TheRedStranger

I think it would be good practice for people interested. @ILOVEVHS could use it as an opportunity to break into the craft. He's looking forward to demoing and exploring this field. -- Currently I am trying to get more voice actors into the fray. There is a gold mine of fan-actors out there that could really help. All we have to do it draw them in.

Hope to see more when you get unbusy, F073.

[Mujha will have to doff her chain mail as Caleb gets the flowers. Caleb rolled a 16 + 4. Caleb will gain one Herbal Kit for his efforts. This can heal Mujha.]

[Caleb rolled a 19+wis mod. This statement is correct. The water will be clean downstream and the bird is possibly edible.] [Remember you can actively attempt to make a roll of something is reasonably possible. For example if you wanted to see what type of creature this is you can make a Intellgence (Nature) check. I merely determine the degree of success or failure.] -----

We are welcome to have you aboard, Knight. Your creative works are welcome here in all their diverse mediums. I am big fan of music from the 80's as well. Have you looked into Synthwave?

[Wisdom/Survival check from both you]

It was good for me. There was some hiccups in the execution and I would have added a few more scenes to exposit the political atmosphere. Overall, I feel like it was the first part to a three part story. I think it's not perfect - but I really feel people have both loved and hated it too soon given its following en-medias-race style. I feel like it's trying to bring back the relavatory experience of the original films from the perspective of those experiencing it in theaters. We know all the spoilers back and forth and have Episode 1-3. We all know who Vader really is and who Luke's sister and father is. But the people in the 70's and 80's did not, they were thrown into a story already in the motions when it came to a New Hope (episode four). In writing this is called a "Revelatory Plot" (Eg. Narnia series) rather than a "Chroniogical Plot." (Eg Hunger Games series). I think it's too quick to critique this first story just yet as a whole when it comes to the characters and lore as it something that is clearly extending far beyond the confines of this one film. My opinions will become more solidified when the second Act of this three part structure arrives.

Awesome; thanks for keeping us updated.

That's when they get real good... Gotta love the classics.

Who here played The Sims when they were little? I remember playing this all through Middle-School, creating life stories in an open possibility space like this was amazing to experience and, I dare say, helped encourage me to become a writer and an artist. I came to Sims through Simcity 3000 and loved how I could now guide the lives of characters I created. I remember getting several expansions for Christmas (some were Ebay-bought by my well-meaning mother ended up being pirated copies Tagalog :/). I now have the Complete Edition and still crack it open from time to time, though Sims 2 then 3 stole my heart in late Middle School then Highschool. Making Magic is what really exploded my mind to all sorts of possibilities. It along with Harry Potter fueled my fascination with the concept of Magical Realism, and still informs my work. The thought of making a world with cheery shopping-longer music and white picket fences peppered with pockets of Gypsesque magicscapes was a thrilling concept to me. An unknown world within our known world, fiction in our reality, is a titilating thought that makes you imagine what's out there and what could be.

"We're in luck. Pirates!" Jarvis said with a grin. "By the rules of initiating battle conduct - which I may or may not have wrote just now - any stolen good looted by a pirate becomes fair game to whoever kills said pirate." {(Pirates POV) Tim the pirate never really cared for the life of piracy. Though the plundering had its moments and the rum was always a welcome sight, In his heart, Tim always wanted to be a dentist. That was until that fateful encounter that claimed his good eye, forever ruining his chances of getting into dentistry school. Tim felt the cool brush of sea water kicking back from his rowing. In an attempt to keep the salt from coming up and hindering his vision, he tilted his head slightly down towards his feet. By the taloned foot of one of his dragonborne crewmen was a single gold coin, unclaimed by anyone. He chuckled to himself, grinning ear to ear. "Tooday Musst Be me lucky d-"} Jarvis felt his muscle tense from the strain from pulling back his bow. Once the four pirates came into view, the arrow was released. With a hissing cut through the air, It found itself lodged deep into one of the pirates eye sockets. The pirate rose to his feet, laid off a horrified scream before tumbling over the ship and into the deep blue. Small outlines of fish greeting a blossoming patch of scarlet. Jarvis: "Three left..." There was a shout and furious commotion aboard the boat. They boat began to speed against the crashing waves with renewed vigor, nearing the coast at grueling pace. "Were gonna have to throw stuff overboard!" Shouted one of them half-seen assailants. "Then throw away yourself..." Hissed another in reptilian growl. "Feed yerself to the quippers with ol' Toothy-Tim, or pull out yer cross-bows! I am getting my cut of the loot tonight, come the Nine-Hells or high-waterssss!"

[Everyone can freely speak with each other. I am only going to give this warning once - don't forget to say in the narrative that your character picked up there equipment. If you forget something like you shield, Mujha...you will have to get it back. Same goes with arrows, darts, the works. Again - you only get this warning once! Heed it well.]

[Failed Spell Save. VHS rolled a fatality! He gets to describe it. Ravens break up.]

[Ohh...bad choice this time. They hit for...] [Mood music]] Mujha knew she had to break through the swarm, change her tactics. In the middle of the clearing the flock of ravenous beats could flood around them like a maelstrom from every side, a whirlpool pelting feathers, rending talons, and piercing beaks. Just such a thought crossed her mind, the reality of such began to build around her in a tornado of crows. They began to peck and claw and probe for gaps and weaknesses in her armour. With chained succession of pangs across her back, legs, arms and belly they began to slowly find purchase through the chain mail's gaps. For a breif second she saw a talon reach out for one of her eyes, she jerked back, barely doging the attempted gouge. [...five points of damage.] [The wizard's turn, unless Mujha wants to say something or add to the scene with something not-involving combat.]

[Remember - you still have inspiration to save you from a bad spot if you need it. ;)] The swarm began circle Mujha wildly. Blood dripped from the mammoth bird like rain on the half-elf's shoulder. It still eyed him hungrily as its underlings distracted his Dragonborne protector. Mujha knew she had to break through the swarm, change her tactics. In the middle of the clearing the flock of ravenous beats could flood around them like a maelstrom from every side, a whirlpool pelting feathers, rending talons, and piercing beaks. Just such a thought crossed her mind, the reality of such began to build around her in a tornado of crows. They began to peck and claw and probe for gaps and weaknesses in her armour. [White or black?]

[Actually AC rolls determine if you hit - and you did.] [Damage rolls determine how much hurt you put on someone with the attack. You only get that when you beat the monster's AC threshold, which you have done. Don't forget you add your strength mod as well. So it's not six - it's six plus nine. But the writhing swarm is resistant to your slashing attacks - so it ends up being a decent 5.] [Describe!]

Wow...talk about a big gaffe. --- I will be setting up my 2017 reading list soon. Does anyone have suggestions for it? Love all sorts of fiction and writing about writing and art. XP

Mujammed gasped, looking at the powerful swarm and knowing their intent. The crazed look in the creature's eyes, signified nothing but bloodlust, to strike down on this half-elf creature and feed. It did not matter that Mujha did not know this man, with his foreign tongue and magic spells, but she would regardless protect a fellow adventurer, if not with her lack of spells then with her longsword and strength. Planting her torch into the ground, Mujha gripped her sword with both hands and rushed forwards, sprinting across the wet stones like a mountain goat and swinging with all of her strength. "Do not approach this man, burnt creature! Otherwise, you're gonna have to get through me!" [Mujha does not have shield equipped -2AC but dual-handed stance = 1d10 for sword attack. Attack Roll (1d20 + attack bonus). ] [Mujha's alignment edges a bit from True Neutral/undecided towards Neutral Good...]

Sonic The Hedgehog: Edge of Tomorrow Day after Doomsday Episode One - (“The Day After Doomsday”) Chapter One: Dawn after Doomsday. As Knothole celebrated, Sally pondered... Sally hadn’t slept much that wonderful and rowdy night, but she was restless none the less. As the last of the party goers stumbled to bed, she paced her room back and forth, boots thumping against creaking floorboards. Her mind was racing with her body. Like a pendulum swinging back and forth, her thoughts bounced from one subject to another. She wasn’t sure if it was the heady feeling of victory or the residual energy of the Deep Power Stones, but she was spry and alert as the sunlight broke through the cloudy horizon. She watched the light filter into delicate fractured rays passed the branches of Knothole’s mighty trees. All at once the sunrays danced across the ground, revealing the glassy ice and powdery snow that had fallen the night prior. With that beautiful sight came another racing thought: not one of wonder but an agitating concern. Beautiful though this winterscape was, it was extremely early for the first snow. There was a definite imbalance in the world now, thick clouds of chemicals, pollutants, and debris were agitating the atmosphere more than ever. Though the towering Doomsday monolith was now just a smouldering heap of ruin, Sally sensed that the Freedom Fighters had not fully counted the cost of its destruction or the damage it had already done. Like the odd energies of the Power Stones coursing faintly through her veins, still the effects of Doomsday would linger. Perhaps, they were not fully eliminated, and they had celebrated too soon…. Sally gazed down at the palm of her left paw. It shimmered with a ghostly violet glow. The Deep Power Stones’ strange energies still faintly radiated through her fingers, exciting her muscles to motion. She curled her lighted paw into a crackling fist as she thought about Robotnik, all the suffering and filth he left behind. With the high of victory fading, her next task in life seemed ever daunting. The anguish and malaise the tyrant left behind would remain a menacing legacy, one that would not erode easily by its lonesome. Not only did they have to rid themselves of his remaining forces and free their loved ones from their robotic purgatory, but they needed to clean up and heal Mobius. With a long sigh, she wondered if the world would ever be like it was… before… when she and her friends were only children and carefree. She slammed her fist into the table with a clenched jaw and a huff. They would have to find a new way to live… make lives for themselves, but how? Like Robotnik’s foul pollution, war and fighting to survive clouded every aspect of their existence to some degree. Now they had the responsibility of cleaning up the lingering aftermath of Robotnik’s foul presence, the task of healing all of Mobius. Yes, healing Mobius, restoring their nation, reclaiming their home of Mobotropolis one street and roboticized Mobian at a time, this would be the only recourse for mending their broken lives. To set their lives back on track after these ten long years, she knew what must come next: Operation Edge: the next step after defeating Robotnik, the reclamation and revival of all Mobius. They’d been planning it for years, and finally now was the time. Sally took hold of her cup of coffee and lifted it to her mouth as she walked to the window. Despite her misgivings, a warm smile crept stubbornly along the corner of her lips as she beheld the multitude of denizens in the village. With all of the Freedom Fighter groups gathered and celebrating, Knothole was quite full to bursting with a mishmash, motley crew made up all of the various groups of Freedom Fighters. The once humble and hidden village had transformed into now a noisy, simmering, and chaotic melting-pot of jubilation. Sally could clearly see she wasn’t alone in her sleeplessness; despite the cold, inclement weather almost everyone was still wide awake, basking in their hard-won freedom (and a copious helping of fresh snowflakes). She continued to peer out a frosted window with a small chuckle escaping her lips. Clutching to her cup of robust and black coffee, she calmed to her normally stoic self as she stood quiet and thoughtful. Even with the hordes of Freedom Fighters, Knothole was serene that morning; the forest was covered with a thick and an a almost unnatural blanket of frost and snow, glimmering soft silver light below the dusky sky. It was clear out there, cold, yes, but crystal clear. She decided she couldn't let an opportune moment like this go to waste. Now wasn’t the time to sink into reckless revelry, nor was it time to gripe about the challenges to come; it was time to act, but not impulsively. The Reclamation would have to wait. The Freedom Fighters had discussed Operation Edge at a great and tiresome length, many moons before Doomsday had even begun construction… they built contingencies upon contingencies. Hours of free time and sleep were spent with Nichole in hand, hunkered over her trusty compuradio, double checking and tinkering with any kinks in essential equipment at Rotor's workshop, or, just like tonight, pacing in deep thought into the morning. Despite her planning, she knew that just running into and occupying Robotropolis was precarious, or, as Sonic so eloquently put it, "mondo-risky." They just needed to make sure they weren’t celebrating too much too soon. Her eyes fixed on the view outside, she took another sip of her coffee, Sally’s mind whirling around with a million concerns… in mid sip her front door slid open. Seeing a blurry shadow jolt pass the corner of her eye, she gave a short jump, letting her cup slip out of her paws. Instead of the expected crackle of fine crockery there was a swift and sharp cutting sound, like someone swiping a blade through the air. “Oh no… you don’t!” She turned around, fists curled, to find… Sonic. Sally let out an audible sigh of relief as she stayed her fist inches from the blue hedgehog’s face. "You almost dropped this," said Sonic with his familiar cocky grin. He downed the remaining coffee then twirled the cup on the tips of two gloved fingers before handing it back to her. Sally shook her head. "You could've knocked, Sonic! I thought you might be…." Sonic craned his head and placed his fists firmly on his hips. "Geez, so much for tryin' to lighten the mood. Who else could it’ve been? Robotnik? Snively? The Boogieman?” He flailed his arms, palms turned upwards. “They’re all ancient history!" “I…” She rode her paw through her long tresses of auburn hair with a guilty blush of her nose. “I guess you have a point, Sonic. I’m just a tad bit frazzled now, with all that’s been going on.” Sonic's features shifted from cocky to concerned. "You've not been yourself at the party, you've been so up tight… well, more than usual." Sally gave Sonic a forced smile. “I’m not sure about that… I just want to make sure that the two of them are finished.” "I hear ya there Sal." Sonic said, returning the smile. He leaned back against the windowsill next to her. She knew this was how the hedgehog always coped with anything: with a slack grin and a terribly off beat sense of humor. She wrapped her fingers tight around her cup before walking back to the steaming coffee pot. "Oh, and thanks for the quick save Sonic. The last thing I want to do this morning is mop up a mess." She leered back at him, unable to suppress an upturn of her lips. "Just knock next time, alright? This is a lady’s residence; I could’ve been… indisposed." She playfully wagged a finger whilst returning with a fresh cup. Sonic blushed, tapping his foot and riding his paw through his quills. "Um… yeah, my bad, I'm just itchin’ to get to it, ya know? Just tired of only dreamin’ about it; I mean, this is it: we finally won!" He pushed himself off the windowsill and took a step closer to Sally with bright, wide eyes. "Tails - heck even Antoine - is ready. But I wanted to check with you before we get this show on the road… you know, get a quick talk in before we get the ol’ post-mortem on ‘Buttnik." Sally placed her paw on his forehead, pretending to check for a fever. "That's unlike you, Sonic Hedgehog! I guess you’re already familiar with where we’re going, yes?" Sonic's ears twitched as she touched him. Her paw was warm and emanated a strange tingling sensation. "Y… yeah, I jus', well, I like to plan things with you." Sally clicked her tongue and shook her head. "My, my - you really must be sick.." Sonic grumbled... Sally took him by the paw, walked over to her old weathered desk and sat down in her creaky chair. The Freedom Fighters didn't have a lot to begin with all those years ago, up until the present most of their acquisitions were either built from scratch, skimmed off Robotnik's factory lines, or were secretly salvaged from some junk heaps - and it showed. Even now she had to plug Nicole into her cobbled-together compradio, just so it could have the processing power to run the special software and interface with networks. "Nicole," she spoke aloud to the monitor, "show me all the information pertaining to Doomsday Project.” "Calculating live imagery and recalibrating telemetry for Sky-Spy Beta, Sally." Top-down, satellite imagery flickered on screen. What remained of Doomsday flickered onto the monitor. The sight was wretched, a gaping crater filled with mangled metal, demolished concrete and many, many charred remains of obliterated bots, vehicles, and machines. Chains of puffing smoke belched sporadically out of the scorched crater and clouded parts of the view. Sally did her best to ignore the horror of the sight and continued, "Focus on the southeastern subsection, Nicole..." The video-feed zoomed into the bottom right of the screen, focusing in on the giant smoke-laden crater. In the broiling haze and smog, both Sonic and Sally could spot out subtle pinpricks of spot fires, the skewed silhouettes of mangled machines, vehicles, and structures now barely recognizable. Metal catwalks, ventilation, and ruptured pipes spiraled down into a scorched, cavernous pit, revealing much more indistinct obscured outlines in the burnt and abominable heap rubble. A sharp, incredulous whistle sounded behind Sally's ear. "What a mess..." Sonic murmured in disdain. "Definitely," grumbled Sally with equal distaste. "That was quite the hideous contraption. It looks more cheery than ever now, doesn't it?" "Oh yeah..." Sonic snarked alongside her. "Perfect place for a summer home. It's gotta be the creepiest contraption that creep's ever built. "That’s why we have to make sure he’s gone. Remember Maga? I want this whole place scoured, every bolt and bot." She pressed her index on the screen and circled the area with a determined, down-turned glower. "That's the thing, Sal...." He scratched at his quills, confused. "Last time I checked, I thought it was gone. To think it had disappeared one second an' came back the next... How the heck does that work?" Sally typed, and scanned section after section with careful eyes as she spoke. "The Deep Power stones seem to be the wildcard of quantum mechanics, much like our time-travel fiasco. Remember that?" Sonic rubbed his temples with a groan. "Oh man...don't remind me; I'm already startin' ta get a head ache thinkin' about it..." Sally suppressed a giggle. "Long story short: even I'm not entirely quite sure, Sonic. Everything happened so fast; it's hard to tell. It seemed to phase in and out of existence. Rotor and I have to go there and get some readings before we have a solid answer..."I have some hypotheses I hope to share with him - maybe you'd like to hear them?" Sonic gestured his hands as if to push away the notion. Sally smiled over her shoulder, loving the priceless look on his face. It was like someone just offered Sonic a bag of steamed cabbage and brussels-sprouts. "I thought not; but that's okay - let's get back on topic." She clicked on sections of the structure for him to see. "Still don't see sections of the structure, especially where Robotnik was...but still, I want to make sure he's truly, really, and certainly a hundred percent gone." "I get ya Sal! He was like a fat cockroach after all." Sonic said with a wry smirk, happy for the change of subject. "But you’ll see, we squashed that bug flat! You’ll see; after we’re done rootin’ an' scootin' around we’ll start getting our families back!" A small sigh escaped Sally's lips. "I certainly hope so, Sonic…." She felt Sonic slide a hand across her shoulder, heard his voice, cheerful and upbeat, behind her. "No ‘hope’ about it, Sal, we’ll find a way for your dad to come back again. Naugus said he’d work on it." "Oh well that's comforting..." Sally shook her head and then sipped her coffee. "Like I'd trust anything wheezed out the snaggled-toothed maw of that malformed troll..." Defensive, Sonic crossed his arms and scrunched up his snout. "Hey! Jus' tryin' ta cheer you up ya know." "Sorry, I can't afford to think about that right now Sonic." She reclined her elbow against the desk, resting her head against the palms of her hands. "I have to keep a clear head - stay focused on the task at hand. Look at these outposts that survived, here and here." She pointed to the screen, unaware of Sonic's worried look behind her. “She buries herself in work so much... that girl barely even sleeps! Man, I hope that changes now...." Sonic thought to himself. He shook off his concerns and decided to place another hand on her shoulders. Tentatively he began to slide his paws over her shoulders, feeling tension. "We've gone over all this crud a thousand times already Sal! I've known the full plan ever since you hacked in! Besides, the only thing there will be is a few swatbots to mop up and maybe some ghosts… nothin’ at all ta worry about." "Then humor me blue boy." She said with an irritated quirk of her eye Sally stretched her arms out wide and sat up her seat. "We haven’t seen any physical evidence that Robotnik and Snively are dead. They could still be alive… and waiting for us." Sonic rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Alright, alright… like we discussed last night, here's how it goes: I take a team in. You and your team are gonna see if you can find anything from the Super Roboticizer or anything ‘Buttnik built before the - how does Antoine put it again? The coup d'etat? Security is non-existent there; everything’s so toasty they probably oughta bring marshmallows." "It's a coupe de Grâce Sonic... and that mission goal is just the one part." Sally tapped at the big crater on screen. "There's the true goal." "And that's where I come in..." Sonic jumped up on the balls of his sneakered feet, cracked his knuckles, and smirked. He stretched his legs as if he was about run a race. "I’d like to take in a team consisting of Rotor, Bunnie, and your's truly swooping in, and see what’s left of the ol’ Doomsday." "And...?" Sally persisted, craning forward in her chair, pressing her fingers together. "And... we’re gonna to do three things.” Sonic started numbering off the tips of his gloved digits . “Salvage important tech, take down any schematics, but the most important is intel, especially on how to track an’ try ta shutdown any leftover Doomsday pods. And, whatever else is still alive and kickin’ we blow it up (my style when dealing with Robotnik's toys). And…" Noticing Sonic's slight hesitation, Sally rose a shrewd eye brow and spun around from her chair to face the hedgehog. "Also learn what’s left of his forces and where they’re located, the Doomsday Pods take priority but if we can find a weak spot in Robotnik's network…. Here, or here….” She tapped two snow-covered radio-towers and dish-topped buildings on the monitor. “We could have Nicole breech through Robotnik’s firewall and into one of his own Server-Hubs….” Sonic shook his head, peering over her shoulder at the monitor with a studious stare. “Cool, cool…” He craned his leaning head close to look at her, betraying some of his cluelessness. “That’s a good thing, right?” Sally rolled her eyes about full circle with a huff. “Sonic, this could possibly give us access to several of his networked units.” “Yeah… and?” Sally let slip some of her patience. “It means we could possibly, just maybe, hack into a part, or maybe even his entire mainframe! With him not there to update his firewalls and block us out, if we can find a chink in the armor…. We could shut down any networked factories and forces that were under his control.” Sonic’s eyes bulged and widened, his muzzle hanging open slightly “No way! You could really do that?” Sally suppressed a flattered chuckle. “Yes way… It could take some time and effort, but I am sure we can do it if we get the chance. But…” Her features shifted from bemused to stern. If any of you notice something, anything wrong or out of place - or if it's one of Robotnik's leftover elaborate traps - bail out and abort the mission with all of the intel you have, got it?" Sonic rolled his eyes and huffed. "Stop being a worry wart, Sal. You act like we've never done this before. Remember what we just did? And news flash, Tails: a ten year old - a ten year old, Sal - helped ta keep the D.P. Stones outta his fat metal fingers; I'm sure we'll have no prob' sweepin’ up what’s left of ol’ Buttnik busted tinker toys.” "Don't bet all your rings on that, Sonic Hedgehog." With the slight twitch of his ear, sonic spun around to see an angled outline at the threshold, it's posture stiff and ridged. "Unc'?" Sonic asked the shadow. There was the creak and subtle slam of a closing door. "Saw the door was open so I thought I'd just let myself in." Sonic's uncle Chuck stepped inside and into the dim flickering light of a nearby table lamp. "You two should remember to shut the door - you'll let all the heat out and we wouldn't want to catch cold before we get this started, eh, Sonic?" "Come on in Sir Charles," Sally said, "Sit down and get…." "Comfortable, Sally?" Uncle Chuck finished for her. There was a loud clunk as he walked, the sound of metal smacking against the wooden floors. Sonic quickly suppressed a grimace. He noticed that the quiet clatter of whirring and clanking gyros were more pronounced in the silent cold air. Step by step, as Chuck drew closer to the lamp, his angular outline grew more and more visible, until the roboticized mobian was completely illuminated, revealing pale blue rivets and plates that replaced flesh, glassy red optics for pupils surrounded by black scelera, and even a metallic mustache just in the same style as his old organic one years ago (Robotnik's sick idea of a joke, Sonic thought). "Or perhaps you meant to say warm?" Chuck gave a forced chuckle that fell flat and tinny from his mechanized vocal cords. "You needn't worry. I'm quite fine. Just greased up the ol' joints and this chassis is built for temperatures that'd freeze flesh and bone in an instant." He chuckled once again as he knocked on his chest which rang out with a raucous bang. "Still..." Uncle Chuck sighed and slowly stuck a steel finger into the table-lamp's hot flame. The orange blaze flowed upwards and around the metal digit, engulfing it. Despite the persistent heat, Chuck’s metallicize flesh remained stubbornly numb. "When you can't feel the cold, you can't feel the warmth. I'd count that as a design flaw." Sonic’s eyes drooped down to his bright red and white sneakers. It had been a long time since Sonic saved his uncle's mind from the iron grip of Robotnik and his dreaded roboticizer, yet still, the sight of him was... unnerving. Half the time he didn't know what to do when he saw him - smile or cry. "Well, it is official, Sally." Uncle Chuck suddenly announced. Wiping off the soot of the burning wick, his demeanor and tone shifted to one of business. "Just came in to tell you that Robotnik had set up a jamming frequency that honed in on all my old tracking bugs. The last of my old spy network is officially kaputz; all they do now is leak white noise. Thank goodness for you and Nicole hacking into the Sky-Spy network." "Yeah, Unc, talk about hitting two birds with one stone," Sonic said, looking back up with his iconic smirk. "Knothole is the safest it's ever been, seeing that the Doomsday Pods are not flyin’ towards us anymore, and if they were they’d be flyin’ blind." "If we keep this up we’ll have the city back under control before the year’s out." Sally said with a slight smile. "And Knothole will grow as well as a base of operation. You don't know how long I've wanted to expand Rotor's workshop into a full hanger for the Freedom Stormer.” She beamed up at the metal hedgehog. “That, and perhaps add a med-lab for you, Uncle Chuck." "Won’t Rote be thrilled." Uncle Chuck said with a steely chuckle. "I know I would be: a med-lab would certainly speed up our research on the roboticizer. And hopefully we could start working again on restoring Bunnie's…." Sally was only half-listening to what Chuck was saying. Her gaze wandered sharply off and fixated on the alarm clock besides her bed. She suddenly realized the time. "Sorry to bring that up Uncle Chuck," Sally interrupted, "but right now that is neither here nor there. For all we know the roboticizer was destroyed and Robotnik might still be alive, plotting as we speak. That is why we need to get back there and make sure." Sally pulled a disc from her old computer, flicked it off, capped her thermos, then loaded the disc into Nicole before heading over to the front door. She grabbed her coat off a nearby hangar, quickly zipped up and snapped Nichole to the rim of her boot, then pushed opened the door. "Gather the rest of the team and meet me at the briefing area in twenty minutes tops. I need to hurry on ahead. See you two soon." She shut the door and hurried out. Sonic could hear her voice, muffled by distance and the closed door as she left, sound out: "And don't forget to turn the power off like you did last time, Sonic Hedgehog! We don't have enough to waste, let alone to work with! Forget, and I swear, I'll cut your chili-dog ration down to fun size!" Sonic scowled, crossing his arms with a huff. "What’s so fun about less food?” His frayed quills shook along with his head. “Is it me, or has Sally been a bit… agitated… lately. You’d think she’d be - " “As happy as a bumble-bee in spring?” Chuck asked. Sonic laughed, nodding. “Somethin’ like that...yeah. She was - well, she was real, real happy when, well, the victory party got goin’...” A gloved finger trailed Sonic’s lip. His mind vividly recalled her kiss, the exciting energies of the Deep Power Stone flowing through the both of them in an instant of pure, unbridled joy. His thoughts had been veering back to that moment all night long, lingering at the edge of his thoughts even as he celebrated. The two of them were so incredibly happy just a few hours ago. Yet then there was a flake of snow, the sudden biting cold ... "Now Sonic, you would be too if you had her job," Uncle Chuck told him. "Being a leader is not what it's all cracked up to be. Remember that a good ruler is a servant of his people. And Sally is the most servile leader I have ever seen; she would make her father very proud." Sonic bit on his lip slightly, dropping his hand back to his hip. "I guess you're right, Uncle Chuck..." Sonic tapped his foot and stared down at the ground, looking thoughtful. “Havin’ ta take down a ‘Buttink and his death machine really took its toll. Then there’s this odd weather we’re havin’. I wish there was something I could do..." Sonic felt Chuck's cold and heavy hand pat his back. "You have, my boy. You've done more than most. Just remember she needs more than your speed..." Sonic looked back up at Uncle Chuck, brow raised. "What are you getting at, unc?" "She needs to know what she’s fighting for; to be reminded and encouraged constantly," Uncle Chuck explained. "She needs to know that our fight means something, that we're making a difference. Sally has a bad knack for focusing on what is still wrong, instead of what we've made right." "I see what you mean, Unc", Sonic said with a nod. "She forgets all the progress we've made in just the past year alone: the spy network, findin' an' allying with the Wolf-Pack and the other freedom fighters, using the time stones, sackin' snilivin' Snivley an' Buttnik... but most importantly...." "Most importantly what, sonny boy?" Uncle Chuck asked. Sonic leaned over and hugged his uncle, ignoring the cold and rigid steel. "...we got you back." Uncle Chuck smiled. "I'm glad to be back, Sonic, and I plan to stay..." He rustled his quills before stepping over to open the door "...now let's hurry off to the briefing room. You know she'll shift the blame on you if we're all late. And don't forget to blow out the lamps and candles and turn the power off... I don't think Sally was kidding about cutting down your rations." Sonic grinned and suddenly rushed through the room, blowing out candles and flipping off switches in a bright blue blur. "There. Ha… I'd like to see her find a excuse to ration away my chilidogs now." Sonic and Uncle Chuck laughed as they left, their minds blissfully diverted from the possible troubles that might lay ahead of them….

The huge eagle-creature pulled out of the water with a mad flap of its wings, spraying mist everywhere. Ignoring the singed patches of mottled flesh across its wings chest, it hovered above the swarm, as if conducting them to motion from behind like a general safe behind its enlisted ranks. It began to eye the Half-elf with a predatory, blood-red glare as the swarm gather, growing bigger in number. [Mujha goes before the swarm!]

I will focus on Sal first and think more deeply about Bunnie whilst giving others a chance to join in. Let's expand on that thought. I think one other thing to consider is that her garments were "out of style" from the Royal Gaurd, Julian's and the King's uniform which are more eurocentric and slightly Napoleonic. She could have been more spoiled and showy as well, exagerating her unique position (being prideful) or innocently embellishing it with a carefree romanticism (maybe a mixture of both). She probably read books of exotic lands and archetypial damsels that impressed on her a delusional lighthearted perception of her own future. This would create a motif for the clothes, making them a symbol of her internal transition after coupe into a victimized child to a leader of a rebellion. She chooses her minimalist and more utilitarian attire as her beliefs about what it means to be royalty change. She is weighted with responsibility now and the romanticism has frayed and faded alongside the once abandoned flashy garments. Her early story could be drawn out as the actual progression of the stereotypical damsel (Snow White) into a strong willed Heroine (Ellen Ripley). Her shorter hair cut can also be a symbol of this change. Perhaps a could of incidences cause her strip pieces of this veneer off page by page in a story focused on her early years.

I am considering doing a WWYD/Recon thread & favorite thread for these mangas. Would you guys like that? Is it generating interest enough for that?

The half elf smiled smugly to himself, eyes sparkling. Unwilling to settle with anything less than theatrical, and with the creature distracted by summoning it's hordes of servants, he shouts again in his eleven tounge, gesturing with his hands until surging tendrils of lightning like power crackle from his hands. He waltzed up with a menacing bravado, fingers sparking...only to slip as the beast reached out quickly to snap and squack, causing him to jump back, slip on wet stone, and fall flat on his butt with an embarrassing thud. [Wizard is knocked prone. Failed Dex & Attack roll.] [Mujha roll initiative]

[Creature failed Spell save! Hit!] Seemingly out of nowhere, an assailant appeared, a shadowy, unknown figure new to the field. Steeping up to the fight was a half elf, his clothes torn, and body dusty from the the untold travels he endured. The man attempted to attack the beast with flare of his hands and mummer in the elven tongue. Bright, wet blob formed from thin air, an eerie glow illuminating the dead woods and the black-feathered beast, accentuating their ghastly look. With a shout of Arcana the churning, bubbling blob, gushed forth splattering against the creature. The stink of singed flesh and the hiss of sizzling feathers flooded the ravine, mixing with a sharp stink akin to a mix of sulfur, rot, and vinegar. The wretched scent was enough to make Mujha' gag as she found her footing. Mujha' saw the creature shriek in anger, shaking and convulsing to rid itself of the burning spray. It staggered its wings and crashed in the water only to raise back up, shaking off the acidic gunk. It leered and kawed angrily at the both of them then wailed in the air. A swarm of winged shadows dappled the moonlight. The two adventures looked up to see a swarm of ravens, their eyes glowing with an unearthly stare, ember-red just like the black and crimson hawk. It's screech was like a puppet's strings, summoning the mundane creatures to its unnatural biding. [Wizard still gets another attack for because of his high inniative.]

[Unscathed!] The black-winged beast kicked with it talons in a sharp dive, only to dig into Mujha's clothes and chain-mail, finding no purchase in her flesh. Rolling with the attack by instinct, it pushed away and batted its wings in her face to gain distance. It then hovered quickly high in the air and began to turn to it's other potential target. [Mysterious Character has Attack of Opportunity!]