[Mission] [TWFNE] Week 210: Simmering Temple

[MoonlitRain014]

Aeria sighed. Keydis and Aelflead were clearly going to remain at loggerheads, but as long as it didn't jeopardize their ability to fight under these difficult circumstances, she didn't care too much. It seemed that some personalities were too similar to avoid clashing. She wasn't about to get in the middle of it, so she turned her attention to the library facing them.

The deep black pools of ink, reflecting the dim glow from whatever suffused the room, had a viscous quality that made the spurii's stomach turn over. There was something about the quality of the ink that nauseated Aeria. Diamantus came alongside her and wrinkled her nose at the Stygian pools of darkness.

"That's just fuckin' disgusting."

Aeria nodded. "A profound observation, Diamantus."

The velen snorted. "You're a sarcastic one, aren't you?"

Keydis slid around the first bookshelf and Aeria was right beside her, halberd ready to swing into action at the first provocation. From the bookshelf on the other side, Diamantus kept her pistols trained on the space immediately in front of Keydis, Aeria and Aelflead.

[1086]

Spoiler: Aeria's Vigor

14,200/15,500

 

[Redfin]

The sudden appearance of intruders barely garnered surprise from the priest that ran the library. It did warrant a lifeless glare. The figure was garbed in ornate robes that hung loosely on its gaunt frame. It let out a growl of disapproval.

Standing next to the priest was another templar, one that wielded a tower shield and arming sword. It remained in position but raised the shield, waiting.

From its lectern perch, the priest pulled out a quill. The end dripped with vile ink. It drew a shape on the surface. Fog spewed forth until the entire library was covered leaving visibility to a mere few feet. Both decrepit temple dwellers disappeared inside. The sounds of the templar's metal could be heard. It was a soft, jingling sound.

Green light swirled within the fog. Two bolts of energy fired out towards Keyis's last position.

[1020]

Spoiler: Enemy Notes

At least 2 enemies present. Shield templar is taking up defensive position near the priest.

 

[Mystydjinn]

"I guess our definitions of-faex!" The duo and Aelflead's body stole her retort from her lips just as fog stole the forms of the groups newest enemies away from them. Reflexively Aelflead turned left on her heel; stepped up, then sprung off the bookshelf there, launching herself at the Templar -or at least where she had last seen him- with a kick.

Instinct told the redhead that hide and seek with a magic bishop and knight would be foolish. So the smartest thing to do was to separate them and stay close to one. The bishop was Aelflead's choice. And she threw her unnatural strength into her blow, aiming to knock the suit of armor on his ass so she could pounce on the mage.

The flashing glint of her knife blade as she flew through the cloudy air might have served as a warning it could be seen.

WC [149/890]

Spoiler: combat

primary attack on the Templar fellow is a gangway kick, secondary is an implied attempt to gut stab the librarian if the first attack succeeds.

(Starting vigor -10%) [8,050/8,550]
Gangway-250
Primary 2 mag Pugilis Gangway (Bare[booted] foot + lvl 3 skill -dual attacking + tech: Target templar's original location)
Secondary attack 4 mag pugilis attack (Neck gouging + Auritium trench knife + lvl 3 tech -secondary attack: Target mage if primary attack lands).

 

[Keydis Lysistrata]

Keydis had only a moment to react to the green lights. Dodging wasn’t an option, with Aeria and Diamantus behind her. She grabbed the sword at her waist, unsheathing it in an instant and sweeping the blade through the fog. The bolts struck the angled blade, deflecting upward into the ceiling but sending tremors down the blade and into the brunette’s arm.

If not for seeing a similar spell moments earlier, she wouldn’t even have expected such a hard punch from the lights. Luck seemed on her side.

Keydis turned toward the rattling sound of metal. She pointed back at Aeria, almost lost in the mist. “Go help Elf!” she called out to her. “We’ll get the big bastard!” Lifting her sword and one wrist blade, Keydis suggested to Diamantus, “I’ll deal with his sword, you deal with his life.” Even in the fog, she trusted her reflexes enough to defend herself if she kept a wary eye, broken rib or not. Blades ahead of her, Keydis rushed into the fog without waiting for approval, heading to where she heard the armor rattle.

[185/1235]

Spoiler: Notes

Deflection, Adept Militis (Defend in 180 degree arc, 500 Vigor)
Blood from a Stone, Adept Pugilis (ignore pain, 200 vigor per round, 3rd round)

Deflection, 6 mag (3 skill + 3 material) [Note: If the bolts would have been more than 6 magnitude together, let me know and I’ll rewrite]

Keydis is advancing defensively toward the shield templar.

14000/30000 Vigor spent

 

[MoonlitRain014]

Diamantus was behind and slightly to the right of Keydis, guns drawn, sprinting along behind the swordswoman through the fog. As the mists parted in front of them, the gigantic templar’s hulking form resolved into solidity. The velen stopped dead, her stance immediately set for shooting.

Looking up and to the right, she could see a gargoyle set high on the library wall. If she could get a bullet aimed just right, it would ricochet off and strike the thing on the side of the head, where it wouldn’t expect an attack to hit it from where she stood.

Aiming for the gargoyle, she squeezed the trigger and the bullet was loosed. She thought her angles had been correct, but the result would be quickly seen, one way or another.

Meanwhile, as Aelf tangled with the warrior, Aeria rushed in with her halberd extended and ready. Charging past the redheaded fighter, the lean contigeri drove her halberd forward, seeking to snag the bishop and fling him backwards, using the hook-like protrusion below the halberd’s main blade to drive into his bony ribs and lift him from the lectern, interrupting his spell casting.

[1278]

Spoiler: Notes

Diamantus used Ricochet

 

[Abbey Rose]

Back in the other room, Cassius was cursing his luck.


“Two of them were bleeding!” He yelled to no one in particular, “they had head injuries, probably cracked ribs!” The mage started to jog down the hall, his naga friend trailing behind him.


“Even Dante and Corvus would have taken a break by now, at least to put a damn band-aid on!” He continued grumbling with similar statements as he came down the hall at what was a brisk pace for him.


Both his feet and his words stopped as the pair came into the library and spied the billowing cloud of darkness peaking through the shelves.

“And now they’re fighting again!” Cassius all but yelled in exasperation. “You,” he pointed at the demon, “get in there and get rid of it.” The naga nodded wordlessly, then crouched and slithered around the corner.


Cassius smiled. The naga could simply cast a bellator spell that would blow away the fog and…


“Shit.” He said, then repeated himself. “Shit!” The mage ran after the demon.


“Grab onto something, dumbasses!”



---


Behind the team, the demon moved in, just past Diamantus, into the fog. A small outline of it could be seen raising it’s arms.


Then everything in front of the snake-demon exploded forwarded in a burst of pure kinetic force, with no regard to whoever might be in it’s way.


227

Spoiler: Repulsor

Repulsor
Adept Tier, Basic
Cost
450 Vigor
Target
Line 5m Wide/10m Long
TR Required
--
Magnitude
2
A broad wave of force 5m wide shoots forward, repelling all targets up to 10m from the caster.

Portal
The portal has the appearance of two circles, partially overlapping. It looks to be made out of a material that has a smoky, constantly moving surface. The magic is pushed out by striking the back of the portal with two hands, one per circle.

Terra Regia Bonus
+10m repulsion per grade, max +50m

At magnitude 4 for Cassius' Adept rank in Daemonium.

650/2750 vigor used.

 

[Redfin]

The templar was knocked back by the bull-rushing spurii as a bullet missed the spot it used to be. It let out a growl, as it landed back on the ground with a heavy thud. Its lifeless eyes remained forwards, always forwards where the shield was waiting to meet the next opponent. When the wave of force came rushing in, the templar slammed its shield into the ground as an anchor point. Putting everything into its footing, it raised its sword to skewer the incoming Keydis.

The priest gurgled as a halberd skewered through its body, but its humanoid senses were too far gone to care. It curled an arm inward. With a flick of the wrist, it sent out sickly-looking ropes from the ground. They wrapped around Aeria's legs, constricting her tightly to the ground.

With the fog gone, it was revealed that the priest was not the one that fired off the energy blast. Floating in the sky were two of the many tomes that littered the library. They were thick and bound with leather. They were flipped open with two small, skeletal figures riding within. Only their top half existed as from the torso down, they merged with the pages. Both of them were flung against the far wall, but they still managed to bring forth green blasts of energy, one aimed at the naga and the other at Aeria.

[1253]

Spoiler: Notes

Priest uses halt on Aeria
Book 1 uses Energy burst on Aeria
Book 2 uses Energy burst on Naga

 

[Keydis Lysistrata]

Winds rushed down the schiavona blade. Left arm punched forward and sparks flew. The templar’s blade twisted upward and the armored figure tilted back, off-balance.

Brain still reeling from the forces slamming her from front and behind, it was trained reflex that snapped Keydis’ arm and wrist forward, boots firmly planted and hips pivoting into the thrust. The schiavona slipped around the tower shield and aimed for a seam beneath the templar’s breastplate.

[75/1310]

Spoiler: Notes

Promoveo’s Flight, Item (15m movement) - 500 Vigor
Blood from a Stone, Adept Pugilis (ignore pain, 200 vigor per round, 4th round)
Parry, Novice Battuentis (turn aside one attack, 2% Vigor)
Riposte, Adept Battuentis (following parry, enemy defenses reduced by 2, 3% Vigor)
Ambidexterity, Trained feat (reduces dual attack penalties to -1/-1

Parry, mag 4 (+3 skill, +2 material, -1 ambi)
Riposte, mag 5, -2 defenses (+3 skill, +3 material, -1 ambi)

Keydis is offsetting the Repulsor with Promoveo’s Flight movement, parrying the arming sword with a wrist blade, and following through with a riposte using the sword. A riposte doesn’t do extra damage, but has an easier time slipping past an enemy’s guard and armor.

16200/30000 Vigor spent

 

[Mystydjinn]

Unlike her current comrades, Aelflead did not have the benefit of anchoring herself to the ground when the Naga's repulsor flushed the fog from the room.

As such she went careening into the far wall behind their largest foes along with the newly revealed sentient spell books. Her frustration significantly increased, the redhead wasted little time in finding objects to vent it upon.

The cacophonous crunch of stone turning to gravel announced a chunk of the temple's tile sailing through the air to meet the flying skeleton on her left, then she took off to meet the undead annoyance with her knife flashing in the sickly light again.

WC: [108/998]

Spoiler: Combat Specifics and TLDR

Aelf punched the ground to hurl tile shrapnel at the skelebook that's closest, and is running to meet it with a fist punch when it hits the ground.
Activating: ...Passion > lvl 5 Earthshaker > Target: Skelebook 2
Vigor: (Starting vigor -10%) [7,550/8,550]
Earthshaker - 500

 

[MoonlitRain014]

The naga’s repulsor spell tossed Aeria away violently, ripping her halberd from the priest’s body, even as her grip clamped around it, but she was violently arrested in her motion as the priest shot out tendrils that locked around her legs and pulled her roughly down to earth. She’d barely had time to gather herself when the book riders attacked.

Aeria’s reflexes were well honed and well trained, so her halberd came up rapidly and she tried to deflect the energy blast with her blade, hoping to send it off somewhere harmlessly. It was a dangerous situation to be in, still held down to the floor by the magical ropes.

[1388]

 

[Abbey Rose]

Cassius rounded the corner and immediately was forced into an awkward half-stop, half-hop as the naga landed sprawling at his feet. The black scorch at its waist immediately told him where it had gained its momentum from. The tail underneath the scorch was eerily still, but the top half of its moved in a slow rolling motion that seemed to be groans of pain.

He spared only a frown down at the demon before his eyes snapped up, taking in the fighters working around him. They locked themselves down on the trail of blood that began somewhere behind him and created small trail that led up to the fighters. Particularly the weird one with blades literally embedded into her hands.

She’s lost a lot of blood. Cassius thought, turning his frown on her even as she dashed forward. His hand clutched at a small piece of rock around his neck. This semi-lull in fighting, where everyone was gathered in one place, was probably the only time he would be close enough to do some healing.

“O wondrous light,” he intoned, a small white light shining from the black rock around his neck, “mend this damn murder hobo.” A small part of him felt a sense of smug satisfaction at the irony of using Castus spells in a Castus temple, but he could not afford to have someone dropping dead this quickly.

231/895

Spoiler

Tier 4 mend on Keydis. Snekboi took an unlucky hit and is out for this round at least.
100 Vigor Used this turn

 

[Redfin]

The templar groaned as the blade pierced into its body. Its fell to one knee. One hand tightened around the shield. It pushed downards slamming the shield at Keydis, aiming to put her in the ground.

The priest was slow to get up. It was looking more tattered than ever, and its limbs swayed with the shaky movement. It placed a hand towards a bony, jagged mouth. With a sweeping motion, a wave of murky green liquid spewed out from the palm spraying towards the templar, Keydis and Cassius.

One book slammed into the ground, leaving a splatter of ink behind. It shuddered and shook. Looking up, the half-araevisan extended outwards to meet the incoming attack with a spell. It was too slow and the attack sent it deeper into a twisted form. Pages came loose and the body was sunken in.

The other book brought forth a portal of glaring heat. It sprayed Aelflead and its ally with a blazing inferno.

[1415]

Spoiler: Notes

Priest uses Novice Serpens Blur
Book uses Novice Bellator Flame Burst

 

[MoonlitRain014]

Several things happened at once and Aeria's conscious mind barely had time to process them. The first was that a wave of ichor was being sprayed in her direction by the priest even as it bound her in its coiling organic ropes, the second was that Diamantus had squeezed the trigger on her pistol, sending a bullet into the rope grasping her leg, even as Aeria made herself fall to the side, tugging the ropes with her as she tried tot get out of the way of the green ooze. The “rope” seemed unlikely to hold after Diamantus shot it a second time, but nothing was guaranteed.

Diamantus, meanwhile, had turned her attention to the priest and with one shot from her pistol had sent a bullet winging towards its head. The aim was true but she was still unsure if, given the arcane powers of these creatures, she would actually hit anything. It was worth a try, given the circumstances facing them and the fact that the attack didn’t seem to be abating.

In the back of Aeria’s mind, even in this chaos, she wondered if Keydis was badly injured. The sounds of a healing spell being incanted reached her and she hoped that her companion wasn’t too badly injured. She wasn’t sure how they’d make it if they lost Keydis.


[1610]

 

[Keydis Lysistrata]

Keydis’ skin was glowing with a sheen of sweat, and even the combination of rushing adrenaline and the healing energies coursing through her couldn’t distract from her injuries much longer. Half of the schiavona’s tapered blade had pierced into the armored adversary, punching through the steel and into the unnatural flesh behind. She could see the heavy tower shield coming down toward her, knew there were enemies still at her back.

To win, one must attack.

Dredging up a second wind, Keydis tightened her grip on Promoveo, summoning the enchanted storm inside. The roaring winds blasted from the hilt, thrust the sword in to the quillons, tip erupting from the armor’s back, and together Keydis and her opponent flew backward, slamming the templar up against one of the towering bookcases.

She twisted the blade, cutting to the side as she pulled back and half-hopped, half-slid to a stop several feet away, panting and fighting the urge to drop to a knee. “That enough for you, bastard?”

[165/1475]

Spoiler: Notes

Promoveo’s Flight, Item (15m movement) - 500 Vigor
Blood from a Stone, Adept Pugilis (ignore pain, 200 vigor per round, 5th/final round)
Fall Back, Adept Contigeri (attack + 5m retreat) - 500 Vigor
Ambidexterity, Trained feat (reduces dual attack penalties to -1/-1

Attack, mag 5 (+3 skill, +3 material, -1 ambi)
Fall Back, mag 5 (+3 skill, +3 material, -1 ambi)

Keydis is deepening her previous attack and pushing the templar back with another use of Promoveo’s Flight. The burst of air should interfere with or deflect the cone of poison. Following with a ‘Fall Back’ attack to get distance from templar. This is final round of ‘Blood from a Stone’ so she’s going to start feeling her injuries.

17400/30000 Vigor spent

 

[Abbey Rose]

The blast of air pulled Cassius’ hair back as he ducked, the poison sent skyward in the wake of Keydis’… whatever that was. He ended up face to face with the demon at his feet, his eyes meeting listless and unfocused slits of the demons. It probably had the demonic equivalent of a concussion from when it had knocked its head against the floor.

“Get up,” the mage said, grabbing the demon’s shoulders and pulling it into a position where it was still sitting upright, “you’re too damn heavy for me to carry, so you’re a turret now. Shoot shit. Go for the priest if you can.” Cassius got on his knees behind the demon, partly to support the demon so it would not fall over again and partly to have a ready shield handy for the next attack by the undead.

He could feel the steady thrum of his healing spell, chugging away at the worst of Keydis’ superficial wounds. It would be a while but it would have to do for now. In the meantime, he dug into his pouch, pulling out a small vial of what seemed like metal shavings. Cassius scowled at the idea. He did not want to waste any of this, but he also did not like dying. Still, Terria Regia was hard to come by for a student, especially since his old job burned down.

He poured out the Dahlitum in an outstretched hands, his mind focused on an image of chains and binding. Of police arresting a vagrant. The mage’s hand closed down, swiping towards his hip. The metal shavings puffed into a cloud of green vapor, trailing to his hand before exploding out into the air.

A small chain, complete with manacles, manifested between the flying book zombie and Aelfhead, forming almost an S shape. It paused for barely a moment, then darted out to create a link between the barbarian woman and the creature raining fire down upon them.

Cassius looked back down at the demon. It was still dazed, it’s head rolling back and forth. He grabbed it by either side and pointed it facefirst at the demon.

“Spell. Burst. Now.” The naga ignored his words, and instead continued to blink and tilt its head. “Vis damn it all, you are useless.”

383/1278

Spoiler

Tier 4 Mag Shackles cast to link Aelf and the flying book (Base 2 + 1 skill + 1)
Demon is still concussed.
250 Vigor used.

 

[Mystydjinn]

"What-the? AAGGGH!"

Anywhere else Aelflead's sudden distress might have turned heads, but against the din of metal clanging against stone in combat, it was a worm crushed underfoot in the rain. Insignificantly tragic and of little consequence.

The "living," tome-bound ghoul aimed true and just before Cassius bound the monster to the spurii, Aelflead and her cloak caught flame for the second time that year. So now she; bound to a monster, screaming in panic, and flailing wildly, looked like something that had fallen out of The Terminus Tribune's comic pages.

The spellbook ghoul was like the end of a long flail, slung wildly around by the short spurii's disproportionate strength like a rag doll; the ghoul turned the beautifully eerie finished stone into ugly and cracked pimples wherever Aelflead flung it, taking out the bookshelf it had flown from within seconds.

Aelflead herself seemed to have lost focus with the enemies in the room in favor of being dragged into some vision only she could see. "Get off-No! This isn’t? Vis-!?" Her mind elsewhere, Aelflead was entirely focused on freeing herself from the mage’s shackle with a frantic display of panic that was uncomfortably dissonant with the irritable coldness she'd shown just minutes ago.

“I’m your daughter-stop this!” Fortunately, Aelflead did not seem to need focus to be dangerous. Her unintentional and improvised mace was weapon enough, and the business end was motion sick.

[235/1,233]

Spoiler: What the hell are you doing Myst?

PTSD is never fun and always shows up at the worst times. Aelf’s having an episode triggered by the magic manacle appearing on her arm, and because she was surprised, and she’s already pissed, the episode is pretty vivid.
Until she breaks that chain from attacking with the ghoul on the other end of it, or someone else snaps it off her, she can’t see or hear very clearly what’s happening in real-time around her. Not gonna make much of a deal about this since she’ll break it soon, but that’s what’s what.
Idk, duck. Aelflead used Struggle
Combat: Vigor: (Starting vigor -10%) [7,300/8,550]
Adept Militis > Motion sick ghoul on a magic chain> lvl 2 Cleaving Stroke on the chain/ghoul + towards the doorway we adventurers entered the room from.

 

[Redfin]

The templar was half standing, only staying upright by the shield on the ground. Its sword arm hung limp until the fingers gave out, dropping the weapon. At the same time, the priest staggered back from the hole in its head. A field of stars could be seen swirling around its innards where a brain used to be. It raised a hand, but before it could do anything, the panicked spurii trampled it into the ground. It was left broken and still. The chained book left splotch of ink on the wall, each time getting more and more mangled. The cover bent and pages fell.

The final book floated at the end of the hallway. It spread out its hands bringing out a portal of green light. Pushing forwards, a barrage of lasers fired out, shredding anything and everything down the library.

[1557]

Spoiler: Notes

The book casts Skilled Bellator, Light Fang.

 

[Keydis Lysistrata]

Keydis could only respond to one thing. Putting aside the rampaging redhead and the fleeing book-monster, squinting past the pain in her chest that wouldn’t be ignored any longer, Keydis growled and threw herself between the barrage of lasers and Cassius while throwing him to the ground.

The others would have to figure things out on their own.

[60/1535]

Spoiler: Notes

Mortal Block, Prominent Laicar (take hit for ally within 20m)

17400/30000 Vigor spent

 

[MoonlitRain014]

The chaos around Diamantus and Aeria was intense and drove through the spurii’s brain, making her feel panicked and enervated, totally unsure of how to respond or what to do. Aelf was rampaging around, clearly terrified as she did so and while she’d managed to take out the priest, now the book and the chain might do damage to her allies as well. Aeria hadn’t been entirely sure what this new guy had been thinking, chaining the book to Aelflead, but she wasn’t sure that she liked it. Turning to look at Diamantus, she shouted, “Break the damn chain! Shoot it!”

Luckily for them, Diamantus was a good shot and she took aim, hoping to sever that chain and free Aelflead from the impromptu weapon that she was wielding. The spurii, meanwhile, was intent on getting rid of that bloody laser firing book that was forcing Keydis to take even more damage. The raging woman was by far their best fighter and she couldn’t get taken out.

Protecting her while getting close enough to the damn book was the priority and there was one skill that Aeria possessed which she now brought to bear. The Iron Gate was something that all Contigeri were drilled in once they reached a certain level of skill, so it came easily to the spurii.

Running wide, Aeria used her halberd’s haft as a pivot point, rotating around it to launch herself directly into the path of the lasers. As she landed, she planted her feet under her and set the polearm to the vertical, using the blade to deflect the firing lasers away. She was now within range to turn that defense into a deadly offense when necessary. She shouted back at Keydis. “I’ve got you covered now!”

[1904]

Spoiler: Notes

13,890/15,500 Vigor used.
Aeria used Iron Gate.

 

[Abbey Rose]

Cassius’ head narrowly missed bouncing off of the ground from Keydis’ charge. He and his demonic meatshield ended up behind and under not just the sword-armmed woman, but Aeria as well? Things were happening too fast. Everything was getting jumbled up.


“Shoot at the damn book!” He shouted, putting word to action as another triangular portal opened up in front of him. Being sideways, the angle was odd, but thankfully magic was a lot more point and fire than guns were. It was one of the perks of not being “of this world,” in a physics sense.

With small pop as he smashed open the portal with his hand, a green dart of pure energy was sent through the air, fighting against the current of stronger beams as it flew. A moment later, another green blast followed it as, thankfully, the naga seemed to gather its wits enough to send a small spell down field.


155/1433

Spoiler: Notes

200 vigor used. 2 Energy Bursts at Mag3 fired downlane.