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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 26, 2023 12:31:09 GMT -5
Taki sat on the shore of the river that ran beside her home, meditating and communing with the spirits of the area. Having recently completed her Druid training, her connection to elemental spirits and animals had grown further. She could hear the voices of most creatures, and her affinity for Earth magics had grown beyond her wildest imaginings. She stood, bowing lightly to thank the spirits for their time and sharing information about the area. Walking back up the sandy beach, her outfit shifted to something more modest but still light and breathable for the balmy summer weather. As she walked into the house, she checked her message box. There was a letter awaiting her, which she carried into the small sunroom she usually had her lunch in.
'Miss Shitakibo, your services are requested in the Shadewood Forest. Recently there have been reports of a massive, magical creature wrecking farms and disrupting merchant caravans. The loss of life is growing at an alarming rate and we seek your expertise in ending the creature's terror before it becomes a matter of emergency. Please proceed, meeting up with another adventurer at the Falling Leaf Inn at your nearest convenience.'
She read the letter as she ate a snack, drinking juice she'd made from fresh fruit in her garden. She folded the letter, walking to her room to find Kamina resting comfortably. The tiny fae slept curled up on a leaf shaped cushion suspended between a pair of poles like a hammock. Taki gently rubbed her arm to rouse the Lightning Pixie, who stirred after a few moments and clung to the shaman's hand in a tight hug. Smiling at each other, the pixie yawned and fluttered up from the bed.
"Hi Taki, how are you?"
"I'm wonderful dear, sorry to disturb your rest but we've got traveling to do."
"Ooooh an adventure! Who's coming with us?"
"This adventure will be just the two of us, the others get to take a rest from this one. Will you please check the stocks of food for everyone, and let Yukina know we're going to be away for a while?"
"Right away miss, I cannot wait!" The pixie zipped off through the house, ecstatic to be going on a journey with Taki by herself. Meanwhile, Taki checked her pack and made sure her gear was all set to go before heading outside. She stopped by Rina's Hive to give the Flitten some affection and scoop up a small jar of honey as a treat for both her and Kamina. Walking out into the warm courtyard, Kamina came buzzing over.
"Everything is ready to go, and Yukina says she'll keep watch while we're gone."
"Let's head out then, we're supposed to meet someone for help before taking on this adventure."
The shaman tucked her gear into her pack, then shifted form into a large Snowy Owl. Scooping up the gear, she took flight with Kamina and headed out across the sea. Not far from the Crescent Isles, it took the pair a couple short hours of flying to reach the Inn. Landing not far away, Taki shifted back to her normal form and gathered up her gear. Walking in, she greeted the Innkeeper and showed the man the letter she'd been given. He pointed her to the dining hall and a table with a small Kenku.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jul 29, 2023 11:45:48 GMT -5
Fish the Sneak for their part had far less interest in doing good or restoring any natural balance in any of this. As always, their focus was on the scientific and the chance at rare things. The farther they progressed with alchemy, the harder it was to procure ingredients to further the study. The same goes for creating new arcanatek contraptions.
The aviankin was not content with sitting idle both physically and mentally. Ur-beasts were not common creatures and even rarer was the chance to kill one. Usually people held a special regard for these types of beasts, but go after a few people and it's easy to convince people to put up a bounty. Plus it was convienient timing for the bird coming in to Moonglade.
At the table, Fish made no secret of their arsenal and laid it out. They were going through everything they had as had become tradition for them at this point. Double and triple check that the supplies they need are there. They hold up one taloned finger to Taki as she approaches. A final visual check that they don't want to interrupt.
After a moment they look up and start to gather their things back into its specific spots. They seem to watch and wait, expecting Taki to speak first. Also, their hands were full so their main method of communication was blocked at the moment. Also also, they have incredibly poor manners and social etiquette so navigating that social minefield with the bird was always strange for new people.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jul 29, 2023 19:13:11 GMT -5
Taki studied the aviankin at the table, in a sense understanding the meticulous way they kept to their gear. She tilted her head, then nodded gently and motioned towards the door. While the giddy young pixie by her side seemed blissfully energetic, the shaman was calm and ready for a dangerous hunt. She was only so sure of the aviankin's intent, though her instinct seemed quite certain. The pair had eaten on their way into the city, so they were ready to head out into the wild and take on whatever may come their way.
Walking towards the door, Taki and Kamina thanked the host and exited the Inn. The air was cooling, streaked with reds, oranges and purples with the setting sun. As the shaman descended the staircase, she stopped near the bottom to wait for the mysterious adventurer.
"Miss, is this going to be a tough adventure?"
"Very likely Kamina, the threat of a magical beast is no joke, the threat of a divine beast even greater."
"Oh, is that why you didn't talk to the bird-man."
"Not at all, every one of their kind communicates differently and I got the impression that they weren't able to use that at the moment."
"I think I get it... still... we're going up against a scary thing... will it be okay?"
"There is no way of knowing, but likely it will work out eventually. Keep sharp from here on, once we're in the woods, we have only our wits to keep us safe."
"Yes Miss."
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Jul 30, 2023 11:54:35 GMT -5
Fish is surprised, but in a way grateful Taki intuits Fish's preferred option going right to business. Most people had several things to process first, the fact that they are a bird, their stature, then their inability to speak. Fish usually wasted 45 minutes getting people caught up on all of that.
They hop down from the table and head to the bartop, slipping something underneath a mug before they skitter out into streets starting to lead the way. At least they would lead the way through the streets, they have a muhc better bead on the flow of civilized society, and not so much the untamed wilderness.
The aviankin stops at the edge of town and stares out into the middle distance a moment. Their head tilts back and forth as they listen to the sounds, collecting as much information as they can through any sense. It's quieter than Fish would expect for the woods, but they are still inside the city limits. They likely won't pick up on anything until diving deeper.
"Dusk is a good time, suidae creatures are more active foraging now...Finding a lead should be easy." They sign back to Taki, but keep their eyes ahead for the moment. "You can speak to Fish, Fish is mute, not deaf." A potentially obvious remark, but Fish would start making a point of including it. Makes it easier if people know so Fish does not have to watch for their response and can keep eyes on the target.
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 1, 2023 22:14:09 GMT -5
Taki nodded in response, having followed Fish through the city. "Very well Fish, let's get this hunt underway." Taking a deep breath, her eyes began to glow softly with a misty blue light. A hazy shimmer swam over her vision as the dazzling lights of the local spirits came into view. The shaman focused on the sounds of their voices, the way they swam about her vision. Steadying herself, a pattern emerged that trailed out deeper into the gloomy woods.
"We head southwest, it may take a good bit of time to get there, though if you're capable of flight, we could make better time." Taki suggested, the light fading from her eyes. She turned in the general direction, waiting for Fish to respond as she considered what kind of creature she might shift into if the avian was capable of flight or faster travel. Having recently finished her Druid training, her connection to the earth, nature and the spirits of the world grew further. This allowed her to freely shift her form into various creatures, among other amazing benefits. Always eager to expand her experience and test the limits of her own ability, she looked forward to the challenge of facing off with a dangerous creature.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Aug 7, 2023 17:24:19 GMT -5
Fish squints as Taki overtakes them once they reach the edge of the city and into where she is likely more comfortable. They shake their head to toss away the thoughts. It was hard to fight back against their initial instinct that everyone was going to treat them like a child or discredit them. A slow battle into maturity that they would be dragged towards kicking and screaming.
When Taki asks her question, Fish merely raises their arms. Despite having all the feathers and appearance of a crow, their arms were taloned and wingless. Flight was never something the bird was all that interested in anyways. Nothing to steal in the sky....except the stars, but Fish had other plans for reaching those.
"Fish is fast enough on land, it will also help speed up the scouting process if one of us can cover high and one can cover low. Fish is adept at staying to the shadows, so Fish is confident that Fish can stay hidden should the creature be found."
During their walk, Fish had been keeping an eye to the shadows and looking for different places they could hide or duck in to if need be. There were a lot of tracks and such here, but Fish was not a hunter by any means. They wouldn't know exactly what to look for, but it can't be that hard to find a giant boar right?
If Taki is agreeable to splitting, Fish will stay low and duck into some of the underbrush.
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 11, 2023 4:55:26 GMT -5
Nodding her agreement, the shaman also signals her fae companion. A moment later, her body changes form, scales giving way to feathers as her arms fused into a pair of wide wings. With a hop and a couple of powerful flaps, the Taki took to the sky in the form of a Snowy Owl and began to scan the terrain for signs of their quarry. Kamina darted about, leaving little sparks of lightning when she would accelerate. The pair flew in an overlapping pattern that gave the shaman as much chance to catch the trail as Fish followed below. Wide eyes staring into the starlit gloom beneath her wings, she marveled at how different the experience was from being astride Hanehiko's back.
Several miles from the edge of town, the first signs of the Ur-beast's passing started cropping up. A downed tree, not overturned but battered over by great claws and strength, an area that didn't seem unstable or geologically active split open and covered in rubble. Taki let out a shrill call, banking wide over the area of rubble and doing her best to mimic it's rough shape in the sky. From her aerial vantage, she could see it's origin and understood the Earth spell effect responsible for the out of place feature of the terrain. The pair were on the right path, though how far into the forest it might be taking them was to be seen. While Fish couldn't be well seen from the air, she caught his faint scent from time to time when their paths were near. Hopefully the Kenku was able to understand her signals at least a little.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Aug 12, 2023 17:14:16 GMT -5
As they split, Fish would seem to just slip into the shadows and disappear from sight. Soon after, they would disappear from all senses as they moved through the underbrush.[1,2] They kept their eyes peeled for things that would be more easily seen from the ground.
Rutting marks, hoof prints, fur, anything of the sort. The bird hops along, looking at a few fibers left behind from something. Fish rolls them in their talon...it's pretty rough fur and from the size of it this could be from their prey. They had at least made it into the beast's domain.
Quickly, their eyes glance up to the sky when Taki calls out. Fish continues forward, nestling into the shadows of the broken tree. This was impressive to say the least. It wasn't often the more beast-like creatures could cast magic from Fish's perspective, but it wasn't impossible. This is probably why parts of it were so valuable and useful in alchemy.
Earth magic also meant Fish had little interest on being on the ground. They scrambled back towards the edge of the clearing and up into a tree. This space would be a good place to draw it out to though....it was open enough that Taki could hit from above, while Fish stuck to the shadows.
With little way to communicate, Fish decided to take action. They open their beak mimicking out the sound of pigs oinking and grunting.[3] Hopefully they got a response.
1. One with the Shadows 2. Pass Without Trace 3. Sound Throwing
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 13, 2023 6:33:15 GMT -5
Brown fur, claws like daggers, and a wide head with a narrow muzzle came barreling through the trees... it was no boar, but a great mountain bear. Covered in earthen runes and shards of stone protruding from it's body, it charged the clearing as if enraged by some unseen force. A fierce intelligence watched every leaf and shadow, seeing the odd owl circling in it's territory, it pointed it's head skyward and roared it's challenge to the sky. A moment later, a spray of sharp stones1 peppered the air where Taki was headed towards.
Banking sharply, the shaman dove down into the trees and shifted2 back to her normal form. The sound of the pebbles snapping branches and pelting the earth with tremendous force could be heard moments later. Thinking quickly, she drew her bow and nocked an arrow. Silently bounding from one tree to another, she found a clear shot and whispered softly to Kamina in Druidic. The tiny fae's body sparked for a brief moment, which jumped across to Taki and empowered her attacks with lightning damage. She let out a slow breath, concentrating on her shot, and loosed an arrow3 aimed at the creature's side where it was mostly fur.
1:Ur-Beast uses Pebble Shot 2: Cat's Grace to Dodge, then revert form (Druid Feature) 3: Kamina (Lightning Fae activation), Magic Blocker Shortbow (One Shot)
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Aug 19, 2023 14:13:11 GMT -5
Fish watched the boar come charing into the clearing, gripping tight to the trunk of the tree they were in as it barreled through. This thing was large and didn't seem to be too bothered by obstacles. They would have to toss out any ideas of simple traps and snares to catch this thing. Fish would need days to create something that could slow it enough to matter.
It is also intelligent shown by it leading the shot on Taki and the fact that it can cast magic at all. A curious beast, Fish is starting to understand why the job wasn't being taken up by too many people. It hears the twang of a bow string being released and stamps the ground to summon a crystalline wall to protect itself.[1]
This is Fish's chance. It has walled itself in the front, meaning the back was exposed. The bird crosses the battlefield in an instant, getting into another shaded thicket.[2] A bolt is quickly retrieved and dipped into a vial before Fish takes aim.
The bolt sinks into the right flank of the boar causing it to roar out in pain as the arrow sinks deep.[3,4] The boar huffs and grunts, but its movements seem slowed and senses dulled. It slowly turns and lumbers around trying to find the source of this shot, but suddenly stops.[5] It remains frozen emplace for the time being.
Fish works on quickly reloading their crossbow and reloacting where they stand so the beast can't just track them.
1. Boar uses Crystalline Shard 2. Shadow Walk 3. Dual Shot 4. Crippling Wound 5. Fish's God Killer Poison
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 22, 2023 15:39:54 GMT -5
As the creature turned away, Taki noticed the bolts buried in the bear's pelt. A seething venom was spreading through it's veins and slowing it down quickly. Likely it was now focused on finding the shooter, though it hadn't forgotten the shaman perched in a tree... possibilities raced through her mind as she watched the breathing of the bear grow labored.
"Keta, Ryu, both of you be ready to follow me, let's give our big friend a battle worthy of it's majesty and ferocity." Said the shaman, whose spirit flowed into the earth. She connected with the primordial Elemental who had introduced her to the magic in the first place, letting the energy envelop her body. She stepped off the limb, the ground below swelling to meet her stride as she took the form of a massive Earth Elemental1. Lightning arced and crackled across the surface of the stone and soil that the shaman now embodied.
The great beast probably would still tower over the shaman at her size, but it was only right that such a battle be the end to Taki. Resolved, a deep groaning rumble preceded her charge. Tucking her four heavy limbs against her chest, she slammed her twenty feet of stone2 into the side of the bear. It groaned and roared defiantly, the heavy blow unable to tip the great beast over.
Rearing onto it's hind legs, the Divine Bear stood close to thirty feet tall. It wavered, teetered for a moment, blinking to get it's bearings as Taki prepared to defend from it's answering strike. Slowed by Fish's poison, and now under the influence of Taki's Spirit Guardians3 as they moved to flank her, the beast seemed as if it were in slow motion as it tried to swipe at it's new foe's presumed head. The shaman ducked, feeling the pressure change in the air as the mass of muscle and claw and fur passed over her head.
Taking a cautious step back, the shaman's senses4 felt the shift in the bear's mass as it prepared for another attack. A bright silvery glow emanated from the craggy protrusions across it's body, as well as the darker markings on it's fur. The magic then pushed out into the earth and surrounded Taki, splitting open and attempting to envelop5 the shaman in thick plates of stone and vine.
Quick as a cat, Taki bunched on her elemental legs and threw her mass through the gap6. Sparks and chunks of debris fell in a cascade as she barely managed to squeeze her bulk out of the gargantuan spell.
She braced for the next attacks, arms tucked tight to her body... what would it do next?
1: Taki's Soul of Primordial Earth 2: Uses Strike from 1 [Empowered by Kamina (2/3), One with Nature (Druid Feature: bypass Resists/Immunities with Earth damage. Does a Large amount of Earth, Blunt and Lightning damage, bypassing hit preventions] 3: Keta and Ryu flank Taki [Spirit Guardians (4/4 + 4/4) Lv 4: Empowered Elemental Spells, Enemy Spell Intensity and Duration -1, Slow plus Movement Restriction, Physical and Martial Debuff, Hit Preventions and Enchantments Nullified] 4: Geomagnetic Sense 5: Bear casts Earth Bind [Reduced from Exalted to Master because of 3. (1/1 Duration)] 6: Taki uses Cat's Grace to slip out of the spell before being entrapped.
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Aug 23, 2023 19:13:32 GMT -5
The blows crash into the Divine Bear as it sways, unable to move from the poison. It grunts and bellows out in a mix of rage and pain at its inability to do anything at the moment. This thing may be leagues above most beasts, but it still has the primal and animalistic fear of a cornered animal.
"DO NOT RUN FROM ME GNATS, FACE ME" The bear's roar shakes and rattles the tree as Fish's surprise at least the bear speaks the common tongue.
After the challenge it lunges forward and crashes through its own earthen wall. Even though it is able to move again, the poison still slows the bear making the swings at Taki sluggish and easy to dodge. The wind pressure from the massive paws is hard to bear, pun intended, though. If this thing gets moving up to speed again, then they will have to be much more careful.
In a rare move, Fish scuttles through the tree and lets their presence be known. As they do, the bear turns and splits its attention but it is far too slow to keep up with the bird. The aviankin makes their way between the trees, firing another pair of shots on the run.[1]
One bolt curves around the trees while the other seems to ricochet off and impact a different area of the bear.[2] On impact, both bolts do explode and send smoke trailing from the bear. The thick fur absorbed a lot of the blast from the explosive bolts, but the blood trickling down meant they were doing damage. It also added the benefit of striking from multiple spots leaving the bear unsure of where to go.
1. Far Sight 2. True Hunter
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 26, 2023 1:24:39 GMT -5
"INFERNAL INSECTS!!" Roared the bear, spraying the field with another hail of pebbles. Taki managed to leap over the attack at the last moment, landing closer to the enraged beast. The labor in it's breathing was growing deeper, having to struggle against the consuming poison and successive blows from both adventurers. The shaman ducked beneath another wild strike, stepping outside the bear's strike to connect with a heavy strike of her own. She willed her spirit forward, throwing both left arms from the shoulders and hips with tremendous ferocity. Bones cracked, skin split, and the creature's arm went limp as it spun from the force of the blow.
Realizing the trap was already sprung, Taki tried to draw her guard up but it was too slow. The bear's paw connected with her stone reinforced body with a thundrous sound. Lifted from her feet, the shaman's elemental body went sprawling through the trunks of trees and brush before finally breaking free of the stone protection. She sailed a few more feet beyond, entangled in the low limbs of a tree. Darkness engulfed her mind, her body battered and twisted in the tree's branches.
Spiraling down... dark... cool... rest... Her spirit drifted, wavering on the edge of life. Everything seemed unusually slow. The Bear? Fish?! KETA! RYU!! thoughts raced as the gravity of the last few moments sank it. She'd taken the brunt of a well experienced attack... but what had happened to her body? Had she passed on? Doing all she could to remain calm, Taki let her spirit rest and recover. Hopefully the battle would be over soon, Fish would be safe, and she would at least wake up...
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Post by Fish the Tinkerer on Sept 3, 2023 18:15:20 GMT -5
Seeing Taki getting batted out of the sky, Fish would reflexively take to the shadows. Tendrils would reach up to catch the druid and ease her to the ground rather than letting her crater below. The aviankin knew they were at a serious disadvantage without help.
Still, they had enough tricks to at least try and finish this off. Their main concern in the immediate moment was figuring out how to pull its attention away from Taki. She was the easy target now so it made sense the bear would start to focus on her. Fish dropped down below and ducked into the shadows again.
Taking aim, Fish would fire off two bolts again coated in a new poison this time. As the bolts pierce into the bear, the shafts would break off as if brittle and old. What was really happening was the parasite poison eating into the bear and through the ammunition itself. The hide was thick, but if Fish could open up a hole they could make a much more significant impact.
From the shadows, Fish mimics more animal noises as they circle around to try and catch the bear's attention. It slowly lumbers around, looking once more from where it was. The new injury and noises kept it confused. It sniffed the air trying to find anything, but struggled to locate the bird. It could trace the faint scent trail of the poison. It roars out and begins to lumber in that direction ready to level the entire forest.
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Post by Shitakibo on Sept 6, 2023 11:58:05 GMT -5
In her mind, she sat under the falls of her home meditating peacefully and having pleasant conversation with various spirits. These spirits felt strange to her though, their voices not those of the usual vibrant and flowy beings that visited her home. Their whispers held shadowy tendrils that antagonized the shaman if she were not calm and prepared. Each time she tried to take a deep breath, her entire body felt as if it were going to shatter. She willed her lungs to the slowest, shallowest breaths possible, her spirit drawing a sort of shield around her as she waited.
Meanwhile, Fish and the Bear danced about, each looking for an opportunity to gain the upper hand. Two more shots twanged from the Kenku's crossbow, landing heavy thuds against the creature. It lumbered off after what it thought to be the source, crashing through the brush. Kamina and Ryu rushed to Taki's side as she lay unconcious, while Keta tried her best to keep the Ur-Bear on the edge of her aura. The shaman's companions were clearly shaken as they tried to shake the Orochi awake.
"Taki! Taki!! MISS!!" Cried the small lightning pixie, trying to shake her awake.
"Shitakibo, AWAKEN!!" Roared the serpentine form of Ryu as the misty Guardian lifted a pair of her arms and dropped them...
A tremor rolled across the plane of her mind, as if some powerful footsteps were shaking the very planet with their passing. Through the din of shadowy voices one distinct word rang out across the sky... Awaken... that voice... If Ryu wasn't here with her...
Taki snapped awake with a heaving cough and gasping for breath. Her lungs and chest ached profusely, her body felt battered. Seeing her companions' emotional faces helped her calm down as her mind recalled what was happening. The pain attuned her senses to their surroundings like a dense fog clearing. She took a shallow breath and willed her body up, steadying herself on a tree while she took a moment to think. How could she fix her own injuries and give herself the best chance to finish the divine bear? Fish needed her help, and she his... there must be a way...
A wicked chuckle echoed through the forest as the shaman walked towards the bear as if she were losing her grip on reality. She coughed hard, spitting up a glob of pink foamy fluids as she leaned her head back and opened her arms wide. A guttural, hissing sound seemed to emanate from somewhere within the shaman as she shifted, each of her arms growing into a thick corded neck topped with a serpentine head as the rest of her body took the form of a Hydra with Five heads. Charging at the bear, each head took aim and unleashed a gout of tremendous electrical current. Her wounded chest began to knit itself together as the pair of mythical creatures clashed in a flurry of fur, claws, fangs and scales. Her body ached, her mind trying to keep it's hold on the waking world as she tried to make another opening for Fish to take the creature down.
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