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

[geneolgian]

I-I've heard of h-haunted houses at carnivals, mostly set up on certain holidays, but...

[ Remember all that bravado from earlier? Charging in without a care in the world (or so it seemed)? Yeah, all gone now. Who has two thumbs and a fear of ghosts? This guy. He sucks in a deep breath, and exhales slowly, fists clenched as he stares at the haunted house. ]

...This one might really be h-haunted! [ It's a dungeon, this is a carnival where everything has tried to kill them so far, you do the math. ] We...we don't have to go in, do we?

[ ...Actually, yes it does. Someone please push him in or goad him. ]

[sommer]

[ Well, Anna certainly has had enough of closed doors in her lifetime, so she'll happily push herself through the two of them and turn the doorknob. ]

Kougyoku - please remind Yew why we're all here again.

[ ......Also please remind Anna, as she only remembers the missing people part, which is reason enough to go through with this Bad Idea. IT'S HERO TIME!! ]

[redsea]

[ Kougyoku's glad she can always count on Anna to take one for the team. As she follows her fellow princess inside, she looks over her shoulder and addresses the apprehensive Yew. ]

Well, from what I've heard, all dungeons have cores. These cores contain a lot of ki—er, mana! Or so I believe. If we collect plenty of cores, I'm certain we'll be a step closer to finding a way back to our worlds...

Oh, and there are missing people— [ Slowly, the door closes behind them, enveloping them in the house's darkness. Thanks for closing it, Yew!

He did close it, right? ]

[geneolgian]

I-I know all that, but I can't help it! Gh-Ghosts are my only real feeeeee...

[ He lets the rest of his sentence trail off into a high-pitched whine as he spots the two of them already entering the haunted house, and not wanting to be left alone, scurries along following them (albeit somewhat reluctantly), all while emitting that same high-pitched noise until everyone's in. ]

...eeeear.

[ HE DID NOT CLOSE THAT DOOR. WHY WOULD HE EVER CLOSE THE DOOR ON SWEET, BLESSED LIGHT IN THIS HOUSE OF HAUNTED HORRORS? (At least he's with company.) Yew whirls around as soon as he hears that door close behind them. ]

I didn't do that. Who did that?

[ Was that some panic in his voice just now? Yes, it was. ]

[sommer]

[ Anna is about to offer some form of encouragement to Yew, as fear of the unknown isn't an uncommon thing and she has seen it firsthand when people thought of her sister as a monster. However, just as she opens her mouth, the door closes behind them. On its own apparently. ]

...Oh boy, that can't be good. [ Wait, don't scare the guy!!! ] I-I mean, it's... just the wind! Sometimes it happens, right? Doors aren't always shut because of a person or anything, heh.

[ Anna looks to Kougyoku for some extra reassurance here - hoping she's not as frightened as Yew. Perhaps a distracting conversation will do the trick! ]

S-So... mana, am I right? That's the thing I used to make fire earlier?

[ How does one go about obtaining more of that without seeming like a pyromaniac, is what she wants to ask. ]

1/2

[redsea]

[ The door is creepy, but when Anna tries to convince Yew it's the wind, Kougyoku tells herself to believe her words, too. ]

Petrosian is rather breezy in the summer, isn't it? Ahaha! [ That wasn't a very convincing laugh, but. ]

Um, yes. Mana. That's what this world uses to do magic, it seems. If it's anything like the ki we use in my world, I think you can use it to make more than just fire, Anna!

[ She truly wants to encourage her friend, but she also wants to fill in the eerie silence. Nothing has creaked ever since they stepped inside. ]

[redsea]

[ And the darkness only adds to their worries. ]

Why don't you light a fire, Yew? [ He has the most experience with magic here. ] We can barely see a thing.

1/2

[geneolgian]

Y-Yes! Of course!

[ Yew gladly jumps on the opportunity to both blab on about his scholarly pursuits and take his mind off of the sheer creepiness of the haunted house. Though he's been severely weakened magically since coming here (RIP Meteor Rain 9999 damage spam), his years of magical study in Al-Khampis and experience gained while adventuring have served him well. With semi-practiced movements, he quickly calls forth a fireball, levitating a few inches above his palm. It's no Firaga, but for the sake of lighting up the place, it'll do. ]

Kougyoku's right, Anna. Think of mana as the life force and magical energy of this world. Fire's not the only elemental magic we can wield, either. There's water or ice, wind, lightning, earth, holy, and dark as well. And of course, there are other forms of non-elemental magic as well, such as status-ailment-causing magic, and time magic...although I'm not sure if time magic exists here. It's very powerful though, and that's also speaking from personal experience.

[ Geist and Khamer come to mind. There's also other kinds of magic, like sound magic and gravity magic which apparently exist here but not in Luxendarc (to his knowledge), so it's all really quite fascinating to him. ]

I think that with enough time and practice, our ability to use mana effectively will increase. When it comes to replenishing the mana we have, we'll have to either rest or exchange mana with...erm, e-each other through...physical contact.

[ Due to his blabbering on, however, he doesn't notice the click of the pincers until it's too late for him, and sticky strings of silk suddenly latch on to his clothes and limbs... ]

2/2

[geneolgian]

[ ...which he feels, and that prompts him to let out an unmanly shriek as he starts being pulled up. ]

[sommer]

"Physical contact"? What, you mean like--

[ Anna laughs at how ridiculous that sounds, but when she turns back to look at her group, they appear to be short one party member. ]

--huh!?

[ Anna looks up when she hears the unmanly shriek. There he is! ]

Yew?! What are you doing up there? Is that a...

[redsea]

[ Okay, Kougyoku isn't exactly the best listener, so this is the first time she's ever heard about this "mana exchange". Does that mean she has to—to touch people? Not that it's gross, but it's certainly new. She's so hung up over that one detail that she fails to determine Yew's fate before it's too late.

She gasps, and when she looks up, thunder booms in their ears. Then, a flash of lightning outlines an eight-legged creature hanging from above. Looks like it's having Yew for lunch. ]

We have to get up there!

[ And that's when they hear eerie, inhuman moans from the down the hall. The metal of her blade rings once more as she takes it out and points it at the sound. ]

Anna, which would you prefer to face: zombies or spiders?

[geneolgian]

Whatever you choose, do it quickly!

[ Yew shouts as he wriggles in the threads. The more he wriggles, the more his cape is damaged (why does he even have a cape when it's summer...), and it seems that the spider threads are too tightly wrapped around him for him to put up much in the way of resistance anyway. He's also seriously debating the pros and cons of trying to set the silk on fire with the fireball still in his hand. Could he survive a fall from this high? Yes. Does he want to set himself on fire to do so? Well...it's somewhat tempting.

Contrary to his word, ghosts are not his only fear. Heights are as well.

He refuses to be completely helpless, though, and he manages to feed the fireball a little more mana to better illuminate the environment. ]

There's a flight of stairs at the end of the hall! And a bunch of zombies, haunted scarecrows, and...moving blobs. They're solid though, so they don't really register very high on my ghost terror scale. Maybe a 4 at most. Whew.

[sommer]

That's a handy terror scale.

[ Anna didn't sense any of these gruesome presences, either out of fearlessness or stupidity. It's probably the latter. ]

Kougyoku, hold them back while I get Yew! [ Kougyoku is an impressive warrior princess, much better than Anna for this kind of job. Meanwhile, Anna looks up at Yew, despite his precarious position, he's got a pretty good view of the whole situation and can perhaps guide them both through this. ]

What do you need me to do? Just... please don't get eaten!

[redsea]

With pleasure. After all...

[ Hold them back? She'll do more than that. This dungeon is the first time she's ever cut flesh and fully displayed her skill in a long while. She chuckles, and that grin? It's not one any shy, sweet girl should wear.

Thanks to Yew's fire, she cuts through the first blob with ease. But perhaps she could have done as well without it, because— ]

They're all zeroes to me!

[ The Wichts had caught her off guard, but now she's more in her element, striking down monster after monster as they come. Her swordsmanship is not to be laughed at, and from her fluid movements to her ruthless blows, anyone can see that. But Anna and Yew probably shouldn't be paying attention to her.

Even as she cackles like a madwoman. ]

This is for my hair!

[geneolgian]

[ Weeeell then...he'll leave Kougyoku to her devices, since she seems to have that particular aspect of the situation under control..perhaps a bit too well. Just Exhibit B on why he will take some precautions in the future not to piss her off. ]

Believe me Anna, I'm trying!

[ He doesn't really have a plan, per se, but he'll...leave the specifics of the execution of the general idea to the two princesses, which will probably involve Kougyoku keeping the monsters (thankfully rather slow-moving) at bay while giving Anna a clear path to the stairs. ]

Get to the second floor as quick as you can...and bring something sharp! Or at least has an edge!

[ A knife? A particularly edgy candle-holder? Maybe a replica sword from a suit of armor that happens to be standing around? Whatever it is, he's not complaining if it gets the job done. ]

1/2

[sommer]

[ Meanwhile, Anna is getting fairly psyched up by Kougyukou's mad rampage. She nods furiously, clenching her fists as she yells back up. ]

Oh, I'll bring the edge! I'll bring it so hard, I was born sharp! Just watch me bring it!!

[ Anna clumsily parkours her way over all the knocked furniture, through all the beasts and even jumps on a blob thing, only to bounce off it like a trampoline (that was kind of fun). It's not long before she makes it to the second floor, only to realize she forgot to bring something sharp along the way to Yew.

FFUCCKKK. ]

2/2

[sommer]

Hang in there, Yew!!

[ That wasn't even supposed to be a joke, but she'll probably laugh about it later. For now she's trying to think of a way to free him before he realizes that she arrived empty-handed.

... Wait. Empty-handed? ]

...Toasty Mitts...

[ Right! Her legendary weapon! It may not be strong enough to melt steel or flesh, but she's certain that she can generate enough heat to melt the webs. And so she does, by jumping towards Yew and hanging on to the web like it's a jungle vine. ]

This is gonna hurt a little!

[ No, not the heat! She's careful enough not to touch Yew with her hot mitts, but he will proooobably fall when he's free... ]

[redsea]

[ Too busy running around slicing shit up like she's in the zombie version of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but there's a sticky pile of dead blobs under Yew to cushion his fall. ]

[geneolgian]

[ Thanks everyone...no really, thanks. The webbing thankfully dissolves as the heat of Anna's magic mitts spreads, and he lands on the blob piles (ewwwwww), which he ungracefully rolls out of (ewwwwwwwwwww) before pushing himself back on his feet and patting his side to make sure his rapier's still there. (It is.) ]

Th-Thanks, you two...

[ He was almost spider food...it would've been a really embarrassing way to go. Speaking of spiders though, since they're on the second floor now... ]

I must say, that was very rude of you. No one has ever turned down an invitation to my tea parties.

I...don't suppose you could simply let us pass, sir? Sir Spider? ...Spidsir?

[ He seems unusually cultured for a monster??? What is with that monocle. ]

[sommer]

[ Anna claps her mitts together, partly to try and cool them down again, and partly because she's applauding herself for being useful. That went well! And now they're being invited to a tea party by a spider?

Anna steps forward, once again displaying what a terrible judge of character she is. ]

Aww, that's really kind of you, but, see, we're actually looking for some people? I'm not sure if you've seen them, or perhaps, a... what's the other thing --oh! Mana core! I... don't know what that looks like, though.

[redsea]

[ANNA NO. Kougyoku is happy that she's being useful too. About the spider? Not so much. This is the guy who almost ate Yew! Kougyoku keeps her sword out as it speaks.]

People? Why, I've seen many people come and go. In fact, I can have you join them soon. Oh, don't point your utensils at me, child. It's bad manners.

Utensil!?

[Kougyoku's eyes widen. This spider offends her to her very core. What does he even need a monocle for? HE HAS EIGHT EYES. Eight eyes that help him fix his dainty little table in one corner of the room. It's teatime for him, apparently.]

[geneolgian]

[ Yew slowly draws his rapier out of its sheath, deciding that Kougyoku mmmmmmmmight have the right idea. ]

No thank you, sir. I'm sorry to decline, but we really are in a hurry...and I'd like to say you'd probably have more pleasant company for teatime if you didn't try to capture them.

[ He stands his ground, watching for any sudden movements. ]

[sommer]

"Poppycocks! That is the most ravishing part of teatime, allow me to show you."

Wha--!!

[ Before Anna can react, she finds herself caught up in another silk thread. It appears to wrap itself around both her legs and arms, leaving only her head free to move.

Which is why she turns to Yew, directing her anger at him. ]

First the chocolate thing, and now this?! Would it kill you to not instigate a fight with a carnival monster for five minutes?

[ As for Kyougoku, there's a piping hot splash of tea being projected her way. Look out!! ]

[redsea]

[She steps away and manages to barely avoid the tea. Unfortunately, it splashes onto her boot. The only pair of boots she has...

SHE HATES EVERYTHING.

But before starting another rampage, she runs her blade across the puddle of tea as she channels her mana through her sword. If mana is anything like ki in her world, then this should work. All she needs is a spell.]

Anna!

[That works too. With her mana, she manipulates the tea to cut through the webbing around her legs. Just her legs, because she wasn't really paying attention.

Now she can hulk out.]

You get more guests at your tea parties than I do, and all you do is eat them!?

[That does it. She charges right at the spider, ready to pierce it out of sheer jealousy.]

[geneolgian]

[ Allow him to retort with this incredibly mature statement: ]

He shot first!

[ But now's no time to argue about those details; Kougyoku's already sprung into action, and Anna's arms are still bound. While the spider dodges around, rapidly skittering to and fro while spinning threads, Yew first slices through the webbing keeping Anna's arms trapped, and then tries to clear the area around them of webbing. Any battlefield with obstacles can be a disadvantage. ]