Psyker Landshark

Former Shikikan, Current Writer

Hello to the lovely people of the forum. My username is UMP45 Respecter, but feel free to call me whatever you like. I'm a 30 year old man from the US, and I've been writing since I was in elementary school; I picked up RP as a hobby in high school. My tastes lean towards science fiction (particularly military science fiction) and horror (especially if it involves monsters/creatures). If the two happen to intersect, I'm a very happy camper and odds are I will enjoy every second of the action. As one might guess from my username I'm a big fan of UMP45/Leva (still getting used to that name for her) from Girls' Frontline, and I hold her near and dear to my heart.

My hobbies include reading (though audiobooks are an absolute godsend at work), listening to music and podcasts, and playing video games (currently playing Helldivers II and Starship Troopers: Extermination), and thanks to my tastes in media, I'm something of an armchair gun guy, and odds are I can identify what weapons are used in movies.

I hope I can get along with everyone and find new friends. ☺️

@UMP45 Respecter

do your gunsmoke hits, SKK

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

The Ruby Weapon’s talons were evaded and counterattacked in turn, the machine left reeling from Rudolf and Chisato’s combined assault on the legs. Black flame ate away armor plating while Chisato’s entire arsenal of explosives outright blew away the remaining protection around the ankle. Then the momentary glimmer of Rudolf’s sword sliced clean through.

Bereft of most of its right leg, the warmachina collapsed to one knee as Galahad went for a shoulder and Izayoi sprinted up a retracting talon to resume attempting to carve her way to Reisa. The dragoon’s strike managed to wrench off a portion of the Ruby Weapon’s thruster armor before a claw reached up to attempt to backhand him off. It only managed one strike before Miina’s repeated Thunders began playing havoc with its exposed internals, causing the Weapon to lock up for a brief moment, Izayoi continuing to howl like a banshee as she slammed her katana into one of the giant mech’s eyes.

Reisa maneuvered her machine’s other arm to force Izayoi to retreat back down to the deck, and she engaged the speakers while queueing a command with furious taps within the cockpit.

”Enough! Engaging spell matrix! Incantation hypertune: Dying light, rend my sword and sing in shadow!”

Aether began to well up around the Ruby Weapon in absurd quantities, outright ripping it from the space around them. Those more magically attuned of the Kirins could literally feel life itself start to become unsustainable in the immediate space around the warmachina, the deck of the airship warping and rending in real time. All the while, the flagship came directly down on a collision course.

___

Esben’s hijacked aetherskimmer managed to croak its engine to life, and they were off. The flying machine was nowhere near the speed it had been previously, but it was enough to safely see the two Skaelers off the flagship as what Valheimr remained on it either rushed for their own aetherskimmers in a mad scramble for survival, or simply braced for their imminent demise.

Of course, once they were up in the air, they were witness victim to what came next:
___

”From the deepest pit of the seven hells to the very pinnacle of the heavens, the world shall tremble! ULTIMA!!” The spell completed as the flagship was about to make impact, and a wave of raw aether surged out from the Ruby Weapon, set to envelop the Kirins in its baleful light, even as the flagship made contact with the mech’s armor.

For her part, even as the surge of death came rushing towards, Izayoi did not waver. Another scream came from the top of her lungs as she sheathed her sword, crouching down.

”No magic, no gambit, will save you from mine blade, even if it would mean my death!” She dashed forward, unsheathing in the blink of an eye and breaking her limits in a single great whirling cleave.

”Shin-Zantetsuken!” Izayoi’s blade crashed against Ultima, and the samurai general roared in defiance as she struggled against the spell of legend, buying precious seconds for the remainder of the Kirins to brace themselves and respond.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Aboard the flagship...

The alarm sounded as Esben took the controls, plated footsteps already starting to grow ever closer to the doorway. Soon enough, the first group of Valheimr rushed for the door, swords and pistols drawn.

"They have the bridge! How in the hells did they seize it?!"
"Focus!"
"What the-CHAINGUN! TAKE COVER!"

Esben lurching the cruiser into motion unbalanced the rushing soldiers, who varyingly lost their balance. The ungainly ship of the line locked in on a heading aimed straight for the Ruby Weapon, though the question remained of whether or not it would stay locked into position, considering how quickly it had been moving earlier...

___

Ruby Weapon

A mocking laugh emanated from the warmachina's speakers as Izayoi's blade merely bounced off of its chest armor.

"Has vengeance dulled every last one of your wits, Emperor's Demon? Truly, domesticity has ruined you." Izayoi snarled, barely even registering the taunt as she caught herself with one hand against the Ruby Weapon's chestplate, using it as leverage to clamber up and leap towards the head. She landed atop, slamming the tip of her katana down into the machine's cranium...only for this strike to ping off uselessly as well. It seemed that even the head was well-protected. Undeterred, Izayoi started to attempt to carve her way through the armor plating, sinking her sword in as best as she was able.

Down below, Miina's Libra spell returned a surprising wealth of information. Firstly, Reisa was exactly where she'd suspected: in the Ruby Weapon's head, currently under a fruitless assault from her cousin. Secondly, the armor plating covering it didn't afford full coverage. Whether it was due to cost, haste, or simply accounting for range of movement, there were numerous areas around the joints that were less heavily-plated and therefore much more vulnerable to attack.

Rudolf would notice that his strike wasn't just enhanced with his passenger's blackflame. For the briefest of moments, whatever binding shackled his greatsword loosened just enough that he didn't only just strike true: he struck hard. The Shilage's swing tore through the plating on the Ruby Weapon's left ankle, unbalancing it such that Galahad easily redirected its swipe and Chisato's bombs did real structural damage.

"Ngh!" Reisa grunted in annoyance, tapping away at damage readouts within the Weapon's cockpit. "Enough of this, gnats!" A brief burst of magic originating from the Ruby Weapon's head knocked Izayoi off, sending her tumbling to the deck. Meanwhile, the warmachina extended its hands, the individual talons on its shooting out to target each of the other Kirins assailing it. They embedded themselves into the deck, retracted, and then shot out again and again, aiming to impale.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Reisa observed the fight from aboard the flagship, peering through a spyglass. A flaming cyclone engulfed the ship that the Kirins were facing Valon and company on, and she frowned beneath her helm.

"Abort all safety checks. I'm deploying the project." She turned to her aide-de-camp, who snapped up in a salute, stuttering.

"M-ma'am?"

"You heard me, soldier. Inform the engineers that I'll be making my way down to the hangar shortly."

___

Ranbu no Izayoi

"Cute," Valon grinned in response to Rudolf's taunt, cockily letting himself get swept up in the banter. "Otto never mentioned you managed to grow a working pair of balls-"

Rudolf stomped down, locking Valon's lance long enough to thrust with his rondel. Enhanced by black flame, the dagger pierced through Valon's gorget, though an instinctual jerk back saved the traitor's life. He snarled, a plated fist coming up to smash into Rudolf's jaw and floor him before he knelt, one hand raised to staunch the flow of blood the cut had made.

"Alright, I'll give you credit: got me good there. My fault for taking you lightly." Valon grinned ruefully, picking his lance back up. The other hand came down, and it seemed the flow of blood from Valon's punctured gorget had already been somehow staunched. He leapt back just in time to evade Galahad's kick, amusement returning to his expression.

"Well, Good Ser Caradoc, how's it feel that Istvan Shilage's worst runt has been contributing more than you in this battle so far? Care to change that anytime soon?" A glow of crimson aether seeped into his eyes as his knees bent, preparing to jump.

Meanwhile, Miina and Chisato's combined efforts lit no few Valheimr soldiers ablaze, embers spreading from the volcano and cooking them within their black armor. Soldiers screamed, rolled along the deck, and in the case of some too far gone, outright leapt over the railing. Izayoi surged through those least affected, her blade barely a glint of light as she took full advantage of their distraction to tear through their ranks. The faster she was done with this, the sooner they could focus on Valon...!

Up above, Esben's outmanuevering of one skimmer before Elly sent the other crashing eliminated both of their aerial pursuers, leaving the two free to start hunting down the remainder of the Valheimr air support unmolested...

...Or they would have, at least, had a thundering boom not erupted from the flagship, distracting everyone from the battle at hand.

A crimson glow dropped like a meteor from the flagship, gaining speed as it plunged to the surface below. Leviathan and Siren, both leaking aether like sieves from their battle wounds, coiled around each other in a grapple for supremacy, looked up from their struggle just in time for the red comet to hurtle through the both of them. A claw grappled each serpent, scaled and formless water alike, up by the neck before gaining height.

Finally, the streak began to slow as it ascended, revealing its true form as it leveled out above the airship the Kirins were fighting on. A titanic warmachina, sinewy flesh and bone plated in blood crimson and tall enough that the average man barely came up to its ankle, hovered over the deck. Its claws clenched, and both Eidolons of water, true and false alike, collapsed, dissipating into aether that was absorbed into the monstrous machine. If one looked closely enough, they could see the speck of blood in its left claw: all that remained of Siren.

"Lieutenant, take your forces and make for the surface. I will finish this here." Reisa's voice, distorted through machinery and sound amplification, boomed from the machina's head, to which Valon could only sigh.

"And here I was, just starting to have fun. Ah, well. Happy hunting then, Captain. Hussars, we're going headhunting! Double pay to anyone who guts the old man first!" Valon and his false dragoons quickly made for the surface, with the former simply leaning over the edge of the airship before letting himself fall backwards, a two-fingered salute shot out towards the Kirins before his form fell out of sight.

With that out of the way, the construct's head turned back to survey the Kirins, noting the decimation of the Valheimr ranks aboard. Izayoi's pupils dilated as she heard Reisa's voice, animalistic rage starting to enter her tone.

"REISA! You think to hide yourself from us within that shell?! I will tear you out, piece by piece, and carve bloody vengeance with mine own two hands!" She screamed, her sword glistening with blood.

"Be honored, barbarian scum. His Imperial Grace has deemed the threat you pose enough to unleash this Ruby Weapon upon you." The warmachina, touching down on the deck. "Your quest ends here and now, adventurers! Come! BEAR WITNESS TO THE GLORY OF VALHEIM!"

The Ruby Weapon spread its claws out wide, and Izayoi charged, leaping up to bring her sword down onto its chest with a bloodcurdling howl.

Falling Skies

CMDR SAGAN "VULTURE" KODOS

"Breathe, Ensign." Sagan sighed at Dole's jittery demeanor, far too used to dealing with fresh meat straight out of the academy at this point. "No one's gonna bite your head off for stuttering. Alright, people, let's hear it. Opinions?" He rubbed his chin, considering the options while listening to everyone else weigh in. No sense in speaking his mind as the CO before all the options were on the table.

Once Leah was done, Sagan nodded to himself, finally deigning to voice his thoughts.

"Right, that's everyone accounted for. At least one vote for each. Well, maybe a half for the blackout. Regardless, if this were a democracy, we'd be Coalies. Now, let's see here:" He brought up a tactical display of their current operational area of Gelcastre, starting to point each operation zone out as he spoke.

"I know we'd all like to back up the Helldogs, but it's both not our mission and a bad use of limited resources: those being SOF units. Reroute this to literally any other available ground force that can get it done."

His finger lingered over the outer districts next.

"Now, I hear you, Hex. I really do. You make good points, but the problem comes back to force allocation again. Are we damn sure there isn't a single infantry unit that can run this op? The way I see it, we're best suited as a unit to hit the industrial district, and it gets us at least somewhat closer to our actual mission objective. Now, Ensign," He turned back to the green boy, trying to be as disarming as he could manage.

"Who else've we got on call? At the very least, for knocking out the AA. I'm not holding my breath on being lucky enough to have infantry SOF assets in this AO already."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

Miina's holding spell ensnared Valon in the midst of his cocky grin, holding him still just long enough for Eliane's shot to take him straight in his right shoulder, piercing through the plate and causing him to kneel in pain as the spell released.

"Gah!" He hissed, still clutching his gunlance as best he could. The veins in his exposed skin turned a dark purple as he forced himself to stand, unnatural vitality coursing through his form. "Okay, I'll give you that one, it was good-" A pause as Galahad's words registered. "You did what?!" Valon spluttered at the dragoon, suddenly aghast. "You know damned well what those are worth! What, did the Limbtaker decide it wasn't worth using one as a-" He suddenly raised his weapon, forced to block Galahad, followed by Izayoi.

"Be silent, brat!" The samurai snapped as Valon somehow managed to intercept both of their attacks, forcing them back with a sweep.

Meanwhile, the Valheimr dragoons flailed and fumbled as Rudolf's Gravity materia sent them plummeting down, making them easy meat for Chisato. Esben's hijacked gunfire scythed through another before moving on to a series of ground troops and a skimmer, the latter exploding and sent plummeting down out of the sky.

Valon surged forward, striking out at both Galahad and Izayoi with ridiculous speed, the veins on his face bulging grotesquely. Even the Limbtaker was hard-pressed to keep up, only narrowly evading and parrying his strikes as the force had her gritting her teeth.

"He'd not been this strong but two weeks ago!" She called aside incredulously to Galahad. "What in all hells did he do to himself-damn it!" Izayoi cursed, forced to break aside and parry an oncoming strike from one of the ground troops stationed on this particular airship. A cut to the neck dispatched him quickly, and she scowled, taking the situation in.

"Rudolf, take my place! The chaff is mine and Esben's to deal with!" Enhanced by Selene, Izayoi practically vanished, reappearing in the midst of a squadron of Valheimr and beginning to tear them to bloody ribbons with her sword work.

Valon didn't stay idle either, instead leaping horizontally like an arrow straight towards Chisato. His plated boot caught her in the chest before she could gut another one of his men, and the Valheimr dragoons began to reorient themselves, fighting off the effects of the Gravity and returning to the air.

"Hussars, spread out!" Valon called towards his men. "Don't let them draw a bead on you, and play for time! The longer this drags on, the more the advantage turns to us!" The dragoons, or Hussars as Valon said, did as bid, each boosting away and drawing beads on individual Kirins. They opened fire, aiming to keep them supressed even as Valon, the ground troops, and the skimmers began their counterattack.

Two skimmers broke off to engage Esben, aiming to keep him occupied with one's evasive actions even as the other attempted to get him in their sights, firing. A third drew a bead on Eliane, firing away with its chaingun. Entire squadrons converged upon Miina and Chisato, aiming to drown them in weight of numbers as Valon reengaged, leaping back towards Galahad with sudden speed and hand outstretched. He seized his former fellow by the throat, laughing as he held Galahad up.

"Behold the power the True King has granted me! Might beyond measure, with which to bring Edren into its rightful place on this star!" And he slammed Galahad down, throwing him hard enough that Galahad broke through the airship's deck, crashing into its hold below. Valon kept laughing, now lunging towards Rudolf. One thrust, three, six. Barely half broke through the false Sagramore's guard, only nicking him and drawing blood. Was Valon...toying with him? Not taking him seriously?

All the while, Reisa watched on from her flagship, arms folded as she checked a timepiece embedded into her armor.

Three minutes, ten seconds. Nine. Eight.

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Renar Hagen

Oh, Goddesses damn it. Another one of these blasted shards of Angoron?! Renar allowed himself an incredulous expression of disbelief beneath the visor of his helm. One was a coincidence. Two was...not necessarily a plot yet, but certainly something was going on behind the scenes.

The Bastard of Brias folded his arms, giving the situation no small amount of consideration. There wasn't a chance in hell that Captain Fanilly would leave the matter alone now that a Shard was a factor, to say nothing of Dame Tyaethe. Fine. They were locked in. Fionn beat him to the conclusion of his thoughts; as expected when dealing with fae. That was fine. Renar had never wanted to take center stage in this sylvan debacle, regardless.

Fortunate they hadn't sworn anything regarding the shard yet, though it seemed only a matter of time, if he was reading the Captain correctly. Regardless, best to wrap everything up here in a neat little bow before moving onward.

"Majesty, my brother knights speak truly." Renar stepped forward in support of Fionn and Gerard. "Our current quest takes priority: we are still oath-bound to return Duke Thedric's wits to him, and are unable to move forward past that till the matter is resolved." Don't swear anything directly to her. Don't make a single actual promise. He knew just enough of fae to abide by such when speaking to them. Shockingly, and depressingly, similar to speaking with barristers, though with more unpredictable results. "It would be deeply appreciated that we are not made liars of before we can give our word for any other endeavors."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

"Your concern is noted." Zacharias nodded in Galahad's direction. "So long as I am aware of the oncoming threat, I will be able to handle myself." He let the byplay about Loki go on while looking to Eliane, raising an eyebrow. "I'd have thought it would be little concern for one who would order warships upon Brightlam so readily. Regardless, civilian fire crews have been mobilized. Those not willing or able to serve with the militia can still defend their homes in one way or another."

Meanwhile, Izayoi simply raised an eyebrow at Esben's planning.

"Perhaps after we survive this battle, then." She said, her tone dry as sandpaper. "Not to say that I do not believe you regarding her capabilities, fantastical as they sound. But such concerns can wait until after we repel Valheim. Regardless, if we've merely an hour left before the enemy is within range, then let us be off. Ideally, we'll be prepared to deploy the moment the battle begins in earnest."

___

Death approached Brightlam on wings of black steel. Valheim's invasion fleet numbered a few dozen airships strong: a far cry from the massive armada that took Osprey, but a mighty show of force unmatched by most on the continent regardless. Brightlam's defenders stood ready, the magi among them already beginning channels and rituals to strike the first blow against the oncoming invaders. Streams of magic, gouts of flame, and bolts of lightning shot out from the boughs, crashing into the airships and managing to bring a few down.

That was all the time they had to muster for a preparatory strike, however, as the airships began to descend towards the treetops, opening fire with chaingun and cannon. What few soldiers there were on Brightlam's topmost layer either scattered or fell right there, leaving the way open for more airships to begin touching down and depositing their payloads of soldiers upon the arboreal city.

"They come!" Grovemaster Zacharias roared from his command post, raising his staff to summon Ramuh and bring him to the fore. Up in the skies, the Eidolon's appearance seemed to come to no surprise to the Valheimr command staff.

"Well, well. Ramuh already?" Valon grinned on the deck of a large Valheimr cruiser, greater in size than the Proudclad that Eve had singlehandedly destroyed weeks ago. "The old man is desperate. Permission to engage, oh Captain of ours?"

"Granted." A familiar figure in armor nodded. "Deployment of Siren is authorized. We need Leviathan distracted." Reisa gestured towards the final figure in their little group. To this, Valon only nodded and hefted his new gunlance onto his shoulder. "Right, then. Oi, you lot!" He called towards a dozen more pseudo-Dragoons, freshly brought up after their previous losses on the sea. "Straight down, feet first into the hells! We clear a landing zone for Siren, and then we start headhunting the old man-"

A massive sea serpent rose straight up from the rivers, its body outright ripping through an unfortunate airship in the midst of dropping the last of its personnel. Leviathan roared in challenge at the oncoming invaders, forming a jet of water in its mouth to carve another frigate in half before the flagship's cannons forced her back with a quick barrage.

"Black-tinned wretches! Warriors that I bear, this is your moment! I shall deposit you upon that ship before they repel me once more!"

True to her word, Leviathan lunged for the cruiser again, but this time, a hydra formed of water slammed into her from the flank, sending the Kirins on her back crashing onto the deck of a nearby destroyer, off their mark. It seemed Siren had come into play.

As the Eidolon and her pseudo-copy tumbled down towards the rivers below, mocking, familiar laughter could be heard from above.

"Thatagirl!" Valon cackled as he landed on the deck, twirling his gunlance once, twice, thrice. Valheimr ground troops had begun to surround the Kirins, while his false dragoons hovered in the sky, alongside a half dozen aetherskimmer vehicles, light guns mounted on their prows.

"Right, then! No fancy speeches, let's get to business! Who wants it first? Galahad? Rudolf? The Limbtaker? Come at me if you think yourself hard enough!"

After Era Mythos

prefer just doing this in post rounds

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Charles Ackerman

Once a year, every year. Peyton had been using the Cliffside as the Leaders’ annual venue since even before Charles had rejoined the League, oweing to their long friendship over the decades. At least Charles was getting paid handsomely to reserve the cocktail bar out for a night. While this batch of Gym Leaders wasn't quite up to completely trashing the place like some generations had, they were still something of a rowdy bunch.

The old man did one last check of what he had behind the bar, satisfied that his stock was full and he wasn't wanting for anything. Despite the fact that this was a more formal night than usual, he still wore just a classic dress shirt, vest, and tie. It was a damned classic for a man tending bar and any of Peyton's whinging that he ought to be even dressier for this would be ignored.

He'd let all his staff take the night off with pay, handling everything himself for the evening. After all, if it was meant to be a social for League members only, so much the better to not have anyone that could overhear anything too inconvenient. Besides, the day he couldn't run his own bar without help was the day he was hanging it all up.

Beryl arrived first, almost surprising him. Not completely unexpected, though he would have thought Hestia to have rushed here faster after losing her silly little game last year. Ah, well. One scotch for her, and Charles finished final prep on his cocktail ingredients as he waited for the rush. True to form, Hestia came in not long after, and Charles simply dipped his head at her request, starting to whip up a drink.

"Oh, you know him. Dramatic entrances and whatnot. I expect the lad to be last. In any case, here. As asked for, a limoncello lemon drop. Enjoy." He slid the drink expertly across the bar, kneeling down to the freezer for more ice when the door slammed open, bringing a familiar voice with it.

"Awright, ye wee numpties! Party's here!" Fiona swept in, clad in a slinky black cocktail dress and heels, arms held wide and grinning. "Charlie, hit me wit' some buckie, would ye?"

"Absolutely not. Not after last year." Charles crossed his arms firmly, shaking his head. "If you'd care to order an actual drink, kindly name it."

"Yer no fun, ye scabby fuck." Fiona groaned as she took the bar stool right next to Hestia, giving her rival a jovial slap on the back. "One o' what she's havin', then!" As Charles busied himself with said order, Fiona turned back to Hestia, her ever-present grin still plastered onto her face.

"How tae fuck'd I get here before most of th' crew? Figured most of 'em fer early arrivers, an' I was just tryin' tae beat speed records gettin' outta Motostoke late."