seasonsrpg | Event #6: Doctor Why Instead of Who

Event #6: Doctor Why Instead of Who

Doctor Why Instead of Who
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Sawyer's Return

Sawyer, the Autumn Guild Leader, addresses the network on noon on the 19th. He's back from wherever he has been since disappearing in November. The message goes as follows.

Click for a Gif

"This is Sawyer. I lead the Autumn Guild as the last Autumn Power Holder native to this world. I was accused of crimes relating to the portal mysteries and sabotage in the Research Center in November. Well, I guess I still am.

I managed to track down the real culprit, but couldn't capture them. Instead, I got the device they used just before they disappeared into yet another portal. The device still has the coordinates to the location they went to. Instead of pursuing them myself, I'm asking for everyone's help, since I got injured fighting them. I'm leaving the device to Olwen, along with a file on another incident, and letting Harrison put me in jail until the real culprit is captured. Hopefully after Jade looks me over.

Anyway, I'm counting on all of you to capture the bastard. They go by the name "The Doctor".

Harrison, I'm waiting behind the Amberfall Guild."

Any inquiries about the video will be met with a "We are forming a plan of action, please wait" for the first few days after. But everyone will be assures that Sawyer did get medical attention before taken away! (Handwaved) Visitations are permitted while he's in custody.

Color Me Inked
(Duration: Whole month)

Part 1

There is some really good news following the slightly worrying news from before: The Fairy Queen has reacquired all of her powers! That's why anyone who is interested is invited to Amberfall to gain an upgrade for their seasonal powers. This upgrade comes in the form of a magical tattoo. These tattoos not only give boosts but it can also move around one's body (for example, if someone's tattoo is a bird, the bird can fly around, especially when powers are activated).

These tattoos are permanent by default, but they can also be temporary should the person wish so. Temporary tattoos will wear out in a month (or earlier, if the tattoo is in constant use).

The basic effect of the tattoo is simple: seasonal powers stronger against the dark energy, meaning everyone will be able to fight creatures coated in it easier. That is, however, not the only effect; two more effects can be chosen when the tattoo is made, from a pool of choices provided.

Tattoo extra effects
• Danger Sense (gives an ability to sense danger in the surroundings)
• Door Creation (lets the user create a temporary fake door to pass through walls and other obstacles)
• Elemental Resistance (one element) (can be chosen twice)
• Enhanced Sense (choose one of the basic senses) (can be chosen twice)
• Guardian Spirit (summons an astral being to physically protect them, in the shape of something important to them - stays for an hour per summon)
• Mermaid Song (gives an ability to be able to heal minor injuries with singing)
• Minor Regeneration Powers (automatically heal minor injuries)
• New Element creation and manipulation (choose from electricity, light, neutral) (can be chosen twice)
• Retrocognition (able to see an item's past by touching it (does not work on living things))
• X-Ray Vision (lets user see through walls and other objects by touching them (does not work on living things))

All extra effects of the tattoo drain magical energy just like any other abilities do. If someone is low on magical powers, the tattoo will look like it's faded out (animal based tattoos may even start sleeping). No one automatically masters these abilities, so it might take some time to get used to them and properly use them in a fight.

Part 2

Various booths have been set all around Nightwake that let people test their new abilities. Most of the booths utilize just one ability (like being attacked by a water balloon with a blindfold on to test danger sense or test their enhanced senses) but some of them have several ways to complete them. They vary from obstacle courses to target shooting. These are mostly fun, harmless things

There's also just general fighting areas set up for people to just fight it out with their new abilities (they know by now that otherworlders love their fights). There are also robots that are installed with various martial arts to use as opponents, for those who prefer not to fight other people.

Bigger on the Inside

(Duration: January 22nd -> 26th)

Part 1

Olwen, the Winter Guild Leader, is the next one to address everyone through a message sent to all devices. It's an invitation to join him in tracking down and capturing The Doctor, but also for anyone who wishes to join the support side of things. The team will be gathering in Blossomcrown Park, on the 22nd of January at noon, where he will explain the plan.

The park has several tents set up. All of them are somehow related to aiding the fighters who will be entering the portals, so all non-combatants will be asked to man them. There are healing, food and even touch energy tents. After an analyzation done on the portal device, it seems that touch energy will drain faster inside the portals than they do normally.

Before the portal is opened, Olwen greets and thanks everyone for coming. He will explain that their primary goal is to find The Doctor, but also prevent monsters from entering Nightwake while the portal is open (it cannot be shut while someone is inside, unless you're someone like The Doctor). He explains that the nature of this portal is otherwise still unknown and he advises anyone who starts feeling bad in any way to return to Nightwake right away.

Once everyone is done with preparations Olwen activates the portal device and leads the way inside, holding a sword and shield in hand.

Part 2

When people first enter the portal they are met with a breathtaking view. It looks as if the water surface and the sky melt together, as the water reflects the starry sky. On the water there are several rowing boats. Once at least two people are inside a boat it will start moving across the surface of water and will eventually disappear into a mist (all except for Olwen, who disappears alone for some reason, who tells everyone to stay focused on the mission before the mist takes him).

The boats take people into sceneries that reflect their seasons. If there's more than one season on the same boat the scenery will be a mix of them.

• Winter is a cave of ice and water, filled with monsters named Glaciduets (Rock monsters with various animal bodies that shoot ice and rocks as weapons)
• Spring is a place among the clouds, filled with monsters named Galeduets (Birds that are partially fishes, that use sharp winds and icicles as weapons and dive among the clouds)
• Summer is a village that is burning, filled with monsters named Flameduets (Various dinosaurs with wings that use fire and wind as their weapons)
• Autumn is a rainy forest filled with monsters named Terraduets (Skeletons with fiery armor that use earth and fire as their weapons)

All of the monsters are far sturdier than they look and can provide to be difficult opponents. To proceed, they all (at least five monsters, can be more) have to be defeated and if any of them get past them into the mist the people entered from they will attempt to enter the portal into Nightwake. The mist is also the way to escape and return to regroup if needed.

Part 3

Defeating enough monsters will destroy the space they entered. Once enough spaces are destroyed, one final space is revealed (this will take a few days, there are a lot of these spaces). It's where Olwen can be seen fighting a masked, hooded person. Olwen is using his sword, water and ice - while the other figure uses force fields to protect themselves from magic and two swords. From the looks of it, the fight is rather even.

Those who try to help Olwen will be met with another force field around the area, preventing anyone from entering. Destroying the devices making the field will help Olwen get past the villain's defenses, but they're guarded by shadow monsters called Shadow Moths (This creature takes the shadows of people to become bigger and faster. It usually takes the form of a giant mothman that has shadowy vines as its weapons. If hit by the vines, characters would start doing everything backwards).

Once the devices have been destroyed, Olwen manages to encase the figure in ice before collapsing on the ground himself from exhaustion. All that's left now is to get both the ice covered villain and Olwen out of the portal and closing the portal - but with that, it's mission accomplished.

The masked villain (still frozen) will be taken by the Law Enforcement into custody to be questioned while Olwen gets Jade (Spring Guild Leader) to look after him right away. Olwen is tired, but thanks everyone who came to help with the mission (whether fighting or supporting) with a healthy sum of 20,000 Moon Coins.

Epilogue

With The Doctor in custody, Sawyer is free. Harrison makes a public apology, which Sawyer accepts and a viral video can be seen of all the guild leaders hugging him and telling him how they always believed in him. Are those tears in Sawyer's eyes? You must be seeing things!

Information about the villain will be given at a later date, once they manage to interrogate them. Meanwhile Sawyer will return to his guild duties. This time actually doing them without (as many) complaints.

Waiting in the Shadows
(Duration: January 28th - 31st)

Part 1

The Research Center Leader, Helene, and the Fairy Queen have been working on a project while the Portal fight has been going on. They send a message that there's another mission to take to those who are interested, with a 50,000 moon coins reward because of how dangerous and important this mission is.

Those who agree to take on the mission are asked to take at least a temporary magical tattoo. Those who already have a tattoo (permanent or temporary) will have theirs temporarily enhanced. This is the only requirement to participate in the mission. The enhancements for the tattoo are to protect the user from what they are about to face and make magic work against it - as well as work as an emergency exit if all else fails.

Explanation of what they are about to face is a dangerous entity once faced by two otherworlders. It has been named the All-Consuming Darkness: an experiment made by the Doctor that was meant to be unleashed to destroy the barriers around Ellipsa. Under normal circumstances it would eat any attacks delivered at it. But with the Fairy Queens magic tattoo boosts that danger will be out of the way.

After all the preparations and explanations, they are advised to take the new, temporary teleport crystal out to the Autumn Segment, straight to the Abandoned Mansion.

Part 2

The Abandoned Mansion is a creepy, old two story building that looks quite rundown. It's surrounded by mist that expands into the forest. There's not much to look at on the outside, other than two tombstones with the names of Kamisato Ayato and Kaveh on them. Anyone who has previously visited the mansion might remember they definitely weren't there before June, when the place was sealed.

Magical tattoos let everyone pass through the barrier and into the house. The strategy is simple: find all the arms of the monster, spread out to the mansions every room, and destroy them. With the boost from the tattoos all attacks can now deal damage, but the monster can still inflict status effects (silence, stun, burn, poison) and the air around it generally feels poisoned.

The being itself has no actual figure. It's a shapeless blob of mass that attacks people relentlessly with its arms. It will also try to capture anyone it can and eat them to make itself bigger, since it no longer can consume attacks to do so. Even with the magical tattoo boost it's still a difficult opponent to face.

Those that do get eaten will receive their own tombstone outside. It seems it appears automatically after death.

Everyone is also advised to retreat if they need to, which they can do by passing the barrier out of the house. With how many arms the being has the fight may take a while.

Part 3

Once all the arms are destroyed, the shadow blob will evaporate and the eerie feeling that was all over the place will vanish. The spirits that were guarding the doors will open the windows and doors, relieved that the danger was now gone. It's almost as if the nature was celebrating too, as sun beams start to fill the mansion as well.

The teleport crystals will take them back, but there's also a promise of a free luxury airship ride back for those who want to pamper themselves for a job well done. The airship is parked at the Autumn Airship Station.

OOC TIPS

• 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!

• Characters are responsible for coming up with their designs for the tattoos or at least ideas for them (the fairies doing the tattoos can offer options). As a bonus, there's no healing time for the tattoos, as they are completely magical! It also doesn't hurt (unless the person is very sensitive to it, then it might. Player's choice). Everyone is also allowed to get temporary tattoos first before committing to a permanent one (the limit is one permanent tattoo per character).

• Those with special skin (mechanical or otherwise) will still be able to get a tattoo, as they are magical. Even those whose skin would normally regenerate (like titan shifters) can have a tattoo stay permanently. These tattoos will also be available as "aesthetic only" ones after the event.

• Neutral Element is what it says on the tin. It's a shapeless energy that usually takes a blank, white form (but can be different colored, too). No creature is super weak against the element, but none of them resist it either; it's the element that will always deal damage, no matter what.

• Reminder that this month does not have Activity Check-in!

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Estinien knew better than to draw forth a conversation in the middle of a battle, though a slight concern for whatever was happening with Sun Spear tempted him to do so anyway. With the arm slain, he removed his spear from the thing and did not even bother to wipe the blood from it as he continued forward. "Onward."

He'd led the Order of the Knights Dragoon for so long that leadership came all too easily to him. Estinien kept his movements slow and careful, hoping whatever was causing Sun Spear to nearly step his heels was not so distracting that she'd topple into him.

The air in the place was thick with something that felt wrong. Another arm showed itself having already noticed their presence. Estinien launched himself at it without a word, aiming to pin it down the same way Aymeric had before.

Onward, indeed. With Estinien taking the lead, Aymeric took the position of rearguard - or rather, that was the plan. Just as he noted Sun Spear's odd, clingy behaviour again, the next arm accosted them. Estinien's sudden charge forth left Sun Spear vulnerable.

The arm noticed, too. It flailed around Estinien and towards her, giving Aymeric precious little time to act.

"Get down!" he exclaimed - needing to say something, even if it was in vain - as he pushed past Sun Spear.

Aymeric took the strike on his left side with a winded grunt. His pauldron caught some of it, but not enough to spare him from being knocked prone. He lay on the floor for a moment before shouting through gritted teeth, "Worry not - G-Get the arm! Before it hurts another!"

Two things happened then:

First, Sun Spear suddenly jerked back and half crouched with the sudden shout, more startled by that than the flailing arm itself, her spear raised reflexively. That nothing hit her was a wonder- but it all made perfect sense when she saw Aymeric sprawled on the ground.

What a fucking idiot, playing hero like that. But Sun Spear spared him the lecture- wasn't in the right headspace for it anyway. The darkness was making her a liability and now people were paying for it. She shifted to body block for him while he recovered, taking a swing at the arm and slicing through a good chunk of it.

The second thing that happened was that someone in the party proved incapable of listening to Aymeric's insistence not to worry. Night Sky came running forward, sliding to Aymeric's side. "Aymeric! Come on, sweetness, you have to get up." With the arm swinging wildly, there unfortunately wasn't time to waste. She grasped his arm, "I've got you."

Estinien scowled, annoyed at himself for allowing the arm to get past him so easily. Sun Spear's slice allowed him another opening, of which he took his lance and speared the damned thing right down the middle. It wiggled, then flopped to the ground as it splattered him in something--blood, and not something else, he hoped.

He glanced to Aymeric on the ground, Night Sky by him. Then his eyes swept to Sun Spear, wondering what exactly had gotten into her. He'd noticed her reluctance to be in the dark before when they fought in the sewers together--but perhaps whatever fear she had ran deeper than he'd originally thought. "Can you walk?" He asked, not daring to look back at Aymeric as he continued to scout the room around them.

How many of the damned things remained before they could root out this problem at its source? He did not think it wise to continue with just the three of them--as if Night Sky would dare leave Aymeric, anyway--but at this point, there may not have been another option.

He had a feeling Night Sky would rush to his side anyway. As much as he worried about her, a part of him was glad she did. The rest of him, however, fretted that she'd be next while distracted with him.

Fortunately, Sun Spear and Estinien alleviated that worry quickly enough as they finished the arm off. Fury willing, they'd have a moment to recompose themselves.

"I...I think so..." Aymeric grunted as he rose to his feet with Night Sky's help. His legs seemed to be able to take his weight. "A-Aye...well enough, anyway."

He hissed in pain, head bowing. As the initial shock wore off, his nerves sounded the alarms on the damage. A powerful ache roared up the left side of his body. Leaning against Night Sky and Naegling both, Aymeric took a deep breath in an attempt to put mind ahead of body.

"I will do what I can, but I doubt I will be of much good in battle anymore..."

All the commotion would surely draw more of the arms to them, if they did not run face first in them on their own. Sun Spear kept an eye out herself, flinching not from any sound that any of the others could hear - but the echoes of memories rising to the surface the longer she stayed in the dim light.

"Maybe you two should stay here." She suggested, watching as Night Sky aided her wounded husband to his feet. "Either that, or you stay on point and tell us if you see anything coming that we need to kill. Having you in the fight wouldn't do much."

She was tempted to tell Night Sky to actually join them, but it was obvious even to her that the other Sylvan likely would not dare to be away from him while he was injured. Which meant only she and Estinien could fight and even then... Sun Spear wasn't going at 100%.

"Either way, we need to move."

“Agreed,” he said to Sun Spear, frowning as his eyes continued to scan everything around them. Without waiting for the other two, Estinien pressed forward and, this time, kept Sun Spear in his field of view to ensure if she chose to stay close to him, neither of them would be put at risk again.

Having already slain two of the arms, it was no longer a mystery how to disable them—quickly, they were able to dispatch another, then another. In other circumstances, Estinien would have suggested splitting up—but he had the suspicion that he was currently the only one able to fight at his full capability. Though exhaustion was beginning to nag at him—still not used to this strange new place he’d found himself, his body was having some trouble fully adjusting to the sorts of things he usually put it through.

“We may be close to completing this damned quest,” he mumbled just loud enough for his companions to hear. He hoped it was true.

"Halone willing," Aymeric returned, his voice strained - not just from pain, but from the frustration of watching his comrades fight when he could not. His next words were addressed to the party, though he looked to Night Sky: "Pray forgive me for slowing you down."

Even though she wasn't a front line fighter as he and Estinien were, she could still hold her own - and should be, were she not so concerned with his well-being.

And the more Aymeric observed Estinien, the more concern he felt for his well being. All the years spent fighting and training together made Aymeric aware of all the tells of battle wearing on his friend.

"Have care...even if the end is in sight, we mustn't become careless. You least of all, Estinien..."

"It's okay. We'll be fine." Night Sky assured him with a squeeze of her arm around his waist, steadying him as best she could as they made their way through the mansion to finish what they had started.

Sun Spear, meanwhile, continued to try and will herself to focus, aiding in the fight against the arms with her spear and then retreating toward whatever light source she could stay within. It was still too dark for her liking, but so long as it wasn't pitch black, she wouldn't be worthless in combat.

The house was becoming eerily quiet now with so many arms dispatched. Quiet enough that she heard the creak of wood just before another limb burst through the wall beside her and Estinien, sending her reeling back and flailing her spear in the vague direction of the arm that whipped around with every intention of either batting them around or grabbing them in its mighty grip.

Estinien swung around, Nidhogg in hand, in an attempt to pin the arm down as they had so many times before--except this time he was too tired and too slow and the arm dodged his advance. It came back once again, punching him straight in the cheek and making him see stars as he stumbled, dazed.

The arm swung again and it was pure instinct that had him clumsily dodge out of the way. Estinien stood with his lance for balance and then stabbed straight through the arm with a single thrust. "Kill it!" he demanded, words slurring a bit.

A concussion, perhaps.

"Estinien!" Aymeric hissed. Wincing, he stepped away from Night Sky and took an offensive stance as he continued, "I'm sorry, but I cannot stand idly by like this..."

He was likely about to make his injury worse, or at the very least put himself in a whole lot of pain. But he could deal with that if it meant keeping his friend and wife (and Sun Spear) safe.

"I am the spear of the Fury and the shield of my comrades!" he yelled, his voice like steel, before charging forward with -

- what was supposed to be a battle cry, but instead was a sound of alarm and pain both as vines wrapped around his torso and legs.

"Aymeric, don't-" Night Sky knew it was coming the second the arm burst through the wall. The fact that her husband had managed to stay on the sidelines this long was nothing short of a miracle. And she let him go with the assumption that he would defend, not jump into the fray.

She apparently assumed wrongly. And the second he charged forward she decided that, yeah, no, that wasn't happening. He could be mad about it later, but right now he was entangled in strong, sturdy vines and being forcefully yanked back to her side, her eyes shimmering in the dim light of the mansion. "Stop."

Sun Spear regained her own balance just as Estinien was clocked by the the arm. The whole mission had become an absolute shitshow in seconds and she had little other choice but to man up and get over her own shit so she could keep everyone else from dying.

Estinien did not have to make the suggestion twice. She was already jamming the Impaler through the arm when he said it, yanking with all her strength to turn its attention fully on her. It flailed wildly, but she held fast, digging into whatever mass of the arm she could and sawing through until it cut off at the wrist. Then she stabbed that about... fifteen more times or so, until it finally stopped moving.

His breathing was hard and slow, arm reaching out to the wall to keep his balance as the room spun around him. There was an ache in his head he was certain would turn into a welt later, but there was no time to lick his wounds.

Or so he thought.

The weight of the air around him seemed to vanish as the remains of the arms dissipated into some sort of smoke; the only remains of battle being the blood that coated Estinien and his companions from the fight.

The spirit guardians flung open the windows and doors and sunlight streamed in. That was, apparently, enough to make Estinien fall to the ground as he tried to regain his composure. "I believe it is finished."

Oh. Night Sky looked very upset. He supposed he couldn't blame her. Either way, Aymeric wasn't going anywhere, so he eased in the grip of her vines to show his concession.

She said stop - he stopped.

Fortune smiled on them soon after anyway as light returned to the mansion. "Oh, praise Halone," Aymeric sighed. He winced in pain before continuing, "L-Let us quit this place at once."

Estinien and Aymeric needed help in doing so. When they were out of the mansion proper, further tension passed from Aymeric's shoulders. "We did our parts...no more can be asked of us than that."

Both Sylvan women had never been happier to see the sun. Night Sky helped Aymeric stand and exit with the use of her vines, steadying him with a few pressed to his back while Sun Spear moved to Estinien, crouching down to look him over quickly before offering her hand.

She still looked rattled, but in light of his awful wounds, she couldn't let herself falter again. "We had better get paid well for that." She said when she exited. "We need to get you both to healers first though."

Estinien stumbled along, his head nothing but a blaring headache. A foolish mistake, and one he would not be making again. It was like waking up with a hangover while also still drunk—an experience he’d grown somewhat used to after drinking Thavnarian liquor.

“Aye,” he breathed, the bright light a pain for his eyes. It took everything in him not to pass out—a healer would be most welcome. “Are there some aboard that luxury airship?”

"I believe so," Aymeric responded with more strain tugging at his voice and expression. With the high of battle fading, there was less adrenaline in his system to dull the pain. He leaned harder into Night Sky's assistance. "I will take what assistance there is. Perhaps...perhaps being a luxury ship, we can get a drink."

The remark was in part an attempt to lighten the mood some, but really, he wanted a good drink or two to dull the pain again.

They found their way to the airship, and luxurious it was, indeed. Healers soon came to the Elezens' sides. The two of them soon found themselves stripped of excess armour and resting on comfortable beds in an infirmary, while healers buzz about tending to them.

Once upon the ship, Night Sky was content to stay in the infirmary, making sure to stay as close to Aymeric's bedside while he recovered and moving only if the medics needed her to.

Sun Spear, on the other hand, had fucked off almost immediately, returning nearly an hour after their initial arrival on the airship and lugging what looked to be a box under her arm, glass clacking as she walked.

Did she bring them beer? Yes.

Yes she did.

Estinien took a beer, the ache in his head less severe even as a nurse clucked something about a "concussion" and "shouldn't be drinking"--but he'd survived worse. Estinien grabbed one of the glass bottles and opened it with the edge of his lance, waiting to see if the others would take their own.

"So much for a luxury air ride," he said grumpily. He'd be stuck in the infirmary for most of the trip and had been told to take it easy for a day or two. Not that he would. But he wasn't about to push his luck in front of the healer's faces.

Aymeric had been diagnosed with a bruised rib - better than a cracked or broken rib, but it still hurt like hell. Despite the bit of painkiller he'd been given, he grabbed a beer, too. (With a strained but sincere "Thank you" to Sun Spear, of course.) He went to open it by clenching his arm around the cap and twisting -

- but the attempt had him hissing through gritted teeth. Once that passed, he sighed dejectedly and eyed Estinien's lance. Maybe he could use it, too. But that meant an awful lot more movement...

Sun Spear rolled her eyes at the chiding nurses while popping her own bottle open by cracking it against the side of the box she had brought them in. She then promptly flopped onto the chair beside Estinien's bed and chugged half the beer in a long gulp. "Could always toss you off the side if you want to complain the whole time."

Night Sky meanwhile watched her husband struggle for a moment before sighing and taking the bottle, a vine produced to yank the cap off and hand the beer back to him. "Take it easy, love, or you're going to hurt yourself."

Estinien glanced over at the couple and snorted, wondering how Aymeric enjoyed being the object of such attentions--he remembered very clearly what things had been like when he first regained consciousness after the battle with Nidhogg, and how Aymeric had hardly left his bedside.

He turned back to Sun Spear as he took several gulps of his own beer. "I think you'd have to fight the nurses to even get me out. I wouldn't discount their needles."

After a moment, he addressed his group at large. "Leave it to Aymeric to nearly go down playing hero." Even as his thoughts flashed to Haurchefant, Estinien ignored them--things had, thankfully, not ended that way with Aymeric. This time.

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Event #6: Doctor Why Instead of Who

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