2017-08-31: The Worst Red Card
- Log: The Worst Red Card
- Cast: Ida Everstead-Rey, Catenna, Lemina Ausa, Jack Van Burace, Fei Fong Wong, Cyre H. Lorentz
- Where: Gunsmoke Desert
- Date: August 31, 2017
- Summary: A mixed band of Drifters plunges into the Colisea Arcadia. So many of them incur -1 Asteroid rep.
==============================<* Gunsmoke Desert *>============================== The Gunsmoke Desert occupies the northwestern portion of Ignas. This desert is different from Aveh's. Instead of rolling dunes of sand, it has dry and cracked ground, and the mountains that rim it also intrude into the interior, forming stunning rock formations that can look as beautiful as they look impossible. The settlements here are hard-pressed to survive, consisting of countless small towns. The lucky few are connected by railways to the Seed Cities scattered about the Gunsmoke. Many are lost to the sands, which cover them and a tremendous concentration of ruins from Filgaia's past. This makes these badlands the heart of Drifter activity in Ignas. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z_CxmE0AkA
DG: You don't have a party leader right now! Start a party yourself with +party/create, or go make a friend with +party/join. DG: That's not a valid party leader. DG: You already have that tool loaded! DG: You already have that tool loaded! DG: A party led by Ida Everstead-Rey is now entering Colisea Arcadia. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== =========================<* CHALLENGE - Sentry Drone *>========================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- The entrance to the Colisea Arcadia is a tight fit. A shaft that drops down about ten feet, into a huge, cavernous expanse. It has a narrow ceiling, with a ramped floor that leads up and down. The too-smooth stone has yellow lines painted at diagonals, with an arrow that motions towards a door, with a sign over it. After you land, though, a drone comes rolling up on two wheels. It looks at you with one flashing eye, before it opens fire with the ARM mounted in its chest! =Dungeon Conditions: Tire, Bad Luck===========================================
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida's horse is still missing, and she is not terribly optimistic about the matter--the odds are slim, and while it stings, life must go on. It helps that she now has a fifty-ton fighting machine at her disposal, which she had painted a very neutral shade of blue to distinguish it from the standard-issue Aveh Troopers. Aveh has much bigger problems to worry about than a few Drifters making off with a couple Gears, but plausible deniability is always a plus.
The machine currently sits some distance away from the enigmatically-titled Colosia Arcadia, a ruin near Krosse. Getting to it was a long trek, but Ida's gotten used to putting in long hauls on horseback, or--more recently--in the cockpit. It looks like getting into the ruin is going to be uncomfortable, to say the least--there's a claustrophobic little vent shaft, and that's it. Ida leads the way, bracing against the sides of the shaft and controlling her descent as best as she can. She's wearing a leather jacket, combat boots, and military-surplus slacks--she looks something like the lead on the cover of a Gear-pilot drifter novella.
At last, she reaches the end of the passage, and steps out of the way to let her companions complete their descent. She has no time to take her bearings.
"Aggressive construct!" Ida cries, ducking and rolling to the side as the machine opens fire. She draws a revolver and fires off several snapshots.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna took some time after her last adventure with Ida to double back to the Baskar village and learn a few things. She still has to catch a certain catboy in her life, though.
Now could be the time - and yet, the creatures haunting the Colisea Arcadia may have other plans. Indeed, as the drone comes rolling up, ARM firing, the moon priestess gasps and leaps away, hitting thr ground and rolling until she's a few metres away.
Trading her dresses out for more practical gear has helped her on that front, at least - her assemblage of a bustier-style chest plate and airy blue-grey pants with matching boots is lighter and easier to move in. She probably couldn't have dodged that with a skirt tangling her legs. Coming up on one knee, Catenna dips her hand to her Medium. "More machines that act on their own," she mutters, tense as she begins to conjure up a spell - one of her familiar ones. She won't need to be the main shooter here, with this bunch with her.
The familiar moonsong whispers in her ears, for her and her alone, as she lets gravity play with the drone. An inexorable force grips it as gravity closes around it, the air rippling as light itself begins to warp. The force may not crush the drone but it'll do a great job holding it in place for the others to trash at their leisure.
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina is voracious to explore everything the new side of Ignas (to her, anyway) has to offer, and accordingly has attached herself to basically any friend, acquaintance, or acquaintancefriend that crosses her way, provided what they intend to do is go to a ruin or poke around the desert.
As a result: she's here! She's still wearing her Chiro Sandals full time instead of her regular shoes. Coincidentally, she's wearing bandages all over her feet, because she keeps getting blisters, because Ignas is like Hell. Or maybe it's the shoes.
(It's the shoes.)
"I bet I could make a mega-better one," Lemina notes, as Catenna comments on the machines that act on their own. She decides to start small, since this one doesn't seem that threatening and there's no use in wearing herself out this early; she forms up with Ida in short order, and starts whipping icicles at the drone. She sees no reason to go beyond the basics yet.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"It'd look like a spooky ghost or something," she adds.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
"You're looking better than you did last time I saw you, Everstead."
That had been Jack's first comment when he had come riding up. On a horse, one named Faran if anyone was wondering. I mean its not hard to track a Gear. They arn't exactly subtle things.
The swordwielding Drifter though had hired on to poke around yet more ruins, him and Hanpan needing something to take their minds off what happened in the temple.
Which is likely good, as he suddenly has more than enough to worry about. Considering the gunfire that suddenly comes in his direction.
"Damnable machines." He growls as he is suddenly dashing forwards, sliding under the line of fire to slash that sword of his at impossible speed into the drone.
Apparently Jack does no approve of any kind of thinking machine.
DG: Jack Van Burace has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong is desperate to find clues in these ruins or, failing that, those dang statues that need to be protected. That means checking out ruins whenever he could.
He arrives by himself but gives Ida an agreeable nod as he shows up. He smiles at her, but otherwise seems to have come out on foot. He glances around at the rest of the party, grinning even wider upon seeing Lemina. "Yo! Lemina!" He says. "Glad to go on a trip with you again."
Which is weird considering their last adventure ended up with him carrying her up a mountain it really wasn't great--
--but he seems to be dealing ok. He looks to Jack as well, pausing as he sees him strike with impossible speed with his blade.
"That's..." Fei begins.
Just like HER
But Fei shakes his head, clearing his head as he dives in to kick the drone rapidly with his feet!
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
"Building a robot to look like a ghost kind of misses the point, doesn't it?" Cyre huffs and slides down into the ruins alongside a certain other Zoa Cleric. "Ghosts exist in your mind's eye and interact with the soul. That's why they're so scary, you know? Unless you make a robot that can do the same thing, but then... how?"
Beat.
Killer robots.
Cyre frowns and ducks behind a conveniently placed pillar. His hand closes around his favorite medium as the wind begins to stir and howl and gathers into deadly sharp lances of high-pressure air. With a gesture, they all go flying as one down the hallway to skewer some haywire machines.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Sentry Drone.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== =========================<* CHALLENGE - Sentry Drone *>========================= |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- The entrance to the Colisea Arcadia is a tight fit. A shaft that drops down about ten feet, into a huge, cavernous expanse. It has a narrow ceiling, with a ramped floor that leads up and down. The too-smooth stone has yellow lines painted at diagonals, with an arrow that motions towards a door, with a sign over it. After you land, though, a drone comes rolling up on two wheels. It looks at you with one flashing eye, before it opens fire with the ARM mounted in its chest! =Dungeon Conditions: Tire, Bad Luck===========================================
========================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 1 *>========================= ===========================< Results - Sentry Drone >=========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 0 --(9)--> 9 Pass Celesdue Medium 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 0 --(7)--> 7 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 0 --(9)--> 9 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Van Burace 0 --(7)--> 7 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 0 --(15)--> 15 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Tire(2) Effects: Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
The drone really doesn't stand a chance. Catenna's spell grabs hold of it, lifts it off the ground, and freezes it in mid-air--even the bullets it's firing seem to slow down as they exit the ARM, as if stuck in temporal molasses. Fei smashes in its boxy 'head', crushing its camera--Jack happens to it a moment later, and his slash tears through its armor, sending bits of metal spraying everywhere. Shortly thereafter, the drone is violently shredded by ice spikes, gale-force winds, and more bullets. Ida grins as she reloads. "That went well!" she says. She sounds a lot happier than she did several days ago, for some reason.
DG: Catenna has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Security Drones *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- As you move down the hallway, you hear the buzzing of rotors. A trio of flying drones emerge from around the corner ahead. Each has a pair of rockets under their short, stubby wings -- and a machinegun on a turret. A static-filled, electronic voice makes an announcement in a long ancient language -- and then opens fire, shooting a hail of bullets down the hallway! =Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Wound============================================
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
"I could not," Catenna answers with a toss of her head, glancing at Lemina. "But I shall happily see yours when you are done."
As the drone goes down, Catenna nods quickly to Ida and presses forward again. She draws her sword from her waist, holding it out to her side. "Quickly, let us move on," she says. Before she can be held back, she darts around the corner just up ahead.
Six seconds later, Catenna comes running back around the corner full-tilt. "Bad idea, bad idea!" she exclaims as a rocket lances through the piece of air she was just occupying.
The rocket hits the wall and explodes in a cloud of shrapnel and dust. Buzzing out of the darkness come three flying drones, held aloft by rotors and laden with rockets and gun turrets.
One of the drones flashes something from a red light projector. A filtered voice announces something incomprehensible - for all the group knows, it's complimenting Lemina's fashion choices.
A second later, they start shooting, filling the corridor with bullets and missiles and aiming to mow down the team.
With a squeak, Catenna ducks and rolls away from the attack as best she can. When she comes up again it's to fire off another hasty gravity spell, trying to pull one into the ground.
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Who would ever not compliment Lemina's fashion choices?
"Fei! Great to see you!" Lemina says, shortly before Lemina looks at Cyre like he's dumb as hell. "The point isn't to have the automaton exist in your mind's eye, the point is that it flies around and has googly eyes! Come on, this is mega-basic!" Lemina... certainly has an aesthetic all her own.
Her discussion of it is interrupted by combat drones before she can thank Catenna, though -- and needless to say, Lemina has no intention of getting mowed down with bullets. ... then again, this time, she can't quite get a good angle, either -- her bigger-area spells wouldn't be super great against hard targets, which means...
Lemina turns to each of her allies in turn, chanting something and then pointing. THEN HER ALLIES ARE ON FIRE wait, no, it's just their weapons that are glowing with an unearthly light, okay, cool. Good work, Lemina.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
"The only way magic flying ghost robots with googly eyes make a lick of sense is if the googly eyes can like, shoot off like remote controlled drones. And fire lasers." Cyre clearly has his own ideas as to what the One True Googly Ghost Robot must be. Maybe he should just build his own robot if he's so interested in them, huh!?
(He can't, because he's basically useless with that kind of thing.)
(...Maybe Shalune, though??)
Cyre's reverie is interrupted by Catenna suddenly slingshotting right back around a corner. "Uh, Cat, are you alright? I--"
BOOM.
"More drones!?" Cyre groans, conjuring yet another windstorm. This time though, the wind is... On fire? What? The result is a strange visual cavalcade of red-orange crescents hurtling through the air, trailing tongues of flame that would almost certainly cause some SERIOUS lag on any proper JRPG-ing system attempting to animate them all at once. "Man, Ida, what's even down here!?"
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Miss Catenna, please stay within line-of-sight," Ida says--she doesn't sound snappish, just concerned. Losing track of someone for even a few seconds could invite terrible things. A high-pitched buzzing echoes down the hallway, coming towards her. Moments later, there's a hideous cacophony of gunfire and--
"Rockets?" Ida says, her eyes widening. She, too, throws herself to the side, but some of the shrapnel wings her anyway. She comes up to a knee, one hand holding a strange little canister, the other holding a spark striker. "Eyes closed, ears covered!" Ida cries, as she lights the fuse and throws the canister at the drones. It hits the ground with a tink, and then--
BANG
--it erupts with a brilliant flash of light. Ida wastes no time. She draws both revolvers and lays down fire, observing distantly that the bullets are glowing.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Flare Grenade toward her party's challenge, Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
"Why would anyone want to make machines like this. Reminds me too much of the Demons." Jack grumbles as he toes the remains of the first drone before just watching idily as Cat goes tearing off ahead and...
He just looks at Hanpan.
Hanpan looks back and shrugs.
He's already running forwards by the time the lady Baskar comes running back, sword overhead and missing that first missile just by inches before he drops low to skid under the drones, slashing towards their undersides before comming up on the opposite side.
And promptly duccing behind a support pillar in the wall since people are shooting his direction.
DG: Jack Van Burace has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Security Drones.
==============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Security Drones *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- As you move down the hallway, you hear the buzzing of rotors. A trio of flying drones emerge from around the corner ahead. Each has a pair of rockets under their short, stubby wings -- and a machinegun on a turret. A static-filled, electronic voice makes an announcement in a long ancient language -- and then opens fire, shooting a hail of bullets down the hallway! =Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Wound============================================
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
"Mega basic? as in extremely basic?" Fei asks. He is okay with Lemina using mega a lot but he might get worried if it's a verbal tic she can't control rather than a way she chooses to live her world--in a very mega way.
He takes hold of his RPS Badge. Ida seems to remember to give the call out and he slams his eyes shut and covers his ears tightly to allow that for a moment. Unfortunately, when he closes his eyes and ears tight, he sees Harken again. Which is weird. Because he doesn't really know her deal? He grunts lightly and when the faint ringing in his ears stops, he lets his eyes open and he thinks that one of the principles of RPS is to time your moves perfectly so you do not clue your opponente to which you are about to drop. Now is the perfect moment to strike while they are disoriented.
He rushes towards the drones, trying to flying jump kick at least one!
DG: Fei Fong Wong has used his Tool RPS Badge toward his party's challenge, Security Drones.
==============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Security Drones *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- As you move down the hallway, you hear the buzzing of rotors. A trio of flying drones emerge from around the corner ahead. Each has a pair of rockets under their short, stubby wings -- and a machinegun on a turret. A static-filled, electronic voice makes an announcement in a long ancient language -- and then opens fire, shooting a hail of bullets down the hallway! =Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Wound============================================
=========================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 2 *>========================= ==========================< Results - Security Drones >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 6 --(6)--> 12 Pass Flare Grenade 2 Combat Effects: Embolden --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 9 --(16)--> 25 Fail Celesdue Medium 2 Combat Effects: Embolden --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 7 --(9)--> 16 Pass RPS Badge 3 Combat Effects: Rally --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 6 --(15)--> 21 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 9 --(8)--> 17 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Van Burace 7 --(9)--> 16 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 15 --(15)--> 30 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(1)|Injure(2)|Tire(1)|Wound(2) Effects: Embolden(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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.
"I will keep that in mind!" Catenna calls back to Ida as she tries her best to pin down the damned drones.
She throws Cyre a quick, apologetic look, but it's short-lived; she gasps as one of the drones opens fire, lunging out of the way as bullets scatter across the ground and ricochet everywhere. Fortunately, there's Lemina Ausa. The team's weapons and arms glow with the fires of Althena's blessing as everyone mega-powers up to face the challenge...!
It doesn't do Catenna much good; a ricocheting bullet catches her in the hip, and she goes down with a choked sound, spinning as she hits the ground.
Cyre, too, gets plenty of it, two of the drones answering his windy magic by firing rockets at him. But the others take the advantage. As the drones focus in on Cyre, they're cut down by Ida's gunfire, the flash of light dazzling them. Jack cuts one out of the air and Fei kicks the other into a wall. It smashes apart on impact.
The third drone hits the ground, riddled with Ida's bullets. It sparks fitfully a few times before going silent.
Wincing, Catenna rises to her feet, pressing a hand to her hip. "Right," she says, trying not to sound hurt. "Let's move on."
DG: Lemina Ausa has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ====================<* CHALLENGE - Sporting Good Avalance *>==================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- As you move down the hallway, you hear a rumbling from a door to your left. Occasionally, parts of the Colisea Arcadia have given to disrepair. In this case, the door comes off. From within, a huge assortment of sporting goods comes flooding into the hallway: bouncing balls, rackets, uniforms, mits, and shredded up contracts of disaffected athletes come pouring down upon you! You better run, lest the flood of yesteryear's sports bury you alive! =Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Slow=============================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Ida's right -- I mean... I don't have her sense of tactics, but it seems like a good idea so we don't get lost?" Lemina shrugs a little -- but at the very least, things seem to go well accordingly. She stays behind the pillar with Jack, where it's safest. "And -- yeah, exactly! Extremely basic!"
Without too much more fanfare, Lemina nods to Catenna and moves on -- though she does shoot Cyre a dirty look about his aesthetics. We're destined to fight forever, blood in the streets.
There's a crash, off in the distance. "... That doesn't sound real great," Lemina says, with a wince. "Hope it isn't on our route!"
There's another crash, slightly closer. "That doesn't sound mega-great," Lemina says, a drop of sweat running down her forehead. "Let's hope it isn't on our route!"
There's another crasn. This one is through a door that looked extremely secure a moment ago, and is within line of sight. "THAT DOESN'T SOUND MEGA-GREAT," Lemina declares. "IT'S ON OUR ROUTE! RUN!"
The group is forced to sprint down a side hallway rather than make straightforward progress, as Lemina leads the way in a Chiro Sandal-induced dead bolt! It is, sure enough, pretty bad.
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Chiro Sandals toward her party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Pressing one hand to her hip, Catenna pulls it back after a few seconds and winces as she realizes she's bleeding. She pops a couple of Heal Berries, hanging back in the process.
Today she's learned a lesson about jumping out in front of the pack. It never pays. Never.
Still a little unsteady on her feet, she presses on after Lemina and the others. The sound of something thumping in the distance, though, causes her to stop and blink. She looks over to Cyre, then back to Lemina. "No. This sounds extremely bad," she understates.
'Run,' Lemina shouts.
Catenna doesn't stop to debate her. Breaking into a dead sprint and wincing in the process as she works her injured hip, Catenna dashes for her life. Something rumbles ominously - sporting goods about to descend and crush them all.
Catenna hates sports. She uncoils her rope and grappling hook, swinging briskly and hurling it all the way down the corridor. With a long jump, she uses the rope as a guide, reeling herself in along it.
There may not be enough ceiling there for her to swing like some kind of Spider-Catenna, but she can at least follow a rope.
DG: That Tool has no remaining uses. You'll have to use something else! DG: Catenna has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong glances towards Jack again but doesn't comment to him. He seems to have a companion, who is probably cool since all tiny companions like that so far have proven to be pretty cool. Sometimes cooler than their companions, even! He isn't making an assumption on that SO far. "Makes sense." He adds to Lemina clarifying MEGA basic to him.
But then he squints around. This new area. "Is this some sort of ... sporting arena?" He pauses for a moment as he sees what's coming for him. His eyes widen. "No...NO!! WE GOTTA MOVE!"
He runs as quickly as he can. He is an ARTIST! He can't be expected to participate in SPORTS! He just can't...!!
"Gaaaahh...!" He yells.
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Security?" Ida says to Jack, once things have quieted down. She turns to Cyre as she reloads, and shakes her head. "I wasn't able to find a reliable source," she admits, "just rumors." Once she's combat-ready, she slips back into formation behind Lemina, gun at the ready. At the first ominous crash, she raises her head, and turns to face it; her whole body tenses, ready to fight or flee at a moment's notice. "Ah, Miss Ausa--" Ida says, but then the Premier finally gets the hint. Ida runs, going from zero to a dead sprint as something crashes through the corridor where she once stood. But can she outrun an avalanche?
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
Cyre is nearly hit by several missiles. Fortunately he has the kind of magic that can deflect those kinds of things. Unfortunately being 'nearly hit' by missiles means he is 'definitely hit' by the ensuing explosions. The shaman coughs and wheezes as the smoldering ash cloud dissolves. "Ugh," he groans, coughing twice more. "Think I might've... inhaled something."
Hopefully not another, much smaller missile.
At least he has time to recover before the next immediate threat to his life. Such as, you know, an avalanche of sporting equipment.
Cyre's eyes go wide at the sight. They swim in their sockets-- there are... There are so many balls.
So many... bouncing balls...!
Something inside of the priest snaps. He knows. Cyre knows what he must do. He leaps FORWARD, hurling his parachute past the sportslide, and... starts kicking. Dozens of kicks. So many kicks. Ball after ball, he sends flying not into a wall, or a basket, but into his parachute.
Into... a goal.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
"Security, until they turn on you I suppose." The swordsman replies with a slight shrug. Hanpan just gives the man a shake of his tiny blue head before he's sliding his sword away.
The man doesn't seem too flustered about the arena they find themselves in. Though the avalanch of sports equipment causes the sword to leap back to his hand. Bisecting a basketball. Then a tennis racket. Then a hockey stick. He just keeps slashing, more and more fustrated.
"Did I ever tell you, Hanpan." He adds as he starts backing up. "I hated sports in Arctica? Everything used skates!" Now he's backpedeling.
"This is karma for all the times I skipped practice..." He adds to no one in perticular as he trtreats with the rest. Least he be snowed under by vengful sports equipment.
DG: Jack Van Burace has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Sporting Good Avalance.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ====================<* CHALLENGE - Sporting Good Avalance *>==================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- As you move down the hallway, you hear a rumbling from a door to your left. Occasionally, parts of the Colisea Arcadia have given to disrepair. In this case, the door comes off. From within, a huge assortment of sporting goods comes flooding into the hallway: bouncing balls, rackets, uniforms, mits, and shredded up contracts of disaffected athletes come pouring down upon you! You better run, lest the flood of yesteryear's sports bury you alive! =Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Slow=============================================
========================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 3 *>========================= ======================< Results - Sporting Good Avalance >====================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 12 --(16)--> 28 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 25 --(23)--> 48 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 16 --(17)--> 33 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 21 --(15)--> 36 Pass Reverse Parachute 1 Agility Effects: Rally and Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 17 --(13)--> 30 Pass Chiro Sandals 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Van Burace 16 --(20)--> 36 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 30 --(10)--> 40 Fail Conditions: Injure(2)|Slow(2)|Wound(1) Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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> Lemina Ausa has posed.
The sprint goes well... at first. Unfortunately, there's just too many balls and bats; first poor Catenna is overwhelmed, then Jack, then Fei. In the end, all three are buried under a veritable avalanche of sporting goods!
"We... we have to go back!" Lemina declares, looking to Cyre. "That's a mega-great idea -- we'll use the parachute to store the balls as we dig everyone out...!"
Things go well, but not as well as you'd hope, as the party spends a long, long time digging half of itself out. It takes a lot of time and effort -- and actually crossing the floor kind of sucks, too, with several balls still in the way.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>=============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Fastball Drone *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
When you open the next door, you find yourself inside a caged off room. On
the other end of the room is a massive machine. The ARM stands up on legs,
and a video screen on it lights up -- and displays a countdown. Then, a
chute opens.
The door behind you slams shut! And then, a ball comes flying out of the
chute -- followed by another and another, as the drone tries to smash all of
you down with repeatedly hurled balls in your direction!
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright, Bad Luck=========================================
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
There are... There are too many balls. Cyre can deal with those. He can't kick bats. He likes having shins. They're very important things for running, walking, and all kinds of other things! "Ghhhuh," Cyre groans as he hefts the last of the Sporting Equipment into his sack. It takes a while to clear, but by the time it's all wrapped up and they find themselves in that next room...
Well, Cyre for one is glad that he brought a giant sack full of balls.
Because it means he has something to hide behind when some terrible invention of the ancients decides that this group of diggers CLEARLY HASN'T HAD ENOUGH BALLS YET.
"What is even the deal with this place!?" Cyre yelps as a baseball nearly clips his head. These things are going fast enough to explode birds! "Ida, what IS all this?!"
From behind the relative cover of his Sack O' Stuff, Cyre is able to draw upon the power of the wind god yet again, this time to try and set up a protective wall to knock those incoming balls aside before anyone gets hurt. But then the question remains: How do they deal with the drone!?
Perhaps the answer lies... In the rack of bats behind you!?
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna pokes her head out from under a massive heap of jerseys. They're all black and gold with a penguin on them.
"I despite sports," she says in an absolutely flat tone.
It takes her a minute to struggle out from under the heap. When she does, she takes off after the group, muttering something venomous about jockstraps.
She eventually catches up with Cyre. But it's just in time for the door to slam closed and a horde of balls to come bouncing in.
"It is Hades," she says. "It is absolutely Hades."
Then a hurtling fastball nearly takes her head off. With a yelp, Catenna throws herself to the ground. Fastballs whizz over her like bullets, pounding into the far wall. She remains hunkered down, uttering words rapidly over her Medium, eyes wide and wild. A gravitational source suddenly manifests not too far to one side of her.
It begins sucking in softballs like a giant gravitic magnet. The balls begin to accumulate in a growing heap.
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Celesdue Medium toward her party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong jolts as the door behind the team slams shut! Her jerks his head to look, but then--balls!
Fei's instinct isn't to play baseball. It's to dive in the way of the balls and say, "Everybody get down!"
He promptly gets clobbered by like 20 baseballs. It's not quite Monokuma level, but it's pretty bad. But at least his sacrifice will give the rest of you time to get ready to PLAY BALL.
"Guuhhhh..." Fei says, falling flat onto his back.
MEANWHILE
-1 Asteroid the Kid Rep, Catenna.
BACK HERE!
"Sorry..." Fei says. "Instinct kind of took over...! I can't believe a place like this is still functional!"
He pauses. "Or 'functional."
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
Jack is pulled from under the torrent of sporting goods the swordsman is still trying to stab some of them. "This is slightly humiliating." He grumbles. "Maybe thats how the people here died...they couldn't take being over run by sporting goods." He feels like one big bruise.
Thankfully. He was able to spare Hanpan any damage and the mouse gingerly pats the swordsman on the shoulder in thanks for that.
As they wonder into the next room Jack frowns slightly. "...does this seem almost like a trap to anyone else?"
The deep klang of the closing door echos down deserted hallways.
"...nevermind."
Then comes speeding balls, everywhere. Low. High. Middle. No one knows where they might come from next. The swordsman's eyes though light up slightly. "...well this is more like training. And these targets don't even explode!" He seems relieved at this as he just begins to...well...slice the balls in two before they hit him. He's apparently quite good at it.
"I'm going to assume this wasn't sword training that was practiced here." He adds as he continues. Gamely attempting to slice and dodge. But...there are a lot of projectiles.
DG: Jack Van Burace has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida has never seen such an assortment of equipment. "Is this a cricket ball?" she asks no one in particular, as she inspects a heavy, red-tinted ball. She then stuffs it in Cyre's sack. Hopefully some of these might be of interest to other archaeological types--since she can't write on Cyre's bag, she instead takes a moment to make a note to herself in her pocket. "Recreational equipment, possibly. Some of it looks terribly familiar, but some isn't." She holds up a strange brown egg-shaped thing with white lacing. What is it? What could it be?
Then the group heads down the hall, goes through a door, and
phoomp
phoomp phoomp phoomp
phoompphoompphoompphoomp
Ida loses a moment staring before a baseball hits her in the shoulder. It hurts. She dives behind Cyre's improvised cover, looking at the Shaman with something approaching complete confusion. "I don't know! If we could get it to stop firing--" There's that rack of oddly-shaped bats. Ida pauses a moment. "Is this cricket? Is this bizarre ancient cricket?" No, Ida thinks, I was never any good at cricket--!
Nevertheless, she has to try. Ida takes one of the big, awkwardly-shaped, club-like cricket bats and starts swinging. Having actual combat practice is a little helpful, even if the rest is awful.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
==============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>==============================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Fastball Drone *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
When you open the next door, you find yourself inside a caged off room. On
the other end of the room is a massive machine. The ARM stands up on legs,
and a video screen on it lights up -- and displays a countdown. Then, a
chute opens.
The door behind you slams shut! And then, a ball comes flying out of the
chute -- followed by another and another, as the drone tries to smash all of
you down with repeatedly hurled balls in your direction!
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright, Bad Luck=========================================
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Uuughh," Lemina mumbles, as they trudge forward after fishing everyone out of the sea of balls. "This... isn't great," she mumbles. "I also hate sports." She continues her trudge forward, and then --
-- sure enough, the door shuts, and Lemina frowns tremendously. "Oh COME ON," she insists, as the golem gets up and starts firing baseballs at full speed. She pops her umbrella out, and still takes one to the head before she can even get it open.
Fortunately, she has a solution: with a quick chant and a thrust of her... umbrella, Lemina shoots a pitching machine aperture-sized chunk of ice for... wait for it...
.. the opening from which the balls are coming! Genius.
She does not bat, before Lemina hates sports.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Fastball Drone.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
-1 Asteroid the Kid rep, Lemina :(
============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>=============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Fastball Drone *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
When you open the next door, you find yourself inside a caged off room. On
the other end of the room is a massive machine. The ARM stands up on legs,
and a video screen on it lights up -- and displays a countdown. Then, a
chute opens.
The door behind you slams shut! And then, a ball comes flying out of the
chute -- followed by another and another, as the drone tries to smash all of
you down with repeatedly hurled balls in your direction!
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright, Bad Luck=========================================
=======================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 4 *>======================== =========================< Results - Fastball Drone >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ida Everstead-Rey 28 --(4)--> 32 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catenna 48 --(6)--> 54 Pass Celesdue Medium 2 Combat Effects: Embolden ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fei Fong Wong 33 --(4)--> 37 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cyre H. Lorentz 36 --(8)--> 44 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 30 --(8)--> 38 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack Van Burace 36 --(6)--> 42 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 40 --(15)--> 55 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Fright(2) Effects: Embolden(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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. DG: Jack Van Burace has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Striped Barrier *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- As you enter the tunnels running around Colisea Arcadia's central structure, you find that some are routinely blocked by barriers that have risen from the floor. The gates are huge metal constructions, painted in yellow and black. This one is stuck upright, and will need to be dealt with -- or climbed over. =Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
It turns out that Jack is maybe just TOO GOOD with his sword. He cuts the balls coming at him clean in half, but that doesn't do anything at all for the momentum they carry! He just ends up getting beaned with twice as many projectiles as before! And Cyre, for all his control over the very forces of nature, only succeeds in beaning HIMSELF over the head with the balls he redirects!
Lemina chucks an ice spell at the ball-hole! Too bad there are balls constantly coming out of that hole, too. They soak up her spell and carry right on through. But...!
With gravity drawing balls away, with a human shield blocking their path, with all these sacrifices on the road to glory, Ida steps up to the plate and swings one good hit...
Into the ground.
Because she's trying to play Cricket with a baseball bat.
But it seems like that's enough for whatever crazy intelligenec drives this machine! It doesn't care if they hit a home run, just that these poor drifters manage to come away with a bit more skill and a bit more love for the great game of baseball...!
(Apparently going from 'absolute shit' to 'capable of hitting a ball' is good enough!)
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
"I used to be better at this..." Jack says to no one in perticular as he rubs his now even more bruised arms and chest. The swordsman is going to be black and blue by the end of this and he doesn't really find himself liking it.
"Lets get to the bottom of this infernal place..." He says as he strides off now at the room has unlocked himself. Turnning a corridor only to find...a big metal barrier.
He just glares at it for a moment. Glances down at his sword, then back at the metal. Nope. Not gonna cut that. "I don't suppose anyone brought some explosives?" He asks as he steps back to make way to the experts. While he brings out the one thing he did bring for situations just like this.
Sweet sweet music.
DG: Jack Van Burace has used its Tool Guitar toward its party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
With a relieved sigh, Catenna pushes herself off the ground.
"I wonder what Asteroid sees in all these ball games," she murmurs as she gravitates towards Cyre again. As she moves after him, stiffly and with a great deal of soreness, she steals a considering look towards Jack. He's a man she's barely begun to get to know - but one who handles himself well.
"...No, I do not usually carry such things," she admits, before he busts out his guitar.
Catenna sets her hands at her hips - but as the man begins to play, she closes her eyes and inhales slowly. It's not a bad tune, and he's got some talent, at least, even if it isn't what she's used to.
When she opens her eyes again, she advances towards the yellow and black gate, laying one hand on the bars. The priestess gives them a testing tug, as though to check if it's actually locked or if it's fixed to something.
"It does appear to be fastened tightly," she murmurs, before leaning back and attempting to pull on the gate with what meager strength she has.
Catenna Lacksasurname is not strong, folks. She doesn't get very far.
DG: Catenna has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina, despite not being particularly badly bludgeoned by the balls (though definitely getting there), grumps. "I wish my thing would've worked," she mumbles, quietly, as they advance. "Stupid... balls. I hate sports." She crosses her arms and is huffy for a while as they advance.
"Theoretically," Lemina notes, "I always have explosives. But I don't think that's actually going to help here." She glances over to Ida, squinting for a moment as something earlier registers with her. "Wait a sec... what's cricket? Is that some kind of bugs game?"
With a frown on her face, Lemina turns her attention to the barricade as the music plays. "Let's see if I can't melt this. You might... not want to be touching it for a bit."
Cue the fire magic!
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
"Uuuuugh, I think it helps that her head's literally a rock," Cyre groans, rubbing what's probably going to be a pretty sizable lump right in the middle of his skull. "This is... this really can't be healthy, you know? Heads're pretty delicate things, under the skull." Cyre probably means the brain, but he might be suffering from a concussion of his own right now.
Speaking of hard things, there.... Seems to be a giant gate.
Cyre frowns. "Well," he says with a soft huff, "I'm basically useless here, unless we just want to go over, so..." He breaks out that familiar censer, and Catenna would catch a very pleasant aroma in the air when she next goes to take a sigh. "Time for a breather, I think. We've got some peace, might as well soothe some of those aches and pains, eh?"
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Invigorating Vapors toward his party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"Not at present, no," Ida says. Apparently she doesn't count those flash grenades as explosives, largely because they're incapable of causing much damage. She blinks, slowly, as Lemina asks her what cricket is. "It's a sport they play in some places back home in Aquvy," Ida says. She realizes, a moment later, that she barely remembers how it's played, mostly because the one time she played it was a tryout during primary school and she ended up knocking a ball into those pillar things and it was bad. "It has nothing to do with insects, but it is very complex." Jack starts playing. Lemina does her thing.
Ida chips in once the gate is reasonably cool again, trying to twist the (hopefully-wrecked) metal into a less obstructive shape now that it's more pliable.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong is in a fair bit of pain but he manages to stand himself back up eventulaly and stumbles after the rest of the group. "Asteroid...?" He murmurs to himself. "That's a ridiculous name."
-1 Asteroid the Kid Rep, Fei Fong Wong :(. And while we're at it, like you're one to talk!
Fei Fong Wong engages in some stretching. Thanks to Jack's guitar music, he manages to smile a little. "You're good at it," He tells Jack. "Playing the guitar, I mean. I should take up an instrument too--or I would if I had any talent at it. It kind of makes you forget that you're in Filgaia's worst sports colliseum. And maybe more like... a sporty concert hall?"
He looks over to Ida, takes in a deep breath, plants his feet, and says, "Let's try this..."
And throws a Mega-guided shot at the barriers!
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Striped Barrier.
==============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Striped Barrier *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- As you enter the tunnels running around Colisea Arcadia's central structure, you find that some are routinely blocked by barriers that have risen from the floor. The gates are huge metal constructions, painted in yellow and black. This one is stuck upright, and will need to be dealt with -- or climbed over. =Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>============================== =======================<* CHALLENGE - Striped Barrier *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- As you enter the tunnels running around Colisea Arcadia's central structure, you find that some are routinely blocked by barriers that have risen from the floor. The gates are huge metal constructions, painted in yellow and black. This one is stuck upright, and will need to be dealt with -- or climbed over. =Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
========================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 5 *>========================= =========================< Results - Striped Barrier >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 32 --(5)--> 37 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 54 --(3)--> 57 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 37 --(15)--> 52 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 44 --(3)--> 47 Pass Invigorating Vapors 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 38 --(14)--> 52 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Van Burace 42 --(5)--> 47 Pass Guitar 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 55 --(20)--> 75 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(1)|Exhaust(1)|Fright(1) Effects: Cleanse ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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: Fei Fong Wong has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>=============================
===========<* CHALLENGE - Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes *>============
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You emerge from the hallway into the single, central structure that much of
the Colisea Arcadia has wrapped itself around. It is a vast, cavernous
space. Strangely enough, you step onto what looks like grass, at first.
However, it is too springy -- and plastic like -- for you to mistake it for
real grass. And, when you do, huge flood lights open up.
It shows white paint has made stripes across the field, here and there. Two
large, netted goals are at either end. The field is in a pit, and the
surrounding area -- reaching up to the cavernous ceiling -- has rows of
empty seats, on tiers. A few skeletons are located here and there, including
one hunched by a table. The door behind you slams shut. And, then, on the
scoreboard, a countdown begins: you have five minutes.
On the table by the skeleton is a notebook. The first page reads: "THE RULES
OF THE GAME, AS BEST AS THE CORPSES OF THE PROBABLE LOSERS HERE CAN PUT
TOGETHER."
You have five minutes to learn the game. On the cover of the book, though,
is a hint. It is written in an ancient language: "Futbol."
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright, Stupify, Exhaust=================================
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
Between the sweet scent of Baskar Herbs and the sweet sounds of Arctica Guitar the flames and heat crackle and melt. The door slowly turns to slag. Slag that is then bent into mostly correct area to get around. Of course Lemina might get some blowback from her own blast.
Fei...took a tad too long to power up that blast and it just sails on though the hole that Ida dn Catenna made.
Jack brings his song to a close as he peers though the cleared hole and then hops on past.
"Onword and out of this hellscape!"
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
Then a pause as he grins towards Fei. "Thanks. I spent a lot of time learning to play. When I was slacking off of training."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei's chi blast evaporates an entire skeleton. NO! NOOOOOOOOOO! DOES ONE REALLY NEED THE POWER TO DESTROY EVERYTHING??? Maybe he should have DBZ Abridged this rather than DBZed this.
But as the flood lights in the next area burst on, he squints his eyes. They water. And he manages to tell Jack, "Well, it's pretty nice. It's good to have extra talents and--"
He pauses. He stares into the room. He walks into the room and pokes his foot around before stepping in. It's a strange plastic-like glass field with strange stripes and nets. He frowns faintly, looking over towards the skeletons. "This place..." He frowns. "...There's something familiar about it." He closes his eyes. "It's a tema game... I think--I think I'm going to make a map, some sort of--play map. We can figure out our plays with it. Right."
He draws out his sketchpad and gets to work, adjusting as people clarify the rules. "I think this is what it's going to make us do. Play this game. Probably against 'futbol' drones."
He nods towards the table with the rulebook lying there. "But what I really want to know...is how that skeleton happened to die in THAT position."
If anything it seems like the man died while reading the darn thing.
DG: Fei Fong Wong has used his Tool Artist's Toolkit toward his party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
On the one hand, books. On the other hand... sports. Truly the ultimate dilemma.
"Okay, so, I'm definitely the fastest reader here," Lemina says, rolling up with what can only be described maximum confidence. "Like, no contest. So I'll read the rules -- I've already been reading out loud a bunch lately so it'll be mega-quick if I handle this part!"
She pops on her reading glasses, looks at the book and sees Sports Words, and says, "... actually this isn't going to make any sense to me," as loath as she is to admit it. She kind of... thrusts the book in Ida's general direction instead, saying, "Here! You mentioned knowing anything at all about a complicated sport, so, go nuts. I already feel like I am from just looking at it. When you figure out... Fat Ball, let us know."
Helping!
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Reading Glasses toward her party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
Catenna seems legitimately surprised that she made any headway at all. She blinks twice, then holds her hands up, looking at her arms incredulously. Or as incredulously as Catenna gets given her usual state of understated calm.
"Very well, then," she says, finally, hopping on through and out of the worst of the maze.
And into a vast field of fake grass. She brings her foot down onto it and widens her eyes as she realizes it isn't giving the right way. It feels wrong under her feet. Sinking to a crouch, she runs her fingers through the strange plastic turf and tries to get a feel for what it is.
"...This is not real," she murmurs, her eyes distant.
Lifting her gaze to the table, she rejoins the others, bowing her head at the sight of the skeletons. She glances at the timer, tensing visibly. "Some strange game...?" she murmurs as she fishes around in her pouch.
She emerges with a couple of sticks of incense. Setting them in the pit near the rulebook, Catenna lights the incense up and lets the pungent scent of it begin to fill the room. There's a certain citrus clarity to it, cleansing the mind of chaos - like a serenity. Much like a full moon.
The priestess lays her hands on the tome and flips to the next page. "...No, I think it means feet," she murmurs. "I wonder if this is the game Asteroid played...."
DG: Catenna has used her Tool Ritual Incense toward her party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
Jack peers at the skeleton. Peers at the book. Then back at the skeleton.
"I'm pretty sure this is haunted." He finally decides as he slowly draws his sword to help ward off the inevetiable trap that he believe is bearing down swiftly upon them.
Hanpan just sighs and then hops off Jack's shoulder and scampers across the way to leap his way onto Ida's shoulder. Just after the book is shoved into her hands. "Perhaps I can be of some assistance."
Yes. The mouse speaks. Its a thing.
DG: Jack Van Burace has used its Tool Hanpan toward its party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong thinks that if flying cats are super smart, flying mouses have to be smarter or else the flying cats would have eaten them. "Yes sir?" He says, mid-sketch.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
Cyre stares.
Not at the book. Not at the field. He stares... At Jack's mouse.
His ears twitch ever so slightly.
No, Cyre. Don't do the thing. Instead, focus on the field. Focus on why this is all so familiar. On... why...
.............
Cyre... reaches into his sack of sportsgoods. He retrieves a distinct black-and-white ball. He sets it on the field, places a foot on top of it and thinks.
A full moon. Asteroid... Asteroid...!
"That's it!" Cyre grins, "It's that game again! Hah, well okay then! What we need to do is kick this ball from here into the goal over there. But if this is anything like Asteroid's game, that won't be enough.
Beat.
"The skeletons," Cyre narrows his eyes at the array of suspiciously upright bones. "Are they... Going to come in to play?"
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
Ida walks out onto the strange-smelling false turf, looks down at it, and frowns. The practice field back at school was some sort of soft, springy rubber material, because keeping grass green in Guild Galad was an expense even a wealthy private school wasn't willing to go to. Maybe it's a similar princple? "An arena?" she says, as the lights turn on. "Perhaps the lines demarcate the playing field, though it's rectangular..." Lemina thrusts her the Book of Sportsball. Hanpan clambers onto her shoulder, and aside from a momentary look of surprise, she seems... oddly okay with the talking animal sidekick doing that.
THIRTEEN YEARS AGO
A much younger Ida grips a cricket bat with sweaty hands, trying to remember the rules. She has to hit the ball, but only when she's in this position, and not the other. She has to run over to switch positions once... something happens, maybe a hit? Knocking the columns down is bad? Good? Probably bad because then they'd have to set them back up again? Is she allowed to aim for the players standing in the circular field?
Part of her desperately wishes she hadn't been daydreaming about going on fun adventures with a Metal Dragon that she befriended five minutes earlier.
The cricket ball beans her right in the head when she's distracted, and she falls down.
THE PRESENT
Ida commits the manual to memory like it's the instructions for disarming a bomb. "It cannot be as complicated," she says, though Hanpan can probably feel her tensing up a bit. She recognizes that sphere Cyre produces--and risks a moment to cross-reference her mother's journal. ...Was Flora here, once? There's a sketch of the ball, and 'NO HANDS' underlined.
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has used her Tool Flora's Notebook toward her party's challenge, Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes.
============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>=============================
===========<* CHALLENGE - Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes *>============
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You emerge from the hallway into the single, central structure that much of
the Colisea Arcadia has wrapped itself around. It is a vast, cavernous
space. Strangely enough, you step onto what looks like grass, at first.
However, it is too springy -- and plastic like -- for you to mistake it for
real grass. And, when you do, huge flood lights open up.
It shows white paint has made stripes across the field, here and there. Two
large, netted goals are at either end. The field is in a pit, and the
surrounding area -- reaching up to the cavernous ceiling -- has rows of
empty seats, on tiers. A few skeletons are located here and there, including
one hunched by a table. The door behind you slams shut. And, then, on the
scoreboard, a countdown begins: you have five minutes.
On the table by the skeleton is a notebook. The first page reads: "THE RULES
OF THE GAME, AS BEST AS THE CORPSES OF THE PROBABLE LOSERS HERE CAN PUT
TOGETHER."
You have five minutes to learn the game. On the cover of the book, though,
is a hint. It is written in an ancient language: "Futbol."
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright, Stupify, Exhaust=================================
=======================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 6 *>======================== =============< Results - Reading the Rule Book in Five Minutes >============== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ida Everstead-Rey 37 --(4)--> 41 Pass Flora's Notebook 1 Wits Effects: Enlighten and Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Catenna 57 --(5)--> 62 Pass Ritual Incense 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fei Fong Wong 52 --(5)--> 57 Pass Artist's Toolkit 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cyre H. Lorentz 47 --(13)--> 60 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 52 --(3)--> 55 Pass Reading Glasses 2 Wits Effects: Resilient ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jack Van Burace 47 --(5)--> 52 Pass Hanpan 3 Wits Effects: Rally ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 75 --(5)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Fright(2)|Stupify(2) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)|Resilient(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey 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: Ida Everstead-Rey has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>==============================
===============<* CHALLENGE - The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven *>================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The countdown comes to its end, whether you are ready or not. When the
countdown reads 00:00, lights flash. An announcer cries out something, in a
language you cannot understand.
And then, six humanoid metallic drones rise up from the floor. They shift,
shake, and stumble. However, each is covered in strange Symbols -- and all
of them ignite at once, providing an illusion of men and women wearing black
and orange uniforms. Their hair is wild, spiky, and strange. Their eyes are
determined. They are posing at you.
A ball drops down.
The lead player charges at it, then drops back -- and launches a mighty kick
that sends the ball hurtling right at you! The announcer cries out: "Madre
de Dios! El homre esta en FUEGO!"
And the black and white ball /catches on fire/, before it goes screaming
towards your goal!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei only knows stuff about Ida's ancestor one thousand years ago! Nothing thirteen years ago! BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE USEFUL.
He looks towards Cyre. He frowns a bit. That ball's familiar too. Nevertheless, Fei manages to complete his play map and Hanpan can help everybody figure out to play with Ida. This time with the actual rules to futbol instead of Asteroid trying to teach you the whole game in twenty seconds. THERE ARE COMPLEXITIES SHE NEGLECTED TO MENTION so that might trip Cyre up.
But at least it smells nice. It relaxes Fei's mind. He stands himself up, swings his arms from side to side then stretches out his legs. "I think we're ready."
He places the map down on the table. "And it seems like time's about to be--"
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!
NOW WHAT?
<Pose Tracker> Ida Everstead-Rey has posed.
"There will be a ball like the one Cyre has," Ida says, gesturing at the strange sphere with her free hand. "We must deliver it to the opposing goal without using our hands and arms. Kick it, strike it with your knees, hit it with your head, and keep it away from the other team." Who is the other team?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVqzl0Eh6ec
Ida allows herself a smile. There are no ridiculous wickets. There is no ridiculous switching-off, no arcane methods for determining who has a high score. There is only...
Futbol!
"STOP THAT BALL!" Ida puts on a pair of gloves, and darts into the goal. This position, she concluded, is allowed to use its hands--and she stands, the last line of defense!
DG: Ida Everstead-Rey has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Catenna has posed.
"I knew it," Catenna says as the ball drops onto the field between themselves and the metallic players. "I would wager this is where Asteroid found out about that ridiculous game."
Stepping away from the rulebook, Catenna presses her lips together and lets out a slow breath through her nose as she finds herself a spot on the field. "I really wish this were not a thing we had to do," she mutters a touch bitterly.
She does it anyway. And then the ball catches fire.
With no actual way to stop that with gravity, Catenna does the next best thing and brushes her fingertips over the other Medium she carries. "I am sorry for calling upon you for a matter this ridiculous," she murmurs an apology to Lucadia, the Guardian of the Sea.
The soccer ball hurtles about the field. As it arcs into the open, Catenna's a mile away from it. Murmuring a few words, she draws upon a power she's not quite used to.
And with an absurd burst of speed, she launches herself across the field. If there were battlefield hexes she'd have just super-jumped from one hex to the other in an instant.
With all that momentum, Catenna swings her leg back and then snaps it forward, letting the speed build up behind it. "Aah!" she shouts unconvincingly as she kicks the soccer ball towards the opposing goal as hard as she Celesdue-damned can.
DG: Catenna has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
WELP. It's go time!
Lemina is not the goalie, which means she can't use her hands -- but she can use her feet. Her feet... which are still equipped with hypervelocity running shoes. On the other hand, her shoes are basically dragging her across the finish line here, as it were, so once she's actually on the field, she does two things.
FIRST: She attempts to get that literally on fire ball to stop being so on fire by chilling it out with a thin layer of ice!
SECOND: She runs into the path of the ball with her arms extended! If fire is legal, ice is also legal -- so she extends her reach with giant... ice... sandals? Giant ice attachments to her existing sandals?
This game is dumb.
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Chiro Sandals toward her party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Jack Van Burace has posed.
"So Hanpan," Jack says as he looks towards the developing game. "...I can't use my hands..."
The mouse, leaping back on Jack's shoulder just gives him a glare. "No Jack. You can't use your sword either."
"Its technicly not my hands."
"Pretty sure thats against the spirit of the game, Jack. An you would break the ball."
"Game would be over then right?"
"Hrmmm true...but I still don't think that would work..."
"I could use the blunt side. Or the sheath."
"You could bu--JACK THE BALL IS ON FIRE AND COMING THIS WAY!"
The swordsman pivots on one leg in an attempt to slam the sheath of his weapon against the FIREBALL and send it flailing back towards the other side of the goal.
"...huh. Game isn't that bad."
DG: Jack Van Burace has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward its party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong says, "You seem more experienced with this game than me. I guess it's still played in Filgaia." He makes his way onto the field, taking his shirt off so it doesn't get dirty and tossing it to the side. He runs to intercept the ball as it's flying for Ida! With that kind of power it's not going to be easy to stop.
"Hissatsu Technique...!" Fei shouts as he leaps into the air high above the ball. He takes in a deep breath and throws himself at the ball, head first, "CANNONBALL...STRIKE!"
He presses against ifor a moment, his forehead against the ball--but it is just TOO POWERFUL! Fei is thrown out of the way as the ball keeps flying towards Ida! "Ghyaaa!!!"
But perhaps... IT HELPED SLOW IT DOWN!?
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
What, are you saying the entire game comes to a sudden standstill when someone falls over!? What kind of game is this!? Cyre's cheek twitches as pages upon pages of playbook are crammed into his brain in the span of a few minutes. "Uh," Cyre says as the other end of the field suddenly BURSTS INTO FUTBOLLERS. "People start taking off. Jack... Uses his sword as a bat. Is that even legal? Where's the goalie even!?
Cyre huffs and takes off after the ball. It looks like he's taking up a striker's position, when...
OH NO.
THAT'S A BIG FLAMING ROBOT!
"Catenna!" Cyre yells, leaping ahead to screen her approach. He comes up, right face to face with a BIG, THUGGISH ROBOT MAN. Cyre glares at it. It glares at Cyre. Their eyes lock. The robot moves, Cyre darts--
Did you know that the Guardians are fond of the great game of futobol?
No?
It's okay
Because neither did Cyre.
Suddenly a swift wind catches his cloak, unfurls his parachute, and...
Hurls him, bodily, right into the path of a charging robot.
Cyre tumbles across the turf! When he comes to a stop, he... grasps his shin, and starts rocking back and forth going-- "SSSS!" Cyre tightens up into a ball! "Aaaaaa--!" Cyre loosens up again.
"SSSS!" Cyre tightens up into a ball! "Aaaaaa--!" Cyre loosens up again.
"SSSS!" Cyre tightens up into a ball! "Aaaaaa--!" Cyre loosens up again.
"SSSS!" Cyre tightens up into a ball! "Aaaaaa--!" Cyre loosens up again.
DG: Cyre H. Lorentz has used his Tool Reverse Parachute toward his party's challenge, The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven.
<Pose Tracker> Cyre H. Lorentz has posed.
Meanwhile his spare parachute (spareachute?) sort of somehow goes flying after the futbol, tangles up in it, and hurtles towards the goal on a great gust of wind.
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>==============================
===============<* CHALLENGE - The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven *>================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The countdown comes to its end, whether you are ready or not. When the
countdown reads 00:00, lights flash. An announcer cries out something, in a
language you cannot understand.
And then, six humanoid metallic drones rise up from the floor. They shift,
shake, and stumble. However, each is covered in strange Symbols -- and all
of them ignite at once, providing an illusion of men and women wearing black
and orange uniforms. Their hair is wild, spiky, and strange. Their eyes are
determined. They are posing at you.
A ball drops down.
The lead player charges at it, then drops back -- and launches a mighty kick
that sends the ball hurtling right at you! The announcer cries out: "Madre
de Dios! El homre esta en FUEGO!"
And the black and white ball /catches on fire/, before it goes screaming
towards your goal!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
========================<* Colisea Arcadia - Round 7 *>========================= =================< Results - The Dial Goes to Inazuma Eleven >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ida Everstead-Rey 41 --(3)--> 44 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catenna 62 --(6)--> 68 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 57 --(1)--> 58 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cyre H. Lorentz 60 --(4)--> 64 Fail Reverse Parachute 1 Agility Effects: Rally and Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 55 --(2)--> 57 Pass Chiro Sandals 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Van Burace 52 --(4)--> 56 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ida Everstead-Rey 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Fright(1)|Injure(2) Effects: Cleanse|Quicken(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Ida Everstead-Rey has successfully explored Colisea Arcadia!
=============================<* Colisea Arcadia *>==============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Symbology-Imbued Soccer Ball *>=================
|Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!" the announcer screams, as your final shot slams into
the opposing team's net. That, at least, does not require translation.
The scoreboard lights up -- and then the drones flash, before the illusions
vanish. They drop down to the ground, hitting the field, before they vanish
away too for the next team. The field remains silent for a moment, before
the door you came in opens back up. So does one of the ones across the way.
When you enter, you find one of the soccer balls that you just played with
sitting there. It is covered in Symbols. If you study it, you could likely
learn how to make it catch on fire, and then attack your enemies with it. If
you reference this card on your next upgrade application, you can add fiery
soccer ball sorcery attacks to your list.
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================