2019-03-02: Cleaning The Streets: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Chapter 1]]
[[Category:Chapter 1]]
[[Category:Chapter 1, Epilogue]]
[[Category:Chapter 1, Epilogue]]
[[Category:(Plot) The Nightmare Kingdom]]

Latest revision as of 21:52, 23 June 2019

  • Log: Cleaning The Streets
  • Cast: Carina Wynne, Xantia, Jacqueline Barber
  • Where: Krosse - Sunlight Square
  • Date: March 02, 2019
  • Summary: So a superhero, her sidekick, and an apothecary walk into a bar... after doing everything they can to aid in keeping the streets of Krosse safe, of course!

========================<* Krosse - Sunlight Square *>========================

Krosse is a walled city, and the killing grounds inside the entry to the castle have been given a much nicer spin than is typical. Known as the Sunlight Square, it is a wide-open plaza with a fenced-off grassy park in the centre. The square occupies the same sort of role as a village green, and residents of the city frequently gather to socialize, work, or even kick off their boots and enjoy a nap in the sun.

Small shops surround the edges of the Sunlight Square, offering a variety of goods and services to travellers. A three-story building in the northwest offers lodging at a reasonable price, and a stone cathedral in the northeast is one of two surviving houses of worship of the Warrior of Light remaining on the continent.

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VXzx4Zhd1k
DG: A party led by Carina Wynne is now entering Streets of Krosse.
DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
============================<* Streets of Krosse *>=============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - The Beasts are Coming! *>====================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 Your adventure into the capital city of Krosse takes you to the streets on    
 the east-central approach. The city's streets are in utter disarray;          
 once-beautiful buildings bear scars of battle and fire, and others have       
 their entrances barred with planks and crates and whatever the fearful        
 refugees can find.                                                            
                                                                               
 A bell tolls from a high tower in the distance.                               
                                                                               
 It is in the midst of this chaos that you spot several refugees running up    
 the hill to a closing iron gate. A mother clutching her child screams, "The   
 beasts are coming! Hurry, hurry!" They duck underneath the gate as the        
 sounds of snarling beasts linger around the alleys and shadows.               
                                                                               
 You could quickly duck underneath the gate into the town, or otherwise go on  
 the hunt in the darkness... but either method will require agility from your  
 part -- the gate's not stopping for anyone, and neither are the beasts!       
=Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

A stampede of Hellionized beasts. Citizens fleeing. A closing gate.

"NEVER FEAR!"

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqh_qo2kEiw

They say that a hero can save Krosse. Well, Locus won't sit here and wait. The red-armored warrior leaps into the street, pointing at the approaching beasts.

"The reign of fear plaguing this kingdom is about to come to an end! Brave heroes have come to defend it, and this includes I, METAL DIGGER LOCUS! But let's not forget..."

She lets someone else finish that sentence, instead concentrating on running towards the gate and outside the city, so she can face the beasts. It's going to be a tight fit, but she baseball-slides underneath it!

And as for the question of how she (and her friends, presumably) will get back in... well, she'll worry about that later.

DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Beasts are Coming!.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

No one would claim that the current situation in Krosse is even remotely approaching anything that could be called 'good'. But if anybody could see a silver lining in something like this, it would be Xantia.

That silver lining? In light of what happened in Dazil, she feels that she has a lot to make up for. And a situation like this, as terrible as it may be, certainly does provide an opportunity to help many people at once. She may not be able to see herself as a hero just yet, but she's more than ready to work on it!

And so, at the prompt offered to her by Metal Digger Locus, another figure - who is clearly just Xantia wearing a domino mask - leaps into action, pausing to pose dramatically.

"Mystery Hero X has also arrived! No creature of darkness is a match for my iron fists of JUSTICE!"

...Boy, she wasn't kidding about this 'heroic literature' she was going to read up on, was she?

The all-important introduction done, she follows Carina's lead in sliding underneath the gate. She's cutting it a bit close, but hopefully it'll still be fine.

DG: Xantia has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The Beasts are Coming!.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline's been hard at work assisting the people of Krosse. This time, she was leaving the liberation of the castle up to others - the citizenry were her greatest concern right now. They had been through so much, having weathered the Malevolent Domain for so long. If she could provide them aid, she would.

And so, here she is! This time, she's teaming up with Carina and Xantia...or, METAL DIGGER LOCUS and Mystery Hero X. ...Unfortunately, she didn't have time to swap into her Mysterious Gourmet outfit, so she isn't able to proclaim her secret hero identity.

"I'm here too! Don't worry, everyone, you're in good hands!" Jacqueline says. She moves quickly, downing a potion as she goes in order to give her an extra boost of agility, as well as fight off some of her earlier fatigue.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Rapid Remedy toward her party's challenge, The Beasts are Coming!.
============================<* Streets of Krosse *>=============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - The Beasts are Coming! *>====================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 Your adventure into the capital city of Krosse takes you to the streets on    
 the east-central approach. The city's streets are in utter disarray;          
 once-beautiful buildings bear scars of battle and fire, and others have       
 their entrances barred with planks and crates and whatever the fearful        
 refugees can find.                                                            
                                                                               
 A bell tolls from a high tower in the distance.                               
                                                                               
 It is in the midst of this chaos that you spot several refugees running up    
 the hill to a closing iron gate. A mother clutching her child screams, "The   
 beasts are coming! Hurry, hurry!" They duck underneath the gate as the        
 sounds of snarling beasts linger around the alleys and shadows.               
                                                                               
 You could quickly duck underneath the gate into the town, or otherwise go on  
 the hunt in the darkness... but either method will require agility from your  
 part -- the gate's not stopping for anyone, and neither are the beasts!       
=Dungeon Conditions: Hesitate=================================================
=======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 1 *>========================
======================< Results - The Beasts are Coming! >======================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        0 --(0)--> 0                   Pass
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              0 --(0)--> 0                   Pass
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   0 --(0)--> 0                   Pass
Rapid Remedy                        1   Agility Effects: Cleanse              
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                0 --(20)--> 20                 Pass
Conditions: Hesitate(2)
Effects: Cleanse
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne 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> Carina Wynne has posed.

As Xantia makes her entrance, Carina feels pride in her pupil swell in her chest. She's come so far!

And the trio makes it through the gate just in the nick of time! The Xantia-shaped hole in the gate left by her passage is a bit unfortunate, but hopefully the plague of Malevolence won't remain a problem for much longer still. And if it does, well... At least the city's people have gotten skilled at barricading.

"Take that! LOCUS PUNCH!!" Carina calls out, swinging into the fray as she punches the lead beast in the snout to establish dominance. The enemies are numerous, but the battle is quickly handled, in no small part thanks to Locus and Hero X's fighting prowess coupled with Jay's judicious potion use, but also because this was an Agility challenge first and foremost.

"AND DON'T COME BACK!" Locus yells as the last few beasts escape. She turns around, dusting her hands. "Well, that's taken care of. Now I guess the question is how we're gonna get back int-- Oh! A hole! Lucky!"

This is off to an auspicious start!

DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Krosse Enkounter *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The sound of metal marching upon cobblestone draws your attention, as         
 several afflicted members of the Krosse royal guard march down the street.    
 The faint aura of Malevolence visibly seeps from the gaps of their armour.    
 They scan about, and discover several refugees fleeing from them. "Traitors,  
 traitors to the King Krono, all!"                                             
                                                                               
 The citizenry of Krosse don't stand a chance; you'll need to intervene and    
 defeat this cadre of the Guard.                                               
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia doesn't comment on having slide-kicked through the gate rather than slide underneath it. Odds are that was her intended solution to begin with. She's pretty results-oriented. Either way, the results are that she got through, and that's the important part.

Shouting attack names is important, she's learned, so she leaps into battle with a "CARDINAL IMPULSE!" Who knows how she came up with that one. It isn't even always the same attack every time she calls that out, this time it apparently means punching one of the beasts, then dashing through their ranks while slamming that first beast into many more behind it. Maybe 'domino attack' would have been more appropriate, but coming up with attack names is hard.

When it's all said and done, 'Mystery Hero X' dusts her hands in an imitation of Locus, adding in, "I DON'T MIND IF YOU COME BACK, I'LL JUST PUNCH YOU SOME MORE IF YOU DO!" She grins at the others, and beckons them over to the hole in the gate. "Is it big enough? Because if not, I could fix that." Xantia, please.

There's no time for a breather once the trio returns through the gate. The people who fled through the gate earlier aren't safe yet. The direction they originally chose to flee in led them straight into a guard patrol, so they had to double back in the opposite direction, followed by about a dozen armored individuals shouting about betrayal of King Krono.

Malevolence-inflicted or not, this clearly requires action, and Xantia is completely ready for more of that. She's less good at coordination, so she just rushes on ahead without conferring with the others, brandishing her ARM and yelling, "CRIMSOOOON FLASH!" That means a dashing stab to literally cut off the guards in their pursuit, this time.

DG: Xantia has used her Tool ARM Blade toward her party's challenge, Krosse Enkounter.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

"It's better if it's small enough that the bigger beasts can't get in," Locus says, regarding the hole. See? She isn't being COMPLETELY thoughtless about this.

But the refugees are out of the frying pan, and into the fire. "Jeez, they've gotta worry about monsters comin' in from outside and crooked sheriffs tryin' to boss them around on the inside?" She might be misreading the situation slightly, but it's close enough for all intents and purposes. "These people can't catch a break!"

"Mystery Hero X! Miss Jay!" she announces, as a bag flashes into existence from... some Janet void, who even knows. Certainly not Carina. "Here's something if you need an energy boost!"

She holds up a pair of individually-wrapped pastries, their logo prominently displayed. "That's right, it's the famous Locus Fruit Pies, with golden flaky crust and real fruit filling!"

She doesn't have one for herself, because of her whole helmet situation. Therein lies the inherent tragedy at the core of Locus.

"Now, will y'all COOL OFF?" Locus asks before switching her belt's power marble (the bag swishes in her hand) and giving the ground a solid kick. A sheet of ice spreads in the guards' direction, which should hopefully make their charge a lot more pratfall-hazardous all of a sudden.

Now, Locus isn't using the pies as a distraction, because they would probably be wasted on those zealots, and also because the refugees could likely go for a snack after all that running.

DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Locus Fruit Pies toward her party's challenge, Krosse Enkounter.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

The battle is won, and a hole is punched right through the door thanks to Xantia. Jacqueline stares at it for a second...and then shrugs. It wasn't really her problem to deal with, anyway, and it wasn't big enough to let any monsters through.

It's big enough to let people through, at least, which is why they're able to get back into the city with relative ease. Which is fortunate, since they immediately come across some citizens being hunted by the Royal Guard.

"Of course, Locus Fruit Pies! They're always just what we need to get out of a pinch!" Jacqueline says with a gasp. "Thank you, Metal Digger Locus!"

She accepts one gratefully, opening it up and taking a bite. If there were a camera, it'd be accompanied by a gratuitous zoom-in on the pastry to really show off the texture.

Locus freezes the ground to interfere with the Guard's charge, so Jacqueline hurries over to the refugees and draws a map from her bags.

"Here, I've mapped out the quickest path to safety...there should be some people waiting here for you with medical supplies." Jacqueline advises.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool The Lifeweaver's Codex toward her party's challenge, Krosse Enkounter.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Krosse Enkounter *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The sound of metal marching upon cobblestone draws your attention, as         
 several afflicted members of the Krosse royal guard march down the street.    
 The faint aura of Malevolence visibly seeps from the gaps of their armour.    
 They scan about, and discover several refugees fleeing from them. "Traitors,  
 traitors to the King Krono, all!"                                             
                                                                               
 The citizenry of Krosse don't stand a chance; you'll need to intervene and    
 defeat this cadre of the Guard.                                               
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 2 *>=======================
========================< Results - Krosse Enkounter >========================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        0 --(5)--> 5                   Fail
Locus Fruit Pies                    1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              0 --(0)--> 0                   Pass
ARM Blade                           2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   0 --(5)--> 5                   Fail
The Lifeweaver's Codex              2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                20 --(20)--> 40                Pass
Conditions: Hesitate(1)|Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne 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> Xantia has posed.

Xantia handily takes down the two lead guards immediately with her opening attack, causing the other ten to halt and size up the new threat. Their conclusion is obvious: "More traitors?!"

With a hmph, Mystery Hero X points an accusing finger in their direction. "How dare you call us traitors! You're supposed to keep these people safe, you're the ones who have betrayed their trust!"

Without even looking at Locus, she raises a hand into the air, the signal for a delicious fruit pie, which she promptly snatches from the air when thrown her way. With a practiced motion, the wrapper is quickly peeled back and she takes a bite from the impromptu snack, and declares, "Mmmm, Locus Fruit Pies! The source of my strength!"

She's like a living billboard for these things. Carina has taught her well, indeed.

The guards charge, thinking to see an opening, only to find their path a lot more slippery than it was before due to Locus's icey intervention. This allows Xantia to, almost comically, punch them in the face one by one, sending each flying in the opposite direction. She concludes, "That's the power of Locus Fruit Pies!" In case the audience didn't hear it clearly the first time.

Said audience presently mostly consists of the refugees, who could certainly use the energy boost after having needed to run for their lives this much today. Expressing their thanks for the breather and the map provided by Jay, it seems things are looking up now... or are they?

DG: Carina Wynne has drawn a new Challenge.
============================<* Streets of Krosse *>=============================
==================<* CHALLENGE - The One Who Never Gives Up *>==================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 3          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 A skeletal figure peeks out of a mystic portal on the floor, adorned with a   
 little top hat stuck onto its skull. It looks a bit weird, but it looks       
 really happy to wear it...? The Skeleton spots you and beckons closer. On     
 closer inspection, this isn't any skeletal figure... you might be familiar    
 with                                                                          
                                                                               
 Skeleton, the one who never gives up!                                         
                                                                               
 Skeleton hands you a hastily-written note, then dives back into its portal    
 when it thinks it hears a growl from a nearby Hellion. The danger doesn't     
 turn out to be real, but the dire challenge now comes from trying to          
 decipher this... wonderful, extremely badly written note from one special     
 V.M., the Mysterious Drifter:                                                 
                                                                               
 hi guys                                                                       
   sorry i wasn't at elru i was busy kleening up in krosse!!                   
      heres what i've been able to puzzle out:                                 
   fire on 2                                                                   
      hearts by 4                                                              
   crow checkmates king and becomes orb                                        
      blackjack!!                                                              
                                                                               
 What... on Filgaia does any of this mean?? Just staring at this is            
 exhausting!                                                                   
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Vault===========================================
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

The guards are sent packing, the refugees are safe and product was successfully placed. Things are looking up for our heroes! They run back to the heart of the city, and towards the castle, until they turn around and...

"Oh no! Another Hellion! I'm gonna kick it!" Locus takes off into a run towards the skeleton, until...

SCREEEECH, go Locus' feet as she slides across the ground again, kicking up dust that would probably cause Skeleton to cough if he had any lungs.

"Heeey, it's been a while, Skeleton friend! What's that you've got here? Hmmm..."

Skeleton is soon gone, but the note remains, and Locus hands it to the other two after giving it a read.

"Ah, of course, of course... I think this means we should... leave it Miss Jay!" she announces brightly. This might be a lot to put on her shoulders all at once, but at least it shows Carina holds her intelligence in high esteem. "Meanwhile, I will use the MATRIX EYE to scan the area for fires, hearts, crows, kings, checkmates AND orbs!"

And she begins looking around, tapping her helmet's side to switch to X-Ray Vision. Wow! When she looks at Xantia and Jay, it's like Skeleton was never gone!

DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Matrix Eye toward her party's challenge, The One Who Never Gives Up.
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline breathes a sigh of relief as they manage to get through the confrontation safely. Hopefully the civilians would be able to make it out alright. Things seem relatively peaceful as they continue, at least until a certain someone appears from a portal in the ground.

"...Is that...Skeleton!?" Jacqueline says, increduously. ...She hadn't seen Skeleton in ages.

"What's that you have for us?" She asks. Carina receives it first, then passes it off to Xantia and then, finally, she receives it.

Jacqueline frowns, studying it intently. Was it...an answer to a puzzle? A summary of events??

"'Crow checkmates king and becomes orb...' is she referring to orb Cyre mentioned in the castle...?" Jacqueline ponders with a frown. "Then the 'king' must be King Krosse...unless it's a metaphorical king. And then there's the matter of who the 'crow' is...and what fire and hearts have to do with anything."

Jacqueline folds her arms in front of her, a pensive frown crossing her face.

"Did she intentionally word this in an opaque manner, or is that just her being...her...?" She mutters.

She seems to have an idea who 'V.M.' must be, but out of honor she doesn't voice it out loud.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, The One Who Never Gives Up.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

It's a good thing that Carina got to Skeleton first, because Xantia would definitely have followed through on that kick, not stopping to think about anything. Pretty standard operating procedure: you see a skeleton that moves, you hit it until it stops moving. It's doubly unlikely she'll switch to a different approach when the direct one has been working so well thus far.

And so, Mystery Hero X, following close behind her mentor, only stops moving when she runs into Locus from behind, producing a *clang* sound effect and causing her to stumble backwards, rubbing her face. "Owww... what'd you stop for so suddenly?"

She looks from Locus to Jay and back to Locus again, blinking blankly. "Well, yeah, it's a skeleton, obviously... why would it be a friend?" Somebody's clearly missing the frame of reference that the others have.

Even so, a friend it proves to be, by delivering what Xantia can only presume must be a Vital Clue of some sort. She's way too impatient to wait for it to be handed to her, so she reads along over Locus's shoulder. Carina draws a perfectly valid conclusion from it, while Xantia squints, frowns, and then shakes her head. "I can't read this at all," is all she can determine from that. Either the words make no sense, or the handwriting is so bad that she literally can't read it at all. Possibly both!

'Leave it to Jay' it is, then, though Xantia is still curious enough to keep her attention on the note as there is an attempt to discipher it. "Wow, you can make sense of it! That's amazing!" A bit hasty, perhaps, but Xantia is easily impressed by any progress in what seemed to be an impossible feat.

Fire, and hearts... that does remind Xantia of something. With her best attempt at a heroic pose, she declares in a sudden authoritive voice, "The heart of a hero burns with justice!" Then adds in her normal voice, "That's from that book I read. Pretty good, right?"

She's not going to figure anything out here, but at least she offers some motivational cheer to the situation.

DG: Xantia has used her Tool Hero's Phrasebook toward her party's challenge, The One Who Never Gives Up.
============================<* Streets of Krosse *>=============================
==================<* CHALLENGE - The One Who Never Gives Up *>==================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 3          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 A skeletal figure peeks out of a mystic portal on the floor, adorned with a   
 little top hat stuck onto its skull. It looks a bit weird, but it looks       
 really happy to wear it...? The Skeleton spots you and beckons closer. On     
 closer inspection, this isn't any skeletal figure... you might be familiar    
 with                                                                          
                                                                               
 Skeleton, the one who never gives up!                                         
                                                                               
 Skeleton hands you a hastily-written note, then dives back into its portal    
 when it thinks it hears a growl from a nearby Hellion. The danger doesn't     
 turn out to be real, but the dire challenge now comes from trying to          
 decipher this... wonderful, extremely badly written note from one special     
 V.M., the Mysterious Drifter:                                                 
                                                                               
 hi guys                                                                       
   sorry i wasn't at elru i was busy kleening up in krosse!!                   
      heres what i've been able to puzzle out:                                 
   fire on 2                                                                   
      hearts by 4                                                              
   crow checkmates king and becomes orb                                        
      blackjack!!                                                              
                                                                               
 What... on Filgaia does any of this mean?? Just staring at this is            
 exhausting!                                                                   
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Vault===========================================
=======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 3 *>========================
====================< Results - The One Who Never Gives Up >====================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        5 --(20)--> 25                 Fail
Matrix Eye                          2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              0 --(20)--> 20                 Fail
Hero's Phrasebook                   1   Wits    Effects: Cleanse              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   5 --(15)--> 20                 Pass
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC                
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                40 --(10)--> 50                Fail
Conditions: Stupify(2)|Vault(1)
Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne has failed this challenge! The party gained 10 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> Carina Wynne has posed.

"The King of Krosse?" Locus asks, glancing back to Jay as she continues looking around. "So is that the secret to beating him? His secret weak spot! Maybe you gotta hit him with fire two times, then heart four times!" Is... Is that even how it works?

And yet Carina continues to ponder this, while still failing to find any checkmates OR blackjacks around. How frustrating. But Xantia seems to be on to something. "Oh!!"

Xantia poses, and Carina poses along. "Wow, you're right! That's gotta be it! Thank you, Skeleton and Mysterious Drifter V.M., wherever you are!"

And so... the party proceeds further into the city, figuring the clue's purpose will become clearer in due time.

Until then... a jewel-encrusted golden treasure chest continues to lie behind the hidden Blackjack Door. Hopefully they can backtrack to open it later, or else they'll only manage to achieve 99% item completion! The worst possible fate!

DG: Jacqueline Barber has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
============<* CHALLENGE - On the Wrong Side of the Laugh Track *>============
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 A common plague amidst the region of Krosse is the curious Funny Thief, a     
 type of short brigand sporting the exact same orange jerkin and hat,          
 wielding scimitars. It's not certain where the moniker comes from--           
                                                                               
 "Krosse my Ts and Dot my Is, we've got a right bounty here!" hollers one as   
 he scoops Gella from a lockbox into his sack.                                 
 "I found a whole lotta... Lacoured goods here, haw haw!" announces another.   
 "Hilton this sword, there be jewels here!"                                    
                                                                               
 Ah. Well, it's time for you to tell them their jokes really... slayed them.   
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Jacqueline frowns, but even so she can't quite get a good read on what the message is supposed to be. It's going to eat at her for a while, until she finally gets what it meant far too late for it to be of use.

Alas, that's just how it goes sometimes.

Xantia's enthusiasm puts a smile on her face, at least, and she gives her and Carina a short round of applause.

"Well, I can approve of the saying, at least..." She replies.

And from there they continue forward. Things are pretty calm for a while, but after a time, they start to hear voices.

"...Hold on, do you hear that...?" Jacqueline asks with a frown. She veers off the path, soon finding her way to a weapons shop which has had the misfortune of attracting looters. Looters in the form of a band of short fellows dressed in the same manner, with a funny hat and small curved swords.

"Ugh, these people. I've had a few run-ins with them before. They call them the 'Funny Thieves'...they're not particularly threatening, but they're, well...incredibly obnoxious." Jacqueline mutters to Carina and Xantia...or, at least in their direction, assuming they haven't been jumped right into the fray already.

With a frown on her face, Jacqueline marches right up to them.

"And what, exactly, do you all think you're doing?" She says, incensed. "Put that back! Looting is a crime!"

They turn toward her, all with the same smug grins on their faces.

"Hey, cool it, lady, no one's gonna miss 'em! What're you, the Royal Guard?" The tallest one says. Not that this was saying much.

"A royal pain, maybe!" One of his buddies says, getting a loud guffaw out of the rest of them. Jacqueline doesn't flinch.

"You're lucky I'm not! I would have skewered you on the spot! I don't want to hurt you, but I can't let you keep stealing, either!" Jacqueline replies.

"Looks like you didn't get the point just yet! But don't worry, I'm sharper than I look!" The tallest one jokes, before lunging at her with his scimitar...

...which she feints right around and reaches forward, aiming to grab and twist his ear to get him to drop the weapon.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool The Lifeweaver's Codex toward her party's challenge, On the Wrong Side of the
Laugh Track.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

To her credit, Carina holds off a bit on jumping into the fray, first listening to what Jay has to say about them. Locus clenches a fist.

"Ugh!! Funny Thieves! They're the enemies of people's stuff AND good taste!" She shakes her head. Jay speaks her piece, incensed, and Locus is next to step in.

Oh, hey! She is holding up fruit pies once again! In three distinct flavors, even!

"Well! I'm going to give you the raspberry, and don't expect me to apple-ogize! When life gives you lemons, you need to-- LOCUS KICK!"

And Locus Kick she does, while they're hopefully distracted by fruit puns. And once the thieves have blasted off again (or... whatever it is that Funny Thieves do after being thwarted), there's little pies in it for the gang!

UNLESS THE THIEVES STEAL THEM. D:

DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Locus Fruit Pies toward her party's challenge, On the Wrong Side of the Laugh Track.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia for one feels like she got the most out of that note that was possible. No reason to be bothered by not figuring something out when everyone seems to be in good spirits after what you took away from it!

At least that provided enough cheer to better deal with the surprisingly quiet period that follows. Xantia was expecting a lot of things from patrolling these streets, but she wasn't expecting it to be particularly quiet for any length of time.

She's actually thankful for it when another Situation occurs, involving individuals that Jay appears to be familiar with. "'Funny Thieves'?" she repeats, wondering out loud, "What makes them so funny?"

To most, the reason why this gang of thieves is called that would be obvious just from hearing them talk. Meanwhile, Xantia fails to get even a single joke, and concludes, "Oh, I guess it's because they talk kind of funny, right?" Almost. So close.

While Jay expresses her displeasure with the thieves, Xantia puts her arms behind her head, silently kind of hoping this'll end in a fight. She can't help it, that's just her preferred way of handling problems. One of the scimitar-wielding brigands decides to single her out for this, approaching her confidently while continuing their earlier 'clever' joke theme.

"Well well, what do we have here? You'd better run and Adlehyde, or you're in for--"

Xantia doesn't have the decency to even let the thief finish his joke before she punts him into a wall. Not because of the joke or anything, still not getting those. That's just what you do when someone who was committing crimes comes at you holding swords. Hero-related reading material is pretty clear on that one.

Then Locus comes in with the pies, and Xantia blanches. "Wait, no, don't give them those!" Oh thank everything, it was all just leading up to kicking. She's certainly fine to join in with that, activating her energy blade to parry any blades coming her way.

Let's be honest, punting a bunch of little thieves is a lot more funny than any jokes they could make.

DG: Xantia has used her Tool ARM Blade toward her party's challenge, On the Wrong Side of the Laugh Track.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
============<* CHALLENGE - On the Wrong Side of the Laugh Track *>============
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 A common plague amidst the region of Krosse is the curious Funny Thief, a     
 type of short brigand sporting the exact same orange jerkin and hat,          
 wielding scimitars. It's not certain where the moniker comes from--           
                                                                               
 "Krosse my Ts and Dot my Is, we've got a right bounty here!" hollers one as   
 he scoops Gella from a lockbox into his sack.                                 
 "I found a whole lotta... Lacoured goods here, haw haw!" announces another.   
 "Hilton this sword, there be jewels here!"                                    
                                                                               
 Ah. Well, it's time for you to tell them their jokes really... slayed them.   
=Dungeon Conditions: Fright===================================================
======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 4 *>=======================
==============< Results - On the Wrong Side of the Laugh Track >==============
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        25 --(0)--> 25                 Pass
Locus Fruit Pies                    1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              20 --(0)--> 20                 Pass
ARM Blade                           2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   20 --(0)--> 20                 Pass
The Lifeweaver's Codex              2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                50 --(20)--> 70                Pass
Conditions: Fright(2)
Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne 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> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Fortunately, Jacqueline is soon joined by Carina and Xantia. While Jacqueline keeps the tallest one in life with a tight grip on his ear, Xantia punts one of the thieves right into the wall before he can even finish his joke.

It's hard to tell what hurt more - the punting, or the interruption. ...Probably the former.

But his buddies don't seem to care, they're firmly fixated on the pies Carina is holding.

"See! I told you guys we'd see the fruits of our efforts!" One of them says, reaching for the pies...but suddenly! "...Wait, what was that last one??"

Jacqueline releases the ear of the tallest of the Funny Thieves at around the same time as Xantia parries an incoming blade. The two are knocked back into each other, lining them up perfectly for a LOCUS KICK, which sends them all flying!

"Th-that was actually kind of funnyyyy...!" They shout as they go flying, their voice fading into the distance as they disappear with a high 'ping!' noise. This is followed soon after by their ill-gotten goods dropping back, miraculously falling right into place.

"Hopefully that'll teach them that crime doesn't pay..." Jacqueline mutters with a sigh, folding her arms in front of her.

DG: Xantia has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - R.O.U.N.D. *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 You arrive at a tavern at the square marked 'The Fattened Goose'; far from a  
 quiet establishment, dozen refugees are currently battening down the          
 hatches, nailing boards and shoving tables and chairs against the doors and   
 windows as several Hellion beasts repeatedly slam against it.                 
                                                                               
 "Hurry! Find anything you can to keep them out!"                              
                                                                               
 There certainly aren't any shortage of heavy objects around, including...     
 including...                                                                  
                                                                               
 A large, /very/ round, heavy goose statue seated beside the counter. Hmmmm.   
=Dungeon Conditions: Wonder===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia agrees that that was kind of funny, letting out a hearty laugh at the defeat of the thieves. "Sorry for doubting you, Locus, that was a brilliant move! You sure had me fooled!" Just imagine, giving fruit pies to criminals to make them abandon their villainous ways. Even if it could work, it's just too big a price to pay! And besides, what fun would it be to actually avoid a fight?

Venturing forth, the group arrives in an area that was previously cleared out. The tavern here, a designated safe zone, could serve as the ideal place to take a little break before heading back out. It is in fact the same location that Jay's map, given to the refugees earlier, had pointed them to, so the trio is given a rather warm welcome upon entry.

A warm welcome which is cut short by a sudden ruckus at the front door. Heavy strikes on the opposite side signal the return of threatening elements to the area, causing a stir among the refugees, and the focus to shift on reinforcing the barricaded door.

One might expect Xantia to be pumped up because of the promise of more action, but instead, she sighs forlornly. She'd been promised food by the tavern proprietor just now, and it's obvious that that's not happening while these creatures are still there. "Okay, let's take care of this quick, then..."

Intent on doing just that, Xantia goes straight for that massive round goose statue, warning the people at the door, "Everybody out of the way!" And then she just tosses it like a bowling ball, sending the heavy ornament rolling towards the barricade. Hopefully she judged her strength correctly, or it could damage the barricade rather than reinforce it.

Looking outside through whatever gaps there are in the barricaded windows, one can see what's out there: an odd mix of boars and bears are assaulting the door, completely fixated on trying to break it down. Naturally, they appear far more monstrous to those with Resonance.

Xantia's seen it, too. That being the case, she too can be seen through the window in short order, having left the establishment through an opening she may have made herself on the opposite side of the building.

Of course she's planning on dealing with the problem by punching it, what did you expect?

DG: Xantia has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, R.O.U.N.D..
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

There's a good reason Jacqueline marked this place on her map. She knew it was a safe place - easily defensible, and with plenty of exits in case they needed to escape in a pinch. And so, she finds herself in the Fattened Goose once more.

The statue, at some point, has been returned to its rightful place. ...At least temporarily, as it is soon rolled right into the barricade to reinforcement.

Such is the life of the goose, but it is at least serving a noble duty.

While Xantia goes out to deal with the Hellions personally, Jacqueline elects to remain inside with the refugees. She rummages through her bags, selecting potions which she distributes to them.

"Here, this'll make a good pick-me-up..." She says. They probably need it, after everything they've been through.

She'll leave the tavern if it looks like Xantia needs help dealing with the Hellions, but she has a feeling she's got everything entirely under control.

She's more concerned about the Hellions, really.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool Brewte Force toward her party's challenge, R.O.U.N.D..
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

"H-Huh, yeah! I'm glad the distraction worked, at least!" A brilliant move indeed. Carina attempts to rub the bridge of her nose, but her finger only meets grasshopper mask. Donk.

A tavern break does sound pretty nice. "I wonder if they do 24h breakfast..." Carina muses out loud as they enter. Twenty-four hour breakfast! What a concept.

"Hey, y'all, glad everybody's packed and safe here!" she says, louder, waving to some faces she recognizes from earlier. But then, suddenly--!

"Frickarooni, I wasn't kidding when I said you can't catch a break!" Locus gets up to attend to the -round bird-, but it seems Xantia has things in hand!

"We'll be right back, Miss Jay!" And soon she, too, is out the window, ready for another round of Hellion snout-punching alongside her sidekick!

DG: Carina Wynne has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, R.O.U.N.D..
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - R.O.U.N.D. *>=========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 You arrive at a tavern at the square marked 'The Fattened Goose'; far from a  
 quiet establishment, dozen refugees are currently battening down the          
 hatches, nailing boards and shoving tables and chairs against the doors and   
 windows as several Hellion beasts repeatedly slam against it.                 
                                                                               
 "Hurry! Find anything you can to keep them out!"                              
                                                                               
 There certainly aren't any shortage of heavy objects around, including...     
 including...                                                                  
                                                                               
 A large, /very/ round, heavy goose statue seated beside the counter. Hmmmm.   
=Dungeon Conditions: Wonder===================================================
======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 5 *>=======================
===========================< Results - R.O.U.N.D. >===========================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        25 --(0)--> 25                 Pass
Force                               0   Brute   Effects: BASIC                
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              20 --(0)--> 20                 Pass
Force                               0   Brute   Effects: BASIC                
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   20 --(0)--> 20                 Pass
Brewte Force                        1   Brute   Effects: Fanfare and Strengthe
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                70 --(20)--> 90                Pass
Conditions: Fright(1)|Wonder
Effects: Strengthen(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne 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> Xantia has posed.

Everything goes just as planned. Which is to say, Jay's potions work like a charm, and may get her some extra business from the impressive result of that sampling. The barricade work certainly goes a lot more effortlessly after the refugees' fatigue has melted away.

That's where the actual plans end, since Xantia improvises basically everything and Locus is following her lead this time. At least the situation with the goose statue ended up working out, breaking some of the barricade but getting stuck there so solidly that there isn't much chance of the Hellion beasts getting in that way.

The sounds coming from outside shortly afterwards feel like they might accompany a cartoony dust cloud, which may or may not actually be visible. There's only a short moment of tension when the noise dies down, and Xantia declares, "Okay, all clear! You can roll the statue back now!"

The refugees who helped with the barricade give one another a look, wordlessly agreeing that yeah, that's not happening, Brewte Force or no. That thing's really stuck in there. They're going to need a little help with that one later...

DG: Jacqueline Barber has drawn a new Challenge.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Guardian of the Overbridge *>=================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 You arrive at an overbridge connecting central Krosse to the Castle. The      
 Domain's influence is stronger here, the Malevolence palpable as it seeks to  
 cling to whatever it can grasp its metaphorical claws upon.                   
                                                                               
 The silence is suddenly broken as an earth-shattering, ear-ringing CRY        
 shakes the very floor--                                                       
                                                                               
 --and an enormous silver-furred Beast descends upon the bridge in a single    
 bound, descending from atop Krosse Castle's high spires. Bands of             
 Malevolence ooze from its very limbs, as it casts its bloodthirsty eye upon   
 you. It opens its mouth--                                                     
                                                                               
 "Please... make it stop... aaargh!!"                                          
                                                                               
 It lunges, vestiges of its humanity absconding underneath its curse. Prepare  
 yourself!                                                                     
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

The brawl outside the tavern resulted in a lot of attention, which means a lot of Hellions that get wiped out by Carina and Xantia's teamwork. This means that the path to the castle - or rather, the bridge leading to the castle - is open.

"It's right this way..." Jacqueline says as she emerges from the tavern after one last farewell to the civilians.

She starts leading the two of them to the bridge. The closer they get, the more intense the Domain becomes. Soon enough they're at the bridge...but before they can cross it, an earth-shattering cry rings though the air. The bridge shakes as a large, silver-furred beast descends. Wreathed in Malevolence, it stares them down, opens its mouth, and...speaks?

"Please...make it stop... aaargh!!" The beast roars, and then lunges violently! Jacqueline leaps out of the way, drawing a book from her bags - the Lifeweaver's Codex.

"It's back...be careful, you two! It's faster than it looks, and the Malevolence has driven it feral! Don't drop your guard!" She warns. She stows the book away and then gestures with her left hand, invoking an Earth-based Crest. Tendrils of earth rise from the ground, rushing toward the beast and attempting to restrain it to limit its movement capabilities and give Xantia and Carina an easier time fighting it.

DG: Jacqueline Barber has used her Tool The Lifeweaver's Codex toward her party's challenge, Guardian of the Overbridge.
<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

The trio ventures towards the castle, led by Jay. There, they find a feral humanoid Hellion.

"This is..." Locus muses.

Oh, look, she's holding a fruit pie again! What zany plot is she getting up to this time?

"...no time to be goofin' around with fruit pies!" The treat vanishes back into hammerspace (pie space?) but hopefully its lingering presence will act as a motivator for the group to defeat their foe! Mostly for Xantia, but it's hard for anyone to turn down a fruit pie regardless.

Malevolence is heavy stuff. Even if Carina's experiences on Lunar have made her able to withstand the Domain's influence, hearing that Hellion say such things does bring a chill down her spine.

"Mystery Hero X!" Locus says after a moment, taking a fighting stance, "They're havin' a bad time and they asked nicely, so let's knock 'em out! We might not be able to fix 'em, but maybe it'll get better once we've gotten into that castle and taken care of the heebie-jeebies that've purpled up this kingdom!"

And she once again goes in swinging, wreathing her fists in electricity to take advantage of Jay's land trap. The good news, she figures, is that knocking that thing out won't require Xantia to pull her punches all that much after all.

DG: Carina Wynne has used her Tool Locus Fruit Pies toward her party's challenge, Guardian of the Overbridge.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia's in pretty good spirits after all this fighting. Even the food she was promised has slipped her mind for the time being - though rest assured, she's going to make sure she gets that at some point. At which point she can also help to clear that statue away from the front door. It'll all work itself out in the end.

What won't be so easy is the whole situation with the castle. For today, her focus is on Krosse city, but the eventual goal will be in there. Doing a little looking around that area beforehand seems wise.

Following Jay, Xantia becomes visibly uncomfortable as the group gets closer, getting goosebumps despite it not even being that cold. This has a different cause. Even if the Malevolence in the air isn't directly affecting her, there's still a sense of Wrongness in the area that makes it feel wholly unpleasant to be around here. If there was still any doubt, this feeling alone would make it abundantly clear that this isn't something that can be left alone for much longer.

As is the case far too commonly, it actually feels like a relief to her when a horrible monster appears. You can't easily get rid of the way you feel, but monsters, there's a pretty straightforward way of dealing with those.

Even so, one aspect of it causes her to hesitate for a moment. "It talks?!" In that case... could this be like what happened to Rosaline? Maybe it's not too late for this one...

However, Jacqueline's cautionary advice and Carina putting the matter in perspective is plenty to make her steel herself, and leave her free from any doubts she might have had on how to go about this. "Right, Jay, Locus! Let's take it down!"

Though Xantia activates her ARM in case she needs it, she plans to mostly follow Locus's lead in this fight. Summoning electricity to her own fists, she sticks to left-handed blows as much as possible, only resorting to the side backed by her ARM if absolutely necessary.

Which doesn't really count as holding back or anything, given the amount of force behind her unrestrained punches. Whether they're left or right-handed doesn't make a bit of difference in that regard.

DG: Xantia has used her Tool ARM Blade toward her party's challenge, Guardian of the Overbridge.
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
=================<* CHALLENGE - Guardian of the Overbridge *>=================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 You arrive at an overbridge connecting central Krosse to the Castle. The      
 Domain's influence is stronger here, the Malevolence palpable as it seeks to  
 cling to whatever it can grasp its metaphorical claws upon.                   
                                                                               
 The silence is suddenly broken as an earth-shattering, ear-ringing CRY        
 shakes the very floor--                                                       
                                                                               
 --and an enormous silver-furred Beast descends upon the bridge in a single    
 bound, descending from atop Krosse Castle's high spires. Bands of             
 Malevolence ooze from its very limbs, as it casts its bloodthirsty eye upon   
 you. It opens its mouth--                                                     
                                                                               
 "Please... make it stop... aaargh!!"                                          
                                                                               
 It lunges, vestiges of its humanity absconding underneath its curse. Prepare  
 yourself!                                                                     
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous==============================================
======================<* Streets of Krosse - Round 6 *>=======================
===================< Results - Guardian of the Overbridge >===================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carina Wynne                        25 --(0)--> 25                 Pass
Locus Fruit Pies                    1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xantia                              20 --(0)--> 20                 Pass
ARM Blade                           2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacqueline Barber                   20 --(5)--> 25                 Fail
The Lifeweaver's Codex              2   Combat  Effects: Embolden             
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Carina Wynne                90 --(30)--> 120               Pass
Conditions: Overzealous(2)|Wonder
Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success!
DG: The party led by Carina Wynne has successfully explored Streets of Krosse!
===========================<* Streets of Krosse *>============================
====================<* CHALLENGE - The Spirit of Krosse *>====================
|Type: Discovery   |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1          | 
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 "We're with you, Drifters! We're not letting our city be taken!"              
                                                                               
 With the Silver Beast situation going well, you notice that the citizenry     
 and refugees of Krosse have rallied behind you. Everyone you've rescued       
 along the way are here to support you! Together, with everyone's efforts,     
 you secure passage to ensure an escape route is available and not threatened  
 by the Hellions.                                                              
                                                                               
 The way to Krosse Castle is now open. The inner chamber now awaits you. A     
 greater battle yet awaits within...                                           
=Dungeon Conditions: Treasure=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Jacqueline Barber has posed.

Even bound by the earth, the Silver Beast is a dangerous threat. They will need to use everything they have to take it down. Indeed - pulling one's punches would be potentially be fatal.

With Jacqueline restraining it with the earth Carina and Xantia move in, fists brimming with electricity.

The Silver Beast retaliates with vicious fang and claw, each with enough force to scratch steel. And just when it seems like it's down for the count...it lets out another earth-shattering cry. Its earthen binds break and Jacqueline is knocked to the ground from the force of the backlash, freeing the beast.

It whirls upon Xantia and Carina, snarling and preparing to lunge. It might be backed into a corner, but now is truly when it's at the most dangerous. But when the situation seems darkest...

"Metal Digger Locus! Mystery Hero X! ...Merchant lady! We're behind you one-hundred percent! We believe in you! You can do this!!"

A shout rings out. They don't all appear from the same place - some of them have made their way to the rooftops. Others are in the safety of buildings that are still intact, yelling out of windows. Some are in the alleyways. But, in one way or another, everyone they've helped to this point is here to cheer them on, and even...!

"Yeah, don't let 'em hound your steps!" The Formerly Funny Thieves are here too, having chosen to hang up their scimitars and funny hats for good and pursue a career in comedy!

"Yeah, you're a bunch of real hellions yourselves! Metaphorically speaking! Show 'em who's boss!" Another shouts.

From somewhere, a stone is thrown. It just missed the Silver Beast, but it snarls and turns in its direction. This may be the distraction they needed - and if it is capitalized on, the Silver Beast is sent flying. It lies on its side at the edge of the bridge, and casts its gaze back at our three heroes.

"Thank...you..." It gasps out...and rolls itself off the side, disappearing into the darkness...

For now.

A cheer goes up. With a grunt, Jacqueline hauls herself to her feet. Her face is a little red, embarrassed at all the attention.

"Good work...we should be able to make it to the castle now." Jacqueline says, looking in that direction...and then she looks back to the city.

"...There might be more people that need my help out there. I think I'm going to stay behind, and see if there's anyone else that needs rescuing..." She decides.

<Pose Tracker> Carina Wynne has posed.

And when the night seems darkest for our heroes...

"Everyone..." Locus says, looking up as she pulls herself back up, clenching her fist and ending up with a fistful of dirt in the process. Even the Formerly Funny Thieves (though shouldn't they be the Funny Former Thieves...?) are here!

"We won't let you down! Come on, y'all! Always-Winning Final Locus KICK!"

And the rest, as usual, is history.

The sun sets. Jacqueline decides she wants to help the people in town some more. Locus nods.

"That's fair! I'm right behind you. We can Teamwork Attack the castle when the others are here, anyway..." She glances back to Xantia. "'til then, I think I'll rest up a bit at that tavern. At this rate, maybe they need our help again. AND I hear they've got 24-hour breakfast!"

Hopefully they do... Hopefully.

<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.

Xantia is surprised by the amount of resistance the Hellion beast is putting up. Perhaps it was silly to expect otherwise, even with it pretty much begging to be knocked out. Even now, she doesn't really understand how this whole Hellion thing works, exactly, but she can only assume it's more or less like what happened to her. Wanting to stop, but being unable to stop.

This only motivates her more to give it everything she's got to try and stop the Beast. There's no avoiding the employ of her ARM every now and again. But what really makes the difference, in the end...

"They're... cheering us on. Listen, listen! They're cheering us on!"

Xantia is extremely excited about this development. It is, after all, a very important aspect - perhaps THE most important - of being a hero. The general public acknowledging you as one. The smile that is brought to Xantia's face stays there for quite some time, not fading for even a moment, come what may.

With that, the battle is brought to a swift conclusion. Xantia's bright smile is directed to her companions in the aftermath, and she feels confident in declaring, "I think I've learned a lot today! Thank you both so much!"

Naturally, being reminded of the food waiting for her at the tavern is plenty to get her to come along as well. "Wow, I can eat breakfast for 24 hours straight? Incredible!" ...Hopefully no business will ever run an 'All You Can Eat' deal when Xantia is in town.