Final Fantasy: The Transcendent Throne [IC]

[Zwordsman]

"Kupo, Maps of the area, whether its to the next town or even just the local area with resources like water would be helpful. Captain, do we have a cartographer? I'm good with schematics.. but I don't think that translates well to map creation."

[Merilan]

Hiiro swept down next to Zupon, Relkana, Markos and hopefully Renne by the time she's back; she looked rather accomplished, of all things. "Okay, Zupon! I managed to ask a private guarding a food storehouse to pack some rations for us, assuming you're good with that, Captain. I also got Masenko to agree to come with us, so we'll have some extra power along the way. The only thing is a map, and we'll be good to go!"

She paused, and realised the two arguing might not have heard her the first time, and cleared her throat. "Sorry. While you two were at it, I took the liberty of arranging a group to head out and investigate the missing Materia and the flood, and also reach out to neighboring towns to help Ordur. I've got Renne and Zupon and Masenko onboard..."

[Hazuki]

Markos raises his right hand. "I can write a map for you. It won't have precise measurements and elegant strokes, but it'll be good enough for walking there and getting back."

[Lord Raziere]

"Hm. Seems like a plan is already coming together."
Good, she actually didn't have that much of an idea for one herself.
"Eh, good work Zupon, Hiiro, I'm ok with it. and I'll join this group, I must take responsibility myself for this, oh and Private Travolta will be coming as well, because he needs to learn more discipline and he keeps making the troops slack. The rest of the troops will be needed to stay here to keep people safe, and I think I can trust Private Igrid with command while I'm gone. Unless you have a problem with that decision as well, Markos?"

[Hazuki]

"No." Markos shrugs his sturdy shoulders. "I'll find some material and bring you a map of the area once you're set to leave." With that, the bearded man nods to the gathered group and strides towards the tents that now contain only those who were working through the night.

In the distance, Masenko can be seen approaching the main road out of Ordur (Although the roads are in relatively poor shape after the war, it's the closest thing to a meeting place Hiiro could choose), still sans her robes. The Private guarding food stocks seems to have wrapped up rations in a miltiary-issue backpack, still slightly soggy, and placed it before the barrels. And Markos returns in just a few minutes, with a length of cloth bearing a fairly well-detailed map written in ink.

[Merilan]

Hiiro blinked a few times, perhaps not expecting the Captain to offer to join or even be able to leave town. But that was all right! She shook her head for a moment and patted her cheeks, then said, "Okay then! But don't get into a fight with Masenko again, okay?"

The Aegyl went to go fetch the supplies, and by the time she was back, she looked down at the cloth map admiringly. "This is perfect, Mr. Markos! Thank you so much!"

[Hazuki]

"You're welcome." Markos nods. "Without meaning any disrespect, I should really get ready for the day ahead. Keep your eyes out, and your backs armored. None of us want to see you perish." He says, then leaves the gathered group to their plan.

[Hazuki]

Masenko greets the group at the gates of Ordur with a brief nod of her head, and then they're off through the forests of Coroheim. Markos' Map provides a few helpful hints on how best to traverse the wilds, as well as shortcuts that will help them reach their destination. Zupon, remaining quiet through the initial hours of their walk, figures out that the path they should take - the most likely to encounter Materia, if it's stopped, and where it will end up if mere wilerness hasn't stopped it. That destination is The Barrur Lake, upon the shores of which sits Lostun. With a destination in mind, they're able to plot out a slightly more efficient route.

Unfortunately, luck doesn't seem to be on the side of the travelers, as the air becomes heavy with moisture, and the ground beneath their feet becomes ever more untamed. Renne struggles to get over obstacles like fallen tries and thick foliage, while it's a struggle to keep an eye on Zupon, and Hiiro frequently finds herself without a place to spread her wings (And avoid any ground-based debris). More than once, they hear the cries of animals in the distance, and the sense that something might be stalking them through the ever-darkening forest. The dread doesn't dissipate, when they realize that none of them know how to make their way through the wilds - and without the map, they'd surely have been lost.

By the time the sun has set on Coroheim, the thickening clouds have turned to rainfall that seeps through the treetops like blood. Thick, warm, and unpleasantly splattering all over them. Masenko, who has remained quiet throughout most of the trip (Answering questions with brief answers and looks elsewhere), seems oddly undisturbed by the darkness, while the rest of the group need Zupon to retrieve his Flashlight to light their way, and lead them to a good camping space for the night.

Hope wells in their chests as they see a break in the trees up ahead, perhaps ready to provide them shelter from their own aching bones, but this hope dashed by what follows. A series of high-pitched squeaks, scrambling claws, and the very muffled sound of a humanoid screaming. They creep up to the edge of the forest and spot the scene.

An angular shape dominates their vision, cast against a cloudy night sky - about eighty feet wide, tapering into a sharp angular corner, while its roof curves upwards into a somewhat dome-like shape. The right-most corner of the dappled white building seems to have been crumpled in on itself, with some twisted lengths of metal twisting outwards, and helps them see the triangular base of the building. The front doors consist of a circular shape, with a long handle, which is illuminated by a clearly-disturbed campfire that is sure to go out soon. They can only catch a glimpse of a brief hallway through the door, in which a black shape scrambles.

The shape is about the size of a Tarutaru, altogether, with two fairly distinct wings that make up most of its size. The sound of clicking claws can be heard as it walks, along with it's screech-like squeaking. And as it cries out, so do three others, all of which are crawling and scratching at the exterior of the building. If one thing is certain, it's that keeping the flashlight on will alert the animals. The continued screaming from inside makes clear another consequence.

Spoiler: Relkana

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This is quite obviously a Coroheim outpost, where soldiers would spend the nights between patrols or, more recently, battles. They were equipped with some automatic defenses, but they were always disabled by the time Garlandyne was done with them - strip out the power cores, strip out the magitek, and move on so that it couldn't be useful to Coroheim again. She doesn't know how to explain the destroyed part of the outpost, but she does recognize the creatures as "Clawbats" (Garlandyne rarely messes around with its designations). They are the bane of soldiers all around, as they hunt down wounded creatures (People especially) and savage them while they're weak.

Spoiler: Hiiro

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Although she doesn't know what those monsters are, or what the building is, Hiiro's keen eyes and hearing pick out a few details. One is that the campfire has definitely been started recently, and that the pulled-open door has only been pulled open enough for one person to just about slip through. There seem to be seven, creatures squeaking and clawing in total, with one especially loud cry among them. The humanoid screams sound like terror rather than pain, at least for the moment...

Spoiler: Renne

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She can't make out much of the scene before her, but she does recognize two things - one is that those are Clawbats, a particularly vicious brand of monster that haunts Coroheim and any wounded creature who passes by them is likely to be infected by its constantly-flciking tongue. She is also able to identify what's caused the partial destruction of the building - that's a magical explosion, likely caused by an overload where magic had been compressed properly, then decompressed improperly. The metal has been warped, heated, and crumpled as a result.

Spoiler: Zupon

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Although Zupon finds that this building is an odd blank-space in his knowledge of buildings, only being able to identify that it is defintiely Coroheim in design, he does notice that, while there is very much a battle taking place, no blood has been spilled on the outside of the building.

(( Battle Map. You're working in combat time, but can avoid fighting, if you so wish. No surprise rounds. Group initiative, no need to roll for it or worry about if it's your turn.))

[Merilan]

If Hiiro had one saving grace to deal with the awfully humid, muggy jungle conditions, it was that she was lugging around Ice materia, and the Aegyl could be found sticking it to her face to cool down several times along the journey. She... admittedly hadn't quite expected the wilds to be this rough, and was really glad Markos was on the level with them. This would've turned out from bad to awful in a hurry. She was willing to keep pace as she mostly tried to chat with the others idly to keep the group morale up.

By the time night fell, the Aegyl looked a little beleaguered, but her eyes widened as she said, "There's someone in there -- we've got to save them."

She had to clear her mind, and focus. She drew a paper talisman from her pocket and whispered in Aegyl, gesturing with her two fingers in a small rite. The talisman's energy dissipated, and she was surrounded in a brief and ornate layer of barriers that subsided to nothing.

With that readied, she reached for her attache case and drew a small lever on the side, which caused the case to furl open on one side and reveal a handgun handle for her to draw out -- with a laborious set of clicks, she drew the handle out to reveal that a somewhat extensively weathered and taped-out blade emerged from the trigger mechanism. A Gunblade.

Spoiler: Action

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Drawing the Gunblade, and also casting Mage Armor on myself.

[Skald]

Jack, who had been spending most of the trip complaining about the heat and boredom goes silent when he hears the screams.
When Hiiro draws her weapon and starts talking about saving whoever it is in there, Jack looks at Relkana. Knowing what she'll say, he lets out a sigh and draws his ranseur.

[Zwordsman]

How exasperating.. He simply wasn’t made for this terrain. He flew when he could, mudded it when there was not space. The mud and humidity would stick to his fur. It would take forever to clean, but wasn’t something Zupon would enjoy leaving be for a long period of time. At least his pompom remained thankfully unmarred by the grim, if not feeling strange from the humidity and the amount of jungle around them.

Once the dark arrived, Zupon was glad he his master had beaten in the habit to always have his tools put back when not in use. This would have been much more bothersome had his flashlight and tools been washed away last night with his bedding.
When they reach the clearing he didn’t recognize the architecture’s idiosyncrasies, but could grasp that it was Coroheim. The screams brought him out of his Engineer’s mindset. Agreeing with Hiiro, “Yea Kupo, that looks like trouble. They might have information on the area as well.”

Looking at the militaryly minded associates, Zupon offers;
“It won’t last long, but I could send my pupppt scurrying off to the side, the noise may be able to lure some away. Or shall we hit them straight and hope for a pincer with the defenders? Commander Kupo?” Snapping, his right hand small bits and pieces of clockwork flowed out of his sleeves forming his puppet. Pulling his Repeating Needle out and checking the set up;awaiting the order.

Spoiler: mechanics

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Two options. Option 1 is if the others want me to send a puppet barreling from our position to the side in an effort to draw attention towards it. Option 2 is if we’re going to battle.
As for status of flashlight (on or off) asking a question in the OOC about the light level (since there was something of an encampment). Off hand thought was to click it off, and turn on when someone launches an attack (or we are attacked)

Spoiler: Option 1; distraction

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Standard action to summon tank puppet(Without attaching spare crossbow), Move action to draw Heavy Repeating crossbow.
Puppet Directive: Go; in the direction of J2 from here, speed is 50ft

Spoiler: Option 2; combat readiness

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Standard Action summon Clockwork minimoogle w/ spear. Move action to draw Heavy Repeating Crossbow
Puppet Directive: Defend me.

[aturtledoesbite]

By Domum, did people actually travel like this? Renne was barely able to keep up. There wasn't any room to summon anything to ride, either. By the time the sun was setting, Renne was nearly certain that her legs would not last to the morrow.

Once she heard the scream, though, she forgot about that. A flock of Clawbats...if she had the time to summon Phoenix, it would likely make short work of the beasts. But she didn't; fortunately, she wasn't alone. "Watch out for the beasts' tongues; there's no telling what sickness you might catch if they lick you." She took out her staff, waiting for one of the others to strike at the nearest Clawbat so she could help put down the wounded beast.

Spoiler

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Renne: 17/17 HP, 7/7 MP

Move Action: Drawing weapon.
Standard Action: Readying an action

Ready Condition: Someone else strikes at the Clawbat marked 1 (I'm assuming the numbers mark the Clawbats; if not, lemme know because I've got to change everything)
Ready Action: Take a five-foot step to C10 and attack Clawbat 1 with the fire staff.

[Lord Raziere]

Relkana draws her sword and shield.
"Clawbats...Better that we lure some away then pincer the rest. These things go after the wounded, so if there are people here, they will be back to attack anyways. Best we kill as much as we can. I will use a spell to draw one of them to me once Zupon sends his puppet to distract the others. Best to control the engagement as much as we can."
You don't want them lingering around, after all. She steps into the front to make sure she would be the one the Clawbat would attack first over others.

Spoiler

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Relkana: 30/30
Move action: move in front
Standard action: draw weapon and shield

[Hazuki]

Zupon's puppet rattles off along the partially-destroyed road, causing some deal of noise at it rolls past the clawbats that scamper around and over the building. The nearest ones glance at the ambling android, but pay it no mind beyond that as they continue with their aggressive search. It's only when Relkana steps out into the road to draw their attention that they take notice.

The first clawbat spins on its haunches, then scrambles towards Relkana with its wings jerking behind it, tongue lolling out of its mouth. Its claws click-clack against stone, and then it leaps forward, lashing against her shield and sinking its fangs into her shoulder even as she shoves it away with her shield. The wound stings, partly from the blood that's seeping out, partly from the thick saliva that covers the wound in the wake of the creature's tongue.

With the scent of blood in the air, the monsters on the roof swoop off of their perches and towards the lone soldier. Their wings casting shadows against the fading fire, one attacks her from the front while the other takes her exposed back - leaving only her side facing the trees unsurrounded. One set of slathering tongues and teeth was bad enough, but now there's another two, and she can't keep her defenses against them all. Two more sets of fangs sink into her flesh - not the worst pain she's ever felt, but it burns.

Spoiler: Relkana

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Take 3 damage, and suffer 1 bleeding damage every round from now on, or until healed.

It's as Relkana is surrounded that Masenko disappears in a red flash, then re-appears between two of the clawbats - just above them, in fact, and she slams her elbow into the back of one's skull. The bat reels for a moment, just as Renne steps out of the forest and unleashes a swathe of flame that makes the creature howl in pain as it crumples to the ground.

[Merilan]

Hiiro grimaced and darted into action, her wings taking her clear out the forest and onto the road as she kept her eye on the clawbats. "Oh no you don't! Get off her!"

She raised the bladed weapon into the air, then hefted it clear in front of her; she drew back on the hammer, and jerked back the lever as she let the Ice materia within the chamber whirr up a little. "Target's locked, ready to snipe the enemy!" She squinted to one eye to take aim, and... bang! A thin beam cascaded through the otherwise muggy jungle landscape, thin flecks of ice following the bullet that hopefully found its way to the clawbat.

Spoiler: Action

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Move: Fly to H14.
Standard: Shoot at the 2nd Clawbat.
Attack: (1d20+7)[21] vs AC
Damage: (2d6+6)[15] damage, 1 frost.

[aturtledoesbite]

Renne didn't wait to see if the clawbat she fired at was hit or not; they were close enough that she could hit them with a spell. She stepped to the left a bit to get a clear shot, then invoked Valefor's aid to shoot a beam of energy right between Relkana and Masenko, aiming for the two clawbats there!1

Spoiler

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Renne: 17/17 HP, 7/7 MP

Free Action: Five-foot step to C9
Full Round Action: Casting Energy Beam to hit Clawbats 1 and 2 for (3d4)[9] damage, Reflex halves (I should be able to shoot a line between Relkana and Masenko, at least)

[Zwordsman]

Thinking to himself, "Tch. Ignoring my creations. Lets try that again." Move to angle himself for best deployment, Zupon creates another puppet, letting his last puppet deform in liu of his close combat model.

Spoiler: mechanics

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move to f20.
Standard to summon spear attack mini moogle.
Directive. Attack 3, from G10. Providing flank bonus.
AC if AOO while moving into space, AC13, HP 28.
(1d20+8)[21] to Hit, Spear damage Piercing (1d6+1)[4] crit 20/x3

[Skald]

Jack closes his eyes for a moment, clearing his mind and focusing on precision. Holding his weapon in one hand and channeling mana with the other, Jack sends a bolt of lightning streaking towards the clawbat to the right of Relkana and advances forward.

Spoiler

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Jack uses power or speed calibrated to +2 attack/ -2 ac, then casts Thunder at clawbat 2.
Attack VS touch ac:(1d20+6)[21]/ Deals (1d6+10)[13] points of lightning damage if it hits..
(You direct a bolt of lightning at your opponent. Requires a ranged touch attack roll to hit that deals 1d6 points of lightning damage + your casting modifier (Intelligence or Charisma) [2]+ 1 point per caster level [3] (maximum +5) and inflicts the Static status effect for 1d4 rounds. A successful Reflex save prevents the status effect from taking effect.-> the additional 5 damage comes from Ruby Knowledge/ Ruby Knowledge Mastery and Elemental Pupil.) After casting the spell, Jack moves to f13

(If 2 is dead by the time Jack acts, he will target 3 instead.)

[Hazuki]

The second clawbat has barely a moment to continue harassing the bled Relkana before Hiiro's beam of cold strikes through its heart and sends it toppling to the ground. The third lurches to the side, just barely avoiding the beam of energy that emerges from Renne's position in time to get speared by Zupon's second puppet. As it fights against spear lodged inside it, Jack's bolt of lightning fries it where it stands.

All is quiet, save for the continued sounds of terror from within, and the sound of the campfire finally extinguishing.

((You can all act again.))

Spoiler: Relkana

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You get two sets of actions on this new round, because you didn't get a chance in the last.

[Lord Raziere]

Relkana start to fight back full of adrenaline and passion coursing through her. She looks at the clawbats corpses. Already dead? No matter. There will still people in danger, judging from the sounds. She charges inside the fortress and takes a look around while healing herself with a Cure spell of the wounds the clawbats inflicted upon her, kicking in the door and shouting.
"Alright, clawbats! Three of you are dead, time for a fourth!"
If she sees any clawbats, she blast a Fire spell at them, fueled by her passion and fury.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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HP: 27/30

First Set:
Move to I-12
Cast Cure on self: (1d6)[1]
open door

Second Set: (If she sees a Clawbat)
Attack with a Fire Spell: (1d6)[2]

MP: 4/6

[Merilan]

Hiiro turned and readied the Gunblade, with a quiet frown and a nod. She readied herself for where there may be more clawbats, raising the Gunblade up to aim.

Spoiler: Action

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Readying an action to shoot at a Clawbat if I can see one through the door.

[aturtledoesbite]

Renne begins heading toward the open corner of the building; that's likely how they got in, and how they'd come out if threatened.

Spoiler

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Renne: 17/17 HP, 6/7 MP

Double-move to H17.

[Zwordsman]

Zupon from his station, calls his puppet back to his side and calls out,
"Any more of those things Kupo?"

Spoiler: mechanics

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Standard action to issue directive "defend me". Puppet would take a double move action to G18 to get as close as its 20 movement per round allows. This directive means anything attacking me, it will automatically attack without me having to order it to do so. If nothing attacks me I will have to order it to attack something

[Hazuki]

Relkana is treated to the sight of a Clawbat scampering down the hall towards her, screeching as it's covered in a burst of flames. Unfortunately, all that seems to do is make it charge more furiously towards her. Just as it's about to leap against her shield, a shot rings out from Hiiro's rifle, and sends it slumping to the ground. Masenko and Jack each move up to flank Relkana's side, as the corpse's flames already start to sputter out.

Unfortunately for Renne, trying to peer in through the warped wall of the building doesn't reveal much - the light is with Zupon, and the holes left by its twisting don't leave a great deal of room to peer inside.

Nothing else seems to scramble towards the source of their disturbance, but further squawks can be heard from inside, along with another particularly terrified scream. A faint outline of the inside of the building can be made out, the first room featuring little more than a few benches along the walls, with three paths out of it - one leading to a room straight ahead, the likely source of the noises, and two to each side.

[Zwordsman]

Realizing.. that he is the source of light, and noting Renne trying to peer through the crushed area, Zupon moves to support Renne. Turning the light onto the crushed area so they can get a better grasp of the situation.

Spoiler: mechanics

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Move action, next to Renne, so I can shine the light properly.
Standard action to ready a crossbow attack (at -4, due to holding the flashlight. Well unless I can just use the top of my wrist as a balance while holding the flashlight, Ala pistol and flashlight style.
(d20+3)[6] To hit (add 4 if I can cross brace to use two hands on crossbow)
(1d8)[6] 19-20x2 crit.
Confirm/damage
(d20+3)[9] To hit (add 4 if I can cross brace to use two hands on crossbow)
(1d8)[4] 19-20x2 crit.

[Skald]

Placing a hand on his chest, Jack vanishes from sight before advancing ahead toward the source of the screams.
[Jack casts Disappear, then moves to L-11]

[Merilan]

Hiiro looked to Relkana and sighed in relief as she helped shoot down the fourth Clawbat, before nodding. "Let's keep moving, I'll back you up and shoot whatever comes out."

Spoiler: Action

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Move to K-12, then ready another shot if we see more Clawbats.

[Lord Raziere]

Relkana nods and moves forward into the castle towards the screaming in a hurry, keeping her sword ready in case any clawbat got close, so that she could stab it in the belly.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Move to M-12
Ready Action: Attack Incoming Clawbat with longsword.

[Hazuki]

Zupon shining his flashlight into the warped corner of the building unfortunately reveals very little through the pinpricks in the metal. He and Renne can make out a few solid shapes, like beds and shelves on the walls, but the ones that haven't been crumpled along with the wall seem empty. There doesn't seem to be any movement inside.

Now inside, with Masenko moving up behind them, the group would be able to see more of the interior, were it not for the fact that their only lightsource is inspecting the outside of the building. Their only light comes from far ahead, a faint golden glow that peeks out between disturbed crates in the room beyond the entrance. That's all they need to make out the figure of a Clawbat at least twice the size of the others, as well as a waifish figure whose arm seems strapped to some kind of table. That's all they have time to notice before the monster slashes across the whimpering figure's chest, spilling blood along with a squeal of pain.

Masenko growls from behind the group.

((Actions again, gogogo. Battlemap, relinked for convenience.))

[aturtledoesbite]

With the light shining on the wall now, Renne could see there wasn't really a way to get in from here. She starts back toward the door the others went in through when she hears the yelp. Remembering her summoner training, she conjures an eagle to fly through and hamper what she assumed was another Clawbat.

Spoiler

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Renne: 17/17 HP, 6/7 MP

Move: To H13.
Standard: Summon Monster SLA, summoning an eagle in square I12.

---

Eagle: 5/5 HP, 30 rounds left

Move: To S12 (80 ft. flying speed should do it)
Standard: Bite at Clawbat. (1d20+3)[19] vs. AC, (1d4)[3] damage.