Absolution Beyond Cloudburst | Page 6

Absolution Beyond Cloudburst
Discussion in 'DM Challenges' started by Ashifili, May 14, 2018.
    • 4 HP

      MAX 112 HP

    • 94 EN

      MAX 104 EN



    -10 HP from being cheesed
    -10 HP from bleeeeeding ouuuuuuuut


    It came to no surprise that, being riddled with bullet holes and missing a few fingers, Yukisa had a hard time keeping up with his allies. Alongside his desperate attempts to blast their enemies away, he was falling behind them, and was on the verge of collapsing.

    Fortunately, his noble, strong, and horrendously bald knight in shining armor @Haru lifted him into his arms with ease, carrying him the rest of the way to the police vehicle they were about to hijack. If it weren’t for that, Yuki likely would have been cop fodder.

    With Yukisa hauled into the shotgun seat and Corvella climbing into the back seat (through the roof, mind you), the trio sped off from the factory, quickly pursued by the remaining, non-hijacked police vehicles.

    For the boy who currently resembled Swiss cheese, the majority of the ride was mostly a blur due to his exhausted state. Dizziness took hold of him, both because of the severe blood loss he suffered and the anime-esque driving maneuvers Haru managed to pull off. Really, that physically impossible, sharp 90-degree turn really was something.

    His last sliver of consciousness pulled through in the end, though, keeping him awake enough to provide whatever assistance he could. And though that assistance amounted to opening his UI to check how Portia and Ivan were faring, at least he wasn’t completely dead yet.

    Except his face paled so much more upon reading the message that it would seem he had become a ghost.

    Mail

    We won’t be coming back.


    ‘No, no, no… please no…’ Yukisa’s mind began to flood with NO’s, as he tried to deny what he dreaded had happened. ‘They can’t be…’

    In a frantic haze, he typed a short reply, hoping to whatever god was out there that Portia would answer.

    He glanced back at @Corvella who had, he assumed, asked him how the two lovebirds were doing.

    “They’re, uh…” For a moment, he was unsure what to tell her. The truth would definitely cause the already hulked out woman to freak further, but lying… that would be so wrong. “I… don’t know,” he decided to tell her in the end, biting his lip. It was true, to some extent....

    Before they could dwell on the fate of the pair any further, the final (or perhaps first?) member of their ragtag airship crew entered the fray: Seigi, beaten and bloody, stood ahead.

    Luckily, Corvella’s quick berserker reflexes were enough to take care of getting the captain on.

    But of course, with one success came a whole new disaster, and before they knew it, their car was headed straight for a wall. Though Haru was their designated driver, it became apparent the healer was preoccupied with… doing just as his title says.

    And so, with what little strength he had left, Yukisa reached for the wheel, quickly pulling it towards him so that the car veered down the street they had emerged to rather than into a building.

    DRIVE, DAMN IT!
    24
    Tracker / Roll
     
    • 31 HP

      MAX 181 HP

    • 6 EN

      MAX 156 EN


    -10 EN Rouse
    -60 HP Bloody Hell


    Weewooweewooweewoo.

    There was a sound in the distance.

    Vrooooom.

    There was a sound somewhat closer.

    Vroooooooooooooooooooooom.
    Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech.

    There was a kansei drifto sound coming closer. Move, dammit! The Hero told her body. She wasn't that bad off, was she? Still alive and kickin' and all. Was that... a car? Between her red veil, Seigi could make out some form of... "Nani!?" Yeah, she didn't even feel embarrassed about saying that anymore.

    Either way! There was a Corvy. A mad Corvy, and the others. Nearly about to be driven over, Seigi tried to more-or-less instinctively jump onto the car and Corvella grabbed her. It hurt. But then again, what didn't?

    Flung into the inside of the car, Captain 'The Fist' Ling recognized most of her crew, except two! "What... are you... oh my Justice, everything's red..." Seigi coughed up some blood, making their makeshift(?) drive even messier. Her voice was a bit slurred, talking with 10 teeth less apparently wasn't that easy?

    "Where... have you been? I... punched... a criminal. He punched back. YOUR CAPTAIN IS BACK." Seigi nodded. Actually talking with others put her back into spirit a bit. Yes, her dear comrades minus the lovers.

    Despite the pitiful state, Seigi was in, she clearly had to show leadership abilities! Screw whatever was going on and her looking like half a vegetable! "GUTS. AND. EFFORT. WHATEVER YOU DO. GOOD JOB. KEEP GOING. Cough" There, her rouse. Hopefully, they would survive this drive by cutting it close and doing thins smart, but probably not. At least, good thing Seigi didn't even know what was going on!

    Hop on board+Rouse(Shield)
    32+25=57
    Tracker / Roll
     
  1. There was guilt in her conscience during the first moments after the struggle against his spell. More than anything, she understood where he was coming from in his failed attempt to rescue her, and appreciated it to some extent, but it didn't make her change her opinion on what she'd done. Throughout all her adventures at Terrasphere, she always managed to elude death at the last second, as if spared by the game's many gods for reasons she could never comprehend.

    Knowing there was nothing but a certain death awaiting her at the bottom made her feel... Well, she wasn't sure how to accurately put it into words. It intrigued her and terrified her all the same, a twisted mix of emotions brewing on the inside. A mix of negativity amongst which she found some relief to be had, relief that she would finally comprehend what her friends felt when she failed to protect them. If anything, it felt like a well-deserved punishment.

    Portia circled both her arms around his frame, holding him as tightly as he did with her. Somehow, she could sense his initial fear for her safety, blaming herself for having to put him through this unfortunate situation because of a selfish desire she wished to see fulfilled. Although she did her best to remain calm through the whole ordeal, there was still a part of her consciousness panicking more and more with each passing second, leaving her to bury her face in his chest as they continued their descent.

    At first, she caught it by the corner of her vision, light coating her eyelids until it became more of a bother than a warm blessing. It was a beautiful scenery that greeted them as she opened her eyes and, while certainly not a sight they would enjoy ever again, it did little to set her heart at ease. Her thoughts were drifting from one to another, all manners of apologies, words of gratitude or the fleeting memories they would retain from the Whale crossed her mind, all of them flashing one after the other with the sole purpose of distracting her from what was about to come.

    Because no matter how much she tried to hide it behind a serene facade, she was still afraid.

    And grateful, she was grateful for this person that held onto her to the very end, a reminder that things would eventually be okay. That even if this was her first death, there was so much more to be had afterward. There was still hope.

    The splash eventually came, and with it, the rest of her senses began to fade until she could no longer tell if she was still holding him or not. However, she willingly accepted her fate, unkind as it was to the both of them. No longer able to open her eyes, it was only a matter of time until her consciousness, too, also faded to black.
     
    • 018 HP

      MAX 58 HP

    • 006 EN

      MAX 126 EN



    Shield of 10
    -20 Hp from the cops
    -20 EN for healing AOE

    The wind rushed past his skull. It did so because Haru had the air conditioner turned on. Such a lovely invention...

    The wind rushed past the car for it was being taken on a drive like nothing the city had ever seen before. Twists and turns were made by this white driver who put his soul on the line that could hardly be called possible in normal circumstances. Blue light shone brilliantly from the car that trailed all the way back to one person- Haru himself.

    Channeling his soul through a key was hard work. And honestly, the benefits were entirely worth it. He could feel this car better than his own arms right now, and could move it better, too. This hunk of junk was, for a single, glorious moment, a shining chariot that carried fate with it.

    Haru was focused, but even he could see a form jumping into the car. He looks over behind him to see the assailant- oh, it was Seigi. She looked terrible.
    The sight of her state, along with everyone else's, pushed something within him. Haru's formerly iron will cracked like glass, and he already felt a healing spell on his tongue as he gripped his staff-

    His body is thrown to the left as the car spins. "-What's happening?!" Haru panicks as the world spins for a moment before he finally comes to a clarity. Yukisa had just stopped them all from crashing into a wall, as Haru had let go of the wheel in his panic.

    He takes his soul out of the key and puts it back into his body. The drain was making him go delirious.

    "Yukisa, I need you to steer." With that, he discharges his spell, lying back and trying to get ahold of himself again with his foot on the pedal.
    He looks back to Seigi once more. "Hey, kid. Welcome to hell! We're having a namesake's time."


    Heal @Seigi , @Yukisa , @Corvella
    11+50/3 = 20
    Tracker / Roll

     
  2. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    [​IMG]
    Absolution Beyond Cloudburst

    Captain aboard sans 10 teeth, an eye, and an ear, the living members of the Justice Crew assembled once more, Seigi only barely making it on before Yukisa snatched the wheel of the vehicle, sitting on Haru’s lap as he spun the steering wheel, one corner of the car bumping into the wall they had been moments away from colliding into. The narrowness of the alleyway didn’t change with that maneuver though, and despite all of Seigi’s bold, heroic declarations of how Yukisa and Corvella definitely were not bleeding out, they could all still feel it, their lifeblood throbbing away with each beat of their heart. Even the Spirit Mage’s healing didn’t do enough to remove that sensation of impeding death.

    But they had to push on and on and on, and even the berserk rage of the titanic empress was replaced by a sense of exhilaration as a sliver of light at the opening of the alleyway became bigger and brighter and redder and bluer.

    Two police cars were parked right there, barricading the entrance, officers already firing off shots. Obsidian smashed against the windshield, but it held, the vehicle roaring madly as it charged. It was an unavoidable collision, but it was the only way. They had to smash straight through!

    BOOOM!

    The screech of tortured metal caving in.

    The crunch of glass shattering.

    The flip.

    Blasting into, and then over the police car barricade, the hijacked vehicle somersaulted once, twice, and landed, Yukisa desperately trying to get control, before the accelerator was slammed once more, the vehicle shooting off down the streets once more. Behind them, the other police cars smouldered, smoked, before exploding in dramatic explosions.

    Fuck, they were badasses.

    The familiar sirens resounded behind them once more, reinforcement called to slay the criminal adventurers, but this time, this time they had a head start, bullets arrowheads pinging around them as their driver spun serpentine. Black marks trailed them, enemy carriages tracing their path through the city. A few hit their mark, cutting into Seigi and Corvella in the back, but the two of them raised up the steel plate soon enough, shielding them from further harassment.

    Soon. As long as they kept driving, they’d escape soon enough!

    But they were bleeding out, exhausted, dying, sanguine coloring the leather seats of their ride. Haru and Seigi no longer had any more energy, while Yukisa’s own magic was purely offensive and disruptive, and Corvella was in the throes of her berserk rage. What were their options?

    One tank, laying forgotten on the middle of the street.

    They were back to the starting line.

    It was dangerous, but if they could grab it…

    The liquefied mana tank was fast approaching.

    Did they reach out to grab it, or simply push on stubbornly, safely?

    OOC
    @Seigi @Corvella @Yukisa @Haru
    • Maximum 500 words, minimum 100 words. Any more or any less will mean that I smite you AND your post will be ignored. Brevity is the spirit of wit, after all.
    • I will be updating every day at 4PM PST. Sometimes, cycle updates will occur earlier, depending on how quickly players post. Due to the predicted length of this challenge, I may not be available at all times.
    • If you have pressing concerns (and not just meme questions), go ping me on #ask_a_dm. Seriously, you nerds.
    • If you wanna talk shop and verbally dunk on your newb party members in /all chat, go here and let loose!
    • If you need to roll dice because you plan on doing something drastic (or just action-y), go here and say a prayer!
    • Remember, this is a semi-freeform challenge. I will provide you actions, but I am also willing to let you do other stupid things, if I don't find them super stupid. So eyyyy, good luck!
    • VROOM VROOM MOTHERFUCKERSSSSSS.
    HTML:
    [bg] [HP=100]100[/HP] [EN=100]100[/EN] [/bg]
    [hr]x[/hr]
    -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]
     
  3. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    Cycle 10: JESUS, TAKE THE WHEEL

    <<Hijacked Police Vehicle>>
    125/200
    Speed: 124


    Events:
    1x Liquid Mana Tank (Assumed) is on the ground, where Ivan and Portia last were. This can not be carried in your inventory. While holding onto these objects, you may not benefit from any weapon mods. This item can be consumed to recover 40 EN, with possible side effects, or can be used to fuel the vehicle, boosting its Speed by 100, but with consequences after the fact.

    The Hijacked Police Vehicle receives 75 HP damage from a bunch of bad things.

    @Corvella @Yukisa receive 10 HP damage from the Bleeding status, but this is negated due to the effects of Rouse. At the start of the next cycle, they will receive 10 HP damage.

    @Corvella receives 30 HP damage , @Seigi receives 10 HP damage (reduced from 20) from being shot at.

    @Seigi receives 2 HP damage from Corvella's intense hand holding.

    @Corvella is afflicted with the Berserk status effect. She cannot communicate and is extremely aggressive in this state. All physical actions performed under this state of mind gets a +25 bonus modifier.

    Actions

    As always, there are special actions one can take, depending on whether or not the situation demands it, or whether or not they have an Awakened mastery.

    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.

    Drive [Haru, Seigi and Yukisa Only] Take the wheel and make the magitech carriage go VROOM as you drift around like a badass maniac, dodging obstacles and making tight turns in order to evade and escape the damned cops. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Riding and add the value to Speed. After every Drive post, I will be posting a freeform mini-event that may benefit or deter your escape attempts.

    Barricade [Corvella and Seigi Only] Hold up your giant sheet of two inch thick metal and continue to shield everyone from the incoming gunfire obsidian shards. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Shield to see how many you can continue to deflect. If you roll a total score that's less than 70, the shield is dropped on the following cycle.

    Grab That Fuel [Everyone] Extend a hand and make a grab at that delicious tank of mana. Roll d100 + 5 of Heroic Might, Berserk, Martial Arts, or Health. The DC for this action is 75. If successful, anyone in the party can immediately use the effects of the tank.

    Investigate EN Cost 10. Activate Investigation mode and scan your surroundings for details. Roll a d100 and state what you are looking for. Depending on the result, you may receive a DM.

    Scout Separate from the group and go off in a direction of your choice. In the next cycle, you will be considered isolated from the others.

    Patch Up EN cost 15. Perform a Heal action at half effectiveness, with any mastery modifiers that may apply. If you are Haru or Ivan, the Heal action's effectiveness is not halved.

    Shout Scream at the top of your lungs to draw the attention of any resident that may exist in this cityscape. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Heroic Might or Aeromancy. Depending on the result, you may have an impact on the next cycle.

    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] ???

    Chronomancy
    Time Accel Passive. Human might may be limited to one’s muscles, but with the ability to manipulate time, even physical constraints can be overridden. Excluding Beginner, each tier of Chronomancy grants you a stack of Accel at the beginning of combat. Each stack can be consumed during your turn to double the movement speed of either yourself, or your ally. If you choose to, you can consume 3 stacks of Accel instead in order to grant one extra action to yourself or your ally.

    Rewind Action, costing 20 EN and 20 max EN. Grasp the fabric of time and pull it back, returning yourself to your original physical state. Set your HP, status, and physical location to what it was in the start of the previous cycle, essentially negating everything that has occurred to your character in the current cycle. This ability can be applied to objects as well.

    Terminate Action, costing 30 EN and 30 max EN. Can only be used once every three cycles. Dive into the depths of your time manipulation abilities, locking an enemy or ally in time. If this is used on an ally, they are immune to all enemy attacks for the next round. If this is used on an enemy, they are unable to act during the next cycle, and are immune to all damage from players. If this is used on an unwilling target, a d100, modified by Chronomancy, must be rolled to clear a hidden DC.

    Limit Break [Ivan Only] ???
     
    • 8 HP

      MAX 113 HP

    • 40 EN

      MAX 100 EN



    +10HP from rouse
    -10HP for small bleeding

    Her health's ticking really low, and the sun's getting pretty low. Corvella did not notice that few pokes could end her life here and now, mainly because she felt little to no pain at all in this form, and the berserker cannot use her UI at the moment. You see, she doesn't suddenly get stupid when she gets stronger, that's just lazy writing. What happened was to compensate the unnatural adrenaline and blood pumping, most part of her brain needed to be shut off, hence the rage and lack of communication.

    The car seat was filled with bloodstains, which is perfectly normal seeing the condition of the team. Three had holes on their bodies, and one looked like someone ripped their skin from their flesh. Lucky there's no police chasing from the back...

    And they've already somehow set a barricade in the front, for gods' sake. Yukisa did not slow down, or try to maneuver the car. They just broke through, like in action movies, and left scene with explosion on their backs after somersaulting with the car for gods knew how many times. They're too busy bracing for impact, resulting in them lacking cover and getting shot at. Okay, this time it hurts. Was she running out of juice? Was she dying already? No, one shout was all it takes to alleviate the pain. In the actuality, Haru was the one doing his job healing them though.

    Corvella whimpered, seeing the crew in the really poor condition. If only they could find something useful...

    Ah, chekov's gun! They're back into the crash site. The lovers were not there with the engine and the fuel tank. What happened? Did the police get to them first? Why there's only one tank left?

    The blonde berserker tapped Seigi's shoulder and forcefully grabbed her hand and make her hold the metal plate, eyes still on the prize. Like a feral beast, she jumped off the car, ran on fours, left hand trying to grab the remaining fuel tank before leaping back into the moving vehicle with such linear velocity, all done in a very quick succession.

    Grabbing fuel tank, which is not a war vehicle with a cannon
    90 + 25 + 25 = 150
    Tracker / Roll
     
    • 24 HP

      MAX 112 HP

    • 94 EN

      MAX 104 EN



    +20 HP from @Haru's healing
    -10 HP from bleeding (negated)


    ‘That was close…’ thought Yukisa as he leaned back into his seat, just that small effort being enough to burden him significantly. Luckily that sufficed to prevent their adventure from reaching a terribly tragic end, and the trio were continuing down their alleyway run just as before (well, maybe their car was a little beat up now).

    But in a worse state was the group’s beloved captain. He peeked over his shoulder to check on the pair who occupied the backseat, and his eyes filled with concern for both girls. Though they seemed unfazed due to the sheer amount of badass that was currently in their systems, they were clearly both dancing with death at the moment.

    His gaze drifted towards @Haru , the same man who, through guts and effort, managed to keep everyone alive so far. He hoped that once again, the healer could pull off a miracle and ensure they all survive until the next cycle.

    And indeed, the white mage pulled it off once more.

    “Roger..!” Following his orders closely, Yuki pulled himself up into the driver’s seat - or more accurately, into Haru’s lap - and took hold of the steering wheel. While bald man was occupied with caring for the injured, his (formerly) fellow white-haired male needed to make sure they kept going, and fast.

    The problem? Yukisa never sat in the driver seat once in his life.

    Having been handicapped while he was still in highschool, he didn’t get the chance to even start learning driving. And now he was dropped straight into the driver seat (aka Haru’s lap) during a high-speed police chase.

    There was no way that Yukisa should have been able to successfully drive this thing. He should have straight up crashed the moment he emerged from the alley, saw the barricade and proceeded to freak out. Or better yet, his timid personality should have prevented him from continuing entirely, causing him to slam the brakes and get them caught.

    But no. Something possessed him in that moment he was designated as the driver, perhaps the god of dice rolls, the spirit of Evel Knievel, or maybe even Jesus himself decided to take the wheel, and he slammed his foot into the accelerator, the car dashing forth straight through the barricade.

    Now they were on the street, the wreckage of the Minerva shining in the distance, and somehow the previously pusillanimous boy still hadn’t run out of confidence after totalling those police vehicles. Fuck, he didn’t even glance back at the explosions he had caused.

    Yukisa’s foot didn’t lift from the acceleration pedal for a moment, and even as the police emerged from behind them and opened fire once more, the severely injured guy seemed to be grinning.

    'This feeling... was driving really so fun?!'

    You bet your ass this newly-realized daredevil wasn’t stopping anytime soon.

    VROOM VROOM MOTHERFUCKERS, AAAAAHAHAHA!
    94
    Speed: 218
    Tracker / Roll
     
    • 018 HP

      MAX 58 HP

    • 006 EN

      MAX 126 EN



    Shield of 10
    +20 EN from quenching my extraordinary thirst
    -20 EN for healing AOE

    Thank goodness that someone could finally keep the burden away from him for five seconds. He was seriously starting to think that he was about to break like this. Yukisa had taken to driving for him, and he was surprisingly good.

    He was Also sitting on Haru's lap. He liked that notion a little bit less. The magician didn't fancy being a cushion for anyone to relax on. More importantly, it took away space from the actual driver to drive. Right now, he was messing up Yukisa's hard work.

    But He did have a nice bullet shield right now. Not that he'd say that out loud right now- that was incredibly rude.

    Another thump of the car got his attention. Looking back, he found a canister of liquid on the passenger seat. He didn't know what it was, but it felt like it was brimming with energy. Like it was alive.

    Haru could use some of that. Telling himself that this was a stupid idea, he takes a few gulps.

    Haru gags on the spot. This stuff was NASTY. He did feel like he could keep working, though. Preparing another spell, Haru resolves to dump this stuff on literally anyone else.

    Like Seigi! "Heeey, buddy. Want a little pick-me-up? Dont worry, I waterfalled." He offers her the rest.

    Quenching my thirst before Healing @Seigi, @Yukisa and @Corvella
    7+50/3 = 19
    Tracker / Roll

     
    • 39 HP

      MAX 181 HP

    • 16 EN

      MAX 156 EN


    -10 EN Rouse
    +20 EN Liquid Mana
    +20 HP Heal
    -12 HP from things


    Suddenly, there was police.
    Suddenly, there were bullets arrows being shot at.
    Suddenly, they were in the air.
    Suddenly, they were back on the ground.
    Suddenly, the chase continued.
    Suddenly, Yukisa put his wheel-chair racing skills into practice.
    Suddenly, everything made sense, yet did not.

    Thanks to Haru's healing magic, Seigi 'The Fist' Ling could think a lot clearer. "Just WHAT did you do!? Having POLICE chase you? They are, usually, JUSTICE. THE GOOD GUYS. WE AREN'T THE BAD GUYS!" Seigi yelled out as Corvella suddenly pressed a piece of metal in her hand before she... got off the car and did what exactly!? @Corvella seemed quite mad. Possessed, even. "CORVY! YOUR COMMAND ORDERS YOU TO STOP BEING EDGY." The orange-hair tried to stare at her in a very intermediating fashion!

    Seriously, she had just fought a rapist! And now a Miami car chase? The orange-hair needed something strong. "Gimme that! Thanks." Seigi nodded to Haru before chugging the unknown liquid down. Ah, such refreshment!

    Of course, being a protagonist, Ally of Justice, Captain, Rapist Puncher and Hero, Seigi was able to multi-task effectively! Keeping the shield more-or-less up the entire time with a single hand.

    "Soo, if the police people are the good guys we should be able to talk with them!" Seigi had the BESTEST ideas!

    Barricade+Sharing booze with Haru+Rouse(Shield)
    85
    Tracker / Roll
     
  4. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    [​IMG]
    Absolution Beyond Cloudburst

    They were all madmen.

    @Haru ignoring his own grievous injuries as he pulled his soul apart to mend the wounds of his friends, finally sealing off Yukisa and Corvella’s wounds.

    @Corvella leaping off the car and chasing it on foot after sweeping up the tank as if it was naught but a feather, before she leaped back on with the grace of a bulldozer.

    @Seigi doing a billion things at once, downing the terrible tasting concoction, bathing her allies in her heroic aura of sweat and blood, while also single handedly lifting up the steel plate in place of Corvella.

    @Yukisa getting his game face on, a daredevil’s smirk etched on his features as he accelerated even further beyond, physical agony naught but an afterthought as he drowned in the exhilaration of true speed. They swerved through empty streets, ran over the nonchalant fashionista from before, ramped off the curvaceous side of the Sydney Opera House, thumped up that famous staircase from a certain hit anime show, shot through torii gates, grinded down railroad tracks, confounded the police cars that gave them pursuit, crossed red light after red light, and finally…

    The last stretch. The police still hot on their heels, shooting crystalline shards that ricocheted off Seigi’s giant metal plate. Sirens pounding in their skulls, adrenaline pounding in their veins. Before them loomed a forest, the trees too dense to pass through. One last trick then.

    Just like Haru did, Yukisa became one with the hijacked vehicle, one hand on the wheel, another hand on the stick, and the entirety of his soul put into the frame.

    Rubber squealed as his magic roared to life, an implosion of air erupting beneath one side as the car flipped horizontally. Steel scraped one more time against the tree trunks before the heavily damaged ride flew inbetween the trees sideways, before landing on its wheels again.

    Behind them, the police cars halted, not even the officers wanting to enter the verdant boundary.

    But with the cool, spring wind in their face, bringing forth fruity and floral scents, the injured quartet couldn’t be arsed to care about such ramifications as Yukisa did his best to avoid more trees and find a place to park. It didn’t take too long to find an open space, however, and after a few moments, the wild ride finally ended up in a clearing within the forest. Overhead, a sparse canopy let in the warm oranges of afternoon light, while their surroundings were pleasant. A tranquil silence, broken only by the rumblings of a still warm engine, pervaded the area. If they got off, the vibrantly soft grass was almost pleasurable to step upon, like a high quality rug, while the many large cairns around them, etched with indecipherably ancient texts, definitely gave them a relaxing ambience. Was this the true form of the whale, before the scourge of technology and cityscape ruined such a wonderful atmosphere? Or were they reading too much into the environmental themes?

    The shadows of swallows flitted overhead soundlessly above them, while the air, cool as it was, was windless once they had stopped their reckless charge. Brightly colored mushrooms littered the forest floor, and the trees themselves spiraled into odd shapes, bearing both evergreen needles and coniferous leaves. Thick vines coiled around some of them, while others held spikes not dissimilar to the thorns of a rose. If Ivan had been present, perhaps the tinkering cultist would have recognized the scenery, but for those present, the forest upon the sky whale was not much of a terrifying place.

    Within nearby trees, various fleshy fruits dangled, tantalizing out of reach, while Corvella, still in the throes of her berserk nature, stomped around, looking for and failing to find things that she could punch or beat or destroy. Seigi’s honed senses could feel hidden eyes within the brush, but they were not hostile for the time being, the level of threat low enough that even the hero was lulled into a temporary sense of security.

    It was quiet. It was peaceful. It was a sanctuary compared to the madness that they had faced, a perfect opportunity to gather themselves, to treat themselves, as they planned out their next course of action.

    It wasn’t reprieve that could be wasted...but maybe they were better off moving on after all. Day was dying, and they still knew of no way to get back to land without dying.

    OOC
    @Seigi @Corvella @Yukisa @Haru
    • Maximum 500 words, minimum 100 words. Any more or any less will mean that I smite you AND your post will be ignored. Brevity is the spirit of wit, after all.
    • I will be updating every day at 4PM PST. Sometimes, cycle updates will occur earlier, depending on how quickly players post. Due to the predicted length of this challenge, I may not be available at all times.
    • If you have pressing concerns (and not just meme questions), go ping me on #ask_a_dm. Seriously, you nerds.
    • If you wanna talk shop and verbally dunk on your newb party members in /all chat, go here and let loose!
    • If you need to roll dice because you plan on doing something drastic (or just action-y), go here and say a prayer!
    • Remember, this is a semi-freeform challenge. I will provide you actions, but I am also willing to let you do other stupid things, if I don't find them super stupid. So eyyyy, good luck!
    • 10hrs of nature silent ambience
    HTML:
    [bg] [HP=100]100[/HP] [EN=100]100[/EN] [/bg]
    [hr]x[/hr]
    -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]
     
  5. Ashifili

    Ashifili

    Staff Member Game Master
    Cycle 11: Persephone

    <<Hijacked Police Vehicle>>
    50/200
    Speed: 218


    Events:
    @Haru @Seigi are afflicted with the Dumbasses Drank Laxatives status effect. Their stomachs rumble and it hurts pretty badly, and they really, really, really, really feel a need to spend a good thirty minutes pissing out brown water.

    The Hijacked Police Vehicle receives 75 HP damage from a bunch of bad things.

    @Corvella @Yukisa receive 10 HP damage from the Bleeding status, but this is negated due to the effects of Rouse. Due to Haru's repeated healing, this status effect is removed.

    Due to @Seigi 's Barricade, @Corvella receives only 10 HP damage, and @Haru receives only 5 HP damage.

    @Corvella is afflicted with the Berserk status effect. She cannot communicate and is extremely aggressive in this state. All physical actions performed under this state of mind gets a +25 bonus modifier.

    @Haru @Seigi @Yukisa regain 30 HP/EN due to having some time to rest. @Corvella due to being Berserk is unable to rest and thus does not receive any benefits.

    Actions

    As always, there are special actions one can take, depending on whether or not the situation demands it, or whether or not they have an Awakened mastery.

    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.

    Drive [Haru, Seigi and Yukisa Only] Take the wheel and make the magitech carriage go VROOM as you drift around like a badass maniac, dodging obstacles and making tight turns in order to evade and escape the damned cops. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Riding and add the value to Speed. After every Drive post, I will be posting a freeform mini-event that may benefit or deter your escape attempts.

    Barricade [Corvella and Seigi Only] Hold up your giant sheet of two inch thick metal and continue to shield everyone from unknown threats. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Shield to see how much you can protect your nakama. If you roll a total score that's less than 70, the shield is dropped on the following cycle.

    Respite [Seigi, Haru, and Yukisa Only] Take deep breaths, enjoy nature, and recover 20 EN. If you have Deep Breathing selected, you may recover 20 + d20 EN instead.

    Forage [Seigi, Haru, and Yukisa Only] Climb up trees, grab fruits, and then eat them to recover HP or EN or other things, depending on how lucky you are. Roll a d100 + Naturamancy or Acrobatics, then decide who will eat the Foraged Fruit. I will DM the eater the effects afterwards.

    Investigate EN Cost 10. Activate Investigation mode and scan your surroundings for details. Roll a d100 and state what you are looking for. Depending on the result, you may receive a DM.

    Scout Separate from the group and go off in a direction of your choice. In the next cycle, you will be considered isolated from the others.

    Patch Up EN cost 15. Perform a Heal action at half effectiveness, with any mastery modifiers that may apply. If you are Haru or Ivan, the Heal action's effectiveness is not halved.

    Shout Scream at the top of your lungs to draw the attention of any resident that may exist in this cityscape. Roll a d100 + 5 per tier of Heroic Might or Aeromancy. Depending on the result, you may have an impact on the next cycle.

    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] ???

    Chronomancy
    Time Accel Passive. Human might may be limited to one’s muscles, but with the ability to manipulate time, even physical constraints can be overridden. Excluding Beginner, each tier of Chronomancy grants you a stack of Accel at the beginning of combat. Each stack can be consumed during your turn to double the movement speed of either yourself, or your ally. If you choose to, you can consume 3 stacks of Accel instead in order to grant one extra action to yourself or your ally.

    Rewind Action, costing 20 EN and 20 max EN. Grasp the fabric of time and pull it back, returning yourself to your original physical state. Set your HP, status, and physical location to what it was in the start of the previous cycle, essentially negating everything that has occurred to your character in the current cycle. This ability can be applied to objects as well.

    Terminate Action, costing 30 EN and 30 max EN. Can only be used once every three cycles. Dive into the depths of your time manipulation abilities, locking an enemy or ally in time. If this is used on an ally, they are immune to all enemy attacks for the next round. If this is used on an enemy, they are unable to act during the next cycle, and are immune to all damage from players. If this is used on an unwilling target, a d100, modified by Chronomancy, must be rolled to clear a hidden DC.

    Limit Break [Ivan Only] ???
     
    • 17 HP

      MAX 113 HP

    • 30 EN

      MAX 100 EN



    +19HP from healy boi
    -10HP from mmm whatcha sayy part 3
    -10EN from investigate

    Her remaining mind wasn't advanced enough to understand Seigi's order, but as far as she could understand, she told her that she shouldn't sit on the edge of the car, didn't she? Corvella is so smart!

    After fighting through the last batch of police, they made their way through a thick forest without somehow getting involved in a major crash. God does exist, apparently. They got their down time finally, with the beautiful field in the middle of a forest, complete with unknown forages. The rest of the team decided to rest on the grass, while berserk Corvella still trying to find something to punch after the police stop chasing them. Should she punch a tree or two?

    After a while, Corvella got really bored. It's very hard not to unleash her rage to those who's present. She noticed some fruits hanging on the tree, and quickly went to @Yukisa, pointing at the fruits like a nagging little child, the one that might rip your head off with one hand if you didn't give her what she wanted. And so Yuki was gone to grab her a fruit. The one he brought her was weirdly shaped. Confetti? Fireworks? Whatever it is, it withstood a beating from the raging woman before eventually cracking, revealing a not-juicy-at-all inside.

    At this point, she doesn't really care if the fruit energizes her at all or not. She doesn't even feel anything, to be honest, except for the taste. This, this does put a smile on her face. The aftertaste left her an impression, how could a fruit be so delicious? She gotta get more. Corvella went to Yukisa again, gesturing him to go grab her some of the identical fruit, but he doesn't seem to want go back and forth climbing some trees.

    Grunting, she went to some trees and shook them, of course with no effect. What is this, a cartoon? The rather-stressed she-hulk then went onwards a bit deeper into the forest where they originally going to go, hoping to find something of interest with her enhanced senses and reflexes to keep her mind out of that fruit, that tasty fruit.

    Investigate/scout, but not too far into the forest
    90
    Tracker / Roll
     
    • 54 HP

      MAX 112 HP

    • 104 EN

      MAX 104 EN



    +30 HP & EN from resting


    Maybe it was the excitement of experiencing something new. Maybe it was just the adrenaline that had been pumped into his veins. Or maybe the timid boy had been a daredevil with a thirst for danger all along, longing to live life on the edge and do stupid things that would likely get him killed.

    Either way, they were going fast now, and a grin was plastered to Yukisa’s face the entire time despite how severe his injuries still were.

    ‘It’s a lot like a racing game…’ he thought to himself as he drove up the side of the Sydney Opera House like it was a speedrunner’s shortcut. His eyes lit up as he glanced out the side window for a moment. ‘But… so much cooler!’

    Surprisingly, though, the speed demon was controlling the vehicle fairly well, albeit the high speeds and the fact he never drove a physical car before.

    And soon enough, his newly discovered talent for escaping the police allowed them to, at least momentarily, shake off their pursuers.

    With a grandiose leap, the hijacked police car finally got out of reach of the police, and (after some aeromancy maneuvers) skid to a halt on some grass.

    Yuki sat there for a while as the vehicle stood still, breathing heavily, sweating and still grinning, his eyes wide with excitement. “That… was so cool,” he mumbled.

    In the end, that entire Need For Speed race was worth it. Well, at least to Yukisa

    Upon exiting the car, the party found themselves surrounded by nature, a stark contrast to the mechanical city. Who knew that such a patch of wildlife existed in this place?

    As much as he wanted to enjoy it, though, Yuki couldn’t catch a break just yet. On top of the insane amounts of adrenaline were still fresh in his bloodstream, he also felt concern for his teammates reemerging now that he didn’t have to worry about escape.

    He glanced at his three injured companions, asking each in turn how they were feeling and what he could do to help. The first one he approached, the still enraged @Corvella, had a strange request.

    Being the dense individual he is, it took him a while to realize that her continuous pointing at the tree canopies was her requesting fruit. Luckily, after the 18th time, he managed to catch on.

    “Oh!” he uttered in realization, nodding. “Sure! I’ll go get you some.”

    It was rather rough, climbing the bark with severe injuries and missing fingers, but eventually he returned to Corvy with a cylindrical fruit in hand.

    “Here you go!” he told her with a smile, handing it to her.

    Despite its pretty unappetizing look, the berserker chowed it down like it was the best thing she ever tasted, and even asked for more. Though Yukisa would have been happy to help her out, exhaustion had become to overtake him, and he had to refuse. With a gentle, “Sorry,” his knees gave way and he fell down.

    Going Bear Grylls up in this bitch
    43 + 15 (Proficient Acrobat) = 58
    Tracker / Roll
     
    • 69 HP

      MAX 181 HP

    • 69 EN

      MAX 156 EN


    +30 EN/HP from Ashi pretending to be nice
    +33 EN Resting
    -10 EN Rouse


    "Aaahhh..." Heaven. Seigi was in heaven. The moment she had started drinking the booze the still bloodied girl had to fight a battle with herself that had been harder than against Titanius. A battle she managed to stall out long enough to successfully escape from the police before having to give up. Give in. Inbetween the green scenery, Captain 'The Fist' Ling had found herself a quiet place. A not-so-great-smell and not-so-tasty sounds were hopefully enough hinting to just leave her alone for the time being.

    Yes, it was truly heaven. A rest she had much needed. A rest that allowed her to think about all the things. Guts and Effort. If she had to die to regrow her missing limbs. Why the police carried bows instead of guns and so on. But also about less important things. Like why the police stopped chasing them and what their next course of action should be.

    Either way, after the Martial Artist felt like she was finished with her business, she quietly went back to the rest of the group, displaying her heroic aura for the sole purpose of hopefully blocking the smell...! Maybe it'd work.

    "Ahem... LISTEN! Everybody." Seigi called out. "From now on, no more splitting up, okay? It's too dangerous to go alone... for you!" Duh. "So, you got chased by police for no reason at all? Weird. Here's what I found out: I met a civilian that I tried to communicate with but she seemed completely robotic. Shortly after, I met a dangerous, actually existing, criminal. Deadman Kyle. Unlike the woman, however, he seemed very, alive? It was weird though, the fight I had with him I could feel my strength getting drained! Either way. Here we are. Anyone found Portia and Ivan?" Yeah, the orange-hair kinda didn't get the message earlier.

    "I'm sure they're fine!" Seigi nodded with confidence. Clearly, they would pick them up later. "Now... for our course of action. They, apparently, stopped their search the moment we entered the forest which must mean..." She went silent for a second before tapping her bloody forehead. Seigi was, after all, a genius! Using her extensive animuh knowledge to deduct. "... this place is sacred or something! So... maybe we can find some sort of clue! Justice Crew is still on a mission, after all!" With that, Seigi clapped her hands before declaring with a big grin. "So, enough rest, everybody! We have a married couple to find and a flying whale to take over!" Yes, this giant ass whale would become theirs! For Justice. Of course.


    Resting+Rouse(Debuff Immune)
    13+20=33
    Tracker / Roll