Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace

Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace
Discussion in 'DM Challenges' started by Ashifili, Apr 23, 2018.
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  1. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    [​IMG]
    Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace
    There was a town here, once. It was quiet but prosperous, a countryside retreat for lovers eloping. Where a chuckling river split in half a gorgeous field of violets and poppies, one could always spot a couple there, enjoying the always pleasant weather. It was a town of romance once, whether naturally formed or encouraged by the love potions that elevated its economy so greatly.

    But now, there were naught but destitute ruins, ashes remaining of homely cottages, the residents of the small town turning into shambling berserkers that lusted only for blood. For a girl enamored with justice, this was her burden, her failings. For a girl devoid of emotion, this was her incompetence, her loss.

    Orange rays bounced off the sanguine crystals that had erupted all over the ruins of Rivercrest. It had been a long day, travelling through the forests of Brisshal carefully, avoiding all conflict in order to conserve energy, but they had finally reached the point of no return. The two that had been to this town before would know.

    Down the trail, up a hill, towards the remnants of the Fort.

    So close and yet, as the adventurers and soldiers gazed towards the monstrous masses that congregated around the Fort, they knew just as clearly that it was not going to be an easy task. Stealth and subterfuge were no longer going to be an option.

    Taking shelter beside a crumbling wall, a thickly built guard surveyed his troops. Two score strong, they were the cream of the crop amongst Stokbon’s Garrison, but even the most elite paled in comparison to the adventurers that had personally been present in the destruction of Titanius. Seigi and Bradwynne made up one-sixth of the group that had plunged into the Core and slew that foul beast’s immortal soul, while Megan and Kaede had both participated in the gruelling fight with the eldritch monster’s main body. If there were any who would be suited for such a mission, it would be this group.

    So they were going to do it.

    They had to do it.

    A long, long breath left him, before the one-eyed guard grasped the hilt of his sword, knuckles whitening. A precision strike to destroy what those foggy geezers thought would cause a terrifying calamity. The guard didn’t believe in such hogwash himself, but…

    Rivercrest was a nice place. He had planned on taking his lover to an outing there.

    Allow us to break through, honored adventurers. It’ll be difficult for such small numbers to pierce through these foul creatures, but my men will definitely be capable of delivering you all unharmed into the fray.


    There was a pause, another glance towards the reddening horizon. His grip loosened, and his finger tapped against the side of his scabbard.

    But your assistance will undoubtedly alleviate and accelerate our process. Day is fading, and I cannot say with any confidence that these monsters are as adversely affected by darkness as we are.


    No more hesitation. The fine longsword was drawn without a sound, the visor of his helm slammed over his mismatched eyes.

    Follow behind or join us at the vanguard. I will leave it up to you, heroes of Astorea.


    Time to rock and roll.

    Now then, men! Raise your blades and CHARGE!


    A warcry, echoed forty times over, swept over the ruptured hellscape as the armored men charged, spirits aflame in the afternoon sun.

    Before they could reach their ultimate foe, they first had to break through

    ~~~​

    And in another place, another time, another world, another dimension, another being sat upon a throne of the vanquished, anticipating the crimson revelry that was to take place soon. How glorious. How maddening. How delirious. The Revenant had done well to drive in the stakes of its existence into the Elysid's Garden. Had done well to slaughter and feast, evolving further and further. All that it asked for. All that it wanted.

    It could feel itself fading. Infinity become finite. Overwhelming power turning into comprehendable numbers. Seeping and dissolving, diluted by the process of rebirth and yet still overflowing.

    The Revenant had done all that he was asked of.

    But God was a greedy, needy individual.

    And so...

    "My Champion, give me a show."
    OOC
    @Kaede Hoshi @Seigi @Das Ein Magia @Blank @Bradwynne @Gear
    • Minimum of 100 words and maximum of 500 words. Posts with less or more will be ignored.
    • 1 post per character per cycle, with DM posts resetting the cycle at 4PM PST daily. If all posts are in beforehand, a cycle may be started ahead of time. Treat 4PM PST as the deadline at your own peril.
    • All dice must be rolled in this thread.
    • If you want to do some extra communication between party members, do so here.
    • If you need a link to the WB spreadsheet, here it is~
    • Have a nice little warm up! Get to know each other, buddies~!

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    [tracker][d]Action here and target[/d]
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  2. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    Cycle 1: Dynamic Entrance

    Breaking the Horde
    0/400

    Before the strike force lies a horde of lesser monsters, their forms wreathed with light and shadow, magma-esque veins pulsating through their body. From bears to humans to ogres to rabbits to wolves to ents, it is clear that it will be difficult to break past in an instant. If the Party wishes to break past the swarm of monsters within this Cycle, they must aid the vanguard in cutting down the monsters. It is not necessary for the entire party to partake, and the actions that you may take are as follows:
    • Advance Perform an Attack action, using your spreadsheet to calculate. Lose 10 EN and 20 HP for clashing with enemy forces in this frenzied melee. You cannot benefit from Damage Supplementation.
    • Charge Perform a Reckless Attack action, using your spreadsheet to calculate. If you have a Riding mastery and a Mount, you may use that as your modifier instead, doubling your total score result. Lose 20 EN and 40 HP for engaging the enemy without holding anything back.
    • Prepare Perform a Damage Buff action, using your spreadsheet to calculate. Lose 15 EN. You do not need to have the Damage Buff action in your Tracker to Prepare.
    • Conserve Nothing is done. You do not lose any HP or EN. You do not gain anything.
    Furthermore, there are Special Actions one can perform, depending on your masteries and the situation at hand.
    • Strenuous Effort [Everyone] By permanently sacrificing HP (reduce both your current HP value and your maximum HP value), you can gain a bonus modifier to your roll equal to the amount of HP spent, up to a maximum of 50. This modifier can not be applied to Support actions.
    • Rouse [Seigi Only] Free action, costing 10 EN. Establish your Heroic Aura, the radiant banner that empowers all your allies. Grant either a +10 damage buff that stacks over other buffs, a +10 HP Shield, or immunity to a single debuff for the next cycle to everyone in your party.
    • Lurk [Magi Only] Free action, costs 15 EN. Dissolve into the shadows after acting, avoiding any possible counterattack. Do not receive any damage if you choose to Advance or Charge. At the start of the next Cycle, Magi cannot be targeted.
    • Divine [Kaede Only] Free action, costs 15 EN. Dive into the infinite spectrum of alternate fates in order to foresee the near-future. Once half the party has posted, you can use Astral Magic to see one Cycle into the future, before warning your allies of prescient dangers. Note, however, that the future is liquid, and will change in accordance to how you act.
    If the entire Party unanimously decides to Conserve their might for the upcoming boss fight, it will take two Cycles to break past the Horde and arrive at the remains of Rugome Fort. The time lost will be accounted for.
     

    • 161 HP

      MAX 181 HP

    • 136 EN

      MAX 156 EN



    -20 HP from Clash
    -10 EN EN Clash
    -10 EN Rouse

    Seigi remembered. She could clearly recall it. The pain, the horror, the failure. Back then, when she had been weaker than now. Back then, when she had still relied on tools. Her body, skewered by a thousand spikes. Since then, the situation had escalated. Since then, Seigi had gotten stronger. Since then... the enemy had gotten stronger.

    But today was the day she would succeed at which she had once failed. Too late for the people that were once part of this idyll? Yes. Did she regret it? She would not dare.

    Today, Seigi would get 'Revenge'. No. Justice. The villains would pay the price. The skull-faced goblin just... just what happened here anyway? The Hero Girl remembered when she used to play games, Goblins were on the bottom of the food chain. So what exactly was this?

    Whatever lay past the opposing horde of monstrosities, just a mere Goblin? Said mere goblin managed to kill most, if not all, of them...

    Seigi shook her head. She was a mess. Hardly able to hear her own thoughts thinking. That ever-present demon inside of her, beckoning the girl to accept its gift had been on a riot ever since they stepped closer. Was it that surprising, though? She had gotten this curse? Affliction? After the Goblin killed her. It only made sense they were rel- maybe, part of her would finally find peace once it died?

    What did that make him? Her Nemesis. No! He was still just a mere goblin. Then, there was also this other thing. This feeling. Seigi couldn't quite place it. But something was lurking. Something even deeper inside her soul. Something... scary. Just waiting for the right moment...

    ...

    Enough monologuing though! It was time to get into action. Any seconds they kept wasting allowed the opponent to do... whatever they were doing. Taking a sip from her Käse des Abgrunds, the orange-hair took a few steps forward as she hugged @Das Ein Magia from behind. There was still something she had to clear up with her but... for now it had to wait.

    In fact, as childish as it was considering everything that had been going on, Raina was super excited to actually 'finally' get to 'play' this game with Magi! "It's so great to have you around! Let's give it our best and kick some villains butt!"

    With those words spoken, the one-eyed guard himself finally decided to take action. A frontal assault, and the Heroes were invited... or not? Would any of them really stay back thou? No! Radiating her Heroic Aura, Seigi spoke up to the rest.

    "Alright, listen, everybody! It's time to kick some ass and be awesomer!" She wouldn't stand for anyone staying back while soldiers were about to die out there! "It's not just about beating the enemy but also saving the lives of those soldiers! So stop being a terrible person and CHAAAARRRGGEEE!" With those words, Seigi herself plunged into combat.

    Rouse(Shield)+Advance
    52 + 25 Weapon+25 Mastery = 102
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 102 / 400 HP
     

    • 191 HP

      MAX 201 HP

    • 90 EN

      MAX 100 EN



    -10 hp (10 shielded by Rouse)
    -10 eng

    Gear watched the horde as he arrived upon the scene, glancing out at the amassing horde of small monsters which raised their blades and gave their cries of battle. He wasn't entirely sure of the context of what was going on... But context was for people that planned on understanding, and understanding was for people that thought. And Gear was not here to think, Gear was here to do. This fight, whatever it was about, was not his fight. He had no stake in it, no motive, no claim. He was merely extra muscle to tip the scales of one side. The side of his fellows.

    He glanced to those that spoke. The Vanguard that neither advised them to join the fray or to sit aside, as though they were here as an entourage to the Vanguard's glory. Grease in the gears to speed things up, rather than a key component.
    So the question was, was it the Vanguard leader's ego that was the problem, or was it Gear's ego that held the issue, that he felt slighted by that sort of thinking?
    Still, he wasn't here to tend to his ego, he was here to help, and so turning to the other adventurers, he waited to see what they woul-



    Oh, well okay, that was that then. Watching as the small girl ran forward to begin fighting her way through the enemy horde, Gear reached up and began to adjust some settings on his machine. As one always must when mowing the lawn, he had to account for the height he planned to trim off the tops, inspect the condition of the blade, and of course make sure it was properly gassed. Everything appeared to be in peak condition; the only condition he allowed his things, and with a stern glower at the enemy below, be began to tug heavily at a pull-starter.
    Vrrr-
    Vrrrrr!
    VRRRRRRRRRM!

    The third time was the charm, as ever, and suddenly his shoulder sprang to life and spat noxious black fumes into the air. It hummed its merry and loud tune of mechanization springing to life, revving loudly with each swing of the man's massive arm which wielded a disproportionately much more massive axe through the air. Just taking a little off the top of everything on the lawn in front of him.

    Advance
    33 + 60 = 93
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 195 / 400 HP
     

    • 114 HP

      MAX 124 HP

    • 171 EN

      MAX 181 EN





    +10 HP from Rouse
    -20 HP from Clash
    -10 EN EN Clash

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Blank would have been content to sit back...this one time. She had been on the expedition here before when a cruel mist had hidden the horrors within and remembered vividly the struggle of life and death that begun as they approached. Whatever evil that plagued these lands was strong and virile, able to survive despite her freezing their leader in a permanent enclosure of ice. It was something worth noting. Or rather something worth taking. This pretty much summed up her reasoning for returning. She wasn't after some sort of vengeance for a foe that had slipped through her fingers. Even though when she heard the news, her face grew red, and her hands gripped her staff with such strength that she still wore blisters. No, she hadn't spent every night traveling her, trying to recount how a monster could have possibly escaped her expert level ice spell. She was here purely to capture whatever power was capable of giving breath to such monstrosities and turning it into her own.

    That said she was content to sit and wait, and not face the monstrous creatures below them. After all, she had seen their power already first hand and knew they would be wasting valuable energy on defeating them. She opened her mouth to say as such when. Seigi screeched at them.

    "It's not just about beating the enemy but also saving the lives of those soldiers! So stop being a terrible person and CHAAAARRRGGEEE!"


    She vaguely remembered the girl from the ordeal at the mountain, where they climbed the side of the cliff with a pervert until Blank had chased him off. Was she all guts, glory, and annoying then? Blank honestly couldn't remember. As she stood there and tried to, however, Gear marched forward blazing into the monsters directly after her. "...Nggg.. I guess waiting for them to clear the way is out of the question..." Blank moaned as she strode forward waving her magic staff before her as she cast a spell. Soon small magical circles began to appear overhead the monsters, before opening up and raining large chunks of hail down upon them.


    Advance
    46 + 60= 106
    (Tracker) Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace / (Roll) Love and Your Ego

    Target: 311 / 400HP
     
    • 142 HP

      MAX 142 HP

    • 160 EN

      MAX 185 EN


    -10 EN for Advance
    -15 EN for Lurk
    -Damage Nullified by Lurk.​

    img
    "So much grief from you...I guess I should be happy for the energy, evil army people. What I really want is a world where I will have no energy source unless I want it hehehe. You aren't going to like that very much are you? Whatever I am, you are not my kin even if we use a similar power. I will show you mercy for your despair, poor unfortunate souls..."

    The battlefield was such a terrible, cruel, merciless place...

    From what she had gathered. This plainsland was besieged by some super goblin or something. It really was just another indication that this 'game' was merely a trap for those who sought something fun and a escape from reality. Everything was just a prettily decorated death trap. Including herself she realized. What she wanted and how she would do it was going to upset many.... even if the end result was exactly what any hero should want.

    The pinkette had emerged from the manor following Megan to this place. Raina was still alive. Of course she was! How silly to think otherwise. Yet she would not allow another close call again. This was such a waste of energy... this battle would settle nothing. The monsters that advanced upon them were suffering even more than the soldiers running off with weapons drawn. Wowzers, this world was so sick.

    Because some master willed it to be?

    Raina was so excited as she embraced Magia before running into battle like the heroine she was. Always so willing to fight for the best ending. That was why she came. Wendel would not ruin Raina's chances to inspire these people with her admittingly dark presence. So she used her illusions to create the image of Magi Heart instead. If a bit less soft than the original. Wendel despised having to be seen as that girl but it was needed in such a public affair. The moment they split however. Wendel returned to her own way. She could be herself and her arrows poured froth from every nook and cranny into these poor unfortunate souls... so many in mass to rain down salvation upon.

    Gee whiz, her mind was getting much more unstable in such a chaotic place.

    Would Raina be okay with such brutality?. Would Wendy? Well, that was just going to have to be. Wendy was dead and Raina would surely be past such soft approaches. After all... punching something as hard as you can and a merciful massacre were not so far from the same.

    Feelings were so difficult for the distorted girl to feel properly but she knew one thing.

    It felt good to grant a end to these things with her best friend.

    Darkness can be nice, it can be comforting and give peace of mind through it's illusions. That's how she got by while waiting patiently for Raina's return. This enemy, this problem who wields darkness for the sake of sheer chaos.

    Would need a stern Magia says moment....

    Lurk + Advance
    50 + 60 = 110
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 421 (Complete) / 400 HP
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018

    • 122 HP

      MAX 122 HP

    • 105 EN

      MAX 140 EN


    • -15EN Divine
      -20EN AoE buff


    _____Kaede was not expecting her book to give anything when so much chaos was going around, so when it started to glow there was a premonition to be read Kaede fumbled her book to check it. It seemed slightly Odd, least she felt that way as Kaede Moved around while flipping the pages of her book to try and find out what it was trying to tell her. Ducking to avoid an attack before she lightly kicked the creature off balance and kept moving as she found the needed pages. Well time she tried to see if people believed in foresight right.~

    ”Well book says ‘good news everyone’ We might not be ambushed ha-ha… bad news though… whatever is inside that womb thing seems ready to attack us… and we best hurry… oh but we won’t be punished for things JUST yet it seems ha-ha.”


    _____While she closed her book with a smile and ducked away from another attack Kaede gave her team a rough breakdown of her rougher breakdown of the message she got. It was not exactly a sound thing, foresight but hell it helped sometimes with early warnings. Jumping away from another monster as she hit it against the head with her book to daze it for someone else to deal with later like her book details she would do, rather should do.

    _____This sort of hectic fight was not exactly her cup of tea as she tried to make her way to the leader of the main group all the while making it easier for some people along the way. In a most unliked fashion Kaede tapped the Leader's shoulder and smiled before she spoke up. Despite the battle it seemed Kaede was not phased by anything as she kicked a creature away so she could speak in peace.

    ”We are gonna go on ahead of you guys now.~ Oh don’t go near the little creature with the big cute eyes… he will explode… I think… ha-ha.~”


    _____Kaede chimed happily as she tried to make out a little more of her book’s message before waving to the group of adventurers to hurry on up. They had a lot to do and so little time to do it, how wonderful. Laughing lightly as Kaede skipped forward somehow dodging anything that came her way without looking to be planning any of it. Flipping the pages of her book Kaede began to ramble and speak up every so often.

    ”Orange hair girl, just aim for it’s right side… little one with the eyepatch… spikes not wall… and big guy… swing upwards… Not sure when any of that is gonna matter… I don’t get time stamps on these things ha ha.~”


    _____Kaede smiled to the group, a pause to try and figure out where the other one went before she shrugged and just kept skipping forward. Something was most clearly wrong in the girl’s head but for the time being it seemed to work for the group.

    +15 damage for @Seigi | @Blank and +14 damage for @Gear
    13(Roll) + 21(Mastery) +10(Magic weapon) = 44
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: N/A
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2018
  3. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    [​IMG]
    Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace

    The chained axe sprouted dark fumes and growled like a living beast, but it was the clarion call of the auburn hero that caused the writhing horde to pause. Her warcry descended over the entire 46 warriors that leapt into the fray, an amber shield protecting them from harm as they cleaved into the enemy. Up above, azure symbols bloomed into circular shapes, before chunks of ice plummeted downwards, smashing bone and grinding flesh. In the corner of the captain’s eyes, a little devil flitted about, twisted arrow after arrow felling the lesser beasts that used their flesh to shield their leader.

    It was disturbing, how much power could be placed in the hands of mere children, but as long as such might wasn’t directed at his comrades, he had no complaints. If it took being in debt to demigods in order for his city to be safe, then he’d pay whatever was required.

    A final blow bisected the last wretched monster in their path, the horde finally broken. Immediately grinding to a halt, the one eyed captain’s eyes flickered about, a moment of hesitation replaced by iron will.

    Defensive Formation C, men! Ward off the fiends!


    An echoing shout was the response, as the knights scattered, forming a loose perimeter around the ruins of Rugome Fort. They were strong, their endurance and skill tested many times in the past, but in the face of an innumerable, inexhaustible horde, even that will be tested.

    And perhaps even their strength would not be enough soon.

    For in the distance, the one eyed captain could see them approach, their aggression barely restrained by the hand of whatever master had raised them.

    A monochromatic sylph, more crystal than human. A shadowed berserker, frothing and fuming. An ashen swordsman, bearing a sword fit for giants. A sniggering demon, chains of hatred whipping all around. A hungering beast, eyes burning like spent stars. A ghostly paladin, pulling an entourage of enslaved souls.

    The guard’s stance shifted, a deep breath leaving his body.

    We will only be able to hold them off for so long, adventurers. Good luck.


    And with that, he launched himself into the bloodbath once more, the silvered slayer pulsating with the brilliance of moonlight.

    ~~~​

    To one side, demonic vines lashed about in a frenzy, seeking a heartbeat to squeeze to death. To the other side, a forest of stakes held half eaten corpses, nutrition for a true monster. Off in the distance, two sickly green hands cradled a pulsating egg, a crime against nature. And before them, stood the Skull Faced Goblin, his size diminutive, his presence overbearing. Beneath the white mask, two eyes burned with blue flame, while a black aura expanded outwards from his form, the antithesis of @Seigi ’s own Heroic Aura. In the death perceiving eyes of @Kaede Hoshi , she could neither see the monster’s past nor his future, as if he had been wholly removed from the constraints of time and space, but it was clear what the crude blood-spear of the goblin meant.

    Absolute destruction.

    There was no sense of evil, no sense of cruelty. There was no sense of righteousness, no sense of mercy. The barbed spear, adorned with sanguine crystal and blue flame, was simply that. A weapon, wielded by a monster that had no attachment at all to the matter at hand.

    The world outside, filled with the shrieks of fiends, the shouts of men, the clashing of steel, the splatter of blood, faded into silence.

    That was unimportant.

    A field of nameless flowers wavered in the summer haze as the sun continued to sink.

    And slowly, Shulgana’s Revenant shifted into a combat stance, the barbed spearhead dipping downwards.

    What he had protected before was long gone now.

    A single petal flew off, unbothered by the carnage that was to come.

    “Shulgana est garim.”

    It had begun.

    6 Rounds Before the Formation Collapses

    OOC
    @Kaede Hoshi @Seigi @Das Ein Magia @Blank @Bradwynne @Gear
    • Minimum of 100 words and maximum of 500 words. Posts with less or more will be ignored.
    • 1 post per character per cycle, with DM posts resetting the cycle at 4PM PST daily. If all posts are in beforehand, a cycle may be started ahead of time. Treat 4PM PST as the deadline at your own peril.
    • All dice must be rolled in this thread.
    • If you want to do some extra communication between party members, do so here.
    • Everything's still pretty chill. Take it easy and enjoy the first real round~

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    Moving from XX to XX
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    -XX HP from source
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    Post here. Blah blah blah.
    
    
    [tracker][d]Action here and target[/d]
    [score]Your roll + Modifiers = Total[/score]
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    Target: 000 / 000 HP
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  4. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    Cycle 2
    Battle Conditions

    [​IMG]
    Zone 13 Shulgana's Revenant [???/???]
    Skills
    <<Guardian>> The foe before you is dangerous, and any diverted effort will spell your doom. The Womb cannot be targeted as long as Shulgana’s Revenant lives.

    <<Anti Military>> Outnumbered, the Revenant may be, but outmatched, he is not. The more foes there are, the more actions Shulgana’s Revenant can perform per turn.

    <<Gargantuan Might>> An understated size belies an uncommon ferocity, the earth sundered as easily as breaking bones. Shulgana’s Revenant can perform AOE attacks and inflict Physical Debuffs.

    <<Master Duelist>> Fury alone cannot overcome your foe, for the patterns within thoughtless violence are read much more easily than controlled strikes. Only two Reckless Attacks can be performed upon the Revenant per cycle. All other Reckless attacks are negated afterwards.

    <<Critical Eye>> The difference between life and death is separated by a razor thin line, and one’s ultimate fate is but a skillful thrust or a lucky roll away. At the start of the cycle, a d12 is rolled. If the result is 12, the first attack of Shulgana’s Revenant is doubled in damage.

    <<Spell Ward>> Even magic can be slain if the caster stays in range of that wicked spear. Incantations are so easily disrupted, after all. When magic is used within one zone of the Revenant, a d4 must be rolled. On a 1, the spell fails, and the mage’s action is consumed.

    Blessings
    <<Shulgana’s Revenant>> The title granted to one that had sold their soul to an Outer God. As a medium in which this foreign divinity exercises its might, this Revenant holds both divine might and thaumaturgy. Enables one to receive blessings from the Outer God, Shulgana, as well as the evocation of Deitic Skills.

    <<Blood Feast>> ???

    <<Blood Veil>> ???

    <<Lightless>> ???

    <<Berserk>> ???

    <<Ashen>> ???

    <<Blackened>> ???

    <<Desecrated>> ???

    <<Predatory>> ???
    Having set its roots deep in the forests of Brisshal, the Otherworldly Womb can aid its guardian as well, mutating the surrounding environment and turning it against the adventurers that seek to sanctify the land. At the start of every cycle, the Womb will randomly perform one of four actions.
    • ???
    • ???
    • ???
    • ???
    The Otherworldly Womb can not be targetted until Shulgana's Revenant is vanquished.
    Damage:
    N/A

    Important Note: Each Zone can only be occupied by a maximum of three players at once.

    Zone 1 Muddy and miserable, the dirt beneath is soaked with blood. It squelches beneath your feet, but is of no concern otherwise.

    Zone 2, 3, 4 The ground crackles beneath your feet, a crystalline surface providing stable footing. Beneath, one can partially see the ruptured earth, indicative of a violent altercation.

    Zone 5, 10 Signs of a brutal fight linger, jagged, broken spikes and shrapnel filling the cracked earth, still sharp enough to cut. When entering or ending a turn in this Zone, receive 10 damage.

    Zone 6, 11, 16 Corrupted vegetation writhes aggressively, squirming in search for a heartbeat. Though individually weak, they deter all those that try to escape. When exiting this Zone, consume two movements instead of one. When attacking from this Zone, reduce the damage dealt by 20.

    Zone 7, 8, 12 Against all odds, a field of resilient flowers has bloomed upon the battlescarred land, petals scattering with each attack performed in this Zone.

    Zone 9, 17, 21 The remains of a massive crimson spike lies upon the ground, roughly half the height of a human. Ranged attacks targetting those within the Zone are reduced in effectiveness by half. A powerful enough attack specifically targetting the fallen spike may be powerful enough to destroy it, however, removing any cover one may have in the particular zone.

    Zone 13 Fragments of permafrost are scattered over the area, while a sanguine staircase rises out of an unfathomably deep pit. It wasn't completely successful last time, but this time around...

    Zone 14, 15, 20 Deep craters, as if caused by meteorites, scar the barren earth. Ranged attacks performed in this Zone and ranged attacks targetting this zone are reduced by 15.

    Zone 18, 22, 24 The remains of a ruined tower, scattered in three directions. Large piles of rubble partially obscure the Otherworldly Womb, and makes it difficult to approach. When entering this Zone, consume two Movements instead of one.

    Zone 19, 25 A forest of stakes, upon which half eaten beasts are skewered, their putrid blood running down the spikes. Ranged attacks targetting this zone are reduced by 10.

    Zone 23 The Otherworldy Womb, cradled by what appears to be two sickly green hands. Dark veins rise over the translucent surface, and it pulsates like a heart. A nigh impenetrable sanguine veil shrouds it, protecting it from outside influences.
    Movement Every turn, you may move to one Zone adjacent (diagonal movement is NOT allowed) to your current one for free. If you have a Mastery with the Mobility tag, you can make extra movements, depending what tier that mastery is at. At Trained, you get one extra movement. At Adept, you get two extra movements. At Mastered, you get three extra movements, for a total of four movements per turn. Ending your turn on certain Zones may trigger events.

    Range Ranged and Magical attacks can reach up to three zones away, but may have reduced damage due to terrain. Support actions can reach up to two zones away, except for Tinker which is melee range. Melee attacks can only target those within the same Zone as the attacker, but they can opt to roll a 6d20 on a normal attack rather than a d100. If you have the Tinker Mastery, you can change a Melee attack into a Ranged attack, at the cost of expending 5 EN.
    As potent as medicine and magic are, not all scars can be removed so easily. In combat, status afflictions earned are divided into three separate categories, each with their own method of treatment. These are Physical, Mental, and Magical.
    • Physical Afflictions A broken arm, a blackened eye, a punctured lung. Particularly grisly wounds have a notably negative effect upon an adventurer's aptitude, and can not be merely dispelled. Instead, healing must be applied to fill a quota that is separate from their overall HP bar. If left untended, these grevious wounds may worsen over time.
    • Mental Afflictions Fear, revulsion, horror, whether brought up by past trauma, the current situation, or one's Death Afflictions, can not be removed at all in the heat of battle. A pep talk may rouse one's spirit, but the tremors remain eternal. Once mentally afflicted, only a long rest will be able to remove such burdens.
    • Magical Afflictions The flames that engulf one's body. The metamorphisis of your flesh. Horrific as they may seem, afflictions of a magical origin are easily dispelled, and rarely have any lingering side effects afterwards.

    Actions
    Everyone is allowed to perform one of these actions per cycle. RP-wise, you can do a number of things, but the system only counts the action you pick from the spreadsheet. If you have the relevant masteries, there may also be Special Actions or Awakened Actions you can perform. Be sure to check them out~
    Strenuous Effort [Everyone] By permanently sacrificing HP (reduce both your current HP value and your maximum HP value), you can gain a bonus modifier to your roll equal to the amount of HP spent, up to a maximum of 50. This modifier can not be applied to Support actions.

    Heroic Aura
    Stalwart Passive. No matter what maledictions are poured upon you, a hero will not falter. Excluding Beginner, each tier of Heroic Aura grants you a stack of Stalwart at the beginning of combat. Each stack automatically dispels a magical debuff, before being consumed.

    Rouse Free action, costing 10 EN. Establish your Heroic Aura, the radiant banner that empowers all your allies. Grant either a +10 damage buff that stacks over other buffs, a +10 HP Shield, or immunity to a single debuff for the next cycle to everyone in your party.

    Warcry Action, costing 20 EN. Can only be used once every three cycles. Unleash a devastating roar, stunning all minions on the battlefield and performing a Disruptive Attack upon all those in the same Zone as you. Use Heroic Might as the modifier. If the resulting score is high enough, enemies in the same Zone will be knocked back one space as well.

    Limit Break[Seigi Only] ???

    Shadow Dancing
    Shroud Passive. Dissolve into the shadows, becoming an elusive phantom, a shattered memory. Excluding Beginner, each tier of Shadow Dancing grants you a stack of Shroud at the beginning of combat. Each stack reduces incoming physical attacks by 20 damage, before being consumed.

    Stalk Free action, costing 10 EN. Melt away and reappear within the shadow of another, prepared for a sneaky follow up. Instead of moving regularly, appear in the same Zone as an ally. If the chosen ally attacks and you choose to attack as well, apply Shadow Dancing as Damage Supplementation.

    Lurk Action, costing 20 EN. Can only be used once every three cycles. Fully immerse yourself in the underside of reality. Remove yourself from the battlefield, effectively becoming immune to all damage for the duration of the cycle, except in the case of interplanar attacks.

    Limit Break [Magi Only] ???

    Cosmic Retribution
    Predict Passive. Perceiving the seconds between an ally's attack and an enemy's reaction, you ensure that even a miss will hit. Excluding Beginner, each tier of Shadow Dancing grants you a stack of Predict at the beginning of combat. Each stack negates the AC of an enemy for a single attack, before being consumed.

    Divine Free action, costs 15 EN. Dive into the infinite spectrum of alternate fates in order to foresee the near-future. Once half the party has posted, you can use Astral Magic to see one Cycle into the future, before warning your allies of prescient dangers. Note, however, that the future is liquid, and will change in accordance to how you act.

    Ascend Shapeshift. Can only be done once per Challenge. Costs 20 EN and 20 HP at the start of every cycle. Leave your mortal body behind and transform into an avatar of celestial wrath. You cannot perform any actions that are not Attack, Critical Attack or Reckless Attack. You cannot be healed or protected. The dice value of your attacks are automatically set to 70, and the range of your attacks is unlimited. Furthermore, you have access to extra modifiers for your attacks.
    • Nova Burst Costs 10 EN. Target the Zone, rather than an individual.
    • Dimensional Tear Costs 10 EN. Permanently reduce Target's AC by 20.
    • Gravity Well Costs 10 EN. Halve the Target's Movement Speed for the next cycle.
    • Limit Break [Kaede Only] ???
    It takes an action to revert the transformation and return to your mortal body. If you do not have enough HP or EN to pay for the cost of the Shapeshift at the start of the cycle, your soul separates from your body and you die.
     

    • 161 HP

      MAX 181 HP

    • 111 EN

      MAX 156 EN



    Location: 2 - Zone 13

    Moving from 2 to 13
    -10 EN for Normal Attack
    -10 EN Rouse
    -5 EN Supplement

    And thus, they met again.

    "..." The battlefield looked... horrible. Some things, the orange hair recognized, other things, she did not. In front of them, a Beast that ascended mere Goblinhood. Behind it, a secondary target. For Seigi, it looked like an egg, which was close enough anyway. Whatever it would give birth to, it was most likely something they did not want to find out.

    Seigi tried to recall her last encounter with him. "That Goblin is capable of utilizing blood magic and area attacks" That was about it, right?

    For now, the monstrosity simply stood there. Waiting, ready to devour them? Maybe mocking them to act first. Well, then. "The quicker we're done the fewer soldiers have to die, let's do this!" Radiating her Aura, Seigi punched her fist into her open palm before dashing forward. Just concentrate on there here and now. Defeat the opponent in front. Silence all other noise. Focus. Focus. Focus.

    Seigi remembered the last time she had dashed through these fields. Clumsy, slow, naive. Now, she was fast and deadly, closing the distance to the otherworldly advisory in an instant. This time, she lacked the Mechanical Gauntlets that splattered the brainy bits of her enemies onto the field. This time, she had the pure physical strength to back up her punches.

    "LET'S END THIS, NAMELESS MONSTROSITY" The fledging Hero called out as her simple punched landed directly on the mask, the mere bandages wrapped around her arms already ripping apart to reveal the void below.

    Rouse(Attack Buff)+Normal Attack+Supplement
    66 + 25 Weapon + 25 Mastery + 21 Supplement + 15 Buff 1/3 = 152 Total
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 152 / ??? HP
     
    • 191 HP

      MAX 201 HP

    • 60 EN

      MAX 100 EN


    Location: XX - Zone 9

    Moving from 3 to 9 (adept mobility, up to 3 zones of movement)
    -20 EN for reckless attack
    -5 EN for damage supp
    -5 EN for tinker ranged

    They slew their way through the field of enemies, some with magic, some with fist or blade. Gear himself listened to the inelegant and iron willed roar of the machine upon his back and shoulder, as its hydraulic muscles flexed with his own, increasing the ferocity of each swing. Occasionally, an arc of lightning made its way from the blade and onto the fragile forms of the beastlings they fought against, stopping hearts and boiling lungs. But the true threat and terror was that blade, which reached out among a cloud of black smoke snapped hungrily for viscera.

    The axe's thirst was slaked second by second, its hunger subsiding as they quickly cleared the field enough for the vanguard to take up a defensive formation... and then it was time for they, the adventurers, to advance further. Creeping vines lead to a field blasted with so much strangeness, from craters to fallen fortifications, from flowers to spears and spines which hazarded the way and could be used as cover.

    It was behind some of these red crystal spines that Gear moved, defending himself from the revenant creature's wrath. The small orange angry child had a different approach, charging in and bashing at the thing immediately. Her blow landed upon its face. Gear took the more cautious approach and held his ground behind cover, reaching over to his machine and adjusting some of its settings. A simple disconnection here... attaching a chain there... suddenly, one of the mechanisms became a reel to pull in the chain to which his axe was now attached. He glanced around the battlefield. There was too much in the way. The same cover that protected him from the revenant's attacks blocked any easy throw of his weapon. But throwing wasn't what he did. Cleaving was what he did. So, tossing his axe high into the air, he pulled and swung on the chain to which it was affixed and sent it chopping downwards across the battlefield and onto the monster's back. Then, with a flip of a lever, the machine began to reel the axe back in until it was back in his hand once more.

    Reckless Revving on the Revvy
    48/34 + 35/25/21/14(1 of 3)/10 = 187
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 339 / ??? HP
     
    • 142 HP

      MAX 142 HP

    • 140 EN

      MAX 185 EN


    Location: 4 - Zone 1

    Moving from 4 to 1
    -20 EN for Reckless Attack
    Current Shroud Stacks: 2​

    img
    "*Snicker* ...Cool beans Skully-san."

    Wendel had little else to say when she finally reached the source of the problems here. So... this was pretty cool beans. At one time, Magi Heart, while terrified may have been excited IF she had the courage to save the world from such a dark opponent. It reeked of enemy of all that lived and all that stuff.

    As a heroine and one who sought the best for everyone. Should Magia feel that way too?

    Everything here... the amount of grief from the fallen. The hopelessness of such a opponent. The thought that it was supposedly just a goblin was unimportant. Das Ein Magia was in a environment that.. well...

    Gee whiz, this was kinda like her bedroom lately!

    Minus the throbbing egg in the back. That was a bad sign. In every anime she could think of it meant something much much worse than this guy was on the verge of being born.

    It would bring with it... grief which would only strengthen her but the destruction and suffering was not worth it. It would cause a unhappy end for so many. While she wanted to learn more about this and see how it could potentially increase her own power to oppose her 'master'. It was too dangerous to try. Not in front of Raina especially. Even if for some twisted reason that hulking badass of a warrior made the corrupted young girl's heart flutter like when Wendy first saw Tuxedo Kamen in the 3rd reboot of Sailor Moon.

    This creature would most definitely hurt Raina. It would murder her and have no remorse... murder her only true friend. The only true heroic savior....

    In the same way. Wendel would have none for ending it's possibly eternal life.

    "Raina-chan remember! You must live. This is not worth anything if you die, those soldiers do not care about us. Our promise is more important! We can save everyone if we live and no one if we die, especially if you die Raina-chan. Don't you...dare forget... don't leave me alone in this...."

    A dark look filled the pinkette's face as a small bit of blood already dripping from her eye. Her mad excitement had only just begun to grow on top of her obsession to protect Raina. Moving at extremely high speeds, flowing black mana tracing her footsteps as she dashed past the party towards the blood soaked southwest. She muttered as she moved. As her black winged phantoms hovered around her and followed her every move. Skidding in the dirt and shifting to aim her black bow. The barrage of dark arcana blasts flew!

    Of course it was not going to be enough...

    What came next would decide a lot for how she would fight this one. Defeating a blood mage like this... would be good practice for Vermillion wouldn't it?

    How far she had come and how far she had descended, but who cared if the ending was a happy one?

    Reckless Attack on Skully
    65 + 13 + 60 + 10 (Rouse) = 148
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 487 / ???
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
    • 104 HP

      MAX 124 HP

    • 156 EN

      MAX 181 EN


    Location: Zone 10

    Moving from Zone 4 to Zone 9 to Zone 10
    -10 EN for Careful Attack
    -5 EN for Damage Supp
    -10 HP from entering/ending turn in zone 10 (divided by two due to careful)




    Following in line with the rest of the forces Blank pushed through past the monstrosities happy that as a team they had practically no issues. This was going so much better than the last time with those brats. In fact, at this rate, it may not have even been worth the bother of coming here. Eventually, they reached the spot of their last pitched battle, however, which was easily marked by the remains of the shattered tower, they had pushed over in the midst of the fight. While it was clearly the same place, it had undergone quite a transformation. However, it wasn't the change of terrain that shocked her. It was the Goblin edging closer towards them.

    Im-im-impossible! I defeated you! I threw you into the gorge and froze it myself! It wasn't some low level, trash tier spell. It was an expert ice seal, performed by me, the most powerful icemancer in existence. I refuse to believe you managed to escape on your own! There had to have been a traitor, or this game is cheating! SO GO ON TRAITOR, SHOW YOURSELF!


    Megan's voice rattled as she called out, spinning around as she did so, and yet no one revealed themselves. The goblin's mere presence was turning her stomach into knots, and she felt that old familiar sense of fear creep up on her once more as her legs weakened.

    The rose at Megan's wrist pulsed, releasing a small amount of undiscernable magic into her, and she felt the void return quickly eating away at the horror that tried to consume her.

    Eventually only Blank remained once more, staring at the battlefield with a cold and calculating glare.

    "We should move, there is no end to the abyss beneath our feet, one fell swoop and it will open forth and send us below. The same likely goes for those stairs, there's no telling where it leads..."



    Heading her own words Blank sprinted forward, her movement increased by the power of the aeromancy. Running into the thrones of Zone ten, she tried her best to shield herself as she cast another spell, sending a hail of dagger sized icicles from the air above the goblin.



    Careful Attack
    29+ 60 + 9 + 14 + 10= 122
    (Tracker) Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace/ (Roll) Love and Your Ego
    Skull Faced Goblin: 609 / ??? HP
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2018
    • 122 HP

      MAX 122 HP

    • 110 EN

      MAX 140 EN


    Location: Zone III

    -15 EN for Divine
    +20 EN from Recovery

    _____Well everyone just seemed to be doing their own thing and with nobody exactly requesting Kaede to do anything she just smiled and sat down. Why would she need to waste her effort, she was the support and it seemed everyone was fine and dandy for the time being. Pulling out her book as the pages glowed and Kaede overlooked the new information it had for her. Not like she would be of any help since everyone already seemed to move about and now the boss was going to have a chance to do so like any game designers would have things.

    _____A thought crossing Kaede’s mind that she could maybe lend a hand with the attacking, but chuckling to herself for the silly idea as she just hummed and swayed in her cross legged position reading the ever changing words of her book. An evil thought to go the extra fun to not tell them what she found out, and even darker to misinform them rose in the girl’s mind as she just chuckled and flipped another page.

    _____Kaede whistled happily as she found the right pages and was greeted with two pictures. It was a real shame nobody could see what she saw in the book because both events sort of rose her not to talk about them. But as Kaede sealed her book, and looked back and forth to @Blank and @Gear it seemed she was waiting for something to happen. If either looked back to her Kaede gave them a thumbs up and started laughing. This was gonna be priceless. Clicking her tongue though Kaede decided to warn them.

    ”Male and eye patch girl… you two might have made him angry ha-ha.~”


    _____Kaede just chuckled as she swayed some more and went back to reading her book. One page giving her tomorrow's dinner menu, that was something good to know.

    Recover energy + Divine
    No dice required
    Tracker / Roll
    Skull faced goblin: 609 / ??? HP
     
  5. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    [​IMG]
    Love and Your Ego, Rest in Peace

    Nameless?

    No, he had a name once, and his end came a long time ago.

    Now, it was nothing but the warmth of a memory that he could hold onto.

    Like a comet, @Seigi shot through the battlefield, petals scattering in her wake as the void that laid at the end of a star’s demise unveiled itself, slamming straight for the skulled mask. But the first heroic blow was merely grazed, sliding off the side of the white mask as the Revenant pivoted, rotating out of the way. More powerful than before, but still nothing but an unskilled child.

    The roar of machine axe and its chained bite were yet more examples of gruesome might treated with too heavy a hand. The arc of the swing was predictable, the demon howl impossible to stifle, to ignore, and the axe head smashed deep into the ground, its thirst for blood left unsated as @Gear ‘s strike ate dirt as well.

    Arcane bolts and blades of ice soon followed the twinned assault, the first few arcane blasts scattering over the Revenant’s armor like rain against his skin, before the blood-spear thrummed, the crystalline blade smashing apart the rain of projectiles with dancer-esque grace.

    More fragments of ice coated the ground, as the last vestiges of the Shadow Witch’s arcanamancy dissipated into the surrounding environment.

    The breath of a war god emanated from the Revenant’s helmet.

    Thump. Thump.

    It was not the monster that acted first, but the womb, a heartbeat resounding throughout the arena as crimson veins raced out from beneath. In an instant, two pillars burst from the ground, onyx obelisks that rose up towards the skys. Taking by surprise, the muscled tinkerer fell off, collapsing onto shards of red that burrowed deep into the vulnerable parts of his armor, while the pillars continued to rise around him and the ice mage, leaving them almost completely isolated from the rest of their team.

    Divide and conquer? No. Divide and fall.

    Before he could orientate himself to his latest surroundings, a heavy impact smashed him into the side of the pillar. There was numbness, surprise, and then, agony blossomed from the center of his chest as his flesh crystallized and charred, the Revenant pushing the barbed spear deeper and deeper as he pinned Gear against the wall. Around the goblin, the black aura already ate away at his sanity, driving the warrior-man into an even greater frenzy, all thoughts of retreat, of subtlety removed.

    That same madness was reflected in the eyes of the ice mage, a chain of hatred connecting her to the Revenant and overriding any desire to retreat, to maneuver into a better location. Readying her staff, she prepared to c-

    A burning gauntlet smashed into her face, the crunch of bone and teeth audible as blue flames lingered, instantly cauterizing the injury. Falling into an unsightly mess upon the ground, @Blank didn’t even have a second to gasp before the godly strength of the Revenant slammed into her prone form, pinning her down as he raised his fist.

    Once. Twice. Thrice.

    An instinctive barrier of ice shielded her from the brunt of the impact, but every heavy blow broke her even more. How long could she last? How long until her allies came? How long, how long, ho-

    The Blackness that invaded her thoughts did not allow for that.

    So she struggled instead, recklessly, futilely, as fragments of bone and tooth joined the red shrapnel that littered the marred earth.

    And gradually, those bits and pieces rose up, swirling around the Revenant's form. A shroud made of violence and vengeance. A shield to protect him from duress as he turned this mage into pulp.

    5 Rounds Before the Formation Collapses

    OOC
    @Kaede Hoshi @Seigi @Das Ein Magia @Blank @Bradwynne @Gear
    • Minimum of 100 words and maximum of 500 words. Posts with less or more will be ignored.
    • 1 post per character per cycle, with DM posts resetting the cycle at 4PM PST daily. If all posts are in beforehand, a cycle may be started ahead of time. Treat 4PM PST as the deadline at your own peril.
    • All dice must be rolled in this thread.
    • If you want to do some extra communication between party members, do so here.
    • The real hard mode is all the reading you have to do. Time to put on your megane.

    HTML:
    [bg] [HP=100]100[/HP] [EN=100]100[/EN] [/bg]
    [loc=Location:] XX - Zone V [/loc][hr]x[/hr]
    Moving from XX to XX
    -XX EN for action
    -XX HP from source
    [hr]x[/hr]
    Post here. Blah blah blah.
    
    
    [tracker][d]Action here and target[/d]
    [score]Your roll + Modifiers = Total[/score]
    Tracker / Roll
    Target: 000 / 000 HP
    [/tracker]
    
     
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