DUNGEON ♛ LEBEDCHE LAKE

[boardmaster]

LEBEDCHE LAKE
20 JANUARY (DIANTHE) 2016

Commander Lisbrand greets you with a grim expression when the Heroes gather outside of the forest cave. The Heroes are tasked to set up anti-magic explosives provided by Lisbrand Technologies and Gammon at the entrance. On the commander’s signal, loud bangs fill the air, shattering the barrier. A freezing wind howls like a banshee, sending chills down your spine as if to warn you. Turn back now.

Lisbrand remains steadfast. Judging from what her scouts brought back, she informs the Heroes that this dungeon is unlike the others they’ve faced. Mana activity is off the charts, only one scout made it back alive from recon, and… her brother’s in there. Please bring him home safely.

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 ♙ Mirror Mirror
According to Commander Lisbrand, anyone carrying large amounts of mana can now enter the dungeon. Not only that, but you are also able to see every other Hero who entered too. Convenient, but peculiar. In any case, with the help of mana crystals provided by Gammon, Lisbrand’s coming with you.

The path beyond the chamber where you found Alumina is decidedly different. As you proceed, the rock walls turn brittle and clear. You are now in one of the glass tunnels located underneath Lebedche Lake. Dusty footprints are on the glassy ground.... Someone has been here before, and very recently, too.

The glass creaks underneath your weight but it holds. For now.
Follow the footprints and you will reach a spacious intersection. There is a figure calmly waiting for you on the other side with their back turned. No matter how sneakily you approach, they whirl around and you come face to face with… yourself?

MONSTER ♟ Chilling Reminder
Weak against What you’re weak against	Strong against What you’re strong against	Immune to Water
This ice monster is best described as your own reflection. They know everything about you, from the way you talk to the way you walk. They know every skill and spell in your arsenal. Whatever your weaknesses and strengths are also their own. But they also represent THE WORST IN YOU. They constantly CONFUSE others and TAUNT you, reminding you of your ugly, shameful soul. Beware: they can also transform into your other allies in the middle of a fight. Watch out as they try to SMASH the glass tunnels around you for a decisive end to this battle. Strangely enough, the surrounding water will not seep into the tunnels. Instead, it will suck you in and DROWN YOU IN AN INSTANT, and your allies will have no way to get you back. DROPS: Ice Shards, Broken Mirror, Fake Weapon Fragments, Illusion Powder

Once the last monster has been defeated, the deafening silence returns to the tunnels. Take a moment to breathe, heal and check on your fellow Heroes. If you see someone shivering and shaking, help by warming them up or drying them off. You don’t want to remain drenched in the freezing temperatures.

TWO ♙ All the world’s a stage
At the end of the winding glass paths, you reach the underside of the crystal swan which recently appeared. There, you find a theater stage, and the curtains turn into solid blocks of ice once Heroes enter. It will take more than a powerful fire spell to get out of this one.

The black swans outside are still circling the construct above, but you are safe underneath the surface of the lake. If you look past the glass walls, you can watch the fish swim by sunken boats. It’s eerily calm, almost beautiful especially when snowflakes begin to drift down from the ceiling somehow.

A shattering noise sounds behind you and several crystal staircases appear. On top of them you will find…

MONSTER ♟ Pas de Deux
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to Attacks
A troupe of disfigured ballet dancers that come in pairs. Parts of their body are missing or bent in unnatural ways. Their feet bleed as if they’ve been DANCING FOREVER. Their morbid dance HYPNOTIZES their audience to face the same fate. Attack them normally and they will instantly TELEPORT to the other side of the room. The key to victory in this battle is dance itself. Together with your comrades, you must DANCE WITH FEELING. Only by dancing as you attack them will you be able to land a hit. But if you do not take this seriously, painful CUTS will mysteriously appear on your body. Don’t get served, Hero! DROPS: Tin Soldier, Tin Heart, Crystal Spangles, Book of the Eternal Dance

As the final curtain falls for the dancers, the crystal ceiling will shatter, opening the way to the crystal swan above. As you try and catch your breath, the frozen curtains melt to reveal Alumina and Lisbrand.

	Lisbrand Alumina, it’s not safe here. This dungeon is an anomaly; we don’t know what might happen to us. Come with me!
	Alumina Fleur? …No! I need to find Ledo and Nerea! You should go back! I’ll be fine. This is something I have to do. Unlike you, I’m... [ runs away ]
	Lisbrand Alumina! [ runs after her ]

Where are they going? Alumina is a civilian, so you must send them out. But as you try to follow the pair, you lose them in the light...

THREE ♙ The Swan Prince
In the chamber of the crystal swan, pale sunlight filters in, illuminating three figures. An angry Nerea and a crystal projection of an amused Princess Katya seem to be in the middle of a one-sided argument. Nerea’s voice rises, which makes the beautiful white swan huddled nearby flinch back. It weakly lifts its head towards the Heroes, pleading with far too intelligent eyes for an intervention.

	Nerea This isn’t what you promised!
	Katya Oh, but it is. You wanted Alumina to yourself. I gave you a love potion.
	Nerea That killed her.
	Katya So I gave you her mana, which you put into an automaton you stole.
	Nerea Made me steal.
	Katya Haha. [ smirks ] You wanted Ledo out of the picture. Again, I gave you a love potion. Made him a swan. You wanted to bring Alumina back to life, so I asked for thirty eyes, forty limbs, fifty hearts...
	Nerea But Ledo’s as well?
	Katya I do not see the problem. He was to marry your beloved Alumina, no? So get rid of him. Marry him, crush him, take his company and give it to me. That was the deal. See it to the end.
	Alumina [ enters with Lisbrand ] Nerea! Ledo!
	Lisbrand Ledo? [ glowers ] Princess Katya… Explain yourself, Nox!
	Nerea It’s not what it looks like! I’m— I’m trying to save Ledo! Alumina, Fleur, please… Please believe me!
	Katya [ cackles ] Oh, that’s rich! Nerea, hurry up and kill that swan! Before he takes your beloved Alumina!

As Nerea hesitates, a relieved Alumina rushes towards the swan. Nerea falters.

	Katya Heh. You bore me, Nerea. Here I thought you would get your happy ending. You disappoint me. Ah, but fifty is enough for the next part of the spell. Now, Ledo... Awaken.
	Ledo [ the swan twists its body uncontrollably, screaming in pain. for the first time, it is able to speak. ] A...lu...mi...na… Run...

BOSS ♟ Ledo de Lisbrand
Weak against ???	Strong against ???	Immune to ???
“The real Alumina died. Nerea killed her. She killed everybody. I tried to tell someone—-anyone. But no one heard me. It was so cold. No one listened. I tried to stop them… before their hearts were stolen too.” At Princess Katya’s command, Ledo de Lisbrand has transformed into a grotesque union of a human and swan--Alumina even comments that he looks like an angel. His stances are similar to his sister’s, whom Heroes have trained and fought with long enough to notice. His GUN’s cursed bullets contain RANDOM ELEMENTAL AND STATUS EFFECTS. His SWORD strikes also DRAIN you of your energy. Katya’s hold on his mind is strong… Thankfully, two of the most important people in Ledo’s life are also here to assist: the automaton Alumina with a giant gatling gun she lifts with surprising ease, and your reliable commander Fleur de Lisbrand. Together, weaken him to bring him to his senses! “I’m sorry, Alumina. I’m not an angel. Lisbrand Technologies is my life. Fleur loves this country. Blanc and my family’s legacy… They will not fall by Noir’s hand. I will destroy you all. Katya, Nerea… My Servants, attack them.” Ledo’s AUTOMATONS join the fray. A MECHANICAL BUTLER uses a large iron hammer to crush any living thing in sight. A MECHANICAL MAID stands at the back to throw cursed mana crystals at the Heroes, which will either debuff you or explode! Decommission the pair quickly. “I always knew you were an automaton. You looked like her, spoke like her, and you even had her mana… but you and the Alumina I knew felt different. Even so, I could feel your love. It was so different, yet so real… and I thought that was beautiful.” Ledo will swoop into the air, spreading large weathered wings in an attempt to escape attacks and Alumina and Lisbrand’s gunshots. Aim for those unnatural wings to bring him back to the ground! “You had me drink a love potion, Nerea, but the moment you cursed me, you said that I never had your heart. It was then that I remembered who did…” DROPS: Enchanted Swan Feathers, Mechanical Heart, Noble Cape, Butler’s Suit, Maid’s Dress, Iron Hammer, Cursed Mana Crystals

Finally, Ledo sinks to his knees. He’s shaking, gasping and looking as if he’d just survived a war. Blood, sweat and tears trickle down his face. He coughs and clutches his chest in agony. A dungeon core slips through his fingers and clatters to the ground.

At the same time, Ledo begins to topple to the side. Alumina cries out and catches him before he can hit the ground. Although weak from the battle, Ledo looks at Alumina with a tender smile.

	Alumina [ flustered ] Why are you looking at me like that? I’m not the Alumina you want...
	Ledo [ chuckles ] I never said you had to be.
	Nerea [ looks as if she wants to approach, but frowns and doesn’t. she tightens her fists. —which open when Lisbrand cuffs her. ]
	Lisbrand Nerea Nox, you are under arrest for treason, murder and grand larceny. Heroes, take her. [ a couple of compliant Heroes—perhaps you—take Nerea into custody, and she lets them. she stares into the distance as she slowly realizes that everything she’s done has been for nothing. ] I should have known it was you, Katya.
	Katya You should have. I suppose that’s why the swan is inheriting the company. As for Nerea… [ at the snap of her fingers, Nerea disappears from your grasp ] She has a lot of potential. Ahahaha! Heroes, you must be wondering why the dungeons are like this… Or, well, how I know about dungeons at all. Just so you know, you’re not the only ones the gods favor! Ah, you all look as tasty as you did before… I can’t wait to see all your faces in the months to come! [ as she starts to cackle, Lisbrand stabs the mana crystal, ending the feed ]

After Lisbrand puts her gun back in its holster, she and the Heroes prepare to set off with Alumina and Ledo. The army will come to fetch them in large boats at the dungeon entrance, she says. She also reminds the Heroes that Nerea Nox is now an enemy of Blanc. Alumina begs Lisbrand not to speak any further—even the Heroes know what fate lies before Nerea. Lisbrand suggests that perhaps it is best to rest her mind for now. That goes for the Heroes, too.

Comments

[sealeted]

...yeah.

[She brushes he hair behind her ear, just as she had, and hands over the arrows. When she straightens up, however, she doesn't... quite look at him.]

Um. About that. School... isn't a year-long thing. And, well, the person I was going to start a business with suddenly vanished, so. So, I was... thinking about maybe buying a house some time?

[She fidgets with loose ends on the scarf of her uniform.]

And... well, I was thinking maybe, if... if you wanted to, we could... keep doing this?

[W-Why is this so hard...?]

Together. Um, living together. Only if you wanted to, and no pressure if... if you don't. I just... it's been nice, is all.

[guerrilla]

[He's about to offer his condolences about the disappearance, but then she keeps talking, and he starts to internally scream increasingly louder with every word.]

Are you...you're serious.

[Of course she is. She's always serious about things like this.

The way he pauses while he thinks of something to say makes it sound like he's brushing off her offer, so he hastens to add a proper answer.]

You're right. It's been nice. Maybe too nice, actually, I can't really imagine going back to the room at the Hall of Glory.

[He'd only moved some of his stuff to the dorm room originally; however, a few weeks in, he'd moved the rest of it in too. Even before he started thinking of it as home, he'd already subconsciously decided that's where he was going to stay. And now he's not even sure if it was the room that he considered home in the first place, because the idea of going back to it, or any like it, without Hakuno on the other side of it...]

So if you're okay with it, then...I would like a little more room for my plants.

[It wouldn't feel like home without her.]

[sealeted]

...!

[The moment he says yes, it's like a switch is flipped. She lights up like the sun, as though he's given her the gift to end all gifts. It's apparent she's been worrying over this for at least a little while.]

Yeah! Definitely, I feel the same. We could even draw up a proper garden, since you wanted to cultivate some yourself.

[guerrilla]

[It's been a while since he's felt like he needed to pull the hood down over his face, but here he is, doing just that, for the sake of hiding how infectious her smile is. He can feel himself blushing to the tips of his ears. If he'd thought that warm smile she'd given him when they woke up next to each other was glowing, this one must be blindingly bright.]

Just don't tell our good friend Samson we're moving into a house together, okay? I don't want to have to deal with whatever he and his gang think are good housewarming gifts.

[sealeted]

Oh, I don't know about that.

[Something about that pose makes teasing him completely irresistible. Hakuno couldn't possibly be blamed for her actions under these circumstances, she's sure.]

That Henry guy might send us a neglige that meets your exacting standards.

[guerrilla]

[Don't imagine it. Don't imagine anything. Just give Henry a token insult or two and - ]

If he does, you'll wear it, right? You can't let such a thoughtful gift go to waste.

[Well, no one can say he didn't try.]

[sealeted]

Fine. But only if you let him survive.

[She says it lightly, easily, with only a faint flush in her cheeks and ears to betray her. It's just banter, she reminds herself. He's not being serious.]

[guerrilla]

If he finds something that meets my standards, he's too valuable to get rid of.

[What are his standards, anyway? Negligees didn't exist in his time period, but it's weird to go to a shop to figure that out, so he doesn't actually have any. He just knows something tacky when he sees it.

Though, considering he grew up a peasant, he finds a lot of things tacky, so perhaps he doesn't really need to look to know that his standards, whatever they are, are high.]

[sealeted]

...does that mean we are telling the DuVonts?

[It's hard to tell just how serious they are at any given time, so she wants to clear the air on this one before her mouth cashes a check she isn't fully prepared to back just yet. While Robin has seen her in all sorts of states of dishabille, this is another step up the ladder.]

Should I send Henry a 'no-go' list?

[guerrilla]

[He got so carried away with teasing her that he forgot telling Samson and his friends was an essential part of that scenario.]

No. No, we're not telling them. We're not getting any mail forwarded either, understand? This is completely hypothetical.

[Although, knowing them, won't they just think their favorite "couple" eloped if their mail gets returned...? There's really no way to win here.]

So I guess you'll have to pick out your own lingerie.