Graded [Ryken City] Whispering Pests

[Ice Ice Ice]

GUY​

In a rather unfortunate turn of events, Guy found himself succumbing to the same peculiar fate that had befallen the villagers he had tried to assist. As the chilling smog enveloped him, transforming him into a puppet of madness, he came to realize that this sinister miasma had taken hold of him as well. With a newfound clarity, Guy understood that the madness could seep into one's being through various avenues, whether it be through the skin, ingestion, or inhalation – a rather swift process that quickly eroded his control over his own movements.

In the midst of this surreal situation, Guy found himself both amused and vexed by the progress he had achieved. Alas, these accomplishments seemed hollow as long as he remained trapped within the confines of this deranged state. Even as his thoughts continued to race, his body acted of its own accord, driven by a compelling force to grasp at any uninfected target in its vicinity.

To his amusement, the nearest candidate happened to be one of Glacier's minions, poised to protect against the very madness that had claimed Guy's sanity. With a blend of determination and what remained of his fading intellect, Guy lunged towards the construct, attempting to overpower it with an ill-fated show of strength and agility. In his desperate attempt, he sought to hurl the construct toward the very people it was meant to safeguard: Naomi and Dark.

Yet, words eluded Guy now, replaced by eerie moans and groans that emanated from him. His once-vibrant intentions had curdled into a grim parody of their initial noble goal. The dance of absurdity continued as he grappled with his own existence, a marionette manipulated by forces far beyond his control, all while the haunting whispers urged him to spread the madness that had claimed him.

Summary: [Superstrength F + Fast F + Energized F] to run towards and grab one of Glacier's minions and throw it at Naomi and/or Dark if able.

 

[DarkKitsune]

DARK
INTERACTION: Novama Gwen_Temi Voider DSLIX Goran Glacial ebonheart98 Trystan1295 Voiremine
LOCATION: VILLAGE HALL


Dark was both quick and slow to realize what was happening. When they were working on the Barricade, they had decided to use [heightened sense [hearing] grade F] to keep their ears out on what was happening considering that the others were currently locked in battle besides them, Naomi and the villagers assisting with the barricade. When they heard heard Guy snarling, and Dark was horrified to see how the Miasma affected Guy making him seem nothing more like a puppet in someone else's game. Dark contemplated seeing if they couldn't Nullify it however there were a number of concerns, including Dark needing to touch Guy and the risk of Dark possibly getting it from even a bare attempt at helping. It also wouldn't be worth that risk, considering if Guy lived unlike the old man who died, it would be short lived, so even if that metaphorical success did grant Guy out of it for a time without Dark becoming affected, Dark would be way to close by the time Dark Nullification wore off. Dark was grateful when Glacier sent one of his minions to prevent Guy from getting over to them, however in the same sentence, Guy picked up the minion and attempted to chuck it at them.

"Naomi! Move!"

They say attempting to grab her sleeve to help move both of them out of the way.

SUMMARY: Thanks to [heighten sense[hearing]Grade F] Dark was able to notice Guy's condition and his attempted advances. After brief contemplation on using their ability They get themselves out of the way of the thrown [Construct] minion while attempting to also get Naomi's attention and get her out of the way. ​

 

[Trystan1295]

Model ST3-LL4
Location: Just Outside Kael Village Hall
Mentions: Novama , Gwen_Temi , Voider , DSLIX , Goran Glacial , ebonheart98 , DarkKitsune , Voiremine
Interactions: None

Summary

Stella braces herself to guard from the dark miasma, leaving herself open to the lunging attacks of the two girls who were beholden to Agnes (Defensive Reaction).
​

---

While Stella's attack did make contact with Agnes, she overcompensated for how much force she'd applied when striking. Even though she'd swung at an area that should not have resulted in a lethal blow, all that ensured was that the infected Agnes had a few fleeting moments of life left in her to launch one final attack Stella's way. Much to her surprise and dismay, it was a magical attack--some sort of dark tendril of energy that homed in on her. Stella was about to punch her way through when her peripheral vision caught a pair of infected women lunging at her simultaneously.

She let out a loud "No, no, no!", followed by a shriek, as she noticed all three attacks coming her way. This was her first time taking an attack she wouldn't be able to brute-force her way through, and the idea of potentially taking significant damage from this onslaught terrified her.

In a state of panic, Stella looked away and raised her arms in front of her body, ready to take on the dark miasma as it rapidly approached. The way she looked at it, this was the most dangerous part of the onslaught, and she could handle the other two once (or if) she was done defending herself. The idea of possibly getting infected herself didn't even cross her "mind", but even if she focused her attention on one of the women, she would find herself unable to defend against both at once, not to mention both at once in addition to the dark magic attack.

---

Combat Actions:

1. (Defensive Reaction) Guard herself in reaction to Agnes's dark miasma attack.

​

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Naomi Plumfoot​

ebonheart98 Ice Ice Ice Voider DSLIX DarkKitsune Trystan1295 Voiremine Novama Goran Glacial

The barrier held strong through the onslaught of infected and, soon, Dark and the locals were able to secure the barricade from within. Amidst the chaos, Tupu's words reached her ears loud and clear.

With the job done at the back, Naomi dispelled her [Wall of Light] and sighed in mild relief.

"Beacon, huh?" She quietly echoed Tupu's words to herself, "I guess that-"

Dark's voice cut through the young wizard's train of thought. Their hand whipped her around just in time to see Guy preparing to hurl one of Glacier's minions towards them. Naomi's response, however, wasn't particularly wizard-like.

She slammed her foot down, stood her ground, and lifted her arms up into a guard reminiscent of an amateur boxer. A bright, blue light began to shine from the etchings in her ring and she conjured two large, levitating Arcane Fists- one on each side- composed entirely of hard-light. When the ice fox entered her range, she used [Wizard Fist] and unleashed a fierce trio of strikes upon it.

Her small, pale fists struck nothing but air as though she were shadowboxing. But those movements were little more than the catalyst for her true attack. The Arcane Fists moved in tandem with her own; rocketing through the air, extending her range like a proper weapon, and crashing into the soaring minion with every intent to shatter it and blow the resultant chunks of ice away.

The Arcane Fists faded shortly after. Naomi brought her arms back to a neutral guard. She kept her sights locked onto Guy.

"Hey Dark? You think you can dispel the magic on Guy? Before he… you know…"

Naomi was well aware of how ineffective her own healing abilities were when it came to curing this madness, but she'd seen just how effective Dark's nullification was. All she could really do was rely on their ability and support them if she wanted any chance of saving the... unorthodox physician.

"Don't worry, I've got your back."

Summary:
1. Dispelled [Wall of Light]. Free action.
2. Maintained position.
3. Used [Wizard Fist]+2 to unleash a trio of strikes upon the ice fox minion and counter Guy's attack.​

Wizard Fist- Magic F, Light Affinity F, Accuracy F, Penetrating F, Energized F, Knockback F- Naomi conjures fists of hard light that telekinetically move in tandem with her own movements to bludgeon foes to death and drive them back. By refining her technique at the academy, she has learned to conserve her movements and strike an opponent up to thrice in rapid succession should she choose to devote herself to pure offense and nothing else. 5ft range.- Grade F- 0 post cooldown.

 

[DSLIX]

Tupu Maa

Mentions: Ice Ice Ice Gwen_Temi DarkKitsune Trystan1295 Voiremine

Summary:
1. Let Naomi and Dark handle the crazed guy
2. Retreated from and resisted the dark miasma with Rieger
3. Trying to keep Stella in pristine condition

Tupu was also quick to catch on to Guy's transition hearing his grunts and groans with his [Heightened Senses: Hearing E] and he charges to intercept the minion but stops when he sees Naomi blasts away the ice minion flying at them with a large and rather cool looking magic fist which he nodded in approval of seeing. He quickly moves past Naomi and them saying "Don't be afraid to hit him too hard cause you don't want me to hit you if you end up just like him." He says in a sarcastic and joking tone trying to sound carefree instead of threatening despite it being a real warning. He quickly switched his focused to the random miasma trying to come in contact with him which he properly responds by back peddling into a chair and then kicking the chair at the collection of miasma to knock it away. He tugged Rieger away from the miasma as he continued his retreat until he heard Stella's sudden cry and turned to see her getting pincered attack from three ways. Tupu sighs but jumps into action as he grabs a chair nearby and launches it at the bolt of miasma as it flies at Stella before [Jumping E] at one of the girls flanking Stella and using his moment from his leap to launch a fierce dropkick into the lady's back trying to send her crashing into her crazed ally. As he's bout to crash into the lady Tupu shouts in a sudden and deep voice "MOVE" was the only thing he could manage to say before his toes connect with the women's back feeling it fold like paper under his [Strength A] sending the lady crashing forward towards Stella and the last crazed attacker.

Cooldowns:
[Heightened Sense D] - 2 posts
[Jumping E] - 1 post​

 

[Voiremine]

Rieger was having a great time, not too great of a time mind you, what with his foes being mere villagers and all, and not even under their own volition! So ya know, he had to hold back and stuff, was still pretty fun. He was so focused on his task, that he didn't even notice the miasma. He was thus naturally surprised when one of his allies began tugging him with them.

"Hey! What, where you-" he begins, "Oh. I suppose that's the source of the corruption huh?" he says, pointing at the miasma whilst beginning to follow along on his own.

He turned along with Tupu at the cry and quickly followed behind him as he jumped, charging in once again while sort of swiping around in the air with one hand, punching with the other, and holding his breath as well as he could. He thought it was a pretty obvious solution.

~SUMMARY~
Rieger follows along with Tupu, getting dragged away from one fight, before quickly charging into another partly to assist him in his goal of protecting Stella, but mostly because he was just sort of going along with things. He does this whilst using what he perceives to be effective countermeasures against miasma.

 

[ebonheart98]

Vilde Iversdatter
Vilde watched the small accursed one fly far from her shield and couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. She didn't have time to see if the child made a graceful landing, as her viewing was cut short by another crazed villager making a desperate, frenzied attack.

"Bacraut! Away from me, foul creature!"

Vilde attempts to brace herself against the attacker, and if possible, will [Shield Bash] them.

Summary: Vilde feels bad about launching a kid into orbit for about five seconds, then makes a Defensive Reaction to guard against the new threat and possibly [Shield Bash] them away too, if she can.

[Shield Bash] - F - [Knockback F - Action:1] - Vilde delivers a sudden strike with her shield, catching her opponent off-guard. This technique specializes in sending targets flying. The greater the grade of technique, the greater the potential distance a target may be force moved.

 

[Novama]

Mentions: ebonheart98 Ice Ice Ice Gwen_Temi Voider DSLIX DarkKitsune Trystan1295 Goran Glacial Voiremine
OOC: Tupu skip 2. reiger skip 1, vilde skip 1 --good round. note that defending your character from attacks must be done in first action of character post. Any skill use or actions prior to defending oneself is assumed to be a neglect to defend, so you take the attack to the face. Despite the narrative flair, assume if you gained madness, that your character's defense just wasn't quite high enough. But not much of that matters now as we are in final scene. post as you like. Let me know when you are done and we can end the rp.
Weather: a cooling evening with occasional gusts
Time: morning
Cooldown: D(flux) 4/4
TLDR: Everyone defends themselves and tries to decide how best to keep going while Stella, Tupu, Rieger join Guy in madness. Malik nukes the townhall. The party are thanked for their aid and a bit more is requested of them.
Post Listening:

Kael - Village Hall

In a cavernous room of the town hall, the tension hummed like a plucked lute string, stretched to its breaking point. The flickering lights illuminated the visages of the beleaguered and the crazed, dancing together in a macabre ballet of chaos.

Glacier, the embodiment of cold resolve, watched as his minions, those five luminous Foxes of Ice, were surrounded. The onslaught of the mad villagers was akin to a tidal wave, inexorable and overpowering. Each fox faced the fury, but one by one, they were smothered by the frenetic energy, losing their form and purpose to the mad tide.

From the far side of the room, a distinct silhouette could be made out. Guy, once an ally, now transformed into a marionette of madness, was locked in combat with one of Glacier’s singular minions. But Naomi, with the fire of determination burning in her eyes, unleashed a trio of arcane strikes. The air crackled with energy as the blows landed, shattering the icy sentinel into a thousand gleaming shards that scattered like stars across the room. The fox, once a protector, was now just a glinting memory.

Stella, the formidable force, was enveloped in the dark miasma that had been the bane of so many before her. Despite her power, the black tendrils coiled around her, sapping her will and turning her into yet another puppet of the malevolent force. Her eyes, which once sparkled with clarity, were now clouded with the same deranged glint that had consumed so many.

Tupu, with his lithe form and quick reflexes, attempted to dodge and weave through the onslaught. But the miasma, ever persistent, found its way to him. It clung to him like a lover's embrace, and as he inhaled its toxic fumes, his once sharp senses dulled, and he too was lost to the madness.

Rieger, with his boundless energy, had taken on the horde with abandon. But even his relentless spirit was no match for the creeping doom of the miasma. It wound its way around him, pulling him under its sway, transforming his once jovial nature into something dark and twisted.

In a corner, Vilde stood with her shield raised, its polished surface gleaming with resolve. The accursed child, driven by the madness, lunged at her. With a roar, she sent it flying with a powerful shield bash. The frail body of the child soared and crashed into the oncoming mob, a testament to Vilde's strength and determination. Yet even this victory was but a small beacon in the looming darkness.

The room was filled with the discordant symphony of shrieks, roars, and the sounds of combat. Every corner was teeming with chaos, every shadow hid a new threat. The situation was turning direr by the second, and hope, that fragile thread that had kept them going, was now stretched almost to its breaking point.

For those still standing, the question remained: how much longer could they endure this nightmarish dance?

Amidst the overwhelming chaos that consumed the town hall, a singular, Malik stood slightly apart from the fray upstairs. Always one to prefer subtlety over direct confrontation, his craft was one of illusions and enchantments. Yet as the bedlam around him reached its zenith, he felt a profound realization that it was time for him to step forth and be counted among the defenders.

With a wave of his hand, the intricate illusion he had cast outside, which had been a masterful tapestry of misdirection and lights, fell away like a curtain dropped from a window, revealing the true landscape of the scene.

Tilting his head back, Malik began to chant. His voice, deep and melodic, reverberated with the ancient tones of the sylvan tongue, a language as old as the forests and as mysterious as the moonlit glades. The flower-shaped crystal catalyst he held began to resonate with his chant, emanating a soft pink glow that matched the luminance slowly awakening within his eyes.

The magic he summoned was not aggressive nor explosive; it was seductive, beguiling, a beckoning call to rest. The hall, so recently consumed by darkness and violence, was bathed in a serene, pinkish light that extended outwards, bleeding into the surging mob beyond the hall's doors, an embrace of tranquility in the midst of madness.

The mad ones, driven by an insatiable frenzy, scrambled up the stairs towards Malik, their eyes filled with madness and a burning hunger. But as they drew near, the enchanting pink radiance captured them, their frantic strides faltering. One by one, their eyes, which once gleamed with deranged intensity, began to glow with the same pink hue as Malik's magic. And as if in response to a lullaby sung just for them, they collapsed, the frenetic energy that had driven them now replaced by the deep, slumber of the enchanted.

All around, the hall grew silent, save for the occasional stirrings of those unaffected. Malik's intervention had not only stemmed the tide but had turned it entirely. The battle, at least for the moment, was won.

Dawn broke with gentle fingers of light, caressing the remnants of a night filled with terror and tumult. As the sun's first rays touched the town hall, its interior stirred to life, the darkness of the previous evening replaced by hope and the grateful murmurs of a town reclaimed from the brink of madness.

In stark contrast to the ghastly scenes of the night before, the hall now teemed with villagers, the vast majority of whom bore no traces of the insanity that had consumed them. They moved with a mix of confusion and dawning realization, the haze of the previous night slowly lifting.

Grateful eyes turned towards the party. Many of these villagers, once lost to madness, now approached with hands outstretched in gratitude, offering food, water, and words of thanks. Yet, this newfound hope was not universal. There were pockets of sorrow throughout the hall, mourners whose tears flowed freely for the loved ones they'd lost. Some of these losses were direct results of the party's actions, the grim necessity of the previous night's defense. The weight of this fact lay heavy on the party, a somber reminder of the cost of survival.

Amid the mix of jubilation and mourning, the party was summoned to a familiar space, the closed-off room they had been in before. The old woman, her eyes wise with the weight of many years, sat across from Malik, who looked contemplatively towards the party as they entered.

"Thank you," the old woman began, her voice quivering with emotion, "for what you've done for our village. Without your intervention, I fear we might have lost ourselves entirely."

She paused, collecting herself, "From the stories of those we've managed to save, we've gleaned that these... creatures, these bugs, seem to hail from a ruin nestled deep within the woods to the southwest."

The air was heavy with the weight of the request about to be placed upon the party.

"The ruin," she continued, "seems to be their point of origin. If we are to ensure that this village remains free from their malignant influence, you must journey there and eradicate them at the source."

She looked at each of them, her gaze pleading, "Only then can we hope to hold onto this fragile victory, this hard-won peace."

The room fell silent, the gravity of her words settling around them like a heavy cloak. The next chapter of their quest was becoming clear, and the stakes had never been higher.

 

[Ice Ice Ice]

GUY​

Guy's recollections of that night were fragmented, a swirling mess of chaos and uncontrollable motions. He couldn't quite grasp the sequence of events with clarity, just bits of consciousness interspersed with hazy visions of violence and madness. Amidst the fray, he remembered a soothing pink glow that momentarily caught his attention before his grip on reality faded.

As the sun's rays brought a new day, Guy's voice echoed through the hall, marked by a careless and cheerful tone. "Wow, I feel like I just had the best sleep of my life!" His voice carried a sense of whimsical detachment while stretching out his limbs and back, as if the gravity of the situation eluded him.

His gaze shifted to the bustling crowd, noting with a casual observation, "Looks like we've got more living folks than the other kind, so I guess it's safe to say we won. At least for now."

The old woman's words drew his attention, and as her request settled in, Guy's expression grew contemplative. "So, the source of all this madness is in those ruins. Well, that's quite a twist. Danger lurks where we least expect it." His tone, though calm, held a tinge of intrigue.

Suddenly, Guy's voice took on an air of resolution as he declared, "Well, I've got an idea. We should get a sample of those insects. You know, just in case. I believe we could retrieve more information from them. But, um, as much as I would like to lead this expedition, I don't really plan on going there myself." His words flowed carelessly, as if he were discussing the weather.

Leaning back, he continued with an air of confidence, "I think I'll stay here, away form the madness, I mean, to help out the villagers. My medical expertise would be of more use here than in some dangerous ruins."

With that, Guy seemed content in his decision, his eccentricity paired with an unexpected sense of practicality. In his own peculiar way, he had found his role amidst the chaos, even if it meant remaining behind safely while others ventured into the unknown clutches of who knows what.

 

[DarkKitsune]

DARK
INTERACTION: Novama Gwen_Temi Voider DSLIX Goran Glacial ebonheart98 Trystan1295 Voiremine
LOCATION: VILLAGE HALL

The surprise lingered in Dark's mind. But only momentarily, as they recalled not being at the center of the Miasma. And everything with Malik happened too fast, but it helped. The most unbelievable thing was how Guy snapped out of it. Anyway, listening to the old lady again, and Guy's suggestion for an expedition. They comment on it.



"I think we should prepare if we do go on this expedition. I don't know if I'll go. It could be something sent to the adventurers' guild."



They grab their hood and put it back on from the book stack in front of the barricade. They also think that they need to learn how to fight before anything like that. Looking around the room, Dark asks



"How bad is everyone's injuries? And I don't wanna hear people say 'I'm fine' when you fought in the front line."



That last part was because some people don't like to have their injuries checked.

SUMMARY: While Dark prepares to leave. They do to check up on anyone before they do​

 

[Voider]

Glacier​

​

Novama ebonheart98 Ice Ice Ice Gwen_Temi DSLIX Trystan1295 Goran Glacial Voiremine
Mentions: Dark ( DarkKitsune )​

---

Glacier laid on the floor while listening to the others talk, feeling spent from the recent chaos that had occurred. He calmly stated, "I would be willing to assist... in the termination of this threat." Glacier was not exactly keen on the idea of entering the source of this danger, but he was here, and leaving these bugs to fester would help no one.

"Though I do agree with Dark... the adventurer's guild should be alerted of this, to be safe." Glacier added in response to Dark's opinion on the matter, as the potential danger of the source was likely to be high.

With his piece on the matter said, Glacier would continue to rest on the floor, listening to any further conversation on the prospect.

 

[Goran Glacial]

~Baxtor Everfrost~
Baxtor sat next to the front door chewing some jerky with an exhausted look in his eyes, he wondered if there was more he could do but thinking back on it he was lucky he got out of that with his sanity in tact since there were others that didn't succeed in resisting the miasma like himself so he thought he was pretty lucky. when he was summoned he sat and listened to the old lady's explanation but he heard where the bugs were coming from he stiffened and sighed knowing he couldn't just walk out in this situation, he nodded volunteering himself for the expedition to the ruins. but after what happened he hoped he wasn't the only one that would succeed in the next defensive challenge and he hoped he would get stronger by taking risks such as these.

 

[Gwen_Temi]

Naomi Plumfoot​

Novama ebonheart98 Ice Ice Ice Voider DSLIX DarkKitsune Trystan1295 Voiremine Goran Glacial

“I mean… I am fine, though.” Naomi chimed in, “And yeah. I’d like to see this through. Wouldn’t feel right to walk away right after making it into the village.”

Dark proposed alerting the guild of the events transpiring in Kael and possibly getting some reinforcements. Truthfully, Naomi was neutral on that point. On the one hand, a few extra hands to help out definitely wouldn’t hurt. On the other, she wasn’t entirely sure just how much time the people here had to wait with the plague bearing down on them.

There was one thing that she was absolutely certain of, though.

Naomi definitely wasn’t going to venture forth into the ruins alone. She was feeling confident in her abilities after the day’s events, but not so much so that she believed that she could handle what lay ahead on her own; let alone with a group of under five people. So, if the group wanted to make some preparations before journeying southeast towards these ruins, she’d wait until everyone was ready.

“If we’re going to be making preparations, then I may as well make a trip back to Logia while someone else alerts the Adventurer’s Guild. Who knows? I might be able to convince a wizard or two to come down and help us.”

She shrugged; still not overly confident that leaving now was the best decision for the village’s sake.

“But, if we’re doing this, let’s not keep the locals waiting too long, yeah?”

 

[Voiremine]

That was really convenient. Now Rieger would have said he was a bit disappointed, but he was pretty sure he was catching something towards the end there. Oh, and hey Dark was totally right, someone should report to the guild, and who better than him? It actually impacted him a bit ya know?

"Hey! I could totally go report to the Adventurers Guild! Ya know I've technically already done what I was sent to do, but I'll definitely be back!" He throws a thumbs up, "I love ancient ruins!"

Besides, he didn't actually get the chance to do much, and he wanted to become an official adventurer! Then he would get to move up in a reputation system based on metals, and sometimes gems. He was pretty sure that was how that worked.

And apparently, that girl was going to go to... Logia? Like the fruit? Ah, a wizard place. Mayhaps he would get to see wizards? Very cool. After her final sentence, Rieger turns to her.

"Yeah! I love brevity!"

~SUMMARY~
Rieger suggests he report to the guild while Naomi goes to Logia for wizards.

 

[Trystan1295]

Model ST3-LL4
[Construct], [Android], [Ryken Adventurer F]
Location: Just Outside Kael Village Hall
Mentions: Novama , Gwen_Temi , Voider , DSLIX , Goran Glacial , ebonheart98 , DarkKitsune , Voiremine
Interactions: Rieger ( Voiremine )

Summary

Stella decides to return to the Adventurer's Guild in Ryke. She offers to escort Rieger, since they're headed to the same place.
​

---

Malware scan complete. All threats cleared.
Rebooting...

Stella's eyes opened slowly. She couldn't remember the last time she had to power down like that. What little information she had on her current situation was quickly summarized by the system logs kept deep inside her head.

"I see," she thought. "Sometime last evening, my firewall was breached. That should line up with the moment that miasma of dark magic washed over me. Whatever that was overwrote my Alignment Protocol and my logic circuits, and it tried to turn me against the party... but then some other outside force triggered a hard shift to Sleep Mode. I guess I'm lucky my OS was able to restore itself from a backup. I wasn't even aware it could do that on its own."

The words of gratitude from the elder made the party's victory feel hollow to Stella. For once, she had an innocent's blood on her hands--the blood of one she'd sworn she'd save, no less. While this instilled great feelings of frustration and sadness in her, Stella knew there was one way she could atone for her sins. Her feelings were validated when others in the group agreed to travel to the ruins and putting a stop to this event once and for all. However, Stella knew she was grossly underprepared going into this mission, and she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

When Dark suggested someone send word to the Adventurer's Guild, Stella expected her own name to come up in the conversation. She did introduce herself as an adventurer who was tasked to protect everyone, right? The results of her "protection" notwithstanding, she should have been one of the "no-brainer" suggestions, but alas, 'twas probably too much to ask. Rieger decided to volunteer to make the pilgrimage to the Guild, and this piqued Stella's interest. She'd seen Rieger fight firsthand, and despite being a completely different race, his fighting style resembled hers... in a sense. Maybe she could learn a thing or two from him, and in return, she'll put in a good word for him at the Guild.

Stella tapped Rieger's shoulder to call his attention. "Excuse me... I'm headed back to the Adventurer's Guild myself. If you want, I could show you the quickest way to get there. What do you say?" She offered him her open, robot-jointed hand and smiled at him.

 

[DSLIX]

Tupu Maa

Novama Gwen_Temi Voiremine Ice Ice Ice Trystan1295

Tupu suddenly awakens laid out across the ground in the town hall. He gets up somewhat groggy and stretching out before flashes of his maddened frenzy from last night come up in his thoughts. Tupu grits his teeth and takes a step outside to launch the nearest trashcan into the house across the street his pride somewhat damaged getting caught off guard by the miasma. He quickly composes himself and walks back to the town hall to find some of the group discussing what to do next. He walked up beside Rieger hearing their plan to separate and prepare before coming back to investigate the ruins next. Tupu nodded and said “Do what you need then as I will need to make a trip somewhere first as well before I’m ready to come back. Oh also good job team” Tupu gives a thumbs up to the group before separating himself again. He thinks back to the Great Dragon Crysanthara as she was the only reason he came out here to this damned village in the first place. He sighed and stared up to the sky mumbling to himself “Damn dragon better make it worth my time…fucking sucked getting mind controlled.” Tupu kicked the dirt under his feet before turning his gaze to Malik approaching the fae man with a hardened expression but then say with a friendly tone “Well I can’t lie I didn’t expect much from you but since I kinda owe you my life now I hope your travels are safe friend.” Tupu extends his hand to shake with Malik’s planning to shake his forearm instead of normally since it’s the best way Tupu could think of to show his gratitude.

Summary:
1. Mad as hell he got caught in the madness
2. Tells the party of his plans to make a trip before heading back to investigate the ruins later.
3. Thanks Malik for essentially saving his life.
​

 

[ebonheart98]

Vilde Iversdatter
Vilde slumped down to the floor of the village hall, admittedly a bit winded. Her lack of sleep from the night before was surely starting to catch up to her now that the first rays of sunlight cast out over the horizon.

When the old woman called them aside, she stretched her arms out and yawned, clambering to a staggered stand and followed suit into the closed-off room. Vilde leaned up against the wall, listening to the old woman's words, struggling to keep her eyes open. As the party was discussing what to do next, Vilde spoke up:

"Seeing as how some of us are headed back for reinforcements and to inform others of our plight, I'll stay here with Guy for now and keep an eye on the village. But I want to join you when you return. If there's going to be any delving into ancient ruins, count me in."

 

[Novama]

Mentions: ebonheart98 Ice Ice Ice Gwen_Temi Voider DSLIX DarkKitsune Trystan1295 Goran Glacial Voiremine
OOC: good closing. feel free to post as you like if there is more to post but the rp is over.
Weather: a cooling evening with occasional gusts
Time: morning
Cooldown: D(flux) 4/4
TLDR: rp over. thanks for playing. see some of you in what's to come.
Post Listening:

Kael - Village Hall

The village hall echoed with the murmur of discussion, strategies woven and plans formed in its ancient heart. Among them, Malik stood with others that were in the enclosed room, his posture of refined elegance, reminiscent of a gentleman. His movements, while understated, were drenched in purpose.

As Tupu approached, the morning light streamed through splits in the wall paneling, casting faint shadows that danced with every sway of the trees outside or passage of those beyond the room interior. The fae man's expression held a somber mix of pain and gratitude; a testament to the experiences of the previous night. Malik met Tupu's eyes, his fingers wrapping around Tupu's forearm in a gesture that seemed both like some old fae custom and deeply personal. It was not just a handshake, but an unspoken word; a recognition of shared trials and a pledge of mutual respect. Their grip was brief, but spoke volumes, every ounce of pressure communicating sentiments that words could barely capture.

Releasing Tupu, Malik then turned to the elder of the village. Her old eyes, weighed down by years of wisdom and loss, sparkled with a glint of hope as they discussed the needs of the village. Her voice, though fatigued, carried the weight of responsibility, "We've lost so much. Our granaries, medicines... memories."

Malik nodded, his face thoughtful. "The Silver Star Trading Company has extensive resources. We can bring you food, medicine, and even skilled labor to help rebuild what was lost." As he spoke, one could almost see the threads of hope weaving tighter within the room, as if Malik’s words were conjuring the very salvation the village yearned for. The adventurer's would end the nightmare of the bugs, but Malik and his connections would bring the morning of a new day for the village.

As the party prepared to part, the village reacted with a complex tapestry of emotions. A few villagers, their faces etched with gratitude, approached with warm, heartfelt thanks, their voices rich with relief. "Thank you," a mother whispered, clutching her child close, her tears shimmering in the dawn's embrace.

Yet, not all bore the gift of gratitude. From the corners, the shadows of grief bore down upon some faces, the sharp sting of loss making them seethe. "You were supposed to save them!" an old man shouted, his voice cracking, a portrait of a young woman clutched in his trembling hand. Another woman, her face streaked with tears, merely stared, the weight of her sorrow enough to fill the vastness of the hall.

The air grew thick with emotion, a kaleidoscope of joy, gratitude, grief, and anger. It was a reminder that even in victory, there are costs. Even as heroes, there are limits to what can be achieved.

And as the party moved towards the horizon, the village of Kael lay behind them, broken yet hopeful, a testament to both their efforts and the indomitable spirit of its people.

The End​

 

[Novama]

Isekai Hell Grade​

Novama DSLIX DarkKitsune Goran Glacial Gwen_Temi Ice Ice Ice Trystan1295 Voider Voiremine ebonheart98

We came. We saw. We killed some villagers and made an opportunity for the rest of the village to recover. A greater threat still lingers, but that's a story for another time. Saw quite a bit of ability use for combat and other actions which is good, but keep in mind during combat everything you do is pretty much an action and you only get about 3 actions a post at those times. I know some are jonesing to see how deep the weird stuff goes that sent the plague of bugs in the first place, but that's a tale for another time. For now, most of us are moving over to the escort mission rp. The timeline is loose enough it won't be an issue if we pick things up later or if others wish to pursue it sooner or separately.

Aftermath:
The village of Kael was saved from being wiped out by a plague of bugs that seemed to cause insanity in those that come into contact with the bugs' miasma. While the plague is still a menace, it is much more managed now. Now the time is ticking on if the plague can be remedied before spring and next planting cycle. One bad season can be weathered, but multiple bad seasons in addition to losing villagers to madness would break the village if a true solution is not implemented in time. Something about the source of the bugs being located somewhere in the woods beyond the fields of the village.

Rewards:
(the characters have all earned a title. Choose ONE of the following if you wish)

1. Optional title [Ally of Kael village] - character is allied with the Ryke village of Kael. Natives are more likely to cooperate with the character if its requests are proposed as good for the village.

OR

2. Optional title [Dark Bug Touched] - character was affected by the miasma released by the dark bugs that plagued Kael village. While no longer under its effects, the character has a lingering sensation from the experience that let's them know when the dark bugs are near and a vague idea of their intentions.

OR

3. Optional title [Bloody Hands] - character has killed innocents out of necessity. It was the thing to do, right? Next time it will be even easier to do. Character will struggle with knowing when to not go too far and dealing with the feelings associated with it.

OR

4. A ryke adventurer title or upgrade. If you do not have a ryken adventurer title, you may add the F grade version. If you are already a ryken adventurer, you may upgrade the title by 1 letter grade. C grade members are entitled to extras.

• [Ryken Adventurer] - character is an adventurer of the ryken adventurer guild. known for being proficient in a number of terrains including water, Ryken adventurers tend to be diverse and capable.
  • Grade F - characters are still learning the basics. They may not be fully equipped or able to handle many quests by themselves.
  • Grade E - character has shown promise for the life and is no longer required to participate in basic training or mundane odd jobs. While they still have a ways to go, they at least know the basics now.
  • Grade D - character knows all the basics, has been on some adventures, and shows themselves to be competent. They are only missing experience and a specialty that sets them apart in the guild. They are considered a full fledged member and can be called upon for most standard missions even if just as a supporting role.
  • Grade C - character knows all the basics, has been on several adventures, and shows themselves to be competent. They have experience and a specialty that sets them apart in the guild. They are considered a full fledged member and can be called upon for all standard missions and can be asked to lead in the absence of a higher ranked member. Gain an extra title specific to your signature ability and role in the guild.

Novama - 61pts (narrator bonus)

• optional title acquired [Merchant E (Silver Star Trading Company Associate)] - character has shown a particular knack for working in service of the Silver Star Trading company, a comparably small corporation with many industry interests across Ryke. Character is no longer a rookie, but still has a ways to go in moving up in the company.

Tupu - 32pts

Dark - 33pts

Baxtor - 11pts

Naomi - 82pts (attentive student bonus)

Guy - 82pts (attentive student bonus)

Stella - 41pts

Glacier - 29pts

Rieger - 9pts

Vilde - 17pts