2021-05-14: ROADTRIPPP
- Log: Babel Tower ROADTRIPPP
- Cast: Gwen Whitlock, Seraph Ragnell, Lan Lilac
- Where: Babel Tower
- Date: May 14, 2021
- Summary: One Gear. One impossibly tall tower. Three girls. Several energy bars. ROADTRIP.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Why Don't We Fly Up There *>===================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 4 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The daunting Tower of Babel, so fittingly named, stands as a reminder of the
limits of human progress... and, perhaps, a teaser to urge one to surpass
their limits in turn. An enormous cylindrical structure of rusted metal of a
bygone era, it rises well past the atmosphere to bounds untold. Just peeking
inside, the scene of utter carnage that visits the innards of the tower is
clear. It would take remarkable feats of agility and balance to go through
all of this.
Then, perhaps, your first thought might be: "Why don't we just fly up
there?" Perhaps your Gears can fly! Perhaps you've obtained some kind of
lifter device! An ancient anti-gravity crystal! Or perhaps a good old
fashioned winch and rope contraption!
...
Should you succumb to this entirely understandable impulse, the inevitable
conclusion eventually arrives minutes (or hours, depending on how foolhardy
you are) later:
It's far too high to fly up there.
The Tower of Babel isn't one to give free passes, alas.
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Madness, Madness, Madness, Secret===============
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
So why can they all just get in their gears and fly up as high as they can? Let's find out!
Gwen, in her walking chicken mech, is not quite up to the task. But, with Lan and Ragnell along (the latter of which they may or may not be aware of being present), it should be a fun adventure, at least! And it's not like two people can't fit in a Gear Gwen's specifically made to carry a modest amount of heavy cargo. "So, the plan is, we're gonna just floor it up, get up as far as we can, then just find some way t'get in at that height. I mean, I doubt we can get up to the top of this thing, but maybe halfway? Maybe more."
This is a good plan. Gwen is certain of it.
--TWENTY MINUTES LATER--
"...... We're gonna run out of fuel if this keeps going like this...." The land has since disappeared behind the clouds, and Gwen spreads her lips thin with frustration. "No easy access points either! Damn it, it's like they knew--"
Her face falls. "Well, they didn't think of _this_!" Her feet and hands fly from one panel to the next, pushing buttons and shifting pedals. A compartment flips open, exposing some colored wire. Gwen tugs her right glove off with her teeth, and latches her bare ARM right on the wires.
The Gear surges with a burst of pyrite gold energy, Gwen's own small wealth of energy being directly thrust into the Gear's own supply.
"They'd never expect somethin' like this!!"
--???? LATER--
Annnnnndd they're not finding an entry point. At all. ".... I don't think Halcyon is built for this high up...."
Gwen's not looking so good, either.
DG: Gwen Whitlock has used her Tool Portable Battery toward her party's challenge, Why Don't We Fly Up There.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell doesn't have a Gear. She doesn't really see a need for one on a personal level. She *has* driven one before though, thanks to Nimue, but that was a more standard type of Gear rather than the walking chicken mech Gwen possesses. How did she get here? Listen--don't even worry about it. The point is, Ragnell's here, chilling out in the back of the cockpit, sprawled out like there's plenty of space even though three people is kind of a tight squeeze, presumably.
"Sure, why not?" she drawls at Gwen's 'let's fly up!' plan. "If they don't have a convenient entry point, we can just punch one in, probably."
LATER
"Actually, thinkin' on it, a tower this big would have t' be reinforced along the walls to keep from topplin'. You probably couldn't jus' punch a hole in the side, then. They'd want to avoid anything that'd make this sucker fall, because they're all about that pride life."
Ragnell pauses.
"If you wanna use your own life energy, though, I'm sure that'd definitely work an' not get you killed," she adds.
MORE LATER
"Gosh, ya think??" Ragnell wonders, tone faux innocent. "Well, whenever you figure out a way in, we'll be right here. Right, Lan?" And with that, Ragnell pulls out a silver harmonica from her poncho and begins to play a dramatic melody. Maybe it'll be inspiring! Maybe it'll just be annoying. It'll be well-played either way.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has used her Tool Polished Harmonica toward her party's challenge, Why Don't We Fly Up There.
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
It cannot be overstated just how much Lan does not own a Gear.
She doesn't know how to fly (or drive, or guide, or commune with) Gears either. In fact, the last time she was even inside of one she kind of embarrassed herself by curling up in a ball and making a high pitched noise until it was all over. (In her defense, she didn't get into the Gear voluntarily, she was being faced down by dozens of heavily-armed and better-trained Gears and pilots, and it was a dream.)
But this time will be different! For one thing, Gwen is easier to get along with than Loren, and for another thing there aren't supposed to be any enemy Gears hanging out up here. Lan will make up for her previous failure, they'll get to the top of Babel Tower, and they'll get in contact with the mysterious nation of Shevat!
...Or at least that was the plan when they set out. Now it's a long time later, Lan's initial armrest-gripping tension has bled out into boredom and again into kind of a nervous boredom, and she's watching the viewscreens in the manner of someone who thinks they know what most of the dials mean and finds them all worrisome. And also the cockpit's a bit crowded. She's taken to folding and refolding a familiar scrap of paper, like some kind of low-rent attempt at finding her zen or something.
"Well, there has to be a window somewhere! For air and stuff, or the inside of the tower would be super stuffy and maybe everybody would suffocate?" Lan laughs a bit nervously. "Because if there's not one, and we run out of fuel, doesn't that mean we'd just kind of... fall, all the way back down?"
"..."
Lan starts folding the paper faster. Cloud, cloud, chicken foot, skull-- "GWEN is that even OKAY?!"
DG: Lan Lilac has used her Tool Paku-Paku toward her party's challenge, Why Don't We Fly Up There.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Why Don't We Fly Up There *>===================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 4 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The daunting Tower of Babel, so fittingly named, stands as a reminder of the
limits of human progress... and, perhaps, a teaser to urge one to surpass
their limits in turn. An enormous cylindrical structure of rusted metal of a
bygone era, it rises well past the atmosphere to bounds untold. Just peeking
inside, the scene of utter carnage that visits the innards of the tower is
clear. It would take remarkable feats of agility and balance to go through
all of this.
Then, perhaps, your first thought might be: "Why don't we just fly up
there?" Perhaps your Gears can fly! Perhaps you've obtained some kind of
lifter device! An ancient anti-gravity crystal! Or perhaps a good old
fashioned winch and rope contraption!
...
Should you succumb to this entirely understandable impulse, the inevitable
conclusion eventually arrives minutes (or hours, depending on how foolhardy
you are) later:
It's far too high to fly up there.
The Tower of Babel isn't one to give free passes, alas.
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness, Madness, Madness, Madness, Secret===============
==========================<* Babel Tower - Round 1 *>=========================== ====================< Results - Why Don't We Fly Up There >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gwen Whitlock 0 --(29)--> 29 Fail Portable Battery 1 Wits Effects: Resilient and Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lan Lilac 0 --(29)--> 29 Fail Paku-Paku 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 0 --(17)--> 17 Pass Polished Harmonica 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Gwen Whitlock 0 --(15)--> 15 Fail Conditions: Madness|Secret(2) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Gwen Whitlock has failed 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: Seraph Ragnell has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
================<* CHALLENGE - Major Issues to Ground Control *>================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your Gear's sensors spot a person-sized door with blinking lights; there's
power behind it! One quick disembark later, your team filters into an
impressive control room, with at least a dozen panels expanding before you.
A cursory glance immediately shows that you can open at least a couple doors
and make progress by using the systems in this room.
There's one issue:
It's all sideways. Hopping and jumping from one platform to another is one
thing, but seating yourself in front of a computer and making something
happen is another...
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
".... Whoah, Ragnell? Oh hey, Ragnell!"
Gwen just accepts it. She's even happier that Ragnell is here, even. If Lan has to ask questions, Gwen will answer them, which may be necessary as the view outside the cockpit grows monotonous.
And what could they even do to help, really, as Gwen attempts her hare-brained scheme?
"Nah, nah, I calculated how much fuel. We're just reachin' the point where I need t'think about findin' a way in. I ain't *that* nuts."
But she is, however, nuts enough to place herself, the one pilot, as the Gear's battery for a decent amount of time!
And all for naught too, as she pulls her hand away from the wire with a sheepish laugh. ".... Uh... let's... find a spot..."
IS that a platform way down there, as they descend?
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"Hey Gwen!" Ragnell chirps, putting her instrument away. "You were doin' somethin' interestin'-lookin' so I figured I'd tag along. Cheers!" And that's about as much explanation as either she or Lan will receive. Don't even worry about it!
Lan suggests that there's got to be a window up here *somewhere* to let the air in. "Oh, now that you mention it, the air actually gets thinner the higher up in the atmosphere you go," Ragnell says conversationally with all the knowledge of a spirit of the storm. "So it'd actually be real, real important for them to *not* have windows to keep the air they got circulatin' inside all concentrated, not just for the breathin' but for the pressure. Hm! I never considered that before." She pats her on the shoulder. "Good thinkin', Lan!" She pauses a beat. "You better find us a landin' real quick, Gwen."
Fortunately, there is indeed a person-sized door on the side of the tower, and landing lights around it twinkle to indicate that there's power. It's very lucky, and very suspicious. Ragnell doesn't mention her suspicions. They've already come this far, and there's no point in going back. At least they make it inside with no problems.
No, the problems come *after* they're inside, and everything is built sideways. Ragnell squints and leans forward past the cockpit seats where Gwen and Lan are situated to peer at them. "Well, the hell is that," she utters. "Why would they build it like this? Hmm." She leans back and folds her arms behind her neck. "Sure hope you're up on your pilotin' skills, Gwen, 'cuz I got nothin'."
Thanks, Ragnell!!
DG: Seraph Ragnell has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Major Issues to Ground Control.
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
The power boost seems to help... somehow? Or maybe it's the sudden embodiment of Ragnell and her trusty harmonica. If they're going to fall to their deaths, at least there will be a fitting bluesy soundtrack.
Lan wasn't expecting a surprise quite like... well, Ragnell. "Gah!" But hey, at least she doesn't quite shriek and claw at the dashboard. This time. "What the-- oh, you, uh-- Ragnell!" From Lan's point of view, it's been quite a while since they've been together. Honestly, the fact that her notoriously slippery memory didn't fail to catch the Seraph's name is probably quite auspicious.
Once they've actually found a door, though... getting inside turns out to have maybe been the easy part. "Wait, why is it all--" Lan frowns upon hopping out of the Gear. Normally, she'd be much happier about being back on her own two feet. The sideways room, though, is going to be a different kind of challenge than she'd really expected.
"Okay, so, maybe if we just... kind of each grab and end of my ribbon we can both share it?" she suggests, tugging it free of her hair with a soft 'vwip' of silk. "And then just... count to three and jump, I guess?" It seems like a solid idea!!
And once (if) they've made it to one of the terminals, Lan sort of... monkey-climbs onto the chair and leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaans to one side, reaching the one hand she dares not to use in 'staying in place' to peck out words on the keyboard. Thank goodness her exercise regimen pays attention to core strength.
DG: Lan Lilac has used her Tool Butterfly Ribbon toward her party's challenge, Major Issues to Ground Control.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
Managing a relatively gentle landing, Gwen sprawls back in her chair. "Y'all... uh... yeah. I'm gonna take a breather." A few button taps, and another compartment opens, revealing some granola bars. She does, of course, offer one or two to Lan and Ragnell. "S'got dried healberries in it. Just sweet enough."
This apparently is enough that Gwen is able to follow in after Ragnell and Lan before long, poking her head into the sideways room. "Whoaaahhh. It's like a funhouse room! I wonder why they built it this way..."
She considers. "... Or maybe, we're the ones who're sideways? Think 'bout it. Why build somethin' like this if it's supposed to be sideways? Maybe it used to be.... not sideways. Like, the room wasn't sideways until it got put in this tower." Her eyes cross at the thought. "I mean, it'd have t'be separate from the tower, because how the heck would this all be one part?"
In the end, it's a goddamn sideways room and none of them can fly, and she can't exactly just burst down the door with her Gear. Gwen nods at Lan. "Sounds as good as anything!"
DG: Gwen Whitlock has used her Tool By Hook or by Crook toward her party's challenge, Major Issues to Ground Control.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
================<* CHALLENGE - Major Issues to Ground Control *>================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your Gear's sensors spot a person-sized door with blinking lights; there's
power behind it! One quick disembark later, your team filters into an
impressive control room, with at least a dozen panels expanding before you.
A cursory glance immediately shows that you can open at least a couple doors
and make progress by using the systems in this room.
There's one issue:
It's all sideways. Hopping and jumping from one platform to another is one
thing, but seating yourself in front of a computer and making something
happen is another...
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
==========================<* Babel Tower - Round 2 *>=========================== ==================< Results - Major Issues to Ground Control >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gwen Whitlock 29 --(0)--> 29 Pass By Hook or by Crook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lan Lilac 29 --(0)--> 29 Pass Butterfly Ribbon 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 17 --(0)--> 17 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Gwen Whitlock 15 --(30)--> 45 Pass Conditions: Secret(1)|Tire(2) Effects: Quicken(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Gwen Whitlock has passed this challenge! The party gained 30 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: Lan Lilac has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
========================<* CHALLENGE - The Punishment *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
An alarm blares out in the midst of your exploration through a strange,
sideways urban area. Several round machines with warning signs flank you! It
seems like you've broken an arcane and unknowable traffic rule, such as
"crossing the street at not a crossing," or perhaps "breaking a red light"!
Unfortunately, the punishment for jaywalking in this ancient society is
laser beams. Prepare yourself!
=Dungeon Conditions: Reckless=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"That's me!" Ragnell chirps at Lan's uttering of her name. She pauses, though, tilting her head at Lan as if seeing her for the first time. "Somethin' else that comes to mind, but... why're you taggin' along on this trip, Lan? I thought you didn't want anythin' more to do with any sky cities." She grimaces. "You're not goin' back for *Loren*, are you?"
She thought Lan was finally over that guy. If it turns out this is for a man, Ragnell's soul will have to leave her body. Inasmuch as she has one, as a Seraph.
Regardless, Ragnell accepts one of those granola bars and crunches away at it. She watches as Lan clambers outside the Gear with her butterfly ribbon and counterbalances herself against Gwen, who makes herself go cross-eyed theorizing about how and why the room might be sideways.
"You have a point. I don't think they'd've built it like that for funsies. There must be a purpose," Ragnell muses as her companions do all the work. "But even I couldn't speculate what that purpose would be. Hmm." Then she shrugs. "Maybe we'll find out the further in we go."
Fortunately, Lan and Gwen knock this progression out of the park, and soon they're all ready to climb up higher into the tower. Onwards!
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
"If... if we became sideways somehow just by flying up the outside of the tower..." Lan begins, squinting at the terminal as she types, "Does that mean we're... but wouldn't that mean we..." It's too hard to be existential and type and not fall off the chair at the same time, so she trails off and lets Gwen get super conspiracy theory in the background until the doors finally open and they can ascend(?) one more.
unless they're really going sideways now aaaaaaaah
The chosen door leads to... definitely not what the inside of a tower ought to look like, although Lan certainly hasn't been in that many towers before. It's some kind of... city? Inside the tower?!
"Whuh-- no, I'm not here for him! He's not even... We're trying to get to Shevat, remember?!" Shevat, the ancient enemy of Solaris. "...Even though it is in the sky too," she admits. "But we can't just... let them do whatever they want. But we're going to need help, or maybe we can help them, and... and not everything I do is about some guy or another, okay?!"
Somehow in the course of defending herself, she missed the 'WALK' signal. But in her continued defense, Lan has never seen a traffic signal before.
A group of pillbox-shaped machines swarm towards them, blasting away with lasers. Apparently Traffic Crime is very important here?!
A laser beam bounces off of the glass of Lan's canteen and strikes a lamp post, which promptly falls over.
DG: Lan Lilac has used her Tool Clear Water toward her party's challenge, The Punishment.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"..... Maybe this whole thing was supposed t'be not-sideways, originally..."
This is Gwen's stunned remark as she stares at what seems to be a futuristic city landscape, devoid of people (most likely due to it being sideways). "But where could it have been? Somethin' like that in the sky... people'd see that. Though I guess I ain't sure how there's never been any reports of no floatin' cities. Outside of a few one-gella novels n' the like. But those tended to be a little more... idealic-like?" Would that even be a word?
Turning back to regard her two companions, Gwen's grin turns awkward as Ragnell teases Lan, as a Ragnell would do. "I wasn't about to go up this tower by myself. N' if we contact Shevat, maybe we could establish some nicceee trade deals!"
But first, they need to get to the top. And before they can do that, they need to get across(?) this street. Or up this street.
Still spent from her stint as a Gear battery, Gwen's not exactly ready to make waves with her fighting prowess.
But that doesn't mean she can't punch things.
"No wonder no one wants to live in a city like this. Can't jaywalk sideways!"
Gwen is very proud of this quip
DG: Gwen Whitlock has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Punishment.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
'We're trying to get to Shevat, remember?!' "Shit, is that what we're doing? I guess that makes more sense, all considered," Ragnell muses. She pats Lan on the shoulder again, assuming Lan lets her. "Good, though! He really is a fuckin' turd. I was hopin' you'd finally gotten your head on straight when it came to him."
Ragnell might have watched the two of them yell it out, but that really doesn't guarantee anything. And when Lan yells that not everything she does is about some guy, Ragnell nods in approval. "Good. You're better than that."
Gwen suggests that she's heading to Shevat to make some sweet trade deals. Ragnell raises an eyebrow at her, then shrugs. "Sure, why not? If you can pull it off."
Then a bunch of robots start shooting lasers at them for the heinous crime of jaywalking. Ragnell would have jaywalked whether she'd known what the hell jaywalking *is* so this is legit, but she stares at the attacking bots all the same. "Gwen, open up a hatch or somethin' for a moment, would ya? I got a present for these little bastards." If/when Gwen does this, Ragnell will pull a pin from a grenade and toss it outside into where the crowd of traffic control bots is thickest. It'll explode with a galaxy-shaped pulse of lightning a moment later. Good thing it's not an outright EMP, or Gwen's chickenbot would have an even worse time of it.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has used her Tool Lightning Grenade toward her party's challenge, The Punishment.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
========================<* CHALLENGE - The Punishment *>========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
An alarm blares out in the midst of your exploration through a strange,
sideways urban area. Several round machines with warning signs flank you! It
seems like you've broken an arcane and unknowable traffic rule, such as
"crossing the street at not a crossing," or perhaps "breaking a red light"!
Unfortunately, the punishment for jaywalking in this ancient society is
laser beams. Prepare yourself!
=Dungeon Conditions: Reckless=================================================
==========================<* Babel Tower - Round 3 *>=========================== ==========================< Results - The Punishment >========================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gwen Whitlock 29 --(17)--> 46 Fail Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lan Lilac 29 --(17)--> 46 Fail Clear Water 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 17 --(5)--> 22 Pass Lightning Grenade 3 Combat Effects: Fanfare -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Gwen Whitlock 45 --(20)--> 65 Pass Conditions: Reckless(2)|Tire(1) Effects: Cleanse ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Gwen Whitlock 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> Lan Lilac has posed.
Maybe this tower was really supposed to be a tunnel, once. Could it have connected two somethings? Ugh, just thinking about it makes Lan want to go back down and forget all about it!
The lamp post doesn't fall on anything significant, and Gwen's Gear's wide punch does little more than ding a laserbot's metal shell. This might've been much worse, except that Ragnell absolutely came prepared for nonsense. The grenade rooooolls underneath one of them... and explodes, as grenades are wont to do. Pretty soon there aren't any more laserbots.
"...I guess," Lan finishes lamely, looking away from Ragnell. It's not like she doesn't know that Loren sucks at most social situations, but he's been getting better. He's like her in the ways that Gwen isn't like Lan.
DG: Gwen Whitlock has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Wayside Stories in Sideways City *>===============
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You come across a bizarre urban area turned sideways; your footholds have
become strange rectangular buildings of stone and glass, and your wall has
become a tapestry of paved roads painted white and yellow, with various
traffic and lamp posts acting as swing bars.
Setting aside the good questions of what an ancient city is doing inside the
Tower of Babel, the shift sideways also adds new challenges - the glass
breaks easily underneath your Gear's weight, and the posts aren't always
ready to support a Gear either.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"Don't make me come back there," Gwen comments wryly, shooting a cheeky grin over her shoulder at the two. "Loren... well, he's got his own challenges he's gotten rise up to. I'm kinda happy I was able t'get to know him better in recent events, but it ain't like someone can walk away from a lifetime of being raised in Solaris." She chomps on another meal bar (is it her third? Fourth? Is it even worth it to count?). "Maybe that's why he n' Elly can't ever seem t'get along. She's the exception to the rule, n' an example of someone who's walked away and found happiness in spite of it all."
Or maybe it's because he's Loren and Elly's technically a big traitor with a capital T, if you would capitalize a word to make it seem more important. "That's my take, as a person who.... got really burned by him." Pause. "..... Man, did he always use fire ether like that?"
Her chatter will hopefully disguise the way her body shudders at the memory.
Building to building they hop in the Halcyon, Gwen wishing she could see what it'd be like to peer into one of those rooms. How did these people live? Were there ever people here, after this was all built?
*KISH* The Gear lurches sideways, as one foot goes through a glass window.
"Hold on, things may get a little bumpy here." Gwen engages some switches, and one of the three-pronged hands rotates out to switch with shooting spear, connected by a heavy duty cable, which loops onto a lamppost further up. "Here we go!"
DG: Gwen Whitlock has used her Tool By Hook or by Crook toward her party's challenge, Wayside Stories in Sideways City.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Ragnell raises an eyebrow at Lan. That sounds an awful lot like she doesn't actually agree. "You 'guess'?" she prompts. She frowns over at Gwen when she weighs in, then sighs heavily. Since she wasn't there for that conversation as far as Lan knows, she doesn't bring up all the things Lan screamed at Loren, but if they want to keep all that to themselves, well, that's their business. "If you say so."
As the Gear moves onwards, the group once again comes across a sideways settlement. "Okay, it's official--they definitely did this on purpose," Ragnell declares, looking around at the traffic posts and wall-roads. "I wonder--" She tracks a road with a finger, then traces it around in a vast circle on the outside edges of the tower for as far as the Gear's visuals allow her to. "--was it supposed t' *spin*?"
Not that spinning would really help them on their climb, but it might help provide some insight on how to traverse the strange settlement.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Wayside Stories in Sideways City.
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
There are a lot of reasons that Loren and Elly don't get along - and none of them are really Elly's fault, although if one were to ask Loren he would definitely say the exact opposite. Honestly? Elly might, at one time, have agreed with him.
Lan is a little more privy to Loren's inner turmoil than most. It doesn't excuse him.
It's just that Lan is lonely too.
"Yeah," she nods, still looking out through the monitors. "I guess."
Gwen lightens the mood a bit and Lan sighs before trying to reach out further with the magic in her ribbon. There's no way it can lift an entire Gear...!
But maybe it can help just enough, somehow.
"--Fire Ether? He always used earth, and sometimes water. It wasn't until... oh." Lan blinks. "The ceremony. Where we got his memory back and cleansed the Primarch out of him. Remember when he woke up screaming and on fire?" Not in the way Ragnell probably would have liked to have seen, alas.
DG: Lan Lilac has used her Tool Butterfly Ribbon toward her party's challenge, Wayside Stories in Sideways City.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Wayside Stories in Sideways City *>===============
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
You come across a bizarre urban area turned sideways; your footholds have
become strange rectangular buildings of stone and glass, and your wall has
become a tapestry of paved roads painted white and yellow, with various
traffic and lamp posts acting as swing bars.
Setting aside the good questions of what an ancient city is doing inside the
Tower of Babel, the shift sideways also adds new challenges - the glass
breaks easily underneath your Gear's weight, and the posts aren't always
ready to support a Gear either.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
==========================<* Babel Tower - Round 4 *>=========================== =================< Results - Wayside Stories in Sideways City >================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gwen Whitlock 46 --(5)--> 51 Pass By Hook or by Crook 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lan Lilac 46 --(5)--> 51 Pass Butterfly Ribbon 2 Agility Effects: Quicken -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 22 --(25)--> 47 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Gwen Whitlock 65 --(20)--> 85 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Reckless(1) Effects: Quicken(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Gwen Whitlock 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> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"You noticed it too, Ragnell? I remember Riese-- I think it was Riese. She mentioned that this could've been a way Lunar and Filgaia could've connected, maybe in a time before portals n' the like. Or, like, a way that was open to anybody. Before Althena or someone else might've disconnected the two planets by whatever they did."
Could this truly be tall enough to reach Lunar? But how does Shevat fit into this theory, then?
"Ahhh, so Loren got some fire powers. Gotcha. I mean, it was as much of a trial for Loren, so." It's idle chat for now, as Gwen engages in navigating up the sideways landscape.
Having them there makes it smoother, for sure.
".... I would say I'm a bit jealous, but I got to chat with a being that was honestly kinda sweet, when you placed everything in context." She frowns, staring through the glass of her cockpit. "Sometimes I wonder if Setanta thinks I abandoned them, y'know? Maybe if I just... try to contact them, once things settle down." When she's certain Setanta's first sight of their friend would be her screaming and running away.
Getting to a stable platform that didn't seem like it would give way, Gwen turns around again, offering more snacks. "Either of you need a break? I realize thus ain't the smoothest ride ever."
DG: Seraph Ragnell has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Don't Get Spacy Now *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
They say the weather enjoyed after an effortful hike is all the more
precious to savour; the moment of triumph in overcoming obstacles and one's
own limits.
The bright blue sky shines before you as you make one final ascent. The
sun's rays gleam warmly, bathing the crumbling top of the Tower of Babel
with a calming warmth. Everything is pleasant and quiet, allowing you a
moment of peace...
Then... it happens--
The powerful rumble of an ancient Gear in red and grayish white rising from
some strange-marked hangar bay. It doesn't look like any Gear that's
excavated from Ignas, nor does it bear the semblance of Galadian or Odessan
Gears. It doesn't even look manned, though there is a mysterious faded
insignia on its shoulder that reads:
-= GREATER UNITED NATIONS =-
(NB: For Outer Space folk, the make of this Gear is definitely offworld, yet
is so odd that it seems to predate even the Federation!)
What it /is/, however, is hostile -- it pulls out a long rifle and fires a
/beam/ out of it, as a warning shot. You're in for quite the fight!
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
Gwen shares her thoughts, or maybe Riese's thoughts, on how the tower might have connected the two worlds in a time before portals. Ragnell drums her fingers on the back of the cockpit seats. "Hmm."
Then Lan brings up that Loren had to be exorcized of a Primarch and got set on fire, possibly by Gwen, and Ragnell raises her eyebrows at both of them. "Come again?" she prompts them.
As for Setanta, though, Ragnell shrugs a bit. "We talked about that some before, as I recall. If you wanna go pay them a visit, I don't mind comin' with ya. That bein' said, if you wait for things to 'settle down' before you pay 'em a visit, you'll be waiting for the rest o' your life."
As Gwen's Gear rises to the final floor, up out into the open where the sun is shrining and the clouds pass lazily below, Ragnell pops outside and takes a breath. "Mmmm--love that high atmosphere," she says, sighing out. "You two probably should be cautious about comin' out here, though--"
PEW PEW. A Gear rises from a nearby hangar, marked with strange words that are meaningless strung together: GREATER UNITED NATIONS. What is that, exactly?? Of course, this matters little when it opens fire on Gwen's Gear with *laser beams*. They don't hit, but it's clear that was on purpose. The next volley won't be so forgiving.
Of course, neither will Ragnell. "EAT THIS!" she yells, chucking another lightning grenade at the GUN-damn robot.
DG: Seraph Ragnell has used her Tool Lightning Grenade toward her party's challenge, Don't Get Spacy Now.
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
Lan passes around her canteen, now that there are more energy bars. Thank goodness Gwen has the good ones and not those 'Soylent Nutribar' things that Loren is always carrying. They taste like wet cardboard.
"Oh you know, he had a Primarch inside of him somehow, because he got exposed to the Ley, and it was erasing his memories. So - you know I'm a shaman, right? - we did this dreamwalking ritual to go into his mind and try to figure out what was going on, and when we got to the root of it-- well, actually Moor Gault did all the heavy lifting there, but anyway--"
Honestly, the Sudden Gear Interrupt is probably a blessing at this point. Lan can yammer on like this forever.
"Wait, United Nations? But which nations??" she frowns at the monitors.
DG: Lan Lilac has used her Tool Clear Water toward her party's challenge, Don't Get Spacy Now.
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
When Ragnell asks, Gwen leaves it to Lan to answer, as she continues driving. "I was there too. It was real interestin'. Kinda sad, too." Her expression grows gentle, even if she's faced away from Lan and Ragnell. "I can't shake the feeling that the Primarch had a similar connection to Loren as Setanta did to me. Somethin' friendly, almost... protective. But they ain't human, or, uh, Seraph, for that matter. They ain't gonna think along the lines of either. 'Protecting' Loren probably seemed like 'taking memories' was the best bet. I remember my talks with Setanta-- a lot of their logic was like that."
Ragnell comments on Gwen's comment to visit Setanta, and Gwen sighs, nodding. "You got a point. This won't interfere with your, uh, other projects, will it?" She gives Ragnell a curious glance.
It's not that she expects Ragnell to give an answer, but it definitely stirred the idea in the courier's mind: what *would* K.K. think of Setanta? Would they try to contact them?
The sun breaks through, and Gwen blinks, setting the Gear in park. Ragnell's already out, and thankfully, comments about how they'd probably be cautious about coming out. "What, I've been in mountain towns before..." She glances back at her Gear's readings, remnants of its former life as a sea-faring Gear. ".... Oxygen is... huh, I guess that's a lot lower than the surface."
Well, at least they can admire the view before-- PEWPEW
"Wh-- Ragnell, get back in! They're shootin' at us!" They, being.... that gear?
United Nations?
"Is that another name for Shevat?" Gwen tries to accompany her companions in their efforts, opening hatches and windows as necessary, as well as firing a shot. "Goddamn, that thing is big!"
DG: Gwen Whitlock has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Don't Get Spacy Now.
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Don't Get Spacy Now *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
They say the weather enjoyed after an effortful hike is all the more
precious to savour; the moment of triumph in overcoming obstacles and one's
own limits.
The bright blue sky shines before you as you make one final ascent. The
sun's rays gleam warmly, bathing the crumbling top of the Tower of Babel
with a calming warmth. Everything is pleasant and quiet, allowing you a
moment of peace...
Then... it happens--
The powerful rumble of an ancient Gear in red and grayish white rising from
some strange-marked hangar bay. It doesn't look like any Gear that's
excavated from Ignas, nor does it bear the semblance of Galadian or Odessan
Gears. It doesn't even look manned, though there is a mysterious faded
insignia on its shoulder that reads:
-= GREATER UNITED NATIONS =-
(NB: For Outer Space folk, the make of this Gear is definitely offworld, yet
is so odd that it seems to predate even the Federation!)
What it /is/, however, is hostile -- it pulls out a long rifle and fires a
/beam/ out of it, as a warning shot. You're in for quite the fight!
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
==========================<* Babel Tower - Round 5 *>=========================== =======================< Results - Don't Get Spacy Now >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gwen Whitlock 51 --(5)--> 56 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lan Lilac 51 --(5)--> 56 Pass Clear Water 1 Combat Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seraph Ragnell 47 --(5)--> 52 Pass Lightning Grenade 3 Combat Effects: Fanfare -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Gwen Whitlock 85 --(35)--> 120 Pass Conditions: Save Point(1) Effects: Cleanse ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success! DG: The party led by Gwen Whitlock has successfully explored Babel Tower!
===============================<* Babel Tower *>================================
====================<* CHALLENGE - The Black Castle Rises *>====================
|Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your team lands the final blow, which significantly tears through the
ancient Gear's internals; looks like it only had enough integrity for a
brief battle, and was going to fall apart at any given moment.
Unfortunately, that also means that it effectively is unsalvageable - most
of the parts have turned to slag. When you investigate further, however, you
discover a cache of ultradense metal in a nearby hangar!
You've acquired some Z Alloy 20/5! It'd make for a good upgrade to your
Gear's most vital parts, to be certain. Just what does 20 slash 5 mean,
anyway? The purity?
---
Just as you're about to leave, another powerful force rattles the top of the
tower -- this time from above. A mysterious, enormous disc-shaped city
descends nearby, shrouded in an orange force field.
There is a most palpable silence for a moment, and then...
"... can you hear me? This is the City of Shevat.
The Queen Zephyr has granted permission for you to board.
We will launch a craft shortly for your Gears..."
It looks like your efforts to get up here weren't all in vain after all!
You've discovered the floating City of Shevat!
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ragnell has posed.
"Hmm." Ragnell otherwise doesn't interrupt as Lan and Gwen explain that Loren had apparently been possessed by a Primarch that *wasn't* Setanta. "Not the Water Primarch?" she wonders, thinking back to the shrine that had been under the original location of Wayside. It's a very interesting story regardless, though it sounds like Ragnell's coming in after all of it was already resolved. She listens and nods Lan's yammering on.
Would helping out with Setanta interfere with her other work, though? Ragnell smiles. "Who knows? I don't volunteer my time for things I don't want to do, either way."
The damn GUN opens fire, and they fire back. The enemy Gear crumbles, and there's no more enemies to fight. The hangar from which it'd come has some strange metal left behind in it, though, which is ripe for Gwen to grab for herself. Really, she's the only one who can, as the only actual Gear pilot present.
But then a disc-shaped city descends from below, and there's an announcement inviting the Gear aboard...
"Oh," Ragnell utters, peering up at it as she hops back into Gwen's mech. "Looks like we found Shevat after all."
<Pose Tracker> Gwen Whitlock has posed.
"Yeah. Setanta was only dealing with me because I forced the issue, regardless of whatever was spurrin' me on. It was the Water Primarch that was dealing with Loren, so we had to seek the help of Moor Gault." The odd span of time following the destruction of the Enemy Gear allows for some small talk, at least.
Either way, Ragnell doesn't volunteer her time for things she doesn't want to do. Gwen smiles softly, and gives a nod. "... Thanks, Ragnell. I may take you up on that offer. Setanta's been through a lot of isolation and pain. I think you might have some insight on this that I wouldn't have." A pause. "Being a Seraph n' all, at the very least. A mayfly's optimism may not be that much compared to the weariness of an old tree, y'know?"
She may need to work on that analogy.
Shevat appears, rattling the tower, and Gwen is stunned silent in reply. Thinking better of it, she moves a few levers, and offers her Gear's hand up, in reply.
It's trying to make a thumbs up sign, with three fingers. It's not really succeeding, but at least it doesn't seem like she's flipping an entire sky city off.
<Pose Tracker> Lan Lilac has posed.
"...It was Rahab," Lan nods, after Ragnell guesses correctly. There's something precious to her, something important, about the memory of Loren's younger self holding tight to the last trailing roots of Rahab's influence in his mind. Maybe it's because she was raised around so many other children. Maybe it's because there's a secret kind of delight that comes from getting at the meat inside of a chestnut - a reward for breaking past the spiky exterior.
Who can say?
But it's a scene she still holds dear.
And then... Shevat descends.