WAR ♞ THE DANCING DEAD

[boardmaster]

THE DANCING DEAD
20 OCTOBER (CALENDI) 2016

In the days leading up to the planned Noir attack in Merilorn Forest, the Heroes have been asked to stay within the House of Solare. It is the middle of the night when Charles comes to rouse the Heroes from their sleep in the Great Hall. One best pack light; the journey must be made on foot. The intent, after all, is to catch Noir by surprise under the cover of darkness. Charles leads the way to the edge of the forest, guided only by a small lantern and dim moonlight. You'll need to turn your lanterns off, by the way. You cannot risk drawing attention.

The weather seems to favor such a stealth mission, at least. Heavy fogs hang low to the ground, making it difficult to watch your step through the deep underbrush. Tread with caution. Strong winds also make navigating through low-hanging branches a trial. Despite these difficulties, you must move quickly and quietly as you keep up with Charles, who has clearly made this journey before. You eventually come across a small abandoned house. There doesn't look to be anyone inside.

	Charles Don't be fooled by appearances. Prizak Annuli. [ gestures toward the house and the outline of the house's illusion fades. it reveals a hidden path, where Eric Caruana and the infected survivors are huddled around a campfire. immediately, Charles runs to hug Eric. ]
	Eric Charles! [ stands up, but recoils ] No! Don't touch me! You'll--! [ voice cracks, on the verge of tears ] ...I quarantined myself here, as well as any other infected people I could find, until I can find a cure for us. You shouldn't be here, Charles. None of you should. The forest is teeming with Noir. They messed with the forest… The mana’s unstable, and what they can do with it is downright sacrilege. They've spent the last few months placing a huge seal around the forest. The seal’s points should be at the locations I marked. [ he retrieves a piece of paper out of his pocket, where he's mapped out the seal locations. they form the shape of a star. ] But this is too much ground for a small army to cover. You're outnumbered!
	Charles [ is visibly hurt, but ] … No. We are here to fight, and I will stand by your side. [ many of the infected people, some of them prominent mafia members, stand up and lift their weapons into the air. Charles grins. ] As always.
	Eric [ sighs, but not without a smile ] You're an idiot… Alright! We’re making it out of this forest alive. I’m not giving up until you make me one of your sandwiches again! [ he’s interrupted when one of the infected mafia runs up to Eric, panicked. he announces the camp has been found and Noir has begun unsealing the points. ] Damn! Our cover wasn’t even down for a minute…. Heroes, be careful! Noir has complete control of the forest right now. They've set up countless magic traps. Don't let your guard down!

The plan to catch the Noir army by surprise may have failed, but you have no choice but to press on and fight! It is now a race against time to halt Noir from unsealing each of the five points. Merilorn Forest has a few tricks up its sleeve, but it’s up to you to use them to your advantage. The area boosts the Dark element and weakens the Holy element; although the latter will still be useful against enemies, you'll expend more energy with these spells. Dark spells, on the other hand, will be easier to cast, but will not inflict as much damage, so strategize accordingly.

Basic info on the war can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙ You Wanted Control, so We Waited
Before the Heroes can clear the area, several squadrons Noir forces have already surrounded the clearing. They've worked alarmingly quickly after discovering the Blanc presence. In perfect unison, each caster lifts their arms into the air and chants Dedziba, forming a perfect circle of blistering flames that descend upon the dry, brittle forest. Immediately, the flames catch, creating an inferno that will quickly envelop anyone trapped within its confines.

Escorts should immediately help cover for the infected civilians, especially those without arms that cannot fight. The fire must be stopped, lest it catch onto anymore of the forest. Lastly, although infected mafia are armed and will help fight, they alone cannot overpower the Noir soldiers, who concentrate their efforts both on deliberate arson and taking down anyone who gets in their way.

It isn't an easy battle, but with the combined efforts of the Heroes and the armed civilians, the Noir soldiers fall, and the fire is put out, leaving ash and cinders in its wake. Before you can take too much of a breather, however, perceptive Heroes may be able to hear low growls coming from the bushes.

Charles You musn't get too close! Those are Jaggers—animals tainted by the disease. Snipers, please strike them down from a distance! [ immediately moves to cover Eric ] Scouts, please lead the way so that we run into as few of these Jaggers as possible. Watch out for traps as well!

Eric These poor animals… they’re beyond help. Healing magic doesn’t alleviate any of the symptoms, much less cure the creatures. All these months and we still haven’t found a cure. I do hope you’ll be willing to lend me a hand once all of this is over… [ grits his teeth before getting ready to cast a spell. ] Heroes, don’t touch each other unless absolutely necessary. Use uninfected food or potions if you need to restore your mana. If one of your comrades catches the virus and gets injured, make sure you wrap them up in cloth before helping them!

ENEMY ♟ Jagger
Weak against Holy, Fire	Strong against Dark	Immune to Earth
Animals who have unfortunately fallen to the blight. They are but a shadow of their former selves, roaming the forest in search of their next meal. They will not attack Noir soldiers, as they have been charmed into submission. They receive an ATTACK BOOST after consuming contaminated plants and meat, so Heroes should take extra care to shield infected individuals. Look into their eyes and they’ll own you — you’ll fall into a momentary TRANCE and be UNABLE TO MOVE out of sheer, unadulterated fear. Getting touched by these beasts will INFECT you with the virus. Getting bitten will not only infect you, but the effects are immediate: bitten individuals will begin to vomit blood uncontrollably. Their joints will weaken. They will become overwhelmed with dizziness, and may eventually fall unconscious. Jaggers are capable of using their howl to plunge DARK MAGIC at their prey. Only Bishops with the TAMER SPECIALIZATION may charm these creatures into temporary obedience. DROPS: Infected Parts, Rotten Meat, Contaminated Hide, Acid Spit, Jagger Eyes

As you draw closer to the seal point, the land around you shifts, becoming more difficult to move. You are in the remains of a swamp, and Noir forces will take every opportunity they can to force Heroes casting spells into the deepest part of the marsh, where escape without help is nigh impossible. But keep pressing forward: The seal point should be somewhere around here! If you can get past the enemies.

The Noir soldiers make the first move: they finally manage to undo the seal. A spark of bright light fills the area and a burst of energy throws everyone on their backs. The blast is enough to severely injure anyone that has gotten too close, and Heroes who fall into its path will require immediate mana exchange and healing to survive. It’s too late for this seal, but the other points still remain…

	Eric No! [ fighting back tears ] We lost Daniel, Danielle, and Dan!
	Charles Eric...
	Eric We’ll get those damned Noir back for this if it’s the last thing I do. [ breaks into a run ] There’s still 4 more seals left! We can’t waste anymore time!

TWO ♙ Darkness Falls Across the Land
The vast, labyrinthine forest only serves to confuse our Heroes as well as the Noir-made looping paths meant to stall them until the seal. Scouts, use your skills to detect and destroy these illusion enchantments with magic like the spell Charles used earlier. Escorts and Snipers will need to keep a close eye for traps that are out of obvious reach and sight. Many of them are hidden in spots such as high up in the trees or buried in the underbrush.

Noir has also planned ahead to include decoy traps. Accidentally destroy these, and a suffocating black mist will seep out of the trap, quickly forcing their way into your lungs. The effects of the mist are debilitating and psychologically harming: you may start to hear voices that feed into your doubts and fears. You may start to see allies as enemies or manifestations of your greatest fears. You may feel as if you have stepped into your worst nightmare.

Ultimately, these decoy traps impede further progress. By the time you reach one of the various seal points, the bright flash of energy confirms your worst fears. You’re too late.

As the blast of energy dies down, a feeling of dread courses down your spine.

It’s close to midnight, and something evil’s lurking in the dark. Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart. You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it. You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes. You're paralyzed.

ENEMY ♟ Thriller
Weak against Holy, Status Effects	Strong against Dark	Immune to Fire
Thrillers don’t have the moves like Jaggers—they are stronger, faster and humanoid in shape. Once MAJESTIC ELVES that ruled the forest and sought to preserve its beauty, their bodies have decomposed to little more than rotten flesh clinging to its corpse. The sickness has consumed everything, every movement marked by a foul stench in the air. Any type of contact with a Thriller will infect its target. Motivated only by their INSATIABLE LUST FOR MANA, they waste no time consuming HUMAN FLESH for sustenance. Well, that’s not entirely true. At their core, they are still elves, and one does not simply take the magic out of the elf. With the wave of a hand, these undead creatures can fire MIASMIC BALLS OF MANA that can blind or infect their targets with the virus upon impact. Some can even CONTROL ROTTING BRANCHES AND VINES to whip or bind you, the contact passing the virus onto you immediately. But the most frightening of them all are the ones who can BURY PEOPLE ALIVE with their Earth magic. DROPS: Rotted Black Coat, Fedora, White Glove, Elven Amulet, Elven Circlet, Elven Ring

THREE ♙ She was Struck down, It was her Doom
Your search for the last two seals ultimately fails as you fall prey to the Thrillers, but these are the least of your worries. The final seal is unleashed and the fog gets thicker. You lose all sense of direction, and not even the moonlight can guide you in the dark. Noir continues setting traps and decoy traps wherever possible, their effects strengthened by the breaking of the seals.

Not only is it extremely difficult to navigate Merilorn Forest, but you must rescue and assist other lost Heroes. Your priority is to survive. Now that the powerful magic has been unsealed, no one has any idea how to leave the forest. Thrillers and Jaggers keep lurking in the shadows and routinely terrorize the camp area. Finding uninfected food is extremely difficult. Your best bet is to hope you still have supplies.

	Eric Annie! [ rushes to her side ] Annie, are you okay!?
	Annie ... I’m not okay.

After five days that seem like a lifetime, all of the Heroes finally come together and escape the forest. It is recommended that infected Heroes quarantine themselves and treat the symptoms immediately, which include an extremely high fever, dizziness, nausea, and aches and pains. The longer the disease persists, the more restless and erratic their thoughts and actions become. They might even start thinking about how delicious their friends look…

Petrosian doctors and Bixbite professors, along with Eric and Charles, are still working tirelessly around the clock to find a cure. Word on the street is that Eric’s cure is missing a few ingredients. But what are they and where can they be found? It looks like he’ll be needing some Heroes to help him soon.

Not when they’re calling in sick, though! Despite the unavailable cure, infected Heroes will be released from quarantine after a day or two. In the meantime, infected Heroes will be given an enchanted ring to wear at all times. The enchantment will contain the virus, allowing the wearer to touch others without infecting them. However, the virus can still be transferred via bodily fluids. It also doesn’t cure the virus, so infected Heroes still need lots of rest! A daily dose of those elusive chroma algae elixirs will lessen the symptoms.

Comments

one

[acknowledges]

[This isn't the first explosion he's been inappropriately close to. There's a near imperceptible change in the air right before the break, something in temperature or tension maybe; Naruto isn't sure he could describe it the way he could recognize it. This time the sensation is coupled with an impact of another kind- a bodily smash that rolls his momentum backwards and crashes them both into the damp earth. Naruto reaches out reflexively, forearms drawn up to protect the head and shoulders of the body on top of him while his own face tucks in, the instinctive desire to shield his eyes and mouth.

Everything smells like smoke, the shattering of logs and branches is instantaneous and deafeningly loud.

In the backdrop of destruction and death and sick animals and the threat of infection and the countdown they're all trying to outrun, it's comforting to suddenly have a voice near his ear, even if it's just scolding him. The words leave him in puffed exhale. The skin of his arms is raw, he's already missing most of his sleeves.]

You didn't. Focus on yourself either. Yanno.

[careosene]

[ Though the air around and between and beneath is so dry, ready itself to ignite, there's a cool comfort in knowing she's succeeded and she's not alone in this.

Katniss is no idiot. She knows what she's going to see even before drawing slightly away and turning her eyes up through the hair falling over her forehead. The embers have started small fires in the bushes, taunting as they crackle impotently, but sure to burn in a matter of time. ]

Two fools, two alive. [ suppressing a cough ] Better than one fool, two dead. Are you hurt?

[acknowledges]

[It's something of an uphill battle with Naruto- learning how to think of his physical limits, and it isn't helped by the weapon he'd been given. He's lived through the impossible before, why stop now? His arms move backward to allow her space before they ease away, a reluctance to lower his guard because the aftermath of an explosion doesn't mean they're safe. The forest is smouldering around them. He can smell smoke and blood in equal measure- acrid and coppery.

Naruto reaches for the back of her arm, offering himself as a physical support as they climb up off the forest floor.]

I'm good, 'cause'of you. [The once-over he gives her is also reflexive- but Naruto has always been the sort of person to feel an instinctive desire to look after the people around him. They don't have time to linger.]

Are you okay?

[careosene]

Fine. [ It's a thoughtless, automatic response and not entirely true. Rushed because as soon as she's on her feet again, Katniss is hurrying to kick as much dirt as she can over the fledgling fires. If they don't take care of the matter themselves, they'll wind up trapped by walls of flame - an experience she's had once and is in no hurry to repeat.

She only looks over her shoulder to Naruto once, albeit with a much less guarded expression because said shoulder's been thrown out and she's not expecting the pain. Surprise overrides her natural tendency to play tough. ] I didn't hurt you did I?

[acknowledges]

I'm a lot tougher than I look.

[The almost easy-going candor, especially in these circumstances, is owed to experience. Growing up in a shinobi village, Naruto and his peers had been raised side by side with the eventuality of death, hatred, and suffering. To become ninja the meaning of their lives would be to endure. He shakes off the pain because pain is inevitable, but also because it isn't the first or last time he'll face it. The skin of his forearms is burned, and significantly at that, but he's alive and he can still move. They have a job to do.

She kicks the fire out and Naruto looks back the way they came- to their allies also pushing themselves off the earth and finding their feet. Still, things are smouldering around them and though his magic is hardly much to write home about he tries for a few weak water spells, throwing them over the worse of the burning wood. He doesn't miss the subtle tell on her features, something is wrong, but he's no healer and if she doesn't tell him outright, Naruto won't know the cause for sure.]

How bad is it?

[careosene]

Bad. [ She doesn’t know where the sudden font of honesty comes from, why she doesn’t deign to shield him with even an imperfect lie the way she’s wont to do. Something about him (his reaction to her rescue attempt, perhaps?) strikes her as very much without the need for protection. ] I’m just a Pawn so I don’t have the magic for this–

[ Her voice cuts out, choked by a cough that reminds her to duck low and crouch on her haunches to avoid the worst of the smoke. Saying it aloud and having the physical, visceral confirmation of their predicament put before her… Katniss turns over her shoulder and actually smiles at Naruto. However thinly. ]

Tell me ‘tougher than you look’ means you’ve got the mana we need to put this out.

[acknowledges]

[The corner of his mouth moves even after she lowers her stance and his gaze follows her- notes her posture, the way she holds herself. If her shoulder is out then they'll need to push it back into the socket, but he knows first hand how much fun that is. It's reassuring to see her smile at the very least.

But- his expression falters.]

I've got mana, but I'm still not so good at spells. I've only done'em a few times before.

-Can you do any magic? [Naruto knows that he's a blunt object with minimal finesse, he's always been that way- maybe he has the mana, but he'll happily give it up to someone with technical abilities.]