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

ROUND ONE

[phantasmods]

Above water

N/A

Below water

At first, the new arrivals don't attract any reaction from the siren - as far as it's concerned, it's business as usual, with some freshly arrived minions.

That lasts until first Akira's, and then Ardyn's, shots land solidly in its mass.

Arianna's voice only reduces the effect for the people in her "party" (for lack of any additional input, for now that will be assumed to be the other Airlocked CRAUs), but it does take a bit of the edge off. Now awakened and in pain, the siren shifts and a tentacle swings out wildly at the nearest threat, which is Mai, who will find that she needs that sword more for parrying the extremely strong tentacle than she does for hacking.

Tali's attempt at what have you... Doesn't seem to be having an effect?

Goro doesn't seem to have had much luck either. The attack would certainly have have a great effect... If it had hit anything but the mass of seaweed and tangle that the siren surrounds itself in.

[nojohnyouare]

Gk--!

[Mai pushes back hard, but ends up having to pull back only to go forward and slash at the tentacle again. She's never been one for self-preservation.]

Hidden. Everyone, watch.

[daughterofthemark]

[Well, Arianna was going to move towards the others and set them up with another Prevent Order, but if we're doing the rush-into-danger thing then she has to look over her people some more. Guard Order time.]

Use caution--be on your guard!

[burninglight]

Are you hurt?

[Ardyn warped closer to Mai, watching the creature warily. The crossbow was still in one hand, a green bottle kept in the other just in case.]

...What do you think would happen if we cut through this seaweed?

[dubiouslychthonic]

[[No injury that would permanently disable her, cause her to bleed out and turn rainbow drinker, or kill her outright, please. Knocking her in the water's fine if you want to laugh while I scramble to decide what she turns into.]]

[The fight's already underway by the time Jetshard enters the above-water portion of the lighthouse, although from the ledge her ability to make out what's going on in the water below is naturally somewhat limited. Especially since, once she realizes that it's a drop straight into the water, she's keeping her back up against the wall.

Which might help a little in preventing the jellyfish to push her off, but she's still unwary enough that one brushes against her bare arm before she realizes they're a threat -

- once the mental paralysis wears off she's pulling a fairly large knife from her sylladex, and assuming she's still on her feet, slashing at any jellyfish she sees coming uncomfortably close.]

ABOVE WATER - as ironic as it'd be, don't dismember or kill her

[serrata]

[ There's already a commotion going on inside, once Yuuri arrives at the lighthouse. She's certainly not prepared for a fight, but– no, wait, where did that sword come from? Was she always holding a sword? Listen, don't worry. It's fine. ]

If you can't fight, then anyone who can make it to the door needs to get out now!

[ Not that it's easy, with all the jellies, but Yuuri's doing her best to keep the path clear for anyone who wants to make a break for it. ]

Light injuries only, if any

[misanthropicprinciple]

[And here's her furry boyfriend, less well-adapted to battle on land but with his rock in hand for easy throwing--and easy warping. He stays behind Yuuri since the walkway is narrow, but he's watching her back and the sides, and the water.]

I'll evac people, or get them to healers! [And in a lower voice:] Yuuri, I've got your back. Don't let them get you into the water.

[And if they do, he'll fish her back out. For the time being, he hurls his rock at a couple jellies getting a little too close to bae.]

Injury level: medium to high, barring killing him; Below water!

[honededge]

[[OOC: Talon can heal you up from your last received wound. Post here if you need healing and you're under the waves. I'll post one of these every round.]]

[Talon shows up a little late to the party, just in time to see a tentacle lash out from the mess of seaweed.]

Jesus hell!

[He recoils, both from the rush of rotten water and to avoid the swing. Where's a gun when you need it? He's useless in this kind of fight without any weapons. So instead, he wheels around to his allies around him and shouts:]

Come to me if you get hurt! I can help you!

Above Water: Don't kill her, otherwise good to go!

[caduceusoncall]

[[OOC: If you're above the waves and need healing, you can come to Mercy for healing. I'll post one of these every round.]]

[She's been climbing steadily until now, spooking the jellies away with sharp movements of her wings and by swatting them with the staff. Now, there's a commotion in the water below and she's not able to see what exactly is happening, but it can't be good.]

Stay away from the edges! [She calls out, white-knuckling her staff.] If you are a non-combatant, exit the area immediately!

[beguiledcard]

(( OOC: Akira can heal people up, but it means switching from Mara to another Persona and leaving himself susceptible to Brainwash. Which... I'm cool with. ✧* ))

[ Well, at least the shot landed - as for how much damage, who's to say. He'll... resume that if he doesn't find something that seems more effective.

He's taking a moment to scan the area, consider everyone's positions, and note what other people's attacks are doing. It looks like regular physical isn't doing anything, and... what the heck is Tali actually doing?

Mm... For now, time to try casting a Maragidyne ("heavy fire dmg to all foes; chance of inflicting Burn") directly on it, and see how that goes.

Who doesn't love a good game of Weakness Roulette with Boss Enemies? Granted, he's looking around, this time for Morgana or Futaba in particular - maybe they can try Scanning? ]

No death but otherwise please feel free to mess this idiot up

[theosophomoric]

[There's really no way to dress this up or try to justify it.

Sonja's swimming straight at the thing with all of the force her stubby-tentacled merself can muster. She's gonna punch it.]

below water, no death but otherwise GO WILD

[myocordial]

[Fortunately Heart's been lucid for a while as all of this is happening. And there was no way he wouldn't be involved in a fight, are you kidding?

And, of course, Heart does generally go for melee combat only. Unarmed melee combat. But he holds back on his first instinct, which would be to punch this thing, to instead take advantage of the new trick he's learned underwater.

So time for a high-speed tail whip. Because of fucking course.]

Below water - nothing worse than a broken bone or two, if you please

[fistsofchange]

Lin wasn't at her best here, but she could see that people were in trouble, so she dove into the thick of things, armed with nothing more than her fists and feet.

It was a bad idea.

Now, fully under the siren's thrall, Bai Lin stands on the ocean floor, between you and the massive creature, facing you with a blank look on her face but apparently ready to fight to defend her new master.

[seafoamgreen]

Sorry about this!

[Not exactly Undyne's usual battle cry, but it's what she shouts right before fullbody tackling Lin, aiming to flip her over and pin her arms behind her back.]

Recovery from unconsciousness available here!

[foolishjustice]

[Now that he's aware of the brainwash effect, Goro's having an easier time fighting it off. That, however, doesn't help his annoyance at his attack missing, wasting both stamina and a round of Tarukaja. Maybe he's better off with another approach...

Drawing his giant seagull feather from his inventory, he directs Robin Hood to launch a Kougaeon, for heavy light aligned damage toward his target, boosted by both the Tarukaja and the magic of the feather.]

[dragonmouth]

[ Alright, looks like she can't land a solid nullification attempt on this thing. That's alright. She'll just try to rush forward and take a swing at the nearest tentacle with that big-ass wiggleblade she's always got with her. Whether or not it connects and actually does some damage is going to be a different story entirely, but unfortunately, her neck touches some of that mucus as she's let her guard completely down in order to make some use of her full power.

God help us. Currently, her stare is blank again, her sword arm falling limp. ]

[beguiledcard]

[ WELL THAT.

Is not something he has any room to judge, but... Honestly? His main focus is on the fact that she's going completely fucking still??? His gaze darts between her and the creature for just a moment, and then he...

Rushes right on over to grab her and put some distance between her and the thing! ]

Below Water - no dismemberment/Erasure

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama was watching from a little back; unfortunately, as he swims in to join the fight, the force that begins pushing against his mind manages to slip in before he can wall it out.

His purposeful movements pause for a moment, and he drifts in the water before raising a hand.

Unfortunately, instead of attacking the siren, his Kaleidoscope psyche, basically a psionic frag grenade, goes off in the midst of the other merpeople.]

[nojohnyouare]

!

[Mai's defence is up thanks to Arianna's buff, but she still cries out and puts her sword up. One of the fragments knocks her into the next person over.]

ABOVE | injury ok, nothing grevious, no death

[press_start]

[This girl is completely hecking useless. Oh man. Brb as she ducks out for a minute.

BUT MUSE AND MUN BOTH STILL WANT TO HELP SO, keeping firmly on the walkway, Chiaki scurries back into the lighthouse- carrying something large and round and orange with her little twig arms. She throws the life ring from her boat into the water, where it'll hopefully provide a lifeline for anyone falling in later.

She's going to start edging back out for another, equipping a kitchen knife in hand in case she's attacked on the way.]

Below water; feel free to show her the pain but nothing too permanent

[thoroff]

[When Wren rocks up to see a bunch of people gathered around and causing a commotion, she's immediately prepared to defend herself, trident at the ready. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going on here, after all.

As soon as she feels an encroaching presence in her mind, however, she freezes up, her eyes widening in horror and her grip on her weapon faltering, leaving it to drift languidly down to the seabed. She does her damnedest to resist... but alas, to no avail.

After a mere moment, she straightens up and, rather than retrieve the harpoon, summons Gungnir to her hand. She looks around, her previously luminescent red eyes dulled and narrowed, searching for a threat to eliminate.]

Feel free to get some proper damage on Pidonus, not too much permanent please.

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Oh, THAT was an expression Pidonus recognized immediately, as she approached. Her natural will save from being 21st-level had kept the thing out of her mind for the moment. A pity Wren wasn't so lucky.]

A Dominate effect. Great.

[She had a few options for trying to fight this... But unfortunately, Wren was more ready than her, giving her the chance at the first strike.]

H-hold on! Fight it!

ROUND TWO

[phantasmods]

Above water

The jellies react to the new arrivals largely by making nuisances of themselves. They mostly ignore Yuuri and Junpei, instead focusing their attempts to knock people into the water on the individual members of the group. They don't seem to understand that Mercy can fly and can't be knocked into the water, and bump into her with particular regularity.

Below water

[Note: Mind-control threads are left to the discretion of the players to resolve for the time being! General siren orders are DEFEND ME.]

Various attempts to hard the siren with blades go... at least somewhat well? For the amount they don't get you mind-controlled? Mai's removal of the seaweed steadily reveals more of the creature - which in turn reveals that, uh. Whatever this is? Doesn't seem to follow any kind of anatomy rules for Earth Planets. It may in fact be just a cluster of tentacles in a tangle -

Oh, that's a beak. A rather nasty looking one, aiming to take a chomp out of Mai and any other locally positioned combatants, about the size of a person's torso and attached to a "neck" without any further evidence of a head. It seems to be attempting to take advantage of the chaos caused by Kurama's grenade, which does admittedly seem to have done some damage to the creature itself.

It also flinches in pain from Heart's tail-whip, before swinging a tentacle in his direction. Sonja, on the other hand, doesn't do much good at all... But that tickle in her mind is certainly getting much stronger now...

The magical attacks, on the other hand, are having a much more significant effect. Akira's fire does only moderate damage - what did you expect, using fire underwater? It boils more than it flames - but Goro's on the other hand?

WEAKNESS DISCOVERED. The resulting shriek of pain is both audible - like a bird's cry twisted into a spiral - and psychic, adding a potential paralysis effect (like the jellies above) into the mix for all combatants below the water. Ow.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn flinched and recoiled from the scream as it sent a full-body shudder through him--focus, damn it, he had to pull himself together to stay coherent enough to think and force himself to move.]

[So it didn't like light, did it? In that case...]

Oh, you're causing trouble for the wrong person if light's your problem.

[The Armiger spun to bright and vibrant life in a flash of crystals and red-toned glow. At a gesture from Ardyn's hand thirteen Royal Arms made of magenta light shot forward, aimed at the beak as much as one could 'aim' what amounted to a shotgun full of swords.]

[nojohnyouare]

[I rolled a 7, so Mai doesn't get back in time to get away; the beak latches onto her tail and the usually silent young woman screams in rage. Stabbing might be a problem with the chip out of the top of her sword, but she lunges the sword at its neck anyway.]