New Island: Maati

[lifeaftr_mods]

NEW ISLAND: MAATI

The votes are in! And despite the abstracted nature of this round of voting, most characters elected to vote for the fourth option presented: the one represented by golden flames, a set of scales, and a number of shapes that resemble birds.

The newest addition to LifeAftr can be found on our Locations page. The Storyteller alert explorers on the night prior that the new island will be ready for exploration via the mana pools on November 10th.

Transportation
The Storyteller will manage to link Maati's mana pool with Ensō's. As they are still in a state of recovering from the havoc the fabric of Mu has played on your psyches, as well as the multiple resurrections they had to enact all at once, they do not - or rather, cannot - inform you of any specific dangers or things to watch out for on the island of Maati.

The mana pool is present on the E5 square, should the characters choose to arrive via that method. In addition, characters are free to sail there on their own, if they so choose.

The Storyteller does mention the name of the island, at least, in the initial dream.

MAATI has now been added to the Locations page.

Be the Power to Compel Me
The island itself is relatively bare, surrounded on all sides by cliffs. The cliffs are sheer, so much so that attempts to climb them will come with a high chance of failure unless characters invest a few stories into proper climbing gear. Those with powers of flight and teleportation will also be incapable of reaching the top until these areas have been explored...or otherwise made available to them.

This land lacks very many natural resources due to how rocky and desolate it appears to be. However, that does not mean that nothing can be uncovered in this area at all - old tools and equipment can be uncovered with enough searching, as though a great many struggles or battles were fought here, a long time ago.

However, from a distance, it can be discerned that Maati is a peculiarly shaped island: a seven-pointed star. While the center remains the only part of that land that can be initially charted, the different prongs of the star are each walled off with a large door, each bearing a different, glowing sigil. Those who remember the caves underneath Ensō might recall this occurrence as worryingly similar. No matter how they are approached, the doors refuse to open; they will not yield to magic, to pleas, to prayers, or to brute force attack. Yet that doesn't mean they won't ever open. As for the rest, you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?

Won't You Liberate Me?
The avatar of Maati, similar to Harv, will make their presence known rather quickly. Their temple can be found at the island's center, and it will be fairly obvious when one draws close: some of the only green on Maati can be found there! Their temple is a fairly simple thing, built of iron and copper. Yet more copies of the same seven sigils that can be found on the doors are inlaid periodically across the exterior, carved from differently-colored variants of jasper. Twined about the metallic construct, woven neatly throughout the composition of the building, several chestnut trees rear out into the sky. And everywhere you look, the symbol of the eagle can be found - fanning wings, hooked beak, outspread talons - carved into the walls, in the form of simple ornaments mounted on ledges and peaks. Maati's avatar will answer to a great many titles: Tyreg, Utag, the Iron Will, and others. For their part, they prefer Anbaki. Their shape is unsurprising to anyone who has so much as glanced at their temple. Anbaki takes the shape of a golden eagle, slightly larger than average, but despite the fearsome curve of their beak, they are surprisingly gentle.

Surprisingly gentle, we say, because Anbaki is the avatar of justice. And they might be able to explain those symbols mounted on all those doors, too...

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Comments

[antepone]

Player: Michelle
Character/Username: Mira | antepone
Prior to coming to LifeAftr, what is an aspect of your character that they struggled with - be it a shortcoming, a fear, a bad habit, or eccentricity? Prior to arriving here, she was extremely wary of getting close to people. Considering the state of her world--in which it sees her and others with powers as a threat to be eradicated--and her power of empathy (which allowed her to feel, intimately, when people were uncomfortable around her), she was exceedingly terrified of getting close to people. She didn't forge many strong, genuine bonds; she can count the number of friends she has back home on one hand.

What do they struggle with now? Is it the same as the above? Not so much, since people accept her here and seem to like her. She's still somewhat unsure about reaching out to people, but her biggest fear is dying. She isn't sure what will be taken from her if she dies again, after all; it haunts her fairly regularly.

What personal demons, specifically, haunt your character from canon or from past game experiences? Hoo boy. Definitely her dying, and watching Lance die. Also knowing that people can disappear, at any time, without warning, frightens her; she's gotten in the habit of checking to make sure that the people she cares about here are, well. Still here.

What is the type of person your character hopes to become? Someone who can protect not only herself, but other people. She feels incredibly powerless to help with things like fights, and after Umui, her feelings of inadequacy have been heightened considerably. Mira knows she's physically weak, and she knows she can't protect herself. She wants to be able to take care of herself when she's in a tight spot, instead of relying on others.

What is the type of person you hope your character will become? Someone who is a lot more open with her feelings. For someone with the power to feel others' feelings, she's shockingly inept at taking care of and acknowledging her own! I want her to be able to be open about any feelings she might have that might be difficult to wrestle with. As it is, more often than not, when she has more complicated feelings, she just... pushes them down and ignores them. She internalizes a lot, and it's incredibly unhealthy. I want her to be able to deal with them in far more constructive ways. I also really want her to stop apologizing for things that aren't her fault.

Finally, I just want her to be happy. pls.

Do any of the Seven Deadly Sins or Virtues stand out as applicable to your character? Why? Full stop, it's patience. Mira is incredibly patient with pretty much everyone! There are, of course, exceptions, but she easily accepts the problems of those around her, if they decide to confide in her, without resorting to anger or annoyance. She's also very kind; she extends the sort of kindness she'd want to get in return to those around her. She's willing to help people who need help, especially if she can provide it.

However, she's also envious. She and her parents grew apart when she was just in high school, which resulted in her and her brother moving out. She envies those who maintain a good relationship with their parents. Similarly, she envies those who are better able to protect themselves and those around her.

[lifeaftr_mods]

At some point after November 20th, Mira will awaken to find this curious symbol emblazoned on the back of her hand. It emits a strange, colorful glow, and not unlike a tattoo, seems to exist almost beneath the skin. Attempts to remove or destroy it appear futile. Its true meaning, whatever that might be, will only come to be clear in time. -- ✘ --