: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
he is. so much that he needs to cover his mouth and smother his laughter as to not wake the others. it'll take him a while before he can pull himself to send back a reply: ]
Given what we've found so far: It feels like the things we've discovered so far are, like, traps or something. Deterrents to keep us out. But what or who? The mermaids? Lady Astoria? This feels like this is all they're for
a reason.
[ there's another pause. then another message: ]
What kind of crystals do you have there, by the way? I promised someone a crystal in return for a fortune reading and there's none where I am, so far.
no subject
now that you mention it
i cant even remember whose bright idea it was to go searching down here to begin with
or what the hell i was thinking when i volunteered
[that's a big old fat lie; he knows very well what he was thinking. it was "shit people i like are literally swan diving right into danger and i am not capable of sitting around waiting while they compete for the gold medal in Dead."]
dont think these are the kind of crystals that gonna help a fortune teller see anything dude
unless they want to see the inside of people i guess
since theyre really good at slicing shit
if i find one i can break off without breaking ME though ill nab it for ya
no subject
it was like they all stared at the caves and went, 'sweet! exploration!' before diving head-in, magic-eating eels and all. (not that he says it in a condemning way. daylight is, obviously, one of those many individuals who thought that.)
for now, daylight tries to focus on the positive things in the conversation. like dave - the best dave ever, daylight decides. - agreeing to try and get a crystal. it's an attempt and it might not even happen buuuut it's still a hope! ]
Thanks! I owe you, Dave. Seriously.
Anything you need, you let me know. I almost I wish I was with you and your group right now. The crystals sound super cool. They would be neat to sketch out.
no subject
[but it's a shame Daylight can't see the way he visibly perks up at something in that least text.]
sketch out
so youre saying you like to draw
no subject
that definitely gets his attention. he sits up straighter, wanting to be able to write comfortably as he sends a couple of messages back to dave. ]
I do!
I learned how to draw from Auntie Chris. She used to be an artist who made a big push for arts and she taught me how to draw. I mostly do landscapes and portraits, but I hope I can do painting like she did one day. She was amazing.
Do you draw too, Dave? What do you draw? Who's your favourite artist?
no subject
webcomics mostly
and me
[that last answer was a joke. probably. but oh god, please spare Daylight from the. whatever it is Dave's hoped to achieve with Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff.]
actually
gimme like five minutes
ill draw you something
[... oh. never mind, too late.]
no subject
and it seems like daylight minds this turn of events. in fact- ] Ohhh! You're drawing something now? Really?
That's so cool! [ though it can't be seen, daylight’s winglets flutter and he needs to control himself so they don't bap against the wall and wake the others up.
it's just so hard to keep his excitement in check. ] What are you drawing? Can I guess? Will it ruin the surprise?
no subject
[man, there's just an endless array of questionable content that Dave could add to the wall. like football as he best understands it. or ... really, pretty much anything he might be able to think up and render on the wall with a bright red marker will probably wind up being scarier than anything this cave's previous inhabitants could have left behind.]
[but especially so for the thing he eventually draws on the wall then sends a picture of. i'm so sorry Daylight. at least it sort of looks like he has some understanding of how weird underwater monsters exist in a three-dimensional space??]
no subject
of all the things he was expecting from dave while he waited, this isn't what he expected. not at all.
there's a very long pause from daylight's end as he takes in the details of the picture that has been sent to him, ogling at what he sees before him.
he critically examines the image, trying to recall the lessons that auntie chris gave him whenever they had art classes together. the colours. the details. the way it's composed- ]
By the dust and rust, Dave!
This is amazing!
no subject
for real
i mean
yeah
i guess it is
i dont even know what it is exactly it just kinda happened
like pretty much all the shit i draw
no subject
The lines are wild and fluid, so they really complement the burst of colours in the work. I love how you can tell the composition is from being made in the heat of the moment.
I love this, Dave! This is so neat!! [ due to auntie chris, daylight has been taught to love art for not what it presents, but, rather, what it could represent if one took the time to take it all in.
day think he sees something amazing in this, and is not afraid to let this be known. ]