Active A Hellish Inheritance

[Uasal]

~'Nox'~

Nox’s attack swiftly dispatched all the enemies within her initial range. As her katana struck, their bodies briefly shimmered with a coating of ice before shattering and quickly melting away.

Three more zombies lunged at her, but Nox countered their combined assault with a vicious strike. Her blade flashed in a deadly arc, slicing through the air with immense force, followed swiftly by a follow-up slash driven by the fierce momentum of the first. As her katana rocketed toward the zombies and their incoming attacks, her glowing eyes remained fixed on the creatures surrounding her, a blood-stained grin stretching across her face. Even when encircled by monsters, Nox was the hunter—unyielding and unapologetic.

But the monsters immediately around her were not the only targets of her bloodlust. As her heavy slashes aimed to deal with the nearest threats, Nox seized an opportunity to strike at the zombies forming around G12. With a deft flick of her wrist, she harnessed the remaining momentum to send a devastating surge of holy ice toward the amassed group. Her blade cut through the air in a crescent arc, the power of her attack shimmering like moonlight as it sliced through the air and toward the undead horde.

---

HP: 2/2

Actions: 3/3​

• [Eclipse (Twisted)] - F - [Accurate], [Area 5ft], [Blight = Holy Ice], [Continuing = Bleed], [Contagion = Holy Ice], [Spreading = Bleed], [Penetrating], [Vorpal], [Aura Holy Ice], [Selective], [Incurable], [Hotshot], [Contact]- Nox unleashes a powerful attack that spreads both Holy Ice and bleeding to those foes within reach and beyond. 0 Post cooldown/1 Action.​

Effectivness= [Moonblade Sword] B + Strength A + [Eclipse] F = 12 Base Effectivness = 12 Base Effectivness + 1 Damage from Blight + 1 Damage from Contact. 1 True damage from Aura + 1 true damage next turn from continuing Bleed (1 turns). Penetration F + Hotshot + Accurate F + Contagion (1 per target hit). Selective: Sparing the Player Party. Spreading Bleed for 1 true damage 5ft in an area around hit targets.​

Counter Attack​

​

• [Ruthless Slash] - F - [Vampiric]- A ruthless slash aimed to draw blood. 0 Post cooldown/1 Action.

Effectivness= + 1 Effectiveness and [Vampiric] to Eclypse Counter Attack​

Counter Attack Combo​

​

• [Appogee (Twisted)] - E - [Accurate], [Range 30ft], [Area 15ft], [Blight = Holy Ice], [Continuing = Bleed], [Contagion = Holy Ice], [Spreading = Bleed], [Penetrating], [Vorpal], [Selective], [Incurable], [Hotshot], [Contact], [Indirect], [Vampiric], [Homing]- Bringing her Blade down with a forceful slash, Nox's blade creates a travelling arc of energy that will travel 30 foot and home in on her target regardless of cover. 1 Post cooldown/1 Action.​

Effectivness= [Moonblade Sword] B + Strength A + [Appogee] E = 13 Base Effectivness = 13 Base Effectivness + 2 Damage from Blight + 2 Damage from Contact. + 1 true damage next turn from continuing Bleed (2 turns). Penetration E + Hotshot + Accurate E + Contagion (2 per target hit). Selective: Sparing the Player Party. Spreading Bleed for 1 true damage 10ft in an area around hit targets. Vampiric heal 2 per target damaged​

Attack H12​

 

[Elias Wren]

Kite Vanzanth


Kite felt a sense of ease knowing he was not alone, even as the hoard closed in around them. His attack was not as effective as he had hoped, but it was a good learning experience with the ectoplasm. With the zombie closing in he felt the time for play was over, his sword igniting in vibrant blue flames.



"I will not die this day!"



Kite roared from deep within and swung his sword horizontally in an attempt to thwart his attackers attempts at ending his life, flames streaking across the are between them. He made every attempt not to strike Marcus as they stood back to back, brothers in arms against what felt like impossible odds.



Counter-attack 1-3



Inferno Blade - Blight - Focus [F] - Elemental Affinity Fire [F] - Magic [F] - Fighting Style [F] Flame Blade - Fire Elemental Affinity [F] - The blade of Kite's sword is engulfed flames and strikes a single target for instant damage. - F grade - 0 cooldown



Strength D (+3) + Sword E (+2) + Ability Grade F (+1) = 6 Base Effectiveness

 

[Maverick Six]

Marcus Banecroft
Titles: Human, Mundane
Interaction: Maxxob Elias Wren Uasal Gaius Danius Griinia

​

To Kite, Marcus only had this to say in reply. "Fortune favors the bold." Whether or not they would die here, Marcus could hardly be so sure. He was never so assured. But he neither thought it unlikely that they'd leave. The slightest hint of possible success was enough for the fire within to burn.

Two went down, but the rest of the horde began to close in. Seeing everyone became more difficult as bodies blocked out sight and once distant hungry groans became louder. With his enemies closing in on him, he shifted the Chimeric conduit in his hand into the form of a one-handed sword. Watching the results of both his attack and his spear gave Marcus an idea of what the creatures were capable of.

Recounting his training, he focused on perhaps the most basic technique of all: Breathing.

Inhale....

.....Exhale.

SLICE SLICE.

Two efficient sword swings [Henostic Sword F x2] were launched towards the zombies which sought to attack him. One [H13] would find its lunge stopped shy by the sword, cleaving into the top of its skull --- seeking to cut it in half until it reached the chest cavity.

"Silence." He spoke briefly, during his next strike.

The other [G12] would come forward clamping seeking purchase in armor and flesh....only to find said jaw shut as he thrust up into the bottom of it's chin. And likely out the top of its skull.

He noticed another zombie standing near the rest [H13] and already his sword moved. Yet instead of striking it -- he noticed what lay beyond the creature: Nox was preparing a vicious slash towards it with Marcus in the flight path. By now, Marcus knew that Nox could easily kill this thing and judging by the ease by which she dispensed with all around her, she likely wasn't going to have a hard to destroying the lowly creature in front of him.

More worrying was the potential for it to hit him and Kite. Izuru still appeared to be fine in spite of all that. But he figured he began to draw his sword to be safe. He whiffed the strike and instead opted for a hasty defense [Parry F]. He'd draw his short arming sword in preparation to cleave the air aside -- much like when he intercepted the explosion.

Perhaps the icy sword-wave Nox sent to him would simply eviscerate the target near him [H12] exclusively-- making his defense a sign of simple overcaution and paranoia. But he'd not be surprised if it over-penetrated the creature and shattered his sword outright. The results or lack thereof -- would likely serve to impact Marcus' suspicions of her, locking it in place or shifting if she truly sought to spare him.

The warrior's gaze shifted to three more zombies. One in the midst of attacking Izuru [M12]. And two more who were near him doing nothing at this second but likely poised to attack either Izuru or Guiseppe.

"Guiseppe. Two to your right, near Izaru." He said, directing him verbally to their positions [M14] [N14] "Kill them." He said, two simple words -- before he would witness the effects of the Nox's third attack in his vicinity.

---

HP: 3/3 (D Grade Vitality)
Armor: 1/1 (F Grade Heavy)

1 and 2. Henostic Sword - Fighting Style: Monster Slayer Sword F, Energized F - Henosis is to know one's self. And through breathing and practice, Marcus would understand the essence of his body and of breathing, enabling him to launch multiple strikes more potent than basic attacks. - Grade F - 0 Post Cooldown [Targets G12 and H13] (Effectiveness = Chimeric Conduit [Arming Sword Form] 8 + Henostic Strike F = 9)
3. Parry - Fighting Style: Slayer's Sword F, Deflect F, Energized F - Rather than relying on a shield for defense, Marcus seeks to actively intercept physical strikes, using knowledge of leverage to knock blades aside. Grade F - 0 Post Cooldown. (Effectiveness = Strength D + Arming Sword F + Parry F = 5 ) (Pre-emptive/Cautionary)

Inventory (Misc)

• Iron Key

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Izuru
Mentions: Maxxob Maverick Six

Now Izuru could see the rotten faced undead guy trying to come at him with its mouth of mostly missing teeth wide open. The dragonkin knew that moving away from it wasn't much of an option given that there were plenty of them to take its place. He could also hear Marcus call out for Giuseppe to provide backup to his scaly ass before he ended up getting gnawed on. Trapped on the spot with little else to do. Izuru began improvising so that he wouldn't have to endure getting too close to the zombie. Once again summoning force the dark power that was pretty much all he could use at the moment. The dragonkin mage combined his natural [Regeneration F] with [Magic F] in order to secrete dark energy from his very pores. Naturally pulling this one out of his ass was probably going to have adverse effects on his health; said health being at greater risk if that walking corpse tried to eat him. As a dragonkin, his body healed a miniscule amount faster than a human. Referring to it as a healing factor was just asking to be mocked. Yet right now he was taking advantage of that very pathetic healing factor in order to make himself taste downright horrible if he was forced to get munched on.

---

Actions:
.Smells Like Dark Spirits = Darkness Affinity F + Regeneration F + Magic F

 

[Maxxob]

Location: Kitchen
Time: Morning
@saxon | Azusa
Uasal | Nox
Gaius Danius Griinia | Izuru
Elias Wren | Kite
Maverick Six | Marcus

Guiseppe Gasparo
​

Battle in the Ruins - Darkest Dungeon

Nox's fierce counter-attack with her [Eclipse (Twisted)] and [Ruthless Slash], her katana slashing with a fierce arc were effective, not only against the primary target which 'lead' the undead assault (K9) and the two others that joined it (L9 and K10), but also the creature who attempted to attack Izuru at (M12). All the creatures fell where they stood, blood of different shades, going from vivid to an almost pitch-black, now coating the floor. The arc also ended up destroying the fallen bodies at (L12) and (M10).

Kite, just as he had declared, acted to make the bold statement come true. With his flaming sword, he attacked the undead leading the charge against him (E13), which had been previously injured by Kite's own attack. The burning slash against the creature's flesh was enough to stop it, even when it was joined by the zombie at (E12).

And just as Kite had acted, Marcus also didn't sit idly. Using the Chimeric Conduit as a sword, he counter-attacked the zombies who were attacking him that turn, the one leading the charge being located at (G12). With calm and practiced ease, his sword slashed against the creatures, stopping their attacks dead in tracks.

Both Kite's and Marcus' attacks had the addition of Nox's third one, Appogee (Twisted), which slammed against the one at (H12), the initial wave hitting the enemies at (H13), (G12) and (E12), while the spreading effect affecting the one at (E13). Corpse in (F12) destroyed was also destroyed by the attack. The smell of burning flesh permeated the air, soon being joined by the metallic smell of blood, which now covered a good part of the floor, as soon as the previously frozen targets shattered when they hit against the ground.

Izuru found himself unharmed and safe, as the creature in (M12) had been taken out, his passive [Regeneration F] still unused for the time being. It looks like, at least at this point in time, no zombie would be tasting draconic flesh.

Guiseppe, on his part, still appearing to be following Marcus' lead. With the firearm in hand, the old merchant aimed at the undead at (M14), shooting and managing to take out the creature in a single bullet. Quickly, he repeated the procedure against the one in (N14), now that his line of sight was not obstructed. Finally, he aimed the gun somewhere else, almost in Nox's direction. Changing the angle of it slightly, the fire rang, and the projectile ended up hitting the floor in (L12), before ricocheting and hitting the last remaining undead at (N9).



The aftermath was probably the best one could hope: with all the undead being taken care off and no one sustaining a single scratch. For now, luck favored the bold and now, the question remained, would that remain true when the group ventured into the last location of the manor?

As the dust of the combat settled, Guiseppe recomposed himself, as much as he could anyway. Walking up to (I13), just close enough so that he could have a better look at Izuru from the distance, while still maintaining a healthy distance from Nox, he checked, visually, every single one of them. "Are you all alright? Anyone hurt?" He asked, waiting a few moments before his gaze shifted towards the vampire, who had shown such a drastic, primal change during this encounter. "Miss Bloodraven, are you fit to continue?" There was a mix of something unreadable on his expression, his hand still holding the gun firmly. While the swordswoman had not done anything directly which showed her to be a liability, he just had to be sure, for his own sake. He had tried to choose his words with utmost care, despite the slight crack at the end of it.

Guiseppe's Actions:
1 - Attacked the zombie at [M14]
2 - Attacked the zombie at [N14]
3 - Fighting Style [?] ? = Indirect ? + Range ? = Grade ? Cooldown ? Posts - against the zombie at [N9]

Cooldowns:
Grade ? - ?/?

 

[Uasal]

~'Nox'~

With the monster threat now eliminated Nox slowly began to come back to her senses, her raging heartbeat and rapid blood flow beginning to quell. With a deep breath, she swung her blade to clean it of the tainted blood before sheathing it with practised ease. Turning to the group, she composed herself, her voice steady, eyes calm and dim once more.

"I'm fine," she said, her eyes meeting Guiseppe's with a hint of reassurance. Then, looking at the rest of the group, she added, "I apologize for my unsightly display... and the blood. I hope none of you are too squeamish.".

Looking at the chaos around her, Nox let out a soft sigh. She had lost herself to her vampiric instincts yet again, just how long would she have to put up with it? The Guild had informed her that after growing strong enough she would find it easier to control her blood lust, yet she was already D rank and quite frankly had nothing to show for it besides a river of blood and monster corpses. The Guild was practically treating her like an attack dog too. What good would learning tactics and teamwork do if she couldn't even use such in a battle to any effect? It was becoming a burden at this stage. Not to mention, it wasn't the kind of outbreak people didn't notice.

Looking at her blood-soaked hand Nox moved to lick it clean, moving back toward the cellar as she did so. "Shall we continue to the basement? It might be best I take point in case the space is restrictive in any way."

---

HP: 2/2

Actions: ​

 

[Elias Wren]

Kite Vanzanth


Kite let out a heavy sigh as he flicked his sword to the side to sling some blood from his blade before running it against his clothes to remove the remaining crimson liquid. He slid the sword back into its sheath before looking around at the bloody mess they had made, his fists clenching to hold back his excitement as having survived such a harrowing encounter with the undead.


”Heh, we did it. Is everyone alright?”


Kite looked to each of his party members and was happy to see everyone was alright, even Nox despite the fright she had given him previously.


”Glad you're on our side Nox.”


Seeing her back to normal gave him a sense of peace, and he no longer feared what she may do seeing that no harm had come to them and how she even saved their lives for sure. With the action finally over Kite decided to have a look around before leaving, especially inside the barrels next to him. He drew his sword once more and used the blade to pry the tops off of each barrel within his area, a giddy smile appearing on his face as they popped open and he inspected their contents.

 

[Maverick Six]

Marcus Banecroft
Titles: Human, Mundane
Interaction: Maxxob Elias Wren Uasal Gaius Danius Griinia

​

Never could Marcus say he had been so glad to whiff a parry. An attack from Nox never came and the undead around him came apart into gore.

Gunshots and incantations rang out throughout the room....and soon the room was silent. "Everyone alright?" He said as he looked everyone over instinctively. "It seems only the shamblers are the ones with bite marks. Even you seem unscathed, Izaru." He said, continuing to "butcher" the man's name until otherwise corrected. That left a single elephant in the room: Nox.

She had lost control. But nobody was harmed as a result. Moreover, they had been spared from potentially reckless attacks. Guiseppe began to question her ability to continue adequately, and Marcus merely walked along to where he had thrown his weapon. A boot stepped the corpse which held his spear, keeping it in place as he withdrew it from the skewered it. He inspected his weapon, finding it drenched in the creature's disgusting fluids.

WOOSH!

A brief twirl of his spear generated a minor gust of wind. And the blood would fly off on the walls and floor at the back of the room. His weapon was clean once more.

"I am far from squeamish." He said. He'd seen much worse happen to others in his time transporting and mending both the ill and the wounded. This was to say nothing of seeing his comrades fallen or innocents slain. "It had seemed as though you lost control. But thankfully it appears as though none of us were hurt. You seemed to have enough control to not harm us." He drew in breath for a deep sigh. "However, I would say the worst of it was that it took us by surprise. We didn't know what had happened to you. It seems but another trend in a lack of transparency, with this job." His eyes wandered over to Guiseppe for a moment.

"I accept the apology. But better, I'd like to ask for a brief explanation as to the workings of your "berserker" state. So that we can be weary of it. We don't need extensive details. Only relevant details to working with or around it." While Guiseppe was privy to information about Nox's nature as a moon-blessed vampire, Marcus had no such knowledge. Indeed, as far as he was concerned, she could have fed upon any of them.

"If anyone else has any other secrets relevant to the tasks at hand, now is a good time to tell."

For a brief moment, Marcus would take the time to search the room for anything useful or otherwise noteworthy. He wouldn't be surprised if he found another symbol like the one underneath the bed upstairs. Depending on what he might find, he might be inclined to take items or otherwise act on what he saw. He raised a brow as Kite searched the barrels but allowed him to head that up. Maybe the contained something which could be weaponized.

However, he wouldn't linger in this room after his search. After all, he wanted to go to the basement before he came here.

----

Soon, Marcus would join Nox at the bottom of the stairs -- staring down the reinforced door. "Very well." He says, confirming that Nox wants to take point.

Click.

The door would open with a firm push. With an outstretched hand, Marcus would motion to the basement's entry. "Ladies first."

After which, he would enter. "Izaru. Kite. Watch our backs. Guiseppe remain in the Middle. Nox takes point. I'm leaving the door open." He says. As he enters, he opts to leave the reinforced door unlocked. Something can enter behind them, but they did clear out that room. And there was always the possibility that they may need to escape. Hardly wished to trap or impede anyone who might seek to leave.

Keeping careful control of his spear as though it were an extension of himself and chimeric conduit in the form of a short sword, he'd enter the basement after Nox. If he could, he'd stand next to her to block off attackers. If note, he'd remain behind her. He scans the area [Perception F], seeking to detect and identify danger as they go deeper into the bowels of the mansion.

His head was on a swivel, looking to the front and above. And he kept his wits about him.

---

Actions:

HP: 3/3 (D Grade Vitality)
Armor: 1/1 (F Grade Heavy)

1. Marcus Searches the room.
2. Marcus opens the door for Nox to enter first.
3. Marcus scans the basement with [Perception F] as they walk.

Inventory (Misc)

• Iron Key

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Izuru
Mentions: Maxxob Uasal Maverick Six

Izuru was able to survive the encounter without even getting bitten by the zombies which now littered the ground. There probably wasn't anything in the way of loot for him to take. His only hope was that Giuseppe would give them some kind of bonus for coming this far. He at least had those ritual notes tucked away in his coat. Izuru was hoping to either find a way to use them himself or sell them off to a necromancer. Giuseppe seemed wary of Nox, likely due to the vampire butchering her opponents like some kind of wild animal in the flesh of a woman. Kite seemed pretty okay with it but Izuru chalked THAT up to him not knowing otherwise about vampires. As long as it was an asset for their side rather than a liability. The dragonkin was perfectly fine with Nox going off like that.

"Eh I don't really mind. As long as I get to admire the view"

The creepy basement was the next destination on their haunted house tour. Izuru wasn't in the mood to face what was likely gonna be a lich, a demon or maybe even a lich demon. It was the logic of this world that after clearing the mooks, a much larger threat would emerge. Although he would be hanging back with the rear-guard. Izuru knew something was about to go down that would drag him into a fight. Times like this made him wonder why he could never get jobs which tasked him with picking flowers or singing with dryads. Working with the guild required him to delve into musty manors filled with specters of death and decay. Plus everyone seemed to be super hung up on Nox's vampiric tantrums. Izuru still didn't really care, so he let the tension hang in the air.

---

Actions:
.Vibe

 

[Maxxob]

Location: Kitchen
Time: Morning
@saxon | Azusa
Uasal | Nox
Gaius Danius Griinia | Izuru
Elias Wren | Kite
Maverick Six | Marcus

Guiseppe Gasparo
​

Explore the Ruins - Darkest Dungeon

While apprehensive, the merchant seemed to accept Nox’s confirmation of being fit to continue, nodding towards the swordswoman.

"...It seems but another trend in a lack of transparency, with this job."

Marcus' comment and gaze made a few creases form on Guiseppe's forehead, the elderly man turning his attention towards the armored warrior, but not saying anything. And, as the male wanted to know more about the Moon-Blessed Vampire's 'berserking', he took the decision to respect her privacy and let her divulge the information how/if she saw fit. As long as things continued as they have been up to that point, Guiseppe didn't have any problem with it.

The cheerfulness coming from Kite caught the old man a little off-guard, but he assumed the spellblade was glad for being alive. After all, not being eaten by the undead was a good reason as any to be happy. Following that, a short chuckle escaped the merchant's already dried throat with Izuru's comment, which came out-of-the-blue. With that being said, some of them started their own search within the kitchen.

Under the blood-soaked carpet, another of the glyphs were found, this one stained by the crimson liquid that came from the fallen zombies. If Izuru remembered the one with the latest date in them, he would notice that to be the second glyph of the three which were found on the page. The glyph appeared to be no longer active, not a single shred of mana left in it.

With Kite's inspections of the barrels, one of them, as he pried it open, was unfortunately, or fortunately, empty. Not a single thing inside the container. The second one had something in it, however: water. Because of how long the liquid had stayed in said barrel, it was already discolored and it had a very odd smell. The liquid swished slightly as the lid had been pried open, before stopping.

Location: Basement
Time: Morning

The Four Apostles - Fear and Hunger

Soon enough, however, the group would make their way towards the basement. The door opened, with a creak, while the stairs that lead downward grunted with every step. Marcus' perception didn't pick anything on the way down. As soon as the first of the group would step on the floor of the basement proper, which would be Nox, a rumbling gurgling started to be heard.

Spoiler: Source of the gurgling

The fleshy monstrosity stood at one of the corners, its [Large] size being considerable. The flesh writhed, as its several mouths opened and closed. Some of them whispered, the others bellowed, all in an unknown language and the sound almost maddening. The speech, if one could consider that, was so horrible that everyone in the room would need to spend 1 action of their 3 actions to be able to act. The many amber eyes focused on the group as the appendages of the body kept swinging wildly.

With its mouthed tentacles extending and increasing in size, the killing intent on its many eyes were clear.



Note: Combat is in effect. Due to the creature's size, they occupy [J7] [J8] [J9] [J10] [K7] [K8] [K9] [K10] [L7] [L8] L9] [L10] [M7] [M8] [M9] [M10]

 

[Elias Wren]

Kite Vanzanth



Kite was disappointed to say the least by the contents of the barrels he opened, letting out a dejected sigh as he walked over and picked up the vase full of ectoplasm. ”What a bummer, maybe there will be something interesting in the basement.” He has recovered from the previous battle fairly quickly, physically and mentally, despite Nox’s state of being during the fight.


He followed the group down into the depths of the manor, a sense of unease following him like a ghastly specter looming over his shoulder. He kept his sword drawn and a tight grip on the vase full of ghostly goo. When they reached the bottom and laid eyes upon the grotesque horror inhabiting the basement Kite shuddered and assumed a combat stance, his sword out in front of him at the ready. The whispers penetrated his soul and made him feel chills running up and down his body.


Of all the things they had faced this far, this was definitely the worst. Kite watched the large mouths open and close and had an idea, looking toward his vase of ectoplasm with a nervous smile. He knew he would have to get a little too close for comfort to accomplish his goal, but his curiosity was peaked and he wanted to know what would happen if this thing ate it.


He lunged forward before anyone else could do anything and ran up to the creature, sweat running down the side of his face. Kite lifted the vase above his head after sheathing his sword and with both hands attempted to slam it down inside one of the creatures many mouths, letting out a loud yell of defiance as he made his attempt.


Movement to J11.


Vase Slam Dunk Attempt

 

[Uasal]

~'Nox'~

Nox took a deep breath, steadying herself after the intense fight in the kitchen. As the group began their search, she noticed the apprehension in Guiseppe's eyes but let it pass without comment. She appreciated his acceptance of her reassurance and moved on to more pressing matters. That of Marcus' Question to be precise.

Not turning to look at the man, Nox continued toward the basement hatch as she spoke "I am a Moonblessed Vampire, a human granted a powerful blessing by the moon. Unlike the curse inflicted on the monsters you typically think of when the word vampire is mentioned. Like a fledgling Vampire might go feral over human blood and lash out, I do the same in the presence of monsters. I can only feed on their blood, so I suppose it makes sense. So the short version is, If a monster is before me, I go berserk until it's eliminated. I'd recommend supporting my efforts but not getting in my way while I'm in such a state."

Sighing softly Nox added "I'm told moon-blessed vampires are exceptionally rare but are historically known for being the natural predators of monsters. Often shunned, seldom welcomed. Will that suffice?"

As the group made their way to the basement, Nox led the way, her senses heightened and ready for whatever lay ahead. The creak of the door and the groaning of the stairs beneath their feet added to the foreboding atmosphere.

As soon as her feet touched the basement floor, a horrid gurgling sound filled the space. Nox's eyes quickly found the source—a massive, fleshy monstrosity in the corner. The creature's many mouths moved in a grotesque symphony of whispers and bellows, their cacophony a maddening assault on the senses. Each step forward felt heavier as the horrid speech filled the room, compelling everyone to take a moment to steady themselves.

Nox's eyes narrowed, the predatory gleam returning as she focused on the creature. The killing intent in its many eyes was clear, and she knew they had to act quickly and decisively.

With that, she drew her katana, and in doing so released a devastating slash of holy ice in its direction. However, the slash seemed to slowly flicker out of existence a few feet from the monster.

---

HP: 2/2

Actions: 3/3
​

• Scene cost 1 Action. ​
• [Appogee (Delayed Impact)] - E - [Trap] [Accurate], [Range 30ft], [Area 15ft], [Blight = Holy Ice], [Continuing = Bleed], [Contagion = Holy Ice], [Spreading = Bleed], [Penetrating], [Vorpal], [Selective], [Incurable], [Hotshot], [Contact], [Indirect], [Homing], [Enervation]- Bringing her Blade down with a forceful slash, Nox's blade creates a travelling arc of energy that will travel 30 foot and home in on her target regardless of cover. But 1 Post cooldown/2 Action.

Effectivness= [Moonblade Sword] B + Strength A + [Appogee] E = 13 Base Effectivness = 13 Base Effectivness + 2 Damage from Blight + 2 Damage from Contact. + 1 true damage next turn from continuing Bleed (2 turns). Penetration E + Hotshot + Accurate E + Contagion (2 per target hit). Selective: Sparing the Player Party and Mansion. Spreading Bleed for 1 true damage 10ft in an area around hit targets. Places E and Below Abilities on Cooldown if damage is dealt. Trap Set (5ft Trigger to all but party, i11)

 

[Maverick Six]

Marcus Banecroft
Titles: Human, Mundane
Interaction: Maxxob Elias Wren Uasal Gaius Danius Griinia

​

The Kitchen​

---

There were clear signs of ire on Guiseppe's face, but the guild was but a means to an end for the likes of Marcus. His true allegiance lay elsewhere, and this was all but a means to an end in the long term. The short term? Marcus felt it was only imperative to ensure the team's safety. Most of his desire for answers looped back around to that lone objective. Whether he liked it or not, this was his team, and he disliked the thought of strategically relevant information being withheld. The same could be said for Nox herself. If she would present a hazard to others mid-fight, it was crucial to know this rather than more personal details of her life.

However, he could yet sense the ire of the group around him. He lacked actual authority. The distraction any degree of squabbling caused would ultimately distract from the task at hand. As he searched the area, Nox answered him. He looked over his shoulder for a moment and then listened.

Clearly, it had been comparable to pulling teeth, but he received an answer.

"I see. It is the blood of monsters you crave." He said straightly. There was no trace of anger in his voice or resentment in his voice. It was what he had asked for, and it was an answer that made sense -- leading him to believe her to be telling the truth. Despite the fact that she desired monsters, she ultimately seemed at risk of lashing out at others. "Now that your nature is known, it will be easier to work with and around it. That will do, Nox." Everyone could hear and now likely would know to stay well clear of her should she enter such a state where she was not quite herself. There was no regret in what he viewed as asking pertinent questions -- despite the slight tension he could feel around him.

With that out of the way, his full focus returned to the task at hand.

When Marcus looked around the room, he noticed something in the form of a sigil. "This unholy thing again." He remembered a sigil much like this from before, which was located underneath the bed upstairs. While he didn't know what it meant, its association with what happened here was fairly obvious. Despite the fact that he knew exactly nothing about it.

Screeeeeeeeeech

The spear was stabbed into the ground. And he raked it along the ground. A single long line would rip along the floor to vandalize the glyph -- breaking one of the lines to the circle. He had no idea if this would do anything or even be necessary.

What was another thing for renovators to fix?

The Basement​

---

The man had seen many things in his time. Despite being relegated to roles of mainly support and guard duty -- he would see his fair share of horrors due to war. Fires of villages and forests which caked his armor in the blackened soot. Civilians of both sides running and screaming. Ambushes in which lifelong friends would die in an instant. Anguish as he operated on and stitched up friends with not enough pain-relieving medication to spare. He'd been mauled by a monster that had killed nearly his entire team and, even to his horror, revived by lightning with an array of scars marking his body.

And yet, just when he had thought, he had seen it all.

This thing appears and makes a mockery of his experience and his hardened heart. It inspired a newfound fear within him that was impossible to deny. His body did not move how he wanted it to. And it's speech muddied his mind to delay his actions.

It seemed strange logically. He could be battered until broken or swatted away like a fly. He had spent days contemplating ways to die both horrible and humiliating -- and he had long made his peace with that very fact of life. Yet this very voice was a violation of his will and agency in and of itself.

It was an offense to endless days of meditation, contemplation, penance, and study. It was offensive to the human spirit. "Kill it." He growled. Fear mixed well with anger. Rather than reject one to embrace the other, he would use both. Anger drove him forward and fear compelled him to destroy that which he did not understand. Not that there was much worth understanding about this creature.

Clack
Clack
Clack

The loud trot of his metal armor became ever more audible as he exerted himself through the creature's speech. [Movement] One hand held his traditional spear and the other held the conduit which emulated it. The conduit was rested atop his spear and forward as he lunged forward. [Stinger E] The reach of his spear would allow him to strike well into the creature from fifteen feet away as his feet slid as his body leaned forward. The strike would begin with the aid of both hands and end with one arm outstretched. He struck from the very peak of his current range, seeking to remain wary of the creature's extending tendrils.

'Die.' The word about his mind in Eastern Empire tongue again and again, using it against the creature's speech to strengthen his will. While often one to contemplate, his conscious thoughts became rather simple when the fight started. The only things on his mind were what the target was doing and what his teammates were doing. In the face of otherworldly horror, his mind sought the familiarity of his training, discipline, and hard-to-kill habits.

The simpler he made this, the better.

---

Actions:

HP: 3/3 (D Grade Vitality)
Armor: 1/1 (F Grade Heavy)

1. Other - Marcus wills himself through the creature's speech.
2. Movement - Marcus runs to [G12]
3. Stinger - Fighting Style: Monster Slayer Spear E, Reach F - A strike which doubles the range of Marcus' spear, through the use of strength, footwork and dexterity -- extending it's range to 15 feet. A lunging strike borrowed from Fencing, the user slides their feet forward, begins the strike with two hands (or the aide of an offhand weapon) and then turns his body, extending the strike. Requires sufficient strength to use - Grade E - 1 Post Cooldown. Target [J9] (Effectiveness = Artifact (Winged Spear ) 8 + Stinger E = 10 )

Note: Before combat begins, Marcus vandalizes the second Sigil with a single scratch of his spear towards it's outer edge.

Inventory (Misc)

• Iron Key

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Izuru
Mentions: Maxxob Elias Wren Uasal Maverick Six

As he followed closely to Giuseppe in hopes that the old guy wouldn't outright abandon him once things got too dicey. Izuru tightened his grip on his cane. He could sense his powers had somehow increased since that last fight. Although if he were to attempt to use them, his catalyst would break. His skills weren't at the level where he could make do without a conduit to channel his magic through. Izuru hoped that maybe he'd not have to face anything too scary down in the basement. Pulling the collection of what were presumably research notes from his coat for a moment. The dragonkin once again tried to make sense of these notes in order to see if he could assist the group better. He didn't want to admit it since it made it look like he had no friends. However Izuru was getting just a teeny bit fond of this ragtag group of misfits. Nox was hot but dangerous, Marcus kept butchering his name while Kite seemed to find so much joy in the world. Asuza had vanished but he wasn't really bothered. Giuseppe's withholding things from them may have increased the risk. Yet this group seemed to be doing just fine.

Izuru's thoughts were immediately silenced upon seeing the big fleshy guy waiting for them when they entered the basement. At first he was struck with fear, almost stuck to the spot he stood on. Unable to verbalize how he felt seeing such a disgustingly terrifying foe. Izuru was unable to understand just what the hell he was looking at. It was as if a beholder had inbred to the point of min-maxing its ugliness. Hearing Marcus growl about his desire to kill it brought Izuru back to his senses. Crouching down, he triggered a [Appraisal E] on the creature in order to see if he could get some idea of what it was. After that he began consulting the notes he found to see if he could find anything about this thing.

---

Actions:
.Break free of the fear
.Appraise the Monster = Appraisal E + Arcana F
.Consult the Notes = Arcana F

 

[Maxxob]

Location: Kitchen
Time: Morning
@saxon | Azusa
Uasal | Nox
Gaius Danius Griinia | Izuru
Elias Wren | Kite
Maverick Six | Marcus

Guiseppe Gasparo
​

Location: Basement
Time: Morning

The Four Apostles - Fear and Hunger

Despite the hellish abomination in front of them, the group appeared to be determined to face whatever the grotesque creature was. Kite was the one who acted first, approaching the creature until touching distance. The closer the spellsword got to it, the worse became the voices. While the louder ones spoke in an unfamiliar, guttural tongue, the whispers were something else entirely. The faint voices which penetrated his eardrums spoke about him: his life, his past. It was as if the creature poked and prodded the contents of his mind.

As he raised the jar above his head to throw it at the gargantuan being, which its very top pushed against the ceiling, came a tentacle from it, smashing squarely against the jar of ghost remains while it was still in midair. Part of the sticky substance spilled on the grotesque being, while the other ended up splattering on Kite's own clothes. However, the attempt was not for naught, much on the contrary. As the mouthed tentacle swiped to hit the jar, in a full 5ft circle around it, it triggered the trap set by Nox at [I11]. Furthermore, the ghostly remains had an effect on the creature: the party didn't feel its maddening speech as intensely as before, thus not requiring to spend 1 action to act... for now.

The attack was enough to sever the tentacle, as the burst of Holy Ice and Bleeding hit it in tandem. The stump which now was left still attached to the creature squirted some dark liquid, akin to crude oil, its viscosity was made it seem more like a cream, rather than a liquid. The severed appendage, because of the speed in which it was moving, landed on [E10] and [F10]. The limb, however, didn't seem to have its life snuffed out. It coiled and sprung towards Nox, the tip which contained a mouth extending in an attempt to chomp her.

Marcus advanced to [G12] and launched his own attack against the outwordly horror. As he extended the spear to pierce the body of the thing, he would be able to notice how resistant the fleshy body was. Even putting his whole weight and strength behind the attack, it was an arduous task. Eventually, however, there had been enough strength to puncture and pierce its flesh, as the pressure of the singular point of contact overwhelmed the exterior defenses. The black substance, which oozed from the wound, began to cover the spear, slowly dripping towards Marcus' hands as it was pulled back from it.

Izuru's attempt to use Appraisal on the creature was successful in returning some information from it. The flesh horror had titles such as [Abomination], [Monster], [Human], [Large], [Extraplanar], [Native], [Dark Mage]. The curious thing was that the attempt was returning titles, and two pairs were conflicting. There was, however, no name to the creature during the attempt. Afterward, the search of the notes didn't reveal about the creature itself, however, the quick scanning did point to the description of a ritual, in which the three glyphs, which were depicted in the very last page, appeared to be essential.

Guiseppe had successfully broken out of the creature's earlier insanity driving babble as well. From where he stood, he raised his pistol and aimed carefully at the large flesh horror. As he squeezed the trigger, the shot ringing throughout the basement, he managed to destroy one of its amber, predatory eyes. However, seeing how many there were, it was difficulty to say if it had any lasting effect.

While there were physical indications that the monstrous abomination had suffered from all the attacks, its distorted and uncanny visage was hard to decipher.

 

[Elias Wren]

Kite Vanzanth


Kite closed his eyes but for a moment as some memories of his past life came flooding back, memories forgotten when he was born again in this world. He remembered his mother, his father, and a wife left behind. Tears began to stream from his eyes and anger rose up from within. He drew his sword and it ignited into the usual intense blue flames, he began his assault.

Using his rage he attempted to slash at the beast and ended his attack with the thrust of his blade toward another of the creatures many eyes, hoping to cause as much pain as possible. “You will regret bringing back some of my memories, you foul beast!” He maintained his proximity to the creature, biding his strength for a moment to continue his assault, breathing heavily through and trying to catch his breath.

Infernal Rage - Blight [F], Incurable [F], Fire Elemental Affinity [F], Magic [F], Fighting Style [F], Focus [F]

Basic Attack - BE + 1

Basic Stab - BE + 1

Strength D (+3) + Sword E (+2) + Ability Grade F (+1) + Attack Combo (+2) = 8 Base Effectiveness

 

[Maverick Six]

Marcus Banecroft
Titles: Human, Mundane
Interaction: Maxxob Elias Wren Uasal Gaius Danius Griinia

The Basement​

---

Squelch

The spear punched through it's thick hide, causing a black fluid to leak from it and onto his sear. The same motion used to withdraw it was used to flourish it. He briefly spun the spear for a moment to rid his spear of the fluid dripping down it's shaft.

The speech had ceased for now -- and Marcus' mind had become clearer.

He never turned away from the target, but he could see fairly well around him in other ways. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Nox severed one of the limbs. Kite was in front of him, already set on striking the target with flaming sword. And he could hear Izuru somewhere behind him, flipping papers and doing research. From the culmination of the effects, he began to think this was a good idea.

"Your left, Nox." He doubted she needed the help. But hopefully, it might help highlight an observation. "I'm unsure of if we're hurting this." The tentacle severed, flopped over to Nox, and sought to bite her. Seeing that made him wonder if he could possibly call what they were doing "hurting" The creature. It showed no signs of pain. Even monsters for their lack of a facial expression -- might tense or make noise.

Based on the previous results of Izuru's analysis, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps.

"There may be a third Sigil beneath it, or somewhere in here, Izaru." There was one upstairs. One in the kitchen. One in the basement. It almost seemed to logically follow that there might be a third. It was only a theory, but it was about the best that he had at the moment.

He had an idea of where it might be. The largest mass of the abomination had yet to move.

"To me, monster." With that, he would send out a set of attacks similar to all the others. Marcus ' movements became a blur as he struck from a deceptive distance. But his arm moved like a machine, hand drawing circles like a piston as he moved to stab the creature with two rapid follow-up strikes. It had many eyes about it's body, but they seemed better targets than it's flesh. If nothing, all this poking and prodding might irritate the beast enough to come his way.

He did after all, seek to be a shield.

---

Actions: 3/3

HP: 3/3 (D Grade Vitality)
Armor: 1/1 (F Grade Heavy)

1 + 2 + 3) Rapid Stinger - Fighting Style: Monster Slayer Spear F, Reach F, Energized F - A strike based upon the "Stinger" technique but with more rapid strikes. Using footwork, strength and dexterity, doubles the user's reach to strike from twice their usual range. In the case of Marcus, he can strike targets from 15 feet away. - Grade F - 0 Post Cooldown. Target [J9] (Effectiveness = Artifact (Winged Spear ) 8 + Stinger F + 2 from combo= 11)

Inventory (Misc)

• Iron Key