pawnstorm | WAR ♞ BATTLE OF GRAUPERA

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WAR ♞ BATTLE OF GRAUPERA

BATTLE OF GRAUPERA
16 APRIL (LATHYRA) 2016

It is a dark and stormy night; the rain falls in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it is checked by a violent gust of wind —

Not exactly. The rain is still light, but the suns are well below the horizon when the Airy leaves Graupera, setting the stage for Blanc and Noir’s first battle in two hundred years. The weatherman says showers will turn into storms later in the evening, but he doesn’t warn for the milky fog that will soon blanket Capablancan seas. The light from your ships, the lighthouse and the fortress walls serve as our Heroes’ only guide...

The same sleeping bat with sugar powdered around the corners of its mouth hangs from one of the ship’s masts until Commander Lisbrand arrives.

Lisbrand
As I’m sure you’re all aware, Noir intends to take us by sea: Capablanca is a key strategic location for launching an attack on the coast. Should Noir capture Graupera, there’s no telling how far they’ll advance with their next move. You will be fighting not just to defend Capablanca, but Caissa as well.

I trust you will all perform as well during the battle as you did during preparations. Blanc’s fleet will be standing by to absorb the task force into its ranks; I expect you’ve all completed what naval training was available to you at this point. [ a swift but beady eye is cast over the recruits ] You will need every last bit of it.

[ picks up a pen and chucks it with deadly precision at the bat on the ceiling. ]

Verdoni
[ immediately casts a wing forward to deflect the dangerous pen on time. then, he drops to the floor and transforms, wiping his mouth with his handkerchief. it’s warm. ]

I suppose I need not remind you all of the weather conditions. Noir will enter Blanc territory with the storm, so brace yourselves. I will not lie — Noir has a significant advantage over us in this weather. Expect them to turn the elements in their favor and use lightning, water, and wind magic against you, your crew, and your ship.

As most of you here will recall, Noir does not fight fair. They will use every tactic in and out of the book in order to destroy anything that stands in their way. It might do you well to remain alert at all times and to prepare for any scenario. So long as each Hero’s crew focuses on protecting their respective ship, you should be able to hinder their advance. Should the worst come to pass, retreat to the nearest allied ship or make your way to the shoreline to reinforce the last line of defense.

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

ONE ♙ Preparation

Only fools rush into battle! In preparing for war, the first step should always be protecting yourself. As such, Heroes will need to mount barrier generators that convert distilled water into large spherical barriers of pure mana on all ships. They will also need to calibrate the ones installed at Fort Graupera. Be sure to stock water by the barrel. When the enemy’s artillery fire hits these mana barriers, the blows as well as any shrapnel will be dispersed and dissipate in the air. Use them wisely; while the barrier is active, the ship will be unable to move and nothing can enter or leave the barrier. The ships also need to be stocked with ammunition, healing supplies such as potions, spare parts and other materials for repairs on the water. No one wants a leaky ship, right?

Once that’s done, get to know your teammates! Meet up with them at your assigned ship and use this time to get acquainted with each other's strengths and weaknesses, discuss plans, and figure out the roles assigned to you. The knowledge might come in handy in the coming hours…

All Heroes assigned to a crew are required to fight on the deck. The soldiers won’t be pleased to discover someone hiding in the ship’s hold. You can be a cabin boy or girl and run supplies, but they'll expect them by the truckload! Nobody gets to slack off in war! If you are not assigned to a crew, discuss your battle plans with your allies to tighten the shoreline defense. Those participating in the naval battle will need your assistance to secure Graupera!

TWO ♙ Sailing Into the Storm

Heh, blind as a bat and wet as a rat — that’s them. Wait, what do you mean the Airy's gone already? I bet Lei ran off because he needed to wax his chest. Fine! I got time to spare, so I’m going to kill the rest of you. I can’t wait to see the looks on your faces when I plunge right in...

A ♙ As predicted by Secretary Verdoni, by the time Noir’s fleet is in range, the weather has changed. Heavy fog reduces visiblity to near-zero, and rushing without stumbling is a feat for the brave thanks the mixture of rain and seawater washing over every deck. Thunder rolls in the distance, a messenger of the double-pronged storm advancing on Blanc. Roaring gusts of wind rip and tear at clothes, Carriers, and you! Watch out! Lightweights and those not exercising caution are likely to be blown right overboard.

Especially once Noir starts firing. Wind and lightning whip through the fog and both Coxswains and Heroes on Graupera proper will need to aim and time their barriers just right. Call it too soon and you waste precious resources; miscalculate and the ship and/or the fortress may take damage! If the barrier generator runs out of power, Quartermasters will need to replenish its water supply! But if the machine takes direct damage, it has a chance of exploding in a shower of fire and dangerous ricocheting parts, drastically decreasing your ship’s defense and maybe even knocking holes in the hull! Protect your ship to protect the fortress; the Blanc army can only put out so many fires. Should your ship take a hit, it’s also the Quartermaster's duty to respond accordingly lest the craft turn into a flaming monstrosity. Gunner’s Mates, return enemy fire with cannons and other long-range weapons available in your ship’s arsenal! The mana cannons in particular deal heavy damage, but they drain equally large amounts of mana. There’s no time to wait for your mana to replenish in the middle of a storm, so grab the nearest Hero for some up close and personal refueling!

If you don’t, Noir mages will take this opportunity to gather mana and send spells of tidal waves. And if your barrier’s down by then? Say goodbye to your ship and pray that you remember those swimming lessons. Your allies on land should be able to assist you once you reach the shore. Go ahead and join the shoreline defense; your shipwreck has probably left them with a few more holes in their defense and a few more fires to put out, anyway.

B ♟ The two forces clash! The noise is deafening as shouts from both sides mix with howling of the wind and the crashing of waves. Now that the armies are going head to head, Noir soldiers make use of their landing bridges to board Blanc’s ships! Noir mages simply use water magic to surf or wind magic to jump and do the same. But boarding is when Noir soldiers are vulnerable; make use of your resources and home turf advantage to take them down! They’re not the only ones who can take advantage of nature’s blessings.

Enemy soldiers who successfully board will begin to destroy anything they see. Should the ship be successfully hijacked, Blanc’s soldiers and the Heroes may have no choice but to jump into dangerous waters. Chance of survival is slim: waters are rough and ships are constantly rocking. It’s more than likely you'll be crushed between them or beneath them, Noir soldiers and mages will be taking potshots at you, and the strong currents are sure drag everyone into the depths. Once you’re in the water, you’re as good as dead. You are going to need some help.

ENEMY ♟ Noir Soldier
Weak against None	Strong against Lightning	Immune to None
When these soldiers cry “PERUN!”, run. When they cry “PERUNIKA!”, run faster. These battle cries mean you're about to be zapped by A FEW THOUSAND VOLTS OF LIGHTNING BOLT! The clues and advice left by our surfer friend Antonio, the mayor’s cute butler Charles, and the notorious assassin Black Lightning might help you out here — draw LIGHTNING WARD SYMBOLS to protect you and your allies from lightning damage. WARDS DRAWN BY KINGS are most effective. During battle, you will hear these mages utter other spells you might want to keep in mind: “VELES” is a support spell that summons streams of water. Whoever drinks it will receive a vodka-flavored MAGICAL BOOST! Soldiers like to make a game out of it at parties. “VELESIA” is an offensive water spell that INEBRIATES ITS TARGETS UPON CONTACT. The water it summons possesses a faint alcoholic aroma. It also tastes like vodka. “STRIBOG” is a wind spell that summons a powerful wyvern-shaped whirlwind that can hurl people overboard, destroy ship structures, and even send ships off course!

Noir’s bridges were a good idea, but ideas are meant to be stolen. Use them to move to an ally’s ship if your fellow Heroes and soldiers are in need of support, especially if Heroes have been knocked out or hurled off. The injured can be transported to safety on the backup ship, but beware of Noir soldiers chasing you down! They're as persistent as a rash.

THREE ♙ Crashing Against the Shores
To those who remained on the island or returned from sea, the battle is nothing but alarming lights and frightening shouts in the distance. But that doesn’t mean you can relax. Enemy projectiles that fly past the ships will shake parts of the fortress, and any Noir magic that gets past the naval defense will set any kind of material on fire or blow out chunks of wall, armaments, and you. Use water to make short work of any fires, and remember to reinforce damaged areas, or the fortress will suffer.

Distressed cries fill the air; those watching the naval battle closely will notice crewmembers who have fallen into the ocean. Neither Hero nor Blanc soldier is safe. While they have managed to get away from the main battle, they are now weak, disoriented, and require assistance. Row out in rescue boats to collect and heal the soldiers and your fellow Heroes before they turn into casualties. You may need their help later!

Allies aren’t the only ones reaching the shoreline. Some Noir ships will break through Blanc’s naval formation. If the fortress’ weapons don't take them down, then it’s up to you to take care of the rest. Noir soldiers will disembark and fight Heroes on the shore. Defeat them, destroy their weapons and seize their ships before they lay siege to the fortress! Blanc will thank you for these finely captured contributions to the war effort.

Noir General...?
Huh! I just let you rats win! If I didn’t, there’d be no way to find Lei and punch him in the chest later! Give him my kind regards! AND TELL HIM I HIT ON HIS HOT GIRLFRIEND. I think they’re still dating. My intel said they were — [ his voice fades out as the Noir fleet retreats ]

FOUR ♙ Triumph Over the Seas
The thunder of the storm and the blasts of cannons filled the air with deep, resounding booms throughout the battle, but what cuts through the noise is the eruption of roaring cheers from the army that seems to shake the world of Enprise — Blanc has won its first official victory over Noir. The world will know of their triumph. Capablanca celebrates once news reaches the shore; as our Heroes look toward the resort city, they see an entirely different sort of sea — the lights of the city pushing back the night. First in little specks, then in a brilliant flood of color that paints an aurora in the sky: warm, real and bright.

It’s time to go home, Heroes! Or at the very least, back to Capablanca. Dock your ships and then put those sea legs back on dry land. You will be greeted with much enthusiasm from the citizens of the city. Hugs, cheek kisses, more hugs, hand kisses; some even brought pen and paper and are earnestly asking for your autograph. A few forego the paper and make you sign something else entirely. Children swarm in, tugging on uniforms for attention.

The recognition doesn’t end there. As a reward, hotel and resort owners start inviting heroes to stay at their establishments for a few days. For free. Continental breakfast included. Don’t abuse their hospitality or your reputation might suffer. And the freebies don't stop there. Locals also seem to have taken their hero worship to the next level. Small gifts will be given to their favorites. They contain things like pasta, pastries, good luck charms, potions, and even jewelry for Heroes they really like. Someone might even get a “special coupon” for La Coniglietta, a cabaret renowned for its racy shows and voluptuous wererabbit performers and staff.

If you prefer to spend your nights in well-deserved peace and quiet, then you’re always welcome to your new room at the completed Fort Graupera. Time to rest on your laurels, Heroes.

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[Nyu squeaked—again—when she plopped down onto the sand. Before Gilbert completely let go, however, her mana started to change—feeling warmer and less comfortable by the second, like a reigniting fire.

Her personality was still the same, though. And more than slightly panicked now. She'd definitely gotten the idea that those were soldiers and that they didn't like them, given how one of the soldiers was threateningly jabbing a spear at them.]

What—what are you going to do?

[Somehow, Gilbert was surprised by the question. Wasn't it obvious?]

Kill them. What else?

[Maybe it wasn't the most delicate way to put it, but well...it was basically it. Not to mention that in this war it was to kill or be killed, Noir had proved that a few times before.]

Look away or close your eyes if you don't want to look.

[After that piece of advice, he started to walk, leaving her behind for the time being.]

Nyu?!

[Gilbert wasn't the only one so surprised. Nyu's breath hitched, causing an immediate spike of pain in her chest.]

Wha—wait, stop-!

[The gathering, burning mana intensified sharpy as Nyu squeezed her eyes shut-]

Stop!

[When she opened them again, a different person was looking out of them, if only for a moment. She lurched and staggered forwards, grabbing onto Gilbert's arm to drag herself up. Her touch almost burned, as if from a fever, and the brief exchange seemed to trigger the malformed, instinctive spell.

The gathering mana pulsed, forming itself into a wheel of rapidly expanding, poorly-controlled fire. It sent the soldiers recoiling back, shouting, and with the scent of scorching cloth.

The next pulse would hit harder—but getting up so suddenly was a terrible idea. The flames flickered and sputtered out as their caster doubled over in a fit of wheezes and pain.]

[Maybe if he had known what would have happened next, Gilbert wouldn't have told her that. It was too late, far too late for that when he felt her hand on his arm. Something was coming and he realized that after seeing the concentrated mana, but before he could ask anything—

Did she just send them flying with her fire?]

Damn, stop it! Are you insane?!

[He didn't really want nor need to hear the answer and just pulled out his gun.]

Stay here! And do as I tell you!

~~[He had a death wish.]~~

Argh! Who did that?!

[The screech is coming from a little farther off by the soldiers, distinctly not in Chernovian or with any type of Noir accent, and the source is also clad in a familiar-looking uniform that isn't very white anymore at all. Actually, it may be slightly on fire.... whoops.

Look, Nora was just taking a (rained on, mildly blown up and kind of lost) stroll on the beach, picking off Noir soldiers almost for sport whenever he happened upon them, and now you've gone and set him on fire. Thanks a lot, Kaede.

If Gilbert is approaching the soldiers, he probably enters a bizarre scene in which a white-haired boy who is on fire tackles one or two of the soldiers into the surf and rolls around trying to use them as a fire blanket or some shit. Or maybe he's just looking for someone to take his burns out on.....]

No you shut up—

[Ah yes, that's Kaede again.

Fortunately, she really can't do anything this time except slump over onto the sand, releasing Gilbert's arm to clutch her torso.

One of the soldiers Nora had tackled into the water was the injured on; way to go for the weak prey first!!

More importantly, though, that left the still-armed soldier desperately turning one way and then the next, uncertain whether to attack Gilbert or the new Blanc soldier that had so abruptly appeared.]

[It's nice to see Kaede again, but now Gilbert has to divide his attention between her and their ally (probably?) caught in the middle. First of all, he puts her carefully back down, though and only then he rushes forward to take care of the confused soldier first. Leaving him be might be dangerous, after all...and just plain stupid.

That's why he aims his gun at the man and pulls the trigger a few times. He meant to kill him right off the bat (which shouldn't be too much of a problem, even despite the weather conditions, he was standing close enough), but instead, he just injured him on the legs, making the Noirian unable to move.]

Who the hell are you?!

[Maybe he should ask whether he needs some assistance, instead...but oh well.]

[He can smell weakness. Or he was just lucky (when is he ever lucky, or when does his luck ever go in the right direction, more like): lucky enough to hit the right soldier in the face but not lucky enough not to become a hotdog; either way, Nora's head pops up from where he's methodically grinding the other soldiers' faces into the surf with some glee and mostly fury. It's a little hard to drown them in a few inches of water that won't stay, so really, he's doing it for the hell of it.

In other words, he doesn't need assistance, somehow.

It's Gilbert's gunshots that have his attention, his head tilting as he plops his ass down on the soldiers who have probably been handily knocked out and/or suffocated through sheer enthusiasm and minor burns. It's not a sound he's particularly familiar with, because the demon world's technology makes no sense.]

Hey, I asked first! [never mind that it basically amounted to yelling what the hell into the wind, first come first serve] Cough it up, are you the one throwin' fire around?

Edited 2016-05-03 05:18 (UTC)

[The person actually responsible for the rampant case of ON FIRE is currently curled up like some sad pink-haired snail on the sand. She barely twitches at the gunshots, and does mutter a little, but it's exceptionally difficult to make out what she's saying.

There is probably profanity involved, though.

The Noir soldier with his legs so suddenly frozen shouts in alarm, swinging the spear around wildly. The...incapacitated soldiers twitch a little, but otherwise stay put under Nora.]

[Is this time for a "I asked first!" themed quarrel? Nope. Which doesn't stop Gilbert from barking back at Nora, demanding explanation.]

I don't give a damn who asked who first! Look, I've got an injured soldier here, we have to hurry!

[He's no medic, but it's common sense that the sooner they'll get to safety, the better. The soldier with the spear cutting the air so furiously and making ruckus along the way gets on Gilbert's nerves but as long as the enemy can't reach them, he doesn't send another bullet right his way.]

But it wasn't me, I can't do something like that!

[If he was a better liar and thought faster, he could say that Noirian soldiers were at fault, but well.]

It matters 'cause you gotta give an answer sometime!!

[There's always time for a spirited round of who came first in Nora's books, mostly because he's actually 5. Indulging him in this delusion just makes things worse -- most of his closer acquaintances know better. Sadly, this little random party does not.

And Nora would have gone on berating Gilbert till the soldier brandishing his spear next to them either collapsed from exhaustion or contracted a case of butterfingers, whichever came first, but then Gilbert answers and Kaede does her muttering lump thing, and he finally bothers to take a look at the third (fourth, fifth?) party in the equation.]

... Hmm? Hey, you, shut up a minute. [It's hard to tell who he's talking to for a second there, and then he reaches under his butt, pulls out one of the Noir soldiers, and straight-up tosses him at his comrade's face; they go down like dominoes.] I know that hair -- hey, you! I didn't take you for bein' this pathetic!

[And then he picks up a seashell or a beach rock or something and attempts to bounce it off Kaede's horns. Urgency, what's that?]

[WAY TO PICK ON THE INJURED AGAIN NORA gosh.]

Nyu!

[The pink-haired lump just yelps when the seashell bounces off one of her horns, now clutching her head in addition to curling up around the pain in her chest. Even that hit was enough to force one part of her mind under again.

But Nora is fortunate!

If Kaede was still awake she'd be trying to set him on fire on purpose right about now.

Instead, Nyu was just doing a better impression of a snail curled up on her side. Super helpful.

At least the Noir soldiers were now about as useless.]

[Gilbert was standing too far away to play a knight in shining armor, but it didn't mean that what Nora had done didn't upset him.

Hey, he might have killed people in the past, but throwing that thing (What was it, really? He didn't even catch a glimpse of it) was plainly stupid and unnecessary.]

What do you think you're doing?!

[While throwing something back at him is really tempting, Gilbert restrained himself and let out a heavy sigh.]

Screw you, we need to go.

[With that said, he started closing the distance between him and Nyu.]

[Gil did you just compare murder to throwing seashells, Gil you need help that you're probably not going to get in steampunk fantasy War Is Helltopia..... Nora just makes a grumpy noise when Kaede(?) doesn't react whatsoever except for the yelp. If she had tried to set him on fire or if Gil had reacted to the provocation he'd have had an excuse to smack someone around a bit more.

Look, he subscribes to the school of if it's a flesh wound, hit it till it's numb then wait for healers?? It always works with demons.]

Waking her up, what's it look like? [meanwhile, the soldiers are starting to shift, so rather than continuing to fight with Gil, Nora gets up and starts kicking them to make them behave again] The hell're you running away for, you scared of a couple humans while they're down? Heh.

[He doesn't pursue the other two, less concerned with potential allies and more with... well, crouching down and starting to rifle through the newly pacified soldiers' clothes. What is he doing.........]

[Go right ahead and loot the dead and almost-dead Kaede don't give a fuck.

Mostly because she's unconscious again. Still breathing and muttering! But otherwise out.]

[*Throwing seashells at injured ladies—yes, we can agree that he needs help.]

Waking her up...? What do you even mean...

[He may not be the only one? WHAT IS NORA DOING...and Gilbert here even decides to phrase everyone's concern:]

What in the world are you doing?

[He asks, looking from behind his shoulder as he's heading out to pick her up.]

[Whoops, looks like he ended up putting both Nyu and Kaede to sleep with one stone (or seashell... technicalities). Talent. Definitely not as planned, but Nora's been distracted from the sad lump of diclonius now that he's intent on his Noir scavenger hunt.

He does start turning up various odds and ends, though, throwing a few useless spent mana crystals over his shoulder first. Then a flask, which sloshes a bit... There's just a rain of army effects going on here.]

What's it look like? I heard they've got some things to help 'em power up their magic! Might as well see if I can't get my hands on some of them!

[...]

You can't have any!!

Edited (why can't I html for shit) 2016-05-10 05:04 (UTC)

[...and Gilbert thought that he was heartless himself. That's another way to collect loot, though...whatever floats his boat.]

What about those? [He pointed to the mana crystals lying on the sand.] Uh, I don't want any.

[Nora seemed to be quite busy, but after he picked Kaede up again, he asked anyway:]

We're heading back, uh...tag along if you want.

Yeah well... good! I'm just gonna take all of their shit and figure things out later, but those look fake.

[Please note: demon. They're not known for their generosity of spirit! Nora more than most, though. He's pretty intent on totally divesting the soldiers of every material good they own, apparently, down to their pocketwatches and handkerchiefs or whatever the most mundane thing fantasy chess enemies carry is.

(Part of it is also that Nora really is looking for a way to shore up his own magic, as weak as it's become, but he'd probably gnaw his own arm off before he ever admitted that his magic could be lesser. So: casual looting it is.)

He does look up when Gilbert props Kaede up, though, head tilted curiously like the dog he still kind of resembles.]

Jeez, is she still sleeping? Should I wake her up for you??

[... it might sound almost helpful, but he's looking around a little too hopefully for another seashell.........]

[No judging Nora, no judging...not like they're going to use it anytime soon, if ever, so...

Gilbert's surprised that Nora looks up at them instead of searching for more loot. Does that mean he's finished?]

She is... [What should he do? AND WHAT NORA IS DOING?] Hey, you...what are you looking for?

[Definitely not for loot, that much he can tell. In the meantime, Gilbert tries to give Kaede a light shake.]

[In response, Kaede (Nyu?) mutters something again. Maybe "what" or "go away" or maybe "nyu". Probably nyu.

Mostly she clings to Gilbert like a vise and does her best to bury her face in his shoulder. Too bright, someone turn the sun out. And turn that yapping noise off.]

What do you think I'm looking for??

[The most helpful answer ever. Well, look at it this way: if Kaede's awake enough to mumble and complain then she's awake enough not to be a sad lump of diclonius anymore, clearly. Granted, it's possible Nora would have tried something else first (maybe something bigger or less fancy than a seashell?) on their resident Sleeping Beauty, but the soldiers who went down in a pile earlier are stirring...

Possibly because Gilbert is the only one present with an actual weapon who is also conscious.]

And you, stupid mooks should just stay down and give me all their money!

[It'd be nice if the soldiers actually had much money on them... Before he turns back to make sure he's not about to be ambushed, Nora offhandedly also throws one of the spent mana crystals at Nyu(?)'s head; it's what he had on hand, okay.

His boot promptly lands in a face with a fairly unpleasant crunch; however, it seems like in all the commotion at least one of the soldiers has roused enough to start off a spell, judging by the glow and the... sudden tidal wave of vodka. So that's where the actual mana crystals were hiding.]

[Nora is such a helpful person, this goes without question...

He doesn't notice the crystal flying right in their direction, it's simply too dark. Sorry, Nyu (?)...]

Cut it out, brat?!

[All of a sudden he feels sorry for whoever had or will have to team up with that guy (himself and Nyu included, to be honest). Working with him is truly an unforgettable experience.

Eventually, the glow draws in Gil's attention and he tosses a glimpse in that direction.]

Fuck...forget about the money and run!

[Maybe if he could reach for his handgun, he'd tell him to fight instead, but he can't take risks with Nyu in his arms. The question is...does Nora really want to escape the vodka wave.]

[She is so done with head injuries, ugh. The crystal doesn't make her yelp or squawk, but the muttering certainly intensifies. Her mana intensifies, like some crackling animal growl, shimmering almost visibly off of her body in response to even the depleted crystal.

She peered glowering red eyes at the source—and pinched her eyes shut un the face of the wave flying at them. It'd take a moment for her mana to finish charging.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

WAR ♞ BATTLE OF GRAUPERA

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hello did someone ask for a random bystander... just kidding, he's never just a bystander

sorry not sorry for your ON FIRE status effect Nora

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burns ur popcorn tbh

rude, nora

so rude 8( bye popcorn

<3 why popcorn when you can have CARAMEL popcorn

my teeth stuck together just reading this

rest in pieces nora

delicious popcorn pieces!!!!

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