2021-11-17: Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky (Side F)
- Log: 2021-11-17: Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky (Side F)
- Cast: Ratatoskr (also GM), Talise Gianfair, Lily Keil, Tesni Inoue
- Where: Celesti Wastelands
- Date: November 17, 2021
- Summary: An odd mix of acquaintances and at least one huge pain in the butt find themselves verifying the existence of a place of plenty where one cannot possibly exist. A handful may be left with an entirely new headache in figuring out why. (Sixth 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
DG: A party led by Talise Gianfair is now entering Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky. DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Coming and Going *>=======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |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 pass by a leaving caravan shortly before coming across someone shouting
for them! They're out of breath, and ask you for help in hailing down the
caravan. It seems they forgot something! You'll need to chase them down on
foot and hope they get your attention.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
The journey through Zoara in search of this fabled oasis of land, water, and sky is as arduous as expected. It's hot, it's dry, it's full of ravenous monsters who haven't eaten in weeks, and there's even occasionally something cursed with enough quantity of blackish-purple feel-bad stuff to become a vector for more of it. The former territory of Celesti may never heal, and with Odessa doing its thing on top of all this, those scars keep getting picked.
The rumors have been consistent on where to find this so-called paradise, and that might be the only reason one may risk going that far out to find it... and then, there are blades of grass that grow in defiance of the inhospitable, blasted land. Blades of grass that grow in number and density, leading to a road that surprisingly looks as though it is well-traveled. The marks of footfalls equine and not, the presence of long lines pressed into the ground by carriage wheels... hey, there's one coming up right now!
They say that yes, the village is this way! They look content with themselves, able to travel into the wastes with renewed vigor. A handful of patrols - skilled warriors, the lot of them - prove there is something of a presence beyond. They wave the group through, but then...
Someone runs up, out of breath, and says they need help hailing a caravan that just left! They forgot something!
...It's not the worst problem to run into, but it does delay entry into the village for a bit because they are insistent.
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
Ratatoskr himself does make occasional forays into the wastes for fun-- and that is a spit-take worthy statement. For fun? FOR FUN. Only a Metal Demon of Mother's hordes might even think of something like that, but in his case, it's home to one of the largest and bloodiest conflicts of recent Filgaian history, and since so much was lost... of course he should go find as much of what's left as he can, so it gets remembered. (And that any useful weapons of war scavenged get to go forth and fight again on the Odessa warfront, because this everyone vs. everyone war is really something too.)
"What did they forget?" Ratatoskr asks in earnest. Keeping in mind he is an undisguised Hyadean squirrel-like creature, one of the posted sentries is understandably on guard and pointing an ARM at him. "What did they forget!"
"Huh? They forgot, um," the 'someone' seems taken aback by Ratatoskr just being there, asking like that. "You're offering to--"
Ratatoskr doesn't stick around, getting a weird crystalline device thing in hand and activating it before he disappears in a puff of science of a distant world that has long since had its warranty expired (and then some) - one hopes just to go to that caravan that passed by and tell them 'hey, stop' or ask annoying questions, or both.
DG: Ratatoskr has used his Tool Teleporter Fragment toward his party's challenge, Coming and Going.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Hunting for paradise wasn't on Talise's agenda this morning. She was just in the area to pick up some supplies. Then stories reached her ears.
The grass grows denser and thicker the closer to the alleged location. Ahead, the rumble of a caravan reaches sharp ears, and she raises a hand to her eyes as she reins in the fluffy yellow chocobo she's been riding. Someone even further ahead is calling out - she can hear that much clearly. With a light coaxing, she eases the chocobo forward and up alongside the Caravan.
"I think you might have someone looking to talk to you," Talise offers up with a wry smile and a push of a free hand through short blonde hair.
She looks ahead with a pensive smile and shrugs, resting her hands on the saddlebow. She can see Ratatoskr up there, but there are people in this world who irritate her far more than he does. He's just a dude who loves fighting, really.
"So is this the so-called paradise village? It feels like it."
DG: Talise Gianfair has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Coming and Going.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily Keil has recovered enough from her recent battle that she's gotten restless... and so a simple, low-impact mission is ideal. Looking in on 'paradise', and either finding that it's a lie or that it really is that nice, seems ideal. So Lily has moved across the blasted ground, roving on a motorcycle she fixed up from Kattlelox junk stores. It is her primary concession to injury, an ability to flee the scene faster if needed, and to go easier on herself as she heals... and besides, it's fun. Lily likes to drive.
She is dressed in military surplus gear, a flak jacket over black slacks and a white dress shirt, buttoned up to the neck to conceal her strange markings. She wears sunglasses today, her eyes still strange black-with-prismatic for the moment, and there are... patrols! She drives up, and someone runs out of breath and mentions that they forgot something... "Sure," Lily says, looking over Ratatoskr with a lifted eyebrow. "Huh."
She turns around and drives over... but whether the caravan will assume she's a bandit or actually listen to her remains to be seen.
She feels... kind of itchy.
DG: Lily Keil has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Coming and Going.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tes is not dead somehow, it's likely due to Jay and the rest of the Caravan honestly. The rumours about this town has gotton Tes' attention and it's got her to depart from the Caravan briefly to check this rumour out. It sounded like certain things to her. Hauntingly frimilar thing to her that sounded of home almost. She'd have to see for herself one way or another. She'd been willing to hook up with about anyone to look into this. 5R
"I wonder if this is just a tall tale or something else going on with this?"
Tes isn't a bandit right and isn't
"Not sure...if it is or not there's only really one way to find out and it's likely been overblown if it's got any truth to it."
DG: Tesni Inoue has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Coming and Going.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Coming and Going *>=======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |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 pass by a leaving caravan shortly before coming across someone shouting
for them! They're out of breath, and ask you for help in hailing down the
caravan. It seems they forgot something! You'll need to chase them down on
foot and hope they get your attention.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=======================<* CHALLENGE - Coming and Going *>=======================
|Type: Entry |Dungeon Ability: Agility |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 pass by a leaving caravan shortly before coming across someone shouting
for them! They're out of breath, and ask you for help in hailing down the
caravan. It seems they forgot something! You'll need to chase them down on
foot and hope they get your attention.
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust==================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 1 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= =========================< Results - Coming and Going >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talise Gianfair 0 --(16)--> 16 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ratatoskr 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Teleporter Fragment 2 Agility Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tesni Inoue 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Talise Gianfair 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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: Ratatoskr has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Our Stories Thus Far *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party's invited to come relax and enjoy a meal with the locals. There's
plenty of food to pick from! The excess of ingredients has sort of spoiled
the locals, so there isn't much in the way of technical cooking skill that
can only come from working with scarcity. They make up for it with variety
and heart.
They're happy to swap stories about how well things are going - such as how
their lives improved immeasurably after a beastfolk helped bring everything
together. (Their current mayor now, one adds.)
Enough about themselves! They want to hear how things are going out there.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
Talise is able to catch up - but there's a bit of a detour in the topic as the subject goes about her exotic giant yellow horsebird, which is something that occupies discussion for a short while as others show up. Lily and Ratatoskr both have intimidating and/or less-than-approachable atmospheres or mannerisms (Ratatoskr just teleporting in out of nowhere is enough to cause a bit of a ruckus), but as Tesni expresses her doubts, the caravan laughs and is all 'well we are being robbed, aren't we?' (they aren't, but this gets cleared up fast.)
Turns out the caravan here did forget something. To Ratatoskr's chagrin - his estimates are not going to be recorded here because his imagination is a little wild in that regard - it's all... fruit. Veggies. Delicious foodstuffs. The freshest, the tastiest... even the worms inside some of them are happy! (oh dear, well, that's nature)
With the caravan departing, and thanks given, everyone's invited into the village proper. Ratatoskr is briefly stopped and given some looks before they decide to let him in. The closer they come in, the more otherworldly the place feels... in that this doesn't feel like a place on Filgaia any more. The breeze feels wonderful, like you can breathe without ingesting things that slowly erode your life expectancy. It's no longer sweltering hot. The water one hears running nearby is that of a healthy freshwater river, and the locals here... are hardly judgmental about Talise's appearance, which is unusual among Filgaians. (Ratatoskr, again, gets the most scrutiny before they just go with it.)
"Must've been quite the journey here! How 'bout you all sit down for a spell and share a meal? We got plenty!" Yes. They have plenty. They are not the best cooks, but only because they don't know how to make the most of all this plenty yet - but it's food, it's better eating than almost anywhere else on the Blue Star.
They talk at length about how swell life has been the last two years, all thanks to a beastfolk helped bring everything together. (Their current mayor.)
"Is he strong?" Ratatoskr asks.
"...He's a big fellow, yes," a human villager notes, "never seen him angry."
Ratatoskr, now enjoying an apple, entertains all sorts of obviously terrible ideas in his mind as to the hows and whys.
DG: Ratatoskr has used his Tool Corrupted Records toward his party's challenge, Our Stories Thus Far.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Our Stories Thus Far *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party's invited to come relax and enjoy a meal with the locals. There's
plenty of food to pick from! The excess of ingredients has sort of spoiled
the locals, so there isn't much in the way of technical cooking skill that
can only come from working with scarcity. They make up for it with variety
and heart.
They're happy to swap stories about how well things are going - such as how
their lives improved immeasurably after a beastfolk helped bring everything
together. (Their current mayor now, one adds.)
Enough about themselves! They want to hear how things are going out there.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Talise is more than happy to talk about her giant horsebird. His name is Chauncey Junior.
Talise quickly catches up with the other arrivals, flashing a wry smile Lily's way. "Damn, haven't crossed your path in awhile. How's Riese and the gang?" Soon enough, she dismounts and relinquishes Chauncey Junior to a hitching post with a last pat on the beak.
She didn't dress fancy - she went with her travel slacks and a tank top, her travel coat shrugged off as a concession to the nicer climate here. Not that she expects to have a lot of reason to put her visible muscle to use in a place like this, unless it's to lift a gigantic plate.
"I mean, don't mind if I do!" Claiming a bowl, Talise proceeds to begin claiming a quantity of food more than sufficient to feed a healthy bodybuilder. She starts with the meat, migrates to the cheese and adds a quantity of vegetables that can best be described as an accent.
As she settles into a seat, Talise listens to the townsfolk a moment as she eats. Soon enough, though, she flips open a notebook, leafing through to a clean page to take a quick note. "Nice, a Beastfolk mayor? That's really great."
A grin follows. "So it was a pretty nice trip here...."
What follows is a somewhat embellished account of her trip through the wastelands to town. I mean, nobody here was with her when she allegedly slew the alleged sandworm this morning, right...?
DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Storyteller's Notebook toward her party's challenge, Our Stories Thus Far.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is less bandaged than she's been--it's easy to miss now, in fact, since what bandages remain are covered over by her sleeves. "Good to see you," Lily answers. "Riesenlied is well. We're all keeping busy. Yourself?"
Vegetables! That's... certainly something. Lily does not in fact rob them, looking over the others in turn and saying, "It's all right."
The breeze is wonderfuel. The temperature is perfect. The river is running beautifully. Lily's motorcycle is parked. And...
She feels itchy. It's strange, but it's like her skin is crawling, and she can't figure out why. THe place is absolutely lovely. So she's a little on-edge. But hand Lily foo, and that food will stop being extant soon enough to be eaten instead.
"Sure," Lily says, and keeps her weird feelings to herself for now. It's food!
"A mayor, hm? That is nice."
Lily takes up a piece of fruit and starts peeling it with her knife, deftly. "Two years, huh? It's impressive that the place has stayed hidden so long, then." A beat, "Calm man, then? That's good in a leader."
DG: Lily Keil has used her Tool Lily's Knife toward her party's challenge, Our Stories Thus Far.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue is happy to find the locals are pretty darn friendly she's more than happy to partake in the offered food. The style of cooking does tell a story though. They had access to this for some time either way there's a lot to look over and she seems pretty happy with the food. There's a lot of things to try out and Tess seems pretty keen to scarf down what she's offered. Well politely at least she seems to have a fairly decent manner but now she will enjoy the food. When asked for stories? She'll be curious about the beastfolk who helped this place out. She'll chat a bit tell a few stories of minor adventures and the like but she's kept out of the worst of the fighting so she doesn't have much recent to share. Still, she's pretty earnest with the stories she does tell.
DG: Tesni Inoue has used her Tool Datapad toward her party's challenge, Our Stories Thus Far.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Our Stories Thus Far *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party's invited to come relax and enjoy a meal with the locals. There's
plenty of food to pick from! The excess of ingredients has sort of spoiled
the locals, so there isn't much in the way of technical cooking skill that
can only come from working with scarcity. They make up for it with variety
and heart.
They're happy to swap stories about how well things are going - such as how
their lives improved immeasurably after a beastfolk helped bring everything
together. (Their current mayor now, one adds.)
Enough about themselves! They want to hear how things are going out there.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 2 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= =======================< Results - Our Stories Thus Far >======================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talise Gianfair 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Storyteller's Notebook 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ratatoskr 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Corrupted Records 2 Wits Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Lily's Knife 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tesni Inoue 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Datapad 3 Wits Effects: Rally -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Talise Gianfair 20 --(20)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Save Point(1) Effects: Enlighten(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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: Ratatoskr has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - Hands-On Logistics *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
With increased attention to the settlement has come an interest in some
neighboring villages getting in on trading. Rather than hoard their newfound
wealth to themselves, the people of Alcidamas have been nothing but kind and
willing to trade "at a loss."
That said, they did not organize what they were going to send to another
village across the region all that well, and could use help sorting them out
into crates... or alleviate some of the burden of a wagon that has far too
many things loaded. They could use some practice in efficiency with the
beginnings of a bustling economy, but for now, they need anyone with a
strong enough back to move things around.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
Talise can eat way more than that, if she so chooses - and they're more than happy to give. It's so weird, socially speaking, for Filgaians to treat food as something you can share and have 'extra' of. There's hardly a mean bone in anyone's body here.
"That's right! I know what you're thinkin', and truth is... can't think of a more fittin' person for the job," the praise is very real, and not the grudging 'yeah' or fear-driven 'yes he is great' that the beastfolk of Filgaia tend to manage at best. The respect seems well-earned - and Talise's natural talent for storytelling enraptures well beyond the embellishments.
Lily's observation is met with a stifled laugh. "It's not like we were tryin' to hide it, it's just... we wanted to make the most of what feels like a last chance for a lot of us, you know? It's not every day you come to something like this, and feel like... the worst is behind us."
Tesni is asked at one point if some of the things she's holding were salvaged from the Celesti Civil War battlegrounds. There's a veteran of the war present who is casting a questioning glance but doesn't think all that much of it, as Ratatoskr jots down things in his own datapad thing about how strong this mayor person must be. His footnotes are along the lines of 'must be stronger than Grudiev and Odoryuk combined' which... given the environments...
...well, we're not going to entertain his little fighting fantasies here.
"Say, do any of you deal with courier work, or tradin', or... anything of that sort?" Asks a young man. "We're, uh... we're havin' a hard time putting together inventory and shipments, and the like. We're tryin' to send some of this out to the struggling places out here, the ones that hadn't let themselves go to Guild Galad," he explains, as he gestures to what we will call Plenty(tm). Saying numbers or just how high or how many containers there are... um, really, Plenty(tm) will do.
"We got plenty," the young man forgets the trademark the narrative decided upon, but that's okay, he's not privy to that conversation that just happened so he can be forgiven, "we just need to... figure out how many we can put together at once, I've never packed a wagon in my life... ha ha ha," he looks nervous.
Ratatoskr plants a busted gunblade ARM into the ground and flares its barrier effect as he takes measurement of the height of it the Plenty(tm), quietly pushing some of that stack up straighter.
"...There's not even any bullets in here..." He sounds incredulous.
DG: Ratatoskr has used his Tool Derelict Relic toward his party's challenge, Hands-On Logistics.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"All's been well," Talise assures Lily with another sidelong grin and a flick of two fingers near her temple. "I'm on the trail of something I've been chasing for a long-ass time."
It takes a lot of protein for Talise to function, and she takes what she needs from townsfolk seemingly happy to offer. By the time they're done chowing down, she's all the more cheered, somehow a little *more* energized than she was before eating.
The openness towards the Beastfolk has a lot to do with it. Lunar's accepting enough, but Filgaia seems less at ease with her - at least in some quarters.
"Trading? Yeah, it's one of my things." Sitting up straighter, Talise raises her eyebrows with interest. "What, you've got a bit of a supply chain issue, then? Think I can fix that one for you."
There's a wagon. And then there's Plenty(tm). Talise gives the two an assessing look.
"Hey Ratatoskr, can you grab the turnips?" ask Talise entirely casually as she moves between the crates and the cart. She has an enormous crate balanced on each shoulder.
She is able to load them neatly onto the cart, one-handed each, without so much as a sign of effort.
DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Reinforced Gauntlets toward her party's challenge, Hands-On Logistics.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
It's really weird. Lily can feel how calm and happy they are about all this. How natural this is. Even the part where they were hiding it... "That makes sense," Lily says. "No sense in rocking the boat."
Courier work, trading? "...Well," Lily says, "Actually, I'm a mercenary... but back when I was in the army I handled supplies for my unit. So I can help you with that." She considers--helping limit Guild Galad's influence is not itself a bad thing.
"Yeah, I can help you figure that out. I can move a few things while we're at it, too." She pauses, looking at Ratatoskr. "...Yep, no bullets. No need."
She walks past, and looks to their papers. She considers, and, "...I'm injured, but I can carry some of the lighter stuff." She will. Except...
It still feels...
DG: Lily Keil has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Hands-On Logistics.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue does not seem put off by this whole extra food sharing it's kinda odd. It seems like Tes has experienced this before but who knows she could just be a derp right? She seems surprised at this and shakes her head a little bit. She admits to some of it being from the Seed cities or archeology finds she put into use."
She does make a few notes on her own pad but it's rather fast-paced typing as she makes her own notes.
The language though looks like gibberish would anyone get a look at it.
When it's done she'll end up putting it away.
"Aye I do some of it I work for Caravan Kinship most of the time actually."
Why not a chance to name drop and give Jay some more exposure right?
Tes pauses at the mention of lack of bullets?
"No bullets? Interesting."
well there's some heavy work to do and Tess gets creative with pallets and a crowbar to help try and push her way through it.
DG: Tesni Inoue has used her Tool Crowbar toward her party's challenge, Hands-On Logistics.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
======================<* CHALLENGE - Hands-On Logistics *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
With increased attention to the settlement has come an interest in some
neighboring villages getting in on trading. Rather than hoard their newfound
wealth to themselves, the people of Alcidamas have been nothing but kind and
willing to trade "at a loss."
That said, they did not organize what they were going to send to another
village across the region all that well, and could use help sorting them out
into crates... or alleviate some of the burden of a wagon that has far too
many things loaded. They could use some practice in efficiency with the
beginnings of a bustling economy, but for now, they need anyone with a
strong enough back to move things around.
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure===================================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 3 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= ========================< Results - Hands-On Logistics >======================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talise Gianfair 16 --(0)--> 16 Pass Reinforced Gauntlets 1 Brute Effects: Strengthen and Fanfar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ratatoskr 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Derelict Relic 2 Brute Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tesni Inoue 0 --(0)--> 0 Pass Crowbar 2 Brute Effects: Strengthen -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Talise Gianfair 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Injure(2) Effects: Strengthen(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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: Ratatoskr has drawn a new Challenge.
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===============<* CHALLENGE - Passing the Time (and the Ball) *>================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party comes across a number of children - mixed human and beastfolk
alike - playing a game involving the manipulation of a round ball with one's
feet. (Some of you may already be familiar with this from a strange metal
shrine in the Ignas region that appeared dedicated to this ancient
gladiatorial contest of sorts.)
"Want to play football?" One child asks. "The mayor, Mr. Mecone, taught us
how to play it! It's a lot of fun! You can't touch the ball with your hands
unless you're placed in front of the goal." They are insistent that you come
play! It's a great day for it.
There's never been a better one in recent memory. The weather is perfect for
a game.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
The young man perks up as Tesni namedrops the Caravan Kinship. "Oh! You're with them, you should've said!"
"I'm not!!" Ratatoskr scoffs. "I know the Celesti Civil War happened here! Now it looks like it never has..."
"W-We all know. We do," the young man flinches and backs away as Ratatoskr continues to scowl at the feeling a part of his knowledge base is being outright gaslit. He is only able to identify 'turnips' because he recognizes the kind of explosive named after them - but he's able to help Talise with moving stuff along.
"I... I appreciate it, miss," the young man watches Talise just load the crates like they're pillows. The Plenty(tm) is sorted thusly. When Lily mentions she's injured, the young man nods and helps point out the much lighter stuff. "I wouldn't say there's no need, it's more... we have enough of that around. Enough death, enough destruction, and now... we have life to share instead!" The young man laughs awkwardly. "Even I'm still getting used to that idea..."
Once it's all loaded up, a little white ball made of pentagons - some of them black - rolls up against Lily's heel. The itching... it doesn't subside. But it's a ball. Just a ball. A plaything, seen in a handful of places around Filgaia.
"Want to play football?" One child asks the strangers, as if that eager to play. She's a little beastfolk girl - actually she doesn't look too far off from the same 'kind' as Talise, it's possible she's a half herself but it could just be young age. "The mayor, Mr. Mecone, taught us how to play it! It's a lot of fun! YOu can't touch the ball with your hands unless you're placed in front of the goal! Come on! Come play!"
"...Is it the full conta--" Ratatoskr grins.
"We're not allowed to play full contact." The child responds, looking down.
Ratatoskr's eyes dim, and that grin turns into a smile. "Oh."
The children have a field set up for that purpose. They also appear to have asked some other grown-ups to come play too, so it's... even, kind of.
...Maybe not really.
DG: Ratatoskr has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Passing the Time (and the Ball).
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
"I can't imagine a place like this being a combat zone," Talise concedes with a cant of her head towards Ratatoskr.
She pauses, then looks up towards the open sky. "...Which is odd, isn't it? This place has actual food and green land, and yet it's not crawling with Geohounds trying to grab a slice. Wonder what gives."
She's talking quite casually about all of it. She barely broke a sweat. As she moves up alongside Lily, she hooks her thumbs into her belt loops, shoulders rolled forward a bit before she gives her a pensive look. "Didn't realize you were hurt," she murmurs, momentarily wishing she were better versed in the healing arts.
Before she can engage much more on it, though, a ball comes tumbling in, and a child after it. Talise's eyebrows rise a little at the sight of the youth. Memories play in the back of her consciousness. She smiles wistfully before setting aside her pack and sword, throwing Lily a wry smile. "I mean, what can it hurt, right?"
'is it the full conta--'
"Ratatoskr, you better not be body-checkin' any younguns," Talise chides with a wag of her finger before wading out into the field.
For all that she enjoys a game of soccer, Talise's footwork is more about positioning than it is about kicking balls around. She doesn't know the rules all that well. But that's fine.
It's not like she's gonna try and beat the kids, anyway.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tess seems to see the kids and she seme pretty happy about this the watches the ball and she seems to knows. She reacts with a big smile at the mention of football.
"Yes! I played it a lot as a child! I'd love to play a bit."
There's a slight pause at the mention of the mayor's name but it passe as she seems eager to play with the kids. She will hold back enough to not try and floor the kids due to the age gap but she'll try to challenge them she gets a bit fancy bouncing the ball at one point with her knees even doing a headbutt of it.
She is showing off a bit to be sure. Yet? Tensei seems very happy and she knows how well the kids can be at. She's really laughing, it might be a rare sight for her more or less adopted family in the Caravan.
Still in the end she's not going to try to beat the kids, challenge them a bit yes? Beat them heck no.
DG: Tesni Inoue has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Passing the Time (and the Ball).
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"I drop by the Carakin when I can, myself. Jay's a good friend." She isn't affiliated with them, though. But a combat zone... "Yeah," she agrees with Talise. "It is odd. The weapons they used in that war... this place shouldn't be as nice as it is." Pause. "Not that I'm complaining--I'm just surprised. It's very nice."
Lily takes some lighter things, and there... "Mm. You have life to share. That's a good philosophy."
She looks to Talise at the murmur, and shakes her head. "It's fine; I just need some time to recover. I've already done about all magic and medicine can do."
But there is a ball, and... Lily is still itchy. She peers towards it, and glances over. Hmm...
She shrugs at Talise, but one of those 'ah, why not?' little shrugs rather than disinterested, and she says, "Sure. We'll play with you."
She's intersted to see how much Tesni gets into it, really. It's... nice. Not quite nice enough to do away with Lily's discomfort, but still nice.
DG: Lily Keil has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Passing the Time (and the Ball).
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===============<* CHALLENGE - Passing the Time (and the Ball) *>================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party comes across a number of children - mixed human and beastfolk
alike - playing a game involving the manipulation of a round ball with one's
feet. (Some of you may already be familiar with this from a strange metal
shrine in the Ignas region that appeared dedicated to this ancient
gladiatorial contest of sorts.)
"Want to play football?" One child asks. "The mayor, Mr. Mecone, taught us
how to play it! It's a lot of fun! You can't touch the ball with your hands
unless you're placed in front of the goal." They are insistent that you come
play! It's a great day for it.
There's never been a better one in recent memory. The weather is perfect for
a game.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
DG: Talise Gianfair has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Passing the Time (and the Ball).
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>=============
===============<* CHALLENGE - Passing the Time (and the Ball) *>================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility |Challenge Rating: 1 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
Your party comes across a number of children - mixed human and beastfolk
alike - playing a game involving the manipulation of a round ball with one's
feet. (Some of you may already be familiar with this from a strange metal
shrine in the Ignas region that appeared dedicated to this ancient
gladiatorial contest of sorts.)
"Want to play football?" One child asks. "The mayor, Mr. Mecone, taught us
how to play it! It's a lot of fun! You can't touch the ball with your hands
unless you're placed in front of the goal." They are insistent that you come
play! It's a great day for it.
There's never been a better one in recent memory. The weather is perfect for
a game.
=Dungeon Conditions: Save Point===============================================
=======<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky - Round 4 *>========
============<* Alcidamas Village - Oasis of Land, Water, and Sky *>============= =================< Results - Passing the Time (and the Ball) >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talise Gianfair 16 --(18)--> 34 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ratatoskr 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tesni Inoue 0 --(5)--> 5 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Talise Gianfair 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Injure(1)|Save Point(1) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
For all of Talise's might, she is a gentle soul - and these kids are too young to appreciate that difference, so they run literal circles around her. She probably has the ball all of twice during the game, but just as well. If she were of the mind she could probably punt that ball all the way over to Marze over on Ignas.
Tesni enjoys herself, and has a ball, and also has the ball a lot. Sometimes an adult goes, 'hey, take it easy' at her, but... it's good, wholesome, clean fun, isn't it? There's nothing problematic going on here beyond one small thing - and she may hope it's just a small thing, or a coincidence, as she successfully scores another goal for the informal teams.
Ratatoskr is not there, because he's looking cross. "...I know of at last two battles that happened here... and there's nothing of it left..."
"And good riddance to that," says an older veteran, who has to get along with the help of a cane.
"Good riddance? Good riddance!" Ratatoskr's tail flares out on end. "It happened!! Do you know how much ground I've covered keeping and creating records of all that happened here?"
"...Some of us would rather forget."
"Forget?!" This may make some stand on end in tension. Ratatoskr's voice is grating when he gets riled up, already an arrogant and annoying-sounding young man among his people. "...There's nothing here for me."
"You're right. There's nothin' here for people who just want to see suffering and sadness. Spent the last... ten years or so bein' sad. I'm done with it." The man throws his hands up.
"The only way some sort of peace like this could have happened... is if there's some sort of incredible weapon here... I don't get it..."
"Sounds like you never will," the older fellow grins tauntingly at someone who by right could rip his head off within the span of two seconds.
Ratatoskr, frustrated, engages that teleporter fragment thing and disappears outright, which is... alarming? But he may have just left. This odd argument aside, off to the side, none of it reaches the kids. Everyone has their fun, but then...
"Hey!" Someone calls out to the current crop of travelers here. "The mayor said he's wanted to meet with you!"
DG: You have left Talise Gianfair's party. DG: Ratatoskr has left your party. DG: Lily Keil 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> Ratatoskr has posed.
Approaching the group is a large beastfolk man - clearly aging, though given how different physiology is across beastfolk on Filgaia it's really an educated guess but he does seem to be approaching his elderly years - of a pig-like form. He's still solidly built. He might not be built enough to take on Talise, but who is? He doesn't seem, outwardly, the sort who'd be of a mind to 'take' anyone. "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... enough I lost count now! Gah ha ha hah!"
"So you're the travelers I'm hearin' so much about," he continues, and makes an offer to answer how they've been doing so well... with the caveat that no one here has seen anything like they're about to, and then backtracks to try and play off the potential threat that choice of words might have implied.
To Lily, the itching intensifies - and as they crest the hill, well.
There is a thing.
This 'thing' is a large shrubby tree... whatever-it-is, colored a hue just outside of the visible color spectrum, burning an equally strange color, surrounded by leaves and fruits making fractal patterns that are only just barely held within three-dimensions. Or maybe not. It's weird to look at - unsettling is the nicest way to put it.
But the world around it is clear, clean, and healthy. There's a horizontal glassy 'window' with a smiling face that seems to lean forward without doing so, and a name is given.
Demetrioi, the friendliest... Demetrioi they'll ever meet, brought with Homer here from some time back. He doesn't clarify before pointing out what all Demetrioi's given in exchange for just wanting friends. Go on, say hello...
o hello and salutations i am demetrioi :) today is a wonderful day :D
Its voice is... a thing? That's sound, sort of? It parses like it but also isn't. The scary part is that it can be understood, and that it doesn't sound hostile or doing anything untoward. Like a really freakin' weird creature(?) just wants to say hello.
Will you?
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.
Talise has never been so pleased to lose a sportsball game.
Once the game's over, she comes sauntering up to one side of Ratatoskr and gives him a firm clap on the shoulder. "Hey," she puts in with faint, sad sort of smile. "There are a lot of people in this world - actually most people - who think battles are something to dread. And they're right. War's not glorious for most people." Another pat - "C'mon by sometime and we'll talk. I got stories..."
Ratatoskr's teleporting away before she can say much more. Talise purses her lips and looks into the empty air.
"Someday you'll be happy with peace," she murmurs.
There is no time for reflection now. Talise turns to greet the mayor with a warm smile and a hand resting at the flare of a hip. "Hey! Nice to meet you. Talise Gianfair. Tal's good too." She'll offer up a gruff handshake.
The sense of something wrong is lost on her. Talise is about as magically conscious as a brick.
5rUp the hill they go. Talise blinks a couple of times as Homer begins to explain things. And then they crest the hill, and--
"The huh," Talise reacts instantly, stopping short and nearly dropping her notebook.
She doesn't even have a name for some of the colours and patterns she's seeing. The big swordsinger squints, moving forward even as her pencil sweeps over the page of her notebook, jotting things down and adding a rough scribble. The face embedded in the... the tree...?... is somehow even more unnerving than the rest of the geometric brutality jagging exquisitely around them.
"...Hi, Demetrioi," she ventures, drawing a short breath and hiding the worry behind one of her easygoing smiles. "It's a pretty great day, yeah. So I hear you're the one making this place to nice to live in, huh? How'd that happen? I've never seen a Demetrioi before, y'know."
DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Storyteller's Notebook toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily finds that she doesn't have to step in to prevent a fight between these people and Ratatoskr after all, because he just leaves. It's just as well--but soon, Homer approaches and that game has ended, and Lily catches her breath while turning towards him. Calm, they said he was. Easygoing. And it seems like he is. "A lot, huh? Lot of visitors, then?"
But he makes an offer to answer, and Lily is interested--she makes just a little face of discomfort as she goes, barely showing it at all.
"--"
She stiffens as they crest the hill, and for a mment she is silent. He explains a lot, and Lily is able to keep her composure for a while... until it 'speaks'.
"Aaah," she breathes, and stumbles backward, bringing a hand up to her head, visibly swaying. Her sunglasses fall; her eyes are strange, black with prismatic pupil and iris. Her breathing speeds up, but she tries to push the feeling back down, deliberately straightening her back and looking right at Demetrioi. Those colors...
"...Hello," she manages, with difficulty. "I think--I think I'm not feeling well. Sorry. I need to--go--"
She puts a hand to her belt, where her knife's handle is, and doesn't draw it--but she grips its sheath, white-knuckled.
She starts to slink away. ]
DG: Lily Keil has used her Tool Lily's Knife toward her party's challenge, Everything Is Fine.
<Pose Tracker> Tesni Inoue has posed.
Tesni Inoue seems to see the large beatfolk man he's old but he's clearly fit for his age she looks him over for a moment
"Aye that we are Mr. Mayror. It's been quite the trip. I hadn't expected to get a good game of football in. It's been a long time since I had. The kids really have taken to it well. At this rate, they will be really impressed with it if they keep up with it."
She looks at the strange thing and she pauses for a moment she looks at the Demetrioi for a moment.
She does seem to know the mayor's name well his surname from a look of recognition on her face. She is however distracted by this strange mysterious being? MAchine? She has her pad out again taking some footage and making notes furiously. Well after she bows and introduces herself.
"Good to meet you I'm Tesnei and yes it's been one heck of a wonderful day I have to admit."
DG: Tesni Inoue has used her Tool Datapad 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Talise Gianfair 34 --(5)--> 39 Pass Storyteller's Notebook 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tesni Inoue 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Datapad 3 Wits Effects: Rally -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 5 --(5)--> 10 Pass Lily's Knife 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Talise Gianfair 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Madness Effects: Enlighten(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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 (1 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 claps his hands together. "Glad you all're friends! Now, I ain't gonna
say to stay quiet," he says as he quietly escorts you along back to the
greater village, "but I know Filgaia here's... had a rough time o' things.
I'd like to introduce 'em to the rest of the world a li'l more slowly than
this, just in case..."
He stops and thinks, and throws his hand down with laughter. "Ahh, nothin'
has gone wrong in the last two years! Don't see anything bad happenin' in
the next... five, ten, if I'm around for 'em. Stiiiiill, if you all can keep
it on the down low and let other travelers see for themselves... I'd
appreciate it."
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.
Your team leaves with no small amount of fresh produce to take on the road
with them. It's not only the best for miles, it might be the best anywhere
on Filgaia period! You can always come back for more, if you'd like. Even
the people of Lunar would have a tinge of jealousy at just how good this
stuff is!
BGM: Star Ocean Faithlessness and Integrity - Spending Time With You
=Dungeon Conditions: Secret===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
Ratatoskr was born in war, raised by it, and lived in it - it could be that for all his bravado, actual lasting peace is a mortal terror. The good news is he's no longer here to disturb the... uh... is it peace? Whatever this is.
Is Demetrioi a thing of peace? They smile as Talise scribbles what she can in the notebook.
) it is so and it is also pretty and it is also great as all days should be :D i have never seen another demetrioi either but it has happened because that is what i do :D
They share none of the trepidation and awkwardness, as if unambiguously happy to be engaged as such. As Tesni speaks with the mayor about having not expected to get a football game in, he looks a bit askance and scratches his head, but as for the present now with... this thing, Tesni's greeting is met in turn.
D i am happy that you are happy :) a world should be happy just like you are tesni :D
Tesni and Talise both make a very strange friend! Lily, however, seems out of it, and Demetrioi's face-projection tilts with a smile as Lily chooses to disengage. Homer quietly moves as if to offer to help her, but sees how she grips the knife... and he's more than a little intimidated to watch that body language.
o oh are you not well :o i hope you will feel better soon it is too good of a day :)
They don't seem to dwell on that too long... is that good, or bad? It's hard to say, but they haven't tried to... blow everyone up, or do anything weird beyond merely existing.
) nice to meet you :D be happy and healthy and harmonious world okay :)
<Pose Tracker> Ratatoskr has posed.
"Glad you're all friends, uh," Homer looks to Lily who is still walking off like she might stab someone. "...N-Now, I ain't gonna say to stay quiet," he says as he escorts the others back to the greater village, "but I know Filgaia's here... had a rough time o' things. I'd like to introduce 'em to the rest of the world a li'l more slowly than this, just in case..."
Beat. Then he throws his hands down with laughter. "Ahh, nothin' has gone wrong in the last two years! Dont' see anything bad happenin' inthe next... five, ten, if I'm around for 'em. Stiiiilll, if you all can keep it on the down low and let the other travelers see for themselves... I'd appreciate it."
"...How's supper sound? I think it's 'bout that time!" It is! The group can see other villagers come up to Demetrioi and give them love and attention in their own unique ways - there's not some standardized ritual or handshake - and they appreciate it all equally. Nothing seems off about their behavior otherwise, and the food? Their cooking skill is developing, but even if they can't bring the ingredients to their fullest potential... it tastes nice!
Homer has to part to deal with some mayor business (and/or check on Lily, if she's still around), and the village is happy to share some of this incredible produce with them for when they want to eat really good food on the road - and hey, come back for more, too!
Unless... that Demetrioi thing might be a bit too much.