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  1. - Top - End - #1201
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    Hips. Yes. Totally not an uncaught typo on my part. Nope.

    Mateo leaves deep gouges along the troll's back. It'll take him some effort to reach the kidneys. In the time it takes to cause damage to them, the vampire-turned-bear may notice that the troll's wounds have slowed or even stopped regenerating.
    Yay?

    Mountain Peak

    Really, Mercutio, what'd you expect? Teleporting right into a trap without stopping to get yourself a weapon or summon some creatures to help you out. I thought you were smarter than that.

    The devil has no time to come up with a clever retort to Jakob. In fact, there's a good chance that Mercutio doesn't even hear him. He's too busy noticing that javelin just in time to duck it. The rusty, crude weapon glances off the folds of his coat, clattering to the ground.

    As for the goblin following up the assault, Mercutio reaches out with his right hand. Once the goblin is within two feet of striking range, the devil utters a few words in Abyssal. A foul miasma wafts from his hand. Light grey smoke dances through the air, wrapping itself around the goblin and forcing its way into its lungs. Within the blink of an eye, the goblin grows frail and emaciated. Skin clings to bone, then shatters into a million tiny flakes of ash. The skeletal remains stay whole for a moment, before clattering to the ground.

    That problem taken care of, Mercutio turns his attention to his true enemy. "Truly, I am disapointed in you, Brute. Hiding behind such frail creatures."

    Drawing on magical energies of his own, Mercutio extends his arms to the sides and raises his hands above his head. A low thud sounds, followed by another and another. They grow slowly louder and louder. Within moments, thick oozing tendrils appear from below the cliff. They slam down behind Mercutio, pulling up behind them a massive beast that blocks out the skyline.
    Describing the abomination behind Mercutio would be an effort in insanity. Mortal minds, unlike Jakob or Mercutio's, would reel in sheer terror. It lumbers behind Mercutio, all teeth and thick heavy tendrils that wave about in the air behind him.

    Lowering his hands, Mercutio gives Jakob a smirk. Holding one hand in front of him, a light begins to gather in his palm as the tattoos on his forearms come to life. "Come now, Brute. How can you spew such poetry and then simply stand inert?"
    Last edited by Mr. Moon; 2012-08-25 at 04:34 PM.
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  2. - Top - End - #1202
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    Mateo's a bit too focussed at the moment to notice the troll has slowed his regeneration. Even if he did, he wouldn't stop. Mateo thinks his only chance here is to cause damage faster and more brutally than the troll can keep up with.
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  3. - Top - End - #1203
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

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    Quote Originally Posted by Moon_Called View Post

    Mountain Peak

    Really, Mercutio, what'd you expect? Teleporting right into a trap without stopping to get yourself a weapon or summon some creatures to help you out. I thought you were smarter than that.

    The devil has no time to come up with a clever retort to Jakob. In fact, there's a good chance that Mercutio doesn't even hear him. He's too busy noticing that javelin just in time to duck it. The rusty, crude weapon glances off the folds of his coat, clattering to the ground.

    As for the goblin following up the assault, Mercutio reaches out with his right hand. Once the goblin is within two feet of striking range, the devil utters a few words in Abyssal. A foul miasma wafts from his hand. Light grey smoke dances through the air, wrapping itself around the goblin and forcing its way into its lungs. Within the blink of an eye, the goblin grows frail and emaciated. Skin clings to bone, then shatters into a million tiny flakes of ash. The skeletal remains stay whole for a moment, before clattering to the ground.

    That problem taken care of, Mercutio turns his attention to his true enemy. "Truly, I am disapointed in you, Brute. Hiding behind such frail creatures."

    Drawing on magical energies of his own, Mercutio extends his arms to the sides and raises his hands above his head. A low thud sounds, followed by another and another. They grow slowly louder and louder. Within moments, thick oozing tendrils appear from below the cliff. They slam down behind Mercutio, pulling up behind them a massive beast that blocks out the skyline.
    Describing the abomination behind Mercutio would be an effort in insanity. Mortal minds, unlike Jakob or Mercutio's, would reel in sheer terror. It lumbers behind Mercutio, all teeth and thick heavy tendrils that wave about in the air behind him.

    Lowering his hands, Mercutio gives Jakob a smirk. Holding one hand in front of him, a light begins to gather in his palms as the tattoos on his forearms come to life. "Come now, Brute. How can you spew such poetry and then simply stand inert?"

    ((Moon and I have decided to treat the spells and monsters as NPC's in terms of godmodding rules by mutual agreement for this fight only, to make it more cinematic.))

    Mountain Peak

    Jakob's smile grows dark as he reaches out a hand in front of a nearby hole in the mountainside. A goblin rushes forward to attack the terrifying monster eagerly, completely disregarding its own survival because of Jakob's spell.

    He snatches it as it runs by, holding it up even as its spear clatters to the ground and its legs flail endlessly, trying to propel it onwards without any earth beneath its feet, "Idiot damn'ed one, you know nothing of battle if you think that I would command these creatures." His other hand closes over the goblin's pronounced jaw, and two massive fingers pinch its nose hard for a moment, briefly concealing it from view.

    "They are not troops, they are AMMUNITION! BWAAHAHAHAHHA!" Jakob withdraws his concealing hand, revealing the goblin's nose has been replaced with a red hot fuse that slowly dwindles downwards. Without delay, he chucks the hissing, shrieking goblinoid at the horrific monster, shielding his eyes with his free hand against the glare of the ensuing explosion, which will utterly rip the beast apart unless Mercutio intervenes.

    After examining the results, Jakob may decide to follow it up by summoning two more goblins with a quick spell and letting them rush at Mercutio once again, waiting to see if they close the distance before casting a hand at one of them and causing it to explode like its unfortunate brother.

    "BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!"
    Last edited by Slii Arhem; 2012-08-25 at 04:46 PM.
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    For anyone in plots run by me, know that I always tailor solutions to those in the plot. The answer may not be obvious, but it's there, and doable by the displayed abilities of the present characters. If you need help or hints, I'll try to be available to provide them.

  4. - Top - End - #1204
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    Rip and tear and shred away. The troll's back becomes a patchwork of ribbons; riddled with gouges that don't even bleed. There's no heartbeat left to propel the blood. Internal organs and bones are drawn into view, hidden behind crosswork films of sinew and torn flesh.

    Mountain Peak

    Exploding goblins.
    How charming.

    The first lobbed goblin makes easy work of the abomination behind Mercutio. It reaches out with a lazy tendril to swat the living artillery away. The goblin explodes on contact, tearing apart its oozing flesh in a show of fire and flame.
    So much for that, then.

    And look, two more coming! After that last one exploded, Mercutio's a fair bit more cautious. He hangs back, watching Jakob instead of the goblins. When the brute throws out his hand, Mercutio acts. Disrupting this spell is similar to the pink fire. Just break down a few logical fallacies and exploit the hasty degrees of inaccuracies that came with casting so many spells in such swift succession. Unless Jakob is willing to divert a vast amount of mana into keeping the spell intact, it will crumple in his very hand.

    Unfortunately, countering the spell left Mercutio open to the goblins' attacks. He grunts in pain as their dull swords and pointed-stick spears hit his torso. They only leave bruises, but it's enough to more than irritate Mercutio.
    The orb of light in his hand materializes into a long, narrow pole-arm, and he lashes out with it. With two quick strikes they collapse to the ground, run through.

    Leaping over their bodies, Mercutio closes the distance between himself and Jakob. His coat billowing behind him as he runs, the devil lifts the pole-arm up and hurls it at Jakob. In the same moment, his free hand runs through a series of arcane gestures and he mutters a long string of Abyssal under his breath. Jakob will feel foul Black Magicks, threatening his very knowledge. Temporarily forgetting one of his spells is almost assured, but he can feed mana into holding on to a second.

    But that's all a distraction. Because once Mercutio throws the spear, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a golden locket...
    Last edited by Mr. Moon; 2012-08-26 at 01:21 AM.
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  5. - Top - End - #1205
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    Quote Originally Posted by C'nor View Post
    There was nothing to reinforce it, no.

    In any case, Ghoul can probably tell that whoever it is is most likely humanoid, and crouching, though any details are concealed by a long cloak


    "Depends,"
    a low voice, apparently male, though that doesn't really mean much in the Nexus, replies. "Most've the things I've seen out 'ere ent exactly friendly, so it seemed like I ought t' let you know I c'd shoot you 'fore we talked. Make things simpler f'r both've us, y'know?"
    A wide smile appeared on the muse's face. She could appreciate that sort of thinking. It had always served her well and it was nice to see that others around her weren't complete idiots by doing the same despite the implications of paranoia it apparently carried. "Smart man." she said with a wry tone. Unless the man has good night vision, the fledgeling's fangs would be quite hard to see as the moon was at her back. She couldn't place the accent but at this range, the man must have been using magic as she would have heard the firing of a weapon, even the release of a bowstring would have been detected.

    "So, I guess now that I've asked, we should figure out what to do from here. I mean, it's not like anyone comes here to do anything other than fight, right?" Ghoul said, ever so slightly circling around the position the mage had taken while just as slowly closing the distance. He had the range advantage for the moment so it was a good idea to try and get rid of that as soon as was possible.

  6. - Top - End - #1206
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    His night vision is good, but not that good. He doesn't burn tin or anything, after all.

    "Few might. If they're fools," he replies, a trace of amusement coloring his tone. "But not ev'r'one comes out t' fight ev'r'thing, y'unn'rstand. De'r ent bad if yuh're new at the game, but it won't do ov'rmuch f'r yuh if yuh're good enough to take down somethin' bigger, 'lessn yuh're hungry or need it f'r bait. 'Long those same lines, sumun might not be wanting t' hunt the oth'r hunt'rs."

    With that, he pauses, moving his hands beneath his cloak, and, a moment later, sending three more of the copper wedges flying into the ground at Ghoul's feet, this time accompanied by the sound of at least one breaking the sound barrier*.

    "'At's f'r enough. I ent too keen on havin' you g't right up near me while we're still discussin' terms."

    *At least, he does if saying that would have taken long enough for Ghoul to have moved an appreciable amount towards him.

  7. - Top - End - #1207
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

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    Quote Originally Posted by Moon_Called View Post

    Mountain Peak

    Exploding goblins.
    How charming.

    The first lobbed goblin makes easy work of the abomination behind Mercutio. It reaches out with a lazy tendril to swat the living artillery away. The goblin explodes on contact, tearing apart its oozing flesh in a show of fire and flame.
    So much for that, then.

    And look, two more coming! After that last one exploded, Mercutio's a fair bit more cautious. He hangs back, watching Jakob instead of the goblins. When the brute throws out his hand, Mercutio acts. Disrupting this spell is similar to the pink fire. Just break down a few logical fallacies and exploit the hasty degrees of inaccuracies that came with casting so many spells in such swift succession. Unless Jakob is willing to divert a vast amount of mana into keeping the spell intact, it will crumple in his very hand.

    Unfortunately, countering the spell left Mercutio open to the goblins' attacks. He grunts in pain as their dull swords and pointed-stick spears hit his torso. They only leave bruises, but it's enough to more than irritate Mercutio.
    The orb of light in his hand materializes into a long, narrow pole-arm, and he lashes out with it. With two quick strikes they collapse to the ground, run through.

    Leaping over their bodies, Mercutio closes the distance between himself and Jakob. His coat billowing behind him as he runs, the devil lifts the pole-arm up and hurls it at Jakob. In the same moment, his free hand runs through a series of arcane gestures and he mutters a long string of Abyssal under his breath. Jakob will feel foul Black Magicks, threatening his very knowledge. Temporarily forgetting one of his spells is almost assured, but he can feed mana into holding on to a second.

    But that's all a distraction. Because once Mercutio throws the spear, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a golden locket...


    Mountain Peak

    Jakob lets the spells slip from his head, not caring for an instant about the two that pass from his memory. Rather than be distracted by the thrown polearm he rushes towards it, driving its point into the ground with a downward slash of his sword. His other hand comes up as he closes the distance, and Mercutio has the distinct displeasure of seeing the goliath's meaty fingers pull back from the hand they're attached to and form thrashing, coiling barb-ended whips. Looks like one spell he did not forget was his old favorite trick with flowstone.

    The whips lash out, crossing the remaining distance and attempting to dig into the flesh of Mercutio's arm to drag him towards the giant who lusts for his blood.
    Julie, everyone's nth favorite succubus, by Gulaghar.
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    For anyone in plots run by me, know that I always tailor solutions to those in the plot. The answer may not be obvious, but it's there, and doable by the displayed abilities of the present characters. If you need help or hints, I'll try to be available to provide them.

  8. - Top - End - #1208
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    When Mateo has finished and notices it's stopped regenerating (at least temporarily) he'll rip and tear the troll's body into smaller pieces, and bury them separately.
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  9. - Top - End - #1209
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    And so dies the troll.

    As the last piece of the body is destroyed, Mateo will feel a great weight lifting from his shoulders. Without any form of outward revelation, he will know assuredly that the Goddess has been pleased. He is free to leave.

    Mountain Peak

    The writhing tendrils appear to catch the devil by surprise. They wrap around his out-stretched right arm, cutting their way through the thin scales on the surface of his skin with ease. Mercutio lets out a strangled cry of pain as they bulge morbidly from under his skin.

    With the hooks under his skin, Jakob has very little difficulty pulling Mercutio in. In fact, it's quite easy. It's as if Mercutio is using the pull to increase his momentum.

    Once Mercutio is close to Jakob, he leaps into the air. The necklace Adalia Scae gave him flashes in the sun. Grasping it by the locket, Mercutio attempts to loop the chain around the Brute's neck.
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  10. - Top - End - #1210
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    Well, it might not be dead. He just buried the head. Although it might not have enough room to finish regenerating, or suffocate (although how it could manage that without lungs is beyond me).
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  11. - Top - End - #1211
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Mountain Peak

    That would be very disconcerting if Jakob knew the meaning of the word. Instead, he goes along with the reason he pulled Mercutio forwards in the first place. As the devil leaps, Jakob raises the point of his sword into his flight path, a sinister glint in his eye as he grins. Is Mercutio going to commit himself to his action and let himself be skewered through the chest, or abort it somehow- double flying goblin headbutt!

    From the warrens behind Jakob have come a pair of screaming goblins that have leapt up, sailing over his head at Mercutio in what can only be described as a synchronized double-flying-goblin-headbutt.
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    For anyone in plots run by me, know that I always tailor solutions to those in the plot. The answer may not be obvious, but it's there, and doable by the displayed abilities of the present characters. If you need help or hints, I'll try to be available to provide them.

  12. - Top - End - #1212
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Forest

    Nope. It's dead. It's passed on. It is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to meet its maker. That is a late troll. It's a stiff. Bereft of life. It rests in pieces! If you give it a few more days it'll be pushing up the daisies. It's pulled down the curtain and joined the Choir Invisitroll. This is an ex-troll.

    Mountain Peak

    Well would you look at that. There's a giant sword looming into Mercutio's path and he's stuck in his trajectory. Ordinarily he could teleport away. Just flick off to the side, maybe above and behind Jakob to make putting the necklace over his neck that much easier. Ordinarily. That's out of the picture right now, though. Teleporting with Jakob's tentacles halfway up his arm would just teleport Mercutio and the Brute. It'd be the same problem, with the additional complications of being in the air connected to an opponent with much more mass.

    So the devil continues on his path. Hopefully the sword-inflicted wounds won't be too major.
    Also goblins. That hurts too.
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  13. - Top - End - #1213
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    Mountain Peak

    In that case, Mercutio's heart, lungs, and much of his gastro-intestinal tract get to be formally introduced to four feet of barbed, razor sharp magical swordy metal. I'm sure they'll be the best of friends. Jakob just gets to meet a curse-bearing necklace in exchange, and hardly notices as his form is locked and his spells and mana are barred from his easy access, so great is his bloodlust. As the barbs in Mercutio's arm are part of a spell Jakob can no longer maintain without his mana, they go back to being fingers once more, relieving Mercutio of them for an instant.

    I doubt he'll have time to rejoice in his newfound freedom however, as Jakob takes advantage of this position the second Mercutio's chest thunks against his crossguard, pulling the sword down in an attempt to cleave the devil in two diagonally from his chest down to his inner left thigh, and from there trying to draw the stroke even further to hack the leg clean off. He starts this motion a moment before the necklace is around his neck, but by the time it's finished the spikes in Mercutio's arm have been withdrawn.

    Another childish goblin joins the fray, accomplishing little more than annoyance by hurling itself and missing, landing on Jakob's head and bouncing off a moment later. The first two seem to have devolved into a slapfight between themselves now that Jakob has no control over the spell.
    Julie, everyone's nth favorite succubus, by Gulaghar.
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    For anyone in plots run by me, know that I always tailor solutions to those in the plot. The answer may not be obvious, but it's there, and doable by the displayed abilities of the present characters. If you need help or hints, I'll try to be available to provide them.

  14. - Top - End - #1214
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    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]
    ((Please pardon the delay))

    "Hunting for food here is hard enough. Last thing I killed turned to sand on me. Can't be sure if that's what always happens but I guess it sets an unpleasant president." Ghoul said, having closed just quickly enough for the copper slivers to be sent at her feet. For a moment, they looked like a trio of tiny glittering stars as they caught the moonlight in mid flight. The fledgling watched as they flew towards her and yet she felt no need to attempt to move out of the way. All the well as she knew her reaction time wouldn't be enough if they were aimed at her. Still, the 'pop' from one of the smaller wedges hitting supersonic speeds was enough to drag her mind back out into real time rather than whatever strange meandering path it had fallen into. At the very least, the mage could likely see that something rather odd had happened to the muse in those scant few moments and that she was at least mildly dismayed.

    "The hell was...? Right. Terms." the fledgeling said, shaking her head as she sought to regain her focus. It was clear that she was rather vulnerable at the moment if the mage thought a preemptive strike would be prudent.
    Last edited by Terumitsu; 2012-08-28 at 02:36 AM.

  15. - Top - End - #1215
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Mountain Peak

    All that awful internal organ damaging is simply tragic. Or at least, it would be if Mercutio had any real internal organs to speak of.

    See, the knowledge devil's body is really just a vessel to carry his essence around outside of Hell. Because of that, he's free to design it without any frivolous mortal necessities like digestive or circulatory systems. There's still bones and muscles, of course, because you can't have structure without those.

    That's not to say it doesn't hurt like Hell.
    "Gurk..."

    But the necklace was around the Brute's neck. Mercutio had done that much and he was still alive. So there was still a chance, if he could just... get some distance...

    Ow. Okay. Cutting down now. That hurts even more. There goes most of his lower ribs.
    Wait a moment.
    Mercutio turns his head, forcing his eyes to focus on the arm Jakob had attacked earlier. Aha! The barbs were gone, leaving oozing torn wounds where they'd broken his skin. If he could focus just right...

    Jakob may be somewhat dismayed when Mercutio vanishes off the blade of his sword in a poof of blue smoke. A second later, he re-appears about thirty feet away, half a foot off the ground. He drops down, staggers, and nearly falls over. The Brute's sword left quite the gap. Mercutio's hand is pressed against his sternum, a transparent blue liquid-like substance leaking over his fingers and lightly soaking his clothes on both sides.
    "Gruh... You..."

    Right. Focus now. Mercutio fumbles with his free hand, grabbing his spellbook from where it hung off his belt. Holding it by the spine, he orients it upwards so it flops open. Lifting his bleeding arm from his midsection, flipping to the second page. He reads the words aloud in Abyssal, rushing through them. Soon enough, a cloud forms in the air above him with the head of a ram and large, curled horns.
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  16. - Top - End - #1216
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    Mountain Peak

    "Yes, me. Did the devil think the damned could not harm him little world-ender? Did he think his leash would tame me like a spoiled pet? These stolen spells being barred from me do not make me less dangerous." It seems Jakob has noticed his handicap, and brushed it aside like so much nonsense. He spent lifetimes fighting people like Mercutio without spells, and just because he decided to meet them on even ground, they suddenly think that he is like them and utterly powerless without his mana.

    The lumbering giant dashes forward, content to ignore the cloud ram until it decides to make a hostile action and instead focus his efforts on Mercutio. One long arm scrapes along the earth as he lopes, the other holding his sword horizontally across his chest.

    Then his dragging fingers close around a rock the size of Mercutio's head and he sends it barreling at the devil with all of his forward momentum and the strength of his massive arm behind it. It's headed straight for Mercutio's gaping chest wound, and Jakob is closing fast behind it.
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    For anyone in plots run by me, know that I always tailor solutions to those in the plot. The answer may not be obvious, but it's there, and doable by the displayed abilities of the present characters. If you need help or hints, I'll try to be available to provide them.

  17. - Top - End - #1217
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    Mountain Peak

    Even as Jakob charges towards Mercutio, the cloud ram gently drifts down to the devil. Letting his spellbook fall from his hand, he reaches out and wraps his his fingers around the flying creature's horn. He stands there for a few moments, bleeding, breathing heavily, waiting until Jakob gets close. Maintaining eye contact the whole while.

    Once Jakob throws the rock, Mercutio and the cloud ram vanish from sight. Moments later, the tell-tale sound of air being suddenly displaced will tell Jakob that Mercutio has re-appeared a fair distance behind him.

    Still clutching the cloud ram's horn, Mercutio staggers and barely remains standing.
    Right then. Time for a bit of a gamble.
    Taking the cloud ram's other horn with his other hand, Mercutio braces himself on the rocky ground. He closes his eyes and in one swift motion, rips the ram in two. With a soft sighing sound, the cloud portion of the creature evaporates. Leaning in, Mercutio closes his eyes and inhales the vapours, feeding off it's magic energy.

    When he opens his eyes, he smiles.
    Of course.
    Why hadn't he thought of that earlier?

    Reaching out with one hand, Mercutio reaches out and draws on some of his mana reserves. It's an old spell, used by witchdoctors and primitive healers to deaden the senses of their patients so surgery can begin unhindered. With the right tweaks, it can be turned into an offensive spell. Of course, to suit a being as powerful as the Brute, it draws on a fair bit more mana than it would have otherwise.
    As Mercutio utters the dark Abyssal curse, Jakob may feel his strength beginning to fail him.
    Last edited by Mr. Moon; 2012-08-30 at 02:33 PM.
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  18. - Top - End - #1218
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    Mountain Peak

    As soon as Mercutio vanishes Jakob is pivoting on the ball of his right foot, dragging his arm around at chest height and whipping the sword he holds out in a wide, spinning arc that flashes through the air, crossing the distance between the two in the blink of an eye. Jakob is banking on the devil's teleportation powers being unable to adjust to this and pull him out of the way of another attack so soon after he dodged the first. When his eyes register that the devil is trying to focus on some arcane spell or another involving the sacrifice of his summoned beast, he's elated. Distractions can only help his blows land.

    The sword is spinning horizontally at chest height, and if Mercutio cannot deal with it there's a very good chance it could cut him off from everything beneath his shoulders. If it's dealt with and he still manages to get his spell off, Jakob will begin to feel a numbness in his limbs, and his next movements will be sluggish.
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    Prudent, perhaps. But Ghoul hasn't done anything to actually threaten him yet, and he's not going to kill someone who hasn't harmed him. So for now, the fledgling is safe. Though it's almost certain that he's taking the time to aim in spite of that...

    "Y'need a min'te? I c'n wait if y'do. N't like we don't 'ave plenty 'f time, and I'd rather you 'ave a clear 'ead when we talk."

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    [Hoodoo Forest/ Plains Boundery]

    The muse made an immediate diagnostc check as soon as she was able, seeking the source of the sudden anomaly. If something was wrong with any of her systems, then any attempt at combat was that much more risky. Sure, problems almost never came up but caution was the smarter choice. It was when the diagnostic came back clean that realisation dawned on her.

    "No... No I'm just surprised what this place can do for a person." Ghoul said, taking things in stride now. Her answer had been a minor lie but there was no need to broadcast things at any rate. "In any case, just what was that you threw at me, anyway?" she asked, pausing for the time being as she watched the mage's movements.

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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plain Boundary]

    "L'il bitsa copp'r," he replies, giving one a much gentler push, so that it lands unharmed on the ground in front of Ghoul, unless she can grab it out of the air, or something similar, and chooses to do so. "Cheap, don't weigh a lot, and they do the job just fine. "'Course, they flatt'n somethin' awful, but they're easy enoguh to melt back down and remold."

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    [Hoodoo Forest/Plain Boundary]

    Copper. Interesting. If they were instead in the shape of hollow-points, they could deliver more impact force due to the softness of the metal than other bullets, comparatively of course, but using them as flechettes was.. Well, it wasn't what Ghoul would have done but whatever works for them.. The muse wasn't about to give suggestions, though.

    Catching the bit sent her way with an ease that surprised her, the fledgeling looked it over before letting it fall into the sparse grass at her feet. "Interesting weapon you have there, then. Just copper or do you have more metals than that?" the muse asked. If he had something like depleted osmium, then there would be a problem although the mage's mention of weight put her in the mind to think that it was likely not something she had to worry about.

    Still, as she made conversation, the vampire watched and waited. Observation before a strike was always prudent and finding more about the target's capabilities to defend themselves with was a priority if she wanted to take a minimum of damage while in action. Sure, her leg had healed quite a bit faster than she had expected, something she guessed was due to her enhancements as well as her new form, but relying on simply tanking damage rather than avoiding it was a sure-fire way to let a lucky shot get her.

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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    "'Course. Lotsa iron, natch; gotta 'ave 'at t' d'what I do. L'il bitta steel, too, 'cause've t' metalminds, b't those're 'ook'd in, ain't comin' out 'thout some'ne else pullin' on 'em.

    Oth'ran 'at, n't r'lly. 'Cept a tetch 'f necrotite, 'at is... Damn touchy stuff, but y'c'n sell it well'nough to m'ke it w'rth't, y'know the r'ht people."

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    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    ((Please excuse the delay))

    "Necrotite? And just what is that?" Ghoul asked as she mentally summed up the information she had. There was iron and steel, both more solid than copper at least, as well as some hooked projectiles that would be rather nasty if they got too deep under the flesh from the sound of it. Rather nasty implements there already but the unknown material caught her attention. Would be best to find that out now given that the man was being so kind at the moment.

    Given that the man had made no move or other action, though, The vampire would try closing the gap once more, slowly but in a fashion that at least showed she wasn't going to jump out and throttle him.

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    Mountain Peak

    Just as Mercutio finishes sacrificing the ram, he looks up to see the giant sword being hurled in his direction. That's... certainly not a good thing. In fact, it's quite bad. Jakob's guess is right - it's far too soon for him to teleport again. So that's not an option.

    The weapon hits Mercutio before he has a chance to figure out what to do about it. There is a horrible, sickening crunch and the devil reels back several steps, knocked out of the way as the sword continues its path off the mountain.

    In addition to several broken bones, including his right arm, a long and deep gash runs horizontal along his chest. It would appear that instead of impaling him, the sword's spin was too fast. It merely bit into his flesh, then bounced off Mercutio when its hilt hit his arm.

    With a grunt of effort, Mercutio grips his injured arm while blue, viscous liquid leaks from the gaping wound. He staggers for a moment, his vision blurred.

    And then he laughs.

    A bitter, short bark of a laugh, but still a laugh.
    "What now, Brute?" Mercutio asks as he grabs back onto the abandoned threads of magic, guiding them to fall over Jakob like a net. "Weaponless. Weak as a swaddling infant. Even your magicks abandon you." Taking a step forward, the devil coughs and then smirks. "What now?"
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    Mountain Peak

    "Now?" Jakob asks in response. His arms hang heavy at his side, seemingly too heavy to lift with his numbed muscles failing him. He lifts his head, and Mercutio may be put off by his feral, entirely too toothy grin.

    "Now I will push you until you fall down little devil. Strength, magic, weapons, all tools in the hands of weaker men. So long as Jakob has one fist to crush, one tooth to bite, and one foot to stomp, he will fight. He will fight and die and live and revel in his wounds and the wounds he inflicts on his foes." Jakob takes one thundering step towards Mercutio, his ailing strength not effecting the sheer weight he can bring down to the earth. He smiles, knowing that gravity will not fail him where magic and muscle did.

    And then something occurs to him, "Ha! HAHAHAHA!! I have seen your plans little devil. You do not collar a monster just so you can kill it. You would not shackle my arms so you could gloat. You want Jakob helpless, just as he held you helpless, so that you can deal." His eyes dance with wild merriment, as if figuring this out was some great feat of mental fortitude. He seems like his lungs could burst from the uproarious laughter they're attempting to contain.

    It's all one big joke to him, and possibly with good reason. To Jakob, Mercutio looks like one good shove down the mountainside would finish him off, while the lumbering behemoth of flesh is still very healthy except for his magically suppressed strength. The longer they talk, the more time he has to come up with another trick that could end this fight in his favor, spell or no spell, strength or no strength.
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Mountain Peak

    Mercutio holds his ground, undaunted despite his failing strength and the way Jakob's thundering laughter makes the ground beneath him tremble. He ignores the pain, for the sweet tasting fruit of victory is so close he can taste it on his lips.

    "I'm afraid that there will be no deal for you, Brute. Your contract was signed when I spilled your blood and you held me in the air. And unfortunately for you, this falls quite outside my duties."

    Lifting his un-injured hand, Mercutio traces more arcane sigils in the air and mutters in Abyssal. Should the spell proceed uninterrupted, dark iron chains rise up from the ground to drape around Jakob's limbs and torso. The chains are weighed down with spiked iron balls to make movement as difficult for the Brute as possible.

    "Kneel before me, Brute."
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    Mountain Peak

    "No." Jakob stands, knees locked and rigid as he defies Mercutio's command with a manic grin.

    "You have leashed one head of beast, ignorant to the snapping jaws looming next to your head. You have chained Jakob to subjugate him, but he can still deny you your prize. You have option though. You deal with Jakob, maybe you get a few more heads of the beast when you need them. You refuse, you gain nothing, and next time I see you, I hold nothing back in sending you to levels of pain beyond your imaginings. Or you attack. Maybe Jakob dies, maybe you die, but Jakob thinks the fight will go on forever in either case."
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    Default Re: [Nexus] The Hunting Grounds

    Quote Originally Posted by Terumitsu View Post
    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    ((Please excuse the delay))

    "Necrotite? And just what is that?" Ghoul asked as she mentally summed up the information she had. There was iron and steel, both more solid than copper at least, as well as some hooked projectiles that would be rather nasty if they got too deep under the flesh from the sound of it. Rather nasty implements there already but the unknown material caught her attention. Would be best to find that out now given that the man was being so kind at the moment.

    Given that the man had made no move or other action, though, The vampire would try closing the gap once more, slowly but in a fashion that at least showed she wasn't going to jump out and throttle him.

    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]


    "I don't know what makes it, exactly, but it decays when it gets near someone, unless they've got the proper type of wards on them, which lets off some kind of gas that rots their flesh right off. And a little bit makes an amazing quantity, too; a piece no bigger than my thumbnail can fill a room."


    Well. No wonder he doesn't like carrying it... Even if he's exaggerating, which it doesn't sound like, based on his tone, it would still be rather dangerous to have around.
    Last edited by Lady Serpentine; 2012-09-11 at 03:10 PM.

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    [Hoodoo Forest/Plains Boundary]

    Ghoul wasn't going to say it out loud but she was firmly of the opinion that just carrying around such a dangerous substance had to be some kind of sign of insanity. Still, it would be to her favor as the mage appeared to have a functioning sense of self-preservation given that even if he did decide to use it, it would be at longer ranges only as it would be rather unpleasant to be caught in this flesh-eating cloud he describes.

    "What kind of wards are you talking about anyway?" the muse asked, creeping closer now as there didn't seem to be any reaction toward her earlier advances. "Not quite used to all of this fancy mystical stuff that people throw around here so you'll have to tell me what these things do." she asked. Part of this question was to delay more still but the other half of it would be to make sure what kind of containment this substance had around it.

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