Fantasy Lands of Nava

[SleepyConley]

By the end of the day so much has happened. The restoration of the village fueled so many fires, not only within the villagers but also within the party. Kaito created new buildings and enriched the land, Dezo created shadow armor and weapons for the warriors, Eri is teaching her Hammersoul technique - slowly instilling the way of the Hammersoul tribe into the warriors. Kat is teaching summoning magic, although difficult because of the lack of knowledge and literacy among the villagers. However, the enigma that is Michelle has yet to be uncovered. Are they truly looking to join in as a friendly mark bearer, or do they have other intentions? This is a risk the group and Holly takes. Speaking of Holly...

During this time Holly has been chatting with the locals and travelers from nearby who came to see what happened to the village and how it became so enriched. She learned of a tribe of orcish who have been growing at an accelerated pace, similar to our party's tribe. Apparently this orc tribe has went under the rule of Beast King Ricolo, King of Rel. A settlement of sorts for the newly formed Kingdom of Rel, who is wishing to expand. No better place to expand to other than the Tribal Lands, nothing but empty, dry, plains, perfect for building on, awful for resources. This orcish tribe appears to be closing in on this villages location especially since they're now the talk of the tribes ever since the spontaneous attack and overnight restoration.

Today has been incredibly long and eventful.

Currently: Monday 11 PM at night

Dezo will call upon a group meeting, out by a campfire. He wants to discuss tasks, he wants to discuss if anyone needs help with anything and if so, who can help who?

Dezo will lean over and ask Kaito if he knows how to make golems, and if he can teach him? Dezo is wanting to learn how to create shadow golems, but keeps losing control of his overwhelming power. Something his body still is not used to. The flow of mana is rampant, flowing like a raging river, so much magical power all at once, it was enough to throw his human body into peril. "Kaito, I know you're going to be busy tomorrow. But the next time you're free and able, you should teach me how to have better control over my mana. I want to be able to create a golem without my magic exploding it into a giant monstrosity. I can handle condensing the magic to make the armor and weapons, but creating something that can mimic life? I'm not so sure."

He'll begin to speak more loudly, "If we're going to do this. Let's do it right and make sure we nourish Duch Remal, the beastcub chief, in a proper way. We're not here to take over. We're not here to start a kingdom or play war-" Suddenly Dezo is spoken over top of.

"Look sugar, a group of orcish are making their way here. Might want to get ready to... Play war." The witch will smirk at Dezo.

The witch, Holly, will tell everyone that while we were playing "village" she was out gathering useful Intel. And luckily she did too, the Kingdom of Rel is looking to start colonizing the Tribal Lands and one of their assimilated tribes has their eyes on us. After just. One. Day. They want to know what the beasts who attacked Remal are (our villages name), if they're going to get attacked too, who took care of the beasts and how the village started flourishing immediately after. Each a logical question.

Dezo will ask, "So, miss witch, how long until they arrive?"

"Approximately 48 hours."

Looks like we have around 2 days until the Kingdom of Rel either decides to raid our little village trying to claim it as theirs, or they wish to work together to get to know our intel and secrets in exchange for theirs. Only time will tell.

The witch will flash around the room, a sparkling display of fire and lights, speaking to the group in a disembodied voice that circles the room. "Well dearies, it looks like my time here has come to an end. You say the divine wanted you to look for me? Well, you found me. Now what? Look I don't need a group of ragtags to protect me, no offense. I'm going to swoop on out of here, when you get the time, come find me in Dungeon City."

Well, that was eventful. Dezo will wander in thought, "Not only did the mood get dampened when the announcement of a potential raid was informed but now the witch is leaving too? During a situation like this? How arrogant. We need her. Wait? Do we really? Now that I've trained under Kaito and I'm going to train under him some more... I think once we all improve our power, the day will come when we will protect the Green Flame Witch, Holly. Mark my words. I think she knows that too and is giving us time to blossom."

Dezo will look around the room as surprised as everyone else.

Zura stupid Darkbloom RoninN7

 

[stupid]

Kat ends the day finishing up her teachings, "you must channel the mana throughout your body and then bring it to a single point within your hand. The more mana you direct to your hand, the stronger the magic will be. Some pacts require more mana than others, each time you summon the creature you made a pact with, it will also use up mana. Each pact has its own unique symbol used when forming the pact, they're no pact symbols that are the same. Does everyone follow so far?"

A group of scrawny beastfolk villagers with a face full of determination stand in line, each outfitted with durable shadow robes made by Dezo that allow them to move as if wearing nothing while being just as tanky as wearing actual armor. Somehow she would like to enchant these "shadow robes", robes made out of thin fibers woven together from shadow leather. A leather-like material that isn't as tough as the metal armor, but is lighter. All made from Dezo's desire power. The villagers look the part, now they have to play the part.

The beastfolk villagers answer Kat's question, "Yes miss elf lady, we are following! Teach us more!"

Kat will continue, "Next is beast tongue. The ability to communicate with animals either by words - if you're really talented - or by body language. Since all of you are beastfolk, this should be really easy for you to learn. It is all about practice, so while you're all out hunting tomorrow, make sure you try to learn and understand the feelings of your prey. Perhaps you'll even let them live the first couple times practicing. Do not let this experience falter your will to provide food. You are doing this for training. Steel your minds. No matter the connection you feel and the hatred you develop towards killing. The elves are one with nature in Eldencore, we learn this very young. Now it is important for you to learn if you wish to master summoning."

Finishing up for the day, the newly found "scholars" of the tribe have finally finished learning the basics and fundamentals of summoning. They can even draw mock symbols and pacts.

Later:

After listening to all of the conversations... Kat is at a loss for words. The witch is just up and gone? And 48 hours until a potential army attacks the village? Kat can't have her villagers ready in that amount of time. "Dammit!" She'll yell under her breath. After all the good that the party is doing, just for it all to crumble because of a king wanting more land to compete with rivaling kingdoms so they won't wage war... It's a whole series of fucked up politics. And Kat wasn't going to have it.

She jumps up from the log she is sitting on and runs towards barracks. Where all of the current beastfolk sleep who are training to become better warriors. Shell run to the sector the scholars stay and awaken them.

"All night long. We train."

Zura SleepyConley Darkbloom RoninN7

 

[RoninN7]

Michelle will watch one of them get to work on rebuilding the village. He seems to be able to influence the world by moving pieces around on a shogi board. For a moment, the vampire will marvel at how quickly he's moving stone and structures around and how effortless it seems. She will have her attention drawn by the one questioning her. Her head will turn to face her and she'll sigh before answering his questions. "I'm originally from Liza but... I've been all over. As for where I'm going, I suppose I'm heading wherever this mark leads me." Her red-yellow eyes would turn to look upon the witch. "Yeah, I recognize her..." It will be weird to see someone she only ever saw in a dream.

Another one will talk to Michelle, though this one will appear much more friendly and curious. Beastfolk. She definitely has their senses. Michelle will think while being sniffed. With a smile showing her sharp fangs, Michelle will giggle along with her. "You got me, I'm a vampire. You have a really good nose there! I suppose I could-" The woman will run off after inviting Michelle to train, cutting her off and causing her to sigh again before following after her.

Throughout the day, Michelle would work with the beastfolk woman to train the villagers in combat. She would get to appreciate her skills with her hammer and her relentless enthusiasm. Michelle's strength and speed would prove useful in getting the villagers to prepare and be aware of stronger creatures as well. It was a shock when the villagers came up wearing what looked like shadow armor and wielding shadow weapons. Michelle could smell someone in those shadows. Her senses indicated that they came from the one who'd interrogated her earlier.

The two would spend much of the day training these people, which would endear her to her companion. Michelle noticed the woman's love for her craft and joy in sharing her techniques. She'd spot another woman taking a group away into the woods and would feel a sense of happiness seeing these people working so hard in their own way to restore this destroyed village.

Later:

As night fell, Michelle was able to remove her cloak and show herself, feeling an immense power coursing through her now that the sun was down. She joined the group around the campfire as they all made plans on how to proceed with the reconstruction and restoration of this village the following day. A disembodied voice appeared with flashing green lights all around them to interrupt their meeting. A band of orc warriors will be here in two days? I'm not sure these people can be ready to fight them off in two weeks! And on top of it all the witch is leaving us... This is going to be difficult.

Michelle will rub the side of her head in frustration before taking a deep breath. "Okay then. It looks like we have a problem on our hands but we don't need her to fend off these attackers. After seeing what you all can do today I'm confident that we can do this. It'll just be a matter of making sure the villagers are also ready to defend themselves by then. Before we go any further, I'd like to know all of your names. In all the chaos of rebuilding and training, I didn't have the chance to ask you and I think the more we know each other the more we can help each other."

stupid Darkbloom SleepyConley Zura

 

[Darkbloom]

Earlier:

As he was reconstructing the buildings, it seems that started to spur everyone into action by helping the beastkin in one way or another. Dezo appeared to have gone to the blacksmith, Eri and the newcomer left to train the villagers how to fight, and the elf explained summoning to them.

Watching Kaito restore the land and raise the buildings, seemingly enchanting the whole land had her drop to her knees in awe, "So inspiring Kaito," She'll whisper as she walks past him.

Caught off guard by the unexpected compliment, Kaito's cheeks tinted with a subtle blush. He glanced away for a moment, fingers gently playing with the edge of his enchanted Shogi board.

"Uh, thank you," he murmured, a shy smile gracing his lips. His gaze briefly met hers, and in that moment, the twinkle in his eyes revealed more than words could convey. The acknowledgment held a soft warmth, hinting at emotions that went beyond the magical collaborations they shared. With a slight nod, he returned to the Shogi board, the echo of her words lingering in the enchanted air.

Present time:

Dezo will call upon a group meeting, out by a campfire. He wants to discuss tasks, he wants to discuss if anyone needs help with anything and if so, who can help who?

Dezo will lean over and ask Kaito if he knows how to make golems, and if he can teach him?

Kaito thinks back to his shogi training and learning about other things. "I'm not familiar with golemancy enough to make them, though I've seen shogi magic masters do it before. I was curious so I read a little bit about it. As far as that goes, you're already well on your way to figuring it out. Keep helping the blacksmith as much as you can, and also keep this in mind: golems are animated magical beings." He stops his tips there. "If you get stuck trying to make a golem, I'll give you another hint. Thinking and figuring things out for yourself is endlessly valuable."

He'll begin to speak more loudly, "If we're going to do this. Let's do it right and make sure we nourish Duch Remal, the beastcub chief, in a proper way. We're not here to take over. We're not here to start a kingdom or play war-" Suddenly Dezo is spoken over top of.

Kaito nods in agreement. "Correct. I want to help the villagers but I don't want to completely take over. Perhaps I could teach the young chief a little battle strategy with shogi..." Kaito is unable to finish his sentence due to the voice of the witch suddenly speaking.

"Look sugar, a group of orcish are making their way here. Might want to get ready to... Play war." The witch will smirk at Dezo.

Dezo will ask, "So, miss witch, how long until they arrive?"

"Approximately 48 hours."

The witch will flash around the room, a sparkling display of fire and lights, speaking to the group in a disembodied voice that circles the room. "Well dearies, it looks like my time here has come to an end. You say the divine wanted you to look for me? Well, you found me. Now what? Look I don't need a group of ragtags to protect me, no offense. I'm going to swoop on out of here, when you get the time, come find me in Dungeon City."

Forty eight hours isn't a lot of time. There's still a lot to do for the villagers to be ready for any attacks. Dungeon City... might be worth a visit once the old man is taken out of the picture. We might even be able to get the assistance of the others. After everyone recovers from being surprised by the news, Kat swears and goes off into the night, probably to wake up the trainees. I should go help with that. My mana is mostly gone but it can recover by at least half if I don't expend any of it to help the trainees... Kaito stands up and starts walking to join Kat when the newcomer speaks up.

Michelle will rub the side of her head in frustration before taking a deep breath. "Okay then. It looks like we have a problem on our hands but we don't need her to fend off these attackers. After seeing what you all can do today I'm confident that we can do this. It'll just be a matter of making sure the villagers are also ready to defend themselves by then. Before we go any further, I'd like to know all of your names. In all the chaos of rebuilding and training, I didn't have the chance to ask you and I think the more we know each other the more we can help each other."

Ah, yes. He hasn't been properly introduced. "I can't stay and chat, but my name is Kaito Hiroshi." It wasn't hard to see, he was quite tired. But he was still offering to help others despite this setback. "I have somewhere to be. I'll talk to you all later." Then he heads off to help Kat train the future warriors. Once he catches up, he finds them all training. Her compliment earlier was still running through his mind clear as day. "I'm here to help. What have they learned so far?" He stifles a yawn and tries to look more awake than he is.

SleepyConley Zura stupid RoninN7

 

[SleepyConley]

The story so far...

At the start of our journey, each of us was spoken to by a voice in our dream. This voice granted us power based on our greatest desire. Upon waking our characters have a pair of crimson wings on the palm of their hands that glows faintly. This voice told us to look for a woman who goes by the name, The Green Flame Witch. A witch who can cast special fire magic with green flames. A few of those who have the mark ended up venturing throughout the Tribal Lands because of a bounty for the witch. They would end up at a tribal village ran by a human, which was strange. This human's name is Dernaldo, or Dern. He would instruct us to look in The Swampland of The Shore, a marshy region, apparently the last known location of the witch. Upon traveling south towards the swampland, they would encounter a village that was being attacked by demonic looking beasts, these beasts are known as manufactured golems and are created using the soul of an unwilling person or animal. They could fly, taking on the appearance of gargoyles, shooting down fireballs, swooping down and killing the villagers. Luckily, before much damage was done our characters came to save the day. However, upon defeating all of these gargoyles, an ogre would appear. A giant, ugly, vile, beast. However, this one, like the gargoyles, was a golem created using an unwilling soul, demonic. Our characters defeated the beast and it evolved. Its evolution proved to be too much for our characters to handle, however, we were saved by The Green Flame Witch herself. Who we later find out is named Holly. Holly would give our crew an ultimatum, to work with her or to nurture the village. Our characters chose to nurture the village. The village we saved is named Remal. The chieftain is a beastfolk cub named Duch Remal. Our characters help these tribal villagers restore their village and train and equip their villagers. Before leaving, Holly provided intel that an army of orcish, a part of the Kingdom of Rel, is heading towards Remal. We must prepare.

 

[SleepyConley]

Currently: Wednesday 10 PM

The rhythmic drumming of footsteps reverberates through the air, growing louder and more ominous with each passing moment. The once peaceful village of Remal now stands on the precipice of a battle, its newly founded tranquility shattered by the impending onslaught. The horizon, bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight, is punctuated by a barrage of silhouettes, their forms growing more distinct as they draw closer. This is not just any army, but a formidable force hailing from a tribe colonized by the Kingdom of Rel. This tribe is comprised of the orcish, a unique group of elves who have undergone a mutation that has imbued them with pure, green mana. This transformation has not only given them an unmistakable green skin but also the largest mana reserve of any race, save for the immortals. Coupled with their immense physical strength, the orcish are a force to be reckoned with, a fact not lost on the Beast King, Ricolo, the ruler of Rel.

As the orcish army marches relentlessly forward, a formidable line of defense awaits them on the northern side of Remal. This is the direction from which the orcish army is approaching. The Remal army, composed primarily of beastfolk, stands resolute, their bodies clad in shadow armor and their hands gripping shadow warhammers. High above them, atop towering structures, mages weave intricate patterns in the air, their summoning magic calling forth minions with whom they’ve made pacts. At the forefront of Remal’s army stand five silhouettes, our party, their forms casting long shadows in the moonlight. As the orcish army draws nearer, more details about them become apparent. They are clad in steel armor, their hands gripping steel weapons, a feat of craftsmanship that a mere orcish tribe could hardly accomplish on their own. Approximately 500 orcish warriors march forward towards Remal, their faces set in grim determination. The distance between the two armies dwindles until they stand a mere couple of hundred feet apart. Then, the orcish army halts. From their ranks steps forward a tall and mighty orcish warrior, his stature towering over the rest. This is undoubtedly the commander. He stands in silence for a few moments, his gaze sweeping over the Remal army before he begins to speak. His voice booms across the battlefield, “Tribe of Remal, heed my words, assimilate under the rule of Beast King Ricolo, King of Rel, or face us in battle.” His ultimatum hangs in the air, a challenge that echoes in the stillness of the night.

The orcish warriors, their bodies pulsating with the raw power of their green mana, lift their weapons high into the air. The night sky is suddenly ablaze with the ignition of their magic, casting an eerie glow on the battlefield. A mighty roar erupts from their ranks, a unified battle cry that sends a shiver down the spine. The battle is on the brink of commencing. Despite possessing the highest mana reserve among all races, the orcish are hampered by their barbaric nature. Their honor code, deeply ingrained in their culture, compels them to engage in close combat, to die fighting in the heat of the battle. Their strength surpasses that of the beastfolk, but they lack the latter’s speed and awareness. This could have been a one-sided battle, were it not for the presence of our characters. The orcish army, a formidable force of around 500 soldiers, stands in stark contrast to the small village of Remal, which boasts a little less than 100 warriors. The orcish seem to have set their sights on this village for reasons unknown. Perhaps they are intrigued by the village’s sudden revival, the enchantment that has caused the surrounding lands to flourish. Once an open plain, the area is now teeming with forests, intricate buildings, and an army of beastfolk. The orcish must suspect the work of an artifact and they want it.

After an hour of tense silence, the orcish commander steps forward once again. His name is O’Lorg, the commander of the Furrurg Tribe, currently under the rule of Rel. His words, though seemingly peaceful, carry an underlying threat, “We swear to come in peace if you assimilate into our tribe. Please, do not make us slaughter all of you.” These menacing words are nothing more than a farce, a ploy to appear peaceful. The tribe of Remal and our characters see through this deception. They would never choose to assimilate, not while our characters are there to protect them. Our characters have worked tirelessly for two days straight, organizing and training the warriors within Remal.

Duch Remal, the beastfolk cub and village chief, raises her voice into the night, her words echoing across the battlefield, “Do not let these orcish make a mockery of us. In just one week we were attacked by demons and now an orcish army and look at us, stronger than ever before! Our tribe is bigger and sturdier. We can’t let those who have fallen look down on us and watch as we are mercilessly killed! No! We will fight until the bitter end! Warriors, raise your hammers. Summoners, summon your minions. The marked, prepare your attacks. This is it. They chose not to come and talk. They want us as slaves, or not at all! Together we will march forward into death!” Her rallying cry reverberates through the night, a beacon of hope and defiance in the face of overwhelming odds.

The battle has begun. Zura Darkbloom stupid RoninN7

 

[SleepyConley]

Dezo, a seasoned rogue, finds himself on the precipice of a battle unlike any he has faced before. The sight of the enemy forces arrayed against him and his companions is daunting, a sea of hostility that stretches as far as the eye can see. The demon gargoyles and the ogre they had previously encountered were formidable foes, but this… this is an entirely different beast. This is war. His heart pounds in his chest, a drumbeat of fear and anticipation. But instead of succumbing to the terror, Dezo draws upon his recent experience. His previous excitement about testing his newfound abilities has been replaced by a sober determination. He summons his mana, the mystical energy swirling around him, causing the mark on his hand to glow brighter and brighter.

His gaze sweeps over his companions - Kaito, Eri, Kat, and Michelle. Each of them bracing themselves for the impending clash. He remembers Eri’s tale of how Kaito had enveloped her in shadows, concealing her presence during their fight against the demonic ogre. Inspired by this, Dezo had been honing a similar skill.

As he speaks, his voice steady despite the chaos around them, shadows begin to seep from his palm. They swirl around his companions, wrapping them in a protective shroud of darkness. “Now, you’re concealed,” he tells them, his eyes meeting Kaito’s. “Kaito, you don’t have to worry about hiding us now! Everyone! Let loose!”

With his words still hanging in the air, the two armies surge forward, a tidal wave of steel and fury. The battlefield erupts into chaos, but Dezo and his companions stand ready, hidden within their cloak of shadows, prepared to meet their fate head-on. This is their moment. This is their war. And they will not falter. They will not fail. They will fight. And they will prevail.

Zura Darkbloom stupid RoninN7

 

[stupid]

Katherine was brimming with confidence in the abilities of her trainees. They had diligently absorbed the fundamentals of summoning, understanding the intricate process of forming pacts. The only task remaining was to put theory into practice - to create their own pacts and learn the art of summoning. Over the course of two intensive days of training alongside Kaito, Katherine and Kaito had formed a close bond. Their camaraderie was palpable, and it seemed to inspire the trainees. Under their guidance, the trainees ventured into the lush forests that Kaito had conjured, teeming with a diverse array of wildlife. Here, they formed their first pacts with the creatures they encountered - bears with their raw strength, wolves with their pack mentality, and even the ethereal spirits of animals long passed. These were simple pacts, but they served as effective introductions to the world of summoning. Once the pacts were formed, Katherine embarked on the next phase of training - teaching the trainees how to summon their pact partners. She explained that the number of pacts one could form and the number of entities one could summon simultaneously were both dependent on an individual’s mana reserves. The trainees, being beastfolk, naturally had limited mana. The beastfolk would be able to form approximately ten pacts before their mana was depleted. Furthermore, they would have the capacity to summon around two entities at once. Not much at all, especially for beginner summoners, but this would at least help in the battle to come.

The day of the battle:

Katherine, known as Kat, stood poised and ready, her form suddenly shrouded in an inky cloak of shadows, a gift from Dezo’s potent magic. A cocktail of emotions surged within her - a vibrant sense of life, a prickling fear, and a steely determination that set her jaw and narrowed her eyes. Her bond with the beastfolk, a race she had once dismissed as monsters, had grown stronger than she could have ever anticipated. It was a connection forged in the crucible of training, where she had guided them, taught them, and watched them grow. Her newfound attachment to the beastfolk ignited a fierce desire within her to protect them, to help them thrive. She envisioned a future where they could read and write fluently in all languages, where they could hold their own in diplomatic meetings, where they could transform their humble settlement into a bustling village, and perhaps, in time, even a formidable kingdom.

As she stood before her trainees, she gave the command to summon. The sky above them erupted in a dazzling display of lights as ethereal portals opened, releasing a menagerie of beasts - bears, wolves, and spirits of deceased animals. When a living creature dies after a pact is formed, its spirit remains bound to the pact, allowing it to be summoned repeatedly. Given the beastfolk’s limited mana, they could re-summon their allies approximately two more times, effectively tripling their forces to a total of 150 summons. It wasn’t a vast army, but Katherine believed it would be enough to distract the orcish forces. Our total army size is 100, now 250 including the summons. However, the orcish still had 500. With the orcish army in sight, Katherine knew she couldn’t summon her most powerful ally, her desire, without drawing unwanted attention. Instead, she decided to use the shadows that concealed her to infiltrate the enemy lines. Slipping through the ranks undetected, she positioned herself at the rear of the orcish army and prepared to summon her desire.

“Ku’Kalgo, come,” she commanded. Above her, a giant summoning circle materialized, glowing with raw mana that swirled upwards from her outstretched palm. From the portal, a colossal serpent-like beast emerged, its form wreathed in shadows. This was Ku’Kalgo, an ancient and mighty spirit granted to her by the gods, capable of wielding any form of magic, except unique magic.

With a swift leap, Katherine mounted the serpent, taking to the skies above the battlefield. “Ku’Kalgo, dodge any arrows that come our way and cast fireballs onto the army!” she ordered. As they soared over the orcish forces, Katherine and Ku’Kalgo rained down a barrage of fiery destruction. The battlefield below was illuminated by the blazing fireballs, a testament to Katherine’s resolve and the power of summoning.

Darkbloom Zura SleepyConley RoninN7

 

[Zura]

Eri and Michelle, two seasoned warriors, took on the task of training the villagers. Despite the limited time of two days, they managed to impart as much knowledge as they could. The villagers, although not as skilled as an orcish warrior, showed surprising progress and were able to hold their own in a fight.

As the day of the battle arrived, Eri positioned herself at the forefront of the battalion. Her talking hammer was buzzing with excitement, “Eri, look at all those warriors! I’m going to need a good cleaning after this… and money! Make sure you pickpocket their dead corpses! We need money to get me polished, Eri! Hey Eri, are you listening?”

With Dezo’s shadow magic cloaking her, Eri began to march forward, her battalion following closely behind. With a determined shout, she commanded, “Charge!”

Eri’s power was unique. Unlike traditional magic users, her mana wasn’t consumed continuously. Instead, it was only used when she switched the magical imbuement on her weapon. This allowed her to imbue her hammer with any type of magic, even unique ones, making her imagination her only limit. However, her magic was limited to close-range combat and couldn’t be used for long-range attacks. But this didn’t mean she couldn’t use environment-altering magic.

As Eri charged alongside her soldiers, she imbued her hammer with a unique magical spell: earthquake. With a powerful slam of her hammer against the ground, the earth began to shake violently. Everyone stumbled, some even fell, losing their footing. This large area of effect attack affected both sides of the army, not just the enemy. However, this attack served a strategic purpose. It provided an opportunity for the summoners and the party to launch an attack while both sides were rooted.

In the midst of the chaos, Eri spun into the air, changing her imbuement to lightning. Every enemy she hit was struck by a bolt of lightning. The moment her imbuement was activated, clouds began to swirl above the orcish army. Below the clouds, a giant serpent, ridden by Kat, fired down fireballs. The battlefield transformed into a beautiful dancefloor of lightning, fireballs, and a serpent, each adding to the spectacle. Our characters cloaked in shadows danced along the battlefield, adding to the surreal scene.

stupid RoninN7 Darkbloom SleepyConley

 

[RoninN7]

Two days went by in what felt like an instant. Eri and Michelle joined forces to train the beastfolk and get them as prepared as possible for combat. Despite their lack of experience, they made up for it with sheer willpower and determination. The people of this once-ruined town proved to be excellent students to the two.

Night fell upon the town and the orcs were quickly upon them. Their forces were mighty and ferocious, and their objective was clear: enslave or destroy. Michelle heard the voices calling out into the night, starting with the orcs and then the quick response from Duch Renal. The vampire sighed and grinned, flashing her fangs as she let her cloak fall to the ground behind her. "It seems like the time has come. Let's show these bastards that subjugation is not an option. We fight to the death!" Michelle called out to her allies and the beastfolk she and Eri had been training.

Her position was right at the front along with Eri, and she couldn't help but feel her companion's contagious energy riling her up. A shadowy cloak washed upon them and Michelle turned to Dezo and gave him a nod. "Thank you..." She called out, the words distorting from her sweet and cheery voice to a rugged, guttural one. Michelle's body began to change as her skin became scaly and rough while spikes grew all along her arms. Horns emerged from her head, curling forward like a bull's, and a long, spiky tail emerged from her tailbone. Her teeth, including her fangs, grew twice as long and razor-sharp and her hair became silver while her eyes glowed white.

A war cry from Eri sent Michelle into action and she lunged forward, charging at blinding speed towards the orc's front lines. Eri's hammer glowed with magic and she struck the ground, causing it to shake. Michelle jumped high in the air, sprouting grey wings lined with metallic feathers. Taking advantage of the stumbling soldiers on the battlefield, the demonic vampire hissed before dropping straight down. Michelle violently dive-bombed a group of orcs, tearing through them while fireballs erupted all around her. Katherine was raining fiery destruction on her majestic flying serpent.

Surrounded by prey, Michelle couldn't help but smile. Look at all this fresh blood... She darted around, ripping orcs in half and sinking her teeth directly into one's neck. With monstrous strength, Michelle lifted the orc by the neck, crushing it and swallowing all the blood flooding her mouth while her tail pierced the chest of another. She dropped her drained prey and flew up into the air, flapping her wings and shooting a dozen razor-sharp feathers into the brutes' ranks. Michelle wasn't fighting for herself for once. She was fighting for her comrades and she was fighting for these people. With a guttural growl, the vampire swooped back down onto the battlefield with another group of orcs in her sights.

SleepyConley Zura Darkbloom stupid

 

[SleepyConley]

The battlefield was now transforming into a mesmerizing tableau of conflict and power. Our party, shrouded in a cloak of shadows, stood ready for the impending clash. Eri, her eyes gleaming with determination, wielded her hammer imbued with magic. With each swing, she commanded the very earth beneath her, causing it to tremble and quake. The sky above mirrored her fury, as ominous clouds gathered and unleashed bolts of lightning, illuminating the battlefield in a stark, eerie glow. Kat, with her ethereal serpent summon, added to the spectacle. The serpent, a majestic creature coated in a shadowy mist, slithered through the air with an otherworldly grace. From its gaping maw, it spewed fireballs that rained down onto the battlefield, each explosion a testament to Kat’s formidable power. Then there was Michelle, who was a force to be reckoned with. She unleashed her true power, transforming into a vile beast that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. She danced around the battlefield with a deadly grace, her claws ripping through the orcish ranks like a hot knife through butter. She reveled in the chaos, drinking the blood of her fallen enemies and launching a barrage of metallic feathers, conjured from her wings, that whistled through the air before finding their mark.

Amidst the chaos, O’Lorg, an orcish warrior who towered above his comrades, emerged. As the commander of the orcish army, he let loose a war cry that echoed across the battlefield, “Do not falter brethren! We knew coming here there would be many mysterious dangers. Who knew we hit the jackpot. Go scouts, return to Rel, tell them to send backup.” O’Lorg then began to weave a spell of water magic, conjuring a shimmering floor of water at his feet. From this aquatic platform, tentacle-like limbs made of water shot up into the air, reaching out for Michelle. Her arms, legs, neck, wings - all were ensnared by these watery tendrils, turning to ice the moment they were locked in a solid grasp. “Quickly, mages, cast magic at the beast!” O’Lorg commanded. A barrage of fireballs filled the air, hurtling towards the creature. But alas, the orcish mages must have forgotten in the heat of battle that cursed races could only be damaged by holy magic. Michelle easily broke free from her icy prison and slammed to the ground, ready to engage another group of orcish warriors. The battle was far from over.

The orcish commander, a figure of authority and power, stood amidst the chaos of the battlefield, his heart heavy with the sight of his army being decimated. From the depths of his pouch, he pulled out an artifact. It was a sphere, etched with strange, cryptic symbols that seemed to dance and flicker in the dim light. The artifact was ensnared by an air of darkness, a palpable aura that seemed to consume the light around it.

With a grim determination, the orcish commander crushed the artifact within his hand. As the artifact shattered, his body began to swirl with an inky darkness. It swirled and twisted, wrapping around him like a cocoon, obscuring him from view. This was a sight our party had witnessed before - a demonic ogre had undergone a similar transformation when it evolved. A sense of dread washed over us. Could it be? Was the commander forcing his own evolution?

As the darkness continued to envelop the commander, it became apparent that the artifact was not merely forcing an evolution. It was transforming the commander into a demonic form. The artifact, it seemed, was a vessel for trapping souls, using the user as a host for a corrupt golem. The realization was sickening - the commander was trading his life for power, becoming a puppet to the dark forces contained within the artifact.

The transformation was a horrifying spectacle, a testament to the lengths one would go for power. As the commander emerged from the cocoon of darkness, the battlefield fell silent, all eyes on the monstrous figure that now stood where the orcish commander once was. The battle was far from over, and the stakes had just been raised.

The orcish commander O'Lorg would speak, "This is it! This is it! I've transformed into a cursed. Undead. The artifact worked! It transformed me into a demon!" O'Lorg will let loose an ominous, bone chilling laugh, able to be heard all throughout the battlefield and his eyes were set on Kat and Michelle.

(Note: while demons aren't a part of the traditional cursed race, that is their classification. Becoming a demon is an extremely taboo and difficult process. The artifact that transformed him must be incredibly old. Why would the King of Rel give something like this to a mere commander attacking a village they had the advantage over? Does he know about the marked? O'Lorg is an important character, you are able to kill him but might miss out on things! You will also miss out on things by not killing him!)

Zura stupid RoninN7 Darkbloom

 

[Darkbloom]

Kaito and Kat had prepared the village fighters as much as they could over the past two days. It wasn't incorrect to say he and Kat had forged a closer bond, but is that all it was? Kaito has no time to think about it as several different things now happen all at once. Dezo shrouded everyone in shadows, though he had to question why that was necessary. Generally being hidden is a good thing, in the right time and place. He doesn't think this was the correct time to use it, but it's been done and now everyone must do what they can to take out the invading army of 500 orcs. Kaito started walking amidst the chaos of the battlefield, moving a pawn. This simple move creates a three-way division on the field in order to deal with the enemy in an easier manner.

As he was about to move his bishop, the commander yelled something. Then he was slowly turning into a demon until... it happened. The commander stood there as a demon. How in the nine hells did that happen? Kaito couldn't have seen the artifact being crushed from where he was standing. "Big one, but big doesn't always mean unbeatable." Similarly, he didn't hear the commander tell a few soldiers to return for backup. The threat was the newly transformed demon. "Let's see how this works on you..." Moving the bishop, a pillar of fire erupts to envelop the commander in hot, searing flames. A knight move comes next, blowing the wind fiercely around the commander which adds more fuel for the pillar of fire to burn through. Red flames turn into orange flames as the temperature increases from 1800 degrees fahrenheit to 2200 degrees. One more pawn move uses the shattered earth from Eri's previous earthquake to shoot ultra sharp bullets of earth through the trapped enemies.

SleepyConley stupid Zura RoninN7

 

[stupid]

Katherine, astride the majestic Ku’Kalgo, surveys the battlefield below. Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind sweeps across the field, filling the air with an impenetrable darkness. An ominous laugh, chilling and resonant, echoes across the battlefield, a haunting soundtrack to the unfolding drama. Peering through the gloom, Katherine’s eyes widen in shock as she spots the orcish commander. He has transformed into a creature of nightmares - a demon. His form is a grotesque parody of life, a dark and hellish pawn that is as rare as it is deadly. With a determined set to her jaw, Katherine guides Ku’Kalgo down towards the battlefield, deftly dodging a hail of arrows and making a beeline for the safety of their side of the conflict. As they descend, she spots Eri, her hammer a blur as she cuts a swathe through the orcish ranks.

“Is that a demon? Why is one in the mortal realm?” Katherine shouts, her voice barely audible over the din of battle. She herself had been too engrossed in the battle to notice the transformation of the army’s commander.

Without warning, the demon charges at her, its eyes burning with malevolent intent. But before it can reach her, it is suddenly engulfed by a pillar of fire, so hot that it seems to scorch the very air around it. The wind whips around the pillar, creating turbulence that buffets Ku’Kalgo. But the mighty beast fights through it, his wings beating steadily against the tumultuous air. Katherine’s hair whips around her face, illuminated by the fierce light of the fire. As they make a speedy pass by Kaito, she shouts a warning, “Only holy magic works against demons!”

Inside the fire, a silhouette can be seen writhing in agony, its screams of pain echoing across the battlefield. Katherine’s gaze is locked on the demon, her resolve unwavering. With a firm command, she directs Ku’Kalgo to channel half of her mana, preparing to blast the demon with a surge of potent light magic. The battlefield holds its breath, waiting for the clash between light and darkness. The final battle has begun. In a surprising move, Katherine leaps from Ku’Kalgo’s back, using her own air magic, independent of the mark, to descend gently to the ground. As she lands, she looks up to see Ku’Kalgo soaring towards the demon, ready to unleash the light magic. The fate of the battlefield hangs in the balance.

SleepyConley Darkbloom RoninN7 Zura

 

[Zura]

Eri, the fierce warrior, swings her hammer with a viciousness that is palpable. The orcish foes before her recoils as her weapon, now drenched in the lifeblood of her enemies, connects with a sickening thud. The hammer, sentient and yearning for more than the violence it was born into, speaks in a voice only Eri can hear, “Eri, I crave magic! I hunger for the ethereal, not the sanguinary.” Suddenly, Eri’s world is illuminated by a towering pillar of fire, its heat so intense that it seems to distort the very air around her. The wind, now a gale, buffets her, causing her to stumble and fall to her knees. Her hair is now a wild dance in the tempestuous wind. Her smile, once a beacon of joy and determination, fades into a look of steely resolve.

In the sky, silhouetted against the fiery pillar, a flying serpent can be seen. It is the manifestation of Kat’s deepest desire, her summoned companion known as Ku’Kalgo. Eri imbues her weapon with another element, the volatile air magic. She coughs, a spray of blood staining the ground beneath her, a grim testament to her dwindling mana reserves. With a final, desperate swing, she brings her hammer down onto the ground, creating a pillar of swirling air that catapults her into the sky, higher even than the pillar of fire. She spins and somersaults towards the demon, her body a blur of motion. As the pillar of fire extinguishes, she and Ku’Kalgo unleash their fury. Imbuing her hammer one last time, blood spilling from her lips, she smashes the orcish commander in the head with a force that reverberates throughout the battlefield. She falls to the ground, her body spent, just in time for Ku’Kalgo to release his light magic as well. The battlefield is bathed in a blinding light, a stark contrast to the darkness that had once reigned.

stupid Darkbloom RoninN7 SleepyConley

 

[RoninN7]

Michelle tears through the orcish ranks, ripping countless soldiers apart and drinking their blood. She reveled in the chaos and loved every second of the battle. It was so chaotic that she couldn't notice the commander sending some troops off for reinforcements. Michelle dove onto a group of orcs but was stopped in her tracks when a huge pillar of water rose from the ground. It covered her limbs and wings before freezing, holding her in place. The vampire's demonic form roared, trying to break free, when she saw multiple bright lights around her. So many fireballs struck Michelle at once, dazing her a little and knocking the wind out of her momentarily, but not leaving so much as a scratch. It wasn't holy magic, so her cursed body remained unaffected. The fire quickly melted the magical ice enough for Michelle to break her restraints, landing on the ground with an enraged look in her eyes. Claws and spikes swirled like a tornado, ripping apart the group of orcs that launched their magic against her.

As she held one in her clawed hand, biting down on his head, Michelle felt a demonic presence that reminded her of her abilities. She turned to watch as the orc commander was engulfed in smoke and transformed into a monstrous demon. Michelle snarled, throwing aside the body of the orc warrior and turning to face him directly. The demon charged at Katherine but a firestorm stopped him, allowing her and her flying serpent to fall back. With a loud hiss, Michelle took flight once more and went directly into the fire, charging the demon. She hit him head on, aiming to slow him down and hurt him to allow her comrades to regroup. Flying around, Michelle slashes and fires more feathers towards the demon. She notices Eri and Ku'Kalgo getting ready to attack and slips behind the demonic commander, aiming to push him directly into them. Michelle feels a strong impact reverberate through the demon's body into her own and then everything goes white...

Zura SleepyConley stupid Darkbloom

 

[Darkbloom]

The fire and wind might've not had the effect Kaito was hoping for at first, but that wasn't the only reason he used it. The secondary purpose of the flames were to take away the demon's immediate range of sight, similarly to what he did for the boss fight to attempt saving the village. The worst he could do with the fire was singe a few hairs off the demon's body. He was unable to use holy magic, this shogi board was much too small for that. Which was completely fine. A master shogi player is content with the pieces he or she has at his or her disposal and makes the most of each and every one of those pieces. Kaito moves the king forward to utilize air currents to lessen the impact of Eri's fall to the ground, just as the blinding light covers the whole field forcing Kaito to cover his eyes, though at the same time he attempts to keep a constant vigil on the happenings around himself so he doesn't get jumped on by a stray enemy soldier flailing blindly about.

Zura SleepyConley stupid RoninN7

 

[SleepyConley]

Dezo looks around the see a spectacle around him. He's been silently concealing himself and taking out enemies one by one using a shadow dagger, it is light and durable just like the armor he made, and since it is a dagger, it is as if wielding a piece of paper that can cut through mostly anything like butter. He'll look around, momentarily to see the orcish numbers dwindling, however, 500 orcish is a lot, around 100 or say remain. Our army has lost very few casualties thanks to the help of our party, most being the summons. Our army including the remaining summons bolsters around 150, 75 out of the 100 beastfolk remaining, most are injured but not dead. In the air a blast of light magic is seen, along with the silhouette of a beast inside the light alongside the demon, must be Michelle!

"Dammit, what is she thinking!? She's a cursed, no way she'll be able to withstand a blast like that from an ancient beast like Ku'Kaglo. Looks like it used up a lot of Kat's mana too."

The demon falls to the ground alongside Michelle, who has now transformed into her human form. Dezo notices Eri falling out of the sky too, Dezo doesn't know what to do, in a panic he decides to summon a- suddenly Eri is saved by Kaito by air magic, making her descent survivable. Still, the demon and Michelle are still falling. If it wasn't for her, both Eri and Ku'Kalgo wouldn't have been able to make direct contact, her holding the commander in place was vital. Dezo will summon a carpet low and close to the ground made of shadows, both bouncy and durable, catching Michelle.

"Michelle!"

He'll run over to see how she is doing, lowering the carpet shadow to the ground safely. Her skin burnt and smoking, blisters all over her. Healing is a class of light magic, attempting to heal her using it would harm her even more... Dezo has an idea, he is going attempt to pour all of his negative emotions to form a pure drop of mana. He'll channel all of his shadow magic into a single point, he'll raise his finger, a small ball of mana will appear floating above his finger tip. The stable mana is infused with his shadow magic.

"Dammit, I really don't want to pass out again." He'll pour most of his remaining mana into the mana ball. The stable mana will turn from a blue color to a green color, pure mana. He'll infuse his last remaining mana into infusing the pure mana orb with a drop of healing shadow magic, something only the Monarch of Shadows is capable of. Used for undead creatures. "I really hope this works, her condition is dire. She could die." He'll drop the pure mana infused with shadow magic into the mouth of Michelle, her body will sparkle. The blisters healing, the scorched skin slowly repairing itself. "Good, her regeneration is starting to work, she'll be okay."

Dezo smiles and passes out. His mana exhausted, he'll fall onto Michelle face first.

Darkbloom RoninN7 Zura stupid

 

[SleepyConley]

As the dust of battle begins to settle, the remnants of the orcish forces beat a hasty retreat. Their retreat is not a disorganized scramble, but a calculated withdrawal. They employ their dark magic to cast down thick smoke bombs, obscuring the battlefield in a choking fog. Illusion spells are woven into the chaos, creating spectral soldiers that mimic the real ones. Our party, uncertain of which foe is real or not, launches a barrage of attacks into the confusion, felling those unfortunate enough to be caught in the onslaught. The scouts who had slipped away earlier would undoubtedly report back to their leader, Beast King Ricolo, the formidable ruler of Rel. The possibility of another attack looms over us like a dark cloud. Worse still, Ricolo himself might decide to join the fray. If he has any knowledge of the marked ones among us, he would surely seek to exploit their power for his own ends.

Ricolo’s intentions are as enigmatic as the man himself. Perhaps he harbors a desire to construct a golem using one of our bodies, or at least attempt such a feat. Or perhaps, in a surprising turn of events, he might wish to engage in civil discourse. Despite his form as a forest golem, Ricolo is known for his cunning and intelligence. This attack, involving a mere 500 soldiers, could have been a strategic move to gather information. An army of that size would not be defeated if it attacked a small beastfolk village, so if Ricolo was testing the waters to confirm the existence of the marked ones, he now has his answer.

In the aftermath of the battle, O’Lorg, the once orcish commander turned demon, lies defeated on the ground. His body is a gruesome sight, covered in scorching burns and blisters, eerily similar to Michelle’s condition. His regenerative powers are rendered useless, his body soaked in the purifying glow of radiant light magic. He coughs up blood, each gasp a struggle as he tries to form words.

“The-” he coughs, blood staining his lips, but he pushes on. “The- master wants your heads, marked ones. Save me from certain death, and I will aid you.” His words are punctuated by more blood spitting out from his mouth.

A heavy silence falls upon our party. A decision hangs in the balance. Do we save this demon, this enemy who has caused us so much annoyance? Or do we let him perish, a fitting end for his deeds? The choice we make could very well determine our fate in the battles to come.

Zura RoninN7 Darkbloom stupid

 

[SleepyConley]

Summary for the new player(s?) coming to join:

In the beginning Dezo, Erikah, Katherine, and Kaito all met at a tribal village in the Tribal Lands. Each being led there by a bounty they discovered on their travels. They were marked, the marked are those who have been visited by the enigmatic divine. The divine met with us in a dream, a void of nothingness where a whisper of a voice spoke to us, granting us our greatest desire. Currently, the divine who gave us these powers did not reveal who they are, only that impending doom may be upon the world of Nava, specifically the continent of Manara. The voice told us to seek out the lady of the green flame, promptly named The Green Flame Witch, whose name we discovered is Holly. The chieftain of the village our characters met with was named Dernaldo, or Dern, a human. Strange for a human to be a village chief of a beastfolk village, our characters shrugged it off, seeking information about the witch.

Our characters would learn she has been spotted around the swamplands of The Swamplands of The Shore. A region south of the Tribal Lands. Our characters would ride on a carriage south, passing by several villages. However, one village in particular was under attack by demonic gargoyles, golems of corrupt magic. Upon defeating them, an ogre would appear, after his defeat, he would transform into a demonic ogre, evolving, the corrupt mana from the gargoyles still lingering in the air being consumed by the ogre to fuel his transformation. As our party was about to meet certain death, a barrage of pure dark beams, hundreds of orbs filling the sky, an attack unable to be dodged was saved by the witch herself, the ogres body being burned to ashes in an instant.

Our party would, for a moment, team up with the witch. Learning her story and her name. The witch's story is that she is being hunted for her heart. Those who consume her heart will gain the power of the green flame. The green flame is known as the absolute flame, a flame that will not stop burning until it has completely destroyed its target, be it living or inanimate. She gained these powers through tradition, a power within her family passed down throughout generations. Her name, revealed to be Holly. Though her last name, still a secret.

After our meeting and conversations with the witch our party would meet with a vampire, whose name is Michelle. Passing through the region, revealing she is also a marked would join our party. The village chief, Duch Remal a beastfolk cub- her father died during the onslaught of the village- would ask our party to help them rebuild and empower the village. Something her father would never do, but something she felt she must do for the sake of her village.

After getting an ultimatum from the witch to travel with her or stay and help the village, our party would decide to help the village. The witch would stay one more night, gathering intelligence for the party, learning that an orcish army was heading their way. Our party would swiftly train and rebuild the village. Kaito worked on restoring the village with his powers. Eri and Michelle would train the warriors of the tribe to learn Eri's hammersoul technique, fighting with shadow hammers. Dezo would use his Shadow Monarch powers to conjure shadow metal, really condensed shadows, to make armor and weapons for the warriors. Katherine would teach the less physically adept beastfolk summoning magic.

Currently: War is happening between the beastfolk and orcish, together with our party and their marked powers are decimating the orcish. However, the orcish commander, O'Lorg, would transform into a demon using a corrupt artifact. Together the party would launch at attack. Dezo and Kaito would play the rescuers, while Eri, Kat and Michelle would launch an attack on the demon. Kat used Ku'Kalgo, an ancient serpent with wings, covered in black mist, her desire, to launch light magic at the demon. Eri would imbue her hammer with light magic, and Michelle would hold the commander in place. All three synergizing with each other to unleash a devasting attack on the demon. Michelle caught in the crossfire would be healed by Dezo. The demon commander, O'Lorg, lying on the ground near death will give us an ultimatum, to save him, or let him die. Promising to aid us if we rescue him. Dezo is out of the battle, using all of his mana to restore Michelle, until a full rest.

NamelessTrax San BuggaBoo READ THIS

 

[RoninN7]

Michelle saw the bright flash of light before feeling a searing pain tear through her body. She screamed in pain, feeling her demonic form fade away, leaving her body in its usual state. Her body hit the ground with a loud thud, and the burns all over her body radiate immense pain through her. With the last of her strength, the vampire pushed herself up to get a good look at the broken body of the demonic commander and let out a soft chuckle before collapsing and passing out.

Some unknown time later, Michelle feels a spark deep in her body. Suddenly, the darkness isn't so all-encompassing and some sounds echo through her mind, completely muddled. She sighs, feeling her strength slowly returning to her as her wounds seem to be healing. A deep, ragged gasp escapes her lips as her body starts slowly recovering from the near-fatal impact of holy magic. Confused, she tries to get up, but feels herself still too damaged to move much. Sounds of shouting and what she thinks are explosions fill her head. Whatever is happening, it's clear that the battle isn't entirely over just yet.

It isn't until some more time passes that Michelle hears relative silence. Some voices here and there stand out, but their words are too muddled to make anything out. Finally, her eyes flutter open and she looks up into the night sky filled with smoke. Gritting her teeth, Michelle lifts her head off the ground, trying to figure out what happened. Despite her current state, she can't help but wonder just how she's healing after suffering damage like that. Regular healing magic can't heal her because of its holy nature, so something else must've happened.

She looks down and stops, seeing Dezo's collapsed body on top of her. A small giggle escapes her lips, which then turns into a louder chuckle. Michelle winces in pain, groaning and feeling that laughing hurts quite a bit in her current state. She places a hand on Dezo's head, gently ruffling his hair. "Thank you yet again. I owe you one..." Michelle slowly pushes herself up until she's sitting down, holding him in her arms while he recovers and struggling to move much.

The sound of the commander's voice makes Michelle flash her fangs and hiss at his broken form. She tries to speak up, but coughs up a small amount of blood of her own. For a moment, the vampire feels quite fortunate to have feasted on so many orc warriors that night as it gave her plenty of blood to use in the healing process now that Dezo somehow restored her. Even while healing, it's abundantly clear that Michelle is in no condition to continue any sort of battle. She can hardly move without immense pain.

Darkbloom SleepyConley stupid Zura

 

[Zura]

Eri's lifeless body plumets towards the ground, a bright light flash above her. She successfully landed a hit on the commander's head. His skull bludgeoned, as she falls to the ground, Ku'Kalgo unleashes his light magic a powerful and blinding ray will hit the commander. When Eri smashed the commander in the head she noticed Michelle holding him in place, not to take away from her valiant heroism, doesn't interfere. As she falls, half conscious, she is suddenly saved by a gust of wind... Kaito? How nice, she doesn't have to experience an impact that could potentially kill her. She'll force herself up off the ground as she watches as the orcish army retreats, their numbers near zero. They'll use magic to conceal themselves with smoke bombs and illusions. When an orcish uses magic on this scale, you know they're fighting for their lives. Her hammer will speak, "Eri, are you okay?" An out of character question from her hammer, who truly seems worried about her. "Yeah." Wiping blood from her mouth.

Eri will sigh a breath of relief as the war is over. She'll walk over to the commander's body, his skull nearly crushed. His body burnt, soaked in blisters.

Dezo is passed out being held by Michelle, she'll run over to the two who are beside the burning commander. He'll speak, requesting aid for him becoming an ally. Risky, but could be useful. He could be lying, and high tail it out of here when he is revived, back to Rel.

Eri is against it and will walk over to the commander and lay her hammer beside his head, her body standing over his. "Everyone, what do you think? Should I end him?" Her hammer still imbued with light magic.

stupid Darkbloom RoninN7 SleepyConley

 

[NamelessTrax]

The scent of blood reached him by the time he was within earshot of the sounds of battle, dredging memories of his childhood from the deepest crevices of his mind. Kal’reigh quickened his pace, slipping his duffle pack to one shoulder in case of emergency. In the distance he could make out the flashes of magic being used, not uncommon in large scale battles… He broke into a sprint as he could feel it from this distance. Dark and sinister magic, expanding and condensing, shaping. Concern deepened Kal’s dark green eyes as he closed in on the battlefield, seeing a few figures take to the sky before a massive explosion of combined magical attacks. What maddening reason would warrant the use of such terrifying magic?

——

It was a battle that should not have come about, even when arriving at the scene, Kal could clearly see the differences. Battlements newly made, He’d seen enough military forts to know the extent. A force severely outnumbered, against… Orcish, a few hundred or more by the looks of their bodies littering the ground. Few armies were capable of fending off coordinated assaults from Orcish tribes of this size, and they resided within the larger Kingdoms. As he approached with caution, he came into earshot of survivors, the words he heard struck something in him. There, on the ground and injured heavily, probably from the last blast. A Demon… Kal frowned, formally Orcish by the looks of him. He took in the sights of a familiar brand among the others, various in race.

Footsteps sounded from behind the group, firm but thoughtful, purposeful without anticipation. “You speak of being offered mercy…” He started firmly with a low growling voice, halting paces away, slowly slipping his pack from his shoulder to let it thump on the bloodied dirt. “Let me ask you this, from one Orcish to another… Would you have offered the same, had the roles been reversed?” His tone was unwavering, a hint of disappointment between the lines. This was harder than he thought, Kal relaxed his hands from their tightening fists, keeping his strong gaze on the injured Demon. Currently with a Beastfolk beside him, with her hammer poised to deliver that final blow. He couldn’t place blame for the intent, He knew all to well the violence and horror his kind could inflict.

stupid Zura RoninN7 Darkbloom SleepyConley

 

[SleepyConley]

And another appears to join the battlefield. An orcish, however this one is dressed differently. He is dressed more civilized, more intricately. Warry of the approaching traveler, who seems to bare the same mark, our party will prepare for defense. Walking over towards the demon that lay near lifeless, the orcish will speak.

“You speak of being offered mercy…” He started firmly with a low growling voice, halting paces away, slowly slipping his pack from his shoulder to let it thump on the bloodied dirt. “Let me ask you this, from one Orcish to another… Would you have offered the same, had the roles been reversed?” His tone was unwavering, a hint of disappointment between the lines.

Words of wisdom that alter the way the ones who are still awake and aware will think. Is it true? Would the demon even hesitate to spare our lives? No. He wouldn't.

The air is filled with the stench of blood as the cries from soldiers on both sides can be heard throughout the area. The moonlight reflecting off the river of blood. Lingering mana hangs in the air, blue sparkles. Most orcish soldiers would die on their knees a testament to their barbaric nature. The footsteps of retreating soldiers as their silhouettes disappear into the distance. Wounded orcish soldiers who have yet to perish moaning in pain, some screaming, requesting aid for their knowledge- pledging their life to the marked. They could be good assets to add to the Village of Remal, the village our party just defended. Duch Remal herself, the village chief is nowhere to be seen, did she perish? Out from underneath a collapsed tower the summoners were firing from- can be heard whimpers and faint cries for help. Duch?

Suddenly, turning our attention to the demon, he would begin to laugh at the words the orcish marked spoke, blood spitting from his mouth, blood running down from his eyes, will speak.

"You puny little ants, coming-" spitting more blood. "Coming into this battle I thought of you as ants. However, you see me as a danger, an unknown." Wiping blood from his mouth, he'll continue, smiling, and tilting his head back to make direct eye contact with Eri who is standing above him with her hammer at the side of his head, "You see benefit within mineself and I see benefit within you all now."

Trinkles of this cursed being's regen powers will begin and then halt, healing small portions each at a time. This demon's regen powers are too great, even for an attack like that. It is time to decide, if a decision is not made the demon will recover. Dezo is passed out, Michelle is exhausted from nearly dying, Eri is on the brink of passing out herself, her body fueled by adrenaline and beastfolk survival instincts, Kaito- so far- has been watching everything unfold still watching for rogue orcish as not to be attacked, Kat safely landing to the ground will meet back up with Ku'Kalgo, Kal is standing near the demon with Eri and Michelle/Dezo, his name still a mystery.

NamelessTrax RoninN7 Zura Darkbloom stupid

 

[Darkbloom]

The fierce fight is winding down. He's just heard from the commander about the king wanting to claim their heads, all of the chosen. However, a choice has to be made. Let the commander die or let him live. The choice seems obvious, but Kaito wants to give it a little more thought. He looks around at everyone. Michelle is in no condition to fight. Dezo has gone unconscious again. Eri is barely standing up with her hammer, looking like she'll only be able to strike one more time. Kat is conscious and thinking much like Kaito is, but both of their mana is running low. And someone new has arrived, another one of the orcish. He seems to be upset. His fists had been tightened but grew more relaxed as he released them. The party is in no shape to fight troops like this again.

Now Kaito will think about the two options available to them: killing the commander would accomplish taking out a thorn in their side, a demon who can only be hurt by holy magic. The troops will scatter, and the village will be safe for an unknown amount of time. As Kaito is thinking about these things, the regenerative abilities of the commander are starting to take effect. He'll be healed soon, and if a decision isn't made he'll kill everyone. If the commander lives, he says he'll assist the party. But why would they trust the word of a demon? Their very nature is to lie and deceive to get what they want. He could just as easily turn on everyone at a moment's notice. Some of the orcish are still alive but not in great condition. They too could be useful in defending the newly rejuvenated town.

Kaito doesn't make this decision lightly. One way or another, everyone is still in trouble. So to that end, he speaks up. "My vote is for sparing him. With that out of the way, take a look around. Our party is in no condition to fight any more soldiers if they decide to come back. Maybe with proper rest we can recover a little bit, but even then I fear our chances will be slim." He expects to be shot down immediately, so he mentally prepares for that. "That's my suggestion. I will go with any decision that reaches the majority." His ears pick something up not far away. Turning his eyes to where he heard the noise, Kaito walks with haste to the collapsed tower. Kaito's voice is raspy and doesn't sound like him at all due to the environment and how he spent more mana than he normally would. "Hold on, I'll get you out..." He utilizes his enchanted shogi board to move the earth, and the wind to lift the heavier rocks for rescuing whoever was crying for help. "I've got you covered, don't worry. We'll get you taken care of and you'll be all better soon." He says to the voice as the collapsed tower makes progress clearing up an escape.

stupid SleepyConley Zura RoninN7 NamelessTrax

 

[stupid]

As Katherine is saved by Kaito from falling out of the sky, Ku'Kalgo (her summon) unleashes a potent ray of light magic. Three others are falling from the sky: Eri, Michelle and the demon whose name is O'Lorg. Luckily both Eri and Michelle are saved from their skyborne descent. Kat will fall to a knee, the air has been knocked out of her, she'll grasp for air for a minute, feeling extremely sick. Expending half of her mana all at once wasn't enough to render her unconscious but it did render her in a state of shock for a mere moment. As the scene unfolds, with the orcish retreating and some wounded begging for mercy, she'll notice another across the field. A silhouette approaching Michelle, Dezo and Kaito. She'll run over, propelling herself with air magic, she'll notice as she gets closer that the silhouette is an orcish... "No dammit! Dezo and Michelle don't have enough strength to fight even one mere orcish!" She'll notice that the orcish is having conversation with Michelle and Kaito, while Dezo is passed out, his poor human origins limiting him once again. The orcish appears to be dressed more civilized and holds themself with a proper demeanor. Kat will hover above them, still using air magic.

Come to find out the demon wants us to spare him in return for his aid.

As Kaito stakes his opinion on the matter, Kat listens very closely to what he has to say. Taking into consideration everything, perhaps keeping the orcish commander might not be a bad idea... but we're all exhausted. If he is lying, we will surely all perish. Kat will lower herself to the ground, trying to save as much mana as she can and begin to speak.

"I agree with Kaito. He could be of high value. He knows that we exist now. The word is spreading fast, there must be more of us than we all originally thought. This is a rash choice we have to make. Although demon's lie and are deceitful, this demon is new and originally an orcish, orcish hardly ever go back on their word, unless faced with death."

She'll look at Eri and Michelle waiting for their responses.

She'll finally peer over at the orcish man who also appears to bare a mark - Kaito has taken off to save someone who was trapped under a fallen tower nearby - gazing at the orcish man she will examine him from head to toe. "You, you're not just a regular orcish are you? What happened to your barbaric nature? You're from Liza aren't you? Plenty of orcish there who present themself in a civilized way. We'll catch up later, but first, tell me your name?"

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