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Entry tags:
- !event,
- #dionys,
- #innocence,
- #xishen,
- abel nightroad: martyr,
- amos burton: lover,
- anduin wrynn: sovereign,
- barnaby brooks jr: lover,
- bruno madrigal: martyr,
- ciel: martyr,
- claude von riegan: seeker,
- dorothea arnault: celebrant,
- emet-selch: champion,
- estinien wyrmblood: firebrand,
- eustace: firebrand,
- father paul hill: martyr,
- han sooyoung: artisan,
- himeka sui: wanderer,
- howl: celebrant,
- jayce talis: visionary,
- jonathan crane: sovereign,
- kaeya alberich: lover,
- kim dokja: martyr,
- koriel xii (dextera): lover,
- kotetsu t. kaburagi: champion,
- liem talbott: champion,
- majorita: firebrand,
- makoto ("m"): firebrand,
- meteion: innocent,
- rand al'thor: martyr,
- ryunosuke naruhodo: champion,
- sebastian michaelis: celebrant,
- tartaglia (childe): firebrand,
- wrathion: seeker
EVENT #6: BY HEAVEN OR HELL
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.
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.
no subject
Ciel's staring doesn't go unnoticed. After swallowing, she sneers; an expression that looks wholly alien on what is, to someone who saw the other first, ostensibly Gray's face, not Mordred's, or King Arthur's. ]
Hah! Surprised? The mouse was too, the first time she saw me. [ ... And so was Mordred when she saw Gray, but she's not going mention that part. ]
no subject
Ah... Yes, I am. It's hard not to be, to find out you have the same face as someone else! [A beat.] It's especially jarring knowing that you're a Servant, a Heroic Spirit from human history. [Saber's very status as a Servant makes the odds of a coincidence that much less likely, logically.
How woefully ignorant she is of the Saberface phenomenon...Ciel is mindful enough to keep her theories to herself though, let's just stick to pointing out basic obvious facts for now.]no subject
She seems to draw satisfaction from Ciel admitting to her surprise, and her vicious sneer fades into a more normal-looking grin, though still with too many sharp angles to ever look at home on Gray. ]
I know what you're thinking. As far as coincidences go, it's impossible, right? [ lol. lmao. ] That's because it's not one.
[ Without elaborating, she takes another bite, then pauses. ]
You really made all of these?
no subject
Gray was taken as an apprentice to a Clock Tower Lord after working as a gravekeeper in a village in Great Britain, I believe. If you two are related somehow...
[That makes Saber British, wouldn't it? She trails off to avoid sounding accusatory, taking care to be careful with her wording.]
Ah, well, I did have help from the Citadel staff. [Saying that, she glances at the
NPCscouple of people milling about, in the process of cleaning the dishes or working on beating the dough and such.] They're used to me by now, and they're happy to assist. The recipes are all from my memory, though.[She gives a small smile at that. If she has Feelings over her own statement, she's doing a decent job of not showing it.]
no subject
No, it's not that. [ Not quite. ] It's more like we're... connected. I don't know all the details, but I definitely know who's to blame.
[ Again, she doesn't offer details. This time, it's not out of any desire to be difficult (... mostly), but to protect Gray's privacy(!). If Ciel knows the true meaning behind her (their) face(s), she'll say more. If not, then while she has little enough problem exposing her own identity, she'll keep mum on exactly what their connection is.
Mordred looks at the staff, then the food, then back to Ciel; raising an eyebrow at her smile. ]
Your memory... where did you say you were from, again? [ She didn't, actually, so this is a not-so-subtle attempt at finding out. ]
no subject
...My. I never asked her about the details, but it was obvious that she had issues with her own face. [Anyone with eyes and a shred of empathy could've noticed, especially with the hood Gray always wore.] Nevertheless, she's her own person, born centuries after you in spite of this connection. Please don't treat her too roughly, Saber?
[In the end, forward as it may be, it's the only request she makes. What business their faces means is their own, but that has very little bearing to their current situation on Horos. That's why Ciel doesn't mind curbing her personal curiosity, choosing instead to focus on something more tangible and immediate instead. Maybe she'll ask Gray about it in the future, but for now, there's no good reason to press.]
I was born in France, and my memories of Earth are from the very end of the 20th century. [She doesn't mind being more direct especially knowing Gray and Saber are from the same overarching world that she herself is from, don't mind how weird "end of the 20th century" sounds when someone is talking about when they're from.] Is that timeframe familiar to you?
no subject
When Ciel mentions where she was born, Mordred makes a disgusted face, because ew, French people. She doesn't comment on it directly, but she doesn't bother to hide her reaction. Maybe she shouldn't deride a whole country just because of Lancelot, but maybe it should try not being France. ]
... Not really. I mean, that's over a thousand years after I died. [ Suddenly realizing something Very Important, she groans. ] Dammit...! Even though I'm a Servant, I never got to sightsee in the modern era! And Achamoth is so old-fashioned and dreary, it hurts! My kingdom would never be this utterly insipid!
[ ... And she's back to stuffing her face in annoyance. ]
no subject
Well, that face just proves it, doesn't it! Saber is absolutely British, and with how many conflicts Britain and France got into on top of how deep this historical feud ran, it's honestly very normal and expected that she reacts with such open and casual disgust. At least French cooking actually tastes like something, though Ciel is 'polite' enough to keep that thought to herself and only wrinkle her nose briefly in response.
A kingdom, is it? Arthurian, maybe? It's the first thing that comes to mind, the most well-known British legend of a kingdom with knights. Fanfiction by a French author, but who's keeping track of the literary details. And if she's saying her kingdom...
Huh. (...??)]
If you could experience it through other people's memories, would you still be interested? A few of us are from modern era Earth, we have three Japanese teenagers now on this side. [For some reason.] Gray could probably show you what she remembers of living in London also, communion does make the sharing of complete memories possible so you're not simply watching as an uninvolved third party. [Sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch, all senses can be transmitted if the memory in question is preserved clearly enough to pass it on whole.
And on a different note...]
What would your ideal kingdom be like, Saber?
[Keep eating, there's plenty more where that comes from. Ciel will take the liberty of pouring her a glass of water while they talk too, just in case this judgmental knight gets thirsty and wants something to wash the crumbs down with?]
no subject
[ Either she's willfully ignoring the 'destruction of all other worlds' part of the initial pitch, or she's stubborn as a mule. (Being Mordred, the second part is guaranteed.)
When Ciel changes the topic, her mood shifts. The hand that was reaching for another cake pauses, then lowers, as she turns to give the other woman her full attention. ]
My ideal kingdom... isn't it obvious?
[ She says, only belatedly realizing that the obvious answer — aka, "better than King Arthur's" — isn't something anyone else would understand in the same intrinsic way she does... but like Gray asking her what kind of king she'd be, she hasn't given it much thought beyond that. Perhaps understandable in life, when her main goal was to destroy a kingdom, not build one, but she should probably start considering both what she wants, and what it will take to actually get there.
Playing the pause off as deliberate, Mordred grabs the glass of water and downs it without so much as a "thank you" or "is that for me?", then slams it back on the bench for ~emphasis~. ]
For starters, there'd be none of this "burning at the stake" crap. Any traitors would be put to the sword immediately. [ If her father had acted swiftly and impartially, and executed both Lancelot and Guinevere for their treachery, then Mordred's rebellion would never have been able to take hold. ] The common folk shouldn't be tools for those with more power, but nor should they be allowed to trample over each other like livestock. In that regard, Achamoth is a complete mess. It deals only in fear and fanaticism, rather than offering anything of tangible worth to the greater populace.
... Of course, when the Regent intends to unmake this world entirely, such things may seem trivial. But if they call themselves the ruler of this land, they ought to act in a way more fitting of one.