Shock Mark (15) : Thunderstorms are common this time of year, but what’s not common is the number of people reported being struck by lightning. Strangely, people are surviving with only minor, if any, injuries at all. Being struck can feel like a static shock, or can feel like a sudden flash of heat, and targets are left with a strange lightning mark across their body. Though the marks will fade, for their duration–up to a full week after being struck, you might notice that you are more prone to static shocking yourself or others, and you may notice electronics charging or overcharging and malfunctioning. The marks can take longer to fade at player discretion, or players may choose for them to leave pale scars, but otherwise there are no lasting effects.
There had been rumors floating around the performing arts theater that there was something going on at the reservoir. Several had commented that they had been pulled under by someone, or something. A few speculated it was just some teenager with scuba gear scaring the locals. But those who actually dared to open their eyes claimed there was nothing there.
Finding it strange, Melody had decided to hazard a quick detour home and see if it was something more Negaverse related. A youma specifically. Something with an aura she could sense, and maybe dust.
However, when she got near and was in a safe location, she powered up by summoning her weapon to hand only to realize that her assumption was worse than she realized. Not one, but two signatures were nearby; one belonging to a lieutenant, and the other was that of the suspected youma at his side. It didn’t look like it had the ability to grab anyone with its horse-like features but looks, when it came to this creature, could definitely be deceiving.
“What are you doing?” the Cosmos Squire shouted with what authority she could muster while raising her lantern which gave off a faint glow from the tea-light candle inside.
Following that kind of order was easy. Staurolite had never been too much of a fighter, never mind an aggressor, so he had no qualms with waiting for the general to come up for air and call the shots on this one.
That is, of course, until he got spotted.
The lieutenant had just been about to turn around when whoever-it-was called to him. Shouted, really, and he was half tempted to shout right back. It wasn’t any of her business what he was doing. Besides, it’s not like he was hurting anyone. For all she cared he could have been some random civilian.
Staurolite glanced at Tallulah, wondering what might have been going through the youma’s mind right then. He tightened his grip on the cuff.
’Busted. Looks like a knight of some kind. Looks like she's going to a garden party. Weapon is...a lantern. I might not have a choice but to engage.’
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Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:41 am
The light from the lantern, though dim, cast long shadows behind the lieutenant and youma beside him. For a brief moment, Tallulah acted unphased. But as the Squire’s voice called out in a demanding tone, he reared up, front legs kicking the air wildly before slamming down on the ground where hoofprints left clear impressions in the ground beneath them.
The Youma moved to position himself in front of Staurolite, not so much for his safety as it was the most direct path towards the Squire that was unhindered by bushes or roots, and lowered his head as a clear indication he was about to charge.
The long tail behind him flicked to the side and the long course hairs whipped against the lieutenant’s pant leg.
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Tallulah
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:43 am
“So it was you two-” Didn’t take much to put the pieces together. “I suggest you reign in your horse before I dust it.” A bluff because she had yet to use her magic since becoming a Squire. To be quite honest, she wasn’t entirely certain what her magic even did other than cause the light to glow brighter.
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Einhornhohle
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Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 12:22 pm
When Tallulah stepped ahead of him, Staurolite was tempted to grab him by the tail and drag him back.
Probably not the wisest thing to do, so he didn’t do that, but the urge was strong. It wasn’t a pride thing, he was just in the way so taking aim with his slingshot now would be a little tricky. Not to mention there were explicit orders to not engage.
He always prided himself in being able to follow orders, so he didn’t. He gave the youma a nudge to remind him, too, though he still didn’t fully understand if bonded youma were subservient and had to follow orders, or if it was really more of an optional thing.
Shanyume
Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2023 11:30 pm
Tallulah felt the weight of the Lieutenant lean against his haunches and in response, he raised his back leg and stomped the ground beside the young man's foot in warning. Only one commanded him and she was not here.
Einhornhohle eyed the two with a level of wariness that borderline fear. That fixated stare from the beast beside him was enough to send a rolling shiver up her spine despite it not being cold out this evening. It stomped aggressively and dug holes into the ground with its hoof. Ein, in response, took a hazard step backward and lifted her lantern just in case.
“Leave, before I dust your pet.” The light in her lantern gradually grew brighter
Dark billowing clouds loomed overhead, grumbled as they crashed into one another as the rain began to drizzle down upon them. Lightening flashed and in that instance, the youma charged at her.
Ein’s eyes squeezed her eyes shut as she turned her head away and the light reached out fifteen feet away from where she was standing. The kirin-like creature reared back on its hind legs, letting out a loud whine that sounded no different than a shrill scream.
Squire: Hanging lantern on a chain Magic: Holding the lantern, it begins to glow with the light of a distant star growing in brightness and warmth. Chaos within a 15’ radius from may feel drawn to the light attention wise if caught out of the corner of their eye or if it is in their direct line of sight. Within 10 seconds of remaining within the radius their body becomes uncomfortably warm; like standing too close to a camp fire or 95 degree summer weather while wearing normal summer clothes (may feel hotter for those wearing many layers). Order within the 15' are blanketed in a comfortable warmth from the light that eases tension like sitting around an open fire with friends or family.
Duration: 30 seconds ** Temperature caps out at 10 seconds from the moment the character enters her attack radius and takes approximately 15 seconds to cool down (regulate body temperature back to normal) once she stops channeling or the character gets out of range. ** Please keep in mind side effects pertaining to bright lights in dim or dark spaces.
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Tallulah & Ein
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Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2023 3:29 am
Staurolite didn’t have any time to react, between the sudden lightning, Tallulah charging, and the sudden bright light that came out of the knight’s lantern that blinded him momentarily. Never mind aiming his slingshot, he could barely see.
And it was hot all at once. An oppressive, suffocating heat. He felt it on the skin of his face at once, and all the layers of his uniform certainly weren’t doing him any favors.
To say that the lieutenant was incapacitated was quite the understatement, and he was quietly thankful that Tallulah, at least, could perhaps keep the knight at bay.
Staurolite opened his eyes to find that he, mercifully, hadn’t actually been blinded, but using his eyes hurt for the moment. He clutched the cuff with one hand, hoping General Lavendulan would show up soon. Not that he cared to be rescued, but quite frankly since he had trouble seeing, fighting was probably out of the question.
For now.
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Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:35 pm
Lavendulan kept pace until she felt Staurolite’s aura on the edge of her senses and only then did she focus on his position and teleport immediately beside him.
Her arrival was greeted by a brilliant light and a heat that rivaled a peak summer’s day. Tallulah was positioned closer to the Squire’s bright lantern, rearing up and bucking in turns unable to get closer. Lavendulan wasn’t in a much better position, General or not, her magic did not have this kind of range.
“Tallulah!” she shouted to get her personal youma’s attention. “Go back to the Rift!”
Heat from the Squire’s weapon burned at the flesh around the plates and scales on his body, and singed the hair on his face on his tail. “GO BACK!” She commanded, this time with more authority and begrudgingly Tallulah listened. He’d no doubt be upset with her later but at least she knew he was safe.
Again, lightning streaked across the sky above them jumping from one cloud to the next drawing Lavendulan’s attention before slamming into the tree beside them sending splinters of wood exploding outward. With only a moment to react before what remained of the tree started leaning, her hand shot out to grab hold of Staurolite’s wrist as her body shifted into its water form and extended onto him.
Teleporting away would have been the wiser option, but having just used it twice in the last few minutes she couldn’t be certain that a limb wouldn’t hit one of them before she could risk them both away.
Magical: Aqua Shift While still retaining her actual form Lavendulan's entire body transforms into water.
When in this form she is one with her element; physical attacks pass through her unaffected like putting your hand into a flowing stream her body morphs around it. Her movement speed is increased, like a river upstream weaving through rapids, but not to exceed the next highest stage allowing her to change location quickly. While metamorphosis is active Lavendulan can bend water around her in a 7' radius. It takes one of two shapes; a sphere similar to the size and weight of a medicine ball or a thin whip. Both are used more defensively like a harsh shove to push someone over or a snapping sensation. At most, there might be a bruise in the morning unless the character she's attacking lands on something unfortunate
Captian Upgrade: Lavendulan is able to pull water into her own form to mend up to moderate injuries sustained before initiating the Aqua Shift.
General Upgrade: She is able to extend her water form to one other individual protecting them as it would herself as well as grants the speed increase using the original parameters that the target can move +1 rank higher than their own but not to exceed GK/GQ. Additionally, they can benefit from the healing ability but Laven must move the water to them
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Laven / Tallulah
Shanyume
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Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:35 pm
The Squire’s magic ended abruptly and with it went the scorching heat that radiated from the lantern she had been holding up. Dazzled by the lightning strike she rubbed her eyes in an attempt to clear the cyan-colored streaks that cut through her vision.
Although she didn’t see it, Einhornhohle heard the tree fall and while it would have been more convenient if the chaos signatures were suddenly deleted, she found herself kind of glad that there wouldn’t be two dead bodies laying on the ground once she got her sight back. Not that she planned to stick around to see them.
Two tentative steps backward, then another as she blinked her eyes until at least simple shapes or silhouettes could be seen. “Even mother nature doesn’t want you here. Go home before the next one hits you.” An empty threat since she had no control over whether and even though she couldn't.
She then turned, feeling her way like a blind woman lost in the clothing section of a Walmart without her walking stick, or seeing eye person- namely Harvey, there to guide her out of there safely.
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Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:12 pm
With everything going on and still relatively unable to see, Staurolite could barely tell up from down when he suddenly experienced the strangest cooling sensation.
And then there was a loud crash all around him.
When he opened his eyes he could finally see. There were spots, and his eyes still hurt, but he could see! And from what he could tell there was a tree all around him. Somehow.
Oh, and his body was currently very…liquid. That was bizarre, but for the moment he was grateful for it considering all around him was actually a tree that, given his liquid form, fell through him as opposed to on him. He followed Laven out of it, and soon he was back to his solid, bodily form.
Damp and quite shaken from everything–his lack of experience in battle was very apparent–but otherwise unharmed.
The knight was all but gone from his mind as he looked over at the general. “Thank you,” was all he could manage for the moment.
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 9:50 pm
Lavendulan took a step back and stood at arm's length away from him.
The immediate threat was gone now that the squire had fled and while she’d have loved to have gone for the throat for attacking a lieutenant temporarily under her charge, she needed to make sure that Staurolite was alright first then get him to a place that had adequate shelter. While it was unlikely that lightning would strike the same spot twice, Laven didn’t want to chance the next one being them.
“Are you injured?” She asked, lifting one of his arms to check his side as she circled around him to make sure there wasn’t any blood or broken bones; or limbs from the tree sticking through him. That would be more than a little bad. “Tallulah or that Squire, they didn’t hurt you did they.”
That bright light had caused her youma to cry out in pain, made him thrash around wildly in a frenzy to push forward out of lust for blood and get away both at the same time. Laven hoped that Staurolite had been standing far enough away but that wouldn’t have put him out of harm's reach if Tallulah had started bucking or reared up beside him suddenly.
Another crack of light whipped across the clouds overhead, a precursor to the booming thunder that rumbled loudly just before the sky opened and began raining, Lovely. “If you need a hospital, let me know and I’ll take you there now.” Laven circled him again doing a twice over not trusting her eyes to have missed something.
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 10:48 pm
He shook his head at her question, still unable to fully form words beyond the last ones he spoke. It’d been a minute since he’d been in as risky a situation as that, and he was more than grateful that there was a general nearby that was able, and willing, to save him. Had he been on his own, who knows what would have happened. Between himself, the knight, and literally Mother Nature? There was no way he’d emerge the victor.
He made a mental note to text his sister as soon as he got home and cleaned up.
When she offered the hospital he again shook his head. “I’m fine. Wet, and my eyes hurt because that light was no joke, but fine. Mostly shaken, I guess.” He really needed to be better equipped to deal with the white moon folks. He knew they didn’t all follow the “Attack first, ask questions later” policy, but when he did come across one who did it was often inconvenient. It made him want to go up the ranks that much faster, if only to gain the ability to finally teleport if ever found himself in trouble.
“I would appreciate a lift to a bus stop, though? I can find my own way home from there.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2023 11:10 pm
Laven seemed a bit reluctant to accept his response but chose to trust he wouldn’t lie to her if he was seriously hurt. “Yeah, I can take you to the one near the public library.” Hopefully, it would have a route that could take him to where he wanted to go.
Even as a half-youma, she still took the bus when in glamour form. Seemed pointless to have a car and have to pay for a place to park it and have to worry about monthly insurance payments or gas, especially when she didn’t even have a job to afford such extravagant things anymore.
She placed a hand on his elbow and teleported them to a safe sheltered place near the aforementioned building. “You should be safe to power down here.” There were no other signatures nearby and although the lights were still on in the library, nobody was standing outside that she could see.
“Use your tablet to reach out to me if you need anything.”It wasn’t an order so much as it was a friendly request from someone worried that parting like this might not be the best idea. Still, he was not her lieutenant and Laven would not insist he go see a doctor or that he allow her to take him closer to home. It wasn’t her place to make such demands.
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Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 12:24 pm
”That works, thank you,” he managed just before she teleported them. Glancing around, he knew pretty much exactly where he was in relation to the bus stop that he needed. It wasn’t the closest one to the library, but it was close enough. At her instruction, he gave a nod. “Will do.”
He wasn’t sure how many times he said “thank you” that evening, but he said it once more just before she left.
It was only after she was gone that he chose to power down and begin the trek home. He was still damp and supremely uncomfortable, but at least the night seemed to be winding down. With any luck he’d be dry by the time he got home.
