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[Backdated some time after the Vindess Raid.]

[It's the sound of breathing — like someone's trying to catch their breath, like they're trying to swallow pain. The angle is skewed for a few seconds, slowly righting itself before the visual becomes jarring.

And then a frustrated groan is heard, suddenly ringing out, punctuated by a loud CRUNCH.

When Raph's face finally comes into view, his attention is elsewhere. New creases are seen among the old lining his features, around his eyes, an emphasis on how clenched his jaw is now that his teeth are set as he mutters to himself. Black feathers lazily drift around him, a few clinging to his plastron, his arms, his sai.]

—Gotta get 'em back...can't run now. I can't do this again...

[There's a sizable fist-shaped hole in the wall behind him, smaller chunks of brick and stone quietly falling away from its foundations. But that doesn't matter.

Despite how conflicted he looks, the turtle finally speaks up, trying his best to rein in his desperation.]

Backup. I need backup.

blessmefather

After hearing the plans for Vindess that are coming together, it's about time I tell you all another part of the agreement I made with the Will of Hades.

Back when they made this world, the Gods all made a vow that they wouldn't interfere with the political affairs of mortals. This was in hopes of letting the Peoples make their own decisions instead of being lorded over by deities. Turns out it's a double sided knife. It meant that the Gods would not be allowed to simply kill evil leaders and their followers, like those who formed the Empire. That vow still holds power with every new generation of gods. Breaking the vow results in an instantaneous curse upon the god who acts out of line.

In other words, the vow stands in the way of me going on the offense against the empire. Otherwise, believe me, I'd be preparing to bring it all down with my own two hands. I can help in the evacuation and with first aid, and if the empire were to strike against Flotsam again, for example, I would be allowed to defend it. But I cannot go with you to attack the Imperial forces.

That said, curses can be cured. If you find yourselves in the most dire circumstance, you can call on me to join the fight. I am willing to make the sacrifice and step in to aid you. Just... Please use your best judgment.

I have more to tell you before the next battle, about an Imperial on the Corsairs' target list, but I am still gathering information from souls who are passing through to the afterlife. I'll update you as soon as I can.

relentless_sentinel

[Nephenee's not one to post on the comms a lot, but given the people that might want to come are all over the place, it's the best way to get the word out.

The word out about what, you ask? Well...

Onto the screen, Nephenee appears, wearing her usual wide-brim hat over her work clothes, in front of what seems to be the deck of one of the ships in Flotsam. She's clearly been playing in the dirt again, given she's got smudges on her, but she looks pretty happy despite it, being very much in her element.]

Hey, y'all! Um...

[Her eyes dart away for a moment and even under the hat, her cheeks clearly pinken under the freckles there.]

Ah, uh...well...my birthday's on the 15th of this month, an'...Ah was wonderin' if anyone would like to grab food or do somethin' on that day? A-Ah'll take care o'stuff, but...figured folks might wanna hang out to cool their jets from everythin' goin' on an' all. Figure we can do different things or maybe a group one...whatever folks like.

[Nephenee's not good at this whole 'inviting people to do stuff' thing.]

A-Anyway, lemme know...Nephenee out.

[Aaaand the feed cuts. Meanwhile, Neph has her face buried in her hands, quietly yelling in her head about how dumb that all sounded now that she spoke it. Oops.]

spacetogrow

[OOC: Assume all typos are intentional; Ilphyl is not having an easy time of it]

need helpm ijn vindess. if you knowm hiow to dispel magic or remove enchantments, that would helop.

-- ilphyl

thunderwarden

[The voice that comes over the Aethernet is deep, gravelly, and distinctive. Anyone who's spoken to him before probably recognizes it immediately.]

Hello, ladies and gents. Cid here, if we've met or if we haven't. Been thinking, lately. Dangerous habit, I know, but something's occurred to me. The magic here's different from what we've got back home, like it's meant to be used by mortal hands. Where the Empire yanked me from, Aether's a beast not meant for use by man, and when we do, it leaves its mark, turns practitioners to stone eventually.

[There's the flick of a lighter and the crackle of tinder as his cigarillo catches and he takes a pull before continuing.]

Back where I come from, there's no cure for it. Slow death, it is, but I ain't at home, am I? I figure, if any group of sodding ne'er-do-wells have an idea on how to undo something like it, it'd be this one.

So, what say you? Anyone want to give it a go? I don't mind being poked or prodded for science. Greagor knows it's happened enough.

And I won't hold a lack of progress against you. Damned enima, this is. Either way, ta, lovelies.

tisfinished

This is Senshi.

I’ve recently upgraded the Milk Run for longer journeys and more delicate cargoes, while making contacts and building trust with wholesalers and smugglers across the seas. I’ve been shipping in good, hearty food for you all, but I can do better than that.

Now I can track down luxuries, treats, rarities. Things from home you miss. Carrots, or mom’s carrot cake, to dangle in front of aristos and merchant princes.

So tell me: what kind of rare or luxury ingredients and flavors have you been missing, or that would make you feel right at home? In a month I plan to make a voyage out of it, and see what we can get for the Resistance that the Empire has trouble serving to it’s landed barons.

blessmefather

Matt sends a message out on the network to his new allies at the beginning of the new month.

"I need a group of you to accompany me to a forest village at the foot of a mountain, population of about 200. We'll be leaving by airship on the fourth. We're either evacuating the town and taking them to join the refugees, or saving their village from getting crushed.

As I said before, this world is at risk of breaking down. In the case of the mountain we're headed to, it will crumble and crush the village at its base if we don't intervene. I can try throwing a magic barrier up around the village, but my power won't be enough alone. We'd have to take other measures to be successful.

So we need to decide; one, do we focus only on evacuation? And two, if we try to save the village, what approach are we taking to protect it from the landslide? Let's all discuss together. I'm open to suggestions."

[ ooc: -This discussion post will work just like the IC discussions for game events. Feel free to tag around between multiple characters.

-Please keep an eye out for the OOC sign-up. ]

esperbuthuman

[ The uncertain face of a young green-haired woman flicks onto the screen ]

H-hello. Um. My name is Terra. I... I'm told I did some horrible things to everyone, and I am so, so sorry. I'm, uh, I'm also really grateful that the Corsairs rescued me, and were still willing to give me a home and a chance after everything I did. I'm going to do what I can to help, so uh, it's nice to meet you. I will make it up to everyone, I promise.

straykitty

Video

[A rather lovely young lady with long purple hair appears on the ENC Network video feed.]

After our last mission, I noticed some potential gaps in our communication capabilities. I've been working on some programs on the side, and I have a potential enhancement for our ENCs, if folks are interested. I developed a simple program that will allow us to ping our allies' ENCs with a variety of notifications depending on the circumstances, which can give a more immediate and informative notice. Currently, I have programmed the following notifications:

Caution
Emergency
Need Assistance
Warning
Retreat
Advance
Incoming
Mission Compromised

Would anybody be interested in utilizing this program? I can also add additional pings fairly easily, if people would like to contribute.

theriflespiral

[Username Arealname has posted:]

... I owe everyone in the lead up to the new year much.

Especially those who were with me.

Name it, and I'll try and get it to you. . .

though,

do not ask for anything particularly urgent

lightnovelexperiences

[Deedee's voice sounds rough, like she's been a pack a day smoker for a year and in pain on top of that. She is clearly Not Well. This may be why she's not transmitting video.]

Mission accomplished, though not without serious cost. I was foolish. If it weren't for the quick thinking of my teammates, it's likely three of us would be dead, at least. Ha... we appreciate any and all medical help you can provide, particularly to heal serious burns.

But we did succeed. And I made promises I intend to keep.

I might not be able to personally attend to people's beauty and health for a while and I'm sorry. I'm going to leave that in the capable hands of my employees until I'm well enough to do it myself; please avail yourself of the spa's services now or when I can do so at your option.

But more importantly than that, I swore a vow to my God, and I intend to follow through on it. I would like to set up a shrine to Sylphan in honor of... this victory; something open to the air with windchimes, so His presence can be heard as music. And I'm more than willing to trade favors for this favor, keeping in mind I'm in recovery.

frost_and_shinies

Looking at this a bit, it seems like introducing oneself is normal here, so. Greetings, Crimson Corsairs.

I'm Kaitlyn, a Chosen of Winter. Skipping the details you can ask about over drinks or something if you're really curious, I'm a 'skirmisher'. Sneak around enemies and hit them where they don't expect to be hit from with light-fire ice abilities. Or complete a goal without hitting them at all because they never saw me in the first place. (I love it when I get loot that way honestly.)

I'm not new to working in a team, I'm not new to adventure and combat... But uh I am new to both at once, so. Help adjusting to the combination might be good.

Looking forward to meeting people and doing stuff, and, uh. Not sure what else to say?

So. Hi.

lightnovelexperiences

Deedee here wishing everyone a belated happy New Years.

As part of the celebrations, I'm going to be doing a sale on purely cosmetic things at the Five Winds Spa. So, haircuts and barber services, hair dyeing, nail polish - anything and everything you need for a new look in the new year.

Reinventing yourself once in a while is important, you know?

singlemilletgrain

[video transmission]

Greetings, Crimson Corsairs.

[As usual, the elegant woman appears with a beaming smile amidst the warm steam rising from bowls of... something or other in her kitchen.]

I understand you come from many winter traditions, both in this land and in your homes. If you would allow me a brief intrusion... In Yan, it is customary to celebrate the Winter Solstice, the 'dong zhi.' As it is the longest night of the year, we give thanks that the light will return and the days will soon grow long once more. In the depths of midwinter, it is a reminder that balance and yang will be restored, no matter how dark the nights may seem. For those of us in agrarian communities, we give thanks also to the animals who have brought us through the hard times.

[A mischievous glimmer shines in her eyes.]

Of course, it is also the day that the venerable master of the stove, Zao Jun, reports to Tian on whether or not your house hold has been 'naughty' or 'nice,' which I understand is a part of some other traditions as well.

Please allow me to offer prayers to Tian on your behalf. What is it that you hope for when the sun returns in its full splendor?

[in person, all around]

[Shu appears at your door on this cold, long winter evening, knocking politely and awaiting an answer. Whether she sought you out specifically or whether she's never met you at all, she stands and waits in her warm coat holding an extraordinarily large soup bowl in her hands. Somehow, it does not seem to trouble her.]

harlequinchimera

Greetings.

I have been taking my time to assimilate and to analyze the situation I found myself in once freed from the chains of the life that had been forced upon me. The breaker of my chains, I owe a debt to, though I suspect it will be paid in fellowship and in teamwork. A fine repayment, though I will still consider the value of pizza.

My name is Korobase Oki, or Oki Korobase to my friends and allies who use the nomenclature. (That was not an easy word in this language to learn...) Before being used for hauling freight and stacking crates and other... delightful menial tasks, my training and experience involved being a very sharp set of eyes and ears. Eyes sharp enough to pierce a hard target cleanly at 2km. Ears sharp enough to hear the whispers that the rich and powerful said to the empty darkness that they thought a deaf and uncomprehending witness. My operations were normally on a paid basis, of course, being a professional, but this... This is a rebellion, a fight against the grasping epauletted claws of an empire that would clasp all to it in chains, to what end, I care not. Let my pay be the freedom of those they oppress and proper retribution against those who would dare bind my wings.

But first, a drink.

tisfinished

Senshi here with an announcement the old hands were likely looking forward to, and that I know the new folk will find interesting.

With the weather turning colder, sea monsters - leviathans, kraken, and the like - are gonna start getting hungry and ornery, fattening themselves up so they can sleep through the worst of the cold.

In typical Flotsam fashion, we made this problem into a solution: the annual monster hunt and winter feast.

What can I say? Leviathans and Kraken both are good eatin' - Leviathan tastes something like a cross between fatty tuna and a good beefsteak, while kraken meat is great in takoyaki, steamed in a light vinegar sauce, or in a king-sized calamari fritta. That's why we've been making them the guests of honor for our winter feasts, the star of the show and the center of the table.

Which isn't to say that we aren't going to need a whole bunch of supporting cast for this performance - it's our last chance to put on a really good feast before we need to start leaning on pickled, salted and jarred food for the winter.

I plan to participate in the hunt, of course, but I'm also planning to cook up a huge storm. And, well, for prey and a job this big, I can't do it alone.

Who'd care to join me in making this a hunt and feast to remember?

tisfinished

Senshi here.

Heard a bunch of you are starting up farms and ranches, for victuals and medicinal herbs. That's great news. Fantastic even. There's no such thing as enough fresh veg, meat, milk and eggs to feed the fleet and your contributions will help immensely.

If you need help distributing and storing the stuff, or need other ingredients - or ice - I've got your back. Recently I salvaged and refitted a cargo ship with a refrigerated hold, which I'm operating as a floating, mobile tavern and grocery store.

If anyone in the fleet or Elysium missed the taste of fresh milk, here's your chance to try it again. Hell, we can make ice cream and sorbets on this thing. And I can tell you from experience how many drinks are improved with the addition of one ice cube and a cube worth of crushed ice.

Let me know if you need anything in particular for the fleet or for yourselves and I'll try to stock it. And come on by for a bite! I'll try to stay docked and whipping up fresh meals for as long as the produce holds out.

relentless_sentinel

( CW: Close family member death )

[Just like always, Nephenee throws herself into her work to try to drive her feelings away. But she's been running around for too long, and she can only drink so much tea and other energy sources. Sleep is hard, but she convinces herself she just needs to keep going a little longer. Just help others, take care of them...that's what needs doing. She's fine, really!

Eventually, though...she realizes she might need something else. But she has no idea how to ask for it... One day, though, when absently checking the network, she notices a setting for posts she hadn't before. "Anonymous"? A quick look through a book borrowed from The Vault's library explains the concept in terms she can translate, and...well...maybe that's what she can use to ask this.

An anonymous message shows up on the network, carefully typed out to use what she's pretty sure is the correct grammar. It's easier to ask when it's not immediately apparent who might be the poster, after all.]

Hello.

Forgive me for posting this without my name attached. But I have a question that's a little personal and hard to ask.

How do you ask people that aren't family for a hug?

fish4science

[Angelika's cute features are marred today by bandages, an eyepatch, and a lot of very pink and fresh healing that betray just how much damage she took from the parthian shot of a certain witch. But she can still manage a small smile and a wave to the crystal that is taking in her image. She seems to be propped up in in a chair, with a pillow behind her.]

Hello to everyone! I hope you're all doing as good or better than me. I know things have been very active and stressful lately, so I was thinking about reading a book. But then I thought that it would be a shame to just sit in a room while I'm recovering, and there's a lot of other people who might want to read a book, so I'm wondering if anyone might want to join a book club? Just to do some reading, be social with each other, things like that! If we pick a short title and read it quickly, we could have a first meeting in a week or so and then follow up with some more substantial volumes for subsequent months.

I was thinking that we might avail ourselves of the rather large collection of forbidden or restricted literature that the Vault has built up. Even if Floatsam has a rather mixed reputation for book safety and Elysium requires you to hide forbidden literature, we can still send out copies to everyone. But we'll need to decide on what we want to make copies of, if we have to do that, or if we want to start with a more commonly available book. There are a lot of forbidden romances for instance, but I know that's a rather different tone than reading princely mirrors or adventure stories.

Oh, and for all the outlanders, if you have a favorite book you've lost coming here, I'd love to hear about it.

lightnovelexperiences

Deedee here.

I met the witch that terrorized the Flotsam fleet in the last battle: she came to the spa escorted by two male handlers. Requested my services as a healer, even.

She’s only a teenager and didn’t understand why she might want a modesty towel if she took off her robe in front of - call em Biggs and Wedge - for the treatment. Her exact words were “What’s modesty? If you need the robe you can have it.”

I don't think her actions during the fight were entirely of her will - that or she didn’t understand the consequences. At best, her Imperial handlers didn’t teach her a thing about modesty or privacy, and I don’t think she’s clear on the right to personal property either…