Complete Main Story Vintergard (S4) Marked - Team Time EX

Raid Boss

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Day 1: Evening (Cycle 2)

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  • Maximum of 500 words
  • Time marker: Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night
  • Marked's Comms



The moment @Luthien blew her whistle, a number of League members within earshot stopped what they were doing and rushed toward the relaxation area. The moment they saw the bloodbath inside the tent, the majority of them brandished their weapons, asking where the enemies were hiding. The cross talks multiplied when other camp personnel showed up to assist. However, the number of people who were figuring out if there had been an attack or getting in the way in an attempt to help only escalated the chaos.

Finally, the chaos subsided when the Lions appeared to perform crowd control. With the onlookers kept out of the tent, the medics assisted the injured people.

The first pair of medics came to @Magi Heart's side, who seemed to be in the worst state among the six people who got wounded. After they put Magi onto their stretcher, the younger man turned to @Seigi Ling Ling and asked, "Are you this girl's friend? If so, you can come with us. We're going to take her to the medics' tent."

Meanwhile, a pair of caenis wrestled with @Kyra Vashtana to pull her onto their stretcher, "Ma'am, please settle down. We need you to remain very still; you are bleeding a lot," one of the lady medics chided Kyra, who seemed to insist on healing her party members.

@Ash Vargold certainly took damage, but he seemed a lot more resilient than the rest of the wounded people there, so the two human medics immediately rushed toward Meriam, who was in shock over what had just happened. It was fortunate that Ash was quick on his feet and applied pressure before the medics came, though he would have had to listen to her crying the entire time as her face felt like it was being ripped open. Even when she tried to navigate through her UIs with a bloody finger to disable the pain setting, the option was locked since she was considered "in-combat."

The medics asked the caenis to keep the pressure on Meriam's face as they put her onto their stretcher and headed away.

@Jester was also picked up by another pair of medics alongside @Rael. There was a knight who pushed his way to the crowd with a glowing hand, he tagged along with the medics carrying the two ladies while disclosing his identity to the medics, "I'm a doctor in real life, let me help."

As for @Luthien, there weren't enough medics left over, so a knight came to @Yugam, "Hey, if you know this girl, help me lift her to the medics' tent. I'll be at the front. Just follow my lead, alright?"

~ ✦ ~​

The next couple of hours passed in a blur as the wounded people received medical attention inside a small and cozy tent with a fuzzy fur rug on the ground. Each person had a wooden infirmary bed to themselves. There was a handful of what seemed like nurses and doctors going around, tending to patients.

During that time, a tall and heavily armored bearded man entered the tent and introduced himself to anyone who was conscious at the time, "Hail, I am Norn Jormund, the Commander of the Security Personnel at this camp. My subordinates had told me about what had happened. We've discretely quarantined the relaxation area and are currently looking into the attack now. While we carry out our investigation, please refrain from disclosing any information to the rest of the camp," he paused.

"There's been a lot of unrest at camp lately. Any unproven rumors could undermine order and security. If you are in no shape to carry out your mission, we can provide you with a ride back to Finweald. Otherwise, you are free to remain here and use the services the camp provides. As long as you work some of the shifts, we don't mind giving out vouchers. And also, if any of you intend to head into Vintergard, you should head out soon. You don't want to be caught in the capital's interior at night." he continued.

After he said his piece, the man departed from the tent.

If any of the victims had the mind to check their UI, they would have seen a new condition beneath their HP bar.

[ Marked: You have been seen (???) ]

The day is getting shorter as you spend time recovering in the tent what will you do?


Locations of Interest

Here are a few places and their description so you can use them in your roleplay post. They don't require a voucher to access, but you don't get the gameplay bonuses like Camp Hope IV. Also, actions are not tied to any of these locations, your characters may do anything they want!

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Food

Food is being served at the blue tent with a pillar of smoke billowing from its chimney. In front of said tent are wooden benches and tables for people to eat and socialize.

Drinks (served hot or cold)
  • Alcohol (mead, fruity cider, spiked coffee)
  • Tea (Black, Green, Darjeeling, Jasmine, Oolong)
Dinner (served hot or cold)
  • Honey Ham Roast (pick 2 sides: rice, noodles, mashed potato, cake, fruit jelly, potato chips, vinegared kale, crispy lettuce, crunchy carrots, garlic spinach, gravy )
  • Fire-blasted Chicken Drum Stick (pick 2 sides: rice, noodles, mashed potato, cake, fruit jelly, potato chips, vinegared kale, crispy lettuce, crunchy carrots, garlic spinach, gravy)
  • Steamy Soups (chicken noodle, beef bone, clam chowder, creamy tomato, rock lobster bisque)
Kitchen Staffing
  • There's a queue of people trying to get in and help out in the kitchen so they can earn themselves a voucher.
Cafeteria Area
  • There are a lot of people gathering in the eating area, socializing with one another, and talking about what had happened earlier in the day.


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General Supplies

General supplies can be found in an open area in front of a large square tent where a long queue of people was waiting to exchange their camp vouchers for one of the few items offered.

This area is closed for the day.


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Knowledge Exchange

A series of tents where you can exchange knowledge with one another. This area costs a voucher to enter and involves a bit of a wait as you search for the right person or workshop with the relevant topics to engage in.

This area is closed for the day.


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Personal Training

An open dirt-stamped field with the sound of combat in the background. You will find yourself motivated to train and hone your skill here as everyone is deeply engaged in their morning self-improvement regimen.

There are fewer people than earlier in the day. The training fields are practically empty. Most of the people left are overachievers looking to master new techniques.


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Relaxation

A series of secluded tents at the edge of the camp with sound barriers surrounding it. This entire area has been quarantined by the camp's security force. A few people are loitering around here, trying to figure out what had happened.

This area has been quarantined.


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Resting Quarters

This is where camp personnels and visitors go to rest. The infirmary tents are also found here. There are security personnels who are routinely patroling this area to make sure people keep their volume down so others can rest.

You are here right now.




Code:
[hp=00]00[/hp]
[status]
[b]Marked:[/b] You have been seen (???)
[b]Location:[/b] Location
[/status]

Post here

▣ Action: Summarize your action here
 
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Jester

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Marked: You have been seen (???)
-61 HP from Astral Projection


Injuries


Jester was used to being a lab rat for all different sorts of people here in Terrasphere ever since she showed up, and thankfully had built up a fair amount of pain tolerance in the process. Maybe that was why despite the slashes across her face, neck, shoulders, abdomen, and upper legs, she was still able to keep a smile on her face for the medics that came to help her. She silently watched to make sure everyone who needed more attention than her had gotten it beforehand, and thankfully it seemed so.

To the non-lander doctor, the magician gave a grin and a nod. She could feel it, that with this gash, speaking would hurt if not make her wound worse, so the next blur of time was spent in silence.


Camp Activities


And silence provoked thought. Even though she wouldn't even wince as her face was operated on, and even though she refused to stop smiling at least a little tiny bit, she was searching for a solution that could make everyone happy. Including herself. Staying in camp to recover and eventually help prepare for a possible assault on Camp Hope IV was definitely the way to go for any capable person in her position. That should have been the obvious choice to make. The problem was she wasn't even remotely capable. Tackling a jaguar in the woods doesn't really compare to a larger-scale invasion by any means.

In other words, her combat resume was a pixel on a screen of requirements she didn't measure to. Furthermore, that thing. If it was the V2 ping before, that meant it was heading north for some reason. Was Astor heading the same way, or away from it? Jester didn't know, but she needed to.

Actually, she wasn't the one who needed to know, was she?

The moment she was done being treated, she asked specifically for some bandaging wrap, which she tied diagonally over her right eye to hide the horrible gash that had reaped the 'pretty' right from her face for now, as well as across her neck, waist, and each upper leg. Thankfully with a bit of Dynamism it didn't take quite as long to apply as it might have for a less energetic individual (though she was no Barry Allen).

Wrapped up in her half-mummy cosplay (if anybody asked), she sought the guards at the northwest rim of town to pick up a lead on the other teams. The scouting team was already at least partially informed, but the team with him on it... The other team was moving closer to the entity that had hospitalized her entire team with absolutely no preparations for it. The camp at least had guards, the last of which Jester gave a wink and a finger-gun.

"Tell my team that I'm sorry to jet, but this is a message the others should get." And then she leapt away.
 

Yugam

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PandaIsInSpace
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Location: Medical Tent



The blood.

God, all that blood.

Everywhere Yu looked, there was blood. And every single drop was showing him the same thing as he struggled to focus on bandaging Luthien's wounds. A void, tearing itself open, closing, reforming in a halo of light, electric blue sparks disappearing into the dark.

The image kept fading in and out as the man wrapped another bandage around Luthien's arm. Not that it was helping at all.

"Hey, if you know this girl, help me lift her to the medics' tent," a voice from behind said to the hemomancer. "I'll be at the front. Just follow my lead, alright?"

The dark-haired man swallowed, an knot having formed, unbidden, in his throat before he nodded, "Yeah, yeah."

Grabbing the woman as carefully he could, he lifted her up, cradling her in his arms, as the knight helped guide them out and towards the medical tent.



Yu paced around outside, lighting his fourth cigarette since he'd laid Luthien down on the cot. Nearby, Unmei was sitting down on a crate nearby, her head buried in her hands. Their clothes, covered in blood, staining the fabrics crimson.

"Yu, sit down, please," Unmei pleaded with the man, knowing he wouldn't listen. She was merely answered with a puff of smoke, blown away in the wind as the man continued his nervous pacing. Just what in the unholy fuck had happened in there?

@Luthien
 

Luthien

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Explorer's League - Gold Whistle

< Marked: You have been seen (???) >
Location: Resting Quarters > Food Tent
Voucher Count: 1


She felt the consciousness of another slip into her own, the mouthpiece of her whistle slipping out of Lúthien's lips just as her breath finished, and although the elf couldn't see her friend there was little doubt in her mind that it was none other than @Jester. The throbbing on her forehead slowly begun to lessen in strength, willed into another source before Lúthien had the chance to protest.

The pain was present everywhere else, but at least her sense of hearing returned as elven ears attuned to the sounds around them once more. "Fuck, what happened? Fuck!" They zeroed in on one particular voice, familiar and comforting to Valeria's mind and ears.

"... s-she saw us...!"

Ari was a blur to her eyes, the tears that refused to stop preventing Lúthien from focusing on his gaze, and she couldn't help whimpering as the pain continued to overflood her senses. Soon other voices joined his own, the cacophony causing her temples to throb once more, before a pair of arms carefully lifted the elf. She could see his face better now, the sound of his heartbeat inescapable as her head rested against his chest, before her hands grasped onto his shirt as if her very life depended on it.

*****

There was a tightness in her chest as the elf headed towards the exit of the infirmary tent, a hand reaching out to wrap around the whistle that dangled close to her own heart. She had only just come back to her senses, aware of the various bandages and stitches from the protest her body gave as Lúthien moved. Crimson eyes had continuously been searching for him ever since Lúthien left Meri's bedside, before the scent of cigarette smoke caught the blonde's attention as she stepped outside.

"Ar—Y-Yugam...!"

He'd only been a few steps away, the man rushing over soon as he'd caught sight of the elf, and she couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at her lips before closing the distance between them. A pair of hands reached for his chest, fingers shakily grasping onto the fabric of his shirt, before Lúthien allowed herself a moment to just feel and breath him as her forehead rested against the side of his neck.

Lúthien had expected the protest that fell from his lips upon seeing her about, insisting that she should rest, before finally caving in when he realized the blonde wouldn't take no for an answer. Her arm was propped up along his shoulder, his own slipping around her waist for extra support, before the duo made their way to the food tent. Lúthien's eyes scanned around the area, the sketch provided by Meri now carefully held on her right hand, as she attempted to find the senior MIT researcher the Faerin had directed her to.



Action: Looking for Sven Mortimer with @Yugam's help.

UI Inventory
< Golden Mouse Corpse >


 
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Seigi Ling Ling

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???
Location: General Supplies


Afternoon


Seigi was just about done playing nice as she left Magi to the medics and exited the relaxation area. She felt angry, frustrated, and stupid. Not just at her own ignorance and blindness, but also at a bunch of other people, for the smallest of reasons!

Though, ultimately, most of this frustration was aimed at herself. Up until now, what she had done in Camp Hope felt more like playing a sitcom, rather than getting anything worthwhile down. Yes, the massage was nice. Sure, Team Pouting Scouting could somewhat agree to a worthless plan. And of course, Magi's apparent sacrifice allowed Seigi to experience more freedom than she had ever before.

But, really though, how could she have been so blind when the solution to all of this was right under her nose? Even without Nanami's influence, she had visited Vintergard, and the surroundings countless times before. 4 years, wasted? Didn't think so.

Thus, leaving the relaxation area behind, Seigi went right for the General Supplies Area. Not that their current plan was that bad, but the rest of her stupid team was clearly not willing to risk much for this mission. And if there is one thing Nanami had learned over time. Something that Seigi inherited, yet wasn't aware, is that one couldn't expect rewards without taking risks.

Yet, words alone would bring them only so far. So she had to act. All she needed to set it all in motion, was a simple map...

...

"What do you mean, I need a Voucher?" It didn't take her too long to make out the place to buy all sorts of maps of the surroundings. From Camp Hope itself to a more detailed one of the forest, and even King Astor's Castle! However accurate that may be. But what Seigi was interested in, was a map of the tunnels. And she had found it, only- "I'm sorry ma'am, but those are the rules. No voucher. No trade." - "Are you out of your tiny little mind? Do you even know what's going on? Oh, this pitiful nobody doesn't wanna give away a crucial piece of information for free, because those are the rules! And he has to feed his family that would maybe just die anyway! Booohoo! I-" Seigi stopped. Anger. Anger, she had already decided on who to direct it at.

Instead, she turned, got a good look at her surroundings, and left.
She would get this map, one way or another.


Evening


There was a fine silver lining in all of this. With the entire camp crippled, and most of the attention for an investigation focused around the Relaxation Area and the Teams recovered, Seigi bid her time until the shops closed.

If she couldn't buy it from this unreasonable NPC, she'd steal it. A sort of practice for their stealth mission, anyway. At least until she would get caught and had to fake it until she made it.

Thus, having spent a substantial amount of time spying on the large square tent and its surroundings, it finally looked like now was the right time to strike!


▣ Action: Trying to steal a map of the Wurm tunnels @Asch
 

Rael

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.

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Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: Food Tent




When her injuries had been healed by the proper mixture of the medics' ministrations and healing magic, only the shock derived from the vision remained. She was glad for the help, of course, offering her gratitude to those lingering within the tent with subtle nods or tiny smiles aplenty.

Even after the announcement from someone asking, in a more embellished manner, for the present not to disclose what they had witnessed, she remained still on the bed that had been arranged for her. There was one she couldn't afford to leave just yet.

She tore a page out of her book, crumpled it into a tiny ball, and threw it in Meriam's direction (@Raid Boss). Rael would soon repeat it again and again, until she had successfully caught the faerin's attention, only to then redirect it to her hands, where she performed a series of strange movements to call for the usage of their UIs.

"I'm sorry about what happened," her first message read, as with her neck in its current condition, producing words felt like a daunting task. "Does it hurt any? If it's any consolation, I think you look fierce." A pause, before she typed one last message. "If there's anything I can do, let me know. It's my turn to help you."

When the last nurse or doctor had finished tending to the rest of Team Jastor, her eyes glanced over each of the members in turn, briefly inspecting how well each had taken to the healing process, or how they were dealing with the events that had unfolded but mere hours ago.

And who didn't feel better with their stomachs filled?

The elf, wobbling to her feet, wrote a quick line on the pages of her grimoire before approaching those who remained in the tent, all but thrusting the book in their faces for them to read what she wrote. (@Ash Vargold, @Kyra Vashtana, @Magi Heart)

"Write your order, I'll go get us something to eat."

She would've offered the same to the two other blonde elves in her group, but Luthien was nowhere to be seen, and... Oh, dear, she was about to miss Jester! With all the haste of someone who didn't wish to get caught by a doctor unwilling to see their patient running amok, Rael brought forth a decoy of herself to lay down on her bed, then headed outside the tent to follow one of their own.


  • Action: Casting an illusion of herself to sneak out of the medics' tent and order takeout for the group.
 

Raid Boss

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Mid-cycle Update


@Jester – After your rushed good bye, you departed from camp wearing hope on your sleeve. With your target being Team Ego, which had departed a couple of hours prior, you had a lot of ground to catch up on. Upon your departure, it made sense to check in at the two entrances into camp. One of the talkative guardsman at the northern checkpoint informed you that a team matching the physical description of Team Ego did in fact pass by there. He showed you the direction they travelled in and wished you good luck in catching up, all the while telling you to be careful of being caught alone in an open field. Just from the brief exchange alone, you couldn’t tell whether he was a traveler or a lander, but his concern felt genuine.

As you leave Camp Hope behind, you focused on your speedy travel, fighting the bleeding wounds and terror that had befallen you mere hours ago. Run fast, but watch yourself, little Jester, for you are heading directly toward the maw of danger.

You have exited this thread and this team.



@Yugam and @Luthien – With Meri’s hand-drawn picture of Sven, both of you headed to the food tent. There were a lot of camp personnels around getting food, eating, and socializing. Almost every single bench were filled. The volume of people and their conversation can easily overwhelm you if either of you had issues with such large crowds.

It took you guys a good amount of time going around and identifying each table, which eventually revealed the MIT crowd, which wore their signature white lab coat and was talking nonstop about some Magitech crack theories.

Among the group of people were your target, Sven Mortimer, who quietly ate his oversized sandwich quietly off to the side of the rowdy researchers while completely immersed in his book. With Meri’s strangely accurate sketch and his armband, indicating his rank, you were positive that that was your guy.



@Seigi Ling Ling – Without any way to obtain the map of the blood wurm tunnels beneath the former capital legally, you turned to the life of crime, waiting until activity at the exchange area cleared up before you stealthily snuck into the tent where the atlases were kept. Inside, you saw chests upon chests of different design and labeling.

It took you some time to figure out which of the chest contained maps, but even then, they were just regular atlases, the stuff that everyone exchanges for. In the time where you sifted through the pile of chests and items that you might not have bothered putting away, you finally discovered a small box with a tiny lock on it with the label that indicated that it was what you were looking for. A little tap of your fist easily popped the lid off and confirmed that the maps of the blood wurm tunnel were inside.

You don’t know how up to date these maps were, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

You've acquired: [ Blood Wurm Tunnel Maps: A series of maps that shows you how to navigate the tunnels beneath the old capital. It may be a bit out of date. ]



@Rael – Meriam was going in and out of sleep, unable to rest properly as the vision she saw kept haunting her. It was the first time she had experience anything so up close and personal. Part of the reason why she played Terrasphere in the first place as to live the fantasy of being in another world as a fantasy regular person. Regardless, adventure continued to call out to her and this time was no different. In fact, even though she was terrified, the encounter was kind of exciting. All the time she spent about that and the fact that painkiller was coursing through her blood thanks to the magic the nurses were casting made her completely unaware of your crumbled paper until said magical effect ended early and your crumbled up paper smacked right into the wounded side of her face with the force of a cannon ball (to her).

Meriam’s eyes snapped wide open as she let out a silent scream of pain. After a Magia nurse noticed her and refreshed the soothing spell, Meriam turned and looked at you, taking the hint to open up her UI where you two were able to communicate in silence. “I’m okay," "It doesn’t hurt when the nice nurse cast that spell on me," "You don’t have to apologize about what happened, but a nice and cozy dinner would sure wash the pain away, hehe,” the faerin had a goofy smile on her face when she sent those messages.



@Cleo Looker and @Ueno Mizuki – Whether or not either of you were aware of what had happened to @Magi Heart at noon, the camp’s security personnel would have found and updated you on the matter, insisting that you don’t disclose anything you might have heard or witnessed out of security concerns. After the brief conversation with Norn, the commander of the security force, a comms operator came with message from the Astorean Royal office, which indicated that they had received the troubling reports about a powerful enemy within the wall of the former capital. The message indicated that your group should focus on safety first and foremost and that if vantage point 2 was too dangerous for the group then the mission should be cut short.

The comms operator indicated that the sender didn’t require a reply, but would have their comms open to receive messages at the very least.

OOC: If you have already posted this cycle, you may continue your scene in the Comms thread if it involves interaction with an NPC.

 

Siondhe

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Kyra Vashtana
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Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: Location


Afternoon


Kyra fumed, stuck on the bed. Every attempt she'd made to leave it had been met with a nurse, or other attendant, suddenly appearing as if from thin air to kindly but forcefully push her back onto the bed. Her wounds had healed - she'd seen to the final touches herself when the others weren't looking, the minor squeaks as her spirit magic closed over the wounds entirely had brought attention, but they'd seemed none-the-wiser.

Even still, they'd confined her to the cot while she was expected to 'recover' from the ordeal. Because laying on a bed while others are hurt, and need help will completely help me to recover...it's not like I'm medically trained, and capable or anything. Stupid nurses.

Her eyes roamed the area around her again, searching for any sign of the nurses who had continuously pushed her back into the bed. None seemed to be there, currently. Silently, or as silently as one could rise from a squeaky cot, Kyra rose. Her feet touched the ground, and her ears twitched as she listened for anyone approaching. So far, so good...

She had just taken her first couple of steps when the attendant appeared, smile on their face as the younger man motioned to the bed. Kyra growled, but put up no resistance as she crawled back into the cot, mumbling to herself.

"Stupid fricking nurses think they know what I need...I don't need to sleep on a cot all day I need to be out there helping people and doing things and...fuckme."


Her mumblings came to a sudden stop as she realised she sounded just like some of her patients, the building annoyance washing away almost immediately. How many of her clients had said exactly the same thing as the nurses had guided them back to their own beds? At least you're mature, and smarter than them, right? The sarcastic voice in her head only made her feel worse, not better.


Evening


She'd finally been given the confirmation that she was free to leave her cot, and return to the normal life of the encampment. She'd been given the news that her group had likely been ruled out of the search for Astor, having debated slightly before determining that the other group was likely far ahead, and their ability to catch them would either be in vain, or too late to be of any actual use.

She found herself sitting on the edge of her cot, considering everything. Even as Rael returned with the food, managing to sneak back in and providing a bit of more enjoyable food than the medical tent had to offer, Kyra's depressive state didn't change.

Eventually she dragged herself from the medical tent, wandering around the camp and wondering what she would do now. She wanted to stay, to help, to provide assistance, and yet...her purpose here was done. Was there any point in staying.

She spotted Rael, not far away, and approached the other girl.

"So...what do we do now, that we have no purpose? Seems like we're only good for helping to fix the minor problems of the camp, and nothing spectacular..."


She glanced around them. There was still work to be done, even if it wasn't necessarily what she had come to do. That would have to suffice, considering her options.


▣ Action: Sulking about her own inabilities.
 

Ash Vargold

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Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: Resting Quarters

Afternoon

It was strange, using normal methods of dealing with wounds in a world of magical healing. But he dutifully followed the instructions of the medics as blood began to seep through the glove and onto his hands. The pain limiter worked on his wounds, but the sickly sensation of congealing blood was something he experienced viscerally.

He was fine, he told the medics as they hurried to the medical tent. He had the pain limiter on. He'd survived worse. Help the others first - he'd be fine until then.

This was true - at least, regarding physical status.

There were other ways for this game to mess with your head. And after all this, he would have a lot to sort through. Not even the unnatural calm of dissociation and the steady beat of his heart as he worked with the others would be enough to stave off the inevitable.


Evening


"We are not going out there."


Ash sat at the edge of his cot, hands folded in front of his face and ears pinned back. The only reason he hadn't logged out yet was to give the medics a chance to deal with his own wounds, and to make sure the others were okay.

It also gave him a chance to make his opinions known while things were still fresh in his mind.

"Whatever was on the other end of that line saw us. Even if it hadn't sniped us through the astral plane, that would be a problem."


He still remembered the feeling of dread as it had turned their way. It was disturbingly unnatural in a way beyond what it had done - it was the mere presence of something so technological in this world of sword and sorcery. An intruder in the world, just like the mechanical husk that loomed in the distance.

As @Kyra Vashtana spoke, Ash closed his eyes. They'd come here to be useful, but instead all this had happened. The vibrant energy from before had been swallowed up by doubts... at least, for the people who hadn't already been doubting.

"...as far as I'm concerned, I think we did what we came here for. And we're damn lucky we were able to do it from here."


He opened the palm menu automatically, not yet paying it much attention as he finished saying his piece. After this he'd log out, get some sleep, be herself in a world without these sorts of problems. It would be nice.

"Honestly, I think the best thing we can do now is get some rest. Take some time to process all this. Hell, maybe log out for a bit. That's what I'm planning, anyway. We aren't going to do much just rushing out there into-"


Ash stopped mid-sentence, mouth slightly ajar. There was a status there, one that he'd never seen before.

Marked.

You have been seen.


"...check your statuses. Now. Jester, we-

...where's Jester?"


Well, fuck.
 

Raid Boss

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@Rael – While you were browsing for dinner at the food tent, a cloaked figure bumped into you, leaving a folded-up piece of paper in your grasp. Unfolding the paper, it reads:

"You're with the party that was responsible for the relaxation tent getting splattered in blood right? The Camp Commander probably told you something about not telling anyone about what happened, right? He's hiding things. I have proof of it and of the upcoming Dragonship invasion. If you want to exchange information, leave me a letter on the last bench next to the fence. If you can get a tent away from other camp personnel, I'll come with proof of what I'm talking about."

OOC:
You may reply to this Special Event below.

 

Rael

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Harmonia

.

82 / 120


Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: ???




Rael pressed a gentle hand to the purple-haired beastfolk's arm, drafting a written message to then show the woman. "Don't be disheartened, Miss Kyra. Why, there is much yet we could learn of this place, if not do! Think what we could learn from standing side by side with all of these important Landers! ...Also, help me carry all of this."

Orders placed, pages torn and handed over to those in charge of distributing the food amongst those in the camp, there still remained but a few choices to make before the pair could be headed back towards their tent. Sidestepping as to get a better view of the plates offered, she collided with a stranger whose features she couldn't discern due to the cloak they wore, and perhaps her own hastiness to apologize for the inconvenience until the faintest touch came to the back of her hand.

The stranger was gone with her next breath.

Rael was gone from her place in the line by the one after that, headed to the location where the simplest of notes would be left in a small, crumpled piece of paper, an appearance befitting its level of importance to any who didn't know to look.

"A deal will be made at the place where scholars won't let their knowledge fade."

She lingered a while longer, sitting and drawing idle circles in her grimoire so as to not draw suspicion to herself, before pulling her UI to relay a very specific message to the people who were to be made aware of present circumstances.

Rael
To: Team Time EX

I'm sorry for the way I'm about to say all of this, but...
We need to meet up. Now.
I'll be waiting by the factions' previous lecture spots, but only come if you can do so without being seen and alone. If you take too long, I'll go on ahead. If you are followed or bring someone else into this, I'll go on ahead.
S-sorry..!


There were preparations to make for the meeting that was to take place soon, and she had to find somewhere suitable to play host.



  • Action: Rendezvous with a stranger. Using the brief plan discussed on DMs.
 

Luthien

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...Explorer's League - Gold Whistle

< Marked: You have been seen (???) >
Location: Rendezvous Point set by Rael
Voucher Count: 1


She had taken a moment to log out of the game shortly after @Yugam had departed for a meeting with the other scouts in his party, a long sigh escaping the girl as she removed the VR headset and set it at her bedside. A lot had already happened throughout the day, half of which or more Valeria still hadn't properly internalized, before the girl finally got up from her bed and headed for the bathroom.

Her shower was quick, just one of the few things in the to-do list of Valeria to cross out, though actually getting something into her stomach was an entirely different story. Nothing seemed to appeal right now, her mind too worried running through the game events and also the knowledge that Ari was currently out there gods knew where with the rest of his party... she only hoped they kept themselves safe and sound, a shiver running up her spine as the blonde remembered the Magia (?) and the egg she seemed to guard from the vision.

In the end she managed to stomach a cup of dark chocolate pudding, her hands reaching for the smartphone by her pillow as a brief text was sent to Ari—aware that the in-game comms would be useless to reach him while they were out on their mission in Vintergard territory.

[ Ari Ookami ]

See you at camp when you get back...?

*****

Lúthien was back in the game around thirty minutes later, figuring she might as well dive as she slept in case things went south during the night in Camp Hope. What the blonde hadn't expected was a message to pop up on her HUD shortly after returning, an urgent message from Rael that had been sent out not too long ago.

"What happened while I was out...?"

The elf couldn't shake off a feeling of uncertainty that seemed to settle on her shoulders, recent events already having Lúthien on high alert... especially considering that weird Marked status still hadn't cleared, though she was glad to see her health bar was back to full. Despite her own reservations however the elf was too curious to keep away, not to mention that she felt a sense of responsibility towards the other members of her party, and soon enough Lúthien's steps had carried her towards the meeting location set by the pinkette.

"Sooo... what's going on now?"

It took a moment before her eyes caught sight of Rael, the elf waving a hand slightly to gather her attention before stopping besides her—the words barely above the level of a whisper as they waited for the others.


UI Inventory
< Golden Mouse Corpse >


 
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M

Magi Heart

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Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: Wandering... (seeking Seigi)

Wendel spent some time smiling and appeasing these medics. Raina had asked her to not do anything stupid. Suddenly she was starting to feel pretty stupid! At least she had never felt this complete before. There was no sprite nagging in her ear, no voice in her dreams. Only her own thoughts, fragmented as they may be.

At least they are my thoughts.
My hate.
My choices.


A small smile formed on her face, not the same as the fake one she offered others but the usual more twisted Wendel smile she had hidden from Raina . Her body was recovering and she had absorbed energy from Raina's kind offering as well. So why was she still here?

"Excuse me.. helloo!? Anybody know what's going on out there? Everyone's running around and I am, um, feeling a need to get helping!"


Sitting up and looking around the Dark Heart was a little surprised at her own ability to "sugar coat" her voice and words. It wasn't exactly Magi Heart and maybe it would not be enough for those who knew her personally but for these people., easy as pie! She'll get them to forget that little outburst earlier heh.

Magical Girl roleplaying was so disgusting, regardless if it's the fantasy ones where she came from or the star scum in Tertoria. But... using it to cover herself would be good. It wasn't like she couldn't claim the Magi Heart name and just, improve on it. It could be kewl as hell. Wendel had tried before but now she had the memories (or more than in a long time anyway), and she had an incentive (keeping Raina on a leash until she could save her properly). Her hero was always ready to rush off to another death, and while that's an easy salvation it wasn't WITH WENDEL.

That's no good!
Sitting in this room is keeping me away from my job, my purpose...

"Gosh... supper sure is taking awhile. *grumble mumble*"


Worthless pink pest, I should know better than to expect anything.

Wendel started to get up, at first it wasn't that hard, then she moved more quickly and jumped up.

Urgh, still a little sore. Pain was just part of the struggle of living, like breathing. The Dark Heart can handle it, she was used to it anyway. Maybe even welcoming to it, as long as she could still damn move!

The limits of the body are such a chore.
Especially after the form she had just recently experienced.

Doing her best to keep a pleasant look and not concern lingering staff. Wendel left the tent and decided to seek out Raina.

▣ Action: Attempting to find @Seigi Ling Ling but open to intersection since this event has become chaos.
 

Raid Boss

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For those of you (@Rael @Luthien @Ash Vargold @Kyra Vashtana), who answered Rael's message and rendezvoused at her location, she would have guided you to the vacant MIT's tent, which seemed to be the safest option among the bunch. On the way, the group would have had to avoid camp security patrolling the area. Thankfully, it wasn't particularly difficult because of a change between the evening and night shifts.

Once inside, preparations were made to ensure that it was magically camouflaged on the outside so sound and light doesn't give the group's position away. After that, it became a waiting game to see if the hooded man deliver his promise or a bunch of security arresting the group for inciting a rebellion.

It took around 30 minutes or so before the hooded figure emerged from the tent's protected entrance. With a proper lighting source, you can see that the man was wrapped in bandages from the eye down,. His attire revealed nothing but long dark bangs and sharp crimson eyes. It was a highly inconspicuous look.

"My name is Vern, a lander none of you have ever met. I don't have a lot of time, so let's skip the rest of the formal pleasantries, shall we? Commander Norn has been bought out by Falderan nobles looking to undermine Astorea's interest. Here's one of the letters of correspondence between them, stamped with his seal."

Vern handed the letter to the group.

"Normally, this wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that the only surviving member of a recon unit came back two days ago with reports that there's going to be a Magitech raid at dawn tomorrow. If you really don't trust me, the scout is held somewhere in camp right now."

The hooded man paused as he directed his weary eyes at the group.

"That's my end of the bargain. Tell me what happened at the relaxation tents earlier."

OOC:
Team Time EX may reply to this Special Event below.

 
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Siondhe

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Kyra's ears twitched as they waited, something about the whole thing feeling off. She'd come as soon as she'd seen the notification from Rael, not even wasting time on a response. What little she'd been able to obtain from the pink-haired girl had been...insightful, but reminding her of some sort of weird crime novel from the earlier ninteen-hundreds. Or, at least what she'd seen about such crime novels from things like movies...her expertise in such an area was limited.

But as the man stepped into the tent, hooded and covered in what looked like bandages, Kyra began to wonder if someone wasn't pulling her tail. She gave Rael a quick prod, before speaking aloud - loud enough that the man would likely hear her words.

"Holy shit...he's either a mummy, or the worst costume designer in the history of costume designers. Or he has full body burns. Either way, this is definitely some conspiracy level...whatever conspiracy level things are."


Turning her attention to the man, she stood as tall has her small frame would let her - barely coming to what anyone would consider an intimidating - or even really a noticeable - height. Stepping slightly forward, she placed a hand on her hip and shook her tail behind her, before letting it sway behind her in a casual manner.

"Well, I don't know if we can trust you at all, to be entirely honest...but you don't seem to be...err...dangerous? I mean you're probably dangerous, but it's not like we couldn't just, you know, take you down on the spot. Not that we would! But we could. If we needed to."


She turned back and smiled at the others, giving a less-than-hidden thumbs up, before facing the man again.

"The relaxation tents...? Oh you mean the whole thing where we all saw this vision and then we heard this voice, and then we sort of just started bleeding out and somewhat dying, and needed medical attention and all that good stuff? Speaking of...I'm still pissed that my healing did so little. I need to figure out what in the nine hells that was about. But yeah, vision fun then bleed out. Not the best of times, but...I guess it's still better than horses..."


She leaned in slightly and whispered the final word, a shiver passing through her spine. Standing straight once more, she beamed a smile at the man, waiting to see what further information he would ask for, or provide. Hey this whole meeting is going amazingly. I should do this more often! I'm great at this!

 
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Raid Boss

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Vern tapped his chin as he digested the overly vague yet strangely specific piece of information @Kyra Vashtana dropped on him.

"Hmm... Astral anchor at a dangerous Dragonship enemy... So the rumors do hold up after all. Hmm-hmm," Vern spoke to himself.

After he finished parsing his thoughts on the matter, all of which didn't include the mentioning of the egg, he gave the group an affirmative nod.

"You kept up your end of the deal after all. Thanks."

Just as he headed toward the tent's entrance, something kept him just as he was about to leave. Turning his head back to the group, he said,

"Commander Norn is a Falderen's plant. There's going to be a Magitech raid on the camp tomorrow. There's a recon prisoner at camp. One of these things is a lie. I'm sure we'll see each other again, until then, goodbye."

Just as his sentence ended, his body began to phase out of existence.

OOC: Team Time EX (@Kyra Vashtana @Rael @Luthien @Ash Vargold) may reply to this Special Event below.

 
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Luthien

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...Explorer's League - Gold Whistle

< Marked: You have been seen (???) >
Location: Rendezvous Point set by Rael
Voucher Count: 1


Everything about this was one hundred percent super sus, elven eyes never leaving the Lander's face as he spoke to the group. A letter was handed out, the contents within seemingly aligned with the information Vern had provided—but with no way of provide it wasn't just a prop, and the man being quite hard to read, the elf couldn't help but frown further. She could feel the beginnings of a headache already forming, the developments of the day snowballing with such a magnitude that it was hard to keep up.

To her surprise Kyra was the one that pipped up first, giving quite the very brief retelling of the events the man had questioned them for. He seemed well guarded, his mind walled and hard to read, though the elf didn't sense any lingering traces of magic... perhaps his stoicness was as natural as her own?

"... one of these things is a lie..."
"Wait, what?"

She was snapped from her own thoughts then, her eyes narrowing in suspicion before she watched the man's body begin to phase out of existence, as she realized they'd been plunged into a two truths and a lie game.

< You better not be fucking with us...! >

Her attention turned then to the two girls present in the tent, a sigh escaping Lúthien's lips before she turned to them. "We should probably find Ash and Jester, they might be interested in hearing about this too." The gears in her mind continued to turn as the elf went through the three options again and again, trying to figure out the lie in the bunch.

"He said the surviving scout that returned was a prisoner now, but wouldn't that just incriminate the Commander...?"

A yawn escaped her at the end, her eyes trailing to the corner of the HUD before seeing her rest meter was running low. There were plenty of unanswered questions left still, and the more Lúthien thought about it she realized one person could probably hold clues for most—if not all—of them...

Perhaps she should try and pay the man's dreams a visit tonight.



UI Inventory
< Golden Mouse Corpse >


 

Raid Boss

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Marked
Day 1: Night (Cycle 3)

Guidelines


  • Maximum of 400 words
  • Time marker: Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Night
  • Marked's Comms



Night has cast its blanket over the camp, lit by the light of torches and magical crystals spread throughout the area. Although the majority of venues have closed. Others have opened in their place.

From all of the legwork you and your group has done, there seems to be a lot on your plate some of which include Vern's unreliable information, the Commander's loyalty, an impeding Magitech raid the day after, the Magia that attacked you, the Magitech egg, Astor’s ping(s), the existence of the imprisoned scout. Your concerns are numerous, yet your allotted time seems shorter than ever.

Now then, how will you make use of the nighttime? Will you risk pushing through sleeplessness in pursuit of your objectives?



Locations of Interest

Here are a few places and their description so you can use them in your roleplay post. They don't require a voucher to access, but you don't get the gameplay bonuses like Camp Hope IV. Also, actions are not tied to any of these locations, your characters may do anything they want!


CLOSED VENUES

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Food

Food is being served at the blue tent with a pillar of smoke billowing from its chimney. In front of said tent are wooden benches and tables for people to eat and socialize.

This area is closed for the day.


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General Supplies

General supplies can be found in an open area in front of a large square tent where a long queue of people was waiting to exchange their camp vouchers for one of the few items offered.

This area is closed for the day.


QMj8Jpb.png

Personal Training

An open dirt-stamped field with the sound of combat in the background. You will find yourself motivated to train and hone your skill here as everyone is deeply engaged in their morning self-improvement regimen.

This area is closed for the day.


JU2IO55.png

Relaxation

A series of secluded tents at the edge of the camp with sound barriers surrounding it. This entire area has been quarantined by the camp's security force. A few people are loitering around here, trying to figure out what had happened.

This area has been quarantined.


OPENED VENUES

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Resting Quarters & Infirmary Tent

This is where camp personnels and visitors go to rest. The infirmary tents are also found here. There are security personnels who are routinely patroling this area to make sure people keep their volume down so others can rest.



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Entertainment Tents

These are special tents that are only opened at night, mainly to let camp personnel destress from their long day while helping others cope with the incredibly tense and dangerous work environment that is Vintergard. All sorts of table games and drinks can be found here. The atmosphere is one of quiet murmuring for those who get rowdy and out of hand are immediately thrown out of the area.



jJwjExJ.png

Strategic Tents

These tents are a place for the upper-brass of Camp Hope and other distinguished guests to discuss things such as governance, leadership, and other topics related to how the camp is operated. Access is only given to those with some level of distinction or those with an invitation from its members.



nJopIEM.png

Communication Tent

The faction-operated knowledge exchange tents have been repurposed for the night, allowing landers and travelers alike to communicate with those outside of the camp.





Code:
[hp=00]00[/hp]
[status]
[b]Marked:[/b] You have been seen (???)
[b]Location:[/b] Location
[/status]

Post here

▣ Action: Summarize your action here
 
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Luthien

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...Explorer's League - Gold Whistle

< Marked: You have been seen (???) >
Location: Resting Quarters & Infirmary Tent
Voucher Count: 1


Eventually the elf had parted from the company of Kyra and the other party members, a yawn escaping her lips just as she glanced back to the corner of her HUD to check in on her < Rest Meter > current score. Lúthien wasn't surprised to see it was low, especially given the series of events that had transpired throughout their first day in Camp Hope IV. Even if her meter hadn't been low the girl needed to get some sleep sooner rather than later, diving for so many consecutive hours was certainly draining... if it wasn't for the streaming Valeria did to cover her IRL living costs the blonde wasn't sure she would've been able to pull off being logged into the game as long as she planned to be.

"The Commander has to sleep at some point too..."

She took a moment to focus on the face of the bearded man that had entered the medical tents shortly after the party had been bandaged up, Norn Jormund of the Security Personnel. There were still many questions inside Lúthien's mind, doubled only by their brief conversation with the Lander who introduced himself as Vern if that was even his actual name, the uncertainty of it all causing a tightness in the elf's chest as she continued to mull over the possibilities.

Two truths, one lie...

"Sea la madre... what did we even get ourselves into now?"

Lúthien allowed her body to flop backwards onto the bed assigned for her, a low sigh escaping her lips before she closed her eyes. However sleep did not come easy for the elf, finding it hard to quiet down the many thoughts running through her mind. A deep breath was taken then, the blonde holding onto it for a few moments, before she allowed it to exhale softly from her lungs. The exercise was repeated a few more times, and with each breath Lúthien could feel her consciousness slowly begin to unwind and settle down.

Soon sleep would finally find her...


Action: Attempting to tiptoe into Commander's Jormund's dreams and snoop about for possible info...?

UI Inventory
< Golden Mouse Corpse >


 
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Ash Vargold

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Tarkya

215 / 215

Marked: You have been seen (???)
Location: Resting Quarters > Entertainment Tent

Evening - Resting Quarters


"You all did what?"


Ash had just logged out for a moment. Some time to get a drink, splash some water on her face, eat something before hopefully, hopefully being able to talk some sense into the others before she went to bed.

And then he'd logged in to a nearly empty tent and stories of clandestine meetings, mysterious letters, a game of two truths and a lie...

What the hell had happened? He couldn't have been out for more than an hour, and now everything was convoluted and political and in the hands of people who were apparently too trusting to smell a trap when they saw it...

"...ugh. I'm going for a walk. Message me if you have any other wild ideas."



Night - Entertainment Tent

If there was one thing that was nice about Terrasphere, it was the quiet.

No traffic. No bright lights breaking past the curtains or loud voices drifting through the too-thin walls of her new apartment. No worries about being in danger from others - or at least the confidence that Ash could fend off any attackers. Just the night air, and the quiet, and the stars.

He shouldn't be in the game right now. He should be sleeping, preparing for... whatever waited in the morning. An attack, or nothing at all? Could they trust any of the words of that man? Could they risk ignoring it? Would he log in to another robotic nightmare? There was no way he was going to get any sleep, in or out of game. Not while his thoughts swirled and his heart pounded out the same dissonant staccato no matter where he was.

Perhaps that was what led him to the Entertainment tents. Drinks and gambling weren't his thing, but at least he could be soothed by the knowledge that the people here were potentially entangled in the same sort of anxieties - after all, there had been rumors flying even before this "Vern" had entered the picture.

He wandered through, occasionally stopping to watch a game or get a weak drink. Words weren't his thing, but he was an excellent listener. There was a good chance that someone would be gossiping about that, especially as the night grew later and the number of drinks increased...


Action: Listening for gossip and rumors at the Entertainment tents.
 
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