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

[acknowledges]

[Not exactly the best at following instructions even without life or death situations, Naruto is actually making an effort here- though that might be owed to the threat of infection if he touches these animals. He did remember that much of their briefing. Still- with the shot someone had just taken, it leaves him flanked in on all sides by corpses.

He can deal with the smell, with the still-warm bodies sprawled out and the deformed features and the knowledge that contact will probably leave him in the same state. But he's stopped short now that his only path is blocked by an animal carcass.

Naruto's voice is a raised whisper, an attempt to keep his voice down while still discouraging Bolin from traipsing all over the bodies himself.]

Don't come over'attebayo.

I'm just stuck a little that's all.

[sediments]

[ On the contrary, Bolin is pretty good at following orders (or at least, following them to the best of his understanding). He's a team player, so when one of his brilliant plans is scrapped for something a little more "realistic", he'll usually step back and follow along for the sake of keeping the peace.

Right now, his priorities are a little skewed. He doesn't want to rot; lose himself to insanity or mania, but at the same time he's not as concerned with the illness as he is with the actual monsters surrounding them.

The infection they can survive (right??), being eaten alive by rabid animals? Not so much. ]

Naruto. [ He stops as instructed, gaze worried and shifting to the growls of the beasts that are approaching them, like vultures ready to consume both fallen brethren and the two living in front of them. ] You can't hang out there all day.

[acknowledges]

Well I don't got a ladder in my pocket either. [If that had come from pretty much anyone else, Naruto would have accepted it as an invitation to argue- not because he's inherently combative, but because that kind of push-pull is a conversational cycle he's grown up with. He's been teased about all kinds of things since he was young, it's habitual now, even with the urgency of the situation.

Naruto exhales in a short puff, glancing over his shoulder and shuffling the smallest step backwards- careful not to accidentally bump anything.]

Can you gimmie one of those branches? Something that's not gonna snap easy.

1/2

[sediments]

[ Naruto's request would be a simple one if this were any other forest. But as it stands, the trees around them have all been burnt black, and Bolin's not sure that he's going to be able to find a branch that won't crumble into ash the second that he touches it.

He might just have to chop up one of the trunks. ]

Okay, sure. Just give me a -

[ He cuts himself off in order to get to work, pulling his shield to whip it toward one of the trees when something occurs to him. ]

Wait a second. Why don't I just—oh crap!

[sediments]

[ His inability to finish his sentence is less of a personal choice, when a pack of jaggers dash out from the darkness, snapping at the air and heading straight for the pair, and wow does Bolin's trajectory change rapidly. His shield swings away from the tree and toward the approaching animals instead, trying to sweep them away from the side, but they're no where close to approaching as one uniform line. ]

Gonna need more than a second!

[acknowledges]

[Bolin's voice, ever reassuring, leaves Naruto still scanning his perimeter. He's probably one of the last people to ever been considering contemplative, but that doesn't mean that Naruto is averse to planning entirely. He's good at thinking on his feet and coming up with solutions even in the most unexpected circumstances- he can figure this out even if they don't find a branch. But then there's a sound of another kind, a feverish trampling through the brush.

Naruto's head whips back before Bolin offers an explanation and he feels his heart leap into his throat.

Moment's here, no more stalling. He hasn't spent overly long honing his gravity magic- Naruto finds that he uses it almost instinctively these days but he knows aim isn't his strong suit. He doesn't trust himself to use it on the carcasses around him and push them away when getting the wrong trajectory could mean infecting someone by accident- but he's also never tried what he's about to do either. There's a first time for everything, right? That's the saying? His knees bend and Naruto imagines the magic coiling like a spring beneath his feet and then, seconds later, releases it. He uses the gravity to propel himself up and out, to destinations unknown and pivots his weight. He manages to clear the corpses, but vanishes into blackened brush instead.]

[sediments]

[ Naruto's either going to find a way out on his own, or he'll have to wait until Bolin can extend a hand to him again, because Bolin's attention has soundly redirected to the jaggers snarling and jumping at him. He's quick to counterattack however, with no patience or mercy for these creatures as he splits up his shield, disks razor sharp and jagged as they cut through the animals' necks, or run through their bodies to slow them down.

He panics a little, stumbling back when a pair of them move past him, toward Naruto, and when he turns to look -

They're feasting on the corpses, and Naruto is gone. ]

Wha— [ His head whips around. ] Naruto?!

[ This is next level magic. And Bolin doesn't even have a chance to look further when he's rolling away to dodge another jagger. ]

Are you okay?! Where did you go?

[acknowledges]

I'm okay!

[The call comes from much higher in the air, and that's because Naruto has managed to propel himself not just off the ground, but into the relative safety of a nearby tree. With the animal carcasses all around them and the Jaggers themselves moving in for the kill, trying to survive at all is like fighting while surrounded by landmines- they just can't get the leverage they need. It's too dark. There are too many things to sidestep. There are too many enemies.

Naruto tests the branch, how springy it is beneath his feet, how stable he feels, and moves to position his back against the trunk. This is beyond risky and he doesn't pause to consider the myriad ways things could go horribly wrong, but that could be owed to his personality just as much as it could be owed to their current circumstances. He inhales, cries out a-]

Don't move!

[And then takes the chance. Naruto puts everything he can into his intent, using gravity magic to haul Bolin off the ground and into his body.]

[sediments]

[ This is not really a situation where Bolin appreciates being told not to move, when he's actually spending a lot of effort dodging rabid animals and trying to keep himself alive, but he does as he's told. Sweating a little as he goes still, the jaggers around him not stilling for a second, and he holds his breath - ]

Whoa!

[ Until he's yanked back. The space between him and Naruto distorting under the influence of magic, sending him smashing into Naruto; his shoulder sideways into the other boy's, and his head jerking back to keep them both from breaking a nose or busting a lip.

The momentum is enough to send them both careening off the branch, some smaller branches yanking at their clothes as they fall, Naruto and then Bolin slamming into the ground. Rocks dig into Bolin's palm as he quickly pushes back up, eyes wide and worried. ]

Naruto! You okay?

[acknowledges]

[This was not how he planned for this to go- but it's better than staying safely where he was while Bolin dodged rabid animals, fighting them off alone just to keep himself alive. It sounds better from that perspective.

Still, though the impact of body against body, and later body against body against ground does knock the air out of his lungs- no one has been bitten and they didn't land on a pack of snarling beasts so he'll take it. It's uncomfortable, but they're both in one piece. Naruto pushes himself up, knows without having to look around that they aren't out of the metaphorical woods and that they don't have time to linger, but his eyes go to Bolin's face immediately, looking him over for injuries.]

I'm okay I'm okay- you're not hurt right?

[sediments]

[ Bolin might normally be a little dubious about Naruto being "okay" after being bodyslammed into the ground, but at this point he's learned to just roll with it. Especially when they might actually die if they stop or stall.

Grabbing Naruto's arms - "don't touch each other", sure - he hauls the other boy up, keeping one hand at Naruto's elbow, he's both ready to fight off the hoard or bolt when he hears shouts and struggles, through the blackness of the trees and well, that certainly seems like a hot and happening location that maybe they should head towards.

His grip tightens, and starts to tug Naruto along with a ] come on! [ as though they can neatly outrun a bunch of crazy, rabid, jacked up animals. ]

[acknowledges]

[If anyone is still following the don't-touch rule he'd be amazed to know it, but then Naruto and Bolin are probably both up there on the list for Least Likely To Follow Instruction so maybe it was only ever a matter of time. The grip on his arm is solid and real, sturdy and reliable in a way that's synonymous with the man behind it, so Naruto doesn't hesitate. He leans into the touch, follows the guiding tug and crunches leaves underfoot.

They are definitely not going to be able to outrun a bunch of crazy, rabid, jacked up animals- but they don't have to rely on just speed. They're both Rooks and if it comes down to it, they can push and pull a path for themselves as they go.

But man it'd be good to find some other people to back them up. Naruto doesn't sound winded when he calls after him- he keeps up, even with sticks and leaves in his hair.]

Do you see anything?

cw: graphic violence, gore

[sediments]

No.

[ He doesn't hear anything either, and Bolin's starting to wonder if there's more magic in these twisted, black woods than he's aware of, and that they'd gotten lost somehow. Though he's sure that this is the direction that the noise had come from.

There are quiet growls that start up again, and the two burst into a clearing - what might've been a travelled path.

It doesn't matter what it is, when there are bodies strewn about: at least five of them, some with limbs and faces missing, others gnawed open and their entrails torn out. There's no sound, but none is needed when the stench of blood overpowers all of Bolin's thoughts, and he turns on his heel immediately once the sight registers.

His hand goes to cover Naruto's eyes when he turns, though he's probably not fast enough to do any good. ]

Never mind. [ His voice is quiet, wobbly. ] Found them.

[acknowledges]

[There's something indescribably starling about it- there's the sight itself and with it the bone deep knowledge of what's taken place before they could get here, and then there's Bolin's hand, rising to cover it up. In the shinobi world there isn't any equivalent. People can't be protected from the reality of the times they live in, that friends and family will kill and be killed- there are different tellings and there are people who fight and people who don't- but there isn't any way to really stand between someone and violence.

The smell of blood is heady and familiar- copper and wetness and warmth and rot.

Bolin's voice is unsteady and Naruto wonders how many times he's made himself a shield to protect other people and been willing to be hurt instead. His shoulders form a solid line, steeling himself maybe, against the inevitable. There's a moment, beneath Bolin's palm, that his eyes close. Then they reopen and he reaches for his friend's arm. The curse punches out of him as a whisper.]

Damnit.