godsoffortune: (Default)
The Far Shore Mods ([personal profile] godsoffortune) wrote in [community profile] thenearshore2018-05-03 07:07 pm

28 - The Hungry Forest (Final Battle)

Who: Everyone!
What: At the heart of the mysterious forest lies a magical trap.
When: Nov 14, evening
Where: Within the forest
Summary: Working together, and with the (reluctant) help of some menaced cultists, the rescuers have pierced the wooden wall into the heart of the forest.






The sky is clearly visible here, but it’s an evening one – it’s taken the day to work their way through this far. Those with some astronomy knowledge will also be able to tell it’s a sky on Earth, and anyone who can climb up above the treeline will see a vast, mountainous and wooded area, with the lights of roads, train tracks and small towns glittering here and there. They're clearly not in the Heavens anymore. Somehow, in their journey through the forest, the rescuers have emerged onto the Near Shore.

An icy breeze is blowing, and although the vegetation is unseasonably green and lush in this clearing, there are patches of snow visible at the foot of some of the trees, hinting that they're fairly far up the mountain.

Rescues

The clearing here at the heart of the forest is vast, and five colossal sigils are etched into the earth, each one holding an incredible amount of power. It’s on these sigils, North, South, East, West, and Center, that the trapped gods and shinki can be found. Those unlucky enough to be at the Center sigil are bound by hypnosis, each staring at a firefly spirit that hovers before their unblinking eyes. These victims are still and unresponsive, and the spirits will need to be destroyed to free them. The firefly spirits can be harmed by both physical and magical attack, though they likely won’t stay still to let themselves be easily extinguished.

The captives trapped on each of the other sigils are around the edges of the clearing, entangled in vines, brambles or whatever other limbs the trees could provide to bind them to this place. Some may also be under the effects of the hypnotic fireflies if they’ve been particularly troublesome, while others who have fought less might have only those bindings needed to prevent them fleeing. Regardless of how tightly they're restrained, all of the kidnapped gods and shinki on all of the sigils look drained, the severity depending on how long they’ve been there. Some are merely tired-looking, whereas others are barely clinging to consciousness. Whether their power is being used to feed the spell or being stored for something else to come, one thing is clear – those trapped need to be freed before anything more can be done.

Sigils

Those sigils beneath each group of trapped gods and shinki are powerful constructs, brimming with energy and meticulously maintained by the cultists up to now. It’s the same power as what blankets the entire forest, but it's focused on each of those five points. They must be the source of the spell that's caused all of this.

If the spell is to be broken, the sigils need to be broken as well, but it’s going to take more than just scuffing out the etched lines to break the magic. Attacking with shinki in their vessel forms or using blessed water to wash away the magic will be most effective, but for those who didn't bring blessed water or don't have the energy left to transform, there's one other option. The clearing is lit by traditional paper lanterns hanging from the trees all around, and any object set aflame with these lanterns can be used to burn the spell out of the ground bit by bit.

The trees and any remaining soulless shinki are still furiously opposing the rescue efforts, the surviving cultists are continuing to work on maintaining the spell, and it will take time to fully destroy the sigils. However, as the sigils deteriorate, the effects of the spell will begin to fade, and characters will find it easier to access their supernatural powers to speed the process along. Gods' and shinki's powers (that is to say, the special power they gained as a god or shinki, rather than canon powers) will be as effective as a shinki or blessed water against the sigils.

But be careful. As each sigil breaks, some of the magic escapes, but some is captured by the remaining sigils. For the spell to fully disappear, all five must be destroyed – and quickly, because there’s only a matter of time before this power becomes unstable.

shiitan: (🔥 41)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-08 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
Not really. I want them to suffer...

...But that's because I want everyone to suffer!

[The sadist tendencies have landed. Repeat, the sadist tendencies have landed.]
badassfreakingoverlord: (eyebrow raise)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-08 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[This isn't an uncommon sentiment in demonkind, and just its expression gives Zetta no cause for alarm. Hell, most days he'd be fine with it. But the circumstances make him wonder.]

Back up a moment. Is this a new thing or an existing personality trait I'm just now hearing about?
shiitan: (🔥 2)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-09 01:25 am (UTC)(link)
Existing, I think. [He was the son of a (human) Demon Lord after all.]

Maybe becoming a shinki twisted my personality.
badassfreakingoverlord: (adrift in a sea of nothing)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-09 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, that's okay then. [The Overlord relaxes slightly.] I was going to have to lecture you if it just popped up, that's a terrible reaction to being kidnapped and tortured, but that's fine the way it is.
shiitan: (🔥 49)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-10 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah. I didn't know you cared, book boss. I'm touched.

[...It was probably for the best that he hadn't learned what "tsundere" meant yet.]
badassfreakingoverlord: (hopping mad)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-11 01:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Caring has nothing to do with it! It's my obligation as an Overlord to ensure my vassals are on the right path!

[Zetta is the most tsundere character in the Disgaea universe. It's canon!]
shiitan: (🔥 10)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-12 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
Then you're acting like your vassals' parent? I don't remember how old I am, but I'm pretty sure I'm too old for that.

[Despite all of his actions and behavior, he was still in his early twenties.]
badassfreakingoverlord: (hopping mad)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-12 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)
No! Like their Overlord! An exemplar of demonic behavior and role model for all, from the grandest archdemon to the lowest Prinny! And I'm way older than you so stuff it!

[Yeah, he's -- just a little older, healthy way into five digits and all.]
shiitan: (🔥 56)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-13 01:29 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, a grandpa then. [The jury was out in whether he was actually listening or not.]

But now that you mention exemplars... I'm your exemplar by default. I'm supposed to be guiding you and that sort of thing.
badassfreakingoverlord: (dot dot frickin' dot)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-13 03:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, that's what they say, but be honest, do you really give a crap?

[Zetta will give him the ol' 'appeal to apathy'.]
shiitan: (🔥 36)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-14 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
That depends. I'll think on it more after getting out of here.

[He looked down at his loosely held fist and closed his eyes, but that was stopped in short order by some wobbling on his feet and reaching out to a nearby tree to support himself.]
badassfreakingoverlord: (crap I'm a book)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-14 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[Zetta notices that unsteadiness, and without hesitation makes an executive decision.] All right, I'm peeling off half the forces to your command. Make sure your squad does a good job, my reputation is counting on it!
shiitan: (🔥 10)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-16 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
[He frowned for just a moment before thinking better of it. This was still better than getting outright pity.]

You know, if I'm going to try to overthrow you, it works out better for me if your reputation is bad.

...Or maybe it doesn't. You'll have to tell me more about this Overlord thing later.
badassfreakingoverlord: (adrift in a sea of nothing)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-16 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Uh, it's simple. Rule Netherworld, be awesome. [Is he really doing either of those?] But yeah, details we can put off for a bit. We've got bigger fish to fry.
shiitan: (🔥 9)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-17 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
Uh-huh. [Ross took a deep breath and let his shoulders sink just a bit before pushing off from the tree and walking toward the minions.]

I need about half of you to come with me, so get over here.
badassfreakingoverlord: (dot dot frickin' dot)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-17 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[A flurry of rock-paper-scissors erupts, which apparently has so many byrules and 12-player adaptations that it quickly becomes indecipherable and includes many additional symbols. Within moments, three minions and three Prinnies join Ross's side.]
shiitan: (🔥 57)

[personal profile] shiitan 2018-06-18 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
[It took him about two seconds of looking at that spectacle to think that he should have just picked six of them on his own. Even if he had to drag them over.]

Then we'll go this way. Don't get any of your pages ripped out, book boss.
badassfreakingoverlord: (animated laughter)

[personal profile] badassfreakingoverlord 2018-06-18 02:27 am (UTC)(link)
Hyaaaha ha ha ha ha! The Sacred Tome has infinite pages! So don't think you'll be able to avoid embarrassment if I have to come help you out!