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

[fallingsand]

[ Cleverness had little to do with it. Bruno was an anxious man and the thought of tagging along with a demon was simply ratcheting those anxiety levels higher with every step. Of course, what he failed to realize is that he's already sat next to a demon and had a perfectly normal conversation with him — with Sebastian — without even realizing it. Once he figured that out, well...

He might feel foolish after the fact, assuming the worst merely because someone had the name 'demon' attached to them. Then again, it was wiser to assume the worst, considering how dangerous both truly were, but that kind of wisdom would inevitably escape Bruno, who was kind enough to try and overlook such labels once he realized. That was neither here nor now, however, and, for now, he worried. The mention of Hell did not make this worrying any better. ]

Hell. [ Yes. Hell. He said Hell. Speaking of culture shock... ] You're. You're saying Hell is less... less violent than this place. Really?

[ That friendly smile is met with a nervous stare, eyes wide at the very idea. Achamoth, worse than Hell, literal Hell. This was not inspiring. ]

[affal]

( given his interactions with mortals in his last year prior to having been brought into horos, he thinks that any human that might look at him with wariness and trepidation as at the very least having functioning self-preservation instincts. and though they could often be inhibiting — at least in bruno's case — they were not bad to have. in the grand scheme of things, he would prefer trying to teach a self-professed "coward" when to try to make a small difference and when to give into their instincts to run, rather than trying to force sense into a self-sacrificial or overly-brave idiot.

after all, he's a bit more of the latter himself, and it had always cut him down in the worst moments.

he laughs once, a singular and joyless sound. ) Well... in its own way. ( the low-rung demons that scrabbled amongst one another to determine who would be the top of the refuse pile still wrestled and clawed and bit, and violence still etched itself into other places in hell, in places of pleasure and places of position. it certainly had its place, but, ) In Hell, physical violence couldn't produce a true "death" for a demon, so there was less use for it. Most high-ranking demons find it - uncouth for that reason, or at least when it's performed in plain view.

( as they walk along the path that snakes upwards along an incline, higher into the city, they are passed on both sides by throngs of achamites flocking to the scene of the to-be execution. dressed fantastically and wearing extravagant masks in their devotion to the Regent, their conversations bloom in and out of focus as they pass. the timbre of them is run through with excitement. )

The people of this city live in full acceptance of the Regent's ultimate goal. They eagerly await the ushering in of a new world, even if they know they will not be a part of it... and they cut loose their social and personal inhibitions so that they can enjoy themselves to the fullest before that ultimate end comes to pass. I take it you disagree with their justifications?

( as for his own tone, there's nothing incriminatory. he sounds genuinely curious. )

[fallingsand]

[ An overly-brave idiot was at least not a problem Makoto would find with Bruno, although self-sacrificing would be a harder habit to get him to shake. He was, after all, a Martyr, and while he claimed himself to be a coward, how true that was depended on a certain point of view. He would not wade into a battle — too small and fragile for that, no matter how much he wished otherwise — but to throw his own well-being away for others, well, that would be a different matter.

It wasn't something he would easily admit to, however. Rather, it would be a fact learned in the action, should it ever become necessary and, as such, he would continue to label himself a coward in comparison to the others amongst the Kenoma.

None of this was something he really dwelled upon, instead his thoughts briefly pondering the nature of death in Hell, of all places. ]

Uncouth when performed in plain view? You. You make that sound kind of, uh. Intimate?

[ Was death intimate? The act of killing?

Wow, that was not something Bruno wanted to linger on overly long. It was an awkward thought to him, who saw death as simply death, something inevitable but often feared, as a mortal or. Well, former mortal, considering how Aions are. Uncomfortable with the idea, he's quick to distract himself by turning his gaze aside and watching the jovial crowds pass them by going the other way. They're happy, celebrating, and excited for what's to come. If only it was for something Bruno felt he could take part in, to be as joyous and festive as they are... ]

I... no? Not. Not really. [ It's difficult to disagree when confronted with how much they're enjoying life, only— ] I just wish they didn't, um. Spend life as uninhibitedly as everything else, I guess. It's worth living to the fullest, sure, but that doesn't really mean they should throw it away as casually.

[ The execution, the bloodsports, those are what his thoughts go to when admitted as much. ]

[affal]

( oh, bruno...

makoto for a moment contemplates sparing the man some of the more sordid details of hell, the specifics of which had been impressed upon him very early, when J had tossed him aside to work for his friend datenshou, learning what he could of the ins and outs of hell, its workings, and its etiquette from within the brothel that the other demon ran. it had been perilous for him, even working as a simple attendant as he had been, but he had learned full well the scope of what makoto shares with bruno now — if not... somewhat sanitized, for the context of the conversation. )

In the Hell I am familiar with, demons cannot die. Not by means of base violence, anyways. Freed from those mortal concerns and constraints, you would be surprised at what was considered "intimate."

( it had been enough to convince makoto that his own proclivities were near-sane in comparison, if it's any indication. and that's not going into the fact that this is a demon whose sole motivation is to single-handedly author the destruction of the demon who had served the role as both Messiah and Devil to him, saving his life and damning it in equal measure. yes, there is something uniquely intimate in death, particularly when it was permanent.

anyways, he blows past those implications, concluding, ) Regardless, as it would be considered useless — and perhaps even embarrassingly desperate — to kill a rival when they would just return a short time later, that's why it was seen as... low-brow.

( makoto sets that aside, contemplating bruno's response to his question, unassuming and nonjudgmental. after a long moment, he replies in a musing tone, ) You value life. ( ... ) I wouldn't say there's anything wrong with that, of course. The people of this city simply feel differently, or perhaps they just value lives differently based on whose they are.

( valuing the contentment and happiness of their own lives at the expense of others seems to fall under that category for him. )

It does make me curious, Bruno... ( there are few among the Kenoma Aions that have felt the touch of the Regent as closely as makoto has, sensing the malaise and unchained will of the Kenoma. quite the contrary, it loathed life — it wanted nothing more than to blot it out wherever it sprung forth. it was only through the Regent that force of destruction and loathing could be used constructively... this he believes implicitly, unable to do anything else. ) You are fully apprised of the Regent's ultimate goal for this universe, yes?

[fallingsand]

[ In hideous retrospect, Bruno does realize it's an awkward discussion to have. He should make a note to stop asking about Hell. It won't do him any good apart from, perhaps, providing further nightmares should he ever get an unsanitized explanation. Regardless, he does feel regret at even asking that now, immediately, and wisely refuses to wonder just what demons would consider intimate that would be out of the ordinary. He doesn't want to know. He really, really doesn't want to know and, so, the talk of Hell trickles off into a tense silence from Bruno and he'll shift his attention away from the festively dressed Achamites passing them by to the cobblestones directly in front of his feet as they walk.

It almost feels like being called stupid when Makoto questions if he's aware of the Regent's plans, no matter how nonjudgmental he manages to pitch it. Whether his own view is common or strange in comparison to the rest of the Kenoma, he's not sure. It's not something he's discussed much with them, most of what he's gleaned being they're fine with throwing the whole thing out and starting over, any further personal thoughts kept to themselves on the matter.

It's a frightening goal with a number of frightening people working towards it, from what he can tell so far. He can't pretend otherwise, not really, however... ]

I'm here, aren't I? Why wouldn't I be? But you can still value life and... and work towards. That. It's like, I dunno. When a fire clears out a forest and makes room for new growth or. Or when you die and you're buried, you're, y'know, gone but you're still a part of a whole cycle, right?

[ Destruction is a part of life is what he's trying to get at, he just isn't using those exact words. ]

I haven't actually, uh. Met. The Regent, personally, but. I think they might value life, too, in. In a way. Why else do all of this? Why want to start over with a better universe?