« november: the farplane »

[seaboards]

This is our Open Log for players to have an easy opportunity to tag others and have fun with prompts that deal with current happenings that are not covered by our MANTA Board quests. Sometimes we provide extra quests at the bottom, but oftentimes we just let the MANTA Board cover it. Players are free to include MANTA Board quests in their toplevels!

Because this is a special event released thanks to the point donations, all threads based off the event are worth 6 points.

Note: This is an opt-in event with the IC timeline lasting throughout the rest of the month. This means a character could go into the Farplane for one day and then sit out for the rest of the month to either go about their business or deal with the troubles that are occurring in the living world. The event should "conclude" by the end of the month, but we will use AC Submissions for details.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated November 27th)

Azur Lane - Enterprise | Paladin
Azur Lane - Sakata Kintoki | Paladin
Big Hero 6 - Hiro Hamada | Paladin
Bloodstained: RotN - Miriam | Paladin
Ducktales 2017 - Della Duck | Corsair
Fallen Hero - Sidestep | Corsair
Final Fantasy VII - Reno | Paladin
Final Fantasy XIV - Emet-Selch | Paladin
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Claude von Riegan | Corsair
Jujutsu Kaisen - Toge Inumaki | Corsair
Kingdom Hearts - Axel | Corsair
Kingdom Hearts - Xehanort | Paladin
Mass Effect - Commander Shepard | Paladin
Mass Effect - Garrus Vakarian | Paladin
My Hero Academia - Hawks | Paladin
Nimona - Nimona | Paladin
Octopath Traveler - Cyrus Albright | Paladin
Original Character - Naeva Dos Martos | Corsair
Persona 4 - Ryotaro Dojima | Paladin
Pokemon - Professor Turo | Paladin
Ranma ½ - Ranma Saotome | Corsair
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (2023) - Sherlock Holmes | Paladin
The World Ends With You - Beat | Corsair
Twisted Wonderland - Azul Ashengrotto | Paladin

As reports of ghosts not returning to the Farplane continue as well as now visible signs of the cracks forming between the realm of the dead and of the living, great measures must now be taken. Tapirfolk who call themselves guardians of the Farplane will be ferried to Eltrut by Envoy Jades and will coordinate with high officials who are more familiar with the spiritual realm. From there, word spreads to the other major leviathans, meetings are conducted, and an organized expedition is set.

It is revealed the newly discovered island of fog, Samdre is a suitable "landing point" for Envoy Jades to ferry those who volunteer to enter the Farplane. However, rather than by any shore, the staging area is in the middle of the island, where a black lake has appeared, one that was certainly not there before. It's here that the Asmodeus will appear in its ghastly glory and everyone will disembark to the Farplane. More of the guardians as well as strange deer will be there as well. To enter the Farplane, however, there are a few things one needs to be aware of:

» Soul expulsion. A living body cannot enter the Farplane, so the soul must be expelled instead. The soul will remain tethered to the body so that it will be able to return easily.
» 3 hour time limit. A living soul can only exist in the Farplane for on average three hours. After which, they must either return to Envoy Jades or activate the provided talisman to immediately return to their bodies. Those who have experienced death before can last at most an hour longer before needing to leave.
» Risk of death. Should a living person stay too long in the Farplane, they risk death and could become a permanent resident of the Farplane unless they can be revived and brought back to life within 24 hours. Fortunately there are different methods to revive a person, and there will be a good stock of Vials of Liquid Life available.
» Side effects. Upon returning to the living, one will feel great fatigue and extreme sickness, as if they had been drowning and brought back to life. These effects last at most an hour and medics on hand will help try to reduce it.
» Downtime. Because of these risks, all who go in will need to stay out of the Farplane for a few hours, even days, or else there could be further strain on the soul.

For those who do not wish to enter the Farplane or are taking a break from their last trip, help in protecting the bodies or tending to the sick will be greatly appreciated. Buildings have been secured to house the bodies and tents are also established for those needing immediate care upon returning.

FARPLANE

DARKSIDE

LIVING

COMMENTS

INTO THE FARPLANE

Once ready, those who board Envoy Jades's ship will need the travel time through the seemingly endless darkness to adjust to being just a soul. Only the lights on the ship will grant them any visibility, and it's under these lights they will notice their forms begin to look more solid, until eventually they look almost like their living body—just a lot paler. They are also able to touch and feel things while also having the ability to pass through objects. Because is anything actually solid in the underworld? Fortunately they won't be able to pass through the ship due to its unique qualities and magic.

Eventually a light will appear, and it will grow and grow and grow until in a blinding flash they breach through and are greeted by a mystical sight. The bell of Cassiopea, the jellyfish that contains all of Farplane, shimmers high above them and is endless. There is no clear beginning or end, it just stretches on forever, the darkness beyond like the night sky. Things float or fly in the air—it's hard to tell if one is underwater or not—and it's not too long before they see what looks to be large land masses with buildings like those found in ancient kingdoms. With lush coral reef forests and seagrass hills, although paler in color, it doesn't look too different from the land of the living.

As they approach what looks to be a white crystalline shore, they are told that they are near Respite Reef, a place where souls that are newly arrived and have yet to accept their fate first stay. This is so they can have the space and protection to acclimate to the afterlife, and reduce risk if they are unable to accept and corrupt instead. Those who choose to slumber for eternal rest or until they are ready to awaken again are taken to a place further beyond called the Gravewaters. Where they are going, however, is the Breathing Depths, where most souls live out their afterlife.

Here it is both a "lively" yet "peaceful" place, where souls drift around almost lazily. The concepts of wants, desires, and needs are extremely diminished. While some may hold onto a few things from their past life, many will have completely let go of them to exist happily. Before setting out, it may be a good idea to look around and understand what it's like to "live" in the Farplane.

🙅‍♂️ In denial. Some recently arrived souls may not be ready for the afterlife, and it’s not unusual to see souls try to fight against the guardians or other souls in a last-ditch effort to return home. Help them calm down, either with a comforting word or perhaps by force, and help bring them to Respite Reef.

🫧 Bubble jumping. Moving through the farplane feels much lighter than it does in the living world. Gravity is just a touch lighter in this place. With the amount of large bubbles and jellyfish floating around, it might be fun to be able to jump up on bubbles and jump and float around on them. Reach higher junctions by jumping from bubble to bubble, or make it into a race to see who can get the farthest with a friend.

🐟 Pyreguppies. Swimming around the Farplane are hundreds if not thousands of little glowing guppies that hover and play around any traveling souls. These little floating fishies are playful and sweet, trying to give little kisses to anyone who might still be clinging to life. If they come into contact with a soul, they can give a small warm memory of someone lost.

🍎 Black crabapples. Pretty black crabapple trees grow in random circles all around the Farplane. Despite being black with little crab shaped bits, the apples look tantalizing and delicious and draw souls in to want to snack on them. When eaten, the eater will experience extreme forgetfulness to the point that they don’t even remember who they are. Luckily, the effect only lasts for a few hours.

🎐 Good wishes. In order to support any lost souls wandering about, it is encouraged to write good wishes on small slips of paper and to tie them to trees. It doesn’t only need to be good wishes to the souls here, it can also be good wishes for the people in your life or someone you often think about too. These wishes will cheer up souls that rest here.

📿 Sticky charms. It’s a common trick to ward off the darker spirits by using special handwritten sticky charms with a small ruin spell on it that wards them away. Create some sticky charms and apply them to the forehead in order to make them the most effective.

☁️ Bubble clouds. If caught in one of the various floating puffs of sticky bubble clouds, the soul stuck inside it might experience their perfect bliss. Be it a dream about fulfilling their most sought after desires, finishing a long-lost goal or falling in love. The dream will be so blissful that the soul might not want to leave and be stuck there forever… Don’t let anyone get stuck.

Closer to the edge of the Breathing Depths and towards the wilder area known as the "Uncharted," there are a few natural places one should be aware of. There is a large steaming herbal hot spring that can be found and souls are compelled to come sit in it and to enjoy it. Although, stay long enough and a soul might melt and change into the shape of a frog or otter or any other aquatic creature. The purple and green seagrass fields can be found flourishing through the Farplane. The watercress and seagrass is thick and soft, like a whole forest of colorful grassy fluff. These watery grasses are light to the touch and if walked through, will give traveling souls a sleepy feeling. Falling asleep with someone here will let dreams be shared between companions.

FARPLANE

DARKSIDE

LIVING

COMMENTS

FARPLANE: DARK SIDE

While most of the Farplane is safe, it is natural for there to be areas that are dangerous. The Uncharted, for instance, is a vast wilderness where most souls of animals and beasts roam. More dangerous, in the dark depths deep within Cassiopea is an area called The Locker. It is where the most vicious, unrepentant, monstrous souls are locked away. Unable to be purified, they are slowly tormented and destroyed by the ghostly leviathan. However, there are occasional leaks where some of that malignant energy seeps out into the rest of the Farplane. Referred to as blackwater, the guardians are usually quick to find and clear it up, but sometimes souls will get caught or perhaps even seek out the blackwater.

Regardless of how, souls affected by the blackwater will turn into malignant entities called "malice" and will corrupt the energy around them. If not taken care of quickly, it can spread, attracting more hostile souls and creatures as well as corrupting peaceful ones. The guardians and barrier around the Breathing Depths keep them at bay, but there has been an unusual spike that is making it difficult for them to contain and attacks more frequent. Those that go out to help need to be careful not to be corrupted themselves.

⚫ Black ooze. Although can be mistaken for blackwater, this black ooze is thicker in substance, like tar. It can be cleared out, but care still needs to be taken. Those trapped by it or exposed to it for too long will experience immense despair, vividly recalling their greatest regrets and moments of hopelessness. This can cause a soul to be corrupt, so although it's not blackwater, it's being treated similarly.

👻 Heliobi. Energy-sucking ghost-like parasites, they take root in a host’s nervous system and slowly feed on their emotions and energy. They will use the host’s deepest, darkest desires to create wild delusions and manipulate the host like a chess piece. The host has no choice but to obey and is possessed. If left long enough, the host will no longer be who they once were and will be exhausted by the heliobi. To stop these creatures, an “evil binding matrix relic” will be needed to imprison the abominations. Or just smack them around enough until they come to.

👾 Dearly Departed Foes. The Farplane is not only home to the souls of people, but also animals and other creatures. Those who venture deep into the Farplane may also come across the departed souls of monsters that had once been hunted as bounties in the land of the living. They’re definitely not happy about seeing the face of those who had slain them, so they will be hostile to those who were the reason for their demise. Arm yourself carefully if you want to fight these bounty monsters a second time!

☠️ Marked for Death. Corrupted souls may recognize those who were once dead and now living, marking them as a target of aggression by souls angry at their circumstances. Those who have returned from death may even have ghosts try to replace their souls with their own, or even displace them and drag them deep into the Farplane to join the dead properly.

👥 Possessions. There are more aggressive, fearless souls that seek out bodies of the living to possess. Like the others, they will feed on the memories of those that they encounter. However, unlike the ones that simply take shape, they will possess the body of the ones they find. Sometimes, they will make for a very convincing version of that person, and other times, they will take on the form of another in those memories. They will act like them, speak like them, and bear all of the same memories. A powerful soul may even be able to change the host's appearance, though it may "glitch" out and appear strange, as if something is slightly off. Be careful not to get caught by these ghosts, or else they might just follow people out. Find a way to dispel them or fend them off before they take over the body and mind completely...

The cracks from within the Farplane are more likely to be found in the Uncharted area, making them harder to find. They appear like giant gashes, as if someone had claws through the air or the ground, and a distorted view of the land of the living can be seen. Once found, however, it only needs to be attacked to be destroyed. However, care must be given to not be pulled out of the Farplane and back into the world. Because their souls are still alive, they are more likely to be pulled out and fairly quickly. If that happens, they will need to either re-enter the crack or risk being stuck outside and needing to make their way back to their body as the talisman will not work.

The ghost ship Envoy Jades had been trying to hunt down will be seen appearing and disappearing to attack certain parts of Cassiopea at random, creating and leaving cracks behind. When not ferrying the dead, Envoy Jades will take his ship and chase after it to try and rid of it once and for all. Those who wish to help will be armed with special purifying relics made and brought from outside, and because they are still living they are the only ones who can use it. These relics are all long range, from cannons to long range firearms to harpoons to magic staves. If enough people are able to use and hit the ship, they should be able to destroy it so that Envoy Jades can collect and drag the souls to the Locker where they belong.

FARPLANE

DARKSIDE

LIVING

COMMENTS

REALM OF THE LIVING

With ghosts and creatures slipping through the cracks all over the world, those of the living need to do their part to deal with the issues brewing on their side. Fortunately, the number of ghosts and ghouls have been significantly reduced, so rather than a flood of attacks there are only a few that appear here and there. Thus it's manageable but still a problem, especially as the days drag on and it continues to persist. For those focusing on the general dangers and ghosts, there are a few ways one can help.

🦴 Gravestones. Several of the dull gravestones outside the Farplane’s entrance are grimy and icky with mud and time. Cleaning them might be able to protect the entrance of the Farplane better and keep the souls that are going inside safer. Clean the graves and offer them stories about your life to help them glow with energy again.

🧵 Leylines. There are several long tendrils of energy connecting the living world to the Farplane. These lines of energy are the very tethers that keep souls grounded and so they can return to the living world when the time is right. In order to keep them strong, use magic and energy to fuel the tether’s power. Letting them go out will surely mean a lost soul never returning.

🎶 Sing a verse. The Farplane is also incredibly sensitive to heartfelt emotions. To keep the score between the living world and the Farplane stable, sing a song together about something meaningful or heartfelt. Let the energy and sound fill up and strengthen the energy between both. Don’t be afraid, sing a song! Any song! Give it some ompph!

🌑 Shadow Beasts Some emotions and lingering resentment or regret coalesce and manifest into ephemeral, shadowy monsters that can be found lurking on the edges of the Farplane and devouring any lost soul that strays too far. These shadow beasts take all kinds of forms, and are drawn to particularly strong emotions, both positive and negative. They can be defeated with magical attacks, but overwhelming them with strong, positive emotions can help calm and dispel them naturally.

👥 Fight for your life. Just because someone is not in the Farplane does not mean they are safe from it. The escaped souls are searching for any unfortunate person they can drag back to replace their soul so that they can continue to stay in the land of the living by any means necessary. Whether it is kidnapping, fighting, or even trying to kill. Those who have experienced death before will be especially targeted. Help those who are being taken and try to subdue and fight off these souls to send them back where they belong.

The next important matter to deal with are the cracks. Just like in the Farplane, they need to be found and sealed off and are, somewhat fortunately, quite visible, appearing like gashes in the air or on the ground with unstable magic pouring out of it. One may even hear strange gurgling sounds, like something slowly moving underwater. Using strong magic, sealing spells or relics, or even attacking the cracks will close them up. There is a risk of falling through, so be careful. Fortunately, should one accidentally feel themselves being pulled in, it's a slow process and they may find themselves just stuck in the gap for a fair amount of time first, long enough for someone to help. They may even get pushed out by Cassiopea or a guardian if they happen to notice from within the Farplane.

However, these cracks and the corruptions of souls within the Farplane will continue so long as cultists performing blood rituals that use living sacrifices continue. Investigations have revealed that there has been a rise in the number of them, and while they do not know what purpose they have for all these rituals, it can be concluded that it needs to stop. The objectives for dealing with the cultists are straightforward:

🗺️ Find their secret locations. They could be on remote islands, in caves, or even in secret basements. Taking the form of spectral horses, the guardians will lead any willing to deal with the cultists to where the ghostly gatherings are found.

💥 Capture or kill the members. Capture is preferred for investigation, but no one will be faulted if they took a more vigilante route. Just don't let their blood spill onto an active ritual.

🕊️ Rescue any victims. They will use any kind of living body, be it person or animal. If too late, recover the body to bring peace to their soul…or risk their spirit corrupting.

🧟 Destroy summoned creatures. If a team arrives too late to stop a ritual, then the cultists are likely already dead, destroyed by the very thing they summoned. It could be a fiend, a monster, a demented soul—whatever it is, it will need to be destroyed. Some could try to purify it to let it return to the Farplane, but the ritual twists and corrupts the soul, so it may be difficult. Destroying it may be the more merciful route. Should one manage to purify it, bring the creature or soul to Samdre where it can be taken to the Farplane by Envoy Jades.

(note: players can find ritual circles made in blood, along with sacrificial displays involving the souls of both people and animals. On the edges of these ritual sights, black ooze can be found seeping up from the ground, as if tainted by the rituals)

FARPLANE

DARKSIDE

LIVING

COMMENTS

Comments

QUESTIONS

[seawarden]

Any questions specific to the event go here!

:V

[general_affairs]

Are the tapirs available to approach for conversation, and if so, what would they be willing to explain?

After a few trips to the farplane without his body, he'd be most interested in asking if Cassiopea is a leviathan like Eltrut or Naughtilust, how old it is, and if the appearance of the farplane is real(and in-tact from old times), or if it's just a projection/collection of memories or ideas of the dead.

Also, are there specific images/aesthetics the mod team has in mind for corrupted spirits, or are we allowed to play with it?

If so, how does the team feel about a manta-ray woman with a false-head and stomach-mouth being among the nasties?

Naeva Dos Martos | OC | Corsair

[desirestruth]

[A. In The Light

It is a bit strange to Naeva that this happens right after she returns to this place, but given her nature, being called towards a matter of death itself makes sense to her, and she supposes whatever controls the comings and goings may have known that. At least, it is how she chooses to rationalize it. And so she wanders into the realm of the dead wearing a golden jackal mask and carrying a lamp borrowed from the locals, looking to ferry the lost on their way home as she picks her way over to the problem areas...

The Pyreguppies seem quite enamored of her, as it turns out, a small and growing school of them trailing her through the fields towards the hot springs.

She can also be found in those fields preparing a large stack of good wishes to tie to the trees...she's left some of them blank to hand out if you need paper, but she seems to have a lot of well-wishes for the people back home, too.]

[B. In the Dark.

After a day of recovery from her more peaceful ventures, Naeva returns this time to the darker side of the Farplane. Her goal is to cleanse the black ooze, but more often than not she finds herself attacked by the corrupted souls, enraged by her half-dead nature. There's a lot of lightning and a lot of clawing and a lot of tearing things limb from incorporeal limb. Naeva fights like a feral creature and it's probably not comfortable to behold, but maybe she could use some assistance...?]

[C. The Honking of Far Plane

It's there, deep in the depths of the Farplane, that Naeva has once again met an old foe. She stands in a bit of a clearing, lighting crackling off her claws, fangs bared, but her opponent is not immediately visible. Even if you cannot see it, though, one can hear it, there, in the distance.

The honking.

And it's getting closer.]

It's coming. On your guard!

[It's too late to run. The Goose is Here, and it's fucking Pissed.]

[D. The Other Side

...So after some more extensive recovery, Naeva returns to the Emissary's call once more, but not with any intentions of going back in the farplane thank you. She is, however, immediately accosted by a Guardian, the spectral horse huffing and stamping with insistence she follows.

She'll shrug at whoever decides to go with her, but she won't deny the request. It's time to hunt down some cultists.]

Hurry, I don't think it wants to wait long.

[Wildcard! Don't see a prompt you like or want something more specific? Make something up or drop me a line on this journal or discord!]

The Honking of Far Plane

[scooba]

[Seeing a Goose running after them shouldn't be as odd as it should be. And yet, here he was, fighting against this creature that keeps coming after them. Not knowing what else to do, he decided to take this seriously.

He was on his guard as he was fully prepared to go down with a fight. A fight with a Goose is something he will take seriously!]

Y-You too! You don't know what he'll do next...!

Della Duck | Ducktales 2017 | Corsair

[sos_pilot]

Into The Farplane

Who Ya Gunna Call

[ Living with a ghost butler, one can't help but be curious about the spectral. So when the offer was made, Della didn't even hesitate. And now, wham-bam, she's a ghost! She at first seems to enjoy it... ]

Hahaha, this is awesome! Look, you can see right through me! All right, what are we waiting for? Let's hit the farplane and -

[ But then the side effects catch up to her, and given how energetic she just was, said side effects are even worse. She just collapses onto the floor, dry-heaving, holding her gut as her eyes swim. ]

WHYYYYYYYY. Oh my gosh, everything in my stomach wants out, and I shouldn't even HAVE a stomach right now! Urghhhhh...

Ghostbusters!
[ After that embarrassing display, it's time to get to work! There's lots to do, and no time to waste (more like no patience had), so you can find Della...

In Denial - trying to put a chokehold on a particularly stubborn spirit. Which is easier said than done when everyone is taller than you are. ]

Hey, buddy, gimmie a hand here? ... And I guess we don't have to worry about being too rough on 'em, considering they're. Y'know. Dead.

[ Bubble Jumping - eagerly eyeing the bubbles, and challenging whoever happens to make eye-contact with her. But said 'challenging' is really just her pointing at herself, the bubbles, back and forth, while saying over and over - ]

Race? Race. Race? Raaaaaace. Raceracerace!

[ Pyreguppies - trying to avoid these little menaces. Della thinks all fish are gross, even the nice ones, so you can find her bobbing and weaving as she tries to get away from all the constant kisses. ]

Will! You! Knock! It! Off! Ewwww, this place is so gross... anyone got a net we can catch these things in? I know I'm popular, but this is overkill!

[ Good Wishes - writing down wishes for her people in her life. Particularly, her sons! She hums a bit as she writes out loud. ]

Let's see... I wish for Huey to become a Senior Woodchuck as soon as his little heart feels he's ready... I wish for Louie to earn his success the same way Uncle Scrooge did... and Dewey, uh... I wish for him to make it alive to his next birthday, at this rate.

Farplane : Dark Side

Black Ooze

[ But not every prompt can be full of lulz. For those who want some good old fashioned despair, look no further! Here Della can be found on her knees, hands pulling on her hair, nearly screaming in despair as she the ooze brings back her worst memories... and is trying to convince her she's still on the moon, and everything afterward was just a hallucination. Including being here. ]

NO! NO! NOOOO! I GOT OUT! I GOT OFF! I CAME HOME! PLEASE, I DID! I KNOW I DID! I'M NOT THERE ANYMORE! NO! NONONONONONONOOOOOOO!

Hoist The Colors

[ As much as Della hates the ocean and everything in it, she has to admit this way of fighting is pretty cool. She laughs with glee as she aims and fires with her weapon... though which weapon she has seems to change every half hour, as she wants to try them all out. For the record, she IS a good aim, and she IS doing serious damage... she's just having a lot of fun with it. ]

HahaHAAAA! Look at that shot! That's a thing of beauty right there! Hey, what did you get? Can I try it out? It looks really cool!

Realm Of The Living

[ Since folks can't stay in the Farplane for Far Too Long, Della needs stuff to do back in the world of living. Fortunately, there's lots here as well! You can find Della...

Gravestones - Chatting up a gravestone with stories about her life. She sticks to ones with happy endings - or at least are really funny - and are unsurprisingly about her children. Though you may do a double-take when you hear what shenanigans they're up to. ]

... So that's when Dewey got the idea to go into the vents! Oh my gosh, he was being SO brave about it too! Of course I couldn't but worry about him, but he totally nailed it, and we got through the doors thanks to him! But, obviously, things still got way tougher from there...

[ Sing A Verse - Hey, she's a Disney character, of course she's going to embrace singing out loud. In fact, when told what to do, she knows of one song that comes to mind... and even begins doing the dancing for it. Time to introduce Powerline to the living and the dead! ]

To stand out !Above the crowd,
Even if I gotta shout out loud!
Till mine is the only face you see,
Gonna stand out! Till you notice me!

[ Shadow Beasts - running for her life from one of these creatures. As Della is someone who always feels every emotion with 110% intensity, she accidentally draws them in like magnets. While she does love a good monster beat-down, none of her usual attack tactics have worked... so, she could use a little help here? ]

AHHHHH! WHAT DO I DO?! HITTING IS WHAT I DO BEST AND THAT AIN'T CUTTIN' IT! HOW DOES DONALD DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME?!

[ Koo-Koo-Kola-Cult - helping stop the cultists in their tracks at any stage of the process. If you want her staking out locations, capturing cultists (while encouraging others not to kill), rescuing victims and/or defeating the summoned creatures, you can count on her experience to really make the difference! ]

Manta Board

Hungry-La Island

[ So, in Ducktales 2017, several characters eat meat. Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, etc. And it is never questioned. But we're not in canon anymore, now we are? So if you happen to find it really, really weird that Della is chewing on the meat-great-sword (aside from. finding it really, really weird she's chewing on a great-sword in general.) she'll take notice of your staring. ]

... What? ... I'm still gunna practice with it, promise. Just wanted a little test-nibble first. ... You want some?

Our Flag Means

[ Sure, why not? She could always use more skills! And maybe she can make a kick-ass flag! With flames and chainsaws and skateboards! But during the class, she frowns at her current project, and looks at the 'student' next to her. ]

I'm gunna need you to be honest with me. Does this look as bad as I think it does?

[ it really fucking sucks. ]

Wildcard
[ Make your own prompt! Feel free to plot with me at melcat33 for both plurk/discord! ]

Our Flag Means

[general_affairs]

[ Fortunately, Reno had a bit of a reputation on both sides of the fence, and while he wasn't allowed to take any of the kits of materials to make his own flag, the old lady didn't chase him off as long as he was accompanying another Corsair.

He was maybe in the process of swiping some of the boisterous duck's scraps to stitch together while hanging around to mingle. Just something to pass the time while she focused on whatever design she was working on.

She asked his opinion, though, and he looked up with a little 'huh?' and a brief, doe-eyed blink before he zoned back in and focused on her flag. After a moment's silence, he snorted with a laugh that he quickly choked down, and looked at her with a crooked smile that was equal parts pity and amusement. ]

Do you want nice honest or funny honest?

Reno / FF VII / Paladin

[general_affairs]

Bubble Jumping.

[ Obligatory. There was no way in hell Reno wasn't going to enjoy himself with this. This man rarely got to stretch his legs and really push the limits of his agility.

For a moment, he stood in the soft grass, looking up at the floating islands and glittering memories of eras bygone reflected in the architecture. He had his hands on his hips and his head lazing to one side as he took stock--it was so unlike the rough-and-tumble buildings of the Leviathan's ports. It felt more like a crystalline kingdom, and he had to wonder if that was just the collective memories' adaptation of it, or if it was actually true to what might have once been.

The only way to investigate further, however, was to ascend.

He heard someone approach, but didn't move to signal that he'd picked up on such.]

So I'm thinking last one up's a sore loser?

[ It was hard to sneak up on a Turk. Reno made an effort to under-sell the extent of his capabilities, but every so often that training still shone through.

Still, he was staring between the floating bubbles and lazing jellyfish. The hanging roots loosely connecting stones and small islands of flowers against shining white brick fragments. Banners and jutting rocks, wayward bits of old parapet-topped walls and the remains of old gates or arches hanging off of them. Floating statues and trailing banners, the scattered stone entrails of a grand fountain, and other manner of brilliant decorum that framed the outskirts less like ancient rubble, and more like a welcome sign of refracted light from a chandelier. He'd look over at whomever approached with an enticing grin and an encouraging cant of his head to take him up on the offer for a race. ]


Sticky Charms.
[ Some days in after taking a proper break, Reno was back at it again. ]

Looks like who ever it was went this way.

[ A small sigh as he held the magrod over his shoulder, letting it idly tap as he looked at the mayhem. An ichor seemed to blanket the area--a veil that dulled the resplendent refractions of light and sucked out the vividness of the colors. It was like a shadow of sickness that clung to the wilds, creeping just under the surface.

Some small wayward do-gooder had apparently tore through here, slapping charms on almost every square foot in their path in some sort of frantic effort to 'fix' whatever bubbled underneath the surface.

For the most part it seemed to work as well as any band-aid would. Nothing was yet oozing from the ground, but the occasional snarl and hiss and groan of shifting 'earth' as angry spirits tried to drag theirselves nearer to properly devour the light roiled just under their feet. Reno's glance cast down with a thin-lipped grunt, and he kicked at a rock. ]

I've only got a couple--

[ And there it was. The stillness was broken by a shrill scream. ]


Bubble Clouds.
[ It happened quite on accident that a cloud rolled over him like a fog--almost as if magnetizing itself to everything the redhead pushed aside.

Reno was a secretive creature that kept his cards close to his chest. He was good at listening to and learning about others, and equally good at not really letting himself be known in turn. It came with the territory of his job, but if one happened to see the redhead get swallowed in a cloud, and should then find theirself venturing in after him, trying to check on him and make sure he was alright, they would come across a very mundane, but very boisterous scene.

It was a small, intimate atmosphere. A large table in the middle of an enclosed room with booths on either side, full of food and drinks--a hotpot in the middle with skewers and small plates in various states scattered all around. Dozens of empty shot glasses and plenty of empty, amber-colored beer bottles and pint glasses to spare. The smell of sweet, spicy, and sour barbecue, of charcoal smoke, and alcohol hung heavy in the air.

There was a closed door off to one side, and the distant cacophony of laughter and song could be felt rumbling against the walls surrounding this small room, but whatever was going on at the other side of the walls couldn't be clearly heard.

Opposite the door, on the other side of the table, was a television with speakers. Some pop-rock hit was playing over the speakers while the lyrics scrolled over the television screen in a written language that only Gaians would know, but might look vaguely familiar to anyone from a world with Chocobos in it.

At least a dozen other people were all crowded around the table. Blondes, brunettes, a couple of other redheads--most of them in three-piece suits like Reno's. A much older gentleman at the far end with an otherwise austere face seemed to have a warmly amused smile, and sat next to a much younger, very similar looking young lady. A blonde in a solid white outfit sat next to him, looking somehow pleased, as well, underneath a mask of neutrality. Elsewhere a familiar, brilliant-eyed brunette woman with a pink bow in her hair likewise chattered, teasing a black-haired man that seemed to take her play in stride.

Three people were singing and fumbling over the words through laughter--one of them threatening one of the other redheads at the table to shut the fuck up. Others were chattering over their little plates of food, while others still were partaking in a waterfall competition with glasses of beer.

It was a chaotic scene, but it was the best home he'd ever known. Reno was sat beside a darker-skinned bald man whom, for once, had his trademark sunglasses tucked into his coat pocket. The redhead just sat there leaning against the bald man, putting his weight on his elbow while a skewer of pork hung from his lips. There was still chunks of pork on it, and he seemed to be pulling it further into his mouth as he went, thus eating the little meat-skewer without using his hands like some sort of heathen brat. The bald man beside him didn't seem to mind, and was just comfortably enjoying his buzz, saying something or other to Reno under the rhythm of the music.

The bloom of red on Reno's face suggested he likewise had some sort of buzz going as well, somehow.

He'd somehow felt the disturbance in this little bubble of his, and cracked one eye lazily open to look at whomever ventured in with a toothy, vulpine grin. It might be hard to tell if his grin was an invitation or a threat. ]

And who invited you to the cool kids club?


Captured.
[ This was what Reno was good at. He'd found a lead and pursued it, pulling at the thread and skulking through crowds behind the unassuming looking, and it was so much easier when he didn't have a time-limit to inhibit him.

Reno was following a person through the crowd one moment, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone. The only sign of their disappearance was, perhaps, the concerned and curious trailing stares of a few people, but even then those people were smart enough to stay in their lane and just kept hurrying along.

Of course, one was certainly free to try and sniff Reno out, and should they do so quickly enough, they would catch up to one redhead with a limp body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, headed for the docks.

It might be best to intercept him before he can disappear onto one of the ships with his prey. ]


Summon.
[ Under duress, people were liable to say whatever their captor wanted to hear from them just to avoid pain and punishment, which was why interrogations were always such nuanced experiences. It as a high-risk, high-reward sort of situation that Reno didn't care to always fall back on, but in this case, he had gained what ground he could in silence, and fighting terror with terror had yielded results.

Reno was one who preferred to keep his sources alive as he found it more often yielded the needed results, especially if one forced said captive to lead them to a needed location. This had been...mostly a good idea, as, fortunately, his query hadn't lied about where the next ritual would be. Unfortunately, they had gotten there too late.

Also unfortunately, their captive--despite being bound and chained--jerked the lead free and stumbled towards the nearest bubbling vein of black ichor. Even if stopped by Reno or whomever was with him, when the captive fell, begging to be taken as a worthy vessel, the black ichor, wailing in despair and screaming in rage all at once, crawled with jerking movements at a break-neck speed towards the man and overtook him.

Bubbles split and popped, more cracks jerked and glitched in the air around the body as it convulsed. A wailing face melted under the ooze. Stone and blood and flesh and bone were devoured by the ooze. Disintegrated and assimilated as the mass of ooze grew, quickly, to the size of a house.

Whether your character accompanied Reno here, or only just came running at the creaking and groaning of matter under the shrill shrieks of hungry, vengeful ghouls, there was still time to draw a weapon or run the hell away. As it stood, Reno was quickly pulling his magrod from his coat to snap open and spark to life. ]

'You ready?

bubble jumping 🔵

[activatingcombatmode]

[Believe it or not, Zack's feelings about being in a place like this are quite complicated. It feels like being deep underwater and in the middle of the sky at the same time. Air and gravity feels off here and he can feel it with each step that he takes over the watery grass under his boots. Almost like he could take one little hop and end up floating upwards. He has to wonder if this is what death really feels like. Almost like he's being slowly disembodied from what used to ground him.

He doesn't want to think too hard about what death feels like. If this is the afterlife. And all of that.

It's Zack that saunters up to Reno, sliding an arm over his shoulders roughly to give the redhead a bit of a nudge.]

I don't know, think you can beat me in an all-physical race?

[They will be jumping and leaping upwards (parkour!) on their way over bits of floating seaweed, bubbles and stone. It looks like it'll be pretty physically demanding. He doesn't have his clunky great sword with him right now, so that helps with the bigger picture. He thinks he'll win. But Reno might have one advantage over him, and that's probably being the more agile one. Still, Zack's no joke when it comes to movement.]

Hiro Hamada l Big Hero 6 l Paladin

[baymaxing]

Land of the Living:

Gravestones:

[Cleaning gravestones is something he can help with. Something he figures Tadashi won't get too worried about or whatever. Hiro can manage this much. While still helping out and still kinda easing Tadashi into letting him do more. Not that he figures the other would ever really stop being protective and fretting over him. That's what big brothers do.

As he cleans, he talks, telling stories about his past, growing up with Tadashi, how he heard stories of their parents but he doesn't himself remember them, being too young when they had passed.]

I wish I had more to go on to remember of my parents. But that's why it's important. To do things like this. At the least, care for the graves of those that have passed.

Fight for your Life:

[Hiro yelps as he is grabbed. Which is not that difficult since he is so tiny, so young compared to others which probably makes him an easier target. He might not have first-hand experience with dying himself but he has lost his parents and brother. Leaving just Aunt Cass as family.]

Let me go!

[Hiro kicks, aware his sneakers are likely not doing much if any real damage but he tries to kick his ankle free, instinctively reaching for Baymax for help as the robot tries to follow and stop it.]

Wildcard:

[Anyone wants something else? I'm probably down.]

Fight For Your Life

[onebullet]

I've got you, kid - hold still!

[ The sledgehammer comes down on the assailant with a dull THUD! knocking them sideways into the grass away from Hiro. A chunk has been punctured out of its ghostly shoulder and much of its left arm, tendrils of mist slowly seeping out to patch the "wound".

With that one down, she turns to the other ghostly-looking figure waddling towards Hiro, kicking the hammer into the air and swinging it out to the side, ready to knock the marshmallow spirit like it's a slowly approaching baseball--]

Commander Shepard | Mass Effect | Paladin

[onebullet]

1 Gravestones & Cracks

[ Though looking a damn sight better than when she arrived, the decision for Shepard to remain with the living is one she accepted with surprisingly little protest. There's a lot to be done out here to keep those going in safe, and she's keen to put her back into it after a month of taking things easy.

The paladin jacket she arrived in, now adjusted to actually fit, is unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, hands stained from digging and scrubbing decades of moss from headstones and the accompanying weeds from the grave beds. There's a sledgehammer leant against one of her legs as she takes a break, scanning the horizon. ]

Don't worry, it's for the cracks.

[ She snorts, crossing her arms. ]

... Or anything that comes screaming out of there that shouldn't.

2 Fight For Your Life

[ Unfortunately for Shepard, she's got lots of experience being both nearly and very dead, which makes her prime pickings for the escaped souls seeking to escape the farplane for good.

Unfortunately for them, Shepard has a sledgehammer and is itching for more fights. ]

Wasn't expecting to see any action out here. Feels good to get back into the swing of things.

[ She grins and rolls her shoulders, eyes fixed on the eerie figure rapidly getting closer. ]

You want to take this one?

3 MANTA - Sword In The Stone

Seriously..?

[ Shepard is stood a little ways back from a small crowd gathered around the boulder, watching incredulously as one person after another tries their hand at pulling the sword - and fails. Some of those that failed loop around to the back of the queue to try their hand again, as if it might have been worked loose on their next attempt. ]

Do you think it's actually magic or someone joking around? A strong magnet, or it's welded to a metal base below the rock?

[ A "tsk" as she rubs her wrist. ]

I really have to find my omni-tool.

4 Gear Quest - Eltrut Jungle

[ Shielding her eyes from the sun, Shepard squints up towards the sky. In her other hand is clutched the tattered piece of paper from her arrival last month, instructing that her belongings are "buried under the largest tree on Eltrut". The problem is... being on the ground in an area with such dense vegetation makes it hard to judge the height of one massive tree from the other, even knowing the general direction she needs to be heading in. ]

Dammit.

[ She did not want to have to climb a tree this early in, but she is pretty lost. ]

5 Wildcard

[ Choose your own adventure! ]

sword in the stone

[latentpower]

[Gohan's been watching the whole thing unfold with intense curiosity. A sword nobody could pull out of the stone? Sounds like kind of a crazy situation. He overhears Shepard's commentary, and the kid can't help but chime in.]

It sounds pretty similar to an old legend back on Earth. About a sword that could only be pulled from the stone by its chosen wielder.

Axel | Kingdom Hearts | Corsair

[emberized]

"Hey Roxas, we watch a lot of sunsets. What do you say we watch the sun rise for a change?"
[Ghoul's night came and went and Axel found himself grateful for the first time to see dawn peek out from the horizon; not a common sight in the perpetual night of the World that Never was. From here on out, everything really was new and the Nobody could breathe a sigh of relief upon seeing that he didn't leave with the Festival's namesake. It's over. He gets to stay. He has been afforded a new lease on life; he isn't about to waste a second of it.]

Setting Sail --Closed to Plus Ultra
[The Plus Ultra crew were an interesting assortment to travel with. Whether Axel first encountered them on the island or onboard their humble little vessel, the Nobody is quick to give a toothy grin and a wave.]

"Well, my bags are packed-- not that I actually have any."

[From there it doesn't take much for the redhead to pop his head into anyone's business; be it observing their job on the ship, napping up in the Crow's Nest or most obviously visiting his best friend in their quarters. For such an energetic fellow though, he sure could be strangely quiet when looking out at sea.]

Guard Duty
[It was pure chance that put Axel near the hospital tents housing Envoy Jade's volunteers on a layover in Samdre. The assassin had been ready to follow Roxas' lead anywhere and luck just so had it, the keyblade weilder had his own reasons for visiting the isle; though this was certainly a stark contrast to the wild adventure Axel had just been on with him.

Funny, how often he seemed to have to watch people sleep.

Apart from the occasional jumpscare of a body returning to the living GASPING, it wasn't a terribly exciting gig. Nothing to do but chat with other volunteers and ponder. Axel drums his fingers.]

"So, you going with the next batch?"

[After all...Why not? What does he have to fear?]

Transitory
[It turns out a lot less than the average passenger. Axel stands on deck aboard the Asmodeus, waving his hand, expression unchanging as he observes it slowly return to a more opaque state. He raises an eyebrow as the person to his left pitches over, only to be followed by the one at his right soon after. He smirks at the one remaining, anticipating the same.]

"What? First time traveling in darkness?"

[..Anything to distract himself from how unsettlingly normal this all is for him.]

Farplane -- Catchall
[He isn't sure why he wanted to do this. He has nothing to prove and no stakes in this, really. Who is he to run in trying to play hero? Nevertheless, here Axel is. On the Farplane. Hair billowing like a red variant of the green and purple seagrasses around him. Ironic that he tried to avoid Envoy Jades all Ghoul's Night, now that he thinks about it.]

"Better pay us well for this." [Axel mutters without much bite; he has to pretend there was SOME reason he has taken such a stupid risk. He puts his hands on his hips]

"Well, I guess the first important thing is to memorize what is supposed to be here."

[And boy if there isn't plenty of oddities to investigate! From immaculately sized bubbles, floating schools of fish, to numerous patches of increasing darkness up the hills into the Uncharted territory beyond. Time to go down the list!]

Fractures and Aggression
[Now how is it, even outside of the Farplane, he is dealing with so much ghostly trouble? Two flaming wheel-like weapons cut through a pair of aggressive spirits, the apparitions smearing like smoke before they dissipate.

Axel sighs, catching his chakrum and resting his boot against the supernatural gouges clawed through the earth. The amount of malicious energy pouring forth from the cracks practically seem as though they are giving off a deathly wail all of their own; the ghastly intent and intense miasma of hatred turbulantly spilling forth, like roiling waves of--]

"Going to go out on a limb here and say this isn't a part of the natural geography."

[So how are they supposed to--]

"Watch it!" [He warns, turning to chuck a second chakrum at something forming in the distance. There is just no end to these things!]

WILD
[Anything else? I kept these loose to make it easy to steer the thread to multiple prompt opportunities, but if you want to plan anything extra or hash out some details, hit me up on plurk or my intro post too!]

Fractures and Aggression

[onebullet]

[ Shepard glances over her shoulder as Axel's chakrum sails into the ghostly figure, rubbing her wrist across her brow. She's been going for a while now, is starting to slow a little in her reactions due to the ache of her injuries settling back in, but doesn't seem too perturbed by anything that's going on. ]

I'm not so sure - a zombie mermaid tried to eat my partner last month. Weird things just seem to happen here.

[ Saying that, she drags the sledgehammer along the ground, over to a thin fracture snaking its way through the grass. Before it can start to open proper, she swings the hammer into the air and brings it down, as hard as she can and with both hands, on the wannabe rift. ]

You a newbie, too?

cyrus albright | octopath traveler | paladin

[lecturer]

Farplane (click to view all 3 prompts)

i. general.

[ in general, cyrus can be found floating about in the far shore with a look of wonder on his face - clearly enjoying himself, no matter where he ends up, be it good or bad. starry eyed, he looks at the ancient kingdoms, and murmurs - ] This is a jellyfish. [ in just like, utter delight. he looks like a kid in a candy store. like, he's going to start fanboying any second. ]

ii. sticky charms

[ speaking of fanboying, you can find cyrus curiously watching someone create the sticky charm spells - bright eyed, excited. ]

Excuse me. [ hello to whoever is making them. ] Might you be willing to show me that technique? If you wouldn't mind.

[ teach him!!!!! look at these sparkling eyes of a student!! ]

iii. oozes

[ if you happen to be walking, you might find an arm soccer-mom thrown out in front of you, stopping you from stepping into something.

more specifically, into some of that black ooze, that's crawling across the ground. the arm belongs to cyrus, who is not very strong, so you could almost certainly shove right past him if you wanted to, but he looks wary. ]

- Ah. Watch your step.

[ whatever that is, it is letting off bad juju. as he lowers his arm - he slowly starts to drop down to a squat, going through his pockets and pulling out a magnifying glass, and... is that a jar... what is cyrus doing.... ]

The Land of the Living (click to view all 5 prompts)

i. general.

[ of course, a scholar has to be drawn to the ley lines. as he's off to lend a hand, cyrus can be found parked near one of the lines, a book open next to him and a quill resting on the pages. the ley line magic feels far different than orsterra's pull, and his expression is best described as wondrous as he weaves the magic into a fire spell.

more concentrated than ever, with a bit of fussing, it shifts to a small stream of fire as opposed to the equivalent of a fireball - cyrus makes a soft a-ha noise and shifts to write with his other hand, scribbling something down in the book, then moving his hand to light a small torch with the fire. then picking up another torch, then going back to writing in the book. rinse, lather, repeat, until there's a little line of warm, lit torches for venturing off into the night. if you happen to come over, it looks like he is utterly absorbed in doing this, but perhaps if you need a light, he'd be willing to share... ]

...Fascinating.

ii. sing a song

[ though he is attending to the rituals of stabilizing the planes, cyrus is mostly focused on helping with the leylines. one leading near a small group of singers earns an appreciative ear, and he claps, politely when they finish, clearly very much enjoying the tune.

however, upon being asked to join, cyrus immediately lifts both hands in surrender, expression going sheepish. ] Oh - no. It's for the best for all that I don't, believe you me.

[ maybe he's just shy... ]

iii. gravestones.

[ well, of course, you can also find cyrus sitting in front of a gravestone, his coat fanned out behind him, a polishing cloth in hand as he works to clean it, and, does what cyrus does best. he yaps. ]

I find it curious, that it is the stories of our lives that give you power - though, I suppose, it is not so different than studying the past, if only to study the present. In the end, to learn of the world is to enrich oneself no matter who we are, isn't that right? Still, I'd love to learn of your escapades - I suppose those can come through observation.

[ he hums a little, cheerful, scrubbing away. ]

But! I digress. A story from my life, was it? I suppose I could tell you of the adventure of a great and powerful warrior who I've spent time with of the past year - a very relic himself, a man of such story that his name brings fear to the heart of his enemies, and courage to the heart of his allies. However, in my time of knowing him, I've come to learn of the man of the legend, and all of his idiosyncracies, his habits, and his utterly human hopes and despairs... it is a lesson we must understand, that our histories are made of humanity, and the Unbending Blade is a man as any other.

Now then. Our story begins, for context, with the great kingdom of Hornburg, eight years ago...

[ there he goes.......... ]

iv. blood cults, again.

[ talk about deja vu. cyrus albright simply cannot resist a mystery, which means he follows the investigations of the blood cults like a hound on a trail, following the guardians out to their locations if possible, and following the trails of others where not.

coming upon a site with him, you may hear him softly say - ] My word. [ as he turns to his companion, expression serious, immediately twisting his hand to light up a fire spell well enough to see the interior of the cave. the sight stops him in his tracks. he inhales, reeling just slightly at the deja vu, and then shakes his head. ]

... Let us not tarry for too long.

[ there's something just uneasy on his face as he hurries past the sacrificial circle to quickly triage anyone remaining in the area, or anyone that can be saved - checking the pulse of any remaining sacrifices, closing the eyes of those who cannot. he's no medic, but he is a helpful hand.

and... once the immediate danger has been dealt with, cyrus steps back and examines the circle itself, looking through his pockets and pulling out a strange looking book. flipping it open, he quietly sets to work, studying the construction of the circle and whatever is in his book with an increasingly deep frown on his face. ]

v. watch your step!

[ after the initial incident with the blood magic cult, you can find cyrus wandering around with his nose in that strange book, still looking just as deep in thought.

you can also find that cyrus is approximately three steps from walking directly into one of those cracks. he has absolutely zero idea, so deeply absorbed in walking and reading at the same time, but in three steps, he is going in that crack.

maybe help him so he doesn't? or watch him fall in... who knows.... ]

▶ Wildcard

[ i'm up for anything! find me on disco or plurk @ protags to plot stuff out! ]

iii

[afflatusexarch]

[ Ears perk up at the sudden arm behind shoved in front of him. He's not going to push the other out of the way. Oh goodness no. Instead his eyes follow the other, tilting his head somewhat to the side. ]

Ah, I see. Thank you. I could have found myself in a rather, ah, sticky situation.

Nimona | Paladin

[pinksidekicking]

🫀 Farplane: Dark Side

Black Ooze CW: slight body horror, suicidal idealization

[ The problem with the black ooze is that it's sticky as hell, which means getting it off is pretty difficult. Nimona doesn't even realize some of it is stuck to her for an extended period of time as she treks through the Uncharted wilderness. She runs through the landscape - shifting through different forms as though there are knights on her tail ready to kill her.

Nimona only stops short when it seems her despair has reached the highest limit of what her heart can take, much like after Ballister learned the truth. Memories bombard her of the villagers hurting her - poking her with pitchforks, smacking her with torches, hitting her and everyone is afraid. It blends together with Ballister's face when he discovered that she wasn't just different, she was Gloreth's monster. The pain and anguish wells up inside of her, bubbling over, and she shifts to the form of a young girl.

What are you? Monster. Are you even human? Just be a girl. There is no place for you. Don't lie to me. You monster. Go back to the shadows from whence you came. There is something really wrong with you.

The voices of her past drown out any who might say different, overwhelming any sense of hope that she'd found here in this world. Breathing becomes a struggle and Nimona curls into herself, clenching at her head as though that will stop the voices, but tendrils of darkness start to consume her form. White light pours out of her eyes and mouth as the darkness strips away her human form, a scream ripping from her mouth as the girl becomes the monster they all painted her to be.

It echoes throughout the Uncharted wilderness as she goes from a small child to a fifty foot shadow dragon that's very difficult to miss. A thousand years worth of pain poured into the heartrending sound.

To anyone who isn't aware of Nimona's darkness, there won't be any sign of the girl within the large beast lumbering around. While she isn't vicious enough to attack on sight, the dragon isn't careful in how it moves and she is making her way to the Envoy Jades with an unknown intent. ]

[ OOC Note: This will be the only prompt for Nimona this month, people are free to fight her with the intent to kill her - but papa Cloud will be saving her. She's very hard to kill, so go ahead and fite. Only close CR can have aftermath threads, because she'll be sticking to her ship after this. We can plot on plurk or discord: Tsukeru, xae7866 ]

charges

[desirestruth]

[You'd have to have had a much worse sense of hearing than Naeva does to not hear that sound, and so she had been quick to lope in the direction of the dragon, already in her bestial form...not that it's very impressive in this situation. Nine feet tall doesn't matter too much when faced with a dragon.

It's as she skids to a stop in front of it that she notices. That doesn't smell like a dragon. Through the oozes' horrible scent, there is something else. Something underneath all this.

Jackals, as a rule, can't really howl. But she does make a loud, rattling chatter as she pours magic into whatever plant life she can find, trying to reach out and grab the dragon, stop it, slow it down. She's not particularly gentle or careful--she can't be. It's a really bad idea to let this reach the Envoy, she's pretty sure.]

karlach 🔥 baldur's gate 3 🔥 corsair 🔥 closed

[headhunt]

( closed threads nested below. interested in a thread? ping me @ bursts and we'll plan something out. )

MANTA 🍖 HUNGRY-LA ISLE 🥩 SIDESTEP

[headhunt]

( sure, karlach had seen the weapons that were strewn about—almost begging for someone with a pair of big strong hands to pick them up and give 'em a couple good swings. anyone with a working eye could see them.

meat weapons weren't exactly subtle. particularly not when they look more at home in a necromancer's basement than propped up against the trees here.

however.

the most important part is that the trees grew meat.

some cooked, some raw. all of it meat. edible meat. meat-meat. free meat. the BEST kind of meat. )

Yesss^sssss! Oh man, look at this! Meat heaven!

( karlach laughs delightedly to herself as she picks a round glob of meat off the branch like a huge berry. it quickly starts to cook underneath her blazing hot palms, helping fill the air with the smell of freshly cooked meat.

she's gotta bring some home to gale. )

Hawks | My Hero Academia | Paladin

[velocityraptor]

Into The Farplane

I. In denial

Ah ah ah- [Hawks scolds the soul that’s trying to fight someone, standing between them so he can intervene. ] Hey, I get this sucks, there’s no need to get violent.

[ He has to duck at the last second – fortunately he’s a quick one. ]

Can’t say I didn’t try and talk you down. [ He holds open both hands and two large feathers whoosh out of his wings so he could hold them. His primaries. He wields them like swords. ] Guess I can tire you out. [ He offers a winning smile. ]

II. Good wishes

[ It’s rare to catch Hawks looking so serious but for a moment his hand is hovering over one of the scraps of paper, ready to write his thoughts. He doesn’t know these spirits but he does have some things he wants... he just isn’t sure he should pull that trigger not. They’d never forgive him. ]

Farplane: Dark Side

III. Black Ooze

[ The trick with Hawks is that thanks to his wings he can swoop around without getting caught in any kind of mess on the ground, but that said when the oozing pond he’s trying to help with suddenly bubbles up and catches his wings, he lets out a sound that might be suspiciously like a squawk and he crash lands right in the stuff. ]

Fuck. I- [ The effects are almost immediately heavy. He has to stop moving, cutting himself off. He’s trapped in his thoughts, his expression going dull. ]

I should’ve...done something...anything. [ Whatever Hawks is seeing isn’t anything physically in front of him. ]

Realm of the Living

IV. Gravestones

[ He’s got a bucket and a scrub brush and he’s kneeling in front of a gravestone, the base of his wings in the mud. Hawks doesn’t seem to notice as he scrubs particularly vigorously. ]

Aw, come on, you don’t want to hear about my life really, do you? Nah, of course not. It’s not that interesting.

V. Fight For Your Life

[ He’s hard to catch – but that doesn’t mean everyone is. Some poor hapless soul almost caught and he swoops in from above, a couple of feathers pinning one of those otherworld creatures. ]

Are you doing okay? [ Hawks might be asking the person he’s rescued, but he’s watching the creature just in case they move again. He doubts it’s already subdued. ]

VI. Rescuing the Victims

Alright. [ Hawks is leaning against a stone wall, looking at his companion. ] I can get them all out. If you go in and pull their attention, I can get the hostages to safety and then I’ll charge in to help.

Sound good?

VII. Wildcard

[ From Manta board to any of these prompts – choose your own adventure. ]

good wishes

[activatingcombatmode]

[Zack might be nearby with his own slips of paper. He's wondering how many of these things he should write. Especially since he's got a lot that he could say about the people in his life. The ones that are still here and the ones that are gone.]

Hey. [He gives a friendly nod.] Stuck on what you wanna write?

[Writer's block can be rough.]

Toge Inumaki | Jujutsu Kaisen | Corsair

[cursedwords]

I. Caught Off Guard

[ It’s been a rough few days for Toge. He’s been quiet, not in the way he normally is, but he’s been mostly withdrawn. He hasn’t shown himself around too much and even now he can be caught staring off into space, his mind a million miles away.

He just has a whole lot going on right now. ]

Into The Farplane

II. Crabapples

[Toge’s not expecting to be drawn in by the snacks but they just look so good.

Maybe there’s time to stop him, or perhaps he’s already on his third one.

What was he doing here again?

Ah, who cares. His cat tail is swishing behind him, betraying his content with his free snacks he picked up. ]

III. Bubble Clouds

[ Someone wrapped up in a dream? It’s too tempting, and once Toge learns what they do, he has no intention on getting caught up in it. He has enough problems.

He will however, reach out to those in need, extending a hand to them. ]

Kelp! [ It’s rude not to say hello. He makes a beckoning motion with his hand. ] Tuna mayo. [ Grab on tight, he’ll get you out of here! ]


Realm of the Living

IV. Leylines

[ The best Toge can do is offer his cursed energy, and why shouldn’t he? He has buckets of it.

The word he’s using is not one of his usual ones. Catching him early on, he’s hesitant, it’s at a whisper. He’s slurring a little bit. It takes practice to get out unfamiliar words. ]

Light. [ Toge can feel the pull of the energy as he pushes it into the command and into the leylines, letting them brighten on his say so.

Before long though, he’s already coughing. ]

V. Wildcard

[ From Manta board to any of these prompts – choose your own adventure. As always, Toge speaks in a rice ball cipher – but he has his shellphone to compensate for that. He’s just a normal, one-armed catboy teen. ]

Leylines

[onebullet]

[ A firm but gentle hand on his shoulder as he coughs, a canteen of water offered out in front of him. ]

It's not boba, and it's not even cold by now, but it might help.

[ Shepard had been on her way over to say hello anyway, having recognised him while finishing up one of the nearby gravestones. She leans down to look at his face, concern furrowing her brow. ]

You okay?

Ranma Saotome | Ranma ½ | Corsair

[catsgothistongue]

🌑Dark Side🌑

Black Ooze

A. Pit of Despair
[He should've known that it wouldn't have been that easy. Clean up all this blackwater and be done with it. The viscid nature was awful to wade through, but Ranma trucked through it. A-And sure, the creeping oppression of helplessness made him feel like crap, but it was just nerves. Nothin' more.

That bloodcurdling scream raw with despair several minutes later is throwing those words back in Ranma's terror-stricken expression. The pigtailed boy stood there in the tarry substance, unable to bring himself to move, dead still apart from labored breathing ifhemakestoomuchnoisetheyllseehim and the trembling deer-in-headlights look to his eyes. No matter where he moved, where he ran, he couldn't escape it! Escape them!]

NO NO NO! SOMEONE HELP! GET 'EM AWAY FROM ME! PLEASE, ANYTHING!!!

[He's tried to tell himself countless times he's not there anymore. He's not in the pit. He's not six anymore. Everywhere he looks, though, screams otherwise! So dark, so alone except for them, it hurts so much please please please help him!!!]

or

B. Cat Boy on a Hot Tin Roof
[... no one came to help him. No one could save him. No one was coming for him. Pop wasn't going to. He couldn't save himself. So, so hopeless... He can't—

Ranma Saotome's hold on his own consciousness slip through his fingers. His mind goes blank, the world around him goes dark, and he sinks into the deepest part of his id.

...

It emerges. It didn't recognize its surroundings, and it hated it. The black ooze's pernicious effects of despair only served to exacerbate its agitation and primal fear. It felt cornered. And when an animal is backed into a corner, it attacks back with unfettered fury. To protect itself.

Ranma could be found prowling through the turbid water. Anyone else may be having troubles moving in the viscous water, but Ranma wasn't... Despite the fact the boy's hunched over on all fours, unseen claws were parting the ooze to let it pass. Ranma's head dart up and down, left and right, scanning the land for threats.

Lo and behold, those vacant pinpricked eyes zero in on the first thing that wasn't gunk. And they don't look pleased at all to see you.]

(OOC: A heads up for this, Ranma (Neko-Ranma? Ranya?) will attempt to attack/fight your character, so feel free to fight with intent to kill if you desire! Things to prepare for here are unseen claws and superhuman speed. You can attempt to talk it down, though the chances are slim.)

Marked for Death

[Going into the Farplane outside of his own body, Ranma knew the risks of running into some wayward souls. His track record with spooks and ghouls is... not the best, but from what they apprised earlier, the spirits only get real hostile around folks who've experienced death first-hand before. Least the time he nearly died eating those cold noodles counts, he's a-okay!

Cut to the now, where two corrupted souls got Ranma in a bind, taking hold of one arm each. He kicked, yelled, struggled to break free even as they began dragging himself.]

Hands off, ya' grimy little--!

[Seems like, while Ranma himself may not have died, his soul was still tainted by malodor of death. Strange.

Please help.]

🩸Realm of the Living🩸

Culling Cultists

[The whole dead bleeding into the living screamed Gos' element all over it: Creepy, idiotic loser who thinks messing with the dead is a swell idea. Gosunkugi may not be here - Ranma would've stumbled into him sooner or later -, but it's enough for Ranma to look into it. He's spent enough time dealing with the dead, it's time to deal with the living.

Hence why he's standing outside of an old cave once used for mining, repurposed into the cultist's macabre get-together. They really couldn't have picked a better spot to do their sacrifices? A throng of cloaked figures surround their latest bound victim, chanting an intonation that sounded no better than pure gibberish. Ranma positioned himself behind a rock, stealing a glance over to you. Maybe he dragged you into helping him with this, or you both had the same idea. Whatever it may be, the martial artist held up three fingers to count down.]

🐕MANTA Board🐕

PUPPIES!!!!

[Growing up, Ranma did wonder what it'd be like having a pet of his own. With his lifestyle and training, there was simply no feasible way for him to care for one. Options were limited too. Cats were out of the question. Birds were more reliable as a source of food, plus they'd fly away. Closest he ever got to was watching Shirokuro for Ryoga when pork breath got himself lost.

All his friends had pets of their own. Ranma couldn't help but feel a tad left out... So when he caught wind of a tamer looking for people to care for tamed puppies, he knew it was fate. The puppy, golden in color, having three heads didn't change his mind. Way he saw it, it just made him (her?) (them?) so much cooler than if it had one! Having the puppies already be accustomed to the outdoors was a bonus. They were kindred spirits there, a love for running free...

... literally.]

Akiko! Akiko, no, sit!!! Drop it!!

[Here he was, chasing after the pupper when it mistook his shellphone for a squeaky toy. Look alive, golden retriever cerberus + newly pigtailed pet owner heading your way! Fast!!!]

WILD CARD
[None of these catch your eye, or want to plot something different? PM this journal or HMU @ wahoothis! I'm down for anything!]

Puppies!!

[scooba]

[Seeing puppies with three heads did make Freminet raise an eyebrow or two. However, they seemed to be no different than the animals he took care of. Lynette always had a habit of collecting stray cats and his Father loved animals. Taking care of them seemed to be an easy mission to fulfill.

That said, as he was holding one in his arms, he happened to see a rather familiar boy.]

Uh...

[Should he go after him...??]

xehanort | kingdom hearts | paladin

[tabiya]

X-I : departure

[ despite not hesitating for a moment when volunteering for the trip to the farplane, standing here now is a xehanort who looks extremely nervous. the concept of having his soul removed from his body had sounded like a fascinating concept at first, but now as he waits on the shore of the black lake with the other voluteers, the intermittent chill of dread that has been plaguing him since arrival has returned in full force.

like this is something he has done, will do, should not do. that he has never done.

so there's a tall young man with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his head bowed standing off to one side. his fingers are gripping his own arms almost hard enough to bruise. of course he was still going to go, he'd made that decision and was sticking by it, but something felt so wrong. ]

X-II : disembark

a; depths

[ passing through respite reef and eventually arriving in the breathing depths has a calming effect on xehanort, the softened emotions of the souls here having a carryover effect on to him. the cold dread had reduced to an occasional prickle. the pyreguppies take an interest in him, though, milling about his head and around his chest.

when one bumps into his bare shoulder, a flash of a long, long-lost memory passes through him. he frowns, and tries to wave the other pyreguppies away. ]

How are they doing that?

[ later, xehanort can be found contributing to the many wishes tied to the trees around them. his slip of paper, in neat script, reads i want to be by your side in the future. the name is written pointedly in the complex scalan script. ]

b; darkside

[ that relative peace does not last long.

about three steps into the uncharted has the coils of dark emotions curling around xehanort's heart, his spirit exposed here without even his body to protect it. despite his continued practice with closing off the empath heartpings, the despair and pain weigh heavier and heavier the further they go. he tries to be resilient. they have a mission to complete.

by the time the group of volunteers has split up to explore and close the cracks that have appeared, it hurts. his chest burns with the ache of it, no matter how much he tries to block it all out. being a new arrival, he doesn't have anyone to travel with or lean on.

someone might find him doubled over near a pool of blackwater, leaning heavily on a dead tree. there are tears in his eyes, grip on his keyblade the only thing keeping him anchored. ]

...help.

[ he manages to breathe out, expression locked somewhere between wild and terrified.


once he's brought back to a functional emotional balance (still pained, but no longer overwhelmed), xehanort continues with the purpose of the trip, fending off wayward spirits and seeking out cracks to assist in sealing. the keyblade is a weapon made for this sort of thing, after all. ]

X-III : daily

[ back in the realm of the living, xehanort keeps himself primarily occupied with assisting through combat. especially after he encounters a shadow beast for the first time, its similarity to a heartless extremely concerning. luckily, he's an adept spellcaster for his status as an apprentice. one might find themselves assisted by xehanort, him throwing ice or light spells around to defeat more aggressive beasts.

or you might spot him by a leyline, tip of his keyblade held to the tendril of energy as he channels light through it as best he knows how. ]

X-re : dealer's choice

[ wildcard babeyyy. drop me a line on plurk yagyuu, discord haseritt, or pm this journal to work out something specific! or just make a prompt up, i am easy breezy to play pretty much anything. ]

Departure

[scooba]

[Ever since the events back home, the idea of having his soul separated from his body didn't seem like a strange concept. To think that his body wasn't even human to begin with was something he still had trouble understanding. To know that his mind and body would belong to the ocean and have everything merge into one was scary.

And it was something he really didn't want to happen to him.

However, that wouldn't stop him from volunteering and helping those to safety. Which was why when he saw someone standing, he gave a mumble or two.]

If you don't want to go, that's okay.

Loid Forger 💥 Spy X Family 💥 Paladin 💥Closed

[averagedad]

BLOOD CULTISTS 🩸CLOSED TO BENEDIKTA

[averagedad]

[In the wake of the cracks emerging into the world of the living, Twilight could not stand idly by watching as havoc was wrecked upon the masses by these corrupted souls harming innocents en mass. As a protector of the people back home the man took it upon himself to aid those less fortunate, seeking out the root of the issue here in Eltrut. Initial investigations have led him to understand there were infamous cultists hiding in the shadows, plucking all manner of locals to use as blood sacrifices to fuel the powers at bay. May it be drunkards begging for money in the streets or unsuspecting children playing outside whilst their parents work away countless individuals had gone missing in the span of only a few days, the latter striking a particularly sensitive nerve with the masterclass spy.

It would seem he was not the only one who wished to seek out these murderous villains, happening upon one Benedikta Harmen who had been questioning others at the Minstrel and Cask, a tavern where many wayward souls took to drink and had not made it home the evenings prior. Catching wind of rumors which had spread of a nest of cultists using one of the mausoleums located within the cemetery at the edge of town for their nefarious means, the pair post themselves up hiding behind one of the larger tome stones for cover.

About an hours time after they positioned themselves, a congregation of robed individuals crept through the cemetery grounds. Even more concerning was the group of bound people dredging along in front, heads bagged to hid their vision in turn. Twilight's vision narrows in on their targets with a deadpan expression of determination stricken over his face, voice unnerved shifting his attention towards Benedikta with a subtle nod.]

It seems the suspicions were correct these cultists are using this place as a means to perform their blood rituals.

[A pause as he gets up from the kneeling position to right himself with a pensive glare.]

We must act quickly before they look to enact their next sacrifice and apprehend the suspects without incurring any casualties so we might ascertain their plans. Agreed?

Enterprise | Azur Lane | Paladin

[lucky_e]

I - Pyreguppies

Oh, these are cute!

[She giggled, watching the florescent guppies swim around them. They're adorable and friendly if their interactions with souls around her are anything to go off of. Enty, this was on the bottom of her list of all the things she had been expecting to see in the Farplane. Bottom and nonexistent, but also a pleasant surprise! And evidently, others agree after coming into contact with the small fish, becoming more satisfied and happy.

Hm…

…She stops as one of the little guppies sped past her. Almost colliding, making her let out a little laugh. Well, there’s nothing nefarious going on here. Quite the opposite, really!]

I wonder if we can take one back with us.

II – Sing a Verse!

I know a few songs that might work. How about you?

[Enty’s realized how powerful sea shanties are in this world! Being part of the Navy does have its advantages sometimes, like helping to stabilize things between the realms of the living and the dead. She isn’t entirely sure how that’s supposed to work, but in her experience, it’s sometimes best not to question these things.

Long story short, she has several songs lined up in her head, each more jaunty, heartfelt, and filled with meaning than the last! But she also only knows so many.]

III – Leylines aka: Enty the living battery

[She just touched it… er, is around the leyline, and the thing is already glowing brightly. Super-charged by the Wisdom Cube inside of her, the one that comprises her entire being. A source of limitless energy and potential that the leyline is now feeding off of. Thankfully, Enty doesn't look all that worse for wear (at least outwardly, she doesn't).

Instead, she stands still, chin in hand, observing the bright glow from the power source and her body.

It’s freaky, really. And a little draining.

Okay, it's not very draining, considering that it is siphoning off her own energy source, her very soul. She’ll be fine, but… well, Enty’s starting to breathe harder than before, and her movement will become more sluggish. She’ll be fine, and the leyline looks more than just a little supercharged now. But, well, perhaps she shouldn’t be hanging around it for too long? There are still many others that need to be given a jumpstart after all!]

Hm… onto the next then.

IV – Heliobi Swarm

[She’s doing fine here, and the charm she got from earlier is working like… well, like a charm! But there are still a lot of those – what are they again? Heliobi? There are a lot of them, and they all seem to be particularly attracted to Enty!

Ah- the perks of being a walking battery.

Anyway, she is doing alright, despite being swarmed on and completely surrounded. Really, Enterprise excels in fights like this where the odds appear to be stacked against her! Bolts of light fly through the air, hitting a multitude of targets.

But there's still far, far more of them. And there's only one of her, with only a single charm helping to keep the evil spirits at bay.]

V - Gravestones

There wasn’t much time, and we had to make do with what he had, you see. Our trap was already set, and the Sakura ships were quickly closing in on their intended target. They outnumbered us, and we weren’t at full strength yet. But they still had to be stopped there and then, and we had the advantage of breaking their encrypted communications.

[She said, wiping down a gravestone with a smile. Enty doesn’t mind this sort of work; it’s actually relaxing.]

Just my sisters, a handful of our friends, and myself against an Empire’s four combined fleets.

Gravestones

[scooba]

[Cleaning gravestones wasn't new to him. A lot of his siblings had died under the House and sometimes, he would visit them to pay his respect. It was the least he could do when he was simply too weak to defend his siblings when the missions got rough.

To see a familiar face cleaning the gravestones brought a smile to his face though. He didn't say anything and instead, simply listened to Enty's stories as he continued to work.]

Garrus Vakarian | Mass Effect | Paladin | OTA

[thearchangel]

🐟 Pyreguppies
This is probably the weirdest thing he's ever done. Namely, standing in the middle of soft waving grass, in what feels like a dreamscape, waving a butterfly net. What is he waving it at? Flying fish. Flying ghost fish. He feels really, really stupid, but not so much as when the fish pass right through his serious attempts at capture. He really, really hopes no one saw that - as evidenced by the slow draw of his hand down his face.

"All right, fine." Maybe he has to grab them?

Please enjoy the sight of this towering, armored alien man attempting to grasp the floating fish. And failing. For their part, the fish are having a lot of fun, swimming low and then up and away. He's very aware he looks absolutely ridiculous, as evidenced by the fact he will abruptly stop should anyone else appear in the area.

⚫ Black ooze
In contrast to the scene with all the fish, this one is far rougher. Hopefully, he was traveling with someone else. Moving slowly, cautiously, through the muck, the landscape of the weird, darker world. But all the care and caution in the universe doesn't help much when confronted by an angry specter. Some ugly monstrosity swoops out of nowhere, right at his face. Understandably, he swings his rifle up to fire at it. Or smack it out of the air. One of the two. The motion shouldn't have put him off balance, and yet it does (though maybe the ghost had something to do with it). Over sideways he goes...

Right into a puddle of ooze. A deep one, at that.

He struggles at first, but, suddenly, the Farplane is gone. His struggles stop. He's on a scorched battlefield, he's in an empty apartment with bodies. Garrus is no longer at home in his own head - the sudden onslaught of those memories, of the raw, bitter feelings of loss and uselessness, roar to the surface, and drown out even his attempts at getting out of the deep puddle of nasty gunk.

It's a slow descent, but, he really wasn't kidding about his people having zero buoyancy.


🌧 Side effects & Downtime
Naturally, when he's drawn back the first time, it's rough. The initial panic, unable to breathe, choking - like drowning, they say. Not an experience he ever wanted to have, really. But once it passes, he moves from uneasy to antsy. Sitting there, in forced recovery. There's work to do. Things need to be cleared out of the other world, cultists need to be hunted down.

He tries to stand. And then immediately wobbles in place. He has to catch himself before he faceplants into the dirt. Nevertheless, the man is bound and determined to head back to the dead land. He's fine. Ignore the coughing. It's fine.


💀 Here for the cult stuff
Whether or not he's here with a team, or pulling another Archangel Stunt, the element of surprise is important here. Tracking the cultists, watching them from the safety of a perch up a tree. Waiting for the perfect moment. He keeps his eyes on the leader, through his scope, following movements, his aim not wavering. Letting the ritual build up. Bit by bit.

Until the leader raises their voice to the last part of the incantation, when all attention is focused on the task at hand. Garrus squeezes the trigger. The leader abruptly no longer has a face, and falls over backward, away from the circle. Chaos descends, and so does he - dropping out of his perch and swapping to his other weapon. Short range, this time.

"Go for the hostages!" he'll call out to anyone here with him. "I'll keep them busy!"

Never let it be said a good rifle can't combat supernatural nonsense.


👽 wildcard;
[Want anything else? let me know!]

🌧🌧🌧

[onebullet]

Vakarian, you better park that bony ass, or I'm going to put my foot up it.

[ Shepard grabs his wrist from behind as he wobbles in place, her other hand grasping his waist to guide him into a seat. How much strength she has to put into that is entirely up to him, but he will be seated, and she is determined that he will stay put this time. ]

You're no use to anyone like this - what are you going to do, fall on your targets?

[ Her tone is harsh, sharpened by the worry that she's determined not to make public, compressed it into the anger of a Commander dressing down a reckless subordinate. It's a dynamic they know well, and there's comfort in it for her as she scans his face. ]

What the hell happened?

Sidestep | Fallen Hero | Corsair

[telepathicignorance]

Sword in the Stone

Fuck!

(They say, stumbling back after a particularly forceful attempt to pull the sword from the stone causes them to slice open their palm.

Yeah, they should have expected that to not work out.

There's blood all over their hand now.)


Farplane Forgetfulness

(Oh look, another Riftfarer who has managed to get in trouble on the far plane!

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Sidestep hasn't managed to die or get trapped. Not quite yet, at least. They've just forgotten everything about who they were.

There are two flavors that forgetful Sidestep comes in:


a. They're lurking, watching you, but too shy to approach. It's probably creepy as fuck, especially for anyone who doesn't know them well.


b. (CW mention of self-harm scars) Now they're not staring at other people, but at themself. They're wearing so much clothing and it's uncomfortable but they must be wearing it for a reason, right? So they don't take anything off, but they have rolled up their sleeve and...

Their wrist is all cut up?

They stare at the scars, uncomprehending.)

Puppetmaster Saving Kittens (for Vash)

[telepathicignorance]

(When they'd gone and changed into their suit, they'd anticipated terrorizing and beating the piss out of some assholes who clearly deserved it. Not this.

What "this" is, is a box of screaming, mewling four week old kittens. The cultists had sacrificed the mother, and had probably intended to sacrifice the babies too except whatever foul thing they'd summoned had torn through them before running off into the night--something they'd have to go take care of later, they supposed--leaving only the box for Puppetmaster to find by the time they got there, an island of innocence surrounded by horror and gore.

So now, here they are, a mysterious figure clad in black armor, carrying a blood spattered box of crying baby animals. They look ...lost? Confused? Certainly not the shadowy and intimidating villain they're supposed to be.

They can't take these home--Ganon is better with animals than people, but they doubt he has much patience for useless babies--and they don't want Puppetmaster connected with the Conservatory in any way. So what can they do?)

Claude von Riegan | FE: Three Houses |

[deepstar]

🏹 Good Wishes

[ He has questions, so many questions. Claude's never been much for believing in the afterlife or anything like that - extreme dislike for Faith - but this? This is something more tangible. Something that he can touch, can see. That, to him, means that there is some sort of explanation to all of this. Secrets that could be discovered.

Claude's taking a break for the moment, from exploring, when he comes across the slips of paper and the idea to tie them to trees. Without thinking he grabs a slip but then pauses. ]

Is it too cheesy to wish for world peace?

[ With that grin, is he serious or deflecting? ]

🏹 Cultists

[ Two ways to play here: Claude will either be sneaking into some of these secret locations by spectral horses and looking to rescue people. Either by trying to undo any bindings or cage doors.

At least until someone spots him.

Then he's just going to have to capture or kill members. He's got both a sword and bow - naturally defaulting to bow. ]

🏹 Fixing Cracks

[ Meandering the Uncharted area for those cracks takes longer than what Claude would like. It won't do them a whole lot of good to just look on the outside for them, especially if they exist on the inside. Besides! It's an opportunity to get a real good look around.

Claude whistles, low and with a brow raised coming across these cracks. Reminds him a lot of - ]

No wonder they're hard to find. Looks like something attacked or was trying to claw its way out, huh? Wanna do the honors?

[ Because he's got a finger tapping his chin in thought. Would the cracks look like this on the inside if something outside had been attacking? ]

🏹 Gravestones

- Nearly tossed me out of the saddle. Believe me, falling from a good thirty meters in the air would not have ended well.

[ Just what kind of story is he telling while brushing off debris from the graves? He's minding his own business and well. The story must be good enough since the grave starts to glow bright. ]

Heh. Glad that you find it funny. Well you'll be happy to know that she almost did again after we were reunited later. Who knew that my girl could hold a grudge.

[ Totally talking about his wyvern. ]

🏹 Wildcard

[ We know what to do in this area. Hit me up with any prompt you feel like. Claude himself can be found pretty much anywhere throughout the event. He's too curious for his own good. If you want me to write a prompt for you, hit me up at verthunder on Discord or Plurk. ]

Gravestones

[sos_pilot]

[ Della loves hearing a good story as much as creating one, so this one is definitely catching her ears! ... Well, it would if she had ears. Anyway.

She begins scooting on over, trying to stay quiet and inconspicuous, leeeeeaning in to hear more...? ]

closed to cloud. ☁️

[starshower]

[When Tifa had heard that the graves outside the entrance would need some maintenance, she figured that this was something that she could handle doing. She never did mind getting her hands dirty or putting in the work with a bit of elbow grease—she was used to it, and this felt like it was a good cause. After all, she is no stranger to this sort of thing and, if she's honest, she's been thinking about it quite a bit as of late. "Late" being the last eight months or so.

When she asked Cloud to come with her, he hadn't put up a fuss about it—something that she is still getting used to these days—even if it did involve scrubbing years old grime off tombstones for people they didn't even know.

But there was a reason she had picked him to come.]

They say that we're supposed to tell stories to them about our lives... That it'll help the souls that are in there.

[As she starts working on the one next to his, cutting away the thick bushes of dead vines and leaves that had grown around it.]

[makoglow]

[ Cloud doesn't mind getting his hands dirty or putting in the work with a bit of elbow grease. Even if he grouses about it from time to time. He has to, you understand, or people might think that there's something wrong with him.

So when Tifa asks him to come along, and what the task is, he actually can't find it in himself to huff and roll his eyes. Instead it's just answered with a quiet nod. It doesn't matter to him if it's for people they don't know. They had been important to someone, at one point... ]

Tell stories, huh? What kind do you think that they are looking for?

[ He has a scrub brush, cleaning away at the grime and build up of who knows how long... ]

Golden (Sakata Kintoki) | Azur Lane | Paladin

[bearhowling]

I – Marked for Death

[One of the perks of being a servant is that you’re technically a dead person. While that also sucks, you still don’t have to worry about silly things like disease, growing older, injury (to an extent), or hunger (unless you want to eat). Yeah, being a spirit is pretty rad, alright!

The downsides should be rather obvious. Like right now!]

Haaaaa!!!! [BOOM CRASH! Goes Kintoki’s axe as he slashes down three evil spirits in one thunderous swing!] You’ll have to try harder than that if you wanna get to me!

[Fighting spooky, evil spirits trying to  take over his body! Another perk of being a servant is that he’s more than able and equipped to face off against ghosts. It’s something that’s kind of really GOLDEN in its own way!]

II – Rescue the Victims

[There’s little to no rest for the wicked, it seems! Back in the realm of the living, Kintoki had quickly found himself joining a group to stop a group of cultists before they could finish their
B L O O D
R I T U A L S

Honestly, it’s something that he’s used to doing on occasion back home. And he was putting that experience to good use in their stealthy rescue mission by-!

--rushing headlong into the fray, axe blazing to save the current, chosen sacrifice! Whether that be you or an NPC!

Have no fear because GOLDEN is here!]

III – MA-N-NA TRANS-FE-ER

[When all is said and done, Kintoki is kind of pooped! Like, really pooped, especially after the whole leyline business! Servants don’t tire like normal humans; they’re spirits, after all! No, the source of his exhaustion is a direct result of him using up a ton of-

mana.

You see, as a spirit, Kintoki’s body is primarily made up of mana. A magical form of energy that he draws on to keep going. Usually, Golden would mitigate this with either a master or some other energy source, like the spirit of the land around him or the leylines of this world. But the whole deal with the leylines draining magical energy and being thrust between two planes of existence has seen his mana being pretty heavily drained.

Now, this can be dealt with a ton of food and rest. Or something called a-

mana transfer.

Yes, a mana transfer, he’s already explained what it is. Bodily contact, a form of energy transfer that can be done through acts of intimacy such as kissing, skin-on-skin touch, or… well….[note: kintoki wouldn’t carry on to further explain the whole "well" thing and is super flustered right now after explaining it].

Anyway, the big guy isn’t looking all the great because of his lack of mana and is, as of this moment, lying face down in the dirt.

He could still use a bit of help regardless of whether someone decides to perform a mana transfer or not.]

Rescue The Victims

[sos_pilot]

[ Della was only a victim in the technical sense - she had allowed herself to get captured in order to get better intel, and was planning on freeing herself and kicking some tail when the time was right. All she needed was them to be focused on their own task, so they wouldn't notice her wiggling out of knots...

... and then some guy comes in waving a weapon like a lunatic and her plan's gone to bust. ]

What the hey...?! What're you doing?!

Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (2023) | Paladin

[astudyinviolet]

All of these take place in the Realm of the Living.

Gravestones & Sing a verse

[ Sherlock remains firmly on the side of the living. He doesn't need to experience another world where he's not sure if he's alive or dead. So instead, he sets himself to work on cleaning and repairing the gravestones. Mud and grime stain his knees and hems of his trousers as he digs around to locate missing gravestone pieces with his detective know-how.

In between gravestones (should he not be telling a story), he offers energy in the form of his violin. He learned the instrument in desperation to hear something other than silence after Cordona and Jon's departure. It's impossible for his playing to lack emotion so steeped in it from the start. The violin sings for him when he lacks the words.

Come help him fix gravestones or enjoy the performance. Join in if willing. ]

Fight for your life & Cracks between Realms

[ Sherlock has died multiple times be it from falling, drowning, being eaten, being sliced into two, many horrific ways which warp his perception of his own life and death. The escaped souls sense a kindred spirit who remains in the living world. An exchange. Why should this young man remain alive when they cannot? They died only once. He died many times. He should be the one in the Farplane.

Such is their grasp on his body that Sherlock can't tell whether or not he's slipped back into that other world that destroys his sanity. He struggles, snapping into existence light projections around him. ]

Let me go! John! Jon! Somebody! Anybody!

[ These attacks have the unintended benefit of locating the cracks between the realms as the spirits try to drag him in. Once he has a partner with him, they can use Sherlock's unique condition to location more rifts. In a more controlled way than what's happening at the moment. ]

Cultists, why does it have to be cultists?

cw: Cultist imagery and talk about blood sacrifices

[ Sherlock's hands tremble as he sees the ritual circles drawn in blood and the evidence of living sacrifices. His mind betrays him with memory. He can hear the drums and chanting in his ears; the oppressive Louisiana Bayou humidity weighs down on his skin. If not that, the sting of storm-swept saltwater drenches him as the roaring ocean, Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!, horrific screams, and unsettling lights drown his senses.

Dear Lord, not again. Sherlock digs his fingernails into his palms to bring him back to reality. None of that is happening now. Three victims are strung up and left to bleed out in a circle in front of a fire. The majority of the cultists have moved on to some other place to no doubt start a new ritual, but one may be hidden to watch over this site. ]

We have to help them.

[ The victims moan in pain and mumble words Sherlock can't understand. He just prays he doesn't start repeating after them, entranced by what's happening. He doesn't have John to watch his back and save his life. ]

Wildcard

[ Want to do something else? Write a prompt or drop me a line at Sherry's journal, aviekokyre, or on Discord @ aviekokyre and we can plot something out. ]

cultists

[ramuhs]

[He may not have John, but he does have Cid which should do as a decent substitute. At the very least, upon seeing the victims still alive on the circle, his expression hardens and he places a hand on Sherlock's shoulder as if to bring him back and keep him grounded.]

We can't rush in or we might get caught in whatever spell they've started. We need to try and break that circle and deal with whoever is still around.

[AS there most certainly will be a watcher or remaining caster somewhere nearby. But where they are hidden, it's hard to see where exactly.]

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV | Paladin (OTA; will match format)

[emet_sulk]

(All threads 6pts)

1. Into the Farplane (Sticky Charms etc.)

Emet-Selch is not unfamiliar with the realm of the dead, so it's no surprise that he volunteers to explore it. The time limit that they've been warned about is far too short for his liking but he intends to return as many times as needed until he is satisfied.

On such a journey one may spot him surrounded by Pyreguppies, focused on writing or drawing something. A charm with a simple Ruin spell (yes, he took the instructions literally; what else was he supposed to think?). Once he's finished, with absolutely no warning he sticks the charm to the forehead of a passing soul. Whether that soul is a traveller like himself or a soul genuinely passed on, it doesn't seem to matter to him.

2. Farplane: Dark Side (Return of the Goose Hydra??)

It's probably the last thing anyone wants to see again: a towering, many-headed spirit creature, honking loudly as it barrels across the land. Emet-Selch whisks himself out of the way and hovers mid-air while the goose stumbles and turns, tracking him with its many, beady little eyes.

"Wonderful," he laments aloud. "'Twas bad enough fighting this thing once. Now I have to lay its soul to rest as well?"

The goose hydra honks and one of the heads tries to grab him in its beak. He dodges out of the way and holds up a ghostly hand, readying a fire spell.

"Fine. Those heads of yours better not regenerate even here."

3. Realm of the Living (Sing a Verse)

Emet-Selch is not really a singer.

Or rather, he's not one for public singing. He's not terrible; it's just embarrassing. Unlike acting, the persona shields you from an audience's critical gaze. When one sings, one instead lays bare the soul for judgement.

He glances about warily. Clears his throat. And then hesitantly begins to sing.

The song is wholly unfamiliar to anyone, even those who know him, and in his people's tongue. It sounds like a song for the road, matching with the stride of some hypothetical adventurer journeying to unknown places.

4. Wildcard

Got another idea? Feel free to DM this account or ch1ps0h0y. Also: bonus voice post.

Azul Ashengrotto | Twisted Wonderland | Paladin

[octoblot]

the farplane (pyreguppies)

[This whole Farplane situation as it's been described reminds him a tad uncomfortably of the S.T.Y.X. Foundation that he had just left before suddenly arriving here. So while it would probably be worth investigating just in case a clue could be found here that would be useful for returning back to one's own world, Azul is not particularly keen on going to this place alone with a bunch of strangers, so it takes some convincing in that regard.

Once he gets there, he does become interested in some of the amenities provided for the souls of the afterlife, taking notes as he observes people eating the crabapples, writing wishes, or admiring the bubble clouds. Maybe some of these things could be re-created in some form back in the land of the living if people here really enjoy these things so much? Soon, however, he gets distracted by the pyreguppies that swim by and interrupt his note-taking to try to kiss at his face here.]

Well, aren't you friendly. I don't need such affection, but it's kind of you folks to offer. [A pause, as he then regards them a little closer.] They are rather cute, I'll give them that... I wonder if these are the sorts of fish that the land dwellers would pay for to keep as pets...

[Azul, no.]

realm of the living (sing a verse)

[Azul is not normally in the business of doing things for free, even if it is for the benefit of others such as cleaning the gravestones of these spirits. But after having given some complimentary applause to a group who had chosen to sing, they start begging him to sing something too, which initially he is not too keen on... until he gets an idea. If he draws enough of a crowd with his voice, then he might be able to get some business opportunities going on with any of the living among their number here, either with a demonstration of his talent, or even simply with having the opportunity to trick convince whoever listens to stick around long enough to also listen to any sales pitches he makes. So with that in mind, he carefully clears his throat, and...]

🎶Frightened of the dawn, I make a wish over and over,
To bid farewell to the lonesome sky,
and a salvation for love...🎶

[He's a mer and a Disney; of course he can sing. However, he considers himself to be rather average actually in comparison to other merfolk back home when it comes to public singing rather than something that can be called "siren-like" as one may associate with a merfolk's ability. (He wouldn't have bothered to steal another student's singing ability back home otherwise during exams if he already thought that he was an expert at it...)

But, he's still nothing to scoff at either, as Azul beautifully hits the right notes needed for the song that he once sang while in Fleur City. Granted, he now needs to sing both Malleus and Idia's parts as well since it's just himself here to sing it, but thankfully he remembers the song quite well enough to do so. At least there's no requirement saying he has to perform a dance too.

Once he finishes the song, there's a pause, before he gives a light-hearted shrug.]

I hope that was considered satisfactory enough for your liking--it's been a while since I last performed that one, so I may be a little rusty.

[He says, in the tone of someone who damn well knows that he did not sound "rusty" at all... what a showoff.]

manta board

[Putting aside the whole Farplane and wayward ghosts situation, one may note that Azul seems to be rather busy for a newcomer, willing to sign on to several tasks and quests that are being offered this month... albeit, very notably the ones that promise a very decent amount of dubloons. He needs all the money he can get, after all, if he ends up being here long enough that opening a new Mostro Lounge branch to work out of becomes necessary.

As such, while he isn't particularly keen on fighting, he still looks into the bounties being put out, and as such, can be partnered with for anyone also considering fighting the unholy abomination that is the shark and horse hybrid, or... in the name of the great seven, what is that red riding hood spirit. He should also probably do something to help get on the good side of his fellow Paladins, so he will also be offering his assistance with the magitech golem for the Steel Watchers quest.

Regardless of whichever foe it is you're about to face down with Azul as your partner, he spins his magical pen in hand as he regards the situation for a moment before turning to you.]

I can use my magic to create an opening. How confident are you that your next move will successfully land on our target?

wild card

[ooc: I am open to just about anything this month, please feel free to hit me with any ideas or threads you want! You can find me in the discord channel or at plurk via wailords, and I have Azul's plotting post for the month here if need be!]

sing a verse

[sos_pilot]

[ Most of his audience gives subdued, gentle applause, in awe of his talent.

And then there's Della, clapping like a hyperactive seal, hooting and hollering as if she was at a football game. ]

WOO! ENCOOOOORE! That was awesome, dude! You've give the Phanduck Of The Opera a run for his money! C'mon, give us more bows! WOOOOOOO!

Professor Turo | Pokémon Violet | Paladin

[fractales]

Into the Farplane

On the Asmodeus
[It was fascinating, really. Quiet as Turo was for the initial trip, looking down at his own hands while standing so very still; there was a crystal-like glimmer there, less noticeable the more solid he looked. Something else was there as well, some emotion that while it didn't show on his face certainly did in his eyes—

Yet as always, his attention would not remain entirely on himself.]

Are you alright? Seem a little unsteady, or perhaps it is a play of how dark this journey in with what little light we have.

[The sight of Cassiopea once through was also something that had Turo move to the Asmodeus' railing-]

... How beautiful.

[In the light, even with how solid they all were now, three was still that almost rainbow-crystal-like sheen here and there to him. His eyes were focused on Cassiopea herself, grand and- not your normal Leviathan. Couldn't be to dwell as the home of a plane of existence like this.

This was something to look into.]

Exploration
[Of course Turo would be stopping by Respite Reef, a few of those Pyreguppies swimming and playing around where he had eventually found himself. Sitting and simply watching what appeared to be a kirin tending to burning embers and the black coating what was possibly white fur and scales at a lake.

-- There was something familiar- could it be...?

Even still, Turo could be happened across anywhere. There was something about walking through areas that looked like towns and even cities, always trailed by a few schools of pyreguppies in their colorful playing.]

Good Wishes 🎐
[There was the faintest smile as the small slip of paper was somewhat folded as he tied it to one of the trees, several more blank slips tucked carefully against the palm of one hand.]

This is quite the... would be it sweet or kind gesture, you suppose? Perhaps something else all together.

[The existence of this afterlife was enlightening in a way.

... He could only hope there was something like this back home, or anything like it, for an afterlife. It certainly gave him an idea for the next wish.]

Realm of the Living

Gravestones 🦴
[From the moment he returned from the Farplane, even now, Mariposa remained rather firmly at Turo's side. After each trip, taking is breaks and spending time helping on this end of things when not resting.

The odd dog seemed far more alert, as if she could sense things amiss.

Perhaps all of that, his resting and Mariposa on alert, was why Turo spent time helping clean gravestones. A hand moving over a few seeds he had brought to cause colorful flowers to bloom, adding them amongst others to help grave areas look... less lonely. Add to that glow—]

-of course wherever Maschiff could be found, sound asleep in the floor, so too could he. Every time I saw the picture there in the lab, a memory like that interrupted whatever other thought had once been there.

[-voice soft, but warm, clearing away both grime and weeds.]

Shadow Beasts 🌑
[It had been watching, the reason that Mariposa had been on high alert whenever Turo ventured out. Watching and growing itself stronger.

A reason that Turo had been startled by a sudden ferocious growl from the otherwise calm dog, feathers even ruffled and seemingly 'puffed' on some display as hackles had risen. The air around her just a bit hotter-]

Hold, Mariposa.

[Meaning whatever it was that the dog had been about to do. All he could see were its eyes and some vague shape.]

We need to move.

Wildcard! 🃏
[Bring Your Own Starter, be it a remix of one of my prompts or something missing and taken from above- or even a mix of the two! Whatever you want. Feel free to catch me in the game's Discord or PM me if you feel a need/want to plot something out a bit.]