epidemiology | EVENT ★ POKAREKARE ANA

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EVENT ★ POKAREKARE ANA

NALANNI

Now as weak as any mortal, Nalanni only needs one person to dispatch her. Though Jason has been selected for the sad deed, it would be smart not to let him go it alone.

Once Nalanni ceases to be, the ground quakes and roils. The planet's rock and earth can feel the loss of its mother, and with Ryba still living, the power imbalance throws the world into turmoil. Monsters stream forth from the cave Nalanni had been held on the risen Dakal island. But unlike before, when Pomarr blew through the side of Nalalona and left lava creatures in her wake, these monsters are made of stone. And they are gigantic.

Ranging from five to nine meters (roughly 16-30 feet), the stone golems are slow-moving but powerful, capable of crushing anything in their path with their feet or powerful fists. The golems cannot be spoken to or reasoned with; all they feel is the loss of their mother and the vacuum of power she has left behind. Their mindless anger makes them easily distracted, so teamwork is the best way to keep them at bay. Roughly formed of rock and hardened mud, they are weak to water. Luckily, halfway through the day, a light rain begins to fall.

The golems will continue to come forth from the earth until Ryba is defeated. Upon her death, they will simply collapse into inert piles of stone.

stephan martiniere

RYBA THE DEVOURING ONE

Pomarr stays true to her word and draws the sea goddess to the shore of the deserted island that once housed the Dakal. Without comment, Pomarr turns and steps into an ALASTAIR rift, leaving your team to its business.

Ryba is impossibly large, a mass of twisting, searching tentacles with no discernible body. She is especially weak to electrical attacks, but can otherwise be defeated by simply wearing her down with brute force. Now that you've got your collective powers back, it should be a piece of cake. Right?

ATTACKS:

TENTACLES. Ryba's initial attack is waving her massive, numerous tentacles around to try and keep combatants at bay. Despite their size, they are surprisingly quick -- capable of snapping at anyone who dares get too close, whiplike, or simply crushing those who stay still for too long. Her tentacles are seemingly endless, impossible to count, and move about in a nearly hypnotic way.

THE STORM. After enough damage has been dealt, Ryba will grow more desperate and begin to use her connections to the sea itself. Though the battle is near the shore, sudden winds whip at the recruits, pulling them away from the shallows. Drowning becomes a real danger: the waves are high and fast, and intensely swirling waterspouts crisscross with intent to sweep recruits up, scrambling them.

SHARKNADO. Ryba's last-ditch effort calls upon the creatures of the sea as well as the wind and waves. She creates a swirling vortex with her massive body in the center in attempts to shield herself from attacks. But that's not all -- spinning around her at high speeds with the vortex are sharks. A lot of sharks. And they are all angry.

If characters attempt to speak with Ryba through the battle, she will respond in a calm, dark voice throughout: she has nothing to say to the invaders who would dare take her from the peace of her trench, except that they must destroy her or she will kill them all herself, before the world crumbles to nothing.

Once Ryba is defeated, her massive body will simply cease moving. Goddess or not, it seems her form is as physical as any other creature of the sea.

waqas malik

ISLANDERS

During the day-long battle, characters who choose not to fight are advised to stay behind with the Nalawi to keep them safe. Though the battle rages far to the west, on the once-sunken island of the Dakal, the storms may travel to the westernmost edges of the Nalawi islands. Recruits may attempt to temporarily evacuate the westernmost Nalawi, though there may be considerable resistance.

After the battle, the Nalawi can instantly tell that their goddess is gone for good. Where there was once confusion and desperation in the face of Nalanni's disappearance, there is now only sorrow and directionlessness. All recruits are invited to return to Komo, the first island at the start of the mission, for a somber memorial for Nalanni: the Nalawi don't blame the recruits for what has happened, and only expect them to join in their grief.

For the rest of the time on Nalawi, characters may spend their time as they wish. The locals will need help learning how to cope without their Gifts and how to live without the goddess on whom they had come to rely. They will need help learning all sorts of trades, from fishing to pottery to plumbing, so characters who have knowledge in the mundane will have their time to shine.

But the Timeline is always in need of tending, so recruits can't stay here forever. Say your goodbyes, because soon a rift will open and you'll be headed back to Oska.

OOC INFO

Mods will not be NPCing the Ryba encounter, so you are free to NPC her attacks yourself. Please remember that defeating her is a group effort; no one person will have the "killing blow."

The battle against Ryba will take one full day. After she is defeated, recruits will have 13 days to say goodbye to the Nalawi before departing for Oska.

If characters wish to temporarily stay behind in Nalawi, see here for details.

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If we can get someone in there... damage the source enough so that the tentacles can't regenerate...

[Beating around the bush isn't going to get him anywhere. He takes a breath and just puts it out there.]

I want to petrify the part of her body that regenerates the tentacles. To do that, I'll need to get even closer than we have already. I can't attack the tentacles. I need to stab her directly. And I need to stay there until the fossilization effect takes hold.

... Strategically speaking, attacking the body directly would likely be our best move, but...

[ It's... too dangerous. ]

That's too risky. Attacking from a distance is our best bet right now!

No, it's the bet with the least amount of risk. [He grits his teeth. The effect isn't particularly threatening or intimidating. Rather, it makes him look desperate.] That's not the same as "best".

... In that case, I can protect you with a barrier. It may not be an offensive one, but it's better for you to go in with some defense.

[ If he's absolutely certain about this, then Mikleo isn't going to stop him. But, he'll do his best to support him. ]

[Grateful that Mikleo isn't arguing, King offers a curt nod.]

As long as Chastiefol remains outside of your barrier, I can still attack her.

Chastiefol?

[ Something of his? Or, just a term that he isn't familiar withh? ]

Edited 2016-07-06 07:08 (UTC)

My sacred treasure. My weapon.

[As if in answer, Chastiefol's spear form swirls in place beside him, spearhead facing downward. The weapon is taller than he is, but the fact that they both fly makes size a nonissue in the heavy weapon's wielding.]

[ At first, Mikleo eyes the weapon with some surprise. Was... a weapon like that really all that convenient for him to use? Though, maybe nothing about this person should surprise him anymore.

He slowly nods his head. Either way, that was an easy enough request to agree to. ]

Understood. I'll focus my artes on you specifically.

[Chastiefol's ability to transform is what makes it such a convenient weapon for King. Mikleo may well see that for himself in the next few minutes. When he agrees, King steps out of his personal space with a thankful return nod.]

Thank you.

[ Mikleo closes his eyes, using his abilities to create that protective barrier for King. A warm light surrounds King before it disappears, though the barrier remains.

He opens his eyes afterwards. ]

The barrier won't last long, but I'll set another one up before it starts to fade.

I'll move fast.

[With that less-than-reassuring acknowledgement, King leaps into the air and takes off, Chastiefol following close behind. The weapon soon overtakes him, and King calls out his orders. Several sharp hand motions later, the one spear erupts into at least a hundred knives that swarm together to clear a path for him.

Not even this bee hive of blades can completely subdue Ryba though. One tentacle sneaks behind King, out of sight. It aims not for the advancing fairy but for Mikleo.]

[ Mikleo works quickly at that, sending a surge of ice towards the tentacle's direction. Luckily, his artes are fast enough to do stop them: freezing the tentacle once their hit.

He won't yell at King to watch out. The last thing Mikleo wants is to throw off his concentration. For now, he'll do what he can to watch his back. ]

[Their combined effort earns them another temporary opening. King takes it.

This time, rather than attack from afar, he and his barrier soar as close as possible to the source of the endless tentacles. It's not a smooth flight, and the barrier is the only reason King makes it even halfway there without being slammed into the ocean by already regenerating limbs. It's rare that he has to fly so fast. That just fuels his adrenaline.

It's not until King meets a wall of flesh too large to be another tentacle that he orders Chastiefol to change form again. The swarming knives converge into one spear with crustacean-esque armor: Fossilization. Before he can stab it deep into Ryba's body, however, a newly sprouted tentacle whips around to grab hold of it.

This was why King had hoped for an offensive barrier. At this rate, she'll regenerate her offense before he can penetrate her defense. King can revert Chastiefol back to its many knives to escape the tentacle's firm grasp, but doing that will just give Ryba another chance to grab it the moment the knives converge into Fossilization.]

Watch out! [ Mikleo calls out for King, firing ice shard after ice shard at the tentacles, streams of water coming afterwards.

Unfortunately, Mikleo's artes aren't limitless, and he can't do artes after arte, either. Firing them comes seconds after, but he's doing his best to fire everything as quickly as he can, going for whatever tentacles go after king. At the least, it should slow them down. Considering that Mikleo's artes are water elemental, it also won't be too effective. ]

[Ice may technically be just frozen water, but its solidity is its saving grace. Anything solid and sharp enough can penetrate flesh when paired with enough force.

The tentacle wrapped around Chastiefol is pierced by one of the ice shards, allowing King to slip his spear out of Ryba's grasp. Without wasting any of the momentum he's gained, King commands Chastiefol into the body behind the wall of tentacles, and immediately on contact, Fossilization's petrification technique begins to spread.

King's mission has been accomplished, but he's not out of danger yet. Just to remind him of this, another tentacle attacks from his blind spot, sending him flying like a baseball aimed right at Mikleo's chest.]

[ ... Unfortunately, by the time that King is flying at him, Mikleo has no time to cast any artes to deflect him. So, he feels the full impact of King hitting him, and vice versa, and Mikleo's sent flying backwards. He cries out in pain, eyes closing tightly in preparation of the impact of what's to come.

However, he isn't just thinking of himself. His arms wrap around King in near instinct to protect him from being further hurt. ]

[The initial impact is nothing to laugh at, but at the very least, King doesn't weigh much. It's Mikleo's back that's going to suffer real consequences once they hit the rocky outcropping behind them.

King shuts his eyes tight and grits his teeth. Mikleo is protecting him from his own mistake. In the end, their safety is more important than Ryba's defeat. He doesn't have time to prepare Pollen Garden, but he does have one option left to him - so long as he doesn't mind sabotaging his own petrification attempt.]

Spirit Spear Chastiefol!

[Even as he shouts into the wind, Chastiefol is already changing form, bursting free of Ryba in order to blast its way behind Mikleo.]

Form Two: Guardian!

[A large stuffed bear patterned to match King's favorite pillow unfolds between them and their destination. It catches them in midair, wrapping its limbs around both of them to protect them from the impact that happens not a second later.]

[ Mikleo has no time to look behind him to see just what King had unfolded behind them. Though, when he hits the stuffed animal, he bounces off of it easily, still holding onto King tightly, eyes clenched shut in preparation from what was to be the rocky impact (instinct, really).

When they land on that stuffed animal, Mikleo blinks his eyes open a little, looking around before sighing quietly in relief. ]

Are you alright? [ He releases his hold. ]

Mostly.

[His whole body is going to be sore later, but right now, he can still move. Once he knows he's not dead, he immediately looks up to see what damage they've managed to cause. King hadn't been able to completely petrify the area of flesh he'd punctured, but his desperate attempt does seem to have born fruit. Ryba's regeneration has slowed significantly, and the stone he's left behind is hindering her movement. They really have managed to cripple her.

Almost guiltily, he turns his head to meet Mikleo eye to downcast eye. Mikleo's the one he should have checked up on first, but...]

Are you?

I'm fine.

[ He look to Ryba with creased eyebrows, mouth shutting together tightly. He's feeling near anxious as he watches others fight. He hopes that Sorey is alright... Well, at least her movement seems to have slowed a great deal.

He looks to King after, expression relaxing. ]

Thank you. It looks like our efforts were able to help others.

Yeah. Thanks. That barrier was... [the only reason he's still in one piece] a big help.

[Smooth. Real smooth. King sighs and pulls away from Mikleo before he can say anything else too praiseworthy.]

We should probably get back into the fray before she decides to throw anything else at us.

If you're tired, you should stop. The others can take it from here.

[ Losing someone because they're too exhausted to keep up or if they become clumsy in their attacks won't help anyone. Mikleo's just looking out for him, really. ]

[For a moment, King appears stunned into silence. It's not often that someone tells him he's done enough, and the last time it happened, he didn't listen. He's glad he didn't. But back then, he was the only one who could do anything. Now he's not.

Finally, he sighs, shoulders dipping, and nods.]

I'll run a lap around the battlefield. If someone needs help, I can get them out fast.

Thank you.

[ He's used to being around someone who pushes themselves, even when they're tired or exhausted. It's relieving that King wants to look out for himself, but he's still quietly looking over him to make sure that he isn't injured or hurt in any way. ]

I'll be sure to heal anyone who needs it, too.

[King has nothing to worry about but bruises for now. That's thanks to Mikleo's barrier, so the least he can do is listen to the guy. Though if Diane or someone else he cares deeply about had been injured, it would be another story altogether.]

Mm. [He returns Chastiefol to its spear form as he agrees. It takes up position beside him so that he can hop up and sit atop its pole.] Good. Too many people are going to need it when this is through.

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circulets - 2016-08-07 22:17 (UTC) - Expand

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agrizzlysin - 2016-08-17 07:23 (UTC) - Expand

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