2017-03-08: Ruins of Good Memories (For Once)

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  • Log: Ruins of Good Memories (For Once)
  • Cast: Lemina Ausa, Seraph Edna, Marshal Henry Smythe, Maya Schrodinger, Vin Barrett, Zed
  • Where: The Ruins of Memory
  • Date: March 08, 2017
  • Summary: A Dangerous Fiend has put out a call for ADVENTURE, leading a jaunt into the Ruins of Memory and the treasures hidden in their depths, leading a ragtag crew of Drifters and possibly an invisible person! At the bottom of the dungeon lurks the most dangerous foe, one that has stymied many a band of adventurers in the ruins before!

======================<* Ruins of Memory *>=======================

The Ruins of Memory are located in the Ranchlands, as a towering structure nestled in the foothills. The temple's outer layer has been thoroughly pilfered, with large and emptied rooms that have little but inscriptions on the walls. The Ruins allegedly date back to the Metal Demon War. The lower levels of the Ruins of Memory, however, have not been breached. There, one can find fiendish puzzles and drop traps that make this a dangerous place to explore. Nonetheless, it is said that ancient treasures and ancient history lay within.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C55flOnlXMg


DG: Lemina Ausa has created a party! To join, type +party/reset and then type +party/join Lemina Ausa.
DG: Vin Barrett has joined your party!
DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has joined your party!
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Putting out an open call for adventurers is a little dangerous for someone like Lemina, at this point; she is, however, the only one of her little band who generally can at this point, and that's a power she intends to use for good. (Her bounty is, after all, a scant 32 Gella -- hardly worth getting up in arms over.)

The symbols she saw at the Ruins of Memory intrigued her, and besides that, she wants another possible crack at the library. She's put out a call for help in Port Timney and Linga both -- and while she notes that she'd prefer serious scholars, 'Anyone is mega-fine!'

Camp, for now, is a few hundred feet out from the entrance to the Ruins of Memory proper; Lemina is getting her tools together, and adjusting her dress. It is very important to be both cute and well-equipped.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has joined your party!
DG: Seraph Edna has joined your party!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Putting out an open call for adventurers is kind of dumb! People you don't want to run into might just show up! Like say, Sorey and his merry band of imaginary friends!

...Or just one of them.

In a miraculous turn of events, one Edna comes wandering up the path, parasol opened up and over her shoulder as is usual for her. She steps into the campsite with a most dour look upon her face. ...Which is about usual for her!

"You." Edna states a plain, uncaring tone to Lemina. "Putting out an open call on the usual channels for adventuring companions was a stupid move, you realize that, right?" And in the end, the earth seraph smirks just a little bit. It's okay. This one fought with Lailah, so naturally she can see Seraphim. No need to pretend to not exist.

<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

The Marshal Henry Smythe looks and talks like a Seed Cities hick, so you'd be excused for thinking him a dunce, but his steely eyes hint at hidden intelligence. Truly a mysterious Drifter. He did drop hints about being able to memorize something in a glance should the need arise.

He's also decent in a fight and has dynamite.Ohh, th dynamite. He's so enthusiastic about explosives that he could be a paid promoter of Blastemol!® or something.

Our hero (and yours too!) dismounts and begins preparing the tools of exploration in his rucksack, particularly a whole lot of sturday rope. So far he's experienced only a little bit of actual 'Digging' but a whole lot of climbing. He watches Lemina appraisingly, inwardly wondering just what sort of person this young aristocratic-looking miss will turn out to be in a crisis.

With his magical abilities slightly above the level of your average cactus, Henry doesn't see a Seraph, but does hear a faint susurrus, prompting him to briefly wonder about the communication of ruins insects.

DG: Seraph Edna has joined your party!
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Peculiarly, the esteemed (in her own mind) Drifter Maya Schrodinger was really darn quick to respond to the message, when Lemina got the flyers tacked up all over town. In fact, she's been helping to set up the camp and keep it safe until the gang all arrives. Maybe this is the power of... knowing people???

Very conveniently, while Lemina is meeting and greeting the oncoming wave of miscreants and helpers, the blonde ruins-chaser is studying a peice of unfurled parchment while sitting on the edge of a crate. For someone loaded down with a bunch of firearms and tools involved in bandit-slaying tales of derring-do, she strikes a curiously studious while nobody is looking.

Maya stops and blinks, glancing up from her studies at the sound of commotion. But did she detect a mysterious Seraph--or a dirty hick with explosives? That's a mystery we're gonna get to the bottom of before the dig is over, friends.

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

...Ah. Yes. The Ruins of Memory. Home to one of the most truthfully hated enemies that Vin Barrett, Baskar Guide (And Shaman, although he tends to be less...overt...about that...), has encountered in his years roaming the Badlands of Filgaia and beyond.

Of course, this is referring to Doors Built By Ancient Architects Without Any Keys or Mechanisms To Open Them. Bastards.

So, when he got word of another expedition out to those Damned Ruins to try and plumb their depths...well, despite several rather annoying falls through holes (over and over and over again) and DOORS, Vin figured it was time to give round two a try. So, the Baskar is currently checking his inventory in camp, sitting on a rock as he gives his beloved Fennec R66 rifle a final cleaning before tucking it away on the sheathe under his volumnious cloak, eyeing the ruins warily before turning his attention to the rest of the Diggers, Marshal, specifically. "...You brought extra BLASTEMOL!@, right? Last time I was down there, we ran into a giant damned door with no locking mechanism, among other things."

The Baskar calmly checks the rest of his 'Adventuring' kit over, humming. "There's some nasty critters down there, as well. Party I was with ran into a number of traps, as well. Here's hoping we don't have as much trouble this time around, eh?"

Oddly, his eyes flick exactly to where the Seraph is lecturing their party leader...and then calmly resumes checking to make sure he has medical herbs on hand, saying nothing. Yet.

<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Zed HI FRIENDS

DG: Zed has joined your party!
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Why is Zed here?

WHY WOULDN'T ZED BE HERE!?

More seriously, Zed is here because one of Lucia's companions, the DARK SORCERESS, LEMINA, requested aid in the wilderness. And so, in the interest of espousing camaraderie between the Metal Demons and this calamitous force from a not so distant star... Zed is here!

He hasn't noticed Edna at all yet. Mostly because he can't see her. Also because he's apparently humming some kind of CATCH, JAUNTY TUNE.

It... Might be a theme song to some kind of adventure anime.

DG: A party led by Lemina Ausa is now entering Ruins of Memory.
DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Entering the Depths *>======================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 The exterior of the Ruins of Memory has been well-combed. Drifters have       
 cleaned out the huge ground level, which is easily moved through. However,    
 as you approach the deeper parts, you can find a great hole leading into the  
 depths of the ruins. It will require caution to enter the depths in one       
 piece, but the rewards may be worth it.                                       
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow=====================================================
DG: Zed has used his Tool Grapple Scarf toward his party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina is very aware of the energies of the world! She's an exceptional mage, so it's only natural for her to be able to see Sorey's imaginary friends. ... Admittedly, 'them chucking plasma at her' probably didn't exactly hurt on accelerating that whole process.

"There's a reason I didn't bring Lucia," Lemina points out to Edna, matching her somewhat deadpan delivery. "This doesn't have to turn into a fight. If you want, you can even come along!" Maybe if she humors these weirdos they'll eventually realize that Lucia's not so bad... right? Right?

She scoots a little closer to Maya, though, who she knows best of the lot, and pulls out her umbrella to guard herself at a moment's notice. "All right, everyone!" she announces proudly. "I'm mega-glad you all showed up! We're going back into these ruins -- I've been here before, but not from this angle, so... uh, good luck, I guess! Any treasure will be split equally between us, though I get two shares -- one as participant and one as organizer." She nods once. That makes total sense.

Lemina keeps her umbrella behind her as she starts to lead her assembled pals toward the hole, taking a second to address her new acquaintances, Henry and Vin, in particular. "Oh, we found the door too! It was really obnoxious," Lemina notes. "I think there's a few of those, in hindsight... the rubble we found after getting in looked like it might be that kind of thing, too."

When they arrive at the hole, Lemina has her Thieves' Staff out, and is ready to use it to stabilize and latch grappling lines, desperately slow her own descent, and... anything else you can do with just a hint of telekinesis, really.

DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Thieves' Staff toward her party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Just as well that Zed can't see Edna. Or that other guy. What's his name? Henry? She hasn't seen him before. Odd that Maya looks in her direction briefly, and that other Baskar peers directly at her. ...Maybe this won't be total exercise in playing a mime. Good. That's annoying.

Edna's icy blue eyes narrow at Lemina, and she's silent for a few seconds as the mage moves away for concern of her well being and the earth seraph's eyes follow her. "Hm. I guess I can come." She mumbles to herself more than anything else. Maybe if she observes this nonsense, she'll learn something about the Lord of Calamity's companions.

"....." One look is given to the hole. And then she simply hops and keeps her umbrella raised... descending slowly downwards. Welp.

DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Umbrella toward her party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Henry nods to Vin and returns to his horse to fetch another case of Blastemol!® Homestead from his saddlebags. "Good call, Vinnie. Ain't no old door gonna withstand the power of Blastemol!®!" He tucks the spare dynamite into his duster and walks back over to admire his acquaintance's fine rifle.

"Guess we'd best be keepin' both eyes open for critters, then," he muses. This leads him to a realization - who's the tank!? It's hard to snipe from safety in the rear when everyone's running around trying not to get their faces ripped off. He glances at Lemina again, then looks toward the blonde in the flashy but serviceable-looking dress who preceded them here. Hmm, could she be...? That young woman with a reputation as a veteran Drifter. Whatsername? Maya Shoedanger? Probably best to avoid using a name at all until he finds out.

Finally Henry notices Zed, and breathes a sigh of relief mixed with tension. His presence means things are probably going to go at a ludicrous breakneck pace again, but Henry's experienced the wonders of the scarf firsthand. The Marshal moseys on over to the big entrance hole, keeping his eyes on Zed and getting ready for the predicted maneuver.

"Two shares, huh?" Henry asks as Lemina passes by. "Y'all better have the skills to earn it." Thankfully the impromptu declared sharing arrangement has a loophole, kind of.

DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

"This..." Zed points down into the depths of the earth. His finger jabs boldly towards the great hole in the ground as if he meant to condemn its very existence. "This... Is not a door, Lemina! This is a HOLE!" He clenches a fist decisively, his spirit burning in the tone of his voice! "And where there are holes... It becomes a man's duty to go straight through!"

"STRONGLY!"

"FURIOUSLY!"

"AND WITH ALL OF HIS HEART AND SOOOOUL!"

Zed grins, grabbing his scarf with one hand. He throws it behind him as he LEAPS, the muffler fluttering majestically in the bre-- oh wait no it got caught on a rock. "HRK--" Zed is hanged! His head threatens to pop off! But, no, he's... He's fine. His scarf is stretching. It looks like it might go all the way to the bottom.

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

...Yes. That Hole. The last time, Vin had no rope. Thus, entering the ruins involved a an impromptou rope made of vines, said rope snapping, and a plummet that, while survivable, still stung like hell.

Vin has rope this time. And, well, ZED IS HERE! That means that, should his rope fail, there is an excellent chacne of THE SCARF saving the day!

And then Zed nearly kills himself as The Scarf rebels, taken for granted one time too many. Vin pauses, hand on the rope, staring, then hangs his head. "...Well, alright, we PROBABLY won't all die, and even if it's a bit of a drop, it's not too bad here."

That done, Vin attempts to rappel down the side of the Hole, hoping his ropes hold out until he can get to easy dropping distance.

Regardless, once he lands, he's already scrambling up, snagging his ARM and chambering a shotgun shell (Made in Kislev!) just in case the party is beset by a horde of nasty critters once again!

DG: Vin Barrett has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
All channels have been gagged.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Maya definitely doesn't look one-hundred percent about descending into the hole into the depths where riches and knowledge might be lurking, judging from the frown on her face as she gives it a second, third, fourth look. "Oh, uh. There's a lot of uneven points--there, and there, see? That's a lot of handholds. Shouldn't be too bad." it's as much for her own benefit as it is for anyone else preparing to descend without equipment, but hell, it's a start.

Maybe she's just pining for a very long ladder, which she doesn't have.

Nevermind the logistics of climbing down in that billowing orange dress, Maya's got a job to do and a reputation to uphold. She beckons for Lemina to start making her way down, and then scrunches her nose up. There's a presence she can't put a finger on, whispers and words dancing on the edge of her senses. Still pretty sure she saw an umbrella just unfurl in the hole, the eldest Schrodinger girl says nothing of it as she greets Henry at the passage down. "I'm okay on my feet, I'll go down last. Good lu--"

An elemental force of madness explodes onto the scene and cuts Maya off, whose eyes widen in surprise and disbelief. Zed's introduction will have to wait, lest he choke to death before everyone gets downstairs. "... uh. See you at the bottom." she dryly finishes, taking the most boring way down. Well, someone had to do it.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Entering the Depths.
====================<* CHALLENGE - Entering the Depths *>=====================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The exterior of the Ruins of Memory has been well-combed. Drifters have       
 cleaned out the huge ground level, which is easily moved through. However,    
 as you approach the deeper parts, you can find a great hole leading into the  
 depths of the ruins. It will require caution to enter the depths in one       
 piece, but the rewards may be worth it.                                       
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow=====================================================
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 22 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

The good news: All told, descent goes fairly well! Most people have no trouble descending the shaft. The Grapple Scarf provides a quick, easy, and stable route for many of the descenders. Lemina takes a second to make sure it's solidly anchored -- and does the same for Vin's rope, before starting to descend herself.

Not everyone has such a great time. Somewhat unstable wind sucks downward into the hole, making Edna's descent more eventful than she'd probably like, and probably hurls her at at least one thing she doesn't want to touch. Maya's climb down likewise proves a little perilous -- and while everyone gets down, it might take shifting to someone else's climbing method awkwardly to do it.

DG: Seraph Edna has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Cracked Wall *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 One of the walls in this room has a few faint cracks in it. The wall is       
 sturdy, but not as sturdy as it could be - and a small hole through it        
 reveals a small room kept secret. Inside is an old wooden chest, which holds  
 some ancient coin and much needed supplies... if you can force your way to    
 them.                                                                         
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
Zed says, "SPEAKING OF BREAKING EVERYTHING"
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Henry grins with a shake of his head as Zed does Zed things - though this turns to concern as the scarf gets caught, but he seems to be descending and unstrangled after a few moments.

The Marshal nods respectfully to Maya and precedes her, hopping onto Zed's stretchy amazing scarf and wrapping his ankles around it, sliding down with practiced ease. "Yeah, he does that," Henry explains. "Zed's about half a bubble off plumb, but he's got skills." Then down he goes.

Henry makes his way down safely and lands beside Zed, giving him a grateful nod and grin. Then the cowboy gets to work retrieving and lighting an oil lantern.

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

Good news! The rope holds and Vin does -not- take a painful tumble down-aways. And the gun isn't even needed, as instead of hordes of beasties, this section of the ruins has...Um. Hmm. A wall. With cracks in it. Oh dear.

The Baskar glances at that grin on Henry's face, then the wall, then Zed being next to him...and calmly walks to the other side of the room and taps about for switches and the like, just in case. Asides, there may be rubble to shift in a bit, if Henry and Zed have their ways....

DG: Vin Barrett has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Oh.

Edna's eyes widen just a little bit at the sudden unstable wind that throws her descent on course just enough to make it so that she winds up hurtling aside...RIGHT INTO ZED. Poof. An invisible weight bounces off of him, and then hits the ground roughly with a bit of dust kicked up.

THE INVISIBLE PEOPLE ARE BACK

THe earth seraph grumbles mildly and glares at the stupid green haired man, then shakes her head and closes up her parasol. Whatever. She's alive. Moving along. Off they go, deeper into the ruins, until they... come across a room with a cracked wall.

Suspicious.

"......."

Edna's eyes narrow at the sight, and he seems to contemplate something. After a couple seconds, she takes a step backwards. Then, with her free arm, she rears back. Suddenly a huge silver gauntlet forms over it, hovering as she lashes forward with a heavy strike. Which to the less spiritually inclined sounds like something huge just struck the wall out of nowhere.

Odd.

DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Divine Gauntlets toward her party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Cracked Wall *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 One of the walls in this room has a few faint cracks in it. The wall is       
 sturdy, but not as sturdy as it could be - and a small hole through it        
 reveals a small room kept secret. Inside is an old wooden chest, which holds  
 some ancient coin and much needed supplies... if you can force your way to    
 them.                                                                         
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

This isn't where Lemina remembers landing -- 'ruins of memory' indeed. Or maybe there are multiple entry holes? Lemina takes note of it for later.

"Don't worry about me," Lemina shoots to Henry. "I'm the Junior Premier of the Magic Guild of Vane! We even have our own trial cave, full of our own treasure!" She laughs, finishing, "If you think I'm gonna be outdone exploring a ruin, you've got a mega-big surprise co --"

Thud.

"--ming." Lemina, now stable at the bottom, takes a look at the cracked -- and now suddenly at least a little more cracked -- wall. She remembers from her last trip in here that bombarding it with icicles didn't work, and mostly just, well, shattered the icicles.

"You have got to tell me where you got that scarf," she adds to Zed, shortly before twirling her magic rod and hurling a giant fireball at the wall.

DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Despite an overwhelming confidence in her own abilities, which is for the most part warranted, Maya has forgot to take into account the structural integrity of eons-old ruins which are already crumbling and broken in places. What might have at one point supported an entire structure, it turns out, may now struggle with the weight of an average adult female and her collection of firearms. Without telling too much of a tale about it, there's no harm and no foul save for the part where she has to use Zed's scarf as a zipline to the bottom, but he'll be fine. Honestly. I promise.

"Hmph. I've ventured alongside worse." is the self-styled ace's report on Zed, her composure mostly having returned as the Scooby Gang get to work on checking their environs. By the time the cracks have caught everyone's attention, she's begun to fish in the leather satchel at her side for something.

Something which looks an awful lot like a short stick of dynamite, and a roll of tape.

"Okay, this should be easy enough. It's a small blast, for just this purpose." Maya explains as she wedges the explosive in the open crack and motions for all her buddies to get back. Even if she has a reputation of looking out for #1, letting someone get hurt wouldn't do much for her chances of joining on any good expeditions anytime soon.

For those totally unable to comprehend Edna's presence, the gal with the explosives momentarily looks very strange indeed as she catches sight of a silvered blur slamming into the wall before she can go light the fuse. She slowly... shifts her gaze to Lemina, trying to catch her eyes directly.

"Was that--you? Or him?" Maya asks quietly, possibly blaming Zed already.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has used her Tool Schrodinger Special toward her party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"It wasn't me," Lemina says, shaking her head and waving with one hand just a little. "Well -- who cares, right?"

========================<* CHALLENGE - Cracked Wall *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 One of the walls in this room has a few faint cracks in it. The wall is       
 sturdy, but not as sturdy as it could be - and a small hole through it        
 reveals a small room kept secret. Inside is an old wooden chest, which holds  
 some ancient coin and much needed supplies... if you can force your way to    
 them.                                                                         
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Ah yes. This situation is familiar.

Yes... Zed has encountered his true and eternal foe.

...Gravity.

Something INVISIBLE and SOMEHOW ALSO INCREDIBLY DAINTY hip-checks into Zed mid-fall, which somehow manages to send him spinning, whirling, tumbling through the air and STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND. Followed shortly thereafter by... Several other people, each of whom land on or near Zed to some degree. But... But it looks like that strange ghost bump loosened his scarf JUST ENOUGH to keep it from popping his skull like a grape! Hooray!

Dot. Dot. Dot.

"Hwah!" Zed yelps, kipping up with his face. He flips through the air, somersaults, then manages to ace his landing. "Ha ha! It'll take more than a POTENTIALLY LETHAL FALL to kill me! Worry not, comrades!" There's a beat as Zed tilts his head at Lemina. "...What? This scarf? I've had it... SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN! Ahahahaha! You might call it a heirloom. Or hereditary. Or birthright!"

Or, you know, part of his body. Somehow.

"Oh, and uh. There's something you all should know," Zed leans in conspiratorially as SOMETHING smacks into a wall nearby. "...I think I'm haunted. I think... There is something INVISIBLE here. The things... I HAVE BEEN TRAINING TO SEE!"

"And they want--" he points at the wall. "INTO THAT ROOM!"

"BUT WE'LL GET TO IT FIRST, YOU'LL SEE!" Zed declares, and LEAPS INTO THE AIR! "Here we go! ONE SHOT, SURE KILL! ZEEEEDDDD KIIIIIICK!"

He... He flying kicks the wall.

Somehow his foot produces a green energy cone as he goes.

...Huh.

DG: Zed has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Henry gets equipped with illumination, then straightens - and he nearly jumps out of his skin as a massive THUD comes from the cracked wall. Henry immediately rips off the quick-release on his rucksack and adjusts into a gunfighting stance, his right hand instinctively finding its way to the grip of his revolver. He waits for a threat that doesn't come, eventually relaxing reluctantly when the others don't seem concerned. Well, they've been here before, so maybe that sort of sudden wall thumping is normal here.

But, soft! What boomstick through yonder satchel breaks? It is inferior homemade dynamite!? Henry scoffs silently, but does observe Maya carefully, paying close attention to her gear and technique.

"Well now! Ain't nothin' better'n a Drifter gal with dynamite," Henry declares with a grin. He pauses for the explosion, taking momentary cover, then continues. "Course, personally I prefer the Blastemol!® line. Bit pricier, butcha know yer gettin' quality and consistency, and it ain't never gonna sweat and go off early."

Henry chooses the path of prudence and doesn't add dynamite to dynamite, instead helping out with shifting the rubble afterward.

DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Cracked Wall.
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 27 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
DG: Maya Schrodinger has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Rubble Pile *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 A massive pile of rubble, consisting of small rocks and crushed pieces of     
 wall, has fallen into the way of head. Some work to clear it may be the only  
 option!                                                                       
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Well.

This certainly went a way.

Edna's floating, gauntleted fist slams into the cracked wall, cracking it even further into a spiderweb of stone. Then the seraph casually steps back. Just in time to avoid getting pelted by explosives and fireball. They all slam into the wall with their explosive might. Once this finishes, the wall is barely there.

Which is PERFECT for Zed to just KICK right on through. ...But with the foundations already barely there, the wall just kind of crumbles.

Oops.

Blankly, Edna watches this disaster with a little smirk, but says and does nothing to actually help.

<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Edna skates clear of all the disaster before it strikes, thankfully, and nobody else has time to actually shout out a warning to Zed before he pirouettes an amazing side-kick into the wall with a spirited cry that goes lost in the ensuing--

  • KERBLAM!*

Once it's clear in the smoke, dust, and rubble-strewn aftermath that nobody is dead, the (good-natured?) shouting begins. "Being haunted is the least of your worries, you idiot! I can't believe you weren't killed!" Maya erupts at Zed, hands over her head in either disbelief, or a need to protect her dome from catching a stray rock. "Good grief! Here, get up and check yourself out." she reaches for the green-haired goofbag and, should he take her up on it, hauls him to his feet. The blonde finishes with a crossed-arms huff, pausing only to wave the dust away from her mouth.

It seems that, uh, the gang's efforts haven't really helped them get too much further into the labyrinth. Surprisingly enough, the collapsed wall just yielded an enormous pile of rubble and nothing to show for it, meaning everyone's going to have to put their head together to find a way past this fortune in mundane rocks and brick shards.

Maybe the second time's the charm, right?

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

Alas for poor Vin Barrett. The Baskar was trying to avoid getting caught up in the wall demolishing, he really was. But then the ZED KICK comes right outta nowhere, slamming into the wall and through it, kicking up a ton o' dust and stuff from the rockfall as explosives and fire go off.

Hacking, he pauses to take a sip of water, his fine, Totally Not Looted From A Kislevian Supply Camp Canteen providing some mostly cool water to clear his throat.

By then, he pauses, staring at the rubble, his shoulders drooping again. "...I really hate these caves, y'know?"

Rhetorical question, or one addressed to the MYSTERIOUS UMBRELLA WIELDER? Who knows?! Regardless, Vin starts up to try and clear a bit of rubble. Maybe enough to yank Zed to FREEDOM if he hasn't freed himself.

...If Zed's -really- lucky, maybe even before Ol' Marshal BLASTEMOL!@ gets enthusiastic.

Vin has worked with the man once before, and listened to his love of explosives. He knows what is probably coming for this poor rubble.

DG: Vin Barrett has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

As an aside, Maya seems to appreciate Henry's amicable nature and his professional eye for Driftin' equipment. Especially as they're faced with another, similar problem, now. "My brother, actually, made this compound. It's really stable and good for demolitions, maybe you ought to convince him it's worth a look." she adds with a wry smile."Of course, now's the time to impress with your--Blastemite, was it?"

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

"Well, isnt this just going swimmingly."

Edna muses from where she stands aside from all of this, watching with an eternally entertained little look on her face. She opens up her parassol in the meantime and sets it over her shoulder as is usual for her. If anyone actually looks at her closely, those who can see her anyway, might notice her body's trembling a bit. But she keeps her calm and masks any discomfort she's feeling. Instead, she raises a foot, then stomps the ground with a moderate amount of force.

As she does so, she makes a very lazy, minimal effort attempt to shift the earth and shove the rubble aside into something resembling a path to cross. What? Use those gauntlets again? Does she look like a workhorse to you? Try again later.

DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Rubble Pile *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 A massive pile of rubble, consisting of small rocks and crushed pieces of     
 wall, has fallen into the way of head. Some work to clear it may be the only  
 option!                                                                       
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Zed tears through the fire and leaps through the flames and lands a PERFECT 10/10 FLYING KICK. He grins through the pain and the heat as he feels the rocks give way--

And then more rocks give way.

"WHAT--" Zed yelps as GRAVITY STRIKES AGAIN. This time aided by the insidious forces of STONE AND ROCK. Edna might be able to gain some kind of sick satisfaction from the fact that her will has been done by entirely natural forces, weeks after she first set them into motion.

Or maybe the fact that Zed managed to crush himself beneath rocks all on his own is a bit irksome? After all, that means Zed is better at crushing Zed with rocks than she is.

"Uuuughhhh," something groans under the rubble. "Why... does this always happen to me...?" Bits of fallen earth slip away as he slowly wiggles free of his stony tomb. Fortunately, Maya is there to help him out! "Augh, I'm fine!" Zed protests, looking... Actually except for the inexplicable pile of rock perched on his head, he looks completely fine?? Is... Is he made of metal or something!? IS HE INDESTRUCTIBLE!?

(Yes and maybe, respectively.)

"It seems... It seems that this wall thinks it's gotten the better of us... But!" Zed CLENCHES A FIST! AGAIN! A few pebbles tumble down from his crown. "We haven't yet begun to fight! HAVE AT YOU, WALL!" Zed... Zed haves at the rubble.

With his fists.

H-huh.

<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

One man's... dive into an explosion and getting buried under the rubble? - is another man's opportunity. Henry steps forward, full of the conviction that when life serves you a wall of rubble, you just need to blow it up TWICE.

"Blastemol!®!" Henry says with an odd touch of pride, grinning a bit sheepishly. It seems he's unusually attached to the brand. He produces a long-fused stick of dynamite from a water-resistant cardboard tube, which he hands over to Maya if she's interested. This is apparently Blastemol!® Homestead, a powerful blasting tool for general use. The tube proclaims the product's various virtues, like a long and slow-burning obvious fuse and a clearly stamped best-before date to prevent mishaps. There's also a long disclaimer that basically says that the Marshall Explosives Company isn't responsible in any way for any misuse.

Henry surveys the rubble and sets up the demolition to his liking, then lights the fuse with a match. Just as advertised, the chemically-treated fuse burns bright and slow to make it obvious that explosions are about to happen.

Of course, the only problem with Blastemol!® Homestead is that it's had a bit of a history of blowing up a bit too much. And creating even bigger problems than the original one when used underground. But that's only happened, like, three times. Out of four.

DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has used its Tool Blastemol! Homestead toward its party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
DG: Zed has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina, being a brat, also smirks at this. She's pretty sure Zed is tough enough to be fine, which means this is mostly just hilarious. Besides -- she's made people go through worse in the past herself, so...

Unfortunately, their take of treasure has been deferred, it looks like. Because now they just have rubble to work with. Fortunately, Lemina has no problems dealing with rubble; she deals with it the same way she deals with intact walls.

So naturally, she just keeps trying to blow it up. Sometimes, you have to leave no stone upon another -- quite literally.

Once she's made her contribution to the effort, she adds, "You know, uh... kicking a weak wall isn't usually the... best... idea," with a vague gesture toward Zed. She then supplements Henry's efforts toward explosions with even more blasting, but also gets curious. "Is it magical? Is there a symbol or crest hidden inside?" with a gesture toward the long-fuse dynamite.

The mage also shoots Edna a bit of a Look (tm).

<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

"Uhh, hey Zed, y'all better clear out," Henry calls out on his way to cover, making exagerrated warning motions at the hissing active fuse. Well, Zed's survived one so far, and technically he agreed to the disclaimer by being present for the explosion. Impenetrable legal argument there.

DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Taking more of a consultative approach than she did last time, Maya is helping Henry get his explosives in place and trying to manually haul away as much of the detritus in the way as possible with those two hands after giving his trademarked explosives a cursory look. Note to self: potential purchase for research purposes on the cards. It's pretty hard work, all told, but she doesn't look shy about getting stuck right into it and her buddy Zed is right there with her. "You're not wrong, could be going better." she mutters in agreement with Edna, whose voice reaches her ear just fine. Maybe she thought it was Lemina grousing.

"But--I've seen worse, so, chin up! There's bound to be something on the other side of this, and that's a Schrodinger guarantee." at least there's a spot of good cheer in her voice, trying to possibly bring poor Vin's spirits up because he rather understandably thinks this cave sucks eggs.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Rubble Pile.
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has failed this challenge! The party gained 12 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
DG: Zed has drawn a new Challenge.
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Blue Books *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ruins of Memory used to be an ancient library. Bookshelves line the       
 walls in parts of the ruins, such as this long hallway. However, when you     
 enter, some of the books rise. They open, pages aflutter - and ancient        
 Symbols on them flare to life. Then, ice, fire, and lightning come crashing   
 down as the animated books attack.                                            
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

"What?" Zed looks over at Henry.

"Oh." He looks at the explosives.

Dot. Dot. Dot.

Zed... Shoves Maya out of the way.

AND THEN EVERYTHING EXPLODES.

=========================<* CHALLENGE - Blue Books *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ruins of Memory used to be an ancient library. Bookshelves line the       
 walls in parts of the ruins, such as this long hallway. However, when you     
 enter, some of the books rise. They open, pages aflutter - and ancient        
 Symbols on them flare to life. Then, ice, fire, and lightning come crashing   
 down as the animated books attack.                                            
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

".... ...."

  • Wow*.

"You guys are *so* much more entertaining than my group." She dryly states, blonde hair whipping from the force of the explosion. She lowers her umbrella and uses it as a shield as bits of rock and debris bounce off of it.

"Does being allies with the Lord of Calamity just give you a boost to your hilarity? Inquiring have to know."

Yes, this is important.

Lemina gets a sidelong glance then. "What are you talking about now? You mean this?" She raises an arm, and one of thise huge silver gauntlets phase into existence. "..... ....." She lowers her arm and the gauntlet vanishes into motes of light. "Ask Sorey. I can't be bothered to explain it."

The irony is that she knew better than he did.

Jerk.

=========================<* CHALLENGE - Blue Books *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ruins of Memory used to be an ancient library. Bookshelves line the       
 walls in parts of the ruins, such as this long hallway. However, when you     
 enter, some of the books rise. They open, pages aflutter - and ancient        
 Symbols on them flare to life. Then, ice, fire, and lightning come crashing   
 down as the animated books attack.                                            
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

The way forward is clear, the explosion and the smoke have all but drifted away, but... But where is Zed!?

Wait. There. Down the hallway. Zed is... Zed is flying! No, wait, he's just being propelled by the big Blastemol!® boom! Little bits of cinder and ash trail in his utterly unmajestic wake as he tumbles through the air. "Everything..." Zed mutters, only barely half conscious after all today's punishment. "Everything... Huuuuurrruuuuuuurrrts." It's as if he's some kind of... Locus of bad luck!? A BLACK CAT OF ILL FORTUNE, MADE MANIFEST!?? But at least he's able to whine.

Well. He's only half conscious, but a Zed only needs half a brain to function! Everything is fine!

Which is probably good, because all these explosions and cave-ins have caused something to stir in these old, abandoned Elw ruins. They call this place the Ruins of Memory-- and for good reason. Ths place is home to a treasure trove of books. Old books, smutty books, older books, expensive books... Monster books.

Yes... Monster books.

And it's just Zed's luck that his awkward flight is just the thing that awakens them. Not just any kind of monster books-- but monster TEXT BOOKS. ABOUT MAGIC. The exact kind of thing that Zed is UTTERLY INCAPABLE OF READING. But... Not incapable of dealing with.

Fortunately for the rest of the group, Zed is way up ahead, which means he's the subject of all of that arcane ire. Lightning, ice, fire, all of it pounds right into him. But... BUT...!

HEROES NEVER DIE!

"AAAAAGH!" Zed screams, hurling a GREAT MANY SMOKEBOMBS at the flapping, flying books. "No! I won't be done in here! Not... NOT BY LITERATURE! It's not even good literature! The kind of literature that has pictures, BUT THE PICTURES HURT YOU WHEN YOU READ THEM! But hear this! I, Zed, will not go down so easily!"

There's a flash of dark metal. Doom Bringer is loosed from its sheath! ZED GOES ON THE ATTACK!

...While still somehow airborn.

That was a pretty big explosion, after all. At least between that and the smokescreen, the rest of the party can probably approach and deal with these books without much trouble.

DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, Blue Books.
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Blue Books *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ruins of Memory used to be an ancient library. Bookshelves line the       
 walls in parts of the ruins, such as this long hallway. However, when you     
 enter, some of the books rise. They open, pages aflutter - and ancient        
 Symbols on them flare to life. Then, ice, fire, and lightning come crashing   
 down as the animated books attack.                                            
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina, having been close enough for some solid bombardment, gets hit with some tremendous backscatter from the explosion. She lets out a loud yelp, thrusting her umbrella forward to take at least some of the pain -- but its' still not great.

"Lucia isn't any Lord of Calamity! ... And no, I was always mega-funny, mega-incredible... and mega-modest!" Lemina shoots to Edna, before adding, "Really -- everyone's equipment is kind of fascinating to me... it's completely different from what we had in Vane." Maya gets a smile and a nod, a moment later, now that Lemina's finished psyching herself back up. "Yeah -- there should be something soon... I think."

As they move forward, they find the library Lemina and her brave pals already raided once -- and it looks angry! Or at the very least, it looks... explosiony. "Oh, wow... we're mega-turned around from where I expected," Lemina admits, with a grimace. Of course, she does what comes naturally:

Freeze everything. Ice shards rain down toward the books, in the hopes of doing mimal damage while still disabling them. It just wouldn't feel right to burn a book, after all. ... THough she's a little distracted from actually following through on this by Zed being a ridiculous, absurd disaster human(?).

DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Blue Books.
<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

Yes, well, Vin supposes this isn't too bad a trip to the Ruins of Memory. After all, he only gets a smallish chunk of rock glancing off his shoulder, and at least that's padded by the cloak. Glancing at it, he sighs. "Yeah, that's going to bruise."

Could be worse, though. He could be -Zed-. The Baskar winces as he listens to Zed plummet into the middle of a pack of rabid books, wincing at the noise of magical elemental explosions.

"...Well, at least he'll probably survive that abuse?"

The shaman shrugs helplessly, even as he trots down the path that Zed's Smoking Exploded Self traced. He pulls a small totem out of his robes, hefting it up as he eyes the library and shrugs. "Well, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that when dealing with angry magic using book monsters...The best path..." Vin grins, and -fire- just erupts, swirling around his hand. "Is to Burn Them."

And, with that, Vin just starts slinging precise, high-intensity bolts of fire, hoping to follow up on the whole 'ice' thing by smacking them with 'fire'. It's a good combo, in his opinion. Asides, Proper Magical Books would be Fireproof, right?

...Right?

Oh, and there's also quietly listening to Edna and Lemina arguing and gathering more tidbits of information on this whole 'Lord of Calamity' thing that he's -never heard about-, which he finds An Odd Situation. Crazy Silver Star Inhabitants.

DG: Vin Barrett has used his Tool Pyre Totem toward his party's challenge, Blue Books.
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Blue Books *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ruins of Memory used to be an ancient library. Bookshelves line the       
 walls in parts of the ruins, such as this long hallway. However, when you     
 enter, some of the books rise. They open, pages aflutter - and ancient        
 Symbols on them flare to life. Then, ice, fire, and lightning come crashing   
 down as the animated books attack.                                            
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

A point in favor of Henry's live demonstration of his Product is that it clears the way forward, at last, which is more than the small breaching charge and a fireball could do last time. A point against it is that it clears the way so incredibly violently that it takes Zed's inhumanly swift reflexes to shove Maya out of the way in a comical, arms-flailing heap before a blizzard of shattered debris can make impact with her. For this, she will be grateful, even if her cry of "Hey, what are y--" doesn't sound particularly heartfelt.

The severity of the explosion and being thrown bodily to safety stuns poor Maya for a few moments, a hand to her face as she waits for the ringing and the pain to subside to levels approaching normal before opening her eyes to see that Zed's momentum continues to carry him forward through the air even still, which is pretty damn impressive, all told. For her part, it's all she can do to get back on her feet and soldier forward with Lemina. Gotta protect the boss, after all.

"What's that girl you're traveling with got to do with this?" Maya asks, having missed most of the conversation. Must be the ringing in her ears. "Isn't 'Lord of Calamity' just what that crazy priestess with the whip was calling her? Which you still owe me an explanation for~"

Luckily, the animated books winging themselves from their shelves up ahed and vomiting an elemental mess upon the ruins are something Maya has a pretty good solution for. "At least if these things are all that stands between us and the treasure in here, it's as good as ours." she quips confidently, in need of an image adjustment after that spectacular failure earlier. Slinging to hand a shotgun with two short barrels and a stylized golden S swished across the stock, the drifter vaults forward over the pile of rubble that nearly entombed her and through the hissing clouds of smoke that soon fill the halls.

She pulls the trigger while midair, as is demanded by action-movie logic. Rather than a cloud of lead shot, the ARM spits a dazzling hailstorm of flaming pellets at some of the books with a terrible thunderclap roar, taking advantage of Vin's suppressing fire! Let's hope the pair of them didn't make terrible assumptions about the fireproofing of magical books.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has used her Tool Tankbuster Cartridge toward her party's challenge, Blue Books.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

"Whatever you mega-say, lady." Edna drones boredly as she moves onward with the others... following the trajectory of Zed's.... Zed-ness.

"......"

Well.

At least he took the brunt of the damage. But she should help, shouldn't she? Sigh.

A purple magic circle forms beneath her feet and she points her umbrella towards the clusterfuck in the distance.

"Air Pressure."

An arte that Zed is awfully familiar with starts up. Magic glyphs form in the air and on the ground below the books... and him, creating a sizable well of gravity that aims to sunder and drag down to earth all at once. ...Shouldn't she aim to not get Zed caught up in it?

... Necessary casualties.

DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Blue Books.
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Henry gesticulates at Zed for as long as he can before he has to duck and cover his ears. Post-explosion, he hears - yeah, that's Zed screaming about heroism. And.. literature? Well, at least he sounds OK physically. The man seems indestructible!

Henry rises to his feet and dusts himself off. He turns toward Lemina, who oddly seems to need an explanation of dynamite, but he sees her having a conversation with thin air.

CLUE: Magic Guild of Vane, wherever that is

+

CLUE: Not Crest Sorcerer, no obvious Symbology Symbols of Symbolism

+

CLUE: Talking to someone who isn't there

SUPPOSITION: Another strange young person from afar? This bears investigation, especially if she knows something about Lucia, Lord of Calamity.

Henry is last to the fight scene, having paused to strap his rucksack back on, but he's in good enough shape to catch up quickly. He sees MAGIC EVERYWHERE, and Zed was apparently speakign literally about fighting literature.

OK then.

It's Henry's first explicitly magical ruin, but he's taking it in stride - at least cannibalistic books are a straightforward problem to solve, crazy as they seem. He's not sure how good a revolver is going to be against magic flying animated books, so he takes up a nearby hefty table leg and protects the back line by swatting charging books out of the air.

DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Blue Books.
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 12 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================================================<* CHALLENGE - Distant Switch *>===============================================================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
-----------------------------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >------------------------------------------------------------------
 A large stone door has slid down the entrance at the end of this hallway. To  
 make matters worse, the hallway has deep pits between the path to the door    
 and the walls. The door may be opened by a switch on the wall, but one of     
 those pits blocks easy access to the switch. Some clever thinking may be      
 required.                                                                     
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

What's the best way to deal with uppity books?

FIRE!

ICE!

BULLETS!

G-gravity?

...A table leg?

Unfortunately for Zed, he's still right in the middle of approximately ALL of this. The fire and ice scorch and shiver at him just as much as they violate every single rule of good book ownership, turning many of the flapping menaces into scraps of smoldering paper and useless pulp. "Waugh!" Zed yells, as he feels gravity turn against him once more! Edna's spell slams him into the ground with the rest of the books. But unlike them, Zed's soul isn't weighed down by the planet! HE IS FREE! A TRUE NEWTY--

Er.

Well, regardless, one way or another, the books are vanquished! Henry even gets a few good bonks in here and there. Chances are that these things are so thoroughly wrecked that anything worthwhile stored within is likely lost, but PERHAPS NOT!

...Still, all that punishment means Zed is still airborn. Or rather, he's sort of... bouncing along the ground, deeper and deeper into the ruins.

...Someone should probably go after him.

<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

At last the animated books seeking human flesh are put down. Henry surveys the scene and tosses the table leg aside, taking a deep breath. He pulls a first aid kit from his rucksack and offers help to anyone who needs it. Though really, that's probably going to be from all the AoE magic rather than the actual books.

What happens to all the fire and ice afterward? Does it dissipate or do the effects linger? Henry surveys the aftermath curiously. He picks up a fallen half-burned book, only to throw it against the wall with a curse when it tries to snap shut on his fingers.

"Is this what y'all were after, or you wanna get past that door?" Henry asks Lemina. He looks around the room, stopping to investigate a few interesting-looking non-evil books before the party moves on.


https://img.geocaching.com/cache/large/6aeed2dd-6cb5-463c-87ba-724417a8a5d5.jpg


Oh, wait, where's Zed? The lack of shouting and charging ahead did seem kind of odd. Eventually they pack up and hurry to find him.

The next obstacle is surprisingly straightforward, at least with magical backup and a very agile Flesh Person. Zed may be dangling on the opening switch already. For his part, Henry just walks calmly along the safe path and examines the far door for a way to wedge it open should it start to close.

"So, y'all know the De - uh, that Lucia everyone's talkin' 'bout?" Henry asks Lemina curiously.

DG: Marshal Henry Smythe has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Distant Switch.
DG: Zed has used his Tool Grapple Scarf toward his party's challenge, Distant Switch.
<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

On the journey through the much quieter library space, Maya does two things of note. One is that she puts her shotgun away, which warrants mention because she seems to just reach behind her and then not be holding it anymore, and the second is scavenge a couple of burned pages from the symbological books. "Well. There's something to be said about nobody getting hurt by the sentry forces, compared to a pile of rocks." she notes with her hands on her hips and a dry smirk on her face.

At least anything strange going on is eclipsed, in all honesty, by Zed's strangeness. Disappearing firearms and apparitions--Maya has been glancing in Edna's direction constantly whenever she's in front of her after the books went down--are surely not too much of a big deal when there's a secondary Humanoid Typhoon to worry about. The gunslinger gal gently puts a hand on Lemina's shoulder and whispers in her ear, "I know something's in here with us." before turning to beckon for Vin and Henry alike.

"I--uh, I haven't met her, but everyone who calls her by that big title seems to have a screw loose." Maya answers candidly, but looks surprised at the question coming from Henry. Not thinking too much more of it, she jerks a thumb in Zed's presumed direction. "I... think he fell into that pit. Can you two give me a hand to check?"

Wow, way to assume the worst about your friend and mine, Zed.

DG: Maya Schrodinger has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Distant Switch.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

It's kind of miraculous how that fool has taken all of that punishment...and is still bounding through the ruins. Edna blinks slowly, after having to shield herself from an errant spray of fire and ice. "Is that idiot's body made of metal or something?" She murmurs with equal parts suspicion and wonder. "No human should be able to take that much punishment and keep on functioning, even with healing."

What a mystery.

But they have to keep moving. And move they do. She heads off, until finally, they arrive at some sort of pit with a switch on the other end. "Convenient." The earth seraph drones dryly. Really now. She's going to have to try and expend actual effort, isn't she?

Annoying.

Still, Edna takes a few steps back, then actually runs for once in her life. She leaps from the edge and into the air. Then she opens up her parasol and....floats. Ever so daintily over on her way to the other side. "..... ....." She looks down into the pit and frowns.

The earth and air are not friends, but don't you dare screw her up this time, wind.

Else she'll have to find Zaveid and punch him later.

Yes.

<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Where IS Zed?

...There's a scarf hanging from one end of the pit.

...There's another half of scarf tied around something on the OTHER end of the pit. Which means...!

There! Down in the pit, desperately trying to spin his way over to safety on the far-side of the gap. It's like he's some kind of upside-down top, spinning closer and closer to his destination as he unspools and respools that scarf in either direction.

...At least he's alive??

DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Umbrella toward her party's challenge, Distant Switch.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Edna passes overhead.

Zed looks... Straight up.

...

G-good thing she's invisible, or this might be awkward!!

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

Ahhhh, the smell of burning Evil Magic Books...Smells like -Victory-. For a moment there, Vin is seized by an urge to flourish his cloak a bit when he tucks his totem away...but then Zed goes bouncing off down the hall, riccoheting off the walls and setting a new distance record for that sort of thing, and the urge passes.

Shaking his head, Vin pauses, eyeing the room ahead with utter annoyance. "Last time I was in a room like this, it had a trick floor. Here's hoping the architects didn't just use the same trick twice, eh?"

Shaking his head, he pulls some of his last bits of rope out, snagging a rock and making a makeshift rope dart. "Plan C, assuming that this doesn't work out."

The Baskar cheerily stays out of the way, assuming he doesn't have to resort to throwing a rock at the switch over and over again!

Barrett also has no commentary on either Destroyers or Apparent Invisible People. How odd.

DG: Vin Barrett has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Distant Switch.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"Honestly, these ruins are such a mess to map that I'm fine with getting anything out of this," Lemina says to Henry, a little blandly. "The books are nice, but trust me, I've heard enough about the way people got on during the age of the Metal Demons for..." Lemina glances upward, counting on her fingers exaggeratedly. "... Llllllong enough."

Maya gets Lemina's attention, and Lemina nods at her. "... There's a lot of somethings in here with us, but I think I get what you mean," she replies, nodding. "Keep an eye out, okay?" She's a little oblivious to exactly what Maya might be talking about.

Lemina looks across the way at the switch on the wall, pauses just a moment... and then pulls out her Thieves' Staff. This should be easy -- assuming, of course, that it can put enough force on the switch, from the distance it's at, to just push it.

If not, well -- at least she can give someone else a shove across to push it, right?

After seeing Zed's first trip straight down a hole, she just assumes he's going to be fine regardless of what happens to him, so she instead takes the time, while using her staff, to talk to Henry. "Yeah! Everyone keeps saying she's going to destroy everything, or whatever, but... I mega-don't buy it."

DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Thieves' Staff toward her party's challenge, Distant Switch.
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success!
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has successfully explored Ruins of Memory!
================================================================<* CHALLENGE - Broken ARMs *>================================================================
|Type: Discovery   |Dungeon Ability: Discovery |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
-----------------------------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >------------------------------------------------------------------
 The cache you discover has broken and shattered pieces of ARMs in them.       
 While some are nothing more than scrap, others have parts with complex        
 moving pieces - and their design suggests they come from the Metal Demon      
 Wars. While they are not of much use, they could fetch a pretty gella.        
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Eventually Zed is retrieved from the pit and everyone makes it across. The next room reveals, of course, a huge demon with... wait, what?

Actually, the party has lucked out and just found a nice little untouched cache without any nasties in the way. Sometimes Lady Luck just smiles on Diggers.

"Niiiice," Henry breathes with a grin and a whistle, surveying the room and pulling a device from his duster.

"So that's two shares for the foreign miss," Henry recalls, nodding toward Lemina. "'Course, I get two shares for blowin' the way open. Same with Miss Sh- Maya. Two shares to Zed for bein' the vanguard. And two to Vin for..." he pauses a moment, then flasehs a grin. "Bein' just rock-solid an' watchin' our backs."

<Pose Tracker> Vin Barrett has posed.

Vin feels a litlte bit paranoid.

The floor doesn't drop under him, there aren't any monsters swarming about, the door doesn't open to reveal -more damn doors-...

Seriously, with all the things not going wrong, he's paranoid as hell! He's actually a bit jittery by the time he makes it across the room and that door opens and -nothing terrible happens-, eye twitching from the stress. Very tense, that man is.

Ah well. Looting time! The Baskar nods cheerily at Henry as he starts tallying up loot and the like, pulling a large duffel bag out from under his cloak.

Kislev makes useful things. Heh. Gotta love salvage.

"Heh. I'll take it. Just glad we didn't run into the hordes o' undead this time. Or doors."

That said, the Baskar starts picking through the cache, divying parts up into 'still might work' and 'this is a piece of scrap metal'. He does snag a nice little ARM-grade Scope out of the pile, whistling as he peers down the nifty little thing. "Oh, this'll be a nice little upgrade for my Fennec."

Someone found part of his share!~

Pausing in his scavenging, he pulls a pouce of medical herbs and supplies out, waggling it at the rest of the party. "Anyone else need a bit of a patch up?"

<Pose Tracker> Maya Schrodinger has posed.

Maya seems preoccupied with something else, kneeling near an archway with a sheet of paper pressed against the wall, taking a very rapid etching with a pencil. The whole thing doesn't take very long, and she glances up at the sound of her name, a handful of paces away. "Oh--what is it?" she asks, folding the paper twice and disappearing it into the pouch at her waist.

For the most part, Maya furrows her brow as she makes her way to the cache, and the gang piling around it "Hmm. Hm." is her entire comment on the find, a half-lidded stare accompanying. "I don't need any spare sprockets, and I got what I came for."

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.

Naturally, begin invisible, Edna can't be seen or heard by Henry. So it's no surprise that he passes over her in the spreading of the spoils. But that's okay. She didn't come here to reap any reward in particular. She came to satisfy her own mild curiosity.

So while the others share in the celebrations of not having to contend with an inexplicably random monster or mind bending obstacle... she just stands way back and watches them silently, though with a slightly amused little smirk.

Hm. She's seen what she wanted to see. She could stick around and ask Miss Mega-Magic Lady some more questions, but really? They were both on guard. No point. So the earth seraph quietly turns tail and starts to wander her way back off, leaving the others behind.

<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.

Finally... Finally Zed is safe. Zed is not spinning to his doom. He is not being bombarded by horrible magics. He's not dangling over an apparently bottomless pit.

But all this-- all this suffering and all they find are... Guns. Lots and lots of guns.

"But..." Zed frowns over his pile of loot. "But where are all the swords?" M-maybe he'll be able to appreciate the... historic value of these items once he has a chance to catch his breath.

...In the meantime, Zed steals a shotgun. A shotgun isn't REALLY a gun, after all.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"... Wow, we must really have gotten turned around," Lemina reflects. "I didn't see this area at all last time..." On the other hand, it's the good kind of surprise, which is a relief. "So -- did you see what you...?" When Lemina looks back toward Edna, Edna has already started retreating. That gets Lemina to blink a few times. Didn't she at least want her share of the...

... what did they find, anyway? Lemina shoulders her way toward the cache itself, and Henry puts forth his assertion of two shares for everyone.

Lemina crosses her arms and scrunches her face up... but notably doesn't actually object. Maya elects not to take hers, having already gotten... something that she came for, apparently, and Lemina isn't going to say no to that, either.

Looking over the scrap, Lemina elects to just start shoving some in her pack without too much consultation, since that seems to be everyone else's plan, anyway. "Thanks for the help, everyone. This place seems like kind of a rat's nest... but I'm sure we'll find everything, and get it all mapped, eventually." And of course, all the stuff in it, to boot...!!

<Pose Tracker> Marshal Henry Smythe has posed.

Henry nods skeptically and curiously to Maya, then heads into the room to survey the loot. And the looting in progress.

"Hey, all y'all, y-- all y'all can have the goodies, but lemme have a gander at anythin' whatcha can't figure out. We're scholars, right? I got a friend likes to tinker with gadgets." Henry sorts through the parts as well, but with an air of much more curiosity than greed. Anything interesting falls under the light of his mysterious, thin rectangular ARM - a wondrous device that can record optics to be viewed later. Kind of like a camera, but 20 times more convenient since it doesn't need photographic plates and a tripod. It can even record MOVING PICTURES, but these miracles of ancient science are a closely held secret that Henry jealously guards.

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

"Sure," Lemina replies to Henry, nodding. ARMs are something that, truth told, she's pretty much completely lost about. Lunar basically doesn't have them -- Lemina uses a bow, for God's sake. ... not that she's had an excuse to bring it out against anything but animals, for the most part.