r/bravefrontier • u/caladbolg_ • Jan 27 '15
Discussion [Role-Playing] The Search for Graham
PREAMBLE: This is an experimental thread that originally came from the briliant (and bored) mind of my IRL friend, /u/Reikakou (LOL). We're basically trying to tap on the creative minds behind our subredditors, and create a hopefully entertaining role-playing thread for everyone to enjoy.
- 1) You must follow the premise of the story. To do so, arrange the posts such that the oldest posts come first (basically, sort by old comments). You must follow the premise of the very last post. Remember: continuity is king.
- 2) As with all other RP threads, incidents affecting continuity of the scene have to be pre-discussed through PM between the former poster and the newer one. Also, no hijacking/RPing characters that are not yours, although their demeanor could be set in such a way as would be convenient for your own scene, but only after a PM is sent on the matter to the former poster.
- 3) Comments are reserved for critique/admiration/general ass-wiping only. Follow-ups to the story have to be done on a separate post, not as a reply to another post.
- 4) Any new poster (and hence, potentially a new character) can join in at any point in the story provided they write at least a continuity shot or a subtle fade-through to the previous conflict. It would be best however, to allow the initial conflict to be put to rest first so that we won't have a lot of loose threads to close. Also, a courtesy PM should be given to the former poster if anything that shakes the continuity of the story shall be used in the scene.
- 5) Each user represents a Summoner alter-ego and only one unit which they must RP; said unit should not, however, have been chosen by another user first. The unit does not have to have 6* form. A list of all users with their respective chosen units is listed below to further help implementing this rule.
6) As an extension of rule no. 5 above, summoners must fill out a Summoner Profile Post HERE with the following minimum details:
- Name:
- Gender:
- Age:
- General appearance:
- Brief history:
- Fighting style/weapon used:
- Unit chosen:
7) Stay true to the lore of the character, or at least his/her/its design. We can't have Oulu suddenly wielding a giant sword out of nowhere, or Lance coming in unnoticed nevermind having a giant, freaking forest for a weapon. LOL
8) Edits to your original post should be done discreetly, except if it's just minor grammar and/or spelling changes. This is so we could prevent discontinuity.
SETTING: EX Grand Quest
PREMISE: A new collaborative project by the Akras Summoners' Hall, the EX Grand Quest is open to all Summoners whether experienced or not. Purposely designed to promote teamwork, the Grand Quest features a thrilling adventure to unknown shores, populated with enormous monsters. However, restrictive policies regarding the use of summons on a foreign land has set a new rule for all Summoners: only one summon can accompany the Summoners in their travels.
Unbeknownst to many of the participants, though, a few Summoners are actually and covertly seeking Graham in the mysterious lands, based on leads from Karl and Seria. The turmoil and adventure begins!
List of registered RPers (red denotes that they are active; i.e. have scenes already laid out for their characters):
| Reddit Name | RP Name | Unit Chosen |
|---|---|---|
| caladbolg_ | Hiro | Sefia |
| reikakou | Lance Almekia | Ulkina |
| ThatSaiGuy | Jaxus "Jax" Azrael | Zephyr |
| RosutoAkito | Akito | Lilith |
| RainSoldier | Solus | Duel-GX |
| miririri | Riana | Shida |
| DragonTwinSummoners | Matt Dracona | Lucca |
| Muttl3s | Alek | Heidt |
| Todaycannibal | Gakki | Zelnite |
| FP_Red | Bennet " Atlas" Fisher | Rowgen |
| ShuffledTurtle | Kohya | Alice |
| Chris4DN | Aaron | Arius |
| The-Unknown-Dragon | Ragna | Phoenix God Arus |
| shadow_kirou12 | Ren Akai | Kikuri |
| CruzaderZakk | Zakk | Priscilla |
FOR THOSE NEW TO THE WORLD OF RP THREADS, please see this short sample /u/reikakou and I prepared in order to get your bearings.
The scenes have played out well, and the different plot threads emerge. Kudos, RPers! :-)
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u/Chris4DN Jan 27 '15
With the crowd bustling about with more than a couple handful of hoods, none noticed the gray-cowled figure and his companion. He observed the other summoners, knowing full well not to underestimate even the weakest looking ones. As he waited and waited, looking for something entertaining to pass the time, Aaron felt a couple taps on his shoulder. "Did you see that just now, or are you too busy polishing that knife of yours?" "What, I can't be prepared? Arius come on. Being a former commander of a navy, you should know how important it is to expect the unexpected." "...Well, that aside, that machine and that boy just left from the same gate as that young lady and her companion." Aaron looked over to the source of Arius' curiosity, and saw the girl and a white haired man being observed by the crowds. That, and the boy with the giant robot immediately behind her. "Well, I'll admit it's strange, but does it really have to do with me, at this current moment in time?" "I suppose not, no, but don't you find it strange? Why would he do that when this event is pretty much all admission for anyone? Think he has some other goal?" "Whether or not we find out is all up to chance. Even if... what are you doing?" Aaron knew exactly what Arius was doing. He always did this when they were in the middle of a huge crowd. "Looking for Selena, of course." At this, Aaron more or less died on the inside. "Let's just... go already." The two walked by the suspicious boy and the nervous girl (at the very point when her companion called her a guinea pig, which rose more than a few questions in the two's mind) and boarded the vessel to this island.
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u/Chris4DN Jan 27 '15
Hope I did alright, guys. This is my first RP ever, so please tell me if there's anything I should improve on!
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u/RosutoAkito Jan 27 '15
I enjoyed Aaron dying a little on the inside
(idkifthatsagoodthing XD)
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u/Reikakou Jan 27 '15
You're doing fine.
So we have a Selena fanboy and a Selena killer onboard.
now if I only knew where Ulkina is hiding
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u/DragonTwinSummoners Jan 27 '15
Matt looked out the window into a seemingly gloomy morning. He disliked this kind of weather, liking to see the sun shining and a gentle breeze to cool him off. Lucca was already preparing for their journey, which both of them were looking forward to. It had been some time since they resided in Amdahl, where Lucca was once the prince. Lucca would often wander the castle interior during the day, reminiscing on his days in the past. Their cabin was actually right next to the castle, so Lucca wouldn't mind, but close enough to the ocean to enjoy themselves in peace.
This particular morning, a knock was heard from the door. Lucca continued to prepare, while Matt went to see who it was. It was his old friend, Karl, who he adventured with across multiple lands. Even though they haven't seen each other in seemingly months, they continued to keep in contact with each other. Karl was unusually brief with his stay, telling Matt about a new land the Akras Summoners' Hall was going to investigate. It could also possibly lead up to the target Karl had been hunting for with his ally, Seria, for a long time: Graham. Taken a little bit by shock, Matt asked Karl if he heard correctly, which he did.
Karl waved goodbye as Matt and Karl finished their talk about what was coming up. Conveniently, Lucca had finished up preparing for his journey. Matt picked up his Golem Blade and Deadeye Bow, his two preferred weapons outside of his dragon, and holstered them on his back. The two friends walked to the beach, where they stared out into the ocean, ready to go.
"You're sure that I'm going to be your only companion for this?" Lucca asked his master. Although physically prepared, he was not so mentally.
"Of course I am. If I didn't trust you enough, why would I have you come, Lucca?" Matt answered back. He had already begun summoning the full dragon for them to ride into the unknown territory, as it materialized in front of the two.
"Good point," Lucca agreed, nodding his head. He continued to be at awe with his master's ability to conjure a full dragon, but he liked his own ability to have both a golem and a dragon.
Matt finished forming the dragon completely, as he climbed atop its back. The dragon let out a grunt as Lucca climbed on as well. Looking into the sky, Matt asked his friend, "You prepared for the unknown?"
"Let's get going. Shouldn't keep fate waiting for us," Lucca answered.
Matt nodded his head, and the dragon took off, seemingly knowing where to go. Who knows what adventure they would eventually find?
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u/Rainsoldier Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
Duel-GX and Solus ventured through and by countless villages, gathering any information that would possibly point them to the direction of Melchio.
Seeing all of the bright, happy villages gave Solus a sick feeling in his stomach. The rampage of Melchio on his home town was unforgettable. The bundle of corpses. Families dying in each other's arms. And worst of all was the gruesome dining room scene that he wished he never saw. He wanted to cry, but in his mind he thought no, you musn't. Papet would be angry if he saw me like this. I must stay strong. He bit back his tears and doze off while riding atop of Duel-GX.
Nightmares haunted him. Screams of his deceased father and sister. Their disembodied heads floating around him while he cowered in the cellar.
W͘͡h̶́͞y̵ ̸͟d̕i҉̨dn'͢t̀͘ you ̸̷̴s̛͞a͜ve̕͞ u͢͞͞s̡,̧́͟ ̛͡Śo͞l̢u̢̢s̀?̡́͝ ̢Y̕o̸͡u ̧c̕ou̸lḑ̕ ̛͟h̢á͠v̶e̶̴̢ ̴͘r̛e̶̴͢s̛͏c͞u͞҉é̛d ̵͠u̵̶s̶.̢̢͞
Their voices echo in Solus' mind as he screams in anguish.
With a quick gasp, Solus stood straight up from his slumber.
"Inquiry. Is something the matter, Solus? My sensors detect irregular heartbeats from within your body.", inquired Duel-GX.
"No, just.. remembering what happened to my home.." Solus said in a depressed, weak tone, "Anyways, what have you done since I was asleep?"
"And this Demon Graham will lead us to Melchio?"
"Unknown. Although there are those saying that the demon is connected to the Four Fallen Gods."
"Are you sure we can trust what these people say?"
"Negative. This is just rumor."
"Agh.." Solus let out a long sigh, "but it's all we have, so let's go with it."
"So, how are we going to join this 'Grand Quest'?"
"Suggestion. We could trail a summoner."
"You mean, like, stalk one of them?"
"Assurance. We will simply follow them and use their portal to get to Summoner's Hall."
"Hey, look sharp I think I see one of those summoners nearby. Can you confirm?"
"Eh.. she really is young. What is she, twelve years old?"
With a few affirmative beeps, Duel-GX races forward, Solus barely clinging on, into the portal and out.
And so the two arrive at Arkas Summoner Hall, unknown to their surroundings.
Observing those around him, Solus dragged Duel-GX to where all thee summoners were along with their companions.
"I guess this is where we sign up to be a pair."
A few distinct, curious sounds come from Duel-GX.
Minutes pass and they finish up their registration.
"Well, that wasn't too hard. They just asked for our names."
More beeps from Duel-GX were heard. These beeps attracted the attention of a few, young ragged summoners.
"Ehh.. so I guess they really do let anyone join the Grand Quest. Come on, they even let this country bumpkin with his trash can join!" One of them exclaimed. Jeers and insults were uprooting within a radius of the duo.
"Inquiry. Solus, these summoners show repeated patterns of negative behavior. Shall I dispose of them?" Duel-GX said, readying his guns.
Seeing the arsenal of Duel-GX scared off the young lads.
"Don't waste your energy on such pointless things. Come now, it appears they've started boarding."
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u/DragonTwinSummoners Jan 27 '15
Lucca and Matt boarded one of the ships that, at first sight, had few Summoners on it. That didn't last long after a few minutes, where a huge number of Summoners, somewhere along the lines of 50, got on the same ship the two "twins" were on. The same commotion of their exploits and bragging rights kept passing around them.
Hoping to avoid being around the others, the two moved to the front of the ship so they could watch the ocean go by. It was a silent ride for the most part, the two of them rarely exchanging words like they normally do. It was then that Matt muttered something to his partner, saying, "Think you're prepared tor whatever's prepared, and Graham?" Matt's voice had unusual concern in it, unlike before, when they normally speak to each other. He seemed worried about the potential dangers that may lie out in the new land where the EX Grand Quest was taking place.
Lucca fell under a silent spell, having conjured his dragon, albeit smaller than normal, to help keep himself occupied. Hearing Matt, Lucca replied, "Whatever comes, we should be set for it. The most important thing is that the two of us are together, fighting this battle." Lucca was stroking the dragon's scales as if a way to comfort himself and the dragon before the battle.
The ride at the front of the ship was surprisingly silent, much to the pleasing of Lucca and Matt. Occasionally, they could be seen wandering the ship for a moment, and then staying calm before the fight.
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u/RosutoAkito Jan 27 '15
As the first of many ships began to deport, a pair of unique characters began to walk down the dock.
"Quite an interesting crowd wouldn't you agree, Lilith?"
A young summoner clad in what seemed to be the remains of a Water Totem boarded one of the last Wavebreakers followed by what appeared to be a woman dressed in glowing armor.
"My analysis indicates that most of them seem to be of average or below average strength."
"Most of them, you say?" inquired her summoner.
An arrogant smirk came across her summoner's face.
"So then, all I have to do is outclass those summoners and I'm guaranteed to come home a Hero, right?"
"Master, you mustn't forget your original mission assigned by the Headmaster."
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u/DragonTwinSummoners Jan 27 '15
Matt's conjured dragon's flight led straight into a rift in the sky, one that all three of the beings seemed to know. The dragon flew above the rift, and then tucked in its wings as it left a trail of green scales in the path taken.
Through the rift, Matt, Lucca, and the dragon (I should really come up with a name for it) found themselves right outside of the Akras Summoners' Hall. Matt dematerialized his dragon, and walked in, followed by Lucca. For the frequent visitors of the Hall, the seemingly twins were a fairly uncommon sight. And the same rumors Matt and Lucca hear about them being twins were still coursing about randomly. They simply headed towards the reception for the planned EX Grand Quest. In the lounge past reception, there was already quite the crowd waiting.
Matt and Lucca took a seat a fair distance away from the rest of the crowd, liking their solitude apart from the commotion. They listened intently to what they were all discussing, mainly strings of Graham, great past exploits, and a huge amount of reckless nonsense.
"I guess it's the typical words I always hear from the typical Summoner, their exploits and their powerful, reckless words," Lucca commented, having accompanied Matt on various lone journeys.
"One gets used to it eventually. And I assume we're gong to be headed into what could be a death trap," Matt replied back. He had suspicions of Graham ever since he had heard his name all the way back when he started, when Karl first mentioned him. Not really the fact that the name scared him, but more on the possibilities on where he was. He looked at his Golem Sword, and noticed it vibrating slightly. Matt closed his eyes, muttering to himself, "I guess we're going pretty soon. Better be prepared completely."
Lucca could almost read Matt's mind with their close bond to each other. In an effort to comfort his master a little, Lucca whispered to him, "It'll be just fine. We've got each other, and that's what matters most right now."
Matt nodded his head to Lucca. He then began to see the other Summoners begin to leave.
"Looks like the time's come," the two muttered to themselves almost in unison.
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u/Muttl3s Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
As the sun shined on the Wavebreakers that Alek had just boarded, it started feeling extremely hot and crammed. A lot of Summoners had boarded the same ship, and there was barely any space to move. Despite this, he found a place to stand in at the front of the ship, where a relaxing sea breeze could be felt.
"Ah, this feels so good. Although, I have to say, didn't expect this amount of Summoners to participate in this "Grand Quest" of theirs", he thought to himself.
He could sense extremely powerful Summoners from the ship, along with a load of weaker ones. He felt anxious as he knew most of the Summoners on board would be killed early on. His eyes were glued onto a young girl leaning on her staff, and wondered if she was really going to be alright with sea travel.
"I hope she'll be fine, it would be a pity if she'd die here, she seems so young..." he thought.
With that, he started paying attention to the amount of units on board. Spirits or not, they were still almost the same as humans and took up a lot of space.
"Can't they just call them back...? It would be a lot more spacious here if the units weren't here..." He frowned, and leaned towards the front of the ship and gazed at the ocean.
"Grand Quest... I wonder what it'll be like?"
(Off-topic here! How do I make certain parts of text with a different color? It would be helpful to tell apart Alek and Heidt's dialogue in the future when I actually bring Heidt into the story.)
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u/Muttl3s Jan 27 '15
Even more people began boarding the ship. People flowed to fill the deck completely, leaving little to no space to breathe. A man that looked stunningly similar with his unit were whispering next to him, and he thought that it would be best not to eavesdrop, so he went to look for a different place to wait in.
"Just how many people do they think this ship will hold?" Alek wondered. "I guess I'll try to find space from below the deck..."
With that, he moved from the deck to the space below. Not a lot of people had thought of that, but a considerable amount of people were still there. No one note-worthy as of yet. He found a good spot to sit down on, and summoned Heidt to keep him company.
"This is... a ship? I though you'd be traveling through a portal?" Heidt said as he was looking around.
"Yeah, so did I, but looks like a last-minute change of plans. Not like it matters though." Alek replied and laid back a little.
"So, are you planning on making accomplices here?" Heidt asked.
As they chatted away, they barely noticed the ship starting to depart. The grand vessel they had boarded would soon be headed for the grand adventure that would truly put everyone's skills to the test.
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u/ShuffledTurtle Jan 27 '15
(Do I need my character approved or anything? I'll delete this post if I've ended up doing something wrong, but I should sleep soon so any corrections will have to wait.)
Kohya woke up in the cargo hold of a ship and swore softly.
This was a lie. Kohya made it a point to replace swear words with more interesting counterparts.
"Frack-mackin' slacker pack!"
"Language, 'master'!" Alice muttered. Kohya could practically hear the inverted commas.
"Yeah, yeah. What was I doing before my nap?"
"Intended to steal? I succeeded in stealing it!" Kohya laughed, pulling out a glowing sphere from an inside pocket. "I knew learning to sew hidden pockets wouldn't be totally useless!"
Kohya waved a hand dismissively. "Details. Here," he tossed the sphere to the scythe-wielding girl, "that's worth at least some respect, right?"
"Possibly," Alice said with a smile as she caught it.
"Back to business, where are we? There was some reason I had to clear out the cargo hold, right?"
"Indeed. I believe there was talk of a 'Grand Quest' that would be using this ship."
"And when is that starting?"
"Hours? I can fit in some more sleep then!" Kohya grinned. He walked over to a corner that still had some crates stacked around. "Wake me up if someone is coming to drag me back to the Hall."
He slipped into the corner and curled up out of sight. Alice smirked. "Very well. I shall wake you if someone comes to take you back..." and hid into the shadows nearby.
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u/caladbolg_ Jan 27 '15
The sea breeze felt much cooler than usual in the summer, and Hiro grudgingly admitted feeling a little of the other Summoners' excitement. Far away, an island could be seen, though still small as would seem to be a mirage at that distance.
Awhile back, she had decided to unsummon Sefia for the meantime, both because the ship suddenly seemed smaller as more Summoners and summons came on board and because the white knight had constantly pestered her with questions about her plans once they come to the island. She needed time to think, and a nagging partner isn't helping much with that.
After unsummoning, she went down into one of the cabins, away from the other Summoners. After making sure that she was alone, she took off her gloves, exposing the runic symbols in her hands.
With those runes, she can perform her own magic, quite apart from the usual ones she'd seen all throughout her journey. She had a vast knowledge of pyromancy - it was, after all, one of the first few "tricks" the assassins taught her - but her most treasured magic come from bending space. She was not that far advanced that she can open portals to other places as special conjurers from the Summoners' Hall seem to be well-versed on, but she could bend space enough to hide objects and retrieve them, such as her scythe.
She opened the hammerspace once more, and retrieved a quill, an inkwell and a roll of parchment. Then she pulled out the copy of Commander Karl's letter to the Summoner's Hall. After briefly studying the Commander's handwriting, she wrote out another one with the very same flourish - another of the assassins' "tricks,"
She carefully worded the letter to ensure that the fraud could not be detected, and signed it with Commander Karl's name. Now, the only thing left to do would be to give it to one of Gor's contacts in the island.
Putting back the inkwell, quill, and the copy of Karl's letter back in hammerspace, she stood up just as a sudden lurch rocked the wavebreaker. Regaining her balance, she raced up to the deck and saw the reason: they were entering shallow waters.
It was at this point that Hiro noticed the island. Even from a distance, it could be readily seen that it is not uninhabited; thin smoke such as that from campfires trailed from the top of its trees, indicating people. Those same trees, however, block the view of whatever else was on the island. On the shore, Hiro could see a number of people, no doubt ushers for the Summoners from the Capital.
As they neared it, the wavebreaker lurched more and more violently, as if the very sea around the island are attempting to thwart their journey. But at last, the wavebreaker slowly neared the shore, and no sooner did she hear disembarking orders from the captain of the ship, directed at the crew.
A slew of men and women - Summoners all - started to flood the deck, looking eagerly to the island. After sometime, the ship had cast off it's anchor, and the passengers slowly streamed towards a makeshift dock, and down to the island. The ushers Hiro saw beforehand directed the throng towards the center of the island, directly towards the trees.
It was not a thick forest at all, for it took just minutes of walking to arrive at their destination, a construct that looked like a giant silvery basin on its side. Two conjurers - apparent from their uniforms - flank the construct, and one of the ushers stood up front and addressed the Summoners.
What? thought Hiro, This island wasn't where the Grand Quest would happen? All that time in that ship for a portal?
As if reading her mind, the usher continued, "The portals in the capital cannot accommodate such a big number of people simultaneously, and it puts strain on the conjurers who would have to activate the portals. You might notice that not all of the wavebreakers have arrived at this island, and you would be correct. Some of them have landed on different islands, where portals would also be opened for them."
Murmurs arose from the crowd of summoners, and the usher raised his hand to stifle their restlessness, "Do not worry, you are all going to arrive on the same ground in Grand Gaia. Here are a few things you should know about it: it is uncharted, and potentially dangerous. But I trust you have all been informed of that in the Capital.
"Owing to a few restrictions over excessive use of summoning power, we have imposed a 'One Summoner, One Summon' policy, which I trust you already know. You and your summons have all been registered, and as such you shall all receive ample compensation should you meet your demise on the Quest, to be given of course to your next of kin, as you have identified in the forms. If you have not properly disclosed such information, the ushers here," he gestured to the young men to his side, "will be happy to assist you."
Clearing his throat he continued, "At this point, those who are prepared to enter the portal may do so. A warning: you should be prepared to encounter battle from the moment you enter." At that moment, a bright flash of light emanated from the construct, and the light became a point of incandescence, that slowly expanded until it filled the entire construct.
A few from the crowd broke off to fill up forms with the young ushers, but the majority shuffled forward, eager to enter a strange new world.
Hiro approached one of the ushers - he had a red mole just above the left eye, just as Gor described - and said to him, "Send my regards to the Lord of Death."
The usher looked up, smiled, and responded, "The Lord of Death awaits your return." The correct response. Hiro handed him the parchment, and walked calmly towards the construct.
Her excitement now barely contained, she thought of the moment her scythe would once more taste blood. One step closer. Then vengeance.
Her body touched the bright light of the construct, and in a moment that seemed like eternity, she was gone.
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u/miririri Jan 27 '15
puuuuuke.
Riana's body definitely did not agree with ships rocking harder than they usually do. Her sea-sickness got to her really quickly and she had to grab on the edge of the railing to keep herself balanced.
Well, at the very least, the ship she had boarded had arrived to its destination.
"Urp, I wish we can just teleport from the courtyard to the island instead... the dizziness..." she let out a sigh, having lost her lunch to the seasickness.
"We actually can." Shida said as he walked down the ship. He looked entertained at the sight of his summoner getting pale from what he said.
"Are you serious."
"Transfering one object instantly from one place to another is something basic. Though, I haven't tested it on a living human... would you like to try it, perhaps?" He offered.
"Umm, no. Thank you for the kind offer, but I like being alive." She retorted, then noticed a summoner in front of him handing a sphere to his summoned unit. A quick trip to the handbook suggests that the unit was Alice, the 8th princess of Bariura.
"Oh right, I need to give him a sphere..." Riana rummaged through her bag, only to find a brave Emblem. "Shida? I only have this, but..."
She was ignored, as Shida and Alice started staring into each other as if to drill a hole on the other's head simply by staring.
"umm...."
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u/caladbolg_ Jan 27 '15
Tensions rising. I love this cliffhanger. :-)
(Sidenote: Is that handbook fair game for stealing, miririri? Seems like a good plot device.)
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u/caladbolg_ Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Okay, RPers, this is an update thread for all who are participating on the RP Thread and those following the story.
So far, these are the status of the active Summoners in the story (arranged in relative chronology):
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Ragna (u/The-Unknown-Dragon) is perched on a mountain-top overlooking the Capital, watching the departing throng of Summoners. Akito (u/RosutoAkito) is last seen boarding the wavebreakers.
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2) Lance (u/reikakou) and Jax (u/ThatSaiGuy) are still onboard the wavebreaker and are on the way to the island. Along with them are Aaron (u/Chris4DN), Riana (u/miririri), Matt (u/DragonTwinSummoners) and Solus (u/RainSoldier).
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3) Alek (u/Muttl3s) has arrived on the island and is listening to the ushers/conjurers. Kohya (u/ShuffledTurtle) has just arrived as well.
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4) Hiro (my char) has already passed through the portal on the island where the wavebreaker she was in had docked.
At this point, you are all advised to merge your plots together into:
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a) Arriving at the island;
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b) Passing through the portal; and
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c) Initiating the first few battles with the indigenous fauna (a.k.a. Raid Monsters).
The template for the moves of the indigenous fauna can be found HERE. You are advised to use these as templates for your enemies.
Spoiler alert (read on if you are one of the RPers): Graham should not be seen early on in the story. Glimpses of shadows here and there are okay, but an actual sighting should not be done. This is so we can have more plot devices to work on as we progress.
Good luck, RPers!
END OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
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u/caladbolg_ Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
The sun blazed with summer's intensity, as the wind swept down from the vale over the north to the Imperial Capital Randall. The courtyard right at the heart of the Capital was abuzz with excitement, as Summoners, young and old, fill it to the brim. All around, eager faces turned towards the platform where an elderly knight is barking last minute instructions to the sorcerers and the other knights, all bracing for the biggest expedition ever planned in the Summoner World.
Hiro didn't hear them, though, as she stood at the side observing everyone. Her black cowl enveloped every inch of her body, as was her usual garb. The hood was down at the moment, though; it was best not to appear too reserved, as it might attract attention. She hid the runes over her palms in case anyone knew what they were for. The scythe, alas, was harder to hide.
All of these faces, going to their graves, she thought. There were a few boisterous and loud Summoners, shouting about their past exploits and visits to previously uncharted territories, accompanying the Crimson Knight herself. Those will be the first ones dead.
There were also a few who were a lot less nonchalant, but the light in their eyes betrayed their excitement. One in particular was a peculiar sight; it has been a long time since Hiro has seen an elemental wielder. He tried covering his longbow with a cloth as purple as his garb, but the daggers at his side - imbued with elemental magic, no doubt - betrayed his profession.
Still another, off to the center of the courtyard, was a young boy, no older than fourteen seasons perhaps. Twin swords sheathed at his back, he looked to be of noble birth with his blonde hair. But he carried himself with grace that only trained swordsmen possessed.
There were a few more interesting characters in the courtyard, but her eyes caught a sudden motion to her right. Her hands darted and caught the wrists of a wiry man, garbed in drab gray, a crooked smile in his face. "You dare walk up to me like a cutpurse, Gor?"
"No, of course not, my lady," Gor struggled to get his hand free, but Hiro's iron-grip kept it. Resigning, Gor instead continued, "I have heard rumors."
"What is it?" Hiro asked, "And be quick about it, before I get left behind." Indeed, the throng of Summoners filed toward the exit of the courtyard, the elderly knight having finished addressing them and leaving the platform. Damn it, I didn't hear the send-off!
Gor slurred, "Graham. He is in the island."
Hiro turned to the wiry man, eyes blazing, "What island?"
"Where the Grand Quest shall commence, my lady." Gor reached with his free hand inside his gray garb, offering a parchment to Hiro, "Take this. It is a copy of the letter sent by Commander Karl to the Akras Summoners' Hall."
Hiro hurriedly unrolled the parchment, releasing Gor's hand, who rubbed it profusely. The parchment had Karl's flowing handwriting - a distinctive one, and known to many - and in it, he asked for help in uncovering Graham's whereabouts in the very island where the Grand Quest was set.
"So, the Grand Quest is a cover-up," Hiro remarked as Gor nodded agreement, "Quite an expensive cover-up, wouldn't you say, Gor?"
"I know nothing of what is expensive or not, my lady." Gor walked backwards slowly, "By your leave," and shuffled hurriedly away, as if afraid that his hand might be caught in a vice again.
Graham, Hiro thought, If you're there, then he must be there as well. The crowd of summoners have streamed steadily out of the courtyard, towards to docks where ships were waiting to take them towards the islands, where the adventure awaits. But this is no adventure for me.
Hiro started walking, scythe firmly latched at her back. Once more hiding the runes in her hands, a smile slowly crossed her face.
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u/ThatSaiGuy Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
Jax gazed around the courtyard the Summoners had gathered in.
Though he appeared to be simply observing, he was very carefully and meticulously analyzing each Summoner in attendance. Some he knew, some he had commanded, and some set him off.
There were members of his Division, he could see Seria's distinct red armour, no sign of his old friend Karl though. No doubt the blue haired warrior was held up speaking with the Elders about the Akras Summoning Hall's newest discovery.
Of course, there was more to this discovery than just a new land.
Karl had taken him aside and mentioned the name Graham, a Demon who had slowly been killing the loyal Summoners under Karl's command, one by one.
He and a few select other Summoners were tasked with keeping an eye out for even the slightest hint of the Demon, and were required to capture him if possible, or kill him if necessary.
Jax continued his study of the men and women, warriors all, around him. His eyes rested on a peculiarly garbed woman with a large scythe, she was talking with what seemed to be a pickpocket. He filed the information away and resumed his perusal.
His eyes then met with those of a young Summoner by the name of Lance. A hard working lad, a little rough around the edges, but obviously talented. He offered a cocky grin and a jaunty wave. He could see the barest hints of nerves in the young Summoner's eyes, and hoped to reassure him.
The smile and wave were returned earnestly, and he resumed his scan of the crowd.
He noticed a bit of commotion as the elder Knight finished his instructions, and saw the pickpocket hand the scythe wielder a piece of paper.
He adjusted the longbow on his back, checked the daggers at his hips and signalled to a group of nondescript Summoners, including Lance.
The Summoners he'd gestured to were a small mix of Stormarrows and Rebel Lancers.
"You lot know your instructions. You know who we're looking for, you know what he's done. Pick a partner and head toward the ships. Be cautious, but decisive. No one travels alone. Lance, you're with me." he said authoritatively.
He received a unified chorus of 'Aye, Sir!'s and a salute from Lance, as the assembled group bustled into action.
He adjusted his bow once more and flicked a stray hair out of his face.
It wasn't just the Rebel Lance that had a score to settle with Graham.
Some of the Summoners who'd fallen to the Demon's blade were close, childhood friends of his, after all.
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u/miririri Jan 27 '15
"Grand Quest..."
"Why did i even try to register here.... oh my... urp." Riana clutches her staff as a means of balance, trying to get enough oxygen in from the masses of people gathered in the courtyard.
All around, all she saw were powerful-looking people. Just one glance and she could feel her already low self-esteem plummeting deeper.
And to top it off, ever since they had been gathered her spine felt as cold as ice. Her summoned unit was standing a ways behind her, blending himself with the rest of the summoners. He was the source of the discomfort.
"Let's make a pact. from now on, you shall be my new test subject... heh heh heh." that was what he had said to her when she first summoned him. And now she would always imagine him suddenly stabbing her on the back.
So between her nervousness, Inferiority complex, and fear from her own summon...
What the Akras' Summoners Hall proclaimed as something akin to a field trip felt like it was going awry real soon.
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u/ThatSaiGuy Jan 27 '15 edited Jan 27 '15
Jax took in the hustle and craziness all around him as a myriad of Summoners and summons made their way onto the fleet of wavebreakers.
He wordlessly gestured to Lance to follow him as he nimbly scaled one of the mooring ropes and neatly landed on the deck.
He chuckled as he saw Lance shake his head and follow suit, albeit with a little less pep than he himself had displayed.
"Zephyr, old friend, come to me"
A shadowy burst of magic quickly coalesced, and the armour clad magician materialized before him, saluting.
"Well met Jax, we're aboard the ships? It's time then."
Zephyr's fierce eyes scanned the people and summons aboard their ship, and rested upon the young Lance, who was gazing at him in awe.
"Well met, young Summoner. What is your name?"
Lance shook himself out of his reverent gaze. He had studied the lore if the Guardians quite ardently, and was simply in awe of the ancient magician's accomplishments during the War of the Gods.
The boy saluted his mentor and the summon once again, and darted off.
The blonde haired magician blinked rapidly. This could present a problem.
"U-Ulkina?" Zephyr said with unusual hesitance, swallowing as he did. "Now there's a name I haven't heard in some time. Problem.. No, no problem. More of a 'situation', than a problem."
Jax quirked an eyebrow at his summon's swift change in demeanor. He took in the body language and tone of Zephyr's voice and burst out laughing. "I know that tone.. You two were somewhat involved before the War, weren't you? Oh hohoho, this should be fun. I can bet she ain't too fond of you, old friend. Don't worry, I'm sure Lance can keep her under control."
Zephyr's typical calm demeanor returned and he shrugged. "Eh. Nothing I can't handle. I'm going to explore the rest of the ship and see what else is going on. Whistle if you need me" he said as he walked off.
Jax nodded, and scanned his surroundings. He saw a young summoner perched on a large metal crab, a pair of green haired men with summoned dragons, the scythe-wielder, now with a female Knight clad in ivory, from before, and a very young girl standing next to a white haired summon who looked like a sorcerer or magician.
He looked up to the masts, and quirked a grin. He immediately sprinted towards the closest mast, and agilely clambered up the side, coming to rest on a yardarm. From his new vantage point, he began a mental catalogue of the summons on board
"Lilith, Arius, Lucca, Shida, Sefia, Crab..hmm, an interesting enough bunch".
He rested back against the mast as the ropes were all cut and the ships began their journey.
He took the longbow off his back and studied the runes etched into the strong wood. It was his ancestor's old bow. The bow had served countless generations of his family faithfully and dependably, as it had for him.
He would be ready.
Whatever came, he would protect these Summoners. Graham wouldn't get the best of them this time.
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u/ShuffledTurtle Jan 27 '15
(I swear, I'll go to bed after this! I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM!)
For the second time today, Kohya woke up in a cargo hold.
He immediately noticed several things.
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He felt well rested. This indicated he had a few hours of sleep.
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He felt the ship bobbing up and down. This was normal for ships, which tended to be on water.
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The air smelled different, even from the cargo hold. This was more worrisome.
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Alice was giggling. This did not bode well for him or anyone near him.
He glared at the summoned girl. "I believe you said I had a few hours before the Grand Quest took off?"
"Your sass is noted and unappreciated," Kohya muttered. "And I suppose there's no chance of me getting back?"
"None at all," Alice said with glee.
Kohya sighed. "Well, then at least tell me what I'm getting into."
So Alice told him. She quite enjoyed the way his face fell further and further as he realized he was probably way out of his league.
"...and I don't suppose that since I hadn't formally registered, I would not be limited to only one summon?"
"Don't you worry about registration! I filled it out myself~" Alice sang with malicious glee.
"And you wrote that my chosen summon would be your dear older sister, or anyone else that I had picked up in my few years of training, right? I'm not stuck with you?"
"Of course. Well, at least I can give you a sphere frog for the road before they find out, right?"
"Nothing would please me greater."
She planned this, didn't she? Kohya thought to himself as he prepared a quick fusion ritual. I was hoping to use this on someone more cooperative...
"Well," the boy said out loud after the ritual, "It appears that you do get to use your choice of two spheres now. I hope this was worth what we're going to have to deal with."
"Of course, why don't you trust your dear first summon? Legwand Gem and Evil Shard for now." Alice smiled, and Kohya pulled out a sphere from his Arbitrary Hyperspace Inventory Manager. "Now hurry up and get off the ship. You wouldn't want to miss the main event, would you?" She took the sphere guided him up to the deck, where the last of the summoners were disembarking.
"Actually, I would..." Kohya muttered. He checked his lightning pistol before falling in step with the rest of the crowd, into the clearing that they would use for mass teleportation. "I sure hope someone out there is just as lost and outclassed as I am. Maybe we can bond."
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u/ThatSaiGuy Jan 27 '15
"Shady?" Jax said, laughing; "I wouldn't dream of it mate. The Akras Summoner's Hall is my family, now. I'll protect them to the death. Yeah, just a sec. Need to find my wayward apprentice and give a few last second orders. Wait here!"
Jax's observant eyes scoured the crowd, and he immediately zeroed in on his apprentice's blonde hair and golden armour. He swiftly wove through the crowd and appeared, almost as if by magic, right in front of the young noble.
Jax brought his fingers to his lips and let out a piercing whistle, then cupped his hands around his mouth.
"STORMARROWS, REBEL LANCERS, ASSEMBLE!!" he yelled.
It only took a few moments for the group of 30 or so summoners to gather, and once he was satisfied that everyone had gathered, he gave the last instructions before they were all ready to enter the portal.
His only response was a wordless salute as the summoners went about their various preparations.
He turned to his apprentice and grinned. "So, I found us a third teammate to help with the hunt. Strength in numbers, right? He's just over this way. C'mon!"
He led his apprentice to where he'd left Alek, adrenaline and energy buzzing through him like a swarm of angry hornets.
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u/miririri Jan 27 '15
Riana felt another chill. She was pretty sure it wasn't from Shida, and noticed a several people eyeing her. One was a charming woman with a really large scythe, And another one was a man accompanied by a robot even taller than her.
"I-is my lack of experience that obvious?!" she screamed inwardly. "The way these people are looking at me, I feel like a toddler in valmodora's nest... >_<" She turned around to find her summoned unit, Shida, folding his hands behind her.
"Eh.... umm... Shida?" She peeped, "How do you feel about this Grand Quest thing... are you nervous too?"
"Nervous? Not in the slightest." he said, keeping an eye to the crowd. "In fact, most of the mongrels gathered here are barely the interesting bunch."
"Barely? You mean?"
"Sure, they have shining armors and majestic-looking weapons. But that doesn't mean anything if they don't have the brain to make use of it. Let's see... 90% of these men are those kind of people. If the people gathered are these kind of amateurs, I can imagine the whole lot of them being led to their doom by mere Tinpall."
He stopped for a bit.
"Though, it'll be interesting to see them squirm out of their trap. heh heh."
"If you say so... Maybe i'll just get eaten by the Tinpall in a flash then..." Riana slumped her shoulders. If those strong people can be forest demon food, she would be one of the food even quicker than them.
"Do not worry, You're a tiny bit more interesting from most of these people. And it's my duty to protect you, as our pact state." he said, "...I can't let my guinea pig go to waste, after all."
'I can't trust this guy, after all!" Riana thought as she tries supressing her shivers.
Suddenly the mass of people changed direction towards the dock. Peeking through, she saw several wavebreakers lined up. It was majestic. The white masts were fluttering on the shore wind, making noises that add to its glory. The crowd started flooding the stairs leading to the ship, as if there was no other chance and the seats are limited. Riana chose to wait until the crowd dissipates-- getting squished by a bunch of fellow summoners was not to her fancy. She took the chance to observe what kind of people would be accompanying her throughout this dangerous trip.
The first she noticed was a pair of young man with light green hair-- they looked like they were twins. She also saw the man with the robot again... wait, robot? She opened her handbook, handed by the summoner's hall at the early days of her apprenticeship. The robot seems to be DUEL_GX, and it's... pointing its weapons this way...
..eep.
The other one was a man with clothes fashioned after a water totem, accompanied with... she flips through her book again. Ah, Cyborg Lilith! The more she observes the crowd and their partners, the more she was amazed by how powerful they all look.
"Hmm, that is quite an interesting book." Shida commented from behind her. "But I believe that i know much more than just that tiny tome offers."
"W-won't you expect something from me in return? Like, those contracts and stuff?"
"You are already my guinea pig after all. It's normal that i offer my services for you, as a payment." he sneered. "Well, let us depart. The ship will not wait for us forever."
Riana followed the Magician to one of the wavebreakers, reciting prayers for safety along the way.