WAR ♞ OPERATION DASVIDANIYA

[boardmaster]

OPERATION DASVIDANIYA
20 JUNE (ROSA) 2016

On the 20th of Rosa, the weather god Sylvant weaves somber clouds over Lasker like an omen. Ryder is scheduled to arrive at Ostrov Station; the civilians around you are excited to meet their idol, yet you can’t bring yourself to match their enthusiasm. Unlike the howling gales of Gisela, Lasker's grey skies come with only the occasional gust; but they’re still enough to chill you to the bone. Dust storms are closing in—shockingly, it seems the newspaper forecasts have gotten it right for once—and it won’t be long before everything becomes one big blur of grit and roar of wind.

As you get your affairs in order for the big operation, codenamed Dasvidaniya, Commander Lisbrand and Secretary Verdoni are on their way into the station. A Blanc soldier stops the two at the entrance and, after saluting Lisbrand, holds out a sheaf of classified documents.

	Lisbrand Thank you. You are dismissed. [ peruses the documents with quick movements; Verdoni is reading over her shoulder ] New intel: Ryder is not aboard the target train. It seems Noir has gotten their dirty hands into our information network. However, we will proceed as planned. All we need do in response is change the task force’s route.
	Verdoni Let us take the details inside. Noir has eyes and ears everywhere.

The hour for the briefing draws nearer and as soon as you arrive at the station, you will find your two commanders waiting with marching orders. The change of orders was so smooth, Noir will never suspect that Blanc has discovered the truth.

After every Hero and the military support assigned to the task force boards the train, Lisbrand stops Verdoni.

Lisbrand I will be investigating the original train under suspicion. I have a bad feeling about all of this. Noir’s plans are rarely so straightforward; we must be prepared for all contingencies. [ a pause, before she goes on, a bit stiffly ] I’ll be leaving the task force’s operation to you. See that they turn this around, or it will be all our heads on the line.

Verdoni [ a heavy sigh. ] That is quite the expectation to meet for a mere government official… As much as I would prefer that you stay with our Heroes, there is no argument watertight enough to convince you otherwise. [ after all, he knows Noir better than anyone. ] This goes without saying, but watch yourself. I am wary of how our technology will hold up against Noir’s magics. Nevertheless, I have confidence in your abilities — both Heroes’ and the military’s. Besides, you always were a stubborn woman. [ with a smirk ] Perhaps that iron shell will protect you.

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

ONE ♙ Not Just Another Role Play
On the outside, the train our Heroes will be boarding looks just like any other. Once you step inside, you’ll quickly understand the true meaning of luxury. It’s a shame you won’t have any time to appreciate the plush leather seats or those fanciful Mahbusan rugs your feet sink right into! It’s time to get down to business.

Your mission: board Ryder’s train and stop Noir’s attack. During the few minutes in which the Heroic train and Ryder’s train will run parallel, you must jump aboard with the use of your magic and weapons. You have a measly two hours before your Heroic train departs, but there's no need for nerves. Blanc’s military is here to cover you. While they aren’t well-versed in magic, they’re absolutely trained and equipped for all kinds of battlefields, including one moving at several dozen miles per hour!

This is a good time to catch up with your teammates and come up with possible plans of attack. Heroes are unable to explore the target train in advance, but they will be given detailed maps and schematics. And while you won’t have much time to appreciate the grandeur, you can still tour the Heroic train’s layout, as it will likely resemble the target train.

Being a train geek won’t hurt, either. Experts will give Heroes a crash course on the train mechanisms vital to this mission’s success. Hundreds of lives are at stake if you don’t know how to keep the railcars together! You should know how to work—or break—the steampunk security locks to give yourself the advantage of mobility in enemy territory, too. Everyone, pay attention! Especially you, Support Team.


TWO ♙ High Speed Turnover

Verdoni I trust you know what we are about to ask of you. In ten minutes, we will be passing the target train. You will have less than two minutes to hurl yourselves across the gap and board. There will be no second chances; fail the jump, fail the mission. The methods you employ are up to you. If you are not confident about the leap, I suggest you ask your Rooks for aid. Take your positions now.

The storm shows no signs of letting up. It’s going to make the jump precarious at best, fatal at worst. Not only do you have to worry about bad weather and steep terrain, but the window of opportunity is so small that boarding is going to take some impeccable timing. Or a lot of faith.

Your train is fast approaching Ryder’s, and soon, the steam engines will run parallel to each other for a small stretch before continuing in their opposite directions. Jump aboard while the opportunity is ripe! Making the landing is just the beginning—Noir forces man every car and corner. It’s time to put those strategies you cooked up during preparations (from Option ONE) to the test.

ENEMY ♟ Masked Noir Soldier
Weak against None	Strong against Wind, Earth	Immune to None
Skilled magic users from the Noir Empire who specialize in EARTH AND WIND MAGIC. They are equipped with ENCHANTED GAS MASKS that not only hide their identities but protect them from dust and smog alike. A few spells they might be throwing your way: SLAPETO is a wind spell that can take the form of gusts or small storms, which soldiers will use to suck in dust from their surroundings and OBSCURE YOUR VISION. Keep your guard up, as they will then attempt to launch an ambush or make their escape! In metal-rich areas (like, say, a moving train), the STALKOPYE spell is your worst enemy. It MANIPULATES METALS INTO SPIKES that the user can stab or launch at their targets. A select few who have exceptional magic control will cry “ZEMLETA,” a spell that will SHAKE THE TRAIN CAR to throw the Heroes off balance. Beware: those with the greatest mana reserves will know the spell MURYAKA SMERTI. As the name implies, it casts a poisonous SMOG: victims die a slow death, writhing in agony as their airways fill with black sludge. DROPS: Enchanted Gas Mask, Mossy Earth, Flask of Vodka, Crude Gas Mask Guy Double Duo Card (feat. Crazy Haircut & Mild Resistance to Poison)

Your problem now isn’t so much getting on the train as it is staying on. Noir forces will do anything they can to barricade Heroes out of the train and throw them off the railcars before they can make their way inside; the most difficult points of access are the balconies or the emergency exits on the roof, particularly up in first class where everything is reinforced.

Don’t have the patience? Break down doors, make your own doors, or shatter windows to climb in—Noir may still have barricades and ambushes waiting inside, but that’s what everyone in front of you is for. The property damage is small change compared to the million-dollar lives of these VIPs; surely they can spare some pocket money to cover a few dramatic entrances (or exits).

Support Team, some of you will need to stay on the balconies in order to be on the lookout for Noir reinforcements—or just Noir soldiers that will attempt to divide the Heroes by detaching cars and taking the train apart.


THREE ♙ The Caboose Countergambit
This is where our main event begins. Noir’s preference for underhanded means should be obvious by now, and they’re more than prepared for the Heroes’ arrival. They will assault Heroes with magic from every nook and cranny of the crowded passenger cars with no regard for anyone who might get caught in the crossfire. Time to remember your role, Heroes!

STRIKE TEAM, focus on ferreting out all Noir soldiers on the train and don’t let them escape! Use any means necessary to pin down and neutralize them; you may coordinate and work with the other teams to accomplish this. Rescue Team can watch any prisoners you take; Support Team can keep you from walking into traps. Commandeer the engine and control rooms and keep Noir sabotage from dooming the train.

RESCUE TEAM, follow the panicked screams and rescue those passengers! Secure and guard areas that can be used as safe zones for civilians, VIPs, and injured fellow Heroes alike; it may also fall to you to guard the Noir prisoners. But don’t get complacent. The soldiers that slip past the Strike Team will also come for you or attempt to rescue their comrades, and it’s much more difficult to fight with targets as well as enemies behind you!

In addition, some train cars are rigged: they will automatically lock down via a magical mechanism as soon as you enter, transforming themselves instantly into lethal gas chambers once Noir soldiers cast their poisonous spells. Smash your way out while you have the strength, or rely on someone to rescue you from the outside. While Bishops are a likely candidate for lockpicking duty, a Queen’s Charm magic may also be a great asset against those magical locks.

SUPPORT TEAM, find and disarm bombs and traps. Traps may include the rigged cars above as well as weakened walls, floors, and latches. Communicate with the other Teams to prevent them and the passengers from falling into traps.

Your priority will be the Albin Bombs, small steampunk bombs infused with magic. They can be identified by the glowing red and blue mana crystals hidden beneath a black, rose-embossed shell. Some may be tucked in innocuous spaces such as passenger seats and luggage bags, but others are planted in hidden compartments under the floor or outside the train altogether. If you do locate them, Noir will be alerted and will send forces to intercept. Call on your fellow Heroes to distract them as you wrestle with the eternal question: the red crystal or the blue?

Breaking the wrong crystal or breaking them in the wrong sequence will detonate the bomb within seconds, so evacuate the car as fast as you can and try not to damage your bomb by accident. A single explosion is powerful enough to destroy the entire car. Choose wisely!

FOUR ♙ Lasker Landing
Many of the civilians on the train will return home safely thanks to your hard work. Some of those esteemed VIPs are giving you bedroom eyes, but there’s no time to answer their call; the remaining Noir forces have bloodlust in their eyes. Before they can attack, they cry out in pain and fall to the ground, revealing a Gammonian man and his looming bodyguards. The Gammonian seems largely unconcerned with the situation, simply stepping on the bodies as he enters.

	Ryder ...hm. I seem to have dirtied my shoes.
	Ryder's Bodyguards [ together: ] We’re sorry, Mr. Ryder! We’ll get you new Ryde shoes!

Now that Ryder has been located, the Rescue Team will be keeping an eye on him. Support and Strike Teams are on cleanup duty: take care of any Noir stragglers on the train or bombs and traps you might have missed. At this point, the remaining Noir soldiers will most likely avoid encounters and attempt to escape. Soon, a calm, recorded female voice echoes through each rail car.

We will be arriving at Ostrov Station shortly. All passengers must remain seated until we arrive at our destination. Please secure all your belongings in advance to ease the boarding process. Thank you for choosing Rokirovka Railways, and we hope to travel with you again.
The train pulls into the station within a couple of minutes. Is this mission accomplished? Perhaps it’s too soon to celebrate. People are still searching desperately for their families, and many are injured and hysterical from the trauma and loss. And is that smoke in the sky above Lasker…? Reinforcements from the Blanc military are stationed on the platform, ready and willing to lend aid to both Heroes and civilians.

Ryder Such a mess… I’ve no patience to deal with this. [ leaves smugly, bodyguards following ]

One soldier, however, comes rushing over, looking harried as he tries to catch Verdoni’s attention. The young serviceman is pale as a sheet and unsteady on his feet. If you watch closely, you’ll see Verdoni’s composed expression flicker several times as his subordinate makes his frantic, whispered report. It settles to a masklike calm once he turns back to the Heroes.

Verdoni We will take care of it from here. You are all dismissed.

Somehow, although the uninjured civilians and a crowd of Laskeri people cluster around you in tearful joy and relief, this doesn’t feel much like a victory. Your part in this is over for now, but a sense of dread takes hold of you and lingers. You will undoubtedly be debriefed on the mission’s bigger picture soon.

In the meantime, the welcoming Laskeris sweep you out of the station and into the arms of the city. You will at least have a few moments to rest.

Comments

Agito/Akito (Rescue Team)

[sky_shark]

One - Exploring the Hero Train

[It's not much time to prepare, but if there's one thing he knows, it's that the layout of the train is important. And while the Hero train isn't the same one that they're after, it's close enough that Agito is doing a quick exploration of it.

Emphasis on 'quick'. He's not above using a small amount of mana to activate his weapon, the wheels on his Treck whirlling to life and moving him at slightly faster than a run. He'll avoid people if they're in the way, but don't step out of a room in front of him or anything.

Just before the Mission Start, he makes his way to one of the entrances to the roof. It'll be easier to parkour over from up there, with the weapon he has after all]

Two - Time to get to Work

[Being on the rescue team, it means dealing with people, and not just civilians either but also VIPs who seem to have less sense in them than most.

Avoiding the Noir soldiers though is proving harder than anything. Peering around the doorway to one of the further-to-the-front sections of the train (theoretically safer in the long run, since Noir is trying to take the whole thing apart), he hisses softly under his breath at the sight of the soldiers ahead. With a couple of civilians hiding out of sight nearby, he can't risk this alone]

Fuck...what a nightmare this is. [He mutters under his breath, trying to come up with a plan. He can't call out for help either, too much danger. Maybe someone will hopefully come up and help out...?]

Three - A bit of a tight spot

[Being a pawn in this situation is not helpful when you're against Noir soldiers with actual magic. Three on one is also not the best of odds when you've limited mana. It had been four, but he'd gotten the drop on one who'd underestimated him and was out cold after making introductions with the wall.

Now though they'd gotten in enough position to be firing off spells that he's managing to dodge, but the mana drain from needing his weapon to do so is massive for an unranked hero. This isn't something he can keep up forever, so help a guy out?

And if you're wondering why he got himself into this in the first place, it would be the two civvies under a chair nearby, cowering. He figured the sound of a fight would attract someone else eventually]

2

[sealeted]

[Help does come, in the form of a few well-placed arrows from the other end of the car. Hakuno waits until they are definitely down for the count before poking her head out from behind her cover.

She blinks at that familiar face, painted with an unfamiliar expression.]

...Wanijima-san?

[sky_shark]

[Oh. Well, that works nicely]

Come on. [Muttered at the civilians he's leading (herding), he crosses to where the soldiers are now down, checking to see if any are alive to be captured. Not by the look of it]

Not a bad shot. [He looks up, examining Hakuno for a moment to place her in Akito's memories. The light isn't awake to help so it takes him a minute] Ah. Hakuno.

[sealeted]

Thanks, I've been practicing.

[And practicing, and practicing, and practicing some more, when she's had the time. There's nothing like hands-on experience, though.

She elects not to ask about the shift in demeanor. Everybody has their own coping mechanisms and secrets, and she's not one to pry unless it's necessary.]

Is there anything I can do to help?

[sky_shark]

[He nods a little, approving. There's no point having a weapon with practicing with it, after all. Especially if they're going to be involved in a war like this]

Trying to keep this lot safe, but finding somewhere that isn't full of idiots with magic is becoming a fucking pain. [He indicates the group of civvies with a jerk of his head, standing up again and looking around] Noir's trying to take the whole damn thing apart. Figured further up would be safer but there's still soldiers all over the place.

[So in other words, want to help him find somewhere to start stashing civilians in?]

[sealeted]

I'm not much for close-range, but...

[She taps her bow.]

This can infuse my arrows with some poison. Plus, an arrow sticking out of you can be pretty distracting. If I keep them occupied, could you scout out the cars ahead while we look for a viable route?

[sky_shark]

[He examines the bow, thinking for a moment]

Close combat is my specialty, but these dumb things take a lot of mana. [He taps the front wheel of one of the wheeled shoes against the ground] If you think you can do that though, I can scout ahead. They take less mana to just get moving than to fight with.

three

[ateaist]

[Help has fortunately arrived in the familiar form of Nobunaga, all too eager to throw down. With both soldiers focused on Agito, it lets her suddenly rush one with her blade; she might not match up to any of the heroic spirits known for their swordsmanship, but she's proficient in her own right - it means that when not surrounded by literal legends of the blade, she's actually looking pretty impressive.]

Oi, Wanijima! That's some good hustle!

[The second soldier is turning to help out their companion considering Nobunaga's a closer, armed threat--

But maybe she's relying on him to handle that?]

[sky_shark]

[Heeeeey he remembers you (sort of) from that weird dream and as being one of the people Akito's taken a liking to.

She makes for a good distraction, and Agito isn't going to let that sort of opportunity pass. He funnels an excess of mana into his weapon to up the speed, rocketing at the soldier that now has their back to him, leaping and striking out with both feet. The soldier gets his back cut into ribbons, and then gets used as a springboard so Agito can flip back away from him and to his feet. Fun fact, being used a springboard tends to send people crashing to the ground]

Fuck, you'd think they'd learn to not turn their backs on someone. [Oh right there was three of them wasn't there? The one that hasn't been distracted by Nobunaga decides to take offense and fire a spell off, so pardon him for a moment while he dodges metal spikes]

[ateaist]

[Ugh, what a hassle; she hadn't seen that person. Nobunaga aims to cut her engagement with her current opponent short by quite literally...stabbing them. The blade pierces right through their body, and from behind the cover of the still standing mage corpse she opens fire with her sword. She doesn't hit the mage targeting him, but she does distract them...]

Now! Go for it!

[sky_shark]

[He's moving almost before she even says anything. While the mage dodges her shot, they can't move in time to dodge Agito, who takes advantage of the situation to crash into them, shoulder-barging them into the wall and spinning around to strike out with his treck, wheels spinning. One boot to the side of the head later, and they're on the ground.

That sure was a thing]

Tch. [Unimpressed Agito is unimpressed, checking to see if the mage is unconscious or dead]

[ateaist]

[She's impressed, really. The guy has fancy footwork she'll give him that.

But the issue of whether or not they're dead is irrelevant, because she's removed her sword as Agito proceeds to check on them, but shortly afterwards she stabs them right in the chest. Probably not exactly their heart, but--

Well, with the way they suddenly react and gasp, they weren't dead. Sure are now though. She pulls the blade from their body, smiling.]

Fufu...you must be the other one, right? I couldn't see little Akito pulling off anything like that.

[sky_shark]

[Welp, he sure is dead now. Agito can only roll his eye at that, wiping a little of the blood that spattered on him when she skewed the soldier off as he stands upright]

You'd be surprised what Akito can do if he truly wanted to. Unfortunately, he doesn't. [He doesn't blame Akito for his creation, but if the light would just stand up for himself, he'd be better off] But you're right. I'm Agito.

[He examines her with an idle curiosity, golden eye giving none of what he thought away. Akito like Nobunaga for some reason. Given she could fight, it's enough to make Agito curious]

two

[interchained]

[Upon looking for Noir soldiers, Gilbert more or less walks straight into a group of them after opening the doors to another compartment; those are the same soldiers Agito is trying to avoid. As much as he would like to slam the door close, his job here is to take them on.]

Shit...

[He fires his gun a few times, aiming his mana bullets at one of the enemy soldiers. Before stepping away to distance himself a bit, he notices a group of people and Agito in the back.]

Stay where you are!

[Thankfully, Noir soldiers have no idea who is he talking to. Taking care of the whole group takes him some time and mana, but when a few minutes later the path is clear, Gil walks closer.]

It's you?

[sky_shark]

[He makes for a handy distraction. Agito waits, letting Gilbert deal with it. His mana is better spent holding on to it until he was really needed, after all. Long-distance fighting was safer and more effective here anyway.

When the fight is over, he pulls away from where he was hidden, standing easily. Depending on how much Gilbert remembered, he might notice the eyepatch had changed sides from before]

Me. Not the one you met before. [Akito had explained, from what he remembered]

[interchained]

[He's not as observant as he wished he could be, but once Agito speaks up, he realizes he's not dealing with the kid from back then, but with the other one inhabiting the same body.]

Ah, right...I get it.

[It's...quite difficult to forget when someone tells you about sharing a body with someone else.]

Are you with them?

[He turns his gaze to the civilians briefly; they're all scared, but some of them are handling it better than the others. The others being the VIPs, of course.]

I can assist you.

[sky_shark]

Much as I fucking wish I wasn't, yeah. Couple of 'em are managing though.

[Agito has zero time for the VIPs who whine about how the whole situation was unfair. Life wasn't fair, deal with it]

Could use it, there's more soldiers than I was expecting. Noir's trying to take the whole damn train apart, so finding a safe place isn't easy.

[interchained]

[Gil sure does glance at the VIPs who are possibly the loudest passengers he has met during this mess of a mission; it's hard not to pay them any attention, actually.]

And you're calling yourselves aristocrats?

[He mumbles under his nose before turning back to the other hero. It's weird to listen to him swearing, especially when he recalls their previous meeting, but well.]

Just looking at them makes me glad that I didn't get assigned to the rescue team.

[Patience isn't his strong point, after all.]

Do you have to escort them somewhere or are we staying here for the time being?

[sky_shark]

[Some of the VIPs seem to be rather put out to be looked down on by not just one but two Heroes. Agito's just glad it's seems to have at least shut them up for the moment]

Tch, lucky. I can't fucking stand dealing with people normally, they're lucky Akito somehow talked me into this.

[He loves his other half but sometimes he just wishes Akito wasn't so kind to everyone]

I was looking for somewhere relatively safe to stick them until the train gets to Lasker, but that's turning into a problem with the soldiers around. There's not a whole lot of defensive places that aren't either full of the fuckers or trapped.

3

[fuhrinkaed]

[He can see his friend ahead as he wander back to find someone with mana to help with healing. He's limping, blood seeping from a great many minor wounds and a couple that were really painful but he was pretending didn't exist.]

[...ahh poop.]

[Three more of them. What to do. He looks down at the ground beneath them, and remembers his earlier fights.]

Steel, bend to my will and do as I command. Stalkopye! [One of the Noirians has a few spikes pop up underneath him, making him stumble out of the way and making him hop on one foot, causing the others to pause for a moment to look at their comrade. Ed doesn't have a lot of mana either, but he can't just not help out given half the chance to help.]

[sky_shark]

[Magic isn't his strong point, and with the amount of mana his weapon needed in order to work at its best, he's not about to waste any. But the magic is welcome as a distraction.

The one hopping around is classed as a lesser threat for a little while, so one of the ones busy not looking at Agito comes to regret his decision to take his eyes off the boy. Agito takes off, leaps and spins around in a vicious kick to the side of the soldier's head, the momentum from moving first enough to knock the guy clean off his feet and crashing to the ground. Which is more than enough reason for Agito to decide to shift, twisting around in mid-air and landing hard on the guy's ribcage. Several somethings snap nastily.

He's pleased by the results, even if it ends up with him being clipped as the third soldier aims his own Stalkopye at him, a metal spike cutting his side as he tries to avoid the most of it]

[fuhrinkaed]

[The third soldier made an error, and that error was taking his eyes off of Ed.]

[He shoves his staff between the soldier's legs while he's aiming his spells, and pulls it straight up.]

[Crotch shot count: he's lost track.]

[It serves to make the mage lose his focus, as Ed quickly follows up with another pair of smacks with the staff, to either side of his head. The first throws him off balance, the second makes him seem to stop moving.]

[He takes a moment to pant for breath.]

G-good follow up. Well done.

[sky_shark]

[Well that's one way to take a guy down. Agito's almost impressed as he punts the guy hopping around across the room, sending him crashing over a table where they wisely decide to stay down]

You don't have to tell me that. I'm more surprised you managed to bring that asshole down. I wouldn't have pegged you for much of a fighter.

[...Agito sort of says whatever he wants to, nice or not be damned. Don't take it too personally Ed]

[fuhrinkaed]

[Don't worry, he's incapable of taking it personally.]

Ahaha... well, what can I say ? There's a few surprises inside me. 'A wise dragon hides its fangs' and all that, y'know? [Ed, that's 'tiger.' That said, he does tilt his head a little to the side as he looks closer at Agito.]

...huh...

Hey, did you always have your eyepatch on that side?

[sky_shark]

Tiger. [If there's one thing Akito knows, it's his sayings, and he quietly corrects it in their mind even as he tries not to pay attention to what's going on. Agito just rolls his eye at his other and focuses on Ed]

Congrats, you're probably the most observant person here to notice that. [That's a good thing, for all he delivers it with the heavy sarcasm of one going "Duh" internally. Ed might also realise that unlike Akito, Agito's pupil is slitted like a cat's] No, I don't. Akito does. Two people, one body. Eyepatch changes who's in control.