Returning Island: Nuidan

[lifeaftr_mods]

RETURNING ISLAND: NUIDAN

Who: Everyone!
What: Nuidan returns to the archipelago of LifeAftr
When: Backdated to November 20th, and onward
Where: The harvest island of Nuidan
Warnings: Nothing of note; please mark if anything comes up!

Looking for Clear Water
Welcome back to Nuidan, adventurers.

For many of you, however, this might not be such a familiar experience. You might not have been here before. If you haven't, you'll probably be happy to know that the island of Nuidan is largely a peaceful one. New explorers can read up on the resources, dangers, and ephemera of the island here, but the most important part is that it is an island divided into quarters, each representative of a static and unchanging season. The north relates to spring, with rain-swept, windy hills; the east to fall, with orchards heavy with fruit and fallen leaves carpeting the ground; the south to winter, full of snowy plains and fields of ice; and the west to summer, blanketed with warm sand and ripe with the lazy drone of bees. At the island's heart is its temple, where the local avatar of harvest, known most commonly as Harv, can be found.

The last time you met them, they took the form of a hardworking sheepdog, determined to not let a single moment go to waste. Now, however, you'll find them looking and acting a little...different. They're considerably calmer, for one, and also a good deal larger. But their disposition has remained more or less friendly, as can be gleaned from the state of the island around them.

Nuidan's lush woods, blustery tundras, sun-warmed sands, and rolling fields are still the same as they ever were, and it seems as if the whole island has been waiting for a triumphant, colorful return. As all of you managed to rack up an impressive number of crystals - around 135 total - the island can be assumed to be in splendid health. An air of anticipation lies mantled across the entire island, and the orchards, fields, and animals you worked so hard to tend, maintain, and corral the first time you were around are ready for harvesting in whatever way you see fit. No longer are fences unmended and decrepit, or orchards choked with weeds.

You're more than welcome to go combing the island to take in the spoils, as long as you don't mind the presence of the occasional, noisy nirnroot that can be found speckling the topography of Nuidan. That's right - you can find them here, too, those pesky things. But your attention might also be eaten up by the wooden stands and display tables set up around Harv's temple, like those you might see at a farmer's market. Because this is a time of harvest, and also a time to share in that harvest.

And after harvest comes celebration.

Playing It All For Gods Yesterday
The avatar who holds sway over this island has been waiting for many hands to make light work. Pitch in a little here and there, and you'll find that when the crops have been taken in, the food all stored, and the animals bedded down, the quite literal fruits of your labor and efforts will be transformed into a feast that beggars belief.

We do recommend that you exercise some caution, however - some food and drink might make you a tad more open-hearted or open-minded than you expect. All kinds of harmless but entertainingly strange effects might happen to those who are brave enough to sample some of the products on display.

[ ♆ ] Caramel Apples: These treats come in all sorts of varieties - sprinkled with peanuts, candied sprinkles, or drizzled with chocolate. They do have some unusual side effects, however. Anyone who eats one or more of these caramel-coated delights will discover that they now have the ability to levitate about a foot or so off the ground. And, by concentrating hard, you'll find you can also go zooming about at high speeds. Careful not to go colliding into any tables of goodies, or any of your fellow party-goers!

[ ♆ ] Deviled Eggs: Sprinkled with chili powder, sage, and chopped shallots, these appetizers can easily be scarfed down by the pound. It's recommended that you take care with how many you eat, however. These deviled eggs will make you incredibly proud of yourself. Eat one or two, and you'll find that your self-esteem has been massively boosted, and you'll feel like you deserve to celebrate your accomplishments! But consuming too many will almost certainly inflate your ego, and quickly make you more prone to bragging or making up outrageous exaggerations of your accomplishments which, while not fundamentally dangerous, might put you at a higher risk of getting decked in the face.

[ ♆ ] Pepper Poppers: Peppers that have been breaded and stuffed with cheeses and spices can make a delightfully spicy treat, though these come at a small cost. Eating just one of them will make you more predisposed to verbal quirks - making bad puns, indulging in copious alliteration, sesquipedalian loquaciousness, and so on. You can wash out this effect by drinking just about anything...but when you're cracking jokes that good, why would you?

[ ♆ ] Maple Bars: A doughnut topped off with a silky maple glaze can make for a delightful treat, though most don't tend to cause the people who eat them to exhibit a soft glow. Nonetheless, you'll find that the more of these desserts you eat, the brighter a glow you'll emit. What's more is that this glow can and will change its color depending on your mood. Don't think you can hide how blue you're feeling when the color itself is streaming right from your skin!

[ ♆ ] Butternut Squash Fritters: These fritters are hot, crispy, sprinkled liberally with salt and sage, and also have the fun side effect of making you far more complimentary than you might be otherwise. Did you mean to insult that guy over there? Too bad! Instead, you're telling him how much you love his hat, or how good he is with his words. The good news, nay, the better news, is that this effect is double-edged; after eating just one of these, you also can't insult yourself. You have no choice but to be wholly complimentary of anyone and everyone, your own good self included!

[ ♆ ] Pumpkin Pie: A staple of any kind of harvest-based celebration, of course, and a perfect example of it. Flaky crust, silky custard, topped off with nutmeg and whipped cream...and prone to making almost everything around you seem unbearably funny. Eat one slice of this, and you'll find that you just cannot seem to stop laughing! It might just end up being the best abdominal workout you get in years.

[ ♆ ] Leafy Crown: For those of you who aren't predisposed to eat anything, don't worry. You can still participate in the fun, if you want! Some tables carry crowns of colorful leaves that you can wear to showcase your festive spirit. It will also increase your festive spirit, and make you far more inclined to break into song and/or dance. What's that? You're not particularly talented in either of those areas? That's a shame! Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, self-consciousness isn't likely to affect you once you've put one of these things on. No matter how poor a singer or dancer you, in actuality, are.

[ ♆ ] Harvest Candle: A table full of all sorts of beautiful candles invites you to light one as the day grows dark and the sun sinks over the horizon. You're certainly welcome to, but be warned: lighting a candle from this table will vastly increase your confidence, to perhaps a dangerous extent. While you'll feel less inclined to any shyness or second-guessing of yourself that might ordinarily plague you, you'll also be less susceptible to any sort of fear or warning signs that maybe you shouldn't be doing things that might be considered, ah...foolish. Like, for example, deciding you're going to trek out into Nuidan's southern region to ride a popo. Things like that.

Other than these, you'll find that almost everything else that can be consumed and otherwise interacted with will have no additional effects. What a relief!

Looking for Clear Water

Of course, there's a lot going on in the background as well. You're free to explore any other minor events listed on our Monthly Rundown post. You are also always free to create your own individual logs and posts as needed!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them over on our Monthly Rundown post!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[thermalwind]

Keith laughs, “Kosmo can teleport if it comes to that. They won’t get far.” He seems perfectly at ease as the animals adjust to the person blocking the other side. Now two people and the massive blue wolf are in their way to escape.

So they don’t. Feathered beasts and hooved ones stream into the pen and head for the barn just beyond. The wolf brings up the rear of the group and stands before the gate as the beasts all get into the pen. Keith pushes away from the side of the gate and reaches for his side or it. “Grab your side and do as I do.”

The gate will move easily with all the smoothness of a well worn and well cared for equipment. “We’ll chain this up and I can show you how to feed them and bed them down.”

[uptightness]

She raises a dubious eyebrow, looking to the obvious Kosmo, unless he talks about himself in the third person, which she doubts. A teleporting... whatever that is. Dog? Well, Carolina has seen stranger things before, so why not?

But, there is no stampede, no rushing, no shenanigans or malarkey, and it does go smoothly enough, knock on wood. Carolina does mimic him, moving her side of the gate with ease. And, she's reminded why she never really had any desire for her own pets, wondering what they eat. Hay? She can likely toss bales around. "You're familiar with them, or just animals in general?"

[thermalwind]

“Both. I worked to repair gates and catch the animals last time this island was here.” Keith says as the blue wolf joins them with a soft sound and ducks his massive head down. The wolf lifts up a length of chain that had been hidden by the fence. Keith loops it around the closed gate he passes it around and offers the other end to Carolina.

“Loop it around through the ring on that side of the gate and pass it back.” He waits until she passes the chain back to lock the loops chain with the padlock. “Last time this island was here we had all these tasks to complete. In return, Harv improved things on Ensō. That’s why we have that farming island.

And the houses aren’t ruined messes we had to fix ourselves.” He double checks the chain then nods, motioning for her to follow him around the side of e fence. “It was pretty bad before.”

[uptightness]

Both seem to be well versed in how to do things, which makes Carolina wonder if another hand really was needed. After all, his companion seems to be quite smart - arguably smarter than some people that she knows. But perhaps it would have indeed taken a little longer.

Locks and locking she is familiar with, although lock picking had been York's area of expertise. Hopefully that wouldn't be required, although she is passable enough at that, so long as it's not overly complicated and there's no count down for it. "Mm. I'd just arrived, I think, before it came. I can't say I was involved."

She had been more concerned about other issues.

[thermalwind]

“It was something to focus on.” He had been a mess after Zizsyphus. Sometimes he thinks he still is. He certainly feels like it. Keith nods once as the wolf brings up the rear of their little party. The wolf settles at the door to the barn and Keith slips it open. “I like this island better than the one with all the doors and the trials.”

The other side of the barn door has a complicated mechanism set into it that could let them keep the door ajar. He glances it and waits until Carolina is inside, then shuts the door behind them. “Not sure if you heard about that.” Inside the barn is the same as any old barn has ever been. Stalls line the walls with bars on the doors to secure them. There is one exception. There is a fenced in pen inside clearly meant for the Blue rocs among the animals mulling about inside.

Keith turns and secures the door from this side. “Forgot about this part. Shouldn’t be any worse than it was outside.” The animals move in their direction and Keith unlocks a stall. The inside of the stall looks scrubbed down and ready for use. “Looks like someone cleaned them already. That’s part of the job done.”

He looks at the creatures as they come in touching range. “We just get the annoying part. You want to do the guiding them into stalls or the keeping others from following part? Better to get the stalls done first. We’ll be left with the birds and they’re a bit...dumb.” Easily led and will follow people anywhere. Like some cadets he knew.