World Tree MUSH

    The Ebon Deer stares down at the gathered, regal, menacing. It stamps a hoof, and several vines erupt around it, One looks very thorny, another shimmers with golden light from within, and a third has blossoms growing from it.

    Electricity crackles from the deer's antlers, and it lowers its head as if to charge, but instead launches a bolt of golden lightning at Talia.

    "Be careful!" calls Welt, "This creature is one of Abundance's creations, it won't go down easily."

    Tingyun seems enthralled. "Look... it can create life at will! Such incredible power!" she's almost breathless.

    Bi De twitches. "How strange. It is like a Spirit Animal, yet... not." He clucks softly as the head lowers, and the bolt of lightning causes him to jump up straight, then glow with the moon-powered Qi that he holds. "And as dangerous as one."

    Unlike himself, this deer doesn't seem eager to talk things out, does it? The lightning bolt was a wakeup, and Bi De darts in, dashing forward before breaking right to give room to others, with a quick 'slash' from the shimmering aura around his talons!

    Talia keeps her distance as the beast emerges. When the bolt of lightning strikes Talia swiftly vaults to the side to get away from the blast. She isn't so confident that she can do that more than once, but she has the Force, and it helps. It feels like Talia's danger sense is jacked up to 11 as she dives to safety, her ears ringing from the thunderclap, and she rushes towards the deer god and vaults forth. Her lightsaber slashes at the deer with a swift strike, intending to sever one of its antlers!

    So here's the thing... That deer?
    Clara is staring.
    "Oh how pretty..." She whispers. But Svarog is in front of her in an instant no sooner than that golden lightning lances out at Talia.
    "Threat index raised. Stay behind me, Clara," he says matter of factly.
    He remains protectively in front of his ward as he raises a hand and a high heat, high energy laser lances out from his palm at the Deer.

    "EEK!" Jessica squeals loudly, the lightning startling the catgirl enough to make her dive for cover! Her tail bristles and she as usual has all the signs of being frightened...

    And as usual, her quick draw and ready of her pistol is mechanical and practiced. Despite her squeal she ducks to the side and fires off three quick shots, two for cover fire for Talia and the third actually trying to hit the deer in the neck.

    The Ebon Deer doesn't even try to dodge the incoming attacks. The Lightsaber severs one of those antlers, the detached segment dispersing into ephemeral green and gold motes. The talon rakes down its side, scoring another shower of that same energy, and the laser from Svarog scores deep into its center of mass, cauterizing through it from one side to the other, landing out to splash against the roots behind it. Jessica's bullets strike one of the spikey vines, and one of the glowing ones, causing them to react by stabbing into the ground, a vibration warning Jessica of impending impalement from below! The golden one glows brighter, then bursts forth with a gust of wind to knock the melee fighters back again.

    That opening volley of attacks look like they did serious damage... but then the Furnace begins to glow, and a wash of green-gold light envelopes the Deer and its wounds heal instantly, flesh knitting back together and the antler regrowing in a visible acceleration beyond any kind of natural healing.

    "It's guarding the Arbors roots and the Furnace." notes Welt, as he stamps his cane into the ground, causing lances of yellow Imaginary energy to stab into the various summoned vines and the Deer itself... the golden ones alternate between bursts of wind, and lobbing lawndart-sized thorns in retaliation to being struck.

    Talia braces as she's thrown back by the wind. The furnace is more than a problem. "We need to destroy the furnace, otherwise it'll keep healing!" Talia calls out, before rushing towards it and severing through the vines, using the Force to stop thorns from hitting her and others.

    Bi De leaps back, trying not to get hit by any retaliation, though his Aegis shield also flares to life. The small chicken skids to a stop, talons scraping along the ground. "Destroy it, or cut it off!" He'd rather do the latter, after all.

    The chicken dashes to the side, moving in with a feint. He'll take a slash at something if he has a chance, but his real goal is to try to feel the connection. It may be too immaterial to sever, but he won't know unless he tries, right?

    "Eep!"
    Clara is definitely hiding behind Svarog now as the furnace glows and...
    "Fascinating." Svarog murmurs. "It's repairing all damage." He announces while bracing against the wind gust, arms crossing in front of himself to try and keep his bulk in place and-- reaches out to catch Talia as she's blown back.
    But once the Jedi is upright again and heads for the furnace...
    "That assumes it will let us get near the furnace." He points out, shifting his aim to try and launch a volley of micromissiles over the deer to try and hit the furnace, instead.

    Jessica isn't taking any shots. Not because she's doing nothing, though. A quiet, 'uh oh' is heard, before the petite catgirl does a diving roll to the side, scrambling to avoid the eruption beneath her. Good thing cats have a good sense of that!

    Actually fighting back is out of the question this moment. She's not going to waste ammo on the deer, she's going to try to instead maneuver to a place where she can have a clear shot at the furnace... hopefully without being impaled.

    The Deer does indeed not allow bypass to the Furnace, nor the roots themselves. Stamping a hoof, it causes more of those spikey vines to erupt around Talia, trying to hem her in as the golden vines continue to lob thorns.

    More thorns and launched, intercepting the micromissiles, spearing through, or causing them to detonate early by impacting the nose. Not a single one gets through.

 i De can feel a connection, but it's coming from the giant tree itself, via those roots surrounding the furnace. Whatever's going on, those roots need to be dealt with, they're absorbing and redistributing the energy in the Furnace.

    Jessica's shots are small enough to not be intercepted, but even an Originium slug just bounces off of whatever the furnace is made from. The metal only getting minor scratches at most from each impact.

    "We can't go through it, can't go over it... we'll need to find a way around it." says Stelle.

    "We should retreat for now, follow me!" calls Welt, as he fires another burst of that Imaginary energy to clear vines from around Talia.

    Some victories are just not worth the price paid. Talia knows that for experience, and she nods as Svarog helps her to her feet in thanks. "We're not taking this, let's go!" Talia agrees with Welt, slashing at vines before they can get too close, while Welt helps her keep them at bay.

    Ah, that's not quite effective is it. When Svarog's micromissiles are denied there is a momentary pause from the ancient construct.
    "Clara, we are leaving." He decides matter of factly once Welt says to retreat.
    "Okay!" She chirrups, turns, and starts to scoot, while he covers her and shoots lasers at the vines to cover the others as well.

    A strategic withdrawal sounds reasonable. Bi De clucks and dances backward. "Agreed. If it is drawing upon the Furnace as its power, then it cannot pursue." At least, he hopes that is the case. If anything it would be good to be chased, because then they could sever the connection.

    "It's too tough for me to do this with my normal gun!" Jessica calls out! Then she hears the order to retreat and IMMEDIATELY withdraws. No, she more than withdraws. She scrambles, she dashes, she runs...

    Jessica /skeedaddles/ out of there.

    "So we should get a bigger gun!"

    Down stairs, across a skybridge, up another set of stairs further along... the Deer has not given chase, likely because it is a guardian and its place is where it emerged from as Bi De pointed out.

    March pants as they come to a stop, Welt dropping a Space Anchor and pulling supplies out.
    "Urgh, no wonder the Xianzhou is so scared of the Abominations of Abundance, they're unstoppable!" complains March as she gets her breath back, she then looks over at their Foxian guide. "Miss Tingyun, are the Long-life species of the Xianzhou all like this?" she asks.

    Tingyun shakes her head, "I'm afraid this Ebon Deer was likely birthed by the Ambrisial Arbor as its guardian, it shares a close connection with the Arbor's roots. Most living creatures on the Xianzhou ships don't have abilities like this."

    "I wonder... the Ebon Deer seems to heal itself instantly, but perhaps its drawing that power from elsewhere." says Welt, glancing to Bi De. "Did you sense anything, Master Bi De? You have an eye for this kind of thing if memory serves."

    Bi De scratches at the ground. "If I felt it correctly, they are drawing power from the tree, through the roots. The furnace is connected to those." His wattles lift as he lets out an annoyed cluck.

    "The roots are the problem. I believe if we isolate the furnace and the deer from the roots, that will suffice."

    Talia nods. "I felt it too. The roots just might be our target. Otherwise, we'd be hammering at a brick wall with our bare hands."

    Plan set, it seems that finding the roots, and cutting off the Deer's link with the Arbor are their best shot at destroying it.

    Heading away from the furnace, Master Gongshu has something to say. "So the general asked you to head to the Alchemy Commission?" he sighs, "The Artisanship Commission had no choice but to halt operations once the tree demon appeared."

    The group pass near a wall of pods containing deactivated versions of the Aurumaton guardian construct, the intimidating robots looking far less aggressive when they're not actually trying to kill you.

    March 7th remarks, "Hey, it's a whole row of those gate robots! We saw one in the Divination Commission, remember?"

    "Indeed." Talia answers with a nod, giving the robots a politely wide berth so as to not interfere in their slumber, perhaps wary they may wake up if their rest is disturbed. "Yes, I think we'd best let them sleep for now, March."

    "Well I guess a giant tree demon is a little more disruptive than Take Your Daughter to Work Day even," Jessica admits. "Really can't help that. I mean, you can, I guess you have a lot more options..."

    She glances at the robots, "Clara, I don't suppose you could convince one of those to help us out? You're like... a big friend to robots, right?"

    Oh huh. Robots.
    Svarog remains fairly silent while Clara inspects the pods with wide eyes.
    "Ohhhhhh..."
    Then she looks to Jess.
    "Well. I mean. I can try?" She ventures. Though TALIA says it might be best to let sleeping bots lie.
    Clara is at an impasse... So she pulls out a single coin.
    It's a Belobog Shield.
    Clara flips the coin.
    It comes up tails.
    "Um! Hm..."
    Clara starts inspecting the nearest pod for any form of controls.

    "It is a dangerous risk, but at the same time... allies may be found in the most unlikely places," Bi De admits. "On my own journey I thought I was against some enemies, but then we became friends, and the rabbit joined the paraplegic snake with me at Fa Rahm."

    "Gate robots...? Those are Aurumatons - the Artisanship Commission created them to stand guard in various locations." comes Master Gongshu's retort.
    Tingyun says, while Clara goes about finding controls. "Master, are these creations truly able to protect the Artisanship Commission? There's already been so much destruction - why haven't they seen any action?"

    Clara finds the activation controls, and with her experience with other Jade Abacus machines, easily activates the wake-up procedure.

    "I... ahem! We, haven't quite finished the paintwork on this batch--- hold on, little miss, what are you doing?"

    The Aurumaton shifts, straightening up as it comes online. THe pod hinges open, and the robot clanks out. <AURUMATON #9133521 ONLINE. AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS.> it states in a clear vocoded tone, not like the corrupted one at the Divination Commission. It turns its optics across the group, then land on Clara.

    "W-Well... I suppose sometimes protocol needs to be bent..." grouses Gongshu, but he then points toward what looks like a breach point. "I have a suggestion... lets go this way." he says, going to lead the way toward where some of the roots seem to be emerging from.

    Talia goes to try and stop Clara, "Wait, maybe we shouldn't disturb them. It's hard to say if they'll be as reasonable as Svarog is." She shoots Jessica a look that says 'wtf are you thinking?' before suddenly the machine jerks to life. And then CLara has two Svarogs.

    "I stand corrected!"

    And just like that... Clara has two Svarogs.
    After a moment of fiddling and futzing with the controls, when the Aurumaton activates, Clara's eyes light up.
    "Ohhhhhhhhhhhh...!"
    Svarog looks at the machine.
    He looks at Clara.
    "Can we--"
    "No." Svarog says.
    He is not testy.
    He is not jealous.
    But Clara cannot keep the machine beyond their needs here.
    "Awwwww."
    Okay maybe Svarog was a little jealous.

    "... a lack of paint?" Jessica looks on in confusion. "Um..." She raises her finger, then lowers it with a sigh. "Some day, we'll encounter sensible people. Some day."

    Well... it isn't a kung fu rabbit with the power of the Sun behind it, but it is better than nothing. Bi De clucks lightly Talia, "Clara does seem to have much better luck making friends. I believe people are quite taken with her."

    Aurumaton on side, the group can now proceed. Gongshu coaxes them on again. "Come friends, this way!" he says, beckoning the group onward.

    Welt follows, "Come on kids, we can't let Master Gongshu go off alone... good job with the Aurumaton, Clara." he offers, giving the girl a smile.

    The eruption point has more of those strange budding vines with the seed pod-like growths from the Shifting Screen. "Ugh, looks like another puzzle." grouses March.

    Gongshu deploys the laser array once again, the entire system surprisingly compact when not set-up. "Take hold of your weapons young comrades, we must purge these roots with the divine fires of the Luofu!"

    Talia swiftly follows Gongshu as she sees the bulb creatures. "Lovely." She says dryly, and she draws her lightsaber. "Hopefully this will do." Then, she gets to cutting!

    Clara is all smiles, and she even shoots Welt thumbs up and sweet smile.
    So Clara and her TWO Svarogs follow along.
    "Oh! Well. I don't MAKE the machines, they're usually already made, and some of them are even pretty old." She asides to Bi De on the topic of making friends.
    "But they do appreciate it when I fix them up!"
    So. Time to purge the roots.
    "Okay! Mister Svarog! Mister Balrog! Please deal with the roots!"
    Svarog is silent for a beat and stares at Clara.
    "Clara. Please give the construct another name."
    "What? Huh?"
    "I do not appreciate it having a name so entirely similar to my own."
    "O-oh but. Um."
    "Clara."
    "O-okay! How about..."
    ...
    "Mister Awesome-o-4000?"
    Svarog is silent for a beat while the Aurumaton sets to trying to pummel roots.
    "No."
    "Wh-why is this such a problem, Mister Svarog."
    "It's not a problem, Clara."
    "It clearly is!"

    Yes, pretty sure Gongshu going off alone is a bad idea. The guy doesn't seem all that... with it. Jessica takes her pistol out, just in case, because it is likely going to be trouble in a few moments.

    Especially with Clara and Svarog arguing.

    "How about just Mister Grey, because he's unpainted?" Jessica suggests. A nice, descriptive name that Svarog probably wouldn't care about. Unless he's for some reason an American robot who insists on spelling it 'gray' or something.

    Bi De leaps up and perches nearby, assessing the threat. The enemy WILL come, but it's just a matter of when. He cocks his head at Clara, then clucks lightly.

    "Would you like me to distract them?" he offers. "I could sing for the enemy, and they would certainly notice us then."

    The bulbs don't seem able to defend themselves, but unless the group coordinate their attacks then popping one, which is relatively easy, just causes them all to glow and regenerate.

    Attacks do draw in some Mara Struck, and a few Abominations, sleek dog-like monsters that glow with the same energy as the Arbor. These move to intercept Talia, and the others who are attacking the bulbs.

    "Keep them back friends, I am almost done setting up the refractors." comes Gongshu, as he feverishly works to set up the mirrors to redirect the laser from his device.

    Bad doggies indeed. Talia dives and dodges the Abominations as they lunge at her, and she slashes at their legs before going for the neck to sever head from body. Hopefully with the lightsaber's cauterizing burn, these things won't regrow or mend themselves, but she's been wrong before.

    The corrupted knights Talia knows how to deal with by now, as she dives and dodges between their attacks, parrying and slashing back with light strokes bound to burn through them nonetheless, and she might even turn them against one another with a lucky dodge or two. Luck, heh, it's just the will of the Force for Talia.

    Clara and Svarog are arguing... While Mister Grey... Or Gray is happily doing his job.
    Up until Mara Struck arrive.
    "We will discuss this later." Svarog says in regards to Jessica, and to a pouting Clara as he turns his attention to pummelling tree people.
    "I don't think singing is appropriate, considering the situation, Mister Bi De!" Clara points out from her cover behind Svarog.

    Hmm. Bulbs don't seem to work too well without a coordination, so for now Jessica switches her targets. Snapping shots at the Mara Struck, then moving to another piece of cover, then more shots, before moving again.

    Then she yelps, as one of the dog-like abominations catches her from the side, causing her to tumble away and fire a few shots wildly, scrambling to get away from it. "I think we need to take the bulbs out with a wider attack! Or each take a section!"

    "We shall see," Bi De says to Clara. The bird splits, doing his maneuver to show a dark and light rooster, with one dashing off to the side while the other leaps over, claws grappling with the Abomination that has pounced Jessica. It's very physical, as it turns out.

    The other, from some distance, lets out a loud "COCKADOODLEDOOOOOO!!!"

    It's Qi-boosted, so it's like a massively loud, amplified rooster's call, the duplicate spending all its Qi in the cry and dissolving a moment later.

    "We've got the bulbs, just keep them off us for a bit longer!" calls Stelle as she plants her Lance, and erects a shield for Jessica to hunker behind, the emblem of Preservation catching a second dog-monster that followed the first after Jessica, catching it so it's easier to shoot.

    Bi De's crow knocks back the Mara Struck, not so far gone as to not need their hearing. A few topple over, holding their ears, while most seem to be stunned for long enough that others could finish them off if they're quick enough.

    Svarog and Grey wade into the midst of the mob, punching and pummeling with fists and the giant baton.

    Talia's lightsaber has proven very effective, and not effective at all against these annoying monsters, but adjusting her tactics proves valid. The smaller attacks let her get their regeneration overloaded, and they fall and stay down faster than hacking limbs off outright. Death by a thousand cuts.

    The beasts will find that Talia can dish out a lot of pain very fast with her lightsaber. It technically doesn't weigh as much as the usual sword does, and it can inflict grievous wounds just with a simple tap, meaning she swipes lightly and repeatedly at her foes until they fall to pieces, like striking an unruly student with the ruler, if it was a laser sword of course.

    Having a shield helps, and Jessica mumbles, "Thanks, Bi De!" She quickly rolls to the side, then props herself up behind the shield, taking more careful, targeted shots to keep the worst of the fast-moving Abomidations down. That should give everyone breathing room!

    Clara is ducking back and forth between Svarog and Grey while the two robots go to town. In general she's doing her best to not get in the way.
    Until one of the Mara Struck corners her...
    "Eeep!"
    Clara's cry of dismay immediately causes the two automatons to whirl around.
    The two, in perfect unison... Make that Mara Struck have a very bad day.
    "Phew..."
    Svarog looks to Grey. Grey looks to Svarog.
    Svarog gives the briefest, most imperceptible, nod.

    Holding the line has been relatively simple. The group know each others strengths and thus, know how to support one another.

    The Mara Struck that threatened Clara has just enough wherewithall to give a dismayed croak, before they're pummeled into a dissipating golden powder by the two angry automotons.

    "Alright, NOW!" cries March as she adjusts the final mirror. Gongshu activates the emitter, and a pulse of green light lances out to intersect the bulbs in a single searing line of burning light.

    The Arbor causes the entire Commission to quake again as its roots are burned away, and in the distance, some of the entangling roots around the Furnace fall away, blackened and lacking the glowing life lines the others have.

    "Seems we have more to do... let me pack up my equipment and we'll go to the next offenders." comes Gongshu again, moving to collect the mirror posts, and pack away the emitter unit.

    It's with the air of eternal calm that Talia stows her lightsaber, clipping the hilt to her belt as she nods to Gongshu. "We're with you, master." She says primly.

    Looks like the Mara Struck are handled. That's good.
    But there's still work to be done.
    "Oh, I'll help." Clara offers to help Gongshu pack things up while Grey and Svarog stand around awkwardly with one another.

    Whew. A lot of work to do, yes. Jessica eases up and holsters her weapon, tail swishing nervously. "Is that it?" She's a little out of breath, but as she calms, the petite cat wanders over to help. "I mean, for now. It looks like we have a ways to go, huh?" She looks forlornly in the distance. "A few more roots, right?"

    Bi De hops up to perch near Gongshu. He shakes himself, then watches the emitters, unable to help pack them away. "We have little choice in the matter. We cannot in good conscience leave the place in this state anyway, can we?"