37 - A Call To Arms

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Help the Heavens go after the cultists' compound
When: April 1
Where: A converted farm on the rural edge of the Tokyo metro area
Summary: Between Amaterasu's shinki observing the known cultists, and the work that the new gods and shinki have done, a rural property that might be the cultists' compound has been identified!






After months of investigation, Amaterasu's shinki still haven't found the rebel gods she's searching for -- but, with the help of the new gods and shinki, following the cult has revealed their rural meeting place! It was once a farm, but has recently been rebuilt into a compound with a big central building, heavy concrete walls and plenty of outdoor spaces for ritual magic. The new gods, and some of the old, have been asked to descend to the Near Shore and find out everything they can about this mystery compound.

High Walls

It's not just concrete that protects the compound. The walls are engraved with magical symbols, and any god or shinki who gets too close to them finds themselves feeling increasingly sick, weak and repelled from the structure. Even flying over won't work. There's only one exception: when the front gates are opened to allow cultists, or scheduled deliveries, a careful few gods or shinki can sneak through without being blocked by the spell. How will they get in? Shadow a cultist? Pretend to be a pizza delivery driver? Or will they risk alerting the cultists by trying to break down some other part of the wall?

Booby Traps

The problems don't end when they get inside the compound. Dozens of cultists seem to live here -- or maybe they're just visiting for the weekend? Either way, there's a lot of people inside, and while most of them overlook the presence of Far Shore beings, that doesn't mean there's no danger. Magical booby-traps and seals are dotted around the grounds and throughout the big, sprawling, two-story manor at the end of the driveway. Some of them blight any god or shinki who triggers them. Others glue their feet to the ground, or make them instantly noticeable to any passing cultist, or weaken them by draining their energy away.

The traps have clearly been made by several different people, and some of them have weird senses of humor! Almost any effect might be inflicted on the unwary characters who stumble across a booby-trap, although most of them won't cause serious injury or death, and the effects wear off within a few minutes to a few hours after either they get away from the trap, or someone else helps them by destroying it.

The First Fight

Not every human cultist in the compound is blind to the presence of gods and shinki -- and with all the traps being triggered, it's just a matter of time before they're caught. The first warning that the cultists know they're being invaded is the piercing sound of a bell. The second is the appearance of lashing ayakashi tentacles that rise up from the ground all throughout the manor house. As the humans flee, the tentacles will wrap around any gods or shinki they can catch, trying to drag them further into the house and down. Although they can be cut and destroyed, the main body of the creature is out of reach: it lurks far below, in the building's basement, gnashing a massive, serrated octopus beak that's ready to rip apart and devour any souls who can't struggle free of its grip in time. Follow the spectral tentacles down to the beast's lair, and slay it before it can kill all the invaders!

Please comment to the First Fight thread below if your characters are trying to rend the ayakashi. Each character can only be in ONE First Fight thread. RNG will be used to determine which fighters manage to strike the final blow, but RNG will only select a single thread; players are free to negotiate how the final blow happens within that thread.

The Second Fight

As the octopus ayakashi dissolves, finally free from the magical bondage that forced it to guard the cultists' compound, a mysterious door is revealed set into the far wall of the manor basement. A strange glow emanates from within. Enter... if you dare!

To participate in the second fight, please comment to the Second Fight thread below with the character(s) who will be participating in your thread. A top-level with further details will go up on February 7.

In Summary:

• Investigate a cult compound
• Watch out for traps
• Battle a giant octopus
• Uncover a mystery
• Have fun~

Questions? Leave us a question on the OOC Plotting Post and we'll do our best to answer ASAP.

Comments

[boneofsword]

[Archer's eyes go wide when one of the blades just disappears. It takes away a bit of the strain and the pain that is now a constant somewhere deep inside. The pain, once dulled, is nothing to fear. The way his ability turns against him is. Now past the initial panic and shock he's slowly regaining his wits.]

I'm not sure if I can. [not with blades sticking out of his shoulderblades and back.]

Right after I- gave you the last spear. It already started- when I projected the sword- to rend the ayakashi. [Archer narrows his eyes in thought. Now his analytics instincts kick in he's starting to think out loud. While his sentences are kept short and broken by pauses he does manage to speak.] By then I ceased, thinking it will- stop if I don't try to- bring any weapons.

[futhark]

It must be related to how you bring those weapons- you've strained yourself.

[ You fucked yourself up, that's what he means. This is more than a strain, this is like circuits going haywire. And Caster has a suspicion why- many of the weapons in Archer's repository look legendary. His own spear being there is proof of it.

Somehow Archer can copy weapons he sees, and he must have fought quite a bunch Servants to get a collection as he did. ]

Copying something like a Noble Phantasm is dangerous, you should- avoid doing that. [ Caster's voice is serious and firm. That's how he worries, yes. But there's also-- a hint of guilt. He knows very well how Archer reacted previously to projecting that spear, he remembers it not being an easy task. Even with all the mana they were provided, maybe it's not the amount of energy needed that is a problem.

Maybe it's just a nature of that weapon.

That would make him partially responsible for Archer's state. ]

[boneofsword]

[Tone of Caster's voice does convey his feelings well, easing a bit of Archer's burden. It's too similar to how he himself shows his care.]

I'm not- quite sure. [he admits with a frown. While he has basic understanding of his own abilities it's not something he can analyze in depth.] I can analyze weapons at a glance - composition, design, even skill of its maker. Afterwards I can create almost perfect copy using all the information. Almost, for my recreation degrades the quality of the weapon.

Your spear is one of the easiest to project, and doesn't require lot of mana. It's like recreating my swords again and again during a fight. [Archer shakes his head.] All I can think of is projecting so many weapon in short amount of time, including several Noble Phantasm almost simultaneously.

[Honestly, it's a miracle how he can go on and on (and on) with his body as it is, and longer pauses between words. It's as if his condition didn't matter so much - but it does. As much as he hates to admit, Archer is trying to find the cause because it clearly matters to Caster.]

[futhark]

[ Well, Caster cares, but he does find it easier to be pissed off really. It would be so damn hypocritical though to ask ARCHER WHAT THE FUCK YOU WERE THINKING. If they were two Servants and Archer got himself like this--? He would lend a hand and try to help, but he would probably just acknowledge the other's choice to risk his well-being.

The god and shinki thing? That changes it. The thought that a shinki would choose to sacrifice themselves for him-- ugh. From one self-sacrificial idiot to another, it does get so messy when the duty is concerned. ]

Who cares. [ He barks as he examines Archer's back trying to apply a healing rune ] Archer you're changing your body into a fucking swords

[ Archer had thrown volleys of bladed weapons before without a problem, so it's hard to let go of the theory that it's either a spear or spear being a Noble Phantasm that's the problem. ]

How do you keep remembering the composition of those weapons? [ Do you know where are you storing them, is what Caster wants to ask, but he can't. It would hint that he had seen Archer's mindscape in a dream. So if Archer's in chatty mood, he'll see if it makes him spill the details. ]

[boneofsword]

[In face of Caster's anger it slowly dawns on Archer that his god must be worried about his state. Ugh- no, no guilt. This will affect Caster as well, creating a dangerous loop. Anger is much easier, finding an outward target to direct the intense feelings at, while guilt and regret fester inside like a poison. He never wishes to become more of a burden than he already is.]

How do I-? [the question startles him into full awareness. Indeed, how does he remember each and every single one of the weapons that he projects. Isn't it all recorded in his memory? Archer doesn't need time to recall the weapons in vivid detail, each of them immediately available to be projected. He taps his temple and grimaces when the move jars the blades already embedded in his shoulder.]

I keep them all here. At least I think so. [he frowns slightly and extrapolates.] I don't need time to think about the weapon I choose to project, I can imagine it easily and project in the same moment.

[futhark]

[ Caster reaches his hand and touches Archer's cheek, gently, tenderly- a soothing gesture. Finger brush against the earring and then moves further, tangling into Archer's hair to tilt his head on the side.

There are no blades showing on his neck or head, so that's a good sign. Caster works his temper down. At least pretend to be calm or something- ]

The process.

[ Magecraft has changed, but some things remain the same. Caster has a sort of idea of what Archer is doing. But there are too many variables. The way Archer projects his weapons is similar to certain spells-

-but he is a Servant, it doesn't mean that's how it really works. Maybe in life, he painted those swords and now is calling them into reality as physical objects. Maybe he made each copy physically by hand, and now the models exist in that deserted world of his. ]

I saw you copy a weapon that was a shinki vessel's form. Walk me through this, right from the start.

[ What the hell is there that is making you do this? ]

Shit- what you need right now is probably rest... [ But what if the swords grow also internally, what if it's going to damage and cut right through his body- ] I cannot use healing runes unless I know what's going on.

[ The wounds close with blades, what if Archer just grows more of them ]

But I could try and slow down how your body works. [ No, not slowing it with time-magic, but using the rune of ice, and several others to direct it. ]

[boneofsword]

[After initial surprise Archer leans into the touch and closes his eyes for a moment. The pain still lingers, but the touch is grounding him, giving him hope that things will turn right. Caster's hand is warm and gentle, metal ring he always wears on his finger almost as warm as his touch is. He trusts his partner to find some way to stop the process or find someone who can.]

The process starts whenever I get a glimpse of any melee weapon. I can see it in the same way I see things whenever I use my ability, analyze it by sight, and commit all the data to my memory. The copy isn't a perfect replica due to the fact it's impossible to gain as much information by sight alone. Besides, my skill works only when I can see the weapon itself; blueprints, drawings or photos are of no use.

[He pauses, stealing a glance at his hand as he turns it palm upwards.]

Whenever I beging projecting, or tracing it, I follow seven steps. First I judge the concept of its creation and the shape it takes. Next comes hypothesizing of its internal structure, as well as its composition. Afterwards comes duplicating the materials needed for the weapon, and then crafting the weapon by imitating the skill of its making. The next one is symphatizing with the experience of its growth, followed by reproducing the accumulated years. Last but not least is excelling its manufacturing process.

[Soft exhale is followed by a small frown, as Archer considers something.]

I think there may be a similar spell used in Magecraft, one used to materialize objects. The difference is that such objects slowly fades away.

[futhark]

I know what you're talking about. It's not a spell I know, but I'm familiar with its existence.

[ Ah, right, Gradation Air. Or however, it is called. Caster's area of magic expertise is entirely different. Runes can be likened to a Magic Crest, but the spells that can be written by them are different than what goes in modern magic. Still, his time with his Master as well as some knowledge supplied by the Grail (what would be a Caster Servant without update knowledge on magic) makes him recognize it.

Archer makes the objects more permanent, more solid- but at the cost of a very limited area of expertise. Weapons. Swords ]

You might feel sluggish afterward- [ He gives a warning as he starts writing runes into a spell he meant. Slowing down the body processes- blood and especially mana flowing slower, breaths are deeper but also slower. The heart follows--- no there is no heartbeat for shinki. what a thing to forget about... Caster adds something against the pain though ]

Melee weapons you said. I have never seen you create a club, or a hammer. It's about bladed ones, isn't it?

[ Yeah, he's suspecting the multiple Gáe Bolgs at the fight with ayakashi could be what caused it. ]

[boneofsword]

[To forget about his body turning into blades Archer focuses on the warmth of Caster's touch. There's a vague knowledge that magi are easily recognizable due to the higher body temperature caused by their magic circuits, and he wonders if it applies to all the Casters.

The spell does its work. It's an odd sensation to feel his body and mind slowing down, his breath grow slower, even the mana flow steadies a bit. So disorienting that Archer has to shake his head.]

Yes, the bladed weapons are most natural. Different melee weapons I can recreate too, but with more mana input and slightly slower reproduction rate.

[Archer can't remember, but his fate was determined the moment he's been saved. A man whose life was saved by a sword, actually merged and lived with a sword, and acted as a sword all of his life.]

[futhark]

[ Caster is warm to the touch, but is it because of the magical nature or simple stress of emotions running high? Hard to tell.

It's quite... concerning how little Archer seems to feel in the moment. Caster can sense the trust, did it override fear and uncertainty? Does this man simply trusts him that much? Or he might be just putting a shield between them. ]

Sword is your nature, huh. [ Origin. That would explain the manifestations, but doesn't explain what caused it. They'll have to figure it out, he will have to figure it out. It's his duty as Archer's god.

There's a terrible realization that if he can't, nor he can't find anyone who would, he should at least grant a merciful death. Given how often they must have run into each other, it perhaps wouldn't be the first nor last time they kill each other.

But after these months, maybe not peaceful, and definitely not easy- he'd rather not find himself with having to do it. ]

I think I got all the information I need to figure this out. [ Keyword is "I think". But he got this, he definitely got this. He kneels and puts his forehead against Archer's ] One last question: how much energy are you expanding right now?

[ While he can wager a guess, sense it to some expense, he wants a verbal confirmation ]

[boneofsword]

[It's true that Archer is shielding his god, not wanting him to feel the excruciating pain. His feelings are faint, the hints of uncertainity barely felt beneath the unwavering trust. There are several reasons, but the truth is simple - Caster has never been dishonest, and laid the terms of their contract clearly at the very beginning. Archer trusts him to find a way to stop it, or - if all else fails - give him a swift death.

No matter how much he wishes for Cu Chulainn to never again stain his hands with blood of someone so close to him.]

Not much. [a pause, followed by audible intake of breath and low murmur.] I don't want you to- lose someone again.

[There's a hint of fear hidden beneath, not for death; Archer has accepted such possibility a long time ago. It's a well hidden fear of losing his abilities and any value that he has as a shinki - as a comrade in battle.]