balance_logs | Field Mission 3: Brushing the Sun, Part 1

Field Mission 3: Brushing the Sun, Part 1

	Are there really no bananas on board this thing?
	NAVIGATION

1. FIRST, YOU DRAW A CIRCLE

Click here for the RNG thread!

A. IT'S TIME TO GET TO WORK

That certainly isn't to say that your previous efforts have not been hard work. But one half of this mission has been fine tuned, a logistical machine of well-oiled cogs, the creative efforts of a man who has so much to make up for.

After the three-hour journey across the sky, you and the three other Reclaimers you boarded the glass orb with will be deposited right in the dead center of Maru, where the Bureau has set up a small camp for gathering, sorting, and sending off supplies. It's chilly, but not unbearably so. The air is thin, but up here, it's probably the cleanest you've breathed anywhere else in Faerun — new and old Reclaimers alike.

Whatever goal you decide to work toward during your stay here, after a quick rundown of how supply gathering will work (it's pretty simple: You bring supplies, the unnamed Bureau members assigned to the base will send them off), you're turned loose to the gnarling wilds of the floating continent.

Because, as the header says, it's time to get to work.

And you most certainly haven't gone unnoticed.

2. USE YOUR PATH ACTIONS WISELY

B. ROWDY RUMBLE

Those of you who aren't quite combat ready might be getting something of an instant crash course in the art of a hostile encounter — though, perhaps in a bit of a lucky streak, goblins, like the pack of three of them that are leading the charge here, are, uh. Well, they're morons.

But these particular three see a bunch of humanoids flying in on what are very clearly cursed globes, and they see a bunch of humanoids wandering the lands and attempting to cash in on their treasure. They were here first, you know! Even if they don't entirely understand why the mine they were here first in isn't exactly on the ground anymore. Or where exactly they are to begin with now. Or ... well, frankly, nothing about any of this makes any sense.

Whether you're back at the base at the center of Maru, or whether you're out in the fields, toeing at the ground for hints of treasure underneath, you, and whoever you happen to be traveling with, will be approached by a rather bold trio. And whatever treasure you may have on your person? They're rather keen on taking it.

What will you do? Fight? Try to reason with them?

For those of you with the combat experience, there are, of course, much bigger fish to fry. Take a look at the YOLO's guide to monsters for a full list of the hostile critters you can challenge to a wrestle during your stay on Maru.

C. NIGHTLY WHISPERINGS

You've probably heard the rumors by now — the fact that nobody seems interested in going to the small lake and waterfall on Maru once nighttime rolls around. Seems pretty silly, right? Superstitious, even. It's a rather beautiful patch of the floating continent, and if your previous expeditions digging through the ground are any indicator, there's a wealth of valuable items to be had underneath the surface.

Hubris might lead you to camping out near the water's edge, for just one evening.

And sometime around midnight, provided that same hubris hasn't put you to sleep, the light of your campfire, or the light of the moon, suddenly extinguishes. It's like being wrapped up in a cloak of vantablack, in very nearly every single sense, not just sight. No rustling of leaves, no sound of the wind passing through every nook and cranny of the continent. No light. No nothing.

If you decide to book it out of there, be careful, lest you accidentally wander into the lake, without a clear sense of where exactly the exit is. But if you choose to hold steady, after about an hour, the silence and darkness clears — and the scenery returns to normal, as if nothing happened.

Something did happen, however. Whether you stayed there for just a moment, you sat through it, or you slept through it, if you were anywhere near the lake at midnight, you'll be subject to a nightly enchantment coming from an unknown source. You may pick one of the following:

○ The next time you are asked a question, whether it's what you had for dinner or whether you're all right, you will be magically forced to answer it truthfully. The effect wears off after one question.

○ When you speak, you'll hear yourself speaking normally. Everyone else will hear you either making an animal noise, or repeating a sentence you've said before, regardless of its relevance. That goes all the way back to your canon! The effect begins at sunrise, and lasts for three hours.

○ Whenever you try to leave, it feels as if your shoes are suddenly made with two tons of lead. You will not be able to move away normally. Someone's going to have to carry you out of there.

○ When the sun rises, you will be magically reduced to half your height. The effect lasts for five hours.

3. MINE CART MADNESS

D. I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MY MINE, UP IN HERE, UP IN HERE.

Eventually, you'll probably find yourself down in the mine's labyrinthine system of tunnels and networks that seem to sprawl out in nearly endless directions. Be careful when you turn corners, as there may be an Umber Hulk or a Basilisk waiting for you in the darkness, but as you look down, you do notice tracks that head in nearly every direction. Whoever had initially excavated this area was quite laborious and thorough with the pathing down in its deepest delves. One turn leans to another long corridor, and maybe another turn leads you back in a circle. Mining equipment can be found almost everywhere, left to rust and decay with the passage of time that could only indicate hundreds of years of being completely unbothered.

You step forward, and look to see a path that carves out into four directions- straight, left, right, and back.

And you quickly realize something doesn't feel right. That's true- as you begin to step forward and take a path, you find yourself back to where you started after walking for a little while. Turn back, and you might notice that you're in the exact place you just were as well. Maybe you brought some chalk with you, or maybe you managed to drop something here like a breadcrumb trail to tell you which way you've already headed. Or maybe you don't even notice it until you've been walking for hours, but you're stuck in a loop.

Of those four directions, you'll notice something peculiar if you start to take notice.

○ One direction will always lead you back to where you started.

○ If you listen close enough, down one hall you'll be able to hear the sound of a coastline, weak waves echoing and crashing against the shore. Follow that sound and you'll come to the source of it: a large standing pool of water that sits absolutely still, no tide. You can swim to the bottom of it, not a problem. There doesn't seem to be anything there. But the walls are bio-luminescent, coated with weird fungi that you definitely don't want to eat.

○ When you look on the ground, you can always find baby fire beetles at the mouth to one of the spokes. Follow those markings long enough and you'll inexplicably be sent back to the mine's entrance.

○ One direction is completely nondescript, but unlike the first one that sends you to the beginning of the maze, you enter a new area that doesn't hold any of the signs that you were there previously. You can follow this lead for several iterations, and eventually come to a four-way that has no features noticeable whatsoever: no beetles, no sound of rushing water. But you head down one of them and you're back to where you started.

E. I'LL FOLLOW BEHIND YOU ON RAINBOW ROAD.

Mind boggling puzzles aside, you're welcome to explore the depths of the Lost Mine of Phandelver. One of the more ridiculous, albeit, fun adventures you can take is a mine cart ride through the mine down to the farthest reaches. It starts off relatively bumpy and doesn't seem to smooth out at any given point, but it's the closest thing you're going to get to a roller coaster ride down here in Faerun. Reaching the end is a matter of waiting the cruise- and you eventually come to a dead end.

There's stuff you can mine down here as it empties out into a vast, damp cavern. Iron, several types of cheap gemstones, and rocks can be found pretty much anywhere. If you're looking to rebuild Vista Virs, this is a good place to start. If you're looking to make a little cash on the side, that's possible too. We're not here to judge your moral intentions.

Getting back isn't as fun as it was coming down here, as you're pretty much stuck pushing the cart back to where it was if you want to take things out. Don't worry about the logistics too much; there always seems to be a cart available for you to descend, and oddly enough, it never feels like it's the same journey down and back twice in a row.

F. BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT. BEEN HERE ALL DAY.

There are a few notable places to explore while you're down in Phandelver:

○ An administrative office, complete with desks that haven't been touched in years. Several papers are still there, with dates that go far and wide back into the past. Touching them causes it to disintegrate into dust. For anyone who makes it down there, there is a lockbox to be found that can be opened by smashing it on the ground or attempting to unlock it with thieves' tools. While the contents are up to you to decide, nothing in there should be magical beyond a simple potion of healing, aged... several centuries.

○ An old room that seems to be barred from the inside, about an hour's walk past the mine entrance. Outside, you can find several skeleton carcasses of humanoid creatures that have long since died down here. If you try to make it into the room by force, you'll be greeted with a barracks that once housed the dwarves who worked down here. You get the sense that a battle happened in these parts, but beyond that, it's kind of hard to tell what went down.

○ A large quarry with a practically neolithic drill in the center of it. It hasn't seen use in quite some time, but be careful as the drop can be upwards of 100 feet. Another prime locale for mining, this area seems to house sturdier metals. Hence, the drill being necessary. Be careful, this is prime Umber Hulk territory.

○ Various storerooms that housed supplies for the workers of the cavern. You'll find wine and spirits down in the depths, and who wouldn't want to try some 300 year old whiskey? The climate down here is particularly perfect for keeping and storing these rare and fine vittles. Drink up, it's on us.

○ One peculiar room that when you enter, you feel a chill sort of feeling take over your body. There's a bed in here, with a storage chest at the base of it. Attempting to open it or touch it or even having an intention to steal/uncover what's inside will cause you to hear incredibly powerful and loud screaming in your head, enough to make you clutch your ears and take psychic damage from it. Hm.

4. WILDCARD

The floating continent of Maru is your world to explore, and your story to write! You may use any of the prompts we've given you here, or you may come up with your own prompts — you can utilize any part of the setting provided in the OOC post.

If you'd like the outcome of a particular thread randomized, or if you'd like to investigate a particular part of the setting, feel free to drop a note in the RNG thread and we'll set up a roll for you.

As always, be amazing. You're two for two on reclaiming Grand Relics, and we can't wait to see what you do here.

blurb code by photosynthesis

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He's a little confused why she says she would have run off but also is asking to camp with him again... But whatever. ]

If you'd like.

[She doesn't get the confusion, just the agreement, and she gives him a brighter smile.]

Alright!

[And then shoves herself to her feet, brushing dirt off her leggings and holding out a hand to offer to help him up.]

Wanna go get breakfast with the others?

Sure.

[ He's down for food. He takes her hand to pull himself up and -- oh god he feels so heavy. The result is like watching someone trip as they try to stand up. He ends up flopped over on the ground in front of her. ]

Uh....

[ Blink blink. Okay. Staying here is good too he guesses. ]

W-Whoa!

[Kaede quickly lets go of his hand so he doesn't tug her down with him, covering her hand with her mouth to stifle a gasp of surprise. And maybe a bit of a giggle, too, because seeing him flop over like that is kind of funny.]

Uh... are you okay? Did you stand up too fast?

I guess...

[ He didn't feel dizzy or like he slipped on something, though. Let's try this again. He sits up without any issue. That's good. He gets in position to stand up and waits a moment. He still feels fine. He stands up and--oh god it's so heavy. He was expecting it this time, so he's able to keep himself from falling over by throwing out his arms and wobbling to keep his balance.

Hm. He can't really move around like this. The heaviness is like a consistent weight on his body. It must be an effect from the darkness... ]

I can't walk.

Edited 2019-04-27 07:02 (UTC)

Huh?!

[Now she definitely feels bad for laughing! She grabs onto his shoulder to try to help steady him.]

W-what're you talking about...? Jeez, you shouldn't joke around about stuff like that, I'll get worried.

[ It's a good thing she helps to steady him, because he was starting to lean too far in one direction. He could have fallen down! He won't feel heavy to her hand though. ]

.... The darkness usually leaves an effect behind.

Huh? [she says again, because really, it's the only reaction she has. She shifts her hand from his shoulder to his elbow, trying to give him a tug toward her. If she pulls, he'll have to stop messing around, right?]

I feel fine though... c'mon, I can't carry you.

[ She doesn't believe him... Oh well. He'll just have to push through it. He closes his eyes and puts all his strength into moving his feet forward. Come on! Move it! With a heft he tugs one foot off of the ground but falls forward from the effort and collapses onto his knees.

Siiiigh. ]

I'm tired.

Arisato-kun!!

[Now she's worried. Not because he's tired (isn't he always?), but because that must have hurt, and she can't think he's joking around like that.

But she doesn't know what to do. She wasn't kidding when she said she couldn't pick him up, and none of her magic is any good. She bites her lip, trying to think fast before kneeling down on the ground next to him.]

Um, can you try to grab onto my shoulders...?

[She can try to give him a piggyback ride!]

Alright.

[ They can give it a try. And if it doesn't work he can hang out here for the day. He reaches out to grab her shoulders. He's still heavy trying to pull himself up. Maybe it's because he wants to leave Maybe the lake is keeping him here? Climbing up onto her is easier than walking though. Can she lift him though? ]

[She's certainly going to try, reaching behind her to grab his legs and try to pull him into a better position to carry him.]

One, two, three--!!

[With a grunt of effort, she gets one foot under her, trying to push herself upright.]

...Eeeek!!

[And promptly stumbles, pitching both of them forward and driving herself face-first into the dirt. It doesn't even occur to her to use her hands to try to catch herself; she doesn't need her face to play piano, after all!]

Ow...

[ Well. That didn't work. Now he feels like an ass. He rolls off of her back. ]

Uh. Sorry. Thanks.

[ He'll just lie here. If he could heal her he would as an apology. ]

I'm okay, but you're heavy!

[He is not. She's just not that strong.]

U-Ummm... I can try getting help? Oh, wait!

[Her hand had been halfway to her face to check to see if she's bleeding (she isn't, just dirty), but instead points straight up toward the sky with a sudden revelation.]

What about Orpheus? Can he pick you up...?

[Unless whatever magic or curse that Minato's been hit with is too heavy even for him...]

[ Oh yeah. Orpheus. He sometimes forgets that Orpheus sticks around now. He nods to Kaede and wiggles around, digging through his outfit to pull out his concealed Evoker. He looks at the gun in his hand for a moment. Hm. He doesn't think she would want to see what this is like. ]

Could you, ah... Turn around? [ This is a private matter. ]

H-Hang on... is that a gun?!

[She does not turn around. She's seen Akechi summon Loki more than once, and guns have never been involved!]

[ Oh. He should have asked her to turn around before he pulled it out. He belatedly places it down on the ground next to him, hidden from her view. ]

... No.

[ Is this like "My PJs are on fire" line he tried to pull on her? ]

Arisato-kun...

[This is absolutely "my pjs are on fire" part two. Her emotions keep wavering between incredulity and panicked concern, and his responses aren't doing anything to help!]

What is that?

[It looks like a gun!]

It's...

[ Oh god this isn't going to work. He sighs, closing his eyes and lifting it up, stretching his arm above him so that she can take it and inspect it if she wishes.

It's a semi-automatic pistol. But if Kaede knows to look for a magazine, she'll find it can't have one inserted. The handle is completely solid. It was carefully constructed to have the proper weight of a loaded pistol, though. "S.E.E.S." is written on the barrel. ]

[She reaches out to take it when he holds it up, but that still doesn't answer her question. It looks like the kind of gun she'd see in movies. It's heavy, too, almost surprising her. All she's ever held are water guns, after all.

Kaede switches it from one hand to another, not sure if it's safe to look down the barrel of it.]

S.E.E.S. ...that's the group you were in with Aragaki-kun, right?

[Shinjiro had mentioned it once in passing, but she doesn't know a lot about it.]

Why do you have a gun?

To shoot things.

[ Duh. He's a bit prickly now, not making eye contact. He really doesn't want to explain this. Though Shinji telling her about SEES surprises him. The only person Minato has said anything to is Goro, and that was only because he was drugged into talking. ]

[She bonks the middle of his chest with the butt of the gun.]

Stop saying stuff that's gonna make me worry, [she says reproachfully. Guns are like, super illegal? And if the name of his group is on it, it's definitely not something he picked up here!]

Arisato-kun, please tell me the real reason why you have a gun... I thought you were gonna summon Orpheus.

Edited 2019-04-30 05:31 (UTC)

[ He stares into the distance, trying to decide if it's worth trying to explain things to her. The very idea fills him with a sort of existential fatigue.

But he promised Ryoji. Damn it. He slowly lets out a breath through his nose. ]

.... I need it to summon Orpheus.

[ Just because he promised doesn't mean he's happy about it. ]

You shoot him out of a gun?

[Now she does peek into the barrel, as if that might reveal a tiny, hidden Orpheus inside. It's hard to decide if shooting Orpheus out of a gun is more or less violent than Akechi ripping a mask off to summon Loki.

She points the gun out over the lake.]

Can I try?

[ He nods. She can fire it if she wants. It will make a bang and have some recoil but there's no bullets in it. ]

He doesn't come out of it.

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