Graded [Osun City] There is No End

[Goran Glacial]

Xack Gransuke

Xack underestimated their flexibility but also how useful the shield would be, "fuck me mother!" Xack cussed as he started to use the shield as a blunt object smashing the woodland demon with it a couple times before the strap broke dropping the shield to the ground. Xack then grabbed his longsword with both hands and swinging with his full strength from right to left before taking a deep breath and shifting his stance to swing again, As Xack had swung he did his best to ignore any oncoming blows focusing to do as much damage as he could.

 

[Discusstu]

Steve

​

Dirt and grime splattered across Steve as he chopped away against the demon's plant-like hide. Though successful, it was too soon to celebrate. Steve had the upper hand when it came to position, and after their brief collision, in physical capabilities as well. However, it wasn't enough to shake off the uneasiness he felt. No matter how much he swung and how deep his axe dug into its wooden flesh, the demon remained resilient. Its ferocity was left unhindered as its gnarled root-claws continued to swipe away at Steve. His breath had become deep. It wasn't labored, but more exertional in character. This was his first battle but even Steve knew that he couldn't just continue with what he was doing. Even if he came out victorious, blocking, parrying, dodging, and hacking into a mindless demon would only leave him fatigued.

As the creature aimed for Steve's legs, he shifted his focus on defense, lowering his shield, hoping to block the attack. With both knees bent and in a partial crouch, Steve's small frame was lower to the ground in a way, giving him better balance and stronger traction to the muddy ground. He took this opportunity to brace himself and leap backwards, using whatever force he could muster and the strength of the demon's strike to disengage, distancing himself even for a few feet.

The demon's ability to perceive pain was questionable, but its bottomless vitality wasn't. He had to incapacitate it some other way. Given their thoughtless nature, Steve anticipated that if granted the opportunity, it would simply get back up to its feet and rush towards him once again. Setting aside his shield, both hands now wielded axes. While it got back up, that was when Steve would strike. His previous attacks might have not been as effective, but it showed him that the demon did not have any vital points. No heart or core at the center of its body, nor blood or any sort of fluid that gave it life. Using the blunt side of the axe, Steve would hinder its balance before knocking it back to the ground, then chop away at its joints. As voracious as it was, without arms or legs to swing, it would become less of a threat, making it easier for Steve to dice it up into pieces.

TLDR: Steve will repeat the whole disengage and minimally distance himself, wait for plant demon to start getting up, interrupt it midway and knock it back down, get an attack or two before disengaging again.

 

[RavenSong]

Aria


As Aria attempted to slash through the groaning tree folk, she realized they were much thicker than she could cut through. Now with the element of surprise gone, the creature appeared to become enraged. To Aria's amazement, her dagger strikes proved ineffective as well, noticing only light shining through the holes bored into the creature's body. No blood. No oozing.
She quickly glanced at the 5 soldiers incoming and began to fall back towards them, minding her footing. “This is much tougher than I thought.” She said under her breath focused fiercely through her messy silver hair at the plant demon, parrying the creature's strike. The soldiers were dealing with their own set of problems as strikes came at them from every seemingly possible angle.
She hoped its mobility might be somewhat reduced, crowded among others of its kin up together.
Her mind began to race for a way to incapacitate the frenzied plant kin. Just as she parried another of its attacks, the blade rang, sending vibrations through her hands.
She’d command her spinning Psionic Blade to redirect its attacks at its joints connecting its arm to its shoulder. Perhaps without limbs the tree folk would be much easier to dispatch. Cutting it piece by piece seemed a more sound idea than going at it with a fell swoop.

Considering she lacked the physical strength to do so. Just serving drinks at a tavern could do that to someone.

Realizing the creature was catching onto her movements Aria would fake a few steps to the left before crouching and with one hand stabilize her posture enough to throw herself to the right, grunting with exertion, then rolling as she landed before teleporting just within striking distance of a precise Teleport Strike at the arm her dagger had already been focusing on. Should she be successful the arm would fall, and she’d attempt the same with the other arm, and then at the neck.

Part of her hoped the soldiers behind the creature would catch on to her plan and work together, it was mostly everyone for themselves in the muddy and slippery battlefield. They had to organize. But how? Without clear leadership it seemed they were only attracting more and more of the fiends towards them.

 

[Orikanyo]

Finnegan Huttman


"..Tsk..." Finn clicked his tongue, the beast was hardy, that was to be certain. "Bloody tough ain'tchyea." his foe leapt towards him. A tactic for those with nothing to lose, it relied heavily on it's toughness to get through and just savagely beat whatever it sees. But steel beats wood, and he was keen to show it just how it does so.

But his observations were clear, it rooted it'self with it's feet with each step or limb that touched the ground. The damn thing was basically wearing cleats made of roots! Clever... but Finn knew how to work in mud. his footwork was reliant on the patched sturdy ground that was left from the mud's grasp. One strong foot down, slightly sinking in he stepped towards the incoming beast and went low with his form whilst bringing his sword down from a overhead strike.

With luck, it would slam the beast back down, at best, it would cut the thing in two. At worst, well, we don't think about the worst case scenario here.

We've only just started after all!

The best was yet to come!

 

[LadyOfStars]

Linneus Light

Novama Orikanyo Goran Glacial RavenSong Discusstu​

Despair had started to sink into Linneus' heart as he watched the line begin to falter and his guard succumb to the enemies. His hands tightened on the reins and his teeth ground over one another, He didn't have the skill to properly command them nor the fighting power to rush out there and assist them. But how could he ask for courage from them and not practice what he preached. Surely he could be of some use on the battlefield? "Damn it!"

The 5 guards continued to struggle against the demons and Alanna was shocked to see one of her own fall and become a lager target. "No!" She cried out when the demons descended upon him. She had her hands full with her own enemies and could not step away to aid the fallen soldier. Sparing a second to look around the field she noticed that everyone seemed to have their hands full and no one could truly step away to engage in a rescue. She was supposed to be their leader and although they served Linneus it was her that they put their faith and trust in to watch their backs. Her heart began to break and tears formed in her eyes. "Adventurers! Fall back to the village and regroup!" They needed time to strategize and rethink their position. She and what remained of the soldiers could try to offer them that time if nothing else. "Soldiers! On me!"

At her command the remaining guards started moving closer to Alanna, trying to defend themselves while also trying to draw the attention of the demons away from the others.

 

[Novama]

Time: 12:03pm
Weather: cool and clear
Mentions: @Ar Ef See LadyOfStars Eccentric_Undead Orikanyo Goran Glacial Discusstu RavenSong
OOC: The thought of Alanna declaring that and potentially thinking they were all gonna die in the effort was moving. For those loading up their posts with actions: during combat, only a handful of seconds passes per turn unless there is some major transition. When the post has an abundance of basic actions that do not count as abilities, they are summed together for overall effectiveness rather than being taken individually.
TLDR: Everyone, whether they were able to overcome their woodland demon or not was able to regroup in the village defenses that just finished.
Post Listenings:

Highgrove Village

​

Xack's shield maneuvers were even less helpful than when he was stabbing the creature. Forgoing defense, his powerful slashes returned some results however. The blade sliced the creature in half with the first swing, the strength propelling the quality blade through the central core of the creature. The demon was clearly brought low, but it was still able to move and so it did. It's upper half launched itself at Xack with its arms while its legs did the same. Neglecting his defense and now being double teamed by the split monster, Xack was superficially wounded by the clawing of the mini demons that managed to get around his armor.

Steve, meanwhile, was seeing the fruits of his labor. His enemy was unable to get a proper hit on him while slowly losing its limbs and means of fighting back. By the end, Steve stood over a severely diced pile of splintered wood matter. Mud and splinters decorated him from the splash back of his axes. Free to look around, he would more easily note the situation had turned dire with the sudden surge of the enemy numbers. He would also note Aria was backing away from her own demon toward the heated front line. Bold move, but it didn't look like a wise one.

Aria's deflecting efforts of the demon pursuing her was not quite sufficient. The muddied and uneven, trampled ground meant she had to exercise more caution than normal and couldn't evade as much as she would have liked. The wounds were painful red streaks where the demon was able to scour her flesh in a few areas. She would not be able to keep fighting like this. The guards she put her back to were suffering similarly. Her presence only meant the demons had one more meat post to claw at. It also became apparent that her flying dagger lacked the precision she hoped it would have. Short of a lucky pass, the dagger would need more time to work than Aria had time to give.

Finn methodical approach, like Steve's, bore fruit. The tripod of a demon was split in half again with Finn's latest chop. It was unable to connect with Finn nor get through his defense and now it was down enough limb. With just an arm and a leg, the creature persisted in the fight, but with no backup, it was summarily destroyed. Finn was more preoccupied than he perhaps hoped, but fortunately, the soldiers that charged to the front were able to draw the attention for everyone else so none of the demons were able to outflank the preoccupied flank. The one side of the battle didn't seem all that worth protecting at that point now that several men were on the brink of dying at the front.

The soldiers at the front line were not holding well. The downed soldier was actively getting stabbed and sliced but the handful of demons that pounced him. His cries of pain turned desperate as he shouted for help that could not be offered unless one of the other soldiers wished to risk joining him in the mud, their guts mixing with the mud. Alanna's valiant cry was able to keep the men holding firm while coordinating the efforts of the adventures still around. It was obvious there was too many demons. Having the leave to run was all many of them needed. The soldiers were quickly abandoned by all but Aria who had yet to act at the new order.

Michael

Michael's tensed body was ready. He knew what he needed to do despite his betters running past him to the presumed safety of the village defensive line. With mind centered and focused, free of the distractions of an immediately demon in his face, he activated his latest ability:

"Evading Parkouring Blender Bomb"

As he declared the words, the abilities and their suit of skills grew in focus and were suddenly activated in much the same way spells do when the mana is gathered and forced to behave in a particular way. First online was [Jump], which sent Michael rocketing into the air toward the front line. Over a couple dozen feet in the air and set to clear nearly one hundred feet, a few more skills came online as the ability progressed: [wall bouncing special movement], [acrobatics], [fancy falling special movement], [appraisal].

The air around Michael congealed just enough that he could see it and kick off of it to propel him more forward even as he fell. Spiraling in the air to throw his weight from left to right and kicking off the air on occasion to keep his forward momentum high, he was able to prolong his decent until he soared over the heads of the guards. He continued on till he was over the central mass of a few dozen demons clustering up to feed on the guards. He came out of the spiral with twin shortswords in hand and held at the ready as he suddenly dropped out of the air and landed among the demons like a bomb throwing mud and a few demons to the side in the impact.

[Fighting Style Buzzsaw Slayer], [Skin Breaker], [Backfire] Online. As demons turned to the source of the sudden ground shake and moved to investigate, a light blue glow emanated from the center of their number. Immediately following was the whirling sound like a lawn mower the size of a helicopter followed by the loud and thunderous noise of wood and sticks going through said mower. Woodland demons were instantly shredded and tossed in all directions. The soldier's efforts had clustered all the demons into a small enough area that allowed Michael to move in and clean up most of the 2nd and 3rd wave. However, several from the third wave still remained and the 4th wave could be seen at the tree line. It was time to go.

Michael brushed off demon splinters as he jogged over to the soldiers. one of the 5 was severely injured if he was still alive and the other 4 were especially rough around the edges if not sporting similar wounds. Raising mithril shortsword to his forehead as if in solemn prayer or oath, Michael held his blade to the group of them, Aria included, and declared

"Area Heal"

The glowing blade flashed a bright blue and all the soldiers and Aria were bathed in a similarly blue light. While under the blue spectacle, all the effected group would be able to see has their flesh knitted itself back together. The dying man on the ground was the most severe case with stuff hanging on the outside getting tucked back in. His armor was ruined but he was able to stand back up.

Not willing to contend with the next wave of demons by himself, Michael started to hoof it back to the village. It looked like the defenses were complete. In his haste and little uneasy from the ability usage, he tripped and went sliding in the mud. He muttered incoherently as he frantically picked himself up and ran while wiping the mud off.

Back At Highgrove​

The defenses around the village were complete. All windows and doors on the outside of the village were sufficiently reinforced. Makeshift wooden barriers with spikes attached blocked off all streets and alleys leading out of the village. The only way in was through selected spaces left open and lined with soldiers to use them as kill boxes. Any demon coming in would be met by a barrage of attacks by the soldiers and adventurers lining the kill box. To supplement the defenses were archer posts with enough bows and arrows next to blazing braziers to light their arrows that they could probably burn down the whole wood if they tried. As wounded and weary adventurers started tottering in, field healers would immediately move to assist and bring them water among other comforts. More demons were coming, but it was now the soldiers turn for a while. The rest would use the opportunity to catch their breath and reflect on what happened.



(F grade creature with particularly hardy vitality. More plant than flesh and blood, killing one requires excessive violence as if hacking at a zombie with no head weak point. Will scratch and rip and flail at anything it can get its hands on. Many of them wear F grade wooden armor that acts as an extra layer and/or an extension of their bodies. They lack vital points. Piercing and Bludgeoning damage doesn't seem to effect them as much. To aid in walking and standing upright, they temporarily root themselves. Their connection to the earth also seems to give them an extra sense that allows them to better pick up on the movements on and in the earth like a tremorsense. Addition: so long as more than one appendage remains intact, the demon can and will continue its assault. Seems to feed on the fluids and soft tissue of its victims and can regain lost strength through it.)

 

[Orikanyo]

Finnegan Huttman




"Hrmm... Thanks for the display. Guess I understand abit more..." his attention turned elsewhere, the time to return was nigh, it was best that he went back in and tell others what he learned. These were hardy beasts... he paused for a moment, spotting the thing still attempting to claw at him despite being in half, his eyes narrowed. "You are a tricky one eh? Alright. All limbs of the tree then, you make me wish i invested in a big axe." Finn set to on the butchery work, removing the last limb and the head for good measure.
"And theres only more, oh well, live and learn... I'll be here for awhile, learning them will only make it easier."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With a brief reprieve gained, Finn sat next to a lit fire, hearing sobbing and pained gasps from those who didn't treat these unknown foes with proper care, or simply didn't have the power some others wield. it was a woeful beginning to this endeavor, but a hard lesson that will be learned. Or those alive still will suffer the consequences of the folly.

Finn drank some water he snatched up from a rain barrel, the front was a bloody mess, valiant men but they were beaten and wounded to be certain. He couldn't help but wonder about the lord, what would he do now that the defences are settled? Would he wade into the fray? Would he hold back here and piss himself? Really, it wasn't anything Finn needed to know, as long as he stayed alive they wouldn't be buggered after all this.

his position was in the center of the camp, he seemed at ease, but had his sword nearby, the break wouldn't last too long. And the lines would need his strength once more.

"Oi, whoever was on the front, move on over. Tell us all what you found on these things. faster we get a plan in place the sooner these things become a chore rather than a death. And the sooner we'll get to the worse threats to be dragging their rotten hides from the woods." he called out to fellow adventurers and others who were on the front not too long ago.

"Come on, don't be shy, any info is good info. I learned the fuckers can live with just two limbs, cutting them all off works, haven't seen em headless yet but the blighters got cleat-like roots that keep em steady in the mud." he started off, calling out in the air to start, figuring that if nobody took him up, what he learned may save SOMEONE's life out there."

 

[LadyOfStars]

Linneus Light

Novama Orikanyo Goran Glacial RavenSong Discusstu
​

Reunited the 5 soldiers were still in a bad space, but they watched as the adventurers retreated to safer territory and they felt pride swell in their hearts that they not only would die serving a purpose, but that they would also have done what their lord would want expect of those in his service. As they gave what they thought would be their final attacks, they felt a warmth wash over them. A healing energy reinvigorated them all and they felt as though they had been given a second chance. "On me!" Their leader yelled. They quickly worked their way to fallen comrade, finally regrouping completely and rescuing him. Alanna could see that the city was prepared and like the rest of the fighters she and the guards took the opportunity to withdraw.

Linneus watched the soldiers in the city move into position and his heart beat with renewed faith in his people. The defenses were prepared , the adventurers alive, and by the grace of the sun, his personal guard made it back to the city. It seemed that things were turning in their favor for the moment. Excited by the thought, Linneus spurred his horse and it galloped to the adventurers' camp.

"I cannot thank you all enough for the bravery you have shown here!" He shouted out as his horse's gallop slowed to an eventual stop. "I know that you're tired and hurt, but please gather round so that we may formulate a worthwhile strategy." The blond knight was right about sharing what they had learned with one another. That would make fighting much easier for everyone.

Linneus hoped that the other fronts were doing much better and that the people were ok. As Alanna and her men approached the fire she shot Michael a look of gratitude and bowed her head to her hero. "The fire arrows should work well against the enemies so we might have the advantage with that. But anyone with healing capabilities should refrain from being in direct combat. You're more useful in the long run if you're helping to maintain the strength of those fighting. You are too valuable to lose at this stage."

 

[RavenSong]

Aria


The shield maiden striked, but the dagger - possibly blunt by how much it had already been put through- just wasn’t fast enough. The blade bounced off the tree folk, once again giving her position away, before it effectively lacerated her across her waist and abdomen.

She’d cry out painfully, as the affliction coursed through her ripped nerves and skin. She’d fall backwards, wincing in agony as the free hand covering her wounds began to drip with her blood. She’d crawl on her back away from the plant demon as she held her chipped sword up to the creature, shaking. Finally stopping where the other had been more or less butchered by another plant demon.

“I don’t have all day!” She’d cough through her muddied lips in defiance.

Just then a blue light emitted throughout the battlefield, then a thunderous sound of shredding wood would echo through the forest. Aria would shut her eyes as she was nearly covered in splintered plant material. When she at length, behold a sight of splintered bark scattered across the muddy field.

Blinking in astonishment and then wincing in pain she’d observe as the warrior liable for the mass obliteration she just witnessed would run up to the horribly hurting group barely standing.

As the blue light radiating from the warrior mended the shield maiden, her breathing became clearer and the pain seemed to cease all together. She would steadily get back on her feet as the other soldiers signaled the completion of the village defenses. Seemed they were also signaling a call to regroup.
Muttering a few words the shield maiden summoned her focus socketed dagger, gently returning to its sheath at her waist.
She’d turn to Michael, and bow her head in gratitude as he headed towards the village. Aria decided it’d be best to follow suit, hopefully others had much better ideas.

—————

The defenses had been built, which made Aria feel a bit more optimistic about her blunder on the battlefield. She felt like a seasoned warrior, so why couldn’t she be like one? Thoughts that dissipated as she paced in a light jog towards the center of the village where the others met. She accepted a drink of water and drank as some dripped down her neck.

She gazed up at the armor clad nobleman who seemed to be of great authority. Then towards the other who would reveal insight on the tree demons weaknesses. She’d nod. Aria stood silent for a moment before starting her own evaluations. “I managed to bore multiple holes in one, but it was useless..” she continued as she unconsciously made a fist “..perhaps, two men per creature at the very least would be sound, I simply wasn’t strong enough to cut through that dreadful demon.”

Novama Orikanyo LadyOfStars Goran Glacial Discusstu

 

[Discusstu]

Steve

​

Deep and lengthy breaths left Steve's mouth as he gazed upon the lifeless and chopped up plant demon in front of him. His hands gripped tightly along the handles of his axes, his muscles remained tense, as if Steve was still ready to swing. Though caked in mud, Steve smiled as he basked in the glory of his small victory. As much as his body was telling him to roar out loud, he showed some restraint. His win was without a doubt a milestone, but something so attention-seeking needed to be reserved for a grand triumph.

He was relieved that everyone else fared relatively well, some more that others. Heading the commands of the soldiers under the Baronry, Steve slowly distanced himself from the frontlines before completely retreating back into their camp.

Having his fill of water and dousing his head with a bucket's worth, Steve felt refreshed and invigorated. Since he didn't sustain any major injuries, he only needed to sit down, rest his eyes, and catch his breath. As he sat back, Steve couldn't help but overhear and notice the gathering between the baron and adventurers. Taking his time, Steve did not immediately speak, but only got up. Walking slowly towards the group, he listened to their discussion, not wanting to repeat what already been said.

Given his size, Steve expected that it would be easy for him to go unnoticed. Climbing on top some stacked crates, Steve took a seat, his body hunched forward while his arms rested on his dangling legs. Once comfortable, he cleared his throat, hoping to direct some attention towards himself. "They seemed mindless but unwavering; some of you probably noticed it as well." Steve's eyes veered from one side to another, taking a look at the adventurers who were with him in the front lines. "No matter how hard you hit them, they wouldn't flinch, as if, they didn't feel pain." Steve briefly clenched his fist in frustration before calming down. "But this makes them somewhat predictable; we can use that against them. Like the young lady mentioned, going in pairs may be a more efficient approach. They could alternate between distracting it while the other focuses on hindering its ability to move and attack by going for its limbs." This was the approach Steve used, but pulling it of by himself took too much time and proved to be riskier. "Although methodical and repetitive, it might help minimize injuries." Despite his child-like appearance, Steve's expression and voice remained stern, but in a way, was also filled with what felt to be worry.

 

[Goran Glacial]

Xack Gransuke
​

Xack cussed as the Woodland demon which he had split into both bottom and top half, Attacked him with both halves superficially wounding him. as he heard the call for retreat he cussed yet again stoping only to mark both halves with a circle with a cross through it for revenge later.
````````
As Xack got back from the medic tent having his wounds cleaned and bandaged he tread back to the adventurers tents before sitting an a far corner to chew on some jerky. When linneus strode up he was already done with his jerky and was taking a drink from a wooden cup, as he gathered with the rest Xack didn't much attention to his surroundings only speaking up after Aria and Steve "i agree it should be two to one and with immobilizing it first, I had tried stabbing at those points making little difference but perhaps full limb dismemberment would work but not bisecting it as i found out the hard way both top and bottom half attacked at the same time" after having said his fill he leaned on a nearby wooden barrel to see how things would proceed.

 

[Orikanyo]

Finnegan Huttman




"Alright alright got it got it.

So, heres what else, they obviously got no damn sense of self preservation, they just rush in and rake their claws against you, just how it is.

They don't care, simple enough.

They have little to no tactics either, only one flanked, but that still means we gotta guard it, they try and barrel through and eat whoevers down. Not even the common curtousy of waiting till their dead.

They don't have any fear, they can keep attacking even if you cut them down to just a head and two arms. So, pretty much you gotta bring em down to something you can deal with when you got time.

Not sure where it ends on that, but for sake of talking about it, the head, someone take one of those things head off and we'll see how that goes. Stabbing weapons are out, same with crushing, means we gotta work harder to make up for those with those weapons or apply them correctly.

Or, borrow weapons.

Or, those with the inneffective weapon types can attempt to open up the foe for a cutting attack, as such all duos should have at least one axe or sword or what have you.

This is a village next to a damn forest, one of them left axes around so best we get searching.

After that, wood boards, as many as we can to lay them upon the ground towards the gateway or fighting areas. Less we step on mud the better and boards are better than slipping in the mud or worse sinking and getting ripped into.

If we have time, setting the beasts corpses alit in a bonefite can help spot the bastards, worse comes to worse, the forest will recover from a burnt glade.

Those who need rest, rest, those who don't, follow and spread out looking for anything worthwhile useing against the horde.

If your caught stealing valuables you'll be dealing with the fancy pants, not me, i'm busy being useful." Finn stood up once more and looked to the others around.

"My armor and defences prevent me from taking any of their shit, i lack considerable offense, any who are with me, leave the defence to me." He pauses for a moment, raising an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"We gonna sit here repeating the same words or are we gonna get this shit done!?

Come on! Up and at em! find a partner! find tools, particularly sharp saws if you have to!

Were adventurers not lay abouts adaptability is our calling!" He called out, heading towards the village to see what he can find.

"Any axes goes to those with spears and such first! If I catch any of you hogging equipment or complaining i'll tell yer damn mothers." He called back, making certain his voice could be heard over all. But he passed by the lordling on the way, a small nod as he went to find something worthwhile. Axes, hell even an adze work for chopping wood.

They would be returned, if they survive this ordeal. Fleeing people wouldn't care for tools when their life is at stake, stands to reason there would be some left. He couldn't waste time sitting around a camp fire thinking about how hard this was, he had people to save and wood demons to slay.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Linneus Light

Novama Discusstu Goran Glacial RavenSong Orikanyo​

It was a weird time to be smiling, but linnneus couldn't help it. The adventurers were inspiring in the way that they came together and tried to improve their odds of surviving as a whole. He had noticed some of them presented traits he considered admirable and perfect for leadership positions. The first to take his attention was the silver haired woman who showed humility and modesty in her report of the battles. The leaders of his organization needed to be mindful of their own flaws and shortcomings. She would be perfect for ensuring that the others who joined would be at least have a role model for such behavior if nothing else.

The next was a young man who caught Linneus by surprise. He showed a wisdom and intellect beyond his years and an understanding for battle that the young baron would expect from a veteran. Although he was young there was no denying the value of wisdom in any and every situation. He too would make a great addition to the order if he chose to join.

A man with fiery red hair stood out not only for the wild color of his hair but for his bravery, which Linneus admired almost above all else. A willingness to face danger head on was important for the path he planned to walk. Although it was dangerous to be here and many advised against it, Linneus was glad he came to the frontlines and got to see these adventurers for himself.

Someone who did show himself to be somewhat unsavory was the blond swordsman. His manner of speaking to the others and barking orders as if he were in a position of power really irritated Linneus. It wasn't inspiring nor was it endearing. "Burning down that forest is not an option and only I will make such hefty decisions." Linneus stated sternly as the swordsman walked by him. The forest was important to the village's sustainability and contribution to the rest of the barony.

"While you're all preparing for the next attack, please consider partnering with one of us. Our armor will protect us and allow us to serve as greater distractions than those of you who are without armor. And please do not rush back to the fight, make sure that you are prepared as best you can." Alanna looked to the adventurers and then back to the men who served alongside her. She was glad that they had all managed to survive the encounter and she would make sure that their hero was properly rewarded.

 

[Novama]

Time: 1:03pm
Weather: cool and clear
Mentions: @Ar Ef See LadyOfStars Eccentric_Undead Orikanyo Goran Glacial Discusstu RavenSong
OOC: Go ahead and keep the dialogue going, but note a battle is still being actively waged
TLDR: everyone rests and considers how to fight back against the stronger than expected forces.
Cooldowns: Magic Sword C : 2 posts, Michael E : 0 posts
Post Listenings:

Highgrove Village

​

While the adventurers take a breather and discuss their plans with Linneus's guards, the rest of the soldiers were busy maintaining their defensive line for the village. The weapons effective against the creatures were mostly bladed ones that allowed them to shop off limbs. They got a lot more efficient at cutting down the demons as they moved through the kill box. The fire arrows were helpful. It took a few hits, but eventually the woody creatures were engulfed in flames. They were able to persist for a while despite the burning though. There were a couple scares where blazing demons ran into the wooden walls of the barricade. A few quick buckets of water resolved the issue, but should the demons ever manage to burn down the barrier, they would be in real trouble. AFter that, the archers took their time igniting demons further in the back. Sometimes they would ignite others close to them and all would burn up by the time they reached the mob clustering by the channel that funneled them into the kill box. As their numbers swelled, the soldiers at other killboxes and archer stations started to get business.

In the distance The village of Redcliffe shown black smoke. Looks like the mercenaries attempted to use fire too, but they were not as careful. There were fewer guards that way as well. Hard to tell what was going on. At least the entire village wasn't ablaze, but they likely discovered the enemy was more formidable than anticipated. Messengers would likely be making an efffort to get word to the castle town and to Highgrove as the enemy allowed. Lookouts would be keeping watch for runners just in case they needed to hastily let someone in the barricade.

Michael

Michael found a well in the village to wash up by. He was muddy, sweaty, and covered in wood chips. Felt good to splash water on his face and he smiled about it despite the rest of him still looking worse for wear. His smile left at Alanna's comment.

Crossing the space between the two of them, he got close enough to whisper to her,

"I'd appreciate you and your men forget what you saw. I don't want the recognition or the bother it would bring me. Despite what you think, I'm not a healer or some clergyman. I'll be more useful in the field."

In his haste, he forgot to keep his tone in check. Taking a step back, he looked around anxiously. did he whisper too loud? Did he offend the soldier?


(F grade creature with particularly hardy vitality. More plant than flesh and blood, killing one requires excessive violence as if hacking at a zombie with no head weak point. Will scratch and rip and flail at anything it can get its hands on. Many of them wear F grade wooden armor that acts as an extra layer and/or an extension of their bodies. They lack vital points. Piercing and Bludgeoning damage doesn't seem to effect them as much. To aid in walking and standing upright, they temporarily root themselves. Their connection to the earth also seems to give them an extra sense that allows them to better pick up on the movements on and in the earth like a tremorsense. Addition: so long as more than one appendage remains intact, the demon can and will continue its assault. Seems to feed on the fluids and soft tissue of its victims and can regain lost strength through it.)

 

[RavenSong]

Aria

Tltr: Aria reminisced on the purpose of joining the battle.
Proposes V formation strategy with Steve and Xack in either side of Finn, with 2 of the Barons guards on each side, expanding the formation. Then Alanna and 2 others close behind to prevent flanking. Breaking formation in the case of a flaming plant demon charge due to archers.

Would gear up in leather armor, find a fresh sword and sharpen her dagger, open for interacting.


———


Aria put the tip of her blade on the ground in front of her, resting her palms at the pommel of the sword . She looked over to the others speaking, as they shared their evaluations. Taking mental notes. Some ideas were better than others; generally it was their own experiences and calls for creative solutions. Which Aria understood would determine their success or failure.

Ultimately, Aria was neither an adventurer or a sellsword. And any recollection of her past talents in ordering troops and managing morale - were at least during this time, shredded- like the piles of plant demon matter on the battlefield.

She imagined it didn’t matter, she had gone from a barmaid to a soldier at war, afterall, everyone starts somewhere. The thought excited her, but she also weighed her inexperience against her martial prowess, there was something strangely familiar about warfare though. In spite of her elation, she knew it was right to defend the home of the people who took her in. The least she could do was to help keep them safe. They were a simple village, and she’d grown very fond of them.

Aria would turn towards the booming blonde knight, he seemed like a man of action as he suggested a list of things. The offering proposal of his defensive strengths intrigued her. “Defense would certainly be our best chance here..” she’d continue before glancing at the red haired one leaning on a barrel and the younger looking one sitting on a crate. “..the two of you could be our best chance for an offensive front.”

Heeding the words of the nobleman, Aria looked up at him atop his armor clad steed. Noticing his decorated dress, the air about him; inspiring, and his personal guard, again confirmed his noble status in her eyes. “A sound plan, your lordship.” she said with an approving nod, then to his royal guard. “It would be an honor to fight by your side.”

She would look towards the blonde haired knight once again. “May I propose a plan?” She’d clear her throat as her sword began to draw a V formation on the muddy dirt. “If both the red haired one, and the young man there, stood beside you on both sides, I’d wager there could be no better arrow head to pierce their numbers. If two of the guards could march next to them to extend the arrow formation it would be most beneficial to cover our flank.”
Aria would draw three dots behind the arrow before pointing at Alanna, “If you could consider taking the position behind the line with two more of your men, we could cover the flank and support our comrades at the front wherever necessary.”

Aria would turn her gaze towards the archers firing at the plant demons. Then back towards the party. “Should the archers set one ablaze, and we must break formation, reform the line as best you can. Our movements might be reduced to a slow march, any conclusive solutions to this disadvantage of terrain, would be most welcome, however.” She looked at the others with a smile as she concluded. “I believe that is all I have, gentlemen.” Turning to Alanna with a gentle bow of her head. “And lady.”


If things would conclude, Aria would search the armory for leather armor, a sword replacement, and tend to sharpening her dagger. She would sit on a hay bale as she did so, open for conversation or ready for battle.



Novama Discusstu Goran Glacial LadyOfStars Eccentric_Undead

 

[Discusstu]

Steve

​

Steve listened in silence, his legs casually dangling in the air, as the group continued to converse, trying their best to formulate an appropriate plan of action. Steve had already shared what he believed to be useful and was now interested on hearing what others would make of it.

Though an odd bunch, Steve could tell that most, if not all, had strong personalities. Given their situation, having a leader was important, but if too many tried to take the reins, making any worthwhile progress would be difficult. Right now, Steve believed that there were others that head more experience than him. A better head on their shoulders. He was still trying to figure things out, determining what exactly he was capable of. At the moment, he felt that whatever questions he had, he’d find the answers on the field. He’d prove himself there.

Having no qualms with the suggestions that were brought up, Steve turned to Aria. “I have no objections to that plan.” His expression was stern as he nodded slightly. Now, he had to prepare himself. Dropping down to the ground, his light frame allowing him to comfortably land on his feet, Steve slowly approached the baron and bowed. He wasn’t familiar with the etiquette practiced by nobility, but at least knew that he had to show respect and portray humility when in the presence of the upper class. Raising his head, Steve shifted his gaze to the lord’s guard and bowed once again. “It would be an honor to stand beside you and your men. Thank you.”

With the conclusion of their gathering, Steve headed to the armory. After his encounter with the plant demon and the debriefing they just had, Steve had a few realizations and ideas that he wanted to attempt. Returning one of the axes and the buckler he had borrowed, Steve looked through the available weapons and pulled out a halberd. It had the familiarity of an axe and also gave him some reach, effectively opening up the number of options he could take.

Before resting up and partaking some nourishment, Steve headed to an open space within their camp, and got himself used to the new weapon he had picked up.

 

[Orikanyo]

Finnegan Huttman



"So you are willing to put your foot down, good, don't let yourself be walked over.

You're already two steps better than the fucker who let my father die, don't let yourself fall down below him." Finn's smiled beamed, then momentarily hardened, before continueing on his way, he had better put his words to work.

~~~~

Rags.

Everywhere was rags.

Tools he had found but why so many damn rags? Yes they can be stuffed in clothes for warmth or just used to clean something but wgyever did so many places have rags everywhere? Were they making something? Was it a cultural thing here?

Doesn't matter, he found the woodcutters and found the boards and what not. He also found a scarecrow? Why the hell not, call it a test to see if the beasts are dumb or not. Looks somewhat likr a person, ish, has a hat.

The man pulls out of the house and adds the axes he found to a growing stockpile of various equipment. The Straw scarecrow overlooking it all with an impassive drawn on smile, ignorant of the pain surrounding it.

Finn cracked his neck and called out "Got some choppers here! Those without a cutting weapon get yourself over here and carry one with you!

The sooner these become a nuisance the better. Better than a danger, to be certain." The man paced for abit, eyeing the area around.

"Planks here... Drop em out on the mud... Hey, what are we doing about the dead or wounded? These things will pounce and eat even still living folks.

If thats the case we'll need a distraction if worst comes to worst. I'm able to hold off a few, so if it comes down to it, let me cover our rears if we have to run. Or even if we need to get to someone.

If something else comes from the wood... Let me go at it, watch it from afar and do yer bests, flank it or what have you. This ain't a hero thing you let heavier armor folks take the brunt as is." Finn offered himself up as bait as quickly as brrathing.

"We'll be out there soon as well, be ready folks, we'll have demons aplenty to slay, I can smell em from in here."

@ all present and there

(Finn is ready for round two.)

 

[LadyOfStars]

Linneus Light

It was interesting to watch the adventurers go about preparing for the next phase of the battle while they discussed what their strategy would be. They were not bad people and even the blond swordsman was trying to make sure everyone survived despite being a bit of a pain to listen to. Linneus got down off of his horse and stretched his legs as he looked around the camp. He wandered over to where Alanna and the other soldiers were seated and flashed them a concerned smile. "You all went above and beyond what I could ever have asked of you. You signed up to defend me, not participate in a defense against demons." These five came from humble backgrounds and even Alanna wasn't someone with notable experience prior to taking this position.

The group all looked to Linneus with smiles on their faces. They were tired and even a little scared, but they were alive and their little group was still whole. It was what was most important to them after having spent so much time together everyday. "It is our duty, Lord LIght. If this village were to fall and the demons got through, you'd be in greater danger." Alanna replied.

Although they had been healed by the adventurer who wanted no recognition, they were still a little frazzled by their near death experience. They had laid their lives on the line and they felt that despair sink in when their friend fell. But they had survived and were stronger for it.

"The plan sounds good." One of the soldiers declared. "We're ready and we'll go wherever we're needed." He added on.

 

[Goran Glacial]

Xack Gransuke​

Xack Sighed before starting to clean and sharpen his sword with a nearby whetstone, as he spit shined and polished his sword he caught the main parts of the conversation. Blondy had some attitude sure and Xack didn't really have any decent plan at least one that wasn't brute force which failed already. But that didn't mean Xack was gonna ignore his attitude as he spit to the right and gave blondy the finger, Xack responded "Aye' Yer' royal Highhandedness, I be Yer' most vaunted spearhead" His irish accent slipping out showing how peeved he was. Xack made sure that his armor was solid and his sword sturdy before heading into position while chewing on yet another piece of jerky.

 

[Novama]

Time: 7:03pm
Weather: cold and rainy
Mentions: @Ar Ef See LadyOfStars Eccentric_Undead Orikanyo Goran Glacial Discusstu RavenSong
OOC: time has advanced, so you can consider that in your posts.
TLDR: the battle has continued on for 3 days. A weary band of soldiers and adventurers weigh their options as they wait to be told their fate.
Cooldowns: Magic Sword C : 1 post
Post Listenings:

Highgrove Village

​

Fortunately for all involved in the Highgrove defense effort, no stupid or suicidal plans were conducted once the defensive barriers around the village were erected. Through careful shifts of soldiers and adventurers manning the defenses, the horde of demons was kept at bay. There wasn't enough extra supplies to go around to everyone nor was there time to train up in unfamiliar equipment. However, most of that proved unnecessary and it would become the policy of the guards to ignore most of what the adventurers had to say in most cases. In the soldiers' eyes, they were little better than the sell swords defending Redcliffe. Truth be told, they weren't far off the truth. Some of the adventurers spouted off about going back into the fray beyond the barriers, and the soldiers had to insist against it each time as foolhardy.

Redcliffe wasn't as lucky. News arrived by messenger that many of the sell swords did as the adventurers proposed and went out to confront the demons again after barely getting the defensive line put up. Many perished to overwhelming numbers. The incident left the village undermanned and the defenses were starting to unravel. Additional men needed to be dispatched from the town to fortify the village, thus weakening the defenses of the main settlement for the Barony and where most of the people in the area have taken refuge.

Despite having the supplies to hold out for longer, the morale and energy of the men was waning after 3 days had passed. Linneus would need to decide when it was time to abandon the villages so as to conserve his men's strength for defending the more easily guarded walled town Osun. However, before Linneus made the call, information came in relating to the woodland demons, previous attacks, and other information gathered by the Barony and the Adventurer's Guild. Turns out the demons are not typically swarming in these kinds of numbers or with this level of hardiness. It is suspected there is a stronger force at work that will likely need resolved before the demons stop invading. It was also noted that the demons were mostly blind and relied heavily on their senses to feel the earth and air around them. As it so happened, that evening as Linneus read through the reports in the war tent, it was raining outside and was estimated to continue till morning. The demons' senses would be dulled, if not confused, until morning.

One last opportunity had presented itself: seize the chance of the intel being correct and send a group on a suicide mission into the woods to discern the nature of the invasion. Otherwise, give up on the villages and flee to Osun to ride things out a bit longer. It was up to Linneus to decide what to do and who exactly to send if he chose that path. While injuries were mounting, deaths were few and far between. It would not take much to turn that ratio on its head like what was happening at Redcliffe though.

Michael

​

Michael had found the past 3 days to be tiring but not particularly life threatening or exhausting. He spent more mental energy on holding himself back when taking his turn defending the wall. His style of fighting did not lend itself well to fighting beside others. The way he spun his blades made him a hazard to everyone except himself and that's assuming he didn't get dizzy and/or trip. However, he was fortunate enough to specialize in dual slashing weapons which allowed him to quickly dismember the demons all the same.

Archery was a new thing for him. Deciding to try his hand at it, he found he had a knack for it despite this battle being the first time he used a bow to shoot a moving target. His Isekai experience was likely helping him acquire the skills faster than normal, if he had to guess. However, despite being capable enough with the bow, he did not find it much to his liking over long intervals as he did using his short swords.

That particularly drizzly evening, he was wearing a leather cloak against the run and any breeze as he was look out. The rain and early sunset made it hard enough to see much of anything though. His appraisal skill give him just a little be more information on what was out there, but barely anything. He spent most of his time looking for torches, which meant a messenger was coming. The back of the village with a path leading up to the town in the distance rarely had any demons at it, so Michael stood watch with just a few soldiers to 'manage' his efforts. Similar groupings of soldiers and adventurers were used to ensure the adventurers exercised a sufficient level of discipline and adherence to the plan that had kept everyone alive up to that point. Michael fidgeted back and forth, his boots squelching in the mud. The watch was the most boring job and one he liked the least of the duties around the village.


(F grade creature with particularly hardy vitality. More plant than flesh and blood, killing one requires excessive violence as if hacking at a zombie with no head weak point. Will scratch and rip and flail at anything it can get its hands on. Many of them wear F grade wooden armor that acts as an extra layer and/or an extension of their bodies. They lack vital points. Piercing and Bludgeoning damage doesn't seem to effect them as much. To aid in walking and standing upright, they temporarily root themselves. Their connection to the earth also seems to give them an extra sense that allows them to better pick up on the movements on and in the earth like a tremorsense. So long as more than one appendage remains intact, the demon can and will continue its assault. Seems to feed on the fluids and soft tissue of its victims and can regain lost strength through it. Addition: It was learned that the woodland demons are mostly blind and rely heavily on what they perceive through their roots and the wind.)

 

[Goran Glacial]

Xack Gransuke

Xack had a rough few days from being the spearpoint in tactics not to mention he accidently showed off his strength so now he was roped into manual labor in-between his shifts of watch duty. Xack carried three crates of supplies on his shoulder as he lugged them to the warehouse, as he set them down he breathed a sigh before flexing his back cracking a couple joints in his spine in the process. Xack walked over to a nearby water barrel to drink a cup of water before walking back to his tent to strap his gear back on. Xack had taken all his heavy equipment off for the heavy lifting but everytime he was done he would put it back on trying to be in a ready state at all times, He even slept in his armor which made sleeping difficult to say the least. Once Xack was equipped he moved to resting point near the wall sitting down to chew a bit of jerky.

 

[LadyOfStars]

Linneus Light

Novama Goran Glacial RavenSong Orikanyo​

It had been a grueling and exhausting past few days and Linneus was forced to think back on the decisions that had brought him to this point. His rise from merchant's son to baron and presented him with a new world of opportunities as well as stressors and hazards. His life was a little more dangerous, but he had the chance to change the lives of those under him and make the country itself a better place for everyone.

But this current situation was far more than he had anticipated. He now had to decide whether to strike at the heart of the enemy or to play it cautious and return to the people who would need him the most. In his war tent he was almost alone, with the exception of Alanna who he had taken to confiding in when it came to strategy and such.

"If these reports are accurate then Redcliffe is already a lost cause and that means that the demons there might come here next and we'll be overrun." A look of despair covered Linneus' face and he leaned back in his seat with a heavy sigh. His eyes traveled up to Alanna's and he looked at her for several moments.

"I think that it is worth taking the risk to head into the forest and try to cut down this monster leading the attack." She knew it wasn't what Linneus would want to hear, but it was definitely what she thought was best. "Let me take the adventurers and your guard while you stay here and reconstruct our defenses and defend the town."

L:inneus pushed back from the war table and stood to walk around to the exit of the tent. The evacuation was complete so if the demons did push forward there wouldn't be any civilians at risk, but he also didn't want to endanger his soldiers. The benefits of striking down the leader were undeniable though.

Moments later Alanna left the tent with her sword tightly in her hand. "Adventurers!" She cried out loudly over the rain. "We move to kill the enemy leader!" She made her way to the lookout and waved at Michael as she made her approach. "If you're sticking around, Lord Light has charged us with entering the forest and finding the enemy leader!"

 

[RavenSong]

Aria


It was a difficult three days of fighting, a continuous back and forth battle that pushed many beyond their physical limits. Weakening and slicing off limbs seemed to prove effective. Eventually she found a rhythm to the slaying of plant demons. After many days, the waves of fiends seemed to come to a ceasefire. To which The shield maiden began to attend to the casualties and aftermath of the previous days.

Aria thought to be most useful at the infirmary, keeping medical supplies stocked, and tending to the wounded. Bringing the injured soldiers water, changing out bloody bandages among other things. Although inexperienced in anything medical, she cared for the people that were putting their lives on the line to keep her village safe. The least she could do was make herself useful as the nurses tended to the much more serious cases.

“T-thank you.” A soldier would weakly respond after changing out bandages out of a gash from a badly wounded warrior. He was weak, but he was stable.
“Rest now.” She’d say as she held his cold hand briefly.

—-

After a long shift of tending to the wounded she was relieved by a nurse who needed sleep, now refreshed and ready to return to her duties. The shield maiden made her way out of the tent into the rain. A shiver ran down her spine as the cold water began to drench her head.

She would spot Xack unloading a crate and would walk over to him as he strapped on his armor, it seemed he was taking a break himself. “How are you faring Xack?” She asked, sitting on the stone bench, as she pulled out some elven bread and took a bite. “I wonder how much longer we’ll be here.” she wondered out loud as she chewed. “There are rumors that Redcliffe has fallen.”

Before she could continue, a loud call was made out to the adventurers. “We move to kill the enemy leader?” She repeated under her breath. They have a leader? She wondered. She let out a deep sigh as she fixed her boots and quickly went through the armory's supplies for a cloak. Although she wasn’t part of the adventurers guild, she decided to join, considering they had similar goals in defending the future of the village. It was only proper. Her equipment was ready. She would turn to look at Xack, “Good.. let’s go.” She said as she started towards the Barons tent eventually reaching Alanna. “I’m at the Barons command.” She’d say saluting with a fist at her chest. “What’s the plan?”
She’d ask as she fought the exhaustion throughout her frame. The rain pattering against the fabric of her cloak.


Novama LadyOfStars Goran Glacial

 

[Goran Glacial]

Xack Gransuke

Xack spoke shortly after swallowing the jerky, "Good, wore out and stressed but good. As he worked the kinks out of his body removing any stiffness, Xack heard the call of the knightess and promptly walked to the gathering place. "Chance o' death with the chance o' victory ey? Beats sitting round 'ere and waiting for death aye!" Xack's accent slipped due to the excitement but he slapped his cheek after and spoke again "I'm ready anytime madam I have my armor is hardly off these days" Xack leaned on a barrel nearby to wait for the rest of the party as he began to munch on another piece of jerky.

 

[Discusstu]

Steve

​

Steve’s body ached and felt heavy as the days went by; it was tolerable, but still made him weary. Making use of the defensive barriers that had been set up, Steve was able to endure the long fight they had signed up for. Though endless in number, they demons had become much easier to handle. With their behavior remaining the same, Steve, with those he fought alongside, got used to how they attacked. The longer reach from the halberd proved to be useful. It took two hands to wield, but the added heft allowed Steve to not only strike from a distance but make use of heavier strikes.

Another successful round of defending had passed, giving Steve some time to step back from the frontlines. Carrying his weapon over his shoulder, Steve cracked his neck and arched his back as he entered their camp. He had no injuries, but another day's worth of fighting was definitely enough to make one’s body sore. Setting his halberd aside, Steve took a seat on some covered ground, leaned against a tree, and sighed.

Loosening his shoulders, his arms dangled to his sides while his legs slightly arched at his knees. Reaching for some water, what was supposed to be a swig turned into a pour not just into his mouth, but all over his head and face. The cool and clean water was refreshing and was exactly what Steve needed. Unlike the other adventurers who proved to be useful elsewhere, Steve had no special skills or knowledge that he could lend his allies. All his contribution, what little it amounted to, was on the field. Although they prevented the walls of Highgrove Village from being breached, Steve still felt uneasy. Arguably, he was frustrated. It wasn't that it was too easy, but it was because things had stagnated. Were they meant to continue with their battle of attrition with the demons until they just stopped? That seemed rather unlikely.

However, as if his inner thoughts had been heard, Steve's eye opened widely as he heard the call from the leader of the baron's guard. Steve smirked as he found the chain of events rather amusing. It was like fate was playing with him.

"HEARD!" Steve roared through the rain as he grabbed on to his halberd, using it to aid him in getting up from the ground. Although uncalled for, he felt the need to hype himself up. If he managed to rally a few others, that would have been nice too.

Making his way to the Baron's tent, Steve stood "with his weapon in hand and a clenched fist held just over his chest. "I’m at the Baron's command."