Raijinslayer

Fate/Profane Covenant

Khairi Ilunga

Outskirts/Forest

@Yukitamas

Khairi, for his part, was similarly engrossed in the smells of the forest. The feel of the earth, the trees, even the very flow of the land itself was so different from that of his homeland that it wasn't even funny, but being in this place of nature away from civilization. . . it gave a sense of peace and stability to the young man that he definitely needed. Caster, in her arboreal wandering, would find the young man muttering to himself in his native tongue as fidgets with the conga-scepter that she would always see on his person.

For most people, that would all they see. . . but thanks to the unorthodox alterations to his summoning technique, she would see the wavering figures of several men and women around her master. His ancestors, speaking in silent judgment as they appeared to be in some deep deliberation amongst each other. Before long the meeting was ended as Khairi let out a deep sigh, letting himself fall back onto the forest floor before giving his servant a quick glance.

"Good Morning Caster," He mutters briefly, waving at her with the scepter as he seems to consider something. "I guess I should've figured you'd be the sight-seeing type, though I don't really think there is much to see around here."

"Of course," Khairi mutters under his breath as he picks himself up, wiping the forest debris from his clothes. "That could just be me not wanting to feel like some sort of stage attraction everywhere I go in this place. I know people here don't likely see foreigners all that often, but the way nearly everyone I meet can't seem to help but stare is. . . annoying, to say the least."

"But yeah, if you want to go for a walk around town to check things out sounds like a good idea, and as you say, it doesn't do us much good if we just turtle up all the time. It's the first day so I doubt anyone will try anything too wild right out the gate, and you can probably handle yourself well even if they did."

Fate/Profane Covenant

Master Outline: Khairi, the Scion of the Roaring Thunder

Name: Khairi Ilunga
Titles: Scion of the Roaring Thunder

Appearance:

Sex: Male

Alignment:Neutral Good

History: Outline: The Ilunga family is ancient. When the practice of written records started to make its way to their territory, they were sharing stories with their communities that stretched back hundreds of years. Even as the colonizing forces of the western nations broke apart their lives and sought to suppress their beliefs and cultures in the name of their God, the Illunga kept their histories. Through magecraft, hidden artifacts, and communion with their ancestors, the Ilunga managed to keep on to their history, though not without some losses.

Despite these losses, the Diviners of the Illunga clan kept to their policies of learning from those who came from elsewhere, allowing their culture and traditions to change and adapt to these new practices rather than break under their weight. As such, in the modern age, the Ilunga still maintain a place of prestige and respect amongst communities both mundane and magical within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For Khairi, his heritage and the history behind it has always been a matter of great importance and has served as the main motivator in his studies to follow in the footsteps of the man he respects more than anyone, his Father. A powerful magus, a firm but fair leader, and a man of near-infinite kindness, Khairi's father was a man many believed would bring the Ilunga into a new age of glory. A man who even managed to gain the respect and knowledge of foreign magi, a lot that has long been known to look down on any who were not a part of their enclosed circle of families.

He was Khairi's hero. . . and thus, his tragic end was all the more traumatizing for his reverence.

Betrayed by a foreign magi from the clocktower, a man his father had invited to discuss ways to bridge the gap between the traditions of the Diviners and the ways of the Western Magi, for an artifact he could not even hope to use, the Conga-scepter that served the Ilunga family as a mystic code and familial relic for untold generations. The magi had, in his arrogance and pride, thought to use it to cover his tracks by destroying the village that the murder had taken place in. He was unaware that the scepter was no mere tool, but possessing a spirit all its own, and it was filled with a dark fury at the atrocity it was being called forth to commit. The foreign magi was found dead in a smoking crater, struck seven times by Nkuba's concentrated wrath for his hubris and evil treachery.

But rather than overjoyed by the man's karmic retribution, Khairi felt naught but a lack of closure at this knowledge. His father was gone, taken from him by a fool who had sealed his own doom and left the world a lesser place for the life he had stolen.

That couldn't stand, not in his eyes. On the day of his father's funeral, as everyone cheered and celebrated that man he was and seemed ready to let this tragedy pass, as the tale of his father was passed into the legend of the Ilunga. . . Khairi swore to himself that this would not be how his father's legacy ended.

The years that followed were a blur of vigorous study, both at home and abroad as he followed in the footsteps of the man he hoped to emulate, learning more of magecraft and mystery from numerous sources all across the globe and from many differing mentors. Some were great men and women, others conniving schemers or droll politicians, but all had something to teach him. he was voracious in his learning and prodigious in his talent. Many of his teachers could not hide their surprise that such a young boy from a "know-nothing backwater" could be a vessel for such magical insight. They did not understand that his knowledge was not his alone. That within him, in the tales he told to himself during long nights of study, the songs he had repeated so many times he sang them in his sleep, the ritualistic dances he performed in the wee hours of morning and night, in all of these things his ancestors were with him. Guiding him forward down this path, even if they did not wholly agree with his end goal.

Often, in subtle ways, he was urged to give up his quest, to let his father go. Among these voices, he knew, was the very man he hoped to bring back. The boy knew his goal was not healthy, that he was doing a disservice to the very history and lineage he found so important. There were many excuses he told himself, to justify to the spirits and himself that what he was doing was not selfish, that it was for the good of his family and community. But in truth, as he discovered the history of the Holy Grail wars, and the recovery of the Fuyuki grail, the hope that sprang in his heart was not that of a man seeing the light that may bring a great wonder to his people. It was the hope of a small, 13-year-old boy that he might once more be held in the arms of his father, to once more talk to the man as he is now, rather than speaking to the memory of what he once was.

For the dead often provide cold comfort to the living,and in their company, one finds only a faint whisper of the vibrancy that was once known.

Personality: Khairi is a studious and diligent young man, who always does his best to help those he finds in need. A natural-born leader of sorts, he greatly values his empathy and skills at working with the talents of others to work towards a common goal. That being said, the man is known for holding a grudge for longe rthan one can probably consider necessary or healthy, particularly against foreign magi. To Khairi, many of the magi he has encountered during his travels abroad have been arrogant, dismissive of people, and so caught up in their own searches for Truth that they don't care who or what gets hurt on their path towards it.

It was a reality he was not completely unaware of, but seeing it with his own eyes did much to plant a number of prejudices in his head when dealing with other magi. No matter how polite they seem, no matter how good-hearted
they seem, or open to conversation they claim to be, the young diviner is expecting callousness, deception, and arrogance to be hiding just under the surface. Perhaps not the best mindset to have in most circumstances, but he knows that for the coming Grail War, he'll have more justification than ever to be wary of other Magi.
Magecraft:

Possession(Ancestral): As the latest in a long line of Diviners from what is now known as the Kivu region, it has long been the young man's duty to act as a conduit between spiritual forces of the land and the members of his community. Through the use of ritualistic trance and communion with the realm of spirits, his family has developed considerable skill in calling forth the spirits of not only their ancestors but even ancient heroes and villains to help them reenact their legends within so that the mystery of their deeds continue on into the modern-day.

As such, not only does this magecraft allow for Khairi to call upon the combined knowledge of his Magi ancestors while in such a trance, much in the same way one would use a magic crest, but through this accumulation of mystery, he has theorized the possibility of strengthening that of his Servant through this method through reenactments of their own legend. Not in any lasting way, of course, but perhaps through allowing his servant access to this well of spiritual belief, accumulated mysteries, and long ancient traditions, he is able to further refine the connection between him and his chosen hero.

Evocation(Thunder): The Ilunga lineage claims to have gained their connection to the spiritual through the divine blood of Nkuba, god of Lightning, either through a blessing of descending from his coupling with amortal Diviner in times long past. While the veracity of this tale is certainly in question, what is apparent is how the Ilunga family has always boasted an impressive affinity for the element of lightning and electricity in their magecraft and Khairi is no exception. While not originally taught in the ways of offensive use of the spell, his time abroad has helped him formulate spells with which to utilize the fury of Nkuba against his foes in a more direct manner. He can also make use of natural sources of lightning and electricity as a source of magical energy through the Commune attribute, harmonizing himself with the raw energies of the natural world to better fuel his ceremonies, though the rate of conversion is often not tilted in his favor.

However, that is not the only way he makes use of this connection to Lightning and Thunder. Through this devotion to Nkuba, god of Lightning, he is able to enact rituals to influence the weather of a region, as well as provide a more subtle play on the electrical connections found in all living things. Normally, he uses this as a form of aura reading or emotional dampening effect, allowing him to soothe those in pain or distress so that they may be more at ease in his presence. With his preparations for the Grail war, however, he has learned more deceptive and harmful ways to use this skill, such as curses that interfere with one's reaction time or ability to focus.

Healing: As a Diviner, Khairi was given extensive teaching in magical healing through a variety of methods, most commonly that of herbal remedy infused with Mana. He has studied spiritual healing for the purposes of warding off evil curses and maladies of the soul, making him skilled in the understanding of and excising such curses.

Divination: Another penchant of his role as a Diviner, Khairi uses a number of methods to divine the proper way forward in his day-to-day life. While never a precise form of intuition, the use of Divination magic does wonders for helping him to find out which of the paths of his future stand the best chance of accomplishing his goals.

Quality of Circuits: A+

Quantity of Circuits: B

Elemental Affinity: Wind and Fire

Attribute: Commune

The attribute of the Ilunga family that begets their ability to foster connection and communication with the realm of the spiritual and esoteric. Through their use of magic, they do not just seek knowledge, but complete immersion in their craft and the ability to spread their understanding to others. Like other magi, the Diviners of the Ilunga see themselves as part of a winding chain of knowledge but rather than see their ancestors as being distant repositories of knowledge, they are still an active part of the family, alive in every Diviner of the family and guiding their actions with their combined experience and knowledge.
Magecraft: See above, i guess

General Magecraft

Mystic Codes: Ancestral Conga-scepter, supposedly blessed by the deity Nkuba and used in the ritualistic retelling of the Epic of Mwindo for generations within the family. A temperamental mystic code relic, it offers a wielder who it deems worthy to a powerful conduit for their magecraft, particularly those related to that of calling Lightning or healing those near death's door. However, the scepter is no mere pliant artifact, but a thing with both a spirit and a temperament all its own. As such, if one seeks to misuse its power or ignore the temperament of the relic, they will find in it a tendency to fight and struggle against them, causing a chance of any use of its powers to backfire on the user. If this is done for long enough, then the wielder will be faced with the ultimate retribution as the sky erupts into seven bolts of thunderous might comes crashing down on the perpetrator with the intent of turning them to dust.

A number of Fetishes and Masks with which he has imbued Mana and ancestral memories into. Some can be used as a source of power, while others help him accelerate his use of certain magics, or even grant him access to ones he has not formally studied. Some examples of this would be a necklace containing the finger bone of a Ilunga ancestor that was well-known in his ability to heal increasing the speed and effectiveness of his healing magecraft while in the spirit trance, or a mask that harnesses the memory of another ancestor to grant him some measure of pyromancy skill. These artifacts serve to give him a bit of a swiss-army knife approach to magecraft in the war, and while he doesn't believe it will let him face off against anyone actually trained in any of those adjacent fields, it may help;p to throw off his foes in what his expertise actually is. Any advantage he can gain, no matter how small, is one he'll need given his lack of other resources
Non-Magecraft Abilities/Items:
Empathy and Leadership: Khairi is a natural-born leader and a people person, often able to quickly read those he talks to and working with them to decide how best to help them achieve their goals or make better use of their own abilities.

Dance: Along with the traditional dances he makes use of for his rituals, he's also a skilled breakdancer, having fallen somewhat in love with the frenetic energy of the style after watching some American television and doing some research on the side. He's quite good, and at times makes use of the moves to add a personal flair to his practices as a Magi.

Medicine: Along with the more mystical arts, Khairi has done plenty of study in more mundane treatment methods, and often carries a first aid kit on his person in case of emergencies. While not a licensed medical professional by any measure, he is fully capable of performing quick diagnostics of symptoms and injuries and best immediate practices to put in place till a more qualified person comes to the scene(or till he makes use of his more magical expertise)

Modern Tech: While far from a tech whiz, Khairi is pretty modern-minded as far as being a magus goes, able to use most amenities of modern living without much confusion. He's also a pretty good driver and carries around a smartphone for the sake of contacting his relatives back home. Everything important or compromising, however, he prefers to write down on paper. Just in case, especially during a grail war.

Money: While not as absurdly wealthy as other Magus families tend to be, the Illunga are fairly well-off due to the demand for the services of Diviners in African culture, as well as the intense level of education required of their training. Even if the belief in the supernatural among the average citizen is starting to fade, the cultural power of the position still holds strong.

Fate/Profane Covenant

Master Outline: Khairi, the Scion of the Roaring Thunder

Name: Khairi Ilunga
Titles: Scion of the Roaring Thunder

Appearance:

Sex: Male

Alignment:Neutral Good

History: Outline: The Ilunga family is ancient. When the practice of written records started to make its way to their territory, they were sharing stories with their communities that stretched back hundreds of years. Even as the colonizing forces of the western nations broke apart their lives and sought to suppress their beliefs and cultures in the name of their God, the Illunga kept their histories. Through magecraft, hidden artifacts, and communion with their ancestors, the Ilunga managed to keep on to their history, though not without some losses.

Despite these losses, the Diviners of the Illunga clan kept to their policies of learning from those who came from elsewhere, allowing their culture and traditions to change and adapt to these new practices rather than break under their weight. As such, in the modern age, the Ilunga still maintain a place of prestige and respect amongst communities both mundane and magical within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

For Khairi, his heritage and the history behind it has always been a matter of great importance and has served as the main motivator in his studies to follow in the footsteps of the man he respects more than anyone, his Father. A powerful magus, a firm but fair leader, and a man of near-infinite kindness, Khairi's father was a man many believed would bring the Ilunga into a new age of glory. A man who even managed to gain the respect and knowledge of foreign magi, a lot that has long been known to look down on any who were not a part of their enclosed circle of families.

He was Khairi's hero. . . and thus, his tragic end was all the more traumatizing for his reverence.

Betrayed by a foreign magi from the clocktower, a man his father had invited to discuss ways to bridge the gap between the traditions of the Diviners and the ways of the Western Magi, for an artifact he could not even hope to use, the Conga-scepter that served the Ilunga family as a mystic code and familial relic for untold generations. The magi had, in his arrogance and pride, thought to use it to cover his tracks by destroying the village that the murder had taken place in. He was unaware that the scepter was no mere tool, but possessing a spirit all its own, and it was filled with a dark fury at the atrocity it was being called forth to commit. The foreign magi was found dead in a smoking crater, struck seven times by Nkuba's concentrated wrath for his hubris and evil treachery.

But rather than overjoyed by the man's karmic retribution, Khairi felt naught but a lack of closure at this knowledge. His father was gone, taken from him by a fool who had sealed his own doom and left the world a lesser place for the life he had stolen.

That couldn't stand, not in his eyes. On the day of his father's funeral, as everyone cheered and celebrated that man he was and seemed ready to let this tragedy pass, as the tale of his father was passed into the legend of the Ilunga. . . Khairi swore to himself that this would not be how his father's legacy ended.

The years that followed were a blur of vigorous study, both at home and abroad as he followed in the footsteps of the man he hoped to emulate, learning more of magecraft and mystery from numerous sources all across the globe and from many differing mentors. Some were great men and women, others conniving schemers or droll politicians, but all had something to teach him. he was voracious in his learning and prodigious in his talent. Many of his teachers could not hide their surprise that such a young boy from a "know-nothing backwater" could be a vessel for such magical insight. They did not understand that his knowledge was not his alone. That within him, in the tales he told to himself during long nights of study, the songs he had repeated so many times he sang them in his sleep, the ritualistic dances he performed in the wee hours of morning and night, in all of these things his ancestors were with him. Guiding him forward down this path, even if they did not wholly agree with his end goal.

Often, in subtle ways, he was urged to give up his quest, to let his father go. Among these voices, he knew, was the very man he hoped to bring back. The boy knew his goal was not healthy, that he was doing a disservice to the very history and lineage he found so important. There were many excuses he told himself, to justify to the spirits and himself that what he was doing was not selfish, that it was for the good of his family and community. But in truth, as he discovered the history of the Holy Grail wars, and the recovery of the Fuyuki grail, the hope that sprang in his heart was not that of a man seeing the light that may bring a great wonder to his people. It was the hope of a small, 13-year-old boy that he might once more be held in the arms of his father, to once more talk to the man as he is now, rather than speaking to the memory of what he once was.

For the dead often provide cold comfort to the living,and in their company, one finds only a faint whisper of the vibrancy that was once known.

Personality: Khairi is a studious and diligent young man, who always does his best to help those he finds in need. A natural-born leader of sorts, he greatly values his empathy and skills at working with the talents of others to work towards a common goal. That being said, the man is known for holding a grudge for longe rthan one can probably consider necessary or healthy, particularly against foreign magi. To Khairi, many of the magi he has encountered during his travels abroad have been arrogant, dismissive of people, and so caught up in their own searches for Truth that they don't care who or what gets hurt on their path towards it.

It was a reality he was not completely unaware of, but seeing it with his own eyes did much to plant a number of prejudices in his head when dealing with other magi. No matter how polite they seem, no matter how good-hearted
they seem, or open to conversation they claim to be, the young diviner is expecting callousness, deception, and arrogance to be hiding just under the surface. Perhaps not the best mindset to have in most circumstances, but he knows that for the coming Grail War, he'll have more justification than ever to be wary of other Magi.
Magecraft:

Possession(Ancestral): As the latest in a long line of Diviners from what is now known as the Kivu region, it has long been the young man's duty to act as a conduit between spiritual forces of the land and the members of his community. Through the use of ritualistic trance and communion with the realm of spirits, his family has developed considerable skill in calling forth the spirits of not only their ancestors but even ancient heroes and villains to help them reenact their legends within so that the mystery of their deeds continue on into the modern-day.

As such, not only does this magecraft allow for Khairi to call upon the combined knowledge of his Magi ancestors while in such a trance, much in the same way one would use a magic crest, but through this accumulation of mystery, he has theorized the possibility of strengthening that of his Servant through this method through reenactments of their own legend. Not in any lasting way, of course, but perhaps through allowing his servant access to this well of spiritual belief, accumulated mysteries, and long ancient traditions, he is able to further refine the connection between him and his chosen hero.

Evocation(Thunder): The Ilunga lineage claims to have gained their connection to the spiritual through the divine blood of Nkuba, god of Lightning, either through a blessing of descending from his coupling with amortal Diviner in times long past. While the veracity of this tale is certainly in question, what is apparent is how the Ilunga family has always boasted an impressive affinity for the element of lightning and electricity in their magecraft and Khairi is no exception. While not originally taught in the ways of offensive use of the spell, his time abroad has helped him formulate spells with which to utilize the fury of Nkuba against his foes in a more direct manner. He can also make use of natural sources of lightning and electricity as a source of magical energy through the Commune attribute, harmonizing himself with the raw energies of the natural world to better fuel his ceremonies, though the rate of conversion is often not tilted in his favor.

However, that is not the only way he makes use of this connection to Lightning and Thunder. Through this devotion to Nkuba, god of Lightning, he is able to enact rituals to influence the weather of a region, as well as provide a more subtle play on the electrical connections found in all living things. Normally, he uses this as a form of aura reading or emotional dampening effect, allowing him to soothe those in pain or distress so that they may be more at ease in his presence. With his preparations for the Grail war, however, he has learned more deceptive and harmful ways to use this skill, such as curses that interfere with one's reaction time or ability to focus.

Healing: As a Diviner, Khairi was given extensive teaching in magical healing through a variety of methods, most commonly that of herbal remedy infused with Mana. He has studied spiritual healing for the purposes of warding off evil curses and maladies of the soul, making him skilled in the understanding of and excising such curses.

Divination: Another penchant of his role as a Diviner, Khairi uses a number of methods to divine the proper way forward in his day-to-day life. While never a precise form of intuition, the use of Divination magic does wonders for helping him to find out which of the paths of his future stand the best chance of accomplishing his goals.

Quality of Circuits: A+

Quantity of Circuits: B

Elemental Affinity: Wind and Fire

Attribute: Commune

The attribute of the Ilunga family that begets their ability to foster connection and communication with the realm of the spiritual and esoteric. Through their use of magic, they do not just seek knowledge, but complete immersion in their craft and the ability to spread their understanding to others. Like other magi, the Diviners of the Ilunga see themselves as part of a winding chain of knowledge but rather than see their ancestors as being distant repositories of knowledge, they are still an active part of the family, alive in every Diviner of the family and guiding their actions with their combined experience and knowledge.
Magecraft: See above, i guess

General Magecraft

Mystic Codes: Ancestral Conga-scepter, supposedly blessed by the deity Nkuba and used in the ritualistic retelling of the Epic of Mwindo for generations within the family. A temperamental mystic code relic, it offers a wielder who it deems worthy to a powerful conduit for their magecraft, particularly those related to that of calling Lightning or healing those near death's door. However, the scepter is no mere pliant artifact, but a thing with both a spirit and a temperament all its own. As such, if one seeks to misuse its power or ignore the temperament of the relic, they will find in it a tendency to fight and struggle against them, causing a chance of any use of its powers to backfire on the user. If this is done for long enough, then the wielder will be faced with the ultimate retribution as the sky erupts into seven bolts of thunderous might comes crashing down on the perpetrator with the intent of turning them to dust.

A number of Fetishes and Masks with which he has imbued Mana and ancestral memories into. Some can be used as a source of power, while others help him accelerate his use of certain magics, or even grant him access to ones he has not formally studied. Some examples of this would be a necklace containing the finger bone of a Ilunga ancestor that was well-known in his ability to heal increasing the speed and effectiveness of his healing magecraft while in the spirit trance, or a mask that harnesses the memory of another ancestor to grant him some measure of pyromancy skill. These artifacts serve to give him a bit of a swiss-army knife approach to magecraft in the war, and while he doesn't believe it will let him face off against anyone actually trained in any of those adjacent fields, it may help;p to throw off his foes in what his expertise actually is. Any advantage he can gain, no matter how small, is one he'll need given his lack of other resources
Non-Magecraft Abilities/Items:
Empathy and Leadership: Khairi is a natural-born leader and a people person, often able to quickly read those he talks to and working with them to decide how best to help them achieve their goals or make better use of their own abilities.

Dance: Along with the traditional dances he makes use of for his rituals, he's also a skilled breakdancer, having fallen somewhat in love with the frenetic energy of the style after watching some American television and doing some research on the side. He's quite good, and at times makes use of the moves to add a personal flair to his practices as a Magi.

Medicine: Along with the more mystical arts, Khairi has done plenty of study in more mundane treatment methods, and often carries a first aid kit on his person in case of emergencies. While not a licensed medical professional by any measure, he is fully capable of performing quick diagnostics of symptoms and injuries and best immediate practices to put in place till a more qualified person comes to the scene(or till he makes use of his more magical expertise)

Modern Tech: While far from a tech whiz, Khairi is pretty modern-minded as far as being a magus goes, able to use most amenities of modern living without much confusion. He's also a pretty good driver and carries around a smartphone for the sake of contacting his relatives back home. Everything important or compromising, however, he prefers to write down on paper. Just in case, especially during a grail war.

Money: While not as absurdly wealthy as other Magus families tend to be, the Illunga are fairly well-off due to the demand for the services of Diviners in African culture, as well as the intense level of education required of their training. Even if the belief in the supernatural among the average citizen is starting to fade, the cultural power of the position still holds strong.

Servant Outline: The Mayan hero twins

Class: Assassin

True Name: Hunahpu and Xbalanque

Appearance: A pair of tanned skin young men, dressed in the skins of jaguars, one carrying a bow and blowgun at his back, the other holding a rubber ball between his hands. Hunahpu carries the bow, and is otherwise distinguished by the small mole under his left eye and the golden tint to his eyes. Xbalanque, on the other hand, bears some less than human additions to his appearance due to his relation to jaguars. His skin is spotted in a pattern similar to one of big cats, and his ears have likewise been replaced. He bears claws and fangs, tho neither tend to be bared that often, and between the two, he bears a more effeminate pretty boy appeal, owing ot his slender frame and longer lashes.

If anyone mutters the word Cat boy to him, they will find themselves getting a ball chucked at their head very quickly in one of his few easily triggered bits of anger

Sex: Male

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Attribute: Earth

History: The tale of the Hero twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, begins a fair amount of time before the two were born when their father lost his life playing a ballgame with the Lords of Xibalba. But from the spit of their father's decapitated head, their mother managed to bear his children and, in fear, fled from the underworld to hide her children in the land of the living.

The twins were well-behaved and polite in their younger years, always deferring to their grandmother and her children despite the cruel and untoward treatment they were given since the moment they were born. But this was just the first of their many deceptions, as one day they asked for their elder siblings to help them take some birds they had hunted from a tree. However, when they went to retrieve the supposed fowl, the twins use magic all their own to cause the trees to grow much higher than the others could reasonably descend from, adding further insult to the injury by turning them into monkeys. Even the twin's grandmother couldn't help but laugh at the state of her children, who quickly ran off in shame and humiliation.

From then on, the twins continued to prove their wit, their cunning, and above all their love for taking down those who basked in their own strength. Be it knocking the gemstone teeth of Seven Macaw for daring to anoint himself as the Sun and Moon, to defeating his sons through exploiting their hunger and slaying them in traps designed to exploit their weaknesses. They proved themselves Apt god slayers, but their greatest test came soon after discovering the gaming equipment of their father, Hun-hunahpu, deciphering its hidden location through the interrogation of a small rat in exchange for mercy.

So did the Twins learn of the fate of their father and so did they deem it time to pay the Lords of Xibalba a visit themselves. Playing in the same ball court as their father and uncle had, they brought upon the wrath of the Lords and were called into the Underworld to play their games and face their trials. But the Lords were unaware of who they trifled with and unknowingly sealed their doom.

With wit and wiles, they uncovered every trick devised to humiliate them and avoided every trap meant to harm them. When they played in the mighty ball court against the lords, they were quick to uncover the bladed ball meant to slay them, threatening to leave unless the lords played fair. And while the twins could have won against the lords, that would not do. For the best way to humiliate the gods that had sought to demean so many that had come before them was to beat them at their own game and dismantle the authority, they had sought to keep.

And so, they lost the game purposefully and as agreed, were taken to one of the many House of trial within the City of Xibalba. And with ease, they beat the House of Dark, surviving the night with their torch intact within the blackness, and after another game "lost" defeated the House of Blades as well with but a whispered word. Even when treachery was used to keep them from their rewards, petals from the gardens of Xibalba, they succeeded in taking them through the assistance of leafcutter ants. The houses of Cold, Bats, and Jaguars came next and for each house the Twins proved themselves victorious with splendid ease, though Hunahpu nearly lost his head to the Bat god Camazotz.

It was in the final house, the Hot house, that the twin began their greatest deception. Within the hot house, which in truth was not but a burning oven made to incinerate them, the twins allowed their deaths to pass, their bodies to be ground into not but dust and bones to be flung into the Underworld's river. But as the Xibalbans cheered the victory, the twins were far from done with them, even in what seemed like death.

For when cast into the river, they became a pair of catfish, swimming downstream in a synchronous dance before coming to shore as a pair of young boys, alive and well and fully ready for the next stage of their scheme. The Xibalbans marveled at the young men's transformation, not seeing them for the foes they had just slain, and the boys were only too eager to stay and make themselves known as grand miracle workers and entertains. They burned houses to ashes then rose them back to prominence in seconds, killed one another in sacrifice only to rise up whole and hearty in a few short moments, and many other true and honest miracles that their powers did allow for. So great became their fam that the Lords of Xibalba called them out to their court, eager to be entertained as their subject had been.

For no cost, and with the Lords none the wiser, they performed many a miracle for them all. And for the finale, the lords asked for the grandest trick yet: To be slain themselves and brought back just as the two boys had done for themselves and others time and time again. And so. . . the twins obliged.

But the Lords of Xibalba were not brought back after their sacrificial death, and as the court began to whisper, the twins would make their grand announcement to the Xibalbans. With a flash of smoke, they revealed their identities to all around and brought forth the crimes of the Xibalbans in the murder of their father and uncle years ago. So great was the shame and fear of the Xibalbans then that they confessed to their wickedness, and s the Twins laid down a punishment most severe: no longer would Xibalba gain succor from worship and prayer, no longer would it serve as a place of greatness. As their birthright decreed it, so it came to pass that the Underworld was cut off from its source of strength and soon after fell into despair and decay.

After this deed, the Twins were now fully attuned to their divinity, ascending into the heavens above to take their own places as the Sun and Moon, Hunahpu, ever watchful for the next deity to overstep his bounds and Xbalanque, eager to dive in for the killing blow.

Personality:
Hunahpu and Xbalanque are a wily pair of brothers, always eager to play a good prank on those around them or simply laze about if it suits their needs. When it comes to work, they'd often much rather play ball games, not quite being lazy but both only finding joy in tasks that motivate them. And for both twins, there is no task more motivating than finding someone powerful and arrogant, and forcing them to the dirt where they feel such people belong or facing off against foes that think themselves greater and making their strength into their demise.

Between the two twins, Hunahpu is the more openly cheery and friendly of the pair, often ignoring things like personal space, conversational boundaries, and other such social norms that get in the way of him getting to know someone. Surprisingly, he's also the more likely of the two to hold a grudge, fully capable of laughing off insults and humiliations in the moment as he quickly begins thinking up a number of ways to make the person who did so pay dearly for it. Xbalanque is the more relaxed and laid-back of the pair, not in as much of a hurry as his brother to get into a fight. No, he prefers to sit back and plan with what info his brother gives him, clearly though Hunahou is definitely the brains of their duo.

Parameters:
Strength: C
Agility: A
Endurance: B
Mana: B
Luck: A

Class Skills
Presence Concealment:A+ Sealed
Personal Skills
Combination(Heroic Twins):B
Along with allowing the two to be summoned at the same time into this grail war, so closely tied are the bonds of the two that even their magical ability is connected. As such, when making use of magecraft or similar ritualistic abilities, the Twins are able to treat their opposite as the origin point of any such spells they enact. They may also assist each other in the incantation of these spells either through speeding up the cast time, or continuing the chant in place of the other twin if they are either interrupt or to surprise their foes with powerful magic at what appears to be instant speed to an outside observer.

Battle Continuation: Ex
As long as one of the twins is alive and the core of their spirit remains damaged, the twins are able to recover and reanimate each other from even the most grave of injuries through ritual and their ancestry as children of the underworld goddess, Xquic. This ancestry also grants them a heightened resistance to the aspect of the Underworld, which held no measure for keeping them out or keeping them contained.
Eye of Mind(True): A
Wily enough to see through the deceptions of the gods of the underworld, and confident enough in their wits to purposefully fail numerous ball games in order to face all the trials they had to offer, the twins were men of incapable insight into those around them. Not even the illusions of the gods of the Underworld could hide the deceptions of their trials from their eyes.
Magecraft: B
Twins are known to have a variety of magical abilities, not the least of which being them constantly reanimating both themselves and others through ritual. As assassins, these magical abilities are not as strong, but they still have the ability to cast magecraft which allows them to cast illusions, heal wounds, treat with/command animals and objects to do their bidding, and some control over plants. Shapeshifting/disguises also fall under their purview through this skill, whether it be a simple change of their appearances to taking on the shapes of mundane animals.

Espionage: A+
The skill that allowed them to blend in with the inhabitants of Xibalba and get close to the Lords without them ever suspecting their true identities. When invoked, this skillfully encases their being as Servants or even anyone out of the ordinary, allowing them to appear as just normal humans, or animals if they wear the shape of one. Not only that, but while so cloaked, they tend to easily gain the trust of those around them, especially if they present themselves as entertainers or affable individuals.

Additionally, if the Twins are so disguised as a specific individual, this spell will so shift their aura to properly mimic the one they are imitating, making them appear to be that person under any close examination of their nature.
Noble Phantasms:

Name: Seven Macaw/Cabrakan
Title: May your Hubris be knocked Down
Rank: B
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 40/Self
Targets: 1
Description: Two of the Twin's less celebrated victories through trickery crystalized into potent curses tied to each brother's touch. For Hunahpu, he bears the curse of Seven Macaw which, upon invocation, grants any projectile he launches an ephemeral curse against the treasures and signs of power of any spiritual being, such as Servants. Through the activation of an NP if the target was struck by the projectile(with said impact dealing no injury to them) or upon making contact with a foe's noble Phantasm the curse will crack the foundations of the legend behind it, lowering its rank of effectiveness by a level and increasing the amount of mana it takes to form/use by a notable margin. The effect is largely temporary, only lasting a few hours for NPs of equal strength to Seven Macaw. However, for NPs of a stronger tier, this curse can last for a few days unless some method of potent cure removal is found or the twins are killed and for NPs of a divine origin or bearing strong themes of divinity, the effect lasts permanently unless similar methods are met. Hunahpu usually carries a bow or blowgun to act as his typical form of using this ability, and tends to make it seem like the weapons themselves are the source of the curse, so as to lure his foes into false security.

For Xbalanque, the poison that killed Cabrakan is the curse he brings to bear, an insidious poison that can be applied to any object the twin touches. Instead of targetting the legends of heroic treasures, Cabrakan instead attacks the core of spirit itself to do its work, tearing at the mystery of Spiritual beings. This causes the servants to require much more Mana to maintain their physical forms as well as weakening their physical stats and skills as terrible pain rolls through their body. Similar to Seven Macaw, the curse has a much more pronounced and long-lasting effect on Servants of a higher level of mystery and requires similar means of removal.

Xbalanque uses a set of play balls to act as he decoy for the noble phantasm, but like Hunahpu, it's his touch that lays the curse. The curse can linger on a surface for a long time in an inactive state, and it's only when the name is invoked that the poison will take hold, though the twin does need to be within a certain range to activate it in this case.

Name: Trials of Xibalba
Title: Rejected from the world, denied of it's succor
Rank: A+
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: Unsure
Targets: 1
Description: A finishing combo attack between the two twins representing their trials within Xibalba. A strike for each of the six houses, with a doublestrike finisher making up the seventh to represent their conquest of Xibalba itself. Each attack bears with it the attributes of the Underworld that ramp up with every strike until the last, which strikes at their very core as a Servant, likely dealing a hefty level of injury by the end of it.

Rather than a sure-kill technique, this Phantasm is meant to cripple and humiliate the target, and as such the final strike also cuts off their connection to the World and the Grail. While they may still exist after this, they can no longer receive mana from their master, from the grail, nor any source that draws from the energy of the World, leaving them to a pathetic death through starvation if they can't somehow find some other way to sustain themselves, much less power their abilities.

Before this finishing move can be invoked, however, several preparations must be made: The target must be under the curse of both Seven Macaw and Cabrakan, it must be performed either at night or within a space conceptually tied to death, the underworld, or the liminal boundaries between life and death, and both Twins must be present and reveal themselves to their foe. While the Noble phantasm can be invoked outside of these parameters, if all these conditions are met, then only a Servant with high luck can hope to avoid their doomed fate.

Vault of Rising Thunder.

Name: Khairi Ilunga
Titles: Something something Thunder

Appearance:

Sex: Male

Alignment:Neutral Good

History: Outline:
> trained from a Young age to take over for his father as a Diviner
> Showed great talent in the mystical arts and proved to advance quickly
> Tragedy strikes when a foreign magi comes to their village, claiming to be a fellow enthusiast of ancient stories of their people
> His father is murdered by this magi, who wanted to actually steal a ancient relic of the family, rumored to be a relic of the mighty Mwindo
> The magi, attempting to cover his tracks, tries to use the artifact to wipe out the vilalge. Instead gets struck with seven bolts of lightning, smiting him for his sheer gaul
> Khairi, after a period of grieving and feeling robbed of even a chance of getting bakc at the fool who took his father for him, starts to look into ways to bring his father back
Eventually finds out about the grail war
> Also takes to studying magecraft abroad, to further his skills in preparation for the dangers of the war

Personality: Khairi is a studious and diligent young man, who always does his best to help those he finds in need. A natural-born leader of sorts, he greatly values his empathy and skills at working with the talents of others to work towards a common goal. That being said, the man is known for holding a grudge for longe rthan one can probably consider necessary or healthy, particularly against foreign magi. To Khairi, many of the magi he has encountered during his travels abroad have been arrogant, dismissive of people, and so caught up in their own searches for truth that they don't care who or what gets hurt on their path towards it.

It was a reality he was not completely unaware of, but seeing it with his own eyes did much to plant a number of prejudices in his head when dealing with other magi. No matter how polite they seem, no matter how good hearted
they seem, or open to conversation they claim to be, the young diviner is expecting callousness, deception, and arrogance to be hiding just under the surface. Perhaps not the best mindset to have in most circumstances, but he knows that for the coming Grail War, he'll have more justification then ever to be wary of other Magi.
Magecraft:

Possession(Ancestral): Khairi practices an ancient form of Animisim, using small anecdotes of stories and ritualistic memorabilia, to channel into himself the spirits of his ancestors. Through this invocation, he allows their knowledge, wisdom, and prowess to flow into his own body. This magic is used to help modify and hone his focus while casting spells. It can also be used to facilitate conversations with spiritual entities or temporarily grant the user with the traits they

Evocation(Thunder): The Ilunga lineage claims to have gained their connection to the spiritual through the divine blood of Nkuba, god of Lightning, either through a blessing of descending from his coupling with amortal Diviner in times long past. While the veracity of this tale is certainly in question, what is apparent is how the Ilunga family has always boasted an impressive affinity for the element of lightning and electricity in their magecraft and Khairi is no exception. While not originally taught in the ways of offensive use of the spell,

Healing

Divination

Magic Crest(Oral tradition)

Quality of Circuits: A+

Quantity of Circuits: B

Elemental Affinity: The element of one’s magecraft, sometimes called alignment. Typically one, sometimes two, and exceptional magi are ‘Average Ones’, able to use all elements. Most use the Western system of Fire/Water/Earth/Wind (Plus some other special cases), but the Eastern system of Wood/Fire/Earth/Metal/Water is sometimes used too.

Attribute: Commune

Magecraft: Further magecraft details. No need for a spell list or anything like that, this should be a more general overview of what they can do. Include ‘General Magecraft’ here if your character has basic Magecraft training; check the help section for details on what this includes.

Mystic Codes: Ancestral Conga-scepter, allegedly wielded by Mwindo, a legendary figure. A tempermental relic, it offers a wielder who it deems worthy to a powerful conduit for their magecraft, particularly those related to that of calling Lightning or healing those near death's door. However, becoming reliant on the scepter leads to it becoming irritated and less co-operative with the wielder, fighting back against their every incantation until, if they don't ease up on its use for a time or make a proper sacrifice to Nkuba, it smites them with
seven strikes of lightning.

A number of Fetishes and Masks with which he has imbued Mana and ancestral memories into. Some can be used as a source of power, while others help him accelerate his use of certain magics, or even grant him access to ones he has not formally studied.
Non-Magecraft Abilities/Items:

Vault of Rising Thunder.

Class: Assassin

True Name: Hunahpu and Xbalanque

Appearance: Anime Faceclaim preferable but not compulsory.

Sex: Male

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Attribute: Earth

History:

Personality: Just a short summary is enough.

Parameters: E-A rank, EX in very exceptional circumstances. +s are temporary, situational boosts.
Strength: C
Agility: B
Endurance: C
Mana: C
Luck: A

Class Skills
Presence Concealment: A

Personal Skills
Combination:B

Battle Continuation: Ex

Eye of Mind(True): A

Magecraft: B

Espionage: A
Noble Phantasms:

Name:
Title: Fall of Xibalba
Rank: A or EX?
Type: Anti-Noble Phantasm
Range: N/A
Targets: N/A
Description: The ultimate display of trickery that spelled the downfall of an entire underworld, this NP crystalizes the most famous moment of their legend. In order to activate this Noble Phantasm, the two twins must agree to deceive a known target(a singular servant, a normal person, a major organization, etc.), whispering their name to each other to enact the pact. Once a target is chosen, a new target can't be selected until the initial pact has been completed.

The twins must, in some major fashion, perform a deception against the target that causes them to either commit serious harm against themselves or work against their own best interest in a disastrous fashion. If they succeed in this task, the Twins must then reveal their hand in the downfall of their foes for the full effect of the Noble Phantasm to take effect, causing the target's "downfall".

The exact nature of this effect is hard to predict, but no matter what the case, the target is marked with a symbol of doom that trains them of all their power. Noble Phantasm falter and fail, Abilities either weaken or cease functioning at key moments, or the very essence of their being begins to slowly corrode away as they lose their foundations for being. No matter the case, this curse shall remain on the target for as long as a brother draws breath. Not only that, but cursed targets also find themselves at an additional disadvantage at facing the twins that so tricked them, taking a downgrade to all stats while opposing the twins, while the twins gain a bonus.

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

@Bright_OpsIt's filled up atm.

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

Team FRSK:Bunker

"Rio, I understand the impulse," Nivea places a hand gingerly on the boy's shoulder, urging him away from the tunnel. "But don't underestimate the tricks and deceptions of the creatures of Grimm. This is a task for much more experienced Huntsmen, and I'm sorry for bringing you into this place. If I had known. . ."

The Huntress lets the words hang in the air, breathing a silent sigh of relief that the others hadn't tried to follow the headstrong boy. However, before she could speak again, the halls of the bunker suddenly became flooded with blinding white. Eyes adjusted to softly illuminated gloom became overwhelmed by the sudden snap to artificial light, the droning hum of the electrical overhead filling the silence with an ominous buzz. As sight returns, the veteran Huntress notes something in the distance. Humanoid shapes rising slowly and silently from the black liquid that drenches them. But they were not Grimm. . . at least, not in body. They may have moved in jerking, unnatural ways, may have born deep pits of darkness in the sockets of their heads, but the bodies that slunk towards the group had been human once. The very sight set her blood cold in her veins, the fate of this Bunker's residents dawning as she curses under her breath.

"We're being watched. . . Rio, take point and lead the others out of here." Once kind eyes hardening to cold steel as she stares at her wards, tone emphasizing what she didn’t have time to explain. "I'll handle things here, but you all need to leave. N-Duck!"

With a surprising amount of strength, Nivea yanks Rio to the side as a black tendril by his head, embedding itself into the concrete. In a single movement, the huntress tosses the boy to his peers and severs the thing with a flash of green light and a blade of wind. A shriek howls from the darkness of the tunnel, silencing the cries they had been hearing this whole time as a deep growl resonates through the hall. The animate corpses in the hall chose now to leap forward towards her, inhuman screeches tearing from their throats as the Grimm puppeteering their bodies urge them forth. Scurrying could be heard from the tunnel as well as it seemed some level of reinforcements were crawling their way up from deep within.

---

Team TVSC:Scrapyard

Auron lets a moment of silence go by after Slate gives his reply, golden eyes scanning over each student in turn before he finally decides to speak up.

“Does it even matter?” The Huntsman mutters the words more than he repeats them, saying them more for his own sake before focusing his attention back to the students. With his cigarette held between his fingers, the man makes a gesture to the scrapyard around them. “I’d say that for the men, women, and children who go out every day confident that we Huntsmen do our jobs, it matters quite a bit why we’re doing it."

“To the people who are going to be watching your back and expecting the same in return as you deal with the bloodthirsty creatures of the wastes out there, be they Grimm, normal beasties, or bandit scum, it matters.” The light of his cigarette glows long and bright as he takes another slow drag of it, smoke rolling out of his mouth like a river as he locks his gaze with them all. “Serving as the rule of law is a heavy responsibility, not to mention that you all probably know family members who speak Shade Academy’s name with disgust and derision. You will risk life and limb for people who may very well spit on you as soon as speak to you. Literally, in some places.”

Auron’s eyes linger on Caroline as he speaks for just a moment longer than the others, a slight flash of some emotion crossing his features. Whether it was a look of concern, fear, . . . or even anger, it vanishes too quickly beneath the stern mask the old Huntsman put on to properly gauge.

“To put a pin on the whole thing, make sure this is the kind of life you want before you commit to it. It’s not easy and it can be pretty thankless at times.” With another drag of his cigarette, the man rises up from his seat on the ‘cycle, his eyes drifting up to the horizon. Anyone following his gaze would see what looked like vultures circling way up high in the Vacuan sky. “ But you all have a few years before you’re locked into this life, so don’t feel pressured to decide right away. I’ve just taught a bunch of kids in my time as a Huntsman. . . and I think a fair few of them would have been much happier doing something else.”

Once more, Auron seems to be lost in some haze of nostalgia as he kept his gaze skyward. As he stares into the distance, however, something odd occurs.

Several of the junkyard workers seem to be messing around with several trash piles around the edges of the makeshift arena, not really taking anything away as much as just digging through it like they were looking for something. Not only that, but the building where Auron had sent the one worker after their test seemed to have its windows tinted black. While such a feature was not uncommon, none of them would remember the windows being tinted that darkly beforehand.

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

Nivea Lanatae

As the group follows after Rio into the bunker depths, they'd notice more of those creeping tendrils spreading along the walls, the air coalescing before their faces as the chill grew in intensity the further in they went. The black puddles soon spread across the floor until everywhere they stepped was covered in the foul liquid, which in the dull red light that surrounded them, could almost be mistaken for blood. A number of side rooms to their sides revealed more remnants of former inhabitants, tainted by the black touch of the Grimm. For the Vacuan natives, however, a certain bit of imagery began to stick out amongst the desecrated refuse. Plastered along the walls in ever-increasing frequency was a symbol of three sharp lines forming a helmet-like sigil, done in a deep red paint. Some of these marks seemed to cover that of a cruder marking, that of a swirl with eye-like holes in the center and a fanged mouth.

While only Kohaku had the knowledge to recognize the swirling sigil as that of the Dust Devils, the other symbol was one well-known to the people of Vacuo, having heralded much bloodshed and terror in the decade since its inception.

The Wild Hunt.

After a few brief minutes of exploration, the group would find themselves come face to face with a rather telling clue as to exactly how this place was overrun and why only the lower levels seemed to be so thoroughly tainted. A jagged hole, about as wide around as a man is tall, was torn through a wall towards what felt like the rear of the bunker. The thickest of the tendrils coiled out between the sharp metal fragments like the fat tongues of some fell beast, pulsing in slow rhythm as a hint of metallic scent now mixes with the stale air of this tainted crypt. Rio could sense the droplets of water a bit deeper into the hole, circling ever so slightly in place. Waiting.

"Let's turn back." Nivea broke her silence with a tone that did not broker argument, gazing into the dark depths with a worried look. "This has gone far beyond the purview of just a test and I . . . I've never seen a Grimm nest like this. At least. . . not one where the biggest threat is just a pack of Beowolves. Besides, it's clear from the look of this place that no one has survi-"

The Huntress was cut off from her command as a sudden outroar of Beowulf laughter resonated from within the dark hole, distorted and excited, and the reason soon follows as a distinctly human cry of pain sounded out. Undistorted, filled with fear and pain. More Grimm laughter followed the cry as the first voice was soon accompanied by more. There were people down there, alive and in danger. Nivea, for her part, kept a stonecold look on her face, though her staff was held in a white-knuckled grip as she struggled with her duty as a Huntress and the tight knot in her gut telling her this was too dangerous for her students.

What will the students do in the face of this predicament?
@Hero@Asura@datadogie@WXer

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

Auron Carver

@Cello@The Irish Tree@Eisenhorn@TGM

Just like her father. Auron chuckles as he picks himself off the ground, not missing the rebellious intonations in Caramelle’s voice. Taking a moment to work the cricks out of his neck as the other students came over to see if their little test was over that easily. It almost brought a smile to his face. . . until an unbidden memory washes over the scene.

Were you taking it easy on us, gramps?

Absently reaching up to feel something underneath his shirt, a shadow passes over the Huntsman’s gaze, but he shakes it off almost as soon as it comes.

“Easy there Turq. Just because I called doesn’t mean you brats beat me. I got my pride on the line, after all. Besides, there’s more to being a Huntsman than just knowing your way around a fight.” Walking over to his motorcycle, the old man takes a seat, reaching into his pocket to pull out another cigarette to place between his lips. “But we have the rest of the year to go over the particulars of that. First, I’m going to give you all a quick assessment. Save all complaints till I’m done, else I will pipe you again.”

“Caramelle and Turq, you both showed an impressive amount of fighting skill between the former’s semblance and the latter’s ability to use such a tricky weapon effectively. However, you both need to work on your teamwork, especially you Caramelle. Instead of hopping on Turq, you could have tried to help him out considering you had Slate and Veloce covering your flanks from up high.” Auron kept his eyes focused on the girl as he spoke, wanting to drill the seriousness of what he was staying right into her skull. “I may have joked a little bit in the fight, but Huntsmen work in teams for a reason. You have teammates, and they were the only reason you were able to touch me. And unlike me, the Grimm and bandits out there won’t hesitate to take advantage of your openings.”

“As for the other two, this particular test didn’t really lend itself to your strengths or to exposing any weaknesses in your forms, so I don’t have much to say to either of you. You both seem to have the teamplay thing down more so than the other two, so props for that, but I think a good area of improvement for all of you is working on your aura enhancement as well as just basic physical training.”

“So, with that out of the way. . ." Blowing out a quick ring of smoke into the sky, Auron turns to signal to one of the scrap workers, who quickly scampers off to a small ramshackle building near the clearing’s edge. “I’ve got one question for all of you: Why did you choose to be Huntsmen? No bullshit, no simple fairy tale answers. I want to know why you chose this life over any other.”

---

Nivea Lanatae

@Asura@WXer@datadogie@Hero

What Team Frisk may have lacked in coordination, they made up for with firepower and ingenuity, it seems. Rather than having to deal with two waves of Grimm bearing down on them, Kohaku’s quick thinking and proficiency with dust blocks of the pincer, forcing the horde back with earth and flame. With Fiona at her side taking out any Grimm that managed to survive the initial explosion, they held back the horde with ease despite their numbers.

Rio’s slash cut through a line of Grimm, the water particles shimmering on the blackened fur of those left alive. Each shot of his rail gun would take down one Grimm, but in their place came two more just as ferocious as the others. Luckily, Saffron cuts through them with a dance-like grace, her semblance allowing her to avoid the worst of the assault as she cuts down any Beowulf that gets close.

Within a few moments, upon seeing the tides not turn in their favor, the Grimm begin to retreat back into the darkness. Soon, naught is left of them but the disintegrating husk of their fallen. Rio could feel the faintest traces of the water at the edges of his senses, enough that he would be able to trace them through the darkness. The hall fell into silence for now, though the red light of the tendrils along the wall was dulled by the thick clouds of black smoke rising from the corpses.

"Don't breathe it in if you can," Nivea speaks up, covering her mouth as she looks around, eyeing the tendrils with growing concern. "It doesn't have any immediate negative effects, but over time it can cause a number of side effects. Depression, listlessness, despondency, even suicidal thoughts. It's one of the things that makes Grimm nest removal a rather unappealing job to most Huntsmen."

RWBY: Chasing Shadows

Auron Carver

@Cello@The Irish Tree@Eisenhorn@TGM

“Nice form there Caramelle,” A small chuckle comes from the veteran Huntsman as the mirthless girl launches off her squadmate, his hand shimmering with a faint golden light. “Though you seem to not be much of a team player, huh?”

With a casual air, he deflects each shot that the girl sends his way but lets out a whistle as she closes the gap, no time left to continue the playful banter before he begins to bob and weave through her focused assault. Each strike she launches his way is read seconds in advance, and despite her impressive bursts of speed, never once does she score anything more than a glancing blow. Auron notes the way she constantly tries to circle to his flanks, watching and waiting for an opening to strike.

She’s aggressive, a bit churlish, and definitely needs to work on her attitude if that stunt with Turq was anything to go by, but there is potential here. Auron ponders as he deflects another blow, almost dancing around her blades, seeming to have no trouble reading his students. Even Turq’s own attack from behind didn’t phase the man, the gilded pipe that Veloce had evaded coming back to terrorize the poor boy once more by deflecting his attacks. A bit too reliant on her semblance, however, as I can tell from these strikes that her Aura application is under-developed. Not uncommon for students with strong semblances, but still something that I’ll need to correct. Turq needs to borrow some of her restraint and she needs some of his light-hearted enthusiasm. But overall, good kids who have good heads on their shoulders.

The exchange of blows continues as Auron starts to take more aggressive action, though rather than striking his students, mostly to make them aware of the gaps in their styles without breaking them out of the flow. . . but also to tease them a little bit. Keep them from getting too big for their britches, though to their credit, he didn’t find too many opportunities to sneak them in. Between Caramelle constantly probing his defenses and Turq’s almost mindless barrage from afar, he wasn’t too ashamed to admit he felt a bit pressured. It took all of his attention to keeping ahead of them, and if they were able to coordinate their blows better, he might not have been able to achieve even that.

And then he heard it.

The sharp electrical crack from the distance, ringing out across the clearing, followed soon after by a sharp metallic clang as two pieces of scrap metal flew upward into the air. Slate’s shot had landed true, the power behind it lessened by the interdiction of the gilded pipe, though as the two pieces landed in the sand by a crouching Auron, one might notice the golden luster fading back into dull rusted grey of scrap iron.

Right. . . got too cocky and forgot the sniper. Guess even I have things to work on. Auron chides himself even as he raises up his arm to fully block the next strike from Caramelle. However, before he could rebuke it, an impact hit him in the back of his head, knocking the Huntsman off balance and leaving an opening for the second strike to strike true. And so it went that the two students engaging their teacher directly would press their advantage, now landing solid blows and forcing him to properly block their combined assault. For a brief moment, they seemed to have him on the backfoot.

Auron was not one to simply sit back and let them keep control of the fight, however, quickly moving to grab one of Caramelle’s blades with his bare hands, blocking a strike from Turq’s boomerang with the other before preparing to launch a swift blow to the girl’s gut.

Good showing, kids, but if you think that’s all it takes to get the be-

A sudden bang, and what felt like a horse kicking him in the ribs, broke his train of thought. Veloce had found his own opportunity to assist, sweeping in from his vantage to land a near-point-blank shot into Auron’s side. The force of it sent the man flying across the clearing, tumbling end over end for a moment before coming to a stop.

Silence would reign over the scrapyard as the workers, who had been cheering and applauding the whole spar, grew silent. All eyes stared at Auron as he got up to one knee, his breathing coming out in a bit of a wheeze.

“Heh. . . not bad for a bunch of brats.”

Nivea Lanatae

@Asura@WXer@datadogie@Hero

The Huntress takes a silent sigh of relief as her students show no true apprehension towards the task laid before them, instead quickly moving to discuss the formation they’d take upon heading inside. Nivea waits patiently for them to settle on their plan of attack and, once that is done, steps to the side to allow Rio to lead them onward. As the ground heads into the depths of the bunker, she taps her staff, the lantern-like apparatus lights up with flame, a light to guide them through the dark. As they march forth, she strode behind them in relative silence.

The shift in the air was instant, the sweltering noonday heat turning to a grave-like chill. In the flickering light of Nivea’s lantern, they could see more remnants of the bunker’s former inhabitants. Ancient Atlesian desks, chairs, and crates repurposed into ramshackle barricades facing the door, with the seats of cars and ratty threadbare blankets marked out when may have been a guard post. As it had been outside, the interior shows clear signs of the Grimm raid, dark stains coating everything and the deep gouges of claws covering the floor.

Past the first room and into the bunker proper, they’d descend a flight into a labyrinth-like maze within. In every room they searched, they found the same miss-match of bandit-modified lodging, vandalized or repurposed atlesian wreckage, and many signs of violence. There was never a body, however. Bloodstains a plenty but despite Nivea’s concerns, they see no corpses even as the group pushes further into the depths. At a certain point, she’d allow them to spread out a bit more, do some investigation of their own before moving on.

On the second level is when the signs of Grim habitation became more prevalent, the chill in the air growing more intense as if the heat was being sapped from your body. Tendril-like growths spread along the walls now, radiating a chilling aura around them as they emit a dull, pulsing red glow. Every so often as they pass down hallways, thick piddles of black sludge could be seen, the slick tendrils seeming to rise up out of them and cling to any nearby surface.

As they exit one such hallway into a three-way intersection, a noise echoes from the two side passages up ahead. An almost laugh, where the pitch shifts between far too high and much too low, ringing out in a strange hitching pattern. And it was not alone, as more and more of these haggard, inhuman sounds join the first. From the shadows ahead of them, red eyes fade into sight. Stepping into the dim light to reveal glistening black bodies and cold ivory masks that they all recognize in an instant.

A creature of Grimm.

The onslaught came swiftly after that, the first set of monsters rushing forth to attack Rio with slavering jaws and wicked claws in a pincer-like formation. Behind them, more assailants surge forth, drawn by the sounds of their fellows being whipped into a bloody frenzy. Like a tide of black, they came to crash against Team Frisk, their endless hunger seeking to swallow them all up in a moment. And from behind the Team, Nivea stands resolute and impassive. She watches and waits, hands gripping her staff so hard that her knuckles turn white in an effort to stop herself from interfering in the test. They had to handle this by themselves.