❪ 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

[eaudevamp]

[ Yeah, the kidnappings. That had been awful. Reign merely gave a small nod. Such sufferings wasn't something to care about. The wounds may heal, but some others have yet to heal mentally or emotionally.

Either way, thank goodness for a topic change. ]

Well, I don't know any other dragons, and she certainly sounds like a handful already.

[sullenstallion]

So...they don't have dragons where you come from? Or do you just not talk to them?

[He's the last person that should be lecturing Reign on his conversation partners, but he can't help it. He's so defensive of Ventuswill.]

You should try it sometime. The ones that can talk are pretty great.

[Probably.]

Ventuswill taught me most of what I know.

[Considering his personality, though...]

[eaudevamp]

Ah, no. We don't have dragons where I come from. I've always thought they are myths. So I was definitely surprised upon seeing them in Wyver.

[ A tilt of his head. ]

The dragons here don't talk though. At least the ones I've seen.

[ This Ventuswill dragon-girl certainly seemed important to Dylas. ]

I see. Is she... awake too?

[sullenstallion]

The ones in Wyver? You mean the wyverns? Those aren't really dragons. Anyone could come along and beat one into submission. They aren't that smart.

[He sounds like he's speaking from experience. Yes, he's been fighting wyverns, and it's a completely casual to him.

At the question, his tail swishes low, and then it tucks against his leg. That particular equine body language—shame.]

She died. Before the storm hit. She's been dead for...two years now.

[eaudevamp]

Sounds like you've beat one into submission.

[ That had Reign raising a brow, chuckling softly. Now that he thought about it, Dylas was right. Those were wyverns and not true dragons. Not unless they counted Ysverai, the High Dragon.

Reign was quickly learning the cues from Dylas's body language, and he kind of regretted having asked. ]

Oh, I'm... sorry. That was impolite of me.

[sullenstallion]

Where I come from, that's what you do to monsters like that...but only if you have the right weapons.

[He's not sure if that's an interesting story or not, so he rubs his neck from where he's standing. Monsters are a complicated deal in his world, and he's surprised they don't work the same way here. Even a year later.

But he shakes his head.]

Huh? No, it's...not important. She'd hate to see our world be destroyed like that. Maybe she's the lucky one.

[eaudevamp]

That sounds scary.

[ Reign wondered if vampires were considered a monster in Dylas's world, would he be beaten into submission as well? Not that he minded being submissive, but perhaps in an altogether different situation.

Ahem... Anyway... ]

I'm sure she'll be glad that at least you are alive. Continuing to live and carry memories of her, use the knowledge that she had taught you.

[sullenstallion]

Scary? It's pretty fun. It gives me a chance to blow off some steam, and it's not like anyone gets hurt.

[Even the monsters! Sort of. Rune Factory monsters are ridiculous. Dylas could explain that he punches them until they return to their home dimension, but he's not sure anyone would believe him.]

...Yeah. She would be, in more ways than you know. Our history is pretty...long.

[eaudevamp]

Uh huh...

[ Yeah, raising the other brow now, but Reign's wasn't going to question how monsters work in Dylas's world. It seemed cruel, but sounded like none of them were really harmed. At least Dylas didn't kill them? ]

I can see she played an important role in your life.

[sullenstallion]

What's that look for, huh? You don't believe me?

[It's true, Reign has only seen him die, so...maybe he needs to beat something up just so Reign will believe him?

He files the thought away for later.]

N-no. It's not like that. It's...everyone has people important to them, so she isn't really that special. She's ridiculous.

[eaudevamp]

No, no. Not at all. I think I can imagine you beating some monster into submission. Maybe I just needed to see you in action instead.

[ After all, Reign had never seen Dylas fight before. Who knows, maybe the other had some stunning skills to wow Reign.

At that, his lips quirked. ]

That's true, but you still speak fondly of her.

[ Dylas may be brusque (and occasionally have a rude streak), but he didn't seem the type to speak about someone if they hadn't made some impact in his life. ]

[sullenstallion]

You want to watch me beat someone into submission? I guess that's...alright?

[Whoops. He meant to say 'some monster' but slipped up there, and he doesn't even realize it. His tail twitches a little at the thought of a good fight, but he's surprised Reign is interested in watching him 'in action.']

That's...neither here nor there. She's really childish, you know? When she's around the citizens, she talks with a deep, booming voice so they'll respect her, but if you catch her alone she talks likes a normal girl.

[Whoops, his voice continues to sound like he's describing a happy memory, even though he's trying not to.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Again a raise of a brow, but this time a quick one. ]

I've heard that there's a sort of fighting ring in Wyver, right? Maybe there's such a facility on the station here.

[ It would surely be interesting to watch Dylas "in action". ]

Really? That's cute. [ But the realisation that Ventuswill was no longer alive somehow made the conversation a bit... sad. Reign would have loved to meet her. ] She certainly sounded like a fun dragon-girl.

[sullenstallion]

The last time I tried to fight there, some guy grabbed my hand and held it instead.

[And at that, he makes an unpleasant face, remembering. Stupid Keith, always trying to hold his hand.]

She's not...a dragon-girl, she's a girl-dragon. [He makes a gesture with his hands, slanting them and then straightening them as he lowers them, indicating the shape of a dwelling.] She's as fat as a house.

[eaudevamp]

How does grabbing your hand stop the fight?

[ Maybe the other opponent had some kind of super power that put a stop to Dylas? Reign's question was hesitant at that, having caught the look on Dylas's face. ]

Ah, ok. Girl-dragon. [ Right. There was a definite difference between the two terms. Thank you for correcting him. ] Is that so? A little hard to imagine. [ He said with a hum. Maybe she was very tall and big and... fat. ]

[sullenstallion]

He wasn't! He wasn't...grabbing it. He was holding it.

[It's enough to set his tail aflutter at the memory of it all, okay? Granted, he's remembering the event through a pair of blinders...]

How is that hard to imagine? You saw Ysvrael right? Just...picture that, but small enough to fit in a castle. And...rounder.

[He's not going to let go of this 'fat' thing. Somewhere, Ventuswill is planning to kill him from beyond her lack of existence.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign blinked. ] Why didn't you say so in the first place? I thought he grabbed your hand and did something to you. [ Well, probably the hand holding did do some difference, not that Reign had any idea what transpired between Dylas and that guy.

From the looks of the way that tail was twitching, probably something quite embarrassing. ]

Able to fit into a castle, huh? Gosh, she really does sound huge!

[sullenstallion]

He did do something to me. It was humiliating. It all went downhill from there.

[Thanks, he still hates it. He huffs, trying to force the memory of him nearly pantsing the guy out of mind.]

That's how big dragons are supposed to be. The one we saw...maybe it feels more like a devil or something like that. I dunno.

[eaudevamp]

As curious as I am about what he did, I've a feeling you rather not tell.

[ If it was that humiliating (and embarrassing), Reign was pretty sure Dylas would prefer to drop the subject. ]

Yeah, that dragon almost seem like the devil itself. Something evil.

[sullenstallion]

[Dylas' face looks a little guilty. Maybe the reason it went all downhill was because of him, whoops.]

Yeah. It's not something I, uh. Want to relive. That bastard.

[Coughs.]

Ventuswill was a Native Dragon. She was sort of like...a goddess, but also a dragon. It was because of her that crops could grow, but it was pretty complicated, too. Magic always is.

[eaudevamp]

[ Truth be told, Reign would have prodded until he got to the bottom of this mysterious guy who did that to Dylas under normal circumstances. But now wasn't the right time to be curious, and hearing Dylas talk about Ventuswill had caught his interest instead. ]

Wow... A dragon who is also like a goddess. Or a goddess dragon... Dragon goddess? Magic is fascinating, isn't it? I don't have that in my world.

[sullenstallion]

It's pretty normal for me.

[He holds out his hand, and he produces an orb of lightning without any effort at all. He closes his fist and it vanishes, leaving only the scent of rainfall lingering in the air for a few seconds.]

My body...has more magic in it than the average person does. But everyone can use spellbooks. It's not that exciting to me.

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign stared at the orb of lightning in Dylas's hand, his mouth agape. He leaned nearer to have a closer look, only for the orb to vanish just as quickly when Dylas closed his fist. Aww, he wanted to stare longer. But the lingering scent of rain and lightning still made him smile. ]

That's still amazing! I've heard that the Natha can teach you magic even if you don't have a lick of it in your body. Like me. It may seem normal to you, but it's fascinating to me.

[sullenstallion]

Yeah, they can. They can do things like that even if you don't ask them to.

[He can't remember if he told Reign about his nose or not, how one day he woke up with animal senses. Or how he woke up with the ability to turn into a horse.]

You gonna take 'em up on it?

[eaudevamp]

Really? I would have figured they would at least ask permission before giving such ability, other than granting requests.

[ Unfortunately, Dylas hadn't tell Reign about either of his newfound abilities. ]

If it's possible, yeah. Or if they offer to teach me. Sounds handy enough no matter what ability it turns out to be.