beleos: (Default)
beleos ([personal profile] beleos) wrote in [community profile] kenoslogs2022-10-14 03:08 pm

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
    mignons: (Default)

    dave | minions franchise | stargazer

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-15 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
    i. bearing fruit (it's bananas)

    [ So you're just sitting there, catching your breath after you've clawed your way out of the dirt. Or maybe you've been wandering for a bit trying to find your way out of this tree mess. Whatever the case, something suddenly pops out of the ground next to your foot. First one gloved hand, then another, followed by something round and yellow and bulbous that pops out of the ground with a little suction cup sound effect. Fortunately for everyone involved, it is not butt naked.

    It looks up. Sees you. It screams in panic. ]


    ii. moral hazards (why would you tag this prompt)

    [ Saw theme plays in the bg while Dave the minion clings to the nearest person's leg and bawls while protesting that he doesn't want to die (in gibberih minion speak).




    yes that's literally the prompt, yes this is the 'stab/kill dave' prompt for all you banana haters out there ]


    iii. springstar (i've been awake since 4 am)

    [ In one of the many Springstar shops that fill the bustling city, there is a small yellow minion chattering away to himself as he takes clothes off racks and then puts them back on.

    World destruction aside, the key to being a successful villainous minion is to 1. look the part 2. feel the part 3. act the part. Once 1 is taken care of, it should be easier to accomplish 2 and 3. Which is why he thrusts out two shirts towards two, chattering away (still in minion gibberish) and alternates lifting up one over the other.

    One's banana print. The other is pineapple print. Which one looks better on him???? ]


    iv. wildcard (send help)

    [ seriously i'm so tired, send help ]
    Edited (I FUCKED UP THE CITY) 2022-10-15 11:25 (UTC)
    baltimores: (062)

    iii

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-10-15 11:43 am (UTC)(link)
    [ ...

    ...

    ...

    Okay this is a new one.

    Dave earns a very blank stare, until, eventually, ]
    The pineapple one?

    [ If Amos sounds uncertain, well, there's a lot to be thrown off by here. At least he's trying? ]
    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-20 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Amos is trying his best and honestly that's all that matters.

    Dave, being the easily influenced minion that he is, thinks deeply about this opinion being offered up. It may be an uncertain opinion but it's still an opinion nonetheless, and it's not long before he's trotting off to the nearest changing room.

    He pops out about a minute later, now dressed in his new pineapple threads. He points to himself expectantly, looking up at his new friend (if he's still there). ]


    Ya? La boda?

    [ Yes? No? ]
    baltimores: (118)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-10-20 09:06 am (UTC)(link)
    [ He is trying so hard. He wants to help, even if he has no clue what Dave actually is, other than apparently sentient.

    So Amos is indeed still there when he comes back out, and he. Maybe helped? ]


    Yeah. [ It's even said a little more enthusiastically this time, now that his advice has been taken. ] Yeah, you should get that one. It looks good on you.

    [ Helping!! ]
    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
    you haven't seen the last of me.........

    subsist: (pic#15626251)

    iii.

    [personal profile] subsist 2022-10-15 05:45 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ On the list of things Kaeya didn't think he'd encounter today, a yellow minion is high up there. He looks at lil' guy speak in words he doesn't really understand but he can figure out the context, at least. Maybe?

    At least asking for his opinion on which shirt looks better should be easy enough to tackle. ]


    Maybe the one with a pineapple, since you look like a banana? The contrast is nice.
    mignons: (Default)

    1/2

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Does Kaeya even know what minions are tbh.....but it's very cute that he's supportive of Dave and his dreams, Dave Will Remember This.

    After a little bit of looking at the pineapple shirt and one last look at the bananananananana shirt, Dave nods decisively and puts the banana shirt away. ]


    Tank yu!

    [ And he beelines immediately for the register. ]
    mignons: (Default)

    2/2

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ And then two minutes later he's beelining back towards Kaeya, the pineapple shirt held out in his hands. ]

    Bello! Para tu!

    [ The shirt gets shoved into Kaeya's hands and then Dave is running away again, never to be seen. Congrats on your new shirt, please cherish it forever. ]
    subsist: (pic#15626303)

    [personal profile] subsist 2022-10-18 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
    Hang on—

    [ And there goes the banana-looking thing. Kaeya is left behind like the bride at the altar, holding onto a pineapple shirt. Time to figure out when he'll wear this one, he supposes.

    Bye Dave....... ]
    lachtara: (Default)

    2. TWO. I TAG IT.

    [personal profile] lachtara 2022-10-15 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ He looks down at the thing clinging to his leg. It's crying and wailing but Emet-Selch seems very unimpressed. As per usual.

    He sighs and calls out to whoever is listening. ]

    I think the answer is obvious. Clearly, it wants us to put it out of its misery.

    [ And then he holds out a hand. ]

    A knife if you would.
    mignons: (Default)

    having only one icon while writing these murder threads is very distressing

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
    [ WHY ARE Y'ALL LIKE THIS

    Anyway, as soon as Dave hears that he peels (haha get it, peels because banana--okay) away, stumbling back and waving his small gloved hands in front of him frantically. ]


    Stupa! Stupa!

    [ Again, he doesn't want to die. :( ]
    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
    consolation: (8)

    ii. if i app mio instead at least i wrote this tag.

    [personal profile] consolation 2022-10-15 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
    Oh, what is it?

    [She crouches down next to the screaming little man, her hands folded patiently in front of her.]

    Could it be you want to repent before the end? I doubt we have the time. It will take quite a while, won't it? But I will hear all that you have to say.
    mignons: (Default)

    thank you for this blessing.........

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Wow. That's deep.








    You know what else is deep? The answer that Dave finally gives, after about ten seconds of a really prolonged uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. He points at Caren. ]


    Bananonina.

    [ What does it mean? itisamystery.png ]
    consolation: (10)

    i wanted to tag this back seriously and see how long i could keep it up but,

    [personal profile] consolation 2022-10-16 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
    [Dave is going to hell.]

    it's okay i still love you

    [personal profile] mignons - 2022-10-16 23:20 (UTC) - Expand
    settingup: (i'm running and i'm just enough)

    iii

    [personal profile] settingup 2022-10-16 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Ah yes, just a nice normal interaction with a fellow asking Atsumu which of these fruit themed shirts he should choose. Perfectly reasonable, honestly. No reason for Atsumu to be rude, or shitty, or say something jackassy like-- ]

    What the hell are you?
    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 03:25 am (UTC)(link)




    [ That's a lie, technically he's corn, but he just loves bananas so much.........praise be to the almighty banana.

    That's what he's doing right now. Singing banana praises in gibberish. ]
    settingup: (can cause a depression)

    [personal profile] settingup 2022-10-16 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Somehow answering "corn" would not have made much more sense to Atsumu. Shocking, I know.

    He continues to blankly stare at good Sir Dave here for another few seconds of extremely rude silence.
    ]

    There's no fuckin' way that's true.

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] mignons - 2022-10-16 23:25 (UTC) - Expand

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] settingup - 2022-10-17 03:16 (UTC) - Expand
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (💚 sample.)

    iii

    [personal profile] oomfies 2022-10-16 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Don't mind Lottie just.. staring dumbly at Dave in the store. Staring even dumber when he turns towards her and thrusts the shirts in frame. She's extremely appalled and scared, and on the verge of freaking out from the uncanny valley of it all. ]

    Minions.. You're real?
    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 01:11 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Dave is, unfortunately, very real.

    Dave is also, unfortunately, starting to daydream about this incredibly beautiful woman in front of him. Don't mind him as he starts making weird noises and stares off into space. ]
    hundredpower: suit (215)

    iv

    [personal profile] hundredpower 2022-10-16 11:29 pm (UTC)(link)
    [Dave has been visited by Barnaby's most important castmate.......

    The CGI bananas.]

    mignons: (Default)

    [personal profile] mignons 2022-10-16 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)