♥ October (Lasohm) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

October (Lasohm) Event Log

Lasohm brings with it a familiar chill and a dash of increased precipitation, as the city prepares itself for the coming winter season. Best practice is to go out with a jacket or sweater to avoid those goosebumps! Or don't and be cold, we won't judge. The wind carried over from last month doesn't help matters any, though at least the rest of the city is quiet and placid for the most part, as if entering an electronic hibernation. That peace is sure to last, right? Not like anything bad ever happens in Lasohm.

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❥ PROMPT I: In Brightest Day...

As the month carries on, residents of Havenwell may wake up one morning to find that if they possess any superhuman abilities or powers, these have become notably difficult to access or control for a while. However, with this odd fluctuation comes markings on one's hand, wrist, or arm in one of five colors. Though the color may change (as often or as rarely as player discretion dictates), it's always one color at a time. These markings glow when focused upon, giving one the ability to manifest powers made of light in a matching color. Cast projectiles, form hardlight weapons, the only limit appears to be one's imagination. (...And reason. Probably no orbital cannons.)

However, they come with the usual condition; the power granted is more easily used when in physical contact with another, and specific colors also have further complications...

♥ Red markings can be found on those that may feel particular frustration at the time or are predisposed to anger. Red energy is wild and difficult to control, risky to use unless the marked character talks through something that may be upsetting them while in physical contact with another.

♥ Yellow markings appear on the nervous or fearful, and the energy refuses to function as if afraid to emerge itself. Similar to red, it will only begin to work if the affected character admits to something they fear (no matter how big or small) while engaging in contact.

♥ Blue markings at first seem to have no correlation with the disposition of who they appear upon, and it may seem to anyone keeping track that they manifest completely at random. Utilizing blue energy may seem weak at first; projectiles may fizzle out, manifested weapons might be too small or even break, but it soon becomes clear that its strength is directly proportionate to how optimistic the marked character may feel at the time. Anyone with a blue marking might do well to seek out those that make them feel hopeful, if they want to use it at full strength.

♥ Indigo markings tend towards individuals with compassion in their hearts; while the power functions with little difficulty, it is only slightly more usable than blue energy at its weakest. Though this may seem inefficient and even useless, it will quickly be discovered that indigo energy becomes immensely powerful specifically when used to protect, aid, or otherwise benefit someone other than the user themselves.

♥ Violet markings, similarly, seem weak at first glance; however, they become stronger when the marked character is in proximity to someone they love. Whether familial, platonic, romantic--the specific kind of love is irrelevant. And perhaps as expected, it reaches its full power when the marked individual is in contact with their friend/family/significant other.

❥ PROMPT II: Rumble in the Bronze

Rumble rumble rumble.

What is that? An earthquake? Construction? A hungry neighbor with a megaphone?

Whatever it is, you'll hear and feel that periodically over the first couple weeks. At first it's mild and starts around the mineshaft and forge, like a subway train passing under you, but as the days go by, it grows in intensity until midway through the month.

That's when the first of them bursts up through the ground. Worms. They vary in size and shape but not in diet. They come up through the rocks and it's clear, when investigated, that these were not dug into. There's a distinct marking through them to show that these were chewed through. At first, they only seem to be eating a lot of rocks, even stone buildings might have a good bite or two taken out of them. Peeking in might find some of the massive worms all curled up inside. They might also being curled around the buildings, twisting and gnawing, the sound of them chewing like gravel scraping over stone.

Eventually though, the minerals in stone aren't quite enough for these greedy grubs. Metals also share some mineral traces with stone, and vice versa. A few unfortunate natives were in a few of the buildings that were completely devoured before they could evacuate and the taste of them was like a fine seasoning. Or dessert. And even monstrous worms aren't immune to wanting dessert over a proper meal…

Now might be a good time to try out those new powers everyone seems to be getting. For some reason, they're more effective against the worms than any abilities otherwise available, though residents are welcome to fight in whichever way they feel comfortable.

❥ PROMPT III: A Little Help Here?

With the chaotic arrival of the worms comes another troubling development. The priests and pious adherents who have been glitching out over the past few weeks suddenly and abruptly break down completely as the worms take over the city. The lights in their casings flicker on occasion, but they stop moving of their own volition and are completely unresponsive when interacted with. Other natives will be desperately trying to escape the worms themselves, so they just may not have the bandwidth or ability to fight off the worms to save the unfortunate robots. This is where you can come in, offworlders!

For those who cannot or would not fight the worms, they can still help out by directing these lost souls to safety. When pushed or pulled, the inert natives will begin moving, but as soon as any outside direction is lost, they stop again. Moving the natives out of harm's way and making sure that they aren't all gathered into one spot (after all, that's just like setting up a buffet invite for the voracious worms!) may just be a full time job while the siege is underway. On occasion, if a worm finds its way to these pockets of defenseless natives, people can try to fight them off or call on others for help.

The only place that won't help? The research towers. Once the worms invaded the city, they seem to have decided it's a problem for everyone else and have completely locked down their towers with the null shield seen previously during the tower assault. Even the worms don't seem to be able to penetrate the barrier, try as they might. And so long as the shields are up, no one gets in or out.

Finding safe shelter may be difficult, too, as the worms destroy roads and buildings everywhere, so those who can't direct natives may find it more helpful to clear roads of debris or patch up buildings so they can survive this onslaught. There's no telling how long this will last...

❥ PROMPT IV: How It Ends Depends on You

The city is breaking, the research towers have abandoned the pious to the whims of their gods, and those gods don't seem to be responding to the cries of Havenwell's people. The natives are distraught and, despite the offworlders' best efforts, there's no end in sight to the worms pouring out of the earth. ...or is there?

How the event concludes will depend on you! That's right, you! Those characters who feel like they have a deeper or stronger connection to their assigned gods will feel a vague sense of desperation in the back of their minds, like a weak tug crying for attention. Whether they listen or not is up to them, of course, and if the call is ignored, it fades away and does not return. Those who do listen, however, will get a sense that they need to start gathering people, natives (both active and inactive) and offworlders alike, in a single location: the Town Square. It may be dangerous to have everyone out in the open like that, but the strong impression of a mass of people in the square is what comes through before the feeling fades entirely.

Does your character listen? Do they obey the message and work to direct people to the square? Would your character follow the directions and gather themselves and others? Let us know down below in the comments here. Responses will be collected until October 14th at 11:59:59PM EST. If your character has not responded by then, it will be assumed that they ignored the message and/or did not follow the directions.

For those who gather in the square, feel free to discuss on this post what your characters would do in there. Please keep any major discussion of what your characters would do in the square here so that everyone in the game can see it. A discussion toplevel has been posted HERE.

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This event will run from October 15-31. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Comments

Héctor | Coco/Penance CRAU | OTA | CW Heavy: refer to opt-in/out

[unpocoloco]

[OOC: PLEASE HIT UP HIS OPT-IN/OUT BEFORE TAGGING this event is especially going to bring up some traumatic things and a lot of things to content warn for. Hitting this up lets me know what you're cool with and if you're okay with me tagging you outside of network posts. Thank you.]

A - In Brightest Day

When he sees the marking one morning, he simply sighs heavily. It's not like the time he woke up tattooed with lucifer's cross-- thank goodness that's gone-- but it would be nice if just once the strange markings came with any kind of warning or explanation. It would certainly be less ominous.

It's in about the same place, settled one part on his palm and going down to his wrist. He rubs at it, remembering the old mark, but likewise remembering what it had covered; a nasty scar (gone now) going one side to the other, matching on the other hand. The memory of how he got it rises up and he shoves it down with a harsh breath and twisting expression and it's in that instant that the mark glows bright.

He blinks, stares, his head tilting. He feels... something... That glow gets brighter, and then, all at once, the light seems to burst off him, shooting out and then upward into the sky as he yelps and flails back on the city bench. The red blast of something keeps on going until he can't see it. His gaze drops down, and, with horror, he realizes he's not alone.

"...I didn't mean to do that."

B - In Blackest Night

The color shifts in the days after that. Most of the time it's red. But yellow starts to slip in there. He catches the yellow when he worries, when the ground quakes and he thinks these peaceful days are nearly over, or when he considers the confessions that this mark demands of him and the many, many secrets he can't bear to tell.

It's through this that he starts to work out when the red shows up. It turns up when he looks in the mirror, when he thinks about all he's failed, and then the ones that failed him. He's found himself angry even at Nekane, given recent events, and then angry at himself for that. He knew he'd become an angry person, but it's only now that he has clear evidence of how much.

Frustrated and exhausted, he finally cuts a strip off the bed sheets, winding the makeshift bandage around the mark to hide it once and for all. No mark, no powers, no questions, and that means nothing's wrong with him. Not a thing. It's normal to go to the arena in the middle of the night when no one's around, not to fight or meet up with anyone, but to pick up one of those rusty pieces of metal left there, ask those little AI nanobots to assemble themselves into a rundown grocery store, and go to town swinging. Perfectly. Normal.

So don't ask why he whirls fast, looking startled, at the first outside noise, yellow glowing through the bandage.

C - Ready to Rumble

He stares in awe when he sees the first worm. He stares as it tears through earth and steel, jaw dropped in disbelief. And then, suddenly and hysterically, he laughs. He shakes his head and his shoulders shake and he laughs. This is it. This is the thing that's come back to haunt him out of everything it could've been, it's the sandworms.

Well, he's gone down swinging once and he has no plans on being eaten. Time for one more chance to make proud his old teacher Squalo.

And so, he can be found for the next while roaring and leaping at worms to try and sink in a solid kitchen knife and erratically sparking and fizzling knives of light in red, yellow, and indigo. No blue here. He hasn't hope in Hell that he's surviving this except that maybe he'll wind up back there after he's taken a few of these worms with him.

D - Socorro

He's not the hero type. He is not like these people or even the better people of Hell. Every feather he ever earned down there was earned selfishly.

That doesn't mean he can just leave the downed bots in the street when the monsters coming ripping through. As the other robots run, he limps back, pushing at the first bot.

"Come on, come on, ¡rápidamente!"

Even as he gets one out of the way, there's still more. Even as he tries to fight and kill one creature, there's still more.

He calls out, "I need a little help here!"

The worm turns for him and his downed bot. He wants to run. But instead, heart hammering, he draws an indigo bow of light.

E - How It Ends

He's not afraid. He's not even sure if he's disappointed that this is going to be it, just a few months reprieve and not even long enough to settle in and enjoy it. They've gathered as many as they can to the town square and now he's settled there too. Surrounded by frightened people and the statues of gods. He's numb, he thinks. Death number nine. Ten if he counts the vampirism. He's tired.

He goes to find Nekane. He regrets being angry. How stupid it was to be angry when this was all the time they'd have. He goes to them, apology on his face, but rather than say it, he reaches out for them, pulling them carefully close so he can lean into them, bend to them, hold them and press his forehead to theirs.

He says, "Let's die laughing again, okay? Together. Like last time."

He doesn't care who hears or who sees. His mark glows violet and stays that color.

He does eventually wander, a dead look on his face because he can't be bothered hiding it anymore. He stares at others a bit too long, unsure if he should try to start up conversation now when he has nothing good to offer. Finally, he settles down on the stone and he draws out his phone. He opens a picture of a picture, an old-timey photograph of a family of three, and he gazes into just two of the faces there, a woman's and a little girl's.

D

[iustaegis]

"Héctor!"

First there's a a call of his name. Second there's a sword striking the ground at his feat. Finally, in a burst of crystalline blue light, Pyra emerges from the warp-strike, lifting up the blade, and moving so that she stands at his side.

"You got this," she says as he prepares his bow forged from light. Her own hands glow similarly with a violet, steady power that this world has seemed to grant her for the current catastrophe. She appears to be able to weave that power into the edge of her blade. Pyra smiles at him, and she doesn't appear any worse for wear. "And I got your back. Aim true. I'll follow with a strike."

E

[astralera]

There is little Era can do at this point to keep spirits bolstered, but she tries all the same. It is what Haurchefant would have done — continue spreading hope with great enthusiasm and a smile on his face, no matter how dire things may seem. He did it for her countless times; warm hearths, smiles, and cocoa when she was at her lowest. She has no hearth to offer the exhausted people here, but the rest is easy enough.

"Hello," she smiles warmly from beneath the hood of her cloak, holding out a steaming thermos to the disheartened man. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

Socorro

[aunitedeorzea]

[Thankfully, right now Alphinaud's marking is indigo at the moment as to the red that it's been content with staying on. He'd been doing his best to help get the bots and offworlders to safety, but had seen his fair share of natives who... didn't want to move from their spots.

Spotting the man having issues and the worms making their way over to a tasty new snack, Alphinaud hurried over as he grabbed his grimoire. A moment later, the worm paused in its approach as it exploded, blocking the worm's path to the man and the robot he was trying to get to move.]

Pray continue what you're doing. I'll take care of this.

C

[daikonrose]

Kyoko had been running away from the telltale rumbling--she hadn't seen a whole lot of these worms yet but, one had been enough to know that running was the correct response here! But then that awful, hysterical laugh rings out too, and her feet just stop.

Who even was that? She doesn't know. She doesn't know, and she'd surely be useless up against one of those things anyway, and...

And the worst thing of all would be to run away when she knew someone was still back there.

Her hands shake at her sides, but she curls them tight and turns around.

The twin short blades of yellow light sputter and flicker out when she tries to plunge them into the opposite side of Héctor's worm, but uh hey! She's here? to help?!

B

[opheliaafterdeath]

Often when anger's the emotion you're used to, it becomes the default. Or that was just the case with Nekane. They don't regret taking John's words to heart that it was okay to be angry but when said anger burns out, they're often left feeling nothing at all in the aftermath.

And that's exactly what they felt when they got home. That, they think, was the first out-and-out fight that they and Héctor had. And while Nekane is still to this day not sorry for starting an argument with Cliff, they know they upset him. And Nekane is still upset because they know Héctor. He would have pushed this down and away if they never saw the texts. It's shitty but true. At the same time, however, Nekane knows exactly why he is the way he is.

It makes them want to break something. And so, with that in mind, they go out at night to-

"...hun. Guess we both had the same fucking idea."

Only they're bereft of weapons - Nekane's never needed a physical object to hurt someone. The only thing that shines in the darkness on their end is the mark that flickers yellow and violet on their wrist.

It's the first time since it's appeared it's been any color other then red.

B

[waitatick]

Since his sleep had been distorted by nightmares for millennia, Lotor was fond of training at night. The arena gave him memories that were not the best, but it was a good area for training, and when he walked in with his sword already manifested he was a bit surprised to see someone else with a glowing yellow covered by a makeshift bandage, swinging pieces of metal as if they were weaponry. He supposed they were, in a sense.

"If you'd like to spar, I might provide something more concrete to release your frustrations on."

E

[shroudedsecrets]

There has been quite a lot of action and mayhem. Even with her hypothesizing, none of that did not seem to have any of them anticipating the scale. It had been spiders before, so now creatures of the earth of a magnified size were set against them. Almost poetic, for what she had been warning of.

And now it had all come to the focal point of the Town Square, days set to gathering, but less chances for simply talking to others, depending on how many insisted on rescue missions, or being off on their own. The first few days are tense, the latter, more that they're holding their breath for some tide to change.

Still, there is strain of it, that comes in when there's the occasional time to breathe, when one is waiting for others to return from their determined acts of leading others to safety while remaining on the perimeter to assist with any needed defenses. The work to do so can be distracting, but it is not always needed. Which is what leads Honerva to eventually pass by Hector when he's had a moment to stare too long, and he's the best distraction she's come across in a while.

"... Greetings." It's... passable, all right, there's no forcing cheer in this state though she is sooner to look for solutions than to think this the end of it.

Pyra | ota

[iustaegis]

Light Powers

--!!

[ That would be her dodging one projectile of your newly acquired light powers, then watching it zoom down the street to strike at the wall behind her. Pyra whips her head back to look at you, cropped hair bouncing against her cheeks. ] ....Erm, nice shot?
 
[ Practice makes perfect, right? She attempts to sound encouraging, smiling despite the dire circumstances everyone has suddenly found themselves in, groundworms and malfunctioning robots and all. ] They're not the most predictable of abilities, aren't they... 

[ As for herself, she appears to have an violet glow to one of her hands. ]

Groundworms/Helping out (CW for injuries)

Injury A [ Both Pyra and you are ushering a group of defunct robot locals towards the plaza, when all of a sudden there's a soft, painful gasp coming from Pyra, and she stumbles forward. ] A--ah....
 
[ She manages to catch herself before she falls, with one hand stabilizing her balance upon the building beside her. The other clasps over her upper thigh, covering the gap between her stocking and her shorts. When she pulls her palm away, a mild laceration streaks across the pale skin of her thigh. The cut is shallow, yes, but. This. This is new, and the unexpectedness and disbelief appears plainly on her expression. She murmurs: ]  I... must have tripped somewhere.

[ Quickly, she shakes her head and looks back to you. ] C'mon, let's continue. We're only a block or so away! [ And there are giant worms thrashing somewhere behind them, gnawing their way through buildings. ]

Injury B [ The groundworms are vicious and powerful, biting through metal and concrete. It's getting desperate, and maybe you're sprinting away from one of them yourself. Unfortunately as you turn the corner, you're being led to another battle-- or rather-- the end of one. 

A groundworm lies decimated just a few feet away from the building, a part of its body melted to the street beneath it, as if an intense heat had turned a part of its body molten. Pyra's standing there, stumbling away from it as if she's just come from a battle, a local robot following few steps behind her. As for Pyra herself, she's clutching her right arm, looking at it worriedly-- and for good reason, too: the limb doesn't seem to be wholly intact any longer.

But-- there is no blood, no flesh, no gore, no any cry of pain or help where one might expect. Instead, the appendage appears to be a mold of light that closely resembles the churning surface of a sun. Slowly-- for her powers are dampened-- a layer of skin begins to grow over it, as if the form she wears is only a shell. This is when she sees you. She stops in her tracks, and the local behind her comes to halt as well. ] 

Oh....! [ Awk....ward. She smiles at you, turning her reforming arm away from you as if it could hide the sight. ] Hello. Are you alright?

To the Town Square

[ She's guiding a sizable group of locals. ]

Here...! This way. Follow me, it's going to be alright. [ They don't seem to respond verbally, but they do shuffle after her. Nervously, Pyra turns to you, who just happens to be with her. ] To the town square, right? Are you getting that feeling, too?

[ She extends her hand to you, the one that's glowing violet with the newly-granted powers that many seem to have. ] Do you mind?

Wildcard

[ Have an idea for Pyra? Comment here, PM the journal, drinksteapots, or Jade294#6977!  For those who have met Pyra before and would notice any changes, the crystal upon her chest no longer appears whole like this. Now it appears as if a section of it has been spliced out, like this. ]

for Noctis

[iustaegis]

[ When a new wave of hungry worms emerge from the ground, gobbling up a nearby house, the first thing she thinks about is Honerva's warning on the network, the signs that the barrier had been weakening. The second thought is of Noctis, who's just a room away. ]

Noct....!

[ If she had to guess, he's probably way ahead of her and going to release Captain from the paddock. ]

Injury B

[this_loser]

[That...sure is something. Something he isn't quite comprehending as he shakes off his shock and moves closer. Is that a new light power? He got a good gash on one of his arms not so long ago, and it definitely didn't heal up like that. Soooo probably not.]

I'm fine. Are you? [He leans a bit to see the arm she's trying to hide.]

Injury B

[aunitedeorzea]

[Alphinaud has been fighting his fair share of battles, managing to avoid any major injuries. If anything, he may have a few cuts and bruises, but nothing major. Seeing the worm, he was about to attack when he noticed it was already taken care of. He turned his attention to who slew the worm, only to notice the arm.

It was instinct to want to step in and heal her wounds, but it seemed unnecessary now. That was certainly not something that he'd seen before. By all rights, that kind of injury should be painful, but now it was like nothing happened. It took him a moment to respond, closing his grimoire with uncertainty.]

I'm okay. Nothing serious. [But speaking of serious...] I... think I should be asking you that. If you need aid, I am well versed in healing.

Light Powers

[wakemelater]

[He's still staring, wide-eyed, at Pyra, his hand glowing a brilliant red despite the errant shot. He could have hit her. And that would have been terrible.]

I'm sorry. [He looks at his own hand like it's betrayed him. He would hide it away, but he's afraid it might burn a hole in his pocket.] I can't seem to get the hang of it.

Era || OTA

[astralera]

PROMPT 1 - BEFORE THE SIEGE

Whatever the violet marking on her arm was truly meant for, Era has found it fascinating to play with. Had it been any other month she would have gladly constructed temporary playmates for Hythlo, but as she doesn't fully trust it she'll have to settle for practicing forming small creatures from home to show the friends and family she's made here: paissa, spriggans, koropokkurs, little baby behemoths, moogles, sylphs, kobolds, pixies... Perhaps she'll even work her way up to proper dragons.

PROMPT 2 - EARLY INTO THE SIEGE

While hardly the worst worms she has ever faced, they are certainly the most numerous. Exterminating them all seems like an impossible task, but she has always thrived against impossibilities (much to the chagrin of her enemies) and she clings to the thought as she saves a native for the second time (she makes note to tell Morwag to upgrade their legs once this is all over).

Fortunately the worms are quite stupid. One tries to swallow her from above and she just rolls her eyes, lifts her arms, and allows the beast to cleave itself on her greatsword.

She's rewarded with a shower of worm guts for her efforts, but beggars can't be choosers when trying to be efficient.

PROMPT 3 - CLOSED TO CR

Era returns from her successful search-and-rescue mission carrying Timoteus in her arms with an ease that only comes with his absence of an arm and both legs. Using his one remaining arm he has a hold of his unresponsive partner's hands, pulling the priest along to safety while Esteem keeps guard from behind. At a glance nothing seems awry; no glaring injuries, and everyone she sought out is now accounted for. Those more familiar with Era might find something off with how easily the native's head rests on her small shoulder. Then, of course, there's the blood dripping over Timoteus' very metal, inorganic head.

PROMPT 4

With the loss of her horn Era is relegated to a more supporting role. She keeps the hood of her robe up to obscure her missing appendage as she helps ensure everyone stays fed and hydrated, treating any injuries and assisting the natives with broken extremities wherever she can. Her chocobo sticks close to her, and her amaro chick stays hot on her heels (always fluffed up with fear, though the little bird does his best to be brave).

"Excuse me," she'll ask anyone who seems in need of a break. "Would you like some warm stew, or perhaps some hot chocolate?"


WILDCARD

{{ if you have a different idea feel free to comment with it, or reach me at froakie or Era Ra#4916 !

Era will be spec'd as Dark Knight for the majority of the siege (switching to healer at the end after her horn gets knocked off), but may or may not use the rainbow powers to create Primal or dragon constructs in a pinch to deal with particularly large worms or aid in large group defense, so if anyone wants Titan punching a worm in throat or Susano's heart singing in the chaos or something just lmk lmao }}

4

[carbungle]

[Noctis has been running around trying to help out as much as possible, but between the crystal scare early into the month and his powers only working half of the time, he's not exactly in top shape. The new powers are... fine... but they take more getting used to than he has energy for, so it's touch and go whether he's of much use when his magic is on the fritz. Add to that the new learning curve of integrating Pyra's power into his own... yeah, he's got a lot on his plate right now.

The worm attacks are both exhilarating and exhausting, so at some point he relents to heading for the makeshift shelter to work defense and catch a breather instead of running out to chase more monsters. He'll spot Era serving someone else as he heads in, not so much recognizing her (with the hood up) as her companions. He whistles in Hythlo's direction, noting the poor thing's puffed out feathers. He's got a handful of cuts and bruises, but not too worse for wear, at least.]

[this_loser]

[ I ]
Early in the month, Prompto can be found at the bar. He sits swiveling on a stool, eyeing glasses and bottles and frowning in concentration because...he has no idea what to do with it. But Gladio is gone. Tony's been gone. And...it should stay in the family, right?

There's a yellow mark set above the chocobo tattoo on his right wrist, almost like a deliberate addition to the artwork. He idly pokes at it. It kinda looks cool. Maybe when whatever this is is over, he'll see about getting some color added.

The door is open, but anyone looking for a drink...well, don't expect anything fancy.


[ II ]
[The first mark that shows up is blue, and at first it doesn't seem to do much of anything. Everything he tries fails in some way. He manages to produce a gun, but it's about as useful as an air rifle.

But Prompto's middle name is Optimism no it's not, so it isn't long before he figures it out. He realizes he can skip creating a gun and just fire projectiles from his fingers. That's right. Actual finger guns!

Which comes in real handy when the worms start popping up and he can't get his real gun out of the armiger. It's not the first time he's fought something long and wiggly, but worms are right below bugs in ick factor.

He's got one local by the hand, trying to lead it somewhere safe, and his other hand is raise, pointer finger armed and ready. There's a rumble from somewhere behind them, but he doesn't want to look back to see how much trouble they're in. Instead he tries to pick up the pace, dragging his new robot friend behind him.]

Gotta move faster, buddy. [He turns and fires a couple shots, and sees that the worm is way too close for comfort. But the moment he releases the robot, it stops. So he grabs it again and tries to move forward again, while also turning and shooting.

He spots you up ahead and waves, a little frantic.] Little help here?

[ wildcard ]
[Open to anything~ Contact: deadtea]

II

[the4united]

[A flash of brilliant indigo light snakes by and cracks like a whip in front of the approaching worm.]

Got your back!

[The light recoils back in a rather unnatural spiraling way that a typical whip would not be able to do. Devon grins. Using this new power, whatever it is, is just like using his own magic. Only it doesn't drain his strength and is rather more finicky. Still, it appears to be running at full power right now and he's more than happy to test out just how much he can make it do.]

Nico di Angelo | OTA

[wakemelater]

[ I ]
a. [Nico sees his powers as an extension of himself, as much a part of his being as an arm or one of his senses. Imagine his dismay when he steps into a shadow and, instead of disappearing and traveling home, he slams face-first into a wall.]

b. [What's worse than not being able to access his powers? Not being able to control them. Like when he encounters a bit of shade and is suddenly hurtled to a new location - a random shop, a random cafe, your bathroom/kitchen/bedroom...]

S-Sorry. I'll, um, let myself out...?

[ II ]
[His frustration over his own powers is compounded when the red mark apears on his arm. Sure, it would be great to have some new abilities, but these seem just as unpredictable and hard to control as his own.

The arena seems the safest place to practice without accidentally hurting someone. He tries to make a sword - something familiar - but it shatters on impact. Projectiles are about as effective, spinning wildly off target or falling short.

Anyone else who happens to be there will be treated a whole lot of four-letter words that start with F. And if there is something to throw, it's getting thrown.]

[ III ]
[While he hates the idea of anything getting in his head, he also knows better than to ignore it. So here he is in the Town Square, surrounded by locals and off-worlders, and wondering why.

He steers clear of getting too close to anyone. If his shadow powers aren't working, then his other powers are probably also broken. Turning someone into a walking skeleton because they brushed up against seems...not great.

He spends some time just staring at the fountain statues, as if they might come alive and speak.]

Ib

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Whoa, whoa-! All Shinji was trying to do was put some of his gardening supplies away in the garage attached to his house, and here is a sudden... intruder? Is that what this situation is? An intruder??

He jumps with a start when he spots Nico, eyes wide with surprise and uncertainty.] H-... how did you get in here?

Shinji Ikari | ota

[hedgehogsdilemma]

I
It isn't hard to take the glowing marks as some sort of extension of the side effects of the starry sea of glowing plants from the previous month. So, when the purple mark appears on his palm, he doesn't really think anything of it at first. It doesn't seem to want to fade, though, even after ignoring it for quite some time.

Once it becomes clear that it's not going away, but that also focusing on it stirs... something. Odd powers aren't anything he's expecting, if only because he doesn't have any powers in the first place, but in a moment of simply and deeply pondering on it, a bright flash of light pops in his hand for just a moment, blinking out just as suddenly as it appeared and drawing a surprised, "Whoa-!!" out of Shinji as it does. What? The heck??


II
Rumble rumble rumble

Tremors aren't completely unusual events in Havenwell by this point, and while they aren't always associated with anything particularly frightening, it's still enough to put Shinji on his guard as they gradually begin to ramp up in intensity through the month.

It's not enough to take all of the surprise out of seeing the culprits finally emerging from the ground, either.

"Shit-!"

No... even last year's ghostly invasion wasn't anything like this - nothing quite so treacherous has happened since the spider invasion, has it? Is this why powers are suddenly popping up in the offworlders? Like the city was somehow preparing everyone for this outcome...? Shinji isn't sure he has it in himself right away to actually be attacking the worms, but he does know that keeping the offworlders and natives alike safe should be a top priority, if it's something he can do. Especially with how concerning a lot of the robots' behavior has been lately.

Pushing robots out of harm's way is simple enough, and if he spots anyone doing the same, he'll call out, "Where should we take them...?"


III
a) And, toward the end of the month, as hints are being dropped as to where the safest place in the city might possibly be (?) the Town Square is where Shinji will begin herding as many bodies as he can manage. Robots inert and otherwise, yes, but also fellow offworlders, particularly people he knows who may not have made their ways there already. They aren't particularly spectacular when he's on his own, and the color on his palm keeps changing from yellow to purple and back, but he's managed to get enough control over the powers to arm himself with a knife made of hard light which, even if he's still scared out of his mind, is familiar enough to give him enough of a bravery boost to hazard the veritable minefield of worms.

b) He won't stay out there forever - as much as he'd want to keep going out as long as his most important people aren't in his sight in the square, the chances that his adventures will be put to a forcible stop from one of those same people is very, very high.

So, once he's been grounded from leaving, he's left with almost nothing but nervous energy. What can he do with that...? Keep himself armed, pace around the perimeter, perhaps see how well he can make some kind of barrier or shield with these powers. Octagonal planes flicker in and out of sight in front of him as he tries to exercise that last wonder, vigilance at a fever pitch as he tries to think of some way, any way to make himself useful in this situation.

II

[daikonrose]

Kyoko's hands are currently full of robot arms as she leads two along, walking backwards--not the most practical defensive stance, perhaps, but uh it's just where she's at right now! The marking at her wrist shines yellow, but it's not in use at the moment, whether she's discovered its secrets or not.

"Somewhere else!!!" Wow, very astute there, Kyoko. "Somewhere quiet! Uh--away from the earthquakes!"

Lotor | Voltron: Legendary Defender I OTA

[waitatick]

I

The markings appeared on Lotor's hands, which he only truly noticed in his room since he wore his gloves everywhere else. But the light they emitted was enough to be visible through those. He was fascinated that the colors seemed to change over time...

II

Lotor was more than ready to try to avert the creatures. His memories of Deerington were still rather fresh, and while these creatures did not seem as monstrous, they were still wreaking havoc on the city and its surrounds.

He was no stranger to using his sword to fight against such things, but he found his attacks increased in power as though he'd just been through a Rift gate. It was disconcerting but seemed to be helpful, especially when he happened to chance upon structures with calls for help coming from within...

III

While he felt he was far better suited to fighting the creatures than to directing those that needed such assistance, Lotor did not hesitate to lead the natives away when he could or if he happened upon them in danger. Of course, if anyone were around to help with this it would be far more simple...

His disgust at the research towers locking themselves down was something he channeled into his fighting, as such things usually went. If he seems overly angry, it's not at the worms themselves, but the circumstances.

ii

[necromanswers]

Whatever worm he's fighting is unexpectedly rocked in place due to a sudden impact from behind; it wobbles a little in place, rumbling unhappily, and turns to check itself. As it moves, it reveals to Lotor that Lup is standing on the creature's back, a spectral blue axe embedded into its hide.

She looks up, grins, and waves to him. "Heya! Need a hand?"

Alphinaud Leveilleur | FFXIV

[aunitedeorzea]

In Brightest Day Rumbling;

[With winter coming along, Alphinaud has opted to wear some of the warmer clothing he'd found here. Finding the red marking on his right hand didn't take long. He'd been slowly feeling a little better since coming back with more memories but felt more tension lately. He'd mostly been keeping to himself or staying at home. Despite the house being next door to the others, he's been trying to make sure Alisaie was alright.

He hadn't toyed with the powers that came with it yet, but perhaps that was for the best, considering how little control he'd have over it right now. With the periodic rumbling, he really only left to do some investigating. No matter how mild it was at first, it was still cause for worry. Once worms started to burst through, it was the first moment he had to really see how bad the infestation was. If there were worms just curled up inside these worm-made holes, there had to be a lot more that they haven't seen yet. Sending a quick message out...]

Please take care of yourselves. Upon investigation, we're likely in for a storm. Not only are these worms capable of making tunnels underground, it appears that they're also eating through buildings.

We need to take all due caution and make sure that offworlders and natives alike are safe. If anybody has any ideas for a safe location, please let me know.

[OOC: Feel free to either respond to the message or see him doing some investigating.]

A Little Help Here?;

[After initial investigations out of the way, his hand turned to an indigo color, but he hadn't taken notice of it just yet. Alphinaud shifted his attention to helping people and natives alike to safety. After realizing how some of them were completely unresponsive, his concern for their safety grew all the more. At least offworlders should be able to manage, especially with others out there trying to help out, but what about the natives here?

One by one -- sometimes two at a time if he could manage -- he did his best to help guide the ones that would respond to the center of the town square. With taking care of those he could help save, he turned his attention to the ones that refused to help out. The research towers.

He felt his blood boil as they refused to help in light of everything that's been going on. It was too familiar. It was way too soon to be reminded of what waited for them back home when he'd barely managed to take everything in so far. And just like that, his marking returned back to the red that he'd started with. Standing outside of one of the null shields, he knew how useless it was to try to bang on the shield, but he couldn't help it.]

People are suffering out here and you instead decide to turn your back on them? This barrier of yours is impressive. Imagine the good it could do if you would just let people into safety.

Please, I appease you to change your minds. Please offer aid and succor to those in need. Even if it's for the natives who cannot fight and the offworlders with no experience in combat.

Is anybody listening?!

[OOC: Feel free to either catch him while he's helping to get people to safety or outside one of the research towers.]

Wildcard;

[OOC: As always, feel free to create your own prompts. You can find me on byefelicia if you would like to plot anything in particular. Like I started at the start of the month, Alphinaud has been canon updated to the end of Shadowbringers. More than likely the comments will have spoilers in them. If you're currently playing through and prefer not to be spoiled, please let me know and I'll try my best to not spoil anything.]

In Brightest Day Rumbling;

[firstbump]

Things are dangerous, which means switching out the more comfortable clothes for something more protective and now undyed and unglamoured. How he was before, when he was (and still is) a Warrior of Light.

Now, while he's aware that Alphinaud can probably handle himself, he doesn't like the idea of the young Elf Elezen off by himself. He's fairly certain these worms can take him in a single swallow. Best to have a second set of eyes and an axe to keep the worms at bay. Current awkwardness between them be damned.

"Mind if I join you?" Ardbert's face is mostly serious, but there's a bit of light behind his eyes, a twitch of mirth at the corner of his mouth; he really can't help but help.

Ann Takamaki | ota

[menaretrash]

1 - Rumble in the Bronze.

[ It's not a big secret how most everyone has suddenly gained weirdo powers. Her own normal powers have been more than a little haywire the last few weeks up until a few days ago, and she's pretty sure that her boyfriend must be getting tired of the random things that she's been lighting on fire just by sneezing. She's not the brightest bulb on the proverbial Christmas tree, but even she has noticed the earthquakes. And she's also wondered if the earthquakes have had any thing to do with the new, strange markings on their hands and arms.

Her answer, of course, has been revealed in the form of giant worms. It had been shocking at first, especially upon hearing how these things were eating buildings and natives alike.

Ann's prowling the streets at the moment -- well. Panther is, at least, and it's very strange to be out and about like this. But without Ren or Akechi to worry about, nor the police from home? There really shouldn't be an issue. She also thinks that if Ren were still here, he'd be on board if it meant helping and saving lives.

For the most part, she's here one minute, gone the next like a proper thief. Even though she's not in the business of stealing any hearts right now, she is opting to stay as stealthy as she can when rescuing natives and non natives alike.

That doesn't last, can't last -- which is why when one of those giant worms rears its ugly head, she's back hand springing out of the way, all style and flair as the Phantom Thieves tend to be, before she's ripping the mask off of her face, tossing it aside in a flurry of blue flames. Upon doing that, something else appears, large and looming behind Ann-- ]

Let's go! Dance, Carmen!

2 - A Little Help Here?

[ Just because she's in fight mode doesn't mean she's not helping out where or however she can, and if it means dragging natives and priests and whoever else to safety, so be it. They aren't really making it easy, and it's frustrating as they begin to stop and stall because there are SO MANY. ]

Hey, come on, guys, let's go! There's no time for--

[ The ground rumbles as several worms suddenly burst from the ground, and she stiffens. There's only so many of these things she can take on by herself -- which is why she's glancing over at the nearest person suddenly. ]

Can you fight? If you can, great. If not, I'm gonna need you to work on getting these guys to safety while I distract these stupid worms. Got it?

[ Hope you've got it, because it's go time... ]

C - Wildcard.

[ I forgot to post to the event conclusion, whoops. But if there's anything else you'd rather do with Ann, hit me! ]

C. >>; Putting the cat out

[blue_eyed_obsession]

Out.

[Kaiba said tersely, as he placed her on the stoop of their domicile as if she was an ill-mannered pet. Yes, he was indeed tired of her lighting things spontaneously on fire. The one extinguisher the place came with was as exhausted as he was. They would at least need to replace it before he was going to let her back inside. His own powers would prove equally destructive when they manifested but for a brief blissful period, he had thought he had been spared this time..

How wrong he was.]

Go terrorize the neighbors for a while..

Tamaki Yotsuba | ota

[21kingpuddings]

I
"Oh, awesome...!"

It doesn't take too long after the marks start showing up that Tamaki's able to puzzle out what they actually do, and once he does, he's using his cool Blue Powers to do all sorts of things! Like, let's try making a sword! And then realizing that handling a real sword, and not something in a video game, is pretty intimidating, actually, and dissipating it back into nothingness. So then how about something less potentially dangerous, like little butterflies made of light?

And! What better place to test those out that out in the open, perhaps by the fountains in the center of town? Tamaki tests out making one, two, three flitting butterflies and letting them float and flutter around the area. How far out can he keep them up? Maybe far enough to land upon another offworlder! Hello, here is a cute little blue friend!


II
What good are those butterflies really gonna do when those worms come crashing in to town? And any experience gained from fighting in King's Knight isn't really the kind of thing that translates into real world fighting experience, no matter how convincing the VR is. Man... man. This sucks.

"No-!!" He's managed to figure out how to concoct a big shield as he runs for cover, but with how panicked he is while trying to evade these wormy menaces, his control over the bizarre, blue powers isn't very stable. Whoops! There goes his shield! Time! To run!

II

[pinkmin]

It was also time for a stowaway.

Where the little pink bug came flying in fast from was unclear at the moment, but the important part was that it was Here and grabbing on to Tamaki's sleeve. With a surprisingly strong tug, there was an attempt to steer him.

This way!

Aerith Gainsborough | Final Fantasy 7: Remake | OTA

[ancientflower]

❁ 1) This Little Light Of Mine
[Aerith was just admiring the beam of violet light held within her hand with a look of open curiosity and wonder.

At first she'd accidentally blew a hole in the ground trying to do it, but eventually she'd been able to grab onto the strange light and lengthen it into a sort of sabre shape.

She swished it through the air slowly.]

I wonder...


❁ 2) Run for it? Running’s not a plan! Running’s what you do once a plan fails.
[And the plan did fail.

Aerith was no warrior! At best she was a mild irritant with a healthy dose of stubbornness.

She had thought she could help with kicking some worm tail. But in the end all she really did was make it rather annoyed with her. As was proven by the way it was towering over her with what she thought was probably an unhappy sounding growling coming from somewhere within the creatures body.

Stepping back, Aerith looked left and right for a way to get away... and started running. Only for her foot to catch on one of the many fallen rocks and send her tumbling to the ground with a startled yelp.]


❁ 3) In The End
[Along with others, and after having ordered Sephiroth to help too, Aerith had assisted in the rescue efforts of some of the natives in bringing them to the city centre.

Why?

She truly didn't know. It was the oddest of feelings but once she didn't doubt. Feeling the pull of the planet was... strangely comforting and nostalgic. If this was what was needed of her then she would gladly go to any lengths to help.

Once at the Town Square, however, she would be weaving herself in and out of the crowds. While there was nothing she could do for the natives, any flesh and blood person with an injury was welcome to seek her out. She was there to help heal the wounded and protect those who were readying to fight.]


❁ 4) Wildcard
[If you have any other ideas, feel free or run them by me with a PM or a message over on JustAnotherUsername.]

2

[dontcallmebro]

Shit! Hang on! [And here is her bodyguard coming to her rescue instantly. Looking very alarmed, he runs right over to her to see if she is hurt.] You okay? Can you stand?!

Hummy | Suite Precure♪ | Ainea (ota!)

[nyakama]

1. Protector Cat
"Watch out, nya!"

A voice from the sidelines and a worm smashing through the ground and barreling right towards you. A little cat skids to a stop in front just in the nick of time, a faint blue barrier blossoming out from her tiny form and surrounding the two of you. Her paw glows with bright indigo mark. She seems just as surprised as you by this turn of events, looking back at you with wide eyes.

"Eh? Ehhhh?!"

Did… she just do something extremely cool???


2. Rescue Cat
Hummy is just a litle creacher, but it is because of that tininess that she was perfect for helping look for trapped residents in the crumbling buildings. Though she'd occasionally venture out on her own (rather recklessly), she typically went alongside search parties of other residents.

"Over here, there’s another one, nya!" She calls out as she sticks her head out from the rubble. She's not strong enough to get them out by herself, though. Care to give her a hand?


3. Guiding Cat
Having made friends with many of the robots at Ainea's temple and in the entertainment district, Hummy has a lot of people to look out for. She can be found in either location, gently trying to coax the robots out of the building and along a path. It's slow going because she's rather small, but she’s going at it with dogged determination. There are still many more left, though...


4. Wildcard
[Come at me with whatever you've got - i'm available via PM or on plurk at carrieface. Brackets and prose both welcome.]

yu-gi-oh card

[21kingpuddings]

So brave and bold, Hummy...! But maybe having some extra muscle in tow could help with this rescue mission would be a smart idea. Don't worry, Tamaki's here to lend his services as being someone bigger than a cat to clear up some of the rubble.

"On it," he says, making a beeline over to where Hummy's peeking out. "How far down we gotta go?"

Lance | Voltron: Legendary Defender | Private to Keith for this one

[the_tailor]

[Worms. Giant worms. That's just quiznaking great. For a place centered around positivity and hugs, this sure as heck doesn't fit the bill. He'd say it wasn't what he signed up for, though he didn't exactly sign up for this to begin with.

So much for vacation, eh?

Unfortunately, without a weapon, and without manifesting any glowy powers he's been hearing about, he's not exactly useful with the fighting. He, Keith, and Kosmo have been mostly holed up in their house in an attempt to stay safe for the time.

Stupid worms. Out of all the times, too, when he wanted to plan something special...

It's October 23rd, and he doesn't even have a gift. He doesn't even have anything to make a gift. Lance frowns as he digs through the closet quietly, looking for something, anything he might be able to use. But he's already looked plenty of times since they've locked themselves in... Ugh.]

[needmyspace]

[Of all the things he expected out of this place, giant tunneling worms was not one of them. It's vaguely reminiscient of the hundreds of robeasts that Voltron has faced down, only this time, there's no Voltron, no lions, and frankly, his Marmora blade doesn't seem like much against it.

Besides, he's fought his share of battles. It's fine to sit out on this one, right?

It's been a matter of watching and waiting, and frankly, Keith hasn't even realized the significance of the date. He notices Lance looking unhappy and searching through things and frowns, folding his arms over his chest.]

What are you looking for? Kosmo's been moving stuff around, maybe I can help.

Ardbert | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA | Just PROMPT IV: How It Ends Depends on You [Village Square]

[firstbump]

Ardbert, like anyone else, needs to rest sometimes. He's leaned up against the side of his amaro, Seto. On the other side of Seto is a smaller Seto and a chocobo. All three are fast asleep, and if one looks incredibly closely, there might even be a person in that pile of birds, somewhere under a wing....

He looks up as a person approaches, giving them the same tired smile no matter who they are. It might just be a bit wider if he knows you or wider still if he calls you friend or family.

"Feels good to finally be put to use."

[unnecessaryflourishes]

Immortal though he may be, even Emet-Selch can't deny the benefits of a moment's rest. Even if his idea of 'a moment' may be somewhat different to most other people's. Still, he's hardly about to deny Ardbert his, and if a faint smile should cross his face as he spots the person tucked in under the pile of birds, he is hardly likely to directly admit to it.

"I can hardly deny that there's a certain sense of... accomplishment, in matters such as these."

In knowing that they have succeeded, that they have managed to save the denizens of the city, and it's a feeling that not even he is entirely immune to.