<ROUND 28>

Doc does some respeccing. He -2s his SKI to obtain Limit Breaker and increase his INT and SPC. Neat.

---

Skylar gets lost. Trying to head to the mountain’s summit, it ends up in the Quiet Grove somehow, which is really just the exact opposite direction.

Examining the poem on the tree, Skylar rearranges it to form a different, yet still rhyming order. This brave act of poetic reinterpretation and/or vandalism causes the tree to... to...

Nothing. Absolutely nothing happens. The poem sure is different now, though. And maybe the rock’s position? Nah, it definitely isn’t moving when you aren’t looking.

Back in the Fragment, Paige bwaahs. She also asks the vending machine if it has any Uranium Dioxideperoxide soda.

VENDITI: FOOLISH FOOL TRAITOR
VENDITI: MY PRODUCT LISTING IS
VENDITI: PUBLICLY AVAILABLEEEEEE
VENDITI: YOU MAY PURCHASE
VENDITI: TAB SODA
VENDITI: OR NO SODA, EVER

Looks like Paige will have to set up a rival soda business.

---

Pardon heals Paige. The crack in her leg is restored.

Pardon also returns to Chi to report the existence of the Pin-infested Vending Machine. Chi frowns.

CHI: An Iti who wants to destroy us, but also to sell us goods?
CHI: That seems suspicious. I’d advise not purchasing anything.
CHI: It could be poisoned or trapped in some way, after all.
CHI: ...You want to get some water from the pond?
CHI: Sure, go ahead.

Chi furnishes Pardon with a couple canteens that survived the crash. Now he can obtain... water.

---

Debbie and Doc have a chat.

Debbie also proceeds down the mountain, spotting the faeries conversing with Offtopic. She stays back for now... how will it play out?

---

Offtopic converses with the fae. He tells the woodwisps that he’s just passing through. The lead woodwisp responds.

WOODWISP: You really don’t know what’s going on, do you?
WOODWISP: Your friends were just fighting the “purple murder monsters” in that awful crashed hunk of metal, silly!
WOODWISP: And you’re wandering in our woods, ours ever since the Chairians abandoned it for fear of the monsters.
WOODWISP: Traipsing about without a care in the world, attracting those too-smart Iti... that’s your doing.
WOODWISP: So, how are you going to make it up to us, you big oafs?

---

Sakura becomes hungy. In search of nutrients, she asks Venditi for a sample ration, just to make sure its wares are actually edible.

VENDITI: THERE ARE NO FREE SAMPLES
VENDITI: HOWEVER YOU MAY PURCHASE RATION FOR THE LOW LOW COST OF
VENDITI: TEN CREDITS
VENDITI: BECAUSE OF TEN CREDITS OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE, I WILL GRANT YOU ONE RATION FOR ZERO CREDITS/

A ration – an unappetizing vial of liquid – thunks at the bottom of the machine.

VENDITI: YES
VENDITI: CONSUME THE DELICIOUS RATIONS
VENDITI: WHILE YOU DIGEST THEM YOUR REFLEXES WILL BECOME SLUGGISH
VENDITI: YOU WILL GROW FAT AND COMPLACENT
VENDITI: AND THEN, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT
VENDITI: I WILL STRIKE
VENDITI: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

---

Eroa joins Offtopic and Debbie on the descending slope.

Peering down the mountain, it’s hard to get a better view than what Debbie had from the summit, thanks to the tree cover that intensifies further down. There’s definitely a large river somewhere at the bottom...

---

In the Fragment, Bass notices a new item in the inventory.

BASS: huh
BASS: where did you get this circus mask?
BASS: i’ve never seen one like this before
BASS: it definitely isn’t rose make
BASS: or if it is it’s really really old
BASS: all the recruits in my class were way too “creative” to make a design this simple
BASS: myself possibly included

...

Pardon goes to the lake and obtains some Purified Water. Always remember to hydrate, kids!!

After the obligatory health message aimed at the younglings and hard workers, he schoomoochesroundabouthipscotchhoorays explores the area past the Vending Machine after putting the water into Group Inventory

Just Before Mt. Lichen Descent

Debbie watches and listens, placing her hand on her chin as she does so. From what the Fae blurted out, Debbie could make out a few details, and jots them down on her clipboard.

DEBBIE: ...getting complicated... hmm...

Debbie sighs, then takes a deep breath. If there's any time to get answers, it's right now. So, she approaches down the mountain, taking point next to Offtopic. She locks eyes with the lead Woodwisp, neutral as a grey brick.

DEBBIE: So. I want to see if I'm understanding you properly.
DEBBIE: The Fae of this region - yourselves - aren't fond of airships. I recall there were pollution concerns? Correct me if I'm wrong.
DEBBIE: In addition, we have encroached on your territory and are (apparently) attracting Iti.
DEBBIE: And, currently, we (apparently) owe the Fae an as-of-yet undetermined favor for damages caused to the surrounding area.
DEBBIE: Is this correct? And if not, where am I mistaken?

Debbie patiently awaits a response. Though she doesn't expect one iota of cooperation... who knows, maybe the Fey'll surprise her.

Skylar Decides to Study The Mechanisms of Personhood such as; Emotion; Part Two: An Empiric Study of Lines of Poetry To Be Arranged in Aesthetically Pleasing Orders

SKYLAR: I DON'T THINK I UNDERSTAND POETRY
SKYLAR: UNLESS.

Skylar skitters up the tree again and reorganizes them to read "The quiet shade", "Across old bark", "In the ancient glade", "It's always dark".

SKYLAR: DEFINITELY OVER 30,000% BETTER NOW

---

QUOTE (Dedomeni @ Nov 17 2023, 12:39 AM)

Sakura becomes hungy. In search of nutrients, she asks Venditi for a sample ration, just to make sure its wares are actually edible. VENDITI: THERE ARE NO FREE SAMPLES VENDITI: HOWEVER YOU MAY PURCHASE RATION FOR THE LOW LOW COST OF VENDITI: TEN CREDITS VENDITI: BECAUSE OF TEN CREDITS OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE, I WILL GRANT YOU ONE RATION FOR ZERO CREDITS/ A ration – an unappetizing vial of liquid – thunks at the bottom of the machine. VENDITI: YES VENDITI: CONSUME THE DELICIOUS RATIONS VENDITI: WHILE YOU DIGEST THEM YOUR REFLEXES WILL BECOME SLUGGISH VENDITI: YOU WILL GROW FAT AND COMPLACENT VENDITI: AND THEN, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT VENDITI: I WILL STRIKE VENDITI: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Before Sakura can blink, the high-beams are turned on her with a VENGEANCE. Paige stares at her with pleading eyes of bwaah, which are still full of tears from Venditi violence.

PAIGE: can I have some pretty please
PAIGE: pleassssseee I'm so hungryyyyy

she hungy. feed her 1 billion wood and sap

---

The Investigation Begins Anew

QUOTE (Dedomeni @ Nov 17 2023, 12:39 AM)

In the Fragment, Bass notices a new item in the inventory. BASS: huh BASS: where did you get this circus mask? BASS: i’ve never seen one like this before BASS: it definitely isn’t rose make BASS: or if it is it’s really really old BASS: all the recruits in my class were way too “creative” to make a design this simple BASS: myself possibly included

Keane is there. No explanation. She's just there. She's found a deerstalker hat and a notebook somewhere, too.

KEANE: Oh! Anything else you can tell me about that?
KEANE: The mask was on a dead body stuffed into a crevice. There's no other identifying features that would explain cause of death. I can lead you to it, if you want?

The plot quickens.

General Travel:
Free food! Awesome! I mean, she didn't get it in the way she intended, but a free vial of food is a free vial of food. She shakes the vial in front of Venditi.

SAKURA: C'mon. Can't make any exceptions, not even for royalty?
SAKURA: ...Whatever. It's not like we'll find anyone willing to accept Credits out here.
SAKURA: Thanks, not at all malevolent vending machine.

Snack in hand, Sakura makes her way to the Mt. Lichen Descent using the handy map that everyone seems to have a copy of. There, she encounters Debbie and a few others attempting negotiations with woodwisps. Who are apparently, quite the stubborn bunch.

Sakura, deciding to delegate the negotiations to her faithful maid Debbie (at least for now), takes a moment to comb her core. She had... a decent enough education. Sure, she might've skipped out on a lot of it to go and play with dolls, but she might remember something, right?

That's right. SAKURA ROLLS A KNOWLEDGE CHECK ON WOODWISPS.

---

Paige:
Paige has a request for the most illustrious Sakura! Give her a delicious snack! Well, is a Ration really delicious? Maybe. And look at how sad Paige is! How could you say no to a sad Paige?

SAKURA: No.

o-oh

SAKURA: ...Okay, wait. Maybe.
SAKURA: Look. I'm absolutely goddamn famished. Needing to potentially eat this peasant food gorillaing pains me, but I will do it if I need to.
SAKURA: Buuuut. If you can find me something better than this ration, then you can have it.

but look paige is so sad

SAKURA: ...Consider it a debt. You can eat it now, but you need to find me something soon.
SAKURA: In uh, a hypothetical six hour window before I starve to death.
SAKURA: Deal?

Should Paige agree, she gets the disgusting peasant vial a delicious snack! If not... well uh, Sakura will restort to extreme measures. Like drinking the vial in front of Paige. How could she?

---

Debbie:
Sakura, listening to the negotiations, leans up real close to Debbie and whispers something to her. Hushed enough so that the Woodwisps can't hear, anyway.

SAKURA: so what's our plan B
SAKURA: i know how to make a molotov, threatening arson's always a good plan, right?

Truly, Sakura is one of supernatural grace, poise, and wisdom.

---

Blacklight:
Sakura is asked a simple question by Blacklight. How has life been treating her over the past year? She's... a little bit too bubbly with her description.

SAKURA: Oh, it's been great!
SAKURA: I got ousted from my palace of comfort, forced to slum with the local peasantry, and I can barely even clothe and feed myself!
SAKURA: And not only that, but said peasantry doesn't pay me their due respect, and generally tries to assault me!
SAKURA: But it's okay, because I have devised a tier list of the best grasses to eat in Locaa!
SAKURA: Top tier is the grass from Lilac, before you ask!

Any sense of bubbliness pops as Sakura's pointed tongue goes pop pop pop.

SAKURA: HOW DO YOU THINK IT'S BEEN GOING, GENIUS?
SAKURA: Do I look or smell like someone who'd had a pleasant past year?
SAKURA: "Ah yeah, I'm sure the eyepatch and burn marks around her eye are just a fashion statement!:
SAKURA: IT'S NOT.
SAKURA: I mean, I think it'd catch on in some circles, but.
SAKURA: Yeah. What'd you expect?

The Fragment

Blacklight listens in complete silence as Sakura responds to his inquiry with... significant levels of unhappiness, all things considered. He can sense that he maybe hit a sore point, and now it falls to him to find a way to rectify it.

"...Hm. That is... rather unfortunate."

Probably not the best way to start things off. To be fair, have you ever tried comforting someone who has a bad case of Suddenly Shit Life Syndrome? It's not easy. Blacklight needs to think hard and choose his words carefully. After coming up with some, he hesitantly tries his best.

"Admittedly, I didn't have any idea what to expect. I spent most of last year isolating as much as possible so nobody would have to put up with the effects my presence would have on them. If I had known your life was going that unpleasantly, I would have tried looking for you."

It occurs to him that saying this doesn't actually, you know, address anything.

"...At any rate. It may be only a small consolation, but since I did loot about 50 credits from the spilled chemicals just a moment ago, I'm fairly sure there will be more coming up from future skirmishes and searches. That should at least partially alleviate the food issue... Though, even if 50 credits is all we get for a while, that's at least enough for a couple of pastries."

Beat.

"Also, on a more personal note, now you don't have to suffer alone anymore. (I mean that in the I and others are willing to help you deal with your problems way not the everyone here is suffering way but it's funnier if you interpret it like that)"

Offtopic: no worries, i will stop running around in the snow for now
Offtopic: and stay here until we can stealth our way out of here
Offtopic: although i don't know how to do that

<ROUND 29>

Pardon acquires some purified water. It is added to the inventory.

Next, he explores the area around the Vending Machine a little more thoroughly. Doesn’t seem like there’s anything of note here. Sad.

---

Debbie does some diplomacy. Taking notes on her clipboard, she approaches the faeries and asks them some questions. The lead woodwisp responds.

WOODWISP: So one of you lousy lot has been paying attention.
WOODWISP: You crashed your horrible ship right in our woods! And you don’t even have the decency to apologize.
WOODWISP: This area was nice and peaceful until you showed up.
WOODWISP: The Court will chew you into tiny little pieces!
WOODWISP: But we could put in a good word for you. If you grovel at our feet, ask us nicely.

The woodwisp crosses their tiny arms smugly, hovering just out of reach of Debbie. Not that they know she has spire technology.

---

Skylar rearranges the poem again. Once again, nothing happens.

Meanwhile, Keane and Doc have a nice chat. And then Keane jumpscares Bass.

BASS: holy gorilla
BASS: rock woman jumpscare

Keane shares her knowledge of the place she found the strange mask with Bass, offering to take him there. Bass nods.

BASS: sure, why not
BASS: beats doing my idle animation in this lab

The two journey back to the Dark Crevice, where Bass examines the corpse.

BASS: yeah they’re dead all right
BASS: weird

Bass puts on the mask.

BASS: maybe this’ll do something
BASS: hey buddy
BASS: i’m, uh
BASS: a cool friend of yours
BASS: do you want to come to life or
BASS: wait am i seeing things or is that torch suddenly on fire

...It still looks as unlit as ever.

BASS: hey, you wanna give it a try?

Indeed wanting to see for herself, Keane takes the mask and puts it on. Sure enough, as she does so, the room is suddenly illuminated by a baleful red light, emitted from the dead Chairian’s torch, which now bears a bright scarlet flame.

I wonder if anything else has changed. Probably not. That would be ridiculous.

---

Sakura rolls a knowledge check. And critically succeeds. It turns out she remembers quite a lot about woodwisps.

Unfortunately, the Chairian education system’s fae curriculum turns out to have been rather sparse. From what Sakura can recall, woodwisps are a somewhat more adventurous and prank-prone subtype of faeries, intelligent but mostly harmless and asocial beings who live out in the woods doing... whatever faeries do. Eating tiny fruits and befriending animals, probably. They’re officially considered sub-Chairian wildlife and have been for centuries, though many Chairians would feel uncomfortable hunting them.

She certainly hadn’t been taught about any organized groups of fae like these woodwisps are professing to be a part of. Though, legends did say Chairians used to live alongside the fae in the woods long ago, before starting to build towns and cities. How much had they forgotten about that time, when they left the faeries behind?

Sakura also chats with a bunch of people. In a not-at-all rude way. Sakura, rude? Never.

---

Blacklight chats back with Sakura.

Hopefully, there will be more than 50 credits available in this game. Otherwise you’ll never get all the cool items I theorycrafted and/or stole.

---

Offtopic wonders if they can stealth out of this situation. Hopefully he wasn’t talking loud enough to be overheard.

---

I hope the overworld gameplay and weird puzzle bullshit sections aren’t too boring for y’all. I’m enjoying myself, at least.

The Investigation: Bart Three

Keane puts on the mask and beholds a whole new realm. Surely she will have something to say about this-

KEANE: holy FUCK bass you guys have Technihue????
KEANE: Vamprobabilitant scientists have been trying to figure out how to do things like this for YEARS!
KEANE: Hold on. I wanna try something...

Keane exits the crevice and searches for hidden messages.

---

Skylar Decides to Study The Mechanisms of Personhood such as; Emotion; Part Three: Give Up And Start Breaking Things

SKYLAR:
SKYLAR: FUCK

Skylar gives up on the poetry and slams an enormous hammer into the teleporting rock with Definitely Precise and Intentional Force and not at all as a frustration response.

---

payje

QUOTE (Irecreeper @ Nov 25 2023, 12:20 AM)

Paige: Paige has a request for the most illustrious Sakura! Give her a delicious snack! Well, is a Ration really delicious? Maybe. And look at how sad Paige is! How could you say no to a sad Paige? SAKURA: No. o-oh SAKURA: ...Okay, wait. Maybe. SAKURA: Look. I'm absolutely goddamn famished. Needing to potentially eat this peasant food gorillaing pains me, but I will do it if I need to. SAKURA: Buuuut. If you can find me something better than this ration, then you can have it. but look paige is so sad SAKURA: ...Consider it a debt. You can eat it now, but you need to find me something soon. SAKURA: In uh, a hypothetical six hour window before I starve to death. SAKURA: Deal? Should Paige agree, she gets the disgusting peasant vial a delicious snack! If not... well uh, Sakura will restort to extreme measures. Like drinking the vial in front of Paige. How could she?

Before Sakura gets a response, Paige grabs the vial out of her hand and eats it whole. It crunches unnervingly. Paige does not flinch, instead swallowing and then :D'ing at Sakura.

PAIGE: Thank youuuuu!~
PAIGE: And don't worry! I'll bet we'll find something soon.
PAIGE: Something nice and meaty and easy to catch and delicious...

Paige stares across the clearing at the blood-covered Maria, completely unsubtly.

Diplomacy ft. Debbie

Debbie quietly listens to the Fae. She doesn't even flinch at the backhanded compliment, nor Sakura's absolute boneheaded suggestion of using molotovs in spite of, oh I dunno, being made of wood. Onlookers would notice that she's maintaining her composure quite well. She's dealt with more than enough... less than amicable types in her years, after all.

Although, it seems the Fey were wiling to cooperate in answering questions, at least. Maybe she could weasel more information out of them, somehow. But for now... keep to their side of the story. Though, now aware of where the problems lie...

DEBBIE: I see...
DEBBIE: On behalf of our small band of crash survivors, we apologize for unknowingly crossing into your territory in an airship, in addition to the unexpected crash landing within said territory.
DEBBIE: If we had known prior to leaving, we would have avoided the area or come on foot.
DEBBIE: Alas, here we are...

A pause.

DEBBIE: You mentioned an uptick in Iti activity recently, yes?
DEBBIE: We were originally sent to eliminate their threat, one way or another, on behalf of the village ahead.
DEBBIE: If they are attracted to our presence, then it is only fair to fulfill our pre-assigned objective, such that your territory can return to its original, peaceful state.
DEBBIE: After which, our band of survivors leaves.
DEBBIE: A win-win for both parties, no?
DEBBIE: This is, unfortunately, all we can offer at the moment.
DEBBIE: Unless you have something else in mind...?

Debbie falls silent. Waiting. Not looking away from the Fae.

Pardon performs a whirlwind of discovery by zooming around. He first goes look at whether the tracks in the Salvage Yard actually lead to any location while they still remain somewhat fresh. On the way, he attempts to look at the Gorged and other passing "allied" Grey Iti to see whether they might possibly be able to open the safe.

He also brings the Grey Nanite along to lead it back to Grey Den nearby. He also ponders whether he can use the compound reassembler to purify the bucket of water...even MORE.

General Travel:
My god. Sakura has THE KNOWLEDGE. Though, like hell she's going to make use of it. Okay, well. Maybe she should make use of it. Maybe it'll make Debbie pay attention to her.

SAKURA: Hey, Debbie. Pay attention to me for a sec.
SAKURA: I have deets. Details that aren't as interesting as molotovs, but still. Bare with me.
SAKURA: Groups of Fae like this aren't exactly normal. Far as we know, they don't form kingdoms like this? Something's fishy.
SAKURA: They might've in the past. Maybe. Apparently, we used to live with them, before we invented common decency?
SAKURA: ...You're welcome, by the way.

No longer interested in these political struggles, Sakura decides to go visit interesting people who are doing interesting things. Unfortunately, Keane is all the way across the map, and she really cannot find the motivation to crawl back down the entire goddamn mountain. So instead, she rests on the summit.

SAKURA: Wonder if there's anything I can see from here...
SAKURA: It's worth a shot.

Perching herself on top of the stone Mt Lichen Summit marker, Sakura does her best to survey the distant lands, preferably to the east. A shame she can't see that far... or can she? Briefly equipping an Aimbot Scope from the Character Creation screen, she uses it to augment her vision ever so slightly. Hopefully, she can find any sort of landmark, or place they might want to travel to.

---

/working???

<ROUND 30>

Keane discovers the power of Technihue. Curious, she leaves the crevice with the mask still equipped, searching for hidden messages.

The Rock Tunnel appears as it did before, as does Shoal Cave. The Empty Cave further in, however... is no longer that. A massive black metal lantern with an unlit top sits in the room, a bed of inert coals at its base. It feels solid as Keane reaches out to touch it... but removing the mask causes it to disappear, and Keane’s hand to pass right through it. Strange...

Skylar, meanwhile, gives up on poetry and attacks the teleporting rock with a giant hammer. The material is very sturdy, but a small piece does fracture off the rock, falling to the ground. The rock remains unmoving as Skylar stares at it, as does the hammered-off piece.

Finally, Paige forms her plans to hunt Maria for sport. Soon.

---

Debbie continues diplomacy. She suggests that allowing the party to continue pursuing their present objective would take both them and the strange Iti out of the faeries’ lands. A win-win. The lead woodwisp stares at Debbie suspiciously.

WOODWISP: ...Fine enough. But we want an apology for that stinking metal abomination first!
WOODWISP: After that, you’re free to herd those creepy Iti away from our forest.
WOODWISP: Just remember, we’ll be watching! Even if you think we can’t see you, we can. No funny business!

Seems like you’re free to continue down... after someone gives them an apology. Not that they could probably stop you from heading down without apologizing.

---

Pardon zooms around.

First, he inspects the tracks in the Salvage Yard. It seems they lead through the dense forest up to Mt. Lichen’s southeastern side... the Iti probably retreated to around the Fragment, where their comrades were encountered.

Next, he darts over to see if any Grey Iti in the area might be able to open the safe in the shack. None of them seem particularly more capable than any member of the party might be in regards to smashing it open, and they all seem downright useless when it comes to repairing the electronic lock.

Finally, he deposits the Grey Nanite in the Grey Den, where it awkwardly stares at the other Iti it now shares space with. Hopefully, they realize its buffing potential. Pardon also wonders if he can purify the water even more with the Compound Reassembler. I mean... maybe??? Crafting is a thing that exists.

---

Sakura gives up on molotov diplomacy. Instead, she heads back to the summit and climbs the marker, using an Aimbot Scope to peer down.

She doesn’t see much those who had peered before her hadn’t, but there’s definitely a river down there... and what look like Chairian-made structures some ways away on the other side. Perhaps the town, then.

Diplomacy

...Huh. Sakura laid down some useful information. She writes down Sakura's information on her clipboard (along with the Fae's musings). So they don't typically form groups like this, though might've in the past... a group of organized Fae like this would then be quite unheard of. She needs more information. Much more information.

But she doesn't want to hold up everyone much longer. Just an apology for the airship itself, right? After that, it appears they've come to an agreement.

DEBBIE: Right. We apologize for the creation and deployment of the airship as well.
DEBBIE: Again, if we had known, we would have come on foot.

She thinks for a moment, then nods.

DEBBIE: We have come to an agreement, then.
DEBBIE: We neutralize the Iti and leave, such that the forest returns to it's calm state.
DEBBIE: Though, if it is alright, I would like to continue speaking with you.
DEBBIE: I feel we could learn much from you.

After receiving an okay from the Fae (for the first part, at least), Debbie nods, and turns back to the party.

DEBBIE: Okay. We are free to proceed.

Debbie stays behind, in case the Fae do want to talk more.

General Travel:
Somehow sensing that negotiations have not horrifically broken down, Sakura shelves any plan to commit horrific murders against the Woodwisps. Instead, she slides down the mountain, and moves through Woodwisp territory, to (DE38). Onwards, to adventure! Hopefully she can make it to the town...

Offtopic moves to the next area through DE38.

<ROUND 31>

Debbie delivers an apology. The woodwisps chatter to themselves for a moment, until the apparent leader once again flits forward.

WOODWISP: Very well! We graciously accept your apology, and despite your crimes, will allow you entrance to our territory.
WOODWISP: Remember – we’re always watching!

They blow a raspberry, then zip off to the west. Following them is probably possible... if one doesn’t mind running through a downward sloped, snowy forest for an unknown distance.

---

Sakura slides onward, to adventure. She heads down the mountain for a while longer, before finally arriving at the base of the trail. Another stone sign marks the entrance to Mt. Lichen. Neat.

Continuing forward towards the town, she finds the ground sloping even further, becoming something of a valley. An icy river cuts across the valley, and in the distance, Sakura can see a town, surrounded by a wooden wall.

Following her down the mountain is Chi, who evidently did not trust Sakura to make first contact for some strange reason, and Acerola, dubiously fulfilling her role as travel guide.

CHI: ...That’s Amora, yes?
CHI: It’s... smaller than I expected.
CHI: Perhaps that was foolish of me. The Reach is hardly hospitable enough to support anything near the size of Seatopolis.

Acerola shrugs.

ACEROLA: Eh.
ACEROLA: It’s pretty big.
CHI: Acerola... have you ever considered studying in the capital?
CHI: I don’t know much about you, but you seem to have quite the talent for holy magic.
ACEROLA: Yeah, well.
ACEROLA: I think they’d call it unholy—
CHI: My point being that you’ve clearly got a good head on your shoulders.
CHI: I’m not suggesting you join the clergy. Just that there are a lot of opportunities in Seatopolis that can’t be found elsewhere in Locaa.
CHI: I know my life would’ve taken a very different course had I not studied medicine in the capital.
ACEROLA: ...You think we’re hicks?
CHI: I—no. That wasn’t what I meant.
ACEROLA: Hmm.
ACEROLA: I like it here. Personally.
ACEROLA: Fucking cold, but. I don’t mind.
STANDARDBEARER: HEY!

As the group approaches the river, they see a Chairian bearing a battle standard on the other side of the river. The standard is simpler than the ones carried by the Legion, the soldier’s attire closer to a coat than armor. Behind them, on the nearby shore, are five other soldiers and a sapsqueal.

STANDARDBEARER: WHO GOES THERE?

Chi steps toward the riverbank.

CHI: Stella Chi, at your service!
CHI: I’m here with a contingent from the capital! We’re here to investigate the strange Iti activity that was reported... and that we have experienced firsthand.
STANDARDBEARER: STELLA–sorry my bad. Stella Chi?
STANDARDBEARER: Wait but why are you coming from a gosh darn mountain? Did you walk from the capital?
CHI: ...No. Our airship was struck down by a giant laser.
CHI: Did you not see that?
STANDARDBEARER: ...Ohhhh. So that’s what that was.
STANDARDBEARER: I was wondering about that big flash of light. You know I thought maybe it was like a meteor or an asteroid or comet.

The standardbearer plants their feet on the ice firmly.

STANDARDBEARER: Right okay checks out makes sense.
STANDARDBEARER: Unfortunately we are currently under instruction to not let anyone into the town right now.
CHI: ...But we were specifically requested—
STANDARDBEARER: Yeah I get it but the Iti have been acting weird for the last uh. Twenty four hours?
STANDARDBEARER: Like weirder than usual weird. Governor thinks an attack might be imminent.
STANDARDBEARER: So no one in. Until they stop watching us from the forest all creepy like.

Acerola groans.

ACEROLA: Hey. Alani. Look at me.
ALANI: ...‘Rola?
ALANI: What are you doing on the capital uh... cool mission thing team?
ACEROLA: Listen. Okay. There’s this princess I met. And
ALANI: ‘Rola I can’t fudging hear a word out of your mouth this river is too big.
ACEROLA: Dome fucking damn it
ACEROLA: Just let us across. I’ll say I used my magics to. Muddle your mind with democracy?
ACEROLA: Mmm. That sounds plausible.
ACEROLA: Poplar can blame me if he wants. I’m used to it.
ALANI: ...Yeah ok sure.
ALANI: Just. Stay right there. Need to check none of you are Deceivers.

Alani steps forward, making to cross the river, with some of their subordinates following... and then a CRACK vibrates across the valley.

ALANI: That’s not good–

Several faultlines run through the ice nearby as it splits open, revealing freezing water underneath. Alani just barely manages to avoid toppling in... and from the water bursts a Siren.

SIREN: no further~
CHI: How—
ACEROLA: They knew you were coming.

The Siren’s shrill, yet haunting cry pierces the air, and from the nearby copses and snowdrifts, Iti burst forth, lunging for the Northern Guard.

<THE FROZEN RIVER: BATTLE START!>

---

Offtopic follows Sakura.

The two, arriving just as hostilities break out, find themselves witnessing a skirmish indeed. I won’t dictate which players you bring to this battle just because of who arrived where, though. (You can also remove the NPCs, if you like... One of them might not be pleased about that.)

---

Keane does some jogging. Running back across the map, she hands the odd mask to Debbie and/or Doc, then returns to Sakura’s side.

Just in time to witness the carnage.

---

<BATTLES: THE FROZEN RIVER, ROUND 1>

The battle will be lost if all Chairians die! After all, you need someone to grant you a pass to Amora. And also to preserve Chairian life, that’s good too. They’ll get a turn before the Iti, but they only have so many places to run... which is where you come in. I hope nothing else is hiding in those waters...

The Investigation: Bart Three

Keane stares at the gigantic lantern through the mask, before tearing it off her face and rubbing her eyes as the lantern disappears. She turns back-

KEANE: Princess, are you seeing this shit?
KEANE:

The realization hits. The front half of Keane's face deflates like a balloon.

KEANE: Shit, I'm the worst bodyguard ever.

Within moments, she's off like a shot. Keane bounds across the rocks of the Shoal Cave, turning a wildly overshot and fumbled last jump into a ridiculously cool slide.

KEANE: ThanksforthehelpBassIreallygottagowillcontinuecheckingthisoutinabitokthanksBYE!

WHOOSH. Keane scrambles up the mountain, Debbie's terraforming helping with the climb. As she dashes through the summit, she takes a moment to give a jaunty salute to the Meteos floating high above before dashing onwards. As she skids by Debbie and Doc, she calls out, tossing them the mask:

KEANE: Heybythewaythere'ssomethingfreakyinthecavesyoucanonlyseeitwiththemaskon. Catch!

Thankfully, she has the good sense to slow down as she passes the Woodwisps and catches up to Sakura,
breathing heavily- but really, not as heavily as she ought to be, given she just climbed a small mountain.

KEANE: ...Hey, this won't be a problem, will it?
KEANE: Given that, like... Outsiders aren't really the cool kids on the block, here.
KEANE: Should I be wearing a disguise...?

---

payjej

PAIGE: :D :D :D

Eroa removes 1 point from STR (going into the negatives, really?) and puts it into SKI. This grants Large Head to Abduction.

Some NPCs also get to assign skillpoints.
Acerola: -1 MP +2 SPC
R8: -1 HP +2 DEF +2 SKI

--------------

THE FROZEN RIVER

Eroa moves to E12, and proceeds to use Abduction on Carrion4 to move it to D11. She then uses Flirt (applying Fear) on the Lamia. She then retreats to F13.

Offtopic joins the fight at the Frozen River, starting his turn after Sakura.

He spawns at M16, moves to N12, Phase Shifts the Siren, and then casts Portal, targetting tiles K8 and K12.