DUNGEON ♛ LIEFSTE CARNAVAL

[boardmaster]

LIEFSTE CARNAVAL
20 JULY (DELPHINE) 2016

The Heroes chosen for this dungeon may reach Petrosian by any means they choose (by Airy with passports, by foot, by train, etc.) but they must travel to the area under suspicion by a smaller train, sponsored by VIPs; from there, they will take the fifteen mile, bumpy ride from the quaint town station to an open valley downstream. As you’re jostled around in your seat, a cheery announcement informs you that this train ride was sponsored by the illustrious Ryder, who felt it was necessary to express his gratitude to the Heroes and their admirable efforts that just barely saved his life last month. How thoughtful of him.

As the train chugs to a stop, beyond the forest and behind our Heroes, endless fields of gold seem to stretch out as far as the eye can see. What was once rich green grass has been painted yellow by the sweltering heat and clear summer sky. Few trees offer shelter from the sun, but most Heroes will have to provide their own shade as they wait for Secretary Verdoni and Ryder’s quick debriefing.

	Verdoni [ he looks so done with Ryder, but he has a job to do ] Every year, this field serves as the site of the famous Liefste Carnaval. For obvious reasons, we do not usually spend money to send our forces here, and if anyone would like to convince me otherwise, I shall have them entertain their fellow rapscallions at St. Amant.
	Ryder [ coughs ]
	Verdoni [ shut up ] However, due to financial constraints and missing people reports in the area, the carnival was canceled. And yet it is here. We have reason to believe that the reports of missing individuals tie into this carnival. Furthermore, our researchers say there is an abnormal amount of mana activity in the area. Given your previous experience with those, I don’t believe I need to elaborate any further. Your job is to investigate the carnival, find the truth behind it, and retrieve the dungeon core. As for your transportation, we’ve arranged a—
	Ryder Thank you, Secretary. Heroes. Out of gratitude for your heroic rescue, the least I could do was provide some incentive to fetch me a souvenir. This train, the Big Red, was built by one of Gammon’s finest mechanics. I had it shipped here under great expense so that you could enjoy the luxury of Gammon. I hope you Heroes are fortunate enough to visit my land soon. [ and as an afterthought: ] Ah, and rescue those people. Of course. By the way, this weather is absolutely dreadful. My skin was never this dry back in Cochrane. Guard A, Guard B, set up camp. We don’t want to faint from the heat later, do we?
	Verdoni [ why is this guy even here ] To answer the question on everyone’s minds: yes, there is a point to collecting these dungeon cores. Apart from restoring natural order to the land, we have reason to believe the dungeon cores may hold the key to finding a way home for you Heroes... Once we have proper confirmation, I will soon be able to make a formal announcement. Secondly, yes, Commander Lisbrand is still recovering from the Noir attack. We are hoping that she’ll be well enough to join us soon. For now, we do what we can.

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 ♙
Welcome to the Liefste Carnaval! Don’t be shy, come on in!

There’s nothing of note when you approach the carnival’s entrance. The hustle and bustle of any other fun-filled festival can be heard from the outside, complete with excited shouts and distant music. The smell of popcorn and other saccharine treats waft over and make your mouth water…

Before you satisfy your cravings, you should get a ticket. You’ll be greeted by a vaguely humanoid ticket seller entirely covered in confetti and pieces of torn tickets, with a rattling breath as if it caught a cold. It doesn’t speak and merely points to a sign that says 500 colle per person! What? Not everything comes for free. An item of similar value will also suffice.

If you refuse to pay and shoulder your way past it, you’ll find yourself shoved onto your back, face to face with the ticket seller himself. The bits of paper on its face rustle before it shuffles back over to the stand. Try again and you’ll find yourself getting further and further away from the entrance as a minor curse begins to settle upon you. You may come up with your own curse (e.g. loss of voice, speaking in gibberish). Thankfully, the curse doesn’t last long, but the message should be clear: pay for your ticket.

Once you have acquired your ticket, you are free to enter the carnival at your leisure. Should you turn around to ask the ticket seller for more information, it will vanish into thin air, leaving nothing but a small heap of confetti.

Walk past the first booth; a gaggle of happy children with balloons approach you with boxes of welcoming gifts. Though you might want to remember what all children are taught: don’t take candy from strangers.

MONSTER ♟ Wicht
Weak against Fire, Holy	Strong against None	Immune to Dark
A demon possessing a wooden puppet painted and carved in the form of a happy child with rosy cheeks. It offers BOXES OF CHOCOLATE to unsuspecting victims. Be warned: the chocolate will give you CHILLS AND MALAISE, and eating it will prompt fellow Wichts to link their hands together and circle around you as they chant RING AROUND THE ROSIE. This is not an innocent game, but a spell that accelerates the progression of the disease inside you, manifesting in RASHES, FEVER, SNEEZING AND COUGHING. The Wichts have no sympathy to spare; they’ll keep chanting ‘til you all fall down! Don’t feel like chocolate today? Oh, the Wichts insist. As they shove their boxes at you, their giggles turn into maniacal laughter. Their cherubic features melt into something sharper, harder, and you barely have time to react before they try to rip your heart out with their SHARP CLAWS. Catching Wichts is not easy. They use the wind magic of their BALLOONS to fly out of harm’s way, and the more mischievous ones will inhale the helium inside to release BANSHEE-LIKE SCREAMS that will stun and knock your party back. You can eliminate these demons by any means, but defeating these wooden puppets with HOLY MAGIC will banish the demonic spirit inside them, rendering them lifeless with the angelic features they originally had. These Petrosian-style puppets show really good craftsmanship! DROPS: Colorful Balloons, Gift Boxes, Petrosian Puppets, Wicht Claws, Mana-infused Wood

Suddenly, the cheerful and festive atmosphere vanishes. A flag flutters against a strong, abrupt gust of wind. Shadows seem to whisper and point and watch with gleaming, uncountable eyes. The paths are deserted and what was a vibrant place full of life is now anything but.


TWO ♙
In the chocolate box of the first Wicht you defeat, you will find a hand-drawn map of the carnival. It is extremely detailed and meticulously labeled with every ride, shop, and sideshow. Does this cartographer have a perfectionist streak? There’s a crudely-painted red heart circling one attraction in particular: the tunnel of love. But from the way the color dried, you’re starting to think that’s not paint…

Before you reach the tunnel of love, you have to pass through game stalls and the haunted house. Move quickly; those familiar Wicht giggles are approaching and they will not take no for an answer. Hide behind stalls or large crates to avoid them. Perhaps Rooks or Illusion Queens can cover the party’s tracks!

If you choose to hide behind stalls and crates, a cold draft might hit your back, send a shiver down your spine and make you whirl around to confront—no one. But you could have sworn you saw a shadow in the corner of your eye… Before you can think, something too close for comfort bursts into hysterical laughter, attracting the attention of the Wichts and forcing you to abandon your shelter.

However, Wichts can’t touch you if you join in the fun, and the carnival offers a variety of games to play, from dime pitch games to shooting galleries. A man next to a strongman game might even holler at you to step right up and test your strength. Neither firearms, ammo or hammers will be provided, but you’re Heroes, right? Improvise! Win, and you’ll be greeted by...

MONSTER ♟ Steun
Weak against Holy	Strong against Dark	Immune to None
Carnival staff manning the stalls with smiles that will haunt your nightmares. People who win their games infuriate them! Their weapon of choice depends on where you find them. Food vendors will be eager to hurl BOILING OIL or throw an entire GRILL at your face, while those at the shooting galleries might come at you with FIREARMS—real ones! But sometimes, a bullet won’t kill you. Instead, it will make you smell like cotton candy. It will also cast CHARM MAGIC on you, making your party members fall in love with you. Only strong willpower can break the spell… or you know, a good, old-fashioned kiss. Staff members may also toss stuffed toys at you, but these cute and cuddly things aren’t a gift of goodwill. They’re enchanted grenades that explode into heart-shaped confetti and release a gas that will make you LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY for a good five minutes. DROPS: Assorted Guns and Bullets, Carnival Food Items, Stuffed Toys, Carnival Staff Jacket

Glad that’s over! Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the last area you needed to traverse. Checking the map again reveals that the haunted house is up next. But that shouldn’t be a big deal; you can usually avoid those by simply walking past, right?

Wrong. As you enter the area, you’ll soon realize that the roads around the house are clogged up by cotton candy and popcorn which might serve as convenient snacks to replenish your mana. The only free path leads to the front door.


THREE ♙
The floorboards creak as your party enters the haunted house. A flash of lightning preceding a crack of thunder reveals a large, arachnid leg. Clicking noises of pincers are the only warnings Heroes get before your party is grabbed and hauled upwards, one by one. Tough strings like silk trap your bodies in a tight cocoon that dangles from the ceiling. Resistance is futile, as struggling will damage your clothes. Don’t worry about flashing anyone; the spider is more than happy to cover your bare areas with more form-hugging strings. The spider silk seems to be enchanted, since captured Heroes cannot escape on their own. You must help them to proceed!

As the spider works on hauling its prey upwards, the others must rescue their comrade before it’s too late! Unfortunately, your entrance has awoken a sudden rush of monsters, and the blood and drool they’re spewing make it hard to believe they’re in costume. Hobbling and groaning zombies, scarecrows and half molten blobs or something in between are eager to have you for dinner themselves. The enemies themselves are not particularly dangerous; it’s their sheer number and the furniture they’ve knocked over which make this fight a pain in the neck. Kick and bat and suplex your way through the enemy ranks until you reach the rickety stairs.

Climbing with care, you finally make your way to the second floor. There is a spider lurking in a corner...

MONSTER ♟ Heer Spinnekop
Weak against Water	Strong against Earth, Wind	Immune to Lightning
“I must say, that was very rude of you. No one has ever turned down an invitation to my tea parties.” A calm and chipper tea-sipping, monocle-wearing SPIDER too big to fit through the front door. The wealthy Lord Spinnekop studied in Gammon for a time and the accent has stuck with him ever since. Despite his manners, he isn’t too pleased to have his snack stolen from under its nose. What’s he going to dunk in his tea cup now? So he’ll try to trap the Heroes once more with his SILK THREADS, please and thank you. His threads will wrap around you in patterns that bind and appeal to the senses. “Ooh, could you do that again? It makes my spinneret tingle!” For some reason, LIGHTNING MAGIC doesn’t work against the monstrous spider. But continue to refuse him and he’ll splash piping hot Gammonian Breakfast tea at your face… or shirt. Let’s hope you didn’t wear something thin and white. As the battle goes on, he’ll crawl from corner to corner, and soon, you’ll notice a method to his madness: he’s been weaving a HUGE, STICKY WEB for you all! “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ll wash you down—after I chew and swallow!” Heroes he likes, he’ll trap in his web and eat. Heroes he doesn’t? He’ll toss them in a giant KETTLE of water he’s been boiling in the kitchen! How does Heroic tea sound? However, chatting with the spider (and boy, does he love to chat) will reveal that despite growing up in the lowlands of Petrosian and living in rainy Gammon, he detests water. WATER MAGIC might just wash the spider out! DROPS: Fancy Tea Set, Top Hat, Monocle, Gentleman’s Gloves, Silk Threads

You’ve had it with this @#$%ing spider in this @#%$ing haunted house! Goodbye and good riddance. The doors upstairs seem to lead to nowhere so you’ll have to climb through the open hatch in the ceiling to exit. On the roof, you can finally survey the entire dungeon, but don’t linger for too long. Otherwise, you’ll be compelled to jump off the roof!

Hope you’re not afraid of heights, because the only way to advance to the tunnel of love is by jumping from roof to roof.


FOUR ♙
Finally, the infamous tunnel of love rests before you in all its glittery, pink glory. Rose petals coat the sign and flower chains hang from the tunnel ceiling. Echoes of sensual moans can be heard from the outside, but there’s no turning back. Once you’ve secured yourself a swan boat, you’re in for quite the joyride. The dulcet tones of a romantic serenade give you something else to focus on other than the disturbingly intimate shadows on the walls, but even the music stops every now and then to amplify the voices further in.

Then all of a sudden, the water of the tunnel starts flowing in the other direction. Due to the shape of the boat, Heroes get doused in cold water, and that’s the least of your problems. More Steuns will come out of the woodwork and take potshots at the Heroes with their guns. Talk about wet and wild! The tunnel’s heart-shaped props might also come to life and attempt to drown Heroes. Why not? It’s not like couples ever want to leave.

After several merry minutes, the water will be drained out completely. Who doesn’t enjoy being stranded in the middle of enemy territory? As you walk down the tunnel, there’s a point that diverges into several paths. Following the path that smells like roses will appear to put you on the right track, but leads to a dead end. Looking around, you’ll find a raised, heart-shaped platform with graffiti that says, NOW DO IT! ❤

That’s awfully specific. Considering where you are, you probably meet the riddle with mild surprise. Maybe if you try to kiss someone, you’ll be able to advance! But actually, if you wait long enough, a simple hug might yet suffice.

Once the riddle has been satisfied, the wall opens to reveal the inside of a circus tent. Vacant bleachers surround the stage, and though they are empty, deafening cheers seem to come from people filling the seats. Without warning, all the lights go out, save for a single spotlight...

BOSS ♟ Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his Circus
Weak against None	Strong against Fire	Immune to Dark, Status Effects
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the best show in the world! I’ve travelled the seven seas, so I should know.” An outstanding and prolific RINGMASTER who recently fell out of the limelight. After some soul searching, Ser Lyon’s back with a bigger and better show that’ll knock everyone’s socks off! Eat your heart out, Cirque du Etoile. As the leader of this circus, he has the fully loyalty of his performers—and pets. With a crack of his whip, he summons large, maned LIONS that growl as they bare their sharp, white fangs. They attack the Heroes on his orders. Don’t let the large felines jump through those flaming hoops, as these will ENGULF THEM IN FIRE, too! Use WATER to put the flames out. ”Such teamwork… Geluk and I were the same. Why am I thinking about him at a time like this? For our next act…!” Should you defeat his precious lions, he will send out his beloved CIRCUS PERFORMERS: acrobats that can kick your butt, contortionists that can bend themselves twice over as they lock you in a CHOKEHOLD, unicycle-riding jugglers waiting for the right moment to toss you a KNIFE or MOLOTOV COCKTAIL, and tightrope walkers ready to DROP DEADLY SPEARS onto unsuspecting Heroes. You might even get tackled by the occasional cannonball man and GET LAUNCHED OUT OF THE TENT with him! Circus performers of all kinds will try to steal the show, and your imagination’s the limit. Unlike the ringmaster, these people are WEAK TO STATUS EFFECTS. ”He told me to meet him during the Festivale de la Ceinturonne, but I had a show that night. I couldn’t abandon my circus! That was years ago… I haven’t heard from him since. I wonder what would have happened… if I had gone to see him… If I had gone to see him…!” Although his stars are gone, the show must go on. As the drum rolls, the lone Ser Lyon reaches inside his mouth to pull out a sharp SWORD with a flourish. How long has that been in there? Not important. Forget about admiring his top-notch swordsmanship, too—he’s here to kill! Even as you keep your distance, you can’t escape him when he strikes you with his WHIP and singes your skin with his FIRE-BREATHING SKILLS. From time to time, he pulls MAGICAL BIRDS out of his coat to distract Heroes. They will disappear the moment you strike them. ”Bravo, bravo. The circus is my life, but… your teamwork has reminded me of something far more important. Still… we put on a good show, didn’t we?” Before his last breath, he pulls a lovespur out of thin air. It was his closest friend’s favorite magic trick. A DUNGEON CORE rises from his chest, and he ends the show with an elegant bow and a smile. DROPS: Ringmaster Staff, Ringmaster Coat, Lion Mane, Juggling Balls, Sword, Hoop, Balance Pole, Torches

Once Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his lackeys have been defeated, the phantom cheering cuts off. The bleachers are suddenly occupied by the missing Petrosians, exhausted and confused as to how they ended up here. The dungeon magic appears to have compelled them to act the way they did. Reassure them, help them down from the bleachers and make absolutely sure you leave no one behind.

Soon, the carnival gates open. The show is over and it’s time for everyone to go home.


FIVE ♙
Once you step out of the gates, there’s a flash of light and a final pop of confetti. The next time you blink, you’ll find yourself in a campsite. It seems like Ryder kept his word and set up a rest stop for everyone exiting the dungeon. You’re back in one piece and the area seems to be back to normal as well. Relieved murmurs spring up from the rescued Petrosians who are quick to thank the Heroes profusely before they are whisked away by Blanc’s medics for a check-up.

Verdoni Good work, Heroes. What you do with the dungeon cores is your business alone, but all efforts to assist us in assessing them will be appreciated. That includes providing us with said dungeon cores, of course. I will report our findings as soon as we can. Thank you.

As he leaves, he catches the sight of Ryder and clicks his tongue. That Gammonian is making good use of his human footrest again. Some things never change.

Now that Heroes have left the dungeon, they are free to do whatever they want to. Rest in the tents? Fill your rumbling tummies? Treat injuries? It’s up to them!

Comments

Team Please Talk More (Shin-Ah, Sync, One)

[twosidedsword]

[No really who put this team together...]

Puppets!

[twosidedsword]

[Shin-Ah...isn't sure what to do with these chocolates. Normally he might just eat them but as of right now he has a feeling that would be a bad idea. Call it a hunch. Already this entire situation is strange from the need to pay to get in (he did without thinking about it) to how creepy everything is. And now he has a box of chocolates that look appealing but he's pretty sure he shouldn't consume.

So he looks at his teammates then looks back at them. The fact that he's not eating doesn't seem to be what he's supposed to do though. The creatures are certainly drawing closer to him because of it and he unsheathes his sword.

This does not look good.]

[fifthreplacement]

[Paying to get into a dungeon of all things is weird as it is, but whatever. Fighting with the ticket keeper wasn't the reason for being here, so Sync had paid for it with some of the money he'd gotten. He had a feeling he was going to have to give in and do more of the job things around...

While he looks unarmed, the gloves he wears definitely aren't part of the Hero uniform, and the trim glows a faint green as the creatures approach, apparently displeased by the lack of chocolate eating. Sync doesn't care much for sweets, so he hadn't taken any, to the creatures displeasure]

Tch... [He steps closer to where Shin-Ah is, ready to back the other up if the weird things attack]

[querella]

[ This dungeon... for once One had little of a preset opinion, as she had with others because of how similar they were to places found within her world. But a carnival? There hadn't been such a thing in Midgard - or, at least, that she recalled from her short life. It does bother her greatly, though, the unfamiliarity of the situation.

Her gloved fingers curled over her weapon. The chain attached to the ornate chakram jangled as the small knight eased the weapon off the harness she wore. Crimson eyes narrowed in displeasure as the odd creatures began to edge forward, obviously displeased that none in her entourage seemed to care for the sweet gift.

One glanced to the others, remaining somewhat apart from them. ]

Troublesome.

[twosidedsword]

[Shin-Ah cuts through one of them before he has to dodge away from the other. Currently they do appear to be rather focused on him since he does have one of the boxes. Of course, they're not thrilled with the other two for having refused boxes themselves.

Spinning out of reach, he moves closer to his teammates since fighting as a group will be better than fighting alone. At least that is his experience.

He does see one about to use wind magic though and reaches out a hand to take the spell into himself. Wind. It's wind magic. He destroys it soon after because it seems a better use of it than to throw it back right now.]

[fifthreplacement]

[More of the doll-like creatures are closing in, and he has to be thankful for a moment that they aren't the size of Anise's one. He's had enough of being punched into the ground by that thing for one lifetime.

Still. A pair of them attack, claws sharp and threatening to slice whatever they can reach. Sync dodges them both, striking out at the second as it passes with a solid punch. He might not be a Knight (yet) but the doll still doesn't like taking that kind of hit. It'll be faster taking them down with a sharp weapon, seeing if he can keep the pair's attention on him while leaving them distracted to the other two]

[querella]

[ Fingers curled around the chakram's chain, gloves slightly catching over the nearly smooth links. Her other hand lifted the circular weapon. lifting it above her shoulder. If she angled her next move just right, she could hopefully throw it forward and direct it in a downward arc without interfering with her companions. It was worth a shot, and had proven simple enough previously. But her prior teammates had prior knowledge of her attack pattern.

The Intoner glanced at the puppet-like beings, glancing over their nearly wooden appearance. Strike the throat and remove the head, that would hopefully finish them off quickly. If she could make it work, that is. Stepping forward with the grace of a dancer, One threw the sharp edged ornate weapon forward. Her fingers curled tight over the chain, directing the weapon's trajectory.

The weapon split the air, catching one of the annoying puppet's claws as it slipped just out of reach. Crimson eyes lifted to the balloons it held, lips curling in a snarl. ]

Remove their balloons.

[twosidedsword]

[He doesn't know what a balloon is but he assumes it's the things he's dealing with already? The round ones? Anyway, he specializes in wind magic and is using that to his advantage to get a feel for when the puppets will use it and destroying it before they can fly away or scream at them. It means that he's quite busy and the other two have to do most of the smashing them in the face business but at least this is a start.

Breathing deep, he finally just sheathes his sword to make it easier for him to use his mana. He's always found that hand gestures are the easiest for him. Certainly easier than chanting spells!

Of course being unable to escape certainly doesn't please the puppets. It's like these Heroes are cheating! No fair! No fair!]

[fifthreplacement]

[If there's one thing Sync is good at, it's adjusting to how his allies fight. Fighting around someone firing long-distance shots or spells isn't uncommon. If One will be fighting at a distance and Shin-Ah will be dealing with the balloons, then he'll simply help with the beating in of puppet faces.

His own weapon's ability won't be useful here, the glow along the glove's trim fading out, instead just using his strength to punch and kick at the dolls that get grounded. Sync's far faster than the them, which also doubles as a bonus to get out of the way of the chakram as it flies by him.

Sorry puppets, this might not be your day]

[querella]

[ For once, One was officially pleased with her team. Their silence let her focus on other, important sounds. And they seemed to sync rather well. With them she needn't vocalize her plans and thoughts as often as she had with previous teams.

With care, One swung her weapon around, twisting with it. It was always the closest she felt to her true self, to the Flower that had given her form and shape. She carved through one of the puppets. The blade sinking, carving, rending it's flesh asunder. As a Knight, her strength was terrifying, as a Dark Knight she saw the mana flowing through these beings as a blurry mess. She sought to carve out those patterns with the sharp edge of her blade. ]

[twosidedsword]

[When he has the chance, he plants the flag that he has with him. Doing so causes all of them to have protection from these banshee cries due to it being wind magic. For a time they can be sure that they are all protected from any wind magic these creatures attempt and it even helps him to concentrate more.

Catching one of the cries, he turns it into a spear that he throws back to pop more of the balloons and even spear some of the puppets. They fall to the ground, breaking as they hit.

Looking around, he takes in how many are left then starts looking for a place for them to escape to. Because in the end? This is simply going to be too much for them. He knows that.

Dropping the candies finally to have his other hand, he notices something fall out of the box and quickly snatches it up to put in his pocket. They can look at that when they're not in the middle of fighting.]

[fifthreplacement]

[It's not the first time he's seen a Knight flag, but it is the first time he's seen the buffing effect it can have. Useful, he doesn't have to worry as much about the possible incoming magic.

While the puppets are falling, it's also true that spending time here is more a drain than useful]

We need to keep moving. [A call at the other two, checking that they're with him on this. He'd fight more of the puppets if they wished to, but it'd be a better use to time moving onwards and getting away from them]

[querella]

[ The boy had a point. They were lingering far too long in one area. They needed to move on in a timely fashion, to sweep past these annoying pests and onward deeper into this circus. ]

I will cover you.

[ The bite of her words, the sharp tone leaves little in the way of room to fight. Or, at least, it should. One has only known her sisters who complied with her, and in the past she had rarely fought against those in her teams.

She shifts her stance once more, knees bending and fingers drawing in the wide blade of her weapon. She will run when they run, if they run, and she will use her speed to her advantage. She is a dancer, after all, relying heavily on fluid movements. ]

[twosidedsword]

[Shin-Ah knows that she says she'll cover them but he's the one with the flag. So finally he reaches out to pull her ahead of him because it'll be far better if he can get her ahead before he removes the flag from the area to bring it with them to the next. He knows she hasn't asked to be touched but it's the fastest way for getting her attention.

He'll find a way to make it up to her later. There's just no time yet.

Reaching for his flag, he chases after his allies, looking back then pointing ahead to a shadowed area.]

There!

[It'll be easier to see it as they get closer. His eyes are just very good at seeing things before others.]

[fifthreplacement]

[Looks like he's in the lead then. That's fine, he can keep an eye out for anything ahead of them.

When Shin-Ah points out where to go, Sync veers in that direction. He can't see what the other sees, but whatever. He'll trust his ally, for now]

Spiders!

[twosidedsword]

[There's a good thing about being such a quiet group. Getting to this new area had really just been a matter of, well, continuing to keep quiet! Though, the web and zombies certainly were not a fun thing to deal with soon after though.

Shin-Ah's feeling it in his body, the ache that comes from constant fighting. Still, he makes sure that everyone is up to the second floor before he pauses. There's another large spider to contend with and the kettle is thrown which forces Sync and Shin-Ah to one side of the room and One to the other.

This does not look good does it.]

[fifthreplacement]

[Keeping quiet had been useful for getting this far, Sync all too used to moving around without being caught. It was nostalgic in way, though he wasn't sure if he liked that feeling or not. At least he'd had a purpose at that time, but it still wasn't one worth living for.

The zombies had been something new, but they'd fallen in short order. He's beginning to feel the drain on both his body and the little mana that he access to as a Pawn, having needed to use his weapon to get rid of the monsters downstairs. The boiling water hadn't helped any, though at least he'd avoided taking any to the face. That would have unpleasant, to say the least.

Sync risks a glance around, analysing what was going on. One being separated from them was not necessarily a bad thing, given her range] She'll be fine if we can keep its attention on us.

[But getting into melee range with that thing might tricky with the webs it keeps spinning...speaking of which, time to dodge another one. Ugh, fuck this, time to see if he can get in there, taking off at a sprint and getting near enough to punch the thing, wind bursting from his gloves...which doesn't do a whole lot. Wind resistant. Wonderful. He hated this place]

[twosidedsword]

Mm.

[Shin-Ah runs after the spider, trusting One to take care of herself. The best they can do now is figure out how to draw the attention of the spider to them and keep it...

...It's in another corner now.

Squinting, he sees how it's managing it and point it out to Sync.]

A web.

[Surprise! He speaks!

Anyway, he takes advantage of the fact that his eyesight is strong, a nice leftover from his Dragon Eyes even though he no longer has those, to look around to where the web might lead to next. Spotting the right path, he manipulates the fallen water from the kettle to toss it onto the web which causes the spider to slip with a screech.

Oh.]

It's weak to water...

[querella]

[ The chain pulled at the padded leather of One's palm as she directed her weapon. The grey steel cut through web and what monsters dared to shamble near to the Intoner. The distance between her and the others had grown greater than she liked, but the sacrifice needed to be made, sadly. It was better that those two had gone ahead, as she could easily keep them from getting ambushed.

But how long would it be until they needed her? She couldn't linger here forever.

With a sharp jerk of the chain, the chakram reeled back, slamming into her hand and causing her to slide back half a step. Pivoting on one foot, other leg tucked up beneath her hip as she spun in place, One turned to face the others, and more so their current target. The young woman took off in the general direction of her team. The sooner she got to them, the better.

It didn't take long for her to catch up to them, although she still remained somewhat out of the fray. Webbing caused her to pause, sweeping away the sticky, silky substance with her blade. Crimson eyes took in the sight of the others, the spider. For once she wasn't sure how to really take control of the situation - if that was even an option. ]

[fifthreplacement]

[It's weak to water? That's...unusual but he supposed smaller spiders did kind of drown relatively quickly in any sort of water, given their size.

His old artes that he'd been modifying were treated as ice by this place, but perhaps it would be enough. With the spider distracted by the slippery web, Sync focuses on the mana he has left, pulling the cooling water from the kettle and directing it at the spider itself, making it hiss angrily]

I wonder how it'd take to being dunked in the kettle.

[It had been talking about boiling them earlier. Maybe they should boil it instead. He likes the idea]

[twosidedsword]

[Shin-Ah nods at the idea then casts his flag to boost the water powers of his teammates. Using that to is advantage since it helps him as well, he starts to move his hands to move the water from where it's fallen to bring it up toward the spider. It's a partially clumsy attempt since he's still learning magic but it is working at least.

To its head. He just needs to bring it to its head...

He'll just have to rely on his teammates to either distract the spider while he does this or help to move the water. The good news is that with the flag up they can all successfully use water magic now so yay?]

Boss!

[twosidedsword]

[Well. This is a puzzle for sure. He actually can't read the sign that says "Now do it!" clearly because he's not that far in his reading lessons yet. The letters are there but meshing together is currently beyond him so he's left just frowning in confusion as he tries to understand what is...even going on here. They have to do something right?

He looks at his teammates to see what they have to say.

Sorry, guys. He'd contribute more but he seriously doesn't know how to read.]

[fifthreplacement]

[Don't look at him, he has no idea what the thing means either. Sync had spent most of his life being a weapon and tool, learning about things such as relationships is not something he's ever learned so...clueless]

Do it...do what?

[Seriously instructions, be clearer!]