DUNGEON LOG: KEYSTONE REEF

[phantasmods]

Expedition day dawns, as usual, with an android mass text -

Okay, so, this time we're aiming to go out and stabilize the Fissure in the reef you can see up a little to the north of here. The waters are usually pretty calm this time of year, so if you can swim instead of needing to take a boat, that'd be a great help. We only have a few of them.

Also, I know that last time was a mess, so I'm just gonna say this: If you need to get out for any reason, just send us a message and a picture of your location. We'll get a drone out to you as soon as we can and bring you home. No questions asked.

( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/ Stay safe out there! When you're ready to go, meet us down at the beach. The rocky, sparkly one, not the sandy one.

Unlike previous expeditions, this time there's no rooftop sendoff - instead, as Charm noted, the tables are set up on Glitterstone beach, along with a series of boats pulled up on the sand. Two rowboats that could maybe sit six people but probably better suited for four, a trio of inflatable rafts (with motors attached to the back, all mismatched) of about the same size, a two-person dinghy and a long canoe that could hold two or three.

Besides the little fleet, there's also the usual bagged lunches (in gallon ziplocs this time, and other such watertight containers), and every boat is equipped with a large number of those chepa dollar-store water bottles, all with their airtight store seals. There's also a selection of life vests and other floatation thingies in a box next to the table. Strange hovers over the setup, checking watertightness of a handful of first aid kits with a spritzer and a bucket to submerge things in. They give a little wave to anyone passing by headed to the boats.

For those who opt instead to swim, everything seems perfectly normal until you reach the border of the Fissure... When, very suddenly, it isn't.

Comments

[riderofcharlemagne]

[For once, Astolfo is the one paying more attention in this scenario. Must be some kind of Fissure effect.

He takes notice of the oncoming merman slightly too late, ducking out of the way quickly enough to just miss a full-on collision.]

Hey, if you're so pointy, you've got to be careful!

[It takes him a moment to really register the finer details of the person in front of him, but when he sees that mask, feels that familiar presence...]

Goro?! That's you?

[foolishjustice]

[The Fissure effect is called, Goro Akechi is a dumb excitable crow having too much fun.

He looks over just as Astolfo barely misses being crashed into. His eyes are a bit redder than they normally are, but the mask alone doesn't do much to hide the shape of his face below the nose, even if Astolfo wasn't one of the few who might recognize it.]

Ah, sorry. I got a little excited by the shipwrecks.

[He rubs the back of his head, tiny fins in his hair flattening it down in embarrassment.]

I do look pretty different, don't I?

[riderofcharlemagne]

[Overcome with curiosity, Astolfo circles around him, examining his new body to a degree some might find too intense.]

You look so cool! Black really suits you, you know?

[He eases off the inspection, remembering what they were doing here.]

Did you find anything interesting?

[foolishjustice]

[Some, maybe. But Goro's vanity just leaves him preening at the attention, fins perking up.]

I'm more fond of red, myself, but that's my other mask. My scales changed color when I put on Loki's mask.

I haven't found anything yet. Maybe we should look together.

[riderofcharlemagne]

[His fingers just lightly dance around the pointier spines that adorn Goro, and his attention snaps away when he mentions the colour changing.]

Really?! That's so cool!

[There's a twinkle in his eye.]

You should show me before we set off.

[foolishjustice]

I don't see why not. Robin Hood and Rangda are both useful down here.

[His mask bursts into crimson fire that somehow burns even underwater, then quickly turns blue and coalesces back into his red mask. As it finishes forming, color starts spreading out from his face, down to the end of his tail.]

[riderofcharlemagne]

[Astolfo watches in delight at Goro's transformation, and gives him a brief applause when he finishes.]

Looking sharp! [Haha get it because you're covered in spines-] Where should we head first?

[foolishjustice]

[He gives a snort of laughter at that, flipping around to keep swimming the way he'd been going.]

I'm looking for an entrance to the holds...or at least an indication of where they are.

[riderofcharlemagne]

[Astolfo thinks on it, trying to remember if he had come across anything like that. He had been pretty distracted by the entirety of the rest of the ship's contents...

...and then, something like a spark sets off in his mind, and an excitement fills his face.]

Oh! I've seen something like that! [His fins ripple with enthusiasm.] I can show you the way!

[foolishjustice]

Then lead on.

[His earfins twitch in excitement as he gestures.]

[riderofcharlemagne]

[With a nod, Astolfo takes Goro's hand to lead him through the wreck.]

Let's go!

[foolishjustice]

[He's perfectly content to follow, though he keeps a definite distance between them...just enough that Astolfo is out of reach of his abdominal spines.]

[riderofcharlemagne]

[He leads him through the wreck, occasionally holding himself back from going too fast. He seems to be moving more through some kind of instinct, barely pausing to remember where to go, taking shortcuts through cracks in the walls and flooring.]

Have you ever been in anything like this before?

[He means boats generally, but if Goro has any shipwreck experience that's equally interesting.]