TheTimePiece

[IH] Great Northern Dungeon Early Floor Arc

A group had been sent to one of the northern mega dungeons far North up into Republic of Kuridan lands lands. Some more powerful than others, the task was straight forward enough, clear some of the earlier floors, those who were interested would have an opportunity to get a standing with their desired nation’s Adventurer guild, or come away from loot/payment in some form for partaking.

The temperate was fairly cool, and the elevation was raised, some forest surrounding the large stone cube with wide ornate doors which looked sort of like the faces of Kuridan inspired demons had been carved into the stone sculptured long ago, the entrance was open, many talismen were placed around the perimeter of the entrance. There was also a tori gate which had some additional talisman placed on it.

There were also a couple tall wooden poles placed near the entrance which had a series of warnings posted in beastial.

Presumably they were some kind of last resort should enough monsters attempt to leave the dungeon, but thankfully it had not been necessary yet as the population was periodically culled between the adventurers, monster part harvesters and warriors who wanted to train and prove themselves in general.

Given it’s remote location and it being a harder place to get to unless people had alternative safe enough means of transportation a caravan had been sent.

Clarisse D’Estelle

One well off young lady had made her way there via private transportation via a magitech contraption which had eventually been cleared with the authorities when she was able to provide proper documentation that she was going to be helping with adventurer guild/monster culling related work. It hadn’t been the most pleasant traveling there for the days it took, stopping so the thing didn’t get too cold or overheat in the adverse more difficult traveling terrain.

Her name was Clarisse D’Estelle From noble house D’Estelle, from the magic duchy. She was dressed in white-sleek semi-futurey looking clothing fit for someone from the magic academy.

She seemed a bit less than totally pleased to be there, a bit of a pout on her face.

“Let’s just get this over with.” She stated matter of fact sounding a bit annoyed, to anyone else who had arrived at the entrance in earshot, gripping a white fan in her right hand which was currently compact.

[East Empire] Operation Snatch Gear

Ool didn’t react to Izzy’s comment about them being funny, Neo had a simple soft smile on his face which wasn’t uncommon for him when he didn’t look neutral.

Marrion moved easily as she picked up Izzy up, her super strength enough to handle it. She then dropped Izzy off at a strategic location.

Before Marrion moved her legs with the stealth and purpose of a predator, Izzy created the perfect opportunity for her walking out in front of the guards acting like she was very inebriated.

The two guards looked at her confused,

“MIss you aren’t supposed to be here.” Guard #1 started to say, he looked like a young man in his armor, hair not showing probably clean and conservative.

Meanwhile the Guard next to him looked like an older man with a bit of a beard,

“pfftt, when you’re in this work as long as I am, you’ll learn when Lady V brings you a blessing from above.” He snickered looking at Izzy.

“Course we can help a pretty lady like you out. Why don’t I show you back to the barracks so you can rest?” He leaned forward a bit with a sleazy grin,

“But sir I thi-” the younger guard spoke up clearly looking like he was objecting to the whole idea and just as the older guard turned to look annoyed at him and speak up, suddenly the older guard found himself getting dragged back by, and choked/sufficated to death by silk as he tried to let out a muffled scream due to Marrion who had moved in like a stealthy predator with a purpose, gaining the [Surprise] boon dealing damage to him directly before the guard stopped moving and his body was dragged over to a bush.

Meanwhile the younger guard got hit twice as he made a pained sound, first his inner elbow hit making him unable to strike her with his spear, then just beneath the collar bone as he made a pained face, the impacts making him jolt in place before he was jabbed on his pressure point just as he was about to react to Marrion, a look of terror on his face briefly before he was paralyzed by Izzy, as she struck the pressure points, quickly, unpredictably and precise, he slumped over, not moving, as she also benefited from [Surprise] bypassing his armor.

That gave both Marrion and Izzy an opportunity to get back to the hole where the rope would go up soon before the other guards had a chance to circle around.

Assuming the other two men came along (narrator note:I’m assuming they did after the guards were taken care of, Since Neo was literally on the move in his post)

He’d pause just by the wall of the building that needed to be scaled, and he turned his head to Miyu, he had been rather quiet up until that point,

“A thief who doesn’t like to climb ropes so he won’t?” Neo chuckled,

“That’s a nice joke, I’ll have to keep it in my repertoire." It seemed that he was deliberately not indulging Miyu’s statement about not being willing to climb.

He then turned his head to Aren, “It’s not a problem my friend, you would be far from the first.” He continued to give him the same sort of slight smile from before.

“I am sure they were both very impressive from what I heard.”

Neo then promptly began to scale the wall, it was apparent that he knew based on the sounds he heard that the two guards had been dealt with. That and the other’s dialogue.

By this point Ool had brought up what looked like a rope to the building’s rock wall, While Neo began to scale the wall like he was sighted and pretty solid at it.

Using Climbing E, Acrobatics E, Athletics E, Special movement Balance, Special movement wall crawling, Fast F, Feature: Blindsight, Special movement: Quiet, Special movement: untrackable, Energized E - Grade E (0 post cooldown, energized)

He hurried up the wall before he got to the top and tied the rope to a metal flag pole which was placed into a hole in the ground, letting down the rope for the others, crouching nearby the edge to make sure they got up, as he gestured for them to come up the rope.

Neo Actions:

1 & 2 Climb Wall

Using ability: Who needs sight with arms and legs like these?
Using Climbing E, Acrobatics E, Athletics E, Special movement Balance, Special movement wall crawling, Fast F, Feature: Blindsight, Special movement: Quiet, Special movement: untrackable, Energized E - Grade E (0 post cooldown, energized)

Ool actions: (3 total) Flying F and bring rope which had been placed elsewhere ahead of time for easy access., now perching on stone above near Neo.

Combat round summary; Both guards nearest group incapacitated.

[??? - Underground] Free Fall

One moment Shael had been in stable ground in the Fae See somewhere and now she was free falling in some sort of cavernous space. The Lune Elf forced her initial surprise away when she realized the ground was literally falling away and now she was falling herself. Given Shael had been in the forest, she attempted to stabilize herself on a trunk or a stone quickly while she traveled down quickly. She didn’t have much to say at the moment other than to act, even if she did possibly take notice of others taking decisive action as well, as long as they weren't proving a threat, she was very much focused on dealing with any would be monsters and making sure that she didn't get killed in the process.

Immediately a scowl fell upon her face when she saw that there were those monstrous insects, the sorts that she had killed before around and about that she could recognize even as she fell But assuming she was able to stabilize herself some even if she noticed the others who she had been falling with, she was quick to try to increase her chance of survival, now was not the time for socialization. She’d take her Eclipse Lunen Elf Catalyst Bow B and open fire with poisonous Lune elf arrows on any insects that seemed to get too close for comfort if she were able too on her way down,

Actions 1&2 Using: On the Move Nightshade Shrapnel- [Specialize] Fighting Style [Eclipse] D , Range D, Area D, Continuing (poison) D,Blight [Piercing] D, Hot Shot, D Bane [Monster] E, Acrobatics F, Fast F, Steady Hands D Energized D, Selective D,

Shael takes a shot to try to strike a critical area on target using a specialized lune elf arrow with a poison designed to deal extra damage to monsters using an arrow which explodes into tainted shrapnel which potentially poisons more targets, while Shael is on the move acrobatically.

[East Empire] Operation Snatch Gear

Funnily enough Ool stayed quiet after they finished speaking. Neo nodded, when Izzy took the orb.

“Very well then you’ll be on distraction, the rope will be ready for you to scale if necessary when everything is said and done, but sounds like Marrion might be able to get you up there too..”

“There shouldn’t be all too many guards around here all at once, just enough to keep watch, what we are attempting is..relatively uncommon in this area I think..but I’d be cautious just the same.”

He then looked to Marrion, “If all of you can carry Izzy that’d be great, maybe get her in range to cause a real effective distraction.”

Upon Miyu calling Ool a parrot, they rotated their head like an owl’s range, and said

“who who?” Also not speaking after Aren said he didn’t think Ool had spoke.

Neo also addressed Miyu’s questions,

“Expect the potential for armed East Empire guards, ones wielding, spears, gladius’ and bow and arrows, I’m not anticipating a heavy guard presence however, just enough to secure the building from a modest group of mundane bandits targeting the building.”

He also nodded, “Understood, No matter, I’ll be able to help deal with opposition should it come to it..” Neo actually felt quite capable of dealing with average guards from experience.

He then turned his head to Aren. “Good to know” responding to his comment about being able to hold his own in a fight, not saying anything on the matter if Ool spoke.

“I think we are ready to get going then.” He announced, moving away from the Steele. Ool got off his arm and took flight in the air with Flying F.

Assuming everyone else was ready Neo gestured for them to follow him, as he headed toward the building,

Moving along without incident, assuming everyone followed, they’d see the building more clearly in the distance once they took some cover behind a fairly sizable rock near a more thickly settled tree line, peaking around there were infact, a couple East Empire guards milling about, walking around the building from the looks of things, they both had spears and armor.

And another pair of armor spear wielding guards were walking around the other side in the opposite direction it looked like so two sides were always being covered at once. Empire style stone pathing was laid around the building, and attached to the road up, which went by the rock Neo was currently behind. It was safe to say falling on the ground around the building wouldn’t be a soft landing.

“I’m expecting a light patrol around the perimeter.” Neo spoke aloud.

“Marrion..I believe that you lot and Izzy should act first to get their attention, shortly after the rest of us will get a move on, it’s do or things get complicated time.” Neo spoke much more seriously now,

He’d wait for Marrion and Izzy to get distracting before he’d begin to move toward the wall with the hole in it quickly, using a combination of skills:

Actions 1 & 2:
Seeing and Moving Beyond: Supersense Echolocation D, Supersense Tremorsense D, Feature: Blindsight, Feature: Range Sense, Feature: Spatial Sense, Feature: Depth Awareness, Heightened Sense [Hearing] F, Acrobatics E, Athletics E, Fast E, Special Movement: Quiet, Special movement: Balance, Special Movement: Untrackable, Energized D - Grade D ability 1 post cooldown, energized)

[East Empire] Operation Snatch Gear

Neo listened to what Marrion had to say. He nodded slowly, “I was hardly expecting to go unnoticed the entire time, certainly it can be achieved if everything goes perfectly but I do try to have contingency plans..and a realist mindset even if I think highly of me and my..coworkers abilities.” He’d grin a bit.

Before pausing his face looking more neutral briefly,

“We…do you mean you? You’d offer to fly around and provide a distraction for us..yes that..could be very helpful, it could help get quite a few people and..less savory things off our back outside, as you’re aware I’m sure that you’d be potentially putting yourself in more harms way.”

“And it’s..not inherently no killing, It’s just I would just urge that it’s only used as a last resort.” He reiterated.

“One of those..yes, I’m hoping to pick one of those up my self soon enough, I think I know someone who can teach me how.” He’d give a smile in the direction of Miyu.

“But I can imagine that’ll help out with your haul.” It seemed Neo knew what Miyu was talking about without having to see it literally.

“Miyu brings up a good point, you all can call me Neo. And this is Ool.” He’d gesture to the sizable Owl which was still perched on his arm.

He also gave Aren a nod, "Right, why the faster we can grab the goods and get out of the better, as by the time the word gets around fully I’m certain the Empire will be more than happy to send us a welcoming party filled with Gladius, spears, and bows and arrows.”

He then turned to Izzy. Ool gently poked her finger with their beak like they were curious before they spoke softly,

“Greetings M’lady, I will admit sometimes I do have ideas of my own, ones which I think have worked out rather splendidly if I do say so myself.” The owl announced.

Ool continued, “I think you’re more then welcome to join the flying one in the distraction if you’d like then. You two could always split their attention, and then you can regroup with us after they’ve been dealt with, but I’m just sharing what comes to my mind.”

Neo nodded thoughtfully before looking to Izzy. “I think up to you then, if you want to help our new winged friend out before you scale the wall."

“I think we’re all in agreement on this modified plan now that we’ve come together? You can always take one of these to help disorientate them too during your escape.” Neo offered the smoke orb up either Izzy or Marrion, since it didn’t have to be exclusive one or the other.

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

Yukan Koyake

Yukan stared down the commander with a steely glint of conviction in his eyes. He saw it retaliate and heart one of his allies mention it had been trying to avoid direct attacks which seemed accurate from his perspective. He needed to it an end to this unnatural abomination and he had just the idea of how he could best go about it. While he wasn’t pleased to see his allies harmed he had to focus on the task at hand to stop others from getting hit or thrown.

He stayed within melee sight point range. He aimed his yari strike not at its most central mass but adjacent too if, attempting to try to get it to dodge when it’d actually be moving right into the line of his actual attack.

Yukan first feinted before he stabbed true, his strongest possible attack unleashed in a fiery ring of sacred fae fire. Making sure his selective was high enough so it’d fizzle out near allies harmlessly before continuing.

“<Across the Sanzu you’ll go again!>” He called out in beastial.

Yukan Action:
1. Feint
2.

Specialize] Fighting Style [Fire Lord: Falling Spear Style] B Transcendent Transpierce - Reach F, Penetrating B, Blight Fire B Continuing B Hot Shot B Energized B B Grade Ability - 1 round cooldown. (energized)
Yukan attempts to stab his target up to 100 ft away with a great penetrating force ignoring up to 5 grades of opponent's defensively used item, dealing double damage if successfully strikes a weak spot.

[East Empire] Operation Snatch Gear

Neo was pleased to see that some people were actually showing up. Even if he and Ool could have tried running the extraction alone, in numbers it should be safer.

He turned and looked to Aren. “Hmmm, no I’d say that you’re right on time Aren, the night is young.”
He said with a grin, his voice suggesting it was of that of a young adult.

“I don’t think it’s just us, I have a good feeling about it.” He responded.

And it seemed that hunch was proven to be accurate. Neo then looked to Miyu giving him
A nod.

“You could say we are the ones, and there should be plenty to go around if I understand what’s being held here. Of course I had Ool take a look ahead of time to make sure..and he said that there was plenty to go around with that said..we should be careful how much we take..we don’t want to be weighed down too much on the way out.”

The blind man then turned his head over to the woman who had appeared,

“it would be preferable if we sneak in, I’d rather not have to spill any blood if it can be avoided personally..but I understand not everyone feels that way, and sometimes people get stuck in..difficult situations..I’ve worked with others who’ve done less then savory things in my opinion but anyway I don’t mean to get so morbid, it should be a non issue if we can scale the building and breach where the vulnerability has been located without being noticed..”

Neo then pointed toward the hole in the building that was a good distance up.

“Ideally we’ll scale the wall up there head in, but we may need a distraction of sorts to keep any would be wandering security away from that area, I have some ideas about how to achieve that distraction..”

With that Neo took out what looked like a small round orb of sorts from his sash, some sort of smoke bomb, holding it between his fingers, whether those around him recognized what it was

“I’ll mainly need swift cooperation and assume that most of you are capable of climbing a rope up a wall, but if any of you can’t, now is a good time to let me know.” Neo continued matter of fact.

His expression shifted a bit..when he heard the discordant type of voice of Marrion who approached. It was a..curious one. “I take it that you’re here to join in as well, very well then, I’m assuming you heard the gist of what I was saying..”

“After breaching we will be in a hallway which we will need to take a few consecutive turns..which I have memorized from what I was told of the buildings interior...left..left right..left..then down a lot of stairs, Perhaps five flights..and then at that point we run the highest risk of encountering some..unwanted company..but by then we’ll be past manufacturing and near the storage areas where we’ll find some nice valuables making everything worthwhile, and at that point I think we’ll be on our ways very quickly, but for anyone who wants to share a drink with me, you’re invited to join me and Ool at the Broken Cask.”

Neo spoke with some confidence in his voice now a bit of an almost smirk forming on his face.

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

Yukan Koyake

seeing that the front he had been fighting on seemed relatively handled and using a combination of his heightened senses to make sure that htere weren't any more undead shambling out from the forest line Heightened Sense Hearing, Smell Sight +energized (D grade ability) Yukan then headed toward the big burst of light with Fast E + Energized E and assumed a defensive stance until he was within clear sighted melee range with his fighting style of whatever undead thing thing seemed to remain when all was said and done, his su yari pointed forward eyes narrowed,

"Caution." He stated simply but with volume.
Yukan actions:
1. Tanuki senses: Heightened Sense Hearing, Smell Sight +energized (D grade ability) To see if there are any more enemies on the front he was fighting in.
2. If Not Head toward the big light, assume a defensive stance until within clear sight melee range of remaining hostile.

[East Empire] Operation Snatch Gear

Location: East Empire

Time: Evening

The blind thief Neo had handed out some discrete messages in shadier areas of the East Empire to try to see if he could meet up with other like minded people who didn’t mind snatching Empire goods which didn’t belong to them potentially for profit or for use.

While he felt pretty confident in his abilities plus the support of Ool, he knew that bringing in others could help improve the yield and also ensure the success of the extraction. This was particularly true when considering there was the chance of encountering security forces of some kind.

The target building was a East Empire officinae building.

It was pretty sizable production complex building constructed out of empire style stone and concrete. However one noticeable fact just from the outside was that it appeared to be out of operation and in astate of disarray. It had been pretty severely damaged during the most recent Fae See- East Empire conflict. As a result the roof of the building had a very sizable hole in it and stone rubble littered the surrounding hills. One of the most northern walls had a decent sized hole in it quite a distance up.

. Thankfully the site of the building was no longer a hot zone for conflict. But the The gradual hills which the building sat on were scorched in places and some of the surrounding nearby terrain including dirt, rocks, trees and bushes, looked torn up
It was part of the reason that Neo was waiting with Ool near a large sizable tree which stuck out among the ravaged landscape.

This made the place where Neo was waiting with Ool a bit more obvious, with the building in the far distance. There was a fairly sizable stone stele which had been damaged. It had an East Empire pro government propaganda motto carved into it in [Terran] it’s damage likely another result of the bombarding. Just beside the steele was a simple dirt path which lead up the hilly area toward the building.

Neo leaned against the steele , tapping his foot every now and again while Ool, perched on his shoulder passively. Neo was wearing his typical attire for this sort of operation, a cowl, hood martial clothing combo with his eye patch covering him, a bo staff on his back, and other equipment on his person.

Despite his optimism he knew that there was a small chance that someone could try to rat his scheme out, or, the place could be more picked over then he would have liked already...

[The Beastkin Republic] Will They Know Respite?

At seeing his Flame's effectiveness Yukan knew that an obvious move was to let some of the forms from the treeline start to gather into a larger group before he struck again. So he'd ideally do that, but move forward after witnessing the bodies around him burn, so that he could get into a proper position to hit them again.

He took notice of his allies if he saw any from his current position. His nose twitched and he winced a bit. He did not enjoy the scent of burning flesh but it looekd like it was one which he would have to get used too. Since he hadn't really recieved orders to do otherwise and it didn't seem like anyone else needed his immediate support in Battle, Yukan just did what he generally did, and went in for another ring of fire when he was sure the enemies were far away enough from the forest that they wouldn't be burned, a fierey energy gathering over his body and shooting outward in a ring as he his flame blessed su yari lit ablaze while he aimmed it toward the central mass of enemies approaching.

Yukan Actions:
1. Wait for undead mass to get out of the tree line so he doesn't burn it down.
2 & 3. Move into position with a combination of Fast E and use an E grade version of Charging Great Transcending Thrust: