holyspirits (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
holyspirits) wrote2025-03-23 03:12 pm
holyspirits) wrote2025-03-23 03:12 pm
Entry tags:
[Hello, boys. It's time to get down to business.
Literally. Because you are all now part of a group of mercenaries known as the Four Fangs. Lethal, efficient, and known for getting the job done. None of your assassination targets have lived to tell the tale. It's a reputation you've carefully cultivated over years and years of ugly work.
Now, it is the winter of the year 1656. Recently, you've been hired to take care of a demon who lives in the upper levels of a castle fortress just off the shore of Tanabe Islands. You do not know the name of the man who hired you and you do not care. The only thing you care to remember is the generous amount of money you were paid in advance, and the fact that based on the contract you signed, there will be double that amount coming your way once you finish the job.
You stand on the shore on this snowy, moonlit night, staring up at the castle fortress. Based on the information you have been given, there is a hidden entrance just 100 paces east, just before the shore becomes rock. It's cold. It's dark. You have your armor and a few items in your inventory, which you may decide how to distribute among yourselves.
Map: A simple map, leading you to the fortress's hidden entrance and all the way up the castle, where the demon resides. There are instructions written on the back explaining how to get inside through a secret tunnel, hidden in this very shore.
A lockpicking kit: As part of your AU lives, whoever nabs this will automatically know how to use the kit. Yippee!
Flint stones: A baggy filled with 8 flint stones.
Torches: Four torches to distribute among yourselves
Hand grenades: Ye olde grenades, like this. You pull a string attached to the handle to fire that baby up.
In terms of weapons, each of you can pick either a katana or a naginata, and you will all have a 12 inch wakizashi as a secondary weapon. You will gain proficiency in them as part of your AU lives. Yes, even Richie and Taair. Stop being useless twinks. You can pick specific aesthetics for your weapons and armor if you want to add more flavor text to your new lives.
Anyway, you are here, with nary a memory of your original selves. You're completely lost in the sauce and the castle fortress awaits. Decide how you would like to distribute your shit and how you will proceed.]
Literally. Because you are all now part of a group of mercenaries known as the Four Fangs. Lethal, efficient, and known for getting the job done. None of your assassination targets have lived to tell the tale. It's a reputation you've carefully cultivated over years and years of ugly work.
Now, it is the winter of the year 1656. Recently, you've been hired to take care of a demon who lives in the upper levels of a castle fortress just off the shore of Tanabe Islands. You do not know the name of the man who hired you and you do not care. The only thing you care to remember is the generous amount of money you were paid in advance, and the fact that based on the contract you signed, there will be double that amount coming your way once you finish the job.
You stand on the shore on this snowy, moonlit night, staring up at the castle fortress. Based on the information you have been given, there is a hidden entrance just 100 paces east, just before the shore becomes rock. It's cold. It's dark. You have your armor and a few items in your inventory, which you may decide how to distribute among yourselves.
A lockpicking kit: As part of your AU lives, whoever nabs this will automatically know how to use the kit. Yippee!
Flint stones: A baggy filled with 8 flint stones.
Torches: Four torches to distribute among yourselves
Hand grenades: Ye olde grenades, like this. You pull a string attached to the handle to fire that baby up.
In terms of weapons, each of you can pick either a katana or a naginata, and you will all have a 12 inch wakizashi as a secondary weapon. You will gain proficiency in them as part of your AU lives. Yes, even Richie and Taair. Stop being useless twinks. You can pick specific aesthetics for your weapons and armor if you want to add more flavor text to your new lives.
Anyway, you are here, with nary a memory of your original selves. You're completely lost in the sauce and the castle fortress awaits. Decide how you would like to distribute your shit and how you will proceed.]
Edited 2025-03-23 23:30 (UTC)
[ okay. au world or not, mad skills or not, taair is still taair, which means that he is not the best mercenary in the world, mostly because if given the choice he would rather negotiate his way out of anything and everything as opposed to kill anyone - but, the mercenary life does come with its perks. for starters, the travel. the people. the histories and stories he can learn and record. the friendships he can make. the... occasional story he can occasionally get from a target with a flattering smile and kind words before they get assassinated by one of the other three. (an experience that has likely happened dozens of times, usually with taair not intending to trap the poor sucker into getting murdered, but, well, it was going to happen eventually, and the least he can do is record the history of their life.)
it's not the cleanest work, but it pays the bills, buys him books, and of course brought him comrades he cares for dearly. that much is priceless, beyond every contract. it's a life of freedom, so there's not really any reason to complain.
so because he is still in fact taair khalisa nasir, he is the one of the four with a map today! he is also the one who probably read up on demons like a giant nerd. have we fought similar quarry to this before? do we have any information in the contract?
otherwise, once they land on the shores, he rests his hand on the hilt of his sword, absently running his thumb over a bird shaped engraving in the top for luck. he's all feathers and light, but what else is new. ]
One hundred paces to the east. Are we prepared?
it's not the cleanest work, but it pays the bills, buys him books, and of course brought him comrades he cares for dearly. that much is priceless, beyond every contract. it's a life of freedom, so there's not really any reason to complain.
so because he is still in fact taair khalisa nasir, he is the one of the four with a map today! he is also the one who probably read up on demons like a giant nerd. have we fought similar quarry to this before? do we have any information in the contract?
otherwise, once they land on the shores, he rests his hand on the hilt of his sword, absently running his thumb over a bird shaped engraving in the top for luck. he's all feathers and light, but what else is new. ]
One hundred paces to the east. Are we prepared?
[ The mercenary life suits Adolphe. He's fine being violent, but he also tries to take care of the others when he can. Sometimes he's needlessly fussy, like a nagging parent regardless of your age. His heart's in the right place. Probably. He's probably the person who tries to make things efficient. He is a stickler for these things and he will not allow a single tarnish on their record. 100% completion rate. No matter what.
Anyway, he's the one who has all their torches and flint stones, unless they want to hold onto their torches themselves. It's winter. It's cold. Have at ye. ]
Let's try not to get distracted on the way.
[ So, yes. He's ready. ]
Anyway, he's the one who has all their torches and flint stones, unless they want to hold onto their torches themselves. It's winter. It's cold. Have at ye. ]
Let's try not to get distracted on the way.
[ So, yes. He's ready. ]
[ to literally no one's surprise, hawke already has merc experience under his belt. just like the original run, he probably was simply conscripted into the business and simply never left after [redacted] happens. but it pays for a bed and warm dinner, he's got companions he doesn't hate, and the adventuring lifestyle suits him perfectly well.
but also ]
Before I freeze something off, even.
[ what would you do without his two yen commentary?
he thumps his naginata on the ground and peers into the distance. ]
We'll have to light things up at some point.
but also ]
Before I freeze something off, even.
[ what would you do without his two yen commentary?
he thumps his naginata on the ground and peers into the distance. ]
We'll have to light things up at some point.
Let's hope not, Hawke. You don't have much length left to spare.
[Richie Tozier is perhaps the last person you'd expect to kill you. And perhaps that's what works to his shocking advantage. He's got the personality of a showboat, loves people, loves good sake and loose women, and boy does he love talking. You wouldn't expect he's just as good at listening, at goosing information out of leads and targets alike, nor dancing around secrets that folks might be keen to pull out of him. Moreover, his unique talent as a vocal mimic comes in handy. When a trusted voice calls to you from behind a closed door, why wouldn't you open it? It's not like it could be a band of four killers with drawn blades outside. That's just your general, your wife, your beloved brother or your son. Whoops! Sorry baby, better luck next life.
Richie drums his fingers against his hips, where his katana stays slung sheathed and easy. He cocks his head at the fortress ahead, then to the so-called hundred paces to the east.]
Wonder how "hidden" this hidden entrance is. Wanna take bets on it being booby trapped? [He looks up to Taair, mouth quirked.] What say we set one or two on door duty and the others on lookout, just in case? I don't doubt they've still got eyes on it, could do with a touch of caution.
[Richie Tozier is perhaps the last person you'd expect to kill you. And perhaps that's what works to his shocking advantage. He's got the personality of a showboat, loves people, loves good sake and loose women, and boy does he love talking. You wouldn't expect he's just as good at listening, at goosing information out of leads and targets alike, nor dancing around secrets that folks might be keen to pull out of him. Moreover, his unique talent as a vocal mimic comes in handy. When a trusted voice calls to you from behind a closed door, why wouldn't you open it? It's not like it could be a band of four killers with drawn blades outside. That's just your general, your wife, your beloved brother or your son. Whoops! Sorry baby, better luck next life.
Richie drums his fingers against his hips, where his katana stays slung sheathed and easy. He cocks his head at the fortress ahead, then to the so-called hundred paces to the east.]
Wonder how "hidden" this hidden entrance is. Wanna take bets on it being booby trapped? [He looks up to Taair, mouth quirked.] What say we set one or two on door duty and the others on lookout, just in case? I don't doubt they've still got eyes on it, could do with a touch of caution.
[While they've killed plenty of monstrous men and woman who probably deserved what was coming for them, the gang can't claim to have ever killed a real life demon.
The man who hired them seemed convinced of its existence, though. And there are enough dark rumors about the fortress in the Tanabe Islands to make anyone think that perhaps there is something monstrous lurking just behind the castle walls after all. Obviously, the fact they're getting paid doesn't hurt... But the contract they signed is simple enough, demon or no demon.
All they have to do is make it to the sixth floor of the castle and kill whatever (or whoever) resides there. Grab a little trophy as evidence for their generous employer, and they're done. Easy. Peasy. Nothing too complicated about it.
Since Richie is glancing to the east, he will see nothing but the flat expanse of the shore covered in a thick layer of snow. Beyond that, sharp jagged rocks that fade into the fog. Nothing that screams hidden entrance...
But then again, it wouldn't be a good hidden entrance if they could pick it up that easily?
Either way, the beach is quiet. They're free to start moving in whatever direction they like.]
The man who hired them seemed convinced of its existence, though. And there are enough dark rumors about the fortress in the Tanabe Islands to make anyone think that perhaps there is something monstrous lurking just behind the castle walls after all. Obviously, the fact they're getting paid doesn't hurt... But the contract they signed is simple enough, demon or no demon.
All they have to do is make it to the sixth floor of the castle and kill whatever (or whoever) resides there. Grab a little trophy as evidence for their generous employer, and they're done. Easy. Peasy. Nothing too complicated about it.
Since Richie is glancing to the east, he will see nothing but the flat expanse of the shore covered in a thick layer of snow. Beyond that, sharp jagged rocks that fade into the fog. Nothing that screams hidden entrance...
But then again, it wouldn't be a good hidden entrance if they could pick it up that easily?
Either way, the beach is quiet. They're free to start moving in whatever direction they like.]
[ easy peasy... sure... what kind of rumors are there? anything specific? only that it's a demon of some kind...? these are the things a nerd would look into prior. the idea of it being an actual demon kind of delights taair, which is unfortunate, but he won't say anything about it for now. yay ghost stories! ]
Not a bad idea - if there is one person I would trust with a door, my friend, it would most certainly be you. Let's blaze our trail.
[ richie our lockpicking rogue - taair gives him a smile in return, glittery eyed, and then adjusts whatever semi warm thing he has over his armor, tucking into it a little further and starting fearlessly to head off eastward without any other fanfare, starting to count his light footsteps, and keeping his eyes on the map and on their surroundings.
one, two, three, four... ]
Not a bad idea - if there is one person I would trust with a door, my friend, it would most certainly be you. Let's blaze our trail.
[ richie our lockpicking rogue - taair gives him a smile in return, glittery eyed, and then adjusts whatever semi warm thing he has over his armor, tucking into it a little further and starting fearlessly to head off eastward without any other fanfare, starting to count his light footsteps, and keeping his eyes on the map and on their surroundings.
one, two, three, four... ]
Don't go off too far.
[ Adolphe walks on over to the opposite direction of where the ocean is. He's not that proficient in finding hidden places, but he sure as well can try. ]
And don't go playing in the water.
[ God forbid. Please. He just has to say this so that he can be like "I told you so" if any of them do anything stupid. He kicks the snow with his feet because damn. This thick layer of snow. It's like going treasure hunting. ]
[ Adolphe walks on over to the opposite direction of where the ocean is. He's not that proficient in finding hidden places, but he sure as well can try. ]
And don't go playing in the water.
[ God forbid. Please. He just has to say this so that he can be like "I told you so" if any of them do anything stupid. He kicks the snow with his feet because damn. This thick layer of snow. It's like going treasure hunting. ]
You're ruining all the fun.
[ he's teasing, mostly. hawke glances in each direction, south, west, north before turning east to trail behind the others. his naginata thumps quietly with each step but he's also keeping a sweeping eye out for any hidden traps in the snow. can't let adolphe win!!!! ]
Maybe if we reflect enough light they simply won't see us with all of the snow.
[ he's teasing, mostly. hawke glances in each direction, south, west, north before turning east to trail behind the others. his naginata thumps quietly with each step but he's also keeping a sweeping eye out for any hidden traps in the snow. can't let adolphe win!!!! ]
Maybe if we reflect enough light they simply won't see us with all of the snow.
[Richie raises his brows at Adolphe.]
What, no skinny dipping? There goes my plan.
[you're no fun at all...
Like Taair, Richie might have tried to rustle up whatever rumours are kicking around about the demon or this damnable castle. Albeit with a heavy skepticism: he's abandoned gods, and most definitely does not believe in demons. That's crazy talk. There's monsters aplenty in the skins of men and beasts, you don't need to go inventing, say, a child-eating shapeshifter that lives in the sewers. That's stupid.
Richie will follow after Taair, though he'll glace up to the castle, over to the side. Checking if there's any signs of movement in the distance. Any distance.]
Reflecting light's not a half bad idea, though maybe not foolproof. Let's see what our entrance looks like before we go lighting torches.
What, no skinny dipping? There goes my plan.
[you're no fun at all...
Like Taair, Richie might have tried to rustle up whatever rumours are kicking around about the demon or this damnable castle. Albeit with a heavy skepticism: he's abandoned gods, and most definitely does not believe in demons. That's crazy talk. There's monsters aplenty in the skins of men and beasts, you don't need to go inventing, say, a child-eating shapeshifter that lives in the sewers. That's stupid.
Richie will follow after Taair, though he'll glace up to the castle, over to the side. Checking if there's any signs of movement in the distance. Any distance.]
Reflecting light's not a half bad idea, though maybe not foolproof. Let's see what our entrance looks like before we go lighting torches.
[Rumors of people disappearing into the castle, never to return. Of beasts whose skin burns in the sun, but their empty eyes allow them to see in the dark. Very spooky stuff. But also the kind of rumors that wouldn't be out of place while sharing stories around a campfire.
Looking in the distance, they will see the flickering, dim lights of lit torches coming through the castle windows. But nothing that specifically suggests they are being watched. Probably just people, you know, needing light to be able to see in the middle of the night.
If Adolphe heads in the opposite direction of where the ocean is, he'll just find himself heading back into the forest. And when I say back, it's because this is the direction they came from in order to reach the shore. There's nothing here that they haven't seen before. But, hey, isn't nature beautiful?
Heading east, the rest of the crew walks ten paces, twenty paces, thirty paces... And eventually, upon hitting one hundred, there will be a distinctly metallic thump when Taair's foot next makes contact with the ground. Some of the snow shifts and falls through some gaps in order to reveal what appears to be a big, metallic grate on the ground, hidden under all this snow.]
Looking in the distance, they will see the flickering, dim lights of lit torches coming through the castle windows. But nothing that specifically suggests they are being watched. Probably just people, you know, needing light to be able to see in the middle of the night.
If Adolphe heads in the opposite direction of where the ocean is, he'll just find himself heading back into the forest. And when I say back, it's because this is the direction they came from in order to reach the shore. There's nothing here that they haven't seen before. But, hey, isn't nature beautiful?
Heading east, the rest of the crew walks ten paces, twenty paces, thirty paces... And eventually, upon hitting one hundred, there will be a distinctly metallic thump when Taair's foot next makes contact with the ground. Some of the snow shifts and falls through some gaps in order to reveal what appears to be a big, metallic grate on the ground, hidden under all this snow.]
[ ah good campfire stories. taair's favorite! a bitch loves a good ghost story as much as he loves a historical one!!
anyway. the flickering lights do catch his attention, but otherwise, he focuses on their path, and... voila! a grate. he taps it once with his foot. ]
To the sewers! [ don't sound excited about this.
however he will step back to let the others handle that because he may be a mercenary in this universe but rest assured lifting heavy objects is beyond out of his purview, and does a quick sweep for traps behind him, then watches to make sure adolphe makes it back safely from looping back around. ]
anyway. the flickering lights do catch his attention, but otherwise, he focuses on their path, and... voila! a grate. he taps it once with his foot. ]
To the sewers! [ don't sound excited about this.
however he will step back to let the others handle that because he may be a mercenary in this universe but rest assured lifting heavy objects is beyond out of his purview, and does a quick sweep for traps behind him, then watches to make sure adolphe makes it back safely from looping back around. ]
[ Nature is good. Nature is great. Adolphe was really about to hit da bricks—no.
He does make a loop around and goes over to where the grate is. Hm. How does one open this. Adolphe will try to examine it. Can Richie open this thing? Should they try to cut it open? He doubts that their swords can get through this thing.
Sewers...... ]
He does make a loop around and goes over to where the grate is. Hm. How does one open this. Adolphe will try to examine it. Can Richie open this thing? Should they try to cut it open? He doubts that their swords can get through this thing.
Sewers...... ]
[ EEEEEY. SECRET ENTRANCE!!! even if it is the sewers....................
he will step aside to let richie at it but he's here as backup in case they need to simply brute force their way. stronk........ ]
Better than the front doors I suppose.
he will step aside to let richie at it but he's here as backup in case they need to simply brute force their way. stronk........ ]
Better than the front doors I suppose.
[somehow he feels like he manifested this.]
Aaah, fuck me.
[Bends to one knee and gets to THEIVES TOOLING this entrance. Will thoroughly examine it first, eyes sharp for any nasty tricks or triggers, what the locking mechanism is. Can he work it open pretty please?]
Aaah, fuck me.
[Bends to one knee and gets to THEIVES TOOLING this entrance. Will thoroughly examine it first, eyes sharp for any nasty tricks or triggers, what the locking mechanism is. Can he work it open pretty please?]
[There are no traps to be seen anywhere. Since he's holding the map, Taair would know there is a tunnel that goes beneath the sea and leads directly into the castle. So... Congrats! Seems like they found it.
Taair taps the grate with his foot. More snow falls away. And with Richie getting up close and personal with the grate, he can see there aren't any locks on it. It looks like they can just lift it up and swing it open to proceed, though it does seem a bit heavy. Perhaps this is a job for two, big strong men...?]
Taair taps the grate with his foot. More snow falls away. And with Richie getting up close and personal with the grate, he can see there aren't any locks on it. It looks like they can just lift it up and swing it open to proceed, though it does seem a bit heavy. Perhaps this is a job for two, big strong men...?]
[
anyway he'll take out his pocket notebook and take some notes on the historical construction of the castle while the others handle that ]
anyway he'll take out his pocket notebook and take some notes on the historical construction of the castle while the others handle that ]
[ Adolphe tries to open it but hm. Well, alright. ]
Hawke. We're opening it on three.
[ help him
One... two... ]
Hawke. We're opening it on three.
[ help him
One... two... ]
[Also helps!!!! He's not pure twink okay he's just an average guy leave me alone.
Also glancing up to the castle any suspicious change in movement up there?]
Also glancing up to the castle any suspicious change in movement up there?]
[No changes in suspicious movement. The castle is very aesthetically pleasing, though.
With their combined efforts, the grate swings open! The small amount of moonlight filtering through the opening on the ground allows them to see a staircase carved from stone. It descends into the murky darkness of the tunnel, and they can't tell how far down it goes.]
With their combined efforts, the grate swings open! The small amount of moonlight filtering through the opening on the ground allows them to see a staircase carved from stone. It descends into the murky darkness of the tunnel, and they can't tell how far down it goes.]
Oh, very well done! Thank you, all three of you.
[ praises the team because he is in fact the twink of the function and that's the best he can do here. once the grate is set down, taair checks the map once more, thoughtful. ]
The tunnel itself goes under the sea and to the castle, as far as our information goes. It is likely we will need light once we get down.
[ and then smiles, twinkle of adventure in his eyes. ] Shall we?
[ with little fanfare, he will easily be the first sacrifice onto the stairs, immediately beginning to descend once he's sure the others will follow. ]
[ praises the team because he is in fact the twink of the function and that's the best he can do here. once the grate is set down, taair checks the map once more, thoughtful. ]
The tunnel itself goes under the sea and to the castle, as far as our information goes. It is likely we will need light once we get down.
[ and then smiles, twinkle of adventure in his eyes. ] Shall we?
[ with little fanfare, he will easily be the first sacrifice onto the stairs, immediately beginning to descend once he's sure the others will follow. ]
[ TAAIR... Afolphe bites back a sigh, strikes the flint stones together to make a fire for a torch and hands it to next person going after Taair. Then another. Then himself. He'll give Taair his torch when he gets down. Adolphe will drop down last. ]
Watch your footing.
Watch your footing.
[ we really just keep letting our water bottle of a twink bull doze first into danger. understandable but also, clucks nervously. ]
Here we go.
[ waddles in after taair, ready to `smack` if any demons or animals or talking demon turtles are laying in wait. ]
Here we go.
[ waddles in after taair, ready to `smack` if any demons or animals or talking demon turtles are laying in wait. ]
[Nods and goes along, Taair pls do not get into shit immediately]
Will do.
[Watch his footing. He'll file in after Hawke, letting Adolphe bring up the rear. Keeping a sharp eye and ear out for anything amiss.]
Will do.
[Watch his footing. He'll file in after Hawke, letting Adolphe bring up the rear. Keeping a sharp eye and ear out for anything amiss.]
Page 1 of 14