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

( nonchalantly walking along the bottom of the chamber, rutile is looting the body as well as the clean water rushes in. they'll help themself to a fin as well, in addition to the tooth, giving the corpse a long look over before finally being satisfied.

glancing over, there's another wave of the hand as they don't wait for ravus to either seek help or to deny it— casting a healing fae's blessing once more, before finally closing their laminated tome. )

It's best not to take unnecessary risks.

( just in case there was any protest...
as they continue on stoically behind baiken. )

[Emeralda was breathing hard as the shark finally thrashed and died, and it took her a few seconds to calm down, until she was finally still, staring at the dead animal. Hm. Fighting this way somehow felt different from fighting back home, though she couldn't really pinpoint why...]

[Still, she pushed the thought aside, quickly cleaning off her axe and hooking it to her back, then wiping her hair back out of her face as she examined the rest of the group. Everyone was taking a tooth and a fin and even though she wasn't entirely sure why, she did the same, stuffing them into her pack and then frowning as...]

My scarf!

[She had lost it when she fell, and a quick turn and survey found it floating nearby, and she scrambled over to retrieve it, frowning at the soaked garment and balling it up as she turned back to the group. Baiken was already moving off, the others following, and after a moment she fell in near Gladio and Ravus.]

I help?

[She offered with a tentative smile. She was pretty sure Gladio wouldn't need help if he had to carry the man but it seemed right to offer...]

[Rutile's spell helps staunch the bleeding from the gash in Ravus' leg, and he gives them an appreciative nod.

Gladio gets a brusque dismissal.] I'm fine.

[To Emeralda, a softer,] I've been healed. I can manage now.

[He claims his tooth and limps after Baiken and Rutile. His leg is still wounded, but he'll not be carried, damn it.]

Sweet.

[Okuyasu happily nabs a tooth and slides it into his gi. It will make for an awesome ornament once he figures out how to thread a wire through a tooth. He should ask someone who knows what they're doing.

He jogs past Ravus, casting him a quick glance in case was was on the verge of collapse, but seeing that he's doing just fine, he catches up with Baiken.]

[The path that opened up to the party continues straight for a long stretch. The group will finally reach another chamber with a lever. When pulled, the lever will drain the water from the West path. Above the Oubliette, the water level in the city has been lowered!

When the lever is pulled, one more thing happens- a final door opens, to a gigantic open chamber. There are serpentine carvings in the wall and flecks of blue embedded in the stone of the floor. The glowing letter "A" appears in the floor.

When more groups arrive in the central chamber, Phase 2 will be unlocked. Until then, the group can mingle here, decide whether to pull the lever, etc.]

-After throwing the switch, Baiken was mostly relieved the room would be relatively dry, walking her way into the open chamber and casting around a cursory glance before dropping herself to the floor in a sitting position.

Out came the sealed, water-tight bag she'd kept her pipe, pipe-grass, and matches in. Because of course she brought them along. With one hand, she quickly stuffed the pipe and lit it, showing what was probably pretty amazing dexterity before placing the pipe between her lips and letting out a few initial puffs before taking in a long inhale, the trail of smoke following soon after.-

Anyone want a drink? -Her cask also came with her, too.-

[Gladio offers Emeralda a soft smile. She really is a sweetheart, he thinks.] If I need help, you'll be the first I go to. Thanks.

[As if he hadn't heard Ravus' refusal, he calmly walks closer to the limping ass and grabs an arm, throwing it over his shoulder to help take some of the weight off Ravus' injured leg.]

Now's not the time to take stupid risks. No sense doing more damage for the sake of pride.

[Gladio walks with Ravus to the now-opened central chamber (Thanks Baiken) before finding a wall and depositing his unwilling partial-passenger at its base.] Rest your leg, Ravus. [He walks off to talk with the others but looks over his shoulder before he gets too far away.] Nice moves out there.

[Without waiting for a reaction, Gladio continues moving towards the others. He heads towards Emeralda first, curious about how someone so small and (to his eyes) young became as strong as she did. He also eyes Rutile, still wondering how someone can get torn by a shark and not bleed.]

[Ravus glares at Gladio, but is not quite self-destructive enough to shove the man away and keep limping.]

Don't patronize me, Amicitia. [The acknowledgement of his skill only slightly mollifies him after the order to rest.]

I'll take that drink. [He hobbles over to Baiken to examine what exactly she brought along in that cask.]

( with no interest in drinking, rutile takes the opportunity to walk around the chamber if only to study the structure of it, and with one too many steps... a cracking resounds with an echo.

looking down, the ankle that had taken the bite looks to have been broken at a sharp angle, as the doctor's shin thunks down to the floor. there's nothing more than an annoyed click of their tongue, as they also sit down to deal with it. )

This is the first time I've seen a human ingest fumes in such a way— ( as they nonchalantly take their free-flopping foot in one hand... ) Is there some kind of benefit?

-Baiken let out another long exhale before pulling free the cork from her cask with her teeth, passing it over to Ravus. She made it a point to not stare at Rutile, but when she spoke, there was a marked distrust in her tone.-

What's it to you?

[If she was offering a drink, who was Okuyasu to refuse? It would be one of the few times a teenager could partake in illegal activities with adult permission.]

That tobacco?

[He squats besides Baiken. There was zero chance that she will share the pipe with him, but expressing interest is what counts when one is a delinquent.]

They call it "pipe grass" around here. -And no, she wasn't sharing, but he could take a sip from the cask when the other guy was done, as far as she was concerned.-

[Emeralda followed after the others once she was sure Gladio didn't need help with the older man, stepping into the emptying room and letting out a relieved little sigh.]

Dry!

[She said cheerfully as she hurried out of the water, tugging off her axe and resting it against a wall, hanging her wet scarf from it. Then she turned her attention to the rest of her clothing, which was...soaked. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then they opened again adn she huffed.]

Oh right. Can't fix.

[Being stuck not being able to transform was awful. She shook her clothes a bit, then turned and moved back to the others, leaving her axe where she had put it. She looked at the cask.]

Have some? [She pointed at it.]

Only a curiosity.

( rutile offered in explanation with a shrug. there were probably books on it in the libraries... perhaps they'd take a look at it after this was all over to better understand the practice.

apparently there was nothing weird about a young child asking for whatever was in that casket too, because they don't bat an eye at the request.

returning to their task, rutile pulls off a sock, tying a knot at the end so that no pieces of their foot or ankle would fall out. after that, the pant leg will be rolled to the point of break, revealing the jagged edges of a sparkling jewel.

guess they'd have to make do with an uneven gait, for now. )

Emeralda, I'm pretty sure you're too young to drink what's in there without getting sick. [Or really drunk.

Gladio watches as Rutile works on their ankle and raises both eyebrows when he sees what's become of the injury. At the sight of some kind of jewel where bone should be, he can't keep his questions back.]

Uh, Rutile? Is that why you didn't bleed when the Megalodon bit you? Do you just, not have blood or bones like most humans? [It's at once fascinating and kind of creepy, but they don't look like much of a danger considering both their injury and the fact that they'd been healing the party during the battle.

Still, he'd like to know what he's working with.]

Can't get sick.

[Emeralda responded, already in the act of reaching for the cask, but she stopped when Gladio spoke, drawing her hands back. Apparently throwing her meant she saw him as a voice of authority so...lucky him?]

[And then her attention was easily pulled away by Rutile and his...artificial leg? She didn't quite mean to charge in, but suddenly she was just there, peering down at it, pointing at his leg almost excitedly.]

Not human?

[Well that was probably rude...]

( satisfied with their temporary solution, rutile doesn't seem to answer gladio right away, and instead nods to emeralda's question first. )

That's correct, I'm not human. ( they didn't think it rude apparently, since there's a small nod, and then they look over gladio's way. ) My body is entirely made up of the mineral I was carved from— Rutile.

I had no blood or tissue to satisfy that creature's appetite, it seems. However, I will need some glue after this is over thanks to that.

( and slowly, their head turns back to the young girl again, tilting downwards just slightly. ) Emeralda you bear a name similiar to the gems from my world— could it be you are also not human?

[Emeralda slunk back a bit after he explained, her eyes still considering his leg for a few seconds before they flicked up.]

Oh, uhm...I not human. But not gem. Like...[How to explain?] Nanomachines.

Kim named me for hair color!

[What with it being...bright green...]

-Baiken, despite having her pipe and her sake, was looking increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation, her gaze locked on a single tile on the floor of no importance. Just giving her something to focus on as the anxiousness was fought back. Something about Rutile and Emeralda... really seemed to bother her. But her lips were held in a tight line, saying nothing.-

( nanomachines? this was rutile's first time hearing the term. ) I see. I'd like to hear more about that once we've concluded our business here, if you'll speak with me.

( there's another sweep of the room now that their errant foot has been put away. they don't seem to notice baiken's discomfort, being that she seemed rather prickly to begin with. ah well, rutile knew that type, too.

their head lifts at the sound of gears turning from within the walls of the labryinth— perhaps the other groups were finally arriving at their points? )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

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