Duty Session 212: A Dark and Stormy Night

During the Storm Festival, it is common for Adventurers to gather indoors at a local inn or tavern. Any place to get away from the heavy rains and piercing wind. However, on one such Dark and Stormy Night, a Lander has come inside from the storm, bringing with them an unusual quest. They are tasked to brave the storm and face wind elementals in order to gather some strange alchemical ingredient.

OOC: This quest is only available during the Storm Festival. This quest is largely 'Combat'-concept based, with some minor uses of other concept types.

Difficulty:    Easy
Rec. Party:    3+
Rewards:       1
World Rewards: None

Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Ever since the return of the Adventurers, some of the Landers have dared to repopulate the smaller homes outside of Fort Ouph. Others have been under protection for a while now. The crew, hiding from the weather in a place called 'Frontier Town', have been able to make the Hunter's Guild slash bar a proper place to not get wet.

Uketsuke Jo, the young woman who runs the front office of the place, is collecting plates from the Adventurers and a few of the Lander Hunters sitting around at the moment. The wind is howling outside. And the windows tremble with the size of the storm going on.

"I thought that the Kirin had been calmed." Uketsuke remarks, right as the door blows open. Cyrus, seated at one of the tables, is startled awake from having drifted asleep after a heavy broth soup, his tail poofing and his ears up, scrambling not to fall on his chair.

A spriggan middle aged male stepping in, asking for help. And the Quest window appears immediately there-after! In his flailing, the Cait Sith accepts. It's such an instinctive reaction these days. A window pops up. You say yes. Years of accepting useless software license agreements have trained him well.

The Spriggan proceeds to explain that he is hunting Storm Elementals, in an attempt to get their cores! And he's needing help catching them.

Cyrus rubs his face and grabs something from his pocket, and throws it outside as they are led there. And from that something in his pocket, a large cart suddenly grows. It has a protected roof people can sit under. "This won't help during the battle, but at least let's travel there in style, shall we?" The Cait Sith asks, looking back at the rest of the team that's also accepted this quest.
Kauchemar
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kauchemar tends to hang out in taverns a fair bit, so after running around trying to find connections for a few other projects she's helping with decided to duck into this place that is essentially the fantasy version of a dive bar. Like a proper bard she made herself comfortable in a corner, occasionally playing a tune now and then for a bit of change, while really she was listening to all the gossip and possibly leads and the panhandling was just a cover.

By some unknown luck or fate the old Spriggan tiggering that Event Quest happens to barge in while she's doing so, and honestly she's a bit surprised to see the Quest come up despite already venturing out once. "Welp, it's definitely more interesting than sitting around here on my flanks." She'll go along, just for her own shits and giggles if nothing else.
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kita hadn't come to Eastal due to the Storm Festival. She knew little about the Kirin. The Imp had been drawn here by her own explorations into the art of Yamato and the strange forces that drive people to create.

Unfortunately, weather like this means travel is more difficult. So, Kita had taken to quietly leaning against a wall of the Hunter's Guild, flipping through pages of sketches and occassionally jotting notes onto them.

The arrival of the Lander and his quest only draw a slight lift of her head, the black mage hat lightly shadowing her eyes. Pushing her glasses up on her nose, she sighs to herself. "I suppose I should probably take advantage of a random quest. We could use more materials..." Her eyes look out the window towards the storm, which does not look inviting.

She follows the Cait Sith out, giving a look of surprise at his cart. "I'll... see what I can do about keeping some of the wind and rain at bay." In this weather, she doesn't bother using her spellbook as a focus, and just waves her hands in the air, drawing out a few shielding runes.
Proteus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Proteus isn't one to ignore the opportunity of just sitting in a tavern and letting things come to her for a change. The mention of the Kirin causes her to wince for a moment, remembering her... less than stellar performance in attempting to help out with that. She doesn't mention anything, however. Something less embarassing and more interesting is occurring. The offer of the quest gets a quick acceptance.

This time, the arrival of the Spriggan brings a note from the cowled Imp, who sits down and listens to the situation. "Wind shards." She mentions to herself. "Well, this will be interesting. I've got a bit of an interest in elemental energy myself these days." She smiles. "I'll give you a hand."

She heads out with the others into the storm, and immediately she pulls her hood forward. "... Well, I might immediately be regretting this a little." She comments to her associate Kauchemar, before Cyrus' offer of a cart immediately has Proteus leaping onto it, using it for partial shelter. "Let's see if I can give us a little additional support, hmm? Teamwork makes the dream work, as Att is fond of saying." As is so common with her, Proteus pops open a gesture command window. ^ S O

A moment later, the winds around the cart are blunted, a counterforce beginning to rise around them to deflect the rush of stormwind around it to some degree. "It won't last forever. Let's move while we can."
Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

No doubt they crew gets a few /looks/ from the other people in the bar as they accept the man's quest and move with him. It's a Spriggan after all. It's not hard to see those wary looks. The idea of 'this must be a con' is written all over their faces, and the rest of the Hunters don't even bother considering taking the quest. Crazy Adventurers.

Cyrus reaches his hand out and helps Proteus into the cart, as the rain heavy blasts against it, while Cyrus' cart protects them from the worst of the rain and wind. Cyrus then sits near the front for a bit and goes; "Ehmmm... forward! Go! Drive! Ehmm..." And then just points forward.

There's a jolt, before the cart begins to move. It's not at the kind of speed of a Peko drawing it along at top speed, but it sure begins to move! The Spriggan with them lets out a confused sound as he's pulled in before it can really get going.

"Alright. Just show us the way." Cyrus proposes, before looking back; "Everyone else comfortable back there?" The cart isn't big or anything. It can seat maybe six or eight people. And they have to deal with a few crates of potions inside of it.

"Teamwork makes the dream work? That sounds like something you'd hear in one of those training meetings." Cyrus blanches.

As they crew 'drives' further along the road and towards a hill, the winds really pick up. Some of the rain stats going sideways, blasting into the cart. Luckily, with the fantastic work from the team, they're keeping the most of the wind and rain at bay, making it even a little bit /warm/ inside of the cart itself.

But the wind keeps battering at their spells, and it's not long before it overpowers the more basic techniques they are using! The cart even slowing down as the wind pulls at the tarp on the cart. The Lander has to yell to be overheard by people in the cart; "I think we're going to need some of that Adventurer Magic!"

"Okay!" Cyrus yells back, and motions his hand in a 'up' motion. Trying to signal using more specialized techniques.
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kita's stomach lurches along with the movement of the cart. She can't help but look at the place a Peko really should be, then over towards Cyrus. "I'm not sure how much I trust a cart that seems to be running solely on magic." Especially as he doesn't really seem to know how to drive it properly. Still, it's better than slogging through the mud.

As Proteus mentions Att, Kita pushes her glasses up on her nose, the spectacles dotted with water. "I met him, the other day. We have a lot in common, it seems." She hadn't had much time to talk with him, what with the inspiration timer counting down and the shared prospect of Alv art.

There is little time to focus on that, though, as the cart rocks along the way. The darknesss closing in has her thinking to herself. "I remember learning a mage-light spell when I first made this character. Let's see..." The first time she tries the runes, it just causes a brief spark.

Then, frowning, she tries again, adjusting them slightly. Two balls of fire appear before her, which she weaves her hands to the side, sending them to float at the side of the cart. "They should resist the rain, I think." They haven't gone out, yet.
Kauchemar
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Hey, what works works. Kauchemar is at least polite enough to help use her magic to shield the others in the cart, and whatever lies amongst the potions and other things that might react badly with water. But the cart is being slowed down anyways. She turns, looks around, and then lets out a long exasperating sigh. "I can't believe I'm going to do this -again-..." she can be heard muttering before hopping out of the cart.

Hooves hit the ground as she's shifted back into her proper Were Fang form as she does so. "But I am a Messenger, and this is what we do." She holds a finger up defiantly towards the storm overhead. "AND NO STORM SHALL DETAIN ONE FROM THEIR DUTY!"

Then throws her monster subspecies strength into pushing the back of the cart to keep it moving against the winds in the darkness. You could even say she's making putting the cart before the horse actually work.
Proteus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

It might be a con, but if it is, the Spriggan likely won't be offering quests anymore.

If you know what I mean.

Still, the Imp rides along with Cyrus, grinning to the Cait Sith. "This is a nice cart. Where did you get it?" She pokes at the thing a bit, but not much as they move along. "Heh. A mount." She says to herself. She makes herself as comfortable as it gets in these circumstances, and she nods to the alchemist. "It kind of is. I wonder if Att was a salaryman or something." She shrugs for a moment. "Either way, it's catchy enough."

Kita brings up that she met Att, and the Imp looks back at the fellow adventurer. "Really? He does seem to be pretty accomplished at connecting with people." There is an arch of the brow at the spectacle adjustement, and there is a wry little twist of her lips. "Maybe we'll find out you have something in common with more of us, hmm?"

At that, she looks back as Kauchemar unleashes all of her horsepower to keep things moving. Proteus looks forward, and nods. "Let's see if I can help out too." She begins gesturing... But this time a flying hunk of debris manages to pass through the air defenses and clock Proteus upside the head, causing her to fall backwards. Little Pekos and stars begin floating around her head as she is interrupted with a KO status effect for a few seconds. Whoops.
Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

"It's better than being directly out in the rain." Cyrus counters Kita with a smile on his face. "Honestly, it's just a nice feature sometimes. I usually prefer to walk, or have it be drawn by a Peko." He admits. "But I haven't caught a Peko yet to really put in front of the cart permanently." He adds to that.

"I got this a while back honestly. There was this limited time quest in the Tower where you had to race this really fat Peko. I managed to come in second. Which somehow was good enough to get the cart that they had available." He pats the cart. "I've used it ever since to store and carry my alchemy things." He explains.

Then there's a sudden jolt, as the cart begins to move faster. Cyrus is alarmed at first, before looking back at Kauchemar pushing the cart. He wisely decides not to comment on it, and instead just gives the Nightmare Were Fang a nod.

He then looks up, as Kita's magic blooms. The rain sizzles and evaporates against the balls of flame, simultaneously ensuring that the water that does pass through is nice and warm. He then looks to Proteus, right as the debris hits her in the face. He grimaces, and calls back; "Kita, grab one of those red potions just to your left, and one of the yellow ones. The yellow one will help Proteus with the status debuff, and the red one will heal her."

A little while further into the drive, there's suddenly a fierce hit of lightning! It rips against a nearby tree, causing it to fall in the way. "Shit." Cyrus grunts, and looks around. "I'll have to go around it. Can someone keep track of the lightning strikes while I drive? I'll need your help evading them. I'd rather not test out if this cart is protected against lightning strikes!" Cyrus asks, while the Lander ducks into a corner of the cart and hunches his head down.

"I'll need everyone's eyes!" Cyrus notes.
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

With the shadowy light cast by the magic around them, Kita's expression looks more dire than it actually is. She does raise her eyebrows at Cyrus' strange story. "I've seen a lot of the tower and never run into a Fat Peko." Then again, they have only gotten about half as far as the previous Adventurers in their time being trapped in the game.

The sudden jolt causes her to make an unpleasant 'erk' sound, grabbing onto the sides. At the instructions, she grabs the potions, then offers them over to Proteus. "Mmm. Maybe. I've been exploring the art of this world. That's mostly what Scale keeps me busy with. Anything that needs a finer touch."

Though Kita truly does try to help spot for the lightning, the girl really isn't the best at predicting the strange weather. One streaks out of the sky from her side of the cart, but her warning is completely eclipsed by the sound of it crashing far too close to the group. "I'm not sure my skill set falls to lightning spotting." She calls out over the sound.
Proteus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

The application of the potions bring Proteus around, and she shakes her head as she sits back up. "Ugh. I seem to have bad luck with flying debris in storms." She mutters. "Thanks for the assist." She nods to Cyrus and Kita... And then she gives a little chuckle. "Hahaha, limited time quests always have the craziest stuff." Proteus says.

The mention of Scale Emblem gets a glance from the Imp. "They need a finer touch, eh? Do they need to pass a drawing challenge to get past the next floor of the Tower?" It's only partially a joke. No one knows all the ridiculous things that the place holds, after all.

Still, there's the matter of dodging lightning. "Left! Right! Left! Left!" She calls, trying to accurately predict the lightning path as she cranes her head to the stormy sky. "The size of the blast can't get the whole path! We can do this!"
Kauchemar
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kauchemar stops pushing when they get to the lightning field, because Cyrus is going to need to have full control over steering and her boosting will cause to much disruption. She strolls up one side, looks up at the storm clouds over head. "Honestly, your best bet is probably to just push straight through, and keep the old timer safe." Smirk. "But that doesn't mean you have to do it unprotected."

With an obscure utterance and a few arcane gestures she takes off at a blinding flash. At the same time she's using her own magic to attract some of the lightning towards herself and away from the path the cart is going to take, because that's way more practical than trying to predict were something like a thunderbolt is going to strike.
Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

"It was on one of the higher floors." Cyrus shouts through the wind bursts and the sounds of lightning hitting nearby, which are drowning out Kita's voice. "What was that!?" He shouts, before Proteus gets closer and starts instructing!

LEFT!

The cart jerks to the left, barely evading one of the strikes.

RIGHT!

Kauchemar catches that one with her lightning-rod approach, because the cart is simultaneously captured into the wind, pushing it off-course for a moment.

LEFT!

That one is evaded, and just as Proteus calls out left again, Cyrus is already moving left, and then tries to get the cart to go forward faster, dodging another one as a blue light glows from his eyes for a moment. A moment of divine-like clarity giving him the last few lightning strikes, with the rest assisting him further.

When they finally get out of the lightning field, and approach the wind wall, Cyrus moves the cart to the side of the road. "We get off here. I'll leave the cart here, so we can get back to it and use it for cover when we get back."

He hates having to constantly shout, while motioning his hand over his inventory. There's a shimmer of light, before a leather raincoat of sorts forms over him, and he slides off. "Let's see if we can mold some stone to open a door in this wall!" He suggests to the team.
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

As they start to weave away from the lightning, Kita just holds on, doing her best to not fall off the cart.

The question in regards to her role within Scale Emblem gets a slight lift of the brim of her hat, the mage looking across to Proteus. "Actually, I've mostly worked with Prophylaxis and a few others on the development of Tolbana." She explains, having to speak a bit louder to be heard over the storm, "I was a refugee from Ezzo, and Scale has built the place up as a new home for the refugees." She shrugs her shoulders. "Shops, temples, the amphitheater, statues. I've spent more time on that than anything that involves fighting."

By the look of the Imp, she isn't exactly a front-line warrior, anyways. That doesn't mean that she hasn't aided in boss battles, but the young woman usually leaves most of the heavy lifting to the actual warriors.

As the group comes to a stop, she is a bit hesitant to step out, the rain immediately causing her dress to stick to her skin and her witch's hat to flop slightly from the moisture. "Right... stone." Still reluctant to actually remove her spellbook, she weaves her hands in front of her, casting a basic earth magic spell. Unfortunately, the ground seems to be quite soaked, causing mud to slide off of the lifted ground, making it nearly useless.

"I'm having trouble getting down to the rock layer, it's all mud." Kita explains.
Proteus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

The cart careens through the lightning storm! Everything seems on the up and up for now. Proteus looks back to Kita again. "... The refugees from Ezzo..." She ponders. "Maybe the Tower /is/ the best place for them. People generally don't live in Ezzo because they're accepted by the other countries." She sighs for a moment. "But thank you for your work in that. You're clearly better suited to it than someone such as I." Even in the middle of the storm, this seems to bring out a little bit of a brooding in the Imp.

Still, it doesn't last long. There's the matter of the wall of stone. Proteus begins fiddling with the wall only to look over to Kita and nod. "I can't get a hold on anything either. Do either of you have any ideas?" The Imp asks.
Kauchemar
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kauchemar frowns as Kita tries, has difficulty, and can't find enough rock to deal with. "Guess the rain is making what's here too soft." She does the motion of rolling up sleeves even though she doesn't have any said sleeves to roll up. She remembers what happened last time when she just tried to run through, so she's not going to that again. "I will just have to bring some of my own." She starts the somatic gestures and a summoning circle appears near her hooves, swirling with power as it actually expands a bit larger than usual as she's putting power into it.

"o/~ Mighty earth, soil and stone... vine and rock for flesh and bone..."

Rock and dirt rises from the circle, as do twisting vines and roots to weave together within it, into the form of a large brutish earth elemental. Kauchemar actually leaps onto it's back, standing there as she points forward towards the storm barrier.

"Here my voice, rise to abide... and clear my way with trembling stride! o/~"

The stone monster roars, sounding not unlike a landslide as it lumbers forward, it's large form providing resistance against the winds and shelter for the others beneath it's earthborne bulk.
Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

"I've got this." Cyrus remarks, throwing multiple potions at the ground. They'll notice the Mud starts to dense up as the water is being drained from it. "Keep trying to move the ground." He then tells Kita and Proteus. "I'll keep the moisture out with my alchemy. That should stop it from being too muddy for your magic to catch it."

At the same time, Kauchemar's Elemental rises, keeping some of the new rain from sweeping over the patch Cyrus has dried up. Cyrus then nods to the trio, and he begins to move forward along with them. His ears ducking down in the leather 'tips' that are sewn in for them.

With the ground dry, Kita and Proteus' magic starts taking effect, raising a 'wall' of earth up, while Cyrus keeps throwing potions to make their lives easier. The Earth Elemental supporting the wall as they proceed in deeper, and sheltering them from the wind. The Lander quickly moves along, his wings catching the wind each time, bit unsatisfyingly do not give him the ability to fly.

The Lander explains that he can't help in battle as they finally see the Wind Elementals. Swirling masses of storm that are howling at the center of the storm and windwall.

"Alright!" The Lander still has to yell to be heard. "I can't help much in battle. But I can help safely get the cores when they're downed." He declares. "I'm counting on you, Adventurers!"

Suddenly, lightning rips down from the skies right near Proteus and Kita. "Prepare for battle! I'll set up a wind shield!" Cyrus calls out, grabbing eight potions from within his jacket, and then throwing them into eight directions. The potions themselves sputter for a moment, before flashes of light form into /ribbons/ of light as the potions rocket into the eight corners of the wind arena, and stab into the ground, before creating a crag lined wall that rises up. Eight casts that quickly drain Cyrus' mana, but make a far easier to fight in arena, as the outside wind and debris is no longer threatening to take their heads off at every opportunity.
Kauchemar
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Kauchemar drops off the Elemental's back once they're past the wind barrier. It's already starting to weaken from having to endure the wind and rain and being smacked with debris on the trek, so she just sends it stomping towards the Storm Elementals ahead of the others.

Lightning doesn't do much to it, but when the trio start blasting it with powerful winds they accelerate it's falling apart before it can get close enough to actually strike them.

But maybe while they're focusing on that the others can make use of the oppritunity. No one else here is really of the Tank sort so Kauchemar is sacrificing her summon to do so.
Kita
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

There is a shadow of something that passes over Kita's eyes, perhaps her own experiences in Ezzo that she wouldn't be willing to put into words. So, she just inclines her head, taking the acknowledgement with humility. Dampness and humility as it causes water to drip off her hat.

Then, the sound of the elementals draws her attention back, eyes intense as she motions dark energy between her fingertips, welling it up between both palms. "I'll try to trap them, make it easier for the rest of you to do damage." Her hands condense the dark magic, and then thrusts it outwards.

Where it impacts, the darkness expands into a sphere which wraps around the elementals, acting as a debuff zone. It not only contains them, but it weakens them while isolating them in a place where the others might easily be able to throw their own attacks.
Proteus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Cyrus dries out the ground, and Proteus grins as that helps things out. "Good work, Cyrus!" Proteus calls out as she conjures up an Earth Pillar to help smash a path through. Now that the Alchemist gave them the terrain they needed, it was much easier to operate.

Once they're through, Proteus looks on the Wind Elementals and their raging behavior. "Tch. This lot sure did a lot of work to keep us from getting to them. Let's find out how much they can do when they have to actually stand and fight." The earthen alchemical redoubt from Cyrus provides a solid barrier to provide Proteus with a moment to concentrate... and so she does. "We've found the proper solution for the likes of you." Proteus states as she begins cutting her hand through the air.

                                   ( ! J                                    

Rings of runic energy begin appearing around the Wind Elementals, forming complicated locks that snap around them and interrupt their attack patterns, leaving them wide open for the others to strike.

... Someone else DID actually decide to attack, right? Well, either way they're open to finish off the elementals afterwards.
Cyrus
Overworld - 45 - -4 - 0

Cyrus' craggy walls ensure the team has time to concentrate, while Proteus' powerful locking magic suddenly stops the Wind Elementals from moving, interupting their attempts as controlling the magic in the area! Kauchemar's Elemental stomps forward, and slams into the Wind Elementals, crushing them partially - though losing quite a bit of rock in the process.

Darkness then expands around them, further crushing the elementals under the weight of the Arcane Magics and lowering their health further. "Okay! It's up to you from here, Lander! Make ready to get those shards!"

The lander moves forward, using some kind of arcane magic on them, and calls out; "Ready!" Right before Kauchemar's Elemental tanks and slams the Wind Elementals one last time. Thanks to all the Control based magic going on, the poor things barely stand a chance against this team, which has been working together as a team like some kind of well oiled machine throughout this entire Quest.

With an explosion of light, the Elementals are eradicated, and the winds immediately being to quiet. The stormy season hasn't ended, but the rain is no longer trying to go horizontal, and the wind wall falls away. As does Cyrus' earth magic, the crags lowering back into the ground.

The Spriggan quickly gathers the elemental stones, and turns to thank the Adventurers. "This will be quite useful to the Tower of Mages. Thank you." He bows to them.

"Huh, didn't think the Tower of Mages would hire Spriggans." The Cait Sith notes bemusedly. "I guess that makes the situation with Li Gan that much more interesting." He remarks idly, as the Lander gives each of them an Air Shard, and then looks towards the cart.

Cyrus chuckles. "Yes, we can use the Cart to get back to town. Don't worry."