A City Falls: Start

[voidtreckermods]

Preparation

Just after light on the seventh day of the month of Bassoon everyone’s SCA glows with the colour of the void before showing a message. A briefing for the mission to come.

Anyone who goes to investigate the dressing carriage will find all the cupboards and drawers open. They may need to battle through spider webs but soon will find an array of clothes. Trousers, skirts, dresses, shirts, robes, cloaks. Everything they will need and plenty of choice. All the clothes have accents of team colours in more muted hues than the normal bold hoodies they wear.

A few hours later there is an announcement over the speakers. "Arrival to Planet #25768 imminent. Prepare for exit from Void. Drop order: Purple, Orange, Red, Blue. All passengers are to wear their Safety Control Apparatus and are reminded that emergency evacuation protocol is three short taps."

The train shudders and jerks. It is time.

Purple

"Purple Team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Purple team to doors."

The train flies down through the air before coming to a stop between two rocky outcrops. The doors hiss open, it’s a bit of a jump down to the ground and anyone who looks back will find the train hard to see. Not invisible but definitely cloaked, shifting to blend in with the rock.

They can hear the sound of many footsteps and the high sound of young voices. It is easy to hear where they need to be.

As they move down the rocky slope they will see the main pass. A large group of children are walking. Spirits are high even if it is clear they are on their guard. Older teens are wearing weapons, swords, the odd axe, a few daggers. Nothing expertly crafted but they all wear them with ease. Slightly younger children carry the very young, toddlers and those too young to walk and keep pace.

There’s a sound from in front of the group. From around the corner a girl, about thirteen years old, runs towards them. Her braids bounce against her shoulders, her eyes are wide with fear and she waves her hands at the others. “Run! Run!”

A shadow looms behind her, a winged wolf, gaining speed towards her. Sat on the wolf is a spear wielding goblin.

From all around them a growling of many more wolves, in the hills, close and ready to pounce.

Orange

Once Purple Team are gone the train flies again. "Orange Team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Orange Team to doors."

The train seems to be still concealed as it hovers at the city walls. There’s a bit of a jump onto the walls but at least they are near one of the staircases down into the city.

Also luckily no one seems to have seen them appearing out of no where though that has more to do with the general chaos rather than anything else!

There is a lot of chaos! People evacuating, animals everywhere, people looking lost and bewildered. Get herding or helping and encourage people up that cliff path!

Red

The train flies onward. "Red team to doors. Drop in two minutes. Red team to doors."

The train makes a slightly bumpy landing on a rocky slope. Scrambling up the slope red team will see a group of fighters, perhaps eighty in total. There are some supplies to the side, not yet allotted. Some horses and weapons. All the fighters are currently focused on a tall woman who is on horseback, facing them from the front.

“… Say those that stand here, as few as we may be were the ones who end the goblin menace on our lands for good. For our children and our families. We fight!”

The end of what was clearly a rousing speech, the fighters cheer. They begin to move over the slope, towards the goblin camp below. If you are joining this battle the time is now!

Blue

The train flies low, skimming over the lake. "Blue Team to doors. Drop in one minute. Blue Team to doors."

Jumping down off the train they will land in the shallows of the lake. It’s not deep enough to go over their boots and now too far to wade to shore. The shore is rocky, loose rocks and pools of water to avoid. The tower stands before them. Three goblins, riding wolves perch on the walls high above them. The sky above crackles with lightning that is not at all natural.

The doorway to the tower is open, there are a lot of stairs to get up. The howls of the wolves fill the air as the wizards fight them off above. Time to climb!

Comments

Orange

[internetsexsymbol]

Preparation

Ok, Reigen figured he could handle what was coming next. Going to random places to solve problems was already part of his everyday work, so the only difference here was...goblins? Yeah, ok! He'd figure that part out later.

Right now, he was assessing the clothes he'd picked out, a critical eye on the shirt and cloak he'd just put on. He'd been approaching these like suit clothes, but...Was it really supposed to look like this? It was a good change from the usual train attire, at least.

Orange: Arrival

Jumping off a train sucked, but Reigen doesn't have time to nurse his vertigo, because utter chaos is erupting around him. He can't help remembering what his roommate had said about a city on fire...whatever, dwelling on that can wait. Besides, he doesn't need extra motive to get people out of here.

Deciding someone else can handle the weird chickens, he turns his attention to a confused looking woman. "Oi, lady, the path's that way! Your family's looking for you over there!!" Hopefully this woman did in fact have a family.

Orange: Listen Up Old Man

Maybe Reigen should be thankful that he's in his element of negotiation, but he really wishes this old man would go be stubborn somewhere that wasn't likely to get set on fire. Hell, he doesn't even understand half of the stuff the guy's conspiracy theory about how the wizards are behind all the problems in the city brings up. Giving a strained smile, Reigen speaks as calmly as possible.

"This is all very interesting, sir! I had no idea how many natural disasters magic caused...why don't you tell me more about it on the cliff path? We don't want those pesky wizards overhearing us!"

Listen up

[stealsyourheart]

"Hey Arataka-san, need a hand?" Here comes a cheerful teenager.

"Oh, oyaji, are you the guy who owes the obaasan down the street a new pot?" He tips a bow to the old man. "I heard she was looking for you, maybe you should head up the street before she finds you?"

[internetsexsymbol]

"Kaito-kun! Taking time out of your granny charming for me?" Reigen jokes, but he's thankful for the help all the same.

"Ehh? You did mention breaking someone's pot, didn't you? Hmm, I think I can hear someone outside! We better get out of here!" Reigen practically drags the man's hand towards the door, taking the out he's been given.

[stealsyourheart]

He grins back.

"Just helping out generally, Arataka-san!" He says cheerfully, and helps to urge the man along.

[internetsexsymbol]

Reigen gives a weak wave to the old man as he watches him shamble towards the cliff path. Once he's certain the geezer's out of earshot, he turns back to Kaito, looking far more stressed than he'd allowed to show on his face before.

"There are at least ten other houses that still have people in them. If they're all that stubborn, we won't have time before this place goes up in flames to get everyone out. ...think you're up for a few more magic tricks, Kaito-kun?"

[stealsyourheart]

"I can try - what did you have in mind?"

[internetsexsymbol]

"Well, if some people won't listen to reason, we'll just have to resort to other methods of persuasion! Either bribery or scaring them off with more imminent threats of fake house break-ins or angry neighbors! ...how far can you throw your voice? We may be able to convince a crotchety old woman that her grandson is looking for her."

[stealsyourheart]

He considers.

"Pretty far. It's worth a try!"

[internetsexsymbol]

"That's the spirit! Let's evacuate some geezers!"

With one of his usual hand flourishes (why is he like this), Reigen starts to head towards the nearest house to negotiate with an old woman he spotted earlier. "Just wait on my signal, Kaito-kun."

[stealsyourheart]

"Yosh!" He agrees and trots after him, posting himself at the door.

"At your signal then, Arataka-san!"

[internetsexsymbol]

"Got it." With that, Reigen walks in to face a stubborn old woman. "Hey, ma'am, you should probably be getting out soon before--eh? I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave the house."

After a minute of debating with the woman over her insistence on her departed husband not wanting her to leave, Reigen gives up and subtly gestures to Kaito to get to work, passing it off as stretching his arms.

"Ok...I think you need to relax. As a spirit medium myself, I don't think your husband would mind if we just took his urn and left--" He stops when the woman looks at him like he's a demon. "What? No, I didn't sell my soul: it actually started when I was a child..." Please save him from having to make up a tragic reason he can see ghosts, Kaito.

[stealsyourheart]

Kaito lingers by the door, and when Reigen gestures he takes a breath and projects his voice, pitching it higher, younger.

"Grandma? Grandma, where are you?"

[internetsexsymbol]

Damn, that's really good. Reigen has to physically restrain himself from laughing at how accurate Kaito's impression of a young boy is, acting as if he's shocked. "Is that your grandson? You have to go to him! The most important way to keep your memories are through the family you still have left! Here, let's just put the urn in here--go!!"

Reigen ushers the old woman out the door as quickly as he can, hoping Kaito has the common sense to stay out of sight while he does.

Arrival

[so_dark_a_road]

After he jumps out of the hovering train, Curufin turns to make sure his teammates are all right, and then heads down the steps into the city and identifies the smaller gate in the east wall that opens on the the cliff path they are supposed to escort the refugees up.

"At least the city isn't burning," he remarks to Reigen, who is directing an old woman towards the path. "Though I wouldn't count on it staying that way."

[internetsexsymbol]

Once he's got the confused woman on track towards the cliffside, he turns his attention to Curufin.

"Well, that means we've got time to get out of here. See, not our fate to get burnt!" A few frantic farm animals pass by, and Reigen gives a weak laugh. "You wouldn't happen to be a chicken-whisperer along with those warrior and firefighter skills, would you?"

[so_dark_a_road]

"I certainly hope so!" answers Curufin. "I'd prefer not to get crisped."

Then he spots the farm animals. "Well, I used to herd goats and sheep when me and my brothers first set off to find lands of our own to claim. It was a long way, and we all had to take on multiple responsibilities. Let me try."

He calls softly to the animals. "Come with Reigen and I, we'll show you the best way." He isn't speaking goat language or chicken-speech, but the animals turn and look at him. "That's right," he says. "Don't fear us, even though we're strangers. We'll help you." Well, he's an Elf, and Elves have a knack for connecting with all living things. Domestic animals are no exception.

[internetsexsymbol]

"Just by talking to them? Is that actually how it works--" When the animals actually look at Curufin, though, Reigen goes silent. They're listening to him, ok, that makes things easier.

"Yeah! Just listen to the nice elf man, we're here to help! Right this way!" He gestures towards the cliff path as if the chickens are going to understand him, before turning to Curufin looking baffled but also impressed. "What did you do?! Are you hypnotizing them or something?"

[so_dark_a_road]

"Yes, that's how it works," answers Curufin with a smile.

And then he continues speaking to them in a soft voice. "That's right, go in the direction Arataka Reigen just showed you." The chickens, the goats, the sheep and a stray cow all look at him again, and then at Reigen, and then with a few clucks, a bleat and a moo, they start off up the path.

"It's a little bit like what you'd call hypnosis. I use my mind to direct their minds, and the medium is speech and voice tone. Say, is that what a psychic does with ghosts?"

[internetsexsymbol]

Huh, it's a little uncanny how easily those farm animals listen to him, almost like they have the mindset of people for a moment.

"Heh...well, no, ghosts usually require a little more persuasion than just hypnotizing them into listening. And if they won't go away peacefully, then...that's usually when you get your typical exorcism." Reigen waves his fingers lightly to emphasize that part.

"I've hypnotized someone, maybe...once?" Did waving a coin on a string in front of a guy then sucker-punching him count?

[so_dark_a_road]

In Curufin's world, in the far distant past, the first Elves wanted to talk to everyone and everything. Their communications with the natural world woke some parts of it up, which is why there are sentient and semi-sentient trees in Middle-earth even today. Curufin isn't as good at this as his forebears and even some of his immediate family, but he's got the tendency.

"Ah, I see. Ghosts are stubborn. How do you exorcise them? If you don't use hypnosis."

Curufin would certainly count a clever distraction and a sucker punch as hypnosis! "What was the occasion for your hypnotizing this person? Did it work?"

[internetsexsymbol]

"Ah, that. You need to use telekinesis. It's kind of like if you use a really strong fan to blow away a smoke cloud." At least, that's how Reigen thought it looked whenever he saw it.

"Oh, basically, some guys bent on world domination were harassing my student and his friends. I tried using hypnosis to distract them and talk it out, but given they were also psychics...long story short, I had to get a little more hands-on before they gave it up." He shrugs, not getting into the part of that story where he almost died several times. That makes the whole thing sound significantly less cool. "It turned out fine, those guys have real jobs now. World domination's a pretty easy life goal to poke holes into."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Telekinesis. I've seen such powers used, though I don't have much of that myself. But that's amusing. . . blowing a ghost away like smoke."

Almost dying several times wouldn't make the story or the storyteller less cool, in Curufin's view. Almost all the stories from his world seem to include such events, due to his world's tendency to burst into war at a moment's notice.

He chuckles. "Nice it worked out. I agree, world domination is a flimsy excuse for a goal. Sounds like you were a good influence on these guys!"

[internetsexsymbol]

Guess Curufin considers Reigen a little cooler than Reigen might assume he would! Maybe someday they'll get to the part where Reigen got stabbed by a really sharp toy samurai sword (only stung a little).

"I guess I was? Sometimes you just need to point out the obvious: It's no good to let something like being psychic go to your head too much! You have to live in reality or you end up with crazy ideas like that."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin considers anybody cool who knows what matters to them and goes for it. Especially if it involves taking risks. Even if that means getting stabbed with a toy samurai sword!~ Curufin would love to hear that story.

"You ought to give lessons, workshops, or webinars in living in reality, then. It's not just psychics that get strange ideas and develop crazy goals." Chuckle.

[internetsexsymbol]

"You think so? I'll have to get on that when I'm back at home." Maybe he would have ended up becoming a guidance counselor if the psychic consultation work hadn't gone the way it did. "Can only imagine you run into those types all the time yourself. Is elf society like that?"