AC II - The Battle For Balamb Garden

[banjo1985]

Advent Children II – The Battle for Balamb Garden

The Remnants attack Balamb Garden without any warning, their actions are swift and silent. Deep in the night, the SeeD Cadets of Balamb Garden are fast asleep, preparing for the graduation exams that are coming in the weeks hence. Then.....a bomb goes off in the silence of the sleeping Garden.

The thick protective glass around the Training Area explodes outwards, showering the open lobby outside with shards of razor sharp glass. The horrific monsters within immediately take advantage, bolting unconcerned through the broken glass, huge dinosaurs and smaller living plants, an entire menagerie heads out into the rest of Balamb Garden.

Soon the screams begin. SeeD Cadets come running from the dormitories, chased by the nightmare creatures, while other are startled from late night revision in the library, or even from their sick beds in the Ward. There is absolute chaos, and through it all four men are seen, dressed in grey and black, cutting down Cadets and laughing at the carnage being sewn. God know's who these monsters are, but they must mean ill for the Garden. One turns to the running students and flashes an impossibly long thin blade.

"Where is Rinoa? We need her...it is in your best interests for a quick painless death."

Then he and the Remnants are gone, leaving the scared and confused students to wonder what the next day will bring, and exactly what the appearance of these strange beings really means.

By morning many of the monsters have been neutralised, but many more are still on the loose. The cadets, tired from lack of sleep and scared out of their wits, stand in front of small plinth in the Gardens Main Lobby. Squall composes himself, and steps up to give his address.

"We face a huge threat. Four beings have arrived that want to destory the Garden....no, more than that, the whole world. They want Rinoa too, though god knows why, and they are hiding somewhere here in Garden.

But we are strong, we have been trained well. We will hunt down these lunatics and put them to the sword! They have chosen the wrong Garden to mess with!"

A ragged cheer breaks out through the ranks of Cadets, but is soon cut of by a terrible roar. Charging through the open lobby to the north is a huge red T-Rexsaur, entrails and bones trailing from it's massive jaws. It spots the group of cadets and runs straight for them. Weapons are readied, and faces set in determination.

"It is a time for bravery, and we will not be beaten! Someone will take down this oversized Barney-clone, the same way we will beat the Remnants!"

The question is, who will be brave enough to take on the T-Rexsaur? And will they come out of it alive?


SeeD (Villager) Roles

Spoiler

Squall Leonheart – The unofficial leader of Balamb Garden’s students, Squall reluctantly leads the fight against the invading Remnants. Your point counts double in nominations. You scan as a SeeD Command. If Rinoa should die, Squall takes drastic measures to get revenge on the reborn Jenova. He gains one of the following abilities (player’s choice):
- Eden – A destructive force of nature, eclipsing the power of the phoenix. Eden can be summoned every night to kill a character, however the kill will be only have a 40% chance of hitting the right target, otherwise it will kill someone randomly.
- Alexander – The great mechanical protector, Alexander allows Squall to protect someone each night as per the Baner ability.
- Siren – Siren is the mistress of all secrets, allowing Squall to scan a target each night as per the Seers ability.
Squall’s weapon is the Gunblade. This unique weapon allows him to kill any random encounter, except for Ultima Weapon, at a 50% success rate.

Headmaster Cid (Baner) – The head of Balamb garden, you know more about the garden than anyone else, especially its many secret passageways and hideaways. Each night you can choose someone to protect from the attentions of the Remnants, preventing them from being killed. You scan as Headmaster Cid. Your chosen weapon functions as standard in regards to random encounters.

Sorceress Edea (Seer) – Cid’s wife, you are one of the feared Sorceress’, still recovering from your possession by the evil Sorceress Adel. Your magical aptitude gives you the ability to scan one player each night to identify their role by PMing the narrators. You scan as Sorceress Edea. Edea’s weapons are her spells, allowing you to kill the four ‘Elemental’ random encounters at a 60% success rate.

SeeD Command (Quistis, Selphie, Zell & Irvine) (Masons) – Trusted friends of Squall and experienced SeeD members, you do your best to defend Balamb garden against this new threat. You scan as SeeD command. Your chosen weapon functions as standard, plus it slays an extra type of encounter at a 75% success rate.
Irvine Kinneas (Sniper) – SeeD’s only sniper. Irvine can target a player to kill once every three nights, at a 75% success rate, during the night phase. He’s a good shot, but not foolproof.

Rinoa Heartilly – Rinoa was unaware that she was a sorceress until a short time ago. Unfortunately, her unique abilities mean that she is the only viable target for the Remnants as a body for Jenova to possess. As such, it is up to Rinoa to remain hidden and prevent Jenova from being reborn, with the help of her faithful dog Angelo. Rinoa and Angelo begin the game knowing each other. If Rinoa dies, Sephiroth completes the ritual to resurrect Jenova again, and gains a number of powers. You scan as Rinoa/Angelo to the Devil. If you are targeted by the Remnants, or chosen to face an encounter, Angelo will take your place. Your weapon is the Pinwheel, allowing you to kill a single type of encounter at a 100% success rate, and another type at a 50% success rate, making you better equipped to hold out against the Remnants than Rufus once was.

Angelo (Protector) – You are Rinoa’s trusted hound, fiercely loyal and intelligent, ready to die for your mistress. If Rinoa is chosen to face an encounter she cannot defeat, you will secretly take her place if you can defeat it, or die instead of her if you cannot. You also shield Rinoa from being killed by the Remnants, saving her life at the expense of your own. If you are targeted rather than Rinoa, you will take down a Remnant at random and take them out with you. You scan as Rinoa/Angelo to the Devil. Your weapon are your natural teeth and claws, which allow you to kill two types of encounter at a 90% success rate, two more at 50%, and four more at 10%.

Raijin (Fool) – A popular SeeD cadet, you feel you have a good judge of character, but the fact that you think Seifer is a nice guy shows that your faith is misplaced, ya know? You will be told that you are Sorceress Edea, but your scan results will be random. Edea and Raijin scan each other as Raijin. Scanning the same player twice will get the same result. Your weapon is a heavy tetsubo, which just so happens to allow you to kill the four ‘Elemental’ encounters at a 60% success rate.

SeeD Cadets (Villagers) – You are enthusiastic but inexperienced defenders of the Garden you call home. Your task is to survive and try to route out the Remnants from with your midst. You scan as Seed Cadets, and you choose a weapon from the list which dictates your abilities against random encounters.

Neutral Roles

Spoiler

Seifer Almasy (Meddler) – You’ve always been a rather wild cadet, unable to advance very far because of your violent temper and hot-headedness. The arrival of the Remnants has blown apart your already fractured mind. Each time Seifer votes there is a 25% probability that his target faces the encounter rather than the player with the most votes. You scan as Seifer. Seifer does not know he is as unhinged as he actually is, as such the player will be told they are a normal Avalanche member. To nullify his ability, Seifer must PM the narrators identifying himself as Seifer, at which point they become a normal SeeD Cadet. If a player does so that is not Seifer they will automatically face the next encounter, so it’s best to be certain before sending a PM. The weapon you choose functions as standard against random encounters.

Fujin (Thief) – A monosyballic opportunist, you will do whatever you can to survive the Remnant Invasion, whether it betrays your fellow SeeD Cadets or not. You hoard items and use them to protect yourself and your allies, whoever they may be. Each day phase you can scan a player for items by PMing the narrators. You will only find out whether they have an item, not its name or function. During the night phase you may make a steal attempt on any player at a 100% success rate. Note that you may only have one item at a time. You scan as Fujin, and the weapon you choose functions as standard against random encounters.

Remnant (Werewolf) Roles

Spoiler

Sephiroth/Jenova (Alpha) – Having crash landed the remains of the planet onto a new world, you awake to find Jenova a lifeless husk and Balamb Garden on the horizon. You instinctively know that you will require the sacrifice of yourself and the sorceress Rinoa to revive Jenova, it’s just a matter of finding Rinoa. You may make four recruitment attempts during the game, though whether the target can or will accept is another matter. If they do accept you will be put into contact with them. Only SeeD Cadets and Seifer may be recruited. You scan as a SeeD Cadet. Your weapon is the Masumane, an impossibly long and slim blade that kills two types of encounter at a 100% success rate, 3 more at a 50% success rate, and another 4 at a 10% success rate.
If you manage to neutralise Rinoa, then Jenova is resurrected, and you, her first and favourite son, remain in control of her, gaining the following extra abilities. You may make an extra kill per night at a 50% success rate, and you also gain a night bane to protect a fellow Remnant from Irvine’s sniper attack. You may not use this ability on yourself. However, Jenova cannot be hidden, and at this point you scan as a Remnant.

Yazoo (Devil) – Having survived the impact of your comet’s crash, you are in mourning for Jenova and will kill anyone that get’s in your way in the search for Rinoa. You are the Remnants seer; you can scan a player every night to discern their role. You scan as a Remnant, and the weapon you choose functions as standard in regards to random encounters.

Kadaj & Loz (Werewolves) – When Jenova died in the comet crash you were somehow reborn. It is now your lifework to revive Jenova by finding and sacrificing Rinoa. You scan as Remnants, and your unnatural blades and firearms allow you kill one type of encounter at a 100% success rate, and 4 others at a 50% success rate.

Remnants of Jenova (Recruits) – You are the turncoats that agree to join with the Remnants during the game, betraying your SeeD allies. Your abilities remain the same as before you accepted recruitment, though Seifer’s random affect on lynchings is nullified. You now scan as Remnant Recruits.

Weapons

SeeD Cadet’s and some power roles will need to pick a weapon from the following list when roles have been assigned. A player’s weapon designates their combat abilities against random encounters.

Spoiler

Long Blade
A long curved sword for those not trained to handle the awkward Gunblade:
- 90% vs one type of encounter
- 50% vs two types of encounter
- 10% vs three types of encounter

Gauntlet
A heavy metal glove, capable of breaking bones with even a glancing blow:
- 75% vs two types of encounter
- 40% vs two types of encounter
- 20% vs two types of encounter

Shinobu
A segmented staff mainly used for defence:
- 60% vs three types of encounter
- 30% vs three types of encounter

Chainwhip
A heavy metal whip that creates a tiny sonic boom when it strikes.
- 100% vs one type of encounter
- 50% vs three types of encounter

Valiant Pistol
A large one-handed firearm, capable of ripping a hole through almost any target. Powerful but difficult to aim:
- 30% vs eight types of encounter

Actions

The game follows the normal WW rules, except for the following changes:

Spoiler

- At the beginning of each day at least one random encounter will attack Balamb Garden from within, having escaped from the wild training area during the Remnant attack. The encounter will be decided randomly from the following list:

- Glacial Eye (Elemental)
- Bomb (Elemental)
- Granaldo (Elemental)
- Grendel (Elemental)
- T-Rexsaur
- Grat
- Oilboyle
- Hexadragon
- Ultima Weapon

- Rather than voting to lynch someone, people point during the day to nominate someone to face the encounter in the halls of Balamb Garden. If they can kill that type of encounter then they survive and stay in the game, pending a dice roll, and if not they die and their role is made public knowledge.

- On days where there are two or more random encounters, the two players with the most votes will face the encounters.

Everything else occurs as normal like existing WW games.

Items

Spoiler

There are only 8 different items this time, gained through defeating encounters. When you defeat an encounter you will have a set chance of receiving an item. Items can be transferred at any time through PM to the narrator. Each player may only have one item at any particular time.

Of particular note this time round is that the 5 Guardian Forces and Squall’s Griever Pendant are all unique items, there will only ever be one of these items in circulation at any particular time. Once one of these items is used they will return to the list of possible items received when defeating an encounter.

Holy War – Protects you from harm for one day phase or night phase. Will be used automatically and is usable once only.
Scanning Device – Use it day or night to find out the role of a single target. Usable once only.
Griever Pendant – Squall’s guardian pendant. Griever allows you to make a kill attempt, day or night, against a single target, at a 50% success rate. Usable once only, and if the attempt fails the victim will be told who targeted them.
Carbuncle – Less powerful than Eden or Alexander, this minor Guardian Force still provides protection from death once, at which point its power is exhausted.
Tonberry – The tiny green skinned trickster, Tonberry can change the encounter someone is facing at the point of battle. Tonberry is a cunning little chap, so the user gets to choose what the encounter changes into, though Ultima Weapon may not be chosen for this. Usable once only.
Hades – The ultimate vengeful power, if a character owning Hades is killed, the Guardian Force will counterattack, killing someone responsible for the death at random.
Diablos – This Guardian Force has immense power over gravity. Diablos can be used once to either double or halve the chance of an encounter being beaten by whoever faces it, to a maximum of 100% and minimum of 0%. The user does not have to be in combat themselves to do so.
Odin – This powerful Guardian Force can kill any encounter its user is chosen to face at a 100% success rate. Usable once only.

Victory Conditions

Spoiler

SeeD win when there are no Remnants left. They win an absolute victory if Rinoa survives until the end.

The Remnants win when there are more of them remaining than there are SeeD members. Fujin does not count towards this calculation, though Seifer does. They get an absolute victory if the winning conditions are met when Jenova is alive.

Fujin and Seifer win by surviving until the end of the game.

Night 13 is underway now and will end in 24 hours.

Surviving Players 11/39

Aemoh - Killed by Ultima Weapon Day 13 - SeeD Cadet
Almighty Salmon - Autolynched Day 5 - Kadaj
Ariko - Killed by an Oilboyle Day 6 - SeeD Cadet
Atreyu the Masked Llama - Killed by the Remnants Night 10 - SeeD Cadet
Bushranger - Killed by a Bomb Day 7 - Yazoo
Cristo Meyers - Killed by a Granaldo Day 4 - SeeD Cadet
DarkLightDragon - Killed by a T-Rexaur Day 12 - SeeD Cadet
DemonicAngel - Killed by the Remnants Night 12 - Raijin, the Fool
DivaDe21
Easyname
Emperor Demonking - Killed by Grats Day 3 - SeeD Cadet
Fayt - Autolynched Day 2 - Role reassigned
Fin
Fleeing Coward
Frankelbert - Killed by the Remnants Night 2 - SeeD Cadet
Freshmeat - Killed by the Remnants Night 8 - Squall
Fujin Akari - Killed by the Remnants Night 1 - SeeD Cadet
Griever - Killed by the Remnants Night 6 - SeeD Cadet
Hap Hazard
Helgraf - Killed by Hades Guardian Force Night 8 - Loz
Keris Rain - Autolynched Day 4 - SeeD Cadet
Lamech
Lemon&Lime - Killed by Irvine Night 2 - SeeD Cadet
Malmagor Andrigal
Mordokai - Killed protecting Rinoa Night 5 - Angelo
Mustiado
Pingcode20 - Killed by a Grat Day 11 - Irvine Kinneas
Raldor - Killed by the Remnants Night 4 - SeeD Cadet
Ranna - Killed by the Remnants Night 3 - Sorceress Edea, the Seer
Shadow - Killed by the Remnants Night 11 - Rinoa Heartilly
Shadowcaller - Killed by Irvine Night 9 - SeeD Cadet
Stu42 - Autolynched Day 11 - Selphie Tilmit
Theork - Killed by the Remnants Night 7 - SeeD Cadet
Uncle Festy
Undertaker - Killed by the Remnants Night 9 - SeeD Cadet
Vampiric - Killed by Irvine Night 5 - SeeD Cadet
Vavaara
Yspoch
Zombie Pixe - Autolynched Day 2 - Role reassigned

[Emperor Demonking]

"send the no good fleeing coward at it."

[easyname]

Hmm. Shadow starts with S. So does Sephiroth.

[Undertaker798]

I have a feeling Almighty Salmon is a bit shifty.

[Shadowcaller]

Tired and confused becuase of the sudden attack shadowcaller eyes the gigantic lizard heading their way.

We.. SC catches his breath we must act fast now.
SC looks at his fellow comrades.
Anyone who want to kill that beast?
I dont like the idea of forcing anyone else to save our skins.

[Lamech]

I suggest we don't send a Fleeing Coward to fight; that seems like a bad idea. Although I don't think a DarkLightDragon would have any trouble defeating a T-Rexsaur.

Although if anyone wants to volunteer to defeat that beast, I'll support them.

[Aemoh]

A young cadet, wearing all white, can be seen walking through the carnage. He stops at the gathered crowd, curious as to what's happening now.

"Ah..." he says, spotting the T-Rexsaur.

"Why don't you go easyname, I think you could take it."

((Semi-Random point. If someone wishes to take it on themselves, I'll support ya.

And yes, for those curious, White SeeD. Why not?))

[Cristo Meyers]

A young cadet watches as the huge lizard comes rampaging out of the Training Area, wreaking havoc wherever it goes. He gives a short tug on his staff, separating it into three pieces chained together.

I'll take care of this, you guys go find Rinoa. She's more important than any one of us.

[Stu42]

Good luck, Cristo.

[Fin]

A man who looks like he has seen this side of too many battles looks up from under his wide brimmed purple hat. His cold grey bombediers eyes, analysing the crowd. Taking in what he could, it may be useful later.

I've seen innocents pushed to the fray before and it got us nowhere, I wont do it again. Cristo thinks he can take it thats good enough for me! That thing is all yours Cristo, may God help you sai.

[Ranna]

A girl skips in happily until she sees the crowd and impending attack. Her eyes go wide at the sight; she looks around too terrifed to speak and points at the volunteering Cristo

[Cristo Meyers]

The cadet nods. He was a slim guy, probably would've been more suited to gymnastics than combat. But then, that was what SeeD training was for. he sizes up the Rex with muddy brown eyes. Guess it's time to go to work then. He'd fought these critters before, he knew it was possible to kill them. Sleep magic was their weakness. He'd seen Squall himself do it countless times. He brushes some...stuff...off of the corner of his jacket. The SeeD uniform was new, probably not even a week old.

Never take your eyes off of the tail, if he knocks you down, it's all over.

It would be his first true test as a SeeD. Felling this beast would allow the others to regroup, maybe find Squall and Rinoa, and hopefully keep the Garden intact.

His bite is far worse than his bark. Don't let them do either.

The beast stopped it's rampage, noticing the lone figure walking towards it. It sunk it's head low to the ground, slowing stalking towards it's new prey.

They're weak-minded, Sleep will put them down for the count. Sing them a lullaby that'll take them back to hell.

Cristo readies his shinobu. The weapon looks pitiful against the giant beast, but Cristo seems unconcerned. He pushes a stud on the longest segment of the staff: a blade juts out from the end. With a quick flourish, he assumes a ready stance.

Come on, you overgrown gecko, come and get your throat cut...

(Come on guys, I'd hate to have done all that for nothing . Oh, points for the reference)

[Lamech]

Looks like Cristo shall slay the beast; hopefully, are you sure your staff can beat it?

[Cristo Meyers]

Originally Posted by lamech

Looks like Cristo shall slay the beast; hopefully, are you sure your staff can beat it?

My people have used this weapon since before the Garden. And I have...other...means

Cold blue light dances around Cristo's outline. Anyone that had spent any time in training here knew what it was: magic. Not the Magic of the Sorceress, but the magic drawn from creatures and objects.

Who wants some lizard skin boots?

(This is either going to be the best game I've been in, or the shortest [and still best]. Three posts in and I'm already having a blast. )

[easyname]

Good luck, Cristo

[Frankelbert]

I'd like to see a lump of Freshmeat take on a T-rex and win.

[Ariko]

Since you wish to go, good luck, Cristo!

[The Valiant Turtle]

I think that Ariko looks well suited to the task.

((This is basically just a Seifer check, I'm fine with Cristo taking it on, I figured I'd just point at the person above me, I figure that makes a good Seifer Check method))

[FujinAkari]

A young woman, still dressed in the dark shift traditionally worn to bed and a silk blindfold affixed across her face stands to one side, biting down on her lower lip softly and tilting her head to one side during the moments of silence, and turning her head towards each person as they speak.

Eventually, the woman nods, her long blonde tresses flowing down either side of her face, "I concur with what the consensus seems to feel... Cristo would seem the greatest of wagers... tell me... where do you intend to duel this beast... I would learn much by being onhand...."

She smiles softly, doing a slight curtsy in the direction of Cristo, or at least where Cristo had been the last time he spoke. "I wish you luck my friend... the day before the battle, I invite you to break a pint of spirit with me the eve before, any battle includes a possibility of death, and no one should leave this earth without having tasted Dolletian Brew."

((OOC Note: To reduce confusion, my char will be named Faeli... since calling me Fujin will just be weird :P Faeli is a pale-skinned recruit from Dollet, who joined up shortly after the SeeD saved her town. She was blinded some years ago, and so has issues getting around... is pretty good as long as she is oriented though!))

((Edit: If anyone points at me though, point at Fujin Akari, just to keep our gracious host from getting too confused. :) Just use Faeli if you talk to her in character))

[Fleeing Coward]

Points at Raldor for claiming to be a villager.

((Well Seifer only has a 25% chance of sending in an unwilling victim but guess I'll try it too ))

[Uncle Festy]

((I'll save my Seifer check for when we don't have a volunteer. For now, let's go with Cristo. Just out of curiosity - why is it a bad thing to be Seifer, so that you'd want to get rid of it?
RP tomorrow.))

[Vavaara]

((FYI, Vatsala = IC name, Vavaara = Pointing at me/ OOC name. You win a cookie* if you know where I got my IC name from))

Vatsala eyed the T-Rexsaur with a look of fear. During her training as a SeeD cadet she had learned to combat all kinds of monsters, and had been an exceptional student at that. That is, when she wasn't faced with one of the giant lizards currently bearing down on them. Memories of child-hood trauma, screaming as the giant dinosaur ran after her, it's horrid slobbering and foul stench preceding it...

Unconsciously, she fiddled with the clasps that encircled her gauntleted hand. While other foes might fall under the crushing force of her up-close style of fighting and the contact Elemental explosives contained in her gauntleted right hand, her fear of the T-Rexsaur and the tough, scaly hide of the beast had always given her trouble in training sessions. When she heard another cadet come forth and offer to fight the creature, she heaved a sigh of relief. Cristo had always been a bit gung-ho when it came to fighting, and had always been the most eager to battle in their training. Feeling a slight sense of worry for him, Vatsala continued watching him as he charged towards the terrible lizard.

*Vatsala watches Cristo charge the beast*

((*Surgeon General's warning: Cookie-brand cookies may cause Abdominal Pain, Heart-Burn, Halitosis, Dizziness, Shortness of Breath, or in some extreme cases, Death. Consult your doctor before consumption.))

[LemonAndLime]

"I don't suppose anyone has any handy spells still drawn? No? Well then, if you can kill it, Cristo, then lead the way."

[Shadowcaller]

SC manages to utter a few words before Cristo charges off against the T-Rex.

I will wholeheartly support anyone that actually want to face that beast.
Just hope Cristo dont underestimate it....

*supports Cristo in the fight*

[hap_hazard]

"Best of luck, Cristo."

[The Valiant Turtle]

Originally Posted by Uncle Festy

Just out of curiosity - why is it a bad thing to be Seifer, so that you'd want to get rid of it?

It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just good to know if you are. Indeed, even if you do know you are Seifer, you don't necessarily have to choose to PM the narrators to nullify it. It could be potentially useful, but only if you know that you're him. On the down side, it might slightly increase the chance that the remnants will want to kill you since you would become a possible communications point. Or, you could be a possible ally for them.

In any case, it's good to know what role you really are.

[Aemoh]

"Go get 'em, Cristo Meyers."

[Mustiado]

Good luck to you Cristo. Aemoh, help me gather supplies for the coming battle.

(Seifer Check, I suppose. It never crossed my mind I could be Seifer.)

[Helgraf]

"Oh God, oh God, oh God ..."

The cadet's head was between his own knees as he focused his breathing. The assault, and now a T-Rexaur had escaped the training grounds on the first day?

He looked for someone, anyone, who seemed to have the confidence to face down that huge monster - because he surely didn't.

"Cadet CristoMayers, are you sure you're r-r-ready?"

[pingcode20]

The Battle Mime of Balamb pressed his hands against the glass panels of the invisible box a few times, before miming lifting the top off of it and climbing out.

He walks up a set of invisible mime stairs and walks over to Cristo and shakes his hand, and pins an invisible mime pin on his shirt, then steps back and salutes him.

Then he pushed an invisible mime elevator button and steps into the invisible mime elevator, giving Cristo a final tip of the invisible mime hat before disappearing into a building.