2017-08-02: Statue and Limitations
- Log: Statue and Limitations
- Cast: Riesenlied, Noeline, Lemina Ausa, Seraph Ragnell
- Where: Sult Ruins
- Date: 2nd August 2017
- Summary: Lemina and Ragnell spelunk to discover worth in the Sult Ruins, while Riese and Noeline arrive to keep up to date on Garlyle...
==================================== <* Sult Ruins *>================================ ========================== <* CHALLENGE - Guards at the Gate *>====================== |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >--------------------------- It seems that whatever mysterious military force is investigating these ruins has deployed guards to keep any stray Drifters from entering the ruins. They are wearing unremarkable clothing with no identifying marks, in no way betraying their identity. While fighting them is an option, it will take far too much time and slow the exploration of the ruins considerably. It would be better to find a way to trick them or lure them from the entrance, thus allowing the party swift entry without raising the alarm. =Dungeon Conditions: Slow=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
With the Lacour Tournament of Arms over, it's time to get back to that most important thing in the world: raiding all of Filgaia's precious cultural sites for random garbage and then selling that random garbage to Armengard!
Wait, what?
Haha, seriously though, Lemina is downright eager to get back to searching for the truth of Filgaia's situation and a means to get home, which means poking her head into some places she's actually never been before.
She's /also/ elected to grab some friends and drag them along for the ride! ... mostly whether or not they want to come, and indeed possibly even over some protests. Lemina is very insistent and hard to say no to.
A long set of travels later, they finally come to the Sult Ruins -- one of the last places Lemina's heard tips about and /hasn't/ followed up on. She peers over a ridge near the gate, looking at the groups of guards. "Oh, jeez..." she mumbles. "Any ideas?" She gets the feeling 'blow them up' isn't on the table.
She pauses to put on her glasses and get a really good look at the patrol patterns, at least. That's something /like/ prudence.
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Reading Glasses toward her party's challenge, Guards at the Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied had a rather important reason to come to the Sult Ruins: Not out of anything in the Ruins themselves, though a further search of the ruin is certainly always welcome, but because of the mysterious infiltrators that she's actually quite familiar with--
--the Garlyle Military.
"Yes," she nods as she slips a hand into her knapsack and toys with something that resembles a flare -- and snaps two of the sticks in half to throw it in the direction of 'away'. "The Garlyle Military uses a twin code-yellow flare to indicate emergencies -- this should distract them for a little while. Miss Ragnell, could you please use your powers over wind to stoke the smoke a little?"
Her lips thin a little. Garlyle... to think that she'd suffer the same fate as them. Was it... truly fate?
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Guards at the Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell, meanwhile, is just plain curious about Filgaia and its various mysteries. When Lemina had suggested that they go visit some ruins she'd only barely heard of before, she'd been more than willing to come along and see what's what. No protests here! Not that that would've mattered to Lemina. A boat ride later, a long hike, and here they are at the Sult Ruins, which apparently contain valuable minerals...
"I'd be more'n happy to just walk right past," she remarks, amused, of the soldiers standing guard at the entrance. "They look a sight better-equipped than that guy they keep puttin' up in front of the Berry Cave, at least."
No doubt because they're *actual* military, as Riesenlied then remarks. She glances over at the Metal Demon as she cracks something that looks like a flare. "I'm not actually a Wind--" she begins to say, then pauses. ...Isn't this literally what she has a fan for? Ha, whatever. "Sure, why not?" she amends that to. Then she hunkers down next to the fledgling smoke, retrieves her personal fan, and clicks it on to stoke the smoke and send it billowing.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has used her Tool Portable Fan toward her party's challenge, Guards at the Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"Easy enough, I suppose," comments Noeline with a bright hum. It isn't difficult to convince her to look the Sult Ruins over - after all, just like Riese, she and the Ebony Wings have something of a vested interest in learning about any and all unremarkable unidentified military forces around the area. Besides, her own natural curiosity usually serves to propel her forwards even when nothing else is readily apparent, especially given the Baskar nature of the ruins.
Glancing up at the two silver spheres slowly orbiting her shoulders, she tilts her head towards one of them, an unspoken command sending the little ARM skimming in a wide circle around towards where the signal flare has landed. Its beep of acknowledgement is lost in the distance between them, but from their vantage point it's easy enough to spot the little robot discharging several shots into the ground, kicking up dust and dirt to augment the smoke signal and provide an impression of something like a fight.
"This would be the time to go, I think. Quickly, hm?" she adds, suddenly slipping forward with a nimbleness and stealth that really shouldn't be possible from someone in so loud and full an outfit as hers.
DG: Noeline has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Guards at the Gate.
=============================== <* Sult Ruins - Round 1 *>=========================== ============================ < Results - Guards at the Gate >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 0 --(3)--> 3 Pass Reading Glasses 2 Wits Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Portable Fan 3 Wits Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Noeline 0 --(7)--> 7 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------==== < Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Lemina Ausa 0 --(25)--> 25 Pass Conditions: Slow(2) Effects: Resilient(1) =================================== < Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 25 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: Seraph Ragnell has drawn a new Challenge.
==================================== <* Sult Ruins *>================================ ========================== <* CHALLENGE - A Slime Most Green *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >--------------------------- A slurping, watery sound is the only warning the party receives before a slime erupts from a nearby crevice and attacks the party! The semi-transparent goo lashes about with its entire body, attempting to engulf anyone it can lay itself upon. The acid it uses as a weapon is painful to the touch, leaving anyone struck weakened and sapped of vigor - best to drive it off or slay it before it can do too much damage. =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Yeah, Ragnell, /no kidding/," Lemina notes. "That poor dummy... hahaha." She spares a moment to laugh cruelly before Riesenlied an Ragnell put their plan into action; once the flares are going, though, she takes a last-second opportunity to assess. "Noeline, wait --" she starts. "There's one more of them right the way you're -- going..."
Lemina has a /slightly/ different viewing angle than Noeline, and glasses to boot, so it's not hard for her to spot someone behind a pillar near the entrance who peels out after his pals once a few of the soldiers start shouting between each other.
All it really means is that Noeline has a /brief/ start-and-stop -- at this stage, it's more annoying than actually a problem. The group ultimately gets in without a hitch! Yay!!
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell laughs alongside Lemina, and about just as meanly. These two were basically meant to be friends. Lemina, future Shepherd with Prime Lord Ragnell?! ...hahahah nahhhh. Ragnell doesn't like *any* human that much, and probably never will.
Regardless, the flares provide an ample distraction, flashy Noelines aside, and soon the four of them enter the ruins. It's not much to speak of--you've seen one network of caves, you've seen them all. This one seems a little... drippier than usual, though? Or at least there's a sort of drippy, watery sound nearby. Ragnell frowns as she hears it, looking around in all the wrong places. "Huh. Do y'all hear that? Sort of sounds like a gooshy, sucking--"
BAM SLIME ATTACK. A gelatinous, amorphous... thing, bursts out from a nearby crevice and almost slams itself into Ragnell. She whirls around just in time to avoid its initial attack, guns already at the ready; however, once she actually *sees* the creature, she changes tactics and initials a Seraphic arte. "Lightning!" she calls a second later, and a bolt falls from the ceiling--despite them being inside--down towards the slime.
This doesn't stop it from wobbling angrily and attempting to slime all over anyone it can get its... uh... its... proboscids? Do slimes even have those? WHATEVER, IT'S GONNA SLIME /SOMEONE/ BY GUM AND IT DOESN'T CARE HOW.
"So," Ragnell says casually as the fight goes on, "what made ya decide this place anyway, Lemina? Not that I'm complainin', mind you. I always like checkin' new places out."
DG: Seraph Ragnell has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Slime Most Green.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"... I can't denigrate the work of someone who keeps children out of the Berry Caves, at least," Riesenlied sighs, as if there's an undercurrent of 'but if only he would do his job properly' that is left unsaid at the same time. She descends with the group, and her eyes widen at the sound as she gasps and tries juking towards one side--
--only to get a bit of slime on her arm, which starts eating away at the dark-coloured armwarmer that she's slipped. "Ah!"
She concentrates afterwards and closes her eyes, holding her hand out as her wings spread to either side of her. Three of her Pinions deploy in rapid succession with a painful little noise from the arch of her wingspan, and form a triangular plane of solid light that blocks the next volley of slimic acid and...
...
...oh, actually, it's being used as a scraper to lift some of the slime up and down a nearby sewer chute. Neat. "That was careless of me..." A sigh. "I have been here once -- this was where I first discovered the existence of Garlyle after their supposed decimation in Elru."
DG: You use your Tool Dragon Horn against your party's Challenge, A Slime Most Green!
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon Horn toward her party's challenge, A Slime Most Green.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
By the time they're inside the caves, Noeline looks just a little ruffled, and very much like a cat that's been caught out making a mistake and is now desperately trying to pretend it never happened. The annoyed squawk she made, together with a bit of a strange and hurried scramble back up the hill, was anything but smooth - and Noeline huffs to herself as she folds her arms, accepting Strife back at her side once they're clear of the guardpost.
"Honestly!... whyever would you even post a guard in such an out of the way place," she grumbles, never mind the fact he was evidently well-placed to catch /them/. "Well-- he may have a headache for a while, I suppose. It was pure luck I was able to land feet-first into the situation, albeit rather more /literally/ than I'd normally like."
She tenses ever so slightly at the Seraph's warning comment, fast enough on the draw to smartly dodge away from the first volley of slime; perhaps that's for the best, given the way she already puffs up in annoyance as it starts to assault Riesenlied instead. A flick of her hand sends a number of bolts out from the ARM at her shoulder, slamming into the slime and the rock around it.
She's... being rather more aggressive than normal, perhaps, and a glance at Riesenlied's arm and the smoking armwarmer immediately reveals why. Of course. "Really, to think they'd still be around. I don't suppose you learnt why they're digging, did you? Aside from, I assume, the same as everyone else?"
DG: Noeline has used her Tool Trouble toward her party's challenge, A Slime Most Green.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"... Huh? No, I don't hear --" Lemina then very much /does/ hear it, or more accurately, sees it head right at Ragnell; in a hot second she's leaping back away from it with a firm, loud cry of, "GROSS!"
Retrieving her staff from her back, she gives it a mighty twirl as she says, "I've just -- you know, never been here! I thought it'd be neat to check out, since this is a place I keep hearing about when I ask other Drifters..." Ah, tourism.
Pointing her staff at the slime, Lemina summons a mighty burst of blizzard-like conditions encircling the creature; as she does so, she looks to Noeline and Riesenlied, asking, "Wait -- you /know/ about these guys? Who are they?"
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Slime Most Green.
=============================== <* Sult Ruins - Round 2 *>=========================== ============================ < Results - A Slime Most Green >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 3 --(3)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 5 --(3)--> 8 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 6 --(3)--> 9 Pass Dragon Horn 3 Combat Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Noeline 7 --(3)--> 10 Pass Trouble 2 Combat Effects: Resilient -----------------------------------==== < Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Lemina Ausa 25 --(25)--> 50 Pass Conditions: Slow(1)|Weaken(2) Effects: Resilient(1) =================================== < Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 25 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> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell snorts at Riese's remark. "S'pose there's that at least," she admits. She doesn't fancy the odds of some tiny little sprog toddling innocently into the Berry Cave. And hey, the guard's got to be at least a *bit* incompetent, or else--
"Prob'ly to keep scamps like us from waltzin' in and takin' whatever we want," she remarks to Noeline, of *this* particular cave's guard. She grins wolfishly. "Not that actually stops us, eh?"
Then the slime leaps out at the group of adventurers, first striking Riesenlied on the arm, then spitting acid at her, only to have it splat harmlessly off her light shield and... oh, it's getting scraped on a chute? Oh. Okay. As Riesenlied scrapes it, Lemina's ice spell freezes it in place, which makes it a sitting duck for Ragnell's and Noeline's lightning techniques to strike true. A creature made mostly of liquid, it fries up nicely, cracking apart into several very dead pieces. Victory!
Ragnell holsters her guns with a smile of satisfaction, then nods to Lemina. "Legit," she says. As for the military guys--well, she's more than happy to hear about this, too. Good on Lemina to think to actually /ask/.
DG: Riesenlied has drawn a new Challenge. =================================== <* Sult Ruins *>=============================== ========================= <* CHALLENGE - An Uncrossable Gap *>===================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >-------------------------- One of the rooms within the ruins opens to a sheer drop, with the door to the next chamber visible twenty feet away. The jump itself would be almost impossible, and climbing up the hundred foot drop would be tiring and time consuming. But there also appears to be a pair of strange mechanisms bracketing the portal just before the gap - intricate but incomplete mechanisms that might hold the key to raising the path to the other side. If the devices are merely broken or have had parts removed by the invaders remains to be seen... =Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lets out a rather relieved little sigh when the slime freezes and then shatters into pieces, rubbing at her arm with a quiet wince for a moment. "I'll speak while we head inside," she gestures as she waves with her hand to have them keep going. No sense in standing around talking while /more slimes/ could be just around the corner, after all.
"The Garlyle Kingdom were, as of seven years ago, a significant military force in the continent of Elru," she expresses. "Their military might was more than considerable -- they were one of the dominant forces, often providing a difficult time for the fellows of the Steppes. However, they were annihilated almost overnight -- survivors say that they saw a red flash decimate the kingdom, something that had become known as the 'Demon of Elru'..."
She pauses, as she stares at the drop in front of them. She could just fly up, but... she's feeling a bit exhausted right now after that. Ripping the Pinions out does wound her wings, after all. ".... mm." She examines the mechanism to say, "Lemina, are you familiar with this kind of contraption?" She taps at her chin. "I think there should be an emergency valve to release... somewhere..."
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Uncrossable Gap.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"... you know-- the thought strikes me that if they weren't rather disinclined to talk, this might almost be a good opportunity," Noeline muses to herself, tilting her head towards Riesenlied after a moment. "After all, they are not the only artifact from that event to resurface as of late - and it might be they have some insights that would be useful, or at least offer to lend their blades against that Demon." The way she says the word is carefully picked out and rather arch, drawing something of a line between Id and the pair of them.
When they reach the chasm, the Crimson Noble does at least stop, huffing softly to herself as she carefully peers over the edge. "What an awkward design," she mutters to herself, glancing over towards the control panel with an air of curiosity. "I believe ruins of this type tend to feature some amount of hydraulic gantries - that would certainly explain how to get across with enough purchase to open the way. If worst comes to worst, perhaps I can ferry people over, but for now--"
She steps out onto open space, taking a hold of Trouble's handle to allow the ARM to float her across; it lets her check the door for any obvious opening mechanisms, at least.
DG: Noeline has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Uncrossable Gap.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
The history lesson gets Lemina's brow to furrow. "These guys seem really well-equipped... what kinda mega-magic nonsense could that Demon of Elru have going if he took out /all/ of them that quick?" She doesn't have an answer, and /that's/ worrisome. She decides it's best not to waste too much mental energy on it for now -- especially since, you know, she's got work to do right in front of her.
"I'm not /that/ familiar, but I bet I can puzzle it out," Lemina says, pushing up the glasses that she totally forgot to take off while fighting a slime.
"LLllllllet's see," she mutters to herself. "I think it's just a question of getting the thing to... talk to itself, basically? Like -- there's a segment here that's incomplete... it might be missing a part here in the middle, see? But if we can find something that matches it -- or just twist it around...?"
She listens to Noeline's explanation -- hydraulic gantries... that fills in some blanks. "... Iiii think I might need some help from one of you on this one. If the mechanism is /broken/, maybe we can just force it by freezing the fluid so it expands and pushes the bridge up!"
Lemina has no idea if this is a good idea.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Uncrossable Gap.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell listens to Riese's explanation on the Garlyle Kingdom. "I assume y'all had nothin' to do with that," she remarks--by 'y'all' she means the Metal Demons--which is a sound enough assumption based on how Riesenlied describes the event. Besides, some kind of red flash... doesn't *seem* like anything the Metal Demons have to field? But then, you can't get much more vague than 'a red flash,' so she could well be wrong. She pauses as Noeline weighs in, then looks over at her. "Can't help it if no one wants to talk, I guess," she says. "You don't happen to know somethin' about that so-called Demon o' Elru, do you?" After all, Noeline is in the business of knowing things, isn't she?
But here they are at the strange drop in the floor, with some odd mechanisms nearby. Ragnell pauses to look them over thoughtfully, walking back and forth between the two. "I dunno that y'all will need to do that. Ferry us over, that is," she remarks. "These contraptions look like they've been broken, but neatly. If we can just find somethin' to stick in there to fill in the missin' parts..." Lemina weighs in on this matter by suggesting they freeze the fluid and use its expansion to bring the bridge up. "Huh! There's an idea." She shrugs. "Sorry, though--I don't have any influence over water. Give it a shot, though, an' if it doesn't work, I'll try findin' something we can use as a makeshift lever or whatever to make the gears move the way they're supposed to."
It's a *thought*, anyway.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Uncrossable Gap.
============================== <* Sult Ruins - Round 3 *>========================== =========================== < Results - An Uncrossable Gap >======================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 6 --(4)--> 10 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Ragnell 8 --(4)--> 12 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 9 --(4)--> 13 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 10 --(3)--> 13 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------==== < Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Lemina Ausa 50 --(15)--> 65 Pass Conditions: Tire(2)|Weaken(1) Effects: ================================== < Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 15 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> Riesenlied has posed.
"Well..."
Noeline floats across the gap as she flies around on Trouble -- which prompts her to spot an access panel on the underside which isn't particularly obvious at first glance. It seems like it would be quite possible to configure the mechanism to switch to a bypass mode in some way... and with enough cleverness and magic, Lemina freezes some fluid with her ice magic and forces the mechanism to heave a platform upwards.
Their efforts aren't quite perfect, though, because the console starts to tremble as it strains with the uneven gantry that's supposed to be receiving a fluid stream of water to power it. "Hurry!"
On the other side...
"You would have heard of what fate befell our village, Old Petra. A red flash that decimated the village -- it was one and the same... the Demon of Elru, Id, and the Crimson Gear that he pilots," she murmurs ruefully, letting out a winded breath at that burst of movement. "My worst fears that what decimated Garlyle had headed west were true after all -- and so many of our people had been lost in that conflagration."
On the topic of his magic, she explains, "He and his Gear possessed enormous destructive power -- both in the form of crimson energy that consumed entire battalions, a levitating power over objects such as when he just lifted our entire belltower and squished it onto..."
A pause. "No... nevermind, it is not healthy to dwell on that too long." Finally, a glance at Noeline. "Unfortunately, it's unlikely that Garlyle will work with us. Judging from Leon and Lily's accounts of the Aveh-Kislev warfront, they are allied with Aveh, and by extension, likely Gebler. They were even involved in the kidnapping of the King of Lacour -- the thugs there were equipped with a Garlyle-marked Gear."
A Gear that Noeline and Matilda repaired and is now running around as one Honeybee, in fact.
"I came here in part because I needed to check their military ciphers had not changed -- or if they had, that I retrieve a copy. ... as we move further west, it is important that we do not lose track of their movements, because they are definitely not our allies."
DG: Noeline has drawn a new Challenge.
=================================== <* Sult Ruins *>=============================== ========================== <* CHALLENGE - The Baskar Totem *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >-------------------------- The mechanism that locks this room within the ruin appears to be linked to a large slot in the floor. A slot that is about six feet deep and requires a large and heavy object to be dropped into it in order to unlock the door. Thankfully the object itself is not hard to find - there is a massive carved pole on the far side of the chamber, laying on its side. It is also twelve feet tall, and made out of intricately carved stone. =Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
"... it was hardly us," huffs Noeline in return to the Seraph, as Strife does its best to whine and grumble and lift her back up to the line of the gantry and door; in the end, Noeline settles for simply vaulting up onto the platform, darting inside the door moments before the poor metal gives away in a creaking squeal of noise.
Dusting herself off, Noeline takes stock of the room they've found themselves in, glancing towards Riesenlied for a moment as the winged woman offers a greater explanation of the current situation; when the topic turns towards the demise of Old Petra, she lightly rests a hand on the woman's arm, careful to make her presence and support known. "It is a shame," she sums up at the end of it all as she lets out a breath.
"You would hope that a threat that clear and present would allow people to put their differences aside, if only for a while - and you would also hope that the last vestiges of a great nation might at least choose to act with a little more decorum than simply becoming kidnappers and mercenaries," Noeline grumbles softly to herself, picking out her hair for a long moment. "Ah, well. It was but a thought. Let us at least look out for what intelligence we can along the way, then."
Once all is said and done and she's looked around the circular chamber - well, the sigh she lets out is quite a beleaguered one. "As far as I can tell, we simply need to get /that/--" she says the word distastefully, as if not relishing the idea of lugging the totem pole around, "--into /this/," she finishes up by indicating the receptacle, then clicking her fingers. The two ARMs bob forwards towards the totem pole, nudge it a little but - and then turn towards Noeline as if to say 'What? What do you want /us/ to do here?'.
"Ugh," she sounds out, and goes to do it herself.
DG: Noeline has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Baskar Totem.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Crap crap crap!" Lemina shouts as she sprints across the platforms -- and runs face first into exposition! She asked for it, though, so she has the good sense to listen to it, too. "... Oh, so that's... wow. Okay." That's a lot to take in -- Lemina can't even imagine what the world must be like to have a military force from the other side of the world just... packing up and moving their *operations* after being destroyed.
It boggles the mind. Fortunately, Lemina has a problem to solve that requires precisely zero mind to solve now! "Yeah no, doesn't happen," Lemina notes to Noeline, on the topic of a clear and present threat. "Hold on, watch your feet -- I'm gonna make this mega-easy, but you have to not slip," she notes, pointing her staff in front of the pole and making an ice slick to push it along.
"In my experience," Lemina notes, "Bad guys don't... /do/ that. They just come and poach all your guildmates one by one and don't offer to fix your roof or anything." She crosses her arms and huffs. This anecdote is sounding very specific.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Baskar Totem.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"It isn't clear to me what their leadership is like now," Riesenlied finds herself advising Noeline. That they have ties to kidnappers and thugs is not surprising, given the face of what the Aveh-Kislev war has been like. It's long since devolved from a 'clean' military conflict to one of poisonous tension between two cultures. Riesenlied doesn't find herself dwelling on the subject for too much longer, unless Ragnell and Lemina both deign it fit to ask her more questions. They were here on a mission on different facets -- whether to look around the Ruin for treasure, or for those ciphers that she was looking for.
"... this pole..." she murmurs with an eye to its design. A pause. She shakes her head, then starts pushing before Lemina creates an ice slick to try to push the totem along. "Ah, brilliant!" She tries to-- push... and hopefully it doesn't slide in a comical manner and crash on the other side.
"For all I know, it could just be Garlyle in name now, hollowed out on the inside. I found ciphers months ago last time I were here, and while there were familiar names... it's hard to say what's happened internally."
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Baskar Totem.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
No need to tell her twice. Ragnell dashes across the mechanism to the other side of the room, and if she has to jump the last foot to catch the end before it slides away, well, at least she makes it. She turns around and peers down the fathomless hole, one hand on the brim of her hat. Then she turns and joins the others as they head further in, listening to Riese's explanation.
"Damn--so they're one and the same?" she says, eyebrows furrowing. "I'd heard what happened to Old Petra, but... damn. Wouldn't'a guessed they were one and the same..." Of course, she wasn't here seven years ago, so it's easy to not connect those particular dots, though this doesn't stop Noeline from huffing at her. Ragnell half-smiles and shrugs in return: what d'you want from her? Still, now that she knows this... She nods slowly at further descriptions. "I think I remember you sayin' this guy had overwhelmin' power. Sure wouldn't wanna run into him in a dark alley."
SMASH CUT
"BLOOD AND GUUUUUUUUUUUTS!!" screams the Death Waitress Fan, waving a GO LUNATA banner, while Ragnell sits nearby and watches the Lunata vs. Garan match, Part One.
SMASH CUT BACK
"Hmmm... Those were the Black Ties, right? Remember hearin' about that on the grapevine," Ragnell muses. She snorts at Noeline's 'you would thinks,' though. "That's humans for ya. Guess some things don't change, even on Filgaia..." She shakes her head. "Gotcha, though. I'll try to keep an eye on 'em myself if I can, Riese. Let you know what's what, if I find anythin' worth notin'--includin' if it's just the same name and nothin' else is the same on the inside." Not that she'd know one way or another, but Riese would, and that's what counts.
She pauses, stopping inside the newest chapter. Looks like the way forward is locked, and they've got to shove a giant rock into a slot to get any further. Ragnell considers this with a frown and a tapped foot. "Hmmm... Reckon you're right, Noeline," she says. "Lemme give ya a hand. Not exactly Miz Muscle m'self, but I got something that should give us a boost--'specially with Lemina makin' us that convenient ice slick there." She pulls out one of her lightning grenades, offers the room a cocky grin, and strides on over to join Noeline at the stone block.
"Careful ya don't get shocked, eh?" she says as she pulls the pin, then presses it against the block. The resulting explosion should give the block some *considerable* forward momentum, which combined with the path that Lemina's created and Noeline and Riese's raw strength will hopefully make getting it into that slot that much easier. Though it might be difficult to control...?
DG: Seraph Ragnell has used her Tool Electric Grenade toward her party's challenge, The Baskar Totem.
============================== <* Sult Ruins - Round 4 *>========================== ============================ < Results - The Baskar Totem >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 10 --(9)--> 19 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Ragnell 12 --(6)--> 18 Pass Electric Grenade 2 Brute Effects: Strengthen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 13 --(6)--> 19 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noeline 13 --(6)--> 19 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------==== < Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Lemina Ausa 65 --(15)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Injure(2)|Tire(1) Effects: Strengthen(1) ================================== < Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Lemina Ausa has passed this challenge! The party gained 15 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> Noeline has posed.
Noeline's first response is to again bend a solemn ear to Riesenlied's advice; she nods slightly at the end of it, letting out a sigh as she tilts her head. "Almost certainly, it remains Garlyle in name only. Filgaia seems to have that sort of effect on its history, don't you think? Things tend not to linger, when they could instead fall into quiet and forgotten ruin. Probably, the name is only kept to inspire some confidence and loyalty."
She sounds a little rueful, shaking her head before she looks towards Ragnell. "--there is one thing we do know, at least. The Demon of Elru called himself our enemy - and it does appear as if some of our number have some past history with him. Do not take that to mean he's on anyone's /side/, mind you - he did not seem to care in any way as to who actually got caught in his attacks."
There is a pause, and something that's been bothering her suddenly filters through into her consciousness, as she lifts up from the totem pole long enough to plant her hands on her hips. "Why exactly is it a pair of Metal Demons, supposed enemies of the world, are the ones with the most faith in human nature? Honestly," she grumbles at Lemina in particular, since she's the actual human here, and Ragnell's the sort to cheerfully shrug and grin past the complaint anyway.
Whatever she was about to say is cut off by her rather unladylike noise of surprise, though, suddenly having to steady the totem pole as it begins to skid and slide across the floor. "Was this plan entirely thought out?!" she grouses-- but a heaving effort between the metal demons manages to slow the momentum of the totem pole enough for it to be maneuvered into the hole, landing there with a satisfying sort of 'ka-chunk' that hinges the door open.
DG: Lemina Ausa has drawn a new Challenge.
==================================== <* Sult Ruins *>================================ ============================ <* CHALLENGE - The Rock Bird *>========================= |Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >--------------------------- As the party approaches the deepest recesses of the ruins, there is a grinding sound from up above... and then a huge creature breaks away from the ceiling, small bits of dust and rock falling from its form as it settles to the ground with a heavy thud. The creature is a Rock Bird - literally a stylized falcon made from stone in this case - that has been animated with ancient sorcery to protect the depths of the ruins. It makes no noise, and instead glides just above the ground as it attempts to use its massive bulk to crush the party into the dirt of the ruins floor! The construct is relentless, and will not stop until the party flees or is destroyed. =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Hey! It's just experience talking! Besides, I never said people /can't/ be good, just, you know. People are jerks. Like, lots of people." A beat. "And some -- I was about to say 'mega-stinky ambulatory toilets,' but calling him 'ambulatory' is a bit of a stretch by itself, so I /guess/ I'm out of insults."
Yikes.
No sooner has Lemina finished her round of literal shitposting than out of the door comes a sound -- a creaking, horrible noise, as rocks crack off the ceiling -- and thn a /giant falcon/ flies through the door! It opens its mouth as if to caw at them, but no sound comes forth -- instead, that's just the briefest of warnings before it starts flying around the room, clipping the top of the totem and trying to beat everyone to death with its wings.
"Jeez -- you'd think they'd put a warning on the door!" Lemina shouts. "Like -- 'Caution: Giant Evil Death Bird' or something!" She thrusts her staff out and begins to chant nevertheless, though, and the next time the construct swoops down, greets it with a big ol' pillar of flame.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Rock Bird.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"What is most striking about their presence here is that this is well outside both Aveh and Garlyle's territory -- and if I know General Baal from back in Elru, he isn't prone to flights of fancy," Riesenlied expresses with a rueful frown. "They want something specific here, and I hardly think that it is for learning -- there's military profit to be gained here... some kind of power. What, I don't know--"
She gasps as she stares at the falcon and leaps out of the way, holding her arms in front of her as she barely withstands the battering pressure of the Falcon attempting to slam them down. "I--" she frowns and concentrates again. As she breathes, motes of effulgent light begin to emanate from her very body, photons unleashing and guiding lines for her Pinions to launch once more. Not too bad for a Metal Demon, focusing on her inner power like this. Not quite Sorcery, but then again...
"Go, my Pinions..."
The Pinions criss-cross as they attempt to harrangue and provide a barrier for the group -- both figuratively in the way they cut across to attempt to harrass the bird's motions, and at times when they literally form into a field of protection for those hiding behind to benefit from.
DG: You use your Tool Dragon Horn against your party's Challenge, The Rock Bird!
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon Horn toward her party's challenge, The Rock Bird.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Things tend not to linger, when they could instead fall into quiet and forgotten ruin... For some reason, this gives Ragnell pause, and she looks at Noeline sidelong with a faint frown. Something about that... ... She shakes her head. No, it's nothing, she decides. Maybe just struck a nerve, is all.
"Sounds like the kinda guy who's *everyone's* enemy," she says dryly to Noeline, of the Demon of Elru. "The kinda guy you pick up a gang a' friends and beat down all together. Someone like that's a little *too* much trouble in the long run, if y'ask me." Though she's not sure, if this guy can wipe out armies with ease, how many people one would need to *get* before one could feasibly take it out. Maybe it's a job for people with Gears. They'd probably go down slower, in any case.
And Noeline's right: her groused question just gets her a jovial laugh. "Goddess only knows!" she says cheerfully. "But I think that's cute 'bout you two. I don't dislike that kinda faith." ...huh. Kind of an odd thing for such an open human-hater to say. Then again, considering she snorts and laughs at Lemina's literal shit-posting next, maybe it's not that odd. To Riese, she says, "So you think there's somethin' in these ruins. Maybe somethin' like a weapon--"
Huh. That's... not a *good* sound. Ragnell looks up as a grinding sound echoes above, just before a silent stone falcon swoops down at them silently. Ragnell bellows as she's knocked to the floor, before the impact knocks the breath out of her. Not that she needs to breathe per se, but... taking human form means imitating humans in some ways. When she gets back to her feet, she calls to Lemina, "Nah, that'd be too *neighborly*! I'm bettin' this bird's here to keep the likes of us out!" Or else it just roosted here at some point. In which case maybe *they* should be the ones to put up a sign warning Drifters of a death bird. Ragnell's not going to be the one to suggest it, though. She's kind of busy shooting off lightning bullets at the stone bird's wings and underbelly, hoping to chip them off and help ground the little asshole while Riese takes care of defenses and Lemina shoots a tower of flame its way.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Rock Bird.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline only snorts brightly at Lemina's comment, her eyebrows going up in amusement. "Oh, dear. I suppose I shouldn't disparage personal experience, hm? And-- that appears to be the only option available to us," she confirms to the Seraph with a shake of her head. "Seeing it happen at Old Petra was something else. Even human and demon working together was not enough to bring him down by force - in the end, we had to settle for a running retreat more than anything else."
But there's a noise, and one moment Noeline is standing - and the next she has bolted in front of Riesenlied, a blur of spinning crimson filling the space in front of her to cover the winged woman as the spy whips a large and ornamental scythe around into a facsimile of a defensive barrier. "--whatever else it is that Garlyle want-- I very much doubt it is something like this!" she cries over the sudden din as she shoves the last of the attacks away, having at least provided enough time for Riesenlied to form their defence.
This is evidently a practiced tactic, because the moment the Pinions bolt forth is the same that Noeline goes on the offensive, suddenly streaking forwards low enough to the ground to offer the feathers a chance to shoot over her head. One of her ARMs joins in, its laser fire lighting the gloomy ruins in broad sweeps as the combined fire seeks to pin the bird down long enough for Noeline to deliver a broad, slicing blow at the creature's body.
Were it visibly living, she might have held back at least a little for Riesenlied's sake - but a creature made solely of stone gives her an opportunity to put her whole strength into the blow.
DG: Noeline has used her Tool Trouble toward her party's challenge, The Rock Bird.
=============================== <* Sult Ruins - Round 5 *>=========================== ============================== < Results - The Rock Bird >=========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 19 --(6)--> 25 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 18 --(13)--> 31 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 19 --(5)--> 24 Pass Dragon Horn 3 Combat Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Noeline 19 --(6)--> 25 Pass Trouble 2 Combat Effects: Resilient -----------------------------------==== < Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Lemina Ausa 80 --(40)--> 120 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Injure(1) Effects: Resilient(1) =================================== < Dream Chasers >================================
==================================== <* Sult Ruins *>================================ ========================= <* CHALLENGE - A Mysterious Statue *>====================== |Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Discovery |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------==== < Challenge Information: >--------------------------- The depths of the ruins hide unusual treasures, but nothing is as strange as the -quite inanimate- stone statue. It isn't very large, only two feet in height, but appears to be intricately carved and cast in the likeness of a young woman with long hair, unusual ears whose true nature has been obscured by damage and the passage of time, and an unusual robe that appears to be dissimilar to the typical style of the Baskar. While unusual, it is a cultural artifact and will fetch a modest reward at the Adventurers' Guild or the Ethos. =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Conjeture later! Fight now!" Riese's pinions both shield the party from harm /and/ directly carve off a wing; Ragnell and Noeline -- and Noeline's wonderful, charming friend Trouble -- are able to provide followups on Lemina's crushing offense and Riesenlied's perfect defense and finish the bird in a rain of shots. In the end, it's that slicing blow to the midsection that finishes it off, though -- bisected, the stone creature falls in twain and then shatters, still crackling with electricity.
Lemina sweats just a little bit. "Hhhf," she breathes, blinking a few times. "Okay -- let's... let's take a peek into the next room. Maybe we'll find those military... whatevers, right?"
Heading into the final room, there's a very different sort of statue -- though covered in rubble from the /previous/ one flying out, it's easy to see the silhouette. A woman, with strange ears and long hair...
Lemina pauses, scootching closer to the statue. When she's sure it's not going to bite her, she says, "... Hhhhuh. This doesn't match the rest of the ruins -- not /quite/, anyway... the robe is wrong and the ears are weird."
A pause. "... Aaaany ideas? Just -- so we're clear, this thing is coming with us, but, any guesses /before/ we haul it out?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied's breathing is irregular by the time the rock creature falls, the exertion from parrying blows and keeping her allies safe from harm rather clearly taking a lot out of her. It's with a wheeze that the Pinions return to her wingspan with-- not a soft, satisfying click but a somewhat painful-sounding noise. Still, their work was far from done...
...and it is with curiosity that she regards the statue. "... the ..." A hesitant pause. "The Elw, perhaps? It is only a theory, but... the ears are curious." She gestures with a quiet handwave to indicate that she doesn't quite know. "The pattern of the robes, though... they-- somewhat remind me of the Fereshte's--" she indicates to her own cloak, "But they're clearly not the same, and not the pattern of modern Baskar either."
She does her own rounds throughout the room with a hum of thought and a frown. "Empty, though. Looks like they've moved their expedition center since I was last here... unfortunate. Still, at least you guys got something out of this."
She stares towards the visage of the woman for a longer moment.
"Perhaps scholars at Linga may be able to trace it to a certain kind of history, but..." she gestures vaguely. "It matches nothing I know well."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"I can just imagine," Ragnell says wryly to Noeline. "I was just thinkin' it might be a job for folks with those giant robot things--what're they called again, Gears? Golems? Are those the same thing or what? --Yeah, yeah, we're on it!" she calls over to Lemina. And so the fight rages, and soon enough, the stone bird is felled...
Ragnell follows Lemina into the next room, wherein awaits a stone statue. Huh. "Is that it?" she says, scratching her head with the muzzle of her gun. She holsters them, then stands to one side to leave room for the others. "Mmm... Couldn't really fathom a guess. Don't know Filgaia history that well. Whatever it is, I doubt it's what the Garlyle military's lookin' for." She blinks to Riesenlied. The Elw? ...well now, that's quite a theory. She looks the statue over again, but... well, Ragnell knows jack all about the Elw. There's nothing about this thing she recognizes. She shakes her head, shrugs, and then nods to Riese. "Yeah. Takin' it to Linga's probably your best bet. Worst comes t' worst, you could probably sell it for a decent amount a' pocket change."
This is probably the point where Lemina's eyes turn into dollar signs.
<Pose Tracker> Noeline has posed.
Noeline's final slice has something of a flourish to it; she almost seems to hold the pose for a moment before she abruptly straightens up, patting herself down as she makes a noise of satisfaction. "Really, now," she comments as she pats the little robot on what passes for a forehead. "I dare say we only beat that thanks to age and wear, but I'll take the victory either way," she adds, glancing once at Riesenlied with an uncertain frown as her pinions reseat themselves.
Before long, she's at the blonde woman's side, at least ready to offer support as they reach what appears to be the goal of their expedition. "I can't imagine what else it might be... well. Rather, I cannot imagine what other races might exist that would be that old and that revered," she amends lightly. "I doubt you are going to see many shrines to beastmen, or to anything else of the sort."
Carefully, she glances around - but there do not appear to be any paths onwards, and she frowns a little at the realization that this might be a dead end. "That is unfortunate - but it may be that we have more of a chance to uncover their activities in the future. At the very least, we can say that they're still here, which does imply there is yet more to be plumbed here. Perhaps we should ask some friends to keep watch for when they leave," she suggests, not exactly brightly but at least with some relish.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"... Hmmm. I guess I'll have to do some research, if even you guys don't know!" Lemina's expression is downright /bright/ -- and only gets brighter when Ragnell mentions pocket change. "If it's not magical and it /is/ valuable, then the best thing it can do for the Magic Guild of Vane is, in fact, be sold!" She fistpumps exaggeratedly, noting, "And of course, you'll all be thanked vigorously for your contributions to magical scholarship on two worlds."
She even has a starting point, thanks to her Demon friends -- the word 'Elw' is new to her, but that sure isn't going to be the case for very long! Electing to at least /pretend/ thoughtfulness, Lemina eventually adds, "Sorry you guys didn't find what you were looking for, though. If you want we can go outside and beat them up until they give us their stuff!"
There is nothing to suggest she's kidding.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The sweatdrop emoticon next to Riesenlied's head is almost visible. Almost.
"W-while that would not be the worst of ideas, I think... we've already set enough alarms that it probably would not be a good idea," she comments. "Not because I don't think we can do it, but because I'd rather our presence in particular be left scarce lest the General catch wind of it. We still don't know what they're exactly after, and I would rather we not tip our hand too early."
There's a soft smile as she says, "That is an idea, Noeline. I will have some of the sherpa keep tabs." Just how many tribesfolk are you friends with, Riesenlied?
"I would daresay that statue would fetch quite the commanding price though... Noeline could probably direct you to some buyers in the Lingan circuit."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"No? That's a shame," Ragnell syas to Riese's rejection of Lemina's suggestion to just beat up the military guys. She sounds genuinely disappointed, too. "Still, you know best. Let's just focus on what we got, Lem." And Noeline and Riese seem to have keeping an eye out covered, so--from here, it seems like all they have to do is carry this statue back out!
She snorts in amusement at Lemina's talk of vigorous thanks, though. "Thanky kindly," she says with dry amusement.