Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Light =&gt; Light: Exotic Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: Noisekick on 22-05-2017, 18:07:31</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noisekick</strong> on <strong>22-05-2017, 18:07:31</strong>
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				Characters (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268372.0)<br>OOC (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268373.0)<br><br><br>Prologue: <br><br>The town bells rang. They meant that there was danger approaching the town. On the horizon, a huge basilisk was approaching. It was easily the size of a large cathedral. The townspeople started to panic. Suddenly a group of figures flew over the town wall towards the monster. The figures were part of a special unit responsible for taking out the monster. Once near the monster, one of the figures arm split open revealing a gun barrel that was charging a bright blue light. With a loud bang, it shot a blue orb at the basilisk, hitting it. The basilisk let out a loud roar and swiped at one of the figures hitting them. The figure hit the ground with a bang, leaving a small crater. But then they got back up seemingly uninjured. The other figures began to pound the basilisk with their fists and guns until it collapsed. The group then charged their weapons and shot simultaneously at its head, blowing it to pieces. With that, the town was saved once again. As the figures made their way back into town, a crowd waited along the main street for the heroes to pass by. Little children stood in awe, wishing to be like them some day.<br><br>Plot: 20 years later<br><br>You are a young citizen (young adult) who goes by their boring work on a day to day basis, when hearing that the monster slaying unit is hiring new recruits. You decide to apply in hopes of becoming a great monster slayer. However only one in ten applicants is accepted. People are usually filtered out with a physical and psychological endurance test. Luckily you pass the test.<br><br>Monster slayers: Warriors specialized in killing monsters and protecting settlements. Due to physical stress they have to endure, their bodies are modified with an adamantium skeleton, magical gadgets and enhanced mana storage (they are practically magical cyborgs). Due to the magical nature of their enhancement, their options regarding their body are practically limitless, yet the power of the body is limited by the amount of mana (magical energy) it can store. That means one can focus solely on physical strength or can transform themselves into a war machine or a duo can fused together or choose that one transforms into a weapon an the other become the user.<br><br>Recruits usually attend a local academy part time to learn combat skills while the rest of the time they gain practical experience, usually practicing on slimes and other nearly harmless creatures which have an out of control population growth. It is recommended that monster slayers wear something tight, yet comfortable cuz a cape can be grabbed and a long necklace snagging somewhere can cost a head.<br><br>Location: Durandville, a town of about 20,000. On it's north side is a dry desert while on its south side is a tropical forest. Generally the climate is very warm. The people of the town tend to wear more colorful and cute clothing, stuff with frills and lace (like JRPG clothing).
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				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noisekick</strong> on <strong>25-06-2017, 02:38:20</strong>
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				It was morning as the bells rang through the town. Another monster attack was imminent. The city guard spotted a gigantic lizard on the horizon. The monster was big enough to make the ground tremble. The monster slayers headed out to deal with it. The monster slayers where eight in number. The townsfolk watch from the city wall as the slayers dealt with the monster. It only took a few minutes until the monster fell over dead. One of the slayers rose her hand up in triumph. Suddenly a silver flash shined in front of her. To the other slayers horror, they watch as her head disappeared from her body. Behind her stood a man in a black coat with a glowing sword in one hand and the decapitated slayers head in the other. <br><br>"You celebrated too early." He said as the headless body in front of him fell over. "Now guys. Show me what you've got." The slayers then engaged the man. For the townsfolk, the slayers were too far away to be able to see what was going on. Minutes later, only three badly damaged slayers still stood, while the others lay lifeless in pieces on the ground.&nbsp; "I was expecting more of a challenge." The man said. "I will spare you though, otherwise your town might not exist when I come back. Go back and tell your town that I shall come back in several months seeking challengers." The man then teleported away.<br><br>After about half an hour, the three slayers came back with the bodies of their companions not understanding how that man could such easily slash through adamantium skeletons like that or how he managed to avoid getting hit by experienced monster slayers. The townsfolk watched the defeated monster slayers silently, while the city guard aided them.<br><br>Three days later, a troupe of veteran monster slayers arrived in Durandville calling out to the townsfolk: "We are recruiting people to become monster slayers to replace those who have fallen a few days ago. They will be up for intensive training to surpass the abilities of their predecessors. Those interested are asked to register for the initial entry exam at the town hall. Be ready to take the physical exam upon registration."<br><br><strong>Cherry Crystaledge<br>Age: 25<br>Female</strong><br>(http://i.imgur.com/BVQcjzF.jpg)<br><br>Cherry's eyes widened when she heard of her chance to become a monster slayer and she immediately made her way to town hall. There she came across the leader of the slayer troupe. "I would like to register for service as a monster slayer!" Cherry said. The man then said: "I see. Tell me your name." <br><br>"Cherry Crystaledge."<br>"Age?"<br>"25."<br>"Current occupation?"<br>"Butcher"<br>"A butcher eh? Might be useful in taking apart your enemy. State your reason to become a slayer."<br>"I have always looked up to the monster slayers as the protected the town. I want to make it my duty to protect people."<br>"If you chose what kind of role you would have as a slayer, what would you be?"<br>"Support, as a good support can help a team achieve their goal and keep them alive."<br>"Interesting. Most people usually want to go on the offensive. Wanting to ensure the integrity of the squad is a noble reason to be support. Okay. Thats that. Time for the physical exam. Put on these leg weights and do a lap around the town including climbing the stairs up to the gate and back down. Someone will be at each checkpoint to make sure you don't take any shortcuts."<br><br>Cherry took the leg weights. They probably weighed fourty pounds each. She put them around her ankles and began to slowly trot around the town. Barely a third of the way, she was out of power. The leg weights made it very hard. She was already down to a walking pace. Then she had to scale the sixty steps up to the gate and back down. Halfway up the stairs, she thought about giving up, but then she pulled herself together because she wanted to be a slayer so badly. <br><br>Nearly an hour later, Cherry was slowly dragging her legs back to town hall. She was drenched in sweat and her hair was as wet as if she had taken a short. Out of breath, she came before the troupe leader and said with exhaustion: "It was difficult but I made it." "Why didn't you give up? You needed over an hour around town." The leader said. To Cherry it sounded like she had failed, however she wasn't just going to give up and said: "I didn't give up because I will go through any length to achieve my dream to become a monster slayer." <br><br>"Take off the leg weights." The leader said. Cherry took them off and started to move as if she had failed. "Miss Crystaledge. Congratulations. You have passed the exam. We need people like you while will give their best effort no matter how difficult the situation is. Come back this evening to meet your future companions and get the information on initiation and training. Now if you'd excuse me. I have more people to test."<br><br>Cherry nodded and made her way outside. In front of town hall, she laid down on a bench to catch her breath.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>FarFetched</strong> on <strong>25-06-2017, 22:26:07</strong>
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				<strong>Jane Winchester.</strong><br><br>Jane had been expecting this.<br><br>To be specific, Jane hadn't been expecting a whole contingent of monster slayers to killed in one swoop, no. That travesty was just horrible. Jane had predicted that there would be a recruitment drive in Durandville. And, upon arriving, she found she had been right. As usual.<br><br>It was only logical. The best replacements for a dead hunter was a citizen in the town they protected - people who knew actually knew the surrounding land. Monsters loved getting all cozy in their surroundings. Nests, Territories, et cetra. Jane had already bought and read over a hundred books on the topic last month.<br><br>And so, it only followed that Jane, expecting this to happen from the start, was one of the first ones to find the head recruiter. However, she didn't speak to him immediately. Jane was a careful, calculating woman. She relied on her smarts and resourcefulness- beyond some of her father's fortune, she didn't have much else. <br><br>Immediately, upon seeing a particularly dainty girl leave town-hall with weights about her legs, Jane was able to surmise the first test measured physical endurance. This made Jane frown. She might have been able to complete such a challenge given enough time- she loved training and put a lot of effort into displaying what little her unaugmented body could achieve. However, Jane didn't know if there was a time limit, or if she had to pull ahead of the others to pass.<br><br>Unlike many brave heroes littering this land, Jane was not the sort to meet steep challenges with unfaltering bravery and determination. Instead of working harder, Jane's first instinct was to work smarter, and use her mind to cheat the odds in her favor wherever possible. It wasn't the aspect of a good hero, but it was the core and center of how she viewed Monster Slayers. Monsters didn't care about how honorably they were killed. Neither did Jane.<br><br>After a few moments of thought, Jane hopped over to a nearby stall, bought some energy bars, and a mana-gem for good measure.<br><br>Shennanigans were afoot.<br><br><hr> <br><br>"Hi." Jane said, eventually entering the town hall. "I'd like to register."<br><br>The recruiter looked her over. "Another girl? Alright then. Name?"<br><br>"Jane Winchester." She said.<br><br>"Winchester, eh? No relation to the weapon line, I assume?"<br><br>"Probably." Jane responded, preferring to gloss over that fact. She did not like talking about herself. Ever. This fact was not helped along by the small, niggling detail that every Hunter was a weapon nut; and like all weapon nuts, focused in on her last name immediately. It was a frequent, unavoidable pain to deal with.<br><br>"Erm. Right. Current Occupation?"<br><br>"Unemployed." Jane said automatically.<br><br>"And before that?"<br><br>Jane had to suppress a wince. "Er- apprentice weaponsmith."<br><br>"Hah! No wonder you quit. That's a big name to live up to." The recruiter said jovially. It made Jane want to crawl back into a book somewhere. Books did not ask stupid personal questions, they only informed.<br><br>Exasperated, she fell back on passive-agressively agreeing. "I- sure. That is the reason, yes. Anything else?"<br><br>"Yes, yes. Reason for applying? This job doesn't have much of a life-expectancy."<br><br>Jane's eyes narrowed a bit- but not at the man. "Revenge."<br><br>The man nodded. "Right. Say no more. Finally, if you chose what kind of role you would have as a slayer, what would you be?"<br><br>At this, Jane took a second to think. "I'd prefer to be far away as possible, with as accurate a gun as possible, with as much between me and it as possible. So, a sniper."<br><br>The recruiter raised an eyebrow. "A little cowardly, don't you think?"<br><br>Jane would actually shrug, showing a bit of derision at this idea. She honestly didn't know if the recruiter was testing her with that question- knowing when to run, several books agreed, was a good quality in any hunter. "Monsters don't fight fair, neither should I."<br><br>The hunter grunted. "Well said. Alright. Time for the physical exam. Put on these leg weights and do a lap around the town; including climbing the stairs up to the gate and back down. Someone will be at each checkpoint to make sure you don't take any shortcuts."<br><br>"No shortcuts. Understood." Jane responded, and put on the leg weights.<br><br><hr><br>Jane made fantastic time. She got to the gates and returned without issue, and recieved exemplary marks for it, she was sure.<br><br>This was, of course, because she cheated. Jane had ducked into a alleyway the moment she was out of sight, replaced the adjustable weights in them with the energy bars she bought (breaking, she noticed, a magical seal), and quickly set out again, now much lighter.<br><br>She purposely made a show of things as she passed the checkpoints. Panting; Wheezing; Looking like she was about to fall despite her breakneck pace. It was an act. Jane was able to reach the gates without issue and returned in short order. However, before returning to the town hall, Jane ducked into the same alley she had preformed the switch from the opposite side. <br><br>Working quickly, Jane replaced her fake weights with the genuine article. Recalling the seal placed on it, she preformed one of her signature tricks- replication. Using the mana crystal she bought earlier, Jane quickly replaced the seal on the weights, which she had only seen once, with a perfect replica. It was a feat that, in Jane's opinion, was much more impressive than mindlessly running around with weights until she couldn't stand anymore. This was her true skill. She just needed to, y'know, fudge the rules a little so others could see it.<br><br>Her weights properly reattached, Jane made a huge show of returning triumphantly. And, to her knowledge, no one was the wiser.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gardsorm</strong> on <strong>26-06-2017, 05:45:19</strong>
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				(http://i.imgur.com/i6uR2SE.jpg)<br><strong>Name:</strong> Aster Cross<br><strong>Age:</strong> 24<br><strong>Gender:</strong> Male<br><strong>Location:</strong> Durandville Town Square<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> <br><strong>Extra:</strong><br><br><hr><br>The time was now... Slumped with his back to the bench and head hanging just over the rise behind it, the man known as Aster stared skyward with a bit of a daze. Time and time again those creatures came back to wreak untold amounts of chaos on the civilian population, and just as many times did the Monster Slayers stand in their way... However, today was different. The recruitment drive had swung around now, hoping to bolster the numbers they had lost days prior, evidently. Getting up from his seat, Aster stretched lightly, before stepping around the bench to reach into the fountain behind. splashing handfuls of water against his face to wake himself up, bring him back to the land where everyone else was.<br><br>"No time like the present, Aster." He spoke to himself, making his way to the Town Hall. Here, he could see many others present, some the recruiters and many others the hopeful new recruitees. Their first test was to be a physical one, but even he didn't know what to expect. This was all still new to him... But getting cold feet now wasn't going to do him any favors, nor would it be any kind of answer to give to those that had died. His hand went into his pocket, gripping a gold ring tightly. It was going to be his drive to see it through to the end... Whatever end awaited him. He took a deep breath, releasing the ring as he approached the recruiters.<br><br>=====<br><br>"You registering, son?" One of the older Hunters inquired, leading Aster to nod. "Alright... You probably know the drill by now. Name, age, occupation, and reason for joining. We've got alot of recruits today, so I hope you won't mind if time is a factor here." the man grunted, folding his arms. Aster could already tell this seemed like the kind of guy to be a hardass during training, grind you into the ground and then build you up to be something more. At this point, such an outcome didn't deter him.<br><br>"The name is Aster Cross, age twenty-four. Originally... I was unemployed, difficult to find work. I turned to street fighting and made a living off that... But I wouldn't be here today if I stuck to the same job. A friend of mine scouted me out and hired me as a Bouncer for one of the local clubs and i've been there ever since." He started, rubbing his cheek a bit. The mark was still there, still stinging from where his boss had hit him earlier that day. He'd been in a drunken, rambling stupor with no direction, and a guiding hand was all he needed... Unfortunately for him, his boss was fresh out of those, and so instead settled for a correcting fist. It seemed to have the desired effect all the same, so neither one complained... But now he was starting to wonder if the guy couldn't have held his punch just a little bit. "The boss gave me some time off, told me if I wanted to do something about the current state, that I should enlist for the Monster Slayers... So here I am." He finished, pocketing his hands. The older man nodded slowly, before shrugging.<br><br>"Alright, next up: Reason for joining." The man barked, wondering just what this one would have to say. There were plenty of reasons given today for joining, some similar but a few unique. Naturally, a good number that were joining did so because of lost loved ones, and the way Aster looked... He seemed no different.<br><br>"Keeping a promise, sir."<br><br>"... That's all?" the older hunter asked, quirking a brow, as Aster sighed.<br><br>"What were you expecting? Glory hunter? Thrillseeker? Stress relief?" Aster quipped. He knew the expected answer was 'Revenge', however... Almost everyone had come here today for that, but not everyone got their way. Sometimes people were too blinded by it to think or act rationally... These weren't the types the Monster Slayers were looking for. They wanted rational, controlled, tranquil fury, not blazing rage and promises of impending slaughter of their enemies. In that regard, Aster didn't know where he stood from one spectrum to the other, but he was damn sure serious about what he wanted to do. He'd promised her, and he'd promised his boss: He was going to make it into the Monster Slayers now... If not, he would try again the next time, and the next, until they relented and gave him acceptance one day. The older hunter seemed to be mulling the thought over in his mind, before he looked at another and nodded.<br><br>"Very well then, son. Next up, my favorite question: What role're you looking to choose if you make it into the Monster Slayers?"<br><br>This was an easy one to him. "Frontline, primarily. It wouldn't matter what weapon I had, close range or long, I want to make sure I hit them where it hurts most. Everyone else can fight at a distance if it suits them." He spoke up with little to no hesitation. The older man snorted at Aster's bravado, figuring he didn't need to be told there was a high death rate for their line of work. If anything, that response probably only helped the man solidify the notion that there was more to his reason for joining than the new recruit let on.<br><br>"Works for me... Now for the fun part. You're going to be fitted with weights on your legs! Your task is to make your way around the city through several checkpoints, and back here. That also means making your way up the stairs to the town gate and back down along the way." The man spoke, while workers attached the weights. Wow, they weren't kidding about this being physical... These things were <em>heavy</em>! Taking a tentative step, he realized he wouldn't be able to pull off even a jogging pace with this. He was going to have to walk the whole area of the town. "Don't worry, kid, we've got all day to be here. Let's see what you're capable of." The man finished, clapping Aster on the back as he sent him out on this fool's game. He was probably going to be here for the better part of the day, but damn it if it got him into the Monster Slayers... He would do this all night long until he was done.<br><br>=====<br><br>Somewhere along the way through town, he seemed to lose the sense that he could only walk at a snail's pace, and managed to speed up. Soon after THAT, however, his legs were screaming in pain from being overworked, far too use to never having to lift such heavy weights for long. He'd forgotten how much time passed, feeling somewhere around an hour and a half to maybe two hours... It could have been more or less. However, he'd made his way through each indicated checkpoint and told where to go next until he ultimately made it back to the Town Hall recruitment drive. His pace was almost as slow as he'd left the Town Hall, if not slower. The man was sitting down in a seat, cold drink in one hand and some sort-of snack in the other... It was almost like he was taunting Aster.<br><br>"Welcome back, kid! How'd it go?" The man asked with a smile, finishing his food before taking another sip, as the workers removed Aster's weights. He looked like he was in dire need of a cold shower now, just to cool off and relax.<br><br>"Ggh... Kh... T-thought it'd be... Harder...!" Aster wheezed between breaths, clearly trying to bullshit the older man. Of course there was nothing really to joke about given Aster was on the floor trying to catch his breath, but as he stood up, the older man came up to slug him in the stomach, knocking the collected wind out of him and sending him sprawling right back to the floor.<br><br>"You're a smartass, son... But you know what? We've got a saying back where i'm from: 'Better to be a smartass than a dumbass.'" The man spoke, before he crouched down and grabbed Aster's hand to shake. "You passed kid, though you could've done without the bragging at the end. Go drag yourself to a bench, get yourself some water, and relax. You'll get to meet the rest of your companions later tonight. How's that sound?" The man asked, as Aster lifted his head from the ground, eyes narrowed.<br><br>"... F-fuck you..."<br><br>"I think we're gonna get along just fine." The old man finished with a warm smile, as he let go of Aster's hand to give him time to pick himself up. For now, the male rolled over on the ground, looking up at the sky with the biggest grin on his face. Even with the odds stacked against him, he'd done it. Slowly, he rolled over again once he'd collected enough breath, pushing himself back to his knees and the finally his legs, before he shambled toward a bench to sit down on... Or so he thought, deciding to just collapse next to the bench while another girl sat upon it. The others who seemed to be present... He couldn't tell who'd passed, who'd failed, or who'd yet to take the test. One of them looked like they were giving a triumphant return... A woman, too. Somehow the physical exercise exam had not drained her as much as it did him. "Damn, i'd love to get a feel of those legs..." He groaned, partly in pain, as he relished in the small amount of shade offered by the bench.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Juggtacular</strong> on <strong>26-06-2017, 07:23:13</strong>
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				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/275/1/2/lightning_warrior_by_justmick-d5gkni6.jpg)</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Name:</strong> Torian Blackmaw (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268372.msg13301730#msg13301730)<br><strong>Age:</strong> 21<br><strong>Male</strong></span><br><hr><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="bbc_font"> He'd been eating breakfast on a roof near the town square when the crew of Slayers came. He heard them loud and clear as they basically challenged anyone there strong enough to prove themselves and sign up. He'd already made his mind up to join anyway, so it was only fuel on an already raging fire. He finished off his breakfast and threw the tin down. Now that he had a good meal on his stomach, he could perform 100% at the Entry Exam. He stood up and stretched while looking out over the town. He was confident that when this was over, he'd be a Monster Slayer.<br><br>&nbsp;He took one step toward the roof, then disappeared. In the next moment, he was on the ground, heading toward the Town Hall. The breeze billowed his hood about his head, and when it was his turn to talk to the examiner, he walked up with confidence. "Gods, where'd they find you? Looks like you could kill monsters with your bare hands." Torian grinned and cocked his head to the side. "That's basically the plan." The man looked down to his papers and cleared his throat. "Er, name?" "Torian Blackmaw." He started writing his name, sounding it out as he did, then slowed down and stopped. "Uhhh, Blackmaw?" Torian nodded. "Like <em>the</em>...Blackmaw's?" He only nodded again. <br><br>It wasn't a surprise he recognized the name. They were rather infamous. "Occupation?" Torian removed his hood and looked down at the man, then cleared his throat and said "Merchant." "Gotta say, Torian, my boy. Your families got some right good products. Spent half my purse last time I was in Zorraz." That was of course his families cover profession. They were indeed some of the best merchants from here to the Shimmering Isles. But that was still just a front. Which was why before he was done writing he continued talking and said, "But I moonlight as an Assassin."<br><br>&nbsp;The writing stopped, and didn't start again for a few seconds. It was always funny to see people's reaction when they figured out what he was, or when he talked about it. "State your uh, your reason for wanting to become a Slayer." He took a deep breath and shrugged. "I've been trained to kill since childhood. I'm <em>damn</em> good at it. I figure this way, I can make a difference for everyone. Not just a son passed over for an inheritance or a jealous lover. Besides...killing monsters is actually a challenge." The man nodded, writing down a few notes before clearing his throat. "What role would you employ within the ranks of the Monster Slayers?" Torian grinned, a dark, malicious smile.<br><br>&nbsp;"Combat. Fast, hard hitting combat. Here are the plans," he said and held out a scroll that held blueprints for the lightning implants and the runes that would be etched into his skin. He looked them over and whistled. "This is gonna hurt even more than the skeletal transfusion. You ready for that?" "Please. This'll be easy compared to my training so far." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the next part. "Alright. Physical exam time. Let's see, you look like you could use <em>nnnnngtheeeese</em>" he struggled and dropped two normal looking weights on ground. Normal looking weights so heavy they made a loud thud and kicked up a plume of dust. <br><br>"Strap those on your legs and do a circuit around town, complete it with a trip up the stairs to the gate and back down. We've got people to make sure you don't cheat, so watch out." He leaned down and picked one of the weights up. "These have gotta be one-hundred fifty pounds each." "You can take it, big guy." The recruiter smacked his chest, and Torian just groaned before strapping both on. When it was time to go, he took off at a full sprint, like the weights didn't bother him at all. And despite his size, he was fast too, as all his life his training had encompassed all aspects of the Assassin.<br><br>&nbsp;Running with the weight of a fat man on his legs wouldn't impede him. Even when rivulets of sweat started to stream down his body, his speed didn't waver. Full tilt he went from start, to the midway point, up the stairs, down, and back again. When he got back, they told him his speed was one of the fastest times posted. "Hoooooly shit. Three hundred pounds and you did it faster than most everyone else." "Most everyone else doesn't do what I do."&nbsp; The recruiter barked out a few songs of laughter and stood up, thrusting his hand out. <br><br>"Welcome to the Monster Slayers...you're gonna be Hell out there, I can see it now." Torian shook it firmly, then bent down and let the weights drop. He was definitely feeling the burn, but this was nothing. Taking a rag from his side, he wiped his head off and found a flask of cool water. Then he went and leaned on the wall by the bench where others were gathering. He turned to the guy with the blue hair when he made a comment about one of the ladies legs. "How 'bout you get feeling back in your own gams before you go worryin' about someone else. Can't lady chase if you can't walk, heheheh."<br><br></span><br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gardsorm</strong> on <strong>26-06-2017, 07:45:14</strong>
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				(http://i.imgur.com/i6uR2SE.jpg)<br><strong>Name:</strong> Aster Cross (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268372.msg13301457#msg13301457)<br><strong>Age:</strong> 24<br><strong>Gender:</strong> Male<br><strong>Location:</strong> Durandville Town Square<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Torian<br><strong>Extra:</strong><br><br><hr><br>There seemed to be much more capable people than he'd initially expected there to be, which surprised him. Maybe it was just that he didn't make an effort to know too many people, but to see someone take off with some of the heaviest weight sets around and still come back in record time... People like them were destined to be nonhuman on some level. Maybe it didn't matter what he did... He was ultimately human, who raised himself differently. Some people trained for this knowingly, others did it unintentionally... Yet ultimately he was still accepted, leaving part of him to wonder why. It almost seemed like he'd actually failed the physical test but the old hunter took pity on him. "Fuck me, i'm overthinking this too much." He grumbled, closing his eyes to snooze for a bit. The sound of footsteps approaching alerted him to a presence to his side, one who found something to say about his remark.<br><br>"Ha ha ha, blow me." Aster groaned in friendly response, stretching his legs out before he sat upright, leaning down slightly to massage them. The one beside him... he was the same guy who'd been given the heavier-looking set of weights and ran with them with practically no problem. Casting a glance to the side at the girl who sat on the bench, perhaps this was where everyone who'd completed the physical exam were relaxing... Or maybe it was all coincidence. "So, i'm legitimately curious: Are you <em>really</em> human? I don't think i'd ever be able to jog with those weights without a seriously different upbringing... Or some improved ones anyway." He spoke, pushing himself to a stand a moment later. There still a definite, noticable ache in his legs, but it was slowly going away... Who knew, maybe if he kept doing this enough times, it wouldn't bother him so much? Though the way the Monster Slayers fought was an entirely different level. How did these people expect some new recruits (that weren't the guy next to him anyway) to fight like the Slayers they'd seen? High jumps, fast movements, capabilities he'd never quite seen before in the average human... There was more to it, right?<br><br>"Oh, yeah, name's Cross." He added to the man beside him, resting the back of his head against the wall while his hands pocketed themselves.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>FarFetched</strong> on <strong>26-06-2017, 08:28:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatright">&nbsp; (http://i.imgur.com/x13qB3F.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong> Jane Winchester<br><strong>Location:</strong> Town Square<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Torian, Aster<br><hr><br>Hearing a comment about herself in passing, Jane looked over her shoulder at the voice's source, finding Aster. She fixed him with a silent, disapproving look. Then, to the rescue, Torian spoke up. This earned him a small smile from Jane. Turning to Aster, Jane put her hands on her knees and tilted her head curiously at him. <em><span style="font-family: times new roman;" class="bbc_font"><strong>"I agree. Maybe with a bit more focus on your <span class="bbc_u">own</span> legs, you wouldn't be bitching about little jog~"</strong></span></em> Though said sweetly, Jane meant every ounce of her ire. More than anything, she hated creeps oggling and cat-calling her. It made the weaponsmith feel like she needed a shower. Constantly.<br><br>Noticing Aster speak up about Torian's performance, Jane fixed the assassin with a second look, followed by a gander at the instructor moving around his 300lb leg weights behind them. <em><span style="font-family: times new roman;" class="bbc_font"><strong>"Oh he's human; though I'll wager he's already been augmented."</strong></span></em> Jane stated, <em><span style="font-family: times new roman;" class="bbc_font"><strong>"Not sure what with yet."</strong></span></em> This made sense to Jane. There was only so much one could do with a natural body; doing the endurance run with 300lbs of weight fair-and-square was not one of them. In light of that, it was safe to assume that Torian was packing mods already.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Juggtacular</strong> on <strong>26-06-2017, 18:39:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatleft">(http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/275/1/2/lightning_warrior_by_justmick-d5gkni6.jpg)</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Name:</strong> Torian Blackmaw (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268372.msg13301730#msg13301730)<br><strong>Logcation:</strong> 21<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Jane, Cross<br></span><br><hr><br><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="bbc_font"> "I'd rather not. You're not really my type," he said with a laugh and nod of his head toward Jane. She didn't need much defending though and snapped back at the man just fine. Still things were pretty light considering they had all passed the first portion of the exam so it didn't feel truly malicious, even if she was at least serious. <br><br>Torian could only grin and rub his bald head when asked if he was even human due to the weight he ran with being so much more than the others, yet he did it like it was easy. He chuckled and held a hand criss-crossed with faint scars up to the sun, examining it while both said their piece about if he was human, and if he was modified.<br><br>&nbsp;"Ha. She's right, I'm still human. Though I'm definitely not normal. Name's Torian. My clan, my family. It's uh, tradition lets call it, that from infancy basically we are pushed, and poked, and prodded, and trained, and tortured, and beaten until we've been forced beyond the traditional limits of human potential in mind and body. It's the only way to survive the process that makes us how we are. And each of us has a speciality, so we're all a little different. Mine is CQC, Close-Quarters Combat. I'm pretty good with weapons, but I prefer my hands and feet. I'm stronger, faster, I know just how to hit someone to incapaciate them, paralyze, kill. Etcetera." He couldn't give away all his secrets after all. "So yeah, modded in a way. But damn it was a hard road to get there. I don't suggest it."<br><br></span><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Kokaine</strong> on <strong>27-06-2017, 01:30:51</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<div class="floatright"><table class="bbc_table"><tbody><tr><td><div align="center">(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/kokotigress/female%20characters/bluefox-crop_zpsvwb3zm9o.png)</div></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><strong>Name:</strong> Fox Bishop, aka Blue<br><strong>Age:</strong> 26<br><strong>Wearing:</strong> Long sleeved tee (cropped) under<br>&nbsp;open work shirt, worn gray jeans, combat boots <br>(half laced), fingerless gloves + usual jewelry, eye-patch,<br>&nbsp;&amp; enhancements<br><strong>Location:</strong> Durdenville Town Square<br><strong>Taggoing:</strong> NPCs | Open</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Fox Bishop, or Blue as she was known (somewhat infamously) locally, hovered at the edges of the square. Her posture was relaxed giving the appearance of careless ease as she slouched against the wall, her head tilted downward while a smirk canted her lips. She hadn't said or done anything of note since she'd arrived that morning but still, almost subconsciously people seemed to give her a wide berth. Sure, they glanced at her curiously when they thought they wouldn't be caught but Blue saw them. She saw them all. Felt their eyes on her. She didn't care--or at least that was what she tried to convince herself of as she resisted the urge to hold up one shiny metal finger to the bozo who kept looking her way. He had a chipped tooth and a crooked nose but held a sort of cocky swagger that reminded her of her brother. Though without the brains to back it up. Still, even just the vague reminder was enough to make her want to pick up the bag at her feet and leave.<br><br>Why was she here again...<br><br></span><div class="spoiler_container"><div onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button" class="spoiler_header">Yesterday...</div><div class="spoiler_body"><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font"><em>Blue didn't look up when she heard the creak and rumble of the shop door come down. Right away it got darker without the natural light flooding in but she hardly seemed to notice. Her eye was already burning, feeling as though she'd somehow gotten sand beneath her lid, what was a little more eye strain?<br><br>"At this rate you'll go blind, girl."<br><br>"Already half way there, Doc." She murmured with a hint of a grin.<br><br>"Mmm.." He grunted after her flippant reply. Shaking his head and denying the trace of humor. His voice was surprisingly tough, as gritty as the non-existent sand in her eye. It made him sound larger than life, which considering he'd once been a 6'6" bull of a man wasn't far off the mark, but as the Doc reached a hand out to turn on the lamp beside her she could make out the gnarled and knobby mess that arthritis and a number of accidents had made of hands that had once been as fine as any artist. The hands matched the rest of him too. Big, but gnarled and stooped.<br><br>"There is that, which I suppose explains why you haven't been able to see what's in front of you for a long time."<br><br>"Yeah, whatever, Old Man." She tried to brush him off, flipping him the bird with her good hand while hoping he'd just go away today and skip the portion of the evening where he talked at her, but no. The scent of oil, metal, and peppermint grew stronger as he leaned nearer. Hovered. Just as he always did.<br><br>"You know our deal, kid.. Time's almost up and I won't go back on my word." <br><br>Blue heard the, </em>not for you,<em> that hung unspoken at the end of his sentence. <br><br>Her vision blurred, forcing her to look up from the map she'd been studying for the past four hours. She swallowed a suspicious lump in her throat and cleared it. "Yeah, I know," she nodded, her slightly raspy voice sounding as amused as ever despite the fact that she felt anything but. "This time next week I'm out on my ass. I haven't forgotten, Doc." She'd been crashing here, in the cluttered back of his shop, for the past couple years. A cot and a desk weren't much but... at some point she'd started to think of it as home. <br><br>"Its nothin' personal, kid, just time. My hands aren't what they used to be and keepin' this place..." He couldn't.<br><br>"I know. Its fine." It wasn't but hey, what could she do about it? She'd heard the spiel before. He was going off to live with family that wanted to take care of him. He deserved it really. It wasn't his fault she didn't have anywhere else.&nbsp; <br><br>"Look, kiddo, the way I see it, tomorrow's your chance. The slayers will be opening up their doors and... its... an option." And one a damn sight better than the path she was headed down. He'd already learned that there wasn't a chance in hell of making the girl do something she didn't want to but, for this... he had the suspicion that if she just let herself, she did want to. <br><br>"I'm not much of a joiner, sorry." Blue leaned back slightly, the stool beneath her creaking as her weight shifted. Everything in this place creaked. Even her bones. "I think I've gotten enough people killed. Filled my lifetime quota, ya know?"<br><br>Doc didn't bother to state the obvious. He hadn't been there--going out in the field had never truly been his thing but he done it enough in his youth--but even he knew she wasn't responsible for most of what she liked to heap upon herself. Kid was just a glutton for punishment and he wasn't going to add fuel to her fire. She'd only realize the truth when she was ready to and not a moment sooner. Couldn't force the damn girl to do anything.<br><br>"Sure. Well... sleep on it. Who knows, common goals and all. Besides, I won't be around to patch you up anymore and they can help with that at the very least."<br><br>"I've watched you enough to know basic maintenance." Which she did. However, they both knew her tendency to overdo things and her upgrades were far from optimal. She'd be beyond basic maintenance within the month. <br><br>"Alright kid. See ya tomorrow then..." Doc shook his head and wandered away as Blue looked down at her hand and flexed her fingers, shuffling off toward the stairs. He'd never been one to bother wasting words, or much of anything for that matter. Blue would do as she would. Which was why he wasn't surprised to hear her leave the shop twenty minutes later. <br><br>Actually, scratch that, he was mildly surprised... he'd had her pegged at a 10 minute max.</em></span></div></div><br><br><span style="font-family: georgia;" class="bbc_font">Right. Today was the day she let an old man bully her with his passive aggressive non speech thing. <br><br>She'd meant it when she'd said she wasn't a joiner. Playing well with others was always pretty hit or miss. Mostly because Blue had never played by the same rules as everyone else. She tended to make rules up as she went--which most didn't seem to properly appreciate.<br><br>And yet, here she was. Watching the brave hopefuls that had flocked to sign up for the death squad like the 10 seconds of fame and glory were worth it. Then again, who was she to talk? She'd been watching the monsters and the slayers for quite some time now. Risking her life for those fleeting moments where she could pretend she was actually doing something. You know, making a difference and yadda yadda.<br><br>A couple hours had passed since the sign ups had begun but Blue took her sweet time. Sweat had already begun to bead upon her skin, making her shirt stick to her when she finally pushed off the wall. A quick stoop and she snagged the strap of her bag to pull over her head before making her way over to one of the hunters. A slightly older male who wore his badassery as casually as he did his uniform. Blue opened her mouth to speak but at that very moment he lifted his gaze to her, gave her a quick but thorough once over, then started to laugh. <br><br>And not like a light chuckle either. Dude was roaring. We're talking bent so far over Blue could see the back of his head. She wanted to pop him in it. Instead she tucked her hands behind her and just waited. <br><br>"I think," he began when he'd finally regained control of himself, "I think you're in the wrong place sweetheart. Tell me where you're going and I'll see if I can give you proper directions." He wiped at the corners of his eyes.<br><br>"Oh no, I'm precisely where I mean to be." Though not necessarily where she belonged. "I came to sign up for your little club."<br><br>"Is that right?" He seemed to sober up by degrees though there was a certain sparkle that remained behind in his eyes. "Well let me save you the trouble sweetheart, denied. Now go on back wherever you came from. This isn't the place for you." <br><br>Every word out of his mouth seemed to rub her precisely the wrong way. It was lucky she wasn't left gnashing her teeth and foaming at the mouth by the time he ended with his finger extended, pointing away from the sign up area.<br><br>"You got a problem, dude?"<br><br>"Nope. Not a one."<br><br>"Then stuff your opinion and sign me up." She half growled.<br><br>"Why should I?" He challenged her, that damned merry twinkle still in his eye. "We've got plenty of applicants. We don't need you."<br><br>"Like hell you don't."<br><br>"Why? Why do you even wanna be here?!"<br><br>That shut her up. Made her blink. <br><br>"Exactly. But I'll tell you what... I'll cut you a break. You can think on your answer while you complete the physical endurance test. You'll have plenty of time. If you don't have an answer by the time you get back, just hand in your weights and keep walking."<br><br>Blue didn't seem to have a lot of say in the matter. Grudgingly she gave her info to be filled out and left herself be fitted with the weights designed to slow her down. She noted right away that the weights were lopsided with more weight being loaded onto the rickety prosthetic limb.<br><br>"It can't take all that." She pointed out.<br><br>"Then you go home, bounty hunter."<br><br>She gnashed her teeth together and huffed, much to the glee of the slayer, but said nothing more. <br><br>"Alright. Now, with these in place, you're gonna do a lap around town. No shortcuts, no removing the weights. You're being watched, we will know. You hit each check point, including climbing up the stairs to the gate and back down. You make it, we'll talk. You don't, just go on your way. I got no time for losers."<br><br>"Yeah, well, screw you."<br><br>"Back atcha."<br><br>"See ya later baby," she blew him a kiss--well, okay it was less a kiss and more lewd gesture but he laughed all the same--then turned and began the stupid trek around the town. <br><br>Blue didn't run but neither did she exactly mosey. She walked at a steady clip, never slowing or speeding. Not even when the excessive weight strapped around her metal ankle began to pull the limb from its already poorly fitted socket. Pain radiated up and down her thigh and hip, and the ankle joint seemed to seize up which gave her a massive limp, but her jaw remained stubbornly set and she kept walking. Even when others commented on the way she was moving or the extra strain at the corners of her eyes she just kept on moving. Around the damned town, up and down the stupid steps, and onward until she made it back to the damn square and could march--or kinda step and drag--herself right up to the slayer who'd given her shit earlier. She didn't know his name but that didn't stop her from sliding her sweaty, dusty, and severely fatigued behind right into his lap and slipping her arms around his neck. <br><br>"Alright big boy, you promised we'd talk. So let's talk." There was a wealth of innuendo behind her words but who knew if she meant it. For his part, he seemed unrattled by her, opting only to pluck her arms from around him before standing. He nearly dumped her onto the ground but Blue had been ready for him. Sort of. She ended up on the ground but somehow made the move look more deliberate than like her legs had totally given out. <br><br>The slayer seemed to consider her for a moment, a deep scowl on his face in place of the earlier amusement but finally he crouched down and began to remove the weights from her himself. <br><br>"So do you know why you want to be a monster slayer yet? Do you know why you are here?"<br><br>Blue had to look away. There were a number of things that flashed through her mind but in the end she couldn't bring herself to utter them aloud. Instead she only looked back up at the slayer and grinned. There was no really joy in the expression or even the lightness that usually accompanied her attempts at deflection. Rather, what showed in her single eye was a grim sort of determination backlit by pure fire.<br><br>"Its simple really, I'm here because they all need to die, sugar. Every. Last. One."<br><br>A moment passed between them, then a nod.<br><br>"Usually we ask a preference on where you wanna be in the action but I think I know."<br><br>"I'm sure you do." She gave him a wink as he stood and presumably went to fill out the last of her paperwork. Yup, today was the day she sealed her fate.<br><br><br></span>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Gardsorm</strong> on <strong>27-06-2017, 03:01:20</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				(http://i.imgur.com/i6uR2SE.jpg)<br><strong>Name:</strong> Aster Cross (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=268372.msg13301457#msg13301457)<br><strong>Age:</strong> 24<br><strong>Gender:</strong> Male<br><strong>Location:</strong> Durandville Town Square<br><strong>Tagging:</strong> Torian, Jane, Cherry, Blue (mentioned)<br><strong>Extra:</strong><br><br><hr><br>"Haha, sounds like I picked a great time to open my mouth, huh? Joy." Aster grinned at Jane's vocal return jab. He pretty much did have it coming, and he wasn't going to take offense at it. After all, she was basically right, and in the grand scheme... He had more trouble crossing the finish line than she did, where she looked no worse for wear. It was unnatural, she HAD to be something beyond him too. The guy beside him was another case entirely, but the fact of the matter was... He didn't even hold a candle to either of them. Was he really that out of shape? "Ah well, either way, i'll conde you're definitely better than me. I'm not known for overly-strenuous work." He added, rubbing the back of his head. He didn't feel the full extent of her malice... Probably even if he did, he wouldn't have cared. He wasn't there to argue points with anyone.<br><br>Torian's quip at his remark left Aster feeling a bit more at ease, shaking his head. "Had me worried, I thought you were going to be some super no-nonsense guy or something, but it's nice to know you've got a sense of humor to you." he smirked, before rolling his head side-to-side. The man admitted he was still human but not normal... However, everything he mentioned pointed less to being physically augmented and more to just having a really spartan-like upbringing. His brow quirked at the small speech, before he shook his head. "Holy shit. Sounds like I should look for a picture of you next time I go looking the word 'Hardcore' up in a dictionary." He mused. Perhaps it sounded joking, but he really did mean it. He'd legitimately never seen, met, or even heard of anyone with a background like that in the world, and yet here one of them stood wanting to become a Monster Slayer. "All types out here, huh?" He hummed, scanning the rest of the competition. It was hard to figure out if everyone who passed the physical exam was passed, or if they failed if a certain amount of time passed, or still failed even if they completed. Looking at one of the other recruiters and the person they worked with, he swore he recognized the woman with black hair... Well, from where he stood it looked like it had some blue in it. Maybe she'd visited the club once before... Given how she looked like she got dropped, he only wondered if she tried using some sex appeal to get her way with the exam, and it didn't go well.<br><br>"Looks familiar... Hm, I wonder just how many divisions they're going to make after today..." He closed his eyes, humming the words. So far there were at least three passes... Four if the buxom-looking one on the bench was a pass. Casting a glance over at the girl with the white button-up dress, he spoke: "Hey, you, you another pass?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Monster Slayers [Arcanepunk]</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Noisekick</strong> on <strong>30-06-2017, 02:18:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				<strong>Cherry Crystaledge<br>Age: 25<br>Female</strong><br>(http://i.imgur.com/BVQcjzF.jpg)<br><br>After Cherry had caught her breath and cooled down, she heard a conversation going on inside and took a peek. There were other people who had just finished their exam and seemed to have passed. She went in to introduce herself to possible future companions. <br><br>"H-hi. I am Cherry. I passed the exam earlier." She said. "I take it you guys passed too? I have always wanted to be a monster slayer and partially want to avenge those who had fallen three days ago. But I mostly want to protect the town because someone has to protect it."
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		</dl>
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