2017-08-20: Ancient Civilizations Hated People
- Log: 2017-08-20: Ancient Civilizations Hated People
- Cast: Sorey, Alisha Diphda, Rose, Seraph Lailah, Seraph Edna
- Where: Guardian Temple
- Date: 2017-08-20
- Summary: The Shepherd and this retinue explore the Guardian Temple and come to an agreement about ancient civilizations.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
For the last day or so, Sorey had taken a detour. He couldn't explain why, exactly - but there had been a feeling that had struck him, that he needed to travel on a more roundabout course to reach a strange temple that had recently been discovered.
He hadn't expected to find a raging battle when they arrived. There are signs of a battle in the distance, as the Metal Demons engage a number of Aveh Sandships... not to mention a sand submarine driving about and causing more chaos with an accompanying retinue of Gears.
"...I don't know what it is... but I think when the Metal Demons approached that Temple, there was something inside that just... started calling out to me," Sorey comments, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry for the detour everyone, but I think that we need to go inside and see just what exactly is in there. I... don't know for certain, but it might well be important."
He isn't sure why... just that it is something they need to do.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"This... this is terrible," Alisha murmurs, as they find the fight raging around them. And yet, she remembers the battle against the Metal Demons. She remembers the death they caused. The misery they caused. Her jaw sets. This, too, could cause Malevolence.
"Sorey," she says, turning to look at the Shepherd. Her leaf green eyes look at him -- and her expression is serious. "I think this is a detour that we need to take. If the Demons want this place..."
She looks ahead. "...We should find out why. The Metal Demons have hurt others. And, if they are near where Edna's brother is... then we need to know as much as we can."
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- Rose, and the Sparrowfeathers, had been caught in the crossfire. They had originally mobilized, with the Lacour Tournaments settled, to set up shop near the newly discovered temple, having witnessed the sudden surge of Drifters interested in exploring it. Being a merchant right outside a dungeon is just good business, you know? Adventurers want to pawn off their loot, they want healing items, they want bandages, new weapons, new armor, maps, tools... they usually appreciate having the shops brought to them!
- Well, right now, the Sparrowfeathers are busy trying to get out of dodge. So that went horrible. Probably earned enough money on the way to recoup their losses, but it certainly isn't a good outcome.
- Rose had stayed with Sorey, though, entrusting the guild to Eguille fully. He was more of a leader than she was in many ways, and her trust in him was complete. Also Dezel stayed with them in case something happened, so honestly, it should be fine.
- "You think it might be something related to being the Shepherd? That'd be weird though, wouldn't it? I don't think Filgaia ever had Shepherds, did it?" As far as she knew, the legend wasn't heard of here. And she certainly wasn't aware of Solaris-related terminology!
- "So noisy... I hope they don't end up bombing the entire place down while we're inside. I've never seen so many Gears in one place before."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Adventures never seem to take a linear path but that's what makes them so interesting. What ever the reason for Sorey's divergence from their initial plans, Lailah figured it wouldn't take them too far. The idea of a new temple seemed interesting enough and there had to be something worth seeing instead. At least that's what she imagines Sorey feels.
Unfortunately, what they found was not expected. The battle raging between the metal demons was definitely a sight. From within Sorey, Lailah questions it, <"Are they all fighting just to get into the temple? What could be in there that they want so badly?">
Lailah seems to be willing to just follow Sorey's lead. <"Whatever is going on, I agree that we need to find out what is so important."> Even looking at the battle raging, she knows it's not going to be an easy task to get through.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Edna dwells inside Sorey for the moment. But her words echo in his head for him to hear. "<Leave it to you to take the most random detours.>" A pause follows. "<...But this does look bad. That temple over there... It looks like it might have something to do with...>" She trails off thoughtfully. A few moments pass, and then she adds. "<Nevermind. No way to know without going inside and finding out. Anything before that is just useless conjecture.>"
- If she were corpreal, she'd shrug. "<Well, we're already here. May as well do it.>" A faintly amused tone follows. "<Just try not to get killed. That'd be bad for... well, all of us. Including your shiny new Squires.>"
DG: A party led by Sorey is now entering The Guardian Temple. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - A Clash of Beasts *>=======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The Metal Beasts have forced their way into the foyer of the Temple, along
with other members of the Metal Demons. For those who seek to push in
deeper, there is a battlefield to be crossed. Gunsmoke ARM shots shoot
across the way, scarring the ancient stone of the foyer. Spells occasionally
hurl across, lightning and ice scarring the very ground that they walk on.
The Metal Beasts are ill-inclined to let others pass. As you make your way
through the confusion, a pack of armored hounds begins to lope after, anger
visible in their steely green eyes. They leap -- fangs bared, claws raised,
and the battle is joined before you can reach the door that leads deeper
into the Temple.
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer, Fright===========================================
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
"No, they don't have Shepherd's here, but I have heard people talking about the Guardians. Perhaps this is one of their temples and they're calling out to protect people from the Metal Demons? I can't explain it, but... I think it's worth investigating." Sorey is of course excited to see whatever is inside - Lailah and the others can understand that. Mikleo decides that being a head passenger is probably not the best thing to do at this point and manifests in a flash of blue light. "Well, I can't say we've explored a ruin that is under attack before, but there is a first time for everything," he comments, and then looks at Sorey.
And the white haired water Seraph grins. "Race you to the entrance. I think that getting there as fast as we can is probably going to be better for us all."
"Hah, you're on!" Sorey replies, and looks to Alisha and Rose. "It's not going to explore itself, so let's go!"
As they take off at a run, it's clear that entrance into the temple is not going to be a simple matter. The fighting is rather intense, and despite their more playful commentary, Sorey and Mikleo are approaching it as seriously as they would any battle. A group of Metal Beasts break off from the fighting, spotting at least the three flesh and blood members of the group.
Sorey draws his sword, the wooden blade bursting into blue flame as he leaps into the fray. "Once we get inside, I think they'll turn back - but be careful everyone!" he states, lashing out with his weapon and driving one of the Metal Beasts backwards. "If we get bogged down, no telling what else might show up!"
DG: Sorey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, A Clash of Beasts.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Mm... I've always wondered before," Alisha says, with a shake of her head. She pauses, though, when Mikleo challenges Sorey to a race. Her expression screws up -- and she looks sideways at Rose, like she expects her to comment somehow. Then, she remembers who she is looking at.
She follows after. Her eyes widen, as she sees the Metal Beasts that break off. She knows that Sorey and Mikleo will take such a threat seriously. It still prompts her to leap into the air. Her spear spins over head, ribbon whipping out, and then she comes crashing down straight towards one of the hound-like beasts.
"SKEWERING SPEAR!"
She tries to rip it through its back, then yank it free - and Alisha pivots on her heel, before slashing the blade hard for one of the next ones.
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Clash of Beasts.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- Rose is as uncomfortable with GHOSTLY VOICES as ever. You'd think she'd get used to it eventually, but it's rather obvious that when Lailah and Edna speak from within Sorey, the merchant kind of recoils and has to shake herself into trying not to pay so much mind to it.
- She's not very good at it because she almost trips when Mikleo just poofs into existence in a sudden blue flash.
- She mutters something about ghosts, probably to Alisha, as Sorey and Mikleo race off to go play explorer in the middle of a three-way firefight. Then she sighs. "Well, princess, guess we'd better hurry up or we'll be left behind, huh?"
- Her knives whirl out, the air cooling rapidly around them as she grips them in reverse. "I'll try to slow them down so we can pass through and outrun them! There's probably no point trying to kill them, they look tough and there's more where they came from!"
- She dashes ahead, flowing like water through the Metal Beasts, slashing with the knives. Ice creeps from wounds, trying to slow and immobilize the beasts. "Frozen Shade!" Also, attack yelling, mandatory.
DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, A Clash of Beasts.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Approaching the Temple, Lailah can barely even see where to enter. There seem to be so many metal demons and other beasts. She materializes beside Sorey, "They aren't going to make this easy." She frowns and looks around as the beasts converge on them and even as Sorey fights one off, Lailah stays nearby. "Stay together everyone!" If they get separated it would make it harder to stay in control.
From within her comes a flash of red fire, it spreads wide and towards the closest metal demons. The beasts snarl and bare ugly fangs at her but Lailah doesn't seem deterred. She has fought similar creatures before. While the others offer their help, Lailah keeps the flames up trying to keep the beasts distracted if nothing else.
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Panacea Bottle toward her party's challenge, A Clash of Beasts.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- "Oh."
- Well, the welcoming crew certainly is... pleasant. Edna sighs, and then leaves Sorey, manifesting into a run as she envelops her umbrella in earthen energies. "Out of the way." She mutters as she lashes out to strike at a beast without mercy. No time to spend on these fools, after all.
- "Whatever these things are after better be good. We're taking quite a detour for this."
DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Clash of Beasts.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - A Clash of Beasts *>=======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The Metal Beasts have forced their way into the foyer of the Temple, along
with other members of the Metal Demons. For those who seek to push in
deeper, there is a battlefield to be crossed. Gunsmoke ARM shots shoot
across the way, scarring the ancient stone of the foyer. Spells occasionally
hurl across, lightning and ice scarring the very ground that they walk on.
The Metal Beasts are ill-inclined to let others pass. As you make your way
through the confusion, a pack of armored hounds begins to lope after, anger
visible in their steely green eyes. They leap -- fangs bared, claws raised,
and the battle is joined before you can reach the door that leads deeper
into the Temple.
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer, Fright===========================================
======================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 1 *>======================= ========================< Results - A Clash of Beasts >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorey 0 --(16)--> 16 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 0 --(14)--> 14 Pass Brad's Knives 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 0 --(15)--> 15 Pass Panacea Bottle 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Edna 0 --(13)--> 13 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 0 --(14)--> 14 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Sorey 0 --(10)--> 10 Fail Conditions: Fright(2)|Suffer Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Sorey has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 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> Sorey has posed.
Unfortunately the Metal Beasts continue to pile in as the group strives towards the entrance to the temple. Sorey lashes out with his sword, knocking back several of the creatures as they keep trying to pile in and keep the group from getting to the entrance. The others are doing great, but for all their fighting they're not making a lot of headway. The numbers of enemies piling in are far more than what they had expected on the approach.
"Mikleo, I didn't want to have to do this quite so early, but let's try and clear the road!" Sorey shouts, and Mikleo nods once. "Alright then! Luzov Rulay!"
The Shepherd calls upon his Armatus for a moment, unleashing a barrage of arrows that knocks aside all of the Metal Beasts along the path to the entrance - buying enough time for the group to break through and reach the doors. As the two split apart, Sorey staggers for a moment and leans on the door, looking worn out for a second. "...with that battle out there... didn't want us to get stuck in the middle of it. Don't want anyone to get hurt..." he pants after a moment, and then takes a deep breath. "Let's keep going. Whatever we're going to find... it'll be further in."
DG: Alisha Diphda has drawn a new Challenge.
==========================<* The Guardian Temple *>===========================
===================<* CHALLENGE - Duplicator-Sealed Door *>===================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You find a large, black stone door that forms a T-intersection with this
hallway. While the hallway continues ahead, to whatever awaits, you may find
that the door could have something worthwhile. However, you have certainly
not found the rare and lost Zeboim-era ARM-keys known as "Duplicators" here.
But, the tell-tale blue lines that glow flicker, sometimes.
The door does not have much give, but it has some. With a good enough push
(say, with explosives), you might manage to force your way inside. The room
is a small storage closet, but it has something valuable: stockpiles of
Potion Berries, held within jars that have preserved them.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"These are--" Alisha gasps, shaking her head, as her spear rips free of one. She has a gash on her arm -- and she stumbles, as she makes her way down the stairs. She looks at Sorey, then she shakes her head. "It got us out of there. If they are fighting this hard for it... then this must be important, Sorey."
She leads the way down the first hallway, rubbing at her arm as she does. A light glows, as she murmurs a blessing to Althena -- and the wound binds up. She stops, though, as she spots a black door halfway down the hallway. She knows not what a duplicator is.
Instead, she looks back at Rose. She pauses a moment. She bites her lip. Then, she wheels her arm back. "P-Princess Sm-sm-"
She punches her gauntlet into the door, hard, trying to batter it down... but erupts into a fit of giggles instead of shouting her battle cry.
DG: Alisha Diphda has used her Tool Crystal Gauntlet toward her party's challenge, Duplicator-Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- It's no easy feat to get past the Metal Beasts, but thanks to Sorey's - wait a minute.
- "SOREY! SOREY HANG ON, STOP!"
- What? What could be so important to require...
- "Your hair! It's long and blond!"
- Then they split.
- Rose is extremely confused.
- The remainder of the trip towards the fated door Alisha is about to smash is spent staring at Sorey and Mikleo. "What WAS that?" "Where'd the new clothes go?" "What was with the new hair do?" "YOU'RE AN ARCHER?!" "Hang on where'd the bow go?!" "Sorey, explain!!"
- Well, that, and then giggling at Alisha trying to shout the best battlecry. Rose is no good at blasting doors open, so she'll continue questioning Sorey instead. And maybe help by moving chunks of door out of the way once they're blown off through the amazing power of FISTS.
DG: Rose has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Duplicator-Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Well, that didn't go quite as well as hoped, but... They manage to get past and move on. Hopefully something else comes by and keeps those ravenous fiends busy.
- But now... Now there's Brave Sir Door to contend with.
- Edna narrows her eyes. She steps forward and summons a giant silver and orange guantlet. Not a word is said. She just throws her arm forward, smashing that floating gauntlet into the door.
- "Edna Smash."
- There. Now Alisha won't feel as ridiculous.
DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Divine Gauntlets toward her party's challenge, Duplicator-Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
"That... is the Armatus," Sorey explains to Rose as they move forward to confront the next obstacle. He smiles, adding, "Your resonance must have improved quite a bit lately - I've used it where you could see it a few times before, and you never seemed to take note of it then. But Mikleo and I combined our powers, and I was using his Sacred Weapon as a medium to unleash his energy. Once we dissolved the Armatus, his weapon returned to... um... my... head. And then he reappeared."
There is a pause as Alisha commences her demolition efforts. "...was she about to say 'Princess Smash'?" Mikleo asks Sorey, Edna, and Lailah very, very quietly.
"...I... guess?" Sorey speculates. That... didn't seem like the usual for Alisha, but hey. It was something at least. Whatever helped her get psyched up to deal with this new problem was probably for the best.
"Well, given the complexity of the door I doubt it's the usual sort of key," he muses, and then shrugs. "Not a lot of choice but to break it down, as loath as I am to smash such an interesting piece of masonry."
Sometimes you had to do bad things to ruins to get to the good part. Sorey takes a moment to make a sketch of the door - for posterity of course - and then steps up next to Alisha. He doesn't have a specialized tool, so he'll just have to unleash his power against it. Summons some earth magic thanks to his connection with Edna, the white mantled young man unleashes a small glowing yellow boulder against the door.
Sorey punctuates it with a more alliterative battle cry. "Shepherd SMASH!"
And just grins at Alisha and Rose.
DG: Sorey has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Duplicator-Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The fire and smoke only seem to anger the beasts more and while some are distracted, it doesn't seem to be enough to fully protect the team as they move through. The beasts don't make it easy but somehow, with Sorey and Mikleo, they get past the angry creatures.
"Nice job there Mikleo, Sorey!" Lailah smiles at the sight of their armatizing. "Those beasts were really hounding us weren't they?"
Lailah nods at Sorey. "I am with you. We need to try and keep moving or we'll get overwhelmed again. She doesn't add more about the armatus for now but at least Rose and Alisha maybe both understand it just a little more.
The door that they come upon seems sturdy and Lailah just watches as Alisha tries to break it down. "Well...that's one way of doing it Alisha and Edna." The fire seraph seems to be unwilling to take their lead though and instead looks for a different way of opening the door, like a secret lever or button or something.
Behind her, Lailah sees Sorey going for the smash attack too. Well, maybe with the three of them trying it would work?
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Duplicator-Sealed Door.
==========================<* The Guardian Temple *>===========================
===================<* CHALLENGE - Duplicator-Sealed Door *>===================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You find a large, black stone door that forms a T-intersection with this
hallway. While the hallway continues ahead, to whatever awaits, you may find
that the door could have something worthwhile. However, you have certainly
not found the rare and lost Zeboim-era ARM-keys known as "Duplicators" here.
But, the tell-tale blue lines that glow flicker, sometimes.
The door does not have much give, but it has some. With a good enough push
(say, with explosives), you might manage to force your way inside. The room
is a small storage closet, but it has something valuable: stockpiles of
Potion Berries, held within jars that have preserved them.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
=====================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 2 *>====================== =====================< Results - Duplicator-Sealed Door >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sorey 16 --(6)--> 22 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rose 14 --(5)--> 19 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Lailah 15 --(3)--> 18 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Edna 13 --(3)--> 16 Pass Divine Gauntlets 3 Brute Effects: Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alisha Diphda 14 --(5)--> 19 Pass Crystal Gauntlet 3 Brute Effects: Fanfare ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Sorey 10 --(20)--> 30 Pass Conditions: Fright(1)|Save Point(1) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Sorey 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> Alisha Diphda has posed.
The door smashes down, into so many black rocks of rubble. Alisha looks down at them, giggling and snorting -- and then she wipes at her face and eyes, shaking her head once. "Th-that was... that was something else," she giggles. "Hee hee. But, I promise that I shall manage to say the full battle cry next time!"
She looks down at the stockpiles of blue berries. She knows what these are -- she picks one up, taking a bite of it, and then she turns to look at the others. The hallway keeps leading on.
"Shall we?" she asks.
DG: Rose has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* The Guardian Temple *>=============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Variable Gravity Well *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
When you enter the next room, you find a square-shaped room that has a pit
filling the middle of it. The pit drops down ten feet, into a series of
sharp spikes that would be painful to cross. Leaping over the pit -- or
using some other means -- wouldn't be so hard. But, when you step forward, a
complication appears.
A black hole, a pinpoint of gravitational force, blinks into existence over
the pit. Rocks, debris, and dust all swirl up into it and gravity causes the
course of any leap to be thrown askew. Just before you could time a jump,
though, the black hole vanishes... and reappears elsewhere in the room, over
the pit. Crossing will not be easy.
=Dungeon Conditions: Overwhelm, Hesitate======================================
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- "The bow's in your head?! Isn't that uncomfortable?!" "You FUSED?!" "Hang on, who was in control of the body while you were like that!" "Why blonde hair, neither of you is blonde! And why was it so long?" "I mean the outfit was kind of cool though, almost like it was glowing..." "You USED THAT in front of me and I didn't notice?!" Rose jumps from one question to the next, backtracking, fortracking, midtracking and just tracking in general between the topics.
- All the while she stuffs her pockets full of potions.
- Look, looting is second nature to her.
- She could do it while sleeping.
- Eventually she agrees to move on, mostly because the temple quakes as a Gear crashes nearby. They're on borrowed time, she's reminded, and while this is a fun-time adventure that doesn't mean they should pause too long!
- Past the second door, the one they didn't have to destroy, is a nice, big room. There's a pit in the middle, barely large enough to prevent someone from jumping across, with spikes and grinders and all manners of ancient traps within it. Rose creeps up onto the ledge, looking down.
- "Well, if the Guardians are calling out to you, the least they could do is turn the traps off! See, I keep telling you, ancient civilizations were all made up of murderous jerks. That's why they're all gone now! Probably killed each other replacing doorknobs with poisoned arrow traps just to see if they could."
- Bias aside, Rose gets ready to jump, but there's a black hole of all things in the room, blinking in and out of existence. She produces rope and a grappling hook instead of jumping, throwing it across. "Well, plan B! If we can't jump we'll just hold on to some ropes. Let's take turns crossing so we can make sure the ropes don't fly off into that... thing."
DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Variable Gravity Well.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Alisha frowns, at first, at the gap. It could, she supposes, be worse--
"Oh Goddess!" she shouts. "W-Why is--what is that thing!" Advanced gravitational physics are, it seems, not something that a princess of Hyland is trained in. She stares at Rose's back for a moment, before she shakes her head in a sharp dismay. "R...right. I'll hold onto the rope."
She lets Rose lay out a line. She glances sideways at the Seraphim, then -- can they do anything about gravity? No? She didn't really expect them to.
So, instead, she grabs the rope. She starts along, but she is jumpy as she does.
"Do... do these things just happen?"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Variable Gravity Well.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
"Well," Sorey teases Rose, "I can't help it if you were too worried about spooky ghosts to see the things that were going on right in front of you." Really, she was so intent on not seeing things that she had missed a lot. And now she was finally taking note at... the most inconvenient times, really. The Shepherd didn't have a lot to say to that.
But this trap is... well, kind of crazy. Definitely new on this veteran ruins delver.
Sorey does not really understand gravity, or other scientific principals that would allow him to understand what the black thing that is appearing in the middle of the room in any sort of solid, scientific sense.
What he DOES understand is the attractive force of that sphere is going to make moving through this room extremely challenging, and he narrows his eyes for a moment as it appears, disappears, and reappears.
"Alright, we're going to have to be careful on this one," Sorey comments, reaching into his pack and pulling out several lengths of rope, as well as pitons and a few other pieces of climbing gear. He adds Rose's hook to the mix, and gets ready to toss it across the hole. "I'll set up the hooks on this end of the room, and we can stay anchored while we're making our way across. That way if anyone gets thrown off balance and falls, or is starting to get dragged in by that black sphere, we can use the ropes to keep them from falling or getting pulled away. The first person over can set the pitons on the other side, and that will give us more stability."
It takes a little work to get things set up, and Sorey can't guarantee that this will work... but it seems like a good way to help ensure that no one gets seriously hurt while they are navigating this obstacle.
DG: Sorey has used his Tool Climbing Kit toward his party's challenge, Variable Gravity Well.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Edna doesn't bother looting. It's the humans that need all that stuff. SShe just stands back and waits for Rose to finish cleaning the place out. Once they're finally on the move again, their next roadblock comes in the form of...
- "That's new." She mutters at the sight of the black hole. Probably some advanced gravity spell set on repeat through some strange arcande protocol. Interesting. But given that Edna's also experience with gravity magic, she doesn't appear to be very bothered.
- Once the others make their moves, she steps forward, and pauses. ...Then a pillar bursts up, launching her into the air. The blonde sails away and over the pit, umbrella opened up and held in one arm. The other is directed below her, casting a gravity spell to serve as a counterbalance to allow her to pass without getting sucked in.
- Welp.
DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Umbrella toward her party's challenge, Variable Gravity Well.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Eventually, Lailah helps with trying to get past the mysterious door since she cannot see any kind of lever. Even though she probably didn't do much, between all of them, it opens and crumbles at their feet. "Nice work guys. Destroying the temple before the metal demons can." She seems serious at first but then a smile surfaces and she laughs.
Inside the room there all kinds of provisions and Lailah helps herself to some of the berries. "Sorey, you should keep some for later." She hands him a bunch while the others take a breather. At least there aren't any metal demons in here for now.
Lailah grins at Rose. "It's not that complicated Rose. When you armatize, you're working as one with the seraphim you're fused with. It's very useful!" Of course, Lailah sighs a little thinking that she thought this had just been explained but maybe it was just that weird to see in person from someone not used to it.
When they finally move on, the next room is concerning even for Lailah. She's used to hard challenges but this was unlike anything she had seen before. The idea of ropes could work. Seraphim have other ways of getting around but nothing that would be useful here she thinks. Instead she will help the group as they take turns passing. The ominous black hole though makes even her nervous though, mostly for the humans here.
"Be careful!" Lailah calls out. There were other ways they could make this work but for now, she follows their lead as the rope is readied to be thrown across. If only Dezel was here, he could use his wind to help maybe. Of course Edna has her own way of making things work so the fire seraph isn't so worried about her.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Variable Gravity Well.
============================<* The Guardian Temple *>=============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Variable Gravity Well *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
When you enter the next room, you find a square-shaped room that has a pit
filling the middle of it. The pit drops down ten feet, into a series of
sharp spikes that would be painful to cross. Leaping over the pit -- or
using some other means -- wouldn't be so hard. But, when you step forward, a
complication appears.
A black hole, a pinpoint of gravitational force, blinks into existence over
the pit. Rocks, debris, and dust all swirl up into it and gravity causes the
course of any leap to be thrown askew. Just before you could time a jump,
though, the black hole vanishes... and reappears elsewhere in the room, over
the pit. Crossing will not be easy.
=Dungeon Conditions: Overwhelm, Hesitate======================================
=======================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 3 *>======================== =======================< Results - Variable Gravity Well >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorey 22 --(20)--> 42 Pass Climbing Kit 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 19 --(18)--> 37 Pass Grappling Hook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 18 --(19)--> 37 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Edna 16 --(27)--> 43 Fail Umbrella 2 Agility Effects: Resilient ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 19 --(21)--> 40 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Sorey 30 --(10)--> 40 Fail Conditions: Hesitate(2)|Overwhelm Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1)|Resilient(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Sorey has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 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 Lailah has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Ancient Sentinel *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
As you move down this long, dusty hallway, you come across one of the
push-blocks that seems to be common here. Stone, but with channels cut into
it that glow with a brilliant aquamarine. As you move closer, though, this
block proves to be something else. Segments separate in short order, pushing
out and rearranging, to form a shape that fills the hallway:
An immense stone construct, humanoid in shape, but easily twelve feet in
height. The sentinel stands up, looking down at you with two eyes that glow
with that eerie arcane light, before it slams two huge stone fists into the
floor. Magic rolls off them -- and a shockwave rips through the hall,
threatening to hurl you to your feet!
Which is precisely when it charges into the fray.
=Dungeon Conditions: Maim, Tire===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- Sorey and Rose have a pretty good idea of how ropes work. They have a bit easier of a time getting across. It's a different story for Alisha and Lailah, and the black hole sees fit to give them a hard time to boot.
- One of the ropes snaps under the pressure of the gravity well, just as Alisha and Lailah are about to take their turn crossing! They're not flung into the horrible death pit, but they might hit the wall on the other side of the pit pretty hard. Nothing they can't get back up from!
- ... Edna's timing mostly sees her attracted uncomfortably close to the ceiling instead, and then back down by the others. She got across, it's still a win!
- After handing out some of the potions they'd just looted, Rose takes a few moments to process everything Sorey and Lailah had to say. Here she thought being a Shepherd was about throwing blue fire around and such. This just got either more awesome or more complicated and she's not sure which.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The rope seems sturdy enough as it passes across the gaping chasm of death. What follows is definitely not what she expected. When Rose and Sorey get across, Lailah tries to take their lead. For some reason, she is not taking the easy way out of this one. Maybe it's a team building exercise!
Unfortunately though, things go horribly wrong just as she tries to pass and she is nearly flung into the spiky pit. At least she's not impaled on spikes but the fall is a hard one and it takes her a few to recover before eventually getting up and moving back to the group. "Ugh. That was not fun." She seems a little embarassed and reddens before doing a mental head count making sure they were all here.
"Sorey, I think your detour is trying to kill us." There wasn't much time to waste though if they were going to get through this and figure out just what was so important about the temple. The hallway connecting the rooms is dark but there is enough light to see the stone blocks. Moving towards a block, Lailah seems intrigued but then they start to change! She jumps back and watches as a construct forms and easily dwarfs their group.
"Watch out!" she calls out to them as the fists come down right beside her. It's enough that the impact unsteadies her and she stumbles backwards. "We can do this guys!" She readies a beam of fire, aimed directly at the beasts head. The monster is huge but if they could at least find a weak spot it would make it possible to get past it if nothing else. At least that is what she is hoping...
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Panacea Bottle toward her party's challenge, Ancient Sentinel.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
"...I'm beginning to think the same thing, Lailah," Sorey comments after a moment - he's a little surprised at just how many traps are in here. "On the other hand, the Metal Demons and the Guardians were supposed to be ancient enemies or something like that, so..." He suspects the Temple might have some sort of heightened alert when it comes to 'Horrible Things Are Trying to Break In' and they are just getting the worst of it. "We must be getting close though," he tries to reassure everyone.
He really hopes they are getting close.
Passage through the trap wasn't too bad, but they were still having a worse time of these traps than Sorey had hoped. The sound of a huge statue grinding into motion means that things are about to get a bit more interesting than the Shepherd had anticipated - once again. Drawing his sword, Sorey leaps forward following Lailah's fire burst, lashing out with his own flaming sword as he tries to drive the Guardians Statue... statue of... Guardian? Protector Statue? Sorey wasn't sure what he would call it, but it seemed less than friendly. "It may also be that it recognizes us as having come from Lunar instead of here, and the defense are being a bit more hostile than usual because of it!" Yeah, that seemed like a decent idea. Something to follow up on if they weren't crushed.
DG: Sorey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Ancient Sentinel.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"A--aah!"
Alisha falls down, with the rest, and slams into the ground. She rolls a few times, breathing hard, before she stands up. She shakes her head, once, and gratefully takes a berry from Rose. She is in the midst of eating it when she hears Lailah call out: 'Watch out!'
The fist slams down next to Lailah and sends Alisha skidding backward. One hand comes to the ground, briefly leaving the princess in a three-point stance. Then, she slings her spear off her shoulder, and stares up at the golem.
"I wonder, at times, if you are onto something about these ancient civilizations, Rose!" she calls out. She swings the spear blade up, and a fang of light ignites and hurtles at the feet of the golem. "Demon Fang!"
And she follows it by rushing in. Alisha whips her spear back, and rams it hard for the side of the stone golem -- and hopes that the blade is able to bite through the stone.
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Ancient Sentinel. DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Ancient Sentinel.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Thunk.
- That's the sound of Edna hitting the ceiling. Not too hard, but enough to be an annoyance.
- She narrows her eyes as she eventually comes to land on the other side. "What an annoying trap." She mumbles, brushing herself off. "Hmph." Just in time for them to come face to face with another thing that wants them dead! Hooray!
- That rolling shockwave is met with a wall of earth summoned up to block the brunt of it, before Edna strikes the back of it, causing it to shatter and reform into a myriad number of floating stone spikes that fly right into the sentinel.
- "Sorey, you need to pick better detours."
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- "See, it's NOT just me!" Rose says, pointing towards Lailah while facing Sorey. "And she's like, five thousand years old, so she knows what she's talking about!" Well, all that was mentioned is that Lailah is old. So she drew conclusions. Either way, Rose's opinion of ancient civilizations stands validated. By Alisha and Edna too! Today is great, unless you consider the fact they're having to deal with far too many traps.
- Especially noteworthy considering a giant stone sentinel forms and faces the party. Rose dives out of the way as the shockwave erupts, taking her knives out again. As she starts running towards the sentinel, she bounces off the wall, hoping to land behind it with a flashy "Asura Edge!" followed by streaks of light where her knives pass. Weak points are singled out, Rose's trusty knives seeking to dismember the massive stone golem before it can stomp the lot of them down.
- "Sorey that's not much better!" she also points out, at the revelation maybe the temple is JUST racist. Well, planetist. That's a thing, right?
DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, Ancient Sentinel.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Sorey jsut shakes his head, leaping back as the construct punches the ground where he was standing a moment ago. "I'm afraid this one picked me, Edna!" he calls out. "Although again, it's sort of strange it called us here and is trying to kill us!" he adds to Rose a moment later, lashing out with another sword strike.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Ancient Sentinel *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
As you move down this long, dusty hallway, you come across one of the
push-blocks that seems to be common here. Stone, but with channels cut into
it that glow with a brilliant aquamarine. As you move closer, though, this
block proves to be something else. Segments separate in short order, pushing
out and rearranging, to form a shape that fills the hallway:
An immense stone construct, humanoid in shape, but easily twelve feet in
height. The sentinel stands up, looking down at you with two eyes that glow
with that eerie arcane light, before it slams two huge stone fists into the
floor. Magic rolls off them -- and a shockwave rips through the hall,
threatening to hurl you to your feet!
Which is precisely when it charges into the fray.
=Dungeon Conditions: Maim, Tire===============================================
======================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 4 *>======================= =========================< Results - Ancient Sentinel >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorey 42 --(3)--> 45 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 37 --(4)--> 41 Pass Brad's Knives 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 37 --(5)--> 42 Fail Panacea Bottle 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Edna 43 --(3)--> 46 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 40 --(3)--> 43 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Sorey 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Hesitate(1)|Maim|Tire(2) Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Sorey 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. DG: Seraph Edna has drawn a new Challenge.
==========================<* The Guardian Temple *>===========================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Spartoi Pincer *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Even in this hallowed place, the risen corpses known as Spartoi can be
found. As you round the next corner, the skeletons are already lurching
forward. Their blades have not been dulled with time and gleam in the dim
light here, and their eyes come aglow with a fell green light. They cease
lurching and rush.
In the clatter of their advance, you may not notice another clatter. Behind
you, a trio of Spartoi drop down from the ceiling and land in a crouch.
They, too, rush in -- and you seen find yourselves being attack from both
sides!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Bad Luck=========================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Through a combined, and perhaps less than effective for some, effort on their parts, the stone sentinel is defeated, and it falls back down into tile that slides back into place, making the hallway look as if it were never even disturbed. ...And the whole place quakes, and reminds the party that they're on the clock.
- Edna sighs through her nose and steps forward. "Let's go." Off they go, down the hallway, and around the corner, where-
%t Skeletons.
- Skeletons with swords, even. That's bad.
- Even worse is the clatter that sounds from behind as even more of those skeletal warriors take form, boxing the group in.
- "...Great." Edna murmurs before she turns to one side and stomps her foot into the floor, sending stone spikes shooting up towards the assaulting parties on that side.
DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Spartoi Pincer.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah glares at Rose, "Hey! I am not that old!" Okay so she was old but you should never bring up a ladies age, even if she was a seraphim. She can't really say much more than that though as the construct is determined to make this as hard as possible for them.
"Sorey, I don't know if our origins have anything to do with this." It doesn't seem like it would be a plausible explanation but then again Filgaia was different. Just as the fire seraph is doing her best to not get crushed, another fist comes down by her and she dodges it just enough to not get thrown off balance again.
More fire blinds the giant as the others use more force to bring it down. The impact of the construct hitting the ground is enough that it shakes the whole room. Maybe even the whole temple. He was a big monster after all but at least they survived another thing trying to kill them.
"Well, that was very rocky but at least we made it!" Lailah gives a thumbs up to the group and walks past the crumbled construct and through the dusty hallway. There seem to be more of the blocks but at least none are trying to come alive and kill them.
Lailah is on edge as the group pulls around the next corner and before she even realizes what is happening, there are skeletons coming for them in droves. Another noise and she turns to see more advancing towards them. "There are so many!" For just a moment, she wished they were as predictable as hellions were but these things were different.
Lailah follows Edna's lead and builds up a mass of fire. "Guys, we need to try and knock a gap in them." As she says this, a long beam of fire is forcefully throw past them, aiming directly for the skeletons closest to her. There are too many to handle one by one but if they could take down a group of them it would make it easier.
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Panacea Bottle toward her party's challenge, Spartoi Pincer.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Really, at this point Sorey is definitely coming around to Edna's view on the whole 'traps are here to do bad things to them for no appreciable reason' view of things. Not entirely, because truth be told Sorey is used to the idea of being assailed by traps in ruins - it seemed that a lot of the ancient civilizations would leave such things around to keep their important things safe, and it was the duty of any intrepid explorer to overcome those obstacles.
Skeletons, on the other hand, were going a little bit too far.
"I'm not sure who raised you from your sleep," Sorey states, as the group is surrounded. "But as the Shepherd, I will return you to your rest once and for all!" He lashes out, a wave of blue flame erupting from his sword and washing over the skeletons in front of him. The Flame of Purification should burn away whatever magic was animating them... it was just the sheer number.
And then Lailah works to lighten the mood, and Sorey smiles. "Well, it might have been a hard fight, but we definitely don't want to take an enemy like that for granite, do we Lailah?" he asks, leaping away as another skeleton hacks at him. He unleashes another wave of flame, and checks in with his flesh and blood companions. "Rose, Alisha, are you two alright?"
"Don't I get a check in?" Mikleo grouses.
"I know you're okay, it's gonna take a lot more than this to stop our race!" Sorey shouts back to his friend.
DG: Sorey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Spartoi Pincer.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- "It's hard to keep track of ages when they're four numbers long!" Rose argues with Lailah, just as skeletons ride in on the defeat of the sentinel to ensure the party's life s interesting at all times. Rose shivers. Undead may not be ghosts but they're still pretty jarring to look at. Especially the moving kind. There's obvious discomfort in her movements.
- This seems to be calmed a bit by Sorey's blue flames.
- "Wait, are these... Hellions?" She can't really tell the difference between 'a skeleton' and 'a Hellion skeleton' but then again she's new at the whole sensing weird stuff gig. Give her some time!
- "I'm fine! But you're really making me dig to find a good retort to all those puns!" she also says.
- Being surrounded, she opts to follow Sorey's lead; that is, rather than pull her knives out, she suddenly spins, her feet erupting in (regular) flames as she attempts to kick a skeleton upward, leap up after it, "Rising Phoenix!" and Rider Kick it straight down into another one. They possibly explode afterwards, especially if Rose manages to turn her back to them.
DG: Rose has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Spartoi Pincer.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Gh... from both sides!" Alisha calls out. She turns towards the ones coming from the front. She swings her spear out, blade flashing -- and then slashes it into the side of one of the spartoi. She nods at Lailah.
She spins, then, and slams the butt of her spear for one's head. She tries to knock the skeleton's head off and send it flying into another one.
"These aren't!" Alisha says. "I don't believe so, at least!"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Spartoi Pincer.
==========================<* The Guardian Temple *>===========================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Spartoi Pincer *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Even in this hallowed place, the risen corpses known as Spartoi can be
found. As you round the next corner, the skeletons are already lurching
forward. Their blades have not been dulled with time and gleam in the dim
light here, and their eyes come aglow with a fell green light. They cease
lurching and rush.
In the clatter of their advance, you may not notice another clatter. Behind
you, a trio of Spartoi drop down from the ceiling and land in a crouch.
They, too, rush in -- and you seen find yourselves being attack from both
sides!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Bad Luck=========================================
=====================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 5 *>====================== =========================< Results - Spartoi Pincer >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sorey 45 --(5)--> 50 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rose 41 --(13)--> 54 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Lailah 42 --(10)--> 52 Fail Panacea Bottle 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Edna 46 --(11)--> 57 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alisha Diphda 43 --(4)--> 47 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Sorey 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Injure(2) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Sorey 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> Seraph Edna has posed.
- The power of Purification seems to do the brunt of the job, with the support of the others helping to clear out those shambling fiends. Eventually, all is silent for a moment, as the hostilities cease. Once that is the case, Edna opens up her umbrella and sets it against her shoulder.
- "We're done here." She says plainly. "Let's go before something even more fun decides it wants to play."
DG: Sorey has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - The Shifting Tiles *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
When you enter this room, you are immediately greeted by the sound of
rushing sand. A flowing river of the stuff moves through the center of the
room, and it moves far too quickly to wade into -- not to mention that no
one can be sure how deep it is. However, something else moves through the
sand: huge tiles of obsidian, which float across it, and are wide and sturdy
enough to hold a person. Crossing will require leaping from tile to tile,
even as it moves underfoot, until you get to the other side.
You certainly want to reach the other side. There, a huge doorway awaits.
Three relief statues of the Guardians of Water, Fire, and Wind are sculpted
around it, beckoning you forth. You suspect few of the other groups of
Drifters have found these trial rooms, so deep under the ground.
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire, Injure=============================================
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
As they clear the skeletons, it appears that the group is getting near their destination - there's certainly the sound of something *big* up ahead. Sorey pauses for a moment as the blocks slide aside, revealing what is certainly to be the near to last challenge - a vast flowing river of sand, with obsidian blocks moving through it like great creatures forging against a river.
"...well, no matter what you might say about the rest of the temple, this is certainly an impressive feat," Mikleo comments, as Sorey starts digging around for his climbing equipment once again.
The Shepherd nods for a moment, securing a line to help ensure that no one gets swept away by all the fast moving sand. That would be a real tragedy.
"I can't imagine how this sort of sand river could exist without some sort of magic powering it," Sorey continues, leaping out onto the first block. Okay, definitely not the worst challenge ever, but this wasn't exactly going to be 'easy'. "Sand... just doesn't act like this back home. But I've seen a lot of strange things here on Filgaia that didn't exactly make sense back home. Maybe you could file a complaint with whatever Guardian governs earth about how ridiculous this is, Edna?"
DG: Sorey has used his Tool Climbing Kit toward his party's challenge, The Shifting Tiles.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- "Are you two praising the design work of traps meant to kill us?" Rose asks as she stares flatly at both Sorey and Mikleo. Those two! Though... Rose guesses it might be like praising an opponent on their fighting style, or something like that, so it kind of makes some sense.
- Well, no use standing around. Rose produces her rope (shorter than before as it is), and adds to the Sorey's attempt to set up some safety net via grappling hook and rope. That way if anyone messes their leap up at least they've got something to hold onto.
- "Impressive as this is, don't you think it's starting to feel like the traps are losing in effectiveness just to wow us? It's almost like they wanted to kill people creatively, not just kill people!" That, she absolutely can't condone.
DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, The Shifting Tiles.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- Edna narrows her eyes at the sight of the shifting sands and the tiles. ...She could try and divert the flow, but... She is Lazy with a capital L. So no, she decides to take the path of least resistance, and steps forward. "Whoever governs earth'll be sure to get a piece of my mind before we're through with this farce." She mutters to Sorey and Mikleo with narrows eyes.
- And then she hops, landing on a platform. And then another... Once she's close enough, she uses her strength to LEAP up into the air and follows with her umbrella to glide the rest of the way over. Forget that tile nonsense.
- Screw you, Grudiev.
DG: Seraph Edna has used her Tool Umbrella toward her party's challenge, The Shifting Tiles.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Alisha slows to a stop, as she enters the room with the river of sand. She sees the obsidian tiles floating by and swallows, nervously. These sorts of exercises are far from her area of expertise. She takes a couple of nervous steps forward, before she turns her head, to look back at them. Then, she looks at Sorey. "I should think... yes. Edna, could you do this, if you wanted?"
She starts forward, after that -- using the ropes that Sorey and Rose set up -- and tries to cross. She slips a few times.
"I-I... don't think we should jinx it..."
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Shifting Tiles.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah pointedly ignores Rose's further comments about her age. However, she does smile at Sorey's puns. "Nice one Sorey!" Even in the middle of trying to survive the Temple of Doom, at least they can find a way to make things seem less serious. Although, things are pretty bad with all these undead beings that are probably trying to eat their faces.
"I don't know what these things are Rose but it's definitely not the best welcoming party." Another group lunges at her and the flames seem to work their magic as the skeletons are quelled for now. She nods at Edna, "I agree with that." Not much seems to rile her but that was not fun.
As they enter the next room, Lailah looks down at the sand. It's moving quick enough that she imagines there's no way to just get through it. "Make sure you don't step in it. I really don't think we want to see that." She frowns and wonders what would happen if she used fire to heat it. For a minute, she seems to think about it but then again the fire could just spread across the whole river and make it even harder. After all it would take really high temperatures to actually solidify sand and she wasn't even sure this was normal sand to begin with.
The obsidian at least gives them some chance of getting across but even that would be difficult. Rose and Sorey are readying their ropes and Lailah helps them to fasten it as Edna leaps over. So helpful, she thinks. As for her, she takes the path that the others do, she would feel bad if something happened because she wasn't helping.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Shifting Tiles.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - The Shifting Tiles *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
When you enter this room, you are immediately greeted by the sound of
rushing sand. A flowing river of the stuff moves through the center of the
room, and it moves far too quickly to wade into -- not to mention that no
one can be sure how deep it is. However, something else moves through the
sand: huge tiles of obsidian, which float across it, and are wide and sturdy
enough to hold a person. Crossing will require leaping from tile to tile,
even as it moves underfoot, until you get to the other side.
You certainly want to reach the other side. There, a huge doorway awaits.
Three relief statues of the Guardians of Water, Fire, and Wind are sculpted
around it, beckoning you forth. You suspect few of the other groups of
Drifters have found these trial rooms, so deep under the ground.
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire, Injure=============================================
======================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 6 *>======================= ========================< Results - The Shifting Tiles >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorey 50 --(6)--> 56 Pass Climbing Kit 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 54 --(7)--> 61 Pass Grappling Hook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 52 --(14)--> 66 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Edna 57 --(6)--> 63 Pass Umbrella 2 Agility Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 47 --(11)--> 58 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Sorey 80 --(5)--> 85 Pass Conditions: Injure(2)|Tire(2) Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1)|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Sorey has passed this challenge! The party gained 5 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: Alisha Diphda has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - The Impossible Task *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 4 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The deepest rooms of the Guardian Temple are also the largest. This
cavernous chamber stretches out, and each of the walls has extensive murals
painted by hands deft and light -- hands that have produced art so sublime,
with such finesse, that one might wonder if human hands could master them.
The murals show the Guardians in abstract splendor; without revealing their
form, and yet with such care that one cannot doubt the form that they have
chosen.
Three tiles, each a gleaming silver, stand in the center of the room. Around
them are twenty-four statues on round pedestals. Each shows an abstract
concept related to each of the twenty-five Guardians: a sword, a sun dial, a
flame, a wave, and so on. As you enter, the three tiles flash.
The ghostly images of three Guardians appear: the enormous, tortoise-like
form of Schturkdark, the four-winged dragon form of Moor Gault, and the
winged tiger of Fengalon. Each rears up and looks upon you. Schturdark
speaks first: "We call upon your wisdom to break the past."
Moor Gault speaks next: "We ask that you show the understanding that ever
escaped your ancestors."
Fengalon finishes: "We ask that you show us that you know mankind's place in
the cosmos."
They fade away, but a twenty-fifth statue appears on the central tile: one
of a featureless, stylized human. It looks almost childish. Each statue can
be moved -- including the human statue -- to show where you think you might
fit in the cosmos.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Reckless, Madness===============================
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
The sand river is something of a challenge - but it's nothing that the group cannot handle at this point. The blocks continue to move back and forth, but the pattern is one that isn't too difficult. Jumping from one to the other takes only time, patience, and a bit of coordination - the occasional slip is covered by the ropes everyone has secured, and they make it to the other side in good time.
Sorey looks back for a moment, and chuckles. "Can you imagine being the Seraphim in charge of crazy block puzzles and keeping the sand river from getting clogged? Doesn't sound like my idea of fun, at least." And with that, he turns and looks up at the huge doorway for a moment, and tenses up for a moment. "This is it everyone. Whatever has brought us here... it's going to be in here."
He's heard about the Guardians... but being ready to meet them is another thing.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Only one thing to do, then."
Alisha comes to a stop in the final room. She jumps with surprise at the sight of Guardians -- even illusory ones -- and gasps, softly. She didn't expect something like that here. She didn't know that Guardians might be real. She didn't know that any of this exists. Her mind has to race to make sense of that, first -- to make sense of the fact that the Guardians exist.
'We call upon your wisdom to break the past.'
'We ask that you show the understanding that ever escaped your ancestors.'
'We ask that you show us that you know mankind's place in the cosmos.'
The Guardians' images fade away into nothing, and a final statue -- a twenty-fifth -- appears. Alisha's eyes scan over the room, and she understands what they have to do. They have to communicate mankind's place in their cosmology.
In another religion's cosmology.
She pulls her Celestial Record out, starting to flip through it, as if it might hold an answer. A thin hope. "This... I haven't the foggiest. I wonder if a Filgaian would know the truth."
DG: Alisha Diphda has used her Tool Celestial Record toward her party's challenge, The Impossible Task.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- "Whoooa, look at this room!" Rose says, dashing ahead to start looking at the murals. She's not nearly as much into this as Sorey, Mikleo or even Alisha, but she can appreciate what looks like a treasure room when she sees one. "And all those symbols on the wall! They must mean something pretty important."
- It's a fair guess, what with the depictions of the Guardians.
- And the fact three of them materialize.
- Rose is speechless.
- Their request, it's as daunting as their appearance. "I... don't know, either. Wouldn't answering that question imply we know stuff that's way beyond us? I mean, I know MY place in the world for sure, but how are we supposed to know what humanity's place is as a whole?" Roses crosses her arms, peering over Alisha's shoulders. "Anything in there? My guess is we just leave the statue in the center. Humans can do anything and be anything they want to, right? So it'd make sense if we were in the middle. Maybe it's a bit presumptuous, though..."
- Maybe there's just no good answer, either?
- Or all answers are good?
- Rose doesn't know how ancient Guardians think.
DG: Rose has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Impossible Task.
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
"It's not a matter of being Filgaian or not," Sorey states, pulling out his own Celestial Record and flipping to the part that discusses the legends of mankind arriving on Lunar. "Remember the old legends Alisha - the people of Lunar fled to the Silver Star when the Blue Star was consumed by calamity. Lunar might be our refuge, but Althena brought us from this world long ago, if the legends are correct."
He looks at the Guardian states for a long moment - Sorey isn't someone who carries around a huge amount of faith in higher powers. The higher powers that he respects walk alongside of him, speak to him, make silly puns, sarcastic commentary and encourage him to move onwards. Thus he isn't someone to ever be in awe of the divine. It is his goal for Seraphim and Humans to work together and understand each other.
In other words, for the Mortal and Divine to join hands and work in harmony.
"My name is Sorey, and the Lady of the Lake appointed me the Shepherd, who is charged with ridding the world of malevolence and to help bring peace to Lunar," Sorey states quietly. He doesn't kneel - he simply looks up at the statues, and holds everything that he knows in his heart. If these are divine beings, they'll be able to see what is there, and understand that he wants to help.
"All of us, human and Seraphim alike, have come from the Silver Star for reasons that we don't understand. But what we do understand is simple enough - there are people here who are in need of help. Those struggling to face terrible powers that they do not understand. Those of us who have been given strength and determination that other people lack have a duty and an obligation to help them - to make both of our worlds a better place, no matter how terrible the darkness we oppose may be."
DG: Sorey has used his Tool Sorey's Celestial Record toward his party's challenge, The Impossible Task.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Edna has posed.
- "I'd rather throw myself off a cliff than deal with that." Is Edna's answer to Sorey before she proceeds to follow the others into the final chamber, presumably. And what they find...
- Well.
- Edna expected she'd meet these so-called guardians one of these days. But this sure is a wonderful little welcoming party they're giving. Of course, her answer to all of this?
- Nein.
- She rolls her eyes and watches with almost total indifference. "I don't really care to ay what humans places are in these great cosmos. That's up to them to decide."
- And so she hangs back, umbrella resting against her shoulder as she watches the three actual humans in their company give their thoughts on the matter. This is their trial. She's just helping out a little bit.
- Just a tad.
- A smidge.
DG: Seraph Edna has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Impossible Task.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The ropes seem to do the trick as the group passes with only a few wobbles. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be." At least no one got thrown into the deadly sand river.
The next room is more expansive than she ever imagined it would be. At least on the surface there is nothing deadly trying to kill them yet. Lailah walks along the murals and images thoughtfully. Stopping at one, it feels familiar somehow and yet she can't place it.
Before she can consider it further though, the statues in the center grab her attention as voices call out. Lailah seems to consider what they ask carefully. This seems to be the end of the temple but she is afraid to speak at first, unsure of what the Guardians are looking for.
She looks at Rose and Alisha and then considers it. The statue in the middle seems to bring things together and she agrees in someways with Rose but, "On the other hand Rose, if humans are focused on being the center then where does that put everything else?"
Sorey speaks the words that Lailah was pondering herself and she nods at him. "Being able to see past yourself and knowing what your purpose is. That is the answer that humans seek for themselves. Your actions are a direct reflection of your convictions. When humans lost sight of others, that's when seraphim became only an abstract concept to them." She probably doesn't need to add that was also why there are only a select few that can see them now.
Lailah pauses. "In the end, it's up to you to find that answer within yourself." She smiles and nods to Sorey.
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Lailah's Book of Puns toward her party's challenge, The Impossible Task.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - The Impossible Task *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 4 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The deepest rooms of the Guardian Temple are also the largest. This
cavernous chamber stretches out, and each of the walls has extensive murals
painted by hands deft and light -- hands that have produced art so sublime,
with such finesse, that one might wonder if human hands could master them.
The murals show the Guardians in abstract splendor; without revealing their
form, and yet with such care that one cannot doubt the form that they have
chosen.
Three tiles, each a gleaming silver, stand in the center of the room. Around
them are twenty-four statues on round pedestals. Each shows an abstract
concept related to each of the twenty-five Guardians: a sword, a sun dial, a
flame, a wave, and so on. As you enter, the three tiles flash.
The ghostly images of three Guardians appear: the enormous, tortoise-like
form of Schturkdark, the four-winged dragon form of Moor Gault, and the
winged tiger of Fengalon. Each rears up and looks upon you. Schturdark
speaks first: "We call upon your wisdom to break the past."
Moor Gault speaks next: "We ask that you show the understanding that ever
escaped your ancestors."
Fengalon finishes: "We ask that you show us that you know mankind's place in
the cosmos."
They fade away, but a twenty-fifth statue appears on the central tile: one
of a featureless, stylized human. It looks almost childish. Each statue can
be moved -- including the human statue -- to show where you think you might
fit in the cosmos.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Reckless, Madness===============================
======================<* The Guardian Temple - Round 7 *>======================= =======================< Results - The Impossible Task >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorey 56 --(100)--> 156 Pass Sorey's Celestial Record 1 Wits Effects: 4 and Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 61 --(100)--> 161 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 66 --(100)--> 166 Fail Lailah's Book of Puns 1 Wits Effects: Enlighten and Fanfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Edna 63 --(100)--> 163 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 58 --(100)--> 158 Pass Celestial Record 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Sorey 85 --(10)--> 95 Fail Conditions: Madness|Reckless(2)|Stupify(2) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: Sorey is too exhausted to continue! DG: Rose is too exhausted to continue! DG: Seraph Lailah is too exhausted to continue! DG: Seraph Edna is too exhausted to continue! DG: Alisha Diphda is too exhausted to continue! DG: The party has failed this challenge! All party members are now Exhausted. This attempt is over. DG: The party led by Sorey has been fully Exhausted by The Guardian Temple! DG: The party will now draw a conclusion.
===========================<* The Guardian Temple *>============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - The Guardians' Burden *>=====================
|Type: Escape |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 4 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Try as you might, the Temple of the Guardians is made of sterner stuff than
you were prepared for. As the last of the fight goes out of you, and as
things look their most grim, there is a shimmer of light before you. Soft
blue light erupts upward, and then a twisting, turning sea serpent floats
there. Its scales are in purple, with fins of gold and blue.
It looks down at you with soft eyes. "You have been pushed to your very
limits... and you have failed our trial." Lucadia, the Guardian of the Sea,
sounds sad about this fact. "And yet... these are times in which we cannot
be as exacting as my brethren would wish. The Metal Demons seek to destroy
our statues."
The serpent shakes her head. "They cannot. You are not the hope we sought.
But you are the only hope we have. Go with our blessing -- and with our
burden -- so that we do not lose our precious Filgaia."
The ghostly image of the Guardian vanishes. However, a collection of stone
tablets -- one for each of you -- appears where she vanished, and are yours
for the taking.
OOC: You have acquired the Stone Medium for one of the Elemental,
Terrestrial, or Celestial Guardians. You can pick which you receive. If your
character is not a Zoa Priest or a Shaman, their use of a Medium will be
limited. Please refer to recent +bbposts for information. Thank you for
playing at Dream Chasers MUSH!
=Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Sorey makes his plea, with Lailah's blessing. Alisha falls quiet then -- but glances over her shoulder, and shakes her head once to Rose. She doesn't know; she doesn't see anything in the record. It falls to the Shepherd then.
At first, everything is quiet.
Finally, another Guardian appears. An image of a sea serpent, undulating, twisting, and it looks down at them. "The children of Althena... to think that you would return after so long. You are a reminder of past betrayals. Of past pain."
The Guardian quiets for a moment.
"And yet you would help. I will pray that you will -- that you will hold that strength." When Lucadia looks down at them, the serpent's eyes seem sad for a moment. "You are not the hope we sought. But you are the only hope we have. Go with our blessing -- and with our burden -- so that we do not lose our precious Filgaia."
The sea serpent's image fades after a moment -- and then a few tablets appear, where it sat. Alisha stares for a moment. Then, she steps forward, kneeling before one. She lifts one, imprinted with an image of a horned, powerful man. Aru Sulato, she realizes. She gasps, softly, then she stands.
"They were..." She shakes her head. "...They were what the Demons were after, here."
<Pose Tracker> Sorey has posed.
Sorey listens to the words of the Guardians, not answering as it gives what explanations that it will. He's more than willing to work with the Guardians, if they are willing to work with him. But as the Guardian fades away, the true reason that it had summoned they appears before them.
"So these must be the Mediums I've read about. I didn't think we'd ever get to see any of these in person," Sorey comments, picking up one and looking it over for a long moment. And then he smiles, looking back to Lailah, Mikleo, and Edna.
"We definitely need to keep these out of the hands of the Metal Demons - I don't want to know what sort of difficulties they could unleash if they got their hands on something that could summon a Guardian. But..." The Shepherd inclines his head. "I think I'll pass on trying to use them myself. I have my companions already, and being Shepherd is already enough of a challenge without having to learn how to use these." The others are free to try, of course. But Sorey has done a considerable amount of training already, and he can't stop now. Becoming stronger as a Shepherd is, he believes, the correct path forward. The path that will allow him to stop the Lord of Calamity, and reduce the grip of malevolence on the world.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
- Bad blood between the Guardians and Althena. Weeeeird. But then again, that's what Sorey was going on about moments earlier. Rose isn't exactly religious, certainly not enough to know the full legend of Althena and Lunar off the top of her head. It's good that Sorey refreshes her memory, or she'd never understand why the Guardians seem a bit dismissive towards them.
- As she bends over to pick up one of the Mediums, she examines it, not recognizing immediatly that it belongs to Solais Emsu, but content enough that this wasn't too bad of a detour after all. She might even keep it instead of selling it! Mediums are really rare, after all. Thsoe who have them rarely part with them, and even more rarely for money.
- "Alright, well... mister Shepherd, what's our next heading? My caravans are still outside trying to avoid the firefight, and I can still hear the cannons ringing through the temple's walls... so... would you mind if we found our way out and helped them out? Grump in a hat's probably keeping them safe for now but against the mess we saw he might not last forever."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The news that the group has not given the answer that was expected is a little disappointing for Lailah. Then again, it seemed like a question that didn't have a clear answer.
The Metal Demons though are mentioned by the serpent. "So, the metal demons were trying to get into the temple to get to them?" Lailah sighs. "I can't imagine what could happen if that were to take place..."
The tablets appear and Lailah looks over them closely. One in particular catches her attention, as a fire seraph, The Guardian of Fire, seems to be fitting for her.
Looking up, she nods at Sorey. "You have come a long way already." Lailah gives the shepherd a warm smile before looking to Alisha and Rose and adding, "Really, all of you have." If they chose a medium, it would be up to them. Anything that could aid in the battle ahead could be of use.
For Lailah, she hesitantly takes the Moor Gault one. There seems to be uncertainty in her eyes if she would actually use it but at least it would keep the metal demons from gaining access to it if nothing else.
There is a nod given to Rose, "Yeah this was exhausting. We should go rest somewhere and maybe eat." Things seem to be pretty serious but taking care of themselves was also very important.