2019-12-04: Salvage Your Past
- Log: Salvage Your Past
- Cast: Yue Rohay, Acacia Saitani, Marivel Armitage
- Where: Aquvy Ocean
- Date: 4th December 2019
- Summary: Yue takes Acacia and Marivel salvaging, but the Veruni is not her usual self.
DG: A party led by Yue Rohay is now entering Seafloor Salvage.
DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Safety First - Reflex Test *>=================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Today you've negotiated to assist the Thames salvagers division, courtesy of
your Gear (or other undersea-worthy craft). The weather is good and
conditions are favorable -- today you are set to salvage what you can from a
wreck code-named 'Double Walker'.
But first, the crew wants to make sure that your Gear (or equivalent) is
going to be able to move effectively under the water. Moving underwater is
quite different from moving on land. They've arranged for you and your team
to undertake a relatively quick and painless stress test of your Gear's
abilities. This one involves a mixture of diagnostics tests and a series of
timed targets to meet on deck -- can you get to the trial point on time?
Well -- show them what you got!
(OOC: Note for this round's GM: a Fail does not mean the character's machine
fails! It only means that they score an adequate rating on their pass. A
result of Pass meanwhile means they passed with flying colors!)
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIDn1dfa8Ic
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
A while ago, a Veruni elder only going by the moniker of 'Granny' arrived in the Meria Boule region. There've been rumours that she came with some kind of Gear, though such rumours didn't really need much time to get into circulation as...
Yue pops up again one day and, for once! For once! She doesn't appear on Acacia's windowsill to yank her out. She definitely also pinged Marivel.
"I have a place I wish to show you."
It might be a small silver lining and compensation for the much more ludicrous situation they're now in:
Crammed in an old, one-person cockpit of a Gear that looks like it hardly passes the definition and safety standards of a Gear. Indeed, Yue's "Gear" looks more like... a plane, if a plane had legs sticking out of it at odd ends, and had a shield sticking out of it serving as the plane's nose with what looks like a face hiding underneath it.
It also looks battered and withered beyond belief.
Still, the cockpit itself... it kind of shares the characteristics of Acacia's apartment. Cozy. Lived-in. There's an old silver bauble shaped like a vampire bat that bobbles with the errant vibrations of their flight, and possibly a few faded photographs taped here and there of unusual sights. The keys and caution markings and stickers are in languages that simply don't seem to exist anymore.
It's like walking into a museum.
"Do not worry. I /believe/ I have not forgotten most of how to fly and... I am fairly sure it will not explode," Yue muses--
- HISS*
<Operator 5O here. What's that pile of junk? You're actually going to salvage with that THING?>
"Such barbed words..."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Acacia hadn't exactly had any plans. For all that there's a lot of news to catch up with, Meria Boule is a hell of a lot more sleepy than the endless parade of events back in Spira, and she's been keyed up so much for so long she doesn't honestly know what to do with a day off. Even covering the Festival feels like a cakewalk compared to charting the complex politics of Yevon and the Guard and the refugee situation they generated.
So when Yue shows up at her door, rather than her window, it doesn't take her long to agree to come along. Not that she would have ever considered otherwise - one look at the Veruni convict's face is enough to tell her that this is something altogether more serious than her other jaunts, and the plain way in which she asks only reinforces that conclusion. Before her mind's caught up with her, she's grabbed her coat from the hook near the door.
She hadn't expected the trip to the Thames, though. Or the talk of... underwater. Or the state of the Gear in which she's ushered into, feeling some of her hairs start to split as she wedges herself up against one corner of the cockpit, braced there by a foot against the housing of the pilot's chair. "... it's not so much the flying that I'm worried about," she ventures after a moment, grimacing to herself. "More like the sinking part. You're sure this is waterproof?"
She says this all while trying studiously to /not/ look around the cockpit. Perhaps it's to her credit that her rather unorthodox journalist's code is making her treat this invitation with some modicum of respect; she's recognized that this must be kind of a big step for Yue to allow her somewhere this... private... and so she's doing her best not to pry at the photographs and old belongings. She might not succeed, but she's doing her best.
Especially for any that look like they might be of family. Double the temptation, double the effort.
DG: Acacia Saitani has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Safety First - Reflex Test.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
'I have a place I wish to show you'.
Marivel is used to being the one who has places to show people. Intrigued, she accepts Yue's invitation. Unlife tends to run out of surprises given enough time so someone like Marivel, when presented with an opportunity to see something unexpected, is likely to take the opportunity. Most people would see it as a risk to take a Veruni's call like this but, well, that ship has sailed ages ago.
Marivel's gear is the Qubely, a googly one eyed drill headed mech with tiny feet. It is very Dr. Wily in aesthetic.
We are pretending of course that Marivel has this gear because her player is super lazy. Use your imagination, heroes!
"Well, well, is this the surprise, Yue?" She asks, upon arrival. "Or is this but the beginning of today's adventuer?"
She didn't know Acacia was coing and Marivel is briefly given pause before adding, "Heh... Well well... Two surprises already. Today must be my lucky day."
"heh heh heh..."
It troddles along, wobbling from side to side. It really is not a mech known for its careful navigation around obstacles. But Marivel is a pretty experienced pilot even if usually she prefers to ride Giant Robo style.
DG: Marivel Armitage has used her Tool Tomato Juice For Grownups toward her party's challenge, Safety First - Reflex Test.
DG: Not everyone in the party has acted yet. +act/complete can only be used once the whole party has acted.
DG: Yue Rohay has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Safety First - Reflex Test.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Safety First - Reflex Test *>=================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Today you've negotiated to assist the Thames salvagers division, courtesy of
your Gear (or other undersea-worthy craft). The weather is good and
conditions are favorable -- today you are set to salvage what you can from a
wreck code-named 'Double Walker'.
But first, the crew wants to make sure that your Gear (or equivalent) is
going to be able to move effectively under the water. Moving underwater is
quite different from moving on land. They've arranged for you and your team
to undertake a relatively quick and painless stress test of your Gear's
abilities. This one involves a mixture of diagnostics tests and a series of
timed targets to meet on deck -- can you get to the trial point on time?
Well -- show them what you got!
(OOC: Note for this round's GM: a Fail does not mean the character's machine
fails! It only means that they score an adequate rating on their pass. A
result of Pass meanwhile means they passed with flying colors!)
BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIDn1dfa8Ic
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 1 *>=======================
===================< Results - Safety First - Reflex Test >===================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass
Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 0 --(15)--> 15 Fail
Tomato Juice For Grownups 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 0 --(15)--> 15 Fail
Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass
Conditions: Exhaust(1)
Effects: Cleanse
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Yue Rohay 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> Yue Rohay has posed.
Yue pauses flat at Acacia's, honestly, terribly prescient question. "I had not... thought about underwater action before," she admits.
<Really!?>
"It will be fine," grumbles the Veruni as she accesses her keyboard -- and a rain of letters and numbers fly through at least three of the screens. "Reroute CPG ion pump to sub-matrix three, seal bulkhead three with coolant dispenser..."
Rather peculiarly, as she babbles on nearly incoherently (perhaps this is the true family link between her, Granny and Shalune), the machine is clearly responding to each and every keypress of the 'Enter' button. ... Is she reconfiguring it on the fly?
<Ugh... fine. Just make sure you come back in one piece-- WHAT is that thing.>
Yue pauses, as she stares across. "I am rather nostalgic, Marivel," she speaks to their shortwave radio. "And rather glad the Qubely is still around."
She's not sure if she can say the same thing about the Aura, unfortunately. But the two mechs troddle along and... things seem fine enough, though Yue hasn't quite dipped below the water yet.
DG: Acacia Saitani has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Suffocating Silt *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Someone else must have been through here recently -- perhaps someone from
the Digger's Guild or Ethos. Or possibly some very large creature of some
stripe. It's the only thing that can account for the large plume of silt
billowing up through the water column.
Which is playing merry hell on your visibility. You're going to have to
figure out some way to navigate through this without getting turned around
or getting off track on your approach to the wreck.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Tire============================================
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
"Maybe I can magic-hands us up a big bubble or something," Acacia responds, the tone of her voice a little sour. Still, despite her grumbling, it does spark a little light of curiosity inside of her; she's always been the sort to work with what she's got, and sitting around while Yue does all the piloting isn't exactly her sort of style. With a thoughtful frown, she starts quietly trying to gather her power together.
At the same time, she watches with open surprise at the sheer speed of Yue's work. "... wow," she mutters after a moment, honestly impressed. Guild Galad had typewriters, but she never quite felt right using them; to her, a powerful part of the journalist image was the notebook and pen. Still, she'd admit that there was always something alluring about clacking away at the keys then stabbing 'Enter' as hard and as sastisfyingly as you could.
It sufficiently distracts her for long enough to realize that Marivel has caught the both of them up in a Gear of her own, her eyebrows raising as she tries to crane over Yue's shoulder to peer at the screens to catch a glance. Instead, a jostle and then an odd moment of buoyancy she can sense rather than feel tell her they've dived under the surface, and she worries at her lip for a moment.
"Hey, don't look at me," she says into the comms to distract herself, watching their monitors grow a little darker. "This is all pretty new for me, in the end. Is it supposed to be-- uh--" she cuts herself off as she watches the dots on the radar wink out, and this time they don't come back on on the next pass. Looking out the cockpit, the only thing that can be seen is the roll of silt wash.
(Somewhere up above, Shalune is peering over the edge of the Thames, where a crane just gave way and plunged an I-Beam down into the water with an almighty splash before Big Shal could manage to jump in and catch it. "... wasn't me," she mutters with a wince, and for once she might even be right.)
She's not claustrophobic, but the idea of shutting her eyes feels like a good one... and somehow, that manages to help. The mech's faint drift to the left is more obvious, easier to read against the local flow of Ether. "Nudge right a little - and I think we're climbing a bit."
DG: Acacia Saitani has used her Tool Thrifty Drifty toward her party's challenge, Suffocating Silt.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"Qubeley is a fine design. Everybody wanted their cool punchy robots but I, I thought--what if it had spikes all over it! Ga Ha Ha Ha HA!" Yeah Marivel's in a good mood. She remains tactfully quiet about the Aura and not just because of pending backstory writings. "But recently I found someone whose knowledge and affinity with golems might surpass even my own... his power...his nerd power is incredible...!"
Qubeley activats bright 'EYE' lights out from its center eye, hopefully lighting up the path before them and making it easier to see where they're going.
"So Acacia, have you written any articles about our friend here? Perhaps about your various meetings? A nice journalisttic touch with a narrative, perhaps? One that gets the heart racing? I am innocently curious."
Lies!
DG: Marivel Armitage has used her Tool Wisdom of the Crimson Nobles by M. Armitage toward her party's challenge, Suffocating Silt.
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
"Hmm..." Yue sounds rather impressed, and perhaps a bit enigmatic. Acacia's usage of Ether seems... to actually react with the machine, several portions of the cockpit that look the part of an astrolabe and something mystical shimmering very softly. It's not unlike that of the Mana Egg, perhaps, in terms of a focus. "Focus on that device," she points out.
The Gear manifests a bubble around itself as it crashes into the water; one jostle later as Yue keeps on typing endlessly-- "Barometric pressure has stabilised... the hull will hold."
Though the plume that bursts prompts a rather sudden, "--Geh!" as she tugs on her flightstick and banks a hard roll right, the aircraft narrowly avoiding the beam flying down from above.
She follows the Qubeley's eye beam and pauses. "... h-have you?" Oh no! Put on the spot! And underwater in a Gear no less!
DG: Yue Rohay has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Suffocating Silt.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Suffocating Silt *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Someone else must have been through here recently -- perhaps someone from
the Digger's Guild or Ethos. Or possibly some very large creature of some
stripe. It's the only thing that can account for the large plume of silt
billowing up through the water column.
Which is playing merry hell on your visibility. You're going to have to
figure out some way to navigate through this without getting turned around
or getting off track on your approach to the wreck.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Tire============================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 2 *>=======================
========================< Results - Suffocating Silt >========================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 0 --(3)--> 3 Pass
Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 15 --(3)--> 18 Pass
Wisdom of the Crimson Nobles by M. 3 Wits Effects: Fanfare
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 15 --(3)--> 18 Pass
Thrifty Drifty 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass
Conditions: Stupify(2)|Tire(2)
Effects: Enlighten(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Yue Rohay 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: Marivel Armitage has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Mucho Mean Manta *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You find yourself rather suddenly under attack as you make good on your
approach towards the wreck site. Floating towards you is the great ghastly
cousin to the humble sea pancake -- a malicious monstrous manta ray.
It comes in at a charge, attempting to batter your machines to bits. The
stinger on its tail might in fact be the least of your worries. It's time to
fight back, lest you be crushed here by this menace!
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Overzealous=======================================
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Yue's cockpit is even outfitted with devices to help focus and access Ether usage. The initial resistance from the sheer enormity of what she's trying to do gives way all of a sudden as they begin to glow with a resonating light, leaving her sucking in a quiet breath as she tries to maintain her focus and help navigate. By the rules of mech shows this probably means she'll end up floating half-naked in a tube by the time they're done, and dancing around her relationship status with the main character pilot.
Well, one out of two isn't bad.
Between the Qubeley's eyebeams and the drill upon its head, Marivel's mech doesn't seem all that affected by the silt - and able to wash it away at a moment's notice just by spinning the large spiked drill to make a vortex. Yue's a better pilot than she gives herself credit for, the instinctive action swinging them away from the worst of the rising cloud and around its perimeter instead.
Past that obstacle, the reporter can find time to crack one eye open and glower at Yue, careful not to be anywhere near a monitor when her cheeks start to stain red. "Of course not," she grumbles. "It's private. Besides, going 'hey, I'm going out with this Veruni over here' is only going to get Yue in a hell of a lot of trouble."
... she says that. But her last issue certainly had an agony aunt column with some remarkably down-to-earth advice about how to confess to someone.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"I fear I've been so busy I haven't been able to check the Bouletin as of late." Marivel says. "I don't know what juicy morsels of news I have missed out on. Perhaps I should take the time to catch up on my missing issues." She taps her cheek thoughtfully before adding, "I suppose it cooouuuld get Yue in trouble, but on the other hand I am not a member of Veruni Intelligence...and I suppose on the other other hand, Kaguya certainly advertises her relationships. Still, on the other hand," is that like 4 hands here Marivel? "Yue's position is not quite as privileged as Kaguya's... hm hm hm... Very well, I shall allow--AH! A MANTA RAY!"
Marivel will allow a Manta Ray?! No, that's not quite the issue here. The issue is that the Manta Ray is floating rapidly towards our heroes and fully intends to tackle the Qubeley! And your mechs as well! Yue's mech in particular doesn't /look/ like it could handle it...
Marivel tries throwing a drill...headbutt...at the manta ray but will it be enough?!
DG: Marivel Armitage has used her Tool My Mike toward her party's challenge, Mucho Mean Manta.
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
"... the poor Minder seems very stressed that she would have to leave her friends again, like she had to Dorca and Ranna," Yue advises after they scurry on past the menace of the Shalune. Is she going to just be the recurring antagonist in this Dig? One can only hope not.
"And to be honest... that is one worry I hardly have an answer for," she chuckles. "Only that I know we cannot remain in Meria Boule forever. Or any other place."
That moment of reticience and reflection is forgotten, though, because a MANTA RAY appears.
"Ah. Hmm. What do we have for weapons..."
- click click clatter click*
"Machine cannons fire-link one and two are missing. Three and four in fatal condition. Rifle unaligned..."
A pause.
"Take notes of these weaknesses when you have to face this machine in battle, by the way," Yue advises Acacia. Thus assessing how unarmed she is, she opts to do the wise thing indeed and--
--and just step on the pedal, forces rattling against the cockpit as the battered aircraft zips on past and does loops around the Manta Ray to distract it. "Over here!" she shouts at it, flashing lights to get its attention. Hopefully Marivel can take care of it, offensively.
DG: Yue Rohay has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Mucho Mean Manta.
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
"I haven't exactly written a lot of issues since, honestly. Filgaia's been pretty peaceful compared to Spira the last few weeks," the reporter admits over their comms, the wry smile obvious in the tone of her voice. "Call it being on a break, or something. Oh, but if you're gonna pick up any of them, make sure you get the Festival special," she adds with an urgent frown. "Kamui worked really hard for it. It'd mean a lot to her knowing you saw."
She nods a little when Yue speaks. "... yeah. It's for Minder too. Can't keep her under wraps forever, but we can at least make sure Meria isn't buzzing all around her every hour of every day." Something draws her up short - it's the tone in Yue's voice, and without a sound she sneaks her hand onto Yue's upper arm to give it a silent rub of what is probably meant to be support.
Which ends with her huffing out a solid breath when Yue talks about fighting her. "You're terrible," she grumbles. "Is that gonna be another of those times when you go 'okay shoot me' then never let me forget it when I actually do?" Despite her words, there's a distinct worry to her brow; the idea of fighting Yue at this point certainly isn't one she relishes.
She grits her teeth at the Crimson Noble's warning, and a spike of concentration sets the astrolabe keening with power, enough to make her wince as she searches for some kind of instinct she can't seem to find. "Okay, well, let's-- wait-- how do I... you're telling me you've got all this kit and I can't even form a big sword or an energy bolt or something?" she whines petulantly, then shifts her focus. Outside, the bubble around Yue's mech seems to solidify just a little more, protecting their distraction.
DG: Acacia Saitani has used her Tool Trusty Friends toward her party's challenge, Mucho Mean Manta.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Mucho Mean Manta *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You find yourself rather suddenly under attack as you make good on your
approach towards the wreck site. Floating towards you is the great ghastly
cousin to the humble sea pancake -- a malicious monstrous manta ray.
It comes in at a charge, attempting to batter your machines to bits. The
stinger on its tail might in fact be the least of your worries. It's time to
fight back, lest you be crushed here by this menace!
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Overzealous=======================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 3 *>=======================
========================< Results - Mucho Mean Manta >========================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 3 --(5)--> 8 Fail
Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 18 --(0)--> 18 Pass
My Mike 4 Combat Effects: Efficient and Fanfare
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 18 --(0)--> 18 Pass
Trusty Friends 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass
Conditions: Overzealous(2)|Stupify(1)|Tire(1)|Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Yue Rohay 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: Yue Rohay has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - A Ticking Time Bomb *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Many are the ships that sink in Aquvy. Probably about a third of them have
their cargo salvaged within a few days of sinking -- the rest are too far or
too deep for any operation not using a Gear, or have gone missing
altogether. You've come across one of these smaller sunken wrecks now.
What might have sunk it becomes very quickly apparent as you investigate.
Tangled in the wreckage are a series of undetonated mines... along with some
of the cargo the ship held. Extracting the cargo without setting off the
mines (and potentially destroying the cargo, not to mention the impact on
/you/) is going to be tricky and take some careful planning.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Treasure==========================================
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
Unfortunately for Yue, the Manta Ray swims faster than the Qubeley and already makes solid headway towards ramming her! Fortunately for Yue, Acacia solidifies a barrier around her robot thus protecting it from the SLAAAAAAMS of the Manta Ray! It's still going to rattle her up considerably, but at least she doesn't take on water and ... well it's Yue, she'd probably find a way to be okay, but at least she doesn't have to swim back to the mainland.
Luckily this gives Marivel enough time to ram it with her drill and send it flying, stopping short from severley wounding the beast because...it's a manta ray. THEY ARE MAJESTIC. THEY ARE...
RAYDIANT.
"Poor Minder, mm?" Marivel murmurs before adding, "Well tis the drifter life. She will see Dorca and Ranna again. And they miss her too. But in missing one another, tis proof that they cared for each other. Tis sad, but not a thing to mourn. Not so long as they can see each other yet."
She pauses a bit before adding, "Well you could. ... I--"
She trails off before adding, "Surely there have been cute stories to tell, Acacia. We should be grateful you do not have world ending portents to share every week. Lord knows the Zeboim Federation could've learned to live life with a fewer cries about apocalypses."
She pauses a bit before adding, "Though...considering what happened... Perhaps they did not cry hard enough?"
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
She's not fast enough, not skilled enough; the engines aren't up to par and the Manta Ray is in its dominant environment. On the other hand, she technically achieved her goal of drawing aggro! There's a 'rrh!' from Yue as the giant creature jostles against the Aura, who is mostly protected only from Acacia's barrier.
"Who knows? Perhaps with time--" she heaves aloud as she draws hard and back on her side-stick, pitching them up and hard by the time the Qubeley comes around for a crash. It goes flying and... that is that.
"True. But Minder never chose to be a Drifter, did she..." she chuckles very quietly. "Alas."
She looks over to Acacia when she presses her hand to her arm, looking surprised for a moment. Then she lets out that grumble of hers, and there's a quirk of her eyebrows to say, "Perhaps I would be grateful if you put this machine to rest once and for all."
The moping is cut short as a very familiar alarm sound plays. You know. This one:
( SFX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgtV_byet7s )
"Mmm?" Yue looks towards the incoming pings. "Mari, up ahead. Several wrecks... fresh, too. Ah."
She zoom-and-enhances (yes the Zebooimers are truly magical that way) and she relays, pointing out with her finger manually to Acacia, "Mines." Keyboard mashing. "The estimated impact radius is... significant."
She narrows her brow and keeps on typing, throwing herself to the support role. "I'm going to share the overlay with you and point the live ones out."
DG: Yue Rohay has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Ticking Time Bomb.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"Being a drifter is often chosen for you." Marivel admits. "Of course, I am something of an exception to this rule." She leans back in her cockpit. "But well, there is little for me waiting at my home. All that which I love lie in strange places."
Yue calls her attention to some further wreckage. Marivel approaches with the Qubeely, shining a light on it. She frowns a bit, seeing the mines.
"I'm afraid Qubeley is definitely not suited for this sort of action." She glances towards Yue's own mech before adding. "Mm... I will keep a light shining on the path. Acacia, can we rely on you to reach the treasure?"
She smiles faintly. "Of course, mayhaps tis best to not get too greedy. I shall leave it to you, my friend, to decide if you are comfortable making the journey."
More like ZOOMBoim.
DG: Marivel Armitage has used her Tool Wisdom of the Crimson Nobles by M. Armitage toward her party's challenge, A Ticking Time Bomb.
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
Acacia is smart enough to stop talking while the manta ray menaces them, guessing that a ship this beat up is probably not going to have the best stabilisers in the world and that accidentally biting her tongue would probably suck. Instead, she braces for impact, and breathes out a sigh of relief afterwards that they're still more or less floating.
"... of course there are cute stories. At least, I'd like to think there are," she replies to Marivel with a rather meaningful glance at Yue, then a slight huff under her breath. "But until I get the okay, I'm not gonna just-- kiss and tell." She's doing her best to be flippant about it, but she's not exactly the best actor out there. The light hitch at the operative word in that sentence is obvious enough, and she acts quickly to try to cover her slip. "... same goes for ARMS and delicate operations."
The tips of her ears are red as she glances away from Yue and puffs out a breath as she furrows her brow, a quiet determination in her voice. "... machine aside - look, everything aside. I'll make sure Minder's always welcome back at Meria Boule, and you too." She's debating whether to say more, but then the alarm fires, and she thins her lips as she offers Yue a quiet nod of understanding.
Settling back, she blinks as their wreck turns out to be rather heavily defended, leaning forwards to peer through the viewscreen. "This is one hell of a salvage operation. I figured the Thames always got the worst jobs, but even then..." she trails off, and experimentally tries to track where exactly they are. Unfortunately, it's not like they have much of an energy signature, nor a pulse.
"Ah-- right," she blurts after a moment's silence. She hadn't expected to suddenly have control of the mech's propulsion, so they nearly dip dangerously towards one of the mines before she realizes what's going on and picks up the slack. Before she really knows what she's doing she's miming along with the mech's movement, leaning a little to the left and then the right as it banks - then craning her neck upwards as they skim just above a live mine, her Ether nudging the control systems this way and that.
DG: Acacia Saitani has used her Tool Thrifty Drifty toward her party's challenge, A Ticking Time Bomb.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - A Ticking Time Bomb *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Many are the ships that sink in Aquvy. Probably about a third of them have
their cargo salvaged within a few days of sinking -- the rest are too far or
too deep for any operation not using a Gear, or have gone missing
altogether. You've come across one of these smaller sunken wrecks now.
What might have sunk it becomes very quickly apparent as you investigate.
Tangled in the wreckage are a series of undetonated mines... along with some
of the cargo the ship held. Extracting the cargo without setting off the
mines (and potentially destroying the cargo, not to mention the impact on
/you/) is going to be tricky and take some careful planning.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Treasure==========================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 4 *>=======================
======================< Results - A Ticking Time Bomb >=======================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass
Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 18 --(0)--> 18 Pass
Wisdom of the Crimson Nobles by M. 3 Wits Effects: Fanfare
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 18 --(0)--> 18 Pass
Thrifty Drifty 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 60 --(25)--> 85 Pass
Conditions: Overzealous(1)|Treasure(1)|Wound(2)
Effects: Enlighten(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Yue Rohay 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.
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
"It would be pleasant to visit again," Yue murmurs rather ruefully. "Perhaps more than other people... your home is a pleasant reminder of the few things that still stand in this world. Much like this bauble we bought, thinking so little of it so long ago."
Marivel mentions that the Qubeley isn't really suited for this, and Yue does realise that rather too late -- fortunately Acacia has it, as she lets go of the control and prompts the Aura to use its Ether-propelled systems to manuever them around the minefield.
"... there," Yue remarks. As she speaks, she codes -- and an arm pops on out of the underside of the machine to grab one of the containers as they go.
"The problem is likely not Meria Boule, but... 'tis a bridge we will cross when my mother forces us to."
DG: Acacia Saitani has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Enemy Mine *>=========================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You are not the only one seeking that wreck. You may have already known or
suspected as much, but now it is clear -- another Gear rips through the
water only to stop and pause to send you a message before jetting onwards.
It's a challenge. They want to see who is the one who should get to claim
the prize of the wreck this day.
Is this now a race?
Yes. This is now a race to the finish line that is the wreck.
(OOC: The GM for this round should feel free to have one of their alts be
the rival for this challenge!)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust, Tire============================================
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
"This is-- kind of strange," mumbles Acacia as she concentrates on 'piloting' the Gear, but there's a toothy sort of grin on her face at the same time as she admits: "But it's kind of fun, too. Never really thought I'd be able to pilot a Gear this well, you know?" Someone might have to burst her bubble at some point that most Gears don't come with free Ether Controllers... or maybe not, depending on what prize they end up with.
The arm underneath the machine snags the container, the wire straining as it goes taut. The way that the Gear pitches suggests more weight and resistance than expected, and the redhead finds herself gritting her teeth as if sheer mental effort will somehow make the Gear move more strongly. That... that also might be a preconception that needs fixing at some point. "Don't-- just assume you won't be able to come back," she puffs in the midst of it. "Have a little faith in the kids there."
She yelps as the tension suddenly gives way, the container rising from the wreck all of a sudden, propelled upwards enough to hang mid-water before drifting back down to the surface. It's shifted enough that it lands on an incline of the wreck rather than the hole it was dug into, and begins sliding down the seabed back towards the Thames, kicking up more silt and sand in its wake.
A little busy trying to avoid the mines above them, it's a few seconds before Acacia can swing the gear around-- and just as she does, a metallic thud resounds through the water around them, carried by the size of the impact. It's impossible to make out the full extent of the shadow that seems to loom above one end of the crate, but a pair of mechanical eyes glow through the cloud of silt.
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
There's another tired heave from Yue as she remarks, "Unfortunately, this is I say where you should not get used to it. The Ether Controller fine-tunes the Gear's movements in the way you do not think about blinking or breathing. You would run out of stamina and exhaust yourself moving it purely with Ether."
Still, she grimaces as she takes the side-stick and takes over again, as she has been before. "This is-- going to take a bit of effort."
A pause, as she listens first to the thud, then her mouth gapes open at the figure that's looming just before them.
"Promme! I should have known you would stop me from making a bad decision," Yue mumbles. What even is she talking about?
"But I need to do this. And not even you can stop me."
She's taken full control all of a sudden, growling as her fingers dance on the keyboard -- and suddenly the Aura's lurched forward as she races towards the depths of the ocean, thrusters flaring to life as the gravitic forces inside the cockpit take its toll.
DG: You use your Tool Cute Scrunchie against your party's Challenge, Enemy Mine!
DG: Yue Rohay has used her Tool Cute Scrunchie toward her party's challenge, Enemy Mine.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"Heh," Marivel does not further encourage kissing and telling but she does say, "Tis kind of you to say that, but I suppose tis a metaphor for my own life." Something that still stands. She doesn't comment on it, but Acacia telling Yue to have faith in the kids causes a smile to flicker on her face. A smile that fades when Yue refers back to her mother.
Her hands shake, then tighten.
"Promme...huh..." Marivel murmurs. "Well, regardless of thy intent... I refuse to give up on any challenge...!"
Oh but...
Uh...
....Qubeley isn't exactly a racing mech here. It...
Its little legs wobble intently...! Never Give Up Qubeley!!!
DG: Marivel Armitage has used her Tool Tomato Juice For Grownups toward her party's challenge, Enemy Mine.
DG: Acacia Saitani has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Enemy Mine.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Enemy Mine *>=========================
|Type: Climax |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
You are not the only one seeking that wreck. You may have already known or
suspected as much, but now it is clear -- another Gear rips through the
water only to stop and pause to send you a message before jetting onwards.
It's a challenge. They want to see who is the one who should get to claim
the prize of the wreck this day.
Is this now a race?
Yes. This is now a race to the finish line that is the wreck.
(OOC: The GM for this round should feel free to have one of their alts be
the rival for this challenge!)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust, Tire============================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 5 *>=======================
===========================< Results - Enemy Mine >===========================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass
Cute Scrunchie 3 Agility Effects: Fanfare
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 18 --(0)--> 18 Pass
Tomato Juice For Grownups 1 Agility Effects: Cleanse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 18 --(15)--> 33 Fail
Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 85 --(0)--> 85 Pass
Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Tire(2)|Wound(1)
Effects: Cleanse
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Yue Rohay has passed this challenge! The party gained 0 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
DG: Yue Rohay has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - They're All Torque *>=====================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
At last, you reach the wreck. Negotiating entry into the wreck itself is not
the problem.
The actual problem comes when, after many twists and turns, you reach the
door to the cargo storage section, still intact.
It's the intactness that is the problem -- the door is still sealed tightly
and heavily armored -- yes, even against Gear weapons; they just don't make
them like they used to. But there /is/ a enormous valve handle right next to
the door, just the right size for a Gear to try and turn.
But once again there is a final bit of bad luck at play -- the wreck has
been underwater for some time, and as such, it's not going to turn /easily/,
even for a Gear.
=Dungeon Conditions: Collapse=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
"Mm," the reporter replies wordlessly to Yue's comment and to Marivel's musing, her attention half-split on trying to fly after the container. She has to admit that Yue probably has a point; this is the most she's relied on her power since learning about it, and she can already feel the shadow of fatigue at the corners of her eyesight.
The metallic thud brings her up short, then leaves her sighing in relief. "Someone from the Thames, I guess... thank goodness for that. I wasn't looking forward to--gh!" This time she does nearly bite her tongue, though it's less the way the Aura suddenly lurches forwards under Yue's control and more the sheer disorientation of the Ether abruptly going still as her connection is cut off. "Yue? What are you..."
Ahead of them, the silt clears - and sure enough, as it dissipates it reveals that the container has been stopped in its tracks by a Veruni Golem, positively diminuitive when compared to the cargo but somehow having the strength to hold it in place. In stony silence, it lifts its head to regard the Aura and the Qubeley swooping down towards it. It would be a more dramatic scene were it not for the fact that Big Shal is apparently wearing a snorkel and goggles.
It doesn't even look like 'Promme' is going to offer any resistance, as if the Golem were mulling over the situation at length. For a moment, it seems to be looking right into the cockpit of the Aura - and then shifts ever so slightly to the side, as if studying Acacia in the corner, and then over at the Qubeley.
And then there's a shrill burst of static that cuts through everything.
Somehow, the sprightly voice comes loud over the communication systems of both Gears. "Big Shal, what'd you find? That bang sounded pretty big, didn't it?!" the voice is practically drooling, before pulling up short. "--eh? Eh? What do you mean, I'm not allowed this one? Eeeeh?" It's accompanied by a brief flash across the viewscreens - a little icon of a thumbs-up, and an accompanying 'ding!'
And yet, by Prometheus' standard, the gesture is a lot more subdued than normal. Even as the Golem drifts slowly upwards from the container thanks to a pair of massive water wings, it keeps its gaze locked on the battered form of Yue's Gear. One single flash of the thumbs-up changes to a warning sign, blink and you'd miss it - and then a shower of bubbles from a canister on its back sends the Golem up towards the surface.
<Pose Tracker> Yue Rohay has posed.
Yue is silent for a moment longer, her concentration fully on both her keyboard as warnings and various errors keep racing through the screen; she's in pure firefighting mode at this point, throwing away stability and safety in exchange for speed.
Even as it becomes clearer, as Shalune starts speaking on the speakers and comm system, that Big Shal wasn't going to pursue them.
"One day, my oldest friend... you will have to face me too," she murmurs to herself.
But even with the Qubeley's slower speed, the two of them arrive at the actual destination that Yue has in mind.
It isn't a wreck at all.
It's an old, decrepit structure, hidden underneath the weave of an undersea ravine. From above, even from the side, there's nothing; this is truly a hidden nook that requires one to understand where they're going.
And yet lights billow into sight as the impossible happens, and they actually surface /out/ of the water into a pocket of breathable air around where that decrepit, temple-like structure resides.
Yue lands. She keeps her lights and the systems on for Marivel to track them down as well. After several more checks, she seems satisfied and pulls on the hatch. There is an ominous hiss as the air compresses for a moment... and then she lowers the ladder as she steps out of the machine and to the back of the truly antiquated area.
It's difficult to tell what the place may have been. In some sense it looks like it could've been a temple; in other senses, the caution markings and other curiously high-tech accoutrements speak against that.
What is sure is the presence standing in the middle:
A red Gear.
"Acacia," she speaks. "You experienced it a little, when you were onboard the Aura. Manipulating the flow of a Gear through your power... letting it be one with you, even if only for a little while."
She lowers her head, her voice breaking up a little even as she explains.
"And now I will put you to one trial. Command this Gear, this Nephele... and it will be yours."
She looks ruefully towards Marivel, her smile more sad than ever, though the context might not be clear to Acacia. "I hope you do not have any problems with me committing some treachery and adding some power to your charges?"
DG: You use your Tool Zantetshoeken against your party's Challenge, They're All Torque!
DG: Yue Rohay has used her Tool Zantetshoeken toward her party's challenge, They're All Torque.
<Pose Tracker> Marivel Armitage has posed.
"So..." Marivel is quiet upon her arrival. "Is this the surprise you wished to show us?"
Something about a red gear feels ominous to Marivel--well okay Qubeley is kind of reddish. But red red? HMM. Nevertheless, she gets real quiet, real real quiet otherwise.
The Qubeley goes still.
"Are you certain?" Marivel is quiet. "I know you have...history with it. And the history is not a gentle one. Giving it to Yue... Some might say that is asking for history to repeat itself."
She taps her cheek. "I never bought into that saying, but..." She trails off again and shakes her head. "Well, if this tis your method of handling what happened...then far be it for me to protest. If Yue accepts it, then I shall as well."
She smirks ever so faintly. "And I am not one to protest some treachery on my behalf... Though truly, I wish for the day we can fight side by side once more. Seems as if 'twill be quite the journey to make it there."
<Pose Tracker> Acacia Saitani has posed.
As it rises, the Golem does offer one more gesture; it raises its hand slowly in something that might be a greeting, or might be a farewell, or might be something in between. Its face impassive, it's impossible to tell... but, well. Big Shal is not the sort to give up on anyone, or stop looking out for them.
Acacia obviously doesn't know what to make of the change that's come over Yue. Once or twice, her mouth nearly opens as if to say something - but then a new alarm silences her as the Veruni's attention is drawn to covering other problems, applying other patches. Rather than try to cut in, her brow slowly furrows down harder and harder instead; she can glean a little of what's about to happen, if only from knowing Yue well enough.
It's only after she's clambered out of the cockpit, only after she's followed Yue halfway across to the red gear, that she dares open her mouth - and even then it's in a hushed sort of whisper, because it feels wrong to break the silence and ceremony of the temple-like structure.
But she's not a reporter for nothing, and it doesn't take more than a few seconds of staring at the machine in front of her before she's looking back at the one behind her as well. The Aura might be hunched over, battered in places and unrecognizable in others - but she can see the similarities between the two machines. And the inevitable question from that has to be asked, as she looks towards Yue's drawn face: "... why?"
Her eyes narrow. "Is this more of your 'insurance'?" she adds a moment later, huffing a breath through her teeth as she plants a hand on her hip. "Does Minder know about this? That you're preparing to this extent? ... why's it always got to be to this sort of extent?" her shoulders sag a little as she finishes, running a raking hand through her hair as she lets out a long and heaving sigh.
Marivel lets slip that she has some idea of the history around the two machines - Acacia catches that, as well, and looks towards the Crimson Noble with a slightly exasperated expression, once more aware of how much history there is she doesn't know about. Even gleaning what she can from that clue, there's still a lot she doesn't know - but in the here and now...
...she looks back up towards the Nephele, her eyes glinting with a mixture of annoyance and irritation - but a good deal of conviction mixed in there as well. "... yeah. Alright. If it's for the sake of stopping you when you're ordered to do something you don't want to, then fine. But I'm not going to tell history to repeat itself. If anyone tries, I'll kick the hell out of them. That means you, too," she adds to Yue, then grits her teeth as she practically stomps towards the machine.
Well. If anyone could pilot based off of sheer pique, it's probably her...
DG: Acacia Saitani has used her Tool Mana Egg toward her party's challenge, They're All Torque.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - They're All Torque *>=====================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 2 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
At last, you reach the wreck. Negotiating entry into the wreck itself is not
the problem.
The actual problem comes when, after many twists and turns, you reach the
door to the cargo storage section, still intact.
It's the intactness that is the problem -- the door is still sealed tightly
and heavily armored -- yes, even against Gear weapons; they just don't make
them like they used to. But there /is/ a enormous valve handle right next to
the door, just the right size for a Gear to try and turn.
But once again there is a final bit of bad luck at play -- the wreck has
been underwater for some time, and as such, it's not going to turn /easily/,
even for a Gear.
=Dungeon Conditions: Collapse=================================================
=======================<* Seafloor Salvage - Round 6 *>=======================
=======================< Results - They're All Torque >=======================
Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yue Rohay 8 --(100)--> 108 Pass
Zantetshoeken 4 Brute Effects: Efficient and Rally
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marivel Armitage 18 --(100)--> 118 Fail
Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acacia Saitani 33 --(100)--> 133 Pass
Mana Egg 2 Brute Effects: Stalwart
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Yue Rohay 85 --(10)--> 95 Fail
Conditions: Collapse
Effects:
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: Yue Rohay is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Marivel Armitage is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Acacia Saitani 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 Yue Rohay has been fully Exhausted by Seafloor Salvage!
DG: The party will now draw a conclusion.
============================<* Seafloor Salvage *>============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Not Beyond Salvage *>=====================
|Type: Landmark |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
Try as you might, you just can't get access to the cargo bay. But all is not
lost -- you will not return empty-handed.
Sections of the wreck are broken up enough that you can easily collect
pieces -- machinery, scrap metal, and so on -- from it. Not only could these
be of use if you're the mechanically-minded, but it's a fair bet that the
Thames will pay you for the pieces. They're always needing spare parts up
there.
You might not have retrieved anything from the wreckage's cargo proper, but
you have brought something back up, and that's nothing to sneeze at.
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
[OOC] Yue Rohay says, "OOPS ACACIA CRASHED IT"