Complete Main Story Vintergard (S4) Camp Hope IV

[Schilva Flasch]

Critical Failure

1

130 / 130

Combat Log:
N/A

Status:
Encumbered
Weight of Ultimate Shame | -15 Max HP

Stowing his [ Explosive Kit | Large ], Schilva commended himself internally for having outwitted the game's limitations; evidently, the large pack would have been extremely unwieldy to carry on one's person, not to mention a dangerously large target for incendiary attacks. Stored in a Traveler's UI inventory? A small encumbrance penalty, almost nothing to worry about when one's speed was of Schilva's standard!

Just as he was musing upon his own intelligence, Schilva felt something bump against his shoulder as he swaggered through the camp, looking for his team. Spinning about, he finds himself greeting some incensed no-name samurai, also swaggering through the camp. At least, until they bumped into him, of course.

OY! You dare bump into the greatest blade in Vintergard without so much as an apology?

Hmm? Greatest blade in Vintergard? Hah! Oh, such is the poor frog in the well, never realising the wide world above it nor fathoming its insignificance. Be on your way, fool.

Shrugging and tossing forth a dismissive comment, Schilva intends to simply walk past the cocky warrior with panache and grace, but a length of shimmering drawn steel bars his way.

Your insolence knows no bounds! By my name as the Great Hawk Heibou Nakenshi, I will teach you to hold your tongue, lowly peon whose eyes, even wide open, are blind to greatness!

Pausing for a moment, a cocky smirk spreads over Schilva's face as his hand finds a rest on his own blade.

A duel, is it? Then ready yourself!
Ten paces back!

Nodding slowly in agreement, the 'Great Hawk' begins to take the agreed amount of steps. A crowd quickly forms around the commotion, cheering on the two as they took up fighting stances. Of course, with each step, the two trade barbs and try to psych each other out, leading to the moment of the kill...

Two steps.

You can still forfeit. Walk away with your pride intact.

As much as I should say to you. Give up now and I may yet spare some mercy.

Four steps.

You will learn pain this day, mongrel!

Six steps.

So I shall teach you humility, you whose bark exceeds bite.

Eight...

Pack your sorry belongings and leave. Salvage your reputation.

Did you not hear me say...

Nine...

Now pick a god and pray, peon...

...that's my line...

Ten.

...HISSATSU !

...YOU FOOL!

The clash is so swift that the clang of steel on steel is heard only after the two separate, and for a moment tense silence permeates the air.

Then, Schilva's robes split down the middle.

Collapsing to the ground, his face burns with shame as his opponent rises and sheathes their blade triumphantly, parting with a drawl of utter contempt.

What a shameful display. I leave thee to thy humiliation.

▣ Action: Retaliate (very unsuccessfully)
Normal Attack
1d100 (1) + 10 + 10 + 25 = 46 (Critical Failure!)
46 damage

Slash Weapons | Schilva Flasch | Display of dominance

 

[Seto Kurama]

The Pantone Demon

190 / 190

Location: Camp Hope
State: Normal
Inventory: Vintergard Atlas

After being gifted the various maps and drawings of the Vintergard area by the quartermaster, he immediately deposited them into his storage for safe keeping. Just as he was about to depart however, he found himself approached by a man he didn't recognize, one who bowed before him. This of course, only caused him to raise a eyebrow in suspicion, initially unsure of the man's reasoning for approaching him. While he had little doubts he was a threat, given his current situation, It didn't take long for him to figure out those thoughts were unwarranted. Once the man revealed his motives for approaching him however, his initial demeanor changed from suspicion to confusion, before finally ending it with something akin to denial when he closed his eyes and nodded his head.

Your praise isn't needed. I'm simply fulfilling my duty as one of Astorea's foremost defenders.....But you have my thanks......I only wished more had the correct mindset to protect and serve....for it is the duty of any soldier to protect their king and country, regardless on they may feel on a certain matter or individual.....Unfortunately...many do not share my viewpoint.

Signing in slight annoyance, he folded his arms as the man continued, citing commoners like himself haven't seen the King in months. It was clear he showing concern. Normally he would too but like himself, the King was a Traveler. Such behavior wasn't uncommon, even after one of their own gained a great deal of power. It was a unfortunate truth most didn't understand the responsibilities that came with power.

Unfortunately, with the loss of my tittle and my former power base, gathering any such information has been made almost impossible, even with someone of my reputation. As such, I've been out of the loop for quite some time. Worry not however, as you already pointed out, his majesty, like myself, is a traveler. Such behavior isn't uncommon....unfortunately.... But If the worst case scenario does occur, I will do what I must to save his majesty, even If It costs me my life. As for our homeland's culture and traditions, I know it well....and take it as seriously as my own. I understand the crown's importance all too well....however.....I am far more concerned with the line of succession. With no heir in line for the throne, I fear the kingdom will be destroyed by civil war should his majesty ever fall in battle. Hopefully Lady Illusa or someone else can grant our homeland a heir, to provide us with a future we can look forward to. I'd rather not fight against my own people If I don't have to.

After giving the man his own two cents on the matter, he excused himself from his presence and made his way to the area he and his team would depart from.

▣ Action: Talking to the man(@Raid Boss)​

 

[Luthien]

120 / 120

.

Explorer's League - Gold Whistle

Location: ???
Voucher Count: 1

Critical Failure

1

Her intentions had been to catch the tiny golden mouse safely, having only wanted to keep it from snatching any more ingredients and possibly let it loose somewhere outside closer to the wilderness. Unfortunately it seemed Lúthien had calculated the distance between them incorrectly, or perhaps misjudged the hardiness of the little creature, and an audible gasp of horror left the elf when a sickening crunch caught her ears right as her hand grasped around the little creature.

"Ay no, puñeta...!" Red eyes quickly dart around to see if anyone else had noticed, the other two line cooks in her station currently busy with orders, before quick and panicked motions bring up her inventory UI as the elf simply yeets the < Golden Mouse Corpse > into the depths of its void. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'msorry...!"

Lúthien had been hastily wipping her hands and station when Jester and Zelrius had popped by the tent to gather her up, the blonde hastily bidding goodbye to Chef Olga and the others as she took the opportunity to excuse herself from the area entirely. Eventually the rest of their party would be gathered up as they all found an abandoned tent for their intentions. "Wait... we're doing what now?" She had been both surprised and skeptical at first about the suggested seance, but after being filled in with a few additional details the blonde slowly nodded in agreement. Kyra had asked then how could they help and, after hearing Ash's suggestions, the elf decided to pull out her violin bow... if the spirit seemed restless, which could be very probable, then perhaps a tune could help soothe them into a calmer state.

That said, if Lúthien was honest, she hadn't expected the seance to work in the first... and yet, despite her reservations, they had actually witnessed a real ghost attempt to answer two questions before disappearing.

"... whoa."

---

Can The Conqueror catch Fievel?
1d100 (1) + 30 = 31 (Critical Failure!)
Reflex | Luthien | 1206C1 Special Event

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Her ears had perked up at the nearby voices, straining to hear what they were saying as the mention of the hot water spring having some sort of effect on the creatures that - as she understood - they were about to go face. She glanced down at the water, considering the possibilities, before reaching back towards the pile that was her collection of things.

"It might be absolutely useless, but...it also can't hurt. I mean, it's not like spraying them with water could have any really negative outcomes, right? Besides, maybe they're right and it like...fries their circuits, or whatever these things have. Worth a try, I guess."

She spent a few minutes collecting a few vials of the water, before carefully placing them back in her vial pouch - the container designed to sit the vials comfortably and safely. Her work of collection and safe storage completed, Kyra let herself sink back into the water.

"Ahh...if there wasn't so many important things to get done, I would stay here forever in the nice and water and relaxing and oh so comfortable water..."

Her tail twitched uncomfortably under the water, a sudden realisation in her mind that perhaps some of her appendages were less than impressed with being submersed. The quandaries of a Vulpine, oh but tis the end of the world, naught.

---

The seance had been...well, informative, if not entirely helpful. There were watchers, things to watch out for an be aware. Forward scouts, perhaps? Or maybe alarm systems that warned of our approach. Either would be bad, I think. She turned to find Rael moving away from the group, and a sudden desire to talk with the girl arose in Kyra.

"Hey, Rael. So, what are your thoughts on the whole watcher thing? Think that maybe it could be something a bit more...well, concerning? I mean - what if they have some sort of alarm net or sentry posts or something that would be unrecognisable to us, but would alert them to our approach and make sneaking in all that much harder, or impossible? Wouldn't that put a bit of a damper, and a bit more danger, on our situation and plan?"

She glanced at the pink haired girl, waiting to see what sort of input they would have, or if they'd have any sort of other suggestions on what they could do to better prepare.

@Rael

 

[Ash Vargold]

190 / 190

Ash couldn't help but turn an ear towards the talk of a rumored, pending attack. The idea that the machines might come attack the camp was... worrying. Just one had been an issue for a decent party, and while there were quite a few people here at camp...

Well, this was Camp Hope IV. It was fairly easy what had happened to the first three.

Whatever that meant for their party, though... well, that was more of a group decision, wasn't it? What they did was a much bigger decision than picking out soup. Sticking around seemed like a good idea, just to be sure, especially if the other teams riled up the machines.

On the other hand, they didn't know how much time they had to waste. Would five Travelers really make that big a difference? Would it be worth the risk? He had no idea.

---

As the spirit dissipated, Ash let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He'd never done something like this before - his use of "Spirit Magic" had always been more passive, a way to talk to what was already there. Calling up an otherwise sleeping spirit was... unnerving. And exhausting.

Watchers... that makes sense.

He sat back and drew a piece of jerky from his inventory. He took bites between words, chewing thoughtfully as he did.

I had to fight a machine once - I logged in to Vintergard on my first day back. It sounded an alarm after we took it down - basically screeched as loud as it possibly could to alert the others.

Having something actually watch makes sense - seems like they're just waiting for something to cross their patrol path otherwise.

He tapped his fingers uncertainly, working his way through the jerky. There would need to be a lot of planning, if they wanted to avoid the machines' attention. Nothing could ever be easy... but if he wanted things to be easy, he probably should have skipped out on this mission, huh?

Too late to change his mind now.

Anyway... thanks, everyone. Don't think I'd have been nearly as successful on my own, there. I haven't done something like that before now...

▣ Action: Recovering from the seance.

 

[Rael]

.

120 / 120

It was a short-lived respite from the commotion that chased the Starcalled in their preparations for their mission, footsteps resounding from behind her, pulling her attention to the sight of familiar purple.

"Oh, Miss @Kyra Vashtana , greetings. Pardon me, I was about to..." Her string of assumptions was cut short by @Ash Vargold's input, confirming many, if not all, the concerns of the vulpine beastfolk standing before her. Rael winced, her lips tightly pressed against one another to form a thin line, her brows knitted in an open display of the concern prickling at the back of her neck. "If such is true, and after seeing what one of their number did to a person, we can only hope to prepare for the eventuality that we might need attire better equipped to softening our steps, as well as be something comfortable to run in, should we have the need to."

The elf reclaimed a step backward from Kyra, a hand running through her hair as she considered for a moment. Rael pulled her Grimoire out, the item floating mid-air as she turned the pages without ever touching them, glancing over at notes and compiled spells in search of a fitting answer. "I have been practicing, I promise, but I might not be very good at it still... Assuming they rely on sight or sound for the location of threats, then I could try and mask our presence. Either by disguising us with the terrain, or reducing the noises we could make. That... Wouldn't be enough to remove the risk factor, however. This is, most likely, going to be a very dangerous endeavor."

Afraid, suddenly, that she might discourage the beastfolk from pursuing this venture with the rest of the group, she put her arms out as she hurried through the beginning of a sentence. "T-That is not to say it would be completely pointless to set out!"

Her voice quivered the more she talked, signaling a fine exit for the elf who simply spun on her heel and started walking away, burying her face in her hands. "W-we should all get to our tasks, I-I'll see you around!"

---

Though it'd seem her query had reached the ears of someone with the ability to assist her, she was no less embarrassed over her interruption of their breakfast, hesitant steps drawing Rael over to the faerin's desk.

And wait patiently she did, sneaking glances at the food that was available in the tent, until her attention was torn back to the faerin with word of the AAA's willingness to share their knowledge.

It was a choice that required little thought.

Notice

Rael has accepted your friend request.​

"Meriam, is it? You are most helpful, indeed. I, uh... D-do not have the requisite abilities, but I could find someone, yes? Maybe you know of someone? Even if you don't, remind me to treat you to your next meal. As... Compensation for the interruption."

@Raid Boss

 

[Yugam]

145 / 145

Location: Knowledge Exchange, MIT

With the MIT lecture over and done (and his mind more than a little fried) Yu stepped out of the lecture cracking his knuckles, flexing fingers, attempting to stretch them and release the tension from gripping his pen for so long. "Okay, while I'd love to say I learned a lot, I understood maybe three fourths of that..." Yu complained to Unmei as she strode beside him.

"Better than I did. I don't think I understood half of that. Catalytic converter? Isn't that that thing from Back to the Future?"

"Yeah. Also an actual thing in old cars, not wonky sci-fi," Ari nodded, shaking his hand. "But what they were talking about in there was a catalytic accelerator. Something about...using catalytic reactions playing a part in magitech, and the accelerator increasing output? Wait, don't catalytic reactions increase the rate of chemical reactions?"

"I...think so?"

"God, I can't believe I passed chemistry..."

No sooner had Ari finished speaking did he notice a familiar face walk out of the lecture tent. "Th-Jin?" As soon as the other man turned to look at the one who addressed him, Ari stepped towards him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, unable to put together why the man would have any interest in the camp since he wasn't in the scouting team. Maybe helping find King Astor? Although that seemed far too altruistic for the other man...

More importantly though..."Wait, hey, did you come outta the League lecture? Care to trade notes, I got some stuff on the Dragonships that might be useful if you're in one of those search parties."

▣ Action: Exchanging knowledge with @Jin

 

[Jin]

140 / 140

Location: Knowledge Exchange

He wasn't in any particular hurry, but Jin still kept his head down as he sifted through the crowd. The number of people who might recognize him was low, but given his involvement in the incident back in Isulus, it was non-zero. The people in charge were a collaboration of the Guilds and the Astorean government.

Jin was almost free and in the clear before he heard his name, and he recognized Yugam's voice. "Adventurer's Guild mission," he turned slowly and thumbed the platinum tag that designated him as a member of the aforementioned organization. "Not technically at liberty to discuss the parameters of the mission with unauthorized personnel, but..."

He paused when Yu mentioned the search parties. Technically if they exchanged information from the seminars that they'd just attended, he wasn't confirming or denying his involvement in either mission, and he wasn't breaching any non-disclosure protocols. And information on the Dragonships could prove invaluable if they got up close and personal with the wretched things.

"...technically the information I got isn't anything that you didn't have access to, so I don't mind sharing." Acquaintances, friends, or otherwise, Jin wasn't going to do anything that jeopardized his position or rank in the Adventurer's Guild- but if it was a grey area, and he could stand to benefit...

He lifted his palm and opened the UI, pulling up a low-res playback of the lecture and opening several unsent message drafts worth of notes he'd scribed utilizing the system to be sure that they could not be lost or misplaced. Though he was the sort of person who loathed breaks in his immersion, he was not the sort of person to leave resources untapped.

"Lets be quick about it, though," Jin warned. "I'm on a bit of a tight schedule."

▣ Action: Trading information with @Yugam before heading back to rendezvous with Team Ego

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

180 / 180

Location: General Supplies Area

As Mizuki had presumed, Seto had his own task to tend to. Given that she had seen many other familiar faces moving about in the camp as well the luna wolf assumed that it wasn't a solo mission either. Another scouting team, perhaps? Well, not likely: she was pretty certain that if that was the case they would have been informed of it. But whatever task lay ahead of the tall human would most likely be just as taxing as scouting Vintergard, if not more so.

However, before she could inquire further Seto's attention was called upon by another man, one that Mizuki didn't recognise but who seemingly knew Seto from before the shutdown. She would have listened for longer, but at that point, someone collided with her. The luna wolf stumbled but managed to catch herself before she actually fell, but the atlas she'd just acquired slipped out of her hands and landed on the ground with a soft thud.

The guilty party turned out to be a female elf. Mizuki knelt down as well, accepting the atlas from the elf with a nod of thanks. However, what was more intriguing was the missing arm: most likely this person was here as support since there weren't many people reckless enough to enter a dangerous territory with only one arm.

We'll do our best to be careful.

The woman was already walking away before Mizuki could say much more, leaving the huntress to check the atlas for any damage. She didn't immediately spot anything, but it paid to be cautious. This collection of maps could end up being the difference between life and death, success and failure.

Having found no signs of damage the luna wolf placed the atlas in the safety of her pouch. Seto was still talking to the male human who had approached him, so she left him to his conversation as she left to find the rest of her team.

Now where did they go...

▣ Action: Returning to the rest of the scouting team.

 

[Asch]

Mid-cycle Update

@Schilva Flasch – You were defeated by no one but yourself. It was you, who had failed yourself. You, who weren’t fast enough. You who thought yourself the greatest and fastest blade. Alas, there is a blade sharper than yours. You must go on a quest to redeem the insult you have dealt yourself.

Weight of Ultimate Shame. You are deeply shamed. Your max HP is reduced by 15 for the remainder of this story challenge. (This status includes this thread and any thread connected to it afterward.)

You've gained: [ Wings of Redemption: You may reroll any single action that would call for a roll; use the higher value. ]

---

@Luthien – You have taken a life. Alas, you are fortunate - no one has seen the aftermath that is now frozen in time within the confines of your UI-void. (Note: if your roll matches the Narrator’s, you would have been seen by someone. Result = 3 / 1. Nothing happens.)

You've gained: [ Wings of Redemption: You may reroll any single action that would call for a roll; use the higher value. ]

---

@Ash Vargold – While chewing on the jerky and thinking back on the séance, you felt immense wrath from the spirit you summoned earlier. It sent chills down your spine. What was that about?

---

@Rael – The faerin listened to your request and thought on it for a few seconds before she opened and was about to give you a reply when her eyes began glowing as a strange pattern formed within her iris, if you had seen Hyper Sense in action before, you would have recognized it immediately. Without saying a word, she dashed out of the tent and looked down the road.

Afterward, she returned to you and said, “I would get the meal ready if I were you. It seems like luck is on your side! I don’t know if there are any high-ranking Astramancer here, but did I just see a powerful astral projection passing by the tent? It was just wandering aimlessly with its eyes closed. I don’t know how you will be able to locate the owner though. Either way, we need to locate the owner right now, or their projection might disappear.”

OOC: Everyone may post again this cycle.

 

[Ilusa Nakhalee]

Ilusa was glad that in the end, she chose the workshops. Some things were the same, but others were similar and yet different enough that it was useful to have it pointed out. And there were also things that in the outside world would have been impossible and yet doable here.

When a short felis chatted her up, she greedily soaked up the knowledge he offered. It sounded important and was applicable thanks to the difference that her race made, she was sure of it, since the range of heard sounds was much greater here. It was thus engraved in her mind.

"Thank you for this information." She nodded her head in thanks before actually bowing lightly to show her sincerity.

And then she listened to another lecture, this one targeted for the Players that still had their UI and how to make best use of the Investigation Mode during adventuring.

After it all ended, she went to find her team, while sharing the bit of info on the comms.

 

[Luthien]

140 / 140

.

Explorer's League - Gold Whistle
Location: ???
Voucher Count: 1

A hand softly waved towards the raven-haired figure that was now walking away from her, a concerned look on the elf's face as she watched Ari @Yugam head out to meet with the rest of the scouts as they prepared to leave camp and survey the surroundings. "Stay safe..." She hadn't expected to come across him here in TerraSphere, and much less on such a large scaled mission as this one, but unfortunately there just hadn't been enough time to properly catch up as events continued to unfold.

DING!

Lúthien's thoughts were interrupted when an alert filtered through her UI, the notice of a voicemail now flashing in the corner of her screen before the elf curiously clicked on it. She recognized the voice that came through the other end, belonging to that pink-haired elf that the blonde had met inside the tent as her own team had performed a seance into @Zelrius' newly acquired pack.

"Astral projection...? What in Arcia is this girl looking for?"

She frowned slightly, deep in thought, as the elf tried to make heads and tails of the request. Without seeing where @Rael was, or even knowing the purpose of her goal with this astral thing, the ranger didn't felt she had enough to go on... however an idea did cross Lúthien's mind as she continued to ponder upon the cosmic trail they were supposed to find. "Astramancy... that was relate to, like, dreams and shit I think?" She quietly mused out loud, a habit of the elf whenever she was trying to properly think something through, before nodding to herself as Lúthien looked for a quiet part in camp.

There was a nice little tree not too far, its bushy branches offering shade against the sun that would continue to rise through the day, and with the wagons not too far the blonde felt comfortable enough in thinking it'd be a safe enough spot. She had been curious to try this supposed trait that the game had allowed Valeria to pick when she had first been creating her avatar, so perhaps now was a good time as any to actually attempt a little bit of dream hopscotching?

With a nod the Yladian elf settled down underneath the tree as her back found a comfortable spot to rest against the bark, fingers carefully splayed out and mingled with the blades of grass that covered the ground as Lúthien closed her eyes... the kitchen rush did cause Lúthien to feel tired out as well, so in a worse case scenario at least she'd be able to recuperate from that mad breakfast rush hour she had powered through.

---

▣ Action: Attempting a dreamshare search for an astramancer... maybe someone's slacking off and napping just like Lúthien. :mewtwolol: @Raid Boss

UI Inventory
< Golden Mouse Corpse >

Currently blessed with < Wings of Redemption >...

 

[Raid Boss]

Special Event

@Luthien

When you drifted... you slowly descended into a dream...

 

[Magi Heart]

Camp Hope

Spoiler: Magi's Theme

Raina.
Raina...
Raina......

Besides this one thought, nothing else existed in the teenager's disturbed mind as she slept Sleep was a good way to conserve energy, and the way the Dark Heart would consume it made resting important unless there was someone around to siphon off of. Never would she do that to her friend though.

Caring can also be dangerous.
Light and dark both can bring the greatest of disasters.
It is sad that it's been this long, but now...
It is the end as well.

Hmmm?

A voice or more like a thought spoke within the darkness. It had been years. That indescribable voice that visited Magi in her dreams. Wendel felt strongly alienated by it, although it had spoken to her as well last time.

When the prism broke that day at Silent Palace and her consciousness was lost for nearly a year.

One last time...
No more...
Touch the sta...
Hea... se...
See fa.. fo... w...
Go... by......

The small light in the darkness of the subconscious would do something new... it would grow. Expanding until Wendel's mind began to hurt.

It was then she would wake.
But something was wrong...

Her vision was blurred. The world was twisting and turning, normally this would cause one's stomach to turn but it was almost like... she had no stomach? Even with how weird Wendel's body was becoming recently it still had its organs. So...

Visions, things, she could barely understand... and then...
Wendel was gone, Wendy was gone.

There was just a consciousness of no clear identity carried by the winds of the cosmos.

It floated through a dream-like version of the camp. Was it even awake? It's eyes were closed and it's feet didn't touch the ground. It's body was still a bright light just like Chibi Magi but... now It was so much taller. Most of the body is obscured in light.

This light with a barely visible face wandered the camp now...

The Astral

Only the closest to the girl this astral image emerged from would recognize it through the blurring starlight. Multiple fate threads expanded outwards towards one specific person... @Luthien

 

[Raid Boss]

Camp Hope IV - Cycle 1.75 (Day 1 - Noon)

Guidelines

• This is a joint thread between 3 teams before they split up.
  • Pouting Scouts: @Seigi Ling Ling @Cleo Looker @Ueno Mizuki @Magi Heart @Yugam
  • Team Jastor: @Jester @Rael @Ash Vargold @Kyra Vashtana @Luthien
  • Team Ego: @Ilusa Nakhalee @Zelrius @Seto Kurama @Schilva Flasch @Jin
• Maximum of 400 words, no minimum as long as it's not one sentence (for the times where one's muse does not cooperate).
• 1 reply per cycle.
• This cycle is optional.
• You cannot take any major action this cycle. Instead, spend this cycle replying to one another, responding to special events, wrapping up your scene, or interacting with your personalized random event.
• Camp Hope's Comms

@Zelrius – You feel a shiver radiating from where your body made contact with the [ Movement Kit ]. If you looked down, it seemed that the seance had kindled the flame of ghostly vengeance.

You've gained: [ Flame of Vengence: The seance has cursed you with the owner's hatred of her murderer. The ghostly mark on your body allows you to add 2d100 (Your Roll Result 1d4 (2) = 2) to one attack action. Doing so will consume the Movement Kit, so you won't be able to use it afterward. If you fail to kill at least one Dragonfall enemy while this curse is on you by the end of the event, take 4d100 damage that cannot be mitigated. ]

@Luthien – Before the astral form opened its eyes, you felt a powerful force sucking you back into your own body. It was as though you were being repelled from the dream.

If any of the other members in your party (@Jester @Kyra Vashtana @Ash Vargold @Rael) had caught up to you, they would have found you in cold sweat.

The first thing you saw, however, was a semi-translucent girl in a white hooded cloak at the corner of your eyes. She pointed her index at the ground in front of her feet. There, you saw a thin red thread led back to the center of mass, connecting you to... something.

The odd thing was that Fate Thread was something only humans had. Why were you able to see it? Was it because of the ghostly figure? Was it something else? There's no way to tell.

If any of your party members aren't currently with you, they will each see their own Fate Thread connecting them somewhere, even if they aren't human or have that trait.

 

[Siondhe]

Kyra Vashtana

220 / 220

Kyra rushed through the camp, searching for the girl who had left her the oddest of voicemails. Kyra still wasn't quite sure what to make of it, the message had been...well, something you'd expect to hear from a movie, or a book, or...well, anything but real life. Virtual life. This is all virtual, remember that...

She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into Lúthien's form - standing still as the blonde Elf seemed lost to the world.

"Uh...hey Luthy, everything okay? You uh...you see something of interest?"

Kyra waved a hand in front of the girl's face, trying to figure out if she should continue searching for Rael, or if this was more important.

Biting her lip, she pulled out a pen and parchment sheet, scribbling a quick message before hitting the send button that appeared above it.

Mail

Rael,
Came upon something odd, going to check it out. Might be a bit late...let me know where to meet you. Received voicemail that was...weird. Send me a message and let me know everything is okay on your end.
Sincerely;
Kyra Vashtana

Tucking away the pen and parchment, Kyra returned her focus to the Elf, her ears twitching as she glanced around. There was something odd about Lúthien's behaviour, as if the girl was seeing something beyond what was in front of them.

"Luthy?...Lúthien? You okay...?"

Kyra stepped forward and placed a hand on the girl, her backpack sliding off her shoulder slightly as she shifted her weight. Kyra's tail swayed behind her in a slow arc, hinting at the unease she felt at the situation.

@Luthien

 

[Schilva Flasch]

❰ 115 / 115 ❱

Combat Log:
N/A

Status:
Encumbered
Weight of Ultimate Shame | -15 Max HP

Staggering away from the disastrous duel, Schilva clutches the tattered remains of his robes and his pride, fleeing the bemused gazes of the audience. Eventually, he finds somewhere safe to wither in shameful self-flagellation, slumping down on an artillery-burnt stump just on the outskirts of the camp.

Far from the clamor and hubbub of activity within the ramshackle encampment, Schilva re-equips an older set of armour from his inventory, better for vitally preserving his modesty at the cost of slightly impacting his HP cap. Rubbing his temples and clenching his jaws hard, Schilva can feel his teeth grinding upon each other as he summons the grit to accept his catastrophic loss.

That just happened. That really just happened. I can't believe it...how could I have lost?

But I'm the greatest swordsman...in all the land...

The words come unconsciously, as if he were already trying to comfort himself. Bitterly, Schilva sucks in a sharp breath and shoots to his feet, heedless of the carbon-black smudge on the hindside of his robes.

I'm the FUCKING SCHILVA FLASCH!

The words ring in his own ears like bells. That's right, he's the 'fucking Schilva Flasch'. Feels right. Feels powerful. Feels rightfully proud.

That's goddamn right. I'm gonna blow right through this quest. Nothing will stop me...nothing can stop me!

Unsheathing his blade, Schilva contemplates his own reflection in the cold steel. That self-pity and catastrophizing has no place on such a heroic countenance; wipe it away!
He then pulls out a small pocket-mirror from his pocket, flicking open its shelled clasps to peer inside. The 'Hero's Reflection' shows him once again his ideal self, and the shame of defeat turns yet to burning resolve.

...for no ill fate shall again befall my blade! I shall not besmirch the sanctity of this steel!!

Already feeling much better, Schilva sheathes his katana and spins on his heels, marching back into camp with a renewed sense of purpose.

▣ Action: Resolving to regain his pride

 

[Seto Kurama]

The Pantone Demon

190 / 190

Location: Camp Hope
State: Normal
Inventory: Vintergard Atlas

Having arrived at the staging area after taking his leave of the general supplier and that mysterious man that approached him, he took a rest against a nearby tree and closed his eyes, wanting a quick rest before they departed. There was a part of him that wanted to find Mizuki, Kyra and Ilusa, all for different reasons, but like with every operation he had participated in, he found himself no longer in the mood to chat as the hour drew near. Between the anxiety he could sense in the air and the numerous personal running amok throughout the camp, the time was near, leaving little if any time left for idle chat. It was no surprise to him however, as he was about to undertake a critical mission for the kingdom, one that may very well require his life to fulfill. It wasn't exactly any soldier's forte but If such a time came, he was more than willing, especially If it meant fulfilling a greater good, for a nation without it's ruler would certainly lead to ruin. His mind wished he didn't know that, that he could be naïve like the droves of players gathered here, that he could see the world through a pair of rose tinted glasses like them. Unfortunately, he understood the horror's of war better than anyone, having seen the absolute worst of humanity with his own eyes, but he couldn't argue his own hands were any less dirty, no matter what reality he was in. Despite all that however, like any soldier before being shipped off, all he could think of was his wife. What he wouldn't do for a hug from her right now. He sighed. It was just another feeling he was all too familiar with, but that only reinforced the thought within his mind that no matter what It took, he had to ensure Ilusa would reach Astor, even If it meant taking his life. With his eyes still closed, he made a smirk. He forgot how love made people do stupid things.

▣ Action: Resting at the staging area

 

[Luthien]

140 / 140

Explorer's League - Gold Whistle
Location: ???
Voucher Count: 1

This was... different.

Lúthien had no base or guide to go off when she had decided to reach out into the realm of dreams, hoping that if she focused her thoughts perhaps it would yield some form of result. For a moment she felt nothing as her consciousness drifted without aim, the sounds of the camp quietly fading away as Lúthien's mind tried to find any astral energy that she could hold on to. A soft tug caught her attention, pulling her closer before a bright light interrupted her thoughts... finding herself standing on what looked to be Camp Hope once more.

"Hmmm, maybe it didn't work after all—"

A flicker to the side caused Lúthien to turn her head as her words were interrupted, crimson eyes catching sight of a silhouette (@Magi Heart) obscured by a strong light. It caused Lúthien to wince, her eyes needing a moment to adjust, before she began trying to discern details of the figure that slowly seemed to float through the surreal materialization of the camp. She could barely make faint details of a face where the figure's head was located... and was that a pair of wings hidden in the light?

"H-Hey...!"

Thinking of no better option to catch their attention the elf opted to simply call out, a moment of uncertainty passing as Lúthien wondered if she'd been heard at all. The thought of calling out again was discarded as a wave of magical energy assaulted the elf's senses, their aura finally reaching Lúthien as a mixture of divine and dark magic washed over the ranger... only to be overcomed by a cosmic wave of energy as a sudden gravitational pull threatened to bring Lúthien down to her knees.

In an instant her consciousness had been thrown out of the dream realm and back into her body, the elf awakening with a jolt and a startled cry as she struggled to breathe. Cold sweat clung to her forehead and neck as she shakily stood on her feet, a hand reaching for her chest as she felt the erratic heartbeat within. A flash of purple clouded her vision as @Kyra Vashtana's form came into view, and Lúthien must have looked like she'd seen a ghost considering the reaction of the fox.

"I-I'm fine... I t-think."

 

[Jester]

Seance

It was such a bummer to see Zelrius so down after such an interesting séance. Jester couldn't help but to smile just a little bit less. She wanted to say something to encourage him, but she had nothing. The elf had to admit it, she might have just wanted to say something our of guilt for being the one to drag him to the séance. Unable to help the man who had thrice now helped her, she had to find a positive spin on this situation. Therefore, the only thing she could do was try to figure out if there was a way to, not hide from the watchers who apparently see all, but see them first. Did they have routes for patrol? Rooks? Repair stations? Another word that began with 'R'?

She waited for the non-party member to have a few seconds to disappear before she gave her own team a cheery salute, then dashed off as fast as her Dynamism would allow her. Someone had to have known that woman, or better yet seen the watchers for themselves. Even if she couldn't get the information to Zelrius to make up for dragging him away, she could get it to the rest of her team, and that would help everyone even still.

Thread of Fate

The jester named Jester knew a fate's thread when she saw one. Well, not at all, actually. She was an elf, but she distinctly chose what she was now with having Fate's Thread and being human as her backup choice. All in all it took her a few seconds to wonder if this thin line she was now seeing was something similar, and decided that worst case it was a really effective advertisement. She dashed off after it, holding it loosely in a firm grasp as she ran along so she could be more easily directed.