epidemiology | EVENT ★ THE BATTLE FOR OSKA

THE BATTLE FOR OSKA

A message is sent to teams Audentes, Unicorn, and Ambrosia via magitek early in the morning, alerting all users to expect to be rifted back to Oska in three hours. Shortly after that comes a message from the Queen of Terra Felis, requesting that recruits stop by the palace briefly to receive her blessing. Any recruits who oblige her will find that her blessing is actually a very physical gift: a feeling of peace that washes over each person as soon as they step into the palace. This feeling will persist for the next 12 hours, and comes with a boost to either strength or speed for the duration of it. It's the Queen's way of wishing her departing guests good luck.

Then comes the rift, and finally, Oska.

ARRIVAL

Oska isn't doing well. The devastation is immediately apparent in the blistered and blackened stone of the castle, completely blasted apart in some areas. Plantlife about the castle has been completely shredded, entire trees reduced to splintered stumps. The area recruits are rifted into is temporarily safe, guarded by team Mariposa, all of them of a large, fiercely warlike species, each heavily armed. There are only five of them, but that's enough to defend the little corner of Oska set up to receive the incoming teams.

The largest, most battle-scarred member of Mariposa issues no orders, but fills arrivals in on the situation: there are several models of robots focusing on the destruction of the castle. Hear that distant, repetitive thud? The largest robots, the 15-foot (457cm) models, area busy hammering at an interior wall, trying to break into the Mechanical Room. They're the main priority -- but don't lose track of the flanking and defensive models, they're there to cause whatever carnage they can while the largest ones tear down the castle itself. Basically, take out every robot you see, as fast as you can.

Those who can't fight have another, even more important job. There are defense nodes scattered throughout Oska, some inside the castle, some outside, even some in the village. These are small panels that blend in with the scenery. They each need to be opened up and rebooted with an access code put in via number pad. When every single node has been rebooted, the cloaking device will fully activate throughout this entire dimension, getting it permanently off of Zymandis's radar once more. Any recruit who volunteers for this job will have a map of each node location sent to their magitek. The robots don't seem to realize the importance of these nodes and usually ignore them, but will attack anyone they see working at one.

OPPONENTS

The biggest models are the PW15s; with sledgehammers at the end of their arms, they're programmed just to break down and tear apart foundation. They're currently working on busting their way into the Mechanical Room, where the TIMELINE.exe is kept. They must be stopped. Without the TIMELINE.exe, ALASTAIR is left aimless and adrift. These machines work ceaselessly at their task, and can only be distracted by focusing temporarily on a target right in front of them. Otherwise, they will ignore any attacks on them and keep working on the wall in front of them until they are torn apart themselves.

PW15s are guarded by the Shielders. These are the basic eight-foot (245cm) models, but each comes with a large light shield it will use to defend itself and the PW15s. They stay behind these impenetrable shields and fire lasers from safety, but don't have very advanced programming. They will swivel around to face their target, leaving themselves open to attacks from behind. Tag teaming these robots is very effective.

Airbombers can be tricky to navigate, as these robots fly. They're light and fast, but shots from their canons don't do much more than issue small but severe burns. The real danger is in letting one get directly overhead, as once it has done so it will release two to six bombs, which do great damage to people and property upon impact.

The last model to look out for is the T15, which is small but tenacious. These are no bigger than a large dog, and will scuttle quickly forward until they've spotted a target. At that point they plant themselves and begin to fire a concentrated beam of laser at whatever they've spotted until it has stopped moving. These models have very simple programming and few defenses, but are impossible to dissuade from firing while their target is still in sight. They have no sense of object permanence, though, and even ducking behind scenery will confuse one into thinking it's eliminated its target.

THE FIGHT

The arrival of the three teams from Terra Felis do a lot to tip the scales in Oska's favor, but the fight still rages for a full day after their arrival. Team Kittypaw can be seen engaging throughout the grounds -- Uruz and Dagny fiercely defend the stables and the squidge garden, and are tired but nowhere near ready to give up. Cassie leads attacks into robot-heavy areas with gun-blazing gusto and seems to be having the time of her life, but even her energy isn't unlimited. Cherenkov and Crowley are on defense node duty, and can be spotted as a black or white streak on their way to activate the next node, avoiding the bulk of the fighting.

Anyone who needs a break will be instructed to visit the library. Not even the robots are a match for the librarians, who have made it their utmost priority to ensure that nothing unauthorized sets foot among the books. Food and pillows have been brought in, and the area can be used as a base for resting and refueling between fights. Between fending off robots, the librarians will still warily scrutinize anyone eating or drinking too close to a book. They've allowed it, but don't push your luck and get messy.

The fight drags on for almost a full, exhausting 24 hours, but just as dawn begins to come to the little scrap of Oska's dimension, a shimmering races briefly through the sky as the last defense node is rebooted and the shield is reactivated. Any remaining robots jolt and then go still, permanently offline. (Friendly robots might also feel a jolt, but are spared any damage thanks to careful programming.) The collective teams of ALASTAIR finally have a moment to breathe and relax. The fight is over.

AFTERMATH

There is a lot to rebuild and, unfortunately, some mourning to do. Services for those fallen in the fight will be held the following day. They are quick but heartfelt affairs, with friends of the downed recruits speaking a few words about what will be most remembered and missed about their comrades.

Overall, though, the mood is grimly triumphant -- they've just managed to fend off Zymandis, after all. Or at least, a fraction of Zymandis. There are quite a few murmurs of gratitude for the shields being restored in time to stop anything bigger from finding them.

The castle begins to slowly rebuild itself, rocks teetering their way back into place and tapestries slowly restitching themselves. Left to its own devices, it would probably take several years of this for the castle to fully restore itself. It very obviously appreciates recruits lending a hand to rebuilding, though. Suits of armor will bring workers little trinkets of gratitude, or food from the kitchen, which produces it in generous heaps. The castle's rebuilding efforts will even focus a little more strongly on the rooms of anyone helping out, down to any personal effects that were damaged in the fight or otherwise.

Welcome home, Audentes. Rebuilding will last for the full three weeks given until their next mission, and still won't be complete by the time they ship out. But still, try to relax before your next trip out.

OOC NOTES

This log will last ICly and OOCly for three weeks (with the initial battle lasting one day), with the next mission beginning on 21 May. Please use this post to plot amongst yourselves!

The other ALASTAIR teams in Oska at the moment are Unicorn and Ambrosia, who were with Audentes in Terra Felis, Kittypaw, Mariposa, who greeted the new arrivals, and Kraken, a 10-recruit team made of various aquatic and amphibious species who use the lake as their home base during the fight. More teams will be rifting in to help with reconstruction, after the battle is over.

Questions about this log can be directed here. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may also submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ It's been a while since Audentes was dropped into Oska, and the din of chaos is already suffusing Reika's awareness. She's promised Sieglinde to help set up the healers' camp, so only after that 's done does she shoot Riza a message. ]

Lieutenant, I've finished helping the healers. Are you free now?

[Free is subjective - there's not much by way of free time when the entire castle is under attack, but there are moments when she's less free and moments when she's more free. Currently, she's tipped more towards the more end of the spectrum, her fingers punching in the last few digits into the node in front of her.]

I will be in a few minutes. Can we meet in front of the library?

Of course. I'll be there right away.

[ Since she's inside the library, it's easy to simply step out. Once Riza comes within speaking distance, she has a question. ]

Hello, Lieutenant. How many weapons do you have?

[Once the access code's entered, she's on the move again, threading carefully through hallways and around unblocked corners until both the library entrance and Reika come into view. The question's answered easily - presumably Reika doesn't need an exact count.]

A knife and several guns on my person, and few more pistols in my room.

[Though she hasn't been up to her room just yet, too focused on protecting other areas of the castle.]

Did you need to borrow one?

[ It's very reassuring, if anything. ]

No, I should be fine.

[ What she wants to say next is decidedly less pleasant, though. ]

There's something else I'd like to ask of you. My weapon... it's calibrated to sync with my body. I've had myself checked just now, but there's still a very slight possibility of it turning on me, since I haven't touched it for months. If that happens, I need you to cut off my arm.

[ It's a risk that God Eaters all run, so she's fine with it. But she doesn't want to run the risk of a full infection. Going berserk is a much worse fate than losing one limb. ]

[oh my god???]

[Life on the battlefield - and with ALASTAIR - means that most things no longer shock her, at least enough to provoke a visible reaction on her face. But she does still all the same, eyebrows furrowing down in dislike as she takes in Reika's request.

(In the distance, there's another loud boom as the fight rages on.)]

There's no other way?

[She's never been one to back out of promises such as these, but if there's any other possible solution she'd rather take that first.]

[ It's a testament to how much trust she puts in Riza, at least. ]

I'm sorry. The alternative... is death.

[ She'd rather Riza do a mere amputation than have to shoot her in the head. It should also become evident why she's asked her instead of Julius to come along. ]

It's a risk that can be minimised with adequate preparation. If I don't take up my Arc again... I won't be able to protect anyone.

[ As dangerous as it is, it's something that most God Eaters would be told when they enlist. It was the only way they could pick up arms and defend their homes - even if it meant carelessness could bring a swift end. ]

[The follow-up is even less hopeful than the alternative, but if nothing else it solidifies Riza's resolve to grant Reika's request, even if even the mere thought brings her no joy. She nods once, expression grave.]

Very well. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. [For the sake of both of them.] Is there anything else I should know about?

[Any other dangerous possibilities they might have to face?]

[ They're both soldiers. Once a soldier takes up arms, it's an implicit agreement to taking the risk of death. ]

Not really. If I need your help with that thing, I'll let you know. Once I've recovered my weapon, it should be okay.

[ If she bonds with it the same as before, it would be easy to control and keep her Arc docile. ]

[The risk of death is always present but no less sorrowful than for any other. She hopes the situation doesn't turn south, but that's a concern she'll deal with for the time comes.

For now—]

Let's go then.

[Though:] Do you have a weapon you can use in the meantime?

[ If Riza hadn't been there, she wouldn't know who else to turn to. ]

I have this.

[ She pulls out the baseball bat from her bag. It's well-dented, but she only needed a catalyst. ]

It should be enough.

EVENT ★ THE BATTLE FOR OSKA

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