Catalyst Quest: Death Defiant & Catalyst Quest: Panacea

Linked contents
Catalyst Quest: Books 1-7 Catalyst Quest: Light Sentence Catalyst Quest: Wild Growth Catalyst Quest: Death Defiant & Catalyst Quest: Panacea
Reader mode
(Okay guys, calling the roll here! We got another great response from the Discord about a session to run this fight, so I will begin momentarily! Please do not roll at this time.)
 
Chapter 101: All or Nothing - Part 4 (Roll Required)
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 101: All or Nothing - Part 4

    ​
    >Roll 1d100.
    >Because you are blessed by all of the Gods, the best of the first 3 rolls will be used.
    >The winning roll will have no modifier. Please see the following breakdown for more details.

    +40 THE FATHER OF MURDER (There is one thing that Nick does very, very well.)
    +35 THE PARAGON OF GROWTH (Sloane is not holding back.)
    +35 THE LORD OF NIGHTMARES (Neither is Father Wilhelm.)
    +20 GREEN THUMB (You will know where your enemy is long before they're coming, and you carry the blessing of Agriculture while doing so!)
    +15 CONQUEROR OF THE RUINS (You are in your element.)
    +10 FAITH OF A GODDESS (Maintaining your invocation of Mercy alone is a huge step down in power at this moment, but She will still provide some sorely needed protection.)
    +10 SHOWTIME (Distracting Omerus should help give Father Pevrel the upper hand.)
    +10 INDOMITABLE (No amount of hardship will stop you from trying to keep doing the right thing.)
    +5 CONQUEST (Flesh wants you to excel in ALL of your endeavors, no matter your differences.)
    +5 INTEGRITY (The havoc that Omerus has wrought needs to be balanced. Your fight carries the blessing of Vengeance.)
    -25 ONLY HUMAN (Your physical limitations have become a serious hindrance. This malus may continue to increase, depending on what lengths you are pushed to in this condition.)
    -30 ENEMY OF THE GODS (You're fighting a hyper-intelligent, Magical foe who can harm the fabric of reality, putting you at a SERIOUS disadvantage.)
    -50 LAIR OF THE ENEMY (Omerus still appears to have absolute control over your surroundings.)
    -80 SOUL ACHE (This malus will continue to rise until you have stopped invoking.)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • (Hoooooo boy. Alright! Thank you guys so much for the speedy rolls. That 48/100 will do it! The vote is locked. Writing now.)
     
    Chapter 102: Annihilation
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 102: Annihilation





    ​



    The moment you take your Relic in hand and part your lips to speak, a sphere of solid darkness jettisons from Omerus' location straight towards you and your company. Father Wilhelm throws himself to the side, screaming, "GET DOWN!"

    You and Sloane leap in the same direction as your mentor. The attack travels straight through every statue in its path, annihilating everything it touches. It's as if the stone and silks become sucked into the black void— just like what happened when you witnessed a demon become the embodiment of nothingness. But unlike what happened with Felicia Pippery, this is not a singular demonic threat to contain. The attack continues to travel endlessly through the wizard's lair, long after it's passed your initial location.

    Forming a death box would be prudent at a Time like this, but you feel like you're dying, and are not about to get yourself into another coma. You want to do more than just survive this fight. You drag yourself upright, locket in hand. There is no need for showmanship here. You're in so much pain that every bit of desperation in your speech is completely sincere. "I'm releasing Agriculture. I need both of you to help me. Get to cover!" The only object on this level that could even hope to shield you all is the massive marble. Everyone makes a break for it, just as another volley of darkness flies out from Omerus' location. More to Sloane than to anyone else, you plead, "take my hand! Use the Relic to ally your strengths with me!"

    The ground beneath the marble suddenly shifts down, and out. You and your allies can't be more than fifteen feet away from it, but the floor crumbles away, causing your cover to plummet beneath the all-encompassing illusion of the earth.

    There is no sound of it hitting the bottom. The fall from here may be endless.

    Omerus projects his voice from every direction, as if every statue was talking at once. The smug sound is devastating in its intensity. "There is nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide! What good did you think any of this would do you? Imbeciles!"

    You ignore the urge to cover your ears. Sloane and Father Wilhelm join hands with you, looking around in terror as the floor continues to shake and crumble away. It stops mere feet from you all, as you skid to a stop, shouting far louder than necessary.

    "Join me! Unite our abilities— our Gods— and let us put this monster to REST!"

    You release your invocation of Agriculture, and the world shifts sideways. Your friends look terrified for you, but you alone. Sloane gives you a shoulder to lean on, grasping your hand as tightly as she can. The moment that Father Wilhelm joins you both in taking hold of your Relic, a garden of painted life washes over Omerus' unreality. The floor reconstructs itself in hundreds of varieties of midnight roots and cerulean flowers. A blinding, aureate glow encompasses your hands, and spreads towards the furthest reaches of the maze. This is not the first Time you have used your Relic to ally with Father Wilhelm in this way, and so you are deeply familiar with the sense of serenity that washes over you— but Sloane's wild and furious sense of reckless abandon is new. Something to love and treasure.

    You share a brief, terrified, and unbearably apologetic look with the priestess of growth, who seems to understand your fear of this situation instantly. She knows you're at the end of your rope, but you thank her quietly for her support, and have to fight to stand of your own accord.

    Gold flares from Sloane's and Father Wilhelm's eyes. They get on either side of you, as three of the closest statues spring to life. The love of a Mother is on you all. You all break from your illuminated hold on one another, letting Mercy lift you higher. The mallet Sloane used as you all descended the stair is reshaped into a staff, which she spins and smacks into the closest stone statue with enough force to break its head cleanly off from its body. Father Wilhelm simply touches the chest of the first enemy that gets within reach, and it drops to the ground, forced into a state of slumber and delirium.

    Your enemy has fallen silent if only for a second, but his assault doesn't stop. Omerus abandons his attempts to rip the floor out from underneath you, instead firing volley after volley of tangible annihilation from every direction. Were it not for your Green Thumb, you would be disoriented beyond all belief. As it is, you are still acutely aware of Omerus' exact location, AND your allies have absolute confidence in you.

    Unfortunately, buying Father Pevrel more Time is the most you can do, and it looks as if he's waiting for some reason to strike.

    A wave of solid darkness is projected straight at you, but not from Omerus' location. He is obviously capable of casting spells from even a great distance. You pivot hard towards the source of danger, but bringing your shield high to take on the attack nearly takes your shield arm cleanly off. One of the adjacent statues body-slams you. Sparks from Mercy's gift flies into the air, dancing off of the nearest statues and your skin. A black miasma unfurls from the wall of darkness as it continues pressing against your shield, driving you back several feet as you stagger. You try to hold your ground, one arm occupied with your shield, and the other grasping onto the statue that's beating you half to death.

    Right by your side, Sloane drives her staff towards the floor, pulverizing it into a shower of splinters. The priestess sweeps her arms towards Omerus, causing the countless splinters to run like rain between the statues all around, then completely cover your enemy. A strangled cry leaves Omerus. Father Wilhelm laughs like a madman, joining Sloane in the assault. Clouds and genuine starlight gathers over the enemy's location, while a swarm of painted wasps descends over the statue that's assaulting you, chipping it away piece by piece.

    The attack that's hammering against your shield just doesn't dissipate. Mercy's light fades ever so slightly. In absolute horror, you realize that the spell is destroying your shield. It's slow going, but there is no mistaking that whatever Omerus is throwing at you has the ability to chew through the work of the Gods Themselves.

    With a mighty heave, you cast the wall of darkness to the side— spots of glitter and sunlight dancing on your eyes— only for five more spheres of shadow to be hurled your way. Four are coming from each cardinal direction, and one falls from the sky, heading straight for your head. There is no conceivable way to dodge them all.

    The Lord of Nightmares gestures wildly behind you. You note that he's overexaggerating the motions of his invocation, and might actually be signaling to Father Pevrel. A swirling void of paint and clouds rises from the priest's motions, sucking in a great deal of the debris, and entirely consuming one of the spheres of darkness thrown at your back.




    >A ROLL WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING.

    >A] Keep your defenses up through Mercy, and trust entirely in your allies to close in on Omerus. You'll probably be able to dodge the majority of the blows coming in on you, and should be totally capable of protecting your friends.

    >B] Get out Piety, your longsword, and keep these statues off from your allies through offense alone. It won't be pretty, but you can heal through whatever the enemy throws at you, and the sheer amount of pain you'll be in will only add fuel to your fire.

    >C] Ignore the attacks coming at you, and charge Omerus with everyone in tow. This will be difficult on your body AND soul, but you'll pray that you all can overwhelm him quickly.

    >D] Write-in.


    Voting window countdown:
    Jul 24, 2022 at 4:16 PM​
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • (I nearly forgot the countdown. Gave you guys a few extra minutes, my b! We will be attempting a session today. I will require a minimum of two votes or two rolls when they are called for. In the event of 2 rolls, I will do the third roll. Please let me know if you all have any questions!)
     
    >A] Keep your defenses up through Mercy, and trust entirely in your allies to close in on Omerus. You'll probably be able to dodge the majority of the blows coming in on you, and should be totally capable of protecting your friends.

    Pevrel wouldn't stay his hand for longer than needed, buy him time, make room, tank it all. I know he wouldn't let us fall for a second time.
     
    >A] Keep your defenses up through Mercy, and trust entirely in your allies to close in on Omerus. You'll probably be able to dodge the majority of the blows coming in on you, and should be totally capable of protecting your friends.
     
    Chapter 102: Annihilation - Part 2 (Roll Required)
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 102: Annihilation - Part 2

    ​
    >Roll 1d100.
    >Because you are blessed by all of the Gods, the best of the first 3 rolls will be used.
    >The winning roll will have a modifier of -5.

    +100 UNITY (Combining the strengths of your Gods and allies through your Relic is VERY powerful thing.)
    +40 THE FATHER OF MURDER (There is one thing that Nick does very, very well.)
    +20 GREEN THUMB (You will know where your enemy is long before they're coming, and you carry the blessing of Agriculture while doing so!)
    +15 CONQUEROR OF THE RUINS (You are in your element.)
    +10 FAITH OF A GODDESS (Mercy is hurting just as badly as you are, but She is not about to let you take this fight on alone.)
    +10 INDOMITABLE (No amount of hardship will stop you from trying to keep doing the right thing.)
    +5 CONQUEST (Flesh wants you to excel in ALL of your endeavors, no matter your differences.)
    +5 INTEGRITY (The havoc that Omerus has wrought needs to be balanced. Your fight carries the blessing of Vengeance.)
    -15 VAINGLORIOUS (Omerus built himself an army, and you're surrounded on all sides. Great.)
    -30 ONLY HUMAN (Your physical limitations and injuries have become a serious hindrance. This malus may continue to increase, depending on what lengths you are pushed to in this condition.)
    -30 ENEMY OF THE GODS (You're fighting a hyper-intelligent, Magical foe who can harm the fabric of reality, putting you at a SERIOUS disadvantage.)
    -50 LAIR OF THE ENEMY (Omerus still appears to have absolute control over your surroundings.)
    -85 SOUL ACHE (This malus will continue to rise until you have stopped invoking.)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • >A] Keep your defenses up through Mercy, and trust entirely in your allies to close in on Omerus. You'll probably be able to dodge the majority of the blows coming in on you, and should be totally capable of protecting your friends.

    Edit: Oh I voted late
     
    Last edited:
    (Very nice work guys. The 96 takes it, which is still a mighty 91/100 after modifiers! The vote is locked. Writing now!)
     
    Chapter 103: Pinned
  • Threadmarks
    • Chapter 103: Pinned





    Nothing can shake your faith in your friends. You take a deep breath and brace for the worst. Rather than keep your shield held before you, you spread your arms wide, and with it, create a barrier of solid light and energy between your allies and certain destruction. The black holes that Omerus hurled at you all impact simultaneously, causing a shudder to run through your soul itself. You grit your teeth, sweat pouring from your brow, and maintain the defense all while pressing forward.

    In the same moment, your foe seems to realize that the tide of battle has shifted out of his favor. Father Wilhelm finishes hammering away at the statues that have been plaguing you, and turns his swarm of fantastical wasps on Omerus. Screams and buzzing fills the air for just a moment, before the sorcerer laughs triumphantly, and shoots a solid jet of purple light from his location. It burns away all of Father Wilhelm's attacks, simultaneously causing your mentor to double over in exhaustion, and for Omerus to unquestionably give away his position.

    Sloane breaks out from the barrier you've devised, charging straight towards the wizard with a stone claymore in hand. It's all you can do to keep up. With a scream, you push back on your barrier, against the black holes, eclipsing them with Mercy's light, and swallowing them whole. It feels like something breaks inside of you from the effort. You gasp in agony, while the only trace left of Omerus' initial attack is the horde of statues all behind you that spring to life, charging at you and your friends with reckless abandon.

    No panic is in Omerus' voice. He sounds as haughty and collected as he did when you first entered his lair, as he cries out from all directions, "you're cursed, aren't you, Father Anscham?"

    Long shadows stretch from every statue and wall. The air grows even colder, stiffening your aching joints, causing your teeth to chatter even in the heat of battle.

    The magician speaks to you directly. No spells. No projection. His voice is high and fair, filled with disgust and curiosity. "They call you a demon of gluttony, don't they?"

    Father Wilhelm seems unaffected by the cold, and comes up from behind you, clutching at one wrist, ready to fire a beam of solid ice and disaster at the wizard.

    You can see him. The bastard. Omerus is slick with blood, covered in cuts from head to toe. Sloane's flurry of splinters is still embedded in the man's silky, stark-white, floor-length hair. He stands well over your own imposing height, nearly seven feet tall, wearing a bandolier of potion bottles over the same starry cloak as every other statue. Upon his long hands are a pair of fine, bright-white gloves. They are somehow unsullied. Strangely enough, the sorcerer is drinking from one of the bottles on his person as he speaks, though it doesn't distort his voice in any way.

    "I can see it, plain as day. Lecher. Glutton. It's tattooed across your very soul. A demon left a mark on you, and you took it voluntarily."

    A fine, shimmering glow encompasses Omerus' body and the floor beneath every step that he takes as well. It's as if the man is no longer human at all.

    "Fascinating. But don't you want your mind to be free? Your soul— and to say the least— your body, too? I'm willing to bet you don't understand why you can't shed that weight, or any other way that you look." Greed is in the monster's eyes. Regardless of the imminent threat of you all killing him, there's no doubt in your mind that Omerus genuinely wants to test his ability on you. "I can cure you."

    At your back, Father Wilhelm has to turn his attention away from shooting down the sorcerer. Fifty constructs that resemble your real enemy stalk towards you all. The statues are dropped, one-by-one, by a veil of ice and mist that Atticus uses to shroud the two of you from view. He's sweating badly, but manages to keep the army at bay single-handedly.

    "You'll be able to live and love normally again." Omerus brings his wand high, pointed straight at Sloane as she rushes to meet him. "But not if your so-called allies kill me, first."

    "Shut UP!" Sloane leaps through the air, ready to bring down her sword. It's a feint. Omerus shoots a blast of starlight from the end of his wand to counter the priestess' attack, but her sword transforms into hundreds of snaking vines in the same instant. They lash at the sorcerer, slicing his immaculate face clean open, tearing at his silken shirt and cloak, sending him staggering backwards.

    Fighting the Paragon of Growth with one hand, not even breaking a sweat, the sorcerer manifests a sword from the end of his wand, holding the base like a hilt. With the other, he beckons towards you. "They won't listen to reason, and have shut down at the first sign of real help! The fools. Listen to me, Father Anscham. I see how desperately you seek knowledge. Wisdom! I could teach you—!"

    Father Pevrel materializes from the shadow at Omerus' back. His sword is drawn, pointed at the back of the wizard's neck. No humor is on the Lord of Murder's face. He won't say a word to the contrary, and trusts that you will let him do his job without a shred of protest.

    It seems that you have distracted the wizard enough to not notice the blade mere inches from him, and Sloane's vicious assault redoubles.

    Omerus is pinned. There is no doubt in your mind that Father Pevrel can get the killing blow now, if he wishes.

    There is also no knowing how you and your allies will escape from this place alive, if you kill the man who is keeping this entire illusion together.




    >A] Scream at Sloane and Father Pevrel to stay their hands. Demand that Omerus call off his army. Make no promises or concessions. You'll hear him out, but only about lifting your curse.

    >B] You need to understand Magic. This is not the first Time you have made a deal with the enemy, either. If you can grant demons atonement, you can restrain Omerus, and see what your friends think would be fair means of using this sorcerer for his knowledge.

    >C] This is a trap if there ever was one. You are willing to destroy a source of unrivaled Magical skill, lose a cure for yours and James' curses, and will not look back. Let your allies kill Omerus. You will live with the fallout.

    >D] Write-in. (Any specific things you want to say, ways you wish to approach this situation, etc. Depending on your course of action, a roll may be required.)


    Voting window countdown:
    Jul 24, 2022 at 6:46 PM​
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • >C] This is a trap if there ever was one. You are willing to destroy a source of unrivaled Magical skill, lose a cure for yours and James' curses, and will not look back. Let your allies kill Omerus. You will live with the fallout.

    No hesitation, bitch. Make Vengeance proud. Also to hurt his pride before he dies, let him know he was just a detour.
     
    Last edited:
    I am going to Vote for C, as i belive that being uniamous is the best case here.
    However, i don't think that he's going to die quite this easily, therefor if our alleis are unable to kill him.
    I'd like to invoke Storm
    I don't want to take any chances at all. If there's even the slightest hint of Omerus gimmicking his way out. I don't care what it takes. We will finish the job if we have to.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top