White Iron - The Reaper Corps

[Frustration]

2 hours ago, Ookla the Perpetual said:

 

Avi drew her dagger and glanced around, looking for signs of the invisible beast. Even as she did it, she wracked her head, trying to figure out exactly what kind of monster it could be.

An Aki'lera, she thought. That must be-

A vision hit her.

She had a distinct sense of the future; an invisible claw, swinging over her head. The vision ended, throwing her back into the present.

Avi immediatley ducked, and, just as the vision had predicted, she felt the air shift as an invisible claw swung over her. She fell into a roll and spun, stabbing at the invisible beast. She was rewarded with a yelp, and dark blood appeared as if from nowhere, coating her dagger and spurting from around it.

"Did you get it?" Isek asked, right before something else slammed into his back.

Blast, there were more of them, he managed to stay upright this time, using his stick as a third leg, and forcibly bringing his head back, he slammed into something with a satisfying crunch.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Il'anque slashed with her scimitars, but missed each time. She watched as Avi managed to stab the monster, putting venom into its bloodstream, but that probably wouldn't be enough.

Time to take a risk.

Il'anque leaped at the monster, trying to stab it. It dodged, but that was to be expected. Il'anque rolled to recover. This was where she found out if her plan would work.

Sure enough, she heard something swishing in the air towards her. The monster was trying to take her down with a claw - but Il'anque was prepared this time. She brought her other scimitar up to slash, and connected.

In a shower of dark blood, one of the beast's claws fell off, fading into visibility.

@Ookla the Perpetual @Ookla the Frustrated.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Ookla the Nerdy

[xinoehp512 he/him]

10 hours ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

I suppose I could oblige, but it'd be more fun if you bumped into another group.

Quote

True, but Atren is currently not in the mood to team up

 

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

15 hours ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

"How did all of you end up coming here?" Kaeli asked, kicking aside an exceptionally large rat as she summited a small crest.

@Ookla the Myopic @PyroPhile @Ookla the Omniscient

"My creator is a reaper and I wasn't forced on this path. But once I found out that I had a affinity for weapons."

Mercury shrugs, "I decided that it would be most interesting to be a reaper. Most other options would not scratch my itch for adventure."

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Quick question for you Fadran. Do you want Mercury and Kaeli to have the same creator or different creators?

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

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Different for sure.

 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Avi spun as a second vision warned her of an attack to the side. She failed to score a hit on the passing monster.

How many are there? And do they have a weakness?

They're invisible...

An idea struck her.

"Isek! Il'anque! Cover your faces and close your eyes!"

Without waiting to see if they were ready, Avi drew upon the Wizardry she had learned during her years as a Reaper Acolyte, and even before. She drew a mixed rune of earth and air and directed it at the ground.

A gigantic cloud of dirt and sand exploded into the air, spreading outwards with a gust of wind. The dirt and sand stuck to her cloak and uniform.

But also the pelts of the invisible beasts. They had a roughly canine shape, but with eight legs, each ending in a vicious claw.

They could see their enemy now.

@Ookla the Frustrated. @Ookla the Nerdy

[Frustration]

10 minutes ago, Ookla the Perpetual said:

"Isek! Il'anque! Cover your faces and close your eyes!"

@Ookla the Frustrated. @Ookla the Nerdy

"Huh?" Isek said, right before a blast of sand hit him in the face.

Isek hissed, rubbing his eyes with his free hand, while waving his stick with the other.

He looked up, his eyes feeling sore, looking at sandy outlines of several creatures, and felt a grin split his face.

Isek swung his stick, feeling bones break with a satisfying crunch as he connected with one creatures leg.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

The monster roared in pain as Isek, Il'anque, and Avi's attacks found their marks. But the monster was angry. It wouldn't let up. Indeed, even as Il'anque thought that, the monster swung a claw, narrowly missing Il'anque.

One was hit with Avi's dagger, and I chopped a claw off the other  with my scimitar. The poison should start working soon, and the one without the claw is bleeding pretty heavily and is poisoned. Both of them should die soon...

If the poison was going to kick in, then they didn't need to fight it head on and risk a counterattack. If it were distracted, the venom would act on it, slowing it down and eventually killing it. So it was time to get bold.

Il'anque threw a fruit at both of the monsters. IThey roared, probably angry that its prey would disrespect it so much. one struck at Il'anque, who barely got out of the way in time. They both continued to attack, with Il'anque dodging. A claw grazed her arm, but she kept moving.

The one with the missing claw fell first, probably from blood loss. It managed to got up, and staggered away drunkenly, probably realizing that this hunt wasn't worth the risk. Maybe it would survive! Maybe.

The other one kept fighting, but it was slowing down. The poison was working.

And then it swung its claw.

Il'anque couldn't dodge out of the way in time. She held her scimitars up defensively, but it wouldn't be enough.

She watched, seemingly in slow motion, as the claw came barreling towards her.

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Would anyone like to save Il'anque?

@Ookla the Perpetual @Ookla the Frustrated.

Edited December 16, 2022 by Ookla the Nerdy

[Channelknight Fadran]

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BY THE WAY

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

(everyone)

THERE ARE PLANS FOR HIGHER UP THE MOUNTAIN. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM; JUST DON'T SHOW UP AT THE VEINS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE AND YOU'LL BE FINE

 

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

BY THE WAY

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

(everyone)

THERE ARE PLANS FOR HIGHER UP THE MOUNTAIN. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM; JUST DON'T SHOW UP AT THE VEINS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE AND YOU'LL BE FINE

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Wait...

I actually had plans for my character at the top of the mountain.

Definitely not involving my reveal of how Il'anque is possessed nope nope not at all.

 

[Channelknight Fadran]

Quote

PM me. I can probably squeeze it in.

 

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

7 hours ago, Ookla the Myopic said:

"My creator is a reaper and I wasn't forced on this path. But once I found out that I had a affinity for weapons."

Mercury shrugs, "I decided that it would be most interesting to be a reaper. Most other options would not scratch my itch for adventure."

“What’s… it like being an Elemental?” asked I’ikeq.

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I..." Kaeli frowned. "Well, I don't know. What's it like not being an elemental?"

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Might change her name from Kaeli to Kaeni so I don't keep finger autocorrecting to Kealie.

 

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

39 minutes ago, Ookla the Nerdy said:

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Would anyone like to save Il'anque?

 

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Can do.

Ast'avi managed to score a strike on one of the invisible beasts with her dagger. She spun to dodge it's next attack, then began to prepare another spell to finish it off.

A vivid vision struck her. She saw Il'anque fail to block a vicious attack from one of the monsters and die a gruesome death.

The vision faded and Avi turned to see Il'anque fall, pinned by the monster. It brought it's claw down to strike.

Avi called upon the power of the Starmother, whoever that was. Avi had heard different people proclaim the existence of a Goddess of the Stars, but none of them seemed to agree. Some claimed she was on the same level as the Sun and Moon, while others simply said she was a lesser deity confined to a smaller domain.

Regardless, Avi was her descendant. Her daughter, in a sense. That unnamed Goddess was her Starmother.

Her strength flooded Avi, and she channeled that into a beam of blue-white light that shone as bright as a sun and flew as true as a perfect beam of starlight. It pierced the heart of the creature, throwing it to the side. It collapsed, dead, and it's invisibility vanished, revealing a wolf-like creature with silvery fur and deep black eyes. It lay dead, a burnt hole through it's body.

Avi fell to her knees as she felt the energy of the spell leave her.

@Ookla the Frustrated.

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

"I..." Kaeli frowned. "Well, I don't know. What's it like not being an elemental?"

“Normal.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"I feel normal too."

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

6 minutes ago, Ookla the Perpetual said:

Ast'avi managed to score a strike on one of the invisible beasts with her dagger. She spun to dodge it's next attack, then began to prepare another spell to finish it off.

A vivid vision struck her. She saw Il'anque fail to block a vicious attack from one of the monsters and die a gruesome death.

The vision faded and Avi turned to see Il'anque fall, pinned by the monster. It brought it's claw down to strike.

Avi called upon the power of the Starmother, whoever that was. Avi had heard different people proclaim the existence of a Goddess of the Stars, but none of them seemed to agree. Some claimed she was on the same level as the Sun and Moon, while others simply said she was a lesser deity confined to a smaller domain.

Regardless, Avi was her descendant. Her daughter, in a sense. That unnamed Goddess was her Starmother.

Her strength flooded Avi, and she channeled that into a beam of blue-white light that shone as bright as a sun and flew as true as a perfect beam of starlight. It pierced the heart of the creature, throwing it to the side. It collapsed, dead, and it's invisibility vanished, revealing a wolf-like creature with silvery fur and deep black eyes. It lay dead, a burnt hole through it's body.

Avi fell to her knees as she felt the energy of the spell leave her.

@Ookla the Frustrated.

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...

And I thought that I was going overkill.

Also, how many monsters are there? I thought just two, but I could be wrong.

Il'anque braced herself for death. This would be the end. No white iron, no guiding souls, nothing.

The end never came.

Il'anque saw a beam of bright light pierce the monster holding her down, killing it. She struggled to get up.

Did we just... win?

Edited December 16, 2022 by Ookla the Nerdy

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

16 minutes ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

"I feel normal too."

“How? You’re nothing more than a construct; created by someone else. And you could just drop dead at any moment if your creator dies. Doesn’t that… at least bother you?”

[Channelknight Fadran]

Kaeni turned her head away, not saying anything.

[Frustration]

23 minutes ago, Ookla the Omniscient said:

“How? You’re nothing more than a construct; created by someone else. And you could just drop dead at any moment if your creator dies. Doesn’t that… at least bother you?”

Quote

Bring this up with Isek some time when we meet up, I want to have this conversation. 

 

37 minutes ago, Ookla the Nerdy said:

Il'anque braced herself for death. This would be the end. No white iron, no guiding souls, nothing.

The end never came.

Il'anque saw a beam of bright light pierce the monster holding her down, killing it. She struggled to get up.

Did we just... win?

Isek spun, slamming his stick into the side of the last creature.

Quick analysis showed they were all either dead, dying or fleeing.

Looking at his companions they seemed, fine, if a little bruised.

"Are either of you hurt badly?"

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

6 minutes ago, Ookla the [Redacted] said:

Kaeni turned her head away, not saying anything.

“Sorry.” I must have touched a nerve.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Frustrated. said:

 

Isek spun, slamming his stick into the side of the last creature.

Quick analysis showed they were all either dead, dying or fleeing.

Looking at his companions they seemed, fine, if a little bruised.

"Are either of you hurt badly?"

"No. I'm bruised, but I'll manage. I can heal either of you, if you need it." Il'anque looked ahead. "We might want to take a quick break. Once we pass that final ledge, it's climbing nonstop until we reach the White Iron."

@Ookla the Perpetual

[Frustration]

"Sounds good," Isek said, rubbing his eyes again. There were some frains of sand in there that just would not get out.

[NerdyAarakocra They/Them]

Il'anque smiled.

"Plus, it'll give me time to harvest those monsters! Do you know how many practical applications that pelt has? And the eyes are great for illusion magic! Not to mention the fact that their blood can be used to make antitoxin."

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

19 minutes ago, Ookla the Omniscient said:

“Sorry.” I must have touched a nerve.

"Just because we can drop dead at any time doesn't mean you can't."