spoofer: (piano)
Xistentia: Mod ([personal profile] spoofer) wrote in [community profile] xistentia2017-11-04 03:08 pm

War with D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.

Characters: Ensemble cast, any/all characters of Xistentia!
Summary: D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. comes to Xistentia for the first time, bringing with it violence and havoc. Combat against enemy agents, healing, emergency sanctuary, and "Drift Compatibility" happen here. Refer to the OOC plotting post and the mod announcement!
Date(s): November 4-18
Warnings/Notes: Violence, death, psychological themes, trauma. Please warn for anything else in your subject headers!

WAR WITH DESTINY
By headsman's blade or battle-axe
Fight For Your Life

Everything is, in short, super fucked. Era Ra's warning came at the right time, forewarning of some of the weapons and fighting styles that could be expected from D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.'s agents, but still, the people of Xistentia have not faced a force like this before. The ragtag combination of fighting styles and tactics promises both versatility and confusion.

For better or worse, D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. is in similar chaos.

The first to come are ships from the Western sea, bearing a mix of warriors in and monsters. Some wield old-fashioned steel swords and others bear laser blasters, and their armor is just as varied. Some creatures appear domesticated, while others are feral and snap at their own. However, one primary feature identifies the enemy: their war color is red, which adorns flags and uniforms. Interestingly, the sea and sky of Xistentia seem to be fighting back in their own way, massive waves and a storm, even animals pestering them as they attempt to land the beach. However, it's only a matter of time before the mainstay of their forces reach land, some two hundred fighters. It's then that sentient fires start to whirl into the forests, leaping from tree to tree.
You have the home court advantage. Even the foliage itself seems to cooperate with you, aiding in efforts for stealth by keeping you downwind, twigs failing to crack when you misstep. Soon, you're joined by Xistentia's other forces-- a handful of battered ships taking air, an odd assortment of elves and talking dogs, demons and aliens from outer-space, coordinating counter-attacks.
BATTLE MODE: ATTACK

You're locked in combat with a woman who seems oddly familiar, though you don't know her face and can't think of her name. You hit her in the head, and now a narrow slice of her face shows through her red-rimmed helm. She wields a rifle tipped with a heavy blade, though it crackles with electrical energy. She is a proficient swordswoman, deftly parrying and striking against you, her face eerily expressionless. Her blade has a switch that, when activated, will send out a net that numbs your limbs and drags you to the floor. Here's hoping you won't face this demon alone.

She's not your only problem. You may have noticed, that in every epic battle with evil wizards, there's always some kind of a problematically gigantic elephant. This is one of those days. At least, there's only one, its trunk as wide as a car, its feet moving slow, so that it might crush the trees rather than trip over them.

Fight one or both, or fight the hordes of nameless minions around them. Either way: there's plenty to do. Those of you who thought things were too quiet here? You'll be busy today.

SEEK SANCTUARY

Fighting isn't for you? Well, you'll want to get out of the way, then. The "wards" protecting the city are failing, and people are heading toward The Temple where the protections remain the strongest. Here, the injured need healing in the stone beds. The civilians do their best, comforting children, cooking food, trading intelligence, repairing weapons and armor where possible. Feel free to pitch in; they need all the help they can get.
BATTLE MODE: SUPPORT (PSYLINK)

And here, you've reached the Temple, you've laid yourself down on one of the many glass-and-stone beds within the safety of its stone walls. You know what the other Xistentia residents have told you about it— this is the next phase, after the memory share had raised shields against the psychotropic rain. This is the PsyLink. Through this bond, you are said to be able to activate special defenses. No one seems to know exactly what they are, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And beyond the Temple walls, times are desperate indeed.

Each drift requires at least two people. Your daemons will find and connect you, seemingly at random— and you may find yourself with the unlikeliest of partners.
Drift Compatible

The Kissing Booth participants find it easiest. Everyone else-- it's a wild jumble, finding yourself caught up in a firehose of not only your own memories, but that of someone else. Everything they think, everything they feel, is intertwined with your mind.

You can't get caught up in it. You have to let the memories of the past, your predictions for the future, and the terror of war flow in and out of you, without neither resistance or pursuit, gently tuning them out. And in this serenity, this psychic silence, this acceptance of not only yourself but the other other, you find perfect connectivity— harmony with your PsyLink partner.

In this space, you find yourself having strange conversations. You and your partner will share ghostly images, some of which seem to be images from the past— while others seem to be present-day moments from the battle outside, fighting the enemy, as if you are somehow in two places at once. You must find traction and stay in the now and stay calm, but it's harder than you think.

The instant you latch onto that memory or emotion, it's a mistake... but you forget.

Your shadow is here. Whether out-of-context, or right here where it was meant to be, it's trying to kill you.

But you're not trapped here alone. Someone is calling your name, a familiar voice in the pandemonium. That voice comes from your drift partner. It's up to them to pull you back, remind you of who you are, and balance you. Hold on to them - they're your anchor, but you'll have to do the same for them. A successful drift means helping each other. Do it well, and you'll help to power the temple's defences. Fail, and there'll be trouble for everyone seeking sanctuary here.
novelizes: (pic#11728516)

b

[personal profile] novelizes 2017-11-11 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ jughead is sitting nearby, his laptop having already been drained of battery, so he's contented himself with scrolling whatever makes for newsfeeds on his cellphone/daemon. he's already tried to make use of himself by offering a hand at wrapping injuries, but not being so good with that, he's settled down again to wait out the battle. because, frankly, he's not made for this kind of thing. he looks like an average teenager and pretty much is, if a bit broodier than most. he hasn't even been paying much attention to the guy next to him until the plate of food is shoved in front of him and he starts, turning towards the guy with a brow raised as he looks him over.

so apparently this guy has been out there in the fight. at least someone is. jughead feels a little guilty for not being out there himself, but he knows he'd end up a casualty or just in someone's way. this isn't riverdale, so he's not used to this all out war stuff. this guy, though, apparently is. ]


As much as I'm a stress eater in times of strife, no offense, dude. But you look like you could use it more than me.
helical: (084)

[personal profile] helical 2017-11-12 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
( dude? alec finally glances over at jughead, assesses a teenager that looks a little out of place, and jerks the plate toward him again. )

I'm fine. And not hungry. ( that's him being polite and not saying 'how would you know', as he's initially tempted to do. he's not in the mood, worried about literally everyone he loves and exhausted from fighting in a mental sense. his body might be rested, but he's tired of being trapped here and having to fight a new war while he is. also, it's not really jughead's business whether he needs it or not. in fact, he takes out his stele with his free hand, because once the plate is off of his, he'll be drawing up a nourishment rune. )

If you don't want it I'll give it to somebody else.
novelizes: (pic#11757770)

[personal profile] novelizes 2017-11-13 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, no. I'll take it. I won't turn down free food, but-

[ he looks the guy over again. this time, he notes the plethora of tattoos, the marks that cover his skin, reminding jughead of the serpents. but the loops and swirls of dark ink(?) remind him more of something vaguely occult-ish rather than the kinds of tattoos he's used to seeing on his dad's gang members. and as he watches the guy, taking the plate off his hands, he's surprised to see him pull out something that looks vaguely like a crystal on a stick. a wand, perhaps? jughead isn't sure. but he continues watching as he begins shoveling food in his mouth, eyes narrowed with the kind of gaze one might expect from someone a lot more perceptive than an average teenager. ]

Are you one of those magic types, then?
helical: (262)

[personal profile] helical 2017-11-13 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
( 'magic types'. there was a time where alec would have harshly denied the association, but he doesn't attach such negativity with magic anymore. in fact, he associates none at all.

doesn't mean he's up for clarifying, thoguh.
)

Something like that. ( he touches the stele to a rune on his arm, and it lights up as if from within, and he lets out a little sigh. some color returns to his face,
but his features are still drawn.
)
novelizes: (pic#11729860)

[personal profile] novelizes 2017-11-15 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
[ the acrid smell of burning skin fills the air as alec marks himself with the stele and jughead immediately wrinkles his nose, despite watching with keen interest. ]

Holy- [ he covers his mouth, but given the furrow of his brows and the widening of his eyes, he finds the display shocking. ] What the hell, man? Magical tattoos, but did you really have to burn your skin?
helical: (177)

[personal profile] helical 2017-11-16 01:38 pm (UTC)(link)
( alec glances at jughead almost cluelessly. this is so normal to him, he hardly questions how the runes work. his stele disappears into his pocket. )

That's how they work. Now I'm now nourished.