Okey maybe I should wait till the appropriate vote begins, but I want to think which Personas we should bring.
First, Urvashi since her Jewel of Union is tailored against the mental effects, something now more important to keep track off because of Yuuki. Urvashi is also resistant to Charm, so that's good too. I don't know what to think about The Spurning honestly.
Second, OBERON is very possibly going to hit like a truck (oh look at that, a theme reference) so I think we should grab Magnum Opus mostly for his Linked Life Stone ability. Its a party heal that can be used twice with the amount of doses it has. I say it because I don't remmember the heal capability of the party that doesn't include Gwen throwing heal potions. (Also, Mjolnir should be in the informational tab of Gwen, right? I believe she is able to have it in her inventory to throw it so shouldn't that be an attack? Or is included in the Toss Junk?)
Third... Maybe Alice? She nulls Bless and Madness and I believe OBERON can use Bless so it may work, although she is pretty weak against direct hits. At the very least it could use her attacks to attract the attention from the Jewel.
And Fourth I'm not sure, maybe Putana? She just became our first Persona with an S rank in something, albeit is in Physical. Or maybe Undine since she is somewhat well rounded and with a ton of abilities.
Or Magdalene since she also nulls bless and can use Hama to try and disconnect OBERON if it is even possible.
Hm...Urvashi and Magnum Opus are pratically shoe-ins. Urvashi counters Oberon's main gimmick and, as we fight as a team, Opus is gonna be valuable to keep everyone stable.
Now for options...I say we go Alice and Nephren-Ka.
I know that Nephren-Ka is a risky option that has lots that can go wrong, as we are aware Sugou manipulates stress in some way. But! I aim to go for a thematic reason. The Enhance Armament. A power that reveals all weaknesses to our eyes...something that dispels all illusions. Sounds familiar? It's exactly what we are doing here. Dispelling the illusion of ALFHEIM, and revealing who OBERON truly is. Not a king, not even a king of thieves: but a fool that knows nothing about his place in the world.
Alternatively, I would suggest Mithras or Undine as our final slot. Mithras has some good buffs and Garu, while Undine focus in debuffing and Ice and Wind attacks. And she also has a Enhance Armament that may come in clutch against some of the brainwashed players.
It may just work, but it depends. It mentions weaknesses but I don't know if it will work the way you say, but it could. Either way knowing his weakness is actually something very good to know either way.
Another thing is that it has been highlighted that OBERON is not rational. I can easily see him seeing himself as invulnerable especially with that shield skill of his, trying to show his superiority, and taunting us, letting us get a free shot at him. Though that belief may be reinforced by the SEED actually giving him invulnerability, Megido will be able to shatter that, and then introducing doubt into his beliefs.
Another thing is that it has been highlighted that OBERON is not rational. I can easily see him seeing himself as invulnerable especially with that shield skill of his, trying to show his superiority, and taunting us, letting us get a free shot at him. Though that belief may be reinforced by the SEED actually giving him invulnerability, Megido will be able to shatter that, and then introducing doubt into his beliefs.
For Nephren-Ka the big thing to me as a fan of the old Persona games is that it's most likely not just a Persona and by using it we're going to be summoning Nyarlathotep himself pretending to be one like what happened with Kandori and Joker and while things went very badly for them (especially Kandori) Nyarly been surprisingly on the level with us throughout our contract and I think using Nephren-Ka might get us some insight about what's going on with him.
Alright, another thing came to my head about Nephren-Ka, and it also relates to the conditions of Ragnarok.
In many stories, the very last thing that happens before the end is Surtr dousing the world in flames with the Sword of Frey, which destroys everything before the renewal of the land. It just happens that Nephren-Ka also knows Maragi...which is not the strongest Fire spell, but this can be fixed if we blind everyone with his Release Recollection to further this image.
[X] Yes, you believe in her.
[X] Yes, I will not let her be harmed.
[X] Let punishment be done, through HEAVENS fall.
tysdagr - 20th of Harpa Ragnarök
You draw your blades and stare up at the nightless sky. All around you the realm itself is tearing at the seams. Fire and ice erupt in torrents across the landscape, and the distant roars of phantom beasts fill the air.
From within your pocket of silence, the surface of the ice palace rapidly fills with your allies. The Lord of Frost shouts his orders and like a sleeping giant the «Naglfar» awakens.
From below a stream of pure ice blasts forth from the Ice Palace, propelling the titanic vessel forward, and with the rumble of a thousand drums the palace itself cracks in two. What was a diamond splits through the middle, chunks of ice cast off from its body falling to the land below. In a final burst of snow, the castle you were standing on has completed its transformation into its true form.
"Woah..." Gwen says in awe. "This is fucking neat...!"
The palace's hull, once an icy white, melts away to reveal thick logs layered over metal plating. From the bow and the stern, two large sails of pure snow unfurl and catch not wind, but a manifested aurora that blankets the ship. With a groan of a glacier finally collapsing into the sea, the Viking ship known as the Naglfar sails forth into the clouds.
The time has finally come.
Did you get the message? Whatever you prefer to call yourself, the SEED, «Raphael» or simply Alfheim Online, you see what is happening? After all, this is what you wanted. This is the future you desire, the one you yearned for.
First was the war you started! A ceaseless battle between nine stupid factions, all slaughtering each other for your amusement. You set the damn stage, all we had to do was cut them loose!
Then came the song. It was always gonna be a song of death and subjugation, we just shouted it loud enough so that it couldn't be ignored!
The world of ice, oh so conveniently shoved under the rug. Hrym, the lord of the Frost Giants? Change one damn letter and think we don't notice?
Thor? In the palace of the giants, trapped, weak, locked in a form he couldn't even defend himself in? You hoped that eyesore would die like a chump.
We penetrated your very core, planting in you the keys to bring down the very skies!
We did everything and more! We gave you your war, your winter, your poison, and even your fucking sky! We gave you Ragnarok!
So why don't you get off your as and commit!? The world is ending! Get with the program!
Your eyes lock skyward. The point of no return has been crossed. The ship has sailed.
At the helm the King of Giants laughs through the onslaught of hail and sleet, his thousand-strong crew of monstrosities shouting their warcry into the empty skies.
"HAHAHAHAHA! THE TIME FOR REGICIDE HAS ARRIVED, OBERON! I WILL MOUNT YOUR SKULL ON MY SHIP!"
BLOOD AND ICE!
BLOOD AND ICE!
BLOOD AND ICE!
"BROTHERS! LET US GO VIKING!"
«Naglfar» accelerates, the land underneath you growing smaller and smaller, until the mountains and forests of Alfheim are no more than a distant blur on the horizon. The tree seems to stretch on to infinity, as if time and space itself are bending to deny you entry. Another security measure? The consequence of no longer having a keycard?
No. The SEED just hasn't yet recognized your intrusion.
A dragon bellows, first a sharp chirp like that of a bird, but soon deeper, harsher until it is the roar of a world-devouring serpent. Your army bellows a warcry, their voices driving the ship ever higher into the unending skies.
You look to see your allies, to your army, to your blades. You weren't going to stop now. You stare at the retreating treetops and present your blade skyward.
"LET PUNISHMENT BE DONE, THROUGH HEAVENS FALL!"
PUNISH THE HEAVENS!
PUNISH THE HEAVENS!
PUNISH THE HEAVENS!
The sky shatters and the infinite distance folds. Your surroundings, the Naglfar, and even your own body are distorted. Your vision is obscured by an overwhelming light, and then covered in darkness. But through it all, you can see but one thing. It fills up your vision, like a lone star in the nightless sky.
A blue system notice box.
Notice.
Conditions have been met for the hidden quest «Ragnarok».
«Ragnarok» [ACCEPT]/[REJECT]?
Description: So begins catastrophe. The end of days, the fall of the gods. The dead shall outnumber the living, and all creation shall be consumed in ice and flame. The door to the «World Tree» lies ajar, and the path is open! Brave fairies! Noble Einherjar! The world calls for your aid in its time of peril! The «Fangs of Fenris» have arrived! Protect the world! And slay the beasts of Ragnarok!
Quest Clear Conditions: Save Alfheim Online.
Quest Clear Rewards: 10,000 Skill Exp, 5,000,000 Urd, and a legendary item.
Quest Failure: Alfhiem Online's End of Service.
The ship parts the clouds and erupts into the treetops, crashing through branches and scattering leaves as it rams its way through. The Frost Giants bellow and holler as giant anchors of ice blast off from the bow of the ship and slam into the «World Tree».
Past the clouds light has returned to the «World Tree». Silence has given away to wreaths of flame and sheets of ice. Fresh stormclouds have gathered, shining a brilliant red, and the very heavens seem to burn.
You stand at the edge of «Naglfar», bracing your blade against the deck as the ship smashes into the edge of the tree, carving a trough through the bark. The screams of the Frost Giants intensify as bridges of ice unfurl from the ship like thorns growing from stalks.
"Well, that's new," Gwen remarks. "A more drab than the last time I was here..."
The palace of OBERON itself is overcast, and all the majesty and beauty you once witnessed is gone, replaced with frozen dirt. There's the scream of 100 fairies running away in terror at the sudden rush of hideous monsters. The enemy was not expecting an attack, especially not from outside the main gates...
"Hold on, Lux! Wait!" Shiroe grabs your shoulder before you take to the skies, while all around you the army disembarks from the Naglfar, spreading across the «World Tree» like locusts. "Lord Thrym! A moment as well!"
"DELAYS!? NOW!?"
Shiroe takes a deep breath. "You all received the notice?"
The adrenaline still flows, and there is a need to just get this over with. But this was Shiroe, he wouldn't stop you without a good reason. "Yes. You as well?"
"It's not just us. That was coded as a system announcement..." He frowns, "That means it's the same message that's being broadcast across the entire game. The system is playing ball and giving us an apocalypse..." Hah, bet it wants all the trash to get a slice of the pie!
"If the door is open, so to speak, that means all the safeguards and enemies the devs threw into the «Grand Quest» just got disabled," Shiroe points out. "There's nothing but a long climb stopping them from reaching us. We need to send a team to delay them."
So you need to spare the manpower.
"Send the Frost Giants," you say after a moment of thinking. "At least there's a built-in chokepoint, we could have «Thrym» serve as a replacement final boss." You doubt he would have much success against OBERON itself.
"HOW PRESUMPTUOUS!" The giant's shout nearly sends you flying into the air, "YOU INTEND TO DENY ME A SLICE OF THE FEAST!?"
"No, I believe I am sending you: the commander of the largest army, to stop a frontal assault!"
"BAH, THE FAIRIES ARE—"
"GET OUT OF THE DAMN WAY!" That's all the warning Cayna manages to shout before a blinding, searing beam of white-hot light blasts its way past you, missing your head by a meter. Instantly the temperature of the «World Tree» skyrockets, and the frost giants all around you scramble for cover.
"Oh, for the love of—" Shiroe curses.
With a crash of shattering crystal, the beam slams into the starboard side of the ship. The «Naglfar» lurches, the ship's anchors straining to keep it secured to the side of the tree. It creaks and groans under the pressure of the blast, and you wince as a hundred soldiers scream their death throes, bodies falling to the surface of ALO like hail.
So, even OBERON can lose his patience. You had hoped he would stay in his castle, allowing you to demolish his realm piece by piece, but it seems the lord of ALO is tired of staying on the sidelines.
"Lady Gwendolyn! It has been, far, far too long, my sweet. I was wondering when you'd come home." It's sweet, melodic, and calls from above you. No... it's not just above you. It's from all around, like the sky itself was speaking. It's the same voice you heard that month ago, in the meeting room between Meimi and Sugou. Not the humble and polite businessman. But the soul behind him.
You cannot look away. You cannot blink.
OBERON descends on wings of white, surrounded by a holy glow. All around him like angels flanking a god, nearly a hundred Alfs, the victims of OBERON's brainwashing, follow his descent in a spiral with himself at the center. We supposed to be impressed with your synchronized swimming routine!?
They giggle, point, and laugh at Frost Giants scrambling for cover. The closest ones to OBERON caress his body, and all the while OBERON simply smiles his sickening smile.
"After all this time, where did you run off to? You didn't get lost did you, Lady Gwendolyn? But what has happened to your propriety? To associate yourself with these... savages. Shameful."
You hear a whimper, and looking to the side, see Gwen's hands shaking. She's staring directly at OBERON, her expression filled with hate, and a hint of...
"Ah, I see you've kept your raiment intact. It looks positively radiant on you. Oh, how I've missed you, Gwendolyn."
You see her leer down at Gwen's clothes, the pink half-kimono fused with a garter and miniskirt. The absurd anachronistic uniform Gwen chose to please OBERON.
He extends a hand, his fingers beckoning Gwen forward. A ball of shadow gathers at the tip of his hand, and you immediately recognize it for what it is. The rest of the costume. A mass of delusion that Gwen wore like a second skin, the idealized body that OBERON constructed for her to suit his tastes, the one that was meant to wear Gwen's clothes in the first place.
"Come here, my sweet."
"Gwen..."
You try to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she's already moving forward.
"All that time..." She says, taking a deep breath. "All I could do was think about you..."
Gwen walks forward, her hands shaking and her breath short. It's only her pride keeping her upright.
"It was so lonely..." She whispers. "Locked up in that cage, trapped in that hell where I couldn't even die..."
OBERON laughs, and the crowd of naked fairies joins in. "It was terrible, wasn't it, Gwendolyn? Thrown from one hell to the other, locked in a prison to starve, to suffer. Your beauty— unable to express itself in that horrid state. But who was it that saved you? Who broke you out of the cage, who beckoned you back into the light!?"
She nods, her head hanging low.
"OBERON... it was..."
"I've missed you. Come back to my arms. We shall be together once again my, sweet, sweet Gwendolyn." OBERON slowly descends, both hands outstretched in welcome. You can't sense a hint of untruth in his actions, whether by delusion or sheer stubborn will, OBERON seems to genuinely believe that Gwen would come back to him.
...You won't interfere. This was Gwen's fight too. Kick his ass.
And then, after what seems like an eternity, Gwen raises her head and smiles.
"It was my friend who saved me from the cage you THREW ME BACK INTO!"
In the blink of an eye, her hand darts into her robe, and you feel a wave of magic erupt from the girl. With the flash of lightning, a golden streak of power flies through the air and smashes into OBERON with a thunderous clap.
"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO FUCKED WITH MY HEAD! YOU DIPSHIT INCEL!"
OBERON recoils in shock, the hammer striking him directly in the chest. He coughs, the wind knocked out of his sails, utterly shocked that he was even attacked. His followers gasp and cry in confusion and dismay; then they immediately turn on Gwen, swarming towards her, screaming and hissing.
"BRING IT ON! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOUR ASSES!"
She roars and the hammer reverses course, the metal shaft smashing into the faces and bodies of the fairies surrounding OBERON, a whirlwind of force and violence before flying back to her hand.
"You... you DARE!?" OBERON rights himself in midair, the peaceful smile he once possessed replaced instantly as fury takes over completely. "I have given you every courtesy! Even when you invade my home like unwashed barbarians, you still refuse my mercy!? THEN YOU SHALL REAP MY WRATH AND ALL WILL KNOW WHO IS LORD OVER THIS WORLD!!"
"Something's coming!" Shiroe shouts, unnecessarily, considering the giant golden light radiating from OBERON's outstretched hands.
"Thus I declare as the god of this world! OBEY THE LAW OF OBERON! KNEEL!"
System Call: Increase Simulated Gravity to Scale 10.0x. MapID 0000WTl1.
And then everything all at once stops.
«Thrym», knocked into his own ship, buckles and collapses to the ground halfway after climbing out of the wreckage. His crew of giants fruitlessly scatter for cover only for the force of gravity to crash them back into the ground. Cayna and Yuuki, last ones off the ship, can barely stand upright, and their weapons fall out of their hands. Dorz'l chirps in anger, but finds itself unable to even lift a single wing in defiance. Even the giggling fairies are locked to the ground, several of them slamming into the ground with enough force to break wings.
"W-what the hell, I feel so heavy..." Yuuki mutters.
"T... there's no skill that can do this!" Cayna screams, struggling even to vocalize her observation.
You feel your own body, normally lighter than a feather, being pulled and stretched by a force that's growing greater by the second. Your neck creaks and cracks, straining to lift itself up. Throughout it all, there's only other person still standing, unaffected by the gravity. He's next to you, looking down at you with a look of appraisal.
"OBERON..." you spit out.
"Hmm... do I know you from somewhere? It seems I cannot recall. No matter." He lifts your chin, examining you like a package at a grocery store. "My, my, now that I've taken a closer look at your face... you are quite lovely. But you would look all the sweeter on your knees."
OBERON flicks his wrist, and you're crushed once more by the invisible hand of gravity, your legs smashing into the wooden ground, the breath driven from your lungs.
"They warned me. All sorts of nonsense about cheaters trying to destroy the world. Escaping the justice of my agents, insulting my good name, poking around «Jötunheimr» like moles gnawing on the roots. Ah, my employees were most concerned. Strange abilities, magical powers, all sorts of stories about what you were capable of. They asked even asked me to take care of it personally."
You gasp for breath, unable to rise, unable to defend yourself. The gravity is like an anvil, driving you further into the earth. You can scarcely move your mouth.
"What a waste of time. I don't know what you've been doing nor care to find out. The world below was your oyster, «Fangs of Fenris», and I was content to let you do whatever you liked. But this? To invade my realm, to corrupt my Gwendolyn? To touch god and offer not your body and soul?"
You can hear your group grunting with effort as they try to resist the force of gravity, but it's a near-pointless battle.
"But you failed. Because I AM OBERON. And I am god."
You look up to see the fairy king looming above, and it's not anger, but fascination on his face.
"But please, why the dour expression? This is a time for celebration! I had saved this welcome for Lady Seven, but it appears she had a prior engagement. Were you to thank for that? Regrettable," He licks his lips. "Why, I now see plenty of volunteers to take her place. Is that her sister I see there? Hmm, not a bad replacement."
He glances at all of you one by one, and you feel in your soul that he's reading something. Your player data, your fluctlight, whatever it was, he was prepping all of you for his brainwashing. "One, two... five of you... that's not a bad catch..."
Rain, leaning against her sword, growls. "Not even in your dreams, pervert!"
OBERON simply smiles and waves a dismissive hand, Rain coughing as her chest slams into the floor.
"Now, Gwendolyn, you know what comes next, yes? Let us start with your friend. She was the one that brought you back to me, so she must be rewarded."
A black shadow forms around his hand, the same one that he was about to surround her with.
"Let me make her more beautiful for you, Gwendolyn. Let her sing the praises of OBERON forevermore. I am sure she would love to be by your side, don't you think? After all, it was for her that you left in the first place, wasn't it?"
It inches forward, touching on your mind.
...
This is the world he has chosen. This is his vision of HEAVEN.
To him, love is a button on a screen, a prize to be plucked, a service to be bought. What is not of use to him has no need for existence. There is no grand reason, no logos nor a future for humanity he envisions. No, in his world, there will only be him and the chattel who shower him with love eternal.
Take responsibility. Fulfill the terms of your contract! Remind this so-called god that he was born of flesh in a world of suffering, pain, and chaos! Drag down his delusion and tear down HEAVEN!
"H... hehe..." This is a world of belief. OBERON stands atop a tower of cards, and you refuse to play along for even a moment longer. "O-OBERON doesn't exist... he's just... word on paper, a... dumb, fictional, character..."
His fist closes in anger, the ground around you splintering beneath your feet, forming cracks that spread across the surface. But you don't feel heavier, in fact, you feel lighter.
You barely manage to whisper, but it's enough.
"O-OBERON doesn't exist... y-your name... is S-sugou..."
OBERON's attention falters the moment you say that word, and the invisible force on your body dissipates. "THAT IS NOT ME! I AM OBERON, I AM YOUR GOD!"
Rain shuffles forward, dragging twin swords across the ground like iron shackles. Still she manages to speak. "M-my sister, who you tried to s-steal. She gave up everything, even her o-own future, trying to please everyone. Trying to be the best. B-because she cared, because s-she loves everyone. But y-you only l-love yourself. She was more of an adult than you were, Sugou..."
"You're just her replacement! A useless, bumbling idiot!" OBERON blathers, as Rain stands up to her full height, a faint hum filling the air as sword after sword manifests next to her.
"A-all t-that power. In ALO... in the real world... you still h-ave legs to walk with. A wonderful life to live. Yet t-you want to throw it all away," Cayna struggles, "Y-you've helped noone. You-'ve done nothing with your power. You're pathetic, Sugou, as a president, as a man, and as a human being." With that she rises to her feet, Dorz'l chirping in anger as it too takes to the air.
"YEAH! You're really stupid huh? Dreams are meant to be shared, and enjoyed with others! It's not something you hoard and impose! Can you even tell me this? When was the last time you had fun Sugou? When was the last time you enjoyed something with another person!?" Yuuki screams out, wings flaring out in anger.
"T-this is the best a veteran of the S-shigemura Labs can pull off? A ripoff of SAO and YGGDRASIL? Is that all you're good for Sugou Nobuyuki!? A king of thieves who can't even control what he's stolen!?" Shiroe yells out, holding out his staff overhead.
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"
"That's r-right..." Gwen laughs to herself, as you drape her arm across your shoulder. "E-even when I-I was being dumb, s-someone helped pick me up. B-but you're alone. I-isn't it funny? You have no friends and no game so you have to mindfuck people just to get some...hehe..."
"YOU DARE!? MERE PEASANTS! INSECTS!"
"B-big words," Gwen spits out, "For Sugou, the middle-aged loser pedophile rapist who has an anime avatar in a video game!"
OBEORN howls, the force of his scream knocking you backward, his form pulsing with energy. But for all his bravado the force holding all of you has fully lifted. That's right. Sugou wasn't a god. He was just a horrible human being with a GM console. He didn't even play his own game!
You built Ragnarok brick by brick, death by death. You toiled in his game to make this day a reality! You belong here. The myth you have cultivated fills your body. You can't fall here, not to just a simple GM trick. You have given the SEED every excuse to make your very presence here have a purpose. And though OBERON shares that power with you, Sugou does not. Sugou never fought, he never worked, he simply waved his hand and created his kingdom. You've etched your existence into ALO, struggling all the while, and Sugou simply pushes a button? That's all OBERON was. A flimsy facade that crumbles at the first challenge.
"It's his ego! Damage his ego and his power weakens!" Shiroe screams out in a moment of realization, and all of you brandish your weapons. OBERON was invincible, but Sugou was nothing. Remind him of that, remind the SEED of that reality, and remind the man that he is yet mortal.
...
OBERON descends from the sky, his teeth bared and his eyes burning with a fury the likes of which you've never seen. "My name is not SUGOU! I... I am... I am... I AM...!"
A pillar of energy shines down on your opponent, and in an instant OBERON's body saturates in light. Every errant fold and every disheveled hair is back in its proper place. The light grows stronger, and OBERON laughs, a laugh that carries across the whole battlefield.
"Yes! It's as if destiny ordained it! A challenge, worthy of the full might of OBERON!"
A hundred beams of light shoot up from the ground, and from each and every one of them, the fairies of his harem rise up in battle gear. They're wearing armor and equipment from all nine races, each with a perfect facsimile of Asuna painted upon their faces.
"I was naive. NAIVE! This is not cause for alarm, no, this is a celebration! These villains, these despicable «Fangs of Fenris», are here to destroy the very world! But we have nothing to fear! Because we have the holy knight who will cast away the darkness! The shining beacon of hope for all the world!"
A gleaming pearl-white set of armor, shining like the sun, forms over his body as the light retreats. A great white shield suddenly manifests on his arm, the size of a man. And alongside it a holy blade appears in his hands, identical in shape to your own «Excalibur», the blade a gleaming torch guarding against the apocalypse.
"I OBERON challenge you, «Fangs of Fenris», for the fate of the world! Ragnarok will never come to pass! For the hero of the light will defend the world from the dark!"
With his final word, a silver barrier explodes into being around his shield, a cone of light that stretches to encompass his entire figure. You can't tell its effect, but it doesn't take a genius to guess what it is.
"Witness the might of the heavens, evildoer! And despair because the CHOSEN is here!"
ADVENT CHOSEN
TACTICAL INFORMATION
>The Hero has arrived!
>OBERON has chosen to meet you at your landing spot, a fair distance away from his palace, where the World Seed rests.
>OBERON is immune to Instant Death effects, but will instead suffer significant psychological shock if afflicted by them.
>OBERON is not immune to Status Effects, but considering his psychology they may affect him unpredictably.
>OBERON specializes in VIT and CHT.
>OBERON Harem is an abstracted opponent. Rather than a stat block, you must commit resources or actions interfering with it. The Harem rolls 10d6 every chapter, and acts according to the number of successes it rolls.
>Asuna is on the way, but has not yet arrived.
>ALO is on the way, but has not yet arrived.
>PERSONA tab and PARTY MEMBER tabs have been upgraded!
>Summary of new abilities:
Gwen gains a 6 STR BLUNT/ELEC and a 6 STR BLUNT/FIRE attack.
Shiroe can now cast a very weak healing spell for free.
Yuuki now gains an auto-heal when she reaches half health.
Cayna worked her butt off and is now better at everything!
>You still have a disguise potion BTW!
>You still have a bunch of flashy useless weapons BTW!
VALID TARGETS: OBERON x 1
HP: ∞
SP: ∞
SUGOU x 1
HP: ??? Lux, the key to this battle is OBERON's mental state. We cannot hurt OBERON, so we must divest him of his armor. Said armor is literally his ego, so do what you can to strip him of it. Insult him, break his guard, whatever you have to do.
Just watch out for that shield. He likely specializes in counterattacks, so I suggest you don't attack him with low-power attacks unless you want to suffer a backlash. Ignoring him is also not acceptable, if you dance around him and act like he's invincible, he'll BECOME more invincible, in a positive feedback loop that builds off our fear. Attack him, but be strategic about it.
OBERON's HAREM x 100 There are too many of them, certainly not enough to deal with each individually. They seem completely subservient to OBERON, but that isn't to say OBERON directly orders them around. They obey a strange logic of their own, and their number one priority will be to protect OBERON from our attacks. We should assign members to attack and harasd them, lest they get block our attacks.
>OBERON's HAREM rolls 10d6 and ACTS according to the # of SUCCESSES
>OBERON's HAREM functions in a NAVI like role, prioritizing the support of OBERON
>Commit WAR RESOURCES to REDUCE their Dice Roll or inflict DISADVANTAGE
>OBERON's HAREM possesses the following actions
>GUARD OBERON : Dives in the way of an incoming attack judged to do damage to OBERON.
>ADMIRE OBERON : Bolster's OBERON's mental state via unconditional love. >AVENGE OBERON: Random attacks against the last individual to damage OBERON.
>ALL FOROBERON: If allowed to reach more than 4 ACTIONS in a Chapter, will unleash a devastating combo attack with OBERON on your party. This Threshold will fall as combat progresses.
ALFHEIM ONLINE x 20,000 Every player in ALO is going to be charging through the open door the SEED left wide open! Listen, the «Grand Quest» of ALO was supposed to be a group of players scaling an ever escalating series of challenges in the hollow of the tree. Even if those guards are gone, the tree itself is still a bottleneck. If there's no boss to stop the players' advance, then we can send our own forces to act like bosses and delay their advance! We're the villains of ALO, if they reach us we're going to lose!
>ALO will arrive in 2 TURNS!
>Commit WAR RESOURCES to DELAY them!
>If ALO arrives to backup OBERON, victory is still possible, but you may be forced to accept certain sacrifices.
COMBAT PLANNING
Please select your PERSONA ROSTER.
You may bring FIVE Personas to this fight. Substitutions mid combat will not be permitted.
[ ] Write-In Persona Roster
Please Assign your WAR RESOURCES! Numbers won't be revealed, but consider narrative logic. Some RESOURCES will be especially beneficial in certain roles. For EACH Resource, specify if they are assigned to the [HAREM], [DELAY], [SPECIAL] or [OBERON] teams.
Lux and Gwen are LOCKED into the [OBERON] team.
I am not statblocking Thrym or Dorz'l unless they're assigned to attack OBERON. The QM promises this: OBERON will almost always ignore them in favor of attacking you.
[SPECIAL] means you are tasking the asset with a unique write-in mission. Don't select [SPECIAL] unless you plan on doing a write-in.
[ ] «Sleeping Knights»: A well-oiled raid group specialized in PvE content. [Must be assigned to HAREM or DELAY] Cayna: They'll do just fine by themselves, but if you spare me or Yuuki they'll become much more effective. I suggest sending Yuuki.
Yuuki: Screw that! Let me at OBERON!
[ ] «Dorz'l the Chaos Drake»: A giant scary dragon that likes headpats. Shiroe: Don't overthink it. Send it after the players or attack OBERON directly!
[ ] «Thrym»: A giant frost king that seeks to conquer the world. And his giant respawning army. Shiroe: Where the king goes, the army will follow. He's our biggest combat resource simply for the fact that he has the army glued to him. I suggest sending him after the players, unless you have a better idea. If needed their ship is still here, if a bit damaged...
[ ] Rain: A leprechaun mage who can summon infinite swords. Rain: Put me wherever you need me! It's about time I repaid the favor!
[ ] Shiroe: A spriggan enchanter who specializes in tipping the scales. Shiroe: I can be of most use fighting OBERON, but feel free to place me wherever you need me. No matter where I am, I can still provide advice over Party Chat. There's also the remaining 100 players we need to logout. I suggest ignoring them since we will rescue them when OBERON is defeated, but if you think differently I'm the only person in our group who can log them out directly.
[ ] Yuuki: A spriggan fighter who specializes in dueling. Yuuki: Like, c'mon! You brought me, so shouldn't it be obvious who you need to point me at!?
[ ] Cayna: A sylph mage who's a jack of all trades. Cayna: I'm counting on you to keep Yuuki safe. That being said, I can fill in where you need me. I work best with Yuuki and the rest of the Sleeping Knights.
>ASSIGN each individual party member to a role!
(Ex: Yuuki: DELAY, Cayna: OBERON, etc)
Next turn comprises of TWO ROUNDS (ie two actions per combatant). Please SPECIFY THE ACTIONS you want any party member engaging OBERON to perform.
You may also ATTACK OBERON'S HAREM with WIDESPREAD attacks to abate their powers as well, even if you're assigned to the OBERON strike team.
You may also ATTACK OBERON's HAREM with SINGLE TARGET attacks, but this is ill-advised and unlikely to accomplish anything.
Prebuilt Plans:
[ ] Act Naturally
[OBERON]: Lux, Gwen, Yuuki, Shiroe
[DELAY]: Thrym, Dorz'l
[HAREM]: Rain, Cayna, Sleeping Knights
>Lux will deploy the anti-status shield of Urvashi, then attack. Yuuki will taunt to draw attention, then attack. Shiroe will buff Gwen. Gwen will attempt to strike OBERON continuously.
[ ] Heal/Support
[OBERON]: Lux, Gwen, Rain, Shiroe
[DELAY]: Thrym, Dorz'l
[HAREM]: Yuuki, Cayna, Sleeping Knights
>Lux will buff with Simon, then try to debuff with Urashima's Armament. Rain will use her Leprechaun magic to buff party members. Shiroe will priortize defense. Gwen will attempt to DPS what she can.
[ ] Full Assault
[OBERON]: Lux, Gwen, Yuuki, Cayna, Dorz'l
[DELAY]: Thrym
[HAREM]: Sleeping Knights
>Attempt to strike immediately, as hard as you can, as fast as you can, while only committing the barest minimum of resources elsewhere.
[ ] Full Chaos
[OBERON]: Everyone
>Ignore everyone else, strike at OBERON. When you're above to be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, turn the situation around by turning off the lights.
[ ] Direct Commands ASSIGN PARTY MEMBERS TO TEAMS AND THEN CHOOSE SKILLS FOR THE REMAINING PARTY MEMBERS
Pick TWO Skills per party member.
Designate the target of each attack.
If you pick skills from Two different Personas you assume the weakness for the scene of both Personas (this is the cost of using multiple Persona in one turn)
[ ] Write-in (1D minimum, more if trying to cram too many actions into one turn)
For write-in plans if I can justify giving ADVANTAGE I will give it. More if you try to do something very cool or narratively interesting.
Be as detailed or vague as you want.
If you just want to specify targets of attacks pick DIRECT COMMANDS then. Consider this a beefed up version of DIRECT COMMANDS. This is for Gaia attacking Floatation Rings level of nonsense.
PLEASE SUBMIT IN PLAN FORMAT.
IN SUMMARY:
1 ) Pick 5 PERSONAS to summon.
2 ) Assign your WAR RESOURCES (ie allocate party members).
3 ) Pick your TWO ACTIONS to use in the coming combat, or commit to a complex write-in. (Alternatively just pick a prebuilt plan)
Finally... for those not inclined to engage with the shitty dice system I cobbled together...
[ ] Write-in anything you want to say to OBERON. [Free]
>NOT included in the PLAN vote. This is a separate vote entirely. To reiterate the COMBAT PLAN is a single vote that must be a PLAN.
>This is a completely separate vote, about what you'll say to OBERON to try to emotionally damage him.
>Feel free to use the Disguise Potion in this part without it costing an action. You paid good MISTCOIN for that thing...
I was going to bring up the disguise potion myself if it didn't come up, but yeah, provided an opportunity arises we should try to make use of it since this is the final battle. Since we never learned about Rinko our best option is out. To attack his ego I feel like our best option is Kayaba and to just shit talk him like a disappointed parent. We can try Asuna too I guess but the real one should be arriving too. I do wonder if the fact that he turned his harem into Asuna clones means we could use it to narratively stealth for an attack - OBERON strikes me as the kind of person who wouldn't be able to differentiate the different Asunas from one another. Doing it right in front of him might negate that though. But we have Lightless Crypt. Actually I think that's a really dramatic way to use the potion regardless even with my preferred option of Kayaba.
Didn't bring it up during the last discussion because the vote seemed decided so no need to launch a discussion, but regarding Yuuki - I think she should mostly be okay as long as we're smart with our plans. I imagine us and Gwen will be his primary targets unless we do something like Taunt (which admittedly Yuuki can do) given how we've pissed him off and his fixation with Gwen plus her outfit choice (and from way back when she made that decision, she apparently gets a lot of DETERMINATION and combat bonus if she can resist OBERON's charm without assistance which pairs well with our promise regarding her.) We could be ruined if we face a crazy roll like Norn's crit roll on despair but that is what it is. I don't take the promise to mean we are locking ourselves to like taunting ourselves every turn to literally keep Yuuki from being attacked - just that we're not going to be reckless with her. If the dice hate her and us then welp - it won't make a difference to Cayna but we'll just have to carry that weight.
Persona Choices:
Nephren-Ka: The promised time has come. We know OBERON interacts with STRESS so we shouldn't go too crazy too fast but this is absolutely the time. Underdog Emiya raised the possibility we can use Maragi to perhaps further Ragnarok even more. Lightless Crypt is very versatile. And we can use Three Lobed Eye to learn his weaknesses. It works both ways but ironically I think our Despair event with Norn might give us an advantage here - Hiyori had to go through her self-reflection earlier than planned so she's closer to accepting her own failings. Also pretty sure we're told it includes things like psychological weaknesses. It's one of our best openers, I think.
Urvashi: Praise the Orb. It's what we got it for.
Magnum Opus: It's basically a free support Persona.
Undine: Still makes Excalibur better.
Alice: Almighty damage, has Marakukaja for party defense buff. Play With Me is also a (costly) combo heal and almighty damage taunt.
Considered Maneki-Neko because of its support Release Recollection, as well as Urashima Taro to see if we can tag the perma-debuff - but that's a CHT roll and we're told OBERON has a speciality in that. Same with Khodumodumo and VIT.
Party Assignments:
I think Act Naturally mostly calls this right: Put Dorz'l and Thyrm to deal with the ALO players - a high level SAO boss and a kinda-final-boss in Thyrm should deal with them. The Sleeping Knights are PvE specialists and while the harem is technically PvP, after all of OBERON's mind tampering they probably are functioning like mobs. Rain still has UBW and Cayna can supervise. Leaving Yuuki and Shiroe with us and Gwen. I admit the OBERON teams feels a bit light in manpower and wouldn't be opposed to bringing in Rain or Cayna as well instead of putting them elsewhere.
OBERON:
We've got two actions here and for Lux at least, I think I know what I want to do with them: Orb then Nephren-Ka's Analyze. I considered reversing the order but idk maybe he opens with a mass charm. However, I think these are the two best options for Lux to set the stage. Get our protection up and then do a full analyze, including psychological weaknesses. It'll inform our disguise potion use in what I presume would be the following turn, at least that's how I see it. Gwen turns on Runic Interception then goes ham with Bronze Toaster and Mjolnir. What's that? If Runic Interceptions procs both turns this leaves her with no SP? That's a problem for future us! Really though Bronze Toaster makes him weak to BLUNT if he isn't already and then Mjolnir is BLUNT. Since this is the one turn we're acting blind on weaknesses I figure it's the best call. Yuuki turns on Spell Blast then goes Flashing Penetrator Advanced Melee and Sledgehammer. Flashing Penetrator because even on a miss it grants her advantage Advanced Melee for weakness fishing and then Sledgehammer is BLUNT which will take advantage of what Gwen just did and if landed gives OBERON DISADVANTAGE on his next attack.
I always kind of felt Nothing Is Promised from Q2 would be a good HEAVEN Boss Theme for Hiyori but with ADVENT CHOSEN I'm going right to the FGO playlist lol.
You know, I was thinking of turning into Kirito and clowning on him about Asuna, but if Nephren-Ka tells us where to hit the hardest doing that is probably a better idea.
Yuuki isn't able to use Flashing Penetrator when she's in Spell Blast stance. Also I'm pretty worried about her using Flashing Penetrator on him at all since he has the Holy Sword Unique Skill.
Yuuki isn't able to use Flashing Penetrator when she's in Spell Blast stance. Also I'm pretty worried about her using Flashing Penetrator on him at all since he has the Holy Sword Unique Skill.
Switched to Advanced Melee because I have the memory of a goldfish and can't remember ability descriptions I just read. Reason being maybe we get lucky and he has a Slash/Pierce weakness. Saving the big stuff like Mother's Rosario for after the scan. As for Holy Sword, that's a fair concern. I almost wrote a small blurb addressing the use of Flashing Penetrator despite it that basically went "If ever there's a chance to see what we're dealing with it'd be Turn 1 with someone who legit might be able to dodge the counterattack idk, basically I'm willing to take it as a chance to observe how the skill works since it'll make her Turn 2 hit harder"
but you are right. i can't do that. I'd rather have Spell Blast up so switched it out.
OBERON will have more than one phase if my memory serves, they new weakness will remain between phases? Is something permanent or he will have to make a roll to shake it off?
I don't believe we did. It was a vote option in an earlier plan phase but it sounded like we'd be releasing it then, days before Ragnarok, so I don't think anyone pushed to take it. It hasn't come up since.
Releasing it right before the raid was something I talked about as something I wanted to do back when we acquired it but I don't remember it ever coming up as a thing to vote on other than that so I am assuming we did not and it was never a real option to do so, just a wish on my part.
[X] Plan: Death of the New Gods
-[X] Persona Roster
--[X] Nephren-Ka
--[X] Urvashi
--[X] Alice Lidell
--[X] Undine
--[X] Putana
-[X]War Resource Assignment
--[X]OBERON: Lux, Gwen, Yuuki, Shiroe
--[X]DELAY: Thyrm, Dorz'l
--[X]HAREM: Sleeping Knights, Cayna, Rain
-[X] Direct Commands
--[X] Lux: Jewel of Union (Urvashi) -> Three-Lobed Burning Eye (Nephren-Ka)
--[X] Gwen: Pulinpa -> Agi
--[X] Yuuki: Activate Spell Blast -> Sledgehammer -> Advanced Melee
--[X] Shiroe: Electrical Fuzz -> Astral Bind -> Augmentation (Yuuki)
I disagree with some choices about Persona selection: I think Magnum Opus, while a stellar Persona, is of limited use, considering we only have 2 uses before it's out of doses. Thus, I replaced it with Putana, as she has the highest STR of our Persona roster and can capitalize on Bronze Toaster making enemies weak to blunt with Collapse.
Also, I feel like Alcor's plan burns too much of Gwen's SP right off the bat (8->2). Thus, actions have been changed to save Bronze Toaster and Mjolnir for later.
Also, here's an idea for what to do when Nephren-Ka gives us some insight into Sugou's weaknesses at the end of round 2:
[X] Write-in: Hit him where it really hurts
-If/when Three-lobed Burning Eye tells us that Sugou's weakness stems from being rejected by a woman:
-Have Shiroe or Yuuki use the disguise potion to disguise themselves as the woman who rejected Sugou and get his attention. When Sugou inevitably falls for it, sucker punch him and say the below line:
-"Wow, you're pathetic Sugou! All this because you couldn't read the room?! No wonder you're a fucking incel!"