❪ 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

Comments

[colorature]

I'll dress up for anyone.

_{[She doesn't see why she wouldn't. (Mainly she just wants to be told how hot she is.) To each their own though.]}

Have you been to a wedding before Chuuya?

[thetaintedsorrow]

Whatever floats your boat.

[If you’ve got it, flaunt it.]

Hm? Oh, nah. I was never invited to one.

[He does remember seeing a wedding party massacred by a rival gang, however...]

Been to plenty of funerals though.

[colorature]

I don't think I've ever been to a funeral before either...

_{[Gently she tips her head back into his fingers, as if to encourage him to continue what he'd been doing before.]}

They seem a lot more drab and dreary than a wedding, but I guess that makes sense.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Yeah. They’re not really a fun time.

[At least one of them is mostly clean now.]

I did go to a few Sakura tree viewings though. They bloomed pink petals in the spring. Pretty nice.

[colorature]

_{[Maybe when Chuuya's done with her she'll return the favour. She's definitely thinking about it.]}

That sounds really pretty...I want to experience something like that.

_{[And maybe have a picnic.]}

There are a lot of things I'd like to experience. You would think I'd have seen and done a lot, being alive for so long...but I haven't.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Do it. He’ll melt for sure.]

I dunno if anything exists like that here. Besides the mushrooms in Khalo.

[He sinks lower to wet his own hair a bit.]

Yeah? Like what?

[colorature]

_{[She'll get her fingers on you, just you wait.]}

I wanted to travel all over Earth, and in a way I did go to a lot of countries...but I never really got to explore them.

_{[Not that it matters anymore. Earth is gone and so are all the wonders of that world.]}

I want to go on a date.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[At least soaking his hair has started to break up the bloody mats in it.]

I only got to visit a few countries too. Europe was really pretty.

[He perks up at the mention of a date.]

Nobody ever took you on one?

[colorature]

Europe is beautiful. I miss it.

_{[Now that her hair's been more or less washed, Diva pushes her bangs up off her forehead. They'd been sticking there for awhile now, from being damp. Without saying a word she reaches for Chuuya's hair, settling her wrists on his shoulders to rub the ends of it between her fingers.]}

No, I've never been on one. I've been taken to fancy dinner parties and whatnot, but never a proper date.

_{[And with good reason too.]}

My Chevalier didn't trust me to behave well enough for a date.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Yeah. I visited France and Germany and really enjoyed both.

[Ahh, now it’s his turn to be pampered. He tilts his head back a bit to give her better access to his hair.]

I’ve had a few outings in romantic settings, but I haven’t been on a real date either.

[He’s gotten the dokis plenty of times, though.]

Where would you wanna go on a date?

[colorature]

Ah, France is wonderful, is it not? Germany is quite fun too.

_{[It's nice, reminiscing about places she'll never see again. There maybe should be something sad about it, but it makes her feel nostalgic to remember. Not many people get to see, let alone be on the end of such gentle touches from Diva. Her fingers begin to work their way up his scalp, nails scratching against it carefully. He really does have pretty red hair. It suits his fiery personality.]}

You haven't? _{[There's something surprising about that admission. She definitely would've thought Chuuya would've been on at least one date before in the past.]}

I'm not sure. Perhaps for dinner or a picnic? Or maybe a walk in a park to feed ducks. Or maybe to an opera or symphony. Really though...I think I'd be happy with anything.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Yeah. I wish could’ve stayed longer, but I was only there for business.

[He supposes it is kind of nice to remember such things, even if he can never relive them.

A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips as Diva scratches at his scalp, and if he could purr he would. He really is like a pet sometimes...]

Mm. Never officially. I’d only count it if I was actually asked on a date.

[If romantic experiences count, then he’s had several.]

Those all sound really nice.

[He glances up at the ceiling, looking a bit wistful for a moment.]

You should take someone that you have feelings for. That’ll make it more special.

[colorature]

Someone I have feelings for...

_{[That'd make it special, huh? Diva finds herself falling silent for a moment, her fingers slowing before she retracts them completely to reach for shampoo. She's not...the most adapt at washing someone else's hair (she can't even manage her own) but she'll do her best.]}

I don't really know what that's like. Those kind of feelings. I love my darling sister, but that's different from loving someone you go on a date with.

_{[Diva may be stunted emotionally in many ways, but she at least knows that much.]}

I don't really know what love is...and I don't really know if I'm someone who can be loved back.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Anything is better than a bloody mess in his hair. He can wash it again later if he needs to.

GOD. This conversation is almost word for word like the one he’d had with Mephisto not too long ago. Not knowing what love is, or knowing if he’s capable of being loved. It makes his heart ache.

For both of them.]

Yeah. It’s hard to know. I’m not really sure either, but I think it’s like...wanting to be around someone all the time. Smiling and laughing when you’re with them. Thinking about them when you’re apart. Feeling all fluttery in your chest when you see them. That kinda thing.

[colorature]

...Oh.

_{[If that's what love was then it wasn't really all that different from the way she felt about Saya, even if she knows it has to be on some level. The more she thinks about who might fit the criteria the more her expression drops. At least Chuuya can't see it with his back turned to her.]}

I don't think anyone will feel like that toward me.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Huh? Why not?

[Maybe he can’t see her, but he can sense the change in her tone.]

You’re pretty and sweet when you wanna be.

[colorature]

Who wants to fall in love with a monster?

_{[Haha Diva, if only you knew...]}

Just because I can be sweet doesn't change what I am or what I'm capable of.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Lemme ask you something; if someone you knew, that you like a lot, was secretly a monster how would you feel? It doesn’t change how they act, it’s just a part of them. Would you still want to be around them?

[Chuuya is no wise man, but...]

If people can’t accept all of you then they don’t deserve only the sweet parts.

[colorature]

It wouldn't matter to me what they are.

_{[Namely because she herself is a monster. If anything, finding out someone else was would only make her feel closer to them. Human morality is hard to navigate, after all. That's why she finds it so easy to get along with Keaton.]}

Atsushi said he thinks I'm pretty, cute and sweet...but I don't think he would think that way anymore if he saw what I had done.

[thetaintedsorrow]

I can’t lie and tell you he wouldn’t be upset.

[But knowing how forgiving Atsushi can be, Chuuya doubts that he would cut off contact with her completely.]

But at least you didn’t mean to. You’re trying to change, right? That’s what matters.

[colorature]

I'm trying to kill less.

_{[Because she knows she's not perfect by any means. She can't make a promise not to kill anymore simply because it's unrealistic but she has been trying not to just up and murder indiscriminately.]}

It's frustrating...everyone expects me to think like them and understand them but they never do the opposite. I'm not human but people want me to be.

[thetaintedsorrow]

People are scared of what they don’t understand.

[Chuuya is silent for a moment as thinks on whether to share the details of his own nature.]

...there’s a sort of monster sealed inside me. Some people call it a god, others call it a demon, but either way, I used to be able to use its power to destroy everything in my path.

[colorature]

_{[Don't mind her as she cups some water in her hands, only to dump it atop the crown of Chuuya's head.]}

A monster sealed inside...

_{[She can kind of get it, the concept at least, someone being able to transform into something else or use another being's powers.]}

And how did you feel destroying everything?

[thetaintedsorrow]

[He doesn’t mind, even if the oil stings his eyes a little.]

I only used it when I had no other choice.

[He glances up at the ceiling.]

When I was under its control it felt incredible, but afterwards I was always shocked to see the destruction I was capable of.

[colorature]

I think that's why we're different.

_{[The soap is mostly out of Chuuya's hair by now, but that doesn't stop her from running her fingers through it, nails scraping against his scalp carefully.]}

Humans are usually shocked when they destroy or kill things. Not all the time but most of the time they are. I don't feel that way.

_{[Even now she has no guilt or remorse toward killing those who were unfortunate enough to cross her path. She only feels bad because it's upsetting to a handful of people she's come to care about. There's no shock when it comes to what she's capable of, if only because she knows quite well what she can do.]}