Dark Elf Council

Evahira's heavy boot slid against the chamber floor when the first group's tank crashed into her. She braced herself, her expression contorting into one of frustration when Shield called out against the rest of the Council members, goading them on. She struggled for a moment against the force behind their two clashing sheets of metal, but it was when her eyes caught sight of the man's teammates rushing towards her own that she worked to retaliate. "No. No way I'll let you hurt them!" Her low growl turned into a shout. With a large motion, she circled her shield arm around to throw her opponent's defense off of her own. Disengaging herself, Evahira rushed forward just in time to catch the edge of Hirru's sharpened blade against her kiteshield, the emblazoned metal catching the blow that was meant for Isaxi.

With one last flourish of his cutlass, Rori's blade also clashed with Hirru's. He wore the same grin all the while, seemingly entertained by the sparks that flew as he kept the Jade Hunter's sword from reaching the robed Elf behind him. He only grimaced slightly when the wide attack swiped across his torso, clipping his waist to leave a thin red gash. Meanwhile, well aware that Hirru's sweeping attack was intended for him, Ratar took a step and a half to distance himself while his left hand hovered beside one of the pouches hanging from his belt. He eyed the initial clash, but his attention was far too late in turning back to the rest of the raid group. First, the samurai's lightning-fast katana. Then, the bite of a spear that lashed out with enough radiant energy to rip his pixels apart. Ratar's red eyes widened as he let out grunt of pain from the onslaught, a cough escaping him while he clutched his side after the attacks has ceased. "Hah!" Beat's taunting was enough for Ratar's haughty expression to return to him, and the Elf sneered back. "You think we'll let you barbaric cretins tear down all that we've built?" He straightened up, bringing his fist up to wipe at a glowing red sliver that decorated his cheek.

Isaxi's chin raised, her calm demeanor unchanging. "Very well, then." She replied to the players' outbursts, reaching a hand to pull an elegant rapier from its sheathe. The metal glinted in the light as she took up a battle stance, staring Shield down as his pull at their attention worked its magic. She engaged the tank, thrusting forward with a series of stabs and slashes that bounced back against the protection of his Safeguard. While his commander was locked in combat, Ratar's crimson eyes darted to her opponent as his fingers worked to grasp at the dagger at his side. He ran past the other Council member's scuffle with the green-haired one, rushing to Shield's flank to drive his blade into the man's side. His sneer persisted while he ripped it away again, either ignoring or oblivious to the fresh gashes he earned against the tank's armor as he pulled away, and the damage marker that settled on Shield's avatar festered with a sick, green color. Predicting some sort of surprise from the adventurer as his potent poisons seeped past his defenses, Ratar laughed. "As if your flimsy antidotes could stand up to my creations."

Suddenly, after dropping practically to it's halfway point, Ratar's last health bar began to crawl, refilling some of its lost green color. The same happened to Evahira and Rori, whose indicators climbed until they settled back to their full amount. To the right of the engaged group, Durares' lips moved once again, muttering something unintelligible under his breath. In his small hands, the boy now held onto a deck of long cards, shuffling through them with skilled fingers. He stopped, turned over the top card, and a visual effect came to life behind him. A large, super-imposed image of the card flashed behind him, fading away after only a second. The semi-transparent surface depicted a woman in blue and white robes between black and white pillars. The Priestess, to those with a trained eye. Durares continued, paying no mind to the battle around him. He shuffled, drawing the top card again before flicking it away. It broke, dissolving into pixels in the air beside him, and he drew another still. The large, transparent card that flashed behind him this time featured a monster of a man--horned, with dark wings on either of his sides and what looked like the sharp talons of a bird of prey replacing the feet he crouched above. The Devil. Though the card appeared clearly behind his small frame, nothing seemed to come of it. Nothing obvious, at least. But before The Devil's eyes faded from view, a sense of terrible uneasiness washed over @Calrex, @Hikoru, and @Zandra alike. The axe-wielder in particular would feel a tingling, almost a burning sensation dance across her hands, though no damage came to any of them.

As Evahira continued to stand her ground against their attackers with a look of determination, golden tendrils shot out from the Elven protector's feet. It looked as though the ground beneath them cracked, a puff of smoke tinted with lustrous yellow rising up before the effect faded away just as quickly as it appeared. Beside each of the Council's third health bar, a new small indicator appeared, as if their HP had been stretched past their normal limits.

Tagged players have 48 hours to reply to this post.
[ Deadline: Wednesday July 18 at 04:00 PM PST ]

Council Actions

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Floor 23 Boss: <<Dark Elf Council>>

With preparations complete, the adventurers steel themselves. The raid on the twenty-third floor boss is about to commence as the bravest souls of the group step forward to push open the imposing set of midnight-black doors that stand before them. They're heavy, as dark as a void, and let out a most terrible wail as the foreign material creaks against its hinges. When the gap between them grows wide enough to form a path, they can see it. The massive chamber is illuminated primarily by the giant black-iron hanging light holding several crystal panes for the brightness to spill through. A handful of pillars stand tall, their smooth surfaces contrasting with the intricate carvings and inscriptions of Elven history and tongue that cover the textured walls past them.

Before the throng of players that entered the foreboding room, five figures stood. Each sporting charcoal tones of their skin and pale white hair that was typical of the Dark Elven people. A woman was the first to react to the humans' presence, raising the thick metal kiteshield that was strapped to her arm in a defensive fashion. Another figure, standing behind the armored Elf, stared into the crowd with glossy golden eyes. Unkempt white hair poked out beneath the hood of a plain white robe that looked a little too big on him. With the smallest stature among the group--similar to the height and build of a child--his mouth moved, but he was either muttering to himself or speaking just quietly enough that his words wouldn't reach the adventurers opposite them.

"Relax." Another finally spoke with a commanding tone. The other female stepped forward, wearing an air of confidence that matched the militaristic style of her clothing whilst a smirk played on her lips. <<Isaxi>>. The name stood in the air over her head, just below the red crystal that spun steadily. Three bars of health filled themselves, one after another, as they wrapped through the air beside her left shoulder and settled into place just the same as the remaining four monsters behind her. Isaxi's hands pulled away from her sides, hovering a few inches from her hips where the black-and-gold sheathe of a rapier rested on the opposite side of her belt from the gold chain of a tucked-away pocketwatch. "Welcome!" She spoke with a thick sense of false kindness. Her eyes snapped as they locked on to one party member walking among the shadows, locking in place before they drifted back over the rest of them to continue. "You've finally made it. I was wondering just how long you would spend milling about before you'd finally show your faces here."

While Isaxi greeted the players who held the intent to slay them, the remaining council members stood, nearly fixed in place before the chaos of battle would unfold. <<Ratar>>, a taller man off to the left looked aloof and disinterested the longer his crimson eyes ran over the crowd. He scowled, and snickered to himself as if the whole ordeal was funny to him, and perhaps his casual garb--simple robes of purple and maroon--reflected nicely with his demeanor. Despite his appearance speaking against a savvy for combat, the sheathe of a dagger sat fixed to a belt alongside several pouches of varying size.

In stark contrast to the rest, <<Rori>> flourished his blade freely, the hilt of his cutlass dancing around his hand while he tossed and twirled the weapon idly. Donned in light armors and cloth dyed in reds beneath a tattered black cloak, his free hand pulled back at the hood to reveal snowy white hair cut short, with the black cloth of a bandana tied at an angle across the left side of his face. His visible red eye was just as busy as the rest of the Council's, but it held so much more amusement. His lips were curled into an eager smirk, just waiting for the virtual 'bloodshed' to begin.

<<Evahira>> and <<Durares>> stood to the right, the former still holding her shield at the ready while the latter's mouth continued moving in soft sentences. Evahira reached out, her free left hand finding the boy's shoulder. The contact seemed to pull him from whatever thoughts he was lost in, though the expression he wore was still blank. She turned her chin, and whispered something to Durares before pulling her hand away and reaching to draw the spiked mace from the opposite side of her belt.

Stealth Detection:

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[ Deadline: Monday July 16 at 06:30 PM PST ]

Council Stats

Player Stats

Breaking through the ground level that separates the suffocating Underground from the barren Surface, the players that effectively make up the Frontlines would trek a generous distance over the Kriit Wasteland before they would reach the mountain ranges that housed the entrance of the twenty-third floor's labyrinth. Over the hills and into the mountain peaks where the clouds kiss the earth, the imposing tower that connects this floor with the next stands tall. The Bleakswords that once guarded the labyrinth's entrance have been dispatched, and its walls stand empty and quiet without any resistance to remain between the players and the room that houses the level's boss.

Well into the labyrinth, sparks of light come from various torches that line the wall, allowing players to see that the walls are cut as smooth as marble--onyx panes arranged in various heights, following no specific pattern. At the end of the hall stands a set or large iron doors, made of a metal so unnaturally dark that even the flickering flames of the torches beside it seem to have no effect on the abyss-like entryway. Unintelligible whispers in a language unlike one you have heard before could be heard through the crack left in the ajar door. Yet as a hand touches the cold iron of the door's handle, the sounds immediately vanish. An ominous silence settles over the passageway leading to the boss room. Whatever stands on the other side of these tall, dense doors is ready, waiting for the brave fools to enter.

OOC

All players have 72 hours to reply to this thread to be included in the boss fight. After 72 hours, the boss raid will begin.
All participants must list their stats, equipment, battle-ready inventory, skills, buffs, and consumed items in their post.

[ Deadline: Saturday July 14th at 5:00 PM PST ]