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Post by Shinko on Jun 8, 2018 7:11:45 GMT -5
Naelus: Isle of Mist was a Mafia-style roleplay run by Shinko during the summer of 2018. It took place on the fictional island of Naelus, a paradise apart from the rest of the world where any animal that had gone extinct or mythological creature that had ceased to be believed in could find a home. However, when the island’s protective mist wall was breached by an unknown malevolent entity, a group known as the Sowers of Corruption rose to power on the island, and began to wreak havoc. Anyone they corrupted would go mad and attack others at random, leaving the island stricken with paranoia and terror. The objective of the sower players was to kill and corrupt enough of the island’s residents to outnumber them- the residents, meanwhile, were tasked with eliminating all of the sowers before they managed to whittle down the residents.
This thread was initially split into individual threads for each round. A narrator post at the start of each round detailed the major events of the previous round’s meta actions, as well as advanced the overall plot. Below you can see the original titles for each round, with links to the round they corresponded with.
The nineteen players were divided into five sowers, four guardians, one neutral special role, and nine vanilla roles, detailed as follows. Roles Sowers - The Sowers are the servants of a dark presence that has invaded Naelus. Willingly corrupted, they are immune to the damaging mental affects of the corruption and carry it harmlessly in their bodies- but can at will spread it to other players. Every other turn the sowers will vote on ONE player to spread the corruption to. Residents - The residents are those who once lived peacefully within Naelus, but now live in fear of the growing corruption. After the first PC death, they will spend the layover turn that the sowers do not spread their corruption casting a secret ballot to mob murder another player, in the hopes of taking out the sowers. Everyone will be pretending to be a resident, and those with other roles must keep them absolutely secret. Healer - The only role completely immune to corruption, the healer has been blessed by the spirit of Naelus with the ability to dispel the corruption. However, they may only act once per time that the sowers spread the corruption. The only guardian role that will be re-appointed upon death, though after a delay turn. Allied with the residents and votes in mob executions. Lionheart - The lionheart chooses one person each night to defend from death- either by the mob or by the corrupted. The Lionheart can protect a single player only twice during the game, and can chose to protect themselves once. If the Lionheart is corrupted, they will lose their powers and remain a vanilla resident even if purified. Allied with the residents and votes in mob executions. Eagle Eye - The eagle eye chooses one person each night to spy on. The eagle eye will then be informed if that person is corrupted or not (the sowers will appear as corrupted). Though as per the rules they may not reveal their role nor what they know explicitly, they can try to drop hints within the roleplay. If the eagle eye is corrupted, they will lose their powers and remain a vanilla resident even if purified. Allied with the residents and votes in mob executions. Devotee - The devotee has been gifted with three crystal tears from the spirit’s own eyes, that they may chose to gift to other players at any point they wish. Once triggered, the crystal tears will protect a player from corruption for ONE turn, though they cannot cleanse corruption that is already present. If the devotee is corrupted, they will lose their powers and remain a vanilla resident even if purified. Allied with the residents and votes in mob executions. Papa Wolf - The papa wolf is a new role that was added when we managed to reach 19 players. At the beginning of the game the papa wolf is assigned a “pup” that they are glommed to for the duration of the game. The pup can be any of the non-sower characters aside from the healer. The papa wolf is allied with the residents and votes in mob executions, but they win if their pup is alive and uncorrupted at the end of the game, regardless of whether the residents or the sowers win. If the pup is corrupted by the sowers, they will automatically kill the papa wolf, and if the papa wolf is corrupted they will automatically kill the pup. If the pup is executed by the mob, the papa wolf will join the sowers. The players and their characters (as well as NPCs) are listed below- roles and death order have been left off so that first-time readers won’t be spoiled for the end of the game.PCs NPCs Shinko Beech the Thylacine, Quicksnap the Kaprosochus, Mochi the Moon Rabbit, Thunder the tyrannosaurus rex, and Beech's extended thylacine family Rabbit ♠ - Tash the artacatThorn - Te Tai the taniwha Celestial - Morag the HaggisTiger - Soaitsae and Xsabaskis the pygmy dilophasaurs, the gossipy coelophysis, and Yellowtail's raptor pack June Scarlet - Julaine the scimon Reiqua - Yira the thylacoleo carnifex Thundy - René the scarlet macaw Twillie - Seishin the kitsuneJayeee - Nico the cerberus Thundy - René the scarlet macaw Birdy - Jack the jackalope and various jackalopes, skvaders, and wolpertingers Coaster - Intrepid the fire-tailed opossum Liou - Renpi the sha Lizica - Triptych (Trip, Puck, and Tich) the three-headed dragon For convenience, since the game used nonhuman characters, many of the writers provided silhouettes for a size chart, to help keep proportions consistent.
And last but not least, here is a map of the island by the wonderfully talented Twillie.
Without further ado, we present to you in its entirety Naelus: Isle of Mist.* * * * * * Round 1: A Silent Beach It was the quiet time of night. The time when the moon had begun its downward journey in the sky, and the mists that usually lingered a mile out over the ocean closed in to wreath the island of Naelus. The thick blanket of vapor brought a chill over everything, and muffled the usual sounds of the night insects and the surf crashing against the cliffs. It was a reassuring, restful time- the mists protected Naelus, after all, hiding it from outside intrusion. When they bathed the island in their magic, it felt for a time as if nothing bad could possibly happen. By this time of night, Beech was usually sound asleep. Though her kind was habitually nocturnal, most of her friends preferred to be active by day. So as a compromise between biology and the necessity of maintaining a social life, Beech tended to go to sleep around midnight, and snooze until a little before noon. But tonight, the two-year-old thylacine found she couldn’t get to sleep. Her mind was buzzing with confusion and anxiety, keeping her too preoccupied for rest. Instead she lay with her family- mother, father, grandmother, three older sisters and a twin brother- for hours as they chattered amongst themselves, before finally slipping away so that she could be alone to think. As she trotted through the damp sand at the water’s edge, headed for the distant roar of the waterfall basin, for a moment Beech paused to watch the lapping of the surf. She’d left a long trail of pawprints behind her to mark her passage, but even as she watched most of them were already being worn away by the eb and flow of the waves. Is this what it’s like in the outside world? she wondered. All of our traces worn away? Nothing to show we were ever there?Thylacines were from an island, after all, but not this island. Not Naelus. Though every thylacine alive today had been born on the misty shores, in a few more generations it was likely they’d forget having ever resided anywhere else. That was how it went with every resident, after all. They all knew they’d come in from the outside, brought to the island when their species lost its battle against extinction in the old world. But after several hundred years- in some cases, several hundred million- it ceased to much matter. Naelus was their home- their sanctuary. Where the animals that could not survive in the real world fled to live in peace while the rest of the world gradually forgot them. But like those pawprints in the sand of the beach, Naelus was starting to erase them now too. * * * * * Through the dim early morning mists, the songbirds carried the news. Pagan reed-warblers, piopios, laysan honeycreepers, bishop’s ‘ō‘ōs, and dozens of others who’s choirs were heard in the outside world no more. Not that their songs on this morning were pleasant to those who could hear. Beech of the Coastal Thylacine Family had been found dead, her body floating in the saltwater pool at the bottom of the Waterfall Basins. Wicked lacerations scored her flesh, painting her fur scarlet, but it did not seem as if she had been eaten- no, she had been brutally slain only to be tossed aside like refuse. Murdered.On Naelus, it was the spirit’s law that no animal be hurt or killed except for food or self-defense from predators. Many predators didn’t even hunt, instead feeding on fish from the ocean or the river. This sort of senseless violence was unheard of- appalling. And it was far from the first time in recent weeks. No one was sure exactly who’s idea it was, but soon enough the birds of the island started to carry a new message; there would be a meeting at sunset, at the point where the Winding River met the Highwind Woods. All animals willing to do something about the murders were encouraged to attend, that they might compare what they knew and discuss how to go about dealing with the matter. Before it was too late. Optional Scenario: The animals of Naelus are invited to attend a meeting to discuss What To Do about the recent events! The meeting will begin properly at the start of Round 2; for now, make your way to the meeting place, interacting with the characters you meet along the way!
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Post by Reiqua on Jun 8, 2018 8:01:55 GMT -5
Muuri sniffed cautiously. There was no scent of danger on the air here. She looked up at her joey perched two branches above her. His little nose twitched in imitation of hers and then his eyes flicked towards her. It was only on seeing that she had not braced for any imminent danger that he also relaxed. He didn't exactly know what he was sniffing for, he just knew it was the right thing to do. Muuri exhaled deeply. It was nerve-wracking to watch him. Trying to learn her survival skills. Some days she wished she could just bundle him into her pouch and keep him safe there forever. But he would soon be too big for that. And what if something happened to her? Nothing was ever really safe in this life. But recent happenings on the island gave extra cause for concern. Suddenly the chance that harm could befall her seemed very real indeed. No, he had to learn to fend for himself. And soon. Muuri shook herself both mentally and physically, and sprang lithely down from the tree branch she was poised upon. Above her, little Yira leapt nimbly from branch to branch until he landed lightly beside her on the rich black earth. Then the two of them wandered down to the edge of the waterhole. Yira drank deeply, as though he had not a care in the world. Beside him, Muuri remained tense, her eyes darting, ears listening, nose twitching, constantly on the alert for danger. She had heard the message of the birds. Outwardly she was still deciding whether she would attend the meeting. But deep down she thought she already knew. She wouldn't rest while Naelus was not safe. "Guni?" said Yira, tentatively addressing his mother. Water was still dripping from the fur around his face. "Yes, gaayinggal," Muuri smiled down at her baby. "Will you hunt today?" the little one asked. A faraway look crossed Muuri's eyes and she merely inclined her head and grunted her assent. They needed food. "May I help you?" asked Yira, a sense of eager anticipation in his voice. "Gamil!" was the harsh response - 'No!' And she turned and walked slowly back to the tree, Yira following meekly in her wake. Then in a low voice, she added, "But you may watch." "Warragil?" breathed Yira excitedly, gambolling up and frisking about her front legs, "Really mother?" "Yes, my gaayinggal. Watch," she told him, "Watch and learn". Muuri and her son Yira, marsupial lions, walk from a tree to a waterhole and back to a tree. Riveting stuff. Muuri does some introspection about needing to let Yira grow up and learn survival skills. She resolves to let him watch her hunt this afternoon. A quick game-meta note, I will be out of the range of the internet for most of the rest of this round, so if you're picking someone to interact with it may not work out too well to pick my characters... but feel free to do so if you would like and I'll do my best to react, but no guarantees. Glossary of Gamilaraay terms: Guni: Mother Gaayinggal: Baby Gamil: No Warragil: literally translated this word means 'truth', but in this context it could more accurately be rendered "Really?"
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Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 8, 2018 8:09:30 GMT -5
“Kopi, wake up.” Kopi ignored the request and continued to sleep. He was dog tired. He was up a lot later than usual last night. Whatever was needed from him could definitely wait. “I’m serious, Kopi! You can’t sleep all day!” He could and he was going to. He just wanted to have a lazy day today. Kopi was tired. Some vicious insects were flying around him last night and he was running from them. Despite what Tash told him about the bugs, they were out to get him. “Okay… You asked for it.” Kopi suddenly heard a hiss. His eyes darted open. No, it couldn’t be. A snake! Kopi squealed and ran right out of the warren. He looked back at the hole he exited from with fear. As soon as he did that, the hissing stopped and was replaced by laughing. Kopi’s eyes narrowed and he pouted. It was just Tash. That sly artacat. Kopi should have known it was just her. She would do anything to wake him up. “Tash, I told you not to wake me up like that!” Kopi barked. “If it’ll get you out of the warren, I’m going to do it,” Tash replied. She climbed out of the warren and shook off some dirt that gathered on her white fur. “You know we have to go to a meeting later today.” “Yes, but that’s later today. I could easily sleep in longer. The meeting’s just at the edge of the Highwind Woods. It won’t take long.” The cunicanine huffed. “Besides, nobody can find us or hurt us in the warren.” “It could take longer than we think. Who knows, we might be attacked by some scary insects again.” Kopi glared at Tash. Those insects were out to get him and he knew it. Well, now that Kopi was up, there was no hope of him getting any more sleep. He was still rather groggy, though. Maybe some food would help him wake up. Kopi bent down and munched on the grass that was at his feet. While Kopi was eating, Tash began to walk to the edge of Highwind Woods. She looked up at the trees and smiled. She always liked the scenery here. The trees were beautiful, there were so many interesting places to fly, there was always plenty of shade. It was almost always peaceful. Almost.With recent events, Tash doubted anything could be peaceful anymore. Kopi was extremely distressed about the murders and Tash was starting to get apprehensive, too. As much as she teased him, Tash couldn’t blame Kopi for not wanting to get out of the warren. However, Tash wanted to keep her mind and Kopi’s mind off of it now. Right now, they just had to go about their day and go to the meeting. It shouldn’t be too hard. Tash looked back at Kopi. He was still eating the grass at the warren entrance. She yelled out, “Kopi, are you coming?” Kopi looked up to see Tash was a good distance away. He swallowed the grass that was in his mouth and ran to Tash. Tash laughed at the sight. Kopi growled as he caught up with her. As irritable as he was right now, he couldn’t help but smile when he saw Tash’s smile. Once they were together, they walked to the meeting area. Tash is either the best alarm clock or the worst alarm clock. You decide!
Kopi is rudely awakened by Tash, sending him to run out of the warren. Kopi is not happy, but Tash brushes it off. Kopi eats a little while Tash begins to walk. She's nervous about recent events, but she tries to pus that out of her mind for now. Once Kopi catches up with her, he and Tash begin to walk together to the meeting area.
Who knows, maybe they could run into somebody on their way there. ;D
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Post by Celestial on Jun 8, 2018 8:44:16 GMT -5
Svar was awake when the news reached him. Being their own light source, firebirds slept whenever they pleased. He found it easier to sleep during the day: he was not a beacon to any passing predator, or worse, hero. There were, of course, no humans on Naelus, but centuries of hunting had instilled a permanent sense of paranoia in Svar. Firebirds were magnificent creatures, their plumage iridescent, embodying the heavenly fire that was their birth right, but humans being humans, they took that to mean only one thing: they wanted it. And often, “it” was the goal of a quest by some hero. Even after their greedy quest givers met their justified end, the heroes never bothered to release the poor bird. Even the thought of it made Svar’s feathers stand on end and his body jitter. He had been captured by a so-called hero before. For an immortal bird, there was many a thing that was worse then death. Death...death…death…the bird called out. Svar’s voice joined them but his was only a shrill cry of despair. Pearls began to drip from his eyes and he shook his head, angrily brushing them away. He could not even cry without being reminded of what he was. Beech…he had not known Beech well. Even though he had been on Naelus for a century, he had not gotten to know many of the inhabitants well, and Beech was young and a predator. But that was no way to go. It should have been him. His feathers were the ones that brought misfortune after all. What if it had been humans? Humans did senseless killings like that. He shrieked. No! No! Sure, everyone said the island was inaccessible to humans, but didn’t that sound like a setup for a quest? Go to the island wreathed in mist that is not found on any map and bring me the firebird. Svar took off into the sky, soaring as he kept watch for any humans or their animal helpers- in particular grey wolves or horses that looked like a cross between a donkey and a camel- but there were none. At least, none that he could see. He was never going to be too careful, not ever. Maybe he should go to the meeting. But if the humans were here, they would be likely to go to it too, and trap him and all the other animals. But if important information was passed at the meeting, he wanted to be part of it. Below, he saw several familiar figures: Kopi, and his artacat-friend, Tash. Svar did not like Tash: cats and birds did not get on well- even if Tash was nice- but Kopi…Kopi was okay. He was the only one on this island who really sympathised with Svar. If anybody was going to be cautious, it would be him. Svar fluttered down and landed on a nearby branch. “Kopi,” he called out. “Kopi, where are you going? To the meeting the birds spoke of? I don’t know whether to go. Do you think it’s safe?” Svar hears the news, and being a firebird that has been treated as a living MacGuffin by folk heroes for a long, long time, he is understandably freaked out. Suspecting it is humans, he is torn about whether to go to the meeting. So he decides to get a second opinion from somebody who is equally as paranoid as him: Kopi ( Rabbit ♠)
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Post by Thorn on Jun 8, 2018 10:36:36 GMT -5
"I don't know this 'Beech'," Te Tai huffed. "I don't care." "You don't mean that." Kohimu was getting tired of paddling. He would need to leave soon, if he wanted to reach the Highwind Woods before sunset. He glanced back towards the shore- nobody in sight. The taniwha supposed he shouldn't expect to see the thylacines today, after all- that was a given. Te Tai glared at him. "You shouldn't go." "I'll be fine." "She was found so near here. We don't know if what did this is still about. You shouldn't travel alone, and I can't go with you." Kohimu smiled, the swirls marking his body shimmering blue and green. "You keep an eye out. But I did know her, and I knew her family, and I know how they must be suffering. I don't want anyone else to suffer like that, okay? I can hold my own just fine, whatever this creature may be, but others may not be so fortunate. I'm going to do what I can to help them." With that he used his tail to turn himself around, and paddled back towards the shore. *** Kohimu darted through the grass, the roaring of the waterfall basin loud in his ears. So far he'd seen a few birds overhead, but nothing bigger than that. Where was everyone? He was sure there were normally more creatures about. Had the news frightened them into hiding, rather than spurred them into action? Or were they, even now, making their way out of sight to the designated meeting place? As always, only time would tell. Te Tai tries to talk Kohimu out of going to the meeting, but is unsuccessful. So now he's darting through the grass, at the eastern edge of the Waterfall Basin.
I didn't set up any interactions beforehand, so if you want to interact with Kohimu, feel free to go ahead! Maybe your character would like to travel with him? Safety in numbers, and all that, and he only eats fish and veggies.
Or Te Tai? He's lurking about between the Out Islands and the Mist Wall.
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Post by June Scarlet on Jun 8, 2018 16:39:22 GMT -5
Roda sat in the knothole she used as her nest, eating some sunflower seeds she'd gathered previously. They were her favorite breakfast. The scimon was gray colored with rust red splashes of fur on the tips of her legs, tail, and long floppy ears, as well as surrounding one eye. Just then, her younger sister Julaine poked her head in. She had similar red markings, but sandy fur instead of gray. "Did you hear the news? All the birds are singing about it." Roda twitched her bushy tail impatiently. "I don't usually pay attention to them; songbirds are such gossips." "It's not just gossip," said the younger scimon. "A thylacine was killed for no apparent reason. Her body was found at the Waterfall Basins. The spirit’s law has been broken again. There's going to be a meeting to decide what to do about it." This got Roda's attention. "A meeting about the killings? Maybe I should go." Julaine pulled out of the way as Roda climbed out of the knothole and onto a branch. "What if there's predators there, though?" Roda ruffled the top of Julaine's head. "You worry too much. Meetings are automatically truce zones, and besides, I can outclimb any predator." Roda climbed to the edge of the branch and leapt to the next tree. "I'm going to check out the Waterfall Basins, see if I find anything. I'll see you at the meeting?" Julaine sighed. "Fine, I'll go. Be careful, okay?" Roda nodded in reply, and then was off, scurrying through the trees with remarkable speed. *** Roda followed along the Winding River, meeting few other creatures, which was frustrating, because she wanted to learn more about what was going on. Near the Waterfall Basins, she happened across a taniwha. She stopped, and said, "Excuse me, I'm Roda. Did you hear what happened to that thylacine? Do you know anything about it?" Meet Roda the Scimon, a squirrel-like creature, and her younger sister Julaine. Julaine tells Roda the news about Beech, and Roda decides to check the Waterfall Basins for clues. On the way there, she happens across Kohimu the taniwha ( Thorn), and asks what he knows about the situation.
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Post by Ginz ❤ on Jun 8, 2018 16:51:07 GMT -5
Inara enjoyed sleeping in the Highwind Woods, preferably where the trees were closest together, and let in only the slightest of light that gave her coat a faint iridescent glimmer. On bright full moon nights, the Shadowed Pines were the safest option for stealth, but Inara had never been too concerned about safely… at least not until recently. That morning, unfortunately, she woke up to bad news again. She could feel it in the air, in the way the birds were singing their sad tunes. It was dreadful how the news of these violent acts, there murders, were becoming increasingly common in the recent weeks. It made her sick to even think about them. She was reminded of how, while growing up, the Wise Elder Unicorns, the ones who had once lived with humans, had always advised her to keep her distance to protect herself; to be so aloof and mysterious that others would doubt of your existence. They insisted that was the only way to remain safe. Of course, she had never listened. That sounded terribly lonely to her. Inara lived to be around others. She couldn't imagine a life of solitude. That was why, when she heard about the meeting planned for sunset, she jumped at the chance. Cooperation! Not isolation. That was the answer! She wondered who else would be attending. Certainly not other unicorns; they would surely be hiding, looking out only for themselves. But she hoped her deerest friend would be there. She couldn’t wait to catch up with him. She started making her way to where the meeting would be held, the point where the river met the woods. She was probably being overeager, but she didn’t mind being early. She hoped she would meet a friend or two along the way. Obligatory introductory post! Inara the unicorn wakes up to the news. D: Once she hears about the gathering, she starts making her way to the meeting point, hoping to run into some friends (old or new) along the way. (Tagging Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff) because I referenced her character as being Inara's best friend)
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Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jun 8, 2018 17:12:37 GMT -5
Tash was thinking about something. Kopi knew it. He just wasn’t sure what she was thinking about. Was it about the reported deaths on the island? Who was he kidding, of course it was about the deaths on the island. It wasn’t exactly uncommon to hear of animals killing other animals, but not for food or protection? Kopi didn’t know Beech. He wasn’t even quite sure if he was sure who Beech was. All he could remember of Beech was her height. That alone was enough to turn Kopi away. Still, Kopi was curious about her... But now with Beech gone… Now Kopi would never get the chance to know her… “Are you thinking about the murders?” Kopi asked. Tash’s eyes widened. That was… sudden. She looked at him. “Yes, I am,” she answered. “How did you know?” “What else would you be thinking about?” “That’s fair.” Tash looked ahead of her. She wondered if she should grab some leaves off of the trees to eat. “What do you think is happening?” “No idea. Which is why I wanted to stay in the warren.” Tash sighed. “You can’t stay in the warren forever, you know.” Kopi saw something out of the corner of his eye. He jumped up and got in a defensive stance. Tash looked at him with a confused face. Just what was he doing. It was only Svar. While Kopi wasn’t entirely secure around him, he was a lot more comfortable around him than other animals. Kopi empathized with Svar. They understood each other. Even Tash had trouble understanding Kopi sometimes. Svar was careful, just like Kopi. Svar fluttered down and landed on a nearby branch. “Kopi,” he called out. “Kopi, where are you going? To the meeting the birds spoke of? I don’t know whether to go. Do you think it’s safe?”Kopi wasn’t sure how to answer that. He didn’t think the meeting was safe. He was just going because Tash was going. Who knew what animals could be there. Maybe the animals that killed Beech were going to be there. If they were there, would they attack? “I’ll be honest, I think going is a terrible idea. Tash is just dragging me there,” Kopi replied. “You are coming out of your own free will. You just wanted to come because I was going,” Tash hissed. She looked up at Svar. “It’s going to be safe, Svar. There’s nothing to worry about.” Kopi and Tash are thinking about the murders that have been going around. Kopi didn't know Beech well (if at all, actually, he's not sure), but he regrets not talking to her. Then Svar ( Celestial ) drops by and asks if Kopi thinks it's safe to go to the meeting. Kopi is brutally honest and says no. Tash then tries to tell Svar that it's going to be safe.
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Post by Thorn on Jun 8, 2018 17:13:05 GMT -5
Kohimu halted abruptly. This newcomer was a scimon, if he remembered correctly, but not one he knew by name. He didn't know an awful lot of tree dwellers, come to think of it. That was something to work on. "Beech?" he said softly. "Yeah, I heard. I only know what the birds passed on, same as you. But she was a friend, and I doubt she provoked the attack." Kohimu briefly glanced around, but couldn't see any others nearby. The scimon had come here alone. Brave but foolish for a prey animal, especially given the circumstances. Any creature that killed for the sake of killing was not to be taken lightly. "I'm sure we can learn more at the meeting," he added. "You can come with me if you like. It's not safe to be alone right now." He forced a smile, full of teeth jutting every which way. "I'm Kohimu. What should I call you?" Kohimu encounters June Scarlet's Roda! He isn't able to tell her anything useful, but suggests they travel together, and politely introduces himself before asking for her name.
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Post by Liou on Jun 8, 2018 17:53:50 GMT -5
A faint breeze blew over the treetops, causing wavelets and crests to ripple through the foliage. Perched in the highest branches of a fine old oak tree, Dara scanned the leaves with sharp, keen eyes, in search of glistening fruit, large juicy sun-beetles to drag back to their den, or rogue predators. The bird song was becoming distracting. Dara considered plucking the feathers off one of the shrieking things. Thylacines had always been fun to watch and play with, especially the joeys. In the chilling absence of one of them, silence would have been more fitting. A glimmer caught their attention closer to the ground, easily spotted between boughs. Dara gripped their branch with strong arms and began to swing themself back towards the trunk of the tree in smooth bounds. Clutching the bark, they then let themself slide and drop several branches lower. The glimmer below had continued to move steadily ahead. Dara took another few bounds down their branch, leapt clean off the tree and opened their arms wide. The parachute-like membrane between their limbs stretched out with a satisfying "FWAP". Dara glided towards the next tree, rippling lazily in the wind. When they reached a low branch, they seized it with a tightly coiled limb and swung beneath it, all appendages dangling. Inara the unicorn was greeted by the face of an upside-down octopus. "Hallo! Looking very shiny today, Inara." The octopus held out an arm in which was coiled a pitcher plant filled with pine nuts. "Care for a snack?" Meet Dara, the Tree Octopus! Dara is hanging above Ginz ❤ and offering her some snacks.
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Post by Kozma on Jun 8, 2018 18:33:09 GMT -5
Lacintell loved hearing the morning songs sung by the birds of Naelus. This morning, the songs were not what he expected. Sorrowful tones echoed through the trees of the Highland Woods carrying the news of bloodshed. A thylacine was murdered at the Waterfall Basins last night and news of it was going all across the island. This was deeply disturbing to the procoptodon; a concept such as murder was foreign to him. The sorrowful songs were soon replaced by messages of a meeting at the point where the Winding River met the Highland Woods. Lacintell usually was alone. He usually didn't bother to socialize with the other beasts of Naelus, not after he was disowned and dishonored by his two older brothers. Normally, he wouldn't have bothered to attend the gathering but Lacintell was curios to find out more about this strange occurrence. He decided that he would travel from his home in the Highwind Woods to the gathering point; it wasn't terribly far away. While he walked near the edge of the woods, Lacintell thought he heard something. It seemed to be three beasts having a conversation. Heading towards the source of the noise, he soon came upon Kopi, Tash, and Svar. They were discussing whether the upcoming meeting would be safe. Lacintell is a procoptodon who hasn't been very social with the other creatures of Naelus, not after he was disowned by his brothers. After hearing the news from the songbirds, he decides to travel from Highland Woods to the gathering spot. Along the way he runs into the discussion between Rabbit ♠ , Celestial , and Tash.
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Post by Tiger on Jun 8, 2018 19:16:28 GMT -5
The coelophyses said dilophosaurs had once been larger. They had a story, so they said, of a dilophosaur who had died in front of one of the crystals of the Crystal Crags, and shielded the quartz from the reflective light of the moon so thoroughly that the birds and pterosaurs claimed it left a distinctly dinosaur-shaped blot of darkness on the cliffside. When the bones had been all that remained, their shape was visible and identifiable against the reflected light. That had been literal millenia ago; when Taakeyrr had first gone to see the spot for herself, there wasn't so much as the dust from the bones remaining. There had been a blue crystal over twice her length, and taller, too, embedded into the wall. Taakeyrr tried to imagine being over twice as long; it seemed like it would be a lot of tail to worry about. The coelophyses said it hadn't just been the dilophosaurs who shrank. They said the iguanadons had once been even bigger than the dilophosaurs, that adult plateosaurs would have been dwarfed by some of their half-grown children, and that some of the pterasaurs had once stood taller than the trees of the shadowed pines - and now only a few were more impressive in size than the birds who had come to the island eons later.. They said that the raptors had shrunk, too, but Taakeyrr had noticed they only seemed to bring that up when they were angry with the pack. This led to any raptor in earshot declaring that was a lie, that the coelophysis were the ones who had shrunk, that they'd once stood almost as tall as Taakeyrr but were now reduced to knee-high beggars... The coelophyses said a lot, quite frankly, and made a lot of the surrounding animals add to the noise. Taakeyrr was grateful they hadn't spotted her going to the cliffs today; they would probably have a lot to say about it, from trying to make offers for trading fish to reminding Taakeyrr - as if she didn't know - that it had been almost a year since she'd been to the Crags. So far...it was all right. She'd expected worse; maybe nearly a year had been long enough to cleanse the place, the way the sea cleared broken seashells from the sand when the tide came back in. She’d sat near the top of the ridge overlooking the canyons for a while letting the early morning sun rush over her puffed feathers. It smelled strongly of salt and wet rock, and despite smelling more or less the exact same scents on the beach on the opposite bank of the Winding River, Taakeyrr’s nostrils kept flaring like it was a new discovery. Still - it was peaceful. An inquisitive clicking alerted her to another dinosaur’s presence. Taakeyrr turned her head, shifting the weight on her hind legs - but she recognized the dilophosaur stepping into her sight, from the sandy-gold, brown-striped feathers just a shade off from Taakeyrr’s, to the orange and beyond-purple feathers over his eyes, and of course, the vividly red crests with their overlay of more beyond-purple markings. Taakeyrr, of course, had beyond-purple markings as well. If they were in spots unusual for female dilophosaurs, well...she had always resembled her father more than her mother. “What are you doing here?” she asked as the dilophosaur crouched beside her, not quite letting his ivory belly touch the ground. “I take it you can’t hear the flyers from here,” Soaitsae said. Taakeyrr tilted her head left and right. Sure enough, she couldn’t hear the songbirds over the ocean’s steady crash against the shore, and the only flyer she could even see at the moment was a lone ramphorhynchus. “No. What’s the news?” she asked warily. She didn't think Soaitsae would have sought her out like this for anything pleasant. Soaitsae swished his tail through the grass, but his tone was even as he said, “There was a murder.” Taakeyrr hissed. “Another one?” “One of the thylacine. They found her in the Waterfall Basin - uneaten, like the others.” Taakeyrr twisted her head in the direction of the falls, even though she couldn't see them from this curve in the cliffside. Her mind raced - a lone thylacine wouldn’t have attacked something bigger or stronger than itself - and being killed by an herbivore in self-defense was the only reason for leaving a kill uneaten. She rose to her feet, shaking dust out her feathers and clenching her claws against the air. “This has been going on too long!” Soaitsae stood tall as well, turning slightly to face Taakeyrr. The two dilophosaurs stood about the same height. “I agree. The birds say there's a meeting at sunset, at the mouth of the river.” Taakeyrr studied the direction they would have to go, her tail swinging contemplatively. “We could make it, if we hurry. Does Xsabaskis know?” A click of confirmation, but then Soaitsae hesitated a little, looking out at the ocean. From this angle, Taakeyrr could see clearly the missing chunk of one of his crests - a sharply defined gap in the beyond-purple patterns. “She was with me, but decided to go on ahead to the river when we smelled your trail leading here.” Taakeyrr’s shoulder feathers fluffed uncomfortably. “Oh." “She might be upset you were here.” “...I can’t avoid the Crags forever; the island’s too small.” She took in a deep nose-full of salty air. “I won’t let cliffs and ghosts frighten me.” Determined to end the conversation there, before the guilt could well up too strongly in her gut, Taakeyrr turned toward the distant bunch of trees that marked the Shadowed Pines, and beyond that, the Highwind Woods. “We should get moving. Maybe we can catch up if we’re quick.” Soaitsae agreed, apparently not eager to push the point further, and the two dilophosaurs set off. Taakeyrr’s thoughts cooled a little as they went, shifting from the frustration with her sister to the news she’d just been given. A murderer in Naelus - it was almost unthinkable. Even she and her family mostly hunted fish. Did they have any idea what kind of animal it was? Could it be tracked? What would they do when they caught the killer? ...Well. She supposed there was only one answer to that.It was hard for Taakeyrr to imagine being twice the size she was now, but she couldn’t help thinking it would certainly make her feel safer. Someday I'll write intro posts that are not RIDICULOUS TEXTWALLS but today is not that day!
Taakeyrr the pygmy dilophosaur is chillin’ on the cliffisde of the Crystal Crags, sunning and thinking about a couple other dinosaur species who also live on the island - all (except possibly the raptors) shrunk from their original sizes, and also that it’s the first time she’s been here in a year.
Her father Soaitsae arrives and tells her the bad news about the murder, and the news about the meeting. He mentions that Taakeyrr’s sister, Xsabaskis, has gone on ahead, and that she wouldn’t like Taakeyrr being by the Crags. Taakeyrr is displeased, but shakes it off in favor of concern about the murder.
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Post by June Scarlet on Jun 8, 2018 19:22:01 GMT -5
Roda took in the taniwha's fearsome teeth as he smiled, but he seemed friendly enough. If he was going to attack, it would have happened already. "I'm Roda, it's nice to meet you Kohimu." Roda looked downstream. "I was going to see if I could find anything where it happened. Clues, perhaps. But maybe going to the meeting would be enough. I'm not sure what I'm looking for anyway. "You say she was a friend? I'm sorry to hear that, it must be terrible for you. I've lost family, of course, but never in this way. Nasty business, it is. I'm not sure what power we have to stop it, though. I guess that's what the meeting is about." Roda replies to Kohimu Thorn, saying that she was going to do a little investigating, but maybe she should just go to the meeting instead.
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Post by Nova on Jun 8, 2018 19:51:11 GMT -5
Her sapphire eyes sparkled in the moonlight. She peered through the tall grass next to the Winding River, waiting. Her back hunched, tail stiff, as she waited for the perfect moment... pounce! She leapt into the water with barely a splash, and as quickly as she entered she climbed back onto the river's shore with a large fish in her mouth.
Breakfast.
The sun would be coming up soon, and soon the birds would be singing their songs. The songs have always comforted her: they helped ward off the feelings of loneliness Makell had always felt. She knelt in the grass and feasted upon her meal, every so often looking around if someone were to pass by. She knew she would hide if she saw another animal - untrusting of everyone around her - but secretly she hoped someone would find her nonetheless.
As she finished, Makell laid her head on the soft grass and waited. The sun came up, and the songbirds began to sing...
...and her heart sank. This was not a happy song. It was not just of death, but murder.
She was right. There was no one on this island, not on this so-called paradise island, that she could trust. Makell hated this. Hated the fact that she was correct all along and now she didn't know what to do. The songs said to follow the Winding River to the Highwind Woods. But that would be such a bad idea. To talk with other animals? Animals who might want to kill her? She would be crazy to go. It would be best to hide in the Hollow Hills and never see daylight again. But yet, she found her paws walking along the river and her eyes alert - hoping to find another to visit the meeting with.
She had lived her whole life alone. She didn't want to die alone too.
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Post by Avery on Jun 8, 2018 20:00:54 GMT -5
Hello friends! <3 <3 <3 My naem is Dog, I'm new to here. Make many pals! My musketeers. <3 This island's nice, But used to be, from somewhere else across the sea. Had so much friends, We loved to play. We'd frolic 'bout in sun all day. And then at night we'd go to bed, all snuggled up on da bedspread. Then one nice day my BEST FRAND take, me on a boat! We float in lake. "You like?" he ask, with big, big grin. I wag my tail He scritch my chin. Few weeks later, Boat time again! This time no lake Dog still with friend. We float and float, Float out to sea! Many days pass, Just friend and me. <3 "Isn't this trip, the greatest, bud?" I give him licks. My tail goes thud. Until one day... The sky got mad. The winds did howl. The sea swell bad. Friend hold to me, Dog snuggle tight We sit real close, All day and night. Then it happen, Big wave hit boat. We do a flip, We try to float. We try to float. ...we try to float. Then storm is gone. ... and so is friend. Dog howl and howl without an end. No land around. No friend to hold. Dog's heart is sad. His fur is cold. His belly ache. His lips is dry. His eyes does sting. Dog cry and cry. And then just when, Dog near give up In the distance Island show up! Dog thinks to self: Friend would be sad If dog gave up Give up is bad!And so dog fight, He fight to shore! He no give up! He gives fight for... Friend. He gives fight for friend. After long swim, Dog make to land. He shakes off sea, He prance in sand. And island nice! Make new friends here, Like friend would want if he were here. ... My naem is Dog, I'm new to here. You be my pal? My musketeer? <3 Honestly, you just. have to read it.
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