: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
[What was chivalry???? Wait-]
My legs?
[She, near comically, curls downward to look down at them- admittedly, a very powerful, muscular set of draft breed legs and hard hooves.]
Self-defense like... kicking things?
no subject
Kicking, trampling... Although from what it sounds like, it is not within your nature to do so.
no subject
[Well, he's got her there. Konoha smiles a bit awkwardly, straightening back up with a shuffle of hooves.]
I've never really done more than break up a few drunken fights on the lumber yard... And that was just... with my hands.
no subject
Then you must be much too kind. I mean that as a compliment though.
[His expression does turn serious, however.]
Lady Konoha. If your heart remains clouded with doubt, it may not be safe for you to undertake this journey. You must be prepared to protect yourself. Either way, I will remain at your side.
no subject
But.]
Do you really think it will be that dangerous down there? That we'll have to fight things?
no subject
I hope you understand that I am not trying to frighten or deter you. I prefer that you can make confident strides, but balance it with appropriate caution.
no subject
[He seems so sure, and that... isn't great, is it. Of course she knew to be cautious of caves in her own world, particularly in seasons where bears might be sleeping within and not enjoy being disturbed, but...]
If there's a problem... I can run fast?
[Faster than anyone else she's met, besides her fellow jinba Mikuni, anyway.]
no subject
[Back to encouraging! He looks towards the cave and then back at Konoha.]
If I walk in front of you, would that help?
no subject
But if she doesn't go, then... she never will.]
... I'll follow you.
no subject
Then let us proceed. Adventure beckons us.
[This guy, seriously... He turns to take a few strides into the cave gesturing to Konoha to follow him.]
no subject
I don't think I've ever been on... well, what people here would call an "adventure" before...
[She falls in line, hooves clopping with a slight echo in the caverns as she follows him, eyeing the water ahead of them warily.
Somehow after all this, here excursions into the nearest bigger city and the mountains don't seem much like adventures any longer.]
no subject
What would you define as an adventure then Lady Konoha?
[There is A Point™ to this casual conversation; it's just another way of putting her nerves at ease as they go into the spooky cave. That and so he can actually get to know her. ]
no subject
[As if it would be anyone else, Konoha? She thinks a little bit about it, humming a moment before she realizes it echoes strangely in the cave.]
Going with my boss through the highway checkpoint to the next stop on the road to the capital... ? Or... encountering wolves or a bear on the mountain when I'm working... ?
no subject
Wolves are quite difficult to deal with, aren't they?
[Why yes, he's fought wolves before... And other decidedly abnormal creatures as well.]
no subject
[Unconsciously, she reaches down to tug her sleeve down a bit, rub anxiously at the bite mark scar on her forearm. Gonta had saved her then, ripped the wolves off the ground and tossed them away as if they were nothing, but... Gonta wasn't here. Might never be.]
I guess that's nothing for you, though...