake in the party except for the social part? Meh. What's he gonna do, leave and brood? Fuck that noise.

The lanterns, though. He's never seen anything quite like that before.] Whoa...

ii. then burn the ashes

[So of course the earthquakes are because of a volcano. This is fine! Yep. This seems perfectly normal. The Roaka seem to think this is perfectly normal? Man, they're trees, this should be the apocalypse for them! When he notices some of them deliberately getting closer--deliberately putting their frail, old, and infirm closer and just leaving them--he scrambles over and offers a hand to one of the gnarled, wrinkled oldies.] Hey! The lava flow's gonna come this way, c'mon, I can take you somewhere safer! Why the fuck won't you let me help you?!

[He actually tries this with maybe three of them, who all turn his increasing panic down so mildly, and he can't fucking understand it. He should go. It's gonna get real hot real fast, and while he can stand the heat better than most, he doesn't wanna risk testing what happens if he touches the stuff.

And when one of them seems to fucking explode rather than merely catch flame, he picks up his pace. Which is about when he realizes he doesn't know who's where, but the flow might end up engulfing the mana pool, and...well, there are boats, but those are also wood. It's not an immediate worry where everyone else went after the party--mostly he thinks they must've all fucked off back to their houses, not, y'know, dragged into underground caves. But for the people that are left? Stranded who knows where?]

Hey! Hey, someone help me move some rocks in the way! [God knows they all moved enough of them earlier.] Divert this shit to the ocean! Somebody make sure those magic flower things don't burn up so we have a way back!

[a_shadow]

[ Ironically, Tex is brooding, though not somewhere else. She's off to the side, observing the festivities, when Church approaches with a plate of something and shoves it into her hands. She frowns and looks back at him. ]

What are you doing? I don't want this.

Agent Texas ★ OTA ★ Will match style

[a_shadow]

Party—

Tex would normally be right there in the mix during a party. She loves festivities and being social, despite her solitary nature. But this reminds her way too much of what happened on the alien planet where she and all her friends were being mind-controlled. Sure, everything turned out fine afterwards, but it was a bad situation at the time.

So she hangs off to the side, refusing any offers of food or drink. She doesn't feel she needs to warn anyone else about what had happened to her on that planet—it's just that the associations are too strong.

Eventually she turns.

"I'm out of here," she says.

Wildcard—

(( Want to do something else with Tex? Tag it in or hit me up at texelations! ))

party

[technicallytechnically]

Jester, for her part, seems incredibly concerned that someone would leave the party so early. The Living Lanterns have barely started being set off yet! But she knows people who avoid parties like this one, people who maybe are too anxious about interacting with a large group of random people, people who maybe think they don't deserve good things for some reason, and okay she's thinking specifically of Caleb. Jester's assuming this woman has similar social anxieties as he does.

The thing about Caleb, though, is that Jester also knows that, once you prod at him a little, he can start to have fun. So someone obviously needs to step in and make sure this lady has a good time.

"Wait, wait! You haven't even seen the best part yet!" she calls out, running up to Tex. Jester quickly racks her brain for ways to entice someone she's never met to stay at a party she doesn't want to attend.

"Umm, quick, what's your favorite color!"

[serrata]

party

[ It feels a little strange to be taking part in a festival like this, for a group of people she doesn't know much about, but it'd be remarkably rude for her to be a no-show after they were invited so nicely. So, Yuuri makes her way along to the party with everyone else, with her heart set on being at least somewhat social. She's doing an acceptable amount of mingling, but it's pretty clear that she feels a bit out of sorts.

If you're looking to track her down, it's easiest to find her at the food table. She's not usually one to make a beeline for the food at a party, but the seafood's caught her eye. It's not something she can easily prepare now herself on the island so she might as well indulge in a rare treat.

While she's nibbling at the food, she also gives a few of the drinks a try – and apparently, this includes the Youngdrink. Uh oh. ]

mount asylum

[ And of course, just like everyone else, Yuuri wakes with a start somewhere cool, dark and unfamiliar. Her initial reaction is an almost blind panic and she scrambles up to her feet with her breath coming out in quick, sharp gasps. Someone's not happy. ]

W–what's going on? Where...?!

[ It takes her a few moments to calm down (or uh, at least do a good impression of calming down) and it's only then that she has the presence of mind to call out into the dark. ]

H–hello? Who else is... wherever this place is?

mount asylum

[eudaimonikos]

I'm here!

[Michael's voice echoes from somewhere else in the caverns, sounding more annoyed than frightened. He doesn't recognize this person's voice, but that's fine.]

I've got a light, I'll come find you. Keep talking.

[eudaimonikos]

a: party down

[A party! Michael loves parties!

Granted, this isn't like one he's ever attended before. The fun ones had all his friends, and now...well, he knows a few of these people, and they're all right. But he's only been here for a few days, most of which were spent turning his new house into something at least approaching livable - he doesn't actually know most of the people here. Weird to party down with strangers.

But hey! He's not Chidi or anything - he's just gotta get out there! So he'll be milling around, identifying people who aren't otherwise occupied and sliding up in there with a charming grin.]

Neat party, huh? I love the floating lantern plants.

b: someone stole some baby candy

[So at some point, Michael definitely sampled the watermelon drink. What? It looked like fun!

Passing out was actually a new experience for him, and he seems pretty disoriented upon waking up in the caves. He doesn't just pass out. Never has, at least - he doesn't even sleep! And now he's surrounded by baby tree things and a bunch more strangers. This isn't so fun anymore.]

This might be the worst party I've ever been to. Including all the office parties. That bar's really low.

[Okay, how does he get out of here?]

c: lava party?

[Having gotten out of the caves, more or less, Michael is now walking way closer to the lava than seems really safe!

He's not gonna go right in it. This is one of maybe three good outfits he has right now. But the heat doesn't seem to be bothering him at all, even when he hops over some of the thinner lava flows.]

Anyone need anything out of the village? I'd give it maybe an hour before everything's gone.

a.

[a_shadow]

Mm.

[ Tex has been approached by more than one person who seems to think she should be partying along with the rest of them, who think she should be enjoying herself. She's been sort of moodily watching the goings-on, trying to remind herself this is nothing like the last party she'd been to, and there's no reason to suspect any weird mind-control stuff is going on.

But she can't help it—the whole thing gives her a bad feeling.

Still. No reason to be a total killjoy. ]

They're cool, yeah.

[shiritai]

party

[ Despite the fact that Violet does not even remotely seem like the kind of person who would put time aside to attend a festival, here she is anyway. Despite everything though, it does look like she's having a good time. There's a little smile on her face and her body language, in general, seems a little more relaxed and open than it usually is.

Of course, that doesn't mean she's diving quite into being a party animal and is pretty content to wallflower it up on the sidelines and simply drink in the atmosphere. Everyone's having a good time, and Violet's happy with that.

In fact, the only time she seems really moved by the festivities are when the lanterns come out. She stops in the middle of her stride and, heedless of anyone who might be walking around her, gazes up at the sky with the kind of wide-eyed wonder you'd expect to see on a kid looking at a full decked out Christmas tree. ]

What is this...?

kaboom

[ And then the sky explodes. Because of course it does. And Violet is... weirdly calm amongst the general chaos.

Not at first, of course. When the first eruptions start rattling out, Violet jumps like she's been stabbed with a cattle prod and there's a look of shock and fright on her face that's both uncharacteristic and massively out of proportion to her usual microexpressions. Her eyes dart around in an obvious panic, and it isn't until she overhears some of the other chatter and properly understands what's going on that she manages to get herself back under control.

Once she realizes the amount of danger everyone's in, though, Violet springs into action. She's prioritizing getting people away from the fire and into safety so if you look like you're in a panic or you're just dawdling like a dumbass, you mind just find your elbow grabbed unceremoniously by Violet (in a weirdly cold and stiff grip, under her gloves, I might add) and herded in a direction of presumed safety. ]

Be sure to keep moving!

Party

[journalname]

Oh, those are Living Lanterns!

[Asgore brightens up at the prospect of talking about the neat plants, even if that kinda seems like it was a rhetorical question not directed at him.]

That is what the Roaka call them. They are very neat plants - they need to be warmed near a fire in order to bloom! I am growing a few near my home now, though they have not yet reached maturity.

Mollymauk

[devilstongue]

🎈

[ Of course Molly tried the Youngdrink. This was a party, right? It was lights and beauty among walking tree people, with food and drink aplenty. He wanted to try everything, explore all of it... and nobody had warned about this specific one being special. If anything, it just seemed like the non-alcoholic option, considering how many little trees had it. ]

Hm, this is too sweet for me. Pass me the one over there?

[ As with all parties, the tiefling is excitedly moving from table to table with a grin, smiling and talking to people about the different choices of food and the nice hosts. This was all right up his alley, like most of the parties here were, and he has no problem living up some choice hedonism by stretching out on his coat and just lazing around while slipping fruit into his mouth and watching the lanterns.

The later it gets, he's approaching nicely drunk and flirts openly with pretty much everyone around him when kids were not around. Not everything was appropriate for the shrubbery, after all. ]

🔥

[ Molly's not claustrophobic. he does well in small carts, in small rooms, tied up in both fun and less fun ways... but there was something about being underground that always had him more on edge. There's dirt on his face from running from the collapsing tunnels, and he can taste it in his mouth. Dirt all around him, above him, desperate to climb out, pulling himself out of his own gr-

No. No, he's fine. This is just stupid, and he's so done with the bullshit in this place. ]

I wasn't that drunk, so how did we end up here?

🎈

[technicallytechnically]

[Jester doesn't have a large coat—her cloak stops at her mid-back—and her magic paints apparently can't make anything all that big anymore. So she's stretched out the big ol' map of the Dwendalian Empire and is now laying on it beside Molly. This is probably akin to flag burning or something, but no one is here to care about it, so why not?

It's pretty late, and Molly is funny when he's drunk, but Jester hasn't touched a drop of booze. She's got a nice little fig smoothie though. I have no idea what it tastes like because I'm allergic to figs, but after some googling it seems like it's pretty sweet, so sure.]

Hey Molly? Do you still have your fortune-telling cards?

Ardyn | ota

[scourgingstars]

[party; quench the cinders' desire]

[All in all, it really wasn't that bad. The evening let him go out without wearing a hat for a change, and Ardyn seemed unusually content to do the equivalent of hanging out around the bar all night. He lingered by the food and drinks, watching the lanterns in mild curiosity.]

[...Strangely, he seemed to constantly have one drink or another in hand and yet remained about as sober as he ever was. (Although sometimes it was hard to tell with him.)]

[eruption; to let there be fire again]

[Ardyn looked from the sudden lava flow to the exploding Roaka, observing the complete and total chaos his remaining fellow islanders had descended into...]

[...and calmly slipped a leftover bottle of palm wine into his coat before casually replacing and adjusting his hat.]

Oh, I do love being right.

[Well, time to deal with this nonsense.]

party

[technicallytechnically]

[What do you do at a party?

You mingle, of course. Jester loves socializing, and who better to socialize with than a scruffy-looking human who's minding their own business by the snack table? She's got a drink of her own, though hers is decidedly non-alcoholic.]

This is a pretty good festival, right? But I know what would make it better.

[No introductions, we're just going right into it.]

Toriel | OTA

[goat_mom]

A: Ain't No Party Like A Roaka Party

[Toriel is greatly enjoying herself at this party, maybe because it's a strange place as much as anything. She's been sampling the food, especially the soups and vegetables, talking to people, making introductions, and laughing at jokes from her fellow partygoers. Generally just socializing as she sits in front of a table and watches the lanterns rise into the air.]

How magnificent! What a beautiful display.

B: Party Like It's 201X
[Unfortunately, as the day goes on, Toriel has also been... sampling the drinks.

She's managed to avoid the Youngdrink so far, because she's rational enough to know that she shouldn't drink strange substances she doesn't understand, but she knows wine. And she likes the palm wine. A little too much, in fact, because she's going up to people randomly and practically falling on top of them. This is her idea of "socializing" when she's drunk, apparently.]

Greeeeeetings. I am... I am Torrrrrrriel...

C: Turn Up The Heat

[Toriel is drunk. Toriel is very drunk. But, when the volcano starts to erupt and spill out lava, when the Roaka start to put their elderly and infirm in the path of the fire, when many of their number disappear, she's trying to sober up and focus and try to rescue whoever she can.

For starters, she's trying to talk to the Roaka, to convince their elderly to get out of the way of the fire, or failing that, where the rest of the people she's seen are. But they seem nonplussed by her, no matter how clearly she tries to speak to them, no matter how desperate she seems.]

Please! There are people among us who are missing! We must know where they are!

[Eventually, after learning nothing, she starts wandering off to look for people herself.]

D: Wildcard
[Hit me up with anything you want! Introduce yourself to her at the party? Help her rescue people in the volcano? Whatever you imagine!]

B

[alchemisted]

[Alfor is a friendly man at the best of times. Alfor after a couple drinks is exceptionally gregarious and all too happy to smile a broad, beaming smile even if he's doing his best to not fall over as she falls into him.]

Ah..! So you are. Lovely to meet you. I'm Alfor.

[Socializing!]

Legion | OTA

[forwearemany]

A)

(Legion isn’t much of a partier, but they’re here, and they’re doing their best.

Right now, their best is dancing the robot. So that’s what they’re doing. Even if there’s no music and no one else is dancing.)

B)

(Without the mana pool, they will be unable to return to Enso.

Therefore, its protection is a priority.

Others work to prevent wildfires, erect walls. Legion seeks to supplement these approaches by digging a ditch. An undertaking, perhaps, that would seem impossible even with their strength and inability to tire, but they have to try.

Should anyone get in the way, or otherwise make a nuisance or endanger themselves, Legion will pause, and shout.)

Alert: diversion of lava from mana pool necessary! You are obstructing this effort!

Ginko | OTA

[onegreeneye]

Party

Ginko is, so far, willing to categorize this as… pretty nice. Even if it goes to shit later, he can enjoy it for what it is right now; the Roaka seem genuinely well-meaning, and there’s really good food. And it’s free.

Ginko really doesn’t ask for a lot from parties.

Actually, his enthusiasm for the food outweighs any potential concern about not eating bits of shell and the like. He’s not exactly popping whole clam shells into his mouth, but if some bits of chitin from a crab leg or something get past his tusks, that’s probably fine. Don’t worry about the crunching.

Not even Ginko, though, has any intention of just stuffing his face all night - especially not in the thick of the celebration. After a while, he retreats to a quieter area, where the festivities aren’t going on quite as actively. He sits down, a drink in his hand and his tail looping around his legs, to watch the others from a distance. He’ll still welcome conversation, but he’s just got to step aside for a bit.

Eruption

Yeah that pretty much figures.

Now that it’s happening, though, there’s only so much time to react. Trying to get the old Roaka to move quickly proves a fruitless effort - and, all things considered, he can only assume there’s a little more going on here than he has the context for.

Even if there isn’t, though, there’s nothing to be gained by continuing to push (literally or figuratively). As much as he’d like to figure out the whereabouts of the missing people, he knows that’s not going to be where he’s most useful; instead, he’s focusing on shoving rocks into the lava’s path, helping those working on diverting its flow away from the mana pool. If anyone looks to be freezing up, or at a loss for what to do, he’ll try and get their attention with a jerk of his head. “Hey! Think you can help out?”

Wilcard

(( OOC: Want something different? Hit me up at the plotting post or at omixgirl10 ! ))

party

[hyperlit]

The Drifter is busy regarding the selection of drinks with a dubious eye. The sound of shells being crunched between teeth draws their gaze, and they glance up in time to watch Ginko eating what used to be part of a crab.

They don't exactly have anything to say to that, but...it seems like it must be uncomfortable, so they pick up one of the nearest drinks available - a pineapple blend of some sort - and hold it out to him.

[littlemhigan]

[Burns much brighter...]

[This is nice, Castor thinks with a fistful of skewers in one hand, a strong and colourful drink in the other, and the refuse of devoured fruit in a small pile beside her. The night air and the sounds of revelry are like a balm - chasing away hurt and worry and leaving peace in their wake.

This is nice, with a full belly and alcohol warming her blood and fuzzing her senses, to watch the Living Lanterns take to the sky like a river of fire. To dance with whoever's got the nicest smile and warmest hands. To flirt with no shame.

This is nice, to laugh and sing and drink on a night so bright it may as well have been twilight, timeless and eternal. To hear laughter and merrymaking and the constant rustle of trees. To smell fruit and fish and the sharp bite of alcohol and for a rare second, to feel safe in the midst of a revel.

She resists the youngdrink until the very end of the night, and before too long she dozes off against a tall tree with a smile on her face...]



[When Oxygen is the supplier...]

[...Only to....wake up? Is she awake?

Castor scrambles in the darkness to feel her face - clear of blindfold and her eyes are most definitely open but...]

Hey? S' anyone there?


[Wildcard]
[BYOprompt!]

burns much brighter!

[lesbeau]

[Parties are always good and too rare a commodity in her opinion. Beau doesn't mean to find her, but she's kinda moving around and is coming in for more food when she meets her eyes and waves. Her mouth is already full when she's close enough to talk, but that doesn't seem to stop her in the least.]

This place is fuckin' nuts. Why couldn't we find fruit island sooner, like, damn.

the drifter | ota | i'll match your format!

[hyperlit]

i. festival of cycles ; i'm on the high ridge looking down

[Festivities are, in general, a bit beyond the Drifter's realm of experience. They tend not to linger, when they happen. They attend out of rote curiosity, to record the Roaka's customs - their meals, the Lanterns they lift into the sky - in their sprite's databanks. If they eat and drink, it is little more than they need.]

[For the most part, they stay to the outskirts, watching without any apparent need to intervene.]

[The Lanterns the Roaka vault into the sky, however - that attracts the Drifter's attention. For a moment their restive twitching and typing slows and stills as they watch in silence.]

[Slowly, the approach the point where the Roaka pick and lift their Living Lanterns into the sky in a fiery trail of improbable luminescence.]

[If it is acceptable...perhaps they could cast one to the stars themself.]

ii. mount alysum ; there's lightning in the storm clouds

[At some point, they relaxed enough to partake in some of the drink available to them. They were certain that this one was not alcoholic.]

[It seems they were mistaken.]

[The Drifter jolts awake, their blade spritzing to life with a burst of cerulean light. That alone illuminates their way as they scramble to their feet, check over themself swiftly, ensure that their belongings are in place, and immediately begin scouring their surroundings for a way out.]

[Their breath hitches subtly.]

[Underground.]

[They're underground.]

[That in and of itself is not so terrible. It is not so terrible. They have been underground before. But this...they've no way of knowing how they got here, how to get out, or what will happen if they don't.]

[That's around the time the walls start to tremble, rumbling with the telltale sounds of shifting earth.]

[Tension skip-starts into near panic.]

[Before things fall apart, before any further quakes and rockslides destabilize these tunnels and cave everything in. Pick a direction, move for it. Move. Now.]

mount alysum

[technicallytechnically]

[Jester is in a similar panic. She woke up alone again—very unhelpful baby Roaka aside—and she's seen enough smaller rocks dislodge from above to get the hint that there are more and worse things to come.

She doesn't know how many others here can heal. She knows Yasha can, doesn't know if her magic's also been hindered for whatever reason, but if people are going to get hurt, she needs to find them. It's easier to focus on that than on the fact that being alone, disconnected as she's been from the Traveler, is horrifying.

She sees someone run past and yelps a sort of panicked relief, chasing after them.]

Hey! Hey! I can help you! Don't panic!

[Maybe if she wasn't screaming "don't panic" at them, they might be more inclined to feel calm. Or, like, if a volcano wasn't erupting over both of their heads, that too.]

yasha / ota

[barberian]

one million flowers

(Anybody passing by might catch a bit of the ruckus that Yasha has stirred up. Predictably, she's been drawn toward the large, red flowers that bloom near the warmth of a flame. They're very pretty... she wonders if they stay like that for long, after they've opened?

Though she's trying to take one, she seems to be arguing with several Roaka instead.)

I just want one. You have so many.

(But they keep blocking her attempts to try and take one. Yasha isn't about to fight them over it but she still looks mighty grumpy, her brow furrowed, her arms folded across her chest. Clearly she doesn't understand that this is a ritual of some significance to them.)

olympic girls

(She might not have ever tried the Youngdrink if Mollymauk had not handed off a portion of it for her to try, but...

Well, as it is, she wakes up underground. Her cheek is pressed against cold, uncomfortable earth. Yasha sighs and sits up, her head heavy. This feels familiar to her, and not in a good way. She's moving sluggishly when the ground starts to move and it rattles the slow out of her, shaking her to her feet, her head whipping around. Where is everybody else? She isn't alone in here, but she doesn't recognise most of the people nearby, either...

Another low, ominous rumble. Something shakes loose from the cavern ceiling, a large clump of what looks like stone and Yasha staggers forward to catch it before it can hit the person nearest to her. It's pretty big, but she manages to lower it to the ground in both arms to the floor harmlessly, letting it thud down with a grunt.)

Are you okay?

one million flowers

[technicallytechnically]

[Jester knows why Yasha wants a flower. They are pretty, and they even glow, and Zuala would really like them, wouldn't she?

Not that Jester's ever met her. But anyone who Yasha would get married to has got to be pretty good.

And, well, she's got all this sleight of hand...

She grabs Yasha by the hand, gently, and Yasha can most likely feel the soft petals slipped between their palms.]

Well, fine! Don't trade with us! Me and my friend are just going to take our business elsewhere! And we are both super rich so you'll really regret, you know, insulting us!

tim wright | ota | i'll match your formatting

[postictal]

i. festival of cycles ; i'll be patient in the flames

[All right, so Tim's gotten to finally get a taste of seafood since arriving here. But he'll give it to the Roaka - they know how to cook. And a year and a half on an archipelago where you more or less have to make your own food from scratch or survive off mana pool water has granted Tim a newfound appreciation for food that he does not, personally, have to prepare for himself.]

[He eats a little, savors the morsels he picks from what's available - though he doesn't take much, as though some part of him is afraid of being reprimanded for sampling what has been freely left out to share. Doesn't drink much.]

[When the lanterns go up into the sky, Tim is at the fringe of the festivities, smoking a cigarette. He's trying to adjust to the herbal blend he himself requested, and it's...it's an adjustment.]

[When that runs out, he takes to what he's started doing more and more of lately - carving something or another out of a block of wood, far away from the epicenter of celebration.]

ii. eruption ; but i'll be burning alive

[By the time all hell breaks loose, Tim's shouting.]

Chara? Frisk!

[When he sees someone he recognizes - or someone he doesn't - he hastens to point them in the direction of the mana pool.] Go. Go, go - if the lava gets too far, we don't know if the mana pool will last, so go now.

[Tim, for his part, doesn't do that. He keeps moving closer toward the laval as it starts to pour down the slopes of the ruptured volcano, screaming louder, louder, his voice nearly tearing from the strain of it. He's not wasting time trying to fight the elements; he only moves around them, intent on finding who he needs to find.]

Frisk! Frisk?

Chara!

Ren? Chip?

If you're out there -

Where are you?

eruption

[goat_mom]

[Toriel is still a bit drunk off of palm wines, but if anything can get her to sober up in a hurry, it's the immense dread on hearing Chara and Frisk's names being shouted so loudly.

She finds the source of it easily enough and runs up to it, nearly tripping over her robes. It's that man called Tim. She wants to say a million things to him the instant she sees him - "you lost them?!" among them - but the only thing that comes out is a terrified:] They were here?!

Zidane Tribal | OTA | Will match format

[atailoftwoworlds]

Before it has begun

[Being the social butterfly he is, Zidane’s always up for a good party, whether it's socialising with people or participating in activities or some sort of performance involved .

Speaking of performance, he happens to be telling some eager Roaka kids a story about some adventurer. And because of his acting background and because he enjoys entertaining people and likes kids, he can be found sitting in front of a bunch of curious Roaka children, telling a story]

And finally, Ipsen and his friend Colin reached the end of the cave. And what did they find? The Orb of Healing right in the center of the cave! They had finally found the cure.

[Some Roaka children clap in response.]

Immediately, Ipsen decided to take the treasure straight away. [And his voice goes quiet in suspense. It’s fun entertaining kids. Then suddenly, his voice is loud.] But suddenly, as he tried to grab it from the pedestal, there is a great rumbling sound and......BAM!

[He is probably going to regret that last line much later.]

Under the mountain

[Zidane will happily try anything that’s put in front of him and one of the happy Roaka children offered him the youngdrink. Before he knew it, he was out like a light.

And then he woke up in darkness with a massive headache. He can see a thing but he could hear voices. Listening to everyone and thinking back to what last happened to him and experiencing a lot of rumbling, it was not hard to quickly pick up what happened.

The Roaka meant well but this was really bad. They is trapped under a volcano and who knows what could happen if the volcano started erupting and rocks started to fall. Still, panicking about it was not going to help. He had to get out and help others get out too. And hopefully be able to save the others who were still outside. So Zidane decided to take initiative.]

All right, does anyone have a light source? Or any sort of ability to see in the dark? I think we might need it if we wanna get the hell outta here as fast as we can.

under the mountain

[hyperlit]

[An answer to that query comes in the form of a dim strip of cyan light, like an oversized glowstick, spurting to life not far from him. It is not, however, a glowstick; it's a sword. A hard light blade, to be exact. The light it casts is dim at best, but they've made an effort, and it's the only means of illumination they have.]

[The bearer of this light is a cloaked, helmed, and blue-skinned...and cannot speak.]

[They can only lift up their sword and peer at Zidane, trying to pick out his silhouette from the muffled dark.]

Guzma | OTA

[yallstupid]

[i: Party Like We're Gonna Die Young

The rumble of earth is certainly concerning, yes, but lesser so when one's inhibitions are blurred by the energy of a great festival, the smells of delectable foods, and the light tingle of alcohol flushing the cheeks. Guzma is indulging himself, never one to give up on a good time. And especially not one to give up good food and drink. These weird tree-like people were hospitable and kind, and he's taken to enjoying their company and presence. He's not completely drunk - he knows how to pace himself - but there is definitely a warmer patch of color on his cheeks and nose as he shares stories with a few of the Roaka.

...And tries to get some recipes for what he's seen around the festival.

After having had his fill of food, drink, and people, Guzma can be found hidden away somewhere out of the direct line of sight. He can only handle social interactions of this caliber up to a set point before he starts to get anxious and fidgety. He's definitely an introvert by nature, and dealing with so many people at once for so long...it wrings him dry pretty quickly. But at the least, he won't be especially snippy or curt with anyone - not with the pleasant air of the party and a full stomach. He's just trying to get away to recharge a bit. One on one is a lot easier to deal with than one on six.]
---

[ii: Ash and Dust

Something isn't right.

There's a tension in the air, and a deep and heavy smell of smoke and sulfer that wasn't there the night before. Probably not heard or smelled with all the other mingling smells, sounds, and other things that the Roaka prepared. Not only that, but people are missing. The crowd has dimished by nearly half since yesterday, and Guzma's chewing his lip in anger, and concern. He begins to question the Roaka, of course, and only gets asinine asnwers that solve nothing. Customs, traditions...the usual bullshit. He's so sick and tired of crusty traditions putting people in danger of burdening others...

Once the volcano blows, he tries his best to work on damage control as well as trying to get to where the other people were taken to. He has to make sure no one he knows or care about is put in harm's way for something like this. He's angry, and it's obvious by the sour look on his face, but he's also determined and working hard. Golisopod is with him, of course, considering the dual typing of water and the new addition of a powerful move in Ice Beam Guzma taught it. Technical Machines are worth the stories he has to put in to get them, really.

Molten rock is cooled and hardened, but it won't hold back the flow forever. It's a temporary solution, and Guzma knows it, but what they really need is time. Time to search for the others, time to divert or slow the flow of lava, time to fix this. But time is precious and resources are scarce, as is energy. Golisopod leans forward heavily, the beam of ice it was firing from its mouth fizzling out in a whisp of icy air. Catching itself on a clawed arm, Guzma pats the large insect's side and bumps their heads together gently.]

You did what you could on this side, homeboy, let's get outta here. Others'll pick up the slack - we got people to find, yeah?

[counterblows]

[Wash, for his part, has mostly been using his shield to block chunks of debris and stray spurts of lava. Weapons are of no use, though his armor is at least a relative help thanks to its temperature regulation features.]

[The thing spitting ice out at the lava - he doesn't recognize it, but he recognizes the man stood beside it. It was a nice thought, even if one solitary creature spewing ice at the wall of approaching magma isn't nearly enough to do much in the face of a catastrophe this immense.]

I don't think there's any hope in damage control. Who're you looking for?

Foster van Denend | OTA | Will match format

[cacoethes_mori]

a. Free Food (and a history of bad experiences with it)

[Given his blatant avoidance of gathering places, it's somewhat incredible that Foster is in attendance at all. But he is! He's even seated with everyone, his legs folded under his equine body, long arms tucked in to avoid elbowing (or touching) the two unfortunates next to him.

The food looks amazing. It smells amazing.

Some of it is even unmistakably vegetarian--salads and ice cream, mostly, but it's still food.

But he's not eating. He hasn't helped himself to any of it at all.

He's just.... sitting there. (Lying there? It's hard to tell, with this anatomy.)

Watching.

There is a non-zero chance that anyone could look up at any time and find themselves in uncomfortable, unwavering eye contact with the islands' least popular resident.]

B. Eruption (and a history of excessive enthusiasm for it)

[Foster is neither attempting to rescue any of the Roaka or helping to divert the flows.

Much like he did during the dissolution of Ziziphus, much like the stormy deluge and shadowy invasion, much like the landslide just a couple weeks ago... Foster exults in the nature of this disaster, racing along the mountainside and leaping dramatically over rivers of lava, clearing rocky ledges and burning tree trunks (trees he'd seen fall during the avalanche of mud and rock just weeks ago) with uncharacteristic grace.

His face is alight with excitement, eyes bright with interest and attention--more than he ever gives to people.

But maybe you can still flag him down to help? Maybe. It's worth a shot.]

A

[bitch4bitch]

[Oh great.

Erika holds that eye contact, lip curling, and mutters, very quietly:] Bitch.

Karako Pierot | OTA

[hurricane_clown]

A. FOOD

[Karako has never seen this much food in his entire life, and as far as anyone can tell, he is in the process of attempting to fit all of it in his mouth at once.

Seafood, fruit, salad, ice cream--it doesn't matter what it is, or what order it goes in his face. Coconut milk 'ice cream' comingles with lobster meat, atrociously purple Faygo with rich, delicate soups--yes, he's even cracked the last of his Faygo for the occasion, and it turns out that he drinks by tipping his head back and just pouring it into his mouth. A mouth that already contains food of a much less shitty quality and which is probably not compatible, flavour wise, with artificial grape so strong that you can smell it two seats away.

If Karako is any indication, clowns don't have much in the way of table manners.]

B. Under Mountain

[It's dark. Really dark.

This is fine, nominally--trolls are a nocturnal species, mostly because the sun is so terrible on Alternia that it can be fatal. Even to Trolls.

But this is really dark. So Karako is doing his best to fix that.

The sound of strained, frustrated honks can be heard in the blackness, echoing unpleasantly in the closed space. There's a flicker, a light so bright that it's like the glare of a halogen bulb directly in your eye, but so fleeting that it could be mistaken for a hallucination, faster and more forgettable than an eyeblink--maybe an illusion crafted by the brain in the absence of sufficient light.

But it happens again a few seconds later.

Then it's really bright, and there's barely time to recognise surrounding shapes before it goes out again. A honk of stifled rage follows.]

Honk!!

A.

[petrifiedshadow]

[ Starflight was watching with a sort of morbid fascination, his own seafood skewers going untouched. His guardians had always been extremely strict about table manners, since they all had so little room in the caves to get away from each other, and they would have been appalled at the display. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't entirely sure what Karako was either, a question he seemed to be asking a lot lately.

He watched with interest as Karako opened the Faygo, curious about how the container worked. Then the smell hit him, so sweet it almost smelled chemical, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. ]

What is that?

Keith Kogane | OTA

[thermalwind]

A sea of lights

[The mountain is making odd noises. Keith doesn't trust that but he's long since come to understand on the islands you take what happiness you can get. The food at the party is lovely. The fruit is crisp and juice runs down his chin as he sinks his teeth into it.

Which one does he favor? Pineapple. The sharp tingling bite is pretty appealing. It goes great with the delicate sweetness of steamed lobster drizzled in a spicy sauce. He picks strongly flavored foods that balance each other out. One soup he takes is loaded with savory chunks of conch, clams, and shrimp mixed with spices that bring tears to his eyes. Skewers of fish and vegetables brushed down with spices and given a nice char is a great food to binge on while he nurses a coconut rum mixed with some kind of mango drink.

He wanders about snagging more food and greeting people as he drinks steadily. The only sign he is absolutely tanked is when Kosmo, his massive blue wolf starts hanging out beside him. He leans into the wolf with a small smile and an amused, pleased air about him.

If he knows you well, he turns his smile up to eleven and reaches out to pat your arm. Or reach for your hands.] Hey! Hi, doing well? Have you seen the lights? I...can we take some seeds back with us?

[If he doesn't know you well he just smiles quietly and looks up to the floating living lanterns.] ...I wonder what makes them need to do that. It's so cool. Maybe they have a season of immense heat?

[He turns to look at you.] What do you think?

Down in the depths

[Unfortunately while tanked to the gills, Keith had drank the Youngdrink. Why not? He was taking a little happiness when he could.

His head aches. Keith curls into himself and hisses through his teeth. Right, hangovers. He opens his eyes to darkness. Faint shapes are just visible in the gloom. His brows come down and he fumbles for the lantern at his side.

It's difficult to undo the straps in the dark but he can see better than most. He twists the top of the lantern and pale white light cuts through the darkness like a small star. Keith glances around.]

...Okay, I want answers about what happened. Start talking if you have them or give me your impressions if you don't.

Lights

[forwearemany]

Uncertain.

(They do not understand the reason for self poisoning, Legion is sufficiently familiar with the effects of intoxication to recognize it in their ally.)

Perhaps we will acquire seeds for the farming islet.

(They are not edible, but a natural light source such as this seems potentially useful.

Additionally, their allies appear pleased with them.)

Dirk Strider | Ota

[timaeus_testified]

Eve of destruction

[Ignoring disturbing things going on in the background has been a staple of Dirk's life. It's too easy to poke the offered fruit and try a few things without a thought of earthquakes or ominous noises that sound really damn familiar.

A few of the sweet fruits remind him of Roxy. She'd have liked them and Jane, man, she'd love the hell out of all this good food. He pauses, glancing towards the mountain.] Sure she'd love it but she'd be worried about that mess.

[He pauses if there's someone beside him. He motions with a hand towards the mountain they can't see.] What do you think? Those earthquakes and weird sounds. The Roaka don't seem to give a fuck, but...

Maybe we should.

The mountain called Monkey had spoken.

[The first red flag is waking up to people missing. The second is the noises he recognizes all too well from the mountain. He glances at it periodically. It's like watching something in the oven. He has to keep staring to make sure he isn't mistaken.

Naturally, it gets weirder.

Of course it does. The Roaka still not giving that many fucks or even a casual care start transporting their elderly to the foot of the mountain. He questions them about it but they don't stop. Asking the elders gives him this impression of being a child that he absolutely doesn't like.

One can find him speaking to them with an edge in his voice.] No. Hell no. You need to explain why you're down at ground zero like this is your perfect spot for a nap. It's not.

Are you listenin-

[Or find him after as the ash spills into the sky like a dark paint poured into water. He moves fast, covering ground at a sprint as he dashes about, cutting wide furrows in the ground and shoving large rocks into piles. If he can divert the flow.

His aim becomes clear if you watch him. Dirk is attempting to make a pathway to direct lava away from the mana pool and into the sea.

When he's not trying to keep them from being stranded as fuck he cuts through barriers with his sword and kicks debris out of the air to open up escape paths.] Come on, we need to step the hell away or figure out how torches feel.

[Dirk coughs.] Actually, you wouldn't even get that kind of feeling. But scemantics. Run time now. Shoot the shit time after.

eve of destruction

[antepone]

[ She's about to take a bite of her shrimp when his voice catches her attention. She frowns, and lowers the skewer. ]

... We probably should be worried. I know I am.

Allura | OTA

[diplomacycheck]

A. Take my hand (Alt. Title: This really should have been their first clue)
[The festival has been a rather.. enlightening experience, in her opinion. Allura clasps her hands in front of her, looking up to the sky as the flower lanterns begin to fly. She cannot help the wonder in her gaze as she looks up at them, burning bright like the stars. She tries to ignore the pang in her chest at the thought of joining those lanterns. She misses flying among the stars dearly, and yet the warm glow helps ease it.]

It's beautiful. [She says, not realizing she did so aloud.]

B. All life must return
[Eventually the ache becomes a little too much to ignore, and Allura looks away.
Those who don't know her at all likely never notice it, her calm mask slipping back on as she takes a steadying breath. Those who do will notice that and the slight sadness behind her natural curiosity in how the universe works. As it is, she's been absolutely fascinated by the Roaka. Wanting and willing to learn as much as she can about their customs.

Seeing all the care in dishes that both do and do not look familiar from her time with the other Paladins and here catches her attention. Even if she does... stare a little.... at the coconut milk ice cream and the smoothies. (They didn't milk a cow for these, did they?) Instead the princess drifts more toward the fresh fruits, skewers, and some sort of soup she has no name for (it's crab).

Also the palm wine. It's mixed with some sort of fruit that almost tastes similar to a particular brand of nunvil when it hasn't been sitting for ten thousand years. She pauses after a sip, blinking.] Pardon me, do you know what they mixed into this?

[She needs to know. For science, clearly.]

C. To the land
[Allura groans when she wakes, a hand to the side of her head when she slowly sits up.] What on...

[It's dark. She can make out some things due to slightly better than normal human eyesight, but it's her hearing that's far better. And the sounds she'd heard earlier during the festivities seem far louder and all around this time. Her eyes widen, her free hand on the ground and glowing a faint pale cyan -- bathing the chamber around her in a pale blue light.]

Are we... inside the mountain? [Oh, quiznack. She rubs the sides of her head when the children Roaka start either giggling at or tilting their heads in confusion at her confusion.] Alright, how did we get here and where are the exits?

[Because she has a Feeling, and she really does not want to stay a tick to figure out if it is accurate or not. They already had one run-in with magma chambers, thank you very much.]

to the land

[antepone]

[ Luckily, Allura isn't alone! Mira's been up and at it for a little while now. When she hears Allura's voice, she's relieved. She makes her way over and kneels down close to her. ]

I haven't been able to find any exit, but... there has to be one.

[ ... right? ]

Yukio | OTA

[reflash]

i. party
[The food is good. It's not his brother's cooking, but it's on par, and Yukio isn't complaining. It's better, in some senses, just because of the quality of the ingredients. Yukio absolutely picks up a lobster, because when is he going to get that chance again? He... also might be clawing at it a little bit. He's got claws and fangs and he can pull the pieces of meat out with a little more ease than any utensil can, even if it's kind of rude.

Catch him there, or maybe later, looking over the drink options and trying to decide if it's worth it to try out a smoothie.]

ii. underground
[Yukio dropped almost instantly when he tried the Youngdrink, slumping against a tree as his vision blurred and the rise of panic in his mind slid underneath the heavy weight of sleep.

But now he struggles awake, tongue flicking rapidly as he tries to orient himself in the dark. Or, the semi-dark. Yukio's own body is a faint beacon in the dark, the blue glow of his blood seeping dimly through his skin. It's not enough to light up the area around him, but it's enough to make him visible, enough to make him a target.

He sits still, for a moment, trying to get his bearings. But then he stands, and moves forward. If there isn't a way out, there's going to be a way to make one soon enough.]

party party

[galrarm]

[ It's good, to just wind down and relax. Meet new people. Shiro is definitely taking part in the food; he'd be a fool not to. ]

It's good, isn't it?

[ He's got a skewer of vegetables and crab that's practically taken a bath in lemon and butter. And it is delicious. ]

Sayoko | OTA

[peaceintheworld]

Party - Everything Is So Good

If Sayoko had been somewhat wary about a large gathering, it was all forgotten once she had seen the food on offer. And once she had tasted some of it... oh, it was almost enough to make her cry. Neither she nor Tachibana knew a thing about preparing food in such a limited situation, and they had mostly been living off of fire-roasted fish, raw fruits, and whatever bits of charity or barter they could manage. Nothing that they were capable of was as good as this. She is on her third bowl of soup, and has probably had more coconut rum than is strictly wise. A bit has gotten on her shirt, and she could probably stand to be a little more polite or careful... but to hell with that. This is amazing.

Party - Something Is... Missing?

It is at the point that she is contentedly full and contentedly tipsy that an unpleasant realization begins to dawn on her. Tachibana... where is Tachibana? She scans the area once, and then again, and then a third time with a furrowed brow.... and nothing. Is he hiding? Did he leave? With all that coconut rum having blotted out her inhibitions, she immediately gets up from her settled spot, a shrimp-and-vegetable skewer in hand, and starts to just ask... well... anyone the question that is now at the forefront of her mind.

"Excuse me? Excuse me! Have you seen Tachibana?" That this may require some explanation or additional details has not yet occurred to her. She's worried about him and she has questions to ask.

Party - Everything Is So Bad

Burdened with a hangover and faced with a situation that is, frankly, beyond her capacity to handle, Sayoko is... doing nothing. She has retreated to the mana pool, and that is the extent of her contribution to the situation. She can't travel fast enough on foot to possibly help with the search, she's sure, and she can't see an immediately-evident way to help divert the lava flow... so she's just there, staring and pacing and wringing her hands.

A little direction might help. There's a lot of anxious energy that has nowhere to go.