❪ event ❫ hour of ruin

[natha]

HOUR OF RUIN     Sometime after midnight, after preparations have been put aside in favor of drinks and rest, a thunderous beating of wings shatters the air — the High Dragon Ysverai, once again risen. The sound echoes high off Namarak Mountain, but travels easily to both Wyver and Olympia: scream after scream rends the still night, as though a creature were dying rather than being born again. Having only had days to plan their defense against the creature, Olympia and Wyver snatch up their arms. The Royal Guard and the Knightryders can be seen on their steeds hurrying through the cities, because Ysverai doesn't remain isolated at the mountain's peak for long. There are pictures of Ysverai in abundance throughout both cities, but the creature that circles in the sky looks nothing like the majestic creature spoken of in history books. Even from far below, wounds and lacerations can be seen marring what should be smooth scales, and blood falls with every beat of the dragon's wings. The damage becomes more clear when moonlight illuminates Ysverai, revealing the rotting dragon for all to see. The sight of flesh peeling away and thick blood where it oozes from his cracked, greyish hide is as frightening as the power he possesses. REASON'S TRANSCENDENCE     Mad from the anguish of his forced revival, Ysverai will show none of his renowned wisdom or compassion, mindless and seeking to inflict his pain onto whatever emerges in his path. His very presence creates chaos: animals (Olympia | Wyver) domesticated and wild, flee from the merest hint of his approach, panicked and stampeding in wild droves. The reason is obvious: organic matter exposed too long to his presence begins to rot and decay. A field he lands in rots and lies fallow. Buildings crack and crumble, their supports pitted and corroded as though they've been left in disrepair for years. Even the ground that Ysverai walks upon is tainted; a corrosive sludge bubbles up in his massive, clawed footsteps, the ground beneath him putrefied and toxic, oozing corruption. This sludge can be tar-like, poisonous and sucking people in like quicksand; panic, and you'll only sink faster. Prolonged exposure to Ysverai takes a mental toll on anyone in his proximity as well. Effects similar to those from being near his heart — selfish desires and lowered inhibitions — will begin to fester in those around him. Every time Ysverai roars, pain will run through all those that hear him — a pain not just physical, but of true, anguished heartbreak. Those who hear Ysverai will feel (to a degree of your choosing) a sharing of his pain, the agony of flesh rotting from their bodies, blood oozing from under their skin, and a terrible, incandescent fury — and beneath that, a gut-wrenching sadness. This effect is further enhanced by any exposure to Ysverai's blood, and being drenched in greater quantities will cause one to become more in sync with the dragon. Finally, Ysverai is aggressive, attacking anyone and anything that approaches. He starts by breathing out a smog, acidic and putrefying — characters caught directly by this attack will find that medicine and healing magic of any kind hurts them for hours after exposure. The dragon will ignite the smog to breathe fire, if sparingly. IN WYVER     Ysverai's shadow falls over the near reaches of Wyver first. Upon hearing Ysverai's cry, the dragons in Wyver become completely frenzied, turning against their partners among the Knightryders without the slightest resistance. Those familiar with dragons might deduce that they're in pain, though they don't show any sign of injury. The dragons knock their riders off their backs in midair and dive at citizens, jaws wide. Any attempts to soothe them will be long fought, achieved with great difficulty, and will see them retreat into a cowering state. It's not just the airborne Knightryders taking to the defense of the city however, and people on the ground are mobilizing as well. On rooftops across the city are cannons set to fire harpoons. And if the spearheads alone aren't enough to injure the beast, they're coated with a paralyzing poison as well. Unfortunately, the soldiers stationed on the rooftops are prime targets to the frenzied dragons populating Wyver's skies, leaving the cannons open for ordinary citizens to use should they choose. Left alone too long, and cannons may fall under the control of the few remaining radicals that had opted not to flee the cities to join up with their leader Raysc, choosing instead to wait for an opportune moment to unleash their anger on the people of Wyver. These radicals will need to be dealt with before they can turn the cannons upon Wyver's defenders. IN OLYMPIA     In Olympia, the gryphon partners of the Royal Guard react with immediate hostility to anyone showing signs of Ysverai's influence. Their keen senses allow them to pick up the smell of Ysverai's blood and they attack anyone with so much as a drop of tainted blood on them. Those who bear lingering effects of Ysverai's mental attack and who remain in sync with the dragon after hearing Ysverai's cry are also targeted and must face the gryphons' wrath without mercy or restraint. The gryphons must be disabled, for Olympia will not look upon any injury to their prized steeds lightly. However, the gryphons also show some resistance to Ysverai's cry, which is a great boon in battle against the dragon — gryphons that have lost their riders will be available for use, able to carry two passengers at a time. The people of Olympia aren't planning to restrict their offense to pure brute force, and the mages of the city can be seen across Olympia wielding enchanted chains, using telekinesis in the hopes of restraining Ysverai and assisting in the airborne troops. But like the decaying buildings and wildlife, Ysverai is warping the magic around him, the chains faltering as they approach him, whipping back toward the city instead to cage whoever happens to be closest. It's not just the enchanted chains either, but other magic might behave erratically in his presence, as if the very essence of the spells have been corrupted. VIRTUOUS VERSE     Both cities realize they need to seek survival rather than victory against Ysverai, switching gears to carry out diversion efforts and evacuation plans. It falls to refugees to continue the offensive while the Royal Guard and the Knightryders devote their attention to ensuring the safety of the citizens as they flee. With official forces stretched thin, civilians and refugees alike will also need to step up to help herd citizens toward safety among a maze of collapsing buildings. Others will need to see to gathering resources for the evacuation, and while gathering non perishables is easy enough, it's considerably harder to wrangle livestock into cooperating amidst such chaos. Those fighting may be asked to act as bait for Ysverai. Chatter through official troops speaks of a switch in strategy: the objective now is capture the dragon's attention and draw him away from the populous cities and towards the South Outpost. Whether or not it's possible to defeat the dragon remains uncertain, but there's no question that it will be easier to battle him without worrying about civilians. THE RAGE     Luckily, the dragon is indiscriminate in his rage, and easily lured so long as a suitably infuriating target is before him. It doesn't take long to draw him to the South Outpost, but the trail of destruction he leaves in his wake is vast. Once there, the combined forces are greeted not just by Ysverai, but also by the appearance of Ysverai's master. How bravely you've all come to meet your doom! Great heroes, one and all, ha! I welcome you, bring your best. Show me the power that's protected Olympia and Wyver, all that you have to offer me, whatever pitiful excuse for valor you seek to cling to when the fear has you cowering in your beds. All will be for naught in the face of Ysverai's might! Let history witness the day the glory of war is reignited — the day that Wyver remembers its fangs once more! Come, Ysverai, last and greatest of the High Dragons! Come, and restore Wyver to its rightful place! Come, fulfill the promise as our protector that you could not in life! Raysc lifts a gleaming device as he issues his command. Red lights blink and blood, the same oozing liquid that drips from Ysverai's many wounds, runs in clear tubes through the device. Ysverai rears back as Raysc makes adjustments to a control panel — and then lunges forward, mouth agape. With a single swallow, Raysc meets his end. Raysc's attempt to control the dragon has only enraged him further, spurring Ysverai on to new heights of fury. It's become more vital than ever to face the dragon and take him down here and now. A few effective strategies are learned from research efforts and observed while defending Olympia and Wyver: goading the dragon into breathing fire will hurt him, burning him from the inside out, and attacks to his joints, eyes, wings, and exposed bone are effective. Ice is a natural repellent to dragons and can be used defensively or to weaken the dragon's hide. Healing spells will also react unnaturally to Ysverai's flesh, hastening his decay. However, while concentrated efforts will lock him down, Ysverai cannot be permanently killed in this state — his flesh constantly rots and spawns anew. Attacking him here is to protect civilians, keeping him busy to avoid mass destruction elsewhere. Therefore, the battle is one of attrition, a matter of a race against time. You must destroy his flesh faster than it is able to regenerate to have any hope of victory. Finally, when Ysverai is weakening, little more than bones with a few last vestiges of rotten meat hanging from a skeleton, the pathetic remnants of the last High Dragon takes to the skies. His wings are barely intact enough to carry him, yet desperation lifts him, higher and higher, until he lets out one great, earth-shaking roar. A roar that carries across the battlefield, sending all who hear it to their knees. A roar that shatters the swords in soldiers' hands, that rends apart the very air itself — Ysverai's last act, a great curse upon El Nysa, to bring down the sky. AND THE WORLD STOOD STILL     The terror of Ysverai's destruction hangs overhead — a tear in the sky, darkness pouring through, tendrils reaching down towards El Nysa to swallow up the planet in the dragon's final act of revenge. And yet nothing moves. A halo of brilliant light surrounds the rift in the sky, holding the grasping, hungry tendrils in check. And on the planet, not a creature moves. Not a blade of grass stirs. You're not able to even draw a breath. No matter where you are, not even the heart in your chest is beating. Everything has stopped — time has come to a standstill. In a wash of light, an aurora of transport, you find yourself delivered to Thesa Station. Darma stands before you, her expression solemn, perhaps even grim, though that may just be a trick of the station's harsh lighting. She explains what has happened in short order: planetside, time has been completely frozen. We have seen the birth and end of worlds. The rise and fall of civilizations infinite times over. We have seen all threads of possibilities that could have lead to this very moment... Or should have. Perhaps you might doubt our sincerity when we say this comes as a surprise to us, as well... Special technology has been used to blind us. To this day, we only know of one region capable of creating and utilizing such technology... you will find this technology in a city known as Nadril. We understand that you have created a life down in Wyver and Olympia, but now we must ask that you put that life on pause. We ask you to travel to Nadril and find the original Refugee, and with him, answers. As you will discover, he does not wish to speak to us. It is no matter. By now it is too late to keep the Nysan public unaware of our existence. We commend the efforts of those who wish to protect their comrades on the battlefield below, but a creature like poor Ysverai, twisted and warped, given unnatural life with terrible magic and technology, does not simply go down with manpower. Please, leave Ysverai to us. Time on the planet will remain stopped while we determine how to deal with the dragon. For now, rest and recover your strength. We have returned, and soon, there will be new refugees awakening. Perhaps you might like to prepare yourselves to greet them? I'm sorry that I can't answer more questions, but for now, all our attention must turn to finding a way to stop what Ysverai has wrought. A bank of monitors behind Darma displays the battlefield below: Ysverai's frozen, looming figure and the breach in the sky, and the Natha's halo, holding the destruction back. Though time passes normally on Thesa Station, El Nysa remains frozen, and all Refugees are unable to return to the planet until Ysverai's menace is dealt with. Luckily, with the Natha's return, full functionality has also returned to the station. The lights and environmentals are back to full power, access to all areas has been restored, the cafeteria is serving its normal offerings, and there's no evidence of any glitching or malfunctions. Doubtless, the period of rest is much needed after the hard-fought battle. For now, with time on El Nysa at a standstill, there's little else to be done but enjoy the reprieve aboard Thesa Station. FINAL OOC NOTE     Characters that reach an AC length action thread in this event will receive 2 rep for all factions, including Natha. Note that while these are split up for ease of processing, players may submit for all three. OLYMPIA | WYVER | NATHA Players can expect this event to run three days ICly before everyone is teleported to Thesa Station! From thereon, all characters will be grounded at the Station until the Test Drive Meme later this month. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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iii

[nineteenfortyfive]

[There's a number of people walking around like the living dead, and Claire's been trying to catch them when she can. For the hundredth time it feels like she's asking the question, but she asks anyway when she catches sight of Prompto:]

Are you all right?

[It takes a moment, but she recognizes him. They've spoken before. That alone makes a gentle tone all the kinder.]

You don't look like you've eaten.

[Maybe, maybe not, but it'll take him somewhere better than here.]

[punshots]

[ Absorbed as he is in a maze visible only to him, it takes Prompto a moment to register that someone is speaking, and that it is directed at him. At last he looks over at Claire, but his gaze is still distant, detached. He recognizes her, too, but...

He still shouldn't trouble her, if he can help it. Bereft of his usual bright disposition, he operates in something like safety mode, falling back on old habits he would've thought he'd gotten out of his system by now. ]

I'm fine. [ He intones, pressing his lips together as his gaze drops away once more. ] Not really, hungry, anyway.

[ That's another obvious lie. He's starving, he just doesn't want her to go out of her way for him. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[No one is fine. Claire's smile thins, just a touch, but she makes an attempt to reach out and touch his arm.]

It was... Prompto, wasn't it? I think all my friends are taking naps or otherwise busy. If you're not hungry, how about just keeping me some company?

[punshots]

[ Prompto is ever a tactile person, both in giving and receiving, and where otherwise he may have tried to refuse her offer again, her touch gives him pause. Company, huh? No one should be alone right now. He just can't help but think there's someone more qualified to provide it than him.

But after a moment, he relents, a weary sigh bringing a ghost of a smile to his lips. ]

You sure? Gotta warn you, I'm...not sure I'll make great company right now.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[A ghost of a smile is more than most can muster now.]

Positive. You're better company than someone snoring, I think.

[He hasn't shrugged off her touch or otherwise pulled away, so she gives him a little pull to stand beside her so they can walk together.]

And maybe seeing some food might change your mind about not being hungry.

[punshots]

[ This would be his cue to chuckle, but the energy for it has just...evaporated. Ghostly smiles he may be able to manage, but not so much laughter, and his eyes are apologetic as he falls into step next to her. ]

Iggy did always say my eyes are bigger than my stomach.

[ What would his friend say if he could see him now? ]

How long...have you been up here? On...on the Station, I mean.

[ He doesn't, uh, exactly know how much time has passed. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

How long? [It's... a good question. As they walk, and Claire keeps his arm, she thinks.]

I... a day, maybe? I'm not used to being up here, the... the way the light is, it throws me off.

[It's hard to keep track of time.]

[punshots]

[ Then it can't have been too long, though Prompto still doesn't know how long the battle down on the planet raged on for, either. Considering the threat at hand, it could have gone on much longer after...after...

He shakes his head, dispelling the thought, though visceral memory remains. ]

No sunlight to tell you when it's morning, huh?

[nineteenfortyfive]

Or birds. But I think I've sworn at the bloody birds more often than not. I'm not a morning person.

[Small talk. Better birds than giant, rotting dragons.]

[punshots]

[ Birds are absolutely better than giant, rotting dragons, and his posture eases somewhat, even if he can't quite muster a laugh. ]

No? But it's the most beautiful part of the day! You ever go for a run at sunrise? Nothing beats it.

[ But he's not strictly a morning person, either. He can appreciate the virtues of sleeping in. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

Sleep beats it! [Claire Fraser is not a morning person. Jamie, Jenny, they were up with the lark. Not so much her.]

I don't run for pleasure, believe me.

[There's been a lot of running back and forth these past few days. She's no athlete, but she's kept up--though it explains why she's sore despite staying as far away as possible from the dragon.]

[punshots]

Heh...nah, I get it, it's not for everyone.

[ It hadn't started out as something pleasurable for him, anyway. He just built out the habit and now if he goes too long without doing it...he finds he misses it. ]

Just don't judge me too hard if you see me jogging around while we're stuck up here.

[ ...However long that may end up being for. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

I won't. We do need to stay active, up here. Sitting around is worse than running. Don't worry.

[She gives him a little nudge.]

Just don't overdo it, hmm?

[punshots]

[ Not overdoing it is pretty much the opposite of how he copes, but he'll try. He may not have much of a choice up here anyway. There's not a lot for them to do to keep busy, though they do all seem to have a fair bit of healing to do. Both visibly, and invisibly. ]

Heh...I'll see what I can do. You...been pretty busy, since we got back?

[ He recalls she's a doctor, and well, considering how bad the battle was, he would imagine there were plenty of refugees who needed her help. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

You'd be surprised how many people don't run the other way from a rotting dragon.

[So, yes.]

But they're mostly taken care of, now.

[punshots]

[ He breathes out a soft sigh of relief. ]

I'm...glad to hear that.

[ After the carnage he'd witnessed down on the planet, it's good to think about healing for a change. ]

Kinda hard to run away from him, though, considering he was kinda...everywhere.

[nineteenfortyfive]

Shh.

[It's meant playfully, and she gives him a nudge. She knows. She wishes she didn't.]

[punshots]

[ He makes a soft noise that almost sounds something like a laugh, a smile flickering over his face. It's not much, but it's miles better than how he'd been a few moments before. ]

Think...the people down on the planet are gonna be okay?

[ He can't help but worry about them. They left a lot of people to their fate down their on the planet. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[It's close enough to a laugh that Claire feels glad for it. It's something.

Claire doesn't answer as they move into the dining hall, giving herself some time. What she really thinks and what she says don't quite align.]

I think so, yes. They have to be.

[punshots]

[ They have to be. Prompto doesn't want to think of it any differently himself. If they're determined to make sure the people on the planet are taken care of, then things will work out, won't they?

But then again, he'd been determined not to die, and that hadn't exactly worked out for him. ]

We just...gotta make sure the Natha know that, too.

[nineteenfortyfive]

Of course. But right now, I'm more concerned about you.

[They're here now, and she said she'd like some company, but she wants him to get something in his belly as well. Even if it's not necessarily nutritious.]

What can I get for you?

[punshots]

[ His mouth thins, cutting off the forthcoming, impulsive response: you don't need to worry about me. But to be honest, it's an argument he's tired of making, and for once...maybe he'll just let someone look out for him, even if he'll feel guilty about it later.

He scans the mess hall, attempting to summon his appetite so he can actually answer that question. ]

Y'know, I could really go for a burger and fries right about now.

[ Something classic and filling and indulgent. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

A burger and fries? [She can't help but laugh.] Of all the people I've ever tried to get to eat, that's the first request that's actually decent.

[And, usually, it's Claire that has to suggest something.]

Find a seat, Prompto. I'll be right back.

[punshots]

[ He huffs a quiet chuckle. ]

What can I say? I have a healthy appetite.

[ And...what do you know...being dead leaves you pretty hungry, turns out, and now that he's actually smelling the scent of food on the air, he's realizing just how starving he is.

So, that's something.

He gives her a meaningful smile and a nod, before finding his way to one of the tables scattered throughout the mess hall. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[It's easy to round up a burger and fries (and an extra serving for herself because she is a little hungry, now that she's here), and it's just as easy to spot Prompto. The hair is impressive, after all.]

I hope you like ketchup.

[Because she brought a lot of ketchup.]