February open log

[emet_sulk]

🧙 WHO: Emet-Selch and anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: Coming out of a sleep (canon update) and throwing himself into quests to distract himself from new memories
🕒 WHEN: Throughout February
🗺️ WHERE: See prompts
⚠️ WARNINGS:
- Possible sexual content in the arrow threads.
- Potential spoilers for Endwalker, let me know if you are fine with them or not.


1. G(lacial)-Warriors 🗡️ (Knight quest)

A quest is just what he needs to take his mind off the plethora of revelations to come from his day of forced slumber - and what better way than to go out and hit something until it falls to pieces? He takes his gunblade, his horse, and the provisions provided by Camelot to all knights embarking on this particular journey. In typical fashion, he does not bother to ask around and see if anyone would like to join him. No, he wants the time to himself to sort out his thoughts.

Yet nothing is ever that easy, is it? He's ambushed by one of the I.C.E. constructs as he nears the spot. His horse rears up in alarm, throwing him from the saddle before bolting into the trees. Emet-Selch lands with a painful thud into a bank of snow. Fortunately, the gunblade strapped to his back seems in order. Unfortunately, the ICE is advancing on him and he's having trouble getting out of the snow.

Help?

(ooc: Existing CR are free to assume they accompanied him from the start if they want.)

2. Serve, Save, Slave, Slay...Some Sushi 🗡️

The sushi monster is no easier to slay than the I.C.E. as Emet-Selch discovers much to his chagrin. What does a man have to do to get some relatively simple knight quests??

The...creature(?) fires a round of pellets at him which has him diving into a rolls to avoid. He comes up into a crouch just in time to parry one of the sharp green swords it wields, quickly getting his feet beneath him before the second can slice him in half. He's been at it for a few minutes by now, focus utterly consumed by the opponent before him. He's growing tired though and the thing still doesn't look like it plans to give up.

"Ridiculous thing," he seethes. "And me, reduced to using these inferior magicks... I should have asked Irhya for a greatsword instead of a gunblade."

He fires off a round and its ricochet echoes throughout the forest. Even if the sound doesn't draw attention, the eerie blue after-image of the shot is worth attention.

(ooc: Existing CR are free to assume they accompanied him from the start if they want.)

3. I See You, Opening! 🛡️

Well of course, Emet-Selch doesn't want anything to do with these tricksy arrows and their dubious effects. But other people may have no such qualms. Perhaps you want to see this sour-looking man pour his heart out to one of his associates. Or perhaps you want to make him suffer by tasting nothing but chocolate for two weeks. Anything goes. Really. Anything.

If shooting: Please nominate which arrow you're shooting him with. I'm happy to write custom starters if you want.

If encountering him after he's been shot: Please nominate which effect you want for him. Again, I can write a custom starter if that's preferred.

4. Wildcard

If you have some ideas, feel free to send me a PM or leave a comment on the CR meme.

Comments

Malting Moments 🛡️ (Closed to Ochako)

[emet_sulk]

After cautiously accepting assistance from one of the teenagers' friends in learning how to make malt balls, Emet-Selch is beginning to wonder if maybe he should have simply outsourced the work to someone else (like the foul-mouthed boy) and added a touch of his own magic afterwards. Neither death magic nor alchemy magic makes for appealing dishes, so the best idea he could come up with is to animate the ingredients themselves - all thanks to the boost he received upon journeying to Elphame.

Said upgrade is, however, not proving to be the boon one would think. The ingredients are certainly animated, yes...but now they run amok all over the kitchen.

And he doesn't know how to stop them.

"Get down from there!" he says furiously to some malt balls rattling about on a high shelf. Others gleefully race each other down the kitchen counter, evading attempts at capture.

[floatsaway]

Do you ever do something in your life one day and then instantly regret it not even ten minutes later? That is Ochako's life right now. Honestly, she should have known better when this cropped up - the gentleman she spoke with that one time long ago was, erm...a bit more surly than she's used to (he's also a bit intimidating, too), but he wasn't bad so far as Ochako could tell. Plus, he knew her friends as well! And a friend of a friend is a friend to her, right? Or however that proverb goes...

But whoo boy, this is not going at all like how she'd expected. Ochako's elemental magic does wonders in the kitchen - a flame to ignite the burners and maintain the temperature to temper the chocolate, a flick of the wrist while she's doing other things to stir said tempered chocolate with her kinetic magic, and more. She's a creative sort, and applying her magic like this sounded too fun to pass up! Plus, making food?? Making chocolate??? It's like a dream for her! Or it was...before the ingredients starting running amok. L-Literally...running. Or rolling. Or bouncing around.

"W-Watch out!!" Ochako moves quickly, to cover the poor gentleman, and effectively gets a puff of flour exploding in her face. It's better than eggs, but still not. Ideal... Coughing, wiping her face, Ochako shakes her head and grinds her teeth. "L-Let's round them all up first, then we can t-try this again..."

Again-again. hat attempt is this now? Ugh.

[emet_sulk]

He lowers his arm, scowling at the offending packet of flour. A light dusting of powder accents his hair and dusts his upper half. He is, unfortunately, somewhat too tall for her to cover completely but he appreciates the attempt.

This is all turning out to be frightfully costly. If he has to go out and buy replacements for everything...

Another rattle draws his attention back to the malt balls. They seem to be egging each other to dive into the batter. "Oh no you don't!" he exclaims, trying to slap his hand down on them.

--All he succeeds in doing is knocking something off the shelf. The malt balls fling themselves off (perfect corkscrew into double somersault but who's checking?) and land right in the middle of the batter.

2

[heartofthestar]

Twin chakrams, crimson as the blood that forms them, whirl through the air to cut matching slices into the strange sushi-fish-thing, then spin back towards the source. Guided by magic rather than aether, they slap lightly into the white-robed woman's hands as she dashed forward to join the fray some few feet away.

"To think," Venat said, all amusement as she rocked on the balls of her feet to a rhythm only she could hear, "that this monster is not the strangest thing to encounter out here."

[emet_sulk]

Venat would not recognise him the way he was now but he immediately recognised her, even after all this time. His expression soured, but he was forced to turn back to the sushi monster as it charged them both, angered by the chakrams' cuts. Throwing himself to one side, he rolled and came back up on one knee. It took only a few moments to aim another ceruleum shot at the creature which buried itself squarely into its soft rice and seaweed body, blue flames flickering around the site.

"I don't require your help," he told Venat tersely.

1 lemme know if this doesn’t work

[bakudan_bambino]

[Gokudera had accompanied Emet on this journey simply because he heard that the task was one he was more than prepared for. He’s packed plenty of explosives to aid in ‘clearing a path,’ but he wasn’t expecting the ICE at all. When Emet is knocked down, he’s putting a barrier over him and tugging out some dynamite.

It’s getting lobbed at the robot while he is still on his borrowed mount, and he moves the horse to provide it safety before trying to approach his fallen comrade. The explosives go off, and he’s diving over to melt snow around Emet and hold up his barrier.]

You alright, old man?

o7 it works

[emet_sulk]

[ While his arm does smart from the landing, Emet-Selch would say that his pride is far more wounded. Then explosions ring in his ears along with the all-too-familiar sound of machinery breaking. For a moment, he's wrenched violently back to Garlemald's early days of conquest and he flinches hard from Gokudera, scrambling back with frantic, harried breaths.

It only lasts a few moments, but there's abject fear in his eyes. He doesn't seem to see the teenager. ]

1

[kiss_it_better]

They had more or less run into each other on the way out of Camelot and just travelled in the same direction. He hadn't brought his archaeopteryx behind as snow didn't seem good for it to travel on so he was also on horse back. It was something to regret later as he was sure the dinosaur would have been less easily spooked than the horse.

Even wearing shoes with Float cast on them didn't save him from being thrown into the snow but...

Li Min was always looking for better applications for the magic he had, including the ones he had acquired from the Elphame Traders.

This time though, it was easy enough to apply. Wire Writhe worked to pull wires out of machines to tie down a target, after all. So, the I.C.E.'s own working parts could become a weapon.

Wires burst out of the I.C.E. and tangle it up. But these are not simple pieces of machinery and while it will slow it down it is not enough to destroy it. Still, it should be enough time to get up at least.

He pulled out his bow as he scrambled to get up.

"Are you injured?" Being thrown off a horse could lead to all sorts of injuries, after all. Though even as he asks, his eyes remains fixed on the I.C.E..

[emet_sulk]

Emet-Selch's arm smarts from the landing. He had not been foolish enough to make the novice mistake of using it to try and break his fall at least, but the wind has been quite knocked out of him. It's a harder struggle to get himself out of the deep snow, even with his familiar swooping down from the air to try and help dig him out with her feet.

"Only my dignity," he growls. "I haven't been thrown from a creature's back in centuries."

Can he alchemise an animated, mechanical construct? He manages to sit up but lifting his hand to try and activate his magic gets...nothing. A bit of pressure and the feeling of magic trying to activate, but nothing. Maybe it's because he doesn't know what its components are?

Abandoning that quickly, he summons dark, writhing tentacles instead and sends them to try and help restrain the I.C.E.

3 - Oh my gods, he's been shot

[tantailizing]

He might not be shooting the arrows today (he's running deliveries for the café), but he knows some people are out doing that. He wonders just how many 'cause he's crossed about a few people that were yelling about something for one reason or another, and others who were quite... enamored with a window, maybe a little too much.

Moving on from that, hey, there's a familiar face!

"Morning, Gramps!"

[OOC: Decided to leave final decision of ChocoShot or Quiver to you because either would be hilarious.]

going with Quiver for maximum dunking on horny old man :')

[emet_sulk]

It hasn't been long since he was shot with one of those wayward cupid arrows. Emet-Selch is only just now beginning to feel the effects of a flush creeping into his face. Stubborn old man that he is though, he is soldiering through the problem and refusing to acknowledge it - and probably will until he can't ignore it any longer.

Unfortunately that means his ire will be freely directed at anyone who bothers him. Including Zidane.

"Don't call me that," he growls, turning to glare at the boy.

1

[luciing]

A run-away horse and one of the knights in the snow, vulnerable to attack, is the last thing anyone on this campaign needs. Somnus presses his heels into his steed, causing it to break into a gallop to intercept the beast. Raising his hand upward then swinging it forward as if in a toss, he uses his kinetic energy to direct his blades at a distance, impeding the ICE's ​advance.

While the arsenal of swords continue their onslaught and provide distraction, he shouts:

"Take my hand!"

Somnus will help hoist Emet-Selch to ride tandem with him.

I'm stupid somehow and missed that you wrote in prose

[emet_sulk]

He staggers upright as Somnus' armoury flies at their opponent. Gritting his teeth, he grasps the other man's arm and lets them swing him up behind them and quickly wraps his arms around their waist. It isn't terribly comfortable but it's better than being attacked on the ground.

"How many weapons can you manipulate at once?"

Seeing the other's magic at work has given him a small idea.

[gutteringlight]

Jophrey grinds his teeth in exasperation gaze doesn't stray from the...giant...thing...in front of them as he gathers more energy between his palms. Water, this time. Turns out freshly cooked rice, even in giant golem form, is terribly difficult to set on fire. "Mayhap you should concentrate on the task at hand instead of complaining?"

He released the energy in a focused blast. The monster brought one of his swords up to parry, only to lose both hand and weapon as a large chunk of rice was washed away by the impact. "It does wonders for the concentration, or so I hear."

[emet_sulk]

He deftly slices off one of the wriggling crab-meat tendrils as it tries to lash at him. It drops to the ground with a thud and twitches unappetisingly in the dirt.

"I could defeat this thing with a snap of my fingers were we home," he growls. "And I did not become emperor by slacking on my martial drills. Observe."

He ignites the ceruleum cartridge once more and dashes forward. Gunblade wreathed in that eerie blue flame, he slices the tempura which passes for the sushi monster's feet. The flames' residue flickers in the cuts. He ducks beneath its sliced avocado tail as it swings overhead and then fires his shot into the 'belly'.

With a loud squeal of pain and spray of mayonnaise, the thing attempts to stomp on Hades.

2. Sushi Time

[seasoflight]

"You could've just asked for help, you know," is Felih's cheeky call from a distance behind him, just as a rush of healing magic pours into Hades to help rejuvenate him and provide him more energy. "Though my own offensive magicks are limited for now... I can at least support you," he chirps, trotting through the snow. That said, he's plenty bundled up, especially with most Miqo'te being averse to the cold.

"It's so damned cold in this place, though," he huffs, before using some green magic to try and ensnare the creature's "legs" in vines. "At least the fish will remain fresh, I suppose..."

[emet_sulk]

The creature stumbles as it tries to move forward, bellowing in outrage as it comes crashing down into the snow. Hades charges in without hesitation, slicing off several limbs before the monster flails at him and he's forced to back away. Felih's restorative magicks make him feel as energised as he had been at the start of the fight.

"This seems like a concept Hythlodaeus and Azem would have dreamt up together in ages past," he grumbles, kicking aside a twitching piece of tuna.

3. Science Time

[seasoflight]

Felih is nothing if not insatiably curious. And when presented the opportunity to help test something for the sake of science, well, the city officials need say no more.

"I just want to see what happens if you fire two at once," he chirps, tail quivering. "Now, to test the same arrow's power doubled, or to mix two..." he hums, musing it over aloud as if his intended target isn't right beside him, hearing his plans to strike him with magical arrows.

"And I'm a healer, so even if things go wrong, I can treat you. And you're hardy, darling, I'm sure you'll be fine!" Sometimes, his bright and chipper mischief rings all too strongly of Azem.

[emet_sulk]

"I'm right here," he says testily. He doesn't want to be shot with ANY arrows at all, thank you very much. "I am only going to consent to this if you heal me immediately if I tell you to. I dislike having my feelings coerced."

It reminds him uncomfortably of Duplicity.

3

[apshot]

[ Bakugou has honestly no interest in actually shooting people with stupid arrows. Not really.

But you know what? He might just this once. Just for one person and one person in particular. Why, you ask? Well maybe because the old asshole is the type of asshole who also keeps shit to himself. Not entirely unlike Bakugou himself really

So Courage Arrows are a thing. And Bakugou is lining up to take the shot -

Look this is good revenge. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ Oblivious to the impending danger, Emet-Selch loiters in the city square as he consults a shopping list. Usually he would have his alchemical reagents delivered to the store, but these particular ones need to be hand-picked. The older man's pause gives Bakugou the opportunity to line up his shot-- and it strikes true, hitting him in the back.

Emet-Selch staggers then whirls around, eyes blazing. ]

Who did that?!

3, courage

[peninhand]

[ What better way to get to know someone than to shoot them?

... Said like that it might sound strange, but that was a quest alright, and Monika was pretty serious about doing at least one a month-- More so since she'd been ennobled for her services. And since the man had been in the process of checking the quests at the same time than her, here they were.

Though... She was good at reading people and had a hunch he wasn't excitedly excited at the idea of being shot with a courage arrow. Who would be? Especially when your partner was likelier to hit your knee. ]

Um, would you rather be the one to aim?

[emet_sulk]

I would rather not shoot anyone at all.

[ He grumbles this as he glares at the bow and arrow. It isn't really a proper battle bow so he isn't worried about killing someone with it, but isn't this whole premise ridiculous? How is this supposed to assist in finding love? ]

Are you certain you wish to go through with this?

1 but sort of wildcard-ish

[menphina]

[ So she's not a knight, and she's certainly not sure what's going on with Emet-Selch after his awakening, but you know what. She's seen weirder. Running into him while accompanying a knighted companion is hardly the strangest thing to do, even if she's been constantly looking him over in wonder since she ran into him.


And after those Icicle Creature Experiments give chase and are escaped from, with them ending up back at the camp he's set up, at least now- she lowers her hood and looks Emet-Selch over. His poor horse seemed startled, but he got out and that's the important part. ]

'tis a good thing you didn't take too much damage.

[ She hasn't really asked anything since he re-awakened and returned, but... now that they have the chance. ]

... I didn't question it before, but- what happened with you, when you awakened again?

[ It's the roundabout way of asking him what changed for him. ]

[emet_sulk]

[ His horse remains skittish even after being found and recaptured. He stands by it, gently stroking its nose and murmuring soothing noises to the creature - although her question has him falling silent. ]

...I had a dream is all. Nothing more.

[ An unsettling one. Being merely a dream, he cannot tell if he should take it as truth or simply wishful thinking. Somehow he had woken up with all the certainty of knowing it was real, but here he is yet trapped in Solus' form. Nothing has changed. ]