Complete Megathread Story Quest (Active World Event) As the World Turns

Pandora* · May 1, 2023

The Dragon,end has concluded and the future is uncertain. While many landers make their way out of the broken nation and players give up their delusions of grandeur to return to mundane reality. Some have decided to stay. For you who continue to walk the Starcalled path, this event exists.

You may now begin to actively interact and forge your character's story. Follow the instructions below and immerse yourself in the world of the Terrasphere S4 aftermath. This Megathread is open to all!

● Rules and Guidelines ● Finweald ● Astorea x Tertoria

Rules & Gudelines

EVENT ENDED:
Apr 30, 2023 at 11:35 PM
- ~~BONUS TIME~~ ~~is now in play! As thanks for your dedication and persistence in participating in the Active World. Every ooc account receives one last set of~~ ~~6 AP!~~ ~~they may spend during this final bonus week. Once the time runs out, this event will close. Thank you for playing!~~
- Each OOC account has 3 action points (AP) shared among all characters. Posting in this thread in any location consumes an action point. Certain prompts cost more AP than others. These regenerate every 3 days. You may post and interact with each other for no AP cost, however, this must be done in comms and will not be gone over by Narrator
- Prompts are suggestions. However, your chances of Narrator interaction drop with custom-made prompts. Any post that requests a Narrator response from the world (faceless, NPC, enemies etc) costs 2 action points. Boost your AP spent to 2 if you tag a Narrator for interaction in ANY prompt. Responses vary from one-liners to full scenes.
- Attempting to access the Restricted area of MIT immediately costs you all of your points and gives you bad mojo. Bad! Go hang your head in shame!
- No word count. Do not double-post. There is no character limit as long as you have action points to spend.
- Additional NPC may be listed over time at various locations at each Narrator's discretion.
- No time limit, this event ends when it does. Fluid time is in effect, thus certain NPC may be in multiple locations, due to it taking place on different days.
- Additional locations and prompts will be added at each Narrator's discretion.
- Your actions and interactions here may affect future events (unlocks, reputation, relations etc). Consider what your characters do carefully. I read and will record things that need attention for future reference. However, overly meme-style scenes and interactions will likely be altered in my notes to be less UwU.
- Do not feel pressured to expend action points for the unlocks here. Not unlocking simply pushes those opportunities further back or causes them to be introduced in other ways. Of course, there are pros and cons to any order of happenings in the story.
- @Pandora* or @Skyswimsky* if you want the location to interact with you. @Pandora* for my respective NPCs. @Skyswimsky* for his. I will answer most questions about the mechanics and setting unless unavailable. @Asch is on vacation for the S4-S5 transitionary period. So anything specifically involving plots set with him (the seance request, NPC generally managed by him etc) may not be initiated during this time.
- Narrators will keep track of progress bars. Just place your roll result and prompt and the bars will be updated roughly every 1-3 days.
Finweald:: The Exhausted Capital

The Astorean capital and home of the Starcalled. The city is now in a state of slow but progressive recovery in the aftermath of the magia onslaught. Embertorch took the most damage however there is much work to be done throughout the now half-empty city. The people's emotions are mixed. Yet those that remained, both lander and traveler alike, have chosen not to forsake the home that was founded through such hard-fought battles of many years past. After all, in this dangerous world how can one just leave the only connection to the Starcalled's home there ever was?

Active World Prompts
(FREE) Propagate Support: Placate the people to improve support and prevent yet another civil war from entering Astorea's history books. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve popular support from within for s5.
- Roll a Presence Check, and <Hero> gains advantage. [ 1000/1000 ]
(FREE)) Rebuild Stronger: Help with repairs in one of the many ruined areas of the city and its outskirts. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the state of Finweald in s5.
- Roll an Expertise OR Mastery Check+WR. [ 1000/1000 ]
(2 AP)[ Pub Knight: Sarina can be found here, she is drinking at a mostly dead pub, Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Sarina met @Vina Skysong!
Hall of Heroes

Somehow left untouched during the siege. The Headquarters of the Lion's Pride is now a tense place. A force meant to uphold a very specific set of morals has now found those morals in question. This has caused their ranks to thin and the remaining to debate what is truly "right". Their connection to King Astor through the Noblesse Oblige left a never before felt uncertainty...

Is true heroism for both lander and traveler even possible? If so, then can it still be maintained under a single banner? Regardless, perhaps it's too late for regret now...

Herein lies a place for those who give their lives for both justice and the crown's name. You too may pay your respects if you wish.

Active World Prompts
(1 AP)To the Fallen: Pay your respects to the lost. You may also pray to any God you wish for them.
- Roll a 1d100 and Divine Magic users roll Advantage. You never know what might come from invoking a God with respect or inciting their anger through blame. Beware mortal, gods of all kinds can be fickle to the minds of men.
  - @Catherine Haust prayed to Endra 4 times and mentioned several other Gods in the 1st prayer. Catherine saw a vision of a courthouse...
  - @Luthien prayed to Gwyndolainn 4 times. The Alfather did not reveal Steph's status. However, Luthien felt strangely energized afterward.
  - @Hanno Futaba prayed to Rhiannon 4 times.
  - @Vina Skysong prayed to Gwyndolainn with mentions of Syndra once.
(1 AP) Find the Pride: Mingle with the Lions and join in on shaping their future.
- Every time you post here Bold your Prompt Summary and roll a Presence Check (Lions Pride members gain Advantage). No tracker for this. It is not a one-way path...
(FREE) For a Better Tomorrow: Offer charity to the Lions for Cubs fund. This is to help orphaned lander children left behind. Raising this prompt's tracker may have unexpected benefits down the road...
- Roll a 1d100 + a GP modifier (1000 GP: 5 | 2000 GP:10 | 3500 GP: 15 | 5000 GP: 20 | 7500 GP: 25 + Advantage | 10000 GP: 30 + Advantage).[ 1000/1000 ]
(Completed) Lions and Tigers!: Enter battle training with Sarina Knights. By joining this prompt you can battle Sarina and any others also using this prompt in the current AP cycle! Raising this prompt's tracker will improve Sarina Knight's abilities in certain appearances.
- This prompt is complete and cannot be selected. [ 1000/1000 ]
- Traning Completed! Sarina wants to fight again someday...
  - Sarina met @Harper!
  - Sarina met @Hanno Futaba!
  - Sarina met @Schilva Flasch
(Unlocked!) Unlocks a future Side Event. Please wait...
MIT Headquarters

The secretive HQ of Ordnung and the MIT. They have become far more prominent in recent time with the near-constant need for research and a functioning brain to resolve the plagues of Arcia. They now receive much more attention from the Astorean government and have their allotted funds significantly increased. They now have caught the attention of both Falderen and Tertoria for their adventurous mindset with taboos such as Magitech, Dissonance and Red Fever.

Now work has begun on repairing the public areas while the restricted floors of the complex have increased their level of security ten-fold. Adding newfound magitech defenses in an ironic play at such a time. Deep within lies the core of Szofrit, and who knows what other secrets are best left unseen by the simple minds of the masses.

Active World Prompts
(FREE) For Science!!!: Help with restoring the public areas, student areas, and open labs. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the state of MIT in s5.
- Roll an Expertise OR Mastery Check+WR. [ 1000/1000 ]
  - @Marigold Diablo is under a warning by MIT employees. See must spend 2ap per use of this prompt (no narrator response).
(2 AP) "Overseer": Nin can be found here, she is leading the repairs of the public area. Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Nin met @Marigold Diablo!, and will not accept interaction with her at this time.
- Nin met @Mystia! A request was made to join Ordnung's more private research...
(2 AP) Green Conspiracy Valen can be found here after returning from a personal journey. Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Valen has met @Luthien!
- Valen has met @Vashti!
- Valen has met @Ronja Bubblyfoot!
(3 AP) RESTRICTED AREA: Get booted by hulking fixers for going near this area. No, there are no checks to be made, This includes all ranks of MIT members besides the Headmaster and his closest aids. If they learn who you are when booted your name gets on a list as a suspicious individual and even the public area becomes inaccessible for an indefinite period of time.
- The only benefit to this choice is for those looking for spicier MIT relations. You will be seen in a poor light by them if you use this prompt.
Ruin's of Embertorch

The faction that took the most damage during the magia onslaught. The once great Embertorch is now a ghost of its former self. Its leader Childress has left and its members dwindling to the bare minimum. For now, there is so much to recover that any thoughts of exploring the world are but an idealistic fantasy. Those who wish to, have already taken their leave. Thus only those who truly felt like a family with their fellow whistles are left to restore what has been lost.

It will be a long path and simply shouting will not bring forth the answers this time...

Active World Prompts
(FREE AP) Relight the Torch: Help restore Embertorch in whatever ways you can. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the state of the Explorers League in s5.
- Roll an Expertise Check + a whistle modifier (Gold: 5 | Orange:10 | Red: 15 | Violet: 20 | Black: 25 + Advantage | White: 30 + Advantage).[ 1000/1000 ].
(2 AP) Daredevil: Rettah can be found here after returning from a personal journey. Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Rettah has met @Lucille Fer!
- Rettah has met @Crimson Ruby ! A mention was made of the Silent Palace hidden somewhere beyond the Silent Grotto... (1/3).
Camp Hope IV+ / D.E.S. Astorea Branch

Camp Hope IV has been restored fairly quickly compared to the other larger locations. D.E.S. has begun a massive reorganization of the camp. It will take longer than they would like due to the current situation in Gardibrook where much of the manpower and experience with Astorean politics comes from. However, the ancient unexplored theocracy's resources would show to still be more than enough for this task.

The group of Tria blessed all female clergy of varying ages between young teens to early twenties are small in number. Two white-clad knights, easily over 8 feet tall with not a hint of skin, tirelessly watch over them in silence. People from Gardibrook, the Adventurers guild, and Astorea itself, have been put to work here. All combining efforts in the construction of a unique building that will act as the branch for Astorea. The preaching of Tria's methodology and the importance of Fate, of course, accompanies them.

DISCLAIMER: Anyone with a Dissonance DA or Dissonant tag will be identified as having the affliction simply by interacting with this location. The results of this will vary based on circumstance.

Active World Prompts
(Complete) Camp EX+ Champion Edition Redux: Explore the newly rebuilt Camp Hope and Interact with Gardibrook and Adventurers Guild workers. (2 AP) To have Narrator responses.
- Roll a 1d100 and <Lore Seeker> gains Advantage. Time passes...
  - @Ash Vargold must make a dissonance check vs 100. +10 for your dissonance (DA friend in Solitude). Then +10 if you hold a dissonant tag. Each time you post you must roll an additional 10 modifier. If you roll over 100, you will be escorted out for bringing too much dissonance to this area. You will be instructed to go get your ailment resolved at Gardibrook.>
(Complete) Stars of the Land: Interact with D.E.S. and learn about what they are establishing here. This can be combined with the below prompt for free.
- Roll a 1d100 gain disadvantage if you have a Dissonance DA or Tag.. <Dissonant Exterminator> gains Advantage. Time passes...
  - @Ash Vargold must make a dissonance check vs 100. +10 for your dissonance (DA friend in Solitude). Then +10 if you hold a dissonant tag. Each time you post you must roll an additional 10 modifier. If you roll over 100, you will be escorted out for bringing too much dissonance to this area. You will be instructed to go get your ailment resolved at Gardibrook.>
(2 AP) Melodious Excitement: Hylia can be found here seeking inspiration for her first concert in quite some time! Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Time passes... but slower than the above options. No rolls.
- Hylia reunited with @Seigi Ling Ling!
- Hylia has given @Seigi Ling Ling a temporary dissonance suppression effect. Their interaction has concluded in this prompt.
  - @Ash Vargold must make a dissonance check vs 100. +10 for your dissonance (DA friend in Solitude). Then +10 if you hold a dissonant tag. Each time you post you must roll an additional 10 modifier. If you roll over 100, you will be escorted out for bringing too much dissonance to this area. You will be instructed to go get your ailment resolved at Gardibrook.>
(2 AP) To Save a "Princess": Maximilian can be found here resting during his quest to find his lady,Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Maximilian met @Ash Vargold! A mention was made of Queen G and Priscilla Flanst. 25 points added to Greed of the Pauper!
(2 AP) The Orchestrator Zia can be found here preparing the Astorean D.E.S. for the next phase., Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits. Only one response per character.
Surrounding Area

Astorea as a whole is facing a dark time. Yet new sunrises always come. Travel the land and forge your place in the coming new era. This location ranges from all across Astorea and maybe even beyond...

Active World Prompts
(Completed) Greed of the Pauper: You've heard that many landers have begun to drift towards a certain location in the High March. No one can seem to detract them as for all intents and purposes they have money symbols for eyes. In this place, soldiers of gold with no visible flesh can be found. These golden soldiers are rounding up these poor landers somehow and for some reason. Endra's Favor from Falderen has decided to take the risk of asking for help from the Starcalled. After all, false promises of great wealth from outside sources are bad for their economic interests. Wander the land and see what you can find out...
- Roll a 1d100. For every post you make with this prompt (with any character), give yourself a +5 mod. Inquiring with Narrator NPC at other locations, paying 2 AP and WP here for Narrator interaction with this prompt, and perhaps even enough prayer might net you a larger bonus... [ 1000/1000 ]
(Unlocked!) Unlocks a future Side Event. Please wait...

(No New Scenes) Masked Dominion: Whispers about a secretive organization called the Masked Dominion have begun to spread. Led by an enigmatic figure, the group is gaining support by appealing to Landers' concerns about Starcalled and Magia.

Rumors and hidden agendas swirl around the Masked Dominion. What lies behind their growing influence? Delve into the mystery and find out what's really going on.
- Roll a 1d100. This pompt will always give Narrator response from @Skyswimsky*. [ 362/1000 ]
(Unlocks at "Masked Dominion"=500) Unlocks a future Side Event.

(1 AP) Lander Exodus: Try to stem the hemorrhaging of landers or aid them in their exodus.
- Roll a 1d3+1d for every 25 points of Presence. To see how many Landers were impacted by you. Gain 1 Wanderer Point.
  - @Erick Stryker, has 1 WP!
  - @Bluebird has 1 WP!
  - @Ishtar has 5 WP!
  - @Ronja Bubblyfoot has 1 WP! (2 max)
  - @Ludmilla Orphys has 1 WP!
  - @Kamala Graham has 1 WP!
  - @Ueno Mizuki has 1 WP!! (3 max)
  - @Kaede Hoshi jas 2 WP! (3 max)
  - @Aalam Abungu has 1 WP!
  - @Fiora Di Angelo has 3 WP!
  - @Toko has 2 WP! (4 max)
(FREE ) Magias without a Cause: Deal with rogue magia enemies in Vintergard that have run amok without the Handler's presence. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the state of Vintergard in s5. This prompt can now be done without spending AP, no rolls requires. For 2 AP you may grind a Wanderer Point.
- Roll a 1d100+MR+WR, and <Steel Reaver> gain Advantage. [ 1000/1000 ]
  - @Ronja Bubblyfoot has 1 WP! (2 max)
  - @Ueno Mizuki has 2 WP! (3 max)
  - @Devi has 2 WP! (3 max)
  - @Toko has 2 WP! (4 max)
  - @Nyx has 2 WP! (4 max)
  - @Aika has 3 WP! (4 max)
(FREE) Beware! Brisshal!: Spread the word and ensure that newly arrived Starcalled know just how dangerous their arrival is. Save them from the wrath of infuriated Falderen patrols in East Brisshal. Honeyhome in particular needs to be visited and kept safe. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the state of East Brisshal logins in s5. This prompt can now be done without spending AP, no rolls requires. For 2 AP you may grind a Wanderer Point.
- Roll an Expertise OR Mastery Check+WR. [ 1000/1000 ]
  - @Madison Freebird has 2 WP!
  - @Asher has 2 WP!
  - @Zelrius has 2 WP!
  - @MayoYume has 2 WP!
  - @Devi has 2 WP (34max)
  - @Aika has 1 WP (4 max)
  - @Alderein has 1 WP
(FREE) The Starforged Bridge: Silvergate Bridge has been fortified on both sides to ensure safe passage for refugees. However, the Naryu is a dangerous place and the murmurs of dissonance always beckon the weak to jump into the abyss. D.E.S. cannot help everyone at once. Help prevent the feeding of the unseen eldritch denizens below with your own strengths. Raising this prompt's tracker will improve the relationship between Astorea and Tertoria in s5.
- Roll an Expertise OR Mastery Check+WR. <Dissonant Exterminator> gain Advantage. [ 1000/1000 ]
(3 AP) (Unlocked!) The <Harmonizer> of D.E.S. might need help soon... Tag @Pandora* to meet this NPC. Once used, this NPC will become 1 cost for all future interactions in this thread. This option will be changed to (NAME can be found here etc...}

(2 AP) Woman of Talent: Hinata Silvercross can be found here greeting those who helped the crossing of many landers. She will not be here long. Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Hinata met @Aalam Abungu!
(2 AP) The Explorer: @Nora can be found wandering with her bird .E.P.! Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Nora has met @Bluebird! The Lost Arcadia and the Wurm Tunnels EX were mentioned (1/2).
(2 AP) Enigmatic Steel Maiden: Null can be found somewhere around Vintergard. What she is doing at the time is as enigmatic as she. Interactions may unlock future content, affect the NPC's place in the story, and other benefits.
- Null has reunited with @MAI!
- Null's offer was given to @MAI!

Minimum Post Template

Aalam Abungu · Mar 25, 2023

AP: 2/3
1 AP spent.
Location:
Surrounding area/ on the bridge between Astorea and Tertoria,
Prompt:
The Starforged Bridge
Narrator Tag:

It took a second as he looked at the mess that had fallen into his lip and pushed out a stream of smoke into the air; that was one of the benefits of having a bit of control with nature magic. You were able to make sure the thing you were burning always gave a positive effect and never the negative one. The world was changing, and he could feel it. He felt it before when they were a civil war, and he always felt it in the back of his head after his second death. It was just something that stayed with him at his point, and he had come to accept that. He could sometimes tone it out, but in the end, it was never wrong. There was always something someone pulling the threads, and he should have been more prepared for what happened as a result. So he pulled that smoke into his lungs until he could feel it burn him before he pushed it back out. At least his drinking was under control again, and neither of them had to see the mess he made of the kingdom.

There were places that he needed to be, but he would need to take this one step at a time; the others had an idea of what they needed to get done, and the way the old system worked was they trusted each other. If he couldn't at least do that, then they would not get much further, and at the moment, he couldn't really afford to fail. Damn, this is why he was looking to be less of a figure in the world because then the world needed you to lead people. Astor was good at that, you could put him in something shiny and point, and he would get most of the work done, but it was a shame that he was a good man in the end. They always tend to make terrible kings good men. He took another long pull from his pipe as he looked at the bridge and the mess of refugees coming forth. At another time, he would have been working to ensure the kingdom's lifeblood, wealth, wasn't leaving the nation, but that was one of the benefits of working with more people. You could leave all of that work to something else that was better suited for it. So he pulled up his hood and started to make his way down the bridge so that he could listen to what was happening, his hyper sense worked differently than most, or maybe that was a lie that he told himself. All that mattered was it gave him a high-definition awareness of what was happening around him, a spider sense to take something from the comic books, and it helped him hear how close someone was to jump. How they were muttering and what they were muttering gave him time to get things in place in order to change their mind. He could hear the first set that was looking to go over in his section, the pain in their voice, that hopelessness that made them want to seek something quiet, something that made it all go away.

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a small piece of wood, a thing no bigger than a chopstick that was sharpened to a point, as this was the second part of being a nature magi that was helpful. He had been able to weave it into a solid piece of sandalwood, night jasmine, and lavender wood. A simple mix, but when used correctly, they were able to have solid results, so he took aim, and as his fingers moved, that chopstick slammed into the bridge, and from its hit came a wall of vines that wrapped around the structure making a net that would stop anyone in that section from being able to walk off but the true benefit with the mixture of scents that came from those flowers in bloom. This would calm the mind and bring someone back to the understanding of what they were doing, a second of clarity that would help them to keep moving forward and cross the bridge into a safe land, and if he did it right, no one would notice that he was the one that moved in the flow of people. "Alright, we keep going."

Rolls

Made a guide rail to stop people from falling off of thick vines and made flowers bloom on those vines.

Mastery Check
1d100 (52) + 25 = 77
Ranged Weapons | Aalam Abungu | Thread Code

Erick Stryker · Mar 25, 2023

AP: 1/3
2 AP spent
Location:
Hylands, leaving Astorea
Prompt:
Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: @Pandora*
Expending 2 AP for possible Narrator response.

The sheer number of disapproving faces upon leaving Vintergard for Camp Hope had been discouraging. If there had been any wonder about Lander love lost for the King and his Starcalled, the long walk of shame across the countryside abated all of it. Those who survived, who knew from the moment it occurred, looked on them with contempt. Despite his best efforts to save all of them, indiscriminate of whether they were from the world beyond or home grown denizens of Arcia, he was no different. Erick knew in his heart he couldn't continue to champion that cause. Not in good conscience.

Their actions were measured, tempered in logic, in the hopes of finding a cure for dissonance, or a clue as to the truth behind what evils tugged at the marionette strings to make Szofrit dance. The reality was that those actions came with readily tailored consequences. The already shaken trust between the people of the land and those who came to occupy it from outside was now broken.

He made first for Finweald to gather any effects, and then set out on the long journey toward Hylands. This time; it would not be a lengthy trek through poisonous swamps or wicked cold. The plains had dried out and become almost arid for a lack of humidity, and having crossed the border, he stayed close to caravans that had left Astorea recently without straying close enough to violate their boundaries. He knew they could see him, and there were those who could doubtless identify him as a Traveller. Erick didn't want the trouble associated with disturbing their peace.

What he did notice was that many of them were beastfolk. From what he gathered speaking to the Caenis tribe during his last foray into the wilds was that many of them had been re-homed, indigenous peoples who left Astorea when Vintergard, Finweald- all of the historically Beastfolk owned lands- were taken from them. There were many who did not hold a grudge, but perhaps equally as many, if not more, who resented the Starcalled for it. These people, who were doubtless descended from those tribes, would be justified if they rehashed those sentiments. Erick didn't want to give them any more reason than they already had.

Crack!

His head swiveled quickly toward the sound, whereupon he saw one of the wagons folded over itself. A wheel had given out and split down the middle, and the weight of the wagon and their belongings caused it give completely. "Help!" A woman's voice. She was screaming incoherently, but Erick could make out that universal outcry. He found himself dashing toward them despite his better judgment.

"Halt!" A large, brutish man. Caenis. Wolf-ish. "We don't need help from your kind," he gnashed his teeth and growled toward Erick, who stopped short of a spear that now pointed directly at his chest.

"Woah, woah, I don't want any trouble," he waved his hands in front of him, showing that he was not armed.

"Back away from my family, Starcalled," the man growled again.

"But she's-"

"My beloved sun," the woman's voice broke as she peeked out through the ruined canvas. "The shock of the impact has jarred my humours," she gasped, tears streaking down her cheeks as she implored him with her eyes.

"Speak plainly, Shawa," the man said, not turning his gaze from Erick for a second.

"My water has broken," she yowled, "I am going into labor." Her breathing became harsher with each second that passed as she doubled over in pain and clutched the frame of the wagon. The spear fell from Erick's face and the Caenis rushed toward his partner, kneeling next to her.

"Someone, please! My wife is going to give birth! We need a midwife!"

"We have no midwives here," another man said, shifting to look at another female from their group. "She was not supposed to give birth for another week, Brother Drannic," he said.

Erick listened carefully, biting his lip. What was done was done. If he tried to undo time and spin it backward, he risked invoking the wroth of a literal godlike entity. He'd seen as much. However, what he could do... "I think I have a temporary fix," he offered. "If you're willing to trust me."

"What can you do, Human?" Drannic asked him seriously. "Unless you say that you are a traveling doctor, and you have a background in delivering children, I do not think-"

"There are those among you who can move with haste, quickly enough to find a nearby village and get help, yes?"

"There are those," Drannic nodded.

"I have the ability to forestall certain processes- for a short amount of time, granted, but it should be enough. Send a runner, find a midwife. I will hold the childbirth back until we have someone capable of safely delivering the baby."

"Forestall? Are you mad?"

"People tell me I am all the time. It never gets old." He tried to break the tension with a joke. It did not go over well. "Right, okay, you guys get to work. Let me just..."

Erick stretched out his hands, weaving time and space around the woman as he enveloped them in a pocket, draining out the passage of time and halting it within thag confined area. He held her body in suspended animation, halting everything short of her heartbeat and breathing. She looked at him pleasingly, terrified, and he managed to smile back.

"Nothing will happen to you. I promise. They will be back soon with help, and your child will be with you at last."

[some time later.]

"Erick, I cannot thank you enough," Drannic said. This time has been a struggle for all of us, but for my part, and for Shawa's, and young Traffi now as well- we owe you our thanks." The Caenis bowed to him, and Erick quickly returned the gesture, deeply.

"Not at all," he said. "I did the right thing. If I didnt use my power to do right, I'd be no better than..." his voice trailed off. No, best not to breathe life into that sentiment. The rabbit hole of hate was already deep enough. "Hey, I have a question," he said, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a stone with a wicked, burned sigil of some sort etched into it. He presented the object to Drannic and asked, "Can you tell me anything about this?"

Rolls

An accident on the way through Hylands causes a Beastfolk woman's water to break and Erick holds the pregnancy at bay until a trained midwife arrives. He asks the man about an object he received on another occaison from another Caenis...

1d4 (2) = 2
Lander Exodus

Luthien · Mar 25, 2023

Finweald… or what was left of it, at least.

She’d finally logged back into the game after sleeping a whole day away, a feat that Lúthien wasn’t sure she’d ever achieved before in her short life. The last time she’d walked these streets her eyes had barely been able to take in the sights due to the raging blizzard blowing on their faces, not to mention that her focus had been on rescuing their blue-haired friend… a mission that had gone poorly.

"What the hell happened here…?"

Her boots protected her from the rubble as the ranger walked around, taking in the exterior of the building she’d become so familiar with by now. It was hard to believe that the heart in the main lobby, warm and inviting during the Wintersday season, had been reduced to just a pile of ash and rubble… and she could only assume the rest of the Embertorch was in similar condition, or worse.

Shortly after returning a meeting had been held with all the present whistles, during which Childress had requested of them to accept Feodan as their ‘leader’ while she headed out to find the still missing Zeus. The news hadn’t come as a surprise considering the mood and exchanges in the battlefield, and while she questioned Childress’ timing Lúthien had a lot of things on her plate to worry about the beastwoman’s decisions. The Embertorch alone already had enough shit for them to deal with, and Lúthien still wished to visit the Golden Egg over in MIT.

"H-Hey, you! Stop, don’t touch that!" A sudden creak, barely audible for most, caused her head to turn quickly as she spotted a fellow whistle place a hand against a pillar as they rested—her sharp voice causing them to quickly straighten up as their gold whistle became visible. "That’s a load-bearing column, and it doesn’t sound like it's having a good time."

Her voice softened upon seeing the wide eyes on the fellow whistle, who quickly shifted away from said pillar upon hearing the extra information. Before long she’d come across a handful of gold and orange whistles, most looking a bit clueless as they tried to figure out how best to help with the enormous tasks laid out before them.

"Alright, raise your hand if you have Aeromancy." She caught two, a faerin and a felis, before nodding towards them. "Perfect, let's clear the air around here and the adjacent rooms, make it easier for others working to breathe around here. Alright, and what about you guys…"

It’s not like she was an expert at these sorts of things, but the situation easily reminded Lúthien of the time she’d helped out in Camp Nisus so many months ago. Back then Cidney had briefed them all on how best to use their masteries to make their tasks easier, and the blonde did her best to remember the lessons the magia had imparted on them during their time together as they began working on clearing the main hall and adjacent rooms—making sure to keep those with her away from unstable areas, those were better left to Beleg and others with more experience to clear out.

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

With the Embertorch in ruins and disarray Lúthien is using her presence to gather the attention of the ever dwindling number of remaining whistles and directing their efforts to clear the rubble out.

Aeromancy helps clearing out the air in heavily smoked and dust filled rooms, while Hyper Senses pinpoint any areas that might be too dangerous to handle right now.

❰ Expertise Check ❱
1d100 (98) + 45 + 15 = +158
Presence | Luthien | Relight the Torch | 1815

@Pandora* approved leaving Lúthien as a Red Whistle until ❰ Relight the Torch ❱ advances to at least 50% completion, then she'll officially rank up ICly to a Violet Whistle. :pikalove:

MAI · Mar 30, 2023

A finale was meant to be something that brought closure, a perfect ribbon to tie everything together. However, the confrontation with Szofrit and all of its aftermath only brought about more questions while instilling dread and despair in many. The status quo of the whole world was changed to some degree, with landers and travelers alike paying the price. Some tried to take things matter into their own hands, seek answers that everyone desired. The MIT especially appeared to be in full gear. But MAI wasn't someone who could help them. Indeed, she was able to assist with the containment of Szofrit herself in the early stages, but that was about it. All the information she had seemed to quickly come from others as well, thus leaving the magia with little use.

However, there was something that not many seemed to be all that aware of. The confrontation with Calculator and Null. While a report of some kind was made, it appeared that it wasn't strictly followed up on. The place must have been cleaned clear still, but it was just about the only location that had any ties to the mysterious ever-changing magia. Returning to the outskirts of Vintergard might have been more an act of desperation than anything else. A desperation for answers to anything... anything at all.

"PING Beacon... set up complete."

A quiet confirmation for herself as her own magitech got to work. She managed to connect to the technology that Null and Calculator used at the very start of the bout, so perhaps there was a chance that broadcasting a signal identical to back then would be a call that the magia could pick up and answer? That was if she even remained in this place after all that had happened.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎❰ Actions ❱
MAI has returned to the location of the Calculator encounter in hopes of finding Null and clarifying some things after the confrontation with Szofrit.

Rolls

N/a

Luthien · Mar 25, 2023

The efforts to restore the Embertorch to its former glory were slowly underway, and while there was a lot more to be done at least some of the simpler tasks had been taken care of for the most part. It would be easier to work on the higher floors once the foundation of the building was properly worked on and secured, and as such it had become the focus for the time being.

"Oh, yeah, I’ll take some of those sausage rolls too." Of course no job would get done on an empty stomach and, after a couple of hours of manual labor getting done early in the morning, Beleg had requested the elf to do a food run. "Mmm, sure, I’ll take some of those too. Yeah, that’ll be all for now, thanks."

With her selection of filling savory pastries done, and the golden coins handed over to pay for the lot of it, Lúthien was left with some time of her own as the bakery worked on fulfilling the larger than usual order. She had little issues with waiting, aware that given the recent events and destruction around Finweald everyone was struggling, and so the girl quietly munched away on a few cookies she’d ordered as well to curb the edge of her hunger while waiting.

Ding-a-ling…! Ding-a-ling…!

The sound of a bell caught her attention as crimson eyes sought the source of the sound, spotting a caenis waving the object on occasion to attract the attention of passersby as he spoke. The blue coat was unmistakable and a sharp contrast to the golden badge he wore, and for a few minutes the elf simply listened from where she stood as the knight worked. A wooden box had been set up beside him, the receptacle for any donations made by those willing to stop and lend a helping hand for the orphaned children of the land.

". . ."

Once upon a time the blonde wouldn't have thought much of it, simply viewing it as just another sidequest story the game would offer for additional content—not too dissimilar from the techniques used by most MMORPGs and other games that Lúthien had played in the past… except none had felt as real as the World currently did. Her thoughts soon drifted towards the caenis pup she’d met months ago in the forgotten village of Aurora, guilt quietly gripping at her heart as she remembered the malnourished and unkept small build of little Finwid.

There was a small solace to be found in knowing his home was far away enough from this all that he’d probably been unaffected by the recents events—or at least that’s what Lúthien vehemently hoped and wished to believe—and while the pup still had a father it had been eye-opening to see how the landers struggled to survive in some cases. Her gaze shifted to glance at the buildings that lined the street, catching the occasional repair still in progress or the pile of rubble off to the side that had yet to be picked up and properly disposed of.

They were all heavy reminders of what had transpired in the city and the lives lost during the skirmishes and subsequent battle in Vintergard, but while she’d thought of the unlucky players that might’ve become UI locked after all had been said and done the ranger couldn’t say the same had been true for the landers… or their children.

"If this were your home, your words would mirror her own. But it isn't, and you are a nigh-immortal being on this Land that doesn't stand to lose anything from this."

The words of The Seamstress echoed in her head, clear and fresh as the very day the summon had spoken them in Lúthien’s direction, and the elf couldn’t help chewing on the inside of her cheek in response. She hadn’t fully understood them then, but now as reality continued to slowly sink in she was beginning to understand. It was then the baker from inside called out to her, the ranger turning to accept her order before taking a few moments to disappear the large amount of wrapped and bagged items away into the unseen storage of her player inventory.

She paused then as a thought crossed her mind, eyes flickering to a corner of her UI to inspect something, before her hands quietly danced through the air as Lúthien interacted with an unseen menu. A few moments later a hefty pouch materialized in the air before safely falling onto her waiting hands, the clinging of unseen coins unmistakable as the blonde exited the bakery. The knight was currently engaged with a pair as he spoke about the Lions for Cubs initiative towards them, and as the elf passed by she quietly deposited her own contribution into the wooden box at his side without a word before continuing her path back towards the Embertorch.

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

Donated 2k GP towards the ❰ Lions for Cubs ❱ funds for orphaned lander children.

❰ Charity Roll ❱
1d100 (87) + 10 = +97
2k GP = +10 Mod | Luthien | For a Better Tomorrow | 1815

Ronja Bubblyfoot · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 2/3 (1 AP spent)
Location: Vintergard
Prompt: Magias without a Cause
Narrator Tag: N/A

Returning to Vintergard was always a arduous idea for Ronja.

The memories of her sins crawled in her chest as she approached the area, but those distracting feelings were the main reason she decided to always go accompanied by someone else... In this case, her company was almost a bodyguard, being the overprotective elf Fiora was.

She remained as close as possible to the elf, never leaving her side until she noticed an strange activity, in this case being a Regulator accompanied by two Sentries, apparently aimlessly, analyzing random objects in their sight indiscriminately and without clear purpose.

"Remember, try to not destroy them. Ronja needs them to just be neutralized, so she can study them further." She said, still behind their cover while she loaded her ammunition and her mana. "Ronja can probably disrupt the two Sentries... But her bomb will only be able to slightly stun the big one, the Regulator. So Ronja will need your muscle work on it, alright?" She smiled faintly, looking at her hands, taking a moment o breath before looking at Fiora and nodding, in a sign she was ready, before she leaped out of their hiding and charged in.

Immediately, the sentries detected the approach, giving them time to retaliate with a volley of bullets, and a devastating mana beam coming from the bigger magia. Ronja tried to avoid the attacks as she could, taking cover and with Fiora's protection, in which she reciprocated by trying to defend her lover from harm, using her magnetic field and attempting to disrupt any incoming mana bolt.

As soon as an opening came, Ronja aimed upwards and released a clicking sphere.

❰ Mana Nullifier Blast ❱

Upon impact, a powerfu blast engulfed the two small Sentries, that tilted and soon found themselves crashing against the ground, with their system faltering while they had their features and offensive measures disrupted by lack of energy.

The Regulator, however, seemed to endure most of the explosion, albeit its energy beam weakened considerably, and its movement became slower and staggered.

"Dear, it is safe to charge now!"

Rolls

Ronja is going with @Fiora Di Angelo into the Vintergard to neutralize Rogue Magia (still alive), so she can study them further in her workshop. She will also try to read any memories or data they may have.

Mastery Check
2d100 (Advantage) (10, 42) + 25 + 25 = 92
Magitech | Ronja Bubblyfoot | Magias without a Cause 1815

Imoogi · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 2/3
Location: MIT Headquarters
Prompt: For Science!!!
Narrator Tag: N/A

Imoogi was smart enough not to try to get into the Restricted Area, as tempting as it was. She'd seen the guards, and she knew that all the stealth in the world would do nothing if she slipped up even once.

She'd seen someone get removed. She wasn't going to add herself to that list.

Better to do more useful things, like helping put this headquarters back together. The MIT was too scholarly for her liking, but they did appreciate someone who understood the difference between hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid.

"Is that... moving? Gross."

In fact, it was exactly that knowledge she was implementing now. The rampaging robots had left quite a mess, and there were entire labs cordoned off due to noxious, acidic, and occasionally wiggling chemical contamination. Imoogi took to the jobs with relish and occasional recklessness.

It wasn't her fault that tasting things was the easiest way for her to identify them. She could handle the occasional poisoning, and it made her job easier.

(And if she nicked a few reagents when no one was looking, well... they were public labs. As far as she was concerned, it was a fair trade for the ones she was using up.)

Rolls

Imoogi is using Alchemic knowledge to help clean up after the various chemical accidents.

Expertise Check
1d100 (94) + 25 = 119
Knowledge | Imoogi | For Science!!! | 1815

Fiora Di Angelo · Mar 26, 2023

The idea grinded her gears the wrong way. The last thing she wanted was for them to step into Vintergard again. But that would be the second-to-last thing when compared to letting Ronja go in by herself. To make things slightly better (or much more worse), there was purpose beyond just doing cleanup duty or gathering some gold from a bulletin board's bounty or the like.

One the brunette reminded her of before she could pull her blade out of it's scabbard, earning a nod in response. "It's okay love, I'll just set my steel sword to 'non-lethal', don't you worry." Fiora teased, pulling up her UI instead, for no more than two seconds, dexterous fingers speedrunning to her inventory and to one of her shields to bring out instead. "I'll group them up. Act fast though, that Regulator won't be caught off-guard twice." She tightened the strap of her shield and finally ran out of cover, following closeby to Ronja once she led the charge.

Bullet hell came soon after, with Fiora suddently accelerating ahead of her beloved to meet the barriages with a shield designed strictly to fight off Magia. But given her lack of 'tact' when it came to not turning robots into scraps, all she could do was to tank headfirst any attack incoming for Ronja to give her ample opportunity to take cover, and rely on her magnetic field to deflect away the sentries's blasts, with only the destructive, piercing beam of the Regulator forcing her to actually dodge out of the way.

Each step cut the distance between herself and the magias, blocking their path off via pure advancement through cover, working on them like a sheperd guiding the cattle. With it came an opening to catch all three in one blast, and the ❰ Mana Nullifier Blast ❱ didn't keep her waiting.

"On it!"

Fiora called out, yanking free her shield as it dropped onto the ground with a loud 'clank!'. The knightess charged in, emboldened by the sight of an unsteady opponent that fizzled a little with each step it did as it's systems fought against the EMP it's been struck at. It charged, it shot one beam, bested by it's own predictable and slow charging and the elf's usage of common sense to not be in direction of a still-deathly beam, and once she caught up to it, an arm wrapped around one of it's front legs, with her left sending a mean, crushing blow from her closed fist, pushing the regulator down onto the ground to rip it's leg out, forcing her weight over the Regulator to keep it pinned, and eventually pulling out enough a second leg to completely immobilize it. At best it could try and shoot at the sky, sure.

That could be some pretty fireworks.

"A present for you."

Rolls

Summary: Fiora heads into vintergard with @Ronja Bubblyfoot to assist her in neutralizing rogue Magia. Aside of assisting Ronja, she will also try to give a hand to anyone, faction members or not, fighting rogue magia around them, and in a much more lethal way in this last case.

Roll Result
1d100 (70) 25 + 20 = 115

Fiora Di Angelo | Magias Without a Cause | 1815

Ueno Mizuki · Mar 26, 2023

AP:: 2/3 (1 AP spent)
Location:
Vintergard
Prompt:
Magias Without A Cause
Narrator Tag:
N/A

Szofrit had been defeated, but magia still roamed the streets of Vintergard. Without a leader they were no longer the threat they used to be, but the automated defences made rebuilding Vintergard impossible for the moment. It would take the combined efforts of many souls brave enough to enter the machine-infested city to slowly clear the place out until it was safe for non-combatants to return.

Mizuki grunted as she heaved herself on top of the city walls, having scaled it in between patrols of the sentries which were still active. Securing the city was one thing, but the MIT also wished to obtain more magia which had been controlled by Szofrit to see if any clues could be found in them. The magia that still remained active were standardised units which were better understood than the unique magia that could be labelled people, but for thorough research you needed as many specimens as you could acquire.

And even amongst these standardised models one might be able to find abnormalities if one just kept looking.

Seated on top of the wall the luna wolf folded her arms, looking at the sentries which zipped through the air within and without the city. This was her first foray, so she was going to approach this cautiously. Even if she'd been to the heart of the city twice before, it was proper caution which had allowed her to cheat death so many times. It was also caution which had made her choose a part of the city wall where enough damage had been done to the stoneworks that if a sentry came too close she could quickly hide behind the rubble. It might make her footing unstable as well, but that was easier to deal with than lasers and hot lead.

Her mismatched eyes studied the movements of the sentries carefully, keeping track of how long it took for them to get close to her position, how close they did get, and how many directions they could come from. These machines weren't sapient, and had no creativity: they followed easily read patterns. She only had to be on the lookout for abnormalities.

While she memorised the way the sentries moved she placed her hands on the stoneworks she was seated on, her fingertips darkening as skin was replaced by bark and tendrils of wood slipped in between the cracks. Another reason for her to choose one of the more damaged parts of the wall was that it meant the brickwork was more easily penetrated by her roots, the plant-like extensions crawling through a maze of gaps and cracks. Existing weaknesses in the stone were carefully widened, her animated roots quickly eroding the brickwork which would have taken years for your generic tree to achieve. The main thing slowing her work down was that she didn't want to accidentally weaken the wall too much and cause the section she was sitting on to collapse.

Once she'd finished her preparations she looked up at the sky and began to count silently. She didn't have to wait long before a flying figure approached her position, the luna wolf quickly standing up as her hands disconnected from the root network she'd infested the wall with and her fingers returned to normal. From her understanding these sentries relied a lot on heat vision to navigate, but they should also be sensitive to other signs of life.

Putting her fingers between her lips she whistled loudly, the sharp sound briefly filling the air before fading away just as quickly. The approaching sentry reacted immediately, its direction changing as it now headed straight towards Mizuki's location. The huntress grabbed one of the rocks which had become dislodged and lifted it, a soft grunt escaping her as she held the stone in front of her to act as a shield. Moments later she could hear the sound of guns firing and a hail of bullets hitting the stone, shards and chips flying as the surface exposed to the sentry quickly became cratered. However, the sentry's firepower wasn't enough to immediately destroy the stone, and once it had gotten in range Mizuki pressed her foot down against the wall, activating her trap.

One of the many bricks forming the wall was abruptly pushed out, falling towards the ground and embedding itself into the dirt. From the hole a vine-like root shot out towards the sentry, wrapping around it and pulling it towards the wall. The machine's lights flashed as it began to shoot at the root instead, but the wooden tendril proved to be resilient enough that the sentry couldn't immediately free itself.

Dropping the broken stone she'd been using as a shield Mizuki reached out and grabbed one of the "wings" the sentry used to fly, holding it in place while smashing her fist into the part that looked the most like a face. Hardened fist met metal, and metal caved as Mizuki disabled the machine permanently. She was somewhat worried that such a method would also destroy the part of the machine that the MIT might want, but these buggers were designed to call for help if they found themselves outmatched, so ripping the wings off would just mean that she'd get swarmed by reinforcements.

Placing the broken sentry on a secure part of the wall Mizuki returned to waiting for the next one to appear. There were countless magia left, so a single sentry wasn't going to cut it. She was going to be here for a long time if she wanted to make any progress, and if she wanted to procure enough samples for the MIT to get any use out of her work.

Rolls

Mizuki has positioned herself on Vintergard's wall and is drawing in sentries to capture them both to help reclaim Vintergard and to gather more materials for MIT to study.

Roll Result
1d100 (7) 25 + 25 = 57
Magias Without A Cause | Ueno Mizuki | 1815

Hanno Futaba · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 1/3 (1 AP spent)
Location: Finweald
Prompt: Propagate Support
Narrator Tag: N/A

As Hanno patrolled the town with a couple of squires during a break, a small commotion of landers and UI-Locked started.

"I don't think I can keep living in a place so... Abandoned. And with a ferocious monster under our feet too. What will be of us if it unleashes its wrath once again?!" A man protested, seeming to argue with another, while many others circled them, muttering at each other.

"What if it unleashes its wrath again? They have it under control! I'm sure. They wouldn't put something so dangerous loosely locked in thin ropes... Right..?" One retorted.

"It could be buried a thousand feet under the land. If it is alive, I can't trust it!" He frowned. "Why did they have to leave that thing alive..? I'm only here because my wife trust on them... But how... How can I do it? If only I could convince her to move away..." His fist clenched.

Listening to it, Hanno approached, soon interrupting the commotion.

"I... We are tired of keep running away from danger. To be attacked over and over, only ever fighting back when so many of us fall, when those that we love and care for keep dying from a danger we never saw coming." Hanno said, with those feelings coming in the depths of his heart... Especially upon the flashing memories reminding him of the merciless shower of corpses one of the corrupted magia had done... Not because she wished, but because she was controlled.

His fist clenched. "Now... They are even using ourselves to try to destroy each other, by forcing our magia allies to attack us... We can't fall for this." Hanno approached, raising his arm high and placing a hand on the man's shoulder, and looking up at him.

"When I say us, I don't mean the travelers, as you call me or them." He gestured with a quick tilt of his head to a @Elesis Blackstone. "I mean us, both travelers and people of the land. We are together in this, we are fighting together against it. We need to make this world safer for all of us... And we won't be able to do it, if we just sit down and keep waiting the next threat to come and ruin everything we have built again, and again."

His eyes remained locked on the man. "We are trying to find answers. And we will find them, in a way or another, so we can keep our home safe."

The man looked at Hanno for a long moment, with his scowl softening for a moment, even if not fading entirely... Finding himself sinking into thoughts once again before he turned to glare the faerin, nearly pushing him away abruptly, but halting halfway through, taking a deep breath before calmly pushing Hanno's hand away from his shoulder.

"You better be right, knight." He said, averting his gaze. "I can afford to rebuild my home, but I can't rebuild my family if these monsters take them away." His lips frowned, and her turned away.

Eventually, the group of troubled landers, and UI-Locked as well, dispersed. Not all of them were entirely convinced, but many were, and the ones who weren't, now had one thing to keep in their minds, that tried to contradict their doubts.

So they were together in this? What would be the point of fighting off your allies, instead of joining forces and hopes against the great evil?

Whether those questions were going to be considered, only the future could tell.

Rolls

Hanno is trying to raise the spirits of the worried minds, that are possibly having second thoughts whether they should truly trust on the Starcalled or not.

Expertise Check
2d100 (Advantage) (76, 80) + 25 = 105
Presence | Hanno Futaba | Propagate Support | 1815
(Asch told Hanno's Hero Title is guaranteed, so according to Pan, the Advantage Check is fine!)

Vina Skysong · Mar 26, 2023

AP:: 0/3 (2 AP spent)
Location:
Finweald
Prompt:
Pub Knight
Narrator Tag:
@Pandora*

Humming to herself Vina wandered through the streets of Finweald, as usual a soft breeze trailing behind her as if an invisible tail. It was a bright day, and even if winter was still lingering it was clear that spring was coming, which meant that soon they could celebrate the return of green life to the world. Although in Finweald there would be a lot less people present than before...

It was a bit disheartening to see how many people had left Finweald behind in the aftermath of the assault on Vintergard. Where before the streets were brimming with activity Vina now barely had to worry about foot traffic as her own feet let her upwards, towards the centre of the city. Finweald's size and status as capital had been due to Vintergard's fall three years ago, so in some way this could be considered a return to how it was before. Still, the city felt emptier now.

If it wasn't for Vina's upbeat nature she might have gotten depressed by it. As it was she just hoped that everyone who no longer felt safe in Astorea found a new home they could feel welcome in, and trusted that Finweald and the rest of Astorea would bounce back. Even now she saw Landers and Travelers alike stand up and resume their lives, striving towards a better future rather than wallowing in the past.

While her wandering could appear aimless at a glance the vixen did actually have a goal in mind: a pub on the other side of the city. She was feeling like giving a small performance and then enjoying a drink, as the afternoon was already growing old and the sun was slowly sliding back down towards the horizon, even if there were still plenty of hours left before the night reclaimed the skies. Familiar as she was with the city by this point she traversed the urban landscape quickly, even hopping down from one street onto another at a lower altitude, the wind slowing down her descent so she didn't harm herself or others.

Reaching the pub she had in mind she pushed the door open and stepped inside, only to quickly realise that there were less people inside than she'd been expecting. Maybe it was still too early in the day? Shaking her head the azure-eyed songstress's gaze fell upon one of the few customers, a well-known figure amongst the Lions even if Vina had never really talked to her in person before.

Hello Sarina, squire Vina Skysong here~ Would you mind if I joined you~?

If Vina had never talked to Sarina before that just meant she could use this opportunity to change that. The playful vixen ordered a drink even as she sat down next to her fellow Lion, her tail swishing slowly from side to side behind her as she exhaled and stretched in her seat, letting the warmth of the tavern flow through her.

Aah~ Spring is already around the corner, isn't it? I'm looking forward to watching the green return~ The weather's already getting better!

As her drink arrived she took a small sip before falling silent for several seconds. Her mood remained as upbeat as always, her expression friendly even if a bit more thoughtful than usual as she gazed at the opposite wall before speaking up again.

Spring will also be a good opportunity for us to focus on the future. It's been a rough couple of months, but we made it through~

Unlike some people Vina didn't believe that Astorea was doomed to constantly be facing one crisis after another. Sure, life in Terrasphere had been hectic for quite some time now, but most of those problems had either been dealt with or weren't an immediate concern, so unless something new just popped up out of nowhere now was a good time to build up and look after the people, rather than running after whatever disaster was demanding everyone's attention.

Which also means I should do my best to help out~ So, is there anything this lowly squire could help you out with sir knight~? Whether it's small or big, as long as it's not lifting something heavy I can try my hand at it~

She gave Sarina a friendly smile, the corner of her mouth curled up in a light smirk as her eyes sparkled with playful affection. She knew that most people were having a hard time just resuming life after everything that had happened, so while she wouldn't want to presume anything it was possible that Sarina could also use a helping hand, literally and/or figuratively.

Rolls

Vina has joined Sarina in the pub, being her usual cheerful and optimistic self and inquiring whether there's anything Sarina might need or want help with.

Crimson Ruby · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 0/3 (1 AP spent)
Location: Embertorch's Ruins
Prompt: Relight the Torch
Narrator Tag: N/A

Ruby couldn't believe when she saw the Embertorch in ruins.

Anger and frustration boiled inside of her heart at first, but she tried her best to push those feelings away... At least momentarily. She needed to bring a solution, along with the others that were working so hard to rebuild that place. She couldn't just afford to bury herself in rage just yet.

Swiftly, Ruby darted around the Embertorch, with materials tucked under her arm and orders in her mouth and mind.

"Here! Listen, gather as many Golden and Orange Whistles to try and get rid of the rubbles. Those with physical strength can brute force things, those with magic, make it easier for them... Especially if we have geomancers. They would be really helpful right now." Ruby told as she handed the materials.

"As for the higher ranked Whistles, they take care of rebuilding and overseeing the others, alright? I will be doing some roaming myself." Ruby said, before continuing to wander around the ruins, hoping that she could help with anything else.

Rolls

Ruby is using her dynamism and speed to quickly deliver messages, items and instruct people on what they need to do to keep restauring the Embertorch.

Expertise Check
1d100 (24) + 50 + 20 = 94
Presence | Crimson Ruby | Relight the Torch | 1815

Marigold Diablo · Mar 26, 2023

AP:: X1/3
Spend 2 AP ("Overseer")
Location:
MIT Headquarters Public Area
Prompt:
"Overseer": @Nin can be found here, she is leading the repairs of the public area.
Narrator Tag:
@Pandora

Since her death at the hands of Szofrit, Marigold had been harder at work trying to get better at... well anything though primarily magic. Not knowing how really anything worked in the world, and believing that she had accidentally summoned Szofrit herself with her magic, Marigold had decided that she needed to be able to fix any magical problems she made or else everyone would be mad at her. That would in turn make this game even harder than it already was.

"Alright, Marigold. We're just going to reach into the frog and pull out a simple fireball wand."

Since her battle with the machine goddess lady, Marigold had learned to pull magic wands out of her pet frog. Don't think too hard on it.

"Actually, doesn't even have to be fireball. Can be lighting bolt, anything that just shoots something that damages. We're leaving a wide berth here so really anything that shoots something that does damage is a win. Okay, here we go."

Holding out Majolica, the magical frog Marigold had found and tamed next to a river Marigold reached into the frog's mouth and pulled out a simple looking wooden wand with a tag.

"Let's see what we got here... 'special occurrence: soon you might make a new friend'. Why do these things always sound like fortune cookies? Well, fail on the fireball but gotta look on the bright side of things like this. Maybe the friend will be a dragon that I can call up for help or something."

Taking the wand, Marigold swung it then suddenly vanished.

****moments later, 12 feet above a public area in MIT Headquarters****

"Oh that definitely upset my tummy, where..."

And she was falling. As Marigold tumbled down she began shouting a colorful variety of obscenities before she remembered her Faerin mana mantle, which happened to look like a parachute with a little clown face on it. Very embarrassing.

Landing safely on the ground, Marigold approached the first person she saw.

"Wow, looks like someone threw a real rager over here, huh? I don't envy the saps that have to whip out the brooms on this one, ya know what I'm saying?"

Marigold winked knowingly.

"Oh, I'm Marigold by the way. Marigold Diablo. Sorceress Supreme of... the world?"

Rolls

unceremoniously approached Nin and struck up a conversation.

Roll: N/A

Ishtar · Mar 26, 2023

AP:: 2/3 1 AP spent
Location: Surrounding Area
Prompt: Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: N/A

Resentment. Loathing. Spite. Hatred. Bubbling emotions and curdling feelings permeated the small campsite that the landers had finished setting up just a few hours before. Night had fallen, and the stars glittered in the sky. It would have been beautiful to them, if it didn't hurt so much. The men and women huddled together around the fire in silence, wondering once again just how far they would have to travel to settle some place away from the influence of those damned Starcalled.

How many people had lost their lives? How many landers had to suffer because of the power struggles between these self-proclaimed masters of the world. A woman wept. A child asked when they would see their parents. A man grit his teeth and held his face in his hands. Behind them, Teresa watched them with sympathy. She'd been a member of the forward vanguard during the battle against Szofrit and the Magia and had seen more than her fair share of bloodletting at the orders of the Starcalled.

She closed her eyes and stilled her heart, the rage bubbling up again. She needed to focus on getting these people through the wilderness safely. The sound of footsteps, inaudible to ordinary people, caught her attention and she turned her head slowly as to not alert the others and start a panic. A man was standing not far away from the camp, he looked rested and well kept for being this far out in the woods. A thrill went up her spine when she saw his eyes, he'd killed as many as she had, if not more. Who was this guy?

"Stay put," She ordered the others who were starting to pick up on something being wrong. She approached the man and he inclined his head to her before she spoke. "I am Warrant Officer Teresa. Who are you?"

"Conscript Jacques, I served in the Vanguard. I've come ahead of her," He said cryptically.

"Who?" She demanded, resting her hand on the pommel of her weapon. He probably wasn't lying about having served as well, given his appearance, but something was wrong.

"The Pale Lady. An enemy of the Starcalled," He said bluntly, drawing the attention of the others.

An enemy of the Starcalled? Who in their right mind would fight those monsters? Her lips thinned. "What does she want?"

He smiled at her and held up his hand and twitched his fingers, his muscles bulged as a faint light rippled from his body. He tilted his head as magic began to boil in around him. "She let me hunt a pair of starcalled a few days ago. I wet my axe on them," He said coldly, "She gave me this strength. She can give it to you too."

Teresa's blood went cold. She whipped her head back at the faces of those she was protecting. Their eyes were so... she shuddered and looked back at him. But she could feel the strength radiating off of him, this wasn't the power of a lander. He looked her in the eyes, there was a strange sense of relief in them, like he'd found peace in his path of blood. Satisfaction. Her fingers went numb around the pommel of her sword as she tightened her grip.

"...what does she want in exchange?" One of the men asked.

"For us to gather our strength, and to serve her when the time comes for us to punish the Starcalled," Jacques said simply, not taking his eyes off Teresa's.

Teresa swallowed hard, "These people need shelter."

"Rest here then, I will come in the morning and lead you to the others, we are traveling to her grove, you have until tomorrow to decide," Jacques said, releasing the magic that was strengthening him. He turned and left without a word. Teresa felt weak as all the tension left her. She turned to the others and saw the looks in their eyes. Of them, three had taken leading roles in their flight. Those three already made their decision. She pressed her lips together and nodded. The Starcalled needed to pay, but she wasn't going to be convinced just yet.

Ishtar lounged in her tree, her divination magic working its way through the crystal ball as her distant gaze followed Jacques. She quirked her lip in a smile and caressed the shining sphere as a pair of glowing, corrupted faerin danced nearby. "That's the second group, well done Jacques," She purred.

Jacques didn't stop marching, "I will not fail you, my Lady," His voice echoed out of the sphere.

"I know you won't, take care of them for me, I'll make arrangements with my children here so that they'll be well taken care of. You have my word, dearie," Ishtar said and gestured to the two corrupt faerin. They nodded and flew away while she dismissed the crystal ball. She stretched out languidly and let out a contented sigh, "This is so much fun~"

Rolls

Ishtar begins to draw in Lander refugees to her cult through her minion, Jacques, who she encountered at the end of the battle against Szofrit.

Roll Result
1d3 (3) = 3
Presence | Ishtar | Lander Exodus

Aalam Abungu · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 1/3
1 AP spent.
Location:
Surrounding area/ on the bridge between Astorea and Tertoria,
Prompt:
The Starforged Bridge
Narrator Tag:

He reached into his pocket and pulled out another set of dried leaves, hammering it into his pipe as he leaned on the bridge's supports. It was well made. Strong enough that it would be able to hold a solid number of people leaving, and no part of it would break under the weight of the refugees. There was a good thing it meant that people would at least feel safe when walking over the piece, even if the state of the world was changing dramatically and quickly. Taking a long pull from his pipe, letting that smoke fill his lungs before he blew out a long stream of it into the air; it was something simple, a pleasant scent that would help those that were walking along the bridge, nothing too heavy, that it would overpower the air and make people look to him. It was just a simple scent, a flavoring of vanilla mixed with the smoke of a hearth; it had taken him a while to grow a plant that would smell like that when it was burning. And it was even more of a hassle to make sure that he could produce a seed, so if he needed to plant more, it would still work out well.

However, he needed to keep his focus on those that were crossing the bright. He could feel that pull from that pit, that abyss making every step feel like it was a weight on them in a way that made movement unbearable. He knew that feeling, as there was a bit of that Dissonant wrapped up in his soul, as he liked to say, or maybe he had been in this game so long that the idea of it was one he couldn't avoid. Either way, he had to pay attention; the mental stress from someone going over the edge would be terrible, so he watched and waited. It was a slow thing and a thing that took most of his attention as he looked over the group of people walking through the section he had decided to watch over; most of them seemed to be good. A few on edge ended up being pushed near the railing he had made, which was good as the mixture of flowers there was made to help bring them back down. He would have to keep that in mind for later which combination of scents was able to keep a person from reaching that riot point and if he had someone with Harmonic magic would have been better here, but they had been pushed to other locations to stop a mass exodus from the capital. That would be another problem because it would leave the city without a means to feed itself. Damn it, Astor, why did you have to be a good man?

Shaking the thought from his head as his attention was pulled to someone else on the bridge; they had stopped and caused a bit of a pile-up near one of the edges. It seemed that his breathing had become sharp, and so he had stopped that; what a problem because he was causing a point where the movement stopped, and he needed them to keep moving, or else there was a chance that other people might stop and listen to the voice telling them to end it all. So he pressed his fingers to the guard rail he had made with his vines earlier and had them move up the path to where his fingers were and push back into the palm of his head. Letting him feel something solid to follow, and as he did, a set of blue roses seemed to burst into bloom along that guard rail pulling the man along to the bridge. He was avoiding the color red to make sure it didn't set anyone off, and it seemed to work as the man kept moving and the little traffic spot easied up.

Rolls

Add a path to the guide rail that seems to pull people along with flowers and pay attention to people who seem to be the worst affected by hyper sense.

Mastery Check
1d100 (68) + 25 = 93
Hyper Sense | Aalam Abungu | Thread Code

Bluebird · Mar 29, 2023

AP: 1/3 (1 AP spent, 1 remaining)
Location: Grania Trail, Western Brisshal
Prompt: Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: N/A

Bluebird had experience weathering the ire of others. People looking down on her, or people thinking she was something... lesser, or dangerous, or somehow broken. She knew how to put on a smile and endure, even as people glared and spat and refused her helping hands.

She knew how to change minds. Here in Terrasphere, it was easier than ever.

The song she let pass through her lips was a Lander tune, a prayer for the gods to watch over their travels. The magic winding through it was meant to amplify that hope. Here in the darkness of Western Brisshal, home to all sorts of foes, such hope was needed to keep going.

"We are not all the same," Bluebird often repeated. There were those that recognized her as a Traveler. She could not hide the strangeness of her bright feathers and wings. She found it was better not to try. It was more honest that way, and any trust it earned was a victory.

A curious child pulled away and whispered to by a fearful mother. A man who lingered a little too near, his hand ever near the blade at his belt. Bluebird saw all of them and kept her smile up. She would guide gentle winds along the path to keep away winter's chill. She would call on the stars to divine their path. She would drive back the beasts of the woods with storm and starlight.

"We are not gods. We too are fallible." Sometimes, she saw familiar faces within the caravans. People she had met in Finweald. Sometimes they smiled at her. Many more turned away. "You have been wronged. I wish only to make things right."

A song for gratitude. A song for courage. And when night fell and weary travelers gathered around flickering fire to keep them warm, a song of reflection. A song to give voice to the grief of broken promises and left-behind dreams.

♫
For new beginnings may appear beyond this dark frontier,
A sweeter story...

Bluebird loved this world. Loved it more than the world that had birthed her. All the light in her life had been born here, and she would give everything to protect that light. She would never again let that grey world drown her again.

Even if it meant fighting against her own.

Rolls

Bluebird is helping Landers traveling through Western Brisshal reach Falderen safely, and in the process spreading the word that not all Travelers agree with Astorea's policies.

Roll Result
2d3 (1 + 3) = 4
Lander Exodus (+1d from 30 Presence) | Bluebird | 1815

Yugam · Mar 26, 2023

Another pile of charred wood and broken stones clattered and cracked as Yugam tossed more debris onto the pile, pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow. When he'd first stepped into Terrasphere, he'd never really expected humanitarian aid to be one of the things he'd be doing in the game, and yet here he was. Neither did he really expect to rise to the rank of Black Whistle so soon.

The man reached into his shirt and pulled out the black whistle, hanging around his neck on a cord, and held it in his open palm. The truth of the matter was he didn't deserve this. It hadn't even been a year since he'd first dropped into Arcia. And even less that he'd been a Whistle. How many had died fighting Szofrit, and her magia? More than Yugam could count. He couldn't pretend to have known most of them, he couldn't pretend to grieve for them, but the massive loss of life, not just that of Whistles or Starcalled, but of everyone, was not lost on the man. Not only that, but after the Szofrit's capture had been announced, even more had left. There were so few of them left. He'd gotten to where he was due to circumstance. Not merit. That idea left a bitter taste in the man's mouth.

But there'd be time to ruminate later. There was more work to be done.

Rolls

Yugam helps clean the debris and begin reconstruction efforts.

Expertise Check
2d100 (Advantage) (77, 24) + 50 = 127

Fitness | Yugam | 1815

Catherine Haust · Mar 26, 2023

AP:: 1/3 1 AP spent
Location: Hall of Heroes
Prompt: To the Fallen
Narrator Tag: N/A

Catherine stood at the side of the training grounds, her hands on her hips. Emerald eyes watched the men and women continue their exercises, racing back and forth as they carried large, long, weighted bags of grain made to simulate the body of the average sized adult. They each ran two hundred feet before setting the bag down with their teammates before switching out and beginning the mad dash all over again, returning the bag to where it had come from. Her expression was stony but she was proud of them regardless.

"Inquisitor?" A voice called out from behind.

She waved a hand at the trainees and urged them to keep the trial going while she turned to greet the person who approached. It was a lander with a wizened face and the heavy robes of a clerk. He stared down at the ground for a moment, rubbing his hands together, before approaching. She waited for him to get within a few feet before fully turning to face him.

"I am Derek, a representative of the village near here," He said hesitantly, "I know you are quite busy miss, but we heard that you are ordained in the church of Endra. Is this true?"

Catherine raised an eyebrow, "It is a requirement to become an inquisitor, yes," She paused, "A funeral?"

He winced and looked at her wide eyed, "H-how did you know?"

She gave him a sympathetic look, "Where do you need me?" She said with an easy smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. He tensed a little at the touch but relaxed after a moment, gesturing to the Hall of Heroes.

"M-many of the lander priests and priestesses are unavailable, but a service must be held for the soldiers as a whole, you see, I wouldn't dare take up the time of a Starcalled let alone a Knight of the Pride, but-" She cut him off with a raised hand.

"I'll get my robes, when do you need me to start?" She asked.

"The faithful are waiting now," He said sadly. She grimaced, the priest in attendance must have left. Damn. So many landers had decided to leave the area after what had happened. She closed her eyes and let out a breath, so be it.

She turned to the trainees, "There is a service for the fallen coming shortly! I expect some if not all of you have lost someone! We're ending training here today, clean yourselves and come to the hall or get some rest! Dismissed!"

Catherine strode into the room with her robes fluttering around her, the stoll around her shoulders bound to her waist with a sash. The holy symbol of Endra hung around her neck as she slowly stepped out of the priest's isolation room and out into the sanctuary. Statues of numerous gods respected by the people stood in effigy here and there. She didn't pause, turning her gaze to the congregation that had gathered. Men and women. Landers and Starcalled. Soldiers and Civilians. They all looked up at her with sadness in their eyes.

She turned away from them and raised the holy symbol to her lips, kissing it once before lowering herself to her knees and pressing her head to the floor. She let out a quiet breath as chimes rang, young men and women who had volunteered stepped out in simple robes carrying either candles or incense burners. They stood stoically at either side of the altar that dominated the raised platform where Catherine knelt.

Beneath her breath she uttered a simple prayer ahead of the service; "Goddess of Law, Queen of Justice, forgive your servant as she leads this flock in prayer. Know that I am yours, even as I guide prayers of others. Shine your splendor upon these people, so that they may find peace."

She rose to her feet and raised her hands, looking up at the statues. "Blessed are the gods of this realm, eternal and without end."

The chimes of the bells rang out;

"The chorus of your servants calls up,
the song of our hearts as one voice.
May we pave our way through our acts
May we find the path through our thoughts
May we bear our souls, and find peace.

Blessed are the gods!

Those martyrs who rose up as a shield.
Tyldr, favor them.
Those martyrs who bled their last for us.
Synra comfort and guide them.
Those martyrs who travel to your domain.
Urukhan, watch over them.

Blessed are the gods!

We grieve as one, o blessed host.
For the young who were slain
and are carried away across the river
to find their destination.
May the goddess of guides show them the way.

Blessed are the gods!

We cry out with pride, o blessed host.
For the ones who stood tall
shine your light upon them
and may the sun warm their backs
May the lord of the sun smile at them.

Blessed are the gods!

We wait in anticipation, o blessed host.
For the day we too will join them
prepare us the way
and guide us to those we loved
May the lord of the dead await us.

Blessed are the gods!

To they who suffered and fell
who are now trapped in a world not their own
protect these people
and give them comfort in this last life.

Blessed are the gods..."

She paused, and held out her hand, ready for what was to come next. One of the volunteer acolytes approached with a thick roll of paper and she felt her heart ache. She nodded to him and closed her eyes to steady herself before unravelling it.

"Give rest and protection to your servants;

Aaron, Ace, Annabelle, Armand..."

Every name written on the tearstained paper, every single one.

Rolls

Catherine began the memorial service for the fallen.

Roll Result
1d100 (75) = 75
Prayer to Endra | Catherine Haust | To the Fallen | 1815

Seigi Ling Ling · Mar 26, 2023

AP: 1/3 (2 AP spent)
Location:
Camp Hope
Prompt:
Stars of the Land
Narrator Tag:
@Pandora*

There was a lot to unpack, and so much to do. From aiding the Lions, to rebuilding the city, convincing the populace, to rescuing Magi. Yet, most of this mess stemmed from but one problem: Dissonance. And in the years of Disappearance and the DRAGON.End, Seigi's contact with Tertoria had been... limited. Thanks to their closed nature, Seigi's knowledge about Tertoria boiled down to a few visits, the cooperation around Titanius, and whatever fragments Nanami was willing to share.

Thus, Seigi was very well aware of the fact of how Tertoria treated Dissonance, and those infected. Yet... Seigi hasn't exactly succumbed, and her relationship with Nanami was particular. There was just too much thinking for one lone girl to do, too many questions. And what ultimately moved the world were actions, not thoughts.

"Hey!" She called out, walking through Camp Hope that was in the middle of... pretty much becoming Tertoria's Embassy...? She just wanted to talk... with a bigshot or something, though most seemed too busy doing their thing to even pay attention to Seigi. All the more power to her to walk ~~sneak~~ deeper into places she maybe wasn't allowed to.

"I'm looking for Saya, Kiri, Des?" Just a few of the names she burned into her mind on these few clashes they had together. Clearly, a Lander knowing the names of bigshots like those ought to do something! There were, of course, also those tech weirdos! But this had to do for now.

Rolls

Seigi is ~~sneaking~~ walking into the Tertorian Embassy and is spitting random insider facts to get attention... maybe someone even recognizes her!?

Roll Result
1d100 (85) = 85
Stars of the Land

Complete Megathread Story Quest (Active World Event) As the World Turns

Pandora*

❮ Narrator ❯

Aalam Abungu

Erick Stryker

❮ Blade of Hope ❯

Luthien

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

MAI

❮ Hymn of Tomorrow ❯

Luthien

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

Ronja Bubblyfoot

❮ Steel Reaver ❯

Imoogi

Magia

Fiora Di Angelo

❮ Raging Flame ❯

Ueno Mizuki

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Hanno Futaba

❮ Shield of Hope ❯

Vina Skysong

❮ Lyrical ❯

Crimson Ruby

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Marigold Diablo

Ishtar

Aalam Abungu

Bluebird

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Yugam

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Catherine Haust

Seigi Ling Ling

❮ Dissonant Exterminator ❯