|| YEAR 1 || SPRING ||
Our tale begins with two sets of Norns, growing up in separate parts of the same world. Their names are chosen by fate, something written into their very being that just seems to "feel" right; when they are born, it's all they know.
The first pair to hatch is Snow and Dove, two Norns with dark blue fur that seems to blend well with the huge waterfalls that loom over their home, the Waterworks. The second pair is Life and Rain, who have gray fur that reflects the gloomy storm clouds overhead above the tree they'll live in, the Star Tree.
These Norns, the very first generation in what will surely be a long legacy, venture out into their world with nothing in mind but survival, prepared to fight for what they need to prosper - and perhaps, one day, fully repopulate the abandoned world that they were left behind in.
|| YEAR 1 || SUMMER ||
Population: The Waterworks 8 // Star Tree 4
01:20
For a while, the two groups live peaceful lives, staying near their homes and beginning to have children and expand their populations. However, once Summer begins and the dry season starts, disaster strikes: a dust storm near the Star Tree swiftly pulls Rain away from land and into the water, where she drowns.
Just before her death, she had laid one last egg; the child, a young male named Star, will be the only one of her children who will never have met her.
Although the Waterworks seemed to have an advantage over Star Tree in terms of population and location, infighting begins to break out in the clan. One Norn in particular, Fern, kills another, Hill, during an argument over food. Fern was later seen attacking Dove, one of the clan's founding members and its current patriarch.
Despite how spread out the Star Tree clan has become in comparison to the Waterworks, it seems that they are more cohesive as a group. Perhaps the Waterworks clan has been living in close quarters for too long?
As the sun begins to set on the final day of Summer, a child from the Star Tree clan reaches the homeland of the Waterworks clan. Angered by the intruder on their territory, the Waterworks Norns begin a fight, targeting the creature of the opposing clan despite the relatively little threat she poses to them. Only a few seconds pass before the child is killed, giving the Waterworks clan a win (however small) - and an unfortunate Waterworks Norn is caught in the crossfire.
|| YEAR 1 || FALL ||
Just before her death, she had laid one last egg; the child, a young male named Star, will be the only one of her children who will never have met her.
By this point in time, the differing lifestyles of the clans are becoming apparent. While the Waterworks clan stays close to home, enjoying the abundant wildlife and each others' company as their numbers quickly grow to double their rivals, the Star Tree clan is much more nomadic.
Driven by a desire to explore, or perhaps by the frequency of thunderstorms that lead to the Norns living mostly underground, the Star Tree clan (for now) favors fewer numbers and an on-the-go lifestyle. Almost all of the Star Tree Norns migrate from the Star Tree to a desert towards the east, seemingly unfazed by the desert temperatures reaching more than a hundred degrees Fahrenheit in the summer heat.
Driven by a desire to explore, or perhaps by the frequency of thunderstorms that lead to the Norns living mostly underground, the Star Tree clan (for now) favors fewer numbers and an on-the-go lifestyle. Almost all of the Star Tree Norns migrate from the Star Tree to a desert towards the east, seemingly unfazed by the desert temperatures reaching more than a hundred degrees Fahrenheit in the summer heat.
Despite how spread out the Star Tree clan has become in comparison to the Waterworks, it seems that they are more cohesive as a group. Perhaps the Waterworks clan has been living in close quarters for too long?
As the sun begins to set on the final day of Summer, a child from the Star Tree clan reaches the homeland of the Waterworks clan. Angered by the intruder on their territory, the Waterworks Norns begin a fight, targeting the creature of the opposing clan despite the relatively little threat she poses to them. Only a few seconds pass before the child is killed, giving the Waterworks clan a win (however small) - and an unfortunate Waterworks Norn is caught in the crossfire.|| YEAR 1 || FALL ||
Population: The Waterworks 8 // Star Tree 13
Battle Victories: The Waterworks 1 // Star Tree 0
Battle Victories: The Waterworks 1 // Star Tree 0
02:40
On the night of the first day of the Fall season, the previous patriarch (and last remaining founding member) of the Star Tree clan passed away. This makes the Star Tree clan the first to lose both of its founding members; The Waterworks had also lost its patriarch, Dove, who was killed by the aforementioned aggressive clan member, but its matriarch still remains alive (though she has entered old age).
Once again, a child from the Star Tree clan reaches the Waterworks. However, unlike the previous time this happened, the child was able to successfully survive the fight and his attacker ran away. The Waterworks clan suffered one death and the Star Tree clans suffered three; however, because the Star Tree Norn that incited the fight survived his near-deadly encounter, this battle will count as a victory for Star Tree.
On the night of the first day of the Fall season, the previous patriarch (and last remaining founding member) of the Star Tree clan passed away. This makes the Star Tree clan the first to lose both of its founding members; The Waterworks had also lost its patriarch, Dove, who was killed by the aforementioned aggressive clan member, but its matriarch still remains alive (though she has entered old age).
During the Fall season, the Star Tree clan almost entirely migrates from the desert they had been spending their time in back to the Star Tree. A few Norns remain behind in the desert, following their own desires. Always on the move, it seems the Star Tree clan has decided to return home for this season.
In the meantime, the cohesion issues continue in the Waterworks. In addition to finally suffering the death of their founding matriarch, the Waterworks Norns seem to struggle to come together, a wedge driven between them by the clan member that repeatedly causes trouble. However, she has entered old age - it would seem her days are numbered, and perhaps after her passing the Waterworks will be able to move past their troubles and rise again.
Once again, a child from the Star Tree clan reaches the Waterworks. However, unlike the previous time this happened, the child was able to successfully survive the fight and his attacker ran away. The Waterworks clan suffered one death and the Star Tree clans suffered three; however, because the Star Tree Norn that incited the fight survived his near-deadly encounter, this battle will count as a victory for Star Tree.
|| YEAR 1 || WINTER ||
Population: The Waterworks 9 // Star Tree 13
Battle Victories: The Waterworks 1 // Star Tree 1
Battle Victories: The Waterworks 1 // Star Tree 1
04:00
In the wake of the Star Tree Norn surviving a tough battle with the Waterworks clan, Star Tree Norns have begun to introduce themselves into the land that had been previously occupied by the opposing clan. This new frontier proves to be exciting, but dangerous - though there's abundant food and plenty of opportunity for Star Tree Norns who decide to enter the area, the disgruntled Waterworks Norns stay close by...
While the Star Tree Norns celebrate their victory, the Waterworks Norns' lives have become less than pleasant. Still licking their wounds from their battle loss and now dealing with an aging population (resulting in only one healthy young female), the Waterworks Norns stay confined to what is now their most reliable source of food, too close to the planet's volcano for comfort.
The clan's patriarch at this time, Lake, takes it upon himself to enter the contested territory. Somewhere not far in the distance, the few Star Tree Norns currently occupying the area hear the sound of a mysterious instrument, one which the Waterworks Norns considered sacred...
It doesn't take long for other Norns to join Lake in battle. Though at first the Star Tree Norns seem to send the Waterworks Norns running, one Star Tree Norn in particular continuing the pursuit leads to the two groups becoming tangled with one another, chaos reigning as the swamp is made into a battlefield.
Clay, a female from the Star Tree clan, proves herself to be shockingly effective in battle. After chasing her Waterworks attacker back to where the majority of the clan members had been living, she enters another fight and kills a Waterworks Norn in combat, despite being surrounded by enemies.
After the Waterworks Norn's death, Clay retreats into the volcano, which despite its looming danger proves to be a safe distance from the clan. Eventually, she manages to make her way back to the Star Tree's piece of Waterworks territory, evading any more contact with the Waterworks Norns. This surprising outcome due to Clay's intelligence (or perhaps luck?) is a clear victory for the Star Tree, though the death of one of their own in their own territory must be a shocking blow to the Waterworks.
For the rest of the Winter season, the two clans remain mostly dormant. All of the Star Tree Norns who had been living in the desert eventually returned to the Star Tree, although they found themselves more comfortable in the stretches of land beneath the tree itself. The Waterworks clan continued to spend their time recuperating from their battle losses, and planning for what their actions in the future should be.
On the final day of Winter, the sun sets on the first year of these two clans' lives; though the two have gone back and forth between who seems to have more power, a long journey fraught with danger still lies ahead.
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The populations are definitely clearly defined in this run, which is always interesting to see. Those dust storms are always frustrating.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those dust storms are the only real trouble I have with C2toDS. I had already safeguarded the most troublesome area (the dock by the desert) with an unmovable stopperplant, but I neglected to put one by the tree. After that Norn's death I put another one in, since I feel like dust storms are a little unfair, haha.
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