[solved]Sanctuary

**Toejam** Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:33 pm

Toejam

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Post n°351

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Jan 02, 2021 2:33 pm

Pages 760-771:

**Toejam** Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:29 pm

Toejam

Toejam: Posts : 1049
Join date : 2009-03-29
Age : 31
Location : Cake Tooooooowwwn

Post n°352

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Jan 02, 2021 4:29 pm

The devil's in the details:

This entire scene should've been one of those climactic moments where the music swells and the hero says something like, "now the real battle begins!" and then kicks ass and takes names. But no, it doesn't often work out like that in this story lol. Chalk another one up for the battle's antagonist!
So? Let's get down to it!

So, it's 2021 and I'm still here. Miracles happen everyday, eh? Let's savour this moment, shall we?
Alright, savory time is over! Since I'm a dumbo and started the battle last time I was here, whenever that was, we're picking up right in the thick of it! One of the things you'll notice about Reina is that surprisingly, in battle she's a lot calmer. You get a lot of that sense throughout Innocent also, except for certain battles, but it's one of the times she actually has it together. I think it's not the case for TJ, but in his case that would change progressively, as will those other loose ends. His is often more circumstance than anything else. His mental state varies mostly depending on the opponent, but he tends to get into strange situations. Last chapter we had one of his siblings and Vanir. This time it's Reina but they're using everything they've got.
So then, the first spell we get here is Bullet Vertex. It's a very straight-forward spell. The good thing about it is, so long as there's a surface plants can pop out from it. Floors, ceilings, walls, they're all fair game. Things like trees, they would grow out of it rather than...y'know, explode outwards from the surface.
Waxing/Waning Slash are a pair. They don't need to be used in any particular order, but if one is used, the other needs to follow it up. Her drawing the circle before hand was in essence, preparing the stance. It'd be convenient to have a name for actions like those, since they're pretty common. Might have to make one myself, one of these days. Anyway! Waning Slash is as you might expect, a vertical strike. The range is much more limited than its counterpart, but it hits harder and for much longer. Since TJ dodged, you don't see the effects here, but you might've guessed that based on how Waxing Slash works. As the story suggests, great horizontal range, but lacks some of the impact and is just a single strike.
Next is Hall of Briars! It's a very standard spell, one that can be used for trapping or binding. As the story mentions, the briars can branch from one another from any point. The more branches he creates, however, the more concentration and mana would be required to manage them all. Doing anything elaborate becomes more difficult under those circumstances.
Winter Unbound is 2/3 of a stance chain of Reina's. Wax/Waning Slash is the first part. Like the former, these skills are interchangeable as far as order goes, however, the final stance needs to come last. As you might expect, it can freeze a target. The reason the briars shattered was because they have a weak composition. Something about this, though, that got me thinking was that I was concerned about fighter types having elemental affinities in their skills. Due to the nature of magic in the story, it can seem a little odd. However, in LT itself some skills did have them. For example, Air Wall and Air Wall II differed in that the second created a wheel of flames. Of course, you'd only get access to that tree when you advance your class. Every class had follow-up skills to their base class, and got a bigger variety of skills when they became their 3rd and 4th respectively. I didn't explore it too much thus far in the story, but that aspect is something I should include. The names will stay the same, but the effects will likely change depending on the situation.
Transience in Motion is the last of Reina's stance chain. It's not likely immediately clear, but she can't just swing randomly. That, and there's a slight delay between when she attacks and when she can do it again. Giving the statement context, she attacks when the flower petals touch something. They're as much an extension of her weapon as the weapon itself. If the stance's effect was avoided entirely, she can't act. However, anything within the radius of the stance is fair game.
Next! Unbreakable Spirit increases Reina's defense on hit. If she hits or gets hit, it'll increase. It's essentially a defensive stance.
Stolid Effigy does...exactly what it says it does! The transparent thing TJ does was based on a PVP skill you could learn in LT. Mages could get that to avoid getting stun-locked, but it varied in effectiveness. I think fighter types got a backwards somersault? Or something. Defensive skills for Mages were scarce though, so as bad as it was, in PVE it had its uses. As for the spell itself, it'll stay for a while until triggered. Smash it, slice it, do what you will and it'll explode outwards, freezing any poor soul who's in the line of it.

So you likely guessed this already but SlipStream doesn't need to hit its target for the secondary effect. Reina and her allies can still get increased movement speed from it if it's used. How effective that is, depends on where the target is before and after it's cast.
Now then! First Canto is...well it's a series of attacks. The good thing about it is that it does have some leeway. For example, the second slash was a leaping attack. It doesn't have to be, though. Could just be a normal strike. The rising slash is needed, though, as it leads into the spin attacks that follow. If she whiffs it, it can be cancelled there, since any more would just leave her vulnerable.
Sobriety Anchor was a weird one. I originally intended for it to have a pull effect, rather than just releasing an icy wind. But I don't really know if the secondary effect would make any sense that way. I feel like in essence, the concept of the spell still remains since it tends to hinder the opponent. Rather than pulling them in, though, it weighs them down by freezing from a distance. It's not said here, but the spell releases a few gusts, so it has a bit of an over-time effect. Hence, why when Reina got hit with the first gust, it only froze her clothes slightly, rather than substantially. Her scream puts a smile on my face, tbh lol. I only heard someone scream like that once, and it stuck with me ever since.
So then! Flashfreeze is...it's not new, is it? ...Is it? Kinda is. For this fight, at least. Moving on! Lion's Den is for all intents and purposes, a trap. This gives way to the mirrors, but they don't particularly serve any purpose, unless you wanted to send them in immediately. I mean, I described them as mirrors but they're just giant chunks of ice. They don't really do mirror like things. I mean they do, but it doesn't serve a purpose, per se. You get the idea.
After that, we get the worry lol. I mean, I'd be too if I hurled a bunch of massive ice spikes at a girl. For the umpteenth time in this fight. What's some deadly magic between friends, eh?

Reinaa's always been the type who improves over time. In battle, that's something I wanted to show too. As it carries on, she gets a better understanding of her opponents and searches for weaknesses in order to turn the tides of it. In short, she's a slow starter! But she ramps up good! It was kinda hinted at through the earlier dialogues so if you took note of that, good on you. That facet applies to her both character wise and battle wise. Great at long fights.
On another note, some time ago I mentioned how I wanted to try writing battles in differing settings...for lack of a better word. The one I want eludes me right now. In this case, we have sand! There was a joke in Innocent about being on solid ground. I wanted to make use of the idea that outside of skills alone, the terrain can change the flow of battle. Also I remembered the word. In a close-combat brawl, TJ loses on all fronts. Using things like sand can even the edge a bit, or changing the terrain itself. Harder to fix, though! As things progress, you'll see some other types which will give the battles something new and interesting to work around, and how the characters address it.
So! Reina's Barrier Break is a little different to what we're familiar with. We've seen TJ's, with a blind/heal, Amata's that makes a fiery shield, and now Reina's. Though it's described as cutting winds, it was meant to be more of a slashing effect. It's just, it wouldn't make any sense for her to do it, otherwise it'd be a stance more than anything. The barrier break is a last resort for bad situations, so she could use it even while bound, but not incapacitated!
Next! Fleeting Stroke is a skill that gives Reina a lot more range for a dash of sorts. Or a jump, describe it however you will. The secondary effect is that when she touches down, or decides to complete the stance, it erupts around her and coats enemies in an ink-like susbtance. This, has a 'heavy' effect. Not something I use very often, I realize. I could see Gold Dragon having it, for however long the duration is. Nonetheless! It essentially slows down their movements. This could be considered both attacking and movement, but that all depends on the person.

I really like the idea that Exhaust prevents the Agasuric instincts. As the story suggests, the mind responds to the body. If the body senses danger, they activate. However, we've seen plenty of times where getting enraged led to a transformation, no matter how slight. In this case, it isn't a defense mechanism but a will for that power. He can use it without that, but as we're all well aware it eventually starts to take him over if he's not careful. In this case, it happens immediately rather than gradually.
As one might expect, having those powers did indeed turn the tides of the battle. TJ became more of a close-range fighter and that strength easily allowed him to rival, if not surpass her own. I really enjoy the intensity that all of it carries. Priro to that, it did feel really different, huh? It was a rather friendly spar, but this carries the weight of...perhaps, a bit of everything. Those that were lost, their memories, the struggle of not being strong enough and still needing more power, all of it. I kinda wanted to convey that in TJ's actions and the weight that they carry. It hasn't been too long since he last went berserk, but it does have a different feeling from when he and Vanir went at it, doesn't it?
Moving on! Heathen's Greaves is...well it's like the gauntlets, but...it's essentially the same! No explanation needed!
Reina's stance with the really long name is based on a quote. I can't be bothered to search it at this very moment, but what it is, is essentially a tank's last resort. It allows her to withstand fatal blows and to resist the brunt of most attacks. In a sense, it delays the pain so she can take severe blows for a spell before...well, crumbling like she did there.
Anyway, finally, we get to see Reina's transformation. If you've read USSR, you know why she's like this. If you haven't, enjoy that niggling sense of wonder until we address it in the main story! The design speaks for itself, no? You don't need me to explain it lol.
Moving on! New CA spells! Maladaptive Shackles is, as you might expect, a double-edged sword. Both the user and target get shackled to each other. You can't break them once they're attached, so they have to be removed via an ability. The effect, as you likely guessed, is it heavily impairs movement. Spells and the like are unaffected, but any movement abilities get hindered by it.
Collector's Trophy is a spell that, unlike it's counterpart, steals buffs from an enemy. I know, I know, you're gonna say, "But a bounty and a trophy are the same thing!" and you're right, but that didn't stop me anyway! Welcome to adverbs!
Despoil just takes stats. In this case, it was both some of her attack and defense. It's easy to avoid, but it can't be stopped by regular physical attacks.
Spirit Cleanse clears a couple of debuffs from the user. That one's specific to the class.
Doomsday Cascade! Most of it is self-explanatory, but the gas has a poison effect. It only applies if you stay in it too long/inhale too much gas. Otherwise, you might get blasted by the cascade. Direct hits will apply it regardless.
War Cry is a blasty blast that increases the user's own attack. It's strong, but requires some time to cast. It's technically more spell than stance, but it can be used by fighters.
Witching Hour was something I'd thought to do for a while, but wasn't sure when, or how. Originally it was meant to be Su's unique ability, but I scrapped that idea and gave it a different effect. I can't say what that is, however. Also it's just a nebulous concept now because it went with the storyboards, but it did exist! At one point! As for what WH does, it essentially increases the effectiveness of CA spells and stances while its in effect. Those of the opposing element are weakened. Hence why Su says it's not phantasm magic. It isn't based around the illusion, but what change comes with the illusion. As one might expect, the strengthened Agasuric presence also affects those with Agasuric blood. For Reina and TJ, it speeds up the process at which they would start rampaging, hence Reina's creepy laugh.
More new abilities! Insatiability is a charge. Impact and all. The slashing was not a part of it, for the record. The impact can stagger enemies, knock them down, or send them hurtling, depending on how they're crashed into. Momentum is good! Doesn't take long to get it, though.
Sawtooth Gulch is a stance that typically would only have one use. Unless you have two weapons! Where the bladers at?
Vanguard Culling, unlike Demon's Armoury can only make that one weapon. It's very specific in its use, but the stance carries a lot more power than Demon's Armoury would. Short, and effective.
Vanquisher's Ordinance is a Pride-based skill. Neither stance nor spell, so either type can use it. It's essentially an ability for performing a coup de grace. If the opponent isn't sufficiently weakened, though, it won't have any effect. Pride being the way it is, however, it'd likely have a boon for the opponent if they still had enough strength to fight.
The last skill is currently unnamed! Will we see it again? Probably! When? I can't tell you that~.

And so, we've reached the end of this update, friendos. I kinda had to blitz this one, but fights are always tough to give reviews of since...well, much of it is self-explanatory. Save for the abilities! A lot of the Chekov's guns pointed toward this, so if you noticed them, good stuff! There'll be more about Reina's demonic tendencies next time, so you can hear me rant on and on about them then.

Anyway uhh...not much has changed, here. Probably. I really liked that deo I bought last time so I got some more. Also Mr. A and Mr B and I are watching Turn A Gundam. Soon, the 'TJ only watched SD Gundam?' will be nothing more than a memory! Soon! We're actually almost done. Got some 90s nostalgia 'cause of it.
Also this is important, but I'll try to keep it brief to get to the meat of it. I originally planned to do the fight with Reina for the sake of...well for a lot of things, but the problem I faced was the why of it. For them to have a match wouldn't be entirely unlikely. A chance to put the dances and TJ's skills to the test is reason enough, but I felt it lacked something. The idea that something could be learned, or rather that Reina could glean new information about him, herself and all that accompanied their strange systems of spells/stances was something that came from a video I watched. I'll post a link here, but you should definitely check out Plague! He does some great videos about a variety of things. And art! I can't understand half of what goes into making it, but I can appreciate the struggle.

For your viewing pleasure:

Hopefully this doesn't get taken down like the clip about bread or my context is gonna go out the window. If it's my fault, I apologize in advance!
With that said! My work here is done! More soon? ...Perhaps? Goodbye!

**Toejam** Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:42 pm

Toejam

Toejam: Posts : 1049
Join date : 2009-03-29
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Location : Cake Tooooooowwwn

Post n°353

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Jan 09, 2021 4:42 pm

Pages 771-782:

Last edited by TJ on Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

**Toejam** Sat Jan 09, 2021 5:59 pm

Toejam

Toejam: Posts : 1049
Join date : 2009-03-29
Age : 31
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Post n°354

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Jan 09, 2021 5:59 pm

Shining on like a bunch of crazy diamonds:

Would you jump from a castle's ramparts batman style to object to your waifu being married off? Extra points if you touch down like the terminator!
So? Let's get down to it!

You know, sometimes I can't help but think, "man, if sage time was half as satisfying as this, life would be good." It's just misery! Philosophical misery, but misery nonetheless! Also existential dread! Gotta find a better way to keep the good times rollin' eh?
Anyway, this part, as you may have guessed, is techincally skipped over 'cause TJ is KOed. I'd like to do a side story for it, though. It wouldn't be anything major to the main story so I didn't include it here, but I'd like to do a little bit to kinda show how Su forges something of a bond with the Bastion duo. Though their dialogue is short here, I hope that it showed her warming up to them somewhat. I think it'd be kinda nice, to see how the fight closes out and things being put back together. In all fairness, though, the story feels like it flows a lot better because that stuff is left out. It gives a much better sense of finality to the battle and the scene doesn't feel like it trudges on too much like this, right? All else aside, having them traverse that distance and back might feel a bit redundant. What would happen during the side story wouldn't be particularly exciting, but you'd get a bit more development for those girls. It'd be more in line with the other side stories--filling in a bit of a gap--overall, just building the relationships, in short!
I worry a bit about Alessa's girl power line. That's something that means different things, depending on where you are. Sorry friends, this time it's more girlyness than empowerment. There's plenty of that throughout the story but she's not always the type for that. Though all things considered...defining her usual antics as girly raises a lot of question marks...doesn't it? It...it kinda makes me wonder about the definition itself. Language is weird. Our concepts of gender are also quite weird, and ever-changing. Reality is a lie. Turn it on its head.

Now then! This is important! It's probably clear by the dialogue but that fight and all that took place during the final half is a critical step for TJ's growth. As we all know, if he goes berserk, he loses control of himself, as he did there. Having a chance to...well, in a sense, cleanse himself of all the hatred and remorse that he carried from his previous engagements with Choen Palm opened the opportunity for him to grow. Rather than getting into another fight with her and risking himself and his allies, he faced off with Reina instead and freed himself of that risk. So! The enxt time he faces off with Choen Palm, things won't turn into a bloody mess. What I like about this was that possibility was always there, but we wouldn't likely be aware of it until the situation arose. At least, not without a monologue or more whenever thoughts of Choen Palm came around. However, we wouldn't likely see all of his pent-up emotions unless she was there in the flesh. It's easy to envision something within your mind's eye, but to some degree fooling your brain without the proper stimulus wouldn't likely have much effect, no? It's like trying to tickle yourself. You just can't do it!
I have to admit, Alessa has a lot of great lines here. She was really at the top of her game and in all fairness, some of the things she said were true. Though TJ wasn't physically hurt, his stamina would be all but spent. He'd get some back by resting of course, but moving around without restraint would likely be tough if you just woke up. Still, I think the best part about this is when Reina tells her that she's not cut out to be a liar. As we see more of her here, or even in USSR/Innocent, you get the vibe that she's a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She tries to mask it, but those who know her well enough see right through it. She kinda hides her true feelings like that, but she never lies about what she feels. As ever, there are moments where her true feelings show, and they're surprisingly often.
We do get a bit of info from her too. One of these days, I'll do proper character bios. Or at least, y'know, the basics of them, 'cause there's a lot of characters. Both TJ and Su are the shortest characters in the cast, but their heights aren't too far apart. One hasn't had a growth spurt and the other got the short genes from her dad. Hence! Imagination!

Moving on! The thing about the Crystal Mines was that you needed a ticket in LT to get in. It was a consumable item that would teleport you in, but the tickets were either for an hour, or 30 mins. There was no way to just waltz inside. So if you ever see a map of Jienda and you see it there, there's no connecting path. Story wise, I tried to make it so that rather than well...trying to explain that, that you need a ticket to get in. So in a sense, the implication is that someone, or something, is guarding the entrance and without those tickets, nobody gets in. Nonetheless, it had a lot of rare minerals and whatnot, so it was definitely worth visiting. You could typically win those tickets from LaDeck, but I feel like they could also be dropped. Been a while, tbh.
Nonetheless, Reina and Alessa's dialogue teaches us something important. The fanatics can in fact, use Contemptuous Arts! In this story, those that do are very far and few between. Thus far, we have our pro and deuteragonist, Choen Palm, and...that's it! The sins use their respective sin, but not any particular CA. I can't tell you how they do it here, but they can. For the record, the one who said Salem was terrifying was Alessa. Since Reina has a few lines broken up prior to that, it can be a little misleading, but if it was her line then the previous quotation would still be open. You might be aware, but it's just in case!
Anyway, here we learn a bit more about Reina's fighting style. If you've read Innocent already, you know how it is. Writing it is rather challenging, but when I started I knew that it was something I wanted to do. Things are definitely easier from Salem's perspective, but I think the picture that Reina's paints for the reader would give a unique experience in and of itself. Seeing how it plays out from his makes it a whole lot better though! Her learning to sense people and Agasura by their mana was something she acquires much, much later, though. As she says though, it isn't the be-all-end-all solution. Remember how in Frequency Peorth used a spell to help TJ to see mana? His sense for it devleoped naturally over time, which is how he was able to distinguish where his allies were in the fight against Acedia. That, and learning how much he paled in comparison in strength to God Ah. His own fluctuates, depending on how he uses it. The output increases when the Frequencies are in effect, but he passively permeates it because he doesn't know how to mask it yet. The output also increases when fighting, both for warriors and mages, which is why they often set up barriers before fights begin.

The next part...well, for the most part I can't say much about it. USSR has your answers. Unless you don't need them. You decide! As for the part about mana, I won't say that it can't speed up recovery time, but there are definitely a lot of changes to the body from obtaining the ability to use it. In Reina's case, her healing abilities are linked to being an Agasura. As for the part about Demons, they tend to go underr a lot of different names, but that's usually my go-to. If you ever hear the terms Demon, Daemon, or [REDACTED] just know that it's referring to them. Certain characters will talk about it, Reina now being one of them and in pursuit of understanding them. For the record, Demons/Daemons are those that are unique from Agasura, they're the progenitors. Agasura of course, are the monsters and can also include Sinners. Hybrids are those that straddle that line between the two. Choen Palm, TJ, Reina, and Su are all hybrids. Agasura Hybrids on the other hand are those that often take on more monstruous traits or rather those that are made. MK. II and Truong's abominations are all Agasura hybrids. Choen Palm shares some of those facets, but her bond with the Agasura gives her access to those powers, hence the CA.
So! We're back to what we learned in chapter...three. Vanir told TJ that above the others among the Demons was the Abellan himself. Their progenitor, in a sense. Here, we've learned that Reina has gained the traits of one, but whether she was inhabited by one is left a mystery. Even so, she does have the power to speak to him, and he her, telepathically. This of course, only works when she uses that power. Otherwise, they have no connection. He's not aware of her hidden power, and she can't speak with him, but she isn't drawn deeper into it either.
So, following that we get a bit more banter from those dorks. If you're wondering what Alessa meant by appeal time, she just meant a chance to show her good points. Since Reina's been in the spotlight the whole time she hasn't really had her chance to shine, huh? Though she did get in some good jabs here and there lol. They're mostly lost on the Bard but she's no quitter, that one. As for how, I'm sure by now you've seen it, so yeah, it meant in a romantic sense. Despite her messing around, she's rather serious about it! In the same vein, her messing around is her being serious about it. It's a strange cycle, isn't it? I like that Reina supports her, despite having misgivings. However! Howeverrr! Not all ships can sail! It takes a lot of guts to take that route! I am weak. Can't do it, sorry.

Next! What I really like about this scene is it's almost like...a complete reversal of what we just had. The two just wind up doing something so...everyday. Domestic. All that stuff about Demons and Gods and fanatics takes a back seat so they can wash dishes and talk about friendship and love. For readers, a little bit, it's almost as if we get a chance to take stock of what TJ had learned, some of his experiences and how it might appear in the eyes of another. Here again, we see teacher not as the student but the teacher to his companion. It's not very often we see him flustered about those things because most of the time, he doesn't understand. In cases like these though, we do see a different side of him and I think that can be a bit refreshing. In that, we also get to see a bit of how he feels about the person who caught his eye. That clumsy way of describing it feels true to the character and a little...genuine. It's goofy, but I think that's what makes it charming.
...Describing this feels so jarring. But if I was to describe it from the perspective of a writer, it'd definitely be a lot worse.
Ah uhh anyway...love! It's a complicated beast! It's a tricky, seductive mistress! It's the peak and valley of life! It's a trainwreck in slow motion! Except for when it's not.

I do feel that this part might come off as a little strange, but I think it was needed. Y'see, the thing about dreams is that, or at least I hear, that they're your brain trying to parse through all the information you may have gleaned sub-consciously. It's still a heated debate over what the deal with them is, but I feel like that would be the best way for TJ to explore the feelings he doesn't quite understand. He himself wouldn't actively think about it, or understand it even if he could, so seeing a dream like that allows for him to give a voice to that insecuirty and kinda...find some guidance in how he should proceed. Or rather, perhaps find more agency for himself. Thus far, a lot of the time his actions have been rather passive and to a reader, that might be frustrating. But for him to actively pursue his heart's desire without understanding it at all would be bad character writing. Drawing up the conflict is important. Exploring the complexities of it, the trial and error and all that accompanies it as he reaches for that potential goal makes for a much better character and one that would be well-rounded. It'll be frustrating to see, but it'll be worthwhile in the end. You'll see how he grows in all aspects and feel that what he obtained at the end of the long journey would've been worth it. In a strange sense, it'd be him breaking out of his shell, and growing into that position. Here, one could say that we're seeing a starting line for a change. Those that took a chance, those that are playing the long game, and those that are coming into their own, how they'll clash and come together will make for quite a few interesting developments, no? Look forward to it!

So! The next part is round 2 vs. Reina, ft. Alessa. This one's a lot shorter 'cause it literally starts halfway through the fight. I figured that the scenes with the two had gone on for some time so I decided to cut this one a little short. My goal was in essence to convey the ideas that TJ had learned and improved, but also that the previous battle had cleared up a lot of things for him. His focus and foot work improved, and he didn't need to rely on his Agasuric abilities to win the battle. I think this is important because it's a double-edged sword, but could also be considered a crutch, in a sense. He gets incredible powerful, but becomes a threat to his allies and himself if used recklessly. Learning to master both the Arcane and Divine will help him to realize what he's capable of, but also help him to learn not to rely on that power. Of course, mastery of that, isn't entirely impossible, and as Vanir told him, it's necessary.
So anyway, in truth I originally wanted to do a fight with the two of them. Since Reina serves the role of tank, she shows most of her capabilities when working alongside another ally. Some of her abilities need another ally to function, but as we've seen alone she can do pretty well. Of course, depending on the enemy the difficulty increases or decreases. Since TJ is a humanoid opponent, it's a pretty even match-up. as things progress, you can kinda see some of her abilities in action. There's more, but most of them are situational.
Now then! This is a big thing so lemme elaborate. The stance change she does is something we haven't seen yet, as TJ speculates. Her other stances were based on certain teachings, but were all part and parcel to each other. They modified the same skills and enabled certain ones. Just as it is with LT, you could say there are essentially two trees to follow. For example, Dagger users have a melee tree and a throwing weapon tree. One offers great mobility but short range, the other offers less but range. In this case, Reina's style is based on Vanir's teachings and a bit on his way of doing things, that is, including his personality. I uhh...I don't think I've actually mentioned this before, since it's technically headcanon so uhh...gonna put this in its own little box.

Summoners and Paladins and Lizardmen oh my!:

So! Though the style is based on Vanir's teachings from a Paladin, Reina's style is based on Vanir's teachings, which...well, leads to a very different kind of Paladin. Rather than just becoming a defensive wall with support spells, she specializes in debuffing enemies and as one would expect, tanking. You can see some of that here, but I'll go through each ability individually.
First things first, is the Warrior Signet. Like her other stances, it's meant to help her dish out more damage, rather than withstand it. The other side of that coin is the Paladin Signet. Doesn't use it here, though.
Noblesse Oblige is a means to close the gap with enemies. The name really does have that Paladin sort of feel to it, doesn't it? Unlike Slipstream, it targets an enemy rather than a direction, so it's much easier to get to the target, but only works for her.
Disdainful Eyes was one that I felt had a much clearer connection to her mentor. One could describe it as a taunt, in a sense. However, unlike the others, it has a much greater focus on striking fear into the enemy rather than just trying to bring the user up as a threat in their target's mind. You've heard me say it before, but enmity-based things are much less effective against people because...well, they're not gonna follow their instincts like a creature would. I think this is why that feeling of fear is important. It's not the type that will send someone running and screaming, which does exist! Not here, not yet, though, but it does. Nonetheless, considering what we've seen of Vanir thus far, this feels fitting, doesn't it? He tends to have a few of those moments throughout Sanctuary.
Next is Alessa's Robin Descending. Only the first shot requires an arrow. The rest of the stance could be considered magic of sorts, but it falls under the stance category. The skill lets her fire off arrows consecutively and at a quickened pace for every shot she fires. So she gains more attack speed the more she uses it, but the more arrow she fires off, the more mana it consumes per arrow. If she had enough, she could essentially go on endlessly, or at least until she's out of mana. Good idea in theory, poor execution!
Quick FYI, the Volt Spheres are part and parcel to Chain Lightning. The former can be used seperately and the latter could be if there was more than one target. The two in combination just make for stronger lightning, and substitute the lack of targets with spells.
One of the things I like about this part is that TJ uses spells to make up for what he lacks in allies. Using things like Thunderstorm or the Volt Spheres to hold off Reina/Alessa respectively lets him focus on each respectively. Here too, he starts mixing in status effects and the elements to gain greater effects. There are occasional moments where he uses those facets as strengths and weaknesses to help his allies and hinder his enemies, and it shows that he's grown both in, and out of battle.
Moving on! Circuit Runner is a spell used for sending a moderate shock to an enemy. It's range is poor, so you'd need to be touching the enemy for it to work. It's a little less focused than Rill, and it doesn't have its range either, so both have their uses. Neither is particularly powerful, but they're good spells to use in a pinch.
Next spell is Storm's Inundation. As you'd expect, it's a Water-based spell and one TJ would need the Frequency to use. Now that I think about it, he doesn't really use it as much to empower his spells, huh? I wonder if that's a concept I'd reintroduce. Nonetheless, as one would expect, SI brings down a downpour. With all the stormclouds, following it with a Thunderstorm spell could be effective. Typically that'd be limited to Order, but he can still use Light-based spells even if he switches. Given that the two spells are so closely linked, doing so seems reasonable.
Moving on! Convergence is...well, it speaks for itself lol. As I was writing this, I realized how difficult it was to really give Explorer/Treasure Hunter's cool looking skills. I mean, doing the effects for them isn't too bad, but the archer wants for something to do. One could say it's essentially rule of cool at that juncture, but it does make them feel more animated. If you've ever seen their actions in LT, they really are something else. Rule of cool aside, a bit of mobility in their actions could mean life or death, so adding some to the skills could have quite a bit of merit.I've played enough FF14 to see the merit in being able to run and shoot lol. I did play Bard in HW, if you were wondering.
Now then, Freeze is...well, it does exactly what you expect it to. It's a weak spell, but raindrops aren't hard to freeze. If he was to try and freeze a body of water it wouldn't have much effect. As is the case with The Pharaoh's Chambers, he would need a stronger spell like Absolute Zero to do it.
Now then, Hope's Beacon is a support stance. It dispels field effects, phantasm magic, and heals allies. It also clears debuffs! Strong stance, has a bit of a wind-up so it's easy to cancel. If you were wondering why Reina got back into the fight, that's it. It wasn't explicitly said, but I hope the sparkles raining down gave you a clue.
As for TJ's javelins, they're not the same as the ones Kooh throws. Hers was a spell, his are just javelin-shaped...ice. One of the two has a secondary effect.
It's just a couple of sentences here, but as TJ says, her methods of attacking differ when she uses her other stance. In Frequency, it might not matter as much or appear that way, but it does give her a lot more avenues of attack which will change the way her enemies have to approach. We can see that TJ does have some more skill in terms of movement though! Most of the time, or at least before this, he'd either block it or try and fight it directly. Or eat the attacks and hit her with a counterattack. Usually he'd get pretty badly beat up lol.
Nonetheless! Two new stances! Palladion Tower/Blade. Tower you ask? Yes, that tower! It's pretty fitting, isn't it? The pillar of light it creates sustains for a time afterwards, so stepping into it even after the initial slash will hurt an opponent. Getting hit by the in itial slash will do a lot more damage. The follow-up stance hits all around Reina, so as long as he's within range of the stance, he would get hit regardless of which side he started on.
Alessa's stance doesn't have a name, but they're two different things, as you may have guessed.
Surprisingly, this was the first time I used Charm lol. There are much more powerful charm spells, like Choen palm's Cell of Yearning, but those have longer cast times. When I wrote this, I wanted a callback to that. TJ often reflects on past battles to improve in the following ones, so him recalling how she turned the tides of that battle is a good example of what he could do. Cast time aside, the effect time is also much slower in comparison, and the effectiveness of it. If TJ invoked the Sin, the success chance and the time it takes to work would likely be shortened. All else aside, such a status effect is a battle of will. Reina could resist it entirely and it would have no effect, but under the circumstances she didn't. Can't forget the effect time! Stronger spells will have longer durations. As one would expect, Charm loses its effect when the inflicted are hit with any other attack.
Next! We get a stance chain from Reina. The first attack, being Thresh, is meant to disarm your opponent, or 'disable' them. By that I mean, wound the hands to prevent the use of spells/stances. Or at least, some of them. Guardians have a lot of kicks so it wouldn't hinder them, depending on the type of Guardian. Broken Spoke lowers the target's defense. Anyone caught in the stance can't act while it happens, so it's not entirely moot lol. Anterior Unguarded is a stance that ignores the target's defenses and just generally hits really hard. It only works if they're inflicted with Broken Spoke's effect.
I love the little joke in between the next few things. For once, Alessa wasn't actually messing around but it seemed like she would, huh?
So if you were wondering, the time TJ referred to was when Kooh used Elemental Sigma. Just as the case was with her and with Amata, a previous spell has to be used to allow the use of it. TJ watching from the gondola wasn't just for show! Little by little, he's picking up a few new things and improving.
So for those wondering why Reina passed out, she used a stance that shares an ally's damage with the user. Vanir used it once during Innocent when he had a 2v2 match with her and Salem. In Pomf and Circumstance, he has items that he enchanted to disperse damage among his summons. So as you can imagine, it's a very Vanir thing to do. However, it's a Paladin skill, for all intents and purposes. Even a disgraced Pally can use it, thankfully lol.
Just a bit left. Spring Storm almost seems like a wind spell, but it's Earth through and through. It's not very powerful, but it does have a lot of versatility. You could use it as an attack or a defensive maneuver. He does follow it with Earth Dragon, which is very rare. I realized that Su uses a lot of Ice spells, but TJ doesn't use a lot of Earth, especially the SP skills. They can do both, because of their connection but very rarely have I actually capitalized on it. That and Bubble Bubble...maybe I could do something with that. I think there's some potential there. It just...it looks kinda silly.
Few more spells, courtesy of TJ. I'll cover those first. Land Alive, as you see, creates a series of vines he can control and use at will to attack enemies within range of them. Su's used something similar, but when sshe did it in USSR, she controlled them using her hands, so she was grounded on the spot.
Vacillating Stone has some similarities to Delver Ascending. The spell can be recast, but unlike DA, the user needs to focus on the spell and where it arrives, so it can't be cast and forgotten. If the initial strike misses, as I mentioned before, it can be used again immediately after from the starting point.
Lastly, Flak Cannon is a spell that essentially launches chunks of stone at the opponent. Here, TJ fired off three waves of stone, but it can be more, depending on how big the stone is. Of course, the larger it is, the more energy it requires to fire off and maintain. It'll also block your vision!
One of the things I like about this part is that jokes aside, we get to see a much more serious version of Alessa. She's not only a competent fighter with a bow, but also one with a tessen. If you've read the other stories you know it isn't something she always had a knack for her. She was always heavily focused around her archery, but as Reina had mentioned, she has great footwork. Her honing her abilities in close range was something that happened much later, but isn't entirely unique to her. For example, Samson doesn't use bows, but he can. Like her, he wouldn't use the stances but he could definitely fire it off with some semblance of skill. Victoria is a bow user also, but she prefers to carry a kukri around with her. Alessa like them is becoming a well-rounded fighter, and though here we only got to see a bit of what she's capable of, I hope it helps you to see her in a new light!

And so, we've reached the end of this update. I took a little more time on this one so I hope you learned a lot!

It's been a pretty ordinary week for me. The story's been progressing pretty smoothly. I'm currently working on the next major development, but took a short break from it to go back to Inno. I stopped at a weird point in time and I don't really remember why, but ideally I'd like to wrap up that scene soon. I'd forgotten, but I was already most of the way through Act 3. It's coming along nicely, that one! The storyboards for Sanc too. I still have to fix them up but I'm getting there. Where's there? I can't tell you that~.

On another note, we finished Gundam. Turn A, at least. I have so many thoughts about it, but it was good! I liked it a lot, really. A lot of the characters were morons but the end of it satisfied me anyway lol. I'm not doing it justice here, but it's definitely worth a watch. Though as Mr. A said, it's technically the end of the timeline so...probably not where to start. Can't say i'm not invested, given what we've seen though. Still, that aside I'm still kinda...mulling over my thoughts about it all. Might need to check out the ending again, both for curiosity's sake and for reference. Learning how to tie up loose ends is always one of the toughest things to do, and doing it well even more so.

I'd say more soon, but there won't be, no! Next week is the guild war! Mama always said, "Don't run away from the guild war. Guild war is a duty". Mama didn't raise no quitter. My guild war preparations are immaculate! I beat Metty's face in until he gave me enough pillars to finish my grid. I'm ready! Since that's done, I'm beating on the chuuni kid again for spoons but he's not handing them over. I think I need a lot of them too, but they're just not coming. Nevertheless! Duty calls! I'll see you on the battlefields laddies!
With that said, goodbye!

**Toejam** Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:18 pm

Toejam

Toejam: Posts : 1049
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Post n°355

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Jan 22, 2021 2:18 pm

Pages 782-793:

**Toejam** Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:15 pm

Toejam

Toejam: Posts : 1049
Join date : 2009-03-29
Age : 31
Location : Cake Tooooooowwwn

Post n°356

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:15 pm

Blood and Darkness, Agony and Sorrow, Pain and Peko:

As the saying goes, get you a girl who can do both. By that I mean both multiply, and get annoyed with herself. With cloning technology, we can both overcome the robot uprising and bring a new meaning to "Me, myself and I"! Or it'll end in self...icide? Or clone wars!
Let the clones nourish the earth! Blood for the blood lily! Let's get down to it!

Just realized I missed the chance at a two-hands joke. Ahh...hindsight's 20-20. Anyway, as Su said, a regular Bard would've lost without much of a fight.I can't deny that healing was a Bard's strong suit and in some cases, you can win battles. Not in LT, though, it scaled poorly. The only good one they had had a CD that was much, much too long so you'd die before you could use it twice. It's times like those you'd wanna use water magic. Don't pvp as a support bard, not then, not now, it's a bad time, trust me.
I knew that Su could've summoned two more clones and had them do all the carrying, but as the story implies, it'd probably be a bad idea lol. Logic dictates that it would consume an inordinate amount of mana, but that's not the reason, no. She just couldn't handle two more of them lol. All the bad jokes and snarky remarks aside, it gives us a little bit of a look into how she feels, doesn't it? At this juncture it probably seems like standard fare but it's pretty rare for us to actually get a glimpse at her feelings toward her self. Technically. I mean in all fairness, these two differ in that they spend a lot of time making bad jokes. I fuckin' love bad jokes, so, so much. It's a small part of the reason that this is the way it is, though. It's not always clear, but they tend to share parts of her, likely things that are repressed. Currently, going from memory alone there are about 4 situations I can think of when she created clones. 5 if you include USSR. Most of them show facets of her typical persona, but some of them show different sides. A little bit, I wanted to explore her character through them, perhaps things that never came to be, or exist, but are never seen. It raises the possibility that she could still be that way, if given the chance to come to terms with her past. As we saw with Alvaro and her talk with TJ earlier in the chapter, she has a bit of a softer side to her, but very rarely will show it.
The moment of introspection we get in her dialogue, I think, is really great. It's in those moments that we get to see her other side. They're far and few between, but they give us a brief glimpse into her hang-ups, her memories, and what she feels and thinks about some of the other characters. That is, without the usual swagger. The time she spoke about here took place before USSR happened, or at least, during the years Samson was travelling. If you've seen any of Innocent, Reina occasionally takes some time to write letters. Just as she did to Samson during USSR, she sent them to Bea and Grant, and they sent some back in turn. We learn a little more about Su then, how she was before Samson came and it kinda fills in some of those gaps. It's just small character details, no major events, so if you haven't seen it don't worry!
I think one of the most important parts about this dialogue is that we get to see how Su sees the situation. It's not clearly stated, but there's a lot of self-loathing in her words. I mean that in the sense that she feels that she could've, and should've been able to do more, but couldn't. Rather than carry that regret, she turned it into anger. That anger spurs her onward, it manifested an enemy, both in the literal and the contextual sense, and that enemy gives her a goal to strive toward. This is important in the sense that it gives her agency and the drive to do what she needs to be done in order to accomplish their goals, to reach that ending she so desires in a Machiavellian way. At the same time, though she spoke of Reina in the sentence here, "If nothing else, her ideals are strong. They've carried her this far, but if they crumble under the weight of scrutiny they're worthless" this is something implied that she could consider herself. We see her doubts following the last hunt, but she talks herself out of it. A similar concept is explored between Reina and Salem. It asks the question, if one is to doubt their path, was it right to begin with? The strength of heart it takes to say that your path is just, or even correct, is no small feat. What she does, requires that and so much more. Do you feel that way when you consider all those two have gotten into? If you're unsure now, keep it in mind as the story carries on. It's going to get a lot more messed up as things progress, but it'll definitely give you a deeper insight into the characters and how complex it all really is. And grey.
Of course, it's not Sanctuary unless something ridiculous happens afterwards, now is it?

So! A return to form with the Bastion duo. Before continuing there, though, I did do a short trip back with the Yggdrasil duo. Last time I explained why I didn't, and the same kinda applies here. We see their trip back from the battlefield, but not the trip to the battlefield. Doing it this way gave some context to how they got the two back, and for a chance for those two to reflect and have a moment together.
Back to it, tea time! What kind of tea is it? Unknown. TBA. Looking at this now, it feels so odd. Since I've been writing Innocent as Sanctuary progresses, it's like jumping between the past and the present. Reina has a lot of the facets she did then, but her position and her way of approaching it differ so much. Right now I'm at a stage where she's learning about guilds and how they function and when I think that she's become just like the others it feels...weird. I went through the nightmare gauntlet of designing a bunch of characters for the scene, too. It's not even their final designs either, that's the worst part. I mean, character wise yes, outfit wise no. Future me will curse past me for it, but right now you get present me! I'll leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's me!
Still, the thought of how she is here, she really does feel like a different character. Or perhaps, that she'd grown, quite a bit. Still a little unsteady, but much stronger than she was. As I write Innocent and work towards the end of Sanctuary, I need to remember that feeling so that I can capture it in both protagonists and deuteragonists alike. Their respective growths differ of course, but there are similarities between the duo here and Salem and Su. Of course, I can't neglect how the characters grow together, not just separately.
So! Now we get into the salt lol. Alessa's "Ohhh?" would've worked better if I used one 'H', methinks. Typically when there's more than one, it kinda has a more disappointed feel to it, doesn't it? At least I use it that way. Hers was meant to be more like...the kind of oh you'd ask of someone approaching you. I mean, in all fairness, it could go both ways but it wasn't like that lol. Our swordswoman might be be off the market but she still drops the spaghetti when it comes to things like that. Also! You're supposed to be dating before you live together! Their relationship is kinda backwards, isn't it? At a glance, at least lol. Probably would have to break the 4th wall and be like, 'yeah I'm the protag of a fantasy novel, what gave it away'? Also if you wanna see Reina drop her spaghetti during the confession it's a thing! That exists now! It happens at the end of act 2 in Innocent. Where can you read it, you ask? Ha ha ha!
You know, I think the Pledger's Rite, at least, the dance was one of my first forays into building a different culture for the Asgardians. IIRC, I wrote USSR back in 2014 so I was trying some new things after starting over on Sanctuary again. I knew I needed to build the world eventually, and the dancers, Halcyon and those that lived there were all part and parcel to that. Now that I have a bit of a clearer idea, I'm slowly branching out and the ways that is the case are explored through the various novels. Some you'll hear more about in Sanctuary, but gradually. Still, I love the little moment they have(though short lived). Originally Alessa said 'Human' instead of 'guy' but that sounded terrible, so I changed it. There's not much difference between the Asgardians and the Midgardians when you boil it down to brass tacks, so designating that only meant the distinction made sense in Julius' case, since he's married to a human. Sometimes I forget Su is half. With all the perks it comes with being one! Nothing! Next to being Midgard's apex predator I suppose lol.
Putting the jokes aside, this is a big moment 'cause we get a confirmation from TJ about how he feels, and in a sense, a declaration. Of war, I mean! The war on love! Or the love war! Call it what you will. A lot of the novel, he's spent derping about, putting aside all the life-threatening battles. At least, it applies in the case of understanding his own feelings. There's a reason for it, and he doesn't know it, and you probably don't know it either, but I know what it is. Nevertheless! After all that took place, his feelings are finally solidified and we get to see a side of him that's very rarely seen. A sense of courage, dedication, perhaps, and certainty. He knows what he wants to do, he knows how he feels, and intends to take action in some way, shape or form. I think this is both a great, and terrible character moment. In understanding there's so much gained, but at the same time not everything is clear, and with it comes a distinct sense of loss. It's...strange, isn't it? If he knew, the entire scene would've played out very differently. The reason I did it this way wasn't a cop-out, I promise. It's terrible, but it's very true to his character. Even now, months later I still think about this scene quite a bit because of all that's packed into it, and all that isn't said. Language is a tricky thing, isn't it? I've spent so much time thinking about it over the past few years, and even now, i still feel I couldn't capture all the complexity of it. What's said, what isn't, what's implied and can be assumed, what can be believed and discovered, there are so many, many things that make it what it is, and this perhaps might be the truest show of it that I could muster, for the time being, at least. After all, love is...so, so complicated.
As I always said, Alessa may have messed around a bunch, but despite all the messing around she did, she was serious about it. I think readers would feel that the feeling isn't genuine because she'd lack the connection most would have with him. It makes the most sense, that way, no? The complication lies in that much of it is left to the imagination. That is, what the reason for those feelings is. If I was to mention one of the other potential romantic candidates, you might be able to rattle off a few reasons as to why they might feel the way they do. Save for Freya, since she's a bit of an enigma. You needn't take me at my word, but I did consider this beforehand. So? I don't want to say too much, because there was one more side story I'd like to do, to follow this up. Gonna spoiler tag this since it technically gives away more information about it than needed. Read it if you're interested in what happens, but you won't miss anything if you don't!

Oh~ what do you do...:

You might feel that the scene is a little surreal, or fake, and that's fair. But! You can take me at my word when I say that if there's one thing I do know, it's...love! Yes! You're welcome to call me the (Unrequited) love master! I'm 1-3, successes to failures. My history is spotty at best, so I can't tell you much in greater detail, but you've likely heard about one of them lol. Nevertheless, the how of it is always such a complicated situation. What we might consider real and fake without knowing for ourselves, without seeing or doing, it makes you wonder what would be certain. But in the end, isn't that just how it is? You needn't hear it from me. Many and more say love is illogical, just as our emotions are. They aren't based in logic, and we often act on them without proper rhyme, reason or procedure. We make mistakes, we hurt ourselves and each other, and we grow closer all in doing so. For all intents and purposes, it's being human, and as ever, humans are complex in many, many ways. But there's a certain kind of beauty in that, though, isn't there? Imperfect as we are. It reminds me of something, something I still hold dearly in my memories.

So uhh...yeah. From this point onward, currently, as in today, there are about 40 pages that aren't posted here. I don't remember why, but I took some time from writing this to go back to Innocent.
But anyway! You ever played the imposter in Among Us so well, you didn't even realize it was you? Welcome to Sanctuary. Strap in, we're in for a long ride lol. Joking aside, I realize that this is something that probably should've happened sooner. At the same time, for it to do so would add more complexities to the situations at hand. The scenes prior would take on very different shapes under those circumstances. If TJ was to fight either Reina or Alessa with that weighing on his mind, it probably would've further clouded his thoughts and his other hang-ups would remain unresolved.
Following it, we get the fli-side of similar feelings on TJ's part. What's being done, what can be done, and with the power one has, how. As much as the story jokes about his incredible powers, but he's neither omnipotent nor omniscient. Strong, but...not much else, huh? I suppose much of his power lays in the knowledge handed down from those who came before. Much like us. In case you're wondering, though Belos might be a small village, it's by no means compact. Houses are spread out across the valley. Much of the shopping can be done since the market is all in one place, but the rest dots the entire landscape, unlike the cities.
I really enjoy the little scene with Machina. As ever, it's clear what the main character is all about. Some of the stuff points it out, as you'd expect, but it's in the dialogues you get a much better feel for him. As for Machina's reaction, she was laughing and covered it up. Methinks the master doth protest too much.

Next! Putting aside the prior chat, what stands out to me is the meeting. IIRC, when I initially wrote it I wasn't entirely sure about having him run over and hug her. Probably in that it would seem out of character or something. A lot of the time, he was more awkward around her but it was inevitable that it'd change eventually. I think...this is important, though. I'm sure I talked about distance between people in the past, here, and such a sign like this makes it much clearer that they've grown closer. They've hugged in the past, of course, but then, just like now, they would often have been away from each other. Those cases I believe were at the start of Sanc, and during the Gourmet's Valley. The interesting thing about it, is that it raises the question: is it affection? Or relief? Could be both, but I won't say it's one way or the other.
I'd like to say Peorth's words were foreshadowing somewhat, but it isn't too much. At the very least, it's nothing particularly surprising or new. She's mentioned that she wanted to lead missions, and technically he was in charge of the mission against Acedia. Though in all fairness, there is just a teensy bit in there. The rest, not too much to say about, methinks. Just general banter and a bit of a lesson for TJ. I was thinking the other day, but he's had quite a few mentors in a variety of subjects, hasn't he?

Moving on! Club Abio! For the record, Monica didn't bet against Naomi because she didn't believe in her, it's just...you can't have a wager with both sides agreeing! Though she kinda put herself into a losing bet, huh? In all fairness, though, it may have seemed pretty reasonable, considering what the others are capable of. I gotta admit, when I wrote it I was like, "alright me, how the hell are you gonna work this one out with all the bullshit you put into this novel?" but I did it! Well? You decide! I guess I'll have an existential crisis over not knowing if it is. But that's for another day!
I've gotta admit, I still adore Maya. She's a girl who will play with fire. Lucia doesn't scare her, not Peorth, nor Vanir, she'll take a gamble with any of them and I love her for it. Well...I say they don't scare her, but they do. It's more that they can't prevent her from doing what she will, for better or worse. There aren't any words traded between her and the princess over most, but you can feel that tension, huh? It's one of the things I love about their dynamic.
So first we get Maya vs. Peorth, and then TJ vs. bean bag chair. One of these has a decided victor. I didn't think about it becoming a recurring joke the first time I wrote it, but I think it was a nice throwback to that.
As for Lucia, she's a really great character. Or perhaps, i just enjoy writing her. A lot of the time she comes off as the business as usual type, but there are those moments where we get to see her without her business persona. Before, and after. She cares a lot about her guests, and regardless of which story she appears in, she shows that trait. Heck, she appears in all 3! She's pretty industrious, that one! There's a tidbit about her in Peorth's side story that gives us a bit of insight into her character. Honestly, she's great, period.
A lot of the stuff is explained in-story, so I won't go over it here. However, that book is several maps of the world. By that I mean, the various locations you can explore. As you might expect, the game has a map for nearly every location you can enter. What Peorth has, is a book that contains every map that's been put to print which is why it's so worn down. It's seen many uses over the course of her journey, and Lucia's reaction tells that she's not seen it just once, but many, many times. Peorth's title or nickname for her, makes it clear they go way back, but it goes both ways. Lucia knew her when she was just a princess, and knew of her due to Queen Remedi. She served as confidant both to mother, and daughter and does so for the others.
Now then, a part of the reason why Lucia's statement is important is because it creates a distinction. As I always say, much of the story is based on the game. Monsters vary in strength depending on where in the world you are. TJ at the start of the story may have struggled with some goblins, but at this juncture he could easily crush them. The same could be said for the creatures in the Dark Forest. If I was to follow the game more closely, they'd be pretty weak creatures by this point in time. With the magic and knowledge he has of his previous battles with them, taking them down would be a simple matter. But no! It's not that easy, no! The influence of Asmodeus' Dominion is not a one and done deal. It grows. With every Sinner that goes down and is replaced, the Agasura grow stronger, Asmodeus grow stronger, and the threats the world over grow. Thus, this doesn't just affect the main party, but the world itself. It's changing and steadily growing more dangerous, and thus, even old threats can become more powerful. Now that they've more or less explored the length of Jienda, in the off-chance that we do encounter old enemies, there'll be some interesting new experiences to accompany them, as ever, but, it's not just new skills, but differing tactics and upper limits to their strength. Do you feel that it keeps things interesting? Or would you consider it a gimmick? I'm genuinely interested, in case that came off as uhh...y'know. Disingenuous. Also! Also! Acedia's warning and TJ's statement are definitely, absolutely, foreshadowing! Not probably! In short, the threat is real!
Also shit..I realized I missed the opportunity for a shitty Kickass joke to kick off this update. Goddamnit! I should've refreshed myself fully before starting! Hindsight is 20-20!

So the conversation ends, and it's back to the dance hall. Whether Maya was blowing Peorth or TJ a kiss, I won't tell, and neither will she. She said so herself, after all! Now, before all the women of the world storm my house and gut me like a fish, know that she doesn't speak for anyone but herself and neither do I lol. What's that legal phrase you always see as a warning? Something something characters opinions are all their own or something. What I love most about this moment, is that neither of them have any idea what the other is thinking, TJ and Peorth that is, but they're both smiling like dorks anyway.
And finally, we get the return of Monica! She's a good girl, that one. An underappreciated resource. Well she is appreciated, but she doesn't think so. Hence the reaction! Or at least, it's part and parcel to her reaction lol. She'll be a bit more busy since Naomi's joined the cast, but I think it'll be a good chance for her. Both to develop as a character, and realize how much her sisters care. Someday.

And so it ends! For today! A whole lot's happened, but it'll be a return to form soon. By that, I mean new Indun! Yay! Look forward to it!

As for me? The GW has ended. This time was rough. Everyone's getting stronger and I'm still mustering up the gonads to give Faa-san a piece of my mind. But someday! And with his tears, I will become the salt god! For other crews, I mean! All in all though, I think I did pretty good! Hit some new records, almost made it to the top 70k. I worked hard. The sad part is, I made this ridiculous gun team and a John Doe with all the bullets and everything, and I wound up using my staff meme team. The Io cannon was too strong to resist. I think I was carried by it, tbh. The other two, being Noa and Lily were enablers lol. My team had two batteries! Three if you count Kaguya! Just so Io could do a godly spam! It was amazing!

...Ahem. Anyway, last week, after waffling for...uhh, over a year, I played Hades. Don't ask me why. My brain works in weird ways that don't make any sense. But I knew of it! I just...I guess, I didn't want to go into it half-heartedly. I say it about a lot of things, but if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna see it through fully and properly. It's why I'm so reluctant to commit to anything, but those that I do, I stay with...for better, or worse. But still, I was aware. I saw it nominated for awards, I saw Ina stream it, heck, even the boys got into it lately. I did say to myself, come January one way or another I'll play it, and I finally did. Now I can't put it down lol. Between every match in the GW, there was at least 1 escape attempt made. Took me six runs to beat that bastard, but it happened! (Forgot a couple things. One, I watched part 1 of the documentary on the development by Noclip, and it was also one of the games mentioned in Alax's list.)
Now, strange as this may sound, I absolutely adore supergiant games. It's probably obvious by now. You've heard me talk about how Pyre kicked my ass, how I love hot guys in swords and...well, probably not much about Bastion, but the guild has it's name for a reason! The irony is, I was introduced to the first game by chance. A friend of mine was like, "Hey, you should check out this game" and since then, I've been following along. That was in 2011, a little while after it came out. The awards and nominations speak for themselves, but honestly, I can't recommend it enough. It has all of the things you'd love in their games, cranked up to 11. I've been having a lot of fun, finally playing it, and I've put in a lot of hours in a short amount of time.
Truth be told, I wanted to do it sooner, but as I've mentioned here, I held back somewhat to do other things. I didn't watch any videos or reviews or anything because I knew it'd be good right from the get-go and I didn't want to spoil anything. That and...well, I didn't listen to the soundtrack either. Though it is on Spotify! It's just, when you hear it the first time, especially the ending themes, they're really powerful. I still have a place in my heart for the first time I heard Setting Sail, Coming Home.
Uh, anyway...I could go on endlessly about it, probably. Perhaps about all of it. There's so much more I want to say, but...it's great. In short. Do play it! Tell a friend, like mine did me. Let it be known, you know? Sometimes that's all it takes, to start a journey you wouldn't wanna miss out on. It'd probably help if my way of doing it was shorter, but I tend to rant about things I get excited about...which is rare.
We interrupt this special heartfelt message for one last crucial statement. Artemis is a goddess among goddesses. 11/10, would go to Olympus to be ignored by her. That is all.

But uhh...anyway! More soon! Probably! The only thing standing between me and updating again soon is my own desire not to do it. But it may happen! So! With that said! 'Til then!

**Toejam** Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:31 am

Toejam

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Post n°357

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Feb 06, 2021 8:31 am

Pages 793-804:

**Toejam** Sat Feb 06, 2021 11:33 am

Toejam

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Post n°358

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Feb 06, 2021 11:33 am

Even Better than Mama*:

**Toejam** Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:24 pm

Toejam

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Post n°359

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sun Feb 14, 2021 2:24 pm

Pages 804-812:

Last edited by TJ on Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:01 pm; edited 1 time in total

**Toejam** Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:00 pm

Toejam

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Post n°360

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:00 pm

Jiendan Lion Safari:

**Toejam** Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:24 pm

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Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:24 pm

Pages 812-824:

**Toejam** Sat Feb 20, 2021 4:30 pm

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Post n°362

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Sat Feb 20, 2021 4:30 pm

Peter Parker picked a pack of poison spiders:

**Toejam** Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:59 pm

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Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:59 pm

Pages 824-834:

**Toejam** Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:19 pm

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Post n°364

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:19 pm

Axle used to be an adventurer like you:

**Toejam** Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:04 am

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Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:04 am

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**Toejam** Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:37 am

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Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:37 am

Bark Meets Bite:

**Toejam** Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:53 am

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Post n°367

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:53 am

Mild spoilers within.

Ch. XX Pages XXXX-End:

**Toejam** Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:26 am

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Toejam Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:26 am

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**Toejam** Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:23 pm

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Post n°369

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:23 pm

Can't spell material without ratel:

"The guild war is over and they've graced us with valor badges. But you're not here to claim them." -Me, probably.
Since it hasn't been a week since the last patch hit I can't make clever shitposts about the last update! But what I can say is! I finished the Nier raid! And! I would toooooooootally give the last boss a big sloppy wet kiss.
10/10, needs more shithogs. So? Let's get down to it!

So, a little late but let's talk about this little April Fool's post aptly named Versus Asmodel. Mild spoilers, probably.

You, the Cooler You and your angry dad:

So then! Do you remember how I was going on about how I worked to improve the basic combat forms? You can see a bit of it here. Close range battles like these are where that's really put to the test, and having TJ use his fists as his weapon of choice really made me consider how he'd approach. The part that sucks is it takes time. Things like these, sometimes I do a bit of research or I try out some of the forms myself. Guess I've become a bit of a stickler for details lol. But I think a little bit of realism can make the battles feel much more...real? That kind of stuff is really good to have for characters that use stances. Where and how they hit their targets changes the flow of battle. Often times, it can be rare for characters to be able to follow up one stance with another, unless they're chained together. But rather than it just being those designed to be chained, those that aren't, that likely could follow another would be ideal. That sense of discovery, for both reader and writer alike could be something important. In the end, I'm the one who determines it, but I want to be able to convince myself first, before I attempt to do so for others.
Anyway, Moonlight Delirium! It's three hits, all of the attacks based on real things except the last one! I tried to find such a thing, but a lunging punch, well, it's pretty uncommon for the lunge to be a short hop, rather than a step. The former you'd likely only find in SFA3 and other fighting games lol. Truthfully, I was afraid it was unique to that game, but we're safe! The attacks from it typically target the head, so the stance is meant to inflict confusion on the target. Doesn't always work, though!
Next up is Infernal Vice! No side-effects, mostly does damage. It's more of a grab than anything else, and can be cancelled if the user doesn't finish performing the attack. Using it on a stunned enemy is the ideal tactic.

I can't help but think that I didn't use the habilis' specialties enough in this fight, but their distinct ability to climb and swing easily is hard to utilize when all of the trees are so goddamn tall that it'd need to scale them to get to them and dive bomb targets lol. I do however, like the way it played out! Despite evening the odds, TJ still has things he can't overcome, both he himself and in his enemies. I always fear him utilizing the chaos frequency can trivialize fights, but taking on the habilis alone proved challenge enough, to some degree. At the same time, we see the strengths and weaknesses of the Frequency in play here. TJ getting vored is something that seems to happen on a regular basis, but this time was different! I wanna say there were three times but I forgot the second...was it the tyrannodrone? Must've been something else. Still, I tried something different in that scenario. Rather than him brute forcing his way out...technically he did, actually. But this time, not through stances or spells, but ingenuity! And raw strength but mostly ingenuity! Also I remember, it was the sand worm lol. Man, it's been a while since then huh?
Next! We get the appearance/return of Su! And she returns with a new defensive spell, Diminishing Flame! What it does, is reduces the strength of the attacker while blocking their attack. Since it's a Pride based spell, the values are determined by the state of the attacker and defender. In this case, though, it's based on their stamina, in a sense, or rather how healthy they are. Since Su's still in good shape, the advantage was hers and so she repelled it and reduced its strength.
Next spell! Precision Lancets and it's chain spell Incision are both Pride based spells. Pride isn't always based around advantage/disadvantage. It also includes spells/stances that value accuracy, deadliness and above all else, skill. PL itself isn't very strong. When used in conjunction with Incision, it becomes strong. As for Incision, there are two things to note! You don't need to cut the wounds from the prior spell for it to work, but the blows will be rather dull otherwise. As you see here, hitting the mark makes the spell cut really deep so accuracy is key. The second thing is that a dagger isn't needed to use the stance. Su just used hers as a conduit for the spell. An unarmed mage can create a blade to proc the effects of PL, so it's something TJ could use also.

Finally, the arrival of Axle! Su should've told him to do a flip, methinks. Not much needs to be said about Axle's part. No stances of course, but I tried to write how he would fight a bit more in mid-air. Less of the flashy movements somewhat, but he uses his flight in conjunction with his speed to both chase, and trap his enemy in a flurry of strikes. I'm getting into the swing of it, steadily. Anyway, after that we get Su throwing a giant tusk like it's the ol' pig skin. If you're wondering what Brute Strength does, it's just a power increase lol. I think there used to be a buff called Brute Force but I changed it 'cause it didn't really suit the Divine Arts at all lol.
But that pretty much wraps up the fight! Heck not just the fight but the Waste Village part of the expedition. Whenever I decide to continue this it'll be the next zone. Things have been a little...hectic, though. Been trying to get back to some form of normal but it hasn't gone well. Like at all!

Anyway, that ends the update! More or less, lol.
If the title didn't give it away, I was going to town in the guild war. I fixed up my grid a bit but I hadn't done the dragons anywhere near enough to keep up with the strong guys. I was two wamdus...cniodytes(?) away from an almost completed grid. Fuck that jelly lizard. Wasn't too bad, though. I may have struggled more than necessary to hold my place in the indiv rankings lol. Got raked in the regular fights though. Still got a bit of a ways to go, methinks.

That aside, I've actually been playing MHR. I might make bad jokes but I do play the game lol. I'm so glad the elder dragons aren't like that chameleon from Generations. I felt like we were getting memed when I saw that lizard and I hear it's coming back. Cursed, I say. Anyway, game's great! The amount of vertical movement available is wild. It was a little daunting in the demo, but after getting used to it more, I really enjoy it. Speaking of! I was thrilled when I saw the quest for a Barroth. When I was hunting it, it started running away and I was sitting there like, "well, guess this man's just gonna dig and teleport to god knows where' and he just ran towards this ridge, jumped up on it and fucked right off! I was stunned! Seeing terrestial monsters being able to change location like that was a huge change for me. Also made me realize you can ride them just about anywhere. I'm glad they fixed up the hunting horn, though. Whenever I switched weapons I'd constantly have to check the notes for the song to make sure I did the right combinations, among other things. It was a meme weapon, but I played through all of MH3U with it. That game has a special place in my heart.

Anyway! Short update today because there's no more in Sanc! Given that's the case...uhh...hmm. Either I'll make a thread for my practice document or I'll start on doing Inno. Both of them are a bit of a pain and have to be done in order because this is forum and...well, you get the gist. If I post it here it'll be a disaster. I was working on the practice document/side story so as to warm up, but at this juncture I just wanna finish it. Getting there, steadily. I realized I put too much effort in so it's not going very fast.
More on that soon? Perhaps! Until next time!

**Toejam** Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:18 pm

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Post n°370

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Jul 30, 2021 2:18 pm

Pages 849-860:

**Toejam** Fri Aug 06, 2021 8:08 am

Toejam

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Post n°371

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Aug 06, 2021 8:08 am

Yeah, I'm ready. Y'all ready? x∞:

**Toejam** Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:29 am

Toejam

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Post n°372

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Fri Sep 17, 2021 11:29 am

Pages 860-870:

**Toejam** Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:57 pm

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Post n°373

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:57 pm

Jack-o Crouch Habilis:

**Toejam** Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:01 pm

Toejam

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Post n°374

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Toejam Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:01 pm

Pages 870-881:

**Toejam** Tue Nov 02, 2021 3:56 pm

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Post n°375

Re: [solved]Sanctuary

Toejam Tue Nov 02, 2021 3:56 pm

Hokey Manor:

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