Non-Canon On a Cold Neverwinter Day IC

[Minerva]

"Why would you endanger injured soldiers like that?" Arslan asked the attacker while sheating his blade. He was glad to have helped subdue the person before anyone else got hurt. Keeping the person pinned under him, the prince turned his head to see who had arrived and...this man looked like a warrior Daryun would love to spar with, in all honesty.

"There was a small riot." Arslan answered Knox from where he was, hoping he wasn't being rude in doing so, since the man was mostly talking to Sabine.

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd

The figure that Arslan had pinned would reach up to pull of their hood and mask, revealing a woman. “A word of advice: Next time you grab someone, be sure to check them thoroughly.” She said. With a flick of her wrist, a piece of wood came out of her sleeve, lit up, and she disappeared, leaving her cloak behind.

"Something like that. I'm not too convinced," Richter muttered with a more inquisitive tone in his voice, as he looked past Clarisse at the newly-arrived soldiers and Sergeant Knox. A sharp tug of its handle would uncoil the whip from around the detained rioter's leg, as Richter expertly recoiled the holy weapon and sheathed it back upon his belt.

The Belmont clan was never concerned with politics and the affairs between mortal men. When faced with the horrors of the night, the feuds between men start to look more like petty squabbles between children in comparison. The rioters did much to display the current state of affairs within this increasingly - and eerily - familiar kingdom. Not precisely squeaky clean, but then again, what is?

Richter shook his head and turned his back to the soldiers, regrouping with anyone else caught up in the brief scuffle.

"You know, I'm normally not too fond of sorcery and... well, anything to do with magic, but I won't deny skill when I see it," Richter grinned to the resident spellcasters whom seemingly did the most with their magic to detain the rioters without... blowing them up. "I hope everyone is alright?"

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd

Every year, when the cold wind of winter blew down south from the Freljord, Poppy's whimsy and drive for adventure was renewed, for it meant her journey across Demacia would begin again in the hinterlands of Uwendale. On her search for the fated Hero of Demacia, who would bravely lead their proud nation out of its darkest times and into the future, the quaint farming hamlet nestled away in the Demacian-Freljordian mountain ranges was always an eventful first stop.

This year was no different.

Nevertheless, Poppy moved ever forward, soon finding herself treading sacred ground. The petrified forests which littered Demacia were a natural phenomenon to behold. The enormous ivory trees not only lent the nation its heraldic colours, but also proved especially resistant to magic, and its value was nary lost on Poppy. She revered these hardy groves, not just as a Demacian, but as a yordle, too. Although she was decidedly out-of-touch with the mystical world for a yordle, Poppy was inexplicably drawn to the ivory towers which composed Demacia's forests, and were crafted into Demacia's villages and cities. The enchanted trees gave their all in the defense of Demacia - protecting its innocent with towering barriers, descending on invaders upon wings of righteousness, and shackling its most dangerous of criminals. All of this, without asking for so much as a thank you in return.

Perhaps in this sense, she found a kindred spirit.

snap crack snap crack snap crack snap

Poppy's sharp ears jumped up on alert, hearing something pass her by through the fallen leaves and twigs scattered across the forest floor. Following by her ears' example, Poppy hopped to her feet from her spot lounging in the sun, and lifted her greathammer onto her shoulder to follow the sound. Peering through the foliage, she spotted a familiar figure.

View attachment 3575

"That mage again..." Poppy murmured. She loosened the grip she held her hammer with, and the leather its hilt was fashioned from thanked her. Curiously she followed, but cautiously did she do so from a distance, until he came to a stop within a hollowed out trunk. "Alright Poppy, you can do this..." she told herself, anxiously hugging the tree she was hidden behind, "You're gonna walk right up to him and you're not gonna let him poof away again," she finished her self pep-talk with a deep breath, then wheeled around out of cover, hammer confidently slung over her shoulder. But just as she did, the mystery mage disappeared in a violet flash. "Oh, darnit!" Poppy cursed, throwing her hammer down against the ground in frustration with a resounding crash!

Lazily dragging it behind her with a bad-tempered frown across her face, Poppy entered the hollow trunk regardless, taking a look around. Standing surrounded by the very thing she felt connected to, the orderly yordle was awash with fretful thoughts. Noticing something carved into the centre, Poppy set her hammer down and came to kneel where the mystery mage had previously.

View attachment 3576

Poppy stared deep into the intricate piece of art, then to the crumbling archway before which it laid. "Wait a minute..." she murmured, searching the depths of her memory, but in the blink of an eye she was just gone.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Poppy shouted in shock upon jumping settings the first time, then grew wary the second time around, sizing up her new surroundings with her eyes wide open and her greathammer in hand. Even still, her Demacian instincts remained sharp, and the sound of nearby wrongdoing did not escape her. On the lookout, Poppy approached the gathered crowd, and lo and behold, there stood one glowing purple man amongst a handful of lightly armed hooligans bound by magic. Struggling to slip through the crowd ahead of the arriving band of soldiers, Poppy marched right up beside the mystery mage. "Hey!" she barked at him.

...

Well I walked right up to him and he's not poofing this time, now what?

Did I pick a bad time for this?

Oh screw it.

"...u-uh," she stuttered, "where are we?"

@Ottonomous Ghost @Minerva

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies

@Crowd

"Aaaah, well, I don't mean to humble-brag, but if there's ever a need, I can do much more than that!" Kazuma exclaimed pridefully to Richter, for once feeling inclined to feel confident in himself. Maybe these were the ideal party members he was looking for all along! Of course, it was a bit crowded for his liking, but hey, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Besides.

It's not like anyone could possibly be worse than who he already had on him anyway, right?

"But maybe it can't be helped, they call me one of the greatest adventurers ever back where I come from!"

No one called him that.

"Anyway, I suppose it's a miracle that no innocents seemed to be harmed. Especially if we have two explosion freaks right here now," Kazuma said, glancing uneasily at Clarisse, and then giving a harder glare at Megumin, "Though, I'm still a bit lost, everything's happening so fast. I don't suppose anyone's familiar with... whatever those people were on about?" He asked, letting Sabine and Knox have their exchange.

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Minerva @Hahli Nuva @Archmage Jeremiah @Crowd

Ryze
@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @crowd

"Don't worry about it," Ryze interrupted, pointing at Clarisse, "The explosions came from that naive girl over there. She only meant it for the rioters, but who knows how much damage it caused to property."

At least it's not my problem.



"Did we save the day? If all I had to do was round up a bunch of criminals and call it a day, I'd be retired already," he exclaimed. Indeed, such a mundane task paled in comparison to stopping the entire world's annihilation. No day was ever truly saved for as long as that remained a possibility.

"If I had to guess, those guys were part of a larger organization. I don't really care much for politics, but if you're going to cast magic, at least be aware of its power. I've met too many irresponsible magic users, some of whom have destroyed entire nations due to their carelessness."



Ryze raised an eyebrow upon learning of Richter's aversion to magic. The man was beginning to seem a lot like a Demacian, especially due to that heroic spirit he had. "I appreciate the compliment, but there is one thing you should know about sorcery. If your world is similar to mine, then you need to understand that magic is an inherent foundation of the world. I understand why you don't like magic, it is certainly a power that dooms us-- but it can also save us. It all depends on who wields it. People will eventually use magic for chaotic purposes, and when that happens, how will you defend against it?"



"Hm?" Ryze turned around. Did I hear something? He narrowed his eyes and looked around for a bit until his mind sensed the magical aura emanating from Poppy's hammer. He turned his head and looked down, astonished at the figure before him. "A yordle?!" he exclaimed, "The last time I saw one of your kind was... I can't even remember." A torrent of questions raced through is mind, but he had to answer her question first.

"Well, we're in Neverwinter, some city located beyond Runeterra. Right now, it appears that someone with a vast quantity of power was able to reach into several worlds and take people from them." He motioned to the people who didn't quite look Runeterran. "As you can see, we're not the only victims." He gazed off into space and stroked his beard, deep in thought. "This kind of power is cataclysmic to say the least, especially if it was able to pull you from Bandle City, of all places." His gaze went back to Poppy as he began realizing how unusual she was. "Wait a second-- do yordles usually wear armor like that? And carry large hammers? How are you even able to carry that thing?" Ryze stared at the weapon in wonder. Something about it screamed power, but not the kind of power a World Rune would scream. This power was somehow more pure than the others, as if the blacksmith had infused the very weapon with perseverance and righteousness. "Better yet, where did you come across it?"

Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Meanwhile, you would notice a blonde elf watching from nearby. When noticed, she would proceed to run off.

@dark @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @crowd​

 

[Crunch]

"Aaaah, well, I don't mean to humble-brag, but if there's ever a need, I can do much more than that!" Kazuma exclaimed pridefully to Richter, for once feeling inclined to feel confident in himself. Maybe these were the ideal party members he was looking for all along! Of course, it was a bit crowded for his liking, but hey, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Besides.

It's not like anyone could possibly be worse than who he already had on him anyway, right?

"But maybe it can't be helped, they call me one of the greatest adventurers ever back where I come from!"

No one called him that.

"Anyway, I suppose it's a miracle that no innocents seemed to be harmed. Especially if we have two explosion freaks right here now," Kazuma said, glancing uneasily at Clarisse, and then giving a harder glare at Megumin, "Though, I'm still a bit lost, everything's happening so fast. I don't suppose anyone's familiar with... whatever those people were on about?" He asked, letting Sabine and Knox have their exchange.

@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Minerva @Hahli Nuva @Archmage Jeremiah @Crowd

The towering Richter let out a loud belly laugh as Kazuma boasted of his title as the greatest adventurer of his land. It... well, it didn't sound very mocking. "Kazuma, right? Well, with that kind of confidence, I'm sure you're the best adventurer there ever was," Richter remarked as he clapped the boy on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Let's hope you can keep it up with that confidence."

Looking over at the brief exchange between Knox and Sabine, Richter looked back to Kazuma and whoever may wish to listen in. "From what I understand, this city has been getting attacked by an army of undead, raised by a lich named Valindra," the hunter spoke more seriously, adjusting the visible menagerie of weapons on his person. "I believe she's the reason for our 'abduction.' But people crack under pressure from the royalty, I suppose. We need to help them."

Ryze
@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @crowd

"Don't worry about it," Ryze interrupted, pointing at Clarisse, "The explosions came from that naive girl over there. She only meant it for the rioters, but who knows how much damage it caused to property."

At least it's not my problem.



"Did we save the day? If all I had to do was round up a bunch of criminals and call it a day, I'd be retired already," he exclaimed. Indeed, such a mundane task paled in comparison to stopping the entire world's annihilation. No day was ever truly saved for as long as that remained a possibility.

"If I had to guess, those guys were part of a larger organization. I don't really care much for politics, but if you're going to cast magic, at least be aware of its power. I've met too many irresponsible magic users, some of whom have destroyed entire nations due to their carelessness."



Ryze raised an eyebrow upon learning of Richter's aversion to magic. The man was beginning to seem a lot like a Demacian, especially due to that heroic spirit he had. "I appreciate the compliment, but there is one thing you should know about sorcery. If your world is similar to mine, then you need to understand that magic is an inherent foundation of the world. I understand why you don't like magic, it is certainly a power that dooms us-- but it can also save us. It all depends on who wields it. People will eventually use magic for chaotic purposes, and when that happens, how will you defend against it?"



"Hm?" Ryze turned around. Did I hear something? He narrowed his eyes and looked around for a bit until his mind sensed the magical aura emanating from Poppy's hammer. He turned his head and looked down, astonished at the figure before him. "A yordle?!" he exclaimed, "The last time I saw one of your kind was... I can't even remember." A torrent of questions raced through is mind, but he had to answer her question first.

"Well, we're in Neverwinter, some city located beyond Runeterra. Right now, it appears that someone with a vast quantity of power was able to reach into several worlds and take people from them." He motioned to the people who didn't quite look Runeterran. "As you can see, we're not the only victims." He gazed off into space and stroked his beard, deep in thought. "This kind of power is cataclysmic to say the least, especially if it was able to pull you from Bandle City, of all places." His gaze went back to Poppy as he began realizing how unusual she was. "Wait a second-- do yordles usually wear armor like that? And carry large hammers? How are you even able to carry that thing?" Ryze stared at the weapon in wonder. Something about it screamed power, but not the kind of power a World Rune would scream. This power was somehow more pure than the others, as if the blacksmith had infused the very weapon with perseverance and righteousness. "Better yet, where did you come across it?"

Richter directed his gaze over to Ryze, seeming bewildered at his sudden lecture on the nature of magic. Richter laughed off the accusations, raising his hands in surrender. "Hah, no need for the lecture, Ryze. Magic just isn't my type of fighting, is all."

"No, the kind of magic that allow monsters to walk the Earth at night, and binds the souls of men to tyrants is what I care about. You don't do anything like that," Richter idly placed a hand on the handle of his cross-shaped whip for no particular reason. "I'm certain of it."

The figure that Arslan had pinned would reach up to pull of their hood and mask, revealing a woman. “A word of advice: Next time you grab someone, be sure to check them thoroughly.” She said. With a flick of her wrist, a piece of wood came out of her sleeve, lit up, and she disappeared, leaving her cloak behind.






Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Meanwhile, you would notice a blonde elf watching from nearby. When noticed, she would proceed to run off.

@dark @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @crowd

As Richter spoke to Ryze, his eyes moved past the mage's head to spot a blonde woman watching from afar. He wouldn't make out her elven features, but the hunter would nonetheless furrow his brow and stare at her for the few moments she lingered before vanishing into the city.

How suspicious.

Richter made a mental note to himself, turning his gaze back to Knox as he introduced himself as a figure of authority. Someone with precious information, maybe. The Belmont took the opportunity to approach the armored man, nodding his head. "Well met, sergeant. I'm Richter, Richter Belmont. Your city seems to be under a lot of political strain these days, huh? What with the war against the lich and everything."

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @crowd



​

 

[Yun Lee]

Ah. Here we go. So Taric was right in coming here for information, after all. Miss Cheldar knew exactly what was going on, it seemed, and had managed to find them through her own means. Clever girl! Taric felt a bit more at ease, now that he knew this was some sort of abnormality that could hopefully be rectified. Valoran awaited him yet.

But still...

"Why yes, food sounds wonderful. Thank you."

Turn down the hostess' offer? Now that would be outrageous.

@Minerva @Jeremi @Lucky​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

With the commotion settled down and resolved, Merlin let out a sigh of relief. At least that was out of the way for now. Thankfully there were multiple others present, there was no telling what could've happened if it were only him resolving the issue.

❝ Wonderful work, everyone! It must be the work of fate that we are all gathered here, hm? ❞ The mage gleams happily with a smile, applauding the nearby group. Maybe they could work together on putting an end to this Valindra and return to their rightful homes. For a moment, he notices the strange woman flee the scene once eye contact was made, but he didn't pay any attempts to go after her. Not when it turns out that Sergeant Knox was now present with General Sabine. Surely this was fruitful timing!

❝ Ah, so you are Sergeant Knox. My apologies if this is rather hasty to offer after such an unruly attempt on Sabine's life had been taken care of, but I would like to enlist my assistance to the collective cause against that lich Valindra. My name is Merlin, a mere wandering mage of flowers. It's my pleasure to become acquainted. ❞ He wasted no time to step over towards Knox and Sabine to finally introduce himself and express that he wanted to play a part in the fight against Valindra. At the same time, Merlin casually gestured his staff in the general direction of everyone that helped fend off the rebels. Much like he was speaking for the group even though they've only known each other for less than an hour.

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @Crowd​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

"Hm?" Ryze turned around. Did I hear something? He narrowed his eyes and looked around for a bit until his mind sensed the magical aura emanating from Poppy's hammer. He turned his head and looked down, astonished at the figure before him. "A yordle?!" he exclaimed, "The last time I saw one of your kind was... I can't even remember." A torrent of questions raced through is mind, but he had to answer her question first.

"Well, we're in Neverwinter, some city located beyond Runeterra. Right now, it appears that someone with a vast quantity of power was able to reach into several worlds and take people from them." He motioned to the people who didn't quite look Runeterran. "As you can see, we're not the only victims." He gazed off into space and stroked his beard, deep in thought. "This kind of power is cataclysmic to say the least, especially if it was able to pull you from Bandle City, of all places." His gaze went back to Poppy as he began realizing how unusual she was. "Wait a second-- do yordles usually wear armor like that? And carry large hammers? How are you even able to carry that thing?" Ryze stared at the weapon in wonder. Something about it screamed power, but not the kind of power a World Rune would scream. This power was somehow more pure than the others, as if the blacksmith had infused the very weapon with perseverance and righteousness. "Better yet, where did you come across it?"

Poppy blinked, appearing immediately overwhelmed by the mage's barrage of long-winded answers and questions. "Whoa, whoa, slow down!" she pleaded, "Bandle City? I left that place behind forever ago. Too...fluffy," Poppy shivered, "And-...oh, you mean this?" she pointed to her greathammer - its head easily larger than her own - and waved her hand dismissively, "I'm just holding onto it until I find the hero who can unlock its real potential," Poppy answered very humbly, before puffing out her chest and clutching the Demacian crest present on her breastplate, "On my honour as a Demacian, and on my oath to Orlon, I shan't rest until I do!" then tiredly hunched forward with a huff, "But if what you say is true, I'm further from home than I've ever been...how did we end up here from the same forest, anyway?" Poppy asked, desperate for an answer she was certain wouldn't satisfy.

@Ottonomous Ghost

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi

@Crowd​

 

[Takumi]

The figure that Arslan had pinned would reach up to pull of their hood and mask, revealing a woman. “A word of advice: Next time you grab someone, be sure to check them thoroughly.” She said. With a flick of her wrist, a piece of wood came out of her sleeve, lit up, and she disappeared, leaving her cloak behind.






Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Meanwhile, you would notice a blonde elf watching from nearby. When noticed, she would proceed to run off.

@dark @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @crowd​

"?!" Arslan gave a surprised gasp at the woman's sudden disappearance, and frowned afterwards. Holding onto her cloak he tried his best to remember her features before approaching those gathered near Sabine and Knox.

"They disappeared with some kind of spell, but your attacker was a woman, General." Arslan spoke up, looking to Sabine.

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Hahli Nuva @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @Crowd

 

[Ver]

View attachment 3579

"Valindra, huh? I haven't heard that name before, but if a lich's involved, that must mean trouble's brewing," Kazuma commented with a furrowed brow in response to Richter as the young man explained the situation with what was presented to them (once Kazuma recovered from having the life smacked out of him, that is).

With a soft grunt, he put his hands on his hips and looked down for a moment, as though in deep contemplation. "Well... Taking on one little lich shouldn't be a problem, right? I didn't think one of the Demon King's underlings could have such a power, but... Hm, if this is a different world altogether judging from a year, maybe they're unrelated altogether."

Kazuma mumbled the later part mostly to himself, but eventually an excited smirk tugged at his lips. "Still! If this is an issue that the royalty of whatever place this is is having trouble with, just imagine the reward for it!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, turning toward Aqua and Megumin, "Can you imagine how much dough we'd get from such a quest?! We could get better gear, pay the rent, actually be able to eat! We may as well accept this quest, right?!" Kazuma went on, clenching his fist as determination filled his eyes.

Mostly, he was excited about the "get new gear" part so he could get rid of Chunchunmaru.

@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT

@Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd​

 

[Crow]

Ryze
@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @crowd

​

"Don't worry about it," Ryze interrupted, pointing at Clarisse, "The explosions came from that naive girl over there. She only meant it for the rioters, but who knows how much damage it caused to property."

At least it's not my problem.
​

"Did we save the day? If all I had to do was round up a bunch of criminals and call it a day, I'd be retired already," he exclaimed. Indeed, such a mundane task paled in comparison to stopping the entire world's annihilation. No day was ever truly saved for as long as that remained a possibility.

"If I had to guess, those guys were part of a larger organization. I don't really care much for politics, but if you're going to cast magic, at least be aware of its power. I've met too many irresponsible magic users, some of whom have destroyed entire nations due to their carelessness."​

Ryze raised an eyebrow upon learning of Richter's aversion to magic. The man was beginning to seem a lot like a Demacian, especially due to that heroic spirit he had. "I appreciate the compliment, but there is one thing you should know about sorcery. If your world is similar to mine, then you need to understand that magic is an inherent foundation of the world. I understand why you don't like magic, it is certainly a power that dooms us-- but it can also save us. It all depends on who wields it. People will eventually use magic for chaotic purposes, and when that happens, how will you defend against it?"



"Hm?" Ryze turned around. Did I hear something? He narrowed his eyes and looked around for a bit until his mind sensed the magical aura emanating from Poppy's hammer. He turned his head and looked down, astonished at the figure before him. "A yordle?!" he exclaimed, "The last time I saw one of your kind was... I can't even remember." A torrent of questions raced through is mind, but he had to answer her question first.

"Well, we're in Neverwinter, some city located beyond Runeterra. Right now, it appears that someone with a vast quantity of power was able to reach into several worlds and take people from them." He motioned to the people who didn't quite look Runeterran. "As you can see, we're not the only victims." He gazed off into space and stroked his beard, deep in thought. "This kind of power is cataclysmic to say the least, especially if it was able to pull you from Bandle City, of all places." His gaze went back to Poppy as he began realizing how unusual she was. "Wait a second-- do yordles usually wear armor like that? And carry large hammers? How are you even able to carry that thing?" Ryze stared at the weapon in wonder. Something about it screamed power, but not the kind of power a World Rune would scream. This power was somehow more pure than the others, as if the blacksmith had infused the very weapon with perseverance and righteousness. "Better yet, where did you come across it?"​

The figure that Arslan had pinned would reach up to pull of their hood and mask, revealing a woman. “A word of advice: Next time you grab someone, be sure to check them thoroughly.” She said. With a flick of her wrist, a piece of wood came out of her sleeve, lit up, and she disappeared, leaving her cloak behind.






Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Meanwhile, you would notice a blonde elf watching from nearby. When noticed, she would proceed to run off.

@dark @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @crowd​

"Ahaha... my bad, I guess I should be more careful around civilian populations..." Clarisse hung her head low for a bit, before immediately pepping up.

Continuing the conversation with blueberry man, she looks to see the short being he called a 'Yordle'.

"Ah! Finally! A Harvin, a race from Phantagrande! Maybe she can tell me about how she came here from Phantagrande! Though, how did you get so blue?"

Turning to Megumin and Kazuma, her eyes widened. "There's two of us now? That's brilliant! Explosive!"

Brilliant indeed.

Oh right.

Clarisse looks to see the newly-arrived general.

"Good morning, Sergeant Knox, I'm Clarisse, sole pupil of Cagliostro! Good to meet you and... uh... I guess I'm sorry for any collateral damage..."

She looks towards Richter.

"Valindra? Is that some sort of Primal Beast?"

Usually, she would have her small little Master by her side to act as the brains of the duo, but for now, Clarisse needed other brains.

@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Crow @Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah

@Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd​

 

[0ttonomous]

Ryze
@Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah @Crow
@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd

"Ah! Finally! A Harvin, a race from Phantagrande! Maybe she can tell me about how she came here from Phantagrande! Though, how did you get so blue?"

Internally facepalming, Ryze said, "No, Clarisse, that's a yordle, from Bandle City. We're from different worlds, remember? Of course you don't."​

Richter directed his gaze over to Ryze, seeming bewildered at his sudden lecture on the nature of magic. Richter laughed off the accusations, raising his hands in surrender. "Hah, no need for the lecture, Ryze. Magic just isn't my type of fighting, is all."

"No, the kind of magic that allow monsters to walk the Earth at night, and binds the souls of men to tyrants is what I care about. You don't do anything like that," Richter idly placed a hand on the handle of his cross-shaped whip for no particular reason. "I'm certain of it."

"I see. At least your mind is in the right place about the use and abuse of magic."

"And, you're right, I don't do that."​

Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

"Ryze," the Rune Mage said quickly and concisely, as if he didn't pay much mind to the introduction at all.​

Poppy blinked, appearing immediately overwhelmed by the mage's barrage of long-winded answers and questions. "Whoa, whoa, slow down!" she pleaded, "Bandle City? I left that place behind forever ago. Too...fluffy," Poppy shivered, "And-...oh, you mean this?" she pointed to her greathammer - its head easily larger than her own - and waved her hand dismissively, "I'm just holding onto it until I find the hero who can unlock its real potential," Poppy answered very humbly, before puffing out her chest and clutching the Demacian crest present on her breastplate, "On my honour as a Demacian, and on my oath to Orlon, I shan't rest until I do!"

The archmage found it strange that a yordle would wander so far away from the safety of Bandle City. That place was essentially a paradise tucked away from the physical plane of Runeterra, locking out all potential invaders. Considering the frailty of the small creatures, it was best left that way. Ryze knew how monstrous humans could be. "Too fluffy, huh? That's a fair assessment," he replied, still wondering how a yordle could become like Poppy. He raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant statement. "You're just holding onto it?" he questioned, "You're holding that thing like it weighs nothing." Something about her story felt off, but he believed her for now.
​

"But if what you say is true, I'm further from home than I've ever been...how did we end up here from the same forest, anyway?" Poppy asked, desperate for an answer she was certain wouldn't satisfy.​

Ryze shrugged. "The perpetrator must've used a displacement magic similar to my own, only to a much grander scale. Something like that would only be capable with a Worl--" He stopped himself from saying too much, and at the same time, came to a grim realization that made his heart sink.

"Wait. Did you say... 'from the same forest?'" he said plainly at first, but then his gaze locked with Poppy's, and a pained expression appeared on his face. "What do you mean from the same forest?" His voice echoed with defensive aggression as he took a step back from the warrior, entering a lower stance. "Were you following me?!"

Conflicting feelings swirled around in his mind; feelings of danger, panic, and worry mixed in with self-doubt. On one hand, it was all too coincidental; a strange yordle not only followed him on his way to the Demacian Vault, but was also transported here with him. Maybe this was all part of a plan to take his scroll and get the World Runes?

But, on the other hand, she really was just a yordle. That Demacian steel was genuine, there was no doubt about it, and her very presence radiated humility. How could she possibly be after him?

One thing was for certain, though. Ryze was becoming a bit senile.​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Continuing the conversation with blueberry man, she looks to see the short being he called a 'Yordle'.

"Ah! Finally! A Harvin, a race from Phantagrande! Maybe she can tell me about how she came here from Phantagrande! Though, how did you get so blue?"

Internally facepalming, Ryze said, "No, Clarisse, that's a yordle, from Bandle City. We're from different worlds, remember? Of course you don't."

"Hi, I'm Poppy!" she quickly snuck in her own introduction, turning to smile and wave up at Clarisse and Sergeant Knox, "of De-ma-ci-a." she added with exaggerated emphasis, turning to directly address Ryze with the correction.

The archmage found it strange that a yordle would wander so far away from the safety of Bandle City. That place was essentially a paradise tucked away from the physical plane of Runeterra, locking out all potential invaders. Considering the frailty of the small creatures, it was best left that way. Ryze knew how monstrous humans could be. "Too fluffy, huh? That's a fair assessment," he replied, still wondering how a yordle could become like Poppy. He raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant statement. "You're just holding onto it?" he questioned, "You're holding that thing like it weighs nothing." Something about her story felt off, but he believed her for now.

"Bah, I'm just doing it how the old man taught me," Poppy again humbly shrugged off Ryze's prying into her peculiar choice of armament, "Gotta make sure I don't die before I can pass it on, right?" she chuckled, very lightheartedly handling her dark humour.

Ryze shrugged. "The perpetrator must've used a displacement magic similar to my own, only to a much grander scale. Something like that would only be capable with a Worl--" He stopped himself from saying too much, and at the same time, came to a grim realization that made his heart sink.

"Wait. Did you say... 'from the same forest?'" he said plainly at first, but then his gaze locked with Poppy's, and a pained expression appeared on his face. "What do you mean from the same forest?" His voice echoed with defensive aggression as he took a step back from the warrior, entering a lower stance. "Were you following me?!"

Conflicting feelings swirled around in his mind; feelings of danger, panic, and worry mixed in with self-doubt. On one hand, it was all too coincidental; a strange yordle not only followed him on his way to the Demacian Vault, but was also transported here with him. Maybe this was all part of a plan to take his scroll and get the World Runes?

But, on the other hand, she really was just a yordle. That Demacian steel was genuine, there was no doubt about it, and her very presence radiated humility. How could she possibly be after him?

Poppy blinked, and the conversation had quickly escalated escalating. Her soldier's instincts could immediately feel Ryze staring darts at her as the mage jerked around, as his voice grew in volume, and as his questions turned to accusations. Preemptively, Poppy raised her free hand in surrender, and made certain her hammer arm made no sudden moves. "It was just happenstance, h-honest!" she began with a slight stutter, though it was apparent she was trying to remain calm, maintaining direct eye-contact, "I've just been seeing you around for the past couple of years, and got curious what a mage was doing in a forest full of magic-eating trees so often! Besides, a-all I wanted to do was say thank you," Poppy continued, evidently finding it easier to calm down as she began to speak more genuinely, "I can't explain it, but that forest-...ugh, this sounds so much crazier coming out of my mouth than it did in my head...that forest has been alot...happier since you've started showing up," she eventually spat out after some long, anxious pauses.

@Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Minerva

@Ver @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Hahli Nuva @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Crowd​

 

[Kaykay]

"Fufufu. Felling armies of the undead and taking down a lich is only a fitting quest for a genius of the Crimson Demons who commands Explosion magic! Between my Explosion magic and your partner known as Chunchunmaru, we shall obliterate her vile presence!"

With an animated pose, Megumin shouted her resolve in a loud voice. Of course, who knew how actually capable they were of accomplishing anything, but the archwizard never let that get in the way of the spirit of things. The fact it'd make not suddenly starving due to strange circumstances a lot less likely certainly had no impact on her enthusiasm, though. Absolutely not.

"Yeah, explosive!" she turned to face Clarisse, giving her a thumbs up. "By the way, how did you learn Explosion magic anyway? It doesn't really look the same as mine, but a fellow explosion lover is always a friend of mine!"

@Ver @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd​

 

[Crow]

Ryze
@Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah @Crow
@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd

Internally facepalming, Ryze said, "No, Clarisse, that's a yordle, from Bandle City. We're from different worlds, remember? Of course you don't."​

"I see. At least your mind is in the right place about the use and abuse of magic."

"And, you're right, I don't do that."​

"Ryze," the Rune Mage said quickly and concisely, as if he didn't pay much mind to the introduction at all.​

The archmage found it strange that a yordle would wander so far away from the safety of Bandle City. That place was essentially a paradise tucked away from the physical plane of Runeterra, locking out all potential invaders. Considering the frailty of the small creatures, it was best left that way. Ryze knew how monstrous humans could be. "Too fluffy, huh? That's a fair assessment," he replied, still wondering how a yordle could become like Poppy. He raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant statement. "You're just holding onto it?" he questioned, "You're holding that thing like it weighs nothing." Something about her story felt off, but he believed her for now.
​

Ryze shrugged. "The perpetrator must've used a displacement magic similar to my own, only to a much grander scale. Something like that would only be capable with a Worl--" He stopped himself from saying too much, and at the same time, came to a grim realization that made his heart sink.

"Wait. Did you say... 'from the same forest?'" he said plainly at first, but then his gaze locked with Poppy's, and a pained expression appeared on his face. "What do you mean from the same forest?" His voice echoed with defensive aggression as he took a step back from the warrior, entering a lower stance. "Were you following me?!"

Conflicting feelings swirled around in his mind; feelings of danger, panic, and worry mixed in with self-doubt. On one hand, it was all too coincidental; a strange yordle not only followed him on his way to the Demacian Vault, but was also transported here with him. Maybe this was all part of a plan to take his scroll and get the World Runes?

But, on the other hand, she really was just a yordle. That Demacian steel was genuine, there was no doubt about it, and her very presence radiated humility. How could she possibly be after him?

One thing was for certain, though. Ryze was becoming a bit senile.​

"Hi, I'm Poppy!" she quickly snuck in her own introduction, turning to smile and wave up at Clarisse and Sergeant Knox, "of De-ma-ci-a." she added with exaggerated emphasis, turning to directly address Ryze with the correction.



"Bah, I'm just doing it how the old man taught me," Poppy again humbly shrugged off Ryze's prying into her peculiar choice of armament, "Gotta make sure I don't die before I can pass it on, right?" she chuckled, very lightheartedly handling her dark humour.



Poppy blinked, and the conversation had quickly escalated escalating. Her soldier's instincts could immediately feel Ryze staring darts at her as the mage jerked around, as his voice grew in volume, and as his questions turned to accusations. Preemptively, Poppy raised her free hand in surrender, and made certain her hammer arm made no sudden moves. "It was just happenstance, h-honest!" she began with a slight stutter, though it was apparent she was trying to remain calm, maintaining direct eye-contact, "I've just been seeing you around for the past couple of years, and got curious what a mage was doing in a forest full of magic-eating trees so often! Besides, a-all I wanted to do was say thank you," Poppy continued, evidently finding it easier to calm down as she began to speak more genuinely, "I can't explain it, but that forest-...ugh, this sounds so much crazier coming out of my mouth than it did in my head...that forest has been alot...happier since you've started showing up," she eventually spat out after some long, anxious pauses.

@Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Minerva

@Ver @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Hahli Nuva @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Crowd​

"Fufufu. Felling armies of the undead and taking down a lich is only a fitting quest for a genius of the Crimson Demons who commands Explosion magic! Between my Explosion magic and your partner known as Chunchunmaru, we shall obliterate her vile presence!"

With an animated pose, Megumin shouted her resolve in a loud voice. Of course, who knew how actually capable they were of accomplishing anything, but the archwizard never let that get in the way of the spirit of things. The fact it'd make not suddenly starving due to strange circumstances a lot less likely certainly had no impact on her enthusiasm, though. Absolutely not.

"Yeah, explosive!" she turned to face Clarisse, giving her a thumbs up. "By the way, how did you learn Explosion magic anyway? It doesn't really look the same as mine, but a fellow explosion lover is always a friend of mine!"

@Ver @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd​

"A Yordle? You're so lucky to have those back in your lands. They look so nice and fuzzy- oh! Sorry, I think that was a little rude of me," Clarisse apologizes to Poppy. "So you're Poppy, aren't you? Well, it's nice to meet you~"

Clarisse then turns to Megumin.

"I'm honoured to not only meet a fellow explosion lover, but a fellow genius too, genius of the Crimson Demons!

Well, truth is... my explosions were originally birthed from... accidents in the alchemic practices my bloodline has practiced for generations. Any accident can be made a success if you're an alchemic genius! And that's about how I started using explosions as my main form of combat. They're really effective at getting the job done when you're fighting monsters and enemies alike! Everyone in your path just gets tossed left and right... it's a marvellous feeling..."

Clarisse conjures an orb of void in one hand and an orb of flame in the other.

"People say I'm a one-trick pony, but they can't be further from the truth! My explosions aren't just the strongest and mightiest explosions in the skies, they can yield different kinds of effects! That's why I give the specialized ones their own names. Here's Atomic Resolution, and this over here is Alchemic Flare, my signature attack!"

Both spheres of power were extinguished.

"What can you do with your explosions? Who taught you the art?"

@Kaykay @Ver @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crowd​

 

[0ttonomous]

Ryze
@Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah
@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crow @Crowd

Poppy blinked, and the conversation had quickly escalated. Her soldier's instincts could immediately feel Ryze staring darts at her as the mage jerked around, as his voice grew in volume, and as his questions turned to accusations. Preemptively, Poppy raised her free hand in surrender, and made certain her hammer arm made no sudden moves. "It was just happenstance, h-honest!" she began with a slight stutter, though it was apparent she was trying to remain calm, maintaining direct eye-contact, "I've just been seeing you around for the past couple of years, and got curious what a mage was doing in a forest full of magic-eating trees so often! Besides, a-all I wanted to do was say thank you," Poppy continued, evidently finding it easier to calm down as she began to speak more genuinely, "I can't explain it, but that forest-...ugh, this sounds so much crazier coming out of my mouth than it did in my head...that forest has been alot...happier since you've started showing up," she eventually spat out after some long, anxious pauses.​

Ryze remained squinting at the yordle, half-expecting some kind of surprise attack, but after her explanation and his own mental conflict, it was clear that there was no malevolent force conspiring against him. At least, not one with Poppy involved. He stood up straight, but kept a little bit of magic flowing through his body just enough to be barely visible. The situation wasn't that bad; it really must've been a coincidence. However, he couldn't allow her to find out about the World Runes, and he was still angry that he had been tracked for so long. "You were spying on me for years just to say thank you?" he exclaimed, "I can't fathom why you would wait that long just for something as trivial as that! Now I'm concerned about other people, or creatures, that might have saw me if you were able to slip by me that easily!"

...

He sighed deeply, dispelling some frustration along with the magic that was flowing through him. He figured he should at least consider himself lucky that it was a yordle that had been spying on him and not someone or something else. "You know, I appreciate the thought," he continued, averting his gaze with an expression of sorrow as images of destroyed lands flooded back into his mind, "You could say that my goal is preventing forests, or any other place of life really, from withering away and being destroyed." He paused, unsure if he should speak more of his quest. He needed to keep his burden a secret, but there was no problem with being vague about the World Runes, was there? "My job is a thankless one. I only do it because I must, and nobody else can. Sometimes I ask myself why I even care. Just once I'd like a good night's sleep, or even an ale."

He shook his head. "Enough about me. This is meaningless talk. I need to know about your ventures in Demacia. I assume this Orlon guy you mentioned earlier is the one who owned that hammer? Did he say anything about its origins?" At this point, the Rune Mage was grasping at straws in an attempt to find some kind of trace or clue to the last World Rune. He was now more aware of how much time he had been wasting in this world.​

 

[York]

Spoiler: Replies

"HOLD STEADY, MEN! WE CAN'T LET THEM INTO THE ENCLAVE!" A female voice shouted. There was slashing of swords, clashing of armor, and shouts of combat. blood stained the wood and stones in front of the city, Castle Neverwinter towering above them, clouded in shadow.

"Don't let Valindra take the gate!" A male voice shouted before it was cut off by a gagging sound.

"General Sabine, we can't hold out here much longer." another soldier shouted. "We need to fall back! We overreached!"

The woman would turn her head around to see that the line had broken. She nodded and slashed her sword.

"FALL BACK! HOLD DRAGON BRIDGE!" The woman shouted to the soldiers. There was another clatter of weapons, and the shout of "FOR NEVERWINTER!" as they turned to retreat.

From nearby, a figure would watch as the soldiers ran back to their defensible point. To their safe have that she was attempting to siege.

---

The Multiverse screamed. It was in pain, it was dying. Its heroes were being actively killed, its villains rising up. They were causing issues, thus it decided to go further. Pull from the bottom of itself and reach into the greater multiverse in an attempt to save itself.

Wherever you were in your world, whatever you were doing, if you closed your eyes for the briefest moment, you would feel a cold wind blow. You heard a great flap of wings above your head, felt the sensation of being carried. It was brief, but you felt it.

When you opened your eyes, you were in a city, but not one you recognized. Buildings looped above you and surrounded you. Unfamiliar sights and sounds pervaded your senses, and people mislled about normally despite the strangeness of it.

If you would close your eyes again, you would get the same sensation, only to open them in a completely separate city. This one seemed much more normal, the sky above you was blue with slight clouds, and

You appeared to be in some sort of city market. Merchants around you hawked goods, bards played songs on instruments, and children played. Everything seemed calm and peaceful. A woman stood in the shade, looking around. On her chest was a pin with a harp.

Several carts with wounded soldiers would drive through the city blocks towards the market, on the back of one would be a large dragon skull with a brunette woman riding in front of it. "Hail General Sabine! Hero of Neverwinter!" The man at the front would say. "Once again she fended off the hordes of the lich Valindra!" A cheering crowd gathered around, curious to see what was going on.

Meanwhile, several women in dresses and masks would walk around amongst the crowd. They all had different appearances, with several dwarves, elves, and tieflings standing in between the humans. They held several fliers in their hands. "Please come to The Moonstone Mask." they said, handing them out to various crowd members.

Where would you go?

---

@Alex Azure as Alucard (Castlevania)

Yours Truly as Aqua (Konosuba)

@Takumi as Arslan (Arslan Senki/Heroic Legend of Arslan)

@Crow as Clarisse (Granblue Fantasy)

@dark as Dante Aligheri (Dante's Inferno)

@York as Elizia (Runescape)

@Lucky as Fjord (Critical Role)

@Hahli Nuva as Lucina (Fire Emblem)

@Ver as Kazuma Satou (Konosuba)

@Kaykay as Megumin (Konosuba)

@Gummi Bunnies as Merlin (Fate Series)

@Bark as Nino (Fire Emblem)

@Archmage Jeremiah as Poppy (League of Legends)

@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Richter Belmont (Castlevania)

@Ottonomous Ghost as Ryze (League of Legends)

@Yun Lee as Taric (League of Legends)

@Jeremi as Scorpia (She-Ra)​

​

"HOLD STEADY, MEN! WE CAN'T LET THEM INTO THE ENCLAVE!" A female voice shouted. There was slashing of swords, clashing of armor, and shouts of combat. blood stained the wood and stones in front of the city, Castle Neverwinter towering above them, clouded in shadow.

"Don't let Valindra take the gate!" A male voice shouted before it was cut off by a gagging sound.

"General Sabine, we can't hold out here much longer." another soldier shouted. "We need to fall back! We overreached!"

The woman would turn her head around to see that the line had broken. She nodded and slashed her sword.

"FALL BACK! HOLD DRAGON BRIDGE!" The woman shouted to the soldiers. There was another clatter of weapons, and the shout of "FOR NEVERWINTER!" as they turned to retreat.

From nearby, a figure would watch as the soldiers ran back to their defensible point. To their safe have that she was attempting to siege.

---

The Multiverse screamed. It was in pain, it was dying. Its heroes were being actively killed, its villains rising up. They were causing issues, thus it decided to go further. Pull from the bottom of itself and reach into the greater multiverse in an attempt to save itself.

Wherever you were in your world, whatever you were doing, if you closed your eyes for the briefest moment, you would feel a cold wind blow. You heard a great flap of wings above your head, felt the sensation of being carried. It was brief, but you felt it.

When you opened your eyes, you were in a city, but not one you recognized. Buildings looped above you and surrounded you. Unfamiliar sights and sounds pervaded your senses, and people mislled about normally despite the strangeness of it.

If you would close your eyes again, you would get the same sensation, only to open them in a completely separate city. This one seemed much more normal, the sky above you was blue with slight clouds, and

You appeared to be in some sort of city market. Merchants around you hawked goods, bards played songs on instruments, and children played. Everything seemed calm and peaceful. A woman stood in the shade, looking around. On her chest was a pin with a harp.

Several carts with wounded soldiers would drive through the city blocks towards the market, on the back of one would be a large dragon skull with a brunette woman riding in front of it. "Hail General Sabine! Hero of Neverwinter!" The man at the front would say. "Once again she fended off the hordes of the lich Valindra!" A cheering crowd gathered around, curious to see what was going on.

Meanwhile, several women in dresses and masks would walk around amongst the crowd. They all had different appearances, with several dwarves, elves, and tieflings standing in between the humans. They held several fliers in their hands. "Please come to The Moonstone Mask." they said, handing them out to various crowd members.

Where would you go?

---

@Alex Azure as Alucard (Castlevania)

Yours Truly as Aqua (Konosuba)

@Takumi as Arslan (Arslan Senki/Heroic Legend of Arslan)

@Crow as Clarisse (Granblue Fantasy)

@dark as Dante Aligheri (Dante's Inferno)

@York as Elizia (Runescape)

@Lucky as Fjord (Critical Role)

@Hahli Nuva as Lucina (Fire Emblem)

@Ver as Kazuma Satou (Konosuba)

@Kaykay as Megumin (Konosuba)

@Gummi Bunnies as Merlin (Fate Series)

@Bark as Nino (Fire Emblem)

@Archmage Jeremiah as Poppy (League of Legends)

@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Richter Belmont (Castlevania)

@Ottonomous Ghost as Ryze (League of Legends)

@Yun Lee as Taric (League of Legends)

@Jeremi as Scorpia (She-Ra)​

From somewhere within the crowd, Aqua would come out. "KAZUMA! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME!?" She cried out towards him.

Several members of the crowd would throw off their cloaks, revealing hidden weapons. "MINTARNS GO HOME!" They shouted in unison. "We won't let the Lord-Pretender rule anymore! This is for Alagondar!" Several of them picked up rocks and started throwing them at the soldiers, meanwhile one with two daggers would start dodging through the crowd towards General Sabine.The crowd began to part and panic while those soldiers who could fight readied their shields.

@Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Ver @Gummi Bunnies @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay

​

"Damned Nashers have started another riot. Why won't they just accept that things change? Neverember's done a damn fine job with his plan." An older man complained. "And if they kill Sabine, well, who knows what will happen if Valindra returns. Might as well be signing their own death warrants." He scoffed.




"H-HEY!" Aqua would shout as she was pushed aside.

The figure would trip and wince in pain. It seemed Kazuma had hit him. As Arslan ran towards them, they turned around. The figure threw his daggers towards Kazuma before producing a crossbow and running towards a nearby building. The other rebels would continue throwing rocks as more of Sabine's soldiers readied their shields to block the incoming projectiles.



"I can't say that I have heard of The Fright Zone, unless you mean The Shadowfell, but you don't seem like you came from there." The woman said seriously. "Same goes for Runeterra. I'm sorry..."

She looked around the room. "I will help you all get back to where you come from. However, that's not the reason I called you here." She cleared her throat. "Have you all heard of the City of Sigil?"​

"It is a kingdom not from this era, Boward. I am not from this world, although I suppose you could have gathered that due to my attire. Can you tell me more about what's going on?"

Lucina smiled a bit at the woman, but then noticed a riot had seemingly broken out and that various warriors had entered the fray. She had hoped to not cause much of a conflict here and return home as soon as possible, but it appeared that this was not to be the case.

The princess placed a hand on her Falchion hilt, feeling the magic course through the metal and resonate from within her. If she had to, she would not hesitate to use it against human foes to keep the peace. It appeard her conversation with Boward would need to wait.

@Minerva

She shrugged. "I have no idea. It's just what people have always called it. It connects all of the planes, acts as a central hub. Either way, I sent out that invite because I hoped to get prospective adventurers here for a discussion about how something weird's been going on lately, something... Extraplanar." She looked around the room. "OH! Forgive my absentmindedness! Would you all like some food or drink?"

@Lucky @Yun Lee






The two daggers would embed themselves into a wooden column behind Aqua who proceeded to duck and run.

The guards would quickly tackle the now restrained and unconscious rioters. The one with the crossbow would struggle for a small bit, trying to grab at the whip, trying to untangle them self. However, Arslan's arrival would prevent the person from escaping. They stopped struggling and decided to submit, now weaponless.

A moment later, a very large man would walk on the scene, with several guards wearing armor with a different crest than the soldiers with Sabine.

Spoiler: Sergeant Knox

"What exactly is going on here, Sabine?" He demanded. "I heard explosions and thought Valindra had made it into the Enclave."

@Crow @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Hahli Nuva @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Ver​

Lucina had just arrived when the fight had ended, and now a large armored man was present, scolding his associate. The Future Witness chose to stay wary of her surroundings and watch, hand still on her Falchion hilt.

Some odd characters could be seen amongst the crowd, a young knight, a man in blue with a whip, and a girl in a red dress. They didn't look like they belonged here either. Were they brought here by the same force that sent her? Lucina had many questions, but jus tknowing where she was didn't even begin to answer the mountian of other questions.

Something was going on.

She just had to figure it out. For now, she would observe the next few interactions and surmise her own course of action. Lucina would reach into her belt, puling her black butterfly mask from within and placing it in front of her face, concealing her view. She would have to use her old Marth trick again, until she was sure she could trust these strange new people. Lucina completed her disguise by tucking her hair away, making it look like she had short hair, much like her old hero king himself.

@Crow @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Minerva @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Ver

The figure that Arslan had pinned would reach up to pull of their hood and mask, revealing a woman. “A word of advice: Next time you grab someone, be sure to check them thoroughly.” She said. With a flick of her wrist, a piece of wood came out of her sleeve, lit up, and she disappeared, leaving her cloak behind.






Knox and Sabine would confer for a minute before Knox turned around. “I see what happened here. A group of Nashers tried to assassinate Sabine but you all stepped in before that could happen. One of your mages cast a spell which caused an explosion, but all the Nashers were caught. Excellent work, then. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sergeant Knox, commander of the Neverwinter City Guard,”

Meanwhile, you would notice a blonde elf watching from nearby. When noticed, she would proceed to run off.

@dark @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @Kaykay @crowd​

With the commotion settled down and resolved, Merlin let out a sigh of relief. At least that was out of the way for now. Thankfully there were multiple others present, there was no telling what could've happened if it were only him resolving the issue.

❝ Wonderful work, everyone! It must be the work of fate that we are all gathered here, hm? ❞ The mage gleams happily with a smile, applauding the nearby group. Maybe they could work together on putting an end to this Valindra and return to their rightful homes. For a moment, he notices the strange woman flee the scene once eye contact was made, but he didn't pay any attempts to go after her. Not when it turns out that Sergeant Knox was now present with General Sabine. Surely this was fruitful timing!

❝ Ah, so you are Sergeant Knox. My apologies if this is rather hasty to offer after such an unruly attempt on Sabine's life had been taken care of, but I would like to enlist my assistance to the collective cause against that lich Valindra. My name is Merlin, a mere wandering mage of flowers. It's my pleasure to become acquainted. ❞ He wasted no time to step over towards Knox and Sabine to finally introduce himself and express that he wanted to play a part in the fight against Valindra. At the same time, Merlin casually gestured his staff in the general direction of everyone that helped fend off the rebels. Much like he was speaking for the group even though they've only known each other for less than an hour.

@Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kaykay @Ver @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Gummi Bunnies @dark @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @Crowd​

Elizia - Prologue; Ashdale's Hero

"Some heroes are born, possessing natural gifts that lift them ebove the ordinary. From the day they first drew breath, they had their destiny written out for them."

"Some heroes are made, their strength is the result of hardship and toil. Their will and perserverence, became their greatest asset."

"Some heroes live for adventure, confronting terrible dangers in pursuit of riches and fame. They live in the moment, revelling in their victories and plunder."

"While others fight to protect those who cannot defend themselves. Their strength, becomes not a sword, but a shield, to defend those in need."

"But some heroes have more... Unlikely origins"

Such was the story of Elizia.

On a dark and stormy night, the usually peacefull Ashdale, far away from the mainland that was Gielinor was ravaged by a particularly nasty storm. The sea churned with such frightening ferocity, that no ship dared go near the Island to deliver supplies, or so the residents thought.

But some, like Sarah, still young at the time... Could swear they saw sails some ways offshore, flapping uncontrolleably in the winds. Whatever flag the ship bore was too torn to make out, but alas, by the time Gudrik, a well known Dwarven hero at this point went to investigate... He found little sign of another ship approaching the battered docks of Ashdale. Although he could have sworn he heard a sound, like something snapping at some point.

However, on the beach nearby, he caught sight of something brown, just barely clinging to the shoreline. Too big to be driftwood, but too far away to make out the details.

Despite how cold he was, soaked by the pouring rain, he decided on a whim... To investigate.

To his surprise, he found a young girl. Her hair was a orangish brown color, almost like copper, but more refined, and her skin was rather pale, like a ghost at the time. She was shivering, and barely clinging onto life.

No-one could say where she came from, nor how she arrived here... But that wasn't something Gudrik thought about in that moment. As a hero, he had sworn to protect those who couldn't protect themselves, and so, he took her in... Nursing her back to health in his own home on Ashdale, and consequently retiring at last as an adventurer.

Overtime, as the young girl regained her strength, she found herself in good hands. Not just in the case of Gudrik, but the entirety of Ashdale; it was after all a peacefull town, far away from the troubles and turmoil that the mainland would often undergo. A place where people could live an easy, uneventfull life.

It wasn't long before Gudrik gave her a name. 'Elizia'.

And though she had the option of taking on a last name, she chose not to... Deciding it was too troublesome, for someone who had no past before Ashdale as far as she knew.

But as time went on, Elizia found that she wasn't quite satisfied. Even after having bonded with the various townsfolk, and becoming close friends with Sarah, as they both ended up growing up together.

From her first days at Ashdale, she took great interest in Gudriks tales of his adventures all over Gielinor. Even though he lost his arm to a nasty run-in with some Kalphites, he still kept at it for many years until that fatefull day Elizia had arrived on the Island.

It wasn't long that she began to yearn for adventures of her own. She wanted to join the ranks that Gudrik once had, and explore Gielinor, protecting those that needed it... Plundering ancient treasures, study and fight many creatures, so on so forth.

But, it wasn't a role she could take on just like that.

So Gudrik instead, resolved to train her... Passing on all the knowledge and experience he had amassed during his time as an adventurer to her. Although this knowledge was a bit dated, it became the foundation for Elizia's own way of learning and adapting to the everchanging environment around her.

Not long after Gudrik taught her all that he could, Gielinor's demand for more heroes seemed to peak at that point. And after saving Ashdale from a necromancer that Gudrik had invoked the ire of... And someone had revived, she said her goodbyes to the townsfolk she had come to know and love, setting sail for Gielinor, where she would amass many skills and abilities, making many new friends along the way.

But even after many years of adventuring and amassing her skills, she never did forget about Ashdale, even saving it once more from a threat that came beneath the sea.

She would always make a note to return to the place she had called home for so long... And told Sarah tales of her adventures like Gudrik once did. She also visited Gudrik too, who had made his home on the mainland, near the port of Taverly. He was after all, like a father to her.

Though... One day... Elizia found herself whisked away when she had taken a moment to rest and recover her stamina, to a place which she could not name... A place far away from Gielinor, and those that she had come to know during her days adventuring.

This was where a new chapter in Elizia's story would begin.

A story, some may know... As 'Neverwinter'.

---

Elizia arrived later than others, just in time to bear witness to a commotion with a crowd. Though she only had what she hadn't banked on her, which was... Some basic runes, and the three sets of weapons and armor she had carried, each representing a part of the combat triangle; magic, ranged, and melee, she decided to intervene.

However, before she could... Some others in the group had apparently taken the liberty of putting a stop to the trouble makers themselves.

It was soon revealed they were called 'Nashers', specifically... They were a group of assassins associated with them who had been targetting a woman called 'Sabine', the woman in blue gear, dressed like... An adventurer!

Yes! Though this place was foreign to her, the fact that there were adventurers even here, made her feel a bit more at home.

It allowed the confident demeanor she usually had to return as she strode up to Sargeant Knox, who had shown up in time to arrest the Nashsers, seeming to regard this as a standard opportunity to volunteer for some kind of quest.

"I don't know who this 'Valindra' is, but I will gladly lend my hand against her forces. I, Elizia of Ashdale... Am at your service!" She said, offering somewhat of an informal salute.

Although, for a moment... Her attention was drawn by a strange elfish looking girl that had disappeared into the crowd. While her focus was mostly on the Sargeant, and any others that were around her, she did have to wonder if that girl could be offering something else for her. Perhaps... A sidequest?

@Kaykay @Ver @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @Gummi Bunnies
@Crowd​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

Ryze remained squinting at the yordle, half-expecting some kind of surprise attack, but after her explanation and his own mental conflict, it was clear that there was no malevolent force conspiring against him. At least, not one with Poppy involved. He stood up straight, but kept a little bit of magic flowing through his body just enough to be barely visible. The situation wasn't that bad; it really must've been a coincidence. However, he couldn't allow her to find out about the World Runes, and he was still angry that he had been tracked for so long. "You were spying on me for years just to say thank you?" he exclaimed, "I can't fathom why you would wait that long just for something as trivial as that! Now I'm concerned about other people, or creatures, that might have saw me if you were able to slip by me that easily!"

...

He sighed deeply, dispelling some frustration along with the magic that was flowing through him. He figured he should at least consider himself lucky that it was a yordle that had been spying on him and not someone or something else. "You know, I appreciate the thought," he continued, averting his gaze with an expression of sorrow as images of destroyed lands flooded back into his mind, "You could say that my goal is preventing forests, or any other place of life really, from withering away and being destroyed." He paused, unsure if he should speak more of his quest. He needed to keep his burden a secret, but there was no problem with being vague about the World Runes, was there? "My job is a thankless one. I only do it because I must, and nobody else can. Sometimes I ask myself why I even care. Just once I'd like a good night's sleep, or even an ale."

Poppy breathed a sigh of relief as Ryze lowered his guard some, and her large ears flopped against the sides of her head to defend against the rogue mage's paranoid scoldings. But as he began to speak of his goal - of his lot in life - her ears pricked up again, and she looked upon his thousand-yard stare with unbound curiosity. Listening to him ramble, and answering his seemingly infinite well of questions, Poppy found it difficult to find the right words to say in reply as she was overcome by the fleeting sensation of nostalgia.
​

He shook his head. "Enough about me. This is meaningless talk. I need to know about your ventures in Demacia. I assume this Orlon guy you mentioned earlier is the one who owned that hammer? Did he say anything about its origins?" At this point, the Rune Mage was grasping at straws in an attempt to find some kind of trace or clue to the last World Rune. He was now more aware of how much time he had been wasting in this world.

Poppy jumped as the mage again jerked around to meet her gaze, but this time she quickly averted her eyes. "O-Oh, yeah, the hammer? I think I still remember what Orlon told me..." pausing to clear her throat and comb through her memories, Poppy took a deep breath in.

"The hammer was sculpted from petricite, in the sacred grove the first Demacians found refuge in during the Rune Wars, by none other than the legendary Durand. The father of petricite personally granted Orlon the weapon for his bravery in leading the wayward refugees against the destructive power of magic, weaving him the tale of a hero,"
​

"a hero with the will to unite the disparate people of Demacia,"

View attachment 3580​

"and the courage to lead them through the dark, into the future."
​

View attachment 3581

"When Orlon could no longer wield the hammer, he granted it to me, and I vowed to carry on his duty of finding that great hero. For Demacia to survive, I have to find that hero." Poppy firmly finished.

View attachment 3582

"Er, whoops, you got me monologuing!" the yordle caught herself with a red-faced chuckle.

@Ottonomous Ghost

@Minerva @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Kaykay @York @dark @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies​

 

[Gummi Bunnies]

❝ Such fortunate timing, another has arrived to lend their hand in our efforts against this lich! ❞ Merlin didn't waste time to notice that another person happened to stumble into their bustling party and expressed the same goal to fight against Valindra. From the looks of it, this new face was an adventurer of sorts, and had the same confused feeling much like everyone else. While not entirely the same, this Elizia gave a similar presence that reminded him of that lone king of knights. He couldn't help but smile at that thought, on how he couldn't go on without thinking about such a thing.

❝ On the off chance, dearest adventurer Elizia of Ashdale, do note that this humble mage will lend a helping hand whenever possible. Sometimes without you knowing~ ❞ The mage of flowers flashes a quick wink over at Elizia.

@Kaykay @Ver @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ottonomous Ghost @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @Archmage Jeremiah @dark @York @Crowd​

 

[0ttonomous]

Ryze
@Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah
@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crow @Crowd

​

Poppy jumped as the mage again jerked around to meet her gaze, but this time she quickly averted her eyes. "O-Oh, yeah, the hammer? I think I still remember what Orlon told me..." pausing to clear her throat and comb through her memories, Poppy took a deep breath in.

"The hammer was sculpted from petricite, in the sacred grove the first Demacians found refuge in during the Rune Wars, by none other than the legendary Durand. The father of petricite personally granted Orlon the weapon for his bravery in leading the wayward refugees against the destructive power of magic, weaving him the tale of a hero,"
​

"a hero with the will to unite the disparate people of Demacia,"

​

"and the courage to lead them through the dark, into the future."​

"When Orlon could no longer wield the hammer, he granted it to me, and I vowed to carry on his duty of finding that great hero. For Demacia to survive, I have to find that hero." Poppy firmly finished.

"Er, whoops, you got me monologuing!" the yordle caught herself with a red-faced chuckle.​

She knows of the Rune Wars? he thought to himself, mildly taken aback by how much she knew. Her knowing of the Rune Wars wasn't bad in of itself -- some of the few people in the world with more than half a brain knew about it -- but he worried that, even though he managed to avoid mentioning his keeping of the World Runes, it wasn't a stretch for her to put two and two together.

When her explanation ended, he realized something. If she had been living during the time not too long after the Rune Wars, then Poppy was, relatively, a bit younger than him. Yordles were magical beings, after all; it was only natural that they could live for a very long time. But, this further increased the probability of Poppy figuring out what he'd been doing in that forest.

He decided not to worry about that for now and instead attempted to think of any ties between Durand's hammer and the last World Rune. Of course, there didn't seem to be any. The likelihood of that was extremely low, but he had asked anyway because it didn't hurt to try.

"An interesting story," Ryze finally said, despite his monotonous voice. He eventually smiled slightly, recognizing the theme their stories had in common. "Hope for a brighter future is a wonderful thing to have. It's something I'm beginning to lack these days, though."

Still, it was a bit strange that, after all those years, she was still searching for this mysterious person.

"Even after several generations have passed, the hero still hasn't shown up?" he asked, the question sounding more rhetorical than anything else.​

 

[Archmage Jeremiah]

Ryze
@Ottonomous Ghost @Archmage Jeremiah
@Kaykay @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Ver @Hahli Nuva @Takumi @dark @Gummi Bunnies @Crow @Crowd

​

She knows of the Rune Wars? he thought to himself, mildly taken aback by how much she knew. Her knowing of the Rune Wars wasn't bad in of itself -- some of the few people in the world with more than half a brain knew about it -- but he worried that, even though he managed to avoid mentioning his keeping of the World Runes, it wasn't a stretch for her to put two and two together.

When her explanation ended, he realized something. If she had been living during the time not too long after the Rune Wars, then Poppy was, relatively, a bit younger than him. Yordles were magical beings, after all; it was only natural that they could live for a very long time. But, this further increased the probability of Poppy figuring out what he'd been doing in that forest.

He decided not to worry about that for now and instead attempted to think of any ties between Durand's hammer and the last World Rune. Of course, there didn't seem to be any. The likelihood of that was extremely low, but he had asked anyway because it didn't hurt to try.

"An interesting story," Ryze finally said, despite his monotonous voice. He eventually smiled slightly, recognizing the theme their stories had in common. "Hope for a brighter future is a wonderful thing to have. It's something I'm beginning to lack these days, though."

Still, it was a bit strange that, after all those years, she was still searching for this mysterious person.

"Even after several generations have passed, the hero still hasn't shown up?" he asked, the question sounding more rhetorical than anything else.​

At the question, Poppy took a deep breath out, and every bit of her sunk; her body and spirit tired and sullen. "Nope..." she answered, "and every time I think I've found the hero, they end up trampled by crag beasts, gored by tuskvores, or incinerated by uppity mages," Poppy huffed, "then it's back on the road, just me and the hammer," Poppy puffed her chest back out, and shrugged - the light in her eyes and the pep in her step completely renewed in an instant.

@Ottonomous Ghost

@Minerva @Crow @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Kaykay @York @dark @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies​

 

[Hahli Nuva]

Lucina decided to introduce herself, still choosing to hide behind her mask. She didn't know how long she'd need to keep up this ruse, but if she could trust these people, then it would all work out and she'd be that much closer to coming home.

Walking up to General Knox, Lucina gave the man a short nod.

"Call me Marth. I've heard some of the townsfolk mention this 'Valindra' and I offer my blade in service to eliminating her for the good of your kingdom."

Lucina felt a dark presence since the moment she arrived. It was a sickening and twisted knot in her stomach, not unlike fighting Grima in her future. The main difference between that event and this was clear to Lucina.

She could still stop the cataclysm before it occured.

And this time, she wasn't alone, or facing unstoppable odds. For once, a stable sigh left the azure knight.


@Ottonomous Ghost @Minerva @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @Ver @Kaykay @dark @Gummi Bunnies

 

[Minerva]

Liset would smile. “Very well! Let us eat, then!” She said, leaving the room. She would be gone a few minutes before coming in with plates of food. It was a veritable feast, with meat and vegetables and fruit! She then brought in alcohol for everyone, all on the house.

When it was done, she smiled, said “Thank you” and sent everyone off to find Sergeant Knox for more information.


Chapter One: Of Fire and Flame

"The hardest part about fighting a necromancer is that the more of your troops that you lose, the more soldiers they gain, and some of those soldiers have the faces of those you once knew as friends."
- Captain Robin Carter, A Guardsman's Lament

Knox would clear up the scene with the help of the guards and the Mintarns. He paid for everyone to stay the night at an inn and for all their food. It was a quiet night, with people watching and whispering about the strangers from the shadows. They were oddities for sure, with their strange ways and clothes.

The next morning, Knox would call everyone together into the market. There was no evidence of the chaos from the previous .day. He began to speak. “Now, we have some work we need to do today. Quartermaster Otus has gone missing in the vaults below the Hall of Justice. He was supposed to fetch the Crown of Neverwinter, but we think something happened to him. Someone needs to investigate it. Some suspicious activity has been located in the Plague Tower. I think it may have something to do with your situation. I will personally lead a team to investigate. Who volunteers?”

Suddenly, a guard dressed in Mintarn armor would run in, an arrow in his shoulder. "Sir, Valindra's at Dragon Bridge. Sabine's calling for more aid. They can’t hold the wall much longer.” He winced in pain.

"What? It's only been a... Alright, those of you who wish to aid Sabine, go to Dragon Bridge. Those who wish to get the crown, head to the Hall of Justice, tell the guards that I sent you. Those who wish to figure out exactly what’s going on, follow me.” Sergeant Knox said, picking up his axe.

Where would you go?

---

@Alex Azure as Alucard (Castlevania)

Yours Truly as Aqua (Konosuba)

@Takumi as Arslan (Arslan Senki/Heroic Legend of Arslan)

@Crow as Clarisse (Granblue Fantasy)

@dark as Dante Aligheri (Dante's Inferno)

@York as Elizia (Runescape)

@Lucky as Fjord (Critical Role)

@Hahli Nuva as Lucina (Fire Emblem)

@Ver as Kazuma Satou (Konosuba)

@Kaykay as Megumin (Konosuba)

@Gummi Bunnies as Merlin (Fate Series)

@Bark as Nino (Fire Emblem)

@Archmage Jeremiah as Poppy (League of Legends)

@CrunchyCHEEZIT as Richter Belmont (Castlevania)

@Ottonomous Ghost as Ryze (League of Legends)

@Yun Lee as Taric (League of Legends)

@Jeremi as Scorpia (She-Ra)​