Long, Long Ago....

[lifeaftr_mods]

Who: Our intrepid heroes
What: Newt's merry band of volunteer explorers take a stab at examining the ruins from tip to toe.
When: Evening of the intro log- and onwards!
Where: The Ruins
Warnings: Mark as you go!


You haven't been wasting too much time at all, have you? With the search parties arranged, four groups set off to cover the ruin grounds- what surprises could await them? What monsters lurk around every corner?

That's up to you to discover, isn't it?

Comments

GROUP 1 - Newt, Wade, Nyx, Asriel, Clementine

[lifeaftr_mods]

The only true surprise with this group is that Wade didn't insist on taking all of the kids. As the instigator of this search, Newt leads his merry band deeper into the temple - to uncover any nooks and crannies that could be hiding valuable goods.

What they do find, eventually, is...tents?

There's about a dozen tents. Sitting in the midst of them is an overly large dog; a mix of breeds that don't particularly work too well together. It shakes it's tail the once, though it's ears also flick forwards, perhaps in aggression. Or maybe irritation.

"I thought you'd be here sooner."



...says the dog.

[ohnehalfte]

After the groups had split up, Newt had started to wander through the ruins accompanied by two large burly men and some children. He's been keeping a pretty close eye open and his butterfly knife in his hand, but he won't deny that having even just Wade there relaxes him a bit. He definitely is expecting to run into something nasty at best and something life threatening at worst, so when they come to a room with a bunch of tents and a large dog(?????) in the middle of them, Newt can't do much but stare at first...especially after the dog speaks.

After a moment, though, he seems to find his voice and clears his throat.

"We, uh...didn't know there was a time limit."...wait a minute, hold on. Yep, those sure are Newt's hands going to his hips and an eyebrow arching. "And, like, we kinda just got here, dude."

[pleasereset]

A talking dog isn't really a strange thing for a small boss monster, considering the Royal Guard is entirely made up of them. The fact that said dog seems a little annoyed with them? That's a little weirder.

Asriel peeks out from behind the taller adults in the group.

"You were expecting us?"

[story_teller]

"The imposing ruins rising above the jungle trees didn't give you a thrill of excitement in your bones? The urge to explore- to find an adventure... dear me," The dog tsks- as well as a dog can. "You're not exceptionally story inclined at all..."

A soft chuff, as it turns it's gaze to Asriel next.

"It is my island. Would you not notice of a dozen rafts arriving on your island? I am not blind, nor death. And you are all very loud."

[thekingsglaive]

First a talking skeleton now a talking dog... A talking dog.

Nyx was going to need a drink or something after all this. He gives a small frown, glancing down when he hears Asriel's question before the dog for its answers. That only makes him raise an eyebrow, arms crossing over his chest. "Your island. If that's the case do you want to explain just why we're all here in the first place? It's not as though any of us particularly wanted to wake up on a raft and wind up here."

[ishotyouuu]

Wade's gonna have to go with Asriel on this one. A talking dog-- however sarcastic and unhelpful it may be-- ranks pretty low on his list of Weird Shit He's Had To Deal With. Wade saunters up just as easy as you please, his red and black spandex no doubt clashing horribly with the verdant environment surrounding them, and shoots a wry eye towards Nyx.

"Uhhh maybe speak for yourself there, Prince Humperdink. I can think of like... ten situations worse than wakin' up on a raft near a tropical island. At the very least it helped me work on my tan, know what I'm sayin'? Coulda done without bein' stuck with Tweedledee and Tweedle-dipshit, though."

It's just then that something the dog said grabs Wade's attention, and he suddenly inclines his head curiously towards the canine.

"Wait-- did you just say we're not 'exceptionally story-inclined'? The hell does that even mean?"

Because he swears to god if they're stuck in some stupid Choose Your Own Adventure book he is heading for the bad ending so fucking fast...

GROUP 2 - Edward, Shiro, Jaune, Espio, Tim

[lifeaftr_mods]

This group seems interested in exploring the small area surrounding the ruins; looking for openings and holes that could leave them exposed to the elements, or allow predators to enter the building and catch people unawares.

Around the back of the temple is where the vegetation is at it's lushest. The reason for this appears to be an odd, glowing green pool, almost unerringly circular in design. Is it natural..? Will it hurt someone?

Only one way to find out.

[solperierat]

Okay, this is either going to be amazingly useful or deadly as hell.

Edward stares down at the pool (too perfect to be natural, but definitely not carved out by hand) with crossed arms and a faint frown. His tail is curled around a small rock, which he hefts a few times while he considers the pros and cons of tossing it in.

"Don't suppose any of you happen to have a water testing kit, do you?"

[metachrosis]

"You'll be lucky," Espio mutters, circling the pool and trying to catch a glimpse of anything that might be hiding in it. They might have arrived with a few useful resources, but he would be surprised if water testing kits were among them.

What to do...? He could just stick his hand in and see what happens, but that is generally a bad idea with mysterious glowing things.

"Dare you to jump in," he says, not to anyone in particular. It's a joke, but his tone is flat.

[postictal]

He recognizes maybe one of the four other people in this group with him, and he really only recognizes Ed because it's hard to forget someone with horns and wings like that.

"No one is jumping in," says Tim, with a decisively even pronouncement that's meant to brook no argument. Not that he's in any way cut out to make decisions on anyone's behalf, but just in case they've got someone of the more impulsive persuasion in their little expedition, it bodes mentioning.

Instead, he casts about until he comes up with a slightly knobby bit of branch, snapped and lying forlornly on the dusty floor. Sure, there are more scientific methods to explore an unknown substance besides "poke it with a stick," but unless someone has any better ideas, that's exactly what Tim's about to do.

[aurabble]

"I could jump in but it wouldn't do anything. I could probably tell you if it hurts." The shape of the pool is what stands out to Jaune the most. Were there other people here? Already wrestling with one of his boots--he doesn't want to ruin any of his belongings if the pool is acidic--he stops and peers at Tim, still holding his foot.

"You gonna poke it?" A stick might not be the most accurate way to test the water, but it's what they have. It could give them a basic understanding of whatever the liquid is made of. Jaune's knowledge of science is pretty bleak, but he's not particularly eager to get himself hurt just to test it out, even if he's willing.

GROUP 3 - Kidwun, Kittu, Ruby, Guzma, Luna

[lifeaftr_mods]

High up, nearly the dusted, shadowed peak of the ceiling, something sprawls between the fragmented pieces of hewn rock that may have once been spires, stretched like some great, sprawling spider's web.

...hang on, actually. That's no spider web. That's a hammock. Several of them, in fact, stretched out and suspended like empty cocoons. A fine patina dust has settled about the threads of their cloth, but they're still whole, and still useable.

The only problem is that there's someone already inside one of them.

What keeps the gray-furred lemur from being classed as a something instead is the fact that, as the group draws nearer, they see fit to pipe up, perching at the very ridge of their hammock with bright, amber eyes peering at the quintet of faces in the gloom.

"Took you long enough," says the lemur - decidedly annoyed.

Re: GROUP 3 - Kidwun, Kittu, Ruby, Guzma, Luna

[just_want_normal_knees]

"Took us long eno-- ah! You can talk!" Ruby yelped. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Do you know why we're here?"

TEAM 20 QUESTIONS

[yallstupid]

Guzma's been keeping up the rear of their motley crew, dragged along by Luna into this expedition with a bunch of other toddlers...and one red-robed runt. He sighs as he drags his feet, then looks up at all the hammocks lining the ceiling. This, uh...this is a little spooky, and he's certainly anticipating something falling out of them, or occupying them, but it's certainly not what actually--

Wait, is that Passimian whining at them? Guzma blinks, then rubs his face. You know what? This isn't even weird anymore. He just shrugs and accepts it.

"Darlin', I ain't even surprised the not-Pokemon can blabber...." After running into, how many now? A man-goat, a spider-lady, and a big rat--er, mouse. Anyway, scarlet over here is running her mouth plenty fine, so he just hangs back until he can get a word in edgewise.

[story_teller]

The lemur surveys the pair of them with an appraising pair of round gold eyes before scuttling along the ridge of the hammock in which it is perched. It's not wholly clear how it is it manages it, but before long the lemur has hefted up a great, dusty tome even larger than it is, and pitched out and over the edge of the hammock.

It lands on the floor with a great, heavy whap. The lemur follows, wasting little time in flipping the book open with the soft rustle of parchment. Delicate claws shined as ink card through the leafs of paper without any difficulty whatsoever, until at long last it clears its throat and darts its look back up at the pair of them.

"Questions, questions, questions. Here I am, playing host to a half-dozen rafts full of interlopers on my island, and all you have are questions." It sounds - disappointed? In any case, an affronted lemur is certainly a very singular thing to witness; be proud! "Your stories haven taken you here. Obviously."

[just_want_normal_knees]

Ruby blinked at how rude the lemur was to them. Jeez, they just got here! She pouted at the creature as she continued. "Even if our stories brought us here - whatever that meant - it wasn't our intention to purposely invade your home." Ruby replied. "We're all quite lost and confused right now, so..."

She let out a small sigh before adding in a suggestion. "How can we help make it up? Though I doubt leaving will help..."

Chara, Frisk and Luna - a general investigation

[achievementhunter]

As irritating as it is to give the only source of knowledge they've found thus far such a wide berth, they are...attempting to blend into the background, somewhat. Additionally, questions would eventually lead to the kind that revealed all too much of their current situation- a situation they aren't willing to expose their Partner to. Not yet.

Let them get the answers, then twist them into something more palatable.

So they turn on their heel, disregarding the lemur entirely as they direct an overly bright smile to the two kids accompanying them.

"Why don't we have a look into those...hanging bags, whilst the adults talk?"

It's not really a question.

[holdmyhand]

The look that has glazed over Luna's eyes is real, and she's definitely watching the talking lemur. It...spoke? She'd never heard of any kind of creature doing that before-- except a relatively famous travelling Meowth from Kanto. It's mind boggling, and she's so curious, and gosh-- gosh she just wants to go talk to it!

Chara's less than questioning request brings her out of her gaze, and her feet move forward to accompany the two smaller children-- are they wearing sweaters? That just seems uncomfortable, even if it is cooler the deeper in they go.

"They kind of look like hammocks," Luna chimes in, smiling back at Chara. "I'm in! Let's see if we can get a closer look!"

The front of her red shoes tap quickly against the ground, and she looks pretty determined to get to the bottom of this.

"I'm Luna, by the way! Nice to meet you both!"

[souldeterminant]

Frisk stares at the lemur perhaps the longest of the three, rust-colored eyes tracking over their shoulder even as they follow the other children out into the opening of stone and pillar. Not out of a desire to speak to the strange creature themself so much as -- observe and listen, maybe.

But their Partner is going this way, and so Frisk follows without complaint. It's their second companion that finally draws their eyes back, and they find themself smiling at her. They've never seen her before in their life, but her energy and eagerness shine in the stale darkness of the cave like a soft glow of light. It's contagious; before long they find themself equally interested in the strange little slings tethered to pillars and stones. It's a sign of some sort of civilization, isn't it? As if the temple alone wasn't, but still.

"Kittu," they say, thumbing their sweater. They've had practice up to now, and it's becoming easy. "Want to go first?"

[achievementhunter]

In comparison, Chara isn't so easily impressed. When are they ever?

Kids like this didn't show up in Sol Raveh. People like this didn't show up in Sol Raveh; if they did, they never lasted very long. Smiling, happy natures didn't last in warzones- how long until her smile is gone, too?
When it does, will Frisk's disappear again, as well?
"Kidwun," They answer finally, gesturing towards the nearest...hammock. They wouldn't know; they've never been camping before. Though the closer they get, the more obvious it is that these things are certainly big enough to fit a full grown person. Interesting... "I do hope there's nothing dangerous inside of them- or more talking animals."

GROUP 4 - Shepard, The Batter, Muffet, J, Marcille

[lifeaftr_mods]

In the musty recesses and crannies of the farthest parts of the ruins, this group will find something that crackles in their hands, ancient paper packets that may have once been white but are now a rusted brown from disuse, from dust. Tearing them open, presuming one does not do it too recklessly, will reveal palmfuls of dark-speckled pods.

If there are any botanists among you, you may recognize your findings as seeds. Still very much plantable - though we don't recommend trying to eat them on the spot.

[prettypurpleparlor]

[Muffet examines them warily, prodding a seed with the very tip of one finger.]

I don't suppose anyone recognizes this particular variety of plant?

[manasponge]

[ Marcille shook her head. ]

No -- though since they're in these packets, they may have some medicinal or culinary use. Why don't we save them for later? Maybe they'll come in handy.

caaaasually slides in here Hello

[tenthstreetbred]

[Shepard turns over a couple of seeds in her hand as well, feeling their weight and shape. She doesn't know anything about botany or plants beyond a cursory knowledge of how to grow something but they're interesting in a small way.]

Should we plant them then? Keep a few out and plant some as an experiment?

Hello~

[prettypurpleparlor]

That seems like the best option, yes. I think we should try keeping the original packaging, too, just in case we find a use for it.