lunae calamitas mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
promittere) wrote2024-05-24 11:51 pm
promittere) wrote2024-05-24 11:51 pm
northern mission
VYING POWER ANIMANDO
It's a lovely day, isn't it? I hope you're certainly enjoying whatever it is you're doing on this fine afternoon, because it's about to be interrupted in the rudest way possible.
It happens very quickly. Whatever Ahito, Solomon, Malice, Robin, and Ithaqua might be up to, a sensation suddenly washes over them. It's magic—someone's magic, and it's unfamiliar. Unfamiliar, but powerful, and the five Northern wizards as they are now are unable to stop what happens next.
Space and time feels like it stretches for an instant, and there's a pull. In the next moment, they're falling from midair and being deposited together in the soft snowbanks just outside of the City of Ice. It seems they've been granted one free teleport straight to the City of Ice, how lucky of them!
Before they can do anything else, voices begin to ring in their heads. The magical signature matches that of what initially drew them here; the voices sound like they belong to young children, but they speak with a cadence and wear that suggests they are, in fact, very, very old.
"Boys! Listen to us!"
"We need your help!"
"The barrier around the City of Ice has fallen—this must mean something has happened to us if we have been unable to repair it!"
"Whatever the problem is, go fix it, quickly!"
And then, in unison, "Please!"
No sooner are the voices finished talking when the ground shakes in a terrible, terrible rumble. A roar echoes from the mountain range on the far side of the snowy field, and should they look in that direction, they'll see a large, monstrous shadow clamber over the peaks. It perches upon the top, its grotesque wings and limbs outstretched in victory, and roars again.
It seems that monster is the reason the barrier fell. Uh oh.
It happens very quickly. Whatever Ahito, Solomon, Malice, Robin, and Ithaqua might be up to, a sensation suddenly washes over them. It's magic—someone's magic, and it's unfamiliar. Unfamiliar, but powerful, and the five Northern wizards as they are now are unable to stop what happens next.
Space and time feels like it stretches for an instant, and there's a pull. In the next moment, they're falling from midair and being deposited together in the soft snowbanks just outside of the City of Ice. It seems they've been granted one free teleport straight to the City of Ice, how lucky of them!
Before they can do anything else, voices begin to ring in their heads. The magical signature matches that of what initially drew them here; the voices sound like they belong to young children, but they speak with a cadence and wear that suggests they are, in fact, very, very old.
"Boys! Listen to us!"
"We need your help!"
"The barrier around the City of Ice has fallen—this must mean something has happened to us if we have been unable to repair it!"
"Whatever the problem is, go fix it, quickly!"
And then, in unison, "Please!"
No sooner are the voices finished talking when the ground shakes in a terrible, terrible rumble. A roar echoes from the mountain range on the far side of the snowy field, and should they look in that direction, they'll see a large, monstrous shadow clamber over the peaks. It perches upon the top, its grotesque wings and limbs outstretched in victory, and roars again.
It seems that monster is the reason the barrier fell. Uh oh.
OOC NOTES
Welcome, Northern wizards, to your mission!
Missions are mod-guided events that are partial CYOA, partial play-by-post, and...well, in this case, it's mostly combat. In general, you are free to interact with a scene as you please, and the mod will tell you how the scene reacts as a consequence of your actions. Some scenes will allow for more flexible threading, such as exploration or conversation, while some scenes will require strict turn order to preserve rounds, such as combat or other time-sensitive conflict. The mod will inform you if strict turn order is required at the start of a scene. Regardless, always be sure to bold any important actions you take.
This mission has been specifically tailored to Northern disposition, attitudes, and magic. If you find yourself struggling to tackle a situation, refresh yourself on the description of North on the locations page, and make sure to confer with your teammates too!
As a bonus, here's your theme music!
You will have until 11:59 AM EDT on Saturday, June 1 to reach a conclusion for this mission. Good luck!
Missions are mod-guided events that are partial CYOA, partial play-by-post, and...well, in this case, it's mostly combat. In general, you are free to interact with a scene as you please, and the mod will tell you how the scene reacts as a consequence of your actions. Some scenes will allow for more flexible threading, such as exploration or conversation, while some scenes will require strict turn order to preserve rounds, such as combat or other time-sensitive conflict. The mod will inform you if strict turn order is required at the start of a scene. Regardless, always be sure to bold any important actions you take.
This mission has been specifically tailored to Northern disposition, attitudes, and magic. If you find yourself struggling to tackle a situation, refresh yourself on the description of North on the locations page, and make sure to confer with your teammates too!
As a bonus, here's your theme music!
You will have until 11:59 AM EDT on Saturday, June 1 to reach a conclusion for this mission. Good luck!
no subject
So the obvious solution is to aim a firebolt at the chimera (7)... which promptly fizzles out before it even reaches the damn thing. Maybe he should've healed first, whoops...]
hehe
Something large falls to the snow where the chimera once stood, pulsing with a warped energy that resonates with something hard to comprehend. It looks like a stone, glowing the same purple as the chimera's eyes, about as large as a cow. It's not entirely round, looking like pieces had broken up a long, long time ago, with another odd, angular cut on it that seems deliberate, as if someone has taken a piece of it more recently. To Robin and Ithaqua, it looks like the perfect shape and size for what had once sat in the crater in the far North.
The oppressive air only gets stronger—it feels as if acid is eating away at their skin, their souls, an intense corruption tearing away who they are, threatening to destroy their very essence. Staying near this rock for too long without protection will have lasting consequences.
But congratulations—you've found what caused the chimera to go on an uncontrolled rampage.]
no subject
We need to channel magic into purifying it - cleanse all that shitty energy out of it!
[Eloquent! But he doesn't have time to mince words, and he'll take the bracelet Bruno gave him full of purifying Southern magic and channels that as well as his own magics into the rock to try to cleanse it, focusing his thoughts on his hopes of finally being rid of this place and returning home to the place and people he actually belongs.]
no subject
It's an agonizing sensation when he's already run so ragged. But to leave this cursed object to fester, so close to the people in the City of Ice...
Solomon's mind is already made up on what to do. With what Day had shared to him, and Ahito's shout over the thick weight of the air... he grits his teeth, grabbing at the pendant around his neck with one hand as he extends his wand with the other.
Hope that he'd held onto for millenia... for his efforts to have never been in vain... for the humans of this land to not have to suffer without power under the gaze of an uncaring force... for the people of his own time to thrive just as they are with freedom and peace away from the forces beyond...
Hope in humanity, its resilience, and its worth.
Wake up, little Northern Wizards. You've been trapped for long enough.]
no subject
Malice hears Ahito's words and nods. He grips the coin Yamato gave him tightly. He channels his magic through his focus, Cody's bracelet, and he whispers his incantation - haec dominium mea est, this is my Domain; this is my fight, this is my future - and Malice channels his magic to purify the stone - it's probably better not to think too much about what he's going to do when he gets home because that's not very pure at all, so instead he focuses on the here and now. He wants to get back to the manor, to see the others again. He wants to help his fellow Northern wizards return too. He wants to see Yamato again, and spend more time with him. There's a lot Malice still wants to do here, and he won't be satisfied until he's seen and done it all - and this rock is standing in the way of that.
His hope lies in the people around him, the ones who have treated him with kindness and respect from the day he arrived here. If any group of strangers can come together and overcome this, it's them.
While his magic may be inelegant and unrefined, his hopes for the future shine brightly through. It may not be a future someone like him deserves, but he's going to do his best to remember his past and his actions and do better going forward. And he can't do that if we can't purify this damn rock, so here's to cleaning up our act for one round of actions!!]
no subject
Then he raises his axe, the lantern casting a soft green glow around.
But what are good intentions? Raising the lantern and channeling his magic into it like this, Ithaqua is reminded that his mother used to own this staff before he strapped an axe head to it, and he's reminded that he simply wants to go home and see his mother again, and perhaps she'll be well enough to greet him as she once did, and he no longer needs to live with a mask on his face. No, wait, that's a hope and a dream.
Admittedly, he also doesn't want to die or become corrupted today, and just return to the manor to see his room, his books and a certain handful of people he appreciates.]
no subject
and grima is, perhaps, the other side of the coin from her, the same but different. their nature as dragons, divine and fell, is inherently inclined towards harshness no matter if they favor humanity or not.
the lonely coin and ward against curses, tucked away alongside a sundry few other supplies for this trip in a bag looped somewhere around his neck after his transformation, has its work cut out for it. but in that same bag lies the worn compass that guides him, in that same bag lies his truth. both hum with his magic as he marshals his intent.
omnia mors aequat: all are rendered equal by death. no matter how miserable, how low, how pitiful the life ... no matter how grand, how heroic, how charmed the tale ... in the end, whether warmonger king or beloved queen or lowly beggar, all things meet with the same fate.
a final respite that needs not be earned; an inevitability for those who would flee from it. he is the end, and the acceptance of all that cannot be. the divine punishment for those who would think themselves above it; the last reprieve for those searching for it. if nothing else, they will have that as their solace.
circling above, this is the hope that the wings of despair can provide, the final cleansing of all earthly burdens. ]
PHASE 5 DEFINITELY TOTALLY LEGITIMATELY HAPPENING
Their efforts to purify the corruption magic of the rock have succeeded, the efforts of five Northern wizards working together more than enough to cleanse the rot. It may not be with the flames of hope, but magic is more than just nice words and soft, sweet feelings. Magic is power and how one chooses to wield it.
The end of the corruption has two other noticeable effects—they can feel the presence of the spirits around them changing, shifting from neutrality and curiosity to tacit approval. Their efforts have been appreciated, and they may get a boon from this in the future with the spirits more willing to obey them.
The second thing that happens are five glowing orbs in a brilliant purple (different from the purple of the meteorite) drifting up from the dormant stone. They bob in the air briefly, and if they strain their ears they can hear a voice whispering "Thank you" before the orbs separate and fly off into different directions.
There's a moment of peace in the snow, the wizards surrounded with plentiful mana stones, and it feels like... their mission is over.
And then something skids into the snow with a none-too-elegant yelp, two bodies nearly crashing into the snow around them. The two arrivals pick themselves up, one of them profusely apologetic while the other remains unbothered by their disastrous arrival. Tatara and G'raha have arrived, the Sage looking relieved as he sees all of you are intact, while the new mentor(?) turns his attention to the snow with plain curiosity and interest after apologizing for not being able to make it sooner.
Now their mission is truly over, and they have a way to get back to the Manor without completely exhausted. They are free to decide what to do with the stone, as Tatara and G'raha won't make the decision for them.]
no subject
... and he barely lifts a hand before all the color drains from his face. The blood loss has finally caught up to him, and he crumples straight to the ground.
Goodnight. :(]
no subject
He'll light another one of Bruno's healing matches to patch Solomon up at least. 2/5 uses remaining.]
no subject
no subject
Thanks, Ahito. I can carry him; I ain't that injured!
[And then he laughs about it, because of course he does. Up you go, Solomon, you're getting bridal carried back and you'll just have to Deal.]
no subject
[Solomon's situation was. Dire.]
no subject
Yeah, sure. Shouldn't need too much help; I'll heal it off eventually anyway.
[But he does appreciate it, thanks Ahito!]
no subject
[He'll begin casting a healing spell - much weaker than the Southern ones and also just, weak because he's now drawing on his amulet, but it should soothe any pain with a gentle sensation almost akin to clean water over a dirty wound, helping seal up the worst of it.]
no subject
Thanks, it's appreciated. That feels a lot better - but don't push yourself too hard!
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
no subject
[He's never gotten to ride a dragon before... 👀]
This form of yours is really cool; I'd like to see it again sometime when we ain't freezin' our asses off. Better to start headin' back, yeah?
1/2 I will respond to myself
2/2
This feels kind of anticlimactic...
[Well. Better check on them.]
no subject
Ithaqua scrambles to pick up the pieces of his mask-- thankfully in three rather than in little bits around-- but now he's unmasked, unhooded, and is starting to bruise on the face where his mask hit him before breaking apart.
And all he has to say to this?]
Ugh. [Just "ugh".]
no subject
robin trims his wings once more as he banks by, letting himself slow and descend until he's touching carefully, delicately down in the snow close to everyone and the no longer cursed rock. no dragon trampling for anyone today.
up close it's a little more clear he's not entirely unscathed, but honestly he's ... probably doing better than a lot of the others?
you know, like solomon. ]
no subject
no subject
[ has anyone ever seen the snek and robin in the same place, checkmate atheists ]
It isn't like I was really trying to keep it a secret.
no subject
[How's he supposed to know who here can turn into dragons...]