Apotheosis: Shadows of a Bright Republic (IC)

[Mormarth]

Dorothea Ionescu
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

There is a pause, then a slight puff of breath out through a small nose.

The great rusted blade relaxes slightly.

The sharpness of the air fades, though the eyes of Dorothea Ionescu, called 'Dorothy', or 'Whoreson', remain unbarred, her wine-colored gaze still resting on Hana's similarly white-clad form.

"I don't think The One would want you to kill a man in cold blood, no," She said softly.

A hand is lifted off the hilt, gesturing broadly.

"Did He not appear to the invalid, heal his wounds, regardless of what he had done before, and then say unto him: 'Now go, and sin no more.'? Is mercy not the first step to helping the sinner?"

The words of the preacher, while he was not always in favor of her aunties' and sisters' choice of career, remained kind. The words of her Master, the repentant healer, were always steady and calm.

"We should embrace those who sin, guide them, discipline them if necessary, but we are not there to punish. That is what I feel. Even as I bare this sword," She tapped her companion on the ground, "I do not end lives if there are other options available, and that is why I am a doctor."

"There should always be a second chance, for all of us."

Now, if he spits on it, that's on him.

We can't let God do all the work.

She shifts, and notes the older man, Paul, in her periphery.

"Are you alright? Don't strain yourself."

He seems fine, if winded and stressed, but communication is important.

[Bloble]

Clinic Intake Form #??? (A coffee stain has marred the number)
March 11, 1000 AS

Patients treated: 21
19 individuals of Ren origin, either from the Regency itself or descended from those taken in Patrian raids. Self-identified as:
Lihuang, 23,
Hong, 31
Xilu, 27
Achai, 17
Wei, 30
Shunfang, 25
Fang, 34
Dog-eyes, 24
Mao, Paulus 'Paulie', 18, 176 cm, 63 kg, informed emergency contact on record
Ma Zi, 35
Cho, 28
Cho, 24 (no relation)
'Luke' Lucius, Chao, 30
Hong, Po, 21 (yes relation)
Wu, Xilu, 29
'Ratface', ?? (none knew, estimated at 32)
'Liumang', 29
Zhou, 38
Weng, 31

1 individual of Ren origin who "definitely ain't one of those bastards" self-identified as 'Tang', soldier of fortune
1 woman of Patria-Ren origin, self-identified as 'Volcania', 'freedom fighter'

Injuries suffered (by the nineteen Ren):
10 second-degree burns on hands and arms, hand-shaped
7 instances of facial and body laceration, inflicted by broken glass or abrasing along the ground.
6 dislocated shoulders
5 broken noses
4 fractured femurs
14 seperate instances of cracked and broken ribs
5 fractured hands along the distal phalanges
7 sprained wrists
3 concussions
2 torn rotator cuffs
At least 40 individual teeth knocked out (some were carried in)
1 instance of severe testicular torsion


[Addendum]

Surprisingly restrained.

Injuries suffered (by the woman and her companion):
Epistaxis
Mild bruising along the shoulders and thighs
Slight lacerations along the index knuckle on the right hand
Consultation for Back Pain

Paulie Mao's mother dropped off a plate as per usual.
Luke Chao was just drunk and looking for a fight, will let him go with a warning.
Hong Po (and his unnamed sullen 'uncle') paid up front and left with thanks.
Rest assigned janitorial and street cleaning repentance as well as a stern lecture.
Traded Nezdohvan jokes with Tang
Traded Patrian Jokes with 'Volcania' (Mostly insults, but they are the same)

[Plue]

Ad Astra
Noonish
March 11, 1000 AS (After Shattering)
Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

Dorothea... is quite fast. Not even enough time to properly thank her for the translation, or the additional information. Well, it does make her feel better about this group at least.

People still use phone booths though? Huh.

It's much easier to ignore the sound of limbs being rearranged when there isn't a visual input as well. Solving this problem by turning her attention to the bar, and trying to wave over the bar tender for a drink.

Oh, that was an impressive octave shift... make that two octave shifts up.

"I'm Su-" A particularly crunchy sound makes her shudder, "Sure Volcania knows what she is doing." Or at least enjoying herself. Enjoying herself a lot.

"I think I'm going to need some help keeping track of..." Waving her hand around at everything happening, "Well, this. And half of them I'm sure barely know what a phone is." Slumping against the bar. Uuuu is a fight really a good reason for slow service? In the movies the bartenders never even batted an eye.

"Do you have a name you'd like?" Aaaaa she's a teenaged mother? No, wait, this doesn't count.

A quick message to everyone's phone, making sure that it made a sound and vibrated even if they hadn't figure out how to set those settings on yet.

'Found the slaver place. You can stop being friends with the idiot now.'

"Bartender? Could I have a vanilla Italian soda please! And some fried potato slices?"

She can have some nice snacks while worrying about being hunted already. That kind of a power armor should stand out to her once it gets within her range though.

[Elyrin]

Gabrielle Monet
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside Tullii Taverna, Harbortown


Huh? It worked?

Surprising. Gabrielle had expected the girl to just be further emboldened. Maybe yell something about villains again. But it seemed she had enough sense in her to recognize what Gabby had done, and also maybe Dorothea doing the teleport thing and appearing out of thin air may have helped.

"Thank you. I think we all have similar goals. We shouldn't be fighting among ourselves like this." Well, it was Gabby's side who started it. Sort of. Gabby herself declined all responsibility and refused to acknowledge the topic, instead giving Markus a bit of a prompting nudge. "Um, I didn't hurt you badly, did I, Hana? I can heal your wounds, if you like."

Seems like everything worked out in the end. Maybe a few people got stabbed, sure. Gabby was fine, Markus was probably fine, Bai... was he fine? He hadn't said anything since Hana arrived on the scene and tried to commit a triple homicide. Gabby gave the gangster a light shake to make sure he was still conscious.

"Uncle Paul!"

Wait, what?

Had Gabby been moments away from beating the shit out of Paul's niece? Or having the shit beaten out of her, as the case may have been? That would have been awkward. Right, he could deal with his own relatives. Gabby would concern herself with other things. Like her vibrating phone. A message from Astra? Hmm. More awkwardness. What to do with Mister Bai now...

"That's a noble sentiment, Doc. But not all sinners are misguided. Some of them know what they're doing just fine, and do it anyway for their own benefit. Some even enjoy it." Gabrielle gave Bai another shake, a bit harder this time. "How about you, Mister Bai? I was planning to ask a few questions and let you go if you cooperated, but it turns out we don't need your info anymore. So, are you the repentant type, or not?"

[MssrNeko]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Paul Copperbell

"Why'd you quit? Daddy misses you a lot!"

Paul was close to leaping behind the nearest cover until this teen started to talk to him. The unexpected reunion crossed Paul's legs and he slips over himself onto the pavement. He gazes up at from his pathetic position to his old friend's daughter.

"Banana? No, Bana. Hana. Hana!" Paul stumbles out in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

His mind digs up a recollection of his former subordinate and yes-man, Josuke Yatsukahagi, and the handful of times he introduced Paul to his family. The clumsy little tyke is now this jailbait of a swordswoman. Wielding god powers, no less.

Paul feels his heart drop as he wonders how Josuke must feel after all these years.

The company covered up everything concerning Paul's sudden "career change."

[Eru Erufu]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Gabby, Markus, Dorothy, Paul


Hana's eyes flick ever so briefly towards Dorothy, looking almost bored by her argument. "Praise be to the Lord my Rock. Who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle." Her free hand goes to a rosary around her neck. "He is my loving God, my fortress and my deliverer. My shield under whom I take refuge and conqueror of the scum beneath me." Leaving Dorothy with a paraphrased psalm, the smile returns to her face as she skips over to the fallen Copperbell, her entire demeanor changed as she holds out her hand to help him up. "Oh geez, you're just as clumsy as Daddy always said! Banana? Seriously? I remembered your name and you can't even remember mine!" She looks Paul over. "Course, I remember you being younger and hotter. I can prolly fix that." She looks over to Gabby, smile returning to her face. "Oh you can heal me all you want, angel." She says with a wink. "You and the super spy adonis over there can help me any day!" She cocks her head to Markus. "Big and strong over there can protect me anytime! Nice shields by the way, and your 'calling attacks' game is on point! You bound to Protection? Bit lame, but you could make it work."

"What am I doing here? Fighting evil of course! Didn't you feel it? There's a Fallen Angel in the area, and-" She freezes. "Oh FUCK! I forgot about the Fallen!" She whirls around, closing her eyes as though trying to sense something. "Fuck me, It's got away." She heaves a sigh. "Oh well: better luck next time."

Bai, meanwhile, eeps in terror like a little schoolgirl. "Ah! No no, I tark I tark! Spirr arr the beans! Very repentant, yes! Don't ret crazy schoor shooter kirr me!"

---

Volcania, Astra

The Akeh bartender grunts, mixing together club soda, vanilla syrup, and adding a hearty dollop of cheap vodkainto a rudimentary cocktail. He slides it over to the teenager, not even bothering to ask for an ID. Of course, given who Astra is here with, that might be a product of self-preservation. A seat away from Astra, a twenty something guy eyes her, seemingly working up the courage to scoot over a seat and chat her up.

"Oh! Sebastian? Hrmm, perhaps. What about Steven? Oh! I know: what about Hal?" her new personal AI assistant asks.

The bar fight must have come to a close, as the sounds of fists on flesh smoothly transitions back to loud talking, loud footsteps, and even louder music. "Damn! I could sure use a fuckin' drink after that!" The guy two seats over is completely shut down by Tang, scuffed up a bit but otherwise fine, collapsing onto the stool next to Astra's. "Whiskey coke, boss! On th' double!" Seeing Astra in the next seat over surprises him, but he seems to get... surprisingly contemplative, narrowing his eyes and 'hrmming' to himself. "You look like you wanna go home, kid."

Volcania is of course nearby with an utterly terrified Pranav, the poor young Sea Ren looking up at Volcania as though she were some kind of demon. "Oh, please no! I don't want to die! Do you want money? I don't have much but I can find something."

[Mormarth]

Dorothea Ionescu
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

"Spare me the self-serving scripture, you hormone-addled weirdo, and tell me where you got the damned sword already."

She half-turned to the piece of scum on the ground, nudging at him with a foot, "And you, quit bawling, have some pride, and just say where it is already so we can end this farce."

This shitty islander tongue was already annoying to try and understand, let alone with this babbling fool's accent making shit into garbage that hurt her head.

It was all so tiresome.

All these shitty Republicans sucked.

And to top it all off...

Her stomach growled.

This was supposed to be a lunch break...

[Bloble]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Volcania

"Find something? Sure, find some courage and siddown already."

Volcania's knuckles are a bit torn up from pummeling the pile of groaning thugs lying behind her. Otherwise, the athlete has hardly a scratch on her, only the sheen of sweat and blood.

"We're even again, Tang," she notes. "One of these days I'll outdo ya. Hey, barkeep, you know what I like. Two of those, one for our new pal here, to put some hair on his chest. Still with us, Astra? This is just the warm-up. You'll have to get your hands dirty next time."

Once a vile, smoking concoction is in hand, Volcania takes a deep gulp and slams it down onto the counter, her face twisted up in a grimace before... "Aaaaaaaaah." She lets out a deep, slow breath smelling strongly of alcohol, letting the tension of battle dissipate.

"Alright, Pranav." Volcania drops an identical cocktail before the trembling Sea Ren who was spared punishment. "You're not crying in a heap right now because you got a head on your shoulders and get what's going on, unlike the sicko out there. So start usin' it. Put two and two together and tell me what's what. Here's a free one: your boys over there are only gonna be outta commission for a few days, weeks if they're pussies. Now why's that?"

[Eru Erufu]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Gabby, Markus, Dorothy, Paul

The divine swordsman finally regards Dorothy with something more than boredom, a cocky smirk crossing her face as she turns to the Bloody Whoreson. "If you have a problem with the Lord, I'd be happy to oblige with my blade. And if you beat me in a fair duel, I'll even tell you about Daddy's sword. Don't know why you think it's so important: just an old piece of sentimental junk." To all the assembled Godbound, the blade is very obviously not just a piece of rusted junk. Though it lacks in power, it is very obviously a blade of divine make. She raises that blade in Dorothy's direction, smirk morphing into the eager smile of an adrenaline junkie near their fix. "Let's settle this like Saints, angel. Unless you're a chicken."

---

Volcania, Astra

"Doubt tha', gemenr, but ya can keep dreamin'!" Tang fires back with a grin. "You'll keep trailin' me till the day I die!" He barks out a laugh, still waiting on Astra's response.

Pranav seems to find SOME sack in his trousers, stepping up to the bar and taking a seat next to Volcania. He very reluctantly takes a swig from his smoking tankard, only to cough most of the drink back up. "Shiva preserve me, what in the world is this?" He mulls over Volcania's question as he attempts to stomach another swig, doing a bit better the second time. "Because we're scum. Just the way things are 'round here: scum killing scum. Except..." he seems to realize something crucial. "You didn't kill them. No maimings, either. Why?"

[Bloble]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Volcania

"Scum, eh. Yeah, scum killing scum, just like back home." Volcania ponders something, staring into her muddy drink. She looks up at Pranav. "Being scum ain't how much money you don't got or how much people hate ya; it's a cage, right in there." She pokes the man's chest with a single finger.

She takes another swig and slams the empty glass onto the counter, already motioning for a refill.

"Six-Fingered Jong is gonna die," Volcania says. "He knows it, I know it, you and his whole crew know it. Might be me who does it, might be someone else, but he's a dead man. Even without the bounty, he was on my shit list for being a goddamn slaving son of a bitch. Him and every dipshit helping him. There's scum and there's - no, there's nothing worse than scum. But scum ain't got a choice whose boot it sticks to. Just how it goes. Someone comes along and scrapes you off the floor and you follow because it's better than nothing."

Come to think of it, many of her gang weren't exactly good people either. They'd just had the fortune of a somewhat noble goal. Had someone else been in charge, perhaps they would have gone down the same road.

"Your boys, even that piece of shit Bai, are gonna be stuck healing for a while. Jong'll be gone before any one of the chucklefucks over there is well enough to die defending him. I don't care what happens after that. They'll decide what kinda scum they are without him."

Volcania glances at the Sea Ren once more, not really sure what she's asking. If it's simply information she wants, then surely Astra has already figured that all out.

"So? What're you here for anyway? Drinking away the despair? If so, bottoms up."

[Mormarth]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Dorothea Ionescu

"Haah?"

That brusque, invigorated sound crawled from the lips of a woman who called herself a doctor.

"Man, you really are a pain in the ass, huh? I asked nicely and everything..."

Shff, fwomp, fwomp.

As she was conveying mild annoyance with her words, the tone of her voice betrayed her true feelings, the white cloth slipping off her shoulders.

Perhaps she was annoyed by her attitude.

Maybe she was even pissed off by someone throwing 'Daddy' in her face.

But really, that's all horseshit.

She wanted to fight.

The person known as 'Hana Yatsukahagi' did not even have to go so far as to taunt her like this was some sort of after-school brawl.

The very moment she bared steel, it was inevitable.

The 'sheathe' of Dorothea Ionescu, doctor, healer, fell away.

"So quit talkin' shit and let's start cuttin' each other up, ya kissless virgin!"

[Plue]

Ad Astra
Noonish
March 11, 1000 AS (After Shattering)
Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

Eying the itallian soda dubiously Astra takes a slow sip of it, wincing at the burn. What the heck did they do to mess up an itallian soda?! Yuck. This bar was literally the worse. At least the music drowned out most of the sounds of Volcania's enthusiasm.

"Oh! Sebastian? Hrmm, perhaps. What about Steven? Oh! I know: what about Hal?"

"Sure, Hal! That sounds like a nice name." A brief moment of wonder where he had picked that name up before Tang's drawl interrupts her thoughts.

"You look like you wanna go home, kid."

Staring at the awful terrible drink she takes another sip... no, it's still awful.

"Isn't it human nature, or something, to want what you can't have?" Great, thanks. Now she's thinking about what a shitty situation this all is again. Stupid resource jerks, stupid slavers, stupid world.

"Still with us, Astra? This is just the warm-up. You'll have to get your hands dirty next time."

"I think you'd rather I do what I've been doing than swapping with you." Astra avoided mentioning that she had little thought of how to take the group down as peacefully either. First thoughts drifting to some kind of an automatic shot gun on a turret? Or maybe just a ring of claymore mines? Maybe some kind of a gas grenade and a gas mask?

"This... -problem-" Mouth twisting in displeasure as she finds herself lacking the word to describe exactly her feelings, "Has some deep roots."

[BladeOfEden]

Markus Braun
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

As the violet light leaves the girl’s eyes, Markus breathed a sigh of relief. He was quite tired after all. Now that Paul’s had arrived, he could probably leave it to him to calm things down. The girl did seem to know him after all.

You and the super spy adonis over there can help me any day!

…Adonis?

What was she talking about?

Big and strong over there can protect me anytime! Nice shields by the way, and your 'calling attacks' game is on point! You bound to Protection? Bit lame, but you could make it work.

Oh. She’s talking about me.

…

…

WAIT A SECOND

Markus spun around so quickly he nearly lost his footing, his eyes wide with embarrassment.

“Wha… I… um…”

Whatdoidowhatdoidowhatdoido

“…Thank you very much,” he said quietly, staring at the ground and blushing profusely.

Let's settle this like Saints, angel. Unless you're a chicken.

Man, you really are a pain in the ass, huh? I asked nicely and everything... So quit talkin' shit and let's start cuttin' each other up, ya kissless virgin!

“Um, Miss Dorothea, Miss Hana, let’s not fight right now…” Markus muttered, still a bit flustered by Hana’s comments. “We should probably try to see if we can do something to rescue those captives…”

[Eru Erufu]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Gabby, Markus, Dorothy, Paul

"And when I win, you'll hafta switch Pantheons with me-" Her phone buzzes angrily in her pocket, and Hana groans. "And you'll have to make the turbobitch lame-o in my Pantheon an Artifact." She amends. "Fuck off, Professor: I don't need a babysitter!"

"This one believes you do." A stoic female voice says from her phone. "Do not kill anyone. James would be most displeased."

"Jimbo can kiss my ass!" Hana lets out a cry of indignation only a teenage girl with raging hormones could manage, and glares over at Dorothy as she resumes her stance. "Fine, whatever!"

"Copperbell, this one requests you call the number this one's Sister gave you." There's a click as the phoneline goes dead. Hana makes an exaggerated show of taking the device out of her pocket and smashing it against the pavement, crushing the remaining bits under her heel.

"Lame-o doll and her stupid superscience Word." She grumbles. Under normal circumstances, Hana would have agreed entirely with Markus. She was a HERO who punished evildoers after all, and it wouldn't do to dally unnecessarily while people suffered. But Hana was in the zone, grinning from ear to ear in anticipation of the fight ahead. "Angel! Hold Jikan Suraisa for me while I beat the shit out of this poser. Really? A rusted sword? Don't you know to never wear the same outfit to the club?" Finally she notices the blade, with the significance of it going straight over her head. She tosses her own sword, the katana, to Gabby without even looking to see if the girl was ready to catch it.

Hana holds her hand out, and space warps around it. When the distortion vanishes a beautifully crafted rapier is nestled neatly in the punk's right hand. Immediately it's as though Hana has turned into an entirely different person: gaze growing sharper, breath steadying, and her earlier haphazard fighting style giving way to a practiced stance. It's just a normal rapier: not even a lick of low magic about it, yet somehow Hana seems infinitely more dangerous than when she held her divine blade.

"Kissless virgin?" She shakes her head. "That supposed to be an insult? I've kissed plenty, but my virginity is for my Romeo alone! I bet someone like you wouldn't know nothing about romance, though."

Likely surprising everyone there, Hana gives a formal dueling bow and says "You can go first. I prolly need a handicap to make this interesting." She throws a dazzling smile Paul's way. "Watch me, Uncle Paul! I'll try to make it a kickass show!"

If anyone wishes to step in to stop the fight, now is the time to do it.

---

Volcania, Astra

"I..." Pranav stares down into his tankard looking lost. "I've worked with pirates, gangsters, and even Vissian mercenaries and I don't think I've ever met anyone as crazy as you." He holds up his mug, taking a very long swig from it. "I don't know what I want to do, but you're right: I don't like this, but where can scum like us even go? We can't get into the Republic, and out here the job options are gangster, whore, and, if you're lucky, dock worker. Even if you kill Jong, it wont be long before someone else steps in. Slavery and drugs are just too lucrative."

"As for what we were all doing here..." he looks to the collapsed forms of his fellow gangsters, lined up against the wall and ready for transit to a medical facility (more than likely Dorothy's clinic). "Drinkin'. Work's been a bitch lately with the hit on the boss. Nothing too crazy about it, and I don't know where the boss is. Bai does though... I think. Maybe?"

From Astra's tablet, Hal hums a little diddy as he gets to work on... something. Tang, meanwhile, just nods solemnly to Astra's comments about 'home.' "It's pretty shit deal you lot have, but you can either be a bitch about it or man up an' roll with the punches."

Sipping as his own drink, Tang cocks an eyebrow. "Jong an' company? Deep roots? Dunno, they lookin' pretty surface level to me: dumb assholes being dumb assholes."

The bartender arrives to refill everyone's drinks, much to the delight of Tang and the horror of Astra.

[Mormarth]

Dorothea Ionescu
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

"Poser?" She sneered, "If anything, you're the poser. You know you're not supposed to use that needle on your clothes, right?"

She circled around the brandished rapier, eyes narrowing, it looked familiar, somehow, but she couldn't place it.

"And can't say I know anything about clubs, but if I ever saw anybody who looked like me, I killed them."

A small pause, the steps cease.

"Granted, that's because they were probably a face-stealing monster that'd eat my liver."

The great blade shifted slightly, seemingly feather-light under the swordswoman's ministrations.

A brown-haired head dipped slightly in acknowledgement of the bow, waiting, silently, for some unknown signal.

Then-

There was only the whoom of the ancient blade passing through the dim sunlight.

[Eru Erufu]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Gabby, Markus, Dorothy, Paul

The sword strike comes dangerously close to hitting Hana, but at the very last second, Dorothy feels the divine hand of fate come over her. Her foot slips, causing the blow to go wide and crash into the asphalt: cracking the road under the force of the blow!

"Whoops! That was a close one!" Hana says, tone nonchalant. "Excellent form, bit sloppy, but you have good-" Hana suddenly strikes while talking, distracting her foe with banter while she goes in for the kill. "Instincts!" The rapier slides through Dorothy's defenses with practiced ease and into the soft skin beneath. Blood is drawn as steel cuts through her abdomen, but Hana isn't done yet!

Just how Hana had called her katana back to her hand earlier is suddenly obvious as the air shimmers ever so slightly, and Dorothy can easily see the culprit. Razor wire. And not just any razor wire: this wire has a low magic enchantment upon it. With a flick of her left hand's wrist the wire shoots at Dorothy, writhing like a living being as it attempts to ensnare her.

Combat

Hana hits one of her two attacks, rolling an 8 on 1d10+4. She deals two damage to Dorothy! She misses with the attack using her Magic Razor Wires.

Wise Up!

Luck Gift Unmarred Beneficence (Constant): The hero has a natural AC of 3, luckily avoiding perils. If a misfortune lands randomly on a member of their group, they’re never the victim of it. This base AC isn't improved by armor or shields.

Lesser Strife of the Bitter Rival: A degraded form of the True Strife of the Bitter Rival used by Vissian duelists. Many a Vissian boasts at taverna of their mastery in the lesser strife, and only some of these boasts are lies.

• Initiate: When fighting a solitary opponent in single combat, the initiate can roll hit rolls twice and take the better result.
• Disciple: When fighting a single opponent, the disciple may automatically succeed at a saving throw against a power their enemy uses once per scene, if a save is allowed.
• Master: When fighting a single opponent, the master gains one bonus attack each round as long as no other allies have yet engaged the opponent or aided the master.

[Mormarth]

Dorothea Ionescu
March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown

It had seemed simple, speed, power, will, intent, all in alignment-

But she had neglected something, not her fault, genuinely. For she wasn't fighting an upjumped dockworker, some Vissian bravo, Patrian Legionary or some xia out of the Regency.

She was fighting something like her, in that strange, other world that she had just taken a few, tentative steps into.

She hadn't felt something similar to this since...

There were seven in a group of six, and Nothing Was Wrong.

Her foot twisted on loose gravel on a street that looked flawless, and her cut, emboldened by speed and gravity, skirted mere millimeters from her.

A gouge dug deep into the flesh of the earth, a perfect, smooth cut.

The needle-blade flashed out, and a low hiss crawled from between her lips, blood spilling lightly from her opened flesh.

But still-

She moved without impairment, the sword continuing on its arc, shards of pavement flying into the air.

The air grew sharp.

"Don't waste my time with your parlor tricks."

[Miracle Used: Suppression of Initiate Level Bitter Rival]

And Dorothea Ionescu stepped through the wires, knocked from their quarry and at the mercy of gravity.

Her blade, freed from the earth, whirred about her, like a courtesan's fan dance, despite being almost as large as she was.

"Just tell me what I want to know!"

[MssrNeko]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Paul Copperbell

Paul yelps in surprise as he quickly dives for the nearest source of cover.

Today is just not a good day Paul thinks as he hunkers behind the nearest car's wheel. He reaches inside his coat pocket as the sounds of the duel ring out, retrieving the card from yesterday.

It is an amateur design and on cheap cardstock. "Oh great," Paul mutters under his breath as he thumbs the number on the card.

Today couldn't get any worse Paul reasons as the dial tone drones.

[Bloble]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Volcania

"Oh someone's stepping in. There's gonna be big changes around here. Once we're done, no one's ever gonna be making money from people as cargo again." Volcania's words hold ironclad conviction. She may not know how her goal will be accomplished, yet she is certain of it. The word crackles through her veins, setting her thoughts alight. Surely with these lunatics at her side, mortal walls will no longer bar anyone's path.

"But don't take my word for it, Pranav. Just keep an eye out. Listen for the sound of freedom. Then you and your boys can decide what you really wanna be."

She stands, drink in hand.

"Wanna get some air, Astra? There's answers to beat outta Bai. Tell me 'bout those roots."

[Eru Erufu]

March 11, 1000 AS
Around Noon
Back-alley, Harbortown
Dorothy

Hana leans back away from the blow, nimbly but only barely avoiding the deadly swing. Under the divinely-backed onslaught of blows, it becomes utterly untenable for her to keep up parts of her Lesser Strife's techniques. "Ha! Yes. Yes! Now this is a fight! Just two bad bitches beating the hell outta each other!" The exhilarated grin is still plastered across her face, only growing more fervent with each clash. Hana suddenly drops to the ground, leg sweeping underneath Dorothy in a bid to kick her feet out from under her. Hana clicks her tongue as Dorothy jumps at just the exact right moment. "Where you from, anyway? Never heard your accent before." Fighting as she talks, the girl makes another stab at Dorothy's heart, falling short once more. "Aren't like, all the Arcemites Akeh or Ren?" No, they are most certainly not.

Back-flipping, Hana's feet plant themselves firmly against the wall and stay there as she begins to scale the side of the building. Her razor wires trail behind her as Hana re-positions.

---

Outside the Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Gabby, Markus,Paul


Options for vehicles to take cover in are largely limited, and thus do our heroes find themselves within the cramped interior of some stranger's shoddy old subcompact car. With the reek of what is likely cannabis hanging in the air, Paul's phone beeps as the call picks up. "This one would like to advise that the police have been notified of the commotion. While this one has the utmost confidence in Yatsukahagi and your friend's abilities to escape arrest, it may be prudent for the less-bellicose amongst your number to flee." A second goes by, and then the'Professor' adds "This one would also like to ask if you require a new vehicle: subcompact automobiles do not make for good Godbound warwagons."

Despite the fact that Paul did not answer the phone on speaker, his phone seems to have turned that on all by itself.

"Regardless, this one apologizes for the brusque treatment Yatsukahagi has shown: this one assures you that the rest of this one's Pantheon is more than willing to walk the path of cooperation should your goals be just."

---

Tullii Taverna, Harbortown
Volcania, Astra

Pranav doesn't answer, at least not verbally. He eyes Volcania with an expression that belies confusion and fear: the look of a man that knows change is on the horizon and isn't 100% certain he isn't going to get fucked by it. When Volcania rises to leave, Tang stands to follow. Still nursing the half-full tankard, he grins as he throws back another gulp with a satisfied sigh. "Well, where to next, gemenr? Kid figure somethin' out 'bout those Wu-Shen assholes?"