2019-04-27: Swimming Foxes

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DG: A party led by Talise Gianfair is now entering Sunken Monastery of Gusong.
DG: Party formation is now over. An Entry Challenge will now be drawn and displayed to the party.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
=============<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Collapsing Blocks *>=============
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 The entrance to the Sunken Monastery is above ground, at a place where the    
 recent attack by Sin caused a landslide and revealed a small section of       
 worked stone... and tunnel that leads the depths. Following that tunnel,      
 however, soon leads to a portion that has flooded and filled with water.      
 Swimming will be required.                                                    
                                                                               
 The entry tunnel is a long, narrow one. As you begin swimming, though, you    
 find the tunnel presents a challenge in addition to needing to swim:          
                                                                               
 Large blocks begin crashing down from the ceiling at regular intervals.       
 While none fill the hallway, they crash down from the ceiling fast and        
 sometimes unexpectedly, threatening to crush someone under them -- and        
 sending shockwaves that makes swimming even harder.                           
                                                                               
 Fortunately, there is a door ahead -- and stairs leading to air.              
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow, Tire===============================================
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

The destruction left behind by Sin is terrifying to behold. But it's left behind structures, like this monastery - one that is currently mostly underwater, save for the entrance.

With a huff, Talise pulls her tunic off over her head, leaving her in the two-piece outfit she's used by the water here. Her sword remains slung over her shoulder, and she keeps her boots and gloves on even as she steps forward. "It looks like this corridor goes down a long way. We're gonna have to be quick, before we run out of breath." With a look back, she gives Rosaline a thoughtful gaze.

Can cats do water?

We'll find out. Talise wades forward, immersing herself to the waist, then lowering herself into the water and pushing off the wall as she swims down into that flooded part of the tunnel. There's light at the far end - reachable if one's quick - and she swims surely towards it.

Until the corridor rumbles and a huge chunk of rubble descends just in front of her, slamming into the flooded floor below her. Talise gurgles in surprise and recoils.

The rumble of falling debris echoes through the corridor as blocks begin to fall at surprisingly regular intervals. None is big enough to fill the hallway, but they're falling steadily, forcing the group to evade them. Talise bubbles and sweeps a chunk of rock aside with one hand as she begins to work her legs, swimming swiftly through the gauntlet of falling blocks as she tries to time out their pattern without running out of breath.

DG: Talise Gianfair has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Collapsing
Blocks.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

A mysterious submerged monastery that few people have visited? There has to be something interesting down there. The allure of treasure or other interesting finds is a difficult one to ignore.

And so, of course, Layna is here. She's wearing what appears to be a light Blitzball uniform in red, with the symbol of the Manydays Pirates in place of a team logo.

Or maybe...that is the team logo...

"Aye. 'Sfine with me, I could use a good swim." Layna says, stretching. She then produces a bottle from...somewhere, taking a swig and passing it around to whoever wants it next.

And then she dives in after Talise. Fortunately, Layna is a strong, quick swimmer. She might not be graceful or elegant, but she can certainly move.

Hopefully, fast enough to avoid the shockwaves emitted from the falling rubble.

DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Quartermaster's Stash toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Collapsing
Blocks.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    Lanval holds a unique advantage in that he is a water spirit. He generally does not need to be concerned about the limitations of oxygen or what have you. He only needs to worry about what's in the water itself, and there's no Malevolence to speak of.
     He remains a bit wary about the flitting colorful lights that like to populate the water, but he has since found they are harmless in so far as direct exposure goes. It is still really freaking weird that there exists something on a spiritual level that simply does not interact meaningfully with him - or even at all. The lights pass through him like he's not even there.
     "Mmm... I'll take a look ahead," Lanval offers as he just hauls off and goes in the water ahead. There's not a strong current here, so he has to propel himself along. He feels a rumbling, and then he feels a bludgeoning as a piece of debris falls upon him. Talise incidentally rescues him as she batters aside the offending rubble.
     Lazy as he might be, Lanval's aware that everyone else here is in just as grave danger by having their heads beneath water, so he tries to compel the water to sweep them forward by a Seraphic Arte as he free-tumbles across the expanse of water when another rock strikes him.

<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

It's a good thing Sephilia got swimming lessons, because this would not be a good time otherwise. She's also, at some point, upgraded to a waterproof satchel that will keep Chauncey good and dry while Sephy does things that do not require a giant plush fox.

Like swimming through a tunnel full of collapsing blocks. That's a thing Sephy does that Chauncey couldn't help with.

Which sucks because she really, really wishes she'd taken a deeper breath right now because she kind of accidentally screamed a bit and she's feeling lightheaded and she's swimming as hard as she can.

Later, this will be a thrilling tale of exploration, adventure, and danger, but right now it's full of panic and terror.

DG: Seraph Lanval has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Collapsing
Blocks.
DG: Sephilia Lampbright has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level -
Collapsing Blocks.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

"So you want us to swim through a ruin that is still partially underwater, hoping there's air that isn't stale, in search of treasure?"

...

"Sounds fine by me. When do we start?"

And that's why Tethelle is here today, wearing a Spiran chestpiece and her own shorts. No skirt, though; instead she's gotten her larger feathered cloak, for some reason, though it's currently bundled up in a roll on her back in the opposite direction as her sword.

"I'll make sure none of you are left behind," Tethelle says; she's a good swimmer and she can help if someone is a little slow. She looks a little more at Sephilia (who can swim, but isn't as good as some people here) and Rosaline (who is a cat) as she says that.

And, in fact, Tethelle is the last into the water, so she can give people a boost if they need it. Like Sephy, who gets a convenient push to make sure she gets all the way without running out of air. She's helping!

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level -
Collapsing Blocks.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

Water levels. Why did it have to be WATER LEVELS?

Rosaline is never terribly happy when a place they venture into seems as if it's going to involve some amount of swimming, but it is sometimes unfortunately unavoidable. Her Spiran kimono may not be the best-suited for an underwater adventure, but at least it's not her Etone habit. Now THAT would be a drag, in a literal way. There might be much better options available, but they would involve showing more skin than she seems comfortable with.

At least she hasn't complained much, since the last thing she is is a complainer, but Talise and the rest can see the nervous sway of her tail as she stares at the water in front of them. Layna offers a drink, and for once she doesn't hesitate before taking a swig of her own. She seems emboldened after passing the bottle. "Right! I'll do my best. Here goes nothing!"

And she plunges in. She's... actually a decent swimmer, at least insofar as she puts a lot of energy into it, and at least has enough practice that this energy doesn't go to waste. The falling debris prompt a moment of panic, but she moves fluidly enough to avoid the first few pieces she encounters. Will she able to keep it up, however, or will someone have to drag a sad, wet cat out of the water? Stay tuned!

DG: Rosaline Calice has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Collapsing
Blocks.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

 There is something deeply uncomfortable about a cramped corridor leading to a flooded area that requires swimming. Ceimglace's face says a lot of what she's thinking, most of it being 'this is going to suck' and 'I hope I don't give them all frostbite or something'. She side-eyes Rosaline, and leans over, whispering softly, "It's okay. Much like you, I don't think this is a good idea for either of us. But we can't leave them behind, can we?"
 
 With that, Ceimglace heads towards the water, ditching most of her outfit on the way down. This leaves her dressed rather strangely, but she figures better to not have all of that weight.
R
 She fears she might sink, anyways.
 
 Being in the water also means no one can hear her make rude words at the ceiling as things start dropping into the water, Ceimglace awkwardly swimming around them as they appear.

DG: Seraph Ceimglace has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level -
Collapsing Blocks.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
=============<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Collapsing Blocks *>=============
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 The entrance to the Sunken Monastery is above ground, at a place where the    
 recent attack by Sin caused a landslide and revealed a small section of       
 worked stone... and tunnel that leads the depths. Following that tunnel,      
 however, soon leads to a portion that has flooded and filled with water.      
 Swimming will be required.                                                    
                                                                               
 The entry tunnel is a long, narrow one. As you begin swimming, though, you    
 find the tunnel presents a challenge in addition to needing to swim:          
                                                                               
 Large blocks begin crashing down from the ceiling at regular intervals.       
 While none fill the hallway, they crash down from the ceiling fast and        
 sometimes unexpectedly, threatening to crush someone under them -- and        
 sending shockwaves that makes swimming even harder.                           
                                                                               
 Fortunately, there is a door ahead -- and stairs leading to air.              
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow, Tire===============================================
====================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 1 *>====================
===============< Results - It's a Water Level - Collapsing Blocks >===============
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talise Gianfair                     0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Lanval                       0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tethelle Cirdian                    0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layna Manydays                      0 --(18)--> 18                 Pass
Quartermaster's Stash               2   Agility Effects: Quicken              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosaline Calice                     0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Ceimglace                    0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sephilia Lampbright                 0 --(23)--> 23                 Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC                
------------------------------------< Party >-------------------------------------
Leader: Talise Gianfair             0 --(10)--> 10                 Fail
Conditions: Slow(2)|Tire(2)
Effects: Quicken(1)
================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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> Talise Gianfair has posed.

This is the kind of environment that swimming lessons are pretty essential for.

No amount of swimming lessons will make this entry successful. Debris continues to accumulate and the corridor is far too long. Layna manages to get the farthest, but she can tell that what's ahead down there is more water - another flooded room - and that the falling blocks are beginning to close that chamber off.

Scooping up Lanval, Talise swims her way back towards the entrance, though not before a few chunks of rubble bounce off her back.

Layna's there to give everyone a push, and soon enough, Talise is back where they all started. She pops her head above the surface with a breath before checking to make sure the Oracle is alright.

"...New plan," Talise says with a puff. "Let's knock a hole in that wall and drain the hallway before we try this again."

They drain the hallway out. It takes awhile. Talise is already regretting this.

DG: Seraph Lanval has drawn a new Challenge.
============================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>============================================
==============================<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind Chimes *>==============================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
-----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >-----------------------------------------------
 The next chamber is submerged, requiring you to duck back underwater... if    
 you have not already done so. When you swim into this chamber, you hear a     
 distorted melody: ten notes, as if played on some distant chimes. You also    
 see a sealed stone door ahead of you, and then long-tarnished chimes in a     
 corner. If you ring them, they make a tone -- but sound travels differently   
 underwater...                                                                 
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Treasure========================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    A hole is knocked open to try and drain the water. This doesn't quite take in full, but it does lend itself to a new opportunity that is also underwater. Lanval puts on a stupid smile and reassuringly pats Talise in one of her broad shoulders as he's helped out of an equal parts deadly and uncomfortable situation.
     "Thanksh," he slurs his thanks as he has himself a share of the Quartermaster's Stash to calm down. With renewed vigor and enthusiasm, they take this new woman-made detour.
     They all hear an interesting thing - a melody? A very off-tune, discordant one. There's also a bit of a current (which is understandable, they did just make a hole, water wants to rush through and find its new place to rest). It's not too hard to fight through after a little while, and the origin of the weird melody becomes as clear as it's going to for being sound underwater.
     Long-tarnished chimes, once a gleaming, beautiful silver, wave about with melancholy in the water. They repeat the same ten notes, over and over and over, as though a song it wants to play but cannot.
     There's a sealed stone door ahead (which may or may not be holding back even more water) as Lanval drifts towards it. He is wearing those stupid novelty glasses again, but they do seem to reflect the markings on it a bit more clearly. Sheet music, of some kind?
     Lanval idly pushes one of the tarnished chimes, like a cat playing with a toy.
     "It'sh kind of a shad ring," Lanval remarks. The melody continues as the chimes continue to lightly sway in the currents.

DG: Seraph Lanval has used his Tool Amber Tinted Glasses toward his party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged
Wind Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

"I'm going to stay out here where I'm not drowning. Dad always said to let the people who are good at a difficult thing do that difficult thing first, because that way you're not in the way. Or something like that," Sephy says, hugging her knees to her chest as she slumps against the wall before the submerged chamber

DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Dad's Journal toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged
Wind Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise looks back at Lanval with a tight smile. "Hey, no worries, bud."

Small, sharp ears prick at the faint, discordant sound of a melody up ahead. Keeping herself above water enough to take a deep breath, Talise submerges once again to swim towards the sound of that song. It's discordant, yes - a set of ten notes that don't quite sound right underwater.

The door is waiting for them. Soft chimes play that tune, the song not quite able to finish.

Talise reaches into the pouch clipped to one strap of her swimsuit. Out comes a familar bottle.

    Old Man Ettlesbury's Olde-Fashioned Air

Putting the bottle's spout in her mouth, Talise pops the stopper out with her tongue and inhales the air from inside the bottle. It helps. She plugs the stopper back in and lets it hang from her hand, leaving her mouth and her other hand free as she reaches for the chimes. Delicately, she runs her finger along the edge of one - but she doesn't play it yet, thinking for a moment.

She's hummed underwater more than once in her life. If only she could remember those sounds mathematically.

Talise goes by instinct. With a tap, she hits one of the chimes, then the next one, intent on just sounding the melody out.

DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Old Man Ettlesbury's Olde-Fashioned Schnapps toward her party's challenge, It's a
Water Level - Submerged Wind Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

Hard labour: Tethelle's...

Okay, it's not actually her worst enemy. She doesn't mind it in the abstract. She kind of wishes they hadn't gotten stuck with it right now, though.

"That could have gone better," Tethelle says, as they reenter with enough air to breathe as they move through the tunnel to the new sunken room. She has to stop talking then because they have to dive, or she does, to put her head underwater -

Huh. Those are chimes. Tethelle pokes her head above water, then goes down again, hearing the differences. "Hey," she says, on one of her surfaces. "Can you match it?" Talise seems to have the right idea; Tethelle isn't sure she can contribute much, so she moves to the door, ready to try to wedge it open if it starts to move.

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged
Wind Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

Rosaline offers Ceimglace a smile when she offers her sympathy. She never did really think about how an ice Seraph would fare underwater. She supposes they're about to find out.

And soon, they're back to square one. Shivering and actually hissing, Rosaline claps her hands and conjures up a warm, floating ball of light to dry herself with. Others are welcome to huddle up while Talise offers a new plan.

"I agree!! I wholeheartedly agree."

And it is done, though it takes a while. And so, they open the way to... more water. Of course. Wonderful. Great! Praise be.

Back underwater, she eyes the melancholic chimes with puzzlement. They seem to remind her of something, as she pulls out the Katz Bell and rings it, adding another chime to the melody!

And so swims in Kobayashi, with an ironic doggy-paddle. They are also a cat but actually seem undaunted by the water, wearing an adorable kitty-eared snorkel and with a fish clamped on to their tail.

Kobayashi gives Rosaline a thumbs-up. That's it. That's the whole Katz Kontribution to this puzzle.

Rosaline lets out a little bubly sigh and looks back at her bell with a thought, then to a chime that seems like it might not be in working order anymore. She points to it, then to her bell. Maybe it could make a good substitute?

DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Katz Kall toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind
Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

The going is tough. Layna frowns. This place was falling apart - hopefully it would remain standing long enough for them to make it through and get back out.

On the brightside, though, their impromptu detour does open up an interesting little chamber.

Tarnished chimes, and a sealed stone door... Layna frowns, then glances toward Lanval for a moment. It was a little sad, wasn't it? She folds her arms in front of her, thinking.

She looks toward Talise, and then toward Ceimglace.

...Yeah, between the two of them she's sure they'll figure something out. Rather than waste air trying to help out - she's never been the musical type, unless you count raucous sea chanties - Layna decides to focus her efforts on keeping an eye on their surroundings. She'll be able to warn them if it looks like the place is about to collapse.

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind
Chimes.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

 Everyone gets pushed back, and Ceimglace sort of floats there, slowly sinking in the process. Inches at a time, but down she goes. The Seraph jus looks annoyed, but eventually they manage to make it through to yet another room, with yet more water, but this time, something to catch her attention: chimes. Holding her breath, she ducks underwater, straining to listen, popping back up to catch her breath.
 
 "Sound is weird in the water, I know that much. It's harder to hear lower notes and easier to hear higher ones -" She eyes the Katz (Rosaline and Kobayashi) for a few moments.
 
 "Stay dry, Rosaline." She offers her. "Don't want any of you getting sick to this stupidity."
 
 Diving back under, Ceimglace wanders to the chimes, striking each of them to get a feel for the notes, remembering what her notes had told her... % R% R She's not entirely sure on some, but dang, does she give it a try nonetheless.

DG: Seraph Ceimglace has used her Tool Life's Notes toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind
Chimes.
============================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>============================================
==============================<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind Chimes *>==============================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
-----------------------------------------------< Challenge Information: >-----------------------------------------------
 The next chamber is submerged, requiring you to duck back underwater... if    
 you have not already done so. When you swim into this chamber, you hear a     
 distorted melody: ten notes, as if played on some distant chimes. You also    
 see a sealed stone door ahead of you, and then long-tarnished chimes in a     
 corner. If you ring them, they make a tone -- but sound travels differently   
 underwater...                                                                 
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Treasure========================================
=======================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 2 *>=======================================
================================< Results - It's a Water Level - Submerged Wind Chimes >================================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talise Gianfair                     23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Old Man Ettlesbury's Olde-Fashioned 1   Wits    Effects: Cleanse              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Lanval                       23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Amber Tinted Glasses                3   Wits    Effects: Fanfare              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tethelle Cirdian                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC                
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layna Manydays                      18 --(5)--> 23                 Fail
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC                
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosaline Calice                     23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Katz Kall                           2   Wits    Effects: Fanfare and Rally    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Ceimglace                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Life's Notes                        2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten            
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sephilia Lampbright                 23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Dad's Journal                       2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten            
--------------
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair 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.
[OOC] Seraph Lanval says, "one sec"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    Talise, professional Bard with a capital 'B' no matter what a chameleon and a bat may have to say about that, takes point with Ceimglace in hammering together the proper ten note melody. They do make a number of beautiful, soul-easing melodies between them - they can do a lot with some chimes and ten notes between them, but they can't manage it alone.
     Tethelle and Rosaline give their contributions by listening to them above water and then sharing what they've heard (differences in pitch compared to what keeps playing). Lanval smiles and returns a thumbs up to Kobayashi as a chime accidentally clips him in the frame of the novelty glasses and takes out a lens. Oh no.
     "Mmm... are ya okay there, Shpehy?" Lanval asks the huddling, waterlogged young girl. It was a scary moment back there, even for him - a water spirit - so he surfaces to keep her company for a bit.
     Layna, standing guard in front of the stone door, will notice that Talise and Ceimglace manage to 'correct' the ten note tone until it is something beautiful, wonderful, echoing through the waterlogged hallway. When the stone door opens--
     yes that is a lot of water rushing through holy crap!!!
     Layna will need someone to help her not be swept back out towards the entrance, but other than that, the way forward becomes... if not clearer, at least a way forward.
[OOC] Tethelle Cirdian says, "I'll grab this one"

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>========================
=======================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 2 *>=======================================
================<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Sahuagin *>=================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 The water-filled chambers of the Sunken Monastery require no small amount of  
 swimming. As you swim your way into this hallway, you encounter fiends that   
 may be familiar... but have an advantage over you in a place like this.       
 Humanoid, scaled fiends called sahuagin swim towards you -- and underwater,   
 their limbs and fins make them ferociously fast and dangerous when they       
 close in on you!                                                              
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Injure============================================
[OOC] Talise Gianfair says, "friggin' sahuagin"
[OOC] Seraph Lanval says, "hey, these guys again"
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

Opening the door causes water to drain into the new hallway.

The good news is that it isn't completely underwater. The hallway is about ten feet high, and perhaps seven of them are underwater; there's enough room to paddle at the surface and breathe, so it's just a matter of getting from one end to the other (though there is no guarantee that the party will not have to dive at the far end).

"This could be worse," Tethelle says, as she pushes in - but then she hears it.

Seven feet of water is about two feet more than the sahagin need to swim in. Hiding at the bottom of the hallway, they can creep along, and dart up to strike - which is exactly what happens to Tethelle as she gets mobbed by a trio of sahagin. She doesn't go down immediately; with a yell of "Equites!" she draws her sword, using it to thrust downward - it's hard to slash through water, even with the little carved symbol of Equites on the disc hanging from the sword knot giving it a bit of power.

Those aren't the only sahagin. There are several others, and one of the ones on Tethelle breaks away when they spot how big the party is; it looks like everyone is getting attacked in hit-and-run, underwater darting tactics!

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has used her Tool Icon of Equites toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise smiles as Ceimglace glides in with her, knowing she's right about sound. The Seraph's got a good ear for music. It's one of those things Talise loves about her.

As water rushes around them, the swordswoman nods to Tethelle with a crook of a smile. "Yeah, definitely--"

    *MRGRGRGRGRGRGR*

"I take that back," Talise says as the sahuagin begin to creep up along the hallway. Seven feet of water isn't going to let Talise put her feet on the ground for this one, or even swing very well underwater. It's a disadvantage but she draws Rastaban nevertheless, holding it a bit differently than usual - she's got it off to one side.

Green light radiates from it. With a grunt, Talise slams the blade forward. Water bursts around her ahead of a shockwave, the white-green light exploding from the weapon in the shape of a dragon's head as it rages out to try and swallow a couple sahuagin.

But more are coming. It's a hit-and-run-o-rama, and one of them is running at Talise from the side.

She snaps her free hand out, attempts to grab it by the neck and pull it in so she can run it through.

DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Dragon Courage toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Sephy's in a bind! Being underwater, she can't use Chauncey the way she normally would in a fight. But she's built up *some* measure of tactics that might still work--she sticks close to her larger friends, watching their backs as they watch hers. Her sword will taste sahagin blood!

And it will think it tastes icky but much like Chauncey, Sephy's sword doesn't talk much.

DG: Sephilia Lampbright has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level -
Sahuagin.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna nearly gets swept away, but thankfully someone comes to her aid in time. And in good time, too - they're soon beset by a group of sahuagin.

Back in Luca, they weren't much of a problem except in numbers. This time, though, they're in their element - they're much faster and much more dangerous underwater. Layna is no slouch in underwater combat, but even she'll have a little difficulty.

Rather than try to deal with them at melee range, Layna does something different. Her bracers activate, but flames don't emerge due to the watery situation. The air around her wrists begins to bubble with, and with a muttered incantation, the water begins to spiral as wind currents rush under, sweeping up the heated water and blasting sahuagin with a powerful heated current.

DG: Layna Manydays has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

 Success! Ceimglace throws a fist into the air when she and Talise tag team the chimes, the water rushing and nearly carrying Layna off. She does keep an eye on her for a second, before the group as a whole carefully swims forward, the next spot giving them more time to breathe...
 
 ... but less than they'd still like, as more saughain show up.
 
 Stupid water dungeons.*
 
 Digging into the bag she has on her, she pulls something out that is not Old Man Ettlesbury's concoctions. No, this is Ice Seraph Ceimglace's Olde-Fashioned Healing Potions, courtesy of her little-used apothecary skills. She swigs, caps it, and sends it through the water towards the nearest member of the Fox Company, and does the standard drink and pass gesture.
 
 *specifically the dungeon aspect, not the water, she loves Lanval.

DG: Seraph Ceimglace has used her Tool Apothecary's Potions toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
[OOC] Seraph Lanval says, "sorry for the wait, had to GM card in other window"
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

People invite Rosaline to stay in the dry portion, and she doesn't have to be told twice, once again summoning her Ball of Drying (which should probably get a better name if she insists on using it again) while the others solve the puzzle with her help.

But all good things must come to an end.

Water rushes in, and Kobayashi is seemingly swept away (for now), but Rosaline counts her blessings as the water only ends up going about to her waist. But here comes unwanted company! With large groups of monsters, there's no better go-to spell in her arsenal...

"Them again... Stick together, everyone! HYDRO STORM!"

And so, it starts to rain indoors. The strange properties of that 'hydro' storm are once again demonstrated, as that warm, refreshing downpour fails to actually affect the water level in the room, and thankfully so. But still, it should muddy up the waters just enough with nebulous holy-element influence to slow the Sahuagin down a bit.

And once she is done casting, Rosaline tries to move in the middle of the group, offering healing to those who are hit and subsequently run from.

DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Holy Water toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
[OOC] Tethelle Cirdian says, "'Rosaline, stay in the dry secti' 'HYDRO STORM' 'or make everything a wet section, that's
OK too'"
[OOC] Rosaline Calice says, "hahaha"
[OOC] Rosaline Calice says, "Yeah, the thing with Hydro Storm is it's not actually wet, per se"
[OOC] Rosaline Calice says, "When Rosa picked up Ether, she had to drop the elements that were's Holy or Fire, so now
the joke is 'well the status screen clearly says it's not water, some... how...'"
[OOC] Talise Gianfair says, "poor swimmy cat"
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    Lanval drifts along in once he can confirm that Sephy and Chauncey are okay, and that Layna doesn't get swept away. It's good that the tides and currents have calmed down maybe a little, they can tread water and swim along towards whatever further is down here--
     Lanval's gaze opens half-lidded as he sees the movement of Fiends in the water, but saying he notices this before anyone else sells the level of skill and awareness of his traveling companions far too short.
     Lanval dives back under the surface of the water. The Water of Filgaia, within his drinking gourd, is a bit heavy to hold easily on dry land. In water, though, it is something trivial for him to grasp hold of as he allows sanctified, shining water to try and spread and push away any ambushing fish-man fiends further and further up against the perimeter of the room, and give everyone a bit more breathing room from any other unpleasant surprises that may yet lurk.

DG: Seraph Lanval has used his Tool Holy Bottle toward his party's challenge, It's a Water Level - Sahuagin.
========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>========================
=======================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 2 *>=======================================
================<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - Sahuagin *>=================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 1          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 The water-filled chambers of the Sunken Monastery require no small amount of  
 swimming. As you swim your way into this hallway, you encounter fiends that   
 may be familiar... but have an advantage over you in a place like this.       
 Humanoid, scaled fiends called sahuagin swim towards you -- and underwater,   
 their limbs and fins make them ferociously fast and dangerous when they       
 close in on you!                                                              
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound, Injure============================================
===================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 3 *>===================
=======================================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 2 *>=======================================
==================< Results - It's a Water Level - Sahuagin >===================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talise Gianfair                     23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Dragon Courage                      1   Combat  Effects: Embolden and Fanfare 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Lanval                       23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Holy Bottle                         2   Combat  Effects: Resilient            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tethelle Cirdian                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Icon of Equites                     1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layna Manydays                      23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Fight                               0   Combat  Effects: BASIC                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosaline Calice                     23 --(5)--> 28                 Fail
Holy Water                          1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Ceimglace                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Apothecary's Potions                1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sephilia Lampbright                 23 --(5)--> 28                 Fail
Fight                               0   Combat  Effects: BASIC                
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Talise Gianfair             35 --(20)--> 55                Pass
Conditions: Injure(2)|Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)|Resilient(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use
party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

So the bad news first: sahagin are a lot more dangerous in the water.

The good news is that the entire Fox Company working together is more dangerous.

Hit and run tactics are effective at first. Tethelle can't really deploy her great sword at this range and is mostly using it to awkwardly jab when they come in from underneath and press her, and Talise would have a similar problem if she couldn't just explode a dragon's head of energy out of her blade.

Layna has no such issue applying her fists at close range, and Lanval can use his gourd to push several back (with angry hissing noises at being repelled) while Ceimglace treats the injuries. Sephilia and Rosaline have it worst - Sephilia's lighter blade doesn't work as well in the water, especially with all the cross-currents, and while Rosaline's Hydro Storm may not be water, the sahagin seem to be able to take partial shelter from it by diving deep.

Eventually, though, the last of them is dispatched (by Tethelle, who has managed to back herself up against a wall and half-climb out of the water high enough to strike downward). "Let's keep going before more of them come back," she says, deciding to stay up there for a moment while she catches her breath.

DG: Rosaline Calice has drawn a new Challenge.
========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Opening a Flood Gate *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 While much of the Sunken Monastery was not meant to be flooded, some rooms    
 were built to expect floodwaters. The one that you enter next is one such     
 room. At one end, there is a massive round floodgate, carved with countless   
 inscriptions, and it has been rolled over a large drainage canal that splits  
 the room in half. Though the controls have rusted away, the flood gate could  
 be moved -- or destroyed -- and allow water to drain from elsewhere in the    
 Monastery, helping to open passage for your future exploration.               
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken, Injure, Secret===================================
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

Sahuagin slain, the group proceeds through the corridor, and into...

A dry room?!

Well, relatively speaking, at least. It seems the corridor they were in was actually meant to be some sort of canal for floodwater. This means they can climb up to solid ground and enjoy a temporary respite from the water while they figure out their next move. The obvious point of interest in this room is the large floodgate.

Rosaline examines it with a hum, walks over to the controls, gives them a closer look and shakes her head sadly. She returns to the others, then squats down to look at the stone floor. She takes off one of her gloves and, with a claw, scratches out a crude map of what they've explored so far.

"Okay, so if I'm understanding right, we came in... here... and the water gathered... here... is held back by this floodgate. So if we get it open, we might just be able to drain the water and lower the level in some of the rooms earlier. That should make them much easier to explore." She sounds hopeful, even a little bit desperate.

And with that plan laid out, she turns around. Mother's Mercy slips down of her sleeve, and a moment later she is loudly blasting away at the door with explosive rounds! This is, what, the second time she's tried to blow up a floodgate in three weeks? It's turning into a habit!

DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Demolition Rounds toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna catches a potion mid-Sahuagin pummeling and takes a brief swig before sending Ceimglace a nod of thanks and passing it on to the next person in line.

Eventually the fishy fiends are dealt with, allowing them to proceed on to...a dry room! Layna is glad to see it. She doesn't mind the water, but even she has her limits. She surfaces, and her eyes are immediately drawn to the floodgate. She looks it over consideringly, then glances toward Rosaline...who seems to be sketched something out?

Layna looks over toward her with a raised eyebrow, taking note of the map.

"...Aye, that's a good plan, lass." She says, nodding in approval.

She waits for Rosaline to open fire before drawing out her drill, using it to help clear up any of the leftover debris that might be preventing them from moving forward.

DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Arm-Mounted Drill toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

So much for the sahuagin. Talise lowers her sword with a puff, wiping it off with a bit of help from the water.

"Yeah. Yeah, right with you," sue assurs Tethelle - and indeed, on they go! And indeed something's waiting for them - a dry corridor with a massive floodgate on one end, etched with inscriptions Talise doesn't understand. The swordswoman sheathes her weapon and frowns, hands at her hips as she listens to Rosaline try and math the problem out.

"I'm following you so far." Talise squints at the diagram. "...Okay. Right, I think that should work. And...." She steps past the Etone trainee - but pauses to rest a hand on Rosaline's shoulder.

"...When we're finished, we're gonna light a huge friggin' bonfire. And get some towels. And hot drinks."

Talise grins a little before starting forward, watching Rosaline trying to blast a hole in the door. Once there's a break in the fire, the bladebard steps in and digs her hands into some of the holes Rosaline left, gripping as best she can and beginning to pull.

At this point Talise has simply outgunned the inherent magic of her gauntlets; they're regular gloves now. But they do, at least, help her grip. The two-piece outfit she's wearing ensures that her muscles bunch visibly as she strains to try and wrench the floodgate open through sheer brute strength.

DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Ogre Power Gauntlets toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

If not dry, it's at least drier. Tethelle can approve of this.

She spends a moment to wring out her hair, which looks a lot less fluffy when it's as wet as it is, and then her cloak, which has the same problem. At least she didn't unbundle it; it still makes a compact cylinder instead of a sticky sodden mess. Presumably she has some reason to bring it.

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has used her Tool Power Gloves toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    Everyone's safety largely seen to, Lanval drifts along into a drier room where he just rolls down onto the less flooded ground on his back with a bit of a splash and an easy-going laugh. Things seem to be less hectic, less dangerous...
     He idly waves a hand at a passing pyrefly cluster, which doesn't really care or acknowledge that anything is waving a hand at it to try and get it to go shoo. It just floats along. Lanval tracks its movement with a half-open eye as if to make sure it's not about to turn into a Fiend, before sitting up and following Rosaline's investigation ahead of a floodgate.
     "Mmmm... shure, that shoundsh like a plan ta me~" He says to Rosaline with a dumb, cat-like smile as he sits back and relaxes next to the floodgate as things explode nearby. He takes his drinking gourd in both hands and has himself a relaxing sip--
     --no, he doesn't like the pyrefly clusters. Every so often he tries to throw water at it to get them to flow some other direction away from them, as if half-expecting another sahuagin to appear and harass them, but at least he's doing a small something while others are handling the heavy lifting.

DG: Seraph Lanval has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

      "I'm not much help here."
 
      Ceim says cheerfully, her gaze swinging to Lanval. "So I'll be back here and we'll watch y'alls backs while you work on the gate, okay?"
 
 She bats at the pyreflies, mostly out of curiosity than anything else, but her gaze is sharp at anything related to water - just in case, as always.
 
 Just in case.

DG: Seraph Ceimglace has contributed a Brute Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Sephilia Lampbright likes this. She can be useful here! She understands how these things work, thanks to Dad's journal.

Of course, the important note in Dad's journal is "hit it repeatedly till it works right!"

Which means...it's CHAUNCEY TIME! Yesssss! Finally Big Buddy Chauncey gets a chance to show his quality!

Digging claws GO! Embiggening GO! Cool battle theme, GO!

(Sephy once bought a kazoo and played Chauncey's cool battle theme on it when she was a kid, and her Dad made her promise before he let her go out exploring without him that she would never, ever play it again. But it runs in her head every time. Betcha didn't know that!)

DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Digging Claws toward her party's challenge, Opening a Flood Gate.
========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>========================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Opening a Flood Gate *>=====================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 2          | 
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 While much of the Sunken Monastery was not meant to be flooded, some rooms    
 were built to expect floodwaters. The one that you enter next is one such     
 room. At one end, there is a massive round floodgate, carved with countless   
 inscriptions, and it has been rolled over a large drainage canal that splits  
 the room in half. Though the controls have rusted away, the flood gate could  
 be moved -- or destroyed -- and allow water to drain from elsewhere in the    
 Monastery, helping to open passage for your future exploration.               
=Dungeon Conditions: Weaken, Injure, Secret===================================
===================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 4 *>===================
=======================< Results - Opening a Flood Gate >=======================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talise Gianfair                     23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Ogre Power Gauntlets                2   Brute   Effects: Strengthen           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Lanval                       23 --(0)--> 23                 Fail
Force                               0   Brute   Effects: BASIC                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tethelle Cirdian                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Power Gloves                        2   Brute   Effects: Stalwart             
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layna Manydays                      23 --(0)--> 23                 Pass
Arm-Mounted Drill                   3   Brute   Effects: Fanfare              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosaline Calice                     28 --(0)--> 28                 Fail
Demolition Rounds                   2   Brute   Effects: Strengthen           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Ceimglace                    23 --(0)--> 23                 Fail
Force                               0   Brute   Effects: BASIC                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sephilia Lampbright                 28 --(0)--> 28                 Pass
Digging Claws                       3   Brute   Effects: Rally                
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Talise Gianfair             55 --(20)--> 75                Pass
Conditions: Injure(2)|Secret(2)|Weaken(2)
Effects: Strengthen(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to use
party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

"I like that idea very much," Rosaline tells Talise, closing her eyes for a moment as she visualizes it.

Shooting the door sadly proves to be a waste of ammo, as it barely seems dented once the smoke has cleared. "Oh, hm..." Rosaline looks to the others, who only take this as a cue to do their thing. At least they like the plan!

Talise pulls, Tethelle pushes, Chauncey digs and Layna drills. "Be careful to climb back up so you don't get swept away," she advises to those staying inside the canal proper.

She starts reloading for another shot of demolition rounds, but sees the Seraphs busying themselves with the pyreflies. She wanders over, as if entranced, then starts batting away at the glowing wisps with her hands. This is more fun than it looks!

And soon, the stone starts to crack in half. Once a gap is made, widening it is trivial. Really, getting out of the way of the rushing water is the hardest part, but everyone manages it.

> You hear a rumbling sound in the distance... The water level has been lowered!!

"All right!" Rosaline says, returning her attention to the actual situation at hand. "Shall we move on?"

DG: Talise Gianfair has drawn a new Challenge.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
=============<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - The Flooded Vault *>=============
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 3          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 There is one, final chamber to enter. You locate, after passing through a     
 large stone door, the vault of the Sunken Monastery. While some rooms are     
 not flooded, the main chamber is. This makes getting anything valuable in     
 the higher sconces difficult, if not impossible: the water might ruin much    
 of it.                                                                        
                                                                               
 Fortunately, the vault includes a vast number of large sealed doors and       
 drains in the floor. If you can devise a way to drain the water from them,    
 you might be able to take the loot you have uncovered from here.              
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Reckless========================================
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

The floodgate actually helps in no small measure. The next couple of hallways are free of water. A few Sahuagin menace the Company but they don't stand a chance.

Soon enough, Talise pushes open a door, stepping out into a huge vault of sorts - a big central room, flooded completely from the door on down to its lower levels, with a few smaller rooms branching off from from it. From within them, sources of light can be seen.

"A vault," Talise breathes with wonder - but the smile on her face turns to a frown as she realizes all the walkways in here are flooded. Anything they get out of those side rooms is bound to be drenched and useless by the time they return to the entrance.

Squinting down into the water, Talise clicks her tongue, taking stock of what's down there - namely, several sealed doors and a few smaller grates in the floor. "...So here's a thought. If we crack a few of those doors, I bet we could lower the water level enough to expose those walkways. Then we could actually get things out of here if we find anything good. Sound like a plan?"

She promptly plunges into the water. Stuffing her bottle of Old Man Ettlesbury's Air into her mouth for when she needs it, Talise begins to swim down to one of those lower doors. With little wasted time, she slams her fist into it a few times to test it, then grunts as she attempts to just force it open.

DG: Talise Gianfair has used her Tool Old Man Ettlesbury's Olde-Fashioned Schnapps toward her party's challenge, It's a
Water Level - The Flooded Vault.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Sephilia sets up a small folding table she pulls out of her satchel--turns out the Chair isn't the only furniture she lugs around--and starts diagramming, calculating, and tapping her nose, deep in thought.

"I think the best way is to do it in this order..." she says, pointing to a series of doors one at a time. "This way, then this one, then that one, and that one last, should do it *and* leave us a safe path out!

DG: Sephilia Lampbright has used her Tool Dad's Journal toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded
Vault.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

Tethelle spends a few moments to clean off her sword after the next bunch of Sahuagin. Fortunately, there is a lot of water around; unfortunately, she has nothing to dry it on, and is moderately concerned about rust. She doesn't want to have to regrind the whole edge.

"That isn't a bad plan," Tethelle agrees with Talise. She can swim it, and she could swim some of it out, but if there's old cloth or paper or - well, a whole bunch of other options, honestly - she wouldn't necessarily trust it to the water.

Sephilia sounds like she has a decent idea as to order, and frankly Tethelle was just going to start flipping open doors and pushing drains until something seemed to work (and hopefully she wouldn't flood it worse...). But now she has a plan, and Tethelle gives the younger girl a nod, following her directions. "So this one first, yes?"

DG: Tethelle Cirdian has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded
Vault.
<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna sends Rosaline a thumbs-up, making sure to climb up before the water starts surging for real. They've emptied it out somewhat...but as they more forward, they soon find that not quite all of the water has been drained.

"A vault..." Layna repeats, interest obvious in her voice. Of course she would be interested in a vault - she is a pirate, after all.

Sephilia suggests a plan of action and Talise begins to work, using raw physical force to try and get the door open.

Layna takes a moment to look things over, drawing out her telescope and using it to peer around. Maybe she can find a hidden switch or a lever that'll open up the drains - that should give them a little bit of leeway.

DG: Layna Manydays has used her Tool Captain's Telescope toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded
Vault.
<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

And so, the group drains their way to a room, which... needs to be drained further! Ah, water temples.

"That sounds like a plan," Rosaline says, nodding and glancing at the doors and grates. "It's a bit less straightforward than opening a single door, but we should give it a try at least."

And with that said... She would definitely like to avoid going into the water yet again. She hums for a moment, then pulls out the Katz Bell and rings it.

Kobayashi is back, swimming by Talise's side! Somehow it seems the Katz has found an inner tube and a set of flippers somewhere along the way. Treasure chests, maybe. They start lending a paw with the opening of doors and grates, going where Rosaline points from her mercifully dry footing.

And luckily, the Katz is stronger than they look!

...Marginally.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    Lanval dutifully swims along with the rest, the Oracle of Schturdark being a (usually) reassuring element to ensure that the water is at least on their side as best as he can manipulate it to be, as he once again sprawls himself out on the ground of the vault and just take in the sight of it.
     "Mmmm... shuuuure," Lanval says as he sits up, rolls back and forth to stand, and drunkenly ambles and teeters along to some other corner. "'m gonna shtay way from the gratesh... they look miiiighty invitin'." Lanval can fit anywhere water can, no matter how he appears. This is usually helpful. This becomes problematic if he lets himself drift into grating.
     He plops back down on a dry(er) corner of the vault, and slumps down, wearing the dumb (now one lens missing) beer bottle novelty glasses. Someone's lighting reflects off of it, and it might shine a light into some of the darker corners as to mechanisms and safeguards they might be able to use... maybe!
     That or he's loafing off again. Probably both.

DG: Seraph Lanval has used his Tool Amber Tinted Glasses toward his party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded
Vault.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
=============<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - The Flooded Vault *>=============
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 3          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 There is one, final chamber to enter. You locate, after passing through a     
 large stone door, the vault of the Sunken Monastery. While some rooms are     
 not flooded, the main chamber is. This makes getting anything valuable in     
 the higher sconces difficult, if not impossible: the water might ruin much    
 of it.                                                                        
                                                                               
 Fortunately, the vault includes a vast number of large sealed doors and       
 drains in the floor. If you can devise a way to drain the water from them,    
 you might be able to take the loot you have uncovered from here.              
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Reckless========================================
DG: Rosaline Calice has used her Tool Katz Kall toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded Vault.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

 Ceimglace is less than useful.
 
 This is unsurprising when it comes to act of brute strength.
 
 However, in the next room, she sighs when she sees more water... and more doors and drains. However, Sephilia has a brilliant idea, and Ceimglace breaks out her own book, lightly tapping on the paperwork as she glances down at Sephilia's own work. However, her math takes her slightly longer...
 
 "... I think Sephy's got the right idea."

DG: Seraph Ceimglace has used her Tool Life's Notes toward her party's challenge, It's a Water Level - The Flooded
Vault.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
=============<* CHALLENGE - It's a Water Level - The Flooded Vault *>=============
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 3          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 There is one, final chamber to enter. You locate, after passing through a     
 large stone door, the vault of the Sunken Monastery. While some rooms are     
 not flooded, the main chamber is. This makes getting anything valuable in     
 the higher sconces difficult, if not impossible: the water might ruin much    
 of it.                                                                        
                                                                               
 Fortunately, the vault includes a vast number of large sealed doors and       
 drains in the floor. If you can devise a way to drain the water from them,    
 you might be able to take the loot you have uncovered from here.              
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify, Reckless========================================
====================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong - Round 5 *>====================
===============< Results - It's a Water Level - The Flooded Vault >===============
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Talise Gianfair                     23 --(100)--> 123              Fail
Old Man Ettlesbury's Olde-Fashioned 1   Wits    Effects: Cleanse              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Lanval                       23 --(100)--> 123              Fail
Amber Tinted Glasses                3   Wits    Effects: Fanfare              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tethelle Cirdian                    23 --(100)--> 123              Fail
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Layna Manydays                      23 --(100)--> 123              Fail
Captain's Telescope                 3   Wits    Effects: Fanfare              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosaline Calice                     28 --(100)--> 128              Fail
Katz Kall                           2   Wits    Effects: Fanfare and Rally    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Ceimglace                    23 --(100)--> 123              Fail
Life's Notes                        2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sephilia Lampbright                 28 --(100)--> 128              Pass
Dad's Journal                       2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten            
------------------------------------< Party >-------------------------------------
Leader: Talise Gianfair             75 --(10)--> 85                Fail
Conditions: Injure(1)|Reckless(2)|Secret(1)|Stupify(2)|Weaken(1)
Effects: Cleanse|Enlighten(1)
================================< Dream Chasers >=================================
DG: Talise Gianfair is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Seraph Lanval is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Tethelle Cirdian is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Layna Manydays is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Rosaline Calice is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Seraph Ceimglace is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Sephilia Lampbright is too exhausted to continue!
DG: The party has failed this challenge! All party members are now Exhausted. This attempt is over.
DG: The party led by Talise Gianfair has been fully Exhausted by Sunken Monastery of Gusong!
DG: The party will now draw a conclusion.
=========================<* Sunken Monastery of Gusong *>=========================
================<* CHALLENGE - Unkind Eyes and a Forced Retreat *>================
|Type: Escape      |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1          | 
----------------------------< Challenge Information: >----------------------------
 The waters and challenges of the Sunken Monastery of Gusong are too much for  
 you. You are forced to beat an exit back; as you do, though, you sense that   
 eyes are on your back. For a moment, when you look over your shoulder, a      
 figure is watching... a sickly green light, translucent, ad with eyes         
 burning a hateful fell green, before that figure in ancient armor and robes   
 fades.                                                                        
=Dungeon Conditions: Bad Luck=================================================
<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

It's alright, Ceimglace. Everyone is less than useful.

Talise manages to crank one of the doors open. Water begins to drain. Kobayashi helps out, managing to wiggle a grate open. More water begins to drain. Layna seeks out a switch but finds mostly drains. Sephilia provides an order and some people even follow it! Tethelle is one of them, managing to force another grate. Water begins to siphon from the room a little quicker. Lanval manages to illuminate a few mechanisms.

There are a lot of them. They're starting to turn for some reason.

And the speed of the water drain is going much too fast.

The water surges, sweeping up anyone it can reach. "What the fuck," Talise begins before the current grabs her. With a yelp, she's swept along, along with everyone else who made it into the water, as the room drains in a fast-moving vortex that rapidly sucks everyone down through the largest of the open grates.

The tunnel beyond is dark and full of water. Talise grasps for something as the fast-moving current sweeps them along, pushing them first downwards, then upwards--

Light bursts into view ahead as everyone erupts through an opening - and lands in a spray of drained-out water back in the corridor where they started.

"I feel like a flushed turd," Talise groans from where she's landed in a puddle.

She doesn't see a flicker of sickly green light watching from a distance away, half-obscured behind a piece of scenery. Baleful green eyes fixate on the group before the figure in ancient armour and robes is gone from view.

<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

"I will tell you it's going to be a long time before I consider going to a water park after today," Sephy says shakily.

<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.

Tethelle is upside down and propped up against a rock. She got sucked in by the grate she forced open and spun around and is slightly too dizzy to get up for a moment.

"I don't know what that is, but I think I'm going to agree with you."

<Pose Tracker> Rosaline Calice has posed.

And this... is why Rosaline hates water levels.

"A 'huge friggin' bonfire' sounds great right about now..." she says, crumpled up in a wet and dizzy but mostly uninjured pile.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Lanval has posed.

    As Lanval stares upwards, he does catch sight of something that makes him uneasy. Both eyes shoot wide open as he sees a figure of sickly green, as though thinking there is something truly bad about to pounce upon them. If anything, Lanval might be partially to blame for the sudden on-rush of water as Seraphic power (and something else, something more) builds up around him, as though to help the lot of them get away from what he just saw.
     It doesn't follow. Lanval is thrown onto his back as they are thrust out onto the corridor, where he bumps up against some of the ancient masonry and comes to a rest as Talise elicits her ill feelings. Once more, he sees a flash of that figure.
     "Mmm... we should go," he says, his voice measured and almost sober in a way that it usually isn't... before working up a smile, as if to reassure. "Ahhh... c'mon, let'sh jusht... go enjoy a drink~!" He'd rather they keep their spirits up. He doesn't want to dwell on what he saw, or whether it was something dangerous - he had no diea what he was looking at.
     Wouldn't do for everyone to panic and/or feel down on themselves.

<Pose Tracker> Seraph Ceimglace has posed.

      Ceimglace, her voice just the side of wrathful:
 
 "... 'mma go turn the whole dungeon into ice."
 
 It's hard to tell from her face being in mud.