GRIMM TIDINGS

[thewatchers]

GRIMM TIDINGS

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On the morning of the 27th, the campus is put on high alert. Students and staff alike wake to announcements calling willing volunteers to report to the Anvil of Hadur to be geared appropriately or to have their equipment checked, or else warned to stay within the dorms or other secured buildings on campus to avoid being caught in the fighting.

Those who are sensitive to such things can feel an unsettling presence begin to enroach; monsters that feel little except malice and an urge for destruction, hungering for life.

The Grimm are almost here.


A. DIRECT COMBAT
Students and staff eager to get into the fray are assigned the task of splintering the Grimm forces into more manageable chunks as they approach the Academy and swarm onto its grounds, assisted by Daybreak’s on-campus forces and other allies brought in for the fight. The goal, if any, is twofold - first, to divide and conquer, forcing large groups of Grimm apart into wards where they can be more easily whittled down and neutralized, and second, to keep them as far from the classrooms and dormitories as possible.

B. TOWER DEFENSE
To aid in the defense of the Academy, those who are less able to greet the enemy directly have been granted temporary and supervised access to some of Daybreak’s ranged defense systems. They’re a mix of more traditional magic and advanced technology; runic sniper rifles and enchanted grenade launchers sit side by side with staves and wands made for the purpose of long-range casting and activation of wards.

For the more daring, the gargoyles that commonly sit docile on the Academy’s rooftops are being summoned to service as mobile cannon platforms - magically-reinforced stone creatures able to leap or fly high above the battlefield to target groups of Grimm with arcane cannon blasts and to engage targets in the air. They vary in size - some can only bear a single rider safely, while others can support entire groups. All prioritize the safety of their riders above their own structural integrity.

C. TITAN-KILLING
Among the mass of shadowy forces, one in particular stands out. Towering above the rest of the small army, the Leviathan will initially stand and watch the battle going on, ignoring any attacks - but once it catches sight of its four targets, it refuses to be diverted from its course. Able to move faster and more fluidly across large distances than its bulk would suggest, the Leviathan’s major advantage is in brute strength and size, and its fearsome ability to breathe torrents of electric fire.

However, it’s little more than an exceptionally oversized beast, in the end, and unlike a normal animal, it harbors very little in the way of survival instincts. Though it won’t sit and take any attempts to kill it, it has a tendency to ignore anything that’s not its mission, and therein lies a weakness that can be exploited.

D AFTERMATH
The army of Grimm has been successfully repelled or recalled, likely looking quite a bit worse for wear than when they first arrived. Now is the time for wound care, clean up, and a well-earned rest after such hard work.

E WILDCARD
For anything else, on or off the battlefield, that doesn’t fit in with any of the above prompts.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[ofexperience]

A
[V actually isn't on the front lines himself--he's honestly a bit too fragile for that and he'll admit it. In his stead, however, are Shadow and Griffon, the pair of familiars attacking with transforming blades and lightning respectively. If anyone seems like they need a hand, they'll come in to help.

Or, well, maybe you're lucky enough to spot Nightmare dropping almost like a meteor onto the battlefield, before forming and slowly moving through the Grimm with wide, swinging blows and violet beams. Although, every now and then, it'll seem to melt into slime and vanish. How odd.]

B
[Now, as for where V actually is, well... he's no stranger to peril and he's done stupider and more dangerous things for flimsier reasons. Those fighting directly on the battlefield may end up getting assistance from V, flying through on the back of one of the gargoyles, either with arcane blast or a strike from his trusty cane.

Might be interesting to note that some can spot him with white hair instead of his typical black.]

D
[After the battle, V can be found sitting somewhere and catching his breath. That was certainly... a lot of excitement for the day. Griffon is perched nearby, voicing his concern.]

You holding up there, V?

I'll be fine... I merely need to catch my breath...

A

[bolderfell]

[It's really Therion's own fault. When he's being tricksy and hard to see, how can he expect anyone to avoid dropping a humongous nightmare monster on his head? He notices the incoming meteor strike in time to dive and roll out of the way, and the glamour directing attention away from him drops as he springs back up.]

Watch where you--

[Whoa. Damn. If this hulking thing is one of his classmates, he does not want to antagonize it. Therion wisely shuts up, takes in how Nightmare plows his way through the Grimm with its wide, swinging arms, and then decides to stick close to it, taking advantage of the path it creates in its wake. It's not aiming the laser beams at him, and its wide blows are easy enough to dodge. It gives Therion a little breathing room to look for a next target or a quick way out.]

[ofexperience]

[Nightmare barely seems to acknowledge Therion as it keeps moving--the familiar's soon joined by one of its fellows. Shadow slips in to take care of any Grimm that get the bright idea to fill in the space behind Nightmare. The panther-like familiar glances at Therion briefly after a moment but quickly turns its attention to another target.]

[bolderfell]

...Nice kitty.

[He mumbles it more to himself than to the panther. Once he's done being unnerved, though, he notices how the two creatures work together--at the very least, the panther's smart enough to adapt to the big guy--and decides they've got him covered well enough.

Therion pulls his hood back up, and as it covers his hair again, the subtle flicker of magic that sends attention skittering away washes over him once more. Under that glamour, he creeps up by Nightmare's knee. There--an opening. Therion throws himself past a roaring, laser-seared Grimm as it rears up. Without slowing, he snatches up a fallen rune-covered staff, jams the staff in the ground to use as a pivot, and launches himself back to the relative safety by Nightmare's side. Now he's armed, at least. Not with a weapon he knows how to use, but, pfft, details.]

[ofexperience]

[Kitty is at least more worried about the Grimm right now, turning its tail into a blade to launch a Grimm up into the air and following to keep it helpless.

The laser-seared Grimm is smacked down shortly after Therion returns to relative safety--Nightmare does pause a moment or two, possibly to take some account of the human before continuing onward.]

[bolderfell]

[Hm. After a moment, Therion points to Nightmare's shoulder with the staff and calls up over the din:]

Would it be any easier for you if I sat up there? Wouldn't have to worry about stomping on me.

[After a beat, he adds:]

You've only got the one eye. I can watch your back.

D

[fistsofchange]

[Lin wordlessly held a bottle of Gatorade she'd been drinking out towards V. Dude looked like he needed it.

She wasn't sure what to make of the bird.]

[ofexperience]

Yeesh, what a mess... Didn't figure this school was gonna be all that PEACEFUL by any means, but a buncha Grimm descending on the place like that? Hoo boy!

[The bird is silenced for now by a momentary look from V, who turns back to Lin with a grateful nod as he takes the Gatorade.]

Thank you...

How are you doing after all that, lady? That sure was a hell of a fight!

[fistsofchange]

Tired. Bruised. Nothing serious. I've been through worse.

[She stretched, then leaned back to stare at the evening sky, zoning out for a moment.

Only for a moment though. Then she looked over at Griffon.]

Can I ask you a possibly rude question?

[ofexperience]

Huh? What is it?

[V's just quiet as he takes a long drink of the Gatorade, glancing between Griffon and Lin.]

[fistsofchange]

What are you?

D

[unpocoloco]

[After getting to know a creature like Pepita, V's familiars don't strike quite the same fear as they might have, merely the dissembling of what he already is accustomed to. The talking is different. That'd be convenient. But then again, Pepita was snarky enough as it was. He stops in his passing.]

That's all? After all that work out there I saw you doing?

[There's a teasing note to his voice.]

I'm about ready to drop, personally. [Not a lie. He looks like hell, face sunken and eyes developing shadow. But that's always the case come daytime, when he pushes his limits.]

[ofexperience]

V's full of it.

[Griffon, no.]

It was... quite the longer fight than I'm used to, I have to admit.

[unpocoloco]

[Griffin, yes. He grins wider.]

Don't worry, this doesn't happen all the time. This is actually the first real big one that's come to us since I've been here.

You're used to fights?

[ofexperience]

That's a relief. I don't think Shakespeare here would have the stamina to keep up if it did.

[V gives Griffon a Look, before turning his attention back to Héctor.]

Somewhat. I'd gotten into them fairly regularly before I came to this school.

[Given how long he'd been in the Outlands, plus the terms of his contract...]

[unpocoloco]

[This time he laughs outright. He doesn't get the Shakespeare reference but he doesn't have to. The Griffon's funny.]

Fairly regularly? Oof, don't envy you. I had some trouble back in the Outlands but I spent most of that time running as fast and far as I could.

d;

[inflictwounds]

[The battle is over, which means it's time for Hieke's work to truly begin. There are people out there who need his help, and he knows not all of them will come to him, either out of stubbornness or actual inability.

It's seeking those people out that leads him to be. He looks between him and the bird, before approaching.]

Do you need any help?

[ofexperience]

[V and his familiar share a look before V speaks.]

I did end up a little more banged up than I'd like.

[He's got some cuts, bruises, and scrapes, but they're at least nothing too serious.]

A little help would be appreciated.

[inflictwounds]

[Well, at least he admits it.

Hieke steps closer, before he can kneel next to V.]

Certainly - it's what I'm here for, isn't it?

[ofexperience]

Haha... that's true. Thank you, Hieke.

[He'll hold still so Hieke can do his thing.]

[inflictwounds]

It's no trouble.

[He reaches out, placing a hand on V's arm. After a moment, V will feel a sensation similar to cool water dripping down his spine and running over wherever his injuries may be.

And then the injuries begin to heal.]

A.

[nevernoaction]

[Ren does his best to annoy the Grimm to divide them up with his combination gun/knife weapons, but he is not a tank by any means.

He braces for a hit that he doesn't have time to escape from...

Only to have a giant panther like creature come to his aid. Ren blinks for a moment and nods his thanks.

A wolflike Grimm decides the pair of them look like fun targets.]

[ofexperience]

[Shadow returns the nod as he returns to attacking, his tail transforming into an axe blade as he moves. Shadow might not notice the wolf-like Grimm ready to target him and Ren, but that's where the other familiar on the scene comes in--]

Incoming!

[That's the only warning Ren's going to get before a pillar of lightning shoots through the area, one of several targeting nearby Grimm. Shadow turns to rumble something to a bird that flies over to join them before summoning sharp blades of... well, shadow to pierce some of the other Grimm injured by the lightning. The bird doesn't seem impressed.]

Yeah, yeah, save it for later, furball-- you doing okay over there, kid?

[nevernoaction]

I am still in one piece.

[Despite being a little surprised at the talking animals, he takes a moment to give a little nod toward both of them.]

How can I fight most effectively with the pair of you?

[Because he certainly can't shoot lightning from his fingertips, as useful as that would be.]

[ofexperience]

We're good at doing the heavy lifting!

[They're used to it with V, after all. Shadow's silent as he swipes at a Grimm drawing too close, and Griffon keeps talking.]

I've got longer ranges covered, so you just focus on cooperatin' with Shadow!