Lugubrious

The Crucible - Winner Take All

It's been a rough week or two, but it's been too long since I've posted. I'll be able to put up a full-length post tomorrow night.

Project Crossover [Video Game Crossover RP]

Slayer
Level 4
Day 2
Location:
@Zarkun @Majoras End @Tenma Tendo @ONL
Experience: |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| (0/40)
Word count: 726

One by one Slayer's new companions honored his request and gave accounts of themselves. First, the unassuming youth spoke up, and he regaled the group with a synopsis of his past. Injustice turned many to a life of crime, but from Akira's speech about the Phantom Thieves, it appeared that he and the compatriots he left behind worked in the shadows to serve the light, so to speak. Much to his chagrin, Slayer did not immediately comprehend every last detail of the explanation, but he found no reason to doubt the boy's character. The vampire watched with fascination as Akira retrieved and put on a mask that transformed his appearance in such a flashy manner that Slayer could not help liking the cut of his jib. Every inch of Akira -no, Joker- oozed 'classic rogue', a perfect blend of style and pragmatism. ”Looking dandy, Joker!” he remarked after the young man's explanation concluded. ”From the sound of it, your versatility will be a valuable asset to our team. Welcome aboard!”

Far more garrulous than his rough exterior might imply, the Heavy spoke openly, giving an account of his origin before introducing his weapon. The merest look, and attention to the big man's manner, told Slayer that Sasha might as well be the love of his life. A simple man, strong and true, the gentleman summarized, though he cast an awry glance at the sandwich that Heavy produced from his pocket. ”...How long has that been in there?” he murmured. Though a massive amalgam of bread, cheese, vegetable, and meat, Heavy attacked it with gusto, and it was no more in a matter of seconds. His description indicated that it possessed healing properties, which would be very useful. ”I daresay my strength at close quarters combat plus the power of your weapon will be a lethal combination. ”

When her turn came, Six told without words of a horrific nightmare. From the outset Slayer received from her an uncanny feeling, that something was off or wrong, and now the riddle was solved. Even if he didn't catch every word, it was clear that she'd suffered much, even to the point of doing things that some would call monstrous. Yet here she was, sane and baring her soul, and the gentleman was not inclined to pass judgment. Along with these, he noticed her nervousness. After a few moments, when he'd thought of just what to say, he addressed her with a pleasant smile on his face. ”It speaks to your spirit that you survived such torment and are able to share it with people you've barely met. Nobody escapes unchanged dark ordeals, but many who fight monsters become monsters themselves. You, however, seem to have risen above the darkness, ready to take on the mantle of 'hero'. I am grateful to have you with us.”

The end of the new group's meeting coincided perfectly with the Headless Horseman's next announcement. At his bidding, the heroes and monsters on board the train assembled their teams. With no mention of any battlefield, Slayer raised his eyebrows. ”We're fighting in here?” A moment passed before he shrugged. There was enough room, and less distance for foes to dance about in made him a more potent force. Without delay, an opposing team approached his, and Slayer stood so that the mummies could depart. Expression neutral, he studied the four potential enemies as he listened to their leader's introduction. ”Sounds grand. I didn't exactly get enough action in my last fight to warm up, so this will be a fine diversion.” Not long after, the barrier-encapsulated battle began.

At once, the four enemies attacked, and Slayer sighed when the werewolf leaped at him. ”Just the fellow I hoped to avoid engaging.” The gentleman barely raised his arms in time to block Warwick's wicked-fast slashes, but just as he expected, the augmented beast's nasty claws raked through the fabric of his sleeves and across his skin. Wincing, he backed up while the onslaught continued, hoping to lull Warwick into a false sense of security. When the moment seemed right, Slayer ducked out of the next attack with a Dandy Step, then shot forward with an upward flash kick followed by upside-down roundhouse—a Crosswise Heel. With any luck, the sudden attack would catch the beast off-guard, and pop him into the air for a combo.

Capes of Denver: A Worm RP

Anyone well-versed in the wide world of superpowers knew with great familiarity the secret and potent ability possessed by any gifted individual: the wild card. The element of surprise could turn even the most peculiar, weak-seeming power into a terrific force to be reckoned with. Few could boast more acquaintance with this reality than the enigmatic Margrave, whose unseen talent -ridiculed by some, those philistines- won him many a kerfuffle. When he watched through narrowed eyes at the man and child phasing through a door, therefore, he scrutinized their every detail to the best of his ability. A spike of apprehension pierced him as he heard the discharge of small arms, but only silence followed. Either the gunslingers took down what the Margrave suspected to be Community intruders, or the parahuman foe could eliminate armed security guards. He knew that this mission would be tricky, but already this brief exchange was reinforcing his conclusion.

Not that peerless skill and indefatigable cunning cannot overcome this obstacle, as they have all others.

He exited the van shortly after Lillian, making no attempt to halt her advance. It occurred to him that she might give the Wards away, but he reasoned that if she was on this team in the first place, she couldn't possibly be that careless, despite her eccentricities. He watched her climb up the building from behind the cover of the van, with Overlook checking in just before she reached the roof. “Reading you, Overlook,” he murmured. ”I would like to assure you that you need only sit back and bear witness to unyielding justice in action, but your watchful gaze is much appreciated.” After that, he contented himself to wait while Tulpa designed and manifested a new projection, so that she might scout out the competition. Her abilities puzzled him to no end. While he keenly felt the unpleasant idleness to crouching around and doing nothing while his allies engaged in surveillance, he knew that he could do nothing but compromise their efforts for the moment. When push came to shove, his utility and shocking combat mastery would come into play.

A few moments passed, with Tulpa engaging the team in a furtive whisper to relay her findings, until the girl appeared to swoon. Despite himself the antihero reached out to help steady her, but before his hand even drew near she'd already regained some of her composure. His hand closed, then receded, as he waited for her to explain the problem.

What she revealed didn't help much—even she couldn't pinpoint what affected her so. She did indicate, however, that she'd be able to shed some light on the powers of the vagabond five before long, so the Margrave affirmed her suggested to move ahead. ”As you say. I shall approach...no villain's baleful eye will spot me...” Crouching, he began to shuffle toward the warehouse with as much speed as he could muster, narrating his stealthy trek in a whisper. ”Grave specter of the night...I move with discretion unparalleled, a riddle swaddled by a mystery, with ghostly tread I creep ever nearer to the odious ones...”

The Three Realms War [A DMC, Bayonetta and Darksiders RP]

Put out though he was by the authoritarian's generalization, Souta couldn't bring himself to disagree with Kushiel. Confusing yet stimulating moments with Lily aside, he'd been confronted by the thought of 'why' more than a few times during these long days—why the highest authorities of three realms chose a couple of demons, an old man, and himself to be their representatives. Here in this company, more so than even in the midst of battle with hell's forces, he felt as though he didn't belong. Any further rumination, however, was swept away by the flourish of Kushiel's spear that brought the weapon's point facing his way. What. With the power to sooth the eon-old grudge between demon and angels out of his hands, he'd allowed himself to become distracted by his disgruntlement, and hadn't paid quite enough attention to determine if Kushiel's most recent couple of sentences had been more spiteful rhetoric or actual death threats. Now he aimed that spear at him? Why? Even if he wants to kill me because I'm on the same side as Fenn and Lily, he can't actually attack me? I've got...diplomatic immunity! On instinct, he held his hands up in placation, his face a visage of unmasked fear and confusion.

Then and there, Kushiel declared that the Council no longer held an alliance with Heaven. Souta's mind clicked instantly, and he knew that because of that, violence could erupt at any moment. The tension clogging the air would become murderous intent, and what was supposed to be a conference of cooperation would become a bloodbath, and -the smith was convinced- play right into Sevrin's hands. For a moment, however, Souta's indignation outweighed his fear. Who the hell was Kushiel to declare an ageless pact moot, to mark the Charred Council as his enemy? From where he stood, the situation looked a lot more like the angel letting his hatred of demons and massive ego get the better of himself. “Hold on! Sir,” he shouted, “Put aside your anger for one second and think about what you're doing!” He glared at Wrath. “What are you doing, fool? The Council's picture is biggest there is!”

By then, it was too late. Terse words had been exchanged by the bigger fish, and after a moment where it looked like peace might be an option, Kushiel zoomed to eviscerate Fenn. His initial charge met the beast's claws, but the damage was done. Primed muscles sprang into action, and the angels surged forward to attack. Souta's fury, too, boiled over, and in Japanese he gave a vehement swear as he thrashed his arms. “Idiot angels!” He glanced to the side as Lily offered her apologies, and shrugged. “It's fine.” Power wracked her body, transforming the beautiful demoness into a blazing creature of slaughter, and after a second of observation Souta decided to join her.

Water flooded from his sleeves, hardening into clawed gauntlets of shining silver. When Souta cracked his fists together, sparks flew. The sigil on the back of his neck flared up with a searing light, and together the flames and droplets danced across his body. “When the metal's being uppity,” he growled, his voice distorting as strength flowed through him, “I beat it into shape!” The steam surrounding him burst off, leaving a juggernaut in vicious stone armor. In his left hand the brilliant azure core of the shotgun Deluge gave off heatwaves, and the smith's right held tight to the ghostly warhammer Escre.

One second later, the first angel fell upon him. His energy blade sliced through the air, but its lustrous yellow edge did not so much as chip the smith's armor. “Can't cut through armor, fool!” With the sound of a thunderclap Deluge discharged its first shot, which sailed past the attacking angel to embed itself in the hauberk of another. Before it even exploded, the first warrior had reeled back for a thrust that failed just as badly to penetrate the defenses of his foe. “Metal or rock,” Souta shouted through clenched teeth as he swung, his hammer crumpling the angel's shield in a single strike, “Muda da!” Before his adversary could dash away, Souta stomped down on his foot with his armored heel. “Crushing works better. Watch!” The angel barely got a chance. Unable to squirm away and taken aback by what should have been an easy opponent, he took the full force of Souta's hammer to the dome, which decreased his height by a fair margin.

For the moment that he was free, Souta directed the barrel of his firearm toward Wrath. “Hey! You can get outta here today without betraying anybody. But if sticking a knife in your buddies' backs sounds okay, come on and try me!”

Angels more eager than the nephilim for a piece of Souta reached him the next instant, and his fight raged on.

Project Crossover [Video Game Crossover RP]

Slayer
Level 4
Day 2
Location: Platform City Subway
@Zarkun @Majoras End @Tenma Tendo @ONL
Experience: |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| (0/40)

Honored to be the head of his new little band, Slayer stepped aboard the train without delay. He discovered at once, and with some surprise, that not only did the locomotive contained other beings, but they appeared to be all sorts of creatures associated with Halloween. On second thought, he reasoned, he should have expected it. The goofy grins of creepy clowns, the fierce looks of the imps that they hoped would compensate for their diminutive stature, and the vacant stares of wide-eyed fishpeople forced the well-dressed gentleman to smile. ”What a fun little event we have here, hmm?” Having turned down the aisle, he came across a booth empty save for two mummies on one side. After a slight bow he seated himself by the nearest ghoul so that the other three could occupy the booth's other side. Six, of course, wouldn't take up much space, which worked out well given the fact that the Heavy fellow most likely needed all the space he could get.

Meanwhile, the train's intercom had come to life with an announcement that concerned the new boarders. Slayer listened as the Headless Horseman hinted at their adversary, though his lack of subtlety left the vampire with something of an idea. ”He must be referring to Luigi,” he told Joker, Heavy, and Six after the PA went offline. ”Would that I might boast a better knowledge of his past, but I'm sure a prestigious hero must have many nemeses. It's unfortunate that he couldn't be here today...the loss of a loved one must have taken a serious toll on the poor man.” The respectful sorrow laid plain on his face took a few moments to fade. It was a few seconds before he raised his elbows to put on the table between him and his team of newbies, and clasped his hands. ”Alas, we cannot undo what is already done. Since we are to be allies, perhaps we might prepare for a better future by getting to know one another. A synopsis from each of you concerning yourself and your abilities would be grand. If I may, young one, I'd ask that you sign somewhat slowly. My interpretation is rusty, I'm afraid.”

He removed his pipe from his jacket and puffed it. When he exhaled, the smoke took the form of bats flapping their wings, which flitted upward to splash against the ceiling. ”As for me, you know my name already, but I have yet to truly introduce myself. I am an observer of sorts, keeping an eye on the significant goings-on in my world. When I'm not traveling or giving cryptic advice, I preside alongside my wife Sharon over a certain Gentleman's Fight Club, where the aristocratic elite engage in thrilling fisticuffs. A gentleman takes his time, so I must confess my speed is not up to snuff, and I have no ranged capabilities, but I'm sure you'll find my brute force more than satisfactory should violence be necessary.” Slayer replaced his pipe between his teeth and waited for the new heroes to speak.

Overlord : Advent of the Gods

So, activity's been a little dry lately. Anyone still in this?

The Crucible - Winner Take All

So Runch is just unceremoniously tossed into the water and that's it? No chance to react at all? No attempt to dodge or recover or produce a new platform to catch him? I get that he can't see the attacks, but he still knows what she can do and seeing her point right at him is certainly cause to say, "Maybe I should veer right." I guess I have nothing to post then, until either Motley or Erina dives in to save him.

@ProPro

No, I said that the missile's large (and thus powerful) enough to do that, not that it did that. What actually happens is up to you. My apologies; I get how my phrasing would leave what happens open to misinterpretation, and will try to beat around the bush less in the future.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

The Fungal Knight

Location: the Big Top
@Banana

Having reached his goal, the clown wiggled his fingers in gleeful anticipation before plucking a ray gun of comical proportions from the weapons cache. With that ludicrous firearm in hand, he turned to take aim at Bonesword, only to find him nowhere to be found. All that remained were a few leaves on the ground, and the sound of another automatic door closing. After a moment, the clown gave a disappointed gurgle. Where could the intruder have gone? He began his slow trudge in pursuit, taking a guess as to the direction in which he started his search.

The skeletal swordfighter sought an exit, but far more readily than an avenue out of the Big Top, he found other clowns. A huge variety of the creepy creatures infested the ship, all busy with one task or another, the appearance of the devices that they operated making every duty look ridiculous and trivial. Though quite occupied by their various pursuits, they took no time at all to take notice of Bonesword as he zoomed by, and many drew weapons from their oversized pockets or from beneath their hats in their attempts to catch him. More than a few blasts of popcorn and acid-filled pies smacked into the walls near him or his quick-moving mount, but aside from the stray kernel he managed to elude them all. Still, with every twist and turn through the bizarre funhouse more clowns were alerted to his presence, making the chase more and more dangerous. Most important was the perception and subsequent avoidance of dead ends; if forced to double back by one, he would essentially be throwing himself upon the mercy of the pursuing clowns' response times, and sooner or later they wouldn't allow the basilisk to sail over their heads.

Fortune favored Bonesword, however, and a short while into his wild chase he stumbled upon a circular room at the Big Top's center. Here, where a large colorful machine that might have been an engine span and made wacky noises, stretches of the floor were made from fabric rather than plastic or metal. Not impervious to cutting, those lengths of tarp could easily permit a desperate swordsman and his trusty seed a swift if perilous exit, provided they could escape the posse of clowns that gained on them even now.

Sunspot

Location: the Park
@FloodTalon

Two rushing walls of leaves collided, expansive enough to trap and eliminate practically any threat, yet once again Jin proved his alacrity more than a cocksure boast. Having escaped the leaf cascade with only a few scratches and no visible injections of the leaves' fluid, he took aim with a pistol that Pieter -ever observant and keen of recollection- recognized the moment he saw it. “Took long enough,” he muttered, then spread his hands apart. A fourth of the leaves, specifically those closest to the stand user's opponent, broke off from the main reservoir and surged forward. They flattened out as they flew, becoming a wall that caught Jin's stream of flame and continued to advance even as it burned to ash; Pieter's hope was that they might burn back the one who burned them, though even if that ploy didn't succeed, he'd exhausted one of his foe's options while protecting his resource.

When the smoke cleared, a cloud of leaves still circled around Pieter's tree. He dared not expose himself, but the noseless man could not keep silent. “Save your breath for when I get serious, kiddo!” Above, small portions of the reservoir began to break off and shoot toward Jin. The leaves packed themselves tightly together, crushing themselves into dense, razor-sharp blades that spun through the air like boomerangs. A few dozen of these flying blades zipped Jin's way, some looping around to attack from several angles at once.

The Cereal Killer and Book Keeper

Location: Flooded Historical District
@Propro @BCTheEntity

Aralynn tracked the pirate as he made his move, fabricating a raft of cereal in a mad rush straight toward the siblings' position. “Foolhardy at best,” the woman criticized, raising a hand his way like a wizard casting a spell. To Motley, her fingers and palm opened up to reveal secret, miniature missile silos, which without further ado rocketed their contents forward. The sticky projectile of Captain K. Runch never got near; it appeared to burst apart in midair. A second later the remainder of the missiles exploded at his feet, the palm-missile in particular large enough to render his raft asunder with its explosion and send the devil fruit-eater into the drink.

By that time, her earlier salvo had been dealt with by Motley's cunning defensive maneuvers. No illusions persisted in the twins' mind about the fighting ability of their vampiric adversary, who'd demonstrated in the tournament so far a terrifying capacity for using every resource at his disposal to take his enemies down. Every part of him could be made into a weapon, in ways ordinary humans just couldn't conceive of. All the same, Aralynn and Davian assailed him with certainty that they could find away. If their new power couldn't deal with this threat, after all, what was the point? While she kept her attention fixed on Motley, who appeared to be buoyed above the water by his own pitch-black stand, her brother examined Erina before she disappeared. Doubtless she'd notice that during her jaunt, not only did the Boys of Summer react to her movement, but some would move to follow her. With this many elements in his stand, he knew he couldn't possibly use any one of them as a conduit to see in the manner that the Barnabys could. “The spiritualist is attempting to flank us,” he informed his sister.

She gave a nod in reply. “That leaves only Crue for now. Stay focused; I'm sure he's about to attack.” Her next plan of action she did not state aloud, for while she knew not their extent, she knew Motley's senses to be superhuman. She doubled over, and from her back ten large missiles burst forth. They sailed straight up, their turning radius nothing to admire. After that, Aralynn knelt, and at the same time released both a large missile from each palm and a huge one from her knee, comparable to the size of her leg. The three shot Motley's way, even as the earlier ten converged on their target—not the vampire, but the top of a nearby church steeple. The first six hit at once all around the edges, neatly blasting the entire top of the tower off, and the remaining four hit one after another to guide its fall, so that it might plummet toward Motley like a boot toward a roach.

Malveil

Location: Main Street
@Roughdragon1

Following the brief but intense struggle with the shadowy ambushers, and none the worse for wear, Malveil made tracks through the city. He left the great pit, and the sight of the colossal crow, behind as his path took him through streets. Here and there, pockets of walking corpses gurgled and gasped as they meandered around, but even in groups they posed no threat to a real combatant. Once in a while, from dark alleyways and closed manholes, the harrowed shrieks of other monsters like the ones Malveil dispatched could be heard. They did not appear to be able to spring their traps and materialize in fighting form unless one went out of his way to investigate the sources of the noise, but they did not appear to be the only threat. As the buildings grew shorter and dingier, the street trash thicker, and the public utilities like phone booths older and less operable, the possible avenues of attack rose. Out of the corner of his eye, Malveil could glimpse discrete movement among murals and displays of graffiti, but a direct look would reveal nothing out of the ordinary.

Some time later, the row of tenements to the left opened up into a bridge across a brown river. On the other side a misty, tiered neighborhood occupied the almost conical island, its only light a bar by the name of Slow Dancers' that stood dead ahead. On the right of the bridge on Malveil's side, a sign read 'Welcome to the Village' next to a map display, complete with a 'you-are-here'. Using the map, he could tell that the quickest route to the ocean on the City of Echoes' left side would be to follow the river on the Village's opposite side, where a street that traced its bank could take him straight there.

In the opposite direction, on a defunct fire station's brick wall facing the bridge, was an especially eye-catching piece of street art: the intricately spraypainted image of a shaggy, bipedal creature with antlers and huge fangs. Its milky white eyes bore no pupils, yet they seemed to stare outward Malveil's way.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

Long time no see, Lugu!

@Muttonhawk

Hello! Nice as it is to drop by, I probably wouldn't have if I wasn't mentioned, I'm afraid. That doesn't mean I'm not glad to answer any questions anyone might have about Slough's stuff, though.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

I've got another question:

How large is a Violet Slug?

<Snipped quote by Lugubrious>

My guess is somewhere around the size of a rabbit. Although they could also be regular slug sized.

@BBeast

A little bigger than a rabbit, but not much.