2022-11-25: Mount Liverfeast (Side B)
- Log: 2022-11-25: Mount Liverfeast (Side B)
- Cast: Ethius Hesiod (as GM), Venetia Vuong, Juni Vandrer, Lily Keil, Fei Fong Wong, Xantia
- Where: The Crater Sea
- Date: November 25, 2022
- Summary: To the west of Mount Liverfeast, a terrible storm brews - rapidly expanding by the hour. It is a risk to pierce the veil of storms about the dormant volcano, but two individuals already have. Once more, Drifters are called to find answers for what's going on... and, if they're lucky, get some key ones another has withheld. The second of six runs of Mount Liverfeast. (NOTE: Every Mount Liverfeast scene ICly takes place on December 9th!)
==============================<* The Crater Sea *>============================== The Crater Sea rests at the center of Southern Aquvy. Rumors abound that ancient cities and other ruins are submerged underneath the sea, and in the shallower portions, Diggers have reported that great expanses of submerged glass have been found. The people of Southern Aquvy know that Crater Sea is not just a name. In the past, some great calamity shattered the ancient continent of Greater Aquvy, and in doing so, left the many smaller islands of the south. These waters are well-traveled, though not as much as they once were, after the fall of Celesti. BGM: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - The Great Sea
DC: Lily Keil switches forms to Etheric Witch Lily! DC: Juni Vandrer switches forms to AE-8 Tyv!
DG: A party led by Venetia Vuong is now entering Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Storming the Weather *>=====================
| Type: Entry | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Whether you are going by boat or by air (if you are so fortunate), one thing
becomes clear on the approach: there is no safe way towards the churning
cauldron of uncontrollable weather at Mt. Liverfeast.
The tides are out of control, threatening to batter nearby islands with
crashing waves. The winds are something else, frequently changing direction.
Lightning and hail join the 'fun.' Heat waves sap further at visibility and
just make it hard to breathe. Living bodies simply are not made to withstand
these conditions at length.
The problem is, you don't have any other way... and there's no time to wait
it out, because it's just getting worse. Breach the storm, and pray there is
an eye within so that you may scale the mountain and claim the truth from a
certain someone who doesn't believe you deserve it.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure! and Suffer:_Exhaustion_Up! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
December 9th 504 PC
Illsveil Prison is not a good, fun place to be. West of it... is even less so. However, there's no ignoring it and hoping it goes away. Everyone has a good reason to believe something terrible's going down, or... a certain someone might be preying on a key opportunity to do a thing that's rather unkind! This is the most levity one can wring out of the situation, so let's have at the brass tacks.
Whatever ship they're commandeered, it's looking bad! Tides batter it, the wind tries to pick it up and hurl it all over the place, and sometimes it gets struck by huge balls of hail. The helmsman is cursing, the engineers aren't sure if they are going to make it... but they have to!
If anyone's feeling particularly brave, they might - might! - be close enough to land to use whatever clever or miraculous means to breach the storm and make landfall on Mount Liverfeast, but it's clear from the jump that the approach alone is going to have casualties among the interested parties.
You won't be one of them. (You won't be five of them.) But you may be cutting it so very, very close.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
When one of her colleagues whose job description prominently includes the term 'Seer' Sees something that is Pretty Bad and Coming Soon, Venetia Vuong takes it seriously. She was involved in organizing this particular charter journey upon a stout motor vessel, explicitly containing deck space and room to tote along a Gear!
Not Venetia's School's, though. That shit's too fat.
In the face of this storm, one might need agility and adroit handling to steer, to avoid falling overboard, to avoid other and worse fates. That's how many people live their lives, but Venetia Vuong has a different plan.
She is standing on the gunwales, surrounded by a faint magical aura recently invoked. She is...
... not moving? It's weird; she seems to be affixed to a point approximately thirty centimeters above the ship's deck and if you look at the deck and her feet she is standing *perfectly* still, although she is rising and falling in perfect synch with the deck itself.
"You know," Venetia shouts as the ship rises and falls, barely avoiding smashing against a stone crag, "Everyone complains about the weather." Dip...
"But nobody," and she raises her hands up, "DOES anything about it--"
Rise...
"~Star Blazer~!"
A massive ray of brilliant blue light smashes upwards into the storm clouds *and drags some of them with it*: rainstorms suddenly wobble, intensifying for a moment before dying down; the wind follows after, suddenly *behind* the motor vessel. The ray shoots into the clouds, and thankfully it does not clip the volcano. Screaming with a pure and scintillating sound, it continues for glittering, glorious seconds...
... and fades...
And Venetia swears. "Ugh!"
Hey, it's SLIGHTLY LESS SHITTY for like two minutes! PROGRESS? MAYBE??
DG: Venetia Vuong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Storming the Weather.
<Pose Tracker> Juni Vandrer has posed.
Juni Vandrer was informed of weirdness afoot, she's weirdness afoot and her mech is weirdness afoot. So why not roll with it right? As for the weather, the alien's not having the best of time riding in a mech. It's one thing to ride out a storm on foot or even on a bigger ship, but it's another when you're above the ground with inertial controls and- well. She's not green, but she'd prefer the ride would stop now.
"I don't have my usual options for controlling the weather thanks." She replies back, a touch testy about the situation. "I mean we did have options, but I don't think they're a good option." Let's not bring up those options, the planet's already struggling.
She seals the mech up either way, checking the deck as she calls out, "It's getting too risky either way for the crew. Give me a tow rope and I'll see if I can help stabalize it with this thing or something." Might as well use the big armored thing for a reason, right? Especially with potential lesser hateful weather!
DG: Juni Vandrer has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Storming the Weather.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
A stealth Gear would be less useful on this mission than Lily Keil's raw sorcerous power, and so she has elected not to bring it. But she did come along. And here she's been, standing on the deck of the ship as the storm has worsened Weraing a heavy coat that is already soaked through. She is willing to listen to visions of the future, but they hav to get there to do anything about it. She notices the interesting magicc Venetia is using up n the gunwales...
Star Blazer happens. Lily considers, thoughtfully. ...She can tell--th spell won't last lng. But--
"All right, then we MOVE!" Lily calls, and pulls her collar open, gripping a strange gimbaled pendant there and channeling magic through a symbol of the distant Past. A blue sphere of power suddenly surrounds her as she channels Ether, and then more than just her--it expands, towards the prow of the ship and Lily both. "Gh--"
Then a gigantic shell of ice erupts around the prow, propelling them forward by magic to make use of the limited time Venetia has bought them.
DG: Lily Keil has used her Tool Impure Pendant toward her party's challenge, Storming the Weather. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round! Sacrifice! The party will take slightly more Exhaustion this round!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong does have a gear! But his player forgot this was a hybrid dig and so lets just pretend that he's in one. Frankly, FEi hasn't been in Weltall for long enough that there's something kind of nostalgic about being in his gear. It's really been a while. He hasn't really needed WEltall's power.
Wait, nostalgic? Uggh stop feeling weird for the giant weapon you used to destroy your home town.
But it does seem a lot safer to be in his mecha than it is to walk on foot right now. Weltall makes FOOMP FOOMP FOOMP noises as it moves along.
Fei has completely forgotten Weltall can fly so this might be hilarious in a moment.
"Well it seems a little dangerous to mess with natural forces so that's probably.,..why? Considering the uh...situation??"
He kind of lingers near Lily to help shelter her from the WOOF.
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Storming the Weather.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Between her recent memory lapses in combat situations and the return of a Certain Item from her past that was implied to have dire consequences, there's been reason to worry about Xantia. Nothing particularly unusual (by her standards) has occured since then, however. After a few days being out of sorts, she's back to her normal energetic self, ready and if anything a little too willing to confront situations that threaten Filgaia.
The goings-on surrouding Mr. Liverfeast certainly qualify as such. Though Xantia has been a bit out of the loop on the probable cause. Her first thought was that Odessa's Akasha was involved, not having been aware of anything else that could influence the weather to such a destructive degree. Not that it matters much, in the end. This is clearly a major threat, so it must be stopped no matter what the cause, simple as that.
Unfortunately, it was necessary to approach by ship, which is far from her most preferred ways of approaching a danger zone. There's nowhere to really go, and she sure doesn't like being fully dependant on a vehicle's durability to get somewhere safely. "This isn't looking good!", by her estimation. "Are we gonna have to swim the rest of the way?" Valid option as far as she's concerned, despite the dire circumstances.
The resident mages have a better idea, however. Clear the skies, turn the whole boat into an ice missile. Xantia takes these sorts of things in stride, and just goes with them. But there's not much she can do except go with the flow here. Well, there's one thing she can do. Support her friend, much like Fei is doing, except in a different way.
"Nice, Lily! Let me help!"
And the way she chooses to do this is... to place her hands on Lily's shoulders. A meaningful gesture, especially when her hands start to glow white, supplying Lily with an extra flow of Ether from her own body. Sharing the magical burden, as it were, so as to hopefully exhaust both of them a little less than if they each acted individually.
DG: Xantia has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Storming the Weather.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Storming the Weather *>=====================
| Type: Entry | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Whether you are going by boat or by air (if you are so fortunate), one thing
becomes clear on the approach: there is no safe way towards the churning
cauldron of uncontrollable weather at Mt. Liverfeast.
The tides are out of control, threatening to batter nearby islands with
crashing waves. The winds are something else, frequently changing direction.
Lightning and hail join the 'fun.' Heat waves sap further at visibility and
just make it hard to breathe. Living bodies simply are not made to withstand
these conditions at length.
The problem is, you don't have any other way... and there's no time to wait
it out, because it's just getting worse. Breach the storm, and pray there is
an eye within so that you may scale the mountain and claim the truth from a
certain someone who doesn't believe you deserve it.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure! and Suffer:_Exhaustion_Up! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
==========<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart - Round 1 *>=========== =======================< Results - Storming the Weather >======================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Venetia Vuong 0 --(45)--> 45 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juni Vandrer 0 --(25)--> 25 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 0 --(20)--> 20 Pass Impure Pendant 3 Agility Effects: Stalwart and Sacrific -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 0 --(45)--> 45 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 0 --(45)--> 45 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Venetia Vuong 0 --(15)--> 15 Fail Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Suffer(1) Effects: ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Venetia Vuong has failed this challenge! The party gained 15 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Venetia Vuong has drawn a new Challenge.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Emergency Broadcast Signal Test *>================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Having a Gear with you is protection against the ceaseless storms, but it is
not absolute. Ahead of you is a ruined Gear left abandoned by another party
that attempted to brave Mt. Liverfeast. Though it's impossible to tell where
they've gone or whether they're still alive, a cursory examination provides
a surprising grace.
Its communication systems are damaged, but they are compatible with your
group's own (and/or are familiar enough to at least one of you, however
strange it may be). It's not fully protected from the elements, so there's a
risk factor involved in putting oneself out there to make the repairs and
adjustments needed.
If you are able to make them work again, you'll be able to better coordinate
with the other parties and collectively make the journey to the summit of
Mt. Liverfeast less of a suspension of disbelief.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Stupify:_Wits_Down!, and |
| Treasure:_Exploration_Up! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
"Ma'am," the Captain tries to rush out after Venetia. "What we're sailin' into, it's... what're you--"
The Captain is not well-acquainted with the World's Greatest Sorceress, as a masive ray of light smashes into the clouds, and starts to clear the skies. The Captain, awestruck, forgets to lecture.
Juni's able to affix a tow rope of some sort, and Fei's rather scary Gear of no small amount of infamy helps tank some of the burden of the weird, dangerous atmospheric stuff at play for Lily and Xantia.
Together, the two Ether-powered individuals channel power through one who has absolute mastery of the concept of heat. A gigantic shell of ice surrounds the ship, and forward they go. With Xantia lending her power, it picks up speed through the opening that rapidly closes.
It is turbulent - violently so. No one will get out of that unscathed. Everything goes bright as they hit the breach, and then...
) everYthiNG wiLl be BetTeR :D anD theRE is No ReasOn to be saAAAaaaAd :)
The strange voice from once picturesque Alcidamas returns. Everyone's made it to the coast. The ship's gone waaay aground, but everyone lived. (It's sort of cheating when you become the iceberg that crasahes into things, isn't it!) While the crew worries about 'what now', the space within the storm is... calmer. Comparatively. Strange heat mirages, cold fog, and other bizarre and sometimes impossible phenomena fill the space that winds up the dormant volcano towards a large, colorful blotch of Wrong. The 'Wrong' in this case being a big something-or-another whose colors juuuuuuust bleed past the visible color spectrum, with fractal patterns not able to be fully contained in three dimensions. That's the target Eleanor's vision speaks of.
It's a long trip up.
_ Crater Sea _
--------------
MOUNT LIVERFEAST
OST: Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness - Under Pressure
...
They don't have to go too far up the path, battered by a heavy onset of rainstorms, to find a ruined Gear that has been left behind by another party that attmepted to go up Mt. Liverfeast. (It's a Kislevi model, turns out, but it's one of the models that tend to fall into, shall we say, secondary markets.) There's no real sign as to where they might have gone, but no one's here - and there's no sign of anyone having passed on within.
It's worth exploring, just in case... and hey, looks like the communication systems are technically online, but there's components both in and outside of the Gear that need working on in order to broadcast something. If they can get it working, they could better coordinate with any other parties that might already be here.
You aren't carrying anything.
You have 56688 Pennies.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
Despite tripping, stumbling, and banging her leg, Venetia Vuong makes it to the storm-tossed shore of this island! While checking it to make sure she didn't actually break it - THOUGH THIS MIGHT NOT STOP HER - Venetia swears an oath:
"I'm going to kick whoever made this storm in the bollocks, Dinoginos witness me."
But there is an ominously cheerful voice that affects Venetia thus as she adjusts her rain-resistant hat to keep it out of her face: "Growf! Hnfgh!" She stomps upwards, laden with her relevant gear and striving to ignore the nonsense she can see beyond what her sorcerer's senses reveal.
God it's miserable. Another Gear! Already downed! Venetia squints through the storm as she hastens towards it, ducking into it to take shelter and saying, "If you're dead say something." Beat, beat. Nobody does. The cockpit hatch seems ajar...
Investigating inside, Venetia looks round. "Hrm," she says. "Alright, no need to play memorization games." Out comes a boxlike camera - an image of the console is taken, and then test-projected as an eerie monochrome echo onto the ground. The comm console is squacking.
"I doubt we can get it running, but perhaps we can signal the ship? Or the others, honestly."
DG: Venetia Vuong has used her Tool Blessed Hendricks Camera toward her party's challenge, Emergency Broadcast Signal Test. Enlighten! Party Wits boosted!
<Pose Tracker> Juni Vandrer has posed.
Juni Vandrer has a loud voice that's strange and discordant rattling around in those big ears, which isn't high on her list of enjoyable things. . And has her thinking it's a rogue AI and she should really be ignoring the multiple people asking her not to tap the thing's proverbial off-switch. They know the world better though so she'll bite that particular vibe back down for now. Their circus, their AI Monkies. Not that she knows what a monkey is.
She does take a moment to check on the ship and the crew, making sure heavy gear isn't needed for anything before continuing on. Not the talkiest, yet, but she's at least helping.
Middle of a rain storm, things are weird. Things are fine. She actually likes the rain, not that this is... the good kind really. "I uh, think your world's gone off the deep end." She suggests to no one in particular, but feeling like she should be joking rather htan focusing on the whole possible doomsday scenario spinning up. The ruined mech is lit up on her system, of which she's made a few electronics modifications to. Which might be amusing should someone ever try to steal her mech and find everything weird.
"I don't think that thing's in operational condition and I'd probably avoid popping the cockpit open unless we have to." Mostly because... well. Obvious reasons. Either way, she settles Tyv down in a crouch near the machine, the mech and her own tech interface working on just outright stealing any available channels and encryptions the radio might have had. If you're using electronics warfare, you might as well lean into it right?
"I'll put out a generalized warning maybe? If we need reinforcements I can try to boost the signal with some help. Directional antenna relays maybe?" She does have the wiring for it.
DG: Juni Vandrer has used her Tool AR Interface toward her party's challenge, Emergency Broadcast Signal Test. Enlighten! Party Wits boosted!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Some people think Demetrioi is secretly sweet. Fei Fong Wong, on the other hand, is having an anxiety attack and is completely creeped ou!!
"I don't like this." Fei says. "Don't like this at all."
Weltall trods along. "Some kind of AI buddy who thinks they're helping by wrecking the world, how do you even argue against that? You can't. You can convince someone acting out of spite but a true believer... There's nothing you can say." And if there's a programming issue, that's even weirder. "Like, humans are never really too logical but you can usually have a conversation even if it's just yelling at each other..." But there's no reason to yell at Demetrioi. They're helping~~~!
Speaking of things that make him anxious, Xantia's OTHER BRACER .... ....... doesn't seem to be doing anything!! She's A-OK!! He doesn't think Xenia was lying about it but nothing seems to have changed yet.
Maybe that's for the best? Would he prefer if it wasn't like that? Honestly the idea of any sort of change here is scary to him but he wants to believe in Xantia. He has no idea how Xantia is able to muster up so much faith.
Our heroes find a broken gear!
Weltall scans the broken gear to get af eel for what's broken. Fei'll pass on whatever he finds.
"You a machinist?" He asks of Juni. "You worked on gears before?"
Maybe he can set her up with Hammer!!!
DG: Fei Fong Wong has used his Tool Medical Tricorder Fei Somehow Knows How To Use toward his party's challenge, Emergency Broadcast Signal Test. Cleanse! All negative effects will be cleared at the end of the round!
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Thanks to Xantia, Lily doesn't have to heal from brain damage as a result of this particular spell. That happens with some of her spells! Thanks to Fei, she is mostly shielded from the debris that happens as bits of the ship break off within the shell. And thanks to Juni...
"Our world goes off the deep end regularly." Then her eyes narrow at her. But she doesn't comment for now. Instead--
She steps forward, with the others. "Just stay here," she suggests to the crew, and then moves for this new Gear... Hmm. Already downed.
"Someone was in it at some point, but not now." She considers. "Well, if we don't have to get it running..."
"I don't like it either," Lily says, "But--"
She pulls a fucking knife and starts digging into the mechanicals of the Gear. "Sure. Be prepared to boost."
DG: Lily Keil has used her Tool Lily's Knife toward her party's challenge, Emergency Broadcast Signal Test. Cleanse! All negative effects will be cleared at the end of the round! Liability! Failure will result in extra Exhaustion!
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
As rough as the trip there was, Xantia's just glad to have solid ground under her feet again. She erred on the side of a lack of a caution back there, as usual. She may have overdone it a bit on the whole acting like a magical battery thing, supplying a bit more Ether than may be considered wise. No regrets, though. The point was after all to give Lily an easier time, that much was accomplished. Better for only one of them to overdo it for a change.
Not that she looks as tired as she feels. 'Full of energy' is just her default, even when she isn't actually that. Nothing unusual about that. Or anything else, as far as anyone can tell by looking at her. Xantia's got that other bracer with her of course - she can't wear it in its current state, but that thing's never leaving her side. It has to be important somehow. At least it isn't giving any cause for Fei to worry at this time. Not that he won't worry anyway. As for the situation on the island...
"...Okay, what is happening around here? It's just creepy how... weird everything is." Xantia has a pretty high bar for what she considers weird, but this? This is weird. Weather isn't supposed to work this way. Not even Akasha made it work this bizarrely, from what she's seen of it. Of this, she can only conclude, "This feels... out of control." She should know what that feels like. She's felt rather out of control herself, of late.
A piece of quartz crystal has found its way into her hand. She stares at intently for a few moments, before closing her hand around it and taking a deep breath. The very non-magical object continues to feel profoundly magical to her, helping her to focus her mind on what's important. She redirects her attention to the Gear that the others are examining by this point. 'Be prepared to boost', Lily says.
"...Right, okay. I think I can give it a little jolt. Power it up a bit, that's what you mean, right?"
She presses her hands on the side of the machine. A little Lightning should work wonders here. Works wonders to power her own Gear at least, hopefully it won't be any different for this comparatively simple one.
DG: Xantia has used her Tool Memory Shard toward her party's challenge, Emergency Broadcast Signal Test. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round!
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
===============<* CHALLENGE - Emergency Broadcast Signal Test *>================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Wits | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
Having a Gear with you is protection against the ceaseless storms, but it is
not absolute. Ahead of you is a ruined Gear left abandoned by another party
that attempted to brave Mt. Liverfeast. Though it's impossible to tell where
they've gone or whether they're still alive, a cursory examination provides
a surprising grace.
Its communication systems are damaged, but they are compatible with your
group's own (and/or are familiar enough to at least one of you, however
strange it may be). It's not fully protected from the elements, so there's a
risk factor involved in putting oneself out there to make the repairs and
adjustments needed.
If you are able to make them work again, you'll be able to better coordinate
with the other parties and collectively make the journey to the summit of
Mt. Liverfeast less of a suspension of disbelief.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Cleanse:_All_Effects_Removed!, Enlighten:_Wits_Up!, |
| Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Stupify:_Wits_Down!, and |
| Treasure:_Exploration_Up! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
==========<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart - Round 2 *>=========== =================< Results - Emergency Broadcast Signal Test >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Venetia Vuong 45 --(0)--> 45 Pass Blessed Hendricks Camera 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juni Vandrer 25 --(0)--> 25 Pass AR Interface 2 Wits Effects: Enlighten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lily Keil 20 --(0)--> 20 Pass Lily's Knife 2 Wits Effects: Cleanse and Liability -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xantia 45 --(17)--> 62 Fail Memory Shard 2 Wits Effects: Stalwart -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fei Fong Wong 45 --(0)--> 45 Pass Medical Tricorder Fei Somehow Knows 1 Wits Effects: Cleanse -----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------ Leader: Venetia Vuong 15 --(25)--> 40 Pass Conditions: Injure(2)|Stupify(2)|Treasure(1) Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1) ===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Venetia Vuong has passed this challenge! The party gained 25 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Rooting Around *>========================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you continue your ascent of Mt. Liverfeast, you find something that
appears to be taking a feast of its very own: large, tangled masses of
tendrils and roots whose color can be perceived but is just out of the usual
human range of color. It hurts to look at, and you know they're not natural.
They're not only unnatural, they are in such numbers that the mountain path
is choked in them.
This doesn't belong here... as a certain someone might say. It might be the
only declaration that everyone would unanimously agree with. They must be
eradicated with... no, your hearts are too good to have prejudice. Instead,
they must be eradicated with extremely polite urging. (In the form of
nuclear fire, if available.)
Someone appears to have already tried to do so, with the presence of
massive, distinctly green-hued scorch marks.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Enlighten:_Wits_Up! and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Any sort of coordination the group can get, the better, because they can't be the only ones here. With Venetia projecting an image of the console for others to observe and work with, it seems to be mostly elementary from there.
Juni in particular can take point on this, these mechanisms are child's play for her to at least get some sort of semblance of operational function out of it, but there's a small snag - some of the related power sources are, uh. Not supposed to be exposed to rain.
Fei can get a better read-out on what could be used as alternatives and/or other structural things (he finds a secret compartment full of snack foods). Lily can start opening up some more things with her knife that are too tough for Juni to get open, and once it's time to get things broadcasting...
Xantia gives it *the juice*. It might be a bit much, but they don't have much time (and it's not Xantia's fault, this stuff's already damaged). Whoever's operating the comms at that point will get word back from another group, and a copy about their situation and the boat that's run aground. They're not alone.
D i aM happY so mAnY are heeeEeeeerRrre :) i can not WaiT to ShaRrRRrreee :)
Yeah, the narration's with Fei on this one, that's... a little creepy.
That's just noise, though. At least, something like it but not quite? Anyway that's less of an attractive subject for debate compared to what lies further up, which is to say, huge tangled masses of tendrils and roots. Something plant-LIKE but it's more to say something plant-IT-WAS-THE-THOUGHT-THAT-COUNTED. They're amassed, wriggling in strange ways that start to edge towards non-Euclidean, and the range of colors they are just... let's say Lily will hate it very much, Juni may or may not have unique opinions for her own individual abilities to perceive color, and the rest it could go any way. (Any way that might trend towards 'go away.')
As it happens, it's all in the way. It should not be in the way. It should not be out of the way. It should not be here.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
"Yes, do all those things you just said," Venetia answers Juni and Fei. She gives Fei a passing look. She only knows him from work but he seems harried. Daughter troubles? She remembers vaguely he has a daughter or niece or something.
There is not a lot Venetia has to say about Gear design.
But soon enough they must move forwards, and upwards, and inwards. Muttering to herself somewhat, Venetia is striding with anger, but she is probably riding that anger deliberately at this point - a deliberate effort to avoid helplessness. There's a lot going on here.
They are faced with horrid growth. Uncanny matter, from another realm.
Venetia tilts her head back and reaches up to tug down her hat. "Thank the heavens," she says. "Something I can destroy."
Venetia reaches into her Crest pouch again and brings out a different Graph. She raises it upwards and does it slow and smooth, giving others time to get situated before the ground erupts beneath that horrid overgrowth, hopefully ripping the exotic violant and irrigo foliage into shreds with good, solid, healthy basalt hexagonal pillars that shear off and collapse into rubble! Good, honest rubble! Like Guild Galad used to make! And still does.
DG: Venetia Vuong has used her Tool Hadal Crest Graph toward her party's challenge, Rooting Around. Fanfare!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei looks towards Venetia. He's in a cockpit but he certainly at least sounds harried. It's a wonder why a rampant AI makes him nervous. Fei's not sure why either but he's very anxious all the same.
"Maybe toooo regularly?" Fei suggests because it really makes his heart pound and palms sweat but there's not much he can do about it. It's just another tuesday (it's friday Fei) for him but that is part of the probelm in his mind.
MEANWHILE...
Bart Jr's eyes gleam, hanging from the cockpit shield and swinging before Fei's eyes.
Why don't you...
Fei grasps at his head. "no... No..." He murmurs to himself.
FEI BART UP
Fei lowers his hands. His narrows his eyes...
--and then he fires the kamehameha wa---the guided shot chi blast from Weltall's hands towards the tangled mess of tendrils and roots in the way.
DG: Fei Fong Wong has used his Tool Bart Jr Doll toward his party's challenge, Rooting Around. Fanfare!
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is going to keep an eye on Xantia's energy all the same. But the way it feels out of control? "...It is," Lily says, and at this point it may become clearer that her usual expression is not quite as much grimace as she's displaying now--the last time she got close to Demetrioi, the pain was disabling. It is not as bad now... yet.
"Right," Lily answers Xantia as to the power.
Many... many are here. Demetrioi's voice gets a wince out of Lily. It is noise, all right. Plantlike... and suddenly, that range of colors--Lily gasps faintly, stumbling. "Gh--"
It is in the way. She can do something with that, though as she starts to channel Ether, her blood seems to burn even more. "Yes--" 'Something Venetia can destroy.' Lily lifts both hands, and there is a sense of Pressure before she starts to unleash a torrent of blazing, golden nuclear fire.
DG: Lily Keil has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Rooting Around.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia, failing to hold back when she probably should have? Perish the thought.
Yeah, that little jolt she mentioned was a little bit more than that, that would've been more appropriate when trying to jump-start the whole thing. Rather pointless to give a Gear in that state quite that much juice. How was she supposed to know, she's not usually the one who fixes things. More is always better, right? Needless to say, this isn't helping her feel any less tired. She should probably take it a little easier. She probably won't actually do that.
She frowns a bit at the strange voice they keep hearing, but doesn't react to it as strongly as the others do. She only looks on with concern as Lily stumbles. She doesn't say anything, just looking out, much the same way as she's being looked out for. Thankfully, what lies ahead is a good cure for anything that ails you.
Thank the heavens, something I can destroy.
"That's just what I was thinking!" Xantia chimes in with all due enthusiasm as she cracks her knuckles. It's always a good day when she gets to break something, the thing that she does best. She does have access to fire, as well. But Lily's got that covered well enough, and she's already expended a lot of Ether as it is. She should try to find some way to help without resorting to that again. If only there was something she could think of to do.
Yeah, who are we kidding, she's gonna wreck it. Whether ripping out chunks of plant matter with her left hand, or smashing the tougher obstacles with the hammer-headed fist weapon on her right, this is the kind of task that's more like a hobby than a challenge. Give Xantia a problem she can solve with brute force, and she will enjoy every minute of solving it.
DG: Xantia has used her Tool Mini-Megaton toward her party's challenge, Rooting Around. Rally!
<Pose Tracker> Juni Vandrer has posed.
Juni Vandrer is one hundred percent keeping those radio frequencies and codes for what it's worth, useful or not. They're hers now. That aside, she does work her way through the systems and broadcasts a message to the surrounding area calling for reinforcements and giving a heads up on the situation at hand. And suggesting boats that can withstand the mess at hand.
As for Fei's question she shakes her head out of habit, not that he can see it. The mech might mimic it though. Instead she follows up quickly with, "I've broken enough armored vehicles. Does that count?" The warning wasn't for any safety reasons is what it boils down to. She wasn't sure if the crew survived and all.
Once again the discordant voice gets a grimace out of the alien woman. She may or may not take a moment to selectively try blocking the frequency that is on before giving up and just pulling her earpro out and stuffing them in her ears. Probably won't help, but cuts the upper ends out.
As for the funny colors, well she probably sees them in different shades, that's for sure. And they're uh, not her favorite either. That's certainly a shared experience. And with a little bit of work on her wrist computer and interface, she's not looking at them through a sun filter, making them mono-color. Because that's a lot less unpleasant. "So uh-" she starts over the intercom, "Are these things weird for you guys too? Anyone want to test for gas?" She's going to go with the usual idea of 'this is weird'. This isn't helping and she's getting the kind of lines you usually see looking at the sun any time she focuses too long on them. She can't tell if the others have the same problem even with the filters so instead she does the next best thing. "Like a photonegative UV" she mutters to no one in particular. She starts trying to rip them away by feel. Because that way it's gone. Away from here. Torn apart. And also you know, blinking octarine lines out of her eyes.
DG: Juni Vandrer has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Rooting Around.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
========================<* CHALLENGE - Rooting Around *>========================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you continue your ascent of Mt. Liverfeast, you find something that
appears to be taking a feast of its very own: large, tangled masses of
tendrils and roots whose color can be perceived but is just out of the usual
human range of color. It hurts to look at, and you know they're not natural.
They're not only unnatural, they are in such numbers that the mountain path
is choked in them.
This doesn't belong here... as a certain someone might say. It might be the
only declaration that everyone would unanimously agree with. They must be
eradicated with... no, your hearts are too good to have prejudice. Instead,
they must be eradicated with extremely polite urging. (In the form of
nuclear fire, if available.)
Someone appears to have already tried to do so, with the presence of
massive, distinctly green-hued scorch marks.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
=========<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart - Round 3 *>========== =========================< Results - Rooting Around >========================= Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Venetia Vuong 45 --(5)--> 50 Pass Hadal Crest Graph 3 Brute Effects: Fanfare ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Juni Vandrer 25 --(17)--> 42 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lily Keil 20 --(5)--> 25 Pass Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Xantia 62 --(5)--> 67 Pass Mini-Megaton 3 Brute Effects: Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fei Fong Wong 45 --(5)--> 50 Pass Bart Jr Doll 3 Brute Effects: Fanfare ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Venetia Vuong 40 --(20)--> 60 Pass Conditions: Weaken(2) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Venetia Vuong has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you're trying to scale Mt. Liverfeast, an ominous rumbling heralds the
sort of thing you've come to expect when trying to climb up mountains with
snow: avalanches. This first one, your group finds themselves prepared for
and are able to flee and/or redirect it appropriately. For most Drifters,
it's not their first rodeo with one.
Then, there's more ominous rumbling, drawing from the strange localized
blizzards from above, as a second and even larger one starts to bear down
upon all of you while you're already worn out from the first one.
Any complaints fielded may earn you a third, if one would like to cash in
their deepest frustrations while they can.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Guild Galad, indeed, knows how to make rubble, and there is rabble rousing in this rubbish removal. Venetia bends the very ground to her will with an appropriate Graph - it's met with a strange resistance in the way the rules of air friction seem more like an emulation of how it should work. It is token, at best, against it.
Fei's BART went up. For historical record, this is all that ever needs to be said.
Lily contributes her incredible sorcerous might against the pressure of Demetrioi's... being Demetrioi, as great nuclear fire joins the pillars and the BART-induced destruction.
Xantia ends up pulling out so much of it with her bare hands! It twists and coils in ways less like 'resisting' and more like 'it's so gnarled up that point-A-to-point-B-does-not-logically-exist' and let's be real with ourselves, that cannot stop Xantia. And if it does, she just has to punch it a few times to compress it in a way it will.
Juni will need a while to blink all the octarine out of her eyes, and if anyone wants to know better specifics of what the colors are like? They... really aren't missing much. For the most part, she succeeds mostly in holding things in place while Venetia's Graphs do the work of removing enough of the tangle to move on, where...
It can be seen there are green burn marks - telltale signs of a specific Veruni's explosive munitions. Kaguya went this way along the way up! That means they're going the right way! (It can be inferred 'to the summit' is the right way, but this is the double-right way.)
o somethInG dOEs noT sEeM riiIght :o i wiLL tRy hardeR to FiX it oNE MoRE tIiiIIiMmmmEee :)
Along the way, the accumulated snow above starts to collapse down them (it is curiously warm snow, but it is - physically speaking - the solid form of water that is not playing nice with the laws of thermodynamics). The avoidance of the oncoming avalanche can be treated as a freebie, because they are all experienced Drifters and the local features of the trail up make it easier.
Then there's another set of rumbles from these odd blizzards... it starts from above, snakes around, and then all of a sudden... impossibly, another avalanche from a direction that it should not. And then it's something of a sine wave movement, so... this is new. This is nonsense. This is, quite frankly, bullshit that you have to put up with two avalanches at once.
Is Demetrioi retaliating? You'll have to move best as you can, but it's not too far from a cavern up towards the top that might make for good temporary shelter from the storm!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei Fong Wong is relieved that explosions seem to help right.
"UM THAT'S OK YOU DON'T NEED TO. PLEASE?" Fei asks Demetrioi because why not. What's the worst that could happen? NO FEI DON'T THINK THAT? It's too late he thought it. At least it seems like it'll get worse all on its own anyway.
There's an ominous rumbling. Fei Fong Wong continues to forget that his gear can flyas a blizzard slams into Weltall and temporarily obscures it utterly from view.
Luckily you can still hear Fei screaming over the radio in terror. <"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"> Fortunately his scream is actually kinda muted because it's over the radio and the cockpit shield prevents it from being heard any other way.
DG: Fei Fong Wong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free.
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
Venetia looks upwards towars the snow. "This is bulls hi" she begins to say before she is immediately and completely buried in the snow.
There's no sign of her.
Well, that's the end of Venetia Vuong, isn't it?
NO: AMAZING CUTAWAY TIME!
Beneath the snow there is a suddenly conjured up combination of a Cavern of the Crystals (complex structure of interlacing selenite prismatic crystals! very tall) and an Ancient Pillar (tall! marble!) -- the Pillar was almost immediately overborne but the result is a significantly sized air pocket which is, unfortunately, almost completely dark. Venetia puts her hands on her hips with a 'welp', and then pauses for a moment to meditate on this.
Is this the sort of thing heroes of eld would do? Venetia thinks. Have I become like unto one of them?
No, Venetia thinks. I'm real; this is just good art and technique in action. Maybe I've got a deeper streak of grit than the average mine-pimp*; nothing more.
Venetia stares dead ahead.
"Logically speaking," Venetia says, "this is stone. It's stone with a hellaciously low melting point, nothing more. Ergo," and here she has to fumble in the dark for another Crest Graph, "I can - no, I'll overload the ridge."
Venetia shuffles to turn around.
"Land--"
--and now there's smaller avalanches!! Dumping the snow down slope! Wait - it's also liquifying a little from the thermal friction. Is Venetia digging herself out with *mine and pit science?* Say: Yes, believers! Yes!
When she sees light she looks upwards for one of the Gears though. Because seriously, folks.
* - not what you think
DG: Venetia Vuong has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free.
<Pose Tracker> Juni Vandrer has posed.
Juni Vandrer totally helped this time. It's not like this is a brawler mech or anything so she's not too surprised that her blind attempts at gripping the color of madness went nowhere.
That said, they're through, they're moving on and she's blinking funny colors out of her eyes which totally takes longer with more of them. Really! "Do us all a favor, restart and do a system scan." She suggests. Maybe it'll take long enough defragging that they can just actually frag it before it starts trying to rain frogs and snow thunder or something.
Watching the snow glitch its way down... along? Up? Whatever. Snow in large quantities coming straight towards her. This is certainly a bad thing, particularly in a mech that she can't just bolt down. She could probably overheat it and get a nice warm glow though. Jokes about a blue flash aside, she does try to 'swim' as her training reminds her to do. How effective that is in a gear remains to be sean, but hopefully the whole thing isn't buried up to its ankles in snow.
That said, she does try to angle her gear in a way that puts her out of the way of the on foot people. because squishing them is a bad thing. No snarky jokes there either. She isn't the best bipedal pilot so it's strictly a safety concern.
All of that said, she did try to give a warning to everyone when it started, her systems giving her a few HUD warnings about rapid movement and displacement and one warning asking for a reboot itself because the controlling computer thinks Juni's sideloaded something again.
DG: Juni Vandrer has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Something doesn't seem right...
The first avalanche, Lily can avoid through the simple expedient of throwing more fire at it. But she doesn't call out to ask of Demetrioi that he Not, like Fei. She does, however, look in concern at where Venetia was. "..Uh," she says. But then there's more coming.
Unreality gets a good turn. Lily suddenly brings her hand up to the Impure Pendant and channels magic through it, glitching out of step with reality herself. The strange matter just passes through her instead of hitting her, as it goes up, and down, and--
Well, when it's over, Lily's nose is bleeding a little. But she's mostly fine!
DG: Lily Keil has used her Tool Impure Pendant toward her party's challenge, Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free. Stalwart! Party shielded from some Exhaustion this round! Sacrifice! The party will take slightly more Exhaustion this round!
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
That was a fun bit of gardening. Xantia-style gardening that is. It's where you destroy everything in the garden. You can always count on her if that's ever something you need done. Naturally, she looks mighty pleased with the end result, although she grimaces when she hears that voice again.
"What is that," she wonders aloud. It's talking about fixing things, but it itself sounds like it needs fixing. Hopefully of the sort that they were doing just now with the garden, she wouldn't be much help with a more standard kind of fixing.
As if something didn't like that particular line of thought, retaliation comes swiftly in the form of an avalanche. She barely manages to outrun the more standard one, before things start to become flat out impossible.
"Geh--" is all she can manage before she's forced to start running again. She quickly finds that dodging is almost impossible when you have no idea where anything is going to come from. Now she wishes she'd opted to take her Gear instead, Silvestris would be able to outrun an avalanche, no problem. Other Gears, not so much, as Fei soon finds out.
"Fei! Hang on!" she yells, as unlikely as it is that he could hear her. Nor is there really anything she can do to help him. But maybe there's something he can do to help her, if passively. She quickly rushes for Weltall, and attempts to leap up and cling to its leg for safety. Well, relative safety. Nowhere is exactly safe when there's snow happening from all sorts of bizarre directions. But she figures she stands a better chance under a massive mechanical umbrella than she would staying out in the open.
DG: Xantia has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free *>=================
| Type: Exploration | Dungeon Ability: Agility | Challenge Rating: 2 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
As you're trying to scale Mt. Liverfeast, an ominous rumbling heralds the
sort of thing you've come to expect when trying to climb up mountains with
snow: avalanches. This first one, your group finds themselves prepared for
and are able to flee and/or redirect it appropriately. For most Drifters,
it's not their first rodeo with one.
Then, there's more ominous rumbling, drawing from the strange localized
blizzards from above, as a second and even larger one starts to bear down
upon all of you while you're already worn out from the first one.
Any complaints fielded may earn you a third, if one would like to cash in
their deepest frustrations while they can.
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Exhaust:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, |
| Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
=========<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart - Round 4 *>========== ==================< Results - Avalanche? 'Ave Another Free >================== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Venetia Vuong 50 --(33)--> 83 Fail Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Juni Vandrer 42 --(8)--> 50 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lily Keil 25 --(3)--> 28 Pass Impure Pendant 3 Agility Effects: Stalwart and Sacrific ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Xantia 67 --(8)--> 75 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fei Fong Wong 50 --(8)--> 58 Pass Rush 0 Agility Effects: BASIC ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Venetia Vuong 60 --(20)--> 80 Pass Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Injure(2)|Tire(2)|Weaken(1) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Venetia Vuong has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw. DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
==============<* CHALLENGE - The Last Line of Willful Ignorance *>==============
| Type: Final | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
You are fast approaching the summit of Mt. Liverfeast. Your team finds safe
passage through a cavern that has weathered the weather intact... and it
becomes evident that you're not the only one who found it.
In your way is a sheet of metal shorn from a vehicle of Gebler make that had
the misfortune of trying to brave the storms directly. It has been welded
directly in front of the way out, and is smoldering as if its application
were recent. You know whose handiwork this is. They've taken an effort,
however token, to keep you at bay.
This isn't going to stop you. No door - or door-equivalent obstruction -
will keep you. Not from the summit. Not from answers... if you're ready for
them. (A certain someone doesn't think so.)
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Overzealous:_Brute_Down!_Combat_Up!, |
| Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Fei shouts, of all things, a desire for no further need to fix anything. There's no response. Maybe it broke their... thought process, whatever it is, however it is. However, now they're flying blind through a blinding double-blind-siding blizzard, activation of evasive maneuvers born forth from a world that only desires warcraft.
Venetia, meanwhile, appears to disappear within the snow, and these both seem like two very early examples of the very elimination of would-be saviors of Filgaia.
These are just the two most succinct examples. It looks bad from the air, and bad from the ground, until...!
AMAZING CUTAWAY TIME!
There are smaller avalanches. It comes at great stress to her reserves, but there are now smaller avalanches carved out of the bigger, wavier, nonsensically moving one.
Juni doesn't have to try that hard to adjust her movement as the breaking-apart, melting avalanches push less against her.
Lily doesn't need to phase through reality so much when Venetia uses her mastery of the craft to noramlize it, the internal damages limited to mostly cosmetic.
Xantia clings to Weltall for dear life as Fei continues to scream while flying over the much smaller destructive waves of icy mist from its wake, and before long... Venetia will need help getting out, but she did it. She did it, all right.
They can all make it to a cavern seen up ahead, which is only just big enough for the Gears to get in - if it gets any smaller they'll need to disembark. Mercifully, there is no color commentary, or shade to be thrown from you-know-what, and it's sheltered from the elements (such as they are).
Less merciful: a sheet of metal shorn from a vehicle of Gebler make. That vehicle, whatever it was, went through hell - but that's a new sense of urgency that Solaris already has designs on this place!
It's been welded before the way out, smoldering at the edges as if the whole thing were recently done. The methods involved are familiar as regards a certain Symbologist and the patterns left behind by the spell in question. They - no, he - has attempted to keep people from going any further up.
This won't stop them. No door, or door-equivalent obstruction, will keep everyone from the truth.
One does mean 'everyone,' because all routes will converge here. If this group can't, there's another whose additional talents will ensure it'll be out of the way.
If it's not too late.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei says, "Dangit," under his breath. It feels like Demetrioi is everywhere and nowhere. All this fancy tech from worlds too far from their own.
Xantia tackles the leg while it's undergoing a BLIZZ ARD but that gives Fei the wherewithal to kind of hover over the young woman so she can be spared the worst of the blizzard--he's able to stabilize Weltall impressively enough. He still has totally forgotten about the flight ability of Weltall but he did accidentally activate it for a few moments there, which helps.
FEI.
The Bart Jr Doll whispers to him.
You know what to do now.
Fei nods firmly and looks to Xantia. "Come on, let's try and pry it off together."
Weltall crouches down and offers Xantai a hifive before grabbing at one end of that massive sheet of metal!
DG: Fei Fong Wong has used his Tool Bart Jr Doll toward his party's challenge, The Last Line of Willful Ignorance. Fanfare!
<Pose Tracker> Venetia Vuong has posed.
They are faced with a doorway.
Venetia reaches into her Crest pouch again and brings out --
Star Blazer!?
Venetia raises it up and is already sighting along it before, gradually, raising her arm upwards and turning her head away. Not today, Valmar.
She puts the destructive Crest away, if hesitantly.
As Fei and the others maneuver around, Venetia takes a moment of initative to stride upwards to the fused door and to smite against it with her fist. It does not do much other than pound, lightly, perhaps making the metal resonate a little. Magic aside, Venetia is not excessively strong. "Hesiod!" she declares. "*WE WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH YOU.*"
She then sees the great menacing shadow of Weltall, offering a high-five to his sister(?)
Venetia hustles out of the way because, you know, stand clear when machinery is in operation.
"Do you want a cloth for your nose?" she asks Lily.
DG: Venetia Vuong has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Last Line of Willful Ignorance.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily looks over the sheet of metal there. She frowns. "I recognize this residue," she says. "This spell... It's Hesiod's." She would know it anywhere, after their battle all those years ago now. She knows his magic well even now.
"...I'll see what I can do to help," Lily says, and then steps forward. She lifts her hands. Then she pauses. "Yes," Lily answers Venetia, "That would be nice." Pause.
Then Weltall and Xantia both gleam with the power of darkness!!!!
DG: Lily Keil has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Last Line of Willful Ignorance.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Well, that was... that was something. Not every day things go sideways in the most literal way possible. But the avalanche passes, and Xantia manages to come out of it in a relatively good condition, thanks to some assistance from Fei.
After things have finally settled down, she lets go of the mechanical limb it feels like she'd been holding forever. She also lets out the breath it feels like she'd been holding forever. That... was a bit of a desperate situation, but she made it, somehow. Good ol' Weltall, always saving lives, and never threatening them.
It's not far now. Just a little higher up, and-- there's an obstacle. While it may look like an ordinary slab of metal, if purposely fashioned to form a blockade, Xantia focuses on the metalwork rather than the magical means used to process it. There can be no mistaking it. Solaris was - perhaps still is - here. She can feel that familiar sense of urgency tug at the corner of her mind, supplanting conscious thought, spurring her on to swiftly and decisively deal with anything that has even a little bit to do with Solaris.
Then Fei speaks to her. "--huh? Oh! Oh yes, of course!"
That's all it took, for now. Whoever or whatever's behind here, she can deal with it as it comes. For now, all she has to worry about is this impromptu door. She's never let one of those stop her before, she's not about to let this one.
And so, without a second thought, she jumps up a bit to high-five Fei's giant robot. In the next instant, the pair are empowered by Lily's magic, Xantia employing her fist weapon for a bit of extra leverage as she works on prying off her side of the metal. As long as she can open it up enough to grab a firm hold of it, she's confident that brute force can take care of the rest.
DG: Xantia has used her Tool Mini-Megaton toward her party's challenge, The Last Line of Willful Ignorance. Rally!
<Pose Tracker> Juni Vandrer has posed.
Juni Vandrer is glad for the ability to somewhat block out some of the loud noises of the rogue AI. It is a rogue AI right? Intentional or not it falls under taht territory in her head. Spotting the sealed up door, she pulls her coat back on. Mottled, dull, warm. Bundling up against the inevitable weirdness of the planet's weather device.
After a vain attempt to find a suitable pry bar, she starts trying to help the Weltall just tear the thing down. Nothing else to it unfortunately. She doesn't even have her welding kit in an easy to access spot in the storage at the moment so... roll with what you've got
DG: Juni Vandrer has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Last Line of Willful Ignorance.
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
==============<* CHALLENGE - The Last Line of Willful Ignorance *>==============
| Type: Final | Dungeon Ability: Brute | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
You are fast approaching the summit of Mt. Liverfeast. Your team finds safe
passage through a cavern that has weathered the weather intact... and it
becomes evident that you're not the only one who found it.
In your way is a sheet of metal shorn from a vehicle of Gebler make that had
the misfortune of trying to brave the storms directly. It has been welded
directly in front of the way out, and is smoldering as if its application
were recent. You know whose handiwork this is. They've taken an effort,
however token, to keep you at bay.
This isn't going to stop you. No door - or door-equivalent obstruction -
will keep you. Not from the summit. Not from answers... if you're ready for
them. (A certain someone doesn't think so.)
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Overzealous:_Brute_Down!_Combat_Up!, |
| Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
=========<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart - Round 5 *>========== ===============< Results - The Last Line of Willful Ignorance >=============== Player Exhaustion Pass/Fail ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Venetia Vuong 83 --(25)--> 108 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Juni Vandrer 50 --(25)--> 75 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lily Keil 28 --(25)--> 53 Fail Force 0 Brute Effects: BASIC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Xantia 75 --(8)--> 83 Pass Mini-Megaton 3 Brute Effects: Rally ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fei Fong Wong 58 --(8)--> 66 Pass Bart Jr Doll 3 Brute Effects: Fanfare ----------------------------------< Party >----------------------------------- Leader: Venetia Vuong 80 --(35)--> 115 Pass Conditions: Injure(1)|Overzealous(2)|Tire(1)|Weaken(2) Effects: ==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: Venetia Vuong is too exhausted to continue! DG: The party led by Venetia Vuong has successfully explored Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart!
===============<* Mount Liverfeast - The Sky Is Falling Apart *>================
=========<* CHALLENGE - Influence of Truth Appearance (v. Discovery) *>=========
| Type: Discovery | Dungeon Ability: Conclusion | Challenge Rating: 3 |
---------------------------< Challenge Information >----------------------------
The obstruction doesn't stop you. Among the gathered parties, you're among
the ones who manage to get the hastily made barricade down... but the way
ahead is much too small for any Gears, so you'll have to disembark.
Emboldened and determined, you press on...
It's the furthest thing ahead that first draws the eyes, in ways deeply
uncomfortable. Those who visited Alcidamas Village will know that the
shrubby, tree-like... entity... that has become an even larger,
gnarled-looking tree is Demetrioi. Non-euclidian geometry dances on its
leaves and fruit, all wreathed in a color bleeding just outside of the
visual spectrum. Their friendly smile has given way to frustration behind a
completely different (forced) smile. They stand at the epicenter of all of
this...
...But before one can say anything, ahead there's two figures much closer to
you. Though the weather continues to rage, they can be seen... and heard.
One can be identified as Kaguya, who struggles to draw breath and is in a
losing battle to stay upright. The other is in a heavy white coat with a
quarterstaff in hand, planted upright. They look over their shoulder just as
you arrive, reaveling they're wearing a partially dented mask that sort of
resembles a bird's face.
"Turn back." That voice can only belong to one man - Ethius - as he speaks
against the maelstrom about him. It's as though the hail and the striking
lightning avoids him. "I'll not tolerate further interference."
Homer Mecone, the pig-like former mayor of Alcidamas Village, has arrived
here at about the same time (likely by another party). "H-Hey, hold up...
that mask," and with that statement, mortal terror spreads across Homer's
features as he clutches his pitchfork. "That day! The day we were handin'
off Demetrioi... somebody in that damn mask killed everyone there... managed
to take it off that guy's face as I ran, th-that was..."
"You've caused years of grief." Ethius all but soft confirms as he lingers
upon Homer for several moments as advances towards Demetrioi. "But I will
not put off what needs to be done."
"Get the hell away from Demetrioi!!" Homer snarls and takes off running.
"We're here, Demetrioi, we ain't gonna let--"
It ends in a flash, with Ethius flipping Homer right into the ground. Above,
another Gebler ship tries to brave the endless storms, smoking and on fire
as it approaches everyone's position.
TO BE CONTINUED...
(As a Discovery bonus, should the character you send have cleared the Dig,
you start the following Gunslinger scene with both Hyper and an extra 25
FP!)
============================= Dungeon Conditions: =============================
| Injure:_Exhaustion_Up_On_Failure!, Overzealous:_Brute_Down!_Combat_Up!, |
| Tire:_Exhaustion_Up!, Vault:_Exploration_Up!, and Weaken:_Brute_Down! |
= Digger 2.0 ===================================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
Between Xantia and Fei pulling off a Gear-to-Not-Gear high five while Lily empowers them with cool darkness-related buffs, there's not many forces of the universe that can stop them from pulling off something cool. Like ripping a welded sheet of metal. They don't do this alone, but they're among the frontrunners in terms of getting the damned thing open.
Venetia and Lily helpfully have masks. Maybe Juni's Gear can have one too, as she helps try to pry some of it loose. One way or another, everyone catches up, and the way is open.
It about matches Eleanor's vision as she described it. Demetrioi who appears perturbed and grown out into something even larger - the colors they're flashing match the strange root-vines they had to fight through earlier. They talk. Among things they say to others...
) i seEEee yooU therrrRee :o is iT nOt BriGHt enoouUgH :)
That seems to be to Lily?
o do yOu enjOY wantInG friiiEEEnD :) i enjOY giViNG to FriEnDs wIth WANtS theY CaN haAaaVe :)
That to Xantia?
o doEs iT hurT to nOt bE helPed at aaAall :) theRe iS no neEd to hURt hElpInG haaaaNNnNDssss :o
Whatever gauge of Fei's that's going to fill, it just might.
) mayBe do NoT woRRY if yoU aRE a NeW frIIiieEEnD :D therE wiLl be SoOooO mAaaAAaanNNy SooOOOoooOooon :)
<Pose Tracker> Ethius Hesiod has posed.
That's a headache for Juni, if her hearing range is outside of the norm like her color vision is.
o yoU Do noT neEeeEEed tO moVe tHE GRouuuuNd anYmOrEeeeeeE :) yoU do nOt neeD TO do AnYthiiiiiNNNggg EveR agaaaaaIIIInnn :D
That last one for Venetia.
While all that mess is going on, Kaguya's off to the side, struggling to draw breath. The other, someone in a heavy white coat that Eleanor theorized was Ethius. They turn to face everyone, bearing a weird, kinda beaten-up bird-like mask.
"Turn back." His voice confirms it, that's him. "I'll not tolerate further interference."
Among one of the parties that brave Mount Liverfeast is none other than Homer! The pig-like guy who is from space. "H-Hey, hold up... that mask," he suddenly sounds frightened as he holds his weapon. "That day! The day we were handin' off Demetrioi... somebody in that damn mask killed everyone there... managed to take it off that guy's face as I ran, th-that was..."
The seeming story up until now was that Ethius was sent to retrieve Demetrioi after the deal went bad. This appears to have been a convenient lie! It looks like Ethius was the one who crashed that party all along.
"You've caused years of grief." Ethius takes a few moments before looking back to Demetrioi. "But I will not put off what needs to be done."
"Get the hell away from Demetrioi!!" Homer tries to be a hero. "We're here, Demetrioi, we ain't gonna let--"
Homer ain't gonna stop no one today, as Ethius floors him and brings him low. Above, another Gebler ship decides to try and brave the endless storms. It's flaming, it's smoking, and it's coming down on everyone quickly.