The Day o' Davy Jones

[thepiratesdevil]

August 31st - September 7th
Isla Empieza

OPEN TO ALL PLAYERS, CURRENT AND PAST!!





The time has come. The way to Empieza is open. The mists still swirl around and the low, greenish cloud hangs heavy over the island, flickering with green lightning. But now there is a way to get in and a place to weigh anchor. The Navs seem to have stopped functioning, though. Pity.

In any case, there is a path to the central plaza of Empieza, bordered on either side by mist that feels caustic to the touch and seems almost ready to break free. From either side and within the mist are screams that linger as they fade, rattling growls, and other sounds that could induce nightmares in even the bravest of souls.

And somewhere in the mist lies Davy Jones, the rest of the shards, and a battle that will decide the outcome of this world...and yourselves.

Comments

The Fountain

[highseasmods]

This is where the Humble Meep sits, though he seems to be deep in meditation and cannot be disturbed, humming to himself in a low drone. The fountain is active, spilling water with flashes and sparkles as if it were a sunny day rather than one filled with perpetual cloud cover.

Meep's journal is nearby, explaining in delicate words that this water is being continually purified and will heal and rejuvenate anyone who drinks from it (and make them obscenely happy for about ten minutes). It will also allow those who drink to traverse through the mist for up to an hour, but they must return to the well to refill...or be eaten up by it.

Unfortunately, the water isn't potable. Once it touches any container that isn't living flesh, it will simply evaporate. While possible to cup between your hands and carry that way, it might make it a bit difficult to fight.

OTA but especially Hazzies

[youhearthebells]

[Well, there they are. Die all, die merrily.

Gan Ning isn't one for mushy sentiments, but this really does feel like the end. Nothing in this world so far has been anything like this. It's Orochi x a billion, it's the oily mystical fogs of the demon only green instead of purple and infinitely more sinister. As such, he's already sort of told the crew that they're free to go whichever way they want, no one is going to be stuck guarding the ship or staying with the crew. So, in case he doesn't see them again after they spread out over the island, he wants to say his farewells.

Don't get him wrong, though, he wants them by his side if they wish, and he'll fight to the bitter end for them.

Given his experience with Orochi, his target will be Davy Jones himself, impossible or not. For now, though, he scopes things out around the fountain, mystified by the water, wondering if anyone's going to peek at Meep's journal, and whether the shard around his neck is going mean his survival or his death.]

So. Looks like this ain't gonna be easy.

[willwork4sugar]

Has it ever been?

[His mask shoved up from his face, the thief/dreadknight wears a grim expression, however the corner of his lips quirks up around the sucker stick that juts out from between them.]

We've gone this far, Jingles. No turning back now.

[youhearthebells]

Course not. [as he turns with his hands on his hips, looking all smug. It's never not sincere, but today it just might be partially masking a bit of concern] Only way out is through Jones, yeah?

You got all the rest of the shards from the ship? Man, I was hopin' Meep here would be able to make the ones we got already do the harmony thing but he looks kinda busy.

Backwater Brig

[highseasmods]

The doors have been thrown open, but it's deserted. Inside are various supplies as well as weapons that may be used, including those from this world and outside of it. There seems to be no repercussions in taking what you need but there is always a sense of someone -- or something -- watching.

This is also where fresh arrivals (or shall we say, old faces) will appear -- though there is no helpful note to explain the situation. From here on out, you're on your own.

[mostattitude]

[Gets unceremoniously spit out of the Nav and ends up in a heap on the floor.]

Okay, what the heck?! NOT FUNNY, MIKEY!

[Or...okay, no, maybe not a surprise attack from his brother, then. Because this totally isn't the lair.

His stomach sinks as he pushes himself back up to his feet and takes a look around, and when he spots the Nav he just came flopping out of, he lets out a loud groan.]

Oh, come on. Seriously??!

[waywithmachines]

You're telling me! This place doesn't even have any wifi!

[he is half hidden behind a massive bookshelf, because where else would he be. Not currently freaking out if that's what you're thinking.

Well maybe a little. Maybe a lot. But hey, books! That's gotta be good for something right?]

Maybe one of these can tell us how to get home... again.

[peeks around the bookshelf to offer Raph a grin]

Looks like you'll have no choice but to research!

open

[yourotherleft]

[Zoro will end up here at least three times over the course of this exploring and fighting. Mostly by accident. But it's the only place that seems to have bottles of booze free for the taking, and don't mind if he do.

He needs it for strength and energy, you know.

But there's a good chance he'll get into the bottles of Fishman sake that strangely seem to be stocked here, which means he'll be passed out on the floor asleep instead of chugging down booze for strength.]

[lazyjustice]

[Maa well... this is interesting. He's just going to use you as a seat if it's all the same to you, Roronoa, as he looks at the familiar, unfamiliar surroundings]

ota

[legsarerequired]

[Like a fish out of water, as she hit the floor she rolled and flopped a moment, eyes wide and sitting on the floor of the shop.]

Ohmygoodness! [She gasped, a hand covering her mouth and eyes wide, looking around.]

[This was not where she was last. She flopped her wet fin again, moving to roll over to get on her arms and move to the side, away, sitting and settling down to the side, back to a shelf, and eyes wide. She grabbed a cloth from a table and started to dry her legs, remembering the curse with ease.]

[After all, she had been on the ship not that long ago. And now she was here. Ariel wondered what the heck was going on!]

[For now, until she dries off, she's keeping a bit hidden and trying to keep an eye out, but a red headed girl with a fin is hard to hide]

[serving_love]

[Running around doing something or other and realizes he hasn't seen Zoro in awhile because HE'S PROBABLY LOST and on a whim, he sticks his head into the Backwater Brig as he dashes by.]

Oi, marimo, you in—

[......Annnnd just so happens to spot Ariel before her legs come back, flopping around on the floor SO CUTE AND LADYLIKE.

3...

2

1!]

MERMAID-CHWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN~!!!!!!!

[anelegantmyth]

[Next to the mist, the chaos and that odd feeling that the end was near. It was like any other stroll for her. She didn't really know where she was needed. So maybe one round around Empieza would maybe help calm her mind.

Of course, once she reached Backwater Brig. She couldn't help but look in. There was something going on in that shop, and it definitely wasn't it's usual quiet self.]

What in the hell...?

[youhearthebells]

[Gan Ning is sort of behind her, he didn't know she was headed here but hey, so was he! Wanted to see if they had any new weapons he could raid.]

Oh, Cyn. Fancy runnin' into you here.

The Mist

[thepiratesdevil]

This is where the nightmares wait. Whether they are creatures of flesh or of your fervid imagination and fears, it's no illusion that they want nothing more than to devour you, and will do so to the weary and unguarded.

Here is Davy Jones, as well, tall as a mountain and already being attacked by various peoples. You may recognize Navy Men, inhabitants from various islands, giants, strange aquatic looking beings, and even some perhaps not-so-wild animals. But he seems to shrug off every attack that comes his way -- even the ones that split his skin only seem to make him laugh. Somewhere or another you may spot Scurvey Dog in the fray, fighting with something resembling a silver whip... But she has little time for you except for perhaps a nod should she recognize you.


Feel free to fight here. To stem the tide. To help the effort. But don't expect to save the day.


In addition, you can expect to feel the mist eating away at you as you approach the hour mark. Best not to die here... Only those who wear the curiously humming shards they found past the Key Room during the Meep Manhunt will remain completely unaffected.

[willwork4sugar]

     If any place was beyond creepy, then this would have been it. Which makes Gaius feel no better for being here. He gritted his teeth behind the mask he wore as he slipped on ahead, scouting as he was accustomed to.

     Having managed to dispatch what beasts had appeared whenever he slipped out from the shadows, it didn't take him long to locate their foe, especially given how gigantic he was. "Well that's just great," he muttered, gripping his sword even tighter. At least someone was already here- well, what do you know?

     He could feel the shard on its chain as it hummed against his chest beneath his armor, hoping it didn't explode or ignite, but at least the mist seemed to continue to keep away from him. Once the others arrived, he'd toss a quick glance at them before nodding.

     "Here goes everything."

[youhearthebells]

Gan Ning was with him, feeling that creeping sense of being in way over his head again, much like against the black beast, but he'd gotten an upgrade himself. A quick pass by the Backwater Brig netted him two new weapons: a larger, broader scimitar, the Sea Master, and a huge, ornate sickle on a nearly indestructible chain, Inferno Sickle. With his old River Master still sheathed behind him, he was loaded for bear.

"Only way out is through," he repeated. "Let's go! This asshole needs to pay for existing!"

So it wasn't his best smack talk, oh well. Ning drew the heavy Sea Master and raced toward their target, weaving around the poor Navy folks and ducking through a giant's legs.

[om_nom_namur]

Namur doesn't know how long they've been fighting. The thumping in his head that's like a heartbeat but not his marks a steady rhythm of time but it slips away too quickly, like tiny krill through a net. He doesn't know how many times he's been swatted away from the giant that upended all their lives and made things both better and infinitely worse. Davy Jones took their freedom of choice, though, and for that Namur wants to shred the jackass. His time is running short. The mist is creeping up against his skin again, and it burns. He can take it, though. Just a few more attacks. Maybe he'll finally manage to actually do something.

Gathering his courage and his strength of will, Namur charges again, running on his knuckles to gain momentum quickly. He launches himself at Jones, aiming his teeth at the sinews behind Jones's knee. In the chaos, Jones somehow knows, and quickly spins to kick Namur square in the jaw, sending the fishman flying backward into his allies. It's like dodgeball- only the ball is probably twice anyone else's size and full of sharp teeth.

Catch?

[alwaysgrumpy]

A massive, furry blur speeds in, catching him immediately. The momentum sends Akira skidding back, his claws clenching the earth and raking up a large patch of it. When he slows to a stop, he puts Namur down.

"Fancy seein' you again, Shark-boy."

[youhearthebells]

Fortunately, Gan Ning was just out of the way, giving him a front-row seat to the carnage. He needed a break, and was crouched on the ground leaning on the Sea Master to catch his breath.

"Shit," he remarked after Namur got back up. "What's with this guy? It's like he's got eyes in the back of his ugly head.]

[booyaka_boom]

*On the edge of the action, Selphie kept watch. There were many powerful people here, some of whom were already fighting their hardest. Selphie felt, therefore, that her energy was best spent in healing and protection. Nunchaku at the ready, Selphie threw protect spells over those she recognised, staying especially close to those she cares about, ready to heal as best she can when need be*

The Forest, The Cave, The Heart

[highseasmods]

Those who, through curiosity, a vague premonition, intuition, bad directional sense, or just plain luck, reach the edge of the forest will start to hear a muffled thumping sound like a drum beat.

The mist seems to be thinner here and there seems to be a pathway, however faint, through the forest and to a certain cave located in the center of it. Though the mist is thin, the beasts are even more dangerous and not even the purest of water can keep the nightmares and distractions totally at bay.

Surviving that and reaching the cave, you will find a dark passage leading down and down, where the drum beats match the push and pull of the ocean. You can smell the sea air, growing stronger as you make your way down. Where the cave will lead may seem like a dead end, except for a pool with red light that pulses in time with the thumping.

A long swim will get you to the heart of Davy Jones, and the massive shard which lies embedded in it. Will you give it to Scurvey Dog afterward and see what she makes of it? Try to keep it for yourself? Or just destroy the thing in hopes of destroying Davy Jones himself...or perhaps you think destroying it will get you the shard?

The choice is yours.


[Mod Note: As for who gets the heart -- well, basically, if you really want it, thread this out and within three days we'll RNG it with those who have actively been commenting... Unless you decide amongst yourselves!]

[letteropener]

Celestia blinked through the mist with teleport after short-range teleport, dodging the beasts that surged through it as she pressed ever closer to the cave. Her wings beat powerfully, a shimmer of sunlight surrounding her as she gathered her power and held it.

She had not worn it since the disappearance of her ursine crewmate, but today the pony wore her duster. If nothing else, it would serve as armor and protection, or at least keep the mist from soaking her fur.

Not that it wouldn't get soaked in a minute anyway.

[yourotherleft]

Zoro's appearance at the cave entrance is completely and utterly a fluke. Terrible sense of direction indeed, he totally meant to be going straight for Jones! And he was, so he thought, but several monster carcasses later and he found himself looming out of the mist with a familiar sight ahead. White wings were easy to spot against all this lurid green.

Trudging out of the darkness, Zoro had two of his three swords bared, and was already scuffed up. The blood on his shirt, however, was not his. "Oi, Celestia!" he called as he came. "Is this the right way? Where's Jones?"

[thetruehistorian]

Robin sat next to the red pool, her head bowed and her hands folded demurely in her lap. This was it. This was as far as she could go. It was funny, in a way. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how determinedly she worked or studied, putting her life on the line, putting others' lives on the line, things always, somehow, managed to turn out this way. Another dead end. Another path she could not follow. She'd wished for death, the last time she'd found herself deep in an underground cave, facing the gaping maw of failure before her as the world above heaved and crumbled. It was all so very tiring. Did any of it have purpose? They fought so hard for a few shards, only to be given, in a moment, the ability to call them together in swarms. She'd studied day in and day out for months, she'd been possessed, in order to learn less than what someone said to the whole world in a matter of breaths. Why? The glowing red water swirled, rippling with each drumming heartbeat. Robin stared at the concentric rings radiating out from the middle, hating them, despairing. Perhaps this was her fate after all. A reminder of things past, a premonition of what was to come. Luffy had bought her more time, shone a light into the darkness of her cursed life, but she'd wound up here, again, in spite of him. She could struggle, and she could fight, but someone else would be the victor. She'd only make things complicated. She'd only get in the way. Maybe she shouldn't be here. But she didn't know where else to go. The world was ending, and she was powerless to stop it. Elsewhere, her clones fought nightmares. It wouldn't be enough to make a difference, but for a time, at least, she creates a refuge in the cavern surrounding the pulsing pool, a place of brief respite for those who may have already gone ahead and need to fall back, or a chance for those who can move forward to catch their breath before diving in. It isn't much, but it's all she can do.

[yourotherleft]

When the cave began to rumble and collapse, Zoro's only thought was his crew left inside. Once his battle was concluded, he raced back in to see if there was anything he could do to get them out of there.

Celestia and Lyrik seemed to already be nowhere in sight. But someone else had slipped past him while he was fighting the wingy guy, someone who really shouldn't be buried in the rubble nor drowned in the ocean. It was ever Zoro's lot in life to be carrying Devil Fruit users out of the water, but truth be told, he didn't mind. He'd bitch to high heaven about getting wet, the annoyance of leaping in after them, and so on, but he actually didn't mind.

"Oi, Robin! Come on, let's get out of here!"

The princess-carry could wait until there was genuine dire disaster, he wouldn't take her agency from her. If Robin could stand and run, he would simply watch her back. If not, it was time for a swim.