Plot Master

The representatives listened in silence as Demian and Raidou lobbed them questions. Only once both had fallen silent did Percival lean forward. “It’s a dangerous liquid, but it’s one that we use every day. It’s really impossible to get anything done without lantern-light, so everyone has access to it. We sell it in our shops, store it in our barns, use it in our homes.” He slanted a glare toward Raidou. “It’s lamp oil. Made from vegetable waste. It is flammable, yes, but this isn’t a toxic chemical. Most everyone has handled it at some point. One of the reasons I’m convinced this was arso

Relentlessly, these loathsome insects persisted, an enduring source of vexation that never ceased to trouble Wushen. They were an unyielding obstacle, a veritable plague that cried out for total annihilation from the very fabric of existence. In Wushen's grand design for utter mayhem and disarray, they were the solitary stumbling block, an obstinate band of warriors, adventurers, and misfits, defiantly standing in his path. Wushen harbored an insatiable desire to obliterate them, to reduce their existence to nothing more than a gruesome tapestry of lifeless, mutilated remains strewn acros

Relentlessly, these loathsome insects persisted, an enduring source of vexation that never ceased to trouble Wushen. They were an unyielding obstacle, a veritable plague that cried out for total annihilation from the very fabric of existence. In Wushen's grand design for utter mayhem and disarray, they were the solitary stumbling block, an obstinate band of warriors, adventurers, and misfits, defiantly standing in his path. Wushen harbored an insatiable desire to obliterate them, to reduce their existence to nothing more than a gruesome tapestry of lifeless, mutilated remains strewn acros

Relentlessly, these loathsome insects persisted, an enduring source of vexation that never ceased to trouble Wushen. They were an unyielding obstacle, a veritable plague that cried out for total annihilation from the very fabric of existence. In Wushen's grand design for utter mayhem and disarray, they were the solitary stumbling block, an obstinate band of warriors, adventurers, and misfits, defiantly standing in his path. Wushen harbored an insatiable desire to obliterate them, to reduce their existence to nothing more than a gruesome tapestry of lifeless, mutilated remains strewn acros

Pestilence. They were a pestilence. There was nothing more that they could be, nothing more that they deserved to be. They were here to torture it, until its final moments. Destroying what it was, what it controlled, what it saw over. Only a pestilence would do such a thing to the forces of nature. Only a pestilence could break down its forms in such a manner. It would rid the world of this pestilence. It would tend to the natural order, return things to the ever flowing chaos that was and should be. The chaos that bred life, bred continuation, bred ending. It was that ending. It would no

Pestilence. They were a pestilence. There was nothing more that they could be, nothing more that they deserved to be. They were here to torture it, until its final moments. Destroying what it was, what it controlled, what it saw over. Only a pestilence would do such a thing to the forces of nature. Only a pestilence could break down its forms in such a manner. It would rid the world of this pestilence. It would tend to the natural order, return things to the ever flowing chaos that was and should be. The chaos that bred life, bred continuation, bred ending. It was that ending. It would no

Pestilence. They were a pestilence. There was nothing more that they could be, nothing more that they deserved to be. They were here to torture it, until its final moments. Destroying what it was, what it controlled, what it saw over. Only a pestilence would do such a thing to the forces of nature. Only a pestilence could break down its forms in such a manner. It would rid the world of this pestilence. It would tend to the natural order, return things to the ever flowing chaos that was and should be. The chaos that bred life, bred continuation, bred ending. It was that ending. It would no

As Raidou dropped into another chair at the table, Destin’s already thin lips drew together. “Perhaps I didn’t make my earlier intentions clear enough,” he began tersely. “I will ask that you vacate the stage, and find a seat in the audience. This table is reserved for representatives, of which you are not one. If you are unable to do so, I’ll borrow one of Fudral’s burly men to help you.” Tiberius scrubbed his calloused hands over his face, a gesture that betrayed his exhaustion, before he answered Raidou. “The cave-in happened last week. There wasn’t a ‘start,’ it just happened. We grow

The walls had risen, the congregation of elements aligned and pulled into essence and being. All had arrived at the call and command of the great Commander of the Elements cry. The tiny specks, annoyance incarnate, should have fallen as they were besieged by the power of the natural forces that would envelop them, overpower them, bring them to a crushing end just as all things would; fallen before the might of the elemental order. There was nothing more for them but to submit. The eyes stared down from behind the wall of protective ice, frustration and a tinge of displeasure shifting acro

The walls had risen, the congregation of elements aligned and pulled into essence and being. All had arrived at the call and command of the great Commander of the Elements cry. The tiny specks, annoyance incarnate, should have fallen as they were besieged by the power of the natural forces that would envelop them, overpower them, bring them to a crushing end just as all things would; fallen before the might of the elemental order. There was nothing more for them but to submit. The eyes stared down from behind the wall of protective ice, frustration and a tinge of displeasure shifting acro

The walls had risen, the congregation of elements aligned and pulled into essence and being. All had arrived at the call and command of the great Commander of the Elements cry. The tiny specks, annoyance incarnate, should have fallen as they were besieged by the power of the natural forces that would envelop them, overpower them, bring them to a crushing end just as all things would; fallen before the might of the elemental order. There was nothing more for them but to submit. The eyes stared down from behind the wall of protective ice, frustration and a tinge of displeasure shifting acro

A surge of outrage rang the chamber, as the vocal decree of annihilation bled from the commander of the elements. The wave washed over all present as the ground quivered. These tiny specks that speckled the stone beneath its once held prison, sharpening knives on its tough hide and gaining little purchase. Wushen's eyes flare in disgust, the sky began to darken. The air began to swell, feeling the potent presence of the beast. The cacophony of words continued to bounce off the walls, as even still the shackles to its prison continued to shatter. There were a few noteworthy phrases that st

A surge of outrage rang the chamber, as the vocal decree of annihilation bled from the commander of the elements. The wave washed over all present as the ground quivered. These tiny specks that speckled the stone beneath its once held prison, sharpening knives on its tough hide and gaining little purchase. Wushen's eyes flare in disgust, the sky began to darken. The air began to swell, feeling the potent presence of the beast. The cacophony of words continued to bounce off the walls, as even still the shackles to its prison continued to shatter. There were a few noteworthy phrases that st

A surge of outrage rang the chamber, as the vocal decree of annihilation bled from the commander of the elements. The wave washed over all present as the ground quivered. These tiny specks that speckled the stone beneath its once held prison, sharpening knives on its tough hide and gaining little purchase. Wushen's eyes flare in disgust, the sky began to darken. The air began to swell, feeling the potent presence of the beast. The cacophony of words continued to bounce off the walls, as even still the shackles to its prison continued to shatter. There were a few noteworthy phrases that st

"I find it apt," came a voice from stage left, "that you might quote the Shakespearean work with the longest soliloquy." A bearded man in robes of a deep cobalt blue regarded Raidou, making no effort to hide the charged annoyance that sizzled along every curve and line of his body. "I suspect that you have a fondness for soliloquies. Must you speak aloud to organize your own thoughts? Or do you simply take pleasure in listening to yourself talk?" Striding forward, Destin of Ronbaru entered the fray. The thud of his soft-soled shoes on the wooden stage seemed impossibly loud, as if the the

Steel clashed against steel as Aincrad's finest pushed back the opposing pirate forces. Reinforcements from the invading party continued to file from their smaller vessels that kept the Duchess Sincere locked within the air. Even though the lowly pirates were no match for the combined strength of the players, it was obvious that this was becoming a war of attrition. The player's strength was waning, their energy levels quickly depleting, and the pirates seemed never ending. A constant foe that needed to be dealt with. That was the case, until.. SNAP One of the tethers that ancho

All four representatives nodded in unison as the dark-haired Player asked her questions. When no one jumped to answer, Brienne finally leaned forward. “Well, Ordsea had the unfortunate incident at the Presidential Estate, where a group of bandits attempted to steal important documents. Most ran off after their attempts were thwarted.” Her expression hardened, and she spoke the last bit as if each word pained her. “However, one man was killed by my bodyguard.” Perhaps due to the mention of the bandits, all gazes tracked next to Fudral. He heaved a small sigh. “Those bandits trained under m

Light drawn into darkness cast no shadows in the presence of the Elemental Warlord. Instead, everything traveled back to him, like a river subjugated to flow in reverse. Something had cracked, somewhere in space and time, and the fault lines were shifting rapidly. The room had not shifted, and yet, all of them suddenly had. Where Wushen once floated in the air above them, their best efforts resulting in lunging attacks and charges that buffeted against his scales like water on rock, now their sense of direction was wrong. Wushen was not above them, but below. Or was he within? All ar

Light drawn into darkness cast no shadows in the presence of the Elemental Warlord. Instead, everything traveled back to him, like a river subjugated to flow in reverse. Something had cracked, somewhere in space and time, and the fault lines were shifting rapidly. The room had not shifted, and yet, all of them suddenly had. Where Wushen once floated in the air above them, their best efforts resulting in lunging attacks and charges that buffeted against his scales like water on rock, now their sense of direction was wrong. Wushen was not above them, but below. Or was he within? All ar

Light drawn into darkness cast no shadows in the presence of the Elemental Warlord. Instead, everything traveled back to him, like a river subjugated to flow in reverse. Something had cracked, somewhere in space and time, and the fault lines were shifting rapidly. The room had not shifted, and yet, all of them suddenly had. Where Wushen once floated in the air above them, their best efforts resulting in lunging attacks and charges that buffeted against his scales like water on rock, now their sense of direction was wrong. Wushen was not above them, but below. Or was he within? All ar

Percival studied the woman with the flaming red hair, allowing Senno to finish her thought before he interjected with one of his own. “We‘re not soldiers,” he stated matter-of-factly. Though his tone suggested that response alone was sufficient, he did eventually continue. “We’re scientists, and carpenters, and smiths, and healers, and we’re not soldiers. We don’t have guards.” He paused, then blew out a long breath. “We’ve never needed them before. Before now, I guess.” Silence filled the massive space for a few seconds, and then Percival added, “Of course I’m upset that it happened, but I do

They yet lived. It was an act nothing short of miraculous, surely, that they could persist in opposition to Wushen. The Dragon could not conceive of a reality where such brazen defiance would happen, and yet, here such a thing unfolded before its very eyes. It was enough to draw Wushen's gaze into focus, to pull the creature backward from liminal infinity and draw its consciousness from the void. For the first time, Wushen opened its maw wide, and a blasphemous sound came forth. It was quiet at first, so much so that if Nari and her compatriots listened even closely, they might not h

They were all of them persistent. The first failed not once, but twice at holding its attention. Wushen had noted the same shape, that same defiance that burned around the woman. A third time, and it might have glanced her way- if only long enough to put an end to her. But another had stepped forward. And not simply stepped, but dared to utter a challenge to the Elemental Warlord. His words were unintelligible, and ultimately, the Dragon did not care to understand. What it comprehended was motive. Intent was everything, and this newcomer expressed it in no uncertain terms. The

Flies to honey. They swarmed the beast on wings of hope, seeking freedom. It's demise promised a step closer, and yet, its presence promised death. Existing forever in Paradox was the nature of Wushen, herald of a Promised End. But an End to what? Their struggle would continue if they persisted here. Perhaps they won, and managed to amble forward to another hopeless situation- no. There was nothing to be gained from such an action. Surely, these gnats recognized this? Judging by their continued efforts, Wushen could only conclude that was not the case. They wanted freedom, despi

They came rushing outwards and around, fleeing beneath its form as if a fly to a beast. It felt contempt as they moved around it, bit at it, gnawed upon its flesh. It felt the contempt shift to frustration - not anger, these things deserved no anger. Frustration as they tried to draw its attention towards them. It could feel the bit of tooth and claw, like insects sliding between its glorious scales. Wushen ignored their cries, their attempts to draw it out. It wanted nothing more than to lash out uncontrollably at the little fleas around its body, but something held it back. It was not