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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on May 3, 2024 15:41:06 GMT -5
Xalmann didn't like being on boats. For one thing, he was a being of earth and fire. Being surrounded by water as far as the eye could see, with no solid ground beneath him. It made him uncomfortable. For another, he was a criminal trying to avoid being found. Being on a boat, there was nowhere to run if he was found, and a fight would be a bad idea. Using any of his fire might set the boat aflame and sink him along with it. Xalmann and boats just weren't a good match right now. It was the main reason he had travelled on foot all the way from the Marsh Flats to the Ash Lands, but that had been for nothing. Zarius wasn't there. All he could do after that was keep travelling, and now he had finally boarded a ship. He just hoped no one would recognize him. He kept covered with a cloak, though his lizard-like snout with crimson scales was still visible sticking out of his hood and his tail stuck out behind him. He meshed with wearing a disguise about as well as he did with boats. "You think it'll show up?" He overhead some deckhand asking as he stood against the railing, trying to be inconspicuous. "The dragon? I hope not. They saw it in the waters pretty far from here. Hopefully it swam in the other direction after sinking that boat." "But what do we do if it came this way? Captain gave us some harpoons, but I don't think we can fight a dragon." The whispered conversation continued until they noticed Xalmann listening and went back to work in awkward silence. Xalmann hadn't heard anything about a dragon. Not surprising. It was hard to keep up with rumors and news while avoiding contact with people. It sounded like trouble. Bringing Pets: Ghastly Lantern
Quest Name: Dragged into the Sea Participants: Two or more Location: Luna Sea Post Requirements: 8 posts per person, 250 words per post Reward: +1 Mystical Archive Ticket, Choice of 1 Rare crafting material Description: Dragons do as they please, and no matter how well protected one thinks they are, a dragon encounter is always a quick way to ruin the day. A large adult Sea Dragon has been spotted out on the open ocean, roaming around and attacking ships as they try to enter the inner sea around Sol City. The aquatic dragon has been causing all kinds of chaos and needs to be dealt with; however, its ability to both fly and swim has made it a slippery target. Head out to sea and handle this problem before it becomes to much to deal with.
Special Requirements: A ship is needed to venture out and fight the Dragon. This can be a personal ship or one you have purchased passage on (You do not need to own a personal ship to do the quest).
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Post by Shitakibo on May 7, 2024 8:17:37 GMT -5
If this were any other situation, Taki wouldn't be caught aboard a ship for herself. She'd been hired recently to assist in this voyage as a lookout, though the captain was vague about exactly what to be looking out for... 'sea monsters' wasn't exactly descriptive. Rumors around the docks where she'd boarded ranged from the mundane pirate encounters or strange creatures seen from a distance, to wild tales of ships being attacked by serpents and dragons. She was lucky to have her current companions with her, as they'd been on a trip to the port city for supplies and trade when this job was presented.
Hanehiko swam below the ship, keeping a lazy pace about five fathoms under the keel. Yukina circled high above, her speckled browns standing out in stark contrast to the snowy white of her feathers. Closer at hand, and hovering just a few feet over the crow's nest where the shaman stood was a small elemental. Cirrus couldn't converse, but still expressed themselves with their outward appearance. The four of them kept watch, the shaman resting on occasion with the comfort of her companion's vigilance.
Below, she could hear the crew's voices, though she couldn't discern what the scuttlebutt was. Peering over the edge of the nest, she noted the deckhands as well as the strange passenger trying to keep to themselves. She hoped they weren't here to cause any trouble... the last thing they needed was some kind of internal strife, just in time for the captain's sea monster to spring forth from the waves.
Companions: Hanehiko [Celestial Manta, Slipstream Bridle], Yukina [Snow Owl], Cirrus [Stormcloud Servant, Sleigh Bell]
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on May 7, 2024 17:52:20 GMT -5
Xalmann looked up at the crow's nest at the feeling of being watched. If someone on this ship recognized him, it would be troublesome. Whoever the watchman in the crow's nest was, he had never met them before, but he couldn't be sure they wouldn't have gotten his description from someone else. This cloak didn't hide that they were a red Lizardfolk very well.
Farther up, Xalmann could see a large mostly white bird flying above the ship, standing out against the blue sky. It had been there just about the entire journey so far, circling above the ship. He would have thought it was dangerous if it hadn't been there since leaving the docks. Apparently some hired guard had a bunch of animals with them and that was one of them.
Xalmann never understood the appeal of having so many pets. He preferred working alone, and that included animals. No one in his village had ever kept a pet. Whatever animals they could capture in the Marsh Flats were food, not friends. Even the horses pulling the wagons and carriages they raided met that fate. Horses didn't do well in swamps.
He held his right hand to his left shoulder. Inside the wooden shoulder of his replacement arm, hidden away beneath his cloak, he felt the familiar warmth of the little fire spirit living inside, providing the magic that let his arm move as well as if it were really part of him. At this point, maybe it was. The roots attaching it to him dug into his flesh and interweaved with his nerves and muscle fibers. The roots and vines making up the arm might as well be considered one with him. He at least was sure he couldn't remove it if he wanted to.
This fire spirit wasn't a pet. It was just something he was forced to deal with when he received the prosthetic arm. He only cared about its safety because he needed it to power his arm. He didn't have any real fondness for it. It was even annoying at times. He only named it Ash to make it easier to refer to.
Xalmann walked away from the railing, toward the center of the deck. In the blind spot of the crow's nest, he leaned his back against the wooden mast and stood there, waiting out the boat ride, the sails above full of the wind. The boat was making good progress. Hopefully this ride wouldn't be too much longer. The faster he could get off this boat, the better.
As he thought that, the full sails drooped as the wind lessened to nearly a standstill. The wind had stopped. The water around them, an average choppiness the whole ride so far, suddenly became oddly still. Something was happening.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 12, 2024 0:00:22 GMT -5
Cirrus' demeanor changed a moment before the steady wind they'd been enjoying dissipated. Taki looked up to spot Yukina overhead circling, but she hadn't spotted or signaled anything unusual yet. Below, the crew were already reacting, rigging sails and coordinating efforts to be ready for wherever it might wish to blow next. Peering out over the water, it was almost eerily calm for the open seas. Leaning over the nest, she called down to the helmsman.
"Things are almost glassy up here as far as these eyes can see. Almost oddly so, as if the sea itself is holding it's breath."
"Aye, that is a might odd. Keep watch for any peculiar motion from the water."
"Aye, ser!"
Taki thumped a fist against her scaled chest in salute, and went back to walking slow circles around the Crow's Nest. After a full circuit, she slapped her tail against the heavy mast three times. The dull thud was a signal to Hanehiko below to switch from passively keeping watch to a more active search pattern. Hearing it, the Celestial Manta dove deeper beneath the keel and began searching in a wide pattern all around the ship.
The shaman resumed her patrols, watching the strangely glassy surface. Yukina and Cirrus searched overhead while Hanehiko scoured below. As Taki was rounding the port side towards the aft of the boat, she caught a glimpse of an odd disturbance on the surface. Stopping, she snapped her head in that direction and scanned the surface again. A moment later, Hanehiko breeched the surface with tremendous speed. The manta banked hard and activated their Slipstream Bridle as soon as they were clear of the surface, streaking upwards as if unbound by gravity. Before the wake of her passing had settled, a wide area around it churned violently before bubbling outwards and bursting forth in a fountain of mist and sea water. A large serpentine shape chased Hanehiko skyward for a moment, letting out a bellowing roar as it's prey quickly retreated.
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on May 19, 2024 13:01:24 GMT -5
The long, serpentine shape suddenly flared outward as, like a cobra's hood expanding, a pair of massive, spiney, fin-like wings unfurled from around its body, sending a spray of seawater outward in every direction. Its head was similar to a serpents, with pointed teeth and slit pupils in its giant yellow eyes, but it had a mane of what looked like red hair. Gills flared out on either side of its neck just below its mane. The entire body was covered in thick, draconian scales, dark blue on its back and a lighter, nearly white blue for its ventral scales.
With the celestial manta flying off out of reach, its eyes drifted to much easier prey. The ship that couldn't fly into the air, away from it. It moved surprisingly quickly for such a massive creature, its serpentine body flexible and strong. It shot toward the ship, its mouth open and ready to snatch a screaming crewmember off the deck, but it was stopped in its tracks as a burst of flame suddenly filled its mouth and it reeled back with an angry roar.
Xalmann stood on the deck, an axe in hand and pointed toward the serpent, as if he'd just finished swinging it. He glared at the sea dragon, readying himself to attack it again.
Everyone else on deck scrambled to get below deck. Only a few others, other hired guards, stayed above, but they looked like they were hardly equipped to be fighting a sea dragon. Pirates or smaller beasts, maybe, but this was out of their league. Xalmann didn't care if they tried to help as long as they didn't get in his way. He wouldn't be trying to protect them.
Massive Fireball Arcane Focus
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Post by Shitakibo on May 28, 2024 21:37:49 GMT -5
Taki leapt up to the top of the main mast as the spray of sea water blasted the ship, so she got a decent view of the hooded stranger as they tossed a gargantuan ball of flame into the dragon's maw as it charged. An eager grin spread across the shaman's features, hopeful that this dragon might give the Orochi something to pit her enhanced strength against.
"Cirrus, keep at a distance, and keep your new friend safe."
As she gave the little elemental instruction, another spirit appeared beside them. The sprite1 sparked and fizzled with electric energy, orbiting around the rumbling Stormcloud spirit. Yukina and Hanehiko took up a wide circle around the ship, ready to respond to the shaman's instruction and ensuring the Sea Dragon's commitment couldn't waver. While this was no Vulcadreus, they still didn't want to drag the fight out and have the vessel damaged. 'Time to say hello I suppose' she thought to herself as she took aim for the dragon's muzzle.
The thick beam of the main mast protested the shaman's launch, creaking as her powerful legs shoved against it's sea worn surface. Taki spread her many arms wide, her outfit shifting from a loose yet comfortable kimono into a form fitting suit that covered all but her head, hands and feet. The dragon's gaze followed her trajectory for a brief moment before it opened it's maw and blasted the sky in a spray of high pressure sea water. The shaman laughed heartily as she vanished2, wind and lightning propelling her forward at astonishing velocity.
"That's cute, didn't know there was such a big eel that used such a tactic... I've only seen it in river fish and certain crustaceans thus far... There will have to be a consensus on whether such an attack qualifies as a breath weapon though. I've seen a dragon's breath, and to be frank, that was lacking in every fashion." 3
She dropped onto the dragon's muzzle, flexing her claws and grinning deviously. Taki used to enjoy training and wrestling with Keiga, and was ready to flex that experience once more.
1: Summon: Flame Sprite [Overwhelming Magic, Elemental Master: Lightning] 2: Bullet Dash 3: Necklace of Animal Speech
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on May 29, 2024 22:47:12 GMT -5
Shitakibo had no idea just how accidentally accurate their taunt actually was. While it was aquatic and preferred living in the ocean, this sea dragon was actually of a different element than the usual water dragon. The jet of water it spat really wasn't its true breath weapon at all, but simply another ability it possessed that it used against smaller enemies it deemed unworthy of its actual power. Now that it had been insulted though, it would no longer hold back.
The sea dragon snarled as sparks of electricity could be seen arcing across its scales, a powerful current rippling over its entire body and slowly approaching its head. Small spots along the border of its ventral scales along its belly and the scales on its back began to glow with a flickering blue light, two at a time, up toward its head.
Everyone in the boat was safe, but several unmoving fish of various sizes began to float to the surface all around them as the electricity that spread from the serpent out into the salty ocean water fried them or knocked them out if they were somehow resilient enough to withstand such a shock. Though the lightning didn't harm them in the boat, every could feel an intense static electricity fill the air around them.
This dragon wasn't to be underestimated. Just because its enemy was clinging to its face like a bothersome barnacle didn't mean it couldn't fight back. While the electricity was working its way up to fry the pest on its face, its wing-like membranes furled up close to its body again as it dove backwards in a wide arc, angling its head so Taki would be smacked directly by the surface of the water with all the force of a massive sea serpent right behind.
Sea Dragon is using: Lightning Armor Static Field Charged Object (on self)
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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 2, 2024 6:31:43 GMT -5
Taki shoved off the dragon's muzzle as it went vertical, launching herself away from the ship and clear1 of it's attempt to crush her against the surface of the water. It had enshrouded itself in defensive magics, something that brought a grin to the shaman's face. If it was wasting energy to protect itself from the shaman's assault, and getting distracted by her taunts, there was a good chance to minimize damage to the ship.
"Oh goodness me, you really are a big eel huh? I've studied a few before, at the behest of a fellow scholar... tell me, do you consciously choose when to electrify yourself or is it an autonomous reflex to outside stimuli?"
She taunted at the dragon as a cloud formed2 just above the sea's surface, the shaman casually landing on the platform with a nonchalant demeanor. Watching the dragon carefully for it's next attacks, she readied her own defenses. Taki could only hope she was able to mimic the level of perturbance in her taunting that a certain Wizard of the Wastes was capable of with their own antics. Perhaps she'd share this story with them when their paths crossed again... if there was a tale to tell anyway.
Yukina and Hanehiko circled overhead, helping Taki keep her positioning in relation to the ship. The last thing this shaman needed was to get lost at sea in the middle of a job, or swallowed up by a Sea Dragon. Not far away, the Sea Dragon's strike against the surface of the water caused a brief but deep depression before collapsing. As the sea rushed forth, it churned and complained before tossing up a massive column of frothy spray.
With her cloud-platform, Taki began moving about just above the surface. She wasn't keen to keep still and give the big beast an easy target, though it was quite difficult to keep track of. Hopefully when it surfaced again, the others on the ship would be given opportunities while distracted.
1: Cat's Grace 2: Cloud Waltzing
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on Jun 4, 2024 17:36:43 GMT -5
Xalmann ducked behind the ship's mast a a huge spray of water swept across the deck. Everyone who didn't find cover got soaked, with the force of the water nearly washing some men over the railing on the opposite side of the ship. They clutched the wooden rails, breathing heavily as they looked down at the water where electricity was sparking unseen, sure to have been the end for them if they had fallen in.
As soon as the coast was clear, Xalmann emerged again to see the sea dragon had sunken down into the electrified water. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. His magic was all fire and earth based, and his axe could only strike what he could see. With the dragon beneath the surface of the water, there was practically nothing he could do to help with this battle. He could only wait until it emerged again.
Xalmann didn't have to wait very long, as a massive finned tail emerged from the water directly beneath Taki and her cloud platform. It swung at her fast, like a fly swatter aimed at an annoying bug that it wanted flattened.
Xalmann took the opportunity while he could. With another Lizardman appearing next to him that looked a lot like him except with horrible burns and a slightly shorter, bulkier build, his magic was empowered by the spirit. With a swing of his axe, another ball of fire flew toward the tailfin before it flattened Taki against the ocean surface.
With a buzz of static, the ball of fire was diverted from striking it directly, but the explosion was even greater than the previous thanks to the spirit's empowerment, and it engulfed the tail with flames. The tailfin now has a large hole burnt through it and the flesh was charred and blackened, but it didn't stop in its pursuit of Taki as it swung downward to try and smack her as it resubmerged into the water.
Guardian Spirit Spirit Shroud Massive Fireball
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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 6, 2024 6:32:32 GMT -5
"Very well, if you'd like a contest of strength... You'll find your estimation to be quite flawed though."
Taki's grin was smug as the smoldering tailfin displaced great gust of air as it approached the shaman. Beneath her feet, the platform dissipated a moment before the Dragon's strike would have reached her. Plunging into the sea, a trio of slits along the shaman's neck fluttered open as she met the impact of the tailfin with all six arms. Taking a play from the Dragon's own defenses, the Orochi's body took on the manifestation of Lightning itself. Clenching her jaw, the force of the blow was startling as she was driven deeper into the sea.
Digging her claws into the spaces between it's scales, she rode the Sea Dragon's strike even as her arms tingled and protested. Numb from the impact, it was all Taki could do to keep her hands gripping for a moment while she let her arms recover. The creature turned, twisting about towards the ship once more. It had been blasted twice with intense flames, once just moments ago. The conflagration had eaten through a large section of the creature's tail, and likely had damaged some of the nervous system and soft tissues deeper within.
As feeling returned to the shaman's arms, she flexed and groaned. Her joints would be swollen for a few days at least, but at least she was still in one piece. She opened her gills and took a few deep breaths, then started to climb. Using all her limbs, Taki crawled like a spider along the creature's length as it's attention diverted.
She was able to see the shadow of the keel of the ship for a brief moment, then the Dragon burst through the surface. It let out a deep, satisfied rumbling as the ship came into view. Rid of the insulting pest, they were free to address the fire flinger. Or so they thought at least...
"Now what will you do? The blue one is on her way to the ocean floor and you lot are soon to JOI..."
The Dragon suddenly let out a deeply pained howl, gasping for air and looking about wild eyed. Standing between it's head and the surface of the water, the shaman held an intact scale recently torn free. One of her arms dangled limply at her side, the muscles twitching spasmodically from the retaliatory shock. Eyes filled with an indignant rage, the Dragon let loose with it's breath weapon. The air crackled and buzzed with electricity as a bright beam blasted along the creature's length, popping and sizzling where it met the sea and boiled it away.
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on Jun 7, 2024 23:49:04 GMT -5
The heat of the lightning breath vaporized water, sending a cloud of steam out in every direction, engulfing the ship and the surrounding sea. Everyone on the deck of the ship suddenly felt like they were standing in a sauna as the hot steam soaked into their already wet clothing and made them start sweating. Down below, the passengers hiding in their rooms noticed the windows fog up and drip with condensation.
Xalmann didn't feel the sudden heat as everyone else did, as a Lizardman and a being so close to flame. If anything, things suddenly felt more like his home in the humid swamps and muggy bogs of the Marshflats. They weren't very comforted though, knowing the dragon was still out there and now they had a hard time seeing anything through the thick cloud of steam. He could only see the serpentine silhouette of the massive dragon as it moved across the surface of the sea.
Some crewmembers finally pulled it together enough to start to fire the cannons, but with each shot a static buzz, the same that had diverted Xalmann's fireball and caused it to fly off course, each cannonball went wide. None of them were able to hit the dragon at all before splashing into the water behind it. Some even posed a danger of hitting Taki, but the sailors were too fearful of the dragon to even consider friendly fire as a possibility.
The dragon didn't wait to see if its lightning breath had killed that pest that dared to rip off one of its scales. How dare this insolent being think it had any right to touch a single scale on a dragon's body! It would teach that bug a lesson. With a crackle of electricity, lightning began to course not only from its body into the water around it, but through its own muscles, stimulating the nerves faster than it could with thought, and increasing its movement and reaction speed drastically.
Dragon used: Quicken (speed doubled) All Eye (Can see through the steam unimpeded) Vision is obscured by steam Static Field (does not have the 2 projectile cap) Electrified Water Electrified Body
Cannonballs are being fired from the ship.
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Post by Shitakibo on Jun 11, 2024 13:42:43 GMT -5
As the beam gathered, Taki looked towards where Hanehiko was circling above. The dragon's breath blasted forth as the shaman cast her own in response, blinking1 from it's back across the sky. Landing on Hanehiko's back, great plumes of steam began roiling off the sea as electricity boiled the sea itself. The celestial manta let out a surprised burble, her wide fins taking great gulps of air and forcing them below to keep above the searing clouds of vapor.
Yukina followed suit, climbing above the obscured seas as the Dragon's form was enveloped in obscurity. The booming of cannons rang out, flame streaking across the open seas only to be deflected by the serpent's protective magics. Barely able to make out the shadow of the large vessel, Taki and her companions circled just above the boiling cloud of fog as she tried to formulate a plan. Cirrus was out of commission for a while, and the ship would not be enjoying many of the Dragon's attacks before sinking into the briny deep. Hopefully this steam cleared before too long.
Without a good place to fight such a creature, and limited backup, the situation was becoming dire. They would need a decisive blow, and to create an opening in the creature's defenses. Yukina let out a sharp screech, then climbed as hard and fast as she could. Beneath her, a long shadow was snaking it's way through the mist below towards them. Well, at least the ship would be getting a breather, not that she or her companions could say the same. Tucking against the special harness Taki had fitted to Hanehiko, she activated it's magic again2 as the pair rocketed up into the sky at a blistering pace.
1: Bullet Dash 2: Slipstream Bridle [1/4 Duration]
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Post by Xalmann Dakarr on Jul 2, 2024 13:13:29 GMT -5
Just below where the owl had been seconds ago, the jaws of the massive sea dragon snapped shut. With no hesitation, it continued moving, following the two flying creatures as its head loomed above the cloud of steam. The dragon's mouth opened again with the sound of rushing water, followed shortly by a beam of pressurized water aimed at the celestial manta and its rider. The jet of water was much more powerful than the last one, and this time it was also crackling with electricity.
On the deck of the ship, everyone other than Xalmann had evacuated deeper into the ship to get out of the scalding steam. Angry red blisters were being treated by the ship's healer, but they were overwhelmed with the amount of patients that needed help, and that was only from a mere side effect of one of the dragon's attacks. Something that it seemed like it didn't even care about as its focus was on the one who had insulted it.
Xalmann was frustrated. He felt useless on this boat, with the dragon in the water. He couldn't even try to swim to attack it, with the water being electrified. All he could do was help carry the injured to the healer, along with his summoned spirit. Some people looked unsettled by the sight of the Lizardman with horrific burns walking behind the cloaked Lizardman as he carried a sailor below deck, but they didn't say anything about it. Xalmann had no healing spells that would heal anyone other than himself, and if he was going to help in this fight, he didn't want to waste his mana on healing others anyways.
Once the deck was clear of anyone else, Xalmann went back up top and then climbed up into the crow's nest atop the main mast. If there was something he could do to help, the height might make it easier. Projectiles were being deflected, but his fireball could still deal some damage if it exploded close enough, like the other one had.
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