Avatar of Lugubrious

Status

Recent Statuses

25 days ago
Current Stalling falling blossoms in bloom
1 mo ago
Even if our words seem meaningless
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2 mos ago
Time turning on us always
2 mos ago
Fusing into the unknown
4 mos ago
Coming back at you twice as great as you had thought
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Bio

Current GM of World of Light. When it comes to writing, there's nothing I love more than imagination, engagement, and commitment. I'm always open to talk, suggestion, criticism, and collaboration. While I try to be as obliging, helpful, and courteous as possible, I have very little sympathy for ghosts, and anyone who'd like to string me along. Straightforwardness is all I ask for.

Looking for more personal details? I'm just some dude from the American south; software development is my job but games, writing, and trying to help others enjoy life are my passions. Been RPing for over a decade, starting waaaay back with humble beginnings on the Spore forum, so I know a thing or two, though I won't pretend to be an expert. If you're down for some fun, let's make something spectacular together.

Most Recent Posts

I've been pretty busy, working on char ideas here and there, although I was also hoping I'd see a few more applications from other people.
Though tinged with the odor of fish, a salty sea, and saltier men, the breeze surrounding the port town gave Lucya a fresh of breath air. For all her humble origins and years spent working the land with her folks, she held little fondness for the great outdoors. Sure, the wilderness had its privacy and freedom, and the occasional tidbit of beauty, but more often it offered her sore feet, an empty stomach, cold nights, boredom, lonesomeness, and max effort just to get by. She hated going hungry most of all. Unfortunately for Lucya weapons alone did not a hunter make, and a few choice encounters with bad plants taught her to stick with only what she knew wouldn't poison her. Almost as bad as the harrowing hollowness was the accompanying feeling—that she was failing the most basic duty of a living thing.

She sighed, crossing her arms as she looked out across the port from her rocky hill. Well, some day I'll have forgotten what it's like to be hungry. Rich and happy, far away from the filthy hamlets, and the Troupe... She didn't know how to get there, but if she played her cards right the path could very well start here. All she needed to do was find a sucker, which she doubted would be hard. How can I tell who's a sucker? she remembered asking, years ago. Neither the smirk nor the response of the Ringmaster had ever left her. There's one born every minute.

Lucya turned back to look at her traveling companion. A lucky find for the road, that guy. Their short-lived partnership, established on the mutual understanding that bandits and monsters were probably worse than each other, was at an end. She needed his survivalist skills no longer, and he...well, she suspected he'd be glad to be rid of her. In terms of personalities they couldn't be more different. While she commanded great humor, cunning, and hidden depths -obviously- he was appallingly dry, amazingly straightforward, and utterly boring. Surly warrior types with dead families and no purpose but fighting were dime a dozen—how else could countries have armies, after all? He didn't appreciate her telling him as such, of course, nor for that matter did he betray an ounce of susceptibility to any of her jokes and barbs. Oh well, Lucya figured. Their few commonalities, those being distrust and a respect for competence, served them well enough to get them here. And now they were finished. “Welp,” she said to get his attention, putting her hands on her hips. “As fun as tagging along with you has been, and boy has it just been buckets of fun, it is about time I got out of your fur. You have a good arm, a lot of guts, and no anger issues at all, no sir. Still, take a break from cracking spines sometime and crack a smile instead, huh?” With a theatrical half-bow she doffed an imaginary hat at him. “Farewell!”

She got four steps before she span around to face him, her long ponytail flapping in the briny breeze. “Ah, yes! And if you happen to come across some strange, vaguely threatening circus-folk, kindly deny having met me and do not pique their interest. That should not be too hard for you, yeah? Eheh.” With that Lucya marched into town, keeping an eye for anywhere an enterprising gal might make a buck or two.
I've been hankering for a Jojo RP and wouldn't mind applying to this if that's alright.
Tora & Poppi

Level 8 Tora (29/80) and Level 8 Poppi (5/80)
Location: Sandswept Sky – Vah Naboris at Lakeside
Primrose's @Yankee, Fox's @Dawnrider, Sectonia's @Archmage MC Midna's @DracoLunaris, Heavy's @ONL
Word Count: 248


As the battle went on, Vah Naboris edged closer and closer. Tora took the time to take another look at the machinery Sectonia presented him, and found it just as inscrutable as last time. “This stuff must run on magic, meh,” he muttered, which made Poppi look at him for a moment before turning her attention back to the battlefield growing closer. Her zoom feature allowed her to pick up the specifics of the fight, and she saw the fighters on the glowing red circle all start running toward the blue-coded side of the area.

“Hmm. Maybe fight winding down? Seem like blue side all but gone, red side probably go to finish off. Poppi vote not smash straight through. Since other friends in pyramid, no need rush, and it possible that in making so many angry at once we hit unexpected landmine.”

Tora nodded his head, pleased with his companion's reasoning. “Yes, yes! Poppi smarty circuits fully optimal! Who knows what powers people have, after all. As friends just see, meh, giant walkypon far from impregnable.” Hands on his 'hips', he nodded officiously. “Tora nominate Poppi go say hi! See if find anything useful. If Poppi judge small risk, Midna can just zap anyway, and we get spirits.”

Springing on her heels, Poppi test-fired her boosters, then summoned her Variable Sabre. The sleek red weapon caught the desert sunlight. “Masterpon wish is Poppi command.” After a few more moments, the advance party set out to explore Lakeside.




The giant man's bellow gave the Dwarf second thoughts. A moments' time passed as a lull in the battle, RED team having to choose between fortifying their holdings or pressing their advantage, and BLU faced with the decision of recuperating their losses or making another push. The lull came to an abrupt end when the Infiltrator's sniper rifle popped the head of the Assassin as she raced up the stairs behind the Medic to send him off to join the Spartan. Cursing, the Poison took aim at her opposite number with her crossbow, only for the Inkling to plow into her from the side. Just like that, an already bad situation for BLU left the remaining fighters severely outnumbered. “Bloody hell!” the Dwarf exclaimed, turning tail. “I'm not dyin' first game!” He pulled out a grappling hook and zipped away. The Vanguard lacked such movement abilities, however, leaving him at the Heavy's mercy now that the Shield was out of the picture.

No matter how one sliced it, the round was RED's for the taking. Although the Poison ended up getting the better of the Inkling, who toppled over from her toxins after fleeing for a health kit, BLU lacked the manpower to stage a comeback. It wasn't long before the timer ticked down and the announcer's voice rang out across Lakeside. “RED victory!” The sounds of cheers rang out from the loudspeakers on RED's side of the map, while booing echoed from BLU's. Red sparks flew from the REDs' weapons, giving them infinite critical hits to mop up whatever leftover competition they could find. After a short time the noises and crits stopped, and the announcer declared. “Teams scrambling in three minutes! Mission begins in six!”

As if on queue both teams' missing members sprang back into existence. With both gates open, as well as those to the rec center in the back, all could wander the map and get together to their content.

The Dwarf waddled by in a hurry, no doubt headed for the rec center's bar. Team scrambling and the accompanied break happened only a few times a day, so he clearly planned to make the most of it. He ignored the general gathering in the cool ruins, where members of both teams met to exchange friendly banter or angry glares, as the case might be.

The Assassin's steely blue gaze lingered on the Infiltrator, whose helmet hid his reaction. “Lucky shot,” she told him after a moment, which he only chuckled at.

“Hey, shouldn't have tried to style on Heavy same as you did me,” the Spartan told her. “Although, I was kinda worried he'd just let it happen twice.”

Waving his hand, the Infiltrator replied, “Aw, shut up. Everyone knows you need to take out the healer first.” He glanced at the Totem. “Uh, no offense.”

“No, no, it's to be expected. Really, the fact your Medic came late and Poison ended up focusing elsewhere instead pretty much won you the the point,” the Totem reasoned.

The Soldier, sitting alone by the doorway, leaned forward. He pointed to an oddly-shaped building standing rather close to the battlefield. “Hey, what's that camel-shaped thing? That wasn't there before.”

Edge of the Blue – Limsa Lominscuttle Town

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN, Isabelle's @Eviledd1984


In Sky's Hatchery, Hat Kid found the titular lady herself, grooming her prized warbird Wrench, and all too happy to offer the newly-arrived child a greeting. “Hey there, little missie! Here to take a look at all the critters?” She waved a hand at the hatchery's various denizens. “Help yourself! Even if they look fierce, they're all friendly and hardworking, the best guys 'n gals a humble trainer could ask for.”

As Hat Kid searched, she found a giant parrot named Squawks, a Citrine Carbuncle, a Cute Fishron, a Tropius, a couple more warbirds, several Cheepoofs in a pen, Grandpah, Wiplump, and a crow demon.. That last one did not seem quite as friendly as the others, despite Sky's testimony; its beady eyes fixed the kid with a rather intelligent stare.




Geralt's trip to the infirmary quickly gave him a good idea of the sort of damage the mysterious Abyssal Fleet could do to Limsa's navy, and he didn't need to ask a thing. Ordinary wounds really only constituted the tip of the iceberg; some of the heavily-treated wounds endured by these shipgirls could only have come from explosive ordinance, and a savvy Witcher knew teeth marks when he saw them. Some of the bite wounds he witnesses were massive, the best logical guess for the source being a shark of some kind. Just what was the navy -and now his team- up against? He intended to find out.

He identified a target who appeared to be close to good health, likely soon to be discharged. The relative lack of severity of the bite wound on her leg meant she hadn't needed to change out of what could only be her typical attire, eye-catching and atypical as it was. “Yeah, I can tell you. Some kind of stranger, are you? Well, I'm Minneapolis. Pretty near the top when it comes to hunting those Abyssals, so I should know.” She sat up in her bed, sliding to put her back against the wall. “They arere monsters, plain and simple. Many are weak, unworthy prey that sail, relying on numbers. The weak ones look like machines, but the stronger they get, the more they look like us. Pale skin and black metal, more armaments and armor, some skating across the surface like we do. Worst of all are the demons, princesses, and fortresses.”

She crossed her arms. “Er, in terms of fighting, all have guns or cannons, some launch torpedoes, some deploy smaller Abyssals. Most of them have horrible jaws, either on themselves or their rigging, so they love rushing in and ripping us up. They will sink if we damage them enough. Die, like anything else.” She then narrowed her eyes, remembering what Geralt asked earlier. “i do not know know what you mean by spirits, though. They don't leave anything behind. When we kill them they dissolve. All the dust falls in the water and drifts away. No trophies. Just a pretty light show in the waves when it is all over.” She sounded mournful, but her face soon turned to frustration. “No matter how many I hunt, they always come back. The little ones I understand, since they could be mass-produced. But the bosses? So much effort, so many casualties to put them down, and then there they are again. Enough to drive one mad.”




After navigating the bounty through rather crowded thoroughfares and past a great many intrigued eyes, the money retrieval team met with Peach once more. Link had yet to return, but those assembled could scarcely afford to wait for him before getting down to business. Ever dependable, Kamek relayed his findings. “Oh, we actually found one? Good thing we didn't trust that fool telling us nobody would play dice,” the princess remarked. Even if the ship couldn't be expected to brave the Bottomless Sea, prospects looked good. Peach didn't want to admit she didn't think of buying an inferior craft and then upgrading it to serve the team's purposes. Darned princess ditziness. The sooner I get more mature and well-traveled spirits in me the better. The fact that she didn't reflexively feel comfortable swearing in her own internal dialogue yet did not escape her.

“Little Hatty went to take a look at the hatchery,” she explained after Kamek mentioned it. She doubted that her team would be better off going with a flying creature. Even with fusion on the table, it would take a lot to get an animal in the shape they needed, unless the hatchery had the Lord of Lightning up there. Geralt would no doubt be back soon, and hopefully whatever info he managed to pick up could serve them on the field trip that would be under way in short order. “Well, let's hurry up pay Mr. Balthier and his partner. We can't afford to miss the chance to collect on this sortie, so the sooner the better.”

She lent her own strength to that of the money-fetchers, and in no time at all the sky pirate found himself burdened with literal wagons of money. “Holy moly! You guys weren't kidding! I guess I should have asked for more,” he joked, nudging Fran. The rabbit-eared warrioress said nothing, her eyes stuck to the gold. “We'll be living large now, that's for sure! Am I ever glad I met you guys. Good luck out there!”

As the heroes left, Fran nudged him back. “Scoundrel. You overvalued that Atomos by a ridiculous degree.”

Balthier laughed her off. “Oh, come on, they had plenty! Besides, with no set value for that coin of theirs, it was gonna be arbitrary anyway!” He watched the last members of Blue Team head off. “Still, those were some interesting folks. Maybe we oughta keep an eye out for 'em once we get some new wings.” He looked over at his companion, who after a moment gave a stiff nod.

Meanwhile, Peach and her crew stood in front of the Atomos. Junior had free reign to climb all over it as he pleased. The princess, meanwhile, clapped a shoulder on Sakura's shoulder. As spirited as the girl seemed, and no doubt was, a hint of insecurity wafted from her that Peach would have liked to see discarded. They faced a daunting mission, to be sure, and maybe Peach ought to be more doubting than she was, but in her mind she held no real qualms about going forward. When the Mario Bros had a job to do, they went for it without hesitation, going and going and going in the right way until it was done. What made her so sure of herself compared to Sakura? Only the road traveled thus far, she realized. “We're already making progress,” she declared, smiling. “It seems like no matter where we go, the path eventually opens up ahead of us. Although I can't say what comes next, I can trust that the way is there for us. Back at the start, when I was the old me, I decided I'd join the heroes on their path, even though I wasn't a fighter or a hero myself. When we got into trouble, they helped me out, and before I even knew it I was standing on my on two feet.”

She looked down at her hand. Where once a dainty white glove covered slender fingers devoid of blemish, she now sported fingerless gloves and calluses. She hadn't made them, but she'd thickened them. She placed the hand on her chest. “Of course, I had this too. This spirit I took. We couldn't have been more different. Most of my competence comes from him, I expect. So that probably shocked me into action. But still. Its okay if we're not flawless.” She watched the others attending to the ship. It wouldn't surprise her one bit if Junior figured out how to pilot it in mere minutes. “As long as we're together, we can be each others' strength. And if the going gets tough, we can change. Become better.” She clapped Sakura again. “So let's do this, huh? If you haven't flown before, this should be interesting.”

From the airship landing the Blue Team members could see a number of figures in the distance, speeding away from the city, leaving white foam in their wake. They could still catch the Sortie. With a short time until departure, Peach considered her options. “Hmm. We probably don't all need to go, since if by some freak accident the ship does go down, we'd all be out with it. We still have lots of gold. Might as well not have it burn a hole in the treasury. We could try to buy Shippy too, give us more options. And Link's still not back either.” She looked around at the assembled members. “Who's staying and going? I think I'd be more inclined to stay, myself.”

Dead Zone – Hell-bent City

Blazermate's @Archmage MC, Banjo & Kazooie's @Dawnrider, Bowser's @DracoLunaris Doom Slayer's @Eviledd1984


Bowser's question provoked no response from Marie, but her eyes told their own story. Even putting aside her deathly power, she looked weary and miserable, haunted even, as though some trauma robbed her of both inner peace and the ability to sleep and left her hollow. His insistence that the group not kill her, which elicited a dubious look from a few of them, did seem to make her clasp her hands. “It should be obvious, but I am a mere child no longer. Every day my humanity falls further and further into the past, but before it fades completely, I will at least have my revenge...” As the Koopa King rambled she turned and fixed a baleful glare on the darkness behind her. A few hundred feet away stood the base of the Qliphoth root, heavily scared but by no means compromised. More surprising were the ranks and ranks of skeletons surrounding it, attacking its flesh with unrelenting furor. They swung weapons if they wielded them, scratched with fingers and teeth if they did not, and if those broke they bashed their skulls and shoulders until they too shattered to dust. Yet for all their savagery they had a long way to go.

When Bowser winded down, she released a rattling sigh before turning back to confirm his and Blazermate's question about her intentions. “Although this cursed tree has trapped me here for months, I will be free. I will destroy the Medicis, whether it takes me days to get out of here, or weeks...”

Nero's eyebrows went up. A certain matter still sticking to his mind made the prospect of waiting this miniboss out something of an issue. “We don't even have one day, let alone weeks,” he told the group. Realizing not everyone here knew about his surprise encounter, he quickly relayed what he'd learned from the daredevil porter. “There's a man making some sort of delivery. Or maybe he's already done. But it's got a timer, and only hours on it. When time runs out, the entire city's gonna disappear. At least, that's what he told me.”

Nadia, however, was busy hissing urgent at Bowser. “Shut! Shut up about the Skull Heart!”

The new information coming to Marie bade her face harden. “So, I'm on borrowed time? That is troublesome news. As for the Skull Heart, need I remind you, I will not be parting with it. Like it or not, I need its power.” She took a deep, hollow breath. The dead air whistled through her ribs. The ground began to shake. The heroes readied themselves. But not for what happened next.

“And evidently, I'll need yours.”

With a monumental crack the catacombs themselves ripped apart. Rumbling strong enough to throw the average hero to the floor permeated the entire structure as rubble rained down from above and light welled up from below. The floor started to fall away.

“Fall, and accept a peaceful end,” Marie warned them as she floated upward. “Or rise, and meet death face to face. Either way, your hour has come.”

Veins wove through the air in droves, forcing the heroes to either climb upward and brave the deadly deluge or plummet into the unknown below. Nadia wasted no time in beginning the ascent, determined to beat everyone else to the punch and secure what she came for. Her catlike nimbleness and reflexes sped her on her way, gaining distance even on the likes of Nero and Dante. Even as she raced to her goal, however, doubts ate at her. Everything that Marie said -and didn't say- about her situation made wishing on the Skull Heart seem more and more like a bad idea, all of a sudden. It seemed obvious that she'd used it herself to wish for the power to take revenge on people who'd wronged her. While she no doubt gained just that, Nadia couldn't help but wonder—just what did she lose in the bargain?

After narrowly avoiding a falling chunk of rock that must have weighed a couple tons, Nadia spotted the dark sky, and soon reached the 'floor', a near-solid platform of interwoven veins that pulsed with the unnerving power. Around them floated the ruins of the library. She pushed herself through and stood alone before the Skullgirl.



Marie stared down at her from where she floated. “You're a feral from my world. And you know a thing or two about the Skull Heart. Yet still you're here. What could drive you so badly that you'd still seek a wish from it, after seeing what has become of me?”

Snarling, Nadia hoped nobody heard. “My family. We were butchered together, but I live. They were good people, and their deaths unjust. I'm gonna bring them back.”

Marie tilted her head. She watched as other heroes appeared, pushing up through the floor. “Take my place, and I'm certain you'll be able to. But I will spare you such a fate.” Myriad skulls floated around her, and bony vacuum cleaner materialized in her hands. “You all dare challenge me? You'll see how weak you are...” Holding out a hand, her eyes flashed open, flaring crimson. “Go forth!”

Skulls shot through the air, with gnashing teeth and gouging hours, to smash the heroes. A great many undead rose from the floor, mostly skeletons but others as well, some sticking around to fight, some appearing for just a moment to attack. They wielded all sorts of weapons, from cutlasses and pickaxes to tommy guns and assault rifles. The heroes found themselves surrounded by the skeletons of humans, animals, giants, and more. In the middle of it all loomed the Skullgirl, ready and waiting.
@Lugubrious I'll try to write out the battle for now, perhaps next round. But for how long will the battle continue before the other heroes show up?


Maybe not that long, but a fair bit can go down in a short amount of time when fighting. Next round, did you say? Does that mean after this coming weekend's update?
A couple notes with this round: Red Team's posts should cover their experience on the way to the library (if anything happened, although I'd encourage some interaction or introspection), their experience in the library with the mini-horror situation involving the mimics, and also the descent into the catacombs.

@ONL, you're free to write out the Lakeside battle as you see fit, for however long you like. Or if you'd prefer, we could collaborate, or go back and forth.
Tora & Poppi

Level 8 Tora (28/80) and Level 8 Poppi (4/80)
Location: Sandswept Sky – Vah Naboris
Primrose's @Yankee, Fox's @Dawnrider, Sectonia's @Archmage MC Midna's @DracoLunaris
Word Count: 1011


In no time at all Vah Naboris was off, its long strides making tracks across the desert sands. From on high a lot more of the vast, barren land could be seen, it if the heroes felt small before, it was hard not to feel infinitesimal after witnessing that grand view. Still, already coming into possession of a giant walking castle did wonders for general morale. The stonework of the place, its plentiful shade, and its distance from the absorbed heat of the sands even made the internal climate tolerable. As much as Tora wanted to relax after the brief but furious fight and be around Midna as she, well, existed, he knew he shouldn't be taking it easy. Thanks to Rapid Recovery, it took all of five seconds for him to heal to full completely, so he could muster no real excuse. Plus, Poppi appeared to be staring directly into his soul. “Thanks for offer friend Midna, but no matter how tempted Tora is, which is very, Tora have other matters need look at. Chat later, meh?” With a wave he waddled away, headed for the front of the camel with Poppi in tow.

After finding a suitable spot, he turned to his companion. “Okay, now that have moment and enough room, Tora can make more tweaks to Poppi system to prepare for use. Poppi, switch forms!”

She stood there for a moment. “Masterpon stop ogling friend Midna with surprising speed. Maybe you coming to senses about time and place?”

Tora shrugged as best he could with no discernible shoulders. “Tora wait for curse to be broken before going crazy. In end, though, Poppi more important. And cuter in QT Pi form! Speaking of?”

Poppi rolled her eyes. “Yes, masterpon...” In a flash of whirling sparks and ribbon, the small Poppi was replaced by her adult form. She laid down as the Nopon pulled out his tools, and in short order he got a good look at her ether furnace. “Meh, meh. Ether intake good. Tora dial up again and check stability.” With a little adjustment he increased the device's throughput. After an initial disconcerting noise and jolt, the furnace appeared to normalize. Only after a few seconds did the engineer let out his breath. “Whew, for second Tora thought poor Poppi about to scatter over desert.”

The artificial blade blinked. “Masterpon sense of humor need far more adjustment than Poppi. Saying such thing not great for mental state.”

Tora smacked his face with his wing. “Right, right, sorry! Was just...ah, bad joke, meh. Tora have full confidence in skills, so Poppi should too!”

The silence that followed was palpable. In it, desperate for some distraction, Tora happened to spot Skull nearby. The masked boy seemed extremely intent on Poppi, which Tora could understand—after all, even if not combat ready, she constituted a technological marvel. On second thought, however, his interest seemed...less than scientific, judging by his expression. Tora's temper instantly flared. “Hey! Gawpypon leave Poppi alone! She highly sophisticated friend and combat machine, not girl in dubious magazine!”

Skull balked, waving his hands. “H-hey-hey-hey, you've got the wrong idea! I was just, uh, wondering what you're...doing. Did you make...her?”

Proudly patting his chest, or thereabouts on his egg-shaped body, Tora nodded. “Mm-hmm! Well, Tora have help with some parts, but yes!”

One of Skull's eyebrows went up. “So...if she's a friend and combat machine, why does she look like that?”

Now it seemed to be the Nopon's turn to be flustered. “Meeeeh!? That just how Blades look! Tora already tell people in city-place! If rudeypon ever see other Blade, rudeypon understand!”

“And wait a minute, you know about the...uh, magazines?” The boy scratched his head, surprised.

Sweat beaded on Tora's head. “N-no...just...meeh....random, nonspecific example, yes, yes! To highlight inappropriateness of skellypon's attention!”

Still laying down, Poppi sighed. “Poppi feel very uninvolved in conversation for how relevant Poppi is to it.”

“Yes, sorry! Sorry again!” Tora shooed Skull away. “Scram! Tora have very scientific and technological adjustments to make!” He turned back to his companion. “Meh, meh, meh. Now, to increase hair fluffiness...”






Considering the size of the desert, reaching the oasis didn't take too long. Vah Naboris strode up to the pyramid and stood by the edge of the palm-swaddled lake that lay on the structure's east side. On the far side of the lake the heroes could see a bunch of ruins, and more interestingly, see a bunch of movement in the distance. The unmistakable rattle of gunfire carried up to them across the water. Even after shading his eyes, however, Joker couldn't quite make out what was going on. “Hey. Poppi, was it?” Doing his best to ignore her appearance, he directed her at the scuffle across the lake. “Can you zoom in on that? What's going on?”

The Blade dialed in her vision. After a moment she gave her report. “Two teams fighting in ruins. Convenient color-coding, red and blue. All red-eyes.”

Joker gave a noncommittal noise of acknowledgment. “Well, the Thieves will see to the pyramid. From here it looks like the we seek. If you all wish, you can check the fight. We may be able to collect a number of useful spirits without much difficulty. Midna, if you don't mind, set this thing down.” Once she decided where to do so, the Phantom Thieves disembarked and headed for the pyramid entrance on the east side.

Tora watched them disappear within. “Even though it seem like job for Thieves, Tora wonder if we should help.” A particularly noticeable crackle drew his attention back across the lake to the warzone. “Still, Joker right about spirits. If we going to check out, maybe Midna move walker over so friends don't have to walk around lake?”

Using her index finger Poppi poked him in the forehead. “They'll definitely notice us then, masterpon. Besides, with new drill we can probably boost across ground pretty fast.” She looked around at the others with arms crossed, wondering where the Courier was.”But Tora and Poppi defer to decision of others.”

Lakeside

@ONL


As Heavy's barrage rumbled across the battlefield, the first wave of blues shrank back behind their cover. Then a big man with an even bigger shield pushed out of the doorway, blocking the minigun fire, and his team rolled out behind him. The Knight cursed his luck. “Damnation, the Shield again! And here I had hoped he wouldn't show his mustache for another day or two.” After a moment or two of advancing behind their ally's shield, two BLUs sprinted out up the stairs to the point. One was an Assassin with twin blades, the other a Soldier of fortune. The Shield made to follow, but a shot from RED's ramparts struck his leg, and as he hunkered down the Infiltrator repositioned himself. Gunfire echoed from the temple to the right, indicating a shootout there as well, but the Heavy had more pressing matters to worry about. The Soldier fired a payload of helix rockets at him and the Assassin slid in, somehow sliding up the stairs. She lashed out with her blades, running around him in a circle to avoid the barrel of the minigun.

Just before the Soldier arrived the Knight stepped out from behind cover to bash him with his mace, causing the man to grunt and stagger backward. He dropped a healing field on reflex, but standing still made him an easy target for Sasha. At the same time the Raider stepped forward to swing at the Assassin, who managed to duck under the axe, deliver a partying slice, and jump off the point. The Shield arrived just a little late to help his allies, finding himself suddenly alone on the point. Nevertheless he slammed the angry Knight aside and moved to bash the Heavy in the face, only for a crossbolt bolt to smack his target from behind. A burst of healing flooded the Heavy's system, and the Shield, thinking better of it his heroic stand now that support was on the way, dashed away. The Medic arrived just in time to watch the Poison counter-snipe the Infiltrator from the opposite ramparts, inflicting a deadly toxin that sent him scrambling for a health kit. “Guten tag!” the Medic greeted his friend. “Ready to practice medicine!”

He fired off a crossbow bolt of his own at the Poison, making her duck, while the Knight and the Raider got behind cover. At that moment the point unlocked, allowing the REDs to start capturing. “Das ist gut! Ze lead is ours,” the Medic remarked cheerily, switching to his beam to heal the melee fighters.

“So long as we keep it. BLU is rallying!” the Knight cautioned. The Shield was advancing again, this time with the Vanguard in tow, and the Assassin no doubt lurked nearby. In the temple the REDs could see the Dwarf flanked by the Totem, having evidently won the skirmish against the Cunning and Priestess in the temple. As the Raider growled something under his breath, and Knight shook his head. “Four to six! They're surrounding us!”

Foot steps sounded out from behind. “Lighten up, old man!” The Spartan leaped over the heads of the REDs on the point and slammed into BLU team's Shield with a hefty charge, knocking both him and the Vanguard back. A splotch of red ink raced between the legs of both the Dwarf and the Totem, with the Inkling emerging just long enough to drop a splat bomb at their feet before she dove back in and made her way to the point. After coming out she tugged at the Medic's coat, holding a bleeding scar on her shoulder. “Wawy!”

The mid fight then began in earnest. With both teams down two members, those being the Soldier, the Cunning, the Priestess, and whichever BLU went down in the temple, the prospects looked roughly even, and none could predict how things would shake out.

Edge of the Blue – Limsa Lominscuttle Town

Ace Cadet's @Yankee, Sakura's @Zoey Boey, Junior and Kamek's @DracoLunaris, Hat Kid's @Dawnrider, Geralt's @MULTI_MEDIA_MAN, Isabelle's @Eviledd1984


As it happened, funds weren't the only solved problem. Contrary to Peach's assumptions, Junior's portal-making ability apparently wasn't at its limits. With a clear route to the treasury available, a number of her teammates immediately voiced their interest in collecting the money. The princess figured it would indeed take a few hands to get the gold over here, but without something to spend it on they would simply by burdened with an abundance of highly visible funds, which in a crowded maritime city struck her as a bad idea. They needed to find a vessel. While most of her party thought about the retrieval, the taciturn Witcher turned his mind to the task at hand. Their new plan would come to nothing, after all, if they couldn't figure out how to put an end to this Abyssal Fleet's continuous renewal. As he listed off possibilities, Peach found herself increasingly grateful to have his skillset around—and him as well. “Very good thinking. Although, it sounded like the Admiral was just about to sortie. You might be better off asking any ships who aren't heading out with her. Maybe there's an infirmary around you could check.”

Kamek chimed in as well, mentioning the possibility of spirit-devoid minions. Peach nodded. “Good point. Sounds like a key part of our investigation should be these enemies' spirits. If they have them, and what happens to them when they're destroyed. A shame we don't have any craft right now, or fast fliers like Blazermate, Sectonia, or Poppi...we could see what happens first-hand.” An opportunity that they would have to miss hurt, but it couldn't be helped. Not unless she acted on those dark thoughts of hers, and she did so right now. But no, and hell no. The others dispersed, leaving her, Link, Cuphead, and Kamek. She considered what to do. “Considering our group and our mission, we can't really consider the hatchery. Even if there were enough flying animals to carry us all, and we could get them, I don't know if I could risk their lives flying over a stormy, monster-infested sea.” She didn't feel as sure of herself saying that as she thought she would. All things considered, wouldn't the mission be worth a few animals' lives? Well, not if the heroes got dropped into the sea as a result. “Okay then. Cuphead, maybe you could find and ask that Brineybeard? He seemed to love that ship, but pirates are greedy. Maybe he'd part with Shippy if we set him up for life. Plus, we could fuse spirits to the ship to make it stronger.” She nodded to herself, pleased with her idea. Hopefully it came together. “Kamek, why don't you check with the airship captains? That attendant might be wrong, after all. Link, let's you and me take another look around for ships. There might be a derelict sitting around we could buy cheaply and pay to repair and outfit.”




The captains of the airships present unilaterally rejected the idea of selling their livelihoods away to adventurers, prospective massive sums of money be damned. As lucrative as the deal seemed to be, one element remained missing that Kamek needed to grease the wheel of commerce: trust. Nobody put any faith in the Magikoopa's word, even if he assured them he could show them the money in person. That is, all but one—a man by the name of Balthier. He and his partner, Fran, whispered among themselves for a few moments after hearing about Blue Team's funds. “Well,” he said at length. “The two of us have been making do with this miserable Atomos for a while now. All skiff, no ship, hardly fit for a leading man. And piracy isn't exactly smiled upon around these parts...not that it's got anything to do with us, ahem! Now, from everything I've heard, going to this Bottomless Sea's pretty much suicide, so this amounts to throwing our Atomos away, but...mm, for that kind of money? We'll figure something out, eh?”

His companion said nothing. He shrugged. “Now, far be it from me to toss out a payday, but I feel like I should warn ya. It's a carrier, pretty fast but meant for fair weather. If you don't wanna be tossed around by storms, you'll have to fly close to the water, and then who knows what can reach ya. No weapons either. If that's fine with you, then sure, just fork over the cash and we're good to go.”




After some searching Link spotted a traditional-looking ship leaning against a seastack by the bridge toward the mainland, and made his way there. All his walking, however, ended up leaving him dissatisfied. It appeared to be in bad condition, and its captain, Yarr, didn't look much better. The little man milled around aimlessly, ineffectually trying to steal anything that caught his eye, and the hero got nowhere with him before eventually losing patience. He ended up heading back empty-handed, but not without something gained. Halfway across Limsa he became aware of someone following him, an unknown figure in a dark purple cloak. From the way the stranger moved Link could guess she was female, but other than that he had no idea. Determined to not allow any potential threat to befall his team, he resolved to deal with this matter himself.

Link turned downward, heading for an isolated fishing wharf. There, in a dead end drowning in the stank of sealife, he waited. Sure enough the stranger appeared soon after, rounding the bend where he waited. In one fluid motion the hero drew his blade, holding it level with his pursuer's neck. “Why are you following me? Identify yourself immediately.”

A tense few seconds passed before a husky giggle issued from the stranger's hood. “As you wish...”

She removed the hood, revealing a head of white hair, but her mask remained. Link's face betrayed no recognition, and the woman sighed. “Oh, darling. It hurts to see you've forgotten me.”

“I don't know you,” Link insisted. “Why did you follow me?”

“Ah, but I know you...” the woman purred. “I've been watching for such...a long...time. I know every bit of you...each and every one.” She approached slowly, placing her fingers on the blade and lowering it down. Reaching out, she brushed his cheek. “It's a miracle...out of all I've seen, this you never appeared to me.”

“This me?” Confusion filled Link's face as he recoiled. “What are you talking about?”

The woman tilted her head. “Darling, you mustn't be so distrustful. I only wish to know you better.” She shook her head mournfully. “I want to know your story, all your adventures. You'll tell me, won't you?”

Link said nothing as she slid closer again. “This new world is blessed indeed,” she murmured. “There are so many of you I feel as though my heart will burst. Truly, I'm spoiled for choice. Surely...one won't be missed?”

“What!?” The hero jerked back, but it was too late. The woman snapped her fingers, and everything went black.

Dead Zone – Hell-bent City

Blazermate's @Archmage MC, Banjo & Kazooie's @Dawnrider, Bowser's @DracoLunaris Doom Slayer's @Eviledd1984


Perhaps stifled by anticipation the trip to the final Qliphoth Root proceeded without serious interruption. Enemies stood in their path, but true to Nadia's prediction, Red Team rolled straight through them. Blazermate casually took over any zombies in their way, making them insultingly easy pickings, and the few demons that showed themselves boasted precious little power compared to the caravan of heroes. Nero kept quiet the whole time, thinking as he sat in Nico's passenger seat, only occasionally raising the Blue Rose to blast a hapless enemy. With Raidou atop his spider demon taking a majority of the potshots, and Blazermate's sentry sitting on top of the van itself, he didn't need to devote much brain power to anything aside from the world's predicament. Thirteen regions, thirteen bosses, one almighty overlord. It still hurt to think about an entity that could wipe away and reshape one world, let alone all worlds. Thinking reasonably, how could they ever oppose such a threat?

Did the answer lay in his uncle-turned-aunt, Dante? Just two fusions plus her former power made her strong enough to take on an entire team of heroes, some of whom had already felled region bosses, without fighting even close to seriously. Some of the heroes bore new features too, like Bowser, who now looked like a cheesy horror movie monster. Both seemed to be lucky in that their minds didn't change much, but how long would that hold? How many souls could coalesce into one? What were the repercussions? There were so many questions that he couldn't even begin to answer. Luckily people didn't really look to him for guidance, but he still felt responsible. Dante was about as far as it got from a leader, and Bowser...? Try as he might, Nero couldn't help but worry. Just what had he gotten into?

Some time later, the Minotaurus and its escort came to a stop in front of the library. Sprouting from its roof was the Qliphoth, a root of the unholy tree of twisted flesh. The next step in the heroes' journey lay below. Already, Nero could feel a tinge of cool, dry air, not unlike that which suffused the judgment hall of King Minos. It was a deathly air. He stepped out of the van and pushed shut the door. A gang of heroes stood on the threshold of the unknown, ready to face whatever waited beneath the building. Nero remembered what Nadia told him, her vague description of the entity awaited them should they defeat it. If she told the truth, the campaign might just end here. But was that what she wanted? Could she be trusted? Nero shook his head and took a step forward. Cross that bridge later.

Inside the library they found no immediate trace of their target, but instead a fresh crop of enemies, terrifying in their implications. They lurked in the darkness, hiding in plain sight: the mimics. Taking on the appearance of everyday objects inside, they waited to ambush the heroes at opportune moments, leaping with frightening speed from unexpected angles to viciously rip into the heroes. Progress slowed to a crawl as Red Team quickly switched to a scorched-earth approach, annihilating every book, pencil, and mug in the way. With fewer numbers and wide-ranging abilities the situation might have proved fatal, but the heroes adapted well enough to be able to search the premises. Those confident in their ability to identify and fight mimics went off on their own to speed up the search, inevitably tangling with the creatures as they sought a way down. Eventually someone did find a hidden staircase leading down into the darkness, and with V and Tess on guard up above the rest descended one by one.

The stairs led down, down, down, far below any would-be basement. Soon the presence of alcoves in the walls, laden with bones, told the heroes that they'd descended into catacombs. They did not crawl through pitch blackness, however. They found their path illuminated by ethereal tubes of glowing liquid in perennial motion, like soft, transparent pipes.

Like veins.

Finally the tunnels opened into a yawning, cavernous chamber. Alcoves lined the walls up, up, up, into the darkness where the webbing of veins didn't quite reach, and from the alcoves leered uncountable skulls. The same uncanny light glowed within them, making their gaze seem almost alive as they watched the intruders follow the tangle of veins. In this room, the air itself weighed down on them, heavy and suffocating, utterly devoid of life. An inexplicable dread nibbled at them like so many insects. The veins snaked through the emptiness alongside Qlipthoth tendrils, pumping their light to a singular point. In the center of the vast dark she stood.

Warning. Miniboss discovered.



A little girl loomed there, pale as ice, adorned with bone. She wore a maid uniform, but from it her bare ribs protruded. Her face showed a slight frown, but her eyes were a vivid crimson that cut through the dark. Within each iris lay half a skull.

Nero quietly moved to Nadia's side and bent to whisper to her. “This it?”

After a brief moment, she nodded. “It must be.” She took a deep breath and stepped forward. “The Skullgirl.”

The girl clasped her hands in front of her, gazing across the assembled heroes half-hidden in darkness. “I was wondering if anyone would come,” she remarked dryly, her voice flat and gentle. “I was not expecting everyone. Here to put me out of my misery, maybe?”

Nadia opened her mouth, but said nothing. She would have wanted to fight the Skullgirl on her own, but it didn't seem like that would be the case. It didn't feel right to challenge her like this. The aftermath would probably be messy. Between them, the devil hunters did not intend to make the first move just yet, despite knowing that this undead needed to be destroyed.

“Or are you here for the Skull Heart?” The girl's words froze Nadia in her tracks. She needed as few people in the know about that as possible, and now the cat was out of the big. Even if she cut in, the others would surely ask questions. She resolved to start the fight the moment one did, but maybe that could still be avoided.

She stepped forward, putting her hands on her hips. “That's right!”

The girl blinked slowly, wearily. “I'm afraid you cannot have it. I have much to do once I tidy up this...demonic root.“ Her listlessness only fomented the tension in the air. Everyone present could sense the power wafting off from her, an egregious malevolence held at bay.
Seems cool. I'm interested. If you don't mind, what's the maximum level of technology you're looking at? Is there gunpowder, for instance? Magic tech?
@ONL, go ahead and move your character into the Characters tab, if you don't mind. Also, the Medic is in Heavy's area, so if you can complete Heavy's kindreds in the near future I would be all the happier.

Red Team is en route to the final Qliphoth Root and the boss battle therein. Now's a good chance for your characters to either chat while heading there, either on foot or in the van, or to just knock some mooks' heads on the way. The NPCs are all open for interaction of course. Up to you!
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