cavern explorations.

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players 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?

Comments

[resistivity]

( honestly, just bless him for being so rational about it all. it's the sort of thing mako is unselfconsciously drawn towards — more than anything he tends to logic and sometimes the hard choices that follow it, so anyone who speaks a linear sort of sense is fine in his book. now that connor's odd precision of words and actions has a reason beyond simple awkward human mannerisms, he visibly relaxes, shoulders sloping down. )

Likewise. I know there are a few people here in the military, but I didn't know there were other cops. I guess jurisdictions don't matter so much when we're on a whole other planet, huh?

[bleps]

They don't, which is unfortunate. But that doesn't mean we can't remain diligent in what we used to do. Staying keenly observant and analytical will go a long way -- our current situation is a good example of that.

[Taking in any clues to be garnered in these creepy caves, putting connections together if there are any to be made. None so far, but a mind skewed to solve mysteries is all the better for it.]

My partner -- a Lieutenant on the force -- is also present. Not part of the trek to explore these caverns, but he's currently topside. If you're interested in making acquaintances with other officers, I can introduce you sometime.

[resistivity]

( connor, you are preaching to the choir, babe. it's nothing he hasn't already been doing, but in a way it's... nice, to get the affirmation from an outside source. he's always been perfectly capable of going it alone, doing his own thing, but. he does miss the camaraderie of the force, a little. he didn't even get along with most other officers except beifong herself, but it was still a community to which he belonged.

he nods when connor mentions his partner. )

Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks.

( he's a lowly sergeant, so on the matter of rank he'd be out of his weight class, but. he'll take it. )

What're your thoughts so far? On all of this. Astoria, I mean. Being here.

( the tunnels are incidental. they'll need more information to proceed, but he can at least pick connor's brain about other things. )

[bleps]

[Mako might be surprised when he meets Hank, whenever that might be — he isn’t often the picture of what one might expect from a police lieutenant, but... well. Connor is glad to have him make that connection anyway.

Regardless, the question is a loaded one. Connor eases back from where he sits, the LED at his forehead circling with consideration, casting a faint blue light against the side of his features.]

It’s hard to know what to make of it, beyond what we were told. From a logistical standpoint, we’ve been forcefully enlisted into being active members of the Circle to fight back some nebulous darkness. But I’m sure this doesn’t need reiterating.

[A faint frown tugs at his features.]

At this point, it’s all a matter of trust. I believe Astoria to be telling the truth, but I get the feeling there’s more to the story than what we can currently see. And that bothers me.

[resistivity]

( the curious blue cast of the light draws his attention a second time. is it a power source? something like what the mechs have back home? seems a funny place to put it if so, it's a glaring vulnerability. it seems impolite to ask, although connor hardly seems the sort to be offended. )

Did you feel the compulsion to enter the cave?

( he surely did. and he doesn't appreciate how strong it was, as if something had pulled him here wholly against his will. mako's never been a weak-minded person, he'd wanted to go with korra. and yet here he is. )

[bleps]

[Connor notices the draw his LED garners; nothing new there. He’d happily explain and take no such offense, as Mako rightfully guesses.

But for now, the question gives him thought, cinching his brow.]

In a way, yes. Admittedly it would be difficult to separate outside influence versus my simple ingrained inclination to investigate things unknown.

[Or so he says.]

[resistivity]

( or so he says indeed. mako crosses his arms, and twists his heel against the ground, leaning back into a jutting slab of rock that he — for all intents and purposes — just summoned up out of the earth. even though he's a firebender by nature, bending in general is so natural to him that he doesn't even think before he uses it in most cases. )

There was definitely something messing with my mind. I wanted to go with Korra — she's a friend from back home — but I couldn't walk any way but here. I've broken compulsions before, so this one was. Pretty intense.

[bleps]

[Well, consider that another question queued up in Connor's mind: regarding the rock rising up from the earth, jutting forward to act as a resting point. Being a member of the Circle has forced him to suspend much of his disbelief (after all, he's seen stranger, has spoken with odd and impossible individuals) and so he doesn't say anything on the matter. But Mako would notice the way he eyes skate over the rock, his LED flickering in what might be vague surprise.

To the credit of Connor's ingrained focus, though, he keeps on track with the conversation at hand.]

That's... worrying, admittedly. That an outside force would be able to exert this kind of control over any one of us, and our inability to do anything about it. [If there's irony in that statement coming from Connor, he doesn't seem to realize it. Or chooses not to.]

When you say you've broken compulsions before, are you referring to your experiences at home?

[resistivity]

( he looks down at his hands. studying his knuckles. amon is a distant memory, but a bad one. he and korra have faced down plenty since then, but even unalaq, even zaheer wasn't as terrifying as what amon could do. what he did do, to so many people, to korra. he doesn't want to think about how he'd live without his bending either, and how close he came to it. )

Yeah. There's something called bloodbending where I'm from. It's when an enemy bender takes control of the liquid in your body and can physically control you. It's hard to explain. It doesn't affect your mental capacity, but it takes a lot of will to break out of it. I only did it once. Different circumstances, but it's the closest comparison I have.

[bleps]

[That sounds... disturbing admittedly. Losing control of your own body, which is probably an ironic thing for an android like Connor to think about. Especially an android like Connor.]

I understand what you mean in a cursory kind of way, but... sorry, 'bender'? Can you explain further?

[resistivity]

( easier to demonstrate, and probably more useful for a cop of any color. even an android. mako collects a few rocks from the cavern floor and demonstrates earthbending on them, flattening them out into discs, then amorphous blobs, then rocks again. )

It's the manipulation of an element by focusing internal energies along natural pathways in the body. Back home, I'm a firebender. The ability Astoria gave me is earthbending. There's also water and air.

[bleps]

[He's right, because when he does demonstrate, Connor looks at it quite intently. Committing detail to memory, as he does with every strange notion stumbled across in this place -- odd abilities of others included.]

"Internal energies along natural pathways". So you don't qualify it as "magic", like some would.

[resistivity]

No.

( he's perhaps a bit stubborn about it. to him, it isn't magic, it's just a functioning natural law of his world. it's not the same as some of what he's seen here, the things astoria can do. )

But other people I've explained it to feel that way.