Pardon follows Eroa…looks as the brewing trouble and backtracks to ask for help from Chi and the others. He then enters the battle properly at M2 and at the end of everyone’s else actions, moves to Q2 and then sprints to S2 where he uses his bonus action to hack the console. He then retreats back R2.

If for some reason the Ohmnic blocking his path is still there, he instead gets stopped at P2 and Guards I guess.

Battle: The Fragment

I am perpetually unable to will myself to RP so I guess this is going to be it for now...

Maria, acting before Padron, spawns on L3 , moves to P3, uses Vampiric Venom on herself as a free action, Evolves Strain as her bonus action, and then slashes at the Ohmnic. Hopefully this kills. She won't retreat.

... Maria is covered in blood for no immediately apparent reason.

Battle - The Fragment

Blacklight manifests in the area in a puff of strangely viscous dark mass, coalescing into proper vaguely human form in short order. He takes a moment to have a puff from a cigarette, also noting the opposition forces.

"More purple iti... Very well. Let us dance, so to speak."


Action goes as early in the turn order as possible.

Spawning at M2, Blacklight casts Decaying Sigil (armorbreak variant) on the tile K6, catching the Destroyer, Sentinel, Pillager, and Leecher in the area of effect.

<ROUND 22>

Vent sketches some very hostile Iti. Luckily for him, the Iti are distracted by the combatants and make no attempt to attack him. Unluckily, things are happening pretty fast, and his subjects won’t hold very still.

---

Keane explains to Sakura that vamprobabilitants are inherently able to change their gender overnight. Technically, Chairians (and humans) are able to do that as well… But the vamprobabilitant version is lower effort, so fair play.

Skylar and Paige also do some crafting and minor respeccing before hopping into the battle, which is all processed.

---

<BATTLES: SHOAL CAVE, ROUND 3>

The Bladedancer has been taken out – overall, things are going pretty well. Acerola is getting fairly weak, though, as is Doc; better make sure they stay up.

---

<BATTLES: THE FRAGMENT, ROUND 2>
Uh oh. Chi has been kidnapped by the imposters, while R-8 is dead and Eroa is unconscious. To make things worse, the summoners in the back of the map will continue to bolster the Iti’s ranks. Cut your losses and flee, or stand and fight? It’s up to you.

Keane McZupp in: Amazing Frog

QUOTE (Irecreeper @ Sep 10 2023, 04:37 AM)

Somewhere else in the timeline, but more or less in the same location as where Sakura currently is now, she has a talk with new best girl Keane. Apparently, gender transitions are just something his species can do. Has she heard of this before...? SAKURA: So you're like... a frog? SAKURA: I hear that on Earth, there are these crazy creatures called "frogs" that can change their gender, or something? SAKURA: They seem cool. SAKURA: Earth is goddamn wild. Sakura considers adopting a pet frog, which she will use to annihilate all her enemies with their lethal fire breath and dimension-tearing claws. She uh, may be a little confused as to what a "frog" is.

Keane :3's happily.

KEANE: Huh, yeah, I guess it's similar to that!
KEANE: Frogs are neat. They're cute. I like 'em.
KEANE: (Wait, should I know what a frog is? Does Chancylvania have frogs?)
KEANE: (Is knowing about frogs normal???)

KEANE: I mean, I think it's a little different.
KEANE: The way frogs do it, they change their sex.
KEANE: But for vamprobabilitants, it's different, it's more that I don't have sex.

There is a short pause. Keane coughs abruptly.

KEANE: -ual characteristics. Vamprobabilitants don't. Have them.
KEANE: (fuckin' nailed it)
KEANE: So it's really more about, like, presentation and aesthetic, than anything.
KEANE: ...
KEANE: ...S-sorry, was that too much all at once?

Keane sort of awkwardly shuffles back and forth, flushed. wait, is she blushing RGB gamer light

KEANE: Um, anyway!
KEANE: Have you, like, studied Earth or something? I feel like you know... more, about it, than the average Chairian- you knew stuff about it last year, too...

Wow, she's got a good memory.

---

Battle

PAIGE: ...Zzz...
SKYLAR: PAIGE
SKYLAR: WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF BATTLE

Paige sniffs the air... and shuffles a bit closer to the blood-soaked Maria.

PAIGE: ...Zzz... mmmmm, smells good... zzzzz...
SKYLAR: !!!
SKYLAR: PAIGE!

Before anyone else can move: Skaige scoots to L2 and shoots the Destroyer.

Shoal Cave

No words. Exactly what Debbie did not expect to hear. Not even a rebuttal. Debbie huffs. Which means...

DEBBIE: I suppose we're done here.

She takes a glance at Acerola, who had just healed her a bit.

DEBBIE: I do appreciate it, truly, but you should really tend to yourself first...
DEBBIE: I-I've handled worse.
DEBBIE: ...Far, far worse.

TURN ORDER

Offtopic -> Sakura -> Debbie -> Doc

ACTION

Act after Sakura.

Fossil Pile activates, the jaws slashing at the Rotting Widow after Offtopic moved it, the sloped sand pit pulling the Gaiawall out of the way to (E6). In the off chance Offtipic didn't down the Ranger earlier, also move the ranger to (E7). Debbie moves to (E4), hits the Faithful with a Basic Attack, and slaps Fluidsand tiles at (C5) and (B5).

DEBBIE: In case I wasn't already clear... there will be no escape.

Pardon winces as R8 and Eroa the former drops dead…and just drops for the later from the attacks. He moves to P2 and promptly gets stopped by the awoken Nanite, he promptly gives a small “aaaa” before resurrecting Eroa from that position and eating the magic pouch produced (Energised 7,4) before facing the Nanite.

Pardon: Um, hello?? Sorry for waking up you from your sleep but can we ask to move past you for now??
Pardon: We’re in a lot of trouble here

Pardon gestures vaguely at the mess the battle has become.
He than retreats to O3 and prays he doesn’t become stock feed

"uh oh! my big brain play to warp the ranger into the damage zone failed! fortunately, it was actually a bigger brain play to setup the 2x 2MOV 1x 1MOV movement trap!"

Planned Actions:
Take turn first
Move to E5
Phase Shift the Rotting Widow
Shoot the Ranger

An unknown distance behind Sakura, most certainly exceeding the diameter of the planet, an entity screams. An achievement has been lost. It's time to start a brand new game of Project Thymium. Because in order to replay CotT, you need to replay Thymium itself. Sorrow.

A known distance behind Sakura, about negative five meters behind her, the battle rages on. That brief brush with mortality she had earlier, as well as the loss of those innocent Tumblefluffs... this can't go on much longer.

SAKURA: E-Enough of this already!
SAKURA: W-What do we have to gain from extending this squabble any further?
SAKURA: ...
SAKURA: I'll end this right now.

The princess presses against her eyepatch, shutting her good eye. A few deep breaths, and she's resolute, swinging her popsicle. The delicious icy treat flies right off the stick, splashing into the water. Unveiled, the legendary [WOODEN STICK] is ready to strike.

SAKURA: Remember. You brought this upon yourselves.

Striking it into the ground, Sakura launches herself into the air. As she rushes upward, she morphs the stick into a gigantic wooden greatsword. Three swings part the air, red lightning and splinter-sharp wood ripping into her foes. Unfortunately, the popsicle stick was unable to survive the stress of the attack, and shatters into a billion pieces.

...Sakura equips a new popsicle. Hopefully though, that was enough to finish off the opposition.

---

Keane reveals to Sakura that she does not have sex. This does not surprise Sakur- erm wait, she meant she doesn't have sexual characteristics. Okay. That makes about equal sense, but what does Sakura know of space aliens, anyway? She's not a space alien. At least, not to herself.

SAKURA: So you don't have like, gender norms?
SAKURA: You can just be who you want? Pretty swell.
SAKURA: ...Not that it's historically been a problem here in Locaa, of course. We're not Tabletopians.

As Keane blushes RGB light, she poses a question- how does Sakura know so much about Earth?

SAKURA: Uh, hm...
SAKURA: Honestly? Blame the Sleuth and Locus. Ever since the former's ascent to the Highchair, there was... a bit of a craze with Earth's culture.
SAKURA: It was the first time we were pulled into a proper "intergalactic crisis", and amongst the freaking out and researching just how we were going to die... there was a lot of cool gorilla.
SAKURA: 'Course, that's how I remember it. It was a while back, that first contact.
SAKURA: Oh, also. Omo's a GIGANTIC Earth nerd. When she discovered the cultural wellspring that was Earth, she practically begged Cypress to establish a tap into their communications network.
SAKURA: ...As I'm sure you could guess, this was a mistake.

Some things were not meant to be known by man. Or chair, for that matter.

---

Shoal Cave:
- Act after Offtopic. Their post is above mine, but just in case, y'know???
- Move to (H8).
- Engage Eternal Princess. Absolutely dumpster the Saint, the Rotting Widow, and the remaining Faithful. This costs 192 SP.
- If you obtained Favor from this, drink all accumulated stacks to restore SP. :sakurasip:

Vent can only watch in horror as Eroa is mercilessly shot down by the Iti. His goddess, fallen. Eroa struggles to stand, leaning on her staff momentarily before collapsing in full. Vent’s sketchbook, filled with a messy drawing of the skirmish, is nearly dropped in his panic, as he reaches out with his free arm instead.

VENT: L-l-l-L-LADY EROA!!!
VENT: Y-y-you cannot fall l-like this!
VENT: I-I-I mustn't see you in such a p-perilous state…
VENT: I-I c-can’t let this h-happen!

Vent’s rational thought is overtaken in the moment, replaced by zealotry, as he finally drops everything, rushing in with his rusted blade. He only stops himself inches away from the battle as Pardon steps in and sings a tune, bringing Eroa back from the brink. Seeing her rise once again, Vent snaps back to his senses, swiftly changing directions to pick up his supplies. He hastily flips his sketchbook back to the scene, slightly ripping the normally sturdy page, putting pencil to paper despite his quaking.

Eroa swipes a quick glance at Vent, wanting to say some words of encouragement, but is cut short by the growls, roars, and other such nasty noises from the Iti. She’ll have time to talk later, now is the time for battle.

---------------------

Eroa, after being revived by Pardon, uses Manasurge, uses Allure to pull Ohmnic2 to J8, and casts Aftershock at K9. She finishes by retreating to M3.

Doc (after everyone else has acted) moves to F7 and performs a basic attack on the Gaiawall.

The plague on the Gaiawall spreads to the Rotting Widow.

The Fragment

41: Spawn Point
40: Abduction
26: Purify
12: Locus of Rage

Des moves to I3, and targets the Predator with Abduction. 18 MP, +36 SP, (26-29) Slashing before defenses, move it to H2. Large Head + Safe Travels: bring Chi to J2. Retreat to I4.

Battle - The Fragment

Blacklight briefly frowns as he notices Chi getting into a bad situation.

"Hmm... Unfortunately I cannot help with that. We may need to be careful in regards to our positioning here."

Then he waits for a bit...


After Eroa's action, Blacklight moves to M4, then throws a Decaying Sigil (Lockdown) at the K9 tile.

Battle: The Fragment

Maria tries very hard to ignore the Jotunn's exceptionally rude-sounding chortles. Unfortunately for Maria, she's only now just realizing "Taunt" is a lot more than just being mad at something.

She uses a Free Action Vampiric Venom on the Nanite-the logic here is that it won't be wary if it's given some kind of buff. Due to the Taunt it only comes out to Vampiric1 and no Empowered, but that's still better than nothing. She then moves to S3 and uses her Bonus action to try to tame the Wooly Mollusk, flexing her arm into chitinous plates as a sort of sense of camaradie in being 'shelled.'

She also Guards, which I guess is another reason why she's shifted her arm into chitinous plates.

If the Wooly Mollusk has been successfully tamed it'll "sprint" to P3.

Basil is back! It seems she was updating the Codex in her absence.

She joins The Fragment fight, spawning at J2 and moving to I2. She bonus action scans the Predator, before using Golden Bough: Bowline on the Lamia, Predator, and the Sentinel (or another valid enemy if its dead). She then retreats to J3.

The ground shakes as she activates a small device, resonating with the Gallows. A holographic cowl flickers around her body: black and feathered, with ropes hanging from every limb.

She raises her hand. Beneath the Predator, Lamia, and Sentinel, tall yet dead trees burst through the earth, carrying their prey with them. As the growth reaches its climax, Basil brings her arm down. Thick nooses of feather and vine grow around their necks, before the branches cease to bear their weight. It's a gruesome sight, even for Iti.

The holographic Bowline vanishes from around Basil, but the trees and nooses remain. She shakes her head, as if breaking out of a trance.

<ROUND 22>

Everything happening this round is occurring in the battles… well, kind of.

---

<BATTLES: SHOAL CAVE, END>
Wrap-up ensues. (RP featuring King_Fuffy, Adria, Sky High, and Irecreeper!)

Acerola joins the party!

---

<BATTLES: THE FRAGMENT, ROUND 3>
More people are unconscious. This is probably not good. But I think you have a plan.

Let’s see if it can stand up to pressure.

The Fragment

Post for above dop.

Lepidodendron spawns on K3, and casts Locus of Rage on themselves, Skaige, and Blacklight.

It'd be great if this respec could be processed in the turn before this post. No pressure, though.

Rhiannon's new character sheet

Also, Rhiannon spawns into the Fragment battle, moves to I3, and revives Des.

Switchback 3

After ensuring that the Chairians that assailed Acerola are tied up a smidgeon on the tight side, Debbie exits the cave and returns to Switchback 3 for another round of rock climbing. Although, she appears to be talking to herself again in frustration... quite loudly, in fact.

DEBBIE: Ugh, I-I can't believe I said all that!
DEBBIE: What was I thinking? I should've just shut up...
DEBBIE: But... yeesh, that "crusade" of theirs was vile!
DEBBIE: I hope that that's just a small band of violent hyperzealots and not the entire org...

She stops her hovering and looks behind her in thought. Actually, what will the ramifications be once she gets back? Those zealots were from the capital, after all...

DEBBIE: ...
DEBBIE: First, some end up dying and respawning, now, likely drawing the ire of the main religion of the region...
DEBBIE: ...I-I don't like where this train of thought is going, actually.
DEBBIE: ...T-time to press on.
DEBBIE: (i'm so tired... and c-cold...)

Debbie, finally, starts to shiver, wincing as she does. Perhaps she should've brought a winter coat...

After a sniffle, she finds a nearby path upward, at (BK/BL27). Good. She doesn't need to exert herself this time. She does, however, take the time to pull up some rocky railings on the side of the pathway and clear out the snow as best as she could prior to pressing onward, through (BN23).

The Fragment

Controlling Maria with permission from Tazz.

After Pardon's Rez, Maria moves to (O2), sets up a Vampiric Venom, applies a Chi's Salve to herself, and guards.

After Basil, the Woolly Mollusk snipes the Needles with a Water Gun if it's still alive. If not, it moves to (N3) and does the same to the Chimes.

Pardon grumbles as more people fall to the ground even as reinforcements pop in. He slides to P2 and turns back to cast Resurrect onto Maria, leaving a Pouch at Q3 with a note to not eat it for now.

He than skips back to O3 and prepares himself for what’s next.