IAmTheIsland

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Battle vs. Opposite Armor

The tandem impact of Zac’s defensive spell and Launchpad’s Jumping assault had dealt the Opposite Armor a tangible blow. Thankfully, for it, it had evaded the follow up from Leon, their brief moment airborne having given it just enough time to collect itself, and move its vital spot out of harm’s way.

While the trio of Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie were protected behind Zac’s Reflect, they silently agreed on a plan of action. Determining that the Heartless would have resilience against the brand of magic they could throw at it, they opted against continuing on with that approach. Aerith cast a set of spells to enable [her] Leon, each devised to improve his combat prowess; his strength was amped by magic; an invisible force would reduce the impact of the Guard Armor’s attacks; lastly, a boost to his speed was cast upon him. Meanwhile, Yuffie had sprinted out from behind the Reflect barrier before it had even dispersed into shards. Her role in this battle wouldn’t change, leaving her to chip at the foe from afar and keep it annoyed enough to not focus properly,

Watching the Heartless take a series of attacks from the two odd characters she had met earlier, Yuffie squared her throwing star up to its target. As soon as it had righted itself, she began pelting it with her throwing stars; they all flew truer than usual, the extra time she had had to mark the enemy proving invaluable. Just as before, the “Annoying Fly” maneuver proved its effectiveness: The Opposite Armor would shift away from Leon and Launchpad, and beset itself upon her, much to Launchpad’s chagrin. Leon landed next to his diminutive, similarly named counterpart as the magics flowed through him, preparing his strike. The two warriors silently looked at each other and realized what had to be done. The powers of magic seemed to surround the Lilty as he drew a second blaster. "TRIGGER HAPPY!" He called, before unleashing a hail of laserfire upon one of the arms. Leon (Enhanced by Aerith’s magic) seized the moment to land a strike against the armor's other arm, their combined attack more than the armor could take.

Yuffie didn’t cease her tactic; she continued the volley of stars as both Leons destroyed the arms of the Armor. “Alright!” she said, pumping her fist at Launchpad as she ran past, but looked back at him. “Good going you t--” Yuffie was cut off as one of the Armors legs came sweeping down on her.

"LITTLE LADY! LOOK OUT!" Launchpad yelled at the same time.

The attack succeeded in brushing her back, but she employed her ninja skills and recovered gracefully. “Whew!” She smirked towards Launchpad. “Cut a bit too close!” She jogged out a few steps in place and resumed circling the Heartless.

“Careful, Yuffie!” Leon could be heard shouting. As the second foot came crashing down, Launchpad grabbed the short Ninja Girl and hurled her to safety, the foot smashing into him, as he was unable to also dodge in time. As the foot raised to find its next victim, Launchpad was left pancaked into the floor,

"Ouch…" Launchpad calmly wheezed out, looking more like a puddle than a duck at this point. An arm raised from the flattened figure and pulled himself up, looking a little flat. Placing his thumb in his mouth, he blew hard, before quickly reinflating with a “POP” He raised the Trident "Big Mistake, pal, you just activated my SPECIAL ATTACK!!!" He yelled loudly and heroically. His Trident turned a crimson red as his eyes glowed. Jumping up at the leg, he drove the Trident into it. "LIFEBREAKER!" Channelling the damage he just took into his trident, he slammed the trident into the leg, energy pouring into it, scarlet energies running across the leg from the 3 prongs stuck in it, before violently exploding, sending Launchpad flying away and landing next to Yuffie again. He raised his arm in a thumbs up to indicate he was ok.

While the others began their assault on the Opposite Armor, Zac hung back, within range to jump to their spellcaster/healer’s aid if he needed to. He let out an appreciative whistle as his comrades made quick work of the Heartless’ limbs, rendering down to nothing more than a floating torso. He didn’t let his guard down, however. Experience told him that these monsters were dangerous up until they dissipated into Darkness.

Just as he had the thought, the Opposite Armor’s torso flipped around, the wider end taking aim at the group as its head came to rest on top of its chest. Energy began to gather at the end facing the group as it prepared a ranged attack. When it fired its projectile, Zac charged ahead and met the blast with the flat of his Keyblade. “This isn’t what I ordered. Gotta return to sender!” he quipped as he smacked the projectile back at the Opposite Armor like a baseball before following close behind it.

The Armor rattled and wobbled against the force of its own attack being racketed back into it. NOT EXPECTED! Even still, it didn’t cease its hovering about the plaza, now being sure to keep the Keybearer at a distance. It focused its offensive elsewhere, and an easy target presented itself in another string of throwing stars knocking off of its torso. ANNOYING! The torso spun around, taking aim at the young ninja. Another projectile cannonballed out from its torso.

“Bet you’re on the ropes n-- Aargh!” Yuffie had gotten over zealous and careless. In her moment’s lapse, the energy blast from the Opposite Armor slammed full-force into her. She was flung back and slid into a far corner of the plaza. As she flew, she smashed straight into Launchpad who had finally picked himself back up, knocking him out of his shoes and sending them both flying into the wall, Launchpad’s feathered form breaking Yuffie’s fall somewhat.

“YUFFIE!” The cry came from Aerith, who projected an uncommon rage. She raised her staff upward. A magnificent light flared out from its end. Both Leons and Zac would be both fully restored, and finding themselves, for the moment, literally invincible. “We’re not losing ANYONE else to the Heartless,” she said to Squall.

The Gunbladesman nodded sternly and took up arms beside Zac. “Let’s finish this one off. Here and now.” He looked across to Other Leon and Launchpad who had stumbled his way over in a dazed state, pulling his shoes back on. “You two! Give it everything you’ve got! No holding back!”

“AYE AYE COMMANDER NEBULSTEIN!!” Launchpad slurred out in his punchdrunk state, before raising his lance up and it began glowing with the red aura again, before rushing at it in a zigzagging path. Leon, on the other hand, pulled out the large Plasma Cannon and aimed it straight at the Opposite Armour, pulling the trigger and a ball of green plasma launched towards it.

Zac clenched his fist, feeling a surge of energy rush through his body. He nodded to Gunblade Leon and raised Stonecall with both hands toward the Heartless, parallel to the ground. “I’ll go high, you go low,” he told Leon as he cast his magic. A holographic image of a ticking clock appeared as he cast Haste on himself and Leon. Stone rose from the ground, encasing Zac’s Keyblade to add more weight to it while extending its reach by nearly double, and the shimmering shell of Reflect gathered around his weapon at the same time.

The young Keyblade wielder was the first to move, jumping into the air while Leon dashed forward, as if fired from a cannon, his glowing Gunblade in hand. The Opposite Armor, beset on all sides, was hard-pressed on which to focus on, slowing its reaction somewhat. By the time it would have decided which person to react to, it was too late. Launchpad and Lilty Leon’s attacks made contact on either side and the resulting explosion weakened the Heartless’s torso armor enough for Other Leon to easily cut through it, slicing it in two.

”You’re finished!” Zac yelled as he brought his Keyblade down on the Heartless’ head. The weight of the stone-encased blade drove the Opposite Armor’s head into the ground just as Reflect absorbed the force of the impact and sent it back, cratering the ground with the following release of energy. As the dust cleared, the remains of the Heartless, now nothing more than crumpled metal, began to fade as Zac let himself fall back on his rear, sitting in the crater. ”Finally,” he said with a relieved sigh. ”And to think…I was thinking about taking that thing on by myself!”

Squall let out a forced laugh at Zac’s comment. He breathed heavily; invulnerability didn’t come with infinite stamina, and his finishing slash on the Opposite Armor had taken a bit more out of him than he’d have liked.

Aerith, meanwhile, had rushed to Yuffie’s side and nursed her back to her usual spry and jovial self. The ninja made her way over behind Aerith with a skip in her step. “Good job team!” She exclaimed, giving everyone two thumbs up.

“I’m thankful we all made it through,” Aerith added.

“Right,” Leon said, no longer attempting his humored face. “We should get to the others.”

“Agreed,” Aerith said. “I sent one of them, Hoshi, through the Third District. We should head that way first.”

Leon shouldered his Gunblade, and started down the alley towards the Third District. Aerith and Yuffie followed close behind, waving for Zac, Leon, and Launchpad to join them. Together, the six of them would depart the Second District, and emerge into the Third to an astonishing, but welcome sight…

Kingdom Hearts: Heroes of Hope

Post incoming.

EDIT: Post posted.

@King Kindred, @Sadu ((Tagging our GM team))

Misfits: Rise of the Delinquents (Closed)

Caitlin Cade

"Thanks bro." Cait said through the spliff hanging between her lips. As the flame from Prince's lighter ignited the end of her vice, she drew in a long, smooth breath. She held her breath for a few seconds, allowing the flavor and substance of the roll to sit on her tongue before turning away to exhale into open space. The effect of the cannabis was almost immediate; her tolerance had taken a dip since her run with the police, due to her folks deciding to cut her off from any drugs or alcohol. Her head lightened and her eyes glazed a bit. A lighthearted chuckle pumped out of her chest. "The best hash, as usual from you," she said, raised the spliff like she was toasting to a drink. She took another hit, this time, a quicker one. "That's twice I owe you."

By that point the pair had arrived at a still-tagged bench. Cait, masking the loopiness of the high with an exagggerated, forced straight face, knelt down and pried her can open and dipped the brush in. She gave the pain a few wuick stirs and pulled the brush out and began painting. Others nearby had began singing an old Marley tune, setting a relaxing mood to the affair. "They damn near caught the whole crew," she explained to Prince. "Late night sesh over in the Royal Parks. Hit up some spots, dodged a few cops along the way. They finally caught up with us tricking off the Matilda Fountain." She burst out a laugh and took another hit off of her spliff. "Guess they thought the same as you thought: that I was the best skater of the lot; sent some new upstart to chase me down on a bike. I almost fuckin' faceplanted when my wheels hit his baton." She sighed. "So yeah... 'defacing' a historic monument, plus charges for public intoxicatoion. And here I am." She gently glided her paint brush across the seat of the bench, and puffed on the spliff.

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

As a DM, it's ghosting for me. I often deal with repeat customers (players) who eagerly jump in when I start a new thing, only to see them barely participating after one or two months playing. It is honestly annoying because I have allocated significant time and attention working with them to make their characters fit into the story, even tailoring some elements in the plot to cater to their characters' backgrounds.

And in the long run, it makes me restless; Maybe some new changes are needed? Maybe there was something in the narrative that they didn't like? And the worst part, it is hard to mend things when you have people completely gone from the radar, and you don't know why they are gone, and you can't ask them why.

It's understandable if things in real life prevent them from participating, but it becomes another if I see them online in my Discord server or returning once every two weeks to post memes without context. AT least keep us updated, a simple "sorry still busy this month" every once in a while would do just fine and take no more than 2 minutes of your time, or just withdraw from the RP altogether so I can focus on what is left, thought it's still annoying because I still have to deal with the marks that retiring character left, but at least it is better than having a character just idling in the middle of the road for the rest of the arc.

@Mas Bagus

As a player, GMs ghosting is equally frustrating. Especially when they outright refuse to let another person step up and Co-GM. Had that happen once; GM hadn't been around. I asked about taking over in their stead, they denied, the RP ultimately died. Also once had a GM abandom her RP to take over another one and then, when asked for any notes/plot ideas she had had, her response was just "I don't care."

[Interest Check] Masks & Magic: The Awakening

Color me intruiged

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

My personal experience has been that friends->lovers doesn't work out for me. But then, strangers to lovers hasn't gone well either so it's probably just me having a factory defect that I should really get recalled for.

But I've seen it work for others.

To Hold Back The Dark

Erik Elfhame Ostriecher V

Mistmoor Stronghold
With: Tarrian Kar, Lady Victory

Erik's outward demeanor remained hard as steel. He held strong against the aura of despair that Himeri emanated. Inwardly, he found himself victim to worry. He had yet to an encounter a high functioning emissary of Darkness; merely the instrinct-driven beasts not unlike those that had attacked the gate and been slain by their "leader." The callous nature with which Himeri had struck down her own had been unsettling; one so cold would not be inclined towards any notion of mercy. Thinking of the sword at his side, he pondered how well he would do if this exchange did come down to a battle... he had trained to fight monsters... would he hold his own against an intelligent, human-form opponent? Was she as skilled as she hinted? In that moment, even the bold brashness that had defined Erik's prior deeds gave way to better discretion. He would prefer not to have to answer his own questions within the gates of Mistmoor.

More unsettling was knowing that even as he projected his own aura against Himeri's, her presence was sharp enough to pierce through any protection he had mustered for the soldiers that stood behind him.

He looked quickly to Tarrian, but did not ask her opinion on the matter. "Very well then... If you're to go, you will be escorted. Tarrian and I will personally see you to the estate. You will retrieve your sword, and you will leave. But be clear on one matter: you are no guest of honor, and will not act as such. While we will not allow idle assualts, I cannot promise that you will not be treated with verbal hostility. In short, consider yourself a temporary captive. Now then..." He circled behind Himeri. "You will proceed in front of me."

Do You Have RP Pet Peeves?

A newer one that I've been feeling lately: People who exclusively play a single specific character and try to shoehorn them into everything (prior lore from other non-related RPs and media, etc). This is as opposed to taking a character and adjusting/adapting them into the lore of the RP. And definitely goes for canon/IP characters a bit stronger than OCs.

At best it comes off as having a narrow range of interest; at worst it comes off as creatively stunted or plain lazy.

Crossovers are the exception to this, of course.

Otherwise... if you're gonna run mains, at least put the work into making them fit the lore if the RP universe(s) you're placing them in. Or be prepared to be (potentially) limited in your RP selections.

Heroes Rise: Paragon City

K E N S H I M A Z U
K E N S H I M A Z U

Lucky Noodle, Little Asia

Shimazu listened intently to what Julia had to say. As he did, the wheels in his mind began turning as he resumed an effort to recall where and when he had seen her before; this stayed more to the back of his mind, as he kept most of his focus on the information she provided. He placed a hand upon his chin, falling into a brief yet deep state of contemplation. “Mhmmmm… The Melting Pot… that’s out in the Delgato’s part of the city, isn’t it? But I don’t see someone like that working for the Delgato Family; Anthony prefers to operate with… a bit more subtlety, at least for abductions. And I can’t imagine Ms. Crane being on the bad side of the Delgato’s.”

He thought a minute longer and realized they had yet to offer a description of the abductor. “He was a large person; the one that took our friend. Tall, and broadly built. Pale skin, stretch marks or scars on the cheeks. Fiery yellow-orange eyes, and pointed ears. He looked much like something out of an old Tolkien novel. He seemed to have some tattooed markings on his face, something like cult imagery.”

He surveyed Julia, and offered agreement with the officer’s suggestion. “You might do well to accept the medical attention.”

S A R A H M A R I E K I N G
S A R A H M A R I E K I N G

Lucky Noodle, Little Asia

While Shimazu and Julia brought the police officer up to speed, Sarah barely moved an inch. She stayed knelt down where she had been. She strained her eyes over and over again, focusing in and out on the amulet in hyperfixation. She dilated her pupils until she [swore she] felt her retinas cramp. At the peak of her discomfort she broke, ceding to the artifact in their staring contest. No matter how she tried, she had never been successful visualizing the things she sensed. The amulet, as with most things, remained no more than an experience of feeling. It was as a brush of air against her face, or a tickling or prickling that crawled over her and under her skin. Yet all her eyes could perceive was a piece of metal sitting on the floor, giving her a weird vibe.

She pulled her eyes away from it and rubbed the aching out of her forehead. Another deep breath in and out flowed through her before her resolve allowed her to look back to the scene.

Her sore eyes darted to her sensei and then back to the amulet, thinking of what she would give to actually see the world as her sensei did, or could see it. She had always imagined it as being like when the halos appeared around the street lights, or when the heat rippled off of the blacktop on a summer day. How much more could she do if she could see the energies the way Shimazu did? If she had more than just the awkward sensations that rippled to and from her core? Was she even capable of learning the way he had? She heaved out a breath that she hadn’t realized she had taken in, and left her questions for another time.

If she was going to find and help Maddie, she had to do it with what she could already do. She reached out, and picked up the amulet, and examined it more closely, hoping, perhaps, that having a hand on it would stir up something else in her senses. But Kenzo spoke, practically right into her ear, breaking her concentration slightly. She pursed her lips, holding back a rebuke. She bobbed her head up and down twice; a silent “yes,” to answer his question.

As if in response, the amulet reacted in an unexpected way. It began to glow in her hand. Through the light came a symbol that seemed to point like an arrow, or a needle on a compass. It pointed behind her, an eastward direction; she assumed it was directing her towards something more than a few feet away though.

She looked up and checked the group, particularly the officer, Shimazu, and Julia. All three seemed busy dealing with the police report; enough so that they didn’t seem to be paying her much, if any attention. Swiftly and subtly, she slipped the amulet into her pocket, and stood up, stretching her arms, back, and chest. She turned towards Kenzo, throwing him a stern glare, and placing her index finger on her lips, signing for him to not say anything. She nodded toward the kitchen beckoning him to follow her.

She side stepped him, and began to the back of the dining space. In transit she slid a chair out of her way, a bit more forcefully than she intended, knocking it against the table…

Z H A N G, T A I W U
Z H A N G, T A I W U

^{Void Sanctum, Nighthaven}

Taiwu felt the wave of icy chill take him from behind. Even the branded heat of the tattoo upon the back of his neck was cooled by the cold. He shivered and channeled his pyromancy through his skin, shielding him against the drop in temperature; the heat coming off of him created a thin mist as the cold air brushed against him. Then he heard her voice, and turned to face her. He stood still while she circled him. “I take it that you must be Amara.” He smirked; he was fortunate to meet her outside of her sanctum, rather than having to enter unannounced. “And by the sound of it, my arrival isn’t unexpected.”

He began to relax. “I come here seeking counsel, not conflict,” he explained. “Earlier this morning my boss and I had an altercation, which put us at odds against magic and another force seemingly cut from the same fabric. I’m familiar enough with most magic, being so blessed in my own respect. But the other energy… I have my suspicions, so this may simply be me confirming what I already know. If you can entertain an inquiry.”

Horace J. Wolfe & Katherine Tran

Veridian Technologies, Secret Room

Wolfe led KT down into the depths beneath the Veridian Tech building. Down a lengthy stairwell, the pair arrived outside of the Security HQ, where a heavy, windowless door would bring them into the then bustling Ops Room; within, would be at least a dozen Security Officers manning a multitude of screens sending feeds from all of the cameras hidden about the building. Wolfe, however, would not enter that room. Instead, he turned to his left, and around into space beneath the stairwell, and what seemed to be a solid wall.

“Um…” KT raised an eyebrow, but Wolfe raised his hand.

“You’ll see,” he explained. He turned to KT. “Whatever you do, I need you to say nothing of this room to or around anyone other than myself and Diana. So far, we’re the only two who are aware of its existence. It isn’t even on any floor plans or schematics for the facility.”

“I promise,” KT said.

Wolfe acknowledged her, satisfied that she would be true to her word. He placed his hand on what looked like a spot where a painter had simply missed a spot. A red light ran the outline of his palm three times, then turned a solid green. The wall next to the spot shifted back an inch, and then slid open; a hidden door. Wolfe ushered KT in first and then entered himself, closing the door behind them.

The pair entered a room dominated by a large, multi-monitor computer with feeds to the security cameras around the building; at the moment, it was set up so that all of the monitors combined for a large frame of the atrium. On the desk sat what looked like a set of communication devices. “Here it is,” Wolfe said. The nerve center of Ms. Smith’s night work. Or, as she goes after hours: Artemis.”

“Wait…” KT’s eyes widened in awe. “You’re telling me that DIANA is the vigilante I’ve been hearing about?”

“That is correct.” Wolfe seated himself at the desk, putting on a headset for himself and handing a second one to KT. “I’ll ask you to contain your excitement for now. Put this on. We’ll have to be in communication with Diana for this. Oh… She’s online.”

KT put the headset on in time to hear Diana speak.

“Affirmative,” Wolfe said. “We’re in the Vault, we have eyes on the atrium. DSHA and PCPD are inbound. Don’t push it too hard; we just need to stall her until reinforcements arrive.”

KT watched in amazement as her friend performed well as a combatant, delivering a well-placed arrow to the woman. She quickly started to panic a bit when the woman responded, blasting Diana back with a bolt of lightning and knocking her against the wall. KT made to remove her headset and rush back up stairs to help her friend. But a firm hand grasped her wrist. She looked back at Wolfe, who shook his head quietly.

“Don’t go rushing up there without a plan,” he told her.

When Wolfe released her wrist, KT turned back to the monitors and placed the headset back on. “Are you ok, Artemis?”

@Nallore, @Silver Carrot, @McNephelim

Misfits: Rise of the Delinquents (Closed)

Caitlin Cade

"Fuck..." Cait's words were spat just under her breath, unheard or otherwise ignored by both Tony and her new compatriots. Guess I'll have to learn not to give the drill sergeant ideas. The group began dispeersing with their 'orders.' The officers turned around and returned to the building. Cait eyeballed him as he walked away; she thought it, odd that he'd just leave them to their own devices. But she decided with no real thought not to say anything, lest he change his mind about it. She turned towards the cans of paint and the boxfull of brushes, and tightend her hair into a bun while making a mental note to get it trimmed as soon as she could; she could already tell Tony would be a hard ass, and the work they'd be doing wouldn't be too friendly to locks below the shoulders.

Cait turned then to Prince, whom had made his way to her on his way to the supplies. "Yeah," she said. "Can't imagine why he wouldn't though; I mean, we're us." Her mood lightened a bit, especially after Prince presented her with a well-packed spliff from his jumpsuit pocket. "Thanks mate." She took the spliff and set it between her lips. "Shame, this job," she said through the spliff, following Prince and grabbing her own paint brush and a can. "We might end up covering some of your work... what'd they bag you for anyways? Oh, hold that thought. I need a lite."