So you want to be a zako? (RP, Mentos Edition) (8 Viewers)

[Shabaz]

Oh noes, I have run out of Zako! All dead, dead!

Well, it seems it's needed some reinforcements to take their place! Luckily, Kafra secret magic-breeding projects and rejects still have some *cough*cannonfodder*cough* to join the ranks in the plunder of the elven city!

Name: Arlette
Age: 18
Background: Arlette was a slave, serving the secret breeding program from the nobles of Kafra, other of the by-products of the program when it failed... she once showed some magic hability, but in the end flopped the tests, so she went from pampered noble to slave suddenly and without transition, with hit her hard. While serving now Toxin army, Arlette, Minuette and Halette were tasked by the Kafra nobles to try to keep alive for more than a second the mage Avaricia.
Class: Soldier
Weapon: Spear


Name: Minuette
Age: 19
Background: Since she was born, Minuette showed no skills in magic -being other flop in the Kafra nobility secret program-, but since early on she was trained to work as a bodyguard of the girls of the program. She considers herself to be almost an equal to the magic-girls of Kafra, even if she's technically a slave and she lived some harsh treatment sometimes, it never sink down with her.
Class: Soldier
Weapon: Buckler and One hand sword.

Name: Avaricia
Age: 19
Background: A student of the secret breeding program of Kafra to produce magic users, Avaricia was send as reeplacement of previous members of the society within Miasma battallion, this time with what the nobles considered a "proper escort" of a couple of girls. This make her cocky, and think she's somebody important somehow -she isn't-, and feel herself a noble, that should mingle with other nobles. Because of this, she doesn't really feel "right" to be serving Toxin, or Toxin's minions.
Class: Mage
Weapon: Magic Staff

Name: Halette
Age: 17
Background: Yet other byprodut of the breeding program of Kafra to produce magic users, she was a weak child, and was even sorted out as a slave, being given to a maid to raise her as her own daughter -but she never legally lost the slave status-. So when the nobles of Kafra had to send other of their precious magical daughters to Toxin's elven war, they grabbed Halette to try to give more support to Halette.
Class: Rogue
Weapon: Short Sword

Spoiler

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[Skinny73]

Moira walked up behind McKayla. The small cleric still hadn’t moved from her silent vigil. Moira reached out, hesitantly, and gently laid a hand on McKayla’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry,” Moira said.

McKayla didn’t respond. After a while, Moira gave the cleric’s shoulder a slight squeeze and departed, setting out into the streets of Azelea. For some reason, the dark mage had a powerful and growing urge to kill something.

----------- ---------- ------------ ------------- ------------​

Cernya burst out of the house she had finished looting and nearly ran straight into Elendra. “Shit,” Cernya exclaimed, “the hell are you doing, just standing there? Nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Elendra ignored her and grabbed Cernya by the hand. “Come with me. I have a gift prepared for you.” At that, Cernya’s ears pricked up, and she allowed her teacher to lead her through Azelea’s streets, to a residential building not far from where the battalion had emerged from the sewers. Elendra led the way up the stairs to the master bedroom, and opened the door.

Two elves were in the room. One, an athletic blonde with a pixie cut, was tied spread-eagle to the bed. The other, slim with black hair done in ringlets, was hogtied on the floor. Both of them were blindfolded, gagged, and stark naked. Cernya gave her teacher a wary look. “Sooo… what kind of present is this, again?”

“Not that kind, I assure you,” Elendra said as she moved to the bedside. She motioned for Cernya to stand opposite her. Both of them loomed over the blonde elf, who had ceased struggling against her bonds and now lay still, breathing heavily. “Pay close attention to what happens next,” Elendra instructed as she drew a scalpel, crafted from obsidian, from the pocket of her robe. “Nergal has given us many blessings, and by his grace we both survived the horror that dwells beneath this accursed city. Today, we honor our god with a fitting tribute.” Elendra cut open her thumb and used it to smear blood over the elf’s bare chest, just over her heart. “A worthy sacrifice.”

Holding her bloody fist over the elf’s heaving chest, Elendra began to chant. “Russ-kalum talos, Nergal. Russ-kalum talos, deser-ma. Russ-kalum talos, Nergal. Russ-kalum talos, deser-ma.” Elendra spread her fingers, and suddenly the elf began to struggle frantically against her bonds. “Kali-ma. Kali-ma. Kali-ma.” Elendra formed her hand into a spade, the tip aimed at the elf’s heart. Part of Cernya wanted to back out and flee from the room, and yet she stood transfixed, unable to tear her gaze away. “Kali-ma. Kali-ma. Kali-ma!” Like a striking viper Elendra drove her hand into the captive's body. The young woman seized, her hands curled into fists and her toes stretched out. “Kali-ma! Kali-ma! Kali-ma!” Slowly, Elendra drew the elf’s still-beating heart from her chest. For a long moment Elendra simply held it in her palm. Then, as she began to squeeze, the heart shriveled, the skin blackening even as the organ continued pumping, as if some unholy force were draining the vitality out of it.

The heart continued to beat until it had shrunk to half its previous size, the tissue black as coal. Then it stopped. The blonde elf released a slow, shuddering breath as her body went limp, her breathing stilled. Cernya stared at the shriveled heart in Elendra’s hand and reached out to take it, but Elendra drew it back and slipped it into a pocket of her robes. Cernya looked up at her teacher. “I’m sorry dear,” Elendra spoke, business-like, “I’m afraid this one is mine.”

Cernya shook her head in an attempt to clear it. “You, uh… you said you had a present for me?”

“And so I do.” Elendra gestured toward the dark-haired elf where she lay, bound and vulnerable, upon the wooden floor. “Help me move the remains, and then we’ll see about getting this one up on the bed, shall we?”


(Elendra and Cernya each receive a Shriveled Heart of Nergal, which increases their defense)

 

[ViridianShine]

Oh wow, its the Harpy! I've never seen her up close before, ooh...

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect all of that to happen!" Micci declared to Minerva, a few decimals too loudly, "but in return, we all got to participate in a great battle for the ages! What a spectacle to see, witnessing such a dark and unnerving beast such as the Beholder. Why, you all should be thanking me instead!"

Awkward was, perhaps, vastly understating the new mood of the people surrounding her. Deep down, Micci knew that the Beholder was entirely her fault (well I mean, kind of, 'cause that assassin could have slipped in any other direction!), and that three people just died for it, but she just wanted to lighten the mood like she always did! Unfortunately, it appeared to have the opposite effect, as several different members seemed to begin approaching closer to her with dark expressions.

"W-Wait, wait, I was just kidding. You don't have to thank me, its fine. I'm good. No, really, like, please stop approaching me like that. Please? ...Wow look at the time!" Micci spotted an opening and squeezed out of the slow mob surrounding her, sprinting directly into Azelea. Sure there was an active war going on, but that wasn't the scariest thing to her in the city right now.

She eventually managed to twist her way down a thin, dark alleyway with what head start she had and continued to run...

"Mmph-!" Micci was suddenly grabbed from the shadows and yanked into the embrace of a girl who she felt was slightly taller, warmer, and larger than her. Especially considering where her head ended up being pushed into.

"Shh!" The girl hushed, "they're coming!"

Micci looked to the side, as her comrades in Marla's division passed the alleyway, and continued down a different route. And...was that something furry covering Micci from the back...? After some time, the commotion appeared to die down, and the girl released Micci from her embrace.

"Oooh, I think they're gone. Thank goodness. Kuu'rin was scaaaared..." Micci's savior spoke in a light girlish tone. Micci finally found a good glimpse of the stranger that saved her, but could only notice the large bushy tail coming from the strangers back. Past that, the girl had normal human skin with large eyes, thin lips, and sharp features. Her long, orange hair dropped down and covered a part of one eye, and surrounded two fox ears which seemed to twitch every time the girl spoke. Her strapless cotton sweater left her shoulders bare along with her skirt leaving her legs open, so Micci could see that most of her body was human except her ears and that...large bushy tail.

"Are you a Kitsune?" Micci suddenly blurted out upon her realization, recognizing the hybrid fox-like species. The girl nodded.

"Oh, yes, yes I am! Kuu'rin was just visiting elves in Azelea when bad humans attacked the city," she shuddered, "ooh, cute girls like you and me need to hide...they do baaaad things to people like us."

"I appreciate the compliment! But, I simply must clarify a mistake you have made, as these bad humans are actually...not...all that bad!" Micci winked, snapping her fingers, "in fact, I am actually a part of them! Micciliana Fortunia the Fourth, at your service, but you may call me Micci." Under most situations, Micci would have probably been killed for this declaration to the wrong person.

The Kitsune girl blinked, "...whaaaat? Cute girls like you are a part of the army?"

"Yup!"

"Wooooow. You are so much cuter than these elves! They're all pointy and ugly and stuff. Okay! Kuu'rin will join you and your army! Kuu'rin wants to travel with more pretty humans like you!"

"...Wait huh?"

"...Can Kuu'rin not join?"

"No, I mean yes! I mean, I just, well, I wasn't expecting it. My third eye couldn't see your proposition before you requested it! Very well, I will introduce you to all my friends shortly, but uhh, what was your name again?"

"...My name? Kuu'rin's name is...Kuu'rin. Kuu'rin thought that was obvious..."

...

Micci proceeded to then forget the reason she had ran into the alleyway in the first place, and was beaten severely. Repeatedly. At night too. And someone spilled a drink on her during mess hall. And Arastine completely tore into her the next morning.

But everyone liked the new recruit she brought along!

===

Name: Kuu'rin
Age: ???
Height: 5'9"
Weapon: Daggers
Class: Rogue

 

[Skinny73]

Moira threw down a blue silk dress in disgust. “Useless,” she growled. “Not so much as a speck of magic.” So far, Azelea had failed utterly to live up to its reputation. The dark mage had searched through half a dozen homes and storehouses in the glorious elven city, and gotten nothing worth mentioning apart from a splinter in her thumb and a jade comb that possessed no occult qualities whatsoever, even though it did complement her hair rather nicely. Moira thought her luck had changed when she stumbled across this high-end clothing store, but so far all of the wares had been disappointingly mundane. She strolled down the aisles, reaching out with her arcane senses as she went. “Gods, is there anything in this blasted city worth stealing?”

Looking at one of the ornate, floor-length mirrors scattered around the store, Moira spotted movement. She turned just in time to see an elf slip out of a hidden alcove and lunge toward her, a small dagger in hand. The elf was tall and slender, like Moira herself, but appeared to be in her late teens, twenty at most. Her verdant green eyes were narrowed in focus, her slim mouth set in a grim line. The elf wore a white blouse and blue skirt, suggesting she was an employee or assistant rather than a customer. The simple clothing was offset by her sleek red hair and luscious pale skin dotted with freckles.

Although Moira dodged, she wasn’t quite quick enough to avoid the elf’s stab entirely. Moira gritted her teeth against the pain as the dagger opened a long, shallow gash across her arm. Before the elf could recover and launch another strike, Moira grabbed a handful of hair and hurled her back against the wall, tearing out a few scarlet strands in the process. One of Moira’s hands seized the elf’s dagger-hand by the wrist and pinned it against the wall, while the other grabbed the young woman by the throat.

In spite of herself, Moira smiled, her face inches away from the redhead who choked and gasped for breath. “Well, aren’t you a brave little tailor? Did you think you were going to slay the evil witch all by your lonesome?” Moira rubbed her face against the elf’s soft cheek and gave it a quick peck. “Not this time, I’m afraid,” Moira murmured, before pressing her lips forcefully over the elf’s.

As their lips broke apart, Moira began to drain the life out of the elf. Soft, greenish tendrils of energy flowed up and out of the young woman’s mouth and into Moira’s. The dagger tumbled from the elf’s nerveless fingers as Moira wrapped both hands around her throat. The wound on Moira’s arm healed quickly, the flesh knitting itself back together while the color drained out of the elf’s skin and her struggles weakened. The elf’s eyes rolled up and slowly closed, while one arm fell limp. Just when it seemed as if the elf had no more left to give, Moira released her. The pale redhead slumped to the floor, chest heaving, while Moira casually picked up the dagger—silver with a pearl handle, very fancy. Moira knelt down and seized the elf by the back of the neck. She lifted her head up and waited until the young woman’s brilliant emerald eyes reopened and slowly focused on her. “What’s your name, girl?” Moira asked.

“G-ginevra,” the elf panted breathlessly. Moira smiled down at her.

“Well, little Ginny, I’ve had a long, unpleasant day, and you’ve managed to catch me in a very foul mood. Now—” Moira pressed the blade of the dagger against the elf’s skin, just beneath her ear. “If I were feeling more generous, I would slit your throat right here and be done with it. Instead, I think I’ll have some fun with you first… although who knows? Maybe by the time I’m finished, you’ll have grown to like it.”

Instead of replying, the elf simply passed out. Moira let her go and slipped the dagger into her pocket as she turned to the small opening Ginevra had emerged from. The door had no knob or hinges, and would be all but invisible against the rest of the wall when closed. Moira passed through the doorway and into the hidden room beyond.

Within were rows of elegant, velvet-lined shelves, upon which rested dozens of small wooden… well, Moira supposed “boxes” was the correct word, although they looked nothing like any kind of boxes that Moira had ever seen. Each box had rounded edges and, at first glance, possessed no markings or mechanisms of any kind; no hinges, no lids, keyholes, knobs, buttons… no evidence whatsoever that the boxes were designed to be opened at all. Moira inspected one closely, and could just barely discern a narrow slit that bisected the box down the middle.

At last, Moira thought. She gave the box an experimental rap. It produced a hollow-sounding knock, which excited her further, but nothing else transpired. There was nothing overtly threatening or magical about the little wooden cubes, but Moira’s intuition warned her it would be unwise to attempt to open one by force. “Okay, so how does this work?” Moira wondered aloud. “Is there some kind of trick to it?” She paced around the room as she pondered, tapping the lids of the boxes randomly. “Eenie, Meenie, Miney—”

As Moira’s fingers came into contact with one of the boxes—back wall, shelf four, column two—a spark of dark magic snapped at them, like static electricity. The spark mingled with her innate power; checking for compatibility, Moira realized. A heartbeat later, the spark sank back into the wood, and with a quiet click, the box opened, both halves of the lid sliding apart. “Oh,” Moira muttered. “How clever. Not terribly secure, but I bet the customers get a kick out of it.”

Inside the box lay a jet-black shawl. Carefully, Moira drew it out and inspected it closely. The shawl was made from silk, but not the kind made from silkworms, like the dress Moira had rejected earlier. It was rougher, stronger, tougher… spider silk, Moira realized. In addition, the black cloth was embroidered with detailed images of black widow spiders. Each one was decorated with a small ruby cut into the iconic hourglass shape. Unnervingly, the spiders appeared to scurry across the surface of the garment constantly, only growing still when Moira focused on one in particular.

After examining the shawl thoroughly with her arcane senses, Moira determined it was safe to put on. With only a slight feeling of trepidation, she wrapped the black silk garment around her shoulders. Moira grinned as she felt the dark power coursing through her. “Excellent. Now, what shall I do with pretty Ginny over there…”

----------- ------------- ------------- ------------ ----------​

When Moira stepped out of the clothing store in her new black shawl, she held one end of a leather leash in her hand. She turned back to the doorway. “Hurry up now, pet. It isn’t wise to keep mistress waiting.” Moira gently pulled the leash taunt, and then gave it a sharp tug.

Ginevra stumbled out into the street. The other end of the leash was attached to a leather collar wrapped around her throat. The scarlet-haired elf was naked and blindfolded, her wrists tied tightly behind her back. After stripping her, Moira had torn a black silk dress into strips and used the strips to blind and bind her new slave. Moira allowed the elf to fall flat on her face in the dirt, then raised the leash high and wound it around her wrist. The collar tightened like a noose around Ginevra’s throat, choking her until the elf managed to get her feet under her again. As she stood, Moira cupped one of the redhead’s bare breasts in her hand and grabbed the back of her neck with the other. Moira smiled. “Good. I must admit, I adore this side of you Ginny. The way the leather digs into your skin is just…” Moira stroked slow circles around the young elf’s stiffening nipple with the edge of her thumb, and then sank her nails into the flesh of Ginevra’s breast, drawing a pained gasp from her mouth. “…Intoxicating.” Without warning, Moira spun on her heel and set out at a brisk pace toward Toxin’s main forces, dragging Ginevra along behind her as she went.


(Moira has acquired the Spider Silk Shawl, which increases her defense and grants her the “Cocoon” spell. “Cocoon” surrounds the target in a shield of dark energy)

 

[Severity]

This... This whole 'living sacrifice' thing is not quite what I was expecting when I said I'd learn the ways of Nergal.
...But it was fun, tearing out that elf's heart with my hand. This little heart isn't really my style though, so I'll just keep it in a little bag inside my tunic.
Cernya is somewhat unnerved by the strangeness of the ritual, but after it's over she's glad she did it. This 'Nergal' is certainly an odd deity, but he (he? Probably a he. Have to ask about that later) rewards loyal service well, it seems.
New item in hand, she continues kicking in doors and looting the city.
Ooh, maybe attach it to the pommel of my sword! See if it's alright to encase it in metal, put a little chain on...
She has a lot of fun. It's been quite a while since she could just kick in doors without fearing the city guard.

The morning after Azelea fell, Arastine suddenly wakes up Micci very rudely. Specifically, by grabbing her by the throat, lifting her off her feet, and slamming her into a wall.
Arastine's obvious cold anger terrifies Micci, and Arastine decides to not beat her this morning like she had last night. Instead, she'll just whisper something into her hear:
"I don't want what happened yesterday to happen again. Ever. Understand? Your incompetence is your own problem. If you make it anyone else in Miasma's problem, I won't have mercy again. And if you get someone killed..."
She squeezes Micci's throat hard, stopping her frantic, fearful breathing, to emphasize her last sentence.
When she's done, she tosses Micci behind her like a discarded cloak and walks away.

Eisenhilde, during the looting, completes a ritual to summon a Blade of Hel, infused with the blood of the four elves who unwillingly participated in the ritual. The result is a sharp, jet-black shortsword that could pass for a spear due to its' lack of guard. She's the only non-elf witness to the ritual, and since she carved Hel's totem into the four elves she let them go free, in order to dedicate any deaths that happen near them to Hel, as well as their own lives.
That~ Is what sets Lady Hel above a simple carrion-crow~
she thinks to herself, giddily.
She takes all that is given to her - perhaps some day, I could even dedicate a battle like this to Her! Oh, I can only imagine how blissful serving Her so well would be~!

August, noticing the glares of others (but particularly Arastine, Tyris, and McKayla) decides to let them in on a secret. First approaching the one who's most likely to believe what he says, he requests McKayla's attention the morning after the siege.
"First, sorry about your friend. I know it's worthless to say now, but if I hadn't been such a coward maybe I could've saved her."
Seeing McKayla's furious stare, August quickly decides to elaborate.
"I'm December. I'm a... spirit... that's taken over this cowardly shitstain of a human being. Sometimes he tries to retake control of himself, though, and that's what happened yesterday."
August (or is it December now?) looks at the ground sadly, holding his hands behind his back.
"It was partly my fault too - once I heard the Beholder mentioned, I didn't want to risk myself if this shithead became Beholder chow"
He gets on his knees, hands still behind his back.
"Hit me. Kick me. Do whatever you want. I won't feel much, but the man who killed your friend, August... He'll feel it all. Every fuckin' bit."
December looks up at McKayla, half-smiling.
"I don't plan to leave any time soon, so... Have at 'im. He's got it coming."

 

[dinomoneyman]

Skinny73 Isn't it sorta cheating to decide what happens in the loot search on your own? Like just deciding what you get and stuff? I'd figured the idea was Mentos would make the stuff happen, hence the possible danger. But, Mentos liked the post so I guess that's approval so yeah, lol.

 

[Skinny73]

Skinny73 Isn't it sorta cheating to decide what happens in the loot search on your own? Like just deciding what you get and stuff? I'd figured the idea was Mentos would make the stuff happen, hence the possible danger. But, Mentos liked the post so I guess that's approval so yeah, lol.

After my answer for the grave-robbery question, where Moira got the necklace, I asked him if our outcomes were determined by our answers or random dice rolls or what. He said he determines the outcomes based on our answers, especially if we go through the trouble of writing an answer instead of just picking an option. He specifically said that the outcome would have been much different if I just said "Moira grabs the necklace." So I figured as long as I wrote a good story to go along with everything and not abuse things too much, like giving one character 50 new magic items and turning her into a living god, it would be okay. If things get too out of hand, Mentos can just ignore whatever he doesn't want to include, or reveal that the item was cursed/not really magical after all, or just drop a random boulder on a character's head if they get too uppity (please don't do that to Moira, I'll be a good boy I promise).

 

[ViridianShine]

A spirit within him? A rather convenient explanation, but the change in demenour would be rather hard to act.

What a novel concept! Have you ever heard of such a thing before, McKayla?

I know, right? Hmm, say, are you capable of speaking with a similar being to you?

I am! Would you like me to verify his story?

Unnecessary, I believe it. Besides, I don't believe anyone knows I have something living inside my head...unless I was sensed? I'm rather new to this.

Enough thinking. Have you considered his offer?

"December, is that right? I must say, it is a rather fascinating revelation to be delivered to me, and as a holy woman I am familiar with what kinds of magic you may be," McKayla begins to address the spirit, while its host was still on his hands and knees, "we practice forgiveness, yet you are right in that I am very much hurt at the actions of your host. You need not worry for the consequences, I understand."

A light sentence! Do you mean it?

Of course not. A weak spirit that was unable to contain his actions should burn together all the same! Though, I am a little interested in meeting someone similar to us, so perhaps we can keep them alive for a bit longer.

"...Though I will admit that your insistence at your offer is quite tempting. Ah, very well, I shall make this a special occasion. Just this one time, I shall indulge," as McKayla finished her last word with a sharp intonation, her earrings set off, and August's entire body was pushed down to the floor with a hard thud, "this is not something I am familiar with, but since you requested, I can see how much I can make this man regret his decision."

A lie, of course. McKayla was quite versed in these kind of torture sequences, and the next while continued with heavy spite and great passion. She enjoyed every moment of it.

"Don't worry about all the blood. I am still a cleric, after all."

 

[Mentos]

I'll allow item creation if it's during a "loot moment" like what we just had yeah. If your character is just sitting around and happens to find Excalibur, we may need to chalk that up to being a dream lol. But if there's RP going on explicitly mentioning looting, pillaging or anything like that, as long as no one finds anything too OP it's fine by me. I'll also distribute items out myself to the group after big battles as well.)

This next update is the usual in-between missions set up along with detailing what some of the Zako who chose to go looting were up to. Some of you who went looting already RP'd what your characters were doing though, so I'll do the others.

Soldiers: 9x Archers: 3x Rogues: 5x Mages: 4x Clerics: 3x
1: Lieutenant Amanda (Soldier, Claymore 24/F): 35/35 HP (Level 5) Items: Black Claymore +3 to ATK, Superior Elven Armor: +2 to DEF
2: Li Ann (Rogue, Kunais 21/F): 13/13 (Level 4) Items: Elven Daggers: +2 to Attack Rolls, Mysterious Elven Bracelet
3: Tyris (Soldier, Mace 28/F): 25/25 HP (Level 4)
4: Arastine (Stalwart Defender, Axe, Gauntlets, Tower Shield 49/F): 40/40 HP (Level 5), Items: Paladin Armor, +5 to Defense Rolls
5: McKayla (Cleric, E. Jewelry 26/F) 13/13HP (Level 5) (Spells: Heal, Shield, Gravity) Items: Elven Jewelry, +1 to Healing Spells, Black Bow
6: Moira (Dark Mage, Magic Staff 32/F): 13/13 HP (Level 5) (Spells: Shadow Bolt, Drain Life, Summon Snakes, Cocoon) Items: Elven Bracelet, +3 to Attack Rolls, Spider Shawl (+1 to Def)
7: Astrid (Soldier, Fencing Rapier 20/F): 30/30 HP (Level 5), Items: Elven Armor, +1 to Defense Rolls
8: Oola (Soldier, Barbed Whip 22/F): 15/15 HP (Level 2)
9: Rixa (Archer, Longbow 26/F) 14/14 HP (Level 5) Items: Bone Longbow, +4 to Attack Rolls, Doubles as a Melee Weapon
10: Beth (Dark Mage 25/F) 7/7 HP (Level 2) (Spells: Shadow Bolt)
11: Minerva (Harpy 22/F) 15/15 HP (Level 2)
12: Morella (Rogue, Axe, Spear) 9/9 HP (Level 2) Items: Elven Spear: +1 to ATK
13: Hathus (Archer, Longbow 29/M) 8/8 HP (Level 2) Items: Elven Longbow +2 to ATK
14: August (Soldier, Mace/Shield 30/M) 20/20 HP (Level 3) Items: Slaver's Beatstick, +3 to ATK, +4 against Elves,
15: Elendra (Cleric, 19/F) 5/5HP (Level 1) (Spells: Heal) Items: Shriveled Heart of Nergal +1 to DEF
16: Anko (Rogue, Martial Arts 27/F) 9/9 HP (Level 2)
17: Yoshiko (Rogue, Kusarigama 23/F) 9/9 HP (Level 2)
18: Eisenhilde (Archer, Crossbow/Spear, 25/F) 8/8/ HP (Level 2) Items: Blade of Hel +1 to ATK
19: Cernya (Cleric, Longsword, 21/F) 5/5 HP (Level 1) (Spells: Heal) Items: Shriveled Heart of Nergal +1 to DEF
20: Micci (Mage, 19/F) 5/5 HP (Level 2) (Spells: Water, Fireball)
21: Mireille (Soldier, War Scythe ??/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
22: Arlette (Soldier, Spear 18/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
23: Minuette (Soldier, Sword/Shield 19/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
24: Avaricia (Mage, 19/F) 5/5 HP (Level 1) (Spells: Fireball)
25: Halette (Rogue, Short Sword 17/F) 7/7 HP (Level 1)
26: Kuu'rin (Rogue, Daggers ???/F) Level 1

Loot Crew:
Li Ann, Anko, Yoshiko, Moira, Eisenhilde, Cernya, August

The siege of Azelea is brutal and leaves a massive number of corpses in its wake. Thanks to Miasma's actions, most of those corpses end up being those of the Elven Defenders. The majority of the city has been captured, with only the city's large central palace remaining as a bulwark for Princess Kia and her entourage of Elven soldiers. Toxin and her forces have surrounded the palace though, and it is only a matter of time before it falls as well. Rumor has it that Toxin wants the princess alive, but for what sinister purposes is anyone's guess.

The majority of Miasma agrees to return back to Toxin's main force. The horrors of the tunnels ensure that the only thing they seek to find right now is shelter and safety. Those with a taste for loot or Elven blood however, head into the burning city to reap some of the rewards of their hard earned labor.

Anko and Yoshiko head out, accompanied by Li Ann. The three rogues stick to the shadows and roofs of the city until they find an Elven family fleeing their home, loading up a cart with their belongings. It seems they thought they could outlast the siege, but unfortunately, like most of the elves, they never expected the structure that defended their city for hundreds of years to come crashing down so easily. As the adult female is trying to load up a heavy chest, Yoshiko drops her Kusarigama from the roof she's standing on, expertly wrapping it around the elf's throat and pulling hard. The woman is lifted into the air, kicking and gagging so hard she kicks off her sandals. Her husband turns at the sound and receives a dagger through the forehead from Li Ann for his trouble. (Kill for Li Ann)

The two children in the cart immediately scream and try to run, however Anko makes short work of them. Grabbing both elves, she smashes their heads together, shattering the skulls. (Kill for Anko)

The female elf is able to watch the events before she finally succumbs to strangulation and perishes. Yoshiko releases her grip and lets the woman fall to the ground. (Kill for Yoshiko)

The group of rogues then begins going through the belongings on the wagon. While most of it is sentimental junk, they're each able to find some leather elven armor that's superior to what they're wearing now, along with some jewelry that seems to have a faint magical presence.

(Items Found: Leather Elven Armor, Ring of Defense, Ring of Attack)

----------------------------------------

August wanders Azelea with a fair bit of amazement. He's seen towns and castles looted and pillaged before, but somehow seeing it happen to an ancient Elven city seems so...grandiose. He spots a nearby pair of soldiers bullying and carrying two bound elven women from a nearby chapel over to a cart. When he stops one of the soldiers and inquires, he finds out that the women were priestesses of the temple, and they were attempting to heal the wounded. Upon hearing that the women are Clerics, his mind wanders to Shandris. That woman was a Cleric as well before Marla got a hold of her. Whatever Marla did to enforce obedience on Shandris worked, however she was no longer able to channel the healing powers of the goddess.

That thought fills August with some curiosity. Marla was a lot of things, but when it came to breaking in slaves she was clearly a novice in the shadow of someone like himself. Whatever the Dark Mage did severed Shandris' abilities to use magic. A "Slaver Master" (as he liked to call himself) like August though...perhaps with a little finesse...he could break these women while still keeping their magical skills in-line.

August bids the soldier away. As she turns, he pulls out his mace and slams it in to the back of her head. The woman's skull and brain matter is sent flying out. When her comrade turns in alarm, August slams his shield into her bare-midriff. She doubles over, spilling out what rations she had for lunch before August connects with a downward swing of his mace to her head. (2 Kills for August)

August turns to make sure no one saw that, before dumping the women from Toxin's army in a nearby bush. The two elves he "saved" look grateful before he loads them up in the cart and carries along. whistling a tune. This seemed easier to him than simply asking the soldiers for the elves.

He never was one for sharing, and he had some work to do.
----------------------------------------

In a command tent outside the city walls, five powerful dark mages were gathered at a round table. Of the five, only Marla seemed absolutely ecstatic. Sitting around her were three of her rivals under Toxin, including Magatha. These three were leaders of other Battalions that had managed to come this far, however none of them seemed very happy about that at this moment. The fifth and final dark mage, was Toxin herself. The woman positively radiated dark and powerful energy. If she wanted to, she could kill a normal person just by standing too close to them.

"Impressive, Marla." said Toxin. Though soft-spoken, her voice carried tremendous weight, and sent a chill down the spines of the other dark mages present. "You continue to amaze me with your progress through Mythra. You've acquired a host of powerful artifacts, brought down the walls of one of the elves' largest cities, and even your...pet project is proving wonders." With the last statement, Toxin nods to one of Marla's E6lven guards standing guard at the entrance of the tent. "You truly may be my finest student yet."

"You honor me with your words, Mistress." said Marla. "I'm humbled and honored to serve you in your quest."

"Tell me." asks Toxin. "At what rate are you able to brainwash these Elves to complete loyalty?"

"We've seen some progress. One of the soldiers we conscripted is an experienced slave breaker. Once the elf's spirit is completely broken, it isn't too difficult to bind them to our will. I've also tried experimenting with some cursed items, but breaking their spirits has proven to be the most efficient method. At least until we're able to achieve our ultimate goal of acquiring the Eye of Abbadon from the capital. Until then, brainwashing these creatures is the most effective way to bolster our ranks. I'm afraid we can't exhaust these Kafra scum forever."

"That's because you killed half of mine soldiers you lying bitch!" interrupts Magatha. "Master please! This whore is deceiving you! She poisoned countless of my soldiers! They were writhing in agony because of whatever putrid filth she cooked up! We didn't even have enough time to put them all out of their misery!"

"Oh my, Magatha, perhaps you should be more careful with your soldiers and stop them from doing things like drinking strange river water? I would never allow Miasma Battalion to do something silly like that. Why, I care for each of my soldiers like they're a part of my family." says Marla, smugly.

"I'll kill you you fuckin-!"

Magatha suddenly falls to her side and passes out, unconscious.

"So loud." says Toxin, waving a hand. "If she doesn't start behaving during these meetings, I may need to put her down."

"It truly is a shame, Mistress." replies Marla

Toxin gets up from her seat, and begins to brew herself some tea.

"Princess Kia is surrounded in Azelea's castle keep. There's nowhere for her to go from here, but I'd like her alive. I want to see if this experiment of yours works on a powerful warrior like her. It could be a great boon for our forces going forward. Your Miasma Battalion has proven themselves tremendously. They'll serve as the vanguard. Storm the castle, and capture the Princess for me alive. You have your orders."

"Yes Mistress," Marla says bowing, "I know my soldiers will be overjoyed at the news."

 

[Severity]

Arastine sneaks up behind Beth in the middle of the day. It's not easy, and she's not wearing her armor, but she manages to get quite close to Beth before the mage turns around.
When she does, her hands are grabbed and held above her head with one hand. Arastine's thigh is between her legs, holding her off her feet, and Arastine's other hand is on her throat. Pinned against a wall, Beth realizes it might have been a mistake to act so flippantly towards Arastine.
This line of thinking continues when Arastine gives her a full-strength punch to the stomach. It won't kill her, but it hurts like hell.
After the second punch, Arastine leans in, staring Beth in the eye.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. Hell, I won't even let you die here. That's far more mercy than you gave Millie. But you'll regret what you did"
With that, she begins to strangle Beth. As soon as she loses consciousness, Arastine releases her throat and lets her breathe for a few seconds before starting again. After a few times, she lets go of Beth's hands and begins slapping and groping her while she chokes out the elven mage again and again. After the seventh or eighth time, she notices a wetness on her thigh.
"Really... You like this, do you? Then I'll give you a present..."
After a few more cycles, Arastine throws Beth to the ground and kicks her once in the face, then looks for a few seconds to take in the sight, chuckling to herself. Then she walks away, smiling absentmindedly.

Arastine does have crimes she's here to atone for, after all. They were probably things like this.


December is having a bit of trouble figuring out what to do with the two elf clerics August took prisoner during the sack of Azelea. They're not exactly in a position to just escape, and it would be very bad if Marla got wind of December's presence before she was ready, especially given December's grudge.
Shit. What do I do with these two poor bastards? They'll be suspicious already because of Rom, if I let these two go runnin' around that'll be it. I guess for now I'll just keep 'em together and close t' me, let 'em know what's up with me and August and shit. Maybe put Rom in charge of 'em.

Romillie also was informed of December's occupation of August, but in a bit more detail than McKayla. After all, McKayla might try to use it against her - Romillie, (or Rom, as December calls her) however, is dependent on December for her continuing good treatment. December's assumption is that the two priestesses will be similarly reasonable in their decisions, especially if they see more of Rom in their daily lives than her.

Eisenhilde is ecstatic when she hears of the next mission. After all, it's a win-win! Either shed blood (hers or others) for Hel and die, or survive and throw her Blade of Hel from the highest of the palace's spires, and dedicate the battle to Hel. That kind of opportunity only comes along very rarely, even moreso since neither side are devotees of Hel! This will be her greatest day, her finest hour! She's trembling thinking about it.

Cernya has brought from the looting a wagon filled with things that are militarily useless but valuable for a burglar. Things like nice utensils, family heirlooms, non-magical jewelry, nice paintings, good furniture. It's all pulled by a stolen (from Acid) horse and a looted mule.

 

[dinomoneyman]

Once Beth regains consciousness she's both humiliated and furious, but quickly gets a devilish smile. She knew a bit about the plans of rebellion, since up until recently it wasn't well hidden at all. She didn't have any details, but the murmurs of it and Arastine's involvement were. Marla hadn't quite returned, but Beth went to the next best thing, Amanda. After brushing off comments about why her stomach looked bruised, she blabbed all she knew. "It has come to my attention that many of our supposed allies are planning a coup. hey're going to attempt to kill Marla, and surely make a mess of things. I don't know much, but I definitely know I've heard Arastine in on it. I believe this warrants an investigation at the very least," the conniving witch told her.

At the time, Minerva was was perched lounging nearby in the very same room. Of course no one had come to suspect anything of the passive harpy, but unbeknownst to the others, her eyes widened at this. "I've got to tell the others about this..." she thought when she flew out to find Arastine.

I had told Severity to go nuts when he asked what Arastine could do to Beth in private messages, but I never said that Beth wouldn't retaliate in a way that could be very disastrous. Oh Arastine, and you thought Tyris was mad about your hotheadedness before, lol.

 

[Henchgirl 29]

Amanda tired from the previous battle listens to Beth half-heartedly, "I'll let Marla know next time I see her," she replies after Beth finishes.
This whole coup business sounds messy and Amanda doesn't really want to be part of it at all, telling marla seems like the easiest option but depending on the size of this thing it does put a rather large target over herself. 'What a headache,' she thinks to herself making a mental note to watch her back.

 

[Severity]

Hearing Minerva's breathless explanation, Arastine can only smile faintly.
She really thinks she can get me killed that way...? Heh. Not likely. No chance Marla would kill so many of her own experienced troops, not after we've done so much for her. And that's if she believes Beth about the conspiracy. If she's favored by Toxin, the reason's us, and she knows it. She won't act without evidence, and Beth has none to give.
In fact, the evidence may well be against Beth. After all, the first Amanda or Marla are hearing of a conspiracy is perfectly timed to be an attempt at revenge for what I did to Beth.
In short? Not much of a concern.

...Ah, and I might give Amanda a little push towards secrecy if I can. If she's told Marla already, there's nothing I can do, but if she hasn't yet, I'll let her know that if Marla believes her, it's likely she'll be... At best, demoted, I suppose. I can't imagine Marla will be happy if she learns about such a large rebellion under her.

"Thank you Minerva, that's good to know. You're a nice, helpful girl~."
She smiles and pats Minerva's head gently. Minerva chirps happily.
However this ends up, she has no intent of letting certain comrades of hers come to harm, and Minerva's at the top of the list of protectees.

If this was someone like Cernya, she might attack or run. But Arastine hasn't lasted to 49 without learning some tricks, and deception is one of them.
Also, she won't do anything else to Beth for now. She'll just act like she's never heard of any of this if/when Marla comes calling.

 

[dinomoneyman]

Tyris has taken to drinking. Well... Taken to drinking more than usual. She found herself ranting in her drunken stupor to Arastine, "So she knows, and she's told on us. And, *hic* she's gonna... gonna tell Marla too. But you think Marla won't kill us because we're so fuckin' valuable now? We weren't valuable before. Why're we valuable now, huh bub? *hic* We're all gonna die! What was the plan before? Cave Marla's damn house in on her when she gets back? Ain't happenin' now I'll tell ya! She's gonna be on high alert! And if she needed us so much we wouldn't have a problem to begin with!"
Astrid impatiently cut in, "We still need to kill the damn witch! What about me taking the lead? We have to-"
Tyris slapped Astrid hard across her cheek, "This isn't all about you, you spoiled brat!"
There was a moment of utter silence as Astrid held her face, which now had a red hand-shaped mark on it, while wide-eyed in disbelief.
Tyris realized what she had just done and jumped back to her senses. She said, "I- Astrid, I'm sorry. I didn't... I was just caught up in the... I didn't mean it."
"No," Astrid said, "I get it. Actually, though harsh... I may be a bit selfish. Still, I believe this is the right course of action. " with a solemn expression, seemingly getting some sense knocked into her as well.
"and... I agree with that," Tyris said, "W-what are we even *hic* fighting about again?" she then looked back to Arastine. "Oh... Oh yeah. Arastine, you're the closest thing we got for uh, guidance. I'm worried."

 

[Severity]

"I understand why you're worried, and I'd be worried too if Marla knew about everything. But she doesn't, and that's the key here. As far as she knows, Beth came up and said I was part of a mutiny plot after I roughed her up a bit. That could easily be played off as her trying to get revenge for what I did, couldn't it?"
She smiles, hoping to reassure Tyris and Astrid.
In fact, if I were to play my cards right, maybe accuse her of scavenging those corpses she joined with and being an elven infiltrator to destroy us from within, it's possible she'd actually be punished instead, Arastine thinks. She'd even have a real nice place for her too, strapped to the front of her tower shield...
I should remember to ask for that if everything goes well.
Internally, Arastine smirks.
"And as for being valuable... Individually, we're not valuable to her at all. But imagine if Toxin were to hear that Marla had killed some of her own troops? Normally I doubt that would be an issue, but... think about our missions. The last one was very critical to Toxin's success. This one, we're being trusted to storm a castle and bring back a princess alive. At first it might seem like a suicide mission, but if it we were expected to be wiped out, why give orders about the princess? Why send us instead of Acid? I believe we're becoming something of an elite force in Toxin's army, and it would hurt Marla's reputation quite a bit if it turns out the elite Miasma Battalion was plotting a mutiny and Marla found out this late. So she's not likely to believe Beth, even if only because of her pride."
Arastine has a few other ideas about why Marla might not act even if she believes there's a mutiny plot, but to suggest that perhaps she'd decide to let them try and make an example out of them afterwards seems... unwise, given Tyris' current state.

 

[dinomoneyman]

Astrid has different worries. "But when will we do it? We can't just keep following orders, waiting for an opening that may never come. As of recently she's always one step away from us," she huffed.

 

[Skinny73]

At this point, Moira cuts in on the conversation. "I hear what you're saying, Astrid, but right now could well be the worst possible time to act. Any of Toxin's troops who happen to be nearby are more likely to side with Marla over us. And do you really want to start something right under Toxin's nose? I think our actions are more likely to be received favorably with her if we have a chance to control the narrative."

 

[Mentos]

Miasma Battalion
Soldiers: 9x Archers: 3x Rogues: 5x Mages: 4x Clerics: 3x
Mission 8: Storming Azelea Castle
Difficulty: 4/5
1: Lieutenant Amanda (Soldier, Claymore 24/F): 35/35 HP (Level 5) Items: Black Claymore +3 to ATK, Superior Elven Armor: +2 to DEF
2: Li Ann (Rogue, Kunais 21/F): 15/15 (Level 5) Items: Elven Daggers: +2 to Attack Rolls, Mysterious Elven Bracelet, Ring of Attack, +1 to ATK, Ring of Defense, +1 to DEF, Elven Armor, +1 to Def
3: Tyris (Soldier, Mace 28/F): 25/25 HP (Level 4)
4: Arastine (Stalwart Defender, Axe, Gauntlets, Tower Shield 49/F): 40/40 HP (Level 5), Items: Paladin Armor, +5 to Defense Rolls
5: McKayla (Cleric, E. Jewelry 26/F) 13/13HP (Level 5) (Spells: Heal, Shield, Gravity) Items: Elven Jewelry, +1 to Healing Spells, Black Bow
6: Moira (Dark Mage, Magic Staff 32/F): 13/13 HP (Level 5) (Spells: Shadow Bolt, Drain Life, Summon Snakes, Cocoon) Items: Elven Bracelet, +3 to Attack Rolls, Spider Shawl (+1 to Def)
7: Astrid (Soldier, Fencing Rapier 20/F): 30/30 HP (Level 5), Items: Elven Armor, +1 to Defense Rolls
8: Oola (Soldier, Barbed Whip 22/F): 15/15 HP (Level 2)
9: Rixa (Archer, Longbow 26/F) 14/14 HP (Level 5) Items: Bone Longbow, +4 to Attack Rolls, Doubles as a Melee Weapon
10: Beth (Dark Mage 25/F) 7/7 HP (Level 2) (Spells: Shadow Bolt)
11: Minerva (Harpy 22/F) 15/15 HP (Level 2)
12: Morella (Rogue, Axe, Spear) 9/9 HP (Level 2) Items: Elven Spear: +1 to ATK
13: Hathus (Archer, Longbow 29/M) 8/8 HP (Level 2) Items: Elven Longbow +2 to ATK
14: August (Soldier, Mace/Shield 30/M) 30/30 HP (Level 5) Items: Slaver's Beatstick, +3 to ATK, +4 against Elves,
15: Elendra (Cleric, 19/F) 5/5HP (Level 1) (Spells: Heal) Items: Shriveled Heart of Nergal +1 to DEF
16: Anko (Rogue, Martial Arts 27/F) 11/11 HP (Level 3) Ring of Attack, +1 to ATK, Ring of Defense, +1 to DEF, Elven Armor, +1 to Def
17: Yoshiko (Rogue, Kusarigama 23/F) 11/11 HP (Level 3) Items: Ring of Attack, +1 to ATK, Ring of Defense, +1 to DEF, Elven Armor, +1 to Def
18: Eisenhilde (Archer, Crossbow/Spear, 25/F) 8/8/ HP (Level 2) Items: Blade of Hel +1 to ATK
19: Cernya (Cleric, Longsword, 21/F) 5/5 HP (Level 1) (Spells: Heal) Items: Shriveled Heart of Nergal +1 to DEF
20: Micci (Mage, 19/F) 5/5 HP (Level 2) (Spells: Water, Fireball)
21: Arlette (Soldier, Spear 18/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
22: Minuette (Soldier, Sword/Shield 19/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
23: Avaricia (Mage, 19/F) 5/5 HP (Level 1) (Spells: Fireball)
24: Halette (Rogue, Short Sword 17/F) 7/7 HP (Level 1)
25: Kuu'rin (Rogue, Daggers ???/F) (Level 1) (7/7 HP)

As soon as the group made it out of the tunnels, Mireille ran as fast as her legs could carry her. To her credit, no one in the group really seemed to notice, as they were all too busy getting their bearings together after their encounter with the Beholder. As she ran through the besieged city, all she could think about was how foolish she had been. Her entire way of life had been upended by these humans and their leadership of dark wizards. She thought the humans weren't that bad at first, but seeing them cut each other down back their to escape with their lives...it was all more than she could handle. And did she really think that with enough careful planning, they could take down and usurp one of those very same dark mages that caused this entire mess?! Mireille wanted nothing to do with it. She just wanted to go back to the normal, peaceful life she had before this war started. She'd try and get out of the city, and blend in with her fellow elves. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Toxin's forces were everywhere. From what she could see, the Elves were falling back into Azelea's central castle. While starting at the scene, she feels someone grab her shoulder.

"What are you doing just standing there! They're coming, get inside!" says the figure, who appears to be an Elven soldier.

Before Mireille can protest, she's dragged inside the castle with the rest of the Elven Defenders.

-------------------------------------------

It's been five days since the siege of Azelea, and in that time the city's castle has held strong and firm. Word comes down from Amanda that Miasma is to raid Azelea Castle, the last bastion of defense the Elves have in the city. Princess Kia has marshaled her forces inside the castle, where they've repelled all attempts by Toxin's forces to get inside. The courtyard of the castle is littered with Toxin's dead and dying soldiers, each of whom had failed to penetrate the castle's outer gate. While the dark sorceress can simply level the castle and kill all inside, she orders that the Princess be captured alive. Miasma is chosen as the next group to try and ensure this mission succeeds.

Marla appears for the first time since before the underground assault. To her side is one of her new loyal Elven soldiers.

"Congratulations on your successes underground. I was most impressed to hear of your mission. Don't rest on your laurels just yet, though. The princess of these elves is holding tight within these castle walls. Kill all you find, but bring her to me alive. Perhaps with enough persuasion, she may be willing to be as accommodating as my new friend here..." says Marla, caressing the cheek of the Elven soldier. The dark mage's hand begins to sink lower until it rests upon the bare stomach of the Elven soldier, where it then begins to glow a pulsating dark hue.

"You may find this one useful for your mission." says Marla. She then leaves, but not before beckoning August to follow her. It seems she has other plans for him at the moment.

-------------------------------------------

After gathering her forces into position, Amanda calls for Miasma to attack the castle keep. Just as she calls for her troops to charge, the Elf that had been with Marla makes a beeline to the castle's front gates.

"What the hell is that crazy bitch doing?!" screams Amanda "Clerics! Cover her!"

The elf zig zags through the arrows fired at her by the Elven Defenders with inhuman speed. A few arrows find their mark, however any wounds that appear are healed by McKayla, Elendra and Cernya. Just as the elf reaches the outer gate, she slams her body against the door. She glows briefly before a large explosion consumes her and destroys a large part of the front keep. It seems whatever magic Marla had used on the Elf earlier had turned her into a living bomb. A huge gap lies in the front of the castle, and many of the keep's archers that were standing on the battlements either perished in the explosion, or were gravely wounded landing on the ground.

Miasma's forces charge through the newly created gap ready to slay whoever lies inside. On their way in, many of Toxin's soldiers who had been wounded in previous assaults attempt to plead for mercy, grabbing at their legs and begging for help, or even a quick death. All of them are ignored though.

vs
Elven Defenders
Princess Kia (Princess, Greatsword, 90F) (Level 13) (130/130 HP) Items: Regal Elven Blade
Severa (Mage, 72F) (Level 10) (50/50 HP)
Elven Sentinels x7 (Swords and Shield) (Level 8) (40/40 HP)
Mireille (Soldier, War Scythe ??/F) 10/10 HP (Level 1)
Elven Refugees x20 (Level 1)

"Don't let them get through to the refugees! Severa has almost finished completing her portal!" yells one Elven woman, standing on a balcony. She's dressed in regal, ornate blue and gold armor covering her body, but leaving her thighs and cleavage exposed. She has long, flowing blond hair, with piercing blue eyes and a determined look on her face. She might be the most beautiful woman you'd ever seen, if not for the menacing giant black two-handed blade that she was brandishing. It doesn't take you long to realize this is the Princess Kia you'd heard so much about. Behind her is a red haired elf sitting cross-legged in deep concentration in-front of what appears to be a rend in the air.

"Hold them off until we can escape!" she yells again, as the few Elven soldiers that remain move to block your path.

The sentinels are immediately peppered by arrows from Miasma's archers, however they moved in a coordinated group and are able to swat away most of the missiles with their shields. Taking a page from the previous mission, Moira conjures a group of snakes in the midst of the Elven Sentinels. While the snakes aren't able to score any kills, they do succeed in separating the group and allow Miasma to gang up on them more effectively.

Tyris smashes her mace at one elf who manages to block with her shield, however the blow strikes so hard it shatters the elf's bone into two pieces. As her shield arm drops uselessly to her side, Hathus scores an arrow into her breast, and Eisenhilde runs her through with her spear, putting her down. (Kill for Eisenhilde)

One sentinel engages in a duel with Astrid only to find her sword arm locked by Oola's whip. The elf takes multiple piercing strikes from Astrid's rapier, before falling into a bloody heap. (Kill for Astrid)

A sentinel find herself surrounded by the four slaves sent by the Kafran nobility. The elf expertly parries blows from Arlette, Minuette and Halette, taking minimal damage while Avaricia charges a fireball. When the elf notices the mage's attack, she deftly drops her shield and grabs the shaft of Arlette's spear. She pulls her close enough to kiss before kicking her in the direction of the fireball as a human shield. The slave runs around screaming, trying to put out the flames, before collapsing in a heap. (Arlette has died) (Kill for Avaricia)

One elven sentinel tries to engage the backline of mages and archers. Micci quickly manages to cast water on the ground, causing the elf to lose her balance (and weapons) and slip to the ground. A double tap of Rixa's bow ensures the elf never gets up from the ground (Kill for Rixa)

Kia had been standing in the back of the room, defending Severa and the huddled refugees, until she notices Rixa's bow.

"T-that bow...w-where did you..." Kia trails off. Sudden realization hits her before she grits her teeth and slams her sword in the ground. "You...you dirty stinking BITCH! You killed Shara! You killed her! I won't let you leave here alive!"

Kia brandishes her weapon and charges directly at Rixa, despite the protests of her mage to stay behind.

Morella is the first person to get in her way. She swings her axe at Kia only to be met by the princess' blade. The weapon cleaves through Morella's axe, followed by her sternum, cutting the orc into two pieces and spraying everyone nearby in blood and viscera, shaking their morale. (Morella has died)

Minerva, who had been flying in the air waiting for a moment to strike, launches a sneak attack at Kia, raking her claws against her back and holding onto her so one of her comrades could score a follow-up attack. Several rogues attempt to use this moment to strike at her, however Kia, in her rage, is able to grab a hold of one of Minerva's talons, and swing the harpy around like a makeshift bat, swatting the rouges away. She charges further more, dragging Minerva along, and slams the harpy down onto the nearest Miasma member, Cernya. The harpy flattens the Nergal cleric to the ground, shattering bones in both unfortunate women. Cernya, lying on her back with the harpy draped over her face down, weakly tries to get up before both of them find themselves impaled on Kia's sword. They both thrash violently before she brutally yanks the sword out. (Minerva has died) (Cernya has died)

Kia finds herself in combat with Amanda, Arastine and Li Ann, backed up by McKayla. The four prove harder to dispatch as quickly as the others, however Kia clearly has the upper hand. The sentinel that was fighting the Kafran slaves tries to break off to help her, however she is cut down by Minuette and Halette for her trouble, with Halette getting the kill. (Kill for Halette)

Another elf attempts to break off from her fight with Anko and Yoshiko to defend the refugees, however she has her leg wrapped by Yoshiko's Kusarigama. Unable to defend herself, Anko delivers a series of brutal blows to the elf's body, before grabbing her neck and snapping it into a grotesque position. (Kill for Anko) They then try and stop the Elven Mage from completing her portal.

"KIA! I NEED YOUR HELP! NOW!" yells the Elven mage.

Beth, along with Kuu'rin and Hathus, managed to move past the ongoing fights to corner the refugees and attempt to stop Severa's portal. Two refugees muster up the courage to charge the soldiers, but for their trouble Beth blows up one woman with her shadow bolt, while Kuu'rin turns the other into a pin-cushion. (Kill for Beth) (Kill for Kuu'rin)

Mireille had been hiding with the refugees this entire time, watching the battle with growing dread. She knew that once Severa had finished creating her portal, she'd finally be able to escape this hellhole. However it looked like she wouldn't get the time. As the trio attempts to get closer to Severa, Mireille brandishes her War Scythe and attempts a desperate swing at Kuu'rin, however just as she raises her arms, a side kick from Anko connects brutally with her side, sending her crashing into the ground. She tries to get up and plead with her former comrades for mercy, hoping Arastine sees her, but Yoshiko's Kusarigama quickly connects into the side of her head, piercing her brain and killing her. The duo don't even bother to realize who it was they just killed, and quickly move on, with Yoshiko ripping the weapon free. (Kill for Yoshiko) (Mireille has died)

Kia, who had already slammed Li Ann to the floor and knocked out Amanda, was only fighting Arastine, McKayla, and now Tyris and Rixa, when she heard her mage call her for her. Gritting her teeth, she backs off from the fight, but not before taking one last arrow from Rixa into her shoulder.

The Elven Mage, Severa, finally manages to finish her portal just as Beth and Hathus launches a shadow bolt and arrow at her, which sends the mage to the ground badly wounded. Before they can finish her off, Kia lands in their midst. With a whirlwind swing, she slices Hathus' head clean off while severing Beth's arm at the shoulder. The archer collapses to the ground dead while Beth clutches her wound, screaming in agony. Kuu'rin and the ninja duo smartly back off. (Hathus has died)

Kia picks up the unconscious mage under one arm while the Elven refugees begin to stream through the portal. The other two sentinels that remained try to back off into the portal, however one is strangled to death by Oola's whip, while the other is finished off with a crossbow bolt to the throat by Eisenhilde. (Kill for Oola) (Kill for Eisenhilde)

Kia points her sword at the group, though her eyes connect directly with Rixa's.

"Mark my words. When we meet again, I'll make sure you die screaming."

With that, Kia vanishes into the portal with the unconscious elf and the remainder of the refugees.

Miasma has taken the castle and completed the conquest of Azelea. The castle room is strewn with the corpses of the fallen, and the clerics immediately begin getting to work on Beth. Unfortunately, Kia got away, and the group again suffered heavy casualties. Marla is likely not to be happy...

 

[Severity]

Eisenhilde, initially going in with her spear, is quickly rewarded with a kill as she stabs an Elven guard in the chest from behind Tyris.
Yes! Oh, it feels so good to serve Her! It's... overwhelming!
She stays where she is as most of the others advance, bringing out her crossbow and aiming as the ecstasy dies down. The slaughter continues, and Eisenhilde doesn't see any clear shots. As much as Lady Hel might like it, it's probably not a good idea to shoot an ally in the back with her crossbow, so she bides her time. Soon enough, her patience is rewarded with a clear shot at one of the last elven defenders! She fires her crossbow at the elf, trusting Hel to guide her bolt through the elf's armor.
Whether by Hel's guidance or Eisenhilde's aim, the bolt hits the elf in the throat, and she collapses. Seeing the that the fighting seems to be over, Eisenhilde hurries to the elf's side, and, kissing her gently on the lips, uses her Blade of Hel to sever both carotids, then holds the kiss until the elf is certainly dead.
When she stands up again, she seems to have a faint red tint to the outmost edges of her irises. Her grey robes are stained with the elf's blood, and she uses it to draw a sigil of Hel on a nearby wall before licking her hand clean. When asked why, she simply answered that having consumed the elf's life, the blood was now hers, and that to leave her hands covered in her own blood would be wasteful.

Hathus follows the others in after the suicide bomber elf, and when he sees an opening he fires a shot to try and shorten the pain of one already wounded elven warrior.
For the rest of his life, he's unable to get a good shot. When Kia leaps next to him, he barely has time to glance at her before he suddenly can't feel his body.
What? Why is...? Oh. I suppose I'm dead, then. My part has come to an end.
He sees that his longbow has been cut along with his neck.
Oh... shame about my bow. That was a good, sturdy, loyal bow.
And then, closing his eyes and wishing that some day the world could know true peace, Hathus dies.

Seeing Minerva's strike, Cernya rushes in with her longsword, hoping to run the princess through. Unfortunately for her, she's too close to avoid Minerva when Kia swings her, and so is thrown down under Minerva.
She tries to move the Harpy off of her, then tries to just move at all, but she can't manage it with this many broken bones - her arms and legs are in agonizing pain, and so is everything else. After Kia suddenly stabs through Minerva and Cernya into the ground, the pain begins to fade as Cernya goes into shock. She remains conscious just long enough to realize how soft Minerva is.

During the five days Mireille was missing, Arastine assumes she's fled the city and is returning to her homeland.
Arastine focuses on defense throughout the fight, and doesn't manage to kill any of the defenders. After the fighting is over, Arastine sees Beth holding her shoulder, bleeding heavily. Glancing around, she sees an arm that matches Beth's skin tone lying on the ground, and quickly walks over. Doing her best to look like she's not aiming, she carefully sets her kite shield down on Beth's severed arm right on the cut, hoping that it's now impossible to reattach. When someone notices what her shield is resting on, she feigns apologetic surprise and quickly moves away.
I wonder if that'll do it? Hm. Either way, I should be able to convince Marla that Beth's lying. Too bad the princess killed Hathus and not her.
Seeing Minerva's body, Arastine solemnly approaches, takes her off of Cernya, sets her down on a clean portion of the floor, and arranges her so she seems to be sleeping. Gently, eyes closed, Arastine touches her forehead to Minerva's, and whispers.
"Rest now, child. You are free. Know peace."
She doesn't take the time to check the faces of the fallen elves, and so none realize that Mireille died there.

Seeing three of her former comrades approach Severa, Mireille makes a decision.
I... I have to stop them! If I don't, everyone might die. I'll... I'll redeem myself, make up for working with them, then go home and never think of any of this again.
Then, before she can strike, she feels a hammer-like blow to her side. She can't stand, let alone fight... She tries to get up, to plead for mercy, delay them longer, do anything, but all she can do is look up at Yoshiko with tears in her eyes.
She's instantly killed before she can say anything.

December calmly walks behind and slightly to the side of Marla, wondering what she wants with August. She does her best impression of August's usual scowl, though she's helped by August's cursing her from inside his own body.
Damn, man. You know what's happenin' in here just as well as I do, asshole. You make a racket and make me fuck up, we're both done. Actually, you're more fucked than I am if she catches on. After all, I can just leave. So shut your fuckin' trap, and tell me what to do if and when I ask. Got it, shit-for-brains?
August doesn't like what's happening, being trapped in his own body, and he really doesn't like that whoever took over his body let McKayla beat the shit out of him, since he felt it all. But he grudgingly accepts December's words and stays quiet for the time being.
Heh, wonder what she wants a shitter like you for? Far as I can tell, all yer good for is being used, but I doubt she's into spineless bootlickers...
December continues walking behind Marla, confident that the 'bitch magician' can't sense her thoughts through the double-veil of August's mind and her own incorporeality.


What's Marla want with August? Will December remember to punch McKayla to get even for their past? If she does, would her unfinished business in this world be done, causing her to pass on? Can Beth's arm be reattached? Can Arastine gain levels without killing to avoid being left in the dust? So many questions~!

 

[ViridianShine]

After the battle, Kuu'rin seems completely unfazed by the amount of comrades that had just died, flourishing her daggers.

"That was so much fun!" Kuu'rin declared, seemingly addressing the two ninjas, Anko and Yoshiko beside her, whom she had ended up next to for the majority of the last battle, "you guys were pretty cool. Kuu'rin enjoyed playing with you guys!"

===

Meanwhile, on another side of the room, another person appeared to be celebrating as well, completely unfazed by the amount of bodies around her.

"McKayla, McKayla, did you see that?" Micci bragged, flaunting her water spell randomly as she posed again, "that elf was all like ooooh, I'm soooo scary with my sword and I just made her fall over! See, I told you my spells were deadly, but nobody would believe me. This battle was nothing for a mage of my caliber, now surely everyone shall forgive me."

...Beth is missing a fucking arm. Are you blind, moron?!

Not paying attention to anything the fly buzzing behind her is ranting about, McKayla had been preoccupied with tending the severely wounded Beth on the floor. The bleeding so terrible that McKayla had to improvise a rough bandage to stop the sheer amount of blood coming out of the woman's wound before she could even begin casting her healing abilities. The girls rough language and screaming certainly wasn't helping the situation in a significant capacity either.

"Yes moro-...my child. But this woman is gravely injured and I need assistance," McKayla responded without turning her head, still trying to stop the bleeding coming from Beth's missing arm, "where did Elendra go? She was helping me earlier. I need Cernya here as well."

"Oh! Yeah, right, uhh..." Micci's head darted around the room before she dashed off for a brief moment. The mage returned within seconds, declaring her findings, "Elendra is over there crouched beside the harpy and some other body!"

"You mean Minerva? Are their injuries worse than these?"

"Oh, yeah. They're pretty dead. One hundred percent dead. That was too bad y'know? That harpy girl was such a nice person to me after those caves! Why, I thought the two of us could have been touched by fate but-"

"Yeah, yeah, who is the other girl? Don't tell me she kind of looked like a cleric with long, goldish brown hair."

Micci paused, looking back over again, "ummmm...oh, yeah. She looks exactly like that."

"..." McKayla let out a long sigh. Though, her brief respite of thought was quickly interrupted by Beth below her.

"Hey, I'm still dying here. What are you doing?!" Beth screamed out.

"I-I'm sorry, child! Please stay still, any more unnecessary movement will cause the wound to be infected!" McKayla quickly calmed the girl, sweat forming along her brow as she continued to cast her healing spell against the wound.

"Cleric!" Eisenhilde addresses McKayla, walking up behind her, "I'm overflowing with power after that battle! I need to be checked for wounds immediately."

"Hey, if ya ain't busy, my arm needs healin'" Oola came around another side.

"McKayla, hurry up. There's a wound on my hip," Astrid declared, "I dueled an elf, so I should be first."

"McKayla, are you free?" Amanda asked, "there are more wounded Toxin soldiers outside and they are low on clerics."

"Actually my arm feels kinda sore after all that fighting," Micci was still standing around, "isn't there more clerics around here?"

"Can't you go ask Elendra?!" McKayla responded to her, half raising her voice.

"Oh, no! She seems to be really upset. That would be really rude. Wasn't there, like, a third cleric around here somewhere? The one with the sword, you know?"

"I'm still dying here, you know," Beth spoke flatly.

McKayla, at the moment, desired to disappear through a wall.

How ironic! You try to be evil, yet your healing magic keeps the army afloat! What do you think of your new predicament?

...Just shut up and tell me which of these people around me are actually dying too.