DRAFT - The Battle of Vaskoth

[lucetimods]

Who: Anyone on the draft
What: The Battle of Vaskoth! Zombie uprising!
When: 25th to 28th (a second log will follow)
Where: Vaskoth
Summary: Please read here for event information
Rating: Z for Zombies

On the 25th, Lucetians are ushered in to join an already growing army to repel the Cultists.

On the 26th, strange symptoms are reported. The first Runners appear and by nightfall, the hospital is lost.

On the 27th, the cultist horde is completely lost to the virus. They send no more reinforcements.

On the 28th, the situation is grim and an evacuation is called. But the battle is not over.

Notes: There will be two NPC threads. One for Specialist Davis and another for Carol.

If you like creating your own NPCs, then check out this spreadsheet and be sure to contribute! This was originally set up by Griff for the Kin'cora event. It's been revised as a semi-official tracking spreadsheet for characters created on the fly.

Comments

[savedtheworld]

[It was hard to watch, despite Aang's continued attempts to bring the remainers down, yes, mercifully. Moro's criticism often cut deep, but Aang still wanted to do what he could to defend his case.]

That's... it's just the way I am. I'm supposed to understand and negotiate with the spirits... but not to be an enforcer. And to... to pass judgement only when absolutely necessary. [The kind of absoluteness he's talking about being one that he always manages to avoid.]

[biteoffherhead]

[Moro growls. She can't truly be mad at him - he's correct, given his role. Unlike Vash, who has no purpose, Aang is meant follow his role in such a way.]

You will get yourself or others killed with your gentleness.

[savedtheworld]

[That one does strike him. Even though his mercy towards Zuko made an ally in the end, it also led to that one time when Zuko's betrayal played a part in Aang actually dying temporarily. And he remembers how he passed up two chances to kill Ozai, nearly dying or losing himself through energy bending in the process.

But with both of those cases, he thought it was ultimately worth those risks and prices in hindsight.]

I won't allow that to happen. If... if others' lives are in danger, I'll do what I can to save them. Things have just tended to... work out most of the time, when I try another way.

[biteoffherhead]

A path of inaction! I have no respect for such lack of initiative.

[savedtheworld]

I... I still take actions. Just... the least violent ones. And y'know, one philosophy I learned in my world to learn Earthbending was that of neutral jing. While positive jing is about advancing and negative jing is about retreating, neutral jing is about waiting and listening, so you can act at just the right moment.

[biteoffherhead]

[Aaaah, well, now she understands where you're coming from. The neutrality is sitting and waiting for the right moment to pursue prey. Retreat is falling back when an assault will fail, and of course attacking is what is necessary. But that waiting for the perfect moment to strike... she understands what that's about. Hey, you built a bridge of understanding between yourself and her! Congrats you just did your job.]

Such complicated nonsense and delicate words for things any good predator knows by heart.

[savedtheworld]

[Well... Aang considers himself the opposite of a predator, but it could be the closest to an understanding he's going to get. He gives a nervous laugh.]

I guess we humans are just really silly. We like to take lots of simple things and make them really really complex. But I think I like simpler ways better.

[biteoffherhead]

And how well do you follow your instinct?

[savedtheworld]

Very well! [Except when his friends are pressuring him.] They're just usually... peaceful instincts. I only try not to follow them when they're telling me to run.

[biteoffherhead]

Instincts of prey. You don't belong in a hunting pack.

[savedtheworld]

[He tried to give a light-hearted shrug.]

Maybe I do better in a... gathering pack?

[biteoffherhead]

A herd of prey.

[savedtheworld]

But I- I've been able to get by so far just fine, for the most part.

[biteoffherhead]

Simply put... you don't belong in a place like this.

[savedtheworld]

I see what you mean. [And that is something like concern. He's touched, really.] It's the last place I wanna be. But I can still take care of myself. And if I can save lives and find a way to help this world as the Avatar... it'll be worth it.

[biteoffherhead]

You should keep guardians. That naive simplicity will get you killed doing your duty.

[Getting guardians is what the Forest Spirit did, after all! That's what Moro is.]

[savedtheworld]

I do usually have my friends with me...

[biteoffherhead]

But they would be unlikely to risk their own survival for yours without hesitation. A guardian, as I am to the Forest Spirit, will fight without question and holds no fear of death.

Because death means nothing, but finally being able to rest.

[savedtheworld]

They don't see death the same way, but I know they'd risk their lives for me and have. But that still sounds really helpful. It's just weird to think of death as rest. To rest, I just need peace.

[biteoffherhead]

There is no such thing as peace. Nature itself is struggle and turmoil. Where there is no war, there is territoriality. There is hunger, therefore predation. In life, there must always be death. To have otherwise is to invite nothing but suffering to all.

[savedtheworld]

But what about love?

[biteoffherhead]

Love? The only love I have felt was the love for my pups.

[savedtheworld]

But that's a good thing, right? Can't it... feel like peace when you love someone?

[biteoffherhead]

No. With that emotion comes feelings of possessiveness, mistrust, and violence. Such is necessary to protect them from danger, as is ripping apart anything that would eat them.

[savedtheworld]

I see. I didn't... really think of it like that. I like it when it's quiet.