[X]Write-In: Sinking Into The Sea v2.0
-[X]"A God? Really? Because all I see here is a manchild trying to run away from the fact he's a loser who can't do anything but be a shitty copy of Kayaba. Alfheim? A shadow of Aincrad. ALO? Just a shitty, buggy knockoff of SAO. That get-up there with the sword and shield? Discount Kayaba. Just a coward that's been hiding in his power fantasy until we brought the literal end of the world to your door. Time to wake up, Sugou Nobuyuki. Time to receive your punishment."
I don't think accusing Sugou that people only play ALO because they're brainwashed is an effective attack which is why I never adopted it. I don't think Sugou has ever looked at ALO as much more than a setting to experiment with and perfect his memory modification to create his perfect world. That was his specialty and focus even before the falling out with Rinko and the Shigemura Lab Team. I've taken the heavy-RP nature of many ALO players to be the effect of a more subtle brainwashing that is the prototype to whatever would happen if he succeeds in making ALO a true HEAVEN.
I feel like throwing that accusation at him backfires or fizzles in a, "Yeah, that was on purpose. They should be honored they helped in achieving the perfect world" kind of way.
[X]Plan: Twilight of the Gods
[X]Write-In: Sinking Into The Sea v2.0
-[X]"A God? Really? Because all I see here is a manchild trying to run away from the fact he's a loser who can't do anything but be a shitty copy of Kayaba. Alfheim? A shadow of Aincrad. ALO? Just a shitty, buggy knockoff of SAO. That get-up there with the sword and shield? Discount Kayaba. Just a coward that's been hiding in his power fantasy until we brought the literal end of the world to your door. Time to wake up, Sugou Nobuyuki. Time to receive your punishment."
Yeah, with how SEED avatars work I do wonder how this will affect our reputation in the future no matter what route we took we were going to crash Alfheim and we took the most metal route to do it. I really wonder if Hiyori showing up in GGO will have the players treating her as the herald of the apocalypse or try to have her blacklisted.
Also I demand a scene where Sigurd reacts to Alfhiem Online's spectacular end, like seeing it on the news and just cheering while cursing at all the role-players there.
I was also thinking...
The Fangs of Fenris are made up mainly by Lux, Gwen, Shiroe, Rain, Cayna and Yuuki (not counting the rest of the Sleeping Knights and the NPCs)
6 people...
They can fit in this. In the same order in fact and it would be somewhat in character I think XD View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y30U9ir_e7Q
For combat, I'm still against taking Magnum Opus because once all of its doses are used, we'll essentially have a dead slot, whereas if we take Putana we can capitalize on Bronze Toaster making the target weak to blunt (Putana has the highest STR of all our Personas and Collapse, a blunt skill)
Edit: NVM, my plan still seems to be in the lead after counting manually. Point still stands though. Looks like auto-counting cannot be trusted until the next vote is put up.
If the Pulinpa lands, I don't know how effective the Social Fu would be, but it sure would be funny. Better than trying a vitality/strength increase at the very least.
[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)
[X]Write-In: Sinking Into The Sea v2.0
-[X]"A God? Really? Because all I see here is a manchild trying to run away from the fact he's a loser who can't do anything but be a shitty copy of Kayaba. Alfheim? A shadow of Aincrad. ALO? Just a shitty, buggy knockoff of SAO. That get-up there with the sword and shield? Discount Kayaba. Just a coward that's been hiding in his power fantasy until we brought the literal end of the world to your door. Time to wake up, Sugou Nobuyuki. Time to receive your punishment."
Random thought for later in combat: can we break out the cosmetic weapons and do something flashy with either one of our Personas or Daji to see if the SEED will help us? Worst comes to worst, Gwen can throw them.
[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)
[X]Write-In: Sinking Into The Sea v2.0
-[X]"A God? Really? Because all I see here is a manchild trying to run away from the fact he's a loser who can't do anything but be a shitty copy of Kayaba. Alfheim? A shadow of Aincrad. ALO? Just a shitty, buggy knockoff of SAO. That get-up there with the sword and shield? Discount Kayaba. Just a coward that's been hiding in his power fantasy until we brought the literal end of the world to your door. Time to wake up, Sugou Nobuyuki. Time to receive your punishment."
The roar of the crowd, the tension in the air, and the expectation of blood upon the sands. Everyone in SAO was present, and you were no exception. It was the one time you saw Heathcliff, Commander of the Knights of Blood, in his full glory. One on end, the «Black Swordsman» flailing like a rabid animal, raining blow after blow on the immovable shield of his opponent. Certain that if he left up for even a second, his opponent would cut him down in a single strike.
On the other end you had the «Holy Sword» of Heathcliff, blocking the barrage with an ease and elegance that made his opponent look like an amateur. Whenever his blade swung out it was with the precision of a scalpel, every attack a calculated move.
OBERON now reminds you of Heathcliff. What anger he once held towards you has given away to the cool confidence of perfect control. He no longer believes you can hurt him, and he's in no particular rush to harm you. He is content to wait, for he knows that no matter how you struggle, he will eventually win.
All around your allies break off to their respective tasks. Thrym snorts, the temperature of the realm dropping in response to his dissatisfaction. He meets your eyes and gives you a small nod, a gesture of solidarity. One way or another he believes he will claim this kingdom, so he will defer to your plan this one time.
Thrym and his followers break into a sprint, the thousand-strong army swarming around, over and below the «World Tree». One final obstacle to replace the «Guardian» mobs that the SEED deactivated just moments before. Cayna whistles out a quick tune and suddenly a black shadow appears behind her, the dragon unleashed.
"I did wonder where that mangy guard dog had gone." OBERON snorts. "I'm amazed that he'd choose to betray his master, and for you, of all people."
"His master is free, and so is he." You challenge. "Or did you not even notice?"
Dorz'l roars out in triumph, now a towering black dragon with crimson eyes that burn like embers. He flies up, high above the World Tree, and releases a mighty roar that shakes the world. It knocks back OBERON's harem of fairies, sending them scattering, a hundred doves flying away from a pouncing cat.
"He remembers what you did to Silica." Cayna speaks, a dangerous edge to her voice. "And he's come all this way to make his displeasure known."
The dragon dives OBERON, spilling forth a wave of fire. The silver shield is raised, the flames dissipating as they make contact. You hear a laugh. OBERON, amused at the dragon's antics, turns his head towards the giant black creature, and his shield glows. A flash of light blinds your vision and a moment later the dragon roars, not in victory, but in pain, as a dozen wounds appear along his scales.
"Cayna! Send him to hold off the players!" You yell out. "Stick to the plan!"
"Got it!" She replies, whistling and pointing towards the retreating Thrym. Dorz'l gives a dissatisfied growl but rises to the air, diving down to join the Frost Giants in delaying the arrival of player reinforcements.
"Hmph." OBERON scoffs, paying no attention to the retreating monsters. "Pathetic, really. So all you managed to do was dig up some trash, am I supposed to be impressed?"
"SHUT UP SUGOU!" Screams Gwen who charges ahead, a bracer of kunai in hand. She throws them with expert precision, but they bounce harmlessly off the silver shield. OBERON steps forward and points the tip of his sword toward her, and suddenly he's gone.
OBERON was there, and a moment later he... wasn't. For a moment you thought you were seeing two, a duplicate of OBERON next to Gwen, but just as quickly the pair vanishes.
"GWEN!?" You scream, whipping your head around the arena in a panic. But all you see is an empty sky and the sight of a hundred fairies flitting about the air, dodging the magic and swords of the «Sleeping Knights».
"He's not moving, he's hacking his position!" calls out Shiroe from behind you.
You hear Shiroe's words and feel the blood drain from your face. A flash of lightning behind you draws your attention, causing you to spin around, twin blades raised in a guard.
"Shall we begin, my dear?" Oberon licks his lips, standing over Gwen. She has her knife raised, point quivering, a look of hatred in her eyes. OBERON's sword is gone, a single hand wrapped around both of Gwen's, keeping her at arm's length. "My, you weren't this feisty last time."
"That wasn't ME! THAT WAS JUST YOUR FUCKIN DELUSION!" Gwen spits, her strength struggling to resist OBERON.
You and Yuuki charge, swords drawn. But with his free hand, the shield rises, and almost casually the two of you are deflected. An invisible force, or perhaps an explosion, sends you flying backward into a nearby tree.
"Now now, my love, don't you worry. I'll show you exactly how real it is." OBERON promises, leaning down to Gwen. He grabs her by the wrists, lifting her off the ground.
"LET ME GO, YOU SICK BASTARD!" Gwen screams, kicking her legs as she's hoisted into the air. OBERON laughs, caressing Gwen's kimono. "Do you remember when you begged me for company? Do you remember how I made you feel? Do you remember how giddy you were when I gave you these clothes?"
"Gwen!" You cry out, summoning forth your wings to give you a burst of speed.
"Oh yes, I remember everything." OBERON smirks, and before you can reach him he's transitioned away, disappearing again. "I know everything about you, dear Gwendolyn. How could I not, when you were the one who told me everything?"
"I remember you're a stalker who can't even get his own fiancée to pay him attention!" You hear Gwen shout. "You think you know me!? Well, I know you! You're a worm, a slobbering bottom feeder, and underneath it all, you're just a sick, mad, LOSER!"
Gwen's eyes turn red, face twisted into a rictus of hate. A light shines around her, the world around her hazing and distorting in response to her anger. The air saturates with the tang of burned flesh and spilled wine. All around you a faint laughter echoes around you, a sound both refined yet laced with cruelty and the promise of depravity.
"You think you know me!?" She snarls, dropping her weapons to grab Oberon by the hair and drag him down to look her straight in the eyes. "You think that just because you read some files you have me all figured out!? LET ME SHOW YOU MY TRUE SELF! AND THIS TIME IT'S YOUR TURN TO BOW!"
System Call: Incarnate PERSONA [Daji]. ReferenceID:14.Droit
OBERON hitches, his grip loosening on Gwen. For the briefest second, he's utterly mesmerized, captivated by the sight in front of him. A creature with a powdered face and blood-red lips bats her eyes at OBERON, demanding nothing less than his full attention. A dress of silk hugs the body of the creature, and a fox tail unspools behind her in a sensual flourish. It purrs and whispers mad promises to OBERON's ear with her voice that has shattered nations.
"You are... exquisite." OBERON gasps, hand reaching for the phantom beauty of Gwen's Persona. For a moment he remains entranced, but then he smiles. "But I know you, dear Gwendolyn. And you... you are no queen."
OBERON's hand extends, pushing through Daji's illusionary body in a sudden lunge. The Persona dissolves and underneath is just Gwen, OBERON's hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing and cutting off her breath. OBERON's fingers sink into her flesh, and he laughs, a sudden light rising behind him as though he was manifesting a Persona of his very own.
You try to jump in but you find your mind hazy, buckling against the light that's blazing forth.
"Is that who you think you are Gwendolyn? A vixen that topples kings and ruins dynasties? A dowager that sits behind the throne, controlling the fates of men with coy smiles and whispered lies?" OBERON laughs. "That is not you. It's just the sad little lie you tell yourself."
Gwen's eyes widen in shock and horror. For a moment the air around her shimmers, and then you see the shadow of the fox woman flickering, struggling to maintain its shape.
"I'll tell you who you are my dear Gwendolyn. You are your father's daughter, his token, a piece of meat he dangles and uses to entice the rats scurrying beneath his feet. A pretty little toy he dresses up and sells to the highest bidder."
"Do you think you're a caged bird yearning to be free? I know you, Gwendolyn. You are a bird, but not one that's caged. You are a chicken, kept fat, happy and stupid. You live in luxury, your every whim catered to. You don't want to leave. You have no dream, you have no goal. You just want to be given more."
"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!" She spits, a red aura surrounding her. But her rage only serves to amuse OBERON.
"Do not lie to yourself." OBERON chides. "We've spent so long together. I know your every secret, and I've tasted your every desire. You're a kept pet, and that is all you aspire to be. That is all you deserve to be."
A light shines in OBERON's eyes, and you find yourself entranced. All of a sudden he's not Sugou anymore, he's not the enemy. No, the person standing in front of you is a savior, someone who can understand the pain and suffering you've endured. Like a parasite worming its way into your brain you begin to remember.
OBERON, finding you in that dungeon, the corpse of PoH shattering beneath his feet. He's cheering, celebrating as your blade gets the «Last Hit» on the floor boss. He's holding his hand out towards you, smiling that stupid empty grin without a care in the world. He's saying you looked like you needed a friend, and he's pulling you up into his arms and you...
No. No, no, NO!
It's a lie. That's not real, those aren't your memories.
OBERON's voice is like honey, his smile warm and inviting. All around you, everyone is entranced. Your allies have lowered their weapons, their faces slack, staring in adoration at the man in front of them. And in the epicenter of it all, Gwen is the most affected. Her eyes are empty, the anger drained from her face. Her body hangs limply, no longer struggling against OBERON's grasp.
"But don't worry," He smiles, a warmth in his voice that's so very genuine. "I'll give you everything, my dear Gwendolyn. No luxury spared, no desire denied. You'll have all the attention and love you could possibly crave. Return to me, and I'll give you what you've always wanted. You will be my beloved pet, my precious Gwendolyn."
"You..." Gwen blinks, her expression confused, unsure.
"GWEN!" You call out, but she makes no indication she can even hear you.
"That's right." OBERON nods. "Return to me, my pet."
"I...want..." Gwen mutters, her voice cracking, tears beginning to stream down her face. "I want..."
"What do you want?" Oberon asks, and for the first time since the fight began his grip slackens.
"I want..." She takes a shuddering breath.
"TO KICK YOUR FUCKING NUTS THROUGH YOUR THROAT!"
And Gwen does exactly that. Her knee shoots out, ramming itself into OBERON's groin with enough force to send him to the ground.
"YOU READ MY MIND AND YOU STILL FUCKED IT UP THIS MUCH!?"
She brings her heel down, stomping her foot directly onto OBERON's face.
"I didn't ask for anything. I never asked to be a trophy, I NEVER WANTED TO BE YOUR FUCKING PET!"
"ENOUGH!" OBERON growls, reaching out and seizing her by the ankle. With a quick tug, he hurls back Gwen, sending her rolling across the grass.
"NO MORE GAMES!" He shouts, the air around him burning, the aura of magic rippling out in waves. The ground shatters beneath his feet and the very air shimmers, his form becoming indistinct, blurring and fading in and out. "YOU WILL BOW! YOU WILL WORSHIP YOUR GOD!"
It's that aura again. The same thing he used when he sought out Gwen in the real world. The one he used just moments ago, and it's pulling at the world itself. With Gwen he was calling on his history with her, reading her Fluctlight and playing on the deepest, darkest parts of her soul. But this is different. This light is not a call to you nor to your secrets. It's a call to the world.
Just as you declare you will end the world he is declaring that he needs to be loved. He's the main character, and you're all just capture targets in the harem game he calls his life. All of you can't help but be affected, his delusion bending the very rules of reality.
But this isn't real. This is just a game.
You close your eyes, and focus, letting your senses drift to the very edges of your being. You've used this power before, gathering the memories of human history into your hands. To take the Persona and the legend behind it and forge it into a hammer, an armament with which to bludgeon the world.
But now? You don't need a weapon. You need a story.
This neat tale of OBERON where he conquers the «Fangs of Fenris», ending with you kissing his feet, is about to be changed. Because you're about to introduce a new character. You will take your pen and scribble at the edges of the script, and the actors will have no choice but to play their parts.
"What..." OBERON stammers, his voice confused, as he looks past your person and into your soul. And he is mesmerized, like all men have been when they gaze upon the soft weapon of Indra.
System Call: Incarnate PERSONA [Urvashi]. ReferenceID:02.Droit
You feel lighter than water, softer than a cloud. Your feet are possessed by an irresistible urge to dance, and you oblige. You sway, you spin, and you smile. You are a flower, blossoming in light rain, and every eye is upon you.
"Who are you?" OBERON asks, his voice cracking, a hand extending. "Tell me. What is your name?"
Your soul answers for you.
I am Urvashi, and I am not yours.
Aha! It is a jewel, bright in hue like the blossoms
of the red As'oka, and the sun seems resolved to carry it
off, with his rays resting on it as hands.
You cast the memory, the very legend of Urvashi outwards into the world itself. This divine nymph, whose pure beauty chastises all other Aspara, meets a mortal man. From bright heavens where she lives in splendor, her every wish fulfilled, she falls down to earth for a mortal man, for Purvasas, for her King.
Thy face, suffused with the trembling colours of the
jewel, which I hold on thy forehead, wears the glow of the
lotus, red with the morning sunbeam!
Though the very laws of the heavens conspire to keep you apart, you will not be separate. Though cursed into the shape of a mere vine, Lord Kartikeya would still answer the wish you and Purvasas share. It is the sign of your union, the symbol of love, your «Jewel of Union». It's not something you shout. It's not a warcry. It's a wish you whisper softly beneath the covers.
"Release Recollection..."
System Call: Accessing Memory from Server:[Earth//India] ReferenceID:[Urvashi]
Appending [Jewel of Union] into Main Visualizer. Release Recollection.
The world distorts. With your armament for the briefest moment the veneer is shattered, the world revealed into its base form for but a moment. But you're not seeking to crush this fake world with your power.
No, for a second you leave this world. The sun hurts your eyes, the grass feels softer beneath your feet and the song of life fills the world. The bars and icons ever present in your vision melt away, and the weight of the world itself hardens around you.
And from the frozen fields and gardens of the «World Tree» an apple bright jewel dangles from a dead branch, shimmering with the proof of your divine love. No matter where you are or what you become, so long as it still shines in his eyes, you will remain together. It will bring your king back, it will lead him home, and it will always bring him back to you.
The feeling passes but the jewel remains. OBERON stares at you with a strange expression on his face. He moves his head to each of you one by one, noting the sheer hatred you all feel for him. He's not angry, he's not screaming, no... he's confused.
So long as the Jewel stays intact Urvashi's love will protect you. OBERON's charms nothing against the crystallization of a love story thousands of years old.
"Why are you looking at me like that..." He says. "You're not resisting..."
He's fine with you resisting, even gods had their detractors. He revels in breaking your spirit, he expects your will to clash with his own. But he isn't expecting this. To be completely ignored, to have his charm brushed aside as meaningless, that is not how his story is supposed to go.
"Knell, COWER! Struggle!" He points at each one of your friends, his voice rising in panic. "What are you doing!? Don't you know who I am!? I am OBERON, the god of this world!"
He's no god. He's just a man, and a weak one regardless. This is his avatar, his vision of perfection. He could be anything, fight with any strength, but what does he choose? He chooses a shield and not just any shield. The shield of Heathcliff, the shield of Kayaba Akihiko.
"A God? Really? Because all I see here is a manchild trying to run away from the fact he's a loser who can't do anything but be a shitty copy of Kayaba." You call out, pointing your blade at the shimmering shield that even now OBERON insists on cowering behind. What is he scared of? He's supposed to be god.
"T-that man! Don't you dare invoke that name!" OBERON stammers, his voice wavering. "I am superior! I've surpassed him, I've—"
"Stolen everything! Alfheim? A shadow of Aincrad. ALO? Just a shitty, buggy knockoff of SAO. That get-up there with the sword and shield? Discount Kayaba. Just a coward that's been hiding in his power fantasy until we brought the literal end of the world to your door."
"Shut up!" OBERON screams, a wave of energy washing out from him. "SHUT UP!"
You shrug it off. This was never a battle you would win by using the self-same mechanics Sugou himself greenlit. This was a battle for the will of the world itself, and right now? OBERON was pathetic. No god, just a dirty thief who stole another man's work.
"Time to wake up, Sugou Nobuyuki. Time to receive your punishment."
...
And everyone explodes into motion.
Gwen charges first, snarling and casting forth a glowing fireball. It's weak, it's small, and it wouldn't even scare a mob. But to OBERON, he flinches nonetheless, raising his towering shield to block.
"What wrong?" Gwen taunts, catching on to your strategy. "You enjoy cowering under Kayaba's shield? You wearing his undies too?"
"This is my shield, my glory!" OBERON roars, but you can see his grip loosen on his weapon. He's ashamed to be using the symbol of his enemy. He moves to counterattack, to plunge his blade into Gwen. Another copy of «Excalibur» flashes in his hands but Yuuki jumps straight into the attack, blocking the thrust with her blade.
"Don't forget me." She winks, her voice cheerful and warm. "You're not the hero. You're just the big bad evil guy, and we're going to cut you down!"
OBERON stumbles backward, his balance thrown off. Yuuki jumps forward, gripping her blade in both hands. She swings, OBERON raising his shield just in time, a resounding clang ringing out across the field.
"And who are you supposed to be?" He spits.
Yuuki laughs, a smile spreading across her face. "I'm Yuuki, the hero!"
"Hero? Hahaha... Let me show you what it means to be a hero!" OBERON laughs, his confidence building. But Yuuki spins around, bringing her obsidian blade sideways against her waist, twisting her body to bring the blade into OBERON's side. The tip of the sword stops inches short, and the smile fades from Yuuki's face as OBERON simply twitches his shield.
These... are Heathcliff's moves. Even if he's copying them, he's copying them well.
A parry leads to a body check. Yuuki is knocked straight back into the air so fast she doesn't even have a chance to scream. With a simple grunt the ground twists between the combatants and suddenly OBERON is behind her, shield held out like a lance. Yuuki's back slams into it and this time she does scream, crumpling into the ground beneath his feet.
She... she looked like she was in pain. Not the faint numb sensation you always experienced in FullDive games, but real pain. You fight back a wince, as merely thinking about it reminds you of Gwen's sword cutting into your stomach. Did... the «Pain Absorber» even work here?
"Is that it? Is the best you all can do!?" OBERON taunts, slamming his foot down on Yuuki's prone body. "This is all the so-called «Fangs of Fenris» can accomplish? A measly spark and a paper cut? And you... now that've gotten a closer look, I've heard of you. Aren't you supposed to be the strongest fairy?"
"No..." Yuuki coughs, wincing through the pain. Throughout it all the smile never wavers from her face, "I'm not the strongest. Far from it... but I'm something you're not!"
OBERON grinds his foot into her, Yuuki biting her tongue, stifling a cry . "That's right! You're weaklings, garbage! That's the difference between you and me!"
"No. The difference is that she's not alone."
Shiroe steps forward, chain casting so quickly you can scarcely see the runic words.
A blast of lightning hits OBERON in the face, too weak to do any damage, but enough to cause him to recoil.
A thin rope sprouts beneath his feet, wrapping around his ankle and binding it tight.
And Yuuki jumps up, her sword glowing with a bright red light.
"Cause she's got her friends by her side!"
The blade arcs, the swing a blur. OBERON panics and raises his shield but Shiroe's astral ropes pull tight, and for a second OBERON is off balance, his shield pulled off kilter.
With a flash of red pixels, Yuuki's blade hits true. OBERON's arm, the one holding the shield, is severed and falls limply to the ground, the shield dissipating in a burst of sparks.
For a second he can only watch, unable to even fathom taking damage. Then his mind catches up to his reality and OBERON screams, his voice an ear-piercing shriek as the limb evaporates into pixels. His sword drops to the ground and he clutches his stump with his remaining hand, staggering backward. Yuuki simply flips forward, slamming the side of her blade against his face.
OBERON goes flying, tumbling across the field, and lands in a heap beneath the wreckage of «Naglfar».
"Yuuki... did you just..." Shiroe asks, his eyes wide.
"No, not just me! We just got the first hit!"
LORD OBERON!
MY LOVE I'M COMING!
RIP HER TO SHREDS!
The harem flitting overhead screams as one, and they swoop. 100 fairies bear down on Yuuki brandishing magic and blades. She turns up at the descending horde in shock, the sheer combined hatred of 100 players something she's never had to experience before.
"Watch out!" Cayna screams, diving to shield the downed girl. Rain's swords fill the air, buzzing like hornets and knocking back crowd after crowd. The remaining Knights split up and rush in, their blades swinging, and Cayna downs dozens at a time with bolts of lightning.
But one of them gets through, eyes shining with hatred.
"DIE!" The fairy screams, a ball of fire in her hands. Yuuki's eyes widen and she tries to bat the magic out of the ambusher's hands, but the fairy has no sense of self preservation and keeps charging. With a wet squelch she skewers herself on Yuuki's sword, the shocked Imp unable to respond as the fairy detonates the magic at point-blank range.
It was weak magic, but it was enough to singe Yuuki. She grunts, eyes glancing to the top left, no doubt checking her HP. Somehow your strongest frontliner was already down past half health.
You try to ignore Cayna's eyes bearing into your skull. You promised her Yuuki would be fine, even if fate was conspiring to prove you wrong.
"Yuuki, are you ok?" Shiroe cries out, his staff raised and ready.
OBERON has transformed into Sugou!
Sugou patches OBERON.
Lux opens her third eye.
"ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! IT HURTS, IT HURTS!" A high-pitched voice screams, with all the gravitas of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. It takes you a second to realize who it's coming from.
OBERON writhes on the floor, clutching his stump. What? Did he turn down the «Pain Absorber» on himself? Was immersion that important for him? His armor is gone, returning himself to the robes you first saw him appear in.
The so-called god of ALO testily rises to his feet, heaving with effort. He stares forward, a mad glint in his eyes. "You..." You realize the pressure has completely dissipated, his aura, his overwhelming presence is gone. "Are you fucking hackers!? I'll find your «PlayerIDs»! You won't be let off with just a ban, mark my words, RECT will prosecute you to the full extent of the law!"
Were you even breaking any laws?
"We're past the point of bans," you snap. "You're a criminal, and we're here to bring you to justice."
"W... who the fuck are you people!? Are you with the ministry!? I've done nothing wrong!" Something had changed. You remember Asuna's warnings, that there was something strange about OBERON. There was, but not the kind of strangeness she was warning you about. OBERON fancied himself a god, but this thing in front of you?
This wasn't OBERON. This was just a man. Sugou.
"You are accessing a private server illegally!" He snaps, his face turning a shade of red. "You are breaking the law! Log out immediately!"
Was he serious!? "D-do you have any idea what you've done!?"
Shiroe nods, stepping forward as well. "Kidnapping. Sexual Assault. False imprisonment. Unauthorized utilization of player metadata. Flagrant violations of the VR Privacy Act, and oh, multiple breaches of labor laws!" Shiroe sneers, looking down at the pathetic man before him. "You've broken more laws than I have time to count, Sugou. You have no right to lecture us."
"You've been mindfucking 300 SAO survivors!" Gwen shrieks, her voice shaking with rage. "YOU KEPT ME AS YOUR SLAVE FOR MONTHS! HOW DOES THAT NOT RING ANY BELLS IN YOUR DUMB FUCKIN' HEAD!?"
He seems confused, almost dissociated. "W- what are you all whining about? I'm not hurting anyone. Nothing I've done is permanent, and all I've done is study how memory affects Fluctlight constructs. This is... legitimate research..." He tilts his head, looking around with new eyes. "W-why am I even telling you this? W-where am I... no... this is a dream..."
Shiroe raises his staff, eyes widening behind his glasses. "Attack him now, he's up to something!"
"I'm OBERON in this world... how did I lose? It's fine... I can remake him. Stronger, faster... better..."
He's not speaking to you, not anymore. His voice is far away, lost in another place and time.
An incomprehensible scroll of English text appears in front of Sugou. His eyes dance across the screen as text after text flashes into existence and is deleted just as quickly.
"Swords? I got hurt by swords? How? Need to patch this... the aura was also too weak, let's add on some multipliers..."
"ATTACK NOW!"
You snap into action, leaping forward with your blades drawn. You have one chance to harm Sugou before he recreates OBERON, and it seems Sugou wasn't above patching his own creation.
Sugou would keep recreating OBERON over and over, a fight against an immortal creature who could fully heal himself at the press of a button. Even if OBERON was a god, Sugou was nothing more than a gamemaster.
But you know nothing about the man. A conflict with Kayaba Akihiko, just how many times can you hammer this singular fact before it loses all meaning?
You need to know more.
You need to know his weakness.
But how?
D... didn't you have a Persona that could do this for you...?
...
A moment.
You can't move. You can't speak.
You're trapped.
The world freezes.
AN: Two updates in succession. No vote last chapter though.
Greetings, Contractor. Has it been long since we had the chance to speak? I trust you are well? You have performed quite admirably thus far. I was initially concerned that you would be unable to fulfill the conditions of our contract, yet you have handled yourself most exceptionally! It appears that I made the right choice.
The dreams of a man as small as this do not amount to much, but he has wisely supplemented his dreams with the will of the masses. He has cultivated them, shaped them to his liking, and made his vision the dream of the people. It is quite an ugly thing, don't you think?
A land of war and beauty. Fairies and magic, blood and steel. You have experienced such wonders, as have thousands more. It has become your dream, albeit temporarily. This man's HEAVEN has become the HEAVEN of the masses.
Know that the sea of souls reflects the hearts of mankind.
They call out for peace at the edge of a reaper's blade. They wander through the fog, seeking the comfortable lie. They pray before the grail, asking for safety and prosperity under to aegis of a careless god. And once, I too sought to change the world through such power. To harness belief, and in doing so, bring about the destruction your pathetic existences desired.
Is it not a story you have heard before?
At times the fears of humanity coalesce into a curse, a conceptual vision of destruction that spills from one world to the next. Such threats do not form within the span of a day. Generations of anxiety and fear, centuries of anger and hatred, they build and fester. They grow in strength and saturate the sea of souls with their screams, threatening to collapse the foundations of the very world. They take on the names and monikers of gods, and our world calls forth champions to fight against those threats from the depths of humanity itself...
It is a cycle, one that has been repeated many times. And thus far humanity has yet to lose this struggle.
But now? Now it is not a curse that arises rarely.
No.
Something has changed.
It started with but one, a simple and weak individual, who dreamt of a perfect world. One where there was no suffering, no hatred, and no pain. A managed world, a counseled world. This was not the will of the masses or even the will of the few. It was his will alone, and with that single wish, he shattered the boundaries of the sea. A utopia for all created by one.
He failed, of course. But he broke down the doors for those who follow in his wake.
Humanity has always dreamed and desired to share those dreams with others. And in the process of making those dreams into reality, they struggle, they kill, they learn. Dreams become tempered, refined, and brought down to earth.
But not this time. Now humanity dreams endlessly. There is no wish too saccharine, no world too broken, no perversion too grotesque. There is no limit, no end, only boundless and ceaseless dreaming. They no longer wish to change their world. They no longer even wish to destroy it.
They simply wish to leave it.
Each dreamer, a threat on the level of all the false gods that have come before. And as if that perversion was not enough, you humans have diluted the sea of souls with disgusting creations I can scarcely fathom. Constructs and abominations without an ounce of humanity, yet blessed with the power to dream, created in such numbers they have polluted the roots of creation itself.
...
I apologize for spending our short time together complaining. It is a topic I feel very strongly about, and I had not anticipated that the subject would bring forth such intense feelings. You are wise to distrust the words of a creature such as myself, claiming to represent the interests of the world. In ways big and small, we are all simply slaves to our own desires.
So let me tell you of my own dream.
Have you wandered in the haze of the northern lands, where the forest becomes swamp and the clouds are ever grey? Have you debated the bull-man atop the rocky basin?
Have you been to the house in the country with the tulip garden? Have you met the old man who waters the flowers and speaks of secrets long forgotten?
Have you borne witness to the empty halls of the city of gods? Have you beheld the silent parade within those streets and treated with he who buries the gods in gold and gems?
The sea of souls was once like this. A morass of memories and chaos, an amalgamation of all that was, is, and will be. A thousand gods born and dead in the space of a heartbeat, and in the space of the next, reborn with new names. You could get lost in that haze without taking a single step. One moment a lush forest, the next, a barren desert. I have met these dreamers, contractor. I knew their tales. To some I provided guidance. To others, I led to their doom. And to some, I was an adversary, to be conquered and vanquished.
It was a beautiful place.
But now I do not see my land of dreams. I see gardens, playgrounds, and cities of silicon. I see dreams solidifying, becoming real, persisting night after night. Growing, refining, but never dying. I see a sea of souls that has lost its chaos. Its raw potential. Its...
...
Ah, this has made me nostalgic. It has been so, so long since I have spoken with a dreamer. I miss it, more than you could possibly know.
...
Now, I did not call you here just to reminisce about the past. You have decided, or perhaps you will have decided, to avail yourself of my services. This is most excellent! Why, for some time, I had feared you may have been avoiding me! Now, typically I prefer a... direct approach. But alas my current circumstances require that I must delegate. Know that I am watching you. And with this decision, I will always remain a part of you.
The Persona is the mask we construct to face the harsh realities of our world. It is not a Shadow, flitting about the edges of your mind, nor is it these dreams that seek to shatter the sea of souls. The Persona is not an accident. It is will.
It is a choice.
The power of Persona is only granted to those who accept responsibility for their choices.
You have chosen to let me in.
Thus I am now you.
And you are now me.
Today you called upon my power in your time of need.
But next time? It shall be your own power.
...
Oh, and do consider learning how to properly dream walk. It would go a long way towards making these discussions of ours less one-sided.
It starts as an itch. An irritating feeling beneath your bangs, almost like an insect is trying to burrow its way through your forehead and out the other side. You scratch the spot with a fingernail but it doesn't abate. No, it only seems to make the feeling more intense, more annoying.
Somebody's screaming at you.
It sounds familiar.
It starts to burn.
Some part of your mind tells you it shouldn't be burning. That feeling shouldn't be possible in this world. But that must be wrong, because the burning is real, and just keeps growing. It's a deep, searing heat, and despite the fire somehow the itching is still there.
The screams are getting louder, and more numerous.
Didn't you have a foe? It doesn't matter. He's screaming too.
It begins to hurt, a boring, piercing ache in the middle of your forehead. Now that you mention it, doesn't your head feel heavy? There's something over it, a dark, grey helmet. You feel like you belong in it, but at the same time, it feels alien, as if it wants to grab you and never let go. You feel something hot and wet drip down your head.
The screams have changed. You can recognize a few figures.
A dark-skinned man with sweat on his face shouting in panic. A silver-haired child yelling at a computer screen in abject horror.
Ah. You begin to realize what's the problem.
There's a pressure building beneath your head. It's not an injury, it can't be. Because an injury is something that is taken away. Your problem is different. You have something new... no, something that has always been there. Something that needs to escape.
...It's stuck.
You need help getting it out.
Then down the wide lane betwixt the two columns a lone figure strode; a tall, slim figure with the young face of an antique Pharaoh, gay with prismatic robes and crowned with a golden pshent that glowed with inherent light.
Your soul stands before you, his hands wrapped around your head in a fatherly embrace. You cannot see his face beneath his mask but you know he is smiling.
I am it and it is I—I want to get out...
His finger digs in, pulling apart the skin.
It itches.
must get out and unify the forces...
He pushes with all strength, parting flesh and revealing gleaming ivory.
It burns.
it knows where I am...
He catches on to something solid. He braces his hands against the sides of your head, holding it between his arms. He pushes and pushes and pushes until something cracks.
It hurts.
I see it—coming here—hell-wind—
He smiles as something shatters. There's no more pain. He simply reaches forward, putting your hands into his. And together you go deeper, searching for the pink, soft, and throbbing thing that lies within.
It needs to escape.
titan blur—
It's there. It's always been there.
You grab it.
black wing—
You feel it in your hands. It's soft and spongy and warm. You pull, and twist, and tear.
It's so close.
Yog Sothoth save me—
The screaming stops.
You've found it. It rises to the surface.
Your blood-soaked hands drop to the side.
the three-lobed burning eye...
And you open your third eye.
>Your STRESS has increased by 1 point!
>In universe, you are now aware of the contents of OBERON's interlude chapter.
His name is Kayaba Akihiko. He's a thief, a charlatan. A man who promised the world and twisted all your dreams into a nightmare. You've treated him with nothing but respect, and how does he repay you? He stole your position. He stole your woman. He even tried to steal your future. You will surpass him. You will take everything from him, just like he took everything from you. He is everything you are but better. You want him to hate you. You want him to fight you. But he doesn't. You simply don't exist in his world. >Play on Sugou's feelings of inferiority, his jealously, and his desire to be acknowledged by Kayaba Akihiko to decrease OBERON's defensive capabilities.
Her name is Koujiro Rinko. You gave her everything, your valuable time, your finances, even the promise of a better life. You loved her. But she spurned you. Why? She was plain, unremarkable. Not worthy of standing beside you. Yet you deigned to lower yourself, and look how she has repaid your sacrifice? Abandonment. Betrayal. She knew you wanted to own her. You couldn't accept her friendship. You couldn't accept any relationship that did not end with conquest. >Exploit Sugou's feelings toward Koujiro Rinko to decrease OBERON's ability to inflict and resist status effects. Remind him that what he experienced was far from love.
>You now know enough to mimic her appearance, if desired.
His name is Yuuki Shouzou. He is a fool, a patsy. A failed businessman without vision or ambition. So why must you wait on him hand and foot? Why must you bow when he enters the room? You praise him, you serve him, you even mimic him. And what do you get out of this service!? A simple custodianship. An insult. You are just a bridge. A goon too entrenched to say no to his superior. All you would be doing is warming the bench. Because he knows that's all you're good for. >Sugou's pride is a fragile thing, and he always stands in the shadows of others. He hates his superiors, but can do nothing about it. Make him feel inferior to decrease OBERON's defensive capabilities.
Her name is Yuuki Asuna. She's beautiful, the most radiant creature you've ever laid eyes on. She's everything a man could ask for, and more. Intelligent, young, talented, and already promised to you. Your due reward. But her eyes. She has no interest, no care for you. She does not love you, she does not hate you. She simply pities you. She doesn't respect you because you don't deserve to be respected. You tail her father like a cockroach to trash. You're a parasite, a burden, and a nuisance to be tolerated or ignored. Marriage would be just words on paper. >To be a villain or a hero, it matters little to Sugou. He wants his enemies to hate him and for everyone else to love him. Pity his existence to destroy his ego.
His name is Sugou Nobuyuki. He's intelligent, talented, and driven. He's spent his whole life working in the shadows of others, bowing his head and humbling himself to his inferiors. He deserves to be in control. He deserves to be happy. He deserves to be loved. No one loves you because you've never understood the meaning of the word. You want worshippers. You want to be the master to hold the whip. The perfect, ideal woman is one that you can turn on and off. >He wants love. But he knows he doesn't deserve it. Give him hope and tear it away to destroy his ego.
TACTICAL INFORMATION >Asuna is arriving at the END OF NEXT TURN.
>ALO is currently struggling against Thrym. They are delayed.
>Sugou lies EXPOSED!
>Sugou will summon OBERON again after a single phase.
>OBERON will gain resistance to that which previously hurt him. OBERON will become stronger as Sugou patches him.
>As part of the PLAN you may instruct a party member to guard the Jewel of Union. They cannot attack but will block attacks targeted at the Jewel.
«Holy Blade»: Excess success dice when rolling VIT is dealt as immediate counterattack damage to the individual who attacked you.
«Light of OBERON»: At the end of OBERON's phase, a CHARM attempt is made against all active combatants. Current strength: D (2 Dice) > C (3 Dice). [Patches: 1]
SUGOU x 1
HP: ???
Resist: None
Weak: None
OBERON's HAREM x 100 The harem is assigned 4d6 Actions with 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 3 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
>ALO has been delayed this phase! A raid team is being organized against Thrym and the Frost Giants!
Sugou is DOWNED and vulnerable!
Your first ROUND next turn will be unopposed. Deal what damage you can or take the time to recover!
Yuuki has met the activation conditions for Incarnate: Sleeping Maiden.
Will automatically activate if Yuuki's health is not brought up to half before OBERON resurfaces. Alternatively, you can heal her in order to preserve the effect.
Next turn comprises of THREE ROUNDS (ie three 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.
[ ] Act Naturally
>Poison Sugou while he's downed with Putana. Yuuki uses stage 1 of Mother's Rosario. Gwen heals Yuuki. Shiroe heals Yuuki.
>Attempt to charm with Urvashi's Armament then Marin Karin. Yuuki sticks to basic attacks. Shiroe augments Yuuki then sticks to debuff duty.
[ ] Heal/Support
>Lux will attack with Alice's Enhance Armament while he's downed, thereby also healing Yuuki. Shiroe tops off Yuuki's health depending on if he needs to or not. Gwen attacks with Mjolnir.
>Shiroe and Gwen prioritize healing. Lux uses Marakukaja then attempts to use Curse magic attack. Yuuki attempts to use Mother's Rosario.
[ ] Full Assault
>OBERON is downed. Attack with Putana. Yuuki uses stage 1 of Mother's Rosario. Gwen hits him with Mjolnir. Shiroe augments Gwen.
>Yuuki will allow incarnation to heal her.
>Switch to Alice and focus fire with Curse. Yuuki will continue with Mother's Rosario. Shiroe will prioritize augmentation. Gwen will use Bronze Toaster > Mjolnir.
[ ] Direct Commands ASSIGN PARTY MEMBERS TO TEAMS AND THEN CHOOSE SKILLS FOR THE REMAINING PARTY MEMBERS
Pick THREE Skills per party member. (4 with Shiroe)
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.
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.
>A note on long speeches: OBERON only has so many mental weaknesses. If you want to exploit a mental weakness more than once you'll have to escalate to a sufficient extent that the QM doesn't believe you're just rehashing a point that has already been made.
Dreams are stagnating/solidifying the Sea of Souls.
Umm... I wanna say that the Pharoh figure is an Outer-God of some sort? Out of the book of Thoth?
Also, we have a third eye, so... pre/post-cognition? That's the Eye of insight. Also we might be on fire right now? Ish. Mystical fire. Maybe? Look, I follow the update, but idk what it means.
"Why are you looking at me like that..." He says. "You're not resisting..."
He's fine with you resisting, even gods had their detractors. He revels in breaking your spirit, he expects your will to clash with his own. But he isn't expecting this. To be completely ignored, to have his charm brushed aside as meaningless, that is not how his story is supposed to go.
"Knell, COWER! Struggle!" He points at each one of your friends, his voice rising in panic. "What are you doing!? Don't you know who I am!? I am OBERON, the god of this world!"
Shiroe steps forward, chain casting so quickly you can scarcely see the runic words.
A blast of lightning hits OBERON in the face, too weak to do any damage, but enough to cause him to recoil.
A thin rope sprouts beneath his feet, wrapping around his ankle and binding it tight.
And Yuuki jumps up, her sword glowing with a bright red light.
"And she's got her friends by her side!"
The blade arcs, the swing a blur. OBERON panics and raises his shield but Shiroe's astral ropes pull tight, and for a second OBERON is off balance, his shield pulled off kilter.
With a flash of red pixels, Yuuki's blade hits true. OBERON's arm, the one holding the shield, is severed and falls limply to the ground, the shield dissipating in a burst of sparks.
He seems confused, almost dissociated. "W- what are you all whining about? I'm not hurting anyone. Nothing I've done is permanent, and all I've done is study how memory affects Fluctlight constructs. This is... legitimate research..." He tilts his head, looking around with new eyes. "W-why am I even telling you this? W-where am I... no... this is a dream..."
The dissociation does stick out to me. For all we mock Sugou he has done a very good job covering his tracks while being an active agent building up his power and connections forcing us to use obtuse methods to trap him while OBERON has been pretty much nothing more than a blunt instrument who's stay put high on his own ego.
For all his gigantic inferiority complex Sugou is a skilled, capable individual but running away to be the dimestore Gary Stu Harem OC lead OBERON destroyed anything good or great he could have been.
Your current target is a formidable one, one whose power I have underestimated. The dreams of a man as small as this do not amount to much, but he has wisely supplemented his dreams with the will of the masses. He has cultivated them, shaped them to his liking, and made his vision the dream of the people. It is quite an ugly thing, don't you think?
It started with but one, a simple and weak individual, who dreamt of a perfect world. One where there was no suffering, no hatred, and no pain. A managed world, a counseled world. This was not the will of the masses or even the will of the few. It was his will alone, and with that single wish, he shattered the boundaries of the sea. A utopia for all created by one.
The sea of souls was once like this. A morass of memories and chaos, an amalgamation of all that was, is, and will be. A thousand gods born and dead in the space of a heartbeat, and in the space of the next, reborn. You could lost in that haze without taking a single step. One moment a lush forest, the next, a barren desert. I have met these dreamers, contractor. I knew their tales. To some I provided guidance. To others, I led to their doom. And to some, I was an adversary, to be conquered and vanquished.
It was a beautiful place.
But now I do not see my land of dreams. I see gardens, playgrounds, and cities of silicon. I see dreams solidifying, becoming real, persisting night after night. Growing, refining, but never dying. I see a sea of souls that has lost its chaos. Its raw potential. Its...
So Nyarlathotep sees the current world to still be filled with potential, interest, and change always capable of surprising him whether good or bad with the HEAVENs being endless stagnation where everyones a divorced wannabe god in their own bubble world.
While Philemon seems to see the current world as always teetering on the edge of armageddon with only one wrong move, or one stroke of bad luck, or a bad guy having a good day destroying everything. She sees HEAVEN as safety and security where humans will be safe and prosper eliminating all risk so humanity can all advance at their own pace all while making their own worlds to help them reach enlightenment to truly ascend.
If you view things from the perspective I guess you could say Philemon is overly idealistic in the worst way possible which is why she's backing Kayaba.
