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+---- Thread: [PQ] mitten in the stars (/showthread.php?tid=11139)
mitten in the stars - Melita - 04-16-2025
True to her word, Melita arrived in Halo to embark on more mischief – and the general spreading of chaos. As far as she knew, this region probably needed it – given the amount of times she’d heard them mentioned on broadcasts, the level of fuckery that had happened in the springs, the Tundra (partially a her bad), and the climate itself, she couldn’t fathom how many of them continued on every day. This weather would only inspire her to stay inside.
Regardless, after swiping some of Iskra’s coats, and subsequently drowning in them, she marched her way towards the grounds of the Palace, surveying the giant ass ice castle, a place where some construction was going on, the barracks, and some offices. She wasn’t going to fuck around with the infirmary either, so then she meandered her way to an open space nearby. Asking a few passersby if they’d be willing to spread the word about ‘snow dodgeball’, and given several funny looks but seemingly unbothered by the whole thing, instead of just waiting, she began to make marks and lines in the makeshift arena.
Dodgeball itself was low maintenance anyway.
Then she snagged a few well-formed snowballs – lining them up for impending teams and competitors. By the time she’d managed to get all of it accomplished, some had shown up, at which her features instantly brightened. [say]“Hey all! Welcome to Snow Dodgeball! I was hoping to honor Ludo, as a way to spread some chaos and fun in…all these current times.”[/say] She didn’t need to explain the shitfest that was the Familly after all. [say]“So let’s pick teams first, then I’ll go over the rules!”[/say]
She pointed to the two sides – with matching bandannas – along red and blue portions.
--
[say]Your character may choose to be on the Red or Blue Team (we need two characters for each side – Melita will go last). You will also be given random NPCs to fill out a six-person team. No post order!
1. Melita
2. Iskra
3. Amhran
4. Vesper[/say]
RE: mitten in the stars - Iskra - 04-16-2025
She'd come.
Iskra had been startled by her abrupt entrance, and it had taken a moment for him to register that it was her in his doorway, in need of coats. Because—what was she doing here? It felt like only yesterday that he'd even dared to dream about a moment like this, that she'd reminded him he could dream, instead of fall to the nightmares of his own design. He simply stared at her, frozen in disbelief. It was only when Goose bounded towards her with a welcoming woof, his toy duck squeaking happily between his teeth, that Iskra could believe it was real. Hastily he stashed the wooden carving he'd been working on into a drawer, and rose in greeting, coats offered a plenty.
He followed her in a daze, buoyed by something warmer than the coats. Goose was in tow as usual, though Iskra had made him leave the duck at home. His smile twitched, half-contained, as he watched her maneuvers in the bundle of outerwear she'd swaddled herself in. After she revealed the mischief she'd come here to deliver, he wondered if it was in part for her distaste of the cold, and in part for added padding against the onslaught of snowballs. Goose busied himself with some nearby shrubbery, while Iskra made a point to inspect her snowballs. [say]"Not bad for someone from Torchline,"[/say] he appraised with lifted eyebrows, setting the snowball back on its place. [say]"I'll be on the blue team,"[/say] he offered, and silently hoped that's where she'd end up as well. It was selfish, but he didn't want to have to endure the ferocity of her throws, and neither did he want to target her. There was a reason he'd usually been the one walking the plank in their childhood adventures—he was happy when she was happy, and letting her win, or at least not trying very hard to best her? That had proved useful in the past.
He reached for a blue bandanna and tied it around his head, where it'd be more noticeable than tucked under the collar of his jacket. He glanced at the others who had gathered, his features schooled into something inhospitable in an attempt to keep them from joining him.
Iskra picks Blue team.
RE: mitten in the stars - Vesper - 04-17-2025
He hadn’t meant to stay long in Halo.
The plan, such as it was, had involved a quick recon, a walk through the Tundra for the novelty of frozen breath and crunching snow, maybe a stolen bottle of something warm from a local bar before heading back to warmer sands. But when the wind had shifted and whispers of snow dodgeball tickled his mind from too many eager participants at once, Vesper’s curiosity had taken the reins.
Which is how the demigod found himself—hood up, cheeks flushed from the cold, constellation freckles half-lost beneath a scarf—drifting toward the icy open space where red and blue bandannas flapped and a small storm of snowballs were being lined up with militant precision.
He took it all in silently: the halo of mischief around the woman in too many coats, the lean man with wind-wild hair tying on a blue bandanna, the dog nosing through shrubbery. The energy was chaotic in the best possible way, and it made something rare and crooked stir at the corner of Vesper’s mouth.
[say]"You should’ve said this was a Torchline invasion,"[/say] he drawled as he sauntered up, voice muffled slightly by the scarf but unmistakably amused. His gaze flicked toward the woman who’d clearly started it all—Melita, by the sound of everyone’s thoughts. [say]"Would’ve brought better shoes."[/say]
He plucked a red bandanna from the pile without waiting for direction and tied it loosely around his wrist. [say]"Torchline versus Halo sounds about right, don’t you think?"[/say] he added with a lazy glance at Iskra, shadows twitching faintly at his heels like they were sizing up the snowballs too. So saying, despite whatever issues he'd previously had with the honeybee by way of Nova, he flashes her a wolfish smile before tossing a red bandana her way.
Vesp picks red and says it should be Halo vs. Torchline and throws Mel a red bandana
RE: mitten in the stars - Amhran - 04-19-2025
Oblivious to any politics or in fighting, but with the potential for some latent patriotism, Amhran approaches the strange looking snowball fight (which is how he sees it) with the intention of spectating, only to realise they are looking for people to fill teams. He recognises Melita from prior meetings, but this is his first time seeing the other two men, but with the understanding that this is now a region vs region matter, he drifts towards the blue side of the field.
[say]”I am from Halo,”[/say] he says with a raise of his hand, plucking a blue bandanna and tying it to his wrist. [say]”Though, uh, may I ask what is the difference between snow dodgeball and a regular snowball fight?”[/say] Since, you know, both presumably involve not being hit by anything round and snowy.
RE: mitten in the stars - Melita - 04-19-2025
Chatting back and forth with Iskra while waiting for those who wished to join, Melita snorted, rolling up sleeves, then opting not to, and wondering how much the bulk was going to slow her down. Alas, for whatever Iskra had deigned to avoid was immediately thwarted by Vesper, and an arch of her brow at the bizarre line of truces for the sake of regional denizens –
And then there were more wandering in, including another demigod she could recall from earlier meetings – but couldn’t put a name to the face. Blinking owlishly at his question, and tilting her head vaguely, the Honeybee couldn’t recall exact designations on snowball fights, so she shrugged. [say]“Probably catching ‘em – but I’ll go over the rules.”[/say]
Turning to the gathered, and putting her red bandanna on, she summarized exactly what all the nonsense would entail. [say]“Okay, thanks for showing up! We’ll have six people to a team, and the whole point is to get the other team out – first team to eliminate opposing players wins. You can get people out by hitting them with a ball – though I will allow for any members caught to be brought back in if they catch a snowball from their own team members.”[/say] She pointed towards the aforementioned ‘jail area’, where anyone could whine and hope and pray. [say]“A player is out if hit by a snowball, or if a player catches one thrown by the opposing team, the thrower is out.”[/say] Nose wrinkling, she considered some other portions. She didn’t much care about out of bounds shit, since there would be plenty of snow to form more projectiles. [say]“The first team to eliminate opposing players wins.” [/say]
Gazing at those placing their bandannas on, she slid over to the red marked side, granting Iskra cheeky little grin. [say]“We’ll give about two minutes to strategize and then get going! You can ask questions and stuff too.” [/say]
--
[say]Strategize with your team members (including NPCs) and then we’ll get started! No post order!
Blue Team:
Amhran
Iskra
Skibidiah (NPC)
Amy Stake (NPC)
Hugh Jass (NPC)
Sue Flay (NPC)
Red Team:
Melita
Vesper
Toby Lerone (NPC)
Marsha Mellow (NPC)
Anita Bath (NPC)
Brock Lee (NPC)[/say]
RE: mitten in the stars - Iskra - 04-19-2025
Iskra's attempt to look uninviting to ward off enough teammates and leave room on the blue team for Melita had failed miserably. Perhaps due to lack of practice, too accustomed to smiles instead of sneers, or perhaps because Vesper was just a little shithead who had to call out for regional sides. Iskra could not keep the scathing glare he leveled on the twink even if he'd wanted to. When the teams were solidified he forced a smile, but it was full of too many teeth.
Sweeping his attention off the wisp of a man, Iskra listened attentively to Melita as she laid out the terms of the battle royale. It was a new side to her, for him. Watching her work, watching her lead, she seemed wholly in her element. She was brilliant. He didn't need more reason to think so, but she proved it time and time again, and he felt he could watch her dazzle the world until the end of his days. If he did nothing else again but watch her, that could be a life he was content with.
There was a pause, and then murmuring as the assembled team turned to plan. Iskra unwillingly tore his gaze from her as they each sank into the opposing sides. He exhaled faintly, an admission of defeat, however minor. [say]"Alright,"[/say] Iskra said with newfound fervor, glancing between Amhran and Skibidiah after introductions had been tossed out to ensure everyone knew who each other was. [say]"I say we focus down one person at a time, ensure they can't escape the onslaught. The little scrawny fucker that was the first to join Red team seems like an easy first target."[/say]
Iskra strategizes with his team and says everyone should beat up Vesper!
RE: mitten in the stars - Vesper - 04-19-2025
Vesper’s scarf is still pulled up over the lower half of his face, but his eyes gleam bright and unbothered as the rules are laid out. He lounges against one of the icy mounds marking the red side of the field, shadows curling lazily around his boots like cats waiting to pounce. He listens, sure—but more importantly, he listens. The thoughts swirling off the blue team are louder than the snow beneath their feet, and one in particular cuts through with all the subtlety of a dagger: "The little scrawny fucker that was the first to join Red team seems like an easy first target."
Vesper doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t react. But the grin behind his scarf sharpens like a drawn blade. Scrawny, huh?
He lowers into a crouch, running one finger through the snow like he’s tracing idle patterns—but what he draws are spirals, paths, divots. Attack vectors. Shadow routes. His smoke slinks out across the ground, darkening the pristine white in serpentine lines that dance toward the invisible midfield. It's subtle enough that it might be mistaken for trickery of the light... unless you were looking.
Finally, he lifts his head and glances toward Melita, where she's gathered with the rest of Red. [say]"So,"[/say] he drawls, eyes catching on her bandanna, then the wicked glint in her gaze. [say]"You got any special chaos planned, or am I free to improvise?”"[/say] He’s not just being polite—he’s genuinely curious. If Melita’s the type to rig snowballs with bee stings or firecrackers, he’d like to know before they get pelted.
His shadows, meanwhile, coil back beneath him, twitchy and eager. Ready.
Vesp uses his 60ft telepathy to read the Blue Team's thoughts/strategies.
RE: mitten in the stars - Amhran - 04-20-2025
One might be surprised to hear this, but Amhran has participated in a good share of snowball fights by now, so if the only difference between that and this is catching the snowballs (a phrase he mouths to himself as if to give it a proper chance to sink in), he starts to feel quietly confident. Doubly so as he watches the lines be drawn and the full teams take shape, because he’s also quite seasoned at people watching, and he knows a few of the NPCs participants on the opposing team as well.
But then their own strategy is beginning to take shape, and whilst he’s admittedly surprised to hear that they are instantly all ganging up on Vesper - a decision that feels more personal than logical - he’s no leader, and so he merely nods. [say]”If you think that is best,”[/say] he says slowly, before glancing to the field at large and the surrounding snow banks. [say]”I didn’t hear anything forbidding us from making walls and other obstacles to hide behind, so perhaps we can do that as well?”[/say] he offers to Iskra.
Amhran is bemused but agrees, and suggests also making walls out of snow & other things to hunker down behind for protection.
RE: mitten in the stars - Melita - 04-20-2025
Chatting with the other participants on their team, Melita was surprised to hear Vesper slink over to her; figuring him to be much like Jack, in a ‘gonna do my own thing’ sort of conglomerate. Her brow arched, and then she gave a rather wide Cheshire grin. [say]“Oh, I have chaos planned,”[/say] which might’ve been a misnomer, but regardless. [say]“But improvise all you want.”[/say] Essentially, free rein to be their most mayhem induced selves. It’s what Ludo would want after all (and truth be told, the Honeybee’s favorite).
She had several other red personnel start building a few haphazard barricades, in the limited time they had, so there might be some ducking room – but otherwise, glanced over to see what Iskra and Amhran alike would be up to – catching nothing, of course.
When the time passed, she called everyone over. [say]“All right, grab a snowball and get ready!”[/say] To which she did, except she also immediately turned invisible. Because, fuck ‘em, that’s why. Her voice still ricocheted over the ice and rime, loud and clear. [say]“Go!” [/say]Then she tossed a snowball, laden with (you guessed it) several small squeaking ducks towards Amy Stake.
--
[say]Grab a snowball and fire at someone, or try a different tactic/preparation! No post order! Results will be determined by dice/IC interactions/choices ;D.
Melita has gone invisible and throws her snowball at Amy Stake.
Blue Team:
Amhran
Iskra
Skibidiah (NPC)
Amy Stake (NPC)
Hugh Jass (NPC)
Sue Flay (NPC)
Red Team:
Melita
Vesper
Toby Lerone (NPC)
Marsha Mellow (NPC)
Anita Bath (NPC)
Brock Lee (NPC)[/say]
RE: mitten in the stars - Iskra - 04-20-2025
Whatever reservations Ahmran and the others had about his target, none were voices strongly enough to dissuade the target Iskra had placed on Vesper's back. [say]"Great, then it's agreed,"[/say] he clapped his hands together with finality. At Ahmran's continued suggestions for defense though, Iskra nodded in agreement, by no means in charge of this team but granting his approval for the idea along with the others. Just because Iskra was feeling a bit, the best defense is a strong offense, it didn't mean they all had to stand out in the open to be shot down like a firing line. [say]"Yes!"[/say] Iskra pointed, his enthusiasm spiking as the hunger for revenge, for victory, roused inside him like an awakened beast. He'd been slumbering for long in his self-appointed isolation, he'd forgotten what the bite of competition could do to him. [say]"We can shore up walls easily there and there, where there's some easier snow to work with and natural heights."[/say] He pointed out specific sections of the surroundings, though no doubt Ahmran had his own ideas too. Iskra headed over to where he'd suggested to begin, a few of the team coming with, anxious to build something defensible before the timer ran out.
He poked a head up from his work as Mel's familiar voice called out over the frost. He glanced readily to her, a fool's grin breaking the concentration from his gaze into wicked glee. It was time.
Snowball in hand at her call, Iskra positioned himself along a slope, a snow wall packed down waist high in front of him. He tossed the ball up a few times, testing, weighing. He embedded a few small stones along its edges, ones he'd picked up when making the wall. Not enough to make it deadly, just enough to make it hurt more when he hit Vesper. Not if, when.
At her mark, Iskra immediately hurtled his ice-snow-ball towards Vesper, every ounce of his strength and determination leant to that throw. Loath as he was to drop behind his snow wall, Iskra did, although perhaps a bit too slow, too eager to see if his aim was true.
Iskra helps the team prepare some defenses, then grabs a ball and hucks it at Vesper after adding some tiny stones in it.
RE: mitten in the stars - Vesper - 04-22-2025
Vesper moves as soon as Melita gives the call, and he does so with the casual grace of someone who doesn’t expect to be hit. His shadows bloom outward across the snow like a spreading oil slick, rippling along the ground in erratic, serpentine arcs meant to distract as much as they are to assist. While the other team ducks and lobs and strategizes, he doesn’t hide. Not yet. He walks forward, hands in his coat pockets, the red bandanna around his wrist fluttering like a warning flag.
Iskra ’s thoughts haven’t left him since the strategy phase, and Vesper doesn’t need to look to know what’s hurtling toward him—he feels the anger laced through that snowball, the flare of pride, the molten scrape of flame hardening the edges into something meant to hurt. He lets the snowball almost reach him. Almost.
Then he vanishes, his body dissipating into a curl of silver mist that glides fifteen feet to the left, reappearing in a crouch behind a half-melted snowbank like he’s stepping from one shadow into another. In retaliation, Vesper doesn’t yet aim for the mind behind the fire. Instead, he plucks up a snowball and lobs it near to Goose, hoping that if anyone was gonna start chaos, it might as well be the damn dog.
And all the while, his shadows keep moving: curling toward the opposing snow fort, waiting for someone to notice. Or trip. Or panic.
Vesper uses his telepathy to know Iskra was going to target him and Misty Step's out of the way before throwing a snowball towards Goose, hoping the dog would chase it and add to the chaos.
Magic: Shadow Touch | Can create and manipulate tendrils of shadow. 15ft radius. Shadows share his STR stat.
Type: Grey | Rank: Basic
Magic: Misty Step | Can teleport up to 15ft away
Type: Light | Rank: Basic
RE: mitten in the stars - Amhran - 04-24-2025
Melita calls and Amhran instantly pops up from behind his mostly constructed snowbank, a quiet determination in his green eyes that’s entirely learned (from Deimos, let it be known). He waits for Iskra to lob the first snowball, watching it lance through the air only to miss its intended target, and his eyes widen a fraction to see that Vesper has disappeared entirely.
Wanting innately to ask the boy about his power - and focusing far, far too much on the flurry of snowballs to be looking down at the ground and the shadows lacing between the battlefield like a nest of sinister black snakes - he lets his own snowy projectile fly, trying to aim for where the boy had disappeared to, but perhaps a fraction too late to be able to hit him.
It’s almost an afterthought that Amhran ducks down behind his own barricade, too, leaving him perhaps a bit too open for retaliation. But hey, all’s fair in snow and war, right? And who knows, maybe he’ll end up with an unintended prize if one of Mel’s duck-laden snowballs hits him.
Amhran follows suit and aims for Vesper, before trying to duck down behind his barricade!
RE: mitten in the stars - Melita - 04-24-2025
As one might’ve predicted – it was a bloodbath. Well, a snowbath.
With no one targeting Melita, due to the rampant invisibility, she had free reign to start opening fire. Her launch settled near Amy Stake’s feet, billowing out a wide array of confetti – which might’ve been a hint as to ridiculous shit she’d piled into these snowballs.
Vesper, sly and wily, stepped out of the way of Iskra’s initial snowball, and with his shadows causing slight mayhem on the other side of the field (i.e., misses upcoming), the snowball he launched towards Goose ended up with a squealing dog rampaging across the Blue Team’s section. How Iskra, or anyone else, for that matter, intended to deal with that was totally up to them – though the Honeybee made up her mind to fish out treats for the dog later.
From there, the Red Team’s onslaught of participants performed on an even keel. Toby Lerone missed entirely, as it flew over Hugh Jass’s head, Marsha Mellow ducked down behind one of the barricades and expertly hit Sue Flay – and there was a squeal of rubber chicken noises echoing from that explosion. Anita Bath missed – probably because her target inevitably tripped over shadows or a rampant canine. And Brock Lee, noting how Melita’s invisible notions had misfired, took it upon himself to clock Amy Stake right along the shoulder, to a round of applause from somewhere.
But the Blue Team wasn’t to be outdone. Iskra would’ve seen his miss coming quickly; but Amhran too failed to get Vesper out – the snowballs rounding off the edges and hitting with a strange semblance of unrecognizable music – but safe behind his barricade.
Skibidiah, clearly from the backwoods, had a well-practiced arm and flung his assault directly into Anita Bath, and she went down for the count in a loud groan before hissing off the area. Amy Stake, trying to duck down quickly, inevitably got taken out by Brock Lee, and Sue Flay ended up in similar circumstances. Hugh Jass though, potentially from the same area as Skibidiah, aimed and fired at Toby Lerone – and everyone would be able to see a beautiful array of glitter spray upon their opponent as he walked off and into the jail section.
--
[say]The first round sees four out! Your character may decide on aiming for more on the opposing side, trying to get one of their jail members out, or more antics!
Goose is currently running wild through the Blue Team’s section.
In Jail:
Sue Flay (Blue Team)
Amy Stake (Blue Team)
Anita Bath (Red Team)
Toby LeRone (Red Team)
Blue Team:
Amhran
Iskra
Skibidiah (NPC)
Hugh Jass (NPC)
Red Team:
Melita
Vesper
Marsha Mellow (NPC)
Brock Lee (NPC)[/say]
RE: mitten in the stars - Iskra - 04-24-2025
He's expectant, his body tense in wait for the cheer he's ready to unleash, his victory so certain it's there on the line of his teeth. Until... it isn't. Newfound dislike of the spindly boy coursed through him like an oil slick, and Iskra ducked for cover with a failed huff. He should have expected such tricks from the bastard.
Having gone on the defense so quickly after his snowball was lobbed, Iskra did not see that Vesper targeted Goose, which was for the best as he would have shifted this game to a boxing match—even if it would have been a misunderstanding, given that even Vesper wasn't quite so vile as to strike the pup willingly. Goose also didn't see, his head in a bush, but the snowball rattled the shrub he was trying to dismember a branch from, and that sent him yelping like a siren through the field. Despite his name, the dog was actually a giant fucking chicken.
Iskra was in the process of packing together another snowball, but jerked his head towards the cries of his best friend, leaping up from his spot to race towards the dog that was panicked and likely also trying to find him. [say]"GOOSE!"[/say] he called out, hands clapping and a whistle cutting his lips as he beckoned some sense back into the mongrel. He assumed the mutt had been grazed by a stray and was unharmed, accustomed to the ease in which Goose howled out dramatics. So as he ran for the dog, he threw his gathered ammunition towards Sue Flay, hoping to free her. He gave her a heads up with, [say]"Sue, here's your key!"[/say]
Iskra tries to call Goose over to him and throws a snowball at Sue Flay to free her.