2017-08-07: Sacred Ground of Chets

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==========================<* Sacred Grounds of Linga *>===========================

The Sacred Grounds of Linga are an ancient cave system renowned for a bevy of rare subterranean plants and geological formations. Researchers in the nearby Academy City are known to pay for a wide variety of materials taken from the Grounds for use in their studies, and so the upper regions see a steady stream of Drifters.

The lower reaches, however, are darker and more sinister, populated by strange and twisted monstrosities. A few stories are told of ancient relics being discovered there, some of them predating even the Metal Demon Wars, but few who enter the depths return to corroborate the tale.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHEMyH9XbhM
DG: Layna Manydays has created a party! To join, type +party/reset and then type +party/join Layna Manydays.
DG: Rose has joined your party!
DG: Neriah Parringer has left your party.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has joined your party!
DG: Catenna has joined your party!
DG: A party led by Layna Manydays is now entering Sacred Grounds of Linga.
DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
======================<* CHALLENGE - Annoying Ascent *>=======================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The path to the Sacred Grounds of Linga leads your party up a long and        
 twisted mountain slope. Bare patches of earth suggest a path once existed,    
 but now it seems you'd have to be half-goat to follow it in places. The       
 first challenge of the Sacred Grounds, it seems, is climbing your way to the  
 entrance.                                                                     
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

For somewhere remarkably close to where they had landed, Layna had yet to delve into the Sacred Grounds of Linga. Today, Layna decided it was time to change that, and she wasn't alone. She'd called in some friends and reliable allies for the trip.

Layna had arrived ahead of everyone else along with her Quartermaster, Dahlia - a short, stern-faced woman who was at the moment, quietly discussing something with her Captain. Once everyone is gathered, Layna grins and offers the group a wave.

"Thanks for coming! Looks like we've got a bit of a walk ahead of us, aye?" She comments with a chuckle. Dahlia simply offers everyone a curt nod.

As it would happen, 'a bit of a walk' was a bit of an understatement. The pathway up wasn't exactly an easy one. It was rough, and a little difficult to keep hold of in places.

Layna, though, seems perfectly content with it as she strolls along her way.

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Annoying Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna's been to the Sacred Grounds enough times to remember this ascent. She's also been here enough times to know there's plenty of things in the area to catch one's robes or skirts on. She shucked her robe and went with her high boots, shorts and vest, her ARM strapped over her shoulder.

"I am always pleased to accompany you, Captain," Catenna answers Layna, though she's blushing just a little. The pirate from Lunar was there to witness her embarrassment on the beach the other day, after all. "But I do not think the walk will be as severe as you state."

Uncoiling a long length of rope from somewhere on her belt, Catenna sets her heels apart, giving herself a solid base as she whirls her rope and grappling hook out to her side. She builds up momentum before hurling the rope with a hard, long cast. The grappling hook soars through the air and bites onto a rocky outcropping well up the slope.

"This may help," she offers Layna as she begins to pull herself up the incline.

DG: Catenna has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Annoying Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Cyre has been here several times by now. He's not quite what one would consider 'old hat' necessarily, but he and Catenna DID happen upon quite a fascinating find the last time they were here. Maybe they'll get lucky and stumble into more of that strange correspondence between priests? Maybe they'll be eaten by bugbears instead!?

Who knows?

Cyre tries not to think about it. It's not a hard task. He has plenty to distract himself with.

Cyre floats at a leisurely pace towards the cliff's zenith, his parachute ballooned out overtop of him. "Please, take your time," he says to the others, resting his chin into a gloved hand. "I'm in no rush at all."

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, Annoying Ascent.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

Rose had befriended one pirate already, it was time to make it two. Pirates may not be the most honest of folks, but they're good business, and as long as they don't end up with innocent blood on their hands, it won't be a matter that concerns the Scattered Bones too much. Bigger fish to fry and all that.

"Hello hello! So, how's the ship? Did you figure out how to un-landlock it yet?" Last she'd heard, that was still a problem. Or was she thinking of another pirate from Lunar? The amount of Lunarians showing up had been going up, it was hard to keep track of every name and face.

Upon seeing the way in was up, Rose pulled a rope and hook of her own out, making do like Catenna, tossing it up and providing a second way up. It'll be faster if they don't all use the same rope. As she begins climbing, she looks towards Cyre, grinning. "Hey, I remembered to bring you something! If you do good today you'll get an apple, yes you will!" At this point it's unclear if it's sincere or teasing, but she DID bring an apple for real.

DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Annoying Ascent.
======================<* CHALLENGE - Annoying Ascent *>=======================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The path to the Sacred Grounds of Linga leads your party up a long and        
 twisted mountain slope. Bare patches of earth suggest a path once existed,    
 but now it seems you'd have to be half-goat to follow it in places. The       
 first challenge of the Sacred Grounds, it seems, is climbing your way to the  
 entrance.                                                                     
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays 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> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Cyre just sort of stares at Rose.

"...An apple?" He asks, expression just... blank. "...Why an apple though?"

<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

"Well you wouldn't answer the question when I asked what kinds of treats you liked, and then you said you liked apples, so I figured I'd play it safe." See, this is why you should answer questions, Cyre.

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna steals a sidelong glance towards Rose as she teases Cyre with fruit and treats. There's something behind her eyes that's difficult to actually read.

"I have a fairly good idea of what treats he likes," she says drily as she adjusts the laces of her shorts.

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Juicy, apple-shaped things are good too," Cyre says as he floats inexorably towards their destination. "But fruit's fine, I guess. Did you bring enough for everyone?"

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna grins back at Catenna. She clearly remembers that little incident, but at the same time she also doesn't seem about to shout it to the world, either. So that was a win, right?

Rose also gets a grin, and a nod as well.

"Aye, that I did, lass! We stumbled on something that'll help us a great deal, I wager." She says confidently.

"...It's still a work in process, however. We still to free her, and after that we'll need to find a way to actually get her onto the water." Dahlia fills in, tempering some of Layna's confidence with reality.

It's idle conversation, mostly, as they work their way up to the top - though Cyre manages to just float all the way up there with his reverse parachute. Layna, always the show-off, attempts to follow suit with a strong gust of wind, but...doesn't quite get there.

It doesn't seem to bother her all that much, though, and with a laugh she just resorted to using the lines provide by Rose and Catenna. They were going a long way toward shortening the distance, and before long everyone is up at the entrance.

"Oh? Do tell, lass." Layna asks with a teasing grin and a glance in Catenna's direction. Dahlia just rolls her eyes and starts making her way into the Sacred Grounds.

DG: Catenna has drawn a new Challenge.
====================<* CHALLENGE - Effervescent Elementals *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 These strange, swirling creatures look like they may once have been guardian  
 spirits, nearly-formless creatures of pure air. Unfortunately, the air in     
 this part of the cave is pretty rank, and the creatures bring their full      
 flavour to bear as they fight.                                                
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

A gentle blush rises to Catenna's cheeks as Layna calls her bluff. She lowers her eyelids ever so slightly. "I should hate to reveal all of Cyre's secrets," she murmurs, though the catman's talk about juicy apple-shaped things leave her blushing all the more vividly. "Besides, there is still a dungeon ahead of us."

She eases past a cavernous arch, then looks back towards Layna, eyebrows arched. "You are... of Lunar, correct?" she asks. "I admit that I am curious about this... Althena, whom I have heard about--"

She cuts off, catching a whiff of something putrid. Catenna curls her lips in realization. "Oh no."

With a noxious swirl, the air eddies ahead, brownish eddies of rank fumes whorling into the form of will-O'-wisps of sorts, like dead guardian spirits from some rancid bathroom from an age long past. Catenna reaches for her top to try and cover her nose with a scrap of fabric. Then she grimaces as she remembers her fest doesn't have much by way of a collar, or even all that high of a neckline. "These creatures again," she hisses as she draws her Medium into her hand.

The power of gravity isn't that much use against mists and fogs like this, but she's able to recite something in her own language, the air rippling with gravitic shifts as she invokes the power of Celesdue. It's enough to cast a haze through the cavern - one that seems to disorient the magic fart clouds!

DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, Effervescent Elementals.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Cyre's day is just not complete until he successfully flusters at least 1d4 ladies. It's a fundamental rule of the universe, like gravity, protagonism and monarchy.

And also stink.

"Wh--" Cyre sniffs... And immediately throws his cloak up and over his nose. "Augh! No, not these things again! It took me a week to get the reek out of my cloak the last time!" His hands twist into eldritch signs. The winds stir and howl in reply. Where gravity might not prevail against these clouds of foul, stagnant air, maybe a sharp wind would be more effective...!

(Or maybe it'll just get the stuff over EVERYONE. Double ew!!)

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Effervescent Elementals.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

Rose turns to Catenna, curious. "How much do you want for that information? I pay very well!" Is that a sly grin? Watch out, Cyre, if Catenna isn't bluffing she might give Rose a terrible weapon.

"Oh, I always have enough food on me in case something goes wrong, so I've got a bunch of apples we can all snack on, sure, it's not just for you."

Then towards Layna: "Ooh? I'd love to hear more, let me know if you need any sort of supplies to make it happy! I'll give you a nice bulk discount!" She could use a friend with a ship, let's be honest.

Up they go. Rose retrieves her rope and hook, following along into the depths of the Sacred Grouns. Except, there are ghosts. Spirits. Air elementals? The distinction doesn't much matter.

Rose kind of backs up. Conveniently, behind Cyre, just a tad.

"I liked ghosts a lot better when I couldn't see or smell them," she whines, whipping her knives out. At least, as long as she has those knives in her hands, she knows how to solve problems... reluctant as she is to do so. She steps back forward, and slices a large circle in the air ahead of the ground. "Shining Mirror!"

It's a shield! A protective shield. It also strikes attackers back with slashing jets of water. It's great cover.

DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, Effervescent Elementals.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

"Aye, that I am!" Layna confirms with a nod, following the other into the entrance.

"'Course, theology's not exactly a strong suit of mine. I could probably tell you what you want to know, aye, but you'd probably be better off asking someone better-versed on the subject. Like me chaplain, Lysander." She explains. It takes her a second to realize what exactly had caused Catenna to halt in her tracks. Spirits of some kind, with a horrific stench.

Unfortunately, this wasn't an enemy she could punch. She decides to follow Cyre's example, reciting an incantation with the intent of stirring up a gust to disperse those foul spirits.

Dahlia, however, has no way of contributing against this particular foe, so she stands off to the side. Rose gets her attention, however.

"You're a merchant, then? We have a large crew to support. I would be interested in hearing your prices, once this is all over." She comments.

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Effervescent Elementals.
====================<* CHALLENGE - Effervescent Elementals *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 These strange, swirling creatures look like they may once have been guardian  
 spirits, nearly-formless creatures of pure air. Unfortunately, the air in     
 this part of the cave is pretty rank, and the creatures bring their full      
 flavour to bear as they fight.                                                
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays 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> Catenna has posed.

"Some of Cyre's favourite treats are a secret too grave for me to sell, Miss Rose," Catenna answers Rose, glancing over with a little lowering of her lashes. She doesn't smile. But she might feel it.

In shockingly little time, the rank clouds of fumes go down. Confused by Catenna's disorienting spell, the creatures are helpless to stand against Cyre's breaking of wind. Rose's shield blocks the scent, while the gushing jets of water dampen much of the fumes into a noxious liquid, which dissipates between Cyre's wind and Layna's. Droplets of liquefied fart demon disperse and filter away into nothingness.

With a toss of her head, Catenna lets out a little huff. "I suppose that is that, then," she murmurs as she gestures, guiding the group on.

When she looks back to Layna, it's with a quiet smile. "I should like to ask your chaplain, then... I am a priestess in the service of Celesdue, the spirit of the Moon. That there could be another goddess of the Moon is... curious to me."

DG: Rose has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Jumping Jellies *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 The wall fungus has spread to the floor of this part of the Sacred            
 Grounds...and it's exceptionally slick, to boot. Making your way through      
 this part of the halls will require some careful coordination.                
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

"Ahah~ well, it was worth a try," Rose answers Catenna, a bit sad. What cheers her up is the fact the ghosts are no more, and she won't hear any attempt to explain how they aren't ghosts, just elemental spirits. Spirit is just another word for ghost, you know?

They were the ghosts of breezes past.

But ahead they go now, though narrow paths and half-collapsed tunnels, through an empty room or two, until footing seems to suddenly be a lot harder to find. It's not that the floor is gone, it's that it's covered some weird fungus and slime flowing from the walls. It won't hurt if you fall, but good luck getting that gunk out of your clothes and hair!

Rose produces her rope and hook again, throwing it up to lock it in a crack on the ceiling. She tugs a few times, and then starts walking ahead, with the rope providing a neat anchor so slipping up is harder.

Of course everyone else is free to use the rope.

"Eww, eww, what is this even? It looks like fungus but it's like slippery goop. Why's a plant like this even exist?!"

DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Jumping Jellies.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

They were the ghosts of SOMETHING past. Or rather...

Passed Ghasts

But hey, they managed to breeze through them somehow! All of this adventuring has clearly done something good for Cyre's ability to banish foul winds to the caverns from which they were spawned. "The OTHER things that I... like," Cyre answers, "Are secrets. All of them. Yep."

Cyre definitely does not like goop. "Ugh," his nose rankles. "I know what this stuff is. It's a really weird kind of slime mold. Harmless, just... try not to step on the stuff. It's gross."

Which is why Cyre's not going to be stepping on it at all. Instead, he takes to the air again. The balloon inflates, Cyre goes sailing on past the goop. Hopefully nothing sends him spiralling to slimey doom, or anything.

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, Jumping Jellies.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna dips her eyelids ever so slightly. "Perhaps in the future," she offers Rose mildly, as though feeling a little guilty for making the woman sad at all.

The next room, meanwhile, sees safe footing rapidly vanishing, replaced by flowing slime and overall grossness. Catenna gasps, stumbling back a couple of feet to avoid stepping in the gunk. "How utterly unpleasant," she mutters, looking down into the slimy mess and shifting her footing to avoid plopping a heel down in it. She wouldn't want to get all that sloppy and gross, after all.

With Rose already thowing a rope, Catenna looks back towards Cyre as he floats up on his parachute. "I will try my level best. I have done more than enough getting into awkward damp situations this week," she huffs, before deciding to save her rope and cheat by using Rose's.

Taking ahold of the rope line, she begins to move ahead, delicately darting around some of the slime puddles, then hopping over a couple more. She cringes as she comes perilously close to one.

DG: Catenna has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Jumping Jellies.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

"Once we get outta here, then, I'll give you directions to the Ruby Empress, aye? Any time you want to learn, just stop on by." Layna replies with a nod toward Catenna. She figured Lysander would probably appreciate the opportunity, too.

The weird substance coating the floor, though...

"Plant's're supposed to be a bit more solid, aye? How in the world did they end up all...slime-y?" Layna asks, confused. This...didn't seem right. Unfortunately, this was the situation now, so she and Dahlia have to make their way carefully around the 'puddles' of slimey fungus.

Layna would just try to use the wind to jump past all of them, but without something like Cyre's parachute she lacked a bit in the way of...control. Distance was fine, but she didn't want to send herself flying right into them!

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Jumping Jellies.
========================<* CHALLENGE - Jumping Jellies *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 The wall fungus has spread to the floor of this part of the Sacred            
 Grounds...and it's exceptionally slick, to boot. Making your way through      
 this part of the halls will require some careful coordination.                
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow=====================================================
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays 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> Rose has posed.

It's not Rose or Cyre who need to worry about the slime, apparently; as Rose finishes crossing, the ceiling cracks, and the hook dislodges itself! The sudden loss of grip might be what makes Catenna trip, and then it's a dominos effect right on Layna. Or maybe not! Good thing it's not corrosive slime or anything like that. Just weird funky goop.

The way ahead, at least, is clear.

Rose will happily help people back up if they fall, though it seems she only has one towel to go around in her backpack. She didn't pack for a beach party!


DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has drawn a new Challenge.
====================<* CHALLENGE - Gella Glorious Gella *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 Lucky find! Somehow, through the twists and turns, you've found a room of     
 unopened chests. Unfortunately, the damp has swollen the wood against their   
 metal frames, leaving the chets unlocked, but still stuck shut. Getting them  
 open will require some muscle and sweat.                                      
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================

>chets

>chets

>CHETS

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

What terrors lurk within the depths of Linga? What horrors await a band of intrepid adventurers in their pursuit of triumph, glory and wealth...!?

So far: Poop toots, slime falls and now...

Cyre stares flatly at what lies before you. A series of wooden chests. No. A series of... Wooden Chets. The chests are carved in such a way that they are not simply boxes, but exquisite carvings of swole and scantily clad men folded in on themslves in increasingly muscle-bulgingly ways.

"'Sup bruh," one mahogany Chet intones with the dulcet voice of an accomplished surf-master. "Woaaaaah, ladies! Today's our lucky day bruh!" A second, made of burnished ebony answers. "You gotta show us what you got if you want what we've got, bruh and bruhsettes. Our insides are JAM PACKED with treasure, bruh." The third one is... Made of wicker. And has luscious blonde locks.

"But to get it, you gotta show us... YOUR GAINS! YEAAAAH BRUHHH."

Cyre's brow twitches.

"What," he says.

Answer: Mimic Chets. A special variety of mimic that appears as a scantily clad macho man. Contains treasure, and sells well in certain circles.

"I'm not doing this," Cyre says, igniting his censer. It gives off fragrant smoke. "Taking a breather. Catenna, Layna, you guys need something to towel off wi--"

"Woaaaaaah, sweet fumes bruh! You wanna roll some of that up for us bruh?"

Cyre's eyes narrow.

He appears to be experiencing flashbacks.

Sweaty, muscular flashbacks.

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Invigorating Vapors toward his party's challenge, Gella Glorious Gella.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

The hook gives way just as Catenna's over a large puddle of slime. She stumbles - and her heel comes down in the slime patch. "Oh dear," she gasps, pinwheeling her arms as she topples backwards. "Oh no-- oh my-- oh dear--"

She topples over with a loud squelch and topples into the slime puddle.

With a disgusted groan, Catenna pulls herself out of the mess with a little help from Rose. She flails around in her inventory. She's awfully covered with sticky slime, making a mess of her hair and dripping across her skin. Ripping a waterskin out of her personal belongings, she clambers for dry ground, then gasps as she opens up the skin and pours it across herself. There's a lot of water there.

Much of the slime washes off. Now she's just plain damp. Her hair ends up clinging to her shoulders and face in inky black tendrils. She's blushing, hard.

"I would absolutely love something to dry off with," Catenna says with a nod towards Cyre, but she stops as she realizes what's ahead.

Catenna stares for a long moment. Stares at the macho mimics.

"Right, killing them all," she says as she unslings her shotgun urgently.

DG: Catenna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Gella Glorious Gella.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

"What," Rose says, in-sync with Cyre.

Although, the promise of treasure...

Jam-packed, they say?

"Whoa, hey, careful with the shotgun there! You don't want to damage their contents! No, look, we need to handle this professionally!"

Rose approaches the Chets, hands on her hips. "Guys! You know what really helps with gains? It's proteins! You guys probably don't get a whole lot of those down here, huh? So how about this, I'll give you guys a whole bottle of the stuff, and if there's enough in you to pay for more I'll come back with more."

Rose shuffles into her backpack. Let's see. Healing potion, strength potion, explosives, what's that teddy bear for, bunch of apples, emergency rations, fifty knives... ah-ha! Rose pulls out a large pack of Blastemol!®, now in convenient powder format to make EXPLOSIVE SHAKES. She strips the label off, and then offers it to the Chets.

What, they're mimics. Like Rose minds what happens to them once they leave.

DG: Rose has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Gella Glorious Gella.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna ends up knocked over as well. On her way forward, Dahlia lifts her to her feet, but it doesn't change the fact that her coat is now covered the stuff.

"Well. That happened." She muttered, a bit of her enthusiasm vanishing.

You could say the situation really...took the wind out of her sails.

It goes right back in, though, when she enters the next room to find the possibility of treasure! ...Except the treasure is in weird, man-shaped boxes. Just what kind of planet was Filgaia?

She's not drunk enough for this. She reaches into her coat and pulls out a thankfully clean bottle of probably alcoholic liquid and takes a swig. Another bottle is offered to the party.

Dahlia, however...draws her weapon. A two-handed boarding axe, made for opening up stubborn obstructions.

"Miss Rose, I think she might have the right idea, actually...but if I may offer an alternate solution..." She says, approaching the chets with the blade of her axe gleaming menacingly.

If they don't offer up their contents, the Chets are probably going to end up regretting it. Unfortunately for them, this party is only interested in one particular kind of gains.

DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Quartermaster's Stash toward her party's challenge, Gella Glorious Gella.
====================<* CHALLENGE - Gella Glorious Gella *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 Lucky find! Somehow, through the twists and turns, you've found a room of     
 unopened chests. Unfortunately, the damp has swollen the wood against their   
 metal frames, leaving the chets unlocked, but still stuck shut. Getting them  
 open will require some muscle and sweat.                                      
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 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> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Uhhhh, I dunno bruhsette," the mahogany one says even as it receives Rose's offer of SWEET PROTEIN POWDER. "Yeah bruhskittle, how do we know if there's no meat in there?" The ebony one shrugs and then immediately reconfigures into yet another flex. "Yeah bruhdamoiselle, we're vegan, y'know? Animal cruelty is not our jam. Mimics for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, represeeeee--"

Cyre's face twitches one more time. Catenna and Layna issue threats.

"W-woah woah woah bruhquerita," the blonde one flexes with a strangely conciliatory tone at both gun and the axe. "We don't want no trouble, we're just shootin' the breeze with our bruhskis, you dig? Look, we appreciate the muscle powder and not bein' chopped. We'll give you some of what we've got if one of you show us... YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES! Dag if those guns don't got it goin' on though. I think ours are BIGGER THOUGH!!"

The Chet flexes.

Cyre stares.

It flexes harder.

Cyre stares harder.

YEARS AGO

Come on brother! You gotta SHOW ME YOUR GAINS! You think you can lead the village with little sticks like those!?

Leon I'm really not sure muscles have anything to do with leadership--

Nonsense! The body is the temple of the soul! Treat your muscles with respect, with love, and all those who follow you will know... YOUR DETERMINATION!

A muscle stretches.

YOUR DEDICATION!

A pec bounces.

YOUR STREEEENGTH!

Please no Leon I can't move anymore

That just means you're getting stronger! Don't worry, we'll get you into shape in time for the test. Just believe in your big bro--

NOW

"I'll do it."

Cyre reaches up to his collar, undoes his cloak, and hurls it towards Catenna. "Use that."

And then he undoes his shirt and tosses it aside. The Chets look on expectantly.

Cyre links his hands together, looping his arms down low. He flexes.

He FLEXES.

Green light burns in his eyes, wafts from his shoulders. His muscles strain, his definition ripples, revealing a tight, well-maintained physique criss-crossed with dark, patterned stripes. Not a bodybuilder, but an athlete. Not a weightlifting master, but an acrobat.

This...

Is all he can give...!

The Chets look to one another, then look to the gun and the axe, and shrug.

"Good enough for us, bruh," the one up front says as the two in the back flex on. He reaches his arms up, and flexes mightily as... His pecs open up and begin disgorging a pile of silver coins.

It looks like the party managed to... Open a chest.

DG: Layna Manydays has drawn a new Challenge.
=====================<* CHALLENGE - OWLBEARS OWLBEARS *>======================
|Type: Climax      |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 Part owl, part bear, and part hate, an owlbear is a giant monster with the    
 body of a bear and the head of a very angry owl. Also they use swords. An     
 owlbear - the Linga Academy-approved word for a gathering of owlbears - of    
 owlbears owl out in fury and barrel their way toward you, swords waving.      
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken, Injure===========================================
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Dahlia eyes the pile of coins uneasily, but Layna isn't one to turn her head up at a potential source of cash. She readily scoops up her share and makes her way into the next room...where a bunch of owlbears sit around a campfire, comparing their swords.

They look up and stare at the party as they enter the next chamber. Layna stares back. One of them hoots aggressively. This soon transforms into a chorus of hooting as the owlbears get to their feet, swords at the ready.

...Do they really need swords? Those paws of theirs seem deadly enough as it is! They seemed to think they do, though, and there's no time to question it as the entire owlbear is soon charging at the party.

Layna dives to the side as a blade comes sweeping toward her, draws her bladed gauntlets, and aims a punch toward the owlbear's gut. Another one goes for Dahlia, and she parries its blade with the handle of her axe before taking a swing at it.

The rest of the party is about to have some giant bundles of hate and feathers descend upon them, as well!

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, OWLBEARS OWLBEARS.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna gets ahold of Cyre's cloak. Blinking, she wraps herself in it like the biggest blanket ever, even nestling her face in it to hide from the hysterically disturbing image that is the Chets disgorging gold from their pecs.

She breathes in. Realizes the cloak smells like Cyre.

Blushes. A lot.

Until the sound of approaching owlbears jerks her out of her thoughts. With a gasp, she looks up, the cloak still hanging around her as she jerks back several feet. Reflexively she breaks her shotgun, crams a round into it and lays down some covering fire.

Shouldering the ARM, Catenna lifts her medium in her hands and begins to chant. In her own language, she calls upon Celesdue; that name, at least, can be heard clearly enough among those curious words, not of Ignas nor quite of the Baskar. But the effects of the spell are felt soon enough. The air around the hulking owlbears ripples and shimmers, and the hulking beats suddenly find themselves struggling to move forward. Their motions come sluggishly, burdened by the inexorable grip of gravity.

"Quickly," Catenna urges. "I cannot hold the spell forever--!"

DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, OWLBEARS OWLBEARS.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

The only important gains here were the piles of silver coins. Though Rose is rather impressed by Cyre suddenly flexing and putting on a show. She almost swoons! Almost. She has more control than that.

"My my! Cyre, I didn't take you for such a manly specimen! I think I might have been focusing on the wrong parts of you, who cares about those fluffy ears with abs like that!" Or is it more that the fluffy ears are a bonus? Definitely a bonus.

Rose takes her share of the loot, ready to advance, and quite happy at that. Nevermind the fact she left those mimics with powdered explosives. They'll survive, they're tough! And an explosive diet might just be what freaky monsters want, anyway.

This brings us to the new problem, owlbears.

"I'm not sure which part of them we should be trying to avoid more, the swords, the beaks, the claws or the arms. Well, there's only one solution!"

You know what beasts tend to hate?

It's fire.

Rose's trusty knives twirl out, and she dashes into melee, trailing fire behind her. "Blazing Tempest!" She slashes, she spins like a tornado, spreading the flames in every direction and hopefully keeping the monsters too busy to strike her. It helps that they're slowed by Catenna, too; it probably makes Rose seem even faster than she already is.

DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, OWLBEARS OWLBEARS.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

Bereft of his cloak, Cyre's fluffy ears and twitching tail are out for all to see and admire. This might be a bad idea considering Rose being Rose, but it's not like they had a choice. The Chets had to be satisfied, and it resulted in a pretty hefty payday, so in the end, the sacrifice may have been necessary.

But then... Owlbears.

He should have known it'd be owlbears.

Cyre's hands weave through the air, stirring the atmosphere into a howling storm. "Catenna," he yells, "Hold on as long as you can!" Visible whorls of wind swirl into howling, lance-like missiles. He extends his arm, launching the cluster of windlances into the charging owlbears!

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, OWLBEARS OWLBEARS.
=====================<* CHALLENGE - OWLBEARS OWLBEARS *>======================
|Type: Climax      |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 Part owl, part bear, and part hate, an owlbear is a giant monster with the    
 body of a bear and the head of a very angry owl. Also they use swords. An     
 owlbear - the Linga Academy-approved word for a gathering of owlbears - of    
 owlbears owl out in fury and barrel their way toward you, swords waving.      
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken, Injure===========================================
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays has passed this challenge! The party gained 0 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: Catenna has drawn a new Challenge.
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Punishing Piston *>========================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 With the owlbear of owlbears defeated, the treasure you have sought lies in   
 the room beyond! Unfortunately, the door to it is already closing, thanks to  
 some ancient mechanism triggered in the fighting. If your party can manage    
 to hold the door open long enough, someone might be able to slip through and  
 grab it, but it's been a long dungeon and you've had no time to rest since    
 the fight...                                                                  
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

It is hard for Catenna to concentrate on the spell when Cyre has his ears out like that. All she wants to do is scritch behind them. She stares at him for a couple of seconds before letting out a tiny squeak in the back of her throat, redoubling her efforts on holding the spell in place.

The owlbears go down - and Catenna immediately breaks into a run. "Quickly, the door ahead will close soon!" she calls. Cyre's cloak streams behind her as she puts all thoughts of the catman's adorable ears out of her mind.

Ahead, there's a vast stone door - one which is presently churning closed steadily, driven by some arcane mechanism inexplicable to the eye. The priestess breathes heavily as she runs for the doorway.

Of course, Catenna doesn't have a ton of upper body strength. But she does attempt to grab ahold of the door and pull back with what little might she has. "Come on--!" she gasps, her heels scraping the ground as the door drags her along.

DG: Catenna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Punishing Piston.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

The owlbears turn out not to be too big a problem. That's good! The door beyond them, however, is now taunting the group. That's bad.

While Rose has no trouble being swift of feet, holding up the door is another matter entirely. Her best bet is being the one to dash past the closing door... but that won't happen unless it can be held up.

"Cyre, we need your abs again!"

It's too late, Cyre.

You gave her that ammunition yourself.

DG: Rose has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Punishing Piston.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"My abs are only for special occasions," Cyre asides to a certain voyeuristic knife-stabber. Gosh. Treating someone like a peace of meat only good for the certain body-parts. How objectifying...!

(Kettle, pot, etc)

Cyre has been through these ruins long enough to know what happens after the inevitable Owlbear run. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth as his censer ignites, filling the air with vapors that invigorate the body and clear the mind. But then...!

CYRE E NEED YOUR ABS AGAIN.

"Damnit, Rose!" Cyre yells as he leaps and immediately transitions into a charging baseball slide. "I'm using my glutes here, not my abs!"

BUT WILL HE MAKE IT UNDER THE PISTON BEFORE IT SLAMS SHUT!?

DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Invigorating Vapors toward his party's challenge, Punishing Piston.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Being at the front of the party, Layna and Dahlia are before long swarmed by owlbears. They manage to do decently, but it's starting to look bad - at least, until a wave of gravity rushes over the owlbear of owlbears, giving the entire party a lot more breathing room in dealing with them.

Rose assaults the owlbears with a flurry of knives and flames.

Beasts do indeed hate fire, and owlbears, being twice the beast, do so exceptionally. Specifically, uncontrolled fires like these(which explains why they were just fine sitting around one before - if one were to take a look, one could see that they had followed every safety precaution in the fire they had set up before) which are only intensified as Cyre's windy projectiles shoot through them on their way toward owlbears, fanning the flames.

This assault proves too much for them, and before too long any owlbear that is left standing will soon begin fleeing.

Unfortunately, it seems as if there's no time to rest or celebrate their victory. Catenna calls out that the door ahead of them is closing, so Layna and Dahlia quickly put away their weapons and dash over to their door.

With one arm Layna attempts to slow down the door's closing, but the other...

...reaches into her coat and pulls out a bottle!?

"Anyone care for a drink?" Layna asks with a grin. She uncorks it with her teeth and takes a swig, which earns a glare from Dahlia.

"Captain, is this really the best time?" She asks, her tone scolding, which only earns her a chuckle from Layna.

"What, is that a no?" She replies.

"Of course not. Give it here."

The two pirates, as it happens, are perfectly content contributing their strength to the task at hands, even while drinking.

"Then use 'em! Use those glutes so we can get that loot, aye!?" Layna says, with a way-too-proud grin towards Cyre.

Dahlia stares at her with an expression that says she would clearly be facepalming if her hands weren't full with drink and door respectively.

DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Quartermaster's Stash toward her party's challenge, Punishing Piston.
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Punishing Piston *>========================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 With the owlbear of owlbears defeated, the treasure you have sought lies in   
 the room beyond! Unfortunately, the door to it is already closing, thanks to  
 some ancient mechanism triggered in the fighting. If your party can manage    
 to hold the door open long enough, someone might be able to slip through and  
 grab it, but it's been a long dungeon and you've had no time to rest since    
 the fight...                                                                  
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success!
DG: The party led by Layna Manydays has successfully explored Sacred Grounds of Linga!
======================<* CHALLENGE - Really Weird Weapon *>======================
|Type: Discovery   |Dungeon Ability: Discovery |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 Inside the chest was... some sort of weird old sword? It doesn't appear to    
 be magical, and it's a little rusty, but it's got enough ornamentation on it  
 that it's probably worth something to somebody.                               
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

Catenna blushes at all this talk of Cyre's abs. "Now is as special an occasion as any!" she shouts as she's dragged along by the door.

The pair of pirates help. Layna and Dahlia's strength help slow the door down - and soon enough, Cyre and Rose slip through. Soon after, Catenna and the piratical twosome sneak past as well - and the door thuds shut behind them.

"Every time," Catenna breathes, pressing a hand to her chest and slouching forward. The priestess grimaces, lifting her head to survey the room beyond the door.

Then she blinks, frowning slightly. "...This is the same room as last time," she murmurs as she moves past the treasure chests the group looted last time. She runs her hands along the cave walls -

And a chunk of cave wall pushes aside, revealing a couple of racks half-hidden behind the debris. They're weapons racks, with a handful of ancient weapons perched within them.

One of them is an old sword. Frowning, Catenna draws the rusty old sword from the rack, holding it up to admire its ornamentation. "How interesting," she murmurs. "I wonder who forged this... it appears special, if not magical. Perhaps all the weapons are like this...."

<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.

"Glutes, abs, who cares, you've got lots where it counts!" Rose replies, still grinning in a manner that indicates she knows exactly what she's doing and saying. Maybe a bit too much.

It's okay though. The door problem is solved.

And there's treasure!!!

Oh, weapons. Well, okay, sure.

Rose uses her MERCHANT EYE to examine some of the weapons on display, humming to herself. "Well, even if they aren't special, they look pretty well-made. With a bit of love and polish these could be good as new. They'd fetch a good price as weapons, and probably an even better one as collector pieces. If you're too lazy to find a buyer I can buy this entire stock off you guys and handle the selling myself!" Well, she IS a merchant, so in effect you can sell all your vendor trash to her. It's kind of handy having the merchant accompany you on adventures like that.

<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.

"Hrmph," Cyre mutters, buttoning his shirt right back up amidst the winding tendrils of his censer's sultry smoke. He's not helping his case much. "Well, I guess I can't complain about picking up a few fans." Even if it IS a bit weird. He's normally the one who does the staring, dangit!

Well. One way or another though, they managed to succeed and find their way to the treasure room! Unfortunately, it's... One that's been looted before.

Fortunately, there's still something to find.

Cyre frowns, picking up a rather ornate-looking spear. "Huh. Well, it's not as good as my usual staff, but maybe it'd be worth polishing up to keep for at least a little while. In emergencies."

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Catenna seems familiar with this room, but this is the first time Layna and Dahlia have seen it. Naturally, Layna's first instinct is to take a look into the treasure chests - fortunately not chets this time - but it appears they'd already claimed all of the important loot on their first visit.

Behind the wall, though...

Layna and Dahlia look upon the array of weapons with interest.

"Looks like it could've been a fine weapon, at one point, aye? Probably owned by somebody important, I'd wager." Layna comments, looking it over with a nod of approval.

Dahlia's interest, however, is in appraising the other weapons.

"I appreciate the offer, but I believe we'll be taking some of these." She replies with a glance toward Rose. Their crew could always use more back-up weapons, after all, even if they'd need a bit of repair-work first.

<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.

"I think I will take one of these as well," Catenna answers Rose, taking the elegant sword in one hand and resting the blade across the opposite. "Perhaps this one... while an ARM has been most useful, it takes much effort to reload while also balancing spellcasting. And many do seem to use sword weapons these days...." Many of them Lunarian, but she doesn't want to say that much.

Tilting her head towards Cyre, she watches him hoist the spear, then steps towards him, shrugging her cloak from her shoulders. She moves up beside him before reaching out to carefully drape the cloak back over his shoulders.

"Thank you," she says, voice soft and grateful.