2017-12-21: Christmas in Wayside
- Log: Christmas in Wayside feat. Muni Muni and the Actual Santa Claus
- Cast: Riesenlied, Elena, Ambrosius, Asteroid the Kid, Lemina Ausa, Shalune Amira, Carina Wynne
- Where: Wayside Village
- Date: Thursday, December 21, 2017
- Summary: Christmas comes to Wayside without warning, and a ragtag assortment of characters must team up to save it! Even though it's not in much danger or anything.
=============================<* Wayside Village *>============================== Wayside Village sits at the midst of a road exchange leading into the neck of the Badlands. Decades ago, this village was abandoned due to increasing pressure and risk from roadside thieves and bandits, as well as aggressive wildlife, but it was resuscitated recently by the Ebony Wings. Now, Wayside Village stands as a haven "for those who have been left by the wayside" - it houses an orphanage, school and a homeless shelter and soup kitchen to aid those that have been abetted. A vulnerable, but growing community has gathered here, slightly odd in shape, size and appendages, owing to them being mostly "Tainted" -- rumored to be broken Metal Demons, or perhaps just Beastmen and other demihumans; the real story isn't quite widespread. Besides, those that have nowhere to go seem to be happy enough to coexist here. For Drifters, a large roadside saloon called the "V4L-H4LLA" acts as an inn, a watering hole and a stable all in one. Those with vehicles that require repair can also find some mechanics who can enact some basic maintenance and a top-up of common fuels. A dojo with all kinds of martial training equipment has been set up near the village centre. Wayside Village sustains itself largely by trading and selling water for other services, owing to its recently repaired water purifier unit - served to the village via a Qanat with a robust irrigation system stands at the edge of the village, where a Garden with simple hardy crops and other agricultural pursuits can be followed. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4uR39jNeGE
DG: A party led by Riesenlied is now entering Winter Wonderland. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ ======================<* CHALLENGE - North Pole Bound *>====================== |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Push the statues in this cave, they said. If you do it right you'll be teleported to the North Pole, they said. It will be easy, they said. You hope "they" knew what "they" were talking about! This must be what you deserve for buying information on the black market! =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Wayside!
It's something of a poorly kept secret amongst Named Drifters; a hidden village nestled in the centre of a valley that has since proven itself to be, amongst other things, the underground site of a Guardian Statue (rip) ontop of an ancient nest of evil and a primordial being of water (not rip)...
... but today is not the time to worry about such things -- because Wayside is on full tilt celebration mode, having heard news of what November City and its ilk plan to do. Though it's not quite Christmas-y, there's tinsel and all other kinds of cute decor hanging off the Orphanage and the Inn along with the caravans, done up in part by the kids that live there!
Riesenlied is in the midst of this -- she, again, hasn't quite cottoned onto the christmas spirit, so she's in a pretty white gown that seems two steps removed from bridal instead; very priestess-y, with the flared, detached sleeves with the ribbon trim.
She's also looking very curious as the cuccos in her pen, in the midst of said celebration, start to gather into a strange circular pattern. "Cuccos...? What are you up to, cuccos?" she calls out.
The cuccos amble away, and in their wake, there are several statues with very pretty patterns upon them!
Mikaia perks up from where she's clinging to her mom's side, asking, "Wooow... are the cuccos giving us a puzzle to solve? Thank you, cucco!"
Janey in turn is slouching over the fence, scratching her cheek to go, "Ohh, I don't really care for things I have to think about..."
Cucc, cucc...
The cuccos seem pleased. ... ... ...
...
Do you dare?
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Flute of the Cucco Queen toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
Elena felt super bad for Riese after the mess with the hidden super evil temple and the Metal Demons and... you know, reasons need not be supplied, there's too many to list.
She just felt bad.
So of course she decided to come deliver a gift. It's not much, but it's a nice festive Granas-themed cake she can share with her young brethrens. Also, really... it was an excuse to come say hi.
"Hello, Lady Riesenlied! Hello, Mikaia!" She doesn't know Janey by name, though. "And hello to you as well!" That works.
"I... ah... I was passing by, after recovering from my injuries, and I thought you might like some cake, so..." Elena extends the nice package forward. Though she stares curiously at the contents of the pen.
"Those are most curious toys for chickens! What are those statues of?"
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
The Veruni were never really much ones for holidays. They observed their own assortment, of course, but for the most part they never really made a big deal about them. And so, when someone told Ambrosius that Wayside was having a celebration for a holiday he didn't know too much about, his response was a simple 'have fun'.
And yet, here he is, amongst everyone else. The baubles attached to his hat had even been replaced with more festive decorations. It seemed someone had successfully managed to drag him out of workshop, and even made him dress for the occasion. There were patches of green in his red poncho where there hadn't been any before...or maybe this was a new one?
For the most part, he just kind of stands awkwardly at the corner, keeping an eye on things. He was never one for big occasions, and it seemed like a lot of people had gathered here today to help celebrate...
He continues watching, at least until the cuccos start acting in a...rather bizarre manner. And soon enough...
"...Staaatues...?" Ambrosius murmurs, in a rare dumbfounded state. Where had they even come from? Had the birds produced them, or uncovered them somehow...?
He approaches one and studies it carefully for a moment before pushing gently on one of them.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, North Pole Bound. DG: Elena has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid does a small pose at the moment because they are still at work! Nevertheless, she throws a rock at the statues to see if this solves the problem.
"Oh hey? Taking the kids for a walk?" Asteroid asks Riesenlied before looking to Ambrosius, whose presence is more surprising. "Woah! It's that guy again. Hey dude!" She waves an arm at him pleasantly. Probably!
DG: Asteroid the Kid has used her Tool Asteroid Ball toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina hasn't been to Wayside in a while; when she sees the tinsel and decor, though, she looks delighted. ... she has no idea what the occasion is, but it's still delightful! Really any excuse to decorate hearth and home is at least a little fun.
As the cuccos amble around and leave statues in their wake, though -- well, it's hard to pay attention to much else. "... Hhhhuh," she offers, tapping her cheek with a finger. "Neat." She scoots toward the statues, giving a brief glance toward Astie on her way.
She gives the statue a poke, adding, "How'd birds manage to pick these up? Mega-weird..."
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
"--heeey, guuuys!" calls a familiar voice, as an equally familiar pink-haired figure in red comes flying in on the back of the equally familiar Little Dipper, the Caravan Kinship mechanic having swung by Wayside all of a sudden to say hello... except that none of it is really familiar, because apparently Shalune has decided to go all out.
The sleek white body of the Little Dipper has had a number of pieces of cardboard taped to it, mostly painted in red with some tinsel stapled along the edges. A rather rough and ready drawing on each side depicts a sleigh, while the front piece has a picture of several fat cuccos with red noses, apparently meant to be the steeds pulling the sleigh along. A couple of bells and baubles jangle noisily from the handlebars, and the main drive shaft's got a mixture of green and red ribbons attached.
The mechanic herself has dropped her battered coat and work jeans, and even her beloved bobble hat - instead, she's wearing a fluffy sort of red dress with a rim of white fur, and a red-and-white santa hat to match. It completely fails to hold her mass of pink hair back, some of it in mismatched ties and short braids and the rest as dogeared as ever, but at least she cleans up remarkably well - not to mention, looks her age for once.
Notably, her enormous backpack has been replaced by a rather large sack, and she immediately swings it around in front of her to begin rummaging through it, her tongue stuck out in concentration as the Little Dipper drifts to a stop. "It's the Starfall Santa, Shalune!" she calls, and suddenly deposits a rather hastily- and awkwardly-wrapped gift into Asteroid's hands with an upbeat cheer and a playful grin. "I wanted to just pass some gifts around! Hey, Janey, Janey," she calls as she rummages further, and hands another over in her direction.
Asteroid's turns out to be a small block of wood with a miniature goal attached, with a ball on a length of string pinned to the other side. "It's for when you're too rushed to get a full game goin'!" she cheers.
Janey has-- a few small jars filled with sand? With holes in the top? "Geckos!" Shalune points out with a grin. "Make sure you look after them well, okay? A Lord of Calamity's gotta have cohorts!"
DG: Shalune Amira has used her Tool Soup of the Day -Shalune Ver.- toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"Heeeey, guys!"
Riding along with Shalune is someone nobody here would know, but who still waves with friendly familiarity.
She steps out of the vehicle and takes in the sight with wide eyes, letting Shalune take up the attention for now. She feels a little bad about not bringing presents, but this would be a really bad time for her to do so, unfortunately. The family business comes first.
Now, this place is crazy, but in a good way, y'know? And she got to ride in the Little Dipper, too, which is also good-crazy! She's already 100% happy with her decision to leave home and travel with people she's known for less than two weeks.
Carina look back, noticing the statues being pushed. Whatever they're doing, it seems neat. But it also seems like... effort. She hums, looking down at the bag she's carrying.
"Hey. Hey, Shalune? Hey. I'll be riiiight back, I need to, huh... go to the bathroom. Yes."
And she breaks into a run towards the nearest alley. A second later, a flash of light. Then, nothing for a few seconds...
And from out of nowhere, comes the booming voice of... Carina, honestly.
"Don't worry, children! I, Metal Digger Locus, will help you solve this fowl brain-teaser!"
A bug-masked heroine in sleek, silver and red armor stands on the orphanage's rooftop! With a 'Toh!', she leaps off of it, performing a flip followed by a swirl of long, blonde ponytail, which seems to selectively ignore gravity in particularly acrobatic times.
"Aha!"
Metal Digger Locus STRIKES A POSE once she lands next to the group forming... and starts pushing a random statue, heedless of the direction.
DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, North Pole Bound.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ ======================<* CHALLENGE - North Pole Bound *>====================== |Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Push the statues in this cave, they said. If you do it right you'll be teleported to the North Pole, they said. It will be easy, they said. You hope "they" knew what "they" were talking about! This must be what you deserve for buying information on the black market! =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
======================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 1 *>======================= ========================< Results - North Pole Bound >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 0 --(10)--> 10 Fail Flute of the Cucco Queen 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Elena 0 --(10)--> 10 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shalune Amira 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Soup of the Day -Shalune Ver.- 3 Brute Effects: Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Carina Wynne 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asteroid the Kid 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Asteroid Ball 3 Brute Effects: Rally ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Riesenlied 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Riesenlied 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> Shalune Amira has posed.
Shalune blinks for a moment - and then, obligingly, puts her hands to her cheeks. "W-wah!" she chimes theatrically. "It's 'Metal Digger Locus', here to help--" w-wait, Christmas doesn't seem to be in danger. It's not like it can be saved. "--i-investigate Christmas!"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There's a tender look on Riesenlied's face as she turns with a small wave, towards Elena. "Oh, Miss Elena. You're just in time for our celebrations... goodness, you're very generous! Thank you." She nods gently as she looks towards the inn and says, "I'm sure the children would very much like to try some--"
Janey is already trying to reach her finger up to poke a little bit of icing off off it. Oooh...
"Janey..." Riesenlied complains. "Not before lunch, okay?"
The statues surely form a set, but their intent seems unusual. There's a king-like statue in red, a set of more uniform statues of hunched over long-eared ones in green... and a horse with antlers. Their relation to one another seems perplexing and baffling both, and perhaps without rhyme or reason.
(Yes I managed to turn a Brute challenge into a Wits challenge forgive me)
There's a soft smile as Riesenlied turns and waves to Asteroid, yelping a bit as she chucks a rock -- which causes one of the statues to slide into place.
Janey looks up as Ambrosius starts to study and push, and goes, "Do you think they go in a certain order?!"
The leader of Wayside does smile warmly at Lemina as she waves, not having seen her in a while... and Lemina gives her own poke, causing another statue to slide into place. Ominous. "Um-- the cuccos work in mysterious ways..."
And then Shalune comes in, prompting a pleased -- yet slightly puzzled look from Riesenlied. "What's a 'Santa', Shalune...?" she asks, finding the gown pretty, but she's not familiar with the tradition!
Janey gawks at the gifts to go, "Whoaaa, geckos! Awesome! They can go with my beetles! Thank you Miss Lunieee!" prompting Mikaia to frown and go, "D-don't let them get loose again...!"
But then--
I, Metal Digger Locus, will help you solve this fowl brain-teaser!
Janey gawks up into the air as she exclaims, "Mister Zed, is that yo-- no! It's not the Dark Hero! Whoaaaa!!"
Locus lands.
"A new, mysterious hero has arrived on the scene!? Are the Dark Hero Days over?!" Janey exclaims.
Riesenlied's ahoge poits up in response to this, but before she can say anything, Locus pushes a statue into place--
And the entire village is ensconced in light.
With a 'ho ho ho' and a jingling of bells...!!
DG: Shalune Amira has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ ========================<* CHALLENGE - Wassailants *>========================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- You're not sure where these inebriated partygoers are going, but they're stumbling right into your path, singing a Christmas carol, or attempting one. They don't look happy to see you -- in fact, they're going on the attack. They must be mean drunks! =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
DG: Asteroid the Kid has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
"Hehe-- I dunno, actually!" chimes Shalune back to Riesenlied as part of her ongoing cheer, winking as she pulls the Little Dipper around to give out another gift, this time one to Mikaia - a set of little whorled ingots, not of any marking in specific but just generally pretty in Shalune's eyes.
"I mean, we were stopping around November City, and everyone was decorating and really kinda pumped up! I asked around a bit, and it's some kinda thing where you give out gifts, but beyond that I just kinda went with the flow. It looks good, though, right?" she beams as she hops from foot to foot in excitement.
She shrugs happily-- "Anyway, so--" --but whatever she was about to say is abruptly lost in the thrum of power from the statues, as the world goes while around them.
... and then resolves into a Wayside that isn't. The structure of the village is still intact, but the ring of caravans appear to have become a brace of little cozy-looking log cabins, a wreath of green and red on every door and smoke curling from the chimneystacks. The orphanage is positively covered in blinking lights in elaborate shapes of stars and cuccos, candles in every window and snow on the windowsills. Snow everywhere, in fact - the desert has vanished, replaced with crunchy soft white everywhere you look, piling up on rooftops and in mounds around the place. Some of it even moves, but that just turns out to be a number of Riese's pet cuccos, now extremely confused and mostly-buried in the cold blanket of white.
Shalune's eyes have temporarily become wide circles in her confusion, as she grips the handlebars of the Little Dipper uncertainly. "M-Miss Riese, did we end up in your head again?!" she blurts after a moment, then shakes it away as some figures approach. "A-ah, um, excuse me-- hello-- sir--"
It doesn't work; she shrinks back when what appear to be five extremely disoriented Metal Demons launch into a stirring (offkey, too loud) rendition of a slurred and wordless carol, the middle one suspiciously similar to Val if Val had a big fake-looking white beard. Cupping her hands to her mouth, Shalune does her best to call over the din. "Sir?! We're trying to find out where we are!"
It only encourages them to be louder, unfortunately. This might take a while.
DG: Shalune Amira has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied tries to think -- but she does seem to recall some odd customs in November City around this time of December... and anyway, the costume is really cute! She definitely has no problems with gift-giving, and she had some in mind for the children, the Wings and Noeline anyway...
...
Until the light resolves into a Wayside that-- um--
".. e-eh? Eh? Eeeeh?!" Riesenlied sounds extremely perplexed, looking around at the caravans that have become cabins, and the blinking, sparkling orphanage. There's fluffy snow everywhere, and--
"SNOOOOW!" Janey exclaims, cutting through the silence as she flumphs and starts rolling through the snow. A longer pause, then she shares words of wisdom:
"... snow is cold ..."
Riesenlied herself appears to have been affected by the sudden shift, her gown of white suddenly becoming a much thicker and fluffier red coat with red mittens and black stockings, along with a red nightcap not unlike Shalune's.
"W-w-why am I dressed like...?!" Riesenlied looks extremely embarrassed, tugging her coat down a little. She peers towards the disoriented five, especially Val in the middle as she starts slurring a song.
"Val! Oh no, what happened to you? Y-you're... bushy!"
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
"S-So lively!" Elena says, in awe of METAL DIGGER LOCUS. Then there is light, and snow everywhere, and lights, and everything is so festive!
"D-Did the statues do this? That is incredible! It is so good to see a magical device or artifact that was not made to kill people, for once!" Yes, actually, that IS incredibly nice. Elena certainly looks happy.
Or did they get transported?
Oh well, it's nice either way.
And there's singing too! Singing...
Elena's musical ear begins bleeding.
"No! No no no no! That is not how you sing that song!" She moves to the Metal Demons, to stand amidst them. Her Mana Egg shines brightly, and wisps of watery and icy Ether cause the group to sparkle. And feel better! Especially feel better, to ail what makes them sing offkey.
"Please, follow my lead!"
She is a Songstress, after all.
She'll teach these Metal Demons to sing yet.
DG: Elena has used her Tool Mist Egg toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Mikaia looks -so- excited when Elena begins teaching them sing, that she pulls her own recorder to play along. "Yay...!"
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid is hiding behind Ambrosius.
She is hiding behind Ambrosius and now covering her ear craters (where they'd be anyway) and spasming when the drunks start singing.
She is suffering greatly. "Nggghaaaa....!"
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
The bright flash of light -- and then festivities beyond festivities! Lemina looks around with a big, almost too-content smile on her face. "This -- this is mega-cool!" she says, shortly before --
SINGING.
Honestly, the greatest kindness Lemina can do here is to cover her ears and hunch down slightly, which is exactly what she's doing. For her, the real combat challenge is avoiding turning this into a combat challenge -- which she does by waiting extremely impatiently for everyone else to address the issue of the singing.
"Nnnghhh," she grunts, as she tries desperately not to just freeze them all on the spot. She has not yet noticed the festive hat that has landed squarely on her head.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"That's right!" Locus answers to Shalune's feigned surprise. The children seem to like it! She grins behind her mask.
"Who's Mister Zed?" she then asks, after a beat.
But before she gets her answer, the village is bathed in light. Carina is still way too new at this to know that a pattern might be starting to form here.
"Wait, what?"
"Whoooooooooa... Cool..."
Carina forgets that she's supposed to be the one showing off here, looking around at the already cool town, magically transformed to be even cooler.
Her costume got a festive change too, though not a big one: instead of being red and silver, her armor is now red and GREEN. How jolly!
But there's big trouble. Off-key, drunken singers. That won't do. Elena does her best to make things right, Mikaia joins in... and Locus scratches her masked cheek perplexedly.
"Well, I dunno if I can sing that well..." She's certainly no Songstress, supersuit or no.
But she notices something, one large pine tree that seems sadder than the rest, probably because it isn't lit up. She leans down to notice a trailing electric plug. She recognizes it for what it is, because living in a Plant City has exciting benefits.
"What... if..." She reaches for it. An electric arc buzzes between her antennae. A smooth, glassy sphere at the center of her belt lights up yellow.
And the tree lights up with multicolored electric lights! Success!
"Yes! If THAT doesn't motivate you to sing better, I don't know what will!"
...What?
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Element Marble toward her party's challenge, Wassailants.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius pauses in his attempts to move the statue as Asteroid greets him with a wave. He stares at her for a moment before inclining his head in greeting and glancing toward Janey.
"Hm...that is a possibiiility..." He agrees with a nod, then takens a step back to consider what the right order might be.
And then, she appears.
Ambrosius stares incredulously at Metal Digger Locus. Did...did she just make a pun...? More important, who in the world was she?
If he had seen Carina for more than the couple of minutes she had been present, he might've been able to make the connection. Unfortunately, to him, she was just another human...
A human that does something that causes the whole world to be enveloped in a bright flash. And when it subsides, he finds himself in a far more...snowy and festive version of Wayside.
Everyone seems to have changed somewhat...
...Except Ambrosius, whose sheer aura of 'bah humbug' apparently renders him immune to Christmas-based status effects.
There are singing individuals here...Metal Demons? Members of the group try to get something out of them, but they don't seem inclinded to respond...and might be more than a little drunk.
Ambrosius takes a moment to glance at Asteroid behind him before walking up to one of the carolers...and tapping them politely on the shoulder.
What did you think he was going to do, grab them roughly and ask them where they were?
Of course not. Ambrosius isn't that rude.
...That's simply what he'll do if they don't listen.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Wassailants.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ ========================<* CHALLENGE - Wassailants *>========================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- You're not sure where these inebriated partygoers are going, but they're stumbling right into your path, singing a Christmas carol, or attempting one. They don't look happy to see you -- in fact, they're going on the attack. They must be mean drunks! =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
======================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 2 *>======================= ==========================< Results - Wassailants >=========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 10 --(10)--> 20 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 5 --(10)--> 15 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Elena 10 --(10)--> 20 Fail Mist Egg 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shalune Amira 5 --(10)--> 15 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Carina Wynne 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Element Marble 2 Combat Effects: Fanfare and Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asteroid the Kid 5 --(10)--> 15 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Riesenlied 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Weaken(2) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Riesenlied 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> Shalune Amira has posed.
It doesn't help. Nothing will help. You can't stop raucous singing, nor the unusual but wholehearted expression of Metal Demons who are only just learning to love life. (Or learning to love an odd projection of life, but who's counting here?)
Elena's very well-meant and technical advice means nothing when it falls on deaf, overexcited ears, and the 'song' continues unabated. The line of Hyadeans, their arms linked around each other at the shoulders, meanders through the group in a confused and erratic zig-zag, alternately leaning on people's shoulders heavily enough to nearly knock them over or else trying to get people to join in the song that's devolved down to a happy 'rah-rah-ra~ah' kind of noise.
Shalune yelps as the Little Dipper pitches from the weight; she banks to one side to try to recover her balance, ending up next to Riesenlied with a lost kind of grin and an expression that suggests she just can't blame the upbeat demons. "Wah, Miss Riese, you look cute!" she blurts, her voice lost in the din as they try to rouse Lemina and Asteroid up to their feet. Ambrosius' sheer force of stubborn personality makes them waver, though - the song nearly cuts out for a moment, one of the voices dying off--...
But then the giant tree lights up in a dazzling display, and the group cheers with it, immediately shambling off to fixate in that direction, and apparently sing a congratulatory song to the foliage.
Carefully, with a face like :I, Shalune picks Janey up from where she's stuck in the snow. "Let's, um-- let's find someone else," she suggests.
DG: Elena has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Factory Fiction? *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | ----------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- This must be Santa's toy factory, and it's operating at full steam. Peeking through the windows, you see assembly lines for all kinds of playthings. Hey, you might be able to do some shop(lifting) in there, if you can only figure out how to get past the security guard. The workers are far too busy to notice you -- they've got a deadline coming up! =Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
Elena looks at the group of singers with despair as they wander away. She couldn't teach them even one note! Do Metal Demons have no appreciation for musical harmonies?!
The life of a priestess is ever a harsh one.
That's fine though! This is fine. Totally fine. Everything is still fantastic right now. There's snow and a tree and music, however offkey, and lights and gifts!
Wait, gifts?
Indeed there is a big, big pile of wrapped gifts under the massive tree Carina illuminated. It wasn't there before! Why, there must be at least two boxes per inhabitant!
Elena wanders up close, checking the wrapped boxes curiously. Their names are even on there! There's one for her, and one for Riesenlied, and even one for Lemina! That's surely a clerical error.
The problem is that the gifts are piled very high. Getting yours is going to require playing gift pile Jenga!
Or maybe being smarter about it than doing that.
The children of Wayside are approaching, too...! And they probably want their gifts right now, now, now! THEY'RE certainly willing to climb the pile and play gift Jenga if you aren't!
That's probably not safe.
DG: Elena has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied cups her mouth as she watches Val and the other revelers wander away, bowing her head profusely to say, "I--I'm afraid that's just the way they are... goodness, they can be so raucuous at times..."
... gifts?
She looks towards the approaching children as she stammers, "A-ah, wait, please don't tug at the gifts, they might fall on you...!"
Oh no, Riesemama's calls are not being heeded! The children are enamored with their presents! Even Janey, as she's tugged out of the snow by Shalune, gawks at the treasure pile with an exclamation of, "Presents, presents!!"
She's suddenly run up one side of the tree to try to latch onto Ambrosius' shoulders, because he's by far the tallest of all of them here.
"Everyone..."
"Me, me first!"
"No, me!"
Riesenlied sinks her head. Is this the end of mom's influence over the children!
"Everyone please take your turn in order!"
The Dragon's Tear emanates with a vigorous light as she raises it, spreading a sheen of red and green photons through the air -- very festive -- and the children slowly turn to whine and go, "O-oh, okay, Riesemama..."
Moms are tough.
DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon's Tear toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid sees a giant pile of presents.
She summons a large rock in her hands and rears back with a foot--
--This could be really bad if someone doesn't stop her but Asteroid doesn't seem to care about subtlety or, for that matter, not stealing everything and sorting out what she actually wants later.
Hey Ginny said to not rob corpses, she didn't say anything about robbing old men in red coats! And that's a fact!
"Yeah the presents will be coming to you!" She tells the Wayside Kids.
SOMEBODY STOP HER.
DG: Asteroid the Kid has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
As the children begin to pile over the presents, Lemina... continues to resist the urge to become a chaos agent. Instead, she tip-toes toward the presents, glancing out at the kids. Even if this is really more of a Riesenlied issue to address, Lemina says, "Just give me a little time to sort these all out! That way you can all get your presents mega-fast once it's your turn!"
She then pops on her reading glasses and starts doing just that, checking tags and labels. "... Oooo, this one's for me," she notes... though she does put it under the tree rather than just taking it.
She has to set a good example. Regrettably.
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Reading Glasses toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
Locus dusts her hands. There! The tree stays lit up because, once the puzzle was solved, the lights revealed the electric outlet they were meant to be plugged into.
"Whoa, presents!" Locus runs back up to join the rest. "But this could turn into a mess real fast, huh..." She scratches at her cheek again, only touching metal. Dink.
Something in her vision changes.
"Whoa," she mutters to herself, "there's a buncha... weird skeletons climbing up. Robot skeletons?? ...Hold on..." Gears turn in her head. "I'm seein' in X-ray!!"
There is only one logical course of action.
"Hold on one moment, children!" she pipes up, stepping towards the pile. "I, Metal Digger Locus, I'll help you sort out the fun presents from the lame ones! But you should start with the lame ones, so the fun ones are more exciting! Now, what's in that box? Just let me take a look with my [Matrix Eye]!!"
She is completely oblivious to Asteroid's unsubtle, alarming scheme. The jury is still out on whether Carina is the best or worst superhero ever.
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Matrix Eye toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
"W-wah, Astie~!" blurts Shalune as she-- straight up dives off the Little Dipper, impacting with the Rigdobrite Shaman in a flurry of red and white. Fortunately, she's currently fuzzy and soft, as is the ground under them as she bears the other girl down, then hops up on her hands and knees with a solid pout. "No knocking them all over! There might be fragile stuff in there!" she blurts--
--and immediately waughs again as Carina--sorry, Locus - start to look inside the presents?! "T-that's cheating! You gotta open them properly!"
She completely misses the way that the Little Dipper appears to have been commandeered in the wake of her dive, now put to work enabling some of the children to reach the upper echelons of the gift pile in relative safety.
'Relative safety' being 'on the top of a mysteriously floating scooter', but at least there's the cushioning snow beneath them.
DG: Shalune Amira has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Well, they didn't learn anything, but at least the carolers stopped singing so close to them. Ambrosius can take some solace in that. But under the illuminated tree is a series of brightly wrapped boxes, with namecards attached to them. Are they...supposed to be for them?
But wait. That sound. It's a stampede. A stampede of children. Ambrosius barely even flinches as Janey uses his as an impromptu stepladder. Instead, he simply moves to get a closer look.
Wait a second, is one of these boxes addressed to Nimue?
...The Seraph or the Golem? ...Do the people of Wayside even know about the former? Ambrosius certainly doesn't, so he takes a moment to regard it with some interest and curiosity.
While this might help Janey out, his tall frame might end up acting as a bit of a barrier to the rest of the children...
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Factory Fiction?.
=============================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================== ========================<* CHALLENGE - Factory Fiction? *>======================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 | ----------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------- This must be Santa's toy factory, and it's operating at full steam. Peeking through the windows, you see assembly lines for all kinds of playthings. Hey, you might be able to do some shop(lifting) in there, if you can only figure out how to get past the security guard. The workers are far too busy to notice you -- they've got a deadline coming up! =Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
========================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 3 *>========================= ==========================< Results - Factory Fiction? >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Dragon's Tear 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 15 --(5)--> 20 Pass Reading Glasses 2 Wits Effects: Resilient ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elena 20 --(10)--> 30 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shalune Amira 15 --(5)--> 20 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass Matrix Eye 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asteroid the Kid 15 --(10)--> 25 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Riesenlied 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Stupify(2) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)|Resilient(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Riesenlied 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> Elena has posed.
It's not easy, but it end sup working out.
Ambrosius is a mighty barrier indeed, and the powers of Riesenmom can calm the crowd enough. Not to mention that with Lemina and METAL DIGGER LOCUS sorting through the gifts (whether their methods are acceptable or not is another matter), the gifts are actually getting passed around in neat and orderly piles!
Shalune's Little Dipper even allows the group (and some children) to climb higher and make the sorting (and looting) process go by faster. AND! Asteroid doesn't steal all the gifts.
Everything worked out okay in the end!
And luckily, the MATRIX EYE cheat code ends up ruining very little, for every gift is a neat and thoughtful toy! Who even wrapped those up? Who had the time and dedication for it? Does it matter?
What's in the party's giftboxes, one might wonder...?
The MATRIX EYE can't see through THOSE!
No, it's just not time to open them yet.
Maybe once you're done decorating!
DG: Carina Wynne has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================= ========================<* CHALLENGE - Missile Toad! *>========================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Inside this hut you are waylaid by a rocket-launcher-toting giant frog! Where the heck did it get a rocket launcher, much less learn how to use it?!? It's too dangerous to leave here -- better annihilate the armed amphibian ASAP! =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid goes crashing to the ground when Shalune tackles into her. Her eyes become--swirly eyes and she says, "Dahhhhh.....Shalluuuuune!"
She flops back onto the ground, defeated!
SHALUNE GAINS 20 XP
SHALUNE GAINS 0 GP
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
"I'm not gonna ruin the surprise for them!" Carina calls back to Shalune, in what is absolutely a pouty voice. "I'm just savin' them from opening a box of socks after all the cool stuff! 'sides, ours are lead-lined or somethin'. --Oh huh, is that one really child-safe?"
She hesitates a moment, then shrugs and hands it to a short, spiky-haired, baseball cap-wearing orphan. He promptly opens it, and his eyes light up.
"YESSS! Just what I wanted!" He pulls out a strange, spherical device and holds it towards Locus and the rest. "I challenge you to a FROGÉMON BATTLE!"
He turns his cap around backwards and, in front of a DRAMATICALLY ZOOMING BACKGROUND, throws the device to the ground. "GO, MISSILE TOAD!"
A giant, rocket-launcher-toting frog manifests. "MISSILE TOAD," it reiterates, just in case someone didn't get the joke the first time it was said out loud.
"Don't hold back on me," the child pipes up, "I need to face strong opponents on my road to becoming a Frogémon master!"
"All right, then!" Locus answers, punching her two fists together and producing sparks. "--WHOA THERE!"
BOOM! There's a massive explosion as the frog monster takes the initiative and fires a missile towards the exceptionally rag-tag Drifter team! Locus hastily backflips out of the way.
BGM CHANGE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48S_q42YQkw
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Element Marble toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
"T-This is not a child-friendly gift in the least!" Elena protests, as she would, except that she has no room to talk given the amount of Granas and Ethos priests going around with explosives at a relatively young age. Herself included. She learned to fling grenades when she was twelve! Maybe thirteen?
In controlled environments, but still!
Her Mana Egg lights up again, and weaponless, the priest directs flows of soft, icy blue magic around the party, and icy sheen forming around them. It's a shield! A basic, hurried shield, but certainly better than nothing.
"What manner of toy line contains real explosives?!"
Probably a subsidiary of BLASTEMOL! or something like that. Damnit, Master Torque.
DG: Elena has used her Tool Mist Egg toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There's an altogether too perplexed look as Riesenlied gasps as the explosions rock the snow-filled landscape, with Mikaia whimpering and hiding underneath her mother's cape. "Soot, come now!"
She winces and stumbles through the field, perhaps breaking all the rules of Frogemon battling, because moms never understand how these things work! They all look the same!
Riesenlied does duck past the Missile Toad as she recharges and uses the most powerful move all moms possess, however.
RIESENLIED uses LECTURE!
She huffs just for a moment as she lectures, "You don't need to feel like you need to prove your mastery at any given skill through the application of violence as an excuse for social and emotional dominance. I want you to understand and be aware that these are the sociocultural mechanisms that existing hegemonic structures use to champion and glamorise toxic behaviours. I want each of you to understand that collaboration, compassion and empathy make for a much more..."
Oh gosh she's still going
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ah, presents. Who could resist the allure of boxes covered in colorful wrapping paper? A certain behatted child certainly can't, and then proceeds to challenge them with his gift...which is apparently a giant frog with a rocket launcher?
This holiday was more bizarre than he thought.
He didn't know anything about what children were into these days, though. He figured there was probably a proper way they were supposed to deal with this, rather than fighting it into submission...but he doesn't know what that is so instead he just looks toward Janey.
"Miss Jaaaney...is there a...proper...way to reeespond...to this challeeenge...?" Ambrosius asks, curious.
...And then Riesenlied goes into lecture mode. Oh no.
Elena's giving them a shield...but there are some things that can't be defended against.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Janey is already hiding behind Ambrosius' coat to whisper, "Don't even make mom think I'm here when she's in lecture mode!!" frantically.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid looks at a giant frog monster. It is actually firing missiles. She closes her eyes. She opens her eyes. She closes her eyes. She opens her eyes.
"Guhhh...." She says. "Shalune, you gave me brain damage. I'm seeing a giant toad with missile launchers. That's obviously not something that exists, and I think you're all fighting it now? This is too stupid to be real so I'm gonna make you pay for my medical bills ok?" She considers. "Though it's weird, my head's usually durable..."
She stalles as Riesenlied uses LECTURE.
She listens.
She gets blush stickers and looks at the floor.
"The patriarchy is fueled by violence and change starts with you..." She mutters shyly.
DG: Asteroid the Kid has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina is introduced to a missile by way of a missile toad. She yells and hits the dirt, because unlike Locus, she is not particularly physically adroit. Her first offering is simple: "AAAaaaaa!"
Then, as Riesenlied starts her lecture, Lemina... starts to chant a spell. She breaks the chant in the middle to note, "Yeah, so, uh, just in case that doesn't work, I'm going to make a mega-fun ice fort so I don't explode."
She then makes exactly one (1) adorable ice fort to hide in until the missile toad goes away. What a champ.
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
Shalune pulls herself up from where she somewhat flattened Asteroid; she pats herself down of snow, but can't help but look a little ruffled as she picks at the pink hair that's gotten kind of flung around her face. "W-wah! Wah! I've seen that line of toys!" she blurts in astonishment, before blinking in astonishment instead as she dives out of the way of the first volley of missiles, missing the way in which they go 'pop pop pop' behind her rather than an actual explosion.
"I-it's one of the premiums! You can only beat it with the Electric Mouse!" she blurts-- and that sparks an idea, as she outright goes against Janey's terrified cry by scooping the girl up under one arm as she runs past. "--Janey, let's gooo! There's gotta be another somewhere, if we can find it!" she adds, urgently scanning the remnants of the pile of presents.
DG: Shalune Amira has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Missile Toad!.
============================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================= ========================<* CHALLENGE - Missile Toad! *>========================= |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- Inside this hut you are waylaid by a rocket-launcher-toting giant frog! Where the heck did it get a rocket launcher, much less learn how to use it?!? It's too dangerous to leave here -- better annihilate the armed amphibian ASAP! =Dungeon Conditions: Weaken===================================================
=======================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 4 *>======================== ==========================< Results - Missile Toad! >=========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 15 --(5)--> 20 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elena 30 --(5)--> 35 Fail Mist Egg 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shalune Amira 20 --(5)--> 25 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 15 --(5)--> 20 Pass Element Marble 2 Combat Effects: Fanfare and Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asteroid the Kid 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Riesenlied 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Weaken(2) Effects: Cleanse ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Riesenlied 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: Lemina Ausa has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Winter Wonderland *>=============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Turn the Tables *>========================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
In this building you see workbenches and tables with elves scurrying about,
manufacturing toys and making deliveries. It seems very, very busy. Wait,
those aren't elves -- they're ratmonkeys!
Santa Claus -- or perhaps an actor portraying him -- glances up from
supervising to greet you. "Merrrrry Christmas," he intones. "Ho ho ho!" Then
he pauses. "I wish someone would figure out what *I* want for Christmas.
I'll show you a secret if you can do it."
OOC: PG-13 or milder, peeps!
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
Young children should really not be given custody of what's at the very least a miniboss. Yet here we are. Filgaia is a very dangerous place.
Missiles rain down on Elena's hasty shield, putting cracks in it despite what SHOULD really just be toy missiles? It's probably a side-effect of the magic in the air. Lemina's castle holds up, however, and may get a little crowded in short order.
Shalune remembers her elemental weaknesses, and recruits Janey (and possibly Ambrosius!) into her desperate hunt for the hottest toy of the season. There's a glimmer of hope as another Frogémon box is sighted, unattended to, and inside is...
WHO'S THAT FROGÉMON?
Unfortunately, Shalune and Janey only find a Tedpole. Tedpole is one of the most common and weakest Frogémon, looking like a very ordinary guy (you just KNOW his name would be Ted) whose head is a tadpole. He doesn't even have any hidden weaponry!
Riesenlied (and Asteroid, to a lesser extent) brings her full Mom Power to bear.
It's SUPER EFFECTIVE!
"I understand," Soot says, scuffing his foot, "being the best at everything isn't all that it's cracked up to be if it's going to make everybody else sad. Missile Toad! Return!" Soot holds up the device his Frogémon came out of, pointing it forward.
"FINAL ATTACK! HISSATSU KIIIIICK!" From the heavens, Locus bears down upon the Missile Toad, one electrified foot forward!
And before it can impact, the monster shrinks down to toy size. Locus zooms right past, crashing offscreen.
"Missile Toad!" Soot says, surprised, "Why didn't you zap back into your Froggyball?"
"Because," Missile Toad says, in a jarringly squeaky voice, "I always want to be with you."
"Awww. I love you, Missile Toad."
And the two hug. It's very sweet.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
There's a sweet scene unfolding in the foreground. Meanwhile, Locus climbs out of a pile of snow with a Locus-shaped hole in it. "Ugh, ugh, gah."
"Mannnn," she says to herself, for the audience's benefit, "I'm just NO GOOD at Christmas today. First I cheat at presents, then I almost ruin that sweet scene with megaviolence... These people have never seen a Christmas before! It's gotta be nice, not some kinda clown show... They don't even know who Santa is. If only..."
She extends a pinky finger to clean her ear in frustration, once again forgetting that she is WEARING A FULLY FACE-COVERING HELMET. Her finger hits metal. Dink. And the [Matrix Eye] turns on again! Through the wall, Carina sees... a secret! And a disguise. A plan forms...
********
A moment later, SANTA CLAUS HIMSELF arrives to greet the citizens and visitors of Wayside! "MERRRRRY CHRISTMAS," he intones. "HO HO HO!"
The observant might notice that Santa Claus' gut has something resembling a pillow poking out, or that his hat is oddly bulbous due to the enormous ponytail that's been hastily shoved inside. Really, there are about a dozen details giving it away. And most importantly, his eyes are JUST LIKE CARINA'S, which is very odd because she was supposed to be in the bathroom!
"Oh, I wish someone would figure out what *I* want for Christmas, me the actual Santa Claus! I'll show you the [Special Secret of Christmas] if you can do it!"
Then, in a hushed tone, for the adults' benefit, "Please play along, just for the kids! I know it's not my most subtle disguise ever."
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Matrix Eye toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid isn't crying. Her big waterfall tears at that display is your imagination. Anyway, moving on to Santa.
"A space ship," Asteroid the Kid says instantly. "...To make your deliveries to other planets faster."
She didn't even have to think about that one.
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
'Me, the actual Santa Claus.'
Legit!
Well, Elena either falls for it or plays along. You may never know which it is. Although, she's using the opportunity to...
"I know the answer! The answer is nothing! Those who deliver happiness need not praise or gold, rewards or acknowledging, they need but the smiles on the face of those they bring cheer to!"
There is a religious sermon somewhere in there.
"Lord Granas did not act kindly and protect Filgaia out of a want for rewards or greatness, he did it because he wanted to! Just as he expects the same of his followers, I cannot imagine... no, I am certain, that one whose duty is to bring gifts to children would be just as content seeing happiness and cheer!"
Oh hey there's the sermon.
It wasn't that well hidden.
It's also a terrible answer to the question.
DG: Elena has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina pops her head out of her snow fort once 'Santa' (read: Carina) returns. This is a holiday tradition with which she's almost completely unfamiliar, but she'll at least play along! "Hmmm..." Lemina taps her cheek. "Hmmmm..." Lemina cups her own chin. "**Hmmmm**," she continues, looking up to the sky. "Mega-hmmmm..." ... really.
Lemina then says, without any of the hesitation that her long period of thought might have implied, "It's money! One hundred percent mega-magic money. Then you can do whatever you want!" ... Is that -- is that really how it works?
Lemina certainly looks proud of herself for giving the exact opposite answer to Elena.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Bonus: Her reading glasses continue to make her look very smart and cool. That never stopped being a thing.
DG: Lemina Ausa has used her Tool Reading Glasses toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied seems really pleased as Soot and his Frogemon hug, the two of them having learnt a very special and meaningful lesson over the holidays! It isn't about the strength or the amount of friends you have...!
However, she dithers just a little bit as she looks up and-- her eyes widen, as a figure declaring themselves to be -Santa Claus- rises above the rooftops!
"W-what Santa Claus wants for Christmas?!" Janey gasps. "U-um, wait, who's Santa Claus again?"
Mikaia lectures, "In November City, it's the spirit of a kindly old man who came from beyond the stars and brought unity to the followers of Granas, the Baskar Shamen, and even those that didn't follow a higher faith to give unto each other and be good neighbors!"
... her version of the story might be based on some storybooks ...
"What you want for Christmas, it's..."
Riesenlied closes her eyes, and the Dragon's Tear emanates for a moment. Unwittingly, having fully believed Santa Claus to be real, Riesenlied is instead drawn--
--into an emanating sparkling field of reds and greens, with ephemeral Christmas trees in the distance where reindeers and ratmonkeys prance in the distance.
She stares at Carina.
Who she's never met before, mind.
"O-oh goodness, I see... I did not mean to pry into your identity, young lady! But I wished to sense what you desire most for this celebration where you have been giving so selflessly..."
She spreads her arms as she concentrates, floating in the mentalscape as she whispers:
"What you want for Christmas, in your heart, is..."
DG: Asteroid the Kid has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables. DG: Riesenlied has used her Tool Dragon's Tear toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
This isn't what Shalune was expecting at all, but truthfully, she can roll with it. She's back on her feet, having offered up the Little Dipper as a seat to several of the orphans who are a little tired of trudging through (very photogenic) snow. She's a natural babysitter, really, all beaming smiles and encouragement, and makes a show of putting her finger to her mouth in thought. "M~mm~... I dunno, guys? What do you all think?" she offers brightly to the gaggle of children.
"A pony!"
"Sweets!"
"A pony made of sweets!"
"A mommy...?"
"Dominion of the whole world! Uwa-ha-ha-ha!"
"Ja-ney, that's not fa-air!"
Shalune watches on. When you've got to shoot for a riddle's answer, bring a shotgun.
DG: Shalune Amira has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius looks upon this expression of love and friendship impassively. Was there anything more pure than the love between a boy and his Frogémon?
Perhaps not. But even it doesn't seem to reach Ambrosius's heart... Maybe he was more a fan of the other series.
And then, the Actual Santa Claus appears.
Ambrosius doesn't know who Santa is, so it completely lacks any effect for him until Mikaia explains it. And yet...isn't there something...kind of off about this one?
...Well. It wasn't important.
He could think of a few things he'd want, but they're too depressing to list here.
But for the Totally Real and True Santa Claus...?
Ambrosius doesn't have a real answer. So instead...
"Perhaps...a better fitting hat..."
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Turn the Tables.
============================<* Winter Wonderland *>=============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Turn the Tables *>========================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
In this building you see workbenches and tables with elves scurrying about,
manufacturing toys and making deliveries. It seems very, very busy. Wait,
those aren't elves -- they're ratmonkeys!
Santa Claus -- or perhaps an actor portraying him -- glances up from
supervising to greet you. "Merrrrry Christmas," he intones. "Ho ho ho!" Then
he pauses. "I wish someone would figure out what *I* want for Christmas.
I'll show you a secret if you can do it."
OOC: PG-13 or milder, peeps!
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
=======================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 5 *>======================== =========================< Results - Turn the Tables >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Riesenlied 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Dragon's Tear 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lemina Ausa 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Reading Glasses 2 Wits Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elena 35 --(10)--> 45 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shalune Amira 25 --(10)--> 35 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carina Wynne 20 --(10)--> 30 Fail Matrix Eye 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asteroid the Kid 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Riesenlied 80 --(0)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Stupify(2) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Riesenlied has passed this challenge! The party gained 0 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Riesenlied has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ =====================<* CHALLENGE - Getting the Point *>====================== |Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Santa grins wryly and slides open a secret panel on the wall. "Go on in." Inside the newly-revealed room you spot a door, as well as some two dozen reindeer. It seems Santa's reindeer don't want you to get any closer to the door: they've arrayed themselves around it in a defensive formation, and those antlers are SHARP! What are you going to do now? =Dungeon Conditions: Secret===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
'Santa Claus' grimly nods as people give their answers, one after another.
"These answers are all right. Spaceships are super neat. Makin' people happy is also really nice, though I dunno if I'd sayin nothin'. Money lets you buy your own stuff! A pony is nice to pet and ride around, and sweets are delicious, but a pony made'a sweets would be self-defeating as heck. You couldn't ride it around 'cause it's get all sticky, and you couldn't eat it 'cause then it couldn't gallop around with a leg or a side missin'. I've already got Dominion of the world sounds great at first, too, but it's a whole lotta work, let me tell ya!!"
Santa clears his throat. "But anyway..."
Riesenlied arguably cheats, but Carina is in no position to talk. What she wants most probably wouldn't be much of a surprise if she knew her better. Images flash of a smaller young woman with eyes much like hers. It's quite simple: What 'Santa' wants most is to see her sister again.
"What I want most..." Carina Claus continues, "...is to spend time with my family. Sometimes you go on a big adventure, or your family members go on big adventures. Sometimes they don't come back. Sometimes your real family is the people you meet and pick up along the way. So you need to spend time with 'em and let them know how much you love 'em when you have the chance."
She steps towards the one who said 'A mommy', patting them on the head. "So, you know, this one's got it. And from the look of things you've made Wayside this big happy family, or at least you're tryin' hard to make it that way. So I can respect that."
She rises up, pumping arms into the air.
"So you get to see it, the [Special Secret of Christmas]! YEAH! Get hyped!" And she runs over to the building she crash-landed next to earlier, opens the door wide...
This is going to be the best ever!!
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid's face goes non-plussed.
Wow, she thinks, way to rub that in to the orphans, SANTA.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied has a sadder smile, but then draws towards that same child and gives them a big hug as she kneels by their side. "I know you can't see your mommy, but... we'll do our best to give you a loving home and a family, okay?"
They nod gently, and the other kids go to hug them as well! Awwww.
She looks up to where Carina exclaims excitedly about the Special Secret! She opens the door wide, and--
*boing*
*boiiiiiiing*
*boiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing*
12 feet tall and wide, bright and solid green and red as she's currently painted (?) and dressed in giant antlers! The Secret of Christmas emerges from its entrance with a profound and familiar to some cry of:
"MUNIIIIIIIII~~~~~~~!!"
(TL: Riese look I have horns that look like yours aaaaaaaaaaa~~~~!!!)
Riesenlied's face turns blue as the ground she's standing on becomes occluded by a very round, very heavy, very dense shadow.
DG: Riesenlied has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
<Pose Tracker> Elena has posed.
That is a big secret.
Elena turns pale.
"L-Lady Riesenlied, they are... getting closer and..."
And we're all about to be turned into pancakes. Oh no.
It's less a conscious use of magic and more reflex that makes Elena's Mana Egg shine, the air picking up around each and every present bystander and increasing their movement speed substantially! This is really good to, like. Run out of the way.
Or dramatically rescue people!
Elena, personally, opts to get out of the way.
"I am starting to think I should have brought tranquilizers instead of cake! I do not think your village needs more sugar than it already has!"
DG: Elena has used her Tool Mist Egg toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
Carina may have ruined Christmas again, at least by Asteroid's estimation, but Riesenlied is there to make it better. Good!
Carina Claus crosses her arms, nodding in satisfaction, as Muni Muni appears. Whatever her plan was, however, it didn't account for THAT level of excitement. She looks up. "Oh, huh."
"Watch out!" she cries out, suddenly no longer very jolly. A flash of light erupts from her (she was wearing her belt under the pillow, you see) as she leaps towards Riesenlied, her hat falling off in the process, letting out a long, blonde ponytail--
And the Santa costume is replaced with the armor of METAL DIGGER LOCUS. That's right! Locus' secret identity was Santa Claus all along!
And she pushes the horned Metal Demon out of the point of impact. She then attempts to leap away as well, bouncing off the snowy floor with a small eruption of lightning. But will it be enough not to become a Carina sandwich?
DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Element Marble toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
"Sometimes families are really stupid and you're better off without them." Asteroid says. There is the old saying about families, but Asteroid either doesn't know it or doesn't comment on it. She heads to the door and--
--promptly gets run over by a reindeer.
Walking home from this place Christmas Eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for Riese and Astie they believe.
Astie's been drinking too much cuccoo-nog
And she was begged not to go.
But Astie forgot her medication
And she got hoofprints on her face and in the snow.
"...Why..." She asks the universe.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
This is the ultimate secret!
Lemina is terrified!!
Lemina goes into a dead sprint back into her perfectly safe (?) snow fort, popping her head out only to watch the potential terror of infinite MUNIIIIII~ power. She stares mutely for a few moments, trying to think of what she can even do abou tthis, and then --
... makes another snow fort. Honestly, these are likely to be endless fun well after this ends if they don't get destroyed, so where's the harm in it? She does, however, puff out her cheeks slightly afterward, and ask, "Why would you... paint that? I mean -- it's bright and mega-festive, but..."
... then again, that's the answer on its own, isn't it?
DG: Lemina Ausa has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
Shalune carefully tugs the Little Dipper behind her as she enters after everyone else; she's still insistent on looking after the orphans on the back, kind of leading them through the snow like a santa's elf. Just... one with a flying scooter. "Ah, just a little longer, guys, okay?" she winks brightly, grinning as she looks them over. "All we've gotta do is--"
"--w-w-wah!?" she blurts at the sudden shadow that falls over the group; she scrambles automatically to one side, maneuvering the craft along with her as it continues to resolutely pay absolutely no attention to gravity whatsoever. "Muni-Muni! P-Play nice, okay?!" she blurts, her eyes wide as she dives for cover. "That's a good Muni-Muni!"
DG: Shalune Amira has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius just kind of stares.
...So it wasn't the hat thing? Hm...this Completely Legitimate Santa Clause was certainly a shrewd one...
Oh wait, it's just Metal Digger Locus. Were they the same person, or...?
No matter. It appears they are about to learn the Special Secret of Christmas. He couldn't help but be a bit curious...maybe it would explain why people were so into it.
Except...the Special Secret of Christmas looks...suspiciously familiar, doesn't it? Ambrosius frowns slightly as he watches it descend toward Riesenlied...before the horned woman is pushed out of the way by Carina.
Well, he doesn't want any of the children to get traumatized by watching any of their friends get smushed, so...
Ambrosius extends his hand. Water converges and swirls around it, before gathering beneath the Special Secret of Christmas.
And then, it shoots upward in a powerful geyser!!
...Or, at least, that's its usual purpose. But he doesn't want to actually hurt the Special Secret of... ...okay, we know it's Muni-Muni.
So instead, the goal here is just to kind of slow her to a stop.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Getting the Point. DG: Asteroid the Kid has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Getting the Point.
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ =====================<* CHALLENGE - Getting the Point *>====================== |Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Santa grins wryly and slides open a secret panel on the wall. "Go on in." Inside the newly-revealed room you spot a door, as well as some two dozen reindeer. It seems Santa's reindeer don't want you to get any closer to the door: they've arrayed themselves around it in a defensive formation, and those antlers are SHARP! What are you going to do now? =Dungeon Conditions: Secret===================================================
======================<* Winter Wonderland - Round 6 *>======================= =======================< Results - Getting the Point >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Riesenlied 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lemina Ausa 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Elena 45 --(5)--> 50 Fail Mist Egg 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shalune Amira 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Carina Wynne 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Element Marble 2 Combat Effects: Fanfare and Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Asteroid the Kid 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Riesenlied 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Secret(2) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Riesenlied has successfully explored Winter Wonderland!
===========================<* Winter Wonderland *>============================ =======================<* CHALLENGE - Check It Twice *>======================= |Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- As you riffle through Santa's desk you run across his Naughty List. The jolly old fat man must be an accomplished private investigator: the list includes plenty of details about the recent misbehavior of some high-profile individuals. You can keep the evidence, turn it over to law enforcement, or blackmail these people yourselves. Decisions, decisions... =Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
It is indeed a very big secret, and it's coming closer and closer, as is the will of a hyperexcited 12-foot Metal D... ... ... you know, Muni-Muni is more of a Slime, really. A Metal Slime. A very dense metal slime.
WHAM!
Carina rushes into action and pushes Riesenlied out of the way with a shriek, which does two things -- one, it pushes her out of certain death and danger! Secondly, it prompts her to gasp: "O-oh no, Miss Locus -- your hat!" as it...
...
... lands straight ontop of her head instead.
Asteroid makes a run for it and unfortunately Muni is just a little too friendly, but Elena helps her out as people scamper! Shalune gives her a good scolding, which makes the blob pause for a moment and :< as it listens to her...
... and it gets a wash from Ambrosius! "Muni, Muniii!!" It... seems so excited, like it's done this a million times before. The geyser also washes off the paint, which... reveals the Secret of Christmas to just be good ol' Muni Muni.
Lemina's fort is perhaps the right thing to hide in after all.
Riesenlied pauses and closes her eyes, gasping as she holds onto her head. "I can... I can feel it..."
The scene starts to flash, and with another jingle of those bells, the snowy scene begins to degrade as everyone is pulled back towards what appears to be reality... sadly, the presents that they've acquired appear to have been in their hearts all along. Soot salutes the sky, where there's a translucent image of Missile Toad in the distance.
There is something that's real, though.
The first is a very real and magical looking sled, sparkling and brand new, as if ready to set forth into the skies upon the fated day itself.
... the second is a scrolled list atop the royal red cushion, marked: 'THE NAUGHTY'.
Is your name on it?
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid opens her eyes and sees the list. She looks towards the sled.
She looks towards the list
"Sweet! Blackmail material! If we milk this, we would be literally drowning in gold, right Lemina?? We could fund your magic school AND a spaceship and everything!"
She walks right up to the list and near the top of the list (it's alphabetical)...
Asteroid the Kid
Asteroid stares at this for a moment, clears her throat, and then says, "On second thought..."
She draws out a lighter.
"...Objective morality is a tool of Granas to subjugate other cultures. The only correct thing to do would be to burn it."
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina takes a peek at the list, looking to Asteroid thoughtfully as the magic of winter fades from Wayside. She considers her options for a long time.
She does not check for her own name. Instead, she says, "The selective application of justice for the benefit of the group is called mercy, and is one of the highest virtues. That's why we'll only use this to blackmail mega-losers and people who look like snowmen made of poop flying on hoverboards."
That's a very specific target list.
<Pose Tracker> Shalune Amira has posed.
"A-Asteroid!" hisses the pink-haired blob urgently, bobbling a little in consternation. Behind her, with wide eyes, are a gaggle of orphans whose belief systems in the fundamental divide between reward and punishment might be about to get rocked hard.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
"Don't worry..."
Riesenlied draws to full height as she suddenly brandishes a heavy and filled sack, full of... presents?! There's a glint in her eyes as she, still dressed in full red garb with white fluffed hems, stands at the riser to her newly christened sleigh. Muni-Muni bounds by her side, excited.
"I am filled with the purpose of your festive season now! It has been engraved upon my very soul!"
She places her hand to her chest and offers her other one out.
"Muni, you're so round and bright... won't you lead my sleigh on the night?"
Muni-Muni sounds so excited.
Mikaia stares for a moment longer... and then rummages a piece of candy out and hands it to Janey.
"Hehe, told you mom'd get possessed by a festive spirit next~!" Janey grins.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Slowly, things start to return to normal... As nice as it was, Ambrosius is glad to see some sanity return to the world.
"Though it was...quite faaascinating..." He admits to himself.
He doesn't seem particularly interested in the list...but that doesn't answer the question of whether or not her was on it.
Indeed, if he was, his name would be right at the top of the list, even before Asteroid...
Would a soldier and spy of an invading alien nation qualify Ambrosius for the dreaded Naughty List? Perhaps it is best if that mystery is left to the ages...
Instead, Ambrosius's main concern right now is...whatever it is Riesenlied is doing. He just kind of stares, but it's far too late to do anything about it.
<Pose Tracker> Asteroid the Kid has posed.
Asteroid the Kid says, "Dannng, Riesenlied is jacking his ride." She looks over to Lemina. "Maybe I'm thinking small potatoes! Okay, we'll just burn the 'A's.' I think that's a fair compromise."
She nods firmly.
She is feeling better about this plan.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.
Carina walks out of yet another alleyway, standing next to Shalune with her arms crossed behind her head. "Wow, that was a nice, huuuh, nap, yeah. Looks like you guys learned a lot of important lessons about the spirit of Christmas and Santa Claus while I was gone!"
She notices Riesenlied and the sled, and slumps forward. "W-Wait, I didn't expect it would be so literal..."