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Post by Hano Wako on Sept 14, 2022 9:31:15 GMT -5
The snow settled on the hills like a silent threat, a natural occurrence that signaled the changing of seasons and the incoming winter as it were. It was never extremely harsh on the crescent isle but it also wasn’t easy or at all mild. The people had a way about always planning and carrying out civic tasks with strategic precision and it was in this monotony that comfort was created. Plenty of wood, food, and charcoal had been prepared since last winter and the season was predicted to be mild at best, meaning that only the smallest of villages were at risk of injury or loss of life.
It was in this time however that banditry was always at its highest. Those that had no means of preparation would always take from those that did. It was in this chaos that opportunity had come to be. Wako and others that were looking for some decent pay had been hired by Gekongi, a medium sized village composed mostly of merchants and craftsmen, to defend them against a recent group of bandits that had been spotted near the old mountain ruins as of late. The unfortunate side to it was that the ruins were situated at the perfect location to come down at night and raid the large warehouse the village itself had been using for its winter stores.
Wako and his companions whenever it was that he met them, where to muster at the small guard house located at the back of the village near the storehouse itself and the winding path that came down from the mountain. Their only objective is to stop the Bandits from making off with any of the supplies if they can help it. His cart had been parked off to the side of small guard stations door, and he had already setup his wok and begun stir-frying some udon and veggies as he waited for his companions to assemble. After all a good meal was worth more then a nights sleep lost.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Sept 15, 2022 15:00:03 GMT -5
Dang it. My notebook’s almost out of pages. Time to make some money because unfortunately, being a freelance artist isn’t very profitable when paper, ink and time cost as much as they do. What does pay well? Inflicting bodily harm against unsavory characters! I don’t consider myself much of a fighter, nor do I enjoy the thought of hurting people, but I’m not so weak, naive and sympathetic that I’d have qualms with fighting bandits (gosh that was an embarrassing time of my life). So fighting bandits is what I’ll do!
My feet landed soundlessly on the thin layer of snow on the ground in front of the guard house where all interested in the task were to assemble. I readjusted the bone mask on my face and brushed myself of snow before opening the door. Inside it looked like a typical guardhouse, an open room with shelves of weapons and fire, over which a very large bipedal raccoon-ish looking person was cooking noodles in a large wok. “Hi!” I said to the room as a whole “We’re all here for the bandit-chasing request right?” wait no, that makes it sound like I’m the one of the organizers “...j-just to making sure I’m in the right place.”
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Post by Minora on Oct 26, 2022 10:40:25 GMT -5
Minora stood in the direct center of the library at the academy in Sol City, all around her shelves upon shelves of books lined the walls and went up about 15 feet. All around her books flew around setting themselves in the right place.[1] All around her the books flew around as she herself was nose deep in her own book, a dusty old blue tome that she always carried around with her, after a few moments the sounds of footsteps could be heard entering her library. It was magistrate Armon, one of her teachers from when she attended the academy. He was an older man bald with a long gray beard and gray robes.
“How does this morning treat you, young Minora?”
“Well sir, how may I help you today?”
“As you know image is important to the academy, it is a prestigious school filled with bright and powerful minds. Since you graduated you have not left the city, i know you enjoy your books but in our world influence and the spread of one's name is truly important. So congratulations are in order and a ship has been prepared for you.”
From inside the sleeve of his robe he pulled out a scroll and placed it in front of her, Minora looked at the scroll then went back to her book.
“Not interested, i’m very busy.”
“I’m afraid, no is not an answer we will accept. In Moonglade bandits have been terrorizing smaller settlements, there are not many only a few from what reports tell us. Others have been sent to investigate but it is in the schools best interest to send one of our own just to show that the academy has interest in protection.”
“Moonglade huh? Fine but I want something in return. A meeting with Lady Kamille herself.”
With a nod from Amon she quickly packed her things up and made her way towards the docks. It took a little time but she made it to the Moonglade, she was to travel to where the others of her party were supposed to meet up and from there investigate the bandits themselves. She made her way to a small village with only a few houses and some farm land, to the far back of the village was a guard outpost. Minora made her way to the guard house reaching it she spoke out.
“Hello, i’m from the academy in Sol city. I believe i’m to meet with you two about some bandits.”
[1] Telekinesis
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Post by Hano Wako on Oct 28, 2022 10:42:42 GMT -5
The stir frying was going swimmingly as he was achieving the caramelization that he wanted, whilst newcomers began popping up left and right. First was the one in the mask who introduced themselves without a name and merely a hello, fine enough for him at least as the first rule of being a good merchant was to not ask too many questions about identity unless needed.
"Hiya! As far as I know that's what I am 'ere for at least.", he set the wok on the earthen floor of the room removing it from the heat as he began serving three portions up into bowls, speaking further to the masked man as he went, "Wako of the Hano Tanuki tribe, at your service! Hungry?", he had previously been alerted that a third would be joining them at some point so all that remained was for them to appear, which happened quicker then anticipated at least. Which was a good thing given that the food would still be warm.
Acknowledging the woman as she entered and stated she had come all the way from the academy in Sol City he tipped the brim of his kasa, "Hiya! Wako of the Hano Tanuki tribe at your service. Like I was telling our friend 'ere as far as I know that's supposed to be our purpose 'ere... hungry?", he gestured to the bowls he had prepared already as he took one of three and began eating with chopsticks, heading towards a small sand box of sorts that was in a corner of the room.
It seemed that it was used for tea ceremony, something that was well known as a custom of the Crescent Isle, but it had a second use in this case. Using the shifting stick that was meant to make patterns in the sand he began drawing out a map of the village as he ate, "See 'ere? That's the path we need to watch for. The craftsman use a small branch off 'ere to 'ead to a mining spot so we are not to set any traps.... but its a win win because they can only come down using this path... We should probably start by talkin' about our specialties maybe?", his voice was heavily accented as if he was a mobster from Sol City and he exuded the essence of a used cart salesman, his cooking however was undeniably good if that counted as a positive personality trait.
"For me? I am somethin' of an alchemist so I have some tricks up my sleeve.", on his belt were several vials of various sizes and a uniquely shaped rod of wood and metal rested on his back that looked like a crossbow of sorts with out arms.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Oct 29, 2022 22:53:52 GMT -5
After getting confirmation that I was in the right place, I took a seat at the worn table that sat to the side of the room. The racoon-ish guy, who had introduced himself as a “Hano Tanuki'' (I’ll try to look into that later) offered me to help myself to a bowl of noodles, which I took gratefully with a quiet “Thank you”. As I did, the door opened again to reveal a lady with curly red hair and feline or fox-ish ears. After trying to figure out how the racoon so proficiently used the sticks on the table to eat, I gave up, found forks in one of the cupboards that lined the fire pit wall, and joined Wako in the sandbox.
We reviewed the information we were given about the area, before Wako started asking about abilities. He was an alchemist, and a rather prolific one by the look of his belt, laden with vials and tools that I could only assume to be for alchemy. I took a few seconds to think of what might be better left unsaid. They’ll probably be freaked out by the demon claws and demon song….but it would be funny, to just freak them out a bit. Nah, threatening co-workers with hellish features and hallucinogenic abilities is the number one way to get them to distrust you, and it’d be a good bit more than a little fright. “I …can fly and fight melee. I prefer causing chaos and running though, but that wouldn’t really be applicable. Well, causing chaos might be.” I then turned to the latest arrival.
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Post by Minora on Oct 30, 2022 8:58:46 GMT -5
Minora looked at the two before opening her hand, she continued to stand there as one of the bowels with incredible speed flew towards her hand. The bowel stopped, then safely and gently placed itself in Minora’s hand. A few moments later, eating utensils flew into the bowel as well and she began to eat. The stir fry was really good to her surprise. She was kind of a picky eater at times but she could eat this all day, with her mouth slightly full she began to speak,
“As you can tell I am able to move things with my mind, if it's around my size and not extremely heavy I can throw it from afar providing long range support. As well as being able to make small passages under the ground using my mind, finally I have some fire. I would rather not use it, I don't think it’ll come to that though. We have means of staging an ambush, this whole thing should not take long to deal with. I have a few ideas on plans unless one of you two has a plan in mind already.”
She continued eating the stir fry, continuing to stand as she stared off at the path and surrounding area, this whole thing should be very easy with the right planning. Looking around thinking she looked at her bowel noticing that for the last few moments she had been eating nothing.
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Post by Hano Wako on Nov 1, 2022 17:14:37 GMT -5
He looked at the other two as they went about eating their food, and how they went about eating their food an important note for him as he judged them on their ingenuity if they couldn't use chopsticks, something he didn't fault them for. However if they couldn't use them and chose not to eat, he would have summed them up as followers and not thinkers, something that wasn't terrible but at least cemented them with a mental image in his mind. In the end though they both did what it was that he expected them to do, as they either used them or sought alternative methods.
As they spoke to what they were capable of he nodded and finished eating his own food before he started cleaning up. Looking out one of the windows he noticed that the sun was beginning to set which meant it was perfect time for them to take up positions outside, "It sounds like we all 'ave a good amount of skills to bring to the table 'ere, 'opefully it'll serve us well tonight.... as far as a plan goes? I say we take up some hidin' spots outside and wait for em' to get real close like before we surprise em' with the old one two eh?", having finished cleaning the wok he placed it on his back like an awkward shield of some sort.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 2, 2022 0:34:44 GMT -5
He's a racoon-turtle-little man now, the bully in me wanted to say. Of course, I didn't say it aloud, but that little bully seemed to be getting louder my the day. "Sure, uuh, just want to hammer some stuff out." I said a little awkwardly. Hano seemed so confident and I know that this was my first attempt at a full scale on battle, so he probably knows better but… We have an alchemist, a ranged fighter, and a melee fighter of questionable competence who specializes in distracting and…not fighting. I think this is the kind of team that might need more planning coordination. "I'm-" no need to tell them you're an amateur "uuh... How will we communicate? are we just going to stay within yelling radius or...? Are we attacking once they pass us or breaking up their group in the middle? Nevermind, that second idea is terrible, they probably out number us 10 to 1, we don't need the disadvantage of being surrounded...". Come on, toughen up at this rate they'll be able to tell you're an newbie without you telling them. I nodded to myself, and tried to physically shrug off my nervousness "Yeah, just some clarification and details that I guess we can get sorted on our way there." I guess it'd be good to get the lay of the land before the sun truly set too. I left all my bulkier or more sensitive stuff- books, nice dress, camping tools- safely stowed in an empty cupboard before turning to the others "Ready to go?"
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Post by Minora on Nov 2, 2022 13:58:01 GMT -5
“Crowd control… surveying in a group is dangerous, not to mention a waste of time. If they usually follow a set path then we simply make it so they can’t take the path. When they pass through I can make it so one falls into a small little foot trap. Bandits aren’t ones for loyalty so his leg gets stuck he falls over the other carry on simply thinking he’ll catch up, silently take him out then it’s three on three. From there i’ll block off the escapes while you two I guess do whatever you guys do, If anyone comes up with another idea i’ll be all ears.”
A small chair sized of rock jetted out of the ground[1], Minora walked over to it and whipped it off before sitting down crossing her legs, she opened her brown knapsack and pulled out an old blue book opening the pages, her eyes fixated on the book turning pages almost ignoring the two people she was currently talking to. The unlit lantern[2] that she had strapped to her waist lit itself with blood red flames, unhooking itself it floated next to her and inside the flame a cute little face appeared smiling though it just seemed as if it had a preset facial emotion.
“Hellooo soon to be victims my mistress is reading so talking to her probably isn’t the best idea… Or maybe it is? I don’t know, all I know is that I like helping! Let’s be friends! I shall go with you to look.”
The lantern floated around both Hano and Natsu bouncing around occasionally looking over at Minora who's eyes never left the book but you could sense an annoyance coming from her whenever the lantern spoke.
[1] Mold Earth [2] Ghost Lantern
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Post by Hano Wako on Nov 7, 2022 15:14:50 GMT -5
He listened as the other two spoke about what they felt was a good plan or agreed with him on his ambushing proposition. It seemed that as a whole they all agreed that getting the drop on what was to come was better then just charging straight in which was a good thing, as if they were muscle heads he would have probably decided to just cut his losses right then and there.
The lady was the more interesting one at the moment as she formed a chair and began reading whilst the others talked, as well as summoning forth a lantern of some sort that began to talk to them and addressed them in a curious way. Tilting his head to the side first before shaking it and then speaking he started walking out of the back of the building towards the path itself, "Well at least we all seem to be in agreement 'ere for the most part. Ambush 'em and sort it out afterwards. I trust we will all play our part when the time comes eh?".
Looking at the swiftly setting sun as it glistened on the small amount of snow that graced the area as it were, he began to look for nearby shrubs or trees that they could use as cover for now. The winding path that led up the mountain was easy to defend against from a environmental prospective, but being outnumbered was still a possibility regardless of how singular the path was. Trees and rocky outcroppings dotted either side of the imposing Torii gate that marked the beginning of the path up into the mountain and the area to which they would need to defend until morning it seemed.
Hiding behind a relatively wide tree he pulled the fancifully carved staff like item he had on his back towards his front as it swung on its sling. It was an item that had been passed down in his family for a while and would fire sonic blasts that he could use to disorient and nauseate anything he hit with it, combined with his explosives it would hopefully allow him to be more then effective on his end of defending the group.
"'Ere seems as good as any spot to set up dont'cha think?"
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 9, 2022 17:53:11 GMT -5
The rocky hills where the locals did their mining were deceptively beautiful, a layer of snow softening wicked edges and icicles gracing outwards protrusions with sparkling, natural weapons. I could see why this was the only path. The land around it was steep and slippery, with little divots in the snow being the only indication that certain spots might not be solid rock, and I can even see a little cave opening, maybe only four feet tall, all made it practically impossible to traverse, especially when one of your hands was occupied with a weapon, tool, or bag of loot.
I prepared myself for battle, making sure my flute, smoke pipe and firework were in working order and in easy reach. I made sure the firework and wood powder for the pipe weren’t wet and made a little quack of a penguin on the flute. Then I filled the remaining pouch on my belt with about two dozen little stones. All that done, I was more than ready. Who am I kidding, my fingers are tipped crimson with anticipation. I turned to the others “I’m going to scout to see when they’re coming. So, the plan is to wait for them to pass by before attacking their flank. They reportedly come in small teams, only bringing on the cavalry if the villagers don’t give them what they want. We take these guys out before heading to the base of operations? Should we let one go to report back? It’ll be easier to get the jump on the majority of them if we don’t.”
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Post by Minora on Nov 12, 2022 16:19:36 GMT -5
The black lantern holding Lucidum dark red flame danced before giving a concerned look before it’s expression turned back to the joyous look it had before.
“I don’t know i’m just a lantern you silly meat-thing, that sounds like a question for my brilliant mistress but she’d reading… I guess i can go and ask her what she wants to do.”
The lantern floated over towards where Minora sat, not looking up from her book and even while Lucidum hovered around her, it was strange to see an object actually fear asking a question. No abuse but the lantern seemed to be very unhappy about breaking it’s mistress’ focus from her book. Minora lifted her head up and closed the book, sighing.
“I believe that we should perform a pincer attack, make them think they are being attacked from all sides. Take them all out, we want to keep the element of surprise letting one go back would certainly ruin that advantage. It’s going to fall on the village if we don’t get rid of all of them, even if they have no proof they will take out their anger on the people. So, we scare them take or two depending on their numbers, we need to know where they are operating out of, take one alive and i’ll get him talking.”
The lantern danced around her in circles with a smile on it’s face.
“Yay torture!! See doesn’t my mistress come up with some of the best ideas? Oh! What are you going to do? Oh it’s going to be sinister! Can I suggest something?”
“Okay but you better pick a better one than hit them with a rock.”
“Don’t worry mistress i have something truly diabolical… I’m going to hit them with a rock!”
And for the next 30 seconds Minora stared at the lantern, no sound as they stared at each other before Minora spoke.
“What?”
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Post by Hano Wako on Nov 14, 2022 10:33:55 GMT -5
The lantern fellow was odd, but he dealt with others that also used familiars so it wasn't the most out of place thing, just different and most definitely needed time to adjust to the way this on in particular acted. All in all he was interested in what it and Minora had to bring the table as more esoteric magic was something of a curiosity to him. Natsu at least seemed more like a stereotypical adventurer so it was easy to see how they were choosing to react to things.
Speaking after a few moments to Natsu who was with him outside of the building as they waited at the base of the path that ascended up the mountain towards the derelict shrine that the bandits were assumed to be using as a base, "It would be nice to maybe capture one of em' and make em' at least tell us how many other buddies could be up at the shrine itself... I would hate to walk into a dozen or so people with just our numbers. Four or so ain't bad, but any more then that might be too much to handle for us.... I am more of a planner anyhow.", pausing for a moment he decided to share his actual plan though, "We should hide on either side of the gate though, let them pass by the Torii and then ambush em'! I can throw one of these explosive flasks I have here at the stragglers and trap them in here with us then we just have to take out whomever is left yeah?".
Hopefully his plan seemed good enough for the others if Minora had come out in time to hear it, or if her Lantern fellow was able to catch any of that. On his end he was already in position as he laid in wait for their foes to come now, the light slowly fading as the sun was setting.
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Post by Natsunats-Shun on Nov 17, 2022 17:57:00 GMT -5
It took me a little while to process that no, it was not the lady who had spoken, but the lantern. It’s been bobbing around for a little while, and I was no stranger to magical artifacts- I had a few myself- but I’d never…seen? met? one that could speak. It took all of my self control to not stare at it so intently that I’d be considered rude, but I did look it over briefly, nodded to acknowledge that it had spoken before turning to it’s mistress. It unnerved me to think of how casually it spoke of torture, it reminded me of when I was method acting a villain, or just… feeling violent (those were not good times). Then again, it didn’t seem terribly bright or cruel, if the best it could think of was throwing rocks. I mean, 90% of the time my fighting style was throwing what ever I could get my hands on (which, more often than not, were rocks) even before I started having violent thoughts. Then again, judging by my research so far, I might have always had a violent tendency, it was just suppressed. Barring that, what unnerved me more, was that the lantern’s Miss had actually endorsed the cruelty, and requested “something better than throwing a rock”
Debrief done, I took up position in the sky, waiting to get the literal drop on the bandit’s vanguard.
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Post by Minora on Nov 23, 2022 14:07:00 GMT -5
With the plan appearing to have been set Minora walked off 25 meters from the road, enough distance for her to see the road and be out of harm's way. Fear was the tool she was aiming to use to scare one of them so badly he’ll give up anyone or anything but it had to be played carefully she’d have to try and keep two alive. She wanted two alive but if only one was around it wouldn’t make a huge difference, Minora raised her hand up creating another rock for her to sit on as she opened her book and began to read from it to herself.
-Short time later-
The sky grew dark so quick here it felt unreal before long Minora couldn’t continue reading her book forcing her to be something she hated so much, being bored. Only thing she could hope for was that they would at least show up soon and like that her prayers were answered by the sounds of jovial men after a fresh night of drinking and stealing. Four of them all close together probably feeling as if they own the whole place, each carrying what seemed like a pouch probably filled with some riches. Minora waited a few moments as they passed her and right into their path. First the one closest to her made the ground sink as she stepped down causing his foot to fall in the small hole twisting his ankle and putting him out of play as an archer. Once he was delt with she listened closely to the cries of a man in pain and the rest checked on him with on being a little more caring than the rest a relative or lover? She found a weak spot to exploit. Minora stood up, holding out both of her arms, her hands to forearms became molten with a black and red flame illuminating her and her surroundings, she screamed out getting the men's attention allowing the other two to do their jobs.
“I’ll give you the count of three to pray to whatever gods you believe in, ask them for mercy because for two of you it’s going to be a very very bad day…1..2..3!”
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