Faith in the Spirits Arc 1: To Align the Stars

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Marianne giggled at the healer's rather taken gaze, slowly turning to fear as she directed her towards Cinead. It appeared the similarities between the healer and Catherine were mostly appearance deep, "Eyes on the battlefield, sweetheart. Once this is over, you'll have plenty of time to look, if you'd like." She took a deep breath, this at least made it easy to hide that she wasn't doing too well herself. The fight was drawing to a close, so long as she didn't have to cast she should be fine. At least she wasn't causing too much trouble assisting without their commander's consent. The Evokers appeared to be missing as well, and that was making things a lot easier as to not arouse more suspicion than she probably already was. Both a boon and a bane; Marianne had wanted to see the Evoker's magic first hand, and see if she could match up. But, this was already a lot to deal with in her state, better that they weren't out here. 

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Renais helps Aegean feel something other than pain!
Renais heals Aegean for 14HP! 
Renais gains 12 EXP, and +2 Staff EXP

With Marianne's help, Renais moves again to heal Cinead with Staff Technician!
Renais heals at range Cinead for 7HP!
Renais gains 9 EXP, and +2 Staff EXP

[TheRoon]

The teasing from both Cin and Marianne was not doing favors for Renais' composure. She started to raise her staff in defense as she looked down with a blush. "Don't...don't remember me please..." She mumbled toward Cin. "I mean...just doing my job and well...err...you know..." She slinked back slightly behind Aegean, trying to avoid the judging gazes of both the beauty and the beast.

'Why was I born short...?'

[scorri]

Cin chuckled quietly as he turned back to the fight. He really was going to have to talk to her about this at some point. It seemed like she trusted Aegean, that was good. Maybe Gean could be a mediator between them. Or at the very least pass on the message that he wasn't going to hurt her. And he certainly wasn't going to forget her. She was interesting. And a good healer, if she managed to heal him from all the way back there. He would have to keep an eye on her talents...

[mcd900]

"Bunch of fools - throwing your lives away for a bit of coin..." Laniva huffed slightly, bringing her blade back to the ready... before a sudden wave of nausea assaulted her once more, and she groaned loudly.

"Ugh... s, sorry, t-take over for me, would you, Miria, Alriana...?" 

Overwhelmed, Laniva backs up to 6, 12.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Enemy Phase!

Merc 2 questions the blazing sword, but charges Miria anyway! 
[11/45] He connects, but his blade bounces off harmlessly! 0 damage! 
Miria's victory music starts playing! 
[75/24] 13 Damage! 
Miria gains 10 EXP, and +1 Sword EXP!

Pirate 4 takes one look at Alvira and Tasha, "Fuck dis! Ain't cash enough to fite dat!" and runs the other way towards Cin! 
[74/65] Alvira's menacing aura spooked him enough for Cin to dodge! Miss! 
Cin reminds Pirate 4 that he is a dragon too!
[41/27] 4 Damage! 
Cin gains 12 EXP, and +1 Brawling EXP! 

Krauser watched as his men fell one by one, and to a group of almost entirely women. He watched one of his men run into the fist of the lone, enormous, man on the opposing side. He sighed, and brought his Shining Bow to bare. "You want something done... You gotta do it yourself. Alright kittens, play time is over! Come see how a real Islexian does business, you load of freaks!" 

Krauser Remains put, bow at the ready! 

Player Phase! Turn 3!

"Ugh... let me go back to sleep..." Tio sluggishly walked up from below deck with a yawn. She looked around; it looked like fighting was pretty much over. The Iron Tigers basically had control of the pirate's ships. "...See? They didn't even need our help. Can I," Another yawn. "Go back to bed now?" It was about that point that Laniva showed up, looking positively awful. Not from any injuries mind, but seasickness it seemed like. Tio knew that feeling, and she internally groaned. Leave it to us to get attacked in the morning... She sloppily waved her hand, and her crystalline staff appeared next to her. 

"Are you alright, um... all of your names are so hard to come by, but... Are you alright?" 
Tio and Elisa have entered the fray!

Edited January 15 by Mercenary on the Winds

[scorri]

Punch pirate 4

Edited January 15 by scorri

[Silver Gallade]

Alrian had dispatched the pirate the two of them had been fighting. However, Miria was too focused on that when she was caught off guard by his partner. Where had Alriana gone? The swordsman went for an attack, but he'd be surprised by Miria catching the blade with her vambrace, leaving only some sparks where it had landed. Pushing it off, she went for a retaliatory slash. While the man was caught off balance, Miria went for a finishing attack, a simple spin slash, leaving her on one knee in a nice pose. However, she held herself back some. Didn't want to do that and accidentally set a boat on fire.

Miria attacks Merc 2

[MRDRHAWK]

With Alvira presumably done calling her old - seriously, what the hell? - Nyx zeroed in on that which she’d noticed earlier - a shiny chest, ripe for the picking! She needed to get closer… and closer she would get! Along the way, she gave Syndra a little pat on the head - a silly gesture, but one she’d hopefully not mind coming from the bow wielding woman.

Nyx moves to 13-15!

[Mel the DM]

... I'll think about how to get away from here later. Can't trust anyone, can't trust anyone... Just... Have to kill these damn pirates and I can go hide in my room. Alvira's fury was quickly being replaced with a need to disappear, Natalya having proven to the dragon that her good intentions just weren't good enough.

Alvira to 13,9

"Let's get this over with you rat. Shoot your funny little bow and let me see the horror on your face when it doesn't do what you want it to."

[Bluemask 96]

Gean let out a heavy sigh as she felt a familiar wave of comfort wash over her. "Thanks Ren, you're a life saver." It was then that they received company from one of the final arrivals from their trip. While Gean was definitely curious about their dancing companion here, questions could wait till after the pirates were gone. "Yeah, yeah no I'm done. The ladies and Cin can handle the rest."

Gean could only chuckle as the healer tried to use her to vanish from Maria and Cin. Giving her a slight pat on the head, she tried to assure the girl. "Trust me  when I say our large and firery friend over there wouldn't harm you at all. If anything I think he likes you. I could even introduce you two." Gean had noticed this look on Renais before, even if the girl tried her best to keep to herself. Maybe a little mediation was in order. For now it'd probably be best to hang back and keep their healer safe.

 

 

[Billy12510]

Goddamnit Nyx why must you poke the bear... Even if Syndra believed Alvira was in the right to be mad she had no right to treat her allies in that way. I'll have to speak with Natalya later about Alvira's behavior. If she stays unchecked like this she's bound to get one of us killed eventually by the time we reach Islexia proper. For now she had to turn her attention back to the job at hand, and to that effect, she could see off to her right the Evokers began emerging from below deck. Oh great, now they're here too. Best ignore them, I doubt they'll have time to get involved. That pirate the dragon stranger was fighting looked to be on his last legs, so it would be best if Syndra finished him off.

Syndra moves to 13,11 and casts Ice at Pirate 4!

[Mercenary on the Winds]

There they were. The Evokers of Glacies, and two of the most powerful mages alive. She'd consider her place against them more later, and when she wasn't running on fumes. Stupid mana storm... always making things hard for me... With the battle at an end, it was probably in her best interest to get the group as close together as she could. Which meant, helping the archer on her way. A bit of leg work, but Maria prided herself on those in the first place. 

"Hah... You should probably hurry on your way to that chest... They may need you down there. I'd like to perform in earnest later, as you asked, but this... will have to do for now." Marianne winked, "Hope that's... not an issue." 

Marianne hurries her way 13, 14 and dances for Nyx 

Another glance over her shoulder; the dragon girl was, surprisingly, still alive and not any worse for wear. She appeared to be goading the pirate's leader into attacking. She sighed, "Why am I not surprised she's as annoying on the field as off..." At least it wasn't directed at her, or any of her unit, for the moment. Probably best to be in range to assist, if necessary. 

---

Miria commits Final Wave on Merc 2!
[98/81] Merc 2 is charred! 
Miria gains 30 EXP, and +2 Sword EXP 

Cin continues punching Pirate 4!
[68/48], [8/69] Combination combines for 8 damage! 
"Hold still and let m' crush you!"
[89/25] Cin calmly declines! Miss! 
Cinead gains 12 EXP, and +2 brawling EXP 

Syndra enacts the Titanic on Pirate 4!
[99/29] Pirate 4 is going down! (I can't believe that we got 98, and 99 on these calcs)
Syndra gains 34 EXP, and +2 anima EXP

[MRDRHAWK]

Nyx was rejuvenated, against all logic! At least, from the perspective of a drunken ex-outlaw. “Ah, yer a real peach, y’know? If this chest got some gold in ‘er, I woul’nt mind sharin’ it wit ye~” With a playful parting wink of her own, Nyx darted over to the chest, and got to work doing what she used to do best.

Wonder what goodies awaited her…?

Nyx moves to 17-16 and unlocks the chest!

[TheRoon]

The pat on the head didn't help much, but she didn't decline it at least. "Mm...that's not needed, miss Aegean..." She looked aside with a mumble. "He's just on the boat as a passenger, we won't see him again after this battle...but..." She watched him with a wide frown and even wider eyes. "....eeeeh...I can't leave him like this..." Despite her fears, Renais just couldn't leave the injured in need. Her conscious was too strong. With a gulp to herself she slowly slinked over to the large dragon fighter and got as close as she could. She held out her staff and started to mend his wounds. '...I'm just doing my job...just doing my job, just doing my job, just doing my job...'

Renais moves to 10-10 and (very carefully) heals Cin once more!

[scorri]

Cinaed glanced down at Renais as he felt the same warm healing magic as before. "Thank you again, miss. This battle is pretty much wrapped up, but be careful about moving too far forward, alright? You getting hurt wouldn't help anything. Stay safe out here." He considered giving her a pat on the shoulder, but somehow he suspected that she might collapse under his touch and there was enough going on that they didn't need that sort of complication right now.

[Bluemask 96]

Gean moves to 9-10 for moral support!

[mcd900]

"I... I'll be fine, thank you. Everything is... ugh... u-under control, you won't need to lift a finger..."

Laniva continues to be incapacitated by seasickness. [Pass]

Edited January 16 by mcd900

[Ursali]

She had downed the pirate aiming for Miria before he could retaliate again, but there was nothing she could do about the one with a sword. Though, he was barely a threat to Miria, as it turned out. With the southern boat taken care of all that was left was cleanup most likely.

Aly moves to 8,10.

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Tio wasn't really awake as of yet, mornings were something that she was incredibly terrible with. Fortunately, the mercenaries and Elisa didn't share her sluggish start to the day. But she could at least tell that the cat swordswoman was accurate; this fight would end with or without their help. After all, sinking the pirate ship with them on it would be... less than ideal. 

"I think then..." Another yawn, "Elisa and I can tend to you then. But... quite well done if I say so myself."

Tio stays put with the seasick Laniva! 

---

Nyx opens the chest!
She acquires NOTHING.
Oh wait there was a Monster Carver at the bottom!
Nyx acquired a Monster Carver!

 

Renais (Very Carefully) heals Cin!
Renais heals Cin to maximum HP (7 HP restored)
Renais gains 8 EXP, and +2 Staff EXP 

Edited January 17 by Mercenary on the Winds

[JakezuGD]

Hasty as Natalya had been in reprimanding the dragon, she felt like it might come to bite back rather quickly, but this was a combat situation, and she needed to make Alvira shut up quickly enough that she wouldn't have her attention away from everyone else for too long. She'd have time to reflect on her words later.

Proper Procedure

Spoiler

Alvira couldn’t sleep. Nothing new for the dragon, but it was annoying to be unable to on the boat. It was rocking too much for her to really do much else other than try to sleep this late at night… There was one thing she could try, but she didn’t want to bother… Maybe she’s still awake and you’re not bothering anything. You won’t know until you check. She sighed– Quietly. She didn’t want to disturb Alriana who had managed to doze off… Gently pulling herself out of her bed, she slipped out the door with no more than a creak on the floorboards. 

Tasha’s room was only two down, Alvira not having to walk far to knock three times against their leader’s door. “Hey… Commander? Tasha…? … … M-Mom… Are… Are you, awake?”

It wasn’t that Natalya had trouble sleeping on a ship that she was still awake, she was just uncharacteristically anxious because of the job they were now irreversibly doing. Even if the money would guarantee all of their futures, the tiger did have to wonder what sort of mystery was buried under the relatively simple task, or if Iseria was simply employing the most certain option with the Evokers to make sure they would succeed. Then came the knocks, and Alvira’s soft voice from the other side. “Yeah? You’re not sleeping yet either, huh?”

“No… Not yet.” Since she was awake, Alvira took it as permission to enter, gently creaking the door open. Her eyes were assaulted by Tasha out of her armor, the dragon lucky it was so late at night that the color spreading onto her face was hidden well enough. The tiger was still fully clothed, but… They were very flattering clothes. “I… uhm… I just… I want, to know exactly what you want me doing if we get attacked by pirates out here… When, we get attacked by pirates. From all that was said, I’m pretty sure that they’ll hit us eventually…”

She closed the door and rested against it, looking far away from her commander. “I know to hit the bad guys with the ice block. Just… If there’s anything else… And, since they’re from Islexia, the weapons they’ll likely be carrying, how worried do you think I should be?” Alvira knew, but she wanted Tasha’s thoughts on Pure weapons. 

It was dark and difficult to see, maybe, but Alvira might not have realized that Natalya had better dark vision than most people, letting her see the blush well enough. A small giggle at the sight, and she’d give the answers she was actually being prodded for. “Well, if they don’t have cannons, and I doubt they do, they’ll try to board and overrun the ship, so all we really need to do is make sure they don’t get to push their numbers on us. Control the boarding planks and we’ll control the fight, then we can try to take them out entirely.” She didn’t have that much experience in naval combat, but given pirates were usually after things they could sell, sinking the ship or keeping to their own ships didn’t sound like something they’d do.

Then there was the matter of the monster-slaying weapons the Islexians were quite known for. “Probably very. Pirates don’t usually carry sophisticated weapons, but they’re fighting in Glacian waters, and they know there’s relatively a lot of Clouded in Glacies, so some of them will likely have… what did they call them again, ‘Pure’ weapons? Pretentious-ass name…”

“They are incredibly pretentious. We’re still people… Damn Islexians.” Damn humans… Alvira grumbled a little, taking another step closer, nodding along at the rest of her words. “So, we just brick them before they get on board, and overrun their boats instead… Easy enough. Can’t imagine they’ll be very well armored, or know how to deal with magic. Hmph. Their mistake.” The Iron Tigers would need to go up against way more than a group of angry racists to fall.

“Then… That’s, that’s all I had to ask, about pirates… As for, not sleeping, can, can I, I mean…” Alvira was hesitating, huffed a bit, swallowed hard, and then… “Can I stay here, tonight? It might… Help me conk out.”

Seems like Alvira got the idea well enough, at least, and that’d be all fine and dandy for Natalya for the moment. The second request, however, came as a bit of a… no, actually, it wasn’t too surprising, not from someone who insisted she be able to call her ‘Mom’. “You don’t feel comfortable enough with Alriana? The rooms are for two, so I don’t mind if you try it here, I’m by myself and all.” Natalya got up to check that the unused bed was in good condition for someone to jump in, if Alvira was to follow up on what she asked for.

“I… It’s not that. Alriana is my ff… friend… I’m glad she’s there, I just… Want, to sleep near you, more. I hope that’s alright.” Tasha was quickly making Alvira more and more comfortable, and the dragon hoped it would continue. “I, just think it’d be good for me. That’s all. That’s all… So if it’s fine, then, I’d like to stay. I won’t get in your way, or anything. I don’t take up much space…” Tasha had already said she was fine with it, Alvira still trying to convince her despite that.

“I already said it’s fine, Alvira, you don’t have to make yourself out to be less of a burden,” the tiger said back with a chuckle, a bit amused by how much it seemed the dragon had to justify this to herself. Then again, for someone who wasn’t used to having people close to her in general, except for the family back home she was dedicating her work to, it made an amount of sense. The bed seemed to be fine enough, the crew having taken good care of the cabins. “Sleeping is always going to be better than not, so if you think it’ll be easier with me, you can just go ahead.”

“I-I, ahh… O, Okay. Okay. Then, then good night. Mom. Tasha. Momtasha…” Alvira tried her best to stay calm and not panic, but she was failing, slinking over to the bed and slipping into it. She quickly rolled over and face away from the tiger, pulling the blanket up over herself. “I… I hope, hope you sleep well…”

The speed at which the dragon blazed into bed seemed counterintuitive for sleeping, but with her faced away like that, Natalya figured she’d try to comfort the young woman a little bit more, softly petting her head for a moment. “Hehe. Good night, Alvira, I hope you’ll sleep well too.” A small bit of lingering, and she’d slip on over to her own bed, calmed a bit by the down-to-earth nature of Alvira’s request.

The dragon flinched at the sudden feeling on her head, not saying anything more, or even moving… Her heart had jumped into her throat, beating like crazy. Please let me trust you. Please let me trust you. Please… I don’t want this to be, me clinging onto niceness, and it being a mistake. Please. Please… Please… She slowly started to drift off, exhaustion hitting her, and anxiety or not, her body needed rest.

Then, of course, the pirates' captain entered with his own ideas about them, clearly wielding a Pure bow himself. "Shut up! It's because of bastards like you that we even have to fight! Too bad you won't live long enough to regret attacking us!" Natalya dashes to 15-9. The tiger might have been harsh on Alvira, but it was this man who actually deserved her fury. Just like all of the pirates attacking Glacies...

---

Elisa would have joined the fray earlier, if not for the fact that she had to practically drag Tio out of bed. Really, for all of their sakes, she hoped they wouldn't have to fight in the morning too often, or it'd always take far too much time to get her wife woken up. "Sorry about our lateness~ Someone is just really bad at mornings. How about you stay with her, Tio, and I'll go see if anyone needs patching up?" Her concern about whether the Iron Tigers would be able to deal with things seemed to be for nothing, given how the pirates were already eliminated save for their captain, but tending to the wounded would be a priority regardless. Elisa saunters over to 9-11. "Everyone feeling alright, or will your lovely cleric be enough to handle things?~"

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Enemy Phase!

Krauser notched an arrow as the dragon girl that his subordinate fled from turned her tongue on him. The tiger woman also had words for him, but he had already long since started moving to meet the dragon. 
Krauser moves to 8, 13

Even at a distance, Krauser could tell that he towered over the girl. 

"You know...  I might not need my bow to work the way it does. I'll just use its arrows peel your scales off of your body, one by one. I think that'll make me more money than anything on this ship, and hey, I get to hear you beg for forgiveness. You should be thankful, abominations like you all deserve worse." 

Krauser begins his assault!
[33/48] The Shining Bow shimmers! Alvira takes 15 damage!
Despite the pain, Alvira counters!
[80/63] Alvira's ice connects! Krauser takes 10 damage!
Alvira gains 16 EXP! 

"Come on! Little bit of frost is all you got? You're a dragon ain'tcha? Where's your fire? Don't tell me you're this pathetic!" 

Player Phase! Turn 4!

 

[Billy12510]

Wonder who he sold for to get that kind of toy... I can find that out later, right now I need to save Alvira from her own good intentions. Syndra walked besides the dragon and tiger and made hand motions, preparing to launch ice shards at the pirate captain.

 

Syndra moves to 14, 9 and casts Ice at the Pirate Captain!

[Mel the DM]

The arrow struck her scales, the sensation of the pure weapon's magic biting into her magic circuits familiar and as horrifying as ever. The sensation didn't last as long as the last time she'd been struck by one, managing to shrug it off and smash another conjured cube of ice into his stomach. Another blast came out of nowhere, and Alvira, fearing her claim being stolen again, was actually relieved to see Syndra's magic fail to kill the man.

He was hers.

"You talk too much... A maggot like you doesn't deserve my fire. You wanna know what they say in Lufiria?" His height meant nothing to the dragon; in her mind, it only gave her an advantage. "The bigger they are--!" Alvira spun, her tail colliding with his legs, knocking him clean to the deck. Before Krauser could get his bearings, suddenly, shade. Both claws raised, a long, thick, slab of ice, was floating above the man, a good ten feet.

"The harder they fall. No one will miss you." She let go of her control, gravity doing the rest of the work.

Alvira attacks Krauser with Ice

[Mercenary on the Winds]

Syndra enacts the Titanic, again, but on a bigger boat!
[18/38] The Iceberg never misses! 11 Damage!
"Damned Galcia-- Huh? You... you're not... Ah, to hell with it, just stay the hell out of my way!"
Krauser returns fire!
[15/56] The Arrow strikes true! Syndra takes 5! 
Syndra gains 16 EXP, +1 Anima EXP!

Alvira approaches to finish the job!
[50/22] Krauser can't withstand the cold! Krauser felled! 
Alvira gains 74 EXP! 
First level up of the campaign! 
42  43  42  13  32  90  67  73
+Hp, Mag, Skl, Speed! 

---

Krauser turned his bow on Alvira... but it was much too late as his feet were knocked from under him. A block of ice hovered above him. '...The harder they fall. No one will miss you.'

"See you in hell, bi--" 

He never got to finish his sentence.

Map Clear!

Mastery achieved! +20 EXP to party! 

Aegean levels! 
27  4  13  85  59  34  77  6
+HP, Str, Mag, Spd!

Cinead levels! 
4  43  31  25  99  34  94  91
+HP, Mag, Skl

Renais acquires EXP and WEXP from healing units on map end(Moves that would have been completed if map did not end)! 
Renais heals Alvira for 14 HP! 
Renais gains 12 EXP, +2 Staff WEXP

Renais heals Aegean for 3 HP!
Renais gains 6 EXP, +2 Staff WEXP