TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

[beleos]

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

Comments

iia-ish with a twist!

[zauneyete]

[ Eventually the people-watching at Highstorm gets boring. Not because the denizens were boring, but where the City of Eternal Night felt dark like home, the city of Eternal Spring seemed to be its polar opposite. Where the people in Highstorm were pretentious, there was none of that here, and while this place was too... bright? Jubilant? Too much by far -- there's no reason for him to entirely avoid it.

After all, he needed to see how the other side was living, especially since the Meridian had clearly been aligned against the Zenith, and Silco was nothing if not great at being prepared.

Or well, he'd thought he had been. He'd taken up in a dark corner of the bar, where his ever-open eye glowed like some of the lights against the wall behind him -- he very nearly blended in, which was what he liked. He'd been nursing -- barely drinking -- his own glass, a glowing ember of a slowly dying cigar in the ashtray. He'd been about to leave, go back to Highstorm to get out of this glowing mess when --

Silco leaned forward, almost curious if she would somehow divine that he was here, in the dark of one corner, but Silco could recognize the cut of those shoulders, and -- the cigar snapped between his fingers. No. No, no. How was it, that just when the one person he'd hoped to see arrive, Vi shows up?

The single person who Silco feared, more than anyone else? Not for his life, but what she represented, what she could do.

He flagged a waitress over, to make sure a drink was sent Vi's way, and he slipped her a paper with a small note, for under the glass. Keep who it was from secret, but the note underneath would have her on edge, if she didn't notice him.

When she's given the drink -- the cheapest, nastiest beer that they serve, there's a small slip under paper, that reads in neat, overly controlled script: Hello, Vi.

If she doesn't know his handwriting, it doesn't matter. There can't be that many people who know her, here. ]

[sparring]

[This place is better suited to Vi despite the eternal light and brightness of the place. There's life here, and noise. The bustle of people moving back and forth, the sounds of life and living and voices and bodily functions and people. That's what she's used to. How could she be used to anything else after spending most of her childhood in a bar?

She's been in the bar for a while, but she hadn't noticed the skinny gargoyle in the corner. Not the best use of her observational skills, but she'd been more interested in getting her mind off everything that's going on than she had been in watching her surroundings, in keeping an eye out for anyone else from home who might have shown up.

When she gets the drink, she pulls the slip of paper out from under it and opens it, reads the words and then reads them again, quickly, three more times in succession before her head whips around and suddenly those dark corners bear the brunt of her scrutiny. It doesn't take her long to pick Silco out of the crowd, not when she's actively looking for that creepy glowing eye. Pushing the beer away, she orders another of what she'd already been drinking, and picks it up, pushes herself away from the bar, moving like a big cat on the prowl, and crosses the room to the table where the man is sitting.

Taking hold of the back of the chair across from him, she turns it backward and straddles it, putting the beer down heavily on the tabletop.]

Making a statement?

[The urge to just punch him in the face is strong, very strong, but she doesn't. She holds herself back for the moment, though her hands are shaking with the instinctive curl of her fingers into fists.]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco wondered what would happen, in the time that Vi drank her beer, if he'd left while she took her sweet time drinking the beverage. It occurred to him, just to put her on the edge, make her wonder who knew her in this strange place, but didn't reach out, but no, it was worth it when she read it, and promptly started looking up and about over and over again, before she found him.

Angry, obviously, but Silco didn't doubt that. For him, although tempered by six months, he'd just met Vi for the first time, and promptly been almost smashed by his own neon sign.

He was afraid of her, for what she represented. An opportunity to lose someone -- the only person, frankly -- in Silco's life that he felt that he couldn't lose. That she was here -- and he'd suspected that she was, thanks to his altercation with Vander over a week ago -- was dangerous.

Why had he pointedly let her know that he was here, then? Because Silco needed control of this situation, in some fashion. ]

A statement? [ He waved a hand, laden with a pungent, foul cigar. Probably the cheapest one could find here, and it was still more pleasant than the types they had in Zaun. ] You mistake me. I'm doing you a courtesy, by just saying hello.

[ With Silco, nothing was simple, Vi knew that. ]

cw: violence

[sparring]

Just doing me a courtesy.

[She repeats that, through clenched teeth, every fibre of her being aching to just draw her fist back and drive it into that smug face. She imagines in great detail the satisfying impact, the way flesh and bone would crack under her fist. Maybe the crack of a tooth breaking. The gush of blood from a busted nose and lips splitting from being crushed against teeth.

She almost does it. Almost follows that instinct to leap across the table fist-first and end him. But she doesn't, though she's shaking with the restrained urge. Instead, she takes a sip of her beer, confident that Silco will see her shaking hand and know that it's rage and not fear making her tremble.]

Nothing is ever that simple with you, Silco. What's your game?

[Setting her beer back down with a thump, she makes eye contact and holds it, refusing to back down. It's never clear, with Silco, whether or not she has the upper hand just by merit of being stronger and faster and better, and she doesn't like the underlying concern that she might be an animal about to set off a trap right now. But she holds eye contact, mouth set in a straight line, brows furrowed, letting her angry gaze bore into him.]

[zauneyete]

My... game?

[ He said it, like he didn't know what it was Vi was talking about. Of course he did. he knew the woman hated him from the moment he'd laid eyes on her, both when she'd been young, and that night down on the Sump level, before he'd woken up in Horos. He remembered Vi and the Enforcer, disgusted with the fact that he'd come down there to peddle his shimmer -- or more accurately, use it against them -- because he'd heard they were down there, and he had to silence the problem.

If Vi had just ran, left Stillwater and Piltover, and never came back, Silco could have cared less. He had no opinion on Vi, beyond one, single detail -- she would jeopardize Jinx.

All this time, he only knew that Vi was gone, and he didn't care where. He didn't track her, could have been dead for all he cared about, but now she was back from the dead -- both before he'd arrived, and now... now here she was too. She was here, as was the enforcer, and --

Silco's own fist tightened, above the table. The shine of a scar lie there at his wrist, and Silco's jaw clenched. He'd already met the other arrivals from Runeterra over the past two weeks. Vi was the last one he'd not seen hide or hair of, until now. ]

You are not wrong, that it's never simple, but you and I both know that you likely already knew I was here. That Enforcer can hardly keep her mouth long enough, and I'm sure she's filled you all in with every detail.

[ He wondered, if she had shared his power -- if she even knew he had carried it over? ]

I'm merely confirming what you already know. Let's call it... an even playing field. [ As if Silco ever allowed for that. ] No surprises, so when you scurry out of Springstar, and try to find Highstorm, I'm not attacked in the streets for merely smoking in the wrong spot.