August Aftermath: Make Me Okay

[lifeaftr_mods]

AUGUST AFTERMATH: MAKE ME OKAY

Who: Everyone!
What: After the harrowing events of mid-month, it's time to process what you've been through
When: August 24th and onward
Where: Ensō and/or Nastrandir
Warnings: Discussions of violence, injury, forcibly altered mindsets via magical influence, and character deaths. Other than that, tag as you go!

Nastrandir: Can I Fight When I Don't Know How
The morning of August 24th, the day after a Storytelling that was notably later than usual, you will wake to the restoration of your average selves, barring any extenuating circumstances due to recent deaths. The dead will rise again on Ensō, at the Storyteller's Temple, while everyone else will simply wake where they last laid themselves to rest. There's nothing left to do but, perhaps, try to come to terms with all that's just happened.

You've probably witnessed some terrible things, over the past few days. There's a very good chance that you were the one doing the terrible things. Whether you were responsible for the slaughter of a fellow adventurer, watched the fray from the distance, or suffered the spontaneous combustion that seized everyone who hadn't managed to shake away their false memories in time, it's at least all over now. Or...mostly. Any stray sirens that haven't been smashed by the event's end are still shrilling away, though their dangerous effects seem to have been rendered inert without the aid of the broken merotome spilling its memories into everyone else's heads. Likewise, a handful of automatons still wander the island of Nastrandir. Those that have not succumbed to mud and rust and irreparable damage are still capable of firing upon hostiles. Anyone who may have fought by their side before will discover that they're now far less friendly, and will treat former members of the Red Team just the same as they would with any other intruder: with deadly fire.

So you can pick yourselves up off the ground and clean up what remains, or you can say to yourselves: Fuck That, and instead head back to Ensō. Or you could elect to keep exploring Nastrandir, if you're truly a glutton for punishment.

Ensō: Am I Bleeding From the Neck Down
On Ensō and its accompanying islets, it's begun to rain.

It's not a genuine downpour, but more of a gentle, melancholy drizzle. The rain is cool and likely refreshing, particularly if one is just coming away from the humidity of Nastrandir.

Potentially as a form of apology, anyone who goes digging through their belongings will discover that one of the following has ended up in their packs:

[ ♆ ] If you were a member of the Red Team, you will discover that you now own a rather awkwardly-shaped object, about three feet in length. A set of written instructions will inform you that this is known as a redsword, and that, upon placed upon any wet area or body of water, will drain and dry it out over the course of five minutes. This item is single-use, and only works for a ten-foot radius.

[ ♆ ] If you were a member of the Blue Team, you will discover that you now own some very fetching footwear. A set of written instructions will inform you that these are called skip-skops, and can be used to walk on water or wet land without sinking or getting wet. Standard limitations when crossing between islands or attempting to go beyond LifeAftr's limits will still apply. This item is single-use, and will dissolve after one hour total.

[ ♆ ] If you were Neutral, you will discover that you now own, er, this. A set of written instructions will inform you that this object is called a furball, and that it works as a sort of miniature, diminished version of the sirens you spent all that time destroying on Nastrandir. Once planted, it will rapidly grow into a tall, screaming tree full of lorby-like creatures that automatically causes all natural animals in the vicinity to become aggressive for one hour, maximum. This item is single-use.

It's not much, but it might make some of the hell that you suffered through over the past few days worth it! Almost, anyway. In the meantime...relax, lick your wounds, and try and forgive yourselves for what's happened. Please remember to let us know if your character perished in this event! Remember also that death penalties will be reduced following this event; characters will only need to contend with them for a week, and participation in Non-Compulsory AC will not be necessary in removing them.

---

If you're interested, the following links may prove handy:

[ ♆ ] OOC Event Info and Plotting Post
[ ♆ ] Nastrandir's Intro
[ ♆ ] Nastrandir's Locations Page
[ ♆ ] Search Requests Page
[ ♆ ] Deaths Page

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[journalname]

Perhaps a year ago? I do not know exactly when you came to this place, but it has been some time now. This...

[He should try to explain what he thinks is happening, but he doesn't know how to do that without admitting his own culpability. He doesn't know if it's cowardly to try. He'd deserve whatever Wash felt about that, of course, but it wouldn't be that helpful.]

Strange things happen here often. I suppose you are experiencing one now.

[counterblows]

A year?

[The word almost pitches into a squawk.]

No. No. You're kidding me. There's no way - I'd know if it was a year. The hell do you mean, strange things?

[journalname]

...once we all became younger. I believe I was around seven or eight for about a week.

[That was. Weird. But ultimately kinda harmless!]

[counterblows]

Right, sure. That's just perfect.

[It's not clear whether or not he believes him. Just that he doesn't like the sound of that. Not remotely.]

Fuck. Is there anyone else I can talk to about this? [Not that he doesn't trust you, Asgore, but he doesn't know you.]

[journalname]

[idk this seems entirely fair to him]

There are other people from your world here. Church and Tex. You have been staying with them.

[And surely no one in this little group has murdered any of the others recently!]

If you have your stone, you can use it to call them. It looks like a smooth granite slab, but it is magical.

[counterblows]

You keep saying words like they make any sense.

[He just sounds...irritable. No longer scared, or ill at ease. The subtle shift in his demeanor, going from paranoid marine to disgruntled explorer, apparently goes relatively unnoticed, from Wash's own perspective.]

Church. Which Church?

[journalname]

...I did not know there was more than one.

[He's only ever met the one. Honestly, Wash wears his full armor so often that it's a toss-up whether or not Asgore even knows Church is not a human in a suit.]

There are magic stones here that operate as "cell phones". [you can hear the dad quotes. they're palpable.]

[counterblows]

Or I could just radio them, if they're really here.

[He presses a hand to the side of his helmet and is greeted with...static. Nothing but static.]

[All right. Never mind, then.]

Or not.

[journalname]

There is a radio in there?

[Aren't radios kinda big? Does he not need an antenna?]

Ah - well, technology rarely works correctly here. It is something about the islands.

[counterblows]

There should be. Radio, HUD...everything's broken.

[He should know this. He should...this is old news. Isn't it?]

Sorry, how do we know each other?

[journalname]

We are...

[He might have said friends, once. As of now...]

...neighbors, I suppose. There are not so many people here on the islands. Everybody knows each other at least a little.

[counterblows]

And we've known each other for...over a year.

[Why doesn't he remember this?]

I don't. I should remember this.

[journalname]

...well, yes. But if you do not, that is alright.

,small>[There probably isn't a lot to be done about it.]

[counterblows]

How's that all right? I'm not supposed to forget, I'm -

[He's the one who remembers. Memory is the key. That stands out; he knows it's important. Memory is the key.]

[journalname]

I'm sure you will recover in due time. That is always what happens. For now, it is probably better if you rest.

[His gaze darts to the ground.]

You have clearly just been through something.

[counterblows]

I mean, I feel... fine.

[He doesn't, really. Absently, he reaches up to rub at his neck again. It's just a little bit of pain here and there. That's all. He can handle it.]

I don't feel like I've been through anything.

[journalname]

Nonetheless, I do not believe amnesia is going around right now.

[Not that he'd know; he's kept very deliberately to himself. But surely nothing would happen again so soon?

So. Did Wash die? Is this a death cost? And is Asgore the one who killed him, after all? There's clearly no answers forthcoming, but that seems likely to him.]

[counterblows]

Well, no. It's not a...it isn't catching. It's a condition. It's developed -

[Then he stops.]

[That's what this is, then. He's amnestic? But...partially? He remembers pieces, but only pieces, and none of them fit together. He should know how this stuff works. Memory. That was it. That was Epsilon's entire purpose. Memory.]

[Memory was what destroyed him, and it's what's tearing him apart now.]

You don't...have any idea how this might've happened, do you?

[journalname]

Things like that tend to happen to many people at once, here.

[But that question. Asgore doesn't want to talk about it. But that's just a selfish desire - it's unquestionably the right thing to do.]

It is...possible that you recently died. Those who die on the islands do not stay that way - they are revived in the temple on the mountain.

[counterblows]

[I'd remember if I died. Doesn't sound like a very solid sort of thing to say, the absurdity of it notwithstanding.]

I...woke up in a temple. Is that the one?

[journalname]

Yes, that is it.

[oh no.....]

I'm sorry.

[counterblows]

Why're you...

[Oh. Oh, okay. Hang on a minute.]

Did you kill me?

[journalname]

[Asgore shrugs miserably.]

I do not know. But it is quite possible. 

[counterblows]

What, you mean you don't know? How do you not know?

[And we've hit screechy Wash territory. Excellent work, all.]

[journalname]

[Asgore shrugs miserably.]

They took me away. I did not see what happened to you.

[But it was bad enough that he thinks it quite likely Wash died right there, alone in a burning forest. There was so much blood - he thinks he was pinned to the ground - ]