Duty Session 245: Karluin Reclamation - Town

    On the outskirts of Karluin, up at the fifth floor Setsuna sat in the fortified camp waiting for others to appear. In front of him was a roughly sketched map that captured the progress so far on cleaning out all the goblins in the area. It was his turn to lead some of the clean up on the floor, better to deal with the goblins up here before they figured out how to flood the lower floors with their numbers. Scale Emblem Alliance seemed to be taking charge of dealing with tower threats and well this was a threat. Off to the side of Setsuna is an odd sight many have likely not seen, a skeleton knight seems to be sleeping on top of a sleeping dire wolf.

"Filthy little vermin, aren't they? To think goblins would become one of the worst possible monsters to deal with... Of course, they had help..." A brief snort escapes the nightmare as Kauchemar readies her Binder Shield. She's not going to get the overly eagerly aggressive sword out until it's time for actual fighting.

Goldenblade shows up at Setsuna's little camp in an odd state. She's got an unusually heavy pack on, and it's clearly stuffed to the brim with ... junk. She's already worked up a sweat just dragging herself here, but she shows up, flushed face and all. "Ready to kill goblins," she reports in. She grumbles about the goblins having help, and says, "None of my business, so I'm not saying anything." But from her tone, she's not happy.

    Mizuki is just approaching... although as kauchemar mentions 'he had help' she looks away, ears splayed. "I don't understand how someone could do that... It kind of feels wrong to write off a whole class of beings as monsters, but... I guess that's the world we live in now. They were created to be the 'bad guys'... I just hope we're not dealing with some sort of Order of the Stick situation where monstrous races have kind of been oppressed... but it doesn't SEEM that way, and it'd be pretty contrived if countless mindless NPCs and monsters are used to trick us into reacting to a minority of actual people the same way... I guess then whoever set it up that way would be the real bad guys..."

    Mizuki turns to Goldenblade and her ears perk up. "Hey, um! I heard you craft weapons. Do you have any idea how to make katars?"

Aincrad is not a place Jazz goes very often. With it being its own world, at times, it's easy enough to focus on what's outside of it, which is very much her domain. Still, the invitation to fight goblins is certainly on she'll take up. A chance to use her newly minuted dark specialization. The 'famously boopable Undine' is thusly here., assembling with the others outside Karluin.

    Standing up, Setsuna stretches and shakes his head, " Whatever the goblins have or don't have it doesn't matter. " Walking towards the exit of the camp he looks back at the others, " In the end they are only goblins. You can give them better crap, in the end they are still crap. So lets go slay some goblins." This may be Setsuna attempting some inspirational speech, or just imitating the goblin slayer.
    The party sets out from the camp , into the rubble of the fort, and initial reports said that the area was cleared however only a few minutes out of the gates the sound wolves can be heard before arrows begin to rain down on the adventurers. Goblin Archers seem to be taking evasive hit and run patterns to try and weaken the party without directly engaging. Given the tactics at hand it is likely that the riders will disperse if there tactics are proven to not work.

Not two steps into the remains of the city and they're already got problems. Kauchemar stops midstep and yanks back her leg as an arrow thunks into the ground near her. "These little bastards aren't wasting any time are they?" Nostrils flare as she snorts, and then the equine Were Fang leaps from her spot at a hastened pace, zigging and zagging and even twirling a few times to avoid arrows from various angles. It's ni literally a dance through enemy fire with her.

Goldenblade hrms to Misuki, and wonders, "Katars?" She thinks about that, and ohs. "Those are the Indian punch-daggers?" She nods slowly, and agrees, "I can make them, sure. Did you want a pair?" As far as goblins being mindless NPCs and monsters, she says, "I heard a rumor that people tried to make friends with them some time back and fared poorly. But it's a game we're in, they are how they were made, yes? There's no people controlling them, like there are for players. I was confused at first, but that's what I was told."

As she sets out with the others, they are set upon by goblin archers, and she's forced to evade, running a zigzag pattern with her overloaded pack on to avoid the arrows. A couple land on the pack, where they clank on the metallic detritus that fills it, but she emerges from the barrage unscathed, scattering the goblins as she approaches. They don't want any part of a stand-up fight.

"Well, that didn't take long," says Jazz. Her voice has raised an octave in alarm and, honestly, it isn't like it makes her any less twee-anime-girl sounding to other's ears. If anything, it just makes it worse. "Augh!" Twin discs of swirling, opaque water are conjured together at her hands to offer protection from the slings and arrows of outrageous goblins.

    Mizuki nods to Goldenblade, "Yeah! It'd broaden the variety of fighting moves I can do, and let me stab with more force! I'm honestly a little surprised they're not here, I thought they were a traditional ninja weapon in RPGs..." She says, from having played an MMO that was KOREAN, not JAPANESE.

    Mizuki nods to Setsuna. "Yeah... I wonder, if they keep respawning but do less so as we kill them lots, or if there's a finite number of goblins here... Although I guess they could reproduce..." She makes a face as of having envisioned something unpleasant. Then she looks curious, holding a finger to her chin. "Wait, what about landers? We know they die for real and don't respawn, so... do Landers have babies? How does that work, is it the normal way or--"

                      DESTRUCTION RAINS FROM THE HEAVENS!                      

    Mizuki holds out her arm and tries to motormouth a spell incant:

    "Chillfrostprotectmeas--oh FUDGE!" the casting circles disappear as she blows the incantation, but now she's standing too far out in the open to get to safety! She tries to run anyway but ends up an arrow pincushion! "Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!"

    So many people are expecting what happens now, the goblins are almost getting predictable. It's like the first arrow is released and the group takes off running. Both Kauchemar and Goldenblade are gone and Jazzuhanzu catches the arrows as they hit her water shields. The cat however may need to learn some quicker water spell though as it takes to long and she gets a couple of scratches, however it wasn't bad. As Setsuna catches up with the group , while the goblins ride off into the sunset, the necromancer grins. "That wasn't so bad, didn't hit me once." The three arrows in his skeleton leg obviously goes unfelt as the adventurers walk away from the danager.
    Walking away from danger though, they walk themselves into the unknown, and are now rather lost. They appear to be in one of the worse off sections of town. Buildings are more rubble and could fall at any moment. What use to be walls obscure their vision and any wrong turn could force them down a path that they hadn't planned to go. " Stay close and shout if you see something about to kill us."

Kauchemar finally holds her hand up, and the Binder Sword leaps from her back to hover above it. "I think we'll just have to make our own way through." She thrusts her arm out, sending the sword hurtling towards one of the piles of rubble!

*THWK*

And it gets stuck there. "Oh for the love of..." She stops over, grabs the sword with both hands on the hilt, puts one hoof on the rubble pile, and pulls. It takes several yanks and grunts of effort for her to unwedge the unearthly weapon. "What is it with you getting stuck in things!"

Goldenblade nods to Mizuki about fighting techniques, though she says, "They'd certainly be useful, I agree." She can only shrug about other RPGs. She knows nothing about any other games. Or ninja weapons, if it comes to that. "I've read about them, but they seem pretty straightforward."

Lost in the ruins, she grumbles, pushing through some of the newly collapsed areas that lead, or ought to lead, to our destination. She's not navigating, she's just labor. Pitching aside rocks to re-open a blocked alleyway, she says, "What are we looking for again?"

Once they're out from under the attack, Jazz lets her shields dissipate and she seems relived. "That wasn't too bad. Oh, hey Mizuki. I thought you had cat-like reflexes. Guess not."

Her tone is predictably dry as she delivers these words. Still, she doesn't even appear slightly lost. In fact, quill, ink, and parchment are the order of the day now that they're not in immediate danger. She's making notes.

"Mnmn... Mhmm..."

Mapping. Already.

    "A way forward , " Setsuna shouts as he tries to dig through his inventory for a map, and finds one. However it is mostly destroyed and unreadable, so he is not going to be of much help. Jazzuhanzu though appears to be making her own map and directing those who prefer a straight line path towards where they are heading to. Mizuki and Goldenblade both seem to blaze the trail together.
    The adventurers finally make it to a friendly camp, a stop over for people to rest and such. However it seems there is a problem, as several people are working trying to clear a cave in. The one leading the effort turns to look at the group, "If you can help we need it.. The path collapsed, people are stuck inside. If we can clear it back up it should be easier to go deeper in and clear things out from the heart. Any help you can spare, we need." It seems that this isn't the only path to get around but it would be the easiest path if they could clear it, plus the people matter too. To be fair given enough time it seems like whoever is trapped will be freed soon.

Goldenblade is all about clearing the way, but when we finally get to the camp, it looks like there's more to clear. She will help with the excavation, carrying the rocks and debris away, but burdened with her heavy pack, her additional carrying capacity is severely limited, and she can't significantly contribute. Maybe this wasn't the best plan forward, but she's been in a physical training mindset for the past few days.

Kauchemar walks over to the pile of rubble, and smacks it a few times with her sword. Manages to actually knock some of the rock loose. She watchs it roll down and away, then looks up again, and shrugs. "It might be faster to try and find another route."

"What?" says Jazz to Mizuki.

She noted the look, after all, before she's back to work clearing the way. She actually *can* do physical labor, even if it's not especially easy for her given her size and musculature. Still, she focuses in on the debris and pulls a precise piece away, clearing a substantial amount. "I watched enough Duck Tales as a kid to know I need to work smarter, not harder," she remarks.

    What? Mizuki looks around, then replies quietly, "Just wondering why you're still wearing a dress. Although, I've been considering trying it myself..."

    Mizuki eases Goldenblade's burden, putting that were fang tiger strength to good use! "Nah, we got this!"

    And then Jazz mentions Duck Tales.

    o/~ "Life is like a hurricane, here in, Duck burg! Race cars lasers aeroplanes! It's a, duck blur!"

    --and Mizuki immediately launches into the song, raising her own spirits at least as she picks up heavy things, moves them, then puts them down!

    Setsuna looks at the man asking for help, with a dead pan expression. " No." It is as simple as that , he says no more before he feels like the pause has lasted long enough. " I have came by here at least 6 times. Each time there has been adventurers trapped behind rubble. Hell one time it was the Goblin Slayer. I think you are running a scam, and therefore goodman I tell you know. " Setsuna kicks at a rock, it hurts and yet the necromancer tries to play it off.
     The others however go to work as Mizuki sings while she works, Jazz manages to do as much work with a single move. Even Kauchemar moves some stone by not even trying. Really it's just a sign the adventurers were much better at solving problems then even they knew.
    As the path is cleared finally there is a large cry of triumph and cheering that last for only a moment before one of the trapped adventurers run out. The healer runs out begging for help, her hp is almost gone and a full stack of poison says she won't last much longer. Then you have the knight still surrounded by goblins, and he won't last much longer then his healer friend The party will need to act fast to save them.

As the healer runs/stumbles through Kauchemar reachs over to grab them, and pull them up behind her and her shield. "And if you get your ass shot full of arrows the poison won't matter!" She then flings a few bolts of dark magic into the goblin horde, more in an attempt to scatter and scare them away from the others they've tried to pin down. "I am really starting to hate goblins even moreso than previously."

As the smoke clears, revealing the imperiled knight desperately holding out against goblins, Goldenblade leaps into the fray without hesitation. Heavy pack and all. It slows her, to be sure, but it seems she's tapped some other power, because every blow she strikes slams into a goblin like a piledriver, sending them flying, crumpling to the ground in pixels, or else slammed into the wall behind them, or into one another. The backpack doesn't seem to be slowing her much, or, rather, she's making use of the increased weight to toss goblins aside, and to smash them with her two swords.

"...hm? Dress?" says Jazz, blinking her almost-lambent eyes at Mizuki in confusion. "What are you ta-- oh. Right." She looks down at herself. "I don't really care, Mizuki. They're just clothes."

And then she's off to help with the goblin horde. She's primarily a bit, support player in these things. Her DPS is not her strongest suit, after all, but the undead spirits she calls from the blackest depths of the ocean or the powerful sprays of water that level goblins prone or the lightning that disrupts their back lines are all more than useful enough in helping others do their things *better*.

    Mizuki just nods at Jazz's reply, then spits fire at the goblins before diving into the fray herself -- unfortunately, it doesn't work out great. In theory she should be able to dance between their blades and stab without taking hits, but she just keeps messing up today... by the end, she needs healing as much as the others do...

    At least it's obvious how to find healing potions in ancient ruins! She just works out the right way through...

    ...And then goes down all the OTHER ways. Everyone knows they'll have treasure chests at the end, some of which hopefully contain healing potions!

    Setsuna's hand glows with magical energy as he raises his hand , "Rise from the dead and protect those who still breath." At his summon bones of the fallen and dark energy spreads to create shields to try and protect the knight. Kauchemar moves in to protect the healer, while Goldenblade runs to face the goblins head on. With the support of the undead spirts of the sea witch goblins fall left and right.
     With the knight saved and the goblins driven back for a moment it seems like they have a chance to breath. Until both the knight and the healer drop down, as do several of the constructions worker. It appears from inspection there is some poison that is quickly putting them down. The adventurers must perform triage and do their best to save everyone while not wasting time. If only they had a doctor.

Once the goblins are driven away Kauchemar lets the healer go, though she's not going to go very far. She summons her Tabby Slime, but after a bit of oozing and poking around the rubble it wobbles in a manner akin to shaking ones head as it slorps back to her. "Not much left here for supplies then. You people should take the route we cleared back to the other group and get somewhere safe."

She pauses to dismiss the slime and rearm her posessed weapons. "We'll take care of the end of this."

Goldenblade is not a conventional healer, this much is known to all. The fact that she's an unconventional healer is known to fewer people, perhaps. She uses more applications from her life experiences. In this case, she lays the flat of her blade along some of the glowing wounds that are sapping the health point by point, and activates the flames, which cause the flesh to sear for a moment. It does do a bit of damage, but it burns out the damage-over-time effect, so the victims lose less health than they otherwise might. The burning blade can only be applied so many times, though.

Despite knowing a bunch of water magic, Jazz is not much of a healer. She does her level best, of course, trying to purify, clean, and heal injuries...

... but it's just not her thing. She drowns people, you know? Still, she does her level best, which is all anyone can really ask of her and she seems frustrated by not being able to do more.

    As Mizuki and Setsuna wander off to try to find any healing potions , Setsuna was much more easily distracted then Mizuki, who did manage to find some healing potions. The necromancer was busy trying to determine the viability of the goblin corpses for upcoming use. Between the healing potions found by Mizuki and the first aid of Goldenblade, the adventurers will survive. Even the simple bed side manners of Kauchemar and Jazuhanzu go far in helping them to feel better. They are however in no condition to move.
    The party appears to stabilize the sick and injured and move into a hallway of the building, that leads to an alleyway, that leads to town square. Standing there in the middle of town square in a rather large mechanical figure , standing twelve feet tall at least. Wearing a thick hard hat on it's had an a square jaw, with glowing red eyes as it continues on a rampage trying to destroy the city.

Goldenblade does what she can to help the others, but when the party must move on, she'll move on. She heads out to the town square with the rest of the party, and is shocked as a large, mecanical figure appears with red, glowing eyes. And it looks like it's going to fight us. Twelve feet tall, and she's used her best attacks.

What she hasn't done is vanish from sight. Where did she go? But she hasn't run from the fight. What she does is strike suddenly from surprise. Her twin blades strike hard, cutting with slices of air, and when she's struck hard enough to draw it's aggro, she vanishes again, and lets the aggro table accumulate with the others. Then she appears again, with savage elemental strikes that bleed off its HP again. She's not known as a ninja, but it's a very ninja move.

And then they finally find their way into the heart of this mess. Kauchemar raises a brow. "One of the elemental machines? What are the odds of that? Not that it matters," her eyes flare with that otherwordly glow as she smirks. "Time to stop it before it makes us all kiss its asphalt." And with that, she's off.

Quite literally, as she dodges around one of the machine's thrown pieces of rubble, and takes advantage of the ruins to do that thing where she moves on just the fringe edges of the field of vision with her shadowy powers while distorting her voice in a haunting manner.

" o/~ It's time to get down and dance with your doom.. Cuz the Nightmare Bard is coming for you soon
Nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.. Better watch out when she starts to strum.
You can't outrun this nightmare... She twists you mind with musical flare...
So get on up, get ready to fight..."

And that's when she seems to reappear abruptly behind the monsterous magical machine, mouth already open wide to release one of her devestating vocal assaults to finish up her musical triade.
"AND BRACE FOR THE BASS TO DROP TONIGHT! o/~"

    The party enters the boss room without realizing it. There was no telltale 'chk-chk-chk-chk' sound of a gate rising and closing behind them.

    Mizuki just stares, open-mouthed. "GUTS MAN?! What are YOU doing here?! I'm pretty sure CC Corp doesn't have the Mega Man license... oh man, what if they did though? Do you think they were working on a Mega Man VRMMO? Man imagine how cool it would be to like, play your own Maverick Hunter OC and run around saving the city from Mavericks... woah!"

    Mizuki dives out of the way of a strangely-cubical chunk of rubble! "His weakness is bomb man's weapon! Use explosions!" She spits a fireball at the robot master, but it doesn't seem to do an especially large amount of damage. "Huh... could I have misremembered? Was it cut man's? Maybe ice...?"

    She cycles through various attacks, trying freezing and slashing... and eventually landing on zapping the boss with lightning! "Oh, THERE it is! Guess it was elec man's weapon! Oh, if only we could pause..."

    While throwing lightning through the enemy, she shouts, "PAUSE! UNPAUSE! PAUSE! UNPAUSE! Aww, it's no good... we could oneshot him if we could use that glitch..."

    Once the boss is defeated, she walks over to claim her prize. "Now I'VE got your power!" She picks up the item and poses as if shooting with a nonexistant gun arm. "You got... SUPER ARM! Oh wait, no... Earth Elemental Shard? Well, okay I guess..."

    She derezzes the item and scratches her head, looking at the others. "So, does this mean the other five are here too? I think the next one is... cut man?"

Jazz is left staring openly at Mizuki, like she's gone and grown a third or fourth head on top of the weird extra ones she already has.

"...fresh out of explosive magics," she remarks, in the kind of tone that suggests she has exactly zero. She may be wee and cute but her name is definiutely not Megumin.

...but then she's blasting away to try to finish the thing off. Which is going eexactly nowhere fast, despite lightning and water and the mix of the two, her hair getting her eyes repeatedly serving to further impede her efforts.

    As they enter the town square Setsuna glares at the elemental machine, "Another day another machine. I swear there is a factory somewhere." His left hand glows with a dark aura as he summons some skeletal minions to go and hold the machine down while others tear the thing appart. Kauchemar steps out of the shadows, rattling it with sonic damage, one of those few damage types that no one has resistance to. Then Mizuki brings the lightning down on it begining to short it out. More lightning brought down by the sea witch that seems to still land a few strikes. Then out of no where, Goldenblade appears cutting the machine in two, as she resheathes her swords the machine explodes into pixels leaving the earth shards to be recovered.

Kauchemar picks up one of the shards left from the elemental machine... "You'd almost wish, Mizuki. They'd probably treat it better." After eyeing it over for a moment it's dropped into her inventory with other such items. "But it's more likely just a one-off homage because that's the kind of thing nerds do. MMO programmers included."

    Mizuki looks around as the others look at her funny. "Have NONE of you ever heard of Mega Man? Seriously?!" But then she looks relieved as at least Kauchemar seems to know what she's talking about. "Hmm. I guess."