2017-09-26: A Title About Food And Punching Birds
- Log: 2017-09-26: A Title About Food And Punching Birds
- Cast: Seraph Lailah, Zed, Rosaline Calice, Rose, Alisha Diphda, Jacqueline Barber
- Where: Dazil City
- Date: 2017-09-26
- Summary: A group of Drifters seeks the many exotic ingredients of the Blackmoon Forest. A game of Angry Birds happens.
=================================<* Dazil City *>================================= Located a few miles from the southern edge of the Great Aveh Desert, Dazil serves as the staging point for expeditions and travels deeper into the heart of the continent. Wells dug deep intot he earth with the assistance of the Ethos still produce water, and so the small city remains viable despite the ongoing desertification. With its proximity to the excavation sites dotting the Great AVeh Desert, Dazil attracts a great deal of attention from Etones, Drifters, and anyone else interested in uncovering ARMs. Aveh's military keeps a close eye on the goings-on in Dazil, and stands ready to confiscate ancient weapons or Gears uncovered by fortune-seekers...although with the battle lines ever shifting, those forces are occasionally called away for a few precious hours. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-u3RUAeYWM
DG: A party led by Seraph Lailah is now entering Gourmet Quest Blackmoon. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Welcome to Blackmoon Forest! *>=================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You have come to the Blackmoon Forest on behalf of the Isla Delloro Trading
Company's "World Sutlers" gourmet food procurement project. Your goal today
is not to find the secrets of the world - it is to obtain the flavors of the
wild, and also, a bunch of Gella.
The Blackmoon Forest is an ancient-growth forest, one of the few in Ignas.
Water pours in from the hills and cliffs that see sparse habitation,
including the ill-fated town of Lahan. As the ground sinks and the air grows
mistier, the wide-open spaces near Dazil Town seem to vanish and a universe
of fragrant green encloses you. Creatures cry and call to one another. It
feels like another world entirely. As you enter, be careful - there are
deadfalls here, with rotting trees that bear the size of aeons.
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYyDIkMaH0
((Your goal in this dungeon is to collect as many food items as you can!
Items will be noted at the bottom of relevant cards. If you pass the
challenge - you get the item! Keep track; at the end of the dungeon, each
one will be worth 800 gella per party member. There may be occasional bonus
prices on the Bounties board. Keep in mind as you use your Tools that racing
through isn't necessarily the best solution.))
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Rumours had surfaced about a place outside the Aveh desert in the Blackmoon Forest. It is said to be a great place to acquire rare delicacies and other ingredients for cooking, trading or whatever else one desires. While it's not that far from November, it seems to be a bit out of the way for most travelers.
That is, until notices began to show up from one of the local trading companies, asking for people to seek out the rare goods in exchange for money and other rewards. And so...more and more people have been making a journey to the Blackmoon forest lately.
The group tonight was called together by Lailah. While she has little interest in money, she does enjoy food and cooking. The lure of rare and exotic ingredients was the biggest lure for her but she hadn't wanted to travel this way alone so Rose, Alisha and the others had all been summoned here.
The journey itself wasn't too bad and the group arrives at the forest early in the evening. With a little time left before sunset, it left them a chance to explore before it got too dark. Even now though, they can hear the animals moving about and making random calls to each other.
"I am glad you all made it! This should be fun!" Without hesitation, Lailah moves past the clearing and into the forest itself as the trees around her start to block out the sunlight.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
There's someone else here. Someone who you wouldn't ever expect to find in a forest, strolling around and looking for delicious edibles and adorable animals.
Someone who, one would think based on rumor alone, would more likely be spending his time trying to burn this all down.
But instead, this mossy-haired, bescarfed warrior of the stars is here for peaceful reasons. Hungry, peaceful reasons. Filgaia is full of so many things. So many delicious things. Why would he ever destroy it before he gets a chance to taste all that it has to offer?
Yes. Zed is here on a quest. A culinary quest.
"Hmhmhm, look at this place! Look how deliciously green it all is! Wonderful, truly amazing!" Zed clenches his fist boldly towards the canopy, "Ah, I think today is going to be a good day. I--"
Beat.
"Wait," Zed says, pausing suddenly. "...Friends, do not be scared, but I think these forests are familiar. I am having the... Vuda je."
Beat.
"But..." He squints, vaguely remembering... something... green. "Why? Hm."
DG: Zed has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
The last time Rosaline went on an adventure, she and her team accidentally blew up the town. This was merely very upsetting, as opposed to traumatizing, because it was deserted by anything sapient at that point. And so, it's quite a relief to be on a lower-stakes expedition, on that can't possibly have such a tragic ending!
Hopefully.
She has never met Rose and Lailah before, and so introduces herself in her usual mild-mannered way. That she can see Lailah is unusual, but nobody actually told her she wasn't supposed to!
She hangs near the back of the group, hands clutched together, as they stand at the edge of the forest. That is, until their leader dives right in without much preamble.
"P-Please wait for me!" she calls out a moment later as others follow, doing so as well. Despite her hesitant demeanor, her steps are assured even as the path proves treacherous-- Having a tail does wonders for one's balance!
"Have you been here before?" she asks Zed, quietly. Or maybe it reminds him of one his Japanese animes?
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Welcome to Blackmoon Forest! *>==================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
You have come to the Blackmoon Forest on behalf of the Isla Delloro Trading
Company's "World Sutlers" gourmet food procurement project. Your goal today
is not to find the secrets of the world - it is to obtain the flavors of the
wild, and also, a bunch of Gella.
The Blackmoon Forest is an ancient-growth forest, one of the few in Ignas.
Water pours in from the hills and cliffs that see sparse habitation,
including the ill-fated town of Lahan. As the ground sinks and the air grows
mistier, the wide-open spaces near Dazil Town seem to vanish and a universe
of fragrant green encloses you. Creatures cry and call to one another. It
feels like another world entirely. As you enter, be careful - there are
deadfalls here, with rotting trees that bear the size of aeons.
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYyDIkMaH0
((Your goal in this dungeon is to collect as many food items as you can!
Items will be noted at the bottom of relevant cards. If you pass the
challenge - you get the item! Keep track; at the end of the dungeon, each
one will be worth 800 gella per party member. There may be occasional bonus
prices on the Bounties board. Keep in mind as you use your Tools that racing
through isn't necessarily the best solution.))
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Rose needs little persuading to come along. Rare ingredients are worth mucho gella, and that aside, she actually enjoys cooking, so the idea of having a pile of exotic, rare ingredients to play with was alluring all on its own.
She's not even alone!
No, Dezel is along too. It's faint for most of the party, but Lailah and Alisha can definitely tell Rose isn't alone in that fleshy vehicle she calls a body. And Rose is okay with it too, what is the world coming to?!
"Hey grumphair, smell anything yet?" Rose asks literally no one visible.
"How many times am I going to have to say I'm NOT your nose and maybe I just want to NAP, girl. But for the record and so you stop asking, not yet. comes the disembodied voice of the Wind Seraph.
"Bugger. Well, we'd better start looking with our eyes if your nose isn't up for the task," Rose teases.
"It is MORE than up to the task, there just isn't anything here! Try to your east, ugh," he finally rumbles. Rose grins and pulls some rope out, intent to climb up a tree to get a better view of the terrain to their east. She also doesn't seem to mind Zed's presence! Actually, it works out.
"Hey, you're Zed, aren't you?" she calls out. "Don't suppose we can work out a deal where you tell us about those fancy Guardian Statue things to pass some time?"
DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Thank you for inviting me, Lailah!" Alisha says, as she walks. The princess also has little interest in money -- but Matilda promised to teach her to bake. The chance to collect ingredients for that is too good to pass up.
She smiles at her, as she walks -- though pauses as she sees Zed. Really? She keeps a close eye on him. But, she doesn't complain.
Instead, she looks back over her shoulder for a moment. She flashes a smile at Rose -- waves her hand -- and then she starts forward. "Let's all keep a close eye out!"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
While she tended to be overshadowed by the more culinary-talented members of the Caravan Kinship, it was little-known that Jacqueline had a interest in cooking, as well. She was a producer of potions, after all, and really, the two crafts were rather similar!
...Unfortunately, this also meant that Jacqueline had a habit for experimentation that often made it a toss-up whether or not what she produced would be delicious, or...something else entirely. But when she did make something good, it was often a hit!
...Or, at least, that's what she thought.
Still, she was excited for this, so when she joins the others, it's with a bright smile on her face.
"Yes, I imagine so!" She replies with a nod toward Lailah. "Thank you for the invitation. I'm Jacqueline Barber, of the Caravan Kinship. You're Miss Lailah, correct?"
She had never met the Seraph before, but she seemed quite pleasant. Much more so than the other Seraph she had met most recently...
"Yes, let's." She says with a nod toward Alisha, then turns her attention to path ahead. It'd be pretty embarrassing if she were to trip and fall or something!
She doesn't at all seem to mind Zed's presence, though she knew what he was...though she certainly wasn't going to stop Rose from pestering him.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Welcome to Blackmoon Forest!.
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Welcome to Blackmoon Forest! *>=================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You have come to the Blackmoon Forest on behalf of the Isla Delloro Trading
Company's "World Sutlers" gourmet food procurement project. Your goal today
is not to find the secrets of the world - it is to obtain the flavors of the
wild, and also, a bunch of Gella.
The Blackmoon Forest is an ancient-growth forest, one of the few in Ignas.
Water pours in from the hills and cliffs that see sparse habitation,
including the ill-fated town of Lahan. As the ground sinks and the air grows
mistier, the wide-open spaces near Dazil Town seem to vanish and a universe
of fragrant green encloses you. Creatures cry and call to one another. It
feels like another world entirely. As you enter, be careful - there are
deadfalls here, with rotting trees that bear the size of aeons.
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYyDIkMaH0
((Your goal in this dungeon is to collect as many food items as you can!
Items will be noted at the bottom of relevant cards. If you pass the
challenge - you get the item! Keep track; at the end of the dungeon, each
one will be worth 800 gella per party member. There may be occasional bonus
prices on the Bounties board. Keep in mind as you use your Tools that racing
through isn't necessarily the best solution.))
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
====================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 1 *>===================== ===================< Results - Welcome to Blackmoon Forest! >=================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 0 --(10)--> 10 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 0 --(6)--> 6 Pass Grappling Hook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zed 0 --(8)--> 8 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 0 --(7)--> 7 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Seraph Lailah 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Tire(2) Effects: Quicken(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah 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 Lailah has posed.
"Familiar?" Lailah glances to Zed and then laughs to herself. "Uh, I think you mean deja vu?" Then she pauses, "You know it's rather common for that to happen. It has something to do with how your brain..." Her voice fades off and then, with a shrug she adds, "Nevermind." She clearly has been hanging around with Sorey too much.
Lailah glances back at Rosaline, slowing down just a bit as she watches the trees move ahead. "We better be careful of traps here. I am not sure if people set them down for animals or not." Looking down for a minute, she squints. "Just uh...stay on your toes!"
Lailah smiles to Rose as she hears Dezel. "Dezel, you better be careful. Rose is going to evict you forever one of these days..." She laughs to herself.
To Alisha, Lailah nods. "Of course! I am glad you could make it! It's always better to have more people right?" Especially exploring the relatively unknown.
"That's right Miss Jacqueline!" Lailah offers a polite bow to the woman. She was familiar with her and the Kinship but this was the first time they had met officially.
As they continue into the forest, there doesn't seem to be anything of immediate danger until Zed and Alisha cross paths with what appears to be an entanglement of roots. It seems to swallow their steps as the walk over it!
DG: Rosaline Calice has drawn a new Challenge.
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Let He Who Is Without Ears *>==================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
A big heavy SOMETHING lands near one of you with a thunk. Then another.
Looking up, you can see the bald heads of Forest Elves in the canopy high
above you. A third one throws another object. These things are the size and
weight of small cannonballs. Get to cover without getting brained!
On the up side, they're actually durable tree nuts - their fibrous husks and
tender inner meat make a great source of cooking fat.
((ITEM: Donated Meganuts!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
From a safe distance, Rosaline casts Rose a puzzled look, trying to figure out who 'grumphair' might be. Zed might qualify, but he's not what she would call grumpy.
And then comes a disembodied voice. What the heck?? The beastwoman's eyes widen as she tries to find the source. It's coming from Rose's general direction, but she can't see anything, and she has very good eyes.
She points to Rose, mouthing some words in her confusion, asking a silent explanation for what's going on here, all while wandering to the side, trying to put Alisha and Jay between herself and the woman who could be talking to...
A ghost?!
Rosaline hesitates to express her paranormal worries. Isn't she technically a class of exorcist? What if this makes things awkward? Or what if it's not a ghost at all, and she looks silly, making things EVEN MORE AWK--
THUD.
The nun's skin has gone white as driven snow, at the sight of the Meganut on the ground that nearly caved her skull in. It's quickly followed up, causing the nun to spring out of the way.
"Bombardment!" she cries out, "Be careful, everyone!" And with this, she attempts to meow into a nearby bush for safety. And she needs it, too, because a moment later, the MEGANUT DOWNPOUR begins on our heroes!
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"Oh, that is Dezel," Alisha says to Rosaline. "It is quite all right. He is a Seraph, too, but is currently staying in Rose."
She just lets that explanation sit there -- well, until she leaps with a yelp, when she sees one of the tree nuts come flying down. It smashes into the ground. Her eyes turn to where the nun is bolting for the trees.
"Move!" the princess cries, before she takes a flying leap into the bushes too. But will she dodge the meganut that comes for her platinum blonde locks with such accuracy!?
(Probably not.)
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears. DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"Hmmm, no, I have definitely been in these woods before. How strange! I can't remember, though. It was something..." Zed narrows his eyes, he strokes his chin. "...Green. Something about the green? But everything here is green. The trees. My hair. The ground. Those words in my brain are green too. The things around my legs--" Zed pauses, he looks down and hacks away at the things ensnaring his legs. They come away eventually, and Zed pulls one up and starts chewing on it, only to frown and chuck the whole thing into a nearby bush. "These even TASTE green. Very, very strange."
Beat.
Zed looks to Rose. He looks aghast! "What!? Me, discuss STATUARY in a place like THIS!?" Zed gestures wildly into the forest. "How rude! We are hunting for delicious things to eat, and you want to talk about things that are not edible at all! Why, even ordinary stone is unpalatable unless you've got a serious silicate deficiency, but I am pretty sure that humans don't get that! Hrmph. If you want to ask me about statues, do it after we're done! I don't know what you might want from me, though. I've posed for some myself, but it's never seemed to pan out."
(Because those people were sculpting SOMEONE ELSE ENTIRELY, Zed)
"Hrm?" Zed quirks a brow at Rosaline's sudden hysterics. "What is the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost--"
THUD
A nut...
Strikes Zed right on the noggin.
Zed turns his head upwards as a cartoonish lump rises from his head, only to find ever more nuts pouring down like nutty manna from nutty heaven. "Hrm!!" Zed brandishes his blade, slicing one nut clean in twain! He catches one half with his offhand and takes a moment to bite right into its core.
"..."
".......!" Zed... seems to be processing the flavor.
All the while he begins batting nuts away with the flat of his sword. Is he trying to build piles to preserve for later sampling!?
DG: Zed has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Well, Sorey's idea to maybe ask Zed about the statues is working out FANTASTIC. If we're using the word fantastic completely ironically and with no expectations of gains.
"I... what," Rose replies, puzzled.
She is quickly distracted by Lailah, and pumps a fist. "That's right, curtains, I'll EVICT you! ... when I figure out how," she says, determined.
"Yeah, good luck with that," Dezel replies. "By the way, smells like meganuts. It's getting closer too," he also, helpfully, points out. Then a meganut hits Rose in the face and sends her crashing back near Rosaline's bush.
"WHY. WHO THROWS THOSE THINGS?" she whines.
On the other hand: the meganut MAY still be in one piece. Probably. Rose might have been able to catch it despite the impact before it could hit the ground, following using her face like a cushion.
DG: Rose has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The fire seraph lets Rose field the confusion from Rosaline while she continues searching the area. Everything seems to be going okay at first even though Lailah has yet to see any animals roaming about. No sooner does that thought cross her mind before she hears a loud thud next to her and then another and another... it seems like they came out of nowhere!
Lailah looks at Rosaline as she calls out. "I think they're hiding in the trees!" She covers her head and moves towards a nearby bush with the others. "Ugh, what are those things?" Lailah points upwards as she catches the glance of something up there. She cannot see their faces though.
While Zed seems to be hands on and doesn't seem to care about tasting random things, Lailah frowns. "Zed! Be careful!" She seems very concerned for him and she winces as he gets hit.
Even so, as they duck into the bushes and away from the elves view (hopefully), Lailah reaches for one of the nearby nuts. "Hrm, I wonder if these are useful. Nuts are good for cooking." She frowns as another lands and almost hits her, "These guys however..." She gestures vaguely. "Are complete NUTS!" Lailah laughs in spite of their present situation.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Lailah was definitely better than the previous Seraph she had met...not counting Dezel, as she hadn't realized he was a Seraph until Alisha mentioned he was. Jacqueline had heard him talking, but she hadn't thought too much of it. Honestly, she had become pretty much numb to all kinds of miscellaneous weirdness. Disembodied voices, at this point, weren't all that unusual.
"Ah, Seraphim can do that? I didn't know..." Jacqueline comments, glancing toward Alisha. It seemed like she still had a lot more to learn about them.
It is about this time that something comes hurtling down toward Rosaline. There's no time to intercept it...!
...Fortunately, however, it misses.
"Rosaline, are you alright!?" Jacqueline asks, concerned. Sure, it didn't hit her, but, well...
Jacqueline starts to reach into her bags, but as she does so, Dezel gives the ammunition a name, and causes Jacqueline to realize something
"Ah! I've heard of these before! They're...yes, they are, actually!" She says, with a nod toward Lailah. Unfortunately, they're also quite heavy, so attempting to grab one while the elves are still pelting them is probably a bad idea.
She reaches into her bags and draws out a pale-green potion, downing the lot. It lets her move faster and more efficiently...hoepfully, the Forest Elves will waste some of their time and (useful) ammunition on trying to hit her, rather than some of the others.
She then glances at Lailah as she makes her pun. There's...actually a smirk on her face!
Lailah might have earned another point in Jacqueline's book.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Invigoration Elixir toward her party's challenge, Let He Who Is Without Ears.
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Let He Who Is Without Ears *>==================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
A big heavy SOMETHING lands near one of you with a thunk. Then another.
Looking up, you can see the bald heads of Forest Elves in the canopy high
above you. A third one throws another object. These things are the size and
weight of small cannonballs. Get to cover without getting brained!
On the up side, they're actually durable tree nuts - their fibrous husks and
tender inner meat make a great source of cooking fat.
((ITEM: Donated Meganuts!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright===================================================
====================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 2 *>===================== ====================< Results - Let He Who Is Without Ears >==================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 6 --(0)--> 6 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 10 --(0)--> 10 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zed 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 7 --(0)--> 7 Pass Invigoration Elixir 2 Agility Effects: Stalwart -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Seraph Lailah 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Fright(2)|Tire(1) Effects: Stalwart(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah 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> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"Oh!" Rosaline says in answer to Alisha's explanation, but that was right before NUT WAR was declared.
"Noooooo," she winces, from the safety of her protective bush, upon hearing Lailah's pun. And THEN, an errant Meganut flies in and clonks the poor nun with a Koopa Troopa shell sound, flushing her out!
"Noooooo," she continues, tears streaming down her face. It seems they've got nowhere to hide, all they can do is run!
The dry fruit-based barrage eventually subsides. Looking up, the group might catch a glimpse of the Forest Elves. They came here to shake fists and throw nuts... and they're all out of nuts.
They shake their fists and retreat into the canopy. They're gone, for now.
DG: Rose has drawn a new Challenge.
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Eggs Over Head *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
One of the sprawling rookeries of the "Dive Bombers," a notorious species of
bird, looms overhead. It would be easy enough to scramble up there and
quietly secure some of their eggs, since the birds themselves are not in
residence... probably...
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Eggs!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
Poor Rosaline, hiding in her bush.
Rose meamwhile has a MEGANUT, which is fantastic. She puts it in her backpack, making sure to wrap it securely. And then she nurses her poor face, with that comical nut-shaped red mark on it that'll eventually turn blue and purple and make people wonder all kinds of things about Sorey.
DG: Rose has used her Tool Grappling Hook toward her party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
What? Run!? HIDE!? Zed is a PROUD METAL DEMON WARRIOR. He does neither of these things! He just... kind of builds his piles of nuts, and when he's done, he gathers them all up in a big old sack and slings it over his shoulder and--
"Meganuts have a flavor that belies their name. Rather than overwhelming the tastebuds with raw nuttiness, the meat is instead mildly sweet and tender, with subtle, buttery accents and only just enough of that peculiar flavor profile that one can confirm that yes, deze are indeed nuts." Beat. "Good mouthfeel, too. Somewhat oily. Probably excellent when lightly ground and pan-fried with other ingredients."
But then, something new breaks Zed's reverie. Something new... And eggy...! Zed nods his head firmly, "Yes, I see! I am right behind you, strange statue-girl!" He leaps toward the canopy, bounding dynamically from tree to tree as he ascends after Rose. "Don't worry," Zed says, "I'll keep those birds off you! If we're lucky, we'll have both eggs AND poultry! Ahahahahaha!"
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
Alisha does, in fact, fail. A nut slams into her head and knocks her over. She stumbles back, and then she rubs at her head. She winces, before she lets out a sigh. Her eyes shift, though, to look towards Rose. She tilts her head -- eyes widening -- as she hears the explanation.
"I-I, um," she says. "Maybe I shall wait down here." She looks up at the tree, but she nods. "But... I can give someone a boost, if it would help!"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah's eyes grow wide at Zed's explanation. "Uh wow...seems like you know even more than I do!" She smiles and gives him a small nod. "That's amazing..." Her response seems to be genuine and she can appreciate the enthusiasm.
Call it pure luck but somehow Lailah manages to dodge the pelting coming from the skies. From seemingly nowhere, Lailah pulls a bag out and picks up a few of of the nuts. If she decided they weren't good for cooking, the rest could always be given to Rose or one of the others for selling purposes. First though, she would see how well they worked for cooking.
The fire seraph just looks at Rosaline like she has no idea what's going on. "What? You didn't like it?" She smiles. Rosaline is not the first person to cringe at her jokes after all but Lailah thought it was a good one!
The elves finally retreat, much to Lailah's relief and she emerges from the bushes, wiping leaves and other debris off her outfit. Even though they're in the forest, she's still dressed in her normal seraphim clothes. Perhaps it was time for Rose to help her design a new outfit?
In the new clearing, Lailah notices a cracked egg on the ground. She bends down to peer at it, "Oh huh. This looks like it came from a rare bird. Something I have only vaguely heard of." The name, for now, seems to escape her but then Rose mentions it and she frowns. "Well, that name isn't too reassuring."
Rose may start climbing but Lailah is in no way prepared to climb and instead searches for lower nests. "Be careful Rose. It would be easy to slip!" While she trusts Rose to be able to handle it, the forests were not always the most predictable places.
Lailah nods at Alisha, "I will help you!" She places her hands together and interlinks her fingers to help the princess get a step up, watching and balancing herself carefully to avoid slipping.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Eggs Over Head *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
One of the sprawling rookeries of the "Dive Bombers," a notorious species of
bird, looms overhead. It would be easy enough to scramble up there and
quietly secure some of their eggs, since the birds themselves are not in
residence... probably...
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Eggs!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline takes Rose's offered hand with a timid smile. "Do you... want me to heal that up, or...?" Unfortunately, she can't heal most cosmetic effects, but it's worth offering.
And already the ghost whisperer has run off to find the rumored eggs. Rosaline stays behind to hear Zed's Nut-édex entry. A wide-eyed "Um," is her reaction.
"So, what does everyone plan to do with their share, anyway?" She takes a second to ask, while Rose climbs. "I think I'll sell mine... I know we want ingredients for baking, but I was thinking gourmet fruit would be wasted on a beginner like me..."
Her tail sways as she looks up to the climbers. "Maybe I should..."
And she takes off, climbing up one of the trees with that dismaying nimbleness of hers, her clawed feet taking her up almost like she's running more than she's climbing!
...unfortunately, that's all well and good for climbing UP, but wait until a minute from now, when she discovers she has a fear of heights.
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Jacqueline beams triumphantly as the elves finally run out of ammunition. She scoops up some of the meganuts and deposits them in her bags, at least until Rose points out the next item on the menu.
...Dive Bomber Eggs, huh...?
Jacqueline glances over to Lailah and smiles.
"Well, I think this should certainly help to...egg everyone on!" She states cheerily.
Oh no, Jacqueline's getting in on it too.
She downs another potion before reaching into her bags and drawing out a Crest. If they're attracted to tree-climbing noises...then she won't even both with the trees! She invokes the Crest and a pillar of earth rises up out of the ground, carrying her up to the canopy where she can freely pick eggs out of the nests. The effects of the potion will also help her deal with any Dive Bombers that realize exactly what it is she's doing...
...And the pillar may very well help Rosaline get down, once she has her fill of eggs and invokes the Crest again to cause the pillar to retreat.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Invigoration Elixir toward her party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Eggs Over Head *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
One of the sprawling rookeries of the "Dive Bombers," a notorious species of
bird, looms overhead. It would be easy enough to scramble up there and
quietly secure some of their eggs, since the birds themselves are not in
residence... probably...
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Eggs!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
DG: Zed has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Eggs Over Head.
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Eggs Over Head *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
One of the sprawling rookeries of the "Dive Bombers," a notorious species of
bird, looms overhead. It would be easy enough to scramble up there and
quietly secure some of their eggs, since the birds themselves are not in
residence... probably...
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Eggs!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
=====================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 3 *>====================== ===========================< Results - Eggs Over Head >=========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 10 --(0)--> 10 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Grappling Hook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zed 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 7 --(0)--> 7 Pass Invigoration Elixir 2 Agility Effects: Stalwart ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Seraph Lailah 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Fright(1)|Wound(2) Effects: Quicken(1)|Stalwart(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah 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> Rose has posed.
"Nah, it's fine, I'm used to taking hits!" Rose reassures the cat as she climbs, and turns to glance at Zed. "It's Rose! The Shepherd said you were the one we should question because you're a million times more friendly than your peers, that's all! We can do it over cake or something if you want, some other time!" Maybe food will appease the MYSTERIOUS HERO.
Now it's worth noting that everything goes smoosthly, somehow. People climb up, and while they hear the caws of threatening birds, nobody seems to be getting spotted. Eggs are passed around, until there's one for everyone! ... and then things go terrible, terrible wrong.
It's unclear what attracts the birds to Alisha specifically - her clothes, her perfume, her hair, her hesitation, but whatever the case she seems to end up with ALL of the attention as a cluster of ten Dive Bombers all come screaming down towards the poor princess.
And cause her to drop her egg, oh no!!!
Also maybe she gets pecked, that's a thing.
"Oh no!! Everyone run, they'll get bored of chasing you after a while!" And by everyone she mostly means Alisha, apparently, but as a show of sympathy Rose runs alongside the princess too. Where will a wild retreat take the party?!
Probably nowhere good.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"Oh no... Oh no!"
Rosaline has, as foretold, discovered her fear of heights. She stays there a moment, carefully clutching her giant egg as she dizzily looks down and lets out tiny whining noises. Then, Jay's pillar descends, letting the catwoman hitch a ride. "Thank you!"
"Alisha!" she cries out, when her friend ends up the sole target of the birds' ire. As the elevator goes down, she draws one of her ARMs with her free hand, firing a spray of warning shots in the flock's general direction.
"Please shoo! Please shoo!"
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"A... cake!?" Zed asks as he wrestles with three entirely different birds. One isn't even the right species. He doesn't seem to notice. The gears in his head turn and churn until you can practically hear the EZ-Bake Oven chime. "Hm! Yes, this sounds like a plan! We will make a cake, and then we will eat it, and then we will talk about statuary! But we need ingredients for a cake. We will need flour, sugar, some other things, egg--"
egg
Egg
Zed's head whips around as if he hears some distant sound. His eyes swivel toward Alisha as her egg goes flying. The world seems to slow down.
Zed... lands on the side of a tree.
He kicks off, birds squawking in his arms.
He turns, pivoting to get just the right angle. The egg is mere inches from the ground now. There's no time to save it.
There is, however, time--
To eat it.
Zed passes underneath it, his own egg in one hand, a clutch of birds in the other. His mouth hinges open.
The egg passes between his teeth.
It disappears as his maw snaps shut.
Zed lands, birds still struggling under one arm, and blinks. "Dive Bomber Egg. A smooth, full-flavored egg with a flavor that can best be described as 'like a hardboiled egg, but made of ten hardboiled eggs.' The yolk is intrinsicly salty and incredibly rich, owing much to the birds' diet. High in cholesterols but also in many important fats and proteins. Healthy in small doses. Good with salad, or when made into an omelette, or when fried with rice."
Zed blinks again.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"ROSE," Zed calls as he carefully stows away his egg and then punches his birds in the face. "I THINK THESE EGGS WOULD BE GOOD IN A CAKE."
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah claps her hands at Jacqueline. "Good one!!!" She loves puns and anyone who shares that love is a friend to her.
"So, how are you going to get those back safely Rose?" The seraph asks her trader friend. "It seems like it's going to be hard to keep them from breaking." She pauses. "Well, I guess you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs." Lailah shrugs as she helps Alisha but then she hears an egg break beside her.
"Hey, what's going on... up there?!" She hesitates as the screech of a bird flies overhead. "Ugh no..." They were in trouble now.
So many angry birds!
Lailah makes sure Alisha gets down before they start to take off running, trying to avoid angry pecks. For her part, Lailah doesn't end up with any eggs to take back but it was probably for the best.
"Zed, you... caught some?!" She looks back with wide eyes. "What..." Lailah is shocked and even more impressed at his further remarks about the eggs.
"Hey! Don't hurt them! We were the ones taking their eggs!" Lailah frowns and reaches out to Zed in an attempt to free one but instead receives a peck to the hand. "Ugh! Bad bird!" She waggles a finger at it like it's a naughty child.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>=========================
====================<* CHALLENGE - DEATH FROM THE SKIES *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
A small flock of the birds with the artful and illustrative name of "Dive
Bomber" appear. Their toothed beaks can crack bone when they're on a full
dive. Aim up, drifter!
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Wings!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
"You're welcome!" Jacqueline says with a nod toward Rosaline as the pillar of earth brings them both back to ground level. Lailah gets a smile, as well.
Unfortunately, the Dive Bombers don't seem to be taking kindly to the theft of their eggs. Nor do they take kindly to being shooed off by gunfire, getting scolded, or being punched right in the dang face.
One of the Dive Bombers lets out a mighty squawk...which seems to rouse the whole flock. Jacqueline backpedals a bit, reaching into her pouch.
"Are they...related by cuccos, by any chance...?" Jacqueline murmurs. She has a subtle feeling that she should apologize to Riesenlied for what they're all about to do.
"Looks like there's nothing for it...sorry about this!" She says and invokes the Crest, sending loose stones flying at the Dive Bombers.
Some people talk of killing two birds with one stone...but how about many birds with many stones?
DG: Jacqueline Barber has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"BUT WHY," Alisha wails as the birds descend and peck at her. The egg falls -- cracked and leaking, all over her feet -- and she starts running. She hopes Rose is right. She hopes they will leave her alone, as she darts away, flailing her arms. "Stop! Stop! I never did anything to you! Why is this forest like this!"
She stumbles. She realizes, finally, as the Dive Bombers come rushing in -- and as Jay's stones fly up, at her Crest's command -- that there is only one way forward. Thus, she spins around. Her bladed spear comes loose.
And she swings it into the ranks of the Dive Bombers. "CLUCK OFF!"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Even as she waggles a finger at one of the bird Zed holds, a sickening feeling comes over Lailah. Seconds before they attack, she sees the shadows of the birds in full kamikaze mode. They begin to divebomb the group in droves. Trying to dodge them proves to be difficult due to the sheer number of them but those beaks, well, Lailah already felt a little of what one could do and she can only imagine how much more it'd hurt with force.
"We need to keep moving!" With her good hand, Lailah pulls out a potion of some kind. She quickly throws it up in the air where it explodes into a hazy, dark vapor. It looks a little like smoke but hopefully would provide a distraction so the birds would be confused, even briefly, and stop their pursuit.
Lailah shakes her head a Jacqueline, "I don't think they're related. I mean... cuccos are adorable and round but those..." She points back. "... are definitely NOT cute!" Her interaction with cuccos was limited but she quickly judged them to not be related aside from both being birds.
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Panacea Bottle toward her party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"Hmmn!?" Zed peers at Lailah as she berates him for straight up abducting and also straight up punching a bunch of birds. "What are you talking about? Can you not feel it? These birds... They radiate bloodlust...! Not merely content to guard their nests are they. No, they long for battle. They crave it. It's in their blood...!"
"Look!" Zed points to the canopy as the flock descends, "They come! Their fury demands succor!"
And Zed... Zed is only happy to oblige them.
After all, once he has satisfied their hunger for battle, THEY will satisfy his hunger... For meats.
"Take this!!" Zed yells, hurling little spheres into the flock. The spheres explode into vast, powdery clouds. Clouds... That smell and taste like a secret recipe of eleven herbs and spices...! It might make you sneeze, or it might just make these birds EXTRA DELICIOUS. Also confused. Which is perfect for when Zed leaps into their ranks and begins smashing at the birds with other birds.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline, with Jay's help, touches the ground. "Thank Granas..."
And she can also thank Granas that the eggs she was carrying has disappeared into her inventory! This means she can draw her ARMs with both hands.
(Don't worry about it.)
"Suppressive fiiiiire," she calls out, involuntarily shutting her eyes as she fires towards the avian-darkened heavens as best as she can.
To her credit, she is no longer the fledgeling Drifter Rosaline of old. You know this because what she's doing actually vaguely resembles suppressive fire, and she doesn't even seem startled anymore when guns turn out to shoot bullets when you pull the trigger.
"This forest is very unfair to you!" she agrees with Alisha.
DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
"I AGREE!" Rose manages to answer Zed despite the now generalized onslaught of birds. Maybe stealing their eggs was the wrong idea? On the other hand...
"Try not to maim the birds too much, their meat is worth a pretty penny too!" Well, it's Rose.
And this isn't poaching, it's self-defense.
Also they're monstrous hyper-hostile birds.
"I'm pretty sure all forests are like this!" Rose says.
She did, after all, live in ruins in a forest.
You know, on Lunar. What a distant memory that is.
Her knives come out, finally, shimmering bright blue like crystals as ice starts forming around them. "Frozen Shade!" And just like that, Rose zips about, slicing and dicing - but not to cut the birds into pieces, just to chill them so they fall to the ground and become easier to finish off in a humane manner. Also without risking needless damage to their bodies.
"With any luck we'll have enough to make a nice feast and still enough left to make some money too!"
DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES. DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, DEATH FROM THE SKIES.
========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>=========================
====================<* CHALLENGE - DEATH FROM THE SKIES *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
A small flock of the birds with the artful and illustrative name of "Dive
Bomber" appear. Their toothed beaks can crack bone when they're on a full
dive. Aim up, drifter!
((ITEM: Dive Bomber Wings!))
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
===================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 4 *>==================== ======================< Results - DEATH FROM THE SKIES >====================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Lailah 6 --(0)--> 6 Fail Panacea Bottle 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rosaline Calice 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alisha Diphda 10 --(0)--> 10 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rose 6 --(0)--> 6 Pass Brad's Knives 2 Combat Effects: Embolden ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Smoke Bombs 1 Combat Effects: Embolden and Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jacqueline Barber 7 --(0)--> 7 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Seraph Lailah 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Wound(2) Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah 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 Lailah has drawn a new Challenge.
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Phew! A Clearing... *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You've found a wide open space with some low, smooth logs and heaped-up leaf
bedding suitable for taking a load off. There's even the remains of a
firepit, although it was used quite some time ago. Either way, you've earned
the opportunity to take a load off and anticipate what you'll do with your
haul.
Is that thunder?
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Alisha takes up arms against the avian menace. Her mighty spear cuts through their ranks, scattering feathers everywhere. Lailah's bottle begins to attract Dive Bombers...to her position, as it it turns out, which might be a little harrowing for her but it does put them all in range for Zed's Smoke Bombs...
Or are they Seasoning Bombs...?
From there Rosaline's suppressive gunfire keeps them from ascending back into the heavens to do their namesake attack once more, allowing Rose and everyone else to chill and finish them off.
"Well, that does make me feel better...though I still feel kind of bad about this..." Jacqueline murmurs.
It's okay, Jacqueline. They're delicious.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah finally seems to be in agreement with Zed. "Well, I guess they are kind of asking for it." She is kind of surprised Dezel hasn't spoke up about them attacking the birds yet. Wasn't he a major advocate for animals or something?
It's like the birds can read her mind or something as they seem undeterred by her potion. Through the haze, Lailah feels one grabbing her hair! It catches her off guard and the seraph pulls back, trying to free herself from it's grasp.
With just a flicker of fire, Lailah throws a small flame towards the bird, being very careful not to hit her hair. The bird, in response, falls off and flaps around on the groundm its feather singed and smoking.
"Well, I guess I know what's for dinner tonight!" She is a little shaken but seems to recover quickly. There may be just a tiny glimpse of pity in her eyes before they move along and soon reach a clearing.
It seems like this is remnants of another group that came by here, although it doesn't look fresh. Lailah seems to deem it safe and moves to sit down on a log. She bandages her hand before messing with her hair which, luckily, doesn't seem to be worse for wear.
"So, I guess I will try and make something with these nuts I got. Any suggestions?" Lailah wonders if they had any special recipe ideas. "I could try just about anything though..." She hrms and ponders the possiblities to herself.
DG: Seraph Lailah has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing....
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"They... they had it coming," Alisha sighs. She leans against her spear, slumping slightly. But, at least, they managed to get the birds handled--and something delicious out of it. She stalks over to a log, then plops down to it next to Lailah.
Thunder crashes.
She frowns. "I hope," she declares, "that we don't have to worry about that. Really, I never expected this place to be so..."
She isn't sure how to finish that.
She looks to Lailah instead, then she shakes her head. "Maybe use them to make the crust of a pie?"
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing....
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Zed...
Has started a campfire
He seems to be roasting a piece of bird in the flames. After a moment, he tugs it out of the blaze and begins RAPIDLY MUNCHING DOWN.
...
"Dive Bomber Birds have a well-developed musculature and unusually hard skeletal structure, which allows them to deploy the infamous dive-bombing skull-smashing maneuver that gives them their names. Their meat is flavorful and juicy, if somewhat tough when not properly prepared. However, their strong, hollow bones and fatty skin can make for delicious soup sto---"
Thunder.
Zed suddenly bolts upright, a gaggle of dead birds dangling from over one shoulder.
"...Friends," Zed says, his voice suddenly distant, "I think I am having a memory."
DG: Zed has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing....
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
If you must know, Dezel only likes quiet animals.
So these loud, awful birds can die. Still a shame, as they're denizens of the sky, but he's not about to fight a battle he has no interest in.
As the party reaches a clearing, Rose winds down, sheathing her knives again and inspecting the loot so far. "Eggs, nuts, some bird meat... you know, maybe you're on to something there princess, some meat pie with the nuts used to flavor the crust would probably turn out great!"
"If you don't burn it," Dezel suddenly wakes up.
"I do NOT burn food," Rose says, frowning.
"Scorching would be more accurate, yes," he corrects.
Rose changes the subject before Lailah inevitably piles in, looking at Zed with an even more puzzled look than before. "Geez, you're like some exotic foods encyclopedia on legs. I take it Metal Demon culinary tastes aren't too different from ours, then?" And memory? Of what?
Wait was that thunder?
"Aww don't tell me it's about to rain, I didn't bring a raincoat! That'd be the worst way to cap off being assaulted by those birds."
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"I guess we did start this one," Rosaline quietly agrees with Jacqueline as she holsters her ARMs. Nonetheless, she loads up on delicious wings a moment later. These birds were jerks and delicious besides.
And soon comes a good place to take a breather. Don't mind if she does. Rosaline gingerly sits on one of dry logs. She takes a moment to take out her Extreme Teen Bible and read a few passages, to center herself.
"I wonder," she muses out loud, when Lailah wonders about these nuts. "I know a simple nut cookie recipe..." She turns her book around, showing that she actually wrote it on the bookmark! How appropriate. "Maybe these would work?"
She looks down at her oversized egg, which is out of her inventory again. (???)
"You know, though... I wanted to sell these things, but at least this egg would likely be enough for several batches of cookies." She looks at Alisha. "We could probably even do a bake sale! If we're very careful, we could experiment a bit first until we get it right, and sell the ones that worked out... Maybe we could make more profit than if we just sold them..."
A beat.
"And we'd have fun doing it!" She seems mildly terrified by the prospect.
Zed continues to dole out Food Facts in the background, and then they all hear it. Thunder. The beastwoman's ears twitch at the sound, drooping down in worry a second later.
"Oh no. Oh no..." Then, to Zed: "A memory...?"
DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Extreme Teen Bible toward her party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing.... DG: Rose has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing....
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
Fortunately, after that troubling experience, the first thing they find is a nice little rest stop. Jacqueline sighs gratefully as she takes a seat on one of the logs, then listens in as everyone gives ideas as to what exactly they'll make.
"A meat pie, with nuts for flavoring...and these are big enough that we would probably have enough for some nut cookies, too...yes, that sounds delicious!" Jacqueline says with a nod and a smile.
She seems to have gotten over her sympathy for the birds, at least for now. Maybe she figured it was too late to be concerned about it.
Still, though, Zed gets her attention. He'd been reciting Food Facts all throughout their adventure...
"Are you alright?" She asks, concerned.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Phew! A Clearing....
=========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>==========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Phew! A Clearing... *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You've found a wide open space with some low, smooth logs and heaped-up leaf
bedding suitable for taking a load off. There's even the remains of a
firepit, although it was used quite some time ago. Either way, you've earned
the opportunity to take a load off and anticipate what you'll do with your
haul.
Is that thunder?
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
====================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 5 *>===================== =======================< Results - Phew! A Clearing... >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Lailah 6 --(6)--> 12 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 6 --(6)--> 12 Pass Extreme Teen Bible 3 Wits Effects: Fanfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alisha Diphda 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rose 6 --(4)--> 10 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zed 8 --(3)--> 11 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqueline Barber 7 --(6)--> 13 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Seraph Lailah 80 --(5)--> 85 Pass Conditions: Save Point(1) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah 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: Zed has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>=========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - The Rankar Dragon *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
The size of a small Gear, a Rankar Dragon is a theropoid mega-reptile,
slouching forwards with a light colored hide, moss growing on a spiked back,
and a mournful expression... when its gaping, carnivorous maw isn't
stretching open to grip something as small as a Drifter whole!
The creature's broad and muscular tail drags on the ground. Its swing can
fell trees... it can certainly knock over Drifters.
It's found you, and it's hungry.
But it also tastes good. Who will dine upon who?
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
Lailah hrms at all the suggestions given to her. "Hrm. Cookies sounds good!" She smiles at Rosaline. "I bet Sorey and the others would like that too." She wasn't sure if they always liked her cooking or just tolerated it but it still made her happy to do things like that for them.
The thunder makes Lailah pause, "Oh dear. I didn't even bring an umbrella." Of course, she had a super way to avoid the rain but could she bring herself to do that to Rose. The thought crosses her mind and she smiles at Rose. The joys of being a squire. Of course, Alisha was here too but with Rose it would be so much more interesting she thinks.
Of course, it hasn't started raining yet so maybe Rose would be spared.
"Hrm Zed?" Lailah seems puzzled by his remark.
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
"Yes," Zed's eye twitches. "A memory...!"
--==MONTHS AGO, THE RUINS OF LAHAN==--
A party ventures intrepidly forth! But then, they all begin looking this way and that. Someone is screaming in the distance! But not too far in the distance-- no, that voice is still screaming, and it's coming closer. The doppler effect makes his voice sound more shrill than--
Wait. No. He's just screaming like a little girl.
"RUN!" Zed screams as he races straight into the horrible debris field. "RUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN AWAAAAAY!"
...
The ground is still shaking.
A tree sort of snaps in two, topples over, and reveals a GIANT GREEN DINOSAUR HEAD. The Rankar Dragon peers at the group with terrible yellow eyes, unhinges its jaw, and then goes--
SKREEEEEEOOOOOOOONK*
...And proceeds to chase Zed right into the rubble-cluttered road.
Uh.
Huh.
--==RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW==--
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA---" Zed screams. Thunder approaches from between the trees. "AAAAAAIIII REMEMBER NOW...!" Thunder draws closer. Except now they can see that it's not thunder at all. It is a storm of scale and claw and gnashing teeth. A colossus of primal power unleashed. The great, mossy behemoth, the Rankar Dragon steps out into the clearing.
It opens its mouth, and roars...!
SKREEEEEEOOOOOOOONK**
"You!" Zed points his sword at the tremendous beast as it charges into the clearing. "This won't be a repeat of the last time, beast! I... HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR JUST THIS MOMENT!"
"TAKE THIS! PILED SHOT--!" Zed charges, leaping boldly into a sudden barrage of Seasoning Bombs. He lands amidst the tasty smoke and surges suddenly into a tremendous, rising, GLOWING slash! "RISING REVENGEANCE - DRAGON BREAKER!!"
(*TN: WAIT I JUST WANT TO TALK)
(**TN: HEY GUYS I SMELLED SOMETHING TASTY CAN I HAVE SOME)
DG: Zed has used his Tool Smoke Bombs toward his party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
<Pose Tracker> Alisha Diphda has posed.
"This is not rain!" Alisha cries to Rose. "This is not rain at all! Perhaps we should--"
She stares up at the Rankar Dragon, eyes wide. And then she sees the flash of Zed's sword as he rises to meet his chosen foe. Her mouth opens, hanging there, until she thinks to close it. It clamps shut, then she nods. She stands up and brushes back some hair. Her spear swings out.
Then she charges forward. Alisha leaps, halfway up a tree. She kicks off it -- and shoots into the air. Her spear spins, before she comes crashing down at its side.
She tries to stab her spear into the dinosaur's flank.
DG: Alisha Diphda has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
<Pose Tracker> Rose has posed.
What IS that rumbling?
"Is the storm getting closer?" Rose asks, unsure.
"That's not a storm," Dezel insists.
"Thank you but I can tell when I hear thunder, mister."
"I'm a WIND SERAPH and I'm telling you that's NOT A STORM," he pushes.
"Oh? Then what is it, if you're so smart? Huh? Huh?!"
There is an uncomfortable pose as Zed starts screaming and the beast casts a shadow over Rose, before it gets attacked violently by the mysterious hero.
"... that could still be a cloud," she says.
"It isn't and you know it isn't." the Seraph says.
Alisha had confirmed moments earlier, too.
"This is the worst forest."
Rose turns around, paling at the sight of the giant beast. "The absolute worst forest." Her knives come out, slowly.
"I'm going to launch you. You do you." Dezel says.
"Wait what do you mean launch meEEEEEEEEEEEE -"
What Dezel means is that the winds pick up, and a very violent gust just swoops Rose off her feet and launches her overhead, so far up high she's past the dragon's head. "I HATE YOU!!" she says, perhaps to the dragon, but most likely to her ghostly companion.
She angles her knives down and finally settles on trying to land on the beast's head. Knives-first. Complete with lightning arcing from them.
DG: Rose has used her Tool Brad's Knives toward her party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The thunder continues but Lailah frowns, hearing Dezel. "I think he's right. That doesn't sound like normal..." But it's too late for her to finish that sentence as the dragon rears its ugly head.
"Ugh!" Of course there was no cover here either so Lailah and the others are basically forced to fight the dragon. As Rose is launched into the air though, Lailah frowns. "DEZEL!!!! WHY????" She looks with great concern at Rose. "You better keep her safe!" Lailah seems to have gone into full mom-seraph mode.
For her part, Lailah brings out some papers and the bottle she used earlier, although the form looks different. With a gust of wind, thanks to Dezel, the fire spreads across the papers as she launches the bottle upwards. She is very careful to make sure that the fire won't hit anyone but the dragon although Rose may feel the heat.
DG: Seraph Lailah has used her Tool Panacea Bottle toward her party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"Zed, please calm down," Rosaline says with a timid shushing motion as the Metal Demon appears to be having a crisis of some sort. The source of Zed's Memory, however, soon becomes clear.
Her teammates rush the terrible dragon. They are braver than she is, but then her usual role requires her to keep a safe distance from terrible monsters. She runs to the other edge of the clearing and clutches her Mana Egg* and begins to cast a healing spell. She's counting on it being necessary by the time she's done casting.
And there are more heals where that came from, along with the usual suite of useful support spells, but after a moment, she, too, experiences a Memory.
*****
ONCE UPON A TIME, IN THE OTHERWORLDLY HOLLOW (Dramatic Reenactment)
ROSALINE, ZED and FRIENDS are fighting the BOSS MONSTER.
ROSALINE: Please let me help! Holy Sword!
ZED: Huuuuuuuh there's some kind of very bad elemental reaction but let's roll with it??
ZED's sword EXPLODES. ZED also EXPLODES. The BOSS MONSTER explodes even more.
ROSALINE: Oh no
ZED: I'm fine
ROSALINE: How?
ZED: So's my sword
ROSALINE: Why?
*****
Rosaline stops casting for a precious half-second. Change of plan.
"Please let me help... Holy Sword!"
* No, it's actually just a giant, non-Mana egg. She's clutching her crest with the same hand!
==========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>===========================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - The Rankar Dragon *>========================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
The size of a small Gear, a Rankar Dragon is a theropoid mega-reptile,
slouching forwards with a light colored hide, moss growing on a spiked back,
and a mournful expression... when its gaping, carnivorous maw isn't
stretching open to grip something as small as a Drifter whole!
The creature's broad and muscular tail drags on the ground. Its swing can
fell trees... it can certainly knock over Drifters.
It's found you, and it's hungry.
But it also tastes good. Who will dine upon who?
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
It definitely wasn't thunder. Jacqueline should've known that, having been here before, but hey, she was tired! She has an excuse. Of course, since she's encountered one of these creatures before, the look on her face isn't the 'oh my god/goddess/guardians/whatever-you-believe-in' of some of the others. In fact, it's more of a resigned, 'oh, this again' kind of look.
She sighs and stands up, cracking her knuckles.
"Alright, let's get this over with." She says. She reaches into her bags and draws out a bottle of foul-smelling black liquid. She hurls it at the Rankar Dragon's face...wherein, some of the people here might realize something about this particular potion, should Lailah's fire come into contact with the liquid -
It was actually incredibly flammable, while still retaining its repellant properties. The dinosaur/dragon will probably not appreciate this.
DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Reliable Repellant toward her party's challenge, The Rankar Dragon.
========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>=========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - The Rankar Dragon *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
The size of a small Gear, a Rankar Dragon is a theropoid mega-reptile,
slouching forwards with a light colored hide, moss growing on a spiked back,
and a mournful expression... when its gaping, carnivorous maw isn't
stretching open to grip something as small as a Drifter whole!
The creature's broad and muscular tail drags on the ground. Its swing can
fell trees... it can certainly knock over Drifters.
It's found you, and it's hungry.
But it also tastes good. Who will dine upon who?
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
===================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon - Round 6 *>==================== =======================< Results - The Rankar Dragon >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seraph Lailah 12 --(7)--> 19 Fail Panacea Bottle 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rosaline Calice 12 --(7)--> 19 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alisha Diphda 15 --(7)--> 22 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rose 10 --(4)--> 14 Pass Brad's Knives 2 Combat Effects: Embolden ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zed 11 --(3)--> 14 Pass Smoke Bombs 1 Combat Effects: Embolden and Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jacqueline Barber 13 --(3)--> 16 Fail Reliable Repellant 2 Combat Effects: Embolden ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Seraph Lailah 85 --(35)--> 120 Pass Conditions: Wound(2) Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1) ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Seraph Lailah has successfully explored Gourmet Quest Blackmoon!
========================<* Gourmet Quest Blackmoon *>=========================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - To The Fairest *>=======================
|Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
The Rankar Dragon seems pleased to fight all of you - maybe it wanted some
exercise - but your assault drives it to stomp in a place where it ought not
to. Its mighty foot sinks into the forest floor up to its ankle, and after
some thrashing and truly unsettling screams, it lunges into the distance. A
creature the size of a Gear can leave whenever it wants.
Do you want to chase it? Maybe. But in that hole that the Rankar Dragon
made, something glitters - a stream that has flowed through humus and leaf
litter - and in that stream? Sitting there, in fat accumulated nuggets?
GOLD. It's a placer deposit. Not a huge one, but it's YOURS. Well. All of
yours. Maybe.
((Tally up your items and multiply that total by 800. That's how much Gella
each member of the party gets when you slog back to town and turn in your
goods. You also gain a single lump of 9001G in accumulated gold - which you
will have to divide up however you like. The Gunslinger code is an
option...))
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Zed has posed.
Battle is joined!
Lailah and Jacqueline unleash their respective chemical cocktails. Flame and wind and chemistry mix, causing the Rankar to rear back and screech* in pain and surprise. Rose and Zed meet near the beast's head, their blades finding purchase in its thick, scaley hide. Alisha's spear digs in deep. Fresh wounds bleed and then flash-burn almost immediately. Zed surges higher, rising with the lingering momentum of his initial leap, when suddenly...
Things take a turn... for the worse...!
Two things happen in short sequence. The first is that Zed roars as mightily as his heroic lung capacity can manage. His blade suddenly shines gold and violet, surging with the brilliance and the ANTI-BRILLIANCE that burn as one in his soul. He crests his leap, and begins to descend...
Which is when Rosaline casts her spell.
"Wh--" Zed's eyes widen as a familiar and terrible sensation overcomes him. "WAIT, NO--"
His sword explodes.
Zed explodes.
The Rankar explodes.
The grove also explodes.
Everyone, everything, explodes in gold and purple and white as a cocktail of utterly diametrically opposing energies react in the most violent way possible.
...When the light finally clears, Zed and Rose fall safely out of the sky and land, singed but unscathed at the center of an unnaturally glowy, Doom Bringer-shaped trench in the ground.
Everyone else lands in assorted heaps around them.
In the distance, the Rankar's forlorn SKREEEEEEEONK** echoes... before it suddenly stops with a tremendous BOOM. A dust-cloud rises comically in the distance.
"Hm," Zed says, noticably un-exploded. He reaches around and scratches his back with the tip of his sword. "That... was weird. Huh. But... Wait, what is this...!?"
Zed leans down into the trench-- no, a newly-carved spring and its associated creekbed! He finds... "Gold!" Zed grins, lifting a handful of nuggets into the sun, "Hahahahaha! Wait."
Zed...
Bites the gold.
...
......
"YEP, THAT'S GOLD ALRIGHT."
(*TN: OW, YOU MEANIES!!)
(**TN: WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!)
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lailah has posed.
The dragon continues it's pursuit of them and Lailah's fire doesn't seem to bother it as much as she thought it would. And then, in the midst of the battle, many things happen at once and everything explodes.
Lailah catches herself at first but then the force of the explosion knocks her backwards and away from group as Rose and Zed fall nearby. "Ugh!" She hurts but still manages to stand up and make it back to the center of the area.
"W-what is it Zed?" Her eyes grow wide at the sparkly treasure left behind. "Oooh, there is so much!" While Lailah doesn't exactly dive in, she does take some back for their group. It would come in handy for buying more ingredients for cooking, amonth other things.
"Rose, we need to come up with a better exploring outfit for me." Lailah smiles. "This one... is not working out." She glances down at the torn threads. It was easy enough to repair but still a pain to have to do.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline has learned to develop a quick trigger finger for shield spells. This time is no exception. It largely accounts for why she (and whoever else she managed to grab in time) is merely flung back in such as way as to be painful but not leave lasting injuries.
She hits a tree, too!
"Ouch... Ouch..." She pulls herself up, wincing. "Maybe I shouldn't have..." she says, mostly to herself. "Is everyone all right...?" At least the ENTIRE FOREST didn't explode.
But the day is won and the enemy repelled. Rosaline rises as she hears a shout. Zed's shout. Gold? That's silly, he must just be saying a ridiculous Zed thing.
...but wait, no, he seems sure of this...
Soon the nun has rushed over to confirm the find. "Wow! Praise be! Praise be!" What a pleasant surprise!
What a pleasant, DELICIOUS surprise!
(No.)
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.
<poem>Jacqueline explodes.
Or rather, she would have, if Rosaline hadn't put up a shield in time. She probably would've been fine otherwise, but there's a lot less pain involved this way.
"Th-thanks..." Jacqueline says with a nod toward Rosaline, once she's picked herself up off the ground from where she was tossed.
And then, she hears a call.
Gold? Well now, that was curious.
She makes her way over to the chunk of gold...and indeed, gold!
"Well now...hmm...judging from the approximaely size and shape...I'd judge all of this gold to be worth approximately 9001 gella." Jacqueline says, after appraising it. And then, Zed bites some of it.
"...Uh, make that 9000 gella...still, this is a good haul!"