Graded [Ryken City] Faster than the Fastest

[Elvario]

This RP is part of the Isekai Hell universe. It will follow a fairly strict 72 hour posting time limit starting directly after each narrator post. (Although the initial start-up might be a tad bit slower to get everyone involved and in place). In scenes of combat, 3 actions (ability, attack, defend, move) per turn will be the norm. Otherwise, a relatively loose interpretation of Isekai Hell's combat system will be the norm. Out of combat, free action economy will be the norm. Never hesitate to ask questions.

The story will follow Victorique Sopheana as she attempts to push beyond her racial limits and evolve into a true Lightfoot Halfling, doing so in order to capture someone supposed to be the fastest burglar alive. Characters are free to drop in for the entire run or for chunks of it, as they help her attempt to catch the burglar and/or join her in giving chase (please reach out to me on Discord or in PM's for the options).

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Dayle Shatter Shard

The events in the Underbelly had left Victorique thoroughly shaken. Not only had she nearly bled to death due to delaying treatment for longer than healthy, she'd been unable to rid her mind of all the horrors she'd witnessed. Even now that she'd visited a healer to get patched up, a lot of the mental scars remained. The nightmares weren't pretty. For all the praise and rewards she'd been given due to telling everything she knew to the Adventurer's Guild, she couldn't get that last threat that Ryke made out of her head. “Leave Ryke while you still can.” If all the death, decay and gore she'd witnessed weren't enough to give her lasting nightmares, that encounter with Ryke dialled that all up to 11. It's why she was eager to take on a new request and try finding some distractions.

That's when a very alluring new request caught her eye: Catching the supposedly fastest criminal alive. If she could catch the fastest criminal, she could outrun the fastest criminals as well. That'd mean she was safe, right? It was worth a shot. Besides, it was likely this case would take her out of Ryke, which meant she might be safe. All things considered, it would be a win-win. That said, she didn't want to do this alone. Having more than enough spending money to pay Orchid after all the information she provided the Adventurer's Guild with, she once again tried to strike a contract with her mean & green guardian. However, she'd also attempted to strike a deal with Dayle. After all, the many men he had in his gang might prove very useful at the initial stage of her plan.

Having gone through all the case files she could get her hand on and having let her brain work overtime, she'd isolated the likeliest area for the thief to strike and had been able to determine their attempt at theft was likely going to happen sooner, rather than later. It meant a stake-out was their best plan of action right now. It's why she'd gathered Dayle and however many men he'd be able to gather, along with Orchid, to inform them of her plans one final time.

“So, based on all the previous locations the burglar has targeted, they're likely to strike at one of the shops here. The weapon's store is putting up a legendary relic, whilst the potion store is selling a rare anti-ageing potion. Those two things are their likeliest targets. Me and Orchid can stand bye out of sight, whilst Dayle's men can blend in with the crowds to keep an eye on the crowds and back-alleys. I doubt the thief would suspect the former gang members to be on the look-out for him, which makes you guys the ideal look-outs. If my suspicions are correct, we might be able to catch the thief red-handed and block their escape routes. No amount of speed can save them if they've got nowhere to run. Any questions?”

They would've patrolled the street a bit ahead of time, to ensure everyone was aware of its look and layout:

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ B ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ B ]
[ D ]

D

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

Dayle had only recently got out of the Underbelly, recuperating from the injuries he sustained during the previous fiasco of cultists and the higher class. Although much had happened during that time, there was one thing that filled his mind: Zeke, his former right hand man. He wanted to dive right back into the Underbelly to obliterate the Blue Viscera Cult, but with the way he is currently, there was no chance of that happening. He needed more power and influence, and so he turned the Red Star into a goal of obliteration, into a goal of conquest. He closed his eyes as he contemplated on his current situation.

"Good work, Dayle." He could vividly remember the words of his superior. "Although it was regrettable that the Blooded Guard did not implode on itself, you proved yourself useful once again." Those cold amber eyes seemed to pierce his mind, but his next words caught him off guard. "A vacation's on the works, no?" He smiled at him. "It just so happened that a friend of yours came to see you." The man nodded his head to the window of the room, and outside Dayle saw a familiar halfling.

Now he found himself slouching back on a crate in a discreet location, with the halfling recounting their plan once again. A sense of deja vu hit him as Victorique kept on speaking, and once she was done, Dayle nodded to Roy who was quietly waiting upon him on the side. "So that's it eh?" Dayle spoke. "Just making a net. I can do that." The task at hand this time was a simple case of "catch the mofo" which he is used to. Though the current target wasn't just anyone. They were proclaimed as the "fastest" burglar, and although he couldn't really believe that, there were enough cases involving the burglar in question confirming their claim of being the fastest. At least, that's as much information as the Red Star's Network could muster. The only disappointment that there was no info on how they could escape capture.

Dayle currently wore a casual attire that shows his robust build, and his chains were nowhere to be found. His eye patch was also now gone, displaying an actual functional eye. He looked completely different from the confident Gang Leader from before, to his appearance of a regular street ruffian. Roy, on the other hand, wore a more sophisticated casual attire. His clean clothing was a stark contrast to Dayle's ruffled clothing. Dayle was partially covered with bandages and band aids, with Roy looking the same but on a lesser level. He looked over to Orchid and Victorique and spoke. "25 men, all planted around the block. That includes Roy here." He declared with Roy nodding, and as of currently, 24 of those men had been sprinkled on the streets, and some of them were concentrated on the two possibly targeted shops. "As for questions, what about the split?" He asked, rubbing his fingers together. "We really didn't make that clear." Despite Dayle asking, Victorique would know that he was going to see through this until the end. Him already dispatching all of his manpower for a simple request was a testament on how serious he was with paying back favors.

Spoiler: Abilities

Dayle:​

Grade F Ability: [Available] 0/0​

[CD | 0 Post] Hot Stuff: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] F, Hellhound [Aura] F| Dayle uses his aura to make himself more threatening, by creating a burning aura around his body. Be careful of touching that aura of his, it hurts.
[CD | 0 Post] Can't Touch This: Fighting Style [Dreadnaught] F, Nope [Deflect] F, Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] F, Hellhound [Aura] F| Dayle uses his aura to clad his body in palpable heat. This aura physically manifests as a protective film around his body, allowing him to deflect non-magical attacks.

Grade E Ability: [Available] 0/1​

[CD | 1 Post] Catch 'em Lackin: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] E, Chainz [Flexible] F| Dayle flourishes his chains, making it unclear when or where the next attack would come next, before striking wildly. If an opponent is caught off-guard, Dayle can potentially disarm or trip them.
[CD | 1 Post] Hook, Line, and Sinker: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] E, Chainz [Flexible] F, Fighting Style [Dreadnaught] E, One Two [Linked] F | Dayle wraps his chains around a target, before pulling hard and punching with his other arm.

Mentions: Shatter Shard @Skyhunter @Garbage Pail Kid Elvario Lucius Cypher

 

[RavenSong]

Amelia Nidori​

Amelia had been making her weekly travel to the city of Ryke. A patched linen bag over her shoulder, the feline human, nimble and light on her feet made her way through her usual route. Passing merchants, resisting the immensely appetizing smells, and covering her sensitive ears from the overwhelming amounts of sound pollution that permeated through the city. Readjusting the weight over her shoulder, Amelia grunted as her chatoyant eyes hastily scanned her surroundings. It wasn't until she crossed the cobbled street that her destination was complete. An old merchant lady would wave at her from a distance, her eyes could barely be seen through her wrinkled smiling face.

"Over here my dear!" She'd call out, Amelia grinned, relieved that her lead wasn't just a bluff.

"Ha. Isac, you're a genius." She muttered under her breath, making her way, albeit much slower now that she wasn't anxiously searching.

"Are you the talented fisher lady Isac told me so much about?"

Amelia rolled her eyes looking away, scratching the back of her head with a grin, a hint of sarcasm coloring her tone. "Heh. The one and only.." Her tail twitching at the sudden feeling of praise. Changing the subject, her gaze returned to the merchant before her, "..are you the one that agreed to pay fifteen coppers per fresh catch of Pike?" The neko was suspicious, but nonetheless placed the linen sack on the table.

The old merchant nodded, "Only if they're as fresh as Isac mentioned.." She said, raising a finger happily "..how many did you bring?"

"Six.." She replied as she pulled out her morning's catch, "..right out of the northern run ma'am!"

The old merchant chuckled, "My, my! You really are something!" She said as she inspected the fish, pulling one of them out and visibly impressed upon noticing they'd been salted and wrapped in beeswax paper to keep their freshness. "I'm afraid I haven't sold much today, will you take eighty coppers?"

It was then that Amelia's ears twitched, [Heightened Sense - Hearing F] having discerned a conversation, specifically the keyword: Burglar. Amelia, immidately took the merchants money, "That will do. Thanks." And immediately began to look for this audibly small but intelligent voice.

"I'm terribly sorry dear, please Come back next week!"

The neko's ears tuned out the merchant, and began to vaguely make out a conversation about some kind of plan to capture a villain. Following the sound, she paused for a moment, before making out another voice. Finally, she swiftly climbed up and over a few crates that revealed her quarry, below her. She crouched, ready to pounce as her clawed gauntlets excitedly protracted and retracted onto the wooden crates. "What have we here.." She said with a confident smirk. "..a pack of very loud little mice? It must be my lucky day."

There appeared to be more than the two voices she'd heard, but they didn't seem as big of threats as the one who appeared to look like a little girl, and a man, seemingly injured by the look of the bandages wrapped over wounds. "So, which one of you are going to let me in on capturing this.. burglar? I happen to despise burglars. And don't bother asking, I have my reasons."

The felines tail swayed excitedly, although her gaze revealed a cold and deadpan expression. A visage that shifted to everyone before her, expecting an answer.

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Dayle ( Shatter Shard ), Victorique ( Elvario ), Amelia ( RavenSong )​

---

It's been some time since that shit show in the Undercity. Upon reflection, Orchid noted that her performance was less than stellar. Certainly, she came out alive, which by all accounts is a victory, but each one felt like a desperate win. While she understood that most of her battles are going to be close, if her best would only have her barely win, than she needed to improve her abilities exponentially more. One day she isn't going to get so lucky, and would have nothing left to rely on but skill and wits. But first thing's first, after receiving payment from Victorique for her job, Orchid made sure to visit some blacksmiths and armorers. She got her helmet repaired and reinforced, as well as fixed up her previously broken Poleaxe. The next few days Orchid had mostly been spent recovering and corresponding with her mercenary contacts to get updates on what had happened in the Undercity. For better or for worse, Orchid did do something, and it was worth reporting it if she wanted better jobs in the future. One thing was for certain, she wasn't going to join anymore shady gladiator arenas anymore.

Of course the best connections are one made personally. It wasn't hard for Victorique to find Orchid, considering that Orchid had been hanging out around the adventuring guild sharing drinks and stories. When the halfling approached the orc for another job, Orchid figured she would take up the contract. Victorique's money was good and she hasn't betrayed Orchid so far, which made Victorique a better client than most people Orchid had worked for in the past. This time the job was to catch a criminal. A speedy one, known for out maneuvering everyone who tried to catch him. This certainly would be a challenge for Orchid. She's not exactly fast, and the system of this world is not conductive to the usual fighting style she's used to. But then again, Victorique was a smart lass, and she wouldn't have hired Orchid just for the company. If nothing else, Orchid can at least make sure Victorique was safe.

And thus, Orchid had taken the high ground, watching over the area like a gargoyale. While Orchid may not be as fast as Victorique or this speedy thief, what Orchid could boast was her amazingly powerful jumps. While she has no doubts that the thief could beat her in a straight race to the top, she's certain that whoever they were, they wouldn't expect someone like Orchid to be so springy. This is especially helpful since Orchid's idea to beat the thief's speed is to rely on gravity and timing to make up for Orchid's lack of acceleration. That is to say, Orchid's going to jump the thief. As she was looking over the area, she looked down to Victorique and Dayle. Orchid had already received the briefing but was nearby to listen nonetheless. That's when a new figure appeared. A blond cat-girl, reminiscent of a character that Orchid remembered from her past life. She didn't seem hostile, however she was an unknown element. Orchid figured this would be the moment she needed to practice her technique.

Bracing her legs against the edge of the wall, Orchid pushed off with a burst of strength, breaking bricks as she dove right behind the newcomer. In a flash, Orchid landed behind the cat girl, rolling onto her feet and standing over her close enough that Orchid could grab her. However she refrains, since the girl hasn't shown to be an immediate threat yet, and Orchid isn't suppose to attack people unless they endanger her client or if Orchid was ordered to attack. Still, the orc wanted no funny business. "Now now kitten, you could at least start with introductions first. It's only polite to share your name before you start making demands." While existentially meant to be threatening muscles, Orchid would try the diplomatic approach as usual. After all if she has to be mean, it's easier for her to just start swinging than making threats. "And boss, mayhaps we ought to take this meeting somewhere more private, less we have every curious cat coming for a chat."

 

[Elvario]

Victorique Sopheana
​

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Dayle Shatter Shard | Amelia RavenSong

Victorique was lighting up her pipe whilst Dayle talked. Putting up a net with 25 men planted all around the block. That sounded great. However, she felt like they were missing something important, although at the moment, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She got distracted from that train of thought when Dayle mentioned the split. “If you or one of yours ends up being pivotal in capturing the thief, you'll get your 50%, otherwise it's just some reimbursement for the time and effort.” She wasn't going to make big promises without a chance at gaining big results.

To her surprise, they were interrupted by a curious gal. The halfling was quick get a bit closer and give her a thorough look-over. “She's fine.” Victorique said, when she confirmed there wasn't anything too suspicious about this gal's titles and skills. “The girl just happens to have above-average hearing.” She said to Orchid, on the suggestion to relocate. “If we relocate now, we might be too late to...”

Before she finished, she could hear someone shout (Heightened Senses B). “Guards! Guards! Stop everyone! Someone's stolen the Elixir!” Her heart sunk into her chest. How had this thief already targetted the story so shortly after she herself identified it as a possible target? Had she failed before she started? No... She didn't want to give up that easily. The rest wouldn't have heard those shouts, except for Dayle's men, who had been close-by on the street and nearby alleys.

“He's already struck!” She gritted her teeth as she said it. “Dayle, go check up if your men saw or captured anyone suspicious. Question anyone that's been near that store. If someone starts running, capture them. We'll apologise later if need-be.” She was getting quite fired up, as she hated the fact the thief had beaten her to it. That was the thing they'd been missing. Dayle's men had been planted around the stores meaning they hadn't kept extra eyes on the insides. She hated making such a beginner mistake, but there was nothing she could do about it now. “Cat, I'll assume you're not planted for now, so go make yourself useful and join Orchid in backing up Dayle in stopping anyone that might give his men trouble.”

As they rushed to the scene, her last words proved to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Agitated Rhino Warrior

​

Spoiler: Full Image

A highly agitated [beast] warrior was clearly not impressed by the 'net' he'd been caught in. “Move it, or I swear I'll crush you all!” He shouted, at the men trying to capture him.

Shop Owner

​

Spoiler: Full Image

“No, don't let him go!” A man whom could only be identified as the shop's owner shouted in turn. “He was in my shop just moments before the elixir went missing! It has to be him!”

It didn't take someone to be a detective to figure this giant hulking man was highly unlikely to be their fastest thief, but the situation would still need to be dealt with and there was a small chance he was an accomplice or that they'd had their assumptions all wrong from the start. Even so, Victorique was already scanning the crowd for other suspicious people. If the Elixir had indeed been stolen mere moments ago, the thief couldn't have gone far. Predominantly as them running would've made them stand out too much.

OOC You can use the next round/scene to describe how your characters would try to search/scan the crowd or get info out of the Rhino and Shop owner (or how to try calming them down to the point of talking before the Rhino starts to get violent for real). As things might be a bit fuzzy, feel free to ask any question about the scene or about how much you control you can take over the things in it.

Ultimate Detective– Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception C, Law D – Character combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. - Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Dayle ( Shatter Shard ), Victorique ( Elvario ), Amelia ( RavenSong )​

---

Orchid immediately stepped away from the cat girl once Victorique cleared her of any threat. Not that Orchid didn't think the cat girl isn't dangerous, but she wasn't a threat to Victorique, so Orchid had no further reason to bother her. However shortly after this little meet and greet, something happened. Someone had already stolen the elixir, and now there was some chaos going on. "Tch! This may be a distraction. I'll handle the rhino warrior, keep eyes on that weapon. This thief might try to go for two things at once!" Running to the edge of the area Orchid was on, she once more braced her legs and jumped right into the action. She made sure to target an area devoid of any civilians, allies, or anyone else really, because Orchid was about to do a show of strength here. Falling like a meteor, Orchid landed near the Rhino Warrior, creating a deep crater where she had appeared. Despite the sheet force of her arrival she was no worse for wear and simply strode towards the rhino warrior without any sign of distress or fear. Nothing but confidence.

"Stand down. Everyone here stands accused to the theft of the Age-Reversing Elixir. Anyone who resists will be put down by the blade. Peacefully comply to a search and questioning, and you can be on your way." Orchid said in a clear, concise manner. She wanted to show this rhino warrior that she does not mean to harm him unjustly, and that she wasn't singling him out. But from the fact she was fully armored and brandishing her poleaxe also should show that she was not lying about killing anyone in this area who tried to escape (Intimidation). "You as well, old man. Everyone will be questioned and searched for the missing elixir." Orchid says to the shopkeeper. While Orchid may not have the same level of experience in these sort of operations as Victorique, Orchid was all too familiar with the scheme of claiming something of yours was stolen for some sort of benefit, when the truth was that you had taken it for yourself. The old man may be angry at Orchid for accusing him for stealing his own product, but Orchid wouldn't care. If she was right than she was right. If she was wrong, than that's one possibility she can cross off her list.


Cooldown C 0/3
Meteor Falls - Fighting Style Polearm Master C, Earth-Splitter (Quake) F, Knockdown (Tangle) F, Jumping D - Taking a mighty leap towards the skies, falling with a mighty slam and burying her weapon into both the enemy and into the nearest surface. - Grade C - 3 Post Cooldown

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ B ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ B ]
[ D ]

D

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

"Eh." Dayle shrugged. "Figures." Before he could continue speaking, a stranger came in without his knowing. Amelia had suddenly appeared before them, earning her a look of disdain from Dayle. "You ever greet people like that, cat?" He asked with his nose slightly upturned. He looked up and down on Amelia, before concluding she wasn't much when Victorique confirmed her identity. He looked at Orchid, who was clad in intimidating armor. He wondered if he could find an armor for himself, preferably that's less... sinister looking. But his body is already tough enough as it is, so he kept that thought at the back of his head.

Then the burglar struck. Hearing Victorique and the commotion in the streets, Dayle patted his thighs and stood up. "You want to catch the fucker? Time's now, cat. Get on it." He spoke to Amelia before moving out with Roy. "Roy check in with the others." Dayle commanded as he stepped to the crowd, to which Roy complied and moved on to the nearest colleague he could find. Using gestures and and signals, Dayle's men, who are blended in with the crowd, informed of each other on their current situation. Roy issued a command, and 15 of Dayle's men immediately began their search around the block. Some of them quietly stayed in their position, instead opting to sweep the area with their eyes. The others began to move, opting to patrol the streets. If they were to find anyone suspicious, they would signal the others and close in on them. Roy would then receive the signal and tell Dayle about it. About 10 of his people stayed around the crowd waiting for Dayle's command.

Meanwhile, Dayle stood right just at the boundary of the crowd, allowing him to see the commotion a little clearer, but also allowing Roy to run up to him without needing for him to push through people. He wasn't sure about the outcome of the situation, so Dayle stood guard in case something drastic happens. His chains are currently not with him, but is instead carried by one of his men. He just needs a holler and that lackey will give his weapons to him. Other than that, he looked into what Orchid was doing and yelled from beyond "Them's right. I'm fine with that." He raised his hand to divert some attention to him, switching to his less sophisticated accent to sell his ruffian appearance. "Still recoverin' from a beatin', so just get it over wit'." He wanted to give the crowd a push to allowing the search.

Spoiler: Abilities

Dayle:​

Grade F Ability: [Available] 0/0​

[CD | 0 Post] Hot Stuff: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] F, Hellhound [Aura] F| Dayle uses his aura to make himself more threatening, by creating a burning aura around his body. Be careful of touching that aura of his, it hurts.
[CD | 0 Post] Can't Touch This: Fighting Style [Dreadnaught] F, Nope [Deflect] F, Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] F, Hellhound [Aura] F| Dayle uses his aura to clad his body in palpable heat. This aura physically manifests as a protective film around his body, allowing him to deflect non-magical attacks.

Grade E Ability: [Available] 0/1​

[CD | 1 Post] Catch 'em Lackin: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] E, Chainz [Flexible] F| Dayle flourishes his chains, making it unclear when or where the next attack would come next, before striking wildly. If an opponent is caught off-guard, Dayle can potentially disarm or trip them.
[CD | 1 Post] Hook, Line, and Sinker: Fighting Style [Bonebreaker] E, Chainz [Flexible] F, Fighting Style [Dreadnaught] E, One Two [Linked] F | Dayle wraps his chains around a target, before pulling hard and punching with his other arm.

Mentions: Shatter Shard @Skyhunter @Garbage Pail Kid Elvario Lucius Cypher

 

[RavenSong]

The feeling of having the higher ground, really gave the neko confidence. However she was a bit distracted and a bit overly eager to join their ranks and catch this slippery thief. But was quickly disappointed.

When the bandaged one looked at her, she glared, especially at his cold remark. “I greet as i wish, cur.” She growled lowly.

A distraction that quickly became an error when it suddenly allowed an orc to tower behind her. Landing with a crushing thud, her easy and confident frame tensed as Amelias tail twitched up straight in sudden surprise, “What the- Who are you?“

She stood up quickly, taking a few steps back, away from Orchid as she spoke. Amelia growled, lightly scowling and raising her clawed gauntlets, but quickly decided against doing anything rash. Especialy since the orc could have done so as soon as she landed, “Hmph..” She crossed her arms, “..the names Amelia, and im not a kitten..” she protested with a deadpan stare, then scoffed at being reffered to as a cat. The orc referring to Victorique as ‘boss’ made her ears perk up as well, however. “Boss?” Amelia repeated, suddenly feeling a degree of intrigue. When the halfling got closer, Amelia also leaned down from atop the crates, sniffing the air around this detective of sorts. “Hmm, do you smoke?” She asked as her cat eyes scanned the halfing, elbeit curiously.

Then suddenly a commotion was heard, her attention hyper focusing on the direction of the sound. She was almost starting to get disappointed at her giving the others orders, as she searched her surroundings hastily, then looking back to Dayle, “Ugh! It's Amelia! Amelia! Not Cat!" then shook her head and shifted back towards Victorique. Nodding once, “I’m on it, short one.”

Using [Fast F] Amelia quickly caught up to where the rhino beast warrior was beginning an altercation with the men involved with their opperation. She’d dealt with other beast kin before, she could speak their language in a way, but decided to not get involed after Orchid seemed to have things fairly under her control.

Seeing as Dayle’s men were searching for the theif en masse, Amelia thought it best to get to he highest ground, so she decided to get on the roof of the building where the Elixir was stolen, keeping a close eye on the building which housed this dangerous weapon. While also scanning the ground Dayles men were inspecting, [Climbing] [Cat Eyes]

Who was this Dayle anyway? He seemed to command quite a few able bodied men. They sure did look like vagabond thugs, however. A question for another time. She concluded thoughtfully.

 

[Elvario]

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Dayle Shatter Shard | Amelia RavenSong

Orchid decided to pretty much drop the bomb. The bomb being herself. As she crashed into the pavement, she certainly made everyone stop in their tracks and stare in shock and silence. Even the Rhino warrior was staring at her, although more confused than anything. Although her intimidation factor wasn't to strong, there was one thing that stood out. She might risk being considered a [Vandal] for destroying the public roads.

Agitated Rhine Warrior

​

Spoiler: Full Image

Orchid's utter disregard for the risks associated with destroying public property had its positives, as even the Rhino warrior felt quite intimidated by it. After all, the warrior knew how nasty it'd be to get criminal titles to his name and didn't wish to risk it. “Fine. Have it your way.” If this armoured madwoman was willing to risk becoming a criminal just a prove a point, she was not something he'd wish to mess with, at least not without good reason.

Shop Owner

​

Spoiler: Full Image

The old man, clearly even more shocked by the Orc, was confused. “But... it's my own potion that got stolen?” Why would he be searched for stealing his own potion? Did they think he was a swindler? He'd feel insulted if he wasn't having to try keeping himself composed and keep his legs from wanting to run away from this armoured madwoman.

Dayle's men were able to apprehend and search multiple suspicious individuals. That said, the fact that they weren't guards made some people panic and call out for the actual guards. The latter was quick to cause folk to be confused an mildly panicked. After all, a group of Ruffians taking to the streets to start searching people was rather intimidating and scary to the average peaceful Ryken citizen. It'd be clear that they'd have a lot to explain once those actual guards did show up. That said, for now, most were cooperating.

Victorique Sopheana
​

“No.” Victorique replied to the question if she smoked, as she put away her pipe in her [Pocket Dimension]. What kind of dumb question was that? Talk about sticking your nose into someone else's business. Thankfully, Orchid and Dayle's men were causing a lot of commotion. It might not have been their intention, but it was ideal for Victorique, who's small size was already more difficult to notice. All she had to do now was to go around and observe what the others might miss.

Amelia decided to do the same by getting the high ground on the store's rooftop. She'd have a good line of sight on Dayle's men stopping various men left and right. However, she'd also spot they weren't able to cover everyone, especially not as folk started to get a bit panicked and confused by what was going on. It's from her high-ground that she would see a small figure making his way to one of those few points that Dayle's men weren't able to cover.

Spoiler: Halfling

Ignore the bird and weapon.

The man wasn't too suspicious, as he was just one of many among a crowed, but from her vantage point, it did seem a bit odd with how much ease he was able to make his way through the crowd despite all the chaos that was going on.

As Orchid and Dayle were distracting folks, Victorique had quickly made her way to the shop. Hopefully, she wasn't yet too late for this to work.

Ultimate Past Detective – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception C, Postcognition F – Character peers up to one minute into the past of a specific creature or object and combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. – Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.

It honestly felt like cheating. Her senses as a detective tingled a little, as she could barely be proud of this 'cheat' in the system. However, it worked. She'd clearly seen a halfling man, barefooted, dressed in blue, blonde hair, take the potion. It was almost too easy. Luckily enough, she'd got there within the minute. That said, she hadn't seen which direction this men went in. The latter gave her a tough choice. Shout out his description and alert both him and her allies? Try to find him alone?

She opted to try to learn from a page of the book of Dayle's men, as she tried to signal to them. She pointed to herself, hoping they'd get short and/or halfling from that. She then tried to strike her manliest pose, hoping to indicate male and/or masculinity from that. She then pointed to the nearest blue object. Finally, she made a gesture of taking off her shoe. Hopefully, Dayle's men would be able to pass that knowledge on and catch the thief before he'd slip away.

 

[RavenSong]

Amelia crinkled her nose at the halfling, she didn’t seem very friendly, but the thought of chasing this theif was simply too enticing for the neko to simply take her leave. She had been leaning into Victorique, clearly not missing that she denied her question as she placed her smoking apparatus into a mysterious bag. “Hmmm..” she hummed, “..yeah right!” She said skeptically, smiling with confidence.

——

Once on the roof, she would crawl, remaining low before crouching on all fours. Her eye’s scanning the area from a highrer vantage point would allow her to observe various figures. It seemed their cover wouldn’t last very long however, but they’d have to make with what little time they had.

It wasn’t long before the cats eyes found the lack of uniformity in parts of the crowd; clear openings where a would be theif could likely escape. The nekos ears would then quickly perk up at a oddly moving shape however, from affar it looked more like a child, but by quickly catching a glimpse at a different angle, revealed it was actually a halfling.

Amelia quickly found the quickest and stealthiest way back down, not losing sight of where this nearly vanishing suspect. Using [Stealth F] Amelia would make her way through the crowd, keeping closer to the ground as to not reveal her presence to her prey. Considering everyone else was fairly focused on the commotion happening at the potion shop, it would likely be fairly wasy to sneak past everyone, the various ruffian looking types were making everyone quite anxious, and the neko bet on the booming demands of the orc would seem to keep the attention fixed on her every move and further commands.

Amelia continued stalking her prey, keeping close to the walls, and below the average line of sight, where she waited for the opportune moment to dash towards the little human with [Fast F] then once within range would use [Mysterious Mist] on the thief. Then finally would pounce on the halfling. “Over here! I got him!” She called out to the others.

• Mysterious Mist- Fighting Style - [Claws] - Left/Right - [Area E (30 ft)] - [Irritant F] - [Flare F] - Entwines her gauntlets together creating a strange dark mist that reduces vision and irritates the eyes and breathing, setting up for a surprise attack or to flee a potential danger. - E Grade - 1 Post Cooldown

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ B ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ B ]
[ D ]

D

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

As Victorique was gesturing, one of Dayle's men tapped her on the shoulder. "Miss Victorique, please do not gesture randomly. We use a signaling language, so misinformation may come from your gestures. Instead, please delegate your findings to one of us." Despite the lackey's rugged look, his speech was polite. After hearing Victorique's report, the lackey immediately went to informing the rest of the gang, especially Roy. When Roy received the information, he relayed it to Dayle, whose eyes then sharpened. "Move." He commanded, to which Roy complied and relayed to the rest of the gang.

Dayle was about to call out to Orchid, but was stopped when he heard the shout of particular Amelia. He turned his head to where she was, but with all of the crowd, he couldn't quite make out who she did actually catch. "You caught 'em?" He yelled back, surprised that it was that easy. The rest of Dayle's men was equally as dumbfounded, but hastened their steps when they heard Dayle. He then looked at Victorique, who was a bit of a distance away, gesturing if this was how it was supposed to go. The lack of suspense had lowered his guard, thinking that the "burglar" was just some show-off who was able to steal things simply because the items he stole were unguarded. He shrugged, and turned into Orchid. "Ey, orc! Seem's like they got 'em!" He spoke.

Dayle's men began to approach where Amelia was, totaling to 15. The remaining 10 were trying to secure the perimeter to ensure that this "burglar" won't be able to go anywhere. Dayle, on the other hand, stood on his spot scratching the back of his neck, completely indifferent to the current situation. Never would he think that there are crazier things than down in the Underbelly.

Mentions: Shatter Shard

 

[Elvario]

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Dayle Shatter Shard | Amelia RavenSong

“Fucking hell!” Victorique shouted upon suddenly tapped on the shoulder. “You scared the living daylight out of me...” She'd been so focussed on detective-ing the past and signalling her findings that she never even managed to notice one of Dayle's goons was nearby. To that extend, things were easier when it was just Roy and Zeke. As her heart started being normally again, however, she'd tell the man what to sign to the rest of the gang.

With the command now circling through the 'net' and Orchid still occupying the Rhino, it was starting to look like things were going well for them. However... a certain feline decided to jump the gun. Having arrived late and possibly not even knowing the full plan, Amelia had been on the hunt without much care for strategy. Getting down without being spotted worked, as most folk were distracted and making her way through the crowd wasn't too much more difficult.

Where the real struggle arrived, however, was not being noticed by the halfling. With the entire crowd's attention being drawn to the Rhino and ruffians, someone moving counter to that would eventually stand out, especially towards someone who's senses were a bit above average and who was on alert already. Such was the case for the halfling target.

Before Amelia could catch up or Roy's men could finish encircling their target, he spotted Amelia among the crowd. As she dashed forwards towards him, she'd realised she'd caught nothing but air, with the halfling already having set off in a sprint. If Dayle's men had been in place already, perhaps they'd have had a chance to stop him, but alas, they were still moving in, leaving some valuable openings that the halfling would soon exploit.

Victorique Sopheana
​

Victorique, noticing what was going on, realised time was off the essence. She quickly opened up a [Pocket Dimension E]. “Quick, hop in!” She called out to her allies. She knew the rest was too slow, big or laggy to give chase to the supposedly fastest thief. She believed herself to be able to keep up. [OOC: If you want to continue giving chase into the next section of the RP, have your character jump in. If not, the scene here will be wrapped up and your character will be free again after next round.]

Having waited just long enough to give her allies time to jump in, Victorique quickly set off. By now, she'd already lost track of the halfling thief, but her [Ultimate Past Detective] was able to show her which directions he'd ran towards. With some halfling parkour, she managed to make her way through the crowd and eventually got her eyes on the target again... only to see the target vanish into some sort of self-made portal. It looked like it was already closing, giving her only a few seconds to think of what to do... which was to throw herself into it. She didn't want to lose track of this thief simply because they used some unorthodox modes of transport, after all. It was only when she felt herself being sucked into some sort of void that she started to fear she'd thrown herself and those in her [Pocket Dimension] into some sort of death-trap...

Except she hadn't, as the next moment, she suddenly appeared into some odd jungle city, feeling rather dizzy and disoriented from that 'trip' through whatever to wherever. Sadly enough, there was no sign of their opponent, so she would open up her [Pocket Dimension] again to let out whomever had joined her. “He used a portal to appear here... and I've got no clue where 'here' is, or where he is, I'm afraid... now excuse me, I think I've gotta...” She couldn't finish her sentence, as she had to move to the edge of the tree-platform she was on and sent some of the contents of her stomach into the depths below. She had never had car sickness before, but for all intends and purposes, she definitely had a bad case of warp-portal-sickness right now. It'd be up to the rest to try getting an idea of their surroundings and of the potential location of their target.

Ultimate Past Detective – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception C, Postcognition F – Character peers up to one minute into the past of a specific creature or object and combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. – Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.

Halfling Parkour - Fast B, Wall Bouncing F, Wall Running F, Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Acrobatics D, Perception C - Character uses their senses and movement abilities to parkour through the environment. - Grade B - 4 Post Cooldown

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Victorique ( Elvario )​

---

Orchid was busy checking everyone for the stolen elixir. The rhino was the first, if only because Orchid knew not to test her luck detaining him for long. Sure enough he checks out and was cleared, so Orchid let him go about his business. Orchid was about to check on the shopkeeper when she heard Victorique shout out, running towards Orchid's general direction. Orchid had no idea what was going on but could guess: she spotted the thief and he was on the run. That means he wasn't anyone in the crowd and Orchid shouldn't waste her time here. Running towards Victorique, Orchid dove right into her dimensional pocket, something that she has done before. It's always a weird feeling but at least this time Orchid wouldn't be suck inside a demiplane for eight hours or so. Or at least, Orchid hopes not.

In the brief moments Orchid had inside the pocket portal, she adjusted her gear and went to grab her javelins. She'll need them for chasing down this criminal, though Orchid has no doubts that his speed would prove most troublesome. She would need to do one hell of a job leading her target if she hopes to nail him with a spear, and hoping even more that he was a fragile speedster and doesn't just shrug off a javelin to the chest. By the time Orchid was released, she had her poleaxe in one hand and a javelin in the other, ready for trouble. But what she found was being in the middle of some sort of jungle city, with her client puking her guts out over the edge. Orchid looked around the area carefully, knowing that her boss wasn't in any position to be sleuthing.

"This where the thief went? Alright well let's see... If he's going fast, he's gotta leave some sort of trail. Ain't like he's flying or something, and unless he's got magic to cover his tracks someone going that fast ought to leave a mark somehow. Stains in the dirt, broken branches, that sorta thing." While Orchid wasn't the detective here she could at least be used as an extra pair of eyes to find anything that Victorique doesn't. Plus Orchid did have some blind sense ability, and while it was short ranged, maybe that would still allow Orchid to pick up something that wasn't visible to the naked eye. Maybe something like a scent that seemed off or unique.


Cooldown C 1/3
Meteor Falls - Fighting Style Polearm Master C, Earth-Splitter (Quake) F, Knockdown (Tangle) F, Jumping D - Taking a mighty leap towards the skies, falling with a mighty slam and burying her weapon into both the enemy and into the nearest surface. - Grade C - 3 Post Cooldown

 

[RavenSong]

When the dust had cleared, Amelia looked down at the ground expecting to see this little thief in her steely claws, grinning with a most menacing smirk, only to notice she’d pounced on nothing but dirt. This little person, was indeed quite the slippery one. All too convinced now that the tiny human was the culprit, Amelia growled, “Damn it! He’s fast!” Gritting her teeth a bit as she scratched the ground, before the apparent leader of this unlikely group quickly called out to her. Then asking that she jump into a bag.

She hesitated briefly, “You wish..” before giving her a second look, noticing she was serious, but more so impatient. She nodded, “..alright, I guess.” She shrugged before nimbly jumping into the half-flings pouch.

Once inside, the Orc had been adjusting her weaponry, the tip of one of her javelins poked against her clawed gauntlet, holding it and moving it to the side. “Watch it.” She muttered.

Then she felt a strange but intense feeling, as if she had been thrown at great speed somewhere, the neko could only grasp at Orchid tightly while shutting her eyes with all her might. “Neh!! W-w-what the.. hell!” She groaned, then the feeling subsided, and the pouch was opened shortly after.

Amelia stepped out to a completely different environment, she couldn't make out very much of it yet however as her mind was spinning. Amelia fell to her knees for a bit making strange cat noises, “Mmmrrrreeoowww!! This.. ugh.. really.. sucks!” She exclaimed before laying flat on the ground looking up at the sky as she covered her eyes. It seemed their leader also felt similar, quickly then covering her nose. Not many people in her life knew, but if she smelled puke, she was very likely to puke herself. Amelia's senses would quickly return from the dizzy effect; slowly subsiding as the disorientation dissipated and her vision came back into focus.

Getting back up, she folded her arms, taking in her surroundings. “Dammit, where are we?” she grunted, as she looked at Victorique, who was likely somewhat over her motion sickness herself. Whenever the halfling would finish puking she’d ask, “So.. what happened back there?” Amelias ears twitching as they adjusted to the new sounds of the environment. Then noticing the vast wilderness, and the massive trees. The birds flying overhead and the sudden realization that they were in a very very wide and big open space. Then looking down from atop the towering land masses she could see the roaring flow of water. "Well.. once thing is certain.." she said, her arms still crossed as she continued with lots of attitude, "..were definitely not in Ryke anymore. Good thing I made my sales for the day, or else I'd be very VERY.. mad."

Adjusting the fingers on her gauntlets, she turned to look at Orchid, "Well? Where to now?" she asked impatiently, "I have no intention of going back empty handed. That little thief will pay for somehow bringing me here."

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ B ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ B ]
[ D ]

D

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

Dayle paused in surprise as he saw the portal open, before Victorique's shout grabbed his attention. "Uh, no thanks." Although he wasn't paranoid, he wasn't certain about going inside somebody else's... pockets. The implication was slightly disturbing to him, but otherwise he was just not into going into the other side. When it was clear that Victorique was about to vault into the portal, along with the others inside her Pocket Dimension, Dayle spoke to her in a hurry. "This one doesn't count! The favor's still-" But then the portal closed on him. "...on."

Dayle looked unto the crowd, and gestured to his men. "Alright folks, that's it. Get back to whatever you were doing." Dayle already went back to a less rough accent, now that he didn't need to pretend anymore. His men gave each other confused looks, before resigning to shooing the crowd away. His gaze then fell on the rhino man and the shopkeeper as he spoke. "You two, as well. Specially you, old man. Your elixir's going to be right back." Dayle paused and thought for a moment. "Maybe. Just pull up to the Adventurer's Guild later and say the name 'Victorique'." He scratched the back of his neck as he stared at the spot the others have disappeared into. "Man, the start of this vacation's too damn high balling." He clicked his tongue and sat on a nearby crate. He was not going to wait until she comes back, but he's going to be here for a little while before moving on from the place.

Mentions: Shatter Shard

 

[Elvario]

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Amelia RavenSong

Victorique Sopheana
​

Victorique, after emptying her stomach, was starting to regain a little bit of composure. Orchid was right, the thief couldn't have gone far. Especially with how few paths there were for him to have taken here. A little grouchy from the 'trip', which had undoubtedly been a lot less rough in the relative safety of the Pocket Dimension, she answered the cat. “The See, or perhaps Widersia, would be my guess.” She looked around, but she couldn't ascertain more than that. “The thief was about to get away, I was able to catch up, but he used a portal to flee. I jumped in after him and here we are.” There was something that didn't sit well with Victorique. Why had the thief brought them here and how had he vanished this quickly? Something was clearly off.

That said, as Orchid was looking around, she spotted something on the horizon, before she could even trace down any tracks. About a dozen shapes of bird-like creatures were flying around through the forest in a V-pattern. That formation circled around twice, then turned to make its way towards them. Amelia, heaving good hearing, would even hear the flapping of their wings speed up as they were approaching the group.

OOC: Combat ensues. Cooldowns now apply. You're free to start anew with things that were previously on Cooldown.
As the birds got closer, they got faster and faster... Until The first of them nose-dived straight at Orchid. Five more followed. Three of them nose-dived straight at Amelia. Two went towards Victorique. It was clear that whatever these birds were planning, they'd have to defend against something that was coming at them fast and hard from above and without having solid footing, as the mossy tree-branches didn't allow for much room to move around and/or jump without risk of slipping.

Victorique, although spotting the danger, was a little distracted, however, as she was using her [Ultimate Past Detective] again to see if she could spot a glimpse of where their target had gone before the minute ran out. Being stuck observing the past, however, left her completely vulnerable in the future.

Ultimate Past Detective – Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste/Balance] B, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception C, Postcognition F – Character peers up to one minute into the past of a specific creature or object and combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. – Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.

Mentions: Dayle Shatter Shard

Back in Ryken, Dayle ended up having to deal with the aftermath. As much as he told people to get back to what they were doing, his words didn't really make an impact. After all... ”Guards! There they are! These are the thugs harassing people!” Someone yelled from the background. Some of Dayle's man would already spot the guards heading their way. They looked armed and ready to engage the supposed criminals. Most civilians made their way out, either shooed away by Dayle's men or fleeing as they were worried about an inbound fight.

Agitated Rhino Warrior

​

Spoiler: Full Image

The Rhino, perhaps feeling more confident with the guards starting to arrive on the scene, scoffed. “So... I'm falsely accused by some thugs trying to play cops and then I'm supposed to just let it go? How about you unruffled thugs be nice and say sorry, at least? Huh?” His tone was provocative. It was clear he was trying to bait Dayle into becoming violence so that he'd have an excuse to get violent himself.

Shop Owner

​

Spoiler: Full Image

The old man wasn't much less stubborn. “What... How am I supposed to believe that? How do I know you're not just working together with the thief? You certainly look the part!” Oddly enough, Dayle had given the Shop Owner and Rhino a reason to set aside their differences and instead team up on him. The main difference was that the old man was moving away slowly, clearly not eager to get into a scuffle, whilst the Rhino warrior was ready to go at any time. He was merely awaiting a moment to strike without having to risk repercussion from [criminal] titles or guards.

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ A ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ A ]
[ B ]

C

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled | Underbelly Survivor | Crimson Troop

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

Dayle heard the commotion, and his men started scrambling towards him and signaling the city guards' approach to him. He look at the two in front of him and snorted. "You're forgetting one thing." He glared at the rhino and stood up, but made no other moves. "I'm not the one that went through your pockets, dumbass." Despite the bandages on his body, he still looked imposing with the various scars covering his skin. "Suck it up." His gaze switched over to the shopkeeper, who was already stepping back. "And you, old man. Your elixir's probably bullshit anyway." He scoffed. "Fuck if I want an elixir from a no-name store like this."

He cranked his head to look at his men scrambling towards his direction, before looking back at the two and grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta bail. Can't let the guards get a hold of me yet." Dayle opened his arms as he stepped back into an alleyway, and as his men neared, all 25 of them would be staring down at the two as if watching what they'll do next (The Red Star). Dayle looked upon the two as if daring to cause even more ruckus now. Although the Red Stars aren't much individually, their coordinated movement meant that they were an organized group, not like the common street gangs. The rhino man may or may not be able to take on Dayle and his men, but regardless of the outcome, there might be a chance they'll be targeted by the organization behind Dayle.

If the rhino man and the shopkeeper choose to relent or not stop him, then Dayle will start fleeing from the scene. The rest of his men would then follow suit, before dispersing to try and evade security.

Spoiler: Invoked Abilities

--Red Star Cronies--​

[CD | 0 Post] The Red Star: Intimidation F| Using their status and appearance, these cronies are effective at deterring away those who are not used to the underground scene. If presence does not work, then they can also warn and give threats as if they're doing a business.

Mentions: Shatter Shard

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Victorique ( Elvario ), Amelia ( RavenSong )​

---

"Well little kitten, no where to go but forward. Unless out thief can fly, there's only one way he could've gone." Orchid pointed down the path that lead to some other branching paths. It reminded her of exploring the The Great Hollow, or the area under the bridge in Ariandel. Hopefully there won't be any basilisks or viking archers here though. Orchid took another look around the area before she spotted something on the horizon. Some birds coming in, flying fast and in formation. Orchid knew something was up, especially since these were fey lands. These were likely some sort of man-eating birds, because of course the fey lands would have swarms of man-eating birds. Most of them were going to Orchid but a few were heading to Victorique as well, who was still distracted doing something. Orchid knew what she had to do.

"Everyone stay close!" Orchid moved to be by Victorique's side before the birds could reach the either of them. Stabbing her javelin into the ground as an anchor, Orchid braced with her poleaxe as the swarm approached. She would let none of them near Victorique, and slash down any that would get within range. Orchid practically wishes they swarm her all at once, because when they did, Orchid would unleash a Wind Wheel attack, slashing down any bird that got into range, and knocking them down if they somehow survive the blow. "Boss, grab onto me if you got to. We're fish in a barrel here. Just tell me where to go and I'll get use there as fast as possible!"

Cooldown E (0/1)
Wind Wheel - Fighting Style Polearm Master E, Cleave (Area) F, Knockdown (Tangle) F - Orchid spins her weapon vigoriously above her head and sweep foes around her, transitioning into a mighty blow that can knock down enemies around her. - Grade E - 1 Post Cooldown

 

[RavenSong]

The neko would roll her eyes again upon being referred to as 'kitten', "You know? It's Amelia.." She stated, but didn't make it such a big deal as she would do so within less critical circumstances. "..and any idea where this, 'shorty' ran off to?" the latter more so a question to herself than anything else as her gaze shifted from the orc back to her surroundings. Noticing once again the roaring water down below. She shuddered, shook her headband stepped away.

Her ears suddenly twitched however, noticing a small flock of birds suddenly pick up speed towards them with steely beaks. "Look alive!" Amelia, warned as she clapped her hands using [Mysterious Mist] using [Stealth F] to hide herself in a cloud. Then coming down on all fours, she'd use her [Precognition F] to dodge. Using her metal clad gauntlets to use as better traction against the slippery dewy earth at their feet Amelia would dash out of the way, pulling herself quickly to the left out of harms way.

• Mysterious Mist- Fighting Style - [Claws] - Left/Right - [Area E (30 ft)] - [Irritant F] - [Flare F] - Entwines her gauntlets together creating a strange dark mist that reduces vision and irritates the eyes and breathing, setting up for a surprise attack or to flee a potential danger. - E Grade - 1 Post Cooldown - (0/1)

 

[Elvario]

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Amelia RavenSong

Victorique Sopheana
​

Out of the minute she spend gazing into the past, only the first few seconds had told her something. The thief. He'd gone up. She'd almost missed it, as as soon after leaving the portal, the agile trickster had turned around and ran straight up the tree. Without being able to peer into the past, she'd have likely missed that altogether. Luckily enough, that tricked had yet again allowed her to keep giving chase... That said, when she snapped back into the future, she noticed trouble had found them.

Most of the birds managed to dive at the Orc far faster than she could react to them... Only to crash themselves to death onto her high grade Orichalcum armour. Fast as they were, there didn't seem to be enough substance to them to get through the Orc's heavy armour. A few of the birds managed to survive the crash, flying around a bit dazed, only to immediately get caught up in the Wind Wheel and be slashed down into the branch below or having their wings clipped and sent tumbling to their death. She'd successfully defended against them.

Amelia was about to defend when she realised she'd already been hit. The first of the extremely fast birds pierced straight through her throat. The second straight into her heart. The third through her leg. The three of them sent her tumbling down into the abyss below, where she'd fall to hear death. That's when the precognition ended, having shown her how the birds intended to take her down and the horrible fate that'd befall her should she fail to defend. Luckily, she didn't, managing to use a combination of the mist and a dodging to dodge the birds, only managing to be fast enough to do so due to having known their trajectories beforehand. That said, she did not have the means to filter out friend or foe, so she'd have to keep her eyes closed and refrain from breathing for a bit or risk her own mist cloud irritating her own eyes and breathing as well as that of the birds.

Out of the three birds, one of them crashed into the tree itself, the mist blocking its view, where it died upon impact. Two others flew on after missing Amelia. They were clearly a bit disoriented, but they were getting ready to circle around and try again, hoping to catch Amelia off-guard this time.

That's when Victorique called out. “He went up the tree! I can follow his trail, but I'll need to be careful make sure I'm following the right tracks. Orchid, you can can jump well enough, right? Try to keep up whilst keeping an eye for any birds. I'll make sure we won't lose his trail... and bring the cat, if you can!”

That ordered, she didn't want to waste more time, so she used [Halfling Parkour C] to give chase, running straight up the tree and using her heightened senses to spot every minor detail that would show her where the thief had gone. Orchid would be able to give chase by jumping from branch to branch or clasping onto the stem of the trees themselves. It was a dangerous game at these heights, but those were the cards they were dealt with. That said, the most dangerous part were the two birds that'd come around, heading back to dive into them again. Worse, even, was the fact that another group of birds had shown up on the horizon. They wouldn't make it to them right now (this turn) but they'd be here sooner rather than later (next turn). With them moving about a lot, they'd be a lot more difficult to block as their speed was nothing to scoff at.

B Grade Cooldowns energised (1/3)
C Grade Cooldowns energised (0/2)
Halfling Parkour C - Fast C, Wall Bouncing F, Wall Running F, Appraisal C, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell/Taste] C, Acrobatics D, Perception C, Energised C - Character uses their senses and movement abilities to parkour through the environment. - Grade C - 2 Post Cooldown

Mentions: Dayle Shatter Shard

Enraged Rhino Warrior

​

Spoiler: Full Image

For a while, it looked like Dayle and his goons had things under control. Having 25 men come around from alleyways and whatnot to stare at you was rather imposing. However, Dayle's words had really, really put the Rhino in a foul mood. Strengthened by the knowledge that guards were on their way, he was willing to play some risks. He walked up the the alleyway Dayle was reatreating towards, making himself as big and imposing as he could. “So, you thug, are you going to run back to that slum you came from? That rathole called the Underbelly? You should stick into the filth and scum there, where you belong, instead of pestering the upstanding citizens of our city!”

It was clear he was trying to bolster the crowd and guards against Dayle and his men and hoping to look cool while at it. Something (a 19/20 dice roll on upping the heat) had really gotten this man going, being only a tad bit short of getting physical, but clearly hoping that he could get Dayle to make the first move on him. “That's right, run back to the filth you belong, you trash rats!”

Shop Owner

​

Spoiler: Full Image

The Shop Owner, meanwhile, was just confused. “But... I...” His shop wasn't that unknown, right? At least his potions were good! “I assure everyone, my potions are of the highest quality and the elixir tops all of that tenfold!” He said, thinking he needed to do some damage control towards the crowd, only to realise nobody cared. They were all focussed on the Rhino and Dayle, for as long as they hadn't ran off yet. Defeated, the old man went back to the store. Perhaps the thug was correct and his potion would be in the adventurer's guild later? He'd try to go there, perhaps. Today was not a good day for his old bones.

 

[Shatter Shard]

Dayle Keller
"Red Star's Bastard Dog"

Strength
Precision
Intelligence
Vitality
Speed

[ A ]
[ F ]
[ E ]
[ A ]
[ B ]

C

Active Titles:
Human | Thug | Unruffled | Underbelly Survivor | Crimson Troop

-Ryke-
Capital City Ryken

Code by: Shatter Shard

As Dayle was about to turn, he paused midway, and his gaze slowly pointed at the rhino stepping forward. He snickered in contempt. "So that's your game, huh?" He spoke, as he flourished his arms without unfounded confidence. "Rats, you say?" He laughed openly as the Red Stars pass by him one by one. This rhino man didn't even know what he went through, but he had the ball to think he was better than him? "That's right call us rats! For an upstanding citizen, you sure know how to degrade someone, huh?" Dayle wasn't even a man of the Underbelly, but the rhino assuming that he was part of that cesspool of decadence was already an insult in itself. Although it did not boil his blood, he was annoyed by the man's ignorance.

Soon, all of his men were behind him, watching, waiting. "And? Is there something you want to say to me?" He asked, looking as if waiting for an answer. But before anyone else could even say anything concrete, Dayle turned around to his men. "Rhino says what?" The Red Stars snickered and answered. ""We don't know sir!"" Dayle leaned in with his ear. "Why?" They then all laughed. ""Cause it's talking out of its ass!"" The group laughed obnoxiously, and Dayle turned back at the Rhino with a grin. "Frankly, your insult was utter dogshit." He calmly commented. "But now that they said it, it was to be expected, wasn't it?" His grin widened as he looked down on the Rhino's flimsy attempt at an insult.

Dayle wasn't a fool, and the rhino man was clearly agitated. However, regardless of if he didn't want things to escalate or not, he couldn't just leave when the rhino's insult was uncalled for. That's why, it was his turn to incite the bastard into attacking him first.

Mentions: Shatter Shard

 

[RavenSong]

Amelia waited for a few seconds within the noxious cloud, before jumping out, coughing a bit as she did so. She rarely had to hide, because she could usually just run, but these sharp beaked birds were proving to be a formidable pair of foes. Amelia would turn to face the birds, spreading her arms, and preparing her claws to strike these birds down.

"Here, birdie, birdie, birdie.." She muttered, as the birds fiercely zoomed towards her.

She'd position herself in such a way as to best execute her following action. She'd begin by using [Pre-cognition F] once more to, glimpse second into the future, predicting the avians movements, then take a few steps forward, before using [Fighting Style - Claw - F - Left] on one, while using [Fighting Style - Claw - F - Right] on the other.

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Victorique ( Elvario ), Amelia ( RavenSong )​

---

Orchid swung her halberd through the air, catching a few flying pests with a single slash. Not as many as she'd like however, and quite a few struck her. Fortunately for Orchid her armor easily withstood these stymphalian birds, with nearly all that actually struck her armor breaking upon her newly orichalcum skin. She made a mental note to bring a gift to that blacksmith one day, seeing her armor tougher than ever. However this was no time to celebrate, as there were still a few more birds left and more incoming. Victorique managed to find the trail the thief took, and apparently he went up instead of down. Orchid didn't consider that, but that's why she works for Victorique. For now the halfling would go on ahead and Orchid would need to follow, ideally helping Amelia along the way. Orchid presumes Amelia has some means to run and climb like a cat, but in case she didn't Orchid would offer her assistance.

First however she needed to deal with these birds. It looked like Ameila was going to take care of them, but if not, Orchid was ready to assist by throwing one of her javelins at the birds to take one of them out. Orchid would do her best to make sure she doesn't end up throwing the javelin at Amelia in the event it missed. Regardless if these birds are dead or not, Orchid needed to follow Victorique. "Ame, if you can't climb or keep up with Victorique, grab onto me. Not going to leave you to get eaten alive by these birds but we gotta go." Orchid could see the swarm getting closer now, so they needed to go, fast.

Looking around the trees for solid branches, Orchid would crouch before taking a mighty leap towards the nearest large branch above her, using her poleaxe as a hook to help her grab onto a tree branch. Her plan was to basically brace her poleaxe in such a way that part if it hits the branch, and then Orchid uses the rest of her momentum to get on top of the branch. Rinse and repeat until Orchid can catch up to Victorique. Once Orchid got a feeling for this technique she would try to do it faster, trying to keep up with the halflings and outrun those speedy birds.

 

[Elvario]

Mentions: Orchid Lucius Cypher | Amelia RavenSong

[OOC: Using precognition and Fighting style separately would technically not be allowed as it would be 3 F abilities in one turn, violating cooldown. I think (or rather, I'll pretend) they are all part of one ability that takes multiple actions.

Amelia managed to sweep one of the birds out of the air using Area E on the left claw. However, even with her precognition, she missed the second bird, causing the effects of her right claw to miss as well. Instead, the bird managed to hit her arm, crashing past it and causing a nasty gash (F grade wound) to cause her to start bleeding. The bird itself didn't come off unscathed either though, as with its remaining speed, it crashed into the tree below and snapped its neck. Whatever possessed these birds to dive at folk with suicidal attacks was mystery.

Orchid managed to follow suit with Victorique, although the latter was taking the 'touristic' route as she was running around to try keeping track of the Thief's trail. Eventually, they ended up in one of the small huts build onto the upper branches of the tree. They'd immediately spot another portal, however, Victorique didn't trust it. It could just be a trap to lure them away, or worse, sent them into an active volcano or something. It's why she used [Ultimate Past Detective D] to see if she could see any traces of the Thief. She didn't. However, in the very first few seconds, furthest in the past, she saw one thing that stood out. A cupboard door closing. She quickly opened the suspected cupboard and found what she'd been looking for. Another portal.

Either this was the biggest double-bluff ever, or she'd outsmarted the Thief. “I'm giving it an 80% chance the hidden one is the real one and the obvious one was meant to lure us into a trap. A 20% chance that this is a brilliant double-bluff and the obvious one is real whilst this one is fake. If these portals work like the last, it's a one-way trip, so there won't be any do-overs. Does either of you want to go first?”

Spoiler: If they choose to go in.

The first thing they'd notice after going through the portal was the nausea that came from it. It felt like their bodies were pulled, twisted and turned at random. Victorique had already emptied her stomach earlier, otherwise she'd have done so now. The next thing was the bitter, biting cold. Orchid's armour would form a thin sheet of ice on it. Amelia's tail was best tucked away around her leg to prevent it from catching frostbite. Her ears weren't off all the better. Victorique was already shivering as if her life depended on it. If, through the cold, they had enough energy to look, they'd spot what seemed to be the hand of a frozen giant sticking out from the ground.

B Grade Cooldowns energised (2/3)
C Grade Cooldowns energised (1/2)
D Grade Cooldowns energised (0/1)
Ultimate Past Detective – Appraisal D, Heightened Senses [Hearing/Sight/Smell] D, Insight D, Investigation D, Perception D, Postcognition F – Character peers up to one minute into the past of a specific creature or object and combines all their applicable senses and knowledge to get to the bottom of a mysteries or to be on high alert for clues, dangers or hints. – Grade D – 1 Post Cooldown.

Mentions: Dayle Shatter Shard

Enraged Rhino Warrior

​

Spoiler: Full Image

Day's words clearly got through to the Rhino. Even under his think grey skin, his face seemed to be getting red with anger. However, when Dayle started involving all his goons, he recalled just how outnumbered he was. The guards were coming though. He just needed to delay them. Or find another option. He grinned, as he set aside his blade and shield.

“Come on then. One on one. Fists against fists. Let me punch some reality into you, cause you clearly can't get my words through that dumb fucking skull of yours. Let's see who's talking out of his ass here, or if you got any bite to your bark.” He slammed his fists together with clear force. With his natural armour, bigger size and bestial strength, it wasn't going to be a fair fight if they'd fight with fisticuffs. It was clear that, enraged as he was, he was having barely enough tact to play with some care. Dayle involving his goons had shown him just how idiotic he'd be if he went after all of them, but at the same time, his bride didn't let him back down. As for the guards, Dayle and his men would hear them already. They'd be hear soon (next turn) and they'd get involved if Dayle and his men didn't back off immediately.

 

[Lucius Cypher]

Tags: Victorique ( Elvario ), Amelia ( RavenSong )​

---

Jumping from branch to branch, Orchid was surprised that she caught up with Victorique. She must've taken it slow if Orchid could keep up, but the ork wasn't going to complain. When they arrived to an array of huts Orchid was on guard for ambush, taking the lead wherever Victorique took them. Fortunately it doesn't seem like there was anyone here, for better or for worse. There was a portal instead. Orchid picked something up to throw into the portal just to test it out. When Victorique found a second portal, Orchid groaned. "Yeah fair enough the thief plays mind games, but did he already have these portals set up or is this something he's pulling outta his ass? Cripes... I'll go in first in case it's a trap." Orchid braced herself and dove through the portal.

Orchid thought she'd be prepared for this since the strange experience that even brought her into this world, but no, she was not prepared. If this is what being grinded into ground meat felt like, she felt a lot of sympathy for meat. The first thing Orchid had to do was take her helmet off to get some clear breaths. While she was able to keep her lunch in, it wasn't easy and Orchid had bigger problems to deal with. Namely, the blistering cold. She looked around the frozen wasteland and could already feel her armor freezing up. Fortunately she's wearing many layers that would give her some warmth for now, but her armor wasn't insulated for such extreme temperatures. "Shit. Hell of a place for a thief to run to." Orchid looked around for any trail, figuring that if the snow hadn't covered up the tracks yet, then perhaps they could follow the footprints or trail to the next destination. Orchid also took out her large towel for warmth, though she would give it to Amelia or Victorique, whoever happened to appear next. She noted the giant frozen hand in the ground, figuring that it might be where the thief went if only because it was the only notable thing in this blasted place.