Lugubrious

Dungeon Keepers (This one's done. Go to The Horde of Evil instead)

It was late afternoon, just when the first licks of orange were starting to flare up from the horizon to mark the coming sunset, when the Snatcher arrived at the town. It had been guided dually by smell and hunger, and after coming upon a scent-laden, trampled-dirt path through the plain, it had easily been able to trace the little village. Many of the men were just now coming in from the potato fields, and the Snatcher could smell their weariness. It hobbled toward the buildings, the concept of stealth completely alien to it, and it managed to within range before a nearby pair of chatting people, one a young farmer and the other his mother, noticed it. With all the ceremony of a scorpion stinging its prey, the Snatcher lined up its head with its target and released a series of taught muscles to let its literal flesh-hook fly. The vile blade lodged in the man's back, and he crumpled, stricken. The woman screamed and started to run, but the Snatcher was not interested in her. It simply reeled its prey in, sedate and utterly repugnant. When the villager realized that the Snatcher's only focus was on her son, she grabbed the spade his limp hand had dropped and rushed at the grotesque creature with wild, reckless wrath, alternating between weeping and shrieking. She swung once, smashing the spade onto the Snatcher's head, and the thing slumped to the ground like a sack of wet dirt. One of its hands still pawed at her, but she shook it off and pried the Snatcher's barb from her son's back, unfortunately but unavoidably spilling his blood. The young man was alive, but unable to stand, so she dragged him to his feet and held him up, walking back toward the safety of the town from the monstrosity that had almost severed the bond between them. Shtk Another cry as the mother felt the barb jam into her hip. Her body went into shock, falling limply backward, and without anything to support him the young farmer toppled as well. Slowly but surely, the tendon cord pulled her in, with her son still clinging to her in mute, until the grasping arms could transition the two into the Snatcher's ribcage prison. The beast started to walk away, plodding somewhat woozily due to the blow delivered to it, ignoring the angry and fearful shouts building in intensity behind it. Mother and son watched with bleary eyes as the village receded into the distance, praying with every thought they could muster that someone would come to save them—but nobody did. After realizing that, the pair could do nothing but wait while the Snatcher carried them all the way back to the Flesh Pit, where the bond between them would remain forever unbroken.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

A delightful character, Seven! Should a spot become available you'll be the first to know.

Dungeon Keepers (This one's done. Go to The Horde of Evil instead)

Prepare yourself to receive an imminent account of the gruesome exploits of the Flesh!

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

Zmerr! We need you!

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

@Krayzikk, post it here. @PoS, nice work! I'm thinking of buying it myself. @Lokileo, we should play sometime. @Kafka, I'm going to continue with my comparison of Armory to Wood Shop. Let's say weapons are chairs. Chairs are among the hardest things to make in wood shop, and they are very useful in the individual's everyday life, but if you take the class you're going to want to make some hat stands and spice racks as well. Basically, Armory is more than just upgrading weapons; it's making devices, gear, all sorts of things. It's basically a hands-on Engineering course. As for the actual upgrades, they can be done in class by the students who picked Armory, but the classroom can also be visited in evening hours for those who don't have the class, much like Narc's 'afternoon project' bit. Right now, 16/25 people have voted for contests, with one against. I'm going to go ahead and call it: we're having these darn things. Sorry Beo. Perhaps you'd like to explain your reasoning, and I can adapt it to better suit you? Anyway, of those sixteen, nine have voted for an Option, with eight for Option B, and one against. In my book that's good enough to declare Option B to be the official rule. With this in mind we're going to have to take another look at the credits rewarded by all of the suggested missions, perhaps having a number directly related to the difficulty level. Pertaining to contests, a winner will recieve two credits, and a single runner-up one. As for the shop values, shall we say that it takes 4 credits to significantly upgrade a weapon or gear (or make a really awesome new thing), 6 to acquire a substantial natural ability boost, and 10 to purchase a subplot? The way these subplots will work, by the way, is that the buyer gives me something to incorporate into the story or allow them to do, usually to aid in their own character development I'm guessing. Keep in mind that it might work out that an A-class mission rewards 4 credits. @Sho Minuzaki, acknowledgement of your presence is required. I understand that your last post said that you were busy, but still. @Sixsmith, acknowledgement of your presence is required also. It's been five days.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

A single peek at Shiro's face would have sent anyone but Abel into a fit of laughter. As it was, however, Abel derived no amusement from the shame that his friend felt that he had caused. He moved quickly to reassure him. “You shouldn't feel bad about what you did, buddy. Anyone who faults you for bein' exuberant and generous is an idiot. Relax and have some steak or something.” Abel's attention was briefly occupied by the sight of the cafeteria doors swinging wide and admitting four new students. One of them in particular caught his gaze, but he did his best to avoid staring. Funnily enough, the girl with what looked like a red Ursatrap for an arm intrigued him more. What could she have suffered, he thought, eyebrows compressed in an expression of worry, To leave her in a state like that? Regardless, the new arrivals didn't have much time to both grab food and eat. When Abel returned his focus to his own table, he found another pair of people had arrived. Rather, one, a boy with gleaming yellow eyes in an officer's cap, had seated himself, while his slick-looking companion had gotten ticked at Hansen the next bench over, who had apparently asked her for something. As he watched the heavy-set boy rubbing his neck and joking about her to his sister, Abel made a point of remembering not to get on the hatted girl's bad side. “Hey,” the guardian replied to the newly-introduced Goldstein, and inclined his head respectfully. Anyone wearing the regalia of a soldier was worthy of esteem in his eyes. Meanwhile, Oswald had been talking, but only now did Abel start listening. “The fox girl? They way she did that kinda rubbed me the wrong way. Can't help but wonder if she can reflect lightening too.” He quieted himself, hoping that nobody took the statement out of context as him having ill will against Mokuren. Any enmity he had for her was born out of his respect for hard work; to do nearly nothing to win except use a natural gift, and to be so brazen about it, made Abel upset. As Indigo spoke, Abel considered entering the subject of Sapphire as well, but decided against it. “What do you mean, she'd do well back home?” He asked instead, after several minutes had passed. “Where you come from, is there like a...!” Abel was interrupted by the reverberating peal of the passing bell. Lunch was officially over; it was time to head to the next class. He popped his scroll from his pocket and scanned it briefly. Next class for him was Grimm Studies, which definitely piqued his interest. He stood up, and deposited his garbage into a nearby rolling trash bin. “Bad luck there,” he said to Oswald. “Where you headed next? We can talk 'n walk if you like.” -=-=- The clamor of the bell barely reached Paron Skaft. He sat at a corner table, hunched over the remains of his self-made lunch, contemplating the way the People Like Grapes soda had settled on the canister's lid. Across from him was the table's only other occupant, the regal Thistle Mallory-Pheasant, known to her only two friends as 'Lady'. Her spirits seemed low as well, for she was very bored, and stroking the iron feathers of her mechanical raven did not mitigate her boredom, so she stared listlessly through the open window as music played in her earbuds. Approaching footsteps notified Paron of the team leader's impending arrival, but it took Kitty clapping a hand on Lady's shoulder to rouse her from her trance. “Pull those out,” she hissed. “It's time we got started.” Though Kitty's tone was sharp, Paron knew by looking at her face that she wasn't actually mad. In fact, her visage gave off more of an impression of fear than of anger, and she was doing that thing she did when she was upset—flicking her mechanical tail back and forth, and fingering the bottom of her baton. Back when she had a sword, she had done that as well, but not nearly so often as she did nowadays. Paron pushed the thought from his mind. “Tattle-Tala Dei's here. She's talking to the flunkies now, but she wouldn't have left Goodwitch if I hadn't spoken to her.” Both girls flashed him an angry look; conversing with any teacher about a subject not directly related to schoolwork wasn't helpful. “Whatever. Get up off your ass and let's go.” None of them wanted to listen to Agesander's 'counseling', but off they went, leaving any intention of listening to him behind with their garbage.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

Hey, Lug, I wrote that I'm working on a Practice teacher next to the to do list XD I passed out last night before I could finish her. #narcolepsy

@Kaithas

Oh, I see. Hm... Well, we might consider having two Practice teachers that work together. One that specializes in target/dummy practice, and the other that specializes in creating and managing obstacle courses. Or one of you can be the teacher and the other the teacher's aide. Basically I don't want to you have three characters while Harine, a co-gm, has only one. By the way, the classroom for Practice is outdoors, though in a sort of controlled area, like the Quidditch pitch in Harry Potter. It comprises a big shooting range, as well as a bunch of terrain that's perfect for obstacle courses. @Agent, I didn't delete it actually, even though I said I might. I'll take a look at the history and see what I can get for you.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

In light of these new ideas I'm adding an Options section to the vote. Please recheck it and add the Option you choose beside your name. @Harine, use the normal character sheet, but add a little section for 'subject'.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

I expect this to have the opposite of the intended effect. What I think this will bring is a lot of people putting more focus OOC than IC, and we all know where that goes: deadfic alley. Nothing wrong with offering bonuses, but maybe doing a few missions IC would also grant us the ability to upgrade? I know you're trying to get the creative juices going, but as per above, I think the attempt is misguided. Now, if you were to implement both of the ideas...well, I think that'd have a great effect.

@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN

I've never heard of this 'deadfic alley' before. Please explain. I don't think it'll necessarily lead to more focus in OOC. There is only one bonus issued per contest, and there won't be contests 24/7, and the bonuses directly affect stuff we do IC. If we're not planning to do IC stuff, then doing the contests wouldn't be of any real use. But implementing rewards for missions (aside from credits and lien, I'm guessing) does seem like a good idea. Any ideas for other rewards aside from the aforementioned and upgrades? Perhaps equipment upgrades from contests, and natural ability (including semblance and aura) boosts from missions? @Sapphire, tomorrow morning. I'm somewhat waiting for Shadowkiller to make a certain post before I do.

Heroes of Beacon - the Next Chapter

So I get one to get what I want, then I gotta work for it if I want something else, or something even bigger. I like the idea, makes me feel even more excited for this RP. Kind of brings it to life.

@LokiLeo789

That's exactly what I was going for, a bit of liveliness and community spirit! I'll assume you want your name put down in favor of this idea, and that you're unable to do so from your phone, so I'll take care of it for you.