pawnstorm | DUNGEON ♛ LEBEDCHE LAKE

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DUNGEON ♛ LEBEDCHE LAKE

LEBEDCHE LAKE
20 JANUARY (DIANTHE) 2016

Commander Lisbrand greets you with a grim expression when the Heroes gather outside of the forest cave. The Heroes are tasked to set up anti-magic explosives provided by Lisbrand Technologies and Gammon at the entrance. On the commander’s signal, loud bangs fill the air, shattering the barrier. A freezing wind howls like a banshee, sending chills down your spine as if to warn you. Turn back now.

Lisbrand remains steadfast. Judging from what her scouts brought back, she informs the Heroes that this dungeon is unlike the others they’ve faced. Mana activity is off the charts, only one scout made it back alive from recon, and… her brother’s in there. Please bring him home safely.

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙ Mirror Mirror
According to Commander Lisbrand, anyone carrying large amounts of mana can now enter the dungeon. Not only that, but you are also able to see every other Hero who entered too. Convenient, but peculiar. In any case, with the help of mana crystals provided by Gammon, Lisbrand’s coming with you.

The path beyond the chamber where you found Alumina is decidedly different. As you proceed, the rock walls turn brittle and clear. You are now in one of the glass tunnels located underneath Lebedche Lake. Dusty footprints are on the glassy ground.... Someone has been here before, and very recently, too.

The glass creaks underneath your weight but it holds. For now.
Follow the footprints and you will reach a spacious intersection. There is a figure calmly waiting for you on the other side with their back turned. No matter how sneakily you approach, they whirl around and you come face to face with… yourself?

MONSTER ♟ Chilling Reminder
Weak against What you’re weak against	Strong against What you’re strong against	Immune to Water
This ice monster is best described as your own reflection. They know everything about you, from the way you talk to the way you walk. They know every skill and spell in your arsenal. Whatever your weaknesses and strengths are also their own. But they also represent THE WORST IN YOU. They constantly CONFUSE others and TAUNT you, reminding you of your ugly, shameful soul. Beware: they can also transform into your other allies in the middle of a fight. Watch out as they try to SMASH the glass tunnels around you for a decisive end to this battle. Strangely enough, the surrounding water will not seep into the tunnels. Instead, it will suck you in and DROWN YOU IN AN INSTANT, and your allies will have no way to get you back. DROPS: Ice Shards, Broken Mirror, Fake Weapon Fragments, Illusion Powder

Once the last monster has been defeated, the deafening silence returns to the tunnels. Take a moment to breathe, heal and check on your fellow Heroes. If you see someone shivering and shaking, help by warming them up or drying them off. You don’t want to remain drenched in the freezing temperatures.

TWO ♙ All the world’s a stage
At the end of the winding glass paths, you reach the underside of the crystal swan which recently appeared. There, you find a theater stage, and the curtains turn into solid blocks of ice once Heroes enter. It will take more than a powerful fire spell to get out of this one.

The black swans outside are still circling the construct above, but you are safe underneath the surface of the lake. If you look past the glass walls, you can watch the fish swim by sunken boats. It’s eerily calm, almost beautiful especially when snowflakes begin to drift down from the ceiling somehow.

A shattering noise sounds behind you and several crystal staircases appear. On top of them you will find…

MONSTER ♟ Pas de Deux
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to Attacks
A troupe of disfigured ballet dancers that come in pairs. Parts of their body are missing or bent in unnatural ways. Their feet bleed as if they’ve been DANCING FOREVER. Their morbid dance HYPNOTIZES their audience to face the same fate. Attack them normally and they will instantly TELEPORT to the other side of the room. The key to victory in this battle is dance itself. Together with your comrades, you must DANCE WITH FEELING. Only by dancing as you attack them will you be able to land a hit. But if you do not take this seriously, painful CUTS will mysteriously appear on your body. Don’t get served, Hero! DROPS: Tin Soldier, Tin Heart, Crystal Spangles, Book of the Eternal Dance

As the final curtain falls for the dancers, the crystal ceiling will shatter, opening the way to the crystal swan above. As you try and catch your breath, the frozen curtains melt to reveal Alumina and Lisbrand.

	Lisbrand Alumina, it’s not safe here. This dungeon is an anomaly; we don’t know what might happen to us. Come with me!
	Alumina Fleur? …No! I need to find Ledo and Nerea! You should go back! I’ll be fine. This is something I have to do. Unlike you, I’m... [ runs away ]
	Lisbrand Alumina! [ runs after her ]

Where are they going? Alumina is a civilian, so you must send them out. But as you try to follow the pair, you lose them in the light...

THREE ♙ The Swan Prince
In the chamber of the crystal swan, pale sunlight filters in, illuminating three figures. An angry Nerea and a crystal projection of an amused Princess Katya seem to be in the middle of a one-sided argument. Nerea’s voice rises, which makes the beautiful white swan huddled nearby flinch back. It weakly lifts its head towards the Heroes, pleading with far too intelligent eyes for an intervention.

	Nerea This isn’t what you promised!
	Katya Oh, but it is. You wanted Alumina to yourself. I gave you a love potion.
	Nerea That killed her.
	Katya So I gave you her mana, which you put into an automaton you stole.
	Nerea Made me steal.
	Katya Haha. [ smirks ] You wanted Ledo out of the picture. Again, I gave you a love potion. Made him a swan. You wanted to bring Alumina back to life, so I asked for thirty eyes, forty limbs, fifty hearts...
	Nerea But Ledo’s as well?
	Katya I do not see the problem. He was to marry your beloved Alumina, no? So get rid of him. Marry him, crush him, take his company and give it to me. That was the deal. See it to the end.
	Alumina [ enters with Lisbrand ] Nerea! Ledo!
	Lisbrand Ledo? [ glowers ] Princess Katya… Explain yourself, Nox!
	Nerea It’s not what it looks like! I’m— I’m trying to save Ledo! Alumina, Fleur, please… Please believe me!
	Katya [ cackles ] Oh, that’s rich! Nerea, hurry up and kill that swan! Before he takes your beloved Alumina!

As Nerea hesitates, a relieved Alumina rushes towards the swan. Nerea falters.

	Katya Heh. You bore me, Nerea. Here I thought you would get your happy ending. You disappoint me. Ah, but fifty is enough for the next part of the spell. Now, Ledo... Awaken.
	Ledo [ the swan twists its body uncontrollably, screaming in pain. for the first time, it is able to speak. ] A...lu...mi...na… Run...

BOSS ♟ Ledo de Lisbrand
Weak against ???	Strong against ???	Immune to ???
“The real Alumina died. Nerea killed her. She killed everybody. I tried to tell someone—-anyone. But no one heard me. It was so cold. No one listened. I tried to stop them… before their hearts were stolen too.” At Princess Katya’s command, Ledo de Lisbrand has transformed into a grotesque union of a human and swan--Alumina even comments that he looks like an angel. His stances are similar to his sister’s, whom Heroes have trained and fought with long enough to notice. His GUN’s cursed bullets contain RANDOM ELEMENTAL AND STATUS EFFECTS. His SWORD strikes also DRAIN you of your energy. Katya’s hold on his mind is strong… Thankfully, two of the most important people in Ledo’s life are also here to assist: the automaton Alumina with a giant gatling gun she lifts with surprising ease, and your reliable commander Fleur de Lisbrand. Together, weaken him to bring him to his senses! “I’m sorry, Alumina. I’m not an angel. Lisbrand Technologies is my life. Fleur loves this country. Blanc and my family’s legacy… They will not fall by Noir’s hand. I will destroy you all. Katya, Nerea… My Servants, attack them.” Ledo’s AUTOMATONS join the fray. A MECHANICAL BUTLER uses a large iron hammer to crush any living thing in sight. A MECHANICAL MAID stands at the back to throw cursed mana crystals at the Heroes, which will either debuff you or explode! Decommission the pair quickly. “I always knew you were an automaton. You looked like her, spoke like her, and you even had her mana… but you and the Alumina I knew felt different. Even so, I could feel your love. It was so different, yet so real… and I thought that was beautiful.” Ledo will swoop into the air, spreading large weathered wings in an attempt to escape attacks and Alumina and Lisbrand’s gunshots. Aim for those unnatural wings to bring him back to the ground! “You had me drink a love potion, Nerea, but the moment you cursed me, you said that I never had your heart. It was then that I remembered who did…” DROPS: Enchanted Swan Feathers, Mechanical Heart, Noble Cape, Butler’s Suit, Maid’s Dress, Iron Hammer, Cursed Mana Crystals

Finally, Ledo sinks to his knees. He’s shaking, gasping and looking as if he’d just survived a war. Blood, sweat and tears trickle down his face. He coughs and clutches his chest in agony. A dungeon core slips through his fingers and clatters to the ground.

At the same time, Ledo begins to topple to the side. Alumina cries out and catches him before he can hit the ground. Although weak from the battle, Ledo looks at Alumina with a tender smile.

	Alumina [ flustered ] Why are you looking at me like that? I’m not the Alumina you want...
	Ledo [ chuckles ] I never said you had to be.
	Nerea [ looks as if she wants to approach, but frowns and doesn’t. she tightens her fists. —which open when Lisbrand cuffs her. ]
	Lisbrand Nerea Nox, you are under arrest for treason, murder and grand larceny. Heroes, take her. [ a couple of compliant Heroes—perhaps you—take Nerea into custody, and she lets them. she stares into the distance as she slowly realizes that everything she’s done has been for nothing. ] I should have known it was you, Katya.
	Katya You should have. I suppose that’s why the swan is inheriting the company. As for Nerea… [ at the snap of her fingers, Nerea disappears from your grasp ] She has a lot of potential. Ahahaha! Heroes, you must be wondering why the dungeons are like this… Or, well, how I know about dungeons at all. Just so you know, you’re not the only ones the gods favor! Ah, you all look as tasty as you did before… I can’t wait to see all your faces in the months to come! [ as she starts to cackle, Lisbrand stabs the mana crystal, ending the feed ]

After Lisbrand puts her gun back in its holster, she and the Heroes prepare to set off with Alumina and Ledo. The army will come to fetch them in large boats at the dungeon entrance, she says. She also reminds the Heroes that Nerea Nox is now an enemy of Blanc. Alumina begs Lisbrand not to speak any further—even the Heroes know what fate lies before Nerea. Lisbrand suggests that perhaps it is best to rest her mind for now. That goes for the Heroes, too.

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MIRROR MIRROR

[ The figures that surround Irisviel look exactly like her - same hair, same red eyes, same build, same bust size except their eyes were blank and emotionless. Some of them even had traces of black ooze around their mouths and eyes, the muck of the Holy Grail for those who recognised it. They floated naked around her, their necks and arms bent in awkward angles, like they had no sense of moving as humans.

Irisviel looks uneasy, her red eyes moist as if she were holding back tears. The homunculi start speaking, in Iri's own voice to form a horrid chamber of echoes. ]

You failed... you failed as the Grail.

Jubstacheit will take Illya away.

Jubstacheit will kill Kiritsugu.

Failure is not an option

You are not human.

[ They start shambling towards her, the crunch of glass very audible. Someone with quicker wits than Irisviel should probably step in, because she's filled with the weight of many regrets. ]

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

[ She's breathing heavily, trying not to get too fatigued but these dancers were far too agile for her to hit. Irisviel's not sure why they're so fast, to the point that none of her stat modifier spells will hit. So she retreats to the back of the theatre, hiding in the shadows to try and recoup her mana. ]

I don't know what we have to do to hit them.

[ she says, looking at her companion. ]

I know as a King I'm not the fastest but my spells are faster than me.

[ Was that a hint of frustration in her voice? Just a bit. ]

Any ideas?

AFTERMATH

It's a little sad...

[ she says to herself at the dungeon entrance. Irisviel has always been better in the aftermath of these dungeons, her healing powers lending themselves to helping the other heroes get back on their feet. The warming aura of her magic is in stark contrast to the crystal shards around them, and she's happy to simply share mana with people, heal their wounds and talk with them. ]

Ledo seemed like he loved Alumina with all his heart, but it seems like Nerea had other plans for them.

[At the very least, she gets a little support. But only a little support. Because whichever of the Irisviels is closest to the real deal, it's blasted in the face with a mana projectile, shattering its icy visage and laying the truth of these copies bare. It isn't real. It isn't even in the real the way a homunculi isn't real, either - it's just an imitation of an imitation, shoddily made at that.

And shortly after...clunk, clunk, clunk...it's the sound of her greaves against the ice.]

Irisviel.

[But she still stops a way away. Not just to retain distance and keep up the atmosphere she's going for, trying to be cool and all...but she's a ranged fighter anyway.]

What're you playing at? If things keep going the way they are, I won't be able to acknowledge you anymore. You'll fade into the crowd as just another one of these dolls...at that point, I won't be able to spare you if I go on rampage here and now, you know.

Nobunaga...

[ Did Nobu's voice reach her? Irisviel doesn't turn around mainly because she's still looking a lone mirror image in the eye. The clone of Irisviel raised its hand and fired a bolt of light towards them both, imitating the actual Irisviel's light based arsenal. The mana flooding the room was enough to knock Irisviel into her senses and she managed to yell - ]

Please move!

[ She managed to run into Nobunaga and knock her out of the way, just in time to avoid the ricocheting blasts. ]

[ Yew is taken aback by the sight of the figures around Irisviel for a few moments. It's more than a little creepy, after all. However, he shakes himself out that small daze, and puts a hand on the guard of his rapier.

He doesn't know who "Jubstacheit" and "Kiritsugu" are. He only knows that that those shambling...things are calling her a failure (which she isn't, in his eyes), and that she's apparently not human (he doesn't care, one of his best friends is a ghost). As they start to shamble toward her, he draws his weapon, using it to focus, and sends a blast of wind magic right at one of them. He might not be saying anything right now, but wind tends to be rather loud, especially in tunnels. ]

[ Irisviel's hair whips up wildly as Yew's wind magic pushes and shatters some of the mirror images back. She raises up her arms to cover her eyes and to try and keep herself together until the squall dies down, but she finds herself more than a little unsettled. The mirrors seem to share her weaknesses, they even move the same way as her.

As the sound dies down, she turns around to see Yew and offers him a gentle smile. ]

Thank you... you didn't have to save me.

I didn't have to; I wanted to.

[ And to him, that makes a world of difference. The difference between doing something out of obligation and doing something out of love is immense, even if it seems invisible to an outside party. ]

Are you all right? We're not quite done here yet.

[ He gives her a confident smile right back, in the hopes of boosting her spirits. She can do this! He has her back! ]

[ Irisviel is still a little taken aback, but she gives him a small smile in return. She's not quite 100% but the optimism is clearly working on her.

She stands up and moves beside Yew, raising her arms in front of her. ]

Yes, we're still in danger. Thank you, Yew.

[ The figures seem to recover their senses and start shambling back to Irisviel and Yew. She takes a moment, before firing off a beam of light towards them. ]

Edited 2017-01-26 11:10 (UTC)

[ He nods in response. It's no trouble for him at all to be a pocket cheerleader, since that's one of his best attributes, in his opinion. As long as he was able to give her the courage to try again, having her gratitude is only the cherry on top. ]

Do you know if they have any weaknesses?

[ He calls out, fending off one of them with a precise strike of his rapier and thus unable to use his Analysis ability for the moments that he's in combat. They look like Irisviel, with red eyes and long white hair, and it's kind of shaking him up a bit, but they're not her. The real one is the one who's fighting right now alongside him, and not simply laying down and accepting all of this. (He may be a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to this matter, though.) ]

Darkness and fire.

[ says Irisviel, the lack of confidence in her answer indicating that they're her own weaknesses. If they're like her, then they're weak to the same things she is. She runs a hand through her hair, a nervous tick that showed itself at moments like this. The two forms of magic she's particularly bad at, so she's not even going to attempt to cast those spells. ]

If you can cast them, I can protect you.

I see...I can do that. Spellcasting is a bit of a specialty of mine.

[ ...Which may beg the question of why he's using a rapier and fighting like a knight in melee instead, but that's a question for another day. As they are right now, he simply holds out his rapier and begins to cast a fire spell, though he's heartened by the fact the glint of sapphire he catches in the corner of his eye means that he can probably throw in a dark spell as well if fire isn't effective enough. As he concentrates, the figures begin to shamble towards them once more, grouping up more than before. ]

[ Not being human, having regrets over failures? It's like Kousetsu is seeing someone exactly like himself, which is why he takes initiative and slashes the ice constructs with an icy sword that he manages to procure from his own double. He doesn't like the trickery these dopplegangers are playing with and he won't let anyone succumb to their ways either. He'll take Irisviel's wrist gently, so as to not startle her, and yet it's a firm grip as he tries to pull her away from the reforming masses of ice. ]

We must go.

[ She feels the tug on her wrist and finds herself snapped back to her senses. Irisviel doesn't recognise Kousetsu, but he is an ally - and that's enough for her. So she nods, and finds herself following the direction of his tug. ]

Is it right to run from... this?

[ Regrets? Their past mistakes in life? ]]

[ Kousetsu might pause and shake his head. ] It is also not right to...forcibly make someone feel shamed and hurt by these mistakes as well.

[ He'll look at the crystal creatures with disdain, an expression quite uncommon for the peaceful sword to use. ]

Sometimes it is...better to talk about this with people who are caring and kind. These things...mean only to harm, and so I do not think remaining is wise.

[ She looks at Kousetsu, before nodding and following his lead. ]

Alright.

[ They do mean harm. Irisviel has to keep reminding herself of this. But yet, she has dreams of these - they were more benign and less terrifying. But they do want to kill her, to do her harm and to take her away. ]

My name is Irisviel.... I'm sorry to drag you into this.

He had no wounds to heal, at least not physical ones. And while he hadn't spoken to her before, he'd definitely seen her around and carried a level of respect for her gentle nature.

"It's nearly tragic, I agree. Love stories tend to be like that, I've found.

Are you all right? That was a rather exhausting dungeon, in many ways."

She nods. She's never met this man before but he was decked in the regalia of a hero, so he was of course an ally. Irisviel was about to raise her hand to call upon the healing magics, but he seemed to not require that. He was the first person to actually just want to... chat.

"I'm alright. I am very tired, but not in a physical sense."

Irisviel puts a hand to her chest and rests it there.

"Something weighty in here."

"Ah, that often happens when we're forced to face ourselves, illusions or no. I'm quite tired too. I really hope those in charge might give us some time to recover, I think we could all use it."

He smiled rather fondly.

"You're sure you're unhurt?"

"I'm glad that Blanc seems to take the care of those in their charge seriously - though Lisbrand is quite troubled. Perhaps they could take that advice to heart."

Her arms fall to her sides and she offers a meek smile.

"Yes. Though I am a King with terrible luck, I was fortunate this time. My name is Irisviel, would you require anything?"

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DUNGEON ♛ LEBEDCHE LAKE

Irisviel von Einzbern | OTA | King

i had a hard time choosing between i and iii but ill go with i

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aftermath

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