escordvi | December open log

Who: Emet-Selch and YOU
Status: Open
Where: See individual prompts
What: The new-ish Ascian on the block hasn't even been here a month and he's already fought off a tombstone spirit(?) and gotten recruited into a crew, what more shenanigans could this place possibly pull him into?! LET'S FIND OUT TOGETHER
Warnings: Out-of-context spoilers for prompt 1 and 3

(Will match format)

1. The Picture of Dorina Grey (MANTA General)

What manner of portrait could a blind woman possibly paint? That is the question he asks himself as she cajoles him into taking a seat. Were she any less insistent or, indeed, possessed of the usual sight, he would have stood firm and walked by. But time is something he has an abundance of to waste at present and he is still reeling from the realisation that the last twelve thousand years of his work have been for naught.

So, it isn't unfair to say that he welcomes some time to talk through the sordid details of his long, long...long life. Summarised, of course, for her benefit.

The end result shocks him into silence. He hardly knows what he had been expecting, but it certainly isn't to gaze upon his original face, with a clarity that he has long forgotten. Sharp yellow eyes, irises gleaming like the stars above, yet the expression twisted into one of savage glee as it gazes upon the viewer. Like an emperor gloating over their final victory. A psychotic man enjoying the fires of purgatory surrounding him being visited upon others because he knows no other way to make them understand his pain.

Is this what I look like? he wonders.

Caught up in his own thoughts, he doesn't notice anyone approaching until they're right beside him or they speak up.

2. Magitech Madness (MANTA General)

Having successfully introduced non-magical means of energy to the natives, is it any surprise that they would immediately turn to thinking of ways to weaponise it against each other? Emet-Selch gazes upon the workshop he's been enthusiastically invited to assist with open resignation on his face. This is how mankind is and always will be. This is the sort of world that the Warrior of Light and their friends are intent on defending.

Sighing to himself, he finds an empty spot at a table for himself and starts to tinker with some of the leftover munitions and scrap. Should one choose to join him, one can either find him building a crude, Garlean-style gunblade prototype or testing its firing capability on targets.

3. Fountain of Blades (MANTA Paladin)

Emet-Selch has a lot of memories for the pools to use against him.

Being a solitary man, he, of course, has set off without a companion. With his magicks, he's confident that he won't run into anything particularly troublesome. Besides, he doesn't care for the 'competition' that the other paladins are making of it, to see who will be the first to find the sword. He's only here to clear his mind and distract himself from brooding.

Once he reaches the pools, he carefully navigates across the wet and slippery terrain. As he does, he glances idly down into the water.

(3-A) Firstborn
"Lucius?" he says without thinking. He wades further into the water, tiny little fish darting away as he reaches for the face he sees in the pool's reflection. Cold and still as death, he thinks with an aching heart. He doesn't realise that it's because his hand is submerged.

(3-B) Home
Amaurot is beautiful any time of day, but it is almost certainly more beautiful at night. Windows softly lit by gentle lights, its twisting spires reaching for the heavens, wide, beautifully paved streets and gentle slopes - oh, how he misses home. Emet-Selch stares at the image in the water and ignores those trying to pass by him, lost in his own homesickness.

(3-C) The End
Emet-Selch yelps as he slips into the water. There, in the dim, ruddy depths, he sees a fireball hurtling towards a group of cowled figures fleeing through broken streets. Water churns and Emet-Selch almost swallows some trying to stop the meteor striking his people. Coughing, spluttering, filled with indescribable terror, he flings his own dark magic indiscriminately through the cavern. Watch out!

4. Untitled Goose 2 (Bounty)

If it weren't for the large bounty being offered, Emet-Selch wouldn't bother. However, in a new land, with few resources, it's prudent to gather coin as quickly as possible. With the reward from this, he should be able to use it and invest in something to gain an easy return - or so he tells himself.

First, he has to slay the damn thing.

His arena of choice is one of the ports. He's not foolish enough to challenge it on the open water. Of course, he isn't the only one trying for the bounty. Plenty of strangers ~~(i.e. NPCs)~~ have turned up hoping to get a share. While they distract the goose-hydra, Emet-Selch has found a high position roughly eye-level with the monster to set up his spell. He stands in the middle of an arcane circle with his eyes closed, chanting. At the final line, he thrusts out the arm that has thin, red 'vines' twining around it.

"Begone!"

A thick streak of dark magic laced with red sparks shoots forward and strikes one of the goose heads directly. It seems to do heavy damage...but it's not enough to completely take off the head. And unfortunately, his strike has the effect of attracting the goose's full ire.

Help?

5. Wildcard

For anything else!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There is something extremely wrong about watching a head twist itself off a neck. Emet-Selch has seen much in his long life but even his nose wrinkles in disgust there.

He's quick to fling out fire to sear the stump left behind. The head with the broken neck he decides to leave alone. Surely it won't regrow if it's still attached, right? Instead, he targets the third head with a flurry of thin, magical blades before it can go for whoever it is on the ground (he's not paying too much attention just yet).

It's probably something weird to witness, but it doesn't phase Toge, not even with the way the goose is still trying to move around, broken neck and all.

One head looking at Emet-Selch, one at Toge and it's hesitating.

A bit more feeling this time, a bit more power. "Get crushed."

The body of the goose contorts uncomfortably, but Toge's misjudged its power again, which surprises him. His eyebrows shoot up. Do the different parts have different strength now? They definitely might. The best he might've done is break a couple of bones and piss this thing off. Well. Good job, that.

The moment the goose starts to look towards Toge, Emet-Selch summons even more magical blades. They hurl themselves at the goose's neck, trying to do by a thousand cuts what seemingly can't be achieved by just one. He doesn't know what flesh and blood this creature is made of but it's sturdy.

Still, he conjures his own aetherial blade - a greatsword - and holds it ready just in case he is given an opening to use it. If the goose can't decide who to go for first then he'll take turns harassing it.

The goose seems to be torn between them, which is good for them. Toge considers it for a moment.

A pair of heads together, already being cut up, he aims his voice at them this time. "Twist." Toge commands, again ramping up the power.

Those heads twist together, but they're not that powerful. Toge reels backwards, coughing. This goose is annoying, to say the least. He holds his hand over his throat as he coughs. It's apparent why he doesn't cover his mouth when a bit of blood dribbles out.

Emet-Selch grimaces but doesn't hesitate to take a running leap. He brings his thick blade down where the necks are twined together. Between his own efforts to weaken them and Toge's voice, he manages to complete the break. The goose lets out a frightful sound as it slams into the ground. The impact sends Emet-Selch tumbling off the creature and his sword clangs against stone. Blood gushes out of the wide-open tear he has made in its necks.

"Godsdamnit--!" he spits out. It feels like he hit every piece of debris on the way down. The goose-hydra's body is still twitching though. They need fire.

Toge agrees wholeheartedly. They definitely need fire and he can provide it. It's going to hurt - but he doesn't hesitate. With Emet-Selch out of the way-

"Explode." Toge orders.

That goose bursts into flames. It's less an explosion at first and more like catching fire. Then the explosion comes. Surely that's enough to kill the stupid thing.

He shields his face as the shockwave from the explosion ripples outward. The stench of seared goose meat wafts over them. As he lowers his arm, he sees the creature's main body has collapsed and its heads lie not too far from it.

Just for a moment, he's transported back to memories of the past. Of felling a large, dangerous creature with a certain friend by his side.

"...That voice of yours is truly something."

Toge can't help it. He doubles over and coughs a bit again. Powerful, but clearly it wasn't without effect.

Phew. Terrible. He wipes the blood from his lips with his sleeve and offers Emet-Selch a thumbs up.

"Salmon." He answers, voice hoarse like he was shouting at a concert the night before, but definitely wasn't doing that. He pulls out the carafe of unlimited coffee that had been on offer and opens it, since that goose is definitely cooked at this point. He pours some into the cup and gives it a grateful sip. Better.

He sighs and waves away his magicked weapon as he approaches the younger man. This time when he lifts his hand, a small, arcane circle appears before his palm and healing magicks flow towards Toge's throat, easing the rawness.

"There," he says grumpily. "Feeling better?"

Toge swallows. That's not entirely unlike how RCT feels. Different energy, but the rush of the sudden healing is still nice.

"Salmon!" He responds cheerfully and offers a thumbs up.

"Yes, yes. Don't mention it."

No, really, don't. He doesn't know if he can live with people thinking he's nice. Ugh.

"My thanks as well for the assistance."

Ah, who is he going to tell? Toge's ability to form sentences verbally is non existent. His secret is safe with him.

"Mentaiko." His shellphone finally comes out, to help.

We had it, it wasn't that bad. Now we just have to collect the bounty.

"Aye. Do you think we ought to cart its body over as proof? A head won't mean much considering it was able to grow them back."

He seems to be seriously considering it as he sizes up the goose's corpse.

Hmmm, that was true. Toge crosses his arms, thinking about it with a nod. That might bet he best way to do it.

Surely the goose is dead for good right?

Hauling a dead corpse isn't fun, but eh, he's faced worse. Toge goes over to see if he can grab it by the legs maybe.

Emet-Selch waves a hand. Magical bindings appear and cinch around the headless corpse. They'll remain as long as he's able to maintain them. And since he's already expending energy on this anyway, he'll levitate it too.

"Let's go."

"Tuna mayo!" Toge exclaims, following after him. That is very convenient. He's impressed!

He would've hauled a dead carcass around without complaint, but it's nice not to have to.

December open log

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

apologies, holiday retail period etc etc

No worries!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject