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
    kabooming: (💁‍♀️)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-10-21 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
    [ she starts to lean a bit further forward as if to berate him when it looks like he's shrugging off the jacket - but when she realizes he's letting it fall to the ground where she can still have a bird's eye view of the fireworks... well, hey. ]

    Like a charm!

    [ hey, hey, she can deal with this? ...oh, right-- ]

    Hey, you might want to back up a little teeny weenie bit. Maybe? Not really sure how big a [ she pantomimes an explosion here, making a "PCHEWWW" noise with her mouth, ] we're getting out of this, but...

    [ is she experimenting with flammable, corrosive, or explosive elements? perhaps. does she know if this is going to work? definitely not.

    is there a chance it creates a mini black hole and sucks up life within a five-meter range?? ...nahhh. it's fine. probably. might light something on fire, though, so.

    one more step back or two can't hurt?? better safe than sorry? ]
    baltimores: (142)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-10-24 09:02 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Wait, she wants him to back up further? So it was fine when he was literally wearing whatever this thing was, but now—

    Amos backs up another couple of feet, staring at the little clicking beetle that apparently might have had the potential to cost him an arm or the side of his head mere seconds ago before looking up at her again, excitable movements telling him way more than her words do. ]


    Pretty sure you're violating some occupational health and safety laws here. [ His voice is raised, but it's more to ensure that she can hear him rather than anything chiding. He is, after all, apparently willing to maybe let something blow up in the midst of a market. It's not like it's going to blow a hole in the side of a ship and let all the air out, so it's probably okay, right? Not as big of a deal as it could be. They're firmly at the mitigating damage stage. ] This how you usually do business?

    [ She looks like she still has all of her limbs — surely there must be some kind of safety precautions on her end?? Even if those are just distancing yourself from explosions. He's getting the distinct feeling things actually could go a lot more wrong than it looks like they will... ]
    kabooming: (🤔)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-10-26 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
    [ no hard feelings, okay? no hard feelings, Amos, she wasn't gunning for him or anything but sometimes luck of the draw is a bitch, you know how it do be sometimes,

    his quip about 'health and safety' earns a less than graceful snort-laugh, and Jinx is swinging her legs leisurely where she's perched on the rooftop's overhang, tapping her cheek thoughtfully. ]


    Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?

    [ the clicking reaches a head, and there is one final and ominous-sounding locking of some kind of mechanism--

    and then the little beetle-like gadget detonates into a fizzy pink smokebomb, spilling pink sparks that resemble a sparkler from where it's erupted from the folds of Amos' jacket. which is now definitely +1 big ol' hole, charred, and sizzling. ]


    Maybe you've got one of those faces...
    baltimores: (056)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-10-26 09:40 am (UTC)(link)
    [ His eyes are still on her as she adjusts her seating position — sure, wrong place wrong time, these things happen, just usually not to him and isn't this a whole new experience — when the little beetle kind of. explodes. And attracts the entirety of his attention once again, watching everything light up pink.

    Are points for style a thing? Amos is still trying to decide that as Jinx speaks up again, and he's looking back up at her. ]


    Maybe. [ He makes his way over to the jacket, stamping out any part of it that looks like it's going to sustain a flame; sighs as he pulls back and assesses the damage. Well, shit. ] Don't think I've met too many people with hair like yours though. You ever spend any time wandering around in some kind of metaphysical space, waiting for everything to die out?

    [ You know, totally normal place. ]
    kabooming: (🎆)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-10-27 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
    Hm... oddly specific! But think I'd remember something like that if I did. Probably? Maybe. Do I?

    [ hm. she seems to be distracted giving it a once-over,

    ...and then tosses the idea aside, beginning to climb up to her feet and balancing herself on the edge of the rooftop ledge, looking down at him. ]


    Oh, yeah! Yeah! End-of-the-world Guy!! I remember you...!
    baltimores: (140)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-10-28 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ While she's rambling out loud, Amos is bending over, picking up his jacket now that all danger is removed. (It's almost certainly removed by now. He doesn't see anything else that could go off again, at least.) He looks it over, and figuring that it's still plenty wearable, shrugs it back on — gaping hole by the shoulder and all, but there's enough fabric to keep the sleeve connected.

    Eh, he can just patch it back up later.

    That taken care of, and Jinx's attention apparently back, he raises a hand in greeting. Hey. ]


    Usually go by Amos, but yeah. [ And lets his hand fall back to his side, peering up at her. ] Guess it's a different end of the world here though. [ Brightly, ] Looks like you're taking it well.

    [ ... Well, he is too, so it's all good on both their ends, probably. ]
    kabooming: (🤗)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-10-29 10:45 pm (UTC)(link)
    Well, yeah. Not every day someone invites you to do the whole 'undoing reality' thing, you know? Kinda weird it happened twice, actually, that's a lot more than usual. [ hm. she shrugs thoughtfully,

    ...and then hops of the rooftop, sliding down to the awning below and using it to get to the street-level; all that's left is to trot up to Amos, which she's doing--

    before tossing her arms around his big ol' chest, leaning in for a hug. ]


    Come on in, big guy!
    baltimores: (068)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-11-02 07:56 am (UTC)(link)
    [ It is weird it's happened multiple times now, isn't it? But eh — if that's just life now, then that's just life now. Doesn't have to be a whole thing.

    He watches her as she makes her way on down (oh good, he can stop craning his neck, that's welcome). And it's as that thought is going through his head that she's suddenly thrown herself around him, and for a second, Amos freezes, thrown off by the action. He blinks, waiting for both mind and body to catch up, before moving an arm around her in return. She's tiny; feels like he only needs the one. ]


    Hey, spitfire. [ And as he looks over, he catches that tear on his shoulder again. Shit, she really did a number with something so tiny. ] You done blowing stuff up today, you think? Or are you trying to undo reality one little bomb at a time?

    [ Which, that's cool and all, but maybe not on him next time?? ]
    kabooming: (😝)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-11-04 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
    [ sometimes you make friends with people and they explode, alright? it happens! it totally happens.

    she doesn't mind that he's stiff for a moment - almost seems to expect it, actually - until she feels the arm winding around her in return, which gets her to flash him up a big ol' smile. ]


    Look, I didn't know it was you! I would've stopped if I recognized End-Of-The-World Guy. [ she would not have stopped. ]

    I was in the middle of a very important experiment! [ Jinx finally loosens up enough to look at him properly, taking in the state of his coat - wow, yeah. that sure is... yup, that sure is a hole. she's fingering it curiously, leaning in to peer at it and study the damage. ] It wasn't half as big as I was expecting...
    baltimores: (049)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-11-04 06:58 am (UTC)(link)
    [ There really is something kind of nice about being on the receiving end of that smile — if Amos knew how to describe it, he'd call it heartwarming. Nevermind the fact that she could have just dealt him some critical damage, and doesn't even seem to care. It's nice now.

    Nice enough that he lets her just prod into his coat, toying with the frays, maybe actually poking him by the nature of what she's doing. He just turns his head, watches before darting his gaze back to Jinx's face.

    He should probably say something like Are you trying to kill people? In a market? or You couldn't test this out somewhere else? or So are you gonna pay for this, or what? but instead, he goes with, ]
    What kind of explosive were you using? Never seen a bomb like that before — maybe you need something stronger. [ A beat. ] Or just more of it.
    kabooming: (😝😝)

    [personal profile] kabooming 2022-11-05 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Amos is Jinx's kind of people. it's calming and relaxing and familiar; it isn't exactly Silco, per se - but he isn't admonishing her or freaking out about any ~moral injustices~ or ~property damage~ or ~almost blowing him up,~ but instead turns right on to what really matters--

    the explosion! which is real interesting and neat of him, so she's digging into her pocket to produce yet another golden clockwork beetle. ]


    Yeah, poor lil' guy's a little funky... The chemicals here are all [ she waves her hand around, making some kind of wobbly noise that somehow conveys what she's attempting to communicate. maybe, ] you know? It's a work in progress!

    [ does he want to take a look? she'll hand it over if he does. ]
    baltimores: (043)

    [personal profile] baltimores 2022-11-05 11:14 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Kids'll be kids, right? Hell, it's not even like she's doing anything worse than he did at her age. Not like she's pointing guns at people at close range and killing them. Just... building bombs that could maybe fuck someone up pretty good, but as far as he knows, she hasn't killed anyone doing that.

    ... Yet? Eh; that bridge can be crossed when it's crossed. She doesn't really seem like the type who'll mind, which would be kinda sad, but only so much one can do, and he's hardly the type to unpack any of that sort of trauma. More like stuff it down and keep living his life, so...

    Amos peers at the new beetle as she pulls it out, listening to everything she says before he accepts it, letting it stand at the centre of his palm. ]


    Sure. I mean, I'm more a mechanic than a chemist, but I hear ya. [ Shit's weird, right? Physics seems to be mostly intact, but then there's the whole magic element and—

    He pokes at the beetle with his index finger on his free hand, indicating a spot on it. ]
    This where I open it up without setting another timer off? 'cause if this thing digs into my hand I'm taking you down with me.

    [ Haha just jokes, right?? (No.) (Maybe.) (It'll be a spur of the moment judgment call.) (But he doubts she'd go there right now, so it's fine.) ]