[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

[alchemyfreak]

There wasn't really much that could get to him, Nico had already reached that point. As useful as his aura might be, Ed intended to stay as far away from him as possible if there was ever a need for that to come out. Otherwise, Nico was just like anyone else to him. Someone with some abilities trying to fit in the best way he knew how. He's ignorant to the other's thoughts and feelings, but at least that made the whole thing less awkward - especially for this.

Luckily, Ed's already smirking as Nico explains Brennan or he might give away his amusement at the idea that someone being military meant they were good at listening. If only he knew living proof of the opposite was standing right before him. "I thought it might be something like that. No need to go digging them all up until we need them, right?"

Subtle misdirection, he's still trying not to laugh at that whole idea.

[deathkid]

Being just like anyone else to Ed was a gift Nico secretly treasured. He remembered the looks he got at camp, the way people would shy away from him, but Ed never seems to do that. The thought prompted a little bit of color to warm his ears, but he staunchly shoved aside any intrusive thoughts. He had a job to do and he couldn't let himself get distracted.

"Typically, they dig themselves up," he said, chuckling a little. "But I'll save my energy for later. With this god, there's no knowing what might happen if I try to put it to sleep."

[alchemyfreak]

Ed had seen quite a lot in Purg, to the point that he probably couldn't imagine Nico being entirely weird on his home world, shouldn't the people there know what to expect of someone with his type of abilities? It wasn't really his business or within his scope of knowledge though - all he cared was that he knew here it might be startling, and he had to keep an eye on that, in case things went south because of it. Other than that, Ed didn't really think of it at all, and he certainly didn't think he was doing Nico any favors by thinking that way.

If he noticed the start of Nico's blush he didn't comment on it.

"I remember." He quirks an eyebrow at that, but the humor hasn't left his features. As disturbed as he was at the time by that initial network post, if anything he only seemed amused now. "You usually tell them to, or something, though... right?" Just making sure he got how all this works.

At the last part Ed nods, sparing a more serious glance. "I don't think anyone else will be much help on that front so you're going to need all your strength." Honestly, he doesn't know everyone's skills - or that Lucifer is who he is, regardless of what powers that might grant him.

[deathkid]

"I can order them around," he said succinctly. "Otherwise they'll just stand there."

It was a handy ability because it meant no one could use his powers to harm people. At least not while Nico was in control. And he liked to think of himself as in full control. This wasn't like with Bryce Lawrence, the cruel and sadistic demigod who'd challenged him and whom Nico had banished to the Underworld. With luck, nothing so drastic would be needed. Still, it was a relief that Ed didn't seem bothered by the way his powers worked and even still seemed to appreciate them.

[alchemyfreak]

He nodded at that, it made sense, he supposed. "Whatever works, I guess."

Ed couldn't really imagine thinking it would be wise to challenge a death god, but he certainly didn't understand the mechanics of Nico's world. One thing he'd learned in Purg was not to underestimate what people had been through on their home world, and Nico was a reminder of that every day. Of course, he couldn't spend all that time appreciating what Wrath and Road were capable of and not appreciate Nico's abilities - especially when he was far more aware and concerned about their impact on people.

[deathkid]

"That's one way of putting it," Nico replied, nodding. And, he figured, in a quest like this (because it was very much like the quests he's been on), whatever worked was always the best way to go. Because demigods were notorious for not planning and for going with the flow and Nico was one such demigod. His ADHD made sure his attention span was limited, except during battles, and his blood was always pumping fast in case he was faced with an enemy. Being a demigod was a dangerous way to live, but Nico had learned how to defend himself and pulling up zombies or skeletal soldiers was one way he could do that.

[alchemyfreak]

Ed had a tendency to plan, but sometimes those things just didn't work out in a person's favor and plans had to be ditched for a more go with the flow method of attack. "You just worry about what you need to do, and stay safe. The rest of us can worry about whatever else comes our way." Honestly, it sounded a little condescending, like he didn't trust Nico's ability to defend himself. Ed shifted, glancing toward the forest, "That's going to be a lot of work and you're the only one who can do it so we need you at your best when we get there."

A pause, "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." The way he sees it, he's basically running protection here. As much as Nico was in charge of this mission in his mind, he knew he might not be the best at rallying a bunch of skeptical strangers, so whatever Ed needed to do to keep the peace or ensure success he was on it.