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seasonsrpg2023-09-15 01:17 pm
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsrpg2023-09-15 01:17 pm
Entry tags:
- !event,
- attack on titan: eren jaeger,
- attack on titan: jean kirstein,
- attack on titan: levi ackerman,
- attack on titan: reiner braun,
- d4dj: rinku aimoto,
- end roll: kantera,
- fate grand order: oryou,
- gintama: hijikata toshirou,
- original: evangeline,
- original: mikhail rostovan,
- original: nenonen,
- original: nikkolaus,
- tales of vesperia: judith,
- tales of vesperia: yuri lowell
Event #4: Under the Great Ocean Lake
Under the Great Ocean Lake
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
September 15th - 30th
A message appears on everyone's phones. There's a new type of magic to learn! This magic is based on trust, so anyone interested is expected to appear to one of the training places (the Guilds in Frostreign, Blossomcrown, Solarpeak and Amberfall) with one or more people they trust (it doesn't matter which guild this time so they can pick any of them as their location). Anyone who arrives to the guilds will directed behind the building, to the giant outdoor training area.
Some may recognize the people waiting in the areas. They're the teachers of the Magical Mansion. They've set up a lot of Swords in Stones around the backyard and the explain how the magic words thoroughly before letting anyone do it.
The goal is to partner up with someone they absolutely trust and pull the sword out of the stone. After that the sword disappears and the essence of it transports into one of them. The teachers explain that their bond and the sword's magic now enable them to form a magical bond weapon.
The person who received the essence is now a "Vessel" while the other is a "Wielder" (a decision between players which is which). The wielder will be able to pull a weapon out of the vessel. This progress doesn't hurt the vessel at all; but they might feel a little "out of it" for a moment. The magical bond weapon fits the wielder perfectly (any weapon - firearms have infinite ammo) and cannot be broken or wielded by other people. It's more powerful than normal weapons. They disappear after the battle the weapon was summoned to is finished. The only way for the weapon to fail is if the vessel is somehow critically hurt or knocked unconscious.
The bond between the two of them will remain in existence as long as the trust remains. If either side loses their trust for the other, the connection will flicker out of existence and feel like a sting in their chest.
Those who are as close as "soulmates" will be able to feel if their partner is in danger or approx. where they are. Otherwise the bondmates will feel warm feelings when close to each other.
The Magical Manor Teachers will be at the guilds to guide people for the whole month. Afterwards the Swords in Stones will be periodically replaced by guild staff if someone uses them (there will be written guides to how they work from then on as well).
Those who don't want to or don't have partners to participate in the main event, there are stalls around the districts for characters to make Elemental Weapons. Everyone will receive a ribbon stick (in various colors and designs) that they can use in fights. The element used by the ribbon is not tied to the user's Seasonal element, but to the element that resonates the most OR the least with their soul. This element can be water, wind, fire, earth, electricity, ice, darkness or light.
There are targets set near the stalls meant for practice. There are natives who show how the ribbons work: wave the ribbon towards the targets and the element comes out shooting like beams or balls, depending on the movement of their body. If the ribbon is thrown up, the element will rain down on a single enemy - if thrown down it will spread the element across the ground.
The Elemental Weapons need to be charged by magical energy, but they last for 100 different attacks at a time.
September 18th - 19th
Another message arrives on everyone's devices (on afternoon on September 18th). This time it's Dawn, the Guild Leader of Summer. It's a text message labeled "Urgent"!
Hello, everyone! Dawn here. I have an important mission for everyone! You see, the mermaids sent us a message through the fairies that they have located the missing Fairy Queen. She's apparently been captured by the sirens.
So we're going to be launching a rescue mission to the depths of the Great Ocean Lake. The mermaids will also be helping us, but they need our skills to fight the sirens properly.
And by that I mean I'm also going to be coming along with you. All the fairies and the Fairy Queen are important to us, so I want to do my part in helping her out. Don't worry, I know how to fight even underwater!
There will be temporary teleport crystals straight to the northern side the of the Great Ocean Lake at every Guild. Let's meet there tomorrow at noon! You might wanna bring some swimsuits with you - but we'll have some other useful things for diving at ready there!
Oh, right. You will get a big reward of 10,000 Moon Coins if you come to help. The Fairy Queen is essential for fighting back the Darkness. So if you're able to come to our aid, please do.
Dawn is waiting for everyone at the beach at the promised time with a lot of boxes. She explains that the boxes contain different methods of helping people with the dive. One of the items included is a Oxygen Helmet made by the Research Center that lets someone breathe underwater for 12 hours after charging it with magical energy. The second item included is a Seashell Necklace that will release a temperature altering bubble when used underwater, making the water around the user a pleasant temperature and also lets the user breathe underwater for 12 hours after charging it with touch energy. The energies can be charged in the middle of use if necessary. Both of the items make communicating underwater possible and can be kept after the mission - but you only get to choose one.
Other items in the boxes are saddles, harnesses and treats, meant for Water Mounts. Dawn explains there are several water animals tamed by the mermaids that will aid the characters if they feel like they're not strong enough swimmers - or just want to save their strength. There are sea lions, seals, giant sea horses, dolphins and even orcas and sharks. The first mission is bonding with the mounts - which is where the treats will come to play. Some mounts may be more difficult to bond with than others.
There's time to practice both riding the mounts, diving and even fighting underwater. There's even a cage-like ring made with seaweed where people can practice sparring safely.
As the mission starts it becomes clear that the lake is very, very deep and has a lot of caves and labyrinths made of coral. That's why the mermaids are there to guide them to right directions. Anyone is welcome to stray from the paths and explore different caves for different aquatic herbs for different potions and variety of items, but they should be careful not to get lost.
The trip is so long that the mermaids suggest staying at their homes at the Mermaid Village (all the houses are made out of coral) for a while to charge and eat a little bit. The mermaids accommodate the otherworlders by having one full room that has oxygen and a nice, comfortable bed... but due to the limited number of houses all rooms will have to have two residents (and just one bed).
During their stay in the mermaid village, they have a chance to interact with the local mermaids and hear them tell mermaid tales (basically stories from the past, of royalties and pirates, and even a love story between a siren and a mermaid - feel free to come up with fun little stories).
They also wish to hear about characters' stories. Either from Ellipsa or their homeworld. If characters manage to make a mermaid laugh or cry with their stories they will receive mermaid tears that can be made in jewelry that makes a water shield around them (even out of water) in danger. The ones made from tears of sadness will also heal characters slightly while the shield is up.
There's also the danger of getting invited by a siren instead of a mermaid as they pretend to be mermaids around the village. They also have houses, but they're further away from others. They will try to lock people up and either kill them or make them their slaves. If someone starts doubting where they're going they can use their voice to make people think they're following a loved one to safety.
The sirens will also definitely use characters as shields to protect themselves from death.
September 19th - 21st
After a good rest at the Mermaid village, it's time to continue the journey towards the proper siren territory. The guide mermaids will lead the team into the darker themed coral reefs. Some of the colors emit a light, making it easier to see through the coral corridors.
On the way to their destination there are some more open coral caves where monsters lurk. The caves can include camouflaged ice squids that try to freeze people (the closer someone gets to them the colder the water is and they're weak physically which is why they hide), adamantine swordfish that will wish to duel anyone with a sword (defeating them requires firing magic at their mouth) or energy sapping jellyfish that try to cling onto people (the trick to defeating them is to get them stuck together or destroying them).
Some of the caves also have sirens hidden in them that are the first wave of guardians of the siren territory. They're armed with tridents that shoot out ice or electric crystals and their singing will cause pain and status effects (such as stun, poison, sleep, burn and energy sap). They're not hiding their pointy teeth or spiky tails around this area so they can't be mistaken for the guide mermaids.
If someone does get affected by a status effect, the mermaids can heal them with their songs.
Some coral caves also have very beautiful crystal flowers stuck to the coral (they can't be removed). Characters will feel weaker near the flowers. It seems the flowers are draining touch energy. Holding someone's hand near the flowers help with the effect.
After the coral caves, the team finally makes it to a giant area surrounded by rocks and coral. The seabed in the middle looks empty, but it's still guarded by more sirens with tridents. But these guards also have schools of manta ray that protect them and use their tails to sting opponents. One siren usually has three manta ray protecting them and they fight in formations with other siren's manta ray when needed.
Defeating a siren will gradually destroy an illusion, so either destroying them or knocking all of them unconscious has to happen before the team can proceed. Once every siren is defeated, the Siren's Palace is finally revealed.
Dawn leads the way to the Palace, which is more of a prison for "breathers". There are some native humans there, but also who they were here to rescue; the Fairy Queen. The Mermaid Guide provide more Seashell Necklaces to rescue everyone from the Palace. Dawn personally helps the Fairy Queen, who seems to be unconscious but still definitely alive.
Going back through the coral paths is now easier with the enemies gone. The crystal flowers previously there have disappeared while the fight was going on at the palace. Otherwise the journey back to the surface can be made faster by by riding currents. These currents reach from the Mermaid Village to the surface - but only go upwards, which is why they couldn't be used on their way down. They cut the time swimming into half.
Once characters make it back to the city they will be greeted with a feast that the fairies have set up with the natives of the world. Plenty of free (normal, not fairy) food and drinks for everyone! And a hefty 10,000 Moon Coins rewards for everyone who went underwater.
Epilogue/Extra Information
Further investigation of the Palace and interrogating sirens leads people to find out that the sirens alone weren't responsible for the abduction of the Fairy Queen (unlike the natives, those are completely blamed on the sirens). Apparently the remnants of the Auctives (or "The Harvesters") were also responsible, but they have been found dead in the Palace.
Another name that the sirens mentioned (with added venom in their tones) was "The Wizard". Apparently this person promised to stay around and help them win their war against mermaids and their allies, but the person had vanished and left the sirens behind to take the blame. They say the Wizard has a way with words, making almost anyone believe what he says and trust him - but once that effect stops people see the error of their ways.
The sirens responsible for kidnappings of natives are given to the mermaids, as they know the best way to punish them. This, by no means, means all sirens have been dealt with - just a group of the more loud ones.
Meanwhile, the Fairy Queen will be resting somewhere in Nightwake, regaining her strength but she will surely make an appearance later to tell her side of the story when the time is right.
• Ask Event-related questions here!
• Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a private entry of your own (your own entry or a new locked post on the comms).
• Remember to content and spoiler warn as necessary!
• The First part of the event will continue for the whole month.
• The Second part of the Event runs ICly between September 18th and September 21st, with the Fairy Queen being brought back to safety on the 21st by Guild Leader Dawn.
• Those who wish to see a glimpse of the Fairy Queen as she's being rescued, she looks like this, but with huge fairy wings (PB: Monica Bellucci). She's normal human sized, unlike normal fairies. She will be added to the NPC page later.
• Dawn will be participating in the event, but she cannot be interacted with in threads. You're free to handwave her fighting alongside your character with her double swords or chat about anything related to Summer Holder powers - or maybe even think about hosting a party - while resting somewhere.
• Items found from the underwater caves can be freely chosen by players. We just ask you don't make your character find a piece of every item available!
• Reminder that this month is Activity Check-in month and check-in ends on September 30th, at 23:59 PST.
no subject
[It was rare he was able to sneak up on her...!
But then again...yes, he would have felt the mana burst when she called Pegasus out, wouldn't he? A faint expression of embarrassment came into her face. It was careless not to think about that.
Whilst Rider considered how to answer the question, fiddling with her new amulet as she did so- a milky white gem set in a dark metal- Pegasus moved his head forward to accept the pets.
So it seemed they had both found a way to speak with him, since that quest they went on together. Like Rider herself, he was something of a reserved soul, so this would take some getting used to! (Sorry, Hijikata, he's not calling you 'Master'.)]
"You as well, Hijikata. I trust you are well, also?"
[As for why... whilst she had told Pegasus her reasons for the summons, it seemed even he had not expected it. Part of him was still waiting to see if a battle would kick off somewhere nearby.]
...I wanted to try and talk to him, properly. I...before, I was not able to.
[Rider gently stroked his mane as she tried to find the right words. He had heard of her myth, but did he know the truth? She couldn't be sure.]
no subject
All's well, thank you. We're about to embark on an underseas expedition.
[He turns to Medusa as both of them continue to pet her mount.]
You bought an Animal Amulet too? It may help us underwater.
[He isn't noticing her hesitation, completely focused on the mission ahead and seeing this little moment as a courtesy to Pegasus - he does deserve to be the first animal Medusa speaks to, being part of her Noble Phantasm. Speaking of which, he has something to say to him, too.]
Pegasus, thank you for the good work in the battle against those wyverns. You saved our lives back then.
no subject
[It wasn't just to do with this mission at all. Really, it was that she had purchased it entirely so that she might speak to her mount properly. This was...important to her.]
...But yes, it should help our mission as well.
[Pegasus, meanwhile, lowered his head a little at the thanks from Hijikata- inwardly hoping that he wouldn't be called out on their underwater quest!- and Rider herself added; ]
I pushed you quite hard then, didn't I... but we survived. I should thank you, as well, for that.
"Not at all. I am glad I was able to manifest soon enough to get you both away...those creatures were fast."
[So he did not hold it against her, even though she knew that in battle, she was constantly pushing him to fight. All the same, why was it so hard for her to know what to say to him??]
no subject
What do you like to eat, say? I didn't bring anything with me this time, but next time I will.
[Carrots, apples, whatever it may be, he'll get it for him!]
no subject
How long had it been since she had taken the time to tend to him like this… briefly on their Quest before they set out each morning, yes, but otherwise she couldn’t think. Perhaps she really had been neglecting him.
Pegasus’ answer to Hijikata’s question only served as further proof of how little time she’d spent with him outside of battle; ]
”I do not need to eat, but… figs make for fine snacks. Do not feel obligated, of course."
So you like sweet things, do you…? I see… perhaps I should have been aware of that, by now.
[As if sensing the twinge of regret in Rider's voice, he sighed- turning his head her way and giving her cheek a firm nudge. And in turn, she gently pet his nose.]
…What was that for-
[For all Hijikata's obliviousness, he certainly helped to smooth an otherwise extremely awkward conversation along. Rider was grateful for that.]
no subject
[He'll get him some nice ripe ones! He notices, too, how the stallion tries to ease Medusa's guilt over apparently not having spent much time with him outside of emergency situations. What a good horse.]
Pegasus, I don't know if you'd like to meet another winged mount, but I could introduce you to my Shirobeko. He's a bull and really good company, if I may say so as his rider.
[Not "owner". Much like the wild archaeopteryx on Avalon, the bull chose him as his rider.]
no subject
[His tone of phrase certainly resembled Medusa's, for a moment- evidently, he had picked up some degree of social awkwardness like his rider.
Said Rider seemed lost in her own thoughts for a moment, still petting Pegasus' nose. A winged bull, hm? She remembered hearing about that quest, and about the other winged mounts that people had made pacts with. So many more things that she really... should know...
Chrysaor...
Perhaps the name would slip through their mindlink, even as she prepared to push that thought away.]
...
...We could race, sometime. Or...at least, yes, it might be fun to explore the Segments from the air.
[Distant, but with a little warmth behind it. Perhaps trying to recapture the companionship they shared traveling out before, or perhaps just wanting to share in flying their mounts out into the wilderness together.
A hint of competitiveness found it's way through the haze; ]
...But if we did compete, my Pegasus would probably win.
[Pegasus snorted lightly, giving her another nudge.
You're embarrassing him, Mother!]no subject
Oh, Pegasus would most certainly win. Shirobeko is heavy; he can't fly that fast.
[He probably could, but only for short bursts. His endurance is where the large bull really shines, and Hijikata sees no reason to be hard on him if they're not being chased. Despite only having known him for a few months, he's already deeply fond of his mount.]
How long have you two been together, say?
[Medusa's original life was hard, but at least she ended up with a trustworthy mount, too!]
no subject
Despite the fact that; ]
How long? Well...I was killed by Perseus before we could meet properly in my lifetime. Him and his brother both.
...if he and my sisters were brought here, too...I would like that a lot.
[She grew quiet for a moment, once again drawing the conclusion that Hijikata would read between the lines as to her meaning. She offhandedly mentioned he was born from her blood when she died, yes, but it was deeper than that. Pegasus watched her quietly, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought...and that was enough of an awkward silence for Rider to speak to Pegasus directly; ]
I thought...I was sure that when I called you here I would know what to say to you...
...That is- that is how a Mother is supposed to be, I think.
[But she wouldn't know, would she? After all, she never had the chance to be a Mother to him, in their lifetimes, and as a Servant she only ever called on him as part of her Noble Phantasm until now.
What was she supposed to do?
That moment of vulnerability seemed to catch Pegasus by surprise, as well, his ears twitching as he tried to find the right words for her.]
"...Take as long as you need to. This is new to me, as well"
[After all, he too had only ever really interacted with her in battle. This was...a new side, to his Mother, one he struggled to know how to interact with.]
1/2
Medusa already told him the story of how Pegasus came into the world, born from her blood right after she was killed - and belatedly he remembers, too, that Heroic Spirits forget each summoning after they return to the Throne of Heroes (that is how it works, isn't it?), making his question one that's hard to answer for her. But she answers nonetheless, and the answer is... unexpected.
His brother..? He wasn't aware that there were two being born from Medusa's dead body. Granted, he only inquired about Pegasus back on their quest in the Summer Segment, and she presumably saw no need to delve deeper into these painful matters. She misses him, hm. It seems that she can only summon Pegasus, and even that is a painful undertaking each time.
And then, she surprises him even more with her words to her mount-- no, her child.]
2/2
That is how a Mother is supposed to be. Her helpless cluelessness hits close to home for him. He, after all, for the longest time had no idea how to act (or even what to be) for Shoto. A trainer, a mentor, a big brother, a father? A little bit of everything? He's been fumbling his way through their shared lives, and despite his wholesale improvisation, Shoto seems happy. It's not only him, either - there's Jean and Mukuro, and even Hinobuta and Shirobeko -, but Shoto is the one Hijikata feels the greatest duty towards (perhaps because his devotion is so deep and undeniable that it's a struggle to find the right response).
Sure, Shoto is a human, but does it really matter? Pegasus was the third party on that fateful quest, besides him and Medusa. He carried them and, in the end, saved their lives. Even Hijikata, who thought of him as a mount, cared about his wellbeing even back then.]
...
["Don't feel bad. It's not easy to be a good parent when you've got no guidance. I think the most important thing is that you care about your child, and that you let him feel that."
It's the first time he's trying to formulate his feelings - usually they just jumble around in his mind, unsorted and disjointed, when he tries to be reliable and cool-headed while secretly feeling like he's in over his head. So far, he thinks that he succeeded, if nothing else, in giving those who rely on him a safe place to be at his side.]
no subject
and that you let him feel that.
...Had she ever done that? Thinking back to all the battles they'd fought together, had she once let Pegasus feel her care for him? Or had she always just been pushing him, even when he didn't necessarily have the temperament for battle, the way she did? She knew that, and still...
"That is...something I need to do a little better at."
Medusa could admit that much, at least. That even if she didn't know what words to say to him, she could do better by him.
She quietly lent her forehead against her son's, gently petting his nose.]
...I...have been hard on you, haven't I? I should apologise for that.
no subject
These two should absolutely spend more leisure time together, and if Pegasus' manifestation is a drain on Medusa's mana, Hijikata is more than willing to work harder to expand his mana reserves.]
no subject
"You do not need to apologise to me."
...If you insist.
[Perhaps she should not push the matter, then. Just try to treat him a little more kindly. Show that she cared for him. She could at least manage that, she hoped.
Certainly, whilst Pegasus was manifested, Hijikata would likely feel the greater demand on his own mana, if he cared to dwell on it- nothing close to the requirements of Gorgon, of course, but Pegasus was part of Medusa's Noble Phantasm all the same. Keeping him summoned this way did use her own resources.
...And, well, it was as she started to feel a little of that fatigue that she reached out to find her Master's hand- he'd gone quiet, but her fingertips were able to find and brushed past his arm.
It wasn't just for mana, she appreciated his help in filling the awkward silences, where she couldn't find what she needed to say.
On that subject, though, she had noticed how long it took him to find his words, when she first brought this entire topic up. And everything Hijikata had said on the subject circled back to one conclusion;
"You were not aware, were you? ...I should have clarified that before. I suppose you have questions, as well."
Pegasus was unaware of the two mentally communicating with one another, but all he same, seemed to settle once Rider stopped pushing an already awkward topic, quietly enjoying their company.]
no subject
"I should have figured. He was born from your body; that makes him your child."
He simply didn't put two and two together because... well, Pegasus is a horse. He does have questions, but he can't figure out how to say "Why is your son a horse" without feeling rude and awkward! Eventually he settles on:
"Even though you told me about his birth, neither of us could speak with him back on that quest, so I suppose I ended up seeing his as our mount first and foremost."
Even then, a mount isn't the same as a vehicle. After his experiences with Black Star, his archaeopteryx, the deinosuchus he rode on the expedition across Lake Avalon, Brutus, and now Shirobeko, he knows that well enough. Interacting closely with another living being will result in a bond, no matter how weak or strong - and Pegasus has been nothing but reliable and trustworthy.]