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

Aalam Abungu · Apr 21, 2023

AP: 0/3
1 AP spent.
Location:
Surrounding area
Prompt:
Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag:

He stepped up shop working on those people leaving the city, working on slowing them down and trying to bring them back into the place. But damn, he wasn't good at it; this was for someone that was able to look at a person and make them understand that they would be safe, that they would be able to protect them and their family hell, it was one of the few things that the starcalled could do better than most, but he was an old rugged person. His face looked the part like he had been fighting for a long time and never really going to go away because he would always be fighting for the city. He was always working on getting better because when he stopped when he let himself drink until he blacked out, a giant mech army came and blew everything up and put people in this situation. So he kept picking out people that seemed like they would be easy to convince, listening to their conversations as they passed only to join them mid-way and plant the idea in their head that it was easier to rebuild than to start a new life somewhere else.

Never staying around for too long after they had reached that point in the conversation because it might then backfire on him. But he went from group to group, sowing the idea that it was easier to rebuild than to start anew. That it would be less challenging with most of the stars called looked to make up for the damages they caused, and one of the points that he always hammered home was that in the end, the star called won. When the city's back was to the wall, they had been able to turn it around and protect the place, protect it against something that had made the gods turn their eyes down upon it in action. In the end, they won.

Rolls

Working to stop the exodus and convince people to come back.
Mastery Check
1d100 (61) + 25 = 86

Hyper Sense | Aalam Abungu | Thread Code

Pandora* · Apr 22, 2023

Luthien tried once again.

The elf from another world, the real world. This person continued to ask the god of a virtual one to help an NPC within it. Going as far as to use mythos that were parallel to the world of said god.

Yet the Alfather was a god of elves.
A god of Yladians.
A god of nature.
...but also a watcher of sorts.

This "Steph"... what was she to him?

Who can understand the whims of gods? Especially one who watches balance? Not many gods care for such things preferring their own domains... unless...

This being. This soul. This "Elf"

She may find her energy to be better than usual for a while... just to see what she can do...

<Luthien has gained 2 AP for this cycle! Max 4!>

"Excuse me... do you have the time to answer a few questions? I was curious about what's happening here."

The woman turned to him. She smiled softly. She seemed young, perhaps early twenties but had signs of age around the eyes. As if she had been drained of youth in a way one might expect from an explorer or adventurer but the clothes she wore were distinctly D.E.S. Perhaps she had seen many horrors in her life.

"High March has to be more closely monitored. After Titanius the dissonance has just kept multiplying and has left containment... we are here so that there will be no more Szofrits. No more infected that can become that dangerous again. With the containment broken, we have to do what Lady Des does every day... the world is so much larger than any of us could..."

Shaking her head she gestured at the still-damaged areas of the camp.

"The people of Arcia... are now under the threat we wer-... oh isn't that?"

The tired star chosen rushed past Ash. The crystal embedded into her exposed stomach gleaming. It reacted to the dissonance still lingering within the caenis man but...

The newcomer dropped to his knees as the young woman knelt beside him. He waved her off and stood. Several pieces of his body looked strange. As if he was covered in golden paint.

Theme

Maximilian Faulkner shook his head and wearily went past her to a large crate and sat on it. Resting a quiver next to him and adjusted his sword at his side as he struggled to relax his body.

The blonde man was an oddity even in his own home. A man who sought to uphold the ways of generations prior and the tales of kings and castles. Horseriding and arrow over the bullet. Slowly he was becoming less and less relevant. Yet chivalry was his way. Now a world all around him had just that. The country far to the east... the edge of the continent where great blue expanded. He and his always overly "exquisite" lady were not so strange after all but...

"I'm fine. Just let me rest. Those blasted scoundrels! I know they have her. Why!? What is left to..."

"Sir Faulkner! You have to let it go. She is an Oracle... she will return just like the Acolyte divined. If she doesn't... it won't come to that!"

"Fate is what brought me to the service of my lady. I will be the one who saves her myself. That will be the next fated moment for me. It must! I must uphold my oath... I won't accept any other fate."

Seeing Ash, he immediately noticed the ears and a nod to him.

"Caenis I take it? You look concerned. The D.E.S. are good women. They often start young and live their entire lives doing things most of us would find impossible. Dissonance will hopefully see less emergence with this. If only this much effort were put into finding my lady..sigh. I am Maximilian. The... well right now I'm just a traveler haha...urgh.

He rubbed his hand as the golden paint looked to be fading away. The woman from earlier ran back to him and looked at it carefully.

"That's the golden curse. The Gilded Aura of that dissonance. Where did you go?!"

"It's not over. That cursed queen is still out there. That's all I can say.. please it will heal on its own. You needn't spend energy on an old-fashioned man like myself. I can wait it out."

He looked at Ash and patted for him to take the makeshift seat next to him as he opened a bag of dried meat and took a bite out of it. The woman gave a glance to Ash and placed a hand on his chest.

"You.. caenis man. May need to see an Origin's Acolyte before long. It looks like you've spent too much time around dissonance..."

She looked too tired to explain and left.

"Ha.. care for a bite? It's nothing special but it works for long journeys. Sadly I cannot slay massive beasts and drag them around for the long term like Lady Saya can. I eat what I can carry. I'm sorry, is beast inappropriate around you? You do look more like the rare beastkin back home. Very well dressed good manI I've only seen the more wild ones after visiting Astorea for the first time. Like the one that almost burned my supply convoy!

Seeming to be in slightly better spirits he takes another bite and continues to rest on the large crate.

<WARNING: @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.>

Luthien · Apr 22, 2023

No real answer had ever come from visiting the shrine, and yet something within her had felt different once she’d left her offering for the Alfather the last time. There was a lightness to her steps, a surge of energy that the elf hadn’t been aware of before until now, and a restlessness that wouldn’t pry itself away from the ranger until she’d finally made up her mind.

It was the little things that probably caught his attention that evening, the light frown of her brows or perhaps the way her nails quietly picked at the skin around her fingers from time to time. Little habits that she’d often display whenever she was in deep thought, usually over a topic or another that either bothered the blonde or was of importance to her. Even her sleep that night had started off poorly and, after enough tossing and turning, he had asked what was on her mind.

She’d never been one to depend on others to solve her problems before… though she’d also lacked people she could trust and rely on at that time. There had been a slight hesitation on her part at first, but eventually the girl had confided the wild idea running through her mind to her lover. He’d listened for the most part, with the occasional question here and there, mainly revolving on who Steph actually was. It would be dangerous to go back there, and she was well aware that this was mainly just a shot in the dark, but there was no place else that Lúthien could think of.

"Never thought I’d be back here so soon… it still looks like shit." A long and bumpy carriage ride had brought them back to Camp Hope days later, a place that held many bittersweet memories, but there was little time to reminisce about the spot where they had first found one another in-game—their steps quickly taking them out of the familiar camp and its safety as they head out into the ruins.

His experience with the terrain had made Yugam the navigator of their two-man party, she always trusted him to find the correct path, and the pair of explorers had expertly weaved through rubble and rogue magitech enemies until they reached the area where the massive battle had taken place. With the many Guild requests a part of her had feared the landscape might’ve been too compromised to find any proper clues, instead she was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the signs of their combat still remained... even if parts were peppered by fresher sets of footprints and wheel tracks from the excursions others had done.

It wasn’t hard to find the particular patch where the golden egg had once rested, Lúthien doubted she could ever mistake it with how much time she’d actually spent within it as the fight had progressed. The dragmarks were still lightly present from when Emm’s egg had been taken away and into the headquarters of MIT, and she couldn’t help the way her eyes lingered on a particular spot for a few moments before finally continuing on.

One thing at a time…

"I think it was around…" Her gaze trailed back into the task at hand, measuring the distance from where the golden egg had once rested as her steps slowly took her towards the presumable spot she’d suddenly apparate into without warning. Quite the disorienting experience, especially when done unannounced, and truth be told it was a traveling form Lúthien still wasn’t sure if she was honestly ready for. "... there?"

A hand extended towards a different direction, her fingers pointing at a general area to denote the ground where she believed that Stephanie had last stood on before the unlucky pull of her card had yeeted the redhead into who knew where. Her gaze trailed towards the man to confirm he was on the same page, a sheepish smile faintly tugging at the ends of her lips . "Maybe we can find a trace of something, anything that might’ve been overlooked back then…"

She might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack, and a small part of her perhaps even believed that would’ve yielded better results than this plan, before the blonde managed to shush the second-guessing voice within her mind as her steps carefully took Lúthien closer. Despite her own reservations this wasn’t the first time the elf had employed unexpected and out-of-the-box methods to locate someone, and while her eyes remained wide and alert to anything around them her senses also quietly attuned to her own elven magic.

There was no doubt that the quiet pull of fate had led her to Magi Heart so many months ago, confirmed by the thin red string that had connected them all at the time, and a similar tug had also caused the girl to redirect her steps when they’d been searching for Emm’s location through the vastness of Vintergard. Come on, Steph… where did you go? A hand rose to touch the moonstone secured around her neck, the coolness of it against her fingertips acting as a focus as Lúthien tapped into the astral energies that lingered around them… perhaps a clue had been left behind all this time, just one not visible to the naked eye?

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

❰ Lore Gremlin Check ❱
1d100 ❰ Lore Seeker ❱ Advantage (54, 51) = 54
Camp EX | Luthien

Lúthien returns to Camp Hope and, with the help of @Yugam, they head off towards the nearby battlefield to look for any clues that might hint to Steph’s possible whereabouts. Ever the creative one, and feeling particularly good after her last visit to the Alfather, Lúthien attempts to search for clues in a rather unconventional way…

Yugam · Apr 22, 2023

Unlike himself, Luthien usually had plenty of words to share with others. She was (at the risk of sounding cliché) the sun to his moon. And so the slowly quiet that washed over her over time had been a sign that was something was wrong. It wasn't the only one though. The way she picked at the skin around her nails. A spaced out stare, so incredibly uncommon, lost deep in thought. Uncomfortable shifts in weight as her lips pursed and drew themselves imperceptibly thinner.

When Yugam had finally asked her what was bothering her, he was almost as lost as if he'd never asked at all. He'd never met 'Steph'. And truth be told he didn't care what had happened to her beyond intense curiosity because of that fact. But Luthien cared, and that was enough of a reason for him to grow some semblance of concern for the mysterious woman.

What he could not do, however, was dispel the anxiety that he now associated with Camp Hope. It was like a cloud hanging over the whole place, cloying and thick, because not too far away was the home of the entities that had tried to wipe them all out.

That wasn't really what made the man anxious though. So much had happened at the camp, stuff that should have probably left the man with nightmares. And though he rarely dreamed, his mind was quite good at painting vivid images. As the pair had walked through the camp, his eyes had intentionally avoided the tattered medical tent, still stained with the dried blood of team Time EX.

"Never thought I'd be back here so soon… it still looks like shit."
"It'll always be shit," Yugam said, a slight hint of bitterness in his voice. There was no point to the camp any longer. The Dissonant didn't obey the rules of mortals, it seemed. They hadn't a need to cross borders or use roads. Ergo, the camp was just a small hill in the way of a giant, easily stepped over.

The pair walked into the ruins of the old city, the man navigating mostly from memory. It was a bit slower than usual though, Yugam's new body, its slightly changed proportions moving slightly differently making everything feel so awkward. It had been a sudden change, but necessary one. Yugam would have to adapt. Besides, it wasn't all bad. At least no one was going to tease him about being short anymore.

"I think it was around...there?"
"Go ahead and check it out. I'll look around the perimeter. Maybe something got blow away or something, I dunno."

As soon as Luthien was out of sight, Yugam let out a long exhale.

'When are you gonna tell her?' a voice asked in the man's mind.
'When it becomes a necessity,' he replied as lifted his bandaged arm, turning his palm up. Blood seeped from the covered wounds, seeping into the cloth until it was oversaturated and began to pool in his palm, then extending past it into a mirror of crystalline ichor.

@Luthien

Roll Result
1d100 (56) = 56

Yugam | Camp Hope + Champion Redux | 1815

*Note: At the end of the post, Yugam is using his Blood Echoes (DA) in an attempt to find out what happened to Steph

Vina Skysong · Apr 22, 2023

AP:: 2/3 (1 AP spent)
Location:
Hall of Heroes
Prompt:
To the Fallen
Narrator Tag:
N/A

Vina's steps were slower than usual as she entered the large room. As a squire she was familiar with the Hall of Heroes, but this was a place which she rarely visited. Not due to a lack of respect for either the divine or the deceased, but she much preferred to surround herself with the living.

However, she came here with a purpose. As the playful vixen looked around she saw the statues of the many deities that were worshipped in the region, as well as the candles which were lit in remembrance of the fallen. She could barely hear the winds in here, which she found both peaceful and unnerving.

As one might expect, the statue meant to evoke the image of Ys was at the other end of the room, large and imposing as it presided over the chapel like a judge over their courtroom. As magnificent as the statue might be, Vina could tell that it didn't receive a lot of attention: when only those of royal blood were considered fit to serve as your worshippers you relied on quality of prayer, not quantity.

But Ys was not why she was here. As she walked past the statues her eyes quickly fixed on the one which had her interest, the silver-haired vixen passing by depictions of Urukhan and Synra until she stood before the statue of the deity of nature and harmony, Gwyndolainn the Allfather. Androgynous to the point that he evoked feelings of jealousy in the female deities, but kind and powerful in equal measure, striving to create a world where nature and civilization can coexist, rather than forcing one to submit to the whims of the other.

For several seconds she stood there and looked up at the statue, then took a deep breath and sat down before it, crossing her legs and resting her staff across her lap. Her tail brushed against the well-kept marble floor as she looked up still, then finally spoke.

I guess I should first apologise for not talking to you more often. As a divine you stand for almost everything I admire: nature, harmony, and the bond between nature and people~ A world where everyone can coexist and be happy~ (She laughed softly.) But I'm not very good at talking to deities: I've never been one for formality, and people get upset about that. It's not a lack of respect: I just get very uncomfortable and awkward when I have to be all stiff and proper. I swear I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for you, and I hope you can overlook my casual self Allfather Gwyndolainn~

It was a good thing there was nobody else present: they might have tried to correct Vina as she talked to Gwyndolainn like he was a friend rather than a divine being of unfathomable power. As it was her melodious voice echoed faintly through the room, the druidic vulpis falling silent before continuing.

...A lot of people died. A single death is already a tragedy, so for so many people to leave us... It hasn't been easy. Of course, we're doing our best to keep going, but almost everyone has lost someone. (She paused.) Well, maybe not me, but when everyone is a friend you haven't met yet each death is the death of a friend, you know~? So many people I won't get to know better, won't be able to have fun with, won't be able to cheer up when they need cheering up. And if you add that to the even greater pain those who did know them must be feeling... (She faltered, blinked, her eyes wet.) It hurts. It hurts a lot, and it won't ever fully go away, just like the pain we felt back then.

One of her hands was tracing the lines on her staff, the wooden length of which the tip branched out and forked in a strong resemblance to a bolt of lightning. She inhaled sharply through her nose, then exhaled slowly, a brief shake of her head returning her to the present as she continued.

Sorry, I know the dead aren't your responsibility. I'll talk to Synra as well. But I do have two requests, and even if you can't or won't fulfil them I hope that you'll listen to them.

The first request... I want to ask if there's anything you can do to help the deceased. Even if they're not your responsibility, they risked their lives to protect those they cared for and restore harmony to the world, whether they knew it or not. Maybe Synra could use some help? From what I've heard she's a very kind one, so it can't be easy to always have to take care of the departed, especially when they still have regrets~

The second request... Is more part of your domain. We may have prevented Szofrit from making the situation worse, but there's still work to be done. Even without Szofrit draining energy to hatch her egg the Dragonship is still hogging the leylines to power itself, and it's causing all life in the area to wither away. Harmony won't be restored until we've put a stop to that.

The Yladians, your followers, told me about how you gave them the seed that birthed the Tangleweaves, a paradise of life and growth in which flora and fauna thrive. Without the Allfather Tree you blessed the Yladians with it wouldn't be possible, so I'm hoping you can extend that blessing to us as well~

I'm planning to head into the Tangleweaves and retrieve a small part of the Allfather Tree, so I can cultivate it and use its power to help restore harmony to the land around Vintergard. Once we've disabled the remaining machines those who lost their homes can live there once more, and... I want those who gave their lives to rest easy. A life without them won't ever be as good as a life with them would have been, but we can still make the most of it so they don't have to worry about us~

So my second request is whether you can give me your blessing to enter the Tangleweaves and retrieve a cutting of the Allfather Tree, so I can use it to restore harmony and nature to Vintergard. You're probably too busy to listen to everyone who asks for your help, but I'm hoping you'll hear me out~ And of course, if there's anything I can do to help you or your followers I'll gladly do so~

Rolls

Vina prays to Gwyndolainn and asks him whether he can give her his blessing to use the power of the Tangleweaves and the Allfather Tree to restore nature in and around Vintergard.

Roll Result
1d100 (93) = 93
Vina Skysong | To the Fallen | 1815

Fiora Di Angelo · Apr 22, 2023

AP:: 2/3 1 AP spent
Location: Astorea
Prompt: Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: No

It was so hard to look at herself in a mirror out of the game. Within, she helped every soul she could to avoid an untimely fate. And in her own world she simply stood still, stagnating, decaying in a home she didn't want with people she didn't like. Eitherway, there weren't too many differences.

Fiora had her services hired in Finweald once again, and this time, for the messy price of zero gold. Not like people would pay much, or had much to pay at all in the first place, but the way out for the caravan, while messy, did grant her a better payment than expected, in a manner of speaking, that is, with the familiar sight of a bunny-folk that had seemingly gone AWOL for the past month or so.

"I thought you had left this place behind a long time ago." Were the elf's first words to her friend, or at least the only one she could rely on and the same one she abandoned despite being there on her friend list her entire time. But however she felt, her features just refused to twist into an apologetic expression, nor her voice sounded any less monotone at that. Despite how sorry she felt, or how deep her wish to hug the bun was, there is always something eating away at anything that isn't anger and spitting out nothing in it's wake. A cycle she had grown numb to, ironically.

The Landers seemingly ignored the fact they had another Starcalled joining them, if only because the two of them knew eachother, but Toko could have seen a few stressed faces and lowered gazes that didn't wish to meet her in the eye.

"What were you doing in Finweald? Just tagging along to help Landers or..." Her lips shut as the idea flickers through her mind while they walked down the road. Toko wasn't part of any of these 'groups' of sorts that Finweald housed, save for the one that remains neutral in the affair.

They joined the guild together, afterall, even if she parted ways with the fancy tags long ago.

"Nevermind, I'm just glad to see you are still around." She smiled

Rolls

Summary: Fiora is helping yet more landers get their backsides away from Finweald, this time having to cross to Falderen and taking a stop on honeyhome. On their way out of the starcalled city however, they crossed paths with a familiar bun-bun, @Toko.

Roll Result
1d3 (2) = 2

Fiora Di Angelo | Lander Exodus | 1815

Skyswimsky* · Apr 22, 2023

Hey, hey! I can see the village up ahead! Yaay!

Hopefully, Auntie Helen has some freshly baked starberry cookies for us!

Can get some if she has some? Preettty pplleeasseee??!!

They're very tasty.

But of course, as long as you'll behave, you shall be rewarded... hmmm?

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" The hoodlum, misjudged for his manner of speech, cried out in a mix of panic, pain, fear, and surprise as just about everything that counted as unholy emerged upon him. The other, more useful man stared blankly in shock. Just like the various bystanders that obviously happened to be around - considering it was a village and broad daylight. They were being treated like mere goblins!

Panic ensured, and the cries multiplied, as the woodcutter finally did the only smart thing left to do: Flee! "N-No! PLEASE... DON'T..." Yet, his fitness was no match for the waves of blood closing in on him despite the initial distance he built up.

A-Ah! What's this? I'm... scared.

Evil is afoot.

Stay here for a moment, will you? I'll take care of it...

"Noooo!!!" Hemomancy about to reach the woodcutter, he instinctively fell to the ground, covering his head in a last-ditch effort as.... nothing came?

Sic

The villainess wasn't too sure what exactly just happened as the tendrils of blood she had sent toward the woodcutter fell to the ground like a balloon of water that had just burst. Besides the faceless woodcutter was now a faceless man. For he wore a simple mask.

"Aahh? T-Thank you! Thank you so much...." The woodcutter looked up, his face of terror easing upon witnessing his savior. It was like a scene out of a fantasy novel! Something that only happened in fiction! The timely arrival of the very person that Darkness had been looking for. The two girls that accompanied him safely hid away the road down behind.

"Fear not, my fellow comrades!" His voice boomed over the village as some, if not most, of the simple folk, stopped in confusion and slight awe. He pointed at Darkness. The hoodlum by now a lost cause... "Today, right here, right now, you have witnessed firsthand the horror and suffering a single Starcalled can inflict upon OUR world. Treating each and every one of you like an object. A disposable plaything!" Did he know Darkness was a Starcalled? Could he? Did it even matter? No. The only thing that mattered that she was the villain the masked stranger needed her to be.

"Yet, do not cower in terror. For this sort of tragedy shall serve as a reminder. A reminder, how there is hope only in strength and unity! How we must band together to protect our homes, our family, and our way of life! I ask you, to look around and see your fellow Landers. It is in each other that you can find the power and means to face the tyranny of the Starcalled. For we are all one and the same."

His voice resonated with passion, yet also reassurance. "So let me show you! Show you the strength you desire! The strength to stand up against those who see us as mere pawns in their twisted game! We are not toys to be played with!" With confidence, the Masked Dominion member kneeled down to the woodcutter. The man's bare face glancing up in awe.

"You, my friend, what is your name?" The masked man asked the woodcutter, who replied. "B-Bronn...." Giving a nod. "You, Bronn, have been chosen today! An honor that many of our members are working diligently towards. But, I can see it, a yearning deep inside your soul. Justice, for your friend. Justice, for your kindness. Justice, for all that is wrong in life." The masked man placed a mask on the woodcutter's face after he gave a small nod. A mask looking like the one he himself wore.

Click
An inaudible crunch.
"..." The woodcutter stood up.
A surge of power.
Newfound confidence.

"Behold, my friends! This is the power that lies within each and every one of you! A power only achievable if we stand united! United under a common cause! Join us, and together, we will reclaim the respect and dignity we deserve! Let this be a turning point, a new beginning. A rebirth, for all of you! Together, as one, we shall overcome!"

By now, the mysterious man had the entire crowd enticed as some even started cheering. Finally, he seemed to address Darkness.

A shame. Under other circumstances, things may have gone differently...

His face tilted ever so slightly, seemingly focusing on the being that was once the hoodlum. His entire body seemingly shaking in anger.

You will pay for what you have done.

"I will... kill you. Revenge for Matt!" Bronn's voice resounded from behind his own mask, slowly stepping towards Darkness as he picked up his axe from the ground. He seemed... different. Where before, the woman had seen nothing but a weak peasant, stood now... something else.

She couldn't quite put a word on it. But her years of battle expertise told her that this singular villager was nothing short of a formidable opponent. Someone who could put up a fight, and threaten the very life she held onto. Yet, not impossible to beat, unlike...

... the man behind Bronn. His speech had captured the hearts of many, yet every fiber in Darkness's body told her only one thing: RUN.

She was lucky he didn't intend to intervene in the fight against Bronn...yet?

✦✦

100/100 SP
420/420 HP
At 0 SP this enemy becomes Vulnerable.

D.Awakened Reckless: Deals 1d300 damage. A reflex save over 125 negates all damage.

This attack does not leave Bronn vulnerable.
This action occurs every enemy turn.

Masked A: (Passive) Takes -10 damage from all attacks.

DANGER! Engaging in prolonged Battle will very likely result in death.
As of now, other players can not join this scene.
You may choose to run away.

... I've heard they provide their members with safe shelter and plenty of food! Sure, you gotta put in the work, but everybody is being treated equally! Nobody is going to treat us like crap anymore! It's... just fair. As long as you ain't a Starcalled.

Sounds all fine and dandy, but how even find em? Join them?

W-Well! If we look hard enough, we should find something! I heard one way is back in the forest, there's this glade with a real fancy stone. If you smear enough Starcalled blood they'll find you. Or, you know, we could just ask anyone wearing those masks! They can't be that rare!

Have you seen any?

Have we looked for any? We could also go to the nearest temple! It's just a rumor, but they're keeping an eye on those because Starcalled spawn there...

I guess it's worth a try, but what's up with those masks?

I've heard that... actually, I'm pretty thirsty, why don't you order another round?

We aren't made out of money...

SQ-SQUAWK!?

"....!?!?!" Both Nora and E.P. were in complete shock as @Bluebird revealed that she had, in fact, never heard of them! For just a comedic second, Nora was on the ground, sobbing in fetal position and shambles before regaining her composure.

"A-A-Ahem!" The blonde cleared her throat, puffing out her chest before declaring proudly. "I, Nora, have been a loyal member of the MIT! AND the Adventurers Guild!... Which isn't the Explorers League but that's just UNIMPORTANT DETAILS. Instead, what happened at the MIT? I hear you asking! Well, am I glad to tell you: My genius simply can not be contained! Bound by paper and desk work, I decided to take on a more active approach! Thus, it is indeed true that I, Nora, am now part of the Guild!... Though busy as I am, there's little time for fame. Hmpf." She pouted just a little bit.

"But! Let me tell you of the discovery of my lifetime! And don't believe anyone telling you I am delusional! For, you see! I, Nora, have been chasing after the legends of the Lost Arcadia! A ruinous fortress that I had ONCE discovered and was supposed to be my golden ticket to acknowledgment before... KAWOOSH, bling bling kapusch, and it was GONE! Just. Like that. And a lot of crew with it!" Nora shook her head in disbelief.

"Which leads to the theory that, despite the supposedly static nature that buildings happen to have, it could now be anywhere! AND... keep moving, too! So I've traveled VERY FAR, chasing hints and theories to....drum roll please..." There was, suddenly, drum roll in the background? "...to pinpoint its location all the way back into Finwaeld! Which is where I am heading. The ruined city has a vast system of tunnels, a labyrinth! The perfect place to hide in."

E.P. in the meantime had closed its eyes, its majestic form now taking a nap on an equally majestic bird brethren that was known as Bluebird. "W-Well, that was quite a lot, wasn't it?! But I hope you understand~ The B in Nora stands for Getting Straight To Business!"

Toko · Apr 23, 2023

"A-Ah, chotto matte kudasai!"

She’d barely managed to make it back to Finweald in time to hitch a ride on the last caravan heading out of the city for the day, the lepus managing to catch up with the moving group about a mile or so outside of the city. A look of surprise soon crossed her features shortly after hopping onto one of the carts, the familiar face of an elf she hadn’t seen in a while being an unexpected but very welcomed sight.

"Fio-chan! Hisashiburi ne?"

A wide grin displayed pearly whites as the rabbit-folk stretched out a hand to clasp the knight’s shoulder in greeting as she sat down, before a chuckle escaped the fighter as she shook her head. "Iie, just been sticking to Honeyhome for the most part~" There was always things that needed to get done within the small and homey village, especially as winter had approached, but not a lot of willing hands to assist aside from those that lived within its lands.

Fiora’s question earned a response as Toko’s hand reached for the tags around her neck, tugging at their chain lightly enough to draw the woman’s attention. "Just got back from cleaning up some of the leftover rampant machinery by the ruins." She’d been accompanying Hubert and the other hunters towards the capital that day, the villagers hoping to fetch a good price for their spare catches in the Starcalled land, when all hell had broken loose through the place.

"What about you?" Despite the joy she felt to be reunited with an old friend the hare couldn’t help but notice the subtle changes in the woman—the monotone voice with which Fiora spoke being the most obvious out of them all. "Still taking naps in unexpected places?"

Her shoulder bumped gently against the knight’s along with her attempt of a joke, before her gaze looked just beyond the woma to spot one of the landers staring intently at the two. Their eyes locked for just a second before the man quickly averted his gaze, pretending that he hadn’t been trying to listen into their conversation, though the lepus allowed it to slide as her eyes focused on Fiora once more.

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

Toko’s heading back home after kicking magitech ass and forgetting to get their names in Vintergard and, to her surprise, ends up joining the same caravan that @Fiora Di Angelo is currently escorting.

❰ Roll Result ❱
1d3 = 1
Toko | Lander Exodus | 1815

Hanno Futaba · Apr 22, 2023

AP: 2/3 (1 AP spent)
Location: Finweald
Prompt: To the Fallen
Narrator Tag: N/A

It has been a while, but a genuine smile fully covered Hanno's lips.

Gratefulness could be seen in his eyes, and heard in his voice. "Greetings again, Lady Rhiannon... Today I bring good news."

Just the mention of that brought an even bigger smile on his face.

"Liri... One of your children... One that in the past me and other travelers had rescued from the hands of slavers." A brief introduction, not that he thought a goddess needed one, with all her wisdom and knowledge. "The perseverance you gifted me, it allowed me to meet her, be it by fate or luck, once again." He said.

"Despite every hardship the faerin had suffered... You can rest assured that at least some of your children, even with all the odds going against them, are growing to be the most kindhearted and wonderful people I've met... Liri is so young, and yet she never let go of the fellow orphans that she stay with every day."

But it has been long ever since the notion of this being a mere world of fantasy was gone from his mind.

"Resentment is a valid reaction... And yet... She preferred to keep goodness in her heart. I couldn't be happier. I'm certain the future can be much better, and I will continue to fight for it..." Hanno's eyes closed. " Though... There are still so many lost souls... I need to be wiser to find them, lost souls both from combat, and from the evildoings of this world... I need to be stronger to save them. We must do it."

He frowned slightly.

"Please, continue to give me guidance, Lady Rhiannon, Eternal Summer."

Rolls

Hanno tells Rhiannon about how he found the faerin girl he had rescued with other travelers in the past. The way she grew healthy and kindhearted gives him hope and determination. However, he also mentions lost souls from combats and the evil that lingers on the world, and seeks wisdom for him to find them and strength to save them. (Timeline wise, it is after meeting Liri and helping the children in the orphanage)

Expertise Check
2d100 (Advantage) (38, 80) + 0 = 80
Pray Check | Hanno Futaba | To the Fallen

Ueno Mizuki · Apr 23, 2023

AP:: 0/3 (2 AP spent)
(1 WP spent)
Location:
Surrounding Area
Prompt:
Masked Dominion
Narrator Tag:
@Skyswimsky*

As much as the human male pretended to be secretive, once he got the attention of the other three he was quite eager to tell them everything he knew. Which, as it turned out, wasn't much. Mizuki sipped from her mug as she listened in, one ear turned towards the table at which the four weary travellers were discussing their future.

An organisation which was dedicated to helping the Landers, but held no love for the Starcalled. Given everything that had happened, it wasn't exactly surprising, but Mizuki found herself being suspicious. She'd never heard of this organisation before, and it also sounded too good to be true. These people were essentially refugees, and while it was a very pessimistic thought the reality was that refugees often didn't get treated that well.

She considered buying the four Landers some drinks to see if the ale would loosen their tongues a bit more, but only the human male seemed to know anything, and what he knew was largely conjecture and rumours. Finishing her drink Mizuki paid the barkeep before sliding off the stool she'd been seated on, her footsteps taking her back to the door as she left the lively common room behind.

Standing outside she sniffed the air and shook her head to clear it. So far her clues consisted of the possibility that this group was watching temples where Starcalled respawned... and a stone in the forest where a blood offering could call them out. It didn't take long for her to make her decision, heading back for the forest which separated Falderen from Astorea.

Reaching the forest's edge she walked up to the largest tree and pressed her hands against it and closed her eyes. This tree... didn't know much about any stones deeper into the forest, given that it was still young and far removed from the depths. Giving the bark a single pat Mizuki dropped onto all fours and ran deeper into the forest, leaving behind the plains and the blue sky as she entered nature's territory, where the branches and the leafs formed a roof through which only a sliver of the sun's rays managed to break through.

The world around her grew silent. Out here was the realm of predator and prey, where you didn't make a sound unless it served a purpose. Above there was the ruffled sound of birds flapping their feathered wings to move from branch to branch, and around her, there was the soft rustling of critters moving through the undergrowth, doing their best to avoid notice.

Mizuki had run far enough that she was breathing heavily by the time she came to a halt, looking around and swivelling her ears to get a grip on her surroundings. She was deep enough into the forest that people rarely came here, but not yet so deep that it was completely unknown to the civilized world. If there really was a stone used to summon a secret organisation this would be the region in which it existed. Stepping up to the nearest tree Mizuki sat down, the wildling closing her eyes as she communicated not just with a single tree, but the entire forest around her.

Under the surface the soil was a labyrinth of roots, each tree seeking to claim as much area as possible from which to suck up water and nutrients to grow and flourish. Slowing down her breathing Mizuki attuned herself to the forest through this underground network, her skin turning brown and her hair dark green as she sought out information about what had been described as a "real fancy stone".

Searching an entire forest, even with such a shortcut, took time, and by the time Mizuki found what she was looking for the sun had moved quite a distance across the skies, enough so that she could tell the difference from the way the light peeked through the canopy of the dense forest even if the sun itself was hidden. Her features quickly returned to normal as she got up on all fours and ran towards where the stone was supposed to be, hidden in a small glade as the human male had described.

At first glance she didn't notice anything remarkable about the glade: a small spot where the trees had given way to grass and bushes, allowing the sun's rays to reach the ground. The only thing that really stood out was the stone which looked like someone had placed it there on purpose: she highly doubted that it would be lying there in the middle of the glade without some assistance.

Sharpening her ears she slowly circled around the stone several times, studying its shape and texture even as she tried to catch any sounds of movement in or around the glade. If this stone could summon that organisation... were they already watching her, or did the blood offering move them to where they needed to be? Unable to find any clues the wildling raked her claws across the skin of her other forearm to prepare the blood offering. By this point she'd bloodied herself so many times that she barely flinched, pressing her hand against the wound to gather the blood in an almost economical fashion before smearing the red substance across the stone's surface.

Rolls

Using her druidic abilities Mizuki tracks down the stone mentioned by the refugee and offers it some blood to see if it will summon the Masked Dominion as claimed by the rumours.

Roll Result
1d100 (41) = 41
Ueno Mizuki | Masked Dominion | 1815

Aalam Abungu · Apr 23, 2023

AP: 2/3
1 AP spent.
Location:
Surrounding area
Prompt:
Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag:

Pushed the air from his lips as he took a seat down on the edge of the city, watching people past him both ways, this was something that he was going to have to get used to. That people would be coming and going into the city now, especially after the destruction that came from the last event. Most would have been fine before, but now there was that idea in the back of their heads that the star called would be able to fail when they were needed the most and that was what damaged the city the most. They had been able to turn away every threat before this one and in doing so they had been able to make sure the people of the city could come to count on them no matter what was happening. But now? Now they were trying to regrow that trust, and there was a strong chance it wouldn't return for a while.

They were dealing with new players. New people were doing their best to pick up the mess they had made and were hopeful they could inspire the rest of the city to keep trying. And he was going to have to keep working on getting people to stay even if this part of the job was one that he had little skills with. Most time he would have been working from sights that no one could see, working on making sure these things didn't happen to the normal folks, and here he was, making a mess of all of it. So he worked to bring them back to the city, giving people willing to hear him out a promise that they would do better, look after the people, and make sure they didn't end up in this situation again.

Rolls

Roll Result
1d3 (1) = 1
lander

Hyper Sense | Aalam Abungu | Thread Code

Darkness · Apr 23, 2023

AP:: 1/3
2 AP, 1 WP spent (Darkness) -0 WP remaining-
7 Free actions (Darkness -Magia without a cause -[594 count])
Location: Surrounding area
Prompt: Masked Dominion
Narrator Tag: @Skyswimsky*

180 / 180

_____Darkness would give both the new arrival and the 'woodcutter' a blank expression. not only did they chose to keep giving her the annoying label of 'star called' but now was clearly blowing her actions out as something she had not done. They acted like she had killed someone, when she never went that far as it held less value to her. A corpse needed constant magic to keep around, altering them was far more useful, could be undone or suppressed, changed, and develop and only needed magic during the process as the Demoness sighed.

"Firstly, I am not a fucking Starcalled, I have not been for over four years and do not wish to KEEP getting called one. Secondly, I do not kill or harm people more then I feel is needed, this 'Matt' person is not dead. Altered yes, able to be switched back yes, Did I go a bit to violent maybe, but if all people do is KEEP calling me a STARCALLED when I've done everything in my power to distance myself from them, to make things harder FOR THEM. Would you not also be rather annoyed by getting roped back into their fucking messes?"

_____Darkness would reel her magic back, making sure to undo any damage she caused to Mark to make her point clear. She was not here to kill people, she never was after lives. Moving to keep only enough blood magic to defend herself if the woodcutter still intended to attack her. Yes she was evil, yes her heart was MOSTLY black ice, but it was still a person under all the taboo and corruption. Turning her gaze more to the person who she had come to speak with.

"You say go differently, but I don't exactly know many ways to draw people to speak with them then making a show and hope It is enough to draw them out. if you want me to say sorry, Those words sadly will never sound like they have meaning even if I speak them with head to the ground."

_____Darkness would, if the people threating her life lowered their weapons would lower her blood shield. if they seemed intent to 'make an example' but in reality just do the exact thing they just called Starcalled out for she would do her best to defend herself while fleeing. She was not here to die, nor was she in the mood to fight a high risk battle under the pretense of being a Starcalled toying with people. Her gaze showed there was no intent to harm, taking a deep breath as she would even go the extra point to pull her corrupt form away. Slowly revealing the Elf beneath all the taboo, then even her blood magic defense and holding her hands up.

"It would be dumb of me to ask for a start over in this meeting, So I ask you only take my actions thus far as a negative. We both likely have more able to be gained working together or coming to an agreement of some kind then trying to fight one another. You dislike starcalled, I dislike them and how they have been doing things this entire time. if you had someone who could poke around in my head you would see a few times where I have gone against them or tried. Though I do warn you the memories outside those are rather... 'personal' so I'd prefer not to allow men to view them."

Rolls

Action taken: Darkness 'un-toys' 'Matt' as she shows she has and had no ill will against them. trying to speak her case though does not say sorry. If they try and attack or move to do such she will just exit or try to. Otherwise, tries to have a proper conversation.

(F) Prompt progression 'Masked Dominion'
1d100 (6) = 6
Masked Dominion | Darkness | Come on Taboo don't fudge me!

(A) Heal
2d20 EX (13 + 1) + 25 + 20 + 25 = 84 (0 explosions)
+84 HP to 1 target
Animancy | Darkness | Masked Dominion | 'Mark' single target heal

(BA) Rush
Double your total movement count this cycle. (4 total)

Play Sheet Link (PSL)

Vina Skysong · Apr 23, 2023

AP: 0/3 (Free Prompt)
Location:
Finweald
Prompt:
Propagate Support
Narrator Tag:
N/A

Vina happily drank from the mug, wetting her throat with the full, flavourful liquid. After gulping down a mouthful she placed the mug back down, licking her lips with a satisfied smile.

Thanks Fina~ (She blinked as her friend commented on the lack of food for herself.) Huh, you're right, I forgot to order something for myself. No worries, I can just order something now~

However, @Fina Drago nonverbally offered to share her pastries, an offer which Vina accepted with a smile and a hug for her beloved feline friend. Although she ate very little, clearly intending for Fina to eat the lion's share of the meal between the two of them.

As both Vina and Fina gave their opinion on the situation the two knights remained silent for a while, especially as Fina explained why she chose to side with the team that wanted to capture Szofrit alive, rather than eliminating her and permanently erasing the threat of the machines. The tired knight looked sympathetic, but the sceptical one was frowning. After inhaling sharply he shifted his weight and replied.

I don't doubt that you rescued Chad, and I'm grateful for that. But even if everything you're saying is true and she used to be a loving mother, are we supposed to care more about that than everything she's done ever since she came here? Parents lost their children, children lost their parents. Even if we say that we shouldn't kill out of revenge, which many people would disagree with mind you, she's dangerous.

It's not like she's a danger right now...

Yes, she's currently shut down and captive and that's all well and good, but that means she could still escape and start all over again. Unless those smart guys from the MIT figure something out this mercy we're showing her could bite us all in the ass hard.

...I understand where you're coming from, but I agree with Fina. It might be that we'll come to regret trying to save Szofrit one day, but it's not like she's pure evil. Most people aren't, after all~ (She shook her head.) As Lions we're here to help people and protect them. Sometimes the only way to do that is to kill, but with Szofrit we have a choice. I'd rather take that chance and do my best to deal with the aftermath than start treating murder as the first solution.

The sceptical knight's frown only deepened, but he didn't refute the argument. Instead he turned towards the barkeep and ordered another drink, while the tired knight sighed.

At the end of the day it's idealism versus pragmatism. There's not really a single choice which is right, is there?

Rolls

Vina defends Fina against a knight's scepticism.

N/A

Fiora Di Angelo · Apr 23, 2023

AP:: 1/3 1 AP spent
Location: Finweald → Honeyhome
Prompt: Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: No

The name of that town rang a bell and for the worst. For one, this cart was in their direction, on the other, things weren't looking so bright for their kind on Falderen of all places. "We are heading to Honeyhome just now. Seems like the market's brighter on that side of the world." She smirked, her hand reaching out to squeeze Toko's once it landed on her shoulder. Her golden eye caught up to the tags she showed off, a different colour compared to the last time they crossed paths. Fancier and rarer than gold, it proved just how long of a road she paved in her wake.

"They gonna need too many hands to brush off these ruins. And for some leaving ain't an option. But every bit helps." Fiora said, forlorn in tone, set aside once she pointed a finger back at the tags. "Congrats by the way. Seems like they finally noticed the holes you punched through." She added, leaning against the backrest with her arms spreading over it once the question bounced back at her.

"Trying to do my best to get people out of Astorea. Sounds easy to just leave, but the roads are dangerous nowdays. If you go to Tertoria, you get dissonance. If you go to Falderen, you get outlaws and madmen. If neither kills them, the exhaustation or lack of food does." She sighed, rubbing a hand over her temples before pushing a few hair bangs away from her features. "What can I say, ritual altars are comfy." She exhaled a quiet chuckle, shooking her head off. "It got harder to sleep since a while now. Feels like insomnia finally plugged itself in and found me." But it wasn't insomnia what caught up to her, even if something now lived rent-free in her head and made sure sour dreams is all she would get.

"Falderen isn't exactly where I expected you to wander about, not with what's going on as of late. Whatever you do, let me know if you get in trouble." Her voice lowered just a little- She didn't need two eyes to know they were being watched, not after the many groups she's traveled with. They all reacted the same, understandably so, towards Travelers such as them. "As for me," Her voice raised a little once again. "I'm heading to High March after this. Heard Endra's Favor's gotten a problem they want to fix. Seems like there's a group causing trouble around there after greedy folk tried to take a cut of whatever they found." Unphased, Fiora explained as if it were an every-day occurrance, and for them that might just be it: Greed gets in trouble, they send someone to fix it, end of the story. "At worst, It pays well. At best, I help some people out of a pickle." She shrugged.

Rolls

Summary: Fiora and @Toko share a bit with eachother now that they are half-way there to Honeyhome. Fiora explains that she's taken on a job for Endra's Favor after words of a fortune being made somewhere in High Marches caught that group's attention.

Roll Result
1d3 (1) = 1

Fiora Di Angelo | Lander Exodus | 1815

Toko · Apr 23, 2023

"Mhmm, front desk lady at the Guild pointed me in this direction when I mentioned wanting to hitch a ride back home—a couple more minutes and I would’ve missed it, and you!"

A nod followed as Fiora spoke of the current situation, in a matter of moments the world had seemingly been flipped upside down on everyone, and while Toko didn’t doubt the resilience of those present—players and landers alike—only a fool would be impervious to all the tension currently stagnant in the air.

"Congrats by the way. Seems like they finally noticed the holes you punched through."
"A-Arigatooh..."

One hand rose to rub the back of her neck awkwardly at the unexpected compliment, before a faint smile pulled at the rabbit-folk’s lips. "Can’t really complain about the Guild, they’ve been good to me… though I do miss some of the friendly faces that used to haunt its halls." Fiora was definitely among them, the green haired elf always a treat to have around, though she wasn’t the only player that Toko had met with affiliation to the Guild at one point… she could only hope and pray that the others were safe and sound, wherever they were.

"Yeah, even before all of this the roads weren’t exactly kind to all." She’d lost count of the multiple times Toko had acted as a bodyguard for those within Honeyhome whenever they had ventured out of the small village to peddle their wares in either lander or starcalled capitals. "It’ll probably get worse now… though I’m sure with time things will turn for the better."

She quietly listened as the knight mentioned her sleeping troubles as of late, nodding softly in response, and while the hare couldn’t say she could currently relate to the woman’s plight Nao wasn’t a stranger to sleepless nights in the past. "Hey, if it gets too hard to sleep I always have a spare room back in Japan you can use~" She hoped the memories of a better time would offer the greenette's mind some needed respite, though the offer itself had always been genuine for the woman and two of her traveling companions.

"Can’t say I’m not worried going back," There were plenty of unknown currently in the air, and while the village had always welcomed her in the past nothing guaranteed things hadn’t changed in the time Toko had been forced to be away from the place. "Just have to hope the bonds and memories we’ve forged over time are stronger than whatever changes are heading our way."

Landers and starcalled… in the end they weren’t that different from one another, or at least that was the conclusion the fighter had come to after living and being part of their daily life for so long. She truly considered Honeyhome as much of a home as the little rural village she’d been born in back in Japan, and the hare chose to believe that the sentiment was reciprocated in those she’d come to know and work with so closely all this time. "Same goes to you, I’m always a message away if you ever need help Fio-chan."

Despite their leisurely talk she had remained attentive to the road and those around them, the occasional twitch of an elongated ear giving the hare away as the swiveled in this and that direction whenever an unexpected sound caught them. She hadn’t bothered to gaze towards the others in the caravan, no need to visually confirm that the eyes and ears of many were currently on the pair, and she knew right now wasn’t the time for words to try and mend broken bridges.

"Endra, huh?" A frown crossed her face as the hare wracked her mind for any information, aware that teh name belonged to one of the goddesses found within Arcia’s pantheon. "Seigi no megami?"

It certainly sounded like Fiora had taken on quite the job, though the woman’s calm demeanor clearly showed the confidence the elf had when it came to her skills—Toko had little doubt that Fiora would see it through to the end successfully. "Be sure to pay them with the same coin then, give them hell~" She patted the back of her friend in a gesture of support, a wide grin on the hare’s features before she reclined back and got comfortable.

"Heard of Yuu-chan and Jin-kun lately?" Though she had spotted them in the latest battlefield the fighter couldn’t say she’d been able to properly catch up with either one, though she’d been glad to see them both standing and still in one piece by the time all had been said and done. "They doing alright?"

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

Though the recent changes have Toko nervous to return back to Honeyhome she still confides to @Fiora that she considers the village her home, and offers her own assistance to the woman if she ever finds herself in a tight pickle. With little happening around them she can't help but ask about their other friends in common, having had little time herself to catch up with either one.

❰ Roll Result ❱
1d3 = 1
Toko | Lander Exodus | 1815

Rael · Apr 23, 2023

Neither of them is to blame for the awkward charge that coalesces about the room, keeping them from naturally blooming into effortless conversation and encountering a new mystery or two to solve. When last they had seen one another, bodies of their and the enemy's fallen littered the floor of the burnt battlefield.

When they meet again, it's in the ruins of one of many sacrifices offered up for their choice.

So they tread around the topic carefully, as she recognizes Luthien to be doing, and she follows right along, wordlessly accepting the offer to help.

"You would think, but I believe there is little need for messages in paper and directives when everyone is gathered in one place, a stone's throw away," her words are laced with something that passes for humor shared quietly between the elves, finding an edge to latch onto and pull up with the corners of her mouth.

"I don't think anything here is salvageable, it will have to be remade from the ground up... Better than it was before, however." The Storyteller slowly turns on her heels, her foot catching on the shards of glass that must've belonged to the tent's former occupants, perhaps for their refreshments as they labored to keep up with their work to keep all corners of their kingdom informed of the most recent happenings.

She lowers herself and picks it up with care not to cut herself on its sharp edges, lifting it above her head and placing it in front of a ray of sunlight filtering into the tent, its warmth bouncing off of the surface now, multiplied. "Seeing as this will probably be the last place others will think to look after, we were talking of paying for the repairs out of our own pocket. Maybe... Modernize it, somewhat."

The glass shard tumbles from her fingers to rejoin the ones on the floor, as Rael steps over them and makes her way around the broken-down furniture, a checklist visible as she holds it to her chest. Her eyes glide over, taking stock of all that has been broken, all that has been taken or damaged. "Commissioning a geomancer for crystals that emit light, and as storage facilities for the information, for example... Should paper ever be lost, all the files would remain accessible."

"Though... Perhaps we ought to stop meddling, considering what happened to the last person we recruited for aid in a place like this."

She quietens, unable to dodge around the elephant in the room any longer.

"Has... Any progress been made regarding Meriam's core..?"

@Luthien

Rolls

— Action: As the girls reminisce over the events that led them here, Rael & Luthien make a series of improvements and commissions needed to make the Communications Hub better than it ever was.

Fiora Di Angelo · Apr 24, 2023

AP:: 0/3 1 AP spent
Location: Honeyhome
Prompt: Lander Exodus
Narrator Tag: No.

At the mention of the lady at the desk, Fiora let air out of her nostrils and smiled. "Dark haired beastfolk, right? You gonna laugh, but that woman's one of the reasons I joined the guild." She admitted, scratching her cheek for a moment as she pondered on how exactly explain the why behind it, but decided to come out blunt instead with a straight face as per usual. "Thought she was real pretty. Not into Starcalled apparently, though." Fiora waved it off, as it felt like eons ago when that happened. For the best though, as Ronja came to her life a week later and brought a light that wolf girl couldn't hope to match.

"Just because I'm not in it, don't mean I can't tag along for a quest." Fiora added, doing her best to pad the blow that had been the loss of so many members. Between Yugam having his interests locked onto the explorers and her handing over her tags and parting ways with them-- And now with this calamity unleashed onto Finweald, there would certainly be even less faces to fill in it's corridors. "-If- it pays, that is. Can't risk our lives for nothing." She corrected herself.

A severe look befell upon her eye as she listened at Toko's half-full glass take, and while she nodded, Fiora added- "Plenty conspire against that, so time alone won't work. But if we work together like we are doing right now... I can see it happen." Since when inaction was positive? It might be just as harmful, if anything. "I'm sure Honeyhome will be fine so long as you are around." That much Fiora could trust on, because if anything, Toko has always been attuned both to nature and communities alike.

That village had that touch that reminded her to japan, without the language barriers she suffered back then, and funny enough that was what the hare made mention of no sooner after her mind thought about it. A quiet smile formed on her lips while a bit of surprise snapped her eye open. "I don't think the community's gonna like noisy me around. Besides, I can't afford a trip like that. Nor would I want to bother you with me around- I snore." A pinch of humour to fade that idea away. She was allergic to leeching from others eitherway. "I'll be where I want to be soon enough. Just need to wait until my S.O gets her schemes moving. Her parents are... Difficult to deal with, I think." That much she could say, but not where her uncertainty would spit about that topic. Not like she should speak of Ronja's family like that, but they certainly didn't make it easy with Lena having a shooter stand-by with it's sights on her head...

"I wish I could tell." She said once Toko's worries became clear, so much as her hopes did, sighing off afterwards. "Just keep an eye out. I doubt this is anything but the beginning." A frown rested on her features, giving a nod over to her friend. There were things she couldn't handle alone, and wouldn't try to. Not without a capable hand at her side, and that's where Toko would fit in. Hopefully this wouldn't be the case and everything would be simple enough for one of them to handle.

"Endra's mostly associated with wealth and fortune nowdays. Merchants seem to keep her in mind all day." Her gaze flickered over to her right to notice the word had caught the attention of more than one Lander that averted their eyes from the elf. "As for Endra's Favor, it's an economical force of nature with how much gold and influence they got in their pockets back at Falderen. I heard they are the reason Finweald is what it is- Or was." Given it's current state, past tense worked perfectly for the former starcalled city. "And with how things are looking, either Astorea breaks in debt, or they gonna find a way to strengthen their foothold here." She couldn't say she enjoyed the idea of working for them, even if as a freelance mercenary.

Perhaps others would too, and what worried her the most is what would come out of this should it be more than some simple job for them to tackle after.

But the mention of both dark haired men she was acquainted hit her right as the wagon came to a stop and Fiora stood back up to her feet, holding her stoicness as the only card left in her deck, right next to monotony.

"Yugam's fine. They didn't die, if that's what you are asking. I don't know about the other one." Fiora added, gesturing for the hare to follow as they finally dropped off the wagon and gave her a moment to stretch her legs...

Rolls

Summary: Fiora reveals to @Toko a few more details about her whereabouts as of late, and info about Endra's Favor (What the public knows at least). She explains her concerns over her friend's safety here on Falderen, before finally arriving at Honeyhome and cutting short the pleasantries.

Roll Result
1d3 (1) = 1

Fiora Di Angelo | Lander Exodus | 1815

Hanno Futaba · Apr 24, 2023

AP: 0/3 (2 AP spent)
Location: Finweald
Prompt: To the Fallen
Narrator Tag: @Skyswimsky* or @Pandora*

By the fourth time in that month, Hanno took a bit longer to start his prayer.

These were different from the casual pray, and that took a bit more of mental and spirit preparation, but this one time... It was even deeper than the previous times. This one, a bit more personal, even.

Kneeling before the shrine, he remained quiet for a moment, collecting his thoughts, collecting his words just while he placed a couple of roses: A golden and a red one. A sign that he wanted to do more than a prayer this time, but rather, he wanted to talk a bit more directly. He knew Rhiannon already knew what he would tell and ask, or at least he thought, considering the belief that she was watching over him.

"Once again I am here, my Lady."

With words set, he begun:

"We've been working hard for things to return to normal. Everyday is hard, but I can see steps being made... It is slow, but I'm happy we are getting somewhere... The smiles of those kids, and the kind people I've met and helped, and the gratefulness in them shows we are making the difference." A brief pause came, once again leaving Hanno deep in thoughts, considering on how to proceed, on how to put what he wished to know and what he wished to accomplish further into words.

"But before me, some had sacrificed a lot... Perhaps everything they did..." He said. "... And I can't help but feel like it is unfair for them to not have their happiness... When they did what they could for others." Hanno suppressed a sigh, keeping his emotions controlled, so he wouldn't disrupt his conversation.

"And some of those are ones that I care for personally..." He admitted. "The Immortal Heroine is one of them. She gave her life, and perhaps even more to keep many safe, and yet... She is stuck in Vintergard, forever. I'm even unsure if she is still alive in there, watching everything without being able to move an inch... I wish I could get her away from that situation, to rescue her out of it... If it is even possible, but I'm uncertain of how..."

Perhaps he was asking too much, but even then, what he was about to add, was something even bigger.

"Another... Is you." Hanno's fists clenched. "If the tales are truthful... You've given so much for us, risked everything you had, all of it for our safety. I'm uncertain about the laws, about how things work, but I understand that sometimes, you need to forgo those for the greater good... And if the tale the men tell is real, it is what you have done... And your fate... I'm unsure of."

His lips pursed.

"On top of that, there are many that are away from my sight. Maybe some that were even next to me, and sacrificed themselves without I ever knowing... And their smiles to never appear again... This is unfair..."

The Titanus battle, the Red Fever, the Camp Hope, even the fight against Eve and finally Szofrit. So many souls...

"Please, tell me, Lady Rhiannon, Eternal Summer. Can I help... or save them... and you? If I can... how? I plea for you, tell me."

Rolls

Hanno tells Rhiannon about those who had self-sacrificed for the greater good, and are now in a situation that isn't favorable to them, such as a dear friend he knows to be the Immortal Heroine... And even the Rhiannon herself, if the tales are truthful... Along with many others. (Timeline wise, it is after propagating plenty of support, reaching to the 'present')

Expertise Check
2d100 (Advantage) (89, 60) + 0 = 89
Prayer Check | Hanno Futaba | To the Fallen

Luthien · Apr 24, 2023

"I don't think anything here is salvageable…” She can see the logic behind Rael’s argument, jotting down directives on pieces of papers would take far longer than simply spreading them through word of mouth—especially when time had been of the essence. "Maybe… hopefully nothing of importance was lost."

It was hard to tell how old some of the files here were, exposed as they were to nature and the elements thanks to the tattered holes that sprinkled the roof and sides of this tent. Whatever information had been stored here was now long lost, and Lúthien could only hope the contents of it all weren’t something any of them might’ve needed in the future… or worse, fallen to the wrong hands.

”It will have to be remade from the ground up... Better than it was before, however.”
"Agreed, hopefully the system can be modernized too. After all, they do say necessity is the mother of invention, right?"

It was a proverb she’d always heard, though only recently had its concept rightfully clicked within her mind. It’d been easy to take for granted the advantages their UI provided, and only when they’d been cut out of most of it had the ranger realized how dependent they were on the very system that could ruin them. "Shared with MIT the mental comms thing… here’s hoping they can figure out a way to scale it and make it better."

Her hands continued to gather scattered papers across the floor, always giving them a single lookover before they were added to the ever growing stack in her arms. She was careful to avoid the broken shards of glass that littered the tent’s floor here and there; those could be gathered up afterwards in a way that was less prone to having either girl cut their fingers by mistake. "Light emitting crystals, huh… I’m due for an expedition into Hylands later in the week actually, so I’ll keep an eye out for anything that might match that."

It was clear the pinkette’s mind had already placed quite a lot of thought into the revamp of the communication hub, and as Rael continued to share her ideas the blonde couldn’t help the light smile that tugged at the end of her lips. "If we bring in the raw material for them that could also net us a lower commission cost." After all neither of the girls had infinite bags of golds to their names and, while Lúthien herself wouldn’t mind placing a good amount of her own savings towards this idea, it would be a good idea to make sure they could get the most for their hard earned gold.

"I bet Meri would love it…" The words slipped out before the elven girl had realized it, a soft chuckle escaping as she thought of the faerin girl and what expression she would wear on her face upon seeing the new and improved Comm Hub that the dreamsisters were currently talking about.

"Though... Perhaps we ought to stop meddling, considering what happened to the last person we recruited for aid in a place like this."

The soft tap tap tap as Lúthien uses the top of a cabinet to straighten out the growing stack of papers in her hands suddenly comes to a stop, an uncomfortable silence now weighing down heavily inside the room as the elephant within it is finally brought front and center. "Has... Any progress been made regarding Meriam's core..?"

"N-No… not yet, at least." A heavy sigh escapes as she makes a conscious effort to relax the grip placed upon the papers, no need to make them more crumpled up and illegible than they already are. "There’s quite a few people in MIT working with it—Valen, Sven, and even Ronja—but it’s definitely gonna take a lot of time… probably."

The quiet whisper at the back of her mind was quickly silenced as the blonde refused to entertain that negative thought any further. She was determined to see this through all the way, no matter how long it actually took… she owed Meriam that and so much more, after all. "... She isn’t the only one though." It still amazed Lúthien to see how many cores had already been retrieved from the ruins, and who knew how many more might still be waiting for someone to find them? Still that alone could work to their favor, as morbid of a thought as it was, since it meant MIT couldn’t really brush the matter away as something small...

❰ Rolls & Summary ❱

❰ Lore Gremlin Check ❱
1d100 ❰ Lore Seeker ❱ Advantage (64, 63) = 58
Camp EX | Luthien

The girls talk about the improvements that could benefit the Comms Hub and how to maximize their efforts to get the best bang for their gold when they begin to commission these ideas and more… before @Rael finally addresses the elephant in the room.

Skyswimsky* · Apr 24, 2023

Starcalled were easy to recognize. The willingness to play a death game alone should have been a dead giveaway that only completely unhinged nutjobs were part of that crowd. So, of course, they dressed weirdly, had strange habits, and some treated Terrasphere and its inhabitants like a game!

"Aaahh?" Yet, at this moment, @Aalam Abungu was anyone but a Starcalled. He looked somewhat pitiful, and whatever inconsistencies his appearance carried were not visible to the worker. He was simply too blinded by the shininess of the coin.

"You have a good eye..." He responded, ushering the man closer into the corner. "There has been talk bout em, just today, in fact." He gave a nod. Was this fate? Luck? In some places, 7 was a lucky number after all. "One of them Masked Priests or what you wanna call em is in this village. A meeting for new uns. Not that I have any part of it. But if yah interested... ah, what was his name..." He played with the coin around in his hand, making it rather obvious that another payment was needed to continue talking. Of course, Aalam obliged.

"Stephan, yes! He couldn't just shut up about it. Saying he joins them crazies together with his wife and little Johnny. Together with some other few. Been told I should come, too. Watching wouldn't hurt me. They been doing it for a while. That, this time, they'd have a Starcalled among em, do em in real good or something. Stephan talks a lot at the pub, I ain't listening all the darn time." He spat on the ground. "Do what you will with that, I gotta get back to work."

With that newfound information, the course of action seemed rather obvious. Participate in this so-called meeting in the night. For someone of Aalam's expertise, it wouldn't be hard to find a place and time. Midnight, the basement of the 'Saucy Minotaur', a local pub that had closed for tonight. The only question was, how would he attempt this meeting?

The die had been cast. Maybe if she had apologized more sincerely, or shown humility, things would have turned out differently. In fact, as @Darkness ceased her aggression, some of the less enthusiastic villagers frowned. Clearly unsure at how they were supposed to act at this sudden turn of events.

But they did not need to.

You despicable...

He spoke, clenching his fist hard enough for his knuckles to turn white.

Do not be deceived by this delusional demon! Long has IT forgotten. Believing her ways to be just and right! I ask of you, what fate is worse than death?! That of an eternal slave, a monstrosity twisted into an existence of eternal suffering. Yet, moments ago she was willing to do just that! Thinking undoing her actions makes the act any less gruesome.

He shook his head. He had so much more to say. So much more to tell. How being a Starcalled wasn't just something one could stop being. How she treated Landers like dirt, as toying with their existence was much worse than simply killing them! And how, ultimately, it wasn't his choice anymore...

Yet, it is not on I to decide what to do. For it is Bronn's choice alone...

"HYYAAAARRRGHHH!!!" Darkness's pleas fell on flat ears. If anything, he didn't seem fazed at all, his rage only more intense. Suspicious, one would think.

His axe was deadly.
His axe was swift.
His axe was strong.
The masked Bronn had been given power beyond mere mortals.
And Darkness was the first to taste it...

... luckily for her, she was already prepared to retreat. Taking fast strides back at this gargantuan strike split the very earth. Even with the bloodshield Darkness knew, if that had hit her fully, she'd be gone...

Darkness has exited the scene!
Unlocked Information: Existence of the Masked Dominion Monestary

Rolls

Roll Result
3d100 (94 + 95 + 83) = 272 / 2 = 136 damage
Half of it cuz owofast

In the midst of the vast, unspoiled forest, whispers guided @Ueno Mizuki through the labyrinth of trees. Stone or not, Arcia's world had been mostly spared from the blight of the so-called "industrial revolution," and the sprawling forest stretched for miles upon miles. Clearings with stones were plentiful, but this one was different. Who was to say she was on the right track?

Thankfully, a sinister stench permeated the air, a reeking crimson that made even an ordinary human question their surroundings. Yet, for a wolf beastkin, it was the guiding beacon she needed. For Mizuki arrived indeed at the correct place. There it stood, a perfect stone. A flawless cube of pristine white marble.

Yes, this had to be the place.

As Mizuki placed her hand upon the stone, there seemed to be no reaction... until, with the waning of her patience, she withdrew her paw. The blood... had vanished?! In fact, shouldn't there have been some sign of the offerings that had been made at this rock? Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the stone appeared somewhat darker than before. Had that always been the case? Perhaps it were merely the shadows of evening? No... peering closer, she could discern the stronger crimson outline on certain parts of the stone.

Clearly, Mizuki repeated the blood offering, carefully observing the stone's transformation. Slowly but surely, intricate crimson lines and patterns emerged upon the rock's surface. Though it soon became apparent that the offering required far more blood than she had initially anticipated. Was an entire Starcalled meant to be sacrificed?

You may offer 100 HP to activate the Runic Marble
Due to the nature of this decision, an answer to this won't consume any WP/AP.

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

Aalam Abungu

Pandora*

❮ Narrator ❯

Luthien

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

Yugam

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Vina Skysong

❮ Lyrical ❯

Fiora Di Angelo

❮ Raging Flame ❯

Skyswimsky*

❮ Narrator ❯

Toko

Guest

Hanno Futaba

❮ Shield of Hope ❯

Ueno Mizuki

❮ Pathfinder ❯

Aalam Abungu

Darkness

Vina Skysong

❮ Lyrical ❯

Fiora Di Angelo

❮ Raging Flame ❯

Toko

Guest

Rael

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

Fiora Di Angelo

❮ Raging Flame ❯

Hanno Futaba

❮ Shield of Hope ❯

Luthien

❮ Lore Seeker ❯

Skyswimsky*

❮ Narrator ❯