Extinction (Certain Death)

[bonafidenubbin]

Gloomlight Grove is a city with a complicated and controversial reputation. 

Nowhere else can manage the feat of being simultaneously decried for fanatical, intolerant zealotry by half of Meranthe and accused of apologetics for witchcraft, necromancy, and diablerie by the other half.

But there is one thing few people have ever denied, for better or for worse…

…the Aphrosi are a passionate people.

***

The news that the Atrellyans are coming is met not with panic, but with rage.

The preparations that were already underway thanks to Oracle Thomas Equisol's careful planning receive a massive boost by the coordinating efforts of prominent Aphrosi citizens. Their own fervor and enthusiasm in service provoke an absolute groundswell of effort. From children just old enough to toddle around gathering stones for the great wall to grandmothers approaching their dotage turning donated supplies into filling rations. (+225,000 INFLUENCE.)

As for everyone else?

The work begins with a massive effort to bolster the outer wall. An outdoor forge crafted by Ophis of Mavethkar runs 24-7 for days, melting down a complex alloy of rare metals empowered by a donation of Yurekasme’s draconic blood allows for Christophore Garijn, Loramelian Ueda, and Mei’Ria to weave complicated runework in defense. Demons that reach the wall will have to contend with arcane runes of inversion, designed to convert their own occultic energies into holy to violently rend their own flesh – as well as wards borrowed from the divine Book of Kraus itself to inhibit all evils derived from the dark works of Mordred.

Physical efforts to strengthen the wall with yet more adamantine-bolstered wood are supported as well by the help of Earth mages and strong laborers. Tate Brier, the helpful visitor “Tuez” and the Squire Aedin Tanis are among those who work together to craft a trench before the wall, lined with tyrium spikes infused by Mei'Ria with camouflaging light magic to sap the enemy’s strength. Touka Akatsuki’s incredibly generous material donations fuel a network of earth crystals, embedded throughout the wall and wired together by her trademark ores, to turn common rock to the resolute strength of metal.

---

A secondary layer of defenses are constructed inside the walls in an effort led by Knight Ezra Ueda, barricades made from ordinary wood but fortified further with unyielding Adamantine. As the barriers go up, Sterling Montelione recruits Wayfinders to lay unpredictable traps buried within the earth – portal tokens in tyrium and orichalcum, powered by yet more lightning crystals. Missing conversion runes, a little more arcane inversion, and Wayfinding into mid-air at high speeds are all threats invading armies will have to face – and even the renegade exile Jaizara is seen assisting. Rhys Canavan of Goldlight, showing the benefit of his Chireus wings, begins to lay the groundwork for a rapid response wayfinding transit corridor as well.


As the people labor, Commander Hajime Akatsuki and Astra Captain Justia tour the fortifications, working alongside their subordinates without pride – and whipping them up to readiness and fervor with gallant speeches. Quieter but no less impactful words from well-liked private citizens such as Lys’Ria encourage civilians to come out and lend their aid as well.

---

And behind the scenes, the boring and essential work of bureaucracy unfolds…

…as an absolute titanic flood of donated provisions is initially collected by former-Oracle Loramelian Ueda, tracked and collated by Treasurer Edwyn Meeksworth, and disbursed by Head of Research Ksceniya C. Montelione.

Alchemical herbs, medical supplies, countless rations, even a donation of vitae itself from Grey Aundeoth (1x 24-day temp)…

Anything and everything is accepted, and thanks to the well-oiled machinery of Gloomlight’s bureaucracy, anything and everything finds its use. From aerosolized poison bombs for defenders to huck over the wall at demons (5x Magebane + XXX venom) to seasonal flowers spent to bless the lands in defense of the Cycle (20x Azilaena + 20x Saniskriti + 20x Marignolia + 20x Perdegrine), nothing goes to waste.
 

SUMMARY:

• REINFORCED WALLS: 500 Wood, 100 Adamantite, 1700 Earth Crystals, 1 Volatile Brown Shinium (D-Grade)
  
• TYRIUM SPIKE-LINED TRENCHES: 75 Tyrium, 200 Saniskriti
  
• RUNIC WARDING (INVERSION/ANTI-DEMONIC): 150 Orichalcum, 50 Blue Mercury, 750 Lightning Crystals, 1 Reinforced Orichalcum (D-Grade)
  
• SECONDARY BARRICADES: 2000 Wood, 185 Adamantite
  
• WAYFINDING TRAPS: 50 Orichalchum, 50 Tyrium, 250 Lightning Crystals
  
• MEDICAL RESPONSE/SUPPLIES: 50 Boosters, 200 Soothing Reed, 100 Sinka, 200 Poppylus, 20x Seasonal Flowers, 1 Vitae Donation (24-Day Temp)
  
• POISON BOMBS: 5 Magibane + 100 venom 
  
• RATIONS: 120x Rice, 150x Grapes, 220x Carrots, 100x Spinach (for Popeye), 50x Kale, 100x Apples, 100x Blueberries
  
• AND... 225,000 INFLUENCE to make it all happen.
  

GRAND TOTAL (GLOOMLIGHT AID POSTS COMBINED):

Troops: 13,900 (7000 + 2k Prospera + 900 Traverse + 5k Vigil; -1k Gakaiyo)

1 Spike Bomb (750 Briarwood, 1000 Steel, 200 Orichalcum


255,000 Influence

100,000 coins

---

1 Volatile Brown Shinium (D-Grade)

1 Reinforced Orichalcum (D-Grade)

---

22,500 Wood

4,600 Copper

5,000 Iron

---

1,285 Adamantite

700 Orichalchum

550 Blue Mercury

325 Tyrium

300 Mythril

200 Viridium

200 Nyeshk

325 Tyrium

---

1,700 Earth Crystals

1,000 Lightning Crystals

---

~7,672 Alchemicals, Food Items, Boosters, and Trauma Kits Combined
100 meals

***

(And, curiously enough, one unexplained element?

The Black Staff of Ozmandius Tal, Meranthe’ most notorious necromancer, publicly cleansed of nyctorre by Radiant of Life Svengalf Sandsker and Radiant of Death Christophore Garijn.

A lantern attuned to the Spirit Realm, inhabited by a powerful spirit, runewrought to open mysterious gateways by the Wayfinding legend Suzerain Mnemosyne Montelione.

A branch of Euphaedra, the Cleansing Tree, offered by the Lumin King to a Faeborne who left Home long ago.

A defense? A weapon? One never knows what to expect in Gloomlight.

REQUIEM AETERNAM - 90%)