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
    gravings: (005b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-21 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
    [ These are again highly alien-grade questions, but Gray doesn't dwell on that fact, instead glomming on to the very rare feeling of being knowledgeable about something. ]

    Usually you'll know, because you won't be able to stop thinking about it. It's a bit like... a noose that slowly tightens around your neck until you realize you're having trouble breathing.

    [ Hm. ]

    But there might also be times when you feel like you're suffocating but you're not sure why... like there's something wrong in the air.
    sanguinary: (considering)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-21 07:36 am (UTC)(link)
    [IS THIS GIRL OKAY is unfortunately not what Matsui is thinking, because he doesn't know Humans Who Need Help from Humans Who Are Fine to save his life. For all he knows, this is just a nugget of information that all humans innately have! Like their knowledge of how to blink and breathe without thinking about it!]

    Ah - so it's like a battlefield right before the fighting begins.

    [Well. That is a type of anxiety, sure. It's something he seems to understand, at least; something he can contextualize an otherwise very vague notion with.]

    Then... Is it still anxiety if you can still breathe, and if nothing in the air feels wrong?
    gravings: (027b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-24 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Pre-battle jitters... Sure? Maybe? Gray knows only a little bit about what that's like, but she honestly doesn't find fighting as scary as meeting strangers or making decisions for a group. This stranger isn't actually very scary though, maybe because he's a bit strange. He doesn't seem judgmental either...

    As to his question— ]


    Then... maybe I wouldn't call that anxiety. But your chest still feels tight?
    sanguinary: (ferryman)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-25 10:44 am (UTC)(link)
    [Gray looking at this alien like "yeah, doable". Honestly fair.

    Matsui seems to consider this question for a moment or two, his hand resting over his chest like he's about to start reciting the pledge.]


    ...It does. Though now that I'm thinking about it, I can recall a similar feeling once before. At that time, I was very angry, though.

    [Says this man who looks like he's never felt an anger a day in his life.]
    gravings: (017)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-25 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
    Angry?

    [ She really can't imagine him angry. He doesn't look angry now either. ]

    I'm beginning to wonder if your chest problem is related to something else. For instance, I've heard that if someone eats too much bad food, it can begin to hurt their heart.

    [ She wouldn't know personally, though. And he doesn't look like the type to binge on junk food, but at this point who even knows about him. ]
    sanguinary: (burning inside my lungs)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-26 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
    [He just nods a little at her kinda-question. Angry! One of the emotions he can recognize easily! Along with like, anguish and concern. Wow. Being human is a lot of work, emotionally...

    He seems to consider the rest of that, though. Hm.]


    What would "bad food" be? I admit, I don't have much experience with it.

    [With

    food in general, but differentiating supposed good from bad food, specifically. He does not bother to elaborate.]
    gravings: (005b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-26 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
    [ UUHHhhm. That's a good question. Gray is no nutritionist. Food pyramid, what's that. ]

    I suppose that would be food that's too sweet or heavy?

    [ She sneaks a glance at what he's been drinking... ]

    Have you had anything different lately?
    sanguinary: (thonk)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-26 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
    [Too heavy or too sweet?? A lot of things feel like Both to him, even if others don't have issues with them...]

    --Just about everything that I've eaten here is something new and different. We don't typically have access to things like cafes or restaurants, so most of the food that I've eaten has been prepared at the Citadel from our garden and farm.

    [And mysterious grocery store up the road that sells various knickknacks.]

    Do you think that has something to do with it?
    Edited 2022-10-26 06:21 (UTC)
    gravings: (040)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-27 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
    [ His situation sounds very familiar, actually. She wonders if he comes from the countryside too. ]

    ... Maybe?

    [ God, she doesn't know!! She wants to help but she knows nothing. ]

    Have you thought about seeing the doctor?
    sanguinary: (sweaty)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-27 10:12 pm (UTC)(link)
    [Another person bringing up DOCTORS... Matsui glances off toward the side, and the vibe is almost a little nervous? Or definitely like, the definition of (sweaty) the emoji.]

    ...I do not know that a doctor would be able to help.

    [He's just used to the saniwa taking care of all that ails him... Physically, anyway. Not even wizards from the 2200s knows how to magic away the trauma of thousand-year-old objects of war. STILL this poor girl is doing her best, so he'll look her way again after a moment.]

    Are there any in the area?
    gravings: (005b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-28 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Mysterious...... Gray knows a tiny bit better than to start prying, though. At least, maybe not right away. ]

    I think I passed a clinic not too far from here. Would you like me to take you there?

    [ It's a bolder offer than she'd normally make, but something about Matsui makes her worry for him a little. ]
    sanguinary: (the sudden sun)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-10-28 09:32 am (UTC)(link)
    [Well, that seals the deal... What's he gonna do, say no to a person who's clearly trying to help?? He's not terribly interested in the drink that may or may not have caused him to go into cardiac arrest, anyway. After a second, he nods.]

    If you wouldn't mind doing such a thing. I will be certain to repay you for your kindness in the future.

    [Likely with something bizarre but well-intentioned.]
    gravings: (038)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-10-31 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
    Oh, it's no trouble.

    [ Knowing that he'll be seeing a professional will give her some peace of mind, which is a good enough reward in itself. It's nicer to think that she's helping him in some small way...

    She sticks the last of her sandwich in her mouth. If it looks like he's ready to go, she'll get up to show him the way. She would give him directions if she could remember the street names, but alas, she only remembers the way via landmarks. ]
    sanguinary: (observer)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-02 09:22 am (UTC)(link)
    [Chances are he'd have managed to get lost even with street names anyway, somehow... But!! With her sandwich finished, he'll just pick up his half-drunk cup to return the rest to the counter before giving her a nod.]

    If you would lead the way, then, I will be sure to follow.

    [At a normal distance, even! He's had practice with walking alongside humans!]
    gravings: (005b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-04 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
    [ She is starting to wonder if he ever felt anything terribly bad earlier; he seems in pretty good health now. For the best, of course, but it adds to his whimsically strange vibe.

    She talks alongside him, enver suspecting that he is somewhat new at it. Congratulations to him. Though she's also a bit distracted by her own feelings of awkwardness at walking with a near stranger, as she never would have dreamed of doing such a thing as little as a year ago. But after a brief silence, her natural curiosity compels her to pipe up. ]


    May I ask about your occupation, Mr. Matsui?
    sanguinary: (your time is running out)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-04 10:04 am (UTC)(link)
    [Whimsically strange vibe sure is one way of phrasing it... The strangeness only continues, as he pauses for a second to consider his answer as any normal person would.]

    ...I suppose "soldier" would be the word closest to describing my occupation. [TO SAY THE LEAST.] It covers what is most important, in any case.

    [There's a little bit of a secondary pause after that, since he's still learning the rhythms of conversation. But, after that moment:] ...May I ask about yours, in return?
    gravings: (017)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-06 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Soldier... Well, that checks out from what he's said, though he seems very zen and mild-mannered for one (or something close to one). ]

    Mine? Um...

    [ She matches his offbeat pause with one of her own, her hood lowering over her face as she looks away from him to ponder. ]

    I've been a lot of things... but I was a gravekeeper the longest. It's been a long time since I've worked at a cemetery, though.
    sanguinary: (13th floor)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-06 10:32 am (UTC)(link)
    [Ah yes, the normal job of gravekeeping. Matsui just nods with a slight air of solemnity.]

    I can't say that I've ever met a gravekeeper before. Why is it that you've left the job behind you?

    [Assuming, of course, that that's what the past tense and long hiatus from cemeteries meant. Who knows, maybe she's moonlighting as an unorthodox gravekeeper now.]
    gravings: (010b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-07 11:23 am (UTC)(link)
    [ That's another slightly complicated question to answer. Maybe the events of her life are overly complicated in general. ]

    I was taken away to be a mage's apprentice. Though I'm not a mage myself, so I was more like an assistant or bodyguard.

    [ And sometimes more like a nanny, she doesn't say. ]

    I don't know that I'd want to go back to doing it... if it were exactly the same as it was before. It's very solitary.

    [ Also, ghosts............ ]
    sanguinary: (than know i've built a home)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-08 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
    [The assistant/bodyguard(/nanny) of a mage... That sure is a job description.]

    You prefer jobs that don't leave you in a solitary position, then? [Or jobs with ghosts?? He thinks she's interacting with ghosts quite well, personally!

    In any case, after seemingly considering something about this, he just nods.]


    I see. Gravekeeping is not a job many would willingly take on, let alone more than once.
    gravings: (027b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-09 06:25 am (UTC)(link)
    It's difficult... but sometimes it's very helpful too. Those parts, I didn't mind so much.

    [ She looks both ways before crossing the street even though there are no automobiles in this world. It's probably not much better getting run over by a horse and carriage. They're almost to the clinic, but she's oddly a little sad that it means she'll have to say goodbye to Matsui soon. ]

    Did you like being a soldier?
    sanguinary: (hm...)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-09 09:01 am (UTC)(link)
    I'm glad that you were able to find pieces within the work that you didn't dislike, then.

    [A little nod! He follows along after her without bothering to look both ways himself. Is it because he doesn't know what a car is? Because he has no fear of being smashed into pulp by a rogue horse?? A mystery.

    The question has him quieting for a moment, though - it's a considering silence, rather than anything discomforted.]


    ...I suppose that I have never been anything else. [In a way, it's true.] So I do not "like" or "dislike" it any more than a human likes or dislikes being human.
    gravings: (005b)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-10 07:00 am (UTC)(link)
    [ That does make sense to her. Even though she hasn't tended to a cemetery in a good while, she still feels that being a gravekeeper is core to her identity. In her corner of her world, gravekeeping didn't just mean graveyard work. ]

    Then... if you had to choose something else to do, what would it be?
    sanguinary: (lilith)

    [personal profile] sanguinary 2022-11-10 10:58 am (UTC)(link)
    [That question, unlike the ones that came before, just net her a tiny little smile, like she's told a joke without realizing it. Maybe his answer is a little surprising, too, but it comes without much hesitation.]

    If I had to? I suppose I would like to sing and dance. There is a joy in connecting with others through song or dance which can't be easily replicated, I think.

    [This is cheating because he's already an idol but no one needs to know.]
    gravings: (099)

    [personal profile] gravings 2022-11-13 05:56 am (UTC)(link)
    [ wtf do you mean he's already an idol

    But Gray's first impression of Matsui's smile is that it's unexpectedly refreshing, and it inspires a smile from her as well. She didn't expect such a cute answer from him. ]


    That sounds lovely. If you do end up doing something like that, I'd like to watch.

    [ As she speaks, she stops them at the doorstep of the promised clinic. He seems perfectly healthy now, so maybe he doesn't need to be here after all, but also maybe it's better to be safe than sorry?? ]

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] sanguinary - 2022-11-13 09:44 (UTC) - Expand

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] gravings - 2022-11-15 18:47 (UTC) - Expand