DUNGEON ♛ GISELA TOWERS

[boardmaster]

GISELA TOWERS
20 MAY (VALLARIA) 2016

High in the skies, the howling winds tangled around the Gisela Towers make it difficult to hear anything. The monolithic structures believed to exist only in legend or harpy memories loom over you. The thick ropes of ivy crawling up the length of each tower is the only sign of life. Every now and then, shadow seems to pass overhead. It might just be a trick of the light.

Instead of the usual suspects, another familiar face comes forward to greet our Heroes: the devil-may-care Lei, captain and commander supreme of the Airy.

Lei Nervous that your commanders ain’t here? Don’t worry, you’re in good hands. So! Here we are at this… thing. Something something tragic romantic tale about a dragon and a phoenix. Anyway, it’s stupid and you don’t gotta know. Ask one of your commanders later or bribe me with a drink. Now for something more important— [ the winds roars loudly, muting lei’s voice. but heroes can watch his hand gestures and actions as he teaches them how to use the grappling hook: aim and shoot the gun. maybe twirl it with a fancy flourish first ] —did you get that? All right, good! I don’t have enough hooks, so you’re gonna have to share. And take good care of them, I want them back! Now get in there and clear it ASAP! I ain’t got all day to fly you all back home!

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 ♙
One does not simply walk into the Gisela Towers. The only way in is up the long and weathered staircase that wraps around the structure. However, the thing is riddled with missing steps, weak stones and slippery condensation from the cloud cover, so you’re going to need a little help. Should you attempt to climb the stairs, they will crumble beneath your feet at best and bury you beneath their rubble at worst.

This is where Lei’s newfangled(?) contraptions will come in handy! The pockmarks and small ledges created by weathering in the first tower’s structure could prove useful. There are, of course, a limited number of grappling hooks available, so you’ll have to partner up if you want your party to get anywhere. Parties of four are given two of these guns, while the poor souls with less party members get one.

Gisela’s gale-force winds will knock you around and make it seem like the towers are close to toppling over. However, as you make your way up you’ll see that the towers are actually far from abandoned.

MONSTER ♟ Ocypete
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Wind	Immune to None
Regarded as abominations of the avian world, ocypetes are BIRDS the size of horses, which would be incredibly advantageous if they had wings. The offspring of a human and a harpy, ocypetes have HUMAN ARMS that they use to scale surfaces and strong TALONS that can crush rock. They don’t fly, but they do RIDE THE WIND with the use of their long tail feathers, which possess magical wind properties and are nearly twice as long as they are tall. They would look almost elegant if they didn’t have a tendency to flap their arms while gliding. Legend has it that when the phoenix left the towers, the ocypetes were accidentally left behind because dragons plucked their wing feathers, making them look kind of funny. Now with a few millennia’s worth of abandonment issues on their semi-feathered shoulders, they’ll seek to prevent Heroes from ascending the towers by any means necessary with an odd variation of Airy MARTIAL ARTS. Their TAILFEATHERS may be acquired as loot.

What will Heroes encounter once they finally make it inside? More broken staircases, more monsters, even stronger winds blowing in from cracks in the walls and the foot of the tower (which is open to the air), and no floor whatsoever. Gisela’s Towers are hollow! The only footing to be found is on small ledges: some similar to those outside the tower, some that look more artificial; and intact sections of the stairs winding around the walls. You’ll need magic or some ingenuity to stay on your toes—literally! If you lose your grip or footing, it’s a several thousand foot drop back to Gresser. The quickest way down… and the deadliest.


TWO ♙
The treacherous and exhausting climb brings you to a more sturdy area that looks a little less like a wrecking ball just passed through and more like some kind of hive. Blocking your way are dozens of sturdy-looking nests suspended like particularly ugly balls of twine from the walls. These are home to the insectoid Aellos. Tearing the nests apart for loot is only a good idea if you want angry swarms after you.

MONSTER ♟ Aello
Weak against Fire, Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind
Aellos resemble large eagles more than the DRAGONFLIES they’re supposed to be. Mature Aellos can fly, but the flightless and fuzzier larvae are just as formidable. They can HYPNOTIZE with their dozen kaleidoscope-like eyes, rendering targets IMMOBILE but still aware of their surroundings. In order to free them, a fellow Hero must gaze deeply into their eyes for at least 15 seconds. These monsters are also able to SPIT a gelatin-like substance that will stick Heroes to any and every surface and also each other. FIRE will reduce its stickiness. The larvae use hit-and-run tactics: they hunker down in their nests, peek over the edge and launch gobs of spit. The flying aello like to drop their SPIT BOMBS from above and occasionally also release a POWDER that ruins visibility and makes you sneeze. Feeling adventurous? Why don’t you give the spit a lick? It’s actually totally EDIBLE, tastes like jello, and is filled with mana. Just be sure to heat it up so you don’t get your mouth stuck shut. Their GELATIN SPIT and INSECT PARTS may be acquired as loot.

The staircases at this altitude are in better shape than the ones you have—or haven’t—been using. That doesn’t mean they’re any less dangerous. Not only do the Aellos chase you down here; traps are hidden in the steps as well. Some may act like quicksand, trapping an unwary Hero halfway into the stone. Others are enchanted with wind spells that can toss you up in the air, the long way back down to the ground, or blow your skirt upward. There might even be some that provoke the pesky bugs even more!

This floor has flowers and trees creeping their way in from the outside and covering every inch of the place, including treacherous weaknesses in the path. Behind these overgrown plants is a mural depicting a sensual dance between a dragon and a harpy. In order to advance, at least two Heroes will have to mimic the dance painted on the walls to open the door.


THREE ♙
A barrier prevents you from progressing any further. Magic, physical attacks or sheer willpower will do nothing. To dissolve it, you must create a concoction from the random ingredients available on the table and splash it on the barrier. There is no set recipe, so trial and error and a little creativity will be your friends! Along with your trusty party Bishop, of course. (You did bring one, didn’t you?) Those not well-versed in alchemy may end up with potions that explode upon completion, splashing party members standing too close with a variety of strange side effects ranging from mild body horror to a bad case of halitosis. The unfortunate effects seem to differ from Hero to Hero, and they last for a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Once your party crosses the barrier, you will find yourselves outside. The skies are darkening, but you’re still able to discern another tower wrapped in the clouds. A bridge once connected the two structures, but most of it is missing. Use those grappling hooks!

Upon entering the second tower, a marble floor at odds with everything from the last tower will greet you. Lift your head and you’ll find that the rest of the tower is also hollow all the way up; those heights allow room for fountains and waterfalls. It’s a suitable area to replenish mana and rest. Parched throats can be quenched with the sparkling water all around you, but approach any waterfalls and they will start moving in a very unwaterlike way.

MONSTER ♟ Celaeno
Weak against Lightning	Strong against Fire, Earth	Immune to Water
Possessed by pride and cursed by the phoenix’s wrath, these dragons are nothing like the ones you encountered before. Celaeno resemble huge snakes made of water and possess ENCHANTED SCALES that float through their bodies and render them extremely RESISTANT to both magical and physical attacks. You will have to find WEAK POINTS in their protective aura. Hopefully you have a Knight or Bishop on your team to find those weaknesses as soon as possible! Each dragon’s weak points differ. Fortunately, all Celaenos go down easily once you find that soft spot. They use their long, slender tails like WATER WHIPS to knock down or douse their targets; the force of a tail may equal that of a fire hose at full blast! The only time it sheds its armor is to shapeshift into a WATER PRISON that can trap one or more enemies. Try not to attack it while a Hero is trapped inside; it will hurt your friend as well! Use STATUS EFFECTS to confuse or distract them so the prison loses shape. Their ENCHANTED SCALES, SMALL GEMS, and DRAGON WATER may be acquired as loot.

Without any stairs in sight, the way up lies in those dragons. After their defeat, their magical scales can be put together to form a boat that can ride the waterfalls upwards to the top floors.


FOUR ♙
The skies continue to change once you reach the top. Black clouds begin to close in, stray bits of land that have broken off from the main island hover nearby, and a sudden torrent of powerful mana may disorient your party. A storm is approaching.

Just as the first chunk of hail falls from the sky, a mighty roar reverberates through the darkness. Something very large lands on the walls of the tower and causes a tremor that whittles chunks from the tower and actually rolls the clouds back; is that the toll of thunder, or just more roaring?

Finally, an impressive three-headed dragon emerges from below. Once it has perched itself on the tower, one head speaks in a rumbling growl.

BOSS ♟ Tianya the Thrice-Scorned
Weak against Lightning	Strong against None	Immune to Wind, Fire
“Did that phoenix send you?! Tell her she cannot return! Not even over my dead body!” Unsurprisingly, Tianya ─the dragon once wed to the phoenix─ is more than just a legend. He lowers his heads and another loud, guttural cry fills the skies. For now, he remains STATIONARY at the top of the tower. All three heads attempt to SWALLOW a Hero whole if they get too close. Should you go on the offensive, you may be able to chop off at least one head before he’s pissed off enough to move. The fallen head writhes in agony as it moans: “It hurts… it burns…” At this point, Tianya takes flight. The strong GUSTS from those wings can launch a Hero right off the tower. Use your grappling hook(s) to play floating island hopscotch: evade devastating dive attacks and run from the MANA BEAMS shot from his mouths. “You’ll never understand! I never wanted her!” As you travel from island to island trying to get close enough to deal some real damage, Tianya hides in the CLOUDS to launch ambush attacks. Eventually, a PHOENIX descends from the heavens in a burst of fiery light. However, it’s not the phoenix of legend; it’s actually one of Tianya’s spells, and it will burn away most of your mana if any of its flames make contact. MANA EXCHANGE may be the only way to continue this battle... Once Tianya is down to one head, he will immediately rise higher into the sky. “My last words are for her and her alone.” After Tianya is defeated, the storm clears; Enprise’s twin suns shine once more. That precious DUNGEON CORE floats down, blanketed by a SINGLE LARGE FEATHER, golden and shining in the light. “It’s warm… She was always warm…” A SCORNED DRAGON HEART and a MYSTICAL PHOENIX FEATHER may be acquired as loot.

As soon as both core and feather touch the tower, an ominous rumbling and shaking begins. The Gisela Towers are falling apart and it’s now a race to escape before you’re buried under the rubble.

And don’t forget the grappling hook(s); Lei wants them back.


FIVE ♙
All that’s left of the Gisela Towers is rubble. The dungeon has been conquered, the island reclaimed, and the ruins of the old regime can now become the foundations for something new: the site of the harpies’ homecoming after hundreds of years.

LOCATION ♟ Gisela

An ancient sky island that has existed since time immemorial. What enables Gisela to RIDE THE CLOUDS may be an even greater mystery than the mechanisms powering the Airy. The island appears most frequently above Gresser, though its extraordinary altitude makes it DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. The landscape of Gisela is overgrown with JEWEL-GREEN FORESTS, crisscrossed with gorges and dotted with networks of small caverns. But its crowning glory is the THIN GLEAMING WATERFALLS that flow from its edges and into the sky beyond. The water is embraced by RAINBOWS and condenses into CLOUDS when Gisela is high enough, lending to its unusual weather patterns. Although the island initially seems largely uninhabited apart from the Gisela Towers, there is a SEALED OFF AREA that, when viewed from the air, looks suspiciously like LUSH, TILLED FIELDS. Should you ask Lei about this, he will only give you an unusually stern warning against disturbing it. Looks like you’ve solved the mystery behind the pai tiles. Now that the menacing Towers have been demolished, a variety of animal life — usually airborne — will begin to appear on the island. Some of them you’ve never seen before! The fall of the Towers also uncovered the existence of HOT SPRINGS below; newspapers speculate wildly about the source, but most agree that it must have something to do with the renewed vows between phoenix and dragon. The few structures already in place on the island have been speedily converted into BAZAARS manned by Airy harpies. Most specialize in legal alchemical gimmicks, but there’s always another side to these things. Everyone’s here to soak in the breeze, and by that we do mean everyone. In response to the tourism boom, NEW AEROPORTS have also opened in both Gisela and Gresser to provide reliable transportation between the two locations.

Comments

[showsnopiety]

[The nature is nice...when it isn't trying to kill them. There's that. It's kinda awful like that. But mostly she's been whacking things with her shawl, holding onto Sion to dear life with her legs, oh, and been attacked in various ways. Including spit.

Which she swallowed, by accident, after needing to heat it off of her mouth. (At least it was filled with mana?)

But overall, Caren is disgruntled, and just glad that she can, in fact, stand on her own two feet for a little while. But the mural...she glances between Sion and Alice. Nope, nope nope. These two would be absolutely hopeless for something like this.

So she stepped forward.]

While I do not have classical training, I am able to dance. Much of my fighting forms depend on dancing moves.

[She bows, gracefully, over her feet. Sion needs the break from all of the healing he's doing, and Alice...just needs to look the other way. Aisha and Caren have this.]

I will be depending on you, Queen of Heroes.

[It's a bit of a joke, but she hasn't forgotten what they spoke of when they met.]

[sunderings]

[ A bit of a worrier, is he? Perhaps it is true. Though Caren, Alice, and Aisha all are by far capable of carrying the full weight of their wounds, the King does not allow for any sustained injury to remain for longer than it needs to. It is second nature to him, to look after either one or many; to ensure that fun might be had to its fullest extent upon an adventure, unhindered by unnecessary pains and pangs. Aisha's exuberance is infectious, and Caren's play at humor does not go unnoticed by him (even if it should go well over his head!), leaving Sion to smile in his quiet as he clears away the overgrowth which obscures portions of the mural to reveal the entirety of its sequence.

Evocative of some emotion foreign to him, the full image of the painting is breathtaking in a way which makes his heart ache even as he falls back, eyes lambent and bright as he considers the two which have offered their talents as tribute.

But who is to be the dragon, and who is to be the phoenix? Ah, one does wonder. ]

A marriage of court dance and the rhythms of battle— [ A thoughtful hum upon his lips, he makes to stand aside, bridging the distance between himself and Alice before drawing a small parcel of mana-infused foods from the satchel at his hip, offering them to her without a word. Yes, they are hopeless, but that does not mean they cannot too be productive during the calm which they've stumbled upon. A pause for mana regen is an asset in and of itself. ] —will be a sight to behold. Of this I am convinced.

Alice and I, we too are relying upon you to secure safe passage ahead.

[digophelia]

This is absurd.

[ She doesn't see the relevancy of it, at all, and it is far too much for her modest sensibilities. What little Alice knew of dancing, it was done in special places, on special occasions. Simply breaking those rules didn't seem very modest to her, let alone the suggestive tone of it. It seemed like a giant waste of time to Alice and she had to glance away, crossing her arms to prevent herself from going off on a tangent about it.

Thank goodness she wasn't the one doing it. Alice would have been likely taught how to dance had she lived through her early teen years under the care of her parents. She wanted to learn, but not like this. Caren's comment is meant with a roll of eyes just as Alice turns on a heel, looking to already leave and stand outside somewhere. Anywhere but here. Sure, it would be a sight to behold, Alice wasn't very inclined to see it. It wasn't very lady-like and she wasn't going to go on about it being scandalous.

They would know where to find her, she would just likely be outside practicing with the sword. ]

[herplaceinthesun]

[Aisha cracks a grin at her "title", being the Queen of Heroes rather suited her. Dancing with Caren did too, though either one of the party would have been fine in one way or another. Well, maybe not Alice because she's clearly offended by something, but at this point it would have been more surprising if she hadn't been. Just makes it an audience of one instead of two, no big deal.]

Relax and enjoy the show!

[That, of course, was to Sion. To Caren, she bows, gracefully. They didn't have music, but their own natural rhythms should carry them. The whole mana thing would probably help too. Giving the mural one last glance, she takes the postion of the dragon, extending her arm to the other woman. Her posture becomes a bit more formal, though not stiff in the least.]

You can rely on me, my Lady Adviser.

[Aisha has never been in love before, knows nothing of that sensation. But she does sense that this won't work without some feeling, and what she does know is drive. The desire to reach her goal no matter what it took. It was intense, and while it didn't consume her, it did shape her life.

She looks at Caren like she's the stars, what she'd lived in a hot pursuit of for the longest time. And with that, she begins to dance.

A dragon, burning brightly, only knowing what it wants, captivated by the phoenix who remained just out of reach. Her dance is a tango and her embrace is open, allowing for her pretty bird to escape as she wishes. After all, what was a courtship that ended so easily? Once she had earned it, she'd lead and be followed.

Until then, she expected to give chase.]

[showsnopiety]

[Caren would have explained, cheerfully, about Alice and touch, that she had gotten at least. After all, she had tormented the woman lightly before, but if she doesn't want to snack and watch, her loss. Her mouth has a small smile nonetheless, faintly amused at this situation.

Normally she wouldn't be, thinking this a pain in the ass. But after body horror illusions, holding onto Sion like a baby for hours, and a hive full of evil things she set fire to, this is nothing in comparsion.

And unlike Aisha, she can draw on something before. Another chase. And thanks to the illusions, thinking of him as the dragon isn't so hard. She looks at Aisha with a heart full of desire, of empathy and understanding. Her dragon, who thinks he (she) can lure her to the ground, to hold her and be filled with her light.

So Caren lend Aisha to a chest, her feet light on the ground. This tango is leading Aisha away, teasing, offering nothing but light spins, a flash here, a flash there until....

She comes forth, and her palms move to press against Aisha's, her leg extended. No longer the chased, she pushes, teases, her lips in a smile. Testing to see how far her dragon will go.]

[sunderings]

[ Relaxing is not something which the King is often able to do (debatable, really, if he were capable of it at all, despite the veneer which he donned), but if there were any moment where he so happened to be at some semblance of ease since embarking upon their grand adventure... it would be in the here and now. For Alice has taken the parcel from his hands and will, without a doubt, take advantage of the temporary peace and quiet brought about by her leave to settle herself, meanwhile...

The Queen of Heroes and her Lady Adviser are lovely to watch, becoming embodiments of that which they hold most dear before his eyes. And though the pair remains true to the sequence illustrated by the mural, there are facets of themselves which shine through: Aisha, in pursuit of her dreams, and Caren...

Caren is softer than he has ever before seen her, the sentiment in her eyes bringing a smile to his lips.

The dragon and the phoenix, he did wish Alice had lingered to see them.

As the dance carries on, his golden eyes flit to path which Alice had taken, his feet carrying him to the great stone door which seems less forbidding now that the dance has begun, as though it had somehow awakened. There is no doubt in his mind that the construct is attuned to some memory of old, to the legend which, perhaps, is no legend at all.

(The King knows it well: the stories of old are more often true than not.)

Pressing the flat of his palm to the archway, Sion looks back to his comrades, ever-appreciative as he waits, at the ready to greet whatever it is that lingers on the other side of the doorway.

For their sake, he would always be the first line of defense. ]

[herplaceinthesun]

[In this moment, Aisha is singleminded. Caren is her focus, and their game is afoot. She'd chased, and chased, and now her... no, prey isn't the word. To the dragon, she imagines, this phoenix was something like his precious light. Their palms are touching, golden eyes are gazing at her in a wonderful, and for a moment, she lets herself be pushed about.

Only just.

She takes one arm and tucks it at the small of Caren's back, secure. Then she lifts her high off her feet in a twirl, dips her slightly at the landing. Her smile at this is gallant, self-assured in her skill, her worthiness. Aisha dares to press closer now, playful, clearly enjoying the game of pretend.

The look on her partner's face is nice. More lovely-dovey than she could ever get, but there's a charm to it. A light.

It wouldn't be too much longer until the four of them were killing again, but for now, there was this.

Going faster, pushing a little more, she holds the other's hand in hers, inviting her to be more daring. This was actually more fun than the fancy balls and putting on airs back home had been by a long shot. No real need for restraint in a world where she was the only Ctarl, after all.]

[showsnopiety]

[Sion is ignored, as is Alice. She's not surprised that the woman has taken her marbles and walked away. But she has something that she has to concentrate on, and that is her dragon, the steady presence. The very one that she has a reason to come down, and to the ground to.

The one who, in this case, helps her fly, and she bends with the dip, coming up, graceful, on her toes-and down again.

It's going faster now; she could almost hear the tempo increase. Maybe it's only the strong beat of her heart. Hand grasped in hers, she moves back, her leg high in the air-and she makes her move.

She spins into the Ctarl's arm, her hand against Aisha's cheek and....

Unless she's stopped, Aisha is getting a kiss. It looked as if there was a kiss in there after all. Or it was creative license.]

[sunderings]

[ He does not see Caren's hand upon Aisha's cheek; he does not glimpse the incline of Caren's body, pressed flush and angled up for a kiss. No, the Hero King's attention has been stolen away by a pulse of magic which stems from the doorway, electric beneath the palm of his hand and tickling his fingertips. And then, all at once, it opens, the heavy stone making way for the dragon and the phoenix, now promised to one another.

So the dance has been completed, then. ]

The way has opened. [ —Sion calls, voice echoing up the path where Alice had gone. ] And what once had diminished into legend...

[ He chances a glance back, giving pause. ]

...now lives on.

[ In Caren and Aisha both.

Now then, it is time to sally forth, carry on, and Sion disappears into the archway with only the streak of his silvered hair trailing behind him. Come along, everyone, there is no time waste...! What awaits their company now is...?

An alchemist's table, littered with supples, vials and decanters full of elixirs and solutions in various stages of refinement, all brightly hued and utterly devoid of labels alongside what could be considered more 'traditional' fare: plantlife, likely from the towers themselves, and ingredients procured from avians of all manners and sizes. ]

[herplaceinthesun]

[Aisha isn't expecting what she gets in the slightest. Caren being in her arms is nice enough, the feel of the body against hers surprising, and then she touches her cheek and... well.

It's been forever since she'd kissed anyone, let alone been the recipient. The phoenix's lips are soft, warm, and yes, of course she kisses back! Blame it on being caught up in the moment, or her refusal to be outdone, or just her curiosity. But her press of lips to Caren's is gentle yet sure, no hesitation or regret.

She enjoys it immensely.

(No real surprise the door opens.)

Once it breaks, they separate. Aisha's face is flushed, but she's fine. Pretty great, in fact.]

Were you even watching?

[Not the kissing, hopefully, but she thinks their dance was rather good. In any case, she only sounds pouty, coming behind Sion into the archway. The table isn't even something she notices, unfortunately.

No, she finds out there's a barrier by walking smackdab into the thing.]

[showsnopiety]

[It was the only way to end it, really. It's soft, warm and firm; it's not bad, as kisses go. There's zest in it, and she could enjoy it.

She could enjoy it a lot, even as she pulls out of it, and takes a small breath. Oh, she could taste Aisha a bit on her lips. Not surprising there. ]

I think he was on watch duty.

[Since Sion would have enjoyed the dancing, but he trusted them to do their best while making sure nothing attacked them. Caren strode through, her gaze sagging on the chemical set. It looks like...alchemy? She frowns at it, considering why, before she hears someone walking right into the thing.]

Aisha?

[Her head snaps up at the noise seeing Aisha...what the heck is she doing?]

[digophelia]

[ Alice wanders back in at the right moment, apparently. The satchel she took from Sion before abruptly leaving out of the room still in her hands. She is about to say she's not hungry and knows she has to force herself to eat them. It's either these or being touched and Alice will chose the latter.

It's an odd thing to eat so much after having so little to eat.

Glancing Aisha and Caren, Alice decides not to ask, remaining near the door to take a look at the painting on the wall. She thinks it's pretty and takes a bit more time to look at it, in a child-like awe before following the others. This buys her time and some distance between the others, silently taking in the sight of what lies before her.

Did they walk into a chemist's room? She hesitates, holding the satchel closer to her chest, knowing she's got a few more to try and eat to recover from the illusion. ]