kenoslogs | TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

Entry tags:

TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

Who: Shard-Bearers, new and old
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment

I. BEARING FRUIT (new characters only)

It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.

And then, it goes wrong.

The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.

So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—

You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.

I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.

You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.

The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.

From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.

And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.

II. MORAL HAZARD

There are new Shard-Bearers at the Tree of Life, and Yima has asked that the earlier arrivals go to greet them and help them. These aren’t people from Horos, after all, so they’ll have many, many questions. As Yima explains, the roots of the tree rise up to create caverns underneath, and it’s there you’ll find the new Shard-Bearers. And indeed, with careful steps to not slip on the mossy roots, down you go. Perhaps Communion will help you find the new Shard-Bearers, but it might be a confusing process for them.

The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.

Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.

Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.

LET'S PLAY A GAME...

As the Dryad will explain, characters are now trapped in a room and have been poisoned by the spores that the lichens underfoot release. An antidote lays beyond the roots the dryad has curled around you, but to access it, you must make a sacrifice.

Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.

Each of you must offer up a personal/treasured memory. The memory will be shared in Communion with all characters assembled, and then will be destroyed. No character will retain the memory or memory of its Communion.
Each of you must offer up something physical. A finger, a toe, an ear, it’s your choice. The dryad will offer a knife if this is chosen that will sever the body part of choice cleanly and immediately stop any bleeding.
Offer up another. Kill one person in the room.
Refusing is also a valid option. Characters will get more ill as they debate until they start to find it difficult to breathe, and they’ll die quickly after.

The following is OOC knowledge that will not be known IC: The consequences of this game are about intent, and thus are not real. When characters are freed from the tree’s thrall, they’ll have their memories/body parts/life intact.

This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…

When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.

III. DREAMING OF HOME

You may wake with a start from your deliberations (or arguments) with a jolt of pain from the base of your spine as something is pulled away rapidly. A dark-haired man who looks to be in his thirties or so holds you carefully, but as soon as you start to regain your senses, he sets you back and holds up his hands.

Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.

As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.

Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.

And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!

CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE

Cyrus is the NPC heading up the Meridian Faction, and is available to thread with under this header. Cyrus has come to the Tree of Life to help rescue the Shard-Bearer’s from the Tree, so he’s not going to be inclined to explain too much right away, since he’s on a mission, but he’ll stick around once everyone is successfully freed from Prompt 2 to speak with anyone that wants to. The following is just an OOC summary of information in case you do not need to thread with Cyrus:

Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.

Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.

That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.

To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.

III. SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος

After your ordeals at the Tree of Life, perhaps you’re drawn to Springstar, the city of eternal sun and the seat of Meridian.

It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.

Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.

IV. HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы

Or maybe Highstorm, the city of twin moons and the seat of Zenith is more to your liking. It’s certainly the quieter of the two cities and is a relaxing, meditative place if that’s what you prefer. The chill in the air is constant, since it’s Autumn in Highstorm and the eternal night doesn’t help keep things warm, exactly. Snow isn’t out of the question at this time of the year, but it’s beautiful in the moonlight.

Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.

Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥

NOTES

Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all players are required to fill out an application, which are now open. This does include characters/players from Aion Teleos, so please don’t forget to fill one out! Any character/player that does not submit an application will be swept from the communities and the Discord after applications close.

Activity Check is optional this month, but is highly recommend ~~so Christy can check her fancy program~~ so that you can earn Activity Reward Tokens! Activity will be able to be submitted shortly after applications close. You can find more about how we do AC here.

This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this happens sometimes, since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They’re fine and may even return to Kenos one day, but for now weren’t able to make the full journey.

As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!

For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are saved from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

New players are welcome to join our Discord Server if you haven't already!

When they emerge from their cocoon/the ground, characters may be wearing their normal clothes, or they might be nude. Up to you!

At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post, since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision in which Faction they'd be drawn to.

New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM.

Your character will be offered temporary housing either at the Heliopolis district or Yima's manor for the first few weeks after their arrival. They will also be given a stipend for basic supplies like clothing and personal effects, and food is served in the cantina (Heliopolis) and at regular meal times in the Dining Room (Yima's manor). Once they Harmonize, they will get personal permanent chambers and a fancy retainer in their Faction's city. Wow! 🌈

FOR OLD PLAYERS:

Characters may be Harmonized to their Faction (if that makes sense for the character, of course!) by the time of this log. This is more for IC reference, and just wait until application acceptance to do the OOC paperwork!

General reminder that your character won't have access to their powers until they have Harmonized.

CODING

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I. SPRINGSTAR

a. [With the arrival of new faces from other worlds followed by a thought-provoking introduction to Cyrus, the Tribune, Liem finally ventures out of Highstorm's dark, quiet refuge to visit its sister city: the eternally sunny metropolis of Springstar. Bustling and eclectic, the atmosphere manages to remind him of home in a way that Yima's domain cannot. He spends hours touring the different districts, taking in thriving market streets and reverently-maintained residential neighbourhoods. But what seems to capture his interest most of all are the community centres. He visits one and attends a first-aid class that includes techniques he's never even heard of, and wonders what other kinds of skills the people of Kenos must have collected over the passing generations.

The next day, he's back—this time not to attend a class, but to teach one, at the request of the people running the facility. He's set up in a broad kitchen tucked toward one end of the building, and he's devoted the next hour or so to teaching a cozy little group of participants how to make a pasta dish from his home. Liem takes the assignment seriously, circling through the room to assist anyone who seems like they might need help. If you seem like you're struggling, or perhaps just during a quiet moment, he leans over to inspect your progress.]

And how are things going here?

b. [The weather in Springstar today is beautiful: warm without being hot, clear and calm with just a hint of a playful breeze. It's also deceptively sunny. Liem is still getting the hang of navigating the light-drenched city, unused to just how elusive a true, deep shadow is here, or how intense the glare of the twin suns can be despite the comfortable temperature. He tries his best to stick to the awnings and shaded areas set up along the broad, paved streets, but the stone and glass dominating the gleaming cityscape makes it almost impossible to fully escape the light reflecting from at least one of the suns. For the natives, the half-shade is probably ideal, providing plenty of light while still blocking most of the glare. For Liem, it's like using a sieve as an umbrella and hoping to stay dry.

By the time he's ready to make for the cornerstone on his way back to Highstorm, the sunlight feels suffocating. He's gone bone-white beneath the paltry shade of his wide-brimmed hat, and despite the dark lenses of his glasses he can feel the beginnings of a savage migraine threatening at the back of his skull. Dazzled and flagging, he ducks into a nearby boutique and trudges all the way into the back, away from the windows, for all the good that does him. He leans against a nearby wall for a moment, taking his glasses off to rub his hand over his eyes, and he doesn't seem to notice one of the people behind the counter asking if he's all right.]

II. HIGHSTORM

a. [When Liem has an hour or two he wants to spend in peace and quiet, The Tomes is an enticing place to visit. He's only just begun to appreciate the deep well of literature the libraries there contain, bedridden as he was for much of his first week in Highstorm. Now that he's returned to some semblance of health, he's taken great pleasure in exploring the city's mysteries one location at a time under the gentle light of its twin moons. The different fables collected within The Tomes are fascinating, though the real draw in his estimation is the wealth of poetry there, written in a seemingly endless variety of different styles. The worlds they evoke might now be dead, but they haven't been forgotten.

After spending much of his "afternoon" amongst the shelves, he emerges to seek refreshment at the peculiar cafe on the corner across from the library's doors. He's not sure how much stock he puts in the divinations that appear at the bottom of his cup whenever he's done, but the drinks here are incomparable, so he isn't too bothered to discover the truth of the gimmick. You can find him seated outside on the cafe patio, wrapped in a wool coat and warming his hands on a half-drained mug of some sort of black tea or coffee. When he sees you, he inclines his head in greeting.]

b. [Although Springstar is much more like Oppara than any part of Highstorm is, the markets scattered throughout the ever-dark city hold a nostalgic charm of their own for Liem. The hand-crafted wares here are more similar to the sorts of things he might find at a market in Taldor, foreign though the designs may be, and the more sedate, almost intimate atmosphere of the little shops and stalls hearkens to the kinds of small-town crafters he might have found running businesses in the country villages he used to visit in his younger years. He's always had a soft spot for markets, and on nights when the weather is calm, he's come to wander the ones in Highstorm just to see what manner of wares they hold.

Bundled against the chill in boots and a dark, woollen coat, he surveys stalls selling everything from bread to cured meats and cheeses to jewellery to scarves to wood carvings. After a while, he comes to a vendor offering baubles of a variety of sizes and purposes, all of which appear to be carved from either ivory or perhaps just bone. Liem picks up a small knife with a delicately-patterned handle and a matching sheath, pulling it out to regard the blade and finding to his pleasant surprise that the workmanship of the steel matches that of the carven handle. His eyes wander over to you as he slides the blade back into its sheath, and he glances as well at whatever item you've been eyeing.]

The artistry that's gone into these is impressive, don't you think?

III. WILDCARD

[Wildcard me! If you want to plot something, you can reach me on plurk at Sporelett, or on discord at November#9699.]

Edited 2022-10-15 04:25 (UTC)

[ Without much of a warning at all — no friendly greeting, no calling of Liem's name, not even the sound of a person's footsteps approaching him — Howl suddenly appears at the dhampir's side, grinning widely, smacking his hands down on the patio table he's seated at. Dressed in a black and purple coat that trails past his knees, the wizard is practically glowing with beauty. (Or rather, beautification spells, but what's the difference really, if most cannot tell the difference?) ]

Liem! There you are! I'd heard you'd arrived with the others!

[ Howl pauses for a few seconds, looking him over. Seemingly satisfied with the healthy and whole state that he looks to be in, he continues enthusiastically. ]

Stars above, it's so good to see you. To see everyone! May I take this seat?

[After his last few weeks in Horos, and then his bumpy entry and first week in Kenos, Liem is still a little on edge. He jumps a little in the face of Howl's sudden appearance, his shoulders stiffening for an instant as the wizard's hands slap onto the table, but when he registers his present company his expression changes from wary surprise to tentative pleasure. When he'd asked around about the newest batch of "shard-bearers" no one had mentioned Howl's name, so he hadn't realized that he was here. But then, he had heard mention of a certain wizard haunting the city in recent months.]

Please do.

[He tilts his head, regarding the other man with newfound interest. The last time he can remember speaking with Howl was during the Regent's surprise audience, back in Horos. While neither of them are the most emotionally honest people around, Howl seems happier now than Liem can ever recall seeing him.]

You look well. [An understatement, but moving on—] I wasn't expecting to see you again. I'm glad you weren't… left behind.

That ought to be my line. I've been here over three months now... I'd all but given up on seeing the majority of you again.

[ As he talks, Howl takes a seat, setting a large leather satchel on the table in front of him. From the boxy, layered shape of its contents, it appears to be filled with at least three thick books.

With the weight of the bundle off his shoulder, he leans forward, still grinning happily at Liem. ]

How have you been faring so far? I see you've acquainted yourself with the peculiar tea here. The Tomes too, then?

[ in the back of his mind, the wizard is wondering when this Liem is from. but... there's no need to jump straight into that. especially when the answer might not fit Howl's joyous mood. ]

[As Liem watches Howl take a seat at the table, his eyebrows quirk slightly upwards. Three months? He’d assumed that all those from Horos had arrived at the same time. It certainly seemed that way to him, filled as Yima’s manor was with convalescing people recovering from their journey from that newly-destroyed world.]

I didn’t realize. I thought that those who arrived along with me were the only ones to make it here from Horos.

[He’s quite obviously mistaken, he sees now, with a slow-blooming smile. Howl seems to have made himself at home here, at least compared to Liem’s own tentative familiarity with the surrounds.]

I have been familiarizing myself with the Tomes, yes. Is that where you’ve just come from?

[He eyes the thick, book-shaped mass filling Howl’s bag. Whatever he’s got in there, it probably isn’t light reading.]

Yes, as you can see. [ Howl gestures vaguely to his satchel. ] Once I got acclimated to this new world, I found myself with little to do. I've spent most of my days since then studying the magic practiced in this world. It's fascinating, the many forms it can take, when so many of us have come from such vastly different universes.

[ Howl pauses, as his stream of consciousness brings him to a particular topic that warrants a moment of careful thought. ]

...Yima has made very few demands of me, you see. As you've likely seen for yourself by now, she's nothing like the Regent. But I understand that, with so many new Shard-Bearers acting as a sort of herald, we may have work to do for her in the near future.

[It doesn’t come as a surprise to Liem to learn that Howl spent much of his time in this new place studying the peculiarities of its magic. What kind of self-proclaimed wizard would he be if he hadn’t, really? He’s never known a practitioner of the arcane who didn’t dedicate most of their waking hours to their own curiosity.]

Her manner is very different, [he agrees.

First of all, the Regent had never personally sat Liem down and served him tea. Actually, he can’t remember any of his seniors taking that kind of time for him since he was still a youth. He’s not sure how he feels about the comparison now.]

Can I ask you something, Howl? Do you trust her? When she does make demands of us, will you meet them? Coming from Horos, from the Regent’s domain, as you have.

[He recalls asking a similar question of the wizard when he first arrived at the Citadel. He also remembers that Howl had said yes, after a fashion, so perhaps Liem shouldn’t be giving his opinion too much weight. The problem is, he doesn’t have many other people to ask.]

[ Howl finds comfort in Liem's agreement, and then is immediately caught off guard by his questions. He raises his eyebrows and brings a hand to his chin thoughtfully. They are good questions, and he need a moment not to decide how he feels, but to decide how he ought to answer. He would not want to stumble into awkward phrasing and give him the wrong idea. ]

It's difficult to fully trust anyone. In this world, in our home worlds, or in any other.

[ At that moment, a waitress from the cafe walks past their table. Howl stops to get her attention with a raised hand. She stops to tell him that she'll be right back, her quick pace suggesting she was busy with some other task at the time she passed. He nods, thanks her, and watches her leave before looking back to Liem. ]

...I do trust Yima in a few important ways. Most importantly, I know that she has the power to keep the promises she makes to us. I've seen it for myself.

[Howl's answer might seem to some degree like equivocation, but Liem thinks he understands what he means. Being able to trust someone unreservedly, to believe wholly in their judgement, is a rare thing. He can't judge the wizard for being reluctant to profess that level of faith, and indeed, if he did after only three months, it would probably cheapen his loyalty in Liem's eyes.

He wraps his fingers around his half-drained cup, glancing briefly at the waitress as she hurries past.]

How so?

[Liem's brows raise slightly; for all their power, the Regent had never displayed any hint of truly being able to remake the universe. If such power was really within Yima's grasp, that was a potent thing to consider.]

She has been very kind, but kindness is not the same as wisdom, or ability.

LET'S PLAY A GAME...

CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

FOR OLD PLAYERS:

Liem Talbott | Original (Pathfinder RPG) | Harbinger

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