the tides shift.Darkness has begun to spread, rapidly, throughout the entirety of Akvos. Different areas of the Kingdom are plagued by different instances of terror, but one thing remains clear: the Circle does have the available tools to help . . . of sorts. Many of you have discovered different areas of Akvos to focus on, but by and large? There are no shortage of people to help, of people to fight, and of creatures to save. Hurry quickly, Circle members. Akvos needs your aid.  SHADOWS IN THE DARK.Shadow creatures have begun to multiple en masse in the Depths of Markolos, and are spreading to every which corner of Akvos. They will be at their highest density in the Depths, and take the form of terrifying creatures with massive claws and gnashing teeth. They seem to be impervious to non-magical damage, so some unique tag-team action may be necessary in order to actually kill the things.
As the monsters multiply, mermaids from across Akvos will fall prey to their attacks, drifting listlessly in the currents of the sea as they fall unconscious, the life-force drained from them by a shadow creature. In order to wake them again, the shadow creature that drained them of their energy must be killed. Act quickly, and you may be able to rally the native forces necessary to stage a proper fight back. But the more you fight, the more exhausted you begin to get.
Those who cannot fight will not find themselves of a shortage of ways to help, though. Shelters are being set up within the Palace of Wahine, a fortress unto itself. Children are corralled there, the injured are kept in the impromptu hospital beds that are guarded by the Royal Guard that are still conscious from the onslaught. They will desperately accept help to care for the children whose parents are unconscious, or to console parents who have lost their children in the mayhem of the sudden attack upon their city.
Food still needs to be gathered, supplies still need to be run from door to door. People need to be evacuated. And from each area of Akvos, there are "runners" of powerful merfolk who have set up caravans drawn by dolphins to quickly whisk people from place to place. Each caravan is under threat of attack from shadows, though -- sign up for the evacuation committee, keep your heads down, and fight back as much as you can to protect these people from whatever the hell is going on.  THE SEVEN SEAS OF WHY.In addition to the shadow creatures, each area is plagued by a different onslaught of dark magic. Each area has different needs, and each area will require your attention. Focus your energies where able, and do your best to stem the flow of chaos before it is too late. (Check here for a breakdown of types of effective magic.)
The Palace of Wahine is facing an onset of red algae, blooming through the alleyways and infecting mermaids rushing to seek cover. Inhaling the algae doesn't seem to do much to you, in small doses, but it causes violent coughing fits with the mermaids, preventing them from breathing properly underwater. Getting into contact with the red algae will turn your own skin a brilliant shade of pink, and it will cause it to itch uncontrollably (something that is, apparently, impossible to alleviate under the water). It will wear off within a few hours, but the same does not hold true for the mermaids. The healers in the community say that certain herbs in the Fields of Akvosia can be harvested in order to help cure the illness, but they are notoriously hard to find . . . and in the middle of the sharpest parts of the coral reef, naturally. Tread carefully, and be careful not to anger the shadow creatures in your quest.
The Depths of Markolos is the hotbed of chaos, and seems to be where the majority of the shadow monsters are lurking. In addition to the shadow monsters, ice is cascading out of control from the western wall of the depths. Melting it will do the trick, or controlling it to move it out of the way, but it seems to persist. Some of you may find your way to the far back wall, to discover what appears to be the source of whatever this ice seems to be . . . but it will be tough going, and will require some teamwork to make it there. The ice, too, seems to fight back against your forces, and may curl its way around your legs, your legs, to freeze you into place. Hopefully you have a buddy that can get you out of there, before you become a frozen popsicle under the sea.
The Fields of Akvosia's beautiful coral reef is quickly dying, and the mermaids are working as hard as they can to curb the death by harvesting the essential food sources they can before it is too late. Schools of fish desperately flock from reef to reef in search of shelter and food, and soon meet their demise the moment they settle in to a new habitat. Working to cure and reinvigorate the coral reef will be met with great relief from the merfolk, who are desperately trying to cure what they can. Beware the shadow monsters, here, and be on the hunt for herbs that can assist the merfolk falling ill in the Palace of Wahine. Caravans of dolphin-pulled carriages will be whipping by to refill supplies, too -- jump in and help guard them on their way back to civilization.
The Thunderdome has a fresh stock of weaponry that is particularly effective against the shadow monsters, electrified with old runes that the merfolk will happily give to the Circle free of charge to fight back against the monsters. In addition, the jellyfish of the Thunderdome are darkening at a rapid pace. Electricity seems to do the trick in reinvigorating them, but touching them will still turn you a brilliant shade of blue . . . so tread lightly, in that regard. The electrified weapons will do the trick to jab the jellyfish into feeble light in addition to magic already gifted by Astoria, but the mermaids are a bit busy trying to fight off the shadows that are growing increasingly prevalent in the Thunderdome. Help wanted?  THE WHISPERS OF KEA.Throughout the duration of this battle, investigations taking place by members of the Circle will begin to unveil certain . . . clues. The Princess is still missing, but members of the Circle are getting close to unlocking where she is. King Kathashun, at the beginning of this journey, indicated that she was the key to stopping all of this, and while most of you have no idea who that guy is, he seems to be genuine. (Right? Right.)
But where is she? The Queen is unavailable, for the duration of this event, and who knows where this mysterious "King." is. But as the Circle battles for the life of Akvos, certain messages begin to pop up through your magical watches. Riddles, if you will -- pleas of assistance, begin to trickle through, popping up on your watches in a series of nonsensical words.
The only problem is that the messages seem to be all scrambled up.
lktmohidionl.
hsdpepelgnyeiaior.
herywaeoleeahhthpyveneto.
ehdtetirviarcaeshrasmaohmitnrn Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the various threads back in the OOC post from before! NOTE: The Princess' messages will unlock a hint to their meaning (if they aren't solved by the time this happens) once this log hits over 750 comments. :) We are pretty sure this will happen well before the End Log for Akvos happens in January, so we won't be putting a time limit on it. ;) Have fun! |
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acatalepsy_logs2018-12-03 11:47 am
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[The last of the pink caused by the algae outbreak is beginning to fade from A2's skin, leaving bright blotches along her face, by the time she and Pod arrive to the coral reefs. It'd been long going, and arduous, but she'd at least managed to retrieve one of the electric powered weapons — a dangerously curved greatsword, dark as basalt rock, that flickers intermittently with pulses of blue lightning. Her own weapon had quickly proven ineffectual, so this would have to do. She's taken some damage, though it was superficial, mostly nicks and tears in the clothing she'd been given by A4 and Nier.
It's better than losing skin, she rationalizes.
Her new understanding of her Astoria-granted abilities had worked well enough when invigorating the groups fighting, but she seems a little lost on what to do now. She's being stared at by the merfolk scattered around though, and so she leans in, presses a gloved hand against one of the fading outcrops of coral. It doesn't respond, and she huffs, frustrated.]
Hey, come on — We don't have all day!
[That does something, at least, it pulses under her hand and starts to grow, but in strange and twisted shapes, sharp and unwelcoming. She yanks her hand away before it tears through her glove, and takes a cautious step back.]
What the hell...
[Beside her, Pod speaks:]
Analysis: The organic life responds to Unit A2's emotional output. Proposal: Attempt other methods.
[The coral bends beneath its own weight, and a piece snaps off and falls heavily in front of her. She moves back again, but seems reluctant now, to give it a second try.
Perhaps she could use some encouragement.]
babies r' us
Stop crying.
[Says A2, exhausted and annoyed, to a child clinging to her ankle and crying. This only seems to set said child off more, and her hands hover, unsteady, before settling on her shoulders.
She does not believe what she says next, though she says it anyway.]
You're going to be fine, so cut it out.
[Her emotion based super power seems to work, because the child nods, sleepy and content, and unfortunately for A2, a ton of other children receive the side effects of it too.
It's not long before she has a gaggle of them clinging to her, or following her around, and one is even hugging Pod, which means both of them seem at a complete loss on how to handle this. If she gets angry, she's going to make things a million times worse, so she's just...a living security blanket for a bunch of kids right now and seems on the verge of flustered about it.
Please send help.]
c. thundergirl with the power of...thunder
[A2 cleaves through a group of shadows with a quiet, ruthless sort of efficiency. Though the water made her heavy and cumbersome, the way she moves now in it is a stark contrast — she is acrobatic, graceful, even with the gruesome work she's partaking in. The cosmetic damage is more evident now, in the dark quiet of the water, backlit by cool and sickly blue, but she seems not to notice, nor to care.
These things, she thinks, were not better than machines, and so she treats them as such. She was going to kill every single one of them.
Need a rescue? Want to help out? Or just to be like "are u ok" at the fact that she's legit missing skin? Then join her! She's not in a great mood but what else is new.]
d. wildcard (and a note)
[A2's power is Emotional Manipulation. RN as it is Astoria enhanced, she can create big boosts of physical power (and irrational anger in general) by getting angry/frustrated herself.
Other effects include creating calm, or encouraging things to grow/heal by experiencing happiness or contentment (which is why she's having such a time with the coral, bc what is either of those emotions.) lmk in her permissions post or here if you want to do smth in particular with A2 (with the Captain Planet power of heart).
You can hit me up/add me on
a
If anything, it is an actively terrible place to take a nap. But she is drowsy from exhaustion, and now that the caravans have passed through for the day it is likely the quietest and least occupied spot she can find.
She only means to close her eyes for a moment– the dolphin she'd commandeered when they'd initially arrived in this place indulges her, rests against a large, decaying reef of coral and lets her lean her back against him and get cozy.
She's only had her eyes closed for a few minutes when the coral behind her starts to creak, rumble and expand. Her dolphin squeals and moves, practically tugging her along as it gets out of the way. Zero pokes her head out from behind the now misshapen reef, gaze following the length of ugly shapes before drifting to the person who'd caused them.
She frowns. Scrapes and bruises dot her skin, but despite how beat up she looks she seems to still have the energy to be annoyed. ]
Nice going, asshole.
[ Her dolphin makes an offended squeaking noise, as if in agreement. ]
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[It's said automatically and without much malice, almost distracted, her hands hovering defensively, fingers splayed slightly. She isn't even looking at Zero initially, but then she does, and seems like she's prepped to say something particularly mean, but then swallows the words.]
I'm trying to focus on this.
[Her gaze tilts back from the coral to Zero again, and she adds, as an afterthought:]
What happened to you? Did you get into a fight with that ugly fish?
[She's talking about the dolphin.
The coral rumbles, but doesn't spread into any strange shapes, and she sighs a little, relieved.]
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Zero ignores its antics entirely. ]
Shut up.
[ She replies, more dismissive than angry. ]
You know, these hunks of rock have been through enough. Maybe you should leave them alone– because you sure as hell don't seem like you're helping.
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[She starts, then the coral rumbles again, ominously, and she seems to bite down on whatever she was going to say. She swats at the dolphin, annoyed, though it seems as if she's putting effort into not being annoyed.]
Get your ugly fish away from me. [...] I'm trying to concentrate.
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She looks at the dolphin, still swimming– faster now and kicking up bubbles in a fuss, and then at A2 who seems to be trying very hard to keep her temper in line. ]
He's not ugly and I'm not the boss of him.
[ Zero saunters over to A2, stepping easily into the dolphin vortex. It doesn't even pause as she approaches, seemingly caught up in its spite.
She leans an arm against A2's shoulder. ]
Maybe you should ask nicely.
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You're not helping.
[It's said with terse, controlled emphasis. She can't really get away from Zero or the dolphin in her current predicament, and breathes out slowly through her teeth.]
Calm down.
[It is unclear on who she's speaking to, or if she's just reminding herself, but the coral begins to shift, slowly taking on a more organic shape, the dangerous edges smoothing out.]
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Things Sheryl is not very good at: Defending herself.
The panicked yells of the singer as she tries to defend herself from a quartet of angry-seeming shadows descending upon her, mostly by tossing rocks at them (really not going so well underwater), are probably audible from a good half-mile off. She's got a pair of lungs on her.]
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The woman surrounded by shadow creatures is familiar, and it only takes her a split second to recognize her, and a second after that to register her method of defense.
A2 approaches, and runs her sword through the first shadow with a visceral sort of brutality. When it wails, she twists the blade, cruelly, and it fades into wisps of smoke.
The others are dispatched similarly, and A2 sighs, hefting the electrically charged blade on one shoulder. ]
Stupid. If you don't know how fight, you need to learn how to run.
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Also something unsettling and horrific in the sheer brutality of it.
Sheryl stares at A2 for a moment before the woman's words register in her mind, and she bristles, a little indignantly.] What do you think I was trying to do? They move faster in the water than I do!
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Looked like you were throwing rocks at them like a dumbass, to me. What are you doing out here alone, anyway? Being a sitting duck?
[Without waiting for a response, she turns away, already walking off. She does not ask to be followed, but after a moment:] Gonna keep standing there? The longer you stay in one place, the more dangerous it gets.
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She is still going to quickly swim after A2, though.]
I was looking for some of the herbs. You know, the ones that cure the algae condition? I found some in the reef, but then those things showed up.
[Then she notices the damage to A2's skin.] --hey, wait! You're one to talk! Don't you know you're hurt?!
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[A2 stomps her way through wet sand, much slower underwater than she had ever been on solid earth, and this in tandem with being on an impromptu escort mission sours her mood further. She hates being underwater, hates feeling useless and too slow, hates these monsters she can't kill properly. There's no satisfaction in it.
Mention of her physical damage only makes her bristle.]
I know how to keep myself from dying. Mind your own business.
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B.
Konoha has weighed down her saddlebags to keep her more... wading-swimming sort of on the sea floor rather than swimming, which she’s not as good at here in the ocean with her head underwater. Fording rivers, sure, deep sea diving? Not so designed for that.
But she is designed for babysitting, apparently, because she’s got a babe in a kelp sling sleeping on her back and one in arms, who she’s entertaining with a series of silly faces and soft noises before spotting A2 and her gaggle. She can’t help but “wade” closer, giving a little wave to not startle any of the children with her approach, her voice gentle so as not to wake anyone.]
Looks like Auntie A2 is really popular, huh?
[The purple-tinted merfry in her arms swishes it’s tail with a gurgle- maybe an agreement??]
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Konoha —
[A little too loudly, which makes the children who have mostly settled down begin to stir and grumble irritably. A2 shuts her mouth, quickly, briefly looks so deeply irritated that it seems as if she'll develop permanent furrows on her face.
Then she relaxes, her expression flattening out some, and waves back to Konoha. It is not always easy to tell with her, but she seems relieved, and her Astoria-granted power reacts to this by making the gaggle of merchildren surrounding her relax further.]
"Auntie?"
[She's heard "mother" and "father" and "brother" and "sister," but that's a new one. Another familial title, but she's as much of an aunt to these mermaid people as she was a "big sis" to the machine children. Still, she doesn't bother correcting.]
They won't leave me alone.
[She keeps her voice low, this time.]
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Yeah, “auntie”. Not like an actual blood aunt, but... we use “auntie” and “uncle” for just people who look out for us, too.
[With some of the metal people, (androids, she corrects herself), she sometimes forgets that they’re not human... but A2 has made it most clear of all of them, so it’s a touch easier for the Jinba to remember to clarify things. Maneuvering closer, she clumsily manages to get into an approximation of laying down beside A2 and her new brood, tickling under the chin of the babe in her arms until she giggles.]
They must like you. You’ve... never seen a baby before, right?
[In that world she’d described, devoid of human life and those plants and animals unable to survive.]
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Watching Konoha with the children is oddly soothing. It is not familiar, not necessarily — but it is so calm and natural-seeming, even to a non-organic like her, that it's comforting, almost.
Her question though, makes A2's expression gradually bottom out into emptiness again. She had seen one, yes. Or something like it. Something pretending, is what she almost says, but then the memory of robotic wailing in her databanks makes her bite her tongue. It feels like lying, even though she knows it wasn't.
Was it?]
Not one like these.
[Is what she says, finally. Carefully.] ...There are machines, that act like children. That's all.
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[It... definitely isn’t what she’d thought A2 would say. She knows their worlds are different, but Connor had already spoken in detail about how androids had no true families, weren’t born, but were made by human hands and just awakened in a complete state. And A2, A4, 2B, 9S... they were metal, they even smelled like it, and metal can’t grow, right, so...]
Do... they just act like children forever, then?
[“Designed” to be children? As cute as babies were, Konoha had never once imagined an eternal child, and the thought confuses her, as does the purpose of creating such a being.]
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C
his breathing labored, chest heaving up and down. but he slowly draws near her, features hardening with concern as his gaze rove over her body: narrowing, scrutinizing, observing the damage.
it's then that he says: ]
You're hurt.
[ ... ]
Come over here.
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[She says, automatically, dismissively. Most of the damage is superficial: what was left was old and as far as she was concerned, not worth repairing. She had been through worse than this.
Still, she steps closer.]
You're the one that looks tired. Can't keep up?
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[ he sizes her up, scrutinizing — he's just concerned is all. he raises a brow at that next statment. ]
I'm fine. I just want to kill these things— [ ...but i can't. ] but...it seems like they're resistant to physical attacks.
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[An eyeroll. She seems a little too worn out, or perhaps too used to Nier, to really argue much.] Doesn't matter. I can still fight.
[...
Eventually:] You need a special weapon. From that "...dome" place.
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[ just saying! anyways, oh damn — that’s necessary intel. he blinks, thinking to himself for a moment. ]
Thanks. I’ll get my hands on one soon.
[ and then a beat. he can’t forfeit this topic. ]
...You feel things like pain, don’t you?
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cw for...nothing this is just weirdly scandalous
god
i hate this
same
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a.
Like looking after the coral. Horō has been concerned about it since arriving in the depths last month, and knowing now the extent of its hurting, she's even more invested in seeing it healed before they leave. The world's a very precious place, after all. Her greeting may be a little familiar to A2 after their broken conversation last month.]
Salutations. [She examines the situation in front of her, glancing down at the coral that A2 accidentally overstimulated.] It seems you have frightened it.
Re: a.
The greeting she recognizes, though she does not recognize this woman. Still, she's not too much of a meathead not to put two and two together.
She frowns.] It's a rock. It can't get scared.