acatalepsy_logs | cavern explorations.

Entry tags:

cavern explorations.

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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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[SENPAI. there's a visible wince on Akira's end as he watches another sharp crystal slice a new gash into Minato's arm. Minato plasters the wash cloth against the injury, but Akira still reaches out on instinct, fingers curling around his wrist to. . . what? hold his arm away from the other sharp crystals? or something]

There's only one direction for us to go, and that's forward. I think I'm way more worried about this leading to a completely dead end.

[because then they'd have to backtrack. . . all the way through the razor sharp crystals again. . .]

[ Akira might be able to save that arm, but Minato's already tried going through the tunnel hand in hand with somebody else and that didn't go as well as he'd expected it to. His wrist remains a limp fish in Akira's grip without any motion to pull away, but he does point down the tunnel with his other hard. ]

I didn't think about that... If it's a dead end, we would hear an echo if we shouted, or something like that, right?

[ or does that only happen with smooth surfaces and the stalactites will absorb the sound? maybe the stalactites will fall off and kill them all if they tried. ]

[IT'S FINE. . . Akira reached out mostly on instinct. now that he has Minato's wrist, he isn't. sure what to do with it?? oops. he isn't walking again yet, either]

. . . huh. I actually don't know.

You could test it?

[hm. let's hope the theory about stalactites falling and killing them if they try isn't true]

[ I guess Akira will just keep holding onto his wrist, then. Minato pauses for a second, and leans over slowly so that he can place his face next to that captive hand and bring his other hand up to cup either side of his mouth. ]

Hello—?

[ He "shouts." In a normal speaking voice. That is, granted, louder than his usual voice, but still... ]

[-- right. Akira finally lets go when Minato does that, his own hands slipping into his pockets, arms carefully avoiding the jagged rocks that surround them]

That was less of a "shout" and more of an "enthusiastic greeting."

[he's pretty sure it isn't loud enough to echo, at any rate]

[ It was the best he could do, okay ]

Would you try with me?

[ Let's enthusiastically greet the void together ]

Absolutely.

[enthusiastically greeting the void sounds like an ADVENTURE. Akira cups his hands over his mouth and nods once at his senpai]

On the count of three.

One. Two. Three.

[ He opens his mouth and—- ]

Hello.

[ tries even less, because Akira is here to pick up the slack. ]

[actually]

[when the time comes? Akira doesn't say a damn word. so it's only Minato's half-assed voice echoing ("echoing") through the caverns]

Ah.

I lost count.

I'm going to shove you into these spikes.

. . . that'll hurt. . .

[:(]

Not as much as you hurt me.

[ with that betrayal :( ]

I'm a real heart breaker, sorry to say.

[he says with an even expression]

Try again? I won't leave you hanging this time.

[ fool him once...

But he's a fool and he'll believe in you, Akira, don't let him down. ]

One. Two. Three. [ opens his mouth and actually raises his voice so he can pronounce into the void ] Akira you'd better be shouting or I swear—

[and this time, Akira actually follows through! except he's shouting]

HELLO!

[with his hands cupped around his mouth]

[. . . anyway, when they're done shouting, he's gonna comment]

Or you swear you'll follow through with the spike thing?

[ Oh, he actually did it. Unfortunately, they don't cause the cavern to collapse, but Minato will take the blame for that one.

He breathes a sigh and turns to face Akira. ]

Yeah. [ no ] Gotta get you to shout one way or another, right? [ no?? ]

[it's fine, Akira doesn't actually think Minato would pin him against the wall like that]

I respond better to bribes than threats.

[ Hm... Minato digs into his pockets, rummages around for a bit, and then pulls out a handful of three or four glass beads that sit there in the palm of his hand as he hold it out to Akira. It's kind of reminiscent of an old grandmother offering her child candy. ]

I'll give you one of these.

[his neutral, blase expression melts into something curious]

Ah? Glass beads?

[Akira likes collecting strange, seemingly useless trinkets. especially when they're gifts from friends. so the fact that they're beads isn't what's confusing him, here. it's the fact that Minato is holding them out to him in the first place]

[carefully, he reaches out to pluck one from the center of Minato's palm]

[ ...The black one. Alright. Silently, without any offer of an explanation, Minato folds his fingers over the rest of the beads and slips them back into his pocket. ]

Guess I don't really need that one... But hang onto it, alright? Try not to lose it.

[Akira rolls the bead around between his thumb and forefinger, expression thoughtful and. . . weirdly soft, too. almost uncharacteristically so]

Mmm.

[and then he drops the bead straight into his pocket]

I'll take good care of it. I promise.

[and he means that]

[ What if... it was just a normal bead... Would Akira be making the same expression if Minato had pulled out a wad of soggy pocket lint and asked him to protect it with his life?

It seems this bead is a little more than a piece of junk, though, because Minato nods in full seriousness. ]

One day, I'll ask you to bribe me with it so I can take it back.

[yeah, probably. don't underestimate how much he treasures even the most useless looking of gifts from Confidants]

It's a deal. Just make sure you have something worth bribing for.

Right...

[ Maybe he should have said trade, instead. But Minato brand gifts are usually either flowers, or an ugly doll, or something like that and he isn't really sure what Akira likes? This is why threats are easier than bribes; threats work universally. ]

I'll have to think on that some more when I'm not bleeding out and having a hard time of it. How come you don't just phase through the place?

[ Do your ghosty thing, Akira, you don't need to suffer with the rest of them. ]

[. . . right. they are bleeding out, aren't they. . .]

I can't.

[his expression sours]

I've been trying all day. My powers just kind of. . . activate themselves whenever they feel like it.

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