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

[endoftherepublic]

[Hux, for one, doesn't mind the fact that this strange woman seems intent on Allelujah. There's more space in this chamber to maneuver, more so than with their other encounters, and he'll take full advantage of that. When the giant serpent had burst through the wall, it had knocked over quite a bit of rubble, thus providing Hux with a spot that could prove as a temporary perch. Whatever formation they had was quickly broken, anyway, so he's booking it over to the rubble and quickly finding some a broken chunk of wall to step behind.

Once there, he flicks the small switch on the side of his blaster and a moment later, the barrel extends with a mechanical whirring sound, lengthening, a triangular telescopic sight flipping up on top for Hux to use to aim. Once the transformation to sniper mode is complete, Hux rests the now elongated barrel on top of the wall, shifting the butt of the gun onto the flat of his shoulder to look down the sight.

"Kill her," Levi had said. Well, it's not a bad idea in Hux's estimation. The amount she's moving around makes aiming a bit difficult, and Hux has to be judicious with these next bullets. He's starting to run low. He lifts his head, briefly, before ducking down to readjust the gun. He waits for a moment, breathes in, and takes a shot at her head.

It's not a bad shot by any estimation. In fact, all things considered, it was a rather good one. However, as it stands, it missed her. Well. It missed where Hux was intending to hit her, really. Apparently those serpents that make up this woman's hair are intelligent enough to notice where other outside attacks are coming from, and one had whipped up into the path of the bullet, taking the hit instead of its master. It kills the serpant, sure, but unfortunately there are many more where that came from.

Hux curses under his breath as he lifts his head from the sight. Well, that didn't work.]

She's too well-guarded! If we want to get to her, we'll need to get rid of her hair first! [once they're gone, he can easily hopefully get in a good shot. But for now, if he spends all his time killing off her hair, he won't have enough bullets left to take the woman herself out.]

[convictionary]

Maybe we could trade a date with our friend here for a clear shot!

[He's not serious, but he's not the only one who heard the part about the pretty ones, right? Meanwhile, he's...joining in, doing some hacking, going for some slashing, trying to think of a plan, glad that he'd never have to do this at home, at least. (And then, a few years later, he'll be standing on the back of a dragon going, "...ah. Right.")]

Oh Gladia, can you smite our enemy for us? [Hahaha, yeah, right. (Unbeknownst to him he had a temporary resistance to poison.)] Cast divine lightning or- gods! [That was an attempt at a dropsnake just now onto his head, one which would be frantically warded away with a fucking torch (actually, not a bad idea in general.)]

[praises]

[ This could have gone a lot of ways, and naturally, it goes the way he least enjoys. In a sea of generally unenjoyable things. Moura's laughter rings to the vaulted ceiling above them, and it serves as the last warning to her sudden onslaught. Against him. Allelujah barely has time to register her proclamation before she's descended her reptilian perch to take a lunge at him that he almost doesn't avoid. ]

Our prayers? You've got this all wrong!

[ She whirls on him as an answer, her hair brandishing in a fiery flare of gold and red, taking a cut at him with the flat of her hand. No weapons, save her beasts — he immediately recognizes her fighting style as some kind of martial art. She leaps backwards, heels hitting a coil of her serpent while it attacks elsewhere, and vaults off at him as if she doesn't have to obey gravity. Almost like the Airy's inhabitants he faced off with. Her aggression rattles him, but he manages to keep pace with her attacks by what seems like sheer instinct. His heels slide back when she takes a kick at his balance, shield raising to glance her fists away from him. Moura's serpentine hair is becoming the real problem as she tries to close in on him, the independent creatures snapping their jaws at angles he can't entirely read. If Hux's missed shots are anything to go by, he's not the only one. He grits his teeth.

Allelujah still has two daggers left, but he's only raised his shield to her. Like this, shield grind him down in no time, but he doesn't immediately take the offensive against her. She lulls to momentarily lament her goddess, her unanswered prayers, taking on a melancholy blue. Allelujah stops too. ]

This... isn't right.

[ Something had happened to her to make her this way. And yet — he visibly flinches.

So what? You're going to lay down and die for this woman? Take a look around you! ]

No! That's not it!

[ Has he stopped fighting to seemingly talk to himself? That's sure what it looks like. Moura rears back to rejoin her serpent companion.

I'll do it, if you won't. Just like old times, partner.

In the stillness, he smiles. ]

[convictionary]

[And all he can think in that moment - the stillness, the fact Allelujah stopped moving, the half-moon smile cutting through the gloom like a sliver in the night, the silence is-]

Cripes, the dastard's snapped.

[Or is feeling altruistic...? Please don't sacrifice your snakeginity (he hopes) for the sake of the team, alright?]

[powerdriven]

[ They never could go down easy, could they. The same goes for Moura's pet, whom Levi can't get a decent stab at. The vulnerable parts are the most difficult to reach for a reason, it seems, and it turns out it's a good thing he'd taken to this thing's back if the way it lunges its fangs for the less-concealed Gaius is any indication. But now that it's a wash and his head's going in circles from the ride, he's not gonna waste anymore time. He rips the blade out of its back and takes to the floor again and to the rescue of his teammate, holding its jaws stuck by the force of swords that pierce its open mouth.

The serpent recoils, but only just in time for the next inconvenience. That is, Allelujah and whatever's going on with him. To be fair, the one-sided conversation does give him good reason to side with Gaius on this, but unfortunately, they can't waste time on piddling it together. That giant's coming back faster than ever and this time? The ground is going with it in a few places. ]

For fuck's sake. [ Under his breath, but not inaudible as he prepares to meet it. ] Cover him!

[ What a bad time to go totally crazy. Where he's concerned, it happens all the time. ]

[endoftherepublic]

[Well. That's one team member out. That hardly speaks well for their chances, and he's prone to agreeing with Gaius. Allelujah's current actions seem well outside the realm of a sane man. However, Levi's instructions are...odd. Why would Hux cover him? If he's lost his mental faculties, it is more efficient and safe to simply shoot him. It would be easy enough for Hux to take Allelujah out right now and save them the danger of having him possibly turn on them in his madness. Now and then they have Stormtroopers who react like this, and it's simply a matter of weeding out the impurities.

--but then, there's also a giant reptile to contend with. So while, normally, he would consider this a situation where it would be best to simply dispose of the threat within their ranks and continue their fight, in this case, perhaps it would be best to see what Allelujah might do. Hux levers the sniper back up onto his shoulder and looks down the sight, this time aiming for the snake rather than its rider. And if there's one thing he's learned while fighting all of these similar creatures, it's that the eye seems to be a very vulnerable spot.

The snake may be moving fast, but Hux is a very good shot. Breathe, exhale, pull the trigger. The shot holds true, his bullet striking the giant in the eye. The response is a loud, angry hiss as the creature jerks back in response to the pain, briefly deterred from its target, shaking its head in reaction to its now destroyed eye. It bucks and writhes, shaking the chamber around them before it swings its head, fixing its now one-eyed attention on Hux, who jerks back from his spot behind the rubble, lowering his gun, muscles tensing as he prepares to make a run for it--

The woman, however, seems to be having none of it. Far more intent on Allelujah than Hux, she's swinging the snake back around to refocus on its earlier target.

Well.

He won't complain about that.]

[hackles]

[ Don't worry, he's not the sacrificial lamb type.

Chaos seems to erupt anew now that he's not dancing around like a puppet on Moura's serpentine strings. Leave it to his other self to grow a soft spot for a monster — taking one to know know, or so the saying goes. It's all pandering bullshit anyway. Hallelujah is interested in one thing, and it's not why she's so distraught, or why she fights. It's living. Gunshots ring above him, striking her pet, though that only goes so far in drawing its attention from him. That's fine. As the serpent turns on him, striking out in a flare of anger, Hallelujah barks a laugh in response. A wild grin plays on his face, bleaching away Allelujah's sympathy and his temperance. ]

That's too bad! About your precious goddess...

[ Just before the snake reaches him, he pitches to the side and wheels back around, digging his heels in to strike back. In one movement he's slung Malakim from his arm and activated it, rearing back and heaving it at Moura. Wind howls as it flies, catching her legs as she attempts to command the serpent back around. She's dislodged from her perch and flips midair to land on her feet, but Hallelujah isn't about to let her gain the upper hand again.

One of the daggers comes sailing out of the dust and debris kicked up by Malakim, a whistle of silver. Moura dodges and Hallelujah is there to meet her, rushing forward to sling a fist at her. She blocks and his knuckles catch on the flats of her arms, sending them both skidding back, braced into a stalemate.

Hallelujah smiles down at her. ]

But I'll tell you what. [ Shoving her off, he lifts a leg to give her a solid boot backwards. ] You can pray to me instead.

[ All at once, her amber eyes blow wide, serpents bleeding to a dangerous black. How dare you. HOW DARE YOU! The priestess screams at him and lunges, prompting another bout of laughter. Hallelujah flips his last dagger in his hand, holding the flat of it to his arm. ]

No? Here I thought I was being gracious!

[ Aaaand they're off. ]

[convictionary]

[He's in the middle of doing some vaguely dramatic (but not very) things along the lines of hacking and slashing and trying to not die. That's when Hallelujah moves, with the fury of a berserker and the agility and precision of a ballet dancer.

...he's still aware that he could die so his guard doesn't drop, but there's a part of him which wishes that circumstances were different and he had a pint and a slice of cake and could just kick back and watch the show.

While he flips a dagger, Gaius takes the opportunity to catch the eye of someone who isn't Hallelujah, and very carefully mouthes the word what. What he's going what at should be obvious. Of all the people he expected to flip like that it wasn't the nice guy in this dick bouquet.]