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animaechoed2017-03-15 06:53 pm
animamods) wrote in animaechoed2017-03-15 06:53 pm
Entry tags:
Event: Journey To The Mainland
Preparations have been made, and finally there is a route scouted to the Mainland. Those with Anima who can carry them may pick their own route, either through air or across the Salt Step Range. For the others a set of ships have been prepared with contributions from the Discovery guild to speed them across the sea. And several places wait on the other side.
Ripple
The drowned city of Ripple sits near a delta, hugging the coast. The city itself sits on different levels relative to the water; some buildings clear of the waters, some half in and half out, and others completely submerged.
With so many variations to the city itself, it isn’t surprising several scenarios might spring up.
Prompt 1, Harbor:
There’s more than a few creatures who call ripple home. Beneath the surface of the water are strange, darting shapes.
Strange manta-like creatures that avoid contact, curious hippocampus sea horses… and hostile sahuagins. These creatures don’t hesitate to attack intruders, whether with claws, shark-sharpened fangs, or bone sharpened weapons. They also bring their own pets in the form of sharks, which seem hungry enough for a meal, and speak in a bubbling language that can’t be easily deciphered.
Whether it’s through battle, escape, or other means, these creatures need to be thrown off one way or another!
Prompt 2, The Sinking Capital:
Whether it’s slippery footing, or a crumbling section of city, or a trap left by the residents, things are about to get much more damp. Water floods into wherever the Scions find themselves, either through rents in the walls, or a sudden rising tide.
Hopefully the Scions involved know how to swim.
Prompt 3, Drowned Shrines:
In the depths of the city, hidden behind walls of crumbling stone and overgrown water plants, is a collection of shrines. They are formed from carved stone, almost melded to the buildings themselves with the passage of time and wear from the waters. The features are reminiscent of a sea serpent, one flanked with decorations of otters and dolphins. And laid at the foot of those shrines, in the offering bowls or strung as ropes are small and large pearls.
Those pearls are engraved with a strange script and inlaid with gold; it looks almost like some form of prayer, in an old and drowned language. There may be a few other small treasures littered around, either in water filled rooms or in tiny air pockets.
The treasures themselves are easy enough to carry out. Reaching them however, is another matter.
Lily
Lily, a half cove, half delta that acts as another entrance into the Mainland. The surfaces are filled to the brim with plants, while stranger things swim further below, either in large lakes or twisting river passages.
Prompt 1, The Water’s Harvest:
The various lily-pads and water flowers floating on the surface are said to carry medicinal properties, if properly gathered and made into different alchemy mixes. Several of the Guild Paths are ready to offer generous rewards for those who can gather the plants, store them, and bring them back. Though a few of them are further in the center of the lake, with shifting currents.
There’s also been stories told that the rarest blossoms, if ingested, allow one to breath underwater for up to an hour. That, or they cause some very strong hallucinations; the sources and records in Haven can’t always agree on which.
Prompt 2, Sea Serpents:
It seems the boats and the explorers on them have attracted some attention from the residents of the deep.
Whether curious or territorial, the serpents seem intent on closing in with the boats and swimmers. Their noses nudge the boats or crash into them with violent intent. Sharp fangs and constricting coils can quickly make havoc on the boats, and the more territorial sea serpents are ready to drag what they find underwater. The curious ones also pose a risk of capsizing the boat, or forgetting that not everyone can breathe underwater like they can.
Prompt 3, Delving the Wrecks:
In the bottom of the waters are a collection of wrecked ships. Some are massive galleons, some are small clippers, but all of them are gathered around the same, central place. The waters have eroded some, while others seem to be made of more sturdy or enchanted materials, looking as though they could float if only brought back up to the water’s surface.
Through a few of the cracked and water logged rents, some of the vessels shows glints of treasure… and shifting coils in the form of young serpents. Others may hold old, carved records, or hints of the past; but the only way to find out for certain is to dive down to take a closer look.
Green Home
Green Home is a new and old city all at once, new buildings growing from ruins like flowers from old growth. The streets are worn paths leading up a pair of gigantic trees, and the town sprouting up along the way. The residents move up and down these paths, and a handful of lifts strung in the branches. Humans are in abundance, as are Pterrans, and a collection of two footed felines and canines, with even a few Aarakocrana that roost in the upper branches. There does seem to be a bit of a divide, with some sections of the town more devoted to one race over the other. But all are open to travelers, to come and rest.
Prompt 1, The Roots:
Green Home almost sprouts from the forest, rising up from two great trees. The walls are a mixture of stone and timber, a patch work of old and new fortifications. Stepping inside shows a small, but bustling settlement of herb gatherers and forest wanderers, coming back in from the wilds to rest their feet.
The people of this place are curious, if wary bunch. They always keep one eye on the borders of their settlement. Conversations with them show that this settlement is only a generation old, and has had to dodge their own share of problems. Monsters, raiders, and flat out unpleasant flora dwell in the forest beyond, and they’ve had to fend off attacks more than a few times. The buildings tell a similar story, with some of the ruins looking more refurbished and rebuilt than others… and a few sport blasts and damage that clearly haven’t been caused by time.
Midway up, where the roots join the main trees, are a pair of buildings that Scions may find noteworthy. The first is a stable, stacked with fresh and dried plants to act as bedding for any large creatures, or still developing eggs. Stalls line the building from top to bottom and spread across levels, ending with a rookery on the top level. Some of those stalls house creatures from the forest; some hurt, some tamed, and MOST willing to share the space. Next door is a common house, which can string up woven grass hammocks in a pitch for the newcomers. The building provides food, drink, and shelter, in exchange for a few tasks to be done outside.
Prompt 2, The Branches:
It turns out there’s a practical reason for a lot of the overgrowth; gardening. The city’s inhabitants bring plants from the surrounding forest back in, and nurture them wherever there’s a plot of land available. Whether that garden is on the side of a building, a rooftop, or a patch of intersecting branches, people take advantage of the space.
But with so many gardens, it turns out there’s a lot of help needed; either with going out to collect new seeds, or watering and caring for the ones that already grow.
Prompt 3, The Tree Tops:
It takes a lot of climbing, or flying to break out of the roof of green and into full sunlight, but there’s an extra world above the branches; one with a few sparse buildings, but still a part of the settlement.
The bird race that live here are tireless in their tasks, which seem to involve gathering, preparing, and storing amber collected from the trees. Asking reveals that these materials are used to create a curious mixture of jewelry and universal antidote. The amber is hollowed out to store a liquid compound, and then hung from the branches to collect sunlight and brew before being handed to an individual to hang around their neck.
Those who offer to help can be given one of these ‘Amber Hearts’ of their own in thanks, as there never seems to be enough hands to harvest the sap, turn it into amber, prepare it for jewelry, or brew the mixture that’s dropped into the cavities. The Aarakocrana themselves are devoted to their work, but a handful may be inquisitive about where these travelers come from.
WILD CARD:
The above prompts aren’t exhaustive when it comes to situations. Feel free to create some of your own!
Ripple
The drowned city of Ripple sits near a delta, hugging the coast. The city itself sits on different levels relative to the water; some buildings clear of the waters, some half in and half out, and others completely submerged.
With so many variations to the city itself, it isn’t surprising several scenarios might spring up.
Prompt 1, Harbor:
There’s more than a few creatures who call ripple home. Beneath the surface of the water are strange, darting shapes.
Strange manta-like creatures that avoid contact, curious hippocampus sea horses… and hostile sahuagins. These creatures don’t hesitate to attack intruders, whether with claws, shark-sharpened fangs, or bone sharpened weapons. They also bring their own pets in the form of sharks, which seem hungry enough for a meal, and speak in a bubbling language that can’t be easily deciphered.
Whether it’s through battle, escape, or other means, these creatures need to be thrown off one way or another!
Prompt 2, The Sinking Capital:
Whether it’s slippery footing, or a crumbling section of city, or a trap left by the residents, things are about to get much more damp. Water floods into wherever the Scions find themselves, either through rents in the walls, or a sudden rising tide.
Hopefully the Scions involved know how to swim.
Prompt 3, Drowned Shrines:
In the depths of the city, hidden behind walls of crumbling stone and overgrown water plants, is a collection of shrines. They are formed from carved stone, almost melded to the buildings themselves with the passage of time and wear from the waters. The features are reminiscent of a sea serpent, one flanked with decorations of otters and dolphins. And laid at the foot of those shrines, in the offering bowls or strung as ropes are small and large pearls.
Those pearls are engraved with a strange script and inlaid with gold; it looks almost like some form of prayer, in an old and drowned language. There may be a few other small treasures littered around, either in water filled rooms or in tiny air pockets.
The treasures themselves are easy enough to carry out. Reaching them however, is another matter.
Lily
Lily, a half cove, half delta that acts as another entrance into the Mainland. The surfaces are filled to the brim with plants, while stranger things swim further below, either in large lakes or twisting river passages.
Prompt 1, The Water’s Harvest:
The various lily-pads and water flowers floating on the surface are said to carry medicinal properties, if properly gathered and made into different alchemy mixes. Several of the Guild Paths are ready to offer generous rewards for those who can gather the plants, store them, and bring them back. Though a few of them are further in the center of the lake, with shifting currents.
There’s also been stories told that the rarest blossoms, if ingested, allow one to breath underwater for up to an hour. That, or they cause some very strong hallucinations; the sources and records in Haven can’t always agree on which.
Prompt 2, Sea Serpents:
It seems the boats and the explorers on them have attracted some attention from the residents of the deep.
Whether curious or territorial, the serpents seem intent on closing in with the boats and swimmers. Their noses nudge the boats or crash into them with violent intent. Sharp fangs and constricting coils can quickly make havoc on the boats, and the more territorial sea serpents are ready to drag what they find underwater. The curious ones also pose a risk of capsizing the boat, or forgetting that not everyone can breathe underwater like they can.
Prompt 3, Delving the Wrecks:
In the bottom of the waters are a collection of wrecked ships. Some are massive galleons, some are small clippers, but all of them are gathered around the same, central place. The waters have eroded some, while others seem to be made of more sturdy or enchanted materials, looking as though they could float if only brought back up to the water’s surface.
Through a few of the cracked and water logged rents, some of the vessels shows glints of treasure… and shifting coils in the form of young serpents. Others may hold old, carved records, or hints of the past; but the only way to find out for certain is to dive down to take a closer look.
Green Home
Green Home is a new and old city all at once, new buildings growing from ruins like flowers from old growth. The streets are worn paths leading up a pair of gigantic trees, and the town sprouting up along the way. The residents move up and down these paths, and a handful of lifts strung in the branches. Humans are in abundance, as are Pterrans, and a collection of two footed felines and canines, with even a few Aarakocrana that roost in the upper branches. There does seem to be a bit of a divide, with some sections of the town more devoted to one race over the other. But all are open to travelers, to come and rest.
Prompt 1, The Roots:
Green Home almost sprouts from the forest, rising up from two great trees. The walls are a mixture of stone and timber, a patch work of old and new fortifications. Stepping inside shows a small, but bustling settlement of herb gatherers and forest wanderers, coming back in from the wilds to rest their feet.
The people of this place are curious, if wary bunch. They always keep one eye on the borders of their settlement. Conversations with them show that this settlement is only a generation old, and has had to dodge their own share of problems. Monsters, raiders, and flat out unpleasant flora dwell in the forest beyond, and they’ve had to fend off attacks more than a few times. The buildings tell a similar story, with some of the ruins looking more refurbished and rebuilt than others… and a few sport blasts and damage that clearly haven’t been caused by time.
Midway up, where the roots join the main trees, are a pair of buildings that Scions may find noteworthy. The first is a stable, stacked with fresh and dried plants to act as bedding for any large creatures, or still developing eggs. Stalls line the building from top to bottom and spread across levels, ending with a rookery on the top level. Some of those stalls house creatures from the forest; some hurt, some tamed, and MOST willing to share the space. Next door is a common house, which can string up woven grass hammocks in a pitch for the newcomers. The building provides food, drink, and shelter, in exchange for a few tasks to be done outside.
Prompt 2, The Branches:
It turns out there’s a practical reason for a lot of the overgrowth; gardening. The city’s inhabitants bring plants from the surrounding forest back in, and nurture them wherever there’s a plot of land available. Whether that garden is on the side of a building, a rooftop, or a patch of intersecting branches, people take advantage of the space.
But with so many gardens, it turns out there’s a lot of help needed; either with going out to collect new seeds, or watering and caring for the ones that already grow.
Prompt 3, The Tree Tops:
It takes a lot of climbing, or flying to break out of the roof of green and into full sunlight, but there’s an extra world above the branches; one with a few sparse buildings, but still a part of the settlement.
The bird race that live here are tireless in their tasks, which seem to involve gathering, preparing, and storing amber collected from the trees. Asking reveals that these materials are used to create a curious mixture of jewelry and universal antidote. The amber is hollowed out to store a liquid compound, and then hung from the branches to collect sunlight and brew before being handed to an individual to hang around their neck.
Those who offer to help can be given one of these ‘Amber Hearts’ of their own in thanks, as there never seems to be enough hands to harvest the sap, turn it into amber, prepare it for jewelry, or brew the mixture that’s dropped into the cavities. The Aarakocrana themselves are devoted to their work, but a handful may be inquisitive about where these travelers come from.
WILD CARD:
The above prompts aren’t exhaustive when it comes to situations. Feel free to create some of your own!
no subject
He may have made it look easy, but that was a pretty big, heavy-looking rock Chesnaught hoisted up from the ground. One of his hands pat against it.
"--give this to whoever's inside the bubble. That will weigh them down, and they can just roll it along the ground!"
"...Besides, it floats if it's not heavy enough."
no subject
But what did the others think? Time was of the essence- goodness knows what the tide would do to the chamber they were in.
no subject
"As long as the passage isn't too small and all these boulders don't block our way, it just might work. And Abel can tell you if that's gonna happen." An enthusiastic nodding from the reptile hints at his own agreement to the plan, alongside his Scion's.
Looks like you're going first, Kassan.
no subject
Little does she know it may be too late for that.
no subject
And a casual toss sent that enormous rock straight into Kassan's dubiously-accepting arms, and- as he reeled back from the sudden addition of top-heavy weight- Chesnaught raised a hand in a moment of focus-- Did he even notice that cocoon tucked into his shell glowing and stirring slightly as he did so?-- and a translucent, soft-pink sphere of shimmering force phased into being around the teetering Delphox.
It might have done well in cushioning his fall into the water were it not for the added weight of Kassan's sudden ballast.
no subject
Excited, the mink creature squeaked and wriggled, plopping into the water and paddling about. Yuki'to gazed into the pool and hoped for the best.
"B-... mh." No, they had this handled without any well wishes. But he'd be ready with the daggers if something nasty tried at them again.
no subject
He exhales through his nose. "Abel." With a firm salute, the lizard leaps off of Noah's shoulder and down into the water, a dramatic dive that's almost a belly flop, but it totally wasn't, so it was awesome. He's pretty sure Kassan can handle that rock, but if not...well. That's what Noah's good for!
1 / Settle in this gon' be a bumpy ride
And down he goes into the drink. The boulder only barely misses landing on top of him down below, so he manages to stand up quickly, if only to yell at the guys up above.
"Little warning would have been nice! Why me?! Send the giant Meowth or some shit instead!" With the mass of water between him and the rest of the group, however, none of his yelling gets through and all they see is angry fox gestures. He eventually gives this up and accepts his fate, though not without a fair amount of grumbling as he rolls the boulder along the ground.
"Stupid lugnut. Sure, send the fire-type to deal with an underwater passage! Surely that makes sense. Don't send the grass-type that could probably stay under without an Arceus-damned rock. Bastard just wants to be lazy, probably..."
2 / This is why you don't trust me with plot
...Oh, right. Psychic. Duh. Kassan lifts the boulder slightly, and the bubble begins to rise. He'll just check what's up there, then come back down and tell everyone. So maybe this wouldn't be as bad as he thought. Might as well kick back and enjoy the scenery. There wasn;t much to see, but it does look like that fish is coming closer. Maybe he could convince the Doc's lizard to catch it. They could have a snack. Just gotta wait for it to get closer...
3 / Nothing can ever be simple
And closer...
Okay it's taking it's time...
...Wait, no, it's still getting closer.
This fish is a little bigger than he expected, really.
Okay, a lot bigger. That's a big fish.
With... teeth?
Yep, that's teeth.
And it's still getting closer.
Like, right at him. Very fast.
This is bad.
4 / 4 Okay we're good.
"Son of a... hah... Well, good news- There's a huge lake up there. We could probably get to the surface from here. I saw a shore on the far side. Bad news- There's a fuckin' Kyogre-ass thing down there that tried to eat me. Got the boulder instead."
no subject
...oh.
He had to admit he felt a little guilty at his own shortsightedness; even though Kassan did obviously volunteer himself, Chesnaught still should have gone in first beforehand-- like he always did for his old team! Just because he wasn't fighting under Peepo anymore didn't mean he could just slack off and let everyone down!
"Um... great job scouting it out," Chesnaught muttered somewhat sheepishly, before pounding a fist into his open palm as he approached the water's edge. "But that's nothing we can't handle! Right?"
He didn't really wait for a reply before he dove in himself. Besides, he'd taken on big water-types before; this wasn't going to be anything out of the ordinarEEALLY BIG FISH WITH HUGE TEETH LIKE HE'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. It was all he could do to form up that big, spiked shield on Reflex, with a sudden burst of arcane adrenaline- and again, that weird twitch in his companion's cocoon!- sending a green flicker of light through the water just enough to illuminate the leviathan's fearsome figure as its teeth snared in the prickled barricade, only to pull back with a few new scars on its face and gumline for a second pass--
And, water-type opponent or no, Chesnaught was starting to wonder if the foes here might have been a bit more serious than those back at home.
no subject
Kassan burst from the water and Yuki'to was on his feet. Something else was in the way of their expedition, and Chesnaught hopped in without a thought. He watched as the light flickered over the beast, and he snatched up the daggers without thought himself.
He swept his goggles down over his eyes and obscured his hands with his body as he made the mudra: Chi, Jin, Ten. A burst of wind energy briefly overtook him before he hit the water's surface, lending him speed as he took down into the depths.
Guess sushi's on the menu. Just gotta help the fish realize it first.
no subject
Although he just escaped the creature's jaws alongside Kassan, Abel knows he'll have to go down there and do battle alongside his Scion, who's already beginning his own preparations. His dagger is coated in a green liquid that leaves the blade with an aura of thunder about it. With a quick check of his pockets and the vials filling them, Noah dives in immediately after the ninja, swimming down towards the battle with Abel swimming beside him.
He'll have to get close if he wants to use any of his concoctions on the creature, which is fine with him. With the way this cavern looks, the tight spacing is inevitable.
no subject
Kassan watches as everyone else jumps in the water. They can go on ahead, sure. Not like he cares. Besides, what was he gonna do underwater? Fire doesn't work down there. Sure, he's got Psychic, but that's about it. Nah, they've got this. He did his job, and they can do theirs. He paces along the water's edge, trying to convince himself that there was no need to fight the big fish.
"...Son of a Ditto. You bastards are suicidal." Of course, he fails to do so, and dives in after them. He'll figure something out, hopefully.
As fort the fish, it was a little too big to fit into the passage where they came from, but that only means it's really huge. And hungry.
no subject
Well, keeping it away from himself was one thing- keeping it away from three other people as well would be a bit more of a challenge. Back when he was fighting with Peepo he only really had to deal with one or maybe tw--
--"*Wait your turn!*" came his slightly muffled underwater voice as he slugged the fish in the jaw when it came back for another attack against him. You'd think this thing had never had a battle before!... or maybe Chesnaught was a little out of his league here, because his fishy foe started swimming for some newer, smaller, feline prey that had entered the water, and it was all Chesnaught could do to try and catch up to it...
no subject
Right. Time to see what this paired element of his could do. He relaxed his limbs, raised his arms, and waited until the moment came when the fish hurtled within range. He felt that connection between himself and the creature on his shoulder, and in an instant, his soul felt whole again.
Then he swept upward, shooting up like a arrow, but not to avoid the creature completely. In that moment, he cleared his mind, and erupting from his body was something akin to ink, spreading quickly over the water in sickly black threads as it sought to swallow what light existed in the tunnel. But in the spell's youth, it was only enough to blind the fish... a fish that was swimming full speed ahead in a medium that wasn't fit for hairpin turns.
Less so, now. As the fish moved through the black cloud, slamming into the stone wall beyond, it bore bleeding marks down its back, bearing tattered dorsal fin remains that scattered with broken scales.
The black cloud, still before, now began to shrink, receding back into Yuki'to's body. He was already on the move to go after the creature. That was strange, but he couldn't let that distract him.
no subject
Yuki'to's cloud of darkness provides the time and place for other tactics. Utilizing the brief moment of disorientation, Noah decides to try and extend the fish's time spent wandering through the darkness. It's a scramble getting so close to its eyes and dangerously close to those sharp teeth, one that Abel seems to disagree with for obvious reasons. It's a risk he's willing to take all the same, spending only enough time to plunge his dagger into the creature's eye, then kicking off its body once the attack is finished.
With the energy flowing through his dagger, Noah puts it to use as a shockwave aimed for the dorsal fin, if only to weaken its movements and its vision. The follow-up attack is less clean, given the furious snapping that redirected itself towards him. Those teeth come closer than Noah would prefer, but he'll count that scrape on his leg as lucky. It likely won't take long for the creature to put its remaining eye to work...
no subject
Which was good news for Kassan as he caught up to the others, since unlike them, he had zero desire to get close to the damn thing. Nah, if that thing wanted something to hit, he'll give it something. Now, where did that boulder get- ah, here we are; on the lakebed. It was a bit chipped from its first visit to the fish's mouth, but still more than serviceable as a bludgeon. He lifts it up with Psychic and pushes it through the water towards Mr. Fishy, hoping to sandwich their target between the boulder and the rock wall.
Everyone else might want to move out of the way.
no subject
A panicked, addled, bitey daze that was very quickly heading back his way.
Chesnaught knew he couldn't keep hiding behind his shield forever, though- his opponents usually started to see through it pretty quickly after the first use- and by the time that fish's thrashing hostility was heading back his way, he could only default back to Peepo's next usual reflex: Throwing out some Spikes and hoping for the best! With a raise of his hands and a clatter of thorns, a scattering of caltrops spread out in the water between him and the fish--
...and that made it whirl around and swim away in a heartbeat. It took Chesnaught a few seconds to un-brace himself for the impact that never came, and to regard the plume of scattered sediment and quivering fishtail making its exit.
"...Why are all the monsters here so weird?"
no subject
Kassan said there was a lake that was accessible, right? Best not to wait until the fish got its wits back. With a ruffle to Chesnaught's head, Yuki'to pressed on, swimming down into the tunnel and making his way to the other side.
no subject
The bubble spell is a good idea, for sure, but with monsters like that swimming about, going out one at a time had its own risks. He suspected this wouldn't be the last time the fish made an appearance. The rest of the swim is thankfully uneventful, with the occasional stalactite and stalagmite lining the tunnel. For now, it seemed like the group had a clear shot for the lake.
no subject
The passage opens up soon enough, and the delphox wastes no time in getting to the surface as fast as he can for air. Unfortunately, he's too busy just trying to keep himself above water to really look around the place. Maybe someone else could get a better view...
no subject
He gave a quick peek around... aaaaand nope. Not a clue where he was.
"We haven't been here yet, right?"
no subject
His eyes widened. There were stairs leading down, leading somewhere that smelled like compost and a hint of incense. "...No."
Yuki'to hurried down the stairs with a hop-step, sheathing the daggers as the mink scrambled up his leg and perched on a shoulder. They'd come upon something tremendous, but it was a matter of what exactly. He tread lightly, keeping his eyes peeled for wires or any stairs that seemed off.
If this place was important, even in the slightest, it may be trapped. Or, perhaps whoever came here never saw the need and resorted to simple security.
(no subject)
(no subject)