EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL

[aionmods]

By Heaven or Hell

THE BURNING

Achamoth, as it turns out, is no stranger to public killings... the burning of two Pleroma, however? That's special. Abel and Himeka's upcoming execution date seems to be regarded by the city's populace as something akin to a holiday, with the upper crust of the social stratum fighting for positions of prominence in the festivities, including the best possible seats. It's been decades since any Pleroma have been brought to heel in Achamoth, and it would only be prudent to place yourself at the forefront of this exciting new trend. There's a sense of pageantry to it: ritualized ceremonies, public sermons, and strange religious 'décor' are all part of the process.

The city is in the throes of these preparations when the two Pleroma captives are finally brought to a central square not far from the Citadel's front gates. Two burning pyres have been set up for them, about ten feet apart. While Abel and Himeka's bodies are chained to their stakes, their shards will be handed off to Silco, Ciel, and Makoto to be brought along separately. The set up of the execution is thus: while their bodies are ravaged by flames, their shards will be bound to an altar in advance of the pyre. Via a kind of alchemical 'fuse', the pyre being lit will trigger a reaction that will gradually result in a explosion on the altar just large enough to destroy the shard in turn. The shards will be bound in position with a series of jewelry-like metal prongs that could be pried away, but would take some time to do carefully.

As the Pleroma make it to the city, the sun will be setting on the 17th of Firaseri, with the execution about to be underway. The pyres will not yet have been lit, but are fully prepared. All Kenoma will be called upon to guard the city, with the warning that the Pleroma are mounting a raid to rescue their imprisoned comrades. For Kenoma both new and old, it's a time to test your mettle. Those that defend Achamoth valiantly can expect to be rewarded.

INNOCENCE ON FIRE

The city of Achamoth looms ahead, a seat of power in Horos in every fashion. It sprawls outwards, claiming the lands around it in a lazy confidence. The spires of the city grow up and up like a mountain, dragging the eye towards the Citadel. The walls that surround it are modest in height as if offering a challenge to any foolish enough to attempt to climb them. Who would? The Regent's eye is ever-present and the guard towers that line it like beaded pearls on a string are reminders that nothing goes in or out of the city without notice. Openings in the towers and the walls threaten the use of projectiles while dark, shimmering crystals float above with the quiet hum of protective magics. Only a fool would breach these borders.

Initially, getting into the city unmolested will be a considerable struggle for the Pleroma. It's military is robust, its fortifications solid, and even without the Kenoma's added resistance, the sheer numbers could be considered insurmountable. Stealth could get them some of the way, but its sentries are watchful, and immigration is strictly controlled. With faith alone driving the Pleroma towards their goal it's fortunate, then, that something is there to answer their call.

Estinien will feel the presence of the Innocence Entity rise up in him again, and this time it is offering him a choice. He may utilize its power to save the ones he loves, while risking both the brutality of the Regent's defenses and the threat to his own soul by channeling such power. It will stand with him against the darkness, it says, if it is truly his will. Emboldened by the power of the Firebrand and his love for his comrades, it is no surprise that he accepts.

Light will flood the sky above Achamoth, an ethereal aura combatting the encroach of the night. From a great miasma of wings and flame, a colossal dragon emerges, coiling above the city skyline. Its luminescence rains down upon the city, and all Achamites exposed to it will be enchanted into finding the idea of committing acts of violence unthinkable, at least so long as no violence is brought against them in turn. With much of Achamoth's defenses having lost the will to fight, only the Kenoma will stand in the Pleroma's way as they penetrate the city, making their way to Abel and Himeka's pyres.

As the Pleroma forge ahead, this draconic being that was once Estinien Wyrmblood will guard from the skies, drawing the attention of the Kenoma towards it and it threatens to bear its might against the Citadel itself. Fortunately for the Kenoma guarding the city, they will know that the Regent has a plan. All they must do is hold off the beast long enough for the Regent to wield their own strength in turn. The battle against this creature will take place here, with combat rules being explain in this OOC post.

As the power of the Innocent washes over Achamoth, those of its Legacy, or those marked by its Promise or Touch, will hear it speak on the winds in a chorus of voices:

Aions of this new dawn... I have honored your choice... fight... if you will... and I will follow...

FIREBRAND RISING

Beneath the moon of Firaseri, however, the Innocent isn't the only force at play. Firebrands of both sects will find themselves spurred on by a rush of Legacy-based power, as if inspired by the tumultuous environment of an anti-authoritarian raid. How precisely this manifests will depend on which side they are fighting for.

❖ PLEROMA
The Firebrands among the Pleroma raiders will feel a sense of vindication and rightness come over them, set as they are to challenge the Regent's rule. Their powers will be amplified during the battle, and those that witness them and are inspired may find their performance boosted. The nature of these enhancements is fairly flexible. For the Firebrands, the use of their regular skills and abilities may be amplified beyond normal boundaries, whereas those following in their wake may find themselves with usual endurance that allows them to push their their usual limits.

❖ KENOMA
The Firebrands of the Kenoma's inspiration is more complicated in nature, given their roll in defending Achamoth's status quo. However, they will find themselves bolstered while facing the pacifying might of the Innocence Entity. Firebrands will experience a natural resistance against any Innocence based attacks that would stop them from fighting, and will be able to use this blessing to rally NPCs that would otherwise be rendered useless to their cause, in defiance of the entity's command for peace. In general, they will see a boost in strength while fighting the raid boss in particular, unable to be deterred from their goals.

In general, all Firebrands will feel untethered by their regular inhibitions, fighting for their desires at all costs. Abilities intended to bind them or control their will, will be largely ineffective, and they will find shields both physical and magical particularly easy to break through.

QUESTIONS

Q: What is the best way for Pleroma to travel to Achamoth?
A: Akua and Estinien are both setting up portals from Godsblood to the outskirts of Achamoth from which to begin mounting the assault. Caitlyn will be providing a back-up in the case either of those portals go down.

Q: Can my character make use of the chaos and try to raid the Citadel?
A: They can try but there will be mod rolls involved for any attempts. NPCs inside the Citadel will not be affected the same way the NPCs outside in main area will be. We do not want it to seem like the Citadel is defenseless otherwise.

Q: If Kenoma cause damage to the city during the raid, how will the Regent feel? Will there be consequences?
A: It should try to be avoided, but the Regent will understand if there is collateral damage in battle as long as they aren't being careless about it.

Q: Is the "no-combat aura" completely incapacitating NPCs?
A: No, it is only stopping them from aggressing the Pleroma. If they or their property are attacked they will defend themselves, and are otherwise operating with a normal level of cognizance. Kenoma Aions can order them out of the area to avoid being hurt if necessary.

BOSS BATTLE:
Q: I would like my character to take part in the battle but want to limit the outcomes in a way that isn't too devastating. Is that possible?
A: We think in that case we would basically only be acknowledging the possibilities between the "The attack either misses, is ineffective, or it triggers a counter attack from the boss." and "The attack hits with moderate effectiveness, as determined by the nature of their action." range. So, you can't get taken out, but you also can only deal moderate hits at best. You could still trigger a counter attack from the boss, but the damage taken from that is more flexible and free form than the 1-5% zone. If you make an attack with this restriction just add a little OOC note to your initial attack tag.

Q: How can a support character engage in the combat?
A: If your character is providing support, you may team up with an attacker to submit a "group attack". This means that your character is putting their effort towards supporting that attacker character that round, and will not be able to submit their own separate action. In exchange, that attack will receive two mod rolls instead of one, and the attack itself will be based on the more favorable of the two rolls. (Sort of like rolling with an advantage in modern D&D.) We will make as many rolls as there there are character combining their effort and select the best of them.

If any character rolls in the 1-5% zone they will still be taken out, however. Click the link above for more information.

Q: Can my character take a hit for another character after a mod roll?
A: We would be willing to accept this in the case of the defender taking the hit for the attacker, which would mean that if it's a 1-5%, they would be taken out in the attacker's stead.

Comments

dextera • pleroma (lover)

[passio]

( adding to the list of closed prompts… if there’s something you’d like to plot, whether it’s for the raid itself or the aftermath, my plotting comment is here! )

for howl.

[passio]

[ there’s not much time. the battle has already begun in earnest, and though dextera will join it soon in defense of his comrades, there’s one person he feels he must address after his conversation with akua. a public execution, this brutal display—howl must feel pained by it, too. he can’t condone this violence. dextera wants to believe that he can sway howl in the middle of the chaos, or if not sway him, at least…

at least make sense of what happened last time. are they truly enemies?

achamoth is a sprawling, frightening city, but dextera manages to find a small alleyway to duck into. with the achamite guards down for the count under the influence of the great beast, it’s easier to hide than dextera would have normally expected. cautiously cradling his shard, he calls out to howl; if nothing else, dextera can hopefully pull him away from a battle he shouldn’t be fighting. ]

I’m here. Please let me see you.

[galdorleod]

[ Howl's attention is so focused on the chaos that he nearly fails to recognize the communion reaching out to him. Even then, it takes him a few seconds of deliberation to accept, to open his mind and listen fairly. Here? Now? It's absurd — the wizard expected Dextera to give up on him, after what he did. How could they be friends after that?

Howl has no concrete words to send in response, not with his Shard still embedded in his chest behind a jungle of feathers. For a few minutes, Dextera receives no reply aside from an initial jolt of trepidation. Howl would have been content never speaking to him again. The grief of losing a friend on the other side is preferable of the shame of having failed him so many times, whether his many unsuccessful attempts to help him accept the Kenoma, or his abortive attack in Godsblood.

But, the massive black bird in the sky descends. It lands on one of the city's defensive spires and seems to shrink down out of view. Howl knows that Dextera is taking an enormous risk to remove his Shard and contact him like this... perhaps, he owes it to him to try one more time.

A minute later, Howl's psychic voice finally answers. ]

You must be mad. You need to leave, Dextera. Get out of here.

[passio]

[ dextera seeks howl in the sky, but it feels impossible to pin him down with all the chaos around them both. he sees what he has to assume is that great avian form, but he’s not sure who or what it is until a few moments later when the answer comes through his shard. concern, not the cold professionalism of before. maybe there’s still a chance.

relief floods their bond as dextera clutches his shard so tight for a moment it makes his head ache. ]

I can’t leave until Abel and Himeka are safe.

[ he opens with his clearest intentions; he’s here because he’s saving his friends. nonetheless, he repeats his earlier plea. ]

Please let me see you!

[galdorleod]

[ Abel and Himeka — ? All this, over two people. All this chaos, this violence, putting the locals in danger, putting themselves in danger, putting Howl's comrades and friends in danger — the Pleroma cannot be serious. Two people. Of course, they are serious, because that very unfathomable situation is unfolding right now. But to hear it come from Dextera — ]

You...

[ Howl doesn't know what to think. If it were literally any other Pleroma, Howl would assume that this was an embarrassingly transparent trap. Whatever it is that Dextera could possibly want to see him for, it has to be nonsense, doesn't it?

But as Howl lingers in giving Dextera an answer, he feels his resistance softening. Dextera hasn't given up on him. Dextera, his first friend in this world, who has never leveled a single demand or judgment against him... ]

...alright. I'll grant you a few minutes, but no more.

[ Not simply because there's a battle happening around them, but because Howl wants Dextera to put his Shard away as soon as possible. It's incredibly dangerous for him to be contacting Howl like this for any amount of time.

A few seconds later, a black mass rises from the top of the spire and lifts off. Howl's spread wings tilt to the side, drawing a wide curve as he follows the trail of their communion and spots Dextera below.

His massive body lands with a heavy thump, barely managing to fit into the small alleyway his friend is hiding in. Shivering and shaking his feathers, Howl peers around, knowing that neither of them are completely safe. ]

WHERE ARE YOU? [ The voice is breathy and gravely, and new to this transformation. Howl hadn't spoken aloud in such a monstrous voice the last time they saw each other. ]

[passio]

[ dextera jolts away when howl lands. the massive form is a little more familiar now to him than it was before, but it doesn’t change the fact that his body remembers the bruises and the blood from howl’s talons last time. even if howl approaches with no ill intent, dextera has to be cautious.

he’s more cautious when howl actually speaks. is this a new development? is howl worse? or is this just an aspect of the form he hadn’t gotten the chance to see in the middle of a fight? ]

…

[ his shard is held close to him as he makes himself known to howl, and he can’t help but wish that he could see the old face of his friend. he worries that this is just what howl looks like now—or perhaps he’s always looked like this and the human form was a guise he’s given up on. there are so many possibilities and none of them seem right. ]

Howl… [ his fingers twitch and he has to clamp down tighter on his shard. ] Are you in pain?

[galdorleod]

[ Except for the monster's heavy breaths, the question is met with a silence too long to be hesitation. Howl is taken aback by it. For Dextera and his not-exactly-talking method of talking, the emotions that carry the question are unusually distinct. Blunt, to the point, and unexpectedly sincere, considering everything going on around them.

He is not entirely sure how to respond. Again, if it weren't Dextera asking, he would not humor the inquiry at all. There are thin slivers of other sentiments transferring between them, too... worry, concern, fear... determination. Dextera was like this in Godsblood, too. He's changed too, not just Howl.

The monster's massive head turns, avoiding the doleful gaze of his friend. ]

...QUITE THE LOADED QUESTION TO BE STARTING WITH. [ He pauses, hesitating this time. ] WHY DO YOU ASK IF I'M IN PAIN?

[passio]

Aren’t you?

[ only howl can answer that truthfully, but dextera has made his assumptions regardless. though ‘pain’ may not be quite the right word to encompass it, there’s nothing else he can think of to describe what he imagines howl is dealing with. he’s determined to believe howl isn’t in control of himself, and that’s what has led to this form. ]

You were before.

[ with the second statement comes a deep concern. dextera finds himself pushing through his own fear of the great beast to try to seek howl’s face—or whatever the equivalent might be, under this mass of feathers. ]

[galdorleod]

NO, I WASN'T.

[ As fearsome as Howl's growling, inhuman voice is, it somehow manages to sound vaguely petulant in that answer. He isn't trying to calmly and confidently correct Dextera — he's disagreeing. Denying. He isn't in pain, he's fine, all of this is fine, and it makes him feel nothing, he tells himself. That's been the bigger issue on Howl's mind since Godsblood: how little he feels about any of this, not guilt, not shame, not anger or fear. Is that pain? No, he'd insist, even after struggling for weeks to nail down what it is that feels so wrong about him lately.

There's movement in the corner of his eye as Dextera vies for a glimpse at his face. Anxiously, he glances back in his direction. There is no human face to be seen. There's only the beast-like maw of neither a bird nor a mammal, topped with long, limp feathers that hide the beast's eyes. ]

[passio]

…

[ dextera hears the petulance, but without further insight into howl’s state of mind, he can only wonder what it means. his assumptions do take him in certain directions; the influence of knowing a baroque means that he attributes howl’s frightening body to the conflict inside. however, the logic any of those conclusions rest on is biased at best.

he cautiously reaches out with his free hand, and although there’s undeniably a tremble in his fingers and a twitch he can’t quite control, he wants to touch howl. ]

Okay. [ softly. ] I don’t want you to be. I didn’t want to hurt you.

[galdorleod]

[ Well, you did, is what Howl wants to say, a bitter and insensitive jab that would speak more to his denial than to anything Dextera really did. But as soon as he thinks it, his attitude softens. They both hurt each other — and of course they did, considering what was happening, the circumstances they found themselves in on that day. Thankfully, the moment of bitterness is gone before Howl spits out out the cruel and impulsive words. Perhaps he's too shaken by their new horrible circumstances and lingering discomfort of facing his Dextera... or perhaps he really did manage to reach him, so some degree.

The outstretched hand. Dextera is... trying to touch him. The only people whom Howl has permitted to touch him since Godsblood are the handful of allies he's ferried to the Sanctifier so far. He hasn't wanted anyone to touch him after his body changed, no longer able to expel the entirety of his own magic. Who would want to? And now, again defying reason and expectation, Dextera is reaching out. It's... is bizarre the right word...?

Howl turns his head to face Dextera fully now. He watches his fingertips brush through the long outer layer of feathers on his chest, still expecting him to pull away in fear or disgust. He should be afraid of him, to want to withdraw and protect himself. It's what any logical person would do, so why...? ]

...I'M THE ONE WHO HURT YOU. I...

I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THIS. [ he murmurs. guarded, confused. it's the truth, but Howl himself feels a bit mystified that he's saying it aloud, and to an enemy no kess. ] BUT THERE'S NO HOPE. THERE'S NOTHING. I WISH YOU UNDERSTOOD.

[passio]

[ there was a time when dextera would have shuddered away. even without memories, he would have known a form like this isn’t natural and denied it out of fear. he’s had time, though, to grow and adjust not only to the people he met in his own world, but those not quite human in horos, either.

he worries for howl now, an entirely different feeling than being afraid of him. the feathers aren’t right. they bring dextera no joy to brush against, the way he’s imagined it would be to hold a bird in his hands. ]

…

[ he allows howl to talk, giving him space to sort through his scattered emotions the way dextera wishes people would have given to him. if he were being completely fair, he would have left by now to let howl figure it out in peace—but dextera is still a little selfish, even when he thinks he’s being as generous as possible. ]

I know… I know you don’t think there’s any hope, but I…

[ his fingers twitch and loosely grab a handful of feathers, though his touch is still mercifully light. ]

I’ll die if I think like that.

[galdorleod]

[ The curl of fingers against his coat gives Howl a kneejerk urge to pull away, but he hesitates and manages to control himself. His eyes dart down to the hand buried among his feathers. This is... weird. This feels weird, and Howl can't even tell if he hates it; he can sense the earnestness behind Dextera's thoughts. He knows the risk that his friend is taking by reaching out like this, metaphorically and literally.

After another pregnant beat, Howl's legs bend and fold underneath him, lowering his heavy body down into a seated position. The movement pushes Dextera's hand deeper within his feathers, until it touches the skin and muscle underneath; a silent acceptance of being touched. He's curled up on the cement now like a bird sitting comfortably in its nest, but the tension within him over this meeting is still palpable. ]

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? DEXTERA. [ Death is inevitable, for all of them. He has to know that. ] YOU KNOW I'M RIGHT. YOU FEEL IT TOO. DON'T YOU?

[passio]

[ dextera is afraid to touch people too closely, like this. it feels as if the muscles in his wrist are trying to jerk out so that he can cause no harm, but he wants to do this. howl has accepted him, and dextera doesn’t want to reject another person out of fear of what he might do.

he’s torn between wanting to lean in and run away; the magnetizing pull of either means he doesn’t do anything, remaining frozen with his fingers buried between quills ]

…

[ of course he does. he isn’t immune to howl’s despair, or to anyone’s. the pleroma keeps his head above water because he wants it that way, but he’s in control of his own feelings nonetheless. he’ll fall if he gives himself the chance to. ]

…I do, but… I’m not living for myself… so I can’t die for myself, either…

for binghe.

[passio]

[ dextera has been putting up more of a fight in the past thirty minutes than he has collectively in the months he’s been here. part of it is due to the demands of his sword, as he’s worked out the intricacies of makoto’s power in the most active way possible, but part of it is just because everything is moving. no one can afford to slow down on either side—one breath could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

this is why when he runs into binghe, there’s no attempt at parley this time around. he simply tenses his shoulders and brandishes his sword. a remarkably different blade than the last one he held, this one seems to hold a rivulet of blood between two split blades, slowly draining out from the sword and over his hand, dripping on the ground in small, neat circles where dextera stands. ]

…

[ this is his challenge: binghe can take it or leave it, but there will be no surrender once it begins. ]

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Binghe's eyes narrow as they follow the blood running down the centre of the sword to where it drips onto the ground at Dextera's feet. Then he glances back up to look him in the eye. ]

You.

[ He brandishes his own sword in response, demonic energy beginning to concentrate at the blade's edge. He sneers. ]

Not going to run this time? Alright. Show me, then.

[passio]

[ dextera doesn’t know what kind of person he’s fighting, and realistically, engaging him when he doesn’t have to might be unwise—but in the grand scheme of things, he does have to. leaving any kenoma he sees untouched could spell trouble later, particularly when he knows this one has a grudge.

the demonic energy worries him. he still grips the hilt with both hands and swings, the sharp, serrated edges of his sword seeking to draw blood as quickly as possible. there’s nothing else to it yet, but he has some tricks up his sleeve for when he needs them. ]

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Binghe brings Xin Mo up to block it, their two fucked up swords clanging against each other with a little burst of dark qi. Xin Mo is pretty normal looking compared to what Dextera is working with, but it gives off an absolutely vile menacing aura.

Binghe grins humourlessly over the top of it, and, still pressing back against Dextera's sword, he focuses demonic qi into his blade to create a burst of force between them intended to blast his opponent back. ]

[passio]

[ determined to protect his pride, dextera clamps his teeth down on any noise of surprise that tries to get out of him when binghe does successfully knock him back. expecting an attack only takes him so far; he’s able to keep from toppling over, but his own weighted fighting style means he takes a moment to recover.

he needs blood. the sword wants blood, which has been an unpleasant realization for him, but it’s one he’s determined to follow. ]

…

[ he drives forward, but rather than trying to stab binghe, he cuts at an angle to use his sword like a saw. the more teeth he can get in binghe’s clothes and skin, the better. ]

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Binghe is not expecting this; it's a shock when the teeth of the blade catch in his arm, tearing his sleeve and gouging into his skin. He hisses in pain and surprise, spattering blood across the ground between them as he jerks back.

There's a somewhat disgusted look on his face as he looks at the sword. Normally this is how people look at Xin Mo, instead, but the irony is lost on him in this moment. ]

What kind of blade—

[ No, it doesn't matter. Whatever it's going to do with his blood, he can handle it. He lunges forward to slash at Dextera with his own sword again, gathering demonic energy in the palm of his other hand for a second attack. ]

[passio]

[ dextera has had plenty of time to worry about the same thing, but it is what it is. the sword was made from a friend of his, and it feels a little wrong to judge it too much for the person makoto has become.

the blood he’s drawn from binghe seems to funnel into the sword, filling the case between the two blade halves. there’s clearly a trick to it, though not one he can or cares to explain when binghe is already launching a counterattack. with no insight into binghe’s fighting style, dextera is able to dodge the slash, but the strike of demonic energy lands squarely against him. ]

Ggh—

[ unaccustomed to attacks like this, dextera’s whole body tenses up in pain; it’s not like being hit with something tangible, but it rather shakes between his ribs and forces him to stumble back unguarded. ]

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Unfortunately for Binghe, making those two attacks in such quick succession has consequences for him, too; even as Xin Mo howls in his mind for more violence, the backlash from his increasingly unbalanced spiritual energy makes him stumble and cough. Grimacing in indignation, he pushes the back of his hand over his mouth. It comes away bloody.

He knows he doesn't have the time to worry about this. He needs to defeat this fool. But he's practically missing the opening he created for himself. He rushes to thrust his sword at his opponent again, but it's sloppy, and he knows it. ]

[passio]

[ the blood at binghe’s mouth surprises dextera, but that’s all that it does since he doesn’t have time to process all the reasons that someone might start bleeding internally. he’s focused instead on regaining his footing, using the inertia of righting himself to throw his shoulder into binghe’s chest instead—yes, entirely foregoing the use of his sword, but he wouldn’t have gotten a clean hit anyway. making himself small enough to boldly miss the sword thrust is the better tactic, at least in the immediate moment.

in the following moment, regardless of success, it puts him close enough to binghe for any counterattack. ]

[devilmancrybaby]

[ Still reeling backwards from Dextera tackling him... Binghe punches him in the jaw. It's not even like a qi punch or anything. Maybe he meant it to be, but both his spiritual and demonic qi are kind of out of whack right now. He's still inhumanly strong, though, so even though the angle isn't great, if it hits it'll hit hard.

Xin Mo thrums under his other hand, egging him on. The glow of the demon mark on his forehead pulses and stutters. ]

[passio]

Hgh?!

[ dextera hadn’t really expected that level of strength. he’s accustomed to being hit that hard by monsters, but he’d let his guard down in the face of a human—or human-seeming—opponent and now he’s paying for it. dextera reels back, though thanks to the bloody boost of the sword, his jaw remains unbroken. ]

…

[ the recovery time is a little shorter, too, with the blood spilled earlier. sensing an opening, dextera reads that stuttering mark—whether accurate or not—as a sign that binghe is faltering, too. he charges forward, aiming a slash with all his strength thrown behind it right across binghe’s chest. ]