KENOMA | voice, forward-dated to the onset of tdm dreams

[lockedon]

[ Hello resident Kenomies, guess who???

Actually if you have no idea who this asshole is, that's okay, because rest assured he doesn't want to get to know most of you either. Unfortunately, business calls, and for the sake of not looking like an absolute gaggle of buffoons in front of the Regent a second time, everyone's neighborhood-(un)friendly furry is here to begrudgingly use Mind Twitter™ to make a public briefing.

It's largely voice only, because Eustace prefers to keep things impersonal, and shot through with an undercurrent of business-like terseness. ]

I'll make this quick. Many of us here don't have the experience to engage in a fistfight, let alone any sort of actual war. [ Or whatever the hell is going on here with the Regent and their plan for world destruction. ] For those of you with no combat experience but wanting to learn, Ciel and I are willing to teach you. Both of us are skilled in hand-to-hand combat, battlefield strategy, as well as various weapons. Emet-Selch has also volunteered his services, if you're looking for something outside the usual sphere.

[ Like magic, maybe.

But wait, there's more! From a different person no less. Still voice, and maybe some may recognize this one as part of a very exclusive club of Kenomas who not only did NOT get chewed out by the Regent, but also seemed to have gained their approval?? She’s sounding just as serious, but oddly also gives off the vibes of a science teacher of some sort, hm…]

I am not well placed to teach it, but I do have experience and understanding of magic. The possibilities in Horos are far greater too, the Regent themselves have said that anyone can develop powerful abilities regardless of their beginnings. According to Xishen, Aion powers don't adhere to any particular ruleset, they are mainly reflective of the person developing them: their wants, their needs, their expectations, towards themselves and the world around them. Those of us who already have supernatural powers merely retain traits we used to have in our previous lives.

Knowing that, we can help each other form ideas for personalized abilities you may wish to develop. They do not necessarily have to be combat oriented either, having combat oriented application is enough. For example, conjuring light: such a power would be most practical in navigating across low visibility spaces, but can be used to blind someone else in a pinch. Ways to harness it inwards instead of trying to influence your environment outwards can also be effective, such as reinforcing your own body to become stronger and more durable if you were mainly used to physical brawls before. Don’t be restricted by ideas of magic if you only knew it as fiction before, there’s much that can be done.

[ Eustace is happy to let Ciel explain this particular bit, because he sure as hell has no practical experience in this department. He's already moving on to cover something else anyway. ]

Additionally, preparation includes researching the opposition. If you know anything about the Pleroma, especially about any skills or powers they have, let the rest of us know.

We’ll start things off and group them by individual, prioritizing the strongest ones in combat. Please feel free to add names or faces, it’s fine if they’re a stranger as long as you remember what they look like and the powers they exhibited. I’ll be making a physical copy of notes for what we compile, it will be available to reference on demand.

[ Thanks for being the minutes keeper, Ciel. To close everything out, there's one last switch back to Eustace. ]

If you have any questions, ask.

[ There are indeed such things as stupid questions here, but at least the Regent won't be the one judging you for them. Maybe.

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OOC NOTES—

TL;DR: IC training offer/regain ideas power brainstorming/Pleroma shittalking powers notes comparing 3-for-1! We can handwave the training montages, for the two other points threadjacking is highly encouraged! Pleroma info compiling will happen under its separate TL, feel free to add new TLs under that with a name or url to someone’s icon (because why bother learning what the enemy is called, right) in the subject line if it’s someone your character would ICly want to draw attention to, it’s what Ciel and Eustace are doing based after their own PVP experiences. As per mod clarification to communion, this transmission will “float” around for about a day, which should give characters the opportunity to pitch in on whatever topic they want. We hope this all made sense! Feel free to ping us in the Discord/shoot us a PM with any OOC questions.

Also just in case: black = Eustace, blue = Ciel. ]

Comments

PLEROMA INFO CONSOLIDATING

[expiera]

ESTINIEN WYRMBLOOD

[expiera]

[She knows what the feral lizard warrior man is called because some bleeding heart priest gave both his first and last name within her earshot, that's it, that's the only reason. The projection of the name also comes with visual reference, since she's seen his skinny giant frame up close.]

-High threat level, do NOT engage if lacking extensive combat experience and powers to match him
-Magic capable, channels destructive energies through his hands
-Athletic and agile, can leap several meters into the air
-Has draconic ties judging by the power he wields and his name
-Will be more dangerous properly armed, likely uses a melee weapon with some range i.e. broadsword, polearm

Avoid him if possible, don't hesitate to call for backup otherwise. The man is an experienced warrior.

[Who also mauled her but uh, details? Not REALLY worth mentioning tbh so moving on!]

DEXTERA

[affal]

Dextera.

( with the name makoto conjures an image of the young man, for any who hadn't encountered him before. )

Be very wary when letting him get too close to you.
In my encounter with him, he reached out to grab my arm and shocked me with some sort of... energy. While it didn't have any lasting consequences, I am leery of what might have happened if it had persisted any longer than it had.
The sensation that it gave is difficult to explain, but it was incredibly unpleasant.

( that being, of course, because his powers of purification had directly targeted the distortion and warping that his human soul had undergone after becoming a demon. not having any idea of the specifics, however, that's the best makoto can give here. )

ERNESTO SALAS

[affal]

Ernesto.

( another name, another image: a blond golden retriever dogboy many might know and love. )

I don't know anything about his combat abilities. I didn't fight him.
Do not underestimate him. In our interactions, I have found him to be very clever.

ABEL NIGHTROAD

[affal]

Abel.

( an image of the tall, silver-haired priest. )

I am aware I speak the obvious, but the man has a soft and hesitating heart.
It can be used to one's advantage.

DOKJA KIM

[expiera]

[...how does she talk about the weirdo she choked and whipped without making it obvious it's some weirdo she choked and whipped,

This also comes with visual reference (yes she chose that face on purpose)! tfw you're so HECKING weird the party kicking your ass felt compelled to ask,]

-Talks big and asks pointless questions
-In possession of many superhuman abilities including sudden bursts of great agility, growing fur from his neck, channelling thunderous magic in his hand with enough power to punch through a building
-Has clear combat experience
-Mentally unwell (wants to be beaten up?)

An odd case. He can fight and fight well, but would likely try to talk first and potentially underplay his abilities. Pay attention to his demeanour.

[It's as politely as she could make it sound, summarizing her impressions from the two times she's dealt with him. Would it have been worth mentioning his Legacy? ...Oh well, maybe she can add it later or something.

The strike part would... have mental fuzz, almost like interference/uncertainty, she wasn't sure if she should include that or not so may not be immediately received in any obvious manner! If characters focus REALLY hard they may pick up the strike-through part, Ciel is only doing her civic Kenomie duty o7]

YOO JOONGHYUK

[epiprocta]

[ No name, just the flash of a face. ]

dangerous
can use some sort of inhuman speed and strength
seems pretty experienced with combat
says he's willing to kill but doesn't seem like he'd do it for fun

[ For the record, though, he's participating in this stupid activity purely out of necessity -- contributing only what feels like a really obvious omission and not much more, and only to avoid getting himself into any trouble. This sort of conniving shit's exhausting, ugh, didn't he deal with enough of it back home ... ]

CAITLYN KIRAMMAN

[expiera]

[No name this time paging local bitchy boomer ex crime lord for full deets, just the image of a serious woman with long blue hair in a similar shade to her own.]

-Experienced with combat situations
-Does not appear capable of magical attacks or enhancements, but did materialize a gun
-Good shot with keen aim, proficient with daggers and firearms
-Righteous, inquisitive, and sharp of senses

She will likely try talking first, and opt for non-lethal blows if forced to engage. Only consider the option if confident in your own prior combat experiences.

[The other woman was someone she spoke to before fighting, interacted with enough to put together something rudimentary. Lawful and idealistic... Maybe they could've gotten along, in a very, very different world.]

Cid

[lachtara]

Cid nan Garlond. [ Oh, yes. He will introduce him with the Garlean name attached. ]

He has no combat capability which I know, but Cid uses his skills in the form of technological support. He is a Magitek engineer who is capable of building great and powerful machines meant to help or hinder.

He was once a prodigy with a position of prestige who later defected from his homeland. Why, he's even responsible for rending an entire city asunder with one of his machines.

Himeka Sui

[lachtara]

Himeka, whereby in her homeland as "The Champion of Eorzea" or "Warrior of Light." She is one given the 'blessing of Light' which gives her an affinity for light magic. She has saved her world from magical beasts and freed foreign nations.

She boasts powerful healing spells and elemental spells. I cannot say how powerful they are in this place, but I will summarize them regardless:

Healing magic allows her to raise allies from unconsciousness, provide them their full health, and cure that which ails. Her elemental magic boasts skills of fire, ice, thunder, and that which bears no element.

[ There is a noticable pause. ]

She also would insist that I eat before a fight.

MOIRAINE DAMODRED

[vapour]

[ another image with no actual name. ]

Refuses to hurt you if you don't hurt her first. Powerful mage, doesn't seem to lose her cool or be easily provoked. I imagine trying to convert her will be one of the hardest tasks.

ELEVEN

[perfectlygoodbird]

[Meteion...has been debating on precisely what she wants to do, but she told the Regent that she would be prudent. And that means...giving information where it might do the most good. So, fellow kenomies, have an image of a young man.]

I know him as Eleven. He is...some sort of holy acolyte, from everything I could tell? He did me no harm while we traveled together, and while we were all in the cavern, he was one of the ones who truly suffered. But when the Plenoma were escaping, he helped support the teleport spell, and summoned some sort of shield to prevent the combatants on our side from harrying those attempting to escape.

GABRANTH

[perfectlygoodbird]

[It might be easy to feel some reticence from Meteion, here, yet there's another image of a stern-looking man, his face grubby from the strain of kenoma sickness, but no less resolute for all of that.]

This is Gabranth. He seems like he is some sort of fighting man--during our journey, he regularly challenged the guards and was chastised for it. He has some forms of magic, as well, though I do not know much about magic at all, so I cannot say more than that. Be wary if you challenge him--he will not back down from a fight.

[affal]

( ANYWAYS, for the portion of this post that isn't shit-talking:

it's never particularly pleasant for makoto to admit that he needs help, but he's not so obtusely proud that he would turn it down when it's being freely offered. the impression that his voice gives across the span of Communion is very guarded, like someone who insists on speaking behind a partition. )

For the past few weeks, I have been dedicating no insignificant amount of time to training in arms with my retainer. As it is... I will admit freely that I still have far to go before I even begin to match the more formidable fighters in our ranks. If either of you would be willing, I would be appreciative for whatever assistance you can lend, and I will be sure to one day repay the gift of your expertise in kind.

( a short pause, and a brief pivot: )

Ciel. Regarding these magical abilities... Am I correct to assume that they just manifest themselves at random? Has anyone else experienced this yet? I understand the concept of trying to form for yourself a notion of what you might want to be able to achieve, but it seems rather inert if it's impossible to tell when — or if — those abilities will take root in the first place.

[expiera]

[That he comes off so guarded is a little odd, but she thinks nothing of it. He IS a demon, and demons naturally have their own standards, especially one from a world whose rules and hierarchies she is unfamiliar with.]

Of course. Let us know your availability and what you hope to achieve, that you're willing is enough for us.

[She follows along his pivot, seamless in its transition.]

I have no concrete example to reference, but spontaneous manifestation seems as likely as a process of gradual buildup. Xishen would likely know more details, as one of the few Aions remaining who've lingered on this plane for more than decades following the last great war. She did already teach us about communion, too. That said, the more of us try, the more likely we'll also have results to compare among ourselves. I've made a suggestion to Amos some time back he was receptive to, but I haven't checked back with him about it since.

[He might be a potential point of reference, whether he decides to chime in or they reach out to him first.]

[lockedon]

[ Personally, he doesn't care what Makoto has to hide as long as he's not actively sabotaging his fellow Kenoma. They all have skeletons in the closet, it's Fine. Ciel has already replied but: ]

Sure. Let me know what times you're available and what you're interested in learning.

[lifespanned]

[ Hopefully everyone wants to hear her excitable, energetic voice over mind twitter, because that's what they're getting an earful of. ]

Hey, so I was thinking, shouldn't we be trying to come up with powers that compliment each other's? That'd be the most effective.

[ She sounds so very sure of this idea... despite her claims to be completely normal, she's very energetic about this discussion. Because this is her chance to be useful to her comrades and the Regent!! It's very important!! ]

Like, I've been thinking of how I might be able to help, even if I'm no good in a physical fight. Something that would give everyone a big advantage. Kind of like a status effect or something...? Do you get what I mean? Do you think those kinds of things are helpful...? It totally would be, right? Not everyone can be a big tough guy.

[ This is about 50% her thinking this would be an awesome type of ability to have, and 50% her thinking 'there's no way in hell I'm doing pushups and actually (warrior male voice) training and fighting'. ]

[vapour]

Even the strongest of the strong can be taken down if they are disadvantaged enough.

I think it's a great idea, Misa-chan.

[lockedon]

[ Misa is truly the MVP here. Too bad her romantic tastes are such garbage. :/ But he can put that aside for the sake of Business™. ]

Support from the backline is just as important fighting on the frontlines. [ Says someone who is usually......support..... ] Were there specific effects you were considering?

[oomfies]

[ Since she isn't so sure about getting help from the guy who got #banned at dinner (sorry Emet), Lottie comes to immediately agree with Misa. Girls supporting girls, etc, but also this idea isn't really all to bad for the normies out there! ]

So true! I was also thinking maybe everyone should get good at disguises? There's no way we aren't going to go do spy stuff at some point.

[zauneyete]

Personally, I've been of a similar mind as you. Some of us are less sturdy than others, after all. Or aren't really keen on getting our...bodies destroyed. I'm not quite sure how that one works yet.

[ Self-preservation club, go. ]

Personally, if we have several with the ability to... support our companions, we could likely have some of us spread out throughout whatever... field, or cave, we happen to get stuck in.

[galdorleod]

Emet-Selch offered to help teach others magic?

[ Makes sense, really - he's got to get back on the Regent's good side somehow. Still, why wouldn't you offer to share your secrets with Howl, old man? ]

Well. I for one can attest to his impressive command of magic. Just make sure you call him by his full name; he's a bit touchy over that, for some reason.

[lockedon]

We spoke of it briefly awhile back.

[ Will speak about it. Timelines. ]

He was very adamant on ensuring our success in the future.

[lachtara]

[ He is sighing so hard at having to participate. It can't be seen, but it can somehow be heard that he is just rubbing his forehead trying to fend off a headache. ]

Magic itself may not be taught here, but teaching how to properly wield it - and wield it effectively - is within the realm of what can be taught.

Aside from that. We needn't forget that this city has a sizable army. We would do well to leverage their resources as our own. We only stand to benefit from natives' experience in battle and may be able to obtain other resources besides.

Once our allies receive training, splitting them into offensive and defensive roles can ensure that we use each individual's strengths to their advantage. It allows for coordinating battles more effectively and keeping those who would rather not participate from becoming liabilities.

[ Coiuld he go on? Yes. ]

[lockedon]

[ Good point re: the local military. He's just gonna ignore that lowkey exasperation for everyone's sake. ]

Given your [ ..... ] current status, it might be better for one of us to ask the Regent regarding use of the army.

[ Probably Ciel, because she IS one of the favored children. As for the rest... ]

Are you volunteering to take charge of assigning us roles?

[oomfies]

[ This was... A lot of talking!! And Lottie got about bored halfway and resorted to painting her toes with ye olde paint™ until she got to the good bits: the shit talking. It's why she's a lot more peppy when she starts speaking, ]

Wow! This timing is actually perfect. Ciel, I've been meaning to contact you! I just bought some whips with Eustace and he said you'd be a good place to start with learning.

[ A pause, clearly her thinking aloud if the hum that follows is anything to go by. ]

And I guess for everything else.. [ Since this post wasn't just made as a way for Lottie to be sexy and cool slinging a whip around. ] What's a good power for someone who doesn't know how to fight?

[ Unspoken words: someone who has asthma. ]

1/2

[expiera]

[...Eustace?? She is NOT the resident whip lady, she's used them ONE TIME because the Hylician soldiers kindly offered, is this her reputation now??? "Freak-who-bled-all-over-the-cavern-floors" is honestly kinda preferable next to this???

--That is!! Please just overlook the mental splutter of ?!?, it lasts for only a heartbeat anyway. MORE IMPORTANTLY!!!]

[vivificantem]

[Well...okay, this can all happen, he supposes- ]

For what it's worth, I've obtained healing abilities. They're more powerful than I expected, but not as much as I would ultimately like.

[This next part is awkward, but...]

I've been...experimenting with them. They're serviceable, if nothing else.

[lockedon]

[ Poor Father Paul, dragged into this meeting run by Workaholics United. ]

Healing's worth quite a bit. Most of us aren't going to come out of this whole and unscathed, if previous experience is anything to judge by.

[ In fact, most of them will come out bruised and bloody. Maybe some of them won't make it out at all? But no point dwelling on that. Eustace sounds polite enough so far anyway, a whiff of interest creeping into his otherwise brisk tone. ]

What are you able to do, specifically?