❪ event ❫ THE DESCENT: PART ONE -- the overflow.

[natha]

THE PROLOGUE     Your sleep on the night of the 15th is not a restful one, unfortunately. It’s unclear whether you are in a state of half-wakefulness, or dreaming. The voices you hear certainly sound very real. What is it, Sael? —Is everyone asleep?! Every one, yes. Sael, it appears you do not have good news to deliver...? N-No! I don’t know how it slipped past us, but there’s something powerful coming this way. Something hostile. I can barely keep the core systems online! ... I don't know what to do... I see... and we cannot protect Thesa and Alria in addition to transferring the Refugees to Olympia. This force, they waited for this moment. They knew I have been Intervening, and that I have become weak from such Interventions— ... We've been had. It cannot be helped. To save the Refugees on the Stations, we must eject the awoken unto El Nysa. My remaining energy shall go into shielding Thesa— left defenseless, every being we have saved on this station will perish... Sael, where is the ideal location for the landing? Hmm. There aren’t any people within a ten mile radius of The Outlook, and there shouldn’t be any for a few more days. I think that’s the best location right now. Very well. Instruct Zasere and Roman to begin preparations for an emergency eject. This is the only way we can save everyone. I am counting on you to ward off the enemy on the space front. The rest... is up to our Refugees. The alarms are blaring. It shouts against your eardrums, calling you to wake again. This time, you are in new pod, strapped down completely and cushioned tightly against the walls. In truth, you had no idea when you’d gone to sleep, but it is reminiscent of when you had been saved from the force of the Storm. A voice greets you when you come to, while the conversation between Darma and Sael is still fresh on your mind. Despite their voices playing like an old tune in your memory, you still know it is something that happened. Something has gone terribly wrong. You hear Darma speak, her voice loud in your head. Fellow Refugee, I wake you with regrettable news. A force equal to our own is attempting to engage Thesa, no doubt to steal the souls contained here. My energy is near depleted with this last Intervention, so I cannot send you to the grounds safely as originally intended. However, there is hope yet.This power shall instead shield Thesa and Alria — and believe in me when I swear no one shall be hurt. Your loved ones are safe with us. —Unfortunately, that is at your expense. Your descent will not be an easy one. This pod that contains you shall pierce through El Nysa's atmosphere and land you on an island west of Olympia, simply called The Outlook. Travel east. Find the West Outpost, then continue east until you find the Olympian North Gate. There is a method to this madness. You shall be sent in waves. The inhumanly strong shall be first. The parachute will soften the landing, but I am aware of all your capabilities. The first wave will survive the drop, and will work tirelessly to secure the others. Find your bearings, and ensure the safety of the second wave. They are the healers and medics. Catch their pods, ease their landings, make certain that they shall not be harmed, because you will need them for your wounds. The third wave are your strongmen. They shall help clear the debris and take people to safety, making way for the fourth wave, those can conjure magic to help. Bring everyone to a safe distance. A supply drop will follow soon after; it shall contain tents and tools that will be useful for the long night. The fifth and sixth waves are largely vulnerable humans. With your combined efforts, you shall survive this great misfortune. Forgive us, Refugee. Leave the Moons to us, my promise to you is still in tact— focus on what you can do for others like you. Helping at least two (2) Refugees will earn you one (1) Natha REP. Threads must be AC length to qualify, and can be submitted HERE by JULY 31st. THE DESCENT     FIRST WAVE. The instructions are clear. Those who are a part of the First Wave should be equipped with physical strength and fortitude to survive the drop or the power to regenerate and heal their own wounds. While the pods are already designed to cushion some of the impact, as this is the first group, it will likely to be the most jarring. In all of the waves, some of the pods will malfunction and offer no cushion at all. They will be expected to quickly find their bearings. Their mission isn’t simply just landing, after all. The first wave will be expected to help the next wave, and the wave after that. Whether through their abilities or brute strength, they will be expected to help soften the landing for those who are falling. They will also be expected to pry open hatches, carry people to safety, and to just... survive. It’s not always easy being first. SECOND WAVE. Within the next hour, it’s time for the Second Wave to make their descent. You were selected based upon your aptitude for healing and/or being able to administer first aid. Perhaps you can help the tired and weary. Maybe those who have landed have have strength, but no stamina. Either way, it may be unwise to exhaust all their abilities at once. The night is long, and you may want to conserve their energy for the next waves to come. At least you’ll have help in getting settled. THIRD WAVE. Akin to the First Wave, the Third Wave will possess some durability, and some manner of strength, making you a reliable ally. Especially in a time of crisis... Or so we hope. While the landing is tough, and some of you may need first aid. As soon as you’re all healed up, you’ll have no time to dawdle. Your help is required. “Please help those still trapped in pods. Carry those unconscious to safety. Lift debris, and rescue all you can.” May be a vague message still stuck in the back of your head. Something whispered to you while you were just waking. Well, might as well roll with it. It’s the best shot you have, after all. FOURTH WAVE. Those in the Fourth Wave, as Darma projects, were selected due to the versatility of their abilities. No one expects one man to do the same as the next. Rather, that’s precisely the point: to be different. To be able to accomplish something unique. While one individual may be blessed with powers that assist in putting out fires, another may have the ability to shield those from oncoming debris. Maybe one even has the ability to channel all of these. Regardless, it’s up to you and your quick wits to see what tasks are open. It’ll take some coordination, especially as there are more people mixing into the fray, but, you can do it, can’t you? FIFTH WAVE. If you are in the Fifth Wave it is likely that you have a specific power or ability. One that isn’t easily channeled or called upon. Or, perhaps, you were merely placed here for insurance. Whatever the case if, your expertise will presently be put to the test. Maybe you’re quite proficient in survival skills, and you’re already eyeing the supplies that were dropped between the Fourth Wave and now. Goods all ready to be salvaged. Okay, maybe some can’t, but as they say, “it’s the thought that counts.” Besides, the injured from earlier certainly need a space to rest, and camp isn’t going to make itself. Regardless, maybe you feel more comfortable joining in the efforts to assist those who still require it. Whatever it is, you are sure to find your place and use. Darma obviously held the same faith. FINAL WAVE. The Final Wave is fortunate in a variety of ways. With Thesa Station a bit more stabilized, Darma utilizes the last bit of her powers in insuring that these last remaining pods are met with the softest landing, right beside the fifth, that is. The fragility of life is nothing she is unfamiliar with, after all. Still, that isn’t to say nothing is expected of you. Most of the individuals that have dropped earlier will likely be exhausted. An hour stretched between each one, makes several hours for the first couple of waves. They'll need a place to relax. You will act as the final group of helpers. Settle into whatever role feels best for you. Are you an excellent cook? Great at rationing supplies? Perhaps, you have a secret skill in ______ that might come in handy here? Or, maybe, despite the gentler landing you still managed to get hurt. The sky's the limit, and you got this! Meanwhile, in the distant kingdom of Olympia, the Empress and her loyal subject discuss matters late into the night... I’ll have the results of that dragon toxin study ready for you soon, Your Highness. I just need a few helpers to— oh wow, is that a meteor shower? Oh yes, it appears so. How beautiful.. hehe. Let us thank Thesa for this blessing. GATHER YOUR BEARINGS     All in all, the descent lasts for nearly seven hours. After the deployment of the last wave of refugees, it’s only natural that you may be feeling pretty worn out. A. Within the remains of the pods, Refugees will find basic camping supplies such as small tents, sleeping bags, and compasses. Not all of the supplies remain intact, thanks to the impact of the crash. But, sharing resources will ensure there is enough for everyone to rest for the night. Can you really in good conscience leave that stranger next to you without shelter? B. Although you may be tired after such a life-threatening ordeal, there is still work to be done to ensure your survival. Fortunately, it works out because now there are plenty of empty hands. There are stray debris and metal parts that should be collected and disposed of. There's firewood that needs to be collected, and campfires to upkeep. The nights in the Outlook are particularly chilly, and so it will be imperative to keep warm! C. Your clothes are tattered or too bloodied to sleep on with comfortably. Fortunately, Darma thought ahead. There will be various types of clothing provided, mostly robes that resemble her own in earthy tones, all to help them camouflage you for your next big adventure. FINAL OOC NOTE     This INTRO event will be broken up into three parts! Please keep this in mind when plotting your threads/tag load. PART 3 Will be up on JULY 22ND, at 6 PM EST. We will not provide an additional CAPTCHA for this overflow. Players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals in the event this overflow gets close to CAPTCHA. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. The NETWORK is currently down, as Sael must concentrate all of his efforts on warding off the invading force. Characters may still message each other's personal IC inboxes. Submit two (2) AC-eligible threads from this log for one (1) Natha Orbiter REP point here by JULY 31ST. Recommended Listening: Alex & TOKYO Rose PART ONE | PART ONE (overflow) | PART TWO | PART THREE QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

Magnus Burnsides

[ruffboi]

( Continued Threads Only from here ! )

Taako

[ruffboi]

[No, he's perfectly happy with how cool he was made to look. Wrenching off the door to the pod, grabbing - well, whoever is inside - into his arms, and leaping just in time to avoid hitting the ground.

And like a big fucking dummy, curling himself around the body of this precious NPC to protect them with his dumb sweet head.]

[chaoticlootral]

[Oh, fuck it, if Magnus breaks all his ribs then he'll be kind of useless for the rest of the day. Casting Stoneskin on him just before he friggin' crash lands and smashes his brains everywhere. At the very least, it lasts an hour and they just can keep pitching him for funsies.

Making his way over to the Landing Zone where Magnus has made earth impact and prodding him with the end of the umbrella.]

Uh, you alive, my man?

[ruffboi]

Yeah!

[Picking himself up, and letting the hapless NPC we just rescued make a run for it to get away from this mess. He flexes his arm to show off how good his muscles look encased in stone.]

This was a great idea, and you should cast it on me all the time. I don't even need armor.

Junpei

[ruffboi]

Hmm. I mean, I could tell him I came up with it on my own, but I want to credit you. I don't want to steal all the credit.

[Thinking about it.]

The pact isn't really about names, it's about holding the sword, right?

[coolerjunpei]

[Oh, loophole. Nice.]

That's a good point. Nobody has to know anybody else held the sword... that's good.

[YEAH... and, at the exact opposite moment that this should have come up in conversation,] Uh, I'm Junpei, by the way.

[ruffboi]

Oh, yeah, hey! I'm Magnus, Magnus Burnsides. Well met, Junpei.

[Grabbing his hand without waiting to give him a very firm handshake. They already shook hands, though, with spit and everything.]

Itachi

[ruffboi]

This particular sword is kind of the gold standard of magic swords? Uh, really rare and valuable, I guess? My buddy, whose sword it is, kind of scammed it out of the last owner.

[He's a little bit less forthcoming about this piece of information; it's less cool to admit it's not really his sword.]

But magical weapons, sure. Dime a dozen.

[yourhatred]

[So it came from questionable sources. At least the man is being honest about it? Once again, Itachi isn't one to judge. He doesn't care for it, but he wasn't there. And, after all, he's done far worse things than steal a weapon. Even Kisame had obtained his sword by killing its former owner. Weapons that belonged to the seven swordsmen of the Mist didn't usually make it into new hands unless the previous user died.]

They're not so common where I'm from. They exist, but they're not easy to get.

[He gives the weapon another look.]

I hope your friend doesn't mind you chopping wood with it.

[ruffboi]

Uh. Ooh? Hmm.

[Yeah, definitely seems like his friend would mind him chopping wood with it.]

What he doesn't know can't hurt him!

Lavellan

[ruffboi]

Got it!

[So maybe don't catch a pod out of the sky in his arms. He's got a better idea, anyway -- clearing an area of rubble, and then tossing his shield at a fallen pod to knock it off course into the cleared out area. Much safer landings.]

Any more moves on you?

[heraldsdawn]

I'm afraid my magic only extends to combat and minor protection. The first not exactly useful here. But, I can keep you protected as long as you've got energy to spare. [ Which reminds him, have another barrier, Magnus as he recharges the last one.

But, he wasn't paying close enough attention when a pod just slams down beside and nearly sends him off his feet. Thankfully he isn't critically injured, just bruised. ]

Shit! Did not see that one!

[ruffboi]

[As soon as Lavellan gets into the pod zone, he turns and comes running, shield out, to try and take the blow for him. He misses the first one, but when a second one is coming down, he crouches and bashes it with his shield.

This is very ill advised, but between the barrier and the shield, he manages to not get too hurt.]

Oof! Head's up!

Snake

[ruffboi]

A chainsaw does seem like the kind of thing I'd have. But no, this one was magic as fuck. So magic, they wouldn't let me have it here. That's how I lost my shirt, too. It was too magic, so they took it.

[Nah, we're chilling now. We're bonding.]

[ripvanwinkled]

[Like... if he could rewind time right now so he got crushed by a pod, he might just consider it right now. Bonding. Yeah.]

Please don't tell me you're shirtless because they took your magic clothes. [End him.]

[ruffboi]

They didn't take my magic clothes, just my magic armor, which I was wearing without a shirt. But it's not like I haven't found any shirts since. I found one, and then I ripped it to make banners with, and then I found another one, which I'm wearing right now.

Vorin

[ruffboi]

[A huge nerd. He grins broadly at the offer to spar. He's definitely not made of cardboard, but Vorin is still a lot bigger than him.]

Any time! Gotta keep these moves hot and fresh for the Storm, you feel me?

[rampager]

...very true.

[He nods again, but more slowly this time, a thoughtful expression stealing over his face as he draws his sword and begins to sharpen it. This dead deer wasn't getting any fresher, after all.]

You believe it can be thwarted, then?

[ruffboi]

We have to believe that. What else would be the point of bringing us here, if we can't help stop it?

[Getting a little more serious all of a sudden, once he asks about this.]

We can beat it. Maybe not by hitting it with a sword alone, but there are a lot of wizards and scientists and shit to figure out the how. Me, I just plan to hit it with everything I got.

Lambda

[ruffboi]

(From here)

And who I am is a guy who isn't that picky about pizza.

[Ironically, he does give her a hearty slap on the back about now. But at only 5% strength; who knows how little HP a pizza witch might happen to have.]

Still, I see it. I see potential for you, opening the first magic pizza joint on this planet. The Pizza Witch. The Great Witch of Pizza. I'd go.

[ascertain]

Oof--!

[ It's enough to catch Lambda by surprise, as someone now on the mortal plane and completely susceptible to such slaps. For a moment, she looks ruffled, then calms herself down by smoothing her hair and regaining her posture. ]

I'm not gonna be a pizza witch! If anything, I'll be something fancy and regal! A tea witch! Or a candy witch!

[ruffboi]

[Aww. That's kind of endearing. He's in his mean wizard groove now.]

If you say so. It seems to me like your class assumptions are hemming you in, and locking you out of what could be an honest and respectable professional, bringing pizza to the people.

Abelas

[ruffboi]

( Continued from Here!)

[Good teamwork! Magnus starts when Abelas vanishes, but only for a second; he's worked with enough wizards that he can see where this is going. Or at least where he assumes it's going - he's expecting the plan is for him to hold off this big guy while Abelas prepares to cast something particularly nasty. When he appears and shoots fire, he's crouched and ready to bolt, but instead Abelas creates a distraction.

That's good by him. With the creature rearing on Abelas, he charges and slashes across its neck, switching the fire back on to leave a deep fiery gash across its throat.

The thing is clearly on its last legs, but rather than immediately finish it, he slides back into position, flanking Abelas with his shield up in case it strikes again, so he's prepared to intercept an attack on Abelas and take it on the shield. Cool moves are important, but being in position to protect his teammates from attack is even more important.]

You want to finish it, or should I?

[getoutofmytemple]

[The beast let out a yowl, which quickly urned into a gurgled hiss after the blow delivered to it. It was not ready to flee though. To it the only option was to destroy the threat to its territory, so it slowly turned to face them, a low rumble coming from its throat.

Abelas stood ready, his gaze not falling from the beast, even as the human approached him.]

I have not been able to focus my magic into anything adequately offensive since my arrival. Tis your task to complete.

[ruffboi]

Got it.

[And with the permission, he rushes the thing, barrelling shield first right into the strike zone. He's slashed at a few times, but he takes the hits without stumbling, and slides in to drive the sword right into its heart.

Of course, once he does that, the sword is pretty well stuck. The creature screams and swipes him once, knocking Magnus several feet to the side into a nearby tree.]