2017-08-05: The Sorcery Globe Reconnaissance
- Log: The Sorcery Globe Reconnaissance
- Cast: Siegfried, Zed, Malfi, Yarobeleedt, Riesenlied, Lady Harken, Agatha Pyrelight, Noeline, Fell Dragon Eizen
- Where: Northern Steppes, then Elluria
- Date: August 5, 2017
- Summary: The Metal Demons scout the Sorcery Globe... and what they find is far more than they prepared for.
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
The Sorcery Globe.
It has been, ever since its calamitous descent, a stain upon the Metal Demons' operations. Arctica -- indeed, all of Elru -- already quaked with the devastations unleashed upon it. When the monsters came, they smashed against the Photosphere's barrier in waves. They crashed against it; they forced even the Quarter Knights to take to the field, to try to stem the tide. They never managed more than earn brief reprieves.
Now, before the operation against the Guardians, the Metal Demons are finally ready to strike back against it.
Siegfried has led a small force to the outskirts of the Sorcery Globe. They stand in the frozen woods before them, having narrowly skirted around the worst of the great monster hordes. Siegfried stops, in front of everyone, and holds up a large, softball-sized golden orb. It is studded with black bits, marking it as an ARM instead of some trinket. "Alhazred has designed these." Indeed, every Demon has one. "These will only work in proximity to the Photosphere -- but they draw power from its great interstellar engines, and broadcast it out to replicate the barrier around it."
He turns, and looks ahead. "...If we cannot neutralize the Sorcery Globe, then we shall seal it with these. But we will need to get close. Can you all manage?"
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
For some reason, in such close proximity to the great and powerful Sorcery Globe, Zed is filled with an overwhelming desire to...
...Dance.
...
No, that can't possibly be right. There are too many monsters for that. It would be terrible impractical and improper besides, no matter how brightly the colors might strobe over that enormous sphere.
"So uh, these ARMs," Zed says with regards to the sphere he's tucked under one arm. "Won't that weaken our barrier, too? I mean, ideally we're going to go in there and beat the tar out of whatever's making this thing tick, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi dutifully tucks a globe into one of the pockets of her surcoat as she continues to scan the many monsters infesting the area. It's a pity she won't have the chance to capture and study any of them! Some of them are unusual!
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
"^Silly Greenhead^ make point?!" Yarobeleedt exclaims from his temporary hiding spot of being half-buried in the snow-covered earth, distracted momentarily from his on-paper task of 'eyeing good time to push forward,' which coincides neatly with the off-record, behind-his-back task of 'hope that he gets killed so they can reclaim the material for construction of a Demon less noxious.'
He holds his globe tightly like a child might a prized toy ball, wringing it and spinning it in his half-melted grasp all the while (and getting Yarobeleedt cooties all over it).
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The Sorcery Globe unsettles Riesenlied, for many reasons.
It is a foreign object, descended from Filgaia from the stars. It is influential in some mysterious way, inciting monster hordes to a furor that has washed against their defenses. It is a danger that they can ill afford to ignore for long, and they've been distracted for long enough.
The winged Tainted commander is familiar with the Northern Steppes, at least -- these fields are her home in many ways for the last few centuries, and it's with familiarity that she perches over an outcropping that looks forward upon the Sorcery Globe in the distance. The Ellurian cloak that she frequently dressed in is draped about her shoulders. Her expression is pensive and silent, withdrawn into herself.
"It is likely a required risk," she explains to Zed. "If the Sorcery Globe has the power to incite rage in monsters, it may try to influence us too. All due precaution is necessary."
She looks up at the bleak, snowy skies where the Ebony Wings are maintaining patrol perimeter. "Jedan, Cetiri, keep an eye out for any abnormal movements in the monsters. We will proceed in soon. Keep us updated on the external situation," she speaks through her throat microphone.
"Roger that," grunts the heavyset demon from above.
She looks to the little ARM and holds her hand out at it -- with a little ping, it reverberates against her. She hopes that this ARM can protect her mind from whatever influence the Globe may extend over her. "I am ready."
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
"The barrier is a contingency."
Harken has not had a remarkably easy time of things, lately. Nor has she had a lot of time outside of the Photosphere's incredibly advanced Intensive Care Unit, the one with the guards posted outside and the constant visitations by Alhazred. That she was more than a little melted at Lacour doesn't appear to have slowed the Quarter Knight down in her response to the summons of duty.
But that's no reason to be unpleasant. (She doesn't need a reason to be unpleasant.) Zed's question is fair.
"I'm sure it's all been accounted for. And besides, we shall not fail, so you needn't worry."
Well, that's reassuring. Looks like someone is comfortably back in control. Not that it probably makes Yaro feel any more at ease.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
Long ago, a certain witch had spoken to a certain sweet yet na?ve Metal Demon by the name of Riesenlied, and the exploration of the strange object that had been called the Sorcery Globe had come up during their conversation. This had, of course, been an object of interest to Agatha, especially with the tales of how its arrival had coincided with the time where many people had disappeared from Lunar.
Agatha hadn't taken that route to get to Filgaia, however. She considered that it might have been fun to be able to sample the magic and get a feel for what it could do, but alas. Business was business.
But the witch had been keeping an eye on the Metal Demons, and when the expedition heads out to take a visit to the strange fallen globe she is ready to participate. Not directly, of course - Agatha doesn't do things HERSELF heavens no. Manual work is rather beneath her most of the time.
But out of the heavens, a black speck descends from the sky. It plummets down to join the group, wings flaring out for a moment before it comes to a rest... right on top of Zed's shoulders. One clawed foot on each of his shoulders, and the third resting at a sort of cocky angle on top of his green mop of hair. Three red eyes blink separately, and the (rather enormous) three eyed, three legged black raven tucks in one wing and bows to Siegfried and Lady Harken.
"My Lord Siegfried, my Lady Harken, the Trial Knight has bade me to provide what assistance I may for your expedition to this strange and wondrous globe. While my ability to provide direct assistance is limited through the use of a familiar at such a long distance, I would be happy to help you scout and communicate, as well as perform whatever other services are needed." The voice is familiar enough to Riesenlied, Noeline, and Zed. It's the voice of the Pyre Witch, coming from the bird's beak. It turns slightly, and then throws a wink in Riese's direction. After all, she was the one who mentioned this expedition in the first place.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"If nothing else," Noeline comments a little too lightly for the situation, watching the wave of monsters beneath them mill around the geometric shape with a rather devil-may-care curiosity, "I dare say that Zed and I might be able to muster the speed to push through the horde, and in the worst case draw them away to allow others to plant them," she considers, before letting out a sigh of breath as she amends: "That is, assuming that the setup of those devices is not an extensive one."
She has no qualms coming along on this trip; the Globe is both a curiosity and a danger, and one she'd be very interested in figuring out in general regardless of the loyalties and factions she's part of. Ever so slightly, she tilts her head in thanks as she accepts one of the orbs, turning it over in her hands with curiosity before tucking it away in a fold of her dress. "As for an initial approach, a bombardment from above may serve to draw their number away in a different direction."
Briefly, her gaze flicks towards Harken; the idea of using something that Alhazred made is not a particularly tasteful one at present, but in this sort of situation beggars certainly can't be choosers.
--but then the raven settles on Zed's shoulders, and rather than screech 'Nevermore' over and over it instead decides to start speaking in a familiar voice, leaving Noeline to chuckle slightly. "--I would be curious to know what your senses can pick out from the place, if that is an option via your familiar," she comments without a greeting.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi gawks at the talking, apparently sentient weird bird and then, predictably, scans it.
DG: A party led by Siegfried is now entering Sorcery Globe Outskirts. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Elluria Besieged *>======================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Since the Sorcery Globe landed just outside the walls of Elluria, capital of the Ell Kingdom, monsters have been spewing forth from the impact crater. The beleaguered city still stands, and the sound of ARMs firing is more or less constant. Fast-moving four-footed monsters nevertheless roam thick around the countryside in packs, looking like twisted, mutated canines with fangs and claws capable of rending steel. Punching through their perimeter and entering the city takes firepower and will; no one emerges unscathed. =Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"It should not, no," Siegfried says, with a glance to Zed. He shakes his head once. "My understanding -- from what Alhazred has told me -- is that the engines of the Photosphere have energy to spare, as they do not have to drive it through the stars at the moment."
He doesn't know how it works. But, he isn't about to admit that. There is a reason that the two Quarter Knights who work best at cleaving things (but not breaking toys when they squeeze too hard) are here.
"But... it is as Lady Harken says." He glances at her, then nods once. "Riesenlied, have your Wings tell us if we are to be intercepted. Noeline, we'll have a bombardment prepared."
He turns, then steps forward. "Come."
As they break through the forest, they find -- incredibly -- signs of a battle. A walled city, though the walls are cracked and broken. The sounds of gunfire come from within, where a great war is being waged between the forces of Elluria and... the things that the globe has summoned. As Siegfried steps across snowy ground, his hand comes over his shoulder.
And a grin spreads across his face. "A battle, already underway," he says. "COME, MY COMRADES! We will cleave a way through!"
The arrival of the Metal Demons draws the eyes of loping, twisted canines. They turn, sniffing the air with blood-red noses, and then slavering fangs are revealed as they howl in an undulating way -- before they rush forward. And Siegfried turns as the first comes in.
Glumzambor flashes, and the Dark Spear splits it in two.
But far more than one come rushing for them.
DG: Siegfried has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's eyes widen just for a moment when the Raven descends on Zed's shoulder, but she nods quietly as she places a hand to her cheek. "Your assistance is greatly appreciated, Miss Agatha. In a situation like this, strategic awareness will be of top priority. Please assist us in that endeavour."
She frowns as she follows suit after Siegfried, letting her eyes gaze down upon the kingdom of Elluria. There was no time to establish contact or anything -- but her mind is already working to devise a combat strategy. They're still out here, and...
"Jedan, Dva, break their flank with a bullet curtain!" Yes, this was indeed 'danmaku' in the original JP.
The fire and ice dragons swirl overhead as they open their mouths and blast a column of flame and frost down, disarraying the beasts that are attempting to flank them from both the western and eastern directions. Her wings spread as she draws her thin side-sword and cuts through one of the beasts with a quiet grimace -- not without cost as she finds herself grazed on the other hand. "These beasts are... beyond fierce. The influence on them is beyond natural means."
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon Horn toward her party's challenge, Elluria Besieged. DG: Malfi has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi wades into the fray against the pack, howling with glee. These things might even turn out to be a challenge! She takes on four and five at a time, too ambitious: two manage to bite her, but she continues fighting, platinum blood bright against her black exoskeleton, staining her surcoat a bit. She must continue. Her superiors are watching.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Zed had a certain ~experience~ with a certain red-headed witch. An experience that briefly drove him into madness and awakened him to all kinds of things that he'd REALLY RATHER BE ABLE TO FORGET. He is wise to her ways. He is not wise to her crows. "What--" Zed gawps as he's SO RUDELY made into little more than a perch for an oversized, three-limbed beast. A hell raven. A deep crow, if you would. "You... I know that voice! Witch! What are you doing h--"
Wait. Hold on.
He can ask that later. There is BUSINESS AFOOT.
"There are more of these things here than there are at the Photosphere. Where are they all coming from!?" Is the Sorcery Globe just some kind of monster factory!? Zed clicks his tongue and darts at an oblique angle to his indefatigable commander. His hand flashes, unleashing a swift series of powdery smoke bombs into the line of battle. Zed...
Leaps right into the soot.
His sword flashes like green lightning.
A saturated battlefield just means he can't miss, after all.
DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
The Quarter Knight of Scarlet looks a mite more regal than she normally would, owing to the silken cloak favoring one shoulder more than the other. Maybe it's a part of her new strategy of taking things a little more slowly, but who can say? Harken fails to bat an eyelid as the Pyre Witch's remote-controlled bird drops from the heavens, but her gaze shifts noticeably regardless. Unexpected, but not unwelcome. "Indeed, as Noeline says." she rumbles, turning away once the message has been relayed. Not dismissive, just--done. "If you sense something amiss, then let us know. I have no patience and no skill for sorceries."
But it is not that sorcery (yet) that awaits the Metal Demons, and Siegfried's call to battle soon pierces the air. Harken glances aside, briefly, at the strike team as it flows beautifully into motion. "Onwards." she orders in a mildly dull tone, eyes lacking their usual lustre. "These beasts are barely a distraction."
Azrael's blade does not flash, no, because the canines seem below Harken's measure of something worth sullying her beautiful weapon on. Zed disappears past her like an evergreen bolt, and the Quarter Knight boredly deflects an oncoming snap of jaws with the staff-end of her weapon before smearing a wolf's skull into a PG-13 blur of shadow.
"Hmmph."
DG: Lady Harken has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt, for a brief time, returns to his station after getting over the shock of Zed asking a logically sound question. He seethes on the inside as Riesenlied's unit expertly provides a comprehensive report on the ground situation, dutifully fulfilling their task without ego or pettiness unlike... the snakey-wormy thing.
Why, if he had half a mind, nay, a quarter of a mind, he'd lead the ones he doesn't like into a sure-fire ambush an--
Harken. He freezes mid-fantasizing. Like the good soldier that he is, he's already rushing in there screaming on Siegfried's prompt. Look at him! Being a brave, flailing set of morphing weapon arms that haphazardly reconfigure and shift about being various pointy, unbalanced, blurring-fast implements of death...!
...Into a tree. That tree had it coming.
When his eyes open up to look upon the lumber he has slain, there are three canine monstrosities snarling at Yarobeleedt, whom inches away.
A sheet of some kind of metallic fabric flashes into being in a cocoon-like shape within moments of facing certain doom. The creatures leave deep gashes and imprints with every bite and claw as its occupant shudders deep inside.
DG: Yarobeleedt has used its Tool Sheet Cocoon toward its party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
The three eyed raven lets out an amused chuckle, and hops to the ground as they approach the outskirts of the Sorcery Globe. "I do not need a considerable amount of insight to feel the magic bleeding from this edifice. It is likely warping the minds of anything with a degree of sensitivity in quite a wide area. However..."
The Bird-Agatha looks around for a moment, although she was rather amused by Zed's flailing. The number of enemies about was quite disconcerting. This was a considerable amount of monsters and other hostile humanoids. "Do these creatures come forth from within the sphere, or are they natives drawn here?" the Pyre Witch muses. She flies along behind the group as they unleash wholesome, wonderful carnage in their approach to the Sphere enviorns proper, watching as monsters fall before the offensive power of the Metal Demons.
She pauses for a moment in the wake of their carnage, looking down at the remains of a fallen foe. The crow puts two of its legs on top of the corpse of the small creature, probably a goblin of some sort, and then looks at the Metal Demons.
Satisfied no one is likely looking, the crow seems to melt for a moment, its substance flowing out over the fallen body. It covers the corpse, and then the entire mass melts into a puddle of shadow on the ground.
A second later the bird reforms out of the mass, and takes wing to catch up with the rest of the group.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
For her part, Noeline doesn't even pause at the sight of the humans assaulting the Sphere's forces; it might be a little mercenary of her, but more than anything else she's thankful for the smokescreen and the divided attention that it affords their group, flitting forwards a little ahead of their group as they meet the ravening beasts head-on.
"Trouble," she calls, but doesn't seem to need to say any more than that; whatever synchronization she maintains with the silvery spheres that tend to orbit at her shoulders is enough to provide the command, sending the orb high into the air above her. From its new perch it beeps, the flaps on one side opening to reveal the internal focusing lens - and allowing it to rain laser fire down at the battle. For all that the assault seems unfocused, it has a remarkably good aim, picking off threats in a defensive capacity.
Through the beams, Noeline almost dances, wielding a scythe that is not nearly as large or as functional as Azreal is; where the Quarter Knight prefers a rather direct style of fighting, Noeline seems to be all about sweeps and spins and the occasional surprisingly powerful kick. One of them sends a beast spinning away from Riesenlied's back; she rears, and then cleaves it apart with a final swing before immediately going back on the offensive.
"Some of these are not particularly native," she calls over the din, confirming Agatha's suspicions. "It is-- almost like a gathering, I would say. They have been called." She has her own protection against the Sphere's influence, of course - but not exactly one she'd like to share with the class.
DG: Noeline has used her Tool Trouble toward her party's challenge, Elluria Besieged.
=========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Elluria Besieged *>======================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Since the Sorcery Globe landed just outside the walls of Elluria, capital of the Ell Kingdom, monsters have been spewing forth from the impact crater. The beleaguered city still stands, and the sound of ARMs firing is more or less constant. Fast-moving four-footed monsters nevertheless roam thick around the countryside in packs, looking like twisted, mutated canines with fangs and claws capable of rending steel. Punching through their perimeter and entering the city takes firepower and will; no one emerges unscathed. =Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
====================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 1 *>===================== =========================< Results - Elluria Besieged >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Siegfried 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zed 0 --(3)--> 3 Pass Smoke Bombs 1 Combat Effects: Embolden and Fanfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Malfi 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yarobeleedt 0 --(5)--> 5 Fail Sheet Cocoon 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lady Harken 0 --(4)--> 4 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Dragon Horn 3 Combat Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Noeline 0 --(3)--> 3 Pass Trouble 2 Combat Effects: Resilient -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Siegfried 0 --(25)--> 25 Pass Conditions: Suffer Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)|Fanfare(1)|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers
DG: The party led by Siegfried has passed this challenge! The party gained 25 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. [OOC] Siegfried says, "Oh wow." [OOC] Zed says, "D-dang" [OOC] Siegfried says, "That'll take some gettin' used to." [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "nice!" [OOC] Lady Harken says, ".... coooooool." [OOC] Malfi says, "We DID GOOD!" <Public> hi i'm Maya Schrodinger says, "lovin' the new digger post-challenge status report" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "everyone but yaro succeeding feels like a very apt outcome" <Public> hi i'm Maya Schrodinger says, "very swank" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "it's the best thing ever" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "i love it" <Public> * Talise Gianfair says, "it's pretty baller" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "also it lets you know who to pose as standing in the fire in the wrap" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "'warping the minds of anyone with a degree of sensitivity' -- yeah riese is already pretty worried about this" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "here, riese" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey puts tinfoil hat on riese's head [OOC] Riesenlied says, "come to think of it... maybe you should give it to harken instead" [OOC] Zed says, "warping the minds of what"
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Your eyes are welcome, Witch," Siegfried says. Perhaps he knows something of her. His blade cleaves down -- and slashes through another of the creatures. He doesn't notice how it then melts away into so much black goop. He turns, and raises his arm. The ion cannon there blasts down another as he strides forward.
And rush forward the Demons do. Zed leaps ahead, blade flashing; Noeline sends one flying away with a mighty kick. Yaro, unfortunately, is left scarred as his cocooon is attacked by them, but the one Noeline kicked away plows through them.
But fire and ice from above clear more of them away. They burn and freeze in huge numbers -- and when they reach the walls, the last is slashed in two by dark Azrael. They fall, and Siegfried grins.
"Well done, all of you," he says, as he stops before the gates to the city -- and then strides through. Broken as they are, these gates offer little to stop their advance.
Of course, even if they stood, Adlehyde's did not either.
All channels have been gagged.
You will now hear messages on channel <O-Metal Demons>.
[OOC] Siegfried says, "Who wants next? :E"
[OOC] Riesenlied says, "i'll go"
DG: Riesenlied has drawn a new Challenge. ========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>=========================
====================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 1 *>===================== ======================<* CHALLENGE - Do You Even Lift *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The route ahead cuts through a gated causeway; the only problem is nobody bothered to lift the gate before they left! Worse yet, it appears they severed the chain holding up the counterweight to prevent anyone else from coming through. You could look for a way around, but there are monsters everywhere. Going through, somehow, is the safer option... =Dungeon Conditions: Injure=================================================== [OOC] Noeline pulls out the deckchair [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "now we find out who in the photosphere skips leg day" [OOC] Noeline says, "Noe hasn't advanced yet so it's def. her" [OOC] Noeline says, "she hasn't taken into account all the lifting bro she did in adlehyde" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "she just can't be bothered when there are big, strong people to do that for her" [OOC] Noeline says, "aaaalso that." [OOC] Malfi says, "We need to team up and lift that gate, or make a counterweight." [OOC] Zed says, "Nah" [OOC] Zed fires up the drill [OOC] Siegfried says, "Also! Which two people wanna set their spheres this turn?" [OOC] Malfi says, "I can." [OOC] Siegfried salute! [OOC] Riesenlied says, "I will" [OOC] Zed >Metal Demons accidentally save Filgaia from being overrun by Sorcery Globe monsters [OOC] Lady Harken says, "All the QKs drawn like Peanuts characters wailing at the sky in despair" [OOC] Fei Fong Wong says, "hey hey don't steal my schtick"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It is likely warping the minds of anything with a degree of sensitivity in quite a wide area.
Riesenlied heeds Agatha's warning well as they proceed into the ruined city, her expression pensive as she reaches for her microphone to say, "Well done, Ebony Wings -- resume perimeter duties. Ensure that rendezvous points B2 and C3 are kept open, and update us on any coming anomalies." The smell of blood, smoke and gunfire is distinct and alive in the city, and it bothers Riesenlied -- it's too similar to what happened in Arctica and Adlehyde. This was their nature... or so their elders say, but some part of her still can't help but be bothered by it.
She listens to an update.
"It seems that this gate is our most direct path forward -- the side streets have already crumbled, and it will take much more effort to bypass them," Riesenlied expresses.
She holds onto that sphere as she holds it up -- and a shimmering glow starts to cascade outwards. "Malfi, move -- five paces to the east and lay yours down there. It'll provide us with a safe space while we deal with this obstacle."
She holds onto the gate and-- begins to lift, rather rudimentary, with a grunt. "It's been sealed shut by the damage as well..."
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Do You Even Lift.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi moves as directed, then pulls her sphere from the pocket in her surcoat. She takes a moment to activate it: synchronising, while she could do it, isn't her strong point. Satisfied that the sphere is working, she turns to the gate. "We'll need to work together," she announces. She adds her efforts to Riesenlied's. Surely the gate will move!
DG: Malfi has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Do You Even Lift.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
Oh no, a fallen gate!
...this looked like effort, and Agatha wasn't really one who did effort for the most part. She lands on a nearby piece of fallen debris, hopping to get a bit better look at the blocked passage. "That looks like a considerable amount of effort~" she lilts for a moment, and then watches as Riese and Malfi begin their efforts to boost it out of the way.
But she does have a question for Noeline, who is probably not putting in considerable effort. "But if they are being called, where are they coming from? Certainly there would be signs of a great migration of monsters on this scale, unless it is somehow calling them from underground." The crow tilts its head, looking in the direction of the Globe for a moment.
"Then again, the arrival of so many from the Silver Star began at about the same time as the arrival of this mysterious construct. I cannot help but think they are related. If we see monsters from Lunar here, we will have some idea of how these monsters are gathering here.'
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The moment they're through the broken gates, Noeline has her shoulder against them; not to try to push them closed, because that would be a rather useless endeavour given their current state, but to sneak a glance around them, watching the ongoing battle and ensuring that none of the monsters decide that they would make better targets than the human forces.
"That is a very good question, to be honest," she sighs back to Agatha - but then pauses, as if a thought has just struck her. "But... the way their numbers are arranged... does it not seem odd? It is almost as if they are intended as a barrier, rather than an army," she comments, cataloguing the thought away for later as she lets out a faint sigh.
A cast of her hand backwards sends her two spheres drawing behind her, as if to help with the gate; they push against it, but clearly can't do all that much to help, given that they're rather lacking arms or any means to particularly direct the power of their engines. At the very least they help a little, in the absence of Noeline; she's a little busy watching out for any further attack, after all.
"... we probably have some time yet," she decides after a moment, narrowing her eyes at the battle raging. "The humans are fighting, but to be quite honest, it is already a fighting retreat - if the monsters choose to pursue them, that will afford us a little more time."
DG: Noeline has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Do You Even Lift.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
What? Weird magical radiation warping the minds of anything in the area? It's a good thing Zed doesn't have to worry about that!
Whether that's because he's a Metal Demon and so he has a naturally built-in tinfoil hat, or if there's just nothing up in there to really warp is kind of... Up in the air. Alhazred hasn't made any claims in either direction.
But what he does know is that there is something in the way that is:
A) Being blocked by a whole bunch of rubble.
B) Incredibly heavy, and most importantly--
C) Is a door, and is thus the worst kind of thing.
Zed's lips draw into a fine line, and then curl upwards into a triumphant grin. "Hey. Hey, I got an idea," he says as he whips his scarf off from around his neck. And then starts... Whipping it more. And whirling it. And twirling it. Faster and faster he whirls the scarf overhead, surrounding his arm in a vaguely conical blur.
It makes... Drill noises.
"This door won't last long under enough pressure. Don't need to lift it if you just dig through it. And this drill here... Is drill enough to pierce a door!"
Zed doesn't yell out an attack name when he just straight up charges the door and slams his drill-fist into it.
He hasn't come up with a decent one yet, you see.
Instead he just sort of yells. It's drowned out by rampant *DRILL NOISES.*
DG: Zed has used his Tool Drill Scarf toward his party's challenge, Do You Even Lift.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
From the beak of the raven comes the report of the Sorcery Globe twisting the minds of anything it comes into contact with. A muted smile reaches Harken's lips in turn, even as wolves dissolve into viscous black tar beneath her feet and splash harmlessly against the broken cobblestones. "My, what a dangerous-sounding toy this is. I wonder how many human Drifters it's claimed...?"
Darkly contemplating these possibilities, however, is a poor use of the Knight's time. Especially when there's only one way forward, for now. There's a pause of contemplation, before Harken strides forward without a mite of ceremony and stands next to the rank and file, loaning that inhuman strength to an admittedly simple task.
"I thought we had explosives for solving such a droll task." the Knight doesn't sound enthused about this, but then, she doesn't sound upset. So that's okay? "Wherever it has brought these beasts from is no big deal. We'll not need to worry once it's rubble."
Note: If Zed's Cool Drill works, then Harken elects to just stand there and look brooding instead of doing the dirty work. Let's hope it works.
DG: Lady Harken has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Do You Even Lift. [OOC] Siegfried rofl
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt burrows up through the ground behind the lot of them, having been left behind in the confusion. (It begs the question why he didn't just go here that way to begin with?) His eyes bulge out, tongue lolling as he gasps for air with all manner of scuffs on his form. Scuffs he buffs out on account of having one... foot?... in already being a melting blob of metallic mass from the waist down.
He considers sitting it out and watching Riesenlied and Malfi - the ^Tainted^ and the ^Creature Creature^ - work at the gate while Yarobeleedt internalizes the easiest way through. His plan is perfect. They will struggle and fail, and then he will easily open it and shame the--
He looks over his shoulder to see Siegfried and Lady Harken right there. He blinks asymmetrically.
He starts humbly scraping at the damaged bits to smooth them out and make it easier to lift, at price of everyone's eardrums.
Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.
The scraping gets worse as he tries to compete against the *DRILL NOISES*. He won't be shown up by ^Silly Greenhead^ either!!!
[OOC] Agatha Pyrelight says, "Elsewhere, Alhazred watches as he tries to decide if he wants to add sword hands or drill hands to his next abomination."
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi is busy with the gate, but not so busy she doesn't catch parts of the conversation around her. These were extraterrestrial monsters? She couldn't miss a chance to study those!
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Do You Even Lift. [OOC] Lady Harken says, "zed, did you take all the drill speed perks" [OOC] Zed says, "Well obviously" [OOC] Zed says, "Also, Sword Drill Hands" [OOC] Zed says, "Obviously" =================================<* +CAMP - *>================================= ===================<* Siegfried - Quarter Knight Siegfried *>=================== Brute: 6 Agility: 5 Wits: 4 Combat: 6 Exhaustion: 6/100 ==================================<* Tools *>=================================== Available Tool Slots: 2 1 Trask Beacon 4 Combat Limit: 1/1 Effects: None 2 Shield Generator 2 Brute Limit: 3/3 Effects: Stalwart Basic Actions: Force, Investigate, Rush, Fight. Lady Harken Brute: 4 Agility: 5 Wits: 2 Combat: 4 Exhaustion: 4/100 Tools: Azrael, Harken Booster. Zed Brute: 5 Agility: 5 Wits: 1 Combat: 7 Exhaustion: 3/100 Tools: Grapple Scarf, Smoke Bombs, Drill Scarf. Riesenlied Brute: 5 Agility: 5 Wits: 8 Combat: 5 Exhaustion: 5/100 Tools: Dragon Horn, Dragon Wings. Noeline Brute: 2 Agility: 6 Wits: 6 Combat: 4 Exhaustion: 3/100 Tools: Trouble, Strife. Yarobeleedt Brute: 4 Agility: 8 Wits: 6 Combat: 1 Exhaustion: 5/100 Tools: Sheet Cocoon, Clutch Harness. Malfi Brute: 5 Agility: 2 Wits: 3 Combat: 5 Exhaustion: 6/100 Tools: Blackest Coffee, Portable Scanner. ==================================<* Party *>=================================== Party Leader: Siegfried Exploration: 25/100 Effects: Embolden(1), Fanfare(1), Resilient(1), Strengthen(2). Conditions: Injure(2). ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Hn," Siegfried remarks. "It should seem this city has not yet fallen entirely."
He looks at Riesenlied and nods. He does check on Malfi, as she steps forward. The Quarter Knight walks ahead, as the others move to help lift the gate. He has another plan. He stands firm, at the rear, and then holds both hands out. "Hi-Shield," he says. It is no spell; no word of power. It is an activation code. A shimmering barrier of white appears, made of interlocked hexagons, and then expands outward. It blossoms outward -- and the first monster to round the corner smashes into it.
Siegfried grunts, and then stays still. He waits, as he sees Zed draw out his scarf, and then focuses. "Harken, we would be ill-advised to blow apart the city," he says. "We do not yet know what effects the Sorcery Globe has on a landscape."
DG: Siegfried has used his Tool Shield Generator toward his party's challenge, Do You Even Lift.
========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - Do You Even Lift *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The route ahead cuts through a gated causeway; the only problem is nobody bothered to lift the gate before they left! Worse yet, it appears they severed the chain holding up the counterweight to prevent anyone else from coming through. You could look for a way around, but there are monsters everywhere. Going through, somehow, is the safer option... =Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 2 *>==================== ========================< Results - Do You Even Lift >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Siegfried 6 --(1)--> 7 Pass Shield Generator 2 Brute Effects: Stalwart ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 3 --(1)--> 4 Pass Drill Scarf 2 Brute Effects: Strengthen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Malfi 6 --(2)--> 8 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 5 --(4)--> 9 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lady Harken 4 --(3)--> 7 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 5 --(1)--> 6 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 3 --(4)--> 7 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Siegfried 25 --(30)--> 55 Pass Conditions: Injure(2) Effects: Stalwart(1)|Strengthen(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Siegfried has passed this challenge! The party gained 30 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"I must agree with Noeline," Riesenlied lends to the conversation as she tries to exert more effort -- though her eyes widen as she stares back towards Zed to go, "Wait, that--" and winces as she steps back and flinches just for a moment as errant bits of metal start flying out as the drill scarf starts to wrap and undo metal all around it. At one point, she ducks underneath the cuccoon-like weave of her wings to avoid errant flecks of debris from launching directly at her cheek.
"It has the look of a phenomena, but the way these monsters keep assaulting us without end feels... too organised," she expresses. "If these are Lunarian monsters... that will require further study when we are able to." Which doesn't mean now, unfortunately.
It is rather fortunate that the shield generator is there, because without Noeline and Siegfried to back up the flank, the four-legged monsters would've no doubt harrangued them long before their efforts were done. Yarobeleedt keeps scraping away to... very little avail -- one of the chunks flung outwards by Zed's drillscarf threatens to bonk him on the head! Harken, meanwhile, does a fantastic job of commentating and looking pretty swank in that silk cloak of hers, good job Lady Harken! *camera snapping noises*
DG: Lady Harken has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - Aerial Assassins *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- A shriek pierces the air from overhead, after which a group of stone-skinned gargoyles with pulsing purple veins drop down from the skies toward your group, their fangs and claws preparing to slash and rend. =Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Treasure==========================================
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
The notion that dusting the Sorcery Globe across the landscape could be a bad thing hasn't crossed Harken's mind, no, but that's why Siegfried is the one in charge. He has the wisdom. Harken respects this, and she merely nods once as she brings up the rear of the Metal Demon squad. Waving through Yaro (why is he moving so quickly?) in the event that he isn't staying out of sight until the last moment, and Malfi. Maybe she thinks Noeline and Riese can handle themselves? She's been so damn quiet today!
"Good work," Lady Harken comments in a near-monotone to Zed, but anything more she was going to discuss is cut off by a shrill screech from the skies. Something between a squealing of tires and a tortured eagle's cry heralds more misshapen, twisted assailants under the Sorcery Globe's effects.
That fashionable silk cloak flutters in the breeze as Azrael's blade clicks icily into place. "Something knows we're here." Harken notes with a hazy smile coming to her lips. "Or we simply stand out too much."
A veiny, disgusting gargoyle's flight is harshly cut short as the crimson scythe's blade severs it in twain. A dark and unsatisfied chuckle follows, the Quarter Knight punching a hole in a nearby stucco wall and thrusting one of Alhazred's sealing orbs into it. "So be it."
DG: Lady Harken has used her Tool Azrael toward her party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi fends the gargoyles off with her lance -- if they can't touch her, they can't harm her. Any that touch her weapon also get a nasty electric shock. So far, she is successfully keeping them at bay, but one question gnaws at her: how in Mother's name can creatures made of stone **FLY??**
DG: Malfi has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods at Harken as she expresses, "This does feel like a rather concerted effort to repel us. But who...?" She's glad that the effects of the Sorcery Globe do not appear to have caught onto her yet, but she's also keeping her guard up -- moreso than ever.
There's a faint breath and focus from Riese as she expresses, "I'll focus on protection -- take them out of the skies, but watch out for your flank!"
With that said, there's a ripping sound as the Pinions distend from her wings. The blades of light emerge from the arch of her wingspan, aloft on gossamer photon particles that trace their line around the Metal Demons, three each. They form barriers of solid light where the gargoyles attempt to swoop down, providing them cover and defense.
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon Horn toward her party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
And a gargoyle comes screaming down for them. More than one, in fact.
Siegfried doesn't turn to Glumzambor, in this case. He instead steps up quickly -- he walks behind Malfi, judging she has it in hand if they come down. He aims, then, and the ion cannon built into his forearm pulses. Light explodes out from it.
And it shoots into one gargoyle, then another, as he starts to fire rapidly. "Yes," he says. "Something else moves the beasts here. I often wondered--their attack upon the Photosphere... it felt like a siege, did it not?"
DG: Siegfried has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt's ineffectual frantic scraping - not for a lack of trying - finds his pathetic display stopping to a chunk of debris bouncing off of Yarobeleedt's head. He flops over, head swimming with little laughing cucoo-shaped Tainted dancing around his head, holding hands under the swirling stars.
He tries to stab one with a needle-tipped forearm, to no avail, since they're all imaginary.
They go away when SHE strides past, and Yarobeleedt rises in attention. He starts darting about the outer perimeter of the next chamber as the veiny gargoyles make their descent. Sight of Yarobeeledt is lost within seconds.
Some moments later, three of those gargoyes seem to be trying to cart off a carved-up metallic cocoon. Inside, Yarobeleedt clicks the tips of his weaponized forearms together... and wrings them.
This is a fantastic idea that won't at all backfire. (Even if he's already sixth-guessing himself from inside the scratched-up metallic cocoon that is currently being carried off towards who knows where.)
DG: Yarobeleedt has used its Tool Sheet Cocoon toward its party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
There are no walls that Zed's drill cannot pierce! Maybe. He hasn't tried them on all walls yet. There are, empircally, no walls which Zed has attempted to drill through that have not yielded to his drill.
...
The mountain borer on two legs comes to a staggering, momentum-driven stop at the far side of the door. There's a roughly Zed-shaped hole where the others can pass trough now, if they dare. "Ahahahaha, no problem, Lady Harken! I'm no slouch when it comes to digging you know--"
Zed pauses.
Something is wrong.
There's too much shadow falling on him.
"What the--" Gargoyles! Great, big, grey, veiny gargoyles from the sky! "Augh!" Zed yells as they start trying to CLAW AT HIS FACE. "Why is there so much coming from the sky today!? AWAY, AWAY WITH YOU, RATS WITH WIIIINGS!" One opens its mouth to screech. Zed shoves a handful of smoke bombs right in there and sets them off, popping its skull with a wet noise and filling the area with powdery soot. Doom Bringer whirls, bisecting a second. "Of course they've noticed we're here. It's not every day two of the Quarter Knights come out to knock on your door, you know!?"
"But this... Is kind of insulting, actually!!"
DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
Agatha lets out a squack - perhaps she's a bit more bird like than expected? - and ducks under cover as the gargoyles come screaming down to attack.
Definately not a body she wants to pick a fight in.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"What, boss??" Zed asks from where he's grabbing one gargoyle and shoving another's claws through its face. "You think these things are being commanded by something?"
...Sorcery Globe.
Photo Sphere.
"...You think maybe there's some kind of commander inside the Globe?"
Spherical objects from space seem to contain those more often than not, it seems!
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"I suppose we can assume it would be the masters of this place - though what those are is an extremely good question," Noeline sighs to herself as she steps back from the ruined gates and after the party. The sudden addition of a stone bird doesn't really seem to faze her, but it's not the first rocky avian she's fought this week; she darts to one side to avoid the initial strike, a flick of her hand sending an array of bolts spitting into the sky after it, as a broad sweep of her scythe draws sparks along it's length.
"In fact--" she decides this is the best time to keep talking, dancing back from the bird's stabs of its beak with long hopping steps. "--have you noticed that Filgaia is practically besieged? In terms of 'threats from space seeking to take the place for themselves', it has no end of enemies. Perhaps the Guardians do something to attract such groups, or perhaps it is just spectacularly bad luck on the part of the inhabitants - especially considering the state of the place." Her nattering is as upbeat as it is offbeat, almost a way to deal with her tension were she the sort to be tense.
DG: Noeline has used her Tool Trouble toward her party's challenge, Aerial Assassins.
========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - Aerial Assassins *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- A shriek pierces the air from overhead, after which a group of stone-skinned gargoyles with pulsing purple veins drop down from the skies toward your group, their fangs and claws preparing to slash and rend. =Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Treasure==========================================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 3 *>==================== ========================< Results - Aerial Assassins >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Siegfried 7 --(3)--> 10 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 4 --(3)--> 7 Pass Smoke Bombs 1 Combat Effects: Embolden and Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Malfi 8 --(2)--> 10 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 9 --(7)--> 16 Fail Sheet Cocoon 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lady Harken 7 --(4)--> 11 Pass Azrael 2 Combat Effects: Strengthen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 6 --(2)--> 8 Pass Dragon Horn 3 Combat Effects: Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 7 --(4)--> 11 Pass Trouble 2 Combat Effects: Resilient ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Siegfried 55 --(30)--> 85 Pass Conditions: Injure(1)|Treasure(1)|Wound(2) Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)|Fanfare(1)|Resilient(1)|Strengthen(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Siegfried has passed this challenge! The party gained 30 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Fortunately, the combined forces assaulting the bird do at least serve as an ample distraction; the spy pauses, spotting the recess that Harken uses for her own barrier device, and it seems as good an idea as any to allow her next dodge to carry her across the hall they're fighting in. She's already pulling out the sphere as she skids to a halt, her hands moving across it as she primes the device. A quick duck allows an 'errant' shot from Trouble to go over her head, impacting and shattering a little piece of the wall - enough for her to set the orb in place, activating it as her next bolt forward sends her out of its way.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
As he's carried off, Yarobeleedt wonders what's taking so long. He peeks out of the folds of the cocoon. He looks down - he's just high up from the group, nowhere near anything that looks interesting to slink into. He looks up at the scowling, veiny gargoyles.
Down.
Up.
Down.
Up.
The gargoyles, having caught on to his clever plan, simply release the cocoon from on high and dump Yarobeleedt down onto the ground behind them in an exaggerated cloud of dust and a muffled screech.
DG: Yarobeleedt has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>============================================== ======================================<* CHALLENGE - Tactical Espionage Action *>======================================= |Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | -----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------------------------- A deep basso rumble echoes through the area, more noticeable as a vibration than an actual sound. It is followed shortly thereafter by the lumbering tread and laboured breathing of something truly enormous - a beast so large that every step is sending ripples through the ground. They say discretion is the better part of valour, and sneaking through this area seems like a /really/ good idea. =Dungeon Conditions: Madness==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
If you think about it, really, Malfi's choice of weapon is pretty ideal for fending off aerial attackers (short of a ranged weapon system). The gargoyles, fighting with fang and claw, find themselves at a range disadvantage and are easily skewered. For beings wrought of stone, they do not seem to be terribly resilient, but such is the might of those who fight under the Photosphere's banner. The numbers begin to thin further, as the ion cannon in Siegfried's forearm rends the flying beasts asunder with blinding surges of light that thunder ominously! Those that remain in the pack elect to pick on Yarobeleedt, instead, in a time-honored Hyadean tradition. Though his alloyed cocoon protects him from the worst of their stone extremeties... ... well, sometimes, the best defense remains a good offense, you know?
Thankfully, Zed is here to provide cover with a thick cloud of smoke. The venerable ninja tool allows for:
1: Agatha-Bird to squawk and scurry out of the way of any oncoming danger, and
2: Noeline to effortlessly lance one of the last gargoyles with scythe and, if need be, mysterious floating ARMs.
In the smoke that follows, there is silence. And smoke. I think I remembered to say that the smoke bombs happened. "Let's not disappoint whoever's waiting, then." Harken hardly sounds ill at-ease, a wry smile still on her lips. "They've gone to such lengths to make us feel welcome."
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt, feeling the need to prove himself, uncharacteristically takes the lead within this mortally dangerous enemy construct. He reassures that he will see the way in, as he clutches his golden orb tightly. The surrounding environs are dark, save for strangely-colored floating cyan shapes against a matching wall as they stride about a purple floor with interlacing line patterns. There is light, but to define a light source is a difficult trick on the eyes.
"Hm, hm, hm, so simplicity~" Yarobeleedt gibbers.
* * rumble * *
Yarobeleedt stops. Nobody hears it. They feel it.
* * * rumble * * *
The lower half of Yarobeleedt's body ripples, as visual evidence that there is something here. Something moving. Something incredible...
* * * * rumble * * * *
This time, it shakes the legs. It hurts the ears, though there is still no discernible sound. Something... colossal, is coming, ahead of them.
Yarobeleedt turns behind himself, facing Lady Harken. His eyes are frozen into tiny bugged-out pin pricks. He darts ahead(?)... stops, repeats the gesture.
He starts to frantically scrape at the ground.
The trail he leaves behind as he moves is... noticeably slimier.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi can't resist scanning the creature, whatever it is. It's at the extreme edge of her scanner's range, but something that BIG is impossible to miss. She activates the scanner while scrambling to the other side of the room where she hopes to find an exit. The best course of action is OBVIOUSLY to sneak away and avoid a fight with the thing, entertaining as that would be.
DG: Malfi has used her Tool Portable Scanner toward her party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's eyes widen after they survive the gargoyle ambush, holding her hand out to worriedly express, "Yaro--" but he's off too quickly, too soon. The way the ground rumbles, the size of this beast... this was definitely no fauna that she's ever encountered in the Northern Steppes before. Was this another machination of the Sorcery Globe? It is a fearsome device indeed.
"We'd best not waste time with this creature-- I think it..." A pause, as she holds onto her head for a moment. "... what? What is it?"
She shivers, suddenly feeling deeply uncertain. But she dispels it, shaking her head as she concentrates for a moment. "... over there--" she decides, moving along some of the side passages. "Malfi, your scanner..." she glances along while moving alongside the younger Metal Demon. "That's a useful device indeed."
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
Siegfried looks at Harken, then nods once.
And then he feels the rumble. He looks ahead, to Yarobeleedt, and sees the way the creature's body ripples disturbingly like that. His eyes narrow, and he looks around for a moment. His brow furrows, before he shakes his head. "...We should make haste," he says, as he looks at the trail of slime left in Yarobeleedt's wake.
And he starts walking.
Then stops.
"Zed," he says. "That means you."
But he stays put a moment longer. Siegfried looks to the stone wall of the building next to him. A former guardhouse, he thinks; it has been abandoned in the fighting. He smashes his orb into it, and buries it into the stones there, before he begins to move quickly in Yaro's wake.
DG: Siegfried has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
With the immediate fighting done, Agatha steps out and looks around for a moment. And then she scoffs at the enemies. "Such crude creatures. Really, attacking us out of nowhere like that."
Well, they were definitely getting closer, and the sense of power nearby was... "Oh my, that is something, isn't it?" she asks. And chortles. "Yes I do not think we want to be around here for whatever is coming! It is quite terrible!"
The witch actually sounds *amused* by this. She flaps over to land on Riesenlied's shoulder, and comments, "Yes, I think this is quite an exciting place. I have the feeling we'll discover something new even to me once we reach our destination - provided we all don't become snacks, of course."
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
As a spy and a dirty sympathizer, Noeline's sense of when to shut up and hide herself is pretty advanced. Even before Yaro skitters away, the goth demon has flitted to Riesenlied's side, a hand on her arm as she breaks rank and gives Riesenlied a command instead. "Down," she hisses with urgency in her voice, before glancing back towards Malfi to check that the other demon has got the same idea; satisfied, she nods her head as she starts to dart forwards through some of the rubble, picking out a path that seems most expedient while also being easy enough for others to follow.
"Surely they cannot even control something that large?" she wonders softly to herself, shaking her head as she does so and letting out a soft huff of breath. "I cannot figure out if this is an organized structure or a force of nature."
DG: Noeline has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"Wh--" Zed stares agog at his BOSSMAN. "What do you mean that means me? I've been keeping up pretty well, you know!" CLEARLY SIEG NEEDS TO GET HIS EYES CHECKED. Even though Zed is kind of... Holding his sword and staring eagerly at the thing in the darkness like he wants to drive closer so he can stab it. "Hrmph. Well. WELL!" Zed adjusts the orb where it sits under his arm. "I guess I could try going a bit faster."
At first nothing seems to happen.
And then one might notice that Zed is... Buzzing.
Vibrating.
Faster and faster, amplitude growing more by every single passing second. Zed's eyes wiggle in his head. He's reached auto-resonant frequency. His body is host to a terrible, intense standing wave...!
He darts after Yaro.
He twists, slamming his orb into the uppermost flagstone of a mighty, still-standing archway.
And then...
Zed... Finds the thing in the darkness.
Zed... pokes it with his sword.
Zed... Runs merrily away, towards their inevitable destination.
DG: Zed has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
It's not like Harken is aggressing on poor Yarobeleedt, so to the Knight, his reaction remains a little bit of a mystery. Perhaps upon reviewing the after-action report, she may come to the conclusion that she is more terrifying than the giant beast, and find this to be endearing.
But this is the present. And Harken merely wrinkles her nose as the poor, gibbering Yaro disappears in a flailing slime-trail at speeds previously unimaginable for him. "... if you think retreat is the wiser option, Lord Siegfried, I'll not argue." maybe it's Harken who needs to be reined in, and not poor Zed. The lady clad in red hesitates only to loom over Malfi's shoulder during the egress, asking her suddenly: "Well, what did you discover about that beast?"
Ugh, how does she always find the sneakiest angle to pop up from!? Why doesn't she ask the bird, which clearly appars to know better? Why isn't she strangling Zed right now?
Metal Demons: mysterious creatures.
DG: Lady Harken has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Tactical Espionage Action.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi turns to Harken. "I'll need time to analyze the results. From the preliminary scan, it appears to be a warm-blooded reptilian."
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
Agatha turns her raven's head all the way around, those three eyes looking back at Malfi and Harken. "'Warm blooded'. That's... an amusing concept. I think when it tries to eat us it will be more of a cold fury, really..."
=============================================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>============================================== ======================================<* CHALLENGE - Tactical Espionage Action *>======================================= |Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | -----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------------------------- A deep basso rumble echoes through the area, more noticeable as a vibration than an actual sound. It is followed shortly thereafter by the lumbering tread and laboured breathing of something truly enormous - a beast so large that every step is sending ripples through the ground. They say discretion is the better part of valour, and sneaking through this area seems like a /really/ good idea. =Dungeon Conditions: Madness==================================================
========================================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 4 *>========================================= ========================================< Results - Tactical Espionage Action >========================================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Siegfried 10 --(10)--> 20 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 7 --(6)--> 13 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Malfi 10 --(10)--> 20 Fail Portable Scanner 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 16 --(7)--> 23 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------�@
DG: The party led by Siegfried has failed this challenge! The party gained 0 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. [OOC] Noeline says, "uhhh..." [OOC] Malfi says, "LOL, Yaro's the only one who succeeded this time." [OOC] Agatha Pyrelight says, "That is... interesting. we're missing quite a few people." [OOC] Zed says, "Um" [OOC] Noeline says, "did the results tracker break for anyone else? It cuts off with an @ symbol for me" [OOC] Zed says, "What just happened" (New BB Message (7/131) posted to 'Daily Spotlight' by Sheriff Star: Armengard Quote (Aug. 4)) [OOC] Noeline says, "so I think it's just a display bug but" [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "it broke for me too" [OOC] Siegfried says, "Weeeeeee better make sure Dupes sees that" [OOC] Noeline says, "actually, no" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "Yeah, I am definitely seeing that, be sure to yeah" [OOC] Noeline says, "I didn't get any exhaustion" [OOC] Zed says, "i think it might have straight up broke" [OOC] Siegfried says, "Oh, damn" [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "probably Yarobeleedt's fault" [OOC] Yarobeleedt typin' [OOC] Noeline says, "should we yell for dupes or just record that for later" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "i think i passed based on my exhaustion, but I dunno" [OOC] Noeline says, "I didn't even get an exhaustion line" [OOC] Zed says, "Weeeeee might want to ask dupes" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "i assume we're still good to move forward though" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "since we would've gotten 0 anyway" [OOC] Malfi says, "So much for my Wits tool..." [OOC] Siegfried says, "We are! Yeah." =================================<* +CAMP - *>================================= ===================<* Siegfried - Quarter Knight Siegfried *>=================== Brute: 6 Agility: 5 Wits: 4 Combat: 6 Exhaustion: 20/100 ==================================<* Tools *>=================================== Available Tool Slots: 2 1 Trask Beacon 4 Combat Limit: 1/1 Effects: None 2 Shield Generator 2 Brute Limit: 2/3 Effects: Stalwart Basic Actions: Force, Investigate, Rush, Fight. Lady Harken Brute: 4 Agility: 5 Wits: 2 Combat: 4 Exhaustion: 22/100 Tools: Azrael, Harken Booster. Zed Brute: 5 Agility: 5 Wits: 1 Combat: 7 Exhaustion: 13/100 Tools: Grapple Scarf, Smoke Bombs, Drill Scarf. Riesenlied Brute: 5 Agility: 5 Wits: 8 Combat: 5 Exhaustion: 13/100 Tools: Dragon Horn, Dragon Wings. Noeline Brute: 2 Agility: 6 Wits: 6 Combat: 4 Exhaustion: 18/100 Tools: Trouble, Strife. Yarobeleedt Brute: 4 Agility: 8 Wits: 6 Combat: 1 Exhaustion: 23/100 Tools: Sheet Cocoon, Clutch Harness. Malfi Brute: 5 Agility: 2 Wits: 3 Combat: 5 Exhaustion: 20/100 Tools: Blackest Coffee, Portable Scanner. ==================================<* Party *>=================================== Party Leader: Siegfried Exploration: 85/100 Effects: Enlighten(1). Conditions: Madness. ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
There's not a lot of good hiding spots available. The thumping becomes overbearing. Whatever Malfi's tool scanner says, its particulars should all point to 'DO NOT ENGAGE.'
Where to hide, though? Look as one might with what courage they have, they can't see anything. They don't hear anything. Only the awful quaking suggesting that it's coming closer. They have to find some place to hide...!
The good news is, Yarobeleedt has managed to create a hole in a frighteningly short amount of time. It's just a big enough hole to allow everyone to pack themselves inside (on top of him).
The bad news is... it's not clear what is happening above them. The thumping waxes and wanes in intensity. There is a tortured electrical whining as something makes contact with the shield that Siegfried throws into the guard station, but there's no other tell for what has happened beyond the interaction.
Even when the vibrations stop, Yarobeleedt does not move nor whimper. The Metal Demon unit finds themselves in the position of having to guess whether it's safe to peek their head out or wait - and every passing moment waiting turns death to a certainty against these hordes.
Could this amazing, impossible beast be waiting for them to come up out of Yarobeleedt's hidey hole...? (You check first.)
DG: Siegfried has drawn a new Challenge.
=========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - It's Symbolic *>========================= |Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Finally, youve come to what appears to be the end of this bedraggled, logic-defying dungeon, judging from how the corridors appear to have become highly symmetric. The problem: Theres an uncomfortably energetic demon guarding the final corridor, bearing an unbearably photogenic humanoid body, packed to the brim with deliciously oiled, rippling muscles and a highly defined twelve-pack. His lower torso is that of a metallic lion with black horns, and hes got a long and hard lance that hed very much like to penetrate your moist cocoons with. What do you do? =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
ACTUAL CARD:
Your party has finally reached the outer rim of the Sorcery Globe's impact crater - a wall of jagged, twisted stone more than a hundred feet high, though there are openings and crevices at shorter distances. Worse yet, the rock pulses with a malevolent energy you can almost taste. You are so close to your goal - can you make this one last climb?
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
Zed pokes the thing in the darkness.
And it stays silent, as the Demons all gather into the hole that Yarobeleedt has taken refuge in. The ground rumbles and shakes until it stops. Siegfried peers up, eyes narrowing, before the Quarter Knight turns to look at Zed. He starts to open his mouth.
And then an energy blast explodes through the wall, blowing back debris and ruined buildings alike, and throwing them to a blasted plain that used to be a city. They stand before the rim of the crater that leads down into the Sorcery Globe. They stand on the place where so much blood was shed, and yet the shockwave of its impact has left it a blasted, flattened space. No buildings remain here.
That gives them a good view of what comes: an enormous, energy wreathed demon. It stomps about, then whips a hand out -- and a huge whip of lightning shoots out and scars the ground. Siegfried glares up at it, then throws out a tiny disc. It unfurls.
And explodes with blue light, as a gargantuan lizard appears, with a huge and spiked shell. Trask roars -- and then rushes forward, slamming into the demon.
Boss monster, meet boss monster.
DG: Siegfried has used his Tool Trask Beacon toward his party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi roars a challenge at the demon and assumes a defensive stance. No sense getting near him while the Trask is attacking him -- she'd just get in the way.
DG: Malfi has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied tucks her head down as she keeps herself well-covered, looking at Malfi's scanner as a means of trying to keep tabs on how their adversary is doing. Then Siegfried emerges, and...
The energy blast throws them about, with a pained little gasp from the winged woman sheltering herself and whoever happens to be closest in the moment of impact with an emergency barrier arising around them. It only kind of halfway works, with the commander tumbling about on the plain with a dizzied, groggy look as she holds onto her head. The Sorcery Globe was close now, and the impact it was having on her was almost palpable.
"Trask..." she murmurs, before shifting her attention to the others. "Let's take cover -- we don't want to be in its way."
She knows full well the payload of a deployed Trask.
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Uhhh.
Uuhhhhhhhh.
That's sure a demon. Should Zed perhaps have... Not poked the giant, mysterious monster thing with a stick? Should he have exhibited some manner of restraint against the terrible battle-urge that dwells in the very depths of his soul....!?
Yeah probably, but that's neither here nor there at this point.
"Oh jeez--" Zed backflips right out of the way of Trask's unstoppable wrath. "Well. Uh. I guess this is the point where most people would probably run, but..." Zed flicks his wrist. Another cluster of explosives falls into his hands. "I think that's probably a little boring, huh? That's a big demon! I kinda wanna see how well it fights! IKEEEEEE!"
Zed leaps... Right by Riesenlied.
He hurls a set of smoke bombs at the giant monster, and leaps in after it...
WITH A GLOWING SWORD.
TIME TO STAB SOME DEMONS.
DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt, meanwhile, remains face down in his hidey-hole. His eyes seem glued to the ground as he peeks through a hole into... something that looks an awful like a lead-up to the rec room in Old Petra.
Yarobeleedt straightens out, hastily moves some dirt over the hole, and yanks the damaged-looking sheet cocoon over himself while making weird noises that are the kinda-sorta-but-not-quite-cultural equivalent to innocent whistling.
Nobody saw it!!
DG: Yarobeleedt has used its Tool Sheet Cocoon toward its party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
"Oh my, is it just crazy and attacks everything, or does it explode or something similar when it is finished with its assault?" Agatha asks curiously as she flies along besides Riese. She doesn't know the payload, but it sounds exciting. She might need to try and have a better look.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Under her breath, Noeline swears softly and in a very unladylike manner; she's suddenly aware that the creature's footsteps have changed, that that means it's either noticed them or had its attention caught by something else. Perhaps, if they're lucky--
--well, it's too late for that thought, as the world around them suddenly becomes filled with energy and pain. Dimly, as she twists in the air like a cat in an attempt to find her feet, she's vaguely aware that they've been thrown out onto a blasted plain, within sight of the epicentre of the Globe and its aura of destruction. It's not a pleasant thought, especially if you account for the possibility of there being more than one of these gigantic creatures, the chance it might spot them fighting out in the open, or the possibility that their proximity to the Globe might cause... other effects.
"--ngh!" she eloquently notes as she flings her hand out once more, letting Trouble open fire as it will; her worries will have to wait for later, when they're not facing down a clear and present threat. She is there to cover Riese, at least; a clash with one of the demon's claws stops it from impacting with the blonde commander, even if it rebounds off of Noeline's spinning scythe to send the spy sprawling for a moment. When Trask appears with a roar, she thins her lips to watch, uncertain if even the creature of old can face up to this thing.
DG: Noeline has used her Tool Trouble toward her party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
The Lady Harken is not as cautious or as content to watch Siegfried's pet battle unfold: this little taskforce has made good time on their incursion, and it's not about to slow down now. That Zed is partially responsible for this is something that can be dealt with later, in due time. So.
The Quarter Knight claps Malfi briefly on the shoulder as she strides past at an easy, loping pace, and then leaps once into the air as the dreadful Trask takes to the field. There's that cold look of detached bemusement again: does the enormous, scary demon wreathed in a nimbus of force feel more like a challenge to Harken? Perhaps. Either way, she drops from the heavens towards the rampaging beast in a scarlet flourish of motion--difficult to follow with Metal Demon senses, let alone mortal ones. It's entirely possible she put on the cloak just to have it flap dramatically here, for her Dragoon Jump-esque triple tech with Siegfried and Zed...!
DG: Lady Harken has used her Tool Azrael toward her party's challenge, It's Symbolic.
========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================= =======================<* CHALLENGE - It's Symbolic *>======================== |Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Finally, youve come to what appears to be the end of this bedraggled, logic-defying dungeon, judging from how the corridors appear to have become highly symmetric. The problem: Theres an uncomfortably energetic demon guarding the final corridor, bearing an unbearably photogenic humanoid body, packed to the brim with deliciously oiled, rippling muscles and a highly defined twelve-pack. His lower torso is that of a metallic lion with black horns, and hes got a long and hard lance that hed very much like to penetrate your moist cocoons with. What do you do? =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 5 *>==================== =========================< Results - It's Symbolic >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Siegfried 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Trask Beacon 4 Combat Effects: None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 13 --(6)--> 19 Pass Smoke Bombs 1 Combat Effects: Embolden and Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Malfi 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 23 --(3)--> 26 Pass Sheet Cocoon 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lady Harken 22 --(5)--> 27 Pass Azrael 2 Combat Effects: Strengthen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 13 --(3)--> 16 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 18 --(6)--> 24 Pass Trouble 2 Combat Effects: Resilient ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Siegfried 85 --(0)--> 85 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Madness Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)|Fanfare(1)|Resilient(1)|Strengthen(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >==�@
DG: The party led by Siegfried has passed this challenge! The party gained 0 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. [OOC] Zed says, "Wow we uh" [OOC] Zed says, "All passed" [OOC] Zed says, "*_*" [OOC] Riesenlied says, "we <3 combat" [OOC] Siegfried says, "Yessssss" [OOC] Lady Harken says, "Oh, I didn't notice the "==< Dream Chasers >==@" until now." [OOC] Malfi says, "...but got no Exploration." [OOC] Siegfried says, "Let's see if it's broke." [OOC] Riesenlied says, "it's a climax yeah" [OOC] Lady Harken says, "G--ganbatte, digger-chan...!"
DG: Siegfried has drawn a new Challenge. ========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>=========================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 5 *>==================== ===================<* CHALLENGE - Infirmary Inaccessible *>=================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Your path takes you near a building that appears to be an Ellurian infirmary, long since abandoned by the defenders as they consolidated their position elsewhere. It's possible that healing supplies and other resources could be inside, but the building has no doors and no apparent way in. Could there be a secret entry? =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure================================================= [OOC] Agatha Pyrelight says, "Yeah it was a clima-it's broke." [OOC] Riesenlied says, "i--" [OOC] Siegfried says, "OH hell" [OOC] Siegfried says, "Okay" [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "hahaha" [OOC] Lady Harken says, "It's OK Sieg-niisan, everything is OK" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "one sec" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "Will it be ok if I remove the second Climax" [OOC] Siegfried says, "Try it." [OOC] Siegfried says, "Then we'll just... do actions OOC, see if we can force the finale." [OOC] Siegfried says, "And if not, I'll just make shit happen OOC. :E" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "okay" [OOC] Ida Everstead-Rey says, "Try now"
DG: Siegfried has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Riesenlied says, "*plywood cutout of the sorcery globe falls down*"
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Malfi says, "So no posing this round, just commands?"
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "yeah"
DG: Malfi has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. DG: Noeline has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Siegfried says, "Yeah."
DG: Zed has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Lady Harken says, "whoops--"
DG: Lady Harken has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Infirmary Inaccessible. [OOC] Riesenlied says, "ganbare digger-kun--!!" [OOC] Yarobeleedt says, "talps" ========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>=========================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 5 *>==================== ===================<* CHALLENGE - Infirmary Inaccessible *>=================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Your path takes you near a building that appears to be an Ellurian infirmary, long since abandoned by the defenders as they consolidated their position elsewhere. It's possible that healing supplies and other resources could be inside, but the building has no doors and no apparent way in. Could there be a secret entry? =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure================================================= ===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 6 *>====================
===================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts - Round 5 *>==================== =====================< Results - Infirmary Inaccessible >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Siegfried 25 --(9)--> 34 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 19 --(8)--> 27 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Malfi 25 --(6)--> 31 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 26 --(7)--> 33 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lady Harken 27 --(8)--> 35 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 16 --(8)--> 24 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 24 --(7)--> 31 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Siegfried 85 --(20)--> 105 Fail Conditions: Bad Luck(1)|Treasure(1) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Siegfried has successfully explored Sorcery Globe Outskirts!
========================<* Sorcery Globe Outskirts *>========================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - What Rough Beast *>====================== |Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Discovery |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- You finally reach a gap in the wall wide enough to allow you to pass through to view the interior of the crater...which is nearly a mile wide, with a gigantic metal sphere sitting in the center. It pulses with the same energy you've seen signs of elsewhere...but more importantly, there are thousands of monstrosities moving out from its depths, making the long, slow walk toward the wall where you stand, to pour into Elluria beyond. You should report this discovery to Siegfried! You should probably also run. =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
The energy demon is, it seems, no match for the real thing. Trask sends it reeling backward. That opens it up for the rest, as Zed's smoke bombs explode about it. His blade -- and then Riesenlied's -- cut into it. Noeline's scythe spins, and then Harken comes down and slashes along it. There is a tremendous explosion of lightning and power. It stumbles, smashing into the wall of the crater.
Which caves in, forcing a huge break into the wall -- and reveals two things below. First, it unveils the fact that crater is crawling with thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of monsters.
The second is that everything turns a sharp, shocking purple as the stone falls down. A wave of force rolls over them, but it doesn't move them. Instead, it ripples through their souls. It is something discernable, when it should not be. It is something they can sense, whether they ever could before. It is something that should not be in this world.
It is Malevolence. It is the beating of great, leathery wings. It is the rage of earth and wind. It is--
DC: Fell Dragon Eizen switches forms to Fell Dragon Eizen!
<Pose Tracker> Fell Dragon Eizen has posed.
It crests the ridge of the crater in a titanic display of force. Wind blows back rubble strewn from the energy demon's demise -- and then it lands. The dragon is immense and it crackles with thick, purple energy that no longer plays at being able to be unseen. The Fell Dragon lands in its titanic, draconic glory, and its tail sweeps out -- and smashes Trask into the ground with one blow.
Then, it looks down at the Metal Demons with eyes of liquid gold. With eyes of liquid fire, that cannot and will not see them as more than something to kill. Hate fills whatever is left of its mind.
Eizen takes one step forward -- and the ground rumbles like never before, before the dragon opens his jaws and roars. The roar shakes the very earth, and its power pours off it. Its hide is battered and scarred: claw marks, ARMs fire, and sorceries have assailed it. This is no creature of the Sorcery Globe. This is a creature that has defied it.
VICTORY CONDITION: Flee before round 3.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied coughs again in the wake of the Trask's and the demons' onslaught, rather always in awe at the miraculous and flawless teamwork between Siegfried, Zed and Harken and the way Malfi and Noeline catches on in the wake of the assault to give them further support. There's a faint wheeze--
--and her eyes widen as she stares towards the wall, her pupils shrunk as she murmurs, "How could so many...?"
There's very little time to be awestruck, however, as she gasps and stares up into the air. Agatha's raven would note something rather fascinating here, in the way the winged woman holds her head to gasp, "This-- this sensation... the sensation of Malevolence..."
The dragon descends upon them, and she falters onto one knee. "... why-- why here? A..."
Her eyes go out of focus as a certain conversation echoes through her memory.
Another chuckle. "Well, there's a big difference in dragons on Lunar alone, too. You have your regular dragons--red, white, blue, and black--and then you have Fell Dragons--Seraphim who fell prey to so much Malevolence that they've become irreversibly transformed into mindless rage-beasts."
"... is this what Miss Ragnell was..." she can't even finish that sentence, so mired in Malevolence that it makes her weak at the knees. "A Fell Dragon, a fallen Seraph, so ensconced in Malevolence..."
She grits her teeth as she tries to put herself into focus. "... we'd best back up against where we have our barriers, if we are to fight -- we stand no chance of engaging all of those monsters down below along with this foe."
DC: Noeline switches forms to The Capricious Crimson Noble??! DC: Riesenlied switches forms to Tainted Dragon Riesenlied! DC: Yarobeleedt switches forms to The Favorite Chum of Mother!! Metal Darkman Yarobeleedt!
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
This... this is what Agatha had sensed. The presence of a Fell Dragon, beating against her senses ever since she had arrived. The presence of a Dragon of Malevolence was unusual, and something that she had felt was worth looking into.
Really, most of her suppositions about the Sorcery Globe bringing monsters from other worlds had been sourced from the feeling of dark presence that she had detected from this creature in the distance. But now that she can see it...
"Aaaaah, the Fell Tyrant. The Dragon of the Spiritcrest!" The three eyed crow laughs in amusement, completely unaffected by the massive aura of malevolence that the dragon has created.
After all, the ability to create a Domain was not all that difficult.
She looks down at Riesenlied, and concurs with her assessment. "This is an old and powerful dragon - it's hatred for almost everything that exists is well documented on the Silver Star, and few dare to approach his range. They called him the Reaper once - and he is one of the closest things to an incarnation of death upon our world."
She pauses, and adds, "Really, I would start running very soon if I were you." Agatha wants to poke at Riese and see if this new ability to sense malevolence had developed recently, or her sensing the approach of the Fell Dragon was just a quirk.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi is taken aback by the Malevolence rising off the dragon like steam from a cookpot. Normally she can't sense it, but the dragon has so much of it that it registers even to her. She hears Riesenlied's suggestion and agrees it makes a lot of sense. She flees towards the barriers and takes up a defensive position. She draws on her internal batteries to zap the creature from a distance. Well, maybe it'll be vulnerable!
GS: Malfi has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Plume Bolt! GS: Malfi has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Zed feels something terrible wash across him.
No. It's not just the endless legions of monsters marching forth from the great trough carved into the land by the Sorcery Globe's impact. No. It's the sensation of wrongness, of anathema. A power utterly alien to his biology, one that tingles in the back of his head at that strange little part of his brain that has managed to attune to the sight and sound of Seraphim.
He feels it in his soul. He senses it, reverberating inside of him, bouncing about and intensifying. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
Zed stares at the dragon with wide eyes.
His hand grips tight around his blade.
His lips.
Curl upwards into a grin.
"This is..." Zed growls, leaping... Leaping...!
Right at the enormous, tremendous Fell Dragon. "Ahahahaha! One way or another. One way or another, we need to get away, right!? I'll do what I can to hold out! Let's go--"
Zed's hand snaps out.
It... Grabs Yaro by the scruff!?
"YARO! SHIELD! I'LL SWORD! FIGHT TILL YOU CAN'T FIGHT NO MOOOOORE! AAAAAAAAAAIR SLAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!"
Zed launches an air slash.
Against a foe like this though... Probably not going to be more than a distraction. That's kind of the point though.
GS: Zed has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Air Slash! GS: Zed has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The Guardians do not have a particularly strong response to Malevolence, Noeline has found - whether it's because it is not something they recognize as a threat, or whether the nature of the odd stuff is still alien to them, the spy isn't sure. On the other hand, Duras Drum knows an amusing situation when it sees it, and for a moment Noeline has to shake away the sensation of a rich chuckle at the back of her mind.
"--n-no--" she blurts out, an involuntary noise of surprise and astonishment at the first sensation of the dragon's power; she might be a Metal Demon, beloved of battle if she's absolutely pressed to admit it, but she's a survivor first and foremost, and every instinct screams at her as she tries to centre herself enough to face down this bizarre, unknown threat. "We-- we have enemies behind us, and ahead. This is not a fight we can win--" she mutters to herself, squinting past a sudden pounding in her head as she grips onto her scythe uncertainly.
Riese's explanation gets a thin-lipped, eyes wide glance of realization - before she sucks in a breath, immediately juking backwards several steps. "I doubt it will wish to leave its nest!" she calls--
--hoping really fervently that the complete rubbish she just spouted is true--
"--if we can set the last of the devices, perhaps it might provide us with some protection on our flight!" She does not seem keen to go toe-to-toe with the dragon, to say the least, and looks almost aghast as Zed breaks ranks to leap forwards. "You-- imbeciles! What are you doing?!"
noe it's not like it's strictly Yaro's fault
GS: Noeline has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Justified Hesitance! GS: Noeline has completed her action. GS: Riesenlied has attacked Malfi with Renewing Words! GS: Riesenlied has completed her action. GS: Riesenlied heals Malfi! She gains 100 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt straddles the line between 'living, breathing abomination' and 'lifelike prop' when he is confronted by the roaring dragon. Before the dragon, Yarobeleedt enters an impromptu roaring contest going by how his jaw unhinges and drops down so far from his face that it might just melt off. It doesn't.
His jaw makes no noise, so he loses the impromptu roaring war. He starts to slink backwards when Zed grabs him by the quasi-goopy scruff of his neck, tongue lolling every which way as he flails his arms. He squeaks something at mention about the shield.
"Easteastesateasteasteast!" Right, that text is supposed to say. Right. Yarobeleedt palms his golden orb and activates it with a little poking from the opposite stabby-arm, tossing it down to the ground to erect a barrier that may or may not be able to do much against a thing like this!
...It says a lot when Yarobeleedt seems to be in full agreement with a reasonable idea?!
GS: Yarobeleedt has completed its action.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
A thrum of something unnatural ripples through Harken's mind, an undercurrent of murky and muddy wrongness that causes the Quarter Knight to raise a hand to her face for a moment long before she lays eyes on the innumerable hordes beyond the wall, even. But there are plenty of safeguards in place for just such an occurrence, and she shakes it off after scarce more than a heartbeat. And as she prepares to inquire about their ultimate egress or course of action...
... a tremendous, winged beast of equal parts majesty and horror descends from the skies, instantly vaniquishing Siegfried's summoned help. It radiates a palpable aura of wrongness that tickles something uncomfortably deep in the Lady Harken's soul, whatever that might look like. The Fell Dragon is not a term known to her until Agatha helpfully pipes up, and it's likely she still doesn't grasp the full gravity of such a development.
Thinking quickly, Harken readies her weapon. Scythe in both hands, blade glowing with a filmy, grainy aura of flickering scarlet, the Quarter Knight chimes in with Noeline. "Can we use our equipment to buy ourselves some time? Enough to retrea--"
Zed.
Well, even with some behavioural adjustments in place, Harken isn't about to leave her subordinates here. Even if they are acting foolishly.
The beautifully-cloaked Quarter Knight wuxia-leaps into the air with equal parts alacrity and grace. The scythe Azrael leaves an eerie trail in its wake, as Harken aims to 'distract' the twisted dragon by challenging it in direct combat. Leaping at it with one huge reaping swing despite the ridiculous size-difference between them. That's sure to be a good distraction.
"Come, beast! I'm your target, now face me!" she yells, already sounding victorious.
GS: Lady Harken has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Azrael - Spinning Slash! GS: Lady Harken has completed her action. GS: Fell Dragon Eizen takes a solid hit from Malfi's Plume Bolt for 37 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen enters CONDITION GREEN!! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen critically Guards a hit from Zed's Air Slash for 19 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen critically Guards a hit from Noeline's Justified Hesitance for 0 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen takes a solid hit from Lady Harken's Azrael - Spinning Slash for 147 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Riesenlied speaks the truth!" Siegfried shouts, as he looks at Trask. He presses on the beacon -- and then the creature is whisked away in light. He turns, and then starts shouting into a communicator.
"Alhazred! Prepare to activate the barrier--and prepare to teleport us out of here!" the Quarter Knight yells. "I'm working to stabilize it now--yes! Get it ready! There is a... a thing here, and I have never seen the likes of it!"
The only dragons that he has seen are the Metal Dragons.
<Pose Tracker> Fell Dragon Eizen has posed.
Eizen's eyes flash with a sort of cruel, bestial intelligence. If this creature could be pleased, then he would express that when Zed comes charging forward. Malfi's lightning lands first, though, and it washes over him. The already scarred, brown scales crackle with the lances of energy, and then the dragon surges forward with more power than he has right to.
Zed comes down, and he swings the blade into the scales -- and they don't even give under Doombringer's slash, bouncing off in a spray of sparks. The dragon roars, then slams his head into the Dark Hero to send him flying. But Harken comes down after that. The cloaked Quarter Knight descends, and her scythe cuts through the scales -- and draws not blood, but a terrible spray of black and purple mist.
Malevolence.
It turns to look at her -- and then it swings down a titanic claw, and tries to smash the Quarter Knight into the already blasted earth. At the same time, a magical circle erupts under its feet -- and an enormous blast of frigid wind erupts from the dragon, and blows out over the entire battlefield.
ROUND: 2 rounds until Eizen uses his breath weapon!
GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Lady Harken with Dive Bomb! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Malfi with Winter Winds! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Riesenlied with Winter Winds! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Noeline with Winter Winds! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Yarobeleedt with Winter Winds! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has completed its action. GS: Lady Harken critically Guards a hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Dive Bomb for 36 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Zed with Hell's Gate! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has completed its action. GS: Yarobeleedt takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Winter Winds for 144 hit points! GS: Riesenlied takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Winter Winds for 146 hit points! GS: Noeline takes a glancing hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Winter Winds for 80 hit points! GS: Malfi takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Winter Winds for 149 hit points! GS: Zed takes a glancing hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Hell's Gate for 109 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied finds no purchase and no hold in what she can effect right now, but hears Siegfried's words as she instead turns her attention towards the globes. A teleport request, and a mad scramble to get the barriers that they've brought with him. Unfortunately, that's as far as she gets before the Fell Dragon's blast of frigid wind throws her clean off her feet and sends her crashing against the awning of what was once a building, dizzy and pained as she tries to gather her thoughts.
"Ebony Wings, code red...!" she exclaims to her throat microphone. "Formation 7S, follow the trail of light from the barriers! We have a teleport beacon en route, ensure that you're all in its radius!"
It's going to be some time before the dragons catch up to them -- and she's deeply afraid of whether or not they'll just be more targets for the Fell Dragon. But they need assistance, and they need it -now-.
"Noeline, have Trouble and Strife set to curtain fire, angles 17 to 34! Cover Lord Siegfried!" she exclaims through gritted teeth and bloodied mouth. "Zed, Yarobeleedt, Malfi, don't overextend yourselves -- keep acute awareness of the barrier's spread!"
GS: Riesenlied has attacked Noeline with Charismatic Presence! GS: Riesenlied has completed her action. GS: Riesenlied heals Noeline! She gains 200 temporary hit points! GS: Malfi has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Assault With Batteries! GS: Malfi has completed her action. GS: Noeline has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Trouble and Strife! GS: Noeline has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi reels as the dragon's cold winds hit her, but she is still standing, still positioning herself between her allies and the dragon. She tries another electrical burst -- it's her only distance attack. Unfortunately she can't keep this up for long...
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Hanging back proves to be a wise idea; when the gigantic rune blasts into being under their feet, Noeline has at least got the time to throw her arms up and propel herself backwards out of it. It's impossible to completely dodge the sudden blast of super-frigid air as it scatters their forces around the battlefield, but at the very least the spy can face down the brunt of it, squinting past her sleeves as she grits her teeth.
Riesenlied's voice cuts through her awareness as easily as Siegfried's; the orders are a welcome distraction from the dull thumping in her head, and give her the werewithal to concentrate. Her scythe even winks out for a moment, her attention purely towards the synchronization with her twin ARMS to better control them.
"Understood!" Noeline barks in return, all of her joking and teasing nature blown away by the dragon's first attack - and when she sends the twin ARMs forward it's in a complex, jostling pattern of movements and attacks. None of them bite particularly hard enough to make it through the dragon's unnaturally thick hide, but the curtain fire does at least allow the dragon's movements to be restricted - and more importantly, help to keep the rest of that wave of monsters at bay.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"The heck does it look like we're doing!? We're trying to buy ti--" Zed's yell is cut off when an enormous draconic head slams into his torso and sends him hurtling bodily into several dozen small, vaguely rotund reptilian creatures. Several small bones snap and pop as he rolls into the cluster, wielding Yarobeleet in the way that he was meant to be wielded. Vigorously and with about as much self-preservation instinct as your average sausage link at a German buffet.
"This... This thing," Zed coughs, feeling something shift uncomfortably amidst his ribcage. "This thing is something else. I haven't felt anything like this before. I..."
Something about a barrier?
Zed's eyes narrow. He leaps upwards, twisting in on himself until he lands, again, on the rim closest to his fellow demons. The air around him ripples, blurring with strange purple energies of his own. Not Malevolence, but instead the pure, distilled misfortune that suffuses his very being.
"Gotta buy more time. Keep this thing distract as long as we can. Here we go...! Dark Hero Focus...!" Zed raises his blade. Doom Bringer burns as the aura of misfortune surges and builds. Zed grits his teeth. He swings...!
His aura surges forth, blasting into the dragon as a too-large pillar of purple un-light...!
GS: Zed has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Sealed Blade - Demon Breaker! GS: Zed has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
With this much energy being thrown around, Agatha steers her familiar away from the immediate fighting. There's not a lot that she... was willing to do here, not against the Tyrant of the Spiritcrest. This dragon was known for being unreasonable, grumpy, and unfriendly even to other Hellions. Not the sort she wanted to get involved with, and there was too much energy swirling around here for her to take the risk of having her familiar destroyed.
After all, she needed to make sure it got back in one piece. %
"Keep at it!" she calls out. "I'm sure he's slowing down! And it's probably not because he's probably been fighting for at least a couple weeks!"
GS: CRITICAL! Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Noeline's Trouble and Strife for 15 hit points! GS: Entangle and Cripple! Statuses applied to Fell Dragon Eizen! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Malfi's Assault With Batteries for 69 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Zed's Sealed Blade - Demon Breaker for 68 hit points! GS: Poison! Statuses applied to Fell Dragon Eizen!
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt cowers (what else?) underneath his forearms, as the great wind proves too much. Even stabbing an arm into the ground out of desperation, he starts to flutter and wave like a flag under the icy winds. His planting forearm stretches to the very limit of its elasticity. He comes within inches of having his entire arm pulled off when the wind subsides.
Siegfried and Riesenlied go about setting up their escape and their positioning, as Yarobeleedt pulls his forearm back tighter. The vice grip of his stabbed arm into the ground wins out, dragging him against the uneven, uncomfortable terrain a second time before he can find the leverage to yank it back out.
The yellow-bellied horror goes slack-jawed anew as a haze of purple and black clouds his vision. He inches backwards at an unreasonably slow clip.
Yarobeleedt can't see anything. He can't feel anything other than a profound sense of mortal danger - so afraid that his usual modus operandi of finding a clever way to disengage and/or attack an occupied foe loses out to the basic Metal Demon instinct of flailing dangerous things around in a vaguely dangerous fashion. An instinct well-honed from when his predecessors fought on the front line back in the Metal Demon Wars, when there was enough human bodies all around that just flailing vaguely was a good idea.
Against this giant ancient dragon, Yarobeleedt is only succeeding(?) in trying to slap smooth, board-like appendages against their toes.
GS: Yarobeleedt has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Push a Bar! GS: Yarobeleedt has completed its action.
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
Somewhere over the din of combat, Harken can hear Siegfried hollering into a communications link back to the Photosphere. Actually, if we're being realistic, a Quarter Knight probably warrants being issued with a codec-style transmitter if such a thing is available, so maybe she doesn't even have to strain her ears that hard to hear him. On one hand: he's talking to Alhazred. Ugh. On the other hand: teleportation. Teleportation sounds... well, really good, right now.
That gives Harken the peace of mind she needs to do her job: struggle, fight, rend and tear through the Metal Demons' opponents. Same as it ever was. She'll safeguard their passage from this wretched place through force of arms.
The Quarter Knight still on the field strikes true, flanking Eizen as Zed's dreadful sword fails to find purchase. Azrael's humming, crimson blade drinks not of blood, but of that strange black and purple ichor. It sends shivers down Harken's spine even as she falls swiftly away from it, spinning quickly once back on terra firma to ready her next assault. If she can just kill this thing before it hits anyone--
A claw many times the Lady Harken's own size falls towards her with surprising speed for its incredible size. Too fast for escape to be an option. Her only option is to meet the Fell Dragon in a contest of strength.
A grin splits that pretty, slightly-too-human face of Harken's as her pulse quickens. So soon after Lacour, are the restraints on her getting put to the test again?
The earth beneath the Quarter Knight's feet cracks, and shatters. Her feet sink into the tortured stone, thick slabs shattering beneath her boots as her comparatively small frame braces against Eizen's titanic claw-swipe. Somehow, the shaft of Azrael holds true despite the forces exerted on its short-lived tenure as a makeshift shield.
"Riesenlied, Malfi, Zed! Yaro! Be ready to retreat!" Harken commands, while she Literally Tanks the Fell Dragon. With one hand free, despite being hammered halfway into the ground and with every muscle straining, she remains standing. And with that claw all but smushed into her, the Quarter Knight can attempt another clever Dragon-Fighting manoeuver: attempting to carve off an entire talon with one awkward swing. The time-buying strategy is--it's working so far...
GS: Lady Harken has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Enmity Combo! GS: Lady Harken has completed her action. GS: Fell Dragon Eizen critically Guards a hit from Lady Harken's Enmity Combo for 28 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Yarobeleedt's Push a Bar for 57 hit points! GS: Disrupt! Statuses applied to Fell Dragon Eizen!
<Pose Tracker> Fell Dragon Eizen has posed.
Noeline succeeds in doing precisely what she hoped to. Her ARMs strike shots all around the dragon, and the Fell Dragon is slowed for a precious moment. It doesn't rush right into their ranks -- and that lets Zed land in, and Doom Bringer bites. This time, the scale cracks, and more of the black and purple stuff bursts from it. The dragon turns, Eizen's great head aimed down at the Dark Hero, and he roars again.
The shockwave from his roar is enough to throw Zed backward. It is a thing of power and thunder; something primordial and senseless in its desire to destroy, to rend, to kill.
Malfi's electrical burst strikes into Eizen's side, and a scale pops loose. It flies away. The dragon turns, then, and swings its tail out -- lashing it for Malfi and Noeline both! And then it realizes that Yarobeleedt is slamming against its toe -- so it swings out with its foot, trying to kick Yaro away. The other claw is pushing down onto Harken -- and Eizen feels it when her scythe begins to slash through a toe.
He was a Seraph, once. He has some of that training in fighting, still. So his claws suddenly dig in deep -- and then he hurls Harken back towards the rim of the crater, with all of his fell power behind the throw.
GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Zed with Harrowing Roar! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Malfi with Hell's Gate! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Noeline with Hell's Gate! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Yarobeleedt with Tyrant Claw! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has attacked Lady Harken with Tyrant's Fete! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen takes 8 damage from Poison! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen has completed its action. GS: Malfi guards a hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Hell's Gate for 126 hit points! GS: Noeline takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Hell's Gate for 214 hit points! GS: Lady Harken takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Tyrant's Fete for 214 hit points! GS: CRITICAL! Yarobeleedt takes a solid hit from Fell Dragon Eizen's Tyrant Claw for 249 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Fell Dragon Eizen has posed.
ROUND: 1 round until Eizen uses his breath weapon!
DC: MISS! Zed completely evades Harrowing Roar from Fell Dragon Eizen!
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt ceases striking when he hears Lady Harken command his retreat. Above being caught in the presence of the apex of Hellion existence, surrounded on all sides by a fell mist, ear-equivalents being washed out by frequent roars... it is HER voice that registers within his rotten little heart. His entire body locks up, and his posture straightens as he turns his head.
The horror-inspiring dragon's punting might seem something of an afterthought within the flurries of fury and destruction that marks every move the Fell Dragon makes. Yarobeleedt goes from 'speedbump' to 'flying debris' as he rockets past the rest of the brave front-liners trying to buy the rest time. Gross, silvery ichor ruptures from the concussive force of the blow as Yarobeleedt lie wounded.
"Nonononononooooo~ no no no," Yarobeleedt's panicked stuttering harkens a return to function some short time later, righting himself up long enough to start stabbing his forearms into the ground and... dig. To keep digging. To dig as far as he can, as fast as he can, drooling equal parts poisonous liquid and his own alien lifeblood in a miscolored, swirling slurry that pools on the ground in front of him.
That's more like the Yarobeleedt everyone has the displeasure to know.
GS: Yarobeleedt has attacked Yarobeleedt with Turn Tear! GS: Yarobeleedt has completed its action. GS: Yarobeleedt takes a solid hit from Yarobeleedt's Turn Tear for 0 hit points! GS: Quick! Statuses applied to Yarobeleedt!
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
The concentration that Noeline has to provide in order to direct her pods to such a precise degree does take its toll on her; she notices all too late the rush of air that indicates the Dragon's massive tail is swooping towards her, and while she does make a panicked attempt to dodge past the thing, its bulk is simply too massive to slip past.
The impact sends her flying back with a cry of pain; upside-down, her arm reaches out to desperately try to catch herself on a crop of rock, but she skims past it instead, landing roughly against a shattered ruin as she slides to the ground.
Pure training is what pulls her quickly back to her feet; she's staggering a little from surprise as her muscles burn, but there's enough werewithal there to scan the battle, to take stock of everything happening - and to realize that Harken, even in a state where she isn't burning with that strange and unnatural power, is still willing to go toe-to-toe with the Dragon for the sake of her subordinates.
Noeline can't help but be impressed, really, but at the same time there's a spike of worry, and she pulls both of her spherical arms back towards her with a yank of her hands. "Lady Harken!" she calls, as Strife splits off from its attack to instead whirl around the Quarter Knight; it provides something of a protective barrier, as Trouble swings into place to provide significant fire in assistance. "Quickly!"
GS: Noeline has attacked Lady Harken with Covering Fire! GS: Noeline has completed her action. GS: Noeline heals Lady Harken! She gains 100 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's eyes continue to widen as the dragon continues to move, inexorable -- and she looks towards Siegfried again as she watches the progress on the spherical barriers. The tail sweeps, and there's a wince and a gasp as she exclaims, "Noeline--!" before she diverts her thought to more useful things, owing to the presence of beating wings in the distance.
She grimaces, and then looks towards the air as she holds her hand to her throat.
"Covering fire!" she announces. "Formation 6G, alternate firing lines as you move backwards -- use the barrier as a focal point!"
The dragons obey, and in tandem, flame, frost and lightning are showered in alternating cones from the air, thunderous power rocking from even the most tainted of their Metal Dragons -- a sign that they shouldn't be trifled with either, no matter how outmatched they are at present.
GS: Riesenlied has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Resolute Belief! GS: Riesenlied has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Zed's blade drives through a dragon's scales.
He smirks.
He... gets a veritable faceful of that terrible, alien, purple-black awful. Doom Bringer seems to sing in the corruption, even as its wielder staggers back away from... From that. That awful, terrible feeling. He spits, it's black. He glares at the beast. It glares back.
It opens its mouth to roar.
Zed.
Opens his mouth to roar.
It doesn't insulate him from the concussive force behind the fell dragon's voice. It doesn't protect his heart from being shaken to the breaking point, but he feels his voice surge in his throat. It's an anchor. A beacon. A raw, undeniable ember of courage and determination that flags in the face of nothing and nobody.
And his sword...
His sword seems to be loving this shit.
Doom Bringer burns gold and green and deep, murky violet. Zed yells through the cataclysmic, sonic shockwaves, takes a step forward.
He brings the sword down in a single, heavy slash right ino the dragon's flank.
How long can they hold out against this thing? Who knows? All a proper Hyadean should worry about is the enemy in front of him, after all!
GS: Zed has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with RayBlade - Zed Saber! GS: Zed has completed his action.
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi notices that Yarobeleedt is in a bad way. She draws on her batteries one last time, but this time it's Metal Demon life force she extracts and sends towards him in a gentle arc. She starts to slump, tapped out. Tapping one's life force is always something of a strain...
GS: Malfi has attacked Yarobeleedt with Recharge! GS: Malfi has completed her action. GS: Malfi heals Yarobeleedt! It gains 100 temporary hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
In not understanding what Eizen is, and what he once was, Harken has made an arrogant and dangerous mistake. Her assumptions of the Fell Dragon's intelligence and capabilities are her momentary undoing--brave and strong as her deflection of that titanic strike may have been, electing to stand and deliver a counterattack instead of putting some distance between them was a poor, poor plan. So, to neutral observers, it's perhaps little surprise that Eizen takes decisive action to avoid losing a digit. There's too much follow-through in the Quarter Knight's swing for her to evade, and in the space of a mere heartbeat, the creature's claw wraps around her form and--
--flight.
Harken's senses race to catch up with her physical form, as the distant crater rim looms closer. Thrown with such force, her tremendously tall and heavy frame shears cleanly through the crater in a cloud-spray of dust and stone-chips that will linger long after the Demons have left. The only saving grace is that, unlike normal and mortal folk, Metal Demons are hardwired to thrive on this kind of punishment. So when the cute little floating machine named 'Trouble' bobs nearby, reinforcing Harken's battered frame with a field of reconstructive and protective energy, the Knight climbs to her feet again without any signs of permanent damage.
Besides, her compatriots are still struggling on, while she gathers her senses.
"Alhazred, whatever you're doing, do it more quickly." the Lady Harken snarls into the throat-mic in her armour. She hopes it's on. She hopes that tone of voice doesn't just excite the detestable genius on the other end.
Her sacred duty done, Harken rears back with her weapon despite the distance between she and Eizen. Shattered gravel sloughs from the crevasses in her armour as she moves, eyes narrowing as she judges the weight, pauses, and then expertly throws the scythe, Azrael, as if it were a two-hundred pound bladed frisbee.
The real surprise isn't even that idiot move. It's that she disappears a few seconds into the weapon's flight, and reappears at the weapon's side as it rounds menacingly on Eizen's neck. Where Zed moves to strike the beast's flank down below, the knight of scarlet comes for Eizen's head at twice the speed she possessed at the start of the fight. Combination attack...!
(Kind of.)
GS: Lady Harken has activated a Force Action! GS: Lady Harken has attacked Fell Dragon Eizen with Azrael - Reaper Slice! GS: Lady Harken has completed her action. GS: Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Riesenlied's Resolute Belief for 85 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen guards a hit from Zed's RayBlade - Zed Saber for 81 hit points! GS: Fell Dragon Eizen critically Guards a hit from Lady Harken's Azrael - Reaper Slice for 40 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Siegfried has posed.
"Alhazred!"
Siegfried's voice cuts over the battlefield, as the Quarter Knight turns and looks over his shoulder. He sees Harken get thrown -- and Yarobeleedt hurl, too, slamming into the ground, and digging deeper. Eizen shrugs so many attacks off, easily, the mighty scales with standing the rain of flame, frost, and lightning from the tainted Metal Dragons that fly in. Which is when Siegfried's eyes widen -- as another magical circle appears, and then a sheer ray of light explodes off it and hurtles up just past one of the dragons.
"The beast commands sorcery," he rumbles.
Eizen is struck in the flank -- and yet the blade doesn't bite deep enough this time. Lightning slams into the Fell Dragon, but doesn't stop him. He starts to rush forward--and his head swings down, one of the huge spines parrying Azrael, before the crest is used to batter Harken backward.
"I have the lock. Prepare yourselves!" Alhazred's voice echoes through both Siegfried's communicator and Harken's armor. Then, a beam of light flashes out. It shoots out, washing over them in turn. Siegfrid looks up, surprised, as Eizen opens his mouth. Flame billows and swirls, as he pulls in air and makes it into fire.
But then he is gone. The beam snatches the Metal Dragons from the air, grasps Noeline in its illuminating embrace, and then Riesenlied. It even catches a three-eyed raven in its passing. It draws in Malfi, and even sweeps Yaro away from his hole, before it ends on Zed. The light winks away--
--just as a dragon's breath scorches the ground a deep, burnt black. And, then, over the whole of the city of Elluria, a shimmering barrier of gold erupts. Eizen's eyes turn up, curiously to the sky.
...and, in the Photosphere, the seven Metal Demons appear in a flash of light. Siegfried blinks, before he looks around. Then, he breathes a sigh of relief. "...Well done, all of you."
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt continues to scrape loudly at the ground of home, sweet home, with a manic look in his eyes (...moreso than usual) and a distinct lack of thankfulness for the sacrifice of Malfi's energy for that last-ditch protective safety recharge to keep him from bleeding out.
He stops abruptly when Siegfried gives praise, re-orienting his posture so that he's upright as anyone with a slug-like blob for a lower body can ever be, wringing and grinding his currently scythe-like forearms while painfully shuddering.
"Y-Yes yes off coarse, Lord Ziekfried," Yarobeleedt gibbers, before tapering off into a passive, pained whimper.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Jedan grimaces as Firedrake nearly catches it straight in her side, exclaiming, "Energy levels're going off the charts here -- it's like Old Petra all over again!"
"I know, just hang on--" Riesenlied exclaims in turn, but then she hears Alhazred's exclamation. At the same time, she sees the ring of sorcerous energy and the beam of light that emerges, effulgent, from the dragon's mouth. She hears Siegfried's comment. The beast knows sorcery... much like a Seraph would. Even in Malevolence's wreath, their powers are not limited -- no, if anything, their powers are just enhanced. But at the same time, that beam strikes her-- and then she is gone.
Back at the Photosphere, there's a trembling, frosted breath as the commander collapses to one side, injured and at the same time relieved that the thick, unrepentant and inexorable presence of Malevolence is gone.
"... a Fell Dragon... who could've predicted it..." Riesenlied mumbles.
There were follow-up questions. She looks to the raven.
"Tyrant of the Spiritcrest..."
<Pose Tracker> Agatha Pyrelight has posed.
There is, mysteriously, no raven with the group.
Seven Metal Demons. No dark familiar.
Back on Ignas, Agatha sits back in her private retreat and purses her lips for a moment. "Well well well. Who would have thought that he would end up here. Clearly the limit for what the Globe can move between the worlds is beyond what I expected."
And she smiles.
"...I'm sure you'll find that to be a very interesting revelation, wouldn't you my lord?"
<Pose Tracker> Malfi has posed.
Malfi sighs in relief, glad to be back home after all that. She doubts they could've vanquished the Fell Dragon, even with the Metal Dragons serving as backup. "Is the Sorcery Globe well and truly sealed now?" she asks. That had been their mission, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline dives out of the way of another sweeping attack, this time a little more ready for it; a long skid sends her in the direction of the beam of light, Trouble and Strife swinging around to her shoulders just in time for her to face down the sudden impact of a rending claw launching straight for her. She puts up her arms to block, gritting her teeth--
--and gasps in exhilarated, astonished surprise as the Photosphere is suddenly in place around her. She looks more ruffled than she does injured, having danced around the Dragon rather than face it directly - and yet, the familiar grey walls of the Metal Demon home are more of a relief than they've been in a very long time. "... h-haah..." she sighs without words, the energy seeming to leave her all of a sudden as she sinks to the ground and throws a glance in Riesenlied's direction.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
A pillar of light sweeps across the battlefield. Zed pays it little heed. He's busy. Incredibly, overwhelmingly busy. There's an enormous devil dragon staring him down with a magic circle that turns the air to a maelstrom of incendiary wind and whose breath could burn through the molten heart of a volcano--!
One minute he raises his blade to attempt to parry the unparryable- death by apocalyptic flame, the next...
The next he's falling onto his face out of the middle of a TOTALLY SUPER COOL jump slash on a teleportation pad.
"Ow." Zed observes. There's a beat. Sieg is... Praising them!? What!! "Uh! Well, yeah! We got the job done, at least! It's a shame we couldn't just... break that thing, but..."
"Man, what was the deal with all of that?"
<Pose Tracker> Lady Harken has posed.
For all of the trash that may get talked about Alhazred, most (if not all) of it justified, there is no denying that his skill has won the day for the Metal Demons. Or saved them from defeat, if this couldn't be called a victory. It's important to note success when it happens, okay?
Thus, plucked from Elluria moments before the unknowable forces in the Fell Dragon's flames could scorch her, Harken is deposited safetly back in the Photosphere in a beam of protective light amidst her companions. In contrast to the freeze-frame pose of Noeline's and the exhausted slump of Riesenlied, by some strange contrast, Harken merely... is.
The Scarlet knight stands curiously still, moving only to turn her head to regard Siegfried, and then to make sure that nobody was left behind. The bird is departed, but none others are missing. Acceptable.
"If Alhazred's devices function as he promised, yes. It should be sealed." Harken pipes up in response to Malfi, now moving to brush the remaining rubble from her shoulders. It helps her cool down, mind still racing from the rush of combat against something so terrifyingly strong, dangerous, primal. "Let's hope it can keep that Dragon locked away. We were not prepared to kill it, whatever it was. Fel, was it?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied looks up from where she's collapsed, pulling up towards her knees. "... Fell Dragon, yes. A known quotient to our Lunarian friends, it would seem. Which has heavy implications of where the Sorcery Globe originated from -- rather than farther away in the stars." She frowns a little deeper. "Is it responsible for the appearances of all those that arrived on Filgaia as well...?" So many questions. Not enough answers.