saturations | Week 6 cyoa: hei, jiuqing, vin, and kashuu

GUIDE US, O' MIGHTY FURY.
ONLY JUSTICE, ONLY VENGEANCE.

[ First... You hear a voice. To many of you, it's familiar, but you can't seem to put your finger on it. It narrates a line with a voice devoid of emotion, disconnected.

"For a millennia, they have been at war..."

When you and another open your eyes, these greet you: the scent of gunpowder and the wild shrieks that knife through the cold, white pall. Snow, mist, a tundra that obscures beyond. The screams are very, what some of you may call, human... Raw and filled with terror and rage. As you turn here and there, you will see flames coming from the sky, torching the camp that welcomes your wake. There are burning tents, cannons overturned, and a large frozen crystal at the center. The few living people here, ironclad in chainmail, have long and pointed ears. There are some that are not, more similar to "human" in every right. Still, the matter is that there are few alive. Wielding their weapons, survivors try to defend their fewer injured.

Lower on the soft blanket of snow, you see a myriad of corpses, some blackened to the brink of ashes, others more fortunate with only half of their body scorched. Those not burned by the seven hells have their bodies torn and soaked in blood, painting the beautiful white expanse with a deep crimson.

And yet something else catches you eye in the chaos. Most noticeable are the insignia on their shields, scattered or held, and the emblem embroidered on the singed banner overhead.

For some of you who may have received memories from Estinien or Aymeric, of their homeland in the cold, these insignias may be familiar. Not that you and another are afforded extra time to digest this all. The camp is being attacked, if we want to remember the fire raining down? Above in the heavens, you will see a horde of dragons. Around on ground-floor, you will see dragons. Dragons, dragons, dragons. The dragons make quick work of one, two...

You must do something, whether to save who's left or to save yourselves. ]

YET EVER DO OUR ACHING SOULS POINT HEAVENSWARD.
EVER RINGS OUT OUR SONG.

[ First... You hear a voice. To many of you, it's familiar, but you can't seem to put your finger on it. It narrates a line with a voice devoid of emotion, disconnected.

"Even when one sought peace, they would stir conflict... Man's wont is ever violence."

When you and another wake, you find yourself in the middle of a tundra. A flurry of snow opposes you, pushing you back, but it is tolerable—for those who are used to the cold. As you look around, you find nothing... It is simply a blurry white expanse with monsters, slopes, and cliffs within your immediate peripheral, but much must be journeyed. However, when you look to your right, you see a frosted surface unlike the snow that slowly embraces your ankles.

It's a river, frozen.

In the distance, you hear the sound of footsteps. What shall be done? ]

Edited 2022-03-28 22:36 (UTC)

[she'd wondered, once others started being pulled into these trips more than once, whether the same would happen to her. that wondering doesn't prepare her for the chaos she opens her eyes to, though, for the screaming, the scent of smoke and blood in the air.

it does seem familiar to her based on things she's seen before, but that doesn't mean she knows how to react. there's a half second of shock and terror before she looks to see who she's with, quietly relieved that it's kashuu, before she looks around to try and figure out what to do as she unsheathes the sword she's somehow been gifted. she isn't skilled with one, really, but she's hurrying towards the group of survivors regardless.]

We have to help them—!

[Likewise, he sure had wondered the same thing and it sure hadn't prepared him for this! But on the plus side, war is familiar to him. Maybe not war with wholeass dragons, but humans and their weapons can be just as ferocious - and he does fight against monstrous creatures every time he sorties now, every time he goes back to protect the past.

In a way, it's kind of comfortable waking up to this sort of chaos. These are the fights he's used to - not the horrible, methodic murder, corruption and execution of their numbers.]

—On it!!

[HEAD EMPTY TANK SQUAD ROLL OUT TO PROTECT WHAT THEY KNOW ARE PROBABLY HALLUCINATORY PEOPLE. It's fine. Kashuu's also drawing his sword which is not at all like his usual one, but that's also fine, he'll adjust. At least it's not a gun...

He's immediately sprinting in her direction with his shield held aloft, aiming to give her cover if need-be while they dash for the survivors.]

[ tank with gun is a gunblade as final fantasy would do it, but yes. They both have their swords, Vin's being a large greatsword whose length runs the same height as her, while Kashuu dons on glowing sword and (optional) shield.

As they dash toward the small group of survivors, a bottom-heavy dragon just plants itself in between with a fat thud. Its scales are bright red, much like the blood strewn and melting the snow. Its roar is blood-curdling and yet its intensity is softened by the tundra winds. One knight grimaces to see their reinforcements being cut off, but can't risk bringing their injured closer to Vin and Kashuu for proper defense. ]

We will put up a barrier!

[ Because, well, there are only two abled soldiers here. One stands in front of the other and the group of people, while the second soldier places a hand on their shoulder, channeling a flow of white aura—aether. Beautiful, blue-accenting white spectral wings sprout as the first knight props their shield forward. Behind their Passage of Arms, a barrier forms over their injured.

All too soon, the dragons start pecking at it. Both Vin and Kashuu will know that the barrier will not last forever. The dragon shakes its head side to side, throat welling with flames, and breathes a fire ball at them. ]

[unfortunately, jiuqing is not used to the cold.

she finds herself shivering, her hands tight around a flower-topped staff. for a moment, she wonders if perhaps she'd sleepwalked to the mountains - but she doesn't see the cabins, or the ice rinks. just the snowbanks, and slopes, and cliffs, and monsters - she shies away from those - and the river.

this is unfamiliar.

that's not terribly surprising, she supposes, since others have begun to repeat their trips. what surprises her most is that she doesn't immediately see anyone else near her. last time, there had been others.

this time...

she shivers, and starts to walk toward the river, but she hears footsteps that aren't her own and turns toward them, instead.]

...who's there?

[she looks from the dragons pecking at the barrier to the larger one - and since kashuu offered her a shield, she does the same for him, casting a spell to do just that. it bursts forward with a puff of shadow as it settles over him, offering him some protection.]

That one seems like more of a threat than the others - should we focus on it first, then move on to them?

[she says, right as the (hei voice) thicc dragon starts breathing fire, and she immediately tries to dodge.

eli 🔪 vin Roll: [10] Result: 10]

[ damb... lonely. The footsteps come from behind her and as she speaks, she gets a reply. ]

Who goes there?!

[ They approach closer and she will see there are maybe three to four knights. ]

I—

[hello? hello! her eyes widen a little at the sight of the knights, and her grip tightens on the staff. she takes an involuntary step backwards.]

...it's just me.

[she doesn't recognize this place, but - last time, the people she'd encountered that weren't the ones she knew from the prism thought she belonged here. maybe these knights will think she does, too.]

... Simply you? [ One tilts their head, looking to the others. ] She doesn't seem to hail from Ishgard, but...

[ There is a silence as they all come to the same conclusion. One unsheathes their bow— ]

Then she must be a heretic!

[ It seems that they have misunderstood the situation here. The rest take out their weapons, a cane similar to hers, sword and shield, and a lance. ]

[A CAKED UP DRAGON HELP ME.

Kashuu also glances between the two and pretty much comes to the same conclusion, though.]

Yeah - let's go.

[Or, like, go after it stops SPITTING FIRE SO RUDELY. He's had enough of things and people spitting out blood and flowers and fire and everything else lately, hello. Thanks to Vin's generous shielding, he'll be spared from anything but some mild scorching as he dodges, tossing his physical shield her way since he's saving his casting for when they get up close.

Which he'll be trying to do, this absolute brazen ass, just charging across the battlefield toward a wholeass thiccems dragon with his fancy glowing sword. He's very agile, at least - though not more than a tantou - so he's spanning that gap real fast.]

What?

[

help. she stares at the weapons. okay, this is different from last time.]

[ booty so good gonna save that shit for later, but yes. The dragons clawing and pecking the barrier are small and thinner.

With the spell Vin casts on Kashuu, he finds himself for a moment covered by a transparent greyish film, like clouds of a storm that doesn't obscure his vision—a protective barrier that crackles red lightning currents along its surface. Dark red letters wrap around it before it settles into nothing. It's there, though. It's there and it absorbs the flames for Kashuu, as much as it can. He will receive the small burns Aki wishes.

The Blackest Night has broken, granting Vin Edge of Shadow. She also dodges the flames completely, with maybe only some licks catching her clothes, but not more. They're extinguished instantly by the snow.

will vin be able to hold kashuu's shield and also hold her heavy greatsword at the same time, i guess we will see.

The dragon lifts itself up onto its hind legs when it sees Kashuu come towards it, then stomps to shake the earth and break his momentum. This party is jumping jumping, many items across the camp are forced up before landing. The same with Vin and Kashuu. Land gracefully, my friends. ]

[ me, whispering: run, fool. The one with the bow points at her. ]

For Ishgard!

[ And they launch the arrow as the very first assault in the coming many. The one of the cane starts casting a spell, then the two melees are approaching her quickly. ]

[ishgard - hearing that a second time jogs her memory.

many of ishgard’s military are bright personalities… some, not so much.

she's sure he was just speaking of levity, but she's starting to wonder if, perhaps, ishgard's military simply isn't quite that bright intelligently, too. just attacking first without any real attempt to gather information?

anyway, she brings up her staff to try and deflect the arrow, and is mostly successful - instead of piercing her somewhere awful, it dings against the staff and grazes against her cheek, drawing blood as it sails past her but not piercing her. she casts a glance that's almost terrified at the caster and the two knights with melee weapons.]

Please - I don't even know you...!

[...before turning to run.

where does a roll of 16 take her.]

[somehow, she manages to catch the shield he tosses her way, though it takes her a second to decide how to handle both this and the sword at once. as she watches kashuu dart in to deal a blow:]

Be careful...!

[holding both makes her less effective, to be certain. all the same, she doesn't want to approach without any form of protection, especially since the fire can reach further than the dragon's teeth or claws can. since kashuu is distracting it for a moment, she's trying to rush in towards its side to try and avoid the range of flames, even if the shaking makes her stumble and nearly trip.

once she's close enough, she's discarding the shield for a moment so she can use the unfamiliar weapon as well as possible, aiming to use her newly unlocked skill to stab at the dragon's side. her grip is unsteady, though, unfamiliar.

eli 🔪 vin Roll: [6] Result: 6]

[ They! Will not listen!

A familiar voice sounds again, "the people only know war. They cannot afford to give benefit of the doubt."

How would she know where she's going in this snowy place? We just know she's running and she has a good lead with a 16. The one that tailgates her is the one with a shield and sword and, unfortunately with a higher roll, does catch up to her. The knight swings their sword in a wide arc toward her back.

The one with the lance is close behind, but not quite there yet. She only needs to deal with this tank. In ways, she's lucky that the ranged knights cannot reach her with their low rolls. She's out of their reach, so they're running to try to get close enough for them to properly cast/aim. ]

[with a 4 his dumbass self does not land gracefully, he lands on his ass so i can have ass bruise assvidence that will hopefully get him scapegoated.

But he scrambles back up quickly at least, dodging off to the side and trying to loop around to the left of the dragon so it doesn't have Direct Blasting Access to him as he goes for another stabby along the back of its heel if he can get that far, angling his sword somewhat awkwardly since it doesn't have the edge he's used to.

He's also going to cast Intervention on Vin now that she's up close and also DEALING WITH A HEAVY SWORD AND SHIELD AT THE SAME TIME. HELP. He didn't think this through, this is what happens when you're used to fighting with people half your height who could benchpress five of you and still aren't used to being nerfed even after a month and a half.]

[she's running. she can hear the crunch of boots on snow behind her, and knows that she needs to keep moving. they sound too close, so she keeps going, one foot in front of the other, until—

she feels the bite of the knight's sword across her back, and cries out, because the knight only got a 6 but somehow i rolled a fucking 4. she stumbles and hits the ground; her blood stains the knight's sword and splatters across the snow.

wincing, she tries to force herself back up to her feet, but - it's slowed her down.

she wants to keep moving. the question is, can she run quickly enough with this wound in her back? maybe not, but it won't stop her from trying.

[5:42 PM] Dice Maiden: britt 🧃 sip juicing Roll: [9] Result: 9]

[ Wow! Vin will notice a passing white light, iridescent and lustruous, flying from Kashuu to her. When it catches her, there's a blue barrier that settles before disappearing. She feels that the damage she takes will be mitigated, then also a rejuvenating spell with it. Vin has received Intervention.

The dragon lets out a roar as it sees Vin come after it, too. Its claws come for her, but clashes against the glowing shield Kashuu gave her. With each second, the force behind its hand increase. The shield shrieks as its metal keeps Vin safe, but she gets to land her Edge of Shadow. Her greatsword blasts a red and purple surge of dark magic straight at the dragon, leaving it a large wound on its chest. It screeches in pain, but doesn't take any steps back.

With its 7, it knocks the shield away, but not enough to have it cast aside. Its maw dives for her now, fangs bared and looking for more than a nibble.

Kashuu, however, gets thick tail. The dragon purposely swipes with it in hopes to knock him away or break his bones. He gets a chance to nick its leggy though, but it doesn't seem to be bothered by it. The retaliation... Is more tail thrashing. ]

[ i'm sweaty our HEALER.

The tank really is HUSTLING and they stay on her. The lancer also comes closer... The ranged? Still out of reach. Su Jiuqing will notice her cane glows, lily blossoming as she's being chased. The sword and shield this time goes for a shield bash, rushing towards her with a shield.

Think of it was a half-body tackle, but with a shield. It should send her flying depending on this upcoming roll, and if she lands against anything is up to you. ]

Use these on yourself—!

[she yells. ignore the fact that she used something on him just a few moments ago. it's fine. as the shield gets knocked away, she tries to dodge, but she's not quite quick enough to stop the fangs from sinking into the arm that holds the shield. at least it's not as deep as it would have been without the spell kashuu cast a few moments ago.

she gives a cry of pain regardless, but the bite means that she's close enough to try and slash at its face and eyes with the sword.

eli 🔪 vin Roll: [14] Result: 14]

[I JUST KEEP ROLLING FOURS SO. YOU KNOW WHAT. FINE.

it does in fact send her flying. she hits the ground hard, her grip loosening on her cane, and she goes still.

it's cold out here and she's bleeding, fam. and dice maiden really just said get fucked so here she is.]

[ When she lands, her cane glows even brighter, lily blooming in full as if beckoning her to use it. The tank has been pursuing her so well, as a good tank should, and the lancer is now not too far away. However, with how far she was sent flying, it will take them one more tag round before they reach her.

The ranged... Well. They're somewhere. They are hustling a bit more than before, but it will take them longer. ]

You!!

[A very mature response spat out in the HEAT OF BATTLE. This is so stupid. Kashuu's whacked by the tail and it fractures his non-sword-wielding wrist, but with a hilarious combo of 2 and 3 rolls, he manages to grab hold of it instead of just getting catapulted into space, and now he's just clinging on for dear life.]

WAGH—!!

[...Actually.

While he's here he'll just try to climb up this tail while it's nyooming around with a 13 roll.]

Week 6 cyoa: hei, jiuqing, vin, and kashuu

❆ COERTHAS WESTERN HIGHLANDS (KASHUU AND VIN)

❆ C̸̡̥͑O̴͖̙̓̄͝Ę̴̼̱̈́̓̆R̸̨͚̃̓͜T̶̰̥̀H̴̨̡̘́͑͒Ã̸̝̦S̷̳̭͐̋

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