War of Dragons: Uncrowning

The time has finally come. Prophylaxis has dedicated much of his recent effort and attention to achieving a singular goal. He has thoroughly studied the hateful crowns that adorn the Palace Land invaders to the limits of his present means. He has tested solution after solution, only to be stymied by the crown's utter unwillingness to relinquish its host. Cutting through it only caused the wearer to suffer. Data Drain alone could only alleviate the symptoms, and only for as long as it was maintained.

So, left with little else in the way of options, Prophylaxis has elected to throw the metaphorical kitchen sink at the problem.

He has called upon friends, compatriots and at least one Proteus, all equipped with a variety of skills that might, in some combination, see the first of the Crowned returned to themselves.

He has requisitioned a secure room in the depths of Castle Reach, stocked it with a host of healing items and recovery potions. He has placed the captive Palace Lander in restraints, spread eagle atop a bed at the center of the room. On their chest is a gemstone that some would recognize as one of his Resurrection Crystals, in case they are made to resort to the most desperate of options.

"I trust you all know why you're gathered here, and what I intend to do," Prophylaxis says to the others in the chamber. "We will begin by data draining the patient. Simultaneously, Proteus will attempt to hack the crown to disable its functions. In the best case, it can be made removeable at this stage. "

"If it is not-- then Yuuki and I will proceed to plan B. I do not wish to use plan B, but the patient has given their consent to doing all that we can to try and cure them."

The doctor adjusts his gloves, readies a set of syringes, and places his hat aside. "If everyone understands, then we will begin when ready."

Schneider is the Data Drainer on staff for this one, and he's working on a better data draining tool, but for now only has the most rudimentary of means. Still, it was partly successful before, for a few moments, so he's going to make the effort again. There's no magical words for this, not as such, but he'll say a few of the data drain words he knows, kind of mumbled and attempting to make it sound dark and mysterious. And it's definitely not 'Here goes nothing,' that's just what he's thinking,

    This appears to be a very delicate process they're planning to attempt. Which begs the question: Why is Yuuki here? Well, we'll just have to wait and see!

    The energetic imp in question stands off to the side, watching as Prophylaxis begins. She raises her hand to give the Palace Lander a thumbs up, "Don't worry. I've been where you are... Kinda. You're in good hands! ... Gloves... Same thing!"

Vertina is mostly here for support, and the odd chance one of her other skills may come up useful. She -could- try to weaken the crown with alchemical acid or something, but that probably wouldn't go very well for the patient. If nothing else, she can provide backup healing and mana potions.

Also the off chance they end up with a rogue Adventurer getting loose and needing to deal with that. "Yeah. Just try not to think of anything bad and let the best Doctor in town take care of you."

    The Baroness nods thoughtfully to Prophylaxis's explanation. "It is time to see just what a title is worth," she says seriously. Her eyes drift to the poor patient.

    "If I can, I will get that thing off of you." Just having it near is unpleasant enough to lead Wake wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"I still think you should just let me punch it off of them." Syx says, helpfully from where he's sitting nearby, "Oooh or we could chain them to the ground and I could pull REALLY hard. Or maybe we could put some chains on the crown and I pull their feet.."

The Palace Land Adventurer remains on his knees, staring up at the group that has gathered with defiance in his eyes. There's something else in that look that is harder to read, but even in this moment, the Adventurer struggles. Trying to get out of the fierce bindings that keeps their hands bound to their feet, and their arms and legs kept together to ensure he cannot use his system commands.

Schneider is the first to start activating their ability. And in that moment, that look of defiance begins to filter away. It doesn't quite depart, but there's a visual change in the person's awareness of the world around them.

From here, they're going to have to act fast, decisively, and without pause.

This is the crucial part. "Wake," Prophylaxis says, turning to the Baroness. "Do it now. If that fails, we'll execute plan B."

He glances over at Yuuki, then. "You get ready too. If Wake fails, it's up to us."

    Yuuki mock-gasps at Prophylaxis, "Wake? Fail? Prophy, how could you suggest such a thing!?" Yuuki waves a hand, "It's fiiiine. She's got this." Yuuki looks at Wake, "Right?"

    Of course, juuuuuust in case. Yuuki moves a hand to rest around the hilt of her sword.

    Without hesitation, Wake moves forward. She takes hold of the crown and as she lifts it, speaks, "You have served well. I release you from your service. You are free!"

    Wake draws deep and expresses every manner of nobility she can. Perhaps more importantly she draws upon that strange and wondrous blessing of The Beautiful One.

With Baroness Wake leveraging the next part of the plan, pushing her command upon the person before her, that awareness within the man's eyes seems to come to life properly. He looks around the room, and then silently nods his head to Prophylaxis and the others. His mind has not changed since the last time the saw him 'awake'.

The Resident Hacker then touches their hand to the Crown. There's sparks that leap and jump across their arm, as they seek to start and Modify one of the key functions of the Crown...

Vertina stands back, watching, and doing her best to not get impatient to see if this actually works with all the intricate actions going into it... whereas she'd probably be in much the same mindset as Syx about just yanking the things off by force.

Schneider's part done, all that's left for him now is to wait with increasing tension to see what the final result will be. He's familiar with the outline of the plan, but he's got no idea which parts will work and which will not. So much of it is still guesswork and best possible predictions about how this may go. He's watching closely, even as his own sense of the Law twangs like Dueling Banjos.

It's been a while since the Puzzling Imp has been seen out and about. But when somene calls for her, she answers. Especially when that person is Baroness Wake. The Imp has been silent thus far, standing in the back of the room and watching the prisoner... And the way that the people interact with said prisoner. Similarly, the crown that they wear. Her eyes narrow as she considers the full ramifications of what is occurring, her lips drawing back to reveal her sharp teeth. "So. That's how it is, is it?" She mutters.

Finally, it is her turn. She steps forward, her hand coming out from beneath the cloak to reveal that strange darkened material shot through with circuit-like traceries, and she grips the crown, extending her strange ability to Modify Objects into said accessory, trying to flip the nature of the crown for critical moments, allowing the lock to be slipped out of before it snaps shut again...

    Wake feels it release suddenly and pries the crown free. Holding it like a thrashing serpent she looks to Yuuki. "I think you are up."

    She holds it out with her left hand, ready for her friend and leader to show it what happens to all adversaries (monster or object) of the adventurers of Yamato.

Syx has taken to doing dips in between a pair of chairs because he's not really much help when it comes to whatever it is they're doing. He'd be the first to admit that though.

"So what is all this stuff you guys are doing anyway? I still don't get why we can't just like..You know.." He stands up and then runs a finger across his throat, "Can't wear a crown without a head, ya know?"

The Crown stops being 'latched' onto the Adventurer, and Baroness Wake begins to lift. The Adventurer themselves putting their hand under the crown to simultaneously help with lifting...

And it just pops off, just like that...

And the moment it does, it suddenly SHATTERS, and Baroness Wake and the Adventurer take a sudden plummet of health, that rapidly begins to bring them towards death!

--There! The crown is loose! But they have no time, nor any ability to study it. The thing shatters into a billion shards. Prophylaxis darts forward, the incantation for his most potent restoration magic on his lips. "Life stilled by winter's embrace, reawaken to the coming of spring...!" His hands press to both Palace Lander and Wake alike, channeling the healing spell into them both. "Heal like you mean it, people! Today's raid bosses are tyranny and death!"

"Oh no you don't." As Prophylaxis starts pumping out his healing magic Vertina steps in to grab the former Crowned, hooking an arm around his midsection and grabbing his shoulder with the other hand. Both to keep him on his feet and to apply her own bit of healing via Light infusion. "We didn't get this far in freeing you from that damned thing to let you redline and end back up in their grip!"

    Yuuki slooooowly draws her sword, watching intently as the crown is raised. Wake calls for her to step in. Yuuki does so and-the crown shatters. Yuuki blinks. Literally only having just taken a step. She's good, but she's not THAT good!

    Then suddenly it's a rush to heal the Palace Lander. And Wake. And Yuuki definitely has a deer in headlights look.

Schneider will pull Syx aside, or rather pull himself aside to explain to him, since he's stuck between the chairs. "The object here is to free someone from the Crown's influence /without/ killing them. Killing people is easy. Doing this /without/ killing is tricky, but a much better solution. And if we can go forward with a solution, then that will pull the rug out from under the Palace Landers who enforce their will with ..." and he cuts off, as the crown shatters, and everyone's health starts plummeting.

Well, he calls himself an Exploder Wizard, but the game calls him a Rune Knight, which is a pretty rare hybrid class, but it means that he -does- have heals, and can use them on other people. This rarely-used talent comes out now as Proph calls for healing, and he will focus on Wake for the moment, knowing that others are focusing on the Palace Lander.

    "Do not give up," Wake growls. Even as she sinks to her knees, she has her focus on the emancipated Palace Lander. "Hold on!"

    She knows she is dying, but she is hardly afraid. She knows her friends aren't going to let her fall. She fumbles to use light magic herself, but finds focus hard to come by. At last she feels the damage stop and she is breathing as if she's run for miles. She hates running.

    "We.. did it!"

The amount of healing quickly leveraged is significant. People pouring their mana rapidly into both Baroness Wake and the Palace Lander. To make this whole situation worse, Baroness Wake is from the Fourland Dukedom! That means her Respawn Point is right in the middle of the Palace Land controlled city of Mac Anu!

The health plummets and plummets, their healing restraining and slowing the rapidly falling health bars. For a moment, the group goes into Combat State because of the damage sustained, silencing all communications in and out...

Until finally, at about 10% HP, and with the crown shattered and removed, Baroness Wake and the Palace Lander both managed to survive. A painful sensation in their ears, as if they were getting shouted at until just a few moments ago...

And then, there's this moment of silence...

Before the Palace Lander puts his hands on the floor, bowing to those around him, and just starts bawling his eyes out like a child.

Vertina drops on her butt on the ground once the Adventurer is not going keel over dead, letting him get the weeping out of his system. "That was exhausting. But worth it." She pulls out one of the mana potions she brought, only to chug it down herself. Though even with that she's not going to be casting any big powers for a bit, that's for certain. Wipes her mouth on the back of her arm after. And huffs. "I.. don't think we'll be able to repeat all that very easily."

    Wake smiles sympathetically and sets a hand upon the weeping man's shoulder. "You made it. You are free!" She looks to the others thoughtfully, "And we have much work to do. With this power comes a new responsibility."

    But how in the world can this be done more easily and safely?

Once the emergency is over, and Schneider has nearly exhausted his small store of healing, he mentions aloud, "You know..." and he eyes Wake as he says this. "If he dies, he'd still respawn in the Palace Lands. Unless a /proper noble/ from over here was to accept him as a citizen of Yamato." That, he's pretty sure we found out some time ago, would reset his spawn point to over here in Yamato. Not that respawning in Mac Anu is much better /right now/. But that's on the short list of things that will be rectified. "Hey, Doc," he says to Prophylaxis. "Can Fourland move it's capital? That sometimes gets done in a war when the enemy holds your capital."

    Yuuki sheathes her sword again, before patting it, "Next time."

    Yuuki then looks at the bawling Palace Lander, wondering aloud, "I guess that would kinda suck. Having that thing on your head."

    Yuuki smiles and gives the freed Adventurer a thumbs up, "Don't worry though. It's all good now!"

    Yuuki finally turns to the others, "Soooooo, what now?"

The Crown shatters. It took the forbidden powers of many of the people present, but the crown is gone. Proteus looks down at the bawling man. She glances over to Wake. Even when on the verge of death, she's always ready to lend a consoling hand. Schneider points out a salient issue.

But none of that is her problem. "What now indeed." Proteus replies. "We have a solution to the matter of the Crowned. A clunky, danger-fraught, uncertain solution, but a solution nonetheless. Even the knowledge of this being brought to bear could potentially shake the wills of the Powers that Be. If they are reduced to a more normal invasion, maybe we'll be able to fight back. But there has to be a better way."

There is a dramatic flourish of her cloak as she turns away. "I am going to do some research. I will be in touch." She says, Exposition Imp beginning to vacate the premeses once more.

It was a near thing. A direly, terribly near thing. He hadn't expected that the crown's removal would have caused such terrible damage not only to the one who had been wearing it, but the one doing the removal as well. But...

Somehow, they managed it. Somehow, they were able to pull it off. Literally and figuratively.

"Wake... Sorry, I should have figured even removing it was booby-trapped," that she's native to Fourlands is not lost on him. If she had been killed...

Well, it would have been bad. Really bad.

But she's alive. That's what counts. He looks to Proteus with a grateful gaze, too. "You were instrumental too. This... It might not be elegant, it's dangerous, it's... /almost/ impossible to reproduce, but we proved that it's possible. The crown is defeatable."

Yuuki... Looks befuddled?! Prophylaxis clasps a hand on her shoulder and nods, "Don't worry. I'm just glad we were able to get it off this poor man without a problem. Now..."

He looks towards the bawling Palace Lander and nods, "...We'll have to petition King Gilgamesh-- or someone else-- to reassign their respawn point, I think. Or else keep them very, /very/ safe for the time being. More importantly, this gives us a method to reclaim anyone who might have been lost at Mac Anu-- or, to liberate particularly powerful and high-ranking Palace Landers. Their intelligence could be invaluable."

"Of course, I do wish we could have studied that crown without it being on someone's head. We'll need to find a better, less risky, less convoluted method too. But I promise my utmost effort and support in doing so."

Beat. He looks to Syx, then shrugs, "Save the ripping and tearing for the enemies on the battlefield. If we can save them, we will save as many as we can." And to Schneider...

He simply offers an approving, and thankful, nod.

"Wow, it worked." Syx says, sounding actually a bit surprised. He was legitimately surprised that the plan worked, though legitimately he is glad it's working, even if he would have really just rather have punched it until it broke.

"If you want a better way why don't we just kill the people making the crowns in the first place? Bet that would stop the crowns. Or at least stop them from making new ones."

"First we'd have to somehow find out who that is," Vertina points out to Syx.

    "This poor adventurer has been enslaved for a long time. I would take that risk a thousand times more if we had the people to free." It is no boast, just a fact.

    "Surely the Goddess will smile upon this use of her gift."

    Wake rises slowly, offering a hand to the freed man. Once he is up, she curtseys deeply. "I am Baroness Wake. Welcome back."

"...I don't think Fourlands can move its Root Town," the doctor says, sadly. "It's something tied to the location itself. The Alvs built them that way, I'm afraid. But... Yes, we will need to petition a local noble for help making sure those we save aren't just killed and reassimilated." He'll of course put forward as much clout as he can to get that done, but his reach only really extends to Carmina Gadelica.

"I don't think additional Relics are being produced. This... is some kind of awful, cursed Relic, essentially." The doctor strokes his chin thoughtfully. Does this mean this method could be used to... remove other relics...?

Mmn. Disconcerting.

"I'll keep you apprised of anything we might find on our end as well. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you find something that might need a doctor's attention to deal with," he says to Proteus, then...

"Indeed," he turns to the Palace Lander with a smile, "I'm glad to say that the operation was a complete success. Please take as much time as you need, we will keep you safe."

Vertina finally gets back to her feet. "I'll go see about getting a meal together. Some comfort food to help the guy settle and get his wits in order."

Schneider hrms as Proph explains about moving a Root Town being more complicated than shifting a capital. That's a good point, and he can't really counter it. But that makes rooting the Palace Landers out even more wickedly complicated than this crownectomy he's just participated in. He nods at what Vertina says, a good meal will help him restore his mana, and he's sure the Palace Lander will be happy for his first meal as a free man.