[closed] Mission: Don't Wake the Deity

[couldkillthedevil]

who: Akihiko Sanada, Nico di Angelo, Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, Rin, Keith, Lyle Dylandy, Khisanth (Onyx), Jason Todd, Ava Orlova, Morgana, Takashi Shirogane, Yuffie Kisaragi, Chloe Decker, Lucifer Morningstar, Thor Odinson, Link
what: Mission: Don't Wake the Deity
when: Friday, July 28th - after the scouting party has returned and shared their information
where: The Abandoned City and surrounding woods
warnings: Violence, probable monster attacks, mind control/people being compelled, etc. Will add more warnings as needed.



[Taken from the June TDM, with some additions:]

Whether you've just arrived in the city or you've been here a while, and you have a sensitivity to the spiritual, magical, multidimensional, or anything else outside the realm of everyday normal, you've probably noticed a distinct uptick in weird feelings, strange nightmares, or daymares - hallucinations of scary things that are lurking just behind you.

You're not the only one who's noticed it.

There are rumors going around that the psychological and spiritual disturbances are due to the emergence or re-emergence of a deity. Some people say that it's something new that's come through the portal with the sharp increase in new arrivals recently, and others say it's simply an ancient spiritual presence or some ancient incorporeal monster that's been somehow awakened. Gramarye, the top-tier magic research center in Riverview Quarantine, has been studying anyone who's felt this presence, and have recently confirmed that whatever it is, it's being fed by all the extra energies and prayers and thoughts as the city's population increases. The one thing everyone agrees on is that, if the expanding community is feeding the entity, then the entity has got to go!

A scouting party recently travelled into the Abandoned City and forests outside the walls to search for leads or any other evidence of a way to solve the problem. After a day of searching, the team stumbled upon an abandoned temple. While it didn't seem like much, its exterior run-down and wood rotting amongst the centuries' old mulch and muck, it felt... unsettling. Alive, almost. One member of the party could feel a powerful presence emanating from it; realizing they were out of their depth, the team returned to the Quarantine to relay the information and obtain reinforcements.

Teams are now being assembled across the city to travel into the Abandoned City or the forests outside the walls and find this temple once more. The mission might be dangerous, though - there are the usual dangers of venturing out into the wilds, but this time, characters may also face booby traps, spectral or physical guardians, and if the entity itself gets awoken? Someone may have to kill it.

[So this log will be set up in 'stages'. The first few headers will be closed to each of the teams for initial travel meetings, camping, monster fights, etc. Feel free to post your own top-levels underneath and tag out, mingle, whatever you'd like. Headers for further 'stages' of the mission (such as once all the teams meet up at the temple/deity hideout) will also be posted so that teams can intermingle/have more CR.

Since there are so many people involved, consider this one big mingle thread in the vein of the TDMs. Here's a link to the google doc for those interested as well.]

Comments

ii.

[imperceptus]

"Gods above," Rin says, one eyebrow arched. He'd been standing somewhat off to tone side as it was, his body half-cloaked in shadows of his own making. He stays there as Akihiko ostensibly kills himself, not moving and not speaking until the spectacle ends. He hadn't thought the boy was in real danger--if he were suicidal, there were plenty of earlier opportunities to get it done--but he admittedly hadn't known what was going on, either.

And he still doesn't.

"I thought my people had a flair for the dramatic."

He declines to jump in. Yet.

[pulledpunches]

The comment catches him by surprise, having not realized he'd had anyone's attention, but laughs at the review. Before he replies, though, his attention goes between the monsters and Rin. After it was clear that the momentary opening would be squandered, he took a step closer to the drow to allow Polydeuces ample room to surge forward and use a crushing blow against the closest assailant. As it does so, he turns a sheepish smile towards Rin.

"I forget how.. extra it looks." He pats where the evoker is tucked into a side holster as the persona withdraws from its felled foe and dissipates back into thin air after its attack. Akihiko keeps one eye on the second monster closest to them, but allows himself a moment to breath as it begins to shake off the temporary paralysis.

[imperceptus]

"Style is important," Rin says, in a tone that suggests he's totally not judging. Not too much, anyway. He cants his head to one side as the spirit fades away, wondering what it was, exactly--an independent creature, a spell given corporeal form, something else entirely? What did the ritual with the gun mean? A symbolic sacrifice? He's rolling all those questions around in his head when the other monster, groaning, starts to shamble towards them.

Rin makes an irritated noise in his throat. He draws a dagger from the depths of his tunic sleeve, then spins on his heel, throwing it directly into the plant-man's vine-choked heart. Blood like sap oozes from the wound as the thing crumples to its leafy knees.

"So is finishing the job," he adds, stepping forward, another dagger already somehow in hand.

[pulledpunches]

Akihiko generally needs just a few moments to collect himself after channeling a big blow from Polydeuces- he's used to either relying on multiple people in his group to fill in one another's pauses, or simply timing his rounds to ensure he'll be able to block any potential blows and go back into the fray. However, the latter is clearly a closer call than perhaps others are comfortable with Rin's response. Either way, he's impressed with the fancy move.

"Fair point." He doesn't hesitate in moving quickly, pulling on his glove out of habit before drawing close enough to step to the side of the creature. It's likely already on its quick way towards death with Rin's handiwork, but with a quick motion he snaps its neck for peace of mind.

"I want half that skill with a knife, damn. Thank you- I'm Akihiko." Dusting his hands off on his pants, he seems to start to think about offering a hand in greeting before hesitating- he did just touch a bloodied monster. He raises one in a wave instead.

[imperceptus]

That's right, Akihiko. You can keep your filthy hands right to yourself. Rin likes to keep his person as blood-free as possible, even if that's not always realistic on these little expeditions. His hand-sewn and hand-embroidered clothes are made largely of delicate, shimmery silk--also not exactly appropriate for a survivalist. But it looks good.

Rin acknowledges the wave with a brief bow of his head.

"Call me Rin," he says, making a flourishing gesture with one hand. "And I'd be happy to teach you, if you like."

[pulledpunches]

With a little huff of amusement at the fanciful introduction, he nodded back. He briefly wondered if that was a nickname with the wording, but took it as a friendly gesture. How open of Rin to put them on equal footing as soon as they met!

"Nice to meet you. ..That would be amazing- I'm no good with anything with a blade if you're willing to put up with a total beginner." Really, hand to hand wasn't the most practical to have as his only back-up plan.

[imperceptus]

"Not to worry," he says. "I'm an extremely patient teacher."

(Not entirely true. But he can fake it, anyway, and that's the important thing.)

He slips a thin little blade out of his tunic. "There's no time for a proper lesson out here in the thick of things, but you should still have a weapon on you. Can't count on magic for everything, right?"

He offers the dagger to Akihiko, hilt first. "Consider it a loan."