Arc 1 ~ Canon 1: Tartarus Stirs [DE, R]

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Name: [Tartarus Stirs] - The Adventure Name

Participants: [3-4 participants with valid IC reason (Priority will be given to those who suggested investigating gangs/black market affairs in the canon meeting threads). Send a PM if you are interested. First come, first serve. ] - Who can participate?

Location: [Madagascar] - Where does this take place?

Difficulty Level: [Hard] - Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme. How difficult is this adventure?

Setting: [DE] Is this DE or NDE? Death Enabled or Non Death Enabled?

Plotline: [Insert Below] - Explain the plot of your adventure.

As small criminal groups have commanded enslaved hollow to do their bidding, they have rapidly increased their scope of influence and resources. The sudden power shift in the underworld has destabilized the equilibrium that the larger criminal syndicates had previously established between themselves.

Now, these new black market groups have all targeted the same organization: Shank and Belcher Co., also referred to as Seb. Seb in possession of the Crystal, a valuable gemstone said to contain enough spiritual energy to destroy fifteen rukongai districts. Now that it is forced to defend its stronghold in Madagascar against several joint-invasions, Seb is looking to recruit mercenaries to aid its mission. More so, the smaller criminal groups targeting Seb have also used their new economic resources to employee more soldiers.

Rumours of this incoming conflict have spread like wildfire. Anyone looking into the black market to find more information on the enslaved hollow will certainly hear of it. Participants may determine how they want to approach the conflict, either acting as individuals or accepting employment from a black market faction.

Estimated Enemy Strength: [Class 4 minimum, class 2 average] Estimate the strength of the NPC's people will fight in this adventure. Class 7-1, what is their strength on average?

Estimated Time Until Completion: [4-5 pages] - How many pages do you think this adventure will run for until it is over?

Starts: [After participants are selected and an intro post goes up.] - When does the adventure begin?

Special Conditions: [In the PM you send to request a spot in the adventure, please choose your allegiance: a small criminal group, Seb, or independent] - Any special conditions, limitations, or other things.

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

OOC: Time to get this thread rolling! Participants are Jak Halcom , Col Arana , Tatsuya Shodōkage 書影 , and ✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱ .

Seb is employing Jak, Amalia, and Tatsuya. Col is entering the thread as an independent.

Shanks and Belcher, the leaders of Seb, knew the attack was coming. Their extensive underworld information network saw to that. After all, when multiple rumors of invasion from different organizations arose, they acknowledged the immediate danger their organization faced. Furthermore, the groups planning invasions realized that they were now competing with one another. Some joined forces while others remained independent. Because of the competition, they realized that they had to act quickly. All had organized their assaults on Seb’s headquarters in Madagascar as quickly as possible.

Seb had released requests for guns for hire, offering very persuasive pay if the mercenaries successfully protected Seb. On paper, the situation seemed to be in Seb’s favor. A bunch of small-fry criminal groups attacking an underworld giant? They’d be crushed like ants under a boot. But this situation was not normal at all. No, these “small-fry” were in possession of some powerful hollow forces, posing a much more significant thread. Seb had a reason to be cautious. They were protecting an invaluable resource, after all.

The Seb headquarters in Madagascar was hidden in the middle of the island jungle, shrouded by the trees and bushes, protected by a river to the west, and hidden under a small, mountain-like elevation. It was well defended, but they would take no chances. Seb hired the best forces they could find, not caring too much who those individuals were as long as they would protect their base. Jak and Amalia would feel their sun rise on their next as they waited patiently across the river, stationed between the body of water and Seb’s headquarters. Tatsuya would be stationed a few hundred meters south of them, and past the Gotei captain was another young individual, seemingly a fullbringer with a loud mouth that introduced himself as Tom Bullets.

At the northern end of the shore, a trio consisting of a young, female bount, a fullbringer in a yellow helmet, and a masked man with a crimson and bone-white eye stood guard. It seemed that Team Douma had allied with Seb as well, possibly hoping to preserve the balance of power in the Black Market. However, Douma’s intentions were not perfectly understood, but Seb did not care at the moment. They would worry about the rogue when the immediate threat had been taken care of.

All along the shore, about forty other mercenaries, all with an insignificant spiritual presence relative to Amalia, Tatsuya, and even Jak, were prepared to defend Seb as well. They would all wait patiently as the sun rose while an eerie silence swept over the island. Seb’s hires would have a chance to converse for a little bit as they awaited the inevitable invasion of Seb.

New of the pending invasion of Seb’s headquarters spread far and wide, so Col would have had no trouble hearing of it. His own reasons for interfering in the affair were up to him, so Col had the freedom to pursue his own interests however he pleased. However, if he tried to open a garganta in the area immediately surrounding Seb’s headquarters, he’d realize that it was impossible to do so. Something was preventing garganta from opening within a one mile radius of the facility. Thus, he would have to appear a small distance away and approach the battleground on foot.

Col had some time to arrive, but not a lot. War was coming.

OOC Note: We will be using a grid map so you guys can have a general idea of what the battlefield looks like. Green squares contain dense brushes and are ideal for hiding. Red squares are high elevations, like the tops of very tall trees or small mountains. Blue squares represent water. Purple squares may be ignored.

Seb’s headquarters is under the mountainous area marked by red squares at the top-right corner of the map. Amalia and Jak are starting at N-18, Tatsuya at V-25, Tom Bullets at CC-30, and Team Douma at C-4. Col can enter the area from wherever he likes as long as he doesn’t not approach from directly behind Seb’s headquarters.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Map}

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Additional OOC Note: You can choose to disguise your character's if you'd like. For example, if Amalia doesn't want people to identify her as a Vandenreich Captain Supervisor, she can choose to wear a mask, cover her face, pick an alias, etc. It's up to you.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia's Outfit and Appearance

Amalia's Mask

Amalia's recommendations had made it to his Majesty's ears and this allowed her to pursue the black markets more in depth. The state of the black market and underworld were disorderly and tempestuous. She couldn't quite determine whether the strife and confusion was symptomatic of recent events or it was merely used as a doorway for seizing power. Prior to departing for the black markets she realized it would be less advantageous to strut around in her usual attire. She would easily be spotted as a Quincy and then a member of the Vandenreich Empire. Normally it was a badge of honor and broadcasting her allegiance an area of pride. 

It became clear that obscuring her identity would prove more beneficial than parading around in Vandenreich regalia. She wasn't about to venture anywhere looking any less than stunning so she donned a less Vandenreich heavy outfit and donned a mask. This would be sufficient enough to conceal her identity. Anyone with real worth would be able to discern her racial identity. That wouldn't be so easily concealed. There was nothing more dreadful than pretending to be a lesser Quincy, but there would certainly be more conflict had she walked in without the appropriate alias. She would be known as Valdis for the time being. 

There was something playfully provocative about masquerading as an entirely different person, especially when you are able to shape their entire narrative. It possessed a thrilling quality. It quickly waned once she discovered where she would be stationed. Following her leads she wound up securing employment with a particular faction within the black market. Truthfully, she never did anything out of the kindness of her heart. She didn't care about their wealth. She didn't care about their safety or well-being. She merely wanted answers. She was particularly interested in taking whatever would prove useful to his Majesty, and earn her praise.

Surrounded my wilderness, insects, and conflict. How lovely. She thought to herself. She carefully examined her surroundings with only her azure eyes visible beneath the glistening mask shrouding her face. She lifted her hands and neatly readjusted the military style hat gentle resting upon her neatly styled red hair. Even in times of war she wanted to look her best. She was much too vain to let that subside. She wondered when things were going to escalate and how she would use her cunning to outmaneuver her foes. Truthfully, she wondered how she could use others to benefit her own personal objectives which remain hidden alongside her visage. 

She glanced over at the creature stationed alongside her. Half-breed. She thought to herself contemptibly. She didn't allow her gaze to befall him for long. She rose from her chair and walked toward the edge of some trees, gazing out at the water as the sun reflected off its surface. She inhaled deeply and smiled beneath her mask for a moment. Amalia loved this feeling despite the location. She spoke softly to herself as she gazed at the nearby water. "The foreboding fragrance of death."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}
Strength - [160] Points -> [200] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Speed - [320] Points -> [400] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Spiritual Pressure - [400] Points -> [1600] Points from Technique Master-> [2000] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Reiatsu Strength - [400] Points -> [1600] Points from Technique Master -> [2000] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Light Aura - [0] Points

Dark Aura - [100] Points

Instinct - [160] Points -> [200] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Senses - [80] Points -> [100] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Energy sensory - [180] Points -> [225] Points from Captain Supervisor Rank

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

Skills

[Battle: Weapon - Eiku] [3]

[Battle: Pain Tolerance] [2]

[Body: Damage Recovery] [1]

[Mental: Battle Analysis] [4]

[Mental*: Technique Master] [3]

[Tatsuya Shodōkage 書影]

Tatsuya looked briefly into the sky, gauging the time of day by the suns position in the sky, 'Shouldn't be too much longer...' He was alone, thankfully, it would appear that he didn't have to deal with any of the grunts he would be working with during this mission. However, Tatsuya wasn't here as a Captain of Squad 9, or Tatsuya Shodōkage. It would be unseemly for that personality to be seen here. No, he was here as Pyrrhus, mercenary for hire. In the midst of developing his network of informants, Tatsuya had caught wind of the happenings going on here. It was a great opportunity to forge connections, find information on what was currently going on, and possibly even take this item for the soul society.

He was currently disguised in a simple mask annd dark, hooded cloak, his zanpakuto slung across his back. Tatsuya had feigned being unable to speak, and instead wrote on a notepad he had with him when necessary, it added a mystique to the man Pyrrhus. Presently, he decided to move a bit to his right, at the top of a dense foliage of trees, not only would this give him some stealth, it also expanded his view, and gave him the high ground to cast his kidou. Looking at his hiding place, Tatsuya used his considerable analytical ability to find the best way to stay hidden. it wouldn't compare to anyone with actul stealth abilities, but with him masking his reitsu, and the distractions the others would provide, it should hold up for now.

After this, Tatsuya decided to settle in, and wait. Staying alert, he scanned the opposing treeline for anything that might prove useful in the coming fight, strategizing using the terrain, and creating a mental map of the battlefield. With his skill ins strategy, mostly used in chess, Tatsuya could begin to predict he best ways to assault his side of the river, and attempt to predict how the enemy might attack. Presumably they would have the numbers advantage, but against quality like he knew Seb had assembled, it probably wouldn't matter much. Taking a steady breath, tatsuya's eyes narrrowed and sharpened, as he dropped the 'good guy' persona he had as a Captain, and let the true sociopath underneath out.

He smiled, 'Everything is going according to plan...'

SPOILER: Click to show

{Mask}

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}

Strength - [150] Points (50)

Speed - [300] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [300] Points (750)

Reitsu Strength - [400] Points (1000)

Light Aura - [0]

Dark Aura - [100]

Instincts - [125] Points

Senses - [50] Points

Energy Sensory - [0] Points (0)

Healing Expertise - [75] Points (25)

Total SP: [1400] Points

Skills

• [Smoke Steps] {Level 4}
• [Kidou] {Level 2}
• [Mental Incantation] {Level 1}
• [Battle Analysis] {Level 3}
• [Analysis] {Level 3}
• [War Strategy] {Level 1}

[Jak Halcom]

Jak sat on the ground among the lush foliage trying to keep calm himself down. It wasn't that he was nervous, far from it. In fact he was exited. He had been chomping at the bit to fight the people that had been supposedly taming hollows to do their fighting for them. Ever since the meeting, he had been waiting to get into the action opting for a more proactive, search and destroy, strategy to taking them out, but Kazura wanted him to infiltrate a gang with another one of UEs senior employees, but it seemed that he was a no show. Jak was wondering if he had gotten lost in the jungles. It is a fairly large island after all, and the base was supposed to be secretive.  

Aw he wasn't kidding himself. Though he was supposed to infiltrate a gang to gain intel, he had jumped the gun so much that it wasn't even loaded yet. He heard that a large gang was being attacked by a group of smaller ones, and figured that this was where they were supposed to go. It wasn't until after he got there that he found out that it wasn't. The only reason he was still there was for his own lust for battle. He figured that this would be an opportunity to not only get the fight that he wanted, but also get a bit more reconisense in first hand. This way he can see what their enemy was really capable of. The icing on the cake was that he could keep a powerful potential WMD out of their hands, and marked for the hands of UE. That should help smooth things over with Kazura.

He looked around at the assortment of people holding the defensive line. They were all around his power level, some of them even stronger than he was. He felt a little inferior about that though. He knew that there would always be people stronger than him, but he didn't like the possibility of being out done by them either. One of them, a woman, by the look of her, with red hair in a mask walked away from the others. Generally he wasn't a social guy, but sometimes it paid to have a friend around here among people how wouldn't really care if you lived or died. He would get up and follow her a ways. He spotted some interesting plants along the way checking them so not to look too creeperish. 

Unlike her, he did not care if people saw his face or knew who he was. He was proud, arrogantly so, about his accomplishments, and would gladly take on anyone that had a problem with him one way or another. His right arm glowed intensely betraying his anticipation. He wore his usual outfit of a black leather vest, showing off his well muscled chest and abs. Dirty, torn jeans, and a pair of sandals. Not really something people would wear in a jungle. His hair was completely black and his eyes were crimson another dead give a way that he was not human.

 He would approach the red haired woman barely catching something she was saying to herself. "I can't really describe what death smells like, but this flora has a rather sweet scent about them." He said trying to break the ice. He was not good at initiating a conversation. He was introverted, like to keep to himself most of the time. He had been trying to make an effort to work on that though. "So, did you have a reason to come out to a battle like this?" He asked a bit awkwardly. 

[Col Arana]

(ooc: No disguise necessary for Col. Col is entering at A7)

A shadow flitted through the dense underbrush. Col Arana slipped into the soon-to-be battlefield under the cover of shadows and the wilderness foliage. A practiced hand at stealth and ambush tactics, the arrancar was able to adequately suppress his immense reiatsu making him quite difficult to locate. It seemed someone in the area was hiring mercenaries for something. Since the Escudo had collapsed, Col had been freelance. Without anyone to keep the former Zarpa in check, he had been unrelenting in his raids on the Human world, pursuing prey, and setting up hunting grounds in order to lure in Shinigami. A lone hunter in the world, Col was not opposed to working with other organizations, as they often could redirect him toward tasty meals. And this job looked extremely promising. It was said that this was a group of Black Market dealers. Col normally cared little for Human world politics, but what had caught his attention was rumors of a powerful spirit artifact that they may or may not have been holding. Details were scant, but with nothing better to do, Col decided it was at least worth checking out. And who knows. Perhaps there'd be something good to eat.

Already he could detect potent reiatsu's all around. Col possessed an excellent level of spiritual sensitivity and could easily detect varying levels of power all over. One of the traits that helped him in his hunt. Col could easily detect the approximate levels of reiatsu in his prey, so that he could quickly discern if it was a worthwhile target, without accidentally running into a fight that was too dangerous for him. In fact, he detected several potent souls not far to the West of his location, and more still further South. He had not been given the precise details of the location of Seb's base of operations, but if he had to guess, it was likely further south. Col began forming quick mental calculations to discern where the battle would likely take place. An engagement of many souls would leave some of the more powerful beings at work here exhausted and weary. Perfect to strike down and consume while they were not at full strength. Staying silent, Col made his way South-East, towards the other reiatsu signatures. He was reasonably confident the much closer ones would come this way soon enough. He moved swiftly and silently, little more than a black shadow in the underbrush. A creeping death that was soon to envelope all....

(ooc: Col is, assuming he is not interrupted or met partway, heading from A7 to L21)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Abilities}
[Strength: 300 (100)

Speed: 400

Reiatsu Strength: 400 (1400)

Spirit Pressure: 340

Light Aura: 0

Dark Aura: 100

Senses: 150

Instincts: 390 (130)

Energy Sensory: 120 (420)

Healing Expertise: 100 (33)

Total: 2200]

Skill Points:
Martial Arts: Blades: 3
Martial Arts: Wing Chun: 2
Special Skill: Climbing: 3
Stealth: 2
Battle Analysis: 3
Analysis: 2

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

OOC: Don't forget to post stats and skills, Jak

Jak and Amalia had about a minute to exchange words before the attack came from directly across the river from them. Only those with energy sensory would be able to detect the spike in reiatsu across the river before a red beam the size of a car emerged from the trees. This first blast had no real target, passing harmlessly into he jungle at the other side of the river before exploding upon impact with a tree. However, that was just a precursor to the real assault. Three more cero were fired, one of which was directed at Amalia and Jak, forcing them to defend or evade.

Little by little, hollow began to walk slowly out of the west jungle, toward the river. They all came from the middle of the region, firing cero every ten seconds or so. Individual cero were easy to dodge, but as more and more hollow joined the front lines, there were too many beams to keep track of. Multiple energy blasts struck the shores were Seb’s mercenary defense lay, taking a few of the weaker soldiers with them. Within a minute, more than two dozen Gillian hollow, each dressed in chains, were in sight with an unknown amount behind them. The hollow army was here.

Fortunately, Seb’s stronghold was well defended. As the hollow drew closer, automated machine guns poked their heads out of the sand in front of Seb’s mercenary defense, firing waves of bullets at the hollows. They began taking a few of the Gillian down, puncturing thick holes in their masks until they dropped to the ground. The machine guns even tanked a couple cero while reigning bullets upon their enemies. However, the success of the automatic firearms would not last long. The hollows coordinated a joint attack, striking each machine gun with a cero simultaneously to decommission the weapons. Without communicating with one another, the hollow were able to cooperate somehow. It seemed that somebody was pulling the strings.

Most of the lesser mercenaries were already drawing back into the jungle, wary of the large number of cero that the hollow continued to launch toward them. It was up to the more powerful guns-for-hire to maintain Seb’s defensive line. Team Douma and Tom Bullets were stationed on the far ends of the battle field, so Amalia, Jak, and Tatsuya were closest to the action. This duty fell upon them.

---

“This is boring,” complained the bount woman as she built a sandcastle along the shore while hollow fired cero only a few hundred meters south. “Why do they get all the action while we’re stuck he-“ Suddenly, the young woman stopped speaking as something caught her attention. Her senses were quite keen, especially her energy sensory. It was even sharper than Douma’s, and because of that, she had detected a reiatsu signature not too far away from them.

“Hey Douma, we got company,” she said with a giggle, pointing over her back into the eastern jungle behind them. “Then take care of it, Alice,” Douma ordered, his attention focused on the conflict in the south. He and his fullbringer subordinate, Crow, would hold their position incase another attack came toward the north. Douma was confident in their ability to defend, so he could spare Alice’s aid and send her after a target that had managed to slip behind them. Alice had vanished with a step technique, a giddy smile on her face. Something about that reiatsu was exciting.

“Hey buddy!” the woman shouted toward Col. Using Movement, she had caught up to Col rather quickly. Her deep blue eyes studied the man while she stood confidently, her hands at her hips. The woman would look quite young to Col, and the way she tied her hair into pigtails with black ribbons only made her look more youthful. Still, she carried herself with an aura of self-confidence that made it hard to underestimate the woman.

“How’s it hanging?” she opened, dawning the disarming smile of a cute, flirty girl in her early twenties. “So, big strong Arrancar man, what brings you to our little hood over here? You working for somebody? You attacking Seb? All I need to know is what team your on so I can figure out if I just made a new friend…” She winked at the former Zarpa before continuing, “…or if I’m in for a fun fight.”

OOC: The hollows are all emerging from Q14, R15, AND S16. Alice is intercepting Col at D10.

Alice Visual Reference

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia subtly turned her head and glanced at Jak from her periphery. "Not sweet enough to mask the smell of mud and poverty." She said while camouflaged behind her mask. While Jak wouldn't know the difference, her mask wasn't merely an eccentric decorative piece. It was crafted to modify her voice to better obscure her identity. The quality and cadence of her voice remained intact despite the slight alteration. Further words would need to wait for the enemy had managed to breach the perimeter. A rush of reishi quickly and violently churned around her body before speedily forming a solid construct in her hand. Her eiku quickly manifested as the first cero soared by the two of them. The distinctive sound and spiritual quality of these attacks allowed Amalia to react effectively.

With a stiff body and swift, vertical motion she managed to cleave one of the incoming cero in half with the edge of her eiku. The sheer heft and robust spiritual integrity of her eiku made it a formidable adversary against even a cero. The cero was split in two with relative ease causing it to diverge to either side of both Amalia and Jak. Using movement Amalia quickly relocated (Q15) and was now directly in the center of several hollows. She leapt into the air and swung the broad end of her eiku, striking a cero. She managed to easily deflect to the side, striking a group of hollows. Beneath her mask, she smiled as energy began to collecting on the edge of her eiku. Erdspalter. She said to herself before swinging her weapon horizontally. 

The energy that had collected on the edge of her eiku was transformed and greatly enhanced her cutting power and the distance her eiku could reach. The cutting power of her swing was extended by 10 feet and the was able to slice through dozens of opponents in a single swing. The beam of energy managed to slice through over a dozen hollows, slicing in half even the monstrous Gillian. Such opponents were child's play for Amalia. Her vast spiritual power allowed her to cleave through her opponents and overwhelm them despite their numbers. She had to remain vigilant for other foes lurked nearby. Hollows were easily managed, but the situation could ease shift if attention and caution was not paid. Still she enjoyed watching the energy pierce their bodies. She observed in amusement as the hollows' torsos slid gently away from their body from the hip. Their bodied clumsily dropped to the ground as their expressions stiffened before evaporating into black dust. 

Energy clung to her eiku as she pulled it back and prepared for another swing. She look from her periphery at the chains connected to the hollows. She narrowed her eyes as she scoffed beneath her mask. When have hollows ever been so coordinated? Even if these are subjugated by some foreign technology it wouldn't add any uniformity to their actions. She thought to herself. She shook her head and sighed. "I didn't think they could impose commands upon them in quite the way they have. They seemed to have linked their mind." She deduced after reflecting upon their joint efforts to eliminate the turrets. Even so, the means by which Seb was combating the hollows was poor and inefficient. It only made sense for them to hire more powerful allies. 

It didn't matter how much they offered her. She would likely still betray them. They didn't deserve her obedience. Money certainly wasn't enough to ensure her loyalty. Then again, they wouldn't know that. She had been a pleasant hire so far and gave no one any reason to distrust her. Of course a healthy amount of mistrust would prove beneficial but it truly didn't change anything. She wondered how she could use the half-breed. While she wasn't particularly fond of his kind she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to use him in some capacity. After all, he was there and it only made sense. She glanced back, wondering how he would react to all this. She had sprung into action rather quickly, but he might not be so bold. For all she knew he could be a coward in which case she'd gladly watch him die. 

Amalia couldn't help but wonder what else was in store for them. If they were able to control and coordinate hollows this well there was no telling what else they could do. It left her feeling uneasy to know that such technology existed. She needed to learn more about all of this, which of course was why she took this position in the first place. Her identity needed to remain hidden. This was a delicate operation and she couldn't risk her identity as a Sternritter complicating things. She had to face the reality that under these circumstances it simply wasn't beneficial to flaunt her status. She had to be clever. She had to rely on deception...for now. As her attention returned to the battlefield her Quincy cross began to glow as she absorbed heavy amounts of reiatsu.

20,000
+800 Quincy Cross
-150 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Eiku}
Technique Name: Herbeirufen: Eiku (Summon: Eiku)

Class: 4

Technique Type: Quincy Technique

Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): Vandenreich Exclusive

Technique Element: Spirit

Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect): Amalia forges her choice weapon, the Eiku, by compressing reishi and reshaping it. It becomes a solid object and does not resemble raw energy. The Eiku’s total length is 60in, the handle being 18in and the paddle 42in. The paddle is approximately 16in wide and both sides are sharpened like the edge of a katana.

The eiku can be used for both defense and offense. It has the durability to withstand other techniques and deflect them using the flattened end of the paddle. However, clash-rules apply. The flat-edge of the paddle, while used mostly defensively, can be used like a hammer. Traditionally, however, the edges of the eiku are used for cutting and cleaving.

How to use technique (How is it activated?): By spending 150 reiatsu, the user can compress and shape reishi into an Eiku.

Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc): Reiatsu cost of 150.

Incantation and Effect: None

Made By: Rennos

Reserved? (Yes/No): Yes

-200 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Erdespalter}
Technique Name: Erdspalter (Earth Splitter)

Class: 4

Technique Type: Quincy Technique

Usable By (Technique is available to which races?): Vandenreich Exclusive

Technique Element: Spirit

Technique Description and Effects (Explain appearance, powers, and effect): Dramatically increases the cutting power of a weapon by lining the blade with a thick layer of reishi. The reishi resembles liquid as it coats the blade. The condensed, liquid reishi on the blade greatly amplifies its cutting power and range. A single swing of the blade can cleave through multiple, solid stone structures and even steel. It is intended to cleave things in half with ease and extend the cutting range despite the distance from the blade.

When the user swings their weapon, the immediate target can be cleaved in two, but the cutting power travels a total of 10 feet, allowing for both enhanced cutting power and striking multiple targets. It can be used to enhance the piercing potential of a weapon using thrust attacks. The cutting/piercing power is equivalent to the user's RS. The cutting/piercing power afforded by this technique last for three posts.

How to use technique (How is it activated?): By offering 200 reiatsu to activate and pairing it with a weapon.

Technique Drawbacks (Limitations, repercussions for use, etc): Consecutive use of the technique dulls the blade of the enhanced weapon. If the user applies this technique to a weapon without a one post rest it will dull the blade by 50 percent. A third consecutive use will destroy the weapon. Cannot cut/pierce objects with durability greater than the user's RS.

Incantation and Effect: None

Made By: Rennos

Reserved? (Yes/No): No

-25 for movement
=20,425

[Tatsuya Shodōkage 書影]

Seeing the line of organized hollows approach him, Tatsuya declined from taking actions that would reveal himself for the time being. He would wait until the hollows in his immediate line of site grew too close to his position before attacking. instead, he overlooked the battlefield. This was... Disconcerting. Hollows were known to attack en mass when attracted by bait, or other such devices. However, to move in this much organization? Against a single target? THis was akin to herding a cloud of cats. The fact that someone had harnessed the almost limitless number of hollows in this fashion was very disturbing.

For this mission, tatsuya had two priorities. Gaining information about *how* these hollows were bing controlled, and by whom, and a lesser priority of securing the artifact. Something like this in the hands of a criminal syndicate could not be good. Of course, if he could use it to gain an informational 'foothold' in the underground, that could also be arranged. First things first however. Several hollows had begun to attack the machine gun nearest to him. While its impact wasn't gamebreaking, it was significant, and useful. Acting leisurely yet swiftly, Tatsuya stopped masking his reitsu and shielded it.

"Heed the warnings of the deceased. A coffin among perils protect. Step inside the symbiont and dig towards the truth. Dancing on a thin line. Control the tiniest motions. Withhold the simplest needs. Give life everlasting. Bakudo #87: Tsutsumi." Immediately after casting the high powered kidou, a sphereical shield surrounded the machine gun, he was using his skill in the technique and kidou to allow the gun to continue to fire out into the crowd of hollows. 'That should do the trick' Turning to face the horde of hollows, Tatsuya continued with his plans.

He shot out 5 piercing shots of Byakurai at the advancing hollows, not firing at the foremost among them, but rather those that seemed to be the most powerful, or important. The swiftly moving kidou would strike them directly into their masks, breaking them and eliminating the threats they posed to his position. Looking around, he scanned the battlefield, and gauged the actions his temporary comrades were taking in the battle. Hopefully it would clue him in on a bit more about them.

-125 reitsu ~ 5x Byakurai

-600 reitsu ~ Tsutsumi

6775/7500 reitsu remaining

[Col Arana]

No way.... Someone had actually noticed him? Hah.... That was funny. A joke even. Col paused as he shifted through the brush, as he felt an approaching reiatsu. Someone had noticed him already? And he'd been so careful too. "So you noticed me? I'm quite impressed." The former-Escudo complimented his pursuer. "And such excellent speed as well." He purred, turning to face the one who had caught wind of him. He was surprised to see it was a woman who had seen him. Well, they were the more insightful gender, weren't they? Perhaps it wasn't so surprising. But that speed was unexpected. He tried to gauge the woman before him, with his own skill at sensing reiatsu, the exact magnitude of her power, as well as her race. From the minute fluctuations and feeling of her reiatsu, Col could gauge she was a Bount, and unless she was actively masking her power, it was likely, that with his skill at Energy Sensory, he could gauge how powerful her reiatsu was as well. Was she a fellow predator? Or was she prey? "I was drawn here by rumors of Seb, and heard that a conflict was inevitable. I thought I might come and gauge the power of the two, so that I could determine which side had greater benefit for me." The arrancar mused, holding himself straight, with poise. "You must have come.... from that encampment on the beach, just west of here." He guessed. The reiatsu there did indeed feel slightly weaker now, indicating that either someone had died or left. "In any case.... I have no interest in causing a disturbance. I heard tale that Seb had obtained a powerful new weapon and wanted to see if it was true. And you are too small a prey for me to waste my strength on." The arrancar added. "If you make me an offer, perhaps I may be willing to assist your side. Afterall, regardless of the odds, whichever side I join is certain to be victorious." The Arrancar commented, with a sinister smirk.

Even as he spoke, he detected the not-so subtle fluctuations in reiatsu southwards, and heard the not-so distant din of battle. He really wished he could observe with his own eyes. One of the reiatsu's there was truly immense. So great in fact, that it seemed it even surpassed his own! Truly it was worthy prey, and in the din of battle, it was possible he could ambush the unfortunate victims. While he could detect several powerful presences on the battlefield, that one was definitely the strongest. It felt.... Hmm... it felt like a Quincy. Interesting. Col seemed as though he had been distracted, but he was in fact, remaining attentive to any answer the Bount girl might give him. "There seems to be quite an unusual mix of people here. What an inclusive little group you have here. Bount, Quincy, Shinigami.... And you are even willing to accept the help of an arrancar? How charming." Col noted, and breathed in deeply. "Magnificent." He resumed giving the Bount woman his full focus. That she was perhaps trying to trick him or ambush him had not escaped the arrancar's mind. Bount fought with strange incarnations of themselves, did they not? Dolls, or something like that. It was possible she was merely talking to Col to draw his attention to her, while her Dolls surrounded him and prepared for an ambush. "Well? Do you have the authority to tempt me to your side? Or shall I continue my original purpose here?" He asked Alice, with a small smirk. He adjusted his stance slightly so that his Zanpakuto was within easy reach and he could draw his weapon in a single motion if need be.

[Jak Halcom]

Jak was starting to get the impression that the woman in front of him was one of those, up tight, prim and proper types that stuck around cities, and despised anything to do with nature. He could be completely off base. That was just the feeling he had. He pocketed the flower. He could use it to help restock his flower shop back in Karakura Town. He had been increasing his focus in the field of botany. Floral arrangements, breeding plants, he was interested in it all. His head lifted up when he felt something wrong. A streak of energy flew past him and the woman. Boom! the cero landed way off target making Jak wonder what they were aiming for.

The hollows started breaking through the tree line on the other side of the river. The ceros were becoming more precise now. Gun fire could be heard behind him as well. The battle has begun. Another cero came their way which was cut in half my the masked woman. Well he couldn't let her take on the whole army by herself. Jak planted his feet and formed two disks of crimson energy, one in each hand. He threw them at the oncoming hoard. They would skim the water before pulling up cutting into the first two hollows in front of them. Jak would then swing his arms out in either direction, sending the two disks in opposite directions. The disks would cut clean through anything weaker than he was. He was focusing on the hollows closest to them. He had to focus on the disks to the point he hardly noticed the lightning arcing behind him killing more hollows. 

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - 400 + 50% = 600 Points

Speed - 250 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 225 - 25% = 169 Points

Reiatsu Strength - 400 + 50% = 600 Points

Light Aura - 50 Points

Dark Aura - 50 Points

Instinct - 140 - 25% = 105 Points

Senses - 135 Points

Energy sensory - 50 + 50% = 75 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Skills:

Street Fighting 2

Sword 1

Bleeding Resistance 2

Strength of Will 1

Pain Tolerance 2

Heat Resistance 1

Damage Recovery 1

Weapon Skill (Chain) 2

SPOILER: Click to show

Level 4 Spirit Cutter - Unlike the normal Spirit Bolts which are individual balls of energy, the Spirit Cutter is a flattened Spirit Bolt making a four foot diameter, razor sharp disk of crimson energy. The orbs move at speeds of 500 and have the cutting power of his Reaitsu Strength. Jak can control their direction and speed with his hands movements giving him accurate control of the deadly disks. Jak is able to use up to two of these disks one for each hand.


Drawbacks - It takes quite a bit of concentration and focus to be able to keep track of just one of these disks let alone two at one time. Someone with a 3 in Battle Analysis can probably quickly piece together the link between Jak's hand movements to the movements of the disks if given enough time to focus on him.


Cost - 250 Reitsu

Spirit Cutter 2x -500 1190/1690

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

OOC: You only have to consider a posting order if you’re in the vicinity of other participants and interacting with the same obstacle. Right now, the only posting order is Amalia, Tatsuya, and Jak. If any split off against the hollow army in the middle, they will also split from this posting order and may post freely. Col does not have to worry about a posting order at the moment.

Amalia’s opening move was ballsy. However, there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Yes, the hollow were weak individually. However, as an army, they were quite dangerous. And the Vandenreich Captain Supervisor jumped right into the middle of their group. Although she had taken out a handful of the Gillian, her blade only extend an additional ten feet. Any hollow beyond that range was quite alive and functional.

Their reaction was instantaneous. The moment Amalia eliminated the targets in her immediate vicinity, she would be under attack. A dozen bala flew toward her at an alarming speed. Many of them were cast twenty or thirty feet away, from those hollow that were just out of the reach of her sword. While the majority of bala came from the back of the army, a handful originated from the sides. Amalia had a split second to react or she would suffer the consequences of her bold assault.

Not far from Amalia, the nakabakki known as Jak began combatting the hollow as well. Amalia had targeted the middle of an incoming wave, but Jak stayed on the other side of the river, fighting with ranged attacks. His discs seemed overwhelming at first, and the Gillian anticipated and avoided them. However, by manipulating their movements, he was able to surprise the hollow and slice them in two from behind. Jak’s success came with a consequence: the attention of the hollow. He became the target for dozens of cero. Every second, a new beam was coming his way from somewhere in the army.

A little ways south of Amalia and Jak, Tatsuya took a very different approach. His bakkoto successfully saved the machine gun in front of him. The guns didn’t seem effective at first glance, especially considering how quickly most were taken out. However, Tatsuya’s shield let the firearm function to its highest ability. It seemed to never run out of ammunition, firing consistently at the hollow. In the span of a minute, it alone took out twenty creatures. None of the Gillian could make it close enough to destroy Tatsuya’s bakudo.

On the other hand, his byakurai were not quite as effective. The hollow he targeted attempted to dodge the bolts of lightning. Most were only clipped, though a couple suffered significant injuries on their arms. Their masks remained intact and they continued to march forward and fire cero. The machine gun slowed the hollows’ progression, but it wouldn’t work on its own. Little by little, they closed in on the gun and began to surround it. Tatsuya would need to do a bit more to protect the weapon. Furthermore, they began targeting him with cero. He’d have to dodge the flurry of beams that shot toward him from the front.

---

Alice appeared frustrated by the Arrancar. After releasing an irritated sigh, she leaned against the truck of a tree behind her, her arms’ crossed and a furrow in her brow. “’Gage the power of of the two sides,’” she repeated, almost mockingly. “Why can’t I just get a straight answer for once in my life? Do we fight? Do we not fight? Ugh, everyone else is having fun back there,” she whined, pointing past the trees behind her toward the river, “while I have to make a pitch? I thought this would be way more exciting than that.

“Let me tell you something, Arrancar guy. I’ve got the authority to do whatever the fuck I want. Lucky for you, you’ve got the same authority. Seb’s understaffed, so if we save their butts, I’m sure they’ll pay you as much as they’re paying me – and let me tell you something, I don’t work cheap. The other option, though? It’s a mess. There are way more than two teams, and none of them have very much to pay you. I see why they’re chasing after that Crystal thing, but only one of them’s gonna get it in the end.

Frankly, I don’t give a shit about any of that as long as I have some fun and make easy bank. So what’s the verdict, sketchy Arrancar guy? Also, if you want to give me a name, that might be easier than calling you sketchy Arrancar guy. I’m Alice.”

---

Tatsuya, Amalia, and Jak were all targeting the same wave of hollow. While they had help from a few dozen, small-fry mercenaries, they had been doing the majority of the work. Half of the weaker arms-for-hire had already been killed or injured. Collectively, the group has taken out about 60 gillian so far. However, there were still approximately 100 hollow left standing, and their front lines were crossing the river, edging closer to their target. Even more importantly, there still seemed to be more hollow emerging from the trees behind them. They hadn’t quite seen the full size of the army yet.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, white became visible in other parts of the forest. Both north and south of the main battle, delayed troops of Gillian hollow, all of which dressed in chains, broke through the jungle. Seb’s forces on the south had to deal with the hollows running out of the woods at full speed. While the machine guns attempted to blast them down, the weapons wouldn’t last long with out protection. The southern defense was led by the fullbringer Tom Bullets, who moved as a blur as he evaded cero and slayed the attackers one by one with about twenty weaker mercenaries assisting him.

Douma’s team had to take action as well. From the masked man, two black, insect-like monsters, each the size of a person, sprung from his palm. They defended the machine guns with their metallic bodies, tanking cero and slicing any Gillian who drew near. Crow, Douma’s subordinate in the yellow helmet, lied down on the sand with his sniper in hand and put a bullet through any Gillian that tried to reach the water. Douma stood beside him to protect against the wave of cero that continuously shot toward them.

While both Douma and Tom’s teams seemed capable, there was no guaruantee that they could handle the hollow armies alone. Tom needed the most help, as the Gillian on his end had already nearly crossed the river after just a few minutes. The biggest group of hollow was still at the center of the battle, near Jak, Tatsuya, and Amalia, but that wasn’t to say that Seb’s defense was equal against all three assaults. Unless the mercenaries began taking out hollow more efficiently, they were going to be in trouble.

OOC: New hollow armies are emerging from BB24 and G3.

[✱Paiva "Amalia" Vollbrecht✱]

Amalia sighed as the bala's erupted from the hollows encircling her. She wondered how controlled these hollows were as they never quite possessed this level of battle acumen. They would cluster around one another and fire their basic cero, but they seemed more persistent than those she experienced in the past. Parallel with that thought process was her options. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to contemplate them thoroughly and had to rely on something else entirely for making decisions. The crackles and whistling echoed throughout the wooded areas as the bala quickly honed in on Amalia's location. Their impact was imminent. Suddenly massive quantities of reishi began filling the air like stars shining brightly in the sky.  The surge of reishi swirled around Amalia before rapidly condensing. The brightly color reishi became black and night as it spread over Amalia.  

A black sphere formed around her just as the bala collided. Dozens upon dozens of bala assaulted the black sphere Amalia was now using as a fortification. The Bala were simply not strong enough to penetrate the sheer might of her Teilchenaufprall. Such large amounts of densely packed reishi allowed for near flawless defensive capabilities. The bala were like pebbles striking a mighty castle wall. "Child's play." Amalia's muffled voice could be heard saying from within her sphere. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as the pain of the technique surged across her body. It was worth it, though. Admittedly, she had not employed such a powerful technique because the situation necessitated it. She was simply using it because her vanity and superficial impulses took over as those bala hurtled toward her. She wanted to remain obscured by her garments. That and she didn't want such a wonderful outfit being marred by the likes of hollows.

For Amalia it was a small price to pay. It was merely a sliver of her reiatsu and would end up offering her even more versatility on the battlefield. A small opening appeared on the sphere and moved across the surface as Amalia's sight wandered. She chuckled to herself before her giant sphere separated into six flattened black disks. Each of the disks had long, slender curved blades that encircled the core of the disk itself. There was a disk in front and behind Amalia while two were on either side of her. The disks began to slowly spin before abruptly rocketed away from her body at 800 speed. As they spun through the air the reishi particles spread out allowing for the side of the disks to increase and their curved blades to lengthen. Each sphere spun through the air with deadly speed and cutting power.  They easily carved through the landscape with ease, as if only the air itself stood in their path. 

The bladed disks sliced through the forest floor. The devastation to the landscape would easily be seen from a distance, but the trees were simply an unintentional casualty of war. An individual disk with its size, speed, and might was able to mow down dozens of hollows in rapid succession. That combined with five other disks allowed Amalia to effortlessly carve through the enemy forces. Unfortunately, no mere hollow could withstand the force of her particle impact. It was empowered by her reiatsu strength which few could combat directly. It sliced through the hollows in every direction around her, causing the lumbering giants known as Gillian to come crashing down as it sliced through their lower half. "I must say, while I am saddened to be using such a beautiful ability on the likes of you, It is convenient to be battling where we are. Reishi is much denser in places closest to nature. Where better to find nature than a large forest." She said with a satisfying chuckle.

As she spoke her spheres altered their course and returned to her, slicing through more hollows on their journey back. The forest floor was become more cluttered as the trees were piling up from her shear chaos. "Gosh..." She said while placing a finger where her lips would be under her mask. She glanced to both sides and beneath her mask her lips were wearing a sly grin. "I hope I didn't end up killing anyone but hollows in the process. That'd be shame." As she said that her disks returned and began swirling around her. Her eyes narrows as she looked into the distance. More hollows. And they're growing even closer to to Seb. How frustrating for them. This might be the opening I need. She thought to herself.


20,425
+800 Quincy cross at end of post
-600 Teilchenaufprall (Particle Impact)
-300 form change
=20,325

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

OOC: New rule: if a participant hasn’t posted a week after it has been there turn, that participant may be skipped. Posting order would be modified to reflect that as well.

Jak may now post without waiting for Tatsuya.