DUNGEON ♛ SALAMANCA TEMPLE

[boardmaster]

SALAMANCA TEMPLE
20 MARCH (NARCISSA) 2016

Once a grand place of worship for the ancestors of the Alfersa, the thousand-year-old ruins of Salamanca Temple returned to their full glory overnight. However, it also seems to be teeming with ancient reptiles long thought to be extinct. As the Heroes enter, it’s clear that the multilevel temple is a prime example of the artistic achievements of its time. The rooms are lush with plantlife that creeps in between the cracks of marble tiles and statues of Gladia with serpents at her heel, and the walls are covered in paintings and bas-reliefs depicting a famous epic about the Alfersa’s victory over all reptilian creatures.

The majesty of Salamanca Temple almost makes one fact easy to forget: it was most infamous as a site of magic… and human sacrifices.

Our Heroes know that there’s only one way to get out of here: find and defeat the boss!

	Lisbrand I’m sure you’re all aware, to some extent, that in addition to the war with Noir, Blanc must deal with threats within its own borders. These are what we call dungeons, and we only have a basic working understanding of them. Think of them as natural phenomena. Your task is reconnaissance and retrieval of the mana cores believed to be hidden in the deepest part of the structure, but you will likely encounter resistance. [a gesture to her side] Secretary Verdoni has more details about the nature of the structure. Secretary, if you would.
	Verdoni This is Salamanca Temple, a sacred and important site of cultural heritage to the Alfersa. Grand temples such as this were supposed to fill the devout with hope, but the Gladia of old was not always a benevolent goddess. Gladia’s Alfersan cult was infamous for its taboo sacrificial rituals. As a result, this temple is shrouded in frightening rumors and legends. Over the course of its bloody history, many atrocities were committed over the most trifling matters... The most famous is the tale of Moura Serpente. Perhaps you Heroes will have the chance to personally witness the truth behind these hallowed walls.
	Lisbrand Our scouts are incapable of exploring the structure the way this task force can. Therefore, you will be the front line in this mission. Your issued magical weapon will grant you immediate access to the temple once you approach the entrance. [and just to be safe, she gestures again. some of the Blanc soldiers who have tagged along for support functions march their way towards the appropriate door] Base camp will be established just outside the temple, in the event that you need to leave the area.
	Verdoni Which means that the Airy will be here for a while. Once you finish the dungeon, you are free to retire to your quarters. If you don't feel like riding the ship again, then walk. The journey to Caissa on foot will take a week at most. I suggest heading north to spend the evening at the city of Polgar. I suppose walking is a good thing for you Heroes; we will not always have the luxury of air travel.
	Lisbrand We will be breaking camp in the evening to rendezvous with Airy, so if you are not out of the dungeon by that time, you will be walking back to Caissa. [a pause] But I expect a number of you will do so anyway. This country is on full alert, and traveling by foot should be relatively safe inside our borders, but I hope I don’t need to tell you to be vigilant. I will expect all members of the task force back in Caissa by Lathrya 8th. Heroes, move out!

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 ♙

When you enter the temple, the flooring is surprisingly weak — wait, no. That’s a trap. And those are your screams.

You land in what seems to be the vast and sprawling corridors of the temple’s basement: dark, dank, and full of rats. But it’s more than just that — the smell of blood is thick in the air, and every so often, you might hear cries of agony. Magic circles, dried blood on ornate daggers, and tables with unspeakable tools for keeping mouths shut and human limbs in place… something tells you this is exactly what Verdoni warned you about.

MONSTER ♟ Lizardman
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to None
Men cursed to roam Enprise in a LIZARD-LIKE FORM by the goddess Gladia. Some conspiracy theorists say they aren’t cursed. In fact, their kind was the first to inhabit Enprise before the Alfersa arrived on a giant spaceship! But locals will squint and silently judge if you honestly believe this. These ANGRY, ARMORED lizardmen are equipped with BLADED WEAPONS and their surprisingly exceptional prowess in COMBAT. Their TOUGH SKIN and SHARP SENSES set them apart from your average human soldier. If you grab one by the tail, he’ll simply chop it off and grow one right back! But you might want to go ahead and take the risk — in alchemy, LIZARD TAILS are known for their regenerative properties. Their WEAPONS, SMELLY ARMOR, TAILS and LOINCLOTHS may be acquired as loot.

Once you make it back to the first level where the laity worship, you’ll be met with... more lizardmen. But not all hope is lost! Find the switch on one of the many life-size Gladia statues to open the hidden door behind the altar and proceed. The switch’s location may vary for each party.

TWO ♙

Only the clergy may enter the higher levels of the temple. Before they do, they must wash themselves in the pools of holy water that flank the entrance. These pools are so rich in mana, bathing in them will even replenish your own. As you splash around, you realize you’re not alone. Red and black lizard-like creatures emerge from the depths of the pools with eyes alight with fire and smoke blowing out of their nostrils. Looks like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed!

MONSTER ♟ Salamander
Weak against Water	Strong against Ice	Immune to Fire (except salamander fire)
In Enprise, salamanders are not amphibians, but FIRE-BREATHING reptiles the length of crocodiles. They have sticky pads on their feet that enable them to CRAWL UP WALLS and LEAP on unsuspecting victims. We hope your spars with the feathered inhabitants of Airy prepared you for this. When COOKED, a salamander’s MEAT can BURN ANYTHING that consumes it. However, it can only be cooked with SALAMANDER FIRE. It’d be wise to keep one alive to cook the rest. We suggest using the FLAME on the tip of its tail — less teeth and much safer. The SALAMANDER PARTS and MEAT may be acquired as loot.

At the other end of the room, there is a door with… teeth? That breathing sound isn’t your imagination; the door is very much alive and will chomp at anything that gets too close. Time to get creative. Behind the door is a staircase to the next level.

THREE ♙

Among the rooms on this level filled with treasures of wines, weapons, gemstones and gold is a large shrine with an imposing 20-foot tall statue of Gladia, a thick needle, pieces of cord and a scroll rolled out on a raised pedestal. Written in old Chernovian are instructions in poetry that varies for each party: Heroes must make a necklace out of the eyes of snakes and offer it to the statue. Those who did their research will be familiar with this practice: by doing this, you are giving her all your bad luck and having her bless your journey ahead.

You’ll need all the luck you can get because the moment you finish reading the scroll with your eyes, hundreds of snakes begin to slither out Gladia’s eyes, nose and mouth.

MONSTER ♟ Alfersan Snake
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to Poison
“Hissss...!” Men who were transformed into snakes by the goddess Gladia. Alfersan snakes are HOSTILE and VENOMOUS, but their powerful venom is also known to create the most potent of antidotes. Some adventurers might hate snakes more than others, but you Heroes can do this much, right? The SNAKE PARTS and VENOM can be acquired as loot.

Once the necklace is complete and offered to the statue, the statue will turn, revealing another staircase to the next level.

FOUR ♙

Men weren’t the only ones punished by Gladia. One thousand years ago, the priestess Moura grew envious of a higher member of the clergy, whom everyone preferred over the selfish, narcissistic Moura. What did that woman have that she didn’t? Consumed by these negative thoughts, Moura transformed the woman into a snake and chopped her into pieces for Gladia, praying that the goddess would hear her plea.

In an instant, Gladia answered: “All your life you have lived a lesser being, so a lesser being you shall become!” With these words, the goddess cursed Moura with a head of full of venomous snakes. Ashamed of her appearance, she locked herself up in the temple to fully devote herself to Gladia. They say that Moura lives up to this day, waiting for Gladia to grant her salvation...

As our Heroes enter a large, circular room at the top floor, they will see a desolate young woman muttering the prayers beautifully inscribed in gold leaf on the walls. Olive skin, pointed ears and amber eyes — there’s no doubt that she is Alfersa. As she raises her head and meets their eyes, she greets them with an eerie, twisted smile.

And so do the snakes in her hair.

BOSS ♟ Moura Serpente
Weak against Fire	Strong against None	Immune to Poison
“You are not from this world. … Ehehe… Ahahaha! Oh! Oh, praise Gladia!” Believing the Heroes to be her divine retribution, Moura wastes no time. At the snap of her fingers, a GIANT SERPENT crashes into the room and slithers to its master’s side. The serpent is strong and quick, and when Moura hops on its back, she is nearly untouchable. Strike its soft UNDERSIDE to get some damage in! “To deliver judgement and receive judgement — that is why I exist. I live for no one but my goddess...” The SNAKES ON HER HEAD are a deadly force on their own: they can extend, retract, and even change color according to Moura’s mood. Moura can also use them to get around. When the snakes sink their teeth into your flesh, their bite can either POISON or PETRIFY. The venom will grant its victim DIZZINESS and NAUSEA. We hope you stocked up on antidotes. The remedy for petrification, however, is A KISS ON THE LIPS. One from your true love won’t have any special effect, but that’s rather sweet of them, don’t you think? PRAYING to Gladia — even if by just talking or asking her for anything — will grant you a temporary RESISTANCE TO POISON. “Why? Why do you listen to their prayers and not mine? … Heh… Gladia did always favor the pretty ones!” If you are PRETTY, Moura with direct her rage at you and chase you down. And if everyone is pretty? She’ll take down the prettiest first. To make matters worse, swarms of ALFERSAN SNAKES begin to crawl over the Heroes to distract you and restrict your movements. Don't fret; the TORCHES in the room will help ward both snakes and Moura away. “My goddess, is this enough...?” When you deal your final strike, Moura appears unharmed. But she falls a second later, sprawled on the marble floor and looking up at the ceiling. Slowly, her eyes close and her chest stills. Is she at peace? A glowing object rises and floats above her chest — your first DUNGEON CORE. MOURA’S ARMOR and TOMES ON STATUS MAGIC may be acquired as loot.

You may exit the temple by going back the way you came or jumping out the hole Moura’s serpent made. Falling to your death won’t be a problem — the giant serpents of the temple see you as their new masters. They will catch you and let you hop off their backs once they reach the ground.

FIVE ♙

Salamanca Temple is in a secluded area, so the Airy is parked at an open meadow. Walking back involves cutting your way south across the jungle and crossing the river. We hope you brought a map and a compass! Both are available for purchase on the Airy. The Airy will leave for Caissa on the evening of the 20th. It will arrive in Caissa on the 22nd.

For those who want to explore, the jungle gets thicker as you head north until you find winding stone paths that lead to the city of Polgar.

LOCATION ♟ Polgar

Although Polgar is a city relatively untouched by Blanc’s technological advances, it remains one of the country's largest urban centers due to its TOURISM. The city is home to the ALFERSA, a matriarchal society similar to that of the Amazons, in which men are often relegated to housework and manual labor. Most Alfersa believe that machines are no replacement for good hard work and prefer to live alongside NATURE, though small clockworks and machinery do exist in certain parts of the city. TROPICAL FLORA blankets Polgar and its architecture. There are many TEMPLES and SHRINES here dedicated to Gladia, Lathyra and Oubliette, all well-kept as the Alfersa are proud of their heritage. For the gods, their faith does not waver. Some of their festivals last entire months, with the celebration moving from shrine to shrine in resplendent procession. Polgar is also a popular tropical GETAWAY; its spas, resorts, restaurants, hot springs and brothels are all well-known and high-class, staffed by beautiful men and women and catering to all preferences.

Comments

[rollin]

[ ok but who can blame him...

She didn't need to cook at home, he takes it. ]

... You can't buy just a kitchen, stupid. You gotta get the whole house.

[avantguard]

Then, I'll buy a house.

[ She's a rich girl.

Her eyes dart up from looking at the rubies and not even caring that they are close, she reaches up to pinch his cheek while tucking the large gemstone in the crook of her arm. ]

And who are you calling stupid, exactly?

[rollin]

[ He yelps and the rubies scatter on the floor in his surprise. ]

I'm sorry! I was wrong! I shouldn't call girls stupid!

[avantguard]

[ As quickly as she had pinched him, she lets go. Good boy.

Then she rubs her hand on her coat before holding the gemstone in both hands again, hefting it in her arms. Oof, it's heavy. ]

You dropped the rubies.

[rollin]

[ UH RUDE??? IS SHE SAYING HE'S A FILTHY BOY?? Well he is, but he still takes offense to that. He scowls. ]

It's cool. Um, you need help with that?

[ He wasn't going to offer, but Asuna looks like she's having trouble with the gem. ]

[avantguard]

[ They're all filthy FROM BEING IN THIS DUNGEON, fighting Lizarddudes and fire salamanders and getting singed.

Why is he offering? She looks down at the gem and then at Yata again. He's being nice... ]

Are you going to carry it for me?

[rollin]

[ hell no, animes are always clean

Just kidding. Yata definitely feels like he's done a lot of work so far though, what with looking out for Kija and his bug phobia and all... ]

Yeah. I'm gonna look for something to put it in. [ Why didn't any of them bring bags? It's something to remember for next time. ] Didja wanna get more stuff?

[avantguard]

[ Everyone looking out for Princess Kija...

She shouldn't take it. This has trap written all over it but if she takes it, she'll be able to make a ton of colle. It's just sitting in here, not being used. If she's a girl, the Alfersa shouldn't be too angry, right? Since she's a girl.

Asuna just nods a few times. Yes, she wants more stuff. In fact, she passes this gem off to him before running over to another section to hold up a GREEN VERSION OF A SIMILAR GEM. ]

I saw this earlier but I couldn't carry them both.

[rollin]

[ It doesn't work that way, Asuna... Look at Moura...

With Asuna, Yata doesn't even have time to look for a satchel. He squints at the gem, judging her. ]

What's the difference? Just get the red one.

[avantguard]

[ NO SHE'LL TURN TO STONE

Stop... judging her..... stop judging people, Yata

She lowers the gem again, frowning. ]

One is red and one is green, obviously. But that's not the point, if I take both of these I'll get double the money. And you're carrying them so you can handle them both since you're a man, right?

[ She walks over and puts the green one on top of the red one. ]

[rollin]

[ He doesn't make a sound, but he definitely feels his arms go lower. How heavy are gems supposed to be!? He'd berate her, but the man comment hits him hard. Of course he's a man. He can do this much, right? He's a man. A man...

(he's a tool) ]

But I can't carry all these with me now! How am I gonna fight?

[avantguard]

[ He might be a man (TOOL) but she just knows how to get what she wants. ]

I'll fight in your place. If you carry them, we can split the price 70-30.

[ NOT 50-50. She's looking around for more gems when she finally spots the 20ft tall statue and is now distracted. If Yata gives up and puts the gems to the side she won't notice, she walks up to look over the scroll. ]

What's this? A riddle?

[rollin]

70-30!?

[ Yata can't believe his ears. That's just unfair! Yata doesn't like the sound of people fighting for him either. It's his first dungeon! He wants to fight, too! So he tosses the green gem out tbh. Red is where it's at.

But he sets the red gem down by the pedestal so he can watch over Asuna in case things get awry. ]

... I'm no good with riddles. Can you figure it out?

[avantguard]

[ How would he react if it was blue??

Asuna hardly bats an eye at the gem being set down. She's back on track with the dungeon. Yata is next to her, and she just glances at him quickly, but doesn't shoo him off. ]

... Yeah. I think it's saying something about snake eyes. If I remember correctly, there was something about offering a necklace made of snake... eyes...

[ As she has been explaining the riddle, there's been a quiet hissing and something brushes her leg. Now that she looks up, snakes are pouring out of almost every orifice the statue has -- the eyes, mouth, nose. IT LOOKS GROSS.

Asuna goes pale and jumps back from the pedestal, drawing her sword and IMMEDIATELY STABBING THE ONE THAT WAS BY HER FOOT. ]

I-it touched me!

[ Asuna's reaction to things touching her: stabbing them ]

[rollin]

[ The snakes look like they're out to rip their faces off, so stabbing is fair. He won't judge her for that. He should be careful the next time he touches her, though. Knowing Yata, it's probably never. UNTIL MEL GETS THIRSTY AGAIN

As he concentrates his mana into his staff, Yata attempts to drive the snakes away, but the flames he expects don't manifest. Instead, he finds himself trying to shake off a snake that crawled onto his weapon. ]

Dammit! Let's just grab what we can and go! [ Because he's not making the necklace with a bunch of deadly vipers, okay. ]

[avantguard]

[ WOW YOU'RE THIRSTY TOO

Yata not judging something. That's a first.

At this point, they're pretty much getting surrounded by snakes so they're going to have to make great leaps over vipers to get to treasure. And the giant gem she had found and Yata was carrying around for her is covered in snakes now too. ]

Go where?!

[ The only way out of here is back the way they came. They have to make a necklace of snake eyes and offer it to the goddess. This is the most gross dungeon ever. It's her first dungeon. When one gets to close, she quickly stabs it in the head and steps back.

Eventually she bumps into Yata, her back pressing to his. ]

Listen! Let's just do it like we did with the bear!

[rollin]

[ RED ALERT, RED ALERT, HER BACK IS TOUCHING HIS. He momentarily freezes and burns at the same time, the heat reaching up to his shoulders.

But that might also be due to the hundred or so snakes surrounding them. He presses back and has his staff ready. ]

Um, I think that's gonna take a lot of hand-eye coordination! A-and coordination in general.

[ There are too many snakes for him to come up with a good plan, so he hopes Asuna has one. ]

[avantguard]

[ HE'S SUCH A VIRGIN

Weirdly enough, even if she's virgin and dumb most of the time too, the pressure that he puts back on her is somewhat reassuring. Maybe because they had fought together during the attack at the expo. They have each other's back. Literally, this time. ]

You have that coordination, don't you?

[ She chances a look over her shoulder. ]

You've been holding up fine against the other enemies! [ Okay, plan. A plan. She's never had to come up with plans like this. Study plans, sure. Group projects, no sweat. A fighting strategy against hundreds of snakes? Not so much.

Ah. ]

H-hey. I've got an idea. [ Maybe this will work. MAYBE. ]

Whoever can kill the most snakes will be the winner, but the loser has to carry treasure. As much as they can carry for the winner.

[ Yeah, how's that for motivation? ]

[rollin]

[ He meant coordination with her. Things have been going just fine for them so far, though. It's weird. With her, he feels confident. Safe.

She proposes a challenge, and he brushes the dirt off his nose as he gives his answer. ]

Heh! It's like you wanna lose!

[ Is this a good plan? He doesn't know. But like hell he's backing out of a challenge!

Yata used to do this trick with his aura, but can he do it now? He doesn't even give it thought — the moment he sweeps his staff near the ground, a familiar heat in his tattoo burns as flames channel through his body and into his weapon, scaring if not searing all the snakes in his path. ]

[avantguard]

[ Well, she meant that too. They were pretty damn coordinated in that dream against the tile boss and dragon gargoyles and then again when they fought the bear. The more they fight together, the more coordinated they will get.

As long as he doesn't smear dirt on his nose... ]

Yeah, right.

[ She half-snorts, half-scoffs. She's going to win. There's a small smile on her face as she stares them down. She's a competitive girl for a lot of reasons. Most of them chalked up to her pride and the hard work she puts into the things she does.

So when she sees Yata using his power and magic like it's no problem she's impressed all over again. Apparently his training has been a success. She's glad -- good for him. But she also doesn't want to get left behind.

Time to use her own weapon's ability. Her rapier takes on a special glow before she tosses it forward. Instead of having it just clatter to the ground like any NORMAL SWORD WOULD, it starts windmilling and knocking snakes away or just cutting them up. ]

[rollin]

[ He smeared the dirt on his nose. ]

Hey, no cheating!

[ It's useful objectively, but Yata doesn't see the value in letting others do all the work for him. Aren't Heroes that can take everything on their own the coolest?

Yata stabs one snake in the head with one end of the staff, then uses faster strikes, burning and breaking snakes in two as he hits the ground. It's a bloodbath, but in the heat of the competition, he barely notices.

Asuna's winning. ]

[avantguard]

[ She will LAUGH AT HIM LATER.

Maybe cool. Definitely reckless. It's not like anybody can take on this war themselves though. That's just being a moron. ]

I'm not!

[ Sword abilities are fair game!! Especially since it uses her mana. She picks up her rapier again. There's so many snakes that the floor seems like it's turned into a SNAKE CARPET. And where Asuna and Yata are fighting, there's a new path they're carving.

In the middle of it, she calls something out and tries not to breathe too hard from all this effort. ]

Fifty-three!

[ That's how many she has so far. ]

[rollin]

Wait, you were counting!? [ He lost track after like, five. Fuck!

A snake lunges at him with its fangs bared, so he blocks it with his staff but now it won't let go. Well, it takes a few shakes and a few bursts of fire. ]

Whatever, I cleaned like half the room!

1/2

[avantguard]

How else are we going to tell who's going to win!

[ Half the room isn't ANY KIND OF NUMBER. ]

Fifty-four, by the way!

[avantguard]

[ At least they're weak and pretty easy to kill. And they're not wearing loincloths so she doesn't feel like she's being SEXUALLY HARASSED. But man, this is a lot of work. Her arm is getting tired and it takes a lot of mental strength too. So..... you know.... it was just a matter of time.... before she misses one snake

that one coiling around her thigh. Nevermind, she's being sexually harassed anyway. Cool. ]

Wah! Wha-hey! No... get off! [ She's dropping her sword and trying to PRY A SNAKE OFF TIME OUT ]