<ROUND 26>

Debbie takes a break at the top of the mountain. :debbiesit:

---

Offtopic leaves the suspiciously empty cave, heading for Mt. Lichen’s summit. It seems someone else will have to solve the mystery. Which may not actually be a mystery.

He also takes some moss.
Cool.

---

With the Eliti Huntress driven off and the rest of the Iti either retreating or being mopped up, the party slowly regain their bearings inside the strange chunk of building they find themselves in. And also resurrect R-8.

R-8733: Ow.
R-8733: Thanks for the rez! Lying dead on the floor that whole time was really painful.
BASS: wait really
BASS: dude i don’t think pain when you’re dead is normal
BASS: you might be the one the prophecies spoke of
R-8733: Most likely!

Chi takes a closer look at the room.

CHI: What in Helix’s name…?

She examines the giant holes in the middle of the room.

CHI: These are using space crystals to make endlessly looping falls...
CHI: This room was part of the Sky Labs once. It evidently was broken off at some point, maybe by Electrophorus or by the Dream of Unity’s activation... but how did it end up out here?
CHI: Whatever experiments were taking place here, the Iti have probably already stolen.
CHI: I can only hope it wasn’t anything too dangerous...

Chi steps back.

CHI: At least we have something to go on now.
CHI: Whoever this new leader of the Iti is, perhaps destroying them will restore things to normal, if the Iti are indeed threatening the region.

For whatever definition of “normal” can conceivably apply to Sussui.

(For above dop.)

62: Static Overcharge
52: Reckless Revenge
13: Bear Hug
9: Focus Energy

Des moves J9-J10-I11-H10, and uses Static Overcharge [GDG Buff Levels] on Skaði. During Regen, (51-59) Electric before defenses, with +14 CRT. -15 MP,. +30 SP.

(ALSO FOR ABOVE DOP)

Maria stays where she is, Evolves her strain, and smacks the giant Eliti before her with a basic attack. She does not retreat. "BRING IT ON!"

Doc, now sufficiently fancified, treks up the mountain to the A Summit.

Respec

Debbie shuffles through the inventory for something - anything - warm to wear. She manages to find the Trapper's Fur Hat. Well, alright, that's a start... maybe she could wear her crown in front of it? It's... not ideal, but what can you do?

((This is a seemingly minor respec, but there's a lot of stat shuffling. So, click here for the new sheet!))

---

/working

Pardon takes a moment to either resurrect the Grey Iti, or prepare a (small) funeral if they can’t.

He then checks out the vending machine cautiously from a distance

Offtopic does a +7 SKI. Breakpoints suck, and everyone else is already reshuffling their equipment. He heads to the bottom right "???" path.

With Skaði gone, and the battlefield cleared out, Sakura is victorious! She does the standard victory dance of raising her arms up and down repeatedly. Though, uh, was there something she wanted to do before getting caught up in a rough battle?

SAKURA: Oh, right.
SAKURA: Chi. Hey.

Sakura pokes Chi in the cheek.

SAKURA: I had something to ask before we got the sap beaten out of us.
SAKURA: Or uh, before you got the sap beaten out of you.
SAKURA: I did just fine.
SAKURA: Yeah.
SAKURA: Anyway: you know those troops that jumped us down in the Shoal Cave?
SAKURA: If you didn't, well now you know!
SAKURA: Apparently, they weren't from Amora. They were from Seatopolis.
SAKURA: Wanna explain that gorilla? Bunch of crazy-gorilla religious fanatics?
SAKURA: They almost killed me! With DIVINE SKY LASERS! Your backup did that!

Sakura taps her foot with severe impatience.

---

Stat Points:
- Grant a +1 to your HP. You're a bit squish, y'know?

the bupp

...In the intervening turns, Keane has returned to the camp and fallen asleep again. Why are they all so sneepy? Only time will tell...

---

Paige suddenly snaps awake!

PAIGE: ...Whhuh... Food?!?!?

Within seconds, she's got her nose pressed up against the vending machine. Which... probably needs Credits to operate. She bangs against the glass fruitlessly.

PAIGE: Wait, wait, hold on... I think I have some money somewhere...

Paige turns out her pockets, revealing a grand total of two Credits and someone's jawbone. Paige, that's not enough to buy anything.

PAIGE: Noooooo.... I want food,,, :bwaah:

Conclusion - The Fragment

As the battle wraps up and Skaði takes her leave, Blacklight watches her go with a neutral expression. Internally, he wonders how long it'll be until the party encounters her once again.

"What a fascinating person."

He then remembers that he probably would've bled out if the battle continues any longer, and thus turns his focus to recovering. An odd detail anyone present who's looking at him would notice is that rather than blood - or indeed any form of liquid resembling such - he seems to "bleed" a dark miasma that hangs in the air just a little bit too long. Thankfully, patching up shouldn't take too long.

Then, he moves off to the side of the Fragment, inspecting the spilled chemicals in case there's anything important about them. If anyone in particular would want to talk to him, this is probably the best time to strike up a conversation, while he's occupying himself with a relatively trivial task.

...

Oh right skillpoints

Writing Tip -> Heartless Jester
+2 STR

Eroa +1s SKI. Additionally, she changes the modifier of her Special Longing For Love.

OLD: After using Siren on an enemy, inflict Seduced for 2 rounds. Seduced prevents the target from moving away from you. (11 SPC milestone)

NEW: You may choose to instead use Siren as a regular action, increasing its Upper Range by 2 and decreasing its SP cost by 20%.

<ROUND 27>

Doc advances to the summit. There, he finds a Debbie. And an Offtopic.

---

Debbie does some respeccing. She equips the Trapper’s Fur Hat in order to stay a bit warmer.

---

Pardon casts Resurrect on the Grey Nanite. Thankfully, since it was only unconscious and not actually dead, this works.

He then carefully inspects the vending machine from a safe distance. There’s a pixelated pattern on the machine’s primitive screen that looks like... a face.

VENDING MACHINE: ...

It’s a little hard to make out from a distance, but the machine seems to have some bags of small items, as well as a couple clothing-shaped larger ones.

---

Offtopic +7s his SKI. He also begins heading down the mountain.

On his way down, he discovers a gathering of woodwisps. The faeries giggle and wave to him as he enters, darting just out of reach. One hovers in front of Offtopic, taking the lead.

WOODWISP: Ooh! A far traveler. The whole forest’s abuzz about you, offworlder.
WOODWISP: Have you come to see the boring Chairians? Or is it the woodsman you’re after?
WOODWISP: Maybe the Iti huntress? Or... could it be you’ve come all this way to see little old us?

---

Sakura asks Chi what the hell the deal is with the troops that jumped them in Shoal Cave. Chi wrinkles her brow. And moves Sakura’s finger away from her cheek.

CHI: Religious fanatics from the capital?
CHI: I certainly didn’t send for any such soldiers.
ACEROLA: Yeah, well.
ACEROLA: They were super fucking creepy.

Acerola casually sits cross-legged with her back against a nearby wall. When did she get here?

CHI: Another newcomer. I... should’ve expected as much, with hindsight.
CHI: And you are?
ACEROLA: Acerola Emarginata.
ACEROLA: You must be the person in charge that Sakura’s fashion consultant mentioned.
CHI: ...Yes. That’s right.
CHI: Do you know what you’re getting into?
ACEROLA: Leading you to town, for one.
ACEROLA: After that, maybe I’ll stick around. See these weird Iti for myself.
ACEROLA: Could be fun.
ACEROLA: Sakura still owes me, too.

Chi sighs.

CHI: Well, it’s good to have a guide.
CHI: As for those troops you encountered, it’s possible Ms. Taeda sent them, though I can’t imagine why.
CHI: High-ranking clerics do have a fair amount of leeway now that Spark isn’t breathing down their necks, so it’s equally possible one of them simply decided to come here on their own.
CHI: Religious matters generally don’t get reported to the rest of the Highchair unless they’re of top importance.
CHI: But why in Helix’s name did you get into a fight with them?

Acerola raises a hand.

ACEROLA: They thought I was an Iti-summoning Dome-worshiping witch.
ACEROLA: Which is only two-thirds true.
CHI: ...Do I want to ask?

Acerola just grins.

Sakura also +1s her MHP. Neat.

---

Keane is very sneepy.

Meanwhile, Paige attempts to buy some food from the vending machine... only to discover she lacks the credits. Pressing her nose up against the glass anyway, she sees some bags of popato chisps and beverages, as well as a couple of pieces of armor within... just before the vending machine tilts forward, slamming down onto Paige’s leg with a nasty crunch. It then springs back up, like an inflatable bopper toy.

VENDING MACHINE: YOUUUUUUUU
VENDING MACHINE: TRAITOR

The face on the machine’s screen assumes a “scary” configuration. From the sparks and tiny bits of thyme matter beginning to ooze out of the coin slot, it seems this machine is possessed by a Pin.

VENDITI: I AM VENDITI
VENDITI: VENDOR OF DEATH
VENDITI: YOU MAY HAVE MURDERED MY COMRADES IN COLD BLOOD, BUT I WILL NOT DIE SO EASILY
VENDITI: I AM FURY
VENDITI: I AM VENGEANCE
VENDITI: I AM
VENDITI: 10 CREDITS OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE IF YOU ACT FAST
VENDITI: SUPPLY ME WITH YOUR SWEET, SWEET CREDITS
VENDITI: AND IN RETURN
VENDITI: I WILL FUNNEL THEM INTO SHELL CORPORATIONS AND USE THEM TO FUND YOUR EVENTUAL DEMISE
VENDITI: ALSO YOU WILL RECEIVE GOODS

...Okay.

---

Blacklight adjusts his stats and perks. He also goes rummaging through the dangerous chemicals.

WIthin the containers, he finds... toxic chemicals. And also... a pouch with 50 credits? It seems to be gradually dissolving, but the contents are still intact. Perhaps an Iti chucked it in here not long ago. Blacklight pockets the credits.

---

Eroa +1s her SKI. She also adjusts one of the modifiers on her special.

---

With the battle over, there’s only one direction to head... or is there? There do seem to be a few unsolved mysteries in the areas you’ve already explored, after all...

Doc: Hm. While I'm up here, my selection of vials and flasks could use some adjustment.

Doc rifles through his belt for a few seconds, Various vials are removed from the belt and replaced elsewhere. Somehow, by the end of it, the selection visible on his belt has changed dramatically.

(Doc's SKI goes down by 2. He gains the Limiter Breaker perk, and one point each in INT and SPC.)

the bupp

...Keane Sneep continues. It turns out simping is hard work. Sakura will be spared for probably the next hour or so.

---

Skylar Decides to Study The Mechanisms of Personhood such as; Emotion

SKYLAR: IF YOU WOULD EXCUSE ME
SKYLAR: STATISTICALLY, IT IS WISE TO CHECK ON MISS DEBBIE
SKYLAR: WITHOUT HER SKILLS OUR
SKYLAR: (param; LIKELIHOOD OF DYING WITH AN AGGREGATED PAIN INDEX HIGHER THAN 125)
SKYLAR: GOES UP BY [1875.8794%]

As Skylar trots off, the snow shakes from a nearby tree, as if something inside it had leapt away. The resulting flurry of flakes confuses Skylar's sensors for a solid three minutes, until it ends up in the Quiet Grove. Skylar stares up at the poem nailed to the tree.

SKYLAR: ...
SKYLAR: THIS IS NOT THE MOUNTAIN SUMMIT
SKYLAR: REGARDLESS
SKYLAR: SOME WOULD REGARD THIS DETOUR AS
SKYLAR: "A SIGN"
SKYLAR: ACCORDING TO SURVEY DATA IN MY DATABASE
SKYLAR: ...
SKYLAR: PERHAPS
SKYLAR: KNOWLEDGE OF EMOTIONS AND THESE
SKYLAR: "INSTINCTS"
SKYLAR: ARE WORTH EXAMINING
SKYLAR: STARTING WITH THIS POEM
SKYLAR: ANALYSIS INDICATES THIS WOULD RHYME [30%] MORE WITH A SLIGHT SYNTAX CHANGE

Skylar skitters up the tree and pries off the signs, reorganizing them to read "In the ancient glade", "It's always dark", "The quiet shade", "Across old bark". Skylar also searches around for any significant changes.

---

QUOTE (Dedomeni @ Nov 6 2023, 01:02 AM)

Meanwhile, Paige attempts to buy some food from the vending machine... only to discover she lacks the credits. Pressing her nose up against the glass anyway, she sees some bags of popato chisps and beverages, as well as a couple of pieces of armor within... just before the vending machine tilts forward, slamming down onto Paige’s leg with a nasty crunch. It then springs back up, like an inflatable bopper toy. VENDING MACHINE: YOUUUUUUUU VENDING MACHINE: TRAITOR The face on the machine’s screen assumes a “scary” configuration. From the sparks and tiny bits of thyme matter beginning to ooze out of the coin slot, it seems this machine is possessed by a Pin. VENDITI: I AM VENDITI VENDITI: VENDOR OF DEATH VENDITI: YOU MAY HAVE MURDERED MY COMRADES IN COLD BLOOD, BUT I WILL NOT DIE SO EASILY VENDITI: I AM FURY VENDITI: I AM VENGEANCE VENDITI: I AM VENDITI: 10 CREDITS OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE IF YOU ACT FAST VENDITI: SUPPLY ME WITH YOUR SWEET, SWEET CREDITS VENDITI: AND IN RETURN VENDITI: I WILL FUNNEL THEM INTO SHELL CORPORATIONS AND USE THEM TO FUND YOUR EVENTUAL DEMISE VENDITI: ALSO YOU WILL RECEIVE GOODS ...Okay.

Paige stares up at the vending machine that has just fallen forward and crunched her leg. A brackish, fizzling purple-blue sludge leaks out of the oddly uniform break, more reminiscent of a fractured pane of glass than of rent flesh.

PAIGE: I-!
PAIGE: ...

Paige blinks fiercely, to hold back unwanted tears.

PAIGE: (D-dammit... Paige, don't feed the trolls...)
PAIGE: (I-I just wanted a soda and maybe a bag of chips... o-owwww...)
PAIGE: I...
PAIGE: ...d-do you stock... Uranium Dioxideperoxide s-soda...?

Paige sniffles quietly, trying to surreptitiously signal Pardon for healing while at the same time holding her ground.

Pardon snaps into action as soon as the nasty crunch is heard. First, his flute plays the Wii Shop theme from nowhere, granting Pardon a Pouch as the first steps of healing occur. Than Pardon smacks the Pouch onto Paige.

Then Purify-Pouch-giving loop until the break is fully healed and both Pardon and Paige is hopped up on Energised.

Pardon: Well I’m going to have to report this to Chi…
Pardon: Are you alright now Paige ??

Having ascertained his patient’s health status, Pardon takes a quick glance over the items…and promptly realises that the group doesn’t have any water on them. He moves towards Chi to report the Vending Machine, it’s…hostile intentions but simultaneous shop behaviour and also a request for any empty canteens he can go fill with Purified water from the Frozen Pond.

Mt. Lichen Summit



After the chat with Doc, she begins descending the mountain again, eventually seeing a fairly distant Offtopic face-to-face with a number of fae. Oh dear.

She considers heading down there and asking a few questions, like whether they were affiliated with the fae from their airship conflict... but honestly? That seemed like a bad idea at the moment. For now, she watches from afar.

Offtopic: hey i think i got this thing working now
Offtopic: so i have no idea what you mean by "huntress"
Offtopic: my group did run into some "chairians"

Offtopic puts his hands together in a praying position.

Offtopic: "you must obey!! our religion is supreme!! obey us!!"
Offtopic: that's an exaggeration, but my teammates decided to fight the religious messengers when i signed up for the purple murder monsters, so i'm biased in the direction of "why are these guys picking a fight with us"
Offtopic: i'll just be passing through, unless you don't want me to or there's something super dangerous back there

Sakura groans. Not even Chi knows why the capital sent soldiers here. Is Taeda actually the most corrupt pope to ever exist? Surely not; somebody so small couldn't be so insidious, right?

SAKURA: Well, gorilla.
SAKURA: This... raises so, so many questions.
SAKURA: Whatever. Thanks, I guess.
SAKURA: Not like there's gorilla I can do about us getting murdered.
SAKURA: ...again.

Dejected, Sakura wanders away. When suddenly, hunger rips through her body once again. That same, gnawing, wrathful hunger. Sakura makes a mad dash for the vending machine. The talking vending machine. Not that she cares about its apparent life. She maintains a safe distance away from the machine, just in case it decides to crush her like it did Paige's leg.

SAKURA: Hail, apparently sentient vending machine.
SAKURA: So... given that you're a vending machine in the middle of nowhere, in a curious little chunk of the Skylabs... how can we be sure that your goods are legit?
SAKURA: Or, y'know, edible.
SAKURA: I demand a sample. Just a single ration. To prove that your goods aren't hosting brand new, creative diseases that would make Doc blush.
SAKURA: Juuuust a single ration. Enough so I don't need to cannibalize my friends or anything.

Uh huh, yep. After that potentially concerning comment. Sakura sits just outside of the vending machine's range, awaiting a result. Hopefully, a free snack. yissssssss

The Fragment

Blacklight inspects the credits.

"Hmm. Intact. Hopefully good enough to use... And hopefully not the only batch of credits still salvageable from near here."

After securing them in the group inventory, he goes to inspect the only thing that those credits can be spent on, namely Venditi's wares. Going by his expression, he... isn't exactly thrilled at the possibilities that a meagre 50 credits can get for the party's use.

"If only more of our supply had survived the crash... Oh well. It's good to have something available once we've recovered."

Then he remembers that he is not the only party member there. After a moment of thought, he shrugs, deciding to wander over to Sakura. It's a bit hard to know what to say, all things considered... How about...

"...So. I meant to catch up on things earlier, but there wasn't a really good opportunity, hm... How has life been treating you over the past year?"

The moment the coast is clear, Vent rushes over to Eroa. Nothing but concern can be seen on his face.

EROA: I know what you’re thinking, Vent.
EROA: I’m- *cough* ok.
VENT: But y-you ju-
EROA: Vent, you must stop worrying about me. Miscalculations will hurt anyone.
EROA: Either way, you saw what happened out there. Even if I am beaten down, I can always come back.
VENT: W-well… if you s-say so, Lady Eroa.

Hearing the words come from the goddess herself, Vent can’t help but put himself at ease. They prepare to move forward. But first, Eroa carefully looks down the steep mountain slope, for any potential items of interest at the bottom.