Psyker Landshark

Blades of Iron Roses: An Anime-Inspired Knight RP

Renar Hagen

The vaunted retinue of the last prince of Talderia. Now this was a challenge worth their time. Renar grinned savagely beneath his helm as both parties took the field, his poleaxe hefted up in his hands. They had their orders from the Captain, and they were sensible: attack from as many angles as possible to maximize the chances of breaching the defensive cordon and reaching the prince. It was a sound strategy for the parameters they were working around.

A quick glance around as they mustered. Renar found himself stationed near Gerard, Fionn, and Fleuri in particular. No time for concerns such as camraderie or attitude. There was a goal to be met.

"The lot of you, form up with me." Renar commanded, already running through tactics in his head. "Sir Fleuri, we'll form the van and break what lines they have to meet us. Sirs Fionn and Gerard will provide support behind us and capitalize on the threat we pose. Ready? Break!"

Renar surged forward, trusting that Fleuri was at least competent enough to follow up and charge alongside him. He already knew the other two were. His speed had improved drastically after training with Edwin and Parvan, and he took full advantage of it as he whirled his poleaxe around, smashing the hammer head towards the first helmeted knight he faced.

@The Otter @HereComesTheSnow @Crimson Paladin

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

Salvator Rasch

What they were doing was working: the mech was taking severe amounts of damage. Good. Even better was that the comms jamming suddenly stopped. Finally. Time to call in extraction, then. No sense in waiting for this thing to be dead. Salvator ducked back further behind cover, dialing his comms to the frequency they'd been given for pickup.

"Reporting, all objectives complete. Requesting evac. Be aware, LZ is hot. I repeat, LZ is hot!" He said over comms, making sure to dial the channel into his helmet cam and get a good shot of the half-slagged mech still stomping away to let their handlers know what the squad was up against. "Need enough firepower to mission kill this mech before we can take off, over."

With his extraction request completed, Salvator switched channels to squad comms again, making sure to update everyone else.

"Extraction's been called, we need to hold out until our pickup gets here!" He leaned out just enough from behind cover to fire a burst off at what remained of the mech's head before repositioning, going from cover to cover. "Keep mobile and focus on not getting killed! We're running the clock out now!"

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

Dawn came, and they left the inn and the village without further incident. Small mercies, at least. As the morning march went on, the party would see the walls and pagodas of Kugane in the distance grow ever larger, though not without...additions. A pair of black steel Valheimr airships patrolled the airspace around the city at all times, and single airships seemed to transit in and out of the city multiple times per hour. As they drew ever closer, several towers of the same black steel could be seen dotting the city, breaking up the Kugane skyline.

Some hours later, the party reached the city's grand gates. A platoon of Valheimr soldiers in full armor occupied the entrance, guarding the gates while looking over papers carried by a line of people awaiting entry.

"Och, going to take more than a minute, kupo." Goug groused from his position driving the wagon, uncapping a flask as he raised it to his lips. "What's someone supposed to do if they need a kupoin' piss break?"

As they awaited entry, Izayoi looked to Robin specifically, having plenty of time as the line shuffled along.

"For your own sake, do try not to wear that abhorrent outfit within a nation your people called enemy not half a decade ago. Or at least go without the coat." Her piece said, she resumed her wait, though not without sideeyeing Chisaki once or twice. Katama. Right. Rather convenient to represent a shinobi bloodline when they were supposed to have been wiped out.

By midday, they'd finally reached the head of the line. The sergeant in charge took one look at the group, shook his head, and gave a tired sigh.

"Papers, occupation, and intent." He grumbled, most of the other soldiers at the gate looking just as bored as he sounded. Izayoi kept her arms within her cloak, one hand falling to the hit of her sword. If the viera was false, this would be the moment to strike. Though judging by how the platoon acted, they were either marvelous actors or as bored as any other garrison soldier.

"Traveling performers hired by my mistress for a show. And their guards from Blightbeasts of course." Chisaki interjected smoothly, handing a sheaf of papers over. The sergeant flicked through them briefly with a disinterested eye before handing them back with a nod.

"Mummers and ronin. Fine. Let them pass!" The gate opened, and the garrison on duty stood aside. "Cause no trouble, lest we treat you like a subversive. Or do. Interior garrison gets to have all the excitement..."

Izayoi waited until they were out of earshot of the guards before looking to the ninja.

"Perhaps you may not be false after all. In this regard, at least. Onward to Ciradyl, as you claim."

They entered Kugane proper, and Izayoi was hit with a wave of nostalgia. Even with the addition of Valheim in the mix, six years without beholding the capital brought back memories. Chisaki led them through the streets, winding up in what Izayoi remembered to be the merchant's quarter. A small, nondescript house awaited, with stables to the side. Goug parked the wagon and started attending to the chocobos while everyone else was led in.

The building was modestly furnished, with sparse decorations. But homely enough. Upon being bid to remove their traveling shoes and following Chisaki deeper inside, winding up in a sitting room with cushions, a low table with tea on it, and...

"Ciradyl." Izayoi exhaled, removing her hat. "You look...well." She'd say age had been kind to the Faye, but last she remembered, Ciradyl was only...twenty-seven? Twenty-eight? Of course the years hadn't quite ravaged her yet. She unclipped her cloak, sitting down at the table. "Ought I apologize for never having called on you while faking my death?"

Qlippoth Shift: A Supernatural Action RP About Combating Otherworldy Anomalies

Zhao Jinhai

The good news was that he had a functional sword again. The bad news was that his gambit didn't exactly pan out. Oh, well. You won some, you lost some. Jinhai just shrugged to himself before flipping the katana around, grasping it by the hilt with one hand. He turned to the samurai with a grin, only to blink at what he saw next.

Some sort of...lightning arrow. Well, shit. And in his peripheral vision, an animated komainu rushing for his back. Double shit. Without time to think about his next move, Jinhai leapt up into the air, instinctively going for the first idea that came to mind. He'd seen this move he was about to outright steal...somewhere. He just couldn't remember where.

Jinhai raised his pilfered sword, crashing it against the arrow of magical lightning. It sparked and ran across the blade, shocking his hands somewhat before he hurriedly swung, redirecting the lightning down towards the komainu whose charge he'd just leapt over. He landed on it feet first, qi-empowered limbs aiming to smash into it and do whatever damage he could.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

The party continued walking as they deliberated, led on by the so-far nameless shinobi. Izayoi frowned as she listened to Galahad's response, followed by other opinions, as well as Eve and Esben plotting to circumvent the matter entirely. Eventually, she just grumbled briefly to herself before nodding back towards Galahad, Rudolf, Esben, and Arton.

"Fair points. We follow your lead, Caradoc." She admitted begrudgingly as they were led to what appeared to be the local inn. Unlike most buildings within town, it remained at least somewhat well-maintained. The conclusion wasn't too hard to reach.

"I take it this is where any Valheimr officials and their escorts stay when they stop in town?" Izayoi received a nod from the viera at that, and she grunted in derision. "Typical." Of course the occupiers only bothered to contribute to upkeep on the sole building in the village they actually used.

The conversation continued as they were led to a table inside the inn, Izayoi stepping away to discuss rooms and payment with the proprietor.

Iris Ascendis

Iraleth Kyrios

Ridiculous. The amount of mental gymnastics required to believe that Valen Leuvalt gave a damn about anyone besides himself bordered on delusion. Iraleth glowered at everyone involved, with the exception of Ciara.

"Cowards and sheep, licking the boots of a sociopath." The half-elf spat, her eyes blazing with anger and disgust. "Rather than raise yourselves up, you would kneel before someone who merely uses you as monuments to his ego. And here I thought you came to Wingram to be heroes, not lackeys." A closer look at the toadies. Had any of them been among the crowd that had begged for entrance on the first day? Should that be the case, it wouldn't surprise her, but it would be disappointing.

She didn't even bother saying anything to Valen himself. Why gratify his self-importance with acknowledgment? Iraleth turned to Ciara, only for her eyes to widen. She was just a moment away from actually attacking Valen. While understandable, it didn't help her assessment of the other girl at all. At least her heart was in the right place, though her control was...extremely questionable. If she wasn't actually an Umbralist, there was certainly something dangerous influencing her, even if it was just Ciara's own animal instinct.

"Crossing swords? Not before I get my chance at him." Iraleth glowered, this time at everyone gathered in this sad little group in general, Ciara included.

@Estylwen

Iris Ascendis

will post tomorrow

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Ranbu no Izayoi

A few days' travel through the plains of Aitsuragi placed the party on the edge of a nameless village, one more day away from Kugane proper. Sundown was mere hours away, though, and it would have been folly to push on to simply camp out in the fields when an inn with hot food and a roof over their heads awaited them here. Or at least, that had been the assumption until they actually beheld the hamlet.

About the only thing that could be said to be flourishing within the village were the rice fields. Crops were growing, certainly. But even from a distance, anyone looking closely could see the malnourished frames of the farmers, their ragged clothing, and the various buildings in town being in a state of shabby disrepair. Evidently, something had done a number on this place.

"What you see before you is a result of the occupiers' ruinous taxation." Izayoi supplied, her eyes blazing with anger as she beheld the absolute state of the people. "The Valheimr bleed these villages dry of both grain and coin to enrich themselves, and withhold protection from the Blight for those who refuse to pay. That is, if they do not simply punish the peasantry by making examples of them."

As they approached the village borders, the more perceptive members of the party could feel a pair of eyes on them. Their owner could be found sitting high on a tree branch leisurely swinging their feet back and forth. It was a female Viera with short, blonde hair and vibrant lavender-colored eyes. She wore a suit of high-quality leather armor that was reinforced with a breastplate, slim shoulder guards, and bracers. A red-colored wood short bow with an accompanying quiver was attached to her back and a pair of fierce-looking daggers hung around her hips.

A half-smirk appeared on her pinkish lips as the first of the party approached, her eyes scanning through them all but predominantly lingering on Izayoi multiple times. "The report wasn't kidding." The viera leaned forward and flipped frontwards onto the ground effortlessly, her right hand resting on her hip while the other lay loosely against her side "We were hoping you'd come to Osprey but not make so much of...an entrance." Her merry demeanor cracked for a moment once her eyes set on first Galahad, then Rudolf and Robin, icy glares shooting towards the three of them before her attention returned to Izayoi.

For her part, Izayoi simply fixed the interloper with a flat stare. She knew her kind, of course. How could she not, having made extensive use of them throughout the war? The viera's words didn't help in that regard.

"Shinobi." The Mystrel rested her off-hand on the hilt of her sword, not quite hostile yet but not off her guard either. "And who would 'we' be, exactly? Name whom you serve." There was no point in asking for this woman's name. They wouldn't get a real answer, much less a clan to identify her as. And that was assuming this wasn't simply a freelancer, either.

"Someone who wishes to share a cup of bergamot tea with an old friend." Came an easy, practiced reply, and Izayoi couldn't help her eyes from widening slightly. Impossible. Ciradyl was a performer, not someone who hired ninjas to serve her.

"Absurd. Your deception ought to do better than to rely upon public meetings over half a decade old." Izayoi spat, now looking rather offended. "Anyone who'd kept half an eye upon our public appearances could claim to serve Ciradyl with that."

"And you've got little choice but to rely on me, no matter what." The viera replied, her easy smile staying on her face. "That is, unless you can somehow sneak past the city guards with nine people, four chocobos, a moogle, and a wagon. The city's changed since last you were there, you know." Her smile turned wan as she continued. "Valheim practically has it locked down. Nobody gets in or out without their express approval. But my mistress has made arrangements. All you need do is to follow along."

Izayoi glowered at the viera ninja for a moment before turning to Galahad.

"She claims to serve an old friend of mine. I do not believe her. However, if she speaks truly regarding Kugane, we may not have a choice regardless. I cannot say, as I've not approached within the time I've been active once more. Your decision?"

SPIRITUM

Kalina Kovalic

What a pain. Fortunate that these Vangarite mechs were already heavily damaged, else they might have posed a serious threat to the squad. Nonetheless, Kalina followed orders as she was bid to, letting Valerie draw fire before moving to engage herself.

As soon as the horned woman had the attention of the mech they were supposed to be dealing with, Kalina shot out from behind cover, her gunblade materializing out of her Mist Pocket. Fortunate that her fighting style relied less on Mist than it did on the specialized mechanics of her weapon, or else this may have been more complicated, considering the terrain.

"Engaging now. Valerie, check your fire."

She manuevered herself to rush the damaged mech on its flank, her gunblade brandished out in front of her as she lunged. Kalina slashed down in an overhand strike with both hands on the hilt, pressing the trigger at the last possible moment to fire one of her chambered rounds. The recoil caused her blade to vibrate at high speeds, greatly enhancing its cutting power as her downward cleave came crashing down on the mech's optics.

Qlippoth Shift: A Supernatural Action RP About Combating Otherworldy Anomalies

Zhao Jinhai

Alright, so he was doing something after all. Though "witch" damn well wasn't the right choice of expletives. Jinhai gave the samurai a shit-eating grin as he stepped to the side, allowing Arisa to deliver her flaming greatsword towards the samurai without issue. The moment she did, he surged forward, weaving through the storm of steel the armored ghost was putting up and retaliating with his fists and elbows whenever he got a chance. There weren't many, but the blows he did manage to land would leave the samurai reeling from sheer concussive force and spiritual cleansing.

Another flash of the katana. A bit slow to evade this time. Blood ran down Jinhai's cheek from the gash that just opened, but he persisted. It was all about watching the wrists, not the actual blade. The samurai's attention was still on him. The ghost wound back just enough for Jinhai to read his next move. A straight horizontal cleave. Finally. Perfect.

The samurai made his attack, and Jinhai brought his palms together to catch the blade by the flat, blood already dripping from his palms where he'd had to make contact with the edge.

"Got his ass!" Jinhai yelled to Arisa, to anyone who was within range. "Kill him now!"