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APRIL TDM - TIME AFTER TIME
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.
After what feels like an eternity, you awaken abruptly, enveloped in soft foliage and the scent of honey and iron. Cradled within the leaves, your attention is drawn to a warm, familiar crystal hovering above, compelling you to grasp it. Instinctively, you understand its significance and extract it from its leafy perch, feeling an unspoken imperative to hold onto it as you emerge from your cocoon of regrowth.
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.
As consciousness slowly returns, time becomes a blur as you remain inert, feeling as though you're battling against an obstructive force hindering your gentle regrowth. Despite the struggle, a chilling darkness gradually recedes from your being as your form takes shape. Protected by an unseen presence, you sense the presence of others nearby, all undergoing a collective process of regeneration. A groaning, creaky voice hums in your ear, with breaths that thrum and hum, like a gentle summer breeze through the leaves, and it tells you: Try to reach them. Welcome their calls. Can you hear them? Through Communion, your emotions are laid bare in this space. Time seems to stretch out, and how long you have been growing can vary, and the only company you have is these other fellow Bearers, growing in their own pods, alone, as if they are struggling to rouse as well.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 looked down, and they spilled forth as if the 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. Their bodies jerk, and convulse, as if controlled by puppet strings, reaching out to try to grip your hand, your shoulder, your wrist, but you know you should pull away. Something iswrong. If fingers or appendages meet your skin, there is a chill, that runs up your body, from the tips of your toes, up your spine, a full-body experience of wrongness. Would your loved ones feel like this, when they reach out?
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. It's coming for you, it will not stop, it will not relent, and there is nothing that can be done. What a fool you were, for ever thinking you could escape. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then – The Darkness grasps you first, and you feel something deep in you, a searing pain, as if it is trying to consume you, the beast’s hungry maw wants to take and take, and you can feel it burning a mark into you, and then –
You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently, weakly, as if over a long distance.
I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.
After what feels like an eternity, you awaken abruptly, enveloped in soft foliage and the scent of honey and iron. Cradled within the leaves, your attention is drawn to a warm, familiar crystal hovering above, compelling you to grasp it. Instinctively, you understand its significance and extract it from its leafy perch, feeling an unspoken imperative to hold onto it as you emerge from your cocoon of regrowth.
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.
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW
With the new Shard-Bearers present or en route, it is Kathova and Delphyne who approach the established Bearers, requesting that they form mentorships with the new souls to assist them with the integration process. To this end, they have both provided a centralized zone in both Highstorm and Skysong for small, seemingly casual gatherings. They establish a schedule of holding them semi-frequently, so there is plenty of opportunity to attend both (or neither) and they will continue as long as new Bearers filter into Kenos.
For those established Bearers of the opposite faction, however, your faces are known amongst the populations of our sister cities, especially the administrators of both Meridian and Zenith. If you try to attend the parties of either city, you will be turned away outright, no matter your tier. New Bearers are free to notice if someone tries! It seems you've stumbled your way into what is a nearly full-on war.
For those established Bearers of the opposite faction, however, your faces are known amongst the populations of our sister cities, especially the administrators of both Meridian and Zenith. If you try to attend the parties of either city, you will be turned away outright, no matter your tier. New Bearers are free to notice if someone tries! It seems you've stumbled your way into what is a nearly full-on war.
SKYSONG, τραγούδι του ουρανού
In Skysong, the city itself floats among the clouds. Skysong is filled with Meridian’s light, and the sun-soaked islands are even brighter, and the city is more resilient than ever to the dangers that Kenos posed to them before.- In the heart of Skysong lies Heliopolis, surrounded by island that circle like satellites. Dominating the landscape are the grand structures of the Church of Meridian and the Seat of the Tribune, both adorned with marble and statues, basking in the gentle light filtering through lush vegetation. Amidst the festivities, trays of delicacies and drinks are served while the Great Tree's leaves transform into fiery hues and helicopter seeds lazily fall.
The Legionary, Springstar's military, vigilantly guards the event, eyeing even the Unharmonized with suspicion... After all, they could become Zenites. Agapitos Voreen gives an impassioned speech to all that emphasizes their duty to extinguish darkness with Meridian's light and be the beacon that guides the people home, all under the approving gaze of Hieropoios Natalia Theodora Vaso Helios, observing silently from the church balcony. - The streets feature propaganda-focused posters with messages such as to work hard and work for the future or to look out and watch for threats from below. The streets of Skysong are filled with people who drink and celebrate the return of their Bearers and heroes, while they also bemoan their recent loss of the Advocate Oracle. The Psychagogía District is filled to the brim in people who mill in the streets, drinking, eating, and otherwise engaging in entertainment.
Small mopeds artfully dive through the cobbled streets, dodging individuals and carts alike. Some individuals sport or show off their altered bodies, and will challenge new Bearers to a fight, excited to show off their new stronger limbs, or legs, or even reinforced bodies. Or, if you're especially daring, take a solar sail for a spin and soar and surf the clouds and currents of the city in the sky. - The church welcomes all who wish to come and worship under Meridian’s light. Hieropoios Natalia Theodora Vaso Helios leads sermons daily, and the high stained windows allow light to filter into runic patterns on the ground of the church. If asked, a deacon or other attendant will state that they are of protection for Skysong, as the last attack had been so devastating to their people, that when they lifted the city from Springstar’s original site, they made sure it would not be attacked again from beneath. Those who come and worship will feel a tingling of Meridian’s presence, promising them revival, and the return of worlds. It’s like being welcomed by an old friend, a promise to visit once again, now that you have reconnected with them.
- One place that does seem to be slightly off-limits for those who are exploring Skysong, is Aetós’ island, which is only slightly away from Heliopolis. Plumes of violet smoke that match the varied technologies found in Skysong billow from multiple exhaust sites, and every now and then, one can hear the cry of a beast from within. Aetós is well respected by the people of Skysong, but with that healthy respect comes a measure of distance. After all, nobody would dare bother them from their work.
HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы
The city of eternal night, Highstorm, still rests on its original island. The rubble of Yima’s manor is no more, and instead, the gardens surrounding the tree have spread to a vast memorial. The standing remains of the manor have been transformed into a humble hostel for new Bearers.- Amidst a landscape adorned with cold-hardy plants and evergreen trees, a modest sepulcher marks the presumed chambers of Yima. Florence Deshayes hosts welcoming ceremonies beneath the grand Highstorm tree, where large tables offer diverse culinary delights and a live band fills the air with music. Grateful for Bearers' perseverance during the Oracle, Florence welcomes newcomers with reassurance, highlighting the ongoing pursuit of Yima's vision and the support of her cult, the Waru. With the Advocate aligning with Zenith, Florence sees hope for a shift in the conflict and pledges unwavering support to new Bearers, guiding them towards self-discovery through the Reflecting Pool's manifested memories.
- Specials are live at Bloody Marie’s and Benny’s. The Gilden Academy of Medical Sciences has also opened its doors in the form of a science day, to welcome all Bearers to explore the new inventions and cures developed by the most brilliant of Highstorm’s minds. A great spread of developing inventions is on display, such as electrified gloves, boots that seem to flash and affix to the walls, and even a small craft in a pool, that if boarded, will allow a bearer to take off and offer a leisurely glide around the academy grounds. Thalissa Brightspark watches over all of it and will encourage Bearers to try any number of inventions out. (And feel free to make up your own Zenitec inventions! The possibilities – as Thalissa would say – are endless!)
- An area that seems to be struggling is the Tomes, where Bearers can find that the large stacks of books and libraries have to carefully maintain the paper tomes, and prevent them from absorbing too much moisture from the chill air. The building itself is dry, but now if you wish to leave with a book, they will demand that you pay for it, if only because some of these books may be priceless, and they’ve had too many accidental droppings to just loan any books outside of the building. A small floating gondola travels around the tome area, something of a whimsical pop-up from a certain café on the corner. They will hand out drinks, and new characters may find that they will take one look at your shard, before offering you a drink unique do you. It can taste like whatever you like, but your fortune will be at the bottom of the cup.
- And of course, there is the Theater, long in disrepair after the blight, while Bearers were gone the Theater was not only rebuilt, it has begun to thrive under the control of its owner, Khojin, who presides over it with pride. After all, this was a dream of hers to have the theater reopened, and with the new Bearers, the Theater has been running dramatic retellings of several incidents from Kenos’s history, one in which Khojin was convinced to star in herself, about the Twilight Strike, and the revenge sought by Meridian for the death of their leader. Missing, of course, is any implication that Zenite loyalists have been involved, and if asked on the subject, Khojin will say that whatever a fringe foolishly tried to do, she did her duty to Zenith, and defended Highstorm. What they did was not of concern to her, just what she did herself.
ALENROUX
Alenroux is a pastoral land, though the village there has expanded to something of a bustling town.- The vast fields of farmland, the deep forests where monsters lurk during the night, and the odd 48-hour days mean that Alenroux is rife for exploration during the day, and monster hunting at night. Bearers have helped stave off the monster threat from overtaking Alenroux, and they are no longer required to leave at night. The garrisons of Meridian and Zenith also keep things relatively calm. The people in Alenroux are generally friendly, open, and happy to speak to Bearers about their homes, and their favorite foods, or even share their own local delicacies with you! Some are from scattered worlds and may be able to share with you something new and unique that you’ve never seen before!
- While the Garrisons have done their best, there are plenty of dangerous creatures that stalk the woods, and gobble up any Alenroux natives that may skulk into the forests at night, desperate for acclaim. It's become something of a sport to hunt down monsters, and small groups of young Kenosians take off in small vehicles (think steampunk ATVs) in packs to hunt them down, and they will encourage Bearers to do the same if they want some notoriety. Though the city of Alenroux itself is relatively safe, the monsters still lurk in the woods and will attack not even a mile outside of the walls of Alenroux. (Some examples of monsters: 1; 2; and 3 – but please feel free to make whatever you want! Live out your monster hunter fantasies!) The citizens of Alenroux’s hamlet would be endlessly grateful if you handled the creature pestering their pastures, or the one that stalks the path between two distant neighbors. They may even thank you with a home-cooked feast, and a restful bed for the rest of the night.
KOWLOON/OLD SPRINGSTAR
In the site of what used to be Springstar, Bearers will find the bustling city of Old Springstar, also called Uptown by locals. The city is a series of leftover districts from the Uplifting, coupled with large craters where the population has built up and turned into massive pits of housing and commerce.- Old Springstar is a sprawling mix of remaining buildings, shacks, and structures erected in the craters. It is not uncommon to see teens on small magic-powered sleds take to “surfing” down the sides of the craters to raucous laughter under the light of Meridian’s sun. The entrances to the Below are no longer sewer pipes, but instead excavated openings, where travel is freely maintained. While the tunnels between Uptown and Downtown are certainly no less maze-like than they were before, the path between the two is much more worn and obvious, and large transport mechanisms drive supplies from one to the other via mechanical sleds, to bring food, mechanical materials, new inventions, and of course – Kowloon's primary export these days: certain drugs into the world at large.
- The underground city is awash with lights both magical and powered, organic-looking wires spread everywhere within Kowloon, and the high walls of Kowloon’s caverns have now been filled with various pop ups or small holes where vagrants have moved in. Real-estate is rare in Kowloon, and they have learned to adapt to this circumstance, even as somehow the population grows. After all, it's a place for those who turn away from society to thrive. There are gambling dens where you bet with more than your coin, brothels to satisfy any degenerate fantasy, and even Arjun’s Cache has become more of a franchise, with locations both Downtown and Uptown, where you can find nearly any invention you can dream of, and if you can’t – tell one of Arjun’s attendants, and who knows, maybe Arjun will get word of what you seek, and next time you visit, there will be something new.
- Beware, however, for these neutral locations are as dangerous as they are free. Gangs run the streets of both locations and those with unusual appetites (such as cannibals and vampires) roam the streets of both Downtown and Uptown openly. Disappearances and murders happen frequently, and Skysong’s military enforcement does not look down below, so the citizens of Downtown and Uptown are truly on their own.
SETTING UPDATES
For new players, this post is the first after a large timeskip in which Shard-Bearers have been asleep for a whopping 114 years! If you would like to read more about this, you can find the information on this post, but it is not required. More just helpful information or directions for some things that have changed in the setting!
As new shard-Bearers take in the city over the month, they’ll notice there is an electric air, as Bearers have returned after a long, long absence. Old Bearers will feel something like new Bearers again, as they are reintroduced to cities that have changed while they slept.
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters' on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "That's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our player base, and these are some of the wider-reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
As new shard-Bearers take in the city over the month, they’ll notice there is an electric air, as Bearers have returned after a long, long absence. Old Bearers will feel something like new Bearers again, as they are reintroduced to cities that have changed while they slept.
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters' on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "That's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our player base, and these are some of the wider-reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
CULT OF PERSONALITY
Old Bearers were kept in remarkably good condition as they slept during the last Oracle event. Those who did not die were left in what amounted to public viewing spaces. Some left gifts, effigies, or even food or baked goods that were distributed to locals in need in the name of the Bearers while they were gone. We leave what was left and how their cult/fandom grew fully in the hands of players! For new Bearers, on the other hand, you may quickly find that you're gaining a fanbase. The Shard-Bearers are the heroes that will lead people to their foretold home, so you're treated as a celebrity and a hero once you're known as a Shard-Bearer.A CRACK IN THE SLAB
Now that Springstar has fully lifted from the ground, and spread into the sky, Kowloon has spread itself further into the remains of Springstar. Many of Kowloon’s establishments have made their way to the surface, including Draumahol, the Last Dance, and CACHE has a second franchise on the surface. What is now called “Old Kowloon”, features the poorer or criminal elements of the city, including many experimental minds and inventors, looking for an avenue into discoveries that are not sanctioned by either Meridian or Zenith, since they still have ready need of bodies and desperate souls. It's a perfect place to find trouble or stop trouble, if that's what you're looking for. Or maybe you're just in the market for something a little less than legal...?CAST A LONG SHADOW
After the waking of the Bearers the attention of the darkness beyond seems to have reawakened with them... Oblivion has returned to hungrily look back upon Kenos, now that it has greedily feasted on so many worlds. The darkness seeps into Kenos at every corner. The dark waters that look just a touch too deep, the shadows that you cannot quite peer into, and the dark forests of Alenroux and the Beyond are all rife places for the darkness to creep in. There are some whispers of fear, as while the Bearers had slept, Oblivion had seemingly turned away from the land, but now it returns in full force – stronger than ever – thanks to the choices of Bearers and even now, it still hungers, insatiable as it turns its wide maw upon Kenos, ready to c̷̨̨̻͕̞̭̼͈̣̮̖̤̣̗̱͂̾̿͛́̏͆͠o̵̻̲͍̟͌n̴̞͈͈̙̻̗͖̗͎͇͈̦͆͆̐́̈́̑̐̽s̶̡̢̨̬̞͙̩̳̝͈͚̟̱̹̻̍ṵ̵̹͚͚̬̜͚̈́̍͆̐̓͒̋̈́̉́m̶̛͍͎̠͔͕͉̭͖̞͉̈͂̃͑̋̆͗̏̋͘̚ë̸̞̜̩͇͖̮̒̏̀̅̄̆. Encountering the darkness can come with some of the following effects:- Physical weakness, fatigue, and lethargy due to drained vitality
- Weakened immune systems and increased susceptibility to illnesses
- Premature aging or potential death from chronic exposure Mental effects including despair, hopelessness, and depression
- Distorted perceptions, hallucinations, and erosion of mental resilience
- Spread of fear, distrust, and paranoia within communities
LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN
As mentioned, Bearers both new and old have stumbled onto a Kenos that is far different than the world it once was! There are new faces, new locations, and the cities have changed drastically – time has skipped forward by 114 years since the last event. Bearers will be required to explore this new landscape as much as possible to get their bearings in a new world. Why not rope in a new person to join you as you explore the new Kenos, and you can discover it together?
OOC NOTES
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kenoslogs.
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[ She takes another bite of her cake. ]
It's an interesting difference, honestly. I'm not sure what to make of it.
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[ The different ways they could develop, in particular. ]
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[ Another bite. ]
Do you keep in touch with people over in Zenith? Despite everything?
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[ He sips his tea. ]
There're decent ones over there. Dastards too, of course, but it's important to remember they're people.
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[ Another bite. ]
I still need to visit Highstorm.
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[ No doubt others would frown upon him saying so, but trying to twist someone's arm will only sour sentiments. ]
I used to know some good restaurants over there, but after over a century, I can't say what they've got now.
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[ She muses, almost to herself. ]
One restaurant I knew changed in less than that.
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[ He takes another sip of his tea. ]
War broke out where I'm from pretty damned abruptly, for one.
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[ The demons, either, although they'd been noisier lately... ]
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[ He shrugs. ]
We were nearing the end of that war when all this came along.
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[ It's a small question. She doesn't judge. ]
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[ Judgement or no, his answer has never changed. ]
I get Zenites wouldn't want to go back, and they shouldn't have to, but I've yet to see a reason our goals should be mutually exclusive.
[ Surely they could, as Voryn once said, pick a different world to live in. Evidently, there'd be countless ones to choose from. ]
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[ She admits that in a low voice. ]
But I tend to think that they're gone.
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[ He's just never been shown evidence. ]
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[ Yet he does speak only for himself. ]
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[ She cocks her head curiously. ]
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[ How that works when supposedly everything's gone is...something he still finds suspect. ]
That mad scientist from before? Experimented on flinging a soul into the "timestream", whatever that means. The guy subjected to that was never the same. Then there's us apparently sleeping over a hundred years, waking unchanged, when it shouldn't be possible for most of us.
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[ That's all she says at first, her expression distant. ]
It's magic beyond what I'm familiar with.
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[ That plus the aforementioned lack of answers, of course. ]
Odd situation we find ourselves in.
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[ Well, that seems obvious to her, anyway. ]
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[ He's got his own idea of forward, after all. ]
Anyhow, maybe you can finagle something good to eat over in Highstorm. Tell 'em you got cake over here.
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[ He wishes her a very tasty treat. ]
It can be a bit competitive, especially as you're not yet harmonized.
[ Get while the getting's good, Frieren! ]
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