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

[probending]

[Korra is pleasantly surprised at how quickly the lizardmen fall. She wishes she could do more, though-- not to pummel them faster, but to save them, like how she'd purified spirits. It doesn't occur to her to loot the dead. They might as well leave the lizardmen down here in the tomb they originated from, but all of this just makes her... really uncomfortable.

That said, if there's something useful, she might be okay with grabbing it. She heard armor and weapons can be made from rare materials.

She's looking for something like that when Slaine holds up the loincloth. Korra makes a face.]

Uh... ew.

[She examines the tail, and remembers...]

Are lizard tails used in medicine where you guys are from?

[nicocissistic]

[ Watching her party begin looting the corpse only brings a sick feeling to Nico's stomach. She needs 20 showers after today!!! But once she's calmed down, Nico also moves toward the bodies to check for items even if it's more for show than anything else, not wanting to actually touch the things...

The lizardmen are grotesque to look at, dead or alive, so the loincloth also earns a look of disgust equal to Korra's. Please put that down, Slaine.

She also really hopes Korra doesn't plan on taking the tail. ] A-Ah, I don't think so.. That's only in occult, right? Nothing that works.

[ Like when high school girls are crazy and want to cast a spell on the boy they like or something... ]

[bulletic]

[Admittedly, Noel is a bit hesitant about the whole looting thing herself. It's certainly not something she's used to, and frankly, it feels a bit... wrong? At the same time, they will need any possible resources if they want to clear the dungeon safely...

... except for that thing. The girl looks positively scandalized at the question.]

A-Absolutely not!

[Hear that sound? That's Noel's opinion of Slaine dropping until it hits the ground. Sure, she understands searching for useful items (since apparently things like that can be found here), but to try and take away the loincloth from a corpse... That's... That's despicable! The lowest!

─So in any case, she'll be turning to Korra to answer her question instead.]

N-No, I don't think so... Ah... B-But! Maybe they can be used in magic here?

[It's how this thing works, no? Eye of newt, toe of frog...]

[troyhard]

[ Awkward cough. ]

Ahem, Right.

[ So loss of dignity and standing aside, Slaine goes ahead and drops the dirty cloth. Then he does something just as barbaric and wipes his hands on his clothes.

Now onto more important matters at hand... ]

When I was young, I traveled to different parts of the world with my father. I recalled there's a country I visited that highly coveted dried lizards as a valuable natural remedy. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to bring one or two tails with us.

[ Since, as Noel had stated, this place is all about magic. There might be more uses for these things than they realize. They can easily cut the tails off with the weapons laying around on the floor. ]

[probending]

[So that's that. They'll bring a couple tails.] I've got this one. [She grabs the closest rusty sword and looks down at the dead man... thing. She closes her eyes, says a prayer, and then hacks off his tail.

To her surprise, there's no blood. It has regenerative properties! She folds the tail up and places it in her pack.]

They might have been human, once. [There's a lot of stale blood here, ritual circles. Maybe these cursed people... were the result.]

... Be at peace.

[bulletic]

[Okay. Okay... She can do this. Noel moves slowly towards one of the corpses, swallowing hard as she reaches for one of their weapons. Korra's comment only serves to make her feel even worse about what she's about to do, but it's in everyone's best interest... right?

The least she can do is apologize to the corpse─ or rather, the person it's likely used to be.]

I-I'm sorry... and... thank you.

[The girl inhales deeply, and finally cuts off the lizardman's tail. She hopes she can find some good use for it, if only as some kind of tribute to the dead man.]

[nicocissistic]

[ Dammit, Slaine!

Nico reflexive covers her eyes when watching Korra and Noel go at it, but even Nico can't help but feel a little bad for only focusing on the appearance of the lizard-men. If what Korra says is true... ]

D-Do you really think... they might have been human?

[ Her voice is small, and she regrets the question as soon as it comes out of her mouth, so her head searches around for any sort of swift topic change no matter what the answer is. ] Let's just go. [ Smooth. ]

[troyhard]

[ Once they figure out how to take advantage of these tails, Nico will be thanking Slaine. Maybe.... or not.

For someone who couldn't even watch the tail removal, she did ask a very heavy question to a very dark topic. Even Slaine, who's immediate reaction was to search their dead bodies and suggested to take their tails, had to grimace at the thought.

If this transformation was forced upon them, they might have done these men a favor by putting them out of their misery. He doesn't say this out loud in case it sounded as if he was disrespecting the dead. There's always a... disturbing chance that the men wanted to become like this. ]

Yes, we've taken what we needed. We should keep going in case more might come.

[ The sound of battle will attract more enemies. If these lizardmen had any sense of comradeship among them, they'll be eager to avenge the dead. ]

sorry, i was sick last night, good to go now!

[probending]

We might never know for sure. [She wipes her gauntlets on her pants, having opted for those instead of the standard skirt. At least it's relatively bloodless. She gingerly steps around the bodies and avoids another ritual circle.]

There's... something up ahead. Statues?

no worries! hope you feel better now

[bulletic]

[Noel only lowers her head, not having much to add on that subject. In fact, she probably just doesn't want to. Nothing she will say or do could change the outcome, which only leads her to feel helpless. But there's no time for that right now, so the girl shakes her head at her own thoughts, puts the tail in her pack and quietly follows the others.

As they arrive at what appears to be the end of the corridor, Noel looks around in search of some other route. Indeed, they seem to be surrounded by numerous statues. Is that... some kind of an altar? The thought makes a shiver run down her spine─ she doesn't... have fond memories of things like that.]

Does... Does that mean we're back where we started?

[She takes a step forward, but immediately comes to halt when she catches some movement with the corner of her eye.]

Look out!

[The girl draws her gun, spinning around to face a lizardman that jumps out from behind one of the statues. A quick round of shots takes him down, but more are approaching...]

[nicocissistic]

Eeek!

[ At the first sign of danger Nico does what she does best, which is run and hide, although she finally gives her mirror some use. After blasting her face with light the first time, she's learned to never use this as a vanity set. Eyes squeezed shut, she points her mirror in direction of the lizardmen, quickly hiding after a concentrated beam of light shoots out. Hopefully she didn't miss, and that will buy them time. ]

We're dead... we're dead. [ But she's understandably not confident at all, trying to make herself as small as possible behind one of the many statues. The switch? She accidentally hits while trying to peek out from behind, and she panics while the door rumbles open until she realizes she totally did a good thing. There's a door, they can run.

So yeah, she totally meant to do that. ]

Let's get out of here!

[troyhard]

[ The moment Noel alerts everyone of the lizardmen again, Slaine is quick to brandish out his book. The numbers seemed to be much larger this time, and he finds himself having trouble fending off so many enemies even with the aid of his allies. Sometimes, the lizardmen even manage to dodge his wind magic making things even more difficult. It's becoming more evident that he's wasting too much mana.

Ironically, Nico's instincts to hide is what ends up saving them from a sticky situation. ]

Great job, Nico!

[ Mainly out of chivalry, he allows the girls to pass through the door before he follows after them. The doors begin to rumble again as they slowly begin to close. To make sure that none of the lizardmen can slip through and follow them, Slaine fires one last gust of wind to knock them back. ]

[probending]

[The sound of stone grinding against stone catches Korra's attention mid-fight, and she realizes that it wouldn't have been possible without the smallest member of their group. She grins.] A way out! Nice job!

[Along with Slaine, Korra covers the group's escape. Anyone who manages to slip past the magic being thrown around gets a fist to the face. At last they're able to exit the room, free of pursuit, with only the next floor ahead of them.

Korra adjusts her gauntlets and takes point. As they enter the next room, they appear to be surrounded by pools of water, incredibly inviting. She wishes she had her bending right about now. She walks out a little bit, scanning for any signs of enemies, but she can't find any.

She inspects one of the pools herself, slipping her hands in; the feeling of being rejuvenated shocks her into a remark.]

It's healing water!

[bulletic]

[Once the hidden door opens, Noel doesn't waste her time and immediately follows her comrades to the next room. And not too soon─ they've already been struggling against the incoming army of opponents, so if the battle lasted a little longer, they could have easily become overwhelmed.

This new area seems to be safe, though, at least for now. They can take a small break, so the girl turns to Nico with a smile.]

You really saved us... thank you!

[When Korra discovers the healing properties of the water here, Noel rushes to one of the pools herself and cautiously touches the surface with her fingers to test it. It turns out to be refreshing, perhaps more than any water should have the right to be.]

That's true! It feels really good, too...

[nicocissistic]

[ Oh gosh, Noel don't thank her she's embarrassed. Actually, thank her more because she lives off of praise. Slaine and Korra saying that she did a good job already made her feel more important. But praise isn't easy to come by so when she's actually being thanked directly Nico just glances off to the side, cheeks tinted pink, before adopting a more haughty tone. ]

O-O-Of course! Nico is doing her best too, Nico-Ni! [ SMOOTH...

But she's immensely glad for the water as well, quick to splash some on her face to get any grime and dirt off of her. Maybe she can save her skirt too... ]

Now this is more like it.

[troyhard]

[ A pool of water with healing properties sounds really heavenly to him right now. Slaine is quick to take advantage of it, desperately needing to replenish his mana after that last adventure. ]

T-this water feels amazing...!

[ It's almost completely tempting to submerge his entire head into the water. But what's stopping him? As Slaine leans over towards the water, it begins to bubble. Suddenly, multiple red and black lizards begin to leap out of the pools! ]

W-whoa...!

[ It immediately causes Slaine to scramble away from the spot. He hastily backs up many lizards come crawling towards them. They seemed almost harmless until they start breathing fire. Between these guys and the lizardmen, which one seemed worse? ]

[probending]

[Korra's already completely in the water. She practically lived in the water-- there's no holding her back once she's near it. She senses they're not alone too late; Slaine's already sounded the alarm.

Up Korra goes. She can't cheat with her waterbending like she usually does, so it's less of a graceful motion than usual, but she manages to punch a salamander in the face. It goes flying... but there's more salamanders coming.]

Group up! Now! [She just can't get out of the water fast enough. She's one foot out, one foot still in the pool when a lizard drops from the ceiling and pins her to the floor.]