2021-11-10: Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky (Side D)
- Log: 2021-11-10: Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky (Side D)
- Cast: Grace Harvey, Kaguya, Arle, Azoth, Layna Manydays, Magilou, Ethius Hesiod (GM)
- Where: Celesti Wastelands
- Date: November 10, 2021
- Summary: A collection of rogueish individuals (and Azoth) follow the rumors of a paradise that should not exist... and at least one cannot bear to make sense of how. (Fourth of seven runs of the one-shot Alcidamas Village Dig.)
============================<* Celesti Wastelands *>============================ Decades ago, the nation of Celesti ripped itself apart in a vicious civil war. Outside of a handful of settlements, its former territories are lifeless. The remains of trenches, bunkers, and barbed wire lines serve as lingering reminders of the conflict--scars that have yet to heal. The earth is dry and barren, and much of the groundwater has been contaminated by biological or chemical weapons. Travel through the Wastelands is treacherous. The roads are pockmarked with shell craters, and Reapers have been known to haunt its blasted plains. A handful of functional rail lines cross the wastes, but these travel directly to their final destinations. The shattered remains of ghost towns dot the landscape. Some may yet hold things of value, but experienced travelers know better than to go treasure-hunting on a whim. The war-dead of Celesti do not rest. Ghosts aren't even the strangest things one can find here. As the war dragged on, both the Congressional Knights and Aquvy Union dug up ancient weapons to aid their efforts--including, it's rumored, ARMs from Zeboim. These rumors draw both the daring and desperate into the wastes, and more often than not, to their end. BGM: Shin Megami Tensei IV - Blasted Ichigaya
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
On the outskirts of Alcimidas, a safe sort of distance away for a gang to form, a completely non-conspicuous group starts to form. Well. Has formed. Currently in the questionable shade of a tree. Of those figures, one is the familiar three eyed face of Grace Harvey, Space Criminal. But towering next to her at nearly six feet is another three eyed woman. Black hair, brown eyes, and in a suit tailored for combat with which she doesn't wear a tie. She's also quite muscular, and sitting at her belt is a three section staff. For those of you with the eye for it, she's definitely a skilled fighter.
Grace rubs her hands together. "It looks like the gang's all here! Momma, let me introduce to you our extremely cool and awesome group of associates who aren't jerks!" She starts with the finely dressed Elven woman. "This is the best gambler on Filgaia and all around stylish lady and rad dungeoneer, Arle!" She gives a few moments of spotlight time, before moving on.
"And I know you've met Captain Manydays, but Miss Layna is the scourge of Lunar's sees and also a real tough fighter!" There's another pause, before she flick focus again. "This is Azoth, who will be acting as our synthetic specialist-" interpret as you will- "as well as being real smart and good in a fight and all around good dude." She seems to be building up steam now, as she gets through the group. "And this is Miss Kaguya! She's a botanist, so I thought she'd be a good asset, plus I can assure you she can hold her own and mess things up."
Grace takes a big, deep breath. "And this is... The illustrious and radical Miss Mazhigigika!" She throws a hand out, indicating Magilou. "Miludin!" Another, at a lower angle. "do Din Nolurun Dou!" Oh god she's doing jazz hands. "She who trembles dragons and and trespasses stars, to whom volcanos are merely furnaces for purity forged, that most terrifying and evil with of Lunar!"
Two tumbleweeds tumble past.
"Or, uh, Magilou for short."
But Grace is apparently not amped up to do her own improvised intro, probably because someone is here. "And of course, you know me, Grace Harvey, Criminal Menace and my compatriot Bea!" She indicates the pink quadrapedal robot next to her. "And finally, folks from all places, I would like to introduce the coolest woman I have ever met, my momma, Lynette Harvey!" The tall woman surveys the group, giving a curt nod. Grace continues, under her breath in a manner that we absolutely get heard, "Who has decided to pack all that coolness in and become a miner."
Lynette gives her a glare, then turns to the group. "Good to meet you all."
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
It is a really nice tree. Kaguya is currently busying herself taking a small sample from one of its branches--a little twig, which she places in a specimen jar and puts back in her bag, as well as using her tablet to take a number of readings without even pretending to be of standard Filgaian technology in this company. "The freakiest thing," she says, "Is these are here. How??? This soil shouldn't be able to sustain anything like this..."
She's got samples of that, too. She's a little dirty; she wears a lot of white, and digging around in the dirt isn't th best for that. But fascinated. She isn't even wearing her breathing mask except at her neck, because that's how good the air is here. But eventually, when Grace starts the introductions...
"Nice," Kaguya says to Arle, looking her over. Kaguya could be mistaken for an elf. But she's not an elf.
"Cap'n," she says to Layna, and nods to Azoth too, and then :Ds as she's introduced. "Oh yeah I'm basically the best?" she applies for herself. And then... there's...
"...Man. Not bad. You even did the jazz hands." She's kind of impressed.
"Nice to meet you," Kaguya says to Lynette, though she isn't quite rude enough to skip straight to her first name on meeting her immediately. Yet.
"Mining, huh? Well, not bad."
<Pose Tracker> Arle has posed.
Arle had spent the last couple days crashing in Grace's room.
Don't judge. Into every life, a little mooching must fall. This is just a bit of that.
But once the heat died down, she was out and about again... but still willing to come along with Grace Harvey, Space Criminal. Arle had a lead toward treasure (she often did) but it wasn't something she'd be able to act on for a little bit, for various reasons. So why not?
And that's how Arle ended up in the middle of this group.
For people who haven't met her before (which is probably everyone except Grace, unless you hang around underground gambling dens), Arle is a mid-to-short elf with stylishly messy straight hair that half-covers one eye, intensely blue-green eyes and a dangerous smile (or grin, depending) wearing a sleeveless waistcoat vest over a neatly buttoned shirt with a bolo tie, pinstripe slacks and low boots. And a hat. The hat has a feather tucked in the hat band, because you can't stop her. Today she has a Filgaian-style duster worn over it, but open.
"Quite a list of names," she says, "especially the long one." Because she is not going to call Magilou anything but Magilou, even once. That grin comes out as she looks at each of the others, thoughtfully. Her gaze lingers on Magilou a little longer, possibly because of the introduction - then Kaguya, whether it's because of the tech on display or not - but both are only a moment longer, and easy to miss.
"Well! I feel like I'm in good hands," she says, clapping her hands together once. "So what's the plan? I'm sure you didn't call us out here for no reason at all. Though, you know, if you *wanted* to go wandering, you could have just asked."
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Azoth would never ignore a message from Bea! ... Or Grace! Really! Except in the cases he were forced to by code and overrides. That is not today! He has been concerned for Grace after catching up with her post bank robbery. But when she introduces them all to her mother, Azoth perks up a little, eyes brighter. They made up! Or are making up right now. Good.
Once he's introduced, he smiles brightly at Grace's mother and gives a wave. Synthetic specialist... he'll keep the whole being synthetic himself thing quiet for now, in case Grace is trying to keep that part quiet. Aww, she thinks he's a good dude! Today, he will keep pretending on that. There's a crew here his objectives latch to for protecting today, returning their nods of greetings or other acknowledgments with a bright smile.
The introductions are convenient for him as much as Grace's mother. Arle's a new face, but he's worked with Layna (scourge seems like the opposite of what he's seen her do, but she's allowed to multitask) and Kaguya (definitely more than a botanist) in the past. By happenstance, he's fought alongside Magilou before too, who has a much more impressive set of titles than he was aware of. Azoth's mouth becomes a small 'o' as he claps quietly for Grace's theatrical introduction, then pauses, watching a tumbleweed pass by. He gives it a small wave goodbye.
Once they're finished and Grace introduces her mother in earnest, Azoth beams at her. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Lynette!"
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
When Grace reached out to Layna about this expedition, Layna readily agreed. She can't help but like her - there's something about her that reminds her of herself. And so it is that Layna is there when they all gather under that tree. She listens as Grace introduces everyone in turns, Layna's gaze lingering briefly on Arle for a moment as the only member of the group she doesn't recognize. To her, Layna offers a tip of the hat in greeting.
"Nice meetin' you, lass." Layna says, briefly glancing to Kaguya up in the tree as she comments to herself, before eventually turning to her gaze to Lynette, who also receives a tip of the hat in greeting.
"Good seeing you again. Pleasure to be working with you, aye?" Layna says, before nodding towards the others and offering them a grin. "And the rest of you too, of course. Promises to be an interesting day, aye?"
Arle asks what the plan is, so Layna looks toward Grace with curiosity.
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
YOU KNOW THERE'S AN OST: Clownpiece's Theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrH71-VISFQ
Non-conspicuous exhibit A, in this band of totally inconspicuous diggers, is a woman just a few inches over five feet. You wouldn't know she's this short, though, not to look at her. Up over her head stretches a hat all split in two, jester-trimmed, bi-coloured, all black-blue and lilac and hot, hot pink on its flaring edges.
The rest of her is exactly as ostentatious, with particular mention to her skirt, resting over hot pink hot-pants -- which appears, to any sense of sensibility, to be made entirely of old tomes. She is wearing a skirt... made of books.
It's not that Magilou has dressed to impress, today. It's just that this is how Magilou always looks. It's how she looked 1000 years ago, and it's how she'll look 1000 years from now.
She looks to Filgaia's foremost gambler, and then looks again. "Ahahaha -- oh, wow," she claps a hand to her heart, the other all covering her mouth. "You..." The word hangs in the air, for a moment, before her wrist flourishes out. "... you really must be something! Well, Filgaia couldn't hide you forever!"
Magilou laughs, and turns on a heel. She spreads her hands, and says: "Marvellous execution, dear Grace! I was going to deny everything, but if you're going to perform so adroitly, why, I cannot bring my black heart to do such a thing!" Her grin, too, hangs in the moment, as she looks to Arle, too, as if daring her to blink.
"And you," she turns back to one Lynette Harvey, "are the darling progenitor of this entire operation? Gracious. Our first date, and we're already meeting your mother?" This she asides to Grace, because apparently her black heart is totally horrible enough to put her on the spot like that. She's got a big ol' grin on her face, as if the whole thing is hilarious to her.
Magilou waves it off, and stretches her arms up over her head. "Weeeell," she says, "at least you thought to bring a cover. No one would ever expect this kid to be up to no good," she adds, thumbing back towards Azoth, Certified Good Boy.
"Lovely to see you two again, though," she adds, to Layna, and Kaguya, who is currently occupied with some nerd stuff.
DG: A party led by Grace Harvey is now entering Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===================<* CHALLENGE - Once Fiends, Now Friends *>===================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Alcidamas Village, as it's called - it's more of a proper town by now - is
easy to approach by foot. Skilled warriors have come together to help patrol
the roads and keep it safe from ne'er-do-wells. All remarkably cheerful, if
cautious. They're happy to give you directions to the place. The grass gets
greener and the sky clearer the closer you approach.
You are then beset upon by monsters! Fearsome creatures, known for being
some of the most dangerous in the entire region... but wait! Someone calls
out to you.
"Don't worry, they're tame!" they say. "They just escaped their pen. Can you
help us wrangle them back?" Fortunately, you're allowed to play rough. Don't
worry, they'll be fine! They remain surprisingly affectionate after the
fact. (Even before the fact, for that matter.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
That tree really shouldn't be here, in so many ways. It is a species that is (...or was) native to this part of Zoara, sure, but the land that was once Celesti is not a place where things grow. And yet, right here, they do! The wastelands surrounding this place are as miserable as ever, and the trip could be carried by their collective charisma and pluck. If only just so...
But there are blades of grass. Healthy, vibrant grass, that have hard fought against an earth thrice-salted... which is looking only twice-salted... and then single-salted, as they find the fabled place rumors speak of. Then there is no salted earth - only the spicy pepper of life. (ugh)
The arid air becomes more breathable, like... it sort of feels like a part of Lunar might've ended up here, or maybe even better. It has to be too good to be true, and over the distance there's a stampede of large, dangerous, fearsome creatures that those who wander the region already know are bad news.
"Don't worry! They're tame!" Someone calls from ahead, flanked by a handful of sentries who are decently well-armed but don't have that standoffish a character. "Sorry! They just escaped their pen. Can you help us wrangle them back?"
So, this bad news just became news. It's only good news if they're subdued, but even so, they aren't moving to kill - like the very sensation of the wild struggle for the right to live in an environment that can barely support life has been loved and cared for right out of them.
It's horrifying in a completely different direction!
"If you need to play rough that's fine!" Someone adds.
You aren't carrying anything.
You have 52291 Pennies.
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
Kaguya takes a little grass, too. For science.
Then she looks to Lynette as she mentions that it's a job, and regards her thoughtfully for a moment. "Yeah, that makes sense," she says. "Job's a job. I know how that goes." She works for a goddess after all! That's the same thing, right? But then, there's...
"Aahahahahaahh," Kaguya laughs at Grace without even pretending not to. "She's fun," Kaguya says of Grace. "...But yeah, it is really suspicious. This frankly just shouldn't be possible here."
She doesn't butt in in the matter of whether Grace comes or goes; instead she just makes a note that apparently she's looking out for Grace today, and rolls with the others. The monsters approach.
Kaguya reaches into her pack for a grenade--and then pauses. "...Tame, huh?" she asks, and tilts her head. "Play.. rough, huh."
She pauses, then shrugs, and just starts walking towards them. It is much, much too good to be true. "This is weird," she says. "It's weird to everybody else, right?"
Then she sets her stance, waits for one to charge towards her--and grabs it as it gets close, lifting the entire huge animal outright and suplexing it into submission. Kaguya just does not even pretend.
...But she does get some hair samples in the process...
DG: Kaguya has used her Tool Loot Abuse toward her party's challenge, Once Fiends, Now Friends.
<Pose Tracker> Arle has posed.
Arle returns nods all around. Layna looks dependable in a way she understands, Kaguya is... hmm. Kaguya is interesting; she's not sure what to make of her. Same with Azoth. She recognizes there is something unusual about him but can't tell what it is. Maybe it's just that he's too quiet to read.
Magilou made the same joke Arle was considering but decided to save for later in favour of pitching a softball. Thus is life! At least the reaction was good. "Dating is more of a state of mind," she says, "so if you want to put yourself into that state..." She'll have to move faster in the future. She feels a bit of a kindred spirit with Magilou, at least.
Which may explain the slightly more toothy grin she gives Magilou. She does not blink in the face of what is quite possibly the most magical jester of all. "I prefer to think of myself like a gem... Hidden in the darkness, until I get out and shine! Nowhere's going to hide me forever."
Lynette's got a plan. That's all well and good, but apparently it didn't include Grace. Arle has opinions about that, but she keeps them to herself - for now - because it turns out her interrupting isn't necessary.
"You're right, it is a little weird. Farming isn't really my field," she says, with a bit of a wrinkled nose, "but I suppose it's worth looking into." It does at least feel nicer than most of Filgaia. Even given the...
The...
"Someone *tamed* these? What, do you hire beastmasters around here?" Arle has a relatively limited number of options against a beast - they're not smart enough to fast talk, they don't always pay attention to feints and misdirection (or at least not the sort she usually keeps on hand), and Arle doesn't appear to have any weapons at all.
Or, wait, she does; a single coin flips into her fingers from somewhere up her sleeve. Arle rolls it across her knuckles and then flips it with her thumb at the closest beast, and the impact is stinging enough to convince it to turn aside, stilling for a moment so that Arle can vault up and...
Well, she's not really dressed for a rodeo, but that appears to be what she's doing. She whips her hat off, smacking it against the beast's flank with a clothy thump. "Hya! Get going!"
You aren't carrying anything.
You have 52291 Pennies.
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Azoth does look rather Good Boy(tm) with his smiling face, fluffy blond hair, and big, round eyes filled with innocence and curious wonder that he handily supplies to Magilou's thumb with an unassuming tilt of his head. "Ah? Oh, of course, I can definitely cover you. I'm sturdier than I look...!" Perhaps by virtue of being surrounded by Crimes, he looks even more unsuspecting and harmless. Convenient!
Bea beeps at him, and Azot smiles and beeps back, not worried about that now, or who overhears his secret Beep Speak conversations with his fellow construct. 'That's kind of her, but it's fine here.' Then he watches as Grace has her Disaster moment with Magilou. '...You were right, this IS amusing,' he beeps at Bea. He is too much of a Good Boy to show any amusement on his face, of course.
Lynette gives the run down and Azoth gives a chipper salute. "Recon it is!" When Grace stands her ground, he goes quiet and lets the moment play out, then smiles at Grace and gives her a nod before they set off.
...Into a stampede! "Whoa, hello!" Azoth greets the incoming beasts. In a flash, a blade of light appears at his side, but it's gone just as fast when someone calls out that the creatures are tame. Count him among the trigger happy. "On it!" he calls back.
He scans the incoming stampede with too-bright eyes, trying to identify patterns among the pack. But aren't these ones supposed to be... not domestic, to put it one way? "It's weird," he agrees with Kaguya.
Azoth casually positions himself for one of the beasts in particular -- the one he hopes he's correctly identified as an individual the others are looking to for directional cues -- standing his ground and putting his hands out to catch one. He digs his feet into the earth for stability, beast and not-boy raking lines in the dirt until they come to a stop. "Hey, hey, shh," he says, adopting a soothing voice and stroking the animal. "Easy."
He hopes that by calming down one of the older, bigger ones, a portion of the younger ones might relax as well.
DG: Azoth has used his Tool Oculus ex Machina toward his party's challenge, Once Fiends, Now Friends. DG: Arle has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Once Fiends, Now Friends.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
And then there's Magilou. In response to her greeting, Layna offers a tip of her in return.
"Aye, good to see you too." She agrees. ...And if she tilts her head down so that her hat covers her face, well... no one has proof that she's smirking as Grace goes bright red at Magilou's comment. She looks up, though as Lynette starts to line out why they're here. Layna nods.
"Aye, this place is fishier than the oceans of Lunar, and that's sayin' somethin'. I want to figure out what's going on here." Layna says. "...And, of course, if there's any way we can benefit from it."
Usually that's the quiet part she wouldn't say out loud, but she has a feeling she can relax a little around this crew.
With that said, they move on. It isn't long, though, before they're beset by monsters! With a grin Layna gets into her own battle stance... but pauses, and frowns. Something seems off... and this feeling is verified before long as some of the locals call out to them.
"...I can't really get into this. They're not even trying to rip my throat out or anything." Layna says with a sigh, straightening up. She sounds... disappointed? It's like... they're just playing, more than anything. Which is why she doesn't really put her all into it, instead just giving the first one to approach her a push in Azoth's direction. This kind of challenge seems more his speed.
DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Once Fiends, Now Friends.
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
Magilou has been to Celesti a few times, great vacation spot, no complaints. Good place to lose your head for a bit.
The tree is kinda weird though, yes.
"Hey, nerd queen, what's the story about the shrubs?" Magilou issues, to Kaguya, a hand to her hip as she looks down at a blade of grass she so callously stepped on. It shouldn't be possible... but, well, Magilou is great at things which shouldn't technically be possible. "You got that right," she adds, with a thumbs-up to Layna, when she comments on how they can benefit from the weird oasis.
"Surprise!" She grins, to Grace, as she stumbles over her words with the horror of how dates work. Is that a confirmation? Who knows. She flashes a victory-V at Lynette, who has apparently seen right through her mischief, as she comments on the steam.
Her hand comes up to her face as Lynette tries and fails to cut Grace out, but it can't quite hide the smirk there.
Neither does she bother hiding those looks she keeps giving to Arle, but is it any wonder? She just said she's a hidden gem. Obviously, Magilou would be interested.
Sauntering on up the path, they come to... "Aww, what sweet little puppies!" They are probably not puppies. "You all have fun with that," Magilou says, as she hangs back, unclasping one of her books to flick through it. "This sort of work is far too rough for me. Why, it's not unlike the great stampede of 3865. They say that rising tensions led the Plains of the Goddess to witness all the farmers' animals breaking loose from their pens to rampage."
Magilou flicks a page. "Of course, those animals... ahh, it would be funny, wouldn't it? A nice little place like this."
One of the horrifying beasts comes up to her.
Magilou looks over to it.
It bleats at her and wags its tail.
Magilou bops it with her ancient tome.
"There," she says, as the poor thing looks UTTERLY BETRAYED. "I helped."
DG: Magilou has used her Tool Mayvin's Accounts toward her party's challenge, Once Fiends, Now Friends.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===================<* CHALLENGE - Once Fiends, Now Friends *>===================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Alcidamas Village, as it's called - it's more of a proper town by now - is
easy to approach by foot. Skilled warriors have come together to help patrol
the roads and keep it safe from ne'er-do-wells. All remarkably cheerful, if
cautious. They're happy to give you directions to the place. The grass gets
greener and the sky clearer the closer you approach.
You are then beset upon by monsters! Fearsome creatures, known for being
some of the most dangerous in the entire region... but wait! Someone calls
out to you.
"Don't worry, they're tame!" they say. "They just escaped their pen. Can you
help us wrangle them back?" Fortunately, you're allowed to play rough. Don't
worry, they'll be fine! They remain surprisingly affectionate after the
fact. (Even before the fact, for that matter.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 1 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= =====================< Results - Once Fiends, Now Friends >===================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Harvey 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Precious-Mother Daughter Memories 2 Wits Effects: Fanfare and Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magilou 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Mayvin's Accounts 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arle 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Layna Manydays 0 --(16)--> 16 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azoth 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Oculus ex Machina 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaguya 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Loot Abuse 2 Wits Effects: Stalwart -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Grace Harvey 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Grace Harvey 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: Grace Harvey has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
====================<* CHALLENGE - A Good Problem to Have *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
As it so happens, some of the village's fruit harvest is about to spoil.
They simply do not have enough mouths to feed, and consider it a waste to
just throw it all away! All the items here are ready-to-eat, like apples and
pears.
Why not grab a snack? Or two, or three. They're some of the best you will
ever have sunk your teeth into. You're on Filgaia, a land of not so plenty.
Why not dig in?
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
The state of Filgaia being so precarious... it has jaded so many that the very idea of something better must be, by definition, even worse - but the big domesticated monster livestock proves exactly as easy to handle as advertised. Grace sets off a noise only they can hear, redirecting their path as Arle goes on ahead and has a rodeo ride off a... not-at-all-bucking beast. No, it's docile with this new rider, and is easy enough to guide back to the pens.
Kaguya suplexes one. Bystanders look impressed! (Her hair samples will reveal... they are not genetically altered weird clones of behavioral alteration, these will match whatever records she and her people have of this wildlife. Former wildlife.)
As Azoth and Layna both handle them with varying degrees of gentleness and/or enthusiasm, there's some laughs from the non-sentry among them who called out for help on corralling the lot of them back. "I hear that a bunch! But they really are tame!"
Magilou helps as one of the beasts whimper, feeling betrayed and going back under its own volition. Thanks are given out, and the lot of them are given the invitation to come on into the village proper, where it's...
Nice!
Peaceful!
Happy!
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
...Less eww - there is a lot of fruit. There are a lot more trees here like the one they rested at earlier. Let that sink in - there are trees, and no small number of them. It's like this part of Celesti has been scarred so badly it came out perfectly healthy!
"I'm sure you're hungry!" Says an older woman, all smiles and friendliness. "Turns out we had a bumper crop of a bumper crop.... we can't possibly eat them all or give them away fast enough!"
Free fruit. To eat! To keep! To stare at warily! To throw at one another! (They probably intend for people to eat.)
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
Operation 'Do Something To Not Get Dunked On' at this point, is a success! "Yes, it worked!" She puts her hand out for a high-five, which Lynette gives her, almost like it's a little ritual.
"Nice work." Lynette responds, giving Kaguya an approving nod. "Impressive. Interesting choice of what to give away, too." After all, Kaguya's small frame would be a good mask.
Grace gives a whoop as Arle decides to rodeo, even if it is a little slow. But she's got it. Bea beeps to Azoth. 'Right? Once I saw her go #FF96CE!'
Layna and Magilou play support. Well. Layna plays support, Magilou reads and shoos one in. But it all goes well, and they are welcomed in. Something that raises Lynette's right eyebrow. "...Impressive. You don't see much of it's like here." And it's... free fruit. Lynette picks one up, studies it... no puncture marks, no obvious signs of drugging. Should be safe enough? After a few moments hesitation, she takes a bite out of a pear. "Mild, but flavourful. Impressive. And you don't want us to pay?" Grace for her part picks up... a lemon. Looking at it. Lynette casts her left eye to hr. "You sure you want to do that, Gracie?"
Grace nods. "Yeah. Better to start big and work my way down if it does work."
Lynette sighs. "...We really need to work on your tastebuds."
Grace reaches into Bea's compartment, and pulls out a knife, quartering the lemon, then biting into the whole thing like a moron. She pulls her head back a little, and turns so the group can see her face which is...
Only barely scrunched up. "Mmm. It's weak but...I can taste some of it. Might be nice with some of that soda water?" That's... concerning.
DG: Grace Harvey has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have.
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
"Yeah... a nice little place like this... heh, you think?"
Magilou glances over her shoulder, for a moment, ten-thousand miles of distance in her eyes, an untouchable spire.
And then it's gone, because an overripe mango overbalances and falls from its stem, right onto Magilou's very fine hat. There is a SPLOTCH. "Auuugh!" Magilou wails, reaching up with two claws of indignity to the uncaring sky. "The indignity! The sheer horror! Healthy food! There's only one thing to do--!!"
Magilou proceeds to grab a rich green apple, and lobs it at Kaguya. "Ha! Stay away, doctor!" IS Kaguya a doctor? She probably has a doctorate, it counts.
Strangely, Magilou doesn't seem to actually EAT any of the food she's harvesting, but she sure is throwing it at people. She might throw some of it in harvesting bags too though, so it's fine.
DG: Magilou has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have.
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
"Thanks!" Kaguya says to Lynette, pleased at the praise. "...Heh. I figure, go big or go home, right?" She notices with some interest the... positive relationship between Grace and her mother. It's nice. "It's kinda like how flowers have bright colors and thorns."
Kaguya accepts the title of nerd queen with a rakish grin. "They're absurdly healthy. Now, I don't know Celesti's flora all that well, but this level of growth just shouldn't be possible in this soil, which is irradiated and overfarmed. And I've only seen examples of this species that were really on their last legs otherwise."
Kaguya finds Arle interesting so far, too, even if she hasn't had a lot to say to her yet. She appreciates the funny things she gets out of Grace, though Kaguya herself does not chime in on dating for some mysterious reason. Instead, she answers Arle, "Yeah, farming actually kind of is one of my fields--that's why it's so weird to me. I have a particular interest in transplanting flora from differing environments to new environments, so..." She gestures.
She hasn't said a lot to Azoth yet either but she notices the Beep Speak. It's pleasant to see them getting along, anyway. And besides--he agrees with her!! It's weird!!
"Heh," Kaguya answers Layna's matter of self-interest. "Yeah, there's that for sure. It's... got me curious..."
She is less diappointed in the monsters trying to kill them, but thta's because this way it's easier to get samples. She doesn't comment on the rampaging because she's busy doing that.
But... Fruit! Kaguya marvels at all the trees, staring openly. "What," she says eloquently, and well, the fruit probably isn't poisonous to her physiology. Though people may notice that Kaguya takes a fruit and immediately pulls a little razor and shaves off a bit, which she puts in a sample slide which she then puts in a little machine to examine. She stares at it a moment. "...Wow," Kaguya says. "This is like... a perfect example of the species."
Then, because she's not completely without manners, she takes the rest of the fruit and takes a huge bite out of it. "Thanks!" Chew, chew. "Just had to science a little," she says with her mouth full, so it comes out more, 'Jush had to scheince ha hittwe.'
She seems... very energetic. Bright. She feels strong.
And Grace... "I guess we do need to work on your tastebuds," she says, surprised. Then she gets beaned by a rich green apple. "HEY," Kaguya says with a frown, and then--"Well, that does keep me away. That's the rules." She pockets the apple.
She takes a lot of fruit, actually. Especially the ones with seeds.
DG: Kaguya has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have.
<Pose Tracker> Arle has posed.
It's actually probably for the best that the rodeo wasn't very hard, because Arle has never rodeoed before.
Don't tell anyone. She makes it look easy.
She vaults off once she's got it in the pen, dusts her hat off by knocking it against her duster a couple times (that's what it's for, right? it's right in the name) and then seriously considers whether she actually wants to put it on again. Eventually she decides it's probably okay since it's not like it fell in the mud or anything; she adjusts it to a rakish angle when she strolls back toward the others.
"Nice assist," she says, without bothering to clarify who she means or what the assistance was. Clearly they were just helping her. *She* was the one who rode one of them in, after all.
Arle does not understand beep. But she does glance over at Bea, who appears to be... talking to Azoth? "Someone's chatty," she says, before: "Hey, fruit. Looks better than a lot of the stuff here." A raised eye toward Kaguya. "But it sounds like you'd know a little better."
When Grace prepares to eat a big bite of lemon, Arle grins. She expects to be able to get a reaction from *that*. But she gets much less of one than she expects. "Oh, come on, there's no way your poker face is that good. Trust me on that; you're as easy to read as a book!" Arle selects a lemon of her own, flicks a knife into her hand (where was she carrying that?), cuts it -
And doesn't eat it, because Magilou has just thrown a pear at her. Arle ducks reflexively, then flings the lemon back in two pieces. She has spectacular aim but is being a little lazy so at least one of them is going wide. "Oi, some of us don't mind a free snack," she says, picking up a second citrus (this one is an orange, which is probably safer to eat).
When nobody is looking, Arle manages to get a couple extra fruits in her duster's pockets for later. Waste not, want not.
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Friends!! Disconcertingly tame friends! Azoth flashes Layna a smile for her assistance, and gives the beasts plenty of attention, petting, and nuzzles, looking for all the world delighted to be here. Even Magilou's poor jilted beast gets an extra pat of reassurance. He is doing his duty as a cover! Not suspicious at all! Unwary! Fits right in!
Azoth watches the mother-daughter high five with warmth, then grins at Bea. 'So she has a range of possible colors? Impressive.' Okay, not perfectly not-suspicious. He is having conversations entirely in beeps with the robot companion, which Arle's noticing. 'I wonder if there is a consistent pattern.' Azoth, don't make logs of that. That would be mean. You've been spending too much time with Ragnell.
Then food gets involve. Well, his career of not being suspicious was short lived. RIP Normalcy, Entry -- 1st Challenge.
"This is weird," Azoth whispers again as he leans in toward the others, glancing over each of them, starting with Kaguya. It's as much a question as a statement, to confirm that things do, in fact, continue to be weird.
He picks up an apple, turning it over in his hands and tossing it gently to himself, judging the weight and color of it of those from Sylvaland. But he can't test its taste or anything else about it. Azoth... does not eat. His mouth is for show so he has something to move around convincingly when his voice box produces sound. (That's right, Azoth is lip syncing everything.)
But observing the others gets him... soooome idea of how that factors. Grace is noted as a possible outlier. (Wait, were the noodles not bad after all?! Azoth will never know.)
Azoth squints harder at the apple, eyes glowing, until he gets caught in Magilou's fruit crossfire, a solid hit to his skull making his eyes flicker and something rattle around in an empty void. Bonk!
DG: Azoth has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have. DG: Arle has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
The monsters are successfully herded back in! Layna watches them go, a frown crossing her face.
"...They're way too docile. No one's that good at handling monsters, are they?" Layna comments with a frown. Maybe it's a good thing they decided to check out this place.
For their help, they're offered... free food! Layna offers the older woman a grin.
"Hey, thanks." She says. ...But she doesn't eat anything right away. Instead, she looks toward Lynette and Kaguya to get their takes. Only Lynette eats and is perfectly fine and Kaguya does... something that she doesn't know what it is, but she trusts her word when it comes to plant does she pick a fruit out of the batch and take a bite.
"...Hey, this is pretty good." Layna comments. "Almost as good as stuff back on Lunar."
DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, A Good Problem to Have.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
====================<* CHALLENGE - A Good Problem to Have *>====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
As it so happens, some of the village's fruit harvest is about to spoil.
They simply do not have enough mouths to feed, and consider it a waste to
just throw it all away! All the items here are ready-to-eat, like apples and
pears.
Why not grab a snack? Or two, or three. They're some of the best you will
ever have sunk your teeth into. You're on Filgaia, a land of not so plenty.
Why not dig in?
=Dungeon Conditions: Tire=====================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 2 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= ======================< Results - A Good Problem to Have >====================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Harvey 0 --(16)--> 16 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magilou 0 --(16)--> 16 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arle 0 --(16)--> 16 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Layna Manydays 16 --(8)--> 24 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azoth 0 --(8)--> 8 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaguya 0 --(8)--> 8 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Grace Harvey 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Tire(2) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Grace Harvey 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: Grace Harvey has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - No Pause For Alarm *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Everything is going fantastic in this village. Spirits are at an all-time
high, and odds are you have never seen a happier, more optimistic bunch of
people in all of Filgaia. They have been nothing but kind and accommodating
to everyone who has come to visit.
Some of the volunteer militia have experience dating back as far as the
Celesti Civil War. A handful of such individuals approach you and express
doubt in your good intentions, for this is the closest they've ever seen to
hope for this region. They want to believe you're not here to spoil it, but
they have been wounded too much to let their guards down before strangers.
(Worst case scenario, someone will come by to cool down hostilities before
it gets too heated.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
There is a brewing food fight, and the older woman offering these goods ducks for cover as the fruit flies. For those who take a bite, though... nothing untowards happens! No poisonings! No sudden strange changes in behavior! It really is just healthy, good food. As Kaguya has said, so much of the former Celesti territory is irradiated, poisoned, or otherwise just plain unsuitable for sustaining life any more. (Sustaining undead, though, different story entirely. This is not a story about undead being sustained. This is a story about life being sustained!)
"T-Take as much as you like!" Says another farmer, who seems equally giving and also being held at fruitpoint. "There's enough to share, haha, more than enough to eat, it's... it's free! Share 'em, take the seeds, do as you like!"
That might be a red flag to the budding economists. Who gives away wonderful things like this, that could change the landscape of Filgaia, for free without there being something rotten? But they sound so genuine that... (GAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGG)
(sorry, this is too much sugary glurgy goodness, i need conflict to write -mgmt)
The budding FOOD FIGHT attracts attention, where one of the sentries from earlier shouts at the lot of them as they draw nearer.
"Come now! Why're you all throwing fruit at one another? Dial it back!" Some others come along. They all come together not like a completely cohesive unit, but a network of concerned individuals acting independently and reacting in various states of alert, surprise, and in one case disgust - and not a hive mind. (Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on the opinions of the scolded.)
"This place is the best anything has gotten anywhere," says an older, more grizzled soldier-type, weary but hopeful, "don't spoil it for everyone. The last two years... 've been the best any of us have ever had."
Life sucks really badly for most of Zoara! Also, they are trying to tell a bunch of charming rougish women (and Azoth) to behave. How well is that going to go down?
...
(i am afraid to answer that question on my own. -mgmt)
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
Magilou gets as good as she gives in the FIRST INTERSTELLAR FRUIT FIGHT OF '69, which is surely going in the newest volume of the Accounts. (Not that Magilou writes any of those.) She is, approximately, 60% fruit by volume. She still hasn't eaten any of it.
Maybe... maybe Magilou is a machine?! Maybe she can't eat!!
"Now, now," Magilou wags a banana at one of the sentries. "I'm just delivering food to the needy. Isn't that what you always wanted? After all... this is what you always wanted." Her smile drops a few degrees; perhaps it's the way her eyelids lid over those eyes, partly green, partly purple. "... isn't that right?"
What IS she getting at..?
DG: Magilou has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm.
<Pose Tracker> Arle has posed.
Azoth holding a whole robot conversation *is* weird. And it's weirder when he gets hit in the head and it echoes. Arle reflexively winces at that, then looks at him with some more interest. She wants to check something, but there's no good opportunity. Maybe if she can touch him later.
(It's innocent. Promise. Well, innocent in one sense. Probably less thievery-innocent.)
Arle ends up throwing the orange, too, with more vigour than actual accuracy. Just because she has the skill to launch small objects with sharpshooter's accuracy doesn't mean she's going to bother with a fruit. If she even can. They're not at all weighted like her usual choices.
Still, she's got pockets full so she'll call that a win anyway.
"For nothing, though?" Arle gives the farmer a long look. She's not an economist, she's a rogue, and a scoundrel, and if she's learned one thing it's that things that claim to be free never are and you can get things that should cost a lot for nothing, if you know how. Ironically, being offered it for free makes her less interested in taking it.
Still, she doesn't empty her pockets when she turns to the approaching... crowd. Is it a crowd? It's certainly becoming one.
"Oh, I never would," Arle says, "but I've never seen a place quite like *this* before, so I'm not quite used to it. I'm from out east, you understand," which is most of Filgaia honestly, "and I *certainly* wasn't here in the war. Or after. So! My apologies."
Did she actually just...
*Apologize*??
Of course. Rule one of insinuating yourself in is that they have to like you. And Arle does a good job of being likeable. The smile feels honest, if a little broad, the apology feels real even if, heart of hearts, she doesn't think she did anything wrong. (Which is, of course, some of the danger.)
The other rogues here, who have seen this sort of thing before - they can probably tell that Arle is merely extremely charming when she wants to be. But to the villagers, she may very well feel entirely sincere.
DG: Arle has used her Tool Fortune Draw toward her party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm.
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
Unfortunately for Grace, she cops widely swung fruit, and yelps. "H-hey! Knock it off!" A part of her wants to leap back into this fight and a bigger part of her doesn't want to get scolded by her mom for waste in front of her cool friends. So, she goes with that option. Lynette leans down to her, and whispers in an unfamiliar language. "<...Are you sure about Magilou?>"
Grace whispers back. "<I thought I was.>"
And that's when the militia turn up, and Grace's instincts of 'Scram' and 'We can take them' argue with each other. And Lynette clearly knows she's doing it. "<...Get ready to cover us so we can bolt.>" Grace nods. She drops into a seemingly at ease stance, while Lynette walks forward. Looking in her early 50s, she's probably the oldest looking of the bunch, and she carries an air of authority.
"No one's here to cause trouble. Just some young folks getting rambunctious at tasting real fruit for the first time. Except my associate here," she nods to Layna. "Who comes from some place where it's similar. There's rumour getting out about this place, and there a definitely folks who might get antsy about this place. Just wanted get an eye for it before the robber barons do. But if you want to stay off their radar, or at least be in a strong position, you're gonna need folks around here to slow the spread of the word. You're right, this place seems to have the best anyone's got it. Which means other folks'll want to move her, or want it for themselves. Seen it a bunch of times."
Meanwhile, in the background, Grace squints. "Is... Is Magilou doing witch magic?" She says, actually genuinely quiet enough to not be heard. Except by certain people.
Arle drops a cue, and Lynette takes it. "Right. Our behaviour got out of hand, and I apologize for the group." She cats a look back, and Grace gives the universal symbol for 'ehehe, sorry' that is closing your eyes, and tilting your head while scratching the back of it.
"Yeah, sorry!"
"In return, we'd be happy to share whatever story of us finding this place you, or maybe your mayor, wishes? We don't want to spoil what you've got going on." Now that's a play, getting an audience with the mayor. Will it pay off?
DG: Grace Harvey has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm.
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Azoth seems no worse for wear. What's rattling in there? Maybe he'll take his face off later and fish it out. For now, don't worry about it! (And don't steal anything out of his skull, Arle!)
But ~someone's in trouble~. Them. They are the someones.
"This is... less weird?" Azoth asks hesitantly, glancing to the others again when they meet actual dissenting opinions. He takes in the shift in tone and observes the soldiers carefully.
But Azoth has plenty experience being scolded. He drops his gaze and scuffs his foot to the ground. "Sorry. Where we're from... things are a little rougher. It's been a while since everyone's been able to enjoy fresh fruit. I guess we got too excited. We didn't mean to cause trouble."
Even to a trained eye, Azoth's uneasy smiles and apologetic looks are utterly, unwaveringly genuine. Which with a keen enough eye on those who know he's doing a bit of a fib, might be the unsettling thing in and of itself.
He lets Lynette take the lead on trying to get anything more out of this.
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
Kaguya laughs as Arl calls it an assist. "Nice riding." Her ego can take it; she's just been given a compliment by Lynette, after all. And... Bea and Azoth seem to still be having fun. Kaguya considers tuning one of her devices to record so she can puzzle it out later, and then decides to give them a little privacy after all.
"...Yeah," she says to Layna. "It's really weird. I'm not detecting anything strange, though of course I don't have a full lab out here. That's the weirdest part--they're just... healthy, and tame."
It's disconcerting, yes. She can't help but laugh as Azoth rattles when he gets hit by fruit, though--and she glances right back to him. It's weird, all right.
So is their generosity. Kaguya tilts her head. "You could make a lot of money selling this stuff instead of giving it away," she points out. "Not that I don't appreciate the gift, but it's a little weird, right?"
...And there's the other shoe dropping, or so it seems at first. "The last two years..."
So that's how long it's been. But how long what's been?
She doesn't recognize the language Lynette and Grace are using, but she hears it. She also hears, "Nah. Magilou's just Magilou," she murmurs to Grace.
Kaguya tosses some fruit up and down in her hand, looking over the guards. "Yeah, what they said. I don't wanna ruin anything for you," and indeed she was eating fruit, "I'm here because this is a scientific marvel. I'm a botanist, you see; I'm very impressed by what you have going here."
"...All I really want to do is collect some seeds and see if I can spread your good fortune."
DG: Azoth has used his Tool Oculus ex Machina toward his party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm. DG: Kaguya has used her Tool Loot Abuse toward her party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
"Yeah... it's a puzzle." Layna agrees with Kaguya with a nod.
Layna is, of course, the last person that would abstain from a food fight. It feels like it's probably the only real fight she'll get in a place like this, honestly.
...Unfortunately, though, it seems like the locals feel differently about it, and if anything seem... threatened? Layna raises an eyebrow, turning to observe. She seems relaxed, but she's watching the crowd carefully.
"...They don't look like a proper posse. More like a bunch of people with the same concerns. Less coordinated, but if they get riled up they're gonna get real unpredictable real fast." Layna asides quietly to the others. She lets Lynette take charge on talking them down - she seems like she knows what she's doing. Instead she sits back quietly, offering a wave when Lynette nods to her.
"Aye, we didn't mean to cause trouble." Layna says, in a rare statement. "As the lad says, it's been rough out there... so we felt like we could let down our guard a little."
Maybe that'll make them sympathise with them.
DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, No Pause For Alarm.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - No Pause For Alarm *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Everything is going fantastic in this village. Spirits are at an all-time
high, and odds are you have never seen a happier, more optimistic bunch of
people in all of Filgaia. They have been nothing but kind and accommodating
to everyone who has come to visit.
Some of the volunteer militia have experience dating back as far as the
Celesti Civil War. A handful of such individuals approach you and express
doubt in your good intentions, for this is the closest they've ever seen to
hope for this region. They want to believe you're not here to spoil it, but
they have been wounded too much to let their guards down before strangers.
(Worst case scenario, someone will come by to cool down hostilities before
it gets too heated.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 3 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= ========================< Results - No Pause For Alarm >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Harvey 16 --(16)--> 32 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magilou 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arle 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Fortune Draw 2 Wits Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Layna Manydays 24 --(16)--> 40 Fail Investigate 0 Wits Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azoth 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Oculus ex Machina 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaguya 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Loot Abuse 2 Wits Effects: Stalwart -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Grace Harvey 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Tire(1) Effects: Cleanse|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Grace Harvey 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: Grace Harvey has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
==========<* CHALLENGE - Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month) *>==========
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The fish population has rebounded over the last few years, owing to the far
greater quality of water and the return of food sources before this miracle.
They're able to grow so healthy and strong that... well, you can see that
someone has fished up the largest specimen of one kind of local fish that
you've ever seen. As large as at least one of you. Maybe even more so.
It has a lot of fight in it, not content at all to become someone's supper.
You're going to need to help coax it towards accepting its fate - or if your
party collectively isn't into the consumption of meat, try and get it back
in the water. (The fisherman will understand letting this one go! It's a
healthy one and can only further help bolster the population.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
- EDITOR NOTE: Due to the late hour, this round was skipped.
DG: Kaguya has used her Tool Killer Tomatoes toward her party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month). DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month). DG: Azoth has used his Tool Bug in Amber toward his party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month). DG: Arle has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month). DG: Magilou has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month). DG: Grace Harvey has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month).
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
==========<* CHALLENGE - Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month) *>==========
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
The fish population has rebounded over the last few years, owing to the far
greater quality of water and the return of food sources before this miracle.
They're able to grow so healthy and strong that... well, you can see that
someone has fished up the largest specimen of one kind of local fish that
you've ever seen. As large as at least one of you. Maybe even more so.
It has a lot of fight in it, not content at all to become someone's supper.
You're going to need to help coax it towards accepting its fate - or if your
party collectively isn't into the consumption of meat, try and get it back
in the water. (The fisherman will understand letting this one go! It's a
healthy one and can only further help bolster the population.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 4 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= ============< Results - Catch of the Day (and the Remaining Month) >============ Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Harvey 32 --(0)--> 32 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magilou 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arle 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Layna Manydays 40 --(0)--> 40 Pass Fight 0 Combat Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azoth 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Bug in Amber 2 Combat Effects: Embolden -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaguya 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Killer Tomatoes 3 Combat Effects: Fanfare -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Grace Harvey 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Injure(2) Effects: Embolden(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Grace Harvey 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: Grace Harvey has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - Everything Is Fine *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
"So you're the travelers I'm hearin' so much about!" The voice belongs to
large, aging (60's?) beastfolk of a vaguely pig-like form who still looks
strong enough to knock just about anyone flat. Not that there appears to be
any mean bone in his body, as he approaches your group. "Thanks for stoppin'
on by Alcidamas. I'm the mayor, Homer Mecone! You can just call me Homer. I
sure have been sayin' this a lot lately to people like yourselves! Gah ha ha
hah!"
After a brief chat, he makes a peculiar offer. "I bet you're wonderin' how
we've been doin' so well, and... hey, I figure the cat's outta the bag. I
warn you... you ain't never have seen anything like what you're about to."
That sounds ominous, but he waves it off. "Ahh, don't worry bout nothin'."
Homer takes you to see a large shrub-tree... thing, atop a hill. It seems
colored a hue that just bleeds outside of the visual color spectrum. It
seems to be on fire in an equally improbable color, surrounded by leaves and
fruits making fractal patterns that come shy of breaking three-dimensional
comprehension. Though utterly alien, there is nothing untoward about its
surroundings. Around it, the air is at its freshest. The ground at its most
fertile. It also happens to have a horizontal, glassy 'window' with a
smiling face that seems to lean forward to look at you in a way that doesn't
involve any part of it moving.
"Meet Demetrioi!" Homer introduces them. "Friendliest li'l... uh, maybe not
so li'l? Friendliest... Demetrioi you'll ever meet!" Homer seems to struggle
to describe it, but doesn't linger there. "Brought it with me here from
further out, some time back." He doesn't say where, and abruptly changes the
subject. "B-But as you can see... Demetrioi here gave em clean water, fresh
air... brought the soil back to health... and all it seems to want in turn
is to have friends." What a bargain, his grin says! "Go on! Say hello!"
:o hello and salutations i am demetrioi :) today is a wonderful day :D
Its voice is difficult to describe, but it is outwardly friendly and in good
cheer. Aside from its unsettling appearance, there is nothing untoward about
its actions or manner.
Go on, make a really freakin' weird friend today. (Unless you'd rather
disengage, politely or otherwise.)
BGM: Star Ocean Faithlessness and Integrity - Like a Lost Child
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Magilou wags a banana and tries to reason her way that this is what they've always wanted. The closest sentry to her looks at her askance. "We're reasonable adults who stand up, offer politely, and hand them over. We don't throw the--"
"You threw me an orange across two whole backyards yesterday!" Another calls, and a point has to be conceded, even with an eyeroll.
Arle is too charming to be angry at, as she explains she's never seen a place like this. Someone laughs. "Ha! That far east, they'd waste food like that... been as far as Ignas, to November City," they fill the blanks in Arle's charming con(?) for her, "they don't appreciate what they have!"
Lynette steps forth and projects her sense of authority. Some stare at her forehead (and Grace's) - Filgaia has been shown to be kind of not great to 'not normal' humans (and elves, apparently pointed ears are okay, but not pointed ears and fangs and fur). "...We've had bandits come by sometimes, then they see for themselves..." ('I was one,' another villager calls, and he's still wearing a funny gas mask and everything.)
Azoth gets cooed over by an older woman who just can't be angry at such an earnest young man!
Kaguya makes a point of it, and how she's a botanist. "We don't completely understand it either," * R E D - F L A G *, "but we don't mind anyone taking seeds. Zoara... Zoara's been sick and starving. Same as almost anywhere else..."
"Oh, what's this then? Gah ha ha hah!" Loud, boisterous laughter. "Send 'em my way! I'll show 'em what we got goin'. Then ya won't need to worry 'bout raisin' your guard here again, lemme say!"
"The mayor!" A citizen says, as the militant sentry guy looks to the lot of them.
"That's a summon, all right. Don't worry, you won't be able to miss it." What's... it? The direction is pointed forward...
MEANWHILE
There is a rotund, portly lizard-like Beastfolk who smells strongly of fish and seems to exhale cold mist for whatever reason. He seems affable if simple, giving everyone a friendly wave before a large fish snags the line and yanks him into a moving river. (On closer look, the fish doesn't seem that large - maybe more the size of a small child? It's not anyone's business at this juncture, it's beyond the boundary of the spotlight here.)
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
In fact, you meet the mayor before you go 'there.' A large, aging pig-like Beastfolk, whose expression lights up as he looks upon the party. Do any of them look familiar? He gives a brief, weird hand-wave that doesn't seem to have meaning, unless he's a Symbologist. (If he is, there was no chanting, so no spell was cast. This makes this note kind of useless?)
"Thanks for stoppin' on by Alcidamas. I'm the mayor, Homer Mecone! You can just call me Homer. I sure have been sayin' this... four times by now! Gah hah ha hah! So, I bet you're wonderin' why we've been doin' so well, and... hey, figure the cat's outta the bag. I warn you, you ain't never have seen anything like what you're about to."
The card says it all. That is a thing. A large shrub-tree thing on a hill, colors and shapes involved that just don't seem to neatly fit into the visible spectrum or 3D space. And yet, there's nothing about it that's threatening beyond... existing. The world around it is healthy, happy, about perfect. A face within a glassy window looks forth.
"Meet Demetrioi! Friendliest li'l... uh, maybe not so li'l? Friendliest... Demetrioi you'll ever meet! Brought it with me here from further out, some time bac-- b-but as you can see, they gave 'em clean water, fresh air... brought the soil back to health... and all it seems to want in turn is to have friends." What a bargain! What a colorful flag of crimson hue! "Go on! Say hello!"
And then Demetrioi takes initiative. It makes sound. It is technically a voice of some sort.
o hello and salutations i am demetrioi :) today is a wonderful day :D
It awaits greetings. Nothing about it suggests hostility beyond... existing as something like this.
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
Things seem to be slowly going their way, before a voice shouts out to them. To the incredibly keen eyed, Lynette tenses. Her body steels, and her eyes make micro movements assessing the situation. "...Come on, Grace." She says in a calm, and honestly motherly tone of voice.
Being motherly on the job is it's own warning. They try to be professional, and save the familial tone for post job. But Grace comes up next to her mother, and whispers again in that strange language. Grace nods. They stand close to each other as the walk towards the beastfolk. When Lynette sees the wave, she relaxes, just a touch and places a hand on Grace's arm, as if to reassure her. And then Homer says his name, and it's immediately obvious that despite her best efforts, Arle is right. Grace's poker face isn't that good. Were it not for where Lynette's arm was, she would have stepped back. There is suppressed fear on her face
"Nice to meet you, Homer. The name's Lynette Harvey, this is my daughter Grace. She's had some bad experiences with 'militias', so she's a little shaken. Thanks for stepping in." She provides the excuse before anyone else can ask questions.
There's something suspect about all this, even as they follow and... Even Lynette's eyes widen. "...Where in the hells..."
Grace is way more curious, and Bea runs after her as she goes as close as they'll let her. "Demetroi?" She asks, while Grace lets out a series of greeting beeps. "No way..." If she can run her hand over the glass, she will. "I... I'm not sure but... what if...." The possibilities, she's not even fazed by the alienness of it all. Which is when Lynette coughs.
"Grace, give everyone else some room." She pauses. "And then maybe we can talk about it after some rest, hm?" Lynette looks to Homer. "I'm not keen to have to make camp tonight. Do you have rooms?"
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
Giant red flag. They don't understand it, either. Kaguya notices that all right, but doesn't say anything about it. Instead she says, "If these'll grow elsewhere, too..." But Kaguya wonders about that. The soil, the air--it's all so different. And she feels...
Layna's probably right about these people. But soon the mayor is involved, and Kaguya did want to talk to him. She doesn't pull out her tablet or instruments yet, though. The loud laughter makes her... wonder. ANd so she looks oer to him. "...Yeah, I want to see..."
Kaguya waves at him too, not seeing what he means by it at first. Then she spots Grace's need for reassurance. She is quiet for a moment--but Lynette provides a good excuse.
"Yeah, nice to meet you. Name's Kaguya." She doesn't say who she is, or where she's from; that would only alarm people who aren't Drifters. ...Some Drifters, too. She's just 'a botanist', and that's good enough for now. But this...
"What the..."
Kaguya stares at the thing they see. The air is freshest. Kaguya can breathe without it hurting at all, here. And the colors...
"Demetrioi," Kaguya repeats. "...Homer. You--" She turns to stare at him, and then to stare back at Demetrioi. "That is..."
"...Friends, huh?" Kaguya asks Homer, and for some reason, all of a sudden, she looks tired, despite feeling better than she has in a long time. "...Well hi there, buddy," she says to Demetrioi. "It's real nice to meet you. My name's Kaguya. I'd like to be your friend, too."
"...You've done all this, huh? That's really amazing. ...So..." A look to Homer, and then back to Demetrioi. "I'm interested in making things better, too."
DG: Kaguya has used her Tool Loot Abuse toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
Is Magilou doing witch magic..? Certainly, she seems to know something. But she is Magilou; she knows things.
She at least does the Harveys and Arle the courtesy of not befouling their attempts to save them from the sentries. Maybe she's waiting to see where they're going with this.
Luckily: the Mayor is here.
"Four lots of visitors, huh..? How auspicious," Magilou says, tucking that banana between the twin peaks of her hat. (I don't mind telling you some things. Many things, I mustn't say. Just notice that my fireplace is boarded up.) "So, just what is it you're showing us..?"
A colour out of space, naturally.
Magilou hangs back, as they're introduced. It turns out Magilou, for all her bombasticness, has a particular talent for lurking -- as if there's more to her than she's letting on. (Surely not.) The strangest thing about her, looking at these shapes which almost but don't quite fit, is that she doesn't look surprised. She doesn't baulk at the impossibility; neither does she scream something about the humanity.
She just watches it, as Homer talks about how pure it has made the world, and the burning bush eminates words into their minds.
Demetrioi can vocalise smiles. Magilou can visualise a smile without any warmth at all. Perhaps they were made for each other.
"Weeaaaah..." The voice which comes from Magilou -- approximately located to her heart -- is distinctly not Magilou's, high-pitched and boyish. It is the voice of a pipsqueak... a pipsqueak who is quite, quite unhappy.
"... yeah," Magilou says, quietly, a hand curled to her cheek. "Loud and clear."
That most evil witch of Lunar steps forward, and circles the bush. A hand stretches out, closer to it than away. Her steps wibble-wobble, as if her brain is having to calculate the plane of its circumference in a way it was never designed to.
"So," Magilou says to Demetrioi, quite personable, entirely friendly, "who was it, exactly, who set you on fire?"
She opens up a leather-bound journal, and starts scrawling down notes. At the same time, carelessly, she offers: "My name is Magilou. I happen to know a thing or two about being granted happiness..."
Her pen stills. Her smile widens. It's all teeth.
"... you sick bastard."
DG: Magilou has used her Tool Mayvin's Accounts toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Once with the mayor, Azoth is content to go quiet and let the others handle the talking, occupying himself with his observation. This has been weird. Very, very weird. Which is to say, none of the data adds up in a way that feels consistent with what he understands about the area, about Filgaia, about how Things Work. Even the people can't offer more useful data than that.
But none of that concern shows while in the mayor's presence. He smiles, friendly and polite and bounce in his step as they go to the heart of the mysteries of Alcidamas. Sensor devices give errors as colors and shapes drift to spectrum he is not designed to see because the engineer who made this body would not have known they existed.
Azoth stops abruptly as he notices an entity trying to express itself within it all, providing a face upon a window. All manner of emoting fades away, and there's that pang of loneliness in his core that comes with meeting something that might be like him, but might not be. The power to create all of this in exchange for... friendship.
Is that truly so unfathomable as to be a red flag?
"Hello, Demetrioi," Azoth greets cheerfully. He reaches out...
...
...Then recoils a speed so violently urgent it seems he may have vanished for a blink of time. Arcs of red electricity dance over his body, circuitry burns so brightly it shines through his synthetic flesh and clothing, crawling over his body like glowing, geometric veins, all in that crimson of erroneous agitation. Code scrambles, objectives rattled, calculations rapidly manifest in emergency response while Azoth lets out what can only be described as a strangled, digitized whimper.
Demetrioi is not the only entity here who can speak in an unusual voice. Azoth's boyish tenor turns unsettlingly deep and inhuman, reverberating with glitched static. "Searching database. Error. No entries found. Subject unidentifiable."
His gaze does not leave the face, but it's the everything around him that has become a threat. Azoth takes another step back away, another stray, erractic jolt of energy crawling across him.
DG: Azoth has used his Tool Oculus ex Machina toward his party's challenge, Everything Is Fine. DG: Grace Harvey has used her Tool Precious-Mother Daughter Memories toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
The crowd disperses, slowly - especially when they're apparently summoned by the mayor himself. Layna raises an eyebrow, looking around at the others. Well, it looks like they're getting that mayoral visit after all... though whether that's a good thing or not remains to be seen.
The mayor introduces himself as Homer Mecone. Layna sends a brief glance Grace's way before turning to look toward Demetrioi. She stares at them. She squints. She slowly mouths an unkind expression of disbelief. She brings out her telescope to get a closer look, before briefly looking toward Azoth who is apparently Not Doing Great. She takes a step forward, then.
"...Uh, ahoy there, Demetrioi. I'd offer you a drink, but, uh... I'm not sure how that'd work out." Layna says with a tip of the hat. ...It's probably for the best.
DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Captain's Telescope toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Arle has posed.
Arle actually *did* spend some time in November and the other nearby cities, so she's perfectly okay with being mistaken for being from there. She can fake it.
She really does connect with people. It's the first step to doing anything else, after all. And they seem to believe it, which is nice; she lets them, chatting a little bit before they move on to the Mayor.
It doesn't look like she's going to have to deploy a charm offensive on him, so she doesn't, because doing it too often really is offensive. "Pleasure to meet you," she says, instead. "Arle." She's sure Grace knows something. She's sure *Lynette* knows something. She almost presses, but decides to hold it until after.
As they approach, the skin on the back of Arle's neck goosebumps. Her hair stands on end. Something feels weird and she can't place it. And not weird in the way she sometimes gets, but shifted somehow. Altered.
Arle does not approach the bush very closely. It's weird even for her. Magilou's heart is speaking in strange tongues and then she herself is getting weird, Grace appears to *recognize* it, Azoth is recoiling -
It's the last she deals with. She finally does reach out - toward him, with a hand shining faintly silver. She grabs the bolt crawling over him, holds it like her hand was metal, and drops it - tosses it really - at the ground; if it acts like electricity, it works, grounding out with a puff of dust and ash when she scorches some grass.
Azoth also feels a weird crawling sensation that lasts about a quarter second, but it goes away immediately thereafter. Probably just the weird bush thing.
"Demetrioi," she says. "Huh. How about that." Even Arle is slightly lost for words. "Nice to meet you." A coin is in her hand; she flips it up, catches it, dances it across her kncukles again and then surreptiously checks which way it landed. "How about that," she repeats, a moment later."
DG: Arle has used her Tool Fortune Draw toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - Everything Is Fine *>======================
|Type: Final |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
"So you're the travelers I'm hearin' so much about!" The voice belongs to
large, aging (60's?) beastfolk of a vaguely pig-like form who still looks
strong enough to knock just about anyone flat. Not that there appears to be
any mean bone in his body, as he approaches your group. "Thanks for stoppin'
on by Alcidamas. I'm the mayor, Homer Mecone! You can just call me Homer. I
sure have been sayin' this a lot lately to people like yourselves! Gah ha ha
hah!"
After a brief chat, he makes a peculiar offer. "I bet you're wonderin' how
we've been doin' so well, and... hey, I figure the cat's outta the bag. I
warn you... you ain't never have seen anything like what you're about to."
That sounds ominous, but he waves it off. "Ahh, don't worry bout nothin'."
Homer takes you to see a large shrub-tree... thing, atop a hill. It seems
colored a hue that just bleeds outside of the visual color spectrum. It
seems to be on fire in an equally improbable color, surrounded by leaves and
fruits making fractal patterns that come shy of breaking three-dimensional
comprehension. Though utterly alien, there is nothing untoward about its
surroundings. Around it, the air is at its freshest. The ground at its most
fertile. It also happens to have a horizontal, glassy 'window' with a
smiling face that seems to lean forward to look at you in a way that doesn't
involve any part of it moving.
"Meet Demetrioi!" Homer introduces them. "Friendliest li'l... uh, maybe not
so li'l? Friendliest... Demetrioi you'll ever meet!" Homer seems to struggle
to describe it, but doesn't linger there. "Brought it with me here from
further out, some time back." He doesn't say where, and abruptly changes the
subject. "B-But as you can see... Demetrioi here gave em clean water, fresh
air... brought the soil back to health... and all it seems to want in turn
is to have friends." What a bargain, his grin says! "Go on! Say hello!"
:o hello and salutations i am demetrioi :) today is a wonderful day :D
Its voice is difficult to describe, but it is outwardly friendly and in good
cheer. Aside from its unsettling appearance, there is nothing untoward about
its actions or manner.
Go on, make a really freakin' weird friend today. (Unless you'd rather
disengage, politely or otherwise.)
BGM: Star Ocean Faithlessness and Integrity - Like a Lost Child
=Dungeon Conditions: Madness==================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 5 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= ========================< Results - Everything Is Fine >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grace Harvey 32 --(0)--> 32 Pass Precious-Mother Daughter Memories 2 Wits Effects: Fanfare and Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magilou 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Mayvin's Accounts 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arle 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Fortune Draw 2 Wits Effects: Resilient -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Layna Manydays 40 --(0)--> 40 Pass Captain's Telescope 3 Wits Effects: Fanfare -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azoth 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Oculus ex Machina 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kaguya 8 --(0)--> 8 Pass Loot Abuse 2 Wits Effects: Stalwart -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Grace Harvey 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Injure(1)|Madness Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)|Resilient(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Grace Harvey has successfully explored Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky!
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===========<* CHALLENGE - Best Friends Forever For a Day (4 of 4) *>============
|Type: Discovery |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Everyone gives their greetings, however earnest or otherwise, and
Demetrioi's face smiles a little wider. (Is that a good thing? It doesn't
seem like a bad thing, but...)
:) nice to meet you :D be happy and healthy and harmonious world okay :)
Somehow, even if you were hostile or even attempted to strike it, Demetrioi
comes off as pleased. (Homer might be a little less accepting but doesn't
bring the mood down.)
Homer takes you all aside, away from Demetrioi. "I'm real happy that
Demetrioi there's only ever known people happy 'bout what they do." There's
a sad little laugh there. "Ain't that many people who get to live that kinda
life, eh? Far as I know, they're gonna be here for a long, long time. Longer
'n any of us... can't even think what it's gotta be like."
The pig-like beastfolk sits down, his advancing age catching up to him. "I
think they know that. The few times they talk 'bout it, they think in the
long term... real long numbers, longer 'n any of us have." He exhales
peaceably. "Long as life's as good as it has been the last two years...
we're in good hands." Beat. "Branches! Gah hah hah!"
It's about time for supper. You see other villagers come by and give
Demetrioi love and attention, which it equally appreciates. Nothing seems
off about the villagers or their behavior otherwise, and supper is tasty.
Everyone parts on amicable terms. Hey, maybe everything's fine after all,
even if you might not be sure what to make of... you-know-who.
Homer has to excuse himself from further discussion to continue with mayor
business, and sees your friends off.
As everyone takes their leave, your path isn't far from the hill Demetrioi
roosts. Their monitor-face turns your way, at which point they have
choice(?) parting words.
:) as long as everyone and everything is happy i am happy :D good day
everyone no no no best day everyone :)
BGM: Star Ocean Faithlessness and Integrity - Spending Time With You
=Dungeon Conditions: Secret===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Demetrioi does not recoil from being touched. Homer even doesn't get in the way. Nothing strange or untoward happens to Grace in touching... that. It's a sensation that doesn't quite have definition to one's brain other than 'it is a thing.' Her Tetragenoit eyes might parse things a little differently from the others, but it's about the same - exotic and weird, as Demetrioi smiles in silence.
Homer nods quietly at mention of rooms - and this is something of a temporary distraction, however unwitting, but he is completely trusting of this situation. His face is a little more serious as he regards Lynette. "Ain't a problem gettin' some..."
While they talk, more happens around them. Kaguya introduces herself. In Demetrioi's presence, it feels like something that has weighed down on her no longer has power.
) making people happy makes everything happier :D we will be very good friends kaguya and then we can be friends with so many by being good friends :)
Magilou steps forth with a most interesting question as a certain someone whines and writhes unpleasantly, and Demetrioi looks upon them - and the strong language.
o am i on fire oh it must be visual artifacts i hope you two are not worried about that :) i am not in any pain but thank you for inquiring it makes me happy that you care i am also free of disease :o
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Arle introduces herself, keeping her focus with a coin as she greets an improbable thing with a straight face, and Demetrioi responds in kind with a more crooked face in the monitor but that smile is genuine.
) arle hello you are one of very many friends here :D not all my friends have names but it is okay :)
Layna seems to offer a drink nonchalantly and retract it, at which point they explain thusly.
o hello i do not require beverages but it is very kind :) the water is for you and everyone to enjoy because everyone needs it :)
Then Azoth. A worrying exchange happens - Demetrioi doesn't react negatively to being touched, as if the discomfort was not in his direction. To the rest, it's as plain as ever that something bad just happened. Arle comes to Azoth's aid, and a slightly distracted Homer who was speaking with Lynette looks back.
"Whoa! Whoa. Let's... let's get yer friend some attention, what happened? Hey, uh," he holds up a hand to Lynette as if to say 'we'll talk more later' as he misses the bulk of Azoth's more robotic behavior in favor of misinterpreting it for something more mundane.
o i am demetrioi it is all right :o i am your friend :o
This is a convenient cut-away distraction where most of what's said in the conclusion card is spoken - the idea of Demetrioi being around for a long time, well past everyone else here, but that he's optimistic things will be a lot better for here. There's a good dinner for those who want it, and ample opportunity for Azoth to get somehwere else (or for someone to help him somewhere else) while Demetrioi watches, speaking more strange voice-sounds to pleasant words and hopes.
<Pose Tracker> Grace Harvey has posed.
"Azoth!" Grace loses interest in Demetrios because her only other robot friend is having a bad reaction. She runs over and will check on him if he'll let her. She checks over. "Do you need maintenance?" She whispers, wondering what what happened to him. "Bea's got my tools, and I can help if you can't do it yourself."
Meanwhile, Bea is beeping words of safety and encouragement, and asking if he can walk. If not, she volunteers to carry him. Bea is a very strong little robot.
Quietly, as they move away, Lynette looks back. Later, then. "...C'mon folks, we should move. Got people to see too."
Grace casts an eye back for one second, at Demetrios. "...I guess I was way off the mark." She mutters, before moving back to people close by.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.
Demetrioi says 'water', when she mentions a drink, and she can't help but crack a grin at that despite everything also around.
"Well, that's not quite... nah, you know what, I walked right into that one. Should've expected that." She says with a shake of her head. They're some kind of plant, after all. ...She thinks?? "I appreciate the, uh, sentiment."
With that said, she'll help the others wherever she needs to.
<Pose Tracker> Azoth has posed.
Arle grounds Azoth in a most unusual way he can't appreciate because everything about him is focused on the wrongness around him. But the circuits calm. The red fades. Azoth's brightly glowing dim -- but stay worryingly red -- as he looks toward her with a single blink, and seeing the reflection of red light shining back at him, quickly buries his eyes in his hands. "Th-thanks," he says, voice 'normal' (this isn't his normal, clearly) and putting in a more human-like stammer.
It is indeed impossible to dissect weird Arle things from weird bush things at present. Her other efforts go unnoticed while errors are scrolling through every partition.
Azoth doesn't stop Grace from checking him, face in hand. He risks opening his eyes, still seeing red light shining against his palm. They're going to be like this for a while. Not a single part of him can agree on what he's experienced.
"I'm... okay, I'm okay." He is clearly not, but speaking further here in front of Homer and Demetrioi is not a behavior he wants to execute. "...I... need to leave." He beeps gratitude to Bea, but declines the offer, making the effort to get away from all of this with his own two feet, but happy to walk alongside Bea and Grace, just in case.
<Pose Tracker> Kaguya has posed.
"Magilou," Kaguya says in a strange tone of voice, "What...?" Then she pauses. She gives her a look that might be a warning, though it isn't a hostile one--she just kind of stares at Magilou for a moment after, before abrubtly--
"Azoth!" Kaguya calls in alarm and surprise. That glitched static--that error. "...Shit," she mutters, looking him over as he jolts with energy. She looks tense. She is tense.
"...Yeah!" Kaguya answers Demetrioi, speaking very gently. "It's good, right? It's... good to want to help people..." She trails off, and btes her lip. But by then they're worrying about Azoth, and Kaguya lets herself be taken up in the group to go off for now. She doesn't lose interest in Demetrioi, though. As Aoth says he needs to leave, she says, "...Take care."
But when they talk to Homer again...
"...Yeah," Kaguya says to Homer, as his age catches up to him, as he talks about all of it. "I've... been real sick," she explains to him. "I know how important it is to treasure what you have... I'm--I'm sure things'll be a lot better."
She looks around at the village, at the people here, smiling, and pushes back from the table. "...Excuse me," she says. "I'm not... feeling very hungry."
She finds herself walking out again... and taking a seat in front of Demetrioi. "...I thought I'd come hang out with you for a little while," she says. "I had some questions about my readings. Would you mind talking with me for a bit?"
<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.
Magilou looks through Kaguya, and smiles.
'You two,' Demetrioi says. It could be entirely innocent. They could all hear Bienfu, that time.
Magilou's smile twitches a little wider. She must be so, so happy.
"Nice planet you got here," she comments, to Arle, as she turns to leave. "A real fixer-upper."
Sharks smile like that. Dead people, too.
Magilou doesn't stop smiling until she's out of Demetrioi's sight. She can be heard murmuring, on her way to rest: "How clever... people can't resist happiness, after all."
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Demetrioi appears to keep their counsel as most everyone takes their leave. The air does not change in any way. There's no sense of oppression or disdain. No, everything continues to feel great, wonderful, clean - but the pessimists may think it is just because Demetrioi doesn't see them as a threat.
Does that thing comprehend the idea of one? Aside from the handful of incidents with various Drifters (there was a crazy bit with a Golem and lumber not long ago), even the people of Alcidamas seem okay and content with events. It's hard to argue against it - there doesn't appear to be any catch whatsoever. It doesn't seem to be coming at expense of the world around it - the wastelands are exactly as terrible as they've always been.
Kaguya, finding an opening, comes back to the hill to Demetrioi - who notices her approach with the same smile as they've given anyone else.
) take as large a while as you want :) i like talking to friends :)
Some unfathomable thing, that triggered such reactions in some others among Kaguya's party, shows no signs of rejecting her or wanting her to go away. Quite the opposite. The air is the most comfortable she may have ever experienced in her life. This close to... whatever this is, even Lunar's idyllic environments pale.
D what do you want to talk about :D it is the best evening to talk about anything :D
TO BE CONTINUED . . .