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

[retains]

[These creatures aren't even as bad as what Lavi is used to fighting, but the sheer number of them is far more of a hindrance than anyone would be comfortable with. And the longer they take, the longer they leave Syrlya in danger.

He wrenches his makeshift weapon out of the face... or back... it's hard to tell, of a slightly melted something, and elbows a zombie in the jaw, sending the jaw flying but leaving the zombie standing. He gets to attacking that before a nearby scarecrow can block his movements too much.] Uh-- doin' great, making lots of progress here!

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya struggles against the half done cocoon. He doesn't succeed more than turning upside down however, swinging from the ceiling. His grip on his brooch tightens as he hears the spider skitter back closer. He really should have tested this thing more before coming.]

Lovely! I don't mean to rush you, but--! [He shudders when he feels a leg tap his back.]

[interchained]

[Gil's been lucky enough to dodge the jaw flying near him, but when he thinks what would have happened if he had gotten hit...]

I've had enough!

[He can't be the only one, can he? It shouldn't be too surprising that he's the first one to put it into words, though. While it's still impossible for him to light up the whole room, the fireball grows bigger and reaches further, improving his visual field.]

Go!

[It may seem to be easier said than done for Lavi at first, but Gilbert, using his arm, makes sure to push the monsters away from the redhead as well as from the staircase. Some of them are getting pulled in right in his direction, though.]

[retains]

[Gil is definitely not alone in that feeling. Lavi can't help but make an impressed "Oooh" noise over the more impressive fireball, but doesn't let it distract him from his goal too much.

It's slightly easier to get to the stairs now, but that doesn't mean that he's not keeping up a running string of displeased commentary to himself as he fights. He has no doubts that Gil can take care of himself, and this isn't exactly the best situation to be making sure they both climb the stairs at the same time.

Still, he isn't about to leave anyone behind or get even more separated, either, so it's with a shout that he uses the limited to space he has to hook his makeshift weapon around monster legs and various masses, causing them to stumble if not fall outright before he dives for the stairs to begin his climb.]

Come on.

[interchained]

[He would make sure to catch up with Lavi (and hopefully Syrlya, too) as his base plan was to distract as many monsters as possible and to give the redhead a free hand, but well...shounens gotta shounen, right?

With the path more or less cleared (?), Gil rushes forward to the stairs and just in a few leaps he's at the first step, trying to take out some monsters lying on the floor as he goes. They sure won't slow them down for a while, so now they can focus on Syrlya and the huge spider.]

Do you think you could somehow...chop off one of its legs?

[It's gross and weird, and Gilbert's painfully aware of it...but he could at least scan the spider and look for its weaknesses that way.]

[retains]

[Shounens gotta shounen, indeed. They've at least gotten this far, so all that's really left is the small matter of actually freeing Syrlya and defeating a huge spider, no big deal.

However... that might not work out so easily; Heer Spinnekop doesn't seem too pleased about the question, either.]

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were being rude on purpose."

[Okay, so cutting his leg off that easily might be out of the question, and now somebody has to say something. What are you supposed to say when you meet a tea party-throwing, monocle-wearing spider??]

Well, you know, it's our first time here, and we weren't sure exactly what the etiquette was an' your other guests weren't being very forthcoming [Which is why they're now mostly in pieces...] so you'll have to forgive our intrusion, yeah?

[Is it even possible to distract this guy long enough to get anything done? It's time to find out.]

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya squirms in the bindings to attempt to face them. At the very least Heer Spinnekop's attention is off him, and the moment to breath gives him the moment for focus.]

... I hope this works. [He murmurs, squeezing his eyes shut as he taps into his weapon's mana.

It's a second of nothing, and then something blows outward--nothing that can be seen, but Lavi and Gil will both feel something push by them as it expands and encases everyone in a bubble of passive mana.

"What... is this?!"

Gil and Lavi can see only a faint outline of what Spinnekop is seeing--a heavy clot of smoke that seems to be obstructing its vision.]

[interchained]

[Lavi...why are you talking to a spider...

To Gilbert, that's really concerning, but to think of it maybe it'll work? Too bad he's not too smooth in such situations, but he'll try his best—

Thankfully, Syr comes to their rescue (shouldn't it be the other way around, though???) with the smoke, making Heer Spinnekop unable to see them. Which they not only can but should use to their advantage. They just need to get closer...well, Gilbert may not be eager to touch the spider, but that seems to be the easiest way to get rid of it for good, at the very least.

The question is whether he can shoot one of its legs off; that's why he glances at Lavi, pointing to his own gun without actually saying anything.]

[retains]

[Talking to spiders that live in creepy haunted houses and seem to want to eat them might be strange, but since it seems to be working, he's going to keep rolling along with it.]

What, you've never seen a party trick before? They're all the rage now-- are you saying you don't want to keep up with what's fashionable? I mean, if that's the kinda party you wanna throw...

[While he talks he gives Gil a thumbs up and a nod. Might as well go for it, since they don't have a whole lot of options available to them anyway.]

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya blinks rapidly as he looks their way to assure that his spell worked--he smiles when he sees the spider confused trying to find them.]

Ha! You really are not one to complain about rudeness. You haven't even asked my name before webbing me up! And if you won't end this peacefully...

[Well, what choice to Gil and Lavi have but to deliver an ass kicking?]

[interchained]

[If they're trying to embarrass the spider, it seems to be working; it's not talking as much as before, either ashamed of itself, or confused by the smoke, or maybe even both. It may not be talking, but it's squirming and flailing its legs a lot, which makes things more difficult for Gil, but he still manages to do what he planned to...and even more. Due to its chaotic movements, instead of cutting off just one leg, Gil overdoes it a little...

A little, meaning Heer Spinnekop ends up with three legs less than before. That's plenty of material to scan, but all in all, just one will suffice. The moment he gets his hands on the body part, his pupils changes color to purple while he's using the skill.]

Eh?

[That's all he has to say after the examination is over, apparently...for a little while, at least.]

Do we have any water...?

[retains]

[It's probably clear from his incredulous Did you really gestures that Lavi can't even believe that now they're dealing with a confused, crippled, and now andry spider. Well, better than dealing with a fully functional one, but still.

He pauses in the middle of his gesturing to blink. There's no way the answer to how to beat this thing is the same as the nursery rhyme, right?]

Where're we gonna get enough water--?

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya bites his lip and sucks in a short breath as he maintains the illusion. Spinnekop, of course, it's terribly fond of the idea. So it starts skittering the opposite direction of where the bullets were going, rushing the two of them.] Move!

[interchained]

[That's a very good question, but sadly he doesn't know the answer. To think that not learning some elemental magic will come back to bite him in the ass...maybe it's not all that surprising, all in all. Which doesn't change anything, really.]

Shit...

[He has no use of these legs, so he may as well drop them here as he's trying to think what should they do next.]

Hey, since it's drinking tea...it should keep water somewhere nearby, right? Where could it be—

[Yes, he's asking the redhead with an eye patch to look out for it with him. Good game, Gil.]

[retains]

[Luckily, the redhead with an eye patch doesn't forget any details, like the elaborately decorated tea set on a table, complete with a fancy kettle over its own little warming station. It's even made of porcelain, luckily enough.]

Got it!

[He doesn't want to end up wearing a webbed-up outfit of his own, and Gil can at least shoot the displeased spider some more, so Lavi makes a running dive towards the table and its kettle. He gets his hands on it, and it's hot, leading to several creative curses as he grabs it and a the creamer (close enough to water, right).

He only takes a moment to asses the trajectory, then flings both the teapot and the creamer at Spinnekop, aiming for its many monocled eyes.]

[chronosynthesis]

[Burning the spider's eyes is a very effective way of disabling it. It's a pretty terrible scream that comes out as it collapses, but it leaves the beast wide open.]

[interchained]

[Finishing the spider off is just a matter of time now, but Gilbert tries to be quick about it; they still need to release Syr from the cocoon. It's easier said than done, but when Heer Spinnekop falls on its back lifelessly, they can do it in peace.]

Spiders are the worst...

[There sure are a few more creatures that are way worse than them, but for the time being spiders are on top of his list.]

I wonder if fire would work...

[retains]

Fire's good for lots of problems, sure. [And maybe Gil will manage to not set anyone on fire this time??]

And I can melt stuff-- we got this, awesome. [He eyes the dead spider. Dead things don't always stay dead, but he is doing that spider thing where the legs curl up, so it's probably safe.]

Hang on, man, you'll be down in just a sec. [There was never any real sort of party going on, so Lavi doesn't feel too bad about climbing up on a table and knocking some things over to be able to reach Syr so he can use his weapon to start eating through some spiderweb.]

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya lets out a heavy breath as the spider keels over and he can drop the illusion. That was more exhausting than he thought it would be...

And then he cringes at the whole conversation in front of him.] Please do not set me on fire.

[He's even eyeing Lavi's weapon warily as he uses it to cut through the webs--hopefully without cutting through Syrlya and his clothes as well.]

[interchained]

[Given Allen's previous experiences with Gil and fire in the dungeons, maybe he shouldn't get so worked up about Syrlya being bothered by the idea...at least, in the end, he just huffs once or twice and watches Lavi getting rid of the spiderwebs for the time being.]

I won't set you on fire. Just the cocoon.

[That's...not reassuring at all, is it. No matter what Syr's answer will be, his already messing around with a medium sized fireball, making it fly high up where it remains, dangerously (?) close to him.]

[retains]

[Lavi seriously doubts anyone would feel better being told specifically that they won't get set on fire, but there isn't much to be done for it right now, so he's mostly paying attention to what he's doing, but he's also keeping an eye on what Gil is doing. No sense in two of them getting burned.]

It would be real nice to avoid settin' anything on fire, yeah? S'a good goal to have.

[His own efforts are paying off, though, and he makes a small noise of triumph as some of the web melts away; he pulls at bits of it with his free hand.]

[chronosynthesis]

Ah--[Syrlya looks relieved at how the acid melts the webs (and not his clothes).] It's working!

[interchained]

S-Shut up, redhead... [Mumble, mumble. But he's glad that the acid's working!] Let's get out of here as fast as we can...

[If it wasn't for the heart-shaped mark on the map, he'd have thought that it was over. What could be worse than that spider, after all...but since there was no dungeon core popping out from its dead body, there must be something worse ahead.]

[retains]

[Lavi is far too used to people telling him to be quiet, so he's not even remotely bothered by Gil's remark. He's not as disappointed that they're not done, though. There was always something worse waiting in situations like this. It was just a fact of life.]

I'm a big fan of gettin' outta here, yeah. [Honestly, the less time spent around dead spiders and too-sticky webs the better, and they've got more to do, anyway.]