2018-07-27: Fire, Ice and Lightning
- Log: Fire, Ice and Lightning
- Cast: Rosaline Calice, Jack van Burace (as Garrett Stampede), Xantia
- Where: Uzda Il-jam
- Date: July 27, 2018
- Summary: Two Hellions and a Black Wolf find themselves separated from their allies and decide to team up to find their respective comrades. Nothing weird about that!
==============================<* Uzda Il-jam *>=============================== Peaceful. It's the best way to describe this little chain of small islands that lies nestled between Meribus and Glenwood. These islands are not on any map, not recorded in any texts. They do not exist. And one might imagine, if they did not -want- you to be here... you would not be. And yet, ominous is the last thing these islands feel, at least on the surface. Lush with verdant, tropical life, most of these islands are like tranquil pebbles in an ocean, with little space to support any sort of thriving ecosystem -- all except the largest of them. Quiet and peaceful, there is wildlife in this main island, a sense of serene vitality that relaxes the soul with the faint chirp of birds, or musical strains of crickets. There are a handful of things, here, that catch the eye. One, is the tiny motes of soft blue light that seem to rise from the ground, most visible at night, like little fireflies drifting through the air. They have a spiritual sense to them, like pure magic, and carry a soft warmth that feels somehow soothing. The second, to those who can sense it, is the extremely minimal amount of Malevolence in this place; while no land is truly free of its taint on Lunar, it is so scarce here one might forget it was even present in the ambience of the island compared to other lands in Meribus and, especially, Glenwood. And third... is the large structure that dominates much of the western half of the island. A ruin in name only, this temple, of sorts, is perfectly preserved, looking almost as if it were freshly constructed yet having the weight of untold generations of history behind it. The smooth stonework of it seems to blend it perfectly into the environment around it -- weaving in and out of plantlife as if it were a natural outcropping of the land itself, what is perhaps most visually distinctive about it is the pale blue crystals that extend outward from its structure here and there -- possessed of the same warmth that those motes possess. Its entrance is a massive gate with a glowing seal, one that ebbs a faint cerulean shade and opens for those who were worthy enough to be allowed onto the island. This is Uzda Il-jam. And it is waiting for you. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUePVO6vkEc
DG: A party led by Rosaline Calice is now entering Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
======================<* CHALLENGE - The Cylindric Seal *>======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The entrance to Uzda Il-jam is one that brings a strange sense of serenity
with it -- quiet, soft motes of sky blue light float through the vast
antechamber of this place, two winding stairways leading up to a balcony and
the large stone slabs of a double door, carved in an ostentatious seal
across its front. As if acknowledging your presence, the seal lights up, and
words more felt than heard or seen fill your senses:
WOULDST THOU BREAK THE SEAL?
THEN PROVE THYSELF
And then the seal shifts towards an earthen yellow tone; just beneath it,
the pristine stone of the wall shifts and parts away as a cylindrical,
horizontal pillar emerges, its end emblazoned with the same seal as the
door. One must push this large and unyielding artifact inward until it
clicks into place through sheer, unrelenting force to undo the magical seal
upon the door and make one's way forward. Pushing something? In a dungeon??
My god!
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"Where's Ida?"
Rosaline sounds irritated as she stares at the majestic stone entrance, arms crossed. She isn't in her Hellion form, not necessarily out of choice, so much as the air of this place suppressing Malevolence. She isn't sure she likes it. It's not UN-pleasant, but it makes her feel... powerless. For the first time in a long while, she misses her Crests.
But she has a bigger reason to worry right now. The Furies came here to investigate the Earthpulse, and after splitting up for some pre-ruin reconnaissance, they find themselves Ida-less. Worst of all, Rosaline can't sense their friend's Malevolence, likely due to this DAMNED (blessed?) island's interference.
She approaches the door, squinting. Maybe Ida had to go in without them? The seal lights up.
'WOULDST THOU BREAK THE SEAL? THEN PROVE THYSELF'
The door then undergoes its transformation, and the 'test' involved becomes all too clear.
Rosaline draw a deep, long-suffering sigh. "Well, I suppose pushing is better than just sitting here. It's a shame, though. I bet Ida would have loved to show off those muscles of hers. We'll have to do without her." She puts her forefingers together, conjuring up those floating prayer strips for a fiery boost of strength. Good, good, at least her powers still work.
But oh, if only they got unexpected reinforcements! But who could possibly answer Rosaline's silent prayers?
DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Sinner's Prayer toward her party's challenge, The Cylindric Seal.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
"You know Ida." Garrett's voice is amused as he stares at the Seal's transformation. "She likely went off ahead. We'll have to catch up to her. Of course though everything reset itself...because it always resets itself..." The Hellion just sighs as he starts forwards.
His own form is back to its more normal bent, though his hair is still white as new-fallen snow. The blade at his back seems made from jagged fire-darkened steel...but it doesn't seem to drip with Malevolence anymore.
Like Rosa, he isn't quite sure if that is a good thing or not yet.
DG: Garrett Stampede has used his Tool Ice Shield toward his party's challenge, The Cylindric Seal.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
When lots of people are going off to the same place, particularly a sizable portion of the people you regularly interact with, you're probably going to take notice. This is what motivated Xantia to take action this time. She has absolutely no idea what the deal is with the recently discovered ruins on an unknown island. In fact, she only learned of it when she asked where her friends went. Sure, she could have just waited for them to return. But sitting around is not Xantia's style. It makes more sense to her to go looking for them, it'll save time! Besides, it's not like she isn't curious about this place.
Arriving on the island some time after those she seeks have already entered the ruins proper, Xantia first spent some time circling around the place. It would be pretty embarrassing to head on in there only to find it wasn't necessary. That's the only reason, the potential danger of exploring an unknown ruin by herself never crossed her mind. Though she'd certainly welcome assistance, should she luck into some.
And so fate would have it that an cheerful, enthusiastic voice comes from behind the pair of Furies. "Did somebody mention muscles?"
Few would probably think Xantia has much to offer in that area from looking at her, but those who know her could probably think of few others they'd rather have assisting in the area of raw strength. That might be a reason to think one's prayers have been answered. But things are a little awkward now, aren't they?
Xantia doesn't appear to think so, as she eagerly rushes forward and plants her shoulder against this pillar the Hellions are trying to move, as happy to help as she is in any situation. She merely grins at Rosaline. "Told you I'd be back."
DG: Xantia has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Cylindric Seal.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
======================<* CHALLENGE - The Cylindric Seal *>======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The entrance to Uzda Il-jam is one that brings a strange sense of serenity
with it -- quiet, soft motes of sky blue light float through the vast
antechamber of this place, two winding stairways leading up to a balcony and
the large stone slabs of a double door, carved in an ostentatious seal
across its front. As if acknowledging your presence, the seal lights up, and
words more felt than heard or seen fill your senses:
WOULDST THOU BREAK THE SEAL?
THEN PROVE THYSELF
And then the seal shifts towards an earthen yellow tone; just beneath it,
the pristine stone of the wall shifts and parts away as a cylindrical,
horizontal pillar emerges, its end emblazoned with the same seal as the
door. One must push this large and unyielding artifact inward until it
clicks into place through sheer, unrelenting force to undo the magical seal
upon the door and make one's way forward. Pushing something? In a dungeon??
My god!
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
=================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 1 *>================== ========================< Results - The Cylindric Seal >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Sinner's Prayer 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garrett Stampede 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Ice Shield 2 Brute Effects: Strengthen -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Rosaline Calice 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Overzealous(2) Effects: Cleanse|Strengthen(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice 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: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
=====================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>====================== =====================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Ice *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Cold. It's cold in here, in stark contrast to the temperate coolness of the rest of this forgotten and undiscovered place. The air chills into a thick mist, frosting the ground in shards of ice as any source of heat seems to simply be sapped away in this chilled chamber. An elemental seal of ice can be found here, thrumming with a pale blue light... and hidden behind layers and layers of ice and frost. Ice and frost that start to grow, blooming in beautiful, crystalline patterns, expanding outward the second you enter in an attempt to consume the entire room. To stop the spread and open the way forward, you'll have to find a way to break past that ever-expanding barrier of ice and shatter the seal within. Or just get frozen. Captain America did it and now he's a superhero. Don't you want to be like Captain America? =Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous, Treasure====================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline makes a very confused grimace upon seeing Xantia appear. "W-What? What are YOU doing here?" The last time they met, she exploded Xantia, in an effort to get her to leave her alone. And yet, it seems the girl isn't holding a grudge. Honestly, Rosaline can't say she's surprised.
Well, as much as she's one to look a gift horse in the mouth (she's paranoid, what can she say), she begrudgingly accepts this particular blessing/curse. Xantia's strength is absolutely an asset, and as much as she may claim to have turned her back on God, Rosaline still believes in providence, on some level.
Rosaline is first to push, empowered by her prayer strips. Garrett's contribution is much more obvious, causing the slab to move noticeably faster. Xantia's sudden appearance clinches it, quickly moving the stone where it's meant to be. It sinks in. There is a click. The seal shines bright. The doors rumble open.
"Well." Rosaline states, pointedly looking at Garrett and absolutely not Xantia, "Let's go." If Xantia follows, well, it can't be helped, right?
As they step into the ruin proper, Rosaline feels a shift in the air. "Hm. It's thinner here. I wonder if..." She extends her hand. This is about all she does, from Xantia's point of view, but from Garrett's, it grows back into its usual grotesque Nekomata forearm. She flexes her claw-fingers and grins. "That's more like it."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"Yay, we did it!"
Yep, Xantia is the same as always, just happy being able to help people. Especially when this includes friends. And Rosaline is absolutely still a friend in her eyes. She made that pretty clear last time. And if there was any doubt, it's removed when she clarifies what she's doing here. "I'm here to help my friends!" Of course she was talking about the friends she came here looking for, and only realizes after saying it that it could apply to present company as well. But that still counts.
Naturally she follows along when Rosaline says 'let's go', the lack of eye contact not being a factor in her assumption that she's included by that suggestion. "It's nice to see you again," she says to Rosaline, and means it. Not even bringing up what happened last time, it doesn't bother her in the slightest.
Only now does she finally take a good look at their other companion, studying Garrett for a while as the group enters the ruins. Doesn't she know this person? Like Rosaline, he looks a little bit different, but not significantly so to her non-resonant vision. Eventually, she realizes, "You were there too, in Hope Springs. Rudy's friend, right?" She never did catch Jack's name. Funny how the last time she saw both him and Rosaline on Filgaia was in the same place.
As the group proceeds, the temperature rapidly drops. Xantia grows quiet, and looks uncomfortable at this development. It wouldn't be a stretch to assume she must be cold, considering what she's wearing is a lot more suitable for a desert environment than anywhere remotely chilly. But has Xantia ever shown signs of being cold before, even when it would've been appropriate? If that's the case, Rosaline has never seen it.
A noise of displeasure escapes the red-haired pugilist as the chamber up ahead is filled with visible frost. This is shaping up to not be her favorite place to be rather quickly. This may be why she is quick to take the lead in this, spotting the seal that is the source of all this almost immediately upon entering the room, pointing it out to the others. "That must be what's doing this." Without further fanfare, she does she does best: rush in, and start bashing through the ice in an attempt to solve the problem with punches.
DG: Xantia has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Ice.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
'It's nice to see you again.'
Rosaline grits her teeth, not offering an answer. This is probably better than her saying something flippant, one supposes. She glances at Garrett, letting him introduce himself.
It's getting cold, just as Rosaline manages to reignite her flames, gradually transforming as she walks. It's supernatural, it has to be, since she's still managing to feel it despite being on fire, not to mention Xantia's apparent discomfort. Her resilience hadn't entirely occurred to Rosaline too, either. Hm.
"Well, all right." She mutters a quick incantation, and the Sinner's Prayers appear once more, this time on Xantia too. It might be confusing to suddenly have small balls of flame appear around her, from which prayer strips emerge and start rapidly orbiting her, but then Xantia has rolled with stranger situations. Also, they make her even stronger than usual, which is a frightening prospect!
And with this done, Rosaline snaps her claws, conjuring up a serpentine stream of flame to home in on the ice. She's doing a small effort to work around the others, to her credit.
DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Sinner's Prayer toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Ice.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
There is a bemused look on Garrett's face as Xantia shows up. Then helps. Then beams happily towards the pair of Furies with a look of such 'I wanna help' that he can't even really be mad about it. There is a sigh, a glance at Rosaline for a moment as the knight just tries to repress a smile.
"Garrett," He introduces himself. "And yes. Rudy was my friend. Not quite sure how he feels about it now though." The knight says with a smirk as he starts forwards.
Unlike the other two the cold seems to invigorate him. Frost starts to coat his armor again. His movements more sure and his stride more firm. He likes the weather.
...but to go forwards he has to break it.
Oh Garrett. You always destroy what you love.
"I say we keep her," He murmurs towards Rosa as he strides past her. His ice-rimmed gauntlets punishing the shield as he brings them down in an attempt to force passage.
DG: Garrett Stampede has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, The Ordeal of Ice.
=====================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>====================== =====================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Ice *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Cold. It's cold in here, in stark contrast to the temperate coolness of the rest of this forgotten and undiscovered place. The air chills into a thick mist, frosting the ground in shards of ice as any source of heat seems to simply be sapped away in this chilled chamber. An elemental seal of ice can be found here, thrumming with a pale blue light... and hidden behind layers and layers of ice and frost. Ice and frost that start to grow, blooming in beautiful, crystalline patterns, expanding outward the second you enter in an attempt to consume the entire room. To stop the spread and open the way forward, you'll have to find a way to break past that ever-expanding barrier of ice and shatter the seal within. Or just get frozen. Captain America did it and now he's a superhero. Don't you want to be like Captain America? =Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous, Treasure====================================
================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 2 *>================= =======================< Results - The Ordeal of Ice >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rosaline Calice 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Sinner's Prayer 1 Brute Effects: Cleanse ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Xantia 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Garrett Stampede 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Rosaline Calice 20 --(25)--> 45 Pass Conditions: Overzealous(2)|Treasure(1) Effects: Cleanse ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice has passed this challenge! The party gained 25 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: Rosaline Calice has drawn a new Challenge.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>======================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Fire *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- There is a device in this room. Strange and stone-wrought, it pulses with the pale blue light that lines the walls of Uzda Il-jam. It looks almost like a cannon, affixed to a singular direction -- pointed at the dull, inert symbol of elemental fire that brands the doorway on the opposite side of the room. When someone touches the device, it seems to react to the presence of life, activating and immediately firing off a beam of what seems to be magically-infused heat directly into that symbol. Slowly, it almost seems to warm to the presence of the fire pouring into it, growing brighter and brighter. Simple enough... except for the fire sprites that begin to pour forth from vents in the room, as if drawn to the magical flames of the device. Fending off the seemingly endless waves of fire sprites and protecting whoever mans the device until they can fully activate that symbol and open the way further past here is paramount. How long can you stand the heat? =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"Nice to meet you, Garrett!"
Xantia's completely ready to already treat him as a new friend. A friend of a friend is automatically also her friend, that's how it works. As for that possibly being a thing of the past... "Don't worry, I'm sure you're still friends! Rudy won't stop being your friend so easily!" Because that's also how it works. It's how it works for her and Rosaline. She's inferred that Garrett, too, is probably a Hellion, if Rosaline is hanging out with him. And she expects any friends of hers will have as little problem with that as she does.
Her ways of viewing things are... not quite like most people, if it wasn't obvious.
Her physical strength is also not quite like most people, which helps when you're using your fists to slam into solid ice crystals. At least Garrett has the sense to wear gauntlets instead of just fingerless gloves to do it with. The balls of flame conjured by Rosaline indeed don't bother Xantia at all. In fact it prompts a smile, this being interpreted as Rosaline trying to keep her warm under these circumstances. She always knew they were still friends! Her feeling stronger than before is clearly caused by their bonds of friendship.
Between the two physical fighters using brute force and Rosaline's fire keeping the shattered ice from being able to regrow, it's only a matter of time before the seal itself is reached and broken into pieces. Instantly, warmth returns to the room, and the no-longer magically sustained ice quickly withdraws, opening the way forward. Xantia lets out a breath of relief. "Glad that's over with." Her smile returns as she cheerfully suggests, "Let's keep going!"
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline lets out some sort of groan at Garrett's suggestion that they 'keep' Xantia. The sound can be described as roughly analogous to a Marge noise. She lets Xantia go on, figuring that might be enough to dissuade Garrett from this idea.
But the ice is broken (ha ha!) and after ice... Fire.
The rise in temperature is dramatic. Even Rosaline seems unhappy with it, but she had the benefit of being in her element now. The others, not so much. Well, they'll have to deal.
"Cute," Rosaline ascertains upon catching sight of the fire sigil. Her flames roar back to their full strength and then some in the sweltering heat, as she steps to take a closer look to the canon. "I think I've seen this in a book. I can get this working... I thi-- Yes. Just, just give me a moment."
She avoids looking at the others as she starts to work on the mechanism, waving her claws a few times to work some nebulous magic in the process. The heat doesn't seem to disturb her very much, but it would likely be very distracting if fire sprites were to fly into her!
And oh, would you look at it, fire sprites are pouring out of the vents. Just your luck.
"You should really take care of them," Rosaline says, not looking up. "I can't fight fire with fire. I wish I could shoot whoever came up with that idiom."
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Fire.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Garrett's smile only grows slightly at that noise. I mean he can't help but tease Rosaline. It is part of his personality that has remained. "Nice to meet you, too, Xantia." Garrett just shakes his head slightly at her enthusiastic response. Though the next room dampens it already.
The opposite effect here. The heat bothers him. "...I wish this place would make up its mind..." He growls as he reaches for the hilt of the blade at his back. He draws the blacksteel blade as it hisses though the air, steam seeming to raise from it.
Almost casually he strides towards the fire sprites, the mighty blade hissing though the air to disrupt them. "...I've seen you fight fire with fire before, you know. It just requires more fire."
DG: Garrett Stampede has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, The Ordeal of Fire.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia actually starts humming a happy tune once the ice is dealt with, and the group can move on. Doesn't look like she has a care in the world, no complaints at all about these companions. Life can be so simple, for some people.
Unlike when it was cold, there's no sign of Xantia feeling particularly bothered by the heat, which definitely can't be explained by her attire alone. She in fact seems relieved by this development, commenting, "I like this room better than the last one." Sure, why not, no sense in starting to make logical sense now.
Naturally, her idea for solving this puzzle would be just breaking the machine. Brute force hasn't failed her so far! Thankfully she isn't the one who takes charge of this situation, leaving Rosaline to handling the unknown device. "Good thing you have these powers," she remarks, heedless of the circumstances not exactly being the best ones. "I'm trying to learn how to do fire too, you know! It's... not going very well yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll manage it one day!" Always getting so enthusiastically sidetracked.
Lucky for Rosaline, she doesn't have to listen to Xantia babble for too long, as fire sprites start to appear. Her companions don't seem to agree on if having fire to use would have been a good thing right about now, but that point is moot when she can't do that yet. So she'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. Rather than shoving her hands into pure fire however, she does have the presence of mind to instead use her ARM for this, a red energy blade shimmering into existence from the bracer on her right arm. "Don't worry, I'll keep them out of the way!" So saying, she starts slashing through the magical flames, on the opposite side that Garrett is already handling.
DG: Xantia has used her Tool ARM Blade toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Fire.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>======================= ======================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Fire *>====================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- There is a device in this room. Strange and stone-wrought, it pulses with the pale blue light that lines the walls of Uzda Il-jam. It looks almost like a cannon, affixed to a singular direction -- pointed at the dull, inert symbol of elemental fire that brands the doorway on the opposite side of the room. When someone touches the device, it seems to react to the presence of life, activating and immediately firing off a beam of what seems to be magically-infused heat directly into that symbol. Slowly, it almost seems to warm to the presence of the fire pouring into it, growing brighter and brighter. Simple enough... except for the fire sprites that begin to pour forth from vents in the room, as if drawn to the magical flames of the device. Fending off the seemingly endless waves of fire sprites and protecting whoever mans the device until they can fully activate that symbol and open the way further past here is paramount. How long can you stand the heat? =Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
=================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 3 *>================== ========================< Results - The Ordeal of Fire >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass ARM Blade 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garrett Stampede 10 --(5)--> 15 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Rosaline Calice 45 --(15)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Overzealous(1) Effects: Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice has passed this challenge! The party gained 15 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
=====================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>====================== ==================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Lightning *>=================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Darkness is what greets you in this place; absolute, all-encompassing darkness, making it pitch dark unless you adjust the brightness and saturation of your screen like a cheater. Wait -- what? Either way, sight has left you, until the first bolt of lightning somehow cracking to existence within the hallowed halls of this place illuminates the entire chamber -- and reveals a winding, multi-layered path of bridges, with a very long drop beneath you. Lightning will continue to fly in intermittent, random points, briefly alighting the chamber for you to give you an idea of where to go to get to the other end of this labyrinthine, precarious pathway. Just try not to fall off the edge. Or get struck by lightning. That's also a thing. =Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Exhaust========================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline's work comes to a halt when Xantia starts speaking of learning 'how to do fire'. "That's not..." She trails off. Well, it's Xantia. Common sense doesn't really apply to her most of the time. "...Whatever."
The cannon fires with a loud KRACKA-THOOM, sending a beam of heat towards the symbol that, well, makes the room even hotter. Some days are just like that.
The fight begins in earnest, and Rosaline continues working the device. She actually has a small laugh at Garrett's remark. "You're right. I'm just feeling lazy right now. Besides, that's nothing you can't handle."
Her confidence isn't unfounded, either, as the two of them, slice at the sprites with blades of light and dark, both working to great effect. Flames are dissipated, one after another, and light dances around the room in rather bewitching ways as a result, which is a bit distracting for Rosaline's work, but still...
A chime rings out as the fire sigil now glows brightly, and the cannon shuts off. Sprites start appearing, only leaving a few to be mopped up while the next door slowly opens.
"Well, onwards, I suppose," Rosaline says, giving the heat cannon a wistful look and deciding that, no, she probably can't bring it back home.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Garrett doesn't even look up as he strolls across the room.
"If you can get the thing out. I can strap it to Bitey for the ride back home."
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
"...Maybe on the way out," Rosaline says.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Moving heavy objects, smashing things, fighting... so far the challenges of this place having been playing to Xantia's strong suits. Needless to say she's having a pretty good time on this excursion. If it wasn't for the earlier drop in temperature, it would've been pretty much her perfect idea of a good time. Well, the sprites were merely a nuisance, she could've done with a bit more of a challenge there. But at least it was a decent warm-up. (GET IT?!?)
Turning as the door opens, Xantia completely missed the actual solution of the puzzle. But that's fine, the way is clear, and that's all that matters. "Nice going, Rosa, Garrett! We make a pretty good team, huh?" Still so childishly happy about all this. It's a wonder that she so violently disagrees with the notion that ignorance is bliss, when she seems to be the poster child for it.
Even when the others mull over the possibility of getting the cannon out of here, she's quick to offer, "I can help you carry it! I'm sure it's not that heavy." It... might actually not be, from her perspective.
But for now, the trio moves on, crossing the hallway to the next challenge. Before, what awaited up ahead could be felt in advance by the changes in temperature. Now, it's through changes in lighting. It very abruptly grows dimmer, until everything is in total darkness. Well, not total darkness. Xantia's kept her energy blade active, serving as a decent light source, casting a shade of red across the immediate surroundings.
Another KRACKA-THOOM sounds out, but this time the cause is a lightning bolt striking the ground nearby. This, combined with the path becoming a winding one, which is no longer flanked by walls but a freefall, presents the next challenge. "...I've fought lightning with lightning before, but I don't think that'll work this time," Xantia notes, trying her best to navigate the path while lighting the way as best she can. Ironically, despite this being her element, she's not as much in her element here, as it requires patience. This is clearly not her strong suit, as she moves ahead a bit more quickly than is necessarily wise under these circumstances.
DG: Xantia has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Lightning.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
A plan starts to form regarding cannon-carrying logistics. "...Well, maybe." Rosaline can't hide being just a tiny bit excited at the idea.
But the next challenge becomes clear, as the temperature finally becomes reasonable, and yet the level of lighting drops drastically. Even the glow of Rosaline's own flames is swallowed up. "Tch. Darkness magic," she explains, in case it wasn't obvious.
She flinches at the sound of lightning, but soon straightens herself, hoping no one saw that. Ah, so that's what the puzzle is all about, isn't it.
"We could try to follow one another's voices," she says, proceeding without much apparent worry. "If someone is in a direction, it means they aren't dead yet." This might be easier if one has hypersensitive beastwoman ears. (And if there isn't a pit between one and the person talking! Though that is alleviated by sticking relatively close.)
As for the possibility of having to dodge lightning, well... She's very quick, but she can't make promises. She may be slowed down a bit by her trying to make sure no one actually does die.
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Ordeal of Lightning.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
"We could do that or...." Garrett steps into the darkness, watching Xantia's light start to bob forwards. "We could do it the fun way..." There is a grin on his face as he glances down at the lady cat nearby. "...race you to the other side..."
And then his foot comes down and a line of smooth ice suddenly forms across the floor. Almost perfectly polished. Snaking into the darkness, intending to intersect with Rosa and Xantia to help them get across faster.
...by skating.
Remember. He's helping.
"I used to love this," He calls out as he goes sliding by, having set the ramp with just enough angle to build up speed across.
DG: Garrett Stampede has used his Tool Glacial Melt toward his party's challenge, The Ordeal of Lightning.
=====================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>====================== ==================<* CHALLENGE - The Ordeal of Lightning *>=================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 | --------------------------< Challenge Information: >-------------------------- Darkness is what greets you in this place; absolute, all-encompassing darkness, making it pitch dark unless you adjust the brightness and saturation of your screen like a cheater. Wait -- what? Either way, sight has left you, until the first bolt of lightning somehow cracking to existence within the hallowed halls of this place illuminates the entire chamber -- and reveals a winding, multi-layered path of bridges, with a very long drop beneath you. Lightning will continue to fly in intermittent, random points, briefly alighting the chamber for you to give you an idea of where to go to get to the other end of this labyrinthine, precarious pathway. Just try not to fall off the edge. Or get struck by lightning. That's also a thing. =Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Exhaust========================================
================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 4 *>================= ====================< Results - The Ordeal of Lightning >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rosaline Calice 15 --(15)--> 30 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Xantia 15 --(15)--> 30 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Garrett Stampede 15 --(30)--> 45 Fail Glacial Melt 3 Agility Effects: Fanfare ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Rosaline Calice 60 --(5)--> 65 Fail Conditions: Bad Luck(1)|Exhaust(1)|Hesitate(2) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice 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. DG: Garrett Stampede has drawn a new Challenge.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>======================= ===================<* CHALLENGE - Crucible ~ The Magician *>==================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 3 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- This sprawling chamber is vast, composed of multiple floors all on its own with a glowing seal at its topmost level, most of them possessing large gaps not easily traversed even by the most nimble of people; the ground floor where you find yourself has had its floors arranged into a long series of tiles, with a single, intricate symbol at its center. When anyone steps on that symbol, it cordons off the ground floor in a barrier of mystic energy. Once activated, any tile stepped on creates a tile of pale blue energy on the upper levels of this chamber; when stepped on again, that tile disappears. To advance past this room, those on the ground floor will have to make a winding, complex path forward for those on the upper levels to reach and deactivate the seal and open the way out. Here's hoping you have some people good at navigation. Or geometry. Or spatial awareness. Fingers crossed! =Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Injure==========================================
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia is all over doing things the fun way! As long as she knows what 'the fun way' actually is. She has no idea what Garrett is talking about, but before she can even consider trying Rosaline's method, it's pretty much decided for her that it's going to be this nebulous 'fun' way, through the floor underneath her and Rosaline's feet suddenly becoming super slippery.
"Wha--" is as far as she gets before she has to improvise, starting to slide on her own accord. The limited amount of light she could manage to manifest in this place winks out immediately, which doesn't make Xantia's flailing quite as obvious as she now moves down the path a lot faster than is necessarily wise.
The only thing that saves her from an unfortunate fate is being a lot more perceptive than many give her credit for. The intermittent lightning provides just enough of a window each time to get her bearings, and steer herself to avoid falling off the platform. Rosa manages to handle it in much the same manner, while Garrett himself... picks up so much speed that in needing to evade a sudden lightning bolt, he veers off the path along the way, vanishing from sight. Instant karma...?
Still, even though it was a bit of a harrowing experience, when Xantia reaches the finish line, she still has to agree, "That actually was pretty fun! But, could you warn me next time? ...Garrett?" She looks around. Where'd he go?
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Garrett...has misjudged.
He really did remember doing this. So perhaps he got up a bit more speed that is strictly needed. Flying down the makeshift ramp before hitting that bolt. Hitting a bump. And flying off though the darkness...
...where he finds the door to the next room...
...but he doesn't...well...stop.
He can't really.
So though the complicated glyphs he goes flying. Eyes widening. "...this is really when I miss Hanpan."
And he hits the first markers.
There is a lot of angry shouting as he spins though the bottom floor of the strange panel room. Just hoping as he lands and skids with a crash of plate armor, barreling though the delicate systems before slamming against the far wall. He just hopes he didn't hit anything important.
"...ow."
DG: Garrett Stampede has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Crucible ~ The Magician.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Rosaline... slips forward. She curses Garrett under her breath. Fun?? This is extra dangerous! But the worst part is that it's undignified. Just keeping her balance is an ordeal! Her clawed feet were simply not meant to skate along smoothly.
But it's over soon enough, after her heart has threatened to stop a few times. She takes a moment to catch her breath, and...
Wait.
Did Garrett fall off? Oh god. Garrett is dead, isn't he? She can't believe Garrett is freaking dead.
Her ears twitch, however, as she hears a crashing sound up ahead. She would recognize the sound of that plate armor anywhere. "There he is," she says, giving little hint of the emotional rollercoaster she's just gone on.
She runs onto the platform, seeing Garrett below, experiencing misadventures. The tiles are activated and deactivated without much rhyme or reason, making this entire thing more of a disappearing blocks nightmare than an actual, well, path.
She hops from one platform to another, nimbly, but knows she can't keep this up forever, let alone Xantia. She whips out a rod-like implement with several chimes attached, emitting a jarringly low sound as she waves it around. Wispy spirits are soon surrounding her, conjured from thin air.
"Go tell him what to actually do!" she angrily commands, while leaving some behind-- if either she or Xantia fall to their deaths, maybe a ghost can float them to relative safety.
DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Spirit Bells toward her party's challenge, Crucible ~ The Magician.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"Oh, good!" Xantia expresses when Rosaline seems to have positively identified where he is without seeing him. She was never concerned, about anything. In her experience, things just have a way of working themselves out.
It only takes the next room to make her seriously question that things will work out this time. What is going ON in here? She has absolutely no clue where to even begin figuring out the objective. That would probably have been the case normally, but with everything going crazy like this there's absolutely no chance that she ever would.
Rosaline does seem to have an idea, so Xantia simply follows. But she absolutely can't keep up with the Beastwoman's reaction speed, taking a breather on solid ground at the first opportunity. She didn't see what happened up ahead, and so assumes she was being addressed with the 'go tell him what to do' remark. "But I have no idea how any of this works!" At least she's honest about being absolutely no help in figuring this one out.
This is when Xantia, in a moment of desperation, fishes out the Guide to Dungeoneering. There's usually something in there that at least sounds helpful. A section on jumping puzzles has a remark which is in itself a bit puzzling: "Geometry is not a matter of truth. One geometry cannot be more true than another, it can only be more advantageous." And the conclusion she reaches from that is... "I see, so it doesn't really matter what we do here! Keep it up, Garrett!"
Well... there's always a chance that the 'just do whatever' approach happens to work, somehow...
DG: Xantia has used her Tool Guide to Dungeoneering toward her party's challenge, Crucible ~ The Magician.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>======================= ===================<* CHALLENGE - Crucible ~ The Magician *>==================== |Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 3 | ---------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------- This sprawling chamber is vast, composed of multiple floors all on its own with a glowing seal at its topmost level, most of them possessing large gaps not easily traversed even by the most nimble of people; the ground floor where you find yourself has had its floors arranged into a long series of tiles, with a single, intricate symbol at its center. When anyone steps on that symbol, it cordons off the ground floor in a barrier of mystic energy. Once activated, any tile stepped on creates a tile of pale blue energy on the upper levels of this chamber; when stepped on again, that tile disappears. To advance past this room, those on the ground floor will have to make a winding, complex path forward for those on the upper levels to reach and deactivate the seal and open the way out. Here's hoping you have some people good at navigation. Or geometry. Or spatial awareness. Fingers crossed! =Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Injure==========================================
=================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 5 *>================== =====================< Results - Crucible ~ The Magician >====================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 30 --(10)--> 40 Pass Spirit Bells 2 Wits Effects: Rally and Fanfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 30 --(20)--> 50 Fail Guide to Dungeoneering 1 Wits Effects: Rally and Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garrett Stampede 45 --(20)--> 65 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Rosaline Calice 65 --(10)--> 75 Fail Conditions: Hesitate(1)|Injure(2)|Madness Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Rosaline Calice has drawn a new Challenge.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Shade of the Beast *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Motes of soft blue light hang in the air, stream in serenely vaporous
patterns before you as you enter what seems to be the penultimate chamber of
Uzda Il-jam's upper grounds. This place is quiet, without the typical
symbols, sigils, and more obvious trials that dotted the areas that have
come before. Large, and almost perfectly cube-shaped, one can hear their own
footfalls echoing against the slabs of stone, archaic symbols of a time long
gone carved into the walls on either side of you.
But it's a quiet that is not to last, especially not all that long: as you
get midway through this peaceful hall, it seems to react to your presence.
The vaporous blue light shifts and twines, spooling together in like strands
of spiritual thread before you to build something wholecloth into existence.
Blue light takes semi-translucent shape in the form of an immense beast with
brightly glowing eyes and a wild mane, beating on its chest with its two
large, front claws, still composed of that faint, ephemeral blue light. Like
a phantasm, or an echo of something else. A fact that does not make that
echo any less real as it bears down upon you, letting out a deafening roar
as it swings its mighty claws.
(OOC: It's highly recommended that you pull the Final card before posing the
resolution of this one!)
=Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Fright, Reckless, Exhaust======================
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Garrett tries. Really he does. However it is hard to see though this mess of the blue haze. Shouted commands aren't well heard and random movements aren't appreciated by the geometry gods...
...which is why several panels under Xantia disappear to drop her down several floors.
Those panels do appear in front of Rosa though, allowing the nimble cat access to the seal. And the next room...once...she finds the secret stairs up to where she is that she can activate to help the other two up.
Garrett just grumbles. "I hate trap floors.."
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Needless to say, Rosaline is nursing a headache when this is all said and done.
The party proceeds to a large chamber devoid of obvious trials. There is a finality to it that experienced ruin-delvers can guess at, despite the serenity of the place.
"Stay sharp," Rosaline says, and right as she does, she is vindicated, in the form of a colossal yet ethereal beast bearing out on her out of nowhere. It roars deafeningly, which might be literal for Rosaline, due to previously-mentioned sensitive beastwoman ears. She moves to cover them, just in time for a massive claw to swing in her direction and send her flying unceremoniously.
She claws herself to a halt as she skids to the floor, quickly getting back up with a hiss and a few roars of Mother's Mercy.
But will that be enough to get the ethereal beast's attention, now that it's turned to the others?
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Shade of the Beast.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Rosaline's headache might be greater than even Xantia, who hit her head on a suddenly-appearing platform, which caused her to take a tumble. But at least her friend made it to the end, which is good enough for her. Though she does grumble right along with Garrett. "The ice room is now my second least favorite room."
Puzzles are just the worst. Especially if not doing them right leads to pain. She'll take punchable problems over that any time.
She gets her wish in the very next room. It's not obvious at first, but she's certainly ready for a battle when one does happen. She doesn't waste her time wondering about what kind of creature this is, exactly. It's hostile, that's all that matters. She activates her ARM once more... Only for Rosaline to step in front of her, and get violently knocked aside for the trouble. "Rosa!"
That does it. If she needed any more motivation, Xantia now has it, dashing forward without hesitation to go toe-to-toe with the much larger beast. She's not quickly daunted by, well, anything really, even when some measure of caution would be wise. Punches might not work well on this thing, but she's yet to see anything immune to her energy blade.
Her only regret is that this thing is probably not made out of anything she can eat.
DG: Xantia has used her Tool ARM Blade toward her party's challenge, Shade of the Beast.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Naturally as soon as they get out of the room. Things go from bad to worse.
Worse in this case being a giant ethereal beast that is suddenly roaring and lashing out towards them.
"Well," Garrett pulls the blade from his back. "This is at least better than puzzles." Then he leaps forwards, the evil sword trailing dark tendrils of power to clash against the beast before them. Moving to one side to give Rosa clear lines of fire almost without thinking about it. It comes naturally as breathing now.
The blade flicks out towards the things face, trying to drive it back. He might not know if he can kill a ghost, but he can sure as hell try.
DG: Garrett Stampede has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Shade of the Beast.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Shade of the Beast *>======================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Motes of soft blue light hang in the air, stream in serenely vaporous
patterns before you as you enter what seems to be the penultimate chamber of
Uzda Il-jam's upper grounds. This place is quiet, without the typical
symbols, sigils, and more obvious trials that dotted the areas that have
come before. Large, and almost perfectly cube-shaped, one can hear their own
footfalls echoing against the slabs of stone, archaic symbols of a time long
gone carved into the walls on either side of you.
But it's a quiet that is not to last, especially not all that long: as you
get midway through this peaceful hall, it seems to react to your presence.
The vaporous blue light shifts and twines, spooling together in like strands
of spiritual thread before you to build something wholecloth into existence.
Blue light takes semi-translucent shape in the form of an immense beast with
brightly glowing eyes and a wild mane, beating on its chest with its two
large, front claws, still composed of that faint, ephemeral blue light. Like
a phantasm, or an echo of something else. A fact that does not make that
echo any less real as it bears down upon you, letting out a deafening roar
as it swings its mighty claws.
(OOC: It's highly recommended that you pull the Final card before posing the
resolution of this one!)
=Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate, Fright, Reckless, Exhaust======================
=================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 6 *>================== ========================< Results - Shade of the Beast >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 40 --(15)--> 55 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 50 --(35)--> 85 Fail ARM Blade 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garrett Stampede 65 --(35)--> 100 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Rosaline Calice 75 --(0)--> 75 Fail Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Fright(2)|Hesitate(2)|Injure(1)|Madness|Reckless(2) Effects: Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice has failed 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: Rosaline Calice has drawn a new Challenge.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
================<* CHALLENGE - Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool *>================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The shade of the beast falls under your onslaught; and yet, the body does
not fade. It lingers there for a time... until its entire body shifts
towards verdant green hues, and the echo of the beast starts to literally
-melt- into the foundation of the chamber. Stones shift, extend, alter. They
raise into a multi-tiered platforms of stone-tiled floors as a door with an
ephemeral, glowing white entrance surges into existence at a platform at the
very end of what looks like it has become an obstacle course. The trial, it
seems, is to make the journey across this long, perilous path of pitfalls
and platforms, a fact that might be simple, if trying...
... save for the very moment everything shifts into place, stone tiles along
the multi-level floor start to glow at random as you make your way across.
Some glow red, some glow green, some simply seem to shift through a myriad
of colors as if unable to decide what they are. Stepping onto a green panel
seems to infuse one with power, making them capable of moving faster and
jumping higher for short bursts; stepping on red panels, however, seems to
teleport a person further and further back along this strange room, away
from that doorway at the end. The shifting patterns seem to have completely
random effects; some teleport forward, some back. Some speed you up, some
slow you down, some freeze you in place, or possibly worse -- or better. The
panels light up completely at random, in patterns that grow faster and
faster the more time that goes on... and given an ominous, red light starts
to slowly fill the air the more time you linger, too, getting through this
strange, random ordeal swiftly might be a wise idea.
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.
Garret's bladework is superb as always, and Xantia's wilder style would likely work wonders against a physical foe, but this one is frustrating in exciting new ways. Sometimes a blade meets carapace or thick hide, and sometimes it meets nothing at all, but weak spots are in very short supply.
Rosaline isn't faring much better either, quickly realizing that the stopping power Mother's Mercy brings to bear is wasted on this thing. She has another trick up her sleeve, however. Call it experience with ghosts. "Just... can you distract it for a while? Like with the sprites. Thanks."
The eyestalk on Mother's Mercy opens, gradually starting to glow. It fires out a beam of red light towards the apparition, which doesn't appear to harm it, but soon starts to suck in... well, whatever it's made out of. The effect is negligible at first, but intensifies as the beam is maintained. Eventually, the beast freezes, too much of its essence having been drained away. And since it's ALL essence, well...
It falls apart. What remains of its essence seeps into the floor, which shifts in intricate patterns, as intricate and beautiful as they are potentially dangerous, and...
"RUN!" Rosaline lets out, following her own advice and, frankly, not sweating the precise details. She does share one observation as she runs, however: "Avoid the red tiles!" It seems fairly obvious, but... with those two companions in particular, she prefers to take the precaution.
DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Distracting is all well and good, but Xantia definitely prefers her monsters easier to kill than this one. When all's said and done, Xantia has an additional regret about this battle. Not having been able to dodge all of the creature's attacks. Though she managed to avoid anything truly debilitating, a large number of minor wounds still add up. If she had a moment, her accelerated natural healing should take care of it, but... it quickly becomes obvious that there's not even any time for a victory fanfare. This trial isn't quite over, yet.
She doesn't have to be told 'run' twice. Not paying particular attention to where she's going, she immediately runs over a tile with a shifting pattern, and she's back at the start again. And since this was like two steps from the start, she immediately runs onto the same tile again. It doesn't fool her a third time, at least, frowning as she leaps over the tile. They have to solve a puzzle while running, probably against the clock? This has to be against the rules.
No sense in complaining about it though. At this point, there's little else she can do but run, and hope her reflexes are good enough to avoid any tiles that randomly light up directly in front of her. And yes, Rosa's advice does help in knowing what to avoid. She loves the color red, she wouldn't have guessed that would be bad.
DG: Xantia has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool.
<Pose Tracker> Garrett Stampede has posed.
Sometimes the obvious gets lost in the middle of everything else.
Such is the case with Garrett at times like this. Without Rosa's shout he likely would have ended up somewhere very bad, but the Avoid the red ones! actually does help him.
...especially after a very ineffectual showing of swordsmanship. "I hate these phantoms too!" He shouts angrily as he dashes off after Rosaline. The man's hand flings out as he goes to try to create pillars of ice for the trio to leap from. Covering the disappearing tiles and giving at least something resembling a handhold on the mad dash for the other side and relative safety.
DG: Garrett Stampede has used his Tool Glacial Melt toward his party's challenge, Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool.
======================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds *>=======================
================<* CHALLENGE - Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool *>================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The shade of the beast falls under your onslaught; and yet, the body does
not fade. It lingers there for a time... until its entire body shifts
towards verdant green hues, and the echo of the beast starts to literally
-melt- into the foundation of the chamber. Stones shift, extend, alter. They
raise into a multi-tiered platforms of stone-tiled floors as a door with an
ephemeral, glowing white entrance surges into existence at a platform at the
very end of what looks like it has become an obstacle course. The trial, it
seems, is to make the journey across this long, perilous path of pitfalls
and platforms, a fact that might be simple, if trying...
... save for the very moment everything shifts into place, stone tiles along
the multi-level floor start to glow at random as you make your way across.
Some glow red, some glow green, some simply seem to shift through a myriad
of colors as if unable to decide what they are. Stepping onto a green panel
seems to infuse one with power, making them capable of moving faster and
jumping higher for short bursts; stepping on red panels, however, seems to
teleport a person further and further back along this strange room, away
from that doorway at the end. The shifting patterns seem to have completely
random effects; some teleport forward, some back. Some speed you up, some
slow you down, some freeze you in place, or possibly worse -- or better. The
panels light up completely at random, in patterns that grow faster and
faster the more time that goes on... and given an ominous, red light starts
to slowly fill the air the more time you linger, too, getting through this
strange, random ordeal swiftly might be a wise idea.
=Dungeon Conditions: Suffer===================================================
=================<* Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds - Round 7 *>================== ==================< Results - Ordeal of the Beast ~ The Fool >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rosaline Calice 55 --(100)--> 155 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 85 --(100)--> 185 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garrett Stampede 100 --(100)--> 200 Pass Glacial Melt 3 Agility Effects: Fanfare -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Rosaline Calice 75 --(10)--> 85 Fail Conditions: Fright(1)|Hesitate(1)|Madness|Reckless(1)|Suffer(1) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: Rosaline Calice is too exhausted to continue! DG: Xantia is too exhausted to continue! DG: Garrett Stampede is too exhausted to continue! DG: The party has failed this challenge! All party members are now Exhausted. This attempt is over. DG: The party led by Rosaline Calice has been fully Exhausted by Uzda Il-jam ~ Proving Grounds! DG: The party will now draw a conclusion.
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Roar of the Beast *>======================
|Type: Landmark |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
A red light surges through your senses, filling them all. Sight turns
crimson; taste and touch and smell fill with strange, distinct sense of
heat. And a roar pierces the air, clawing its way into your very spirit,
digging its rattling ferocity in to tear down your defenses until...
... you arrive.
This room you come upon as the light fades is not like the others. There is
something strange here, something off, that twinges at the senses the second
that you step within, something that cannot quite be placed. As if you had
stepped into another world entirely. Beyond feeling, even the architecture
is different; smooth, eloquently gilded, this chamber is large and circular,
with pillars composed of an unknown blue crystal that seems to flow like
water supporting this vast structure. A series of seven immaculate gates
line this place, numbered from I to VII in order, each of them sealed
utterly, all of them inactive...
... save for the door marked 'I', shining with a soft radiance.
A light that begins to shine ever-brighter as if heralding the imminent
arrival of something beyond it, as those words once more echo through the
senses:
WOULDST THOU BREAK THE SEAL?
(OOC: This leads directly into the Gunslinger scene on Saturday, July 28th!
If you are sending an alt or otherwise not coming, you can assume the
gateway into this room shuttled you back out of Uzda Il-jam, or whatever
else you might like! Please report the results of this Dig to Dispellado in
the form of an @mail!)
---
In addition, you receive:
Proof of Spiritual Power: Proving Grounds!
Spiritual power, earned from challenging
the trial of Uzda Il-jam's proving grounds!
You can now resist moderately powerful Domains!
(OOC: This is a bonus achievement and represents a spiritual empowerment
rather than a concrete reward! Consider this strong enough to resist the
Domain in Krosse Castle come Act 4!)
=Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================