2018-01-31: Fell Wings
- Log: Fell Wings
- Cast: Ambrosius, Neriah Parringer, Yarobeleedt, Sephilia Lampbright, Iskandra Grendorre
- Where: Titan's Roost
- Date: January 31, 2018
- Summary: A sinister bunch - and Sephilia - challenges the Titan's Roost.
DG: A party led by Ambrosius is now entering Titan's Roost. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=============================<* Titan's Roost *>==============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Climbing Is For the Birds *>==================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
The so-called Titan's Roost rears out of the desert, an immense mesa
surrounded by a crumbling watchtower from time immemorial. The mesa itself
is solid rock, with no caverns to or from the surface. Its surface is uneven
in places; a few rockslides have created areas where you can pick your way
up by clambering over steep inclines studded with heavy boulders. It'll take
some effort, but climbing a rockslide to the top of a mesa seems like a day
in the life of an average Drifter.
Now if only there weren't large, malevolent-looking crows circling overhead,
and swooping down at periodic intervals to peck and claw at you as you make
your attempt to scale the mesa.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
There were many interesting rumors that surrounded the Titan's Roost. Finding himself with quite a bit of free time due to...disagreements, he decided it was about time to investigate them. Rumor was that its master had been dealt with, making it all the more safer to venture into.
And so here he was. As always, he had elected not to travel alone, sending out requests to some reliable sorts that he was sure would be of use here.
Yarobeleedt was there too, for some reason?
Of course, even with the largest of the birds dealt with, getting up to the Roost itself is no easy task. The party will need to climb their way up there, through steep inclines and massive boulders...
And also angry, malevolent crows that see fit to take the opportunity to harry them on their way up.
Ambrosius weathers it stoically, climbing upward even as some of the birds see fit to latch on and peck at him. It's only when one of them tries to grab one of the baubles off of his hat that he reaches up and swats it away before continuing forward.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Climbing Is For the Birds.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
Ambrosius ain't such a bad guy, Neriah has decided. And Iskandra ain't such a bad gal. And Mr. Garbles, of course, is absolutely adorable. Who better to go adventuring with?
Not that Neriah is much of a fan of long climbs. As she picks her way up the slope, the Excavator - in her tank top and shorts - whips her hat off and swats at a pesky crow, muttering something venomous. "Frig, you'd think they'd get the hint that I'm not even rotting yet," she grumbles as she reaches for a handhold and pulls herself up with some effort, planting a heel against an outcrop and boosting herself up just a bit further.
Looking down, she checks out how Yarobeleedt is doing -
"Oh, right," she murmurs with no small amount of envy: "Mr. Garbles can just walk up walls, can't he."
Lucky bugger.
DG: Neriah Parringer has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Climbing Is For the Birds.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Existence generally would rather not suffer a Yarobeleedt, for any reason. Existence will not be so lucky, because Yarobeleedt is a creature who runs on equal parts cowardice, spite, selfishness, and a desire to see Mother return. Other scouts have said that they didn't see a statue here, and that this part of the Badlands is a waste of time.
Rather than properly coordinate with his fellow advance scouts, Yarobeleedt - in his continued fit of desperation and desire - has decided these reports are bunk and he's magically expecting to find one around these parts anyway and beat Ambrosius to it because, he thinks, why else would Ambrosius even come here other than to spite him?! (As stated earlier, a good portion of selfishness in there.)
Yarobeleedt is already a far ways up the mesa owing to his advantages in the art of crawling up things, curling upon a boulder while dressed in that dumb face-hiding robe that is so well-known by now that he'd probably be in better disguise if he didn't wear any at all, but one digresses.
As Neriah looks upon 'Mr. Garbles' from further down, he culd catch up easily. But no! For the moment, he's at a higher elevation than Ambrosius or Iskandra and he sure looks ready to turn around and crow about it.
Some angry crows take offense at their identity being appropriated for the previous sentence, and nudge the boulder he's resting on over - with the expected results.
The crows crow about that instead.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Climbing Is For the Birds.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia! The young explorer girl is here! It's easy to tell, because she's moaning and groaning about the climb the whole time. "Uuuuugh, why is this so HIIIIIIGH," she is heard to say. Short legs, short steps. "Wait up, everyone, I'm comin' as fast as I can!"
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Climbing Is For the Birds.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
This would be a lot easier if Iskandra could actually fly. Since she cannot, she has to suffer through climbing, not that she minds too much, but she's not much of a fan of it. At least if she does slip and fall, her wings will help with her landing, that's a great motivator not to worry so much about heights, at least.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Climbing Is For the Birds.
=============================<* Titan's Roost *>==============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Climbing Is For the Birds *>==================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
The so-called Titan's Roost rears out of the desert, an immense mesa
surrounded by a crumbling watchtower from time immemorial. The mesa itself
is solid rock, with no caverns to or from the surface. Its surface is uneven
in places; a few rockslides have created areas where you can pick your way
up by clambering over steep inclines studded with heavy boulders. It'll take
some effort, but climbing a rockslide to the top of a mesa seems like a day
in the life of an average Drifter.
Now if only there weren't large, malevolent-looking crows circling overhead,
and swooping down at periodic intervals to peck and claw at you as you make
your attempt to scale the mesa.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 1 *>========================= ===================< Results - Climbing Is For the Birds >==================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 0 --(25)--> 25 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iskandra Grendorre 0 --(25)--> 25 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 0 --(15)--> 15 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neriah Parringer 0 --(25)--> 25 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sephilia Lampbright 0 --(25)--> 25 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 0 --(10)--> 10 Fail Conditions: Injure(2) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Something about the party currently making their way up the Roost really ruffles the crows' feathers. It's hard to tell what it is exactly, but it's clear that they do not like them. They poke and peck and harry and hastle them all the while, making it difficult to climb up as quickly and carefully as they would like. It's hard to focus on what you're doing when there's a cloud of bird obscuring their vision.
It doesn't help that, yet again, they find a boulder blocking their path courtesy of Yarobeleedt. He's okay though, he's used to taking this kind of punishment.
It isn't easy, but they do all eventually end up making their way upward...but this is only the first step on their journey. What awaits them next...?
DG: Yarobeleedt has drawn a new Challenge.
==================================================<* Titan's Roost *>=================================================== ======================================<* CHALLENGE - Serpent Birds are the Word *>====================================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | -----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------------------------- The birds waiting for you in this bone-filled chamber sit with their backs to you, their huge, shaggy black wings splayed as if drying them out as they perch among countless skeletons that seem human enough. As you approach, however, the two-metre-tall avians round on you - and reveal that they have not beaks, but rather, the heads and necks of huge cobras, complete with curved fangs and loud hissing. The serpent birds promptly launch into the air and soar towards you, heads snapping out with venom-laced bites as they attempt to latch on to you and inject them with blood-curdling venom. =Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
There is a small detour one can take, with gentler terrain and a safer climb. Less loose boulders, more stable footholds... there's even a nice shaded spot to rest where the sun doesn't bear down as much. A fine rest spot, found by Yarobeleedt, spurred on by not wanting to be shown up by crows or rocky terrain! As eyes adjust, they may notice that the area has... a lot of bones. Human remains?
Crows sit upon one such pile. Yarobeleedt hisses as they silently sit with their wings flexed outward, backs facing the rest.
"Crow!!" Yarobeleedt inadvisedly shrieks. This is not so much out of fear, but of anger. They are tiny feathered things, no match for him!! "Is time for diet crow?! Low crow diet? At crow diet! No, no. Buffet of crow~"
He draws back a sleeve, the very tip of a scythe escaping the safety of the obscuring cloth...
The 'crows' turn around, revealing serpentine bodies. They uncoil and stretch upwards, casting bigger shadows among the gathered as they flash their venom-filled fangs. The 'wings' stretch outward, proving that they are not something to be contained in quotation marks. Those are wings.
The next five seconds are a blur but it involves flying snake-birds, a cocoon made of some kind of steel cloth, and a few of the crows from the mesa perching ahead and 'caww'ing in laughter as everyone fights and/or cowers for their lives.
DG: Yarobeleedt has used its Tool Sheet Cocoon toward its party's challenge, Serpent Birds are the Word.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia's pretty prepared for fighting--Chauncey is pulled out, made large, and passed a folding chair. "GET 'EM, CHAUNCEY!" she cries, and the giant plush lumbers in, chair swinging.
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Folding Chair toward her party's challenge, Serpent Birds are the Word.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"Knew I should've brought a rope," Neriah mutters acidly as she climbs her way to the top.
The scattered bones leave Neriah frowning, even as she wipes her forehead with a quick swipe of one bare arm - she's been going without her gloves lately. (Perhaps a bad idea.) As she looks up ahead, she blinks at the sight of those extra-large crows.
Or perhaps not crows. Neriah starts at the sight of the snake-necked and headed avians. "What the hell, since when are they half snake," she huffs as she whips out the pistol at her waist and takes aim. One of the birds sweeps its wings out and sails towards her -
With a CRACK of a steam piston, Neriah fires the silvery pistol. A bullet rips from the gun at high velocity to try and intercept the serpent bird somewhere above the breast.
Neriah whips her pistol to the side and rolls away, then snaps it forward again. "Marilyn, it's all you!" she calls to the gun as she squeezes off a few shots, trying to keep her distance.
DG: Neriah Parringer has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Serpent Birds are the Word.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Joining in on the crusade against birds, Iskandra does a simple thing. "Don't breathe for a moment." She recommends, then throws a clay bottle that shatters and releases a barely visible faint green gas that is incredibly, unreasonably toxic. It'll dissipate fairly quickly, but until it does breathing the air around where the bottle broke is a bad idea.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Serpent Birds are the Word.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
As ripped and tattered as his poncho is, Ambrosius has at least managed to emerge with the baubles still attached to his hat. That is some small victory he can pride himself on, but even further trouble soon presents itself - trouble in the form of giant, serpentine birds.
Ambrosius frowns and a hand emerges from his poncho, bearing a revolver. He fires several shots off at the birds, while his free hand works his tell-tale magic. A pleasantly cool, cleansing mist will soon envelope the party, hopefully mitigating some of the wounds they had received while climbing earlier, and possibly some of their current foes' venom if they manage to land any bites.
It'll also have the added benefit of protecting the party from Iskandra's toxic concoction, should any of them accidentally breathe it in. Unfortunately for the serpent birds, they won't be given the same kindness.
DG: Ambrosius has used his Tool Deluge toward his party's challenge, Serpent Birds are the Word.
==================================================<* Titan's Roost *>=================================================== ======================================<* CHALLENGE - Serpent Birds are the Word *>====================================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 | -----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------------------------- The birds waiting for you in this bone-filled chamber sit with their backs to you, their huge, shaggy black wings splayed as if drying them out as they perch among countless skeletons that seem human enough. As you approach, however, the two-metre-tall avians round on you - and reveal that they have not beaks, but rather, the heads and necks of huge cobras, complete with curved fangs and loud hissing. The serpent birds promptly launch into the air and soar towards you, heads snapping out with venom-laced bites as they attempt to latch on to you and inject them with blood-curdling venom. =Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
=============================================<* Titan's Roost - Round 2 *>============================================== ========================================< Results - Serpent Birds are the Word >======================================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Deluge 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iskandra Grendorre 25 --(5)--> 30 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 15 --(5)--> 20 Fail Sheet Cocoon 2 Combat Effects: Cleanse and Liability ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neriah Parringer 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sephilia Lampbright 25 --(5)--> 30 Pass Folding Chair 2 Combat Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------< Party >-------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 10 --(15)--> 25 Pass Conditions: Injure(1)|Tire(2) Effects: Cleanse ===================================================< Dream Chasers >====================================================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius has passed this challenge! The party gained 15 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
They hiss, they fly, they seem intent to add their corpses to the bone pile! Neriah is the first to add one to the pile as Marilyn gets a round straight through the heart of the flying serpentine abomination that prepares to dive on her. It writhes its last upon a pile of bones.
Lord Chauncey's chair sends remains scattering everywhere, breaking the wing of one such creature as it finds itself tumbling down the nearby mesa where it will be pecked by those same heckling birds that like to harass any passers-by that try to climb it.
Ambrosius lays down respectable cover fire as one such avian cobra thing tries (in vain) to take some of the baubles on their hat - why do they like his hat so much? It's not a place to be poisoned, so once he can force them off, they're easy enough to pick off.
The toxin in question that Iskandra loosens doesn't seem to have much of an effect on the flying snake-birds, but they do get the satisfaction of watching some of the mocking crows flop over from their little peanut gallery. Lord Chauncey doesn't need to breathe, Ambrosius clears things away with that mist, and Neriah picks them off with key Marilyn shots - they all work together well. When things calm down, a new question arises... where do they go from here? This seems like a dead en--
Oh.
...It'll take a bit of extra time to dislodge that metallic cocoon thing that just now happens to be wedged in the way of a crawl space that leads further into the inner chambers of the Titan's Roost, but with the serpent birds routed, they have all the time do this and enjoy the grisly sight of bleached, stripped human remains all around with a tinge of evil alchemy. Mmm, aromatic~
DG: Neriah Parringer has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Titan's Roost *>================================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Song of the Alkonost *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
As you enter this room within the Roost, you're greeted by an exquisitely
beautiful sound. It's like a shimmering harp made of pure crystal, somehow.
The hypnotic sounds blend together like slow, hypnotic music, the sort of
song the saints might play. The sounds echo from the colourful wingfeathers
of a creature perched high in the centre of the room - about six feet high,
with the body of an immense, colourful owl of some sort - but from the wings
up, it has the torso and head of an incredibly beautiful woman, complete
with a crown.
The Alkonost is said to enamour those who hear her sound and mentally
immobilize them until they forget everything else but the Alkonost's voice.
And indeed, those reverberating, serene sounds sure do seem to make you want
to stop what you're doing and just listen forever....
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"Wow, those were kind of pests, weren't they," Neriah puffs as she guns down the last of the serpent birds.
With a wave of one hand, Neriah urges the group onward, into the crumbling tower. A few monstrous birds caw and chirp at the little group as they climb a mouldering stairwell, but Neriah ignores them. Shouldering a door open, she proceeds into the room beyond -
"What is that beautiful sound," she asks as the shimmering, crystalline note of some sort of harplike song reaches her ears. It rings through the room, slow, quiet and echoing, an exquisite chorus that tugs at the senses and seems to calm the mind.
The source of it looks up from a pedestal at the centre of the room. The creature there looks avian enough - from the torso down. The rest, however, is human enough - the chest and head of a human woman, complete with a crown. Her song is shapeless and wordless, but there comes with it a pressure far beyond the breathtaking, tempting song.
The urge to just stay and listen.
Neriah finds herself widening her eyes as she drifts closer to the Alkonost - but with a gasp, she catches herself. She whips out her excavator's lens and focuses hard on the floor as she tries to sidle across the room. "MY, WHAT NICE FLAGSTONES," she shouts.
DG: Neriah Parringer has used her Tool Excavator's Lens toward her party's challenge, Song of the Alkonost.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia's eyes widen. "I--there's something just like this creature, but on Lunar! My Dad found it and wrote about it!" She's rummaging through her Dad's journal as she walks along, speaking very loudly and clearly. "He said the best thing to do is stay focused on something else! My Dad's really smart, you guys, and he knew just how to deal with this kind of thing! We're going to be okay if we just! follow! his! Advice!"
And so on.
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Dad's Journal toward her party's challenge, Song of the Alkonost.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
The urge to stay and listen gets an immediate response from Iskandra, who gets out an eardropper and tilts her head to the side so she can put some foul smelling liquid in her ear, then does the same for the other side. Afterwards, she proceeds to give the same treatment to anyone who doesn't object, or who's too far gone to resist. It numbs the hearing, pretty bad, but it fades quickly as well.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has used her Tool Alchemy Kit toward her party's challenge, Song of the Alkonost.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
It seems almost everyone has some clever means of making their way around thi--
...Oh, no.
The hooded figure starts to curl themselves up the pedestal. Come to think of it, this would be a great place to ditch them. Just have them sit there, entranced by the beautiful music as Yarobeleedt's upper body sways from where he wraps himself about the pedestal like a charmed snake. This might be a great time for everyone to just mosey along and--
"Song is tty! Was pretty. Will postly?" He gibbers. "Guardian of Music formerly an ist? In stone?" Even caught in the grasp of their song, he can't escape the thought of finding statues. He starts to babble on and on about the possibility of a Guardian of Music and whether they have a statue here.
Just the sound of Yarobeleedt talking might be a viable home remedy for Alkonost hypnosis.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Song of the Alkonost.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius follows along behind the others. Outwardly, it appears that he doesn't give the bird woman even a second glance. He continues along, as stoic as ever, in the direction of the next room.
This is his outward appearance, but deep within his mind he is very intently going through a maintenance routine in his head. The exact steps of making sure that his weapon is in top shape, down to each excruciating detail that would be otherwise unimportant. It is his method of drowning out the song, of occupying his mind so thoroughly that the song, alluring enough to make one forget one's sense of duty, to forget oneself, cannot reach him, so that he may proceed forward without incident.
Whether or not it would work was another matter entirely.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Song of the Alkonost.
===============================<* Titan's Roost *>================================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Song of the Alkonost *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
As you enter this room within the Roost, you're greeted by an exquisitely
beautiful sound. It's like a shimmering harp made of pure crystal, somehow.
The hypnotic sounds blend together like slow, hypnotic music, the sort of
song the saints might play. The sounds echo from the colourful wingfeathers
of a creature perched high in the centre of the room - about six feet high,
with the body of an immense, colourful owl of some sort - but from the wings
up, it has the torso and head of an incredibly beautiful woman, complete
with a crown.
The Alkonost is said to enamour those who hear her sound and mentally
immobilize them until they forget everything else but the Alkonost's voice.
And indeed, those reverberating, serene sounds sure do seem to make you want
to stop what you're doing and just listen forever....
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
==========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 3 *>=========================== ========================< Results - Song of the Alkonost >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 30 --(10)--> 40 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iskandra Grendorre 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Alchemy Kit 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yarobeleedt 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neriah Parringer 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Excavator's Lens 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sephilia Lampbright 30 --(5)--> 35 Pass Dad's Journal 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 25 --(20)--> 45 Pass Conditions: Stupify(2) Effects: Enlighten(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius 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> Neriah Parringer has posed.
Not even the song a hypnotic not-harpy can overcome the joy of Mr. Garbles. The Alkonost actually cuts off and stares at Yaro for a second. She tilts her head to one side.
Sephilia, however, has good advice, and most of them follow it to a T. Iskandra's potion, Neriah's shouting about rocks and Yaro's... garbling... all serve to escort them to the other edge of the room.
The bird's song seems just a little stronger for Ambrosius. The creature focuses its attention on him, its voice growing lower, more insidiously tempting... until Neriah reaches out and grabs Ambrosius by the bicep.
"THERE'S SOME REALLY NICE MARBLE ON THIS CORRIDOR OUT HERE," she shouts in his face before jerking him firmly through the doorway and out of the room. Then she slams the door behind her.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================<* Titan's Roost *>===============================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Little Peckers *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Not all of the twisted ornithoids dwelling within Titan's Roost are massive
creatures; some are small but deadly. As you move through a large room
within the tower, one full of little nests built in crevices in the masonry,
countless little avian heads pop up - and a flock of dark-eyed, fork-tailed
swallows suddenly surges out of the nests and darts towards you.
Individually, the evil swallows are about the size of, well, a swallow, or a
sparrow. But they're buzzing you like little dive bombers, pecking and
scratching and slashing at you with their wings - which turn out to be
bladed.
You're going to have to get past an infinite number of annoying evil barn
swallows if you're going to reach the next room. Don't flinch.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Neriah's yelling wakes up an incredible amount of sleeping swallows, and with the door slammed shut behind them there isn't an easy way out as these small but numerous birds descend upon the group of intrepid intruders. Individually a non-issue, there's so many of them it's hard to fight them, coming in for a peck or a slice with their bladed wing then dashing out.
Iskandra responds the way she always to this kind of thing, by grabbing a concoction. This time, it's a spray that she combines with a little bit of magic. The liquid is spread and grown through her magic after leaving the spray, and upon contact with anything quickly settles into a solid gunk.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Little Peckers.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius finds the instructions getting...fuzzy in his head. It's hard to keep track, and he finds himself occasionally repeating a step as he subconsciously starts drifting in the direction of the Alkonost.
Thankfully, Neriah catches him before he drifts too close, clearing his mind with a shout and forcing him through a doorway. A doorway past which was a veritable army of tiny, vicious swallows.
Well, it's better than the previous room, at least.
Ambrosius extends his hand, once more invoking the power of water. This time it takes the form of protective aquatic barriers around the party. Ordinarily it would only somewhat hinder the opponent, but considering the general size the swallows will find it much more difficult to get through.
DG: Ambrosius has used his Tool Deluge toward his party's challenge, Little Peckers.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"Wow," Neriah says with a blink. "Those are some seriously fast swallows. I wonder if they're very heavily laden."
And then several of the swallows come zooming towards her, slashing with bladed wings and pecking with razor bills. "Ugh, come on, you little pests!" she shouts into the bird swarm, whipping her hat off and swatting a couple of swallows out of the air.
Of course, there are too many. Eventually Neriah has no choice: She draws in her breath, focuses, then winces and braces herself for the inevitable upswell of pain as something tries to rein in her darkness. It can't quite manage. She grunts with effort.
And then, with a gut-churning flicker of dreadful magic, a shell of dark eldritch runes projects itself around the girl. Swallows that strike it suddenly find themselves incinerated with bursts of dark magic. Neriah lifts her head, pupils dilating a bit.
DG: Neriah Parringer has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Little Peckers.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia doesn't pull Chauncey out for once--these guys would slice him to bits! Instead, she pulls out the Foxtail, her small ARM, and unleashes a fusillade of bullets as a jaunty little tune plays from the gun! "Stay away from me, you...you birds!" she calls. "Why are they even so aggressive here?!"
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Little Peckers.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
The hooded figure's queries see him pointed out through that door, and so he goes, rejoining them in that huge chamber. They slither-crawl-whatever ahead... you know, with the cloak on, one would think he'd put up a better front of 'walking' like he generally does. He eyes the rest of the people he's with. He compresses his posture, rubbing the contents of his sleeves together to a scraping noise. Soon, Mother will awaken. The superior Metal Demon people, such as himself, will claim this world from those destestable Guardians--
Suddenly, barn swallows.
In legends, Metal Demons were fearsome, rampaging monstrosities who stopped at nothing to leave ruin and death. Their bodies hard as metal, flexible enough for movement, fluid enough for limited transformation, durable as to withstand ravages of battle and age alike. Any given specimen of this alien species to Filgaia should be treated as nothing less than a threat to one's continued existence, a true apex predator of an ecosystem they do not belong in.
This one is currently screaming and flailing their sleeves around ineffectually to an impressive number of weapons that don't seem to be possible to hide in one's sleeve, darting ahead of the rest to try and save their own skin through the opposite way.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Little Peckers.
==============================<* Titan's Roost *>===============================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Little Peckers *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Not all of the twisted ornithoids dwelling within Titan's Roost are massive
creatures; some are small but deadly. As you move through a large room
within the tower, one full of little nests built in crevices in the masonry,
countless little avian heads pop up - and a flock of dark-eyed, fork-tailed
swallows suddenly surges out of the nests and darts towards you.
Individually, the evil swallows are about the size of, well, a swallow, or a
sparrow. But they're buzzing you like little dive bombers, pecking and
scratching and slashing at you with their wings - which turn out to be
bladed.
You're going to have to get past an infinite number of annoying evil barn
swallows if you're going to reach the next room. Don't flinch.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
=========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 4 *>========================== ==========================< Results - Little Peckers >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 40 --(5)--> 45 Pass Deluge 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iskandra Grendorre 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yarobeleedt 25 --(10)--> 35 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neriah Parringer 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sephilia Lampbright 35 --(5)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ambrosius 45 --(20)--> 65 Pass Conditions: Injure(2)|Stupify(1) Effects: Cleanse ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius 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> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Neriah's magic makes short work of a good chunk of the swallows, while Sephilia shoots down many more. Ambrosius protects the group from the pecking, and his barrier allows Iskandra's glue to catch a good chunk of the remaining swallows. Mister Garbles, however, fails to stick within Ambrosius's barrier, and pays the price.
DG: Ambrosius has drawn a new Challenge.
=============================<* Titan's Roost *>==============================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Stop the Roc *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Much of Titan's Roost is open to the air, including this enormous room, the
wall of which has crumbled away to leave a vast gap overlooping a perilous
fall below. It's awfully precarious.
Making it more precarious is the piercing screech of an immense bird of
prey. The massive avian descends from outside the tower, claws easily big
enough to clutch and destroy a man thrusting into the room to grasp at you,
followed by a cruelly curved bill large enough to bite a grandfather oak in
half. The bird is a roc, a massive eagle-like bird of prey, and its eyes
blaze with killing intent as it attempts to pry you out of the room and eat
you alive.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"Beeeasts...get more aggreeessive...when they feel...their teeerritory...is being...encroooached upon..." Ambrosius comments, breaking his silence with a glance toward Sephilia. "This is their hooome...and we are but...intruuuders..."
Despite this he continues forward, into a open-air room that time has not been kind to. The outer wall has crumbled away, leaving nothing between the party and a painful fall.
The fall is the least of their concerns, however, as the sound of massive wings can be heard from above. Soon, the source of this sound descends. It's a massive bird of prey, and right now, they're the ones on the meny.
Dressed in bright colors as he is, it goes for Ambrosius first. That terrible beak descends...and he catches it, holding it tightly in place. Even with his alien strength, he is clearly struggling against the creature...
"Deal with it...quickly..." He hisses. He's holding it in place for now, but how long will he be able to keep this up? Fortunately, his aquatic barriers from before remain active.
DG: Ambrosius has used his Tool Deluge toward his party's challenge, Stop the Roc.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"Yeah, well, I'm a beast too, the least they could do is welcome me like a sister," Neriah grumbles as she pushes onward. Her shield drops behind her as she speaks, her eyes beginning to return to their normal state. A bit of blood drips from her right palm.
Moving after Ambrosius, Neriah leans over to peer out through the opening in the wall.
"Hey, I bet if you fell, you'd make a pretty awesome splatter patch right at the bottom," she says with way too much cheer.
Of course, leaning out should by all rights kill her - but the roc decides Ambrosius is its first target. With a gasp, Neriah recoils back against the wall and grasps for her pistol again. "Hopy shit, that birb is huuuuuge," she breathes, her eyes widening for just a moment.
Facetious shock passing quickly, the dark-haired girl whirls away from the opening and presses back against the wall. The steam piston mounted in her Dragon-silver pistol barks again and again, firing and letting off steam in twin jets as Neriah puts a full clip on the roc, aiming to drive it off by simply shooting it a lot.
DG: Neriah Parringer has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Stop the Roc.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"OOooooookay," says Sephilia, pulling the Foxington Flintlock off her back and taking aim. "This one's a big one. This I get why she's aggressive!" There is a CRACK and a surprising amount of smoke as Sephy is nearly bowled over by the recoil.
Then she gets out Chauncey, makes him big, and passes him the chair. Ahhh, the gunsmoke was to provide her visual cover to do that!
Bursting forth from the gunsmoke like a terrifyingly huge plush cute fox with a folding chair comes a terrifyingly huge plush cute fox with a folding chair!
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Folding Chair toward her party's challenge, Stop the Roc.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Iskandra sighs as more birds of pray decide the groups tasty, spreading her wings wide to appear more intimidating to the roc, and using that to try to draw it to her, at which point she'll draw her sword and attempt to stab it right in the face, simple but it could work. Most of her poisons don't work quickly enough on something like this.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Stop the Roc.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt is positively crawling like he were on his last... thing... at the other side of the chamber full of killer sparrows. He's afraid to even look up even after he has well escaped their territory. The hood looks up towards the massive flying beast - the likes of which Berserk would have themselves a grand ol' time going toe-to-toe with. He screeches as it dives down--
--onto Ambrosius, whom heroically holds the beak in place as he works what aquatic magics he has to try and drive the beast off. Yarobeleedt looks to the lot of them moving to help him. The one with the morbid humor who commands such... he can't finish the thought. The frightening young girl with the big giant soft fox wielding a folding chair. That winged one he met on less than ideal terms throwing poison. They're all struggling together, even though he's pretty sure many of their goals don't exactly align.
"No problem. All conblem..." Rather than join them, the craven worm-slug-naga-whatever under the robes slinks backwards, hugs himself, and hides under the metal-sheet cocoon just as the Roc's wrestling and struggling with Ambrosius' resistance would see one of those giant grasping claws around it. "So fill of help!"
This... might count as helping if he dies in place of anyone or anything else, yes!
"Fufufu. Good sale ^Long Voweler^~!" Yes, this could be, in a strange way, a 'good bye.'
DG: Yarobeleedt has used its Tool Sheet Cocoon toward its party's challenge, Stop the Roc.
=============================<* Titan's Roost *>==============================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Stop the Roc *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Much of Titan's Roost is open to the air, including this enormous room, the
wall of which has crumbled away to leave a vast gap overlooping a perilous
fall below. It's awfully precarious.
Making it more precarious is the piercing screech of an immense bird of
prey. The massive avian descends from outside the tower, claws easily big
enough to clutch and destroy a man thrusting into the room to grasp at you,
followed by a cruelly curved bill large enough to bite a grandfather oak in
half. The bird is a roc, a massive eagle-like bird of prey, and its eyes
blaze with killing intent as it attempts to pry you out of the room and eat
you alive.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 5 *>========================= ==========================< Results - Stop the Roc >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 45 --(10)--> 55 Pass Deluge 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iskandra Grendorre 40 --(15)--> 55 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 35 --(15)--> 50 Fail Sheet Cocoon 2 Combat Effects: Cleanse and Liability ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neriah Parringer 40 --(15)--> 55 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sephilia Lampbright 40 --(15)--> 55 Fail Folding Chair 2 Combat Effects: Stalwart ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 65 --(5)--> 70 Fail Conditions: Wound(2) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius has failed 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.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
With its beak being contained by Ambrosius's efforts, no one has to worry about getting snapped up like a worm. Unfortunately, it is still a giant bird, and even the flapping of its wings proves dangerous - both being hit by them, and the gusts that threaten to simply blow them off the edge of the cliff. Not to mention those vicious, terrible talons...
In the end, when the roc leaves, it is not because they managed to fight it off valiantly. No, it is because it has finally decided that this just isn't worth it, so it leaves on its own accord, but not being exhausting the party of valuable resources.
It isn't leaving empty-handed, either - anyone who might have been keeping an eye on Yarobeleedt will notice that he is suddenly not there.
Ambrosius is not one of those people.
He brushes himself off and glances to the side, counting everyone to make sure they're still there.
Iskandra, Sephilia, Neriah...yes, that's everyone.
Confident that he's leaving nothing behind, Ambrosius begins to move forward once more.
DG: Yarobeleedt has drawn a new Challenge.
==================================================<* Titan's Roost *>===================================================
=========================================<* CHALLENGE - Hard Act to Swallow *>==========================================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
-----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >-----------------------------------------------
The old watchtower atop the mesa has decayed over the decades and centuries,
but some of the doors are still locked fast, like this one in a chamber
bound with steel and reinforced wood and secured by a keyhole. Skeleton keys
prove surprisingly impossible; you'll need the actual key. Fortunately, it's
in this room right now.
Unfortunately, it's in the claws of a viciously fork-tailed little barn
swallow, a speedy little bird which keeps buzzing through the room at an
insane rate of speed. In fact, it's so quick as to be unnatural, and it's
darting away from you at insane speed. Catching it will be impossible even
for the fastest of you, if you try to chase it.
That leaves one option: Trick it into smashing into something, using some of
the obstacles and old implements you can find in the room.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt is half-expecting everyone to be dead and dismembered and otherwise out of his way. When he feels himself being carried out through the open skies for a while before the Roc loops back and tries to drop its prize off wherever it roosts.
There is enough panicked wriggling that they just manage to get themselves free... and drop through another opening into the next chamber that the rest of the party will soon access. Whether this spurs them to hurry along or not, well...
Yarobeleedt gets out of his cocoon, and sees a locked door. He sticks his sleeve into it, cheating with his reconfigurable weapon-arms. Nothing. No fit, no click, nothing.
A tiny barn swallow chirps. His hood faces back towards the origin of the little chirp.
It holds a key within a foot. It chirps again, soft with malice, gentle with hatred, light with cruelty.
Yarobeleedt lunges at it. When motivated, he can go too fast for the human eye to track.
The swallow is faster. It repeats its fell call.
By the time everyone else filters in, Yarobeleeft is dangling off of an intact ceiling cage trying to reach out and grab it with both sleeves, swishing and swaying and getting nothing but thin air as the swallow flits free. It even flits in between swipes, just to make a point!
Yarobeleedt plops down, gibbering and muttering incoherently.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Hard Act to Swallow.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
"Hold your breath and close your eyes." Iskandra recommends once she is done analyzing the problem, and then she sets up a little fire and puts a pot above it, then begins to pour a variety of foul smelling liquids into it, and as they begin to mix and boil together the smell only gets worse, and gets accompanied by a rapidly spreading dark fog. It's harmless, but incredibly disorienting, doing what it can to overwhelm all senses and reduce every sense to noticing only the crispy flame and the foul mist.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has used her Tool Alchemy Kit toward her party's challenge, Hard Act to Swallow.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"I'm running low on ammo," Neriah pants as she begins to feed more bullets into her pistol.
She won't need it here, fortuitously. The girl leans against the wall to try and catch her breath - only to blink at the sight of the barn swallow chirping at them.
Maliciously.
"Oh, you little jerk," Neriah mutters at it, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
The sight of Yarobeleedt dangling like a garbledy pendulum might be amusing in other circumstances. Neriah, however, wouldn't laugh at Mr. Garbles and his misfortune. That'd be too cruel even for her. She whips her pistol out - but lowers it at the last second as she realizes she'll never hit it.
Iskandra throws her fartbomb. Pulling up the collar of her tank top to cover her nose and mouth, Neriah coughs a little as she pulls out her excavator's lens. Carefully she scans the room, taking aim with her pistol - as best she can while also pulling the shirt up.
Finally she spots something - and opens fire, aiming to knock over an old mirror on the wall to land it on the swallow.
DG: Neriah Parringer has used her Tool Excavator's Lens toward her party's challenge, Hard Act to Swallow.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"My Dad talked about something like this in his journal!" Sephy exclaims, and, journal in hand, launches into a helpful anecdote relevant to the situation.
At great length.
"Isn't my Dad so great?" she asks as she finishes relating the relevant clever details.
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Dad's Journal toward her party's challenge, Hard Act to Swallow.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius steps into the room to see...Yarobeleedt. Fantastic. He stares at the bizarre blob for a few moments, just long enough for Iskandra to start mixing something up. He takes this opportunity to reach into his bags, pulling out a faceless helmet. He removes his hat, puts the helmet on, and puts his hat right back on top.
...It'll ward off the scent, at least, allowing him to focus on the task at hand.
The door gets his attention first. It's reinforced, durable. He could probably punch through it or dismantle it, but it'd take longer than just trying to take the key from the sparrow.
He could flood the room...but the others might not take too kindly to that.
So instead he decides to stand there and just act like a big obstacle for the sparrow, ready to stand in its way as necessary.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Hard Act to Swallow.
==================================================<* Titan's Roost *>===================================================
=========================================<* CHALLENGE - Hard Act to Swallow *>==========================================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
-----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >-----------------------------------------------
The old watchtower atop the mesa has decayed over the decades and centuries,
but some of the doors are still locked fast, like this one in a chamber
bound with steel and reinforced wood and secured by a keyhole. Skeleton keys
prove surprisingly impossible; you'll need the actual key. Fortunately, it's
in this room right now.
Unfortunately, it's in the claws of a viciously fork-tailed little barn
swallow, a speedy little bird which keeps buzzing through the room at an
insane rate of speed. In fact, it's so quick as to be unnatural, and it's
darting away from you at insane speed. Catching it will be impossible even
for the fastest of you, if you try to chase it.
That leaves one option: Trick it into smashing into something, using some of
the obstacles and old implements you can find in the room.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=============================================<* Titan's Roost - Round 6 *>============================================== ===========================================< Results - Hard Act to Swallow >============================================ Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambrosius 55 --(5)--> 60 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iskandra Grendorre 55 --(5)--> 60 Pass Alchemy Kit 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yarobeleedt 50 --(20)--> 70 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neriah Parringer 55 --(5)--> 60 Pass Excavator's Lens 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sephilia Lampbright 55 --(5)--> 60 Pass Dad's Journal 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------< Party >-------------------------------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 70 --(20)--> 90 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1) Effects: Enlighten(1) ===================================================< Dream Chasers >====================================================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius 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: Iskandra Grendorre has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================<* Titan's Roost *>===============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Elevation of You *>=======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The old watchtower's upper floors are high-ceilinged and equipped with an
old pulley-operated elevator. Overhead, about ten metres up, there's a gap
in the ceiling about the size of the elevator's rotting wooden platform. A
series of chains affix the platform to pulleys up above. By pulling on these
chains in tandem, you might be able to pull the elevator towards the opening
in the tower ceiling and get a look at what's on the roof - but the chains
have rusted and the pulleys are stubborn and difficult, making pulling on
them a true hassle.
On the plus side, nothing in here is coming at you, so you've got the
opportunity for a short breather.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt pointedly ignores the rest of them as he slinks off to another corner of the chamber. He hunches over and starts to garble-giggle-gaggle as he scrapes some things on the ground below. He has the workings of a plan. The bird will not outsmart him.
...The others, however, all pool their thoughts together. Sephilia's journal is a font of knowledge for bird behaviors in which to work with. Iskandra prepares a poisonous mixture in which to debilitate the bird - so long as it stays within a given area, it's going to have to inhale those fumes. Ambrosius dutifully stands in a way in which his hat baubles might be an attractive beacon to the bird, and it starts to go for it--
Just as Neriah lines up a keen trick shot with Marilyn to shoot off an old mirror that the debilitated bird flies into.
It bounces off with a shrill chirp, followed by the plinking of a dropped key. It doesn't matter who picks it up and opens the door. The key works, the door is not so rusted as to be inoperable, and the way ahead is there as Yarobeleedt seems to be putting the finishing touches on an overly complicated-looking set of devices he was busy making on the side while everyone put forth a plan.
"what" His jaw drops. "Who is key for key?? Do not belowstand?!" Which one of them caught it? The bird was so fast! He couldn't catch it. Nobody is faster than him! Not even-- no he's not going ot recall that part but who was faster than him to catch it? He doesn't get it! How? How? How?
(With the awesome power of teamwork. Shh. Don't tell him.)
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Behind the door lies a shaft, and with a pulley operated elevator that has truly seen better days. The platform is starting to rot away and the chains are rusted into the pulleys, all of it is a mess. On the other hand, there's no disturbances, so the group can afford to take their time to ascend. Iskandra, for her part, helps out by applying anti-rust grease to the chains and pulleys, to help make it easier for others.
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Elevation of You.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy's a tiny girl. How's she going to help--oh, hey, Chauncey! My, what big strong arms you have!
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Elevation of You.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"It's okay, Mr. Garbles," Neriah assures Yaro with a smile, reaching out to give the Metal Demon a gentle pat. "None of us belowstand."
On to the elevator shaft they go. Blinking, Neriah inspects the chains, leaning forward even as she tugs the hem of her shirt back down - then thinks better of it and just knots it off. She's getting tired. "Ugh, we're not gonna be able to do this as it is," she concedes.
As Iskandra begins applying de-oxidizer, Neriah follows up behind her by pulling out a small spade and digging it into some of those cracks. She scrapes out the worst of the rust; it mingles with the grease and drips away in gross wet iron globs to splatter along the edges of the elevator. "Think we're getting somewhere," she mutters.
DG: Neriah Parringer has used her Tool Trusty Shovel toward her party's challenge, Elevation of You.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Quietly and diligently, Ambrosius moves forward. He observes the primitive elevator with a bit of a frown. He could respect them, of course. They were, after all, the basis of all machinery. What did not deserve respect, however, was allowing it to become so rusted and worn down. Veruni machinery would never degrade in such a fashion.
Fortunately, though, Iskandra and Neriah set to work making the elevator actually usable. Ambrosius decides to help out by joining in Chauncey in actually pulling them upwards.
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Elevation of You.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt slithers along after the rest of them, absurdly curious as to who was fast enough to catch the thing! He freezes when Neriah gives her gentle, affectionate pat to his head. The soft, friendly smile of a young woman who finds companionship and friendliness so increasingly scarce - someone yearning for acceptance, happiness, and stability.
He freezes tight and does not move until he sees her goe onto the elevator shaft. He follows by trying to stick himself underneath the elevator once it gets any lift at all, failing to directly help because his curiosity demands observation.
Each and every one of them present, at some point, showed him up in the past - be it in pitched battle, throughout scouting expeditions, or what have you. Who was fast enough to catch the bird?! He can't grok the idea that they would cooperate. They had to have competed, and the fastest one caught it. That's how things work!!!
Strangely, his hood stays put even though gravity should dictate it slides off. He may be even facing towards a light source, but the shadows still hide the features of his face. He finds himself worried as he applies traumatic instances that define who (and, more accurately, what) he is today. So fast! One of them is so so fast. Who is hiding the fast? He could fast until he found out who was so fast.
He could also maybe stop gripping under there, come up, and help them pull the elevator... but that would probably be the first helpful thing he did today, and he seems to be happy with batting all zeroes for the moment.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward its party's challenge, Elevation of You.
==============================<* Titan's Roost *>===============================
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Elevation of You *>=======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The old watchtower's upper floors are high-ceilinged and equipped with an
old pulley-operated elevator. Overhead, about ten metres up, there's a gap
in the ceiling about the size of the elevator's rotting wooden platform. A
series of chains affix the platform to pulleys up above. By pulling on these
chains in tandem, you might be able to pull the elevator towards the opening
in the tower ceiling and get a look at what's on the roof - but the chains
have rusted and the pulleys are stubborn and difficult, making pulling on
them a true hassle.
On the plus side, nothing in here is coming at you, so you've got the
opportunity for a short breather.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
=========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 7 *>========================== =========================< Results - Elevation of You >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 60 --(5)--> 65 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iskandra Grendorre 60 --(10)--> 70 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yarobeleedt 70 --(5)--> 75 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neriah Parringer 60 --(5)--> 65 Pass Trusty Shovel 2 Brute Effects: Strengthen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sephilia Lampbright 60 --(10)--> 70 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Ambrosius 90 --(0)--> 90 Pass Conditions: Save Point(1) Effects: Strengthen(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Ambrosius 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.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Neriah does a better job than Iskandra of making the elevator usable, while Ambrosius and Chauncey pull it upwards. Halfway through the elevator begins creaking dangerously, but something beneath the elevator seems to give it some additional integrity... even if only accidentally. Soon enough the group makes it up to the top.
DG: Neriah Parringer has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Titan's Roost *>================================
===================<* CHALLENGE - A Deal With the Fell Raven *>===================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 3 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
At the very top of the tower, in the ruins of some gigantic nest that seems
to have been torn asunder by battle, all that remains is the ancient corpse
of a The man is carrying some nice equipment with him that you could
probably loot.
However, perching atop the head of the skeleton is a raven, its eyes burning
with a hollow ember of red. Cocking its head, the raven speaks in a croaking
voice, like something emerging from the crypt, rumbling with an unspoken yet
calculating madness.
"Promise what you hold most dear, and you may take of my treasure."
The elevator locks behind you with a sudden squeal of stuck pulleys. The
fell raven, positively radiating an oppressive aura of darkness now, watches
you with cold, intent eyes, awaiting your promise - and any who do not make
some manner of promise to sacrifice a sufficiently precious thing to the
terrible animal will find the raven fully capable of swelling into the form
of a shadowy knight with a raven's head and bringing lives to an end. It
doesn't strike first, though.
It merely waits for your sacrifice... or to punish you brutally for your
paltry sacrifice.
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Suffer==========================================
--
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
Chains groan with effort as the elevator climbs towards the top of the tower. It halts - amid the wreckage of a gigantic nest, which seems to have been torn apart by a battle. Frowning, Neriah moves forward towards the only thing she can really see. It's the skeletal corpse of a man, sprawled amid the wreckage as if he'd been put there yesterday. "Oh, sweet. This guy has some pretty nice stuff on him," she declares as she reaches out to lay hands on the still-armoured body.
Halfway there, she stops. And looks up.
And makes eye contact with the raven perched atop the skeleton's head. The bird stares back at her.
For a few seconds, Neriah says nothing. Then she smiles with good cheer and folds her hands together. "Oh, hey there, bud. Shoo, okay? I'm just going to take this guy's stuff." She reaches out again.
"Is this what you give to me, daughter of Arius?" rumbles the raven in a deep, hollow voice like the doors of a crypt swinging open.
"WHAT," Neriah shouts as she jumps backward and lands on her bottom - and there's the click behind the group of the elevator locking.
The Fell Raven cocks its head to gaze from person to person. "Sister of malice." Its eye focuses on Iskandra, a dull, mad ember flickering within. "Walking with visitors from a place far from here. A stranger. A dreamer. A coward. A fettered one. An avenger. Tell me this...."
The aura of malice emanating from the creature is palpable - and yet, it does not strike. Its mere presence weighs on the consciousness with a threat of unspoken violence even as it flicks its wings, then settles again.
"Give forth what lies closest to your heart. The dearest thing. Only then shall you take what is mine... and only then shall I give you your lives.
"As reward for your sacrifice."
Neriah just stares at the bird, lifting her lens to try and figure out if it's actually a monster or something. "Granas's cornhole," she mutters to herself.
DG: Neriah Parringer has used her Tool Excavator's Lens toward her party's challenge, A Deal With the Fell Raven.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
In a rare moment of clear, decisive, bold action, the naga-bug-snake-thing tries to push Ambrosius forward not-so-subtly in response.
"Oh! Oh. ^Long Voweler^ most unportant. Sad to take. So sad. Sad sad. But must. Will miss."
Beat.
"Miss because too fast to hit. Fufufu. Is cry! Not laugh. Can not tell. Can not say! Can not see. So i say cry. So sad." He continues trying to nudge Ambrosius forward.
DG: Yarobeleedt has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward its party's challenge, A Deal With the Fell Raven.
<Pose Tracker> Iskandra Grendorre has posed.
Iskandra sheds her self-suppression as she kneels before the Fell Raven. The Winged Hellion has black streaks across her face, teeth like needles, fingers like talons, a nose so sharp as to be a weapon by itself. "Sister, that which lies closest to my heart was cruelly taken from me. Never to be recovered. Nothing exists in this world that I hold dear, but know that once I fullfill my purpose as an avenger, I will grant you all that lies within my power to grant you."
DG: Iskandra Grendorre has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Deal With the Fell Raven.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
"I--I'm just here to explore, I'm not here for like, treasure, really! Like...my Dad's a famous explorer, see?" Sephy shows the raven her Dad's journal. "He had a journal, and I have one now too, just like his." She shows her current journal--she's onto her second volume, by now! "And all I came for was to explore! So, I guess what I'm offering you is...my...not greed? That makes sense, right?"
Right?
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Dad's Journal toward her party's challenge, A Deal With the Fell Raven.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Gradually, very gradually, they reach the top of the tower, to the ruins of a gigantic nest. Within the wreckage is a corpse of a man. Ambrosius does not approach, instead staring at it from afar, and particularly at the raven perched atop its skull.
Ambrosius's eyes narrow as the bird begins to speak, requesting that they promise it what they hold most dear. He frowns slightly as he feels Yarobeleedt tries to push him forward, and instead chooses to remain right where he is.
"Cease your prattling..." He hisses, then returns his attention to the raven. He doesn't notice Iskandra's transformation, being rather spiritually unattuned.
And then after some contemplation...he draws his revolver, firing off a shot that will just barely miss the raven.
"This planet...already seeks...to take from me...what I hold most dear... I will ceeertainly...not surrender it...to a creeeature...like you..." He replies. "Begone...from my sight..."
DG: Ambrosius has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, A Deal With the Fell Raven.
===============================<* Titan's Roost *>================================
===================<* CHALLENGE - A Deal With the Fell Raven *>===================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 3 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
At the very top of the tower, in the ruins of some gigantic nest that seems
to have been torn asunder by battle, all that remains is the ancient corpse
of a The man is carrying some nice equipment with him that you could
probably loot.
However, perching atop the head of the skeleton is a raven, its eyes burning
with a hollow ember of red. Cocking its head, the raven speaks in a croaking
voice, like something emerging from the crypt, rumbling with an unspoken yet
calculating madness.
"Promise what you hold most dear, and you may take of my treasure."
The elevator locks behind you with a sudden squeal of stuck pulleys. The
fell raven, positively radiating an oppressive aura of darkness now, watches
you with cold, intent eyes, awaiting your promise - and any who do not make
some manner of promise to sacrifice a sufficiently precious thing to the
terrible animal will find the raven fully capable of swelling into the form
of a shadowy knight with a raven's head and bringing lives to an end. It
doesn't strike first, though.
It merely waits for your sacrifice... or to punish you brutally for your
paltry sacrifice.
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Suffer==========================================
==========================<* Titan's Roost - Round 8 *>=========================== =====================< Results - A Deal With the Fell Raven >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ambrosius 65 --(100)--> 165 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iskandra Grendorre 70 --(100)--> 170 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yarobeleedt 75 --(100)--> 175 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neriah Parringer 65 --(100)--> 165 Pass Excavator's Lens 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sephilia Lampbright 70 --(100)--> 170 Pass Dad's Journal 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten ------------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------- Leader: Ambrosius 90 --(10)--> 100 Fail Conditions: Madness|Suffer(1) Effects: Enlighten(1) ================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: Ambrosius is too exhausted to continue! DG: Iskandra Grendorre is too exhausted to continue! DG: Yarobeleedt is too exhausted to continue! DG: Neriah Parringer is too exhausted to continue! DG: Sephilia Lampbright is too exhausted to continue! DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Ambrosius has successfully explored Titan's Roost!
===============================<* Titan's Roost *>================================
===================<* CHALLENGE - Get Strapped With Birbgear *>===================
|Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
The Fell Raven descends into shadows and dissipates into the air; it's
impossible to know if it's dead or simply in retreat, but the ominous energy
of its presence can't be felt anymore.
Hidden within the nest at the top of the tower are several skeletons, most
of them disassembled and widely scattered. However, a few are more recent.
One of the freshest is still covered in equipment, including some fairly
decent-quality armour and even a well-made crossbow of a kind that you
wouldn't normally find in weapons stores around here. If nothing else, you
could likely sell some of this stuff at the nearest pawn shop and turn a
tidy profit.
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
"And yet you continue to walk this world, sister of malice," the Fell Raven croaks as it stares through Iskandra. Its eyes seem to burn into her, slicing through the pall of Malevolence with something equally terrible.
Yarobeleedt presents the sacrifice. The terrible bird looks Ambrosius over for a moment, eyeing him from tip to toe.
"Perhaps the point has been missed, and will never be found," croaks the bird.
"In fairness, I think we're willing to skip the treasure," Neriah says, but before she can get the word out, the raven's eyes blaze with SOMETHING.
Dark power pours out of the bird as a cacophony of shadowy magic engulfs it. It swells outward, its body hulking into a vast form like a mans, its raven head remaining, its body bound within massive black platemail. Black magic gutters maliciously around the bird, then pours outward, reaching towards Iskandra and brushing aside Malevolence with some effort, then flooding across the Veruni and the Metal Demon alike, swamping them in horrifying whorls of darkness.
The Fell Raven turns its gaze upon Sephilia, then, and its voice rumbles like a hollow grave.
"The sacrifice is the child," it intones. "Become nourishment." It begins to move forward.
At which point Neriah lets her breath out - and with a shout of pain, lets her power flow.
Darkness erupts around her body in a thunderous wave. Chunks of nest hurtle into the air. The magic pouring of Neriah is neither Malevolence, nor what the Fell Raven possesses. Clenching her teeth, she levels her hand towards the fell creature to show it the emblem etched into her palm in blood.
The crest of Valmar.
"KNEEL AND EMBRACE DEATH," Neriah roars at the creature as she begins to build that power up. Her shoulders tremble at the sheer effort of restraining her power.
The Fell Raven just cocks its head at her.
"...Your sacrifice," it utters, "is acceptable."
Slowly, the Raven's power fades; it vanishes from view, descending into shadows and dissipating - and revealing a few more skeletons, most of them nicely equipped. Neriah, meanwhile, trembles as she struggles to pull her power back in, panting with effort.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy, finally, when she turns a little less white...lets out a terrified squeak.
<Pose Tracker> Yarobeleedt has posed.
Yarobeleedt catches on to the fell bird's disapproval. He's starting to think of moving behind the hellion next, not because of any special hierarchy of dislike, she's just the next-closest one. Really, he has four choices here he could offer up! Odds are in his favor they'd approve of one of them. Selfish. Cowardly. Craven. Someone like him can't possibly have views or convictions so deeply held dear that he could ever understand what is being asked, right?
Just as he comes shy of pushing the winged hellion forward, dark powers rushing over him. He tries to hide in that cocoon of his. The darkness flicks it away, smothering it in the corner and ensuring the displeasure and oncoming doom he so richly deserves can be observed with eyes open.
His shriek is empty. It is a mercy. It stops when it selects 'the child,' and then there is vigorous nodding from the hood, see? See? One of the four!! He should have offered the terrifying little warrior who is probably still rich from all the tributes she received some time back! So silly. Glad that is decide--
"what"
Darkness comes forth. Unlight proves Sephilia's unlikely savior. Yarobeleedt is at no vantage point in which to directly look upon Neriah's bloodied palm, and yet, the patterns are somehow unmistakable even looking at her from behind - even through the veil of impentrenable, all-consuming darkness. He sinks, flinches, and curls into himself best he can as chunks of nest and bone fly everywhere. The roaring of that voice shakes him to the very... anatomical equivalent of half-melted amorphous bones... but the struggling to find the proper metaphor should not be taken as a light jest at what is happening.
Quite the opposite, as they continue to shudder and shake like a little puddle of living metal barely hidden by the over-sized robe. He was not the one at threat of consumption. He was not the one at threat of facing a fragment of Valmar's power.
The fear of what just transpired around him is so overwhelming he starts rocking back and forth, muttering 'mother' over and over again.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius finds himself forced to his knees as the ravan takes on a more humanoid form, unleashing a storm of terrible darkness. Neriah matches it with her own, different power, and this...seems to be enough.
The powers fade, and the raven disappears. The treasures of the skeletons are ripe for the taking...but Ambrosius has no interest in those.
He exhales deeply, this ordeal having weighed heavily on him, until he eventually manages to force himself back to his feet with a grunt of effort.
He looks around at the others quietly, returning his revolver to his holster.
"...Is eeeveryone...alriiight...?" He asks.
He was not equipped to understand the powers brought to bear here today.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy's been more grown up lately! But. Sometimes? It's okay to want to cry, even for grown ups. That's what poor Sephy is telling herself. "...not a kid, either..." she mutters, though, through the tears--so maybe there's hope for her yet.
<Pose Tracker> Neriah Parringer has posed.
It is taking Neriah an almost inhuman amount of effort to not go completely crazy.
Clenching her jaw, Neriah arches and squeezes her hands into fists. A horrific feeling hangs in the air - a rampant magic, struggling to break free and wreak evil. "No," she declares into the open air. "No. Not. This. Time."
The girl brings her foot down with a sharp click of a heel.
The sound of it seems to help. Lifting her head with a hiss of breath through her nose, Neriah blinks a couple of times. Her pupils begin to grow back to their normal size again. Slouching slowly to her knees, she sighs wearily and finally lets her muscles unclench. "...I'm okay now. Thank you," she answers, her voice small.
Sephilia is crying. Neriah feels like shit about it.