lifeaftr | December Undercurrent: Opposing Viewpoints

DECEMBER UNDERCURRENT

Who: Everyone!
What: Oh, inverted world...
When: December 3rd to December 20th
Where: Everywhere!
Warnings: Nothing of note; please mark if anything comes up!

I Wish You Could See the Wicked Truth

The island of Monsun is known for the split down its middle, and how it tends to bring out people's best and worst sides, depending on which side you're on. Some might remember it from previous appearances, but if you've never been, you can read up on the island's details on our Locations page and get yourself caught up to speed! Just like with the previous month, the Water is taking it upon themself to summon the island to the archipelago. And just like with the previous month, this will entail some effects upon the local populace: you.

Given that Monsun hosts the avatar of Balance, don't be surprised if things start to get a little inverted, a little out of balance, a little flipped, a little turned upside down. What do we mean by that, exactly? Well, it can mean all sorts of things. And you get to pick how many of these inversions if any, are going to be affecting you and yours for the duration of the month, at least until Monsun surfaces...and how much each one affects you.

Starting on December 3rd, adventurers may find themselves influenced by any of the effects listed below. You are free to vary the intensity and level of each, as well as how many end up being relevant to you. They can start as a slow build and ramp up gradually through the month, or emerge at full force right out the gate. You can be affected by multiple at once, or one every few days, and so on. The only limit is what you're willing to do!

[ ♆ ] Friendflipped: Do you have someone that you love in your life? Perhaps a best friend, a significant other, a member of your family? They might even be on the island with you. That just makes what's about to happen even more unfortunate, if that's the case, because all of a sudden, you're going to learn that you can't stand the sight of them. That's right: your best friends become your most hated foes. You'll find yourself positively despising those you would ordinarily get along with, all with a vicious, unchecked enthusiasm. Perhaps even more unfortunately, that goes the other way, too: your worst enemies are now your best friends.

[ ♆ ] Casual Obsession: One of the critical aspects of having any sort of hobby or preference is balance. It's always good to not go overboard! Which is why you might find yourself losing all inhibition. Your likes, dislikes, hobbies, desires, and so on will become utterly stripped of any balance the might have had. Do you have a mild sweet tooth? Well, now it's a full on sugar obsession. Do you dislike golf as a sport? Now you hate it with a fiery passion - and all those jerks who play golf, they can go to hell too!

[ ♆ ] One or Nothing: Most people will agree that emotional balance is something we should all strive for. That's about to get a lot more difficult. You might find yourself experiencing only one emotion for an extended amount of time, with only varying degrees of intensity to indicate any actual shift. Alternatively, you find yourself experiencing no emotions at all: a complete, deadened shutoff of any emotional instincts you have.

[ ♆ ] Skill Swap: Hobbies are one thing. But what about your personal skill-sets? Well, those are about to get some serious remodeling. Are you a talented musician? Now you can't read music, much less play it. Are you good in a fight? Not anymore, you're not! Now you can barely throw a punch without bowling yourself over. You'll find that your abilities have become seriously scrambled, to the point where you've lost any natural or trained skill you might have in certain areas. This can extend to magical knowledge, technological know-how, or even basic proclivities like stealth or how light you might be on your feet. The flip side of this is that you might find yourself preternaturally skilled in other areas that you've never so much as touched before. Maybe now you're a pro at climbing, or intensely good with social charisma and persuasion. In general, these swaps will work with a one-to-one ratio; one skill will suffer and another will be boosted as if in compensation, but you're welcome to experiment! Maybe you just want to make your character a completely useless loser for a few weeks. You're certainly free to do just that!

[ ♆ ] Interface Screw: In case it wasn't opposite day enough, you've also got the chance to have your personal orientation of the world completely reversed. By which we mean: left is right, right is left, up is down, down is up, and so on. This might manifest in varying ways. Maybe the sky looks like the sea, and the ground is so far above your head...and you feel like you're walking on thin air, even if to everyone else, the world appears more or less normal. Maybe this isn't even a purely perceptual thing as opposed to a literal one, and to everyone else, you're actually walking upside down. How this manifests is ultimately up to you, but you can interpret it as you like.

These effects will all die down by the time December 20th rolls around. Again, you can choose the rate at which this occurs, and whether it's a slow and steady decrease or a complete shut-off all at once. Either way, by the 20th, you'll all have been restored to whatever passes for your mental and emotional equilibriums, and Monsun will resurface on the archipelago!

But I Settle For a Ghost

Of course, there's a lot going on in the background as well. You're free to use this log as a catch-all for the duration of December's Undercurrent Event, as well as any of the other minor events listed on our Monthly Rundown post. You are very, very free to let your dreams about magical mistletoe and snowgoons become reality, and you are 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 the Questions header on our Monthly Rundown post!

December Timeline

[ ♆ ] December 1st: "Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snowgoons" begins and lasts until December 31st
[ ♆ ] December 3rd: "Opposing Viewpoints" begins and lasts until December 20th
[ ♆ ] December 10th: "Mistledon't" begins and lasts until December 22nd
[ ♆ ] December 20th: Monsun returns to the archipelago
[ ♆ ] December 21st: "Breath of Cold Air" begins and lasts until December 31st

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It won't be easy to describe something I can't remember knowing as anything but instinct, but let me see...

[An idle wave of his hand turned into twirling a dagger in a flash of crystal, Ardyn humming thoughtfully as he thought through the act itself.]

When the blade or whatever you choose to throw leaves your hand, you need follow it in more than only mere sight; to know the path it takes and where it will strike. In a sense what is required is to perceive both blade and self as a singular entity, and track its motions as though it were you traveling from one point to the next. Trace its path closely with your mind, and allow yourself to move along the same path it cuts for you.

A logical enough process, though I know it will be much more difficult to put into practice than it sounds.

[He watched Noctis fail time after time, until it finally clicked one day. Not that his old friend was able to ever properly explain what had finally made it do so.

Ignis balances his dagger in his hand, pointing it into the distance in front of them.]

The tree that is about 3 feet off the corner of the cottage. Am I lined up with it correctly?

Just about. [Ardyn took Ignis' wrist, shifting his aim an inch or two to the left.]

There.

[Ignis nods, accepting the correction without resistance. He visualizes the tree as clearly as he can and then sets to work shifting his mindset. When he uses the dash ability granted by his Stormbound daggers, the motion is different than this. That is definitely one thing pulling another. He and the dagger are still separate entities in his mind. Here, he must see himself and the blade at one in order for it to work. There is no pull, only a whole moving from one place to another.

After a moment, he takes a deep breath and then readies himself for the throw.]

Any last bits of advice?

'Good luck'.

[He was trying, at least.]

[Ignis snorts softly at the 'advice,' before turning his attention back to the task at hand. After taking another breath and running his mind back through the path to the tree once more, he lets the dagger fly. Honestly, he doesn't expect the first try to work which is why he is so shocked when he finds himself standing by the tree, slightly disoriented, but otherwise none the worse for the wear.

Gently, he reaches out and places his hand against the tree's trunk as if he is unsure it is really real. The surprise is clear in his expression when he finally looks back at Ardyn.]

It worked...

...Hm.

[Ardyn tried and mostly succeeded to keep the surprise out of his voice. Maybe it wasn't entirely shocking that Ignis had taken to it so easily, but it was the last thing he'd expected.]

You did well. See if you can make it back over here.

[It takes Ignis a moment to get his awe under control and then he nods, focusing in on a stack of wood that he knows is not far from where they had been standing. This warp is not quite as flawless, but he makes it back without any of the trouble a trainee should have.]

Beginner's luck, perhaps?

[There is no way it can be this easy. He watched Noctis fail at it for months before that first one happened and that warp was nowhere near what one might have called 'neat.']

That seems...highly unlikely. Then again, it is you, so I wouldn't be surprised you held some unknown aptitude for it.

While I appreciate the compliment, I highly doubt that's the case. If anyone had an aptitude, it would be one of the royal line and Noctis certainly had no aptitude.

[Ignis flips the blade in his hand for a moment as if somehow it might give him an answer, then he turns his head toward Ardyn.]

Would you mind making the same trip I just did? I want to see if I pick up on any similarities that might explain what just happened.

[Some might just accept what just happened, but Ignis can't. He needs to know the 'how' as well.]

I don't see how you expect me to have different results, bu--

[As he spoke, Ardyn manifested and threw the Rakshasha Blade; in a flash of red it embedded itself in a tree and Ardyn himself faceplanted about five feet short of it.]

Edited 2020-01-03 02:24 (UTC)

[For a moment, Ignis just stands there blinking his good eye. That...doesn't sound like it was a very successful warp.]

Ardyn? Are you all right?

My pride may not survive the hour.

[he said, flat on the ground]

[Ignis carefully follows Ardyn's voice to where the redhead is sprawled on the ground. He then sits down next to him, running a hand through his tangled hair.]

What just happened besides your pride suffering a messy and untimely death?

Mmph.

[That was ground level Ardyn-speak for begrudgingly accepting affection but also giving up on life. So really, just default Ardyn.]

It didn't work. It's never just not worked before.

[Ignis hums in response, continuing to pet Ardyn's hair while trying to figure out what is goi--

A soft curse leaves his mouth as it hits him.]

The island. It's got to be.

December Undercurrent: Opposing Viewpoints

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