pawnstorm | DUNGEON ♛ GISELA TOWERS

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DUNGEON ♛ GISELA TOWERS

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Well, they're getting nowhere fast. Adra hisses something truly filthy in Thalassian as the second celaeno makes to go for his gut, but fortunately Saber peels it off before anything dire befalls his delicate internal organs. He's casting barriers, but they're just stopgaps; they need a solution, time to think. ]

Listen, and be still. Repent, reflect, repent.

[ His blessings can supercharge mana--as he did to Gil--or they can turn that same mana to sluggish gelatin. Upon casting this spell, the celaeno slow, slow, slow--until, for a few moments, they stop entirely. Enough time to examine them for weak spots, hopefully. ]

Try to feel out their shields. It's like armor ... there's a crack somewhere.

[They need many blows, and they need them quickly. Gilgamesh watches Saber struggle to make much head way with the serpents, then looks to Adra for guidance. Which was becoming something of a habit, he realized. A leader didn't amount to much without allies to help clear and guide the way, a lesson he was beginning to learn the more time he spent in these dungeons. Still, on occasion, his usual stubbornness did prevail—just not now.

If there's a crack somewhere, it's their job to blow it up. Gilgamesh lifts his hands and summons his familiar blades of light, which hover above. But he needs more, more, more, and with a means to replenish their mana right nearby, there's absolutely no reason to hold back. He shuts his eyes, focuses, wills his mana to flow outward...

And then lets it rain swords, lances, and axes of holy magic, a callback to his now deceased Gate of Babylon. Most meet the same fate as his blade, slipping uselessly off the scales, but a few hit their mark. They pierce those tiny tracks and make them bigger, ripping into fragile bodies that are only just regaining themselves due to Adra's dampening magic. Grabbing one of their foes by the tail, he sends it crashing into its twin, now fair game for Saber to stab it cleanly through. Go for it, girl.

It shouldn't be necessary to tell her where to strike now. The gush of red that's escaping them points straight to the appropriate target.]

[ The pause in this battle is very much welcomed. While her breaths are shallow and she's heaving a bit, she has a firm grip on her chalice and sword. This is all too much for a pawn, but she at least has stamina and watches the serpentine dragons carefully. Though her shoulders are feeling heavier by the second, her pupils blow when she sees the opportunity laid for them.

The colaeno dragons are still sluggish, but are slowly composing themselves, taking back their coordination. Saber grits her teeth and starts charging over and stabbing one right in the open wound.

She is still one girl though, so it writhes and shakes violently with her holding onto her sword. It's a funny sight as she dangles around... Aside from how dangerous it is. The second colaeno watches its friend with a large hiss, but decides to go after Gilgamesh and Adra instead.

It's okay. Saber will be fine here because it's starting to still with each passing second. However, the one approaching the other two is ambitious, attempting to imprison them as quickly as possible. ]

[ Adra hears the watery hissing in his ear right before it happens. He whips 'round on his heel, a barrier spell at the ready, but that won't do any good against the sudden sphere of water surrounding him, encompassing him. His eyes widen as he's completely enveloped; he struggles, to no avail; the celaeno's body adjusts itself to accommodate Adra's vain efforts, leaving him stuck.

It is not good to be the King. ]

Light take you--

[ But then he notices: the celaeno doesn't have its armor. It's vulnerable. Now's the time to strike, no matter the consequences. He batters his prison, splashing water onto himself and the marble floor. His mouth forms the word 'Attack'. ]

[Saber's just behind him. She's struggling, he can hear her, but even if this world had taken her true strength along with his own, she remains a Servant. She remains King Arthur, the proud knight, who did everything within her power to preserve and protect her kingdom. She won't go down to some measly fish, and that's exactly why Gilgamesh trusts her to handle herself without intervention.

Right now, someone else needed him more. He'd read that Kings were more naturally prone to drawing enemy aggression, but never had he believed it before today. Gilgamesh rushes to Adra's aid, yet halts short when he sees the watery sphere. He senses what Adra cannot say, but hesitates, because he also senses this will bring harm to him, somehow. Maybe it's the way the creature seems to sneer at him, daring him to strike.

But as he trusted Saber, Adra trusts him. He seems ready to bear whatever punishment may follow; so be it. Gilgamesh honors his bravery with a brief nod, and then...]

Die.

[And then he seizes opportunity and slices the vulnerable serpent, bow to stern. It falls to pieces, uselessly. Its brother has since collapsed at Saber's feet, motionless and spilling its enchanted water and scales everywhere. But Gilgamesh refuses to look at Adra, refuses to acknowledge him at all, outside a grimace.

He refuses to look because, as soon as he killed that serpent, Adra will feel the same pain visited upon him several times over.]

Gilgamesh, be--[ Careful, is what she wants to say, but she's slammed against the ground as the celaeno writhes against the floor. Only by chance is she able to create a brief barrier to cushion the impact, but it still shakes her entire body and knocks all the air out of her. The celaeno is not doing itself any favors since the blade digs deeper into his neck and it finally relents.

She still finds strength to lift herself up, not enough to stand, but enough to turn over, prop her upper torso with her elbows digging against the marble floor, and look to see what has happened to the other dragon. Her body is aching, yet she's able to pull herself together. It's probably the adrenaline.

She's immensely worried that all of this went wrong so quickly, but here's to hoping they're all okay. ]

[ The pain is terrible. He feels the cut of Gilgamesh's sword as keenly as the celaeno did; more so, even. As its body collapses around him, he crumples to the floor, coughing blood. His vision swims with agony, and his fingers curl against the cold marble as he breathes, ragged and shallow. The air is thick, and it hurts to feel it in his burning chest. Light, he wants to pass out.

But he doesn't. He doesn't even scream. He's suffered like this before, endured pain of this caliber and worse. Blood runs in rivulets down his arms, from his bottom lip; his limbs feel ready to give way. But he won't fall here. He won't fall anywhere. ]

The Light is my strength. Through its grace, I am renewed. Through its glory, I am reborn.

[ He spits out the incantation in halting tones, his deep voice rough, fractured. But he manages. A circle of restorative power appears beneath him, glowing brighter and brighter as he talks. Once he's got the last word out, the circle releases; the power flows over him, soothing his pain, mending his wounds.

He clutches at his chest, gasping as his airways clear.

Maybe Gilgamesh won't look at him. But Adra does look, and speaks with a tired--but firm--voice. ]

Thank you.

[ And, despite all that, his hands are still aglow with holy power. He glances at Saber as she gets to her feet. ]

Come here, and I'll heal you two as well.

[Gilgamesh refuses to look. He doesn't want to see what he knows that he's done, what he had to do. But in the end, some fringes of a conscience that yet linger compel him to anyway, and the sight proves difficult to stomach. This is your fault. He was your vassal, and you failed to protect him. What was even the point of having followers if they didn't stay alive long enough to carry out your will? Part of him wishes to yell at Adra, wishes to chide him for being so weak in the first place. Part of him would deride him, would scoff at his suffering.

But that part of him quickly finds itself muffled by words of gratitude, words that he doesn't feel he rightly deserves. To think Saber attended so many in her service, and earned the respect of her peers for it. Yet it all ended in betrayal and bloodshed, and misery upon a broken hill. Her kingdom went up in flames, because she ruled her people, but could not reach them. Would it be the same for him? Would Vietnam and Setsuna also suffer because of his own failings? Maybe he really was better off by himself, so things like this wouldn't happen.

Adra has stitched his wounds and eased the pain, but some of the blood remains. Bending down, Gilgamesh takes out his handkerchief and starts to clean his arms. Dabbling along cuts still closing up, and across his lip, too. Touching along his cheek, gently, with his fingers, brushing bangs of gold out of his eyes.

It was well and good that Adra was looking after them, but it seems Gilgamesh has acknowledged that sometimes Adra require someone looking after himself.]

Thank goodness. [ It's a hushed whisper under her shaky breath, but she's so glad. While she has made decisions to sacrifice many for the good of her country, even killing those that she trusted, it doesn't make the thought of losing someone under her watch any less unbearable. While she is still a pawn, she still feels so much responsibility--maybe as second nature of a king, really. When she hears Adra's voice call for them, her elbows give way so she can lie down on the damp floor. ]

Give me a moment. [ Maybe a bit longer, actually. Eventually, she gets herself off the ground and up onto her feet. Taking her sword after a couple of pulls, she'll wobble her way over to them with a couple of pauses in between to readjust her balance. No blood, but her body has never ached like this in so long. This sucks. ]

[ Adra has been frail since birth. His bones break easily; his skin bruises with just a little pressure; he fatigues quickly. As a child, he was given to fevers that boiled hot enough to sear a nurse's skin. His constitution has improved somewhat in Enprise, given training, but he is not destined to become a great warrior, charging fearlessly into battle.

Yet, he has never thought of himself as weak. As a healer, his hands see the most blood: his own, and that of the people he cares for. As a man, he understands his own limitations, and he presses on regardless. He is not fearless, but he is relentless. He pushes past his own frailty, and he suffers, but he persists. Is it strength to never a take a hit? Or is it strength to fall and fall and fall, and still get up every single time?

Adrasteius burns himself to ashes willingly, gladly. And then--he rises. Just like so many of his people have done. Just like he will continue to do, for so long as he's able.

He doesn't resist Gilgamesh's care. In fact, he lists forward, sighing, grateful. He is not often looked after, and to be sure he never expects it. But this gentleness, this meticulous concern ... he likes it. There's something fortifying in it, beyond what magic alone can do. A feeling that he hopes he offers to others through his own work, a feeling that he rarely experiences himself.

He murmurs another word of thanks, and then reaches for Saber, worried. He would have gone to her, but his own healing is still working its way through his body, and he knows he wouldn't have made it far. Once she's close, he'll extend his long, slender fingers; he'll brush gently against her wrist. ]

The Light will provide.

[ It's his simplest chant yet, but the result is significantly more complex. Chakra patterns appear on the floor beneath them, drawing themselves into shimmering, golden focus. The perfect, concentric circles hum like a choir as they form, as Adra shuts his eyes in concentration. Healing energy flows from the chakras, as sure and rushing as the waterfalls around them, surrounding all three of them. The warm, purifying magic seeps into their bodies, deep into their bones and blood, spurring regeneration and filling them with fresh strength. It is a spell of total recovery, and though it taxes his mana to do it, it requires nothing more than the most direct, earnest statement of belief. Such is the unbreakable nature of his faith. ]

[Truthfully, thank goodness was sitting on his tongue once he notes that Adra will be just fine; as always, it's simply a matter of pride that keeps him from admitting to anything like concern. He's about to break away and search for a path forward before Adra expends further energy on their account, though he supposes Saber was in more need of it than himself. He lets the magic flow, soothingly, reminded of the time he obeyed a Master and thus drew from a similar well of restoring mana. For Servants, it's like being fed, and he partakes in it with quiet eagerness that thrums throughout his whole body.

Once Adra has finished, he'll draw the elf back to the water—this time making absolutely certain there's nothing lurking in it to interrupt them—and urge him to rest. It's then he takes the opportunity to look up, up, up, past the cresting falls, frowning at what he finds. No ledges, no bridges, no room for the hook to, well, hook onto much of anything. So how were they supposed to manage this? Even psionics couldn't push them quite that far.

His eyes trail to the enchanted scales, sticking to the spilled water like magnets. And the architect within him stirs.]

Perhaps... a craft of some kind...

[But it wouldn't exactly build itself. Already, Gilgamesh seeks how to piece the scales together, the gears of his mind turning fast.]

[ She closes her eyes as she feels everything just surge through. Her muscles that felt like they were being torn apart with every step feel replenished and there is no throbbing headache haunting her. It's soothing, something that feels familiar in certain ways yet so foreign. Still, she bows her head a bit to show her gratitude to their healer before Gilgamesh pulls him away. ]

Thank you, Adrasteius.

[ She doesn't follow after them, instead scrutinizing what's left of the beasts. The scales are scattered, but she picks one up--well, pulls it up for further examination. She has already noticed the lack of stairs and there are little footholds and gaps to use the grappling hook from when she first entered, but...

There's little they can do with what they have. It's only by chance that she meets Gilgamesh's gaze. ]

These may prove to be useful. [ In terms of crafting, at least. ]

[ He smiles weakly at Saber as he's drawn away. ]

'S what I'm here for.

[ Also, as a healer: he has a tendency to overdo it. He sits beneath the now innocuous waterfall, sighing, arching his neck back and drinking in deep. Having noticed the same issues as Gil and Saber, and having come to similar conclusions, he just nods tiredly at both of their remarks. ]

I'll leave the scale-sewing to the two of you, if it's all the same.

[ He's just gonna sit here for a bit. You kids have fun. ]

[He's looked up and he's looked down and he's come to one overarching conclusion: they're gonna need a bigger boat for this.

They're gonna need a boat to start out with. At least he has plenty of materials to use, but would this really work? It's a lot of pressure even for a King of Heroes, but he assumes the burden without complaint, gathers the scales together, and starts carving them appropriately with a knife.

Knowing Saber as he does, and thus knowing she's not the sort to sit idle, he slides her a spare knife and some scales and instructs her accordingly.]

Whittle them down. Like so. We must devise a shape that will both float and bear us at the same time.

[If he sounds skeptical, that's because he is, but as with much of this affair they haven't been left much choice. At least they'd have some quality time together.]

[ She nods to Adrasteius, obviously approving his choice in resting. He has gone through a lot and it must be extremely taxing. They can handle this!!

Yes, she isn't one to twiddly her thumbs idly. Saber follows after him and also picked up some scales along the way to be useful. At first, she watches the king, interested in how will he do this, but perks up when he passes her a knife. She holds it carefully, looking at him then down at the scale. There's some uncertainty in how it'll all work, but she sees no reason to try it.

Quiet, she only listens to him without reprisal, carving away at the scale. She does steal some glances back at the same scale to model after it before she's done. ]

Like this?

[ he's chillin

one eye open to keep watch over their work

but otherwise rooted to his nice waterfall spot

go team ]

[Thanks, Adra, you da real MVP.

But it might be true that Adra has worked the hardest out of all them so far, so this may very well be divine justice. Gilgamesh attends his work dutifully, and when Saber heralds his attention, he glances over at what she's managed thus far. Not bad, although...]

Define the curve more sharply.

[And so he takes her hand, and directs it into a steeper slope along the scale's edge. Fortunately for Saber, Gilgamesh has been distracted enough by their task that he doesn't seize an excuse to behave inappropriately. He really does act as a teacher would to a student, focused on guiding. Adra's watchful gaze might also have something to do with it, as he'd rather not get anything chucked at his head for attempting a not so subtle pass at his fellow King.

Little by little, they start to make something. Something tangible. Long, and narrow, like a canoe, but just wide enough to fit them all... hopefully.]

[ She allows this only because he's helping her--which helps the overall party. She watches the angle of the knife, power exerted, and the overall shape of the scale. There are no other words and instead she continues to work on the rest they have left. It is a rather peaceful arts and crafts time. Adra, be proud.

They have formed something that is... yes... a canoe. Made out of dragon scales. ]

I can't say I've made anything like this. [ Which is only half true. She has made small boats before. But it's time to admire their work with hands on her hips, maybe even tilting her head. It has the right shape, but it still looks strange--maybe because it's made up of dragon scales.

In a way, that spooks her. As a kind, she doesn't let it instill doubt. She takes the initiative to sit in the canoe, as if testing the waters. She looks up, looks down, to Gilgamesh, then to Adra. ]

This will do. [ Yes. ]

[ Adra judges this interaction as polite and respectful, so his spirits feel just as restored as his body when he rejoins Gil and Saber. He rubs his chin as he appraises the narrow boat, thinking back on the dungeons he's dived into in years past; the many barbaric temples and haunted castles and weird swamps. The task before them is odd, and the tool to accomplish it more so, but as a native Azerothian, Adra has a pretty high tolerance for odd shit.

So he climbs in after Saber without much hesitation. Fortunately, like her, he doesn't need much space. ]

Fine work. Let's ... set ... sail?

[ He shrugs, squinting up at the waterfalls. ]

[Fine work, indeed. Let's... set... sail... vertically... somehow. Gilgamesh was all about defying the odds and in general doing whatever the hell he wanted, but he's also very much aware that they're going to have to defy the laws of physics here. Laws which he's bound by now, for the most part, and being a natural architect meant he was more aware than most when things just weren't structurally feasible.

This canoe didn't strike him as structurally feasible, so he's about to look either really, really stupid, or really, really smart, having beaten the odds and magicked them all the way up a waterfall despite this making little to no sense whatsoever.

But Gilgamesh was nothing if not a man who owned his ridiculousness and completely failed to grasp the concept of situational irony. He drags the boat to the water and assumes the helm, uses his sword as a makeshift oar, and... deep breaths, ladies and elf folk, this is the moment of triumph...

...

...

...!

The scales, as before, attach themselves to the water by some unseen force, and start sliding the whole craft upward. Now the real challenge was holding onto it, or else onto each other, so they didn't spill out along the way. Which means whoever among you got stuck behind Gilgamesh is going to get real cozy with Gilgamesh as he inevitably slides back and anchors himself to whoever or whatever's closest. No body part will be spared in his quest to not fall to his doom like a complete idiot.

Lose for you, win for Gilgamesh, because both of you are super hot and he's totally okay with that scenario.]

[ Saber, too, understands that this is all crazy, but her eyes brighten up when this works. She doesn't say anything and only tries to hold onto the sides of the boat. You see, since Saber is smallest, she decided to sit in the front... It's Adra that's probably in between them or the back. She doesn't remember, but the point is she's holding on to the best of her ability. With her height and weight, it's easy to stay put, but she does slide down, eventually pressed against whoever behind her. She shifts forward to the best of her ability to keep distance between them.

However, she does pray that the person behind her is Adra... Please, God. It isn't even in fear of Gilgamesh doing something laviscious, just him doing something ridiculous. Actually, maybe both. She doesn't know; the man always seems to surprise her. ]

[ Well ... seeing as how Saber climbed in first, and took the front, and Adra climbed in second, and Gil, presumably, last ... that would mean Adra was positioned quite securely and unfortunately in the center.

He grips the sides of the boat for dear life once their ride begins, thinking the turbulence will be the worst of it. But that turbulence inspires his boatmates to crash backwards against him (Saber) and to unceremoniously grab him about the waist and neck (Gil). He makes a 'nngghh' sound in his throat as Gil scrabbles against him like a mountain climber fighting for purchase, but what can he do? If he resists either of them, he risks knocking them out of the boat, and that he will not do.

Fortunately, the path to the top is not so long. He can see the sky after just a few intense minutes of uncomfortable groping (Gil) and quick shifting (Saber). But the sky does not look friendly--in fact, it's nearly black with clouds, and the air starts to thicken as they rise, feeling heavy, dangerous.

Fantastic. ]

[This was, undoubtedly, not Team Blondie's most graceful moment, lovely as Adra's entire backside may feel against him. And in his hands. He may have sneaked in a few calculated gropes with said hands, okay, one can never tell what's going on in so much mayhem and sometimes fingers simply happen to lose their way and stumble into interesting crevices. Sometimes they may even do so more than once! @#$% happens, blame it on that rotten King's luck.

But their little makeshift raft carries them where they need to go, and that's what counts. So does having solid ground beneath their feet, and Gilgamesh silently thanks the gods he does not believe in that they won't have to deal with anymore roping and wrangling in this forsaken dungeon. Maybe. Probably.

Gilgamesh, being the intrepid adventurer that he is, makes it out of the boat first. He squints at the angry sky and boldly declares:]

Nothing to concern ourselves over! Just a bit of rain in store from the looks of it.

[This is immediately before a massive chunk of hail beans him on the head. And then again. And then again. And then the roaring begins.]

There is a disturbance. [ She doesn't need a higher rank to tell--mostly because there's a rumbling from the roar. It's loud. It resonates so clearly through the tower. The clouds are also starting to swirl as if something is coming. While her comrades are seemingly merry (okay, only Gilgamesh), she's glowering harshly at the weather, but her attention continuously shifts trying to find the source.

And that's when the torrent comes in, overwhelming their party in one swoop. There's little time to react since the tower is shaking viciously when something lands on the walls below them. It would be foolish to hover over the edge to get a better look--it roars again. Instantly, she unsheathes her sword and gets into proper stance. ]

Prepare yourselves.

[ Adra's too disoriented by the sudden rush of mana to fuss about the untoward way Gil had pawed at him, though he still feels a lingering sense of hands on various parts of his body. No time to dwell on it, though, because that sure is a motherfucking dragon perched right over there. An enormous, three-headed motherfucking dragon.

Adra's eyes widen as he stares at it, as he detects nothing in its expression and demeanor outside of unadulterated rage. That thing was gearing up to kill them. ]

Of course. Of course there's a damned dragon!

[ He draws his rapier, but he's looking to Gil and Saber. He's no true combatant, after all. Still, he's fought hydras before. ]

We--and by 'we', I mean 'you two'--must go for its heads. Understood?

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