melodiesofeternity | Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

Who: All characters who signed up
When: June 23rd-25th
Where: Ka'Pandol, the underwater city
What: While the outworlders and their guides are touring the new arena at Ka'Pandol, the city begins to flood. It is up to them to activate the ancient drainage system beneath the city before the Blitzball Association is forced to cancel the upcoming tournament.

The Zora guide, Pharce, is leading the group from the Curti Center through the center of town, waxing poetical about the legend of the First Zora, when the sirens begin to wail. At first, the residents of Ka'Pandol wave it off as a drill, but the sirens do not stop, and as they walk, the visitor shoes are beginning to get soaked through with sea water that is slowly rising.

"Come along, quickly, all of you!" the guide calls, leading the group to the Bureau of Tourism near the city center. As they walk, the group will see the aquatic residents quickly deploying bubble helmets around their 'exotic' pets -dogs, cats, parrots, squirrels- heads, just in case City Management takes their time righting whatever issue the dome is having.

"Inside, please. Safety first is our motto, so let's get you outfitted," Pharce says, waiving them inside. Each person is given one of the patented Ka'Pandol Bubble Helm, which will allow them to breath comfortably for several hours. Those that cannot swim are issued an emergency life vest as well.

The water had reached knee-level now. An emergency evacuation message broadcasts from loudspeakers.

"Well, yes, you could...but where's the fun in that?"

Pharce waves at the Hypello gift shop owner, and the two bow their heads in discussion for a moment. When they part, Pharce pats the Hypello (whose nametag declares him 'Shtan') on the back.

"My good friend will lend us some of his wares, if you will join me in saving the city. We wouldn't want this little mishap to delay the big game, after all."

Those that agree to hold off on fleeing the city will be split into groups and given instructions on where to go in order to help the sinking city of Ka'Pandol.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Team Members: Dylas, Yue, Roxas, Snow White, Monika, Riku Replica (Takeshi Nakagawa)

[To the southeast, a group of scholars is lead through the less developed part of town. There are obvious signs that the area they are traversing is under construction, and there are several foundations of new buildings and "Coming Soon!" signs. Since there are less completed structures here, there are less crystal lights, so the trek to their destination is shrouded in shadows.

Pharce leads them to a trapdoor at the city's southeast limit. He produces a key and opens the door. "You might need this," he tells them, passing them a crystal-powered flashlight as he leaves them to escort the next group to their destination.]

Edited 2018-06-23 19:11 (UTC)

[How did it come to this? Whether Dylas was trying to get away from Snow White or he was just following with the help efforts for a chance to swim around the city, he's been swept up with this group that's now left standing in front of a trapdoor.

He snatches the flashlight, not quite sure he's the best one for holding it, but hey. He shines it into the door, looking at the rest of the group.]

Alright. Who's...

[Wait. He's first. He has the flashlight. With a click of his tongue, he slithers closer to the door.]

Make sure that one follows.

[He points at Yue and lowers himself through the trapdoor, all those many, many feet of his snake tail slowly coming in after him.]

[Yue's waddling near the back of the line, wearing a big inner tube and--pouting, when he hears that comment from up front.]

I can follow by myself, you know...

[Sure, he's not exactly built for underwater excursions (being half bird and all), but it's not like he's gonna wander off! Or float off?

He grips his floaty a little tighter, following the group forward.]

Try not to get your feathers too wet. You'll sink. [Roxas gave Yue a light squeeze on the shoulder. He glanced back at the rest of their group, shooting them a reassuring smile, before following Dylas down. At least he was vaguely familiar with most of the people he'd been herded together with.]

Hope no one is afraid of the dark...

[Oh look, a sea shell. Somehow, down here, he was finding sea shells rather than his usual sticks. Odd. At any rate, Roxas rattled when he walked thanks to the dozens of sea shells in his pockets.]

[It wasn't as if he was following Dylas. He just had exceptionally crappy luck. Or Fate was making a cruel joke at his ~~their~~ expense. At least he recognized Roxas, so he wasn't alone with Dylas and he wasn't with a bunch of strangers, either.]

[He took note of Yue and how Dylas obviously cared for him, wanting to keep him close. He tried not to feel ~~jealous~~ irked, but he did have to wonder what on earth was so special about the harpy that he managed to be friends with that damn naga.]

I'll take the rear. Just to make sure everyone stays together. [Not because he was afraid.]

[He muttered,] These boots are already ruined anyway...

[Uendo was very happy that he went and picked up Cavalier. Because that meant the gift shop gave him an underwater mount, and he got to ride on the back of his very own sea turtle.

He gave his new companion a pat on the shell.]

Quite the crew we have here, eh?

[If the turtle had any thoughts on this, it chose not to share them.]

If anyone gets separated, give us a holler and we'll come pick you up, okay?

[Uendo may be happy as a clam, but Takeshi is decidedly not. Not only does he only really know Roxas in this group (which was a plus, he guesses) but a white inner tube. White. He's beginning to regret his life choices. He looks like a ghost with all this white. He looks to Roxas, but decides it's best to stay close for now.

...He's totally not jealous of the mount, what are you talking about?]

[The open trapdoor leads down to the Oubliette beneath the city. The path before them leads down and to the northwest, back in the direction of the city's center.

The initial stretch of hallway is dark, though as they travel further down, the party will find that tiny clumps of glowing algea grow very sporadically, giving them a little light to work with. Still, in the darkness, they may occasionally feel the brush of an unseen passing fish or strand of seaweed.

At the end of the first stretch of hall, the group will find themselves in a dark chamber, empty of living creatures.]

[Once they're all underwater and ready to move on, Dylas lingers near Yue. It's ridiculously dark, and from his experiences fighting a certain Moogle that he'd like to forget, he doubts trying to light the hall will be a good use of his time.]

Just grab onto my tail, alright, Yue? And don't let go.

[He gives Yue a gentle pat on the head, speaking to him far more gently than he would anyone else in the group. He shines the light toward them, one by one, trying to figure out who should go first. Yue is Yue, Roxas is a kid, Snow is an idiot, Patches is an idiot, and...well, Takeshi looks capable, at least, so there's that.]

Let's not waste any time. Follow me, and don't wander off.

[In addition to the seaweed strands and fish, people who walk close to Dylas might feel his tail. In the water, he's even longer, swimming like a snake would.]

Right behind you.

[Oh dear, it really is dark down here. Fortunately sea turtle shells are a little bit fluorescent -- it doesn't make much difference in terms of lighting the way, but at least he can kind of see what he's sitting on. Maybe it'll help the others keep track of where he is, too?

Uendo ends up riding near the middle of the group. Since he doesn't need to focus on swimming or walking, he's able to look around and keep an eye out for everyone. He can see the light from Dylas and Yue, the sheer whiteness of Takeshi is just visible, and the sea shell farm in Roxas' pockets makes him pretty easy to locate.

Snow, though...]

Everything all right back there?

[...He may or may not be also picking up sea shells. And putting them in his deep pockets. One never knows when one needs to supply the freelancer with projectiles ~~also they're really pretty and he has a Problem~~.

Takeshi looks back, staying close to Roxas. If only to keep an eye on him.]

Like I'd be so stupid as to wander off in the dark alone.

[Snow White huffed. Asshole. Just for that, he wouldn't help light the tunnel. Even if it was spiteful and was just inconvenient for everyone else.]

This is so gross... I expect us to be compensated for this.

[Having super bird vision doesn't help much when it's this dark...Yue keeps a loose grip on Dylas, paying less attention to where they're going and more just curiously looking around at everything. His teammates! The hallway! The dark!

He'd join in on shell collection but his other hand's still holding onto his floatie...instead he turns his head to look in Snow's direction.]

What's gross? The glowing stuff?

[In the center of the darkened chamber, a pole has been set into the stone floor. The top of the pole contains a crystalline disk with a serpentine symbol etched into it. There is a sealed door on the far end of the chamber.

If the group shines their flashlight along the wall, they will see a symbol matching the disk, but larger, etched almost near the ceiling of the chamber. On the ground, there is a second flashlight that can be claimed by the party.]

[[ooc: for illustration purposes, it's this. IC, characters can explore and use their logic or trial and error to proceed. They are also welcome to explore other methods of progressing.]

[Dylas swings the flashlight around, trying to figure out exactly what they're looking for here. It isn't long before he comes to a stop at the pole and shines the light up at it.

A serpentine symbol, huh? And there's a door behind it.]

Is this some kind of joke?

[Off he swims to the door. If this opens for him just because he's a snake, wouldn't that be nice? He doesn't even notice that there's another flashlight just rolling around on the ground.]

Where's the fighting?

It's all sticky...

[Yeah, as pretty as the glowy glowy algae could be... if there wasn't any beautiful poisonous fish in it for him, it was just in the way. But his boots were forgotten when they arrived in the large sealed room.]

Hey! Hey hey hey! Stop moving it all around!

[He yelled at Dylas, unable to see properly as the flashlight beam went hither and thither. He thought he saw something in the shallow water and went to go fish for it with his hands.]

Who says there was supposed to be fighting? Someone bring some damn light over here, grab that algae if you have to!

Sticky...

[Yue pokes at the stuff curiously before moving on to the rest of the room. Sticky-soft? Kinda fun, he thinks.]

Ah, I could try to make a light! Let's see, um...

[Going over to where Snow is! He tries a fire spell, which - obviously - sizzles out immediately.]

...Maybe electricity....?

In water. That conducts electricity.

[Can you sense his sarcasm. Because, knowing his luck, any thunder spell would fry all of them who aren't protected from it. ~~and then his player rolled a 19 for a perception check. they've played DnD too long; save them.~~]

...Hm?

[What's that on the floor? He swims over, holding up his staff and hoping the light from the Divine spellblade is enough to illuminate close-range for those not used to the dark like he is.]

Is that... another flashlight?

[Uendo ushers his turtle closer to the pole so he can get a better look at the disk on top of it. Any convenient buttons or switches up here? No?

Hmm... If this were an adventure video game, what would it expect you to do?]

Oh! Maybe the flashlight is part of the puzzle? Otherwise they wouldn't leave an extra one here.

I don't get it... [He was grumbling, looking around the room but trying to stick close to Takeshi for the most part. ~~But the dice were kind and offered a nat 20, so...~~

He blinked up at the ceiling.]

Oh hey, your light is reflecting the symbol. That's pretty cool.

[He's not really the type to necessarily connect the dots, though.]

[The door does not open for Dylas. The glowing algae, if gathered, will not be powerful enough to project the symbol from the crystal disc, but could help locate the symbol on the wall if held close to it. (If eaten: taste- bitter. Mouthfeel: slimy. Status: probably not poisonous in small portions.)

Now armed with two flashlights, if these six adventurers manage, through purposeful action or by mere happenstance, to align the projected symbol with the image on the wall, the door will open, allowing them to proceed.]

[Roxas' comment draws Uendo's attention to the ceiling. Hey, the kid's right -- there's the serpentine...]

...Aha, that must be it! I bet the door will open if we project the symbol onto a specific spot. Let's check the walls and ceiling and see what we can find, shall we?

[Finally, having grown up a total nerd pays off.]

Huh...

[Snow White looked between Roxas and Uendo, then down at the flashlight in his hands. Well... The door wasn't opening for Dylas just by merit of him being Dylas. He might as well give this idea a try.]

Like... this?

[He shone the beam over the symbol on the disc. Once he saw the shadow, he tried moving so he could angle it toward the door where he'd seen Dylas' flashlight uncover a similar symbol.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

Southeast Group - Puzzle

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