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

[Odinson is entirely unaware of Owain's conclusions.

He'll take the compliment though] Aye. My people are the gods of Asgardia.

[There's a long, long, long pause as he squin- no, stares at Odinson, because that was either an incredibly egotistical statement or a literal statement he should take seriously, and Owain wasn't sure which way this could go. That was either, "We're just that awesome." Or that was, "I'm a literal god."] Uh.

[Not only that, but here's the thing. Someone who's got the stone cold balls to declare that he is a god - literal or not - is probably someone who could smash him in twain and while Owain has a decent sense of self esteem (pretty alright, a bit lower than it could or perhaps should be, but still healthy enough, but when your cousin is a main character and you're a side character you're aware of your importance relative to her in life) he also knows he probably can't take on someone who says, "Yes, I am a god."

So his mouth works for a moment as he raises his hand and tries to question...does he want to actually ask this?] Well...gods-

[...] So when I say 'gods' is it like I'm saying 'you'? And is the goat a god too? I mean...you wouldn't be the first god I met, but that would be the first hircine beast cloven from the ether I ever encountered.

[And then he turned back to the goat, who was busy eating someone's discarded jacket part of their uniform over there. But that's okay, it grows back eventually.] ... [In fact, that's kinda efficient when it comes to feeding goats things they perhaps shouldn't eat.] And it can't talk! [Weird.] That's so weird.

[Odinson sets the bucket down.

He forgets that there are worlds who don't deal with gods face to face, forgets that to some, gods are distant, mysterious, and powerful beings. He is a god himself, lives among them, knows that they are not all as omniscient or omnipotent as they would wish their followers to be.]

I am Odinson, god of Thunder. [He's stonefaced as he says this, his words direct and without embellishment. He has other matters on his mind to do with godhood and protecting mankind, but this man does not need to be party to them.] You would need to invoke my name directly for me to hear your voice.

[The hint of a smile appears.] Toothgrinder is not the god of goats, to the benefit of his ego. He is stubborn enough as it is.

[His eyes widened, and then widened ever so slightly more, before they narrowed in a very considering move. If he was a different person, the moment Owain turned thoughtful would be alarming. The sign of scheming. Planning. Dark thoughts! Darker deeds!]

I- there must be a goat god somewhere.

[That's where he reached. (Actually, no, there's other questions and probably an awkward conversation if he ever gets canon updated and goes by 'Odin,' but who knows what the future holds.)] You'd think? I know a dragon god, you're a thunder god...why wouldn't there be?

Oh, aye. I think I have met one, once. [You know, just casually.]

How much did the drink Toothgrinder drank cost you? I will reimburse whatever you have lost.

No, no! [Hands held up, placating gesture, and he's taking a step away from the goat just in case, because it seems like a large goat. Just a frightening goat.] Peace, o' thunderous lord o' the...mighty biceps, it was only an honor to have my drinks go feed yon lord of goats and...if you gave me money I'd probably just see what else I could get your goat to eat.

[Look, he's curious.] Probably not a good idea.

[Just quickly, Odinson turns to look at Toothgrinder, who is crunching through a stone column, then back to Owain.

You're worried about hurting the goat???]

I doubt you'll find much in this realm that will harm him. [Shrug.]

[Well.] That just makes me curious. I mean, come on! I don’t want to kill your goat- [Oh right, he’s a god.] ...uh, o’ lord o’ the...thundery things. [Okay, appropriate respect there, moving on.] So I’m not trying to harm your goat. But! You saying that makes me go...but… [Dramatic pause.] What if. [Dun dun DUN.] What if there is some kind of ill fated goatsbane in one of the myraid [yes, pronounced myraid, not myriad] worlds we stumble across, one which gives yon goat a case of indigestion? Wouldn’t you want to know? I’m not sure what you’d do with that but it’s like...it’s like...something out of a bad bardic story! The Lord of Goats and his sworn enemy...Cup Noodles. Or something, except better.

[Run and take the goat with you for everybody’s sake.]

[Okay, it seems that now is story time.]

When I was younger, I would venture out across the nine realms in search of adventure and glory, riding Toothgrinder and his brother Toothgnasher wherever I willed. [That's right, Owain. There are two of them. Two giant hungry goats.]

If there was no food to be found where I stopped, I simply slaughtered one of them and roasted his meat over an open fire. Or both, if there were other mouths to feed, or if I were hungry. [Imagine trying to eat that much meat, if you can.]

The next day, they would be hale and whole again, stomping their hooves in their readiness to be away. [As if he knows he's being talked about, Toothgrinder looks up at the two of them balefully, huffing through his nose while he chews.] So long as you break none of his bones, he'll be well.

EVENT ★ THE BATTLE FOR OSKA

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start, and to be quite honest I have no idea where this is going to lead

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amazingly, this is just a 3/3

/applauds

I can do better.

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