WEEKS 11 & 12

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WEEKS 11 & 12

YOU CAN'T GET OFF THE RIDE...

The dream king has been vanquished, and with it, everyone’s dreams have returned to normal. For those who have had trouble sleeping in the past few weeks, that’s a relief, right?

You know what they say - one step forward, two steps back.

The border between the Nekyia and the real world is thinning - watch your step, Chosen. With your Shadows still haunting you at every opportunity, turn the corner and you may find yourself suddenly in the Nekyia, tendrils of dark fog curling around your feet even though you’ve spent so much effort trying to clear the previous districts of fog and shadows. Blink, and you’ll find yourself back where you were in the real world, with everyone looking at you quizzically because for a moment, you disappeared.

Braphine’s temple is oddly silent. Where there were once priests and priestesses around the courtyards and the main building, now, when you visit, there is nobody around to attend to you. Walking through the halls of the temple now feels fraught with danger, almost - look into a mirror for too long, and your Shadow may end up looking back at you.

Speaking of attendants – maybe you should check in on your local priestess.

Thanks to everyone’s help with the Business District, it is now... actually, it’s more or less the way it always has been. People are still standoffish, and there’s a tension in the air - it feels like just one little spark is all that’s needed to start an argument or a fight.

In fact, it isn’t even only the Business District suffering these effects. Though specific individuals may retain a fondness for characters who helped them, the population overall seems to have regained its old vitriol towards each other. The Chosen saw for themselves the positive impact they were able to have on the City - what in the world could have reversed it all...?

TEMPTATION TOUCHED MY TONGUE...

You blink, and it’s there. Blink again, and it vanishes.

Perhaps your eyes are playing tricks on you, but where there used to be a park just outside the dorms, now lies a large orange grove. It does, however, look a little shadowy around the edges, like it’s not supposed to be there - and the strange thing is that it can only be seen by Braphine’s chosen. Asking any of the passers by will just net you bewildered looks.

Despite the roiling storm and the grey clouds outside, the sky in the orange grove is clear when you enter into it.

You are surrounded by the smell of orange blossoms, and as the scent envelops you, a strange feeling of unsettlement starts to build.

The oranges are in the right season for harvesting, and somehow you get an irresistible urge to pick one and bite into it. But biting into it comes at a price– you start to forget. It could be a memory, a part of you, or worse, one of the bonds you have made here.

The more of the oranges you eat, the deeper you fall into the grove, and perhaps, just perhaps, you might come into contact with a familiar face that gives you a warning before you fall too deep into it. Keep eating and you won't just forget. You’ll start wanting to eat things that aren’t meant to be eaten too.

After meeting with “Schneider”, you realise there’s only one way out of this hazy mess: help others to help yourself. It could be collecting little memories that glitter like “stars” amongst the trees, and walking people back to the scattered fragments of themselves.

Or it could be helping the shadowy farm workers, who look at you with disdain and ask:

“You city folk here to do some real work for once? Hurry up.”

They ask you to do a number of chores: chopping up firewood, cleaning stables, harvesting the oranges (but don’t you dare eat them without permission) and planting new trees. There’s also a church that you could help clean up and donate your funds towards which makes the shadowy figures very happy. Schneider will not be.

Each successful chore completed is another “part” of yourself returned, and the better equipped you are to help the people around you. Better start working.

It’s odd though. When you look outside the orange grove, it’s almost like the raindrops are moving in reverse.

(OOC: Schneider's top level is NOT time sensitive, nor is it a mod-run event. This can be treated like a regular top level to be tagged at your own pace! Welcome to your memloss event!)

WEATHER FORECAST

Gloomy. Grey skies about, and the sun seems to have hidden itself away for some reason. When it isn’t raining or storming, there somehow seems to always be the sound of thunder rolling in the distance. Eagle-eyed characters may even notice a metallic glint through the clouds, every now and then...

Characters that venture into the Nekyia during these two weeks will find themselves occasionally being afflicted with Dizzy during combat. Watch your step.

COMMISSIONS

TREASURE THE TEMPLE

Without the Priest or Priestess to care for the temple, it continues to grow dustier and more dismal by the day. Characters who work together to help with upkeep - dusting, sweeping, wiping down surfaces, even airing it out by opening up the windows - will not only receive the regular rewards, but also find themselves imbued with a gentle desire to spend some time taking care of those they care about, too.

MASTERS OF THEIR ELEMENT

There are Level 50 Shadows to be found in the Nekyia, though thankfully they are not on the prowl. One can be found in each cardinal and intercardinal direction: Garuda in the East, Surt in the South, Scathach in the West, and Fafnir to the North, as well as Dionysus in the North East, Michael in the North West, Alitat in the South West, and Belial in the South East. Each of these enemies has punishing attacks, and will need to be taken on by groups of three or more characters. However, upon defeat they will drop a stone that glows with a soft light that corresponds to an element colour (e.g. pink for Psy, red for Fire); offer these to Braphine’s temple to give the goddess strength, and receive a Magatama in that particular element.

(OOC: Please turn in your threads for this commission on the rewards page to receive an Elemental Magatama which deals medium damage to one target in one specific element, and is valid for one time use during any battle. This is only valid for the first turn in of the commission.)

BONDS AND CONNECTIONS

”My connection to Sunset City has been interrupted... I no longer have the strength to support you as I did before. Look out for each other, and keep forging new bonds; they will protect you when I cannot.”

While characters have gained strength from the bonds they’ve forged, there are still those who are freshly arrived with no such defenses; characters who make the effort to establish relationships with faces they have not interacted with much so far will be rewarded. If the character has not been used for a Social Link writeup, they are fair game! Characters may choose what activities they partake in at their own leisure, whether that’s battling alongside one another in the Nekyia or using one of those coupons for a free dinner at a fancy restaurant. They should, however, have a focus on getting to know each other during the activity.

OOC

READ ME!!!!

Welcome to your log for Weeks 11 and 12! Feel free to use this log for any developments that happen during the next two weeks.
Please note that there will be no log next week BUT there will be a network post going up for endgame plot purposes going up once Week 11's palaces are complete!
For plotting, please feel free to head over to this post on the OOC comm to post your plotting top levels.
For Nekyia commissions, you can assume that the Shadows will respawn until they've been beaten enough times to go back to normal.
Palaces are still going strong - sign-ups for Haruka's palace are underway and will start later today, and our Clover (capped) and Moon (FFA) palaces will be going up later this weekend!
Don't forget to check in with AC to get your endgame unlocks and submit your rewards/Rank 10 social links before 20 October, 11:59PM EST!

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

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Comments

[moonshaded]

[Loaded is right, but it'll have to be let go with a side-eye. One of them, probably Kainé, is lucky she wasn't in attendance to help pull Haruka back from his palace. She might have some snarky, scathing commentary to provide otherwise.

Instead, she can only confirm the obvious.] They got their paws on him too, huh?Not many of us left. We'll find someone else.

[prozaic]

[Shalem gives a nod-- he, of course, agrees. The only reason he's not holed up in bed resting after yanking two people out of their Shadow-induced hellscapes is because he simply doesn't want to be down for too long.]

Do you have any ideas who we could bring with us?

[moonshaded]

I kinda just go with whoever's around.

[If she goes with anyone at all... Frankly, it's kind of a marvel that Kainé hasn't gotten herself killed while making an excursion into the Nekiya without thinking. The people with support magic she knows the best are ones whose names she'd also leave out of this. Yoon would be kept safe in the other world if he came with her, but there's no reason for him to fight unless it's necessary when he's still soft despite the world.]

Aerith, maybe. Or we grab a stranger and get 'em used to the place.

[prozaic]

Aerith is dependable. But we can keep looking, regardless, though I'm loathe to bring on one of the children.

[And there are an unfortunate amount of supports among the children. Better than being the damage dealers, but still.]

[moonshaded]

[It's another thing they can agree on. Kainé grunts.] The kids know what they're doing, but they'll get in enough trouble all on their own.

Let's just grab someone before talking about it puts us to sleep.

[If all else fails, there are the phones, but we'll see who bites.]

[metagame]

[Yo.

Someone needed a utility? Because this guy arrived in Nekyia just now to do it! And he compliments Kainé's element nicely while also knowing Shalem. Except he didn't know Shalem was in the party. It might be frosty but...

Eh... whatever. It isn't like Kainé isn't also frosty. Atem's an adult capable of putting aside differences for a common goal, and he can keep the guy alive. Somewhere deep in him he still calls Shalem a friend.]

So who are you targeting?

[Asking so he can prepare ahead of time to perform better as a navigator support.]

[prozaic]

[He is perfectly professional! Which is to say, the attitude he came into this conversation with already.]

Our best choices are Belial, Michael, Dionysus, and Garuda. I do have my reservations about Garuda, however. [He's not good with status effects! Never has been. Plus, if that damn thing starts to fly... good luck getting it down. Shalem doesn't have his true element and his strongest spells here.]

[moonshaded]

[Atem receives a single, short wave of her forearm in recognition. Sure, the room is a witch's tit right now, but that's not her business (until it becomes her business).]

Which one of them's the most in our way?

[They've got strategy cornered, and her priorities are more straightforward. Who's going to interfere the most if left standing?]

[metagame]

May I suggest Michael?

[He stretches his arms.]

If we leave him alone, he'll likely continue to summon more angels. A few here and there are fine... They're relatively weak. About twenty, thirty or so, they'll start to become a problem even for heavy hitters like yourselves.

[prozaic]

Him, hm? [The Sankta-looking one. Shalem thinks about it for a moment, then gives a nod.]

That one has Bless as well, and it's nothing to our own elements. An excellent target, as long as he doesn't fly.

[Then he cracks his neck, getting ready. If he were Catholic he would be amused over being part of the group to take an angel down.]

you know when you really think about they all have a reason to beef with some guy named mike

[moonshaded]

[Atem is right. There's nothing worse than a huge monster that hides behind all of its smaller lackeys.

She gestures with the flat edge of her sword, which she'd been keeping leaned against the arm of the couch where she'd been lazing. It seems Kainé's plans for destructive therapy in the Nekiya were already confirmed whether or not she roped anyone else in with her.]

Let me deal with the small fry when we get in there. Get a big opening hit on the big guy.

[metagame]

Sounds like we have a plan.

[All finished with his warm ups! He does one final check over how many arrows he has, and he nods to both Shalem and Kainé.]

Once we find him, I'll take out his wings to keep him grounded. Ready?

[let's go find mike and beat him up]

[prozaic]

I am, indeed. [He's a bit excited as well. Getting to have a large, humanoid monster and not needing to break away when he summons a lackey? What a rare treat.

here's where i handwave the travel to save on time--

Shalem gives a last few stretches just before Michael's arena, to limber up. And, of course, make with the necessary pre-battle preparations.]

Let's take him unawares if we can.

i can npc mike or we can just pass him around (sfwly)... lmk

[moonshaded]

Enough talk. Let's fry this birdbrain. [Before they trigger combat, she throws a preliminary Rakukaja up on Shalem. He does seem to get trucked every time she's seen him fight...and sometimes when she's just seen him walking around.

Their coordinated efforts allow them to trigger a surprise round! They can get their initial hits before Michael responds.

True to her word, Kainé opens up on the two adds already floating around obnoxiously in the boss arena. Her Giant Slice cuts only air (4), but it probably gets their attention, anyway.]

I'm down for you DMing as Mike

[metagame]

[Atem follows Kainé's attack by loosing two arrows at Michael's wings.

His first loose is so lousy (1), he shoots the ground nowhere near his target... His face feels hot from embarrassment. There's no excuse for such poor aim. But he's rusty! He hasn't shot a composite bow in centuries! And there's only so much practice he can do with a stationary target before he tries aiming at something that moves!

At least he didn't hit Shalem this time...

He second try is smoother (15), and he manages to somewhat hinder Michael's right wing.]

+2 to shay npc'ing him

[prozaic]

[Well, now it's his turn. Shalem does give Kaine a Rakukaja of her own, in return, before he draws his katana with his tail and faces Michael down.

Kaine is a bit right to be concerned though, since Shalem does try to take aggro if no one else can. Call it the Defender's instinct.]

Come here! I am the one you want to face. [And with a threatening hiss, Shalem opens with a Vicious Strike (18), his old, reliable friend in battle.]

ok i will carry this burden

[moonshaded]

[Michael's attention is successfully pulled to his hissing attacker, even as he floats a little lopsided from his damaged wing tissue. Purge the snake from the garden, perhaps, for the salvation of the entire Nekiya....

Since Kainé is still dealing with the Zealous Messengers, Michael won't summon additional combatants...yet. He opens with Makougaon for heavy bless damage; Shalem's taunt seems to have grabbed him, because he is the only one the spell hits (16, 10, 10). Probably it wasn't a terrible idea to buff his defense after all.

Kainé's Mapsio has similar results: one Angel suffers the damage while the other skillfully dodges (9, 17).

Two Kouha spells, one from each angel, miss both Kainé and Atem (1, 9). It's a boss battle of who can actually land a hit apparently!]

[metagame]

[Neither side is winning that battle, since Atem misses another arrow on Michael. If only they had a spell that could up their accuracy or something... That would be so helpful.

Alright, change of plans. He can't get a good hit in, but he can at least keep the weaker angels off Shalem so he can go after the big guy.]

Is that all you can do?! Weak! You zealots couldn't hit me if you tried..!

[prozaic]

[Shalem does try to help Kaine, you know? He does. He even steps up his game, using stronger skills in order to handle the angels. Unfortunately he only manages to clip one of them with his Megaton Raid (5, 18), but because of that, the skill goes wide on Michael (5).

Let's blame that on his injury, now. But he cracks his neck, just to bring back his concentration.]

[moonshaded]

[Atem's bait: taken. Atem's bluff: called. Though one of them is already starting to look pretty rough from Shalem's attack (they're just small fry, after all), both of their blasts of Bless energy land on him (18, 13).]

Hey! Maybe we could get these flapping assholes on the ground, too? [Kainé will not be helping with that, given that she misses both of her physical attacks on the surprisingly wily zealots. Have a Dia instead, Atem, while she tries to get aggro back.

Shalem is doing his best to help, too. Michael's great spear is held aloft, but as he goes to bring the full weight of his Charged attack down on the party tank, his injured wing spasms and drops him to the side (7).

For the next round, rolls on Michael can be made with advantage as his injured wing lowers his speed and ability to dodge!]

[metagame]

[Oof, neutral damage is still damage it turns out. Atem stumbles after each holy blast, but Kainé's Dia is a welcome reprieve that keeps him on his feet.

He raises his bow and aims!]

On it!

[He looses more arrows on the flapping assholes, their wings clipped (18, 18). The same cannot be said for his volley on Michael (3). For how injured he is... you'd think he'd hit...

This should be enough for Kainé and Shalem, though.]

Re-Horakhty!

[Off the Dia comes a Media for the whole party.]

[prozaic]

[Oh, you can bet Shalem will take advantage of Michael being down. Snakes are quite opportunistic, after all.

Completely ignoring the angels now, Shalem leaps on Michael, katana at the ready and stabbing down in another Megaton Raid (15, 12). Right down between the ribs.]

You should not have taken your eyes off of me. [That's accompanied by a soft laugh, one that promises more where that skill came from.]

[moonshaded]

[Poor Atem. With Kainé in melee range, at least the two Angels turn their attention to her long enough to try and subdue her with two normal attacks, both of which she takes as penance for her altruistic heal (15, 13).

As Shalem pierces his side - ironic, given the imagery of a lance skewering between the ribs - Michael turns into a truly holy demon, his booming call promising to bring the light so they repent. The light of Bless energy crackles around him as his Makougaon charges, only landing on Kainé between the three of them (3, 19, 10). He really shouldn't have taken his eyes off of Shalem.

Kainé is looking a little rough, but she finally manages to get her bearings now that Atem's sniped the flapping assholes out of the sky. Vicious Strike cleaves them both, and the more injured Angel disappears with a decidedly unholy scream.]

Keep him busy so he doesn't bring any more! [boy i wonder what Michael will do next round]

[metagame]

[die, preferably

Atem reasons the defensive buff Kainé cast in the beginning should be wearing off by now, so he follows it with Marakukaja on the party. The squirrel-y angel bastard won't hold still for him to try another shot, and he doesn't want to waste anymore precious arrows. Better to take stock of the battle.]

[prozaic]

[Shalem is... kind of busy right now. A bit too busy to pay attention to everyone else, because he's doing his job as a proper assassin and is insistent on turning Michael into swiss cheese.

After retrieving his katana from the archangel's ribs, he gets to work on shredding the lance-wielding arm with another Megaton Raid (15). He's definitely physically active, given how he's wielding his weapon with his tail.]