To go with your crew...

[highseasmods]

Who: Everyone who is fighting in the battle to kill the witch.
Where: The Black Fortress in the East
When: Jan 24th-25th
What: The grand battle to get back what you have lost, get revenge for what was taken, and avert disaster.
Warnings: Language. Death. Victory. Defeat. True love. Miracles.
Style: Text or prose
Status: Open to all



The black fortress ripples with shimmering iridescent energy, the piles of black coral heaped on roped together barges around it, bobbing in the waves. On the largest barge stands a slender man with a copper belt, wearing a face mask, orange red hair flecked with black from ash or dust. As the dawn slowly folds over the ocean, he'll look up, as if hearing some hidden voice.

At the top of the fortress, a figure climbs into vision, a woman, dressed in gray, features obscured by a hood with impenetrable darkness behind it. She staggers a moment as if she is weary, then straightens to her full height. As she speaks, her voice comes out of the journals, echoing over the water, low but clear.

"This is no small task ye do. She that rots within'll do anythin' ta stop ye. Don't hesitate to kill what ye find. If they were human once, they hain't no more. Watch out for her golems, too, or they'll drain ye dry quicker'n a wink. But if ye can get rid of 'em, it'll weaken her." She hesitates, cants her head to the side. "And if ye lot aren't as much of a bunch'a idiots as usual, ye might come out alive through this."

That said, she raises her hands. After a moment so does the man on the barge. For a moment, nothing seems to happen and then iridescent light shimmers over the coral, seeming to match that which surrounds the fortress. It crackles and dances like a fire, and then without warning bursts into a furious life, slamming against the energy of the fortress. There is the sound like thunder and light snaps and crackles, zipping with energy. Then with a woosh the light flies upward, taking the figure with it. The man on the barge lets out a cry like a seagull and dives into the water as if intending to swim after her.

For the boats that remain, a part of the fortress will crumble away into the sea, revealing a small harbor and an open doorway. Enter all ye who dare.


[If things become too crowded, feel free to make another thread outside of these. Just put where you are in the header.]

Comments

[hisoldtricks]

If you mean the young woman with the red hood, she's likely not as young as you may think.

[Come now Grell, you of all people should know looks can be deceiving.]

A warrior by the name of Helen. You cannot miss her when you see her. She has blonde hair and silver eyes and carries around a rather large sword.

[redcinemareel]

It's quite the fetish, but alright. [An young woman dressing like a young girl? It can be deceiving, yes.]

I shall keep my eyes out for her. [Big weapons are always good in her opinion. More destruciton to be had.] I'm assuming they all had something interesting about them to recruit them in my absence? [Grell doesn't have much reason to doubt his tastes in allies, considering the crew he's with, but she's definitely curious.]

[hisoldtricks]

They both have experience fighting and killing demons. Given the circumstances, I figured having new crewmates capable of fighting and killing if need be, would be useful.

[Neither seemed to be the overly good types, which worked for him. Though of course, he's willing to admit he was also in a hurry to get some new crewmates aboard if they were going to fighting witches and invading fortresses.]

[redcinemareel]

[Such news as that catches her attention. Grell smiles, looking interested.]

Ah~? Are they truly that capable? Have you seen their abilities for yourself?

[hisoldtricks]

No, we unfortunately got separated in that fiasco inside the fortress, but if they made it out alive, then there must be something to their stories.

[He's willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, it wasn't exactly a walk in the park inside the witch's keep.]

[redcinemareel]

[It's true enough that it was a madhouse in there. Grell gives an uncaring shrug.]

Nonetheless, they may stay, pending they don't grate on my nerves and make themselves useful.

Any other surprises?

[hisoldtricks]

You needn't worry Captain, if they do not pull their weight, I shall toss them overboard myself.

[He's not that relaxed and hell if he is going to let either of them make him look bad.]

No, our main focus has been to get to the witch and take her out in order to free you from her spell. By the way, welcome back, Captain.

[redcinemareel]

Only if I can watch~! [She'd want front row seats for that.]

I'm glad that there is something to come back to! [Grell smiles brightly.] It truly is nice to be back. Do you know how...odd it feels to have hope, Loki?

[hisoldtricks]

Of course. [His sense of showmanship would be offended if he didn't have an audience.]


I can only imagine. [It has been some time since he has experienced the feeling himself. But he can imagine it would feel odd. That does sound about right.]

[redcinemareel]

You could also imagine that I quite disliked it. [She wraps the blanker around her tighter as her smile turned into a sneer for a quick moment before she sighs.] I'm glad you came, however.

[Prisons weren't her favorite places to be.]

[hisoldtricks]

Leaving you there, was never an option. If not for the barrier that had been surrounding the place, we would have went sooner.

[A shame really, he had been looking forward to slaughtering the witch himself.]

[redcinemareel]

A barrier? [They had little information coming from the outside world. Their journals were nowhere to be found.]

Just how did you find us?

[hisoldtricks]

Dog gave us the location in one of her transmissions. The original plan was breech the witch's fortress to kill her and release you and the others that were under her control. But then you all vanished.

[He reaches into his coat and pulls out Grell's journal.]

We could hear you through this. [He hands it back to her now that she is back and herself again.]

[redcinemareel]

We all vanished...yes, I remember that part. Although there were a few who were there before we were.

[Her journal. The literal lifeline that saved her. Grell reaches out a hand and takes it, remembering the creases and material against her skin. The familiar weight.]

To think that I'd miss having it. [She tightens her grip on the journal before looking to Loki.] You have my thanks for keeping it safe.

[She then smirks.]

You haven't been doing anything naughty with it, have you~?

[hisoldtricks]

[If it hadn't been for the fact that they could hear her through it, he would have left it locked away in her cabin.]

You are quite welcome.

[He chuckles as he felt that question may come up.]

Of course not, a lady's thoughts are her own and certainly not for show.

[There were plenty busy with making plans to breach the witch's keep that he hadn't really had any opportunities to read through her journal. Under different circumstances, he might have read it just for the sake of being nosy.]

[redcinemareel]

I'm disappointed, Loki! I expected better! [She doesn't have many secrets in there, since it could be broadcast to everyone. That's why she has a different journal.]

[hisoldtricks]

Did you now? Why is that? Surely, you of all people would know some secrets are better left unraveled through time.

[Even journals can lie, he knows this all to well. And where is the challenge in finding out a secret without putting in the effort.]

[redcinemareel]

Oh, I do know, but I would have still peeked!

[Grell is nosy, so lies or not, she likes a good read.]

[hisoldtricks]

It would have been far too odd to peek, when we could hear you through the thing.

[Besides if he really wants to read journals, he would look for the real one. ;)]

[redcinemareel]

[She's counting on you, Loki.]

Perhaps. What did you hear? [Many things were said, but most of her talking was through her rapier. Which she lost.]

[hisoldtricks]

It sounded as though you might be struggling. [Obviously he couldn't make out everything that was going on, but some of her special brand of sound effects came through.

For the first time, he does note that she is without her weapon.]

Will we be needing to get you a new weapon?

[He doesn't think it will be hard to commission another, but of course he knows even weapons can hold sentimental value.]

[redcinemareel]

Only partially. Once I got into a sort of rhythm, it was a bit fun~!

[Ah, her weapon. Grell shakes her head and puts away her journal beneath her blanket before extracting her chainsaw from within. She wasn't holding it earlier underneath there. It looks like it could use a cleaning, but otherwise, it looks in great condition.]

I have it. There's no need for concern.

[hisoldtricks]

[He chuckles at seeing the chainsaw, of course she manages to keep the weapon that lacks finesse.]

And what of your sword?

[redcinemareel]

[Finesse doesn't always make pretty patterns on the walls.]

Lost. Which is a true same. I quite liked it. It will need replacing as I also work to collect more daggers. [She puts way her weapon back into the blanket. Into whatever pocket of space it came from.]

[hisoldtricks]

[He's not as enamored with the sight of blood, he just likes to see the bodies hit the floor.]

Ah daggers, some of my favorite weapons. I tend to keep many on my person at all times.

[He can crack those fuckers like a bull whip, he's so good at throwing them. He pulls one out to show her.]