Just blue sky thinking. If Lucrecia's ghost/spirit is still around, bring Sephiroth to her, so that he finds himself more tied to humanity rather than Jenova.
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Fractured Fantasy: A CK2 Style Final Fantasy quest
- Thread starter griffinlw
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy Action
Just blue sky thinking. If Lucrecia's ghost/spirit is still around, bring Sephiroth to her, so that he finds himself more tied to humanity rather than Jenova.
... Hm! So the version of Sephy around is the Crisis Core version?! Well... While Aerith isn't in the mindstate to right now, I wonder if we can stop the Degredation the former two would end up going through? And if that would prevent Sephy from going off his rocker?
Bless you and your slovenly habits, Reno.
It was Seifer! ... Sounds like Raijin and Fujin aren't here, though. Wonder where they are?
Gosh, "Add Zidane to the List," what a guy. Well, not our problem for now. I'd say "hope he gets some therapy" but considering that Shinra's all too willing to let him indulge in his worst impulses right now, the odds of that look pretty low.
Steiner, please......... Not that I'd expect anything else from him! XD
Yanno, my first reaction on seeing his art is "is he from TWEWY?", so uh, very good call on the codename there.Oh right I forgot. So, there's a character from FF7 Before Crisis simply referred to as "The Legendary Turk" who you get to name and personify. They have a title, Death God Of The Battlefield, which is born from their ability to singlehandedly dismantle army units using nothing more than their strength and cunning. Death God is a common translation for Shinigami from Japanese Mythology, and since Legend doesn't have a real name, I decided to make his code name "Shinigami"
Anyway, woohoo!!! We pulled off a stunt against Shinra! We successfully broke not one, but TWO people out of Shinra's science department! Eat it, Hojo!
alright, know this story update is going to be a big one!
first off, seems like we have a morale roll just from seeing Sephiroth/SOLDIER 1sts. good thing this time isn't a confrontation, even aside from the fact they're overpowered it definitely wouldn't have gone well, and now we know about it Aerith may be able to get some therapy or such
also incredibly handy that disguise roll worked out (looks like it prevented 2 other checks, which easily could have been ones that failed and made things way worse (so preventing them from popping up is very strong, initial rolls that make future ones easier are great so it's very lucky we we helped out and had our intrigue boosting it. we also rolled a full 95 wtf? i guess with all the boosts on the roll it would have easily passed the initial dc 90 but it needing that much is still unnerving...
full success on play is funky too, and good to see our disguise is useful for more than just getting into the church. tbh things consistently going well was very just unnerving because i knew there's a nat 1 in the wings. i mean, hoping it's someone else's roll but can't bet on that?
wasn't narrating my reactions after that point but i still thought things went pretty cool, having at least one complication definitely made things seem more authentic (and happy the writeins got in too :)
I'd considered that there was a chance of the nat 1 being from the infiltration, enemies, or distraction, but never suspected multiple of them lmao. I guess that's what made it notable? and right at the end, too! (even if we didn't fall unconscious things seemed to be wrapping up)
i'm reasonably confident this shouldn't ruin everything, but will have to see. maybe it caused us to lose out on some bonus information we may have gotten otherwise or drew a bit of suspicion or such? if it's the latter, fingers crossed things work out. nothing's drawn suspicon yet so cover should remain, and it's the tail end of the mission so we shouldn't be sticking around long enough for things to go wrong, just so long as the SOLDIER 1st's actually leave so we can make our getaway
and diverting Sepiroth from JENOVA might be possible theoretically, but idk if we're in a good position to do so (especially since a while ago we got informed that stuff's already moving there, iirc?)
maybe if Reeve's aware what the deal is there he can quietly change things to butterfly inciting incidents? they have some future knowledge going by the tapes (and if not we might be able to mention it) and as a director he could probably make decisions like that so long as nobody else thinks to counter it. of course, he wouldn't be able to stop things entirely so any issues with JENOVA may just take a different form?
first off, seems like we have a morale roll just from seeing Sephiroth/SOLDIER 1sts. good thing this time isn't a confrontation, even aside from the fact they're overpowered it definitely wouldn't have gone well, and now we know about it Aerith may be able to get some therapy or such
also incredibly handy that disguise roll worked out (looks like it prevented 2 other checks, which easily could have been ones that failed and made things way worse (so preventing them from popping up is very strong, initial rolls that make future ones easier are great so it's very lucky we we helped out and had our intrigue boosting it. we also rolled a full 95 wtf? i guess with all the boosts on the roll it would have easily passed the initial dc 90 but it needing that much is still unnerving...
full success on play is funky too, and good to see our disguise is useful for more than just getting into the church. tbh things consistently going well was very just unnerving because i knew there's a nat 1 in the wings. i mean, hoping it's someone else's roll but can't bet on that?
wasn't narrating my reactions after that point but i still thought things went pretty cool, having at least one complication definitely made things seem more authentic (and happy the writeins got in too :)
I'd considered that there was a chance of the nat 1 being from the infiltration, enemies, or distraction, but never suspected multiple of them lmao. I guess that's what made it notable? and right at the end, too! (even if we didn't fall unconscious things seemed to be wrapping up)
i'm reasonably confident this shouldn't ruin everything, but will have to see. maybe it caused us to lose out on some bonus information we may have gotten otherwise or drew a bit of suspicion or such? if it's the latter, fingers crossed things work out. nothing's drawn suspicon yet so cover should remain, and it's the tail end of the mission so we shouldn't be sticking around long enough for things to go wrong, just so long as the SOLDIER 1st's actually leave so we can make our getaway
are you thinking Aerith themselves doesn't count? fair enough if so, it's def a bit of a push lol. though I guess since she'll always be part of the party we'll find out if she qualifies once we assemble 3 of the weather-named people, and if so save some hassle?
(there's a nonzero change griffinw was talking about both nat 1's previously, since the fact that it happened twice makes things way more notable?)
and diverting Sepiroth from JENOVA might be possible theoretically, but idk if we're in a good position to do so (especially since a while ago we got informed that stuff's already moving there, iirc?)
maybe if Reeve's aware what the deal is there he can quietly change things to butterfly inciting incidents? they have some future knowledge going by the tapes (and if not we might be able to mention it) and as a director he could probably make decisions like that so long as nobody else thinks to counter it. of course, he wouldn't be able to stop things entirely so any issues with JENOVA may just take a different form?
possibly, though pretty awkward to be thinking about that when her ex (well, in previous stages of game development) has just caused her to faint from stress :/ so definitely a tall order
Hmm, thought: Given what Cid said about the heartless attack timings, next month/next turn would probably be when they get attacked...
And I don't feel like we're in a state to deal with a siege right now. Namely because we uh... Kinda have zilch in terms of crowd control. I'd like to pick up an All materia or one of Stun/Sleep/Paralyze/Break/Confuse/Charm before dealing with that, ideally both.
... Though, what happens if we throw a Lasan into an army of heartless?
Edit: Though that's something we probably need 3 turns to capitalize on, by which point there's going to be another heartless attack, so that's not really an option if we want to help Cid ASAP.
And I don't feel like we're in a state to deal with a siege right now. Namely because we uh... Kinda have zilch in terms of crowd control. I'd like to pick up an All materia or one of Stun/Sleep/Paralyze/Break/Confuse/Charm before dealing with that, ideally both.
... Though, what happens if we throw a Lasan into an army of heartless?
Edit: Though that's something we probably need 3 turns to capitalize on, by which point there's going to be another heartless attack, so that's not really an option if we want to help Cid ASAP.
Given that JENOVA is Aerith's fated enemy and we already know she's awake, whatever is going on isn't something I'd imagine Reeve can fix alone.
Still, he might be able to do something to forestall things, enough for us to start getting more of a bead on how exactly to deal with her? Though given when it's implied he's from, I doubt he knows much more than we do.
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QUOTE="MagewyrmMira, post: 34402961, member: 107036"]
And I don't feel like we're in a state to deal with a siege right now. Namely because we uh... Kinda have zilch in terms of crowd control. I'd like to pick up an All materia or one of Stun/Sleep/Paralyze/Break/Confuse/Charm before dealing with that, ideally both.
[/QUOTE]
hmm, true. while we could still help by taking action to try and resolve the situation/providing healing and such to other defenders, it'd be foolish to assume that wouldn't involve fighting at least one heartless swarm lol.
that said, just because we have crowd control spells doesn't make everything super easy? presumably a swarm will have a *lot* probably including some stronger variants
might also be able to get him to feed us intel, both on if the JENOVA situation is changing (someone doing something dumb, maybe subverted people?) and regarding Shinra's actions in general? shouldn't be much risk if we can get a secure line of communication up somehow...
And I don't feel like we're in a state to deal with a siege right now. Namely because we uh... Kinda have zilch in terms of crowd control. I'd like to pick up an All materia or one of Stun/Sleep/Paralyze/Break/Confuse/Charm before dealing with that, ideally both.
[/QUOTE]
hmm, true. while we could still help by taking action to try and resolve the situation/providing healing and such to other defenders, it'd be foolish to assume that wouldn't involve fighting at least one heartless swarm lol.
that said, just because we have crowd control spells doesn't make everything super easy? presumably a swarm will have a *lot* probably including some stronger variants
oh, true. in that case, maybe what we want is just to direct Reeve's attention to JENOVA as a major threat and give him the chance to stall things if possible like you said? my current reading of him is that he wants to help but doesn't really know how to/doesn't have the leverage to afterall, so he'd probably be willing to take action if made aware?
might also be able to get him to feed us intel, both on if the JENOVA situation is changing (someone doing something dumb, maybe subverted people?) and regarding Shinra's actions in general? shouldn't be much risk if we can get a secure line of communication up somehow...
Yeah I don't think we can stop her before she awakens and becomes a problem. I was just wondering if we can avoid certain outcomes like Sephirot being turned on her side. Especially if we're having the version of him that isn't yet turned by the revelation. Of course my memories and full knowledge of VII are spotty at best but it just sounds plausible that with something to ground him Sephirot could avert his fate. Of course we are terribly suited for it considering well... Yeah.
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Since Timey Wimey shenanigans are in play, we're probably gonna have to deal with both CC Sephiroth and the R Trilogy Sephiroth at the same time. Upside if this is the case, that means we have a Sephiroth to ally with worst comes to worst, even if Aerith would really rather not have anything to do with him, for understandable reasons. Downside, he's not nearly as strong as the one who killed our Aerith, so it has to be a team up.
No, of course not. Especially with stronger variants--the latter's actually why I want the crowd control before we try to help break a siege. My point is more that "at this current juncture, I don't feel confident in dealing with a swarm of heartless, and these are the things that would make me more confident in our ability to do so."
In more detail, I'd want an All materia to make sure we can weaken or even defeat large groups in one go, making it easier for us to handle the toughest heartless without getting swarmed and overwhelmed by smaller ones.
Or I'd like to have statuses to be able to better control when we can deal with the big guys, by temporarily taking them out of commission while we thin the herds or just as a breather to get ourselves into a better position.
And with both being ideal so we have much better control over our ability to engage as a whole.
That said, I was saying that with the assumption the heartless siege would involve actual combat on our end. If not, then, eh, we can do it. XD
Speaking of crowd control... If Aerith knew about the Mystery Dungeons over in Lostime, maybe we can also spend a visit with Barret going through Alexander's dungeon? If we could do that, we it might be possible to try and recruit him as a summon, or at least pick up a piece of his magicite? I wouldn't be concerned at all if we have an Alexander assist for us going into Traverse Town, on top of a potential level-up or equipment we can pick up through the Temple of Light.
... But that's a lot of "ifs." And Aerith has no reason to know she'd even be able to do any of that.
Mmm... At any rate, I guess we'd really just need to decide on some of the medium-term goals we want to achieve right now. And wait for the next turn report so we have an idea of how to do it. Though--I do want us to pick up at least a bit of training soon.
While I wouldn't want to put things off until the last moment, do we have an estimate for how many turns we have before the bomb over in the Gesthalian Empire drops?
It's been stated that there'll only be 1 version of anybody running around.
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I don't think we'd be able to handle a siege even with 'All' Materia. If I recall correctly it's been stated that the multi target variants simply affect an area and wouldn't necessarily target everything. While it's still better than nothing we'd probably need more than just 4-5 people to actually make a major difference in a large scale assault. Getting the help of Clans or Ashe, or at least convincing the summoners in Lostime would probably be needed for that...
AweStriker
Mobocracy
- Location
- Wherever He Wants
Unrelated to any of that, I think I remember reading once that Genesis's last name is spelled Rhapsodos...
Now, now, let's not count people out just because they're supposedly dead. After all, we know at least one character that would be dead if not for the Upheaval and it's Aerith herself. Not that we've heard a lick about any of these people, Squall included here even though he is almost certainly not dead.
I think if I were capable of writing this quest, I'd be sorely tempted to call him Reaper instead as a probably less than subtle nod to Being Drawn By The TWEWY Guy.
As best I can tell, "The Battle of 1000 Heartless" was not an exaggeration, those guys are basically swarm units. The level of AoE typical of mainline FF is not going to cut it against them. On the other hand, we do have a Shiva magicite that might help...
Now, now, let's not count people out just because they're supposedly dead. After all, we know at least one character that would be dead if not for the Upheaval and it's Aerith herself. Not that we've heard a lick about any of these people, Squall included here even though he is almost certainly not dead.
I think if I were capable of writing this quest, I'd be sorely tempted to call him Reaper instead as a probably less than subtle nod to Being Drawn By The TWEWY Guy.
several people said:
As best I can tell, "The Battle of 1000 Heartless" was not an exaggeration, those guys are basically swarm units. The level of AoE typical of mainline FF is not going to cut it against them. On the other hand, we do have a Shiva magicite that might help...
- Pronouns
- They/Them/Their
Speaking of TWEWY, depending on which/when Traverse Town was yanked from, we might well see a couple of TWEWY characters. Neku, Shiki, Beat, Rhyme, and Joshua do show up in Traverse Town during Dream Drop Distance. I mean it's TWEWY period versions of them, not the NEO:TWEWY period, but it is a possibility. Don't ask me how that works though; all we know is that Joshua might somehow be responsible.
Look, when you're talking about someone might actually be the incarnation of an entire modern city and everyone who lived there for an unknown period of time with the power to cross between dimensions, sometimes it's just easier to accept that they might be just a little bit BS.
Yeah, you're right. I think I was visualizing it as an FF1-6 style combat instead of an actual siege like it's supposed to be.
Yeah, though my concern is that we might only be able to cast her once, and she's going to be neutrally-effective on average.
... Then again, I say that but there are light-element heartless, aren't there? So not even Alexander is a guarantee... If we even could get him with Shirma gone.
"Shinigami" is actually what the Reapers are called in the Japanese version!
On a completely unrelated note, hey! We have a Sinspawn to worry about somewhere in Dalmasca, don't we? That sounds relevant to bring up to Yuna's entourage as "a fire someone should probably put out."
I've put a bit more thought into what kind of "mass combat" rules might be used, since people have been talking about the Siege on Traverse Town. Those are still in the works, and you can't use them anyway since you lack any kind of proper army or combat unit. But I can tell you how it would go if you tried to tear through a heartless swarm.
Waves and waves of heartless until you broke through, destroyed the swarm, retreated, or fell. No rest or breaks inbetween either. I'm not saying it would be impossible but you would definitely be facing a huge numbers disadvantage.
Waves and waves of heartless until you broke through, destroyed the swarm, retreated, or fell. No rest or breaks inbetween either. I'm not saying it would be impossible but you would definitely be facing a huge numbers disadvantage.
Well, the mission went pretty successfully, except at the end of arethith fainting but still on all good job…. What's the list anyway?
I believe the issue is that at this point we can only do partial summoning unlike Summoners of Yevon so our Shiva would only last for a single attack. Oh well we'll cross that bridge when it comes up I guess. We have more serious issues for now but hopefully we'll manage to finish the rescue mission without major hiccups.
Gonna assume that's just Seifer's shit list. Basically whoever slighted or wronged him and deserves payback. He'll probably zero on Zidane next time they see one another.
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Yes, in Final Fantasy VIII Seifer at some point says vaguely ominously things about a character that roasts him that 'add x to the list'. (and it's an instructor that he's talking about)
Mind you, at the start he is a bully, but also got some romantic if glory hound notions of being a Knight to a Sorceress. Of course, since Rinoa is probably already a Sorceress, he's far enough in the story that he's way far gone. And I could see him go for the Turks, because they're cool and badass. And he does fight. But man, is he gonna give Tseng an ulcer. Seifer would make Reno look well behaved and disciplined.
Mind you, at the start he is a bully, but also got some romantic if glory hound notions of being a Knight to a Sorceress. Of course, since Rinoa is probably already a Sorceress, he's far enough in the story that he's way far gone. And I could see him go for the Turks, because they're cool and badass. And he does fight. But man, is he gonna give Tseng an ulcer. Seifer would make Reno look well behaved and disciplined.
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Escape From Midgar- Boss Battle Turn 1
New
You woke up with a throbbing headache and the dull remnants of phantom pain near your stomach. Your whole body felt heavy and out-of-sorts, but there was no way you could relax. Not after an encounter with…
Him.
Suddenly tense, you sit up and are about to stand when you suddenly realize where you were resting. Ruby's bedroom on the Prima Vista (now shared between the three girls on the ship, four when Garnet arrives)
If Shinra found out who you were, or that Tantalus was responsible for breaking into Shinra tower, chances were they would have SOLDIERs breaking down the door and taking you all captive. The mere fact that you were still here meant you were safe, for now at least.
You sigh in relief and calm slightly, only to grimace as another wave of phantom pain runs through you. Shooting a wary glance at the door (Ruby assured you the boys were 'chivalrous' but it was hard to tell with some of them), you partially remove your clothes so you can look at your scar.
The scar that shouldn't exist.
The mere thought of it made you uncomfortable, but there was no reason running from the truth. You should be dead. This kind of wound should have been fatal within seconds, maybe instantly. The only reason Cloud and Zack survived their fights with Sephiroth was their SOLDIER enhancements, and Tifa was 'lucky' enough to only have it cut through her ribs and sternum. Any deeper and…
You shake your head, trying to dislodge the pessimistic train of thought. What could have happened didn't matter, what matters is that you and your friends are alive, and you intend to keep it that way.
"Aerith?" Shit. You quickly slide your clothes back in place, but it's too late. Ruby's already seen the scar. "I'm sorry for barging in Aerith, I just wanted to check on you. Does it hurt?"
"... Sometimes." You admit softly "It's an old scar but sometimes it feels fresh."
"Do you want me someone to look at that? Blank is good at potion brewing, and Garnet has some training in White Magic."
"No. I don't think there's anything they can do. Like I said, it's an old wound." Wait… "Garnet? Zidane and the others are back? How long was I out?"
"Oh right, let me get you back up to speed. You were only out for an hour or so, long enough for us to get back to the Prima Vista. Zidane only came back a little bit ago, I think right now they're raiding the boy's closet for anything to fit Steiner."
"So they got in and out okay?"
"Zidane got a little banged up, but Garnet healed him. As I'm sure you can guess, he was very happy about that. Steiner's mad about his suit of armor, but I'm sure we can get him a new one back in Dalmasca."
"So the mission was a success? They're all okay?"
"You sound like you're having a hard time believing it." Even though Ruby's tone wasn't accusatory in the slightest, it still gave you pause.
"I guess I was worried that despite all the preparations we did, it wouldn't be enough. Sometimes Shinra seems so big, so… invincible." You confess. Sometimes it seemed that way, seeing how quickly Shinra could bounce back from what felt like a victory.
"Well, they're certainly big. But invincible they are not. They aren't omnipotent either, in case you were wondering. There's no sign they know that we were involved in the break-in at all, and we're not going to stick around long enough for them to find out." Ruby gives you a reassuring smile.
The little knot of worry you've been carrying around for days unravels in your chest. Somehow, despite almost every encounter with Shinra before ending in pain… it looked like this time you would get away with it.
"We did it." The words taste sweet on your lips. "We did it."
As if to confirm, you could hear the distant rumble of the Mist Engine coming to life.
[Mission Accomplished!]
[Zidane gains 2 Intrigue for leading the mission and outfoxing Shinigami. Vaan, Shadow, and Aerith gain 1 Intrigue for assisting him.]
[Tantalus (Zidane) and Aerith gain 1 Diplomacy for their stunning Performance of Loveless]
[Achievement Unlocked!: Star Performer. Aerith gains 1 Diplomacy and the Star Performer Trait.]
It was a bit of a Tantalus tradition to meet on the stage of the Prima Vista after a successful heist to celebrate. You weren't an official member, but Ruby insists you come along and share the spoils. Even if you were still a bit wobbly, you took the invitation.
This particular celebration's 'spoils' included a chunk of the money made from the play, fancy food, alcohol from Baku's personal stock, and the charming atmosphere that only a bunch of performer thieves could bring.
It also included gifts from fans, and apparently, you had made quite a few today. There was a large stack of bouquets, a good deal were split between Marcus, Blank, and Cinna but quite a few were for you too. It was flattering, thought a little odd to see them addressed to "Amber" (your stage name.) You also had a 'get well soon' card from Genesis, signed by the SOLDIER 1sts.
All three of them.
That particular gift made you feel… odd. But thankfully you didn't have long to ruminate on it before Zidane stood up and started telling everyone a bawdy story about an old adventure. Tantalus was eating it up, you personally found it quite entertaining, but Steiner clapped his hands over Garnet's ears and demanded that Zidane stop.
"Does anyone else hear that?"
"Huh?" You turn to Marcus, who was tilting his head, as if trying to get water out of his ears.
"I swear I hear something… It sounds like rumbling I think…"
You walk a bit closer to the edge of the stage and listen. The Prima Vista is still over Midgar and the only thing Shinca could send was a helicopter. You know what that sounded like, and this wasn't it. This sounded more like an engine…
A reddish blur shot over the railing, casting a long shadow as it hit the crest of its jump and started to fall- right on top of you!
Zidane reacts first, tackling you to the ground and causing the object to skim over your head, close enough to feel the air moving around it.
The object spun around several times, completely demolishing parts of the stage and coming dangerously close to mowing down Garnet before it stopped. Now that it wasn't moving too fast to track, you could identify it easily.
A SOLDIER with slicked-back blonde hair and the standard uniform on a customized bike. But, how!? You were hundreds of feet in the air at the very least!
"My, my, my, you've led me on a merry chase!" He dismounted the bike with an unnecessary flourish and a shit-eating grin. "But I always get my prey!"
"Who the hell are you?" Baku demanded angrily.
"My name is Roche, but you can call me Speed Demon!" The strange SOLDIER looked to all of you in turn, still smiling like a loon. Until his eyes made contact with yours. Vertical slits, not round pupils.
"You've evaded extinction for far too long, CCccetrAAaa." The voice that came out of him was twisted, and inhuman… and caused a familiar skin-crawling sensation to course through your body.
"JENOVA." You start to push yourself to your feet, still somewhat shaky. Zidane has already drawn his knives, staring down Roche without fear. Baku silently signals something to Blank, who grabs Garnet, Ruby, and Steiner to escort them downstairs.
You should be intimidated, it's JENOVA after all. But comparing Roche to Sephiroth... "Talk about a downgrade, going from a pristine 1st Class SOLDIER to a 3rd. You've really fallen far haven't you?"
Roche glares at you, but some of the intensity is gone from his expression. When he next speaks, it's with his own voice, not JENOVA's. "He'll be along for the ride in time… but I don't need his help to kill you."
He drew his sword, and everyone still on the deck responded in kind.
Shadow: 12/12 HP, 0/0 MP
Zidane: 12/12 HP, 8/8 MP
Vaan: 12/12 HP, 6/6 MP
Evade DC: 30+ 30 (Speed Demon)= 60
Additional Info will be revealed next turn.
[Roche's gaze is locked on Aerith!]
Him.
Suddenly tense, you sit up and are about to stand when you suddenly realize where you were resting. Ruby's bedroom on the Prima Vista (now shared between the three girls on the ship, four when Garnet arrives)
If Shinra found out who you were, or that Tantalus was responsible for breaking into Shinra tower, chances were they would have SOLDIERs breaking down the door and taking you all captive. The mere fact that you were still here meant you were safe, for now at least.
You sigh in relief and calm slightly, only to grimace as another wave of phantom pain runs through you. Shooting a wary glance at the door (Ruby assured you the boys were 'chivalrous' but it was hard to tell with some of them), you partially remove your clothes so you can look at your scar.
The scar that shouldn't exist.
The mere thought of it made you uncomfortable, but there was no reason running from the truth. You should be dead. This kind of wound should have been fatal within seconds, maybe instantly. The only reason Cloud and Zack survived their fights with Sephiroth was their SOLDIER enhancements, and Tifa was 'lucky' enough to only have it cut through her ribs and sternum. Any deeper and…
You shake your head, trying to dislodge the pessimistic train of thought. What could have happened didn't matter, what matters is that you and your friends are alive, and you intend to keep it that way.
"Aerith?" Shit. You quickly slide your clothes back in place, but it's too late. Ruby's already seen the scar. "I'm sorry for barging in Aerith, I just wanted to check on you. Does it hurt?"
"... Sometimes." You admit softly "It's an old scar but sometimes it feels fresh."
"Do you want me someone to look at that? Blank is good at potion brewing, and Garnet has some training in White Magic."
"No. I don't think there's anything they can do. Like I said, it's an old wound." Wait… "Garnet? Zidane and the others are back? How long was I out?"
"Oh right, let me get you back up to speed. You were only out for an hour or so, long enough for us to get back to the Prima Vista. Zidane only came back a little bit ago, I think right now they're raiding the boy's closet for anything to fit Steiner."
"So they got in and out okay?"
"Zidane got a little banged up, but Garnet healed him. As I'm sure you can guess, he was very happy about that. Steiner's mad about his suit of armor, but I'm sure we can get him a new one back in Dalmasca."
"So the mission was a success? They're all okay?"
"You sound like you're having a hard time believing it." Even though Ruby's tone wasn't accusatory in the slightest, it still gave you pause.
"I guess I was worried that despite all the preparations we did, it wouldn't be enough. Sometimes Shinra seems so big, so… invincible." You confess. Sometimes it seemed that way, seeing how quickly Shinra could bounce back from what felt like a victory.
"Well, they're certainly big. But invincible they are not. They aren't omnipotent either, in case you were wondering. There's no sign they know that we were involved in the break-in at all, and we're not going to stick around long enough for them to find out." Ruby gives you a reassuring smile.
The little knot of worry you've been carrying around for days unravels in your chest. Somehow, despite almost every encounter with Shinra before ending in pain… it looked like this time you would get away with it.
"We did it." The words taste sweet on your lips. "We did it."
As if to confirm, you could hear the distant rumble of the Mist Engine coming to life.
[Mission Accomplished!]
[Zidane gains 2 Intrigue for leading the mission and outfoxing Shinigami. Vaan, Shadow, and Aerith gain 1 Intrigue for assisting him.]
[Tantalus (Zidane) and Aerith gain 1 Diplomacy for their stunning Performance of Loveless]
[Achievement Unlocked!: Star Performer. Aerith gains 1 Diplomacy and the Star Performer Trait.]
It was a bit of a Tantalus tradition to meet on the stage of the Prima Vista after a successful heist to celebrate. You weren't an official member, but Ruby insists you come along and share the spoils. Even if you were still a bit wobbly, you took the invitation.
This particular celebration's 'spoils' included a chunk of the money made from the play, fancy food, alcohol from Baku's personal stock, and the charming atmosphere that only a bunch of performer thieves could bring.
It also included gifts from fans, and apparently, you had made quite a few today. There was a large stack of bouquets, a good deal were split between Marcus, Blank, and Cinna but quite a few were for you too. It was flattering, thought a little odd to see them addressed to "Amber" (your stage name.) You also had a 'get well soon' card from Genesis, signed by the SOLDIER 1sts.
All three of them.
That particular gift made you feel… odd. But thankfully you didn't have long to ruminate on it before Zidane stood up and started telling everyone a bawdy story about an old adventure. Tantalus was eating it up, you personally found it quite entertaining, but Steiner clapped his hands over Garnet's ears and demanded that Zidane stop.
"Does anyone else hear that?"
"Huh?" You turn to Marcus, who was tilting his head, as if trying to get water out of his ears.
"I swear I hear something… It sounds like rumbling I think…"
You walk a bit closer to the edge of the stage and listen. The Prima Vista is still over Midgar and the only thing Shinca could send was a helicopter. You know what that sounded like, and this wasn't it. This sounded more like an engine…
A reddish blur shot over the railing, casting a long shadow as it hit the crest of its jump and started to fall- right on top of you!
Zidane reacts first, tackling you to the ground and causing the object to skim over your head, close enough to feel the air moving around it.
The object spun around several times, completely demolishing parts of the stage and coming dangerously close to mowing down Garnet before it stopped. Now that it wasn't moving too fast to track, you could identify it easily.
A SOLDIER with slicked-back blonde hair and the standard uniform on a customized bike. But, how!? You were hundreds of feet in the air at the very least!
"My, my, my, you've led me on a merry chase!" He dismounted the bike with an unnecessary flourish and a shit-eating grin. "But I always get my prey!"
"Who the hell are you?" Baku demanded angrily.
"My name is Roche, but you can call me Speed Demon!" The strange SOLDIER looked to all of you in turn, still smiling like a loon. Until his eyes made contact with yours. Vertical slits, not round pupils.
"You've evaded extinction for far too long, CCccetrAAaa." The voice that came out of him was twisted, and inhuman… and caused a familiar skin-crawling sensation to course through your body.
"JENOVA." You start to push yourself to your feet, still somewhat shaky. Zidane has already drawn his knives, staring down Roche without fear. Baku silently signals something to Blank, who grabs Garnet, Ruby, and Steiner to escort them downstairs.
You should be intimidated, it's JENOVA after all. But comparing Roche to Sephiroth... "Talk about a downgrade, going from a pristine 1st Class SOLDIER to a 3rd. You've really fallen far haven't you?"
Roche glares at you, but some of the intensity is gone from his expression. When he next speaks, it's with his own voice, not JENOVA's. "He'll be along for the ride in time… but I don't need his help to kill you."
He drew his sword, and everyone still on the deck responded in kind.
Party Condition
Aerith: 11/11 HP, 13/13 MP Condition: Shaken (Lowers all stats by 20%. Debuff will fade with time)Shadow: 12/12 HP, 0/0 MP
Zidane: 12/12 HP, 8/8 MP
Vaan: 12/12 HP, 6/6 MP
Boss Condition
JENOVA Class SOLDIER- Roche: HP ??/?? 2 Attacks per TurnEvade DC: 30+ 30 (Speed Demon)= 60
Additional Info will be revealed next turn.
[Roche's gaze is locked on Aerith!]
Potion [x3]: Restores 5 HP
Antidote [x3]: Cures the Poison condition
Smelling Salt [x2]: Cures the Confused condition
Ether [x2]: Restores 5 MP
Echo Herb [x1]: Cures the Silence condition.
Phoenix Down [x2]: Revives a Downed ally.
Attack Items
Shuriken [x7]: Can be used with the Throw command to attack with +10 accuracy and +1 Damage.
Fire Scroll [x1]: Can be used with the Throw command to deal Fire elemental damage using Intrigue instead of Magic. [Total Damage: 8]
Vanish Scroll [x1]: Can be used with the Throw command to give the user or an ally the Vanish condition.
Antidote [x3]: Cures the Poison condition
Smelling Salt [x2]: Cures the Confused condition
Ether [x2]: Restores 5 MP
Echo Herb [x1]: Cures the Silence condition.
Phoenix Down [x2]: Revives a Downed ally.
Attack Items
Shuriken [x7]: Can be used with the Throw command to attack with +10 accuracy and +1 Damage.
Fire Scroll [x1]: Can be used with the Throw command to deal Fire elemental damage using Intrigue instead of Magic. [Total Damage: 8]
Vanish Scroll [x1]: Can be used with the Throw command to give the user or an ally the Vanish condition.
What Will Aerith Do?
- Attack [Ruin]: You're still woozy from fainting earlier, not to mention getting tackled a second ago. It might be best to save your strength.
- Defend: Roche has your eyes on you, and until the others force him to pay attention, that's unlikely to change. Keep your guard up, 3rd Class or not, he's still a SOLDIER. [When defending, roll 2 dice and take the highest. However, when winning a contested check while defending, you will not deal damage even if you win a contested check]
- Cast An Attack Spell: No point in waiting around, start bombarding him with Magic! [Cast Blizzard, Water, or Bio for 1 MP]
- Item: Use an item from your supplies
- Do Something Clever: [Write In]
What Will Shadow Do?
- Attack: Aerith told you all that you could handle a SOLDIER 3rd class together, and that's what Roche appears to be. Lunge deep, and cut deeper
- Throw Attack Item: You've got about 7 Shuriken and a homemade Fire Scroll. Both can deal some serious damage if you can land the shot. [Uses Shuriken or Fire Scroll. You have 7 Shuriken, and 1 Fire Scroll.
- Throw Vanish Scroll: You made this one yourself, a Vanish Scroll. It should give whoever you use on a hell of an edge at close combat, but you only have one, so think carefully. [Uses Vanish Scroll. You have 1 remaining.]
- Item: Use an item from your supplies
- Do Something Clever: [Write In]
What Will Zidane Do?
- Attack: Who does this guy think he is? He looks strong, but you've stood against Beatrix herself. Granted she kicked the everloving shit out of you, but this guy shouldn't be as strong, right?
- Protect Girls [Free Action]: He's after Aerith, that much is clear. And you're not gonna let that happen. You don't need a reason to help a girl out, you'll do it because you want to.
- Steal: You've spotted the pockets on his uniform, and the little gems near the hilt of his sword. They'll be hard to steal, but according to Aerith, they're the source of a SOLDIER's magic.
- What's That?!: What? It's a good trick. If you can get Roche to turn his back, you'll have all the time in the world for a vicious sneak attack. Granted, it might be hard to get him to turn his back on Aerith right now… [Note: One use only]
- Item: Use an item from your supplies
- Do Something Clever: [Write In]
What Will Vaan Do?
- Attack: You weren't expecting to fight a SOLDIER today. Well, you were, but during the break-in, not after. Most of your scraps were against monsters and ruffians not soldiers… but you'll manage.
- Steal Breath: SOLDIER or not he's still human, knock the wind out of him and he'll be hard-pressed to fight back. [Costs 1 MP]
- Bone Crusher: Is it reckless? Yes. But can you deal a heck of a lot of damage? Also yes. Hit him where it hurts! [Costs 2 HP]
- Item: Use an item from your supplies
- Do Something Clever: [Write In]
What Will The Others Do?
- Toss The Fighters Some Weapons: No one had their best gear, since this was going to be a celebration instead of a battle. Marcus can run and get a Butterfly Sword for Zidane and a Mage Masher for Shadow or Vaan. [Zidane will equip the Butterfly Sword, choose Shadow or Vaan to receive the Mage Masher]
- Lion Dance Or Peacock Strut: Angea can support the fighters on the ground with a dance, Lion Dance for fighters, and Peacock Strut for mages. But in order to do it, she has to be near the combatants. Atop the stage's tower should be safe, right? [Agnea will perform Lion Dance, boosting the party's Martial rolls by 10 points, or Peacock Strut, boosting Magic rolls by 10 points. Only one dance can be active at a time.]
- "Tantalus Boarding Party Surprise Punch": An intruder? On Baku's ship? Not on his watch! Show that bastard what the leader of Tantalus can do! [Baku will ambush Roche, performing an opposed Martial Check with advantage. On success, deal a Critical Hit to Roche.]
- Swap Combatants (Becomes Available Next Turn): Using the lifts Ruby can get people out of combat and below decks without exposing them to unnecessary danger. Not right now though, Steiner still needs a sword and none of the combatants are wounded, yet.
- Use Special Effects: Some of Tantalus's more… bombastic plays, have special effects including pyrotechnics. Blank can prime an 'Ultima' or 'Meteor' to drop on poor Roche. It won't deal any actual damage, but he might waste time and energy defending from fake attacks. [Make a contested Intrigue check against Roche. On a success, Roche takes a -20 to all rolls that turn and loses the "Speed Demon" evasion buff for that turn.]
There will be a 24-hour Moratorium to discuss and strategize. Voting will open Tomorrow.
For the sake of transparency, the reason why there's only 4 combatants on the field is for a few reasons. 1, more fighters is more for me to keep track of. 2, the program my artist friend is using will naturally allow for 4 characters worth of names, statuses, HP, and so on, not 5. They had to actively edit the 5th character's info during the Earth Dragon Fight. 3, it's easier to balance fights with less characters on both sides.
Chances are boss battles will be limited to 4 combatants from here on out. Maybe adventures too
Also, I bumped Shadow up a level since it felt wrong for him to have less HP than Zidane and Vaan. You can check his sheet for his new trait if you'd like.
Roche: #ff355e Radical Red
JENOVA: SV default Dark Purple, in italics and bolded.
Chances are boss battles will be limited to 4 combatants from here on out. Maybe adventures too
Also, I bumped Shadow up a level since it felt wrong for him to have less HP than Zidane and Vaan. You can check his sheet for his new trait if you'd like.
Roche: #ff355e Radical Red
JENOVA: SV default Dark Purple, in italics and bolded.
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- Location
- Three feet to the left
- Pronouns
- He/They
We should steal his materia! And his bike!
- Location
- Dragyxx
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Limiting combat party size to the traditional four should be fine. Just as long as we're allowed a backline who can swap in and out (And possibly do stuff like consume healing items while 'off the field', representing people falling back to recover, automatically replacing if someone falls), it should work as a good mechanical approximation.
Maybe allow a maximum total of six or eight, with four active members and two or four 'off field' members?
Maybe allow a maximum total of six or eight, with four active members and two or four 'off field' members?
AweStriker
Mobocracy
- Location
- Wherever He Wants
I'm thinking we should play a little defensive while we're still missing information and go for disabling plays. The main point I'm stuck on right now is whether or not to have Zidane use Protect Girls, since JENOVA-Roche's fixation on Aerith is going to mean we have a better opportunity to Steal that might go away if Zidane engages more directly, or when J-R realizes there's a whole stageful of serious fighters here.
edit: Speed Demon being an evasion buff is also a great reason to not commit resources. Not sure whether that means Magic gets around it - or whether SFX gets rid of it for that turn only or for the rest of the fight.
edit: Speed Demon being an evasion buff is also a great reason to not commit resources. Not sure whether that means Magic gets around it - or whether SFX gets rid of it for that turn only or for the rest of the fight.
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W-whoa! Suddenly... Uh...
Gosh, wasn't expecting an ambush from JENOVA herself. And from the sounds of it, this is Crisis Core Sephiroth, before Jenova's influence took over. Wow. At least Aerith was able to catch a little break before this!
Hmm, do we have to spend a turn for Vaan's Libra skill to activate?
... Who are you?
That sounds good!
Gosh, wasn't expecting an ambush from JENOVA herself. And from the sounds of it, this is Crisis Core Sephiroth, before Jenova's influence took over. Wow. At least Aerith was able to catch a little break before this!
Hmm, do we have to spend a turn for Vaan's Libra skill to activate?
ThatGuyWithIdeas
Treize died for our sins
- Location
- Romania
Think we spend the turn mostly paving the way for further opporunities to actually attack our opponent (weapon tossing, with Vaan getting the Mage Masher since Shadow already has a weapon in the Mythril Knife, Zidane tries to steal, Aerith defends, for others I'm not sure what to do just yet)