:quality(75)/curiosity-data.s3.amazonaws.com/images/content/thumbnail/standard/e08157f8-0b8b-495b-ba6e-af374c49d84b.png)
the depths below.exploring the caverns.All of you will have the same entrance into the caverns -- it will involve going underwater and traveling about one hundred feet through a tunnel which breaks into into a massive cavern, full of air. The breeze is mysteriously fresh, for being both underground and underwater, and before you are three massive dark tunnels. It's hard to decide which one to go toward, but inevitably, you are drawn toward a specific tunnel.
For your top level comments, include what group you are in your subject line. . You will be in the caverns for roughly one week's time in order to get to the information at hand. That doesn't mean you have to stay below that long, but be prepared to pack whatever you need in order to live down there for that long There will be fish to hunt in the waters and the water itself is fresh, but sleeping on the cold marble-like surface might suck, especially if you're wet. And . . . once you get into the meat of things, what are you going to find? group a.
The tunnel by which group A travels down is narrow, to the point of claustrophobia. And along the way, you will run into several obstacles. You will have to travel through underwater tunnels that, again, are narrow and claustrophobic. Stalagmites and stalacites make navigating through the waters treachorous, and getting stuck is not an impossibility.
Additionally, as you move through the pathways (both water and not), you begin to notice little lights flickering in the water. At first, you think it may be crystals sparkling in the water . . . but upon closer inspection, you begin to realize that they are bioluminescent eels. How cool! However, about halfway into your journey, you begin to notice that theyre getting a bit . . . larger. And, should you allow yourself to be attacked by them, not only do they bite, they seem to suck out your energy. These eels feast on magical energy, and suffering a bite from one of these eels will completely eradicate your Astoria granted powers for five hours. Have fun with that.
Finally, at the end of your journey, you will reach what feels like a dead end . . . in that you come upon a small alcove type area, with no discernable exit. And, upon the far wall, you see what appear to be cave drawings. Intricately carved into the stone, with a language surrounding the pictographs that no one understands, are what appears to be two women. One has longer hair, to her shoulders, holding a white orb in her hand. The other, with cropped hair, appears to be holding a blackened orb in her hand. Their arms are intertwined, connected, but there is a large fracture in the rock, scorched across the woman drawn in white, as if someone (or something) has attempted to blast it to bits.
Eventually, upon some investigating, you come across words that you, somehow, do understand, scrawed in a messy text, carved into the stone. Those words?
group b.
The tunnels that Group B heads down are considerably wide, all things considered. Most of the journey in the tunnels for Group B is above-ground and doesn't involve going underwater . . . which may be a good thing, as the water pathways in this tunnel are deep. The water is still crystal clear, but you somehow still can't see the bottom of it. It looks as if it goes on forever . . . and ever . . . and ever . . .
Eventually, though, you come into a second massive cavern, with a huge underground lake. The lake is full of dark shapes that dart underneath the surface -- horses, with the tails of fish, as they pop up to the surface for a gulp or two of air. But when they notice the strangers on the shores of their territory, they circle ranks and edge themselves closer . . . and if you get too close to the shore, you may feel teeth sink into the edge of your coat and an abrupt tug to be pulled into the water.
To be clear -- the kelpies themselves are not particularly violent. However, they've never seen otherworlders like you before, and are definitely scared. Not fighting against them will ensure their slow trust, and they will generally leave you alone. But if you attack them? They'll fight back, and they will drag you down to the depths below without a second thought in order to protect their own.
Eventually, you come across a third massive cavern, with another underground lake. The water seems to sparkle with energy -- tiny lights dance across the water, skipping across the surface without a care in the world. Touching the water will result in temporary paralysis of whatever you use to touch it -- magic, so powerful that you cannot possibly comprehend it. The energy is too much to handle, and you, too, cannot see the bottom of this lake. However, scattered across the walls, are runes carved into the marble. It's a language you do not understand, but you do come across something that you manage to understand . . . tucked amongst the runic symbols:
 group c.
Group C enters into a beautiful crystalized tunnel, with white crystals jutting out into the tunnel. It looks beautiful, but it makes for treacherous going -- the crystals are razor sharp, and sliding through them requires elegance and grace to avoid being turned into ribbons. Move slowly -- you need to in order to make it through this maze of crystals.
Eventually, you make it to a wider tunnel with various deep pools of water scattered along the floor. The pools seem to be endlessly deep, reaching to impossible depths that you cannot see. However, the pools seem to have an . . . alluring feel to them. You are drawn closer to them, curious, inquisitive . . . you want to get into them . . . and if you dip into the pools, watery arms of the sprites that live within these pools glide around you, and coax you into the depths below . . . but you feel calm, serene. Hopefully someone is looking out for you.
But as you move through the tunnel with the pools, you begin to notice signs of life. Not necessarily plant life, or animal life, but signs that people are here. There are footsteps from one pool to the next, wet markings that seem to be permanently wet no matter how much you wipe them away. There are watermarks along the walls, handprints against the marble. And as you begin to walk, begin to notice messages scrawled along the walls, carved deep into the marble.
Every single word is the same.
group d.
Unlike those below the surface, the lakeside shores of Lake Dona seem to be relatively peaceful. Nessie is lazily swimming around and offering rides to those that need it, and campfires are soon built up around this makeshift camp of those who are sitting around to wait. The network does work with those in the caverns, so keeping in contact is far easier than it was in Struxta!
However, in the last days of the investigation, as Group A, B, and C begin to discover the messages in the caverns, storm clouds begin to roll in. It begins to downpour, a frightening crack of lightning streaking across the side with alarming regularity. And, on the final day of the exploration, a voice seems to float through the deluge. And it isn't Astoria's. But it seems to be . . . odd. And suddenly, a message appears on your watches.
¿ɯǝ ɐǝɹɥ ʎon ɐɔu ˙nʎo ɥǝdl ʇo ǝuǝp ᴉ ˙ʎno ɥǝdl ʇo ɐʍʇu ᴉ ¿ɯǝ ǝɥɐɹ nʎo ɔuɐ
What in the hell could that be?
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acatalepsy_logs2018-10-04 09:55 pm
no subject
[ and then— ]
Ah. Maybe I can tell you a story or sing to you. How about it?
no subject
That sounds nice... I'll trade you...
no subject
I don't think I told you, but...
There were two women who took care of me...they weren't my parents, and we didn't live together...
But sometimes, it felt like they were. They always tried to help me..and they always sang such beautiful songs. I ended up learning one or two from listening to them.
[ he clears his throat, eyes fluttering shut.
his voice deepens a pitch, light and brisk like the wind. his voice is untrained, but naturally nice in of itself. like untapped potential.
also, it's koji yusa, i'm not linking a gin ichimaru song compilation here. ]
Once there were trees full of birds...
Meadowlands vibrant with flowers...
Carefree the songs...our children once sang...
Gilding our minutes and hours...
no subject
[She quiets to listen to the song, curling even tighter so that she can put the watch close to her ear.]
You have a nice voice, Nier...
no subject
Clouds came and covered the sun...
The breath of the baleful unease...
Turning to ashes, flowers in their fields...
Silenced the birds in their trees.
[ ... ]
Hidden so deep in veils of deceit,
Imprisoned in twisting spells...
Are we the plaything of fiends, or merely the dreams..
That we're telling ourselves...telling ourselves?
[ and then he stops abruptly, just to check in— ]
Haha...thank you, Konoha. Truthfully, I thought you might laugh...are you feeling sleepy yet?
no subject
That song took a turn. How is she supposed to sleep and not have really depressing dreams, now?]
I wouldn't laugh... I don't think?
[But she shakes her head with a mumbled "no".]
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[ he leans back onto his elbows, thinking. ]
I wish I had a lute. There's a song I'd play for you...they'd play it in the pub I went to, on those peaceful afternoons where the sun was hidden away in the clouds...
[ repose ]
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...
Let's enjoy this moment together...I can see your smile by the shore...
And my heart never beat like it does at the sight, of you, baby blue, the Gods have blessed your life...
no subject
[In the sense that... anyone could hit a drum oops.
This song... also seems sad.
Konoha snuffles a little bit as she shifts and tries to get more comfortable on the stone, listening.]
Do you know any happier songs... ?
no subject
Hm? I thought that was pretty happy...
[ very telling in of itself, but hey, people were dying he supposes. ]
I used to sing this one to Yonah when she couldn't sleep.
[ there's a breath. ]
It happens every spring, the world is young again
Where children on an up-sa-daisy swing,
A home that's been freshly painted,
The mother that says let's get acquainted.
What is that cheer I heard, a fellow stealing third,
Your neighbor's boy became a home-run king.
Your dad rolls up his sleeves to clean the attic.
It happens, yes it happens every spring.
The smell of sweet molasses,
The outstretched necks when the hay wagon passes.
A rippling stream sounds like a rippling heart,
As Mother Nature proudly spreads her new green carpet.
no subject
But this one is way more her speed, and Konoha hums along a little bit when she gets the melody, trying not to think about the way the wind whistles in the deeper cavern.]
I like that one much more...
[Yonah had good taste.]
Is it my turn?
no subject
Just like Yonah, huh?
[ he misses her, he thinks. more than anything in this world.
but he deigns to focus his attention elsewhere. ]
Of course. Ready when you are.
no subject
Okay... but it's your turn not to laugh... my voice definitely isn't as good as yours.
[What song, what song... a happy one... she knows a lot of drinking songs but some of those are lewd... drums, though...]
At Sho-jo-ji Temple
The garden is bright on the moonlit night.
Let’s come and together,
Be as raccoon dog friends,
Pon poko pon no pon!
[During the onomotopeia parts, there's a sound that... might be Konoha slapping her lower chest a bit sleepily to the beat.]
Keep up with the Priest
Let’s come and beat on the belly drum together.
[yeah it definitely is]
At Sho-jo-ji Temple,
The bush clover is in full bloom on the moonlit night.
How merry and playful!
Pon poko pon no pon!
[She isn't a good singer by any means, but... her voice had a warmth to it, a softness, that kind of makes up for lack of technical skill.]
no subject
[ he doesn't speak — instead he allows her to sing first, listening intently, eyes fluttering shut.
until he starts clapping along. ]
At Sho-jo-ji Temple...
The garden is bright on the moonlit night...
Let’s come and together...
Be as raccoon dog friends...
Pon poko pon no pon!
[ warmly: ]
What a nice song...I like your voice, Konoha.
no subject
[She laughs lightly, just a bit, when he catches on, slapping the "belly drum" along with the song.]
I know you're just flattering me... But thanks.
[She tries to keep thinking of nice ones, humming the raccoon dog rhythm. There was the drinking game lyrics to the same beat, since he had that down... but that was about getting girls pregnant, so, maybe not...
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[ he speaks wistfully, braced against the wall of the alcove. it's not long before he claps his hands together. ]
Encore! Encore! Any song'll do, but it would be nice to hear your favorite.
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My favorite... It's a bit of sad, are you sure... ?
[... or maybe he wouldn't even think it was, after all his depressing songs??? Stupid question.]