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+---- Thread: [SWE] The Punchiest Pool Party (/showthread.php?tid=11439)
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Vox - 06-04-2025
The moment Noe stumbles free of the infection—free of him—Vox feels it.
It’s not a noise that bursts from him, not exactly. It’s the sound of cassette tape unwinding at high speed, of a failing hard drive spinning too hot, of a scream pitched across every wrong frequency at once. It ricochets through the beach, rattling drink glasses and setting off minor auditory hallucinations. Words? Barely.
[say]"NOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—"[/say]
The static recoils, splinters, reforms. Vox sputters into visibility like a dying broadcast: crooked sunglasses, flared sunhat, teeth spinning like coin-operated ticket wheels. [say]"Noe, my sweetest glitch, my darling little corrupted cupcake, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU?!"[/say]
He seethes. Visibly. Entirely. His edges fray and re-pixelate, forming and unforming limbs like a rageful Windows screensaver. [say]"KAIIIISEL, you boy-shaped wet sock—KOA, you muscled morality ad for charcoal toothpaste—SOHALIA, you peace-laced doily with a superiority complex—I AM COMING FOR YOU ALL. I WILL SCREAM IN YOUR EYEBALLS UNTIL YOU KNOW HOW THIS FEELS. I WILL KISS YOUR DREAMS WITH STATIC. I WILL BECOME YOUR SLEEP PARALYSIS CRUSH."[/SAY]
But oh—
Oh.
There is still Pierce.
The brawler surges forward like an avalanche with a personal vendetta, and Vox, bless him, pivots emotionally faster than a heat-seeking missile on retail therapy. [say]"YES. YES PUNCH HIM. I AM SO PROUD. I AM GRIEVING AND PROUD."[/say] He spins in the air like a funhouse ceiling fan made of grief and petty vengeance.
Then
[say]"EXCUSE ME—"[/say] Vox glitches so hard he flickers inside out for a frame— [say]"DID YOU JUST TRY TO STAB MY BROTHER AFTER TRYING TO MILK MY TEETH LIKE A COW?!"[/say]
He surges, and suddenly Tal is wrapped in a hug.
A Vox hug. Which is to say: a three-dimensional maze of writhing violet arms, radio interference, the scent of burnt marshmallows, and far, far too much closeness.
[say]"You just wanna touch us so bad, don’t you, Tal?"[/say] Vox croons, as eldritch arms squeeze and lovingly (horrifyingly) pat Tal’s back. [say]"You want my teeth, my hugs, my brother’s blood, my everything. YOU LITTLE CLINGY WALNUT. You don’t stab family, Tal. You join them."[/say]
He spins Tal once like a carousel of doom.
[say]"CONGRATULATIONS. YOU’RE INVITED TO EVERY THANKSGIVING FROM NOW ON."[/say]
Vox uses
Static Snuggles | Any recipient of a hug from Vox is rendered Infected. Infected characters/creatures are very receptive to suggestions and directions from The Family, and are eager to please them. This effect grows stronger with proximity to members of The Family.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
on Tal!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Alys - 06-04-2025
Alys was shepherding partygoers to Haulani when it happened: an ungodly shriek that grated on her nerves, shattering her concentration and rendering those she'd been hiding visible once more. She whirled towards the noise to find Vox aiming curses at Koa and Sohalia and a younger man Alys didn't recognize. She was about to turn back towards those fleeing -
But then it happened.
She heard her partner's name on the eldritch horror's lips (?).
Before she realized what she was doing, she was sprinting across the sand towards
But somehow, Vox seemed to plan something that might have been just as bad. He reached out to wrap Tal up in eldritch arms, and Alys was too far away. There was nothing she could do except watch in horror as her beloved was swept up into a hug. [say]"No, no, no, no, no -!"[/say]
Inside the dome now, she no longer had access to her magic, and all she had on her person was a pair of daggers. She could throw one, but she risked hitting Tal instead of Vox, and she couldn't get too close without risking the same fate.
And if she was infected, who would save Tal?
Tears streamed down her face as she forced herself to slow, to stop, to back up a step. She choked on a sob, then spun on her heel and ran. If he was infected, he'd be relatively safe - for now. And if he wasn't? He wouldn't thank her for getting herself into the same trouble he was in.
Not when she wasn't strong enough to help.
Not yet.
---
Alys starts to run towards Tal, entering the dome. When Vox hugs him, she turns and flees. Alys out!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Noe - 06-04-2025
Noe lunged for Flora.
And she missed.
Snarling with fury, she turned to try again - but then
Something drenched in red and gold. Something that the Luminary held out, thorns towards Noe, and lunged with -
And there was a pinch - no, a prick - and suddenly, all the violet washed out of Noe's vision and she staggered towards Soh, paling beneath her tan. [say]"I - you -"[/say]
Chaos unfolded around them. A man she didn't recognize - and how could she, when his face was covered in waving tentacles and too many eyes? - approached, and Noe screamed hysterically as he punched Kaisel. [say]"What's wrong with his FACE?"[/say] she shrieked, utterly lost. Then it clicked.
[say]"HE'S INFECTED!"[/say]
And then Kaisel was ushering her along, towards Haulani, and Noe was all too happy to go along.
---
Noe is cured! She sees Liam, screams that he's infected, and runs away. Noe out!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Sohalia - 06-04-2025
Soh felt the moment that the rose pricked Noe, triumph rising in her chest. The other girl staggered forward, and Soh caught her. [say]"We have to go -"[/say] she started, but then Liam was descending upon Kaisel, which made no sense at all, except the last she'd heard, he was from Stormbreak and Stormbreak was the seat of the Family. Was he one of theirs?
A theory that was quickly proven by Noe, who screamed in Soh's ear before booking it after Kai, and Soh wasn't inclined to linger, either. [say]"
They would all be safe.
So Soh followed after Kai and Noe, hoping that Koa would follow.
---
Soh flees!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Liam - 06-04-2025
Liam's fist connected with Kaisel's side, but he was too late. Vox's screech revealed that Sohalia's rose had had its intended effect, and the soldier hesitated. It was too late to save Noe, so what else could he do to help instead?
Maea appeared, tackling him to the ground. [say]"Maea, what -"[/say] he started, just as she asked him the same question he'd been about to ask her. [say]"They were attacking Noe!"[/say] In his mind, his actions were entirely justified, and he couldn't understand why Maea was trying to stop him.
Then Noe was shrieking at him, and he turned red. [say]"I prefer enlightened,"[/say] he muttered, shooting the girl a glare. But she and Kaisel and Sohalia were fleeing, and Maea was still here. He turned towards her. [say]"I need to go help Thal,"[/say] he told her. [say]"Are you going to try to stop me?"[/say] A pause, something genuine shining through. [say]"I don't want to hurt you, Maea."[/say]
---
Liam talks to Maea.
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Maea - 06-04-2025
Down they went into the sand, but not before Liam's fist connected with Kaisel. The young dragoon was understandably upset by the assault, but was too preoccupied with getting himself and his friends to safety. All the better. As Maea rolled away from her friend and staggered back up on her feet, she made sure to place herself between him and them.
Somewhere behind her, Alys scream tore through her chest, a visceral cry of fear and loss - and Maea thought she knew what she was feeling. Something was clawing at her own ribs, hollow and aching as she gazed at Liam. Searching his face for... something. Anything that might convince her that he was his usual self. But then the woman's voice rang out, the accusation too laced with genuine terror to be anything but real. It had to be. It was the only thing that could explain... this. His reaction, the way he glared after her... and the name he dropped next.
Thal? Thalassa? Since when did they know each other? A hasty glance over her shoulder showed the woman to be facing down against Noah, as ferocious as the Foresaken was grimly determined. If he got involved with that fight now... there was no telling what would happen.
So she remained where she was, even though it nearly broke her heart to hear him say he would fight her if she got in the way. Hurt her. Even though he didn't wish to -
[say]"I know. I don't want you to get hurt either,"[/say] Maea replied quietly, somehow getting the words past the lump in her throat. [say]"Liam... won't you leave with me? Please? Let's just go - this isn't our fight."[/say] Extending her hand towards him, there was a plea in her eyes, a desperate hope that they would be able to fix this. Even if he was infected, it wasn't hopeless - she could find a rose, or petition the gods for one, all she needed was time - and for him to stay alive, to not engage with Noah, Vi's champion who might kill him by sheer accident, so big was the difference between their strengths.
Maea places herself between Liam and the others, and tries to persuade him to leave with her.
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Koa - 06-04-2025
Koa lunges for Noe, but his arms grasp naught but empty air as she flits away like oil sliding across the surface of the sea. He pivots, snarling out a curse as he prepares to lunge again - but then Kaisel's crashing into the sand at his feet, and Koa's arms pinwheel as he skids and falls back onto his ass, and Noe's dancing away from them like a demented purple fairy. He scrambles in the sand, planning to run after her, but before he can get back to his feet fucking Liam is absolutely and inexplicably wailing on Kaisel, and then Maea is piling on and honestly, what the actual fuck? [say]"Get the fuck off him!"[/say] Koa snarls to the ex-Dragoon, raising his fist to bring down on the asshole--
--and then Vox's anguished cry cuts into his marrow, making his teeth rattle and his eyes tear with agony and gods-damned triumph.
[say]"NOE!"[/say] Abandoning Liam, Koa lunges toward his family, joy and relief crushing against him as he realizes that it's over, that she's safe. Kicking and screaming, sure, but safe, and cured if Vox's fury is anything to go by. Sohalia and Kaisel have her between them, and Koa allows himself a moment to reach out and squeeze Sohalia's hand in fierce, crushing gratitude. [say]"Go!"[/say] he hisses. [say]"I'm right behind you!"[/say]
He just has one thing to do first.
Koa spins back around, fury rising as he sees Vox twirling
Then immediately turns to set off at a sprint, planning to follow his family back to the safety of Haulani as fast as he can.
Koa attempts to punch Vox from 15 feet away, then will use his movement to FLEE COMBAT
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Mastered
Starlit Bracers | Bracers that when activated extend the movement of the user's hand to 15ft total. Includes effects from items/weapons.
Type: Grey | Style: Other | Level: Upgraded
Taijitu Boxing Wraps | When landing an attack on an enemy (via an unarmed strike), may EITHER cause Upgraded Damage to the enemy, OR may give Upgraded Healing to the user.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Gravitine Band | A ring made out of dark starlight that inflicts gravity damage on a successful hit.
Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
Static Electricity | A ring that when worn adds lightning damage to whatever item is held in that hand (or to an unarmed strike).
DEFENSIVE
Type: Grey | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
Mothman Scale Shirt | A soft, lightweight shirt made from the scales of a slain mothman. Blocks Physical damage and downgrades incoming Upgraded dark magic to Basic level. Can be used 1x per thread.
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Hadama - 06-05-2025
As the chaos increased Hadama looked around to see where the greatest threats remained. Those who chose to flee were being allowed to do so without becoming collateral damage, he noted with relief, and many were already well gone from the vicinity. Safrin's children, of particular interest, were swiftly retreating and he exhaled as his gaze swept those remaining. The Carpenter family and Sohalia seemed equally eager to escape after Noe - Noe?? - was pricked with a Rose and Vox screeched its anger, revealing the truth of her now-cured infection.
But Thalassa and Noah were battling nearby, and Maea and Liam were in some kind of standoff and--
There was no sign of Flora or Deimos. Good. But Sunjata and Talyson were taking on Pierce--
And then Vox was in the mix and the courier was in its tentacles. Sunjata seemed to be absorbing the hits well enough for the moment, so Hadama turned his attention on the staticy tentacle monster, eyes thoughtful as he stepped into the waves sixty feet away from the pair of purple intruders on his shore.
And called down his Gravity Spikes upon Vox, trying to impair its aim while not hitting the courier in his grasp.
Hadama moves into the water within sixty feet of Vox and drops his Gravity Spikes on it.
Magic: Gravity Spike: the user borrows a sliver of the moon's power to summon up to three gravity lances that appear above a target within 60ft. Control is excellent.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Magic: Singularity | Adds additional spike at mastered level on a successful hit when Hadama uses his Gravity Spike.
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Magic: Hydrated | (FEAT) Has Advantage while in water
Type: Light | Rank: Mastered
Regional Score bonus: +15 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +15 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Noah - 06-05-2025
Everything was chaotic. Through the chaos, Noah caught glimpses of people escaping and felt a throb of relief each time someone made it closer to safety. Screams echoed, static roared, but the civilians were getting out. They were running, the Family too occupied with the demigods and other heroes to stop them. The fight was far from over, but at least the innocents were escaping, and for now, it was enough.
Thalassa slipped back in the water and screamed, and Noah turned without giving her a second thought. He believed the fight with her to be over, as she didn’t spring out towards him nor launch any more visible attacks at his friends. Running, he watched with panic stricken eyes as
But there were others that weren’t running away, and Noah had to protect them.
On his chest, the amulet burned and Noah pulled its power. He shifted, his form becoming massive and writhing and powerful, and he moved across the sands and shallows to get between the Family (Vox and Pierce) and Maea and Liam to protect them.
Noah uses the Atticus Amulet to shift and attempts to get between the family and Maea and Liam
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic
The Atticus Amulet | Contains a mythical shift of a Basilisk, which can be used regardless of character race, so long as the character is wearing the amulet. Mythical ability: Stoneheart | Any caught in the eye of the Basilisk may be turned to stone for 3 turns in combat situations.
Regional Score bonus: +11 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +11 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Court Official - 06-05-2025
Flora recalls 1 dagger
Remi changes magic.
Jack makes Flora invisible
Deimos HITS Pierce
Sunjata MISSES Pierce (does not retrieve his blade)
Thalassa MISSES Noah
Vox INFECTS
Noah becomes a basilisk and positions himself between Maea / Liam and Pierce / Vox
Effected HP
Pierce: 1579.25/2070
Thalassa: 243/272
Kaisel: 22/32
Sunjata: 919.5/1140
Within the dome
Pierce, Vox, Flora, Deimos, Sunjata, Thalassa, Noah, Liam, Maea
Posts that require an action have 24 hours to be posted after Pierce replies! Take note of who posts before you because their actions will be reconciled before yours!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Pierce - 06-05-2025
He feels like a pincushion with all these blades sticking out of him, but there’s the satisfaction of landing the blows on the tattooed demigod. Even still, more chaos begins and Pierce takes in the scene that unfolds. Sunjata still remains within reach, but someone else arrives and takes all of his brother’s attention and Pierce glances over briefly as he can’t help the smirk that blooms with the embrace Vox gives to
Ah, but then Noe’s cleansed, and Vox’s voice booms and luckily for Pierce, he’s very used to the outbursts of booming, body tingling static. Sunjata moves in to try and snag the blade but Pierce evades it, feeling as one dagger slips from his body, but with the chaos continuing around them, the brawler picks the man still standing closest.
He moves, paying no glance to anyone else but Sunjata, crossing the sand with his hands curling into fists again, and aims another flurry of punches at the demigod.
Pierce follows Sunjata’s short retreat and aims another flurry punch at him.
Magic: Flurry | May use three unarmed strikes per round. Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered
Regional Score bonus: +1 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +1 should be included)
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Court Official - 06-05-2025
Pierce HITS Sunjata. Remi takes the damage
Effected HP
Pierce: 1579.25/2070
Thalassa: 243/272
Kaisel: 22/32
Sunjata: 919.5/1140
Remi: 1324.5/1545
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Hawthorn - 06-05-2025
Oh shit goes bad so quickly that Thorn’s head seems to spin. Panic hangs in his throat and he clings to Colt’s arm, hesitating only a few seconds before he begins to retreat, tugging her along with him across the sand. “[say]C’mon, let's go now. I can heal ‘em in Haulani.[/say]” He hisses it low under his breath, squinting through the sun and the chaos, trying to get them the fuck out.
He’d lingered too long, but hopefully they had helped somehow. If nothing else, perhaps they can help more in the safety of being way the fuck away from where the chaos is happening.
Thorn drags Colt with him out of the SWE!
RE: The Punchiest Pool Party - Flora - 06-05-2025
The moment Jack ’s fingers brush hers, Flora jolts—half from surprise, half from the electricity his presence always seems to spark in her, even now. Especially now, maybe. She barely catches his words before he twists the ring on her finger and vanishes again, leaving her blinking, invisible, and grinning like an idiot in the middle of a battlefield, all because he'd called her love. No one can see the flush on her cheeks or the soft, hopeless smile tugging at her lips—but it’s there all the same.
Flora shakes herself, stuffing that feeling down like glitter in a box and locking it tight. The others—Koa, Kaisel, Soh—are off corralling Noe, and while her instincts scream to figure out what the fuck just happened there and what was going on with Liam, too much else is spiralling.
Having rescued the charm that Deimos dropped and recalled her feather, as she watches the second slide into Pierce, the queen raises her hand and recalls that one back as well. [say]"GOT BOTH!"[/say] she yells into the fray, hoping Deimos hears her wherever he’s throwing from. Blades safely in hand, she darts backward, wanting to be closer to Remi just in case things continued to go sideways.
A dagger in each hand, her breathing high and fast in her chest, Flora stays invisible and alert. Sunjata’s taking a beating, Tal’s being lovingly mauled by a static horror, someone is a giant snake, and the rest of them are doing their fucking best. If the Sword wanted to aim for a third dagger, she'd back his play, other presumably they'd all be turning their attention toward getting Sunjata out of Pierce's grip.
Flora recalls dagger #2
Type: Grey | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered
Deadly Recall | Can recall 1, or 2, or 3 of her feathers to her hand, within a range of 30ft. Recalled daggers do 1/2 damage when recalled.
Regional Score bonus: +15 in all shrine visits, drops, PQ+s, KQs, etc. (You must post this at the bottom of any post where a +15 should be included). Residents cannot be cursed at shrines in this region.