New Island: Chol

[lifeaftr_mods]

NEW ISLAND: CHOL

As our updated Locations page can attest, as of December 14th, a new island has risen from the depths of the surrounding oceans. Explorers now have a new and uncharted land to chart in full, laden with dangers and resources alike.

Transportation
Thanks to the diminutive size of the island, the Storyteller can guarantee the presence of a mana pool for the purposes of travel...though not, it seems, the presence of any additional avatars or altars on the island itself. Which is good, considering that Monsun's avatar is still around as long as their island is! As long as characters are certain to make their intent to travel to the new land clear, they can be spirited to the mana pool as they would via any other. Although you can certainly try boating there too, if that's your poison.

The mana pool is present on the A1 square, should the characters choose to arrive via that method.

The Storyteller is, as always, certain to impart the name of this new land via dream.

CHOL has now been added to the Locations page.

Here it Comes, This Rising Tide
The first difference between Chol and the other lands explored will become apparent not long after characters have arrived. For one, Chol is populated. A rudimentary encampment has been set up close to the island's fertile center, consisting largely of tents and other simple, portable structures. The people there apparently don't live on Chol on a full-time basis. In fact, one good look at them will indicate where they live on a full-time basis, when they're not occupying land. Meet the Jormun. While most of their kind live on the ocean floor, far from the sun's rays, this particular group has surfaced for a specific purpose. A group of middling size has taken temporary residence on Chol, and several more of their kind can be seen swarming in the waters near the island. A diverse people, the Jormun come in many shades, shapes, and sizes; no two Jormun look the same. Some are more monster than they are humanoid, while others resemble certain other sea creatures. Some walk on two feet, some slither with a snakelike lower body, some have crawfish-like lower halves that allow them to scuttle along the rock with chitinous legs, and so on. Some are sharklike, some with the lower half of an octopus, some striped, some coral-patterned, and still others have the bright, lurid complexions of something extremely poisonous. Players are free to visualize them as they like, within reason!

The Jormun are an intelligent, fiercely loyal people that favor creativity and strength of leadership. They possess some basic magical properties, with technology roughly equivalent to that which one might see in Greco-Roman history.

If contacted, characters will be directed to the leader of this particular expedition. She will introduce herself as Muninshhashvark, but will happily shorten it to "Munin" for the ease of land-dwellers such as your good selves. She understands that not everyone can fluently speak the odd, hissing dialect of the Jormun.

Characters on good terms with the Jormun stand to gain much by it. Not only are the Jormun willing to trade, but those who they call their allies will be guaranteed safe passage by boat, as the Jormun will assist in fending off potential dangers.

But now for the next big question: why are they here?

Doesn't It Feel Like Our Time is Running Out?
Munin will explain that this is part of a trial in which she might prove her worth of a leader. In her efforts to demonstrate leadership, loyalty, and compassion, she has chosen to forge a path to the surface and perform a great duty for the people living there, and not a day too soon. As December rolls into January, Munin will gravely inform travelers of one dire truth:

LifeAftr's sun is dying.

This would be, naturally, quite catastrophic for just about everyone.

However, there is hope, as Munin will hasten to explain. The sun will die, yes, but it will also be reborn. In the coming weeks, the sun will die and rise from the ashes on the island of Chol, which it seems exists purely for the purpose of ensuring that LifeAftr does not languish in absolute darkness.

Yet this darkness cannot be wholly prevented. Even with the sun's rebirth, there will be a week long period of continuous night. The temperature will drop, and the sky will be empty of all but the light of the stars. Once the week of perpetual night begins, the Jormun will advise characters to be ready for a fight, no matter where they are currently located; there are many creatures that flourish in this period of time that would like nothing more than to destroy the sun before it can be reborn, and watch all perish in the unending, hardbitten cold of the eternal dark. Not all of those that dwell in the dark the seafloor have good intentions like the Jormun do, after all.

This period of darkness will encompass ALL islands available on the map. This event will include a high risk of death, either by freezing or by one of the many unique creatures that will emerge during this event. As a result, death penalties will be reduced. But! Don't fear, adventurers, for you have plenty of time to prepare. As we've hinted on our OOC update earlier, this event will occur in proper in late January; the Jormun are happy to inform characters weeks before it hits, so characters have ample time to prepare ICly!

As always, we'll have a thread for questions and comments, and we encourage you to make use of our Mod Contact page for private correspondence!

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[lifeaftr_mods]

For her resources and assistance, Gobbet will receive the following from the Jormun;

One Rakshik. A sturdy canteen made of some kind of leathery, durable material, perfect for carrying all manner of liquids. (It’s fashioned from the bladder of a very large undersea fish, but it is clean to use.)

One Schlacknorkcvic. Similar to the Tidepool sickle in appearance, this watery weapon is the Jormun equivalent of a training staff: blunted at both ends and unerring smooth despite its bumpy, almost living appearance.

Schlaknorkovn. Also similar to the Tidepool sickle in appearance, this watery weapon is the Jormun equivalent of a spear: the long hilt blunted, while the pointed tip boasts wicked teeth and sharp spikes of coral. These weapons are unerringly balanced.

The Jormun will happily provide information regarding the topics of interest; in regards to Chol, Gobbet will discover that the island has always been uninhabited- the land itself is constantly under the whims of the rebirthing sun, after all. The impact that it's revival will have will likely reshape the land completely, leaving it rather inhospitable once the battle has concluded.

As she spends time with the Jormun, she will find the species to be just as varied in personality as they are in appearance, though all work as an intensely strong community with little conflict. There is already a great respect for Munin, and most Jormun are confident that she will prove to be a truly great leader for their tribe- one of several that resides deep below the ocean's surface. She will also discover that the Jormun are capable of residing on land due to natural magic that allows them to bear with the change in lighting, air quality, and pressure, though this cannot continue on a long-term basis.

Feel free to respond with any additional questions geared towards Gobbets points of interest!