[Trespassers V2 Subplot] Okami: Stains upon the Canvas

[DragonRage]

Lexiel is going to attempt to take her healing to the next level (assuming her Soul Warden survives), and cast Decree of Justice!  The Decree will summon 4 Soldier Tokens, which have 1 HP and an attack/counterattack that deals 1d6 + 5 damage, blocking for Spicy HG, Ako, Michael, and Mitsu.  This will trigger Soul Warden 4 times, restoring 20 HP to everyone, if the Soul Warden survives to Lexiel's turn.

 

 

Spoiler

Lexiel's Perks:

Spoiler

 

Power of the Land:  Whenever Lexiel begins a round, she gains a mana bond, even if she is prevented from acting.  Lexiel’s actions all have a mana cost, and cannot be used unless she has at least that many mana bonds.  However, the more mana required to use them, the stronger they are, and some have effects that scale with the number of bonds she has.  Mana bonds are not retained between encounters.

 

Adept Summoner:  Lexiel can summon creatures using raw aether and stored patterns.  These creatures will have a basic attack, and the ability to body-block actions for allies.  When they are summoned, Lexiel orders them to attack target enemy or block for target ally, and they will do so until she changes her orders using the perk-backed action ‘master warcraft’ or they die.  Some creatures have extra abilities, which can be used without altering their orders.  Lexiel’s creatures can block for her.  Blocking creatures counterattack with their basic attack while taking damage.  Summons’ action effects are determined by Lexiel’s stats and mana bonds.  Lexiel’s summons can’t attack on the turn they are summoned; if given an attack order, they start attacking on her next turn.  Creature summons are spells.  Lexiel’s summons share her initiative.

 

Strike Captain:  Some of Lexiel’s summons are more than just aether and imagination.  They are unique.  They are heroes.  They are legends.  Legendary creatures are not easy to summon.  Each one has a Champion cost, which is the number of lesser creatures that must be sacrificed to call them.  And each one can only be summoned once per encounter.  However, legendary creatures have good stats, powerful abilities, and autonomy.  They can act as they choose or by Lexiel’s orders without relying on ‘master warcraft’.  Legendary creatures can have special ‘ultimate’ abilities, which can only be used if Lexiel sacrifices mana bonds to fuel them.  Once per plot, Lexiel can create a contract with a willing NPC to produce a legendary summon action without spending AP.  Contracting a legendary summon in this way requires a crafting token.

 

Spell Library:  Lexiel can keep any number of actions memorized at a time, irrespective of her action slots.  However, all her actions can only be levelled up through crafting tokens (3 per upgrade), and they all have cooldowns equal to their mana cost or champion cost, whichever they have (though spells with champion costs can only be cast once per encounter anyway).  Equipment is exempt from this perk’s effects and doesn’t need a mana cost; however, Lexiel only gets three action slots to put them in.

 

Unstable Balance (Flaw):  Lexiel’s nature is a delicate balance between darkness and light, order and chaos, past and future.  She’s also recovering from a long-term infection/infestation by Phyrexian oil, Reaper nanites, and an acute case of PTSD.  Corruptive attacks deal 50% more damage to her compromised defenses, and any status they inflict lasts 50% longer than usual.

Lexiel's Actions:

Spoiler

 

The Doomfist (Equipment):  The legendary left-handed gauntlet of the mighty Doomfist, said to be able to level skyscrapers with a single punch.

-Level 1:  A mighty punch to the face deals 1d6 + strength damage and banishes the target for 1 round.  Banished targets can neither affect nor be affected by anything but themselves.  4 round cooldown.

-Level 2 (AP):  The damage is increased to 2d6 + strength.

 

Overwatch-Issue Body Armor:  This tough, sky blue armor is light and bullet resistant.

-Level 1:  As long as Lexiel has more HP left than half her MHP, reduce damage received by 5%.

-Level 2:  The damage reduction while over the HP threshold is increased to 10%.

 

Recall Nobunaga (Champion 3, red, white, and blue):  Lexiel calls in an old friend from her adventures with the Trespassers squad, former Archer-class servant Oda Nobunaga, to annihilate supernatural threats with her potent attacks.  Contracted during the Fate plot.

 

Recall Feather (Champion 6, red and white):  Lexiel calls in her old friend and mentor, former Boros guildmistress Piera’kor vas Vinrenn D’rav, to show the enemy why they should have respected the law.

 

Decree of Justice (4 mana, white):  Lexiel summons a small army of barely-autonomous units inspired by Overwatch operators or Boros angels to the battlefield.  Summons X Soldier Tokens, or X/3 Angel Tokens.  X is the number of mana bonds Lexiel has.

 

Furyborn Zealot (3 mana, red):  Lexiel summons an incoherently furious Protoss zealot to assault her enemies.

-Level 2:  Increases Zealot damage die size to d6s.

 

Soul Warden (1 mana, white):  Lexiel summons a Boros cleric to help heal her allies.

 

Wall of Denial (3 mana, blue and white):  Lexiel creates a tough, warded wall to protect her allies.

 

Chronostutter (6 mana, blue):  Lexiel disrupts the flow of time around target enemy, afflicting them with the status condition Time Warp.  Time Warp lasts until cleansed, or the encounter ends, and it must be cleansed twice before it is removed.  The actions of Time Warped characters have a 1 round travel time between when they are used and when they take effect.

 

Render Silent (3 mana, blue and white):  Lexiel chooses target enemy.  Should that enemy use a magical action before her next turn, that action is countered and negated.  Then, that enemy is rendered unable to use magic until the end of their next turn.  This spell does not go on cooldown unless it counters an action.

 

Dragonshift (3 mana, blue and red):  Lexiel polymorphs target non-dragon ally or summon into a dragon for 1 round.  Dragons can fly, have MHP equal to Lexiel’s MHP, and get +Lexiel’s synergy to their damage dealt.  The dragon’s full MHP replaces the beneficiary’s current and maximum HP while this effect is active, but when it ends the beneficiary is returned to their former state.  Dragons retain access to all their non-gear actions, but cannot use gear while a dragon.  Lexiel can cast this spell for 7 mana to have it hit each eligible target.  This spell cannot self-target.  Affected allies look like they would if they had been born a dragon rather than whatever they currently are.

-Level 2:  The duration is increased to 2 rounds.

 

Lightning Helix (2 mana, red and white):  Lexiel fires a bizarre lightning bolt that deals [synergy] damage to target enemy and heals target ally for [synergy] HP.

-Level 2:  The damage and healing are increased to 1d4 + synergy.

 

Mana Potion:  This single use consumable will boost Lexiel's mana bond supply for 1 encounter.

 

Lexiel's Summons:

Spoiler

 

Oda Nobunaga, Champion of Progress

Legendary Creature – Human Avatar

MHP = Lexiel’s MHP

Basic Attack with saber and guns deals [level/2]d4 + intelligence damage.

Tenka Fubu – Innovation:  Nobunaga deals 3d4 bonus damage to enemies who can cast at least 3 spells, and 3d4 bonus damage to enemies with divine powers or heritage.  These bonuses can stack with each other.

Magic Resistance B:  Hostile supernatural actions used on Nobunaga get +1 rounds of casting time.

Three Thousand Worlds:  Nobunaga fires a volley of bullets that deal [intelligence] damage to a number of different enemy targets less than or equal to Lexiel’s [level/2].  The damage dealt after Tenka Fubu applies is doubled against enemies using a mount or vehicle.  Tenka Fubu applies separately to each enemy hit.  4 round cooldown.

Economic Incentives:  If Nobunaga was healed or buffed by somebody last round, she can use use Economic Incentives on one of her benefactors as a free action.  The target gets +intelligence to their damage and healing caused this round.

Demon King of the Sixth Heaven (Ultimate):  “Return to ash, relics of stagnation!  It cannot be helped!”  Nobunaga deploys her Reality Marble and bathes the battlefield in the purifying flames that purged Japan’s stagnant, superstitious past.  At the end of each of Nobunaga’s turns, she deals 1d4 + synergy damage to each enemy.  Tenka Fubu applies separately to each enemy hit.  This action costs 1 mana bond for each round it has been active, paid at the start of each of Lexiel’s turns.  It can only be used once per encounter.

 

Feather, Gateless Archangel

Legendary Creature – Angel Soldier

MHP = Lexiel’s MHP

Basic Attack with flaming mace deals [level/3]d6 + synergy damage.

Double Strike:  Feather can choose to take two actions in a turn, but one of them can only be a basic attack.

Haste:  Feather can attack during the turn she was summoned.

Search Warrant:  Feather reveals the names of all actions, perks, and gear possessed by target enemy.  Then, for each name revealed target ally is healed HP equal to Lexiel’s level.  The healing can self-target.

Restore the Peace:  Everyone, ally or enemy, who dealt damage this round is banished for 1 round.  Banished beings are cleansed of all temporary effects, and immune to anything that would affect things other than themselves and whatever they are carrying.  Cannot be cast during consecutive rounds.  Banished summons are instantly killed, as their existence is a temporary effect.

Right to Remain Silent:  Target enemy cannot use actions this round.  This does not prevent the use of gear.

Inspiring Glory:  All allies gain a +[level/3]d6 bonus to damage dealt for 1 round.  4 round cooldown.

Arrest (Ultimate):  “Come with me to the station.  We’ve got some questions for you.”  Feather detains target enemy, banishing them and herself for up to 3 rounds (unlike Lexiel’s other banish effects, this does not kill summons instantly).  This effect pauses all durations and cooldowns on the affected beings.  She can choose to end the banishment sooner if she wants to.  Upon returning, Feather reveals all possible details about the targeted enemy’s capabilities, current HP, resource meter values, buffs, status conditions, and debuffs.  Then, the targeted enemy is stunned for 1 round.  This ultimate costs 5 mana bonds to use.

 

Soldier Token:  Soldier tokens have 1 HP, and a basic attack that deals 1d6 + level damage.

 

Angel Token:  Angel tokens HP equal to 2x Lexiel’s constitution, and a basic attack that deals [level/3]d8 + synergy damage.  Their light armor reduces all damage received by 10%.

 

Protoss Zealot:  The zealot has HP equal to Lexiel’s constitution, and a basic attack that deals [mana bonds]d6 + synergy damage.  He is so angry that he is incapable of blocking, and if his current victim dies will assault the enemy closest to Lexiel in the initiative order on his next turn.

 

Soul Warden:  The soul warden has HP equal to Lexiel’s constitution and a basic attack that does damage equal to her level.  Whenever someone enters the encounter (a summon, reinforcements for either side, etc), the soul warden heals all allies and allied summons HP equal to Lexiel’s level.

 

Wall of Denial:  The wall has HP equal to ½ Lexiel’s MHP, and cannot attack.  It is completely impervious to damage and status, except from weapon-based attacks.  Natural weapons count as weapons.  It is made of pure magic, and thus cannot bleed or be poisoned.

 

 

[Noir]

Kino (71/97)

Enma (55/67)

 

Enma attacks the Gashadokuro,  dealing 1d6 + INT(9) damage to it, and marking it with Entente of Malice, which will empower Kino's next attack dealt to it.

Kino attacks the same Gashadokuro with Burial Rites, dealing 2d6 + INT (9) + INT/2 (4) +2 damage to it, and restoring Kino and Enma's health by SYN/2, respectively, triggering Entente of Malice. If Kino's target dies during the turn after being damaged by this ability, Kino restores health equal to the damage this attack dealt to them.

 

Stats: 

Strength: 0
Dexterity: 0
Intelligence: 9
Constitution: 12
Synergy: 9

Cooldown/Ability usage:

Relevant combat perks: 


Remnant: Kills on an enemy by any source, one per turn, restore Kino and Enma's health by SYN (9) and reduce Kino's cooldowns by one. 
Shepherdess: Kino gains bonus damage per summon active with Enma providing a larger bonus. (Current bonus: 2) 
Unholy Covenant: Healing dealt to Kino and her summons by foreign sources only have 20% of their original value. 
Vial of Holy Water: Kino and Enma gain a permanent health bonus per the number of times Remnant was triggered in an encounter. (Current bonus: 7)  

  

Voices of Resentment can be recast after two turns. 

Cycle of Rebirth and Death: Deaths of allied summons restore Kino's health by SYN/2.

[Chevaleresse]

Storm Sign the Red and Green Imps for 1d4+14+16 damage.

 

Level: 5 (7 effective)
HP: 65
Init: 14
Stats: 7/30+7

 

 

 

 

• Constitution: 5

Dexterity: 14 Intelligence: 2 Strength: 2 Synergy: 14

 

 

 

Perks:

Memories of Power: Mitsurugi's form and spirit remember being much more powerful than she is currently. Her effective level is 1.3x her actual level (rounded up.)

Lightning Speed: Mitsurugi has lived a long life of fighting duels with both danmaku and blades; she's gotten pretty quick over it. Grants +1 DEX per level. 

Building Calamity: Mitsurugi adds 30% of the damage she dealt last round to each attack this round. Damage is only considered for a maximum of two targets (damaging more will not build up additional damage.)

 

Actions

Earth and Fire Sign "Eruption": Blasts danmaku at a target in a manner reminiscent of a volcanic eruption, dealing an attack with the equipped weapon that bypasses damage resistance. 2 turn cooldown.

Storm Sign "Furious Tempest": A spell card that emulates a hurricane with thrown ofuda and blindingly quick slashes at every foe in the area. Deals DEX+1d4 damage to all enemies within 5 initiative of a chosen target, 2 turn cooldown.
-Level 1: DEX to all enemies, 2 turn cooldown.
-Level 2: Adds 1d4 to damage, but increases cooldown by 1.
-Level 3: Decreases cooldown by 1. 

Magic Blade (Passive): An attack by a god make in seriousness operates on both the physical and spiritual levels. When Mitsurugi makes an attack using an equipped weapon, she inflicts her synergy in damage to the primary target (does not apply to SYN weapons.) 
-Level 1: Adds 1/4 SYN damage to attacks.
-Level 2: Increases damage bonus by 1/4 SYN.
-Level 3: Increases damage bonus by a further 1/4 SYN.
-Level 4: Increases damage by 1/4 SYN. This action can no longer recieve levels that increase damage based on SYN.

Shukuchi: A rapid dashing strike that moves quickly enough that the user fades from sight. The user attacks with their equipped weapon twice, on a 2 turn cooldown. 
-Level 1: User attacks twice, 5 turn cooldown.
-Level 2: 4 turn cooldown.
-Level 3: 3 turn cooldown.
-Level 4: 2 turn cooldown. 

A Sword from a Dead World: An excellently-made but fairly simple katana. It has a few enchantments placed on it, and to those perceptive magically, it feels simultaneously alive and not. 
-Base: Deals 1d4+DEX damage.
-Level 2: Increases damage to 2d4.
-Level 3: Increases damage to 3d4. 
-Level 4: Increases damage to 4d4. 
-Level 5: Daisho: Can be used as a sidearm to a complimentary weapon, increasing that weapon's damage by two dice, no larger than d8s.

Robes of the Disaster God: A colorful set of robes that represent Mitsurugi's position as a god of natural disasters. They seem normal enough, but have an odd resistance to them when felt.
-Base: Grants a 5% chance to resist ailments applied to the holder.
-Level 2: 10% chance. 
-Level 3: 15% chance. 

Blade of the Phantom Moon: An exquisite katana made of silvery-grey metal that appears almost translucent in the right light, the very edge glows shifting from pale yellow/white to a soft teal.
Deals 3d6+[Dex] Light damage to one target, Weight of 4.
Level 2 - Cursed!: This weapon allows the user to interact with ghosts or spirits as if they were corporeal even if they couldn't normally, this effect works both ways.  They also take/deal 20% more damage from/to ghosts and spirits.
Level 3 - Phase: Once per combat the user may choose to make an attack with this weapon deal Pure damage.
Level 4 - Force of Nature: Attacks made directly with this weapon are not subject to miss or failure chance, proxy actions do not benefit from this effect.

[StormLord]

Spicy HG uses Flame Bind on Kino adding 48 fire damage to her next attack.

 

Spoiler

Effects:

.EXE Gauge: 24/32(3/4 levels)

15% Physical damage resistance.

Fire damage immunity.

100% Cold damage weakness.

 

Stats:

Constitution: 8

Dexterity: 0

Intelligence: 0

Strength: 10

Synergy: 12

 

Equipment/Tricks:

 

Vorpal Glaive: An incredibly sharp blade of polished steel, engraved with the Jabberwocky poem, and mounted on a haft nearly six feet in length and made of Ash, sanded and stained.

Deals 2d10+[Str] damage, reduce user’s Init by 8-[Str].

Level 2 - Vorpal: Defensive effects cannot reduce damage dealt below 25%.

 

Trapezohedron: A shiny black bangle made of polygons and math.

+12% Physical(non-magic/energy) damage resistance, reduce Init by 8-[Str](minimum 0).

Level 2 - Fundamental Origins: +3%.

Level 3 - Move Memory: Increase user’s Init by 3.

Level 4 - Action Memory: Further increases user’s Init by 3.(15% DR, +6 Init)

 

Actions:

 

Defend: "Guard" use your weapon and movement skills to avoid 50% damage.

 

Rush Technique: Ravage your enemy with a flurry of blows.

Total: 4d4+4 attacks for [LVL] damage each, each attack ignores the first 3 points of damage reduction.

Level 1: Attack 1d4 times for [LVL] damage each.

Level 2: +1d4 attacks.

Level 3: Each attack now ignores 3 points of damage reduction.

Level 4: +1d4 attacks.

Level 5: +1 attack for each die rolled.

Level 6: +1d4 attacks.

 

Sealing Slash: Cloak your weapon in binding energy and attack an enemy.  Make a weapon attack against one enemy at 75% damage that disables all of their non-item actions for 2 turns, cooldown=2.

 

Coupling Attack(perk)(1lvl): Choose one ally, 50% chance to gain a lily rank with that ally(no more than one rank per ally per combat), then you both make a weapon or zero cooldown attacks against the same enemy and each add 1d4 damage to your attack for each lily rank you share, takes an extra turn to use, doesn't require a slot, cooldown=3.

Level 2: Removes charge turn.

 

.EX Megadaptor(2lvls): “I’ll make that brain of yours a little smarter, and that body a little stronger.” Increase [Stat of choice] of one target by your [Syn] for 3 turns, boosting the same stat multiple times doesn’t stack, cooldown=2.

Level 2: -1 Cooldown.

CPU Form: Now also causes the target to gain half as much flat DR.

 

.EXE Flame Bind(-1lvl): Cloak your weapon in captive flame boosting its effectiveness.  Add [Syn] fire damage to the next attack of four targets, yourself or allies, choosing the same target multiple times stacks this effect, cooldown=2.

CPU Form: Attacks buffed in this fashion cannot miss or be dodged, buff must be applied after transformation.

 

.EXE Conflagration(-2lvls): Raw power and fury flow through your veins boiling your blood and turning almost everything around you(even dust in the air) into a possible incendiary. Inflicts all enemies with a burn effect that deals 3d6+[Syn] damage each round for three rounds.

CPU Form: Damage becomes Holy/Fire and when enemies die they transfer their remaining DoT to another random enemy.

 

Transform!(-2lvls): After generating enough energy to kickstart a short cutscene her divine form Spicy HG transforms into the CPU Blood Heart, gaining all the benefits there in, this action doesn’t require a slot.

 

[Yours Truly]

Mot quickly brakes his bike as he tries his best to not plow straight into the tree line.

Mot is stunned for this round due to his flaw.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Theme

Spoiler

 

 

After a good while of high speed driving, Mot does some quick readjusting, barely avoiding several fatal crashes, either from hitting some rubble, or nearly falling off the cliffside.

 

Mitsurugi calls forth another surge of lightning, the land rumbling with power as bolts of electricity strike at the Red and Green Imps for 31 damage each, the Red Imp becoming badly singed, while the Green Imp flat out vaporizes, leaving another flurry of petals.

 

Spicy cloaks Kino’s weapon in flames, adding 48 (impressive) fire damage to his next attack.

 

As Ako pulls out yet another divine slip, a flurry of sakura petals flies around Mitsurugi, restoring her strength by 13 HP. At the same time, orange beads around Ako’s neck begin to float in the air, rapidly expanding and lashing out at the Red Imp, somehow cleaving the demon in half with 30 damage.

 

Sorina will be able to take two actions next turn.

 

Lexiel, with her Warden having survived a turn of everyone else dying, summons four more soldiers into the field, healing everyone by 20 HP (except for Kino and Enma, who only heal by 4). The soldiers quickly move into position, protecting Spicy, Mitsu, Mot, and Ako.

 

Kino and Enma take advantage of the Gashadokuro’s current situation, that being frozen by Spicy’s action lock, the spirit striking the demon, dealing a rather noticeable 12 damage to the now vulnerable core. Kino, however, quickly comes in and follows up, the flame covered weapon and marked target combining the damage for a grand total of 68 damage to the core.

 

Suddenly, as Kino strikes at the Gashadokuro’s core, a burst of flame pushes her back, (7 vs 15) just as the core shoots out, clipping her in the side for 20 damage as it attempts to fly right into Spicy. However, just before it can hit, the Soldier summoned by Lexiel jumps in the way, taking the hit so the core flies off its path, crashing into the ground and leaving a smouldering pit as it sits there.

 

The Gashadokuro takes 21 damage.

 

Turn Order

Spoiler

Michael Mot: 21
Mitsurugi: 14
Spicy HG: 11
Ako: 7
Sorina: 6
Lexiel: 1
Kino: 0
Gashadokuro: 0

Status

Spoiler

Lexiel: 62/90 Wounded
    Soul Warden: 12/12, Healthy

Spicy HG: 69/70 Wounded
    Soldier Token: 1/1 HP

Michael Mot: 75/85 Wounded
Wall of Denial: 45/45 Wall
Soldier Token: 1/1 HP

Mitsurugi: 33/65 Wounded, Divine
    Soldier Token: 1/1 HP

Sorina: 52/72 Wounded

Kino: 55/90 Missing a portion of themself, spooky
   Enma: 60/60 Nearly dead again, even spookier

Ako: 60/80 Wounded, 2 Ink Pots
    Soldier Token: 1/1 HP

 

 

 

Green Imp 1: Vaporized
Green Imp 2: Dissolved
Green Imp 3: Dissolved
Green Imp 4: Executed

 

Dead Fish 1: Vaporized
Dead Fish 2: Exorcised. 

 

Red Imp 1: Cleaved

 

Yellow Imp: Headshot

 

Gashadokuro: Skill Sealed, 10% less damage.
Rib Cage: Shattered
Core: In a ditch
Swords: Destroyed

 

[Chevaleresse]

Eruption on the Gashadokuro's core. 19 bonus damage from perk.

 

Level: 5 (7 effective)
HP: 65
Init: 14
Stats:

• Constitution: 5
• Dexterity: 14
• Intelligence: 2
• Strength: 2
• Synergy: 14

Perks:

Memories of Power: Mitsurugi's form and spirit remember being much more powerful than she is currently. Her effective level is 1.3x her actual level (rounded up.)

Lightning Speed: Mitsurugi has lived a long life of fighting duels with both danmaku and blades; she's gotten pretty quick over it. Grants +1 DEX per level. 

Building Calamity: Mitsurugi adds 30% of the damage she dealt last round to each attack this round. Damage is only considered for a maximum of two targets (damaging more will not build up additional damage.)


Actions

Earth and Fire Sign "Eruption": Blasts danmaku at a target in a manner reminiscent of a volcanic eruption, dealing an attack with the equipped weapon that bypasses damage resistance. 2 turn cooldown.

Storm Sign "Furious Tempest": A spell card that emulates a hurricane with thrown ofuda and blindingly quick slashes at every foe in the area. Deals DEX+1d4 damage to all enemies within 5 initiative of a chosen target, 2 turn cooldown.
-Level 1: DEX to all enemies, 2 turn cooldown.
-Level 2: Adds 1d4 to damage, but increases cooldown by 1.
-Level 3: Decreases cooldown by 1. 

Magic Blade (Passive): An attack by a god make in seriousness operates on both the physical and spiritual levels. When Mitsurugi makes an attack using an equipped weapon, she inflicts her synergy in damage to the primary target (does not apply to SYN weapons.) 
-Level 1: Adds 1/4 SYN damage to attacks.
-Level 2: Increases damage bonus by 1/4 SYN.
-Level 3: Increases damage bonus by a further 1/4 SYN.
-Level 4: Increases damage by 1/4 SYN. This action can no longer recieve levels that increase damage based on SYN.

Shukuchi: A rapid dashing strike that moves quickly enough that the user fades from sight. The user attacks with their equipped weapon twice, on a 2 turn cooldown. 
-Level 1: User attacks twice, 5 turn cooldown.
-Level 2: 4 turn cooldown.
-Level 3: 3 turn cooldown.
-Level 4: 2 turn cooldown. 

A Sword from a Dead World: An excellently-made but fairly simple katana. It has a few enchantments placed on it, and to those perceptive magically, it feels simultaneously alive and not. 
-Base: Deals 1d4+DEX damage.
-Level 2: Increases damage to 2d4.
-Level 3: Increases damage to 3d4. 
-Level 4: Increases damage to 4d4. 
-Level 5: Daisho: Can be used as a sidearm to a complimentary weapon, increasing that weapon's damage by two dice, no larger than d8s.

Robes of the Disaster God: A colorful set of robes that represent Mitsurugi's position as a god of natural disasters. They seem normal enough, but have an odd resistance to them when felt.
-Base: Grants a 5% chance to resist ailments applied to the holder.
-Level 2: 10% chance. 
-Level 3: 15% chance. 

Blade of the Phantom Moon: An exquisite katana made of silvery-grey metal that appears almost translucent in the right light, the very edge glows shifting from pale yellow/white to a soft teal.
Deals 3d6+[Dex] Light damage to one target, Weight of 4.
Level 2 - Cursed!: This weapon allows the user to interact with ghosts or spirits as if they were corporeal even if they couldn't normally, this effect works both ways.  They also take/deal 20% more damage from/to ghosts and spirits.
Level 3 - Phase: Once per combat the user may choose to make an attack with this weapon deal Pure damage.
Level 4 - Force of Nature: Attacks made directly with this weapon are not subject to miss or failure chance, proxy actions do not benefit from this effect.

[Irbsandcheese]

Sorina pulls the MiniShark back out and unloads two clips into the Gashadokuro's Core, dealing 5d4+[Str]12+[Int/2] 6 +20% damage when using firearms, twice. She takes another bite of the regenerated Mom's toenail and deals another 1d4 + 12 damage with the giant foot to the Core.

 

Spoiler

Stats:

Strength: 12

Dexterity: 0

Intelligence: 12

Constitution: 6

Synergy: 0

 

Jill of All Trades: 

Allies deal an additional 10% damage with guns.

 

Frost Relic:

If an enemy died this round, when the user is hit by an enemy, that enemy takes [Str] damage. This effect can only activate 2 times per round.

 

Timekeeper’s Secret:

When the user is reduced to below 25% HP they gain an extra action with first strike at the start of the next round, usable once per encounter.

 If the user is brought to 0 HP from above 25% HP while Timekeeper’s Secret has yet to activate they retain 1 HP.

 

Tough Times:

Reduce incoming physical damage by 18%, Increases Init by 6

 

[StormLord]

Spicy HG uses Flame Bind on Sorina adding 48 fire damage to her next attack.

 

 

Spoiler

Effects:

.EXE Gauge: 16/32(2/4 levels)

15% Physical damage resistance.

Fire damage immunity.

100% Cold damage weakness.

 

Stats:

Constitution: 8

Dexterity: 0

Intelligence: 0

Strength: 10

Synergy: 12

 

Equipment/Tricks:

 

Vorpal Glaive: An incredibly sharp blade of polished steel, engraved with the Jabberwocky poem, and mounted on a haft nearly six feet in length and made of Ash, sanded and stained.

Deals 2d10+[Str] damage, reduce user’s Init by 8-[Str].

Level 2 - Vorpal: Defensive effects cannot reduce damage dealt below 25%.

 

Trapezohedron: A shiny black bangle made of polygons and math.

+12% Physical(non-magic/energy) damage resistance, reduce Init by 8-[Str](minimum 0).

Level 2 - Fundamental Origins: +3%.

Level 3 - Move Memory: Increase user’s Init by 3.

Level 4 - Action Memory: Further increases user’s Init by 3.(15% DR, +6 Init)

 

Actions:

 

Defend: "Guard" use your weapon and movement skills to avoid 50% damage.

 

Rush Technique: Ravage your enemy with a flurry of blows.

Total: 4d4+4 attacks for [LVL] damage each, each attack ignores the first 3 points of damage reduction.

Level 1: Attack 1d4 times for [LVL] damage each.

Level 2: +1d4 attacks.

Level 3: Each attack now ignores 3 points of damage reduction.

Level 4: +1d4 attacks.

Level 5: +1 attack for each die rolled.

Level 6: +1d4 attacks.

 

Sealing Slash: Cloak your weapon in binding energy and attack an enemy.  Make a weapon attack against one enemy at 75% damage that disables all of their non-item actions for 2 turns, cooldown=2.

 

Coupling Attack(perk)(1lvl): Choose one ally, 50% chance to gain a lily rank with that ally(no more than one rank per ally per combat), then you both make a weapon or zero cooldown attacks against the same enemy and each add 1d4 damage to your attack for each lily rank you share, takes an extra turn to use, doesn't require a slot, cooldown=3.

Level 2: Removes charge turn.

 

.EX Megadaptor(2lvls): “I’ll make that brain of yours a little smarter, and that body a little stronger.” Increase [Stat of choice] of one target by your [Syn] for 3 turns, boosting the same stat multiple times doesn’t stack, cooldown=2.

Level 2: -1 Cooldown.

CPU Form: Now also causes the target to gain half as much flat DR.

 

.EXE Flame Bind(-1lvl): Cloak your weapon in captive flame boosting its effectiveness.  Add [Syn] fire damage to the next attack of four targets, yourself or allies, choosing the same target multiple times stacks this effect, cooldown=2.

CPU Form: Attacks buffed in this fashion cannot miss or be dodged, buff must be applied after transformation.

 

.EXE Conflagration(-2lvls): Raw power and fury flow through your veins boiling your blood and turning almost everything around you(even dust in the air) into a possible incendiary. Inflicts all enemies with a burn effect that deals 3d6+[Syn] damage each round for three rounds.

CPU Form: Damage becomes Holy/Fire and when enemies die they transfer their remaining DoT to another random enemy.

 

Transform!(-2lvls): After generating enough energy to kickstart a short cutscene her divine form Spicy HG transforms into the CPU Blood Heart, gaining all the benefits there in, this action doesn’t require a slot.

 

[Noir]

 

Kino (55/97)

Enma (60/67)

 

Enma attacks the Gashadokuro,  dealing 1d6 + INT(9) damage to it, and marking it with Entente of Malice, which will empower Kino's next attack dealt to it.

Kino attacks the same Gashadokuro with Burial Rites, dealing 2d6 + INT (9) + INT/2 (4) +2 damage to it, and restoring Kino and Enma's health by SYN/2, respectively, triggering Entente of Malice. If Kino's target dies during the turn after being damaged by this ability, Kino restores health equal to the damage this attack dealt to them.

 

Stats: 

Strength: 0
Dexterity: 0
Intelligence: 9
Constitution: 12
Synergy: 9

Cooldown/Ability usage:

Relevant combat perks: 


Remnant: Kills on an enemy by any source, one per turn, restore Kino and Enma's health by SYN (9) and reduce Kino's cooldowns by one. 
Shepherdess: Kino gains bonus damage per summon active with Enma providing a larger bonus. (Current bonus: 2) 
Unholy Covenant: Healing dealt to Kino and her summons by foreign sources only have 20% of their original value. 
Vial of Holy Water: Kino and Enma gain a permanent health bonus per the number of times Remnant was triggered in an encounter. (Current bonus: 5)  

  

Voices of Resentment can be recast after a turn. 

Cycle of Rebirth and Death: Deaths of allied summons restore Kino's health by SYN/2.

[DragonRage]

Lexiel summons her Furyborn Zealot, and orders him to attack the Gashadokuro.  The Protoss warrior stands still, twitching with RAGE at the thought of not having the Haste keyword.  Which he does not have, preventing him from attacking.  He'll at least trigger a heal if the Soul Warden is still alive.

Spoiler

Lexiel's Perks:

Power of the Land:  Whenever Lexiel begins a round, she gains a mana bond, even if she is prevented from acting.  Lexiel’s actions all have a mana cost, and cannot be used unless she has at least that many mana bonds.  However, the more mana required to use them, the stronger they are, and some have effects that scale with the number of bonds she has.  Mana bonds are not retained between encounters.

 

Adept Summoner:  Lexiel can summon creatures using raw aether and stored patterns.  These creatures will have a basic attack, and the ability to body-block actions for allies.  When they are summoned, Lexiel orders them to attack target enemy or block for target ally, and they will do so until she changes her orders using the perk-backed action ‘master warcraft’ or they die.  Some creatures have extra abilities, which can be used without altering their orders.  Lexiel’s creatures can block for her.  Blocking creatures counterattack with their basic attack while taking damage.  Summons’ action effects are determined by Lexiel’s stats and mana bonds.  Lexiel’s summons can’t attack on the turn they are summoned; if given an attack order, they start attacking on her next turn.  Creature summons are spells.  Lexiel’s summons share her initiative.

 

Strike Captain:  Some of Lexiel’s summons are more than just aether and imagination.  They are unique.  They are heroes.  They are legends.  Legendary creatures are not easy to summon.  Each one has a Champion cost, which is the number of lesser creatures that must be sacrificed to call them.  And each one can only be summoned once per encounter.  However, legendary creatures have good stats, powerful abilities, and autonomy.  They can act as they choose or by Lexiel’s orders without relying on ‘master warcraft’.  Legendary creatures can have special ‘ultimate’ abilities, which can only be used if Lexiel sacrifices mana bonds to fuel them.  Once per plot, Lexiel can create a contract with a willing NPC to produce a legendary summon action without spending AP.  Contracting a legendary summon in this way requires a crafting token.

 

Spell Library:  Lexiel can keep any number of actions memorized at a time, irrespective of her action slots.  However, all her actions can only be levelled up through crafting tokens (3 per upgrade), and they all have cooldowns equal to their mana cost or champion cost, whichever they have (though spells with champion costs can only be cast once per encounter anyway).  Equipment is exempt from this perk’s effects and doesn’t need a mana cost; however, Lexiel only gets three action slots to put them in.

 

Unstable Balance (Flaw):  Lexiel’s nature is a delicate balance between darkness and light, order and chaos, past and future.  She’s also recovering from a long-term infection/infestation by Phyrexian oil, Reaper nanites, and an acute case of PTSD.  Corruptive attacks deal 50% more damage to her compromised defenses, and any status they inflict lasts 50% longer than usual.

 

Lexiel's Actions:

The Doomfist (Equipment):  The legendary left-handed gauntlet of the mighty Doomfist, said to be able to level skyscrapers with a single punch.

-Level 1:  A mighty punch to the face deals 1d6 + strength damage and banishes the target for 1 round.  Banished targets can neither affect nor be affected by anything but themselves.  4 round cooldown.

-Level 2 (AP):  The damage is increased to 2d6 + strength.

 

Overwatch-Issue Body Armor:  This tough, sky blue armor is light and bullet resistant.

-Level 1:  As long as Lexiel has more HP left than half her MHP, reduce damage received by 5%.

-Level 2:  The damage reduction while over the HP threshold is increased to 10%.

 

Recall Nobunaga (Champion 3, red, white, and blue):  Lexiel calls in an old friend from her adventures with the Trespassers squad, former Archer-class servant Oda Nobunaga, to annihilate supernatural threats with her potent attacks.  Contracted during the Fate plot.

 

Recall Feather (Champion 6, red and white):  Lexiel calls in her old friend and mentor, former Boros guildmistress Piera’kor vas Vinrenn D’rav, to show the enemy why they should have respected the law.

 

Decree of Justice (4 mana, white):  Lexiel summons a small army of barely-autonomous units inspired by Overwatch operators or Boros angels to the battlefield.  Summons X Soldier Tokens, or X/3 Angel Tokens.  X is the number of mana bonds Lexiel has.

 

Furyborn Zealot (3 mana, red):  Lexiel summons an incoherently furious Protoss zealot to assault her enemies.

-Level 2:  Increases Zealot damage die size to d6s.

 

Soul Warden (1 mana, white):  Lexiel summons a Boros cleric to help heal her allies.

 

Wall of Denial (3 mana, blue and white):  Lexiel creates a tough, warded wall to protect her allies.

 

Chronostutter (6 mana, blue):  Lexiel disrupts the flow of time around target enemy, afflicting them with the status condition Time Warp.  Time Warp lasts until cleansed, or the encounter ends, and it must be cleansed twice before it is removed.  The actions of Time Warped characters have a 1 round travel time between when they are used and when they take effect.

 

Render Silent (3 mana, blue and white):  Lexiel chooses target enemy.  Should that enemy use a magical action before her next turn, that action is countered and negated.  Then, that enemy is rendered unable to use magic until the end of their next turn.  This spell does not go on cooldown unless it counters an action.

 

Dragonshift (3 mana, blue and red):  Lexiel polymorphs target non-dragon ally or summon into a dragon for 1 round.  Dragons can fly, have MHP equal to Lexiel’s MHP, and get +Lexiel’s synergy to their damage dealt.  The dragon’s full MHP replaces the beneficiary’s current and maximum HP while this effect is active, but when it ends the beneficiary is returned to their former state.  Dragons retain access to all their non-gear actions, but cannot use gear while a dragon.  Lexiel can cast this spell for 7 mana to have it hit each eligible target.  This spell cannot self-target.  Affected allies look like they would if they had been born a dragon rather than whatever they currently are.

-Level 2:  The duration is increased to 2 rounds.

 

Lightning Helix (2 mana, red and white):  Lexiel fires a bizarre lightning bolt that deals [synergy] damage to target enemy and heals target ally for [synergy] HP.

-Level 2:  The damage and healing are increased to 1d4 + synergy.

 

Mana Potion:  This single use consumable will boost Lexiel's mana bond supply for 1 encounter.

 

Lexiel's Summons:

Oda Nobunaga, Champion of Progress

Legendary Creature – Human Avatar

MHP = Lexiel’s MHP

Basic Attack with saber and guns deals [level/2]d4 + intelligence damage.

Tenka Fubu – Innovation:  Nobunaga deals 3d4 bonus damage to enemies who can cast at least 3 spells, and 3d4 bonus damage to enemies with divine powers or heritage.  These bonuses can stack with each other.

Magic Resistance B:  Hostile supernatural actions used on Nobunaga get +1 rounds of casting time.

Three Thousand Worlds:  Nobunaga fires a volley of bullets that deal [intelligence] damage to a number of different enemy targets less than or equal to Lexiel’s [level/2].  The damage dealt after Tenka Fubu applies is doubled against enemies using a mount or vehicle.  Tenka Fubu applies separately to each enemy hit.  4 round cooldown.

Economic Incentives:  If Nobunaga was healed or buffed by somebody last round, she can use use Economic Incentives on one of her benefactors as a free action.  The target gets +intelligence to their damage and healing caused this round.

Demon King of the Sixth Heaven (Ultimate):  “Return to ash, relics of stagnation!  It cannot be helped!”  Nobunaga deploys her Reality Marble and bathes the battlefield in the purifying flames that purged Japan’s stagnant, superstitious past.  At the end of each of Nobunaga’s turns, she deals 1d4 + synergy damage to each enemy.  Tenka Fubu applies separately to each enemy hit.  This action costs 1 mana bond for each round it has been active, paid at the start of each of Lexiel’s turns.  It can only be used once per encounter.

 

Feather, Gateless Archangel

Legendary Creature – Angel Soldier

MHP = Lexiel’s MHP

Basic Attack with flaming mace deals [level/3]d6 + synergy damage.

Double Strike:  Feather can choose to take two actions in a turn, but one of them can only be a basic attack.

Haste:  Feather can attack during the turn she was summoned.

Search Warrant:  Feather reveals the names of all actions, perks, and gear possessed by target enemy.  Then, for each name revealed target ally is healed HP equal to Lexiel’s level.  The healing can self-target.

Restore the Peace:  Everyone, ally or enemy, who dealt damage this round is banished for 1 round.  Banished beings are cleansed of all temporary effects, and immune to anything that would affect things other than themselves and whatever they are carrying.  Cannot be cast during consecutive rounds.  Banished summons are instantly killed, as their existence is a temporary effect.

Right to Remain Silent:  Target enemy cannot use actions this round.  This does not prevent the use of gear.

Inspiring Glory:  All allies gain a +[level/3]d6 bonus to damage dealt for 1 round.  4 round cooldown.

Arrest (Ultimate):  “Come with me to the station.  We’ve got some questions for you.”  Feather detains target enemy, banishing them and herself for up to 3 rounds (unlike Lexiel’s other banish effects, this does not kill summons instantly).  This effect pauses all durations and cooldowns on the affected beings.  She can choose to end the banishment sooner if she wants to.  Upon returning, Feather reveals all possible details about the targeted enemy’s capabilities, current HP, resource meter values, buffs, status conditions, and debuffs.  Then, the targeted enemy is stunned for 1 round.  This ultimate costs 5 mana bonds to use.

 

Soldier Token:  Soldier tokens have 1 HP, and a basic attack that deals 1d6 + level damage.

 

Angel Token:  Angel tokens HP equal to 2x Lexiel’s constitution, and a basic attack that deals [level/3]d8 + synergy damage.  Their light armor reduces all damage received by 10%.

 

Protoss Zealot:  The zealot has HP equal to Lexiel’s constitution, and a basic attack that deals [mana bonds]d6 + synergy damage.  He is so angry that he is incapable of blocking, and if his current victim dies will assault the enemy closest to Lexiel in the initiative order on his next turn.

 

Soul Warden:  The soul warden has HP equal to Lexiel’s constitution and a basic attack that does damage equal to her level.  Whenever someone enters the encounter (a summon, reinforcements for either side, etc), the soul warden heals all allies and allied summons HP equal to Lexiel’s level.

 

Wall of Denial:  The wall has HP equal to ½ Lexiel’s MHP, and cannot attack.  It is completely impervious to damage and status, except from weapon-based attacks.  Natural weapons count as weapons.  It is made of pure magic, and thus cannot bleed or be poisoned.

 

[Yours Truly]

Mot uses Ten Men dead on the Gashakudoro's core, dealing a modest (5d10+12+21)+20% damage to it.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Battle

Spoiler

 

Mot, after barely avoiding numerous crashes, takes aim at the newly exposed core, firing a bullet that leaves a significant crack in it, dealing 71 damage and causing several flames to burst out of the core in response.

 

Mitsurugi then follows up with an explosion of danmaku, dealing another 65 damage. This time, the core merely seems to bounce rather roughly from the explosion.

 

Spicy, feeling like it’s time to start ending it, enchants Sorina’s minishark with fire, creating a terrifying shark minigun with a burning maw, adding 48 fire damage to her next attack.

 

Ako, meanwhile, expends another Ink Pot in order to heal Mitsurugi by another 17, all while throwing yet another slip of paper at the core, a brief flash of light appearing before the core is zapped by a strange blue lightning, dealing 25 damage. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to do much else.

 

Finally, Sorina takes aim with her minishark, firing her first shot, a stream of projectiles wreathed in flames, at the core, dealing 37 damage with the first volley. The fire damage added from Spicy’s buff, however, doesn’t do much to the flaming core, but still managed to add on another 10 damage. Regardless, Sorina continued to fire, putting out another 26 damage to the core, before taking another very questionable bite out of a toenail that can regenerate, causing a giant foot to slam down onto the core, dealing 15 more damage. Several more cracks start to form in it, but it remains together… Somewhat.

 

Lexiel quickly summons yet another soldier to her cause, this time a zealot that seemed even angrier than the Gashadokuro, especially for the fact that it could actually hit the thing right now. Regardless, Soul Warden healing everyone for 5 HP, again.

 

And then, Enma and Kino begin their final assault on the core, the first hit to it being from Enma, cursing the demon with malice (and 14 damage), before Kino blasts the core with her followup, dealing 27 damage. A single extra crack appears in the core.

 

 

…

 

 

Right before it finally shattered, just as the Gashadokuro managed to break free of Spicy’s seal, having been preparing to slam its fists down. But, it would never come, as when the core finally shattered, the great skeleton just… Stopped, the burning lights in its eyes flickering out.

 

And then, without any personal sound, the demon simply began to fall to the ground, gravity pulling it back and into the ocean as sakura petals fluttered around it, quickly vaporizing the demon before it could do anymore damage.

 

Shortly after the Gashadokuro vanished, another flurry of petals converged next to the cliff, leaving a glowing sphere of red light, merely left floating there, and an old, impaled sword in the ground, resembling that which the demon had used.
 

 

 

Rewards!

Spoiler

10 (Useable) Shards of a Gashadokuro’s core
Essence of a Gashadokuro
Mask of a Red Imp
8 Demon claws.
10 Thousand Yen

 

Bone Glaive (Weapon): A large sword that appeared after the slaying of a Gashadokuro, appearing as a relatively normal, if extremely old, blade, yet carries a hint of malice born by the collective weapons of thousands of restless soldier spirits.

-Level 3: Deals 3d6+Str damage. In addition, every consecutive turn this weapon is used to attack adds 5% more damage to the strike, but also deals 5% MHP recoil damage each time. 

 

 

Ako

 

With the battle finally complete, Ako let out a sigh of relief, before turning to the destruction caused by the demon’s appearance, “Egh… That’s gonna take a bit to clean up…” she muttered as she rubbed the back of her head, flipping the rest of the prayer slips that she had not used into her sleeves once more while the beads around her neck shrunk back to their normal size. She used a bit too much of her ink during that fight, so it would be a bit before she could start using her brush once again.

 

Which sucked, since she'd rather clean up the mess right now.

[Yours Truly]

After performing a short stunt to shoot out the first proper crack on the giant skeleton with a complicated name that he can't be bothered to pronounce properly's core, Mot decided to get out of dodge, revving up his motorcycle's engines to help him evade the brunt of the next blow...that never came. He did a quick brake and leaned against the nearest pristine tree as he watched the giant skeleton disappear into a rush of petals, simply taking in the sight for a while. "Well that's one down already and we just got here, at this rate we'll be done before the week is!."

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi slowly sheathed her weapon, the blade sliding back in with a slight click. She turned to face the shrine as Ako spoke. "That is unfortunate indeed." The goddess assessed it for a moment. Rebuilding wasn't exactly her strong suit - in fact it was very nearly diametrically opposed to what she represented - but she could perhaps help in her own way. She gestured to the side, and a blank slip of paper appeared in her hand. "Let me do what little I can." She focused on the paper. It had been some time since she'd given out a blessing, but the air was good, and perhaps being in a land whose gods were still beloved would ease her path. Mitsurugi pulled at herself, trying to push a small fragment of her own power into the slip, to create a ward that could dispel storms from the place until the shrine could be made to weather them.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Ako

 

With Mitsurugi’s comment, Ako nodded, “Yeah… I can probably patch it up in a day. I just need a bit more… Well, materials I guess. I’m not sure how many of you guys know of the Celestial Brushes… Except for you, Lady Mitsuru- Er, Great Kami” she replied, quickly fixing her own mistake. She wasn’t entirely sure how Mitsurugi wanted to be referred to as, so, she just went with the best response. Though, even she went silent when the goddess began to offer her divine protection to the destruction to the shrine, even if it mostly remained on the outskirts. It wasn't proper for a mere shrine maiden to interrupt such a thing.

 

Mitsurugi

 

Though it had been a while since she had done a full blessing of protection, the amount of latent divine energy in the air was enough to get the effect going, her symbol beginning to carve itself into the slip of paper, along with a sliver of her power starting to come out into it. Overall, it was actually going pretty smoothly.

Spoiler

 

At least, until it wasn’t.

 

Spoiler

 

 

As her blessing began to take effect, marked by her power fusing with the paper, Mitsu’s vision seemed to… Glitch. One second, she was in front of the shrine, then she was in the same place at a different time, a shrine still in place, but old and practically deserted.

 

It didn’t take long for Mitsurugi to feel the change in the air as well. A dark wind blowing through black, colorless trees dotting a rampaging sea. Nothing of life was moving, the grass was dulled, the air was stagnant. The very gods were dead. Everything seemed to sap at her strength, threatening to overwhelm her if she let her guard down for a second.

 

Then the cliff side shook. No, moved, lifted itself from the side, revealing the scaly hide of an impossibly large black neck, coiling back, its passage causing the trees to rustle despite the relative slowness. And eventually, Mitsurugi came face to face with the end of the neck… An armored head, still shrouded in darkness, and two glowing red eyes. Quickly after the head finally faced the goddess, the land shook again as several more heads began to coil around the mountains and cliff, a first, then a second, then four, then eight. Eight heads in total, all staring at Mitsurugi in silence. But only for a few moments, before they all reared back, and roared in unison.

 

Instantly, the roar struck Mitsurugi to the core. It was the roar of a being that was practically the levels of a god, but instead of potential good, it was a being of only evil, all encompassed with its single unisoned roar. Stagnation, imprisonment, decay, destruction, pain, eternal darkness, and somehow, through the inhuman roar, a single statement made with calm certainty.

 

“O’Goddess of Disaster, speak the words, “I wish darkness upon the world”. Utter the prayer with thine heart, awakening thy destiny of dark heritage, and bind our new blood pact!”

 

 

Then, without any warning, everything snapped. The prayer slip in Mitsu’s hands practically exploded, paper quickly dissolving into nothing, while a lightning bolt came straight out of a clear sky, hitting the shrine directly in the center. While it didn’t seem that harmful at first, that quickly changed when the shrine began collapsing in on itself, revealing that the bolt had pierced through the entire foundation kicking up a cloud of dust as it was destroyed.

 

Ako

 

As soon as the prayer slip exploded, Ako practically jumped out of her skin, likely shouting a curse if she wasn’t a shrine maiden, before having to spin around to see a lightning bolt hitting the shrine.

After a few moments of shock, Ako began to sag, her expression becoming one of annoyance and dread, “Gods… That’s going to take a year to rebuild…” she grumbled, rubbing the side of her head. She didn’t blame Mitsu- The Great Kami, not at all.

 

Just her own bad luck. Probably Amaterasu getting revenge for all her sleeping, instead of working.
 

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi was deathly silent for a moment, standing as if frozen in the position she'd been in when the bolt struck. Ako, though, was close enough to see that the goddess trembling slightly. "Have. . . Have I truly fallen this far?" she whispered to the air, voice quavering. "Is this what I am?" Yamata no Orochi, appearing before her in a vision. Roaring at her, challenging her with. . . an alliance. The power she so craved to taste once more, power she had only grasped for fleeting and painful moments in her long life. To bring ruin and disaster to the world that had discarded her like a broken tool, or at least one that would inevitably do so again given time. "Is this what I always was?" A tear slid down her cheek. She had denied it for so long, even as she felt that dark power creeping into her bones, binding her core together even through the most faithless of times. Monster. Demon. Youkai. Saigai Mitsurugi, the bringer of storms and harbinger of ruination. Perhaps it was foolish to think she could be anything else.

 

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

[StormLord]

As the Gashadokuro fell Spicy HG gave a victory cheer.  She put away her weapon and began walking over to remains.

"Well that went great all things considered!  If all the other fights are like this we won't have any trouble chasing these demons out of the land."

Spicy HG reached down and grabbed up a couple of the core shards and held them up to the light.

"I wonder how well these would do as etching?  I should really add another verse to my gla-"

It was at about the moment she said that that a blast of lightning rocked the shrine and caused it cave in.  Spicy HG silently returned to the group and slowly approached Mitsurugi.

"Are. . . Are you alright?  This doesn't seem like something you'd do on purpose. . ."

[Chevaleresse]

"I. . . I don't know." Her arm slowly fell to her side. She certainly did not feel all right, and she could not say for certain if she truly hadn't meant to do that. "I saw him," she said after a long moment of silence. "Yamata no Orochi." Did she dare tell them what the creature had offered her? She glanced aside at Spicy. The woman had been willing enough to share her own struggles with her darker side. Mitsurugi pitched her voice even lower, words nearly inaudible. "He offered me an alliance. A blood pact." She would not say the worst part. 

[StormLord]

Spicy HG gave some pause while considering what Mitsurugi just said.  The destruction of her home realm had been harsh on Mitsurugi in a multitude of ways beyond just losing everything she had once known, so it made some sense that the demon would try to prey on her desire to return to full power, but even the fact that it bothered to make one of them an offer spoke to the threat they must pose.

Seeming to have come to a conclusion Spicy HG gives a slow understanding nod and replies almost as softly as she had been spoken too.

"It isn't worth it, borrowed power.  Trust me there.  It's trying to divide us, which means it's at least concerned about our progress.  A good sign."

She felt like she could do better, but hoped it was enough.  Having to fight a friend in a time like this would be devastating.  Though she did feel like she needed to mention the Shrine and maybe try to lighten the mood.

"Don't worry about the Shrine.  The best of us make mistakes, the more mistakes you make the more you learn.  Did I ever tell you about the time I got in a fight with a midget wielding a four ton sledge hammer?  I learned not to get in fights with midgets from that mistake."

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi shook her head. She didn't understand. The goddess appreciated Spicy's help, but she didn't understand. It might have been Orochi's power twisting her own, but for the exact opposite of her intentions to happen, and in such a focused and destructive fashion. . . what did it say about her nature? "I am an avatar of the powers ascribed to me first and foremost. I do not 'make mistakes,' not with this. And yet. . ." Could she truthfully say she didn't mean it? "I do not know what this means." That, at least, was not entirely a lie. "You have a point, however. Yamata no Orochi must fear our intervention."

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Ako

 

As expected, the mention of the name Orochi caused a sinister breeze to travel through the air, yet despite that and Ako's previous warnings, nothing seemed to happen, likely because of the nature of the two women who were saying his name.

 

"The Demon.. Tried to make an alliance with you?" Ako whispered as she turned away from the collapsed shrine and to Mitsurugi, almost breathless as she heard the goddess spoke, "I...  Of course he would. He always tries to spin complicated situations in his favor. Why he'd try to target a mortal enemy is beyond me though" she continued, before shaking her head, "She's right though, in not worrying about the shrine. It'll take me a while to fix, for sure, but the important parts don't seem too damaged, see?" with that, Ako gestured to the shrine, which had begun to crumble a bit further as the charred remains failed to support their own weight... But at the same time, it revealed one thing. The statue of the wolf, shining brightly among the destroyed ruins around it, untouched by the heat produced by the strike of lightning.

 

After pointing that out, Ako lowered her arm, but not before flipping out the cursed travel slip she had shown earlier, "Regardless, we have made progress against the Demon, because, if I'm right-" she began, aiming the slip at the floating essence left by the Gashadokuro, which caused the symbols on the slip to begin to glow, "Yep. That was one of the demons strengthening the seal. I guess it had left Kamui to try and take me out, since I had been trying to get into the Moon Cave for a while now. It definitely got more than it bargained for, that's for sure" she stated with a small grin, before flipping her slip back into her sleeve, "That just leaves three more. Only two if I can actually break the seal myself."

[StormLord]

Spicy HG's jovial tone faded and she took on a look of contemplative thought.  She stood there for several awkward moments before releasing a held breath, looking directly at Mitsurugi, and saying simply.

"You think you're becoming something you don't like.  So, change again."

She paused for just long enough to give a fleeting gesture to the crumbling shrine.

"We're already helping people, inspire a few shrines along the way.  Become Saigai Mitsurugi Vanguard of Otherworldly Calamities, Nature's own breath and will against disasters from beyond.  Become anything you want.  It could take a thousand years or more, but what's stopping you?"

[Chevaleresse]

Mitsurugi remained silent as Ako spoke. She had a potential answer, but not one that was comforting to either Ako or herself. "A great deal can happen among mortals over a thousand years - and it is their thoughts on what I ought to be, not mine, which determines how I may change. All I can do is influence them to the best of my ability." Her voice sounded incredibly weary as she spoke, though she regained some vigor as she returned her attention to the shrine maiden and the situation at hand. "Perhaps I can make an impression in this place by defeating these youkai. First, though, we should find Susano'o. This world may be different from mine, but it cannot be a coincidence that one bearing that name is here."

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Ako

 

"Right. As I said before, Susano is should still be at Kamiki. We'd have to go through Taka Pass in order to get there, which is close to the Sparrow Inn, and of course there's the Moon Cave as well, if you want to check it out for yourselves" Ako replied, trying to gloss over the first part of what Mitsurugi had said, about her changing based on how people viewed her. The concept of which wasn't unknown to her, she was a Shrine Maiden after all, but considering she had never actually heard of of a Kami like Mitsurugi... Well, it didn't bode well. Granted, she said she was from another world, so things may be different.

 

It was all a bit confusing still, but that was the nature of the divine, above what mortals could fully comprehend.

 

"I have everything I need for the journey though, all I really need to do is put up a bit of an illusion to keep people from realizing that the shrine is a bit... Not all that up to shape" she continued, pulling out a brush and, after dipping it in one of her ink pots, which seemed to seep into said brush far too quickly, made several strokes in the air. As with most of the divine actions in this world, a flurry of wind and sakura petals flowed into the area, focusing around the broken shrine and bell. For the bell, the broken fragments were covered in black ink, floating into the air and swiftly converging back into where the bell had stood strong before the Gashadokuro attacked. After a second, the ink dissipated, leaving behing the ancient bell, standing as if nothing had happened.

 

As for the shrine, it was far less spectacular. Namely, the burned wood fragments merely faded away, with the rest of the shrine just... Appearing, good as new. However, as the wind began to die down, it made sure to close the shrine wall's gates, barring entry from the "good as new" shrine.

 

"And there. That should keep me covered for a few days."