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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Jul 2, 2023 19:51:11 GMT -5
First it was the Acuila, now it's the Cockatrice. As a person who has grown up in Dragon's Cradle, I know how these small creatures fight, swift, clean and very little leeway for how to kill them. These pesky creatures are hard to kill with their magic resistance, so excellent marksmen are needed, and their flying causes even more problems. As mainly a mage, it is hard to take them down without much planning, but the skill is only a resistance, not nullification. The many methods used for these little creatures play in my mind as I travel around King's Valley. I was simply trying to get to the Marshes, but one of the tribes recognized me from my races and asked that I be of some assistance to these pesky creatures. Behind me, one could see Rosemary, a tiny six-inch pixie freely flying around and checking the skies in case I couldn't see anything or one of the small annoyances. On my other side, a small griffin was flying around, singing happy tune I had played in the confines of my home. It is very harmonic and slightly freeing to hear Nit's piano accompaniment and my violin playing without any actual instruments needed to be played in the moment. Nit was not one to wish to visit the marshes, seeing who has been there for a few years now, but reluctantly he was following the group. After the request was made, it was as if he had brightened up, as if hoping for a detour. While I know he has his qualms against the marshes, this was just childish. I shake my head before looking around once more. While I didn't see any of the Cockatrice, I instead see a friendly face.
Bringing: NPC: Rosemary (does not count) [Pixie] Nitin Ashwood [Earth Domain Apprentice] Pet: Carminda (does not count) [Songbird Griffin] Quest Name: Violent Skies Participants: Two or more Location: King's Valley Post Requirements: 6 post per person, 200 words per post Reward: +1 Renown, +1 Feather, +1 Fang Description: Several packs of Cockatrice have been disturbed by the recent seismic activity up north, causing them to flock south to foreign lands seeking food and shelter. However these vicious birds are now stalking and attacking people or wildlife traveling through the open fields of the valley. These big, dangerous birds are invasive to the wildlife down south and are causing issues for the local horse tribes. Travel to the Valley, hunt one of these flocks and take out the group of birds.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 2, 2023 20:25:54 GMT -5
Having recently upgraded Hanehiko's gear, Taki had been eager for the last few days to give it a try when a message arrived from King's Valley. Apparently there was a flock of Cockatrice causing a great deal of trouble in the area and needed dealing with. She knew a little of the creatures, and how dangerous they might be in groups. She wasn't terribly worried about their resistance to magic, but their other abilities meant they'd be a difficult quarry. She opted to go solo into this one, letting her companions rest from the constant travels and encounters with various creatures. This would be a hunt, and Taki enjoyed them most when she didn't have a gaggle of her most treasured companions to keep after.
With instructions to keep watch and rest up for the next adventure left for her dearest friends, she swung herself into the new saddle and gave Hanehiko a gentle tug towards the east. It would be a solid day's journey, even with the swift wings of the lovely Celestial Manta speeding them along. The rush of wind around her was no longer a force to be fought, but one she could enjoy in comfort, even 'surfing' upon Hanehiko's back at a speedy cruise just below the clouds.
The pair descended into the Valley, where she spotted an all too familiar black and white dress awaiting her. Apparently Taki wouldn't be a solo as she thought, but that only made things more fun and interesting in the end. As she dismounted, she hopped down from Hanehiko and tucked the reigns into a saddle compartment to keep them out of the creature's way while she was off on her own. "Be well, happy hunting my friend." She said, watching Hanehiko sail off into the sky once more to enjoy a bit of time resting herself. She walked over to Keyke and her companions with a smile. "Hello again, fancy meeting you here. I see you've brought friends along on this adventure."
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Dragon’s Cradle
Life is a game, we are the pieces and the environment is the board. Wanna play?
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Jul 3, 2023 16:57:57 GMT -5
Seeing the giant and mystical Celestial Manta, I questioned if the report was correct or if the difficulty that was about to happen was an unknown challenge that the local people didn't even know about. Though just seeing the size of the shadow, it was unlikely they wouldn't know about this creature when they assigned me for Cockatrice herds to kill. It was a vast difference that none in this region would knowingly try to do. I stop and hold up my hand, signaling for the group to stop. I saw a figure casually riding on its back as it grew closer. The garb of naturalistic colors and simplistic form only fit one person I knew. Taki.
I waved my hand to her as she descended to the ground on the manta. I walk forward, my friends following my lead, to meet Taki in the middle. Watching it ascend back to the sky was an image that will have stored in my mind as pure glee of such a friendly and powerful being. I turn my face back down to look at Taki, "Hello once more; we always seem to run into one another in our journeys." I giggle, "Indeed, you know Nit and Rosemary," I gesture to both as I say their names, "This is my newest one, Carminda, a songbird griffin." After his name is stated, he releases a harmonic toot, doing a happy twirl and striking a pose to finish the tune.
I jokingly roll my eyes and look at Taki again, "So, what brings you and your majestic mount to these plains?" I cross my arms to show my relaxed side of things as I keep glancing around for the small bugs.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 3, 2023 22:33:22 GMT -5
"According to the letter I was given, there's a problem with a flock of Cockatrice in the area causing all manner of mayhem. Nasty little things that attack on sight, and even the best of tamers struggle to bring one to heel. Plus, the letter specified they wanted the pests hunted down, not relocated... sad but understandable if they're being so very disruptive to the local environment. If this was their native lands, I probably would approach this peacefully. Invasive species are devastating to the local ecosystem though, this is a little too close to home for comfort. So... here I am, ready to hunt some very dangerous prey." Replied the shaman, who'd been pondering a good way to hunt the creatures as she traveled. Knowing there would be many of the beasts meant the need for good tactics and a clear plan on what to do in case they failed would be vital to not getting overwhelmed.
"How about you? Are you also here to hunt or some other purpose?" She inquired, curious and hoping that were the case. While Taki had a solid plan, having others around opened up a lot of tactical options. She was all too aware of Keyke's abilities in a fight, and would be grateful to have them around if indeed she was on the same mission. As she was pondering, she noticed some of the local spirits seemed restless, frightened even. Perhaps her quarry was nearby and she wouldn't have to spend precious daylight tracking them all through the grassy plains and forest of the valley.
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Dragon’s Cradle
Life is a game, we are the pieces and the environment is the board. Wanna play?
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Jul 4, 2023 23:46:07 GMT -5
As Taki describe over the hunt requested of them, I nodded along, absorbing the exact request. As a native of these creatures, they don't compromise or ever listen to anyone other than their own kind. So it makes sense the people would as for killing, even from a person known for animal love. I release my arms that had shifted to a thinking position over my body unknowingly. With a shake of my hands, I place them back down, if only to be ready for if any of the creature attack.
I give her a smile, "We were just going to travel through, but then some locals also requested a similar activity from us. So we decided to be of help while traveling." I nod to the direction of the Marshes, "We were going to travel to the Marshes, but as a local to where these creature come from, I can personally say they can't be reasoned with. To them they are elite and the best till proven otherwise, and that includes past death." I shake my head, "They are an annoying bunch, especially with their pack like ways." I sigh and look around, sensing something watching us. "On your guard everyone, we have company." I unlock my saber and wait for the presence to reveal itself, Nit gathered fire in his hands, and the tinies dipped out of the way, keeping an eye out to help.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 5, 2023 0:02:39 GMT -5
Taki made a quick gesture with each hand, and four tiny motes of flame appeared in a ring around the shaman. The Flame Sprites orbited slowly as she drew her shuriken and relaxed into her usual combat stance. Preparations complete, she let out a soft, low whistle and her Spirit Guardians appeared one in front her, the other standing near Keyke's group. The sprite's color changed from a yellowy-orange to a teal-blue, doubling their intensity as the guardian's aura washed over the immediate area. Taki willed her Morph Suit to shift into a more form fitting attire that left her arms and feet bare. As she touched the earth, her senses spread out over a wide area that showed her they were being quietly stalked by the flock of pests.
Grinning wide, she took aim. Her legs pushed as her arms snapped forward and four metal spikes flew with incredible speed and precision into one of the nearby, flanking critters. It screeched in pain for a split second before dropping, warning the others of the flock they'd been made. Each of the flame sprites targeted a nearby Cockatrice as they launched a furious assault. Like water through a funnel, they'd fanned out across much of the field and now through themselves at shaman and her companions. The four nearest her were struck by bright blue lances of magical fire, taken by surprise as their flight was hindered by the Guardian's Aura, while it empowered the shaman's magic to an incredibly lethal degree. In unison, the pair began to advance at the flank to their side as her blades came sailing back to her hands.
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Life is a game, we are the pieces and the environment is the board. Wanna play?
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Aug 1, 2023 22:41:17 GMT -5
The quick fashion that Taki had spawned the flame spirits was astounding; her vibe as a spirit of nature was not to be overlooked. In fact, with the grace that everything had, I was not even needed to help fight this group. The others just shared a look, each person picking a part to aid the front runner simply. I flick my wrist, my parasol switching out for my violin. With a smile, I let loose along the strings of art I held. The speed and magic ingrained rushed the world around us, knowing any physical movement made by anyone that was a friend was doubled, not to mention that every cockatrice was slower. This means those even far away could hear me, and the oh-so-fast wings needed to fly were slowing down, preventing some from staying in the air; others were starting to drop down, inhibitions showing clearly on them.
With my song in the play and the buffs gained by both me and the spirit, Nit could release fire bolt after firebolt to those still high in the sky. Little hardships could be seen, and pride in his usefulness to the battle was apparent along his face. The little ones were a sight to behold; Rosemary was flying close to them, then speeding away, and projectiles got to just the proper distance, acting as a herder for the ones running away. Carminda was having a fun time, the bugs that had fallen, and he was using the boosts gain to stomp on them till dead, his little claws and beak allowing for bypass on their little defense. It was something stunning to see.
Note of Momentum (1/3)
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 6, 2023 7:40:37 GMT -5
Taki danced, weaved and twisted her way across the hindered battlefield. Ryu followed her closely, shadowing her path as she wades through the horde of flapping wings and angry beaks. She hopped over one pitiful leap, twisting mid-air and skewering it's vulnerable spots with a pair of shuriken. It squeaked, dropped and drew more shrieking fury from it's remaining brethren. The flock kept making wild leaps, trying to gain the skies above despite their wings moving as if weighted by a pair heavy stones.
As the shaman was lining up for a throw on a fleeing bird, the Sprites unloaded on another pair that were trying to sneak up on her through the long grass. Four streaks of blazing fire slammed into the pair, setting their bodies alight as they fled screeching through the grass like living torches. A few seconds later, the flames died down and left smoldering, charred piles of feathers and bone behind. She loosed her readied shuriken, the pair of sharp projectiles punching tiny lethal holes in another bird. The flow of Keyke's music, as well as the assistance of her companions worked to force the flock to either attack Taki directly or face their combined tactics.
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Aug 13, 2023 20:24:51 GMT -5
I kept playing, allowing for our fight to progress smoothly. It was as if we were creating a performance, Taki's fighting like a dance, my music, Carminda singing in on points he's heard while I practice with Nit, heck, even Rosemary was having some form of fun in our massacre of bugs. And she doesn't even like to be in battles. Nit was also getting a great amount of magic control training out of this. He had to test and try how the buffs affected the magic he used. Some bolts were regular in size, and others, mainly in the beginning, were huge and blasted to many. It was a significant fire hazard in these plains, so he had to learn fast. He succeeded in it, but not without some help from Rosemary when she had to lightly coat one of him so his spell didn't destroy us along with the pests.
I found it to be a pleasant way for us to reconnect after the last job we had to do. One ending in death for peace, one beginning in battle. The irony of how we met and who is with us was not lost on me. If anything, that small realization helped spur me to do more.
1. Note of Momentum (2/3) 2. Coat of element water (by pixie) 3. Fire Bolt (Nit) turned water bolt for 1 major shot from Pixie
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 17, 2023 1:22:01 GMT -5
Tucking the shurikens into their pouch as she dodged another strike, Taki enjoyed the melody of Keyke's music as she set about casting Flame Sprites again. A pair of sigils were traced in the air as she slipped through another flourish of sluggish attacks from the remaining members of the flock. Another pair of sprites added their flitting orbits to the four Taki already had summoned. She and Ryu danced across the battlefield as the music swelled, careful to keep out of the waiting talons of their foes.
Almost in unison, the six Sprites disgorged bolts of stone and fire that burned bright streaks across the battlefield. Each slammed into a bird nearby and left it a charred ruin. Surprised by the potency of the shaman's spells in overcoming their innate resistance, the flock's attention was hellbent on getting rid of this powerful threat as they continued dwindling quickly under withering fire from both parties. Marveling at the calm with which she'd been able to fight these creatures so far, Taki found herself strangely immersed in the music. Each time her feet touched the earth, the movements of the others echoed through her mind in symphony with her own. It was rare that she experienced such a serene moment in the heat of battle, and gave the shaman pause about the magics entwined in song and dance. Perhaps she would ask Keyke more after they finished off the remaining few Cockatrice.
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Dragon’s Cradle
Life is a game, we are the pieces and the environment is the board. Wanna play?
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Aug 27, 2023 4:11:54 GMT -5
The group attacking us was noticeably smaller; there was nothing much else to do. We were all swift and quick. I keep my music, allowing my music to speed around, but when I focused on the fighting style of Taki. I noticed her movements followed the beat of my song, a song to direct death. It is an honor for me to guide with my music in this battle. I focused on the tempo, allowing for the intense parts of the song to play smoothly and trying to hit every single final note. The challenge is always a struggle, no matter how many times I play it. I close my eyes and focus on my senses, feeling my time seem to slow down as I hit the wave of notes in the song. I could feel the lapse in the ending. I keep my eyes closed, pouring my impatience into a final draw. I finally open my eyes when my final note finishes it's wale. The strategies for the rest did not change much, but the quality of the work was only enhanced. Carminda quit singing to allow for the final violin solo, his focus on shutting up the needless sound of bugs. Rosemary quit flying around, the mass now whittled to a few around us, and listened to the intense song ready for its grand end. Nit did not stop, He let a blast off to his remainder in the sky, allowing the music to flow over his body as it lowered battle mode to listen to the familiar pattern of the strings, his own fingers plucking in the air where to play the piano with her.
1. Note of Momentum (3/3) 2. Nit's fire bolt
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 27, 2023 10:42:56 GMT -5
As the final notes of the song faded, the Sprites spit one final volley of fire and earth. Bobbing about excitedly around the shaman, the little balls of flame seemed to take exceptional joy in their existence. With a sigh and a shaking head, Taki set about gathering the fallen herd into one place. She managed to salvage anything and everything from their roasted, blasted remains she could before giving the creatures their Last Rites and returning their spirits to the flow of the cosmos.
While Taki found it difficult to mourn such a loss, she was nevertheless solemn at the valiant and instinctual fight the Cockatrice flock presented. Sending adventurers of this calibur to mop them up was the kind of percieved threat to those who'd been in charge. Still, it was good to see Keyke and company again and she enjoyed taking the stage for this battle. Flexing her magical and physical prowess was growing more difficult with time, as each stage of progress built upon the others like an inverted pyramid. Now that Taki was pushing into the pinnacle of her spiritual and magical training, the growth and experience to take another step seemed exponentially far away. She walked over to Keyke and company with a smirk.
"Well then... you have my thanks once more Keyke, Nit, Rosemary and Carminda. Your song was lovely by the way, invigorating even... I shall not forget it soon. You should stop by the house soon when you've got some free time and we can have a relaxing day for once." Taki said, bowing to Keyke and her companions. The shaman let out a low, warbling whistle to signal Hanehiko a moment later. One more task marked off her list of ever increasing life... An unexpected result of the shaman's increasing Renown amongst Charon.
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Post by Lady Keyke Runi on Sept 1, 2023 17:27:15 GMT -5
At the farewell, I knew I would give one final say before she left. With a light curtsy from me, a deeper bow from Nit, Rosemary landing along the top of my hat and following my actions, and a dramatized flip in the air by Carminda to allow for his wings to act as his arms for a bow. It was an odd sight to see by passersby if there were any. It was all in a quick motion for Carminda and me. Rose and Nit taking longer before raising back up. With a light smile, I say, "Thank you for listening mainly, but for taking care of the Cockatrice as well." I give her a wave of goodbye, "I hope to visit sometime soon." Nit gives an affirmative nod, while the littles look a bit confused.
With a giggle, my group gathers a few remaining bodies and brings them back to the original village, who asked for help. I refused payment for dealing with creatures native to my area, after all, I learned something much more interesting than before with this travel. I turn to Nit, "Let's go get your brother now!" He released a long groan at the reminder of why we were here in the first place.
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